Bridge-building between communities: Imagining the future of biomedical autism research.

A paradigm shift in research culture is required to ease perceived tensions between autistic people and the biomedical research community. As a group of autistic and non-autistic scientists and stakeholders, we contend that through participatory research, we can reject a deficit-based conceptualization of autism while building a shared vision for a neurodiversity-affirmative biomedical research paradigm.

Endosome maturation links PI3Kα signaling to lysosome repopulation during basal autophagy.

Autophagy depends on the repopulation of lysosomes to degrade intracellular components and recycle nutrients. How cells co-ordinate lysosome repopulation during basal autophagy, which occurs constitutively under nutrient-rich conditions, is unknown. Here, we identify an endosome-dependent phosphoinositide pathway that links PI3Kα signaling to lysosome repopulation during basal autophagy. We show that PI3Kα-derived PI(3)P generated by INPP4B on late endosomes was required for basal but not starvation-induced autophagic degradation. PI(3)P signals were maintained as late endosomes matured into endolysosomes, and served as the substrate for the 5-kinase, PIKfyve, to generate PI(3,5)P2 . The SNX-BAR protein, SNX2, was recruited to endolysosomes by PI(3,5)P2 and promoted lysosome reformation. Inhibition of INPP4B/PIKfyve-dependent lysosome reformation reduced autophagic clearance of protein aggregates during proteotoxic stress leading to increased cytotoxicity. Therefore under nutrient-rich conditions, PI3Kα, INPP4B, and PIKfyve sequentially contribute to basal autophagic degradation and protection from proteotoxic stress via PI(3,5)P2 -dependent lysosome reformation from endolysosomes. These findings reveal that endosome maturation couples PI3Kα signaling to lysosome reformation during basal autophagy.

Shortening fire return interval predisposes west-central Canadian boreal peatlands to more rapid vegetation growth and transition to forest cover.

Climate change in northern latitudes is increasing the vulnerability of peatlands and the riparian transition zones between peatlands and upland forests (referred to as ecotones) to greater frequency of wildland fires. We examined early post-fire vegetation regeneration following the 2011 Utikuma complex fire (central Alberta, Canada). This study examined 779 peatlands and adjacent ecotones, covering an area of ~182 km2 . Based on the known regional fire history, peatlands that burned in 2011 were stratified into either long return interval (LRI) fire regimes of >80 years (i.e., no recorded prior fire history) or short fire return interval (SRI) of 55 years (i.e., within the boundary of a documented severe fire in 1956). Data from six multitemporal airborne lidar surveys were used to quantify trajectories of vegetation change for 8 years prior to and 8 years following the 2011 fire. To date, no studies have quantified the impacts of post-fire regeneration following short versus long return interval fires across this broad range of peatlands with variable environmental and post-fire successional trajectories. We found that SRI peatlands demonstrated more rapid vascular and shrub growth rates, especially in peatland centers, than LRI peatlands. Bogs and fens burned in 1956, and with little vascular vegetation (classified as "open peatlands") prior to the 2011 fire, experienced the greatest changes. These peatlands tended to transition to vascular/shrub forms following the SRI fire, while open LRI peatlands were not significantly different from pre-fire conditions. The results of this study suggest the emergence of a positive feedback, where areas experiencing SRI fires in southern boreal peatlands are expected to transition to forested vegetation forms. Along fen edges and within bog centers, SRI fires are expected to reduce local peatland groundwater moisture-holding capacity and promote favorable conditions for increased fire frequency and severity in the future.

Considerations for developing and implementing a safe list for alien taxa.

Many species have been intentionally introduced to new regions for their benefits. Some of these alien species cause damage, others do not (or at least have not yet). There are several approaches to address this problem: prohibit taxa that will cause damage, try to limit damages while preserving benefits, or promote taxa that are safe. In the present article, we unpack the safe list approach, which we define as "a list of taxa alien to the region of interest that are considered of sufficiently low risk of invasion and impact that the taxa can be widely used without concerns of negative impacts." We discuss the potential use of safe lists in the management of biological invasions; disentangle aspects related to the purpose, development, implementation, and impact of safe lists; and provide guidance for those considering to develop and implement such lists.

