Work environment-related factors in obtaining and maintaining work in a competitive employment setting for employees with intellectual disabilities:A systematic review

Background  People with an intellectual disability value work as a significant part of their lives, and many of them want to participate in regular paid employment. Current estimates show that the number of people with ID who have some form of paid employment are very low, ranging from 9 to 40 % across different countries, despite legislations. This review examines papers published in the past 20 years in an attempt to answer the following research question: 'What work environment-related factors contribute to obtaining or maintaining work in competitive employment for people with an intellectual disability?'  Method  The databases of PubMed, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Embase and Web of Science were searched for relevant papers published between 1993 and 2013. All papers were independently screened by two researchers. Methodological quality of the studies was evaluated, and data on work environment-related factors stimulating employment for people with intellectual disabilities were extracted and grouped into categories.  Results  A total of 1932 articles were retrieved. After extensive screening for relevance and quality, 26 articles were included in this review. Four themes/categories with work environment-related factors that could influence work participation were distinguished. Five studies were conducted on employers' decisions and opinions. Eight focused on job content and performance, and eight on workplace interaction and culture. Five studies evaluated support by job coaches.  Conclusion  Despite ongoing legislation to promote participation of people with intellectual disabilities in the paid workforce, research in this area is still extremely scarce. In the past 20 years, very few studies have focused on work environment-related factors that can enhance competitive work for people with intellectual disabilities. This review shows that relevant work environment-related factors for obtaining and maintaining work in competitive employment include supporting the employers by paying specific attention to: employer's decisions, job content, integration and work culture and job coaches

Ischemic preconditioning improves maximal performance in humans

Repeated episodes of ischemia followed by reperfusion, commonly referred to as ischemic preconditioning (IPC), represent an endogenous protective mechanism that delays cell injury. IPC also increases blood flow and improves endothelial function. We hypothesize that IPC will improve physical exercise performance and maximal oxygen consumption. The purpose of the study was to examine the effect of ischemic preconditioning in leg skeletal muscles on cycling exercise performance in healthy individuals. Fifteen healthy, well-trained subjects performed two incremental maximal exercise tests on a bicycle ergometer. Power output, oxygen consumption, ventilation, respiratory quotient, and heart rate were measured continuously. Blood pressure and blood lactate were measured before and after the test. One exercise test was performed after the application of ischemic preconditioning, using a protocol of three series of 5-min ischemia at both legs with resting periods of 5 min in between. The other maximal cycling test served as a control. Tests were conducted in counterbalanced order, at least 1 week apart, at the same time of the day. The repeated ischemic periods significantly increased maximal oxygen consumption from 56.8 to 58.4 ml/min per kg (P = 0.003). Maximal power output increased significantly from 366 to 372 W (P = 0.05). Ischemic preconditioning had no effect on ventilation, respiratory quotient, maximal heart rate, blood pressure or on blood lactate. Repeated short-term leg ischemia prior to an incremental bicycle exercise test improves maximal oxygen consumption by 3% and power output by 1.6%. This protocol, which is suggested to mimic the effects of ischemic preconditioning, may have important implications for exercise performance

Evaluating the Effectiveness of an Autism-Specific Workplace Tool for Employers: A Randomised Controlled Trial

A randomised controlled trial evaluated the effectiveness of the Integrated Employment Success Tool (IEST™) in improving employers’ self-efficacy in modifying the workplace for individuals on the autism spectrum. Employers (N = 84) were randomised to the IEST™ or support as usual groups. Measurements of self-efficacy, knowledge and attitudes towards disability in the workplace were obtained at baseline and post-test. Results revealed a significant improvement in self-efficacy within the IEST™ group between baseline and post-test (p = 0.016). At post-test, there were no significant differences between groups in relation to self-efficacy in implementing autism-specific workplace modifications and employer attitudes towards disability in the workplace. Given the lack of significant outcomes, further research is needed to determine the effectiveness of the IEST™ for employers

WINSL

Wintelre-Slikdijk 2

Bergbezinkbassin bij onderzoeksgebied Herkenbosch-Keulsebaan; aardgastransportleidingtracé Odiliapeel-Melick (A-665), catalogusnummer ML, gemeente Roerdalen; archeologisch onderzoek: proefsleuven en begeleiding.

