No Shortcut To Voting. The Limited Influence of Parties’ Left-Right Positions on Voting Behavior

Spatial theories of voting are loaded with two assumptions that empirically do not necessarily hold. The first one links to its basic idea that citizens vote for the party that would best serve their preferences. What is mostly neglected is the level of information and cognitive capacities that are necessary for this idealized rational voting. To compare parties’ political (or ideological) positions with one another and to one’s own preferences can be very demanding, especially in multiparty settings. The second problematic assumption of spatial voting theory is that it takes political positions for granted as if they were static. This might be due to the spatial model of party competition that explains why, in the long run, parties take equilibria positions that will remain stable over time. Empirically, we can, however, observe that parties’ electoral competition does lead to position dynamics, especially if new parties become competitive players. This is the truer for young party systems where the party competition space and position taking is not that settled, yet. It is hence interesting to ask what happens with voters’ perceptions and preferences after parties have shifted positions, a question that has been overlooked at large by research on voting behavior. My thesis contributes to filling this gap of research, bridging insights from the political competition and the spatial, “rational” voting literature. I argue that voters need a good level of political sophistication to keep updated on party positions and take “rational” voting decisions. Using survey data from the Comparative Study of Electoral Systems (CSES) and data on parties’ left-right positions (Franzmann and Kaiser 2006; 2016), based on the Party Manifesto Project (CMP) (Volkens 2013), I investigate parties’ position shifts’ impact on voters’ perceptions of left-right positions, how different kinds of political sophistication, factual knowledge, the differentiation between parties’ left-right positions and the precision of perceptions, determine citizens’ electoral participation, and if the precision of left-right perceptions increases rational reactions to parties’ position’ shifts. Overall, the thesis shows that single parties’ position shifts can increase the precision with which voters perceive party positions, but the stronger multiple parties shift in sum, it is hard for voters to keep updated. Voters’ often limited perceptions of parties’ positions and voters’ party loyalties are key answers to why they often seemingly do not react to parties’ shifts with “rational” voting

Instruction-assessment connection of inference tasks for literacy-delayed students

The project will explore an instructional program in listening to develop inference abilities, higher levels of comprehension, for second graders who are eligible for a Chapter I reading program. In many cases, children who are not achieving in accordance with their estimated potential are viewed as having lower levels of intellectual abilities. Remedial readers are not necessarily poor thinkers. Usually, their listening ability reflects a higher level of thinking-language ability {Hansen, 1981). Because of the commonality in listening and reading tasks, instruction in listening supports emerging reading abilities {Smith, 1994; Cambourne, 1988). In this proposed project, instruction in inference tasks will be offered through the listening mode as a means of fostering delayed learners\u27 comprehension abilities. The children\u27s progress will be described through exhibits collected in a portfolio for each child

Linking complement C3 and B cells in nasal polyposis

Nasal polyposis often is characterized by a persistent inflammation of the sinonasal mucosa, disease recurrence after medical or surgical intervention, and asthma comorbidity. Dysregulated complement activation may contribute to immunologic alterations and disease. To date, there is only scattered knowledge on the source and regulation of the central complement factors in the pathogenesis of nasal polyps. Here, we aim to study complement signatures, especially the C3-C3aR axis, and focus on cellular sources and targets in nasal polyps. Expression of complement factors, including C3, C5, and the anaphylatoxin receptors, was analyzed in nasal polyp tissue samples, the corresponding inferior turbinates, and healthy controls using transcriptomic methods and protein measurements. Distinct patterns of complement expression were found in nasal polyps compared to controls, characterized by an increased C3 activation and an increase in C3aR-bearing cells. In contrast, no difference was shown for epithelial-dependent C3 production. Besides low intracellular C3-expression levels for lymphocytes in general, we could identify an enlarged B lymphocyte population in nasal polyps displaying high amounts of intracellular C3. Our data suggest a prominent role for the C3-C3aR-axis in nasal polyps and, for the first time, describe a B cell population containing high levels of intracellular C3, suggesting a new role of B cells in the maintenance of the inflammation by complement

The association of children’s mathematic abilities with both adults’ cognitive abilities and intrinsic fronto-parietal networks is altered in preterm-born individuals

Mathematic abilities in childhood are highly predictive for long-term neurocognitive outcomes. Preterm-born individuals have an increased risk for both persistent cognitive impairments and long-term changes in macroscopic brain organization. We hypothesized that the association of childhood mathematic abilities with both adulthood general cognitive abilities and associated fronto-parietal intrinsic networks is altered after preterm delivery. 72 preterm- and 71 term-born individuals underwent standardized mathematic and IQ testing at 8 years and resting-state fMRI and full-scale IQ testing at 26 years of age. Outcome measure for intrinsic networks was intrinsic functional connectivity (iFC). Controlling for IQ at age eight, mathematic abilities in childhood were significantly stronger positively associated with adults’ IQ in preterm compared with term-born individuals. In preterm-born individuals, the association of children’s mathematic abilities and adults’ fronto-parietal iFC was altered. Likewise, fronto-parietal iFC was distinctively linked with preterm- and term-born adults’ IQ. Results provide evidence that preterm birth alters the link of mathematic abilities in childhood and general cognitive abilities and fronto-parietal intrinsic networks in adulthood. Data suggest a distinct functional role of intrinsic fronto-parietal networks for preterm individuals with respect to mathematic abilities and that these networks together with associated children’s mathematic abilities may represent potential neurocognitive targets for early intervention

