Comparison of sibling relationships in families of children with autism spectrum disorder and fetal alcohol spectrum disorder

Employing a mixed methods approach, the purpose of this present study was to examine the lived experiences of siblings of children with autism spectrum disorder and fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. Participants participated in semi-structured interviews and completed two questionnaires. Interpretative phenomenological analysis was used to analyze interview transcripts and five main themes were identified: Positive Transformational Outcomes, Sibling Demands, Caregiving Roles, Awareness of Developmental Disabilities, and Supports. Questionnaire data from the Sibling Daily Hassles and Uplifts Scale and the Sibling Inventory of Behaviour Scale were also utilized and comparison findings between sibling groups from these questionnaires will be analyzed and discussed.Honours essa

Sibling relationships in families of children with autism spectrum disorder, Down syndrome, and fetal alcohol spectrum disorder.

Background: Studies have shown that it is often a sibling who takes on the support and caregiving role in the life of a person with a developmental disability (DD) when the parent is no longer able to. However, very little research has examined how siblings adapt to their brother or sister with DD, specifically with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD), and Down syndrome (DS). Differences in the behavioural challenges posed by children with ASD, FASD, and DS are critical, and to the extent that those difficulties vary across diagnoses, differences in sibling reactions are possible. Method: Siblings of children with ASD, FASD, and DS participated in in-depth qualitative interviews employing a basic interpretative approach. Results: Thematic Analysis was used to analyze interview transcripts and three main themes were identified: Sibling Demands, Positive Transformational Outcomes, and Supports Conclusions: Supports must be tailored to meet the specific needs of siblings of children with different types of disabilities.Master of Art (MA) in Interdisciplinary Healt

The prevalence and practice impact of weight bias amongst Australian dietitians

OBJECTIVES: This study explored weight bias amongst Australian Accredited Practising Dietitians (APDs) and the effect of client weight status on dietetic practice. METHODS: Participants were 201 APDs, recruited using purposive sampling. A self‐administered questionnaire, the fat phobia scale (FPS), was completed to assess explicit weight bias. Participants were then randomized to receive either a female within the healthy weight range or female with obesity, accompanied by an identical case study for a condition unrelated to weight. Participants assessed the client based on data provided, provided recommendations and rated their perception of the client. RESULTS: Mean FPS scores indicated mild fat phobia. However, dietetic practice was significantly affected by the client's weight status. Dietitians presented with the female with obesity assessed the client to have significantly lower health and were more likely to provide unsolicited weight management recommendations. In addition, dietitians rated the client as less receptive, less motivated and as having a lower ability to understand and sustain recommendations. CONCLUSIONS: The contribution of this study is the exploration of how weight status may impact dietetic practice including assessment, recommendations and perceptions of the client. Dietitians may practice in a manner that represents or could be perceived as negative implicit weight bias, despite the explicit FPS assessing only mild fat phobia. Further research to understand the extent of the problem and how it impacts client outcomes and to test possible solutions is required

Establishment of Best Practice Skills for Advanced Practice Nurses

Over the past two decades, nursing researchers have defined nurses’ perceptions of evidence-based practice as well as facilitators and barriers to its implementation . This project seeks to take the next step through a current assessment of registered and advanced-practice nurses’ assimilation of evidence-based practice as well as a current literature review of the research to clinical use gap. This is a cross-sectional, retrospective project. Through analysis of two self-administered questionnaires to both registered and advanced-practice clinical nurses as well as literature review findings, five recommendations for advanced-practice nurses were created. Ultimately, the goal of this project seeks to establish evidenced-based practice implementation strategies for advanced-practice nurses to effectively bridge research to the bedside. Areas of evidence-based practice implementation that remain unanswered or weakly executed provide a direction for research moving forward

Forward Bay Cover Separation Modeling and Testing for the Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle

Spacecraft multibody separation events during atmospheric descent require complex testing and analysis to validate the flight separation dynamics model and to verify no recontact. NASA Orion MultiPurpose Crew Vehicle (MPCV) teams examined key model parameters and risk areas to develop a robust but affordable test campaign in order to validate and verify the Forward Bay Cover (FBC) separation event for Exploration Flight Test1 (EFT1). The FBC jettison simulation model is highly complex, consisting of dozens of parameters varied simultaneously, with numerous multiparameter interactions (coupling and feedback) among the various model elements, and encompassing distinct nearfield, midfield, and farfield regimes. The test campaign was composed of componentlevel testing (for example gaspiston thrusters and parachute mortars), ground FBC jettison tests, and FBC jettison airdrop tests that were accomplished by a highly multidisciplinary team. Three ground jettison tests isolated the testing of mechanisms and structures to anchor the simulation models excluding aerodynamic effects. Subsequently, two airdrop tests added aerodynamic and parachute parameters, and served as integrated system demonstrations, which had been preliminarily explored during the Orion Pad Abort1 (PA1) flight test in May 2010. Both ground and drop tests provided extensive data to validate analytical models and to verify the FBC jettison event for EFT1, but more testing is required to support human certification, for which NASA and Lockheed Martin are applying knowledge from Apollo and EFT1 testing and modeling to develop a robust but affordable human spacecraft capability

