‘That’s definite discrimination’: practice under the umbrella of inclusion

Inclusive practice is well embedded across society and has developed over time. However, although policy and public view have moved forward, the way organisations address the agenda for inclusion often represents a superficial interpretation of this concept. Qualitative data were gathered using new ethnography to explore the experiences of a library-based reading group for visually impaired readers. The voices of the individuals shed light on the individual and collective experience of reading. These insights challenge the traditional views of distinct provision that are designed to address targets for inclusion of individuals with disabilities. We argue for a clearer focus on the unintentional consequences of practice in the name of inclusion that leave individuals feeling marginalised. This paper suggests the alternative focus on social justice as offering a discourse that focuses on society and away from the individual.

Effect of hypobaric hypoxia, simulating conditions during long-haul air travel, on coagulation, fibrinolysis, platelet function, and endothelial activation

CONTEXT: The link between long-haul air travel and venous thromboembolism is the subject of continuing debate. It remains unclear whether the reduced cabin pressure and oxygen tension in the airplane cabin create an increased risk compared with seated immobility at ground level. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether hypobaric hypoxia, which may be encountered during air travel, activates hemostasis. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: A single-blind, crossover study, performed in a hypobaric chamber, to assess the effect of an 8-hour seated exposure to hypobaric hypoxia on hemostasis in 73 healthy volunteers, which was conducted in the United Kingdom from September 2003 to November 2005. Participants were screened for factor V Leiden G1691A and prothrombin G20210A mutation and were excluded if they tested positive. Blood was drawn before and after exposure to assess activation of hemostasis. INTERVENTIONS: Individuals were exposed alternately (> or =1 week apart) to hypobaric hypoxia, similar to the conditions of reduced cabin pressure during commercial air travel (equivalent to atmospheric pressure at an altitude of 2438 m), and normobaric normoxia (control condition; equivalent to atmospheric conditions at ground level, circa 70 m above sea level). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Comparative changes in markers of coagulation activation, fibrinolysis, platelet activation, and endothelial cell activation. RESULTS: Changes were observed in some hemostatic markers during the normobaric exposure, attributed to prolonged sitting and circadian variation. However, there were no significant differences between the changes in the hypobaric and the normobaric exposures. For example, the median difference in change between the hypobaric and normobaric exposure was 0 ng/mL for thrombin-antithrombin complex (95% CI, -0.30 to 0.30 ng/mL); -0.02 [corrected] nmol/L for prothrombin fragment 1 + 2 (95% CI, -0.03 to 0.01 nmol/L); 1.38 ng/mL for D-dimer (95% CI, -3.63 to 9.72 ng/mL); and -2.00% for endogenous thrombin potential (95% CI, -4.00% to 1.00%). CONCLUSION: Our findings do not support the hypothesis that hypobaric hypoxia, of the degree that might be encountered during long-haul air travel, is associated with prothrombotic alterations in the hemostatic system in healthy individuals at low risk of venous thromboembolism.

Establishment of normal gut microbiota is compromised under excessive hygiene conditions

Background: Early gut colonization events are purported to have a major impact on the incidence of infectious, inflammatory and autoimmune diseases in later life. Hence, factors which influence this process may have important implications for both human and animal health. Previously, we demonstrated strong influences of early-life environment on gut microbiota composition in adult pigs. Here, we sought to further investigate the impact of limiting microbial exposure during early life on the development of the pig gut microbiota. Methodology/Principal Findings: Outdoor- and indoor-reared animals, exposed to the microbiota in their natural rearing environment for the first two days of life, were transferred to an isolator facility and adult gut microbial diversity was analyzed by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. From a total of 2,196 high-quality 16S rRNA gene sequences, 440 phylotypes were identified in the outdoor group and 431 phylotypes in the indoor group. The majority of clones were assigned to the four phyla Firmicutes (67.5% of all sequences), Proteobacteria (17.7%), Bacteroidetes (13.5%) and to a lesser extent, Actinobacteria (0.1%). Although the initial maternal and environmental microbial inoculum of isolator-reared animals was identical to that of their naturally-reared littermates, the microbial succession and stabilization events reported previously in naturally-reared outdoor animals did not occur. In contrast, the gut microbiota of isolator-reared animals remained highly diverse containing a large number of distinct phylotypes. Conclusions/Significance: The results documented here indicate that establishment and development of the normal gut microbiota requires continuous microbial exposure during the early stages of life and this process is compromised under conditions of excessive hygiene.