Cross-sectional and longitudinal neuroanatomical profiles of distinct clinical (adaptive) outcomes in autism.

Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (henceforth referred to as autism) display significant variation in clinical outcome. For instance, across age, some individuals' adaptive skills naturally improve or remain stable, while others' decrease. To pave the way for 'precision-medicine' approaches, it is crucial to identify the cross-sectional and, given the developmental nature of autism, longitudinal neurobiological (including neuroanatomical and linked genetic) correlates of this variation. We conducted a longitudinal follow-up study of 333 individuals (161 autistic and 172 neurotypical individuals, aged 6-30 years), with two assessment time points separated by ~12-24 months. We collected behavioural (Vineland Adaptive Behaviour Scale-II, VABS-II) and neuroanatomical (structural magnetic resonance imaging) data. Autistic participants were grouped into clinically meaningful "Increasers", "No-changers", and "Decreasers" in adaptive behaviour (based on VABS-II scores). We compared each clinical subgroup's neuroanatomy (surface area and cortical thickness at T1, ∆T (intra-individual change) and T2) to that of the neurotypicals. Next, we explored the neuroanatomical differences' potential genomic associates using the Allen Human Brain Atlas. Clinical subgroups had distinct neuroanatomical profiles in surface area and cortical thickness at baseline, neuroanatomical development, and follow-up. These profiles were enriched for genes previously associated with autism and for genes previously linked to neurobiological pathways implicated in autism (e.g. excitation-inhibition systems). Our findings suggest that distinct clinical outcomes (i.e. intra-individual change in clinical profiles) linked to autism core symptoms are associated with atypical cross-sectional and longitudinal, i.e. developmental, neurobiological profiles. If validated, our findings may advance the development of interventions, e.g. targeting mechanisms linked to relatively poorer outcomes.

Editorial Perspective: The paradox of precision health in early development - building large samples to yield individual-level measures.

Precision health refers to the use of individualised biomarkers or predictive models to provide more tailored information about an individual's likely prognosis. For child psychiatry and psychology, we argue that this approach requires a focus on neurocognitive measures collected in early life and at large scale. However, the large sample sizes necessary to uncover individual-level predictors are currently rare in studies of neurodevelopmental conditions in early childhood. We recommend two strategies going forward: first, including neurocognitive measures in new national cohort studies, and second, synergising measures and data across currently funded longitudinal studies.

The roles of sensory hyperreactivity and hyporeactivity in understanding infant fearfulness and emerging autistic traits.

BACKGROUND: Existing evidence indicates that atypical sensory reactivity is a core characteristic of autism, and has been linked to both anxiety (and its putative infant precursor of fearfulness) and repetitive behaviours. However, most work has used cross-sectional designs and not considered the differential roles of hyperreactivity and hyporeactivity to sensory inputs, and is thus limited in specificity. METHODS: 161 infants with and without an elevated likelihood of developing autism and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) were followed from 10 to 36 months of age. Parents rated an infant precursor of later anxiety (fearfulness) using the Infant Behaviour Questionnaire at 10 and 14 months, and the Early Childhood Behavioural Questionnaire at 24 months, and sensory hyperreactivity and hyporeactivity at 10, 14 and 24 months using the Infant Toddler Sensory Profile. Domains of autistic traits (restrictive and repetitive behaviours; RRB, and social communication interaction, SCI) were assessed using the parent-rated Social Responsiveness Scale at 36 months. Cross-lagged models tested (a) paths between fearfulness and hyperreactivity at 10-24 months, and from fearfulness and hyperreactivity to later autism traits, (b) the specificity of hyperreactivity effects by including hyporeactivity as a correlated predictor. RESULTS: Hyperreactivity at 14 months was positively associated with fearfulness at 24 months, and hyperreactivity at 24 months was positively associated with SCI and RRB at 36 months. When hyporeactivity was included in the model, paths between hyperreactivity and fearfulness remained, but paths between hyperreactivity and autistic traits became nonsignificant. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicate that alterations in early sensory reactivity may increase the likelihood of showing fearfulness in infancy, and relate to later social interactions and repetitive behaviours, particularly in individuals with a family history of autism or ADHD.

