Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
No more SWEDDs

The brief report by Wile and colleagues describes the FDOPA imaging follow-up of a leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2) mutation carrier with clinical parkinsonism (left resting tremor and akinesia), from 1 to 17 years after motor symptom onset, combined with vesicular monoamine transporter type 2 and serotonin transporter imaging at the latest time point. The case is presented as an example of scans without evidence of dopaminergic deficit (SWEDD) in a genetically determined form of Parkinson’s disease, as trumpeted in the title. The problem is that this case, in our opinion, does not qualify as SWEDD, at least in two respects. First, the uptake of the very first scan is allegedly within normal ranges, but it is clearly asymmetric, both visually and quantitatively, and thus cannot be considered normal. In fact, were the image of Figure 1A from an I-ioflupane single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) scan, it would have been rated “abnormal type 1” according to the widely used visual rating scale. In addition, uptake values are reported as percentages of normal reference intervals calculated from a small cohort of 34 healthy individuals, yet no clinical information is provided to support the healthy state of these subjects. We can therefore challenge both the validity of these reference intervals and the normal values attributed to the scans of this LRKK2 patient. As a reminder, two recent studies have established precise reference intervals for Iioflupane SPECT, based on 139 and 182 normal scans from clinically well-documented subjects, respectively. Second, the SWEDD literature uses dopamine transporter (DAT) imaging as a biomarker, for a good reason: DOPA uptake can be upregulated in the earliest phases. Limited comparative studies exist and did not show differences in sensitivity, although none has focused solely on patients with 1-year disease duration. This patient had also higher DOPA uptake values than those previously reported in LRRK2 symptomatic subjects with comparably short disease duration. Interestingly, this previous report confirmed that in presymptomatic LRRK2 carriers, DAT imaging might be already pathological while DOPA levels are preserved, representing a possible compensatory mechanism. The concept of SWEDD is highly debated and controversial, and we share the view of other groups that it is not clinically useful. This heterogeneous entity includes both misdiagnoses and cases in which the imaging data were misclassified. Imaging analysis should be based on the combination of visual interpretation and comparison of individual uptake with normative data to ensure the highest diagnostic standards. We recently analyzed a series of 410 patients with degenerative parkinsonism evaluated by I-Ioflupane SPECT and by a combined visual and semiquantitative approach, the results of which showed that only 1 patient with corticobasal syndrome had a normal scan at both assessments (unpublished data). Based on our results and in line with others, we suggest abandoning the concept of SWEDD.
“It's Not Dutch to Close the Curtains”: Visual Struggles on the Threshold Between Public and Private in a Multi-Ethnic Dutch Neighborhood

The front of the house functions as a border between the public and the private sphere. Different people have different customs in dealing with this area. Whereas some use it as a “front-stage,” on which they present themselves to the outside world, others block their windows with curtains or devote little attention to creating an attractive image. The practices of older Dutch inhabitants, rich decoration, and open curtains, are guided by social norms on tidiness and gender roles. The confrontation with other customs, often linked to other ethnic groups, is considered an intrusion in a space they consider to be theirs. Partly as a consequence of this, they are also retreating into their private sphere, reflected in changed practices at the fronts of their houses.
The colours of elliptical galaxies

We have compiled a sample of 2728 nearby (z < 0.08) elliptical galaxies with photometry in the g, r, i, z bands from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) and J, H, K photometry from the Two-Micron All-Sky Survey (2MASS). Stellar masses, stellar velocity dispersions and structural parameters such as sizes and surface mass densities are also available for these objects. In order to correct the aperture mismatch between SDSS and 2MASS, we correct the SDSS magnitudes to the isophotal circular radius where the 2MASS magnitudes are measured. We compare the correlations between optical, optical-infrared and infrared colours and galaxy luminosity, stellar mass, velocity dispersion and surface mass density. We find that all galaxy colours correlate more strongly with stellar mass and velocity dispersion than with any other structural parameter. The dispersion about these two relations is also smaller. We also study the correlations between a variety of stellar absorption-line indices and the same set of galaxy parameters and we reach very similar conclusions. Finally, we analyse correlations between absorption-line indices and colour. Our results suggest that the optical colours of elliptical galaxies are sensitive to a combination of age, metallicity and α-enhancement, while the optical-infrared colours are sensitive to metallicity and to α-enhancement, but are somewhat less sensitive to age.
Self-Control Demands From Basic Research to Job-Related Applications

Recent theoretical developments and findings in basic research suggest self-control demands (SCDs) to be a unique job stressor. A series of studies in different work settings have corroborated this view. The results show that different forms of SCDs (impulse control, resisting distractions, overcoming inner resistances) (a) contribute significant portions of unique variance to the prediction of various measures of job strain, (b) mutually strengthen each other in their effects on strain, and (c) interact with other forms of SCDs. Furthermore, the relation of SCDs to strain is moderated by various resources like job control, affective organizational commitment, and self-control capacity. Finally, SCDs mediate the relationship between workload and strain.
Children’s Environmental Health Faculty Champions Initiative: A Successful Model for Integrating Environmental Health into Pediatric Health Care

