The Accessible Toilet Design Resource

This Accessible Toilet Design Resource has been produced from new primary research carried out within VivaCity 2020, a large university-based research consortium that is developing tools and resources to support the design of socially inclusive cities. The consortium is funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC). It was set up in 2003 and will complete its work in 2008. The Resource is concerned primarily with the design of the accessible toilet cubicle that should be provided for customer or public use wherever there is standard toilet provision. Though it may make reference to other types of toilet cubicles, urinals, automatic public conveniences (APCs) or grouped toilet provision, the location and design of these facilities are not addressed in great detail here. The location and design of accessible toilet facilities merits this independent, detailed scrutiny because it is essential to provide these facilities and to design them correctly, so that disabled people can participate on equal terms to able-bodied people in every aspect of city life

Skeletal evidence of tuberculosis and treponematosis in a prehistoric population from west-central Illinois

Interpreting the health of ancient populations can be an arduous undertaking. Often, the only evidence available for such interpretation is the skeletal remains of past individuals. Paleopathologists examine these in order to garner a perspective of how previous groups responded to disease and also how humans and pathogens have coevolved and adapted to one another. The purpose of this study is to determine the presence of tuberculosis (TB) and treponematosis in the Orendorf population, a Middle Mississippian group who inhabited the central Illinois River valley from A.D. 1150-1250. The belief is that Orendorf will exhibit evidence of these pathologies in their skeletal remains, based upon the presence of TB and treponematosis in other Mississippian societies with comparable cultural manifestations (maize agriculture, trade, similar settlement patterns). Also determined in this investigation is the frequency of these diseases by calculating prevalence. The total number of individuals excavated in the Orendorf cemetery is 284. However, only adults are chosen for study, for a subsample of 117 individuals. The remains are subjected to macroscopic and radiological examination for skeletal markers of TB and treponematosis. Those who demonstrate suspicious-looking lesions are placed into one of two categories based upon the characteristics of the lesions.Possible lesions are suggestive of the diseases in question, but are ambiguous enough to prevent classification in the likely category, which likely fulfill the diagnostic criteria. Differential diagnosis, a rigorous methodology commonly employed in paleopathological research, is then applied to these cases in order to determine the responsible disease process. It is discovered that there are 2 possible and 1 likely cases of TB and 4 possible and 3 likely cases of treponematosis. Prevalence rates are 2.6% for TB and 6.0% for treponematosis, respectively. These results suggest that these disease were present in chronic form in Orendorf. When comparing the results to other Mississippian and non-Mississippian sites, it is found that there are no significant differences in the numbers of individuals affected, except when comparing TB in Orendorf to Norris Farms #36, a later Oneota population. In addition, future epidemiological investigations may be conducted on this population, in order to garner a more comprehensive view of their health

Membrane protein variation in Dictyostelium mucoroides during development along alternative pathways.

Introduction: Dictyostelium is a genus of cellular slime mold which is important in developmental research. The first cellular slime mold to be discovered was Dictyostelium mucoroides. It was discovered by Brefeld in 1869. However, the cellular slime mold most widely used in developmental research today is Dictyostelium discoideum, discovered by Raper in 1935

Inclusive Design of 'Away from Home' Toilets

This book chapter was the culmination of Bichard’s work for the EPSRC-funded VivaCity2020 research consortium (http://www.vivacity2020.co.uk, 2003-2008). The edited book focused on design for sustainability of the 24-hour city from the multidisciplinary perspective of the VivaCity2020 project (physical and social sciences, engineering and design). Considering key issues of sustainability and quality of life, it highlights innovative decision- making in urban planning and environmental design. Bichard and Hanson’s (UCL) chapter presents inclusive design research undertaken by Bichard for the project on sustainable city toilet provision, and includes a design guidance review and results from an audit tool applied to 101 cubicles around England. The audit found that no cubicle had fully followed design recommendations. Interviews with 250 people identified challenges to toilet access within the city and informed the design of 42 ‘personas’ as ‘decision-making tools’ for architects, designers and planners. Design templates for the layout of cubicles for a range of abilities, including the need for an adult changing bench, were also presented. Bichard’s work on the VivaCity2020 project also included a design guide, The Accessible Toilet Resource (1147 Downloads from 18 countries), a further book chapter, ‘Designing accessible technology’, four journal articles (for Senses & Society and Access by Design, the journal of the Centre of Accessible Environments), six conference papers, two conference posters and two book reviews (for Social & Cultural Geography and Gender, Place & Culture). Bichard received funding for further work as co-investigator on Tackling Ageing Continence through Theory, Tools & Technology (TACT3) funded by the cross-Council ‘New Dynamics of Ageing Programme’ (£1.3m, 2008–12), and as principal investigator of Robust Accessible Toilets (RATs), funded by the cross-Research Council Connected Communities Programme (£12,000, 2011). In addition, she was guest editor of a special issue of The Design Journal on inclusive design (2013)

Knowledge of and Perceptions About Agricultural Communications Competencies as Perceived by Oklahoma Agricultural Education Teachers

The purpose of this study was to determine Oklahoma agricultural educators' basic knowledge level and perceptions about agricultural communications, especially as they related to the secondary curriculum for agricultural education. Participants were agricultural educators who attended the five district meetings during the 2006 Career Tech Summer Conference. Each respondent was asked to complete a three-part instrument.Findings and Conclusions: Oklahoma agricultural education teachers perceived 46 agricultural communications competencies in five constructs held much importance for high school agricultural education curriculum. Respondents perceived themselves to have high ability to teach ethics, leadership development, and professional development competencies and communications history competencies, and perceived their ability to teach communications history competencies, public relations, advertising, and marketing competencies, and research, information gathering, and writing competencies as average. Respondents did not have adequate knowledge to teach agricultural communications courses, which was not congruent with teachers' perceptions of ability.Department of Agricultural Education, Communications, and Leadershi