The Diagnostic Utility of Ultrasound and Electrodiagnostic Studies in The Young and Old.

Purpose: Carpal tunnel syndrome is the most common compressive neuropathy. The diagnostic parameters currently used for the general adult population may not be valid in elderly or younger cohorts. The purpose of this study is to determine the diagnostic accuracy of nerve conduction studies (NCS) and ultrasound (US) in different age groups utilizing the 6-item Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) symptoms scale (CTS-6) as the reference standard. Methods: A retrospective database of patients who underwent US and NCS as part of the diagnostic work-up for suspected peripheral nerve compression was reviewed. Subjects were separated into three groups based on the median age of carpal tunnel syndrome patients (55 years of age) and two standard deviations (standard deviation 13.5 years) above and below the median. The young group was 28 years of age or less, the middle group was 29-71 years of age, and the old group was 72 years of age or greater. CTS-6 and Boston Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Questionnaire scores were recorded. Using CTS-6 as a reference standard, the sensitivity and specificity were calculated for NCS and US. Results: A total of 295 hands were included in the analysis with 23 hands in the young group and 24 hands in the old group. NCS showed 31% sensitivity and 100% specificity in the young group compared to 54% sensitivity and 90% specificity for US. NCS showed 94% sensitivity and 25% specificity in the old group compared to 81% sensitivity and 38% specificity for US. Overall accuracy for US and NCS was 66% for both tests when looking at all age groups. The accuracy in the young group was 70% for US and 61% for NCS, whereas the accuracy in the old group was 67% for US and 71% for NCS. Conclusions: US has comparable sensitivity and specificity to NCS in patients two or more standard deviations above or below the mean age for presentation of CTS. US may be more accurate in younger patients, although NCS limits the number of false positive tests. There remains a substantial amount of inaccuracy for both tests when using a validated clinical diagnostic tool (CTS-6) as the reference standard. Type of study/level of Evidence: Diagnostic IV.

De Novo Genome Assembly for the Coppery Titi Monkey (Plecturocebus cupreus): An Emerging Nonhuman Primate Model for Behavioral Research.

The coppery titi monkey (Plecturocebus cupreus) is an emerging nonhuman primate model system for behavioral and neurobiological research. At the same time, the almost entire absence of genomic resources for the species has hampered insights into the genetic underpinnings of the phenotypic traits of interest. To facilitate future genotype-to-phenotype studies, we here present a high-quality, fully annotated de novo genome assembly for the species with chromosome-length scaffolds spanning the autosomes and chromosome X (scaffold N50 = 130.8 Mb), constructed using data obtained from several orthologous short- and long-read sequencing and scaffolding techniques. With a base-level accuracy of ∼99.99% in chromosome-length scaffolds as well as benchmarking universal single-copy ortholog and k-mer completeness scores of >99.0% and 95.1% at the genome level, this assembly represents one of the most complete Pitheciidae genomes to date, making it an invaluable resource for comparative evolutionary genomics research to improve our understanding of lineage-specific changes underlying adaptive traits as well as deleterious mutations associated with disease.

Who is Represented in the Research on Undergraduate Research Experiences in the Natural Sciences? A Review of Literature.

Positive outcomes from undergraduate research experiences (UREs) have resulted in calls to broaden and diversify participation in research. However, we have little understanding of what demographics are reported and considered in the analyses of student outcomes from UREs. Without this information, it is impossible to assess whether participation in UREs has been diversified and how outcomes may vary by participant identity. Through a comprehensive literature search, we systematically identified 147 peer-reviewed research articles on student participation in UREs in the natural sciences, published between 2014 and 2020. We coded each paper to document which student demographic variables are reported and considered in analyses. The majority (88%) of articles on UREs reported at least one demographic variable and 62% incorporate demographics into their analyses, but demographics beyond gender and race/ethnicity were infrequently considered. Articles on independent research apprenticeships included demographics in their analyses more frequently than studies on course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs). Trends in reporting and analyzing demographics did not change from 2014 to 2020. Future efforts to collect these data will help assess whether goals to diversify UREs are being met and inform how to design UREs to meet the needs of diverse student groups.

Staged Bilateral Total Knee Arthroplasty: Differing Results Comparing the First and Second Knees.

