With 9 million people in the UK alone suffering from deafness or hearing impairment, there is a concerted effort to develop effective treatments. To address this, one strategy is to recruit mechanisms naturally occurring during inner ear development, but this first requires a clear picture of the normal molecular mechanisms underlying this developmental process. Fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) are short-range extracellular signalling molecules, with Fgf3 and Fgf10 already shown to be critical for the earliest event of inner ear induction. Interestingly these ligands are also expressed in the inner ear itself, and mutations in both Fgf3 and Fgf10 have independently been linked to sensorineural deafness in humans. This project is focussed on unravelling the molecular mechanisms controlling their expression in the inner ear. Bioinformatic analysis of the Fgf3 and Fgf10 enhancer regions revealed the presences of putative binding sites for retinoic acid (RA). RA is a key signalling molecule in inner ear development with both excess and deficit leading to inner ear abnormalities. First, a novel, non-invasive method of RA administration via sugar pellet was tested and proved to be efficient and reliable alternative to gavage. Using an Fgf3-lacZ reporter mouse, the effects of RA excess on Fgf3 expression were investigated in detail. In addition, preliminary studies of the effects of RA on Fgf10 were also carried out. Both Fgf3 and Fgf10 were downregulated with high doses of RA, confirming previous in vitro studies. In addition, detailed analysis of Fgf3-lacZ embryos exposed to RA revealed that downregulation critically depends on the dose and time of administration. To further explore other direct regulators of Fgf10 expression, additional reporter constructs were also generated for functional analysis in mouse and in chick. To date, analysis of electroporated chick embryos shows that ear specific Fgf10 regulation may not be conserved between two species.

De acordo com dados do Censo 2000, 24,5 milhões de brasileiros possuem algum tipo de deficiência, o que corresponde a 14,5% da população. Em São Paulo, chega a 1 milhão. Estes números ressaltam a importância da questão da acessibilidade ambiental aos portadores de deficiências. O objetivo principal deste estudo foi a determinação dos fatores limitantes na utilização do sistema de circulação de pedestres, pelo cadeirante. Esta pesquisa procurou verificar se estes espaços públicos cumprem sua função social sob a ótica do uso e da integração das pessoas de cadeiras de rodas. É apresentada uma discussão sobre a legislação de acessibilidade ambiental, sobre o uso dos espaços públicos de circulação, bem como, sobre as características da deficiência e da inclusão social no Brasil. A escolha do estudo da utilização dos passeios públicos, pelos cadeirantes, justificou-se por duas razões: em primeiro lugar, porque se tratam de espaços-chave na questão da acessibilidade ao representar a interligação entre o público e o privado e em segundo lugar, porque o cadeirante requer adaptações especiais que, ao serem atendidas, indiretamente, atingem outros grupos de pessoas como o idoso, o usuário de muletas, a gestante, o indivíduo com carrinho de bebê, enfim, toda a sociedade. A pesquisa de campo procurou verificar as condições de uso dos passeios públicos nos Distritos Sé e República, área central do Município de São Paulo. Partindo-se do pressuposto que um ambiente não deve ser avaliado somente pelos seus aspectos técnicos, mas também pela ótica de quem utiliza o espaço, optou-se pela aplicação de uma avaliação comportamental, variável básica da Avaliação Pós-Ocupação (APO). Destaca-se a importância em se conhecer o ponto de vista dos cadeirantes e dos não cadeirantes, para se poder propor soluções técnicas e políticas públicas. Os resultados deste trabalho permitiram constatar o estado de conservação e uso dos espaços públicos de circulação, hierarquizar os seus principais problemas e traçar o perfil dos seus usuários. Porém, ressalta-se que apenas os resultados de uma análise comportamental não são suficientes para afirmar quais parâmetros devem ser objetos de intervenção, pois se faz necessária uma comparação com avaliações técnicas, bem como, um estudo de viabilidade econômica e política. Concluindo, esta pesquisa é uma contribuição para a construção de uma cidade para todos, juntamente com a integração entre os setores público e privado, e com a troca de conhecimentos entre técnicos, profissionais, portadores de deficiências e acadêmicos. / According to Censo 2000, 24.5 million Brazilians have some kind of disabilities, corresponding to 14.5% of the population. In São Paulo this number is near to 1 million. These numbers show the importance of the environment accessibility problem. The main goal of this study was detecting restrictive factors in the use of the pedestrians circulation system by a wheel chair user. This research has intended to check if these public spaces accomplish their social function regarding the usability and the wheel chair users integration. Discussions about environmental accessibility legislation, public circulation areas, as well as, social inclusion deficiencies characteristics in Brazil are presented. The study focus on public ways and sidewalks in their use by wheel chair users is due to two reasons: first because they are key-spaces while representing the link between public and private places and second, because the wheel chair, due to its dimensions and specificities, requests special adaptations, which, when accomplished, indirectly, reach other groups of people, as for instance, the elders, the crutches users, the pregnants, people with baby carriage and, on a broad sense, the whole society. The field research tried to verify the use conditions of the sidewalks, in the Districts of Sé and República, central area of the city of São Paulo. Assuming that an environment should not be evaluated only by its technical aspects, but also by the point of view of those who use it, it was made a behavioral evaluation, a basic variation of Post Occupancy Evaluation (POE). Its also emphasized the importance of knowing the wheel chair users and non-users, to be able to propose technical solutions and public policies. The results of this work allowed: checking the public spaces of circulation use and conservation, ranking their main problems and defining their users profile. However, only the behavior analysis is not enough to be sure of which are the intervention objects, being necessary a confrontation with technical evaluations, as well as, a study of economical and political viability. Concluding, this research is a contribution for the construction of a city for all, with the integration among the public and private, and with the knowledge exchange among technicians, professionals, people with physical restrictions and academics.

