256 research outputs found
A Pilot Study with a Novel Setup for Collaborative Play of the Humanoid Robot KASPAR with children with autism
This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits any use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author(s) and the source are credited.This article describes a pilot study in which a novel experimental setup, involving an autonomous humanoid robot, KASPAR, participating in a collaborative, dyadic video game, was implemented and tested with children with autism, all of whom had impairments in playing socially and communicating with others. The children alternated between playing the collaborative video game with a neurotypical adult and playing the same game with the humanoid robot, being exposed to each condition twice. The equipment and experimental setup were designed to observe whether the children would engage in more collaborative behaviours while playing the video game and interacting with the adult than performing the same activities with the humanoid robot. The article describes the development of the experimental setup and its first evaluation in a small-scale exploratory pilot study. The purpose of the study was to gain experience with the operational limits of the robot as well as the dyadic video game, to determine what changes should be made to the systems, and to gain experience with analyzing the data from this study in order to conduct a more extensive evaluation in the future. Based on our observations of the childrens’ experiences in playing the cooperative game, we determined that while the children enjoyed both playing the game and interacting with the robot, the game should be made simpler to play as well as more explicitly collaborative in its mechanics. Also, the robot should be more explicit in its speech as well as more structured in its interactions. Results show that the children found the activity to be more entertaining, appeared more engaged in playing, and displayed better collaborative behaviours with their partners (For the purposes of this article, ‘partner’ refers to the human/robotic agent which interacts with the children with autism. We are not using the term’s other meanings that refer to specific relationships or emotional involvement between two individuals.) in the second sessions of playing with human adults than during their first sessions. One way of explaining these findings is that the children’s intermediary play session with the humanoid robot impacted their subsequent play session with the human adult. However, another longer and more thorough study would have to be conducted in order to better re-interpret these findings. Furthermore, although the children with autism were more interested in and entertained by the robotic partner, the children showed more examples of collaborative play and cooperation while playing with the human adult.Peer reviewe
Social Networks and Friendships at School: Comparing Children With and Without ASD
Self, peer and teacher reports of social relationships were examined for 60 high-functioning children with ASD. Compared to a matched sample of typical children in the same classroom, children with ASD were more often on the periphery of their social networks, reported poorer quality friendships and had fewer reciprocal friendships. On the playground, children with ASD were mostly unengaged but playground engagement was not associated with peer, self, or teacher reports of social behavior. Twenty percent of children with ASD had a reciprocated friendship and also high social network status. Thus, while the majority of high functioning children with ASD struggle with peer relationships in general education classrooms, a small percentage of them appear to have social success
Defining the roles of the threefold channels in iron uptake, iron oxidation and iron-core formation in ferritin: a study aided by site-directed mutagenesis
Multi-Informant Predictors of Social Inclusion for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders Attending Mainstream School
This study examined differential profiles of behavioural characteristics predictive of successful inclusion in mainstream education for children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and comparison students. Multiple regression analyses using behavioural ratings from parents, teachers and peers found some evidence for differential profiles predicting peer acceptance and rejection. High levels of peer-rated shyness significantly predicted social rejection in comparison students only. Parent-rated prosocial behaviour also differentially predicted social acceptance; high-levels of prosocial behaviour predicted acceptance in comparison students, but low-levels were predictive for students with ASD. These findings suggest that schools may seek to augment traditional social skills programmes with awareness raising about ASD among mainstream pupils to utilise peers’ apparent willingness to discount characteristics such as ‘shyness’
Iron incorporation into ferritins: evidence for the transfer of monomeric Fe(III) between ferritin molecules and for the formation of an unusual mineral in the ferritin of Escherichia coli
Tyr25, Tyr58 and Trp133 of Escherichia coli bacterioferritin transfer electrons between iron in the central cavity and the ferroxidase centre
