Majority Of Case Studies Research Articles

The Functional Neuroanatomy of Object Agnosia: A Case Study

Cortical reorganization of visual and object representations following neural injury was examined using fMRI and behavioral investigations. We probed the visual responsivity of the ventral visual cortex of an agnosic patient who was impaired at object recognition following a lesion to the right lateral fusiform gyrus. In both hemispheres, retinotopic mapping revealed typical topographic organization and visual activation of early visual cortex. However, visual responses, object-related, and -selective responses were reduced in regions immediately surrounding the lesion in the right hemisphere, and also, surprisingly, in corresponding locations in the structurally intact left hemisphere. In contrast, hV4 of the right hemisphere showed expanded response properties. These findings indicate that the right lateral fusiform gyrus is critically involved in object recognition and that an impairment to this region has widespread consequences for remote parts of cortex. Finally, functional neural plasticity is possible even when a cortical lesion is sustained in adulthood.

Revisión teórica del deterioro categorial, su entidad y los problemas metodológicos asociados a su estudio

Studies on category-specific claim to provide insights on structure and organization of semantic information. This type of phenomenon consists of the selective impairment of the information on a domain, for instance, living things (animals) but the sparing of nonliving things (tools), or vice versa. Despite the large number of studies purportedly documenting double dissociations between both domains, the lack of theoretical debate on how to empirically define such dissociations is unclear, e.g. how they should be evaluated and reported. In this work, a review of literature on category-specific and the explanatory models is showed. A critical methodological is done, on the basis of three findings: 1) lack of normal control groups in the majority of case studies; 2) the questionable utilization of double dissociations; and 3) the presence of problems due to a 'ceiling effect' in most group studies of Alzheimer disease patients. It is claimed that while domain specificity may be a legitimate phenomenon, the critical review of literature do not provide a strong empirical foundation for the domain fractionations claimed in this literature.

In the Midst of a Hurricane: A Case Study of a Couple Living With AIDS

That is the big thing I have learned from this illness. The time is now, if you have people that you love and care about, you take that time. You have to live each day like you have a lifetime, and each day like you have just a short period of time. It's now, it's today. --Rosalie There are an estimated 1 million people living with HIV infection in the United States (Kalichman, 2000). As a result of new drug technologies, the life expectancy of these individuals has increased steadily (Kalichman, 2000; Trainor & Ezer, 2000). The transition from living with the HIV virus to dealing with AIDS, and the resultant physical and mental deterioration, brings numerous changes in the patient's lifestyle. Partners, friends, spouses, and other family members often become the primary caregiver for the person with AIDS, sometimes providing in-home care for 10 years or more (Kalichman, 2000; Richards, Acree, & Folkman, 1999). Research on nonprofessional caregivers has generally focused on parents or gay partners (Williams & Stafford, 1991). Heterosexual couples, however, represent a group with distinctive needs that are not always addressed in services oriented to gay couples. In a national survey of HIV-related mental health needs for persons with AIDS (PWAs), Lamping and Sachdev (1993) found several differences in the identified top concerns described by heterosexual and gay PWAs. Examples of top concerns reported by heterosexual PWAs, but not gay PWAs, include concerns about confidentiality; feelings of anger toward the health care system; and feelings of loneliness, isolation, and discrimination. Furthermore, compared with gay PWAs, heterosexual PWAs noted higher levels of distress associated with feeling rejected by others, problems accessing help, and telling others about their disease. Very little has been written specifically about heterosexual couples in which the partner is the primary caregiver for the PWA. The majority of case studies in the literature focus on the experiences of the PWA only (e.g., Gordon & Shontz, 1990), a limitation we sought to overcome in this study by interviewing not only a man with AIDS but also his wife, who was his full-time caregiver. This case study provides an illustration of this unique relationship and the special counseling needs that it creates. Depending on the stage of their illness, PWAs experience varying levels of stress. One of the most prevalent of these stressors is coping with changes in their social support system (Somlai & Heckman, 2000). There is evidence that many PWAs, because of their illness, are rejected by at least one family member, are abandoned by friends due to fear or discrimination, and/or lose their lovers (Crystal & Jackson, 1989). Some of the people in the PWAs' support system might also have AIDS and may die before the PWA, further reducing their available support (Bloom, 1997). PWAs and their caregivers often lose valuable social support due to the social stigma surrounding HIV transmission (Kalichman, 2000; Tross & Hirsch, 1988). Friends and family may become fearful of associating with individuals who have a disease perceived to be related to at-risk behavior. In fact, gay patients in gay communities, although marginalized, are usually more informed and have greater social support than heterosexual individuals living in communities in which AIDS is not as prevalent (Turner, Pearlin, & Mullan, 1998). An additional source of stress for PWAs is the cycle of sickness and health experienced with this illness (Kalichman, 2000). The cycle is often marked by periods of uncertainty, renewed hope, and readjustments (Trainor & Ezer, 2000). As time goes on, progressive loss of physical functioning creates an experience of multiple losses and an increasing need to ask for external help (Bloom, 1997; Holt, Houg, & Romano, 1999). The HIV replication process and adaptive qualities of the virus may require concurrent use of numerous medications to manage symptoms. …

Public Participation in Environmental Assessment: Case Studies on EA Legislation and Practice

ABSTRACT The practice of environmental assessment (EA) has grown since the late 1960s and is now institutionalized in more than 100 countries. This paper reports on a comparative analysis of EA legislation and regulations in 27 countries and 4 regional development banks and on a reviav of 17 EA processes in 6 developing countries. Some degree of public participation is now required in most of the legislation examined although to quite different degrees. Analysts suggest that public participation in EA can improve the quality of information provided during project approval processes but the literature also suggests that EA has been less successful in establishing improved terrns and conditions for project approval. The 17 case studies of EA processes provide additional empirical evidence for assessing the effectiveness of public participation in practice. The majority of case studies supports the generalizations found in the literature that public participation to date does not avoid irreversible environmental change or ensure that those on the margins of decision-making will have their concerns addressed in the project design and approval process. But there are some examples of success. The paper describes cases in the Philippines, Brazil, and South Africa, where public participation in EA has led to the abandonment of large projects.

Towards a Participatory GIS: Evaluating Case Studies of Participatory Rural Appraisal and GIS in the Developing World

The recognition that local participation is a critical goal of development has contributed to the popularity in a set of techniques designed to increase local participation and knowledge in planning processes. Identified as participatory rural appraisal (PRA), this trend is marked by the use of a variety of high-end technologies, including geographic information systems (GIS). An interesting and related trend has come from members of the GIS community who argue that a "participatory GIS" is required to ensure local knowledge and participation in a variety of planning initiatives. This synergy of interests has resulted in a growth of research in the developing world that attempts to merge PRA methods with GIS tools. This paper examines the separate, but increasingly complementary, traditions of PRA and GIS. Ten case studies that combine participatory methods with GIS in Latin America, Africa, and Asia are evaluated to consider how these traditions are being applied by communities to protect ownership of territory, present local knowledge of natural resources, and to engage in long-term planning. This paper suggests that although GIS has the potential to increase participation in planning processes, a commonality of the majority of case studies is limited attention to the participatory process itself. It would address how access to information and GIS tools varies within communities, as well as the effectiveness of a participatory GIS in shaping policy outcomes. Although participation can be advanced through the use of GIS, this paper concludes by suggesting that research on the availability of these tools should not serve as a substitute for critical analyses of their use and effectiveness by local communities.