A new measure for party coherence: Applying a physics-based concept to the Swiss party system

The paper revives a theoretical definition of party coherence as being composed of two basic elements, cohesion and factionalism, to propose and apply a novel empirical measure based on spin physics. The simultaneous analysis of both components using a single measurement concept is applied to data representing the political beliefs of candidates in the Swiss general elections of 2003 and 2007, proposing a connection between the coherence of the beliefs party members hold and the assessment of parties being at risk of splitting. We also compare our measure with established polarization measures and demonstrate its advantage with respect to multi-dimensional data that lack clear structure. Furthermore, we outline how our analysis supports the distinction between bottom-up and top-down mechanisms of party splitting. In this way, we are able to turn the intuition of coherence into a defined quantitative concept that, additionally, offers a methodological basis for comparative research of party coherence. Our work serves as an example of how a complex systems approach allows to get a new perspective on a long-standing issue in political science.

Imaging of the Sclera in Patients with Scleritis and Episcleritis using Anterior Segment Optical Coherence Tomography

PURPOSE To evaluate the sclera and episclera in patients with scleritis and episcleritis using anterior segment optical coherence tomography (AS-OCT). METHODS Cross-sectional prospective case series of 11 consecutive patients with episcleral or scleral inflammatory disease located anterior to the equator. The thickness of the ocular wall (sclera and the episclera) was measured using AS-OCT and compared to the contralateral healthy eye. RESULTS Eleven patients with a mean age of 49.5 years presented with symptomatic scleritis or episcleritis. The mean thickness of the ocular wall in the affected eye was 982 ± 56 μm compared to 790 ± 23 μm (p < 0.05) in the fellow eye. Enhanced-depth AS-OCT showed that the thickening occurred mainly in the episcleral layer in both scleritis and episcleritis. CONCLUSION Enhanced-depth AS-OCT may be a useful tool for imaging scleritis or episcleritis and may serve to monitor therapeutic success in these patients.

Probing the Structure, Pseudorotation, and Radial Vibrations of Cyclopentane by Femtosecond Rotational Raman Coherence Spectroscopy

Femtosecond time-resolved Raman rotational coherence spectroscopy (RCS) is employed to determine accurate rotational, vibration–rotation coupling constants, and centrifugal distortion constants of cyclopentane (C⁵H¹⁰). Its lowest-frequency vibration is a pseudorotating ring deformation that interconverts 10 permutationally distinct but energetically degenerate “twist” minima interspersed by 10 “bent” conformers. While the individual twist and bent structures are polar asymmetric tops, the pseudorotation is fast on the time scale of external rotation, rendering cyclopentane a fluxionally nonpolar symmetric top molecule. The pseudorotational level pattern corresponds to a one-dimensional internal rotor with a pseudorotation constant Bps ≈ 2.8 cm⁻¹. The pseudorotational levels are significantly populated up to l = ± 13 at 298 K; <10% of the molecules are in the l = 0 level. The next-higher vibration is the “radial” ν²³ ring deformation mode at 273 cm⁻¹, which is far above the pseudorotational fundamental. Femtosecond Raman RCS measurements were performed in a gas cell at T = 293 K and in a pulsed supersonic jet at T ≈ 90 K. The jet cooling reduces the pseudorotational distribution to l < ±8 and eliminates the population of ν²³, allowing one to determine the rotational constant as A0 = B0 = 6484.930(11) MHz. This value is ∼300 times more precise than the previous value. The fit of the RCS transients reveals that the rotation–pseudorotation coupling constant αe,psB = −0.00070(1) MHz is diminutive, implying that excitation of the pseudorotation has virtually no effect on the B0 rotational constant of cyclopentane. The smallness of αe,psB can be realized when comparing to the vibration–rotation coupling constant of the ν²³ vibration, αe,23B = −9.547(1) MHz, which is about 10⁴ times larger.

