Adipose tissue torsion with localized lymphangiectasia in a Rio Cauca caecilian Typhlonectes natans.

OBJECTIVE: A female Rio Cauca caecilian Typhlonectes natans (estimated as between 10 and 18 years of age) housed at the Smithsonian National Zoological Park in Washington, D.C., developed progressive severe coelomic effusion over a 4-week period. The coelomic effusion was diagnosed via radiographs and ultrasound, and a sample of the fluid was obtained for analysis, which revealed a low-protein transudate suggestive of inflammation. As the coelomic effusion progressed, the caecilian became tachypneic, hyporexic, and lethargic. The caecilian was started on antibiotics and a diet trial, but signs continued despite therapy. METHODS: An exploratory celiotomy was performed, which revealed adipose tissue torsion with local lymphangiectasia and a presumptive biliary cyst. Surgical correction was unable to be achieved due to concern for fatal hemorrhage, as the vasculature associated with the torsion was severely distended. Due to the severity of the torsion and associated risks, the caecilian was euthanized intraoperatively and subsequently necropsied for histologic evaluation. RESULT: After reviewing the caecilian's presentation and the progression of disease, it is suspected that the severe coelomic effusion was secondary to lymphangiectasia, which occurred subsequent to the adipose tissue torsion. CONCLUSION: This is the first reported case of adipose tissue torsion and associated clinical disease in an aquatic caecilian and should be a differential for progressive coelomic effusion in this species.

DIAGNOSTIC PERFORMANCE OF BLOOD ANALYTES FOR THE DIAGNOSIS OF RENAL DISEASE IN BLACK-FOOTED FERRETS (MUSTELA NIGRIPES) AT THE PHOENIX ZOO (2001-2020).

Renal disease is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in managed black-footed ferrets (BFF; Mustela nigripes).4,6,12 The objectives of this study were to establish reference intervals for blood analytes of clinically normal BFF (1-2 yr old), summarize the frequency of various renal histopathologic findings in a managed population of BFF, assess the diagnostic performance of blood analytes and urine specific gravity (USG) for the diagnosis of renal disease, and assess if comorbidities or age affects the performance of these analytes in diagnosing renal disease. Reference intervals were established using a cohort (n = 35) of clinically normal, young adult BFF. Postmortem records for all BFF at the Phoenix Zoo between 2001 and 2020 were reviewed, and those with available blood analyte data within 2 wk of death were included (n = 89). Ferrets were placed into one of three groups, based on the organ location of histopathologic abnormalities following necropsy: renal disease as the primary change; those with renal disease and at least one other affected major organ system; or absence of abnormalities in the kidneys. In ferrets with substantial renal changes, the primary diagnosis was amyloidosis (29 of 39; 74.4%). Creatinine, blood urea nitrogen, phosphorus (P), calcium (Ca), Ca:P ratio, USG, globulins, and cholesterol were the best-performing analytes for the diagnosis of renal disease, with an area under the curve of at least 0.90 (95% CI $ 0.80, 1.00). Serum renal markers were within reference intervals in BFF that died without histologic evidence of renal disease. Several blood analytes were significantly affected by age in animals that died of renal disease. This study provides reference intervals for blood analytes in young adult clinically normal BFF and illustrates the clinical utility for the diagnosis of renal disease in this species, particularly creatinine, USG, and P.

MAMMARY GLAND ADENOCARCINOMA IN FOUR INDIAN CRESTED PORCUPINES (HYSTRIX INDICA).

Neoplasia in porcupines is rarely reported in the literature, and the prevalence is unknown. A retrospective review of records from a private zoo diagnostic pathology service found four cases of mammary adenocarcinoma in Indian crested porcupines (Hystrix indica) from four separate zoological institutions. All cases presented in geriatric females (14-19 yr of age) as freely movable subcutaneous masses within the mammary chain. None of the individuals had additional clinical signs, radiographic, or hematologic changes at initial presentation. All cases were managed with surgical excision in the form of either an excisional biopsy or a partial mastectomy. Histologic examination diagnosed all tumors with anaplasia and moderate to high numbers of mitotic figures. Two cases required subsequent surgeries for management of local recurrence in the years following initial diagnosis. One case is 19 months postsurgical removal without evidence of metastasis or local recurrence. Two of the cases were euthanized after diagnosis of inoperable metastases to the lungs and spinal cord, including one previously treated with an oral nonsteroidal antiestrogen medication, tamoxifen. The third case was euthanized due to degenerative mobility changes and renal dysfunction and had no evidence of metastasis. The average survival time from initial surgical excision to euthanasia for the three applicable cases was 33 months. These cases suggest that surgical excision alone may result in temporary management of mammary adenocarcinoma in this species. Metastasis can occur, and routine screening with advanced imaging may aid in early detection of these lesions.

