Community Led Co-Design of a Social Networking Platform with Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders - Adolescents with ASD face challenges in forming positive friendships due to their ASD condition. This study developed a social networking platform...     

Interactions between clock gene mutation, circadian phenotype and tumor growth in mice

The relation between circadian physiology (rest-activity and body temperature) and the growth of a grafted tumor (Glasgow osteosarcoma-GOS) was investigated in the mice with mutation of clock gene (ClockDelta19(-)) or gene controlled by the clock (Vpac(-/-)). Circadian rhythms in temperature and activity were stable, with an approximately 24-h period in all the mice synchronized by the alternation of 12 h of light and 12 h of darkness (LD 12:12). Following exposure to constant darkness (DD), both rhythms persisted in ClockDelta19(-), yet with a lengthening of the period by 4.5 h compared to wild type. In DD, the amplitude increased by 45.9% for the temperature rhythm (p<0.001) and by 17.4% for the activity one (p=0.08) as compared to LD 12:12 in ClockDelta19(-). The improvement of circadian coordination and/or the lengthening of the circadian period observed in ClockDelta19(-) kept in DD was associated with a moderate slowing down of tumor growth. Although the exposure to DD ablated the activity and temperature rhythms in Vpac(-/-), no modification in tumor growth was observed as compared to wide type or Vpac(-/-) in LD 12:12. Major alternations of circadian physiology can result from interactions between photoperiodic environment and mutation of clock gene or gene controlled by the clock. In these conditions, we have shown that the alternation of the circadian phenotype does not seem to constitute an essential determinant of the growth of a grafted tumor.     

Effect of pH and Metal Ions on the Decomposition Rate of <Emphasis Type="Italic">S</Emphasis>-nitrosocysteine

S-nitrosothiols (RSNOs) have many biological functions including platelet deactivation, immunosupression, neurotransmission, and host defense. Most of the functions are attributed to nitric oxide (NO) release during S-nitrosothiol decomposition. As the simplest biologically occurring S-nitrosothiol, S-nitrosocysteine (CySNO) has been widely used as an NO donor and has also been incorporated into biomedical polymers. Knowledge of the CySNO decomposition rate is important for assessing the impact of CySNO on various bioengineering applications or biological systems. In this work, spectrophotometer measurements of CySNO decomposition in the presence of metal ions showed that the decomposition rate is highly susceptible to the pH. The maximum decomposition occurs near physiological pH (near 7.4) while in the acidic (pH < 6) and alkaline (pH > 9) condition CySNO is very stable. This demonstrates that blood provides an optimized environment for the decomposition of CySNO leading to the release of NO. The CySNO decomposition rate can also be affected by buffers with different purity levels in the presence and absence of metal ion chelators—although all buffers show the same pH phenomenon of maximizing near physiological pH. An equilibrium model of metal ions as a function of pH provides a plausible explanation for the pH dependence on the experimental decomposition rate.     

Impaired nitric oxide synthase signaling dissociates social investigation and aggression

A combination of social withdrawal and increased aggression is characteristic of several mental disorders. Most previous studies have investigated the neurochemical bases of social behavior and aggression independently, as opposed to how these behaviors are regulated in concert. Neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) produces gaseous nitric oxide, which functions as a neurotransmitter and is known to affect several types of behavior including mating and aggression. Compared with wild-type mice, we observed that nNOS knockout mice showed reduced behavioral responses to an intruder behind a wire barrier. Similar results were observed in mice treated with the selective nNOS inhibitor 3-bromo-7-nitroindazole (3BrN). In habituation-dishabituation tests, treatment with 3BrN did not block recognition of male urine but did attenuate investigation time compared with oil-treated animals. Finally, nNOS knockout mice and 3BrN treated mice were significantly more aggressive than wild-type and oil-treated males, respectively. In general, these behavioral effects are less pronounced in pair-housed males compared with singly-housed males. Thus, nNOS inhibition results in a phenotype that displays reduced social investigation and increased aggression. These data suggest that further study of nNOS signaling is warranted in mental disorders characterized by social withdrawal and increased aggression.     

Laboratory and field evaluation of the impact of exercise on the performance of regular and polymer-based deet repellents

Studies were done in Manitoba, Canada, to evaluate the impact of exercise on repellent performance against mosquitoes. Two products containing the active ingredient N,N-diethyl-3-methylbenzamide (deet) were tested; one product was a polymer-based cream (3M Ultrathon Insect Repellent) and the other product was an alcohol-based pump spray formulation (Muskol Insect Repellent). Assessments were done in the laboratory using Aedes aegypti (L.) and in the field with naturally occurring populations of mosquitoes. Repellent was applied to the forearms (laboratory) or a lower leg (field) of test subjects at 1.5 g of test product per 600 cm2 surface area (0.75 or 0.83 mg deet/cm2). For a given test day, subjects exercised or did not. Exposure to mosquito attack was for 1 min at 30-min intervals in laboratory procedures, and it was continuous in field tests. Performance was measured as complete protection time (CPT). Moderate levels of physical activity resulted in a >40% decline in mean CPT, from 468 to 267 min in the laboratory experiments and from 359 to 203 min in field tests. Repellent product did not affect the magnitude of the decline. Mean biting pressure during field trials was 21.3 bites per min, and mosquito collections were made up primarily of Ochlerotatus sticticus (Meigen) and Aedes vexans (Meigen).     

