❶You will be blessed abundantly by all students who are seeking jobs.
Hines has managed to make the examples of her writing work visual with the help of publication logos—plus, her testimonials page is second to none. Plus all the bright colors really make this site fun to look at. This single page site is the perfect aggregator—and it really pops! This minimalist site does a great job of making everything Chang has done incredibly digestible. Kiu does a fantastic job of making her text-heavy writing samples visual and engaging. These sites take things to the next level, either with amazing graphics, especially snappy copy, or beautiful, easy-to-browse designs.
Essentially a fancy online resume, this site does an especially good job of incorporating graphics and images in a super classy way. Cover does an especially good job of breaking down his portfolio into his different skills and really highlighting his best work. This lovely site has consistent branding and design through and through, thanks, in part, to the fact that Smith designed and coded it herself to strut her skills.
Plus, his about page does the perfect job of giving the tl;dr version of his life and professional preferences. The imagery and logo on this site are kind of unforgettable, and Silverton follows it up with great examples of what she can offer, testimonials from past employers, and a beautiful portfolio of work. This fun, infographic-style site is a great example of how the experiences of someone in a non-creative field can be transformed into an engaging, visual site.
Plus, the photography she chose to occupy the large image banners on each page adds the perfect character. Okay, these sites are a little aspirational; without coding or design background or hiring someone with those skills , you might not be able to recreate them for yourself.
The interactive illustrations and bright colors on this website make the whole thing, dare we say, kind of fun. It makes you want to explore the whole site just to see what other surprises are in store. Go to this website and scroll down really fast. But we had to include him on this list since his animated portfolio is just as memorable and impressive. Plus, he talks about his pet puggle on the first page.
The easiest and fastest way to get your resume on the web is to create a simple but beautiful single page website with a button linking to the PDF version of your resume front and center. There are a couple benefits to this approach. Combat this by including keywords related to your industry and highlighting important skills in the bio text on your landing page, as well as optimizing other on-site SEO features. For the text on each page, start by copying and pasting the text from your resume—but then think of ways to style or bulk it up to look a little nicer on the web.
Also consider ways to make each page feel a little more cohesive and stand-alone. This might mean having a beautiful image related to the work that you do at the top.
Or, you could include a short summary before diving into the bullet points and specifics. No matter how you go about styling each page, you want to make sure hiring managers can reach out once they see how awesome you are. Start by picking a website template that lets you create one long, scrolling page with different sections, also known as an index we love Alex and Pacific from Squarespace.
Add the URL to your paper resume, your LinkedIn profile, your social media accounts, really anywhere recruiters or hiring managers could potentially find you.


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Hello! and Festival Announcement
It's been a long time since I've posted, and for that I apologize. But that's because 2010 has been a very busy year. There has been some traveling, of course (new photos coming soon, honestly), but a lot of 2010 was spent working over time at my desk job to pay for my latest endeavor.
Although the new site has been live for a while, I'm not going to announce it here. I'm going to give it its own entry with all the details.
But for now I'd like to say that it looks like Project #2 has been completed and (nearly) paid for and we'll be making a formal announcement in early 2011.
Speaking of formal announcements, we'll be doing a show at the Bogan Park Holiday Festival! The festival takes place on Saturday, 20 November 2010 at Bogan Park in Buford, Georgia from 10 AM – 6 PM.
More details from http://www.n-georgia.com/holiday-events.html:
Winter Art Festival - 11/20/10 at 10 am - 6 pm
Free Admission! Stroll through Bogan Park Community Recreation Center for special and unique holiday gifts at this juried art show. Artists must submit applications by 11/8, call for information. Phone: 770.614.2060 - Address: Bogan Park Community Recreation Center, 2723 North Bogan Road, Buford, GA
Here's the announcement (link).
It's good to be back. It's been a busy, busy 2010, but we'll be doing a lot of catching up in the coming weeks and there's some fun stuff coming in 2011!
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Firing Squad! 'But I'll never see you again!' Chad shouted. Dad held Chad and Kate close. 'You must go now, ' the woman said. She led them from the room. 'How do they execute people in this country?' Chad demanded. The woman looked away. 'Firing squad.' Misled by a request to transport 'relief supplies' to a new South American country, Dad is arrested after the AirQuest team is framed by an international smuggling ring. Kate and Chad must fight to prove Dad's innocence and escape deportation in the exciting AirQuest Adventures book!


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Nepal's Bhaktapur Durbar Square: Heart of An Historic Capital
Bhaktapur Durbar Square is a group of plazas at the heart of the ancient city of Bhaktapur, in Nepal's Kathmandu Valley . A number of historical monuments occupy Bhaktapur Durbar Square, including the old royal palace, the Golden Gate, and various temples. These structures were built over an extended period of time, when the city was the capital of the powerful Bhaktapur Kingdom. When Bhaktapur was conquered by a rival dynasty during the 18 th century, however, the city lost its status as a capital, and became a secondary town. Nevertheless, its monuments were left intact. As a result of earthquakes, the most recent one being in 2015, however, some of these buildings were damaged, and others completely demolished. Today, Bhaktapur Durbar Square is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site known as "Kathmandu Valley."
The History of Bhaktapur Durbar Square
Bhaktapur, which translates from Nepali to mean 'City of Devotees,' is situated in central Nepal, in the eastern part of the Kathmandu Valley. The city is known also as Khwopa and is located about 20 km (12.43 mi) to the east of Nepal's current capital, Kathmandu. Bhaktapur prospered in ancient times due to its strategic location on the trade route between Tibet and India. The city's significance is also evident in the fact that it became the capital of the Bhaktapur Kingdom. This was one of the three Malla kingdoms (the other two being Kathmandu and Patan), which were formed during the 15 th century, as a result of the division of the Malla Kingdom.
The city of Bhaktapur itself is said to have been founded in 865 AD by Ananda Malla. As mentioned earlier, the city is located on the trade route connecting Tibet and India, which contributed to its prosperity. Alternatively, it has been claimed that Ananda Malla lived during the 12 th century. In any case, it was only in 1482 that the Bhaktapur Kingdom was established, and the man responsible for its formation was Raya Malla, and the eldest son of Yaksha Malla, who ruled over a unified Nepal from 1428 to 1482. Yaksha Malla, however, decided that upon his death that the kingdom should be divided amongst his children. As a consequence, Nepal was split into three kingdoms.
The Mallas ruled Bhaktapur until 1769, when its last king, Ranjit Malla, was defeated, and overthrown by Prithvi Narayan Shah. This not only marked the end of Malla rule in Nepal, but also the beginning of the Shah dynasty in Nepal, and the country's reunification as the Kingdom of Nepal. The conquest of Bhaktapur also meant that the city lost its status as a capital becoming a secondary town. As a matter of fact, many of the ancient buildings at Bhaktapur were constructed during the time of the Malla dynasty, especially during the 15 th century AD, i.e. during the reign of Yaksha Malla, and during the 17 th and 19 th centuries AD, i.e. during the reigns of Jitmitra Malla and Bhupatindra Malla.
Bhaktapur Durbar Square Is Actually Four Squares
Bhaktapur Durbar Square actually consists of several separate plazas, including Durbar Square, Taumadhi Square, Dattatraya Square, and the Pottery Square. This series of squares forms the heart of the city, which is evident in the fact that many of Bhaktapur's small streets converge on it. Each of these plazas has its own attractions.
The Durbar Square, for instance, is the location of the old royal palace, whereas the Taumadhi Square is known for the Nyatapola Temple and the Bhairavnath Temple. The Dattatraya Square is famous for its Dattatraya Temple, whilst the Pottery Square was and still is the place for the production of clay vessels.
