The Poetic Style Erich Kastner

The existing studies of the poetry of Erich Kiistner deal almost exclusively with aspects of its content, whether in an ideational or a concrete sense, and have at best only peripheral reference to the esthetic realization of this content. That is, these studies consider the poems primarily in their function as means of communication or even as unwitting autobiography, and in effect ignore the poems in order to penetrate to that which they communicate or reveal. Yet the relation of external and internal in any esthetic object is just the reverse: one would have to penetrate past that which the poems communicate or reveal, as being external to them, to the poems as independent esthetic objects. For the sole distinguishing characteristic of poems and all other successful esthetic creations is that they ultimately communicate themselves purely and exist as values entirely aside from the potentiality of possessing some function. Hence abstract art is not only manifested in fairly clear examples but must be considered to be omnipresent as the invisible ultimate component of. the most concrete or representational art, and just so the dance may be considered to exist in abstraction from the dancers as the configuration of their movements, whereas no nonesthetic means of com~ munication embodies a corresponding abstraction which would be of absolutely independent value. The poem an sich, like every other esthetic object so abstracted, is perceived to exist as a dance of forces. The style of the poet is the specific, personally determined character or coloration which this interplay of forces has in his poems: whether the relation is one of similarity or dissimilarity, attraction or repulsion, whether it is simple or complex, whether the movement is slack or tense, slow or quick, as well as many other qualitative and quantitative aspects which together constitute the characteristic quality of the inner rhythm. It is the purpose of the present study to arrive by stylistic analysis, not at a complete description, but at a definition of the character of this interplay in the case of Kastner\u27s poems

The relationship between attachment style, anxiety sensitivity and interpretive bias among adolescent nonclinical panickers

Elevated anxiety sensitivity and the tendency to catastrophically misinterpret ambiguous bodily sensations has been demonstrated in people who experience nonclinical levels of panic (Richards, Austin, & Alvarenga, 2001), and anxiety sensitivity has been shown to be associated with insecure attachment in adolescents and young adults (Weems, Berman, Silverman, and Saavedra, 2001). This study investigated the relationship between attachment style, anxiety sensitivity and catastrophic misinterpretation among 11 nonclinical panickers and 58 nonanxious controls aged 18 to 19 years. Participants completed the Brief Bodily Sensations Interpretation Questionnaire (BBSIQ), Anxiety Sensitivity Index (ASI) and an attachment questionnaire. The hypothesis that insecurely attached individuals would demonstrate greater catastrophic misinterpretation and higher anxiety sensitivity than securely attached individuals was not supported; however, nonclinical panickers gave more anxiety-related interpretations of ambiguous internal stimuli than nonanxious controls. Results do not support the notion that attachment style is related to anxiety sensitivity or catastrophic misinterpretation (regardless of panic experience). Results do, however, support the notion that anxiety-related misinterpretation of ambiguous somatic sensations precedes the onset of panic disorder

Rotigotine in Hemodialysis-Associated Restless Legs Syndrome : A Randomized Controlled Trial

