Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Diagnosing Personality Disorder in Africans (Blacks) Using the Azibo Nosology: Two Case Studies

A nosology is an organized system for diagnosing diseases, disorders, or pathologies, as opposed to their mere enumeration. The present study compared clinical diagnoses of two African (Black) clients using two distinct diagnostic systems, the Eurocentric DSM-III-R nosology and the Africentric Azibo Nosology. The theoretical and paradigmatic importance of the com- parison is that in Eurocentric psychology and psychiatry the DSM-III-R nosology is the standard diagnostic tool, whereas in the Africentric psychology literature this Eurostandard has been challenged as inadequate regarding the diagnosis of personality disorder in Africans. The practical importance of the comparison is that 18 disorders peculiar to the African personality are found in the Azibo Nosology that have no precedent in the DSM-III-R nosology. Three questions are asked in this study: (1) Does the Azibo Nosology accurately reflect the real life conditions of Africans? (2) Can the Azibo Nosology be effectually employed by a therapist? And, (3) is the Azibo Nosology superior to the DSM-III-R on each of the preceding questions? Based on the results of the two case studies presented, the answer to each of the three questions appears affirmative. Recommendations for conducting psychological practice with African clients are offered.
Secondary School Tracking and Educational Inequality: Compensation, Reinforcement, or Neutrality?

This article examines the effects of academic tracking in secondary schools on educational stratification and considers how that tracking may affect levels and dispersions of academic achievement and high school graduation rates among social groups. Data from the High School and Beyond survey of students who were sophomores in 1980 show that placement in the college track substantially benefits growth in mathematics achievement and the probability of high school graduation, even when measured and unmeasured sources of nonrandom assignment to tracks are taken into account. Track assignment reinforces preexisting inequalities in achievement among students from different socioeconomic backgrounds. However, track assignment and differential achievement in tracks partially compensate blacks and girls for their initial disadvantages and makes racial and sexual inequalities smaller than they may have otherwise been. The article provides qualified support for the view that students are assigned to the tracks that provide the greatest reward to their measured background characteristics.
Core Vocabulary Determination for Toddlers

The aim of this study was to develop a core vocabulary list for toddlers. Naturally occurring (<emph type="2">i.e.</emph>, unprompted) vocabulary was collected for 50 toddlers, aged from 24 to 36 months, enrolled in five different preschools, during two different activities (play within interest centres and snack time). Results revealed that all 50 children used nine common words across both routines, and that the list contained pronouns, verbs, prepositions and demonstratives. Words representing different pragmatic functions (<emph type="2">e.g.</emph>, requesting, affirming, negating) were also included. Nouns were absent from the list. These data are consistent with similar studies into the core vocabularies of adults, adolescents, and preschoolers.
The development of word-coding skills in the born deaf: an experimental study of deaf school-leavers

Single word spelling for picture names and lexical decision were examined systematically in a group of born-deaf English school-leavers with a reading age of between 9 and 10 years. The deaf were better at these word-coding skills than their reading-age matched peers. Like them they showed systematic effects of word regularity (phonological and orthographic) in their single word spellings. In lexical decision the deaf were as fast and as accurate as chronological controls and showed similar patterns of sensitivity to spelling regularity. While both the younger and older hearing control groups showed a consistent pattern of performance across the spelling and reading tasks, with regularity effects marked in the younger and less marked in the older group, the deaf by comparison showed somewhat disjoint patterns of reading and spelling processes. This is discussed in the context of variable patterns of word reading and spelling development in hearing children. Word reading and writing is better in these deaf students than is predicted by their standardized text comprehension scores. It is suggested that in the born-deaf, word-coding skills are isolated with respect to other language skills; they have not become contextualized. Moreover, the pattern of performance on these single word tasks suggests that the development of such lower level literacy skills is still incomplete.
B1‐based specific energy absorption rate determination for nonquadrature radiofrequency excitation

The current gold standard to estimate local and global specific energy absorption rate for MRI involves numerically modeling the patient and the transmit radiofrequency coil. Recently, a patient‐individual method was presented, which estimated specific energy absorption rate from individually measured B1 maps. This method, however, was restricted to quadrature volume coils due to difficulties distinguishing phase contributions from radiofrequency transmission and reception. In this study, a method separating these two phase contributions by comparing the electric conductivity reconstructed from different transmit channels of a parallel radiofrequency transmission system is presented. This enables specific energy absorption rate estimation not only for quadrature excitation but also for the nonquadrature excitation of the single elements of the transmit array. Though the contributions of the different phases are known, unknown magnetic field components and tissue boundary artifacts limit the technique. Nevertheless, the high agreement between simulated and experimental results found in this study is promising. B1‐based specific energy absorption rate determination might become possible for arbitrary radiofrequency excitation on a patient‐individual basis. Magn Reson Med, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
The making of an organic intellectual: Claude Ake, biographical and theoretical orientations

