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Children with autism spectrum disorders have been reported to be less influenced by a speaker’s face during speech perception than those with typically development. To more closely examine these reported differences, a novel visual phonemic restoration paradigm was used to assess neural signatures (event-related potentials [ERPs]) of audiovisual processing in typically developing children and in children with autism spectrum disorder. Video of a speaker saying the syllable /ba/ was paired with (1) a synthesized /ba/ or (2) a synthesized syllable derived from /ba/ in which auditory cues for the consonant were substantially weakened, thereby sounding more like /a/. The auditory stimuli are easily discriminable; however, in the context of a visual /ba/, the auditory /a/ is typically perceived as /ba/, producing a visual phonemic restoration. Only children with ASD showed a large /ba/-/a/ discrimination response in the presence of a speaker producing /ba/, suggesting reduced influence of visual speech. © 2021, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC part of Springer Nature.

Research suggests that addictive traits are indeed heritable, but very few preclinical studies have explored transgenerational effects of paternal alcohol exposure. The present study addressed this gap in knowledge. We explored whether offspring of ethanol-exposed sires would be more likely to accept ethanol than descendants of water-exposed and control sires. We also investigated whether the second generation of ethanol-exposed descendants would accept ethanol more than controls and were more or less likely to experience anxiety-like behavior in behavioral assessments. We exposed male rats to repeated binge doses of alcohol (4 g/kg/day across 8 days), water, or left them untreated and mated them with untreated females. We then bred the offspring of these rats to test transgenerational effects of paternal alcohol exposure. We tested 14-day-old offspring from the first and second filial generation for their acceptance of ethanol and water, and measured anxiety-like behavior in 38-day-old, second-generation offspring using an elevated plus maze. The results indicate that offspring of ethanol-exposed sires increase ethanol acceptance in the first generation compared to untreated controls, whereas in the second-generation increased ethanol acceptance vs. these controls is seen in descendants of both ethanol- and vehicle-treated sires. At adolescence, the second generation of rats derived from alcohol-exposed sires exhibited significantly more time spent in the open arms and significantly more arm entries than any other group. The present study suggests that parental ethanol exposure is associated with lingering effects in the infant and adolescent offspring. The second filial generation was also found to be affected, albeit similarly by grandparental ethanol exposure or by the stress of the vehicle administration. Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Physical activity, and likely the motivation for it, varies throughout the day. The aim of this investigation was to create a short assessment (CRAVE: Cravings for Rest and Volitional Energy Expenditure) to measure motivation states (wants, desires, urges) for physical activity and sedentary behaviors. Five studies were conducted to develop and evaluate the construct validity and reliability of the scale, with 1,035 participants completing the scale a total of 1,697 times. In Study 1, 402 university students completed a questionnaire inquiring about the want or desire to perform behaviors "at the present moment (right now). " Items related to physical activity (e.g., "move my body") and sedentary behaviors (e.g., "do nothing active"). An exploratory structural equation model (ESEM) revealed that 10 items should be retained, loading onto two factors (5 each for Move and Rest). In Study 2, an independent sample (n = 444) confirmed these results and found that Move and Rest desires were associated with stage-of-change for exercise behavior. In Study 3, 127 community-residing participants completed the CRAVE at 6-month intervals over two years- two times each session. Across-session interclass correlations (ICC) for Move (ICC = 0.72-0.95) and Rest (ICC = 0.69-0.88) were higher than when they were measured across 24-months (Move: ICC = 0.53; Rest: ICC = 0.49), indicating wants/desires have state-like qualities. In Study 4, a maximal treadmill test was completed by 21 university students. The CRAVE was completed immediately pre and post. Move desires decreased 26% and Rest increased 74%. Changes in Move and Rest desires were moderately associated with changes in perceived physical fatigue and energy. In Study 5, 41 university students sat quietly during a 50-min lecture. They completed the CRAVE at 3 time points. Move increased 19.6% and Rest decreased 16.7%. Small correlations were detected between move and both perceived energy and tiredness, but not calmness or tension. In conclusion, the CRAVE scale has good psychometric properties. These data also support tenets of the WANT model of motivation states for movement and rest (Stults-Kolehmainen et al., 2020a). Future studies need to explore how desires to move/rest relate to dynamic changes in physical activity and sedentarism. Copyright © 2021 Stults-Kolehmainen, Blacutt, Fogelman, Gilson, Stanforth, Divin, Bartholomew, Filgueiras, McKee, Ash, Ciccolo, Brotnow Decker, Williamson and Sinha.

