Exploring Attitudes Toward "Sugar Relationships" Across 87 Countries: A Global Perspective on Exchanges of Resources for Sex and Companionship.

The current study investigates attitudes toward one form of sex for resources: the so-called sugar relationships, which often involve exchanges of resources for sex and/or companionship. The present study examined associations among attitudes toward sugar relationships and relevant variables (e.g., sex, sociosexuality, gender inequality, parasitic exposure) in 69,924 participants across 87 countries. Two self-report measures of Acceptance of Sugar Relationships (ASR) developed for younger companion providers (ASR-YWMS) and older resource providers (ASR-OMWS) were translated into 37 languages. We tested cross-sex and cross-linguistic construct equivalence, cross-cultural invariance in sex differences, and the importance of the hypothetical predictors of ASR. Both measures showed adequate psychometric properties in all languages (except the Persian version of ASR-YWMS). Results partially supported our hypotheses and were consistent with previous theoretical considerations and empirical evidence on human mating. For example, at the individual level, sociosexual orientation, traditional gender roles, and pathogen prevalence were significant predictors of both ASR-YWMS and ASR-OMWS. At the country level, gender inequality and parasite stress positively predicted the ASR-YWMS. However, being a woman negatively predicted the ASR-OMWS, but positively predicted the ASR-YWMS. At country-level, ingroup favoritism and parasite stress positively predicted the ASR-OMWS. Furthermore, significant cross-subregional differences were found in the openness to sugar relationships (both ASR-YWMS and ASR-OMWS scores) across subregions. Finally, significant differences were found between ASR-YWMS and ASR-OMWS when compared in each subregion. The ASR-YWMS was significantly higher than the ASR-OMWS in all subregions, except for Northern Africa and Western Asia.

Evaluation of lumbar vertebral body and disc: a stereological morphometric study / Evaluación del cuerpo y disco vertebral lumbar: estudio morfométrico estereológico

Anterior access to the L1-L5 vertebrae and disc spaces can be technically challenging, frequently requiring the use of an approach to a surgeon for an adequate exposure. The technique is used for lesion excision, corpectomy, vertebral body reconstruction with cages, realignment, and/or plating or screwing. For a successful anterior approach and a suitable instrumental design via screw, adequate morphometric knowledge about body of lumbar vertebrae and disc spaces and standardized volumetric data are also required for neurosurgeons. We aimed morphometric and volumetric evaluation of lumbar bodies and discs to contribute to a safe anterior approach during surgery. We evaluated vertebral body and disc morphometry using stereology in right-handed 25 adult subjects on MRI in the same population with no history of vertebral fractures and degenerative spinal disease. The shape, defining concavity index and volumetric measurements of the body L1-L5 vertebrae, morphometric parameters such as length, height, width of the vertebral body were measured. Also morphometric and volumetric analysis of discs between L1 and L5 were evaluated selected axial and sagittal slices. As expected, the average dimensions of male vertebrae are greater than those of females, but most of them do not differ statistically. Only three dimensions, the mean difference between anterior and central heights of L3, L4 and L5 showed statistically significant difference, indicating smaller central height in both males and females.The transverse and anterior-posterior diameters of the vertebral body, intervertebral disc height and volume displayed no sexual dimorphism (p>0.05). But, the intervertebral disc height and volume increased from L1 to L5 (p <0.01). Concavity indexes for all lumbar vertebrae for both sexes did not differ statistically. The method is important to estimate applying implant size and amount in decompression operations for neurosurgeons.

El acceso anterior a las vértebras L1-L5 y espacios entre los discos puede ser técnicamente difícil, con frecuencia requiere la participación de un cirujano para una exposición adecuada. La técnica se utiliza para la extirpación de la lesión, corpectomía, la reconstrucción del cuerpo vertebral con jaulas, realineamiento y / o placas o tornillos. Para un enfoque exitoso anterior y un diseño adecuado instrumental a través de tornillo, un acabado conocimiento sobre la morfometría del cuerpo de las vértebras lumbares y de los espacios entre los discos y la evaluación volumétrica son necesarias para el neurocirujano. El objetivo fue la evaluación morfométrica y volumétrica de los cuerpos lumbares y los discos, para contribuir al abordaje seguro durante la cirugía. Se evaluó en 25 sujetos adultos, diestros, sin antecedentes de fracturas vertebrales y de enfermedad degenerativa espinal, el cuerpo vertebral y la morfometría del disco mediante estereología con RM. La forma de las vértebras, el índice de concavidad y la definición de las medidas volumétricas de los cuerpos L1-L5. Además, se midieron los parámetros morfométricos como longitud, altura, ancho del cuerpo vertebral. Se efectuó un análisis morfométrico y volumétrico de loss cortes axiales y sagitales de los discos entre L1 y L5. Como era de esperar, las dimensiones promedio de las vértebras en los hombres fueron mayores que en las mujeres, pero la mayoría de ellos no son estadísticamente significativas. Sólo tres dimensiones, la diferencia promedio entre la altura anterior y central de las vertebras L3, L4 y L5 mostraron diferencias estadísticamente significativas, indicando menor altura central tanto en los hombres como en las mujeres. Los diámetros transversal y anteroposterior del cuerpo vertebral, la altura del disco intervertebral y el volumen no mostraron dimorfismo sexual (p> 0,05). Sin embargo, aumentaron la altura del disco intervertebral y el volumen de L1 a L5 (p< 0,01). Los índices de concavidad...