Nothing Lasts Forever: Environmental Discourses on the Collapse of Past Societies

The study of the collapse of past societies raises many questions for the theory and practice of archaeology. Interest in collapse extends as well into the natural sciences and environmental and sustainability policy. Despite a range of approaches to collapse, the predominant paradigm is environmental collapse, which I argue obscures recognition of the dynamic role of social processes that lie at the heart of human communities. These environmental discourses, together with confusion over terminology and the concepts of collapse, have created widespread aporia about collapse and resulted in the creation of mixed messages about complex historical and social processes

Hypnosis in pediatrics: applications at a pediatric pulmonary center

BACKGROUND: This report describes the utility of hypnosis for patients who presented to a Pediatric Pulmonary Center over a 30 month period. METHODS: Hypnotherapy was offered to 303 patients from May 1, 1998 – October 31, 2000. Patients offered hypnotherapy included those thought to have pulmonary symptoms due to psychological issues, discomfort due to medications, or fear of procedures. Improvement in symptoms following hypnosis was observed by the pulmonologist for most patients with habit cough and conversion reaction. Improvement of other conditions for which hypnosis was used was gauged based on patients' subjective evaluations. RESULTS: Hypnotherapy was associated with improvement in 80% of patients with persistent asthma, chest pain/pressure, habit cough, hyperventilation, shortness of breath, sighing, and vocal cord dysfunction. When improvement was reported, in some cases symptoms resolved immediately after hypnotherapy was first employed. For the others improvement was achieved after hypnosis was used for a few weeks. No patients' symptoms worsened and no new symptoms emerged following hypnotherapy. CONCLUSIONS: Patients described in this report were unlikely to have achieved rapid improvement in their symptoms without the use of hypnotherapy. Therefore, hypnotherapy can be an important complementary therapy for patients in a pediatric practice

How do parents experience being asked to enter a child in a randomised controlled trial?

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>As the number of randomised controlled trials of medicines for children increases, it becomes progressively more important to understand the experiences of parents who are asked to enrol their child in a trial. This paper presents a narrative review of research evidence on parents' experiences of trial recruitment focussing on qualitative research, which allows them to articulate their views in their own words.</p> <p>Discussion</p> <p>Parents want to do their best for their children, and socially and legally their role is to care for and protect them yet the complexities of the medical and research context can challenge their fulfilment of this role. Parents are simultaneously responsible for their child and cherish this role yet they are dependent on others when their child becomes sick. They are keen to exercise responsibility for deciding to enter a child in a trial yet can be fearful of making the 'wrong' decision. They make judgements about the threat of the child's condition as well as the risks of the trial yet their interpretations often differ from those of medical and research experts. Individual pants will experience these and other complexities to a greater or lesser degree depending on their personal experiences and values, the medical situation of their child and the nature of the trial. Interactions at the time of trial recruitment offer scope for negotiating these complexities if practitioners have the flexibility to tailor discussions to the needs and situation of individual parents. In this way, parents may be helped to retain a sense that they have acted as good parents to their child whatever decision they make.</p> <p>Summary</p> <p>Discussing randomised controlled trials and gaining and providing informed consent is challenging. The unique position of parents in giving proxy consent for their child adds to this challenge. Recognition of the complexities parents face in making decisions about trials suggests lines for future research on the conduct of trials, and ultimately, may help improve the experience of trial recruitment for all parties.</p

User Study: A Detailed View on the Effectiveness and Design of Tactile Charts

Part 1: Accessibility Design PrinciplesInternational audienceCharts such as bar or pie charts are often used to represent data and their relation. Tactile charts are widely used to enable blind and visually-impaired people to explore charts through the sense of touch. Effective tactile chart design differs from its visual counterpart due to sequential nature of touch. Accordingly, in a study with 48 blind and visually-impaired participants we investigated the preferences for chart types, design features and errors in reading data values. We developed bar, line and pie charts as well as scatterplots with different layouts and novel design properties. Participants answered questions concerning the readability, content and data, specific design aspects as well as a personal rating. Overall, participants answered 80% of nominal questions regarding minima, maxima, and comparisons, correctly. Blind participants achieved a corrected mean error rate of 4.5%, when reading single points or intersections, for example. More specifically, we directly compare chart types, and discuss the results for specific design considerations (e.g. distances between bars, width of bars, design and use of grid lines in scatterplots) by comparing different charts

A utilização de imagens na identificação humana em odontologia legal Use of images for human identification in forensic dentistry

Este artigo de revisão sistemática tem por objetivo citar os métodos de identificação humana por meio da radiologia, utilizados em odontologia legal. Para isso, realizou-se revisão de literatura com 19 trabalhos selecionados dentre 45 encontrados, após aplicação de critérios de inclusão. Há diversas técnicas radiológicas que podem ser utilizadas para auxiliar na identificação humana, tanto individual como geral, incluindo a determinação do gênero, do grupo étnico e, principalmente, da idade. A análise de radiografias e tomografias ante-mortem e post-mortem tornou-se uma ferramenta fundamental nos processos de identificação em odontologia legal, principalmente com o refinamento das técnicas adquiridas com o avanço da própria radio-logia e com a incorporação da informática. Conclui-se que a partir do conhecimento adequado dos métodos disponíveis, o profissional em odontologia legal pode optar pelo método que melhor preencha as características necessárias para o sucesso da identificação, tendo cuidado na aplicação correta da técnica e na interpretação precisa das informações obtidas.<br>The present systematic review article is aimed at describing radiological methods utilized for human identification in forensic dentistry. For this purpose, a literature review was undertaken, and out of 45 papers, 19 were selected in accordance with inclusion criteria. Several radiological techniques can be used to assist in both individual and general identification, including determination of gender, ethnic group and, mainly, age. The analysis of ante-mortem and post-mortem radiographic and tomographic images has become an essential tool for human identification in forensic dentistry, particularly with the refinement of techniques resulting from developments in the field of the radiology itself as well as the incorporation of information technology resources to the technique. It can be concluded that, based on an appropriate knowledge on the available methods, forensic dentists can choose the best method to achieve a successful identification with a careful application of the technique and accurate interpretation of data

Tactile stimulation reduces aggressiveness but does not lower stress in a territorial fish

Abstract Body tactile stimulation has a positive effect upon highly social animals, such as mammals and cleaner-client coral-reef fish, by relieving stress and improving health. Conversely, some tactile contacts are naturally detrimental, such as those resulted from aggressive interactions. To study whether positive responses from tactile stimulation are generalized among vertebrates, we tested its effect on stress response and aggressive behavior in a territorial fish species, Nile tilapia. We developed an apparatus made of a row of sticks bordered by silicone bristles that was positioned in the middle of the aquarium, and through which fish had to pass to access food, thus receiving tactile stimulation. Isolated fish experienced tactile stimulation for 7 days, and  were assigned to 2 types of stressors: non-social (confinement) or social (aggressive interaction). Each of them had a corresponding control treatment without tactile stimulation. Although fish spontaneously crossed the apparatus, we did not observe a decrease in plasma cortisol levels immediately after stressor application as a response to the use of the apparatus, either for social or non-social treatment. However, tactile stimulation reduced aggressive interaction in the social treatment, showing a positive effect on a territorial fish species, and pointing to a way to improve welfare