Coping Strategies in Mothers of Children with Intellectual Disabilities Showing Multiple Forms of Challenging Behaviour:Associations with Maternal Mental Health

Background: It is well documented that mothers of children with intellectual disabilities experience elevated mental health difficulties and that these are exacerbated by the presence of challenging behaviour. However, comparatively little is known about the effect of specific coping strategies for managing such behaviours. Aims: This paper aims to document coping strategies used by mothers of children showing multiple forms of challenging behaviour and to explore how these relate to positive and negative maternal mental health. Method: Eighty-nine mothers of children with intellectual disabilities completed questionnaires assessing maternal mental health (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Positive and Negative Affect Scale) and maternal coping strategies (Brief COPE). Results: Coping strategies were not associated with child age or ability, but were associated with maternal mental health. Higher levels of problem- and positive-coping strategies were associated with higher positive affect. Although active-avoidance coping was the least frequently reported, it was associated with higher levels of negative affect and increased anxiety and depression. Moderated mediation analyses identified that active-avoidance coping mediated the relationship between the number of forms of challenging behaviour and poor maternal mental health, but only in mothers with lower levels of problem-focused coping. Conclusions: Active-avoidance coping is associated with poorer negative mental health in mothers of children with intellectual disabilities who have average to low levels of problem-focused coping. This is reflective of that noted within a range of populations, highlighting it as a key area for intervention.Arts, Education & Law Group, School of Education and Professional StudiesFull Tex

Mutational signatures in tumours induced by high and low energy radiation in Trp53 deficient mice.

Ionising radiation (IR) is a recognised carcinogen responsible for cancer development in patients previously treated using radiotherapy, and in individuals exposed as a result of accidents at nuclear energy plants. However, the mutational signatures induced by distinct types and doses of radiation are unknown. Here, we analyse the genetic architecture of mammary tumours, lymphomas and sarcomas induced by high (56Fe-ions) or low (gamma) energy radiation in mice carrying Trp53 loss of function alleles. In mammary tumours, high-energy radiation is associated with induction of focal structural variants, leading to genomic instability and Met amplification. Gamma-radiation is linked to large-scale structural variants and a point mutation signature associated with oxidative stress. The genomic architecture of carcinomas, sarcomas and lymphomas arising in the same animals are significantly different. Our study illustrates the complex interactions between radiation quality, germline Trp53 deficiency and tissue/cell of origin in shaping the genomic landscape of IR-induced tumours

Transit Timing Variation Analysis of Ogle-Tr-132b with Seven New Transits

December 15, 2010We report the results of the first transit timing variation analysis of the very hot Jupiter OGLE-TR-132b, using 10 transits collected over a seven-year period. Our analysis combines three previously published transit light curves with seven new transits, which were observed between 2008 February and 2009 May with the new MagIC-e2V instrument on the Magellan Telescopes in Chile. We provide a revised planetary radius of R[subscript p] = 1.23 ± 0.07R[subscript J] , which is slightly larger, but consistent within the errors, than that given by previously published results. Analysis of the planet-to-star radius ratio, orbital separation, inclination, and transit duration reveals no apparent variation in any of those parameters during the time span observed. We also find no sign of transit timing variations larger than –108 ± 49 s, with most residuals very close to zero. This allows us to place an upper limit of 5-10 M [subscript ⊕] for a coplanar, low-eccentricity perturber in either the 2:1 or 3:2 mean-motion resonance with OGLE-TR-132b. We similarly find that the data are entirely consistent with a constant orbital period and there is no evidence for orbital decay within the limits of precision of our data.United States. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Origins Grant NNX07AN63G

Six High-Precision Transits of Ogle-Tr-113b

We present six new transits of the hot Jupiter OGLE-TR-113b observed with MagIC on the Magellan Telescopes between 2007 January and 2009 May. We update the system parameters and revise the planetary radius to R[subscript p] = 1.084 ± 0.029R[subscript J] , where the error is dominated by stellar radius uncertainties. The new transit midtimes reveal no transit timing variations from a constant ephemeris of greater than 13 ± 28 s over two years, placing an upper limit of 1–2M[subscript ⊕] on the mass of any perturber in a 1:2 or 2:1 mean-motion resonance with OGLETR- 113b. Combining the new transit epochs with five epochs published between 2002 and 2006, we find hints that the orbital period of the planet may not be constant, with the best fit indicating a decrease of [dot over P] = −60±15 ms yr−1. If real, this change in period could result from either a long-period (more than eight years) timing variation due to a massive external perturber or more intriguingly from the orbital decay of the planet. The detection of a changing period is still tentative and requires additional observations, but if confirmed it would enable direct tests of tidal stability and dynamical models of close-in planets.United States. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Origins Grant NNX07AN63G

Socioeconomic status is associated with symptom severity and sickness absence in people with infectious intestinal disease in the UK

BACKGROUND: The burden of infectious intestinal disease (IID) in the UK is substantial. Negative consequences including sickness absence are common, but little is known about the social patterning of these outcomes, or the extent to which they relate to disease severity. METHODS: We performed a cross-sectional analysis using IID cases identified from a large population-based survey, to explore the association between socioeconomic status (SES) and symptom severity and sickness absence; and to assess the role of symptom severity on the relationship between SES and absence. Regression modelling was used to investigate these associations, whilst controlling for potential confounders such as age, sex and ethnicity. RESULTS: Among 1164 cases, those of lower SES versus high had twice the odds of experiencing severe symptoms (OR 2.2, 95%CI;1.66-2.87). Lower SES was associated with higher odds of sickness absence (OR 1.8, 95%CI;1.26-2.69), however this association was attenuated after adjusting for symptom severity (OR 1.4, 95%CI;0.92-2.07). CONCLUSIONS: In a large sample of IID cases, those of low SES versus high were more likely to report severe symptoms, and sickness absence; with greater severity largely explaining the higher absence. Public health interventions are needed to address the unequal consequences of IID identified

Socioeconomic status and infectious intestinal disease in the community: a longitudinal study (IID2 study).

