Empirical tests of natural selection-based evolutionary accounts of ADHD : a systematic review

Objective ADHD is a prevalent and highly heritable mental disorder associated with significant impairment, morbidity and increased rates of mortality. This combination of high prevalence and high morbidity/mortality seen in ADHD and other mental disorders presents a challenge to natural selection-based models of human evolution. Several hypotheses have been proposed in an attempt to resolve this apparent paradox. The aim of this study was to review the evidence for these hypotheses. Methods We conducted a systematic review of the literature on empirical investigations of natural selection-based evolutionary accounts for ADHD in adherence with the PRISMA guideline. The PubMed, Embase, and PsycINFO databases were screened for relevant publications, by combining search terms covering evolution/selection with search terms covering ADHD. Results The search identified 790 records. Of these, 15 full-text articles were assessed for eligibility, and three were included in the review. Two of these reported on the evolution of the seven-repeat allele of the ADHD-associated dopamine receptor D4 gene, and one reported on the results of a simulation study of the effect of suggested ADHD-traits on group survival. The authors of the three studies interpreted their findings as favouring the notion that ADHD-traits may have been associated with increased fitness during human evolution. However, we argue that none of the three studies really tap into the core symptoms of ADHD, and that their conclusions therefore lack validity for the disorder. Conclusions This review indicates that the natural selection-based accounts of ADHD have not been subjected to empirical test and therefore remain hypothetical

Urban Rifts and Religious Reciprocity: Chicago and the Catholic Church, 1965-1996

From the late 1960s onward, a sequence of unusually transformative, combustible, and sometimes alarming urban phenomena beset the city of Chicago and bred considerable turmoil and uncertainty: post-industrial transition; street gang activity and unprecedented levels of interpersonal violence; the political ascendancy in 1983 of African American reform candidate Harold Washington to the mayor\u27s seat; gay liberation; and AIDS. Each accentuated a host of social and/or spatial rifts--between the deteriorating city and comparatively thriving suburbs; the economically impoverished, culturally alienated, and frequently isolated inner city and the rest of Chicago; machine and reform politicians; Black lawmakers and White ethnics ; sexual majorities and minorities; and the physically sick and the healthy. These developments also challenged the historic liberalism, confidence, and institutional breadth of Chicago Catholicism during the tenures of Cardinal Archbishops John Cody (1965-1982) and Joseph Bernardin (1982-1996). Fueled by diverse material and theological interests--such as the Church\u27s immense human and financial investments in neighborhoods, the Second Vatican Council\u27s teachings to engage the secular world and root out poverty and injustice, religious order charisms, and a strong heritage of social activism--the archdiocese and religiously-motivated Catholics marshaled a distinctive brand of religious reciprocity, which encouraged Chicagoans to recognize that they were interdependent and embedded within an urban and metropolitan community. Reciprocity also signified that it was the responsibility of the Church to recognize Chicagoans\u27 common grievances, bring them to the fore, initiate dialogue among people, and encourage the mutual exchange of talents and treasure. Although sometimes stifled or camouflaged by Cardinal Cody\u27s desire to centralize control of the archdiocese in his own hands, this impulse to foster discourse, collaboration, and interdependency was pivotal to a city wracked by social polarization and spatial segregation. Finally, reciprocity encouraged Catholics to be receptive to secular enrichment. A notable segment of the faithful reasoned that the daily experiences of city residents should inform Catholic pastoral practices, while others touted that urban trauma was not uniformly negative; spiritual renewal could blossom from witnessing or participating in human suffering

Mammalian Spermatogenesis, DNA Repair, Poly(ADP-ribose) Turnover: the State of the Art

DNA repair and poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation system during spermatogenesis under physiological and pathological conditions

El TDA/H en la infancia: Problematizando manuales, conceptos y diagnósticos

En este artículo proponemos un enfoque en torno a la noción de trastorno en relación al Manual de Diagnóstico y Estadísticas de los Trastornos Mentales (DSM) y la forma en que el TDA/H se asume y circula como trastorno de la conducta infantil, deteniéndonos en forma particular, en algunas características que adquiere en Argentina. Los resultados que aquí exponemos corresponden a diferentes investigaciones que realizamos en el marco de proyectos de investigación UBACyT y CONICET. La metodología utilizada es cualitativa, basada en el análisis de fuentes documentales que abarcan entrevistas a profesionales de la salud y de la educación, revistas y libros especializados en la temática, páginas de internet de asociaciones de profesionales y artículos periodísticos. Actualidad Psicológica es una publicación mensual fundada en 1975 y dirigida por el Lic. Miguel Kohan, En ella profesionales de reconocida trayectoria a nivel nacional e internacional desarrollan las temáticas propuestas.Fil: Faraone, Silvia Adriana. Universidad de Buenos Aires; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Bianchi, Eugenia. Universidad de Buenos Aires; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentin

Morphological variation of the newly confirmed population of the javelin sand boa, Eryx jaculus (Linnaeus, 1758) (Serpentes, erycidae) in Sicily, Italy

The presence of the Javelin sand boa in Sicily has recently been confirmed. Here the morphological characters and sexual dimorphism of the Sicilian population of Eryx jaculus are presented. Seven meristic and six metric characters in 96 specimens from Sicily were examined. The results show that tail length, snout-vent length, the distance between nostrils and the number of ventral and subcaudal scales are different between sexes. The characters found in the Sicilian population of the Javelin sand boa resemble those of the African population (ssp. jaculus) rather than the Eurasian population (ssp. turcicus), but biomolecular studies are necessary to understand its taxonomic identity

Modelagem e simulação de uma residência empregando o Sistema Estrutural Light Steel Frame (LSF)

Metadados do Trabalho de Conclusão de Curso: Modelagem e simulação de uma residência empregando o Sistema Estrutural Light Steel Frame (LSF), pela/o discente: Cesar Rodrigo Faraone Wing Chong do Centro de Tecnologia e Infraestrutura, curso de Engenharia Civil e Infraestrutura da Universidade Federal da Integração Latino-Americana (UNILA), no Repositório Institucional da UNILA (RI-UNILA)Atualmente os sistemas construtivos em alvenaria cerâmica e estruturas de concreto armado ainda são os mais utilizados em construções habitacionais. Em busca da modernização, os construtores, arquitetos e engenheiros encontram nos sistemas industrializados grandes vantagens visando à melhoria na produtividade e qualidade final da obra. O sistema Light Steel Framing(LSF) é uma alternativa vantajosa quando comparado aos sistemas construtivos tradicionais. O LSF consiste em estruturas leves de perfis de aço galvanizado, adequado para construções industrializadas e vantajoso devido a sua rapidez de execução. No presente trabalho apresenta-se o dimensionamento de uma edificação residencial de dois pavimentos de 170 m²,estruturada com LSF. Como resultado deste trabalho apresentam-se as respostas das análises e verificações do comportamento estrutural da residência por meio do método da resistência direta (MRD) e pelo software acadêmico ROBOT da Autodesk. Espera-se com este trabalho motivar e difundir o sistema construtivo LSF para que este seja uma alternativa em relação aos sistemas convencionais empregados no Oeste do Paraná