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For comparison of one-, three-, and four-factor structures of the Indecision scale of the Career Decision Scale, results of confirmatory factor analysis (N = 686) indicated the best fit for the three-factor structure. Multiple regression analysis results indicated incremental validity of the five-factor model for predicting dimensions of career indecision. (Contains 3 tables.)

Social cognitive theory includes a model for understanding adjustment with specific domains of the college experience. We examined the utility of the constructs of this model for predicting academic adjustment [...]

The article highlights the development of an epilepsy transition clinic, including identification of barriers and facilitators of developing specialty transition clinics between a children's and adult hospital. It focuses on development of the epilepsy transition clinic includes both a large urban pediatric hospital and separate university-affiliated adult hospital.

Introduction: This study aimed to identify infections in patients with myasthenia gravis, dermatomyositis, and chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy, and to investigate the relationship between infection and immunomodulation.Methods: A retrospective chart review examined 631 patients with myasthenia gravis (n = 358), chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy (n = 124), and dermatomyositis (n = 149) patients over a 10-year time period.Results: Infection rates were similar at approximately 19% in all 3 diseases. Of the infections in which a causative organism was identified, pneumonia, sepsis, and opportunistic infections were the leading diagnoses. A multivariate model demonstrated a significant association between infection and an increased dose of plasma exchange, mycophenolate mofetil, and corticosteroid therapy.Discussion: There are few large studies investigating rates of infections in patients with autoimmune neuromuscular disorders and the relationship to immunomodulation. This study not only demonstrates the remarkably similar infection rates across the 3 diseases studied, but also shows their relationship to commonly used immunotherapies. Muscle Nerve 57: 927-931, 2018. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Delivery of genes to the brain and spinal cord across the blood-brain barrier (BBB) has not yet been achieved. Here we show that adeno-associated virus (AAV) 9 injected intravenously bypasses the BBB and efficiently targets cells of the central nervous system (CNS). Injection of AAV9-GFP into neonatal mice through the facial vein results in extensive transduction of dorsal root ganglia and motor neurons throughout the spinal cord and widespread transduction of neurons throughout the brain, including the neocortex, hippocampus and cerebellum. In adult mice, tail vein injection of AAV9-GFP leads to robust transduction of astrocytes throughout the entire CNS, with limited neuronal transduction. This approach may enable the development of gene therapies for a range of neurodegenerative diseases, such as spinal muscular atrophy, through targeting of motor neurons, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, through targeting of astrocytes. It may also be useful for rapid postnatal genetic manipulations in basic neuroscience studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction The prevalence of epilepsy (EP) in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) is three to six times that of the prevalence in the general adult population. The mechanism resulting in an increased seizure risk is unclear. Seizures have been noted to occur prior to or during initial MS attack or relapses while others occur during progressive phases of MS, perhaps suggesting separate etiologies and treatment needs. Some preliminary evidence suggests a higher cortical-subcortical lesion load in MS/EP patients or increased cortical damage with more rapid accumulation of physical and cognitive disability. More recently, MRI studies have shown more severe damage of the temporal lobe in MS/EP patients compared to general MS patients. Demographically, MS/EP patients have been reported as having an earlier age of onset of MS and more rapid progression to disability. All types of seizures have been reported with studies reporting over 60% with partial component. Secondarily generalized seizures have been reported as the most common type. Generally, EP prognosis for MS/EP patients is thought to be good, although some research contradicts this with a high rate of status epilepticus that was often repeated and sometimes resulted in death. Specific treatment parameters and duration of antiepileptic treatment remains undefined. Due to a high rate of status epilepticus, initiation of antiepileptic medication after the first seizure has been proposed. Methods In this single center retrospective chart review we aimed to characterize patients with MS and seizures regarding timing of diagnoses, type of MS, type of seizure, subcortical versus cortical EEG findings, frequency of status epilepticus and seizure freedom. A secondary aim was to determine if there were predicting factors for eventual seizure freedom or status epilepticus. Cases were obtained via DataDirect from the University of Michigan electronic medical record from January 1, 2006 through October, 12, 2016 using EP and MS ICD9 and 10 codes. Results Thus far, 64 patients met inclusion criteria, 33% male. Average age of MS onset was 34 years of age and average age of seizure onset was 39 years of age. Focal seizures with or without secondary generalization were most common (12% with evidence of temporal etiology). Percent of status epilepticus was 28%. Of patients with EEG data, 52% showed evidence of cortical involvement. Conclusion In patients with MS and seizures, a high percentage of status epilepticus was noted. More than half of EEGs showed evidence of cortical involvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examined career indecision and college adjustment in a sample of first-year students (N = 180). Indecision scores and five-factor measures were combined to identify three clusters of students who varied in degree of indecision. One indecision cluster was characterized by high neuroticism, low extraversion, conscientiousness, and agreeableness, in addition to poor college adjustment and self-efficacy for learning The second indecision cluster was average in personality profile, college adjustment, and self-efficacy: however it experienced greater positive choice conflict as a source of career indecision. The third cluster was career-decided, well-adjusted, with high conscientiousness and low openness to experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]