Reconceptualizing autism : moving beyond the behavioral to address cause, cure and prevention

Since the publication of Leo Kanner\u27s seminal paper in 1943, there has been essentially no definitive light shed on the cause, prevention or cure of autism. It is our contention that the reason lies, at least in part, with the original psychiatric conceptualization of the condition and the subsequent acceptance of this framework by health professionals ever since. We suggest an urgent revision of autism as a disease state such that its operationalization in major diagnostic systems such as the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders and International Classification of Diseases recognizes the biological variables known to be associated with autism

Commentary : Fatty acids, breastfeeding and Autism Spectrum Disorder

Fatty acid deficiencies are linked to Autism Spectrum Disorder. This commentary discusses the protective role of breastfeeding and the urgency of research into the human infant\u27s intake of colostrum to prevent fatty acid deficiency

Trademarks and Private Environmental Governance

This Article examines the relationship between private environmental governance and trademark law. Over the past two decades, green trademarks and other forms of private governance have flourished in tandem with the retreat from national and international public law modalities of environmental regulation. The rising political opposition to environmental regulation partly accounts for this change. Also relevant is the rise of globalization, which due to jurisdictional and trade constraints has diminished the effective regulatory control countries have over products sold in their markets. Private environmental governance is premised on consumers “voting with their wallets” by selecting products that reflect not just their instrumental preferences, but also their values. The potential of this form of private governance has not been realized, however, in part because consumers are often overwhelmed by information from multiple green trademarks with different standards or criteria. The resulting congestion of market information has undermined the communicative function of green trademarks that is essential to enabling consumers to make environmentally responsible choices. For a variety of reasons, trademark law is premised on a narrowly prescribed role for trademarks that is poorly adapted to facilitating information-based forms of private governance. Instead, intramural battles over the scope of trademark rights—ignited by overreaching corporate branding strategies—have elevated a reactionary turn in trademark theory that reduces trademarks solely to identifying the specific source of a product or service. We argue that the normative ends of private environmental governance should factor into, though by no means determine, trademark policy

Seasonal Use of Bridges by Rafinesque\u27s Big-Eared Bat, \u3ci\u3eCorynorhinus rafinesquii\u3c/i\u3e, in Southern Mississippi

We conducted surveys of concrete bridges in southern Mississippi from 2000–2002 to determine the phenological pattern of use by Rafinesque\u27s big-eared bat, Corynorhinus rafinesquii. The earliest dates on which we located maternity colonies were 9 March 2000, 20 April 2001, and 15 May 2002. Maternity colonies increased in size and abundance as spring progressed. Pups were born in mid- to late May (first observed 12 May 2000, 15 May 2001, 27 May 2002) and nursed through midsummer (lactating females last captured 14 July 2000, 25 July 2001, 16 July 2002). Colony size and percentage of bridges occupied by bats declined in late summer. Colonies were absent during fall and winter, although we occasionally found solitary individuals during these seasons. Number of bats present under an occupied bridge ranged from 1 to 25. The mean number of individuals per occupied bridge was 4.6 (SD = 5.8) in 2000, 3.9 (SD = 5.0) in 2001, and 3.0 (SD = 4.4) in 2002. The mean number of adult females per maternity colony was 5.6 (SD = 3.1). Although we found males throughout the study period, females were largely absent from bridges outside of the maternity season, suggesting that much of the population used alternate roosts during this time

Enantioselective Organocatalytic Indole Alkylations. Design of a New and Highly Effective Chiral Amine for Iminium Catalysis

The indole framework has become widely identified as a “privileged” structure with representation in over 3000 natural isolates and 40 medicinal agents of diverse therapeutic action. A new strategy for asymmetric access to this important pharmacaphore has been accomplished that involves the amine catalyzed alkylation of indoles with α,β-unsaturated aldehydes. Central to these studies has been the design of a new chiral amine catalyst that exhibits improved reactivity and selectivity for iminium catalysis. This new (2S,5S)-5-benzyl-2-tert-butyl-imidazolidinone catalyst has enabled the conjugate addition of a variety of indole systems to a diverse range of α,β-unsaturated aldehydes in high yield and with excellent levels of enantiocontrol (70−97% yield, 84−97% ee). A demonstration of the utility of this new organocatalytic alkylation for the rapid construction of biomedically relevant molecules is presented in the enantioselective synthesis of an indolobutyric acid COX-2 inhibitor

An Alternate to Accumulated Oxygen Deficit (AOD) for Measuring Anaerobic Contribution: ‘AODalt’ is Valid in Normoxia and Hypoxia

