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Sample records for nonrandomized contemporary comparison

  1. Classroom-based narrative and vocabulary instruction: results of an early-stage, nonrandomized comparison study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gillam, Sandra Laing; Olszewski, Abbie; Fargo, Jamison; Gillam, Ronald B

    2014-07-01

    This nonrandomized feasibility study was designed to provide a preliminary assessment of the impact of a narrative and vocabulary instruction program provided by a speech-language pathologist (SLP) in a regular classroom setting. Forty-three children attending 2 first-grade classrooms participated in the study. Children in each classroom were divided into high- and low-risk subgroups on the basis of their performance on a narrative test. Narrative and vocabulary instruction was provided by an SLP in 1 classroom for three 30-min periods per week for 6 weeks. The children in the experimental classroom made clinically significant improvements on narrative and vocabulary measures; children in the comparison classroom did not. Within the experimental classroom, children in the high-risk subgroup demonstrated greater gains in narration and fewer gains in vocabulary than children in the low-risk subgroup. There were no subgroup differences in the comparison classroom. These preliminary results provide early evidence of the feasibility of implementing a narrative instruction program in a classroom setting. Children at a high risk for language difficulties appeared to profit more from the narrative instruction than from the embedded vocabulary instruction. More extensive research on this instructional program is warranted.

  2. Late Outcomes Following Hypofractionated Conformal Radiotherapy vs. Standard Fractionation for Localized Prostate Cancer: A Nonrandomized Contemporary Comparison

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Leborgne, Felix; Fowler, Jack

    2009-01-01

    Purpose: To study retrospectively late complications and biochemical control in patients treated with three-dimensional conformal external-beam radiotherapy for localized prostate cancer administered using hypofractionation vs. a standard fractionation regimen. The hypofractionation regimen (Hypo) was designed to avoid more late rectal reactions and to be done in half as many treatment sessions. Methods and Materials: Eighty-nine nonrandomized patients chose Hypo delivered in 20 fractions of 3 Gy (n = 52) or 3.15 Gy (n = 37) for a median overall treatment time of 33 days. One hundred thirty comparable patients were contemporaneously treated with standard fractionation to a median dose of 78 Gy delivered over 55 days. The median follow-up time was 49 months (range, 24-73 months). Results: The 5-year actuarial biochemical control rates were 96%, 84%, and 85% for low-, medium-, and high-risk disease in the Hypo group, respectively. The respective rates in the standard fractionation group were 98%, 84%, and 87%, with no statistical difference between the two groups. The rate of rectal Grade 2-4 complications was 5.5% in both treatment groups and of urinary Grade 2-4 complications was 5.6% in the Hypo and 3% in the standard group (p = 0.36). Similarly, there were no statistical differences in the rate of late complications between patients treated with 3 Gy/fraction vs. 3.15 Gy/fraction. Conclusions: Our preliminary results showed that the Hypo regimen is feasible and does not reduce biochemical control compared with standard fractionation. The incidence of late complications was not increased when the tumor normalized total doses at 2Gy/fraction was increased from 77.1 to 83.7 Gy in patients treated with either 3 or 3.15 Gy/fraction in the Hypo group, respectively.

  3. A sexy spin on nonrandom chromosome segregation.

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    Charville, Gregory W; Rando, Thomas A

    2013-06-06

    Nonrandom chromosome segregation is an intriguing phenomenon linked to certain asymmetric stem cell divisions. In a recent report in Nature, Yadlapalli and Yamashita (2013) observe nonrandom segregation of X and Y chromosomes in Drosophila germline stem cells and shed light on the complex mechanisms of this fascinating process. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. Nonrandom network connectivity comes in pairs

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Felix Z. Hoffmann

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available Overrepresentation of bidirectional connections in local cortical networks has been repeatedly reported and is a focus of the ongoing discussion of nonrandom connectivity. Here we show in a brief mathematical analysis that in a network in which connection probabilities are symmetric in pairs, Pij = Pji, the occurrences of bidirectional connections and nonrandom structures are inherently linked; an overabundance of reciprocally connected pairs emerges necessarily when some pairs of neurons are more likely to be connected than others. Our numerical results imply that such overrepresentation can also be sustained when connection probabilities are only approximately symmetric.

  5. Network meta-analysis incorporating randomized controlled trials and non-randomized comparative cohort studies for assessing the safety and effectiveness of medical treatments: challenges and opportunities

    OpenAIRE

    Cameron, Chris; Fireman, Bruce; Hutton, Brian; Clifford, Tammy; Coyle, Doug; Wells, George; Dormuth, Colin R.; Platt, Robert; Toh, Sengwee

    2015-01-01

    Network meta-analysis is increasingly used to allow comparison of multiple treatment alternatives simultaneously, some of which may not have been compared directly in primary research studies. The majority of network meta-analyses published to date have incorporated data from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) only; however, inclusion of non-randomized studies may sometimes be considered. Non-randomized studies can complement RCTs or address some of their limitations, such as short follow-up...

  6. Comparison of retrospective and contemporary indoor radon measurements in a high-radon area of Serbia

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zunic, Z.S.; Yarmoshenko, I.V.; Kelleher, K.; Paridaens, J.; Mc Laughlin, J.P.; Celikovic, I.; Ujic, P.; Onischenko, A.D.; Jovanovic, S.; Demajo, A.; Birovljev, A.; Bochicchio, F.

    2007-01-01

    In Niska Banja, Serbia, which is a high-radon area, a comparison was made between two retrospective radon measuring methods and contemporary radon measurements. The two retrospective methods derive the radon concentrations that occurred in dwellings over longer periods in the past, based on the amount of trapped 210 Po on the surface of glass objects (surface traps, ST) or in the bulk of porous materials (volume traps, VT). Both surface implanted 210 Po in glass objects and contemporary radon in air were measured in 46 rooms, distributed in 32 houses of this radon spa-town, using a dual alpha track detector configuration (CR-39 and LR115) and CR-39 track etched detectors, respectively. In addition to the use of surface trap measurements, in 18 rooms (distributed in 15 houses) VT samples of suitable material were also collected, allowing to compare ST and VT retrospective radon concentration estimates. For each room, contemporary annual radon concentrations (CONT) were measured or estimated using seasonal correction factors. The distribution of the radon concentration in all data sets was found to be close to lognormal (Chi-square test > 0.05). Geometric means (GM) are similar, ranging from 1040 to 1380 Bq m -3 , whereas geometric standard deviations (GSD) for both the retrospective methods are greater than for the CONT method, showing reasonable agreement between VT, ST and CONT measurements. A regression analysis, with respect to the lognormal distribution of each data set, shows that for VT-ST the correlation coefficient r is 0.85, for VT-CONT r is 0.82 and for ST-CONT r is 0.73. Comparison of retrospective and contemporary radon concentrations with regard to supposed long-term indoor radon changes further supports the principal agreement between the retrospective and conventional methods

  7. A comparison of long bone development in historical and contemporary ducks.

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    Van Wyhe, R C; Applegate, T J; Lilburn, M S; Karcher, D M

    2012-11-01

    The selection for growth and carcass traits in poultry meat species has contributed to increased interest in understanding and characterizing skeletal growth as the birds struggle to balance skeletal development with increased BW and muscle mass. The objective of this study was to compare the physical characteristics and mineralization of the tibia and femur from commercial Pekin ducks representing circa 1993 and 2010 commercial strains. In 1993, the femur and tibia were collected from 8 ducks at 11 ages between 11 and 53 d. A similar study was done in 2010 in which the femur and tibia were collected from 8 ducks at 12 sample ages between 10 and 49 d. All bones were weighed and the length and width at 50% of length were measured. Each bone was subsequently cut into epiphyseal (top 25% of length) and diaphyseal (midregion at 50% of length) sections. Each bone segment was extracted with ether, hot weighed, and ashed. The 2010 contemporary ducks reached market weight faster than the 1993 ducks. Therefore, statistical comparisons were made at common BW as well as at common ages. The mean tibia length of the 2010 duck was 0.75 cm greater (P ducks. The percentage epiphyseal ash in the femur was 10% lower (P ducks but there were no significant differences by 18 d of age. The lower epiphyseal ash values at both younger ages and smaller BW in the 2010 contemporary ducks suggests that it is critical to monitor those factors that influence bone mineralization in contemporary ducklings that can achieve market BW at earlier chronological ages.

  8. Random Versus Nonrandom Peer Review: A Case for More Meaningful Peer Review.

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    Itri, Jason N; Donithan, Adam; Patel, Sohil H

    2018-05-10

    Random peer review programs are not optimized to discover cases with diagnostic error and thus have inherent limitations with respect to educational and quality improvement value. Nonrandom peer review offers an alternative approach in which diagnostic error cases are targeted for collection during routine clinical practice. The objective of this study was to compare error cases identified through random and nonrandom peer review approaches at an academic center. During the 1-year study period, the number of discrepancy cases and score of discrepancy were determined from each approach. The nonrandom peer review process collected 190 cases, of which 60 were scored as 2 (minor discrepancy), 94 as 3 (significant discrepancy), and 36 as 4 (major discrepancy). In the random peer review process, 1,690 cases were reviewed, of which 1,646 were scored as 1 (no discrepancy), 44 were scored as 2 (minor discrepancy), and none were scored as 3 or 4. Several teaching lessons and quality improvement measures were developed as a result of analysis of error cases collected through the nonrandom peer review process. Our experience supports the implementation of nonrandom peer review as a replacement to random peer review, with nonrandom peer review serving as a more effective method for collecting diagnostic error cases with educational and quality improvement value. Copyright © 2018 American College of Radiology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. Treatment of benign esophageal stricture by Eder-Puestow or balloon dilators: a comparison between randomized and prospective nonrandomized trials.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yamamoto, H; Hughes, R W; Schroeder, K W; Viggiano, T R; DiMagno, E P

    1992-03-01

    To determine whether the natural history of strictures is affected by the type of dilator used to treat newly diagnosed peptic strictures, we designed a prospective randomized trial to compare the results after Eder-Puestow or Medi-Tech balloon dilation. We entered 31 patients into the trial. We also prospectively followed up all 92 nonrandomized patients who underwent their first dilation for a benign stricture during the same period as the prospective randomized trial. The nonrandomized patients also underwent dilation with either the Eder-Puestow or the balloon technique at the discretion of the gastroenterologist performing the endoscopy. We found no statistically significant differences in the immediate or long-term results of the two methods among the randomized, nonrandomized, and overall combined groups. All but 1 of the 123 patients had immediate relief of dysphagia. Within each group of patients, the probability of remaining free of dysphagia 1 year after the initial dilation was approximately 20%, and the probability of not requiring a second dilation was approximately 65% with either technique. Major (esophageal rupture) and minor (bleeding or chest pain) complications occurred in 1% and 5% of the patients and 0.4% and 3% of the total dilation procedures, respectively. The esophageal rupture and four of six minor complications occurred after repeated dilations. Five of the six minor complications occurred with use of the Eder-Puestow dilators. We conclude that Eder-Puestow and balloon dilations of benign esophageal strictures are associated with similar outcomes, but repeated dilations and the Eder-Puestow technique may be associated with an increased risk of complications.

  10. Nonrandomized studies are not always found even when selection criteria for health systems intervention reviews include them: a methodological study.

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    Glenton, Claire; Lewin, Simon; Mayhew, Alain; Scheel, Inger; Odgaard-Jensen, Jan

    2013-04-01

    Systematic reviews within the Cochrane Effective Practice and Organisation of Care Group (EPOC) can include both randomized and nonrandomized study designs. We explored how many EPOC reviews consider and identify nonrandomized studies, and whether the proportion of nonrandomized studies identified is linked to the review topic. We recorded the study designs considered in 65 EPOC reviews. For reviews that considered nonrandomized studies, we calculated the proportion of identified studies that were nonrandomized and explored whether there were differences in the proportion of nonrandomized studies according to the review topic. Fifty-one (78.5%) reviews considered nonrandomized studies. Forty-six of these reviews found nonrandomized studies, but the proportion varied a great deal (median, 33%; interquartile range, 25--50%). Reviews of health care delivery interventions had lower proportions of nonrandomized studies than those of financial and governance interventions. Most EPOC reviews consider nonrandomized studies, but the degree to which they find them varies. As nonrandomized studies are believed to be at higher risk of bias and their inclusion entails a considerable effort, review authors should consider whether the benefits justify the inclusion of these designs. Research should explore whether it is more useful to consider nonrandomized studies in reviews of some intervention types than others. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. Real-time definition of non-randomness in the distribution of genomic events.

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    Ulrich Abel

    Full Text Available Features such as mutations or structural characteristics can be non-randomly or non-uniformly distributed within a genome. So far, computer simulations were required for statistical inferences on the distribution of sequence motifs. Here, we show that these analyses are possible using an analytical, mathematical approach. For the assessment of non-randomness, our calculations only require information including genome size, number of (sampled sequence motifs and distance parameters. We have developed computer programs evaluating our analytical formulas for the real-time determination of expected values and p-values. This approach permits a flexible cluster definition that can be applied to most effectively identify non-random or non-uniform sequence motif distribution. As an example, we show the effectivity and reliability of our mathematical approach in clinical retroviral vector integration site distribution.

  12. THE COMPARISON BETWEEN THE THERMAL PERFORMANCE OF A CONTEMPORARY HOUSE AND TRADITIONAL HOUSE IN THE DENSE DHAKA CITY IN BANGLADESH

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    RASHID Rumana

    2013-07-01

    Full Text Available Bangladesh Traditional houses (B.T.H which are located in warm humid tropical climate represent a unique phenomenon with device capable to meet the comfort demand through environmental well adapted design.  Recently the traditional house and the contemporary design house (C.D.H for Bangladesh are examined by comparing the thermal performance within the same outdoor condition and the climatic region at the dense Dhaka city.  This comparison is based on field measurements of thermal performance of the traditional house and the contemporary design house within the same summer period. Quantitative method is used to measure the thermal performance. The field survey was conducted using two set of thermal data loggers were installed in both selected houses to record the air temperature and relative humidity of the outdoor and indoor spaces.  Data collection was carried out for the hot and wet month of summer period in June.  The research result concluded that the traditional houses of Bangladesh provided useful indicators of appropriate architectural design response to climate, particularly in the context of purely passive environmental control. However it is required to adapt a critical approach towards the modern contemporary architectural design strategy of deriving lesson from traditional houses to extend the period of indoor thermal environment inside the contemporary houses.

  13. RESEARCH ON A SIMPLIFIED MIXED MODEL VERSUS CONTEMPORARY COMPARISON USED IN BREEDING VALUE ESTIMATION AND BULLS CLASSIFICATION FOR MILK PRODUCTION CHARACTERS

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    Agatha POPESCU

    2014-10-01

    Full Text Available The paper goal was to set up a simplified BLUP model in order to estimate the bulls' breeding value for milk production characters and establish their hierarchy, Also, it aimed to compare the bulls' hierarchy set up by means of the simplified BLUP model with their hierarchy established by using the traditional contemporary comparison method. In this purpose, a number of 51 Romanian Friesian bulls were used for evaluating their breeding value for milk production characters: milk yield, fat percentage and fat yield during the 305 days of the 1st lactation of a number of 1,989 daughters in various dairy herds. The simplified BLUP model set up in this research work has demonstrated its high precision of breeding value, which varied between 55 and 92, and more than this it proved that in some cases, the position occupied by bulls could be similar with the one registered by using the contemporary comparison. The higher precision assured by the simplified BLUP model is the guarantee that the bulls' hierarchy in catalogues is a correct one. In this way, farmers could chose the best bulls for improving milk yield in their dairy herds.

  14. An open-label, non-randomized comparison of venlafaxine and gabapentin as monotherapy or adjuvant therapy in the management of neuropathic pain in patients with peripheral neuropathy

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    William Eardley

    2010-04-01

    Full Text Available William Eardley, Cory TothDepartment of Clinical Neurosciences and the University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, CanadaAbstract: Although many therapies are used in the management of neuropathic pain (NeP due to polyneuropathy (PN, few comparison studies exist. We performed a prospective, non-randomized, unblended, efficacy comparison of the serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor venlafaxine, as either monotherapy or adjuvant therapy, with a first-line medication for NeP, gabapentin, in patients with PN-related NeP. VAS pain scores were assessed after 3 and 6 months in intervention groups and in a cohort of patients receiving no pharmacotherapy. In a total of 223 patients, we analyzed pain quantity and quality (visual analogue scale [VAS] score, Brief Pain Inventory [BPI], quality of life and health status measures [EuroQol 5 Domains, EQ-5D], Medical Outcomes Sleep Study Scale [MOSSS], Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale [HADS] and Short Form 36 Health Survey [SF-36] after 6 months of therapy. Significant improvements in VAS pain scores occurred for all treatment groups after 6 months. Improvements in aspects of daily life and anxiety were identified in all treatment groups. Our data suggest that monotherapy or adjuvant therapy with venlafaxine is comparable to gabapentin for NeP management. We advocate for head-to-head, randomized, double-blinded studies of current NeP therapies.Keywords: peripheral neuropathy, neuropathic pain, pharmacotherapy, venlafaxine, gabapentin

  15. Applying contemporary statistical techniques

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    Wilcox, Rand R

    2003-01-01

    Applying Contemporary Statistical Techniques explains why traditional statistical methods are often inadequate or outdated when applied to modern problems. Wilcox demonstrates how new and more powerful techniques address these problems far more effectively, making these modern robust methods understandable, practical, and easily accessible.* Assumes no previous training in statistics * Explains how and why modern statistical methods provide more accurate results than conventional methods* Covers the latest developments on multiple comparisons * Includes recent advanc

  16. Abusing text in the Roman and contemporary worlds

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    Francesca Middleton

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available In this comparison of portraits of authorial anxiety, I focus on contemporary attitudes to fan fiction and on discussions of authors in Imperial Rome (notably Galen and Martial to consider the assumptions of textuality that frame imagined textual abuse. Revealed are parallel discourses for different concerns—for the reader as a potentially ill-educated consumer and the text as an object in the ancient world; in the contemporary world, for the author's personal violation and the text as an agent within readerly experience. I discuss how fan fiction's lack of commercial publication is used to distinguish it from other contemporary literature within this framework. Fan fiction's noncommercial publication can thus be appreciated as a marginalizing act in itself.

  17. Meta-analytic comparison of randomized and nonrandomized studies of breast cancer surgery.

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    Edwards, Janet P; Kelly, Elizabeth J; Lin, Yongtao; Lenders, Taryn; Ghali, William A; Graham, Andrew J

    2012-06-01

    Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) are thought to provide the most accurate estimation of "true" treatment effect. The relative quality of effect estimates derived from nonrandomized studies (nRCTs) remains unclear, particularly in surgery, where the obstacles to performing high-quality RCTs are compounded. We performed a meta-analysis of effect estimates of RCTs comparing surgical procedures for breast cancer relative to those of corresponding nRCTs. English-language RCTs of breast cancer treatment in human patients published from 2003 to 2008 were identified in MEDLINE, EMBASE and Cochrane databases. We identified nRCTs using the National Library of Medicine's "related articles" function and reference lists. Two reviewers conducted all steps of study selection. We included studies comparing 2 surgical arms for the treatment of breast cancer. Information on treatment efficacy estimates, expressed as relative risk (RR) for outcomes of interest in both the RCTs and nRCTs was extracted. We identified 12 RCTs representing 10 topic/outcome combinations with comparable nRCTs. On visual inspection, 4 of 10 outcomes showed substantial differences in summary RR. The pooled RR estimates for RCTs versus nRCTs differed more than 2-fold in 2 of 10 outcomes and failed to demonstrate consistency of statistical differences in 3 of 10 cases. A statistically significant difference, as assessed by the z score, was not detected for any of the outcomes. Randomized controlled trials comparing surgical procedures for breast cancer may demonstrate clinically relevant differences in effect estimates in 20%-40% of cases relative to those generated by nRCTs, depending on which metric is used.

  18. A comparison of contemporary and retrospective radon gas measurements in high radon dwellings in Ireland

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kelleher, K.; McLaughlin, J.P.; Fenton, D.; Colgan, P.A.

    2006-01-01

    Little correlations has been found between contemporary radon gas measurements made in the past and retrospective radon gas measurements in Irish dwellings. This would suggest that these two techniques would result in two significantly different cumulative radon exposure estimates. Contemporary radon gas measurements made a few years apart in the same room of a dwelling were found to be significantly different. None of these differences could be explained by known changes to the rooms themselves., such ventilation or structural alterations to the room. This highlights the limitations of the contemporary radon gas measurements as a surrogate measurement for use in residential radon epidemiology. The contemporary radon gas measurements made by the Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland (R.P.I.I.) and University College of Dublin (U.C.D.) do not cover the same exposure period as the retrospective estimates and so the accuracy of the retrospective measurements cannot be demonstrated. A weak correlation can be seen between the retrospective radon gas estimates and a combination of the two contemporary radon gas estimates. It is not unreasonable to expect improvement in the correlation if further contemporary radon gas measurements were made in these rooms. (N.C.)

  19. Quantitative assessment of unobserved confounding is mandatory in nonrandomized intervention studies

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Groenwold, R H H; Hak, E; Hoes, A W

    OBJECTIVE: In nonrandomized intervention studies unequal distribution of patient characteristics in the groups under study may hinder comparability of prognosis and therefore lead to confounding bias. Our objective was to review methods to control for observed confounding, as well as unobserved

  20. Correction of confounding bias in non-randomized studies by appropriate weighting.

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    Schmoor, Claudia; Gall, Christine; Stampf, Susanne; Graf, Erika

    2011-03-01

    In non-randomized studies, the assessment of a causal effect of treatment or exposure on outcome is hampered by possible confounding. Applying multiple regression models including the effects of treatment and covariates on outcome is the well-known classical approach to adjust for confounding. In recent years other approaches have been promoted. One of them is based on the propensity score and considers the effect of possible confounders on treatment as a relevant criterion for adjustment. Another proposal is based on using an instrumental variable. Here inference relies on a factor, the instrument, which affects treatment but is thought to be otherwise unrelated to outcome, so that it mimics randomization. Each of these approaches can basically be interpreted as a simple reweighting scheme, designed to address confounding. The procedures will be compared with respect to their fundamental properties, namely, which bias they aim to eliminate, which effect they aim to estimate, and which parameter is modelled. We will expand our overview of methods for analysis of non-randomized studies to methods for analysis of randomized controlled trials and show that analyses of both study types may target different effects and different parameters. The considerations will be illustrated using a breast cancer study with a so-called Comprehensive Cohort Study design, including a randomized controlled trial and a non-randomized study in the same patient population as sub-cohorts. This design offers ideal opportunities to discuss and illustrate the properties of the different approaches. Copyright © 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  1. Contemporary management of frontal sinus mucoceles: a meta-analysis.

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    Courson, Andy M; Stankiewicz, James A; Lal, Devyani

    2014-02-01

    To analyze trends in the surgical management of frontal and fronto-ethmoid mucoceles through meta-analysis. Meta-analysis and case series. A systematic literature review on surgical management of frontal and fronto-ethmoid mucoceles was conducted. Studies were divided into historical (1975-2001) and contemporary (2002-2012) groups. A meta-analysis of these studies was performed. The historical and contemporary cohorts were compared (surgical approach, recurrence, and complications). To study evolution in surgical management, a senior surgeon's experience over 28 years was analyzed separately. Thirty-one studies were included for meta-analysis. The historical cohort included 425 mucoceles from 11 studies. The contemporary cohort included 542 mucoceles from 20 studies. More endoscopic techniques were used in the contemporary versus historical cohort (53.9% vs. 24.7%; P = contemporary). In the historical cohort, higher recurrence was noted in the external group (P = 0.03). Results from endoscopic and open approaches are comparable. Although endoscopic techniques are being increasingly adopted, comparison with our series shows that more cases could potentially be treated endoscopically. Frequent use of open approaches may reflect efficacy, or perhaps lack of expertise and equipment required for endoscopic management. Most contemporary authors favor endoscopic management, limiting open approaches for specific indications (unfavorable anatomy, lateral disease, and scarring). N/A. Copyright © 2013 The American Laryngological, Rhinological and Otological Society, Inc.

  2. Nonrandom Intrafraction Target Motions and General Strategy for Correction of Spine Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ma Lijun; Sahgal, Arjun; Hossain, Sabbir; Chuang, Cynthia; Descovich, Martina; Huang, Kim; Gottschalk, Alex; Larson, David A.

    2009-01-01

    Purpose: To characterize nonrandom intrafraction target motions for spine stereotactic body radiotherapy and to develop a method of correction via image guidance. The dependence of target motions, as well as the effectiveness of the correction strategy for lesions of different locations within the spine, was analyzed. Methods and Materials: Intrafraction target motions for 64 targets in 64 patients treated with a total of 233 fractions were analyzed. Based on the target location, the cases were divided into three groups, i.e., cervical (n = 20 patients), thoracic (n = 20 patients), or lumbar-sacrum (n = 24 patients) lesions. For each case, time-lag autocorrelation analysis was performed for each degree of freedom of motion that included both translations (x, y, and z shifts) and rotations (roll, yaw, and pitch). A general correction strategy based on periodic interventions was derived to determine the time interval required between two adjacent interventions, to overcome the patient-specific target motions. Results: Nonrandom target motions were detected for 100% of cases regardless of target locations. Cervical spine targets were found to possess the highest incidence of nonrandom target motion compared with thoracic and lumbar-sacral lesions (p < 0.001). The average time needed to maintain the target motion to within 1 mm of translation or 1 deg. of rotational deviation was 5.5 min, 5.9 min, and 7.1 min for cervical, thoracic, and lumbar-sacrum locations, respectively (at 95% confidence level). Conclusions: A high incidence of nonrandom intrafraction target motions was found for spine stereotactic body radiotherapy treatments. Periodic interventions at approximately every 5 minutes or less were needed to overcome such motions.

  3. Evidence of directional and stabilizing selection in contemporary humans.

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    Sanjak, Jaleal S; Sidorenko, Julia; Robinson, Matthew R; Thornton, Kevin R; Visscher, Peter M

    2018-01-02

    Modern molecular genetic datasets, primarily collected to study the biology of human health and disease, can be used to directly measure the action of natural selection and reveal important features of contemporary human evolution. Here we leverage the UK Biobank data to test for the presence of linear and nonlinear natural selection in a contemporary population of the United Kingdom. We obtain phenotypic and genetic evidence consistent with the action of linear/directional selection. Phenotypic evidence suggests that stabilizing selection, which acts to reduce variance in the population without necessarily modifying the population mean, is widespread and relatively weak in comparison with estimates from other species.

  4. Arguing about climate change. Judging the handling of climate risk to future generations by comparison to the general standards of conduct in the case of risk to contemporaries

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Davidson, M.D.

    2009-01-01

    Intergenerational justice requires that climate risks to future generations be handled with the same reasonable care deemed acceptable by society in the case of risks to contemporaries. Such general standards of conduct are laid down in tort law, for example. Consequently, the validity of arguments for or against more stringent climate policy can be judged by comparison to the general standards of conduct applying in the case of risk to contemporaries. That this consistency test is able to disqualify certain arguments in the climate debate is illustrated by a further investigation of the debate on the social discount rate, used in cost-benefit analysis of climate policy

  5. Frugivores bias seed-adult tree associations through nonrandom seed dispersal: a phylogenetic approach.

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    Razafindratsima, Onja H; Dunham, Amy E

    2016-08-01

    Frugivores are the main seed dispersers in many ecosystems, such that behaviorally driven, nonrandom patterns of seed dispersal are a common process; but patterns are poorly understood. Characterizing these patterns may be essential for understanding spatial organization of fruiting trees and drivers of seed-dispersal limitation in biodiverse forests. To address this, we studied resulting spatial associations between dispersed seeds and adult tree neighbors in a diverse rainforest in Madagascar, using a temporal and phylogenetic approach. Data show that by using fruiting trees as seed-dispersal foci, frugivores bias seed dispersal under conspecific adults and under heterospecific trees that share dispersers and fruiting time with the dispersed species. Frugivore-mediated seed dispersal also resulted in nonrandom phylogenetic associations of dispersed seeds with their nearest adult neighbors, in nine out of the 16 months of our study. However, these nonrandom phylogenetic associations fluctuated unpredictably over time, ranging from clustered to overdispersed. The spatial and phylogenetic template of seed dispersal did not translate to similar patterns of association in adult tree neighborhoods, suggesting the importance of post-dispersal processes in structuring plant communities. Results suggest that frugivore-mediated seed dispersal is important for structuring early stages of plant-plant associations, setting the template for post-dispersal processes that influence ultimate patterns of plant recruitment. Importantly, if biased patterns of dispersal are common in other systems, frugivores may promote tree coexistence in biodiverse forests by limiting the frequency and diversity of heterospecific interactions of seeds they disperse. © 2016 by the Ecological Society of America.

  6. Contemporary jewelry definitions

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    Marlon Aparecido Mercaldi

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available Contemporary jewelry terminology is open to many criticism and weaknesses as it is confronted with the classic definition of jewelry and also often attached to the historical widespread idea of adornment and jewelry to modernity. Therefore one of the this article issues is to approach about what it is contemporary jewelry and how it can be defined. Thus, we present the topics related to the jewel discussion in contemporary times that are organized into a set of assumptions and approaches that help us provide an overview about the contemporary jewelry.

