Behavioural and Developmental Interventions for Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Clinical Systematic Review

Background: Much controversy exists regarding the clinical efficacy of behavioural and developmental interventions for improving the core symptoms of autism spectrum disorders (ASD). We conducted a systematic review to summarize the evidence on the effectiveness of behavioural and developmental interventions for ASD. Methods and Findings: Comprehensive searches were conducted in 22 electronic databases through May 2007. Further information was obtained through hand searching journals, searching reference lists, databases of theses and dissertations, and contacting experts in the field. Experimental and observational analytic studies were included if they were written in English and reported the efficacy of any behavioural or developmental intervention for individuals with ASD. Two independent reviewers made the final study selection, extracted data, and reached consensus on study quality. Results were summarized descriptively and, where possible, meta-analyses of the study results were conducted. One-hundred-and-one studies at predominantly high risk of bias that reported inconsistent results across various interventions were included in the review. Meta-analyses of three controlled clinical trials showed that Lovaas treatment was superior to special education on measures of adaptive behaviour, communication and interaction, comprehensive language, daily living skills, expressive language, overall intellectual functioning and socialization. High-intensity Lovaas was superior to low-intensity Lovaas on measures of intellectual functioning in two retrospective cohort studies. Pooling the results of two randomized controlle

Phyllosilicates in hydrothermally altered basalts from DSDP Hole 504B, Leg 83 — a TEM and AEM study

Phyllosilicates occurring as replacements of olivine, clinopyroxene and interstitial materials and as veins or fracture-fillings in hydrothermally altered basalts from DSDP Hole 504B, Leg 83 have been studied using transmission and analytical electron microscopy. The parageneses of phyllosilicates generally change systematically with depth and with the degree of alteration, which in turn is related to permeability of basalts. Saponite and some mixed-layer chlorite/smectite are the dominant phyllosilicates at the top of the transition zone. Chlorite, corrensite, and mixed-layer chlorite/corrensite occur mainly in the lower transition zone and upper levels of the sheeted dike zone. Chlorite, talc, and mixed-layer talc/chlorite are the major phyllosilicates in the sheeted dike zone, although replacement of talc or ohvine by saponite is observed. The phyllosilicates consist of parallel or subparallel discrete packets of coherent layers with packet thicknesses generally ranging from< 100 Å to a few hundred Å. The packets of saponite layers are much smaller or less well defined than those of chlorite, corrensite and talc, indicating poorer crystal-linity of saponite. by contrast, chlorite and talc from the lower transition zone and the sheeted dike zone occur in packets up to thousands of Å thick. The Si/(Si+Al) ratio of these trioctahedral phyllosilicates increases and Fe/(Fe+Mg) decreases in the order chlorite, corrensite, saponite, and talc. These relations reflect optimal solid solution consistent with minimum misfit of articulated octahedral and tetrahedral sheets. Variations in composition of hydrothermal fluids and precursor minerals, especially in Si/(Si+Al) and Fe/(Fe+Mg) ratios, are thus important factors in controlling the parageneses of phyllosilicates. The phyllosilicates are generally well crystallized discrete phases, rather than mixed-layered phases, where they have been affected by relatively high fluid/rock ratios as in high-permeability basalts, in veins, or areas adjacent to veins. Intense alteration in basalts with high permeability (indicating high fluid/rock ratios) is characterized by pervasive albitization and zeolitization. Minimal alteration in the basalts without significant albitization and zeolitization is characterized by the occurrence of saponite±mixed-layer chlorite/smectite in the low-temperature alteration zone, and mixed-layer chlorite/corrensite or mixed-layer talc/chlorite in the high-temperature alteration zone. Textural non-equilibrium for phyllosilicates is represented by mixed layering and poorly defined packets of partially incoherent layers. The approach to textural equilibrium was controlled largely by the availability of fluid or permeability.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/47300/1/410_2004_Article_BF00310959.pd