Gun Control and Public Opinion

With over 49,000 violent incidents involving firearms occurring in 2015, legislation regarding the availability of guns is an extremely critical issue. Using the American National Election Study’s 2012 Time Series Study, this research considers the results of this survey, specifically whether certain demographics of respondents are more likely to believe the federal government should make laws on gun purchases more stringent. The independent variables of party identification, gender, and age are tested in relation to respondents’ opinions on gun control laws. Bivariate analysis finds that demographics of Americans identifying as Democrats, female, and sixty years or older are the most likely to support making laws for purchasing guns more difficult

Radial Trends in IMF-Sensitive Absorption Features in Two Early-Type Galaxies: Evidence for Abundance-Driven Gradients

Samples of early-type galaxies show a correlation between stellar velocity dispersion and the stellar initial mass function (IMF) as inferred from gravity-sensitive absorption lines in the galaxies' central regions. To search for spatial variations in the IMF, we have observed two early-type galaxies with Keck/LRIS and measured radial gradients in the strengths of absorption features from 4000-5500 \AA $\,$ and 8000-10,000 \AA. We present spatially resolved measurements of the dwarf-sensitive spectral indices NaI (8190 \AA) and Wing-Ford FeH (9915 \AA), as well as indices for species of H, C$_2$, CN, Mg, Ca, TiO, and Fe. Our measurements show a metallicity gradient in both objects, and Mg/Fe consistent with a shallow gradient in \alpha-enhancement, matching widely observed trends for massive early-type galaxies. The NaI index and the CN$_1$ index at 4160 \AA $\,$ exhibit significantly steeper gradients, with a break at $r \sim 0.1 r_{\rm eff}$ ($r \sim 300$ pc). Inside this radius NaI strength increases sharply toward the galaxy center, consistent with a rapid central rise in [Na/Fe]. In contrast, the ratio of FeH to Fe index strength decreases toward the galaxy center. This behavior cannot be reproduced by a steepening IMF inside $0.1 r_{\rm eff}$ if the IMF is a single power law. While gradients in the mass function above $\sim 0.4 M_\odot$ may occur, exceptional care is required to disentangle these IMF variations from the extreme variations in individual element abundances near the galaxies' centers.Comment: Accepted for publication in ApJ. Updates from v1 include an expanded comparison of measured index strengths to SPS models. 20 page body + 7 page appendix + references. Includes 25 figure

Regression Analysis of a Disease Onset Distribution Using Diagnosis Data

We consider methods for estimating the effect of a covariate on a disease onset distribution when the observed data structure consists of right-censored data on diagnosis times and current status data on onset times amongst individuals who have not yet been diagnosed. Dunson and Baird (2001) approached this problem using maximum likelihood, under the assumption that the ratio of the diagnosis and onset distributions is monotonic non-decreasing. As an alternative, we propose a two-step estimator, an extension of the approach of van der Laan, Jewell and Petersen (1997) in the single sample setting, that is computationally much simpler and requires no assumptions on this ratio. A simulation study is performed comparing estimates obtained from these two approaches, as well as that from a standard current status analysis that ignores diagnosis data. Results indicate that the Dunson and Baird estimator outperforms the two-step estimator when the monotonicity assumption holds, but the reverse is true when the assumption fails. The simple current status estimator loses only a small amount of precision in comparison to the two-step procedure but requires monitoring time information for all individuals. In the data that motivated this work, a study of uterine fibroids and chemical exposure to dioxin, the monotonicity assumption is seen to fail. Here, the two-step and current status estimators both show no significant association between the level of dioxin exposure and the hazard for onset of uterine fibroids; the two-step estimator of the relative hazard associated with increasing levels of exposure has the least estimated variance amongst the three estimators considered

Dynamics of Stride Interval Characteristics during Continuous Stairmill Climbing

It has been shown that statistical persistence in stride intervals characteristics exist during walking, running and cycling and were speed- dependent among healthy young adults. The purpose of this study was to determine if such statistical persistence in stride time interval, stride length and stride speed also exists during self-paced continuous stairmill climbing and if the strength is dependent on stepping rate. Stride time, stride length, and stride speed were collected from nine healthy participants during 3 min of stairmill climbing at 100, 110, and 120% of their preferred stepping rate (PSR) and 5 min of treadmill walking at preferred walking speed (PWS). The amount of variability (assessed by standard deviation and coefficient of variation) and dynamics (assessed by detrended fluctuation analysis and sample entropy) of the stride time, stride length, and stride speed time series were investigated. The amounts of variability were significantly higher during stairmill climbing for the stride time, stride length, and stride speed and did only change with increased stepping rate for stride speed. In addition to a more irregular pattern during stairmill climbing, the detrended fluctuation analysis (DFA) revealed that the stride length fluctuations were statistical anti-persistent for all subjects. On a group level both stride time and stride speed fluctuations were characterized by an uncorrelated pattern which was more irregular compared to that during treadmill walking. However, large inter-participant differences were observed for these two variables. In addition, the dynamics did not change with increase in stepping rate