AbstractAlthough the ideas of political leaders in Africa provide a popular entree to African politics, the exploration of their contributions and profiles still remains a largely underdeveloped genre. This is especially the case with intellectuals and scholar-activists on the continent. Yet by challenging existing hierarchies and oppressive institutions as well as truth regimes and the structures of power that produce and support them, engaged scholars occupy a critical position in society as vanguards of various popular struggles. The world therefore has a lot to learn from their contributions and failings as progressive social forces. This article examines Claude Ake’s corpus as a basis for filing this gap. It discusses his contribution to the autochthonous transformation of the state in Africa - using endogenous knowledge production - as one of his major legacies for the social sciences in Africa. Being a political scientist with an unusually broad intellectual formation and horizon, the article highlights the developments and shifts, which shaped his worldview and writings. It pays attention to his production - over the last four decades - of a wide ranging body of works, which have been quite instructive not only for their analytic acuity, methodological rigour and theoretical sophistication, but also for being remarkable works of magisterial erudition, the products of an exceptionally great mind, written with a deftly profound authority and also constituting a significant attempt to adapt the intellectual legacies of Marxist scholarship towards understanding the political economy and social history of contemporary Africa from a broadly critical perspective.
Comparison of Intraocular Lens Position Change Following Two Different Implantation Techniques

ABSTRACT Purpose: To assess the decentration and tilt of one-piece foldable acrylic intraocular lens following two different intraocular lens implantation techniques. Methods: This prospective, randomized clinical study conducted on 102 eyes of 91 patients who underwent cataract surgery between September 2015 and May 2016 at Ulucanlar Eye Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey. Intraocular lens implantations were performed with the help of an ophthalmic viscosurgical device or a hydroimplantation technique during surgery. The main outcomes, which were evaluated one day and one month after surgery, were corrected distant visual acuity, intraocular lens tilt, and decentration at the vertical and horizontal meridians. All outcomes were compared between and within implantation technique groups. Results: Angle of tilt and decentration of intraocular lens at the vertical and horizontal meridians showed no significant change within the ophthalmic viscosurgical device and hydroimplantation groups during follow-up (p > 0.05 for all). However, intraocular lens at both meridians were significantly lower in the hydroimplantation group (Vertical: p = 0.004, Horizontal: p = 0.015), and intraocular lens decentration tilt at both meridians were significantly lower in the hydroimplantation group than in the ophthalmic viscosurgical device group (Vertical: p = 0.004, Horizontal: p = 0.039). Postoperative corrected distant visual acuity outcomes showed no difference between and within the groups during follow-up (p > 0.05 for all). Conclusions: The intraocular lens implantation technique had an important effect on intraocular lens position. The hydroimplantation technique induces central placement of one-piece foldable acrylic intraocular lenses postoperatively by reducing decentration and the angle of tilt.
Mr Watson, come here . . .: The performance of early college students in their first year at the university and the challenge to P-16 education

Early colleges are one alternative to the traditional comprehensive high school. This article examines whether early college students are academically, socially and emotionally ready for university work at age 16. Preliminary data indicate enough promise in the innovation to revision not only the high school curriculum, but middle school and university curricula as well.
Organizational Colleagues, Media Richness, and Electronic Mail

The study investigated the effects of perceived media richness and social influences from organizational colleagues on the uses and assessments of electronic mail in a large research and development organization. A social network composed of an individual (ego), supervisor, and five close communication partners was used to model relational social influences. Responses reported by network members were incorporated into a structural equation system to predict each ego's perceptions, assessments, and usage of electronic mail. Survey data were supplemented by in-depth interviews. The study found: (a) Perceived electronic mail richness (1) varied across individuals and (2) covaried with relational social influences and with media experience factors; (b) perceived electronic mail richness predicted individuals' electronic mail assessments and usage; (c) social influences of colleagues had pervasive effects on others' media assessments. The study demonstrated that an explicit consideration of social influences aids understanding of how individuals perceive and use new information technology.
Long-Term Trends in the Incidence of Heart Failure After Myocardial Infarction