Sleep quality impacts the link between reactivity to uncertain threat and anxiety and alcohol use in youth.

Individual differences in reactivity to unpredictable threat (U-threat) have repeatedly been linked to symptoms of anxiety and drinking behavior. An emerging theory is that individuals who are hyper-reactive to U-threat experience chronic anticipatory anxiety, hyperarousal, and are vulnerable to excessive alcohol use via negative reinforcement processes. Notably, anxiety and alcohol use commonly relate to disruptions in sleep behavior and recent findings suggest that sleep quality may impact the link between reactivity to U-threat and psychiatric symptoms and behaviors. The aim of the current study was to examine the unique and interactive effects of reactivity to U-threat and sleep quality on anxiety symptoms and drinking behavior in a cohort of youth, ages 16-19 years. Participants (N = 112) completed a well-validated threat-of-shock task designed to probe individual differences in reactivity to U-threat and predictable threat (P-threat). Startle eyeblink potentiation was recorded during the task as an index of aversive reactivity. Participants also completed well-validated self-report measures of anxiety and depression symptoms, lifetime alcohol use, and current sleep quality. Results revealed significant startle reactivity to U-threat by sleep quality interactions on anxiety symptoms and lifetime drinking behavior. At high levels of sleep disturbance (only), greater reactivity to U-threat was associated with greater anxiety symptoms and total number of lifetime alcoholic beverages. These results suggest that sensitivity to uncertainty and chronic hyperarousal increases anxiety symptoms and alcohol use behavior, particularly in the context of poor sleep quality.

Historical Structural Racism in the Built Environment and Physical Health among Residents of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania.

Historical structural racism in the built environment contributes to health inequities, yet to date, research has almost exclusively focused on racist policy of redlining. We expand upon this conceptualization of historical structural racism by examining the potential associations of probable blockbusting, urban renewal, and proximity to displacement from freeway construction, along with redlining, to multiple contemporary health measures. Analyses linked historical structural racism, measured continuously at the census-tract level using archival data sources, to present-day residents' physical health measures drawn from publicly accessible records for Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. Outcome measures included average life expectancy and the percentage of residents reporting hypertension, stroke, coronary heart disease, smoking, insufficient sleep, sedentary behavior, and no health insurance coverage. Multiple regression analyses were conducted to examine separate and additive associations between structural racism and physical health measures. Redlining, probable blockbusting, and urban renewal were associated with shorter life expectancy and a higher prevalence of cardiovascular conditions, risky health behaviors, and residents lacking health insurance coverage. Probable blockbusting and urban renewal had the most consistent correlations with all 8 health measures, while freeway displacement was not reliably associated with health. Additive models explained a greater proportion of variance in health than any individual structural racism measure alone. Moreover, probable blockbusting and urban renewal accounted for relatively more variance in health compared to redlining, suggesting that research should consider these other measures in addition to redlining. These preliminary correlational findings underscore the importance of considering multiple aspects of historical structural racism in relation to current health inequities and serve as a starting point for additional research.

Early development and epilepsy in tuberous sclerosis complex: A prospective longitudinal study.