BACKGROUND: Patients often prefer one knee over the other following staged bilateral total knee arthroplasty (BTKA). Our study compared patient-reported outcomes scores of each knee following BTKA and identified factors that may contribute to the identified discrepancies. METHODS: All patients who underwent staged BTKA between July 2014 and August 2022 were identified. The patient-reported outcomes were collected preoperatively and at 2 weeks, 6 weeks, 1 year, and 2 years postoperatively. Each knee's results were compared using paired t-tests and McNemar tests. Preoperative Kellgren-Lawrence Grade (KLG), postoperative range of motion (ROM), reoperation rates, and manipulations under anesthesia (MUAs) were collected. Results were stratified based on time between TKAs (< 3 months, 3 to 12 months, 1 to 2 years, and > 2 years). RESULTS: There were 911 patients who underwent staged BTKA, with a mean 4.1-year follow-up. The ROM, patient satisfaction, MUAs, and reoperations were not significantly different between knees. Comparing the KLG of the first and second knees, 71% had the same KLG for both knees, 21% had a lower KLG, and 7% of the second knees had a higher KLG. The first knee had greater pain reduction (-10.6 at 2 weeks, -27.4 at 6 weeks) compared to the second (9.3 at 2 weeks, -8.1 at 6 weeks) (P < .0001) and better improvement in Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score for Joint Replacement (KOOS JR) score (8.5 at 2 weeks, 16.9 at 6 weeks) compared to the second (-5.8 at 2 weeks, 5.0 at 6 weeks) (P < .0001). The 1-year outcomes between first and second knees, or recovery curves, were not different when stratifying by time between TKAs. CONCLUSIONS: The second knee in a staged BTKA has less delta improvement in KOOS JR and pain scores at early follow-up, likely due to higher starting KOOS JR and Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System scores, despite similar final patient satisfaction and clinical outcome measures. Lower KLG in the second total knee arthroplasty (TKA) may contribute to these findings. An MUA after the first TKA is highly predictive of an MUA after the second TKA.

Perspectives from Undergraduate Life Sciences Faculty: Are We Equipped to Effectively Accommodate Students With Disabilities in Our Classrooms?

Higher education has evolved in ways that may increase the challenges life science faculty face in providing accommodations for students with disabilities. Guided by Expectancy-Value Theory, we interviewed 34 life sciences faculty instructors from institutions nationwide to explore faculty motivation to create disability-inclusive educational experiences. We found that faculty in our sample perceive that providing most standard accommodations is a manageable but often challenging task. Further, faculty in our sample feel that improving accommodations necessitates additional support from their institutions. Most faculty had high attainment value for providing accommodations, in that they strongly believed that supporting students with disabilities is the fair and right thing to do. However, faculty did not perceive much utility value or intrinsic value in their task of providing accommodations, and most reported that providing accommodations can be a substantial burden on faculty. These findings imply that current approaches to providing inclusive educational experiences for students with disabilities rely primarily on the personal belief that providing accommodations is the right thing to do, which likely results in a flawed and inequitable system given that not all faculty equally share this conviction.

Expression of bond-related behaviors affects titi monkey responsiveness to oxytocin and vasopressin treatments.

Social bonds influence physiology and behavior, which can shape how individuals respond to physical and affective challenges. Coppery titi monkey (Plecturocebus cupreus) offspring form selective bonds with their fathers, making them ideal for investigating how father-daughter bonds influence juveniles' responses to oxytocin (OT) and arginine-vasopressin (AVP) manipulations. We quantified the expression of father-daughter bond-related behaviors in females (n = 10) and gave acute intranasal treatments of saline, low/medium/high OT, low/high AVP, or an OT receptor antagonist (OTA) to subjects prior to a parent preference test. While females spent more time in proximity to their parents than strangers, we found a large degree of individual variation. Females with greater expression of bonding behaviors responded to OT treatments in a dose-dependent manner. Subjects also spent less time in proximity to strangers when treated with High OT (p = 0.003) and Low OT (p = 0.007), but more time when treated with High AVP (p = 0.007), Low AVP (p = 0.009), and OTA (p = 0.001). Findings from the present study suggest that variation in the expression of bond-related behaviors may alter responsiveness to OT and AVP, increasing engagement with unfamiliar social others. This enhanced sociality with strangers may promote the formation of pair bonds with partners.

