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ADA opposes CMS’ Medicaid block grant guidance

The ADA said it believes a new policy from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid could be “detrimental” to the millions of adults who rely on Medicaid for dental care.




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Federal judge declines to block COVID-19 abortion ban in Arkansas

A federal court on Thursday denied a motion to block an Arkansas directive preventing patients from receiving abortion care.




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Supreme Court puts temporary block on release of evidence in Mueller probe

The Supreme Court on Friday granted a Justice Department request to temporarily block release of secret grand jury material from special counsel Robert Mueller's probe to Congress.




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Trade can spread economic toll of local disasters globally, study finds

Damage from a natural disaster in one place can spread globally due to urban trade networks, a Yale study said Monday.




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Britons told not to expect big changes in lockdown as death toll passes 31,000

There are no major changes coming to Britain's current coronavirus lockdown orders anytime soon, a government official said Friday as health officials reported 626 more deaths from COVID-19.




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A Race Against the Clock: Meeting Seasonal Labor Needs in the Age of COVID-19

As governments have reacted to the coronavirus pandemic by closing borders, seasonal workers have been kept out, raising a pressing question: who is going to produce the food amid agricultural labor shortages? Policymakers in the Asia Pacific, Europe, and North America have responded by seeking to recruit residents, lengthen stays for already present seasonal workers, and find ways to continue admitting foreign seasonal labor, as this commentary explores.




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Under Lockdown Amid COVID-19 Pandemic, Europe Feels the Pinch from Slowed Intra-EU Labor Mobility

Border closures and lockdowns amid the COVID-19 pandemic have put a chill on intra-EU labor mobility, most immediately with the difficulty for European farmers to gain access to much-needed seasonal workers and for health-care institutions to get care workers. This article explores how these workers, who often face difficult situations, may be more vulnerable now. It also takes on implications for intra-EU labor mobility post-pandemic.




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Unlocking Skills: Successful Initiatives for Integrating Foreign-Trained Immigrant Professionals

Nearly 2 million college-educated immigrants in the United States, more than half coming with academic and professional credentials, are unable to fully utilize their professional skills and instead are stuck in low-skilled work or are unemployed. This report explores a range of programs and policies that are providing cutting-edge career navigation, relicensing, gap filling, and job search assistance to remedy this brain waste.




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Specificity and affinity of the N-terminal residues in staphylocoagulase in binding to prothrombin [Computational Biology]

In Staphylococcus aureus–caused endocarditis, the pathogen secretes staphylocoagulase (SC), thereby activating human prothrombin (ProT) and evading immune clearance. A previous structural comparison of the SC(1–325) fragment bound to thrombin and its inactive precursor prethrombin 2 has indicated that SC activates ProT by inserting its N-terminal dipeptide Ile1-Val2 into the ProT Ile16 pocket, forming a salt bridge with ProT's Asp194, thereby stabilizing the active conformation. We hypothesized that these N-terminal SC residues modulate ProT binding and activation. Here, we generated labeled SC(1–246) as a probe for competitively defining the affinities of N-terminal SC(1–246) variants preselected by modeling. Using ProT(R155Q,R271Q,R284Q) (ProTQQQ), a variant refractory to prothrombinase- or thrombin-mediated cleavage, we observed variant affinities between ∼1 and 650 nm and activation potencies ranging from 1.8-fold that of WT SC(1–246) to complete loss of function. Substrate binding to ProTQQQ caused allosteric tightening of the affinity of most SC(1–246) variants, consistent with zymogen activation through occupation of the specificity pocket. Conservative changes at positions 1 and 2 were well-tolerated, with Val1-Val2, Ile1-Ala2, and Leu1-Val2 variants exhibiting ProTQQQ affinity and activation potency comparable with WT SC(1–246). Weaker binding variants typically had reduced activation rates, although at near-saturating ProTQQQ levels, several variants exhibited limiting rates similar to or higher than that of WT SC(1–246). The Ile16 pocket in ProTQQQ appears to favor nonpolar, nonaromatic residues at SC positions 1 and 2. Our results suggest that SC variants other than WT Ile1-Val2-Thr3 might emerge with similar ProT-activating efficiency.