Session B2- Building a fishway for Lake Sturgeon: Successful testing of a prototype upstream fishway on the Menomine River in Northern Wisconsin

Historically, lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens) were abundant in Lake Michigan with free and unobstructed access to the feeding and spawning areas within its many tributaries. Construction and operation of hydroelectric dams has impeded this access. One method for re-establishing this lost connection is to create an artificial pathway such as a fish passage facility. To help answer some basic questions, such as will sturgeon use a fishway, we constructed a prototype fish passage structure below a hydroelectric dam on the Menominee River in northern Wisconsin. This hydroelectric facility is located near Amberg, Wisconsin and owned by We Energies. The structure was designed with a ramp to a 1.07 meters per second (mps). The structure was equipped with a Passive Integrated Transponder tag (PIT tag) reader antenna and underwater video cameras equipped with infrared lights. All monitoring equipment were installed and activated before the start of the 2009 spring spawning season 9mid-April) and removed following the 2010 autumn migration (mid-October). PIT tag records indicated that 86 tagged lake surgeon used the passage structure in 2009 and 112 in 2010, with many sturgeon going through the structure multiple times. Video data verified these results and also indicated that these sturgeon moved through the structure rather quickly (mean = 3 sec in camera view). Extrapolated to the whole sturgeon population, nearly 20% of the spawning population went through the prototype fishway in 2009 and 24% in 2010. For both years of the study, larger sturgeon were observed during the spring spawning season versus the remainder of the year, 25.4 centimeters longer on average. In 2010, the structure was fitted with a V-trap (45.7 cm gap width with 0.46 mps constant water velocity) to test whether these fish can be trapped in an elevator hopper. Those results indicate both small and large sturgeon (as small as 49.5 cm and as large as 142.2cm, respectively) will pass through a 45.7 cm wide V-trap opening without hesitation. Video and PIT tag results indicated that sturgeon can be successfully attracted to and passed through a prototype upstream fish passage facilities currently planned for lake sturgeon in the Midwest

Availability of results of clinical trials registered on EU Clinical Trials Register: cross sectional audit study

Objective: To identify the availability of results for trials registered on the European Union Clinical Trials Register (EUCTR) compared with other dissemination routes to understand its value as a results repository. Design: Cross sectional audit study. Setting: EUCTR protocols and results sections, data extracted 1-3 December 2020. Population: Random sample of 500 trials registered on EUCTR with a completion date of more than two years from the beginning of searches (ie, 1 December 2018). Main outcome measures: Proportion of trials with results across the examined dissemination routes (EUCTR, ClinicalTrials.gov, ISRCTN registry, and journal publications), and for each dissemination route individually. Prespecified secondary outcomes were number and proportion of unique results, and the timing of results, for each dissemination route. Results: In the sample of 500 trials, availability of results on EUCTR (53.2%, 95% confidence interval 48.8% to 57.6%) was similar to the peer reviewed literature (58.6%, 54.3% to 62.9%) and exceeded the proportion of results available on other registries with matched records. Among the 383 trials with any results, 55 (14.4%, 10.9% to 17.9%) were only available on EUCTR. Also, after the launch of the EUCTR results database, median time to results was fastest on EUCTR (1142 days, 95% confidence interval 812 to 1492), comparable with journal publications (1226 days, 1074 to 1551), and exceeding ClinicalTrials.gov (3321 days, 1653 to undefined). For 117 trials (23.4%, 19.7% to 27.1%), however, results were published elsewhere but not submitted to the EUCTR registry, and no results were located in any dissemination route for 117 trials (23.4%, 19.7% to 27.1). Conclusions: EUCTR should be considered in results searches for systematic reviews and can help researchers and the public to access the results of clinical trials, unavailable elsewhere, in a timely way. Reporting requirements, such as the EU's, can help in avoiding research waste by ensuring results are reported. The registry's true value, however, is unrealised because of inadequate compliance with EU guidelines, and problems with data quality that complicate the routine use of the registry. As the EU transitions to a new registry, continuing to emphasise the importance of EUCTR and the provision of timely and complete data is critical. For the future, EUCTR will still hold important information from the past two decades of clinical research in Europe. With increased efforts from sponsors and regulators, the registry can continue to grow as a source of results of clinical trials, many of which might be unavailable from other dissemination routes