Residents feel unprepared and unsupervised as leaders of cardiac arrest teams in teaching hospitals: a survey of internal medicine residents

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to determine internal medicine residents' perceptions of the adequacy of their training to serve as in-hospital cardiac arrest team leaders, given the responsibility of managing acutely critically ill patients and with recent evidence suggesting that the quality of cardiopulmonary resuscitation provided in teaching hospitals is suboptimal. DESIGN: Cross-sectional postal survey. SETTING: Canadian internal medicine training programs. PARTICIPANTS: Internal medicine residents attending Canadian English-speaking medical schools. INTERVENTIONS: A survey was mailed to internal medicine residents asking questions relating to four domains: adequacy of training, perception of preparedness, adequacy of supervision and feedback, and effectiveness of additional training tools. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Of the 654 residents who were sent the survey, 289 residents (44.2%) responded. Almost half of the respondents (49.3%) felt inadequately trained to lead cardiac arrest teams. Many (50.9%) felt that the advanced cardiac life support course did not provide the necessary training for team leadership. A substantial number of respondents (40%) reported receiving no additional cardiac arrest training beyond the advanced cardiac life support course. Only 52.1% of respondents felt prepared to lead a cardiac arrest team, with 55.3% worrying that they made errors. Few respondents reported receiving supervision during weekdays (14.2%) or evenings and weekends (1.4%). Very few respondents reported receiving postevent debriefing (5.9%) or any performance feedback (1.3%). Level of training and receiving performance feedback were associated with perception of adequacy of training (r(2) = .085, p < .001). Respondents felt that additional training involving full-scale simulation, leadership skills training, and postevent debriefing would be most effective in increasing their skills and confidence. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that residents perceive deficits in their training and supervision to care for critically ill patients as cardiac arrest team leaders. This raises sufficient concern to prompt teaching hospitals and medical schools to consider including more appropriate supervision, feedback, and further education for residents in their role as cardiac arrest team leaders.     

Self-Concealment as a Mediator in the Relationship Between Perfectionism and Psychological Distress

The present study examined self-concealment as a possible mediator in the relationship between perfectionism and distress. The study also explored whether willingness to disclose differed depending on whether the disclosure was to a friend, family member, or counselor. One hundred and sixteen undergraduate women were administered the Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale, the Self-Concealment Scale, the Hopkins Symptom Checklist-21, and the College Issues Questionnaire. Correlational analyses indicated that maladaptive perfectionism, self-concealment, and distress were all highly related. Path analysis indicated that self-concealment mediated the relationship between maladaptive perfectionism and distress. Willingness to discuss issues with family and friends was negatively correlated with maladaptive perfectionism and self-concealment, but unrelated to distress. These results indicate that a tendency to conceal negative personal information may be a significant contributor to the psychological distress experienced by those with maladaptive perfectionism.     

Enhanced external counterpulsation improves endothelial function and exercise capacity in patients with ischaemic left ventricular dysfunction

Enhanced external counterpulsation (EECP) therapy decreases angina episodes and improves quality of life in patients with left ventricular (LV) dysfunction (LVD). However, studies have not elucidated the mechanisms of action and overall effects of EECP in patients with LVD. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effects of EECP on endothelial function in peripheral conduit arteries and exercise capacity (peak Vo ₂) in patients with LVD. Patients with ischaemic LVD (ejection fraction (EF) 34.5 ± 4.2%; n = 9) and patients with symptomatic coronary artery disease (CAD) and preserved LV function (EF 53.5 ± 6.6%; n = 15) were studied before and after 35 sessions (1 h) of EECP. Brachial and femoral artery flow‐mediated dilation (bFMD and fFMD, respectively) were evaluated using high‐resolution ultrasound. Enhanced external counterpulsation elicited similar significant improvements in the following FMD parameters in the CAD and LVD groups (P ≥ 0.05 between groups for all): absolute bFMD (+53% and +70%, respectively), relative bFMD (+50% and +74%, respectively), bFMD normalized for shear rate (+70% and +61%, respectively), absolute fFMD (+33% and +21%, respectively) and relative fFMD (+32% and +17%, respectively). In addition, EECP significantly improved plasma levels of nitrate/nitrite (+55% and +28%) and prostacyclin (+50% and +70%), as well as peak Vo ₂ (+36% and +21%), similarly in both the CAD and LVD groups (P ≥ 0.05 between groups for all). Despite reduced LV function, EECP therapy significantly improves peripheral vascular function and functional capacity in CAD patients with ischaemic LVD to a similar degree to that seen in CAD patients with preserved LV function.