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Previous research has focused on the prevalence of bullying of students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), with little attention given to its emotional effect. This mixed methods study examined levels of worry about bullying and bullying experiences reported by students and parents. To determine whether some students with ASD are differentially affected, we explored associations between students' characteristics (understanding of bullying, age and co-morbid conditions) and their bullying experiences and worries. Surveys exploring bullying experiences and levels of worry about bullying were completed by 89 students with ASD without intellectual disability aged 11-16 years and their parents. We also qualitatively explored parents' perceptions of how bullying affects their children, through semi-structured interviews of nine parents. Students with comorbid anxiety disorders were more likely to report face-to-face victimization and were more troubled by both face-to-face bullying and cyberbullying, while students with depression were more likely to report cyber victimization. Parental concerns included the impact of victimization on school attendance, self-esteem, mental health, social participation, academic performance, and behaviour. The significantly higher levels of worry about bullying and higher victimization rates reported by students with internalizing symptoms suggest that these students may be disproportionately at risk of psychological harm.

Students with ASC are at heightened risk for bullying and their understanding of bullying is known to protect them from involvement in it (Humphrey and Hebron 2015). However, only a handful of studies have examined how students with ASC understand traditional bullying and none of them focused on cyberbullying. To fill this gap, we investigated how traditional bullying and cyberbullying are understood from the perspectives of 89 students with ASC attending inclusive schools and 490 students without ASC. Twenty vignettes were used from (Campbell et al. 2017a), based on the Olweus (1999) definition of bullying and verified by a Delphi technique. In the majority of traditional bullying and cyberbullying vignettes, students with ASC made more accurate responses than inaccurate ones and demonstrated higher accuracy rates than students without ASC. Findings of linear multiple regression analyses pointed out ASC status as a predictive variable for understanding both types of bullying, along with students' age for understanding cyberbullying. The findings highlight the ability rather than inability to understand bullying in students with ASC. It is therefore critical to include the voices and experiences of students with ASC in our research endeavour.

Since 2008, secondary school English teachers have been at the receiving end of contradictory advice on how to best prepare their students for the literacy component of the National Assessment Program--Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN). On the one hand, Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) asserts that the 'best preparation for NAPLAN is to continue focusing on teaching the curriculum' (ACARA, 2018a). Yet in Queensland, systems and schools are in the midst of responding to an externally mandated assessment culture (Klenowski, 2011; Hardy, 2014). Our pilot study explores open-answer survey responses from 30 Queensland secondary school English teachers who provided varying accounts of their school's responses to these competing agendas. Employing theories from Bernstein's (2000) sociology of education, we examine what the teacher participants say about (i) NAPLAN's relationship with the English learning area, and (ii) who controls the pedagogic practice for NAPLAN preparation in their school. The article concludes by considering the potential effects of these disparate arrangements.

In this qualitative study, we explored the perspectives of 10 adolescents with a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and their experiences of bullying. Through individual semistructured interviews, they were asked to describe their understandings and experiences of bullying. Details of their experiences are described as well as the perceived impact on the students and their schooling. Data analysis revealed a number of common experiences including high rates of traditional bullying and more specifically verbal bullying, with fewer incidents of cyberbullying reported. In support of literature in the area, the results of the study indicate that bullying can be a significant inhibitor, which may prevent students with ASD from taking full advantage of their schooling. Listening to and reflecting on the voices and personal stories of adolescent students with ASD is critically important for developing more supportive approaches to their education and needs. The reports of bullying by students on the autism spectrum emphasises the need for more effective interventions and management strategies to be implemented in a whole-school approach as well as targeted strategies to prevent bullying experiences for this particular population of students.