Dynamic changes in methadone utilisation for opioid use disorder treatment: a retrospective observational study during the COVID-19 pandemic

Objectives: Opioid use disorder (OUD) is a major public health concern in the USA, resulting in high rates of overdose and other negative outcomes. Methadone, an OUD treatment, has been shown to be effective in reducing the risk of overdose and improving overall health and quality of life. This study analysed the distribution of methadone for the treatment of OUD across the USA over the past decade and through the COVID-19 pandemic. Design: Retrospective observational study using secondary data analysis of the Drug Enforcement Administration and Medicaid Databases. Setting: USA. Participants: Patients who were dispensed methadone at US opioid treatment programmes (OTPs). Primary and secondary outcome measures: The primary outcomes were the overall pattern in methadone distribution and the number of OTPs in the USA per year. The secondary outcome was Medicaid prescriptions for methadone. Results: Methadone distribution for OUD has expanded significantly over the past decade, with an average state increase of +96.96% from 2010 to 2020. There was a significant increase in overall distribution of methadone to OTP from 2010 to 2020 (+61.00%, p\u3c0.001) and from 2015 to 2020 (+26.22%, p\u3c0.001). However, the distribution to OTPs did not significantly change from 2019 to 2021 (-5.15%, p=0.491). There was considerable state-level variation in methadone prescribing to Medicaid patients with four states having no prescriptions. Conclusions: There have been dynamic changes in methadone distribution for OUD. Furthermore, pronounced variation in methadone distribution among states was observed, with some states having no OTPs or Medicaid coverage. New policies are urgently needed to increase access to methadone treatment, address the opioid epidemic in the USA and reduce overdose deaths

Longitudinal Pooled Deep Sequencing of the Plasmodium vivax K12 Kelch Gene in Cambodia Reveals a Lack of Selection by Artemisinin

The emergence of artemisinin resistance among Plasmodium falciparum in the Greater Mekong subregion threatens malaria control interventions and is associated with multiple unique mutations in K13 (PF3D7_1343700). The aim of this study was to survey Cambodian Plasmodium vivax for mutations in the K13 ortholog (K12, PVX_083080) that might similarly confer artemisinin resistance. Extracted DNA from Cambodian isolates collected between 2009 and 2012 was pooled by province and year and submitted for next-generation sequencing. Single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were identified using a pile-up approach that detected minority SNPs. Among the 14 pools, we found six unique SNPs, including three nonsynonymous SNPs, across six codons in K12. However, none of the SNPs were orthologous to artemisinin resistance–conferring mutations in PF3D7_1343700, and nonsynonymous changes did not persist through time within populations. These results suggest a lack of selection in the P. vivax population in Cambodia due to artemisinin drug pressure

Analysis of UK eye casualty presentations

Clinical relevance Optometrists upskilling and participating in enhanced optometric schemes has the potential to improve service accessibility and alleviate pressure on hospital eye services. Background There is a growing demand for eye care in the UK with rising hospital attendances thought to be due in part to an ageing population and a shift in behaviour to favour emergency secondary care. Methods Records of first-time presentations to the eye casualty department at the County Hospital (Wye Valley NHS Trust), Hereford, UK, over a month were analysed retrospectively and sequentially. The proportion of patients from optometrist referrals with conditions potentially requiring pharmacological intervention, that could have been retained within community optometry by an independent prescriber, was assessed. For general practitioner and self-referrals, the reasons for visit were compared to the Minor Eye Conditions Service criteria for inclusion. Patient conditions reviewed at the hospital following their initial presentation were grouped according to those who could have been discharged to a commissioned optometric service. Results The records of 421 patients were organised by the source of referral and condition diagnosed by the hospital practitioner. Thirty-three percent of optometrist referrals could have been managed by an independent prescribing optometrist. Ninety-two percent of patients presenting from general practitioner referrals and 83 percent of self-referrals could have been assessed via the local optometric scheme. Sixty-six percent of patients attending hospital for follow-up could have been seen within the community. Conclusion The present analysis highlights the value of commissioned local optometric community services to address acute ocular symptoms and the value of an independent prescribing qualification in helping to further alleviate the burden on hospital emergency eye services. The large number of self-referrals suggests that the general public needs to be further educated on services that are available at a community optometry level