The rationale for a wider concept of Inclusive Education for teacher education: A case-study of Serbia

Teacher education for inclusive education (IE) is recognized as vital for improving quality and equity in education globally. In the Western Balkan countries it is also part of the transition process towards joining the European Union and has attracted international funding for IE-related projects. A key finding from research funded by the European Training Foundation, carried out by the authors as members of a seven-country research team in 2009-2010, was that the prevailing local understanding of IE was very narrow. In this article we hypothesize the reasons for this finding. We use a case study of school and teacher education systems in Serbia to explore how this understanding has constrained the development of IE and associated teacher education and limited the efficacy of some recent internationally supported developments. We identify both challenges and possible ways forward for teacher education for IE based on promoting a concept of IE that is both collaboratively agreed and comprehensive. © 2012 UNESCO IBE

The assessment of pain in older people

Pain is under-recognised and under-treated in older people. It is a subjective, personal experience, only known to the person who suffers. The assessment of pain is particularly challenging in the presence of severe cognitive impairment, communication difficulties or language and cultural barriers. These guidelines set out the key components of assessing pain in older people, together with a variety of practical scales that may be used with different groups, including those with varying levels of cognitive or communication impairment. The purpose is to provide professionals with a set of practical skills to assess pain as the first step towards its effective management. The guidance has implications for all healthcare and social care staff and can be applied in all settings, including the older person’s own home, in care homes, and in hospital

Discussion article : discourse markers, modal particles, and contrastive analysis, synchronic and diachronic

I discuss three issues common to papers in the present issue of CatJL by Aijmer, Bazzanella et al., and Waltereit and Detges. One is modal uses of discourse markers and distinctions between discourse markers and modal particles. The second is evidence provided by the papers for diachronic changes that individual markers underwent; the distinction between grammaticalization and pragmaticalization is considered and challenged. Finally, I raise some issues regarding the methodology of data-selection in contrastive studies.En aquest article discutim tres elements comuns a les contribucions d'Aijmer, Bazzanella et al., i Waltereit i Detges a aquest volum de CatJL. Un és els usos modals dels marcadors del discurs i les distincions entre marcadors del discurs i partícules modals. El segon són les proves que els articles aporten per al canvi diacrònic que han patit els marcadors concrets que s'hi estudien, en relació amb la distinció entre gramaticalització i pragmaticalització. Finalment, plantegem algunes qüestions relatives a la metodologia de selecció de dades en estudis contrastius

NASA's climate data system primer, version 1.2

This is a beginner's manual for NASA's Climate Data System (NCDS), an interactive scientific information management system that allows one to locate, access, manipulate, and display climate-research data. Additional information on the use of the system is available from the system itself

Associação do estado nutricional e do índice de alimentação saudável com síndrome metabólica em idosos