All forms of bullying, physical, verbal, social, and cyber, are prevalent among youth worldwide. An especially vulnerable population for involvement in bullying is students with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Although there are some studies that have investigated bullying in these students, many of these are beset by methodological issues. We surveyed 104 students with ASD on their bullying experiences in all 4 forms of bullying and examined their roles as victim, perpetrator, and bully-victim, comparing them with a group of typically developing students matched for age and gender. It was found that students with ASD reported signifcantly more traditional victimisation (physical, verbal, and social) than their typically developing peers. Cyberbullying victimisation was similar for the 2 groups. There were no differences between the groups on traditional bullying perpetration; however, typically developing students reported more cyberbullying perpetration behaviours. Implications for prevention and intervention are discussed.

Accumulating evidence suggests that the prevalence of bullying is significantly higher for students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) than for typically developing students. Additionally, the prominence and growth of social networking and resultant focus on cyberbullying in the last 10 years has added a new dimension to the traditional definitions, environments and experiences of bullying. This paper describes current anti-bullying strategies and the legal climate in regard to bullying in Australia. It then reports on interviews with 10 students with ASD and their parents, and discusses recommendations based on their perceptions for dealing with bullying in schools. Data analysis indicated that both students and parents made a range of recommendations to increase awareness of bullying; improve policies and procedures that can be more clearly communicated to students, teachers and parents; and support programmes that develop communication and relationship building within families and in schools to both prevent bullying and provide coping strategies to deal with bullying if it occurs. Parents also called for schools to give harsher penalties for offenders, particularly repeat offenders. These student and parent recommendations may contribute to the development of school and government policy and practice to help reduce the incidence of all forms of bullying in schools.

There is strong evidence that whole-grain foods protect against heart disease. Although underlying mechanisms and components are unclear, betaine, found at high levels in wheat aleurone, may play a role. We evaluated the effects of a diet high in wheat aleurone on plasma betaine and related measures. In a parallel, single-blinded intervention study, 79 healthy participants (aged 45-65 y, BMI [greater than or equal to] 25 kg/[m.sup.2] incorporated either aleurone-rich cereal products (27 g/d aleurone) or control products balanced for fiber and macronutrients into their habitual diets for 4 wk. Fasting blood samples were taken at baseline and postintervention (4 wk) from participants. Compared with the control, the aleurone products provided an additional 279 mg/d betaine and resulted in higher plasma betaine (P < 0.001 ; intervention effect size: 5.2 [micro]mol/L) and lower plasma total homocysteine (tHcy) (P = 0.010; -0.7 [micro]mol/L). Plasma dimethylglycine and methionine, which are products of betaine-mediated homocysteine remethylation, were also higher (P < 0.001 ; P = 0.027) relative to control. There were no significant effects on plasma choline or B vitamins (folate, riboflavin, and vitamin B-6). However, LDL cholesterol was lower than in the control group (P = 0.037). We conclude that incorporating aleurone-rich products into the habitual diet for 4 wk significantly increases plasma betaine concentrations and lowers tHcy, which is attributable to enhanced betaine-homocysteine methyltransferase-mediated remethylation of homocysteine. Although this supports a role for betaine in the protective effects of whole grains, concomitant decreases in LDL suggest more than one component or mechanism may be responsible. J. Nutr. 140:2153-2157, 2010. doi: 10.3945/jn.110.126961.

Although there have been several studies of the effect of vitamin D status on bone turnover in the elderly, the findings are unclear, and, furthermore, to date very few have investigated this in young adults. The objective of these randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, 2-center intervention studies was to investigate the effect of cholecalciferol supplementation (0, 5, 10, and 15 [micro]g cholecalciferol/d) throughout wintertime on indices of vitamin D status and bone turnover in young (aged 20-40 y; n = 215) and elderly (aged [greater than or equal to] 64 y; n = 204) adults, with relatively high mean calcium intakes of 976 and 874 mg/d, respectively. Fasting serum concentrations of 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D], parathyroid hormone (PTH), osteocalcin, bone-specific alkaline phosphatase, and carboxyterminal collagen crosslinks were measured by enzyme immunoassays at baseline and endpoint. Fok I and Taq I vitamin D receptor (VDR) genotypes were determined by real-time PCR. Endpoint serum 25(OH)D increased (P< 0.0001) in a dose-related manner with increasing supplemental cholecalciferol (up to 15 [micro]g/d) in 20-40-y olds and up to 10 [micro] g/d in [greater than or equal to] 64-y olds. Endpoint serum PTH was lower (P < 0.05) in the 3 cholecalciferol-supplemented groups compared with that in the placebo group in [greater than or equal to] 64-y olds, but cholecalciferol supplementation did not affect other markers in either cohort and there was no significant interaction with VDR genotype. In conclusion, cholecalciferol supplementation alone throughout winter did not affect bone turnover markers in apparently healthy young and elderly adults, even when stratified by VDR genotype. doi: 10.3945/jn.109.113480.

