Quantitative research increasingly suggests that many autistic adults experience heightened levels of anxiety during social interaction. While anxiety related to social interactions is prevalent in ...the autistic population, little is known about how autistic individuals experience social situations – from anticipatory stages, through to in-vivo and post-event processing, and how these experiences may relate to social anxiety within the specific context of autistic adult populations.
This study sought to qualitatively explore the perspectives of autistic individuals in relation to their experience of social situations, with the aim of examining how these experiences may relate to anxiety during social interactions. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 autistic adults with data being analysed using Reflexive Thematic Analysis to identify themes relevant to each stage of social interaction.
Themes derived from autistic adult participants suggest that several anxiety-related processes may be operating in autism, influencing social interaction experiences. Specifically, the sensory environment, topic of conversation and conversation partner, were identified as influencing the perceived success and comfort of interactions. Feelings of anxiety, as well as self-monitoring and adaptive morphing were often identified as exhausting.
Findings indicate a need to consider how anxiety and environmental factors influence the experiences of social interaction and communication for autistic adults.
•12 autistic adults were interviewed about social interaction experiences.•Anticipatory, in-situ and post-event experiences were examined.•Several anxiety-related processes may operate in autism, influencing experiences.•Findings are discussed in relation to monotropism, adaptive morphing and double-empathy.
Background: Individuals involved in the criminal justice system have disproportionately high rates of psychiatric disorders when compared to the general U.S. population. If left untreated, the ...likelihood of subsequent arrest increases and risk for adverse health consequences is great, particularly among opioid users. Objectives: To explore the prevalence, characteristics, and treatment of mood disorders among justice involved opioid-dependent populations. Methods: The current study enrolled 258 treatment-seeking opioid-dependent individuals under community-based criminal justice supervision (e.g., probation, parole) screened from the larger parent study, Project STRIDE, a seek/test/treat randomized control trial (RCT) examining HIV and opioid use treatment. During baseline, individuals were screened for depression using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) and screened for bipolar disorder using the Mood Disorder Questionnaire (MDQ) tool. Results: Overall, 78 (30%) participants screened positive for moderate to severe depression and 54 (21%) screened positive for bipolar disorder. Participants self-reported mood disorders at higher rates than they screened positive for these conditions. Participants screening positive for these conditions experienced significantly greater family, legal, and medical problems on the Addiction Severity Index-Lite (ASI-Lite) than those who did not screen positive. Incidence of a lifetime suicide attempt was found to be associated with a positive screen for both mood disorders. Prescribed psychotropic treatment utilization was similar among those who screened positive for depression or bipolar disorder with approximately 38% reporting taking medication. Importance: Findings suggest universal mood disorder screening to improve comprehensive psychiatric care and treatment of opioid-dependent justice-involved individuals.
Schizophrenia is a disorder with an unclear pathophysiology, despite numerous attempts to elucidate its etiology. We have employed proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy in vivo to explore the ...neurochemistry of several brain regions (left frontal and temporal cortices, left basal ganglia, and left and right thalamus) in patients with schizophrenia and in normal control subjects. We have also examined patients in different medication states. A trend toward a decreased level of inositol/creatine was found in the left temporal lobe of patients with schizophrenia, as was a trend toward a reduced level of
N-acetylaspartate/creatine in the left thalamus of patients. In schizophrenic patients treated with atypical antipsychotics, decreased levels of choline were found in the left basal ganglia, while increased levels of
N-acetylaspartate were found in the left frontal cortex. These results suggest altered metabolism in patients with schizophrenia, and imply that further study is needed to clarify the effects of the more recently available antipsychotics.
