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Reproductive function is critical for species survival; however, it is energetically costly and physically demanding. Reproductive suppression is therefore a physiologically appropriate adaptation to certain ecological, environmental, and/or temporal conditions. This 'allostatic' suppression of fertility enables individuals to accommodate unfavorable reproductive circumstances and safeguard survival. The mechanisms underpinning this reproductive suppression are complex, yet culminate with the reduced secretion of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) from the hypothalamus, which in turn suppresses gonadotropin release from the pituitary, thereby impairing gonadal function. The focus of this review will be on the role of RFamide-related peptide (RFRP) neurons in different examples of allostatic reproductive suppression. RFRP neurons release the RFRP-3 peptide, which negatively regulates GnRH neurons and thus appears to act as a 'brake' on the neuroendocrine reproductive axis. In a multitude of predictable (e.g., pre-puberty, reproductive senescence, and seasonal or lactational reproductive quiescence) and unpredictable (e.g., metabolic, immune and/or psychosocial stress) situations in which GnRH secretion is suppressed, the RFRP neurons have been suggested to act as modulators. This review examines evidence for and against these roles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents the results of the survey of the law of professional responsibility in Indiana from August 2021 to September 2022. Also cited are the per curiam rulings by the state's Supreme Court imposing sanctions for lawyer misconduct, the need for civility in both trials and disciplinary proceedings, and the application of the Rules of Professional Conduct to common ethical dilemmas.

Being truthful with patients is a critical foundation of the doctorpatient relationship and is fundamental to development of trust. A professional commitment to truth telling may sometimes contradict other principles of bioethics, which may challenge decision-making for the doctor and/or the treatment team. Practitioners may fail to address all ethical or legal aspects of a case and therefore make inappropriate decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The adipocyte-derived 'satiety promoting' hormone, leptin, has been identified as a key central regulator of body weight and fertility, such that its absence leads to obesity and infertility. Plasma leptin levels reflect body adiposity, and therefore act as an 'adipostat', whereby low leptin levels reflect a state of low body adiposity (under-nutrition/starvation) and elevated leptin levels reflect a state of high body adiposity (over-nutrition/obesity). While genetic leptin deficiency is rare, obesity-related leptin resistance is becoming increasingly common. In the absence of adequate leptin sensitivity, leptin is unable to exert its 'anti-obesity' effects, thereby exacerbating obesity. Furthermore, extreme leptin resistance and consequent low or absent leptin signalling resembles a state of starvation and can thus lead to infertility. However, leptin resistance occurs on a spectrum, and it is possible to be resistant to leptin's metabolic effects while retaining leptin's permissive effects on fertility. This may be because leptin exerts its modulatory effects on energy homeostasis and reproductive function through discrete intracellular signalling pathways, and these pathways are differentially affected by the molecules that promote leptin resistance. This review discusses the potential mechanisms that enable leptin to exert differential control over metabolic and reproductive function in the contexts of healthy leptin signalling and of diet-induced leptin resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Organizations of all types require the use of teams. Poor team member engagement costs billions of US dollars annually. Objective: This study aimed to explain how team building can be accomplished with team video gaming based on a team cohesion model enhanced by team flow theory. Methods: In this controlled experiment, teams were randomly assigned to a team video gaming treatment or a control treatment. Team productivity was measured during both pretreatment and posttreatment team tasks. After the pretest, teams who were involved in the team video gaming treatment competed against other teams by playing the Halo or Rock Band video game for 45 minutes. After the pretest, teams in the control treatment worked alone for 45 minutes. Then, all teams completed the posttest team activity. This same experimental protocol was conducted on 2 different team tasks. Results: For both tasks, teams in the team video gaming treatment increased their productivity significantly more (F1=8.760, P=.004) on the posttest task than teams in the control treatment. Our flow-based theoretical model explained team performance improvement more than twice as well (R²=40.6%) than prior related research (R²=18.5%). Conclusions: The focused immersion caused by team video gaming increased team performance while the enjoyment component of flow decreased team performance on the posttest. Both flow and team cohesion contributed to team performance, with flow contributing more than cohesion. Team video gaming did not increase team cohesion, so team video gaming effects are independent of cohesion. Team video gaming is a valid practical method for developing and improving newly formed teams. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]