Childhood rituals and executive functions

Repetitive and ritualistic behaviours (RRBs) are a feature of both typical and atypical development. While the cognitive correlates of these behaviours have been investigated in some neurodevelopmental conditions these links remain largely unexplored in typical development. The current study examined the relationship between RRBs and executive functions in a sample of typically developing children aged between 37-107 months. Results showed that cognitive flexibility, and not response inhibition or generativity, was most strongly associated with the frequency of RRBs in this sample. In younger children (<67.5 months) cognitive flexibility was significantly associated with “Repetitive Behaviours” but in older children (>67.5 months) cognitive flexibility was associated with both “Just Right” and “Repetitive Behaviour”, suggesting that the association between EF and RRBs may become stronger with age in typically developing children

Toward specifying Pervasive Developmental Disorder - Not Otherwise Specified

Pervasive developmental disorder-not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS) is the most common and least satisfactory of the PDD diagnoses. It is not formally operationalized, which limits its reliability and has hampered attempts to assess its validity. We aimed, first, to improve the reliability and replicability of PDD-NOS by operationalizing its DSM-IV-TR description and, second, to test its validity through comparison with autistic disorder (AD) and Asperger's disorder (AsD). In a sample of 256 young people (mean age = 9.1 years) we used Developmental, Diagnostic and Dimensional (3Di) algorithmic analysis to classify DSM-IV-TR AD (n = 97), AsD (n = 93) and PDD-NOS (n = 66). Groups were compared on independent measures of core PDD symptomatology, associated autistic features, and intelligence. Contrary to the assumption that PDD-NOS is heterogeneous, almost all (97%) of those with PDD-NOS had one distinct symptom pattern, namely impairments in social reciprocity and communication, without significant repetitive and stereotyped behaviors (RSB). Compared to AD and AsD, they had comparably severe but more circumscribed social communication difficulties, with fewer non-social features of autism, such as sensory, feeding and visuo-spatial problems. These individuals appear to have a distinct variant of autism that does not merely sit at the less severe end of the same continuum of symptoms. The current draft guidelines for DSM-V, which mandate the presence of RSBs for any PDD diagnosis, would exclude such people from the autistic spectrum. Autism Res 2011, 4: 121-131. (C) 2011 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc

Mothers' experiences of feeling maternal ambivalence : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Psychology at Massey University, Manawatū, New Zealand

Feelings related to our experiences of motherhood are often complex. One such feeling is maternal ambivalence, the intertwinement of deep love and dislike of motherhood. Yet, the freedom to share these feelings remains subjugated within our patriarchal neoliberal society. Dominant cultural narratives such as the motherhood mandate prime us to naturally enjoy mothering, while we are also required to maintain the demanding care standards of the ‘good mother’. Feelings of maternal ambivalence have frequently been theorised as a negative and harmful psychopathology of motherhood. However, there has been a dearth of research understanding mothers’ feelings of maternal ambivalence within their day-to-day mothering experience. During conversational teller-led interviews, ten mothers shared their experiences of having mixed feelings of motherhood for the current study. Feminist phenomenology epistemology and methodology was employed to enable an understanding of how we traverse feelings of both enjoying and disliking motherhood as socially contextualised, embodied mothers. Analysis tells how feeling maternal ambivalence began at differing stages within motherhood; before or during pregnancy, at birth, or once we had a baby in our arms. It arose within day-to-day mothering experiences such as sleep deprivation, loneliness or boredom. Our experiences of mothering events which moved us outside the gendered cultural motherhood narratives we had been told to expect, also opened up mixed feelings of motherhood. How our bodies were treated within our biomedical health system influenced our feelings towards motherhood. Feelings of maternal ambivalence ebb and flow through our lives changing shape and form as we grow, change and transition through our mothering experience. As we experience our mothering transformations within societies culturally embedded beliefs and norms, we are able to understand how our lived environment is influential to how we make sense of, and live our experiences of feeling maternal ambivalence

The acid-soluble nucleotides of encysted embryos of the brine shrimp, Artemia salina.