Tyrosine 195 is located in the center of the active site cleft of cyclodextrin glycosyltransferase (EC 2.4.1.19) from Bacillus circulans strain 251. Alignment of amino acid sequences of CGTases and ...alpha-amylases, and the analysis of the binding mode of the substrate analogue acarbose in the active site cleft Strokopytov, B., et al. (1995) Biochemistry 34, (in press), suggested that Tyr195 plays an important role in cyclization of oligosaccharides. Tyr195 therefore was replaced with Phe (Y195F), Trp (Y195W), Leu (Y195L), and Gly (Y195G). Mutant proteins were purified and crystallized, and their X-ray structures were determined at 2.5-2.6 angstrum resolution, allowing a detailed comparison of their biochemical properties and three-dimensional structures with those of the wild-type CGTase protein. The mutant proteins possessed significantly reduced cyclodextrin forming and coupling activities but were not negatively affected in the disproportionation and saccharifying reactions. Also under production process conditions, after a 45 h incubation with a 10% starch solution, the Y195W, Y195L, and Y195G mutants showed a lower overall conversion of starch into cyclodextrins. These mutants produced a considerable amount of linear maltooligosaccharides. The presence of aromatic amino acids (Tyr or Phe) at the Tyr195 position thus appears to be of crucial importance for an efficient cyclization reaction, virtually preventing the formation of linear products. Mass spectrometry of the Y195L reaction mixture, but not that of the other mutants and the wild type, revealed a shift toward the synthesis (in low yields) of larger products, especially of beta- and gamma- (but no alpha-) cyclodextrins and minor amounts of delta-, epsilon-, zeta- and eta-cyclodextrins.
In high-elevation areas in western Kenya, the abundance of Anopheles arabiensis is either very low or absent. The western Kenya highlands (an area with an elevation > 1,500m above sea level) have ...also been experiencing extensive deforestation, and deforestation has been suggested as one of the important factors that facilitate malaria transmission in the highlands. This study investigated whether climate conditions in the western Kenya highlands (Kakamega, elevation 1,500 m above sea level) were permissive to the development and survival of An. arabiensis and whether deforestation promoted An. arabiensis survivorship of immature and adult stages, using life-table analysis. We found that in larval habitats located in forested areas, only 4-9% of first-instar larvae developed into adults and the development length exceeded 20 days. Mean water temperature of aquatic habitats in the deforested area was 4.8-6.1 degrees C higher than that in the forested area, larval-to-adult survivorship was increased to 65-82%, and larval-to-adult development time was shortened by 8-9 days. The average indoor temperature in houses in the deforested area was 1.7-1.8 degrees C higher than in the forested area, and the relative humidity was 22-25% lower. The median survival time of adult mosquitoes in the deforested area was 49-55% higher than those in the forested area. The net reproductive rate of female mosquitoes in the deforested area was 1.7- to 2.6-fold higher than that in the forested area. Compared with previously published data on An. gambiae, the net reproductive rate of An. arabiensis was only 0.8-1.3% of Anopheles gambiae in the forested area and 2.3-2.6% in the deforested area. Therefore, the current ambient climate condition is less permissive to An. arabiensis than to An. gambiae in western Kenya highlands. However, environmental changes such as deforestation and global warming may facilitate the establishment of An. arabiensis populations in the highlands.
Twenty-six healthy 5-year-old children were enrolled in a 7-year longitudinal study to examine the importance of age and speed in the characterization of ground reaction forces. One thousand forty ...gait trials of children walking at self-selected speeds were examined on the basis of age and normalized speed speed/(height x g)(1/2). Results, presented as discrete peak and trough values and as continuous trace plots over the stance phase, indicated that there was little change in ground reaction forces with age, but there were significant changes in vertical force and anterior-posterior force values with normalized speed. The ground reaction force patterns in these children were characterized predominantly by normalized speed of progression and not age. The clinical relevance of these findings is that normalized speed of walking, rather than age, should be considered when comparing normal with pathological gait.
Twenty-six healthy 7-year-old children were enrolled in a 5-year longitudinal study to examine the importance of age and speed in the characterization of sagittal joint angles, moments, and powers. ...In 740 gait trials, children walking at self-selected speeds were examined on the basis of age and normalized speed speed/(height x g)1/2. The kinematics and kinetics in these children were characterized predominantly by normalized speed of progression and not age. The clinical relevance of these findings is that normalized speed of walking, rather than age, should be considered when comparing normal with pathologic gait.
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