Male–male competition is a well-known driver of reproductive success and sexually selected traits in many species. However, in some species, males work together to court females or defend territories against male competitors. Dominant (nesting) males sire most offspring, but subordinate (satellite) males are better able to obtain fertilizations relative to unpartnered males. Because satellites only gain reproductive success by sneaking, there has been much interest in identifying the mechanisms enforcing satellite cooperation (defense) and reducing satellite sneaking. One such potential mechanism is outside competition: unpartnered satellites can destabilize established male partnerships and may force partnered satellites to restrain from cheating to prevent the dominant male from replacing them with an unpartnered satellite. Here, we manipulated perceived competition in the Mediterranean fish Symphodus ocellatus by presenting an “intruding” satellite male to established nesting and satellite male pairs. Focal satellite aggression to the intruder was higher when focal satellites were less cooperative, suggesting that satellites increase aggression to outside competitors when their social position is less stable. In contrast, nesting male aggression to the intruder satellite increased as spawning activity increased, suggesting that nesting males increase their defense toward outside competitors when their current relationship is productive. We found no evidence of altered spawning activity or nesting/satellite male interactions before and after the presentation. These results collectively suggest that response to outside competition is directly linked to behavioral dynamics between unrelated male partners and may be linked to conflict and cooperation in ways that are similar to group-living species.

In this paper we review the impact of DSM-III and its successors on the field of autism—both in terms of clinical work and research. We summarize the events leading up to the inclusion of autism as a “new” official diagnostic category in DSM-III, the subsequent revisions of the DSM, and the impact of the official recognition of autism on research. We discuss the uses of categorical vs. dimensional approaches and the continuing tensions around broad vs. narrow views of autism. We also note some areas of current controversy and directions for the future.

Louis Lowy (1920 to 1991), the international social work educator, remembered surviving the Holocaust as a formative professional experience. After joining the faculty of Boston University School of Social Work, Lowy returned to Germany every summer for 20 years to help restore social work education. This SPARC project, “The Past and Future of Social Group Work in Germany: Contributions of Louis Lowy,” was proposed in collaboration with Klaus-Martin Ellerbrock and the German Chapter of IASWG at the height of the 2015 global refugee crisis, when Germany admitted more than one million refugees. The purposes of the project were to encourage ongoing international scholarship on the implications of Lowy’s teachings for social work with groups; to facilitate research and writing from an international perspective on group work with migrants and other disenfranchised populations; and to foster international collaborations among group workers in the spirit of Louis Lowy. © 2021 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.

Sexual minority women are disproportionately incarcerated and more likely to experience structural and interpersonal violence while incarcerated than heterosexual cisgender women. To build knowledge about this population and inform social work practice, theories of embodiment were used to conduct thematic analysis of five interviews with lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer masculine-identified people who had been incarcerated in a women’s prison. This analysis explicates how participants used bodily practices to construct gender and communicate identity to themselves and others. Uniforms, prison regulations, and physical manifestations of female embodiment complicated these efforts. Participants described the ways in which they monitored and evaluated their own bodies while also managing the constant surveillance of their bodies by others. Taken together, these findings explicate the ways in which participants’ bodies were produced both through their actions and the external gaze of others. Implications for social work include exploration of language and masculinity in practice settings and suggestions for correctional policies. Findings encourage inclusion of non-binary frameworks and increased attention to the embodied self in order to expand understandings of human behaviour in the social environment. IMPLICATIONS Interpret with caution any information about gender identity surmised from intake forms and observation of clients’ bodily practices. Ask clients to describe their gender identity. Prioritise correctional policies that promote the health and safety of incarcerated people and staff over policies that enforce social norms related to gender and have no implications on security. Encourage re-entry service providers to collaborate with LGBTIQA+ organisations that provide social support to clients who identify as sexual minorities. © 2021 Australian Association of Social Workers.

Penological research has extensively documented how incarcerated men's identities are shaped by the prison setting, highlighting how these men cope with and adapt to the 'pains of imprisonment' through careful emotion management. Significantly less research has focused explicitly on the role of emotion in incarcerated men's constructions of their selves. In this article, I draw on 24 in-depth interviews with incarcerated men to reveal how the prison setting generates negative emotions (such as sadness, shame, humiliation, and anger) that in turn perpetuate the isolation that these men face. Emotions thus constitute an overlooked source of these men's social marginalization. Additionally, I draw on theoretical literature derived from symbolic interactionism (and identity theory in particular) to explore how participants cope with, and make efforts to overcome, their negative emotions by engaging in active emotion and identity work centred on constructing morality narratives of pride, self-worth, and superiority. © 2021 The Author(s) 2021. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Centre for Crime and Justice Studies (ISTD). All rights reserved.

