Maternal Steroid Levels and the Autistic Traits of the Mother and Infant

Background: Elevated prenatal sex steroids and maternal conditions that are related to sex steroids (e.g., polycystic ovary syndrome) have been positively associated with autism likelihood. It is unclear if this is detectable in the maternal circulation, if it relates to maternal autistic traits, and whether it is also predictive of autistic traits in infants. Methods: Maternal serum samples were collected as part of routine prenatal screening from pregnant women taking part in the longitudinal Cambridge Ultrasound Siblings and Parents (CUSP) study (n=219) (gestational age: mean=12.7 [SD=0.8] weeks). Concentrations of the following were measured via immunoassays: testosterone (T), estradiol (E2), dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate (DHEAS), progesterone (P); sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG). Human choriogonadotropin (hCG) and pregnancy-associated plasma protein A (PAPP-A) were collected from clinical records corresponding to the same serum samples. Participants completed the adult Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ). Infants were followed-up with the Quantitative Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (Q-CHAT) between 18-20 months old (mean=570 days, SD=21.3 days). Results: Maternal AQ scores significantly correlated with circulating levels of total E2 (Pearson’s r=0.20, p=0.036) and the bioactive fraction of E2 (Pearson’s r=0.26, p=0.008) in univariate and multiple regression models. Total E2, DHEAS and a steroidogenic factor (derived from total E2, DHEAS and T) were all associated with Q-CHAT scores in multiple regression models that controlled for covariates and for an interaction with infant sex. This interaction also had a significant effect, leading to a positive correlation between hormone levels and Q-CHAT scores in males but not in females (interaction term: semipartial correlation r=0.23, p=0.018). The opposite was found for standardised hCG values and Q-CHAT scores, with a positive association in females but not in males (interaction term: semipartial correlation r=-0.22, p=0.009). Limitations: This longitudinal clinical study was relatively small and statistical power was further reduced by the need to account for different effects according to sex. The findings will need to be confirmed in a larger cohort and with clinically diagnosed cases of autism. Conclusion: In line with previous findings, this study’s results suggest that increased steroid synthesis prenatally is related to autistic traits and that this is detectable in the maternal circulation.

Periodontal inflamed surface area in patients on haemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis: a Croatian cross-sectional study

Background: The decision to initiate dialysis treatment via haemodialysis (HD) or peritoneal dialysis (PD) often involves the consideration of complex factors and remains a matter of debate. The purpose of this study was to quantify the inflammatory burden that periodontitis causes in dialysis patients and to examine whether patients on PD and HD differ in terms of the periodontal inflamed surface area (PISA), which can be helpful for selecting the most appropriate dialysis modality. Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed on 58 consecutive patients on HD and 31 consecutive patients on PD. PISA was calculated using measurements of the clinical attachment level, recession and bleeding on probing. We performed the primary analysis using multivariable robust regression. Results: Patients on PD had a 746 mm2 (93%) lower mean PISA than patients on HD after adjustment for 20 possible confounders, including the duration of dialysis. The type of dialysis was independently correlated with the PISA (semipartial correlation: -0.50; p=0.017; false discovery rate<5%). After adjusting for confounding factors, the correlation between the duration and type of dialysis was not significant (F (2,44)=0.01; p=0.994; η2=0.00). Differences in the PISA between patients who had undergone dialysis for less than a year, 2-3 years or ≥3 years were not significantly different in either of the two dialysis groups. Conclusions: PISA levels in Croatian patients on dialysis indicate a high need for periodontal treatment. PD is associated with a smaller PISA independent of many sociodemographic, lifestyle, laboratory and clinical factors. The duration of dialysis does not influence PISA levels.

Periodontal inflamed surface area in patients on haemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis: Croatian cross-sectional study

Background: Periodontitis is an inflammatory periodontal disease that is caused by bacterial plaque and destroys the connective tissue and bone that support the teeth. Patients with chronic kidney disease have damaged immunological systems because of uremic toxins and are thus prone to infections. Peritoneal dialysis (PD) is better for the removal of middle molecules (uremic toxins) than haemodialysis (HD). Our hypothesis was that PD is associated with a lower periodontal inflamed surface area (PISA). Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed on 58 consecutive patients on HD and 31 consecutive patients on PD. PISA was calculated using measurements of the clinical attachment level, recession and bleeding on probing. Results: Patients on PD had a 691 mm 2 (89%) lower PISA than patients on HD after adjustment for 15 possible confounders, including the duration of dialysis. The type of dialysis was independently correlated with PISA (semipartial correlation: -0.30; p=0.009; false discovery rate<5%). Conclusions: PD is associated with a smaller PISA independently of a large number of sociodemographic, lifestyle, laboratory and clinical factors.

