Thomas Parmeter: Poetaster and Rhymist

The life of Dr. Thomas Parmeter MD was one of astonishing complexity. Convicted of bigamy in London, he arrived in Sydney on 16 January 1816 and almost immediately resumed his medical practice. In England he had engaged in several literary activities and these too he soon resumed in New South Wales, contributing to contemporary newspapers. A riding accident in 1820 and a stroke in 1825 restricted his ability to practise medicine and so he turned to writing and farming for an income. Neither activity was a financial success and he died in poverty. Herein are collected together his poems, epigrams, aphorisms and quotations from poets and other writers. His contribution to the cultural life of Sydney, though not fully documented, was very likely significant.

Fundamental Skills in Physics: Embedded Learning

Student attitudes towards a subject affect their learning. For students in physics service courses, relevance is emphasised by vocational applications. A similar strategy is being used for students who aspire to continued study of physics, in an introduction to fundamental skills in experimental physics – the concepts, computational tools and practical skills involved in appropriately obtaining and interpreting measurement data. An educational module is being developed that aims to enhance the student experience by embedding learning of these skills in the practicing physicist’s activity of doing an experiment (gravity estimation using a rolling pendulum). The group concentrates on particular skills prompted by challenges such as: • How can we get an answer to our question? • How good is our answer? • How can it be improved? This explicitly provides students the opportunity to consider and construct their own ideas. It gives them time to discuss, digest and practise without undue stress, thereby assisting them to internalise core skills. Design of the learning activity is approached in an iterative manner, via theoretical and practical considerations, with input from a range of teaching staff, and subject to trials of prototypes.

The eyes of deep-sea fish I: Lens pigmentation, tapeta and visual pigments

Deep-sea fish, defined as those living below 200 m, inhabit a most unusual photic environment, being exposed to two sources of visible radiation: very dim downwelling sunlight and bioluminescence, both of which are, in most cases. maximal at wavelengths around 450-500 nm. This paper summarises the reflective properties of the ocular tapeta often found in these animals the pigmentation of their lenses and the absorption characteristics of their visual pigments. Deepsea tapeta usually appear blue to the human observer. reflecting mainly shortwave radiation. However, reflection in other parts of the spectrum is not uncommon and uneven tapetal distribution across the retina is widespread. Perhaps surprisingly, given the fact that they live in a photon limited environment, the lenses of some deep-sea teleosts are bright yellow, absorbing much of the shortwave part of the spectrum. Such lenses contain a variety of biochemically distinct pigments which most likely serve to enhance the visibility of bioluminescent signals. Of the 195 different visual pigments characterised by either detergent extract or microspectrophotometry in the retinae of deep-sea fishes, cn. 87% have peak absorbances within the range 468-494 nm. Modelling shows that this is most likely an adaptation for the detection of bioluminescence. Around 13% of deep-sea fish have retinae containing more than one visual pigment. Of these, we highlight three genera of stomiid dragonfishes, which uniquely produce far red bioluminescence from suborbital photophores. Using a combination of longwave-shifted visual pigments and in one species (Malacosteus niger) a chlorophyll-related photosensitizer. these fish have evolved extreme red sensitivity enabling them to see their own bioluminescence and giving them a private spectral waveband invisible to other inhabitants of the deep-ocean. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

Ultraviolet signals ultra-aggression in a lizard

Understanding the role of multiple colour signals during sexual signalling is a central theme in animal communication. We quantified the role of multiple colour signals (including ultraviolet, UV), measures of body size and testosterone levels in settling disputes between male rivals in an elaborately ornamented, African lizard, played out in a large 'tournament' in the wild. The hue and brightness (total reflectance) of the UV throat in Augrabies flat lizards, Platysaurus broadleyi, as well as body size, were consistent and strong predictors of 'fighting ability'. Males with high fighting ability were larger and displayed a UV throat with low total reflectance. In contrast, males with low fighting ability were smaller and had violet throats with broader spectral reflectance curves (higher total reflectance). As fighting ability is associated with alternative reproductive tactics in this system (territorial versus floater), we also examined the role of colour signals in predicting male reproductive tactic. Territorial males had UV throats with higher chroma but had poorer body condition than floater males, probably because of the energetic costs of maintaining a territory. Although testosterone was not a significant predictor of fighting ability or reproductive tactic, it was correlated with the hue of the UV throat, suggesting that testosterone may impose some constraint on signal expression. Lastly, we show that within the context of the natural signalling environment, UV-reflective throats constitute a conspicuous, effective signal that male Augrabies flat lizards use to advertise their status honestly to rivals. (c) 2006 The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Health technology diffusion in developing countries: a case study of CT scanners in Brazil

