Agent familiarity and emotional context influence the everyday empathic responding of young children with autism

Whereas research addressing empathy in ASD tends to employ pencil-and-paper and lab-based behavioural methods, the current study is novel in eliciting parent-report data regarding everyday empathy, sampling various emotional situations regularly encountered by children. Parents of typically-developing children and children diagnosed with ASD and DS completed the newly-developed Day-to-Day Child Empathy Questionnaire. Analysis of descriptions of their children’s responses to the various empathy-inducing situations supports the notion of an empathy deficit in ASD, confirming previous laboratory-based findings. However, important moderation effects were also demonstrated, for both control and clinical groups. In particular, parents reported children in all groups to be more likely to respond empathically to a familiar agent. The nature of children’s responses also according to the specific emotional context

Bohr Hamiltonian with deformation-dependent mass term

The Bohr Hamiltonian describing the collective motion of atomic nuclei is modified by allowing the mass to depend on the nuclear deformation. Exact analytical expressions are derived for spectra and wave functions in the case of a gamma-unstable Davidson potential, using techniques of supersymmetric quantum mechanics. Numerical results in the Xe-Ba region are discussed.Comment: 13 pages, LaTeX, 3 eps figure

Exactly separable version of the Bohr Hamiltonian with the Davidson potential

An exactly separable version of the Bohr Hamiltonian is developed using a potential of the form u(beta)+u(gamma)/beta^2, with the Davidson potential u(beta)= beta^2 + beta_0^4/beta^2 (where beta_0 is the position of the minimum) and a stiff harmonic oscillator for u(gamma) centered at gamma=0. In the resulting solution, called exactly separable Davidson (ES-D), the ground state band, gamma band and 0_2^+ band are all treated on an equal footing. The bandheads, energy spacings within bands, and a number of interband and intraband B(E2) transition rates are well reproduced for almost all well-deformed rare earth and actinide nuclei using two parameters (beta_0, gamma stiffness). Insights regarding the recently found correlation between gamma stiffness and the gamma-bandhead energy, as well as the long standing problem of producing a level scheme with Interacting Boson Approximation SU(3) degeneracies from the Bohr Hamiltonian, are also obtained.Comment: 35 pages, 11 postscript figures, LaTe

Access to primary percutaneous coronary intervention for ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction in Canada: a geographic analysis

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Maternal Sensitivity And Latency To Positive Emotion Following Challenge: Pathways Through Effortful Control