Safety of extubating mechanically ventilated patients on vasoactive infusions: a retrospective cohort study

No abstract available

A Content and Visual Analysis of Promotional Pieces Used in a Communication Campaign for the Arkansas [Commodity] Promotion Board

This study analyzed a communications campaign developed by a third-party communications group (TPCG) for a prominent commodity promotion board in Arkansas. The campaign included numerous promotional pieces targeted to three audience segments: general public, [commodity] producers, and animal agriculture producers. A systematic, content-driven assessment examined message content and visuals used in these creative pieces, comparing the actual messages with intended messages from TPCG’s original communications campaign plan. A total of 53 pieces were evaluated, and 27 different communicative themes emerged. Many of the creative pieces used in the campaign displayed multiple messages in a single piece. Celebrity endorsements of [commodity] were the most saturated theme, accounting for 21.01% of messaging in the general public creative pieces. Promotion of the [commodity] board was the most prominent theme (16.38%) in the [commodity] producer pieces. Benefits to the Arkansas economy was the most prominent theme (10.73%) in the animal agriculture creative pieces. Although TPCG predominantly achieved consistency through messages that aligned with its campaign plan, a portion of the promotional pieces across all audiences did not contain messages that were a part of the original plan. Therefore, more than one-third (38.1%) of the messages found in the creative pieces were deemed inconsistent or inconclusive. The researchers recommend utilizing a needs assessment to aid in identifying appropriate messaging, and testing those messages through standard evaluation procedures

Restrictions Limiting the Generation of DNA Double Strand Breaks during Chromosomal V(D)J Recombination

Antigen receptor loci are composed of numerous variable (V), diversity (D), and joining (J) gene segments, each flanked by recombination signal sequences (RSSs). The V(D)J recombination reaction proceeds through RSS recognition and DNA cleavage steps making it possible for multiple DNA double strand breaks (DSBs) to be introduced at a single locus. Here we use ligation-mediated PCR to analyze DNA cleavage intermediates in thymocytes from mice with targeted RSS mutations at the endogenous TCRβ locus. We show that DNA cleavage does not occur at individual RSSs but rather must be coordinated between RSS pairs flanking gene segments that ultimately form coding joins. Coordination of the DNA cleavage step occurs over great distances in the chromosome and favors intra- over interchromosomal recombination. Furthermore, through several restrictions imposed on the generation of both nonpaired and paired DNA DSBs, this requirement promotes antigen receptor gene integrity and genomic stability in developing lymphocytes undergoing V(D)J recombination

Mosquitoes reared in distinct insectaries within an institution in close spatial proximity possess significantly divergent microbiomes

The microbiome affects important aspects of mosquito biology and differences in microbial composition can affect the outcomes of laboratory studies. To determine how the biotic and abiotic conditions in an insectary affect the composition of the bacterial microbiome of mosquitoes we reared mosquitoes from a single cohort of eggs from one genetically homogeneous inbred Aedes aegypti colony, which were split into three batches, and transferred to each of three different insectaries located within the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine. Using three replicate trays per insectary, we assessed and compared the bacterial microbiome composition as mosquitoes developed from these eggs. We also characterised the microbiome of the mosquitoes' food sources, measured environmental conditions over time in each climate-controlled insectary, and recorded development and survival of mosquitoes. While mosquito development was overall similar between all three insectaries, we saw differences in microbiome composition between mosquitoes from each insectary. Furthermore, bacterial input via food sources, potentially followed by selective pressure of temperature stability and range, did affect the microbiome composition. At both adult and larval stages, specific members of the mosquito microbiome were associated with particular insectaries; and the insectary with less stable and cooler conditions resulted in slower pupation rate and higher diversity of the larval microbiome. Tray and cage effects were also seen in all insectaries, with different bacterial taxa implicated between insectaries. These results highlight the necessity of considering the variability and effects of different microbiome composition even in experiments carried out in a laboratory environment starting with eggs from one batch; and highlights the impact of even minor inconsistencies in rearing conditions due to variation of temperature and humidity.</p