Beyond money: Risk preferences across both economic and non-economic contexts predict financial decisions.

Important decisions about risk occur in wide-ranging contexts, from investing to healthcare. While an underlying, domain-general risk attitude has been identified across contexts, it remains unclear what role it plays in shaping behavior relative to more domain-specific risk attitudes. Clarifying the relationship between domain-general and domain-specific risk attitudes would inform decision-making theories and the construction of decision aids.

Neural Mechanisms of Reward Prediction Error in Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Few studies have explored neural mechanisms of reward learning in ASD despite evidence of behavioral impairments of predictive abilities in ASD. To investigate the neural correlates of reward prediction errors in ASD, 16 adults with ASD and 14 typically developing controls performed a prediction error task during fMRI scanning. Results revealed greater activation in the ASD group in the left paracingulate gyrus during signed prediction errors and the left insula and right frontal pole during thresholded unsigned prediction errors.

Maternal and neonatal outcomes of Hepatitis C positive women attending a midwifery led drug and alcohol service: A West Australian perspective.

Background: the Women and Newborn Drug and Alcohol Service (WANDAS) is a specialist, midwifery-led service providing pregnancy care to women dealing with alcohol and other drug (AOD) use, at the sole tertiary maternity hospital in Western Australia.

Aim: to assess the antenatal, intrapartum and neonatal outcomes of women with Hepatitis C (HCV) who attended the WANDAS service between 2009 and 2012.

Design: this retrospective cohort study used data obtained from computerised midwifery records.

Association between the oxytocin receptor (OXTR) gene and mesolimbic responses to rewards.

Background: There has been significant progress in identifying genes that confer risk for autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). However, the heterogeneity of symptom presentation in ASDs impedes the detection of ASD risk genes. One approach to understanding genetic influences on ASD symptom expression is to evaluate relations between variants of ASD candidate genes and neural endophenotypes in unaffected samples.

The wellbeing of infants exposed to buprenorphine via breast milk at 4 weeks of age.

Background: Buprenorphine has been available in Australia since 2000 as an alternative pharmacotherapy to methadone for the treatment of opioid dependence. However, there is little information in the literature regarding the effect of buprenorphine on the wellbeing of infants exposed to buprenorphine via breast milk, following discharge from hospital.

Objective: The aim of the present study was to examine the wellbeing of infants exposed to buprenorphine via breast milk up to 4 weeks postnatally.

Placenta praevia, placental abruption and amphetamine use in pregnancy: a case study.

Unlabelled: Pregnant women who misuse alcohol or substances often develop obstetric conditions that further complicate their pregnancy. This case study reflects on the maternity care provided for a woman who continued to use amphetamines during her pregnancy; and who was diagnosed with placenta praevia and subsequently suffered a placental abruption. Alcohol and substance misuse in pregnancy is currently escalating, increasing the risk in maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality.

Moving towards a culture of inquiry.

The number of inpatients with limited English proficiency is not well known in our community hospital. We wanted to identify the languages patients and nurses are comfortable using when communicating about health care needs. For this study, we surveyed a convenience sample of patients registering for hospital admission during a one-week period and nursing staff employed in the inpatient setting.

Low- and high-testosterone individuals exhibit decreased aversion to economic risk.

Testosterone is positively associated with risk-taking behavior in social domains (e.g., crime, physical aggression).

Evaluation of nucleic acid amplification methods for the detection of hog cholera virus.

A blind panel was tested in a diagnostic evaluation of a reverse transcription (RT) polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method for detecting hog cholera virus (HCV) from pig tissues. The capability of the RT-PCR test to discriminate between HCV and related pestiviruses, bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV), and those viruses causing similar diseases in swine, including African swine fever virus (ASFV) and pseudorabies virus (PRV), was also considered. Nucleic acid extraction involved either kit-based or conventional phenol:chloroform:isoamyl alcohol methods.

Medicolegal issues in pediatric neurosurgical practice.

The medical profession has an increasing interface with the profession of law and in no specialty is this more apparent than in pediatric neurosurgery. The areas of interface include the neurosurgeon as a defendant, as an expert witness, and as an ethicist. The role of a neurosurgical defendant may be eased if he/she is aware of the legal principles involved in malpractice litigation.

Reversal sign on CT: effect of anoxic/ischemic cerebral injury in children.

A retrospective study was performed to determine the clinical and pathologic features, etiology, and outcome of children with the reversal sign. The reversal sign, a striking CT finding, probably represents a diffuse, anoxic/ischemic cerebral injury. CT features of the reversal sign are diffusely decreased density of cerebral cortical gray and white matter with a decreased or lost gray/white matter interface, or reversal of the gray/white matter densities and relatively increased density of the thalami, brainstem, and cerebellum.

