Autistic individuals experience higher rates of externalising and internalising symptoms that may vary with environmental factors. However, there is limited research on variation across settings that ...may highlight common factors with globally generalisable effects. Data were taken from two cohorts: a multinational European sample (n = 764; 453 autistic; 311 non-autistic; 6–30 years), and a South African sample (n = 100 non-autistic; 3–11 years). An exploratory factor analysis aggregated clinical (Verbal Comprehension and Perceptual Index), adaptive traits (Vineland Adaptive Behaviour Scale) and socio-economic variables (parental employment and education, home and family characteristics) in each cohort separately. With regression, we investigated the effect of these factors and autistic traits on internalising and externalising scores (measured with the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire). Cohorts showed similar four-factor structures (Person Characteristics, Family System, Parental and Material Resources). The ‘Family System’ factor captured family size and maternal factors and was associated with lower internalising and externalising symptoms in both cohorts. In the European cohort, high autistic traits reduced this effect; the opposite was found in the South Africa cohort. Our exploratory findings from two separate analyses represent consistent evidence that Family System is associated with internalising and externalising symptoms, with a context-specific impact in persons with high autism traits.
Lay Abstract
Autistic individuals are more likely than non-autistic individuals to experience a mental health condition in their lifetime, and this includes externalising and internalising symptoms. We know very little about how different environments and family conditions impact these symptoms for autistic individuals. Improving our understanding of these relationships is important so that we can identify individuals who may be in greater need of support. In this article, we seek to improve our understanding of how environmental and family conditions impact externalising and internalising symptoms in autistic and non-autistic people. To do this, we conducted analyses with two cohorts in very different settings – in Europe and South Africa – to ensure our findings are globally representative. We used advanced statistical methods to establish environmental and family conditions that were similar to each other, and which could be combined into specific ‘factors’. We found that four similar ‘factors’ could be identified in the two cohorts. These were distinguished by personal characteristics and environmental conditions of individuals, and were named Person Characteristics, Family System, Parental and Material Resources. Interestingly, just ‘Family System’ was associated with internalising and externalising symptoms, and this was the same in both cohorts. We also found that having high traits of autism impacted this relationship between Family System and mental health conditions with opposite directions in the two settings. These results show that characteristics in the Family System are associated with internalising and externalising symptoms, and autistic persons are particularly impacted, reinforcing the notion that family stressors are important to consider when implementing policy and practice related to improving the mental health of autistic people.
To address recent criticisms of the recovery process of the U.S. Endangered Species Act and to search for ways to improve recovery efforts, we evaluated all recovery plans approved by the U.S. Fish ...and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service as of August 1991. As expected with rare species, we found an overall lack of detailed biological information presented in recovery plans. Information on species' distributions was most common, being mentioned in 88% of the original recovery plans, while information on species' abundance, population demographics, and dynamics (in descending order) was much less available. Biological information tended to be sparsely distributed among taxonomic groups. We found that threatened and endangered species were at risk of extinction, yet differentiation between threatened and endangered species' status in the wild and their recovery goals was not evident. Based on criteria developed by Mace and Lande (1991) (and depending on choice of minimum criteria), population-based recovery goals set in recovery plans, if achieved, would not improve the level of endangerment for 60-73% of vertebrate species. With few exceptions, a taxonomic bias was detected in the recovery process that favored animals over plants, vertebrates over invertebrates, and birds and mammals over fish and herpetofauna. The average time in years between listing and original recovery plan approval, however, was significantly shorter for plants (4.1) than animals (11.3), and for invertebrates (6.3) than vertebrates (9.4). It took an average of at least five years between each step in the recovery plan process (from listing to recovery plan approval and subsequent revision). Only 3.5% of the species in recovery plans were identified as keystones, and little recent emphasis has been placed on recovery plans covering multiple species. Finally, though public education was recommended frequently (92%) in recovery plans, public attitude assessment was virtually ignored (<2%). We suggest possible explanations for some of these findings, discuss the implications in light of the Endangered Species Act reauthorization, and present recommendations for future recovery plans and conservation strategies.