Dept. of Biological Sciences. Paper copy at Leddy Library: Theses & Major Papers - Basement, West Bldg. / Call Number: Thesis1978 .G456. Source: Masters Abstracts International, Volume: 40-07, page: . Thesis (M.Sc.)--University of Windsor (Canada), 1978

The Role of the Ubiquitously Expressed Transcription Factor Sp1 in Tissue-specific Transcriptional Regulation and in Disease

Sp1 belongs to the 26 member strong Sp/KLF family of transcription factors. It is a paradigm for a ubiquitously expressed transcription factor and is involved in regulating the expression of genes associated with a wide range of cellular processes in mammalian cells. Sp1 can interact with a range of proteins, including other transcription factors, members of the transcription initiation complex and epigenetic regulators, enabling tight regulation of its target genes. In this review, we discuss the mechanisms involved in Sp1-mediated transcriptional regulation, as well as how a ubiquitous transcription factor can be involved in establishing a tissue-specific pattern of gene expression and mechanisms by which its activity may be regulated. We also consider the role of Sp1 in human diseases, such as cancer

Applying an Established Exposure Response Prevention Protocol for Young People With Tourette Syndrome in an Intensive, Group Format: A Feasibility Study

Background: The motor and vocal tics that characterise Tourette syndrome are stigmatizing and impact on quality of life. Behavioural interventions such as Exposure Response Prevention or Comprehensive Behavioural Interventions for Tics are first line treatment for Tourette syndrome, but availability is limited. This study is the first to explore the impact of an established manualised Exposure Response Prevention treatment protocol, developed for individual therapy, but here uniquely delivered intensively, to a group. // Methods: A naturalistic study comprised of a consecutive series of children (N = 20), aged 8–16 years (M = 12, SD = 2.17) were offered Exposure Response Prevention in one of two groups, delivered in series within a specialist clinic. Young people received the equivalent of 12 sessions (matching the manualised individual protocol). // Results: The YGTSS and Giles de la Tourette Syndrome Quality of Life Scale for Children and Adolescents (Satisfaction Scale) showed significant improvement following treatment with moderate to large effect sizes. Thirty-five percent of children demonstrated a reliable improvement on the YGTSS Global Tic Severity score. // Conclusions: These data suggest an established Exposure Response Prevention protocol can be delivered in an intensive, group setting with a positive clinical outcome. Replication in a randomized controlled trial is an important next step

Human stem cell osteoblastogenesis mediated by novel glycogen synthase kinase 3 inhibitors induces bone formation and a unique bone turnover biomarker profile in rats

AbstractWnt activation by inhibiting glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK-3) causes bone anabolism in rodents making GSK-3 a potential therapeutic target for osteoporotic and osteolytic metastatic bone disease. To understand the wnt pathway related to human disease translation, the ability of 3 potent inhibitors of GSK-3 (AZD2858, AR79, AZ13282107) to 1) drive osteoblast differentiation and mineralisation using human adipose-derived stem cells (hADSC) in vitro; and 2) stimulate rat bone formation in vivo was investigated. Bone anabolism/resorption was determined using clinically relevant serum biomarkers as indicators of bone turnover and bone formation assessed in femurs by histopathology and pQCT/μCT imaging.GSK-3 inhibitors caused β-catenin stabilisation in human and rat mesenchymal stem cells, stimulated hADSC commitment towards osteoblasts and osteogenic mineralisation in vitro. AZD2858 produced time-dependent changes in serum bone turnover biomarkers and increased bone mass over 28days exposure in rats. After 7days, AZD2858, AR79 or AZ13282107 exposure increased the bone formation biomarker P1NP, and reduced the resorption biomarker TRAcP-5b, indicating increased bone anabolism and reduced resorption in rats. This biomarker profile was differentiated from anabolic agent PTH1–34 or the anti-resorptive Alendronate-induced changes. Increased bone formation in cortical and cancellous bone as assessed by femur histopathology supported biomarker changes. 14 day AR79 treatment increased bone mineral density and trabecular thickness, and decreased trabecular number and connectivity assessed by pQCT/μCT.GSK-3 inhibition caused hADSC osteoblastogenesis and mineralisation in vitro. Increased femur bone mass associated with changes in bone turnover biomarkers confirmed in vivo bone formation and indicated uncoupling of bone formation and resorption

A crucial role for the ubiquitously expressed transcription factor Sp1 at early stages of hematopoietic specification

Mammalian development is regulated by the interplay of tissue-specific and ubiquitously expressed transcription factors, such as Sp1. Sp1 knockout mice die in utero with multiple phenotypic aberrations, but the underlying molecular mechanism of this differentiation failure has been elusive. Here, we have used conditional knockout mice as well as the differentiation of mouse ES cells as a model with which to address this issue. To this end, we examine