PSP Performance Analysis Report

The Personal Software Process (PSP) is a structured software development process that is intended to help software engineers understand and improve their performance, by using a disciplined, data-driven procedure. The PSP was created by Watts Humphrey to apply the underlying principles of the Software Engineering Institute’s (SEI) Capability Maturity Model (CMM) to the software development practices of a single developer. It gives software engineers the process skills necessary to work on a Team Software Process (TSP) team. PSP training includes eight assignments in two courses – PSP Fundamentals and PSP Advanced. The report includes final analysis of all the data that was gathered during the training

Search for double charmonium decays of the P-wave spin-triplet bottomonium states

Using a sample of 158 million $\Upsilon(2S)$ events collected with the Belle detector, we search for the first time for double charmonium decays of the $P$-wave spin-triplet bottomonium states ($\Upsilon(2S) \to \gamma \chi_{bJ}$, \chi_{bJ} \to \jpsi \jpsi, \jpsi \psp, \psp \psp for J=0, 1, and 2). No significant $\chi_{bJ}$ signal is observed in the double charmonium mass spectra, and we obtain the following upper limits, \BR(\chi_{bJ} \to \jpsi \jpsi)<7.1\times 10^{-5}, $2.7\times 10^{-5}$, $4.5\times 10^{-5}$, \BR(\chi_{bJ} \to \jpsi \psp)<1.2\times 10^{-4}, $1.7\times 10^{-5}$, $4.9\times 10^{-5}$, \BR(\chi_{bJ} \to \psp \psp)<3.1\times 10^{-5}, $6.2\times 10^{-5}$, $1.6\times 10^{-5}$ for J=0, 1, and 2, respectively, at the 90% confidence level. These limits are significantly lower than the central values (with uncertainties of 50% to 70%) predicted using the light cone formalism but are consistent with calculations using the NRQCD factorization approach.Comment: 7 pages, 4 figures, 1 tabl

Abnormal resting-state functional connectivity in progressive supranuclear palsy and corticobasal syndrome

Background: Pathological and MRI-based evidence suggests that multiple brain structures are likely to be involved in functional disconnection between brain areas. Few studies have investigated resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) in progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) and corticobasal syndrome (CBS). In this study, we investigated within- and between-network rsFC abnormalities in these two conditions. Methods: Twenty patients with PSP, 11 patients with CBS, and 16 healthy subjects (HS) underwent a resting-state fMRI study. Resting-state networks (RSNs) were extracted to evaluate within- and between-network rsFC using the Melodic and FSLNets software packages. results: Increased within-network rsFC was observed in both PSP and CBS patients, with a larger number of RSNs being involved in CBS. Within-network cerebellar rsFC positively correlated with mini-mental state examination scores in patients with PSP. Compared to healthy volunteers, PSP and CBS patients exhibit reduced functional connectivity between the lateral visual and auditory RSNs, with PSP patients additionally showing lower functional connectivity between the cerebellar and insular RSNs. Moreover, rsFC between the salience and executive-control RSNs was increased in patients with CBS compared to HS. conclusion: This study provides evidence of functional brain reorganization in both PSP and CBS. Increased within-network rsFC could represent a higher degree of synchronization in damaged brain areas, while between-network rsFC abnormalities may mainly reflect degeneration of long-range white matter fibers

Neuropsychiatric disturbances in atypical Parkinsonian disorders

Multiple system atrophy (MSA), progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), and corticobasal degeneration (CBD) are the most common atypical parkinsonisms. These disorders are characterized by varying combinations of autonomic, cerebellar and pyramidal system, and cognitive dysfunctions. In this paper, we reviewed the evidence available on the presence and type of neuropsychiatric disturbances in MSA, PSP, and CBD. A MedLine, Excerpta Medica, PsycLit, PsycInfo, and Index Medicus search was performed to identify all articles published on this topic between 1965 and 2018. Neuropsychiatric disturbances including depression, anxiety, agitation, and behavioral abnormalities have been frequently described in these disorders, with depression as the most frequent disturbance. MSA patients show a higher frequency of depressive disorders when compared to healthy controls. An increased frequency of anxiety disorders has also been reported in some patients, and no studies have investigated apathy. PSP patients may have depression, apathy, disinhibition, and to a lesser extent, anxiety and agitation. In CBD, neuropsychiatric disorders are similar to those present in PSP. Hallucinations and delusions are rarely reported in these disorders. Neuropsychiatric symptoms in MSA, PSP, and CBD do not appear to be related to the severity of motor dysfunction and are one of the main factors that determine a low quality of life. The results suggest that neuropsychiatric disturbances should always be assessed in patients with atypical parkinsonisms

Has Private Participation in Water and Sewerage Improved Coverage? Empirical Evidence from Latin America

Introducing private sector participation (PSP) into the water and sewerage sectors in developing countries is difficult and controversial. Empirical studies on its effects are scant and generally inconclusive. Case studies tend to find improvements in the sector following privatization, but they suffer from selection bias and it is difficult to generalize from their results. To explore empirically the effects of PSP, we assemble a new dataset of connections to water and sewerage services at the city and province level based on household surveys in Argentina, Bolivia, and Brazil. The household surveys, conducted over a number of years, allow us to compile data before and after the introduction of PSP as well as from similar (control) regions that never privatized at all. Our analysis reveals that, in general, connection rates to piped water and sewerage improved following the introduction of PSP, consistent with the case study literature. We also find, however, that connection rates similarly improved in the control regions, suggesting that PSP, per se, may not have been responsible for those improvements. On the other hand, connection rates for the poorest households also tended to increase in the regions with PSP and in the control regions, suggesting that ,in terms of connections at least, PSP did not harm the poor.

Neuropathologic basis of frontotemporal dementia in progressive supranuclear palsy.

BackgroundProgressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by neuronal loss in the extrapyramidal system with pathologic accumulation of tau in neurons and glia. The most common clinical presentation of PSP, referred to as Richardson syndrome, is that of atypical parkinsonism with vertical gaze palsy, axial rigidity, and frequent falls. Although cognitive deficits in PSP are often ascribed to subcortical dysfunction, a subset of patients has dementia with behavioral features similar to the behavioral variant of frontotemporal dementia. In this study we aimed to identify the clinical and pathological characteristics of PSP presenting with frontotemporal dementia.MethodsIn this study, we compared clinical and pathologic characteristics of 31 patients with PSP with Richardson syndrome with 15 patients with PSP with frontotemporal dementia. For pathological analysis, we used semiquantitative methods to assess neuronal and glial lesions with tau immunohistochemistry, as well image analysis of tau burden using digital microscopic methods.ResultsWe found greater frontal and temporal neocortical neuronal tau pathology in PSP with frontotemporal dementia compared with PSP with Richardson syndrome. White matter tau pathology was also greater in PSP with frontotemporal dementia than PSP with Richardson syndrome. Genetic and demographic factors were not associated with atypical distribution of tau pathology in PSP with frontotemporal dementia.ConclusionsThe results confirm the subset of cognitive-predominant PSP mimicking frontotemporal dementia in PSP. PSP with frontotemporal dementia has distinct clinical features that differ from PSP with Richardson syndrome, as well as differences in distribution and density of tau pathology. © 2019 The Authors. Movement Disorders published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society