Change management in practice: an ethnographic study of changes to contract requirements on a hospital project

Changes to client requirements are inevitable during construction. Industry discourse is concerned with minimizing and controlling changes. However, accounts of practices involved in making changes are rare. In response to calls for more research into working practices, an ethnographic study of a live hospital project was undertaken to explore how changes are made. A vignette of a meeting exploring the investigation of changes illustrates the issues. This represents an example from the ethnographic fieldwork, which produced many observations. There was a strong emphasis on using change management procedures contained within the contract to investigate changes, even when it was known that the change was not required. For the practitioners, this was a way of demonstrating best practice, transparent and accountable decision-making regarding changes. Hence, concerns for following procedures sometimes overshadowed considerations about whether or not a change was required to improve the functionality of the building. However, the procedures acted as boundary objects between the communities of practice involved on the project by coordinating the work of managing changes. Insights suggest how contract procedures facilitate and impede the making of changes, which can inform policy guidance and contract drafting.

Interactive learning in UK construction practice: examining the role of BIM process standards

From a construction innovation systems perspective, firms acquire knowledge from suppliers, clients, universities and institutional environment. Building information modelling (BIM) involves these firms using new process standards. To understand the implications on interactive learning using BIM process standards, a case study is conducted with the UK operations of a multinational construction firm. Data is drawn from: a) two workshops involving the firm and a wider industry group, b) observations of practice in the BIM core team and in three ongoing projects, c) 12 semi-structured interviews; and d) secondary publications. The firm uses a set of BIM process standards (IFC, PAS 1192, Uniclass, COBie) in its construction activities. It is also involved in a pilot to implement the COBie standard, supported by technical and management standards for BIM, such as Uniclass and PAS1192. Analyses suggest that such BIM process standards unconsciously shapes the firm's internal and external interactive learning processes. Internally standards allow engineers to learn from each through visualising 3D information and talking around designs with operatives to address problems during construction. Externally, the firm participates in trial and pilot projects involving other construction firms, government agencies, universities and suppliers to learn about the standard and access knowledge to solve its specific design problems. Through its BIM manager, the firm provides feedback to standards developers and information technology suppliers. The research contributes by articulating how BIM process standards unconsciously change interactive learning processes in construction practice. Further research could investigate these findings in the wider UK construction innovation system.

Practice location of physicians: a discrete choice model approach

Economists and policymakers have long been concerned with increasing the supply of health professionals in rural and remote areas. This work seeks to understand which factors influence physicians’ choice of practice location right after completing residency. Differently from previous papers, we analyse the Brazilian missalocation and assess the particularities of developing countries. We use a discrete choice model approach with a multinomial logit specification. Two rich databases are employed containing the location and wage of formally employed physicians as well as details from their post-graduation. Our main findings are that amenities matter, physicians have a strong tendency to remain in the region they completed residency and salaries are significant in the choice of urban, but not rural, communities. We conjecture this is due to attachments built during training and infrastructure concerns.

Occurrence of Delphastus davidsoni (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) predating Bemisia tabaci biotype B (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) in greenhouse conditions in Brazil.

In March of 2009 larvae and adults from ladybug Delphastus davidsoni Gordon (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) were observed predating eggs and nymphs of Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) biotype B (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) in cabbage plants on rearing of this whitefly. This is the first report of D. davidsoni predating B. tabaci biotype B on cabbage plants, limiting the rearing and showing high potential on biological control of this aleyrodid for conditions of protected cultivation.

Design of fuzzy regulators with optimal initial conditions compensation

In almost all cases, the goal of the design of automatic control systems is to obtain the parameters of the controllers, which are described by differential equations. In general, the controller is artificially built and it is possible to update its initial conditions. In the design of optimal quadratic regulators, the initial conditions of the controller can be changed in an optimal way and they can improve the performance of the controlled system. Following this idea, a LNU-based design procedure to update the initial conditions of PI controllers, considering the nonlinear plant described by Takagi-Sugeno fuzzy models, is presented. The importance of the proposed method is that it also allows other specifications, such as, the decay rate and constraints on control input and output. The application in the control of an inverted pendulum illustrates the effectively of proposed method.