AIM: To characterize early changes in developmental ability, language, and adaptive behaviour in infants diagnosed with tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC), and determine whether clinical features of epilepsy influence this pathway. METHOD: Prospective, longitudinal data were collected within the Early Development in Tuberous Sclerosis (EDiTS) Study to track development of infants with TSC (n = 32) and typically developing infants (n = 33) between 3 and 24 months of age. Questionnaire and observational measures were used at up to seven timepoints to assess infants' adaptive behaviour, developmental ability, language, and epilepsy. RESULTS: A significant group by age interaction effect showed that infants with TSC had lower adaptive functioning at 18 to 24 months old (intercept = 88.12, slope estimate = -0.82, p < 0.001) and lower developmental ability scores from 10 months old (intercept = 83.33, slope estimate = -1.44, p < 0.001) compared to typically developing infants. Early epilepsy severity was a significant predictor of these emerging developmental (R2 = 0.35, p = 0.004, 95% confidence interval [CI] -0.08 to -0.01) and adaptive behaviour delays (R2 = 0.34, p = 0.004, 95% CI -0.05 to -0.01]). Lower vocabulary production (intercept = -1.25, slope = -0.12, p < 0.001) and comprehension scores (intercept = 2.39, slope estimate = -0.05, p < 0.001) in infants with TSC at 24 months old were not associated with epilepsy severity. INTERPRETATION: Divergence of developmental ability and adaptive functioning skills occur in infants with TSC from 10 and 18 months, respectively. Associations between early epilepsy severity and impaired development supports the importance of early intervention to reduce seizure severity.

Baby food pouches and Baby-Led Weaning: Associations with energy intake, eating behaviour and infant weight status.

Although concern is frequently expressed regarding the potential impact of baby food pouch use and Baby-Led Weaning (BLW) on infant health, research is scarce. Data on pouch use, BLW, energy intake, eating behaviour and body mass index (BMI) were obtained for 625 infants aged 7-10 months in the First Foods New Zealand study. Frequent pouch use was defined as ≥5 times/week during the past month. Traditional spoon-feeding (TSF), "partial" BLW and "full" BLW referred to the relative proportions of spoon-feeding versus infant self-feeding, assessed at 6 months (retrospectively) and current age. Daily energy intake was determined using two 24-h dietary recalls, and caregivers reported on a variety of eating behaviours. Researchers measured infant length and weight, and BMI z-scores were calculated (World Health Organization Child Growth Standards). In total, 28% of infants consumed food from pouches frequently. Frequent pouch use was not significantly related to BMI z-score (mean difference, 0.09; 95% CI -0.09, 0.27) or energy intake (92 kJ/day; -19, 202), but was associated with greater food responsiveness (standardised mean difference, 0.3; 95% CI 0.1, 0.4), food fussiness (0.3; 0.1, 0.4) and selective/restrictive eating (0.3; 0.2, 0.5). Compared to TSF, full BLW was associated with greater daily energy intake (BLW at 6 months: mean difference 150 kJ/day; 95% CI 4, 297; BLW at current age: 180 kJ/day; 62, 299) and with a range of eating behaviours, including greater satiety responsiveness, but not BMI z-score (6 months: 0.06 (-0.18, 0.30); current age: 0.06 (-0.13, 0.26)). In conclusion, neither feeding approach was associated with weight in infants, despite BLW being associated with greater energy intake compared with TSF. However, infants who consumed pouches frequently displayed higher food fussiness and more selective eating.

The importance of decomposing periodic and aperiodic EEG signals for assessment of brain function in a global context.