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Local Pecan & Carrot Cake with cheats Caramelised Fig Vanilla Ice Cream

I love a carrot cake . Usually walnuts are used however who doesn't want to take advantage of the local new season pecans at our local markets . Happy baking!




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Upside down local tomato, goats cheese and onion tart

Always a winner taking advantage of the local summer tomatoes . Who doesn't like flaky puff pastry?




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Roast local pork belly with caramelised pear sauce

Plenty of pears around at the moment. This sauce is a nice alternative to the traditional apple sauce with pork.




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Get Free Local COVID-19 Alerts with Inoreader

Everyone is concerned as the novel Coronavirus spreads at rapid rates across all countries of the world. We believe every…




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Robustness and Locke's Wingless Gentleman

Our ancestors have made decisions under uncertainty ever since they had to stand and fight or run away, eat this root or that berry, sleep in this cave or under that bush. Our species is distinguished by the extent of deliberate thought preceding decision. Nonetheless, the ability to decide in the face of the unknown was born from primal necessity. Betting is one of the oldest ways of deciding under uncertainty. But you bet you that 'bet' is a subtler concept than one might think.

We all know what it means to make a bet, but just to make sure let's quote the Oxford English Dictionary: "To stake or wager (a sum of money, etc.) in support of an affirmation or on the issue of a forecast." The word has been around for quite a while. Shakespeare used the verb in 1600: "Iohn a Gaunt loued him well, and betted much money on his head." (Henry IV, Pt. 2 iii. ii. 44). Drayton used the noun in 1627 (and he wasn't the first): "For a long while it was an euen bet ... Whether proud Warwick, or the Queene should win."

An even bet is a 50-50 chance, an equal probability of each outcome. But betting is not always a matter of chance. Sometimes the meaning is just the opposite. According to the OED 'You bet' or 'You bet you' are slang expressions meaning 'be assured, certainly'. For instance: "'Can you handle this outfit?' 'You bet,' said the scout." (D.L.Sayers, Lord Peter Views Body, iv. 68). Mark Twain wrote "'I'll get you there on time' - and you bet you he did, too." (Roughing It, xx. 152).

So 'bet' is one of those words whose meaning stretches from one idea all the way to its opposite. Drayton's "even bet" between Warwick and the Queen means that he has no idea who will win. In contrast, Twain's "you bet you" is a statement of certainty. In Twain's or Sayers' usage, it's as though uncertainty combines with moral conviction to produce a definite resolution. This is a dialectic in which doubt and determination form decisiveness.

John Locke may have had something like this in mind when he wrote:

"If we will disbelieve everything, because we cannot certainly know all things; we shall do muchwhat as wisely as he, who would not use his legs, but sit still and perish, because he had no wings to fly." (An Essay Concerning Human Understanding, 1706, I.i.5)

The absurdity of Locke's wingless gentleman starving in his chair leads us to believe, and to act, despite our doubts. The moral imperative of survival sweeps aside the paralysis of uncertainty. The consequence of unabated doubt - paralysis - induces doubt's opposite: decisiveness.

But rational creatures must have some method for reasoning around their uncertainties. Locke does not intend for us to simply ignore our ignorance. But if we have no way to place bets - if the odds simply are unknown - then what are we to do? We cannot "sit still and perish".

This is where the strategy of robustness comes in.

'Robust' means 'Strong and hardy; sturdy; healthy'. By implication, something that is robust is 'not easily damaged or broken, resilient'. A statistical test is robust if it yields 'approximately correct results despite the falsity of certain of the assumptions underlying it' or despite errors in the data. (OED)

A decision is robust if its outcome is satisfactory despite error in the information and understanding which justified or motivated the decision. A robust decision is resilient to surprise, immune to ignorance.

It is no coincidence that the colloquial use of the word 'bet' includes concepts of both chance and certainty. A good bet can tolerate large deviation from certainty, large error of information. A good bet is robust to surprise. 'You bet you' does not mean that the world is certain. It means that the outcome is certain to be acceptable, regardless of how the world turns out. The scout will handle the outfit even if there is a rogue in the ranks; Twain will get there on time despite snags and surprises. A good bet is robust to the unknown. You bet you!


