A modification of the quartimax computation for factor rotation is described in which a hypothesized factor pattern is given to the machine along with the data. The machine uses the pattern to select the subset of variables to which it will attend when rotating in a given plane, in order to find an orthogonal solution which closely fits the hypothesis. The program also provides a measure of the goodness of this fit. The program can utilize pattern matrices that reflect only partial hypotheses as to the nature of the factors, as well as those that specify highly determined simple structure.

Ignorance concerning the standard error of individual factor loadings and their differences has been a major obstacle to the proper interpretation of factorial results. The effects of three types of experimental error (selection of variables, selection of subjects and selection of scores) are here reported. In order to handle the errors of rotation systematically, it has been necessary to introduce a new semi-analytical criterion for the attainment of simple structure. Variability in results which may theoretically be eliminated is discussed under the heading of non-essential error.

Factorial transformation is viewed as an estimation problem in which the usual assumption of homogeneously distributed error cannot be applied, but may be replaced by a principle of maximum kurtosis. This leads to quartimax in the orthogonal case, and to “oblimax” in the oblique case. Oblimax is readily programmable, and typically provides results similar to those of subjective rotation. However, oblimax may encounter special difficulty in data which do not determine a simple structure, or which have been imprecisely factored.

This study compares a quartimax rotation of the centroid factor loadings for Thurstone's Primary Mental Abilities Test Battery with factorings of the same correlation matrix by Thurstone (simple structure), Zimmerman (revised simple structure), Holzinger and Harman (bi-factor analysis), and Eysenck (group factor analysis). The quartimax results agree very closely with the solutions of Holzinger and Harman and of Eysenck, and reasonably well with the two simple structure analyses. The principal difference is the general factor provided by the quartimax solution. Reproduction of the factorial structure is sufficiently good to justify its use at least as the first stage of rotation. More extensive trial of the method will be needed with more varied data before it will be possible to decide whether quartimax factors meet psychological requirements sufficiently well without further rotation.

This paper reports on the third of a series of four experiments using similar concepts and methods for objective personality measurement, and overlapping test batteries. One hundred students were measured with 115 tests. The scores were correlated and factored by a re-iterated multiple group centroid method. The 17 factors thus obtained were rotated toward a clear simple structure. The relation of the rotated factors to earlier ones is indicated, but no extensive interpretation is attempted.

Autistic children and young people (CYP) experience mental health difficulties but face many barriers to accessing and benefiting from mental health care. There is a need to explore strategies in mental health care for autistic CYP to guide clinical practice and future research and support their mental health needs. Our aim was to identify strategies used to improve mental health care for autistic CYP and examine evidence on their acceptability, feasibility, and effectiveness. A systematic review and meta-analysis were carried out. All study designs reporting acceptability/feasibility outcomes and empirical quantitative studies reporting effectiveness outcomes for strategies tested within mental health care were eligible. We conducted a narrative synthesis and separate meta-analyses by informant (self, parent, and clinician). Fifty-seven papers were included, with most investigating cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)-based interventions for anxiety and several exploring service-level strategies, such as autism screening tools, clinician training, and adaptations regarding organization of services. Most papers described caregiver involvement in therapy and reported adaptations to communication and intervention content; a few reported environmental adjustments. In the meta-analyses, parent- and clinician-reported outcomes, but not self-reported outcomes, showed with moderate certainty that CBT for anxiety was an effective treatment compared to any comparison condition in reducing anxiety symptoms in autistic individuals. The certainty of evidence for effectiveness, synthesized narratively, ranged from low to moderate. Evidence for feasibility and acceptability tended to be positive. Many identified strategies are simple, reasonable adjustments that can be implemented in services to enhance mental health care for autistic individuals. Notable research gaps persist, however.