Made available in DSpace on 2017-07-10T16:17:04Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 1Ivanir Gomes da Silva.pdf: 954099 bytes, checksum: afe98be165985aba2f831ae307b426b8 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014-08-29 / This dissertation is the result of research conducted between 2012 and 2014 allocated in the Graduate Program in Education at the State University of Western Paraná. Had as object: the space and the school environment as mediation elements for the development of individuals with disabilities. We assume that knowledge of child development contributes to the formation and development of the same - the acquisition of higher functions. Thus, the teacher as facilitator of the learning process plays an important role in the development of children's skills. In this sense, the problem addressed aimed at understanding the role of mediation of the teacher / educator in space / school environment as support for the development of the skills of people with disabilities. To achieve this goal, we conducted a bibliographical and documentary study, based on the researchers of inclusive education area, under the framework of theory Historical-cultural understanding for the subject development process. We study the historical background of the person with disabilities in order to historically conceptualize the educational services offered to these people, since the inclusive school proposal to this day, still bears traces of this whole trajectory. Education for these subjects is marked by centralization in trouble seeing yourself on disability. Hardly the teacher / educator seeks alternatives to enhance the skills of their students. However, the organization of space can contribute significantly to human development. However, this organization alone does not guarantee such development, space is seen as just one of the possibilities of enhancing the skills of the subject, because he alone does not call this attitude. Serves as a tool in the process itself requires the mediation of the other so that the subject of develop. We conclude that the possibilities are put in this space that develops or not the subject entered there, in other words, are mediated relations itself. / Esta dissertação é o resultado de pesquisa realizada entre 2012 e 2014 alocada no Programa de Pós-Graduação em Educação da Universidade Estadual do Oeste do Paraná. Teve como objeto: o espaço e o ambiente escolar como elementos de mediação para o desenvolvimento dos sujeitos com deficiência. Partimos do pressuposto que o conhecimento do desenvolvimento da criança contribui para a formação e desenvolvimento do mesmo da aquisição das funções superiores. Dessa forma, o professor como mediador do processo de aprendizagem exerce um papel importante no desenvolvimento das habilidades das crianças. Neste sentido, a problemática abordada objetivou compreender o papel da mediação do professor/educador no espaço/ambiente escolar como suporte para o desenvolvimento das habilidades das pessoas com deficiência. Para alcançarmos tal objetivo, realizamos um estudo bibliográfico, tendo como base os pesquisadores da área de educação inclusiva, sob o referencial da Teoria Histórico-cultural para compreendermos o processo de desenvolvimento do sujeito. Estudamos o percurso histórico da pessoa com deficiência no sentido de conceituar historicamente o atendimento educacional ofertado à essas pessoas, uma vez que, a escola inclusiva proposta para os dias de hoje, ainda carrega resquícios de toda essa trajetória. A educação para esses sujeitos é marcada pela centralização no problema que se vê na deficiência. Dificilmente o professor/educador busca alternativas para potencializar as habilidades de seus educandos. Contudo, a organização do espaço pode contribuir significativamente para seu desenvolvimento humano. No entanto, esta organização por si só não garante tal desenvolvimento, o espaço é visto apenas como uma das possibilidades de potencializar as habilidades dos sujeitos, pois, ele por si só não preconiza essa atitude. Serve como um instrumento no processo necessita em si da mediação do outro para que o sujeito de desenvolva. Conclui-se que são as possibilidades postas neste espaço que desenvolve ou não o sujeito ali inserido, em outras palavras: são as relações mediadas propriamente dita.