Accumulated oxygen deficit (AOD) is the gold standard measure of anaerobic contribution; however, its calculation requires several contentious assumptions and it is time-consuming, requiring participants to perform a number of submaximal exercise bouts to establish exercise efficiency. A new method, AODalt, requires performance of only a single bout of exercise, and is based on the presumption that the fast phase of the post-exercise oxygen uptake (VO2) profile reflects the alactic or phosphocreatine (PCr) contribution and that the exercise-induced increase in blood lactate concentration is quantitatively related to the lactic or glycolytic contribution representing a measure of total anaerobic contribution. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the validity of an alternate measure, AODalt. METHODS: In Study One, six women (mean ± SD age, 23 ± 1 y) and three men (23 ± 0 y) performed three 6-min bouts of heavy intensity cycle ergometer exercise, one in normoxia (FIO2 ~21 %) and two under hypoxic conditions (FIO2 ~15 % and ~12 %). In Study Two, four women (23 ± 1 y) and two men (23 ± 0 y) performed severe intensity tests to exhaustion, one in normoxia (time to exhaustion ~10 min) and two in hypoxia (FIO2 ~15 % and ~10 %; time to exhaustion ~7½ min and ~4 min). Physiological responses were measured during exercise and during 7 min of recovery. RESULTS: In 6 min of heavy exercise, Study One, the alternate and criterion measures of anaerobic contribution (AODalt and AOD, respectively) were correlated both in normoxia and in hypoxia (r ³ 0.82, p \u3c 0.01) although AODalt values were slightly lower (p \u3c 0.01) in normoxia (25 ± 3 mL·kg–1 vs 28 ± 4 mL·kg–1). In exhaustive severe intensity exercise, Study Two, the two measures of anaerobic capacity were correlated (r ³ 0.77, p £ 0.02) and not different (p ³ 0.43) in normoxia and at FIO2 ~15 % (e.g., 51 ± 9 mL·kg–1 vs 49 ± 8 mL·kg–1 in normoxia). However, the AODalt and AOD values were neither correlated (r = 0.27, p = 0.44) nor similar (p \u3c 0.01; 57 ± 8 mL·kg–1 vs 51 ± 7 mL·kg–1) at FIO2 ~10 %. CONCLUSION: These results confirm the validity of AODalt as a measure of anaerobic contribution / anaerobic capacity in severe intensity exercise, demonstrate its validity in heavy intensity exercise, and assert its validity in conditions of hypoxia (FIO2 ³ 12%)

A Model for Internalized Stigma in Children and Adolescents with Epilepsy

Objective Perceptions of stigma in children and adolescents with epilepsy are associated with higher rates of mental health problems. The purpose of this study was to test relationships in a model that identified variables most strongly associated with perceptions of stigma in children and adolescents with epilepsy. Our ultimate goal is to develop a theoretical foundation for future intervention research by identifying variables associated with perceptions of stigma that are potentially amenable to psychosocial interventions. Methods Participants were 173 children and adolescents with epilepsy who were between 9 and 14 years of age. Data were collected in telephone interviews. Stigma was measured using a self-report scale. Data were analyzed using structural equation modeling. Results Greater need for information and support, more fear and worry related to having epilepsy, greater seizure severity, and younger age were significantly associated with greater perceptions of stigma. Female gender, greater need for information and support, having at least one seizure in the past year, and lower self-efficacy for seizure management were significantly associated with more fear and worry related to having epilepsy. Conclusions Findings suggest that perceptions of stigma are associated with two variables that are amenable to psychosocial interventions: fear and worry about having epilepsy and need for information and support. Future research should test the efficacy of interventions that reduce fear and worry, provide information about epilepsy, and reduce need for support

Survey of Salamanders in Mississippi Limestone Caves

During 2000-2002 we surveyed for salamanders in the larger limestone caves of Mississippi, all within the Vicksburg Group rock unit. We found four species: Plethodon mississippi was the most abundant, followed by Eurycea guttolineata, Eurycea cirrigera, and Desmognathus conanti. We did not find Pseudotriton montanus in any of the caves, and question the validity of an investigator\u27s statement made nearly 45 years ago that, it is one of the most numerous salamanders in Mississippi. limestone caves. The salamander fauna we found is similar to that of the only other comprehensive survey of salamanders in Mississippi caves, conducted almost thirty years ago

The relationship between attachment style, anxiety sensitivity and interpretive bias among adolescent nonclinical panickers

Elevated anxiety sensitivity and the tendency to catastrophically misinterpret ambiguous bodily sensations has been demonstrated in people who experience nonclinical levels of panic (Richards, Austin, & Alvarenga, 2001), and anxiety sensitivity has been shown to be associated with insecure attachment in adolescents and young adults (Weems, Berman, Silverman, and Saavedra, 2001). This study investigated the relationship between attachment style, anxiety sensitivity and catastrophic misinterpretation among 11 nonclinical panickers and 58 nonanxious controls aged 18 to 19 years. Participants completed the Brief Bodily Sensations Interpretation Questionnaire (BBSIQ), Anxiety Sensitivity Index (ASI) and an attachment questionnaire. The hypothesis that insecurely attached individuals would demonstrate greater catastrophic misinterpretation and higher anxiety sensitivity than securely attached individuals was not supported; however, nonclinical panickers gave more anxiety-related interpretations of ambiguous internal stimuli than nonanxious controls. Results do not support the notion that attachment style is related to anxiety sensitivity or catastrophic misinterpretation (regardless of panic experience). Results do, however, support the notion that anxiety-related misinterpretation of ambiguous somatic sensations precedes the onset of panic disorder