Background Pediatric medical and nursing education lack the environmental health content needed to properly prepare health care professionals to prevent, recognize, manage, and treat environmental exposure–related diseases. The need for improvements in health care professionals’ environmental health knowledge has been expressed by leading institutions. However, few studies have evaluated the effectiveness of programs that incorporate pediatric environmental health (PEH) into curricula and practice. Objective We evaluated the effectiveness of the National Environmental Education Foundation’s (NEEF) Children’s Environmental Health Faculty Champions Initiative, which is designed to build environmental health capacity among pediatric health care professionals. Methods Twenty-eight pediatric health care professionals participated in a train-the-trainer workshop, in which they were educated to train other health care professionals in PEH and integrate identified PEH competencies into medical and nursing practice and curricula. We evaluated the program using a workshop evaluation tool, action plan, pre- and posttests, baseline and progress assessments, and telephone interviews. Results During the 12 months following the workshop, the faculty champions’ average pretest score of 52% was significantly elevated (p < 0.0001) to 65.5% on the first posttest and to 71.5% on the second posttest, showing an increase and retention of environmental health knowledge. Faculty champions trained 1,559 health care professionals in PEH, exceeding the goal of 280 health care professionals trained. Ninety percent of faculty champions reported that PEH had been integrated into the curricula at their institution. Conclusion The initiative was highly effective in achieving its goal of building environmental health capacity among health care professionals. The faculty champions model is a successful method and can be replicated in other arenas.
Training communication partners of people with traumatic brain injury: A randomised controlled trial

Background: Communication disorders after traumatic brain injury (TBI) are difficult to modify due to the cognitive limitation imposed by frontal lobe damage. As an alternative approach, this paper describes a training programme designed to improve communication partners' responsiveness to people with TBI during routine service inquiries with a community agency. Aims: To evaluate the effectiveness of a training programme aimed at improving the communication of police officers during service encounters with people with TBI. Methods & Procedures: A total of 20 police officers were randomly assigned to two groups (training or control). Prior to the 6‐week training programme, participants with TBI made a routine telephone inquiry to the police officers. Training focused on specific aspects of telephone inquiries previously documented to be aberrant in service encounters of people with TBI. Following the training programme, police subjects received another telephone service inquiry. Service encounters were transcribed and analysed using generic structure potential analysis. Outcome & Results: Comparison of pre‐ and post‐training measures indicated that trained police had learned strategies to successfully establish the nature of the inquiry, provide a clear answer to the inquiry, and ensure appropriate leave taking, resulting in more efficient, focused interactions in the post‐training telephone calls. People with TBI also altered their communication in the post‐training calls, with reduced episodes of unrelated utterances and an increased proportion of the interaction devoted to completing the service encounter. This appeared to be in response to the communicative options they were given. Conclusions: This study demonstrates the efficacy of an approach based on training communication partners rather than people with TBI themselves. Training communication partners led to the provision of appropriate feedback, support, and structure of everyday interactions. Service encounters account for a significant amount of everyday communication exchanges, therefore training service providers has the potential to have a significant impact on the communicative effectiveness of people with TBI.
The Nature and Extent of Student Involvement in Educational Policy-Making in Canadian School Systems

What is the role of students in educational policy-making in Canadian school systems? This question was the basis for my doctoral thesis in 1999. A study was conducted at school, school district and departmental levels across Canada. This article provides a brief account of the literature and methodology used and discusses the findings of the study in terms of what provision is made for student involvement in policy-making at each level in education, the nature of that involvement, the mechanisms used for recruiting student involvement in policy-making, the perceptions of stakeholders on student involvement, and the constraints to be overcome in Canadian school systems. It shows that education systems across Canada involve students in policy-making at the department, school district, and school levels, but in an advisory capacity: involvement is restricted to providing policy-makers with information.
Activismo frente a norma: ¿quién salva a la universidad?