In opdracht van N.V. Nederlandse Gasunie heeft RAAP Archeologisch Adviesbureau in juni-juli 2012 een proefsleuvenonderzoek en een archeologische begeleiding uitgevoerd ter plaatse van onderzoeksgebied Keulsebaan te Herkenbosch (gemeente Roerdalen), waar een bergbezinkbassin gerealiseerd ging worden. Tijdens onderhavig onderzoek werd circa 2.800 m² onderzocht. In het onderzoeksgebied zijn twee vindplaatsen aangetroffen. De oudste vindplaats (vindplaats 1) bestaat uit een aantal (paal)kuilen en een vondstconcentratie. Deze maken deel uit van een nederzetting. De kuilen kunnen geassocieerd worden met handgevormd aardewerk, natuursteen en, in mindere mate, verbrande leem en bot. Op basis van de studie van het aardewerk en 14C-dateringen worden de sporen gedateerd in de overgangsperiode van de Vroege naar de Midden IJzertijd. Bijzonder was de vondstconcentratie, die bestond uit verbrand natuursteen (kookstenen, 55 kg) en aardewerk (649 stuks). Door de afwezigheid van houtskool lijkt het er niet op dat het om een haard, brandplek of afvaldump gaat. Het lijkt erop dat de vondsten opzettelijk zijn gedeponeerd. De betekenis blijft een raadsel, omdat een duidelijke context (kern of periferie nederzetting?) ontbreekt. Bovendien zijn geen parallellen bekend waar zowel kookstenen als verbrand aardewerk in een ondiepe kuil werden achtergelaten. Een mogelijke interpretatie is dat de vondstconcentratie deel heeft uitgemaakt van een verlatingsritueel of een bepaalde etappe binnen het ritueel (zoals het bereiden van een maaltijd). De jongste vindplaats (vindplaats 2) bestaat uit houtskoolmeilers. Twee van deze meilers werden gedateerd middels 14C-onderzoek; beide meilers blijken uit de Volle Middeleeuwen te dateren. Van zeven houtskoolmeilers werd het houtskool onderzocht. Nagenoeg al het houtskool betreft eikenhout, waarbij zowel stam- als noesthout, en hout met zowel brede als smalle jaarringen (resp. gegroeid in goede en slechte omstandigheden) werd gebruikt. Dit is een aanwijzing dat men selectief te werk is gegaan bij de keuze voor de te gebruiken houtsoort. De sporen in het onderzoeksgebied zijn opgegraven tijdens de begeleiding waardoor geen verdere restricties meer gelden. Tijdens het veldwerk zijn sporen van deze vindplaatsen opgegraven. Dit betekent dat het onderzoeksgebied kan worden vrijgegeven. Er gelden dan ook geen restricties ten aanzien van de aanleg van het bergbezinkbassin. Op basis van de bevindingen van dit onderzoek neemt de gemeente Roerdalen een selectiebesluit

Human intellectual disability genes form conserved functional modules in Drosophila

Contains fulltext : 124936.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access)Intellectual Disability (ID) disorders, defined by an IQ below 70, are genetically and phenotypically highly heterogeneous. Identification of common molecular pathways underlying these disorders is crucial for understanding the molecular basis of cognition and for the development of therapeutic intervention strategies. To systematically establish their functional connectivity, we used transgenic RNAi to target 270 ID gene orthologs in the Drosophila eye. Assessment of neuronal function in behavioral and electrophysiological assays and multiparametric morphological analysis identified phenotypes associated with knockdown of 180 ID gene orthologs. Most of these genotype-phenotype associations were novel. For example, we uncovered 16 genes that are required for basal neurotransmission and have not previously been implicated in this process in any system or organism. ID gene orthologs with morphological eye phenotypes, in contrast to genes without phenotypes, are relatively highly expressed in the human nervous system and are enriched for neuronal functions, suggesting that eye phenotyping can distinguish different classes of ID genes. Indeed, grouping genes by Drosophila phenotype uncovered 26 connected functional modules. Novel links between ID genes successfully predicted that MYCN, PIGV and UPF3B regulate synapse development. Drosophila phenotype groups show, in addition to ID, significant phenotypic similarity also in humans, indicating that functional modules are conserved. The combined data indicate that ID disorders, despite their extreme genetic diversity, are caused by disruption of a limited number of highly connected functional modules