Quality of life in parents of young adults with ASD : EpiTED cohort

The impact of ASD on parental QOL was evaluated in the EpiTED cohort study at early adulthood. Two-third of parents of young adults with ASD (66.7%) reported that their QoL was at least moderately altered. The perceived impact of ASD on parental QoL was related to the young adults' level of adaptive skills, as well as to symptom severity and the presence of challenging behaviors, which appeared to be the main risk factor. The study of change between adolescence and early adulthood showed that parents whose children had a decrease in challenging behaviors perceived a decreased impact on their QoL. These results argue for the importance to propose specific interventions to target associated challenging behaviors in ASD

Mushaf Utman en al-Ándalus y el Magreb a través de las crónicas musulmanas: estudio y análisis de estas fuentes

Las escasas fuentes antiguas acerca de la presencia de Muṣḥaf ‘Uṯmān en al-Ádalus y el Magreb, los debates acerca de su autenticidad y destapar el verdadero papel que jugó este manuscrito en cada orilla del mediterráneo me llevaron a emprender la investigación de esta tesis del manuscrito más famoso del Corán, aquel Libro que se heredaban en al-Ándalus y el Magreb los Emires, los Califas, y los soberanos ostentándolo como reliquia sagrada tanto en los actos religiosos como en las campañas militares buscando su bendicón y su protección, y que tuvo en el periodo de seis siglos tanta influencia social, religiosa y geopolítica como pocas reliquias han tenido a lo largo de la historia de la humanidad. Tras consultar una amplia bibliografía y estudios al respecto, he observado una aparente falta de síntesis de las crónicas medievales así como unas verdaderas lagunas en el análisis de las cadenas de transmisión por lo que pretendo con esta tesis, a través de una profunda investigación de las fuentes, a la vez empírica y exhaustiva, probar con una lectura comparada de los textos de los cronistas medievales que mencionaron Muṣḥaf ‘Uṯmān que la elevación de esta reliquia al rango de mito auténticamente vivido y adoptado como objeto de veneración y de creencia religiosa en el seno de pueblos y dinastías de al-Ándalus y el Magreb mantuvo a lo largo de los siglos y a manos de numerosos soberanos su carácter sacro y su aspecto protector, aunque su uso se intrumentalizó tanto como talismán que como símbolo de legitimización y de cohesión social. Para ello, y aportando mediante los textos escritos a través de los siglos los numerosos detalles de los relatos alrededor de Muṣḥaf ‘Uṯmān en dos tierras cercanas como son al-Ándalus y el Magreb, se quiere demostrar la hipótesis expuesta anteriormente buscando las referencias antiguas sobre la presencia de la copia de Muṣḥaf ‘Uṯmān en al-Ándalus y el Magreb, mencionando los textos árabes de aquellas originales y traducirlos al castellano, analizarlas en cuanto a la dicotomía de la cadena de transmisión entre emisor y transmisor, y aportando la novedad de aquellas fuentes antiguas no referenciadas o no recogidas por los autores contemporáneos. Cogiendo como autores contemporáneos base a cuatro referencias que abordaron con amplia bibliografía la presencia de Muṣḥaf ‘Uṯmān en al-Ándalus y el Magreb, como son BENNISON, Amira K.; BOUAYED, Mahmoud Agha; BURESI, Pascal y AL-SAYYID, Ṣaḥar ‘Abd al-‘Azīz Sālim, se ha elaborado la cadena de transmisión de las fuentes, según un análisis crítico y comparativo de las menciones, con el fin de catalogar a los cronistas antiguos entre emisores y recepctores e intentar revelar aquellas menciones originales. Para ello, se ha delimitado una lista de 21 cronistas medievales que, después de una exhaustiva investigación bibliográfica, se puede afirmar que son las las referencias base antiguas (entre emisores y aquellos transmisores que no sólo transmitieron sino que aportaron y modificaron algunos puntos de aquellos textos originales) y por ello se han estudiado sus menciones en los diferentes periodos por los que pasó este manuscrito: la Córdoba Omeya, la Córdoba de los Reinos Taifas, la Córdoba de los Almorávides, Marrakech de los Almohades; Tlemcen de los Ziyánidas y Fez de los Mariníes. Adicionalmente, se pretende averiguar si las menciones de cronistas emisores y transmisores fueron todas recogidas por los historiadores e investigadores contemporáneos o existen algunas no mencionadas por omisión u olvido..

