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The influence of a range of actors is discernible in nutrition projects during the period after the Second World War in the South Pacific. Influences include: international trends in nutritional science, changing ideas within the British establishment about state responsibility for the welfare of its citizens and the responsibility of the British Empire for its subjects; the mixture of outside scrutiny and support for projects from post-war international and multi-governmental organisations, such as the South Pacific Commission. Nutrition research and projects conducted in Fiji for the colonial South Pacific Health Service and the colonial government also sought to address territory-specific socio-political issues, especially Fiji’s complex ethnic poli,tics. This study examines the subtle ways in which nutrition studies and policies reflected and reinforced these wider socio-political trends. It suggests that historians should approach health research and policy as a patchwork of territorial, international, and regional ideas and priorities, rather than looking for a single causality. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

While demand continues to grow and prices for organic grains have remained almost double those of conventional grains, few growers in the dryland wheat production region of Eastern Washington produce organic grain. Growers have cited weed control constraints as a top factor preventing adoption of organic production practices. In organic systems, inherent competitive ability of crops is very important in managing and preventing weed infestations. The objective of this study was to identify crop species that could reduce weed pressure and compete with perennial weeds in a wheat (Triticum aestivum) rotation. To assess weed suppressive ability of alternative rotational crops, relative total weed biomass and relative biomass of two perennial and three annual weed species were examined over 4 years in three organic cropping systems where winter wheat was in rotation with alternative crops, as part of a long-term study examining dryland organic wheat production. Three years of continuous alfalfa (Medicago sativa) production reduced Canada thistle (Cirsium arvense) biomass during the alfalfa production phase, and reduced Canada thistle biomass in winter wheat following alfalfa, compared with wheat following winter pea (Pisum sativum). Alfalfa was competitive with wild oat (Avena fatua), though it competed poorly with winter annual grass weeds. Spring barley (Hordeum vulgare), when established successfully, suppressed jointed goatgrass (Aegilops cylindrica) more than winter triticale (x Triticosecale), winter wheat, and spring wheat, and demonstrated some competitiveness toward field bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis). Winter triticale competed poorly with field bindweed, but suppressed Canada thistle and downy brome (Bromus tectorum). All alternative rotational crops contained lower weed biomass than winter pea, the crop typically rotated with wheat in the region. Organic and conventional growers could gain benefits in perennial and winter annual weed suppression by incorporating alternative rotational crops into wheat rotations. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

BackgroundIn a recent placebo-controlled, double-blind crossover trial (n = 52), significant beneficial effects on memory (d = 0.30) and negative symptoms (d = 0.29) were found after 12 weeks of memantine augmentation in patients with clozapine-refractory schizophrenia. In this open-label 1-year extension study we report the long-term effects and tolerability of memantine add-on therapy to clozapine.MethodCompleters of the first trial who experienced beneficial effects during 12 weeks of memantine treatment received memantine for 1 year. Primary endpoints were memory and executive function using the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery, the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), and the Clinical Global Impression Severity Scale (CGI-S).ResultsOf 31 randomized controlled trial completers who experienced beneficial effects from memantine, 24 received memantine for 1 year. The small improvement in memory found in the memantine condition in the placebo-controlled trial remained stable in the extension study. Executive function did not improve. After 26 weeks of memantine add-on therapy to clozapine, PANSS negative symptoms (r = 0.53), PANSS positive symptoms (r = 0.50) and PANSS total symptoms (r = 0.54) significantly improved. Even further significant improvement in all these measures was observed between 26 weeks and 52 weeks of memantine, with effect sizes varying from 0.39 to 0.51. CGI-S showed a non-significant moderate improvement at 26 weeks (r = 0.36) and 52 weeks (r = 0.34). Memantine was well tolerated without serious adverse effects.ConclusionsIn the 1-year extension phase the favourable effect of adjunctive memantine on memory was sustained and we observed further improvement of negative, positive and overall symptoms in patients with clozapine-treated refractory schizophrenia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article lists celebrating the generous contributions of the American Political Science Association (APSA) members following APSA Awards, programs, and the congressional Fellowship Program.

