Vegetation dynamics and their implications for the management of wetlands in the lowlands of Nepal

The maintenance of species richness is often a priority in the management of nature reserves, where consumptive use of resources is generally prohibited. The purpose of this research was to improve management by understanding the vegetation dynamics in the lowlands of Nepal. The objectives were to determine vegetation associations in relation to environments and human-induced disturbances that affect vegetation dynamics on floodplains, where upstream barrages had altered flooding patterns, and consumptive use of plant resources was influencing natural processes. Floodplain vegetation in relation to physical environments and disturbances were studied along transects, perpendicular to the course of the Mahakali River in the western Terai, Nepal. Forest structural changes were studied for three years in ten plots. A randomized split-block experiment with nine burning and grazing treatments was performed in seasonally flooded grasslands. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to assess people's socio-economic status, natural resource use patterns and conservation attitudes. ^ Elevation, soil organic matter, nitrogen, percentage of sand and grazing intensity were significant in delineating herbaceous vegetation assemblages, whereas elevation and livestock grazing were significant in defining forest type boundaries. On the floodplain islands, highly grazed Dalbergia sissoo-Acacia catechu forests were devoid of understory woody vegetation, but the lightly grazed D. sissoo-mixed forests had a well-developed second canopy layer, comprising woody species other than D. sissoo and A. catechu. In grasslands, species richness and biomass production were highest at intermediate disturbance level represented by the lightly grazed and ungrazed early-burned treatments. Ethnicity, education and resource use patterns were important in influencing conservation attitudes. A succession towards the mixed forests would occur in D. sissoo-dominated floodplain forests, where dams and barrages reduce flooding and associated fluvial processes, and if livestock grazing is stopped, as occasionally suggested by nature conservationists. In seasonally flooded grasslands, early burning with moderate grazing would enhance the species diversity and productivity. There is a need to implement a participatory integrated wetland management plan, to include community development, education and off farm income generation, to assure participatory conservation and management of wetlands in Nepal. ^

Current Best Practice for Management of Medial Collateral Ligament Injury

Medical collateral ligament injuries are among the most common knee injuries for the athletic population. Immobilization once was the accepted course of treatment for MCL injuries but research has demonstrated the ineffectiveness of this approach.

Extending the Boundaries of Hospitality Education

To date, hospitality management educators have struggled to modify generic software or adapt vendor-designed industry systems as a means of bringing hospitality information systems to the classroom. Specially- designed computer-based courseware can enhance learning while extending the boundaries of the traditional hospitality classroom. The author discusses the relevance of this software to the hospitality curriculum.

Assessment of Higher-Education Hospitality Programs

The function of assessment in higher-education hospitality programs is to improve student learning. Although the assessment process is common in higher-education institutions, examples of assessment practices in hospitality programs have not been made available to academic practitioners. This paper describes a method successful at formulating assessment in a hospitality college professional program.

Acculturation and Diabetes Self-management of Cuban Americans: Is Age a Protective Factor?

Migration to the United States has been linked to obesity and poor diet quality. We investigated the relationship among diabetes self-management, diet, age and acculturation factors for 182 Cuban-Americans (Females = 110, Males = 72) with type 2 diabetes recruited from a randomized mailing list in South Florida. Inadequate glycemic control (β = 0.257), BMI (β = 0.251), total fat intake (β = 0.251), and smoking (β = 0.200), were positively associated, while understanding of overall diabetes care (β = -0.165), was negatively associated with migration (N = 162, adj.R2 = 0.286, F = 14.65, p < 0.001). These associations suggest that effective diabetes education targeting acculturation issues is lacking.

Evaluation of the use and management of fish resources in the pachitea river basin, Peruvian Amazon

The purpose of this study was to analyze the interrelations between the needs of local people and their usage and management of natural fisheries. Between June and August 2001, 177 households in the basin were interviewed regarding their fishing customs. The results were analyzed with parametric and nonparametric statistics considering a cultural and a geographic comparison. Results confirm that indigenous households rely more on fisheries as a resource than colonists. Fishing takes place throughout the year but is more common in the dry season. Fishing is commonly practiced using hooks and cast nets. More destructive techniques such as dynamite and "barbasco" (poisonous plant) were also used. Indigenous people use a greater array of techniques and they fish at a greater diversity of sites. Respondents also reported that fishing yields have decreased recently. Some of the most common fish genera captured are Pimelodus and Leporinus.