The ability to self‐generate positive emotions is an important component of emotion regulation. In this study, we focus on children's latency to express positive emotions following challenging situations and assess whether this ability operates through early maternal sensitivity and children's effortful control. Longitudinal relations between maternal sensitivity, infant negative affect, effortful control, and latency to positive emotion following challenge were examined in 156 children who were 33 months of age. Structural equation models supported the hypothesis that maternal sensitivity during infancy predicted better effortful control and, in turn, shorter latencies to positive emotions following challenge at 33 months. Directions for future research are discussed. RESUMEN La habilidad para autogenerar emociones positivas es un componente importante de la regulación de la emoción. En este estudio, nos enfocamos en el estado latente de los niños para expresar emociones positivas después de situaciones desafiantes y evaluar si esta habilidad opera a través de la temprana sensibilidad maternal y el esforzado control de los niños. Se examinaron las relaciones longitudinales entre la sensibilidad maternal, el efecto negativo del infante, el control esforzado, y el estado latente hacia la emoción positiva después de situaciones desafiantes, en 156 niños de 33 meses. Los modelos de ecuación estructural apoyaron la hipótesis de que la sensibilidad maternal durante la infancia predijo un mejor control esforzado y, a la vuelta, los más cortos estados latentes hacia emociones positivas después de situaciones desafiantes a los 33 meses. Se discuten las directrices para la investigación futura. RÉSUMÉ La capacité à auto‐générer des émotions positives est une composante importante de la régulation des émotions. Dans cette étude nous nous concentrons sur la latence des enfants à exprimer des émotions positives après des situations difficiles et nous évaluons si cette capacité opère à travers une sensibilité maternelle précoce et le contrôle fait avec effort des enfants. Les relations longitudinales entre la sensibilité maternelle, l’affect négatif du nourrisson, le contrôle fait avec effort et la latence et l’émotion positive après des difficultés ont été examinés chez 156 enfants de 33 mois. Des modèles d’équation structurelle ont soutenu l’hypothèse selon laquelle la sensibilité maternelle durant la petite enfance prédisait un meilleur contrôle avec effort et ensuite des latences plus courtes vers des émotions positives après des difficultés à 33 mois. Des directions pour des recherches à venir sont discutées. ZUSAMMENFASSUNG Die Fähigkeit, positive Emotionen selbst zu erzeugen, ist ein wichtiger Bestandteil der Emotionsregulation. In dieser Studie fokussieren wir auf die Latenzzeit von Kindern, positive Emotionen nach herausfordernden Situationen zu zeigen, und beurteilen, ob diese Fähigkeit durch frühe mütterliche Feinfühligkeit und bewusste Kontrolle der Kinder beeinflusst wird. Longitudinale Beziehungen zwischen mütterlicher Feinfühligkeit, dem negativen Affekt des Säuglings, bewusster Kontrolle und der Latenzzeit hinichtlich positiver Emotionen nach einer Herausforderung wurden bei 156 Kindern im Alter von 33 Monaten untersucht. Strukturgleichungsmodelle unterstützten die Hypothese, dass die Feinfühligkeit der Mütter während des Säuglingsalters eine bewusstere Kontrolle und wiederum kürzere Latenzzeiten für positive Emotionen nach einer Herausforderung im Alter von 33 Monaten voraussagen konnte. Hinweise für die zukünftige Forschung werden diskutiert. ABSTRACT The ability to self‐generate positive emotions is an important component of emotion regulation. In this study, we focus on children's latency to express positive emotions following challenging situations and assess whether this ability operates through early maternal sensitivity and children's effortful control. 抄録：ポジティブな情緒を自己生成する能力ability to self‐generate positive emotionsは、情緒調節の重要な構成要素である。この研究で、私たちは困難な状況の後に、子どもがポジティブな情緒を表出するまでの潜伏時間に焦点付け、この能力が早期の母親の感受性と子どもの努力したコントロールを通して作用するかどうかを評価する。母親の感受性、乳児のネガティブな感情、努力したコントロール、および困難後のポジティブな情緒表出潜時の縦断的な関係が、156人の33か月児について調査された。構造方程式モデルによって、乳児期の母親の感受性が、33か月時のより良い努力したコントロールと、次に、より短い困難後のポジティブな情緒表出潜時を予測するという仮説が支持された。Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/106874/1/imhj21445.pd

Changes in Gene Expression During the Formation of Bioengineered Heart Muscle

A three-dimensional bioengineered heart muscle (BEHM) construct model had been previously developed, exhibiting contractile forces up to 800 µN. The interest of this study was to determine gene expression levels of biologic markers involved in calcium-handling between BEHM, cell monolayer, and neonatal heart. Cardiac cells were isolated from one litter of F344 rats and organized into groups ( n  = 5): 4-, 7-, 10-day BEHM and cell monolayer; BEHM was evaluated for cell viability and contractility. Groups were then analyzed for mRNA expression of calcium-handling proteins: myosin heavy chain (MHC) α and β, Sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca++ ATPase (SERCA) 2, phospholamban (PBL), and ryanodine receptor. BEHM exhibited electrically stimulated active force (208 ± 12 µN day 4, 361 ± 22 µN day 7, and 344 ± 29 µN day 10) and no decrease in cell number. Real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) showed an increase in gene expression of all calcium-handling proteins in BEHM at 7 and 10 days compared with monolayers, for example, comparing BEHM to monolayer (7 and 10 days, respectively), MHC-α: 2600-fold increase and a 100-fold increase; MHC-β: 70-fold increase at 10 days; ryanodine receptor: 74-fold increase at 10 days; SERCA: 19-fold increase and sixfold increase; PBL: 158-fold increase and 24-fold increase. It was concluded that a three-dimensional environment is a better culturing condition of cardiac cells than a monolayer. Also, BEHM constructs demonstrated a high similarity to a native myocardium, and is, thus, a good starting foundation for engineered heart muscle. Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/72077/1/j.1525-1594.2008.00669.x.pd