Measures of early neuro-cognitive development that are suitable for use in low-resource settings are needed to enable studies of the effects of early adversity on the developing brain in a global context. These measures should have high acquisition rates and good face and construct validity. Here, we investigated the feasibility of a naturalistic electroencephalography (EEG) paradigm in a low-resource context during childhood. Additionally, we examined the sensitivity of periodic and aperiodic EEG metrics to social and non-social stimuli. We recorded simultaneous 20-channel EEG and eye-tracking in 72 children aged 4-12 years (45 females) while they watched videos of women singing nursery rhymes and moving toys, selected to represent familiar childhood experiences. These measures were part of a feasibility study that assessed the feasibility and acceptability of a follow-up data collection of the South African Safe Passage Study, which tracks environmental adversity and brain and cognitive development from before birth up until childhood. We examined whether data quantity and quality varied with child characteristics and the sensitivity of varying EEG metrics (canonical band power in the theta and alpha band and periodic and aperiodic features of the power spectra). We found that children who completed the EEG and eye-tracking assessment were, in general, representative of the full cohort. Data quantity was higher in children with greater visual attention to the stimuli. Out of the tested EEG metrics, periodic measures in the theta frequency range were most sensitive to condition differences, compared to alpha range measures and canonical and aperiodic EEG measures. Our results show that measuring EEG during ecologically valid social and non-social stimuli is feasible in low-resource settings, is feasible for most children, and produces robust indices of social brain function. This work provides preliminary support for testing longitudinal links between social brain function, environmental factors, and emerging behaviors.

Lateral Extra-articular Tenodesis Augmentation of Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction Is Most Commonly Indicated for Pivot Shift of Grade 2 or Greater and for Revision Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction.

PURPOSE: To determine the most common indications for lateral extra-articular tenodesis (LET) augmentation of anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR). METHODS: A systematic review of the literature was performed using Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. We searched PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews from 2000 to the present (June 2022). Studies that met the following criteria were included: patients of any age who underwent LET in addition to ACLR, studies reporting at least 1 indication for LET, and observational/randomized controlled trial study designs including prevalence of indications. Publications had to be reported in English and peer reviewed and to have originated in the United States or countries offering identical protocols and procedures. RESULTS: A total of 463 studies were identified from the initial search, 23 of which met inclusion criteria and were included in the review. Eight of the 23 studies (34.8%) used a modified Lemaire technique, seven (30.4%) used a MacIntosh modified by Arnold-Coker, and eight (34.8%) used other techniques to perform LET. A total of 2,125 patients (53% female, 47% male [3 studies did not report sex]) underwent ACLR augmented with LET. The indications along with prevalence were as follows: positive pivot shift test (grade ≥2) (19 of 23, 82.6%), revision ACLR (12 of 23, 52.2%), ligamentous laxity (11 of 23, 47.8%), general sports participation (11 of 23, 47.8%), age less than 25 years (8 of 23, 34.8%), high risk of graft failure (5 of 23, 21.7%), and positive Lachman test (4 of 23, 17.4%). CONCLUSIONS: Pivot shift grade ≥2 was the most common reason orthopaedic surgeons chose to add LET to ACLR, with revision ACLR, patient age <25, and general sports participation following closely behind. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level I to IV, systematic review of studies.

Social Evaluation in Emerging Adults: Associations with Interpretation Bias and Perceived Social Support.

Social anxiety symptoms are one of the most common mental health concerns across the lifespan (Bandelow and Michaelis in Dialogues Clin Neurosci 17(3):327-335, 2015. https://doi.org/10.31887/DCNS.2015.17.3/bbandelow ) and are especially relevant during emerging adulthood, when social feedback occurs daily (Auxier and Anderson in Social media use in 2021, 2021. https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2021/04/07/social-media-use-in-2021/ ) as emerging adults navigate new social environments. Two cognitive processes have been identified as relevant to social anxiety: high threat interpretation bias (i.e., the tendency to appraise threat from ambiguity; Rozenman et al. in Behav Ther 45(5):594-605, 2014. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.beth.2014.03.009 ; J Anxiety Disord 45:34-42, 2017. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.janxdis.2016.11.004 ) is associated with high social anxiety, whereas high perceived social support is associated with low social anxiety. In this study, emerging adults (N = 303) completed an online adaptation of the Chatroom task (Guyer et al. in Arch Gener Psychiatry 65(11):1303-1312, 2008. https://doi.org/10.1001/archpsyc.65.11.1303 ), an experimental paradigm designed to simulate social acceptance and rejection, as well as a performance-based measure of interpretation bias (Word Sentence Association Paradigm; Beard and Amir in Behav Res Ther 46(10):1135-1141, 2008. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brat.2008.05.012 ), and a self-report measure of perceived social support (Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support; Zimet et al. in J Pers Assess 52(1), 30-41, 1988. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327752jpa5201_2 ). Social anxiety symptoms did not increase as a function of acceptance or rejection during the Chatroom task. However, there were significant interactions between each cognitive predictor and social anxiety change: emerging adults with low interpretation bias towards threat and emerging adults with high perceived social support both experienced decreases in social anxiety from pre- to post-Chatroom task, regardless of whether they were accepted or rejected during the Chatroom task. If replicated, low interpretation bias and high perceived social support may serve as promotive factors in social interactions for emerging adults.