Examining Communication as Information Exchange as a Predictor of Task Cohesion in Sport Teams

Past research in sport has identified a relationship between communication as a social property (i.e., acceptance, distinctiveness, positive conflict, and negative conflict) and task cohesion. Operationalizing communication in this manner is viewing the construct through a social lens. Given that forming task-cohesion perceptions also might be linked to how members exchange information, examining the relationship between communication as information exchange and cohesion appears worthwhile. Results from a hierarchical regression (N = 176) revealed that team member communication as both a social property and information exchange positively predicted perceived task cohesion while controlling for team performance (). Relevant to the study purpose, it was found that communication as information exchange not only contributed unique variance to task cohesion after controlling for communication as a social property and team performance, β = 0.32, sr (semipartial correlation) = .24, but also resulted in a reallocation in variance from the previously significant communication social properties predicting task cohesion.

Quantifying soil water conservation in the semiarid region of Saskatchewan, Canada: Effect of fallow frequency and N fertilizer

Soil water is the most limiting factor influencing crop production in the semiarid prairies. The effects of fallow frequency and nitrogen (N) fertilization on soil water conservation were quantified for a 40-yr (1967–2006) field experiment conducted on a medium textured Orthic Brown Chernozem (aridic haploboroll) in semiarid southwestern Saskatchewan, in which soil water contents were measured each year in early spring (generally a week prior to seeding), shortly after harvest, and again just prior to freeze-up in the fall. The three treatments examined were continuous spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) (Cont W) and fallow-wheat (F-W), each receiving recommended rates of N and P fertilizer, and Cont W receiving only P. On average, 36% of the precipitation received during the fall and winter months for Cont W (N + P) was conserved in the soil. In the summer fallow system [F-W (N + P)] a greater proportion (42%) of the precipitation was conserved during the first fall and winter. Despite the fact that cumulative precipitation from spring to late fall during the fallow period averaged 243 mm, compared with 152 mm received during the previous fall and winter period, the amount (31 mm) and proportion (13%) of precipitation conserved was considerably less than that during the first overwinter period. These differences were attributed mainly to much higher summer evaporative losses. During the second overwinter period, only 6% of the precipitation received was conserved in the F-W (N + P) system compared with 44% in the first overwinter period. This poor conservation during the second winter was thought to be related to increased snow blowoff due to smaller amounts of standing crop residues, and to the freezing of a wet and bare soil surface, restricting water entry during snowmelt or spring thaw events. Physical based soil-crop models, which must be first improved for overwinter simulations, should be tested on the current data set to further interpret the observations and hypotheses. Compared with the 36% of fall and winter precipitation conserved in Cont W (N + P), inadequate N fertility [Cont W (+ P)] resulted in only 27% of the precipitation being conserved during this period. At harvest, F-W (N + P) and Cont W (N + P) had similar amounts of water in the soil, but Cont W (+ P) had significantly (P < 0.05) more because of reduced water use. However, by the following spring soil water recharge being proportional to crop residues produced resulted in F-W (N + P), Cont W (N + P) and Cont W (+ P) having 252, 209 and 204 mm/1.2 m soil, respectively. Equations were developed that will allow estimation of water conserved as a function of precipitation received between harvest and seeding for F-W (N + P) and Cont W (N + P) (R2 = 0.52*** in each case). Trends in grain yield were fairly closely correlated with growing season precipitation and potential evapotranspiration [squared semipartial correlation coefficients for Cont W (N + P) 0.32 and 0.17, respectively, and for F-W (N + P) 0.35 and 0.12]; soil water conservation played a minor role in determining final grain yields (squared semipartial correlation coefficient < 0.08). Key words: Soil water, spring wheat, precipitation deficit, yield trends, water conserved trends