Developmental divergence: motor trajectories in children with fragile X syndrome with and without co-occurring autism.

BackgroundAutism spectrum disorder (ASD) is highly prevalent in fragile X syndrome (FXS), affecting 50-70% of males. Motor impairments are a shared feature across autism and FXS that may help to better characterize autism in FXS. As motor skills provide a critical foundation for various language, cognitive, and social outcomes, they may serve an important mechanistic role for autism in FXS. As such, this study aimed to identify differences in motor trajectories across direct assessment and parent-report measures of fine and gross motor development between FXS with and without autism, and typical development, while controlling for cognitive functioning.MethodsThis prospective longitudinal study included 42 children with FXS, 24 of whom also had ASD (FXS + ASD), as well as 40 typically developing children. The Mullen Scales of Early Learning provided a direct measure of fine and gross motor skills, and the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales provided a measure of parent-reported fine and gross motor skills. Random slopes and random intercepts multilevel models were tested to determine divergence in developmental motor trajectories between groups when controlling for cognitive level.ResultsModel results indicated the children with FXS + ASD diverged from TD children by 9-months on all measures of gross and fine motor skills, even when controlling for cognitive level. Results also indicated an early divergence in motor trajectories of fine and gross motor skills between the FXS + ASD and FXS groups when controlling for cognitive level. This divergence was statistically significant by 18 months, with the FXS + ASD showing decelerated growth in motor skills across direct observation and parent-report measures.ConclusionsThis study is the first to examine longitudinal trends in motor development in children with FXS with and without comorbid ASD using both direct assessment and parent-report measures of fine and gross motor. Furthermore, it is among the first to account for nonverbal cognitive delays, a step towards elucidating the isolated role of motor impairments in FXS with and without ASD. Findings underscore the role of motor impairments as a possible signal representing greater underlying genetic liability, or as a potential catalyst or consequence, of co-occurring autism in FXS

A daily diary study on maladaptive daydreaming, mind wandering, and sleep disturbances: Examining within-person and between-persons relations

Cross-sectional and experimental research have shown that task-unrelated thoughts (i.e., mind wandering) relate to sleep disturbances, but there is little research on whether this association generalizes to the day-level and other kinds of task-unrelated mentation. We employed a longitudinal daily diary design to examine the within-person and between-person associations between three self-report instruments measuring mind wandering, maladaptive daydreaming (a condition characterized by having elaborate fantasy daydreams so insistent that they interfere with daily functioning) and sleep disturbances. A final sample of 126 participants self-identified as experiencing maladaptive daydreaming completed up to 8 consecutive daily reports (in total 869 daily observations). The scales showed acceptable-to-excellent within-person reliability (i.e., systematic day-to-day change) and excellent between-person reliability. The proportion of between-person variance was 36% for sleep disturbances, 57% for mind wandering, and 75% for maladaptive daydreaming, respectively (the remaining being stochastic and systematic within-person variance). Contrary to our pre-registered hypothesis, maladaptive daydreaming did not significantly predict sleep disturbances the following night, B = -0.00 (SE = 0.04), p =.956. Exploratory analyses indicated that while nightly sleep disturbances predicted mind wandering the following day, B = 0.20 (SE = 0.04), p <.001, it did not significantly predict maladaptive daydreaming the following day, B = -0.04 (SE = 0.05), p =.452. Moreover, daily mind wandering did not significantly predict sleep disturbances the following night, B = 0.02 (SE = 0.05), p =.731. All variables correlated at the between-person level. We discuss the implications concerning the differences between maladaptive daydreaming and mind wandering and the possibility of targeting sleep for mind wandering interventions

ENDOPARASITES OF GREATER SANDHILL CRANES IN SOUTH-CENTRAL WISCONSIN

Windingstad and Trainer (1977) used both fecal sampling and postmortem examinations to document the occurrence of parasites in greater sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis tabida) from Wisconsin in the fall. We conducted repeated fecal sampling of a well-known population to expand on results of their study. Our objective was to determine whether seasonal differences exist in the prevalence of endoparasites of Wisconsin sandhill cranes. We collected 7 to 10 fecal samples approximately every other week from a consistent roost site on the Wisconsin River (43°34\u2752.99\u27\u27N, 89°36\u2738.42\u27\u27W) near Briggsville, Wisconsin, from 29 May through 25 September 2008. The sample size was based on the assumption that endoparasite prevalence in this population was high: a single positive result would allow us to be 99% certain that the parasite was prevalent in 50% or greater of the crane population (Martin et al. 1987). Each anonymously collected fecal sample consisted of a single, fresh mass. Samples were collected into plastic bags and kept refrigerated until analysis (2-24 hours later). Three methods were used to detect parasites: a standard direct smear of feces in saline, fecal flotation in sodium nitrate solution (Ovatector, BGS Medical Products, Inc, Venice, FL.) (Greiner 1997), and examination of the uppermost layer of sediment 10 minutes following mixing of the sample with sodium nitrate