Clinical predictors of psychotropic medication prescription in children with ASD of the ELENA cohort

Psychotropic drugs are often used to treat behavior problems in ASD with some evidence supporting efficacity (e.g.: risperidone and irritability) but also significant side effects at the short and longer-term. It is then essential to know better the factors associated with the prescription of these medications and potentially implement early behavioral and psychosocial intervention or cognitive remediation before to use medication. We designed a case–control study based on the population of the ELENA cohort to assess the factors associated with early psychotropic drugs use in children with ASD. Externalized behavior symptoms (measured by the Child Behavior Checklist) is the leading risk factor during the first years of follow-up (aOR = 2.8; CI [1.04; 7.67]; p = 0.04). Age, gender, autism severity, adaptive behaviors, or internalized behaviors were not associated with psychotropic medication prescription. Low IQ and parents who had received training tended to increase the risk of psychotropic medication prescription during follow-up but were not statistically significant. These findings underscore the need for early identification of symptoms of externalizing behaviour, early appropriate information for parents about treatment with and without medication, early analysis of externalising behaviour and targeted treatments

Polymer-Clay Nanocomposites: Exfoliation and Intercalation of Organophilic Montmorillonite Nanofillers in Styrene–Limonene Copolymer

Nanocomposites from Styrene-Limonene copolymers and Algerian organophilic-clay named Maghnite-CTA+ (Mag-CTA+), were prepared by in-situ polymerization using different amounts (2, 5, and 10% by weight) of clay and Azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN) as a catalyst. The Mag-CTA+ is an organophilic silicate clay prepared through a direct exchange process, using Cetyltrimethylammonuim bromide (CTAB) in which it used as green nano-filler. The preparation method of nanocomposites was studied in order to determine and improve structural, morphological and thermal properties of Sty-Lim copolymer. The struc ture and morphology of the obtained nanocomposites (Sty-Lim/Mag) were determined using Fourier trans form infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electronic microscopy (SEM) and transmission electronic microscopy (TEM). The analyses confirmed the chemical modification of clay layers and the intercalation of Sty-Lim copolymer within the organophilic clay sheets. Exfoliated structure was obtained for the lower amount of clay (2 wt %), while intercalated structures were detected for higher amounts of clay (5 and 10 wt %). The thermal properties of the obtained nanocomposites were studied by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and show a significant improvement in the thermal stability compared with the pure copolymer. The obtained nanocomposites show an optimal degradation temperature of 320°C.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Correction: Healthy dietary indices and risk of depressive outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies

Correction to: Molecular Psychiatry; https://doi.org/10.1038/s41380-018-0237-8; published online 26 September 2018

Associations between long-term adherence to healthy diet and recurrent depressive symptoms in Whitehall II Study

