A longitudinal item response model for Aberrant Behavior Checklist (ABC) data from children with autism.

This manuscript aims to present the first item response theory (IRT) model within a pharmacometric framework to characterize the longitudinal changes of Aberrant Behavior Checklist (ABC) data in children with autism. Data were obtained from 120 patients, which included 20,880 observations of the 58 items for up to three months. Observed scores for each ABC item were modeled as a function of the subject's disability.

Violence against Nurses: A Neglected and Health-threatening Epidemic in the University Affiliated Public Hospitals in Shiraz, Iran.

Background: Nurses are more likely to be exposed to violence at their workplace in comparison with other employees.

Objective: To determine various aspects of violence against nurses in Shiraz public hospitals.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted from 2017 to 2018, using a multistage random sampling method.

Genetic Variants of Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Are Linked to Autism: A Case-Control Study.

Background: Autism is a disease of complex nature with a significant genetic component. The importance of renin-angiotensin system (RAS) elements in cognition and behavior besides the interaction of angiotensin II (Ang II), the main product of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE), with neurotransmitters in CNS, especially dopamine, proposes the involvement of RAS in autism. Since the genetic architecture of autism has remained elusive, here we postulated that genetic variations in RAS are associated with autism.