Background The development of products and services for health care systems is one of the most important phenomena to have occurred in the field of health care over the last 50 years. It generates significant commercial, medical and social results. Although much has been done to understand how health technologies are adopted and regulated in developed countries, little attention has been paid to the situation in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Here we examine the institutional environment in which decisions are made regarding the adoption of expensive medical devices into the Brazilian health care system. Methods We used a case study strategy to address our research question. The empirical work relied on in-depth interviews (N = 16) with representatives of a wide range of actors and stakeholders that participate in the process of diffusion of CT (computerized tomography) scanners in Brazil, including manufacturers, health care organizations, medical specialty societies, health insurance companies, regulatory agencies and the Ministry of Health. Results The adoption of CT scanners is not determined by health policy makers or third-party payers of public and private sectors. Instead, decisions are primarily made by administrators of individual hospitals and clinics, strongly influenced by both physicians and sales representatives of the medical industry who act as change agents. Because this process is not properly regulated by public authorities, health care organizations are free to decide whether, when and how they will adopt a particular technology. Conclusions Our study identifies problems in how health care systems in LMICs adopt new, expensive medical technologies, and suggests that a set of innovative approaches and policy instruments are needed in order to balance the institutional and professional desire to practise a modern and expensive medicine in a context of health inequalities and basic health needs.

Ways of using evidence-based medicine in general practice

General practitioners wanting to practise evidence-based medicine (EBM) are constrained by time factors and the great diversity of clinical problems they deal with. They need experience in knowing what questions to ask, in locating and evaluating the evidence, and in applying it. Conventional searching for the best evidence can be achieved in daily general practice. Sometimes the search can be performed during the consultation, but more often it can be done later and the patient can return for the result. Case-based journal clubs provide a supportive environment for GPs to work together to find the best evidence at regular meetings. An evidence-based literature search service is being piloted to enhance decision-making for individual patients. A central facility provides the search and interprets the evidence in relation to individual cases. A request form and a results format make the service akin to pathology testing or imaging. Using EBM in general practice appears feasible. Major difficulties still exist before it can be practised by all GPs, but it has the potential to change the way doctors update their knowledge.

Diurnal changes in the photochemical efficiency of the symbiotic dinoflagellates (Dinophyceae) of corals: photoprotection, photoinactivation and the relationship to coral bleaching

The photochemical efficiency of symbiotic dinoflagellates within the tissues of two reef-building corals in response to normal and excess irradiance at wafer temperatures < 30 C were investigated using pulse amplitude modulated (PAM) chlorophyll fluorescence techniques, Dark-adapted F-v/F-m showed clear diurnal changes, decreasing to a low at solar noon and increasing in the afternoon. However, F-v/F-m also drifted downwards at night or in prolonged darkness, and increased rapidly during the early morning twilight. This parameter also increased when the oxygen concentration of the wafer holding the corals was increased. Such changes have not been described previously, and most probably reflect state transition's associated with PQ pool reduction via chlororespiration. These unusual characteristics may be a feature of an endosymbiotic environment, reflective of the well-documented night-time tissue hypoxia that occurs in corals. F-v/F-m decreased to 0.25 in response to full sunlight in shade-acclimated (shade) colonies of Stylophora pistillata, which is considerably lower than in light-acclimated (sun) colonies. In sun colonies, the reversible decrease in F-v/F-m was caused by a lowering of F-m and F-o suggesting photoprotection and no lasting damage. The decrease in F-v/F-m, however, was caused by a decrease in F-m and an increase in F-o in shade colonies suggesting photoinactivation and long-term cumulative photoinhibition. Shade colonies rapidly lost their symbiotic algae (bleached) during exposure to full sunlight. This study is consistent with the hypothesis that excess light leads to chronic damage of symbiotic dinoflagellates and their eventual removal from reef-building corals. It is significant that this can occur with high light conditions alone.

Child welfare workers' use of theory in working with physical child abuse: Implications for professional supervision

This article examines child welfare workers' understanding of physical child abuse and the Implications for those supervising these workers. The article Is based on the results of a study that involved In-depth Interviews and focus groups with statutory child welfare workers. Analysis revealed that workers' understanding of physical child abuse embodied a wide range of ideas that were generally consistent with existing literature. The study highlights the value and utility of a reflective approach In stimulating and making explicit the theoretical underpinnings of child welfare workers practice. Specific Implications for professional supervision are addressed.