Ferritins are 24meric proteins that overcome problems of toxicity, insolubility and poor bioavailability of iron in all types of cells by storing it in the form of a ferric mineral within their central cavities. In the bacterioferritin (BFR) from Escherichia coli iron mineralization kinetics have been shown to be dependent on an intra-subunit catalytic diiron cofactor site (the ferroxidase centre), three closely located aromatic residues and an inner surface iron site. One of the aromatic residues, Tyr25, is the site of formation of a transient radical, but the roles of the other two residues, Tyr58 and Trp133, are unknown. Here we show that these residues are important for the rates of formation and decay of the Tyr25 radical and decay of a secondary radical observed during Tyr25 radical decay. The data support a mechanism in which these aromatic residues function in electron transfer from the inner surface site to the ferroxidase centre
Ferritins: furnishing proteins with iron
Ferritins are a superfamily of iron oxidation, storage and mineralization proteins found throughout the animal, plant, and microbial kingdoms. The majority of ferritins consist of 24 subunits that individually fold into 4-α-helix bundles and assemble in a highly symmetric manner to form an approximately spherical protein coat around a central cavity into which an iron-containing mineral can be formed. Channels through the coat at inter-subunit contact points facilitate passage of iron ions to and from the central cavity, and intrasubunit catalytic sites, called ferroxidase centers, drive Fe2+ oxidation and O2 reduction. Though the different members of the superfamily share a common structure, there is often little amino acid sequence identity between them. Even where there is a high degree of sequence identity between two ferritins there can be major differences in how the proteins handle iron. In this review we describe some of the important structural features of ferritins and their mineralized iron cores and examine in detail how three selected ferritins oxidise Fe2+ in order to explore the mechanistic variations that exist amongst ferritins. We suggest that the mechanistic differences reflect differing evolutionary pressures on amino acid sequences, and that these differing pressures are a consequence of different primary functions for different ferritins
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The Functionality of the three-sited Ferroxidase center of E. coli Bacterial Ferritin (EcFtnA)
At least three ferritins are found in the bacterium Escherichia coli, the heme-containing bacterioferritin
(EcBFR) and two non-heme bacterial ferritins (EcFtnA and EcFtnB). In addition to the conserved A- and
B-sites of the diiron ferroxidase center, EcFtnA has a third iron-binding site (the C-site) of unknown
function that is nearby the diiron site. In the present work, the complex chemistry of iron oxidation and
deposition in EcFtnA has been further defined through a combination of oximetry, pH stat, stopped-flow
and conventional kinetics, UV-visible, fluorescence and EPR spectroscopic measurements on the wildtype
protein and site-directed variants of the A-, B- and C-sites. The data reveal that, while H2O2 is a
product of dioxygen reduction in EcFtnA and oxidation occurs with a stoichiometry of Fe(II)/O2 ~ 3:1,
most of the H2O2 produced is consumed in subsequent reactions with a 2:1 Fe(II)/H2O2 stoichiometry,
thus suppressing hydroxyl radical formation. While the A- and B-sites are essential for rapid iron
oxidation, the C-site slows oxidation and suppresses iron turnover at the ferroxidase center. A tyrosyl
radical, assigned to Tyr24 near the ferroxidase center, is formed during iron oxidation and its possible
significance to the function of the protein is discussed. Taken as a whole, the data indicate that there are
multiple iron-oxidation pathways in EcFtnA with O2 and H2O2 as oxidants. Furthermore, the data are
inconsistent with the C-site being a transit site, providing iron to the A- and B-sites, and does not support a
universal mechanism for iron oxidation in all ferritins as recently proposed
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Systematic Review of the Relationship Between Autism Stigma and Informal Caregiver Mental Health
Families play a crucial role in determining the mental health of the autistic individual(s) they are caring for. However, the stigma associated with autism can impair caregiver health. To investigate this, empirical evidence pertaining to stigma’s impact on informal caregivers’ mental health was systematically reviewed. All twelve included studies (n = 1442 informal caregivers) consistently reported the impact of autism related stigma upon caregiver mental health to be significant, meaningful and complex. A new theoretical framework describing the relationship between stigma and caregiver mental health is constructed. Moderating variables include those both changeable through intervention (e.g. hopelessness, self-esteem, self-compassion) and not changeable (gender, culture, financial burden and time since diagnosis). Implications and recommendations for professionals, interventions and future research are proposed
Is Emotion Recognition Impaired in Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders?
Researchers have argued that individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) use an effortful “systematizing” process to recognize emotion expressions, whereas typically developing (TD) individuals use a more holistic process. If this is the case, individuals with ASDs should show slower and less efficient emotion recognition, particularly for socially complex emotions. We tested this account by assessing the speed and accuracy of emotion recognition while limiting exposure time and response window. Children and adolescents with ASDs showed quick and accurate recognition for most emotions, including pride, a socially complex emotion, and no differences emerged between ASD and TD groups. Furthermore, both groups trended toward higher accuracy when responding quickly, even though systematizing should promote a speed-accuracy trade-off for individuals with ASDs
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