A qualitative study exploring why adults with intellectual disabilities and obesity want to lose weight and views of their carers

Background: Obesity is more prevalent in adults with intellectual disabilities (ID) compared to the general population. Motivations for weight loss may influence engagement with weight management programmes and have only been studied in adults without ID. Aims: To determine reasons given by adults with ID and obesity for seeking weight loss and whether these reasons differ from those of their carers. Methods: Prior to a multi-component weight management intervention, participants were asked “why do you want to lose weight?” Carers were asked their views and these were compared to the answers given by the adult with ID. Responses were themed. The Fisher’s Exact analysis was used to test for any relationship between reasons for seeking weight loss and participants’ level of ID, age, gender and BMI. Results: Eighteen men and 32 women; age 41.6 SD 14.6 years; BMI 40.8 SD 7.5 kg/m2; Level ID Mild (28 %), Moderate (42 %), Severe (22 %), Profound (8 %). Eleven were unable to respond. Six themes emerged; Health; Fitness / Activity / Mobility; Appearance / Clothes; Emotional / Happiness; For Others; Miscellaneous. The most frequent reason given overall and by women was “appearance.” Carers cited “health” most frequently and “appearance” least, rarely agreeing with participants. “Health” was given as a reason more from older adults and those with milder ID. No statistically significant associations were found between reasons for seeking weight loss and BMI age, gender or level of ID but the differing views of adults with ID and their carers were clear. Conclusions: Views of adults with obesity and mild or moderate ID can be collected. The opposing views of adults and their carers may affect motivation for weight loss

Hydraulic Hybrid Four Wheel Drive Sport Utility Vehicle - Utilizing the Blended Hybrid Architecture

Improving the fuel economy of on-highway vehicles is of major concern to government agencies, consumers and industry leaders, that has caused an expanding interes

Factors Influencing Farmers\u27 Utilization of Auto-Guidance Technology in Northern Utah

The purpose of this descriptive-correlation study was to examine the variables associated with Northern Utah farmers’ adoption of auto-guidance technologies in alfalfa and corn silage production and determine training preferences. Participants in this study engaged in an experiential training session utilizing an auto-guidance system comparable to those available for use on their own farm. A survey was administered to identify autoguidance technology adoption and farmers’ preferences for related training. The majority of participants reported being male (f = 56, 98.2%). Half of the participants in this study (50.8%) indicated using auto-guidance technology in some form in their farming practices. Most attendees used auto-guidance technology with tractors (36.1%) and self-propelled windrowers (32.8%). Agricultural equipment businesses and Extension agents should help non-users to embrace new technology by using implementation statistics that include peer usage and management benefits

Institutional change in higher education: a case study

The dissertation, "Institutional Change in Higher Education: A Case Study" examines efforts to bring about fundamental institutional change at the University of Natal over a period of some 1 0 years, 1988 to 1997. The case study is characterised as being of an embedded single case design. It is an instrumental rather than an intrinsic study. It attempts to extend understanding of the complex social phenomenon of institutional change in higher education, through analytic generalization. The two sub-units of the case study relate to different attempts by the executive of the University of Natal to bring about consensus on the need for fundamental change and the nature of the change: through a more-or-less conventional strategic planning process; and by the adoption- as a strategic initiative- of the notion of becoming a learning organization. The two sub units are examined on the strength of University documents and interviews with past and present University office bearers and staff, within a conceptual framework of organizational theory derived mainly from Mintzberg, McGregor, and Senge. Both the strategic planning approach and the learning organization approach are seen to have failed as means of engineering consensual change and in the latter half of 1997 the University experiences a restructuring crisis as a result of financial pressures. A puzzle around restructuring, viz. why the University should pursue structural change which goes beyond the needs of simple cost-cutting and efficiency, is addressed first in terms of a perceived need for innovation, within the foregoing organizational theoretical framework. The analysis is then extended (effectively recontextualised) within a more pedagogic, social and political theoretical framework which is dependent largely on Bernstein. This analysis sees the changes being pursued at the University of Natal as being consistent with a shift in higher education generally to a market-dominated, competitive discourse in which University lecturers become knowledge entrepreneurs, competing within the institution and between institutions for scarce resources in response to perceived market needs. In this process, the narcissistic and introjected identities of academic departments, in which professionals in bounded disciplines determine priorities themselves, are replaced by projected identities and priorities are determined outside the discipline and the University. This cannot happen overnight. However, plans at the University of Natal to remove their administrative authority from academic departments are seen as a step in this direction

Institutional change in higher education : a case study

Bibliography: p. 151-153.The dissertation, "Institutional Change in Higher Education: A Case Study" examines efforts to bring about fundamental institutional change at the University of Natal over a period of some 1 0 years, 1988 to 1997. The case study is characterised as being of an embedded single case design. It is an instrumental rather than an intrinsic study. It attempts to extend understanding of the complex social phenomenon of institutional change in higher education, through analytic generalization. The two sub-units of the case study relate to different attempts by the executive of the University of Natal to bring about consensus on the need for fundamental change and the nature of the change: through a more-or-less conventional strategic planning process; and by the adoption- as a strategic initiative- of the notion of becoming a learning organization. The two sub units are examined on the strength of University documents and interviews with past and present University office bearers and staff, within a conceptual framework of organizational theory derived mainly from Mintzberg, McGregor, and Senge. Both the strategic planning approach and the learning organization approach are seen to have failed as means of engineering consensual change and in the latter half of 1997 the University experiences a restructuring crisis as a result of financial pressures. A puzzle around restructuring, viz. why the University should pursue structural change which goes beyond the needs of simple cost-cutting and efficiency, is addressed first in terms of a perceived need for innovation, within the foregoing organizational theoretical framework. The analysis is then extended (effectively recontextualised) within a more pedagogic , social and political theoretical framework which is dependent largely on Bernstein. This analysis sees the changes being pursued at the University of Natal as being consistent with a shift in higher education generally to a market-dominated, competitive discourse in which University lecturers become knowledge entrepreneurs, competing within the institution and between institutions for scarce resources in response to perceived market needs . In this process, the narcissistic and introjected identities of academic departments, in which professionals in bounded disciplines determine priorities themselves , are replaced by projected identities and priorities are determined outside the discipline and the University. This cannot happen overnight. However , plans at the University of Natal to remove their administrative authority from academic departments are seen as a step in this direction