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Orientadora: Lígia Maria Presumido Braccialli / Banca: Adriana Garcia Gonçalves / Banca: Rita de Cássia Tibério Araújo / Banca: Nilson Rogério da Silva / Banca: Mauro Audi / Resumo: As Tecnologias Digitais da Informação e Comunicação (TDIC) como, por exemplo, o computador tradicional e os dispositivos móveis, entre eles o notebook, o smartphone e o tablet, bem como o acesso à Internet, estão sendo usados por pessoas com ou sem deficiência física. Porém, não se tem evidência científica (quantitativa e qualitativa) sobre o seu uso por adultos com paralisia cerebral no Brasil. O objetivo desta pesquisa foi identificar o uso das TDIC e verificar as percepções sobre essas tecnologias por adultos com paralisia cerebral em seu cotidiano. Assim, esta pesquisa está organizada em três estudos. O primeiro estudo, intitulado "Identificação do uso das Tecnologias Digitais da Informação e Comunicação por adultos com paralisia cerebral", teve a participação de 52 adultos com essa condição. Nesse estudo, por meio de um questionário, foi possível caracterizar o perfil de adultos com paralisia cerebral que são usuários das TDIC e de outros recursos de acessibilidade. Destaca-se, por exemplo, que os participantes fizeram um uso frequente dessas tecnologias e de outras opções de acessibilidade, assim como o uso de softwares/aplicativos e o acesso a sites da Internet, diferentemente dos recursos de acessibilidade. O segundo estudo, intitulado "Percepções sobre o uso das Tecnologias Digitais da Informação e Comunicação por adultos com paralisia cerebral", teve a participação de 12 adultos com essa condição. Nesse estudo, por meio de um roteiro de entrevista semiestruturada, f... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: Information and Communication Technology (ICT) such as desktop computers, laptop computers, smartphones, tablets, as well as Internet access, are being used by people with or without a physical disability. However, there is no scientific evidence (quantitative and qualitative) about its use by adults with cerebral palsy in Brazil. The objective of this research was to identify the use of ICT by exploring the perceptions of these technologies by adults with cerebral palsy in their daily lives. Therefore, this research is organized in three different studies. The first study was entitled "Identification of the use of Information and Communication Technology by adults with cerebral palsy". This had the participation of 52 adults with this condition. By using a questionnaire in this study, it was possible to classify the profile of adults with cerebral palsy who are users of ICT and other accessibility resources. The participants, for example, have frequently made use of these technologies and other accessibility options, as well as the use of software/applications and access to Internet sites. In addition, it was observed the frequency of use of accessibility resources was limited. The second study was entitled "Perceptions about the use of Information and Communication Technology by adults with cerebral palsy". This had the participation of 12 adults with this condition. By using a semistructured interview guide in this study, it was possible to verify the perceptions about the... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Doutor

Severe motor disabilities can render a person almost completely incapable of communication. Nevertheless, in many cases, the sensory systems are intact and the eye movements are still under good control. In these cases, one can use a device such as the Brain Response Interface (BRI) to command a remote control (e.g. room temperature, bed position), a word-processor, a speech synthesizer, and so on.

