Conceptualization, measurement, and application of quality of life for persons with intellectual disabilities: report of an international panel of experts

In this article a number of issues involving the concept of quality of life as applied to persons with intellectual disabilities are summarized, and a number of agreed-upon principles regarding its conceptualization, measurement, and application are presented. We realize that the concepts and models presented in this article will vary potentially from country to country, and even from area to area within countries. The cross-cultural understanding of the concept of quality of life is in its infancy, and we hope that the discourses resulting from the material presented in this article will facilitate both cross-cultural understanding and collaborative work. The article reflects current thought about the conceptualization, measurement, and application of this increasingly important and widely used concept in the field of intellectual disabilities and sets the stage for its continuing development.

Visionnaire 2010

Visionnaire 2010 : A screening of 15 postgraduate and masters films.

Two hundred and two - Daniella Said, Adam Green, Phoebe Beasley, Juntra Santitarangkun, Olexander Barnes & Rhett Ortlipp.
Gone to see - Sean Rafter.
Hippocratic oath - Nathan Primer, Daniel Merei, Melina Flood, Michael Dearnley, Mathew Karanicolas & Nicholas White.
The other voices - Tania Raouf.
Standover - Nicholas Hancock, Ryan Thomas, David Hurley, Nicholas Weller, Mitch McTaggart & Djorvan Caro.
Sisters - Kailai Gu.
Escape - Jonathan Burton, Simon Todd, Todd Johnson, Amanda Klimos, James Murphy, Ola Gytri & Max Reed.
Welcome to the Anderson's - Maneesha Jacob.
Hannah - Jodi Deutrom, Ardimas Andi, Ben Engeset, Kim Han Law, Steffen Hagen & Timotius.
Hour3 - Akanksha Shakya.
3-25-6 - Syamsul Azhar, Ethan Bottomley, Tiffany Dalton, Kane Gloury, Alexandra Latimer & Lene Moerch.
Seher and others - Bircan Eral.
Edward Barsky - Breidi Boyle, Bree Mansell, Simon DeNatris & Murphy McLachlan.
Detecting Calvin - Kara Tyson, Aimee Linossier, Jessica Ruffino, Seamus Parkinson, Dean Sacco & Simon Holt.
Double date - Adriana Bizzarri, Matthew Smolen, Effie Telianidis, Oliver Kerr, Lucy Ramshaw & Luisa Tascone.

Baby boomers' reasons for choosing specific food shops

Purpose – Baby boomers (people born between 1946 and 1964) are approaching retirement and there is concern about their preparation for their future health and wellbeing. Food shopping is likely to play a major role in their future lives. The purpose of this paper is to examine their reasons for choosing to buy food from particular shops and whether demographic characteristics and health status were associated with them.

Design/methodology/approach – A questionnaire survey was conducted among a random sample of 1,037 people aged between 40 and 71 years in Victoria, Australia. Respondents were asked to indicate, from a list, their reasons for choosing to shop at particular food outlets. Regression analysis was used to examine the relationships between respondents' demographics and health status and their reasons for shopping at the food stores.

Findings – Multivariate analysis showed that the reasons the respondents reported in choosing shops fell into four groups: saving, convenience, quality and healthy foods, and user-friendly environment. Saving was negatively related to income, age, level of education and also linked with country of birth, religious affiliation, and marital status. Convenience was negatively associated with age and also related to health status and religious affiliation. Quality/healthy food products were positively related to age but negatively associated with body mass index, and also linked to country of birth. User-friendly environment was negatively associated with income and education and related to gender and religious affiliation.

Originality/value – The paper's results show that stores could provide more information, perhaps as signage, to their recycling and health information facilities, particularly in low socio-economic status areas. Furthermore, the social status and religious associations confirm the view that shopping reflects broad societal affiliations among baby boomers. Shopping centres can be used to provide support for health and environmental sustainability promotions.

Avoiding the second year slump : a transition framework for students progressing through university

The ‘Sophomore Slump’ is a lack of engagement that can be experienced by students entering their second year at University. It has been a recognized phenomenon in American universities for many years but has gone largely unrecognized within Australian Universities. In 2009 a program called ‘Welcome to Second Year’ was introduced at a Metropolitan Australian University for Science students returning as second years or articulating straight into second year. The one day program took place during the week before trimester 1 classes commenced. The aim of the program was to re-engage students both socially with their peers, and academically with their course, and also to introduce them to professionals in their field. This paper provides a description of the program as well as student evaluation of the program over the three years it has now been run.

