Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Use of Magnetic Resonance Imaging to Visualize Leptomeningeal Inflammation in Patients With Multiple Sclerosis: A Review

Importance Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic demyelinating disease of the central nervous system traditionally characterized by an initial relapsing-remitting clinical course and focal inflammatory lesions that have a predilection for the periventricular white matter. Recently, however, histopathologic and imaging studies have illustrated a more complex pathologic substrate involving cortical demyelination, gray matter atrophy, and meningeal inflammation. Neuroimaging advances have facilitated improved detection of cortical pathology, but our understanding of the pathogenesis of cortical disease remains incomplete. The purpose of this review is to evaluate the current status and future prospects regarding the emerging role of magnetic resonance imaging to visualize leptomeningeal enhancement in patients with MS and place these findings in the proper pathobiologic and clinical context. Observations Cortical atrophy and demyelination along the subpial surface appear early in the disease course in patients with MS but accelerate in progressive stages. Histopathologic studies of patients have shown the presence of inflammatory infiltrates, in some cases with features of B cell–rich tertiary lymph follicles, along the cortical meningeal surface. Recent magnetic resonance imaging data demonstrate the ability to detect such inflammation using high-resolution gadolinium-enhanced contrast scans by the presence of leptomeningeal enhancement. Clinical and magnetic resonance imaging correlation studies indicate that leptomeningeal enhancement is most common in patients with progressive forms of MS and shows a relationship to subpial cortical lesions and cortical atrophy. Conclusions and Relevance A growing body of evidence suggests that gray matter demyelination, cortical atrophy, and leptomeningeal inflammation may be important components of progressive MS pathology and provide a new therapeutic target. Leptomeningeal enhancement may prove a useful surrogate marker for such pathology, perhaps improving our understanding of the natural history of progressive MS, although its ultimate effect on therapeutic development and clinical care requires further study.
How Hard is Artificial Intelligence? Evolutionary Arguments and Selection Effects

Several authors have made the argument that because blind evolutionary processes produced human intelligence on Earth, it should be feasible for clever human engineers to create human-level artificial intelligence in the not-too-distant future. This evolutionary argument, however, has ignored the observation selection effect that guarantees that observers will see intelligent life having arisen on their planet no matter how hard it is for intelligent life to evolve on any given Earth-like planet. We explore how the evolutionary argument might be salvaged from this objection, using a variety of considerations from observation selection theory and analysis of specific timing features and instances of convergent evolution in the terrestrial evolutionary record. We find that, depending on the resolution of disputed questions in observation selection theory, the objection can be either be wholly or moderately defused, although other challenges for the evolutionary argument remain.
Roots and Routes: Understanding the Lives of the Second Generation Transnationally

While using a transnational optic to study first-generation immigrants is now widely accepted, most scholars assume that the same approach is not necessary when studying migrants’ children. They claim that, while immigrants might be involved in the economic, political and religious life of their homelands, their children are unlikely to follow suit. In this paper I argue against summarily dismissing the power of being raised in a transnational social field. When children are brought up in households that are regularly influenced by people, objects, practices and know-how from their ancestral homes, they are socialised into its norms and values and they learn how to negotiate its institutions. They also form part of strong social networks. While not all members of the second generation will access these resources, they have the social skills and competencies to do so, if and when they choose. Capturing these dynamics, and tracking how they change over time, requires long-term ethnographic research in the source and destination countries.
Lack of association between smoking and Crohn's disease but the usual association with ulcerative colitis in Jewish patients in Israel: a multicenter study

OBJECTIVE:The association between smoking and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is well established, but data in Jewish patients in Israel were discrepant. The aim of this study was to examine the smoking habits of Jewish IBD patients in Israel in a large scale, multicenter study.METHODS:Patients with established IBD aged 18–70 yr were interviewed in relation to smoking and other habits. Two controls (one clinic and one neighborhood control matched by age, sex, community group, and education) were sought for each subject.RESULTS:A total of 534 patients (273 ulcerative colitis [UC], and 261 Crohn's disease [CD]), along with 478 clinic controls and 430 neighborhood controls, were interviewed. There was no significant difference in the smoking habits between CD patients and their controls. Of patients with CD, 24.5% were current smokers, as compared to 19.9% of clinic controls and 25.2% of neighborhood controls (NS). The odds ratio for CD in current smokers was 1.30 (95% confidence interval 0.85–1.99) versus clinic controls, and 0.96 (0.63–1.46) versus neighborhood controls. There were also no significant differences in the proportion of ex-smokers between the groups. Only12.9% of UC patients were current smokers versus 21.9. % Clinic controls, and 26.4% community controls (p < 0.005). The proportions of ex-smokers were higher in UC patients 29.7%versus 25.9%, and 19.5% in their respective controls (p < 0.001vs community controls). No significant differences were found in the proportions of never-smokers between IBD patients and controls. All the above trends were similar in four different parts of the country. The proportion of current smokers in UC decreased with the extent of disease (19.7% in proctitis, 13.6% in left-sided, and 4.5% in total colitis) (p < 0.05). Patients with UC were more likely to be light smokers(1–10 cigarettes/day), whereas patients with CD were more likely to be moderate smokers (11–20 cigarettes/day) in comparison to their controls.CONCLUSIONS:The lack of association between smoking and CD has now been established in Jewish patients in Israel. The association was found in UC. The stronger genetic tendency in CD may contribute to this discrepancy.
‘We’re stuck in the corner’: Young women, embodiment and drinking in the countryside

