The Family Context of Toddler Sleep: Routines, Sleep Environment, and Emotional Security Induction in the Hour before Bedtime.

Family processes during the pre-bedtime period likely have a crucial influence on toddler sleep, but relatively little previous research has focused on family process in this context. The current study examined several aspects of family process during the pre-bedtime period, including the use of bedtime routines, the qualities of the child's home sleep environment, and the promotion of child emotional security, in families of 30-month-old toddlers (= 546; 265 female) who were part of a multi-site longitudinal study of toddler development. These characteristics were quantified using a combination of parent- and observer-reports and examined in association with child sleep using correlation and multiple regression.

Activity-dependent neuroprotective protein deficiency models synaptic and developmental phenotypes of autism-like syndrome.

Previous findings showed that in mice, complete knockout of activity-dependent neuroprotective protein (ADNP) abolishes brain formation, while haploinsufficiency (Adnp+/-) causes cognitive impairments. We hypothesized that mutations in ADNP lead to a developmental/autistic syndrome in children. Indeed, recent phenotypic characterization of children harboring ADNP mutations (ADNP syndrome children) revealed global developmental delays and intellectual disabilities, including speech and motor dysfunctions.

Automated Device for Asynchronous Extraction of RNA, DNA, or Protein Biomarkers from Surrogate Patient Samples.

Many biomarker-based diagnostic methods are inhibited by nontarget molecules in patient samples, necessitating biomarker extraction before detection. We have developed a simple device that purifies RNA, DNA, or protein biomarkers from complex biological samples without robotics or fluid pumping. The device design is based on functionalized magnetic beads, which capture biomarkers and remove background biomolecules by magnetically transferring the beads through processing solutions arrayed within small-diameter tubing.

Comparison of three magnetic bead surface functionalities for RNA extraction and detection.

Magnetic beads are convenient for extracting nucleic acid biomarkers from biological samples prior to molecular detection. These beads are available with a variety of surface functionalities designed to capture particular subsets of RNA. We hypothesized that bead surface functionality affects binding kinetics, processing simplicity, and compatibility with molecular detection strategies.