Welfare Time Limits: An Update on State Policies, Implementation, and Effects on Families

One of the most controversial features of the 1990s welfare reforms was the imposition of time limits on benefit receipt. This comprehensive review, written by The Lewin Group and MDRC, includes analyses of administrative data reported by states to the federal government, visits to several states, and a literature review

Electromyographic Analysis of an Isometric Vastus Medialis Oblique Contraction with Incorporated Adductor Component

Knee pathology is a common clinical complaint that may result in diminished function of the affected lower extremity, ultimately leading to atrophy of the vastus medialis oblique (VMO) muscle. The VMO contributes a great deal to the medial tracking mechanism of the patella which is crucial for normal biomechanical function of the knee joint. Effective strengthening of the VMO is a challenging task in physical therapy clinics. The purpose of this study was to determine if it is possible to enhance the muscle activity of the VMO with the addition of an adductor contraction. Thirty-one subjects between the ages of 18 and 50 years with no history of debilitating trauma to the right knee were recruited to participate in this study. All subjects were recruited from the University of North Dakota and Center Court Fitness Club. Electromyography (EMG) was used to record muscle activity during each exercise trial. Pre-gelled, self-adhesive EMG electrodes were placed on the subject\u27s right leg over the motor points of the following muscles: 1) Rectus Femoris, 2) Vastus Lateralis, 3) Vastus Medialis, and 4) Adductor Longus. After attachment of electrodes, each subject warmed-up on a cycle ergometer prior to performing 3 exercise trials. The trials included an isometric contraction of knee extension, an isometric contraction of hip adduction, and then a combined isometric contraction of knee extension with hip adduction. All trials were performed on the Kin-Kom isokinetic equipment at a preset angle of 50° of knee flexion. The rectified EMG data were analyzed utilizing a Noraxon Telemyo 8 telemetry unit. The data were digitized and then analyzed using a simple T-test with a .05 confidence interval. The results of this study have demonstrated there is an increase in overall muscle activity of the VMO. This would suggest that utilizing hip adduction in conjunction with knee extension does facilitate an increased contraction of the VMO. The results of this study have very important clinical applications. Being able to better elicit a muscle contraction of the VMO can be very valuable in early rehabilitation of the knee. When aiming to gain back stabilizing muscle forces following pathology, focus is on the VM.o due to the large part it plays in knee function. If the VMO can be elicited earlier, this will allow for an accelerated rehabilitation pace, which ultimately will save the patient time and money

Insulin therapy and dietary adjustments to normalize glycemia and prevent nocturnal hypoglycemia after evening exercise in type 1 diabetes: a randomized controlled trial

Introduction Evening-time exercise is a frequent cause of severe hypoglycemia in type 1 diabetes, fear of which deters participation in regular exercise. Recommendations for normalizing glycemia around exercise consist of prandial adjustments to bolus insulin therapy and food composition, but this carries only short-lasting protection from hypoglycemia. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the impact of a combined basal-bolus insulin dose reduction and carbohydrate feeding strategy on glycemia and metabolic parameters following evening exercise in type 1 diabetes. Methods Ten male participants (glycated hemoglobin: 52.4±2.2 mmol/mol), treated with multiple daily injections, completed two randomized study-days, whereby administration of total daily basal insulin dose was unchanged (100%), or reduced by 20% (80%). Participants attended the laboratory at ∼08:00 h for a fasted blood sample, before returning in the evening. On arrival (∼17:00 h), participants consumed a carbohydrate meal and administered a 75% reduced rapid-acting insulin dose and 60 min later performed 45 min of treadmill running. At 60 min postexercise, participants consumed a low glycemic index (LGI) meal and administered a 50% reduced rapid-acting insulin dose, before returning home. At ∼23:00 h, participants consumed a LGI bedtime snack and returned to the laboratory the following morning (∼08:00 h) for a fasted blood sample. Venous blood samples were analyzed for glucose, glucoregulatory hormones, non-esterified fatty acids, β-hydroxybutyrate, interleukin 6, and tumor necrosis factor α. Interstitial glucose was monitored for 24 h pre-exercise and postexercise. Results Glycemia was similar until 6 h postexercise, with no hypoglycemic episodes. Beyond 6 h glucose levels fell during 100%, and nine participants experienced nocturnal hypoglycemia. Conversely, all participants during 80% were protected from nocturnal hypoglycemia, and remained protected for 24 h postexercise. All metabolic parameters were similar. Conclusions Reducing basal insulin dose with reduced prandial bolus insulin and LGI carbohydrate feeding provides protection from hypoglycemia during and for 24 h following evening exercise. This strategy is not associated with hyperglycemia, or adverse metabolic disturbances

Building an Economical and Sustainable Lunar Infrastructure to Enable Lunar Science and Space Commerce

A new concept study was initiated to examine the framework needed to gradually develop an economical and sustainable lunar infrastructure using a public private partnerships approach. This approach would establish partnership agreements between NASA and industry teams to develop cis-lunar and surface capabilities for mutual benefit while sharing cost and risk in the development phase and then allowing for transfer of operation of these infrastructure services back to its industry owners in the execution phase. These infrastructure services may include but are not limited to the following: lunar cargo transportation, power stations, energy storage devices, communication relay satellites, local communication towers, and surface mobility operations

Genetic exchange in <i>Trypanosoma brucei</i>: evidence for mating prior to metacyclic stage development

It is well established that genetic exchange occurs between Trypanosoma brucei parasites when two stocks are used to infect tsetse flies under laboratory conditions and a number of such crosses have been undertaken. Both cross and self-fertilisation can take place and, with the products of mating being the equivalent of F1 progeny in a Mendelian system and. Recently, analysis of a large collection of independent progeny using a series of polymorphic micro and minisatellite markers, has formally demonstrated that the allelic segregation at loci on each of the 11-megabase chromosomes conforms to ratios predicted for a classical diploid genetic system involving meiosis as well as independent assortment of markers on different chromosomes. Further extensive analysis of these F1 progeny, using a large panel of micro and minisatellite markers, has led to the construction of a genetic map of one parasite stock A. MacLeod, A. Tweedie and S. McLellan et al., The genetic map of Trypanosoma brucei, Nucleic Acids Res 33 (2005), pp. 6688–6693. Full Text via CrossRef | View Record in Scopus | Cited By in Scopus (10)

Two new methods to fit models for network meta-analysis with random inconsistency effects.