Background: Restless legs syndrome (RLS) has been associated with insomnia, decreased quality of life, and increased morbidity and mortality in end-stage renal disease. This randomized controlled trial investigated effects of rotigotine in patients with RLS and end-stage renal disease. Study Design: Double-blind placebo-controlled study. Setting & Participants: Adults with moderate to severe RLS (International RLS Study Group Rating Scale [IRLS] >= 15) and Periodic Limb Movement Index (PLMI) >= 15 who were receiving thrice-weekly hemodialysis enrolled from sites in the United States and Europe. Intervention: Following randomization and titration ( Outcomes & Measurements: Primary efficacy outcome: reduction in PLMI, assessed by ratio of PLMI at end of maintenance to baseline. Secondary/other outcomes (P values exploratory) included mean changes from baseline in PLMI, IRLS, and Clinical Global Impression item 1 (CGI-1 [severity of illness]) score. Results: 30 patients were randomly assigned (rotigotine, 20; placebo, 10); 25 (15; 10) completed the study with evaluable data. Mean (SD) PLMI ratio (end of maintenance to baseline) was 0.7 +/- 0.4 for rotigotine and 1.3 +/- 0.7 for placebo (analysis of covariance treatment ratio, 0.44; 95% CI, 0.22 to 0.88; P = 0.02). Numerical improvements were observed with rotigotine versus placebo in IRLS and CGI-1 (least squares mean treatment differences of -6.08 [95% CI, -12.18 to 0.02; P = 0.05] and -0.81 [95% CI, -1.94 to 0.33; P = 0.2]). 10 of 15 rotigotine and 2 of 10 placebo patients were CGI-1 responders (>= 50% improvement). Hemodialysis did not affect unconjugated rotigotine concentrations. The most common adverse events (>= 2 patients) were nausea (rotigotine, 4 [20%]; placebo, 0); vomiting (3 [15%]; 0); diarrhea (1 [5%]; 2 [20%]); headache (2 [10%]; 0); dyspnea (2 [10%]; 0); and hypertension (2 [10%]; 0). Limitations: Small sample size and short duration. Conclusions: Rotigotine improved periodic limb movements and RLS symptoms in the short term among ESRD patients requiring hemodialysis in a small-scale study. No dose adjustments are necessary for hemodialysis patients. (C) 2016 by the National Kidney Foundation, Inc.Peer reviewe

The long-term treatment of restless legs syndrome/Willis–Ekbom disease: evidence-based guidelines and clinical consensus best practice guidance: a report from the International Restless Legs Syndrome Study Group

AbstractA Task Force was established by the International Restless Legs Syndrome Study Group (IRLSSG) to develop evidence-based and consensus-based recommendations for the long-term pharmacologic treatment of restless legs syndrome/Willis–Ekbom disease (RLS/WED). The Task Force reviewed the results of all studies of RLS/WED treatments with durations of 6months or longer presented at meetings over the past 2years, posted on Web sites of pharmaceutical companies, or published in peer-reviewed journals, asking the questions, “What is the efficacy of this treatment in patients with RLS/WED?” and “What is the safety of this treatment in patients with RLS/WED?”The Task Force developed guidelines based on their review of 61 papers meeting inclusion criteria, and using a modified evidence-grading scheme. Pregabalin has been established as effective for up to 1year in treating RLS/WED (Level A evidence). Pramipexole, ropinirole, and rotigotine have been established as effective for up to 6months in treating RLS/WED (Level A). The following drugs have been established as probably effective (Level B) in treating RLS/WED for durations ranging from 1 to 5years: gabapentin enacarbil, pramipexole, and ropinirole (1year); levodopa (2years); and rotigotine (5years). Because of associated safety concerns, pergolide and cabergoline should not be used in the treatment of RLS/WED unless the benefits clearly outweigh the risks. Other pharmacologic therapies have insufficient evidence to support their long-term use in treating RLS/WED.The IRLSSG Task Force also developed consensus-based strategies for the prevention and treatment of complications (such as augmentation, loss of efficacy, excessive daytime sleepiness, and impulse control disorders) that may develop with the long-term pharmacologic treatment of RLS/WED. The use of either a dopamine-receptor agonist or α2δ calcium-channel ligand is recommended as the first-line treatment of RLS/WED for most patients, with the choice of agent dependent on the patient’s severity of RLS/WED symptoms, cognitive status, history, and comorbid conditions

Alteration of Microbial Communities Colonizing Leaf Litter in a Temperate Woodland Stream by Growth of Trees Under Conditions of Elevated Atmospheric CO\u3csub\u3e2\u3c/sub\u3e