  7. On the contemporary – and contemporary art history. A review of Terry Smith, What Is Contemporary Art

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    Anthony Gardner

    2011-06-01

    Full Text Available This analysis of Terry Smith’s 'What Is Contemporary Art?' evaluates Smith’s ongoing project to theorise contemporary art around the theme of multiple, interconnected temporalities. It questions how this ‘contemporaneity’ differs from the classic teleologism of modernism and postmodern relativism and suggests that Smith’s categories may be valuable for understanding other cultural areas, such as contemporary music. It then raises methodological problems associated with charting the terrain of contemporary art and how they overlap with economic considerations, arguing that the task implies particular forms of privilege that may threaten the autonomy of critical analysis, but that Smith’s work goes some way toward exposing this problem.

  8. Comparison of Historic Exploration with Contemporary Space Policy Suggests a Retheorisation of Settings

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cokely, J.; Rankin, W.; Heinrich, P.; McAuliffe, M.

    The 2008 NASA Astrobiology Roadmap provides one way of theorising this developing field, a way which has become the normative model for the discipline: science-and scholarship-driven funding for space. By contrast, a novel re-evaluation of funding policies is undertaken in this article to reframe astrobiology, terraforming and associated space travel and research. Textual visualisation, discourse and numeric analytical methods, and value theory are applied to historical data and contemporary sources to re-investigate significant drivers and constraints on the mechanisms of enabling space exploration. Two data sets are identified and compared: the business objectives and outcomes of major 15th-17th century European joint-stock exploration and trading companies and a case study of a current space industry entrepreneur company. Comparison of these analyses suggests that viable funding policy drivers can exist outside the normative science and scholarship-driven roadmap. The two drivers identified in this study are (1) the intrinsic value of space as a territory to be experienced and enjoyed, not just studied, and (2) the instrumental, commercial value of exploiting these experiences by developing infrastructure and retail revenues. Filtering of these results also offers an investment rationale for companies operating in, or about to enter, the space business marketplace.

  9. Contemporary Obstetric Triage.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sandy, Edward Allen; Kaminski, Robert; Simhan, Hygriv; Beigi, Richard

    2016-03-01

    The role of obstetric triage in the care of pregnant women has expanded significantly. Factors driving this change include the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act, improved methods of testing for fetal well-being, increasing litigation risk, and changes in resident duty hour guidelines. The contemporary obstetric triage facility must have processes in place to provide a medical screening examination that complies with regulatory statues while considering both the facility's maternal level of care and available resources. This review examines the history of the development of obstetric triage, current considerations in a contemporary obstetric triage paradigm, and future areas for consideration. An example of a contemporary obstetric triage program at an academic medical center is presented. A successful contemporary obstetric triage paradigm is one that addresses the questions of "sick or not sick" and "labor or no labor," for every obstetric patient that presents for care. Failure to do so risks poor patient outcome, poor patient satisfaction, adverse litigation outcome, regulatory scrutiny, and exclusion from federal payment programs. Understanding the role of contemporary obstetric triage in the current health care environment is important for both providers and health care leadership. This study is for obstetricians and gynecologists as well as family physicians. After completing this activity, the learner should be better able to understand the scope of a medical screening examination within the context of contemporary obstetric triage; understand how a facility's level of maternal care influences clinical decision making in a contemporary obstetric triage setting; and understand the considerations necessary for the systematic evaluation of the 2 basic contemporary obstetric questions, "sick or not sick?" and "labor or no labor?"

  10. Non-random distribution of instability-associated chromosomal rearrangement breakpoints in human lymphoblastoid cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Moore, Stephen R.; Papworth, David; Grosovsky, Andrew J.

    2006-01-01

    Genomic instability is observed in tumors and in a large fraction of the progeny surviving irradiation. One of the best-characterized phenotypic manifestations of genomic instability is delayed chromosome aberrations. Our working hypothesis for the current study was that if genomic instability is in part attributable to cis mechanisms, we should observe a non-random distribution of chromosomes or sites involved in instability-associated rearrangements, regardless of radiation quality, dose, or trans factor expression. We report here the karyotypic examination of 296 instability-associated chromosomal rearrangement breaksites (IACRB) from 118 unstable TK6 human B lymphoblast, and isogenic derivative, clones. When we tested whether IACRB were distributed across the chromosomes based on target size, a significant non-random distribution was evident (p < 0.00001), and three IACRB hotspots (chromosomes 11, 12, and 22) and one IACRB coldspot (chromosome 2) were identified. Statistical analysis at the chromosomal band-level identified four IACRB hotspots accounting for 20% of all instability-associated breaks, two of which account for over 14% of all IACRB. Further, analysis of independent clones provided evidence within 14 individual clones of IACRB clustering at the chromosomal band level, suggesting a predisposition for further breaks after an initial break at some chromosomal bands. All of these events, independently, or when taken together, were highly unlikely to have occurred by chance (p < 0.000001). These IACRB band-level cluster hotspots were observed independent of radiation quality, dose, or cellular p53 status. The non-random distribution of instability-associated chromosomal rearrangements described here significantly differs from the distribution that was observed in a first-division post-irradiation metaphase analysis (p = 0.0004). Taken together, these results suggest that genomic instability may be in part driven by chromosomal cis mechanisms

  11. Variation of mutational burden in healthy human tissues suggests non-random strand segregation and allows measuring somatic mutation rates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Werner, Benjamin; Sottoriva, Andrea

    2018-06-01

    The immortal strand hypothesis poses that stem cells could produce differentiated progeny while conserving the original template strand, thus avoiding accumulating somatic mutations. However, quantitating the extent of non-random DNA strand segregation in human stem cells remains difficult in vivo. Here we show that the change of the mean and variance of the mutational burden with age in healthy human tissues allows estimating strand segregation probabilities and somatic mutation rates. We analysed deep sequencing data from healthy human colon, small intestine, liver, skin and brain. We found highly effective non-random DNA strand segregation in all adult tissues (mean strand segregation probability: 0.98, standard error bounds (0.97,0.99)). In contrast, non-random strand segregation efficiency is reduced to 0.87 (0.78,0.88) in neural tissue during early development, suggesting stem cell pool expansions due to symmetric self-renewal. Healthy somatic mutation rates differed across tissue types, ranging from 3.5 × 10-9/bp/division in small intestine to 1.6 × 10-7/bp/division in skin.

  12. Variation of mutational burden in healthy human tissues suggests non-random strand segregation and allows measuring somatic mutation rates.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Benjamin Werner

    2018-06-01

    Full Text Available The immortal strand hypothesis poses that stem cells could produce differentiated progeny while conserving the original template strand, thus avoiding accumulating somatic mutations. However, quantitating the extent of non-random DNA strand segregation in human stem cells remains difficult in vivo. Here we show that the change of the mean and variance of the mutational burden with age in healthy human tissues allows estimating strand segregation probabilities and somatic mutation rates. We analysed deep sequencing data from healthy human colon, small intestine, liver, skin and brain. We found highly effective non-random DNA strand segregation in all adult tissues (mean strand segregation probability: 0.98, standard error bounds (0.97,0.99. In contrast, non-random strand segregation efficiency is reduced to 0.87 (0.78,0.88 in neural tissue during early development, suggesting stem cell pool expansions due to symmetric self-renewal. Healthy somatic mutation rates differed across tissue types, ranging from 3.5 × 10-9/bp/division in small intestine to 1.6 × 10-7/bp/division in skin.

  13. Randomly and Non-Randomly Missing Renal Function Data in the Strong Heart Study: A Comparison of Imputation Methods.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nawar Shara

    Full Text Available Kidney and cardiovascular disease are widespread among populations with high prevalence of diabetes, such as American Indians participating in the Strong Heart Study (SHS. Studying these conditions simultaneously in longitudinal studies is challenging, because the morbidity and mortality associated with these diseases result in missing data, and these data are likely not missing at random. When such data are merely excluded, study findings may be compromised. In this article, a subset of 2264 participants with complete renal function data from Strong Heart Exams 1 (1989-1991, 2 (1993-1995, and 3 (1998-1999 was used to examine the performance of five methods used to impute missing data: listwise deletion, mean of serial measures, adjacent value, multiple imputation, and pattern-mixture. Three missing at random models and one non-missing at random model were used to compare the performance of the imputation techniques on randomly and non-randomly missing data. The pattern-mixture method was found to perform best for imputing renal function data that were not missing at random. Determining whether data are missing at random or not can help in choosing the imputation method that will provide the most accurate results.

  14. A systematic review of nonrandomized controlled trials on the curative effects of aquatic exercise

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kamioka H

    2011-03-01

    Full Text Available Hiroharu Kamioka1, Kiichiro Tsutani2, Yoshiteru Mutoh3, Hiroyasu Okuizum4, Miho Ohta5, Shuichi Handa4, Shinpei Okada6, Jun Kitayuguchi7, Masamitsu Kamada7, Nobuyoshi Shiozawa8, Sang-Jun Park4, Takuya Honda4, Shoko Moriyama41Faculty of Regional Environment Science, Tokyo University of Agriculture, Tokyo, Japan; 2Department of Drug Policy and Management, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 3Department of Physical and Health Education, Graduate School of Education, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan; 4Mimaki Onsen (Spa Clinic, Tomi City, Japan; 5Laboratory of Aqua, Health, and Sports Medicine, 6Physical Education and Medicine Research Foundation, Nagano, Japan; 7Physical Education and Medicine Research Center Unnan, Unnan City, Japan; 8Department of Longevity and Social Medicine, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama, JapanBackground: The objectives of this review were to integrate the evidence of curative effects through aquatic exercise and assess the quality of studies based on a review of nonrandomized controlled trials (nRCTs.Methods: Study design was a systematic review of nonrandomized controlled trials. Trials were eligible if they were nonrandomized clinical trials. Studies included one treatment group in which aquatic exercise was applied. We searched the following databases from 2000 up to July 20, 2009: MEDLINE via PubMed, CINAHL, and Ichushi-Web.Results: Twenty-one trials met all inclusion criteria. Languages included were English (N = 9, Japanese (N = 11, and Korean (N = 1. Target diseases were knee and/or hip osteoarthritis, poliomyelitis, chronic kidney disease, discomforts of pregnancy, cardiovascular diseases, and rotator cuff tears. Many studies on nonspecific disease (healthy participants were included. All studies reported significant effectiveness in at least one or more outcomes. However results of evaluations with the TREND and CLEAR-NPT checklists generally

  15. Sucralfate gel as a radioprotector against radiation induced dermatitis in a hypo-fractionated schedule: a non-randomized study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kouloulias, V; Asimakopoulos, C; Tolia, M; Filippou, G; Platoni, K; Dilvoi, M; Beli, I; Georgakopoulos, J; Patatoukas, G; Kelekis, N

    2013-04-01

    External beam radiotherapy with high doses provokes many acute skin reactions, such as erythema and moist desquamation. Many topical preparations are used in radiation oncology departments in the skin care. Sucralfate humid gel, a colloidal physical form of the anti-ulcer drug sucralfate, promotes epithelial regeneration and activates cell proliferation. Based on this knowledge, we performed a non-randomized clinical trial to evaluate the efficacy of topical sucralfate gel in 30 breast cancer patients receiving postoperative accelerated hypofractionated photon beam therapy. The comparison was performed with 30 patients as historical controls. The acute reaction of the skin was significantly lower in the group receiving the sucralfate gel (p<0.05, Mann Whitney test), while 90% of the patients had no evidence of radiation induced skin toxicity. There was no sucralfate gel related toxicity reported by any patient in this study. More patients in a randomized way are needed for more definite results.

  16. Celebrity and contemporary context

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Paula Guimarães Simões

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available This paper discusses the hermeneutic power of a celebrity (seen from the concept of event, seeking to understand what it reveals about the contemporary context. Based on this premise, we attempt to recognize some aspects of contemporary social life that emerge from the trajectory of a specific celebrity: the former soccer player Ronaldo Fenômeno. This analysis brings to light the hermeneutic power of Ronaldo, i.e., how his life story reveals characteristics of contemporary social life. Individualism, machismo, emphasis on a heteronormative ideal, shifts in the construction of romantic relationships, and the overlapping spheres of public and private life, are some important aspects of contemporary society revealed by this analysis.

  17. What are the contemporary sources of sediment in the Mississippi River?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hassan, M. A.; Roberge, L.; Church, M.; More, M.; Donner, S. D.; Leach, J.; Ali, K. F.

    2017-09-01

    Within the last two centuries, the Mississippi River basin has been transformed by changes in land use practices, dam construction, and training of the rivers for navigation. Here we analyze the contemporary patterns of fluvial sediment yield in the Mississippi River basin using all available data in order to assess the influence of regional land condition on the variation of sediment yield within the basin. We develop regional-scale relations between specific sediment yield (yield per unit area) and drainage area to reveal contemporary regional sediment yield patterns and source areas of riverine sediments. Extensive upland erosion before the development of soil conservation practices exported large amounts of sediment to the valleys and floodplains. We show that sediment today is sourced primarily along the river valleys from arable land, and from stream bank and channel erosion, with sediment yields from areas dominated by arable land 2 orders of magnitude greater than that of grassland dominated areas. Comparison with the "T factor," a commonly quoted measure of agricultural soil resilience suggests that the latter may not reflect contemporary soil loss from the landscape.

  18. Tests for nonrandomness in quantum jumps

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Berkeland, D.J.; Raymondson, D.A.; Tassin, V.M.

    2004-01-01

    In a fundamental test of quantum mechanics, we have observed 228 000 quantum jumps of a single trapped and laser cooled 88 Sr + ion. This represents a statistical increase of two orders of magnitude over previous similar analyses of quantum jumps. Compared to other searches for nonrandomness in quantum-mechanical processes, using quantum jumps simplifies the interpretation of data by eliminated multiparticle effects and providing near-unit detection efficiency of transitions. We measure the fractional reduction in the entropy of information to be -4 when the value of any interval between quantum jumps is known. We also find that the number of runs of successively increasing or decreasing interval times agrees with the theoretically expected values. Furthermore, we analyze 238 000 quantum jumps from two simultaneously confined ions and find that the number of apparently coincidental transitions is as expected. Finally, we observe 8400 spontaneous decays of two simultaneously trapped ions and find that the number of apparently coincidental decays from the metastable state agrees with the expected value. We find no evidence for short- or long-term correlations in the intervals of the quantum jumps or in the decay of the quantum states, in agreement with quantum theory

  19. Contemporary permanent tooth dimensions, with comparisons to G.V. Black's data.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harris, Edward F; Burris, Benjamin G

    2003-01-01

    The tooth dimensions most commonly cited in the dental literature are those published by the famous restorative dentist G. V. Black late in the 19th century. We report here on the crown dimensions of a large series of contemporary North American Whites and show that Black's values differ significantly from modern values, but not in any consistent or predictable fashion. Black supplied no information about the nature of his sample. We suggest that it may be time to replace Black's data with modern tooth size standards.

  20. In-Patient Treatment of Fibromyalgia: A Controlled Nonrandomized Comparison of Conventional Medicine versus Integrative Medicine including Fasting Therapy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Andreas Michalsen

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Fibromyalgia poses a challenge for therapy. Recent guidelines suggest that fibromyalgia should be treated within a multidisciplinary therapy approach. No data are available that evaluated multimodal treatment strategies of Integrative Medicine (IM. We conducted a controlled, nonrandomized pilot study that compared two inpatient treatment strategies, an IM approach that included fasting therapy and a conventional rheumatology (CM approach. IM used fasting cure and Mind-Body-Medicine as specific methods. Of 48 included consecutive patients, 28 were treated with IM, 20 with CM. Primary outcome was change in the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ score after the 2-week hospital stay. Secondary outcomes included scores of pain, depression, anxiety, and well being. Assessments were repeated after 12 weeks. At 2 weeks, there were significant improvements in the FIQ (P<0.014 and for most of secondary outcomes for the IM group compared to the CM group. The beneficial effects for the IM approach were reduced after 12 weeks and no longer statistically significant with the exception of anxiety. Findings indicate that a multimodal IM treatment with fasting therapy might be superior to CM in the short term and not inferior in the mid term. Longer-term studies are warranted to assess the clinical impact of integrative multimodal treatment in fibromyalgia.

  1. The role of historical and contemporary processes on phylogeographic structure and genetic diversity in the Northern Cardinal, Cardinalis cardinalis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Navarro-Sigüenza Adolfo G

    2011-05-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Earth history events such as climate change are believed to have played a major role in shaping patterns of genetic structure and diversity in species. However, there is a lag between the time of historical events and the collection of present-day samples that are used to infer contemporary population structure. During this lag phase contemporary processes such as dispersal or non-random mating can erase or reinforce population differences generated by historical events. In this study we evaluate the role of both historical and contemporary processes on the phylogeography of a widespread North American songbird, the Northern Cardinal, Cardinalis cardinalis. Results Phylogenetic analysis revealed deep mtDNA structure with six lineages across the species' range. Ecological niche models supported the same geographic breaks revealed by the mtDNA. A paleoecological niche model for the Last Glacial Maximum indicated that cardinals underwent a dramatic range reduction in eastern North America, whereas their ranges were more stable in México. In eastern North America cardinals expanded out of glacial refugia, but we found no signature of decreased genetic diversity in areas colonized after the Last Glacial Maximum. Present-day demographic data suggested that population growth across the expansion cline is positively correlated with latitude. We propose that there was no loss of genetic diversity in areas colonized after the Last Glacial Maximum because recent high-levels of gene flow across the region have homogenized genetic diversity in eastern North America. Conclusion We show that both deep historical events as well as demographic processes that occurred following these events are critical in shaping genetic pattern and diversity in C. cardinalis. The general implication of our results is that patterns of genetic diversity are best understood when information on species history, ecology, and demography are considered

  2. Non-random mating and convergence over time for alcohol consumption, smoking, and exercise: the Nord-Trøndelag Health Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ask, Helga; Rognmo, Kamilla; Torvik, Fartein Ask; Røysamb, Espen; Tambs, Kristian

    2012-05-01

    Spouses tend to have similar lifestyles. We explored the degree to which spouse similarity in alcohol use, smoking, and physical exercise is caused by non-random mating or convergence. We used data collected for the Nord-Trøndelag Health Study from 1984 to 1986 and prospective registry information about when and with whom people entered marriage/cohabitation between 1970 and 2000. Our sample included 19,599 married/cohabitating couples and 1,551 future couples that were to marry/cohabitate in the 14-16 years following data collection. All couples were grouped according to the duration between data collection and entering into marriage/cohabitation. Age-adjusted polychoric spouse correlations were used as the dependent variables in non-linear segmented regression analysis; the independent variable was time. The results indicate that spouse concordance in lifestyle is due to both non-random mating and convergence. Non-random mating appeared to be strongest for smoking. Convergence in alcohol use and smoking was evident during the period prior to marriage/cohabitation, whereas convergence in exercise was evident throughout life. Reduced spouse similarity in smoking with relationship duration may reflect secular trends.

  3. Statistical method on nonrandom clustering with application to somatic mutations in cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rejto Paul A

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Human cancer is caused by the accumulation of tumor-specific mutations in oncogenes and tumor suppressors that confer a selective growth advantage to cells. As a consequence of genomic instability and high levels of proliferation, many passenger mutations that do not contribute to the cancer phenotype arise alongside mutations that drive oncogenesis. While several approaches have been developed to separate driver mutations from passengers, few approaches can specifically identify activating driver mutations in oncogenes, which are more amenable for pharmacological intervention. Results We propose a new statistical method for detecting activating mutations in cancer by identifying nonrandom clusters of amino acid mutations in protein sequences. A probability model is derived using order statistics assuming that the location of amino acid mutations on a protein follows a uniform distribution. Our statistical measure is the differences between pair-wise order statistics, which is equivalent to the size of an amino acid mutation cluster, and the probabilities are derived from exact and approximate distributions of the statistical measure. Using data in the Catalog of Somatic Mutations in Cancer (COSMIC database, we have demonstrated that our method detects well-known clusters of activating mutations in KRAS, BRAF, PI3K, and β-catenin. The method can also identify new cancer targets as well as gain-of-function mutations in tumor suppressors. Conclusions Our proposed method is useful to discover activating driver mutations in cancer by identifying nonrandom clusters of somatic amino acid mutations in protein sequences.

  4. Contemporary Art from Denmark

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bonde, Lisbeth

    2014-01-01

    Danish contemporary art is currently expanding bot quantitatively and qualitatively to such a degree that we can speak of a new Danish Golden Age. The article introduces some of the most interesting, Danish contemporary artists which are being exposed at the exhibition in the European Central Bank...

  5. Literacy in the contemporary scene

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Angela B. Kleiman

    2014-11-01

    Full Text Available In this paper I examine the relationship between literacy and contemporaneity. I take as a point of departure for my discussion school literacy and its links with literacies in other institutions of the contemporary scene, in order to determine the relation between contemporary ends of reading and writing (in other words, the meaning of being literate in contemporary society and the practices and activities effectively realized at school in order to reach those objectives. Using various examples from teaching and learning situations, I discuss digital literacy practices and multimodal texts and multiliteracies from both printed and digital cultures. Throughout, I keep as a background for the discussion the functions and objectives of school literacy and the professional training of teachers who would like to be effective literacy agents in the contemporary world.

  6. Comparison of the effectiveness of contemporary ophthalmic lenses against β radiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dunlap, J.H.; Harvey, P.W.; Schwing, R.L.

    1977-01-01

    As part of a study intended to identify the lens material and type that provides maximum eye protection against beta radiation, the effectiveness of contemporary ophthalmic lenses has been evaluated. From the calculations and measurements presented it is evident that safety glasses with crown glass ophthalmic lenses afford the eye the greatest protection against beta radiation, whereas street glasses with plastic ophthalmic lenses afford the eye very little protection. It is to be noted that glass street lenses (approximately 2.2 mm thick) provide greater protection than plastic safety lenses (approximately 3.5 mm thick). A warning is given against the use of safety lenses containing a large percentage of thorium. (U.K.)

  7. Contemporary plasma physics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sodha, M.S.; Tewari, D.P.; Subbarao, D.

    1983-01-01

    The book consists of review articles on some selected contemporary aspects of plasma physics. The selected topics present a panoramic view of contemporary plasma physics and applications to fusion, space and MHD power generation. Basic non-linear plasma theory is also covered. The book is supposed to be useful for M.S./M.Sc. students specialising in plasma physics and for those beginning research work in plasma physics. It will also serve as a valuable reference book for more advanced research workers. (M.G.B.)

  8. TREND MECHANISMS IN CONTEMPORARY FASHION

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Mackinney-Valentin, Maria

    2013-01-01

    Explores a spatial approach to trend mechanisms that is argued to be more contemporary than the traditional temporal appraoch.......Explores a spatial approach to trend mechanisms that is argued to be more contemporary than the traditional temporal appraoch....

  9. On contemporary sedimentation at the titanic survey area

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lukashin, V. N.

    2009-12-01

    The basic parameters of the sedimentation environment are considered: the Western Boundary Deep Current that transports sedimentary material and distributes it on the survey area; the nepheloid layer, its features, and the distribution of the concentrations and particulate standing crop in it; the distribution of the horizontal and vertical fluxes of the sedimentary material; and the bottom sediments and their absolute masses. The comparison of the vertical fluxes of the particulate matter and the absolute masses of the sediments showed that the contemporary fluxes of sedimentary material to the bottom provided the distribution of the absolute masses of the sediments in the survey area during the Holocene.

  10. Run charts revisited: a simulation study of run chart rules for detection of non-random variation in health care processes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anhøj, Jacob; Olesen, Anne Vingaard

    2014-01-01

    A run chart is a line graph of a measure plotted over time with the median as a horizontal line. The main purpose of the run chart is to identify process improvement or degradation, which may be detected by statistical tests for non-random patterns in the data sequence. We studied the sensitivity to shifts and linear drifts in simulated processes using the shift, crossings and trend rules for detecting non-random variation in run charts. The shift and crossings rules are effective in detecting shifts and drifts in process centre over time while keeping the false signal rate constant around 5% and independent of the number of data points in the chart. The trend rule is virtually useless for detection of linear drift over time, the purpose it was intended for.

  11. IN SEARCH OF REALITY – ABOUT REALISM IN DANISH CONTEMPORARY PROSE

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aldona Zanko

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available The article deals with one of the main streams in Danish contemporary literature, namely the realistic minimalism. Minimalism appeared in Danish contemporary literature at the beginning of the 1990-ties. It was developed by the first generation of writers, who graduated at that time from The Danish School of Writers (Forfatterskolen, founded in 1987 in Copenhagen by the Danish modernist poet and literary critic Poul Borum. The first graduates from The Danish School of Writers wrote mainly short stories, characterized by economy of words and focus on surface description. Due to their form as well as subject matter the works written by Danish minimalists are often called for snapshots of everyday life in nowadays Denmark. Soon after that great outburst of minimalism in Danish literature from the early 90’ties the critics proclaimed the so-called “return to reality” in Danish contemporary literature. Owing to that remarkable phenomenon minimalist literature composed by Danish contemporary writers is often described as a renewed version of realism, whose roots go back to the 70-ties and the 80-ties of the 19th century. The present article gives a brief characteristics of the main features typical of the Danish minimalist realism, which have been discussed in the light of the first wave of realistic literature that came to Denmark in the second half of 19th century. In this way the author compares two related, but though different literary techniques practised by the two generations of Danish realists: the contemporary on the one hand, among whom the author mentions such names as Christina Hesselholdt, Helle Helle and Solvej Balle, as well as their forefathers on the other, where the author respectively refers to Herman Bang, Jens Peter Jacobsen and Henrik Pontoppidan. On the basis of this comparison the author seeks to point out the similarities and the differences between the two series of literary accounts of the Danish reality with regard

  12. Per-Oral Endoscopic Myotomy Versus Laparoscopic Heller Myotomy for Achalasia: A Meta-Analysis of Nonrandomized Comparative Studies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Yuan; Wang, Hongjuan; Chen, Xingdong; Liu, Lan; Wang, Hongbo; Liu, Bin; Guo, Jianqiang; Jia, Hongying

    2016-02-01

    We aimed to assess the short-term outcomes of per-oral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) compared with laparoscopic Heller myotomy (LHM) for achalasia through a meta-analysis of nonrandomized comparative studies.We searched PubMed, Embase, Medline, Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar for studies that compared POEM and LHM for achalasia and were published between January 1, 2008 and December 31, 2014. The Methodological Index for Nonrandomized Studies (MINORS) was used to evaluate the quality of the studies. Random- and fixed-effects meta-analytical models were used, and between-study heterogeneity was assessed.Four nonrandomized comparative studies that included 317 patients (125 in the POEM group and 192 in the LHM group) met our research criteria and were assessed. There were no differences between the POEM and LHM groups in terms of sex, preoperative Eckhart score, length of myotomy, operation time, length of hospital stay, and complications. The patients in the POEM group were older than those in the LHM group (MD =2.81, 95% CI 0.27-5.35; P = 0.03) with high between-study homogeneity (χ = 1.96, df = 2, I = 0%; P = 0.38). The patients in the POEM group had a lower Eckardt score after surgery compared with those in the LHM group (MD = -0.30, 95% CI -0.42 to -0.18; P < 0.001) with high between-study homogeneity (χ = 0.00, df = 1, I = 0%; P = 1.00).The efficacy and safety of POEM appear to be comparable to those of LHM. Multicenter and randomized trials with larger sample size are needed to further compare the efficacy and safety of POEM and LHM for the treatment of achalasia.

  13. Discovering non-random segregation of sister chromatids: The naïve treatment of a premature discovery

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Karl G. Lark

    2013-02-01

    Full Text Available The discovery of non-random chromosome segregation is discussed from the perspective of what was known in1965 and1966. The distinction between daughter, parent or grandparent strands of DNA was developed in a bacterial system and led to the discovery that multiple copies of DNA elements of bacteria are not distributed randomly with respect to the age of the template strand. Experiments with higher eukaryotic cells demonstrated that during mitosis Mendel’s laws were violated; and the initial serendipitous choice of eukaryotic cell system led to the striking example of non-random segregation of parent and grand-parent DNA template strands in primary cultures of cells derived from mouse embryos. Attempts to extrapolate these findings to established TC lines demonstrated that the property could be lost. Experiments using plant root tips demonstrated that the phenomenon exists in plants and that it was, at some level, under genetic control. Despite publication in major journals and symposia (Lark et al. (1966a; Lark (1967a; 1967b; 1969, 1969a; 1969b the potential implications of these findings were ignored for several decades. Here we explore possible reasons for the pre-maturity (Stent, 1972 of this discovery.

  14. Lead in prehistoric, historic and contemporary Japanese: stable isotopic study by ICP mass spectrometry

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Suzuki, T.; Morita, M.; Yoneda, M.; Yoshinaga, J.