Motor unit modes in the calf muscles during a submaximal isometric contraction are changed by brief stretches.

The purpose of our study was to investigate the influence of a stretch intervention on the common modulation of discharge rate among motor units in the calf muscles during a submaximal isometric contraction. The current report comprises a computational analysis of a motor unit dataset that we published previously (Mazzo et al., 2021). Motor unit activity was recorded from the three main plantar flexor muscles while participants performed an isometric contraction at 10% of the maximal voluntary contraction force before and after each of two interventions. The interventions were a control task (standing balance) and static stretching of the plantar flexor muscles. A factorization analysis on the smoothed discharge rates of the motor units from all three muscles yielded three modes that were independent of the individual muscles. The composition of the modes was not changed by the standing-balance task, whereas the stretching exercise reduced the average correlation in the second mode and increased it in the third mode. A centroid analysis on the correlation values showed that most motor units were associated with two or three modes, which were presumed to indicate shared synaptic inputs. The percentage of motor units adjacent to the seven centroids changed after both interventions: Control intervention, mode 1 decreased and the shared mode 1 + 2 increased; stretch intervention, shared modes either decreased (1 + 2) or increased (1 + 3). These findings indicate that the neuromuscular adjustments during both interventions were sufficient to change the motor unit modes when the same task was performed after each intervention. KEY POINTS: Based on covariation of the discharge rates of motor units in the calf muscles during a submaximal isometric contraction, factor analysis was used to assign the correlated discharge trains to three motor unit modes. The motor unit modes were determined from the combined set of all identified motor units across the three muscles before and after each participant performed a control and a stretch intervention. The composition of the motor unit modes changed after the stretching exercise, but not after the control task (standing balance). A centroid analysis on the distribution of correlation values found that most motor units were associated with a shared centroid and this distribution, presumably reflecting shared synaptic input, changed after both interventions. Our results demonstrate how the distribution of multiple common synaptic inputs to the motor neurons innervating the plantar flexor muscles changes after a brief series of stretches.

Comparison of Fusion Rates/Complications Between Different Types of Thumb Metacarpophalangeal Fusion Techniques.

BACKGROUND: Thumb metacarpophalangeal (MP) fusion is generally successful; however, complications have been reported to occur in 0% to 30% of cases, whereas nonunion rates vary by method but, overall, are reported to occur in 0% to 15% of cases. Many fixation techniques have been described, but there is no consensus on the optimal fusion technique. Our goal was to compare complication and union rates of different thumb MP arthrodesis techniques. METHODS: We performed a retrospective review of patients who underwent primary thumb MP fusion between 2000 and 2022. Patients who underwent revision fusion, fusion for infection, or amputation were excluded. Fusions of MP joints of other fingers were also excluded. Data collection consisted of demographic data, complications, time to fusion, rate of delayed union and rate of nonunion. Five different fusion constructs were evaluated during our study period: staples, Kirschner wires (K-wires), cerclage, K-wires with cerclage, and intramedullary screw. RESULTS: Forty-seven patients underwent fusion with staples, 16 with K-wires, 14 with cerclage, 9 with K-wires and cerclage, and 6 with an intramedullary screw. The individual complication and nonunion rates differed significantly among the groups with the intramedullary screw group having a statistically higher rate of nonunion (P = .004). Furthermore, smoking, diabetes, and being overweight were associated with nonunions. CONCLUSION: Union rates were significantly lower in patients treated with an intramedullary screw and those who are smokers, diabetics, and/or overweight. Caution should be exercised when using intramedullary screw fixation for MP fusion, especially in patients with these comorbidities.

Progress toward the Total Synthesis of Nogalamycin Using a Benzyne Cycloaddition Strategy.

Nogalamycin (NOG) is a member of the anthracycline glycoside natural products; no total syntheses have yet been reported, and there is minimal understanding of how the aglycone substitution pattern and identities of the A- and D-ring sugars impact the anticancer activity and toxicity. This paper reports progress toward a modular approach to NOG that could enable systematic structure-activity relationship studies. Key steps include a regioselective benzyne cycloaddition and reductive ring-opening to assemble a versatile AB core for analogue synthesis.

