Evidence of Embodied Social Competence During Conversation in High Functioning Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Even high functioning children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) exhibit impairments that affect their ability to carry out and maintain effective social interactions in multiple contexts. One aspect of subtle nonverbal communication that might play a role in this impairment is the whole-body motor coordination that naturally arises between people during conversation. The current study aimed to measure the time-dependent, coordinated whole-body movements between children with ASD and a clinician during a conversational exchange using tools of nonlinear dynamics. Given the influence that subtle interpersonal coordination has on social interaction feelings, we expected there to be important associations between the dynamic motor movement measures introduced in the current study and the measures used traditionally to categorize ASD impairment (ADOS-2, joint attention and theory of mind). The study found that children with ASD coordinated their bodily movements with a clinician, that these movements were complex and that the complexity of the children’s movements matched that of the clinician’s movements. Importantly, the degree of this bodily coordination was related to higher social cognitive ability. This suggests children with ASD are embodying some degree of social competence during conversations. This study demonstrates the importance of further investigating the subtle but important bodily movement coordination that occurs during social interaction in children with ASD

Entwicklungsszenarien einer alpinen Aue bei einem natürlichen Geschiebedefizit : die Triftaue im Oberhasli

In der zweiten Hälfte des 20. Jahrhunderts hat sich im Zuge des Gletscherrückzugs eine alpine Aue im Triftgebiet gebildet. Zu Beginn prägten dynamische Geschiebeumlagerungsprozesse die Flusslandschaft am Triftwasser und führten zu einer typischen Sukzession einer alpinen Aue. Mit dem weiteren Rückzug des Triftgletschers hat sich Anfang dieses Jahrhunderts der natürliche Triftsee gebildet, der einen Geschiebeeintrag in die darunterliegende Triftaue praktisch vollständig unterbindet. Damit wird die Geschiebedynamik im Triftwasser auf ein absolutes Minimum reduziert. Daher ist es dem Gewässer so gut wie nicht mehr möglich, seinen Verlauf im Zuge von Hochwasserereignissen zu verändern und neue morphologische Strukturen zu bilden. Aufgrund der topografischen Verhältnisse (breiter Kessel) können die natürlicherweise auftretenden Hochwasserereignisse nicht mehr genug Kraft entwickeln, um grossflächige Vegetationsbestände zu entwurzeln. Damit verbunden ist eine rasche Ausbreitung an Grünerlenbeständen, die mittelfristig die heutige Triftaue fast vollständig besiedeln werden. Im Rahmen des Triftprojekts (Vergrösserung des Triftsees mit neuem Kraftwerk auf Höhe der bestehenden Triftfassung) wurden u.a. detaillierte Studien zum Ist-Zustand sowie zur Entwicklung der Triftaue mit und ohne Projekt durchgeführt. Basierend auf diesen Untersuchungen wurden für die Realisierung des Projekts neben dem Restwasserregime zusätzlich auch Hochwasserdotierungen festgelegt

Mutations in the Catalytic Loop HRD Motif Alter the Activity and Function of Drosophila Src64

The catalytic loop HRD motif is found in most protein kinases and these amino acids are predicted to perform functions in catalysis, transition to, and stabilization of the active conformation of the kinase domain. We have identified mutations in a Drosophila src gene, src64, that alter the three HRD amino acids. We have analyzed the mutants for both biochemical activity and biological function during development. Mutation of the aspartate to asparagine eliminates biological function in cytoskeletal processes and severely reduces fertility, supporting the amino acid's critical role in enzymatic activity. The arginine to cysteine mutation has little to no effect on kinase activity or cytoskeletal reorganization, suggesting that the HRD arginine may not be critical for coordinating phosphotyrosine in the active conformation. The histidine to leucine mutant retains some kinase activity and biological function, suggesting that this amino acid may have a biochemical function in the active kinase that is independent of its side chain hydrogen bonding interactions in the active site. We also describe the phenotypic effects of other mutations in the SH2 and tyrosine kinase domains of src64, and we compare them to the phenotypic effects of the src64 null allele

Conserved Genes Act as Modifiers of Invertebrate SMN Loss of Function Defects

Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) is caused by diminished function of the Survival of Motor Neuron (SMN) protein, but the molecular pathways critical for SMA pathology remain elusive. We have used genetic approaches in invertebrate models to identify conserved SMN loss of function modifier genes. Drosophila melanogaster and Caenorhabditis elegans each have a single gene encoding a protein orthologous to human SMN; diminished function of these invertebrate genes causes lethality and neuromuscular defects. To find genes that modulate SMN function defects across species, two approaches were used. First, a genome-wide RNAi screen for C. elegans SMN modifier genes was undertaken, yielding four genes. Second, we tested the conservation of modifier gene function across species; genes identified in one invertebrate model were tested for function in the other invertebrate model. Drosophila orthologs of two genes, which were identified originally in C. elegans, modified Drosophila SMN loss of function defects. C. elegans orthologs of twelve genes, which were originally identified in a previous Drosophila screen, modified C. elegans SMN loss of function defects. Bioinformatic analysis of the conserved, cross-species, modifier genes suggests that conserved cellular pathways, specifically endocytosis and mRNA regulation, act as critical genetic modifiers of SMN loss of function defects across species

Vidange des retenues de Verbois et Changy Pougny : caractérisation des matères en suspension. Concentrations métalliques de l'eau et des matières en suspension

Survey of suspended matter during evacuations of the Verbois and Chancy-Pougny reservoirs in June 1993. Samples were collected during the up-rising, pick and lowering of evacuation waters as well as before the evacuation by tangential filtration because of low concentrations. The study included the granulometric analysis, the carbon, nitrogen, carbonate and metal concentrations. / Etude des matières en suspension lors des vidanges des retenues de Verbois et de Chancy-Pougny, de juin 1993. Des échantillons ont été récoltés lors de la montée, du pic et de la descente des eaux de vidange, ainsi qu'avant la vidange, par filtration tangentielle en raison des faibles concentrations. L'étude a porté sur l'analyse granulométrique, le carbone, l'azote, et les carbonates, ainsi que sur la concentration en métaux

Soil-plant-atmosphere transfer of organic and metal(oid) pollutants in an industrial and urban area

International audienc