    1998-01-01

    Lead concentration and isotopic composition of prehistoric (middle and latest Jomon era, 2000-4500 BP, n=6), historic (Edo era, 130-400 BP, n=10), and contemporary (died in 1987-88, n=15) Japanese bones, and deciduous teeth from contemporary Japanese children born during 1985-88 (n=17) were analyzed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Lead concentration was lowest in Jomon bones and was higher in rural Edo, contemporary, and urban Edo, in that order. Elevated Pb concentration in historic Edo people, as reported previously, was reconfirmed. The average isotopic ratios ( 207 Pb/ 206 Pb and 208 Pb/ 206 Pb) in excavated (prehistoric and historic) bones, contemporary bones, and deciduous teeth were different from each other. The contemporary bones had the least radiogenic composition (mean 207 Pb/ 206 Pb: 0.879; mean 208 Pb/ 206 Pb: 2.126) while the excavated bones the most (0.848; 2.098), and teeth intermediate (0.866; 2.111). The comparison with the literature data of isotopic compositions of environmental samples showed that the isotopic composition of the excavated bones was within the range of Japanese ores, rocks and soils, indicating the absence of foreign Pb sources in preindustrialized Japan. That of the contemporary bones was closer to the average gasoline Pb, the use of which had been banned in the late 1970s, than to the Pb in airborne particulate matter or refuse incineration ash of 1980s. The average Pb isotopic ratios in the deciduous teeth was close to the isotopic ratios of Pb in airborne particulate matter and refuse incineration ash. These data indicated that the contemporary Japanese population was exposed to foreign Pb which had different isotopic composition from domestic Pb. Exposure to Pb of foreign origin was particularly evidently recorded in people born before the leaded gasoline ban. The history of human Pb contamination in Japan is discussed based on the present results and other previously published data. (Copyright (c) 1998

  15. An intervention to reduce HIV risk behavior of substance-using men who have sex with men: a two-group randomized trial with a nonrandomized third group.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gordon Mansergh

    2010-08-01

    Full Text Available Substance use during sex is associated with sexual risk behavior among men who have sex with men (MSM, and MSM continue to be the group at highest risk for incident HIV in the United States. The objective of this study is to test the efficacy of a group-based, cognitive-behavioral intervention to reduce risk behavior of substance-using MSM, compared to a randomized attention-control group and a nonrandomized standard HIV-testing group.Participants (n = 1,686 were enrolled in Chicago, Los Angeles, New York City, and San Francisco and randomized to a cognitive-behavioral intervention or attention-control comparison. The nonrandomized group received standard HIV counseling and testing. Intervention group participants received six 2-h group sessions focused on reducing substance use and sexual risk behavior. Attention-control group participants received six 2-h group sessions of videos and discussion of MSM community issues unrelated to substance use, sexual risk, and HIV/AIDS. All three groups received HIV counseling and testing at baseline. The sample reported high-risk behavior during the past 3 mo prior to their baseline visit: 67% reported unprotected anal sex, and 77% reported substance use during their most recent anal sex encounter with a nonprimary partner. The three groups significantly (p0.05 from each other at 3-, 6-, and 12-mo follow-up. Outcomes for the 2-arm comparisons were not significantly different at 12-mo follow-up (e.g., unprotected anal sex, odds ratio = 1.14, confidence interval = 0.86-1.51, nor at earlier time points. Similar results were found for each outcome variable in both 2- and 3-arm comparisons.These results for reducing sexual risk behavior of substance-using MSM are consistent with results of intervention trials for other populations, which collectively suggest critical challenges for the field of HIV behavioral interventions. Several mechanisms may contribute to statistically indistinguishable reductions in risk

  16. Comparative Genomic Hybridization of Human Malignant Gliomas Reveals Multiple Amplification Sites and Nonrandom Chromosomal Gains and Losses

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schròck, Evelin; Thiel, Gundula; Lozanova, Tanka; du Manoir, Stanislas; Meffert, Marie-Christine; Jauch, Anna; Speicher, Michael R.; Nürnberg, Peter; Vogel, Siegfried; Janisch, Werner; Donis-Keller, Helen; Ried, Thomas; Witkowski, Regine; Cremer, Thomas

    1994-01-01

    Nine human malignant gliomas (2 astrocytomas grade III and 7 glioblastomas) were analyzed using comparative genomic hybridization (CGH). In addition to the amplification of the EGFR gene at 7p12 in 4 of 9 cases, six new amplification sites were mapped to 1q32, 4q12, 7q21.1, 7q21.2-3, 12p, and 22q12. Nonrandom chromosomal gains and losses were identified with overrepresentation of chromosome 7 and underrepresentation of chromosome 10 as the most frequent events (1 of 2 astrocytomas, 7 of 7 glioblastomas). Gain of a part or the whole chromosome 19 and losses of chromosome bands 9pter-23 and 22q13 were detected each in five cases. Loss of chromosome band 17p13 and gain of chromosome 20 were revealed each in three cases. The validity of the CGH data was confirmed using interphase cytogenetics with YAC clones, chromosome painting in tumor metaphase spreads, and DNA fingerprinting. A comparison of CGH data with the results of chromosome banding analyses indicates that metaphase spreads accessible in primary tumor cell cultures may not represent the clones predominant in the tumor tissue ImagesFigure 1Figure 4Figure 6 PMID:8203461

  17. Jocasta’s kinsfolk: Marx, Freud and Oedipus among contemporary antiphilosophers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mikulić Borislav

    2007-01-01

    Full Text Available The text deals with the recently renewed issue of ′antiphilosophy′ in the self-understanding of some prominent contemporary continental philosophers but not only them, such as Alain Badiou and Slavoj Žižek, both referring to the psychoanalyst and theoretician of discourse Jacques Lacan. Starting with a metaphorical analysis of the verdict made by Marx of ′merely interpretive′ character of philosophy in relation to ′the study of real world′ and with his comparison of philosophy with ′masturbation′, the text addresses new appeals to ′antiphilosophy′ as samples of a token or rather, as cases of a syndrome connected with Jocasta’s rationalization of Oedipus’ curse. It was her discourse based on general rules of rationality with which she unconsciously attempted to avoid the confrontation with the truth of an event (incestuous marriage which had already occurred. In the text, presuppositions and consequences of such an analogy between ancient and contemporary philosophical material are discussed in order to show-on the basis of arguing that the unconscious is located within (and not beyond rational processes that subjects undertake in order to respond to rational needs (viz. impulses of the Ego-that contemporary discussion about ′antiphilosophy′ by left-wing philosophers bears unacknowledged tendencies to unconsciously reduce Marx’ algorithm of ′realization of philosophy′ to the Hegelian negation of the negation and to integrate it into the discourse of academic philosophy.

  18. An Approach to Distinguish between Plasticity and Non-random Distributions of Behavioral Types Along Urban Gradients in a Wild Passerine Bird

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Philipp Sprau

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available The impact of urbanization has been widely studied in the context of species diversity and life history evolution. Behavioral adaptation, by contrast, remains poorly understood because empirical studies rarely investigate the relative importance of two key mechanisms: plastic responses vs. non-random distributions of behavioral types. We propose here an approach that enables the simultaneous estimation of the respective roles of these distinct mechanisms. We investigated why risky behaviors are often associated with urbanization, using an urban nest box population of great tits (Parus major as a study system. We simultaneously and repeatedly quantified individual behavior (aggression and flight initiation distance as well as environmental factors characterizing level of urbanization (numbers of pedestrians, cars and cyclists. This enabled us to statistically distinguish plastic responses from patterns of non-random distributions of behavioral types. Data analyses revealed that individuals did not plastically adjust their behavior to the level of urbanization. Behavioral types were instead non-randomly distributed: bold birds occurred more frequently in areas with more cars and fewer pedestrians while shy individuals were predominantly found in areas with fewer cars and more pedestrians. These novel findings imply a major role for behavioral types in the evolutionary ecology of urban environments and call for the full integration of among- and within-individual variation in urban ecological studies.

  19. Evaluation of the Prevention and Reactivation Care Program (PReCaP) for the hospitalized elderly: A prospective nonrandomized controlled trial

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    K.J.E. Asmus-Szepesi (Kirsten); L.E. Flinterman (Linda); M.A. Koopmanschap (Marc); A.P. Nieboer (Anna); T.J.E.M. Bakker (Ton); J.P. Mackenbach (Johan); E.W. Steyerberg (Ewout)

    2015-01-01

    textabstractBackground: The hospitalized elderly are at risk of functional decline. We evaluated the effects and care costs of a specialized geriatric rehabilitation program aimed at preventing functional decline among at-risk hospitalized elderly. Methods: The prospective nonrandomized controlled

  20. The Nonrandom Distribution of Interior Landforms for 100-km Diameter Craters on Mercury Suggests Regional Variations in Near-Surface Mechanical Properties

    Science.gov (United States)

    Herrick, R. R.

    2018-05-01

    There is great diversity of appearance in the interiors of 100-km diameter craters. The spatial distribution of interior landforms is clustered and nonrandom, but does not clearly correlate with Mercury's surface geology patterns.

  1. Contemporary engineering economics

    CERN Document Server

    Park, Chan S

    2011-01-01

    Contemporary Engineering Economics, 5/e, is intended for undergraduate engineering students taking introductory engineering economics while appealing to the full range of engineering disciplines for which this course is often required: industrial, civil, mechanical, electrical, computer, aerospace, chemical, and manufacturing engineering, as well as engineering technology. This edition has been thoroughly revised and updated while continuing to adopt a contemporary approach to the subject, and teaching, of engineering economics. This text aims not only to build a sound and comprehensive coverage of engineering economics, but also to address key educational challenges, such as student difficulty in developing the analytical skills required to make informed financial decisions.

  2. Testing for nonrandom shape similarity between sister cells using automated shape comparison

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guo, Monica; Marshall, Wallace F.

    2009-02-01

    Several reports in the biological literature have indicated that when a living cell divides, the two daughter cells have a tendency to be mirror images of each other in terms of their overall cell shape. This phenomenon would be consistent with inheritance of spatial organization from mother cell to daughters. However the published data rely on a small number of examples that were visually chosen, raising potential concerns about inadvertent selection bias. We propose to revisit this issue using automated quantitative shape comparison methods which would have no contribution from the observer and which would allow statistical testing of similarity in large numbers of cells. In this report we describe a first order approach to the problem using rigid curve matching. Using test images, we compare a pointwise correspondence based distance metric with a chamfer matching strategy and find that the latter provides better correspondence and smaller distances between aligned curves, especially when we allow nonrigid deformation of the outlines in addition to rotation.

  3. Does balneotherapy with low radon concentration in water influence the endocrine system? A controlled non-randomized pilot study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nagy, Katalin; Berhés, István; Kovács, Tibor; Kávási, Norbert; Somlai, János; Bender, Tamás

    2009-08-01

    Radon bath is a well-established modality of balneotherapy for the management of degenerative musculoskeletal disorders. The present study was conducted to ascertain whether baths of relatively low (80 Bq/l) radon concentration have any influence on the functioning of the endocrine system. In the study, a non-randomized pilot study, 27 patients with degenerative musculoskeletal disorders received 30-min radon baths (of 31-32 degrees C temperature and 80 Bq/l average radon concentration) daily, for 15 days. Twenty-five patients with matching pathologies were subjected to balneotherapy according to the same protocol, using thermal water with negligible radon content (6 Bq/l). Serum thyroid stimulating hormone, prolactin, cortisol, adrenocorticotropic hormone, and dehydroepiandrosterone levels were measured before and after a balneotherapy course of 15 sessions. Comparison of the accumulated data using the Wilcoxon test did not reveal any significant difference between pre- and post-treatment values or between the two patient groups. It is noted that while the beneficial effects of balneotherapy with radon-containing water on degenerative disorders is widely known, only few data have been published in the literature on its effect on endocrine functions. The present study failed to demonstrate any substantial effect of thermal water with relatively low radon content on the functioning of the endocrine system.

  4. Contemporary nuclear medicine diagnostics of neuroendocrine tumors

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Todorović-Tirnanić Mila

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available The new positron emission tomography (PET/CT methods for neuroendocrine tumors detection are presented and compared with classic, conventional methods. Conventional methods use a gamma scintillation camera for patients with neuroendocrine tumor imaging, after intravenous injection of one of the following radiopharmaceuticals: 1 somatostatin analogues labeled with indium-111 (111In-pentetreotide or technetium-99m (99mTc-EDDA/HYNIC-TOC; 2 noradrenaline analogue labeled with iodine-131 or -123 (131I/123I-MIBG; or 3 99mTc(V-DMSA. Contemporary methods use PET/CT equipment for patients with neuroendocrine tumor imaging, after intravenous injection of pharmaceuticals labeled with positron emitters [fluorine-18 (18F, galium-68 (68Ga, or carbon-11 (11C]: 1 glucose analogue (18FDG; 2 somatostatin analogue (68Ga-DOTATOC/68Ga-DOTATATE/68Ga-DOTANOC; 3 aminoacid precursors of bioamines: [a dopamine precursor 18F-DOPA (6-18F-dihydroxyphenylalanine, b serotonin precursor 11C-5HTP (11C-5-hydroxytryptophan]; or 4 dopamine analogue 18F-DA (6-18F-fluorodopamine. Conventional and contemporary (PET/ CT somatostatin receptor detection showed identical high specificity (92%, but conventional had very low sensitivity (52% compared to PET/CT (97%. It means that almost every second neuroendocrine tumor detected by contemporary method cannot be discovered using conventional (classic method. In metastatic pheochromocytoma detection contemporary (PET/ CT methods (18F-DOPA and 18F-DA have higher sensitivity than conventional (131I/123I-MIBG. In medullary thyroid carcinoma diagnostics contemporary method (18F-DOPA is more sensitive than conventional 99mTc(V-DMSA method, and is similar to 18FDG, computed tomography and magnetic resonance. In carcinoid detection contemporary method (18F-DOPA shows similar results with contemporary somatostatin receptor detection, while for gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors it is worse. To conclude, contemporary (PET/CT methods for

  5. Perspectives on contemporary mysticism.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thayer, N S

    1979-07-01

    Contemporary mysticism is in continuity with religious mysticism of all ages. Mysticism, like all religion, has an ideological and an experiential dimension. Traditional Freudian theory is inadequate for understanding either the ideological or the cognitive aspect, because it does not adequately account for either the cognitive process or the self-conscious "I." Categories of both ego psychology and the social scientific approach to religion illuminate contemporary mysticism in ways unavailable to the traditional Freudian psychoanalytic approach. The epistemological implications of the mystical attitude are considered, in both the religious and the scientific enterprises.

  6. Discussing Global Issues through Contemporary Art

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mead, Sarah M.; Ellerbrock, Cheryl R.; Cruz, Bárbara C.

    2017-01-01

    Contemporary global issues can be examined through the lens of modern photographic art. In an effort to prepare global-ready graduates, this article explores the pressing problems of environmental degradation, urbanization, and homelessness through the work of three contemporary artists. Illustrative works, suggested approaches, and curriculum…

  7. Reassessing the forest impacts of protection: the challenge of nonrandom location and a corrective method.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Joppa, Lucas; Pfaff, Alexander

    2010-01-01

    Protected areas are leading tools in efforts to slow global species loss and appear also to have a role in climate change policy. Understanding their impacts on deforestation informs environmental policies. We review several approaches to evaluating protection's impact on deforestation, given three hurdles to empirical evaluation, and note that "matching" techniques from economic impact evaluation address those hurdles. The central hurdle derives from the fact that protected areas are distributed nonrandomly across landscapes. Nonrandom location can be intentional, and for good reasons, including biological and political ones. Yet even so, when protected areas are biased in their locations toward less-threatened areas, many methods for impact evaluation will overestimate protection's effect. The use of matching techniques allows one to control for known landscape biases when inferring the impact of protection. Applications of matching have revealed considerably lower impact estimates of forest protection than produced by other methods. A reduction in the estimated impact from existing parks does not suggest, however, that protection is unable to lower clearing. Rather, it indicates the importance of variation across locations in how much impact protection could possibly have on rates of deforestation. Matching, then, bundles improved estimates of the average impact of protection with guidance on where new parks' impacts will be highest. While many factors will determine where new protected areas will be sited in the future, we claim that the variation across space in protection's impact on deforestation rates should inform site choice.

  8. Randomness in Contemporary Graphic Art

    OpenAIRE

    Zavřelová, Veronika

    2016-01-01

    Veronika Zavřelová Bachelor thesis Charles University in Prague, Faculty of Education, Department of Art Education Randomness in contemporary graphic art imaginative picture card game ANNOTATION This (bachelor) thesis concerns itself with a connection between verbal and visual character system within the topic of Randomness in contemporary graphic art - imaginative picture card game. The thesis is mainly based on the practical part - exclusively created card game Piktim. The card game uses as...

  9. The traditional, the innovative, the ephemeral: conception, realization, intervention in contemporary art

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Salvatore Lorusso

    2009-03-01

    Full Text Available The traditional, the innovative, the ephemeral: conception, realization, intervention in contemporary art. One must consider the traditional, the innovative and also the ephemeral related to the artistic intentions and thus to the interventions on works of contemporary art, for which the concepts of originality and authenticity do not always correspond. The Brandian vision and point of view do not completely resolve the problematics relative to restoration and conservation: artists realize their artifacts with the intention of undermining tradition or, however, of interpreting it in an unusual way. There are, therefore, cases when a diagnostic-analytical and conservative intervention is possible correspondently to the different and numerous typologies of the materials (poor, plastic, industrial and techniques (collage, enamel on rubber foam, paint on textile or plastic, neon. A vocation for the ephemeral can be transformed into the adoption of deteriorated materials or into the realization of works of conceptual art and net-art. Some case studies are treated in the comparison of art works of different age. The solutions to the aforementioned problematics are offered and the importance of the involvement of the historical-technical experts, authors and manufacturers of the materials used in the artifacts is highlighted. Finally the procedure of intervention cannot be the same for all works of contemporary art. One must employ a methodology based on the critical study, not only of the materials used but also of the philosophy and creative conceptual intentions of the artist.

  10. Contemporary evolution during invasion: evidence for differentiation, natural selection, and local adaptation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Colautti, Robert I; Lau, Jennifer A

    2015-05-01

    Biological invasions are 'natural' experiments that can improve our understanding of contemporary evolution. We evaluate evidence for population differentiation, natural selection and adaptive evolution of invading plants and animals at two nested spatial scales: (i) among introduced populations (ii) between native and introduced genotypes. Evolution during invasion is frequently inferred, but rarely confirmed as adaptive. In common garden studies, quantitative trait differentiation is only marginally lower (~3.5%) among introduced relative to native populations, despite genetic bottlenecks and shorter timescales (i.e. millennia vs. decades). However, differentiation between genotypes from the native vs. introduced range is less clear and confounded by nonrandom geographic sampling; simulations suggest this causes a high false-positive discovery rate (>50%) in geographically structured populations. Selection differentials (¦s¦) are stronger in introduced than in native species, although selection gradients (¦β¦) are not, consistent with introduced species experiencing weaker genetic constraints. This could facilitate rapid adaptation, but evidence is limited. For example, rapid phenotypic evolution often manifests as geographical clines, but simulations demonstrate that nonadaptive trait clines can evolve frequently during colonization (~two-thirds of simulations). Additionally, QST-FST studies may often misrepresent the strength and form of natural selection acting during invasion. Instead, classic approaches in evolutionary ecology (e.g. selection analysis, reciprocal transplant, artificial selection) are necessary to determine the frequency of adaptive evolution during invasion and its influence on establishment, spread and impact of invasive species. These studies are rare but crucial for managing biological invasions in the context of global change. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  11. Contemporary African philosophy: emergent issues and challenges ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    ... all philosophies remain context-dependent and cultureoriented. A contrary view ignores the proper nature of philosophy. A new phenomenon confronts currently confronts all comers to contemporary African philosophy: an expansive vision of African philosophical discourse. Contemporary African philosophers attempt to ...

  12. AUTHOR-SPECIFIC ADJECTIVES FOUND IN POETIC TEXTS BY CONTEMPORARY POETESSES

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Olesya Alexandrovna Shkreba

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available Purpose. This article is devoted to the analysis of author-specific adjectives as neologisms found in texts by contemporary poetesses. The author aims to both define derivational models for the formation of IAN adjectives and identify the features of the functioning of adjectives in the text. Methodology. The method of the system scientific description is used in the work, implying the use of the methods of multi-aspect systematization of author-specific neologisms in accordance with the research task. Comparative-comparative method, implemented in observation, comparison and theoretical interpretation of the results of the new language material analysis, allows drawing conclusions upon carrying out the research. Results. In the course of the conducted research it was revealed that author-specific adjectives, found in the texts by V. Polozkova, A. Kudryasheva, D. Balyko, A. Rivelote represent the most numerous group of authorial neologisms. Having been created by productive models of addition, suffixation and prefixation, these lexemes express new semantic nuances in poetic texts, thus reflecting the special state of the persona. Practical implications. The results of this study can be used at university in the pedagogical practice of language teachers in the framework of studying Neology as an academic discipline as well as in analyzing contemporary poetry.

  13. Genetic diversity and population structure in contemporary house sparrow populations along an urbanization gradient.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vangestel, C; Mergeay, J; Dawson, D A; Callens, T; Vandomme, V; Lens, L

    2012-09-01

    House sparrow (Passer domesticus) populations have suffered major declines in urban as well as rural areas, while remaining relatively stable in suburban ones. Yet, to date no exhaustive attempt has been made to examine how, and to what extent, spatial variation in population demography is reflected in genetic population structuring along contemporary urbanization gradients. Here we use putatively neutral microsatellite loci to study if and how genetic variation can be partitioned in a hierarchical way among different urbanization classes. Principal coordinate analyses did not support the hypothesis that urban/suburban and rural populations comprise two distinct genetic clusters. Comparison of FST values at different hierarchical scales revealed drift as an important force of population differentiation. Redundancy analyses revealed that genetic structure was strongly affected by both spatial variation and level of urbanization. The results shown here can be used as baseline information for future genetic monitoring programmes and provide additional insights into contemporary house sparrow dynamics along urbanization gradients.

  14. Contemporary Famine Analysis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Rubin, Olivier

    to the newer economic approaches based on Amartya Sen. While all approaches contribute with important insights on famine dynamics, they also struggle to capture the political dimension of contemporary famines. The Brief develops a political approach capable of addressing this important but messy political...

  15. School Counselors: A Review of Contemporary Issues

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bain, Steve F.

    2012-01-01

    This article seeks to review the topic of school counselors and the contemporary issues surrounding this profession. An introduction to the profession and overview of its history provides a comprehensive basis on which to understand today's school counseling profession. An examination of contemporary themes of school counseling will include job…

  16. "Units of Comparison" across Languages, across Time

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thomas, Margaret

    2009-01-01

    Lardiere's keynote article adverts to a succession of "units of comparison" that have been employed in the study of cross-linguistic differences, including mid-twentieth-century structural patterns, generative grammar's parameters, and (within contemporary Minimalism) features. This commentary expands on the idea of units of cross-linguistic…

  17. The Contemporary Consultant

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Olson, Thomas; Poulfelt, Flemming; Greiner, Larry

    This book complements The handbook of Management Consulting: The Contemporary Consultant: Insights from Leading Experts, 1e but can also be studied separately. The book consists of 20 cases including Harvard and Stanford cases. The cases present the broad range of topics that are pertinent to cur...... current management issues facing consulting firms. These cases, together with the handbook, will prepare consultants and other business managers for a successful future in a highly competitive consulting environment.......This book complements The handbook of Management Consulting: The Contemporary Consultant: Insights from Leading Experts, 1e but can also be studied separately. The book consists of 20 cases including Harvard and Stanford cases. The cases present the broad range of topics that are pertinent...... to current management consulting. Each of the four parts of the text presents a cogent introduction by the editors, delineating topics that are critical for today's consultants to understand. The cases represent major practice areas of consulting and afford new insights into change processes and other...

  18. The Force Awakens: The Individualistic and Contemporary Heroine

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Payal Doctor

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens is not the hero’s journey as George Lucas previously conceptualized it. Instead, the story line of The Force Awakens leads me to believe that it creates a new iteration of the hero myth. It follows the contemporary heroine’s journey while conforming to the essential construct of the hero monomyth. First, the contemporary heroine’s journey focuses primarily on the greater good and secondarily on her own personal journey, which is the converse of the traditional hero’s journey. Second, the contemporary heroine’s self is awakened and called to adventure in a different way than the traditional hero. Third, the traditional hero receives guidance on his journey, while the contemporary heroine pushes ahead alone, striving to save her society from despair.

  19. CONTEMPORARY TEACHING AIDS IN TEACHING MATHEMATICS

    OpenAIRE

    Sead Rešić; Eldina Atić

    2014-01-01

    In this research, the application of contemporary teaching aids in Mathematics teaching in elementary school was analyzed from the aspect of teachers, students and parents. The application of contemporary teaching aids in Mathematics teaching was analyzed through a sample of 100 students, and attitudes about the aids were examined from the points of view of students, teachers and parents. In this research, descriptive method, questionnaire and test were used. Results of the resear...

  20. The BBC, Daily Telegraph and Wikinews timelines of the terrorist attacks of 7th July 2006 in London: a comparison with contemporary discussions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mike Thelwall

    2006-01-01

    Full Text Available Introduction. We assess the extent to which published media timelines reflect contemporary electronic discussions of major media events, using the London Attacks of July 2005 as a case study. The main objective is to judge whether timelines could, in principle, be automatically generated from contemporary debates. A secondary objective is to analyse the reasons for differences between contemporary debates and retrospective media timelines. Method. Our method exploits the new opportunities for large-scale analysis afforded by electronic news feeds and blogs. We compared published media timelines with blog postings and news stories related to the London attacks of July, 2005. Rich Site Summary (RSS technology was used to gather data from 19,587 blog and news sites. For the period of July 7 to July 31 we identified an average of 275 sources a day that posted new information containing the word 'London'. These postings, a combination of blogging and news stories, formed the raw data for our analysis. In particular, we extracted and counted the individual words used in the postings. Analysis. We compared contemporary word usage statistics from our RSS data with the text of three published media timelines, particularly seeking words and types of words that were present in one but not the other. Results. We found that the timelines tended to ignore the role of communication during the event itself, to use less emotionally charged language, and to gloss over to some extent the wider context of the event. Hence some aspects (frames of the unfolding discussion were ignored by the timelines. Moreover, all sources included a range of relatively trivial details, the timelines apparently using them as concept markers (metonymy for broader issues. Conclusion. . It seems that it would be difficult to automatically generate media timelines from contemporary discussions because of frame changes, and because of changes in terminology and the difficulty in

  1. Tradition and Renewal in Contemporary Orthodox Theology

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marios Begzos

    2014-11-01

    Full Text Available This text presents the challenges that the modern world poses for the Orthodox Church. In every historical period, the Church has struggled with internal and external problems. While preserving its traditions and historical foundations, the theology of the Orthodox Church struggles with contemporary problems by showing the current, contemporary teaching about God, man and the world.

  2. Selecting for extinction: nonrandom disease-associated extinction homogenizes amphibian biotas.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smith, Kevin G; Lips, Karen R; Chase, Jonathan M

    2009-10-01

    Studying the patterns in which local extinctions occur is critical to understanding how extinctions affect biodiversity at local, regional and global spatial scales. To understand the importance of patterns of extinction at a regional spatial scale, we use data from extirpations associated with a widespread pathogenic agent of amphibian decline, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) as a model system. We apply novel null model analyses to these data to determine whether recent extirpations associated with Bd have resulted in selective extinction and homogenization of diverse tropical American amphibian biotas. We find that Bd-associated extinctions in this region were nonrandom and disproportionately, but not exclusively, affected low-occupancy and endemic species, resulting in homogenization of the remnant amphibian fauna. The pattern of extirpations also resulted in phylogenetic homogenization at the family level and ecological homogenization of reproductive mode and habitat association. Additionally, many more species were extirpated from the region than would be expected if extirpations occurred randomly. Our results indicate that amphibian declines in this region are an extinction filter, reducing regional amphibian biodiversity to highly similar relict assemblages and ultimately causing amplified biodiversity loss at regional and global scales.

  3. Non-random intrachromosomal distribution of radiation-induced chromatid aberrations in Vicia faba. [Aberration clustering

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Schubert, I; Rieger, R [Akademie der Wissenschaften der DDR, Gatersleben. Zentralinst. fuer Genetik und Kulturpflanzenforschung

    1976-04-01

    A reconstructed karyotype of Vicia faba, with all chromosomes individually distinguishable, was treated with X-rays, fast neutrons, (/sup 3/H) uridine (/sup 3/HU). The distribution within metaphase chromosomes of induced chromatid aberrations was non-random for all agents used. Aberration clustering, in part agent specific, occurred in chromosome segments containing heterochromatin as defined by the presence of G bands. The pattern of aberration clustering found after treatment with /sup 3/HU did not allow the recognition of chromosome regions active in transcription during treatment. Furthermore, it was impossible to obtain unambiguous indications of the presence of AT- and GC-base clusters from the patterns of /sup 3/HT- and /sup 3/HC-induced chromatid aberrations, respectively. Possible reasons underlying these observations are discussed.