Introduction: as the population ages there is an increased incidence of chronic diseases such as Metabolic Syndrome (MS). Metabolic Syndrome has a multifactorial etiology and nutrition is a major environmental factor. The Healthy Eating Index (HEI) is an instrument used to measure the overall quality of food and its adequacy to dietary guidelines. Objective: to describe the HEI of elderly patients of a geriatric outpatient clinic and to determine its association with MS. Methodology: cross-sectional, descriptive and analytical study, involving the evaluation of 186 elderly aged 60 years and older, seen at the Geriatric Outpatient Clinic of São Lucas Hospital-PUCRS, between November 2009 and December 2010. For the dietary assessment, two 24-hour dietary recalls were used and food intake was assessed through the HEI adapted to the Brazilian population, consisting of 10 components, each representing different aspects of a healthy diet. Components 1-5 measure the degree of adequacy of the intake according to the Brazilian food pyramid; components 6 and 7 measure the percentage of total fat and saturated fat in relation to the total energy intake; components 8 and 9 measure total cholesterol and sodium intake and the last component measures the variety of the diet. The following cutoff points for HEI were adopted: 80 points: healthy diet. Measurements of height and weight (to calculate body mass index - BMI) and waist circumference (WC) were also obtained. For the diagnosis of MS, we used the NCEP-ATP III criteria revised. Sociodemographic data were collected through questionnaires. Results: The average HEI score was 62. 8 ± 10. 1. Only 2. 2% of the elderly showed a healthy diet, 84. 4% a diet that needed modifications and 13. 4% an inadequate diet. Elderly blacks had a lower score than non-blacks (P = 0. 031). Lower scores for the intake of fruit, meat, eggs and pulses and higher scores for the intake of total fat, cholesterol and sodium were observed. Additionally, most elder showed an adequate consumption of cholesterol and sodium (score 10 = 68. 3% and 62. 9% respectively). When the association with sex was analyzed, there was a statistical significance only in relation to cholesterol intake, with men showing an inadequate intake more often (P = 0. 001). Less than 3% of the elders have achieved a suitable score for the diet variety. The HEI categories were associated with a higher intake of carbohydrates and a lower fat intake, specifically saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids and cholesterol. There was an association between sodium intake (a lower sodium intake was proportional to an increase in HEI) and zinc (consumption is greater among individuals with an inadequate diet) with the categories of HEI. The HEI total score was similar between those with and without MS, but the score for fruits and vegetables was significantly lower among individuals with MS (P = 0. 030). There was no significant association between the HEI and the measurements of BMI and WC. Individuals with MS were more often overweight whereas individuals without MS were more often underweight. Conclusion: most of the elderly presented a diet that needs modification. The prevalence of MS was high among the elderly. There was no association between with MS, HEI and anthropometric measures.Introdução: com o envelhecimento populacional, observa-se um aumento da incidência de doenças crônicas não transmissíveis como a Síndrome Metabólica (SM). A SM possui etiologia multicausal, sendo a alimentação um fator ambiental importante. O Índice de Alimentação Saudável (IAS) é um instrumento utilizado para medir a qualidade global da alimentação e sua adequação às diretrizes dietéticas. Objetivo: descrever o IAS em idosos atendidos em um ambulatório geriátrico e determinar sua associação com SM. Métodos: estudo transversal, descritivo-analítico que envolveu a avaliação de 186 idosos, com 60 anos ou mais, em atendimento no ambulatório de triagem do Serviço de Geriatria do Hospital São Lucas da PUCRS, entre novembro de 2009 e novembro de 2010. Para o inquérito alimentar foram utilizados dois recordatórios de 24 horas e o consumo foi avaliado pelo IAS adaptado para a população brasileira, constituído de 10 componentes, cada um representando diferentes aspectos de uma dieta saudável. Os componentes medem: 1-5= o grau de adequação do consumo à pirâmide alimentar brasileira; 6 e 7= o percentual de gordura total e de gordura saturada em relação ao valor energético total; 8 e 9= o total de colesterol e sódio ingerido e o último examina a variedade da dieta. Foram adotados os seguintes pontos de corte para o IAS: 80 pontos: dieta saudável. Foram também obtidas as medidas de peso e altura (para calcular o índice de massa corporal - IMC) e a circunferência abdominal (CA). Para o diagnóstico da SM, foi utilizado o critério NCEP-ATP III revisado. Os dados sóciodemográficos foram coletados através de questionários. Resultados: O escore médio do IAS foi de 62,8±10,1. Somente 2,2% dos idosos apresentaram uma dieta saudável, 84,4% uma dieta que necessita modificações e 13,4% uma dieta inadequada. Idosos da raça negra obtiveram escore inferior aos não negros (P= 0,031). Observaram-se escores mais baixos para a ingestão de frutas, carnes, ovos e leguminosas e mais altos para a ingestão de gordura total, colesterol e sódio. Adicionalmente, a maioria dos idosos demonstrou um consumo de colesterol e sódio adequados (escore 10: 68,3% e 62,9% respectivamente). Ao se analisar a associação com sexo, observou-se diferença estatisticamente significativa apenas em relação à ingestão de colesterol, sendo que os homens apresentaram, mais frequentemente, uma ingestão inadequada (P= 0,001). Menos de 3% dos idosos alcançaram um escore adequado para a variedade da dieta. As categorias do IAS mostraram associação com maior ingestão de carboidratos e menor ingestão de lipídios, especificamente os ácidos graxos monoinsaturados e saturados e o colesterol. Observou-se associação entre ingestão de sódio (consumo menor de sódio foi proporcional ao aumento do IAS) e zinco (consumo maior entre os indivíduos com dieta inadequada) com as categorias do IAS. Na associação do IAS com a SM, o escore total do IAS foi semelhante entre os idosos com e sem SM, mas o escore para verduras e legumes foi significativamente menor entre os indivíduos com SM (P= 0,030). Não houve associação significativa entre o IAS e as medidas do IMC e CA. Os indivíduos com SM apresentaram, mais frequentemente, excesso de peso e os sem SM, baixo peso. Conclusão: a maioria dos idosos apresentou uma dieta que necessita de modificação. A prevalência de SM foi considerada elevada entre os idosos. Não houve associação do IAS com SM e medidas antropométricas

Using the MRC Framework for Complex Interventions to Develop Clinical Decision Support: A Case Study.

The Medical Research Council (MRC) framework for complex interventions provides useful guidance to assist with the development and evaluation of health technology interventions such as decision support. In this paper we briefly summarise a project that focused on designing a decision support intervention to assist with the recognition, assessment and management of pain in patients with dementia in an acute hospital setting. We reflect on our experience of using the MRC framework to guide our study design, and highlight the importance of considering decision support interventions as complex interventions

FUNDAMENTOS DO SERVIÇO SOCIAL: UMA ANÁLISE DAS PRODUÇÕES NOS PERIÓDICOS DA ÁREA

Resumo O presente trabalho sistematiza dados de tese sobre os Fundamentos do Serviço Social com base na teoria social marxista, a qual analisa como estes se constituem e se expressam na produção de conhecimento da área. Apresenta-se resultados de pesquisa quanti-qualitativa que analisou as produções publicadas em 11 periódicos da área nas últimas duas décadas (1993 a 2013), totalizando 2031 artigos revisados, conformando um banco de dados composto por 324 artigos que possuem descritores relacionados aos Fundamentos do Serviço Social. Verificou-se que a produção que aborda diretamente os Fundamentos é bastante diminuta não atingindo 1% das publicações dos periódicos (0,49%) e que a totalidade de artigos que tratam de temáticas relativas aos Fundamentos também é reduzida (15,91%)