Elevated atmospheric CO2 can cause increased carbon fixation and altered foliar chemical composition in a variety of plants, which has the potential to impact forested headwater streams because they are detritus-based ecosystems that rely on leaf litter as their primary source of organic carbon. Fungi and bacteria play key roles in the entry of terrestrial carbon into aquatic food webs, as they decompose leaf litter and serve as a source of nutrition for invertebrate consumers. This study tested the hypothesis that changes in leaf chemistry caused by elevated atmospheric CO2 would result in changes in the size and composition of microbial communities colonizing leaves in a woodland stream. Three tree species, Populus tremuloides, Salix alba, and Acer saccharum, were grown under ambient (360 ppm) or elevated (720 ppm) CO2, and their leaves were incubated in a woodland stream. Elevated-CO2 treatment resulted in significant increases in the phenolic and tannin contents and C/N ratios of leaves. Microbial effects, which occurred only for P. tremuloides leaves, included decreased fungal biomass and decreased bacterial counts. Analysis of fungal and bacterial communities on P. tremuloides leaves via terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP) and clone library sequencing revealed that fungal community composition was mostly unchanged by the elevated-CO2 treatment, whereas bacterial communities showed a significant shift in composition and a significant increase in diversity. Specific changes in bacterial communities included increased numbers of alphaproteobacterial and cytophaga-flavobacter-bacteroides (CFB) group sequences and decreased numbers of betaproteobacterial and firmicutes sequences, as well as a pronounced decrease in overall Gram-positive bacterial sequences

Lack of change in glucose metabolism in eszopiclone-treated primary insomnia patients

Study objectives Primary insomnia (PI) may increase diabetes risk. We tested the hypothesis that the effects of PI on glucose metabolism could be improved by 2 months of pharmacological treatment. Methods: Adult men and women meeting clinical criteria for PI were studied (n=20, body mass index 25.1±2.7 kg/m2, age 39.7±7.9) in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. The study consisted of two 1-day inpatient admissions to a General Clinical Research Center separated by 2 months of at-home treatment with 3 mg eszopiclone or placebo. During inpatient admissions, each subject underwent two intravenous glucose tolerance tests (IVGTTs) pre- and post-treatment. Diet was controlled for micro- and macro-nutrient content and calories on the day prior to pre- and post-treatment IVGTTs. Subjects were randomized following completion of the initial IVGTT to take either placebo or eszopiclone 30 min prior to bedtime at home for 2 months. Results: Two-month eszopiclone treatment did not change insulin sensitivity, glucose tolerance, or any of the sleep measures significantly, compared with placebo. Changes in glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c, clinical measure of glycemic control) were correlated with changes in diary-reported total sleep time in the eszopiclone group (r=0.66, p=0.0360), and in the combined groups’ data (r=0.55, p=0.0125). Changes in polysomnography-measured wake after sleep onset, a hallmark of PI, were positively related to changes in IVGTT-derived glucose effectiveness, or non-insulin-mediated glucose uptake. Conclusion: Treatment with 3 mg eszopiclone for 2 months, compared with placebo, did not significantly influence either sleep or measures of diabetes risk in this preliminary study

The Chandra Source Catalog

The Chandra Source Catalog (CSC) is a general purpose virtual X-ray astrophysics facility that provides access to a carefully selected set of generally useful quantities for individual X-ray sources, and is designed to satisfy the needs of a broad-based group of scientists, including those who may be less familiar with astronomical data analysis in the X-ray regime. The first release of the CSC includes information about 94,676 distinct X-ray sources detected in a subset of public ACIS imaging observations from roughly the first eight years of the Chandra mission. This release of the catalog includes point and compact sources with observed spatial extents <~ 30''. The catalog (1) provides access to the best estimates of the X-ray source properties for detected sources, with good scientific fidelity, and directly supports scientific analysis using the individual source data; (2) facilitates analysis of a wide range of statistical properties for classes of X-ray sources; and (3) provides efficient access to calibrated observational data and ancillary data products for individual X-ray sources, so that users can perform detailed further analysis using existing tools. The catalog includes real X-ray sources detected with flux estimates that are at least 3 times their estimated 1 sigma uncertainties in at least one energy band, while maintaining the number of spurious sources at a level of <~ 1 false source per field for a 100 ks observation. For each detected source, the CSC provides commonly tabulated quantities, including source position, extent, multi-band fluxes, hardness ratios, and variability statistics, derived from the observations in which the source is detected. In addition to these traditional catalog elements, for each X-ray source the CSC includes an extensive set of file-based data products that can be manipulated interactively.Comment: To appear in The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series, 53 pages, 27 figure

Consensus guidelines on the construct validity of rodent models of restless legs syndrome.

