Conflict among members of the United States Congress has been a regular occurrence throughout our nation's history. Existing literature suggests that some amount of conflict is essential to healthy deliberation, but that too much discord can be harmful and unproductive. The Progressive Era is unique in that legislative productivity increased to unprecedented heights. The theory driving this research is that the type, quality, and absolute level of legislative conflict in the Progressive Era can help explain this productivity. Specifically, the research holds that legislative conflict is multidimensional and that partisan difference, representing one form of legislative conflict, can aid productivity while personal incivilities, a second form of conflict, detract from productivity. After controlling for such variables as the budget situation, the competence of the sitting president, divided government and majority party cohesiveness, this thesis finds that, indeed, the Progressive Era does witness higher levels of partisan conflict and less personal incivility than either the period immediately preceding or subsequent to the Era.

Les démences sont un enjeu majeur de santé. La dégénérescence lobaire fronto-temporale (DLFT), deuxième forme la plus prévalente de démence chez les personnes âgées de moins de 65 ans, inclut entre autres la variante sémantique de l’aphasie primaire progressive (svPPA), une maladie qui affecte particulièrement et initialement le langage. Anatomiquement, on sait déjà qu’on retrouve en svPPA une atrophie principalement marquée au niveau temporal, davantage à gauche et en antérieur. La connaissance des atteintes de la matière blanche est toutefois moins étoffée pour l’instant. Au niveau thérapeutique, il existe une controverse quant à l’approche à privilégier en DLFT : plusieurs molécules ont été étudiées, plusieurs sont prescrites et pourtant il n’y a ni consensus, ni recommandation à cet effet. Nos objectifs dans ce mémoire sont donc d’abord de mieux caractériser les atteintes cérébrales de la matière blanche et de la matière grise chez les patients atteints de svPPA, par une étude tractographique et volumétrique, et ensuite d’évaluer l’efficacité de la pharmacothérapie chez les patients avec DLFT en termes d’effet sur la cognition et sur des symptômes neuropsychiatriques, grâce à une revue systématique avec méta-analyse. En imagerie, notre étude a montré une diminution de la diffusion au niveau du fascicule longitudinal supérieur gauche, de la capsule externe gauche, du cingulum droit et du fascicule unciné bilatéralement et une atrophie plus marquée en temporal gauche, ainsi qu’au niveau de l’amygdale et des cortex fusiforme et entorhinal. En pharmacothérapie, aucune médication n’a démontré d’effet sur la cognition globale, mais certaines molécules ont montré un bénéfice potentiel sur le langage, l’impulsivité et la reconnaissance des émotions. Ce mémoire a ainsi permis des avancées au niveau de la caractérisation des atteintes cérébrales en svPPA et de faire le point sur l’état de la littérature en pharmacothérapie de la DLFT. / Dementia is a major health issue. Frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD), the second most common dementia in individuals under 65 years of age, includes the semantic variant of primary progressive aphasia (svPPA), a disease affecting mainly and initially language. Anatomically, we know that svPPA patients show cortical atrophy, markedly in the temporal lobes, more in the left hemisphere and anteriorly. However, our knowledge of white matter damage is less developed. As for FTLD pharmacotherapies, there remains much controversy. Many molecules have been studied, some are currently prescribed, but there still is no consensus, nor any recommendation to this effect. Our objectives in this memoir were first to better characterize cerebral damage for white and grey matter in svPPA patients by means of a tractographic and volumetric study, and secondly to assess the effect on global cognition and specific neuropsychiatric symptoms of pharmacotherapy in FTLD patients, with a systematic review and meta-analysis. Imaging results show a diminution of fractional anisotropic diffusion in the left superior longitudinal fasciculus, external capsule, right cingulum and bilateral uncinate fasciculi. They also show atrophy, markedly in the left temporal lobe, amygdala, fusiform and entorhinal cortices. As for pharmacotherapy results, no medication was shown to have any beneficial effects on global cognition, but some drugs may improve language, impulsivity and emotion recognition. This memoir has indeed improved the characterization of cerebral damage in the svPPA and reviewed thoroughly the literature on pharmacotherapy in FLTD.

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No description available.