Infectious intestinal diseases (IID) are common, affecting around 25% of people in UK each year at an estimated annual cost to the economy, individuals and the NHS of £1.5 billion. While there is evidence of higher IID hospital admissions in more disadvantaged groups, the association between socioeconomic status (SES) and risk of IID remains unclear. This study aims to investigate the relationship between SES and IID in a large community cohort.Longitudinal analysis of a prospective community cohort in the UK following 6836 participants of all ages was undertaken. Hazard ratios for IID by SES were estimated using Cox proportional hazard, adjusting for follow-up time and potential confounding factors.In the fully adjusted analysis, hazard ratio of IID was significantly lower among routine/manual occupations compared with managerial/professional occupations (HR 0.74, 95% CI 0.61-0.90).In this large community cohort, lower SES was associated with lower IID risk. This may be partially explained by the low response rate which varied by SES. However, it may be related to differences in exposure or recognition of IID symptoms by SES. Higher hospital admissions associated with lower SES observed in some studies could relate to more severe consequences, rather than increased infection risk

Measurements of the complex dielectric constant of volcanic ash from 4 to 19 GHz

Dielectric data in volcanic ash at weather radar wavelengths (centimeter range) are extremely sparse and are crucial for radar sensing of ash clouds and for imaging of volcanic terrains. This study extends previous data to include a wavelength range of 1.5–7.5 cm and volcanic ash compositions of 50–75% silica. The real part of the complex permittivity, ε′, of volcanic ash is 6 ± 0.5 (1σ) for all wavelengths. The imaginary part, ε″, ranges from 0.08 to 0.27. Both ε′ and ε″ show higher values at lower SiO2 concentration. It is safe to assume in any weather radar applications that the reflectivity factor is K = |(ε − 1)/(ε + 2)|2 = 0.39 ± 0.02 (1σ), regardless of composition or wavelength. The results will help quantify radar observations of volcanic clouds

An experimental design approach to the chemical characterisation of pectin polysaccharides extracted from Cucumis melo Inodorus

Extracted pectins have been utilised in a number of applications in both the food and pharmaceutical industries where they are generally used as gelling agents, thickeners and stabilisers, although a number of pectins have been shown to be bioactive. These functional properties will depend upon extraction conditions. A statistical experimental design approach was used to study the effects of extraction conditions pH, time and temperature on pectins extracted from Cucumis melo Inodorus. The results show that the chemical composition is very sensitive to these conditions and that this has a great influence on for example the degree of branching. Higher temperatures, lower pHs and longer extraction times lead to a loss of the more acid labile arabinofuranose residues present on the pectin side chain. The fitting of regression equations relating yield and composition to extraction conditions can therefore lead to tailor-made pectins for specific properties and/ or applications

Leaving university early: exploring relationships between institution type and student withdrawal and implications for social mobility

Fair access to university continues to dominate public and intellectual discourse in the United Kingdom. There is mixed evidence for the effect of recent UK policy to widen participation. Significant variation in representation across types of higher education institution (HEI), with the most selective institutions demonstrating the least diversity in their student profile, point to the persistence of social class inequalities affecting and exacerbated by access to higher education. There is less attention in research literature and public debate in relation to students withdrawing or leaving their studies before graduation and very little about the post-access performance of traditional and non-traditional students in more and less selective institutions. Drawing on research which made use of a unique national dataset of students from 86 UK HEIs between 2006 and 2012 including students who left their studies early, this paper presents and explores the implications in terms of social mobility of two key findings: that 'non-traditional' students are, across the board, more likely to leave university early; but also that they appear proportionally more likely to leave from more selective institutions

FOXA1 mutations alter pioneering activity, differentiation and prostate cancer phenotypes.

Mutations in the transcription factor FOXA1 define a unique subset of prostate cancers but the functional consequences of these mutations and whether they confer gain or loss of function is unknown1-9. Here, by annotating the landscape of FOXA1 mutations from 3,086 human prostate cancers, we define two hotspots in the forkhead domain: Wing2 (around 50% of all mutations) and the highly conserved DNA-contact residue R219 (around 5% of all mutations). Wing2 mutations are detected in adenocarcinomas at all stages, whereas R219 mutations are enriched in metastatic tumours with neuroendocrine histology. Interrogation of the biological properties of wild-type FOXA1 and fourteen FOXA1 mutants reveals gain of function in mouse prostate organoid proliferation assays. Twelve of these mutants, as well as wild-type FOXA1, promoted an exaggerated pro-luminal differentiation program, whereas two different R219 mutants blocked luminal differentiation and activated a mesenchymal and neuroendocrine transcriptional program. Assay for transposase-accessible chromatin using sequencing (ATAC-seq) of wild-type FOXA1 and representative Wing2 and R219 mutants revealed marked, mutant-specific changes in open chromatin at thousands of genomic loci and exposed sites of FOXA1 binding and associated increases in gene expression. Of note, ATAC-seq peaks in cells expressing R219 mutants lacked the canonical core FOXA1-binding motifs (GTAAAC/T) but were enriched for a related, non-canonical motif (GTAAAG/A), which was preferentially activated by R219-mutant FOXA1 in reporter assays. Thus, FOXA1 mutations alter its pioneering function and perturb normal luminal epithelial differentiation programs, providing further support for the role of lineage plasticity in cancer progression