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One of the great challenges for evolutionary psychology has been to explain within-sex individual variation in mating behaviour. Several lines of evidence suggest that some of this variation stems from an adaptation for facultatively increasing or decreasing long- and short-term mating inclinations in response to circumstances. It remains unclear, however, how rapidly such changes can occur, and what stimuli might initiate them. This paper presents three experiments that investigate mating strategy change following exposure to the evolutionarily-relevant stimuli of parental care, resource-abundance, and danger. In each experiment, participants indicated their preferred relationship type (long-term, short-term, or none) for each of fifty other-sex individuals, both before and after priming. Relative to a control group, relationship preferences changed in all three experiments, in directions generally consistent with evolutionary psychological predictions. Moreover, short- and long-term relationship preferences were found to shift independently, such that a change in long-term preference was not accompanied by an opposite change in short-term, or vice versa. Together, these experiments represent the first direct test of the claim that brief interventions can shift the relative strength of people's preferences for long-term and short-term relationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives To describe the prevalence and cumulative incidence of secondary complications of spinal cord injury (SCI) in the first year after discharge from inpatient rehabilitation (IR); and to evaluate potential associations between risk of complications and sociodemographic and injury-specific factors. Design Secondary analysis of data collected for a single-site, single-blind, randomized controlled trial comparing telephone follow-up with usual care. Setting Inpatient rehabilitation units. Participants Adults ages ≥18 years (N=169) within 1 year of discharge from IR after SCI. Interventions Not applicable. Main Outcome Measures Self-report of 10 secondary complications of SCI. Results Participants experienced a mean of 4.7 complications over 12 months. The most frequently reported complications were urinary tract infection (UTI), autonomic dysreflexia (AD), and pressure ulcers, with cumulative incidences of 62%, 43%, and 41%, respectively. Bone and soft tissue injuries (cumulative incidence, 35%) and bowel problems, including impaction or severe constipation (cumulative incidence, 33%), were also common. Cumulative incidences of AD, decubitus ulcers, UTI, and problems with bladder were greater in participants with higher level and more complete injuries, and some recurrent complications were common. Age at injury and impairment level significantly affected rates of complications, and subjects developed an average of 2.33 distinct complications during the study period. Conclusions People with SCI are at high risk for a number of secondary complications over the first year after discharge from IR. Although these data offer some insight into who with SCI is at highest risk for first time and recurrent complications, further study is needed to refine this understanding and to develop effective educational and prevention strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relative lengths of the index and ring fingers (2D:4D), as well as the directional asymmetry between the right and left hands [D(R–L)], are putative measures of prenatal sex hormone exposure. The 2D:4D ratio has been associated with a number of personality traits including neuroticism, agreeableness, extraversion, and openness to experience. The current study therefore aimed to build on these findings by investigating 2D:4D in relation to Rotter’s (1966) Locus of Control Questionnaire (LoCQ). Significant positive correlations were observed between LoCQ scores in females and right hand 2D:4D and D(R–L), though no such relationships emerged in males. The findings suggest that differences in concentration and/or sensitivity to prenatal sex hormones may play a role in the development of an individual’s locus of control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Objectives: To identify from whom individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) seek health care, the percentage who receive preventative care screenings, and the frequency and types of barriers they encounter when accessing primary and specialty care services; and to examine how sociodemographic factors affect access to care and receipt of preventative screenings. Design: Cross-sectional, observational study using an Internet-based survey. Setting: Internet based. Participants: Adults (N=108) with SCI who use a wheelchair as their primary means of mobility in the community. Interventions: Not applicable. Main Outcome Measures: Health care utilization during the past year, barriers encountered when accessing health care facilities, and receipt of routine care and preventative screenings. Results: All but 1 participant had visited a primary care provider within the past 12 months, and 85% had had ≥1 visit to specialty care providers. Accessibility barriers were encountered during both primary care (91.1%) and specialty care (80.2%) visits; most barriers were clustered in the examination room. The most prevalent barriers were inaccessible examination tables (primary care=76.9%; specialty care=51.4%) and lack of transfer aids (primary care=69.4%; specialty care=60.8%). Most participants had not been weighed during their visit (89%) and had remained seated in their wheelchair during their examinations (85.2%). Over one third of individuals aged ≥50 years had not received a screening colonoscopy, 60% of women aged ≥50 years had not had a mammogram within the past year, 39.58% of women had not received a Papanicolaou smear within the previous 3 years, and only 45.37% of respondents had ever received bone density testing. Conclusions: Individuals with SCI face remediable obstacles to care and receive fewer preventative care screenings than their nondisabled counterparts. We recommend that clinics conduct Americans with Disabilities Act self-assessments, ensure that their clinical staff are properly trained in assisting individuals with mobility disabilities, and take a proactive approach in discussing preventative care screenings with their patients who have SCI. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Tulsky DS, Jette AM, Kisala PA, Kalpakjian C, Dijkers MP, Whiteneck G, Ni P, Kirshblum S, Charlifue S, Heinemann AW, Forchheimer M, Slavin MD, Houlihan B, Tate DG, Dyson-Hudson T, Fyffe D, Williams S, Zanca J. Spinal Cord Injury-Functional Index: item banks to measure physical functioning in individuals with spinal cord injury. Objectives: To develop a comprehensive set of patient-reported items to assess multiple aspects of physical functioning relevant to the lives of people with spinal cord injury (SCI), and to evaluate the underlying structure of physical functioning. Design: Cross-sectional. Setting: Inpatient and community. Participants: Item pools of physical functioning were developed, refined, and field tested in a large sample of individuals (N=855) with traumatic SCI stratified by diagnosis, severity, and time since injury. Interventions: None. Main Outcome Measure: Spinal Cord Injury-Functional Index (SCI-FI) measurement system. Results: Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) indicated that a 5-factor model, including basic mobility, ambulation, wheelchair mobility, self-care, and fine motor function, had the best model fit and was most closely aligned conceptually with feedback received from individuals with SCI and SCI clinicians. When just the items making up basic mobility were tested in CFA, the fit statistics indicated strong support for a unidimensional model. Similar results were demonstrated for each of the other 4 factors, indicating unidimensional models. Conclusions: Though unidimensional or 2-factor (mobility and upper extremity) models of physical functioning make up outcomes measures in the general population, the underlying structure of physical function in SCI is more complex. A 5-factor solution allows for comprehensive assessment of key domain areas of physical functioning. These results informed the structure and development of the SCI-FI measurement system of physical functioning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Jette AM, Tulsky DS, Ni P, Kisala PA, Slavin MD, Dijkers MP, Heinemann AW, Tate DG, Whiteneck G, Charlifue S, Houlihan B, Williams S, Kirshblum S, Dyson-Hudson T, Zanca J, Fyffe D. Development and initial evaluation of the Spinal Cord Injury-Functional Index. Objectives: To describe the calibration of the Spinal Cord Injury-Functional Index (SCI-FI) and report on the initial psychometric evaluation of the SCI-FI scales in each content domain. Design: Cross-sectional survey followed by calibration data simulations. Setting: Inpatient and community settings. Participants: A sample of participants (N=855) with traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) recruited from 6 SCI Model Systems and stratified by diagnosis, severity, and time since injury. Interventions: None. Main Outcome Measure: SCI-FI instrument. Results: Item response theory analyses confirmed the unidimensionality of 5 SCI-FI scales: basic mobility (54 items), fine motor function (36 items), self-care (90 items), ambulation (39 items), and wheelchair mobility (56 items). All SCI-FI scales revealed strong psychometric properties. High correlations of scores on simulated computer adaptive testing (CAT) with the overall SCI-FI domain scores indicated excellent potential for CAT to accurately characterize functional profiles of adults with SCI. Overall, there was very little loss of measurement reliability or precision using CAT compared with the full item bank; however, there was some loss of reliability and precision at the lower and upper ranges of each scale, corresponding to regions where there were few questions in the item banks. Conclusions: Initial evaluation revealed that the SCI-FI achieved considerable breadth of coverage in each content domain and demonstrated acceptable psychometric properties. The use of CAT to administer the SCI-FI will minimize assessment burden, while allowing for the comprehensive assessment of the functional abilities of adults with SCI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a neurovascular phenomenon modulated by hormonal, local biochemical, and biomechanical/structural factors of the penis. The success of the orally active phosphodiesterase inhibitors for the treatment of ED has boosted research activities into the physiology of the erectile mechanism. Peripheral intracellular signal transduction in the penis as well as central brain and spinal cord pathways controlling penile erection have been investigated and are now better understood. The results of this ongoing research have provided the basis for the development and introduction of several novel therapeutic modalities into the management of ED. Many novel pharmacotherapeutic approaches under development including the use of melanocortins and Rho-kinase inhibitors as well as the introduction of gene therapy and tissue engineering have demonstrated efficacy in animal as well as early human trials. This review describes the major new and evolving pharmacological advances in the field of oral pharmacotherapy for the treatment of male ED. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: McClure LA, Boninger ML, Oyster ML, Williams S, Houlihan B, Lieberman JA, Cooper RA. Wheelchair repairs, breakdown, and adverse consequences for people with traumatic spinal cord injury. Objectives: To investigate the frequency of repairs that occurred in a 6-month period and the consequences of breakdowns on wheelchair users living with spinal cord injuries (SCIs), and to determine whether certain wheelchair and subject characteristics are associated with an increased number of repairs and adverse consequences. Design: Convenience sample survey. Setting: Sixteen Model Spinal Cord Injury Systems Centers that are part of the national database funded through the Department of Education, National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research. Participants: People with SCI who use a wheelchair for more than 40h/wk (N=2213). Intervention: Not applicable. Main Outcome Measures: The frequency of wheelchair repairs and occurrence of adverse consequences caused by a wheelchair breakdown in a 6-month period. Results: Within a 6-month period, 44.8% of full-time wheelchair users completed a repair, and 8.7% had an adverse consequence occur. People who use power wheelchairs required significantly more repairs (P<.001), and adverse consequences occurred more frequently (P<.001) compared with manual wheelchair users. The presence of power seat functions, and a person''s occupational status or sex did not influence the number of repairs or adverse consequences. Conclusions: Frequent repairs and breakdown can negatively impact a person''s life by decreasing community participation and threatening health and safety. Mandatory compliance with the American National Standards Institute and the Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology Society of North America standards, changes in insurance reimbursement policy, and patient and clinician education are necessary to reduce the number of repairs and adverse consequences that occur. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Goodman N, Jette AM, Houlihan B, Williams S. Computer and internet use by persons after traumatic spinal cord injury. Objective: To determine whether computer and internet use by persons post spinal cord injury (SCI) is sufficiently prevalent and broad-based to consider using this technology as a long-term treatment modality for patients who have sustained SCI. Design: A multicenter cohort study. Setting: Twenty-six past and current U.S. regional Model Spinal Cord Injury Systems. Participants: Patients with traumatic SCI (N=2926) with follow-up interviews between 2004 and 2006, conducted at 1 or 5 years postinjury. Interventions: Not applicable. Results: Results revealed that 69.2% of participants with SCI used a computer; 94.2% of computer users accessed the internet. Among computer users, 19.1% used assistive devices for computer access. Of the internet users, 68.6% went online 5 to 7 days a week. The most frequent use for internet was e-mail (90.5%) and shopping sites (65.8%), followed by health sites (61.1%). We found no statistically significant difference in computer use by sex or level of neurologic injury, and no difference in internet use by level of neurologic injury. Computer and internet access differed significantly by age, with use decreasing as age group increased. The highest computer and internet access rates were seen among participants injured before the age of 18. Computer and internet use varied by race: 76% of white compared with 46% of black subjects were computer users (P<.001), and 95.3% of white respondents who used computers used the internet, compared with 87.6% of black respondents (P<.001). Internet use increased with education level (P<.001): eighty-six percent of participants who did not graduate from high school or receive a degree used the internet, while over 97% of those with a college or associate''s degree did. Conclusions: While the internet holds considerable potential as a long-term treatment modality after SCI, limited access to the internet by those who are black, those injured after age 18, and those with less education does reduce its usefulness in the short term for these subgroups. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Objectives: To review the worldwide experience with cryoablation of small renal tumors. Methods: A systematic review was made of all English language publications on cryoablation of renal tumors as well as partial nephrectomy, radiofrequency ablation and high intensity focused ultrasound published prior to September 2006. The literature was reviewed and the findings analyzed. Results: Data from basic science and clinical trials supports renal cryoablation as a safe and effective method for treatment of small renal tumors. Clinical studies document less peri- and post-operative morbidity than laparoscopic partial nephrectomy. Basic science and clinical studies suggest superior efficacy with cryoablation as compared to radiofrequency ablation. Longer follow-up is needed before its true efficacy can be established. Conclusion: Laparoscopic renal cryoablation, though evolving, appears to be a reasonable alternative for the treatment of small renal tumors in selected patients. Meticulous long-term clinical and radiologic follow-up will be critical for determining local recurrence and cancer-free survival rates, to establish the ultimate role of renal cryoablation in the management of small renal tumors. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Evolutionary principles suggest that there will be differences in the nature of altruism directed toward kin vs. nonkin. The present study sought to explore these differences. Participants were 295 undergraduate students who each completed a questionnaire about help exchanged with siblings, cousins, acquaintances or friends. For siblings, cousins and acquaintances, greater relatedness was associated with higher levels of helping. Friends were an exception, however, receiving as much or more help than kin. Consistent with an evolutionary analysis, as the cost of helping increased, kin received a larger share of the help given, whereas nonkin received a smaller share. For low-cost help, people helped friends more than siblings; for medium-cost help, they helped siblings and friends equally; and for high-cost help, they expressed a greater willingness to help siblings than friends. As expected, the level of reciprocal exchange was higher among acquaintances than among friends; however, there was also an unexpectedly high level of reciprocal exchange among kin. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Asperger Syndrome (AS), a condition on the autistic spectrum, is characterized by deficits in the ability to use social cues to infer mental state information. Few studies have examined whether these deficits might be understood in terms of differences in visual information processing. The present study employed functional magnetic resonance imaging to examine differences in brain activity among individuals with AS while performing a task that typically leads to the automatic interpretation of human movement. Despite similar behavioural performance, significantly less activity was found for the AS group (relative to a control group) in inferior, middle and superior temporal regions, including the human analogue of MT+/V5. These data suggest that AS is associated with unique patterns of brain activity during the perception of visually presented social cues. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Balloon dilation is an effective method of percutaneous renal access, but it can be impossible in patients with perirenal scarring. We report the use of an atherotomy cutting balloon for dilation of the chronic nephrostomy tract. The ease of use makes this device a useful alternative to standard dilation techniques. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Early studies posited a relationship between sleep and the basal ganglia, but this relationship has received little attention recently. It is timely to revisit this relationship, given new insights into the functional anatomy of the basal ganglia and the physiology of sleep, which has been made possible by modern techniques such as chemogenetic and optogenetic mapping of neural circuits in rodents and intracranial recording, functional imaging, and a better understanding of human sleep disorders. We discuss the functional anatomy of the basal ganglia, and review evidence implicating their role in sleep. Whilst these studies are in their infancy, we suggest that the basal ganglia may play an integral role in the sleep-wake cycle, specifically by contributing to a thalamo-cortical-basal ganglia oscillatory network in slow-wave sleep which facilitates neural plasticity, and an active state during REM sleep which enables the enactment of cognitive and emotional networks. A better understanding of sleep mechanisms may pave the way for more effective neuromodulation strategies for sleep and basal ganglia disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous work in individuals with Anorexia Nervosa (AN) has demonstrated a range of psycho-social difficulties such as increased anxiety, depression, obsessive-compulsive symptoms, as well as difficulties in work and with interpersonal interactions. However, making inferences regarding the stability of these psycho-social difficulties from previous studies is challenging, due to lack of a control group and known frequentist statistical issues. 134 participants, 40 healthy controls (HC) and 94 participants with AN, completed self-reported measures designed to explore eating disorder concerns, body mass index, mood symptoms, work and social functioning as well as traits associated with autism at two time points, two years apart. A principal component analysis and Bayesian mixed effects models were used to build and explore group differences in bio-psychosocial profiles at time points. The Bayesian models demonstrated evidence for individuals with AN having higher scores for a component representing psycho-social difficulties and lower scores for a component representing biological difficulties compared to HC, at both time points. There was no evidence of a group difference for a component representing autism. Our results demonstrate that persistent psycho-social difficulties are a feature in individuals with AN. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Households are important for SARS-CoV-2 transmission due to high intensity exposure in enclosed spaces over prolonged durations. We quantified and characterized household clustering of COVID-19 cases in Fulton County, Georgia.Methods: We used surveillance data to identify all confirmed COVID-19 cases in Fulton County. Household clustered cases were defined as cases with matching residential address. We described the proportion of COVID-19 cases that were clustered, stratified by age over time and explore trends in age of first diagnosed case within households and subsequent household cases.Results: Between June 1, 2020 and October 31, 2021, 31,449(37%) of 106,233 cases were clustered in households. Children were the most likely to be in household clusters than any other age group. Initially, children were rarely (∼ 10%) the first cases diagnosed in the household but increased to almost 1 of 3 in later periods.Discussion: One-third of COVID-19 cases in Fulton County were part of a household cluster. Increasingly children were the first diagnosed case, coinciding with temporal trends in vaccine roll-out among the elderly and the return to in-person schooling in Fall 2021. Limitations include restrictions to cases with a valid address and unit number and that the first diagnosed case may not be the infection source for the household. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a 6-year-old girl with acute lymphoblastic leukemia who demonstrated on chest X-ray a radiopacity in the superior vena cava after removal of an implanted venous access device. This radiopacity was initially thought to be a retained catheter fragment. On review of previous imaging, we were able to document the temporal development of a calcified catheter cast as distinct from the catheter. This case represents a rare consequence of central venous catheterization in children. Knowledge of this finding as a possible complication may help avoid performance of unnecessary follow-up imaging or invasive procedures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• BPD and PTSD share numerous clinical and biological features. • BPD and PTSD share similarities in brain networks activation. • Overlap analyses revealed decreased activation in precuneus of both BPD and PTSD. Borderline personality disorder (BPD) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are common psychiatric disorders. The nature of the relationship between BPD and PTSD remains controversial, but it has been suggested that these disorders should brought closer because of their many similarities. We thus performed a quantitative meta-analysis of resting-state functional imaging to assess similarities in the brain activation across BPD and PTSD diagnostic groups. Overlap analyses revealed decreased activation in the left and right precuneus of both BPD and PTSD groups when compared to control subjects. BPD showed significant increased, but PTSD showed decreased activation, relative to control subjects, in the anterior cingulate/paracingulate gyri and in the left superior frontal gyrus. Complementary overlap analyses on a subgroup of studies with similar sex and age distribution partially confirmed the main results as the same pattern of functional activation in the anterior cingulate and in the left superior frontal gyrus were found. Our findings are in agreement with the hypothesis that BPD and PTSD share common neuropathological pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To describe a national effort to disseminate and implement an evidence-based collaborative care management model for patients with both depression and poorly controlled diabetes and/or cardiovascular disease across multiple, real-world diverse clinical practice sites. Methods Goals for the initiative were as follows: (1) to improve depression symptoms in 40% of patients, (2) to improve diabetes and hypertension control rates by 20%, (3) to increase provider satisfaction by 20%, (4) to improve patient satisfaction with their care by 20% and (5) to demonstrate cost savings. A Care Management Tracking System was used for collecting clinical care information to create performance measures for quality improvement while also assessing the overall accomplishment of these goals. Results The Care of Mental, Physical and Substance-use Syndromes (COMPASS) initiative spread an evidence-based collaborative care model among 18 medical groups and 172 clinics in eight states. We describe the initiative's evidence-base and methods for others to replicate our work. Conclusions The COMPASS initiative demonstrated that a diverse set of health care systems and other organizations can work together to rapidly implement an evidence-based care model for complex, hard-to-reach patients. We present this model as an example of how the time gap between research and practice can be reduced on a large scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective The spread of evidence-based care is an important challenge in healthcare. We evaluated spread of an evidence-based large-scale multisite collaborative care model for patients with depression and diabetes and/or cardiovascular disease (COMPASS). Methods Primary care patients with depression and comorbid diabetes or cardiovascular disease were recruited. Collaborative care teams used care management tracking systems and systematic case reviews to track and intensify treatment for patients not improving. Targeted outcomes were depression remission and response (assessed with the Patient Health Questionnaire-9) and control of diabetes (assessed by HbA1c) and blood pressure. Patients and clinicians were surveyed about satisfaction with care. Results Eighteen care systems and 172 clinics enrolled 3609 patients across the US. Of those with uncontrolled disease at enrollment, 40% achieved depression remission or response, 23% glucose control and 58% blood pressure control during a mean follow-up of 11 months. There were large variations in outcomes across medical groups. Patients and clinicians were satisfied with COMPASS care. Conclusions COMPASS was successfully spread across diverse care systems and demonstrated improved outcomes for complex patients with previously uncontrolled chronic disease. Future large-scale implementation projects should create robust processes to identify and reduce expected variation in implementation to consistently provide improved care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The unilaterally-lesioned 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) rat is one of the most commonly used experimental models of Parkinson’s disease (PD). Here we investigated whether magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) that is widely used in human PD research, has the potential to non-invasively detect macroscopic structural brain changes in the 6-OHDA rat in ways translatable to humans. Methods: We measured the gray matter (GM) composition in the unilateral 6-OHDA rat in comparison to sham animals using whole-brain voxel-based morphometry (VBM) – an unbiased MR image analysis technique. The number of nigral dopamine (DA) neurons and the density of their cortical projections were examined post-mortem using immunohistochemistry. Results: VBM revealed widespread bilateral changes in gray matter volume (GMV) on a topographic scale in the brains of 6-OHDA rats, compared to sham-operated rats. The greatest changes were in the lesioned hemisphere, which displayed reductions of GMV in motor, cingulate and somatosensory cortex. Histopathological results revealed dopaminergic cell loss in the substantia nigra (SN) and a denervation in the striatum, as well as in the frontal, somatosensory and cingulate cortices. Conclusion: Unilateral nigrostriatal 6-OHDA lesioning leads to widespread GMV changes, which extend beyond the nigrostriatal system and resemble advanced Parkinsonism. This study highlights the potential of structural MRI, and VBM in particular, for the system-level phenotyping of rodent models of Parkinsonism and provides a methodological framework for future studies in novel rodent models as they become available to the research community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]