Reversal sign on CT: effect of anoxic/ischemic cerebral injury in children.

A retrospective study was performed to determine the clinical and pathologic features, etiology, and outcome of children with the reversal sign. The reversal sign, a striking CT finding, probably represents a diffuse, anoxic/ischemic cerebral injury. CT features of the reversal sign are diffusely decreased density of cerebral cortical gray and white matter with a decreased or lost gray/white matter interface, or reversal of the gray/white matter densities and relatively increased density of the thalami, brainstem, and cerebellum.

Radiographic characteristics of skull fractures resulting from child abuse.

Radiographic characteristics of skull fractures in 39 cases of documented child abuse were compared with skull fractures in 95 cases of accidental injury to determine if differential features could be identified. All children were less than 2 years old. Emergency room and hospital records for these patients were also reviewed.

Treatment of infections of cerebrospinal fluid shunts.

There is no unanimity at present concerning the best method of treatment of cerebrospinal fluid shunt-related infections. The most frequently used method includes removal of the shunt followed by antibiotic therapy and later replacement of the shunt. The experience at the University of Cincinnati during the past 15 years indicates that many shunt infections can be effectively treated without shunt removal.

Slit-ventricle syndrome: review of 15 cases.

The slit-ventricle syndrome (SVS) has been the subject of diverse opinions and recommendations during the past 2 decades. In an effort to define the clinical features of SVS and to make recommendations concerning management we have reviewed 15 cases treated by a fairly uniform technique during the past 5 years. The syndrome consists of: (1) intermittent, but self-limiting episodes resembling shunt malfunction, usually lasting a few days, (2) nonfilling of the pumping device after compression, and (3) a slit-like ventricular system on CT scan.

Management of spina bifida and associated anomalies.

Myelomeningocele and its accompanying deformities are among the most complex and frequent of the malformations to which the developing nervous system is subject. a multidisciplinary approach to management of the patient with myelomeningocele is essential, and with aggressive and continuous care, the results may be extremely gratifying.

Acute responses to experimental blunt head trauma: topography of white matter edema.

The location of edema and territory of extravasation of serum protein were examined in the white matter of cats with different forms of intracranial pathology following an impact-acceleration injury to the head. Edema was tested with an organic density gradient and Evans blue dye was used as a marker for breakdown of the blood-brain barrier. Animals with tissue hemorrhage (contusions) involving both cerebral cortex and white matter had a substantial, progressive accumulation of Evans blue-stained edema near tissue hemorrhage during the 6 h following trauma.

Tuberous sclerosis: diagnostic and surgical considerations.

Twenty-six patients with tuberous sclerosis have been reviewed from the standpoints of CT diagnosis and surgical indications. It was concluded that a diagnosis can be made on the basis of subependymal calcification but not on the basis of cortical calcifications or low density lesions alone. Enhancing lesions, especially at the foramen of Munro, must be considered to be tumors and should be excised if there are symptoms of obstruction.

Benign extra-axial collections of infancy.

The clinical histories, physical examinations and results of head computed tomography and head ultrasound scans were reviewed in a group of 15 infants who had macrocrania, excessive extra-axial fluid and normal development. Diagnostic evaluations demonstrated mild ventriculomegaly and extra-axial fluid collections. No treatment was undertaken.

Cerebrospinal fluid pseudocysts: sonographic appearance and clinical management.

Eight patients with 10 intraperitoneal cerebrospinal fluid pseudocysts occurring as a complication of ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt procedure were reviewed to determine the sonographic characteristics as well as the etiologic basis for the pseudocysts. An additional 10 patients with VP shunts, being routinely evaluated for genitourinary tract abnormality, were reviewed to determine the sonographic characteristics and the amount of fluid present in the abdomen with a normally functioning VP shunt in place. We found that a small amount or no peritoneal fluid is found in the patient with a normally functioning VP shunt.

Nonsurgical cure of brain abscess in a neonate.

A 7-day-old girl was found to have meningitis due to Staphylococcus aureus and a left parietal brain abscess. Six weeks treatment with intravenous methicillin resulted in resolution of her right hemiparesis and brain abscess. This is one of the youngest patients successfully treated by medical therapy alone.

Acute responses to experimental blunt head trauma. Topography of cerebral cortical edema.

Anesthetized cats subjected to impact followed by acceleration and rotation of the skull were sacrificed at 15 minutes or 6 hours after injury and were selected for study if unilateral cerebral contusion was present. Widespread areas of cerebral cortex were examined bilaterally for edema, using measurement of tissue density with an organic gradient, and for breakdown of the blood-brain barrier to plasma protein tagged with Evans blue dye. At both times tested, a halo of vasogenic edema (Evans blue stain plus decreased density) was present in the cortex surrounding areas of contusion.