Background— Although mortality after myocardial infarction (MI) has declined in the United States in recent decades, there have been few community-based investigations of the long-term trends in the incidence of heart failure after MI, and their results appear to be conflicting. Methods and Results— We evaluated 676 Framingham Heart Study participants between 45 and 85 years of age (mean age 67 years, 34% women) who developed a first MI between 1970 and 1999. We assessed the incidence rates of heart failure and of death without heart failure in each of 3 decades (1970 to 1979, 1980 to 1989, and 1990 to 1999). We estimated the multivariable-adjusted risk of events in the latter 2 decades, with the period 1970 to 1979 serving as the referent. The 30-day incidence of heart failure after MI rose from 10% in 1970 to 1979 to 23.1% in 1990 to 1999 (P for trend 0.003), whereas 30-day mortality after MI declined from 12.2% (1970 to 1979) to 4.1% (1990 to 1999). The 5-year incidence of heart failure after MI rose from 27.6% in 1970 to 1979 to 31.9% in 1990 to 1999 (P for trend 0.02), whereas 5-year mortality after MI declined from 41.1% (1970 to 1979) to 17.3% (1990 to 1999). In multivariable analyses, compared with the period 1970 to 1979, we observed higher 30-day (risk ratio 2.05, 95% confidence interval 1.25 to 3.36) and 5-year (risk ratio 1.74, 95% confidence interval 1.07 to 2.84) risks of heart failure in the decade 1990 to 1999. These trends were accompanied by lower 30-day (risk ratio 0.21, 95% confidence interval 0.09 to 0.47) and 5-year (risk ratio 0.31, 95% confidence interval 0.18 to 0.54) mortality rates in 1990 to 1999. Conclusions— In the present community-based sample, we observed an increase in the incidence of heart failure in recent decades that paralleled the decrease in mortality after MI.
Comparative Mitogenomic Analysis of Species Representing Six Subfamilies in the Family Tenebrionidae

To better understand the architecture and evolution of the mitochondrial genome (mitogenome), mitogenomes of ten specimens representing six subfamilies in Tenebrionidae were selected, and comparative analysis of these mitogenomes was carried out in this study. Ten mitogenomes in this family share a similar gene composition, gene order, nucleotide composition, and codon usage. In addition, our results show that nucleotide bias was strongly influenced by the preference of codon usage for A/T rich codons which significantly correlated with the G + C content of protein coding genes (PCGs). Evolutionary rate analyses reveal that all PCGs have been subjected to a purifying selection, whereas 13 PCGs displayed different evolution rates, among which ATPase subunit 8 (ATP8) showed the highest evolutionary rate. We inferred the secondary structure for all RNA genes of Tenebrio molitor (Te2) and used this as the basis for comparison with the same genes from other Tenebrionidae mitogenomes. Some conserved helices (stems) and loops of RNA structures were found in different domains of ribosomal RNAs (rRNAs) and the cloverleaf structure of transfer RNAs (tRNAs). With regard to the AT-rich region, we analyzed tandem repeat sequences located in this region and identified some essential elements including T stretches, the consensus motif at the flanking regions of T stretch, and the secondary structure formed by the motif at the 3′ end of T stretch in major strand, which are highly conserved in these species. Furthermore, phylogenetic analyses using mitogenomic data strongly support the relationships among six subfamilies: ((Tenebrionidae incertae sedis + (Diaperinae + Tenebrioninae)) + (Pimeliinae + Lagriinae)), which is consistent with phylogenetic results based on morphological traits.
Activation of adenosine A1 receptor–induced neural stem cell proliferation via MEK/ERK and Akt signaling pathways

Adenosine, a modulator of neuronal function in the mammalian central nervous system, exerts a neuroprotective effect via the adenosine A1 receptor; however, its effect on neural stem cells (NSCs) remains unclear. Because adenosine is released in response to pathological conditions and NSCs play a key role in neuroregeneration, we tested the hypothesis that adenosine is capable of stimulating NSC proliferation. We demonstrated that NSCs dominantly express adenosine A1 and A2B receptors. Adenosine and the adenosine A1 receptor agonist cyclopentyladenosine (CPA) increased proliferation of NSCs, and this CPA‐induced cell proliferation was attenuated by the A1 antagonist 8‐cyclopentyl‐1,3‐dipropylxanthine (DPCPA). CPA also induced phosphorylation of extracellular signal–regulated kinase (ERK), mitogen‐activated protein kinase/ERK kinase (MEK), and Akt, and their phosphorylation was inhibited by DPCPA. In addition, CPA‐induced cell proliferation was inhibited by MEK and Akt inhibitors. These results suggest that activation of adenosine A1 receptor–stimulated proliferation of NSCs occurs via MEK/ERK and Akt signaling pathways. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Critical care for pediatric asthma: Wide care variability and challenges for study

