Background Conditioned fear memories can be updated by extinction during reconsolidation, and this effect is specific to the reactivated conditioned stimulus (CS). However, a traumatic event can be associated with several cues, and each cue can potentially trigger recollection of the event. In the present study, we introduced a technique to target all diverse cues associated with an aversive event that causes fear. Methods In the human experiments, the subjects underwent modified fear conditioning, in which they were exposed to an unconditioned stimulus (US) or unreinforced CS to reactivate the memory and then underwent extinction, spontaneous recovery, and reinstatement. In the animal experiments, rats underwent contextual fear conditioning under a similar protocol as the used in the human experiments. We also explored the molecular alterations after US reactivation in rats. Results We found that presentation of a lower-intensity US following extinction disrupted the associations between the different CSs and reactivated US in both humans and rats. This disruptive effect persisted for at least 6 months in humans and was selective to the reactivated US. This procedure was also effective for remote memories in both humans and rats. Compared with the CS, the US induced stronger endocytosis of AMPA glutamate receptors 1 and 2 and stronger activation of protein kinase A, p70S6 kinase, and cyclic adenosine monophosphate response element binding protein in the dorsal hippocampus in rats. Conclusions These findings demonstrate that a modified US retrieval-extinction strategy may have a potential impact on therapeutic approaches to prevent the return of fear.

This study compares prison physical victimization rates (inmate-on-inmate and staff-on-inmate) for people with mental disorder to those without mental disorder in a state prison system. Inmate subjects were drawn from 14 adult prisons operated by a single mid-Atlantic State. A sample of 7528 subjects aged 18 or older (7221 men and 564 women) completed an audio-computer administered survey instrument. Mental disorder was based on self-reported mental health treatment ever for particular mental disorders. Approximately one-quarter of the sample reported some prior treatment for schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression, PTSD, or anxiety disorder. Rates of physical victimization for males with any mental disorder were 1.6 times (inmate-on-inmate) and 1.2 times (staff-on-inmate) higher than that of males with no mental disorder. Female inmates with mental disorder were 1.7 times more likely to report being physically victimized by another inmate than did their counterparts with no mental disorder. Overall, both males and females with mental disorder are disproportionately represented among victims of physical violence inside prison.

In the current study, we conducted daily telephone interviews with a sample of Chinese workers (N = 57) for 5 weeks to examine relationships between daily work-family conflict and alcohol use. Drawn from the tension reduction theory and the stressor-vulnerability model, daily work-family conflict variables were hypothesized to predict employees' daily alcohol use. Further, social variables (i.e., peer drinking norms, family support, and coworker support) were hypothesized to moderate the relationship between work-family conflict and alcohol use. Results showed that daily work-to-family conflict but not family-to-work conflict had a significant within-subject main effect on daily alcohol use. In addition, there was significant between-subject variation in the relationship between work-to-family conflict and alcohol use, which was predicted by peer drinking norms, coworker support, and family support. The current findings shed light on the daily health behavior consequences of work-family conflict and provide important theoretical and practical implications.

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Objective-This study estimated the rates of sexual victimization among prison inmates with and without a mental disorder.Methods-The study sampled inmates aged 18 or older in 13 prisons within a single mid-Atlantic state prison system (12 facilities for men and one for women). A total of 7,528 inmates completed the survey instrument, which was administered by audio-computer-assisted technology. Of the 6,964 male respondents, 58.5% were African American, 16.2% were non-Hispanic white, 19.8% were Hispanic, and 5.5% were of another race or ethnicity. Of the 564 female respondents, 48.4% were African American, 30.9% were non-Hispanic white, 14.4% were Hispanic, and 7.3% were of another race or ethnicity. Mental disorder was based on self-reported previous mental health treatment for particular mental disorders. Sexual victimization was measured by using questions adapted from the National Violence Against Women and Men surveys.Results-Approximately one in 12 male inmates with a mental disorder reported at least one incident of sexual victimization by another inmate over a six-month period, compared with one in 33 male inmates without a mental disorder. Among those with a mental disorder, sexual victimization was three times as high among female inmates (23.4%) as among male inmates (8.3%). AfricanAmerican and Hispanic inmates with a mental disorder, independent of gender, reported higher rates of sexual victimization than their non-Hispanic white counterparts. Conclusions-Prisons are hazardous places.Steps must be taken to protect inmates from predators inside prison, to screen them for posttraumatic stress disorder, to provide trauma-related treatment, and to keep them safe.People with serious mental illness are at significant risk of victimization in the community (1-7). Deinstitutionalization increased the number of people with serious mental illness residing in the community and in the correctional system (8-10). According to a Human Rights Watch report (11), "prisons have become the nation's primary mental health facilities." Evidence indicates that people with mental health problems in correctional settings are more likely than their counterparts without mental health problems to report prior victimization in the community (8). This evidence has raised concerns about their likely victimization in prison -environments known for their violence and exploitation of vulnerable groups (11)(12)(13)(14).Concern has been growing about sexual victimization inside America's prisons. Another report by Human Rights Watch documenting the rape and sexual abuse of more than 200 prisoners in 37 states (15) fuelled the passage of federal legislation entitled The Prison Rape Elimination Act of 2003 (16). The goal of this legislation is to document sexual assault in prisons and to develop interventions for treating rape victims and preventing future victimization.The authors report no competing interests. Previous studies have reported rates of sexual victimization in prison ranging from 41% to less than 1% (17). Methodol...

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Prisons are hazardous places. Steps must be taken to protect inmates from predators inside prison, to screen them for posttraumatic stress disorder, to provide trauma-related treatment, and to keep them safe.

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