The Correlation Between Serum C-Reactive Protein Level and Risk of Future Cardiovascular Disease: A Neurodivergent Population Dilemma

Extensive research on neurotypical (NT) populations has demonstrated that a chronically elevated level of serum C Reactive Protein (CRP) is a strong predictor of future cardiovascular disease (CVD). Interestingly, many neurodivergent (ND) populations experience chronically elevated CRP levels higher than NT controls. Current research is concerned with establishing the significance of this relationship to accurately predict CVD risk for potentially at risk ND patients. To contribute to this gap in knowledge, the Rowan-Virtua Regional Integrated Special Needs (RISN) Center patient population will be studied to identify trends in baseline serum CRP levels across a multitude of ND conditions. A clinical risk assessment scale, specifically designed for treating ND populations, will be developed based on the significance of the results of this study

Perinatal Experiences of People with Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Preliminary Scoping Review

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a developmental disorder that is diagnosed in early childhood, typically in people who are assigned male at birth. However, this diagnosis and the sensory and behavioral divergence that comes with ASD stay with people throughout their lives. Based on the DSM-V diagnostic criteria and the history of how Autism and Autism Spectrum Disorders were first identified, many people who do not identify as male and/or present atypically do not receive a formal diagnosis until later in life or self-diagnose. This in turn has led to a lack of research in both populations that do not identify as cisgender male and in adult healthcare for people with ASD. This preliminary scoping review focuses on the perinatal (pregnancy, birth, and postnatal) experiences of people with Autism Spectrum Disorders. Currently there are very limited quantitative and qualitative studies exploring this topic and there are significant gaps in provider knowledge of atypical and/or adult presentations of ASD. In this review, I looked at papers published in English and available through the PubMed database that focused on one of the following three themes: perinatal experiences of the ASD population, healthcare experiences in general of the ASD population, and perinatal experiences of people with disabilities in general. After performing a scoping review of 6 papers, most people with ASD had increased sensitivity to sensory and physical stimuli during pregnancy, felt unprepared to address their body’s signals during birth, and unprepared to cope with the physical postnatal symptoms and sensory sensitivities associated with breastfeeding. Surprising to note was that many parents with ASD felt that their increased sensory sensitivities strengthened their response to the baby’s cues. All these sensory/physical experiences went unrecognized for the most part by physicians as the patients with ASD felt pressure to act in a socially normative way and many did not disclose their diagnosis to the physician whether due to a lack of formal diagnosis and/or due to fear of a negative impact on their healthcare interactions. This lack of disclosure and masking of behaviors led to patient needs being underestimated by the healthcare team and the development of multiple communication barriers such as lack of adjustment to patient needs whether it be via providing an advocate or different methods of providing information. These barriers highlighted the gaps in physician knowledge on how ASD is a spectrum and has many different manifestations and their ignorance in how to properly address and adapt to patient symptoms of meltdown/shutdown/sensory overload. Participants in all the papers reviewed emphasized that continuity of care and physician willingness to adjust to patient needs contributed to improved health outcomes. Recommendations made for medical training and physicians included increased training on ASD, diversity in how information is provided, and adjusting to individual patient needs. However, current research is very limited and most had multinational or populations outside of the USA in their studies. Future studies must focus on elucidating barriers specific to the USA and gauging physician knowledge of ASD and their perceptions of that population

Inflammatory Marker Levels among Patients Diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Congenital Heart Defects

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and congenital heart defects (CHD) are conditions that both confer an immense increase in standard of care, and utilization of medical resources addressing comorbidities. One shared symptom that has been consistently cited is inflammation. This review sought to explore the levels of Tumor Necrosis Factor- (TNF-) and Interleukin-6 (IL-6) between patients diagnosed as having either ASD or CHD. By compiling published data containing the mean values of these two inflammatory markers within these populations, it was shown that while both have significantly elevated levels compared to a phenotypically normal demographic, there is no significant difference between IL-6 levels in ASD vs. CHD patients. However, there are significantly higher levels of TNF- in CHD patients compared to ASD patients. Understanding the relationship of inflammatory markers would help guide better treatments and outcomes in ASD population, especially to those with CHD

Is There an Association Between Preeclampsia/Eclampsia and Congenital Heart Disease Among the Neurodivergent Population?