Some biological and ecological considerations for research in the management of the fisheries of Lakes Victoria and Kyoga

There is little doubt that the exploitation of the current fisheries of Lakes Victoria and Kyoga requires close monitoring with a view to enforce adherence to prudent management practices. Many indigenous fishes have gradually disappeared from the commercial fishery of both lakes. In the Uganda portion of Lake Victoria for instance Okaronon and Wadanya (in press) have shown that:- 1. The once preponderant haplochromiine taxon ceased to feature in the commercial catches in 1979. 2. The lung-fish (Protopterus aethiopicus) which formerly contributed significantly to the commercial landings had declined to minor species status by the mid 1980s. 3. The catfishes Clarias mossambicus and Bagrus docmac, formerly major fish species, contributed insignificant quantities to the commercial fishery since the early and mid 1980s, respectively. Similar trend have been "reported in the Kenya and Tanzania portions of Lake Victoria (Bwathondi, 1985; Mainga, 1985, Witte and Goudswaard, 1985). On the other hand since their establishment all round the lake in the early to mid 1980s some introduced fishes namely Nile perch (Lates niloticus) and Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) built up impressive stocks in Lake Victoria (Ssentongo and Welcomme, 1985, Okaronon et al. 1985; Okaronon and Wadanya, in press). Togetther with the native pelagic cyprinid Rastrineobola argentea or Dagaa/Mukene the introduced fishes have contributed unprecidented catches, stimulating vibrant commercial fisheries which have yielded significant social economic benefits to the peoples of the three states riparian to the Lake (Reynolds and Greboval, 1988; Kudhongania et al in press). The impressive landings particularly of the Nile perch and Nile tilapia have also led to rapid industrialisation of fish processing in East Africa mainly for the export market. Fish export has now the potential of a major foreign exchange enterprise in the region.

When theories become practice - a metaphorical analysis of adult-education school-leaders’ talk

Marketization has changed the education system. If we say that education is a market, this transforms the understanding of education and influences how people act. In this paper, adult-education school-leaders’ talk is analysed and seven metaphors for education are found: education as administration, market, matching, democracy, policy work, integration and learning. Exploring empirical metaphors provides a rich illustration of coinciding meanings. In line with studies on policy texts, economic metaphors are found to dominate. This should be understood not only as representing liberal ideology, as is often discussed in analyses of policy papers, but also as representing economic theory. In other words, contemporary adult education can be understood as driven by economic theories. The difference and relation between ideology and theory should be further examined since they have an impact on our society and on our everyday lives. (DIPF/Orig.)

Management of the clinical issue of constipation with abdominal complaints in adults: a national survey of Primary Care physicians and gastroenterologists

Irritable bowel syndrome and functional constipation represent a relevant and common health issue. However, real-world clinical practice includes patients with constipation who may or may not have other abdominal complaints (pain, bloating, abdominal discomfort) with variable frequency. The goal of the present study was to obtain information on the workload entailed by patients with constipation and associated abdominal complaints, predominant clinical behaviors, education needs, and potential daily practice aids both in Primary Care and gastroenterology settings. The clinical behavior of doctors is generally similar at both levels, despite differences in healthcare approach: use of empiric therapies and clinically guided diagnostic tests, with some differences in colonoscopy use (not always directly accessible from Primary Care). Regarding perceptions, general support and osmotic laxatives are most valued by PC doctors, whereas osmotic laxatives, combined laxatives, and linaclotide are most valued by GE specialists. Furthermore, over half of respondents considered differentiating both diagnoses as challenging. Finally, considerable education needs are self-acknowledged at both levels, as is a demand for guidelines and protocols to help in managing this issue in clinical practice. A strength of this study is its providing a joint photograph of the medical approach and the perceptions of constipation with abdominal discomfort from a medical standpoint. Weaknesses include self-declaration (no formal validation) and a response rate potentially biased by professional motivation.

