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Party vibrancy can help parties reproduce themselves, but many long-lasting parties have exhausted former levels of vibrancy, and many new parties emerge and never form the intense connections that vibrancy entails. Yet while entrepreneurs forming parties under democracy may have the option to sidetrack developing party structures, new parties can and do build extensive grassroots networks. I suspect that many parties that Luna et al. code as fulfilling the core tasks of political parties would generate sufficient attachment from activists that Rosenblatt would code them as being vibrant, while most diminished subtype parties would not. Party History and Organization Ackerman focuses on the opportunities parties have to build connections with the public, and Van Dyck focuses on the incentives that parties have to do so. [Extracted from the article]

While political accountability requires that voters can form an accurate picture of government performance, public evaluations of government performance in established democracies are often distorted by partisan considerations. We test whether the same factors bias evaluations of government performance in a new democracy where partisanship is less stable and defined. This analysis estimates individual-level models of retrospective national economic evaluations in South Korea's 2017 presidential election. South Korea has unstable party politics, low levels of party institutionalization, and high levels of public distrust in political parties. Yet even in this context we find that voters' economic evaluations are significantly affected by political loyalties such as party identification. This endogeneity is sufficiently large that it results in aggregate consumer evaluations of the economy that systematically vary across regions depending upon the relationship of the president to that region. The findings confirm that party identification shapes citizen opinions even in a context where its effect would likely be weak. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic (March 2020-May 2023) had a profound effect around the world with vulnerable people being particularly affected, including worsening existing health inequalities. This article explores the impact of the pandemic on health services for First Nations people living with HIV (FN-PWLE) in Manitoba, Canada. This study investigated perceptions of both health care providers and FN-PWLE through qualitative interviews occurring between July 2020 and February 2022 to understand their experience and identify lessons learned that could be translated into health system changes. Methods: Using a qualitative, participatory-action, intentional decolonizing approach for this study we included an Indigenous knowledge keeper and Indigenous research associates with lived experience as part of the study team. A total of twenty-five [25] in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with eleven healthcare providers (HCPs) and fourteen First Nation people with lived HIV experience (FN-PWLE). In total, 18/25 or 72% of the study participants self-identified as First Nation people. Results: The COVID-19 pandemic negatively impacted health services access for FN-PWLE, a) disrupted relationships between FN-PWLE and healthcare providers, b) disrupted access to testing, in-person appointments, and medications, and c) intersectional stigma was compounded. Though, the COVID-19 pandemic also led to positive effects, including the creation of innovative solutions for the health system overall. Conclusions: The COVID-19 pandemic exaggerated pre-existing barriers and facilitators for Manitoba FN-PWLE accessing and using the healthcare system. COVID-19 impacted health system facilitators such as relationships and supports, particularly for First Nation people who are structurally disadvantaged and needing more wrap-around care to address social determinants of health. Innovations during times of crisis, included novel ways to improve access to care and medications, illustrated how the health system can quickly provide solutions to long-standing barriers, especially for geographical barriers. Lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic should be considered for improvements to the health system's HIV cascade of care for FN-PWLE and other health system improvements for First Nations people with other chronic diseases and conditions. Finally, this study illustrates the value of qualitative and First Nation decolonizing research methods. Further studies are needed, working together with First Nations organizations and communities, to apply these recommendations and innovations to change health care and people's lives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Trauma patients who develop indications for therapeutic anticoagulation (TAC) present a challenge due to concern for bleeding. Transfusion requirement has been described as a common complication of TAC after trauma but its clinical relevance is unclear.Objective: Determine risk factors for and clinical outcomes associated with transfusion requirement on TAC after trauma.Methods: All trauma patients admitted to an academic urban level I trauma center from January 2010 to August 2020 who received TAC were included in this retrospective cohort study. Data included injury characteristics; TAC indication and timing; transfusions; and interventions. Patients who required transfusion after TAC were compared to those who did not.Results: Eighty-two patients were included. The most common reasons for TAC were deep vein thrombosis (67.1%) and pulmonary embolism (31.7%). Two (2.4%) patients developed gastrointestinal bleeding. One (1.2%) underwent endoscopic intervention. Two patients (4.9%) had intracranial hemorrhage progression. Blood transfusion after TAC initiation was required in 43.9% of patients. Patients who were transfused started TAC more quickly after traumatic injury (5.5 vs 10.0 days, P = .03), had fewer hospital-free days (54 vs 64 days, P < .01), ICU-free days (8.5 vs 16.5 days, P = .01), and higher mortality (13.9% vs 2.1%, P = .04).Conclusion: Transfusions are common after starting TAC in trauma patients. Requiring transfusion after starting TAC was associated with shorter time from injury to starting TAC, higher mortality, and fewer ICU and hospital-free days. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Aging dogs may suffer from canine cognitive dysfunction syndrome (CCDS), a condition in which cognitive decline is associated with amyloid pathology and cortical atrophy. Presumptive diagnosis is made through physical examination, exclusion of systemic/metabolic conditions, and completion of screening questionnaires by owners.Objective: This study aimed to determine whether cognitive function could be quantified in aging pet dogs, and to correlate cognitive testing with validated questionnaires and plasma neurofilament light chain (pNfL) concentration.Methods: Thirty-nine dogs from fifteen breeds were recruited (9.3 to 15.3 years). Owners completed the Canine Dementia Scale (CADES) and Canine Cognitive Dysfunction Rating scale (CCDR). Executive control and social cues were tested, and pNfL was measured with single molecule array assay. Comparisons were made between cognitive testing scores, CADES, CCDR scores, and pNfL.Results: CADES scoring classified five dogs as severe CCDS, six as moderate, ten as mild, and eighteen as normal. CCDR identified seven dogs at risk of CCDS and thirty-two as normal. Cognitive testing was possible in the majority of dogs, although severely affected dogs were unable to learn tasks. CADES score correlated with sustained attention duration (r = -0.47, p = 0.002), inhibitory control (r = -0.51, p = 0.002), detour (r = -0.43, p = 0.001), and pNfL (r = 0.41, p = 0.025). Concentration of pNfL correlated with inhibitory control (r = -0.7, p≤0.001). The CCDR scale correlated with performance on inhibitory control (r = -0.46, p = 0.005).Conclusion: Our findings suggest that a multi-dimensional approach using a combination of questionnaires, specific cognitive tests, and pNfL concentration can be used to quantify cognitive decline in aging pet dogs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Public evaluations of the economy are key for understanding how citizens develop policy opinions and monitor government performance. But what drives economic evaluations? In this article, we argue the context in which information about the economy is distributed shapes economic perceptions. In high-quality information environments—where policies are transparent, the media is free, and political opposition is robust—mass perceptions closely track economic conditions. In contrast, compromised information environments provide openings for political manipulation, leading perceptions to deviate from business cycle fluctuations. We test our argument with unique data from eight Latin American countries. Results show restrictions on access to information distort the public's view of economic performance. The ability of voters to sanction governments is stronger when democratic institutions and the media protect citizens' access to independent, unbiased information. Our findings highlight the importance of accurate evaluations of the economy for government accountability and democratic responsiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]