The Conscriptio of Alfonso Pecha that treats the origins of the Great Schism of the West has not attracted the attention it deserves. Alfonso Pecha was the confessor and trusted familiar of Cardinal Pedro de Luna at the time of the outbreak of the Schism and was well located to be minutely informed of events surrounding the fateful conclave of April 1378. Hence his detailed narrative, albeit explicitly written to promote the cause of Urban VI, is a very valuable source. Aside from recounting numerous lively conversations and depicting vivid scenes, it contains a report of a hitherto unknown mission in the summer of 1378 to King Charles Vof France that probably resulted in emboldening the cardinals to break unanimously with Urban in a new election. Moreover, the Schism narrative constitutes only one of three parts of Alfonso's Conscriptio: the other two seek to prove Urban VI's legitimacy by means of supernatural visions and confirmations from canon law. By the analysis of diverse evidence the conclusion is reached that Alfonso Pecha composed the Conscriptio in Genoa in 1386. The work was published by Franz Bliemetzrieder in 1909 on the basis of a single manuscript located in Basel. The present study with appended edition draws on a second complete manuscript copy located in Prague, particularly important for revealing the identity of the dedicatee, a councilor of Giangaleazzo Visconti. It also draws on a small portion of the text from a manuscript in Uppsala. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BackgroundThe concept of cognitive reserve (CR) hypothesizes that intellectually stimulating activities provide resilience against brain pathology/disease. Whereas brain abnormalities and cognitive impairment are frequently reported in bipolar disorder (BD), it is unknown whether the impact of brain alterations can be lessened by higher CR in BD.MethodWe tested if higher CR would reduce the influence of total volumes of deep white matter hypointensities (WMH), ventricular cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), and prefrontal cortex on memory, executive, and attention/speed functions in patients with BD (n = 75). Linear regression models with interaction terms for CR and brain volumes were applied to directly test if CR reduces the influence of brain pathology on cognitive domains.ResultsCR reduced the influence of total volumes of deep WMH (β = −0.38, Q = 0.003) and ventricular CSF (β = −41, Q = 006) on executive functions.ConclusionsThe interactions between CR and total volumes of deep WMH/ventricular CSF appear to account for executive functioning in BD. The results suggest that the concept of CR is applicable in BD. Higher reserve capacity in BD alters the relationship between brain pathology and clinical presentation. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This article develops an analysis of a verbless predicative structure attested throughout Romance: in this type of reduced clause the predicate linearly precedes the subject and is separated from it by a clear intonational break, while the missing verb is interpreted as a silent copula. I argue that this structure should be viewed as the result of three movement steps: the first step is to be identified with predicate inversion, that is, extraction of the predicate from the complement position of the predicative small clause to a higher specifier position thanks to phase extension, followed by raising of the predicate to the specifier of SubjP to check the EPP feature, and finally to the specifier of the left-peripheral projection FocusP in order to check a focus feature. The present analysis is based on the crucial, and independently motivated assumption, that the process of phase extension, produced by raising of the small clause internal relator R° to a higher functional head F°, is limited to small clauses associated with individual-level predicates. The verbless predicative structure is then compared to an analogous construction in which the preposed predicate is preceded by a wh-item, arguing that, despite their apparent similarity, the two structures should be clearly distinguished. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Kentucky and West Virginia are among the states most severely affected by opioid poisonings and deaths. The legislatures of both states have enacted a broad range of bills intended to address related issues. We present an overview of legislation enacted in 2017 and 2018, along with an approach to analysis of practitioner response to one type of legislation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives:To present a rare cause of facial pain, and the differential diagnosis of a lesion of the mandibular division of the trigeminal nerve.Case report:A 19-year-old woman presented to a tertiary referral skull base centre with right periorbital pain and a progressive, right-sided deficit of the mandibular division of the trigeminal nerve. Clinical examination revealed right-sided hypoaesthesia in the mandibular division of the trigeminal nerve dermatome, mild trismus and some wasting of the right masseter muscle. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging scans revealed a small area of mildly enhancing soft tissue centred within the foramen ovale, with concentric enlargement. Surgery was undertaken via an infratemporal fossa (Fisch) type D approach. A vascular lesion was found filling the foramen ovale, with no obvious nerve separate from the lesion. The lesion was removed en bloc. Histopathological analysis demonstrated a venous haemangioma within the nerve.Conclusion:Facial pain is common, and may be wrongly attributed to trigeminal neuralgia. A thorough clinical examination must be performed to identify subtle neurological abnormalities, and appropriate imaging undertaken to exclude rare causes, such as this venous haemangioma of the mandibular division of the trigeminal nerve. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Objective:To describe a novel technique of delivering mitomycin C safely via endoscopic sinus surgery.Case report:Mitomycin C was applied in the median frontal drainage pathway of a 44-year-old woman suffering from recalcitrant chronic frontal sinusitis. The mitomycin C was soaked onto a neurosurgical patty, which was delivered through a nasopharyngeal tube trimmed to ensure delivery directly to the desired area, thus sparing adjacent mucosa.Conclusions:Mitomycin C has been suggested to have a useful role in reducing post-operative scarring after endonasal surgery. The long term safety of topical mitomycin C is not yet known, and inadvertent topical application to adjacent mucosa should be avoided. The described technique achieves this in a simple manner, and can be easily applied to other locations. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The National Popular Vote Interstate Compact (joined so far by ten states and DC) would replace the current presidential-election system, based on the electoral college and the winner-take-all rule, with nationwide plurality rule, and it would do so by changes in state law, not a Constitutional amendment. The mischief that would create (especially procedural instability, noncompliant electors, nation-wide recounts, vote manipulation, and narrowed support), the compact’s questionable Constitutionality, the weakness of its defense, and the availability of less calamitous alternatives are reasons enough to reject it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During Augustine's life, government authorities were generally friendly to the Christianity he came to adopt and defend. His correspondence mentions one imperial magistrate in Africa, Virius Nicomachus Flavianus, a pagan vicar of Africa who seemed partial to Donatist Christians whom Augustine considered secessionists. Otherwise, from the 390s to 430, assorted proconsuls, vicars, and tribunes sent from the imperial chancery and asked to maintain order in North Africa were willing to enforce government edicts against Donatists and pagans. To an extent, Augustine endorsed enforcement. He was troubled by punitive measures that looked excessive to him, yet scholars generally agree with Peter Burnell that Augustine unambiguously approved punitive judgments as an “unavoidable” necessity. But Burnell and others seem to make too much of it: Augustine's position on punishment supposedly indicates that he posited “an essential continuity” (rather than emphasized the contrast) between “any given state” and the celestial or “eschatological” city of God. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Objectives: To examine whether apolipoprotein e4 (APOE) status moderates the association of family environment with child functioning following early traumatic brain injury (TBI). Methods: Sixty-five children with moderate to severe TBI and 70 children with orthopedic injury (OI) completed assessments 6, 12, 18 months, and 3.5 and 6.8 years post injury. DNA was extracted from saliva samples and genotyped for APOE e4 status. Linear mixed models examined moderating effects of APOE e4 status on associations between two family environment factors (parenting style, home environment) and three child outcomes (executive functioning, behavioral adjustment, adaptive functioning). Results: Children with TBI who were carriers of the e4 allele showed poorer adaptive functioning relative to non-carriers with TBI and children with OI in the context of low authoritarianism. At high levels of authoritarianism, non-carriers with TBI showed the poorest adaptive functioning among groups. There were no main effects or interactions involving APOE and executive functioning or behavioral adjustment. Conclusions: The APOE e4 allele was detrimental for long-term adaptive functioning in the context of positive parenting, whereas in less optimal parenting contexts, being a non-carrier was detrimental. We provide preliminary evidence for an interaction of APOE e4 status and parenting style in predicting long-term outcomes following early TBI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examine the 2008-2016 gamma-ray and optical light curves of a number of bright Fermi blazars. In a fraction of them, the periodograms show possible evidence of quasi-periodicities related in the two bands. This coincidence strengthens their physical meaning. Comparing with results from the periodicity search of quasars, the presence of quasi-periodicities in blazars suggests that the basic condition for its observability is related to the relativistic jet in the observer direction, but the overall picture remains uncertain. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Constraints on linguistic variation are consistent across adult speakers, yielding probabilistic and systematic patterns. Yet, little is known about the development of such patterns during childhood. This study investigates Spanish subject pronoun expression in naturalistic data from 154 monolingual children in Mexico, divided into four age groups: 6-7, 8-9, 10-11, 12+. Results from logistic regressions examining five predictors of pronoun expression in 6,481 verbs show that children's usage is structured and patterned. The study also suggests a developmental progression: as children get older, they become sensitive to more constraints. I conclude by suggesting that children learn patterns of variation by attuning to distributional tendencies in the input, and that the more frequent the patterns are, the easier they are to detect and learn. