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This paper offers an overview of the current status of individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and developmental disorders (DD) in Oman. A review of demographic and background information about Oman is first presented, followed by an overview of the current status of individuals with autism and developmental disorders, in terms of disability-related legislation, prevalence and diagnosis, as well as treatment and education. In the last section of the paper, major challenges faced in the field are addressed, including lack of autism awareness, lack of healthcare and educational programs or related services, lack of highly qualified professionals to implement evidence-based practices, issues regarding early identification and early intervention, as well as issues pertaining secondary transition, independent living and employment. Corresponding recommendation is proposed at the end of each challenge.

Semi-autonomous vehicles (AVs) enable drivers to engage in non-driving tasks but require them to be ready to take control during critical situations. This "out-of-the-loop" problem demands a quick transition to active information processing, raising safety concerns and anxiety. Multimodal signals in AVs aim to deliver take-over requests and facilitate driver–vehicle cooperation. However, the effectiveness of auditory, visual, or combined signals in improving situational awareness and reaction time for safe maneuvering remains unclear. This study investigates how signal modalities affect drivers' behavior using virtual reality (VR). We measured drivers' reaction times from signal onset to take-over response and gaze dwell time for situational awareness across twelve critical events. Furthermore, we assessed self-reported anxiety and trust levels using the Autonomous Vehicle Acceptance Model questionnaire. The results showed that visual signals significantly reduced reaction times, whereas auditory signals did not. Additionally, any warning signal, together with seeing driving hazards, increased successful maneuvering. The analysis of gaze dwell time on driving hazards revealed that audio and visual signals improved situational awareness. Lastly, warning signals reduced anxiety and increased trust. These results highlight the distinct effectiveness of signal modalities in improving driver reaction times, situational awareness, and perceived safety, mitigating the "out-of-the-loop" problem and fostering human–vehicle cooperation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Children with autism generally face significant challenges in such areas as normal social interaction, communication, and independent daily functioning, which are considered as the basic skills essential for success in life. The purpose of this paper is to synthesize the established research and best practices in enhancing the above skills for children with Autism in the United States, with an attempt to promote the development of educational programs for children with autism in Southeast Asian countries. The first part of this paper introduces several research-based educational approaches and best practices in the field, including structured teaching approaches, direct instruction, social stories, peer-mediated intervention, video modeling, and discrete trial instruction, which have been proven effective in teaching social skills and in improving communication ability, as well as in decreasing inappropriate behavior in children with autism. The latter part of this paper suggests how these educational programs can be introduced to Southeast Asian countries based on the actual situations over there, to promote the development of educational programs for children with Autism in those areas. (Contains 1 figure.)

The diagnosis of high functioning autism (HFA) is not the end of comprehensive assessments. Since the 1970s, although a great deal of research has focused on developing effective educational approaches and interventions for children with autism, there is an increasing need to develop differentially effective educational approaches or interventions that are specifically for children with HFA. This paper reviews several effective, evidence based interventions that are widely used by special educators and professionals as best practices in the United States, including structured teaching approaches, peer-medicated interventions, self-monitoring or self-management strategies, video modeling, and social stories, with a hope that people in other places of the world can also find these interventions beneficial in teaching children with HFA.

Individuals with high-functioning autism are characterized by almost normal language ability and intelligence as well as social, pragmatic impairments. Before the 1980s, limited research was focused on this disorder. This paper reviews previous research on this underserved population with a hope that we are able to gain some insights from existing literature and seek directions for future research. The definition and diagnostic criteria for high-functioning autism are addressed first, and then followed by an overview of the characteristics of these individuals and its relationship with Aspergers syndrome. Finally, research on the social/emotional well being of individuals with this disorder will be introduced as will research on theory of mind and other related research in the fields of neuroscience and cognitive science.

Since the late 1970s, special education in the People's Republic of China has experienced significant reform and fast development. However, education for children with severe developmental disabilities, especially autism spectrum disorders (ASDs), is still the greatest challenge in the field. This paper aims to give readers an overview of what is happening to children with ASDs in China. We first address the issue of prevalence of ASDs, and then offer an introduction to the diagnostic process. After that, a review of disability-related legislation is provided, followed by a description of current treatment options and available educational services. Finally we introduce all extent service providers and their roles.