Durbar Square, one of the 4 squares in Bhaktapur Durbar Square (Uwe Gille / CC BY-SA 3.0)
The Historical Attractions of Durbar Square
The old royal palace in Durbar Square is one of Bhaktapur's major tourist attractions today. The monument is known also as the Palace of the Fifty-Five Windows, and its construction began during the reign of Bhupatindra Malla. The palace was, however, only completed during the reign of his successor, Ranjit Malla. The palace is remarkably well-preserved, and is notable for its intricate woodwork, especially that of its 55 wooden windows along the palace's upper level. It is from these windows that the palace derives its name.
The old royal palace in Durbar Square ( boyloso / Adobe stock)
In addition, the palace is also famed for its Golden Gate, considered to be one of the palace's masterpieces. The Golden Gate was built during the reign of Ranjit Malla and leads into the palace's inner courtyards. The gate is set into a red gatehouse and surrounded by white palace walls. The figures that adorn the Golden Gate include Taleju Bhawani (the family deity of the Malla dynasty), a garuda (the bird-man most notable as the vehicle of the Hindu god Vishnu), and other mythical creatures. Apart from the Golden Gate, there are a number of other features in the palace worth noticing. One of these, for instance, is a pair of enormous war drums, placed today behind grills on either side of the palace's inner gates. In the past, the drums would have been beaten to alert the city in the event of an attack. Another building in the palace worth mentioning is the Taleju Temple, which dates to 1553. This is considered to be one of the holiest temples in Bhaktapur, and only Hindus may enter it. However, non-Hindus may look at the temple's exterior.
Facing the old royal palace is a column, on top of which is a statue of Bhupatindra Malla seated on a 'throne'. The statue is made of metal and depicts the king in an act of worship. The statue of Bhupatindra Malla shows the king with his hands joined, and his legs crossed. The 'throne', on the other hand, has lions at its four corners, and rests on top of a lotus flower . Beneath the lotus is a serpent.
Another monument on Durbar Square is the Vatsala Durga Temple which is known for its bell. This bell was installed by Ranjit Malla in front of the temple. According to local folklore, whenever the bell was rung, the city's dogs would start barking. Therefore, the bell became known informally as the 'Bell of the Barking Dogs.'
Behind the Vatsala Durga Temple is another temple, the Yaksheshwar Temple, known also as the Pashupatinath Temple. Pashupatinath is one of many forms of Shiva. In this form, the god appears as the 'Lord of the Animals.' This temple is considered to be one of the oldest in Bhaktapur, as it was built by Yaksha Malla. Alternatively, it has been suggested that the temple was built by Sansardevi, the wife of Yaksha Malla, in his memory, and that the temple was named in his honor. Like many of the other monuments at Bhaktapur, the Yaksheswar Temple is notable for its woodcarving, including erotic scenes based on the Kama Sutra .
Nyatapola Temple in Taumadhi Square. ( Christian Kaehler / Adobe Stock)
The Historical Attractions of Taumadhi Square
Taumadhi Square is located to the southeast of Durbar Square and is best-known for the Nyatapola Temple and the Bhairavnath Temple. 'Nyatapola' means 'five-stories,' and as its name suggests, this temple is a five-story building. The temple was built during the reign of Bhupatindra Malla, and it has been claimed that the whole structure was raised in just 214 days. Standing at a height of 33 m (108.27 ft), the Nyatapola Temple is the tallest temple in Nepal. The five levels of the temple are said to correspond with the five elements. Apart from that, other architectural features of the temple may be said to be numerically symbolic. For instance, the temple is recorded to have five plinths, 108 struts, and 360 battens. Nevertheless, it is not entirely clear as to the symbolism of these numbers. The Nyatapola Temple is dedicated to the goddess Siddhi Lakshmi and is largely off-limits to the public.
The Bhairavnath Temple is located to the left of the Nyatapola Temple and was constructed during the reign of Jagat Jyoti Malla in the 17 th century AD. Renovations to the temple were later initiated by Bhupatindra Malla. During these renovations, the temple was turned into a three-story structure, which has been maintained till this day. The temple is dedicated to Bhairava, another manifestation of the god Shiva. Unlike Pashupatinath, this form of Shiva is much more fearsome, and is associated with retribution and destruction.
Dattatraya Temple in Dattatraya Square. (Ms Sarah Welch / CC BY-SA 4.0 )
The Historical Attractions of Dattatraya Square
To the east of the Durbar Square is Dattatraya Square which is famous for its Dattatraya Temple. This temple was established in 1427, during the reign of Yaksha Malla, and is considered to be one of the oldest temples in Bhaktapur. The temple is dedicated to Dattatraya, who is believed to be a combination of Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva, the Trimurti, or three principal deities of Hinduism. It is claimed that this is the only temple in Nepal dedicated to Dattatraya. In spite of that, the temple's symbols, such as the conch and chakra on standing pillars at the entrance of the temple, as well as the garuda, suggests that more emphasis is placed on Vishnu compared to the other two deities. According to legend, the entire temple was built from the wood of a single tree.
Bhaktapur: From The Mallas To Modern Times
When the Malla dynasty was overthrown in 1769, Bhaktapur fell into the hands of Prithvi Narayan Shah. The rulers of the new Shah dynasty were also Hindus, which contributed to the preservation of the monuments constructed by the Mallas. The city of Bhaktapur, however, lost its importance, as Kathmandu was declared the capital of the newly formed Kingdom of Nepal. As a result, no remarkable monuments were built in Bhaktapur during the period when the Shah dynasty was in power since it was now only a secondary town.
Damage done to Bhaktapur Durbar Square from the 2015 Nepal earthquake. (U.S. Department of State from United States / Public domain )
Although the ancient monuments were not damaged by war they eventually became victims of natural disasters . In 1934, Nepal was struck by a massive 8.0 magnitude earthquake. Although the epicenter of the earthquake was located in the eastern part of Nepal, Bhaktapur was seriously affected by the disaster, and many of its ancient monuments were damaged. Nevertheless, after the earthquake, the inhabitants of Bhaktapur were able to restore most of the damaged buildings.
Reconstruction of Bhaktapur after the 2015 Nepal earthquake. (Pritush.m / CC BY-SA 4.0 )
Another major earthquake, this one having a magnitude 7.8 on the Richter scale, struck Nepal on the 25 th of April 2015 AD. This time, the epicenter of the earthquake was located closer to Bhaktapur, and once again, the monuments of the city were damaged. Some ancient monuments suffered more than others. The Vatsala Durga Temple, for instance, was completely demolished by the disaster. Another temple on Durbar Square, the Phasidegal, lost its dome-shaped shrine during the earthquake. Incidentally, this temple was also damaged during the 1934 earthquake. After that disaster, only the base of the original structure was left intact. Subsequently, a dome-shaped shrine was built on top of this base. As a result of the 2015 earthquake, however, this shrine was destroyed.
Following the 2015 earthquake, the inhabitants of Bhaktapur have been active rebuilding their town. It has been pointed out that the reconstruction of the city after this catastrophe is making significant changes to the town's appearance, as damaged buildings are pulled down, and replaced with those made of more earthquake-resistant materials. As a comparison, after the completion of a restoration program in the 1970s, the town's authorities controlled the construction of new buildings strictly, so as to maintain Bhaktapur's brick façade. The efforts made by the authorities at Bhaktapur during the 1970s shows that there is awareness that the town's appearance ought to be preserved. Nevertheless, considering the fact that the area is vulnerable to earthquakes, changes to the way the town's buildings are constructed may be necessary.