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Dysfunction of neuroplasticity due to N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor hypofunction may be a causal factor for memory and executive dysfunctioning in schizophrenia. Deregulation of NMDA transmission in the prefrontal cortex may also explain negative and positive symptoms. Clozapine augmentation with memantine targets altered NMDA receptor-mediated neurotransmission in schizophrenia and showed substantial beneficial effects on several symptom domains in a small proof-of-concept study. We evaluate effects of memantine add-on treatment to clozapine for memory and executive function, and negative and positive symptoms in schizophrenia. Method. Clozapine-treated patients with refractory schizophrenia were randomly assigned to 12 weeks of double-blind adjunctive treatment with memantine (n = 26) or placebo (n = 26). Crossover occurred after a 2-week placebo wash-out period. Primary endpoints were change from baseline to 12 weeks treatment and 14 weeks to 26 weeks treatment on memory and executive function using the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB), Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), and Clinical Global Impression Severity Scale (CGI-S). Side effects were assessed using the Liverpool University Neuroleptic Side-Effect Rating Scale. Results. When compared with placebo, memantine improved a composite memory score comprising verbal recognition memory and paired associates learning task scores on the CANTAB (effect size = 0.30) and PANSS negative subscale score (effect size = 0.29). Side effects were mild and transient. Conclusions. In patients with clozapine-treated refractory schizophrenia, memantine addition significantly improved verbal and visual memory and negative symptoms without serious adverse effects. These results justify further investigations on long-term memantine augmentation to clozapine in treatment-resistant schizophrenia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 1968, the British/Swedish architect Ralph Erskine published an article ‘Architecture and town planning in the north’ in this journal, in which he called for a particular Arctic approach to the design of buildings and cities that is distinct from mainstream architecture due to conditions such as harsh climate, resident indigenous or sparse population and remoteness. One hundred years after his birth (in 1914), Erskine is still considered the authoritative ‘Arctic architect’, and his approach is paradigmatic among many architects dealing with the built environment in the Arctic, sub-Arctic and northern regions.However, a study of the literature on architectural practice and the built environment in the north reveals a number of varying conceptions of Arctic architecture. These different perspectives are social in nature and construct the architectural technologies, the natural environment and society in different configurations. This article finds that architectural discourses and readings of the Arctic change under the influence of social, cultural, political and architectural paradigms. The perspectives identified in the article are seen to be critical supplements to Erskine's utopian approach to developing new sustainable forms of urbanism and architecture in the Arctic. They also reveal that new conceptions do not necessarily replace previous ones but often overlap and place earlier ideas into fresh concepts and that certain conceptions appear to perpetuate over the decades, such as the Arctic as an ‘empty space’. The thinking on Arctic futures is, in many ways, trapped in certain modernist and utopian modes, and this article contributes to widening the range of possible relationships between people and the Arctic environment, using architecture as an aperture. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

American Stuttering English (ASE) speakers (or ‘persons who stutter’ in pathological perspectives) have historically had tense relationships with comedic representations of their speech. Mainstream representations pathologize and ridicule stuttering, rather than appreciate it as a legitimate language variety. These depictions also increase non-ASE speakers' ‘possessive investment’ (Lipsitz 1995) in Standard American Fluent English as the dominant language variety. Recently, some ASE speakers have reinterpreted ASE and comedic portrayals of their speech using stand-up comedy. This article analyzes the comedic work of Rona B, an ASE comedienne. Using data on her YouTube channel, I argue that Rona B draws on her intersectional experiences as a female ASE speaker to construct a voice that critiques both the political agendas of anti-linguistic discrimination, which downplays gender, and of antisexism, which minimizes sociolinguistic differences. This study expands on contemporary calls in sociolinguistics that position intracategorical intersectionality as key for analyzing performances on language variation. (Gender, variation, American Stuttering English, performance, stand-up comedy, language ideologies)* [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BackgroundThe attenuated positive symptoms syndrome (APSS) is considered an at-risk indicator for psychosis. However, the characteristics and developmental aspects of the combined or enriched risk criteria of APSS and basic symptom (BS) criteria, including self-experienced cognitive disturbances (COGDIS) remain under-researched.MethodBased on the Structured Interview of Prodromal Syndromes (SIPS), the prevalence of APSS in 13- to 35-year-old individuals seeking help in an early recognition program for schizophrenia and bipolar-spectrum disorders was examined. BS criteria and COGDIS were rated using the Schizophrenia Proneness Instrument for Adults/Children and Youth. Participants meeting APSS criteria were compared with participants meeting only BS criteria across multiple characteristics. Co-occurrence (APSS+/BS+, APSS+/COGDIS+) was compared across 13–17, 18–22 and 23–35 years age groups.ResultsOf 175 individuals (age = 20.6 ± 5.8, female = 38.3%), 94 (53.7%) met