Despite the well-established link between homelessness and incarceration, very little qualitative research has focused on the social processes that underlie this nexus. In this article, I draw on 19 in-depth interviews with incarcerated men who reported pre-prison housing instability, supplemented with 5 interviews with formerly-incarcerated men experiencing homelessness, to explore the gendered nature of the homelessness-incarceration nexus. I propose the concept of “liberative instability”—defined as an unfettered lifestyle characterized by double-edged freedom and independence—to explore the changing meaning of homelessness in men’s narratives of their life course. Additionally, I explore how themes of masculinity and liberative instability are embedded in men’s narratives of freedom and confinement as they reflect on their experiences with homelessness and incarceration. These findings animate existing quantitative research by highlighting that the homelessness-incarceration nexus cannot be understood fully or disrupted without considering the significance of age-graded cultural scripts regarding masculinity. © 2021 Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences.

Background and Objectives: This study investigated the behavioral and psychological correlates of strength and balance training (SBT) participation among older African Americans. Research Design and Methods: A cross-sectional survey of 90 older African Americans (M = 66.7 ± 8.7 years; 70% female) was conducted to assess correlates of intention to undertake SBT exercises and the number of days that they currently engage in SBT. The Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and the threat appraisal of the Protection Motivation Theory (PMT) were used as frameworks for the analyses. Results: The intention to do SBT exercises was positively associated with favorable attitudes and subjective norm, knowledge about the benefits of SBT, and hours worked per week. The frequency of SBT participation was significantly correlated with behavioral intention, high fear of falling, and a low score on the kinesiophobia scale. Discussion and Implications: This study demonstrated the utility of the TPB and PMT's threat appraisal construct in modeling intention and number of days of SBT participation among African American older adults. The study affirmed the link between intention and behavior and between knowledge of the benefits of SBT and intention. Fear of falling's positive association with days of SBT suggests that respondents' saw SBT's efficacy in reducing falls. The unique contributions of this study are the inclusions of kinesiophobia as a correlate and multiple threat appraisals in the PMT. Health promotion interventions should consider the interrelationship among these constructs. © 2021 The Author(s) 2021. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved.

As unpaid family caregiving of older adults becomes increasingly prevalent, it is imperative to understand how family caregivers are socialized and how they understand the caregiving role. This PRISMA-ScR-based scoping review examines the published literature between 1995-2019 on the socialization of potential and current unpaid family caregivers of older adults. Of 4,599 publications identified, 47 were included. Three perspectives of socialization were identified: (1) role acculturation; (2) role negotiation and identification; and (3) specialized role learning. The findings show how socialization involves different contexts (e.g., cultures), imperatives for action (e.g., circumstances), socialization agents (e.g., family), processes (e.g., modeling), and internal (e.g., normalization) and external (e.g., identification) consequences for caregivers. Future research could fruitfully explore how caregivers manage key turning points within the socialization process, disengage from the caregiving role, and negotiate the socialization and individualization processes within diverse cultural and funding contexts., (C)2021Sage Publications

We apply recent developments in data-mining and statistics, using affinity propagation (AP) to identify regional typologies in the European Union (EU) and characterize major factors between rural–rural and rural–urban regional differences, without predetermined thresholds. We identify a representative ‘exemplar’ within each cluster using the drivers of Copus enriched with climate and land-cover/land-use variables to provide geographical context and pinpoint differences driven by natural and human–natural landscapes. Building upon the works of Dijkstra and the Eudora Project, we expand the dimensions of regional differences, introducing a threshold-less, data-driven model able to identify exemplars, and the main characteristics of each cluster or regional typology. © 2021 Regional Studies Association.

There is little research on effective educational experiences for deaf and hard-of-hearing (d/hh) children in Jamaica. Using a formative and design experiment framework, in this project we explored the potential efficacy of an intensive literacy camp that provided professional development for d/hh adults working in classrooms with d/hh children, and provided literacy instruction for elementary-age campers. We found that the children improved in all tested areas, and observations of d/hh adults provided evidence that with minimal training they were able to implement important facets of literacy instruction with the campers. Further research on these types of experiences and their potential for lasting impact after the camp is necessary. © 2021 International Literacy Association

The goal of this exploratory qualitative study was to determine how students with disabilities in higher education are using the Livescribe smartpen in their note-taking process and the perceived impact on their academic tasks. Based on participant interviews, many are using the Livescribe smartpen for recording class lectures while taking notes and for engaging with the content outside of the class session. All but one participant reported a perceived positive impact from the use of the Livescribe pen. The positive impacts included improved focus, higher academic outcomes, independence, and capturing complete notes. One unexpected trend that was revealed is that the majority of the participants adjusted their use of the Livescribe smartpen accommodation based on the professor’s teaching style and course structure. © 2021, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.