Indigenous landscape change and climate change : the historical transformation of the Port Phillip bay from an indigenous and landscape architectural perspective

Currently there is a dearth of research into Australian Indigenous knowledge and their understanding of climate change especially in regard to how it fits into an Indigenous world view. Recent discussions by the National Climate Change Adaptation Research Facility (NCCARF) have highlighted this deficiency and also the need to source projects that address this perspective, and enable the incorporation of traditional ecological knowledge into the planning of climate change adaption strategies. Within this context, this paper examines the use and understanding of landscape, both urban and regional, surrounding Port Phillip Bay and the risks and opportunities climate change adaptation brings to the local Indigenous communities. This paper comprises a literature review and proposes further research with the Wurundjeri (Yarra Valley), Wathaurong (Geelong-Bellarine Peninsula) & Boon Wurrung (Mornington Peninsula - Westerport - southern Melbourne) which aim to elicit a contemporary and local response to issues raised by NCCARF but importantly to articulate a possible Indigenous position about the formation, change and direction that Port Phillip Bay and its environs should take from their perspectives. The research looks to draw on how these communities have adapted to climate change physically, mentally and spiritually over their long habitation of the region and their perceptions of climate change this century. The project looks to uncover a longitudinal perspective of adaptation focused upon Indigenous views of 'country' and custodial obligations to 'country' including accumulated cultural and environmental histories, and how this can inform the contemporary practice of landscape architecture and the design of resilient and sustainable human environments.

If the land is healthy… it makes the people healthy

This PhD explores the connection Aboriginal Victorian people have to their traditional lands (known as Country) and its relationship with health. Findings identify the deep connection Aboriginal Victorian people have to their Country and the need for public health clinicians to engage with diverse Indigenous practices and knowledge when applicable.

O estado necessário para a democracia possível na América latina

Uma democracia consolidada pressupõe um estado capaz, e para ambos é necessária uma nação forte e uma sociedade civil ativa. Diversas democracias na América Latina não alcançaram tais requisitos porque não completaram suas respectivas revoluções capitalistas, e o excedente econômico continua dependendo do controle direto do estado. Este fato demonstra que a qualidade das democracias varia de país para país, e prevê que as democracias possíveis nos países mais pobres serão necessariamente democracias limitadas. Desde que a democracia tornou-se uma justificativa para pressões e intervenções externas, é um erro incluir no conceito de democracia mais do que as necessidades mínimas, práticas. Por outro lado, para melhorar a democracia é necessário aumentar a capacidade do estado não apenas para assegurar o respeito às leis, mas também para promover o desenvolvimento econômico e social.

Business cycles in emerging economies : the role of interest rates

This paper documents the empirical relation between the interest rates that emerging economies face in international capital markets and their business cycles. It shows that the patterns observed in the data can be interpreted as the equilibrium of a dynamic general equilibrium model of a small open economy, in which (i) firms have to pay for a fraction of the input bill before production takes place, and (ii) preferences generate a labor supply that is independent of the interest rate. In our sample, interest rates are strongly countercyclical, strongly positively correlated with net exports, and they lead the cycle. Output is very volatile and consumption is more volatile than output. The sample includes data for Argentina during 1983-2000 and for four other large emerging economies, Brazil, Mexico, Korea, and Philippines, during 1994-2000. The model is calibrated to Argentina’s economy for the period 1983-1999. When the model is fed with actual US interest rates and the actual default spreads of Argentine sovereign interest rates, interest rates alone can explain forty percent of output fluctuations. When simulated technology shocks are added to the model, it can account for the main empirical regularities of Argentina’s economy during the period. A 1% increase in country risk causes a contemporaneous fall in output of 0.5 ’subsequent recovery. An increase in US rates causes output to fall by the same on impact and by almost 2% two years after the shock. The asymetry in the effect of shocks to US rates and country risk is due to the fact that US interest rates are more persistent than country risk and that there is a significant spillover effect from US interest rates to country risk.

