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Special education researchers have for decades emphasized the importance of intervention effectiveness and procedural fidelity, but relatively little attention has been directed toward understanding intervention intensity. This review focused on extracting details of intervention intensity as reported in peer-reviewed studies of scripting and pivotal response training (PRT), two different evidence-based practices for learners with autism. We coded 24 scripting and 18 PRT studies and synthesized results according to four constructs of intervention intensity. Results indicated varied reporting of intervention intensity within and between studies. Only seven (29%) of scripting studies and one (6%) PRT study reported information sufficient to determine intervention intensity. Scripting and PRT researchers reported similar rates of opportunities to respond. Implications for researchers and professionals are discussed along with limitations and instructions for future study.

Special education and related professionals often understand the importance of adhering to intervention procedures (i.e., fidelity), but may be less familiar with concepts of intervention intensity. In some cases, professionals may correctly apply an intervention, but with insufficient intensity. This can result in an intervention failing to produce the expected benefit, which can add to student frustration, lost resources, and teacher burnout. Students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often benefit from intensive intervention that contains high rates of opportunities to respond. This article provides an overview of a practical guide for adjusting intervention intensity for students with ASD through a three-step process that includes identifying when to adjust intensity along with three ways to adjust intervention intensity. Additional considerations are included for analyzing student responses for data-based decision-making.

Waste paper, an essential substitute for wood and other plant-based fibers in paper making, is an indispensable part of the circular economy; yet, the impacts of China's ban on global waste paper cycles have not been well understood. We modeled the evolution of the global waste paper trade network during 1995-2019. We found that the cumulative trade volume of global waste paper reached 1010 million tons in the last 25 years and showed a downward trend since 2015. The global import center of waste paper experienced a transfer from Europe to East Asia and then to Southeast Asia. The ban has stimulated some developed countries to reduce the exports of unsorted waste paper since 2017, but for many major importers their changes in waste paper trade patterns were related to waste paperboard, which was not banned by China, suggesting that this import change trend may be inevitable and irrespective of China's ban. Besides, India has replaced China to become a new import hub of unsorted waste paper. Our results lay a foundation for exploring the evolution of the future global solid waste cycle under the background of zero import of solid waste increasingly implemented by China and many other developing countries.

Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder are likely to demonstrate social impairments that contribute to challenging behaviors and academic difficulties. As a result, the task of improving social communication skills is a critical component to any educational program for this population. Scripting provides an evidence-based and versatile option for improving social communication, yielding valuable results while requiring limited time and resource preparation from educators. In this article, we present step by step guidance to support practitioners in using scripting interventions. Considerations are discussed for adapting this intervention to meet the needs of students across the autism spectrum and links to resources for strengthening implementation and including other evidence-based practices.

Obtaining high-resolution images is one of the critical issues in many areas. The super-resolution (SR) algorithm is a method of obtaining a high-resolution image from low-resolution images. The projection onto the convex sets (POCS) iteration method is an essential spatial multi-image SR algorithm. In addition to generating Gibbs artefacts, the traditional POCS algorithm has some restrictions on the image source, such as the signal-to-noise ratio and the resolution of the reference frame. In order to remove the limitation of image source, eliminate artefact, and get more edge information from iteration. This Letter proposes a new POCS iterative model. This Letter uses the high-frequency (HF) image obtained after a non-downsampling contourlet transform as the iteration object. It uses the unique attributes of the HF image to establish a new constrained convex set to construct the iterative formula. In order to make the iteration effect more apparent, this Letter has Laplace enhancement to the reference frame selected by principal component analysis. The experimental results show that the results obtained by the proposed algorithm are satisfactory in both subjective and objective evaluations.

As a main destination for recycling, reuse and disposal of solid waste in the global circular economy, China has recently issued a new regulation on its imports, banning 24 types of solid waste in 4 categories, including waste plastics, unsorted scrap papers, discarded textile materials, and vanadium slags. Bans on additional types of solid waste will take effect soon. Here we discuss the possible profound effects of such policy changes on the global circular economy of solid waste. Recycling industries in developed countries will face challenges in the short run, due to their limited capacity and past reliance on exporting, but also opportunities in the long run. Furthermore, developing countries currently without stringent environmental regulations will likely become the new “pollution haven” of solid waste from developed countries and even emerging economies such as China itself. To truly reap the benefits from China's new policies which are originally designed for environmental sustainability and social justice, the global community needs to develop appropriate policy framework to prevent the unintended consequences.

Volt-ampere nonlinearity is the origin of passive intermodulation, which means electric field-magnetic field nonlinear behavior of device or structure. Although DC nonlinear measurement is easier, it is not applicable to microwave frequency bands. This paper proposes a method to calculate the non-linear parameters of passive intermodulation—a non-linear parameter calculation method based on multi-state measurement. It is a universal method to measure nonlinear characteristic parameters of passive intermodulation. Then, we measure and calculate the non-linear parameters of passive intermodulation by the undetermined coefficients method and derive the third-order passive intermodulation expression.

Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) used to account for ≈50% of China’s waste plastics import. In 2018, the Chinese government banned the import of waste plastics due to the environmental and health burdens caused by the waste treatment processes. However, the recycling of waste PET also helps avoid the production of virgin PET and several corresponding environmental impacts such as fossil resources use and carbon emission, which remain unquantified. We combine material flow analysis and life cycle assessment to map the PET bottle cycles and evaluate the relevant environmental performances during 2000–2018 in China. The cumulative recycling of PET bottles amounted to 78 million tons (Mt) in China during the studied period. Among them, 29 Mt waste PET bottles (37% of total recycling) were imported from abroad and accounted for 40% of the world’s total export. Most waste PET bottles in China was recycled to produce PET fibers, which significantly improved global PET circularity, reduced the use of virgin PET material, and saved about 109 Mt oil-eq of fossil resources (e.g., coal and oil) use and avoided 233 Mt CO2-eq emissions. Despite these benefits, the environmental burdens with regional impacts during waste plastics treatment should be significantly reduced, and technologies for close-loop, namely bottle-to-bottle, recycling of PET should be further developed and widely applied. 72 Mt waste PET bottles (37% were imported abroad) were recycled in China, which promoted global plastic circularity and sustainability.