How does parasite environmental transmission stage concentration change before, during, and after disease outbreaks?

Outbreaks of environmentally transmitted parasites require that susceptible hosts encounter transmission stages in the environment and become infected, but we also know that transmission stages can be in the environment without triggering disease outbreaks. One challenge in understanding the relationship between environmental transmission stages and disease outbreaks is that the distribution and abundance of transmission stages outside of their hosts have been difficult to quantify. Thus, we have limited data about how changes in transmission stage abundance influence disease dynamics; moreover, we do not know whether the relationship between transmission stages and outbreaks differs among parasite species. We used digital PCR to quantify the environmental transmission stages of five parasites in six lakes in southeastern Michigan every 2 weeks from June to November 2021. At the same time, we quantified infection prevalence in hosts and host density. Our study focused on eight zooplankton host species (Daphnia spp. and Ceriodaphnia dubia) and five of their parasites from diverse taxonomic groups (bacteria, yeast, microsporidia, and oomycete) with different infection mechanisms. We found that parasite transmission stage concentration increased prior to disease outbreaks for all parasites. However, parasites differed significantly in the relative timing of peaks in transmission stage concentration and infection outbreaks. The "continuous shedder" parasites had transmission stage peaks at the same time as or slightly after the outbreak peaks. In contrast, parasites relying on host death for transmission ("obligate killers") had transmission stage peaks before outbreak peaks. For most parasites, lakes with outbreaks had higher spore concentrations than those without outbreaks, especially once an outbreak began; the exception was for a parasite, Pasteuria ramosa, with very strong genotypic specificity of infection. Overall, our results show that disease outbreaks are tightly linked to transmission stage concentration; outbreaks were preceded by increases in transmission stage concentration in the environment and then were fueled by the production of more transmission stages during the outbreak itself, with concentrations decreasing to pre-outbreak levels as outbreaks waned. Thus, tracking transmission stages in the environment improves our understanding of the drivers of disease outbreaks and reveals how parasite traits may affect these dynamics.

Outpatient Total Joint Arthroplasty at a High-Volume Academic Center: An Analysis of Failure to Launch.

BACKGROUND: Unanticipated failure to discharge home (failure to launch, FTL) following scheduled same-day discharge (SDD) total joint arthroplasty (TJA) is problematic for the surgical facility with respect to staffing, care coordination, and reimbursement concerns. The aim of this study was to review rates, etiologies, and contributing factors for FTL in SDD TJA at an inpatient academic medical center. METHODS: All patients who underwent primary TJA between February 2021 and February 2023 were retrospectively reviewed. Of those scheduled for SDD, risk factors for FTL were compared with successful SDD. Readmission and emergency department (ED) visits were compared with historical cohorts. There were 3,093 consecutive primary joint arthroplasties performed, of which 2,411 (78%) were scheduled for SDD. RESULTS: Overall, SDD was successful in 94.2% (n = 2,272) of patients who had an FTL rate of 5.8%. Specifically, SDD was successful in 91.4% with total hip arthroplasty, 96.0% with total knee arthroplasty, and 98.6% with unicompartmental knee arthroplasty. Factors that significantly increased the risk of FTL included general anesthesia versus spinal anesthesia (P < .0001), later surgery start time (P < .0001), longer surgical time (P = .0043), higher estimated blood loss (P < .0001), women (P = .0102), younger age (P = .0079), and lower preoperative mental health patient-reported outcomes scores (P = .0039). Readmission and ED visit rates were not higher in the SDD group when compared to historical controls (P = .6830). CONCLUSIONS: With a comprehensive multidisciplinary approach dedicated to improving SDDs at an academic medical center, we have seen successful SDD in nearly 80% of primary TJA, with an FTL rate of 5.8%, and no increased risk of readmission or ED visits. Without adding many personnel, hospital recovery units, or other resources, simple interventions to help decrease FTL have included enhanced preoperative education and expectation settings, improved perioperative communications, reallocating personnel from the inpatient to the outpatient setting, the use of short-acting spinal anesthetics, and earlier scheduled surgery times.

