State-university relations across Europe have undergone massive transformations, ranging from establishing new control institutions to reaffirming institutional autonomy. In this reform wave Denmark ...can in many ways be seen as an extreme case as the reforms affecting the Danish higher education system have gone further than in many of the comparable European countries. In this article, Danish higher education policy is examined as an exemplary case of how differing ideas transform the perception of the higher education system over time. The Danish case is thus in addition to being an exemplary case of a common European trend an excellent opportunity for examining the dynamics of a reform process within higher education and particularly the notions of autonomy and control have taken on different meanings over time, changing how the role and governance of higher education institutions is perceived. The most recent developments in Danish higher education policy are discussed in terms of the concept of the competition state and the notion of 'conduct of conduct', in order to offer new insights into the state-university relation. (HRK / Abstract übernommen).
Background and purpose: Neuromyelitis optica (NMO) or Devic′s disease is a rare inflammatory and demyelinating autoimmune disorder of the central nervous system (CNS) characterized by recurrent ...attacks of optic neuritis (ON) and longitudinally extensive transverse myelitis (LETM), which is distinct from multiple sclerosis (MS). The guidelines are designed to provide guidance for best clinical practice based on the current state of clinical and scientific knowledge.
Search strategy: Evidence for this guideline was collected by searches for original articles, case reports and meta‐analyses in the MEDLINE and Cochrane databases. In addition, clinical practice guidelines of professional neurological and rheumatological organizations were studied.
Results: Different diagnostic criteria for NMO diagnosis Wingerchuk et al. Revised NMO criteria, 2006 and Miller et al. National Multiple Sclerosis Society (NMSS) task force criteria, 2008 and features potentially indicative of NMO facilitate the diagnosis. In addition, guidance for the work‐up and diagnosis of spatially limited NMO spectrum disorders is provided by the task force. Due to lack of studies fulfilling requirement for the highest levels of evidence, the task force suggests concepts for treatment of acute exacerbations and attack prevention based on expert opinion.
Conclusions: Studies on diagnosis and management of NMO fulfilling requirements for the highest levels of evidence (class I–III rating) are limited, and diagnostic and therapeutic concepts based on expert opinion and consensus of the task force members were assembled for this guideline.
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We develop and compare two theories of professional forecasters’ strategic behavior. The first theory,
reputational cheap talk, posits that forecasters endeavor to convince the market that they are ...well informed. The market evaluates their forecasting talent on the basis of the forecasts and the realized state. If the market expects forecasters to report their posterior expectations honestly, then forecasts are shaded toward the prior mean. With correct market expectations, equilibrium forecasts are imprecise but not shaded. The second theory posits that forecasters compete in a
forecasting contest with pre-specified rules. In a winner-take-all contest, equilibrium forecasts are excessively differentiated.
Bubble curtains are a relatively simple type of behavioral deterrent that produces acoustic and hydrodynamic fields that could serve as a management tool to reduce movement of Asian carp species in ...many locations. In a proof‐of‐concept laboratory study, we tested whether two Asian carp species, the Silver Carp Hypopthalmichthys molitrix and the Bighead Carp H. nobilis, will avoid bubble curtains, and to the same extent as the Common Carp Cyprinus carpio, which has a similarly specialized hearing system. We explored the theory and application of a bubble curtain deflection screen using a split‐passage experimental channel equipped with angled bubble curtains while mapping both pressure and particle motion (sound) fields. The bubble curtain reduced passage of all three species through the experimental channel by 73–80% while producing sound between 100 and 1000 Hz at 145 dB, well within the hearing range of all three carp. While Common Carp were diverted to an unblocked channel, the Asian carp species reduced overall swimming activity, suggesting a slightly greater overall sensitivity. These results suggest bubble curtains could serve as viable and inexpensive deterrent systems to inhibit the movement of both Asian carp and Common Carp into shallow waters while having minimal impacts on other fish.
Received June 10, 2015; accepted November 12, 2015 Published online March 16, 2016
Background and purpose
The social and economic consequences of comorbidity in multiple sclerosis (MS) are largely unexplored. Differences were investigated in income and in the rate of broken ...relationships between cases of MS with and without chronic comorbidity.
Methods
We conducted a nationwide cohort study including all incident cases of MS in Denmark with clinical MS onset between 1980 and 2005. The difference in income was investigated at MS onset and 5 and 10 years after MS onset. The difference in the rate of broken relationships was investigated in subjects who were in a relationship at MS onset or who entered a relationship after MS onset. We used logistic, multiple linear and Poisson regression analyses.
Results
Cases of MS with somatic comorbidity had increased odds of low incomes both 5 years {odds ratio (OR), 1.41 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.19–1.67; P < 0.0005} and 10 years OR, 1.37 (95% CI, 1.17–1.60); P < 0.0005 after MS onset. The odds of a low income with psychiatric comorbidity was increased 10 years after MS onset OR, 3.06 (95% CI, 1.47–6.37); P = 0.003. The rate of broken relationships was increased in cases of MS with any somatic comorbidity incidence rate ratio, 1.46 (95% CI, 1.32–1.61); P < 0.0005.
