Prevalence and recurrence of pica behaviors in early childhood within the ALSPAC birth cohort

Objective: The present study examined prevalence and correlates of pica behaviors during childhood using data from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) study. Method: Data on 10,109 caregivers from the ALSPAC study who reported pica behavior at 36, 54, 65, 77, and 115 months on their child were included. Autism was obtained through clinical and education records, while DD was derived from the Denver Developmental Screening Test. Results: A total of 312 parents (3.08%) reported pica behaviors in their child. Of these, 19.55% reported pica at least at two waves (n = 61). Pica was most common at 36 months (N = 226; 2.29%) and decreased as children aged. A significant association was found between pica and autism at all five waves (p < .001). There was a significant relationship between pica and DD, with individuals with DD more likely to experience pica than those without DD at 36 (p = .01), and 54 (p < .001), 65 (p = .04), 77 (p < .001), and 115 months (p = .006). Exploratory analyses examined pica behaviors with broader eating difficulties and child body mass index. Discussion: This study enhances understanding of childhood pica behaviors, addressing a significant gap in knowledge. Pica occurrence in the general population is poorly understood due to few epidemiological studies. Findings from the present study indicate pica is an uncommon behavior in childhood; however, children with DD or autism may benefit from pica screening and diagnosis between ages 36 and 115 months. Children who exhibit undereating, overeating, and food fussiness may also engage in pica behaviors

Synthesis of NH-sulfoximines from sulfides by chemoselective one-pot N- and O-transfers

Direct synthesis of NH-sulfoximines from sulfides has been achieved through O and NH transfer in the same reaction, occurring with complete selectivity. The reaction is mediated by bisacetoxyiodobenzene under simple conditions and employs inexpensive N-sources. Preliminary studies indicate that NH-transfer is likely to be first, followed by oxidation, but the reaction proceeds successfully in either order. A wide range of functional groups and biologically relevant compounds are tolerated. The use of AcO15NH4 affords 15N-labeled compounds

A complete catalogue of dusty supernova remnants in the Galactic plane

We search for far-infrared (FIR) counterparts of known supernova remnants (SNRs) in the Galactic plane (360° in longitude and b=±1∘⁠) at 70–500 μm with Herschel. We detect dust signatures in 39 SNRs out of 190, made up of 13 core-collapse supernovae (CCSNe), including 4 Pulsar Wind Nebulae (PWNe), and 2 Type Ia SNe. A further 24 FIR detected SNRs have unknown types. We confirm the FIR detection of ejecta dust within G350.1−0.3, adding to the known sample of ∼ 10 SNRs containing ejecta dust. We discover dust features at the location of a radio core at the centre of G351.2+0.1, indicating FIR emission coincident with a possible Crab-like compact object, with dust temperature and mass of T_d = 45.8 K and M_d = 0.18 M⊙, similar to the PWN G54.1+0.3. We show that the detection rate is higher among young SNRs. We produce dust temperature maps of 11 SNRs and mass maps of those with distance estimates, finding dust at temperatures 15 ≲ T_d ≲ 40 K. If the dust is heated by shock interactions the shocked gas must be relatively cool and/or have a low density to explain the observed low grain temperatures

Cognitive deficits in childhood, adolescence and adulthood in 22q11.2 deletion syndrome and association with psychopathology

22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome (22q11.2DS) is associated with high risk of psychiatric disorders and cognitive impairment. It remains unclear to what extent key cognitive skills are associated with psychopathology, and whether cognition is stable over time in 22q11.2DS. 236 children, adolescents and adults with 22q11.2DS and 106 typically developing controls were recruited from three sites across Europe. Measures of IQ, processing speed, sustained attention, spatial working memory and psychiatric assessments were completed. Cognitive performance in individuals was calculated relative to controls in different age groups (children (6–9 years), adolescents (10–17 years), adults (18+ years)). Individuals with 22q11.2DS exhibited cognitive impairment and higher rates of psychiatric disorders compared to typically developing controls. Presence of Autism Spectrum Disorder symptoms was associated with greater deficits in processing speed, sustained attention and working memory in adolescents but not children. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in children and adolescents and psychotic disorder in adulthood was associated with sustained attention impairment. Processing speed and working memory were more impaired in children and adults with 22q11.2DS respectively, whereas the deficit in sustained attention was present from childhood and remained static over developmental stages. Psychopathology was associated with cognitive profile of individuals with 22q11.2DS in an age-specific and domain-specific manner. Furthermore, magnitude of cognitive impairment differed by developmental stage in 22q11.2DS and the pattern differed by domain

A Galactic dust devil: far-infrared observations of the Tornado supernova remnant candidate

We present complicated dust structures within multiple regions of the candidate supernova remnant (SNR) the ‘Tornado’ (G357.7–0.1) using observations with Spitzer and Herschel. We use point process mapping, PPMAP, to investigate the distribution of dust in the Tornado at a resolution of 8 arcsec, compared to the native telescope beams of 5–36 arcsec. We find complex dust structures at multiple temperatures within both the head and the tail of the Tornado, ranging from 15 to 60 K. Cool dust in the head forms a shell, with some overlap with the radio emission, which envelopes warm dust at the X-ray peak. Akin to the terrestrial sandy whirlwinds known as ‘dust devils’, we find a large mass of dust contained within the Tornado. We derive a total dust mass for the Tornado head of 16.7 M_⊙⁠, assuming a dust absorption coefficient of κ₃₀₀ = 0.56 m² kg⁻¹⁠, which can be explained by interstellar material swept up by a SNR expanding in a dense region. The X-ray, infrared, and radio emission from the Tornado head indicate that this is a SNR. The origin of the tail is more unclear, although we propose that there is an X-ray binary embedded in the SNR, the outflow from which drives into the SNR shell. This interaction forms the helical tail structure in a similar manner to that of the SNR W50 and microquasar SS 433

