194 research outputs found

    Shall We Reinvent Our 100 Year Old Denomination? Surveying Organizational Models

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    David Moberg has described the life cycle of religious organizations in The Church as a Social Institution. His model suggests five predictable stages. FIGURE 1 In the beginning of the ascending curve there is a phase of incipient organization characterized by a negative reaction to existing churches, emotional enthusiasm for the new church, and diffused leadership. Second, as the age and effectiveness of the organization increase, there is a phase of formal organization characterized by membership commitments, specification of goals, symbolic separation from the larger society, and a gradual move from charismatic leaders to rational or bureaucratic leaders. Third, as the curve rises to a crest, there is a phase of maximum efficiency characterized by decisions based on research, increased tolerance of other groups and society, rapid expansion of the formal organizational structure, and rapid growth. Fourth, in the descending curve there is a phase of institutionalization characterized by an established bureaucracy, declining support for the distinctives that helped bring the group into existence, increased diversity of beliefs, interests, and commitment, and membership becomes passive and remote from leadership. Finally, the curvedeclines to nothingness in a phase of disintegration characterized by loss of members’ confidence in the institution and its leaders, formalism, indifference, obsolescence, absolutism, red tape, patronage, and corruption

    EAF Voltage Flicker Mitigation by FACTS/ESS

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    One of the problems caused by an electrical arc furnace (EAF) is voltage fluctuation from the variations of the active and reactive furnace load, which are known as voltage flickers. In this paper, voltage flicker mitigation results by different FACTS and energy storage systems (ESS) were presented. The system X/R ratio looking from the point of common coupling, which has a special impact on the effectiveness of active compensation, was discussed. The study has clarified the misunderstanding of how the system X/R ratio should be calculated. The study showed that FACTS with ESS could play a better role than reactive power alone in mitigating EAF voltage flickers

    Bulk Power System Low Frequency Oscillation Suppression by FACTS/ESS

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    Low frequency oscillations in the interconnected power systems are observed all around the world. In this paper, the authors studied the inter-area mode low frequency oscillations by analyzing the phenomena in Nashville area of the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) system. Our study revealed 4 dynamic groups of generators in this area. Within each group, generators swing together and have the same dynamic trend. Generators from different dynamic groups swing against each other. The authors studied the possibility of using a FACTS/ESS controller to damp the low frequency oscillations in Nashville area. The active power is controlled to damp the low frequency oscillation while the reactive power is controlled to keep the local bus voltage at a constant level. The simulation results of the actual TVA system showed that the energy storage devices can be used for power system low frequency oscillation damping. The study also showed that the wide area measurements could be used as inputs for improved FACTS/ESS control

    An open-label trial of JAK 1/2 blockade in progressive IFIH1 -associated neuroinflammation

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    IFIH1 gain-of-function causes a spectrum of neuroinflammatory phenotypes associated with enhanced type I interferon production and Janus kinase (JAK)/signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) pathway activation.1,2 Patients most often present in infancy, variably exhibiting spasticity, dystonia, seizures, and acquired microcephaly. We report the use of ruxolitinib, a JAK 1/2 blocker, in the treatment of early-onset, progressive neurologic disease due to an IFIH1 mutation

    The 2021 Eurpean Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology/American College of Rheumatology points to consider for diagnosis and management of autoinflammatory type i interferonopathies: CANDLE/PRAAS, SAVI and AGS

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    Objective: Autoinflammatory type I interferonopathies, chronic atypical neutrophilic dermatosis with lipodystrophy and elevated temperature/proteasome-associated autoinflammatory syndrome (CANDLE/PRAAS), stimulator of interferon genes (STING)-associated vasculopathy with onset in infancy (SAVI) and Aicardi-Goutières syndrome (AGS) are rare and clinically complex immunodysregulatory diseases. With emerging knowledge of genetic causes and targeted treatments, a Task Force was charged with the development of \u27points to consider\u27 to improve diagnosis, treatment and long-term monitoring of patients with these rare diseases. Methods: Members of a Task Force consisting of rheumatologists, neurologists, an immunologist, geneticists, patient advocates and an allied healthcare professional formulated research questions for a systematic literature review. Then, based on literature, Delphi questionnaires and consensus methodology, \u27points to consider\u27 to guide patient management were developed. Results: The Task Force devised consensus and evidence-based guidance of 4 overarching principles and 17 points to consider regarding the diagnosis, treatment and long-term monitoring of patients with the autoinflammatory interferonopathies, CANDLE/PRAAS, SAVI and AGS. Conclusion: These points to consider represent state-of-the-art knowledge to guide diagnostic evaluation, treatment and management of patients with CANDLE/PRAAS, SAVI and AGS and aim to standardise and improve care, quality of life and disease outcomes

