The social worker as facilitator in inclusive education

Thesis (M Social Work(Social Work))--University of Stellenbosch, 2007.The study emanates from the social worker’s intervention as facilitator for learners with disabilities in inclusive education. The aim of the study was to explore and explain the role of the social worker as facilitator in inclusive education. When learners with disabilities are placed in mainstream schools, there should be some means whereby the mainstream school system provides specialised support for their needs. An exploratory research design together with a qualitative research approach was chosen in order to obtain knowledge, insight and understanding regarding the role of the social worker as facilitator for learners with disabilities in inclusive education. A literature review was conducted to obtain a perspective of research done in this field. Much research has been documented regarding inclusive education. However no research has been done regarding the role of the social worker as facilitator for learners with disabilities in inclusive education. The empirical investigation consisted of case studies of two boys during middle childhood that were included in inclusive schools with the help of a facilitator. The findings of the investigation were in line with what was found in the literature study, namely that learners with disabilities can function successfully in inclusive schools with the help of a facilitator. Throughout the discussion it seemed clear that the social worker does not need new skills to be able to facilitate learners with disabilities in inclusive schools. The social worker can draw on already existing skills as discussed in the study.Maste

The chronic effects of fish oil with exercise on postprandial lipaemia and chylomicron homeostasis in insulin resistant viscerally obese men

Background: Visceral obesity and insulin resistance are associated with a postprandial accumulation of atherogenic chylomicron remnants that is difficult to modulate with lipid-lowering therapies. Dietary fish oil and exercise are cardioprotective interventions that can significantly modify the metabolism of TAG-rich lipoproteins. In this study, we investigated whether chronic exercise and fish oil act in combination to affect chylomicron metabolism in obese men with moderate insulin resistance. Methods: The single blind study tested the effect of fish oil, exercise and the combined treatments on fasting and postprandial chylomicron metabolism. Twenty nine men with metabolic syndrome were randomly assigned to take fish oil or placebo for four weeks, before undertaking an additional 12 week walking program. At baseline and at the end of each treatment, subjects were tested for concentrations of fasting apo B48, plasma lipids and insulin. Postprandial apo B48 and TAG kinetics were also determined following ingestion of a fat enriched meal. Results: Combining fish oil and exercise resulted in a significant reduction in the fasting apo B48 concentration, concomitant with attenuation of fasting TAG concentrations and the postprandial TAGIAUC response (p < 0.05). Fish oil by itself reduced the postprandial TAG response (p < 0.05) but not postprandial apo B48 kinetics. Individual treatments of fish oil and exercise did not correspond with improvements in fasting plasma TAG and apo B48. Conclusion: Fish oil was shown to independently improve plasma TAG homeostasis but did not resolve hyper-chylomicronaemia. Instead, combining fish oil with chronic exercise reduced the plasma concentration of pro-atherogenic chylomicron remnants; in addition it reduced the fasting and postprandial TAG response in viscerally obese insulin resistant subjects

Neoliberalization of housing in Sweden: gentrification, filtering and social polarization

During the last twenty-five years, housing policy in Sweden has radically changed. Once forming a pillar of the comprehensive welfare system, abbreviated ‘the Swedish model’, neoliberal housing politics has established market-governed housing provision with a minimum of state engagement. This shift has had consequences on the social geography of housing conditions. The research reported here analyzes social geographic change in Sweden’s three largest cities, Stockholm, Gothenburg and Malmö, between 1986 and 2001, relating observed patterns of gentrification and filtering to cycles of accumulation and to neoliberalization of housing policies. First, we outline the neoliberalization of Swedish housing policies. We then present an empirical analysis of gentrification and filtering in the three cities, spanning two boom periods (1986-1991, 1996-2001) and a bust period (1991-1996). The data reveal social geographic polarization manifested in the growth of super-gentrification and low income filtering. The analysis also introduces the concept of ordinary gentrification, supporting the move in gentrification research towards a broad generic conception of the process. Political reforms after 2001 are summarized and we argue that these are behind the continued increase in inequality and that the social geographic polarization mapped between 1986 and 2001 has probably intensified during this decade

Prior exercise does not affect chylomicron particle number following a mixed meal of moderate fat content

BACKGROUND: A single session of exercise has been reported to reduce fasting and postprandial triacylglycerol concentrations on the subsequent day. It is possible that exercise also reduces chylomicron particle number, which may underlie the observed reduction in postprandial triacylglycerol concentration. In the present study we aimed to determine whether a single session of exercise reduces fasting and postprandial chylomicron particle number on the subsequent day. In a randomised crossover design eight lean and healthy male and female subjects attended two postprandial testing days. On the previous day the subjects either performed 90 minutes of moderate intensity exercise or did not perform any exercise. Fasting blood samples were then collected prior to ingestion of a moderate fat mixed meal (0.44 g fat, 0.94 g carbohydrate, 0.27 g protein/kg body weight), blood was then collected after 1 h, 2 h, 4 h, 6 h, and 8 h. RESULTS: The fasting and postprandial apolipoprotein B48 concentration (marker of chylomicron particle number) was not affected by prior exercise. However exercise reduced fasting triacylglycerol concentration by 16% (P < 0.05) and there was a trend towards a reduction in the total area under the postprandial triacylglycerol curve (23%; P = 0.053). However when corrected for baseline concentration postprandial triacylglycerol concentration was not affected by prior exercise. CONCLUSION: A single session of exercise of moderate intensity and 90 minutes duration reduces fasting triacylglycerol levels, however fasting and postprandial chylomicron particle number was unaffected. Furthermore it appears that previously observed reductions in postprandial triacylglycerol levels following exercise are only mediated following consumption of high, non-physiologically relevant doses of fat

