Hard x ray highlights of AR 5395

Active Region 5395 produced an exceptional series of hard x ray bursts notable for their frequency, intensity, and impulsivity. Over the two weeks from March 6 to 19, 447 hard x ray flares were observed by the Hard X Ray Burst Spectrometer on Solar Maximum Mission (HXRBS/SMM), a rate of approx. 35 per day which exceeded the previous high by more than 50 percent. During one 5 day stretch, more than 250 flares were detected, also a new high. The three largest GOES X-flares were observed by HXRBS and had hard x ray rates over 100,000 s(exp -1) compared with only ten flares above 100,000(exp -1) during the previous nine years of the mission. An ongoing effort for the HXRBS group has been the correlated analysis of hard x ray data with flare data at other wavelengths with the most recent emphasis on those measurements with spatial information. During a series of bursts from AR 5395 at 1644 to 1648 UT on 12 March 1989, simultaneous observations were made by HXRBS and UVSP (Ultra Violet Spectrometer Polarimeter) on SMM, the two-element Owens Valley Radio Observatory (OVRO) interferometric array, and R. Canfield's H-alpha Echelle spectrograph at the National Solar Observatory at Sacramento Peak. The data show strong correlations in the hard x ray, microwave, and UV lightcurves. This event will be the subject of a combined analysis

Sex-specific investment in incubation and the reproductive biology of two tropical antbird species

Paternal care has been neglected in behavioral studies because it is rare among most animals. Birds express wide variation in male care across a broad life-history gradient, but such variation among species remains poorly explored. At the same time, contributions of male assistance with incubation have been largely overlooked with the assumption that incubation is a time of low parental energy expenditure. We compared male versus female biparental incubation effort between two tropical antbird species in the northern Andes of Venezuela. We found that males and females apportion reproductive effort differently between these two species, but that male contributions of time and incubation effort were generally greater than for north temperate species which exhibit different life-history strategies. Males spent an equal or greater amount of time incubating, yet maintained lower egg temperatures than females during different age-specific stages of the incubation period. Despite sex differences in incubation temperatures, males rewarmed cold clutches at similar rates to females suggesting similar sex-specific physiological incubation abilities. For the first time in a nidicolous species, we found that temperatures experienced by developing embryos increased with age of eggs independent of male and female time spent on the nest. Our results suggest that males may benefit embryo development by minimizing time eggs experience cold temperatures during female absences, and concurrently benefit female physiological condition for future nesting efforts. Lastly, we report standardized measures of reproductive traits in these two endemic tropical species in hope of improving data collection efforts outside of North America. Standardized measures of reproductive traits are essential for improving our understanding of reproductive biology and avian life-history evolution among different regions of the world. The Tropical Andes are among one of the most species-rich areas in the world and represent an area of critical conservation concern. Yet, for many endemic taxa inhabiting this region even basic descriptions of reproductive traits are entirely absent. This study extends the range of variation in reproductive strategies among a broader range of species among geographical regions

Using network analysis for the prediction of treatment dropout in patients with mood and anxiety disorders: a methodological proof-of-concept study

There are large health, societal, and economic costs associated with attrition from psychological services. The recently emerged, innovative statistical tool of complex network analysis was used in the present proof-of-concept study to improve the prediction of attrition. Fifty-eight patients undergoing psychological treatment for mood or anxiety disorders were assessed using Ecological Momentary Assessments four times a day for two weeks before treatment (3,248 measurements). Multilevel vector autoregressive models were employed to compute dynamic symptom networks. Intake variables and network parameters (centrality measures) were used as predictors for dropout using machine-learning algorithms. Networks for patients differed significantly between completers and dropouts. Among intake variables, initial impairment and sex predicted dropout explaining 6% of the variance. The network analysis identified four additional predictors: Expected force of being excited, outstrength of experiencing social support, betweenness of feeling nervous, and instrength of being active. The final model with the two intake and four network variables explained 32% of variance in dropout and identified 47 out of 58 patients correctly. The findings indicate that patients’ dynamic network structures may improve the prediction of dropout. When implemented in routine care, such prediction models could identify patients at risk for attrition and inform personalized treatment recommendations.This work was supported by the German Research Foundation National Institute (DFG, Grant nos. LU 660/8-1 and LU 660/10-1 to W. Lutz). The funder of the study had no role in study design, data collection, data analysis, data interpretation, or writing of the manuscript. The corresponding author had access to all data in the study and had final responsibility for the decision to submit for publication. Dr. Hofmann receives financial support from the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation (as part of the Humboldt Prize), NIH/NCCIH (R01AT007257), NIH/NIMH (R01MH099021, U01MH108168), and the James S. McDonnell Foundation 21st Century Science Initiative in Understanding Human Cognition - Special Initiative. (LU 660/8-1 - German Research Foundation National Institute (DFG); LU 660/10-1 - German Research Foundation National Institute (DFG); Alexander von Humboldt Foundation; R01AT007257 - NIH/NCCIH; R01MH099021 - NIH/NIMH; U01MH108168 - NIH/NIMH; James S. McDonnell Foundation 21st Century Science Initiative in Understanding Human Cognition - Special Initiative)Accepted manuscrip