Silky Liquid Metal Electrodes for On-Skin Health Monitoring.

Next generation on-skin electrodes will require soft, flexible, and gentle materials to provide both high-fidelity sensing and wearer comfort. However, many commercially available on-skin electrodes lack these key properties due to their use of rigid hardware, harsh adhesives, uncomfortable support structures, and poor breathability. To address these challenges, this work presents a new device paradigm by joining biocompatible electrospun spider silk with printable liquid metal to yield an incredibly soft and scalable on-skin electrode that is strain-tolerant, conformable, and gentle on-skin. These electrodes, termed silky liquid metal (SLiM) electrodes, are found to be over five times more breathable than commercial wet electrodes, while the silk's intrinsic adhesion mechanism allows SLiM electrodes to avoid the use of harsh artificial adhesives, potentially decreasing skin irritation and inflammation over long-term use. Finally, the SLiM electrodes provide comparable impedances to traditional wet and other liquid metal electrodes, offering a high-fidelity sensing alternative with increased wearer comfort. Human subject testing confirmed the SLiM electrodes ability to sense electrophysiological signals with high fidelity and minimal irritation to the skin. The unique properties of the reported SLiM electrodes offer a comfortable electrophysiological sensing solution especially for patients with pre-existing skin conditions or surface wounds.

Reasons and Risk Factors for Failed Same-Day Discharge After Total Joint Arthroplasty.

BACKGROUND: A shift toward same-day discharge (SDD) in primary elective total knee arthroplasty (TKA) and total hip arthroplasty (THA) has created a need to optimize patient selection and improve same-day recovery pathways. The objectives of this study were (1) to identify our institution's most common causes for failed SDD, and (2) to evaluate risk factors associated with failed SDD. METHODS: A retrospective review of SDD patients undergoing primary TKA or THA from January 2021 to September 2022 was conducted. Reasons for SDD failure were recorded and differences between successful and failed SDD cases were assessed via a multivariate logistic regression. RESULTS: Overall, 85.3% (651 of 753) of patients included were successful SDDs. Failed SDD occurred in 16.8% (74 of 441) of TKA and 11.8% (38 of 322) of THA cases. Primary reasons included failure to clear physical therapy (33.0%, 37 of 112), postoperative hypotension (20.5%, 23 of 112), and urinary retention (16.9%, 19 of 112). Analysis revealed that overall failed SDD cases were more likely to have had prior opioid use and a longer surgical time. Failed TKA SDD cases were more likely to have had a longer surgical time and not have receive a preoperative nerve block, while failed THA SDD cases were more likely to be older. CONCLUSIONS: The SDD selection criteria and pathways continue to evolve, with multiple factors contributing to failed SDD. Improving patient selection algorithms and optimizing post-operative pathways can enhance the ability to successfully choose SDD candidates. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: III.

Detecting macromolecular differences of the CSF in low disability multiple sclerosis using quantitative MT MRI at 3T.

Background: Imaging investigation of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in multiple sclerosis (MS) is understudied. Development of noninvasive methods to detect pathological CSF changes would have a profound effect on MS diagnosis and would offer insight into MS pathophysiology and mechanisms of neurological impairment. Objective: We propose magnetization transfer (MT) MRI as a tool to detect macromolecular changes in spinal CSF. Methods: MT and quantitative MT (qMT) data were acquired in the cervical region in 27 people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (pwRRMS) and 38 age and sex-matched healthy controls (HCs). MT ratio (MTR), the B1, B0, and R1 corrected qMT-derived pool size ratio (PSR) were quantified in the spinal cord and CSF of each group. Results: Both CSF MTR and CSF qMT-derived PSR were significantly increased in pwRRMS compared to HC (p = 0.027 and p = 0.020, respectively). CSF PSR of pwRRMS was correlated to Expanded Disability Status Scale Scores (p = 0.045, R = 0.352). Conclusion: Our findings demonstrate increased CSF macromolecular content in pwRRMS and link CSF macromolecular content with clinical impairment. This highlights the potential role of CSF in processing products of demyelination.