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Recent Textile Discovered in Nepal Sheds Light on How Far South the Silk Road Actually Extended
The ancient monuments of Bhaktapur Durbar Square are no doubt culturally significant for Nepal and the world. Recognition of the monuments' importance is seen in the fact that the square was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979. The site is part of a group called "Kathmandu Valley," which includes six other sites in the Kathmandu Valley including the Durbar Squares of Kathmandu and Patan, two Buddhist stupas, and two Hindu temples. Following the 2015 earthquake, the World Heritage site was closed to visitors, but was subsequently reopened. As Nepal is prone to earthquakes, experts predict that more devastating earthquakes will strike the region in the near future. Therefore, apart from reconstruction, efforts have also been made during the rebuilding process to mitigate the damage that will be done by future earthquakes.
Top image: Bhaktapur Durbar Square, Nepal. Source: XtravaganT / Adobe Stock
By Wu Mingren
brendacorral, 2020. Bhaktapur Durbar Square. [Online]
Available at: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/bhaktapur-durbar-square
khwapachhen.com, 2020. About Bhaktapur. [Online]
Available at: https://khwapachhen.com/about-bhaktapur/
Lonely Planet, 2020. Bhaktapur Durbar Square and Changunarayan Temple Day Tour. [Online]
Available at: https://www.lonelyplanet.com/nepal/around-the-kathmandu-valley/bhaktapur...
Lonely Planet, 2020. Bhaktapur: History. [Online]
Available at: https://www.lonelyplanet.com/nepal/bhaktapur/background/history/a/nar/e9...
Lonely Planet, 2020. Golden Gate. [Online]
Nepal Tourism Board, 2020. Bhaktapur. [Online]
Available at: https://www.welcomenepal.com/places-to-see/bhaktapur.html
Ravilious, K., 2015. Nepal quake 'followed historic pattern'. [Online]
Available at: https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-32472310
rubinmuseum.org, 2020. Bhaktapur Durbar Square. [Online]
Available at: https://rubinmuseum.org/page/then-and-now-bhaktapur-durbar-square
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica, 2018. Bhaktapur. [Online]
Available at: https://www.britannica.com/place/Bhaktapur
UNESCO, 2020. Kathmandu Valley. [Online]
Available at: https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/121/
www.bhaktapur.com, 2020. Bhaktapur. [Online]
Available at: https://www.bhaktapur.com/
www.webpages.uidaho.edu, 2020. Bhaktapur. [Online]
Available at: https://www.webpages.uidaho.edu/arch499/nonwest/nepal/Baktapur.htm
Durbar Square
Taumadhi Square
Dattatraya Square
Pottery Square
Hindu temples
2015 Nepal earthquake
Bhaktapur Kingdom
Malla kingdoms


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Salience network integrity predicts default mode network function after traumatic brain injury
Valerie Bonnelle, Timothy E. Ham, Robert Leech, Kirsi M. Kinnunen, Mitul A. Mehta, Richard J. Greenwood, and David J. Sharp
aComputational, Cognitive, and Clinical Neuroimaging Laboratory, Centre for Neuroscience, Division of Experimental Medicine, and
bMedical Research Council Clinical Sciences Centre, Imperial College London, London W12 0NN, United Kingdom;
cGoldsmiths, University of London, London SE14 6NW, United Kingdom;
dDepartment of Neuroimaging, Centre for Neuroimaging Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, London SE5 8AF, United Kingdom; and
eInstitute of Neurology, University College London, London WC1N 3BG, United Kingdom
PNAS March 20, 2012 109 (12) 4690-4695; https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1113455109
Valerie Bonnelle
Timothy E. Ham
Robert Leech
Kirsi M. Kinnunen
Mitul A. Mehta
Richard J. Greenwood
David J. Sharp
Edited by Marcus E. Raichle, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, and approved February 7, 2012 (received for review August 16, 2011)
Efficient behavior involves the coordinated activity of large-scale brain networks, but the way in which these networks interact is uncertain. One theory is that the salience network (SN)—which includes the anterior cingulate cortex, presupplementary motor area, and anterior insulae—regulates dynamic changes in other networks. If this is the case, then damage to the structural connectivity of the SN should disrupt the regulation of associated networks. To investigate this hypothesis, we studied a group of 57 patients with cognitive impairments following traumatic brain injury (TBI) and 25 control subjects using the stop-signal task. The pattern of brain activity associated with stop-signal task performance was studied by using functional MRI, and the structural integrity of network connections was quantified by using diffusion tensor imaging. Efficient inhibitory control was associated with rapid deactivation within parts of the default mode network (DMN), including the precuneus and posterior cingulate cortex. TBI patients showed a failure of DMN deactivation, which was associated with an impairment of inhibitory control. TBI frequently results in traumatic axonal injury, which can disconnect brain networks by damaging white matter tracts. The abnormality of DMN function was specifically predicted by the amount of white matter damage in the SN tract connecting the right anterior insulae to the presupplementary motor area and dorsal anterior cingulate cortex. The results provide evidence that structural integrity of the SN is necessary for the efficient regulation of activity in the DMN, and that a failure of this regulation leads to inefficient cognitive control.
Efficient behavior involves the coordinated activity of large-scale brain networks (1, 2). These networks can be identified by studying patterns of brain activity measured by functional MRI (fMRI) (3). A key question is whether—and in what way—the interactions between these networks control behavior. Regions on the medial wall of the frontal lobe, including the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and presupplementary motor area (preSMA), often show highly correlated brain activity with the anterior insula (AI) (4⇓–6), and together they have been termed the salience network (SN) (4). In many situations, activity within this network appears to signal the need for behavioral change (7⇓–9), and one proposal is that the SN may operate to dynamically control changes of activity in other networks (6).
The role of the SN in mediating the function of other networks is likely to be most evident when a rapid change in behavior is required. We have previously studied this type of behavior in the context of motor control using the stop-signal task (SST) (10). The SST probes the ability to inhibit an action that has already been initiated. Stop trials require a switch from relatively automatic to highly controlled behavior. Parts of the right inferior frontal cortex, including the right AI (rAI), are important for the attentional processes involved in responding to an unexpected event (the "stop signal") (10). In addition, coupled deactivation of the default mode network (DMN) appears important for efficient behavioral performance. A lack of deactivation within the DMN is associated with slower and less successful inhibitory control (11, 12), and, more generally, the failure to deactivate the DMN is associated with attentional lapses (13). The precise contribution of these brain regions to cognitive control remains controversial (14, 15), but coordinated activity between "task-positive" networks, including the SN and other "executive" regions, and the DMN appears to be a feature of rapid and efficient engagement of motor control.
Insight into how the SN interacts with other networks can be gained from observing how white-matter damage to the network's connections affects the functioning of other networks such as the DMN. Traumatic brain injury (TBI) often results in impairments of executive function and attention (16). A key reason appears to be the impact of traumatic axonal injury (TAI) on large-scale brain networks (17, 18). TAI is commonly observed after TBI, although until recently it has been difficult to study in vivo. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) provides a way of sensitively quantifying the degree of white-matter disruption after TBI (19, 20). This white-matter damage has the effect of partially disconnecting brain networks, which has an impact on their function and also affects the behavior they support (21). Although TAI may be widespread, damage to specific tracts can be an important predictor of a particular cognitive function (19, 21).
The study of TBI patients thus provides an opportunity to investigate whether damage to specific white matter tracts is associated with brain network dysfunction and consequent behavioral deficits. Here, we use fMRI to study brain function during inhibitory control and DTI to quantify white matter integrity within tracts connecting nodes in networks that are modulated by the task. We test the hypothesis that damage to the connections between the nodes of the SN specifically predicts abnormalities in the pattern of brain activation and behavioral performance during the SST.
Behavioral Results.