Reliability of the BodyGuard2 (FirstBeat) in the Detection of Heart Rate Variability.

There has been an increasing interest in using cardiac indicators of self-regulation in developmental science. Many researchers are interested in unobtrusive mobile devises that are able to collect reliable cardiac data outside of the laboratory setting. Although numerous new ambulatory devices have become available over the last decade, testing these devices on children in comparison to industry gold-standard devices is rarely conducted. The current study evaluated the reliability of one of these ambulatory systems, the BodyGuard2 (FirstBeat), relative to gold-standard laboratory electrocardiogram (Biopac MP150), during active and resting conditions in 4- to 6-year-old children. The BodyGuard2 performed and produced highly similar indices of heart rate variability across resting and active conditions.

Self-regulation as promotive for academic achievement in young children across risk contexts.

The link between self-regulation and academic achievement in young children is well-documented. However, few studies have examined the extent to which different aspects of self-regulation are more important for early numeracy and literacy for those in contexts of high cumulative risk, such as children experiencing homelessness. In the current study, 116 children ages 4;0-7;1 years (58 residing in an emergency homeless shelter and 58 from a community participant pool) completed assessments of math and reading, as well as multiple measures of self-regulation: executive function (EF), emotion regulation (ER), and respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA). Parents completed a questionnaire about their children's behavioral regulation. We examined whether sample (i.e., shelter or community) moderated the association between each aspect of self-regulation and academic outcomes. Results showed a main effect of EF skills on early numeracy, and this relation did not differ across samples. Intervention efforts to promote academic competencies might specifically target EF in those who struggle with early EF skills regardless of risk context.

Autonomic complexity and emotion (dys-)regulation in early childhood across high- and low-risk contexts.

Developing the ability to regulate one's emotions in accordance with contextual demands (i.e., emotion regulation) is a central developmental task of early childhood. These processes are supported by the engagement of the autonomic nervous system (ANS), a physiological hub of a vast network tasked with dynamically integrating real-time experiential inputs with internal motivational and goal states. To date, much of what is known about the ANS and emotion regulation has been based on measures of respiratory sinus arrhythmia, a cardiac indicator of parasympathetic activity. In the present study, we draw from dynamical systems models to introduce two nonlinear indices of cardiac complexity (fractality and sample entropy) as potential indicators of these broader ANS dynamics. Using data from a stratified sample of preschoolers living in high- (i.e., emergency homeless shelter) and low-risk contexts (N = 115), we show that, in conjunction with respiratory sinus arrhythmia, these nonlinear indices may help to clarify important differences in the behavioral manifestations of emotion regulation. In particular, our results suggest that cardiac complexity may be especially useful for discerning active, effortful emotion regulation from less effortful regulation and dysregulation.

A short executive functioning questionnaire in the context of early childhood screening: psychometric properties.

Early childhood executive functioning (EF) predicts later adjustment and academic achievement. However, measuring EF consistently and efficiently across settings in early childhood can be challenging. Most researchers use task-based measures of EF, but these methods present practical challenges that impede implementation in some settings. The current study of 380 3-5-year-old children in the United States evaluated the psychometric properties of a new 14-item parent-reported measure of EF in a diverse urban school district. This questionnaire aimed to capture a normative range of EF skills in ecologically valid contexts. There was evidence for two specific subscales - one that measures children's EF challenges and another that measures children's EF skills. Results suggested that several items demonstrated differential item functioning by age and race. After adjusting for measurement differences across demographic groups and controlling for age at screening, the EF challenges subscale was more strongly related to task-based measures of EF than was the EF skills subscale. EF challenges predicted third-grade math achievement, controlling for demographic variables and a performance-based measure of children's early cognitive and academic skills. Results suggest that this parent report of EF could be a useful and effective early childhood screening tool.