Effect of culture conditions on the biomass determination by ergosterol of Lentinus crinitus and Psilocybe castanella

Estimating fungal growth is important in processes of soil bioremediation. It has been demonstrated that ergosterol is a good indicator of fungal biomass in solid substrata. In the present study were evaluated the effects upon the ergosterol rate of Lentinus crinitus Berk. and Psilocybe castanella Peck through the culture conditions of these fungi, which are evaluated for the bioremediation of soils contaminated by organochlorates. A good correlation between fungal biomass and ergosterol was observed for both species. The culture conditions did not influence the ergosterol rate of L. crinitus. Yet the ergosterol rate of P. castanella was influenced from 35 days of culture and when grown in the presence of 15.00 g hexachlorobenzene l(-1) of culture medium. So it is possible to estimate growth of both species using ergosterol as indicator in processes of soil bioremediation since the influences observed in the ergosterol rate of P. castanella are considered.

Rapidly varying boundaries in equations with nonlinear boundary conditions. The case of a Lipschitz deformation

We analyze the behavior of solutions of nonlinear elliptic equations with nonlinear boundary conditions of type partial derivative u/partial derivative n + g( x, u) = 0 when the boundary of the domain varies very rapidly. We show that the limit boundary condition is given by partial derivative u/partial derivative n+gamma(x) g(x, u) = 0, where gamma(x) is a factor related to the oscillations of the boundary at point x. For the case where we have a Lipschitz deformation of the boundary,. is a bounded function and we show the convergence of the solutions in H-1 and C-alpha norms and the convergence of the eigenvalues and eigenfunctions of the linearization around the solutions. If, moreover, a solution of the limit problem is hyperbolic, then we show that the perturbed equation has one and only one solution nearby.

VERY RAPIDLY VARYING BOUNDARIES IN EQUATIONS WITH NONLINEAR BOUNDARY CONDITIONS. THE CASE of A NON UNIFORMLY LIPSCHITZ DEFORMATION

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Locomotor and metabolic activities of Gymnostreptus olivaceus (Diplopoda, Spirostreptida) at different photoperiod conditions

In the present investigation the locomotor and the metabolic activity of Gymnostreptus olivaceus were studied, using 24-hr cycles at different photoperiods and constant temperature and RH. Locomotor activity was studied by the actography method and was reported as coefficients of nocturnalism [CN (N/N + D). 100]. The results showed a nocturnalism coefficient of 98,71% under normal photoperiod conditions and of 29,58% under inverted photoperiod conditions. In constant illumination, the CN of G. olivaceus was 88,22%, and in constant darkness, its rhythm was close to that of the normal photoperiod (CN = 94,92%). The metabolic activity was studied by manometric Warburg respirometry and lit was reported as mu l O-2 . g(-1). h(-1). The respiratory rate of G. olivaceus under normal photoperiod condition was higher at night than during the day (52,52 x 28,76), coinciding with the pattern of nocturnal locomotor activity of the animal. However, under conditions of inverted photoperiod, the millipede maintained its tendency toward a more intense nocturnal respiratory rate (50,35 x 39,14). Similar behaviours were observed under constant illumination and constant darkness, in which G. olivaceus again presented higher nocturnal respiratory rates than diurnal ones(85,84 x 53,48 and 73,18 x 57,0, respectively). The present experimental data suggests the persistence of an endogenous rhythm where the light may not be an important exogenous synchronizer of the activity of G. olivaceus, because it was insufficient to block the start of the biological clock and the natural tendency of higher nocturnal activities of millipedes, principally when the tests were performed in constant illumination or darkness (free-running tests).