Neuroadaptive Bayesian optimisation can allow integrative design spaces at the individual level in the social and behavioural sciences and beyond.

Almaatouq et al. propose an integrative experiment design space combined with large samples for scientific advancement. We argue recent innovative designs combining closed-loop experiment designs and Bayesian optimisation allow for integrative experiments at an individual level during a single session, circumventing the necessity for large samples. This method can be applied across disciplines, including developmental and clinical research.

Understanding eating disorder symptoms in adolescents: testing a cognitive-behavioural model of eating disorders in a community sample.

Clinical perfectionism, self-esteem, mood intolerance, and interpersonal difficulties are associated with eating disorder symptoms in clinical samples. The aim of the current study was to test a model including clinical perfectionism, self-esteem, mood intolerance, and interpersonal difficulties to understand eating disorder symptoms in an adolescent community sample. Adolescents (N = 446, M age = 16.25 years, SD = 1.64; 74.2% female) completed measures of clinical perfectionism, self-esteem, mood intolerance, interpersonal difficulties, and eating disorder symptoms. Path analysis indicated clinical perfectionism, self-esteem, mood intolerance, and interpersonal difficulties were all directly associated with symptoms of eating disorders, and that clinical perfectionism was indirectly associated with eating disorders through self-esteem, mood intolerance, and interpersonal difficulties. The results indicate the cognitive-behavioural model of eating disorders can be applied to adolescents in the community with symptoms of eating disorders. Directional causality between constructs should be established to understand whether increased clinical perfectionism, and reduced self-esteem, mood intolerance, and interpersonal difficulties are vulnerabilities to the development and maintenance of eating disorders.

Direct, indirect, and reciprocal associations between perfectionism, compulsive exercise and eating disorder pathology in adolescents with eating disorders.

BACKGROUND: There is a strong association between perfectionism and eating disorders. In a cognitive-behavioural model of compulsive exercise it has been suggested there are reciprocal associations between perfectionism, eating disorder pathology, and compulsive exercise. No study has examined if there is an indirect association between perfectionism and compulsive exercise through eating disorder pathology, which would inform a preliminary understanding of the cognitive-behavioural model of compulsive exercise. METHODS: The sample included 301 adolescent females diagnosed with eating disorders (age M = 14.89, SD = 0.85, range 13-17). We tested models of direct and indirect associations of compulsive exercise in the relationship between perfectionism and eating disorder pathology, and direct and indirect associations of eating disorder pathology in the relationship between compulsive exercise and perfectionism. RESULTS: Perfectionism was directly associated with eating disorder pathology and compulsive exercise. Perfectionism was indirectly associated with eating disorder pathology through compulsive exercise. Perfectionism also had an indirect association with compulsive exercise through eating disorder pathology. DISCUSSION: The findings suggest it would be useful for future prospective research to examine the cognitive-behavioural model of compulsive exercise in adolescents with eating disorders. Compulsive exercise and perfectionism may be useful targets for future research to improve eating disorder treatment. Level of evidence Level V: Opinions of respected authorities, based on descriptive studies, narrative reviews, clinical experience, or reports of expert committees.

Processing of social and monetary rewards in autism spectrum disorders.