  4. Expansion of Treatment for Hepatitis C Virus Infection by Task Shifting to Community-Based Nonspecialist Providers: A Nonrandomized Clinical Trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kattakuzhy, Sarah; Gross, Chloe; Emmanuel, Benjamin; Teferi, Gebeyehu; Jenkins, Veronica; Silk, Rachel; Akoth, Elizabeth; Thomas, Aurielle; Ahmed, Charisse; Espinosa, Michelle; Price, Angie; Rosenthal, Elana; Tang, Lydia; Wilson, Eleanor; Bentzen, Soren; Masur, Henry; Kottilil, Shyam

    2017-09-05

    Direct-acting antiviral (DAA) therapy for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection has resulted in high rates of disease cure; however, not enough specialists currently are available to provide care. To determine the efficacy of HCV treatment independently provided by nurse practitioners (NPs), primary care physicians (PCPs), or specialist physicians using DAA therapy. Nonrandomized, open-label clinical trial initiated in 2015. (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02339038). 13 urban, federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) in the District of Columbia. A referred sample of 600 patients, of whom 96% were black, 69% were male, 82% were treatment naive, and 20% had cirrhosis. Seventy-two percent of the patients had HCV genotype 1a infection. The baseline characteristics of patients seen by each provider type were similar. Patients were assigned in a nonrandomized but specified manner to receive treatment from 1 of 5 NPs, 5 PCPs, or 6 specialists. All providers underwent an identical 3-hour training session based on guidelines. Patients received treatment with ledipasvir-sofosbuvir, which was provided on site, according to U.S. Food and Drug Administration labeling requirements. Sustained virologic response (SVR). 516 patients achieved SVR, a response rate of 86% (95% CI, 83.0% to 88.7%), with no major safety signals. Response rates were consistent across the 3 provider types: NPs, 89.3% (CI, 83.3% to 93.8%); PCPs, 86.9% (CI, 80.6% to 91.7%); and specialists, 83.8% (CI, 79.0% to 87.8%). Patient loss to follow-up was the major cause of non-SVR. Nonrandomized patient distribution; possible referral bias. In a real-world cohort of patients at urban FQHCs, HCV treatment administered by nonspecialist providers was as safe and effective as that provided by specialists. Nurse practitioners and PCPs with compact didactic training could substantially expand the availability of community-based providers to escalate HCV therapy, bridging existing gaps in the continuum of care for patients with

  5. Contemporary management of subtrochanteric fractures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Joglekar, Siddharth B; Lindvall, Eric M; Martirosian, Armen

    2015-01-01

    Cephalomedullary interlocking nails that allow for trochanteric entry and minimally invasive fixation have revolutionized the contemporary management of subtrochanteric fractures with improved union rates and decreased incidence of fixation failure. The most successful alternative to intramedullary fixation remains the angled blade plate. Despite biomechanical superiority of contemporary intramedullary implants to previous intramedullary devices, the importance of achieving and maintaining satisfactory fracture reduction prior to and during hardware insertion cannot be overemphasized. In comminuted and more challenging fractures, additional techniques, such as limited open reduction with clamps and/or cables, can allow for canal restoration and more anatomic reductions prior to and/or during nail insertion. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  6. Offender and offense characteristics of a nonrandom sample of mass murderers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hempel, A G; Meloy, J R; Richards, T C

    1999-01-01

    A nonrandom sample (N = 30) of mass murderers in the United States and Canada during the past 50 years was studied. Data suggest that such individuals are single or divorced males in their fourth decade of life with various Axis I paranoid and/or depressive conditions and Axis II personality traits and disorders, usually Clusters A and B. The mass murder is precipitated by a major loss related to employment or relationship. A warrior mentality suffuses the planning and attack behavior of the subject, and greater deaths and higher casualty rates are significantly more likely if the perpetrator is psychotic at the time of the offense. Alcohol plays a very minor role. A large proportion of subjects will convey their central motivation in a psychological abstract, a phrase or sentence yelled with great emotion at the beginning of the mass murder; but in our study sample, only 20 percent directly threatened their victims before the offense. Death by suicide or at the hands of others is the usual outcome for the mass murderer.

  7. Non-random alkylation of DNA sequences induced in vivo by chemical mutagens

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Durante, M.; Geri, C.; Bonatti, S.; Parenti, R. (Universita di Pisa (Italy))

    1989-08-01

    Previous studies of the interaction of alkylating agents on the eukaryotic genome support the idea that induction of DNA adducts is at specific genomic sites. Here we show molecular and cytological evidence that alkylation is rather specific. Mammalian cell cultures were exposed to different doses of mutagens and the DNA was analyzed by density gradient ultracentrifugation, hydroxylapatite fractionation, and by restriction enzyme analysis. Studies with the labelled mutagens N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea and N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine show that there is a non-random distribution of the adducts. The adducts are found more frequently in A-T, G-C rich satellite DNA and highly repetitive sequences. Analysis with restriction enzymes shows that both methyl and ethyl groups influence the restriction patterns of the enzymes HpaII and MspI that recognize specific endogenous DNA methylation. These data suggest, as a subsequent mechanism, a modification in the pattern of the normal endogenous methylation of 5-methylcytosine.

  8. Contemporary models of the atomic nucleus

    CERN Document Server

    Nemirovskii, P E

    2013-01-01

    Contemporary Models of the Atomic Nucleus discusses nuclear structure and properties, expounding contemporary theoretical concepts of the low-energy nuclear processes underlying in nuclear models. This book focuses on subjects such as the optical nuclear model, unified or collective model, and deuteron stripping reaction. Other topics discussed include the basic nuclear properties; shell model; theoretical analysis of the shell model; and radiative transitions and alpha-decay. The deuteron theory and the liquid drop nuclear model with its application to fission theory are also mentioned, but o

  9. New sounds, new stories : narrativity in contemporary music

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Meelberg, Vincent

    2006-01-01

    In this dissertation, I study the relation between narrativity and contemporary composed music. The purpose of this study is twofold. Firstly, in so doing, I am able to articulate what musical narrativity is in a precise manner. Since many contemporary musical works question or problematize the

  10. The Economic Situation in Contemporary Africa: Comment on ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The Economic Situation in Contemporary Africa: Comment on Questions Posed by Lansana Keita. P Bond, DM Dembele. Abstract. The economic situation in contemporary Africa is highly problematic, creating populations that are in general much discontented with matters as they now stand. Africa's populations are now ...

  11. Comparison contemporary methods of regeneration sodium-cationic filters

    Science.gov (United States)

    Burakov, I. A.; Burakov, A. Y.; Nikitina, I. S.; Verkhovsky, A. E.; Ilyushin, A. S.; Aladushkin, S. V.

    2017-11-01

    Regeneration plays a crucial role in the field of efficient application sodium-cationic filters for softening the water. Traditionally used as regenerant saline NaCl. However, due to the modern development of the energy industry and its close relationship with other industrial and academic sectors the opportunity to use in the regeneration of other solutions. The report estimated data and application possibilities as regenerant solution sodium-cationic filters brine wells a high mineral content, as both primary application and after balneotherapeutic use reverse osmosis and concentrates especially recycled regenerant water repeated. Comparison of the effectiveness of these solutions with the traditional use of NaCl. Developed and tested system for the processing of highly mineralized brines wells after balneological use. Recommendations for use as regeneration solutions for the sodium-cationic unit considered solutions and defined rules of brine for regeneration costs.

  12. EXPERIENCE-BASED ART EDUCATI ON: HOW PREJUDICES ABOUT CONTEMPORARY ART CAN LEAD TO ENRICHED EDUCATION IN MUSEUMS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eva Van MOER

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available Every form of communication, even every culture , is depending on the interaction between expectation and perception. Every perception is related to anticipations and therefore to comparisons. What we understand or see is not simply a given, but is the product of past experiences and future expecta tions. When understanding fails, expectations become prejudices. A big stumbling-block in interpreting artworks in a museum of contemporary art is having confidence in the concept of multiple interpreta tions. Because contemporary art is characterised as ‘open-ended’, understanding does not always occur and viewers are confused or even disappointed. In this study we investigate the process of understanding contemporary art and focus especially on the formulation of prejudices during a museum visit. We underline that the prejudiced nature of understanding does not have to lead to negative or empty experiences but creates openness to future experiences. Prejudices send people back to re -inspect the initial experience. It is important to bring museum visitors to understand their own constructed meanings by reinvestigating their initial interpretation through inquiring. Museum educators should develop tools which allow visitors to position themselves and make them think from various contexts. This kind of education leads to enriched (reinte rpretation and experiences.

  13. A prospective nonrandomized comparison of laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication and laparoscopic Toupet fundoplication in Indian population using detailed objective and subjective criteria

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pawanindra Lal

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: Laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication (LNF is a commonly performed procedure for the treatment of gastro esophageal reflux disease (GERD worldwide. However, unfavourable postoperative sequel, including gas bloat and dysphagia, has encouraged surgeons to perform alternative procedures such as laparoscopic Toupet fundoplication (LTF. This prospective nonrandomized study was designed to compare LNF with LTF in patients with GERD. Materials and Methods: Hundred and ten patients symptomatic for GERD were included in the study after having received intensive acid suppression therapy for a minimum of 8 weeks. A 24-hour pH metry was done on all patients. Fifty patients having reflux on 24-hour pH metry were taken up for the surgery. Patients were further divided into group-A (LNF and group-B (LTF. Results: The median percentage time with esophageal pH < 4 decreased from 10.18% and 12.31% preoperatively to 0.85% and 1.94% postoperatively in LNF and LTF-groups, respectively. There was a significant and comparable increase in length of lower esophageal sphincter (LES, length of intraabdominal part of LES and LES pressure at respiratory inversion point in both the groups. In LNF-group, five patients had early dysphagia that improved afterwards. There were no significant postoperative complications. Conclusion: LNF and LTF are highly effective in the management of GERD with significant improvement in symptoms and objective parameters. LNF may be associated with significantly higher incidence of short onset transient dysphagia that improves with time. Patients in both the groups showed excellent symptom and objective control on 24-hour pH metry on short term follow-up.

  14. Evaluation of the Prevention and Reactivation Care Program (PReCaP) for the hospitalized elderly: A prospective nonrandomized controlled trial

    OpenAIRE

    Asmus-Szepesi, Kirsten; Flinterman, Linda; Koopmanschap, Marc; Nieboer, Anna; Bakker, Ton; Mackenbach, Johan; Steyerberg, Ewout

    2015-01-01

    textabstractBackground: The hospitalized elderly are at risk of functional decline. We evaluated the effects and care costs of a specialized geriatric rehabilitation program aimed at preventing functional decline among at-risk hospitalized elderly. Methods: The prospective nonrandomized controlled trial reported here was performed in three hospitals in the Netherlands. One hospital implemented the Prevention and Reactivation Care Program (PReCaP), while two other hospitals providing usual car...

  15. The Traditional in Contemporary Curricula of Preschool Education

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kopas-Vukašinović Emina

    2016-02-01

    Full Text Available Contemporary curricula of preschool education are the result of the improvement of pedagogical and didactic theories. They imply a technical plan with which it is possible to achieve measurable objectives of preschool education. The curriculum is also defined as a tool for quality and equal education for all. It represents a reflection of the time, society and culture in which it exists, but also a model for future society and education. Thus an important research question arises as to what extent we recognize traditional ideas about learning and the development of a preschool child in contemporary preschool programs. Are traditional ideas about educating young children unjustly neglected or do we recognize them in contemporary pedagogical theory even today, at the same time forgetting about the past and declaring them innovations? This paper deals with the starting points for the development of a curriculum. The goal of the research was to determine to what extent can the starting points for the development of preschool children, which have existed in the first preschool programs in Serbia in the late 19th century, be recognized in contemporary preschool programs. A descriptive method was applied as well as a procedure for content analysis of program documents. Research results confirm that the elements of the first preschool programs, which remain relevant until today, can be recognized in contemporary preschool programs. They are related to target orientations, principles and functions of preschool education. However, these ideas are defined as contemporary tendencies, and the fact that they existed in preschool programs that were developed a long time ago is unjustly ignored.

  16. Teen Artists: Impact of a Contemporary Art Museum

    Science.gov (United States)

    Erickson, Mary; Hales, Laura

    2014-01-01

    This study describes the effects of a yearlong, multivisit teen program in a contemporary art museum on adolescents' reflections about art. Our purpose was to discover whether this program, focused on experiences with contemporary art and artists with its metacognitive approach, affected students' thinking about their own artmaking. The…

  17. Colonic stem cell data are consistent with the immortal model of stem cell division under non-random strand segregation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Walters, K

    2009-06-01

    Colonic stem cells are thought to reside towards the base of crypts of the colon, but their numbers and proliferation mechanisms are not well characterized. A defining property of stem cells is that they are able to divide asymmetrically, but it is not known whether they always divide asymmetrically (immortal model) or whether there are occasional symmetrical divisions (stochastic model). By measuring diversity of methylation patterns in colon crypt samples, a recent study found evidence in favour of the stochastic model, assuming random segregation of stem cell DNA strands during cell division. Here, the effect of preferential segregation of the template strand is considered to be consistent with the 'immortal strand hypothesis', and explore the effect on conclusions of previously published results. For a sample of crypts, it is shown how, under the immortal model, to calculate mean and variance of the number of unique methylation patterns allowing for non-random strand segregation and compare them with those observed. The calculated mean and variance are consistent with an immortal model that incorporates non-random strand segregation for a range of stem cell numbers and levels of preferential strand segregation. Allowing for preferential strand segregation considerably alters previously published conclusions relating to stem cell numbers and turnover mechanisms. Evidence in favour of the stochastic model may not be as strong as previously thought.

  18. Sociological analysis of contemporary Turkish political elites

    OpenAIRE

    D. Ali Arslan

    2007-01-01

    This study was designed to find general characteristics of Contemporary Turkish political Elites since 1995 up to date. Social background characteristics were employed to realise the purposes. Documentary and historical research techniques were used during the study. As a result of examining the Contemporary Turkish political elites (since 1995 up to 2005) these major findings were discovered: the large majority of the Turkish parliamentary elites were well educated, male, middle aged, marrie...

  19. Metaphors in the Wisdom Literature of the Hebrew Bible and Contemporary Art

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bálint Károly Zabán

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available Biblical wisdom literature is a treasure-trove of powerful metaphors. This article presents a sample of these metaphors and their significant impact on contemporary artwork. The impact is characterized by both appropriation and adaptation, similitude and analogy, respectively. The highlighted metaphors are not merely catalogued but, more or less, analyzed with regard to relevant contemporary artwork. This augments the importance of contemporary biblical literacy analysis and uses it as one of the tools by which it is possible to gauge the impact and interaction, in this case, of the metaphor-world of the wisdom tradition on contemporary art. More importantly, however, this study underscores the relevance of these metaphors for biblical exegesis, hermeneutics, and theology. The analysis of the reception of these metaphors in contemporary artworks undergirds and informs the process of interpretation. The reception of these metaphors in their contemporary art contexts is best understood within the framework of imagery and imagistic language. Metaphor, as a subset of imagery and imagistic language, is foundational for the examined wisdom books, Proverbs, Job, and Qoheleth, and for the relevant contemporary artwork, alike. Moreover, metaphor also constitutes a bridge between the ancient and contemporary context. With this backdrop in mind, this article argues for the necessity of exploring the connections between these wisdom books, metaphor studies, and contemporary artwork.

  20. Book Review: Instagram and contemporary image, Lev Manovich

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carla Barrio Romera

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available Book Review: Instagram and contemporary image, Lev Manovich, California Institute for Telecommunication and Information & The Graduate Center, City University of New York (CUNY, Cultural Analytics Lab, 2017, http://manovich.net/index.php/projects/instagram-and-contemporary-image, Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International Creative Commons license, 148 págs.

  1. Heutiges Russisch (Contemporary Russian)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Russisch, 1976

    1976-01-01

    For the purpose of supplying information on actual contemporary Russian usage, this article excerpts sections on noun usage and variations of the genitive ending in the masculine singular from "Stilistik der russischen Sprache" (Russian Language Style) by D. Rosental and M. Telenkowa. (Text is in German.) (FB)

  2. GreenLight laser vs diode laser vaporization of the prostate: 3-year results of a prospective nonrandomized study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guo, Sanwei; Müller, Georg; Bonkat, Gernot; Püschel, Heike; Gasser, Thomas; Bachmann, Alexander; Rieken, Malte

    2015-04-01

    Laser vaporization of the prostate is one of the alternatives to transurethral resection of the prostate. Short-term studies report a comparable outcome after laser vaporization with the 532 nm 120-W GreenLight high-performance system (HPS) laser and the 980 nm 200 W high-intensity diode (diode) laser. In this study, we analyzed the intermediate-term results of both techniques. From January 2007 to January 2008, 112 consecutive patients with symptomatic benign prostate enlargement were nonrandomly assigned to treatment with the GreenLight laser or the diode laser. Perioperative parameters, postoperative functional outcome, complications, and the reoperation rate at 3 years were analyzed. Improvement of voiding symptoms (International Prostate Symptom Score, quality-of-life) and micturition parameters (maximum flow rate, postvoid residual volume) showed no significant difference between the HPS group and the diode group. A significantly higher reoperation rate was observed in the diode group in comparison to the HPS group (37.5% vs 8.9%, p=0.0003) due to obstructive necrotic tissue (16.1% vs 0%, p=0.0018), bladder neck stricture (16.1% vs 1.8%, p=0.008), and persisting or recurrent adenoma (5.4% vs 7.1%, p=0.70), respectively. Both lasers lead to comparable improvement of voiding parameters and micturition symptoms. Treatment with the 200 W diode laser led to a significantly higher reoperation rate, which might be attributed to a higher degree of coagulation necrosis. Thus, a careful clinical application of this diode laser type is warranted.

  3. Case-based learning and simulation: useful tools to enhance nurses' education? Nonrandomized controlled trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Raurell-Torredà, Marta; Olivet-Pujol, Josep; Romero-Collado, Àngel; Malagon-Aguilera, Maria Carmen; Patiño-Masó, Josefina; Baltasar-Bagué, Alícia

    2015-01-01

    To compare skills acquired by undergraduate nursing students enrolled in a medical-surgical course. To compare skills demonstrated by students with no previous clinical practice (undergraduates) and nurses with clinical experience enrolled in continuing professional education (CPE). In a nonrandomized clinical trial, 101 undergraduates enrolled in the "Adult Patients 1" course were assigned to the traditional lecture and discussion (n = 66) or lecture and discussion plus case-based learning (n = 35) arm of the study; 59 CPE nurses constituted a comparison group to assess the effects of previous clinical experience on learning outcomes. Scores on an objective structured clinical examination (OSCE), using a human patient simulator and cases validated by the National League for Nursing, were compared for the undergraduate control and intervention groups, and for CPE nurses (Student's t test). Controls scored lower than the intervention group on patient assessment (6.3 ± 2.3 vs 7.5 ± 1.4, p = .04, mean difference, -1.2 [95% confidence interval (CI) -2.4 to -0.03]) but the intervention group did not differ from CPE nurses (7.5 ± 1.4 vs 8.8 ± 1.5, p = .06, mean difference, -1.3 [95% CI -2.6 to 0.04]). The CPE nurses committed more "rules-based errors" than did undergraduates, specifically patient identifications (77.2% vs 55%, p = .7) and checking allergies before administering medication (68.2% vs 60%, p = .1). The intervention group developed better patient assessment skills than the control group. Case-based learning helps to standardize the process, which can contribute to quality and consistency in practice: It is essential to correctly identify a problem in order to treat it. Clinical experience of CPE nurses was not associated with better adherence to safety protocols. Case-based learning improves the patient assessment skills of undergraduate nursing students, thereby preparing them for clinical practice. © 2014 Sigma Theta Tau International.

  4. Contemporary cryptography

    CERN Document Server

    Oppliger, Rolf

    2011-01-01

    Whether you're new to the field or looking to broaden your knowledge of contemporary cryptography, this newly revised edition of an Artech House classic puts all aspects of this important topic into perspective. Delivering an accurate introduction to the current state-of-the-art in modern cryptography, the book offers you an in-depth understanding of essential tools and applications to help you with your daily work. The second edition has been reorganized and expanded, providing mathematical fundamentals and important cryptography principles in the appropriate appendixes, rather than summarize

  5. Contemporary management of pericardial diseases.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Imazio, Massimo

    2012-05-01

    Pericardial diseases are relatively common in clinical practice, either as isolated disease or as manifestation of a systemic disorder. The aim of the present study is to review more recent updates on their contemporary management. The cause of pericardial diseases is varied according to the epidemiologic background, patient population, and clinical setting. Most cases remain idiopathic, and empiric anti-inflammatory therapy should be considered as first-line therapy in most cases with the possible adjunct of colchicine in the setting of inflammatory pericardial diseases, especially relapsing or not responding to first-line drugs. A triage has been proposed to select high-risk cases requiring admission and specific cause search. The prognosis of pericardial diseases is essentially determined by the cause. The most feared complication is constriction, the risk of which is higher in bacterial forms, intermediate for postpericardiotomy syndromes and systemic inflammatory diseases, low for viral and idiopathic cases. Chronic constriction has a definite surgical therapy, whereas transient cases should be recognized and may be reversible with empirical anti-inflammatory therapy. Contemporary management of pericardial diseases is largely empirical, although first clinical trials and new studies on diagnostic modalities and prognosis of pericardial diseases are bringing the contemporary management of pericardial diseases along a more evidence-based road. Integrated cardiovascular imaging is required for optimal management of the patient with suspected pericardial disease.

  6. Contemporary theories of democracy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mladenović Ivan

    2008-01-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this paper is two-fold: first, to analyze several contemporary theories of democracy, and secondly, to propose a theoretical framework for further investigations based on analyzed theories. The following four theories will be analyzed: pluralism, social choice theory, deliberative democracy and participatory democracy.

  7. PHYSIQUE AND BODY COMPOSITION OF GIRLS PRACTISING CONTEMPORARY DANCE

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Przednowek Karolina H.

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available Introduction. Physique and body composition are often explored in sport-related research. This is due to the fact that morphological features can be useful for determining a person’s predispositions for practising a given type of physical activity. Dance, as any other sports discipline, has an impact on the physique and motor skills of those who practise it. Most research concerning the physique and body composition of dancers conducted so far has focused on persons practising ballet or competitive ballroom dancing. Investigating these issues in contemporary dancers is a new field of study. The aim of the current study was to examine the physique and body composition of girls aged 14-17 years practising contemporary dance. Material and methods. The study involved 23 girls who trained contemporary dance twice a week for 2 hours. The participants of the study had been training since the age of six. Basic anthropometric measurements were performed. Body composition was analysed based on parameters measured using a Tanita body composition analyser. Conclusions. The analysis found that girls training contemporary dance were characterised by a leptosomatic physique. BMI values in both younger and older contemporary dancers indicated that their weight was normal. Compared to girls who did not practise any particular type of sport, contemporary dancers had a lower weight, a lower body water percentage, and a lower body fat percentage. The dancers were also characterised by a greater circumference of the waist, hips, arm, and chest compared to untrained peers.

  8. The Institute for Southern Contemporary Art (ISCA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    João Enxuto

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available João Enxuto and Erica Love are artists and writers living in New York City. Their writing has appeared in Art in America, Mousse Contemporary Art Magazine, Wired, and X-TRA Contemporary Art Quarterly. They have given talks and exhibited work at the Centre Pompidou, Whitney Museum of Art, the New Museum, Anthology Film Archives, Walker Art Center, Yossi Milo Gallery, Carriage Trade, Louisiana Museum in Denmark, ArtCenter/South Florida, and the Tamayo Museum in Mexico City.

  9. Translocation 1;7 in dyshematopoiesis: possibly induced with a nonrandom geographic distribution

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Scheres, J.M.; Hustinx, T.W.; Holdrinet, R.S.; Geraedts, J.P.; Hagemeijer, A.; van der Blij-Philipsen, M.

    1984-01-01

    Eight patients with various hematologic disorders had an identical chromosomal aberration in their bone marrow or unstimulated peripheral blood, a translocation t(1;7) interpreted as t(1;7)(p11;p11). The translocation chromosome replaced one normal chromosome number7; therefore, the karyotype of the abnormal cells was trisomic for 1q and monosomic for 7q. Including four cases from the literature, a total of 12 patients (4 women, 8 men) with this translocation are known at the moment. The translocation does not seem to be associated with a specific disorder, but almost all patients had a preleukemic syndrome during some stage of their disease. It is very remarkable that 11 of the 12 patients lived in the Netherlands, and 7 patients had a history of iatrogenic exposure to alkylating agents or irradiation; one patient was a radiation worker and another one had a history of toxic exposure to chloramphenicol. It is suggested, therefore, that the t(1;7) is a possibly induced chromosomal aberration with a clearly nonrandom geographic distribution

  10. Neoliberalism as the "Connective Tissue" of Contemporary Capitalism

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Giulio Moini

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available What can we understand better about contemporary economic, social, political and cultural processes using the category of neoliberalism? What can it add to an understanding of the present existing forms of social organization? The article tries to answer these main questions in theoretical terms considering the arguments of those who claim to have stopped using the concept and of those who, on the contrary, sus-tain its theoretical value. Neoliberalism is considered as the "connective tissue" of contemporary capitalism, which is able to shape historically significant links between processes, ideas and practices re-garding not only different sub-social systems (political, economic, cultural, etc., but also diverse scales of action (from global to local scale and vice versa. For this "ontological" reason the concept of neoliberalism seems to show an epistemological relevance, which rests on the capacity of this concept to disclose the interconnections not only between different phenomena, but also between each of them and a more general fabric of contemporary society. This regards especially functional relationships between the ontic and ontological dimensions of neoliberalism and contemporary capitalism. For this purpose the concept of neoliberalism as a "connective tissue" shows potential analytical advantages

  11. Nigerian values and contemporary popular music: a new look ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Log in or Register to get access to full text downloads. ... Nigerian contemporary pop music is playing an increasingly pivotal role in shaping the continent's music ... Keywords: Nigerian values, Music industry, Contemporary popular music, Youths and society. Full Text: EMAIL FREE FULL TEXT EMAIL FREE FULL TEXT

  12. The future historian: Reflections on the archives of contemporary sciences.

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Chadarevian, Soraya

    2016-02-01

    Historians working on recent science work close to where the archives are created or become accessible. Based on this experience, the essay presents a reflection on the archives of contemporary life sciences. It addresses three questions: firstly, what is special about the archival situation of contemporary sciences? Secondly, which sources do contemporary historians use and what opportunities and challenges do they offer? And finally, what potential changes to the archives of contemporary sciences are we witnessing? The essay draws a distinction between, on the one side, the history of science when the actors are still alive-a situation that presents a particular set of issues in respect to the available sources-and, on the other side, questions relating specifically to the life sciences at the turn of the millennium--a period which will eventually not be considered as 'contemporary' any more. It reviews changes in scientific practice, historiographical trends and archival practices and considers the place of paper records, digital sources, material artefacts and oral sources in the archives of contemporary sciences. It argues that the commercialisation and privatisation of science may prove a bigger problem for the future historian than the shift to the digital medium. It concludes by welcoming the closer interactions between scientists, historians, curators and archivists prompted by recent developments. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Contemporary Journal of African Studies

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Contemporary Journal of African Studies. Journal Home · ABOUT · Advanced Search · Current Issue · Archives · Journal Home > Vol 3, No 1 (2015) >. Log in or Register to get access to full text downloads.

  14. The problem of language in contemporary African philosophy: some ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    A critical discussion of the contentious problem of language in contemporary African philosophy is attempted in this paper. The problem centres on whether or not African languages can be used in 'doing' contemporary African philosophy, where 'doing' means teaching, writing and researching. It also revolves around the ...

  15. Morality and exchange in the Mumbai contemporary art world

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Sooudi, O.K.; Velthuis, O.; Baia Curioni, S.

    2015-01-01

    The Indian contemporary art market developed dramatically over the 1990s and 2000s. More buyers and increased prices for, as well as new attention on, Indian contemporary art, both domestically and abroad, also entailed the maturation of local art scenes, especially in Mumbai and Delhi, as new

  16. The Contemporary Women's Movement and Women's Education in India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Patel, Ila

    1998-01-01

    Examines how the contemporary women's movement in India (1975-present) has addressed the issue of women's education. Highlights contributions of the 19th-century social-reformist movement and the nationalist movement. Details the role of the contemporary women's movement in redefining knowledge and the curriculum. Concludes with challenges facing…

  17. Constructing the contemporary via digital cultural heritage

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Andreasen, Torsten Arni Caleb

    2015-01-01

    The present article questions the construction of 'the contemporary' in digital cultural heritage archives as specific strategic articulations between past and present with regard to the future. A historical exploration of the discourse of cultural heritage presents three strategic axes supposedly...... the possibility of ascribing inherent epistemological, existential, empirical and geopolitical force to a given technological archival order. - See more at: http://twentyfour.fibreculturejournal.org/2015/06/04/fcj-174-constructing-the-contemporary-via-digital-cultural-heritage/#sthash.sNhW8uuA.dpuf...

  18. Issues and Problems in Malaysian Contemporary Visual Arts

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohamad Faizuan Mat

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available In Malaysia, there is a question in term of intellectualism activities in the context of visual epistemology. Therefore, this paper revealed the problems that linger in the Malaysian contemporary visual art scene. In fact, Malaysian contemporary artists appear to have insufficient intellectualism values and less discourse activities. The lacks of scholars in the field of visual arts create a gap in the visual arts scene in Malaysia. The question of this study was to uncover the main problems in Malaysian visual arts that led to the problem of art intellectual development. In addition, this paper presents the awareness of the valuable contributions in the intellectual development that able to enhance the communication in the art object.Keywords: art knowledge; art object; contemporary art; interpretation; perception;

  19. p15PAF is an intrinsically disordered protein with nonrandom structural preferences at sites of interaction with other proteins.

