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This paper aims to present the application and critical reflection on the effects of a intervention for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD): the Soundbeam Imitation Intervention (SII). The intervention is based on the imitation of meaningless body gestures supported by a musical feedback. The rationale underlying SII is that mirror neurons deficit may represent the cause for the incomplete development of social and motor functioning in children with ASD. Following this assumption, it is possible to hypothesise that a systematic activation of this a system through the simultaneous observation-execution of meaningless body gestures may affect functional changes of mirror-related functions.

A sample of 14 children, who were between 5 and 9 years of age, with a diagnosis of ASD were involved in a six weeks’ SII programme. The programme is designed as a three-step progression, where each step includes exercises that focus on an activity: synchronous/one arm imitation, synchronous/two arms imitation and delayed imitation. Exercises are based on repeated movements-melodies associations of increasing difficulty. Motor imitation and social attention were assessed using a synchronous video-modelling task pre and post intervention.

Data highlight significant improvements in imitation accuracy and duration of social sustained attention were achieved.

Data reported in this paper provide preliminary and promising evidence that imitation and social attention skills acquired through SII can be generalised to a video-modelling imitation setting. The SII ordinal execution has included meaningless gestures, usually excluded from previous interventions, and this adds further validity to the training.

In Sri Lanka women make up the majority of the country's population. However, there is a concern that many women are subjected to any form of violence at home which is known as family violence, or in Sri Lanka which is identified as domestic violence. As such domestic violence is one of the topics that have gained attention in Sri Lanka under the major topic of gender-based violence (GBV). Sri Lanka also imposed prolonged lockdowns, travel/mobility restrictions, social distancing, and other health measures/restrictions to control the speedy spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. As a consequence, the life of women was unfavorably impacted. A increase in the number of domestic violence cases against women during public emergencies – here referred to COVID-19 – is one of such negative impacts. Therefore, this study intends to examine the adequacy of the existing laws of prevention of domestic violence in Sri Lanka and investigate the appropriateness of the available judicial mechanism including its preparedness in achieving the proper protection support for the women victims of domestic violence during public emergencies. To reach that goal this doctrinal research study heavily engages in a descriptive and detailed analysis of legal rules found in primary sources such as domestic statutes, international treaties, statistics, government circulars and regulations and case law, etc., in respect of the issue of domestic violence against women during public emergencies with specific reference to Sri Lanka. Secondary resources such as print and electronic text material are also utilized in the completion of this study.

Aarhus Kommunes Biblioteker (Teknisk Bibliotek), Ingerslevs Plads 7, Aarhus, Denmark. Representative: V. NEDERGAARD PEDERSEN (Librarian).

The purpose of the study presented in this paper is to determine the relationship and effect of built environment on occupants’ productivity in green-certified office buildings in Sri Lanka.

Two research hypotheses were tested by approaching the survey method under the quantitative phenomenon. The questionnaire survey was conducted among randomly selected occupants in three selected green-rated office buildings in Sri Lanka. The survey data were analysed by using the Spearman correlation and ordinal logistic regression analysis techniques to model the relationship existing between the variables. The SPSS v20 software was used in data analysis.

The findings confirm the relationship between built environment and occupants’ productivity. As it further proves that, there is a significant effect of built environment on occupants’ productivity in green-certified office buildings. Thus, critical built environment factors influencing occupants’ productivity and their effect were determined.

The findings could be practically implied as bases to strengthen the evaluation criteria of indoor environmental quality in GREENSL^® national green-rating system.

The evaluation of occupants’ productivity and the built environment factors has been at the focal point of research; however, most studies have focused on single aspects of the built environment. Further, no evidences were found on “which factors” can critically influence the occupants’ productivity in green buildings. The paper, therefore, seeks to fill this gap by proving the relationship between green built environment and occupants’ productivity.

Women's Plight: Bad and Getting Worse, an article in Challenge by Barbara R. Bergman, March/April 1983 in which she argues that the Reagan's administration's budget‐cutting in humans services will worsen the economic lot of millions of Americans. It will hit hardest at women who are not under the economic protection of a relatively affluent employed male. Perhaps it is no accident that this policy is in accord with the “family policy” of the extreme right, with its belief in strengthening the subordination of women to men within the traditional family. But the fact is that there are millions of never‐married women, millions of single mothers, and millions of older women who are without a man. The present US administration's dismantling of federal programmes is going to make their already bad position more hopeless.

THE MOST problematic aspect of compiling this bibliography was defining the areas of librarianship covered by the term outreach. This leads one to ask whether it should be necessary to draw a line between traditional library service and outreach activities. The answer to this is already becoming apparent. Activities which were previously defined by the terms of “outreach” or “extension” are now accepted as an essential element of the library service. If the public library service is to fulfil the function which its name implies this is a trend which must continue.

The nature-based solutions (NBS) integrated in urban open spaces are a precious tool that provide better and wider ecosystem services in cities. An ecosystemic approach in planning, designing, and also managing green areas furthermore helps to improve the whole quality of life and perceived well-being of the citizens, increasing too their sense of belonging and fostering the neighboring communities. Under this point of view, greenery should not be considered as a cost but as an investment of public money finalized to improve the quality of life in the cities especially in facing climate change.

A comparison between costs and benefits produced by the green features in the cities allows to evaluate the advantages to include those solutions in planning and designing urban green areas. In the following chapter a step-by-step procedure is proposed to assess the ecosystem services provided by green areas in cities, compared to design, building, and maintenance costs. Some national and international examples are provided too.