Effects of heterogeneous risk factors on psychological distress in adolescents with autism and victimization experiences in Taiwan

Purpose: To investigate the prevalence of various types of bullying victimization among adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and examine the effects of victimization on the mental health of adolescents with ASD.

Methods: The sample was collected from the Special Needs Education Longitudinal Study (SNELS) database released in 2011. Variables comprising seven psychological distress (PD) items and four types of bullying victimization and family-, school-, and peer-related factors were included in a multivariate regression analysis.

Results: Exclusion and verbal bullying were most frequently reported, 72.4% of students with ASD experiencing exclusion bullying and 66% of them experiencing verbal bullying. Among the victims, delayed bedtime, use of medication, and conflicts with parents significantly increased PD. By contrast, good relationships with parents and friends and liking school environments relieved PD symptoms. Furthermore, delayed bedtime after 12 a.m. enhanced the effects of exclusion victimization on PD in the participants.

Conclusions: Our results indicated that bullying victimization among adolescents with ASD was a risk factor for their psychological well-being. Nevertheless, good parent–adolescent and interpeer relationships improved their mental health. Our results can serve as a reference in implementing strategies for motivating parents and teachers to pay more attention to the needs of adolescents with ASD.

• Implications for Rehabilitation

• More than 80% of adolescents with autism experience at least one type of bullying victimization.

• Bullying victimization attributes to a major factor influencing mental health of adolescents with autism.

• Good parent–adolescent and interpeer relationships can play beneficial roles in improving mental health of the adolescents.

     

An efficient class of bis-NHC salts: applications in Pd-catalyzed reactions under mild reaction conditions

This study describes an efficient class of bis-N-heterocyclic carbene (bis-NHC) salts that can be easily made from commercially available and inexpensive starting materials. The application of these salts to Pd-catalyzed reactions is described. The palladium (Pd) catalyst generated in situ was highly effective under mild reaction conditions.

This study describes an efficient class of bis-N-heterocyclic carbene (bis-NHC) salts that can be easily made from commercially available and inexpensive starting materials.     

Correction: Tunnel injection from WS2 quantum dots to InGaN/GaN quantum wells

Correction for ‘Tunnel injection from WS₂ quantum dots to InGaN/GaN quantum wells’ by Svette Reina Merden Santiago et al., RSC Adv., 2018, 8, 15399–15404.

Eqn (4) in the published paper was incorrect; the correct version is shown below:4The Royal Society of Chemistry apologises for these errors and any consequent inconvenience to authors and readers.     

Highly sensitive sensing of hydroquinone and catechol based on β-cyclodextrin-modified carbon dots

In the proposed study, an efficient method for a carbon dot@β-cyclodextrin (C-dot@β-CD)-based fluorescent probe was developed for the analyses of catechol (CC) and hydroquinone (HQ) at trace levels in water samples. The properties of C-dot@β-CD nanocomposites were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The sensing behaviors of C-dot@β-CD toward CC and HQ were investigated by fluorescence spectroscopy. Based on the host–guest chemistry between C-dot@β-CD and phenolic compounds, which can quench C-dot@β-CD fluorescence, the prepared C-dot@β-CD nanocomposites could be used for the sensitive and selective detection of CC or HQ across a wide linear range (0.1 to 10 μM) with detection limits of 47.9 and 20.2 nM, respectively. These results showed that the synthesized C-dot@β-CD nanocomposite exhibited strong fluorescence and high degree of water solubility and thus, it is suitable for use as a nanoprobe for detecting CC or HQ in real water samples.

In the proposed study, an efficient method for a carbon dot@β-cyclodextrin (C-dot@β-CD)-based fluorescent probe was developed for the analyses of catechol (CC) and hydroquinone (HQ) at trace levels in water samples.     

Haemoglobin H disease due to (--SEA) alpha-globin gene deletion and alpha2-codon 30 (DeltaGAG) mutation: a family study.

A Chinese family in which two siblings suffer from haemogloblin (Hb) H disease due to (--SEA) alpha-globin gene deletion and alpha2-codon 30 (DeltaGAG) mutation is described. Both siblings are transfusion-independent and have survived to adulthood. In contrast to previous report of hydrops fetalis associated with zeta-alpha-thal-1 and alpha2-codon 30 (DeltaGAG) mutation, the zeta-globin genes are intact in the two siblings, which most probably alleviates the gamma-chain excess and protects the fetus from severe anaemia. Correlation of genotype with phenotype in Hb H disease is important for genetic counselling, especially in the antenatal setting.