Objectives: To describe pediatric severe asthma care, complications, and outcomes to plan for future prospective studies by the Collaborative Pediatric Critical Care Research Network. Design: Retrospective cohort study. Setting: Pediatric intensive care units in the United States that submit administrative data to the Pediatric Health Information System. Patients: Children 1–18 yrs old treated in a Pediatric Health Information System pediatric intensive care unit for asthma during 2004-2008. Interventions: None. Measurements and Main Results: Thirteen-thousand five-hundred fifty-two children were studied; 2,812 (21%) were treated in a Collaborative Pediatric Critical Care Research Network and 10,740 (79%) were treated in a non-Collaborative Pediatric Critical Care Research Network pediatric intensive care unit. Medication use in individual Collaborative Pediatric Critical Care Research Network centers differed widely: ipratropium bromide (41%–84%), terbutaline (11%–74%), magnesium sulfate (23%–64%), and methylxanthines (0%–46%). Complications including pneumothorax (0%–0.6%), cardiac arrest (0.2%–2%), and aspiration (0.2%–2%) were rare. Overall use of medical therapies and complications at Collaborative Pediatric Critical Care Research Network centers were representative of pediatric asthma care at non-Collaborative Pediatric Critical Care Research Network pediatric intensive care units. Median length of pediatric intensive care unit stay at Collaborative Pediatric Critical Care Research Network centers was 1 to 2 days and death was rare (0.1%–3%). Ten percent of children treated at Collaborative Pediatric Critical Care Research Network centers received invasive mechanical ventilation compared to 12% at non-Collaborative Pediatric Critical Care Research Network centers. Overall 44% of patients who received invasive mechanical ventilation were intubated in the pediatric intensive care unit. Children intubated outside the pediatric intensive care unit had significantly shorter median ventilation days (1 vs. 3), pediatric intensive care unit days (2 vs. 4), and hospital days (4 vs. 7) compared to those intubated in the pediatric intensive care unit. Among children who received mechanical respiratory support, significantly more (41% vs. 25%) were treated with noninvasive ventilation and significantly fewer (41% vs. 58%) were intubated before pediatric intensive care unit care when treated in a Pediatric Health Information System hospital emergency department. Conclusions: Marked variations in medication therapies and mechanical support exist. Death and other complications were rare. More than half of patients treated with mechanical ventilation were intubated before pediatric intensive care unit care. Site of respiratory mechanical support initiation was associated with length of stay.
Reexamining Teamwork KSAs and Team Performance

Stevens and Campion created the Teamwork Test to be used for the selection of high potential individuals into team situations. The idea of being able to test and select high team performers based on knowledge, skills, and ability (KSA) measures has great appeal. However, methods used to validate the test leave some question as to whether it is measuring capabilities related to teamwork. This study further evaluated the test by measuring the relationship between team levels of KSAs and team effectiveness.
Clinically Significant Change in Pain Intensity Ratings in Persons With Spinal Cord Injury or Amputation

Objective:To examine the clinical significance of changes in chronic pain in 2 disability groups: spinal cord injury and lower limb amputation. Methods:A reanalysis of 2 controlled clinical trials for pain in persons with disabilities. Eighty-two persons with spinal cord injuries and 34 persons with amputations provided pretreatment and posttreatment ratings of pain intensity on 0 to 10 numerical rating scales. After treatment, participants also rated the meaningfulness of any changes in pain they experienced. Results:An average decrease of 1.80 points on the 0 to 10 numerical rating scales and percent decreases of about 36% corresponded to reports of a meaningful change in pain. There was no significant difference between samples, and also no differences due to gender or treatment condition. Age and pretreatment pain, however, were associated with the amount of pain decrease rated as meaningful. The change in pain intensity rated as meaningful was greater for older participants and participants with higher levels of pretreatment pain. Consistent with previous research, percent change scores were less biased by pretreatment pain than were absolute change scores. Discussion:These findings are generally consistent with similar findings in other pain populations, and, in light of previous research, support an approximate 33% decrease in pain as a reasonable standard for meaningful change across chronic pain conditions. Percent change scores may be more useful for comparing the effects of pain treatments across samples or conditions because they are less biased by pretreatment pain level.
Glioma Therapy in Adults

Background:Gliomas are the most common type of primary brain tumor. Nearly two-thirds of gliomas are highly malignant lesions that account for a disproportionate share of brain tumor-related morbidity and mortality. Despite recent advances, two-year survival for glioblastoma with optimal therapy is less than 30%. Even among patients with low-grade gliomas that confer a relatively good prognosis, treatment is almost never curative. Review Summary:Surgery and radiation have been the mainstays of therapy for most glioma patients, but temozolomide chemotherapy has recently been proven to prolong overall survival in patients with glioblastoma. Intriguing data suggests that activity of O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT), in tumor cells may predict responsiveness to temozolomide and other alkylating agents. Novel treatment approaches, especially targeted molecular therapies against critical components of glioma signaling pathways, appear promising in preliminary studies. Optimal treatment for patients with low-grade gliomas has yet to be determined. Advances in oligodendroglioma biology have identified loss of chromosomes 1p and 19q as powerful indicators of a favorable prognosis. These same changes may predict response to chemotherapy. Conclusions:Though the prognosis for many patients with gliomas is poor, the last decade produced a number of important advances, some of which have translated directly into survival benefits. Rapid progress in the field of glioma molecular biology continues to identify therapeutic targets and provide hope for the future of this challenging disease.