Neural correlates of executive attention in adults born very preterm

Very preterm birth is associated with an increased prevalence of attention problems and may especially impair executive attention, i.e., top-down control of attentional selection in situations where distracting information interferes with the processing of task-relevant stimuli. While there are initial findings linking structural brain alterations in preterm-born individuals with attention problems, the functional basis of these problems are not well understood. The present study used an fMRI adaptation of the Attentional Network Test to examine the neural correlates of executive attention in a large sample of N = 86 adults born very preterm and/or with very low birth weight (VP/VLBW), and N = 100 term-born controls. Executive attention was measured by comparing task behavior and brain activations associated with the processing of incongruent vs. congruent arrow flanker stimuli. Consistent with subtle impairments of executive attention, the VP/VLBW group showed lower accuracy and a tendency for increased response times during the processing of incongruent stimuli. Both groups showed similar activation patters, especially within expected fronto-cingulo-parietal areas, but no significant between-group differences. Our results argue for a maintained attention-relevant network organization in high-functioning preterm born adults in spite of subtle deficits in executive attention. Gestational age and neonatal treatment variables showed associations with task behavior, and brain activation in the dorsal ACC and lateral occipital areas, suggesting that the degree of prematurity (and related neonatal complications) has subtle modulatory influences on executive attention processing

White matter alterations of the corticospinal tract in adults born very preterm and/or with very low birth weight

White matter (WM) injury, either visible on conventional magnetic resonance images (MRI) or measurable by diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), is frequent in preterm born individuals and often affects the corticospinal tract (CST). The relation between visible and invisible white mater alterations in the reconstructed CST of preterm subjects has so far been studied in infants, children and up to adolescence. Therefore, we probabilistically tracked the CST in 53 term-born and 56 very preterm and/or low birth weight (VP/VLBW, < 32 weeks of gestation and/or birth weight < 1,500 g) adults (mean age 26 years) and compared their DTI parameters (axial, radial, mean diffusivity—AD, RD, MD, fractional anisotropy—FA) in the whole CST and slice-wise along the CST. Additionally, we used the automatic, tract-based-spatial-statistics (TBSS) as an alternative to tractography. We compared control and VP/VLBW and subgroups with and without CST WM lesions visible on conventional MRI. Compared to controls, VP/VLBW subjects had significantly higher diffusivity (AD, RD, MD) in the whole CST, slice-wise along the CST, and in multiple regions along the TBSS skeleton. VP/VLBW subjects also had significantly lower (TBSS) and higher (tractography) FA in regions along the CST, but no different mean FA in the tracked CST as a whole. Diffusion changes were weaker, but remained significant for both, tractography and TBSS, when excluding subjects with visible CST lesions. Chronic CST injury persists in VP/VLBW adults even in the absence of visible WM lesions, indicating long-term structural WM changes induced by premature birth

Antigen-Specific versus Non-Antigen-Specific Immunoadsorption in ABO-Incompatible Renal Transplantation

Introduction: ABO-incompatible (ABOi) renal transplantation (RTx) from living donors is an established procedure to expand the donor pool for patients with end stage renal disease. Immunoadsorption (IA) is a standard procedure for the removal of preformed antibodies against the allograft. In this study, antigen-specific and non-antigen-specific IA in ABOi RTx were compared. Patients and Methods: 10 patients underwent antigen-specific IA (Glycosorb group) and 13 patients non-antigen-specific IA (Immunosorba group). The effects of both procedures regarding antibody reduction, number of treatments, complications, costs, as well as the allograft function and patient survival were compared between both groups. Results: Although the IgG levels were reduced equally by both procedures (p=0.82), the reduction of the IgM level was more effective in the Glycosorb group (p=0.0172). Patients in both groups required a median number of 6 IA before ABOi RTx. Allograft function at one year after AB0i RTx was similar in both groups (estimated glomerular filtration rate: 66 vs. 64 ml/min/1.73m² respectively), with a death-censored graft survival of 90.0% and 92.3% respectively. Complication rates did not differ between procedures. Due to the reuse of non-antigen-specific Immunosorba columns, costs were considerably lower in this group; however, the use of the Immunosorba-based IA was less time-efficient. Conclusion: Considering upcoming alternatives as simultaneous performance of dialysis and IA or a possible reuse of Glycosorb columns, this might become less relevant in the future

Automated quantitative evaluation of brain MRI may be more accurate for discriminating preterm born adults

Objective To investigate the structural brain abnormalities and their diagnostic accuracy through qualitative and quantitative analysis in term born and very preterm birth or with very low birth weight (VP/VLBW) adults. Methods We analyzed 3-T MRIs acquired in 2011–2013 from 67 adults (27 term born controls, mean age 26.4 years, 8 females; 40 VP/VLBWs, mean age 26.6 years, 16 females). We compared automatic segmentations of the white matter, deep gray matter and cortical gray matter, manual corpus callosum measurements and visual ratings of the ventricles and white matter with t tests, logistic regression, and receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curves. Results Automatic segmentation correctly classified 84% of cases; visual ratings correctly classified 63%. Quantitative volumetry based on automatic segmentation revealed higher ventricular volume, lower posterior corpus callosum, and deep gray matter volumes in VP/VLBW subjects compared to controls (p < 0.01). Visual rating and manual measurement revealed a thinner corpus callosum in VP/VLBW adults (p = 0.04) and deformed lateral ventricles (p = 0.03) and tendency towards more “dirty” white matter (p = 0.06). Automatic/manual measures combined with visual ratings correctly classified 87% of cases. Stepwise logistic regression identified three independent features that correctly classify 81% of cases: ventricular volume, deep gray matter volume, and white matter aspect. Conclusion Enlarged and deformed lateral ventricles, thinner corpus callosum, and “dirty” white matter are prevalent in preterm born adults. Their visual evaluation has low diagnostic accuracy. Automatic volume quantification is more accurate but time consuming. It may be useful to ask for prematurity before initiating further diagnostics in subjects with these alterations