Emergence and Migration of a Nearshore Bar: Sediment Flux and Morphological Change on a Multi-Barred Beach in the Great Lakes

Burley Beach (southeastern Lake Huron) exhibits a multi-barred shoreface, the long-term equilibrium morphology characteristic of many low angle, sandy beaches in the Canadian Great Lakes. During a single major storm, a new bar emerged 50-60 m offshore as an irregular trough-crest form, through differential erosion of an existing shore terrace. Emergence, bar growth and offshore migration were associated with: (a) an overall negative sediment balance in the inner surf zone initially (‑2.30 m3>/m beach width), but with a large positive sediment balance (+5.10 m3/m) subsequent to the storm peak and during the storm decay; (b) progradation of the beach step to produce a new shore terrace; and (c) offshore migration of the two outer bars to provide the accommodation space necessary for the new bar. The primary transport mechanisms accounting for emergence of the new bar, its growth and migration were: (a) the mean cross-shore currents (undertow), which always transported suspended sediment offshore; and (b) the onshore transport of suspended sediment by incident gravity wave frequencies early in the storm and subsequently by infragravity waves (at the storm peak and the decay period). The longshore transport of sediment was significant in terms of the gross transport, although the net result was only a small transport to the south-west (historic littoral transport direction). It did not cause bar initiation, but it may have supplied some of the sediment for bar growth. The primary mechanism for bar initiation and growth was the cross-shore displacement of sediment by wave-driven (oscillatory) transport and cross-shore mean currents (undertow).Émersion et migration d’une barre côtière : bilan sédimentaire et changements morphologiques d’une plage à barres multiples des Grands Lacs. La plage de Burley (sud-est du lac Huron) présente une avant-côte à barres multiples, état morphologique caractéristique de l’équilibre à long terme des plages sableuses à pente faible. Au cours d’un seul orage majeur, une nouvelle barre s’est développée à 50-60 m au large de la côte en forme de creux et crête irrégulière, suite à l’érosion d’une terrasse côtière. L’émersion, la croissance et la migration de la barre est attribuable à (a) un bilan sédimentaire négatif dans la zone interne du ressac (‑2,30 m3/m), mais à un bilan sédimentaire positif (+5,10 m3/m) durant l’apogée et la dissipation de l’orage, (b) l’exondation du gradin de plage pour générer une nouvelle terrasse côtière et (c) la migration de deux barres distales au large de la côte, laissant assez d’espace pour la mise en place d’une nouvelle barre. Les mécanismes de l’émersion, de la croissance et de la migration sont : (a) les contre-courants qui transportent les sédiments en suspension au large de la côte et (b) le transport vers la côte via la fréquence des vagues de gravité générées au début de l’orage et par les vagues d’infragravité subséquentes (au maximum de l’orage et durant sa dissipation). Le transport brut des sédiments est important, mais le résultat net correspond seulement à un léger transport vers le sud-ouest (direction historique du transit littoral). Ceci ne cause pas la création de la barre, mais peut contribuer aux apports sédimentaires nécessaires à sa croissance. Le mécanisme responsable de l’évolution des barres est le transport des sédiments par les vagues oscillatoires et les contre-courants

Short Weak Links with Distinct Chemical Potentials at the Boundary

The difference between the chemical potentials for pairs (μ) and quasiparticles (μρ) at the boundaries of a short superconducting weak link, which is usually disregarded, is shown to be important when solving for the behavior of the link using the time-dependent Ginzburg-Landau equation, Selected computational results are presented to illustrate the effects of the improved boundary conditions on the space (time) dependence of μ, μρ, and normal current Jη

A randomised trial of a medium-chain TAG diet as treatment for dogs with idiopathic epilepsy

