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We examine how regulated firms target their political strategies at multiple government institutions to gain more favorable regulatory agency decisions. Integrating the corporate political strategy literature and positive political theory literature, we derive propositions that (1) identify the political and regulatory circumstances generating hostile environments and (2) delineate the conditions under which firms will employ an indirect strategy instead of a direct strategy to induce changes in regulator decisions, identifying the specific political institutions a firm will target when adopting an indirect strategy. We develop a rich set of predictions about firms' political strategy that can form the basis for future empirical testing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper develops and tests a theory of the performance determinants of a firm's nonmarket strategy in shaping public policy outcomes. Building on the concept of political market attractiveness, we argue that nonmarket performance is influenced by both the characteristics of a firm's regulatory and political environment, especially rivalry among interest groups or politicians, and by internal capabilities that enable a firm to mitigate political transaction costs. Using data on regulatory filings for rate increases made by U. S. Electric utilities over a 13-year period, we find empirical support for our approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We assess the utility of synthetic control, a recently developed empirical methodology, for applications in organizational research. Synthetic control acts as a bridge between qualitative and quantitative research methods by enabling researchers to estimate treatment effects in contexts with small samples or few occurrences of a phenomenon or treatment event. The method constructs a counterfactual of a focal firm, or other observational unit, based on an objectively weighted combination of a small number of comparable but untreated firms. By comparing the firm's actual performance to its counterfactual replica without treatment, synthetic control estimates, under certain assumptions, the magnitude and direction of treatment effects. We illustrate and critique the method in the context of the U.S. auto industry by estimating (a) the effect of government intervention in Chrysler's management from 2009 to 2011 on its sales volumes and (b) the impact of Toyota's 2010 "acceleration crisis" on Camry sales. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

JOLTS data indicate that labor market increases continued to be modest in 2011 after a year of similarly slow growth in 2010; total separations remained at or near historic lows in 2011 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper presents the results of an investigation on the effect of wind turbulence for the reduction of drag for a speed skater. A speed skater competing in an indoor oval is subjected to turbulent flow conditions. Measurements of flow characteristics in a speed skating oval were made and a simulation of those conditions was developed in the NRC 2m×3m Wind Tunnel. Wind tunnel tests on mannequins of a speed skater with force measurement using an external balance have indicated that the reduction of drag coefficient with Reynolds number was strongly affected by the flow conditions. The effects were not consistent for three different positions of a speed skater. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Business cycle movements in BED and JOLTS data suggest that the two series complement each other; during the onset of the 2007-2009 recession, BED gross job gains and JOLTS hires fell simultaneously while BED gross job losses and JOLTS separations diverged [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Background: The inconsistent effect of hypothermia treatment on severe brain injury in previous trials might be because hypothermia was induced too late after injury. We aimed to assess whether very early induction of hypothermia improves outcome in patients with severe brain injury. Methods: The National Acute Brain Injury Study: Hypothermia II (NABIS: H II) was a randomised, multicentre clinical trial of patients with severe brain injury who were enrolled within 2·5 h of injury at six sites in the USA and Canada. Patients with non-penetrating brain injury who were 16–45 years old and were not responsive to instructions were randomly assigned (1:1) by a random number generator to hypothermia or normothermia. Patients randomly assigned to hypothermia were cooled to 35°C until their trauma assessment was completed. Patients who had none of a second set of exclusion criteria were either cooled to 33°C for 48 h and then gradually rewarmed or treated at normothermia, depending upon their initial treatment assignment. Investigators who assessed the outcome measures were masked to treatment allocation. The primary outcome was the Glasgow outcome scale score at 6 months. Analysis was by modified intention to treat. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT00178711. Findings: Enrolment occurred from December, 2005, to June, 2009, when the trial was terminated for futility. Follow-up was from June, 2006, to December, 2009. 232 patients were initially randomised a mean of 1·6 h (SD 0·5) after injury: 119 to hypothermia and 113 to normothermia. 97 patients (52 in the hypothermia group and 45 in the normothermia group) did not meet any of the second set of exclusion criteria. The mean time to 35°C for the 52 patients in the hypothermia group was 2·6 h (SD 1·2) and to 33°C was 4·4 h (1·5). Outcome was poor (severe disability, vegetative state, or death) in 31 of 52 patients in the hypothermia group and 25 of 56 in the normothermia group (relative risk [RR] 1·08, 95% CI 0·76–1·53; p=0·67). 12 patients in the hypothermia group died compared with eight in the normothermia group (RR 1·30, 95% CI 0·58–2·52; p=0·52). Interpretation: This trial did not confirm the utility of hypothermia as a primary neuroprotective strategy in patients with severe traumatic brain injury. Funding: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