Fifty-seven TBI patients and 25 healthy volunteers performed two runs of the SST (Fig. S1). As a group, the TBI patients showed an expected pattern of neuropsychological impairment, with evidence of slow information processing speed, impaired inhibition, and reduced cognitive flexibility (SI Results and Table S1). Both patients and controls performed the SST as expected (∼50% accuracy on stop trials). Accuracy on go trials was high for both groups (>95%), although patients were slightly less accurate than controls (t = 2.81, df = 80, P = 0.006) (Table S2). Performance on the task can be used to derive the stop signal reaction time (SSRT), which provides an estimate of the efficiency of an individual's inhibitory processing. SSRT could be estimated in a subset of 46 patients and 22 control subjects (SI Methods). SSRT was significantly higher in patients than age-matched controls (t = 2.01, df = 66, P = 0.014) (Table S2). There was no other behavioral difference between the groups on SST performance. The pattern of patients' performance on the task as a whole suggests that SSRT abnormalities were related in part to attentional impairments (SI Results).
Functional Imaging.
TBI patients and controls show similar activation of brain regions involved in attentional capture and response inhibition.
Brain regions involved in attending to the stop signal and inhibiting the go response are demonstrated by comparing the pattern of activation seen during correct stop and go trials (StC > Go). For both controls and patients, event-related analysis revealed an expected pattern of brain activation (10) (Fig. 1A), with activity in the right inferior frontal gyrus (rIFG), the rAI, the middle and superior frontal gyri, and within the dorsal ACC (dACC). More posteriorly, activation was observed within the right supramarginal gyrus, the temporo-parietal junction (TPJ), the intraparietal sulcus (IPS), and the lateral occipital cortices. A direct group comparison showed no significant group difference in these task-positive regions.
Abnormal DMN deactivation after TBI. (A) Overlay of brain activation associated with correct stop (StC) vs. go trials for patients (blue) and controls (yellow-red). (B) Brain regions where patients show greater brain activation for StC > Go than controls. (C) Brain regions showing greater activation for go than stop trials in the control group. Results are superimposed on the MNI 152 T1 1-mm brain template. Cluster corrected Z = 2.3, P < 0.05.
TBI patients show less deactivation of the DMN during stopping.
In contrast to the normal activation seen in task-positive regions, patients showed less deactivation in parts of the DMN, including the precuneus and posterior cingulate cortex (precu/PCC), the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC), and the left hippocampus, compared with controls (Fig. 1B and Table S3). Less deactivation was also observed in the left amygdala as well as bilateral secondary somatosensory and posterior insulae regions. These differences were due to controls showing extensive deactivation during stopping in parts of the DMN (Fig. 1C), which was not observed in patients. There was no group difference in the contrast go vs. rest.
Failure of DMN deactivation is associated with impaired inhibitory control.
Failure to deactivate the DMN may lead to the "intrusion" of DMN activity during normal task performance, resulting in inefficient behavior (22). Therefore, patients were split into two subgroups based on the presence or absence of relative deactivation within the precu/PCC, with deactivation defined as a negative percentage signal change on correct stop relative to go trials. We focused on the precu/PCC area because of its central role within the DMN (23, 24) and the relationship observed between its activation and fluctuations of attention (13, 21, 25). Precu/PCC activators (n = 20) had slower response inhibition (higher SSRT) compared with both patients who deactivated (n = 26) (t = −2.155, df = 44, P = 0.037) and controls (t = −3.069, df = 40, P = 0.004) (Fig. S2A). The two patients' groups showed no difference in any other behavioral measures or in injury severity, lesion load, or age. Deactivators and controls showed no differences in SSRT (P > 0.35). No relationship between DMN deactivation and SSRT was observed in controls (SI Results). Precu/PCC activators also showed a failure of deactivation in other parts of the DMN, whereas the deactivating patients and controls showed similar activation across the brain (Fig. S2). In patients, the precu/PCC activity associated with stopping showed a correlation with SSRT of only borderline significance (one-tailed Spearman, r = 0.2, P = 0.091). The marginal significance of the correlation may be because relative activation within the DMN is qualitatively different from relative deactivation.
Structural Imaging.
We next investigated the relationship between white matter tract integrity, network function, and behavior. We focused our analysis on white matter tracts connecting regions either activated or deactivated during response inhibition (Fig. 2 A and C). Fractional anisotropy (FA) provided a validated marker of white matter integrity after TBI (26), and we tested whether damage to network connections predicted: (i) abnormal activation within the DMN and (ii) behavioral impairment.
Comparison of white matter structure between patients and controls. (A and C) White matter tracts of interest are represented in 3D on the MNI-152 T1 1-mm brain 3D template (A) and in 2D on axial MNI-152 T1 1-mm brain views, overlaid on tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS) white matter skeleton (yellow) (C). (A) The resulting probabilistic tractography tracts are shown for the connections between the rAI and the preSMA/dACC (dark blue) (1), the precu/PCC and vmPFC bilaterally (red) (2), the rIFG and the preSMA (light blue) (3), the rIFG and the right TPJ (rTPJ) (green; 4) and the rFEF and rIPS (lilac/pink; 5). Orange and blue areas represent the mean BOLD signal change in patients and controls for the contrasts StC > Go and Go > StC, respectively. (B) The bar charts show FA ± SEM within each tract compared between TBI patients (gray) and 30 age-matched controls (white). R, right; L, left. *P < 0.05; **P < 0.005.
Connections within the SN and DMN are damaged after TBI.
White matter tracts connecting nodes within the SN and DMN showed significantly lower FA in patients, especially for the connections between the preSMA/dACC and the rAI (t = 3.62, df = 85, P = 0.001) and left AI (lAI; t = 3.59, df = 85, P = 0.001) (Fig. 2B). The right cingulum bundle connecting the vmPFC to the precu/PCC (t = 2.43, df = 85, P = 0.017) and more marginally the left cingulum (t = 1.90, df = 85, P = 0.076) were also more impaired in patients (Fig. 2B). The presence of focal brain damage such as contusions did not explain these results, because the tracts were abnormal when 21 patients with focal cortical injury were removed [rAI–preSMA/dACC: t = 3.29, df = 64, P = 0.012; lAI–preSMA/dACC: t = 3.59, df = 64, P = 0.006; right precu (rprecu)–mPFC: t = 2.82, df = 64, P = 0.036 (Bonferroni corrected statistics)].
Structural connectivity within the SN predicts DMN function.
We next used a binary logistic regression to investigate whether white matter tracts' structure predicted DMN function. Measures of FA for all of the tracts assessed were simultaneously included in an analysis aimed at classifying patients into those who did or did not show DMN deactivation during stopping. A significant model was generated whereby only the structure of the rAI–preSMA/dACC connection remained (see Fig. 3A and Figs. S3 and S4 for tract location in individual subjects). The model resulted in classification of the two groups of patients with 78.3% accuracy (χ2 = 16.9, df = 1, P < 0.0005). This result was not an effect of focal brain injury, because the model remained significant after removal of the subjects with focal damage. It was also not due to the overall amount of white matter damage, because there was no relationship between average white matter FA and DMN activity, and the model remained significant after whole-brain white matter damage was controlled for (SI Results). The rAI–preSMA/dACC tract FA was linearly correlated with the amount of precu/PCC activation during stopping (r = −0.472, P < 0.0005) (Fig. 3B), and a confirmatory whole-brain analysis strikingly demonstrated that structural integrity of this tract negatively correlates with activity only within the core nodes of the DMN (Fig. 3C).
The integrity of the rAI–preSMA/dACC white matter tract predicts DMN deactivation. (A) Coronal view of the white matter connection between rAI and preSMA/dACC (blue) overlaid on the activation map for the contrast StC > Go in patients (orange), superimposed on the MNI 152 T1 1-mm brain template. (B) FA of the rAI–preSMA/dACC tracts in patients plotted against the percent signal change within the precu/PCC ROI on correct stop trials relative to go trials. FA measures are corrected for age and whole-brain mean FA and normalized. (C) Sagittal view of the brain regions showing negatively correlated activation with FA measures within the rAI–preSMA/dACC tract for StC relative to go trials, superimposed on the MNI 152 T1 2-mm brain template. Cluster corrected Z = 2.3, P < 0.05.