Anatomy and Physiology I & II (GHC)

This Grants Collection for Anatomy and Physiology I & II was created under a Round Nine ALG Textbook Transformation Grant. Affordable Learning Georgia Grants Collections are intended to provide faculty with the frameworks to quickly implement or revise the same materials as a Textbook Transformation Grants team, along with the aims and lessons learned from project teams during the implementation process. Documents are in .pdf format, with a separate .docx (Word) version available for download. Each collection contains the following materials: Linked Syllabus Initial Proposal Final Reporthttps://oer.galileo.usg.edu/biology-collections/1022/thumbnail.jp

Restoration of dietary-fat induced blood-brain barrier dysfunction by anti-inflammatory lipid-modulating agents

Background: Several studies have identified use of non-steroidal-anti-inflammatory drugs and statins for prevention of dementia, but their efficacy in slowing progression is not well understood. Cerebrovascular disturbances are common pathological feature of Alzheimer’s disease. We previously reported chronic ingestion of saturated fatty acids (SFA) compromises blood–brain barrier (BBB) integrity resulting in cerebral extravasation of plasma proteins and inflammation. However, the SFA-induced parenchymal accumulation of plasma proteins could be prevented by co-administration of some cholesterol lowering agents. Restoration of BBB dysfunction is clinically relevant, so the purpose of this study was to explore lipid-lowering agents could reverse BBB disturbances induced by chronic ingestion of SFA’s. Methods: Wild-type mice were fed an SFA diet for 12 weeks to induce BBB dysfunction, and then randomised to receive atorvastatin, pravastatin or ibuprofen in combination with the SFA-rich diet for 2 or 8 weeks. Abundance of plasma-derived immunoglobulin-G (IgG) and amyloid-β enriched apolipoprotein (apo)-B lipoproteins within brain parenchyme were quantified utilising immunofluorescence microscopy. Results: Atorvastatin treatment for 2 and 8 weeks restored BBB integrity, indicated by a substantial reduction of IgG and apo B, particularly within the hippocampus. Pravastatin, a water-soluble statin was less effective than atorvastatin (lipid-soluble). Statin effects were independent of changes in plasma lipid homeostasis. Ibuprofen, a lipid-soluble cyclooxygenase inhibitor attenuated cerebral accumulation of IgG and apo B as effectively as atorvastatin. Our findings are consistent with the drug effects being independent of plasma lipid homeostasis. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that BBB dysfunction induced by chronic ingestion of SFA is reversible with timely introduction and sustained treatment with agents that suppress inflammatio

Entamoeba moshkovskii Infections in Children in Bangladesh

Entamoeba moshkovskii cysts are morphologically indistinguishable from those of the disease-causing species E. histolytica and the nonpathogenic E. dispar. Although sporadic cases of human infection with E. moshkovskii have been reported, the organism is considered primarily a free-living ameba. No simple molecular detection tool is available for diagnosing E. moshkovskii infections. We used polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to detect E. moshkovskii directly in stool. We tested 109 stool specimens from preschool children in Bangladesh by PCR; 17 were positive for E. histolytica (15.6%) and 39 were positive for E. dispar (35.8%). In addition, we found that 23 (21.1%) were positive for E. moshkovskii infection, and 17 (73.9%) of these also carried E. histolytica or E. dispar. The high association of E. moshkovskii with E. histolytica and E. dispar may have obscured its identification in previous studies. The high prevalence found in this study suggests that humans may be a true host for this ameba

A Comparison of MRI Quantitative Susceptibility Mapping and TRUST-Based Measures of Brain Venous Oxygen Saturation in Sickle Cell Anaemia

In recent years, interest has grown in the potential for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) measures of venous oxygen saturation (Yv) to improve neurological risk prediction. T2-relaxation-under-spin-tagging (TRUST) is an MRI technique which has revealed changes in Yv in patients with sickle cell anemia (SCA). However, prior studies comparing Yv in patients with SCA relative to healthy controls have reported opposing results depending on whether the calibration model, developed to convert blood T2 to Yv, is based on healthy human hemoglobin (HbA), bovine hemoglobin (HbBV) or sickle hemoglobin (HbS). MRI Quantitative Susceptibility Mapping (QSM) is an alternative technique that may hold promise for estimating Yv in SCA as blood magnetic susceptibility is linearly dependent upon Yv, and no significant difference has been found between the magnetic susceptibility of HbA and HbS. Therefore, the aim of this study was to compare estimates of Yv using QSM and TRUST with five published calibration models in healthy controls and patients with SCA. 17 patients with SCA and 13 healthy controls underwent MRI. Susceptibility maps were calculated from a multi-parametric mapping acquisition and Yv was calculated from the mean susceptibility in a region of interest in the superior sagittal sinus. TRUST estimates of T2, within a similar but much smaller region, were converted to Yv using five different calibration models. Correlation and Bland-Altman analyses were performed to compare estimates of Yv between TRUST and QSM methods. For each method, t-tests were also used to explore group-wise differences between patients with SCA and healthy controls. In healthy controls, significant correlations were observed between QSM and TRUST measures of Yv, while in SCA, there were no such correlations. The magnitude and direction of group-wise differences in Yv varied with method. The TRUST-HbBV and QSM methods suggested decreased Yv in SCA relative to healthy controls, while the TRUST-HbS (p < 0.01) and TRUST-HbA models suggested increased Yv in SCA as in previous studies. Further validation of all MRI measures of Yv, relative to ground truth measures such as O15 PET and jugular vein catheterization, is required in SCA before QSM or TRUST methods can be considered for neurological risk prediction