Michael Ferrari

The Sorcerer II Global Ocean Sampling Expedition: Northwest Atlantic through Eastern Tropical Pacific

The worlds oceans contain a complex mixture of micro-organisms that are for the most part, uncharacterized both genetically and biochemically. We report here a metagenomic study of the marine planktonic microbiota in which surface (mostly marine) water samples were analyzed as part of the Sorcerer II Global Ocean Sampling expedition. These samples, collected across a several-thousand km transect from the North Atlantic through the Panama Canal and ending in the South Pacific yielded an extensive dataset consisting of 7.7 million sequencing reads (6.3 billion bp). Though a few major microbial clades dominate the planktonic marine niche, the dataset contains great diversity with 85% of the assembled sequence and 57% of the unassembled data being unique at a 98% sequence identity cutoff. Using the metadata associated with each sample and sequencing library, we developed new comparative genomic and assembly methods. One comparative genomic method, termed “fragment recruitment,” addressed questions of genome structure, evolution, and taxonomic or phylogenetic diversity, as well as the biochemical diversity of genes and gene families. A second method, termed “extreme assembly,” made possible the assembly and reconstruction of large segments of abundant but clearly nonclonal organisms. Within all abundant populations analyzed, we found extensive intra-ribotype diversity in several forms: (1) extensive sequence variation within orthologous regions throughout a given genome; despite coverage of individual ribotypes approaching 500-fold, most individual sequencing reads are unique; (2) numerous changes in gene content some with direct adaptive implications; and (3) hypervariable genomic islands that are too variable to assemble. The intra-ribotype diversity is organized into genetically isolated populations that have overlapping but independent distributions, implying distinct environmental preference. We present novel methods for measuring the genomic similarity between metagenomic samples and show how they may be grouped into several community types. Specific functional adaptations can be identified both within individual ribotypes and across the entire community, including proteorhodopsin spectral tuning and the presence or absence of the phosphate-binding gene PstS.

Emotional Concomitants of Childhood Epilepsy

Summary: On the basis of the distinguishing features of unpredictability, overt manifestation of symptom, and loss of control in epilepsy, a number of hypotheses about possible emotional concomitants of childhood epilepsy are offered. Comparing fifteen epileptic children with groups of diabetic and healthy children, matched for chronological age, sex, mental age, socioeconomic status, and family variables, the following findings emerged. Epileptic children are more likely than their diabetic or healthy peers to attribute control over even successful events in their lives to external sources. The perception of control by powerful others or by unknown factors was especially pronounced with regard to social events. In addition, epileptic children as a group were found to have lower self‐concepts (particularly with regard to their popularity) and to be more anxious than their peers. The clinical and research significance of the findings are discussed.

Childhood migraine and somnambulism

Based on a sample of 222 children from four diagnostic groups, a high frequency of somnambulism in children suffering from migraine headache is reported. The strength of the association between somnambulism and childhood migraine raises the possibility that somnambulism might be considered as a minor diagnostic criterion in the clinical diagnosis of childhood migraine. This association may further clarify the nature of the serotonin abnormality underlying migraine.

Fears and Phobias in Childhood: Some Clinical and Developmental Considerations

Based upon clinical literature concerned with childhood fears and phobia, this paper explores the importance of developmental considerations in the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of child phobias. It is suggested that the steadfast application of adult models of intervention for fear-related conditions in children may impede both the research of childrens fear and treatment efficacy.

SOMNAMBULISM IN CHILDREN WITH TOURETTE SYNDROME

A total of 171 children, 57 with Tourette syndrome, 57 with learning disabilities and the rest with seizure disorders, were studied to discover the incidence of somnambulism. Of the 13 identified sleepwalkers, 10 had Tourette syndrome. It is argued that this may be due to a disturbance in serotonin metabolism.