Cryosols from Maritime Antarctica have been less studied than soils from continental areas of Antarctica. In this work X-ray diffraction, difference X-ray diffraction, differential thermal analysis, thermogravimetry, transmission electron microscopy/energy dispersive spectroscopy and selective chemical dissolution were used to characterize the clay fraction of basaltic, acid sulfate and ornithogenic Cryosols from ice-free areas of Admiralty Bay, King George Island. Non-crystalline phases are important soil components and reach >75% of the clay fraction for some ornithogenic soils. Randomly interstratified smectite-hydroxy-Al-interlayered smectite is the main clay mineral of basaltic soils. Kaolinite, chlorite and regularly interstratified illite-smectite predominate in acid sulfate soils. Jarosite is also an important component of the clay fraction in these soils. Crystalline Al and Fe phosphates occur in the clay at sites directly affected by penguin activity and the chemical characteristics of these ornithogenic sites are controlled by highly reactive, non-crystalline Al, Si, Fe and P phases. Chemical weathering is an active process in Cryosols in Maritime Antarctica and is enhanced by the presence of sulfides for some parent materials, and faunal activity.

Preeclampsia (PE) affects up to five times more women with pre-existing diabetes mellitus (PDM) than women without it. The present study aimed to identify the effect of the DASH diet on PE incidence (primary outcome) and blood pressure, glycated haemoglobin (GH), serum lipids, glutathione peroxidase (GP), C-reactive protein (CRP – secondary outcomes) in pregnant with PDM. This randomised, controlled, single-blind trial studied sixty-eight pregnant women with PDM throughout prenatal care until delivery (18 weeks) at a public maternity hospital, Brazil. The standard diet group (SDG) received a diet containing 45–65 % carbohydrates, 15–20 % protein and 25–30 % lipids. The DASH diet group (DDG) received the adapted DASH diet with a similar macronutrient distribution, but with a higher concentration of fibres, unsaturated fats, calcium, magnesium and potassium as well as lower saturated fat. Student's t, Mann–Whitney U and the Chi-square tests were used to compare outcomes. PE incidence was 22⋅9 % in the SDG and 12⋅1 % in the DDG (P = 0⋅25). GP levels significantly increased in the DDG (intra-group analysis; mean difference = 1588 [CI 181, 2994], P = 0⋅03) and tended to be different from the variation in the SDG (mean difference = −29⋅5 [CI −1305; 1⋅365]; v. DDG: 1588 [CI 181; 2994], P = 0⋅09). GH levels decreased significantly and similarly between groups (SDG: −0⋅61 [CI −0⋅26, −0⋅96], P = 0⋅00) v. DDG: −1⋅1 [CI −0⋅57, −1⋅62], P = 0⋅00). There was no evidence of a difference in PE incidence at the end of the intervention between the two diets. The DASH diet seems to favour PE-related biochemical markers.

Stress during handling can negatively impact the welfare of an animal. Gradual habituation or systematic desensitisation can reduce this but is not always possible. Blindfolding has been shown to decrease stress indicators, including heart rate and struggling in cattle (Bos taurus), but has not been studied in domestic rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus). We surveyed 49 wildlife rescues, rehabilitators and veterinarians, and found that blindfolding and swaddling are widely used and believed to reduce stress and struggling in rabbits. However, these methods may simply preclude escape and result in sensitisation over repeated exposure. We next conducted a controlled trial investigating the effects of blindfolding and swaddling repeatedly over five days on behavioural and physiological indicators of stress in 40 domestic rabbits. Neither blindfolding nor swaddling had significant impacts on heart or respiratory rate, compared to a partial hood control treatment, which involved similar levels of manipulation, but without visual or movement restriction. Behavioural responses showed variable trends, eg rabbits were more likely to approach food after handling with swaddling. Baseline levels varied significantly between individuals, suggesting previous experience to be an important determinant. Heart rates were universally high, showing that individuals in this study were stressed by handling to such an extent, that overall, effects of both blindfolding and swaddling on physiological indicators of stress were minimal. We suggest that blindfolding and swaddling may be useful as means of limiting the procedure duration and risk of injury by reducing struggling, but this study provides no evidence that welfare is otherwise improved.