    Science.gov (United States)

    De Biasio, Alfredo; Ibáñez de Opakua, Alain; Cordeiro, Tiago N; Villate, Maider; Merino, Nekane; Sibille, Nathalie; Lelli, Moreno; Diercks, Tammo; Bernadó, Pau; Blanco, Francisco J

    2014-02-18

    We present to our knowledge the first structural characterization of the proliferating-cell-nuclear-antigen-associated factor p15(PAF), showing that it is monomeric and intrinsically disordered in solution but has nonrandom conformational preferences at sites of protein-protein interactions. p15(PAF) is a 12 kDa nuclear protein that acts as a regulator of DNA repair during DNA replication. The p15(PAF) gene is overexpressed in several types of human cancer. The nearly complete NMR backbone assignment of p15(PAF) allowed us to measure 86 N-H(N) residual dipolar couplings. Our residual dipolar coupling analysis reveals nonrandom conformational preferences in distinct regions, including the proliferating-cell-nuclear-antigen-interacting protein motif (PIP-box) and the KEN-box (recognized by the ubiquitin ligase that targets p15(PAF) for degradation). In accordance with these findings, analysis of the (15)N R2 relaxation rates shows a relatively reduced mobility for the residues in these regions. The agreement between the experimental small angle x-ray scattering curve of p15(PAF) and that computed from a statistical coil ensemble corrected for the presence of local secondary structural elements further validates our structural model for p15(PAF). The coincidence of these transiently structured regions with protein-protein interaction and posttranslational modification sites suggests a possible role for these structures as molecular recognition elements for p15(PAF). Copyright © 2014 Biophysical Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. A nonrandomized trial of vitamin D supplementation for Barrett's esophagus.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Linda C Cummings

    Full Text Available Vitamin D deficiency may increase esophageal cancer risk. Vitamin D affects genes regulating proliferation, apoptosis, and differentiation and induces the tumor suppressor 15-hydroxyprostaglandin dehydrogenase (PGDH in other cancers. This nonrandomized interventional study assessed effects of vitamin D supplementation in Barrett's esophagus (BE. We hypothesized that vitamin D supplementation may have beneficial effects on gene expression including 15-PGDH in BE.BE subjects with low grade or no dysplasia received vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol 50,000 international units weekly plus a proton pump inhibitor for 12 weeks. Esophageal biopsies from normal plus metaplastic BE epithelium and blood samples were obtained before and after vitamin D supplementation. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D was measured to characterize vitamin D status. Esophageal gene expression was assessed using microarrays.18 study subjects were evaluated. The baseline mean serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D level was 27 ng/mL (normal ≥30 ng/mL. After vitamin D supplementation, 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels rose significantly (median increase of 31.6 ng/mL, p<0.001. There were no significant changes in gene expression from esophageal squamous or Barrett's epithelium including 15-PGDH after supplementation.BE subjects were vitamin D insufficient. Despite improved vitamin D status with supplementation, no significant alterations in gene expression profiles were noted. If vitamin D supplementation benefits BE, a longer duration or higher dose of supplementation may be needed.

  1. Organisational culture: A contemporary management perspective

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Richard Weeks

    2010-12-01

    Full Text Available Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to analyse the concept "organisational culture from a traditional and a more contemporary management perspective. Problem investigated: The concept organizational culture has assumed a very prominent place within the management literature and has been analysed from diverse multidisciplinary perspectives. Central to the importance attributed to the concept is the fact that it acts as a perceptual and behavioural determinant, which implies that it will have a significant impact on all human related institutional activities and thus the interest in the concept and its management. Researchers and management practitioners have come to assume that while the concept is difficult to manage in practice, it is possible to determine the prevailing culture of an institution, identify what is termed to be a desired culture for an institution and then analyse the cultural gap that exists. Based on the analysis conducted, it is further frequently assumed that the transition from the prevailing to a desired culture can be managed. A more contemporary management perspective, based on complexity theory, would appear to challenge the assumption of being able to actively manage the organisation's culture transformation process to ensure that a desired culture is manifest within the institution. The traditional and more contemporary approaches for dealing with the concept "organisational culture" are the focus of discussion and analysis in this paper. Methodology: A multidisciplinary literature review and analysis is undertaken to gain an insight of traditional and contemporary management theory and practice, as it relates to the concept "organisational culture" and its management. Findings: An important conclusion drawn from the study is that traditional paradigms of organisational culture management, that evolved within a more mechanistic manufacturing economy, is no longer effective for dealing with the unpredictable and

  2. The usage of African languages in three selected contemporary ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The word 'contemporary' refers to approximately the last ten years and 'German' to novels written in the German language, i.e. novels from Switzerland (for example) are also included. The nature, quantity and function of utterances from three selected contemporary German novels will be presented, in order to show how ...

  3. Contemporary Methods of Social Introduction: Is the Stigmatisation justified?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lisa M. Steffek

    2009-12-01

    Full Text Available Historically, individuals in search of a romantic partner have expanded their pool of alternatives by meeting others through their personal social networks. In the last few decades, however, a growing singles population, coupled with advances in technology, has promoted the utilisation and modernization of contemporary marriage market intermediaries (MMIs, including online dating sites, social networking sites, and professional matchmaking services. Importantly, these contemporary MMIs depart from more normative methods for meeting others, making their use ripe for social stigmatization, as evidenced by myriad portrayals in the popular media. The purpose of the present research was to provide an empirical exploration of the validity of the layperson stigma towards users of contemporary MMIs by assessing the extent to which users and nonusers of these various services differ on key individual characteristics relevant to relationship initiation and progression. Specifically, we surveyed 96 individuals, all of whom were attending a singles‘ happy hour, and compared users and nonusers of contemporary MMIs on several important characteristics. Although users reported going on more dates and perceived greater attractiveness in others at the event, no differences were observed in personality (i.e., the Big 5 or adult attachment classification (i.e., secure vs. insecure. Altogether, our findings suggest that users of contemporary MMIs are not socially undesirable people (or at least any more undesirable than nonusers.

  4. “IDENTITY” IN CONTEMPORARY SOCIOLOGICAL THEORY

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    N. L. Polyakova

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available The problem of identity has come to the fore of contemporary societies in the conditions when the institutional structures of these societies their ascriptive statuses have become looser when modernity is “liquid”, “soft”. Varions conceptualizations of identity are becoming a basic part of contemporary sociological theory. The paper aims to reveal the key problems that sociology faces when striving to work out a theory of identity. The paper takes as its starting point the classic notion of identity. This notion was shaped by Erik Erikson on the basis of his dynamic psychology. The paper proves that the contemporary identity is connected with the process of individualization in modern societies. Numerous and varied studies of contemporary identity can be divided into three large groups according to three methodological approaches: constructivist, postmodern and interactionist. The paper compares the major theories based on these approaches and reveals their theoretical and methodological problems. The paper shows that the constructivist approach is based on the notion of reflexivity which is viewed as a mechanism of identity formation by an individual. Identity is a reflexive project which is being realized in a conscious manner. The postmodern theories of identity reveal the fragmentation incompleteness of ego-identitity and it’s narcissic decay. They also reveal the inability of the individual to solve the problem of continuity and unity of her (his own personality. Identity as a notion is replaced by the notion of identification which reduces identity to varions modes of repsentation. The interactionist methodology conld open up the way to tackle, the problem of individual’s unity and continuity as the main problem of human existence. This is the condition of the individual’s psychic and social health. 

  5. Epidemic spreading in networks with nonrandom long-range interactions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Estrada, Ernesto; Kalala-Mutombo, Franck; Valverde-Colmeiro, Alba

    2011-09-01

    An "infection," understood here in a very broad sense, can be propagated through the network of social contacts among individuals. These social contacts include both "close" contacts and "casual" encounters among individuals in transport, leisure, shopping, etc. Knowing the first through the study of the social networks is not a difficult task, but having a clear picture of the network of casual contacts is a very hard problem in a society of increasing mobility. Here we assume, on the basis of several pieces of empirical evidence, that the casual contacts between two individuals are a function of their social distance in the network of close contacts. Then, we assume that we know the network of close contacts and infer the casual encounters by means of nonrandom long-range (LR) interactions determined by the social proximity of the two individuals. This approach is then implemented in a susceptible-infected-susceptible (SIS) model accounting for the spread of infections in complex networks. A parameter called "conductance" controls the feasibility of those casual encounters. In a zero conductance network only contagion through close contacts is allowed. As the conductance increases the probability of having casual encounters also increases. We show here that as the conductance parameter increases, the rate of propagation increases dramatically and the infection is less likely to die out. This increment is particularly marked in networks with scale-free degree distributions, where infections easily become epidemics. Our model provides a general framework for studying epidemic spreading in networks with arbitrary topology with and without casual contacts accounted for by means of LR interactions.

  6. Implementation of Traditional Malay Design Values in Contemporary Malay Houses

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elham Hosseini

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available Traditional houses are the most essential architectural experience that is in harmony with the people's culture, beliefs, environment and lifestyles. The development of design values in contemporary architecture by tracking traditional design values in architecture paves the way for arguments concerning the implementation of authentic Malay traditional house design values in contemporary Malay houses. In addition, it is hypothesized that the Malay traditional houses theoretically provide a constructive innovative framework for the design performance of the contemporary Malay house. In this research, data was compiled through field observation and documentary review. The evidence revealed that Malay traditional houses convey a concrete message of richness encompassing architectural design values and theoretical propositions. The credibility of the results was improved and confirmed by a confluence of evidence via a confirmation process. The findings suggested that there is a rich source of subjective support, lending proof to the premise of the research investigation. The research has highlighted the significance of traditional architectural design values towards innovative design in the architecture of contemporary Malay houses as a workable pattern for use in the design of contemporary architecture.

  7. Contemporary Trends in Radiation Oncology Resident Research

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Verma, Vivek; Burt, Lindsay; Gimotty, Phyllis A.; Ojerholm, Eric

    2016-01-01

    Purpose: To test the hypothesis that recent resident research productivity might be different than a decade ago, and to provide contemporary information about resident scholarly activity. Methods and Materials: We compiled a list of radiation oncology residents from the 2 most recent graduating classes (June 2014 and 2015) using the Association of Residents in Radiation Oncology annual directories. We queried the PubMed database for each resident's first-authored publications from postgraduate years (PGY) 2 through 5, plus a 3-month period after residency completion. We abstracted corresponding historical data for 2002 to 2007 from the benchmark publication by Morgan and colleagues (Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 2009;74:1567-1572). We tested the null hypothesis that these 2 samples had the same distribution for number of publications using the Wilcoxon rank-sum test. We explored the association of demographic factors and publication number using multivariable zero-inflated Poisson regression. Results: There were 334 residents publishing 659 eligible first-author publications during residency (range 0-17; interquartile range 0-3; mean 2.0; median 1). The contemporary and historical distributions were significantly different (P<.001); contemporary publication rates were higher. Publications accrued late in residency (27% in PGY-4, 59% in PGY-5), and most were original research (75%). In the historical cohort, half of all articles were published in 3 journals; in contrast, the top half of contemporary publications were spread over 10 journals—most commonly International Journal of Radiation Oncology • Biology • Physics (17%), Practical Radiation Oncology (7%), and Radiation Oncology (4%). Male gender, non-PhD status, and larger residency size were associated with higher number of publications in the multivariable analysis. Conclusion: We observed an increase in first-author publications during training compared with historical data from the mid-2000s. These

  8. Contemporary Trends in Radiation Oncology Resident Research

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Verma, Vivek [Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Nebraska, Omaha, Nebraska (United States); Burt, Lindsay [Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah (United States); Gimotty, Phyllis A. [Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (United States); Ojerholm, Eric, E-mail: eric.ojerholm@uphs.upenn.edu [Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (United States)

    2016-11-15

    Purpose: To test the hypothesis that recent resident research productivity might be different than a decade ago, and to provide contemporary information about resident scholarly activity. Methods and Materials: We compiled a list of radiation oncology residents from the 2 most recent graduating classes (June 2014 and 2015) using the Association of Residents in Radiation Oncology annual directories. We queried the PubMed database for each resident's first-authored publications from postgraduate years (PGY) 2 through 5, plus a 3-month period after residency completion. We abstracted corresponding historical data for 2002 to 2007 from the benchmark publication by Morgan and colleagues (Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 2009;74:1567-1572). We tested the null hypothesis that these 2 samples had the same distribution for number of publications using the Wilcoxon rank-sum test. We explored the association of demographic factors and publication number using multivariable zero-inflated Poisson regression. Results: There were 334 residents publishing 659 eligible first-author publications during residency (range 0-17; interquartile range 0-3; mean 2.0; median 1). The contemporary and historical distributions were significantly different (P<.001); contemporary publication rates were higher. Publications accrued late in residency (27% in PGY-4, 59% in PGY-5), and most were original research (75%). In the historical cohort, half of all articles were published in 3 journals; in contrast, the top half of contemporary publications were spread over 10 journals—most commonly International Journal of Radiation Oncology • Biology • Physics (17%), Practical Radiation Oncology (7%), and Radiation Oncology (4%). Male gender, non-PhD status, and larger residency size were associated with higher number of publications in the multivariable analysis. Conclusion: We observed an increase in first-author publications during training compared with historical data from the mid-2000s. These

  9. SOCIAL SUPPORT AND STRESS - THE ROLE OF SOCIAL-COMPARISON AND SOCIAL-EXCHANGE PROCESSES

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    BUUNK, BP; HOORENS, [No Value

    1992-01-01

    This paper first presents four different conceptualizations of social support: social integration, satisfying relationships, perceived helpfulness and enacted support. Then, classic and contemporary social comparison theory and social exchange theory are analysed as they are two theoretical

  10. The curator/patron: Foundations and contemporary art

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rebecca Coates

    2008-12-01

    Full Text Available This article addresses the role of private foundations in commissioning site-specific ephemeral art works: contemporary art projects of a temporary nature that are realised outside of public institutions. Though small in number, I argue that the private individuals creating and managing private foundations of this nature demonstrate a new form of patronage, creating in the process a new role of ‘curator/patron’. Equally, this process of realisation reflects the changing needs of contemporary art practice. Work of this scale and ambition would increasingly not be possible without the vision, perseverance and funding of these kinds of foundation. In Australia, this trend is demonstrated by two foundations: Kaldor Art Projects, and their commissioning of works by artists such as Christo and Jeanne-Claude, Gilbert & George and Jeff Koons; and the more recently formed Sherman Contemporary Art Foundation, whose first project was with Chinese artist Ai Weiwei. In this article, these examples are placed within the broader international context of foundation models such as Artangel, UK, Fondazione Nicola Trussardi, Milan, and The Public Art Fund, New York.

  11. Contemporary Management of Vesicoureteral Reflux.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hajiyev, Perviz; Burgu, Berk

    2017-04-01

    Vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) remains the most interesting topic of pediatric urology due to the dynamic nature of recent controversial publications. Starting from the need for a diagnosis to the necessity and effectiveness of treatment in preventing scars, VUR remains in the mist. Although recent strong evidence helped as fog lights in this blurriness, more data are required for achieving crystal clearance. This article aims to summarize and discuss the current state of the evidence regarding VUR management. To provide a comprehensive synthesis of the main evidence in the literature on the current and contemporary management of VUR in children; to discuss conservative management with continuous antibiotic prophylaxis (CAP), especially its effectiveness and safety; and to review the current evidence regarding contemporary surgical techniques. We conducted a nonsystematic review of the literature using the recent guidelines and PubMed database regarding surveillance, CAP, endoscopic, open, laparoscopic, and robot-assisted ureteral surgical treatment. Despite the striking results of previous studies revealing the ineffectiveness of CAP, more recent studies and their two fresh meta-analyses revealed a positive role for CAP in the contemporary management of VUR. One of the most interesting findings is the redundant rising of endoscopic correction and its final settlement to real indicated cases. Patient individualization in the contemporary management of VUR seems to be the keyword. The evidence in the literature showed a safe and effective use of laparoscopic and robot-assisted laparoscopic reimplantations. The goal of VUR treatment is to prevent the occurrence of febrile urinary tract infections and formation of scars in the renal parenchyma. The approach should be risk adapted and individualized according to current knowledge. Individual risk is influenced by the presentation age, sex, history of pyelonephritis and renal damage, grade of reflux, bladder bowel

  12. Social Engagements with Contemporary Art: Connecting Theory with Practice

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leake, Maria D.

    2014-01-01

    In this article, Leake is arguing for the relevance of contemporary art as a way to bridge the gap between theory and practice in the spaces of art education. Graeme Sullivan develops a similar argument in his "Studies" article, "The Art of Research." Where Leake looks to possibilities for contemporary art as it is presented in…

  13. The dream in contemporary psychiatry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reiser, M F

    2001-03-01

    This article offers selective reviews of cogent sectors of research regarding the dream in contemporary psychiatry. First, the author discusses relatively recent research (1953-1999) on the neurobiology and clinical psychophysiology of dreaming sleep; second, he reviews experimental cognitive neuroscientific studies of perception, emotion, and memory and the putative interrelationships among them in generating dream imagery; and third, he interprets psychoanalytic studies (1900-1999) on related aspects of dreams and the dream process. Exploration for interrelationships among information from these three areas entails discussion of the mind/brain problem. These considerations illuminate some of the logical and interpretive dilemmas that enter into debates about Freud's theory of the dream. The author proposes a preliminary psychobiologic concept of the dream process and discusses, in light of the foregoing considerations, the importance of collaborative research for developing a realistic perspective concerning the proper place of the dream in contemporary psychiatry.

  14. [Ethical dilemmas of contemporary psychiatry].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Filaković, Pavo; Pozgain, Ivan

    2008-01-01

    Ethics in the contemporary psychiatry, as well as in medicine in general, is based on the two core ethical traditions: deontological and theological. Good ethical decision takes into the consideration both traditions, and is preceded with ethical dilemmas to provide the best possible care to the patients in that moment. In the article are presented most recent research results of the literature about ethical dilemmas in psychiatry. Ethical dilemmas in everyday practice as well as compliance with the patients, psychiatric consultations, informed consent, treatment of personality disorders, pharmacological investigations, forensic psychiatry, forced hospitalisation, promotion of mental health, and dealing with the stigma of the mental diseases are showed in the article. The authors emphasize the necessity of constant questioning of ethical dilemmas in the contemporary psychiatry, because of the special status of psychiatry as a potentially risky field in practice, and because of intensive pharmacological investigations in psychiatric patients.

  15. Planting contemporary practice theory in the garden of information science

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Huizing, A.; Cavanagh, M.

    2011-01-01

    Introduction. The purpose of this paper is to introduce to information science in a coherent fashion the core premises of contemporary practice theory, and thus to engage the information research community in further debate and discussion. Method. Contemporary practice-based approaches are

  16. Filial Piety (xiao 孝 for the Contemporary and Global World

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Loreta POŠKAITĖ

    2014-05-01

    Full Text Available The relationships between children and parents seem to be one of the most urgent issues in the contemporary world, spanning from the United States and European countries to East Asian societies, as a consequence of the transformation of traditional family ethics, values and institutions brought about by the processes of modernization and globalization. The present paper aims to reveal the ways and problems of the application of xiao 孝 (filial piety ethics in the contemporary Western and Chinese societies, as reflected in the works by a number of famous Western Protestant missionaries, religious philosophers, sinologists and present-day Lithuanian Sinology students, and counterbalance their views with the insights of contemporary Chinese sociologists. The place of xiao in the contemporary inter-cultural dialogue will be discussed from the point of view of dialogue between religions, theory and practice, Western and Chinese culture, traditional and modern societies and values.

  17. Haptic sense and the politicization of contemporary image

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tarcisio Torres Silva

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available In this paper, it is intended to propose a theoretical approach to the political effects of the sense of touch/haptic in order to understand to what extent the intensification of contemporary haptic experience contributes to create proximity and engagement among individuals overloaded by too much visual information offered by multiple media. At the end, it is mentioned the work of Brazilian artist Rodrigo Braga to exemplify the contemporary political use of haptic sense.

  18. Image acts and visual communities: everyday nationalism in contemporary Turkey

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kuryel, A.

    2015-01-01

    In the dissertation entitled "Image Acts and Visual Communities: Contemporary Nationalism in Turkey", I investigate the image politics of nationalist practices in everyday life by focusing on contemporary Turkey and tracking the way images of the nation travel through a variety of fields. I depart

  19. Contemporary economic and clinical evaluations of endovascular repair for intact descending thoracic aortic aneurysms.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Silingardi, Roberto; Gennai, Stefano; Coppi, Giovanni; Chester, Johanna; Marcheselli, Luigi; Brunetti, Massimo

    2017-12-01

    The aim of this study was to assess clinical and contemporary costs associated with elective endovascular repair of intact descending thoracic aortic aneurysms (DTAA) into the mid-term follow-up. A retrospective review of a prospectively maintained clinical database including 29 consecutive patients from July 2005 to December 2009 treated with elective endovascular repair (TEVAR) or TEVAR and surgical infrarenal repair (hybrid) of intact DTAA was performed. Mean age was 74.5 years old (±7.1). Primary clinical endpoints include mortality and major morbidity. Additionally a comprehensive economic appraisal of individual in-hospital and follow-up costs was executed. Economic endpoints include in-hospital and follow-up costs and patient discharge status. Elective endovascular and open repairs' clinical and economical outcomes in contemporary literature were assessed for comparison according to PRISMA standards. Immediate mortality was 6.9% (1/24 TEVAR and 1/5 hybrid). Three respiratory complications were recorded (11%; 2 TEVAR, 1 hybrid). Renal and cardiac complication rates were 7.4% (1 TEVAR, 1 hybrid) and 3.7% (1 TEVAR) respectively. Routine discharge home was achieved for 85% of patients (95.7% TEVAR, 25% hybrid). Three endoleaks were treated throughout the follow-up (2 TEVAR, 1 hybrid; mean 30.4 mo, ±19.9) rendering an 11% (3/27) reintervention rate. Average immediate cost was €21,976.87 for elective endovascular repair and €33,783.21 for elective endovascular hybrid repair. Additional reintervention and routine follow-up costs augmented immediate costs by 12.4%. This study supports satisfying immediate clinical outcomes for TEVAR and TEVAR+surgical infrarenal procedures. Although limited by a small population size and difficulties in economic comparisons, this study presents the real world social and economic cost scenario for both elective TEVAR and TEVAR hybrid treatment of DTAA of both the in-hospital and at mid term follow-up periods.

  20. Contemporary Theories and International Lawmaking

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Venzke, I.; Brölmann, C.; Radi, Y.

    2016-01-01

    Many contemporary theories approach international law-making with a shift in emphasis from the sources of law towards the communicative practices in which a plethora of actors use, claim and speak international law. The contribution proceeds by sketching the move from sources to communicative

  1. Embodiment and aging in contemporary physiotherapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hay, Melissa E; Connelly, Denise M; Kinsella, Elizabeth Anne

    2016-05-01

    Contemporary discourses in the health sciences vary in their treatment of aging bodies and the mind-body relationship, yet our understanding of aging experiences and health care practices can be limited by an overreliance on biomedical or social constructionist approaches alone. This paper offers a conceptual exploration of embodiment as an innovative approach to enhance our understandings of aging bodies and health in physiotherapy practice. Embodiment attends to body and mind, nature and culture, structure and agency, while appreciating differences in aging bodies and health in aging. Conclusions consider embodiment in the practice and disciplinary discourse of contemporary physiotherapy, specifically, considering the ways embodied perspectives can support therapists in their health care practice and relationships with people with aging bodies.

  2. Tectonic thinking in contemporary industrialized architecture

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Beim, Anne

    2013-01-01

    a creative force in building constructions, structural features and architectural design (construing) – helps to identify and refine technology transfer in contemporary industrialized building construction’. Through various references from the construction industry, business theory and architectural practice......This paper argues for a new critical approach to the ways architectural design strategies are developing. Contemporary construction industry appears to evolve into highly specialized and optimized processes driven by industrialized manufacturing, therefore the role of the architect...... and the understanding of the architectural design process ought to be revised. The paper is based on the following underlying hypothesis: ‘Tectonic thinking – defined as a central attention towards the nature, the properties, and the application of building materials (construction) and how this attention forms...

  3. Nickel elution properties of contemporary interatrial shunt closure devices.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Verma, Divya Ratan; Khan, Muhammad F; Tandar, Anwar; Rajasekaran, Namakkal S; Neuharth, Renée; Patel, Amit N; Muhlestein, Joseph B; Badger, Rodney S

    2015-02-01

    We sought to compare nickel elution properties of contemporary interatrial shunt closure devices in vitro. There are two United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved devices for percutaneous closure of secundum atrial septal defect: the Amplatzer septal occluder (ASO; St Jude Medical Corporation) and Gore Helex septal occluder (HSO; W.L. Gore & Associates). The new Gore septal occluder (GSO) device is in clinical trials. These are also used off-label for patent foramen ovale closure in highly selected patients. These devices have high nickel content. Nickel allergy is the most common reason for surgical device explantation. Nickel elution properties of contemporary devices remain unknown. We compared nickel elution properties of 4 devices - ASO, GSO, HSO, and sternal wire (SW) - while Dulbecco's phosphate-buffered saline (DPBS) served as control. Three samples of each device were submerged in DPBS. Nickel content was measured at 14 intervals over 90 days. Nickel elution at 24 hours, compared to control (0.005 ± 0.0 mg/L), was significantly higher for ASO (2.98 ± 1.65 mg/L; P=.04) and SW (0.03 ± 0.014 mg/L; P=.03). Nickel levels at 90 days, compared to control (0.005 ± 0.0 mg/L) and adjusting for multiple comparisons, were significantly higher for ASO (19.80 ± 2.30 mg/L; P=.01) and similar for HSO (P=.34), GSO (P=.34), and SW (P=.34). ASO had significantly higher nickel elution compared to HSO, GSO, and SW (P=.01). There is substantial variability in nickel elution; devices with less exposed nickel (HSO and GSO) have minimal elution. The safety of low nickel elution devices in patients with nickel allergy needs to be evaluated in prospective trials.

  4. Epidemic spreading in networks with nonrandom long-range interactions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Estrada, Ernesto; Kalala-Mutombo, Franck; Valverde-Colmeiro, Alba

    2011-09-01

    An “infection,” understood here in a very broad sense, can be propagated through the network of social contacts among individuals. These social contacts include both “close” contacts and “casual” encounters among individuals in transport, leisure, shopping, etc. Knowing the first through the study of the social networks is not a difficult task, but having a clear picture of the network of casual contacts is a very hard problem in a society of increasing mobility. Here we assume, on the basis of several pieces of empirical evidence, that the casual contacts between two individuals are a function of their social distance in the network of close contacts. Then, we assume that we know the network of close contacts and infer the casual encounters by means of nonrandom long-range (LR) interactions determined by the social proximity of the two individuals. This approach is then implemented in a susceptible-infected-susceptible (SIS) model accounting for the spread of infections in complex networks. A parameter called “conductance” controls the feasibility of those casual encounters. In a zero conductance network only contagion through close contacts is allowed. As the conductance increases the probability of having casual encounters also increases. We show here that as the conductance parameter increases, the rate of propagation increases dramatically and the infection is less likely to die out. This increment is particularly marked in networks with scale-free degree distributions, where infections easily become epidemics. Our model provides a general framework for studying epidemic spreading in networks with arbitrary topology with and without casual contacts accounted for by means of LR interactions.

  5. Authenticity and its Contemporary Challenges

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bork Petersen, Franziska

    2013-01-01

    In this thesis I investigate what ‘authenticity’ means in a contemporary popular context and how it is used in the staging of bodies. Furthermore, I analyse works of dance and fashion from the past fifteen years with a focus on their strategies of challenging the notion of ‘bodily authenticity...... self’. I scrutinise the staging techniques and the codes of appearance that bodies have to comply with in order to be deemed ‘authentic’ on the shows. To define them and place them in the history of the idea of ‘bodily authenticity’, I complement my study with an outline of how ‘authenticity...... and by a depiction of 'working hard'. But various techniques also mask the hard work, for example by showing a participant ‘having fun’ performing it. Contemporary works of dance and fashion challenge the problematic implications in the notion of ‘bodily authenticity’. I analyse three strategies of undermining...

  6. Microstructural descriptors and cellular automata simulation of the effects of non-random nuclei location on recrystallization in two dimensions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Paulo Rangel Rios

    2006-06-01

    Full Text Available The effect of non-random nuclei location and the efficiency of microstructural descriptors in assessing such a situation are studied. Cellular automata simulation of recrystallization in two dimensions is carried out to simulate microstrutural evolution for nuclei distribution ranging from a periodic arrangement to clusters of nuclei. The simulation results are compared in detail with microstrutural descriptors normally used to follow transformation evolution. It is shown that the contiguity is particularly relevant to detect microstructural deviations from randomness. This work focuses on recrystallization but its results are applicable to any nucleation and growth transformation.