When theories become practice—a metaphorical analysis of adult-education school-leaders’ talk

Marketization has changed the education system. If we say that education is a market, this transforms the understanding of education and influences how people act. In this paper, adult-education school-leaders’ talk is analysed and seven metaphors for education are found: education as administration, market, matching, democracy, policy work, integration and learning. Exploring empirical metaphors provides a rich illustration of coinciding meanings. In line with studies on policy texts, economic metaphors are found to dominate. This should be understood not only as representing liberal ideology, as is often discussed in analyses of policy papers, but also as representing economic theory. In other words, contemporary adult education can be understood as driven by economic theories. The difference and relation between ideology and theory should be further examined since they have an impact on our society and on our everyday lives.

Best practice principles for management of children with developmental coordination disorder (DCD) : results of a scoping review

Background. Developmental coordination disorder (DCD) is a prevalent health condition that is frequently unrecognized despite the substantial evidence that has accumulated regarding how it affects children’s health, education and skills.Most literature focuses on measurement of impairment and description of intervention approaches for individual children; little is known about the principles that should guide best practice and service delivery for children with DCD as a population. The purpose of this study was to identify these principles. Methods. A scoping review was used to ‘map’ the information available to inform intervention and service delivery. Scholarly and grey literature written in English was identified in six databases, using a combination of keywords (e.g. guidelines, management, models and DCD); a ‘snow-balling’ technique was also used in Canada and the UK to access clinical protocols used in publicly funded health care systems. Over 500 documents were screened: 31 met inclusion criteria as they outlined practice principles for children with DCD as a population. Data regarding best practices were independently extracted by two reviewers and then compared with achieve consistency and consensus. Results. Two over-arching themes emerged, with five principles: (1) Organizing services to efficiently meet the comprehensive needs of children (e.g. Increasing awareness of DCD and coordination; Implementing clearly defined pathways; Using a graduated/staged approach); (2) Working collaboratively to offer evidence-based services (e.g. Integration of child and family views; Evidence-based interventions fostering function, participation and prevention). Conclusion Numerous documents support each of the principles, reflecting agreement across studies about recommended organization of services.While these principles may apply to many populations of children with disabilities, this review highlights how essential these principles are in DCD. Researchers, managers, clinicians, community partners and families are encouraged to work together in designing, implementing and evaluating interventions that reflect these principles.

The management of schools’ websites in Cantabria, Spain

School websites are not only sources of information and documentation, but also means of communication that are increasingly being accessed by members of society, especially by the different educational communities, thanks to the democratisation of Internet access. This paper deals with a qualitative research project in which information and communication technology coordinators of infant and primary publicly funded private schools (concertados) and state schools in urban, rural and semi-urban/rural areas within the Region of Cantabria (Spain) were interviewed in order to understand how school websites are managed. The findings show a range of views and practices in the schools’ management of their websites, some positive developments in their uses and functions, and numerous opportunities for improvement. School websites are essential communication tools, which need to be continuously improved/updated by their managers, with the support of the education authorities.

Management Of Severe Thoracic Impalement Trauma Against Two-wheeled Horse Carriage: A Case Report And Literature Review.

Thoracic injuries in general are of great importance due to their high incidence and high mortality. Thoracic impalement injuries are rare but severe due to the combination of cause, effect and result. This study's primary objective is to report the case of a young man who was impaled by a two-wheeled horse carriage shaft while crashing his motorcycle in a rural zone. An EMT-B ferry was called at the crash scene and a conscious patient was found, sustaining a severe impalement injury to the left hemithorax, suspended over the floor by the axial skeleton with the carriage shaft coming across his left chest. As a secondary objective, a literature review of thoracic impalement injuries is performed. Cases of thoracic impalement injury require unique and individualized care based on injury severity and affected organs. Reported protocols for managing impalement injuries are entirely anecdotal, with no uniformity on impaled patient's approach and management. In penetrating trauma, it is essential not to remove the impaled object, so that possible vascular lesions remain buffered by the object, avoiding major bleeding and exsanguination haemorrhage. Severed impaled thoracic patients should be transferred to a specialist centre for trauma care, as these lesions typically require complex multidisciplinary treatment. High-energy thoracic impalement injuries are rare and hold a high mortality rate, due to the complexity of trauma and associated injuries such as thoracic wall and lung lesions. Modern medicine still seems limited in cases of such seriousness, not always with satisfactory results.