We did not observe a relationship between rAI–preSMA/dACC structural integrity and activity in task-positive regions. To investigate whether the rAI interacts with regions of the executive network (EN) via other pathways, two additional tracts connecting the rAI to regions of the EN [right frontal eye field (rFEF) and right IPS (rIPS)] were generated. FA within those tracts showed no significant damage in patients compared with controls and no significant relation with activation within the task-positive regions (SI Results).
Structural connectivity is correlated with behavioral impairments.
Motivated by these results, we next specifically investigated whether the structure of the rAI–preSMA/dACC tract was related to SSRT. FA within this tract (corrected for age and whole-brain white matter damage) was negatively correlated with SSRT, albeit relatively weakly (one-tailed Spearman correlation: r = −0.263, P = 0.043, uncorrected), and this result remained significant after excluding patients with focal lesions (r = −0.386, P = 0.019, n = 29, uncorrected). There was no significant correlation between FA and SSRT in the other tracts studied. In addition, integrity within this tract also correlated with patients' performance on a separate neuropsychological task commonly used to assess cognitive flexibility and inhibitory control (SI Results).
Efficiently changing behavior requires rapid and coordinated activity across brain networks. The SN is thought to be important for signaling the need to change behavior (27). We studied its function in a large group of TBI patients using the SST. In this task, subjects must attend to an infrequent stop signal, process its meaning, and inhibit an ongoing motor response. The SST involves a change from a relatively automatic go response to highly controlled response inhibition, which requires coordinated changes in the activity of a number of distributed brain networks. TBI frequently produces TAI, which disconnects brain networks. Therefore, studying TBI patients provides an opportunity to investigate the impact of structural disconnection on brain network function.
The SN comprises paralimbic structures—most prominently the AI and medial prefrontal areas such as the dACC and preSMA—which are anatomically and functionally interconnected (4, 28). We show that the structural integrity of one of the tracts connecting the rAI to the dorsomedial wall of the frontal lobe predicts DMN function, as well as behavior. This result is unlikely to be a nonspecific effect of injury severity, because the structural integrity of other tracts studied did not predict DMN function. The key tract connects the rAI to a region around the boundary of the dorsal part of the ACC and the preSMA. It is similar to a tract described by van den Heuvel and colleagues (28), connecting medial and lateral nodes of the SN (the Core Network in their terminology). It is important to note that our probabilistic tractography method is constrained to demonstrate the structural connection between peaks of activation associated with SST performance. There are a number of other pathways connecting the AI to the medial frontal lobe, including parts of the uncinate fasiculus and external capsule (29⇓⇓–32). Further studies will be required to provide a comprehensive description of the organization of these tracts and the effects of their damage on behavior.
The link between SN abnormality and DMN function is in keeping with work showing that SN dysfunction in patients with fronto-temporal dementia is associated with abnormalities in the DMN (33). Regulating activity within the DMN appears particularly important for efficient cognitive function (22, 24, 34). The DMN shows rapid and highly reactive deactivation during attentionally demanding tasks (35, 36), and greater anticorrelation between activity in the DMN and in brain regions involved in executive function is associated with more efficient behavior (34). The precu/PCC region is the central node of the DMN (23) and forms part of what has been termed the structural core of the brain (37). Activity within the precu/PCC appears very sensitive to changes elsewhere in the brain, and a failure to deactivate this region during task performance is associated with cognitive impairment (38, 39). We have reported that abnormalities of precu/PCC activity following TBI are correlated with behavioral impairments (21, 25). Here we extend these results by showing that rapid changes in activity within the DMN can also be impaired after TBI and may result in cognitive impairment.
The results are broadly in line with the proposed functions for the SN, which include initiation of cognitive control (27), maintenance and implementation of task sets (9, 40), and coordination of behavioral response (41). In healthy subjects, increased SN activity is observed during the suppression of unwanted thoughts (42) and more generally in the self-regulation of internal states (43, 44). In contrast, attentional lapses and "stimulus-independent" thoughts are associated with increased activity within the DMN (13, 45). These observations have been integrated by Sridharan and colleagues (6), who provide evidence that the rAI acts as a "causal outflow hub" coordinating activity between the DMN and brain regions involved in executive control. In their study, activity in the rAI preceded that in the DMN and EN, and Granger causality analysis provided some evidence that it directly influenced the EN and DMN. However, causality can be difficult to infer from fMRI data alone (46), and by demonstrating the link between structural damage to the rAI– preSMA/dACC white matter connections and DMN deactivation, we provide converging evidence that structural integrity of the SN is required for the efficient deactivation of the DMN during cognitively demanding behavior.
It is interesting that we do not observe differences in brain activity in regions activated by the SST. This finding suggests that the effects of TAI may particularly affect functioning of the DMN—or at least that these effects are most easily observed in this network. It is particularly noteworthy that activation within the SN was normal, despite the presence of structural damage to its connections and the presence of a clear relationship between SN tract integrity and activity within the DMN. It is possible that our analysis techniques are insensitive to subtle changes in SN activity—perhaps as a consequence of the limitations of fMRI in resolving rapid activity fluctuations. Alternatively, the effects of subtle dysfunction within the SN may be amplified within the DMN, possibly because of its highly interconnected organization.
Neuropsychological studies have demonstrated that damage to parts of the right inferior frontal cortex produce impairments in the monitoring of task performance and the inhibition of inappropriate behavior (47⇓–49). The amount of damage in this area has specifically been shown to correlate with the SSRT (48). Work of this type has tended to focus on the relationship between cortical damage and behavior. However, the lesions studied almost always result in a degree of damage to large white matter tracts, and the contribution of this damage to cognitive impairment has been difficult to differentiate from that of damage to the overlying cortex (50). Previous work has begun to show that frontal white matter damage influences SN function (51), and, by using DTI, we have been able to show that connections between the rAI and the preSMA/dACC also relate to SSRT. This relationship is present in a subgroup of patients without clear frontal cortical damage, demonstrating the importance of studying the contribution of structural connections within networks to cognitive function.
Our results do not necessarily provide evidence for a direct link between the SN and inhibitory processing. The SSRT is not a pure measure of motor response inhibition, because stopping in response to an unexpected cue requires attentional capture and processing of the stop signal (10) and can be influenced by other factors including motivation (52, 53). In our patients, SSRT correlated with go accuracy and IIV, both of which reflect attentional processing rather than response inhibition. Other work has also shown that paying attention to task-relevant stimuli can play an important role in determining SSRT (54). Hence, the changes in SSRT observed after TBI might reflect impairments of attention rather than pure motor inhibition.
In summary, we provide evidence that structural integrity of the SN is necessary for the efficient regulation of activity in the DMN. Patients who fail to deactivate their DMN during focused task performance show deficits of inhibitory control, which provides a way in which damage to the SN might directly influence behavior. We propose that this mechanism is not unique to TBI and that an inability to down-regulate the DMN due to SN dysfunction may underlie behavioral deficits observed in other clinical populations.
Patients: Demographic and Clinical Details.
Fifty-seven patients with persistent neurological problems after head injury were included in the analyses we report (11 females, mean age 36.7 ± 11.5, range 18–62 y). They were all in the postacute/chronic phase postinjury (mean 20 mo, range 2–96 mo). A battery of standardized neuropsychological tests designed to be sensitive to cognitive impairments commonly observed after TBI was used to compare TBI patients with an age-matched control group (19, 25) (SI Methods, SI Results, and Table S1). Clinical details about the patients, including injury cause, severity, presence of contusions or microbleeds, and a lesion overlay map, are in Fig. S5. The study was approved by the Hammersmith and Queen Charlotte's and Chelsea Research ethics committee, and all participants gave written informed consent.