Conclusions
Our results underscore the burden of comorbidity in MS on patients, their partners and society.
We report the first measurement of discrimination between low-energy helium recoils and electron recoils in liquid xenon. This result is relevant to proposed low-mass dark matter searches which seek ...to dissolve light target nuclei in the active volume of liquid-xenon time projection chambers. Low-energy helium recoils were produced by degrading α particles from ^{210}Po with a gold foil situated on the cathode of a liquid xenon time-projection chamber. The resulting population of helium recoil events is well separated from electron recoils and is also offset from the expected position of xenon nuclear recoil events.
Understanding hydrological processes in wetlands may be complicated by management practices and complex groundwater/surface water interactions. This is especially true for wetlands underlain by ...permeable geology, such as chalk. In this study, the physically based, distributed model MIKE SHE is used to simulate hydrological processes at the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology River Lambourn Observatory, Boxford, Berkshire, UK. This comprises a 10‐ha lowland, chalk valley bottom, riparian wetland designated for its conservation value and scientific interest. Channel management and a compound geology exert important, but to date not completely understood, influences upon hydrological conditions. Model calibration and validation were based upon comparisons of observed and simulated groundwater heads and channel stages over an equally split 20‐month period. Model results are generally consistent with field observations and include short‐term responses to events as well as longer‐term seasonal trends. An intrinsic difficulty in representing compressible, anisotropic soils limited otherwise excellent performance in some areas. Hydrological processes in the wetland are dominated by the interaction between groundwater and surface water. Channel stage provides head boundaries for broad water levels across the wetland, whilst areas of groundwater upwelling control discrete head elevations. A relic surface drainage network confines flooding extents and routes seepage to the main channels. In‐channel macrophyte growth and its management have an acute effect on water levels and the proportional contribution of groundwater and surface water. The implications of model results for management of conservation species and their associated habitats are discussed.
The phase III placebo-controlled BRAVO study assessed laquinimod effects in patients with relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS), and descriptively compared laquinimod with interferon beta (IFNβ)-1a (Avonex
®
...reference arm). RRMS patients age 18–55 years with Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) scores of 0–5.5 and documented pre-study relapse (≥ 1 in previous year, 2 in previous 2 years, or 1 in previous 1–2 years and ≥ 1 GdE lesion in the previous year) were randomized (1:1:1) to laquinimod 0.6 mg once-daily, matching oral placebo, or IFNβ-1a IM 30 μg once-weekly (rater-blinded design), for 24 months. The primary endpoint was annualized relapse rate (ARR); secondary endpoints included percent brain volume change (PBVC) and 3-month confirmed disability worsening. In all, 1,331 patients were randomized: laquinimod (
n
= 434), placebo (
n
= 450), and IFNβ-1a (
n
= 447). ARR was not significantly reduced with laquinimod −18 %, risk ratio (RR) = 0.82, 95 % CI 0.66–1.02;
p
= 0.075 vs. placebo. Laquinimod significantly reduced PBVC (28 %,
p
< 0.001). Confirmed disability worsening was infrequent (10 % laquinimod, 13 % placebo). The change in confirmed disability worsening with laquinimod measured using EDSS was −31 % hazard ratio (HR) 0.69,
p
= 0.063, and using Multiple Sclerosis Functional Composite (MSFC)
z
-score was −77 % (
p
= 0.150), vs. placebo. IFNβ-1a reduced ARR 26 % (RR = 0.74, 95 % CI 0.60–0.92,
p
= 0.007), showed no effect on PBVC loss (+11 %,
p
= 0.14), and changes in disability worsening were −26 and −66 % as measured using the EDSS (HR 0.742,
p
= 0.13) and MSFC (
p
= 0.208), respectively. Adverse events occurred in 75, 82, and 70 % of laquinimod, IFNβ-1a, and placebo patients, respectively. Once-daily oral laquinimod 0.6 mg resulted in statistically nonsignificant reductions in ARR and disability progression, but significant reductions in brain atrophy vs. placebo. Laquinimod was well-tolerated.
We report results of a search for light (≲10 GeV) particle dark matter with the XENON10 detector. The event trigger was sensitive to a single electron, with the analysis threshold of 5 electrons ...corresponding to 1.4 keV nuclear recoil energy. Considering spin-independent dark matter-nucleon scattering, we exclude cross sections σ(n)>7×10(-42) cm(2), for a dark matter particle mass m(χ)=7 GeV. We find that our data strongly constrain recent elastic dark matter interpretations of excess low-energy events observed by CoGeNT and CRESST-II, as well as the DAMA annual modulation signal.
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