Despite appropriate antiepileptic drug treatment, approximately one-third of humans and dogs with epilepsy continue experiencing seizures, emphasising the importance for new treatment strategies to improve the quality of life of people or dogs with epilepsy. A 6-month prospective, randomised, double-blinded, placebo-controlled cross-over dietary trial was designed to compare a ketogenic medium-chain TAG diet (MCTD) with a standardised placebo diet in chronically antiepileptic drug-treated dogs with idiopathic epilepsy. Dogs were fed either MCTD or placebo diet for 3 months followed by a subsequent respective switch of diet for a further 3 months. Seizure frequency, clinical and laboratory data were collected and evaluated for twenty-one dogs completing the study. Seizure frequency was significantly lower when dogs were fed the MCTD (2·31/month, 0–9·89/month) in comparison with the placebo diet (2·67/month, 0·33–22·92/month, P=0·020); three dogs achieved seizure freedom, seven additional dogs had ≥50 % reduction in seizure frequency, five had an overall <50 % reduction in seizures (38·87 %, 35·68–43·27 %) and six showed no response. Seizure day frequency were also significantly lower when dogs were fed the MCTD (1·63/month, 0–7·58/month) in comparison with the placebo diet (1·69/month, 0·33–13·82/month, P=0·022). Consumption of the MCTD also resulted in significant elevation of blood β-hydroxybutyrate concentrations in comparison with placebo diet (0·041 (sd 0·004) v. 0·031 (sd 0·016) mmol/l, P=0·028). There were no significant changes in serum concentrations of glucose (P=0·903), phenobarbital (P=0·422), potassium bromide (P=0·404) and weight (P=0·300) between diet groups. In conclusion, the data show antiepileptic properties associated with ketogenic diets and provide evidence for the efficacy of the MCTD used in this study as a therapeutic option for epilepsy treatment

Potential Cardio-protective Effects of Psoriasis Medications

Psoriasis management can be challenging, complicated sometimes by being associated with other systematic inflammatory diseases including metabolic syndrome, myocardial infarction, hypertension, obesity, diabetes mellitus, and hyperlipidemia. Of particularly concern is its cardiovascular linkage. It is noteworthy and reassuring that some therapeutic options for psoriasis may be cardio-protective. We highlight phototherapy, methotrexate, and TNF alpha inhibitors and other biological agents for psoriasis that may lower the risk of cardiovascular events. Ways to reduce cardiovascular risk in patients with psoriasis should be encouraged. We concur with the conclusion that long-term study is necessary to assess the risks and benefits of biologic therapy, but that persons with preexistent cardiovascular disease or at high risk for it might benefit from medication with cardio-preventive value.</p

Enlisting in the Military: The Influential Role of Genetic Factors

Given that enlistment in the U.S. military is completely voluntary, there has been a great deal of interest in identifying the various factors that might explain why some people join the military, whereas others do not. The current study expanded on this line of literature by estimating the extent to which genetic and environmental factors explained variance in the liability for lifetime participation in the military. Analysis of twin pairs drawn from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health) revealed that 82% of the variance was the result of genetic factors, 18% of the variance was the result of nonshared environmental factors, and none of the variance was accounted for by shared environmental factors. In light of a number of limitations, replication studies are needed to determine the robustness of these findings and whether they are generalizable to other samples and populations

Electronic Health Records and Population Health Research

Adoption of electronic health records (EHRs) by clinical practices and hospitals in the US has increased substantially since 2009, and offers opportunities for population health researchers to access rich structured and unstructured clinical data on large, diverse, and geographically distributed populations. However, because EHRs are intended for clinical and administrative use, the data must be curated for effective use in research. We describe EHRs, examine their use in population health research, and compare the strengths and limitations of these applications to traditional epidemiologic methods. To date, EHR data have primarily been used to validate prior findings, to study specific diseases and population subgroups, to examine environmental and social factors and stigmatized conditions, to develop and implement predictive models, and to evaluate natural experiments. Although primary data collection may provide more reliable data and better population retention, EHR-based studies are less expensive and require less time to complete. In addition, large patient samples that can be readily identified from EHR data enable researchers to evaluate simultaneously multiple risk factors and/or outcomes while maintaining study power. In addition to current advantages, improved capture of social, behavioral, environmental, and genetic data, and use of natural language processing, clinical biobanks, and personal sensing via smartphone should further enable EHR researchers to understand complex diseases with multifactorial etiologies. Integrating emerging technologies with clinical care could lead to innovative approaches to precision public health, reduce health care spending on individuals, and directly improve population health