We report on a stem cell-transplanted patient with B cell chronic lymphatic leukemia who presented with a subacute onset of focal neurological deficits, gait abnormalities, emotional lability and dementia. Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy was diagnosed by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain and detection of JC virus genome in the cerebrospinal fluid. Cidofovir and the 5HT2A receptor antagonist chlorpromazine were subsequently administered. A follow-up MRI of the brain 2 weeks after initiation of the antiviral therapy displayed progress of the demyelination, and the patient died 3 months after onset of the neurological symptoms. This report highlights the need for the development of novel and potent strategies for treatment of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy. / Dieser Beitrag ist mit Zustimmung des Rechteinhabers aufgrund einer (DFG-geförderten) Allianz- bzw. Nationallizenz frei zugänglich.

The objectives of this study were twofold. One objective was to analyze the effects of growth in the social security tax, when combined with recent changes in U.S. income tax law, on the distribution of the combined income and social security tax burden during the 1980s. The second objective was to estimate the effects of certain proposals for social security tax reform upon that distribution. The above analyses were performed using simulation techniques applied to the 1984 IRS Individual Tax Model File. The data from this file were used to estimate the income and social security tax liabilities for sample taxpayers under tax law in effect in 1980, 1984 and 1988 and under fourteen proposals for social security reform (under 1988 law). The results indicated that the income tax distribution was almost 25 percent more progressive under 1988 tax law than under 1980 tax law. In contrast, the combined distribution of income and social security taxes was almost 25 percent less progressive under 1988 income and social security tax law relative to 1980. Two types of social security tax reform were analyzed. One type consisted of reforms to the basic social security tax structure, such as removal of the earnings ceiling, provision of exemptions and replacement of the current single tax rate with a two-tiered graduated rate structure. The second type of reform consisted of proposals to expand the theoretical tax base subject to the social security levy. The results suggested that these reforms could generate substantial increases in progressivity in the combined tax distribution. In general, it would appear that changes in the social security tax structure could generate greater improvements in progressivity than expansion of the theoretical tax base, although the greatest improvement was associated with a combination of these two reforms. With regard to horizontal equity, expansion of the theoretical tax base generated the most improvement.