Upgrade of the ATLAS tracker detector for high-luminosity LHC conditions requires novel approaches to the pixel sensor design. Tests of different pitch layouts represent significant part of the ATLAS ...upgrade program. Better momentum resolution and multiple track reconstruction in the r- phi r- phi plane could be achieved with finer phi -segmentation. Changing the pitch from 50250 mu m2 to 25500 mu m2 in the outer pixel modules would improve the tracking performance of the upgraded ATLAS detector. The pixel sensors with 25500 mu m2 readout by FE-I4 chips have been designed at the University of Liverpool. The sensors were measured in the laboratory and test-beam. Results of these tests will be presented together with geometry characteristics of other novel pixel layouts, compatible with the FE-I4 floor-plan, which have been designed and produced.
Upgrade of the ATLAS tracker detector for high-luminosity LHC conditions requires novel approaches to the pixel sensor design. Tests of different pitch layouts represent significant part of the ATLAS ...upgrade program. Better momentum resolution and multiple track reconstruction in the r–ϕ plane could be achieved with finer ϕ-segmentation. Changing the pitch from 50×250μm2 to 25×500μm2 in the outer pixel modules would improve the tracking performance of the upgraded ATLAS detector. The pixel sensors with 25×500μm2 readout by FE-I4 chips have been designed at the University of Liverpool. The sensors were measured in the laboratory and test-beam. Results of these tests will be presented together with geometry characteristics of other novel pixel layouts, compatible with the FE-I4 floor-plan, which have been designed and produced.
We observed marine benthic interstitial ciliates Geleia sp. and Tracheloraphis sp. inhabiting the water column of a chemically stratified salt pond. This habitat is uncharacteristic for interstitial ...ciliates, yet they displayed active and abundant planktonic populations (up to 800 and 250 cells/liter, respectively) and a well-defined pattern of vertical distribution. Completely absent from the oxygenated epilimnion, they first appeared at the oxic/anoxic interface and were present throughout the anoxic hypolimnion. The data could not be explained by a passive removal (e.g. by currents) of these ciliates from their conventional habitat (soft sediments) to water column. The results suggest that 1) these ciliates favored an anoxic environment, and 2) they switched to a planktonic lifestyle as appropriate conditions (seasonal anoxia) developed in the water column. This sharply contrasts the classic view of these ciliates as specifically benthic and aerobic (albeit microaerophilic) organisms. We hypothesize that Geleia sp. and Tracheloraphis sp. can readily grow in either water column or benthos, but are typically found in sediments simply because they contain their preferred (anoxic) niche.
Traf2- and Nck-interacting kinase (TNIK) is a serine/threonine kinase highly expressed in the brain and enriched in the postsynaptic density of glutamatergic synapses in the mammalian brain. ...Accumulating genetic evidence and functional data have implicated TNIK as a risk factor for psychiatric disorders. However, the endogenous substrates of TNIK in neurons are unknown. Here, we describe a novel selective small molecule inhibitor of the TNIK kinase family. Using this inhibitor, we report the identification of endogenous neuronal TNIK substrates by immunoprecipitation with a phosphomotif antibody followed by mass spectrometry. Phosphorylation consensus sequences were defined by phosphopeptide sequence analysis. Among the identified substrates were members of the delta-catenin family including p120-catenin, δ-catenin, and armadillo repeat gene deleted in velo-cardio-facial syndrome (ARVCF), each of which is linked to psychiatric or neurologic disorders. Using p120-catenin as a representative substrate, we show TNIK-induced p120-catenin phosphorylation in cells requires intact kinase activity and phosphorylation of TNIK at T181 and T187 in the activation loop. Addition of the small molecule TNIK inhibitor or knocking down TNIK by two shRNAs reduced endogenous p120-catenin phosphorylation in cells. Together, using a TNIK inhibitor and phosphomotif antibody, we identify endogenous substrates of TNIK in neurons, define consensus sequences for TNIK, and suggest signaling pathways by which TNIK influences synaptic development and function linked to psychiatric and neurologic disorders.
PDF
