Effects of Intensive Behavioural Treatment and a focused Imitation Intervention for young Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder - One plus One means More

Abstract Spjut Janson, B. (2017). Effects of IBT and a focused Imitation Intervention for young Children with ASD. One plus One means More. Department of Psychology, University of Gothenburg, Sweden. The general aim of this thesis was to investigate the effectiveness of interventions offered to children with autism attending the Habilitation services. Another aim was to investigate the efficacy of a new intervention within the setting of Swedish Habilitation services, namely Imitation Responding. In Study I the aim was to investigate if habilitation services, after early screening, showed a positive outcome. The interventions were Intensive Behavior Treatment (IBT), and Eclectic Interventions encompassing a selection of methods based on TEACCH or communication methods such as ComeAlong. In study II the aim was to explore if an intervention based on imitation, Imitation Responding (IR), could function as a complement to a comprehensive IL/IBT, which is treatment as usual at the Habilitation services. In Study III the aim was to examine if generalized joint attention had been developed in the group of children with autism that received IR followed by IL/IBT and the group of children with autism that received IL/IBT only. Study I investigated the impact of intelligence on outcome of interventions from Habilitation service in a naturalistic study. The actual comprehensive program is Intensive Learning for young children with autism, an IBT intervention (acronym: IL/IBT) offered as regular or modified version. The Modified IL/IBT had only parents as trainers and low weekly intensity. The Regular IL/IBT had both parents and preschools staff as trainers and with planned training of 25 hrs/weekly. The third group encompassed Eclectic interventions. Child variables at initial assessment (IQ in particular) accounted for most of the outcome variance regardless of intervention group. Although the mean adaptive composite score did not change significantly between start of intervention and follow-up, the variance increased significantly. This underscores the need for regular monitoring of the child´s functioning and developmental gain/loss during the intervention period and the necessity to consider a change or modification of the program in use. Study II comprised of 40 children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), after receiving diagnosis they were randomized to either IL/IBT, which is standard treatment in child habilitation service, or the new treatment Imitation Responding (IR). IR is a focused program directed to increase the child´s ability to respond to other´s communication and to learn from others by utilizing a Being Imitated strategy, where the therapist imitates the child. All children got their first intervention during 12 weeks. iv The IR group, mean age 41.6 months at start of intervention received treatment on average 2.2 hours/week while the IL/IBT group, mean age 40.1 months at start of intervention, received 14.4 hours/week. Before and after treatment all children were assessed with The Psycho Educational Profile - revised edition (PEP-R), and Vineland Behavior Adaptive Scales, second edition (VABS- II). Seven measures from the PEP-R and VABS-II, covering language, play, interpersonal relations, and visuo-motor imitation, were used as outcome measures. Results showed a significant increase in 6 out of 7 subscales for both intervention groups but no significant difference was noted in any of the subscales when comparing the groups. Only the IR group had a significant gain on the measure of interpersonal relations. We interpret the findings as support for IR to be used as a complementary intervention strategy alongside comprehensive programs such as IL/IBT. Study III examined if the intervention IR or if IL/IBT could have an effect on the development of IJA in children with autism. One group received IR for three months followed by IL/IBT for 12 months, whereas the second group received only IL/IBT for the whole 15 months period. Two measures of IJA were used: A gaze shift score and a sum score of pointing and showing. IJA did not change during the first three months of treatment, nor were any significant differences between the interventions groups noted. However, at the end of the 15-monthlong intervention period the gaze shift score had increased significantly for the IR group followed by IL/IBT training in contrast to the IL/IBT only group. No significant change was noted for pointing and showing. Our results indicate that IR with the Being Imitated strategy might be useful if implemented early as a “start-up” – intervention, which is followed by an IL/IBT treatment

Systematic screening of bryophytes for antitumor agents

References are made to cytotoxic and/or antitumor compounds that have been isolated - ansamitocin P-3 from Claopodium crispifolium (Hook.) Ren. & Card. and Anomodon attenuatus Hueb., or an associated actinomycete, and ohioensins and pallidisetums from Polytrichum spp. Several hundred collections, which have been obtained from temperate regions of North America during 1990 and 1991, are currently being screened in new bioassays; active sesquiterpene lactones have been recently isolated from species of Porella. The methodologies of collecting and screening bryophyte samples are discussed with consideration to costs based on expected number of samples that might be collected in a day, the diversity in the collections as related to phytogeography and vegetation types, and the bryophyte cover that is vanishing in many forest regions of the United States. The difficulties in obtaining large collections for isolation of active agents are also discussed by examplerecollection of Claopodium crispifolium

Noncontact technique for measuring surface tension and viscosity of molten materials using high temperature electrostatic levitation

A new, noncontact technique is described which entails simultaneous measurements of the surface tension and the dynamic viscosity of molten materials. In this technique, four steps were performed to achieve the results: (1) a small sample of material was levitated and melted in a high vacuum using a high temperature electrostatic levitator, (2) the resonant oscillation of the drop was induced by applying a low level ac electric field pulse at the drop of resonance frequency, (3) the transient signals which followed the pulses were recorded, and (4) both the surface tension and the viscosity were extracted from the signal. The validity of this technique was demonstrated using a molten tin and a zirconium sample. In zirconium, the measurements could be extended to undercooled states by as much as 300 K. This technique may be used for both molten metallic alloys and semiconductors

An electrostatic levitator for high-temperature containerless materials processing in 1-g

This article discusses recent developments in high-temperature electrostatic levitation technology for containerless processing of metals and alloys. Presented is the first demonstration of an electrostatic levitation technology which can levitate metals and alloys (2–4 mm diam spheres) in vacuum and of superheating-undercooling-recalescence cycles which can be repeated while maintaining good positioning stability. The electrostatic levitator (ESL) has several important advantages over the electromagnetic levitator. Most important is the wide range of sample temperature which can be achieved without affecting levitation. This article also describes the general architecture of the levitator, electrode design, position control hardware and software, sample heating, charging, and preparation methods, and operational procedures. Particular emphasis is given to sample charging by photoelectric and thermionic emission. While this ESL is more oriented toward ground-based operation, an extension to microgravity applications is also addressed briefly. The system performance was demonstrated by showing multiple superheating-undercooling-recalescence cycles in a zirconium sample (Tm=2128 K). This levitator, when fully matured, will be a valuable tool both in Earth-based and space-based laboratories for the study of thermophysical properties of undercooled liquids, nucleation kinetics, the creation of metastable phases, and access to a wide range of materials with novel properties

Crossing Over Mediums: Experimentation with Watercolor and Printmaking

My interest lies in creating strong compositions that incorporate color, abstract lines, and shapes. Color is my main focus and I am interested in how the colors in my watercolor sketches translate into my printmaking work and vice versa. The comparison of the more spontaneous and organic way of working with watercolor, in contrast to the printmaking process, which involves strategy and planning, could end in some unusual and unexpected results. My thesis is based on my exploration of merging or translating my watercolor paintings with my printmaking work. By using and combining formal elements such as line, shape, texture, space and color 1 can work towards abstraction. This process of working with different media will allow me to use techniques 1 have learned from my classes and bring together aspects from each medium to create an interaction of multiple media. My goal was to experiment with watercolor drawings, various printmaking media, and combine them in a variety of ways, both directly and indirectly