Since the inception of special education legislation, the identification of severely visually impaired children has become a difficult task. Official prevalence rates for severe visual impairment currently vary from 8 per 10,000 to 120 per 10,000 school aged children. With such a large discrepancy in rates, it is difficult to plan and provide appropriate specialized services to this group of children. Given this wide variance of reporting, several questions have arisen: (1) What is the prevalence of severely impaired vision as a secondary handicap when another handicapping condition is already known and identified? (2) Is there a significant difference between the reported prevalence rates of severe visual impairment and documented prevalence? Once these questions are answered, educational implication questions arise. (1) Are students receiving services by a person trained to provide specialized assistance? (2) Is there a perception of need for such services? (3) If services are being offered, are they adequate? Such results are vitally important for visually impaired students, for the lack of vision severely restricts all areas of learning and life skills. Level of functional vision determines educational methodology, range and variety of experiences, independent travel skills, and one's ability to control the environment. Teacher training programs are running behind of current need, and should the rates of visual impairment be higher than prevailing calculations, the need for teachers and/or training could multiply several-fold. Using a cluster sampling method, 658 special education students in the Portland metropolitan area were screened for visual impairment. Eleven of the 658 had previously been identified as visually impaired, which coincided with the national rates used as comparison for this study. Upon screening, a total of 86 students were identified as severely visually impaired resulting in a prevalence rate of .130 for handicapped children, a significant difference from the numbers reported under Education of the Handicapped Act and to the American Printing House for the Blind. Perceived need for services for these children indicated a desire to have a better understanding of the implications of visual impairment. Although there was not strong evidence that each child needed a teacher of the visually impaired, respondents expressed a desire to know of curricular adaptations needed.

This research is the exploration of the lived experience of tertiary students in Australia with the medical condition usually known as ME/CFS (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis /Chronic Fatigue Syndrome) seeking to explore issues of equity and human rights from the perspective of the Disability Discrimination Act 1992. Students feel that their difficulties are not caused just by the illness itself but by the failure of the tertiary institutions to understand the effects of this illness on them, the student, especially within the areas of accommodations and assessments. Their lived experiences are studied to ascertain if their experiences differ from those of other tertiary students. Forty participants came from every state and territory of Australia and twenty -four of Australia's universities as well as eight Technical and Further Education/Open Training Education Network (TAFE/OTEN) colleges are represented. The selection of the chosen methodology, Critical Ethnography from a Habermasian perspective, has been circumscribed by the medical condition which placed limitations on methodology and also data gathering methods. Non-structured stories, in which the participants wrote of their lived experience as students, were considered the most appropriate source of data. These were transmitted by electronic mail (with some by postal mail) to the researcher. A short questionnaire provided a participant background to the stories and was also collated for a composite overview of the participants. The stories are analysed in a number of ways: six selected stories are retold and the issues arising from these stories have been weighed against the remainder of the stories. Four intertwined themes were constructed from the issues raised in each story. Apparent infringements of the Disability Discrimination Act (1992) which impact on quality of life, human rights and equity are found. No accommodations are being made by the academic institutions for the cognitive dysfunctions and learning difficulties. Students are stigmatised and lack credibility to negotiate appropriate academic accommodations. A possible means of improving the ability of students to negotiate appropriate accommodations is explored. Finally the researcher reflects on her own involvement in the research as an 'insider' researcher.

<p>The aim of this study is to illuminate images and discourses, in which media describe people with disabilities. The purpose of the study will be fulfilled, by answering the following questions: Is it possible to discern categories of how people with disabilities are described in the media and is it possible to find associations to handicap models? We have chosen to focus on how media describe people with physical impairments and have made a content analyses of articles, based on the theoretic aim of this study, social constructionism, handicap models and earlier research. Underlying the analyses, are six articles from two Swedish news papers. The results of our research are divided in three categories: assumptions which are taken for granted, hidden meanings and contradicted categories. To sum up the results, we have found several categories in Media’s description of people with disabilities, and in the articles we have also found associations to handicap models. One of the assumptions which are taken for granted is that the disability/impairment defines the person. Hidden meanings are found which indicates, that people with disabilities doesn’t share the same social position as other groups. The articles used in this study are characterised by contradicted categories, the most common is where deviations are compared with what is considered to be normal, by the prevailing discourses. The articles also show associations to the social and the individual model.</p><p> </p>

University of Macau / Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities / Department of Government and Public Administration