Validating the Revised Mating Effort Questionnaire.

The mating effort questionnaire (MEQ) is a multi-dimensional self-report instrument that captures factors reflecting individual effort in upgrading from a current partner, investment in a current partner, and mate seeking when not romantically paired. In the current studies, we sought to revise the MEQ so that it distinguishes among two facets of mate seeking-mate locating and mate attracting-to enable a more nuanced measurement and understanding of individual mating effort. Moreover, we developed additional items to better measure partner investment.

Advancing the Psychometric Study of Human Life History Indicators : K Does Not Measure Life History Speed, but Theory and Evidence Suggest It Deserves Further Attention.

In this article we attend to recent critiques of psychometric applications of life history (LH) theory to variance among humans and develop theory to advance the study of latent LH constructs. We then reanalyze data (n = 4,244) previously examined by Richardson et al. (Evolutionary Psychology, 15(1), 2017, https://doi.

Evaluation of Responsiveness to Reduced-Dose Rituximab in Corticotropin/Intravenous Immunoglobulin/Rituximab Combination Immunotherapy for Opsoclonus-Myoclonus Syndrome.

Background: Rituximab (anti-CD20) has been used as B-cell-targeted intervention to treat opsoclonus-myoclonus syndrome. Due to isolated reports of chronic hypogammaglobulinemia and B lymphopenia following rituximab in several disorders, and rapid B-cell depletion after a few doses, we reduced the dosage 20% in our clinical practice.

Methods: In this Institutional Review Board-approved retrospective study, 32 children with opsoclonus-myoclonus syndrome and cerebrospinal fluid B-cell expansion had received front-loaded adrenocorticotropic hormone, intravenous immunoglobulin, and rituximab combination immunotherapy for de novo opsoclonus-myoclonus syndrome.

Multifactorial analysis of opsoclonus-myoclonus syndrome etiology ("Tumor" vs. "No tumor") in a cohort of 356 US children.

Background: Pediatric opsoclonus-myoclonus syndrome (OMS) presents a paradox of etiopathogenesis: A neuroblastic tumor (NB) is found in only one half of the cases, the others are ascribed to infections or designated as idiopathic.

Method: From an IRB-approved observational study of 356 US children with OMS, secondary analysis of "etiology" and related factors was performed on a well-characterized cohort. The "Tumor" (n = 173) and "No Tumor" groups (n = 183), as defined radiologically, were compared according to multiple factors considered potentially differentiating.

Relation of intrathecal oligoclonal band production to inflammatory mediator and immunotherapy response in 208 children with OMS.

In 208 children with opsoclonus-myoclonus syndrome (OMS), CSF IgG oligoclonal bands (OCB) and 22 immunomarkers in CSF and 21 in serum/blood were measured. In 36 untreated OMS, 58% were OCB(+), whereas 55% of treated OMS were OCB(-). OCB positivity or negativity did not alter concentrations or frequencies of immunomarkers.

Microglial/macrophage markers CHI3L1, sCD14, and sCD163 in CSF and serum of pediatric inflammatory and non-inflammatory neurological disorders: A case-control study and reference ranges.

Objective: To assess the role of microglia and macrophages in neuroinflammatory disorders in children via biomarkers, and establish control reference ranges.

Methods: In an IRB-approved case-control study of 98 children, the concentrations of CSF/serum CHI3L1, sCD14, and sCD163 were measured by ELISA. Groups were controls (non-inflammatory neurological disorders, NIND, n=37), opsoclonus-myoclonus syndrome (OMS, n=37), and other inflammatory neurological disorders (OIND, n=24).

Demographic, Clinical, and Immunologic Features of 389 Children with Opsoclonus-Myoclonus Syndrome: A Cross-sectional Study.

Pediatric-onset opsoclonus-myoclonus syndrome (OMS) is a devastating neuroinflammatory, often paraneoplastic, disorder. The objective was to characterize demographic, clinical, and immunologic aspects in the largest cohort reported to date. Cross-sectional data were collected on 389 children in an IRB-approved, observational study at the National Pediatric Myoclonus Center.

