1,872 research outputs found
Presidential Succession and Delegation in Case of Disability
Memo issued four days after the Reagan assassination attempt.https://ir.lawnet.fordham.edu/twentyfifth_amendment_executive_materials/1003/thumbnail.jp
Negotiation, Sanctions, and Context Dependency in the Legume-Rhizobium Mutualism
Two important questions about mutualisms are how the fitness costs and benefits to the mutualist partners are determined and how these mechanisms affect the evolutionary dynamics of the mutualism. We tackle these questions with a model of the legumerhizobium symbiosis that regards the mutualism outcome as a result of biochemical negotiations between the plant and its nodules. We explore the fitness consequences of this mechanism to the plant and rhizobia and obtain four main results. First, negotiations permit the plant to differentially reward more-cooperative rhizobia—a phenomenon termed “plant sanctions”—but only when more-cooperative rhizobia also provide the plant with good outside options during negotiations with other nodules. Second, negotiations may result in seemingly paradoxical cases where the plant is worse off when it has a “choice” between two strains of rhizobia than when infected by either strain alone. Third, even when sanctions are effective, they are by themselves not sufficient to maintain cooperative rhizobia in a population: less cooperative strains always have an advantage at the population level. Finally, partner fidelity feedback, together with genetic correlations between a rhizobium strain’s cooperativeness and the outside options it provides, can maintain cooperative rhizobia. Our results show how joint control over the outcome of a mutualism through the proximate mechanism of negotiation can affect the evolutionary dynamics of interspecific cooperation
Effect of limited-creep feeding on performance of spring-born calves: results of 1988 field trials
Two field trials were conducted to evaluate limited-creep feeding of spring- born calves using pelleted creep rations with either 0.5, 5, or 10% salt. Average daily gain was increased (P\u3c.05) over controls in trial 2 and when both trials were combined. However, intakes were higher than desired and feed conversion much poorer than expected
Nephronophthisis: a genetically diverse ciliopathy.
Nephronophthisis (NPHP) is an autosomal recessive cystic kidney disease and a leading genetic cause of established renal failure (ERF) in children and young adults. Early presenting symptoms in children with NPHP include polyuria, nocturia, or secondary enuresis, pointing to a urinary concentrating defect. Renal ultrasound typically shows normal kidney size with increased echogenicity and corticomedullary cysts. Importantly, NPHP is associated with extra renal manifestations in 10-15% of patients. The most frequent extrarenal association is retinal degeneration, leading to blindness. Increasingly, molecular genetic testing is being utilised to diagnose NPHP and avoid the need for a renal biopsy. In this paper, we discuss the latest understanding in the molecular and cellular pathogenesis of NPHP. We suggest an appropriate clinical management plan and screening programme for individuals with NPHP and their families
Comparison of Synovex-S® and two levels of Revalor-S® in heavy-weight Holstein steers
In two field trials, 434 Holstein steers
averaging 849 lbs were assigned randomly to
three single implant treatments: 1) Synovex-
S®, 2) Revalor®-S 120 (120 mg trenbolone
acetate (TBA) + 24 mg estradiol), and 3)
Revalor®-S 140 (140 mg TBA + 28 mg
estradiol). Revalor-implanted steers gained
.05 to .10 lb per day faster, but this improvement
was not statistically significant (P>.05).
Both Revalor-implanted groups produced
trimmer carcasses with less (P<.05) backfat
than Synovex steers. All other carcass
characteristics and beef sensory properties,
including taste panel evaluations of tenderness,
juiciness, and flavor, were not influenced by
implant used
Multimodal Solution for a Waveguide Radiating into Multilayered Structures -- Dielectric Properties and Thickness Evaluation
Open-ended rectangular waveguides are widely used for microwave and millimeter-wave nondestructive testing (NDT) applications, such as detecting disbond and delamination in multilayered composite structures, thickness evaluation of dielectric sheets and coatings on metal substrates, etc. when inspecting a complex multilayered composite structure that is made of generally lossy dielectric layers with arbitrary thicknesses and backing, the dielectric properties of a particular layer may be of particular interest (e.g., radome inspection). The same is also true when one is interested in the thickness, or, more importantly, thickness variation, of a particular layer within such complex structures. An essential tool for closely estimating the complex permittivity and/or thickness is an accurate forward electromagnetic model for simulating the reflection coefficient at the aperture of the probing open-ended waveguide. To this end, this paper provides a full-wave accurate forward model for calculating the reflection coefficient from a generally lossy multilayered composite structure possessing an arbitrary number of layers and respective thicknesses while accounting for the influence of higher order modes. This model is subsequently validated through comparisons with a commercial numerical tool and actual measurements. Furthermore, a measurement model is provided, which results in an iterative inverse technique for estimating the complex permittivity and thickness of a dielectric layer. Subsequently, this technique is applied to the measured reflection coefficients of several structures. To evaluate the accuracy of this technique, an analysis on its sensitivity to various sources of errors, and, most importantly, the effect of a finite flange size, is also demonstrated by using the simulated data. Finally, the potential of this model to accurately estimate the thickness of an individual layer, which represents a thin disbond, in a multilayered composite structure is presented
Can we prepare healthcare professionals and students for involvement in stressful healthcare events? A mixed-methods evaluation of a resilience training intervention
Background
Healthcare professionals are experiencing unprecedented levels of occupational stress and burnout. Higher stress and burnout in health professionals is linked with the delivery of poorer quality, less safe patient care across healthcare settings. In order to understand how we can better support healthcare professionals in the workplace, this study evaluated a tailored resilience coaching intervention comprising a workshop and one-to-one coaching session addressing the intrinsic challenges of healthcare work in health professionals and students.