Adrenocortical and autonomic cross-system regulation in youth: A meta-analysis.

Childhood and adolescence are salient periods for the development of adrenocortical and autonomic arms of the stress response system (SRS), setting the stage for subsequent health and adaptive functioning. Although adrenocortical and autonomic systems theoretically function in highly coordinated ways, the strength of the relationship between these systems remains unclear. We leveraged a multivariate mixed effects meta-analytic approach to assess associations between adrenocortical, sympathetic, and parasympathetic functioning at rest and reactivity during stress-inducing tasks across 52 studies (N = 7,671; 5-20 years old). Results suggested a modest positive relation between adrenocortical and sympathetic systems as well as between adrenocortical and parasympathetic systems. Moderation analyses indicated the strength of associations varied as a function of several methodological and sociodemographic characteristics. Environmental effects on cross-system regulation were less clear, perhaps due to underrepresentation of adverse-exposed youth in the included studies. Collectively, our findings call for greater methodological attention to the dynamical, non-linear nature of cross-system functioning, as well as the role of experience in their organization across development.

Homelessness and child protection involvement: Temporal links and risks to student attendance and school mobility.

BACKGROUND: The experience of homelessness and child protection involvement pose risks to children's school success. Elucidating processes by which these interrelated systems affect child well-being is important for guiding policy and practice. OBJECTIVE: This study examines the temporal relation between emergency shelter or transitional housing use and child protection involvement among school-aged children. We evaluated effects of both risk indicators on school attendance and school mobility. PARTICIPANT AND SETTING: Using integrated administrative data, we identified 3278 children (ages 4 to 15) whose families used emergency or transitional housing in Hennepin and Ramsey County of Minnesota during the 2014 and 2015 academic years. A propensity-score-matched comparison group of 2613 children who did not use emergency or transitional housing. METHOD: Through a series of logistic regressions and generalized estimating equations, we tested the temporal associations of emergency/transitional housing and child protection involvement as well as how both experiences affected school attendance and mobility. RESULTS: Experiences of emergency or transitional housing often proceeded or occurred concurrently with child protection involvement and increased the likelihood of child protection services. Emergency or transitional housing and child protection involvement posed risks for lower school attendance and greater school mobility. CONCLUSIONS: A multisystem approach to assist families across social services may be important for stabilizing children's housing and bolstering their success at school. A two-generation approach focused on residential and school stability and enhancing family resources could boost adaptive success of family members across contexts.

Reprint of: Homelessness and child protection involvement: Temporal links and risks to student attendance and school mobility.

BACKGROUND: The experience of homelessness and child protection involvement pose risks to children's school success. Elucidating processes by which these interrelated systems affect child well-being is important for guiding policy and practice. OBJECTIVE: This study examines the temporal relation between emergency shelter or transitional housing use and child protection involvement among school-aged children. We evaluated effects of both risk indicators on school attendance and school mobility. PARTICIPANT AND SETTING: Using integrated administrative data, we identified 3278 children (ages 4 to 15) whose families used emergency or transitional housing in Hennepin and Ramsey County of Minnesota during the 2014 and 2015 academic years. A propensity-score-matched comparison group of 2613 children who did not use emergency or transitional housing. METHOD: Through a series of logistic regressions and generalized estimating equations, we tested the temporal associations of emergency/transitional housing and child protection involvement as well as how both experiences affected school attendance and mobility. RESULTS: Experiences of emergency or transitional housing often proceeded or occurred concurrently with child protection involvement and increased the likelihood of child protection services. Emergency or transitional housing and child protection involvement posed risks for lower school attendance and greater school mobility. CONCLUSIONS: A multisystem approach to assist families across social services may be important for stabilizing children's housing and bolstering their success at school. A two-generation approach focused on residential and school stability and enhancing family resources could boost adaptive success of family members across contexts.