Control Groups.
Two age-matched control groups were used. Twenty-five controls were recruited for the fMRI study (17 males, mean age 34.2 ± 9.6) and 30 controls for the DTI study (14 males, mean age 37.2 ± 8.9). Subjects had no history of neurological or psychiatric disorders. An additional group of 10 young healthy volunteers was used to perform the initial tractography in an unbiased way (6 males, mean age 23 ± 2.5).
SST.
The SST is a two-choice reaction time task in which participants are required to respond to visually presented go stimuli with a button press and to attempt to withhold their response when a stop signal is presented (Fig. S1). Here, we used a similar version of the task to that described (10). The SSRT, a measure of inhibition, was estimated by using standard procedures (SI Methods).
Scanning Protocol and MRI Acquisition.
Patients had a structural and a functional scanning session. The structural session included DTI, T1, and T2* scans. During the functional session, participants performed two runs of the SST, preceded by one run of a simple choice reaction time task, identical to the SST, except that only go trials were presented. MRI data were obtained by using a Philips Intera 3.0 Tesla MRI scanner. MRI parameters for T1, fMRI, and DTI were similar to those presented (10, 21) (SI Methods).
fMRI Analysis of the SST.
fMRI analysis was performed by using FSL, as described (10, 21) (SI Methods). Briefly, the following contrast images were generated: StC vs. Go, Go vs. StC, and Go vs. Rest. The two SST runs were first analyzed separately and then combined by using fixed effects analysis. Group effects were analyzed by using FLAME [Oxford Centre for Functional MRI of the Brain (FMRIB) Local Analysis of Mixed Effects]. The final statistical images were thresholded by using Gaussian random field-based cluster inference with a height threshold of Z > 2.3 and a cluster significance threshold of P < 0.05. Individual gray matter density maps were included in the FMRI Expert Analysis Tool (FEAT) GLM as a confound regressor (SI Methods) (55). To further investigate the change in activation within the DMN in patients, a region of interest (ROI) analysis was performed by using Featquery. To provide an unbiased way of sampling DMN activity in the patients, a 10-mm radius sphere ROI was defined based on peaks of "deactivation" in controls for the contrast StC > Go within the precu/PCC (MNI coordinates: x = −4, y = −60, z = 20).
DTI Analysis.
Our analysis of white matter structure was focused on tracts connecting brain regions activated during response inhibition. Therefore, we defined the connections between loci of activation observed during SST performance, in an approach similar to the one used by Aron and colleagues (56). Tracts between all possible combinations of the activated brain regions were not investigated. Instead, the analysis was constrained to connections between theoretically relevant regions. We studied the connections between key cortical nodes of the SN, the DMN, and the dorsal and ventral attentional networks (57), as well as between key regions for inhibitory control. The following tracts were studied: (i) preSMA/dACC to rAI and lAI (comprising the anterior part of the inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus and the superior region of the corona radiata); (ii) vmPFC to precu/PCC (cingulum bundle); (iii) rIFG to preSMA; (iv) rIFG to right TPJ (part of the superior longitudinal fasciculus); and (v) rFEF to rIPS (part of the superior longitudinal fasciculus). Two additional tracts were also generated, connecting the rAI to the rFEF and the rIPS (SI Results). The subthalamus nucleus was not included in the analysis because it was not a locus of significant peak of activation. Tracts were generated between 10-mm radius spherical ROI defined based on the peak activation or deactivation during correct stop trials vs. go trials (Table S4). To avoid the potential problems associated with probabilistic tractography in patients with abnormal white matter, we followed the approach described by Hua et al. (58). Individual tractography was performed in a separate group of 10 young normal controls (6 males, mean age = 23 ± 2.5), before the generation of a mean tract, which was back projected in individual space to "sample" the white matter in the patient group and the age-matched control group. Linear regression was then used to derive the age-corrected FA values used in the analyses reported. Further details are provided in SI Methods. Tracts of interest produced by using this approach can be viewed in three dimensions and overlaid on standard brain axial views and tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS) skeleton in Fig. 2 A and C. Figs. S3 and S4 show the overlay of the TBSS skeleton and rAI–pSMA/dACC tract onto each subject's FA map.
This work was supported by grants from the Medical Research Council (to D.J.S.) and the Imperial College Healthcare Charity (to D.J.S.).
↵1To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: david.sharp{at}imperial.ac.uk.
Author contributions: V.B. and D.J.S. designed research; V.B., T.H., K.M.K., R.J.G., and D.J.S. performed research; V.B., R.L., and D.J.S. analyzed data; and V.B., R.L., M.A.M., and D.J.S. wrote the paper.
This article contains supporting information online at www.pnas.org/lookup/suppl/doi:10.1073/pnas.1113455109/-/DCSupplemental.
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You are going to email the following Salience network integrity predicts default mode network function after traumatic brain injury
Salience network integrity and DMN function
Valerie Bonnelle, Timothy E. Ham, Robert Leech, Kirsi M. Kinnunen, Mitul A. Mehta, Richard J. Greenwood, David J. Sharp
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Mar 2012, 109 (12) 4690-4695; DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1113455109
Psychological and Cognitive Sciences


text:
Why Kawhi Leonard Should Stay in Canada
Well, Kawhi Leonard, you've really done it now.
You've gone ahead and won the Toronto Raptors their first NBA championship.
You were so, so great, the Finals MVP. You're the quiet stranger who changed basketball in Canada. Now you're about to be a free agent, with the chance to leave and chart your own course.
We're going to respectfully ask you to stay. It's your call, of course, but it's the correct call. Please, Kawhi.
Run it back with Canada. Don't abandon the happy dinosaurs, still floating after knocking off the Golden State Warriors Thursday night.
If you were hoping to slip out the back door without anyone noticing, that's not possible now. The Raptors traded for you last summer, after things got ugly in San Antonio, and you didn't get a say in that deal. The presumption was you would endure a season up in the frozen north, then wind your way to where you really wanted to go—perhaps a warm destination in Southern California, where you are from.
But you know the correct destination, Kawhi. You're already there.
This is a perfect marriage, between a low-key superstar and a franchise and city that understands him. The Raptors didn't just embrace you. They became you. The whole outfit is modest, mellow, hard-working, all business. The Raptors may not have been a popular preseason pick to win this title, but they believed.
.. We love that you're chill. That you don't say much. This is a hyper-verbal society. We've all got too much to say, to the point all the words and syllables grind into a dull, meaningless noise. That's not your deal. When you speak, it means something. It matters. You're old-school that way.
But it isn't just your silent mien. Your whole style is understated. Your game is electric, but you've never been about the sizzle. You're sponsored by New Balance, for crying out loud. The Yeezys of dentists. It's perfect.
You're a national treasure now in Canada. That kind of statement probably makes you uncomfortable. You're the most important Raptor in franchise history, after one season. Teams throw up statues for lesser accomplishments.
You don't owe Toronto anything. We should be clear about that. They know what they traded for, the terms, and the possibility you could leave. You've earned the right. It's an important milestone in a player's career, and all of us would want to take a look around.
So look around! There are openings throughout the league. There's long been speculation that you'd wind up with the Los Angeles Clippers, who are on the way up, but are also, you know, the Los Angeles Clippers. Of course, there's also space across the hall with LeBron James's Lakers, but you don't want any part of that. They're like the Bizarro Raptors; everything about the Lakers is backward.
You could try Brooklyn. It's nice in Brooklyn. There's a lot of yoga.