    The 2021 EULAR and ACR points to consider for diagnosis and management of autoinflammatory type I interferonopathies: CANDLE/PRAAS, SAVI and AGS

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    Objective: Autoinflammatory type I interferonopathies, chronic atypical neutrophilic dermatosis with lipodystrophy and elevated temperature/proteasome-associated autoinflammatory syndrome (CANDLE/PRAAS), stimulator of interferon genes (STING)-associated vasculopathy with onset in infancy (SAVI) and Aicardi-Goutières syndrome (AGS) are rare and clinically complex immunodysregulatory diseases. With emerging knowledge of genetic causes and targeted treatments, a Task Force was charged with the development of 'points to consider' to improve diagnosis, treatment and long-term monitoring of patients with these rare diseases. Methods: Members of a Task Force consisting of rheumatologists, neurologists, an immunologist, geneticists, patient advocates and an allied healthcare professional formulated research questions for a systematic literature review. Then, based on literature, Delphi questionnaires and consensus methodology, 'points to consider' to guide patient management were developed. Results: The Task Force devised consensus and evidence-based guidance of 4 overarching principles and 17 points to consider regarding the diagnosis, treatment and long-term monitoring of patients with the autoinflammatory interferonopathies, CANDLE/PRAAS, SAVI and AGS. Conclusion: These points to consider represent state-of-the-art knowledge to guide diagnostic evaluation, treatment and management of patients with CANDLE/PRAAS, SAVI and AGS and aim to standardise and improve care, quality of life and disease outcomes

    The 2021 EULAR and ACR points to consider for diagnosis and management of autoinflammatory type I interferonopathies: CANDLE/PRAAS, SAVI and AGS

    Get PDF
    Objective: Autoinflammatory type I interferonopathies, chronic atypical neutrophilic dermatosis with lipodystrophy and elevated temperature/proteasome-associated autoinflammatory syndrome (CANDLE/PRAAS), stimulator of interferon genes (STING)-associated vasculopathy with onset in infancy (SAVI) and Aicardi-Goutières syndrome (AGS) are rare and clinically complex immunodysregulatory diseases. With emerging knowledge of genetic causes and targeted treatments, a Task Force was charged with the development of 'points to consider' to improve diagnosis, treatment and long-term monitoring of patients with these rare diseases. Methods: Members of a Task Force consisting of rheumatologists, neurologists, an immunologist, geneticists, patient advocates and an allied healthcare professional formulated research questions for a systematic literature review. Then, based on literature, Delphi questionnaires and consensus methodology, 'points to consider' to guide patient management were developed. Results: The Task Force devised consensus and evidence-based guidance of 4 overarching principles and 17 points to consider regarding the diagnosis, treatment and long-term monitoring of patients with the autoinflammatory interferonopathies, CANDLE/PRAAS, SAVI and AGS. Conclusion: These points to consider represent state-of-the-art knowledge to guide diagnostic evaluation, treatment and management of patients with CANDLE/PRAAS, SAVI and AGS and aim to standardise and improve care, quality of life and disease outcomes

    Genetic, Phenotypic, and Interferon Biomarker Status in ADAR1-Related Neurological Disease

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    International audienceWe investigated the genetic, phenotypic, and interferon status of 46 patients from 37 families with neurological disease due to mutations in ADAR1. The clinicoradiological phenotype encompassed a spectrum of Aicardi–Goutières syndrome, isolated bilateral striatal necrosis, spastic paraparesis with normal neuroimaging, a progressive spastic dystonic motor disorder, and adult-onset psychological difficulties with intracranial calcification. Homozygous missense mutations were recorded in five families. We observed a p.Pro193Ala variant in the heterozygous state in 22 of 23 families with compound heterozygous mutations. We also ascertained 11 cases from nine families with a p.Gly1007Arg dominant-negative mutation, which occurred de novo in four patients, and was inherited in three families in association with marked phenotypic variability. In 50 of 52 samples from 34 patients, we identified a marked upregulation of type I interferon-stimulated gene transcripts in peripheral blood, with a median interferon score of 16.99 (interquartile range [IQR]: 10.64–25.71) compared with controls (median: 0.93, IQR: 0.57–1.30). Thus, mutations in ADAR1 are associated with a variety of clinically distinct neurological phenotypes presenting from early infancy to adulthood, inherited either as an autosomal recessive or dominant trait. Testing for an interferon signature in blood represents a useful biomarker in this context
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