Rotational constants and structure of para-difluorobenzene determined by femtosecond Raman coherence spectroscopy: A new transient type

Femtosecond Raman rotational coherence spectroscopy (RCS) detected by degenerate four-wave mixing is a background-free method that allows to determine accurate gas-phase rotational constants of non-polar molecules. Raman RCS has so far mostly been applied to the regular coherence patterns of symmetric-top molecules, while its application to nonpolar asymmetric tops has been hampered by the large number of RCS transient types, the resulting variability of the RCS patterns, and the 10³–10⁴ times larger computational effort to simulate and fit rotational Raman RCS transients. We present the rotational Raman RCS spectra of the nonpolar asymmetric top 1,4-difluorobenzene (para-difluorobenzene, p-DFB) measured in a pulsed Ar supersonic jet and in a gas cell over delay times up to ~2.5 ns. p-DFB exhibits rotational Raman transitions with ΔJ = 0, 1, 2 and ΔK = 0, 2, leading to the observation of J −, K −, A −, and C–type transients, as well as a novel transient (S–type) that has not been characterized so far. The jet and gas cell RCS measurements were fully analyzed and yield the ground-state (v = 0) rotational constants Aₒ = 5637.68(20) MHz, Bₒ = 1428.23(37) MHz, and Cₒ = 1138.90(48) MHz (1σ uncertainties). Combining the Aₒ, Bₒ, and Cₒ constants with coupled-cluster with single-, double- and perturbatively corrected triple-excitation calculations using large basis sets allows to determine the semi-experimental equilibrium bond lengths rₑ(C₁–C₂) = 1.3849(4) Å, rₑ(C₂–C³) = 1.3917(4) Å, rₑ(C–F) = 1.3422(3) Å, and rₑ(C₂–H₂) = 1.0791(5) Å.

Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease-Related Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Problem of Growing Magnitude.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a cancer with globally rising incidence. Growing evidence supports associations between metabolic syndrome and diabetes as well as obesity and HCC arising in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). This constitutes a problem of alarming magnitude given the rising epidemic of these conditions. The role of diabetes seems to be particularly important when associated with obesity or cirrhosis. Excess hepatic iron may be another potential risk factor for the development of NAFLD-associated HCC. In the context of NAFLD, HCC frequently develops in a not-yet cirrhotic liver. As there are no surveillance programs for these patients, diagnosis often occurs at a tumor stage beyond curative options. Clinical, tumor, and patient characteristics in NAFLD-associated HCC differ from other etiologies. Older age and cardiovascular comorbidities may limit treatment options further. The outcome in patients with NAFLD-associated early HCC is excellent and therefore aggressive treatment should be pursued in appropriate patients. Population-based prevention to reduce the culprit-NAFLD-early recognition through targeted surveillance programs in risk-stratified patients and effective treatment of HCC associated with NAFLD are urgently needed. In this review, the authors summarize the epidemiology, risk factors, features, and prevention of NAFLD-associated HCC.

Mechanisms of Very Late Drug-Eluting Stent Thrombosis Assessed by Optical Coherence Tomography.

BACKGROUND The pathomechanisms underlying very late stent thrombosis (VLST) after implantation of drug-eluting stents (DES) are incompletely understood. Using optical coherence tomography, we investigated potential causes of this adverse event. METHODS AND RESULTS Between August 2010 and December 2014, 64 patients were investigated at the time point of VLST as part of an international optical coherence tomography registry. Optical coherence tomography pullbacks were performed after restoration of flow and analyzed at 0.4 mm. A total of 38 early- and 20 newer-generation drug-eluting stents were suitable for analysis. VLST occurred at a median of 4.7 years (interquartile range, 3.1-7.5 years). An underlying putative cause by optical coherence tomography was identified in 98% of cases. The most frequent findings were strut malapposition (34.5%), neoatherosclerosis (27.6%), uncovered struts (12.1%), and stent underexpansion (6.9%). Uncovered and malapposed struts were more frequent in thrombosed compared with nonthrombosed regions (ratio of percentages, 8.26; 95% confidence interval, 6.82-10.04; P<0.001 and 13.03; 95% confidence interval, 10.13-16.93; P<0.001, respectively). The maximal length of malapposed or uncovered struts (3.40 mm; 95% confidence interval, 2.55-4.25; versus 1.29 mm; 95% confidence interval, 0.81-1.77; P<0.001), but not the maximal or average axial malapposition distance, was greater in thrombosed compared with nonthrombosed segments. The associations of both uncovered and malapposed struts with thrombus were consistent among early- and newer-generation drug-eluting stents. CONCLUSIONS The leading associated findings in VLST patients in descending order were malapposition, neoatherosclerosis, uncovered struts, and stent underexpansion without differences between patients treated with early- and new-generation drug-eluting stents. The longitudinal extension of malapposed and uncovered stent was the most important correlate of thrombus formation in VLST.