Of course, you could be a Knick. But, and we've said this before, friends don't let friends become Knicks. Besides, the Knicks now have the opportunity to give a max contract to an aging player with a ruptured Achilles tendon, and that is probably too enticing a possibility for them to turn down.
You already know the correct move, Kawhi. Yes, you are under no obligation. Toronto will probably retire your number, even if you leave. Yes, there are tax issues with playing across the border, but we're going to give you the number for the Journal's tax genius, Richard Rubin, who might have some ideas. I don't know if Richard knows Canadian tax laws, but he probably knows someone who does.
The future is where you are, Kawhi. How many athletes get to make an indelible bond like the one you've made in Toronto? You're as big as Tim Horton. Drake calls you.
You've written the fairy tale, Kawhi. Now write the sequel. Up north.
Tags: canada, lawhi-leonard, national-treasure, toronto, toronto-raptors, understated
Could an Amy Klobuchar Solve Democrats' Dilemma?
They seek a presidential candidate who appeals to both their liberal coastal base and to Midwestern working- and middle-class voters
When asked recently who Republicans should fear most in the 2020 presidential campaign, two prominent GOP figures, both women speaking independently of each other, gave the same response: Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota.
A third Republican, a male, asked which kind of candidate Democrats should want, replied: "They need a boring white guy from the Midwest."
So, there you have it: The dream ticket of Amy Klobuchar and Sen. Sherrod Brown of Ohio. Case closed, cancel the primaries, on to the general election.
So if all that creates an opportunity for Democrats in 2020, here's their dilemma: Can they pick a candidate who can blend the party's conflicting impulses?
This may seem a long ways off, but the reality is that most Democrats thinking of running for president—and the number probably runs into the 20s—plan to make their decision over the next several weeks, so they can move out starting in early 2019.
As this drama begins, the key question is whether the party will find somebody who appeals both to its coastal base dominated by progressives, upscale college graduates, millennials and minorities, or choose someone who is more appealing to traditional working- and middle-class voters in industrial Midwest states such as Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Michigan, all of which helped Democrats reclaim the House in this year's mid-term elections.
.. The winning lottery ticket, of course, goes to somebody who can appeal to both. And that's why Ms. Klobuchar's name—and profile—attract attention. She's a woman, obviously, which is important at a time when newly energized women are a growing force within the party. She pleased her party base in the hearings on the Supreme Court nomination of Brett Kavanaugh when she challenged him about his use of alcohol, but did so in a sufficiently calm and understated manner that she won an apology from Mr. Kavanaugh after he initially responded angrily.
.. She also won re-election this year with more than 60% of the vote in the one state Trump forces lost in 2016 but think they have a legitimate chance to flip their way in 2020.
.. The question is whether she or anyone can put together a policy agenda that pleases both party liberals, who are pushing for
a Medicare-for-all health system,
the demise of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement system and an
aggressive new climate-change action plan, and more moderate Midwestern voters, who may be scared off by all of those things.
Ms. Klobuchar's policy priorities may suggest a path. To address health care, the top priority of Democratic voters, she advocates a step-by-step approach, one that seeks to
drive down prescription drug costs by opening the door to less-expensive drugs from Canada,
protect and improve the Affordable Care Act, and
expand health coverage by considering such steps as allowing more Americans to buy into the Medicare system.
.. She's talked of a push to improve American infrastructure that would include expanding rural Americans' access to broadband service, paying for it by rolling back some—though not all—of the tax cuts Republicans passed last year. She pushes for more vigorous antitrust enforcement, more protections for privacy and steps to curb undisclosed money in politics
.. For his part, Sen. Brown, a liberal who this year won Ohio as it otherwise drifts Republican, offers a working-class-friendly agenda that combines progressive impulses for government activism to drive up wages with Trumpian skepticism about trade deals and corporate outsourcing.
Tags: 2020-election-candidates, alcohol, amy-klobuchar, anger, anti-ice-immigration-customs-enforcement-abolish, anti-trust, apology, brett-kavanaugh, calm, climate-change, coastal-liberals, government-activism, government-activism-wages, ice-immigration-customs-enforcement-abolish, incrementalism, infrastructure, medicare-for-all, michigan, midwest, millennials, minorities, pennsylvania, prescription-drugs, prescription-drugs-canada, progressives, sherrod-brown, skepticism-outsourcing, skepticism-trade-deals, tax-cuts-roll-back, traditional, understated, upscale-college-graduates, wisconsin, working-class


We've finally made it to the weekend and what a week it has been. In case you've just surfaced from your off the grid cabin in the woods, we've been at Eurobike all week taking a look at the coolest kit and gear heading our way in 2018.
Eurobike is always a whirlwind of new bikes and tech, and we took a look at Scott's new Foil Disc as well as Giant's new Propel Disc.
Stages also finally lifted the veil on its double sided power meter and Garmin did the same for its Edge 1030 and the Vector 3.
We also saw Giro's Empire Fly Knit and Vanquish MIPS helmet as well as Wahoo's Kickr Climb.
With all of that new gear on the horizon, it's time to check out the latest kit to roll through the doors of our UK and Australian HQ.
Schmolke is another high-end German carbon specialist that makes some of the lightest components on the planet. Its new TLO (the lightest only) wheels weigh a mere 942 grams on the BikeRadar scales of truth.
The finish is pretty stunning with a matt bare-carbon effect, and with a weight limit of 105kg, they'll hopefully be plenty stiff, even for powerful riders. These are going on a very special hill climb build, so keep your eyes peeled for a feature soon.
Picture the scene, you've bought your trendy gravel bike, put some big tyres on, but have no mudguards to keep your lovely kit nice and dry.
There are plenty of expensive alloy mudguards that will do the trick, but for budget conscious riders SKS has its 65mm Chromoplastic mudguard set.
These will fit on tyres up to 42mm wide, and being SKS they should last a long time.
These are fitted to staff writer Jack Luke's tandem, ready for an epic multi-day trip around south Wales.
Finishing kit is such an important part of a bike, but is often forgotten when we all tend to focus on the sexier stuff, such as groupsets and wheels.
Handlebars are one of the easiest upgrades you can make to your bike, and in our eyes, you should really be approaching them with the same level of pickiness as a saddle because they can drastically change and improve how a bike rides and fits.
Keen to try something new for his upcoming Bowman Palace rebuild, Josh has got a hold of these super subtle and rather handsome alloy Ritchey EvoMax bars. We reckon the modern shape, with a short reach and ovalised top section should make for some serious all day comfort.
The WCS C220 stem features Ritchey's signature 220-degree wraparound clamp, which is said to provide a more secure interface that is less prone to damaging lightweight bars.
As an aside, the stem and bars are described as 'blatte', a combination of the words black and matte and without doubt our new favourite marketing portmanteau.
Lastly, the WCS carbon 1-bolt seatpost should drop a bit of weight over any stock alloy post while allowing for a wide range of adjustment thanks to Ritchey's funky SideBinder clamp design. This claim is also interchangeable, so it should work with all popular rail sizes.
UK and Australian pricing unavailable.
Compression suits (or body armour if you prefer) seems to have fallen by the wayside in recent years, with the majority of downhill racers eschewing them in favour of a pair of knee pads and the occasional neck brace. Scott wants to change that with the launch of its Vanguard compression suit.
This is nothing like the body armour of old, which tended to be no more advanced than a mesh suit with inflexible plastic pads sewn onto it.
This mesh suit has a large, very flexible D3O back protector, and shoulder inserts that should help go some way to keeping you from bashing yourself up too bad should you spill.
The suit also features a handy little pocket on the back to stash your pump or multi-tool.
Ever wanted to hear the voice of your coach barking out orders while riding? Neither have we, but with the KauiFit Sport Headphones you can achieve something similar.
