A Deregulatory Framework for Alleviating Concentrated African-American Poverty

America\u27s urban poor have become more geographically concentrated and isolated, of which, African Americans comprise the majority. Governmental efforts to combat concentrated poverty have consisted primarily of new government interventions in the housing market: subsidies, mandates, and other programs and regulations designed to compel socio-economic or racial integration. All the while, a separate set of government interventions in the form of tax expenditures, education financing, and land-use controls are largely responsible for the perpetuation of concentrated African-American poverty in the first place. It is time to consider that a successful approach to poverty de-concentration and residential integration must begin by eliminating harmful government interventions in the housing market. Moreover, while numerous articles have addressed issues related to concentrated African-American poverty, they lack a holistic analysis tying together all the pieces of the problem into coherent policy recommendations. Thus, one of the useful contributions of this article will be to provide a different analytical framework that synthesizes the multitude of existing analyses and case studies into a more holistic understanding of concentrated African-American poverty and all its various dimensions

Kickshaws

A collection of linguistic kickshaws

Visual Working Memory of Chinese Characters and Expertise: The Expert's Memory Advantage Is Based on Long-Term Knowledge of Visual Word Forms

People unfamiliar with Chinese characters show poorer visual working memory (VWM) performance for Chinese characters than do literates in Chinese. In a series of experiments, we investigated the reasons for this expertise advantage. Experiments 1 and 2 showed that the advantage of Chinese literates does not transfer to novel material. Experts had similar resolution as novices for material outside of their field of expertise, and the memory of novices and experts did not differ when detecting a big change, e.g., when a character’s color was changed. Memorizing appears to function as a rather abstract representation of word forms because memory for characters’ fonts was poor independently of expertise (Experiment 3), though still visual. Distractors that were highly similar conceptually did not increase memory errors, but visually similar distractors impaired memory (Experiment 4). We hypothesized that literates in Chinese represent characters in VWM as tokens of visual word forms made available by long-term memory. In Experiment 5, we provided novices with visual word form knowledge. Participants subsequently performed a change detection task with trained and novel characters in a functional magnetic resonance experiment. We analyzed set size- and trainingdependent effects in the intraparietal sulcus (IPS) and the visual word form area. VWM for trained characters was better than for novel characters. Neural activity increased with set size and at a slower rate for trained than for novel characters. All conditions approached the same maximum, but novel characters reached the maximum at a smaller set size than trained characters. The time course of the bold response depended on set size and knowledge status. Starting from the same initial maximum, neural activity at small set sizes returned to baseline more quickly for trained characters than for novel characters. Additionally, high performers showed generally more neural activity in the IPS than low performers. We conclude that experts’ better performance in working memory (WM) is caused by the availability of visual long-term representations (word form types) that allow a sparse representation of the perceived stimuli and make even small changes big because they cause a type change that is easily detected

Shell Games: Chinese Reverse Merger Fraud

Reverse mergers offer a quick and reliable way to gain access to the American capital markets. The ease of a reverse merger, however, also provides a loophole for nefarious actors to defraud investors. Despite Chinese companies systemically utilizing reverse mergers to defraud American capital markets of $34 billion between 2007 and 2010, regulation has yet to properly address the issue

Wirksamkeit einer internetbasierten Vorbereitung auf einen stationären Aufenthalt in den psychosomatischen Fachkliniken Scheidegg