In der Differentialdiagnose von Parkinson-Syndromen wurden in frühen und in fortgeschrittenen Stadien insgesamt 138 Patienten mit der Verdachtsdiagnose eines Morbus Parkinson und mit der Verdachtsdiagnose einer progressiven supranukleären Blickparese untersucht. Es wurden klinische Verlaufsbeobachtungen sowie die dopaminerge Stimulation mit Apomorphin, die Kernspintomographie und die single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) mit dem Liganden Jodobenzamid für die Untersuchungen eingesetzt. Die Ergebnisse der zu untersuchenden Hypothesen können wie folgt zusammengefaßt werden: Bei bis dato unbehandelten Patienten mit akinetisch-rigiden Syndromen kann mittels einer Testinjektion von 3 -5 mg Apomorphin mit einer Sensitivität und Spezifität von etwa 90 % das Ansprechen auf eine L-Dopa-Langzeittherapie korrekt vorhergesagt werden. Das IBZM-SPECT ist in der Lage, mit einem positiven Vorhersagewert von 72 % und einem negativen Vorhersagewert von 89 % das Ansprechen auf eine spätere orale L-Dopa-Therapie korrekt vorherzusagen. In der Langzeitbeobachtung entwickeln sich aus den 10 Patienten im Frühstadium, die nach den klinischen Kriterien nicht eindeutig zuzuordnen waren, die eine verminderte Ligandenaufnahme haben, und die nicht auf Apomorphin reagieren, 7 ein "atypisches" Parkinson-Syndrom im Sinne einer MSA (n = 5), einer PSP (n = 1) oder einer CBGD (n = 1) Von diesen 7 Patienten hatten 5 bereits in der Erstdiagnostik eine verminderte IBZM-Bindung im SPECT. Vaskuläre Syndrome entwickeln nicht nur das klinische Bild des "lower body parkinsonism", sondern auch Zeichen einer vertikalen Blickparese mit Demenz bei akinetisch-rigidem Syndrom. Bei gut 30 % der untersuchten Patienten mit der klinischen Diagnose der PSP wurden vaskulär gedeutete Läsionen im MRT in der weißen Substanz und in den Basalganglien gefunden; diese hatten signifikant häufiger eine normale Bindung im IBZM-SPECT und unterschieden sich von degenerativen PSP-Patienten mit erniedrigter IBZM-Bindung. Wir deuten diese Patienten als eine andere nosologische Entität. Außerdem konnte erstmals gezeigt werden, daß bei Patienten, die klinisch wahrscheinlich oder möglicherweise eine PSP hatten, der antero-posteriore Durchmesser des Mittelhirns nach kernspintomographischer Messung mit der Ligandenaufnahme im IBZM-SPECT korreliert. Dies gilt für die Gesamtgruppe der untersuchten Patienten, aber auch für die Untergruppe, die keine hyperintensen T2-Läsionen haben. Diese Ergebnisse bedeuten für den klinische Alltag, daß nach einer sorgfältigen klinischen Untersuchung von Patienten mit Parkinson-Syndromen, die die gültigen Kriterien für die klinische Diagnose des Morbus Parkinson, der progressiven supranukleären Blickparese und auch der Multi-System-Atrophie beachtet, das Kernspintomogramm und das IBZM-SPECT notwendige Untersuchungen in der korrekten ätiologischen Zuordnung von Parkinson-Syndromen, insbesondere auch der progressiven supranukleären Blickparese sind. Dies ist für die weitere Planung insbesondere von neuroprotektiven Strategien bei diesen Krankheitsbildern von essentieller Bedeutung. / One hundred thirty eight patients, in whom the diagnoses of Parkinson's disease or progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) was suspected, were examined in order to improve the differential diagnosis of these syndromes. We observed the clinical course, tested for the dopaminergic response to the dopamine receptor agonist apomorphine, and used the technical measures of MRI and single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) with the ligand 123[I] Iodobenzamide (IBZM) in all patients. Apomorphine correctly predicts the response to long term levodopa therapy with a sensitivity and specificity of approximately 90 % in previously untreated parkinsonian patients. The positive predictive value and negative predictive value of IBZM SPECT are 72 % and 89 % respectively. Ten early stage patients, who could not explicitly be assigned according to the clinical criteria, who had reduced IBZM SPECT binding and who did not respond to apomorphine, developed atypical parkinsonian syndromes in the sense of multiple system atrophy (MSA, n = 5), PSP (n = 1) or corticobasal degeneration (n = 1). Five of these 7 patients had a reduced IBZM binding in SPECT already during the early stage. Vascular syndromes depict not only the clinical picture of lower body parkinsonism, but also of supranuclear palsy, dementia and akinetic-rigid syndrome. We found MRI lesions within the white matter and the basal ganglia in about 30 % of our patients with the clinical diagnosis of PSP; we interpreted these lesions as vascular. In contrast to patients without these MRI lesions, who had decreased IBZM binding in SPECT, these patients with vascular disorders had significantly more frequently a normal binding. We interpret our results in that way that these patients represent another nosological entity. In addition, we showed for the first time that the anteroposterior diameter (measured in midbrain MRI scans) correlates to ligand binding measured by IBZM SPECT. This applies as well to all PSP patients as well to the sub-group without hyperintense MRI lesions. The in vivo diagnosis of bradykinetic syndromes relies on clinical examination; after careful observation of valid criteria for Parkinson's disease, PSP and MSA, MRI and IBZM SPECT are mandatory for the correct differential diagnosis, especially for PSP. This applies in particular, if neuroprotective therapies are to be investigated.

Engineered structures are designed to resist all expected loadings without failure. However, structural failures do occasionally occur due to inadequate design and construction, especially for extreme and abnormal loads. This thesis concerns the progressive collapse of structures due to abnormal loading events, and develops a method of advanced analysis for predicting the progressive collapse behaviour of building structures in the plastic limit state. Combined-stress failure states and stiffness degradation models are proposed to simulate plastic deformation of structural members. Elliptic force-deformation relationships are employed to model the nonlinear material behaviour of members. The stiffness degradation of semirigid connections is modeled by a moment-rotation relationship with four parameters. Having the proposed nonlinear model, a generic member stiffness matrix is derived taking into account elastic-plastic bending, shearing and axial deformations. A computer-based incremental-load nonlinear analysis procedure is developed that progressively updates member stiffness using reduction factors that simulate degraded stiffness behaviour. Three types of localized damage modes are investigated to identify different connection damage scenarios. Account is taken of any debris loading that occurs when disengaged structural components fall onto lower parts of the structure. The associated dynamic effect is taken into account for the quasi-static analysis by utilizing an impact amplification factor. Any progressive collapse occurring thereafter involves a series of failure events associated with topological changes. The progressive-failure analysis procedure is based on the alternate-load-path method suggested in the design and analysis guidelines of the General Services of Administration (GSA, 2003) and the Department of Defense (DoD, 2005). The residual load carrying capacity of the damaged framework is analyzed by incrementally applying prevailing long-term loads and impact debris loads. The deterioration of structural strength is progressively traced to the state at which either global stability is reached or progressive collapse to ground level occurs for part or all of the structure. The analysis procedure is extensively illustrated for several planar steel moment frames, including account for the influence of damaged connections and semi-rigid connection behaviour. The results obtained demonstrate that the proposed method is potentially a powerful tool for the analysis of steel building structures under normal and abnormal loads.