By analyzing the interaction between a business firm and multiple government institutions (including a regulatory agency, an executive and a bicameral legislature), we develop predictions about how firms target their political strategies at different branches of government when seeking more favorable public policies. The core of our argument is that firms will target their resources at the institution that is ‘pivotal’ in the policy-making process. We develop a simple framework, drawing on the political science literature, which identifies pivotal institutions in different types of political environments. We find empirical support for our thesis in an analysis of how U.S. accounting firms shifted their political campaign contributions between the House and Senate in response to the threat of new regulations governing auditor independence during the 1990s. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examine the conditions under which state legislatures in the United States organized public utility consumers during the 1970s and 1980s by creating independent consumer advocates with resources and authority to intervene in public utility rate-making procedures. While economic factors, notably utility fuel cost increases, were important predictors, state political conditions were estimated to have a larger impact on the probability of implementation. We find that the pattern of adoption is consistent with the hypothesis that legislatures deploy institutions as a mechanism for insulating regulatory policies against future reform: in general, Democrat-controlled governments were significantly more likely to implement consumer advocates when they were less certain about being re-elected to office during this period. We find also that the effect of political re-election expectations was particularly acute for the creation of advocates representing solely residential consumers, a relatively disorganized interest group. Our results suggest that legislatures organize and publicly fund interest groups to protect supportive but vulnerable groups against adverse future political environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Discusses the contributions of Henry Louis Mencken to the American language. Advocacy of progressive social consciousness; Authorship of the book 'The American Language: An Inquiry Into the Development of English in the United States'; Role as editor of 'The Baltimore Sun' newspaper.

Explores the needs of mentoring minority graduate students in the United States. Misconceptions surrounding mentoring students of color; Common activities included in mentoring programs; Goals and components of the Peabody Mentoring Program; Explanation of the three modes of mentoring; Need to give attention to institutional processes affecting minority students.

The article focuses on the proposal to conserve the name Gnaphalium purpureum as the base name of the recently used Compositae gnaphalieae. Since1753, the name Gnaphalium purpureum has been widely used for the purple cudweed which is thought to be native to the eastern region of the U.S. However, the use of such name may not be applicable in South America and Europe because of the ambiguity of the data presented in various research.

Purpose. To describe the factors associated with interest of homeless former smokers in helping homeless smokers quit. Methods. A cross-sectional survey administered to an optimized convenience sample of homeless persons (n = 4570) at emergency shelters, transitional housing units, and open encampments in 80 cities across Minnesota. The in person survey response rate was 90%. Analysis. Chi-square tests and t-tests for univariate analysis. Results. Of 4534 participants completing the smoking questions, 546 participants (12%) self-identified as former smokers, of which 59% expressed interest in helping homeless smokers quit. Significant predictors of reported interest in helping included racial/ethnic background (p <.05), number of people known who had quit smoking (p <.01), and receiving social services as an adult (p <.01). Conclusion. Homeless former smokers are a potential resource for peer support programs to promote smoking cessation among homeless current smokers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A forgotten late-19th-century cemetery (ca. 1854-1879) with 12 graves was discovered in early 2008 during a construction project in western Oregon. Eight graves had been previously opened during a 1901 disinterment, but four remained intact. All provided information on burial patterns during the decades following American settlement of the Willamette Valley by Oregon Trail pioneers. Although the timeline is both slightly delayed and compressed, trends in burial ornamentation and hardware generally follow those noted in American cemeteries in the East. The unadorned graves of the 1850s are most similar to those of earlier decades on the eastern seaboard. By the end of the 1870s, rail lines had been built through the Willamette Valley, and within a few years the valley was linked to a growing national rail network. A relative immediacy of bicoastal contact was achieved at this time, allowing a measure of synchronicity in funerary trends. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The United States spends billions of dollars each year preparing for medical emergencies. Noticeably absent from that budget is an effective process to protect the frontline defenders delivering primary care., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest: None., (© Copyright 2021 by the American Board of Family Medicine.)