Fixation strength in arthroscopic labral repair of the hip: A head-to-head comparison of the biomechanical performance of a biocompatible vs. all-suture anchor in the setting of acetabuloplasty.

Much is known about the biomechanical performance of various types of suture anchors commonly used for labral fixation in the shoulder; however, similar studies in the hip are less common. We sought to compare all-suture and polyether ether ketone small-diameter anchors in the setting of labral repair during hip arthroscopy, with and without acetabuloplasty. We hypothesized that the biomechanical properties of the all-suture group when compared to polyether ether ketone anchors would be similar amongst native acetabula and significantly less following acetabuloplasty and that pullout forces would be reduced in the anterior and inferior regions of the acetabulum compared to the superior region. Bone density was measured in nine matched pairs of fresh-frozen cadaveric acetabula in the superior, anterosuperior, and anterior regions. Acetabuloplasty was performed in all three regions, while the contralateral acetabulum was left in situ as a control. Suture anchors were placed such that one each of two different types was placed within each region. Specimens were tested in cyclic fatigue and loaded to failure. The all-suture group had significantly higher cyclic displacement compared to the polyether ether ketone, but there was no significant difference in ultimate load, regardless of acetabuloplasty. Amongst all non-resected specimens, the lowest bone density was observed consistently in the inferior region. Our results indicate that, with or without acetabuloplasty, a small-diameter polyether ether ketone anchor appears to be more stable than an all-suture anchor, which needs to be set first.

Tracking canopy chlorophyll fluorescence with a low-cost light emitting diode platform.

Chlorophyll fluorescence measured at the leaf scale through pulse amplitude modulation (PAM) has provided valuable insight into photosynthesis. At the canopy- and satellite-scale, solar-induced fluorescence (SIF) provides a method to estimate the photosynthetic activity of plants across spatiotemporal scales. However, retrieving SIF signal remotely requires instruments with high spectral resolution, making it difficult and often expensive to measure canopy-level steady-state chlorophyll fluorescence under natural sunlight. Considering this, we built a novel low-cost photodiode system that retrieves far-red chlorophyll fluorescence emission induced by a blue light emitting diode (LED) light source, for 2 h at night, above the canopy. Our objective was to determine if an active remote sensing-based night-time photodiode method could track changes in canopy-scale LED-induced chlorophyll fluorescence (LEDIF) during an imposed drought on a broadleaf evergreen shrub, Polygala myrtifolia. Far-red LEDIF (720-740 nm) was retrieved using low-cost photodiodes (LEDIFphotodiode) and validated against measurements from a hyperspectral spectroradiometer (LEDIFhyperspectral). To link the LEDIF signal with physiological drought response, we tracked stomatal conductance (gsw) using a porometer, two leaf-level vegetation indices-photochemical reflectance index and normalized difference vegetation index-to represent xanthophyll and chlorophyll pigment dynamics, respectively, and a PAM fluorimeter to measure photochemical and non-photochemical dynamics. Our results demonstrate a similar performance between the photodiode and hyperspectral retrievals of LEDIF (R2 = 0.77). Furthermore, LEDIFphotodiode closely tracked drought responses associated with a decrease in photochemical quenching (R2 = 0.69), Fv/Fm (R2 = 0.59) and leaf-level photochemical reflectance index (R2 = 0.59). Therefore, the low-cost LEDIFphotodiode approach has the potential to be a meaningful indicator of photosynthetic activity at spatial scales greater than an individual leaf and over time.

Cervical spinal cord susceptibility-weighted MRI at 7T: Application to multiple sclerosis.