CSF neurofilament light chain is elevated in OMS (decreasing with immunotherapy) and other pediatric neuroinflammatory disorders.

Using a panel of seven brain cell-specific biomarkers in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), pediatric opsoclonus-myoclonus syndrome (OMS) (n=234) was compared to pediatric non-inflammatory neurological controls (n=84) and other inflammatory neurological disorders (OIND) (n=44). Only CSF NFL was elevated in untreated OMS versus controls (+83%). It was 87% higher in OIND than in OMS.

CCR7 signaling in pediatric opsoclonus-myoclonus: upregulated serum CCL21 expression is steroid-responsive.

Identifying and blocking chemokine inflammatory mediators in pediatric opsoclonus-myoclonus syndrome (OMS) is critical to the treatment of this autoimmune, paraneoplastic, neurological disorder. In a prospective, case-control, clinico-scientific study of children with OMS compared to non-inflammatory neurological controls and other inflammatory neurological disorders, CCL19 (n=369) and CCL21 (n=312) were quantified in CSF and serum, respectively, by ELISA. Both cross-sectional and longitudinal effects of OMS and various immunotherapies were evaluated.

Pediatric reference ranges for proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines in cerebrospinal fluid and serum by multiplexed immunoassay.

To define cytokine concentrations and detectability in children with noninflammatory neurological disorders (NIND). The multiplex bead assay technology was used for simultaneous measurement of 34 soluble cytokines/chemokines in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from 73 NIND. Sera from 36 healthy children and 37 NIND also were analyzed.

Cytokines, cytokine antagonists, and soluble adhesion molecules in pediatric OMS and other neuroinflammatory disorders.

Objective: To test for hypothesized disease- and treatment-induced changes in cytokines and adhesion molecules in children with opsoclonus-myoclonus syndrome (OMS).

Methods: Multiplex bead assay technology was used for simultaneous measurement of 34 soluble cytokines in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and serum. Soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1) and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (sVCAM-1) were measured by ELISA.

CCR4 agonists CCL22 and CCL17 are elevated in pediatric OMS sera: rapid and selective down-regulation of CCL22 by ACTH or corticosteroids.

Purpose: To study the role of Th2-attracting chemokines in opsoclonus-myoclonus syndrome (OMS), a serious neurological paraneoplastic disorder in need of better immunological understanding and therapy.

Methods: The CCR4 agonists CCL22 and CCL17 were measured in serum by ELISA in children with OMS (238 and 260, respectively), pediatric controls (115 and 143), and other inflammatory neurological disorders (33 and 24).

Results: Both CCL22 (+55 %) and CCL17 (+121 %) were significantly elevated in untreated OMS compared to controls and inter-correlated (p < 0.

BAFF/APRIL system in pediatric OMS: relation to severity, neuroinflammation, and immunotherapy.

Background: B-cell dysregulation has been implicated but not fully characterized in pediatric opsoclonus-myoclonus syndrome (OMS), a neuroblastoma-associated neuroinflammatory disorder.

Objective: To assess the role of B-cell activating factor (BAFF) and a proliferation-inducing ligand (APRIL), two critical B cell-modulating cytokines, as potential biomarkers of disease activity and treatment biomarkers in OMS.

Methods: Soluble BAFF and APRIL were measured in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and serum by ELISA in 433 children (296 OMS, 109 controls, 28 other inflammatory neurological disorders (OIND)).

Key role of CXCL13/CXCR5 axis for cerebrospinal fluid B cell recruitment in pediatric OMS.

To study aberrant B cell trafficking into the CSF in opsoclonus-myoclonus syndrome (OMS), chemoattractants CXCL13 and CXCL12, and B cell frequency and CXCR5 expression, were evaluated. CSF CXCL13 concentration and the CSF/serum ratio were higher in untreated OMS than controls, related directly to OMS severity and inversely to OMS duration, and correlated with CSF B cell frequency and oligoclonal bands. CXCL12 showed the opposite pattern.