Predictive Validity of the NIH Toolbox Executive Function Measures with Developmental Extensions from Early Childhood to Third Grade Achievement.

The National Institutes of Health Toolbox includes two executive function measures: the Dimensional Change Card Sort (DCCS) and the Flanker Inhibitory Control and Attention Test. Developmental extension (Dext) versions were created with easier levels for younger and more disadvantaged children. Although research on early (E-Prime) and later (iPad) versions of the Dext measures demonstrated their short-term validity, this study investigated their longer-term predictive validity. Participants included 402 children (Mage = 55.02 months) who completed the DCCS-Dext and Flanker-Dext (E-Prime) during early childhood screening and achievement tests in the third grade. Both measures significantly predicted math and reading scores among diverse groups of children.

Emotional reactivity and parenting in families experiencing homelessness.

Parents are key protective systems in the lives of children experiencing homelessness. Evidence suggests that parent emotional reactivity, expression, and regulation play a critical role in promoting adaptive parenting behaviors. Studies of emotional reactivity in parents utilize different methods, including self-report, observations, and physiological measures. However, these methods are rarely evaluated together, particularly among disadvantaged families. The present study examined how subjective (i.e., self-report), observed, and physiological measures of parent emotional reactivity relate to each other and to observed parenting behaviors in problem-solving and teaching parent-child interaction tasks. Participants included fifty 4- to 7-year-old children and their caregivers staying in an emergency homeless shelter. Observed and subjective emotional reactivity were largely uncorrelated, except for positive emotions during problem-solving tasks. Adaptive parenting behavior was related to lower scores on measures of subjective and observed negative emotions and higher observed scores for positive emotions during problem-solving tasks, as well as higher observed scores of positive emotions during teaching tasks. Physiological reactivity was not related to parenting behaviors. Results suggest that associations of emotional reactivity with parenting behavior depend on the context of the parent-child interaction and how emotional reactivity is measured. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Blood Lead Concentrations of Free-Ranging North Florida Raptors: 2008-17.

Whole blood samples for lead analysis were collected from 441 raptors admitted to the Zoological Medicine Service at the University of Florida (US) between 1 January 2008 and 31 December 2017. The species included Bald Eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus), Ospreys (Pandion haliaetus), Black (Coragyps atratus) and Turkey (Cathartes aura) Vultures, Barred (Strix varia) and Great Horned (Bubo virginianus) Owls, and Red-tailed (Buteo jamaicensis) and Red-shouldered (Buteo lineatus) Hawks. Our hypothesis was that geography, seasonality, and hunting strategies of these species would all affect the blood lead concentrations. Blood lead concentrations were found to vary significantly between species, with known scavengers having higher values. Additionally, seasonal differences were seen between winter and summer, but the county in which these individuals were found did not alter the blood lead concentrations. We found lead contamination to be a common and considerable problem in Bald Eagles and vultures but not as evident in nocturnal and other diurnal raptors in North Florida. Furthermore, concentrations were highest during winter in this temperate location, suggesting a possible relationship with hunting seasons despite a lack of big game.

Importance of Trauma-Informed Practice in Evaluation of Children Diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