The tumour stroma is believed to contribute to some of the most malignant characteristics of epithelial tumours. However, signalling between stromal and tumour cells is complex and remains poorly understood. [...]

Aging is associated with alterations in the immune system, effects which may be exacerbated by inadequate zinc (Zn) status. We examined the relationship between Zn status and markers of immunity and the effect of supplementation with 15 mg or 30 mg Zn/d for 6 months on immune status in healthy individuals. Zn status was assessed by dietary intake and biochemical indices. Immune status was assessed by multiple flow cytometric methods. At baseline, Zn concentration was positively associated with lymphocyte subpopulation counts and T-lymphocyte activation. Zn supplementation of 30 mg/d significantly lowered B-lymphocyte count, albeit at month 3 only. Lower doses of Zn (15 mg Zn/d) significantly increased the ratio of CD4 to CD8 T lymphocytes at month 6. Overall, these findings suggest that total Zn intake (diet plus supplementation) of up to 40 mg Zn/d do not have significant long-term effects on immune status in apparently healthy persons aged 55-70 years.

A digital elevation model (DEM), derived from light imaging detection and ranging (LiDAR) altimetry data, is used to investigate the fractal characteristics and structural trends of a topographic surface. The study area is located on the southeastern rim of the Sudbury Basin, a meteorite impact feature in Ontario, Canada. Visual interpretation and statistical analysis of fractal dimension (D) indicate that the geological units in the study area are characterized by statistically different distributions of D. In addition, the landscape exhibits two predominant aspect directions: 127[degrees] and 290[degrees] or ~SE and NW. High values of D correspond to these predominant aspect directions. Topographic ridgelines exhibit a NE-SW trend, which is perpendicular to that of the highest fractal dimensions and the predominant aspect directions. It is suggested that these ridgelines are topographic expressions of tectonic fabrics present in the various geological units. Genesis of the tectonic fabric is related to the NW-SE-directed shortening of the Sudbury Basin impact crater. Keywords: digital elevation model, fractals, LIDAR, lithology, ridgelines, Sudbury Basin, topographic trend.

Few studies to date have examined age-related changes in markers of immune status in healthy older individuals. The immune status of 93 healthy individuals aged 55-70 years was assessed by two- and three-color flow cytometry and biochemical analysis. There were significant age effects (p [less than or equal to] .05) on monocyte phagocytic activity and cluster of differentiation (CD) 3/human leukocyte antigen-D-related (HLA-DR) late-activated T lymphocytes (% expression). There was a significant (p [less than or equal to] 0.1) Age x Sex interaction in absolute counts (x [10.sup.9]/L) of CD3/CD8 total cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL), the CD4 T- helper to CD8 CTL ratio, the CD3/CD4[CD45RA naive T helper to CD3/CD4/CD45RO memory T helper lymphocyte ratio, and interleukin (IL)-1[beta] (% expression) by activated monocytes. The study shows that alterations in markers of immune status occur between 55 and 70 years, and provides reference values for the lymphocyte measures in healthy men and postmenopausal women in this age group. The study further highlights the need for sex-specific reference ranges for such markers.