Preeclampsia and eclampsia are very common gestational conditions among pregnant individuals worldwide. These individuals are diagnosed with high blood pressure (after 20 weeks of gestation), proteinuria/end-stage organ disease, and may include seizures. These conditions can put the mother and fetus at risk. A review of literature has shown that there is an association between cardiovascular defects among the neurodivergent population, where these individuals have a higher risk of developing atrial septal defects and ventricular septal defects. The Rowan-Virtua Integrated Special Needs (RISN) Center patient population will be used to investigate whether preeclampsia/eclampsia in mothers is indicative of higher congenital heart disease (CHD) in their neurodivergent children to achieve better quality of care. As a first step towards exploring the relationship between preeclampsia/eclampsia and CHD in the neurodivergent population, the current literature was reviewed. The results and the emergent future plan of research are presented

VC-Dimension of Hyperplanes over Finite Fields

Let $\mathbb{F}_q^d$ be the $d$-dimensional vector space over the finite field with $q$ elements. For a subset $E\subseteq \mathbb{F}_q^d$ and a fixed nonzero $t\in \mathbb{F}_q$, let $\mathcal{H}_t(E)=\{h_y: y\in E\}$, where $h_y$ is the indicator function of the set $\{x\in E: x\cdot y=t\}$. Two of the authors, with Maxwell Sun, showed in the case $d=3$ that if $|E|\geq Cq^{\frac{11}{4}}$ and $q$ is sufficiently large, then the VC-dimension of $\mathcal{H}_t(E)$ is 3. In this paper, we generalize the result to arbitrary dimension and improve the exponent in the case $d=3$.Comment: 9 pages, 1 figur

When you say nothing at all: Empirical investigations into the reasons for, and consequences of, interpersonal ostracism

This research falls into two streams. The first investigated perspective-related differences in ostracism (i.e., the act of being excluded or ignored) by comparing the experience of targets (i.e., those who are ostracised), sources (i.e., those who ostracise), and observers (i.e., those who witness ostracism). Studies 1 (N = 202) and 2 (N = 295) utilised questionnaire and autobiographical recall paradigms to investigate the impact of ostracism on primary needs, affect, and behaviour. Studies 1 and 2 also examined perspective-related differences in (perceived) motives for ostracism. The second stream focused on ostracism sources to discern mixed findings regarding source responses, and to further investigate ostracism motive. Study 3 reviewed current source literature, and meta-analyses compared source experiences to targets and included individuals finding that sources reported greater control and guilt. Factors such as ostracising alone or with others, or ostracism being self-motivated or induced, moderated effects. Studies 4, 5, and 6 extended this inquiry by examining how source experiences differ as a function of ostracism motive. Study 4 (N = 136) supported the efficacy of a paradigm created to induce the experience of ostracising for punitive versus defensive motives. Employing this paradigm, Study 5 (N = 372) investigated the impact of motive on sources’ experienced emotion, and Study 6 (N = 743) considered behavioural intentions. This project was the first to examine perspective-related differences in being a target, source, and observer of ostracism, and to consider the impact of ostracising for specific motives on sources. Findings highlight how consequences differ as a function of motives for ostracism, add to growing literature on ostracism sources, and support predictions regarding the mediating role of affect in prompting behaviour

Factores de confusión ante masa anexial

Nos encontramos ante una paciente de 19 años, nuligesta, sin otros antecedentes médico-quirúrgicos de interés, que acude de otro centro con diagnóstico de sospecha de tumoración anexial maligna, aportando informe que describe masa anexial en ecografía transvaginal y un valor de CA 125 de 1200U/ml

Himen imperforado como causa de dolor abdominal en adolescentes

Imperforate hymen is a rare congenital malfor-mation. It is diagnosed at puberty in the presence of recurrent abdominal pain in a teenager without menar-che, frequently associating urinary and rectal symp-toms. Genital examination reveals a complete hymen and a closed and collapsed vagina. Treatment is surgi-cal and involves creating an opening in the hymenEl himen imperforado es una rara malformación congénita. Se diagnostica en la pubertad ante la clínica de dolor abdominal recurrente en una adolescente sin menarquia, asociando frecuentemente síntomas mic-cionales y rectales. A la exploración genital se eviden-cia un himen íntegro y una vagina cerrada y colapsada. El tratamiento es quirúrgico y consiste en crear una apertura en el himen

Quiste ovárico fetal: a propósito de un caso

Se trata de una paciente secundigesta de 36 años, sin antecedentes personales de interés y con gestación anterior normoevolutiva. Niega hábitos tóxicos, su grupo sanguíneo es A positivo y presenta serologías negativas. Se realiza ecografía del 1º trimestre evidenciándose normalidad con translucencia nucal de 2.10mm, pero con obtención de riesgo intermedio para Síndrome de Down (1/442) en el cribado combinado de cromosomopatías. Se indica la realización del test genético prenatal no invasivo según protocolo como método de cribado con mayor sensiblidad y especificidad, obteniéndose bajo riesgo para trisomía 13, 18 y 21 y desestimándose una amniocentesis

Polimalformado 1º trimestre; Síndrome de Patau

Se trata de una paciente secundigesta de 37 años, con gestación anterior normoevolutiva que finalizó mediante cesárea por pérdida del bienestar fetal hace 10 años. Niega antecedentes personales y familiares de interés. Fuma 10 cigarrillos/día y presenta grupo sanguíneo 0 positivo con serologías negativas