Control of complex quantum structures in droplet epitaxy

We report the controllable growth of GaAs quantum complexes in droplet molecular-beam epitaxy, and the optical properties of self-assembled AlxGa1-xAs quantum rings embedded in a superlattice. We found that Ga droplets on a GaAs substrate can retain their geometry up to a maximum temperature of 490 degrees C during post-growth annealing, with an optimal temperature of 320 degrees C for creating uniform and symmetric droplets. Through controlling only the crystallisation temperature under As-4 in the range of 450 degrees C to 580 degrees C, we can reliably control diffusion, adsorption and etching rates to produce various GaAs quantum complexes such as quantum dots, dot pairs and nanoholes. AlxGa1-xAs quantum rings are also realised within these temperatures via the adjustment of As beam equivalent pressure. We found that crystallisation using As-2 molecules in the place of As-4 creates smaller diameter quantum rings at higher density. The photoluminescence of As-2 grown AlxGa1-xAs quantum rings embedded in a superlattice shows a dominant emission from the quantum rings at elevated temperatures. This observation reveals the properties of the quantum ring carrier confinement and their potential application as efficient photon emitters

A galactic dust devil: far-infrared observations of the tornado supernova remnant candidate

We present complicated dust structures within multiple regions of the candidate supernova remnant (SNR) the ‘Tornado’ (G357.7−0.1) using observations with Spitzer and Herschel. We use Point Process Mapping, PPMAP, to investigate the distribution of dust in the Tornado at a resolution of 8″, compared to the native telescope beams of 5 − 36″. We find complex dust structures at multiple temperatures within both the head and the tail of the Tornado, ranging from 15 to 60 K. Cool dust in the head forms a shell, with some overlap with the radio emission, which envelopes warm dust at the X-ray peak. Akin to the terrestrial sandy whirlwinds known as ‘Dust Devils’, we find a large mass of dust contained within the Tornado. We derive a total dust mass for the Tornado head of 16.7 M⊙⁠, assuming a dust absorption coefficient of κ300 =0.56m2kg−1⁠, which can be explained by interstellar material swept up by a SNR expanding in a dense region. The X-ray, infra-red, and radio emission from the Tornado head indicate that this is a SNR. The origin of the tail is more unclear, although we propose that there is an X-ray binary embedded in the SNR, the outflow from which drives into the SNR shell. This interaction forms the helical tail structure in a similar manner to that of the SNR W50 and microquasar SS433

Co-producing principles to guide health research: an illustrative case study from an eating disorder research clinic

There is significant value in co-produced health research, however power-imbalances within research teams can pose a barrier to people with lived experience of an illness determining the direction of research in that area. This is especially true in eating disorder research, where the inclusion of co-production approaches lags other research areas. Appealing to principles or values can serve to ground collaborative working. Despite this, there has not been any prior attempt to co-produce principles to guide the work of a research group and serve as a basis for developing future projects. The aim of this piece of work was to co-produce a set of principles to guide the conduct of research within our lived experience led research clinic, and to offer an illustrative case for the value of this as a novel co-production methodology. A lived experience panel were recruited to our eating disorder research group. Through an iterative series of workshops with the members of our research clinic (composed of a lived experience panel, clinicians, and researchers) we developed a set of principles which we agreed were important in ensuring both the direction of our research, and the way in which we wanted to work together. Six key principles were developed using this process. They were that research should aim to be: 1) real world—offering a clear and concrete benefit to people with eating disorders, 2) tailored—suitable for marginalised groups and people with atypical diagnoses, 3) hopeful—ensuring that hope for recovery was centred in treatment, 4) experiential—privileging the ‘voice’ of people with eating disorders, 5) broad—encompassing non-standard therapeutic treatments and 6) democratic—co-produced by people with lived experience of eating disorders. We reflect on some of the positives as well as limitations of the process, highlighting the importance of adequate funding for longer-term co-production approaches to be taken, and issues around ensuring representation of minority groups. We hope that other health research groups will see the value in co-producing principles to guide research in their own fields, and will adapt, develop, and refine this novel methodology

Copy number variants (CNVs): a powerful tool for iPSC-based modelling of ASD

Patients diagnosed with chromosome microdeletions or duplications, known as copy number variants (CNVs), present a unique opportunity to investigate the relationship between patient genotype and cell phenotype. CNVs have high genetic penetrance and give a good correlation between gene locus and patient clinical phenotype. This is especially effective for the study of patients with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDD), including those falling within the autism spectrum disorders (ASD). A key question is whether this correlation between genetics and clinical presentation at the level of the patient can be translated to the cell phenotypes arising from the neurodevelopment of patient induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). Here, we examine how iPSCs derived from ASD patients with an associated CNV inform our understanding of the genetic and biological mechanisms underlying the aetiology of ASD. We consider selection of genetically characterised patient iPSCs; use of appropriate control lines; aspects of human neurocellular biology that can capture in vitro the patient clinical phenotype; and current limitations of patient iPSC-based studies. Finally, we consider how future research may be enhanced to maximise the utility of CNV patients for research of pathological mechanisms or therapeutic targets