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Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has been associated with low cholesterol levels in a limited number of studies. However, the prevalence of hypocholesterolemia as well as the degree of association with ASD remains to be elucidated. We therefore sought to investigate the lipid profiles of a group of French-Canadian ASD individuals. The medical records of 79 ASD individuals and 79 age and gender-matched healthy controls were retrospectively reviewed. The fasting lipid profiles including total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein, triglycerides, and low-density lipoprotein were extracted for individuals of both groups along with the following clinical data: anthropometric measurements, medication use and associated disorders. Lipid parameters were compared to age and gender-based normative population and categorized in centile groups. The prevalence of hypocholesterolemia was revealed to be more than threefold higher in ASD individuals as compared to the general population (23%; P = 0.005). The 25th centile was determined as a potential TC threshold that could best predict the ASD (odds ratio [OR] = 3.04; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.58-6.65; P < 0.001). This study identified specific ASD comorbidities associated with hypocholesterolemia: TC levels below the 10th centile were associated with a higher rate of ASD-associated intellectual disability (OR = 3.33; 95% CI: 1.26-8.00) and anxiety/depression (OR = 4.74; 95% CI: 1.40-15.73). Overall, these results support a potential association between hypocholesterolemia and ASD occurrence. Application of this study to larger populations is urging to provide more extensive data that may further elucidate the association between hypocholesterolemia and ASD. Autism Res 2019, 12: 1860-1869. © 2019 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc. LAY SUMMARY: Association of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) with abnormally low levels of cholesterol (hypocholesterolemia) has been documented before. These studies were incomplete, and the conclusion remains speculative. Here, we reviewed the medical records of 79 French-Canadian ASD individuals and compared their total cholesterol (TC) levels to healthy individuals matched for age and gender. We observed four times more hypocholesterolemia in ASD than in the general population. Furthermore, low TC in ASD was associated with higher rates of ASD-associated intellectual disability and anxiety/depression. Our results support an association between hypocholesterolemia and ASD and open novel opportunities for the diagnosis and treatment of specific forms of ASD., (© 2019 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Background: Many studies on factors that can affect the frequency of blood donation have shown the influence of several individual characteristics. However, few studies have analyzed regional variations in blood donation frequency. The objective of this article is to verify to what extent individual and geographic variables influence blood donation in the Province of Québec, Canada., Study Design and Methods: This article used a database provided by Héma-Québec (the organization in charge of blood collection in Québec), which included 426,247 donors, who made 1.4 million donations over a period of 5 years. Using the donors' residential postal codes and those of the blood collection sites, we created two geographic variables: the distance between the donor's place of residence and his or her collection site and each donor's region of residence. We subsequently modeled the frequency of blood donation and the different donor categories (based on the number of blood donations) using both a negative binomial regression model and an ordinal logistic regression model., Results: The results indicate that, once the individual characteristics have been taken into account, the geographic variables, including proximity to the collection site, have a significant impact on the frequency of blood donation. Likewise, according to the results of the negative binomial model, among the 17 regions in the Province of Québec, there are five regions where blood donation incidence rate ratios (IRRs) are very high, that is, Abitibi-Témiscamingue (IRR, 1.77; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.61-1.95); Bas-Saint-Laurent (IRR, 1.75; 95% CI, 1.59-1.93); Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean (IRR, 1.68; 95% CI, 1.53-1.84); Centre-du-Québec (IRR, 1.66; 95% CI, 1.51-1.83); and Chaudière-Appalaches (IRR, 1.62; 95% CI, 1.48-1.78)., Conclusion: Such knowledge of the geography of blood donations makes it possible to better target certain regions when planning new blood drives, to ensure a constant blood supply., (© 2012 American Association of Blood Banks.)

Roads function as prime habitats and corridors for invasive plant species. Yet despite the diversity of road types, there is little research on the influence of these types on the spread of invaders. Common ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia), a plant producing large amounts of allergenic pollen, was selected as a species model for examining the impact of road type on the spread of invasive plants. We examined this relationship in an agricultural region of Quebec, Canada. We mapped plant distribution along different road types, and constructed a model of species presence. Common ragweed was found in almost all sampling sites located along regional (97%) and local paved (81%) roads. However, verges of unpaved local roads were rarely (13%) colonized by the plant. A model (53% of variance explained), constructed with only four variables (paved regional roads, paved local roads, recently mown road verges, forest cover), correctly predicted (success rate: 89%) the spatial distribution of common ragweed. Results support the hypothesis that attributes associated with paved roads strongly favour the spread of an opportunistic invasive plant species. Specifically, larger verges and greater disturbance associated with higher traffic volume create propitious conditions for common ragweed. To date, emphasis has been placed on controlling the plant in agricultural fields, even though roadsides are probably a much larger seed source. Strategies for controlling the weed along roads have only focused on major highways, even though the considerable populations along local roads also contribute to the production of pollen. Management prioritizations developed to control common ragweed are thus questionable.