The American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine (ASRA) periodically updates its practice advisories and associated cognitive aids. The 2020 version of the ASRA Local Anesthetic Systemic Toxicity checklist was created in response to user feedback, simulation studies and advances in medical knowledge. This report presents the 2020 version and discusses the rationale for its update., Competing Interests: Competing interests: JMN and GLW served on the 2010 and 2017 American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine (ASRA). Local Anesthetic Systemic Toxicity practice advisory panels. GLW is an officer and shareholder of ResQ Pharma. EJN was compensated for graphic design.ASRA approved the 2020 version of this checklist, but had no input into its scientific content., (© American Society of Regional Anesthesia & Pain Medicine 2021. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Aims: The impact of a history of heart failure (HF) on the outcomes of hospitalization for hyperglycemic crises (diabetic ketoacidosis and hyperosmolar hyperglycemic syndrome) is unknown. We aimed to test the hypothesis that a history of HF has a deleterious impact on the outcomes of hospitalization for hyperglycemic crises., Methods: We used two different datasets: National Inpatient Sample database 2003-2014 and a single University hospital cohort 2007-2017, to identify all adult hospitalizations with a primary diagnosis of hyperglycemic crises. Multivariable regression models were used to analyze the outcomes of in-hospital mortality, length of hospital stay and transfer to nursing home or similar short-term facility between HF and no-HF hospitalizations., Results: Of the 1, 570,726 hyperglycemic crises related hospitalizations, a history of HF was present in 57, 520 (3.6%) hospitalizations. After multivariable risk-adjustment, HF group had a higher observed in-hospital mortality [0.4% vs. 0.2%; adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 1.7, 95% CI 1.4 to 2.0, P < .001] and transfer to nursing home or similar short-term facility (3.9 vs. 2.8%, AOR = 1.4, 95% CI 1.3 to 1.5, P < .001) compared with no-HF group. Mean length of hospital stay [6.5 vs. 3.5 days; P < .001] was also higher for HF group than no-HF group. Data from the smaller University hospital cohort showed similar findings., Conclusions: Patients with a history of HF may be an under-recognized high-risk group among patients hospitalized for hyperglycemic crisis. Additional studies are warranted to clarify risk elements and optimize the inpatient care of individuals with hyperglycemic crises., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Obesity has been linked with increased incidence of atrial fibrillation (AF), but impact of presence of obesity on outcomes of hospitalizations for AF has not been investigated. We used the National Inpatient Sample database 2010 to 2014 to identify all adult hospitalizations aged ≥18years with a primary diagnosis of AF. Obese patients were identified using the co-morbidity variable for obesity, as defined in National Inpatient Sample databases. Multivariable logistic regression was used to compare in-hospital outcomes (mortality, acute stroke events) between obese and non-obese patients with AF. Of 431, 734 hospitalizations for AF, 66,138 (15.3%) were obese. Obese patients were younger and more likely to be African-Americans compared with non-obese patients. Despite being younger, obese patients had significantly higher prevalence of cardiovascular co-morbidities such as hypertension, diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, smoking, heart failure, and chronic renal failure (p <0.001 for all). After multivariate risk-adjustment, obese patients had a lower observed in-hospital mortality (0.5% vs 1.0%; unadjusted odds ratio = 0.52, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.46 to 0.58, p <0.001; adjusted odds ratio = 0.83, 95% CI 0.73 to 0.94, p <0.001) and acute stroke events (0.4% vs 0.7%, unadjusted odds ratio = 0. 65, 95% CI 0.57 to 0.73, p < 0.001; adjusted odds ratio = 0.82, 95% CI 0.72 to 0.94) compared with non-obese patients. In conclusion, in this large retrospective analysis of an unselected nationwide cohort of patients hospitalized for AF, obese patients demonstrated lower risk-adjusted odds of in-hospital mortality and stroke events, consistent with an "obesity paradox.", (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

This article describes the design and initial implementation of the Neurological Outcome Scale for Traumatic Brain Injury (NOS-TBI) as an adaptation of the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS), specifically for clinical and research use in patients with TBI, including (1) the addition of items specific to TBI, (2) adjustment to the scoring algorithm to allow quantification of deficits in patients who are comatose/vegetative or agitated, and (3) the reassignment of items (i.e., limb ataxia) that are problematic in TBI as supplemental items. The feasibility of using the NOS-TBI is discussed and limitations of the scale are highlighted. This scale offers (1) a cost-effective, brief, practicable, standardized, and quantifiable method of communicating and analyzing neurological deficits in a way that traditional neurological assessment alone cannot currently provide, and (2) a measure that non-physicians can administer. The NOS-TBI may serve a role in clinical practice in patients with TBI similar to the way the NIHSS has functioned for patients following stroke, by serving as a tool for initial stratification of injury severity, and as an outcome measure in clinical trials.

Purpose of Review: The purpose of this review is to examine recent research results for hypothermia as a treatment for brain injury., Recent Findings: One potential application for hypothermia is as a means of control of elevated intracranial pressure in which hypothermia is induced when intracranial pressure becomes uncontrollable by conventional means. A second application is as a neuroprotectant in which hypothermia is induced very early and maintained for a specified period as a means of diminishing the biochemical cascade that produces secondary brain injury. The clinical data indicate that hypothermia reduces elevated intracranial pressure, but no conclusion can be drawn as to whether this improves outcome over existing techniques (eg, mannitol and barbiturates). There is little evidence that hypothermia acts as a neuroprotectant in trials, all of which used treatment windows of over 4 hours., Summary: Hypothermia is a useful adjunct to barbiturates and mannitol to control elevated intracranial pressure. The results of trials that have tested systemic hypothermia as a neuroprotectant have been negative or equivocal, and cooling may have been induced outside the treatment window.