Phase Space Description of the Leading Order Quark and Gluon Production from a Space-Time Dependent Chromofield

We derive source terms for the production of quarks and gluons from the QCD vacuum in the presence of a space-time dependent external chromofield A_{cl} to the order of S^{(1)}. We found that the source terms for the parton production processes A_{cl} -> q\bar{q} and A_{cl},A_{cl}A_{cl} -> gg also include the annihilation processes q\bar{q} -> A_{cl} and gg -> A_{cl},A_{cl}A_{cl}. The source terms we derive are applicable for the description of the production of partons with momentum p larger rhan gA which itself must be larger than \Lambda_{QCD}. We observe that these source terms for the production of partons from a space-time dependent chromofield can be used to study the production and equilibration of the quark-gluon plasma during the very early stages of an ultrarelativistic heavy-ion collision.Comment: 30 pages latex (single spaced), 7 eps figures, Revised Version, To appear in Physical Review

X(3): An Exactly Separable Gamma-Rigid Version of the X(5) Critical Point Symmetry

A gamma-rigid version (with gamma=0) of the X(5) critical point symmetry is constructed. The model, to be called X(3) since it is proved to contain three degrees of freedom, utilizes an infinite well potential, is based on exact separation of variables, and leads to parameter free (up to overall scale factors) predictions for spectra and B(E2) transition rates, which are in good agreement with existing experimental data for 172-Os and 186-Pt. An unexpected similarity of the first beta bands of the X(5) nuclei 150-Nd, 152-Sm, 154-Gd, and 156-Dy to the X(3) predictions is observed.Comment: LaTeX, 12 pagres, including 4 postscript figure

Evaluation and implications of natural product use in preoperative patients: a retrospective review

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Medication Reconciliation and Medication Safety are two themes emphasized in a variety of healthcare organizations. As a result, health care facilities have established methods for obtaining a patient's medication history. However, these methods may vary among institutions or even among the health care professionals in a single institution, and studies have shown that patients are reluctant to disclose their complementary and alternative medicine use to any health care professional. This lack of disclosure is important in surgical patients because of potential herbal interactions with medications and drugs used during the surgical procedure; and the potential for adverse reactions including effects on coagulation, blood pressure, sedation, electrolytes or diuresis. Therefore, the objectives of this study are to identify patterns of natural product use, to identify potential complications among patients scheduled for surgery, to improve existing medication reconciliation efforts, and to develop discontinuation guidelines for the use of these products prior to surgery.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A retrospective review of surgery patients presenting to the Anesthesia Preoperative Evaluation Clinic (APEC) at the University of Kansas Hospital was conducted to identify the prevalence of natural product use. The following data was collected: patient age; gender; allergy information; date of medication history; number of days prior to surgery; source of medication history; credentials of person obtaining the history; number and name of prescription medications, over-the-counter medications and natural products; and natural product dosage. Following the collection of data and analysis of the most common natural products used, possible complications and interactions were identified, and a protocol regarding the pre-operative use of natural products was developed and implemented.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Approximately one-fourth of patients seen in the APEC indicated the use of natural products. Patients taking natural products were significantly older, were more likely to undergo cardiac or chest surgery, and were more likely to be taking more prescription and non-prescription medications (all p < 0.001).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Based on the results of this study, it is concluded that there is a need for established guidelines regarding discontinuation of selected natural products prior to surgery and further education is needed concerning the perioperative implications of natural products.</p

Studying Children's Intrapersonal Emotion Regulation Strategies from the Process Model of Emotion Regulation

peerreview_statement: The publishing and review policy for this title is described in its Aims & Scope. aims_and_scope_url: http://www.tandfonline.com/action/journalInformation?show=aimsScope&journalCode=vgnt2