The Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Data Center (fMRIDC): the challenges and rewards of large-scale databasing of neuroimaging studies.

The Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Data Center (fMRIDC) (http://www.fmridc.org) was established in the Autumn of 1999 with the objective of creating a mechanism by which members of the neuroscientific community may more easily share functional neuroimaging data. Examples in other sciences offer proof of the usefulness and benefit that sharing data provides through encouraging growth and development in those fields. By building a publicly accessible repository of raw data from peer-reviewed studies, the Data Center hopes to create a similarly successful environment for the neurosciences. In this article, we discuss the continuum of data-sharing efforts and provide an overview of the scientific and practical difficulties inherent in managing various fMRI data-sharing approaches. Next, we detail the organization, design and foundation of the fMRIDC, ranging from its current capabilities to the issues involved in the submitting and requesting of data. We discuss how a publicly accessible database enables other fields to develop relevant tools that can aid in the growth of understanding of cognitive processes. Information retrieval and meta-analytic techniques can be used to search, sort and categorize study information with a view towards subjecting study data to secondary 'meta-' and 'mega-analyses'. In addition, we detail the technical and policy challenges that have had to be addressed in the formation of the Data Center. Among others, these include: human subject confidentiality issues; ensuring investigator's rights; heterogeneous data description and organization; development of search tools; and data transfer issues. We conclude with comments concerning the future of the fMRIDC effort, its role in promoting the sharing of neuroscientific data, and how this may alter the manner in which studies are published.

The development of a Pharmacy Student Work Values Inventory (PSWVI).

The purpose of this study was to develop an instrument that measures pharmacy student work values. The instrument was included in a questionnaire mailed to 1,820 pharmacy students who had just graduated or were in their last year of pharmacy school from 19 schools of pharmacy nationwide. A total of 738 questionnaires were deemed usable for a usable rate of 41.5 percent. After Varimax factor analysis, eleven reliable factors emerged: Quality Patient Care; Supervision and Company Policy; Work Creativity/Variety; Status; Management/Leadership; Economic Return; Work Schedule; Family Responsibilities; Job Security; Co-worker Relationships; and Policies and Procedures. "Job Security," "Family Responsibilities," and "Patient Care" were rated least and negatively important respectively. There were no differences between BS and PharmD degree aspirants on the eleven factors; however, there were some significant differences between sexes. Women rated "Supervision and Company Policy" and "Quality Patient Care" higher than men. Men did not negatively value "Work Schedule" as much as women did, i.e., women preferred to work traditional, weekday hours.

Evoked potential abnormalities in myotonic dystrophy.

Past investigators have reported evidence of central nervous system involvement in myotonic dystrophy (MYD), including EEG abnormalities, ventricular enlargement, thalamic inclusion bodies, and impaired tests of cognitive function. Brain stem auditory evoked potentials have not been reported in myotonic dystrophy. We report the results of brain stem auditory (BAEP) and median nerve somatosensory (MSSEP) evoked potentials in 15 patients with MYD (9 males, 6 females, mean age = 35.8 +/- 11.4 years). BAEPs were abnormal in 53.3% (P less than 0.05). Four patients had abnormal wave I-III interwave latencies, 3 had abnormal wave III-V latencies, and 1 patient had both wave I-III and wave III-V latencies prolonged. MSSEPs were abnormal in 13.3% (P N.S.). Both patients showed a delay of the P15-N19 thalamic complex. Both patients had a normal clinical sensory examination and normal peripheral nerve conduction. No correlation was found between abnormal evoked potentials and patient age. A sex difference, however, was noted with 8/9 males having one or more abnormal evoked potentials compared with 0/6 females. Though our finding of abnormal MSSEPs was not statistically significant, both patients showed delay at the thalamic level, where pathology has been described. Abnormal ocular pursuit and sluggish pupillary reaction have implicated brain stem involvement in MYD. The abnormal BAEPs at the level of the pons and midbrain in this study provide neurophysiological evidence of brain stem pathology in MYD.

Neuropsychological findings in myotonic dystrophy.

Although the literature contains several references to clinically apparent cognitive deficits in patients with myotonic dystrophy (MYD), efforts to support these observations with formal testing have been lacking. The current study compared 17 MYD patients with 25 normal controls on an expanded Halstead-Reitan Battery. The MYD group scored worse than the controls on nearly every neuropsychological measure. Significant neuropsychological impairment was present even when tests of motor skills were excluded. There was no relationship between general neuropsychological impairment and degree of weakness, myotonia, or muscle atrophy in the MYD patients. These findings suggest that cognitive impairment can be an important and relatively independent component of the disability in MYD, which should be considered in the clinical evaluation and counselling of persons with this disease.