An Exploration of Dating as an Occupation for Autistic Adults

Despite the presence and popularity of dating cultures in the media, the occupation of dating is highly complex and still prematurely understood through research. Recent research has found autistic adults to experience increased variety in their gender and sexual identity as well as challenges to achieving dating goals. A doctoral capstone project was completed to explore current approaches to resources and programs to address their dating needs, as well as understand their experiences in more depth. A needs assessment was carried out through an occupational therapist working with autistic adults in a day program. The need’s assessment revealed that autistic adults would benefit from occupation-based interventions where they are able to safely investigate and discuss their dating-related needs and goals and receive guidance on social and cultural subtleties and the unspoken rules of dating. Based on literature findings and the needs assessment results, a program manuscript was developed to serve as a foundational protocol for an occupational therapist to facilitate dating-related, self-exploration, and skill development. The program includes 11 modules that explore various aspects related to the occupation of dating. A website for the private and personal use of occupational therapy-related activities was additionally created as a resource for autistic adults to utilize OT-based resources independently.https://soar.usa.edu/otdcapstonesfall2021/1001/thumbnail.jp

One-dimensional backreacting holographic superconductors with exponential nonlinear electrodynamics

In this paper, we investigate the effects of nonlinear exponential electrodynamics as well as backreaction on the properties of one-dimensional $s$-wave holographic superconductors. We continue our study both analytically and numerically. In analytical study, we employ the Sturm-Liouville method while in numerical approach we perform the shooting method. We obtain a relation between the critical temperature and chemical potential analytically. Our results show a good agreement between analytical and numerical methods. We observe that the increase in the strength of both nonlinearity and backreaction parameters causes the formation of condensation in the black hole background harder and critical temperature lower. These results are consistent with those obtained for two dimensional $s$-wave holographic superconductors.Comment: 8 pages (two columns), 2 figures (each including 2 subfigures), 3 table

Study and evaluation of economical and hygienic effects of aflatoxin B1 in cultured Huso huso

In the present study, the impacts of various concentrations of Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) on Beluga, Huso huso, under controlled conditions were investigated. Belugas (120±10 g) were fed diets containing 0, 25, 50, 75, and 100 ppb AFB1/kg of diet for 3 months. Results showed that various levels of AFB1 do not significantly affect the specific growth ratio (SGR) (p< 0.05) of fish in different treatments. However, weight gain and food conversion ratio (FCR) varied significantly (p< 0.05 between control and treatments with diets contaminated with 75 and 100ppb AFB1/kg after 90 days). The increase in level of AFB1 did not affect the percent of survival rate (SR) and no mortality was observed in treatments (SR=100%). Various levels of AFB1 under experimental conditions of the present study affect some growth factors, such as, weight gain and FCR but have no significant impact on SGR. Histopathological studies showed that different level of AFB1 can cause broad range of changes in liver, kidney, spleen and gills tissues, particularly at concentration of 75 and 100 ppb AFB1/kg of diets after 60 days. No tumor formation observed. With regard to toxin concentration and time of exposure to AFB1 in experimental fish, different degree of skin lesions (simple hemorrhage to progressive wounds) were observed in different parts of body especially in vent, caudal peduncle, fins, and head. "Yellow sores" on head and trunk regions are considerable and led to deterioration of appearance. Prevalence of skin lesion in different treatments was 8 -53.3 %, which after stop feeding with toxic diets, 16-24 % healing observed. Haematological changes included chronic anemia and lymphocyteopenia. Also neutrophilia observed with increasing of skin lesions. Meat accumulation of AFB1 in different treatments is not so considerable and harmful for human consumption, but is significantly different with control fishes (P<0.01)

Effect of Echinacea purpurea and Astragalus glycyphyllos on immune responses of rainbow trout (O. mykiss) and resistance to sterptococcosis

Nowadays, medical plants extract is used in aquaculture industry to enhance growth, immune system and fish resistance to different pathogens. In this study, some non-specific immune responses, hematology and biochemical parameters in rainbow trout juveniles (16 gr mean weight) and their resistance to Streptococcus iniae were evaluated following oral administration of Echinacea purpurea and Astragalus sp. extract. Three concentrations (0.5, 1 and 1.5 gr/kg of feed) of Echinacea purpurea and three concentrations (2, 3 and 5 gr/kg of feed) of Astragalus sp extract and control group were used for 60 days. Parameters evaluated included: levels of C4, C3 (complement components), free oxygen radicals (respiratory burst), Lysozyme, numbers of lymphocytes, monocytes and neutrophils. In the end, the relative survival rate (RSR) of fish was evaluated against S. iniae. The results showed that the levels of C3, lysozyme, oxygen free radicals, the number of neutrophils and lymphocytes in the experiment groups (the highest dose) compared to control group were increased significantly (p 0.05). The relative survival rates of fish following challenge with Streptococcus iniae, were 91/11, 93/33 and 44/44 percent in experiments (Echinacea purpurea and Astragalus sp.) and control groups, respectively. In conclusion, it may be state that Echinacea purpurea and Astragalus sp. extracts enhance the non-specific immune system and fish resistance against Streptococcusis, and it seems it can be used as immunostimulant in feed

Study on the reason of striped mullet (Mugil cephalus) larvae mortality and the production of its fingerlings

In this study, nine years old farmed broodstocks of striped grey mullet have been induced artificially by hormones. Eight experiments of artificial propagation carried out during three months (from October to February) in 2003. The hormones used for males were HCG and 17-α-Methyltestosterone and to induce females the hormones such as LHRH-α2, HCG and CPH were used. During these experiments, 27 females injected which 22 of them spawned along with larval production. Water temperature and salinity were 20-23°c and 32 ppt during artificial propagation respectively. For larval culture, two different experiments carried out which final larval density in tanks, water temperature and salinity were 20 in/liter, 22-24°c and 32-33 ppt respectively. Larvae fed with live foods such as Nannochloropsis oculata , Brachionus plicatilis, Artemia nauplii with density of 500000 cell/ml, 20 ind/ml and 3-200 ind/liter respectively. Water exchange in larval culture tanks during first week was 10 percent of tank volume, and this amount in the second and next weeks were higher which have been 2030 and 40-50 percent of tank volume respectively. At the first experiment of larval culture, the tanks with maximum depth of 80 cm used that whole larvae died after 12 days post hatching; whereas at the next trial, three numbers of 4000 liters fiberglass black color tanks with maximum depth of 120 cm used which tend to the survival rate of 0.9 percent after 55 days post hatching