APSS criteria. Compared to BS, APSS status was associated with suicidality, higher illness severity, lower functioning, higher SIPS positive, negative, disorganized and general symptoms scores, depression scores and younger age (18.3 ± 5.0 v. 23.2 ± 5.6 years, p < 0.0001) with age-related differences in the prevalence of APSS (ranging from 80.3% in 13- to 17-year-olds to 33.3% in 23- to 35-year-olds (odds ratio 0.21, 95% confidence interval 0.11–0.37). Within APSS+ individuals, fewer adolescents fulfilled combined risk criteria of APSS+/BS+ or APSS+/COGDIS+ compared to the older age groups.ConclusionsAPSS status was associated with greater suicidality and illness/psychophathology severity in this help-seeking cohort, emphasizing the need for clinical care. The age-related differences in the prevalence of APSS and the increasing proportion of APSS+/COGDIS+ may point to a higher proportion of non-specific/transient, rather than risk-specific attenuated positive symptoms in adolescents. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Executive dysfunction is a common consequence of acquired brain injury (ABI), causing significant disability in daily life. This randomized controlled trial investigated the efficacy of Goal Management TrainingTM (GMT) in improving executive functioning in patients with chronic ABI. Seventy patients with a verified ABI and executive dysfunction were randomly allocated to GMT (n=33) or a psycho-educative active control condition, Brain Health Workshop (BHW) (n=37). In addition, all participants received external cueing by text messages. Neuropsychological tests and self-reported questionnaires of executive functioning were administered pre-intervention, immediately after intervention, and at 6 months follow-up. Assessors were blinded to group allocation. Questionnaire measures indicated significant improvement of everyday executive functioning in the GMT group, with effects lasting at least 6 months post-treatment. Both groups improved on the majority of the applied neuropsychological tests. However, improved performance on tests demanding executive attention was most prominent in the GMT group. The results indicate that GMT combined with external cueing is an effective metacognitive strategy training method, ameliorating executive dysfunction in daily life for patients with chronic ABI. The strongest effects were seen on self-report measures of executive functions 6 months post-treatment, suggesting that strategies learned in GMT were applied and consolidated in everyday life after the end of training. Furthermore, these findings show that executive dysfunction can be improved years after the ABI. (JINS, 2016, 22, 436–452) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Decrements in cognitive function may already be evident in young children with type 1 diabetes (T1D). Here we report prospectively acquired cognitive results over 18 months in a large cohort of young children with and without T1D. Methods: A total of 144 children with T1D (mean HbA1c: 7.9%) and 70 age-matched healthy controls (mean age both groups 8.5 years; median diabetes duration 3.9 years; mean age of onset 4.1 years) underwent neuropsychological testing at baseline and after 18-months of follow-up. We hypothesized that group differences observed at baseline would be more pronounced after 18 months, particularly in those T1D patients with greatest exposure to glycemic extremes. Results: Cognitive domain scores did not differ between groups at the 18 month testing session and did not change differently between groups over the follow-up period. However, within the T1D group, a history of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) was correlated with lower Verbal IQ and greater hyperglycemia exposure (HbA1c area under the curve) was inversely correlated to executive functions test performance. In addition, those with a history of both types of exposure performed most poorly on measures of executive function. Conclusions: The subtle cognitive differences between T1D children and nondiabetic controls observed at baseline were not observed 18 months later. Within the T1D group, as at baseline, relationships between cognition (Verbal IQ and executive functions) and glycemic variables (chronic hyperglycemia and DKA history) were evident. Continued longitudinal study of this T1D cohort and their carefully matched healthy comparison group is planned. (JINS, 2016, 21, 293–302) [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper provides a mathematical approach to study the duration of collision-free motion of multiple unmanned autonomous vehicles (UXVs) operating in confined areas. A simple geometric model of the UXVs is first proposed, and the dynamics of the model is shown. The expected time of first collision is then formulated using the concept of mean free path from molecular dynamics. Monte-Carlo simulation is performed to verify the theory developed. The expected time of first collision is a function of the number of UXVs, the UXV speed and the sensor field of view (FOV) for a given operational area and vehicle size. Furthermore, the critical number of UXVs, above which collision can be deemed to occur instantly, is obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers brief information on organized section update of the American Political Science Association (APSA). Topics discussed include formation of federalism and intergovernmental relations to develop professional activities for association members interest in federalism and intergovernmental relations, formation of laws and courts to promote interest in teaching and research in the areas of law and the judicial process.

This panel was convened at 2:15 p.m., Friday, April 5, by its moderator, Guy S. Goodwin-Gill of Oxford University, who introduced the panelists: Anja Klug of the United Nations High [...]