The use of extruded feed in fish food

In our country, the intensive culture of fish has been making progress due to the availability of extruded rations, which are characterized by the way they have been formulated to assist the nutritional demands of the tropical species and for facilitating a better practice of alimentary handling. This process checks the extruded product density and the desirable physical/chemical aspects to a diet that should be handled in the water, the critical factor of this activity. It is important to emphasize that this product stays to the surface of the water, facilitates the consumption control and the observation of the general aspects of the school of fish, as well as guaranteeing that no deterioration of the physical/chemical characteristics of the water occurs. The floating characteristic of the extruded ration is preferable for farmers because most of the tropical species feed at the surface of the water. In some cases, in the function of the alimentary habit, the thermal conditions of the water and the handling system produce granules with different densities. This is due to the humidity and the applied cooking heat, which modifies the time of hydration, and consequently the ability to float. To establish the physical presentation idea for a ration for tropical fishes, it is necessary that the pellets come in sizes, textures, humidities and densities in order to allow for the different phases of the lives of the fishes. This ration should be the result of characteristics of the species, such as the anatomophysiologics particularities, alimentary habits, digestive capacity and alimentary behavior. Only in this way is it possible to offer to those fishes a ration whose nutritious value and physical presentation facilitate the best biological and economic answers.Those aspects need to be reviewed because the tropical species that are cultivated in our country present selective behavior in relation to the size of the pellet. Generally, this has access to the digestive system without waste; the digestibility, therefore, is dependent upon the size of the particles and the physical aspects of the pellets. They should still consider that those granules could be less abrasive and softer. The extruded rations available in the national market present a qualitative reference to its proteic level, whose consequence allows us to infer that those are overestimated for the final phase of those fishes. Thus, the final cost of production is made unfeasible. In this point of view of the development of the national fish culture, and the growing adoption of the intensive system of production, it can link that such progress is a function of the availability of the rations in the extruded form. Although this technique of processing of rations has revolutionized the market in such a way that has been seen as preferable for farmers, some feel that there is a lack of products best suited for the initial phases of fingerlings production.

Torpor in three species of Brazilian hummingbirds under semi-natural conditions

We measured body temperatures in three species of Brazilian hummingbirds, the Versicolored Emerald (Amazilia versicolor; body mass 4.1 g), the Black Jacobin (Me lantrochilus fuscus; body mass 7.7 g) and the Swallow-tailed Hummingbird (Eupetomena macroura; body mass 8.6 g), during overnight exposure to natural conditions of photoperiod and ambient temperatures. All three species entered torpor. In both A. versicolor and E. macroura, individuals entered torpor even if they had access to feeders up to the time of sunset. In contrast, M. fuscus was less prone to enter torpor and did so mainly if it had been fasting for more than two hours before sunset. Furthermore, M. fuscus often spent the whole night in torpor, whereas the two other species entered torpor for a variable, often short, period of the night. We observed more than one torpor bout during a single night in all three species. We suggest that multiple nocturnal torpors result from interruption of the normal torpor pattern by some (unknown) external stimuli. Any interrupted torpor was always followed by a new entry into torpor, supporting the view that there is a body mass threshold below which the hummingbirds must enter torpor Our data also indicate that these hummingbird species might use torpor even if they are not energetically stressed.

Tensile bond strength of self-etching versus total-etching adhesive systems under different dentinal substrate conditions

The use of acid etchants to produce surface demineralization and collagen network exposure, allowing adhesive monomers interdiffusion and consequently the formation of a hybrid layer, has been considered the most efficient mechanism of dentin bonding. The aim of this study was to compare the tensile bond strength to dentin of three adhesive systems, two self-etching ones (Clearfil SE Bond - CSEB and One Up Bond F - OUBF) and one total-etching one (Single Bond - SB), under three dentinal substrate conditions (wet, dry and re-wet). Ninety human, freshly extracted third molars were sectioned at the occlusal surface to remove enamel and to form a flat dentin wall. The specimens were restored with composite resin (Filtek Z250) and submitted to tensile bond strength testing (TBS) in an MTS 810. The data were submitted to two-way ANOVA and Tukey's test (p = 0.05). Wet dentin presented the highest TBS values for SB and CSEB. Dry dentin and re-wet produced significantly lower TBS values when using SB. OUBF was not affected by the different conditions of the dentin substrate, producing similar TBS values regardless of the surface pretreatments.