Some aspects of the social adjustment of patients with multiple sclerosis.

Thesis (M.S.)--Boston Universit

Generating AI Alternatives: Collaborating and creating intersections

May 2024 finds us eighteen months on since the release into the wild of unregulated generative AI models and their chatbot front-ends. While Higher Education (HE) has been playing catch-up in terms of policy and regulation (e.g. Russell Group 2023, Conrad 2023, EU 2022), those who work in higher education have been grappling with the consequences for learning, teaching, assessment, and research on the ground. Between the hype from big tech on the one hand, and a sense of despair on the other, alternative, critical and ethical activities have begun to emerge (Bender et al., 2021; Bozkurt, A. et al., 2023; Conrad, 2023; Fischer et al., 2023; Nerantzi et al., 2023; Rahm, 2023). This workshop explores these alternatives both as concept and method

What children want to know about their world.

Thesis (Ed.M.)--Boston Universit

Copulation defective mutants of C. elegans

To identify genes involved in male copulatory behavior, we carried out an F2 clonal screen in a him-5 mutant background. We identified 20 mutations that affect male mating behavior without causing gross defects in morphology. ​ Male mating in C. elegans comprises at least five steps (Liu and Sternberg, 1995). (l) The male responds to the hermaphrodite by backing his tail along the length of the hermaphrodite, (2) he turns over or under her body before reaching the head or tail, (3) he locates the vulva with his tail, at which point he stops backing, (4) he inserts his spicules into the vulva, and (5) he transfers sperm. To study the genetic basis for male mating behavior, we are isolating and characterizing Copulation Defective (Cod) mutations. We screened for mutant strains defective in this behavior using the screen described by Hodgkin (1983). him-5(e1490) worms are mutagenized with ethyl methane sulfonate (EMS); 20 P0 L4 hermaphrodites are picked singly to Petri plates; ten F1 worms are picked per mutagenized P0; and ten F2 L4 hermaphrodites are singled per P0 and their male progeny tested for mating efficiency via a qualitative mating test (six males crossed with six unc-52(e444) hermaphrodites, which are paralyzed at adulthood (Brenner, 1974). Mutants with phenotypes that are likely to reduce mating efficiency in a non-specific manner (such as those causing an Unc, Dpy, or Lon phenotype) were discarded. Those strains that appear morphologically normal under the dissecting microscope yet fail to mate or mate at a very low efficiency (1-5% cross progeny compared to wild type) were screened under Nomarski optics for defects in male reproductive structures. We screened over 3000 haploid genomes, and picked over 100 strains with reproduction defects. Nineteen strains were successfully backcrossed, which represents about 25% of the total strains attempted. This result suggests that most strains harbor two or more mutations that contribute to the mating-deficiency defect. Preliminary analysis of behavior suggests that every major step in the wild-type mating pathway has at least one corresponding Cod mutation blocking the behavior, with several mutations blocking at the spicule insertion step. The screen also yielded morphological mutants, whose phenotypes include crumpled spicules, abnormal rays, and a gonad migration defect; some of these will be described elsewhere (Chamberlin & Sternberg; micropublication in preparation)

Arctic Ocean benthic foraminifera Mg/Ca ratios and global Mg/Ca-temperature calibrations: New constraints at low temperatures

We explore the use of Mg/Ca ratios in six Arctic Ocean benthic foraminifera species as bottom water palaeothermometers and expand published Mg/Ca-temperature calibrations to the coldest bottom temperatures (<1 °C). Foraminifera were analyzed in surface sediments at 27 sites in the Chukchi Sea, East Siberian Sea, Laptev Sea, Lomonosov Ridge and Petermann Fjord. The sites span water depths of 52–1157 m and bottom water temperatures (BWT) of −1.8 to +0.9 °C. Benthic foraminifera were alive at time of collection, determined from Rose Bengal (RB) staining. Three infaunal and three epifaunal species were abundant enough for Mg/Ca analysis. As predicted by theory and empirical evidence, cold water Arctic Ocean benthic species produce low Mg/Ca ratios, the exception being the porcelaneous species Quinqueloculina arctica. Our new data provide important constraints at the cold end (<1 °C) when added to existing global datasets. The refined calibrations based on the new and published global data appear best supported for the infaunal species Nonionella labradorica (Mg/Ca = 1.325 ± 0.01 × e^(0.065 ± 0.01 × BWT), r2 = 0.9), Cassidulina neoteretis (Mg/Ca = 1.009 ± 0.02 × e^(0.042 ± 0.01 × BWT), r2 = 0.6) and Elphidium clavatum (Mg/Ca = 0.816 ± 0.06 + 0.125 ± 0.05 × BWT, r2 = 0.4). The latter is based on the new Arctic data only. This suggests that Arctic Ocean infaunal taxa are suitable for capturing at least relative and probably semi-quantitative past changes in BWT. Arctic Oridorsalis tener Mg/Ca data are combined with existing O. umbonatus Mg/Ca data from well saturated core-tops from other regions to produce a temperature calibration with minimal influence of bottom water carbonate saturation state (Mg/Ca = 1.317 ± 0.03 × e^(0.102 ± 0.01 BWT), r2 = 0.7). The same approach for Cibicidoides wuellerstorfi yields Mg/Ca = 1.043 ± 0.03 × e^(0.118 ± 0.1 BWT), r2 = 0.4. Mg/Ca ratios of the porcelaneous epifaunal species Q. arctica show a clear positive relationship between Mg/Ca and Δ[CO32−] indicating that this species is not suitable for Mg/Ca-palaeothermometry at low temperatures, but may be useful in reconstructing carbonate system parameters through time