Scholarship on the U.S. public–private welfare state has pointed to the ways in which indirect, market-based channels of social policy provision often obscure the role of the government from many citizens who use these programs. This article argues that the same mechanisms that often depoliticize public–private policies for citizens who already benefit from them may actually politicize them for citizens who are unable to access those benefits. Focusing on the responses of black civil rights and veterans advocacy groups to the shortcomings of the Federal Housing Administration and the early GI Bill, it shows that public–private policies can draw advocacy groups, providers, and the state into conflicts over the terms of access. Despite facing very different challenges and bringing very different political capacities to bear, these two types of groups followed precisely the same processes of political mobilization and contestation in each case: First, they aggregated individual grievances into broader collective problems. Then, they traced those problems not to impersonal market mechanisms but to government policies and state authority. Finally, they pushed for reform across multiple venues to expand access for their members. By explicating these recurrent political dynamics, this article contributes to our understanding of policy feedback in the public–private welfare state and highlights the role of advocacy groups in helping to reshape the state's capacity to govern in a policy arena that is often characterized as dominated by third-party providers. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This article discusses the medicinal remedies consumed at the court of the Yorkist kings of England in the light of a lawsuit in the court of common pleas (edited in an appendix) between John Clerk, king’s apothecary to Edward IV, and Katherine Neville, Duchess of Norfolk, over the partial non-payment of the apothecary’s bills. It argues that the consumption of apothecaries’ wares in large quantities was not merely a direct result of the excessive diet of the late medieval aristocracy, but in itself represented a facet of the conspicuous consumption inherent in the lifestyle of this particular social class. The remedies supplied by Clerk over a period of several years and listed in the legal record are set in the context of contemporary collections of medical recipes, particularly a ‘dispensary’ in the British Library’s Harleian collection generally attributed to the king’s apothecary. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

BackgroundEvidence suggests that childhood adversity is associated with the development of psychotic experiences (PE), psychotic symptoms and disorders. However, less is known regarding the impact of early adversity on the persistence of PE and clinically relevant psychosis. Thus we conducted a systematic review of the association between childhood adversity and the course of PE and symptoms over time.MethodA systematic search of Medline, EMBASE and PsychINFO databases was undertaken to identify articles published between January 1956 and November 2014. We included studies conducted on general population samples, individuals at ultra-high risk (UHR) of psychosis, and patients with full-blown psychotic disorders. A meta-analysis was performed on a subgroup.ResultsA total of 20 studies were included. Of these, 17 reported positive associations between exposure to overall or specific subtypes of childhood adversity and persistence of PE or clinically relevant psychotic symptoms. A meta-analysis of nine studies yielded a weighted odds ratio of 1.76 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.19–2.32, p < 0.001] for general population studies and 1.55 (95% CI 0.32–2.77, p = 0.007) for studies conducted using clinical populations.ConclusionsThe available evidence is limited but tentatively suggests that reported exposure to adverse events in childhood is associated with persistence of PE and clinically relevant psychotic symptoms. This partially strengthens the case for addressing the consequences of early adversity in individuals presenting with psychotic phenomena to improve long-term outcomes. However, the heterogeneity of studies was high which urges caution in interpreting the results and highlights the need for more methodologically robust studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background:The Generalized Anxiety Inventory (GAI) has been developed for use in the assessment of anxiety symptoms in older adults (≥ 65 years), but previous validation work has not examined the psychometric qualities of the instrument in relation to treatment. The objective of this study was to examine the performance of the GAI for its internal reliability, convergent and divergent validity, and its sensitivity to treatment.Methods:Elderly patients with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) participated in a 10-week double-blind study of duloxetine treatment for patients with GAD. Anxiety symptoms were assessed with the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAMA), the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) anxiety and depression subscales, and the GAI. Internal reliability of the GAI was assessed with Cronbach's α. Correlations among the HAMA, HADS, and GAI scores were analyzed to determine convergent and divergent validity. Patients were also compared on remission status using recommended cut-off scores for the GAI.Results:Patients with GAD, who were at least 65 years of age, were randomly assigned to double-blind treatment with either duloxetine (N = 151) or placebo (N = 140) for 10 weeks acute therapy. The mean change on the GAI was significantly greater with duloxetine compared with placebo treatment (−8.36 vs. −4.96, respectively, p ≤ 0.001). The GAI demonstrated good internal consistency, good convergent and divergent validity, but suggested cut-off values for caseness with the GAI did not correspond to remission status as measured by the HAMA.Conclusions:Within an elderly patient population with GAD, the GAI demonstrated sound psychometric qualities and sensitivity to change with treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A crucial part of probabilistic roadmap planners is the nearest neighbor search, which is typically done by exact methods. Unfortunately, searching the neighbors can become a major bottleneck for the performance. This can occur when the roadmap size grows especially in high-dimensional spaces. In this paper, we investigate how well the approximate nearest neighbor searching works with probabilistic roadmap planners. We propose a method that is based on the locality-sensitive hashing and show that it can speed up the construction of the roadmap considerably without reducing the quality of the produced roadmap. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BackgroundSchizophrenia patients have higher rates of minor physical anomalies (MPAs) than controls, particularly in the craniofacial region; this difference lends support to the neurodevelopmental model of schizophrenia. Whether MPAs are associated with treatment response in schizophrenia remains unknown. The aim of this case–control study was to investigate whether more MPAs and specific quantitative craniofacial features in patients with schizophrenia are associated with operationally defined treatment resistance.MethodA comprehensive scale, consisting of both qualitatively measured MPAs and quantitative measurements of the head and face, was applied in 108 patients with treatment-resistant schizophrenia (TRS) and in 104 non-TRS patients. Treatment resistance was determined according to the criteria proposed by Conley & Kelly (2001; Biological Psychiatry 50, 898–911).ResultsOur results revealed that patients with TRS had higher MPA scores in the mouth region than non-TRS patients, and the two groups also differed in four quantitative measurements (facial width, lower facial height, facial height, and length of the philtrum), after controlling for multiple comparisons using the false discovery rate. Among these dysmorphological measurements, three MPA item types (mouth MPA score, facial width, and lower facial height) and earlier disease onset were further demonstrated to have good discriminant validity in distinguishing TRS from non-TRS patients in a multivariable logistic regression analysis, with an area under the curve of 0.84 and a generalized R2 of 0.32.ConclusionsThese findings suggest that certain MPAs and craniofacial features may serve as useful markers for identifying TRS at early stages of the illness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is a quantitative study of the emergence of negative concord in Santa María Chiquimula K'ichee’, apparently the only known case of negative concord in the Mayan stock. It is the latest development in a series of recent changes in the syntax of negative clauses in K'ichee’ (Romero, 2012). Using apparent time and comparative cross-dialectal data, I show that negative concord in this variety is a change in progress that started no earlier than the turn of the 20th century. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cluster of reforms to English social care associated with personalisation mark a break with recent thinking about what spaces are considered relevant and appropriate for people with an assessed social care need. The promise of personalisation from a spatial perspective appears to be twofold: expanding the physical spaces that are available to people, while at the same time contracting interpersonal spaces between people and those who support them to emphasise attentiveness and particularism. However, there is a danger that personalisation is much more variable in its impacts. The physical spaces for some are expanding while for others they contract, and these opportunities are likely to be unequally distributed in ways that overlay other forms of inequality. The attentiveness and particularism promised by personalisation is again patchily distributed, with wide variation in the quality of support planning and person-centred care. For the formal care workforce, the two concepts of space (physical environment and interpersonal closeness) intersect as physical spaces shape the capacity to deliver attentive, responsive care. The article brings these concepts together through a discussion of ‘caring labour’ at the intersection of the physical and emotional aspects of space. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Knowledge about the hormonal control of grain dormancy and dormancy loss is essential in wheat, because low grain dormancy at maturity is associated with the problem of pre-harvest sprouting (PHS) when cool and rainy conditions occur before harvest. Low GA (gibberellin A) hormone sensitivity and high ABA (abscisic acid) sensitivity were associated with higher wheat grain dormancy and PHS tolerance. Grains of two PHS-tolerant cultivars were very dormant at maturity, and insensitive to GA stimulation of germination. More PHS-susceptible cultivars were less sensitive to ABA inhibition of germination, and were either more GA sensitive or germinated efficiently without GA at maturity. As grain dormancy was lost through dry afterripening or cold imbibition, grains first gained GA sensitivity and then lost ABA sensitivity. These changes in GA and ABA sensitivity can serve as landmarks defining stages of dormancy loss that cannot be discerned without hormone treatment. These dormancy stages can be used to compare different cultivars, seed lots and studies. Previous work showed that wheat afterripening is associated with decreasing ABA levels in imbibing seeds. Wheat grain dormancy loss through cold imbibition also led to decreased endogenous ABA levels, suggesting that reduced ABA signalling is a general mechanism triggering dormancy loss. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dolphinfish (Mahimahi) are a high-demand resource for sport and coastal fisheries, mainly in the Pacific Ocean. Due to their economic and ecological importance, studies of their biology are very important to understand their function in ecosystems. We used stable isotope and stomach content analyses to determine the most important prey of the common dolphinfish, as well as the trophic level of this species in two areas of the southern Gulf of California. Stomach contents of 445 specimens were analysed. Using both techniques, we found that the most important prey for dolphinfish in the southern Gulf of California were three invertebrate species followed by fish. This contrasts with results from other authors who found that this species was mainly piscivorous in other locations. Stomach content analysis indicated differences in prey biomass by area, season and size class. The isotopic analysis did not show significant differences between seasons or sexes. Both stomach contents and stable isotope analyses showed that although this predator consumed a wide prey spectrum, only a few prey items made up the bulk of the diet, which resulted in a low SD in δ15N values and low Levin's index values. We conclude that this fish is an opportunistic predator that may consume a wide prey spectrum, but that it mainly consumes prey that are abundant in the area, such as crustaceans and cephalopods in the Gulf of California. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In an investigation of Camelina sativa (Linnaeus) Crantz (Brassicaceae) and five common insect pests of canola (Brassica napus Linnaeus) (Brassicaceae), little feeding damage to the plant was inflicted by crucifer-feeding specialist flea beetles (Phyllotreta Chevrolat species) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), Delia Robineau-Desvoidy (Diptera: Anthomyiidae) root maggots, or diamondback moth (Plutella xylostella Linnaeus (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae)). In choice tests, diamondback moths laid fewer eggs on C. sativa than on B. napus leaves. Diamondback moth larvae consumed less C. sativa leaf tissue, and tended to have a longer developmental period on C. sativa. Larvae of the polyphagous bertha armyworm (Mamestra configurata Walker (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)) had similar feeding levels on C. sativa and B. napus plants. However, there was a longer developmental period from larval to pupal stage and pupae weighed less when fed on C. sativa foliage, suggesting that C. sativa contains antibiosis factors against bertha armyworm. Two strains of aster yellows phytoplasma, 16SrI-A and 16SrI-B, were identified in C. sativa and in Macrosteles quadrilineatus (Forbes) (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae). Differences in incidence of aster yellows and abundance of M. quadrilineatus were observed among lines of C. sativa. The findings confirm that C. sativa is unlikely to support high populations of these insect pests on the Canadian prairies. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Lobbies are active participants in international co-operation. In a repeated game, this article allows domestic lobbies to offer contingent rewards to influence their government to make pro-co-operation policy adjustments. The effect of lobbies depends on the type and intensity of their preferences. If the lobbies are ‘internationally benefiting’ – that is, they are interested in whether the foreign government reciprocates with adjustments of its own, they unambiguously improve co-operation. However, if the lobbies are ‘domestically benefiting’ – that is, they are interested in their own government's policy, they are less beneficial for co-operation. A domestically benefiting lobby that is willing to compensate its government even without foreign reciprocity undermines the credibility of punishing free riders. This article demonstrates this argument in the context of trade and environmental co-operation. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Cultivation of winter turnip rape (Brassica rapa L. ssp. oleifera (DC.) Metzg.) in Finland has been limited because of its reputation as an unreliable crop and its mid-season sowing time of July, when fields are already sown to other crops. An alternative management practice for winter turnip rape is proposed whereby it would be sown as a mixed crop simultaneously with spring cereals. The growth and yield formation of winter turnip rape grown in mixed stands with four different spring cereals was studied in two field experiments conducted in 2009–11. Pure and mixed stands of winter turnip rape and spring cereals were established in May at two different cereal and winter turnip rape stand densities. Subsequent to cereal harvest, one-third of each winter turnip rape plot was harvested for biomass in autumn, before cessation of growth. Three plant stand types, May- and July-sown monocrops and a mixed crop with oat (Avena sativa L.) were sampled for forage analysis. Plant stand densities were monitored from establishment until maturity. Winter turnip rape yield and its quality, including oil content, protein content and thousand seed weight, were determined. Following favourable overwintering conditions, winter turnip rape established with cereals yielded comparably to that of pure stands in terms of both quantity and quality. However, a pure stand of winter turnip rape out-yielded mixed crop stands after unfavourable overwintering conditions. Leaf removal decreased plant survival and seed yield. Establishing winter turnip rape with a cereal in May is an alternative to sowing it as a monocrop in July. A higher seeding rate is needed for under-sown winter turnip rape. Furthermore, autumn-harvested winter turnip rape monocrop forage potentially represents a high-protein supplement for ruminants. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

We review a range of techniques related to navigation of unmanned vehicles through unknown environments with obstacles, especially those that rigorously ensure collision avoidance (given certain assumptions about the system). This topic continues to be an active area of research, and we highlight some directions in which available approaches may be improved. The paper discusses models of the sensors and vehicle kinematics, assumptions about the environment, and performance criteria. Methods applicable to stationary obstacles, moving obstacles and multiple vehicles scenarios are all reviewed. In preference to global approaches based on full knowledge of the environment, particular attention is given to reactive methods based on local sensory data, with a special focus on recently proposed navigation laws based on model predictive and sliding mode control. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]