An extended and more formal discussion of these issues can be found elsewhere.




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CfP: Shaping the ‘Socialist Self’? The Role of Psy-Sciences in Communist States of the Eastern Bloc (1948–1989)

CALL FOR PAPERSINTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP Shaping the ‘Socialist Self’? The Role of Psy-Sciences in Communist States of the Eastern Bloc (1948–1989) Date: 6 November 2020 Venue: Prague, Czech Republic Deadline for applications: 30 June 2020 Organizing institutions: CEFRES (French Research Center in Humanities and Social Sciences in Prague) Institute of Contemporary History of the Czech Academy of Sciences Collegium Carolinum … Continue reading CfP: Shaping the ‘Socialist Self’? The Role of Psy-Sciences in Communist States of the Eastern Bloc (1948–1989)




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How Phone Counseling May Help Save Lives During the Covid-19 Lockdown

With the covid-19 pandemic now affecting virtually every country on earth, it is understandable that much of the world’s focus has been on protecting people’s physical health. Hand washing and social distancing is important in the fight against the coronavirus. However, it is important to remember that mental health issues may lead to loss of […]




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Lockdown Reading Recommendations for People Who Like to Read About Sex

I know that many of you are bored and horny right now during this lockdown and quarantine period, so allow me to recommend some of my favorite sex books! If you follow me on Instagram, you’ve probably already seen a few of my recommendations, but here’s a more extensive reading list.



  • Featured Books and Films

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Sex and Psychology Podcast: Maintaining a Healthy Intimate Life During Lockdown and Social Distancing

These are unprecedented times. Much of the world is currently living under lockdown conditions and practicing social distancing in order to curb the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus. So how is this affecting people’s intimate lives? How are our sex lives and relationships holding up, and is there anything we can do to more effectively navigate this complex and challenging situation? For the answers to these questions, I spoke to Dr. Lori Brotto, a Professor at the University of British Columbia, a practicing psychologist, and author of the book Better Sex Through Mindfulness. I asked Dr. Brotto what she has been seeing in her clinical practice since the pandemic began and how it’s different from usual.




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Podcasts on the Science of Sex to Get You Through the Lockdown

During this time of lockdowns and quarantines, I know that many of you are looking for ways to pass the time, so allow me to suggest some entertaining and educational podcasts on the science of sex to help!



  • Sex and Relationships in the Media

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Publication Bias And Lockdown Memories: The Week’s Best Psychology Links

Our weekly round-up of the best psychology coverage from elsewhere on the web




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Georgia allocates $411M in federal COVID-19 aid to schools




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Judge blocks Tennessee from implementing voucher program




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In Some States, ESSA Means More Powers for Local School Boards

Some states, such as California, Kentucky and North Dakota plan to use the Every Student Succeeds Act to bolster the decision-making powers of their local school boards in the coming years.




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Judge blocks Tennessee from implementing voucher program




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Georgia allocates $411M in federal COVID-19 aid to schools




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Judge blocks Tennessee from implementing voucher program




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Trust Local School Leaders, a State Chief Says as Optional Reopening Date Nears

Montana Superintendent Elsie Arntzen offers practical advice to schools that could open as early as May 7, even as she says "how they open schools and how learning takes place is up to them."




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K12 Inc., Georgia Charter School Locked in Bitter Fight

The Georgia Cyber Academy moved to stop using the company's curriculum and technology, a decision that K12 Inc. says violated an agreement between the two sides.




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Georgia allocates $411M in federal COVID-19 aid to schools




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Legislature in Washington State Lifts Local Tax Cap for Schools

Washington lawmakers last week reached a deal to lift the state's "levy lid," blunting tighter limits on voter-approved local taxes for schools that were set to take effect this year. Gov. Jay Inslee, a Democrat, was expected to sign the legislation that Republicans had criticized.




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Locating and evaluating fixed safety cameras in South Australia / CN Kloeden, TJ Bailey, TP Hutchinson.