Sexual selection, automata and ethics in George Eliot's The Mill on the Floss and Olive Schreiner's Undine and From Man to Man

This paper brings together two related areas of debate in the latter half of the nineteenth century. The first concerns how the courtship plot of the nineteenth-century novel responded to, and helped to shape, scientific ideas of sexual competition and selection. In The Mill on the Floss (1860), George Eliot strikingly prefigures Darwin's later work on sexual selection, drawing from her own extensive knowledge of the wider debates within which evolutionary theory developed. Maggie Tulliver's characterisation allows Eliot to explore the ethical complexities raised by an increasingly powerful scientific naturalism, where biology is seen to be embedded within morality in newly specific ways. The second strand of the paper examines the extension of scientific method to human mind and motivation which constituted the new psychology. It argues that there are crucial continuities of long-established ethical and religious ideas within this increasingly naturalistic view of human mind and motivation. The contention that such ideas persist and are transformed, rather than simply jettisoned, is illustrated through the example of Thomas Henry Huxley's 1874 essay on automata. Turning finally to focus on Olive Schreiner's Undine (1929) and From Man to Man (1926), the paper explores the importance of these persistent ethical and religious ideas in two novels which remained unpublished during her lifetime. It argues that they produce both difficulty and opportunity for imagining love plots within the context of increasingly assertive biological and naturalistic accounts of human beings

Accuracy of a computer vision system for estimating biomechanical measures of body function in axial spondyloarthropathy patients and healthy subjects

Objective: Advances in computer vision make it possible to combine low-cost cameras with algorithms, enabling biomechanical measures of body function and rehabilitation programs to be performed anywhere. We evaluated a computer vision system's accuracy and concurrent validity for estimating clinically relevant biomechanical measures. Design: Cross-sectional study. Setting: Laboratory. Participants: Thirty-one healthy participants and 31 patients with axial spondyloarthropathy. Intervention: A series of clinical functional tests (including the gold standard Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Metrology Index tests). Each test was performed twice: the first performance was recorded with a camera, and a computer vision algorithm was used to estimate variables. During the second performance, a clinician measured the same variables manually. Main measures: Joint angles and inter-limb distances. Clinician measures were compared with computer vision estimates. Results: For all tests, clinician and computer vision estimates were correlated (r2 values: 0.360–0.768). There were no significant mean differences between methods for shoulder flexion (left: 2 ± 14° (mean ± standard deviation), t = 0.99, p < 0.33; right: 3 ± 15°, t = 1.57, p < 0.12), side flexion (left: − 0.5 ± 3.1 cm, t = −1.34, p = 0.19; right: 0.5 ± 3.4 cm, t = 1.05, p = 0.30) and lumbar flexion ( − 1.1 ± 8.2 cm, t = −1.05, p = 0.30). For all other movements, significant differences were observed, but could be corrected using a systematic offset. Conclusion: We present a computer vision approach that estimates distances and angles from clinical movements recorded with a phone or webcam. In the future, this approach could be used to monitor functional capacity and support physical therapy management remotely

Online therapy with families ‐ what can families tell us about how to do this well? A qualitative study assessing families’ experience of remote Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy compared to face-to-face therapy

Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy (DDP) is a family-based therapy for adopted children aiming to achieve secure attachment between the child and parent. Due to restrictions under the COVID-19 pandemic, delivery of DDP transitioned from face-to-face to online methods. This study aimed to explore families experience of online DDP compared to face-to-face DDP, looking at the advantages and disadvantages of remote delivery methods and the implications this has on future service delivery for clinicians. Semi-structured interviews with 6 families were conducted online. Analysis of transcripts using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) revealed four superordinate themes: environment and child engagement, non-verbal communication, travel and familiarity with remote interactions. Parents recognised the influence the physical and online environment had on their child’s engagement levels, however, varied in their experience and hence preference of delivery method. All families emphasised the importance of non-verbal communication within DDP sessions and majority highlighted this may be lost online. For families who travelled to face-to-face DDP, car journeys provided a unique opportunity to decompress and reflect after sessions. For families where travel is unfeasible, online DDP was a lifeline, demonstrating the ability of remote therapy to widen access to specialist healthcare. Familiarity with online work emerged as a strong indicator of positive attitudes towards remote DDP, especially if the previous experience is positive and the child is confident using technology. Overall, families differed greatly in their experience of remote and face-to-face DDP indicating a new approach must be undertaken with each family beginning therapy, ensuring it is unique and individual to their needs

Validity and feasibility of remote measurement systems for functional movement and posture assessments in people with axial spondylarthritis

Introduction: This study aimed to estimate the criterion validity of functional movement and posture measurement using remote technology systems in people with and without Axial spondylarthritis (axSpA). Methods: Validity and agreement of the remote-technology measurement of functional movement and posture were tested cross-sectionally and compared to a standard clinical measurement by a physiotherapist. The feasibility of remote implementation was tested in a home environment. There were two cohorts of participants: people with axSpA and people without longstanding back pain. In addition, a cost-consequence analysis was performed. Results: Sixty-two participants (31 with axSPA, 53% female, age = 45(SD14), BMI = 26.6(SD4.6) completed the study. In the axSpA group, cervical rotation, lumbar flexion, lumbar side flexion, shoulder flexion, hip abduction, tragus-to-wall and thoracic kyphosis showed a significant moderate to strong correlation; in the non-back pain group, the same measures showed significant correlation ranging from weak to strong. Conclusions: Although not valid for clinical use in its current form, the remote technologies demonstrated moderate to strong correlation and agreement in most functional and postural tests measured in people with AxSA. Testing the CV-aided system in a home environment suggests it is a safe and feasible method. Yet, validity testing in this environment still needs to be performed