In this paper I extend our understanding of the ways in which young women in rural areas produce, negotiate and experience identity through an exploration of their drinking practices. Through a close ethnography of three groups of young women in the rural south west of England this paper shows how pubs, clubs, bedrooms and other informal spaces such as ‘in the park’ provide arenas of performance in which identities are constructed, negotiated and reproduced. In particular this paper explores the significance given by rural young women to their discursive drinking practices and the extent to which these practices lead to inclusionary and/or exclusionary experiences. Eschewing conventional notions of the body, by recognizing the body as malleable, porous and an unfinished product, subject to socially produced alteration, this paper teases apart the different lived experiences of rural young women by arguing that much of their behaviour in pub(lic) and private space(s) can be seen in terms of acts of spectacle, compliance and challenges to disciplinary frameworks. To illustrate this point I discuss how rural young women employ various embodied strategies to move between spaces to experiment with alcohol and alternative femininities and ‘do’ gender, thereby contesting acceptable rural gender roles and expectations. Through shedding light on drinking practices, I reveal how this experimentation affects their sense of their body, femininity and belonging in the countryside.
Personality similarity and friendship choices by adolescents

In a study designed to examine the nature of the relationship between personality similarity and established friendships amongst adolescents, three groups of frequently interacting subjects of different ages were given Reptests (Kelly, 1955) as a means of eliciting the content of their personal construct systems. In all three groups (early-, mid- and late-adolescence), pairs of friends were found to have more similar constructs than nominal pairs of group members. However, there were age-related differences in the kinds of construct on which the similarity was most significant (for example, similarity on constructs relating to factual description predicted friendship choices in early adolescence but failed to do so in later adolescence, where similarity of constructs concerning physical attributes was a relevant factor). Sex-differences in the functional basis of friendship were also found, with mid- and late-adolescent girls' friendship choices correlating with similarity of psychological description. Temporal and sex differences in the basis of friendship suggest that the concept of ‘friendship’ must be seen as more differentiated and less unitary a concept. Adolescent friendship illuminates several dimensions along which this differentiation assumes both theoretical importance and functional relevance.
A mixed methods approach to delineating and understanding injection practices among clientele of a Victoria, British Columbia needle exchange program.

INTRODUCTION AND AIMS Systematic reviews and meta-analyses show that needle exchange programs reduce HIV and HCV transmission for injection drug users (IDUs) but far less is known about the injection practices of IDUs enrolled in these programs. This study adopts a mixed methods approach to quantify high-risk injection practice patterns among IDUs enrolled in a needle exchange program in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada and gather qualitative data to understand underlying injection behaviour rationales and patterns. DESIGN AND METHODS Survey data collected in 2008 from 105 IDUs registered as clientele of the AIDS Vancouver Island-Street Outreach Services (AVI-SOS) Needle Exchange were analysed via univariate and multivariate statistical methods. Presentation of this analysis to an AVI-SOS needle exchange clientele group generated qualitative data offering an explanation for quantitative results. RESULTS . Univariate analysis showed all respondents reporting at least one high-risk practice within the past month. Multivariate logistic regression analysis using input from AVI-SOS clientele confirmed the importance of housing status as a determinant of injection practices. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS The importance of housing status points to the need to combine harm reduction services, for example needle exchange and appropriate housing and highlights the benefits of including IDUs in data interpretation.
Why Turnover Matters in Self-Managing Work Teams: Learning, Social Integration, and Task Flexibility