Differentiation of Diabetic Macular Edema From Pseudophakic Cystoid Macular Edema by Spectral-Domain Optical Coherence Tomography.

PURPOSE: To differentiate diabetic macular edema (DME) from pseudophakic cystoid macular edema (PCME) based solely on spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT). METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 134 participants: 49 with PCME, 60 with DME, and 25 with diabetic retinopathy (DR) and ME after cataract surgery. First, two unmasked experts classified the 25 DR patients after cataract surgery as either DME, PCME, or mixed-pattern based on SD-OCT and color-fundus photography. Then all 134 patients were divided into two datasets and graded by two masked readers according to a standardized reading-protocol. Accuracy of the masked readers to differentiate the diseases based on SD-OCT parameters was tested. Parallel to the masked readers, a computer-based algorithm was established using support vector machine (SVM) classifiers to automatically differentiate disease entities. RESULTS: The masked readers assigned 92.5% SD-OCT images to the correct clinical diagnose. The classifier-accuracy trained and tested on dataset 1 was 95.8%. The classifier-accuracy trained on dataset 1 and tested on dataset 2 to differentiate PCME from DME was 90.2%. The classifier-accuracy trained and tested on dataset 2 to differentiate all three diseases was 85.5%. In particular, higher central-retinal thickness/retinal-volume ratio, absence of an epiretinal-membrane, and solely inner nuclear layer (INL)-cysts indicated PCME, whereas higher outer nuclear layer (ONL)/INL ratio, the absence of subretinal fluid, presence of hard exudates, microaneurysms, and ganglion cell layer and/or retinal nerve fiber layer cysts strongly favored DME in this model. CONCLUSIONS: Based on the evaluation of SD-OCT, PCME can be differentiated from DME by masked reader evaluation, and by automated analysis, even in DR patients with ME after cataract surgery. The automated classifier may help to independently differentiate these two disease entities and is made publicly available.

RETICULAR PSEUDODRUSEN ON INFRARED IMAGING ARE TOPOGRAPHICALLY DISTINCT FROM SUBRETINAL DRUSENOID DEPOSITS ON EN FACE OPTICAL COHERENCE TOMOGRAPHY.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the quantitative and topographic relationship between reticular pseudodrusen (RPD) on infrared reflectance (IR) and subretinal drusenoid deposits (SDD) on en face volumetric spectral domain optical coherence tomography. METHODS: Reticular pseudodrusen were marked on IR images by a masked observer. Subretinal drusenoid deposits were visualized on en face sections of spectral domain optical coherence tomography below the external limiting membrane and identified by a semiautomated technique. Control RPD lesions were generated in a random distribution for each IR image. Binary maps of control and experimental RPD and SDD were merged and analyzed in terms of topographic localization and quantitative drusen load comparison. RESULTS: A total of 54 eyes of 41 patients diagnosed with RPD were included in this study. The average number of RPD lesions on IR images was 320 ± 44.62 compared with 127 ± 26.02 SDD lesions on en face (P < 0.001). The majority of RPD lesions did not overlap with SDD lesions and were located >30 μm away (92%). The percentage of total SDD lesions overlapping RPD was 2.91 ± 0.87% compared with 1.73 ± 0.68% overlapping control RPD lesions (P < 0.05). The percentage of total SDD lesions between 1 and 3 pixels of the nearest RPD lesion was 5.08 ± 1.40% compared with 3.33 ± 1.07% between 1 and 3 pixels of the nearest control RPD lesion (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: This study identified significantly more RPD lesions on IR compared with SDD lesions on en face spectral domain optical coherence tomography and found that a large majority of SDD (>90% of lesions) were >30 μm away from the nearest RPD. Together, our findings indicate that RPD and SDD are two entities that are only occasionally topographically associated, suggesting that at some stage in their development, they may be pathologically related.