Methods
The evaluation used an uncontrolled before-and-after design with four data-collection time points: baseline (T1); after the workshop (T2); after the coaching session (T3) and four-to-six weeks post-baseline (T4). Quantitative outcome measures were Confidence in Coping with Adverse Events (‘Confidence’), a Knowledge assessment (‘Knowledge’) and Resilience. At T4, qualitative interviews were also conducted with a subset of participants exploring participant experiences and perceptions of the intervention.
Results
We recruited 66 participants, retaining 62 (93.9%) at T2, 47 (71.2%) at T3, and 33 (50%) at T4. Compared with baseline, Confidence was significantly higher post-intervention: T2 (unadj. β = 2.43, 95% CI 2.08–2.79, d = 1.55, p < .001), T3 (unadj. β = 2.81, 95% CI 2.42–3.21, d = 1.71, p < .001) and T4 (unadj. β = 2.75, 95% CI 2.31–3.19, d = 1.52, p < .001). Knowledge increased significantly post-intervention (T2 unadj. β = 1.14, 95% CI 0.82–1.46, d = 0.86, p < .001). Compared with baseline, resilience was also higher post-intervention (T3 unadj. β = 2.77, 95% CI 1.82–3.73, d = 0.90, p < .001 and T4 unadj. β = 2.54, 95% CI 1.45–3.62, d = 0.65, p < .001). The qualitative findings identified four themes. The first addressed the ‘tension between mandatory and voluntary delivery’, suggesting that resilience is a mandatory skillset but it may not be effective to make the training a mandatory requirement. The second, the ‘importance of experience and reference points for learning’, suggested the intervention was more appropriate for qualified staff than students. The third suggested participants valued the ‘peer learning and engagement’ they gained in the interactive group workshop. The fourth, ‘opportunities to tailor learning’, suggested the coaching session was an opportunity to personalise the workshop material.
Conclusions
We found preliminary evidence that the intervention was well received and effective, but further research using a randomised controlled design will be necessary to confirm this
Trends in sexually transmitted infections in general practice 1990-2000: population based study using data from the UK general practice research database
Objective: To describe the contribution of primary care to the
diagnosis and management of sexually transmitted infections in
the United Kingdom, 1990-2000, in the context of increasing
incidence of infections in genitourinary medicine clinics.
Design: Population based study.
Setting: UK primary care.
Participants: Patients registered in the UK general practice
research database.
Main outcome measures: Incidence of diagnosed sexually
transmitted infections in primary care and estimation of the
proportion of major such infections diagnosed in primary care.
Results: An estimated 23.0% of chlamydia cases in women but
only 5.3% in men were diagnosed and treated in primary care
during 1998-2000, along with 49.2% cases of non-specific
urethritis and urethral discharge in men and 5.7% cases of
gonorrhoea in women and 2.9% in men. Rates of diagnosis in
primary care rose substantially in the late 1990s.
Conclusions: A substantial and increasing number of sexually
transmitted infections are diagnosed and treated in primary
care in the United Kingdom, with sex ratios differing from
those in genitourinary medicine clinics. Large numbers of men
are treated in primary care for presumptive sexually
transmitted infections
Distinct firing properties of vasoactive intestinal peptide-expressing neurons in the suprachiasmatic nucleus
The suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) regulates daily rhythms in physiology and behavior. Previous studies suggest a critical role for neurons expressing vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) in coordinating rhythmicity and synchronization in the SCN. Here we examined the firing properties of VIP-expressing SCN neurons in acute brain slices. Active and passive membrane properties were measured in VIP and in non-VIP neurons during the day and at night. Current-clamp recordings revealed that both VIP and non-VIP neurons were spontaneously active, with higher firing rates during the day than at night. Average firing frequencies, however, were higher in VIP neurons (3.1 ± 0.2 Hz, day and 2.4 ± 0.2 Hz, night) than in non-VIP neurons (1.8 ± 0.2 Hz, day and 0.9 ± 0.2 Hz, night), both day and night. The waveforms of individual action potentials in VIP and non-VIP neurons were also distinct. Action potential durations (APD(50)) were shorter in VIP neurons (3.6 ± 0.1 ms, day and 2.9 ± 0.1 ms, night) than in non-VIP neurons (4.4 ± 0.3 ms, day and 3.5 ± 0.2 ms, night) throughout the light-dark cycle. In addition, after hyper polarization (AHP) amplitudes were larger in VIP neurons (21 ± 0.8 mV, day and 24.9 ± 0.9 mV, night) than in non-VIP neurons (17.2 ± 1.1 mV, day and 20.5 ± 1.2 mV, night) during the day and at night. Furthermore, significant day/night differences were observed in APD(50) and AHP amplitudes in both VIP and non-VIP SCN neurons, consistent with rhythmic changes in ionic conductances that contribute to shaping the firing properties of both cell types. The higher day and night firing rates of VIP neurons likely contribute to synchronizing electrical activity in the SCN
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