This study considers how turnover in self-managing work teams influences the team interaction processes that promote effective task accomplishment. Drawing from research on self-managing work teams and group process, the authors propose that team turnover affects performance in self-managing teams by affecting social integration, team learning behavior, and task flexibility. Hypotheses were tested in a sample of 47 self-managing work teams using longitudinal panel data and an objective measure of team performance. Results suggest that team turnover indeed decreases social integration, team learning behavior, and task flexibility in self-managing teams but that only task flexibility and team learning behavior mediate the negative relationship between team turnover and team effectiveness.
Unintended Consequences of State and Federal Antidiscrimination and Family Medical Leave Legislation on the Employment Rates of Persons With Disabilities

Although some writers have suggested that the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA), contrary to its intent, was responsible for a decline in employment for persons with disabilities, there is little strong empirical support for such an assertion. This study is an attempt to demonstrate that, in fact, the dismal labor market experience following passage of the ADA was an unintended consequence of other factors—namely, the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 and similar state legislation—even though such legislation was not originally meant as disability legislation . A time-series design using data from the Current Population Survey supports this contention (p < .05). Numerous implications for rehabilitation counselors, educators, and researchers are discussed.
An appraisal of magnetic resonance imaging of the wrist in rheumatoid arthritis.

OBJECTIVES To evaluate the role of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the diagnosis, staging, and follow-up of the rheumatoid wrist. METHODS A Medline search was performed to identify all publications from the years 1985 to 1999 concerning MRI of the wrist in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Additional papers were retrieved by scanning the references to the Medline-listed articles. Details of the MRI technique, as well as clinical data, were analyzed and compared. RESULTS A total of 55 papers were identified. There were considerable variations in imaging sequence, section type, and slice thickness. Erosions and synovitis were the conditions that mostly profited from the adoption of MRI. Although the visualization of erosions was better detailed with MRI than with conventional radiography, erosions were only rarely related to clinical and laboratory parameters. Another advantage was that synovitis imaging, which can be enhanced by contrast agents, was amenable to quantitation. The extent of the synovial surface and the rate of contrast enhancement in a series of consecutive, rapidly acquired images were the most common measures. CONCLUSIONS MRI of the rheumatoid wrist is a useful technique to ascertain the criteria for diagnosis and progression of RA, and to monitor the effects of treatment. Implementation of a standardized protocol could further increase its value.
Self-Efficacy as a Predictor of Computer Skills Learning Outcomes of Individuals with Physical Disabilities

Abstract A 15-week software training program in generic Chinese computer skills, Chinese word processing, and Chinese desktop publishing was implemented for 31 individuals with physical disabilities. The main objective was to improve their computer-related functional skills and thus improve the overall quality of life of the participants. The relationships between the trainers' pretraining computer self-efficacy and their posttraining computer skills and self-concept were examined. Hierarchical multiple regression was used to determine the independent increment or relative unique contributions of the predictor variables on the learning outcomes of the 31 participants. The results showed that the following variables, accounting for 72% of the variance, were the best predictors of the success of a computer skills training program for individuals with physical disabilities: the participants' pretraining computer self-efficacy, pretraining self-concepts, and pretraining proficiency in computer skills.
Trajectories of Exposure to Community Violence and Mental Health Symptoms Among Serious Adolescent Offenders

The present study uses longitudinal data to investigate whether differences in exposure to community violence discriminate among serious juvenile offenders in terms of mental health symptomatology for depression, anxiety, posttraumatic stress, and hostility. Group-based modeling and moderation analyses are used to assess the influence of exposure to violence on mental health outcomes. The results demonstrate a moderating effect of psychosocial maturity and social support between exposure to community violence and adverse mental health consequences for youth on the stable low exposure trajectory. In addition, youth who experience stable high exposure to violence consistently suffer worse outcomes. The study contributes to the development of empirically derived profiles of serious youth offenders. While all of the youth in this study may face the stigma of being labeled as dangerous, some (particularly those on the chronic exposure trajectory) might find themselves in a situation where their psychological status exacerbates an already tenuous situation: reentry. Therefore, reentry services should better target the specific needs of this returning subgroup of serious youth offenders.
Phylogenetics and the Cohesion of Bacterial Genomes

Gene acquisition is an ongoing process in many bacterial genomes, contributing to adaptation and ecological diversification. Lateral gene transfer is considered the primary explanation for discordance among gene phylogenies and as an obstacle to reconstructing the tree of life. We measured the extent of phylogenetic conflict and alien-gene acquisition within quartets of sequenced genomes. Although comparisons of complete gene inventories indicate appreciable gain and loss of genes, orthologs available for phylogenetic reconstruction are consistent with a single tree.
Integration and Acculturation of Cooperative Behavior among Blackfoot Indian and Non-Indian Canadian Children