Engineered structures are designed to resist all expected loadings without failure. However, structural failures do occasionally occur due to inadequate design and construction, especially for extreme and abnormal loads. This thesis concerns the progressive collapse of structures due to abnormal loading events, and develops a method of advanced analysis for predicting the progressive collapse behaviour of building structures in the plastic limit state. Combined-stress failure states and stiffness degradation models are proposed to simulate plastic deformation of structural members. Elliptic force-deformation relationships are employed to model the nonlinear material behaviour of members. The stiffness degradation of semirigid connections is modeled by a moment-rotation relationship with four parameters. Having the proposed nonlinear model, a generic member stiffness matrix is derived taking into account elastic-plastic bending, shearing and axial deformations. A computer-based incremental-load nonlinear analysis procedure is developed that progressively updates member stiffness using reduction factors that simulate degraded stiffness behaviour. Three types of localized damage modes are investigated to identify different connection damage scenarios. Account is taken of any debris loading that occurs when disengaged structural components fall onto lower parts of the structure. The associated dynamic effect is taken into account for the quasi-static analysis by utilizing an impact amplification factor. Any progressive collapse occurring thereafter involves a series of failure events associated with topological changes. The progressive-failure analysis procedure is based on the alternate-load-path method suggested in the design and analysis guidelines of the General Services of Administration (GSA, 2003) and the Department of Defense (DoD, 2005). The residual load carrying capacity of the damaged framework is analyzed by incrementally applying prevailing long-term loads and impact debris loads. The deterioration of structural strength is progressively traced to the state at which either global stability is reached or progressive collapse to ground level occurs for part or all of the structure. The analysis procedure is extensively illustrated for several planar steel moment frames, including account for the influence of damaged connections and semi-rigid connection behaviour. The results obtained demonstrate that the proposed method is potentially a powerful tool for the analysis of steel building structures under normal and abnormal loads.

Die Ausstellung und die Broschüre mit dem Titel „arbeiten. sprechen. spielen. feiern.“ laden dazu ein, anhand fotografischer Quellen einen kritischen Blick auf die Praxis der Reformpädagogik im 20. Jahrhundert zu werfen und neue Impulse für die eigene Beschäftigung mit diesen Ansätzen aufzunehmen. Sie richtet sich insbesondere an Studierende des Lehramtes, an angehende und aktive Lehrer, an Wissenschaftler in den Bereichen Historische Bildungsforschung, Erziehungswissenschaft und Schulpädagogik sowie an Interessierte aus Berufen der pädagogischen Praxis. Darüber hinaus ist die Ausstellung so konzipiert, dass sie für universitäre Lehrveranstaltungen, z. B. für Einführungen in das wissenschaftliche Arbeiten, genutzt werden kann. Sie möchte dementsprechend das Vorhaben unterstützen, Kenntnisse der Fotoanalyse zu vermitteln, um somit grundlegende Kompetenzen im wissenschaftlichen Arbeiten mit der Quelle Foto aufzubauen. / The exhibition and the brochure with the title “working. speaking. playing. celebrating.” encourages taking a critical look at the practice of the progressive educational movement in the 20th century and provides a new impetus for taking up practical experience with this pedagogical approach by oneself. It is especially aimed at students to become a teacher, future and regular teachers, scientists in the fields of Historical Educational Research, Education and School Pedagogy, as well as other interested educators in practice. Furthermore, the exhibition is designed in a way that it can be used for lectures at university, e.g. for the introduction of scientific work. Consequently, it supports the idea of conveying knowledge of photographic analysis to build up basic competences in the scientific work of photos used as sources.