BACKGROUND: Reward processing has been proposed to underpin the atypical social feature of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, previous neuroimaging studies have yielded inconsistent results regarding the specificity of atypicalities for social reward processing in ASD. AIMS: Utilising a large sample, we aimed to assess reward processing in response to reward type (social, monetary) and reward phase (anticipation, delivery) in ASD. METHOD: Functional magnetic resonance imaging during social and monetary reward anticipation and delivery was performed in 212 individuals with ASD (7.6-30.6 years of age) and 181 typically developing participants (7.6-30.8 years of age). RESULTS: Across social and monetary reward anticipation, whole-brain analyses showed hypoactivation of the right ventral striatum in participants with ASD compared with typically developing participants. Further, region of interest analysis across both reward types yielded ASD-related hypoactivation in both the left and right ventral striatum. Across delivery of social and monetary reward, hyperactivation of the ventral striatum in individuals with ASD did not survive correction for multiple comparisons. Dimensional analyses of autism and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) scores were not significant. In categorical analyses, post hoc comparisons showed that ASD effects were most pronounced in participants with ASD without co-occurring ADHD. CONCLUSIONS: Our results do not support current theories linking atypical social interaction in ASD to specific alterations in social reward processing. Instead, they point towards a generalised hypoactivity of ventral striatum in ASD during anticipation of both social and monetary rewards. We suggest this indicates attenuated reward seeking in ASD independent of social content and that elevated ADHD symptoms may attenuate altered reward seeking in ASD.

Identifying phenotypic and physiological subgroups of preschoolers with autism spectrum disorder.

BACKGROUND: To understand the emergence of symptoms in autism spectrum disorder (ASD), we need to identify the mechanisms that underpin the development of core social skills. Mounting evidence indicates that young children with later ASD attend less to other people, which could compromise learning opportunities with cascading effects. Passive looking behaviour does not tell us about engagement with visual information, but measures of physiological arousal can provide information on the depth of engagement. In the current study, we use heart rate (HR) and heart rate variability (HRV) to measure engagement with social dynamic stimuli in ASD. METHODS: Sixty-seven preschoolers with ASD and 65 typical developing preschoolers between 2 and 4 years of age participated in a study where HR was measured during viewing of social and non-social videos. Using latent profile analyses, more homogeneous subgroups of children were created based on phenotype and physiology. RESULTS: Preschool-aged children with ASD, regardless of their non-verbal, verbal and social competencies, do not differ in overall HR or HRV compared to TD children. However, the ASD group showed a larger increase in HR (more disengagement) than the TD group to later-presented social stimuli. Phenotypic and physiological profiles showed this was primarily the case for children with below average verbal and non-verbal skills, but not necessarily those with more ASD symptoms. CONCLUSION: Children with ASD, especially a subgroup showing moderate cognitive delays, show an increase in HR to social stimuli over time; this may reflect difficulties re-engaging with social information when attention is waning.

Ecospaces of the Middle to Upper Paleolithic transition: The archaeofaunal record of the Iberian Peninsula.

The rich archaeofaunal record of Iberia provides a means of exploring potential differences between Neanderthal and anatomically modern human interactions with the environment. In this article, we present an analysis of Iberian archaeofaunas dating between 60 and 30 ka to explore if, how, and why the faunal ecospaces of Neanderthals and anatomically modern humans differed. We test for impacts of chronology (as a proxy for Neanderthal and anatomically modern human exploitation) and environmental regionalization (using bioclimatic regions) on archaeofaunal composition, using a combination of cluster (unweighted pair-group method using arithmetic averages) and nonmetric multidimensional scaling. Our chronological analysis finds no significant compositional difference between Neanderthal and anatomically modern mammalian faunal assemblages; however, bioclimatic regionalization is stronger in anatomically modern human-affiliated assemblages than in Neanderthal ones, a finding that may indicate a difference in site occupation duration or foraging mobility between Neanderthals and anatomically modern humans.