PURPOSE: We examined whether long-term adherence to three diet quality scores-the Alternative Healthy Eating Index-2010 (AHEI-2010), Dietary Approach to Stop Hypertension (DASH) and  transformed-Mediterranean Diet Score (tMDS), Alternative Healthy Eating Index-2010 (AHEI-2010) and Dietary Approach to Stop Hypertension (DASH) is associated with the risk of recurrent depressive symptoms. METHODS: Analyses were conducted on a sample of 4949 men and women from the Whitehall II study. Diet scores were calculated using data collected from food frequency questionnaires repeated over 11 years of exposure (1991/1993-2002/2004). Recurrence of depressive symptoms was defined when participants reported at least two episodes of depressive symptoms (assessed by Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale and use of antidepressants) over the four phases of follow-up (2002/04-2015/16). RESULTS: After adjustment for potential cofounders, higher scores on AHEI-2010, DASH and tMDS at the end of the exposure period were associated with lower risk of recurrent depressive symptoms over the 13-year follow-up. Repeat measures of dietary history showed that participants who maintained a high AHEI-2010 score over the 11-year exposure period had a 19% (OR 0.81, 95% CI 0.65-1.00) lower odds of recurrent depressive symptoms compared to those who maintained a low AHEI score. Participants whose AHEI-2010 score decreased over time had a 1.34-fold increased odds (95% CI 1.02-1.75) of developing recurrent depressive symptoms compared to those maintaining a high AHEI-2010. No robust associations were observed for long-term tMDS and DASH. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that long-term adherence to healthy diet defined by Alternative Healthy Eating Index-2010 confers protection against recurrent depressive symptoms

Association of Borderline Intellectual Functioning and Adverse Childhood Experience with adult psychiatric morbidity:Findings from a British birth cohort

Background To examine whether Borderline Intellectual Functioning (BIF) and Adverse Childhood Experiences independently predict adult psychiatric morbidity. Methods We performed a secondary analysis of longitudinal data derived from the 1970 British Birth Cohort Study to examine whether BIF and Adverse Childhood Experiences independently predict adult mental distress as measured by the Malaise Inventory. Factor analysis was used to derive a proxy measure of IQ from cognitive testing at age 10 or 5. Variables that could be indicators of exposure to Adverse Childhood Experiences were identified and grouped into health related and socio-economic related adversity. Results Children with BIF were significantly more likely than their peers to have been exposed to Adverse Childhood Experiences (BIF mean 5.90, non-BIF mean 3.19; Mann-Whitney z = 31.74, p < 0.001). As adults, participants with BIF were significantly more likely to score above the cut-off on the Malaise Inventory. We found statistically significant relationships between the number of socio-economic Adverse Childhood Experiences and poorer adult psychiatric morbidity (r range 0.104–0.141, all p < 001). At all ages the indirect mediating effects of Adverse Childhood Experiences were significantly related to adult psychiatric morbidity. Conclusions The relationship between BIF and adult psychiatric morbidity appears to be partially mediated by exposure to Adverse Childhood Experiences. Where possible, targeting Adverse Childhood Experiences through early detection, prevention and interventions may improve psychiatric morbidity in this population group

Effects of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy on Daily Living Skills in Children with High-Functioning Autism and Concurrent Anxiety Disorders

CBT is a promising treatment for children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and focuses, in part, on children’s independence and self-help skills. In a trial of CBT for anxiety in ASD (Wood et al. in J Child Psychol Psychiatry 50:224–234, 2009), children’s daily living skills and related parental intrusiveness were assessed. Forty children with ASD (7–11 years) and their primary caregiver were randomly assigned to an immediate treatment (IT; n = 17) or 3-month waitlist (WL; n = 23) condition. In comparison to WL, IT parents reported increases in children’s total and personal daily living skills, and reduced involvement in their children’s private daily routines. Reductions correlated with reduced anxiety severity. These results provide preliminary evidence that CBT may yield increased independence and daily living skills among children with ASD

Mental disorders as risk factors: assessing the evidence for the Global Burden of Disease Study

Background: Mental disorders are associated with a considerable burden of disease as well as being risk factors for other health outcomes. The new Global Burden of Disease (GBD) Study will make estimates for both the disability and mortality directly associated with mental disorders, as well as the burden attributable to other health outcomes. Herein we discuss the process by which health outcomes in which mental disorders are risk factors are selected for inclusion in the GBD Study. We make suggestions for future research to strengthen the body of evidence for mental disorders as risk factors