Autistic behavior in boys with fragile X syndrome: social approach and HPA-axis dysfunction

The primary goal of this study was to examine environmental and neuroendocrine factors that convey increased risk for elevated autistic behavior in boys with Fragile X syndrome (FXS). This study involves three related analyses: (1) examination of multiple dimensions of social approach behaviors and how they vary over time, (2) investigation of mean levels and modulation of salivary cortisol levels in response to social interaction, and (3) examination of the relationship of social approach and autistic behaviors to salivary cortisol. Poor social approach and elevated baseline and regulation cortisol are discernible traits that distinguish boys with FXS and ASD from boys with FXS only and from typically developing boys. In addition, blunted cortisol change is associated with increased severity of autistic behaviors only within the FXS and ASD group. Boys with FXS and ASD have distinct behavioral and neuroendocrine profiles that differentiate them from those with FXS alone and typically developing boys

Enhanced Thermochemical H2 Production on Ca-Doped Lanthanum Manganite Perovskites Through Optimizing the Dopant Level and Re-oxidation Temperature

Perovskite material is one of the promising classes of redox catalysts for hydrogen production through two-step thermochemical H2O splitting. Herein, an analogue of La1−xCa x MnO3 perovskite was systematically investigated as a catalyst for thermochemical H2 evolution. The Ca doping level (x = 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8) and re-oxidation temperature were comprehensively optimized for the improvement of catalytic performance. According to our experimental results, La0.6Ca0.4MnO3 perovskite displayed the highest yield of H2 at the re-oxidation temperature of 900 °C and the obtained H2 production was ~ 10 times higher than that of the benchmark ceria catalyst under the same experimental condition. More importantly, La0.6Ca0.4MnO3 perovskite catalyst exhibited impressive cyclic stability in repetitive O2 and H2 test.Griffith Sciences, Griffith School of EnvironmentFull Tex