"Fixed safety cameras that detect red light running and speeding vehicles are known to be an effective method of controlling driver behaviour and producing road safety benefits. While no definitive best practice for choosing safety camera locations was found in the literature, there are a number of criteria that are frequently used and that make sense: locations with a high number of crashes (particularly injury crashes); locations with a high proportion of speeding vehicles; locations with high traffic volumes; locations with large numbers of unprotected road users (pedestrians and bicyclists); different camera types covering different areas of the road network; and deploying cameras widely throughout the road network. Evaluation of the effects of safety cameras on particular sites and as a whole can be attempted using a number of methodologies: changes in crash numbers before and after installation; changes in vehicle speeds before and after installation; and changes in offence detections from the time of installation onwards. There are limitations with each of these methodologies such that evaluating the effectiveness of an individual safety camera is often not possible. By tracking many safety camera sites for a long period of time, the effect of the safety cameras can be examined but there will always be other factors that may explain any observed changes. A true experiment could be conducted to determine safety camera effects but it would involve deliberate non-treatment of good candidate sites for many years. This study gives a reasonable set of principles for selecting safety camera sites and evaluating their effectiveness. However, the detailed processes for South Australia will depend on what data is available, the resources and funding that can be applied, and political and other considerations." -- page 3.




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The Queen's bed : an intimate history of Elizabeth's court / Anna Whitelock.

Elizabeth I, Queen of England, 1533-1603 -- Sexual behavior.




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Understanding documents for genealogy & local history / Bruce Durie.

Archival materials -- Handbooks, manuals, etc.




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The Wooleen way : renewing an Australian resource / David Pollock.

Pollock, David.




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Reflex locomotion.

UK, [late 1930s].




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Reflex locomotion.

UK, [late 1930s].




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Dr. C. Fred. Pollock.




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Portable local studies project update for NSW public libraries

The local studies portable collecting project assists NSW public libraries in collecting local stories through oral hist




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Des paralysies pneumoniques / par Pierre Boulloche.

Paris : G. Steinheil, 1892.




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Die Behandlung der Tuberkulose mit Tuberkulocidin : vorläufige Mitteilung / von E. Klebs.

Hamburg : L. Voss, 1892.




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Die chirurgischen und medizinischen Krankheiten des Schädels und Gehirns und Psychiatrische Klinik / von Hans Locher.

Erlangen : F. Enke, 1869.




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Die Diagnostik des Pulses in Bezug auf die localen Veränderungen desselben / von A. Mosso.

Leipzig : Veit, 1879.




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Die Dislocationen der Gebarmutter und der Mutterscheide von Seiten ihrer Entstehung, ihres Einflusses und ihrer Behandlung / dargestellt von Friedrich Ludwig Meissner.

Brunn : J.G. Trassler, 1821-1822.




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Die Krankheiten der Nase, ihrer Nebenhöhlen und des Rachens : mit Einschluss der Rhinoskopie und der localtherapeutischen Technik : für Studirende und Ärzte / von L. Rethi.

Wien : A. Holder, 1892.




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Die Krankheiten des Kehlkopfes und der Luftrohre : mit Einschluss der Laryngoskopie und local-therapeutischen Technik fuer praktische Aerzte und Studirende / von Philipp Schech.

Leipzig : Franz Deuticke, 1897.




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Die Localisation der Hautkrankheiten : histologisch und klinisch / bearbeitet von Oscar Simon.

Berlin : A. Hirschwald, 1873.




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Die medizinischen und chirurgischen Krankheiten der Haut / von Hans Locher.

Erlangen : F. Enke, 1867.




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Die topographische Myologie des Pferdes : mit besonderer Berücksichtigung der locomotorischen Wirkung der Muskeln / von K. Günther.

Hannover : C. Rumpler, 1866.




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Digestion and indigestion : proper and improper feeding in health and disease / by A. Lockhart Gillespie.

Edinburgh : MacNiven & Wallace, 1896.




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Diphtheria : its nature and treatment, varieties and local expressions / by Morell MacKenzie.

London : J. & A. Churchill, 1879.