The strong pressure that is now, more than ever, being exerted on higher education is abating its capability to work directly towards the common good from the place of a knowledge-based organization. This result affects the relationship between the university and the third sector via the implementation of service learning, action research and other models of synergy. From the analysis of scientific publications and interviews of both academic managers and activist professors, this document describes two complex profiles (MOR and SRIP) which help make sense of the reactions of university members when facing those pressures. These reactions show four dichotomous criteria: attitudes facing hegemony (market trend versus social trend), reactions to pressure (obedience versus resistance), academic impartiality (neutrality versus positioning), and positions on pragmatism (realism versus idealism). Thereby, MOR profile is defined by (M)arket style, (O)bedience, and (R)ealism, whereas SRIP profile is defined by (S)ocial trend, (R)esistance, (I)dealism, and (P)ositioning. This document describes consequences in university-third sector work, and proposes ways to solve these problems.
Clinical impact of serum survivin positivity and tissue expression of EBV-encoded RNA in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma patients treated with rituximab–CHOP

Survivin is an inhibitor of apoptosis and is upregulated by Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) latent genes. Given the frequent association of EBV with lymphoid malignancies, survivin is expected to have prognostic value in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). Thus, we measured the pretreatment serum level of survivin in DLBCL patients and analyzed its association with survival outcome and EBV status, as represented by EBV-encoded RNA (EBER) in DLBCL. Pretreatment serum survivin level was measured in patients registered in a prospective cohort study (n = 210), and serum survivin-positivity was defined as any detectable level of survivin. EBV status was determined using EBER in situ hybridization, and EBER-positivity was defined as 20% of examined cells showing nuclear positivity. Mean serum survivin level was higher in patients with relapsed or refractory disease than with responsive disease (59.89 pg/mL versus 17.34 pg/mL, P = 0.041). Serum survivin-positive patients had worse overall and progression-free survival (P = 0.023 and 0.022, respectively). Serum survivin positivity was associated with unfavorable characteristics including stage. In patients with non-germinal center B-cell type DLBCL, serum survivin-positive patients also had significantly worse survival than serum survivin-negative patients (P < 0.001). EBER-positivity was found in 6.7% (14/210) of patients, and EBER-positive patients had worse survival (P < 0.05). Patients having concomitant positivity for serum survivin and EBER expression (2.8%, 6/210) showed extremely poor prognosis. In the present era of rituximab in DLBCL, DLBCL with serum survivin positivity showed adverse clinical features and followed worse clinical course, especially in non-GCB subtype DLBCL. EBER-positivity was still associated with worse outcomes in DLBCL.
Adenocarcinoma of the esophagus and Barrett's esophagus: a population-based study

Objective: We described incidence rates of esophageal adenocarcinoma in Denmark in a 20-yr period and determined the proportion of patients diagnosed with esophageal adenocarcinoma who had a previous diagnosis of Barrett's esophagus, making them potential candidates for endoscopic surveillance. Methods: Rates of esophageal and gastric cancers were collected from the Danish Cancer registry for the period 1970–1991. The registry was used to identify all cases of esophageal adenocarcinoma in the period 1987–1992. Medical records were retrieved and details concerning previous diagnosis of reflux disease and Barrett's esophagus were recorded. Results: The age- and gender-adjusted incidence of esophageal adenocarcinoma increased eightfold, from 0.3/105/yr in 1970 to 2.3/105/yr in 1990. This increase could not be explained by changes in classification or diagnostic routines. Medical data were retrieved for 524 of the 578 cases of esophageal adenocarcinoma reported during the period 1987–1992. A history of reflux symptoms or a diagnosis compatible with reflux was reported in 113 of 524 patients. A total of 119 patients (23%) had previously been investigated for dyspepsia or reflux symptoms, most often by endoscopy. A previous diagnosis of Barrett's esophagus was found in only 1.3% of the cancer patients. Conclusions: The rate of esophageal adenocarcinoma in Denmark has increased eightfold over a 20-yr period, and this increase is not explained by changes in classification or diagnostic routines. More than 98% of esophageal adenocarcinomas were found in patients who could not have entered endoscopic surveillance, as Barrett's esophagus had not been diagnosed before the cancer diagnosis. Endoscopic surveillance to detect dysplasia may be an option for the individual patient with Barrett's esophagus, but these screening programs are not likely to reduce the death rate from esophageal adenocarcinomas in the general population.
in‐law relationships in the American kinship system: the impact of divorce and remarriage

This paper reports on in-law relationships in middle-class kinship systems in which grandparents, divorcing parents and their children were studied longitudinally. The analysis first includes the definitions and meanings individuals assign to in-law relationships during the processes of divorce and remarriage. Second, the structure and organization of the family and kinship system are mapped as they change with marital change. The patterns of cleavages and coalitions formed were found to be associated with the difficulty grandparents have in gaining access to grandchildren affected by divorce. Models were constructed that expressed the duality of oppositions found between relatives by blood, by marriage and by divorce. [American kinship, in-laws, divorce, remarriage]
Local and reflex factors affecting the distribution of the peripheral blood flow during arterial hypoxia in the rabbit

1. The effects of severe arterial hypoxia on the blood flow in the portal vein, and in kidney, muscle and skin beds have been determined in normal unanaesthetized rabbits, in animals without functioning autonomic effectors, and in rabbits with section of the carotid sinus and aortic nerves.
A study exploring the influences of training on teaching assistants' learning, behaviour and self efficacy