  7. The Invisible Turn to the Future: Commemorative Culture in Contemporary Shanghai

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lü Pan

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available After decades of fierce political struggles in the Mao era, the People’s Republic of China has strived economically under the open-door policy since the end of the 1970s. However, the still firm national monuments that weathered the social vicissitudes are left open to the question of how they could be incorporated into the new national ideology. In comparison to Beijing, Shanghai’s overwhelmingly predominant image centers on its role as the economic dragonhead of China. This article argues that Shanghai, exactly because of this ostensibly apolitical profile, provides a rarely discussed but highly meaningful approach to examining the dynamics between contemporary Chinese commemorative culture and the postsocialist urban spatial order. Unlike the East European cases, the “critical juncture” of ideology in China is invisible in the official narratives of the monuments. In some circumstances, the renovation of old memorials seem to fulfill the task of glorifying a certain past but in effect, it leaves the place a self-enclosed venue that sheds the rest of the city from the ideological burden. In other cases, some monuments of the seemingly core nationalistic narratives are marginalized. What’s more, new attentions are now drawn to the memorials for the history of “others” in the name of cosmopolitanism. The invisibility of the commemorative narratives speaks directly to the perplexity of assuming national identity in contemporary China. In the light of Prasenjit Duara’s idea of “bifurcated history”, national memory culture in Shanghai suggests the multiple possibilities of deciphering the city’s past and its future.

  8. Queering gender in contemporary female Bildung narrative

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Šnircová Soňa

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available The paper explores, in the context of feminist discussions about the Bildungsroman, a contemporary British novel that offers shocking images of female coming of age at the turn of the millennium. Queering gender and introducing male elements into the heroine’s process of maturation, the analysed novel appears to raise questions about the continuous relevance of the feminist distinction between male and female version of the genre. The paper however argues that although significantly rewriting both female Bildung and pornographic narratives, Helen Walsh’s Brass can still be read as a variation of the female Bildungsroman and an example of its contemporary developments.

  9. Contemporary intellectual property law and policy

    CERN Document Server

    MacQueen, Hector; Laurie, Graeme; Brown, Abbe

    2011-01-01

    Contemporary Intellectual Property: Law and Policy offers a unique perspective on intellectual property law, unrivalled amongst IP textbooks available today. Beyond providing an up-to-date account of intellectual property law, the text examines the complex policies that inform and guide modern IP law at the domestic (including Scottish), European and international levels, giving the reader a true insight into the discipline and the shape of things to come. The focus is on contemporary challenges to intellectual property law and policy and the reader is encouraged to engage critically both with the text and the subject matter. Carefully developed to ensure that the complexities of the subject are addressed in a clear and approachable manner, the extensive use of practical examples, exercises and visual aids throughout the text enliven the subject and stimulate the reader.

  10. Contemporary intellectual property law and policy

    CERN Document Server

    Waelde, Charlotte; Kheria, Smita; Cornwell, Jane

    2016-01-01

    Contemporary Intellectual Property: Law and Policy offers a unique perspective on intellectual property law. It goes beyond an up-to-date account of the law and examines the complex policies that inform and guide modern intellectual property law at the domestic (including Scottish), European and international levels, giving the reader a true insight into the discipline and the shape of things to come. The focus is on contemporary challenges to intellectual property law and policy and the reader is encouraged to engage critically both with the text and the subject matter. Carefully developed to ensure that the complexities of the subject are addressed in a clear and approachable manner, the extensive use of practical examples, exercises and visual aids throughout the text enliven the subject and stimulate the reader.

  11. Application of a nonrandomized stepped wedge design to evaluate an evidence-based quality improvement intervention: a proof of concept using simulated data on patient-centered medical homes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huynh, Alexis K; Lee, Martin L; Farmer, Melissa M; Rubenstein, Lisa V

    2016-10-21

    Stepped wedge designs have gained recognition as a method for rigorously assessing implementation of evidence-based quality improvement interventions (QIIs) across multiple healthcare sites. In theory, this design uses random assignment of sites to successive QII implementation start dates based on a timeline determined by evaluators. However, in practice, QII timing is often controlled more by site readiness. We propose an alternate version of the stepped wedge design that does not assume the randomized timing of implementation while retaining the method's analytic advantages and applying to a broader set of evaluations. To test the feasibility of a nonrandomized stepped wedge design, we developed simulated data on patient care experiences and on QII implementation that had the structures and features of the expected data from a planned QII. We then applied the design in anticipation of performing an actual QII evaluation. We used simulated data on 108,000 patients to model nonrandomized stepped wedge results from QII implementation across nine primary care sites over 12 quarters. The outcome we simulated was change in a single self-administered question on access to care used by Veterans Health Administration (VA), based in the United States, as part of its quarterly patient ratings of quality of care. Our main predictors were QII exposure and time. Based on study hypotheses, we assigned values of 4 to 11 % for improvement in access when sites were first exposed to implementation and 1 to 3 % improvement in each ensuing time period thereafter when sites continued with implementation. We included site-level (practice size) and respondent-level (gender, race/ethnicity) characteristics that might account for nonrandomized timing in site implementation of the QII. We analyzed the resulting data as a repeated cross-sectional model using HLM 7 with a three-level hierarchical data structure and an ordinal outcome. Levels in the data structure included patient ratings

  12. Towards Contemporary Play: Sociocultural Theory and the Digital-Consumerist Context

    Science.gov (United States)

    Edwards, Susan

    2014-01-01

    This article introduces the notion of "contemporary" play in relation to existing ideas about children's play, learning and development from a sociocultural perspective. The need to think about the nature of contemporary play is considered in response to arguments suggesting that the quality of children's play has declined in…

  13. Interview with Contemporary Armenian Writer and Translator Diana Hambardzumyan

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Beatrice Tottossy

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available A conversation with Diana Hambardzumyan, a contemporary Armenian writer, translator and lecturer in English Literature at the University of Yerevan, foregrounds a series of significant features of contemporary Armenian literature and the country’s key social and cultural issues. She interconnects current events with the literary memory, highlighting and confirming the Armenian writers’ need to maintain their traditional role as representatives of the cultural will of their people.

  14. Contemporary Cambodian: The Social Institutions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kheang, Lim Hack; And Others

    "Contemporary Cambodian" consists of seven parts: the "Grammatical Sketch," the "Introduction," four intermediate modules, and a Cambodian-English glossary containing all the words in the series. After completing the "Introduction," a student can study the intermediate modules in any order, since each serves as a partial review of the others. This…

  15. Manic Defences in Contemporary Society. The Psychocultural Approach.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rudan, Dusko; Jakovljevic, Miro; Marcinko, Darko

    2016-12-01

    The article discusses the impact of contemporary culture on the individual's personality. We used the "psychocultural" approach whose key feature is the amalgamation of theories and methods belonging to psychodynamic and psychosocial studies, as well as those used in the field of media and cultural studies. The idea of a potentially therapeutic effect of culture (therapy culture) can already been seen in Freud's and Lacan's texts, and it is often used in critical analyses of contemporary corporate culture, which is more or less developed in some parts of the world. In their criticisms, many contemporary authors emphasize that modern societies have a tendency towards the weakening of basic commitment, or lack thereof, to a social equivalent of Winnicott's concept of environmental provisions as an inalienable democratic right essential for human emotional and mental progress or emotional well-being. The article describes frequent resorting to the so-called manic defences that defensively distort, deny and obscure the awareness that a human being is not the omnipotent source of life, but instead depends on other human beings, and often tries to compensate for loss through various activities. The article describes excessive shopping as an activity that often serves as an attempt to find what was lost, i.e. to fill an emotional void. This solution (resorting to manic defences) is encouraged by contemporary culture, especially through promotional material (e.g. advertising). The main theses of this article are supported by quotations and data from world literature.

  16. Contemporary evolution strategies

    CERN Document Server

    Bäck, Thomas; Krause, Peter

    2013-01-01

    Evolution strategies have more than 50 years of history in the field of evolutionary computation. Since the early 1990s, many algorithmic variations of evolution strategies have been developed, characterized by the fact that they use the so-called derandomization concept for strategy parameter adaptation. Most importantly, the covariance matrix adaptation strategy (CMA-ES) and its successors are the key representatives of this group of contemporary evolution strategies. This book provides an overview of the key algorithm developments between 1990 and 2012, including brief descriptions of the a

  17. Globalizing Contemporary War

    OpenAIRE

    Melissa Zisler

    2009-01-01

    There are a plethora of social problems present throughout theworld in which America has deemed a type of ‘war.’ Some of theseunconventional wars include: The War on Poverty presented in 1964; The War on Drugs announced in 1971; The War on Cancer commencing in1971; The War Against Illiteracy beginning in the 1970s; and afterSeptember 11, 2001 The War on Terror was announced (Raz, 2008).These contemporary ‘wars’ have transformed the meaning of the word‘war.’ Labeling these missions ‘wars,’ pre...

  18. The challenges and factors of political socialization of the contemporary youth

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    N М Belgarokova

    2009-09-01

    Full Text Available The article provides the analysis of the conditions and results of the processes of political culture development and political socialization of the contemporary youth in the frame of sociological research. The analysis of the conflicting influences of the agents of political socialization (family, system of education, mass media, the difficult circumstances and the challenging economic status of the contemporary Russian youth as well as the macropolitical environment in the country provides an opportunity to arrive at the conclusion concerning the socialization crisis of youth in contemporary Russia.

  19. Random and non-random mating populations: Evolutionary dynamics in meiotic drive.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sarkar, Bijan

    2016-01-01

    Game theoretic tools are utilized to analyze a one-locus continuous selection model of sex-specific meiotic drive by considering nonequivalence of the viabilities of reciprocal heterozygotes that might be noticed at an imprinted locus. The model draws attention to the role of viability selections of different types to examine the stable nature of polymorphic equilibrium. A bridge between population genetics and evolutionary game theory has been built up by applying the concept of the Fundamental Theorem of Natural Selection. In addition to pointing out the influences of male and female segregation ratios on selection, configuration structure reveals some noted results, e.g., Hardy-Weinberg frequencies hold in replicator dynamics, occurrence of faster evolution at the maximized variance fitness, existence of mixed Evolutionarily Stable Strategy (ESS) in asymmetric games, the tending evolution to follow not only a 1:1 sex ratio but also a 1:1 different alleles ratio at particular gene locus. Through construction of replicator dynamics in the group selection framework, our selection model introduces a redefining bases of game theory to incorporate non-random mating where a mating parameter associated with population structure is dependent on the social structure. Also, the model exposes the fact that the number of polymorphic equilibria will depend on the algebraic expression of population structure. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. Systems Thinking : Ancient Maya's Evolution of Consciousness and Contemporary Systems Thinking

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jere Lazanski, Tadeja

    2010-11-01

    Systems thinking as a modern approach for problem solving was revived after WWII even though it had been an ancient philosophy. We can track systems thinking back to antiquity. Making a distinction from Western rationalist traditions of philosophy, C. West Churchman often identified with the I Ching as a systems approach sharing a frame of reference similar to pre-Socratic philosophy and Heraclitus. In this paper, we will compare the evolutionary system of consciousness, which was presented in the Tun calendar of Mayan Indians and contemporary systems theory and systems thinking, which is nothing else but highly evolved human consciousness in society. We will present Mayan calendar systems to contemporary systems thinking principles and explain the answer to the Ackoff's judgment on four hundred years of analytical thinking as the dominant mode of society. We will use the methods of historical comparison and a method of a systems approach. We will point out the big picture and Mayan divine plan as main systems principles. The Mayan numerical system and long count units has been proven as one of the most accurate systems for describing the present and future of the civilization in which we have all evolved. We will also explain the Mayan nine-level pyramids system that represents the evolutionary system, i.e. the consciousness, which in our time shows the actual level of human consciousness. Deriving from all described, we will show the main systems principles, discussed by contemporary systems authors and Mayan systems principles, which differ only in one expression—they named "the big picture" as "the divine plan". The final results can be perfectly applied to the society we live in. Seeing the world from the big picture point of view is reaching a level of awareness, in which linear thinking is replaced by systems thinking. The Mayans explained that the civilization would achieve the system of conscious co-creation. We can claim that linear thinking guides us

  1. Research on new information service model of the contemporary library

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xin Pingping; Lu Yan

    2010-01-01

    According to the development of the internet and multimedia technology, the information service models in the contemporary library become both of the traditional and digital information service. The libraries in each country do their best to make the voluminous information and the complex technology be High-integrated in the background management, and also make the front interface be more and more convenient to the users. The essential characteristics of the information service of the contemporary library are all-in-one and humanness. In this article, we will describe several new hot information service models of the contemporary library in detail, such as individualized service, reference service, reference service and strategic information service. (authors)

  2. Book Review: Medische Antropologie. | Atobrah | Contemporary ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Contemporary Journal of African Studies. Journal Home · ABOUT THIS JOURNAL · Advanced Search · Current Issue · Archives · Journal Home > Vol 2, No 1 (2014) >. Log in or Register to get access to full text downloads.

  3. The Realities of K-12 Virtual Education

    Science.gov (United States)

    Glass, Gene V.

    2009-01-01

    In a decade, virtual education in its contemporary form of asynchronous, computer-mediated interaction between a teacher and students over the Internet has grown from a novelty to an established mode of education that may provide all or part of formal schooling for nearly one in every 50 students in the US. In a non-random 2007 survey of school…

  4. Contemporary Argentine Cinema during Neoliberalism

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rocha, Carolina

    2009-01-01

    In this article I analyze contemporary Argentine cinematic production assessing the impact of Law 24,377 that was implemented in 1995 and that provided much-needed funds for national productions. By looking at film production and consumption, the emergence of young filmmakers and the performance of both commercial films and those belonging to the…

  5. Woman's Quest in Contemporary Fiction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Semeiks, Jonna Gormely

    Depending primarily on Joseph Campbell's treatment of the quest or hero myth, this paper provides analyses of recent women's fiction in terms of contemporary women's quests for personal identity and freedom. Following discussions of a proposed definition of myth, its connotations, and its use as a literary device and as a tool for critical…

  6. Contemporary Language Issues in Ukraine: Bilingualism or Russification

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Iryna Zbyr

    2015-02-01

    Full Text Available The article aims to focus on the analysis of the contemporary language issues in Ukraine. A characteristic feature of contemporary language situation in Ukraine is a co-existence on its territory of two languages, Ukrainian and Russian, along with various forms of Ukrainian-Russian bilingualism. Narrowing down the spheres of use of the Ukrainian language and the strong interferential influence of Russian have led to the emergence of the hybrid of Ukrainian-Russian forms of the everyday language known as Surzhyk. The article discusses how language forms are connected with conceptualizations of national identity in contemporary Ukrainian language ideology. It especially focuses on Surzhyk a pejorative collective label for non-standard language varieties that dissolve the language boundary between Ukrainian and Russian standard languages. Although most attention in Ukrainian debates on language is directed towards the complex relations between two standard languages, Surzhyk is considered an important problem, not the least among those for whom it is a major threat to the survival of the Ukrainian language.

  7. Interactive Contemporary Art : Participation in Practice

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Brown, K.J.

    2014-01-01

    Audience participation has polarized the critical debate surrounding contemporary art's social, moral and aesthetic potential. This incisive collection of essays sheds new light on the political, ethical and artistic capacity of participatory works and tests the most recent theoretical approaches to

  8. Contemporary protease inhibitors and cardiovascular risk

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lundgren, Jens; Mocroft, Amanda; Ryom, Lene

    2018-01-01

    PURPOSE OF REVIEW: To review the evidence linking use of HIV protease inhibitors with excess risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in HIV+ populations. RECENT FINDINGS: For the two contemporary most frequently used protease inhibitors, darunavir and atazanavir [both pharmacologically boosted...

  9. The Sublime, Ugliness and Contemporary Art: A Kantian Perspective

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mojca Kuplen

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this paper is twofold. First, to explain the distinction between Kant’s notions of the sublime and ugliness, and to answer an important question that has been left unnoticed in contemporary studies, namely why it is the case that even though both sublime and ugliness are contrapurposive for the power of judgment, occasioning the feeling of displeasure, yet that after all we should feel pleasure in the former, while not in the latter. Second, to apply my interpretation of the sublime and ugliness to contemporary art, and to resolve certain issues that have been raised in accounting for the possibility of artistic sublimity. I argue that an experience of a genuine artistic sublimity is an uncommon occurrence. I propose that the value of contemporary art can be best explained by referring to Kant’s notion of ugliness and his theory of aesthetic ideas.

  10. Advantages of discussion and cognitive conflict as an instructional method in contemporary teaching of mathematics

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mišurac-Zorica Irena

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Contemporary theories of teaching and learning mathematics emphasise the importance of learner’s active participation in the teaching process, in which discovery and logical reasoning lead to the construction of student’s knowledge. In this form of teaching, it is important to detect students’ misunderstandings and errors that can occur during learning. Uncovered tacit and false conceptions of students’ knowledge can greatly contribute to the opposite effect in the construction of knowledge. In teaching mathematics, there are many situations which leave students with ambiguities and misunderstandings, and create an impression in children that teaching of mathematics and mathematical knowledge itself is something that is not possible. Discussion and cognitive conflict are methods which have their starting point in the theory of constructivism. The aim of our study has been to determine whether application of the method of discussion and cognitive conflict in learning to divide decimal numbers leads to the enhancement of student’s procedural knowledge and conceptual knowledge about the division of decimal numbers. Longitudinally, we monitored two groups of 117 pupils of the fifth grade. In the first group, which was taught according to the guidelines of contemporary mathematics education, students engaged in discussion, discovering their misunderstandings and errors, and the cognitive conflict resulted in correct concepts. The second group of students were taught traditionally, learning the procedure and then practicing it. The paper presents a descriptive analysis of the process of teaching and quantitative analysis of the performance based on the comparison of conceptual and procedural knowledge of both groups. Results of our work show that the application of contemporary methods of discussion and cognitive conflict affects the increase of procedural and conceptual knowledge of the division of decimal numbers.

  11. Development of Monte Carlo simulations to provide scanner-specific organ dose coefficients for contemporary CT

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jansen, Jan T. M.; Shrimpton, Paul C.

    2016-07-01

    The ImPACT (imaging performance assessment of CT scanners) CT patient dosimetry calculator is still used world-wide to estimate organ and effective doses (E) for computed tomography (CT) examinations, although the tool is based on Monte Carlo calculations reflecting practice in the early 1990’s. Subsequent developments in CT scanners, definitions of E, anthropomorphic phantoms, computers and radiation transport codes, have all fuelled an urgent need for updated organ dose conversion factors for contemporary CT. A new system for such simulations has been developed and satisfactorily tested. Benchmark comparisons of normalised organ doses presently derived for three old scanners (General Electric 9800, Philips Tomoscan LX and Siemens Somatom DRH) are within 5% of published values. Moreover, calculated normalised values of CT Dose Index for these scanners are in reasonable agreement (within measurement and computational uncertainties of  ±6% and  ±1%, respectively) with reported standard measurements. Organ dose coefficients calculated for a contemporary CT scanner (Siemens Somatom Sensation 16) demonstrate potential deviations by up to around 30% from the surrogate values presently assumed (through a scanner matching process) when using the ImPACT CT Dosimetry tool for newer scanners. Also, illustrative estimates of E for some typical examinations and a range of anthropomorphic phantoms demonstrate the significant differences (by some 10’s of percent) that can arise when changing from the previously adopted stylised mathematical phantom to the voxel phantoms presently recommended by the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP), and when following the 2007 ICRP recommendations (updated from 1990) concerning tissue weighting factors. Further simulations with the validated dosimetry system will provide updated series of dose coefficients for a wide range of contemporary scanners.

  12. Investment and Project Economics: Contemporary Lessons for ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Toshiba

    contemporary challenge to sensitize and synergize instructional, ... project financial outcomes as underscored in this work. ... Balance of payments. .... Problem diagnosis/solutions. **. *** .... Money, Work, Sex, Kids, and Life's Other Challenges.

  13. Revisioning fat lesbian subjects in contemporary lesbian periodicals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Snider, Stefanie

    2010-01-01

    It is difficult to find a visual representation of any fat individual, let alone a queer woman, that is not denigrating and oppressive in conventional media outlets and contemporary visual culture. But even as the negative imagery of fat individuals has expanded over the past forty years in mainstream distribution channels, fat-positive imagery has come to the fore within many feminist and lesbian publications during this same time frame. This article looks at the strategies of representation taken by three contemporary United States lesbian feminist periodicals in visualizing fat and lesbian women within their pages since the 1980s.

  14. Design and Baseline Findings of a Multi-site Non-randomized Evaluation of the Effect of a Health Programme on Microfinance Clients in India

    OpenAIRE

    Saha, Somen

    2013-01-01

    Microfinance is the provision of financial services for the poor. Health program through microfinance has the potential to address several access barriers to health. We report the design and baseline findings of a multi-site non-randomized evaluation of the effect of a health program on the members of two microfinance organizations from Karnataka and Gujarat states of India. Villages identified for roll-out of health services with microfinance were pair-matched with microfinance only villages...

  15. An introduction to contemporary work psychology

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Peeters, M.C.W.; Jonge, de J.; Taris, Toon W.

    2014-01-01

    This is the first comprehensive overview of work psychology, with coverage of classic models, current theories, and contemporary issues affecting the 21st-century worker. Examines the positive aspects of work–motivation, performance, creativity, and engagement—instead of focusing only on adverse

  16. Assessing the Practicality and Relevance of Adventist Educational Philosophy in a Contemporary Education Paradigm

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jackman, W. Marc

    2014-01-01

    This article examines the key tenets of contemporary education philosophy and compares it to the principles of the Adventist educational philosophy. The intent is to determine whether Adventist educational philosophy aligns with the demands of contemporary education. In this vein, 10 key principles of contemporary education are first described.…

  17. Divorce by consent in Roman law and contemporary law

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ignjatović Marija

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available The subject matter of this paper is divorce by mutual consent in Roman law and contemporary law. In the first part of this article, the authors analyzes the key tenets of consensual divorce in Roman law, with specific reference to the impact of Christian religious teaching on the concepts of marriage and divorce as well as on the Roman rulers' constitutions, which marked the beginning of the process of restricting the right to divorce. In the central part of the paper, the authors examines the regulation on the consensual divorce in some contemporary legal systems. In addition, the authors provides a substantial analysis of the normative framework on the termination of marriage in the positive Serbian legislation. In the final part of the paper, the authors provides a comparative analysis and underscores the observed similarities and differenced in the regulation of the institute of consensual divorce in Roman law and in the contemporary legislation.

  18. Jewish Writers in Contemporary Germany: The Dead Author Speaks

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sander L. Gilman

    1989-08-01

    Full Text Available The question I wish to address in this essay is really quite simple: Given the fact that there are "Jews" who seem to play a major role in contemporary German "Kultur" (at least that narrower definition of culture, meaning the production of cultural artifacts, such as books—a field which, at least for Englemann, was one of the certain indicators of a Jewish component in prewar German culture—what happened to these "Jews" (or at least the category of the "Jewish writer" in postwar discussions of culture? Or more simply: who lulled the remaining Jews in contemporary German culture and why? Why is it not possible to speak about "German-Jews" in the contemporary criticism about German culture? And, more to the point, what is the impact of this denial on those who (quite often ambivalently see (or have been forced to see themselves as "Germans" and "Jews," but not as both simultaneously.

  19. Contemporary Romanian Art in the United States1

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Altman Dana

    2014-08-01

    Full Text Available The article discusses the recent international interest in contemporary Romanian art and its growth in market share, with a focus on the United States. The theme is followed thorough in numerous museum exhibitions, increased collector following, art fair presence, gallery representation and auction activity initially in Europe and the United States. The phenomenon is discussed both in the context of the larger international movement conducive to the contemporary art price bubble, and in that of the local socio-economic changes. My chief interest lies in the factors leading up to the entry of post 1989 Romanian art in the global arena as a manifestation of market forces in the field. The analysis follows its grass roots local emergence through non-profit institutions, individual artists, small publications, low budget galleries, as well as the lack of contribution (with few notable exceptions of state institutions, while pointing out the national context of increasing deregulation of social support systems resulting in lack of focus on cultural manifestations. The conclusion is that the recent ascent of contemporary Romanian art (and coincidentally, the award winning contemporary Romanian cinematography is a fortuitous convergence of various factors, among which, increased international mobility and sharing. At the same time, it is also the result of the evolution of various individual artists that pursued a form of art rooted in Romanian artistic tradition but with a focus on the symbolic figurative. The result is a personal semiotics of raising the mundane to extraordinary levels that reconfigured the anxiety of entering a new system into an unmistakable and lasting visual language.

  20. Contradictions and conflicts of the contemporary Russian education

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M M Akulich

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available The article considers the contradictions and conflicts of the contemporary Russian education focusing on the opportunities for conflict management. The research is based on the institutional and system approaches, in particular on the sociological conceptions of social conflict and social cohesion. The author conducted a historical and sociological analysis of social conflicts and social cohesion in the educational sphere, and such conflicts seem to be the result of the contradictions inherent in this social institution. The article identifies basic types of conflicts in the Russian education, and the ways of resolving them by the subjects of the educational system for such conflicts are manageable, especially within the interaction of educational system and society. To verify the proposed typology of conflicts in the contemporary Russian education the author conducted an empirical study to develop a system of practical measures that will help to improve the quality of learning of pupils and students, and will have a positive impact on the functioning and development of the contemporary Russian society. Thus, the article may be useful to sociologists, teachers, educational managers and readers interested in the specifics of social conflicts and the ways for resolving conflict situations.

  1. Organisms as natural purposes: the contemporary evolutionary perspective.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Walsh, D M

    2006-12-01

    Kant's conception of organisms as natural purposes raises a challenge to the adequacy of mechanistic explanation in biology. Certain features of organisms appear to be inexplicable by appeal to mechanical law alone. Some biological phenomena, it seems, can only be accounted for teleologically. Contemporary evolutionary biology has by and large ignored this challenge. It is widely held that Darwin's theory of natural selection gives us an adequate, wholly mechanical account of the nature of organisms. In contemporary biology, the category of the organism plays virtually no explanatory role. Contemporary evolutionary biology is a science of sub-organismal entities-replicators. I argue that recent advances in developmental biology demonstrate the inadequacy of sub-organismal mechanism. The category of the organism, construed as a 'natural purpose' should play an ineliminable role in explaining ontogenetic development and adaptive evolution. According to Kant the natural purposiveness of organisms cannot be demonstrated to be an objective principle in nature, nor can purposiveness figure in genuine explain. I attempt to argue, by appeal to recent work on self-organization, that the purposiveness of organisms is a natural phenomenon, and, by appeal to the apparatus of invariance explanation, that biological purposiveness provides genuine, ineliminable biological explanations.

  2. Heutiges Russisch (2) (Contemporary Russian [2])

    Science.gov (United States)

    Russisch, 1976

    1976-01-01

    Considers contemporary Russian usage with regard to variations in the genitive, accusative and nominative inflections and the synonymity of full and shortened adjective forms. Material is excerpted from "Stilistik der russischen Sprache" (Russian Language Style) by D. Rosental and M. Telenkowa. (Text is in German.) (FB)

  3. Contemporary Theories and International Law-Making

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Venzke, I.

    2013-01-01

    Many contemporary theories approach international law-making with a shift in emphasis from the sources of law towards the communicative practices in which a plethora of actors use, claim and speak international law. Whereas earlier approaches would look at the sources as the singular moment of

  4. Comparison between Famous Game Engines and Eminent Games

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Prerna Mishra

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available Nowadays game engines are imperative for building 3D applications and games. This is for the reason that the engines appreciably reduce resources for employing obligatory but intricate utilities. This paper elucidates about a game engine, popular games developed by these engines and its foremost elements. It portrays a number of special kinds of contemporary game developed by engines in the way of their aspects, procedure and deliberates their stipulations with comparison.

  5. Implementation of Traditional Malay Design Values in Contemporary Malay Houses

    OpenAIRE

    Elham Hosseini; Gurupiah Mursib; Raja Nafida Raja Shahminan

    2016-01-01

    Traditional houses are the most essential architectural experience that is in harmony with the people's culture, beliefs, environment and lifestyles. The development of design values in contemporary architecture by tracking traditional design values in architecture paves the way for arguments concerning the implementation of authentic Malay traditional house design values in contemporary Malay houses. In addition, it is hypothesized that the Malay traditional houses theoretically provide a co...

  6. Religion and spirituality in contemporary dreams

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Werner Nell

    2012-02-01

    Full Text Available This article examines the spiritual value and role of dreams in the lives of South African Christians, based on the findings of a qualitative research project in which semistructured interviews were used to examine the dream-related beliefs and practices of contemporary Christians. The findings indicated that dreams are still considered to be of distinct religious value and importance by a significant number of the Christian participants who took part in the study. Specifically, the participants reported that their dreams often serve as source of spiritual inspiration, insight and guidance, as well as feedback on decisions and ways of living. It was also indicated that dreams sometimes constituted an important natural resource in coming to terms with bereavement. In response to this, the article closes with a call for a re-evaluation of the position and value of dreams in contemporary Christianity, and offers several practical suggestions for working with dreams in a spiritual context.

  7. CONTEMPORARY TRENDS IN GEOGRAPHICAL EDUCATION

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. Wasileva

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available The geography includes rich, diverse and comprehensive themes that give us an understanding of our changing environment and interconnected world. It includes the study of the physical environment and resources; cultures, economies and societies; people and places; and global development and civic participation. As a subject, geography is particularly valuable because it provides information for exploring contemporary issues from a different perspective. This geographical information affects us all at work and in our daily lives and helps us make informed decisions that shape our future. All these facts result in a wide discussion on many topical issues in contemporary geography didactics. Subjects of research are the new geography and economics curriculum as well as construction of modern learning process. The paper presents briefly some of the current trends and key issues of geodidactics. As central notions we consider and analyze the training/educational goals, geography curriculum, target groups and environment of geography training, training methods as well as the information sources used in geography education. We adhere that all the above-mentioned finds its reflection in planning, analysis and assessment of education and thus in its quality and effectiveness.