Our understanding of the causes and natural course of restless legs syndrome (RLS) is incomplete. The lack of objective diagnostic biomarkers remains a challenge for clinical research and for the development of valid animal models. As a task force of preclinical and clinical scientists, we have previously defined face validity parameters for rodent models of RLS. In this article, we establish new guidelines for the construct validity of RLS rodent models. To do so, we first determined and agreed on the risk, and triggering factors and pathophysiological mechanisms that influence RLS expressivity. We then selected 20 items considered to have sufficient support in the literature, which we grouped by sex and genetic factors, iron-related mechanisms, electrophysiological mechanisms, dopaminergic mechanisms, exposure to medications active in the central nervous system, and others. These factors and biological mechanisms were then translated into rodent bioequivalents deemed to be most appropriate for a rodent model of RLS. We also identified parameters by which to assess and quantify these bioequivalents. Investigating these factors, both individually and in combination, will help to identify their specific roles in the expression of rodent RLS-like phenotypes, which should provide significant translational implications for the diagnosis and treatment of RLS

Does India have entheomycology traditions? A review and call to research

341-352This article reviews evidence for India‘s entheomycological traditions—religious practices using fungi to produce spiritual experiences- and proposes needed studies. The proposed fungal identity [Amanita muscaria (L.) Lam.] of the entheogenic Soma and the identity of soma substitutes still lack adequate ethnobotanical studies. Furthermore, the need for entheomycological studies in India is illustrated by the presence of many psychoactive mushrooms and evidence of their possible sacred use in India. Evidence for historical entheomycology is illustrated in: the mushroom stones of Kerala; entheogenic mushroom traditions and mushroom iconography in Buddhism; the mushroom sculptures on the thresholds of the temples of Khajuraho; and results from a pilot interview on cultural history of entheogenic mushrooms in a rural area of Chattarpur near Khajuraho. A review of recent Indian ethnomycology publications provides guidelines for entheomycology research by indicating optimal regional areas, research methods, interview respondents and language groups for research into India‘s mycophilic cultures and elusive entheomycological traditions

Sleep disordered breathing and cardiovascular risk in older patients initiating dialysis in the United States: a retrospective observational study using medicare data

Background: Sleep disordered breathing (SDB) such as sleep apnea is associated with cardiovascular disease in the general population. However, little is known about the cardiovascular risks of SDB in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Methods: We identified Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries aged ≥67 years initiating dialysis between 2004 and 2009. Outcomes of interest included all-cause mortality, incident myocardial infarction, ischemic stroke, and atrial fibrillation. We compared patients with and without diagnosed SDB using Cox proportional hazards regression. Results: Between 2004 and 2009, 184,217 older patients developed ESRD, of whom 15,121 (8.2 %) were previously diagnosed with SDB. Patients diagnosed with SDB were younger, more likely to be male and Caucasian, less Medicaid eligible, had more non-Nephrology clinic visits, higher body mass index, and more comorbidity. In analyses adjusting for demographics and BMI, diagnosed SDB was associated with higher risk of death and atrial fibrillation, but not associated with myocardial infarction or ischemic stroke risk. After further adjustment for all baseline characteristics, diagnosed SDB was associated with slightly lower risks of death (hazard ratio [HR]: 0.93, 95 % confidence interval [CI]: 0.91–0.96), myocardial infarction (HR: 0.92, CI: 0.87–0.98), and ischemic stroke (HR: 0.90, 95 % CI: 0.82–0.98), and not associated with atrial fibrillation (HR: 1.02, CI: 0.98–1.07). Conclusions: In older patients initiating dialysis in the U.S., diagnosed SDB was weakly associated with lower risks of death and important cardiovascular outcomes, thus adding to the list of established risk factors that are paradoxically associated with cardiovascular outcomes in the ESRD population