BACKGROUND: Susceptibility-weighted imaging (SWI) has been extensively studied in the brain and in diseases of the central nervous system such as multiple sclerosis (MS) providing unique opportunities to visualize cerebral vasculature and disease-related pathology, including the central vein sign (CVS) and paramagnetic rim lesions (PRLs). However, similar studies evaluating SWI in the spinal cord of patients with MS remain severely limited. PURPOSE: Based on our previous findings of enlarged spinal vessels in MS compared to healthy controls (HCs), we developed high-field SWI acquisition and processing methods for the cervical spinal cord with application in people with MS (pwMS) and HCs. Here, we demonstrate the vascular variability between the two cohorts and unique MS lesion features in the cervical cord. METHODS: In this retrospective, exploratory pilot study conducted between March 2021 and March 2022, we scanned 12 HCs and 9 pwMS using an optimized non-contrast 2D T2*-weighted gradient echo sequence at 7 tesla. The overall appearance of the white and gray matter as well as tissue vasculature were compared between the two cohorts and areas of MS pathology in the patient group were assessed using both the magnitude and processed SWI images. RESULTS: We show improved visibility of vessels and more pronounced gray and white matter contrast in the MS group compared to HCs, hypointensities surrounding the cord in the MS cohort, and identify signal changes indicative of the CVS and paramagnetic rims in 66 % of pwMS with cervical spinal lesions. CONCLUSION: In this first study of SWI at 7T in the human spinal cord, SWI holds promise in advancing our understanding of disease processes in the cervical cord in MS.

A comparative case study of the accommodation of students with disabilities in online and in-person degree programs.

Fully online degree programs are an increasingly important part of the higher education ecosystem. Among the many challenges raised by the growth of fully online courses and degree programs is the question: Are institutions providing online students with disabilities accommodations that are comparable to those provided to students in traditional in-person degree programs? To explore this question, we compared students in a fully online biology degree program to students in the equivalent in-person degree program at a large research university. For each group, we assessed the frequency with which students register with the disability resource center, the range of specific accommodations provided, and course grades. Results show that students in the in-person program were nearly 30% more likely to be enrolled with the disability resource center, and that students in the online program were offered a narrower range of accommodations. However, in relative terms (i.e., compared to students without disabilities in their degree program), online students with disabilities perform better than in-person students with disabilities.

Titi monkey father-daughter bond-related behaviors explain stress response variability.

Social interactions regulate our behavior and physiology, and strong social bonds can buffer us from stress. Coppery titi monkeys (Plecturocebus cupreus) are socially monogamous South American monkeys that display strong social bonds. Infants form selective bonds with their fathers, making them ideal for studying father-daughter bonds. We established a method for quantifying variability in expression of bond-related behaviors in females (n = 12), and the present study is the second to use this method for explaining titi monkey responses to behavioral tests. We also investigated how manipulations of oxytocin (OT) and vasopressin (AVP) influenced juvenile behavior and physiology. Subjects received acute intranasal treatments of saline, low/medium/high OT, low/high AVP, or OT receptor antagonist (OTA) prior to an acute social separation. General linear mixed-effects model results revealed fathers were significant behavioral and physiological stress buffers for their daughters, as evidenced by fewer distress vocalizations (p < 0.001), less locomotion (p < 0.001), and lower plasma cortisol (p < 0.001) in a social separation paradigm. Females vocalized less if they exhibited greater expression of bond-related behaviors with their fathers as infants (p = 0.01), and this stress-buffering effect remained even when the daughter was separated from the father (p = 0.001). While treatments did not alter behaviors, OTA treatment caused the largest rise in plasma cortisol (p < 0.001), suggesting blockade of OT receptors can inhibit fathers' stress-buffering effects. Remarkably, females with greater expression of father-daughter bond-related behaviors exhibited an overall reduced physiological separation distress response (p = 0.04). Findings from the present study advance current knowledge of the neurobiological mechanisms foundational to female bonds and help inform how social disruptions may differently impact individuals based on expression of bond-related behaviors.

Possible effects of pair bonds on general cognition: Evidence from shared roles of dopamine.

Pair bonding builds on preexisting dopamine connectivity to help form and maintain the bond. The involvement of dopaminergic pathways in pair bonding has stimulated research linking pair bonds to other dopamine-dependent processes, like addiction and social cognition (Burkett & Young, 2012; Yetnikoff, Lavezzi, Reichard, & Zahm, 2014). Less studied is the relationship of pair bonding to non-social cognitive processes. The first half of this review will provide an overview of pair bonding and the role of dopamine within social processes. With a thorough review of the literature, the current study will identify the ways the dopaminergic pathways critical for pair bonding also overlap with cognitive processes. Highlighting dopamine as a key player in pair bonds and non-social cognition will provide evidence that pair bonding can alter general cognitive processes like attention, working memory, cognitive flexibility, and impulse control.