Ausgangslage: Bisher wurden Minimalinterventionen zur Vorbereitung auf Psychotherapie vornehmlich im ambulanten Setting überprüft. Die umgesetzten Programme sind dabei vornehmlich psychoedukativ ausgerichtet. Studien zeigen positive Effekte auf die Therapieadhärenz, den therapeutischen Prozess und das Behandlungsergebnis. Neben strukturierten Angeboten gewinnt das Internet als Informationsquelle über bevorstehende Behandlungen seitens der Patienten immer mehr an Bedeutung. Studien zur Internetnutzung von Patienten geben Anlass zur Hoffnung, dass gut informierte Patienten mehr von der anstehenden Behandlung profitieren. Fragestellung: Mit der vorliegenden Studie wird die Wirksamkeit einer internetbasierten Minimalintervention (VORSTAT) überprüft. Hauptannahme ist, dass die vorstationäre Betreuung die Teilnehmer in die Lage versetzt, sich schneller auf die Behandlung einzulassen und dadurch der Veränderungsprozess beschleunigt wird. Zudem wird untersucht, ob ein Selektionsbias die Validität der Ergebnisse der randomisierten Teilstichprobe einschränkt und ob die Möglichkeit der direkten Kontaktaufnahme zu einem Mitglied des therapeutischen Teams die Nutzung der Onlineplattform erhöht. Methoden: VORSTAT umfasst einen Informations-, einen Motivations-, einen Unterstützungs und einen Kontaktbereich. Als Studiendesign wird ein Comprehensive-Cohort-Design mit einer nicht randomisierten Patientenpräferenzteilstichprobe und einer randomisierten Teilstichprobe umgesetzt. Hauptzielkriterium ist die Veränderungsgeschwindigkeit der körperlichen, psychischen und sozialen Beeinträchtigung sowie des psychischenWohlbefindens in den ersten zwei Behandlungswochen. Die Hauptfragestellung wird mit Wachstumskurven-Analysen und den Quoten reliabler Veränderungen getestet. Zusätzlich wird der Gesundungsverlauf der VORSTAT-Teilnehmer mit Patienten der Panorama Fachkliniken Scheidegg, die nicht an der vorstationären Betreuung teilgenommen haben, verglichen (Referenzstichprobe). Ergebnisse: Insgesamt gaben 379 Teilnehmer die Zustimmung zur Randomisierung während 279 Teilnehmer sich dagegen entschieden. Hinweise für einen Selektionsbias durch diese Auswahlmöglichkeit konnten nicht gefunden werden. Die Zufriedenheit mit der Teilnahme an VORSTAT ist in der Intrand-Gruppe am höchsten. Entgegen der Erwartung nutzt die Teilnehmergruppe mit der Möglichkeit zu einem persönlichen Kontakt das Onlineportal aber im Vergleich zur Kontrollgruppe nicht häufiger. Nur in der Intrand-Gruppe gelingt es durch die Teilnahme an VORSTAT die Therapiemotivation (Dimension Hoffnung) zu steigern. Bezogen auf die Veränderungsgeschwindigkeit in den ersten beiden Behandlungswochen ergeben sich entgegen der Erwartung keine signifikanten Unterschiede zwischen den Teilnehmergruppen. Nur in der Skala psychisches Wohlbefinden zeigt die Intrand-Teilnehmergruppe tendenziell eine etwas schnellere Verbesserung. Unterschiede in der Behandlungsdauer und im Gesundheitszustand bei Entlassung ergeben sich zwischen den Teilnehmergruppen nicht.Werden die stationären Gesundungsverläufe zwischen VORSTAT Teilnehmern und Nicht-Teilnehmern verglichen, ergeben sich sowohl zweiWochen nach Aufnahme als auch zum Zeitpunkt der Entlassung signifikante Unterschiede in den Quoten reliabler bzw. klinisch signifikanter Veränderungen der Beeinträchtigungsskalen. Diese Unterschiede werden allerdings durch eine Propensity-Score-Korrektur abgeschwächt. Schlussfolgerung: Das internetbasierte Angebot einer vorstationären Minimalintervention wird von den Behandlungsaspiranten der Panorama Fachklinik angenommen. Auch die Studie wird akzeptiert und der Randomisierung ausreichend zugestimmt. Die oftmals lange Wartezeit, mit einhergehender hoher Belastung und nicht ausreichender Betreuung, kann durch die Teilnahme sinnvoll überbrückt werden. Eine Kommunikation zwischen Patienten und zwischen Patienten und Klinik wird ermöglicht. Da sich Interventions- und Kontrollgruppenbedingung nicht stark voneinander unterscheiden und darüber hinaus die exklusiven Interventionsgruppenkomponenten der vorstationären Betreuung nur ca. von einem Drittel der Interventionsgruppenteilnehmer tatsächlich genutzt werden, stellt sich der erwartete Effekt auf die Veränderungsgeschwindigkeit des Gesundungsverlaufs während den ersten beiden Behandlungswochen nicht ein. Dass die Teilnahme an der vorstationären Betreuung trotzdem einen positiven Effekt auf die stationäre Behandlung ausübt, wird erst durch den Vergleich mit den Nicht-Teilnehmern deutlich. Die erhöhte Verbesserungsgeschwindigkeit in den körperlichen Beeinträchtigungen weckt die Hoffnung, dass die Vorbereitung es ermöglicht, die stationäre klinische Arbeit schneller auf die psychische Problematik der Patienten zu fokussieren. Die Panorama Fachkliniken Scheidegg zeigen, dass internetbasierte Minimalinterventionen von wohnortfernen Fachkliniken erfolgreich nicht nur nach, sondern auch vor der stationären Behandlung zur Betreuung der Patienten eingesetzt werden können