Risky business: social media metrics and political risk analysis

A quantificação do risco país – e do risco político em particular – levanta várias dificuldades às empresas, instituições, e investidores. Como os indicadores econômicos são atualizados com muito menos freqüência do que o Facebook, compreender, e mais precisamente, medir – o que está ocorrendo no terreno em tempo real pode constituir um desafio para os analistas de risco político. No entanto, com a crescente disponibilidade de “big data” de ferramentas sociais como o Twitter, agora é o momento oportuno para examinar os tipos de métricas das ferramentas sociais que estão disponíveis e as limitações da sua aplicação para a análise de risco país, especialmente durante episódios de violência política. Utilizando o método qualitativo de pesquisa bibliográfica, este estudo identifica a paisagem atual de dados disponíveis a partir do Twitter, analisa os métodos atuais e potenciais de análise, e discute a sua possível aplicação no campo da análise de risco político. Depois de uma revisão completa do campo até hoje, e tendo em conta os avanços tecnológicos esperados a curto e médio prazo, este estudo conclui que, apesar de obstáculos como o custo de armazenamento de informação, as limitações da análise em tempo real, e o potencial para a manipulação de dados, os benefícios potenciais da aplicação de métricas de ferramentas sociais para o campo da análise de risco político, particularmente para os modelos qualitativos-estruturados e quantitativos, claramente superam os desafios.

O discurso religioso no processo migratório para o caldeirão do beato José Lourenço

The Caldeirão is a site located in the city of Crato, in the south of Ceará, belonged to priest Cícero Romão Batista. There, was created a religious community led by blessed José Lourenço, who marked the life of thousands of Northeast country people in 1930s, for represent to them a space of religious conviviality, work and devotion. The Caldeirão s population was about three thousand of people, originated from states of Pernambuco, Alagoas, Paraíba, Maranhão, Piauí, Ceará and Rio Grande do Norte, who share the community s daily activities. The misery caused by the dryness and exploration of these country people by the landlords are indicated as the motivator elements of this migratory flux by the greater number of works published about the Caldeirão, turning the community into a primitive experience of class struggles. This present study proposes other comprehension of this migratory movement by the religious speech of salvation taken to country people by the counselor Severino Tavares. Was used as analysis camp the remaining norte-rio-grandenses that migrated to the Caldeirão, and as theoretical and methodological references the understanding model of investigation, the cultural history and the remaining memorial speech analysis. The work follows that pointing the phenomenon of Caldeirão as an campestral revolt is try to impose to this people the aspirations or wishes of others, besides of deny to them the right and the dignity of act by their believes and their own dreams.

Participação de moradores no programa de coleta seletiva em três bairros de Natal/RN: explorando determinantes psico-socio-ambientais

The general purpose of the study was the analysis of residents' participation in the program of door-by-door collection of recyclable residuals in Natal, Rio Grande do Norte. Even though the conception of such program by municipal managers was basically aimed at providing job opportunities and income for the collectors, the main objective of the investigation was to verify whether residents' participation could be attributed to their environmental commitment. Data collection involved three municipal districts and was performed in three stages, with complementary methodological strategies (observation, questionnaire, and interview), and characterized by selfevaluation, by residents, and hetero-evaluation, by collectors. Social, demographic, situational/contextual, and dispositional data were identified to help in the analysis of residents' adherence to the program. Separating and delivering recyclable residuals was the most frequent type of residents' participation, which demonstrates their low level of appropriation of decisions related to the program, taking part on it as passive agents. Two forms of motivation towards participating in the program were found: environmental and social. Despite the first being more frequent, it was associated to lack of environmental awareness related to the process, which may very well imply a mere reproduction of pro-environmental discourse. Motivation towards social issues was strongly connected to philanthropic forms of help. Knowledge was revealed as na important predictor for participation, as well as social networks, formed by neighbors, relatives and friends. Despite the social emphasis in the design of the program, it is possible to conclude that some residents also perceive its environmental benefits, possibly as consequence of a knowledge originated outside the program. Initiatives of environmental education should be promoted in order to minimize the allegation of lack of knowledge as justification for non-participation. Similarly, actions to put together municipal management and population would be welcome, to promote joint decisions towards sustainable styles of life

Trends in multidrug-resistant tuberculosis

Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) is an increasing global problem. The extent and burden of MDR-TB varies significantly from country to country and region to region. Globally, about three per cent of all newly diagnosed patients have MDR-TB and the proportion is higher in patients who had previously received anti-tuberculosis (anti-TB) treatment reflecting the failure of programs designed to ensure complete cure of patients with tuberculosis. The management of MDR-TB is a challenge that should be undertaken by experienced clinicians at centers equipped with reliable laboratory services and implementation of DOTS-Plus strategy.

Social Panorama of Latin America 1999-2000

Includes bibliography

A decade of light and shadow: Latin America and the Caribbean in the 1990s

Includes bibliography

Financing for development and middle income-countries: new challenges

Spanish version avalilable at the Library