Numerical Magnitude Skills in 6-Years-Old Children: Exploring Specific Associations with Components of Executive Function

Little is known about how children learn to associate numbers with their corresponding magnitude and about individual characteristics contributing to performance differences on the numerical magnitude tasks within a relatively homogenous sample of 6-year-olds. The present study investigated the relationships between components of executive function and two different numerical magnitude skills in a sample of 162 kindergartners. The Symbolic Number Line was predicted by verbal updating and switching, whereas the Symbolic Magnitude Comparison was predicted by inhibition. Both symbolic tasks were predicted by visuo-spatial updating. Current findings suggest that visuo-spatial updating underlies young children’s retrieval and processing of numbers’ magnitude.

Coherence and Historical understanding in children's Biography and Historical Nonfiction Literature: A Content Analysis of Selected Orbis Pictus Books

The purpose of this study was to investigate a selection of children's historical nonfiction literature for evidence of coherence. Although research has been conducted on coherence of textbook material and its influences on comprehension there has been limited study on coherence in children's nonfiction literature. Generally, textual coherence has been seen as critical in the comprehensibility of content area textbooks because it concerns the unity of connections among ideas and information. Disciplinary coherence concerns the extent to which authors of historical text show readers how historians think and write. Since young readers are apprentices in learning historical content and conventions of historical thinking, evidence of disciplinary coherence is significant in nonfiction literature for young readers. The sample of the study contained 32 books published between 1989 and 2000 ranging in length from less than 90 pages to more than 150 pages. Content analysis was the quantitative research technique used to measure 84 variables of textual and disciplinary coherence in three passages of each book, as proportions of the total number of words for each book. Reliability analyses and an examination of 750 correlations showed the extent to which variables were related in the books. Three important findings emerged from the study that should be considered in the selection and use of children's historical nonfiction literature in classrooms. First, characteristics of coherence are significantly related together in high quality nonfiction literature. Second, shorter books have a higher proportion of textual coherence than longer books as measured in three passages. Third, presence of the author is related to characteristics of coherence throughout the books. The findings show that nonfiction literature offers students content that researchers have found textbooks lack. Both younger and older students have the opportunity to learn the conventions of historical thinking as they learn content through nonfiction literature. Further, the children's literature, represented in the Orbis Pictus list, shows students that authors select, interpret, and question information, and give other interpretations. The implications of the study for teaching history, teacher preparation in content and literacy, school practices, children's librarians, and publishers of children's nonfiction are discussed.

Effects of Externally Applied, Cyclical, Low Magnitude Forces on Orthodontic Tooth Movement in Rats