Using the criteria established by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the assessment procedures for establishing an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in a previously undiagnosed adjudicated group is detailed. We examined 37 male adolescents adjudicated delinquent for sexual offenses who were sentenced to treatment. Ultimately, 22 (60%) were found to meet the diagnostic criteria for an ASD. All had intelligence quotients in the average range. For the offenders with ASD, we recommend modifying traditional treatment protocols (i.e., relying on individual and group talk therapy) to match their learning styles (e.g., visual learning, modeling with practice, and feedback) and restricting contact with neurotypical sexual offenders to improve therapeutic outcomes. Deterrent programming aimed at bridging the gap between social deficits, Theory of Mind deficits, and sexual knowledge acquisition is discussed. (Contains 2 tables.)

This study examined the self-reported presence and severity of abuse, neglect, and depressive symptoms for 43 adolescents adjudicated delinquent due to a sexual offense. Twenty-seven of the adolescent sexual offenders were also diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder, and 16 did not carry an autism spectrum disorder diagnosis. Both groups reported moderate to high levels of abuse and neglect. Adolescent sexual offenders with an autism spectrum disorder reported significantly higher depressive symptoms than those without an autism spectrum disorder. Furthermore, of the group with an autism spectrum disorder, those reporting severe levels of emotional abuse and/or emotional neglect were more likely to also have depressive symptoms. Results suggest a need to tailor treatment programs to match the unique needs of sexual offenders. (Contains 3 tables.)

In this article, the authors report that, although social attention to the education of children with special needs began in the late 1970s, education for children with autism is the greatest challenge in special education in China. They point out that most school-age children with autism are still kept out of both regular and special schools. In most places in China today, children with severe, multiple disabilities and mental retardation are still being institutionalized and kept away from community life. Since the publication of the 1986 Education Law (National People's Congress, 1986), the State Department of Education has made great efforts to increase the number of students with disabilities included in public education. Of these, Suiban Jiudu, the practice of inclusion, has become an important means to achieve this goal since 1994. Here, the authors discuss the background information on Suiban Jiudu, its legal issues and the current practices of inclusion. In addition, the authors identify current challenges and possible solutions for effective inclusion, which include (1) social awareness and acceptance; (2) teacher preparation; (3) special curriculum and assessment; and (4) legislative and financial support.