Developmental factors in child behavior therapy

This paper examines the contribution that developmental psychology might make to practice and research in child behavior therapy. Drawing upon the specific areas of phobic behavior and attention deficits, the authors examine what developmental research can tell us about the normal experience of fearfulness in childhood and the growth of attending skills with age. Unless the behavior therapist understands how children behave normally and what constitutes normal deviations in behavior, it is sometimes difficult to know when to intervene clinically. Developmental research also has a contribution to make in the selection of treatment procedures for children. Again, from the areas of phobic behavior and attention deficits, the authors examine the development of those skills necessary for the use of imagery and the use of cognitive skills in behavior therapy. The paper argues for the greater use of developmental research in child behavior therapy and points out that developmental research might benefit from the challenge of having to account for deviations as well as normality.

Disorders of arousal in Gilles de la Tourette's syndrome

Article abstract-Disorders of arousal (somnambulism and night terrors) were significantly more common among children with Gilles de la Tourettes syndrome (n = 57) than among children with seizure disorders(n = 58) or learning disabilities (n = 53). Neurohumoral disturbances may account for the differences.

Self-recognition deficits in autism: syndrome-specific or general developmental delay?

Many reports can be found in the theoretical literature that refer to a lack of self-awareness or a failure to distinguish self from nonself as a characteristic of autistic children. The empirical literature also contains reports of behaviors in autistic children that have often been taken as reflective of a failure to differentiate self, i.e., pronominal reversal, gaze aversion. The present study investigated the development of self-recognition in 15 autistic children in an effort to determine whether failures of self-recognition were of possible diagnostic significance for the syndrome or rather were reducible to general indices of developmental function, i.e., mental age. Fifty-three percent of the sample showed clear self-recognition. On the basis of a developmental assessment and data from a teacher questionnaire, these children were found to be functioning at mental ages akin to developmental norms for self-recognition. Those who failed to show self-recognition had mental ages below the developmental level at which many children recognize themselves and significantly lower than those autistic children who showed self-recognition. The results suggest that even when autistic children fail to recognize their self-images, this failure can be taken not as evidence for a syndrome-specific deficit but as a reflection of a general developmental delay.

The diabetic child and well sibling: Risks to the well child's self‐concept

Based on a sample of 60 children, 30 with juvenile diabetes, the self‐concepts of well siblings were evaluated as a function of (a) birth order, (b) sex of the children, and (c) sex of the sibling pairs. Siblings of diabetic children reported lower overall self‐concept scores. Younger siblings also had lower scores although this finding was common to both healthy and diabetic sibling pairs. Sibship to a male was associated with lower self‐concept scores, and having a diabetic brother and being male led to the lowest self‐concept scores. Implications are discussed in terms of research and suggestions for prevention and intervention are offered.

Children with Tourette syndrome: results of psychological tests given prior to drug treatment.

There have been several recent reports on the neuropsychological integrity of children and adults with Tourette syndrome (TS). However, the possible effects of tic-controlling medications on the test performance of subjects have not been thoroughly investigated, although drugs commonly used in the treatment of TS, such as haloperidol, have been shown to affect learning and behavior. In this study, 10 children diagnosed as having Gilles de la Tourette syndrome were individually administered a battery of psychological tests prior to starting drug treatment. Since a wide range of deficits and processing inefficiencies has been reported in association with the psychological functioning of children with Tourettes disorder, the test battery used was designed to include both measures of contemporary global functioning and measures designed to focus upon particular functional areas. Data analyses revealed a number of specific impairments in TS children relative to (1) age-appropriate levels and (2) levels of global functioning (i.e., IQ scores). The study revealed a number of graphomotor, nonmotor visual-perceptual, and receptive verbal deficits. In addition, a high frequency (50%) of the sample manifested significant Verbal-Performance IQ discrepancies. Results of this study, on a population of nonmedicated TS children, substantiated and extended findings of several previous reports which identified a number of circumscribed weaknesses in the functioning of children with Tourettes disorder.