Research utilization among pediatric health professionals

The present study investigated research use and attitudes toward research among pediatric health professionals. All nurses and allied health professionals in a pediatric teaching hospital were surveyed using previously tested and published measures. Over half of the participants had some formal education in research but, for some participants, that education was many years ago. Most participants reported poor or very poor understanding of research design. Two variables were independently associated with a positive attitude towards research: (i) better understanding of how to conduct a literature search; and (ii) higher level of education. Five variables were independently associated with research use: better understanding of research design; having presented at a conference in the past two years; sense of calling to the profession; better understanding of how to conduct a literature search; and attending rounds. A small proportion of variance in both research use and a positive attitude towards research was explained by the independent predicator variables. Further research is required to identify characteristics of the workplace environment that support research use.

Rapid colour changes in multilayer reflecting stripes in the paradise whiptail, Pentapodus paradiseus

The Paradise whiptail (Pentapodus paradiseus) has distinct reflective stripes on its head and body. The reflective stripes contain a dense layer of physiologically active iridophores, which act as multilayer reflectors. The wavelengths reflected by these stripes can change from blue to red in 0.25 s. Transmission electron microscopy revealed that the iridophore cells contain plates that are, on average, 51.4 nm thick. This thickness produces a stack, which acts as an ideal quarter-wavelength multilayer reflector (equal optical thickness of plates and spaces) in the blue, but not the red, region of the spectrum. When skin preparations were placed into hyposmotic physiological saline, the peak wavelength of the reflected light shifted towards the longer (red) end of the visible spectrum. Hyperosmotic saline reversed this effect and shifted the peak wavelength towards shorter (blue/UV) wavelengths. Norepinephrine (100 mumol l(-1)) shifted the peak wavelength towards the longer end of the spectrum, while adenosine (100 mumol l(-1)) reversed the effects of norepinephrine. The results from this study show that the wavelength changes are elicited by a change of similar to70 nm in the distance between adjacent plates in the iridophore cells.

Medical marijuana initiatives - Are they justified? How successful are they likely to be?

The principal constituent of cannabis, Delta(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), is moderately effective in treating nausea and vomiting, appetite loss, and acute and chronic pain. Oral THC (dronabinol) and the synthetic cannabinoid, nabilone, have been registered for medical use in the US and UK, but they have not been widely used because patients find it difficult to titrate doses of these drugs. Advocates for the medical use of cannabis argue that patients should be allowed to smoke cannabis to relieve these above-mentioned symptoms. Some US state governments have legislated to allow the medical prescription of cannabis, but the US federal government has tried to prevent patients from obtaining cannabis and threatened physicians who prescribe it with criminal prosecution or loss of their licence to practise. In the UK and Australia, committees of inquiry have recommended medical prescription (UK) and exemption from criminal prosecution (New South Wales, Australia), but governments have not accepted these recommendations. The Canadian government allows an exemption from criminal prosecution to patients with specified medical conditions. It has recently legislated to provide cannabis on medical prescription to registered patients, but this scheme so far has not been implemented. Some advocates argue that legalising cannabis is the only way to ensure that patients can use it for medical purposes. However, this would be contrary to international drug control treaties and is electorally unpopular. The best prospects for the medical use of cannabinoids lie in finding ways to deliver THC that do not involve smoking and in developing synthetic cannabinoids that produce therapeutic effects with a minimum of psychoactive effects. While awaiting these developments, patients with specified medical conditions could be given exemptions from criminal prosecution to grow cannabis for their own use, at their own risk.