This paper, written in honor of Professor Ed Zigler, focuses on some of the themes in developmental disabilities research that were so central to his work. It has now been nearly 80 years since Leo Kanner first identified the prototypic form – early infantile autism – of what is now autism spectrum disorder. In this article we summarize the development of the concept and the important accumulation of knowledge over time that has now led us to the recognition of a broader autism phenotype just as, at the same time, the current official diagnostic system in the USA has narrowed the concept. We also address current controversies regarding autism as the diagnosis is impacted by age and developmental factors, gender, and cultural issues. In parallel to the work on intellectual deficiency and development pioneered by Zigler and his colleagues, we summarize some of the challenges for the years ahead.

Understanding a bewildering crisis like a pandemic as 'normal' may be empowering. Copyright © 2021 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.

Early detection of prostate cancer is critical for the success of cancer therapy. It is believed that the biochemical changes that cause the optical spectra changes would appear earlier than the histological aberration. The aim of this ex vivo study was to evaluate the ability of Stokes Shift Spectra (S3) to identify human prostate cancerous tissues from the normal. Fifteen (15) pairs of with pathologically confirmed human prostate cancerous and normal tissues underwent Stokes Shift Spectra measurements with selective wavelength interval of 40 nm. The spectra were then analyzed using machine learning (ML) algorithms to classify the two types of tissues. The ML algorithms including principal component analysis (PCA) and nonnegative matrix factorization (NMF) were used for dimension reduction and feature detection. The characteristic component spectra were used to identify the key fluorophores related to carcinogenesis. The results show that these key fluorophores within tissue, e.g., tryptophan, collagen, and NADH, have different relative concentrations between cancerous and normal tissues. A multi-class classification was performed using support vector machines (SVMs). A leave-one-out cross validation was used to evaluate the performance of the classification with the gold standard histopathological results as the ground truth. The results with high sensitivity and specificity indicate that the S3 method is effective for detecting changes of fluorophore composition in human prostate tissues due to the development of cancer. © 2021 SPIE.

Recent reports pointed out that the application of optical spectroscopy in the field of liquid biopsy has aroused great interest among researchers and demonstrated the potential of its clinical application. We report a preliminary investigation on the visible resonance Raman (VRR) spectra of human brain blood liquid collected from the scalp and around the meningeal tumor during surgery and a set of venous blood samples from healthy people and glioma grade III patients using a portable VRR-LRRTM, HR800, HR-Evolution and WITec300 Raman systems in vivo and ex vivo. The biochemical fingerprints and molecular biomarkers were found. These findings indicate that if VRR spectroscopy technology is combined with polymerase chain reaction (PCR) or genetic molecular biomarker methods (VRR-PCR), it will greatly increase the possibility for its clinical application. © 2021 SPIE.

Metastasis is the leading cause of mortalities in cancer patients due to the spreading of cancer cells to various organs. Detecting cancer and identifying its metastatic potential at the early stage is important. This may be achieved based on the quantification of the key biomolecular components within tissues and cells using recent optical spectroscopic techniques. The aim of this study was to develop a noninvasive label-free optical biopsy technique to retrieve the characteristic molecular information for detecting different metastatic potentials of prostate cancer cells. Herein we report using native fluorescence (NFL) spectroscopy along with machine learning (ML) to differentiate prostate cancer cells with different metastatic abilities. The ML algorithms including principal component analysis (PCA) and nonnegative matrix factorization (NMF) were used for dimension reduction and feature detection. The characteristic component spectra were used to identify the key biomolecules that are correlated with metastatic potentials. The relative concentrations of the molecular spectral components were retrieved and used to classify the cancer cells with different metastatic potentials. A multi-class classification was performed using support vector machines (SVMs). The NFL spectral data were collected from three prostate cancer cell lines with different levels of metastatic potentials. The key biomolecules in the prostate cancer cells were identified to be tryptophan, reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) and hypothetically lactate as well. The cancer cells with different metastatic potentials were classified with high accuracy using the relative concentrations of the key molecular components. The results suggest that the changes in the relative concentrations of these key fluorophores retrieved from NFL spectra may present potential criteria for detecting prostate cancer cells of different metastatic abilities.