Nine Fraser River Sockeye Salmon Designatable Units (DUs) were assessed as Threatened or Endangered by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC; 2017), and are currently under consideration for addition to Schedule 1 of the Species at Risk Act (SARA). This document is the second of two parts for the Recovery Potential Assessment (RPA) for these DUs. The first part of the RPA involved quantitative analysis of abundance data and generation of recovery targets, and estimating the probability of achieving these recovery targets under a range of modelled productivities and rates of en route mortality. This second part of the RPA provides an overview of biology and habitat requirements, an assessment of threats and factors potentially limiting recovery, an inventory of potential mitigation activities to increase survival and/or productivity, and a final discussion surrounding allowable harm. The major threats impacting these DUs were assessed in a multi-day workshop, held October 27th to 29th, 2020, with a range of subject-matter experts, and were identified to be climate change, geological events, natural systems modifications, fishing, pollution, and hatchery competition. These threats were subsequently reviewed during this peer-review process and revised according to group consensus. All nine DUs are faced with a unique and complex suite of threats and limiting factors depending on their geographic location, yet all DUs range from a High to Extreme level of threat risk. Based on the threats assessment, over the next three generations (2021-2032) it is expected that there will be a population level decline of 31-70% (High Risk) for DU10 Harrison (U/S)-L, DU16 Quesnel-S, DU21 Takla-Trembleur-S, and DU24 Widgeon-RT; a population level decline of 31-100% (High-Extreme Risk) for DU2 Bowron-ES, DU14 North Barriere-ES, DU17 Seton-L, DU22 Taseko-ES; and population level decline of 71% to 100% (Extreme Risk) for DU20 Takla-Trembleur-EStu. Alleviating the numerous and complex threats to these DUs will be difficult, especially as many of the threats are exacerbated by climate change. It will be critical to ensure that efforts are appropriately coordinated through effective governance to successfully mitigate the cumulative impacts of these diverse threats. Given the information presented in this RPA (Part 1 & 2), it is apparent that all sources of anthropogenic harm should be minimized to give these populations a chance to rebuild. It is our recommendation that the only activities allowed that cause mortality are those that are in support of the recovery, and in some cases survival of the DUs (i.e. DU20 Takla-Trembleur-EStu, DU2 Bowron-ES), and all sources of anthropogenic harm should be reduced to the maximum extent possible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Limit reference points, LRPs, defne the stock status below which serious harm is expected to occur to a stock. LRPs are required for major fsh stocks, or Stock Management Units (SMUs) that are prescribed by regulation under amendments to the Canadian Fisheries Act (2019). Pacifc salmon are unique among marine fsh stocks due to their high levels of intraspecifc diversity which gives rise to a large range in data availability, considerations, and approaches for assessments and LRP development. In this paper, we identify six principles for developing LRPs for Pacifc salmon that are adapted from principles used more broadly among marine species. One principle unique to Pacifc salmon is that LRPs should be aligned with Canada's Wild Salmon Policy (WSP) objective of preserving biodiversity of salmon at the scale of Conservation Units (CUs), which are nested within SMUs. We developed methods for calculating LRPs, and established guidelines on how to implement them including under which conditions they should or should not be applied. We propose that LRPs be identifed from the proportion of CUs that have status above the Red zone for WSP status assessments, as a default approach. This provides some consistency with status assessments already produced under the WSP, and can inform management decisions for harvest, habitat and hatcheries that often occur at fner, CU scales. To supplement the default approach, we provide LRPs based on metrics of aggregate abundances for the entire SMU, which may be required for fsheries management purposes in some cases. These latter LRPs are derived to have a desired probability of all component CUs being above Red status given an assumed relationship between aggregate abundance and the probability that all CUs will be above Red status. We identify uncertainties associated with each approach, and describe how they can be applied across a range of data types, qualities and quantities. Analyses to support our development of guidelines has been informed by three cases studies: Interior Fraser Coho Salmon Oncorhynchus kisutch, West Coast Vancouver Island Chinook Salmon, O. tshawytscha, and Inside South Coast Chum Salmon, O. keta, excluding the Fraser River. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ten Designatable Units (DUs) of Sockeye salmon that spawn in the Fraser River watershed in British Columbia were designated as Endangered (EN) or Threatened (TH) by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC 2017). The eight Endangered DUs (common name and DU number in parentheses) are: Bowron-ES (Bowron DU2), Cultus - L (Cultus DU6), Takla-Trembleur-EStu (Early Stuart DU20), Harrison (U/S)-L (Weaver DU10), Seton-L (Portage DU17), Quesnel-S (Quesnel DU16), Takla-Trembleur-Stuart-S (Late Stuart DU21), and Taseko-ES (Taseko DU22). The two Threatened DUs are: Widgeon (River-Type) (Widgeon DU24) and North Barriere-ES (Upper Barriere, previously Fennell DU14). A further five DUs were assessed as Special Concern (SC): Kamloops-ES (Raft DU11), Lillooet-Harrison-L (Birkenhead DU12), and Francois-Fraser-S (Stellako DU7), Harrison (D/S)-L (Misc. Lates DU9) and Nahatlatch-ES (Nahatlatch DU13). The Recovery Potential Assessment (RPA) of the Endangered Cultus DU was covered in a separate document (DFO 2020). SC DUs were not included in the Terms of Reference for this report. However, some of the modeling results showed similar outcomes to the EN and TH DUs and have been included in this report. SC DUs are identified with an asterisk (*). This document covers RPA elements 12, 13, 15, 19-21 (i.e., quantitative analysis of recovery targets, probability of achieving recovery targets, and mitigation effects) and summarizes how these elements could contribute to element 22 (i.e., allowable harm) for the remaining 9 EN/TH DUs and the three SC DUs (i.e., Raft*, Birkenhead*, and Stellako* DU 11, 12, 7) that have a time series of stock-recruit estimates (DFO 2014). The allowable harm assessment in this document does not include the elements covering habitat, threats, and limiting factors and should not be interpreted as being the final allowable harm statement for these DUs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of a home-based nursing program in the diabetic control of elderly people with diabetes mellitus living alone. Patients meeting the sampling criteria were recruited from a medical center and 10 health centers in Taipei for this quasi-experimental study. By matching the effects of age, sex, education, and history of diabetes, subjects were assigned semirandomly to two groups based on the intensity of home-based nursing care visitations. Group I was defined as daily visits to supervise diet, exercise, medication, and self-monitoring blood sugar ( n = 15) and Group II as weekly visits to supervise diet, exercise, medication education, and self-monitoring blood sugar ( n = 15). Patients who agreed only to receive blood examination were assigned to the control group ( n = 14). The results of the study showed that reductions in fasting blood sugar, postmeal blood sugar, and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) in Groups I and II were significantly greater than those in the control group. The reduction in the total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein in Groups I and II was significantly greater than that in the control group. There were no significant differences among the three groups in the improvement of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and triglycerides (TGs). Group I revealed a significantly greater weight reduction compared to Group II. There was no significant difference between Groups I and II in the improvements of diabetes knowledge, depression level, or quality of life. From the research findings, based on cost-effectiveness, it is recommend that Program II be implemented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]