Ultraviolet signals in birds are special

Recent behavioural experiments have shown that birds use ultraviolet (UV)-reflective and fluorescent plumage as cues in mate choice. It remains controversial, however, whether such UV signals play a special role in sexual communication, or whether they are part of general plumage coloration. We use a comparative approach to test for a general association between sexual signalling and either UV-reflective or fluorescent plumage. Among the species surveyed, 72% have UV colours and there is a significant positive association between UV reflectance and courtship displays. Among parrots (Psittaciformes), 68% of surveyed species have fluorescent plumage, and again there is a strong positive association between courtship displays and fluorescence. These associations are not artefacts of the plumage used in courtship displays, being generally more 'colourful' because there is no association between display and colours lacking UV reflectance or fluorescence. Equally, these associations are not phylogenetic artefacts because all results remain unchanged when families or genera, rather than species, are used as independent data points. We also find that, in parrots, fluorescent plumage is usually found adjacent to UV-reflective plumage. Using a simple visual model to examine one parrot, the budgerigar Melopsittacus undulatus, we show that the juxtaposition of UV-reflective and fluorescent plumage leads to a 25-fold increase in chromatic contrast to the budgerigar's visual system. Taken together, these results suggest that signals based on UV contrast are of special importance in the context of active sexual displays. We review briefly six hypotheses on why this may be the case: suitability for short-range signalling; high contrast with backgrounds; invisibility to predators; exploitation of pre-existing sensory biases; advertisement of feather structure; and amplification of behavioural signals.

Caracterização morfodinâmica do litoral Norte Fluminense, RJ, Brasil

A morfologia das praias é reflexo da ação hidrodinfunica com o tipo de sedimento disponível. Esta interação se dá a partir da base de ação das ondas, tornando-se mais efetiva na zona de arrebentação onde a energia é dissipada, originando na zona de surfe que se estende em direção à linha de costa até Q limite do espraiamento na face de praia. O objetivo deste trabalho é apresentar as características morfodinâmicas do litoral NE do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, baseando-se na análise da variação espaço Hemporal de perfis de praia, na morfologia da plataforma continental e em fotos aéreas. Os perfis de praia foram levantados durante cinco anos pela PETROBRÁS S/A, em oito estações ao longo do litoral. O comportamento morfodinâmico distinto de setores do litoral estudado é função do padrão de ondas e direção da linha de costa, morfologia da plataforma interna controlando a extensão da zona de surfe e o número de zonas de arrebentação, características dos sedimentos e gradiente da face de praia. Foram reconhecidos quatro compartimentos morfodinâmicos distintos, com base na morfologia dos perfis praiais e plataforma interna, no índice de mobilidade da linha de praia, granulometria x gradiente da face de praia e o parâmetro Q. Os quatro compartimentos são: Atafona/Foz do Rio Paraíba do Sul - estágio morfodinâmico intermediário a dissipativo, com o maior índice de mobilidade e elevada taxa de erosão; Sul de Atafona-Cabo de São Tomé - estágio intermediário a refletivo com baixo índice de mobilidade da praia; Cabo de São Tomé - estágio refletivo a intermediário com alto índice de mobilidade da praia; Cabo de São Tomé-Cabiúnas - estágio refletivo com baixo índice de mobilidade.

O sentido de ser professor de Educação Física pelos “modos de ser sendo junto ao outro no mundo” perverso- fascista e democrático: a vivência real & no filme “Má Educação”