There is a growing number of teaching assistants (TAs) in mainstream schools (DCFS, 2009) and research is inconclusive about their efficacy at improving outcomes for children, including those at risk of exclusion (Groom and Rose, 2005; Tennant, 2001). It has been proposed that TAs do not have enough training for their roles (Russell et al, 2005). However, there is debate about the most appropriate adult training methods (Merriam et al, 2007). Nevertheless, several writers suggest that training can influence self efficacy and this can improve performance (Giallo and Little, 2003). A mixed methods design was implemented. Firstly, two fixed designs evaluated TA self efficacy following training and pupil behaviour following a TA delivered anger management intervention. However, due to design and implementation issues the data produced was very limited and conclusions could not be made. Secondly, a flexible design explored factors that influenced TAs’ learning, behaviour and self efficacy. Data was collected from 14 mainstream secondary school TAs using evaluation forms and focus groups. A thematic analysis was carried out on this data. Themes regarding learning, confidence, training and self efficacy emerged from the data. The learning implied by some of the TAs referred to the acquisition and maintenance of terminology, developing different knowledge bases and the autonomy to adapt materials. Similarly, some of the TAs referred to having confidence mainly when they had some control over the situation. Training subthemes that seemed to influence TAs’ learning and confidence were confirmation/ reassurance from others, parameters of training, iterative process of training and involvement in the process. Finally, TA self efficacy seems to have been influenced by Bandura’s (1977) sources of information, outcome expectations and whole school support and norms. In conclusion, it is important to challenge unhelpful outcome expectations, develop whole school norms and the equality of TAs in schools. Furthermore, training of TAs should involve appropriate psychological paradigms from adult learning theories.
Cognitive Adaptability: The Role of Metacognition and Feedback in Entrepreneural Decision Policies

Abstract : Entrepreneurship scholars suggest that cognition can serve as a process lens through which to "reexamine the people side of entrepreneurship" by investigating the memory, learning, problem identification, and decision making abilities of entrepreneurs. This dissertation embraces such inquiry through the investigation of how individuals develop "higher-order" cognitive strategies to promote cognitive adaptability, which I define as the ability to appropriately evolve individual decision-frameworks in concert with a changing and uncertain environment. I propose that cognitive adaptability underlined an 'entrepreneurial mindset' and similar, cognitive conceptualizations of entrepreneurial decision process (McGrath and MacMillan, 2000; Hitt, Ireland & Simon, 2003). Cognitive adaptability is enabled through the development of strategies that serve to promote the process of "thinking about thinking," or more precisely metacognition. Metacognition describes a higher-order cognitive process for organizing what individuals know about themselves, tasks, situations, and their environments in such a way as to facilitate effective and dynamic cognitive functioning.
ALGEBRAIC THEORY OF TIME-VARYING LINEAR SYSTEMS : A SURVEY

The development of the algebraic theory of time-varying linear systems is described. The class of systems considered consists of differential-algebraic equation in kernel presentation. This class encompasses time-varying state space, descriptor systems as well as Rosenbrock systems, and time-invariant systems in the behavioural approach. One difference between time-varying and time-invariant systems is that, since the coefficients of the differential equations are time-varying function, the differential operator does not commute with the coefficients. However, the main difficulty is that solutions may exhibit a finite escape time. Hence there is a conflict between the class of time-varying coefficients and the class of admissible solution spaces. All contributions to time-varying systems have to cope with this. As an efficient tool in linear, time-invariant system theory, Kalman introduced in the 1960s elementary module theory over principal ideal rings. This tool proved efficient also for time-varying systems. Although from then on, the field of timevarying linear systems has never been a “hot topic” in systems theory, there has been an ongoing evolution which led to a rather substantial theory. Not surprisingly, the theory is mainly restricted to linear systems and most results are on such properties as controllability, and not on stability. Recent results use successfully tools from module theory and homological algebra. Copyright c 2005 IFAC.
DOES STUDYING VOCABULARY IN SMALLER SETS INCREASE LEARNING?

The present study examined the effects of part and whole learning on the acquisition of second language (L2, English) vocabulary. In whole learning, the materials to be learned are repeated in one large block, whereas, in part learning, the materials are divided into smaller blocks and repeated. Experiment 1 compared the effects of the following three treatments: 20-item whole learning, four-item part learning, and 10-item part learning. Unlike previous studies, part and whole learning were matched in spacing. In Experiment 2, spacing as well as the part-whole learning distinction were manipulated, and the following three treatments were compared: 20-item whole learning, four-item part learning with short spacing, and four-item part learning with long spacing. Results of the two experiments suggest that, (a) as long as spacing is equivalent, the part-whole distinction has little effect on learning, and (b) spacing has a larger effect on learning than the part-whole distinction.