Can a Self Assessement Tool for Environmental Controls which has been Informed by Users be of Benefit to Potential Users

This dissertation looks at the area of environmental control systems (ECS) also known as electronic aids for daily living for people with disabilities. These systems allow an individual with a disability to control devices such as a television, music player, telephone as well as a door, window or curtain controllers. A self-assessment tool was developed for potential users, which was informed by the feedback of (i) users who use or who have used environmental control systems, (ii) Enable Ireland staff who were involved in the service delivery of ECS and (iii) companies who install ECS for individuals with disabilities. These stakeholders were interviewed by a guided interview based on the research on assistive technology models. Results of interviews informed the self-assessment tool development. After the self-assessment tool was developed it was evaluated by potential users to see what benefits it had for potential users

MAG: Clearing Improvised Landmines in Iraq

MAG’s recent experience in the Middle East has shown that clearing improvised landmines can be achieved even in the most complex humanitarian contexts. It is imperative that detail and specificity is given to discussions on improvised devices if we are to avoid negative repercussions for the safety of beneficiaries and humanitarian workers

PDX Next: Redesigning Portland International Airport

If you like PDX now, wait till you see PDX Next. We’re outgrowing our current digs. In the coming years, we expect our annual passengers to jump from 20 million to 35 million. Over the next five years, a series of transformative projects will bring more Pacific Northwest-inspired architecture, local restaurants and shops, inclusive design, and carbon footprint-reducing technology. We’re rolling out a series of improvements over the next few years so that your trip to and from PDX is easier and speedier. We’re making space for light-rail and bike-path enhancements. A dedicated ride hailing pickup area will streamline the entire experience. A new flexible transit hub will add close-in parking spots and bring all car rentals on-site. Among the largest projects in the airport’s history, the iconic new terminal will double the size of the current ticketing and lobby area when it opens. This cornerstone project will give us the flexibility to meet the demands of the future, all while capturing the signature spirit of the Pacific Northwest and keeping the heart and soul of PDX intact.https://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/trec_seminar/1181/thumbnail.jp

It\u27s for sale, but I\u27m keeping it

This car is a money pit. I can\u27t stand it. I keepspending thousands of dollars of hard earnedcash to keep it running but all I\u27m getting ou

Public opinion and consociationalism in Northern Ireland: Towards the ‘end stage’ of the power-sharing lifecycle?

Consociationalism’s uneven performance has focussed attention on the (possible) end stage of power-sharing systems. Northern Ireland, once lauded a consociational success, is now discussed among consociational failures. We use new public opinion data to assess consociationalism in Northern Ireland from a citizen’s perspective, exploring support for, trust in, and knowledge of power-sharing. We show that public attachment to the principles of power-sharing is higher than might be expected, despite dissatisfaction with the practical operation of the institutions. Whilst trust in the Assembly is low, trust in some Executive ministers is higher. The results from a political knowledge test are suggestive of healthy (if critical) political engagement. Support for power-sharing is, however, lopsided vis-à-vis the region’s two ethnonational communities. Citizens therefore offer a mixed verdict which, while not a ringing endorsement of the status quo, does not suggest the end of power-sharing. Assessments of power-sharing elsewhere could make similar use of public opinion

Anaplastic Thyroid Cancer: The Addition of Systemic Chemotherapy to Radiotherapy Led to an Observed Improvement in Survival—A Single Centre Experience and Review of the Literature

Introduction. Anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC) is rare yet accounts for up to 50% of all thyroid cancer deaths. This study reviews outcomes of patients with confirmed ATC referred to a tertiary oncology centre plus reviews the literature to explore how poor outcomes may be improved. Materials and Methods. The management and outcomes of 20 patients with ATC were reviewed. Results. Median age at diagnosis was 69.5 years. 19 patients died due to ATC, 40% of whom died from asphyxiation. Median survival for all cases was 59 days. Patients who had previous surgery prior to other treatment modalities had a longer median survival overall compared to those who had not had previous surgery (142 days compared to 59 days) and produced the one long-term survivor. Chemotherapy followed by radiotherapy (without previous surgery) was associated with longer median survival (220 days). Palliative radiotherapy alone did not decrease the rate of death by asphyxiation when compared to other single modality treatments. Conclusion. Multimodality treatment including surgery when feasible remains the best strategy to improve survival and prevent death from asphyxiation in the management of ATC. The addition of chemotherapy to our institutional protocol led to improved survival but prognosis remains very poor

Lents: Alternatives for the Future

This document is the complement to the Issues Analysis. The Issues Analysis looked at the problems and issues which confront the Lents neighborhood. This document proposes actions that can be taken to address the issues identified in the previous analysis. Each section, e.g. Environment, Transportation, etc., has its own goals and subsequent objectives and actions. A goal is a broad statement of what is the desired outcome for the neighborhood. More specific objectives identify what needs to be done to improve things and to remedy the identified problems. The actions are means to achieve an objective. Specific potential implementers are then proposed for each action suggested. Interconnections between different sections exist for many problems and solutions. For example, the light rail alignment is a transportation issue but has ramifications in all aspects of life. Because of the inter-relatedness of the urban system, it was concluded that a unifying vision would be the best vehicle to present the means of addressing the neighborhood\u27s issues. Three distinct visions of potential futures for the neighborhood of Lents are presented below. The time scale for these visions is long, approximately 50 years. This allows for three distinctly different visions for Lents. The three visions are; Status Quo, Urban Villages and Regional Attractor. The visions act to encompass all the linkages and provide direction towards a unified future state of existence for the neighborhood. An urban system, like any system, needs to have connection and continuity between its various parts for it to function efficiently. The visions are a means of achieving this. In the Status Quo vision the neighborhood will continue to move through time without major adjustments to its existing state. The actions for change are congruent with the existing state of the neighborhood. Goals and objectives for this vision relate directly to current neighborhood concerns. The suggested actions work towards alleviating current problems and making the neighborhood a better place to live, work and do business. The land use structure and neighborhood function would be not be altered in any significant way. The Urban Village\u27s fundamental idea is to strive for neighborhood selfsufficiency. The neighborhood is separated into nodes or activity centers. A node or activity center is a relatively small area of diverse and intense activity. The nodes help to define residents\u27 sense of neighborhood. A node might have a public open space, such as a developed park, which would be surrounded by mixed-use development, commercial on the first floor and residential above. The nodes would be linked by pedestrian friendly greenways (streets improved with trees and flora) encouraging walking as the preferred mode of transportation. Density would be increased around the nodes to further encourage pedestrian travel and make businesses economically viable to customers using this mode of travel. Educational facilities would be linked closely to neighborhood needs, and cottage industries would be encouraged. In the Regional Attractor vision, the neighborhood would serve a specialized function to the whole metropolitan region. The focus would switch from mainly residential concerns to primaily employment generating concerns. Industry and business would be the critical elements in this neighborhood vision. Automobile or transit use would be the major modes of travel to ensure the neighborhood has regional accessibility. The neighborhood would serve as a single component within a regional system. This document will explore each of these visions in greater depth and present the means to making the vision a reality. While no single vision of Lents will seem preferable to everyone, the hope in presenting these three distinctly different potential futures for the neighborhood, is to reinforce an understanding of the tradeoffs that must be considered when developing a Lents plan. The intent is not to actually see the implementation of one of these visions, but rather to make the choices that must be made between one action and another more explicit. Our sincere hope is that any dialoque this document provokes will be one in which the interests of all Lents residents, present and future, are considered