Quais são os “modos de ser sendo junto ao outro no mundo” professores de Educação Física da Prefeitura Municipal da Serra, ES, situados no que se denomina “real” e do professor de Educação Física padre José no filme “Má Educação” de Pedro Almodóvar situado no que se denomina “ficcional”? Que contribuições reflexivas podem trazer tais dados (analisados hermeneuticamente) para a Formação Continuada de professores de Educação Física [3]? OBJETIVO: Descrever os “modos de ser sendo junto ao outro no mundo” de [1] professores de Educação Física que trabalham em escolas públicas da Prefeitura Municipal da Serra, ES & do [2] padre José, personagem ficcional, professor de Educação Física no filme espanhol de 2004 “Má Educação” fazendo-o primeiramente através de uma pesquisa clássica (descritiva e hermenêutica) e depois uma literaturalizada e artística (hermenêutica). MARCO TEÓRICO: Trata-se de uma proposta discursiva (teórica) fenomenológica existencial de tendência marxista criada por Pinel; METODOLOGIA: Tratou-se de uma pesquisa fenomenológica existencial seguindo recomendações de Forghieri (2001) e Pinel (2006; 2012) - dentre outros. Os 29 professores de Educação Física foram provocados a mostrarem os seus “modos de ser sendo junto ao outro no mundo” do ofício professor de Educação Física. Depois essa mesma provocação foi feita ao personagem do filme. RESULTADOS & DISCUSSÃO: Descreveram-se [1] os “modos de ser sendo junto ao outro no mundo” dos professores de Educação Física na dimensão do real e do ficcional (cinema), e não se objetivou comparação por mais que isso tenha ficado evidente. Esses professores, em 2011/2012, experienciando uma democracia (im)perfeita brasileira [que tem até tendências neofascistas], mais ainda assim democracia - foram compreendidos sempre tomando um norte/ rumo/ direção em subjetivação pelos Guias de Sentido (GS – Pinel) democráticos reconhecimento [demanda do grupo em ser valorizado, reconhecido], em (im) potência [impotência e potencia possível de vir a lume sempre; a força e seu outro lado, a fragilidade de ser], afetando [o que se pratica e pensa/sente afeta a si mesmo, o outro e o mundo; o afetar produz mais subjetivações], sonhando [há demanda sempre de realizar projetos de vida; o projeto de ser sempre devir, em construção sempre; é uma precisão imprecisa], saudavelmente insano [o quão perto pode estar a experienciar a sanidade e a loucura e o quanto uma loucura é sã, pois criativa, inventiva, produtiva, opositora ao estabelecido] – eles mesmos junto ao outro no mundo tornando-se sujeitos. [2] Já o professor de Educação Física padre José da película almodovariana é um professor que de imediato pode ser apreendido como sólido e fixo na sua perversão fascista, ele como parte legitimadora do Estado espanhol de Franco, na década de 60, provavelmente em 1964, que é, na ficção, o espaço-tempo de José e suas ações pedagógicas e psicológicas (e de Educação Física). Mas não é apenas o fascismo que torna o fascista um criador de um cotidiano fascista, pois afinal, paralelamente a ele, no concreto e na ficção, haviam pessoas generosas, resistentes e resilientes que atuavam contra essas pressões quase na maioria das vezes advindas do todo (Estado) – eram pessoas democráticas individualmente e em pequenos e grandes grupos; eram exemplo de resistência contra o estabelecido pela ideologia dominante de então. José numa instituição fascista não conseguiu refletir e agir diferentemente, isto é, com mais saúde mental, escolhendo (na liberdade) ser fascista, ser menor (pouco) – optou não ser-mais. Finalmente os mesmos dados são apresentados em outra estética possível e sempre aberta, inconclusa, devir... As artes e a poesia (bem como a literatura) procuram cuidadosamente desvelar os “modos de ser junto ao outro no mundo” professor de Educação Física do mundo real e do imaginário (fílmico) desvelando muitas vezes indissociados. PÓSCRITO: O autor descreve as possíveis implicações do seu estudo para educação física pautado sempre em uma proposta de criar um discursso insubmisso focando na ideia de que uma pesquisa demanda narrar a vida, e literaturalizar a ciência.

Formação, educação física e inclusão : compreendendo os processos inclusivos

No intuito de contribuir para a problematização da Educação, numa perspectiva inclusiva, esta dissertação procura conhecer e analisar a prática pedagógica inclusiva experimentada pelos professores de Educação Física na escola, por meio de suas narrativas, em uma ação de formação continuada. O projeto de extensão intitulado Formação Continuada de Professores de Educação Física para a Educação Inclusiva foi a estratégia utilizada para a criação de um grupo de estudos, denominado Grupo Operativo de Formação (GOF). A ação de formação continuada foi realizada durante o período de julho a dezembro de 2011, em um encontro presencial semanal, totalizando dezesseis encontros, com uma carga horária final de 90h. Participaram da ação de formação quatro professores da Secretaria Municipal de Educação de Vitória-ES. A pesquisa baseia-se em elementos da pesquisa-ação, utilizando como instrumentos e procedimentos para a produção dos dados a narrativa, o diário de campo, o memorial e a entrevista. Da análise dos dados produzidos identifica três categorias norteadoras das discussões: a) o trabalho coletivo como possibilidade para inclusão; b) trilhando caminhos para o desenvolvimento de práticas inclusivas: o autismo como foco do percurso; c) o olhar dos professores sobre a ação de formação experimentada no GOF. As análises realizadas revelam que essa ação de formação traz resultados que sinalizam positivamente para sua efetivação como instrumento ativo no processo de formação de professores para a educação básica, na perspectiva da inclusão. Portanto, essa é uma interessante ferramenta a ser utilizada pelas redes de ensino como alternativa metodológica em programas de formação continuada. Além disso, a proposta promove momentos para a prática reflexiva dos professores, representando uma rica oportunidade, capaz de fazer com que eles se apropriem de teorias educacionais que poderão contribuir na elaboração de suas aulas.