  8. The historiography of contemporary science, technology, and medicine writing recent science

    CERN Document Server

    Söderqvist, Thomas

    2006-01-01

    As historians of science increasingly turn to work on recent (post 1945) science, the historiographical and methodological problems associated with the history of contemporary science are debated with growing frequency and urgency. Bringing together authorities on the history, historiography and methodology of recent and contemporary science, this book reviews the problems facing historians of technology, contemporary science and medicine, and explores new ways forward. With contributions from key researchers in the field, the text covers topics that will be of ever increasing interest to historians of post-war science, including the difficulties of accessing and using secret archival material, the interactions between archivists, historians and scientists, and the politics of evidence and historical accounts.

  9. Heutiges Russisch (Schluss) (Contemporary Russian [Conclusion])

    Science.gov (United States)

    Russisch, 1976

    1976-01-01

    Considers two aspects of contemporary Russian language usage: (1) synonymity of prepositions, and (2) semantic and stylistic differences arising when certain verbs govern nouns in different cases. Material is excerpted from "Stilistik der russischen Sprache" (Russian Language Style) by Rosental and M. Telenkowa. (Text is in German.) (FB)

  10. In search of the 'Wild Contemporary'

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jensen, Ole B.

    further back to touch upon the legacy of Marinetti/Futurism and Le Corbusier). These ideas and visions, which at their time was considered extreme and far-fetched, are used as ‘prisms' for setting up the imaginary visioning of contemporary and future challenges to mobility within and between cities...

  11. The Cognitive Hookman: Using Contemporary Legends in the ESL/EFL Classroom.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Layzer, Carolyn

    This paper discusses the use of contemporary legends in the teaching of language and culture, specifically in English-as-a-second-language. Contemporary legends are a type of folk narrative, but unlike folk tales, they are believed to be true. They usually concern ordinary people who are known to the narrator, occur in familiar settings, and are…

  12. THERMAL PERFORMANCE OF CONTEMPORARY HOUSE IN THE CITY OF DHAKA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rumana Rashid

    2008-01-01

    Full Text Available A contemporary house located within a dense area of Dhaka, the capital city of Bangladesh was selected to evaluate its thermal performance. The study was based on the field measurements conducted during selected days in the summer period. The field survey was conducted using one set of thermal data logger installed in the selected house to record the air temperature and relative humidity of both indoor and outdoor spaces. The research result concluded that the contemporary house experienced much higher temperature during night and early morning. The indoor air temperature during the daytime was equal to the outdoor or sometime higher illustrating that it was overheating. On the other hand, previous study on traditional house within the same area showed that indoor air temperature was lower than outdoor air temperature, something that the contemporary house failed to achieve.

  13. The Contemporary Significance of the Holocaust for Australian Psychiatry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Robertson, Michael; Light, Edwina; Lipworth, Wendy; Walter, Garry

    2016-01-01

    In this paper we survey briefly the components of the Holocaust directly relevant to the psychiatric profession and identify the main themes of relevance to contemporary psychiatry. The ‘euthanasia’ program; the persecution of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex (LGBTI) citizens; and the complex relationship between the psychiatric profession and Nazi state are the main themes to emerge from this survey. We then compare this period with key themes in the history of Australian psychiatry and link these themes to some of the contemporary ethical challenges the profession faces.

  14. The politics of comparison in mediated publics

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Birkbak, Andreas

    News media and social media are often compared in a way that focuses on their contrasts, e.g. as between objective news and passionate opinions – or between a clear-cut public and multiple issue-oriented quasi-publics. If we do not assume such divisions to be pre-given, it becomes possible to study...... of mediated publics. Here, the researcher can begin to think with and not just about contemporary media practices when trying to rethink comparison and its politics....

  15. JPRS Report, Soviet Union, The Working Class & The Contemporary World.

    Science.gov (United States)

    1987-10-15

    Beatles and Rolling Stones groups, the astronaut J. Glenn, Dzh. (sic) Eisenhower and J. Kennedy, M.L. King and the screen actor M. Brando. At the ...JPRS-UWC-87-002 15 October 1987 FOREIGN BROADCAST INFORMATION SERVICE JPRS Report— Soviet Union THE WORKING CLASS & THE CONTEMPORARY WORLD...MmmKmoN STATEMENT A 19980714 146 mcWAUTtmBPBVmi Soviet Union The Working Class & The Contemporary World No 3, May-June 1987 JPRS-UWC-87-002

  16. Tales of the unexpected: Integrating career shocks in the contemporary careers literature

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Akkermans, J.; Seibert, S.E.; Mol, S.T.

    2018-01-01

    Orientation – This paper addresses the interplay between individual agency and contextual factors in contemporary career development processes. In light of the prominence of the former in the contemporary scholarly debate, we present a case for a more comprehensive approach by heeding the latter as

  17. Tales of the unexpected : Integrating career shocks in the contemporary careers literature

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Akkermans, Jos; Seibert, Scott E.; Mol, Stefan T.

    2018-01-01

    Orientation: This article addresses the interplay between individual agency and contextual factors in contemporary career development processes. In light of the prominence of the former in the contemporary scholarly debate, we present a case for a more comprehensive approach by heeding the latter as

  18. A Comparative Study of Entrance in Traditional and Contemporary Houses of Iran

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ramin Dehbandi

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available In contemporary houses in Iran, because of changes in the methods of designing and building houses, importance of entrance reduced to such level that now in contemporary houses entrance is just a door. Entrance correlates indoor safe space of house and outdoors. It`s importance lays in controlling entry, exit, territory and hierarchy. Since house owners were satisfied with traditional form of entrance, it is a good idea to learn from them in designing new entrances. The purpose of this research is to find a way for designing appropriate entrances for Iranian contemporary houses. To do this at first 40 traditional houses and 40 contemporary houses in Isfahan and Kashan were selected. These two cities are from margin of desert and the origin of traditional houses of Iran. Analysis showed that blockage of visual and phonic relation, creating a space between outdoor public space and indoor private space, creating access patterns to internal spaces and traits that separate in and out were the most significant properties of traditional entrances. All these traits are ignored in contemporary entrances. Suggestions made for design include creating public meeting space in yard and creating a separate entrance space for each house in apartments.

  19. The Origins of Contemporary Ukrainian Nationalism

    OpenAIRE

    Сергей Сергеевич Жильцов

    2014-01-01

    The article idedicated to formation and development of Ukrainian nationalism after Ukraine’s independence. The author analyzes fundamental reasons of raise of influence of Ukrainian nationalism. Theoretical foundations of contemporary Ukrainian nationalism are analyzed. In addition, the author evaluates the possible role of nationalism in the future development of Ukraine.

  20. Contemporary management of advanced laryngeal cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Britt, Christopher J; Gourin, Christine G

    2017-10-01

    The treatment of advanced laryngeal cancer has undergone a paradigm shift in recent years, with an increase in chemoradiation for organ preservation and a decrease in primary surgery. This review will summarize the contemporary management of advanced laryngeal cancer and discuss treatment-related toxicity and strategies to improve outcomes. NA.

  1. Sex estimation from the scapula in a contemporary Thai population: Applications for forensic anthropology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peckmann, Tanya R; Scott, Shelby; Meek, Susan; Mahakkanukrauh, Pasuk

    2017-07-01

    The impact of climate change is estimated to be particularly severe in Thailand. Overall, the country faces an increase in surface temperatures, severe storms and floods, and a possible increase in the number of mass disasters in the region. It is extremely important that forensic scientists have access to sex estimation methods developed for use on a Thai population. The goal of this project is to evaluate the accuracy of sex estimation discriminant functions, created using contemporary Mexican and Greek populations, when applied to a contemporary Thai sample. The length of the glenoid cavity (LGC) and breadth of the glenoid cavity (BGC) were measured. The sample included 191 individuals (95 males and 96 females) with age ranges from 19 to 96years old. Overall, when the Mexican and Greek discriminant functions were applied to the Thai sample they showed higher accuracy rates for sexing female scapulae (83% to 99%) than for sexing male scapulae (53% to 92%). Size comparisons were made to Chilean, Mexican, Guatemalan, White American, and Greek populations. Overall, in males and females of the Thai sample, the scapulae were smaller than in the Chilean, Mexican, White American, and Greek populations. However, the male and female Thai scapulae were larger than in the Guatemalan sample. Population-specific discriminant functions were created for the Thai population with an overall sex classification accuracy rate of 83% to 88%. Copyright © 2017 The Chartered Society of Forensic Sciences. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  2. AA1000 and SA8000 compared: a systematic comparison of contemporary accountability standards

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Göbbels, M.; Jonker, J.

    2003-01-01

    One of the ways to deal with stakeholder issues, is the use and application of accountability standards. Two recent accountability standards (AA1000 and SA8000) will be the subject of comparison in this paper. Firstly, the constituent elements of these new standards will be briefly described. The

  3. Towards Building Science Teachers’ Understandings of Contemporary Science Practices

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Greg Lancaster

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Faculties of Education and Science at Monash University have designed a Masters unit to assist pre-service and in-service science teachers in exploring the practices of contemporary science and examine how varied understandings can influence science communication. Teachers are encouraged to explore their current understandings of the Nature of Science (NoS and to contrast their views with those known to be widely held by society (Cobern & Loving, 1998. Teachers are challenged to provide insights into their thinking relating to the NoS. In order to build understandings of contemporary science practice each teacher shadows a research scientist and engages them in conversations intended to explore the scientists’ views of NoS and practice. Findings suggest that teachers were initially uncomfortable with the challenge to express ideas relating to their NoS and were also surprised how diverse the views of NoS can be among teachers, scientists and their peers, and that these views can directly impact ways of communicating contemporary science practice.

  4. Gender messages in contemporary popular Malay songs

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Collin Jerome

    2013-07-01

    Full Text Available Gender has been an important area of research in the field of popular music studies. Numerous scholars have found that contemporary popular music functions as a locus of diverse constructions and expressions of gender. While most studies focus on content analyses of popular music, there is still a need for more research on audience’s perception of popular music’s messages. This study examined adult Malay listeners’ perceptions of gender messages in contemporary Malay songs. A total of 16 contemporary Malay songs were analysed using Fairclough’s (1992 method of text analysis. The content of the songs that conveyed messages about gender were the basis for analysis. The results showed that the messages revolve mainly around socially constructed gender roles and expectations in romantic relationships. Gender stereotypes are also used in the songs to reinforce men’s and women’s roles in romantic relationships. The results also showed that, while listeners acknowledge the songs’ messages about gender, their own perceptions of gender and what it means to be a gendered being in today’s world are neither represented nor discussed fully in the songs analysed. It is hoped the findings from this, particularly the mismatch between projected and perceived notions of gender, contribute to the field of popular Malay music studies in particular, and popular music studies in general where gender messages in popular songs and their influence on listeners’ perceptions of their own gender is concerned.

  5. Complement Clause Formation In Leteh | Ansah | Contemporary ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Contemporary Journal of African Studies. Journal Home · ABOUT THIS JOURNAL · Advanced Search · Current Issue · Archives · Journal Home > Vol 2, No 1 (2014) >. Log in or Register to get access to full text downloads.

  6. Cats of the Pharaohs: Genetic Comparison of Egyptian Cat Mummies to their Feline Contemporaries

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kurushima, Jennifer D.; Ikram, Salima; Knudsen, Joan; Bleiberg, Edward; Grahn, Robert A.; Lyons, Leslie A.

    2012-01-01

    The ancient Egyptians mummified an abundance of cats during the Late Period (664 - 332 BC). The overlapping morphology and sizes of developing wildcats and domestic cats confounds the identity of mummified cat species. Genetic analyses should support mummy identification and was conducted on two long bones and a mandible of three cats that were mummified by the ancient Egyptians. The mummy DNA was extracted in a dedicated ancient DNA laboratory at the University of California – Davis, then directly sequencing between 246 and 402 bp of the mtDNA control region from each bone. When compared to a dataset of wildcats (Felis silvestris silvestris, F. s. tristrami, and F. chaus) as well as a previously published worldwide dataset of modern domestic cat samples, including Egypt, the DNA evidence suggests the three mummies represent common contemporary domestic cat mitotypes prevalent in modern Egypt and the Middle East. Divergence estimates date the origin of the mummies’ mitotypes to between two and 7.5 thousand years prior to their mummification, likely prior to or during Egyptian Predyanstic and Early Dynastic Periods. These data are the first genetic evidence supporting that the ancient Egyptians used domesticated cats, F. s. catus, for votive mummies, and likely implies cats were domesticated prior to extensive mummification of cats. PMID:22923880

  7. The Origins of Contemporary Ukrainian Nationalism

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Сергей Сергеевич Жильцов

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available The article idedicated to formation and development of Ukrainian nationalism after Ukraine’s independence. The author analyzes fundamental reasons of raise of influence of Ukrainian nationalism. Theoretical foundations of contemporary Ukrainian nationalism are analyzed. In addition, the author evaluates the possible role of nationalism in the future development of Ukraine.

  8. Contemporary management of pyloric stenosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jobson, Matthew; Hall, Nigel J

    2016-08-01

    Hypertrophic pyloric stenosis is a common surgical cause of vomiting in infants. Following appropriate fluid resuscitation, the mainstay of treatment is pyloromyotomy. This article reviews the aetiology and pathophysiology of hypertrophic pyloric stenosis, its clinical presentation, the role of imaging, the preoperative and postoperative management, current surgical approaches and non-surgical treatment options. Contemporary postoperative feeding regimens, outcomes and complications are also discussed. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. Film and Media as a Site for Memory in Contemporary Art

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Martinez Rosario Domingo

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available This article explores the relationship between film, contemporary art and cultural memory. It aims to set out an overview of the use of film and media in artworks dealing with memory, history and the past. In recent decades, film and media projections have become some of the most common mediums employed in art installations, multi-screen artworks, sculptures, multi-media art, as well as many other forms of contemporary art. In order to examine the links between film, contemporary art and memory, I will firstly take a brief look at cultural memory and, secondly, I will set out an overview of some pieces of art that utilize film and video to elucidate historical and mnemonic accounts. Thirdly, I will consider the specific features and challenges of film and media that make them an effective repository in art to represent memory. I will consider the work of artists like Tacita Dean, Krzysztof Wodiczko and Jane and Louise Wilson, whose art is heavily influenced and inspired by concepts of memory, history, nostalgia and melancholy. These artists provide examples of the use of film in art, and they have established contemporary art as a site for memory.

  10. Contemporary Transitional Justice

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Gissel, Line Engbo

    2017-01-01

    This article studies the contemporary expression of transitional justice, a field of practice through which global governance is exercised. It argues that transitional justice is being normalised, given the normative and empirical de-legitimisation of its premise of exceptionalism. The article...... theorises exceptionalism and normalcy in transitional justice and identifies three macro-level causes of normalisation: the legalisation, internationalisation, and professionalization of the field. This argument is illustrated by a study of Uganda’s trajectory of transitional justice since 1986. Across five...... phases of transitional justice, processes of legalisation, internationalisation, and professionalization have contributed to the gradual dismantling of the country’s exceptional justice. The case demonstrates, further, that normalization is a contested and incomplete process....

  11. CORRELATIONS BETWEEN CONTEMPORARY METHODS IN THE DIAGNOSIS OF CHLAMYDIA TRACHOMATIS UROGENITAL INFECTIONS.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ilko Bakardzhiev

    2011-10-01

    Full Text Available The subject of this study were 486 outpatients between the ages of 17 and 62, diagnosed with urethritis, epidydimitis, prostatitis, cervicitis, endocervicitis, pelvic inflammatory disease and sterility. The following tests were used to make the diagnosis of Chlamydia trachomatis: Enzyme Immunoassay (EIA, Enzyme-Linked Fluorescent Assay (ELFA, Polymerase Chain Reaction DNA amplification for Chlamydia Trachomatis, Neisseria Gonorrhoeae, Mycoplasma Genitalium and Ureaplasma Urealyiticum. Comparison PCR and EIA showed statistically significant difference between the positive results obtained by the two methods (p0,1. EIA is a method that gives a higher percentage of nonspecific positive reactions, while the results obtained from ELFA are much closer to the ones obtained by PCR. According to contemporary evidence based medicine, the developmet of unified standard methods for diagnosis and evaluation is of vital importance, not only for the patient and the treating physician but also concerns for the healthcare system, the general public and the pharmaceutical companies as well.

  12. The Motivation Analysis Test: an historical and contemporary evaluation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bernard, Larry C; Walsh, R Patricia; Mills, Michael

    2005-04-01

    This is an historical review and contemporary empirical evaluation of the Motivation Analysis Test (MAT), one of the first tests to take a psychometric approach to the assessment of motivation. Reviews were quite positive, but the test is now over 50 years old. Nevertheless, it employs innovations in measurement not widely used in objective measurement then or now: (1) subtests with different formats, (2) disguised items, (3) speeded administration procedures, and (4) ipsative format and scoring procedures. These issues are discussed and a contemporary sample (N = 360) obtained to evaluate the Motivation Analysis Test in light of its innovative characteristics.

  13. Teaching Medical Student Psychiatry Through Contemporary Music

    Science.gov (United States)

    Egan, William H.

    1977-01-01

    An audio technique uses contemporary music recordings to illustrate various personality disorders, including: schizoid, paranoid, compulsive, antisocial, and hysterical. The works of Bob Dylan, Paul Simon, Harry Chapin, the Beatles, Janis Ian, James Taylor, Tammy Wynette, and others are cited. (LBH)

  14. Antropology according to contemporary orthodox theologians

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Krzysztof Leśniewski

    2014-11-01

    Full Text Available The article presents anthropological views of some very influential Orthodox theologians. The author starts his attempt from sketching a direct historical context of a rapid development of anthropology since19th century. He indicates that since the middle of 20th century one cannotice an increasing interest concerning on the understanding of human person, human freedom and human rights in social structures. Then he summarizes main points of the mystical anthropology of Vladimir Lossky. This very influential theologian, who concentrated mostly oncategory of person in apophatic and Trinitarian perspective on the basisof the patristic wisdom, has influenced many contemporary religious thinkers.Grounds of the anthropological reflection of Orthodox theologians were described in the second part of the article. Contemporary theologians have been trying to find answers for such questions as: “Who is a human being?”; “How to understand his or her freedom, rights, morality, life and existence?”; “What does compose the essence of his or her relationswith other human beings in the community of the Church and society”– taking into account the Divine Scripture, the teaching of the Churchand modern philosophical reflections.The third part of the article shows four examples of Greek theologians who significantly have contributed to the contemporary discussion on the mystery of human person. Each of them characterizes of a specific attempt towards looking for anthropological solutions from Christian point of view. The author labeled the main interest of each of them by a specific title: Panayiotis Nellas – a Christocentric exponent of patristic anthropology, Nikos Nissiotis – a courageous searcher of bases of dialogical anthropology, Christos Yannaras – a brilliant architect of relational ontology of person, Metropolitan John Zizioulas – a persistent builder of personalistic ecclesiological anthropology.

  15. Treatment of age-related subfoveal neovascular membranes by teletherapy. Results of a non-randomized study

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Subasi, M.; Akmansu, M.; Or, M. [Gazi Univ., Ankara (Turkey). Medical Faculty

    1999-03-01

    This investigation was designed to determine whether low-dose radiation to the macular region could influence the natural course of age-related subfoveal neovascularization. Thirty-one patients with subfoveal membranes due to age-related macular degeneration (ARMD) were treated with 12 Gy of 6 MV X-rays, and 72 patients who were untreated served as a control group. Both groups were followed-up. At six months of follow-up visual acuity was maintained in 54.8% and improved 25.8% of patients treated by radiotherapy. In the control group, visual acuity showed deterioration in 55.5%. There was a significant difference between the treated and untreated groups (p<0.01). Significant neovascular membrane regression or stabilization was recorded in 61.3% of treated patients at six months post-radiation, whereas the membranes in all. 72 control patients showed progressive enlargement. This non-randomized study suggested that low doses of radiation may be an alternative treatment for ARMD without an immediate drop in visual acuity or significant radiation morbidity. (author)

  16. Contemporary Drama in the English Class.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Siegfried, William

    1968-01-01

    Various approaches that teachers can use to help students interpret contemporary plays are presented in this discussion of teaching drama. Plays discussed include two from the Theater of Illusion ("Look Back in Anger,""A Raisin in the Sun"), two from the Theater of the Absurd ("Rhonoceros,""Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead"), and two from…

  17. Contemporary Education for Public Administration

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ivan Koprić

    2007-01-01

    Full Text Available The paper examines the development of contemporary administrative education, as a crucial criterion without which it is not possible to achieve professionalism in public administration. While the term professionalism has a variety of meanings, today it is largely deemed that specific educational preparation is a foundation without which other elements of professionalism in public administration cannot be achieved. The level of professionalism, competence, education and knowledge thus become critical variables of administration reforms in transitional countries. Afterwards, the author examines the trends in the development of contemporary administrative education, pointing particularly to the importance of establishing a coherent, vertically passable system, i.e. a system which encompasses all levels of education – from secondary school education to doctoral studies. In this matter, one of the most important features in the development of administrative studies is their diversification, with simultaneous strengthening of the general administrative profile. Thus, the general administrative profile becomes modified, updated and extended by new teaching disciplines. In the final section of the paper, the author addresses the performance of administrative education in Croatia, pointing to its underdevelopment. Indeed, the author suggests that there are no sustainable results of reforms without the training of staff for administration.

  18. ESOTERIC IN CONTEMPORARY LITHUANIAN PROSE

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ieva Naikienė

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available This article focuses on esotericism in contemporary Lithuanian prose. For the revelation of this topic, Donaldas Kajokas’ novel Ežeras ir kiti jį lydintys asmenys (The Lake and Other Escort Members, 2003 and Jurga Ivanauskaitė’s novel Placebas (Placebo, 2012 have been chosen. The analysed writings reveal the point of view of contemporary Lithuanian writers about esoteric beliefs. In this article, esotericism is related with persons’ feelings but is excluded from occult and parapsychology fields such as alchemy, cabbala, Tarot, etc. This work focuses on the idea that an individual, who has only a few senses, cannot reach actuality. On the other hand, the possibility of acquiring those senses is not rejected. In addition, obtaining those senses would help to reach higher, over-sensational worlds and in that way to discover personal correlation with forms of multiple personal identities. This article establishes an idea that awareness of higher worlds/spheres unlocks the possibilities of revealing the main core of human (as micro-cosmos and the Universe (as macro-cosmos. The possibility to perceive oneself as a micro-cosmos discloses not only personal identity, but also the value of Other’s entity and inevitable entities stratifying.

  19. Time motion and video analysis of classical ballet and contemporary dance performance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wyon, M A; Twitchett, E; Angioi, M; Clarke, F; Metsios, G; Koutedakis, Y

    2011-11-01

    Video analysis has become a useful tool in the preparation for sport performance and its use has highlighted the different physiological demands of seemingly similar sports and playing positions. The aim of the current study was to examine the performance differences between classical ballet and contemporary dance. In total 93 dance performances (48 ballet and 45 contemporary) were analysed for exercise intensity, changes in direction and specific discrete skills (e. g., jumps, lifts). Results revealed significant differences between the 2 dance forms for exercise intensity (pBallet was characterised by longer periods at rest (38 s x min(-1)) and high to very high exercise intensities (9 s x min(-1)), whilst contemporary dance featured more continuous moderate exercise intensities (27 s x min(-1)). These differences have implications on the energy systems utilised during performance with ballet potentially stressing the anaerobic system more than contemporary dance. The observed high rates in the discrete skills in ballet (5 jumps x min(-1); 2 lifts x min(-1)) can cause local muscular damage, particularly in relatively weaker individuals. In conclusion, classical ballet and contemporary dance performances are as significantly different in the underlying physical demands placed on their performers as the artistic aspects of the choreography. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

  20. Lifetime health effects and medical costs of integrated stroke services - a non-randomized controlled cluster-trial based life table approach

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dirks Maaike

    2010-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Economic evaluation of stroke services indicates that such services may lead to improved quality of life at affordable cost. The present study assesses lifetime health impact and cost consequences of stroke in an integrated service setting. Methods The EDISSE study is a prospective non-randomized controlled cluster trial that compared stroke services (n = 151 patients to usual care (n = 187 patients. Health status and cost trial-data were entered in multi-dimensional stroke life-tables. The tables distinguish four levels of disability which are defined by the modified Rankin scale. Quality-of-life scores (EuroQoL-5D, transition and survival probabilities are based on concurrent Dutch follow-up studies. Outcomes are quality-adjusted life years lived and lifetime medical cost by disability category. An economic analysis compares outcomes from a successful stroke service to usual care, by bootstrapping individual costs and effects data from patients in each arm. Results Lifetime costs and QALYs after stroke depend on age-of-onset of first-ever stroke. Lifetime QALYs after stroke are 2.42 (90% CI - 0.49 - 2.75 for male patients in usual care and 2.75 (-0.61; 6.26 for females. Lifetime costs for men in the usual care setting are €39,335 (15,951; 79,837 and €42,944 (14,081; 95,944 for women. A comparison with the stroke service results in an ICER of €11,685 saved per QALY gained (€14,211 and €7,745 for men and women respectively. This stroke service is with 90% certainty cost-effective. Conclusions Our analysis shows the potential of large health benefits and cost savings of stroke services, taking a lifetime perspective, also in other European settings.

  1. Fossil and Contemporary Fine Carbon Fractions at 12 Rural and Urban Sites in the United States

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Schichtel, B; Malm, W; Bench, G; Fallon, S; McDade, C; Chow, J

    2007-03-01

    Fine particulate matter collected at two urban, four near-urban, and six remote sites throughout the United States were analyzed for total carbon (TC) and radiocarbon ({sup 14}C). Samples were collected at most sites for both a summer and winter season. The radiocarbon was used to partition the TC into fossil and contemporary fractions. On average, contemporary carbon composed about half of the carbon at the urban, {approx}70-97% at near-urban, and 82-100% at remote sites. At Phoenix, Arizona, and Seattle, Washington, one monitor was located within the urban center and one outside to assess the urban excess over background concentrations. During the summer the urban and rural sites had similar contemporary carbon concentrations. However, during the winter the urban sites had more than twice the contemporary carbon measured at the neighboring sites, indicating anthropogenic contributions to the contemporary carbon. The urban fossil carbon was 4-20 times larger than the neighboring rural sites for both seasons. Organic (OC) and elemental carbon (EC) from TOR analysis were available. These and the radiocarbon data were used to estimate characteristic fossil and contemporary EC/TC ratios for the winter and summer seasons. These ratios were applied to carbon data from the Interagency Monitoring of Protected Visual Environments network to estimate the fraction of contemporary carbon at mostly rural sites throughout the United States. In addition, the ratios were used to develop a semiquantitative, lower bound estimate of secondary organic carbon (SOC) contribution to fossil and contemporary carbon. SOC accounted for more than one-third of the fossil and contemporary carbon.

  2. The oceanic feeling and the Cosmic Self in contemporary artistic creation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Claudio Sapienza

    2013-02-01

    Full Text Available This inquire develops into the sphere of the contemporary art, through the example of ‘isolated’ artists – like Metson, Penone, Mendieta – and that of land artists.  They make go deep into the matter of archetypical relation man-nature, throwing light upon the ‘Ocean Feeling’ which give voice to ‘Self-Cosmic’, innate in everyone. This is a very complex and wide subject, reason why it must to imply historical references – like Platone, Dufrenne, Freud and Rolland – and valuable carefully studies by contemporary intellectuals – as Fachinelli and Mercurio. It make psychological, cultural and anthropological presupposed in evidence, which induce the man-artist to a not individualistic art, but extend and universal. This proves how contemporary art and psychology have common intuitions and objects, at all times.

  3. How to Recycle Ourselves through Art: Rubbish Inspirations in Contemporary Art

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fatma Aykanat

    2014-04-01

    Full Text Available This article will focus on the work of two contemporary artists; of Vik Muniz and Jeff Wall, to discuss the change of material and inspiration in contemporary art and the effects of this change. Both of those two artists take rubbish, human waste, masses of debris which have been thought to be the end-products, useless residue of human actions and civilization, and then they transform those so-called dead materials into original artistic products. In a way, they use those dead materials for an artistic rebirth. Through Muniz’s re-makings of famous art works through junk materials, or by way of Wall’s completely new interpretations of the already existing and useless trash provide both literary and symbolic recycle for the contemporary society.

  4. [CONTEMPORARY MOLECULAR-GENETIC METHODS USED FOR ETIOLOGIC DIAGNOSTICS OF SEPSIS].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gavrilov, S N; Skachkova, T S; Shipulina, O Yu; Savochkina, Yu A; Shipulin, G A; Maleev, V V

    2016-01-01

    Etiologic diagnostics of sepsis is one of the most difficult problems of contemporary medicine due to a wide variety of sepsis causative agents, many of which are components of normal human microflora. Disadvantages of contemporary "golden standard" of microbiologic diagnostics of sepsis etiology by seeding of blood for sterility are duration of cultivation, limitation in detection of non-cultivable forms of microorganisms, significant effect of preliminary empiric antibiotics therapy on results of the analysis. Methods of molecular diagnostics that are being actively developed and integrated during the last decade are deprived of these disadvantages. Main contemporary methods of molecular-biological diagnostics are examined in the review, actualdata on their diagnostic characteristic are provided. Special attention is given to methods of PCR-diagnostics, including novel Russian developments. Methods of nucleic acid hybridization and proteomic analysis are examined in comparative aspect. Evaluation of application and perspectives of development of methods of molecular diagnostics of sepsis is given.