Teams of boys from an integrated elementary school played a game on the Madsen Cooperation Board which, while permitting either cooperative or competitive behavior, rewarded cooperative behavior. Indian teams, allwhite teams, and integrated teams all showed a similar pattern of behavior on the game. This pattern was markedly different from the behavior patterns which have been demonstrated for either Blackfoot or white children from nonintegrated schools. The behavior of all the groups from the integrated school was midway between that of nonintegrated white and Blackfoot children in terms of the frequency of cooperative responses. The data are discussed in terms of acculturation and the effects of integrated schooling.
Japanese Women: Constraint and Fulfillment

situations, to become more Japanese than the Japanese themselves. Although Dalby believes otherwise, it is unlikely that she became the quintessential geisha. Hence, her repeated insistence that she became one in body and spirit is unconvincing. This leads us to question her reliability overall. If she cannot recognize even so fundamental a fact as that, how can we be sure of her veracity on more minor points? I d o not object to her trying to become a geisha-learning by doing is an ancient and honorable method of d i scovery4 only object to her assertion that she has succeeded. Overall the book is qu i te well wri t ten. Dalby does a fine job of substituting description for Japanese words, so the text isn’t littered with them (cg., p. 284) but she sometimes slips into cuteness. Geisha would be a valuable resource for those investigating the relationship between theater and culture; it is less useful for those concerned with gender or with the structure of contemporary Japanese society .
Role of Psychological Skills Training in Increasing Athletic Pain Tolerance

Endurance athletes have indicated that the ability to tolerate high levels of athletic pain accounted for much of their success (Egan, 1987). This study examined the role of stress inoculation training (SIT) in increasing athletic pain tolerance on an isometric quadriceps task. Athletes (N = 45) from the sports of rowing, cycling, and triathlon completed the study, which consisted of performing a wall sit for as long as possible in a pretest-posttest control group design. The results indicated that subjects receiving training in SIT significantly increased their tolerance time on the wall sit, F(4, 84) = 2.51, p < . 048, as compared to the control. Consistent with other research (Vallis, 1984), there was no difference between subjects who received training in SIT and those who received training in only one component of SIT. The results suggest that SIT may assist athletes in tolerating higher levels of athletic pain during training and competition.
Treatment of acute exacerbations of asthma in adults

INTRODUCTION — The best strategy for management of acute exacerbations of asthma is early recognition and intervention, before attacks become severe and potentially life-threatening. Detailed investigations into the circumstances surrounding fatal asthma have frequently revealed failures on the part of both patients and clinicians to recognize the severity of the disease and to intensify treatment appropriately [1].
Sustainability of motor performance after robotic-assisted treadmill therapy in children: an open, non-randomized baseline-treatment study.

AIM The aim of the study was to investigate the sustainability of motor improvements achieved after a three week trial of robotic assisted treadmill therapy in children and adolescents with central gait disorders within a follow up period of about six months. METHODS Open, non-randomized, baseline-treatment study. Fourteen patients (mean age 8.2+/-5.4) underwent a trial of 12 sessions of robotic-assisted treadmill therapy using the Lokomat over a period of three weeks. Outcome measures were the dimensions D (standing) and E (walking) of the Gross Motor Function Measure, the ten meter walking test and the six minute walking test. Outcome variables were evaluated immediately before and after the trial and at a follow up of about six months. RESULTS Improvements after the trial in the dimension D from 49.5% to 54.4% (P=0.008) and from 38.9% to 42.3% (P=0.012) in the dimension E of the GMFM were seen and are within the same range of previously published results. The mean score at the follow up after six months was 56.8% and 43.3% for dimension D and E, respectively. Gait speed improved from 0.80 m/s to 1.01 m/s (P=0.006) after the trial and was 1.11 m/s at the follow-up visit at six months. Similar results were obtained for endurance. CONCLUSION The improvements of motor function after a three-week trial of robotic-assisted treadmill therapy appear to be sustained after a mean period of six months.
Nectar, not colour, may lure insects to their death

We experimentally demonstrate in the field that prey of the carnivorous plant Sarracenia purpurea are attracted to sugar, not to colour. Prey capture (either all taxa summed or individual common taxa considered separately) was not associated with total red area or patterning on pitchers of living pitcher plants. We separated effects of nectar availability and coloration using painted ‘pseudopitchers’, half of which were coated with sugar solution. Unsugared pseudopitchers captured virtually no prey, whereas pseudopitchers with sugar solution captured the same amount of prey as living pitchers. In contrast to a recent study that associated red coloration with prey capture but that lacked controls for nectar availability, we infer that nectar, not colour, is the primary means by which pitcher plants attract prey.