Orthodontic tooth movement requires external orthodontic forces to be converted to cellular signals that result in the coordinated removal of bone on one side of the tooth (compression side) by osteoclasts, and the formation of new bone by osteoblasts on the other side (tension side). The length of orthodontic treatment can take several years, leading to problems of caries, periodontal disease, root resorption, and patient dissatisfaction. It appears that the velocity of tooth movement is largely dependent on the rate of alveolar bone remodeling. Pharmacological approaches to increase the rate of tooth movement are limited due to patient discomfort, severe root resorption, and drug-induced side effects. Recently, externally applied, cyclical, low magnitude forces (CLMF) have been shown to cause an increase in the bone mineral density of long bones, and in the growth of craniofacial structures in a variety of animal models. In addition, CLMF is well tolerated by the patient and produces no known adverse effects. However, its application in orthodontic tooth movement has not been specifically determined. Since factors that increase alveolar bone remodeling enhance the rate of orthodontic tooth movement, we hypothesized that externally applied, cyclical, low magnitude forces (CLMF) will increase the rate of orthodontic tooth movement. In order to test this hypothesis we used an in vivo rat orthodontic tooth movement model. Our specific aims were: Specific Aim 1: To develop an in vivo rat model for tooth movement. We developed a tooth movement model based upon two established rodent models (Ren and Yoshimatsu et al, See Figure 1.). The amount of variation of tooth movement in rats exposed to 25-60 g of mesial force activated viii from the first molar to the incisor for 4 weeks was calculated. Specific Aim 2: To determine the frequency dose response of externally applied, cyclical, low magnitude forces (CLMF) for maximal tooth movement and osteoclast numbers. Our working hypothesis for this aim was that the amount of tooth movement would be dose dependent on the frequency of application of the CLMF. In order to test this working hypothesis, we varied the frequency of the CLMF from 30, 60, 100, and 200 Hz, 0.4N, two times per week, for 10 minutes for 4 weeks, and measured the amount of tooth movement. We also looked at the number of osteoclasts for the different frequencies; we hypothesized an increase in osteoclasts for the dose respnse of different frequencies. Specific Aim 3: To determine the effects of externally applied, cyclical, low magnitude forces (CLMF) on PDL proliferation. Our working hypothesis for this aim was that PDL proliferation would increase with CLMF. In order to test this hypothesis we compared CLMF (30 Hz, 0.4N, two times per week, for 10 minutes for 4 weeks) performed on the left side (experimental side), to the non-CLMF side, on the right (control side). This was an experimental study with 24 rats in total. The experimental group contained fifteen (15) rats in total, and they all received a spring plus a different frequency of CLMF. Three (3) received a spring and CLMF at 30 Hz, 0.4N for 10 minutes. Six (6) received a spring and CLMF at 60 Hz, 0.4N for 10 minutes. Three (3) received a spring and CLMF at 100 Hz, 0.4N for 10 minutes. Three (3) received a spring and CLMF at 200 Hz, 0.4N for 10 minutes. The control group contained six (6) rats, and received only a spring. An additional ix three (3) rats received CLMF (30 Hz, 0.4N, two times per week, for 10 minutes for 4 weeks) only, with no spring, and were used only for histological purposes. Rats were subjected to the application of orthodontic force from their maxillary left first molar to their left central incisor. In addition some of the rats received externally applied, cyclical, low magnitude force (CLMF) on their maxillary left first molar. micro-CT was used to measure the amount of orthodontic tooth movement. The distance between the maxillary first and second molars, at the most mesial point of the second molar and the most distal point of the first molar (1M-2M distance) were used to evaluate the distance of tooth movement. Immunohistochemistry was performed with TRAP staining and BrdU quantification. Externally applied, cyclical, low magnitude forces (CLMF) do appear to have an effect on the rate, while not significant, of orthodontic tooth movement in rats. It appears that lower CLMF decreases the rate of tooth movement, while higher CLMF increases the rate of tooth movement. Future studies with larger sample sizes are needed to clarify this issue. CLMF does not appear to affect the proliferation in PDL cells, and has no effect on the number of osteoclasts.

DISTRIBUTION FUNCTIONS, MEAN SQUARED ERRORS, AND CONFIDENCE LIMITS FOR RIDGE REGRESSION ESTIMATORS

A large number of ridge regression estimators have been proposed and used with little knowledge of their true distributions. Because of this lack of knowledge, these estimators cannot be used to test hypotheses or to form confidence intervals.^ This paper presents a basic technique for deriving the exact distribution functions for a class of generalized ridge estimators. The technique is applied to five prominent generalized ridge estimators. Graphs of the resulting distribution functions are presented. The actual behavior of these estimators is found to be considerably different than the behavior which is generally assumed for ridge estimators.^ This paper also uses the derived distributions to examine the mean squared error properties of the estimators. A technique for developing confidence intervals based on the generalized ridge estimators is also presented. ^

A magnitude do aborto por anencefalia: um estudo com médicos

Este artículo pretende describir la magnitud de la atención médica en casos de embarazo de un feto con anencefalia, a través de una investigación empírica con los médicos. La anencefalia es una malformación incompatible con la supervivencia del feto después del nacimiento. El derecho a abortar en este caso se encuentra en litigio en la Corte Suprema. Se realizó una investigación de la encuesta entre 1.814 médicos afiliados a la Federación Brasileña de Ginecología y Obstetricia (FEBRASGO), que corresponde al 12% del total de la entidad médica. Los resultados indican que en un grupo de 9.730 mujeres atendidas por los médicos en los últimos veinte años, el 85% prefiere interrumpir la gestación en estos casos. Estos datos muestran qué tan común es la experiencia de ayudar a las mujeres embarazadas con un feto anencefálico en los servicios de salud, así como el desafío ético impuesto por la ilegalidad del procedimiento médico de interrupción de la gestación en estos casos en Brasil.