BACKGROUND: Meta-analysis is a valuable tool for combining evidence from multiple studies. Network meta-analysis is becoming more widely used as a means to compare multiple treatments in the same analysis. However, a network meta-analysis may exhibit inconsistency, whereby the treatment effect estimates do not agree across all trial designs, even after taking between-study heterogeneity into account. We propose two new estimation methods for network meta-analysis models with random inconsistency effects. METHODS: The model we consider is an extension of the conventional random-effects model for meta-analysis to the network meta-analysis setting and allows for potential inconsistency using random inconsistency effects. Our first new estimation method uses a Bayesian framework with empirically-based prior distributions for both the heterogeneity and the inconsistency variances. We fit the model using importance sampling and thereby avoid some of the difficulties that might be associated with using Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC). However, we confirm the accuracy of our importance sampling method by comparing the results to those obtained using MCMC as the gold standard. The second new estimation method we describe uses a likelihood-based approach, implemented in the metafor package, which can be used to obtain (restricted) maximum-likelihood estimates of the model parameters and profile likelihood confidence intervals of the variance components. RESULTS: We illustrate the application of the methods using two contrasting examples. The first uses all-cause mortality as an outcome, and shows little evidence of between-study heterogeneity or inconsistency. The second uses "ear discharge" as an outcome, and exhibits substantial between-study heterogeneity and inconsistency. Both new estimation methods give results similar to those obtained using MCMC. CONCLUSIONS: The extent of heterogeneity and inconsistency should be assessed and reported in any network meta-analysis. Our two new methods can be used to fit models for network meta-analysis with random inconsistency effects. They are easily implemented using the accompanying R code in the Additional file 1. Using these estimation methods, the extent of inconsistency can be assessed and reported

The Influence of Amounts of \u3cem\u3ePropionibacterium shermanii\u3c/em\u3e on Eye Formation and Flavor of Swiss Cheese

Swiss cheese has been rightly called king of the cheeses. It has been prized the world over for its stately appearance and sweet hazelnut flavor. In grading Swiss cheese, these two things,appearance and flavor, are important considerations in determining the cheese score. Appearance is judges according to the number, type, and size of eyes present in the cheese, with color and body and texture also considered. Flavor is judges according to the degree of sweetness and the amount and kinds of off flavors present. In the past, there has been considerable variation in the quality of the Swiss cheese produces. Causes of this variation were little understood, since wide ranges in grades of cheese were obtained from seemingly similar milk and manufacturing precedures. Technique has been greatly improved by research conducted in both private industry and experiment stations. Much has been done to produce beneficial effects in the cheese, and to reduce detrimental effects. One question, still debated, is the amount of eye forming bacteria necessary to produce the best eye formation. Propionibacterium shermanii, by its production of carbon dioxide, is thought to be the most important bacteria in producing the eyes. Some Swiss cheese makers see no necessity in adding prepared culture of E. shermanii to their milk. They allow the milk to become seeded from organisms already present in the vets and on the equipment. Other cheese makers add small amounts of prepared cultures of T. shermanii, whil still others add rather large quantities. Procedure varies from plant to plant. Propionic acid and acetic acid are also produced in the life processes of P. shermanii. These two acids are important factors in the development of flavor in Swiss cheese. Therefore, a change in the amount of P. shermanii in the Swiss cheese, and the subsequent effect on eye formation and flavor. It is the purpose of this experiment to determine the general effects that variations in the size of the inoculation of P. shermanii will produce on eye formation and flavor development. The effects, if any, of the three milk treatments mentioned above will also be noted

Galaxy Mergers and Gravitational Lens Statistics

We investigate the impact of hierarchical galaxy merging on the statistics of gravitational lensing of distant sources. Since no definite theoretical predictions for the merging history of luminous galaxies exist, we adopt a parametrized prescription, which allows us to adjust the expected number of pieces comprising a typical present galaxy at z=0.65. The existence of global parameter relations for elliptical galaxies and constraints on the evolution of the phase space density in dissipationless mergers, allow us to limit the possible evolution of galaxy lens properties under merging. We draw two lessons from implementing this lens evolution into statistical lens calculations: (1) The total optical depth to multiple imaging (e.g. of quasars) is quite insensitive to merging. (2) Merging leads to a smaller mean separation of observed multiple images. Because merging does not reduce drastically the expected lensing frequency it cannot make $\lambda$-dominated cosmologies compatible with the existing lensing observations. A comparison with the data from the HST Snapshot Survey shows that models with little or no evolution of the lens population are statistically favored over strong merging scenarios. The specific merging scenario proposed by Toomre (1977) can be rejected (95\% level) by such a comparison. Some versions of the scenario proposed by Broadhurst, Ellis \& Glazebrook (1992), are statistically acceptable.Comment: uuencoded postscript file with figure