The experiences of two children with intellectual disability : a case study

Thesis (MEdPsych)--University of Stellenbosch, 2003.ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In the literature on research about children with disabilities, special education and inclusion, the voices of the children with disabilities are seldom heard. Historically research about disability and children has been framed within the medical or charity models of disability with prolific accounts of characteristics and treatment of disability, where professionals and caregivers respond on their behalf. In this case study the views are elicited of two ten-year old learners who are at a school for learners with special educational needs. They are invited to represent their experiences of both mainstream and special schooling, friendship, family and disability. The case study is a participatory research project, located within an interpretivist paradigm, influenced by the social model of disability and a feminist perspective. It makes use of a purposive sampling technique, interviews, observations and school documents and records. The interviews are mainly used to reflect the views of the learners on the life areas of schooling, friendship, family and disability. The learners are regarded as the insiders and seen as fit to represent their own meanings, and thereby make a contribution to the field of intellectual disability and childhood.AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: In die literatuur wat handelaar gestremde kinders, spesiale onderwys en inklusiwiteit, word die stemme van die gestremde kinders self nie dikwels gehoor nie. In die verlede is navorsing oor gestremdheid en kinders binne die raamwerk van mediese of welsynsmadelle van gestremdheid geplaas, wat aanleiding gegee het tot baie verslae oor die eienskappe en behandeling van gestremdhede, met professionele persone en versorgers wat namens die kinders praat. In hierdie gevallestudie word die menings van twee tienjarige leerders gevra. Hulle woon 'n skool vir leerders met spesiale leerbehoeftes by. Hulle is uitgenooi om hulle ervarings van beide hoofstroom- en spesiale onderwys, vriendskap, familielewe en gestremdheid weer te gee. Die gevallestudie is 'n deelnemende navorsingsprojek wat binne die interpretiewe paradigma hanteer is en wat deur die sosiale model van gestremdheid en 'n feministiese perspektief beïnvloed is. Dit maak gebruik van 'n doelbewuste selekteringstegniek, onderhoude, waarnemings en skooldokumente en -rekords. Die onderhoude word hoofsaaklik gebruik om die leerders se idees oor skool, vriendskap, familie en gestremdheid te weerspieël. Die leerders word gesien as die kundiges wat bevoeg is om hulle eie menings weer te gee, om sodoende 'n bydrae te kan maak tot die veld van intellektuele gestremdheid en kindwees

Implementation of a Novel Hydraulic Hybrid Powertrain in a Sports Utility Vehicle

Hydraulic hybrid transmissions offer an efficient and high performance alternative to electric hybrid transmission in on-road vehicles. One of the principle benefits of hydraulic over electric hybrids is the higher power density offered by their energy storage media. This enables hydraulic hybrids to capture virtually all of the available kinetic energy from braking. In contrast electric hybrids are often forced to dissipate part of this energy through friction brakes due to the lower power density inherent in their energy storage media. To date various hydraulic hybrid architectures have been investigated and put into production. However as is typically true there always exists room for improvement. This paper details the integration of a novel blended hydraulic hybrid transmission with improved performance and efficiency into a demonstration vehicle. Also included is a discussion of various unique control strategies which were designed for this powertrain as well as a discussion of initial measurement

Proto-professionalism: Opportunities for student learning and service to homeless people

The concepts of professionalism including ethical practice, reflection, self-awareness, respect, teamwork and social responsibility are present in the healthcare curriculum but rarely learned in combination. The concepts can be combined when students receive practical experiences on the challenges of delivering health and social care to populations experiencing poverty and disadvantage.  We report on work with homeless people in our local communities designed to align social accountability responsibilities with healthcare curricula through a student volunteering project; initially established in a medical school. Using an ethical approach we developed this learning through a staff-student-community partnership. The outcome was learning consisting of theoretical teaching, practice learning and the potential to volunteer. We report on the development phases over several years (2013-2017). The pedagogical evaluation used a sequential mixed methods approach.  One hundred and ninety-five student participants scored pre- and post-questionnaires.  Of these 75% completed reflective assignments and many went on to volunteer. Twenty of those who volunteered participated in one-to-one interviews. Scored data were analysed statistically and reflective written materials were analysed using content analysis. The interview data were analysed using thematic analysis. The learning was positively experience and students reported changed attitudes and understandings of homelessness. Practice-placements and volunteering further enhanced these insights and student’s perceptions of readiness for clinical practice.  This can be described as proto-professionalism.  The student-staff-community partnership offers an ethical platform on which to build sustainable local outreach projects. The students gained a deeper appreciation of social injustice for homeless people