Methods for development and characterization of HIV-1 envelope immunogens

Currently, most preventive vaccine strategies against the human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) focus on the induction of broadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs) targeting the viral envelope glycoprotein (Env). However, all attempts to elicit bNAbs by vaccination remained unsuccessful so far. The development of stabilized Env trimers is considered as first success on the road towards broader neutralizing antibody responses. Characterized by a favorable antigenicity profile, meaning the efficient presentation of bNAb epitopes and occlusion of non-neutralizing epitopes, these trimers for the first time elicited autologous tier 2 neutralization in animal models. Novel approaches, including particle-based Env delivery and development of improved Env immunogens are considered important steps to broaden humoral immune responses. This thesis investigated methods for the characterization and development of improved Env immunogens. The first project of this thesis investigated the potential of the biophysical in-solution method MicroScale Thermophoresis (MST) for the analysis of soluble and particle-presented Env proteins under artificial (buffer) and physiological conditions (serum). Using two model systems, 1) a five-member Env/V3 chimeric library with distinct binding capacities towards the monoclonal antibody 447-52D, and 2) stabilized BG505 SOSIP.664 trimers and a panel of quaternary structure-characterizing antibodies, it has been demonstrated that MST is useful tool for the analysis of soluble and particle-presented Env immunogens under artificial and near-physiological conditions (50 % serum). Thereby, results were in general agreement with data obtained from enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), validating MST as a fast, low-sample consuming method for the analysis of Env immunogens. The second project focused on the development of a mammalian cell display approach for mapping of bNAb epitopes, providing valuable information for rational vaccine design. For this purpose, a BG505 SOSIP gp160 based alanine substitution library was developed and applied to proof-of-principle screenings with well-characterized bNAbs. Here, the library demonstrated its capacity for epitope mapping. However, further improvements are necessary to turn the library into a powerful mapping tool. The third project aimed to investigate the influence of single glycan deletions on binding of bNAbs. For this purpose, a cellular BG505 SOSIP gp145 glycan-knockout library was generated and applied to fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS). An initial screening with the glycan-dependent bNAb PGT135 resulted in a 35-fold enrichment of the Env variant N332A in the applied low-affinity gate. This demonstrates that the library could be a useful to tool to identify glycans that contribute to binding of bNAbs

Improving Working Conditions in Global Value Chains

Global Value Chains (GVCs) connect consumers in developed countries with workers in developing countries. Working conditions for workers in developing countries are often poor, and finding ways to improve wages and working conditions is a policy priority for companies, governments, non-government organization (NGOs), and other stakeholders. The regulatory push to improve working conditions in supply chains tells corporations what to do, but not how to do it. Finding specific policies that change the incentives factories face surrounding compliance is a policy priority. Factory-level transparency alters incentives and leads to improved working conditions

EchoFusion: Tracking and Reconstruction of Objects in 4D Freehand Ultrasound Imaging without External Trackers

Ultrasound (US) is the most widely used fetal imaging technique. However, US images have limited capture range, and suffer from view dependent artefacts such as acoustic shadows. Compounding of overlapping 3D US acquisitions into a high-resolution volume can extend the field of view and remove image artefacts, which is useful for retrospective analysis including population based studies. However, such volume reconstructions require information about relative transformations between probe positions from which the individual volumes were acquired. In prenatal US scans, the fetus can move independently from the mother, making external trackers such as electromagnetic or optical tracking unable to track the motion between probe position and the moving fetus. We provide a novel methodology for image-based tracking and volume reconstruction by combining recent advances in deep learning and simultaneous localisation and mapping (SLAM). Tracking semantics are established through the use of a Residual 3D U-Net and the output is fed to the SLAM algorithm. As a proof of concept, experiments are conducted on US volumes taken from a whole body fetal phantom, and from the heads of real fetuses. For the fetal head segmentation, we also introduce a novel weak annotation approach to minimise the required manual effort for ground truth annotation. We evaluate our method qualitatively, and quantitatively with respect to tissue discrimination accuracy and tracking robustness.Comment: MICCAI Workshop on Perinatal, Preterm and Paediatric Image analysis (PIPPI), 201

A symplectic proof of a theorem of Franks

A celebrated theorem in two-dimensional dynamics due to John Franks asserts that every area preserving homeomorphism of the sphere has either two or infinitely many periodic points. In this work we reprove Franks' theorem under the additional assumption that the map is smooth. Our proof uses only tools from symplectic topology and thus differs significantly from all previous proofs. A crucial role is played by the results of Ginzburg and Kerman concerning resonance relations for Hamiltonian diffeomorpisms.Comment: 15 pages. Minor changes. Final version to appear in Compositio Mathematic

High resolution MRI for quantitative assessment of inferior alveolar nerve impairment in course of mandible fractures: an imaging feasibility study

The purpose of this study was to evaluate a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) protocol for direct visualization of the inferior alveolar nerve in the setting of mandibular fractures. Fifteen patients suffering from unilateral mandible fractures involving the inferior alveolar nerve (15 affected IAN and 15 unaffected IAN from contralateral side) were examined on a 3 T scanner (Elition, Philips Healthcare, Best, the Netherlands) and compared with 15 healthy volunteers (30 IAN in total). The sequence protocol consisted of a 3D STIR, 3D DESS and 3D T1 FFE sequence. Apparent nerve-muscle contrast-to-noise ratio (aNMCNR), apparent signal-to-noise ratio (aSNR), nerve diameter and fracture dislocation were evaluated by two radiologists and correlated with nerve impairment. Furthermore, dislocation as depicted by MRI was compared to computed tomography (CT) images. Patients with clinically evident nerve impairment showed a significant increase of aNMCNR, aSNR and nerve diameter compared to healthy controls and to the contralateral side (p < 0.05). Furthermore, the T1 FFE sequence allowed dislocation depiction comparable to CT. This prospective study provides a rapid imaging protocol using the 3D STIR and 3D T1 FFE sequence that can directly assess both mandible fractures and IAN damage. In patients with hypoesthesia following mandibular fractures, increased aNMCN R, aSNR and nerve diameter on MRI imaging may help identify patients with a risk of prolonged or permanent hypoesthesia at an early time