CASE: As part of a multidisciplinary adoption support clinic, Erin, a 5-year-old girl, adopted approximately 6 months before the clinic visit, presents for postadoption evaluation. Erin was born at full term. Her birth history was significant for reported maternal treatment for liver failure during pregnancy. Her previous medical history included hospitalization for a viral illness at age 2 months, recurrent ear infections, and a fractured forearm. Family history was significant for a maternal history of bipolar disorder, depression, anxiety, borderline personality disorder, and concern for substance abuse; a paternal history of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and depression; and full biological brother with a history of ADHD and oppositional defiant disorder. Erin and her brother lived with their parents until she was approximately 3 years old. At that time, there were concerns for poor hygiene, inconsistent medical care, poor school attendance for her brother, financial instability, and significant neglect. Erin was reportedly confined to her crib for hours at a time. She and her older brother were removed from the home because of concerns for significant neglect and placed into foster care. Approximately 3 months after foster placement, Erin underwent testing because of concerns for abnormal behaviors and possible developmental delays. Symptoms included poor sleep, repetitive behaviors such as head banging, delayed speech that primarily involved grunting, and lack of toilet training. She was hyperactive and aggressive and had poor caregiver attachment. On evaluation, she was small for age, poorly groomed, and easily distracted with poor eye contact and did not tolerate interactions with examiners. Neuropsychological testing consisted of symptom checklists and caregiver interview only because she did not tolerate diagnostic testing. She was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder and global developmental delay with intellectual and language impairments. Over the following year, Erin was transitioned to a second foster family and was subsequently adopted. She received speech, occupational, and physical therapy, along with trauma-informed therapy. She made significant gains in multiple domains and was able to graduate from trauma-informed therapy after 1 year. On examination, Erin greets you with appropriate eye contact and reports that she is feeling "good." She is verbal and interactive with her brother and parents. She looks to parents for support when asked to participate in the physical examination. She does not display any significant repetitive behaviors. Erin's parents are concerned that her initial diagnoses of autism spectrum disorder and global developmental delay do not accurately reflect her current level of functioning and are afraid she may have been misdiagnosed. How would you proceed with next steps to address these diagnoses?

Correction to: Coercive Parenting Mediates the Relationship between Military Fathers' Emotion Regulation and children's Adjustment.

The original version of this article unfortunately contained a mistake.

Coercive Parenting Mediates the Relationship between Military Fathers' Emotion Regulation and children's Adjustment.

Military parents' combat-related posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms have been linked to poor parenting and child maladjustment. Emotion regulation (ER) difficulties are thought to underlie PTSD symptoms, and research has begun to link parental ER to parenting behaviors. Little empirical evidence exists regarding whether fathers' ER is associated with child adjustment and what may be the underlying mechanism for this association. This study investigated whether deployed fathers' ER was associated with child emotional and behavioral problems, and whether the associations were mediated by coercive parenting behaviors. The sample consisted of 181 deployed fathers with non-deployed female partners and their 4- to 13-year-old children. Families were assessed at three time points over 2 years. ER was measured using a latent construct of fathers' self-reports of their experiential avoidance, trait mindfulness, and difficulties in emotion regulation. Coercive parenting was observed via a series of home-based family interaction tasks. Child behaviors were assessed through parent- and child-report. Structural equation modeling revealed that fathers with poorer ER at baseline exhibited higher coercive parenting at 1-year follow-up, which was associated with more emotional and behavioral problems in children at 2-year follow-up. The indirect effect of coercive parenting was statistically significant. These findings suggest that fathers' difficulties in ER may impede their effective parenting behaviors, and children's adjustment problems might be amplified as a result of coercive interactions. Implications for the role of paternal ER on parenting interventions are discussed.

Parental Emotion Regulation Strategies and Parenting Quality Predict Child Internalizing Symptoms in Families Experiencing Homelessness.

Adaptive emotion regulation (ER) in parents has been linked to better parenting quality and social-emotional adjustment in children from middle-income families. In particular, early childhood may represent a sensitive period in which parenting behaviors and functioning have large effects on child social-emotional adjustment. However, little is known about how parent ER and parenting are related to child adjustment in high-risk families. In the context of adversity, parents may struggle to maintain positive parenting behaviors and adaptive self-regulation strategies which could jeopardize their children's adjustment. The current study investigated parents' own cognitive ER strategies and observed parenting quality in relation to young children's internalizing and externalizing problems among families experiencing homelessness. Participants included 108 primary caregivers and their four- to six-year-old children residing in emergency shelters. Using multiple methods, parenting and parent ER were assessed during a shelter stay and teachers subsequently provided ratings of children's internalizing and externalizing difficulties in the classroom. Parenting quality was expected to predict fewer classroom internalizing and externalizing behaviors as well as moderate the association between parent ER strategies and child outcomes. Results suggest that parenting quality buffered the effects of parent maladaptive ER strategies on child internalizing symptoms. The mediating role of parenting quality on that association was also investigated to build on prior empirical work in low-risk samples. Parenting quality did not show expected mediating effects. Findings suggest that parents experiencing homelessness who use fewer maladaptive cognitive ER strategies and more positive parenting behaviors may protect their children against internalizing problems.