ENDOPARASITES OF GREATER SANDHILL CRANES IN SOUTH-CENTRAL WISCONSIN

Windingstad and Trainer (1977) used both fecal sampling and postmortem examinations to document the occurrence of parasites in greater sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis tabida) from Wisconsin in the fall. We conducted repeated fecal sampling of a well-known population to expand on results of their study. Our objective was to determine whether seasonal differences exist in the prevalence of endoparasites of Wisconsin sandhill cranes. We collected 7 to 10 fecal samples approximately every other week from a consistent roost site on the Wisconsin River (43°34\u2752.99\u27\u27N, 89°36\u2738.42\u27\u27W) near Briggsville, Wisconsin, from 29 May through 25 September 2008. The sample size was based on the assumption that endoparasite prevalence in this population was high: a single positive result would allow us to be 99% certain that the parasite was prevalent in 50% or greater of the crane population (Martin et al. 1987). Each anonymously collected fecal sample consisted of a single, fresh mass. Samples were collected into plastic bags and kept refrigerated until analysis (2-24 hours later). Three methods were used to detect parasites: a standard direct smear of feces in saline, fecal flotation in sodium nitrate solution (Ovatector, BGS Medical Products, Inc, Venice, FL.) (Greiner 1997), and examination of the uppermost layer of sediment 10 minutes following mixing of the sample with sodium nitrate

Position Control of Linkage Underactuated Robotic Hand

In this study a proposed PID control system for (Ca.U.M.Ha) robotic hand with a finger and a thumb introduced, to control grasping cylindrical objects made from different materials soft and hard within a range of (48-150) mm in diameter . A samples of PID response figures for object that need just a finger, and object that needs a finger with a thumb introduced in additional to the figures of actuators voltage needed for both cases through grasping. Keywords: Linkage , underactuated, position  PID contro

Binuclear Manganese(III) Complexes as Electron Donors in D1/D2/Cytochrome b559 Preparations Isolated from Spinach Photosystem II Membrane Fragments

The capability of different manganese complexes to act as PS II electron donors in D1/D2/ cytochrome b 559 complexes has been analyzed by measuring actinic light-induced absorption changes at 680 nm (650 nm) and 340 nm, reflecting the photoaccumulation of Pheophytin- (Pheo-) and the reduction of NADP+ respectively. The data obtained reveal: a) the donor capacity of synthetic binuclear Mn(III)2 complexes containing aromatic ligands significantly exceeds that for MnCl2 in both cases, i.e. Pheo- photoaccumulation and NADP+ reduction; b) manganese complexes can serve as suitable electron donors for light-induced NADP+ reduction catalyzed by D1/D2/cytochrome b559 complexes and ferredoxin plus ferredoxin- NADP+ reductase under anaerobic conditions and c) the specific turnover rate of the system leading to NADP+ reduction is extremely small. The implications of these findings are briefly discussed

Esmethadone (REL-1017) and Other Uncompetitive NMDAR Channel Blockers May Improve Mood Disorders via Modulation of Synaptic Kinase-Mediated Signaling

This article presents a mechanism of action hypothesis to explain the rapid antidepressant effects of esmethadone (REL-1017) and other uncompetitive N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) antagonists and presents a corresponding mechanism of disease hypothesis for major depressive disorder (MDD). Esmethadone and other uncompetitive NMDAR antagonists may restore physiological neural plasticity in animal models of depressive-like behavior and in patients with MDD via preferential tonic block of pathologically hyperactive GluN2D subtypes. Tonic Ca2+ currents via GluN2D subtypes regulate the homeostatic availability of synaptic proteins. MDD and depressive behaviors may be determined by reduced homeostatic availability of synaptic proteins, due to upregulated tonic Ca2+ currents through GluN2D subtypes. The preferential activity of low-potency NMDAR antagonists for GluN2D subtypes may explain their rapid antidepressant effects in the absence of dissociative side effects

RXTE Absolute Timing Results for the Pulsars B1821-24 and B1509-58

Observations with the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer and the Jodrell Bank, Parkes, and Green Bank telescopes have enabled us to determine the time delay between radio and X-ray pulses in the two isolated pulsars B1821-24 and B1509-58. For the former we find that the narrow X-ray and radio pulse components are close to being coincident in time, with the radio peak leading by 0.02 period (60 +/- 20 microsec), while the wide X-ray pulse component lags the last of the two wider radio components by about 0.08 period. For the latter pulsar we find, using the standard value for the dispersion measure, that the X-ray pulse lags the radio by about 0.27 period, with no evidence for any energy-dependence in the range 2-100 keV. However, uncertainties in the history of the dispersion measure for this pulsar make a comparison with previous results difficult. It is clear that there are no perceptable variations in either the lag or the dispersion measure at time scales of a year or less.Comment: 20 pages including 6 figures, accepted by Astrophysical Journa