These neat, but slightly ungainly headphones can be linked up to your smartphone/bike computer/power meter etc to create live voice alerts around your chosen session.
This can include whole training plans by professional coaches and athletes.
Being headphones you can obviously listen to music as well.
Back in May we told you about Garmin's latest camera to join the party, the VIRB 360. We now have one in our hands and we're keen to see whether 360 recording is The Next Big Thing™ in the world of cycling videography.
However, with a claimed one hour battery life it's got a hard road ahead to prove itself. We know you're not likely to be recording constantly, and the batteries are replaceable, so this could be a viable creative alternative for the action camera market.
Camera weight with a battery is a non-too-hefty 160g. For reference, a HERO5 Black with battery and memory card comes in at 118g.
We'll be sure to play with the VIRB 360 so stay tuned.
Wolf Tooth Components says having an elliptical chainring is like two chainrings in one. At different points of the pedal stroke, this 32t chainring acts as both a 34t in the 'Power Zone' and a 30t chainring in the 'Recovery Zone'.
There have been a lot of claims around elliptical and asymmetric chainrings from a more efficient pedal stroke to increased traction or a steadier torque. Whatever the claims, our man Jack Luke certainly liked them when he fitted them to his Bianchi long-term bike so that makes me keen to give them a go.
Our 32t chainring weighs in at 50g.
According to Italian saddle maker Astute, its latest road perch, the Star, is designed for athletes riding in an aggressive position.
The shell is round and features a pressure-relieving channel down the centre and density memory foam padding, which gets progressively softer as you move towards the nose of the saddle.
At first glance, the shape is quite similar to the brand's off-road saddle the Mud, which has become a favourite around the Australian HQ.
In the Carbino trim, the saddle sees 7x9mm carbon rails, a fibre reinforced nylon shell, and tips our scales at 219g.
They're large and they're lairy. Oakley's Wind Jacket 2.0s draw inspiration from the classic Eyeshade sunnies.
While they are technically positioned in the brand's lineup as a 'goggle', the triple layer face foam pad is easily removable and leaves you with well vented large sunnies that provide for oodles of coverage.
The aesthetic won't please everyone, but Oakley has pitched them to us as a possible goggle replacement for enduro riders and big sunnies for the fashionable roadies among us. Our tester set also has a Prizm lens.
Socks are a funny thing among cyclists, and wild and crazy foot tubes are all the rage at the moment.
From Melbourne outfit Pedal, the Spinners socks are pretty tame when you compare them to others on the market.
These six-inch socks are made of a mix of Coolmax and Lycra fabric with three ply nylon used on the exterior for added strength and durability. Who knew socks could be so technical!
Nowadays everything seems to have a battery, and if you're anything like some of the BikeRadar staffers, your gadgets are always dead.
Knog may have found the solution with its new PWR lights that double as a power bank, with each light having a USB port for charging your device.
Divided into the Commuter and Modular lights, each are made with CNC machined aluminium and are water resistant.
The Commuter lights are 450-lumen and a removable rear cap reveals the charging port that can be used while the light is on.
The Modular lights, on the other hand, are a series of batteries and light heads, ranging in power from 600 to 1800 lumens.
All the heads are compatible with all the batteries, we've got the PWR Road with a 600-lumen head and 3350mAh battery pack, and a PWR Trail with a 1000 lumen head and 5000mAh battery — the 1800 lumen trail light will be released later this year.


text:
August Burns Red's Holiday New Single
August 31, 2012 By Rob Houston
AUGUST BURNS RED stream 'Flurries'
First track revealed from AUGUST BURNS RED presents: Sleddin' Hill, A Holiday Album, set to drop October 9th from Solid State Records
Available for pre-order now
North American headlining tour begins today
August 31, 2012 – AUGUST BURNS RED are pleased to share "Flurries," the first new track revealed from their upcoming Christmas album: August Burns Red presents: Sleddin' Hill, A Holiday Album – in stores October 9th from Solid State Records.
The track – previewed yesterday through the band's newsletter and available today for public consumption on their Facebook page – is one of two original compositions on the album. True to form, it showcases the dynamics and breathtaking technicality that fans have come to love, while also presenting a previously untapped side of ABR that is explored thoroughly throughout Sleddin' Hill.
"'Flurries' is one of two original songs I wrote for the record," says guitarist JB Brubaker. "It's the first track on Sleddin' Hill and it's a dynamic song that begins with a big build-up before kicking into gear. We were able to play with all sorts of layers in this song including strings, lots of different bells and booming war drums. I definitely think the song sets the tone for what is to come on the rest of the record."
Multiple pre-order packages are also now available for the album.
Listen to "Flurries" and predorder Sleddin' Hill here:
www.augustburnsred.com
In addition to original songs, the 13-track release features fresh takes on classics such as "Jingle Bells," "Winter Wonderland" and even "Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer." The album also compiles remixed and remastered versions of the band's previous holiday singles, "O Come, O Come Emmanuel," "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" and "Little Drummer Boy" coupled with an updated version of the band's rendition of "Carol of the Bells," heard in Frank Miller's (300, Sin City) movie The Spirit and Seth MacFarlane's (Family Guy) American Dad.
Sleddin' Hill finds AUGUST BURNS RED at what might be their most ambitious and creative yet. It's a work that enhances the guitar and drum mastery the band are known for by adding unexpected elements such as banjo, violin, cello, piano and even horns.
"Because this was such a different type of album, I was able to get a little more wild with my influences," confesses Brubaker. "There's a section inspired by one of my favorite bands, BEIRUT. There's also guitar solo that is an ode to Blue Album-era WEEZER, and my punk roots are evident all over the album."
Leading up the release of Sleddin' Hill, AUGUST BURNS RED is set to launch a five-week, 30-city North American tour today with support from OF MICE & MEN, THE COLOR MORALE and labelmates THE OVERSEER, before heading back to Europe where they'll hit 12 countries in four weeks.
Already among the most respected acts in the genre, AUGUST BURNS RED solidified their status further with the June 2011 release of their fourth studio album, Leveler, which rocketed to the top of the Billboard charts – debuting at #11 on the Billboard 200 in addition to entering the charts as the #1 Hard Rock album and #2 Rock album. Adding to the stellar debut is the incredible durability and staying power Leveler has displayed, having become the band's fastest selling album to date by a large margin.
Following two albums that have topped 100,000 apiece in sales (2009's Constellations and 2007's Messengers), Leveler is on pace to set a new high-bar for AUGUST BURNS RED, adding commercial success to the critical praise the album has garnered from the likes of Alternative Press, Revolver, Rock Sound and dozens of other outlets. The album pushes the band's sonic boundaries in every direction, yet emerges as an unquestionably heavier album than its predecessor. It's a game-changer, for ABR, and for fans of hard rock everywhere.
Overflowing with Wrath
Dempsey Mills is the brains behind Vials of Wrath, an atmospheric solo project rooted in Nordic inspiration, historic genre, and a dichotomy of peace and tension that underlies the heaviness of the music. Just don't call it unblack.
Full Feature More from Vials of Wrath


The year is passing us by so quickly. It wasn't long ago when Terry Mills addressed about 180 Christians before the Territory election at ACL's Make it Count event. Mr Mills and the Country Liberal Party (CLP) won that election. After six months into his role Mr Mills was forced out of leadership while conducting a gas deal in Japan.


Let's rise early before the sun gets up and walk out a sweat before the sun rises and a group meditation at the end for a fresh start into the day.
Early morning, dynamic warm up, 100 burpees in 30 minutes. Who's game?
1 hour of fun cardio with ripstix . And I'm a certified pound pro I can provide the ripstix but need to know the number in advance. I only need space, yoga matt and Bluetooth speaker.