  5. POLTERGEIST PHENOMENA IN CONTEMPORARY FOLKLORE

    OpenAIRE

    Oana VOICHICI

    2017-01-01

    The article deals with instances of the supernatural in Romanian urban legends, namely what we call the strigoi , or poltergeist. Usually, folklorists tend to exclude the supernatural f rom the category of urban legends, however we have decided to take these accounts into consideration based on the fact that the transmitter, the narrators do not distinguish between these elements and the rest of contemporary legends and today’s popular cu lture abounds in such accounts.

  6. Islamic factor in contemporary Russia

    OpenAIRE

    N. M. Shalenna

    2014-01-01

    Russian Federation, a Eurasian multinational state, has a significant number of indigenous Muslim population (about 10%) that continues to increase not only due to natural growth and conversion of non-Muslims to Islam, but also as a result of intensive immigration from the Central Asian countries and Azerbaijan. Islamic factor significantly predetermined policy of Russia during its historical development. The importance of Islam in contemporary political life has been underlined by many gover...

  7. Contemporary Management of Bladder Cancer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bell, David; Fradet, Yves

    1991-01-01

    Bladder cancer is currently the fifth most common cancer in Western society, and its incidence appears to be increasing. Important advances have recently occurred in both diagnostic and therapeutic approaches to bladder neoplasms. Presentation is not unique, and physician awareness is important to identify patients who are at risk for bladder neoplasia and consequently require further investigation. A diagnostic approach and contemporary management are discussed. ImagesFigure 1Figure 4 PMID:21229043

  8. Buddhist Revelations in Davaakhuugin Soyolmaa's Contemporary Mongolian Art

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Uranchimeg Tsultemin

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available In 1990, a seven-decade socialist taboo on religion was lifted in newly transforming Mongolia, where democratic reforms and a peaceful transition to a market economy and multiparty government system were taking place. The country entered into a critical period of transition in 1992, when revisions to the constitution changed the Mongolian People’s Republic into the Republic of Mongolia. While political studies of this transitional period have been conducted, along with studies of the economic boost of 2008, very little has been written about Mongolian art since 1990. This essay explores that relatively untrodden ground by focusing on contemporary artist Davaakhuugin Soyolmaa (b. 1977, whose work exemplifies the revival of Buddhist art and culture in contemporary Mongolia.

  9. INTERPERSONAL COMUNICATION IN THE CONTEMPORARY SIRCUMSTANCES

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Slobodan JAKULIC

    1998-12-01

    Full Text Available In this item, the writer emphasizes the origination of the interpersonal communications in contemporary circumstances on the present evolutionary stage of the civilization. In addition the phenomenon of the interpersonal communications determine the social being of the humans in the area of the family and nation together with the area of the wide social community.

  10. Growth-induced strong pinning sites in laser ablated YBa2Cu3O7-δ films with a non-random distribution

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Huijbregtse, J.M.; Klaassen, F.C.; Geest, R.C.F. van der; Dam, B.; Griessen, R.

    1999-01-01

    Recently, the authors showed that natural linear defects are the origin of the high critical currents in laser ablated YGBa 2 Cu 3 O 7-δ films. Combining wet-chemical etching and Atomic Force Microscopy, they find that these dislocations are created by island coalescence during growth. Consequently, the defect density can be reproducibly varied by manipulating the density of growth islands, which in turn depends on the substrate temperature. Interestingly, the radial defect distribution function approaches zero at small distances, indicating short range order. Therefore, they are now able to study vortex matter in films with a tailored non-random distribution of natural strong pinning sites

  11. "Visualizing" Apartheid: Contemporary Art And Collective Memory During South Africa.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Erin Mosely

    2007-12-01

    Full Text Available This article examines contemporary artwork in South Africa in orderto understand its role within the larger process of transitional justice taking place in the country. How has contemporary art contributed to and/or shaped the construction of a 'collective memory' about Apartheid? How has this art interacted with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC? The author argues that South African artists have played a significant role in the overall social transformation of the country, undertaking projects which continue to negotiate the legacies of Apartheid.

  12. Crafting Sustainability: Handcraft in Contemporary Art and Cultural Sustainability in the Finnish Lapland

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elina Härkönen

    2018-06-01

    Full Text Available Crafting sustainability is discussed here with respect to the dimensions of handcraft traditions in contemporary art for promoting cultural sustainability in the Scandinavian North. Aspects of decolonization, cultural revitalisation, and intergenerational dialogue form an integral part of the negotiations around the need for cultural survival and renewal for a more sustainable future. These dimensions should also be considered in the development of the current education of art teachers. Learning traditional skills and applying them in contemporary art constitute an influential method when striving for cultural sustainability. This study examines three handcraft-based contemporary art cases through art-based action research conducted in the Finnish and the Swedish Lapland. The results show that handcraft-based contemporary art practices with place-specific intergenerational and intercultural approaches create an open space for dialogue where the values and the perceptions on cultural heritage can be negotiated.

  13. CONTEMPORARY THEORY SEBAGAI PENDEKATAN ALTERNATIF DALAM PENYUSUNAN LAPORAN KONSOLIDASI

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Juniarti Juniarti

    2001-01-01

    Full Text Available Consolidated financial statements must be prepared if one of the combining entities obtain control over another. These reports should not be biased in favor of any group and must be based on the underlying substance of the economic events. There are some approaches or methods in preparing consolidated financial statements such as parent company theory, entity theory, proportional consolidation and contemporary theory. Certain problems and inconsistency in accounting procedures under each method arise in case the company owns less than 100% shares of the subsidiaries. Moreover there is no concencus among theorists which approach should be applied. Eventhough the pros and cons in arguing the proper approach has been going on in dabate, this paper attempts to set forth theoretical investigation to support the argumentation that contemporary theory is more appropriate approach. Abstract in Bahasa Indonesia : Laporan keuangan konsolidasi harus disusun jika salah satu perusahaan yang bergabung memiliki kontrol terhadap perusahaan lain. Laporan tersebut tidak boleh menyesatkan pihak-pihak yang berkepentingan dan harus didasarkan pada substansi atas peristiwa ekonomi. Terdapat beberapa pendekatan atau metode yang digunakan dalam penyusunan laporan keuangan konsolidasi seperti parent company theory, entity theory, proportional consolidation dan contemporary theory. Masalah dan inkonsistensi dalam prosedur akuntansi dengan menggunakan masing-masing prosedur tersebut muncul jika kepemilikan terhadap perusahaan anak kurang dari 100%. Selain itu masih belum ada kesepakatan dari para teoritisi di bidang akuntansi mengenai metode yang harus diterapkan. Meskipun pro dan kontra dalam memperdebatkan pendekatan mana yang lebih sesuai terus berlangsung, tulisan ini mencoba mengetengahkan kajian teoritis untuk mendukung argumentansi bahwa contemporary theory merupakan pendekatan yang lebih sesuai. Kata kunci: laporan keuangan konsolidasi, penggabungan perusahaan

  14. Individualism and community consciousness in contemporary Africa ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The contemporary Africa is witnessing a subtle encroachment of Western styled socio-political cum economic individualism. This indiscriminate assimilation of values has invariably led to the gradual eroding and bastardization of her once cherished communal approach to life. This paper critically examines the foregoing ...

  15. Recording technology in contemporary Nigeria: connecting the ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Recording technology in contemporary Nigeria: connecting the Nigerian ... Log in or Register to get access to full text downloads. Username, Password, Remember me, or Register. DOWNLOAD FULL TEXT Open Access DOWNLOAD FULL TEXT ... for themselves in the nation's music recording industry and its performance ...

  16. Investment and Project Economics: Contemporary Lessons for ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Taking up the contemporary challenge to sensitize and synergize instructional, industrial and governmental functionaries along this line are leading global faculties such as the Academy of Project Management (APM), Project Management Institute (PMI), and Business Analyst (BA) Times, amongst others. This work is ...

  17. 'A crushing curse': Widowhood in contemporary Anglophone ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Moving from the premise that widows have been at the margins of literary discourse in Cameroon, this paper examines widowhood in contemporary Anglophone Cameroon literature using John Nkemngong Nkengasong's The Widow's Might (2006) and Alobwed'Epie's Patching the Broken Dream (2012) as the springboard ...

  18. Offender and offense characteristics of a nonrandom sample of adolescent mass murderers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meloy, J R; Hempel, A G; Mohandie, K; Shiva, A A; Gray, B T

    2001-06-01

    The authors conducted a descriptive, archival study of adolescent (murderers-subjects who intentionally killed three or more victims in one event-to identify demographic, clinical, and forensic characteristics. A nonrandom sample of convenience of adolescent mass murderers was utilized. Thirty-four subjects, acting alone or in pairs, committed 27 mass murders between 1958 and 1999. The sample consisted of males with a median age of 17. A majority were described as "loners" and abused alcohol or drugs; almost half were bullied by others, preoccupied with violent fantasy, and violent by history. Although 23% had a documented psychiatric history, only 6% were judged to have been psychotic at the time of the mass murder. Depressive symptoms and historical antisocial behaviors were predominant. There was a precipitating event in most cases--usually a perceived failure in love or school--and most subjects made threatening statements regarding the mass murder to third parties. The majority of the sample clustered into three types: the family annihilator, the classroom avenger, and the criminal opportunist. The adolescent mass murderer is often predatorily rather than affectively violent and typically does not show any sudden or highly emotional warning signs. Although the act of mass murder is virtually impossible to predict because of its extremely low frequency, certain clinical and forensic findings can alert the clinician to the need for further, intensified primary care, including family, school, community, law enforcement, and mental health intervention.

  19. Lifelong Learning for People Aged 64+ within the Contemporary Art Gallery Context

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goulding, Anna

    2012-01-01

    This paper reports the initial findings from Contemporary Visual Art and Identity Construction--Wellbeing Amongst Older People: a two-year research project that aims to understand how the lives of older people can be improved by examining their use of contemporary visual art in the art gallery and museum. It will focus on data relating to lifelong…

  20. FCJ-174 Constructing the contemporary via digital cultural heritage

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Torsten Andreasen

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available The present article questions the construction of 'the contemporary' in digital cultural heritage archives as specific strategic articulations between past and present with regard to the future. A historical exploration of the discourse of cultural heritage presents three strategic axes supposedly executed by the archive. Via a fourfold problematisation of the notion of the contemporary these axes are further developed with regard to W.J.T. Mitchell and Georges Didi-Huberman's respective readings of Warburg's Atlas Mnemosyne and Malraux's Musée imaginaire. The article finally questions the possibility of ascribing inherent epistemological, existential, empirical and geopolitical force to a given technological archival order.

  1. The application of Malay wood carving on contemporary architecture in Malaysia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nila Inangda Manyam Keumala Daud

    2012-12-01

    Full Text Available Malay wood carving has been identified as one of the most important element in Malay Traditional Architecture. The application of this special element has its own philosophy and its purpose was meant to enrich the architecture character values. Issues are currently raised that the application of the Malay wood carving on contemporary architecture in Malaysia has ignored its unique original concept and philosophy. This indicate that the development of Malay Wood Carving requires attention and need more encouragement in order to catch up with the vast development of architecture in Malaysia, and overcome the problem of introducing more meaningful Malay wood carving in contemporary architecture building. A research has been conducted to investigate the thread of the development and application of Malay wood carving in contemporary architecture based on case study of a five star hotel in Kuala Lumpur.

  2. The Sacred in Contemporary Advertising

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cătălin Soreanu

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available As part of the contemporary media culture, advertising constantly mediates the relationship between the institutional dimension of religion (namely the church and the community, given the specific position of the Catholic religion: transparent, based on dialogue and the continuous questioning of the relationship between man and divinity. To manage their presence in public life, the church constantly approaches new media and specific forms of communication (posters, street banners and meshes, websites or interactive mobile structures.

  3. POLTERGEIST PHENOMENA IN CONTEMPORARY FOLKLORE

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Oana VOICHICI

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available The article deals with instances of the supernatural in Romanian urban legends, namely what we call the strigoi , or poltergeist. Usually, folklorists tend to exclude the supernatural f rom the category of urban legends, however we have decided to take these accounts into consideration based on the fact that the transmitter, the narrators do not distinguish between these elements and the rest of contemporary legends and today’s popular cu lture abounds in such accounts.

  4. HOOLIGANISM – CONTEMPORARY SOCIAL PHENOMENON

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    MARIA LULESCU

    2012-05-01

    Full Text Available The proposed scientific theme is going to approach and study the hooliganism phenomenon as a contemporary social matter, in terms of conceptual and etiological. The present work has four main purposes: (1- that of explaining the meaning of hooliganism social phenomenon; (2- that of discovering the origins of hooliganism; (3- that of knowing which are the causes that encourages the occurence of the hooliganism; (4- that of knowing how to control and minimize this phenomenon.

  5. Criminology and Fundamental Rights : The Selected Combat Slavery to Contemporary

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Matheus Felipe de Castro

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available The article is subject to study criminology and fundamental rights. The problem of research focuses on analyzing the selected combat contemporary slavery. Justified the issue because of still thousands of people are subjected to slave labor in Brazil. The purpose is to study, promote discussion of this important law. Analysis of the material collected part of a Marxist and critical theoretical framework. The method used was deductive and the work is divided into two parts. a the setting of contemporary slavery; b the recognition of slavery from the criminology.

  6. Contemporary Art and Rock, some relations

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Leonardo Felipe

    2011-12-01

    Full Text Available This article investigates some relations between contemporary art and rock, from a collection of examples of the involvement between artists and rockers through history. Notably Pop Art, punk, Conceptual Art and the figure of Hélio Oiticica. The article detaches geographical aspects in this relation, with special attention to the New York and London scenes between 1960-1980.

  7. logical Challenges in Developing a Contemporary Reading

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    rbr

    formed by theory, together with an examination of the data-collection procedures ... the collection of evidence based solely on the lexicographer's linguistic intui- ... The reading programme involves the systematic collection of citations or quo- .... The field of primary sources for the DSAE contemporary reading programme is.

  8. Escaping entrapment : Gothic heroines in contemporary film

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Onaran, G.

    2017-01-01

    In my dissertation I do a close reading of five contemporary films through a Deleuzean feminist framework: What Lies Beneath (Robert Zemeckis, 2000), The Others (Alejandro Amenábar, 2001), The Forgotten (Joseph Ruben, 2004), Flightplan (Robert Schwentke, 2005), and In The Cut (Jane Campion, 2003). I

  9. Xenophobia In Contemporary Society: A Sociological Analysis ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    This chapter examines the problem of xenophobia from a sociological perspective. The chapter discusses the problematique of xenophobia as a subject of study and includes an assessment of the incidence/prevalence of xenophobia in contemporary society, as well as indicators of xenophobia. The chapter also provides ...

  10. Reconceptualising manual therapy skills in contemporary practice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rabey, Martin; Hall, Toby; Hebron, Clair; Palsson, Thorvaldur Skuli; Christensen, Steffan Wittrup; Moloney, Niamh

    2017-06-01

    With conflicting evidence regarding the effectiveness of manual therapy calls have arisen within some quarters of the physiotherapy profession challenging the continued use of manual skills for assessment and treatment. A reconceptualisation of the importance of manual examination findings is put forward, based upon a contemporary understanding of pain science, rather than considering these skills only in terms of how they should "guide" manual therapy interventions. The place for manual examination findings within complex, multidimensional presentations is considered using vignettes describing the presentations of five people with low back pain. As part of multidimensional, individualised management, the balance of evidence relating to the effectiveness, mechanisms of action and rationale for manual skills is discussed. It is concluded that if manual examination and therapeutic skills are used in a manner consistent with a contemporary understanding of pain science, multidimensional patient profiles and a person-centred approach, their selective and judicious use still has an important role. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Pragmatics of Contemporary Teaching and Learning Methods

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ryszard Józef Panfil

    2013-09-01

    Full Text Available The dynamics of the environment in which educational institutions operate have a significant influence on the basic activity of these institutions, i.e. the process of educating, and particularly teaching and learning methods used during that process: traditional teaching, tutoring, mentoring and coaching. The identity of an educational institution and the appeal of its services depend on how flexible, diverse and adaptable is the educational process it offers as a core element of its services. Such a process is determined by how its pragmatism is displayed in the operational relativism of methods, their applicability, as well as practical dimension of achieved results and values. Based on the above premises, this publication offers a pragmatic-systemic identification of contemporary teaching and learning methods, while taking into account the differences between them and the scope of their compatibility. Secondly, using the case of sport coaches’ education, the author exemplifies the pragmatic theory of perception of contemporary teaching and learning methods.

  12. Contemporary solutions for managing Class III malocclusion

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nathamuni Rengarajan Krishnaswamy

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Although patients with Class III malocclusions constitute a small percentage of the average orthodontic practice, providing them with optimal treatment is a daunting task. The treatment approach is dependent upon the growth status of the individual and the severity of the skeletal dysplasia. For growing individuals, facemask therapy to protract the maxilla is ineffective because of its dependence on dental anchorage to bring forth skeletal correction. Orthodontic camouflage in nongrowing mild skeletal Class III individuals is met with limited success because of the anatomical boundaries and the conventional biomechanics. Orthognathic surgery to correct the maxillomandibular relations is time-consuming, and the facial esthetics is compromised during the orthodontic decompensation period. Contemporary solutions to overcome these limitations are now viable with the use of temporary anchorage devices and by performing surgery prior to orthodontic decompensation. The rationale for employing these contemporary approaches will be discussed in this study with illustrative cases.

  13. Design and the question of contemporary aesthetic experiences

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Folkmann, Mads Nygaard; Jensen, Hans-Christian

    2017-01-01

    The article raises the question of the historical relativism of aesthetic experiences and argues that aesthetic experiences have changed according to new conditions in the contemporary age of globalization, mediatization and consumer culture. In this context, design gains attention as a primary...... case for aesthetic evaluation as design objects are, more than ever, framed and staged to be experienced aesthetically. Basing on this starting point, the article argues that an understanding of contemporary aesthetic experiences requires a meeting of cultural theory and philosophical approaches....... On the one hand, cultural theory is required to understand the changed conditions of the production, circulation and consumption of aesthetic meaning in cultural forms of art and design. On the other, philosophical aesthetics gives access to understanding the mechanisms of aesthetic judgments and how...

  14. Contemporary Marketing Tools Used from Bulgarian Private Dentists

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kazakova S.

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available This study examines the use of different marketing tools among dentists for the development of private dental practices. Material and methods: A phone call survey was conducted. The survey consisted of questions related to the use of different marketing tools used by dentists for the development of their practices. Results: The most used contemporary marketing tools from Bulgarian dentist are the presence of web site (24.3% and social media advertisement (21.57%. The less used tools are media advertisement (0.68% and the use of flyers (1.36%. Conclusion: Dentists are not well acquainted with the contemporary marketing tools. The internal marketing is most secure tool for attracting new patients. Internet technology gives opportunity for additional form of rapid communication and advertisement on a moderate price.

  15. Historical versus contemporary medicinal plant uses in Ghana

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Soelberg, Jens; Asase, A; Akwetey, G

    2015-01-01

    among contemporary medicinal plant uses in Ghana and represent some of the most important Ghanaian medicinal plant species. However, 93 (69%) of the historical uses could not be traced and appears to be discontinued or forgotten. Among the Ga, two medicinal plants species have become rare or locally......ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Three extraordinary, historical documents stemming from observations made in 1697, 1803 and 1817 quote medicinal plant uses among the Fante, Ga and Ashanti people of present-day Ghana, and can be linked to original botanical specimens in European herbaria....... This provides a unique opportunity to gain insight to the historical materia medica of Ghana and compare this to contemporary medicinal plant uses. By critical literary and taxonomic review, the present study (re-)establishes the earliest known history of many important Ghanaian medicinal plants, and assesses...

  16. Contemporary Marketing Tools Used from Bulgarian Private Dentists

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kazakova S

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available ABSTRACT This study examines the use of different marketing tools among dentists for the development of private dental practices. Material and methods A phone call survey was conducted. The survey consisted of questions related to the use of different marketing tools used by dentists for the development of their practices. Results The most used contemporary marketing tools from Bulgarian dentist are the presence of web site (24.3% and social media advertisement (21.57%. The less used tools are media advertisement (0.68% and the use of flyers (1.36%. Conclusion Dentists are not well acquainted with the contemporary marketing tools. The internal marketing is most secure tool for attracting new patients. Internet technology gives opportunity for additional form of rapid communication and advertisement on a moderate price.

  17. Globalization and deepening rural poverty in contemporary Sub ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Globalization and deepening rural poverty in contemporary Sub-Saharan ... the issue of globalization and economic integration of world countries has been the ... to globalization trend it is important to examine how globalization impacts on ...

  18. Contemporary views on selective mutism

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dimoski Sanja

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this paper is to review contemporary literature on selective mutism (SM, available in our language. The paper includes a contemporary definition of the disorder, previous studies of selective mutism, theories about its origin, and treatment. SM is a disorder that occurs in childhood, when a child's speech is selectively lacking in certain social situations. School is the context in which the disorder is typically manifested, which is why SM is often diagnosed only after children start school. The paper gives a historical account of changes in views on this disorder. Modern conceptions emphasize selective inability of children to spontaneously and successfully express themselves verbally. In researching SM, case studies on children who have selective mutism are most commonly published. Etiological factors are not precisely defined, and different conceptions give their interpretations depending on various theoretical frameworks. Some studies consistently indicate a relation between SM and social anxiety, and some with opposing behavior and delays in language development. Based on theoretical explanations of SM, psychological interventions (behavioral and cognitive-behavioral, psychodynamic and projective techniques, counseling and family therapy are created. Modern treatment of selective mutism includes an eclectic approach and emphasizes the role of teachers and school in general. Future studies should deepen the knowledge about selective mutism, specify the methodological procedure and stimulate the individualized treatment of children with SM.

  19. Contemporary compositional procedures in Nigerian music practices

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    ... music types created and performed in Nigeria, their forms, rating relevance and continuity and change. The findings of this research shows that the Nigerian contemporary composers have made appreciable efforts in various areas to reach out and homogenize the Nigerian audiences with different genres of music that ...

  20. Contemporary Sexism in the South African Navy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Van Wijk, Charles H.

    2011-01-01

    The military traditionally embraces highly sexist attitudes. Over the past decade, the South African Navy (SAN) has been exposed to an increasingly progressive political environment. This study investigated contemporary expressions of sexism in the SAN. A representative sample of 476 sailors completed the Ambivalent Sexism Inventory, Modern Sexism…

  1. Resensi Buku Islamic Perspective on Management: Contemporary Issues

    OpenAIRE

    Kusuma, Bayu Mitra Adhyatma

    2016-01-01

    Judul buku : Islamic Perspective on Management: ContemporaryIssuesPenulis : Nor ‘Azizah Kamri, dkk.Penerbit : YaPEIM Management Academy (kerjasamadengan University of Malaya Press)Tebal : xiv + 463 halamanCetakan pertama : November 2013Kota terbit : Kuala Lumpur

  2. A scoping review identifying contemporary issues in rural nursing leadership.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bish, Melanie; Kenny, Amanda; Nay, Rhonda

    2012-12-01

    Rural nurse leaders on a global scale are being challenged to create structures and processes to enable excellence in nursing care. The purpose of this scoping review is to offer an indication of the available literature relating to contemporary issues in rural nursing leadership. A review of contemporary issues facing rural nurse leaders is timely to assist strategy development that will achieve the goal of excellence in nursing. An interpretative scoping literature review methodological framework has been used with an emphasis on thematic construction. Literature published between 2008 and 2012 was reviewed from five electronic databases using the key words rural, nursing, and leadership. Four themes have been identified: expectations of rural nursing leadership, a highly educated workforce, competing interests, and partnering within rural healthcare systems. The content may resonate with rural nurse leaders and encourage a greater awareness of their relevance to leadership practices. The findings provide a greater awareness and understanding of contemporary issues facing rural nurse leaders and may assist with the development of context-sensitive leadership strategies to facilitate excellence in nursing care. © 2012 Sigma Theta Tau International.

  3. Contemporary management of drug-packers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kelly, J; Corrigan, M; Cahill, RA; Redmond, HP

    2007-01-01

    Experience with management of drug-packers (mules) is variable among different centres. However, despite a recorded increase in drug trafficking in general, as yet, no unified, clear guidelines exist to guide the medical management of those who only occasionally encounter these individuals. We describe our recent experience with this growing problem and discuss the most salient points concerning the contemporary management of body packers. Our recent experience demonstrates that type IV packages may now be managed conservatively for the most part. PMID:17448234

  4. REFLECTIONS ON THE REPERTORY IN MUSIC EDUCATION: FILLING THE GAP WITH CONTEMPORARY MUSIC

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Érica Dias Gomes

    2014-04-01

    Full Text Available Formal musical education in Brasil has been focusing common practice period repertory on all education segments. This research aims to reflect about this gap on musical education’s repertory, especially regarding contemporary music. Therefore, theoretical review was carried out in order to present some facts on music education’s history that have contributed to this repertory consolidation. Finally some notes about both contemporary music and life are exposed as argument for the importance of discussing these relations at school. Lastly this paper defends contemporary music as a significant issue for the purpose of develops musicality and relates students’ everyday life to music education.

  5. Addiction as an attempt at self-regulation (contemporary psychoanalytic theories of addiction

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gregor Žvelc

    2001-09-01

    Full Text Available In the article author presents the development of psychoanalytic theory of addiction from early writings to contemporary ego, self psychological and theories of object relations. Classical psychoanalysis understood addiction as a regressive gratification of libidinal drives, whereas contemporary authors understand it as an attempt of adaptation to certain problems and worries. The neurotic conflict is not anymore in the foreground, but disturbances in ego, self and object relations. On the basis of a review of contemporary psychoanalytical theories, the author concludes that individuals prone to addiction have a disturbance in self-regulation. Because of that, they have problems in tolerating and coping with certain emotions. With the help of outer means they tend to re-establish internal balance, which they can't manage alone. This outer 'help' can be seen in various forms of addiction (drugs, food, relationships, sex .... So, the core problem of addicted people is a deficit of self-regulation, which is a consequence of a lack of internalisaton of regulatory functions of primary object. Contemporary psychoanalytical theories of addiction bring us greater insight in personality factors which influence the formation of addiction, thus giving us guidelines for adequate psychotherapy of addiction.

  6. Effect of Contemporary Social Environment, Drug Abuse and ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Effect of Contemporary Social Environment, Drug Abuse and Cultism on the Health of ... This health situation comes as results of substance abuse which these ... the patent medicine stores, from hard drugs like (marijuana, cannabis) or others ...

  7. LOGISTICS MANAGEMENT IN THE CONTEMPORARY ECONOMY

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ion SARBU

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available The evolution of logistics management as a system in the recent decades can be characterized by the influence of the globalization processes and the economic integration in the European Union. Systemic logistic approach ensured revolutionizing the optimization of the logistics chain. Logistics management must be given to permanent forms of the new legal and organizational structure appropriate to the contemporary economy.

  8. LOGISTICS MANAGEMENT IN THE CONTEMPORARY ECONOMY

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ion SARBU

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available The evolution of logistics management as a system in the recent decades can be characterized by the influence of the globalization processes and the economic integration in the European Union. Systemic logistic approach ensured revolutionizing the optimization of the logistics chain. Logistics management must be given to permanent forms of the new legal and organizational structure appropriate to the contemporary economy.

  9. The oblique perspective: philosophical diagnostics of contemporary life sciences research.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zwart, Hub

    2017-12-01

    This paper indicates how continental philosophy may contribute to a diagnostics of contemporary life sciences research, as part of a "diagnostics of the present" (envisioned by continental thinkers, from Hegel up to Foucault). First, I describe (as a "practicing" philosopher) various options for an oblique (or symptomatic) reading of emerging scientific discourse, bent on uncovering the basic "philosophemes" of science (i.e. the guiding ideas, the basic conceptions of nature, life and technology at work in contemporary life sciences research practices). Subsequently, I outline a number of radical transformations occurring both at the object-pole and at the subject-pole of the current knowledge relationship, namely the technification of the object and the anonymisation or collectivisation of the subject, under the sway of automation, ICT and big machines. Finally, I further elaborate the specificity of the oblique perspective with the help of Lacan's theorem of the four discourses. Philosophical reflections on contemporary life sciences concur neither with a Master's discourse (which aims to strengthen the legitimacy and credibility of canonical sources), nor with university discourse (which aims to establish professional expertise), nor with what Lacan refers to as hysterical discourse (which aims to challenge representatives of the power establishment), but rather with the discourse of the analyst, listening with evenly-poised attention to the scientific files in order to bring to the fore the cupido sciendi (i.e. the will to know, but also to optimise and to control) which both inspires and disrupts contemporary life sciences discourse.

  10. CONTEMPORARY ART EVENTS IN TOURISM: THE CASE OF INTERNATIONAL ISTANBUL BIENNALE

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nazmi EROGLU,

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available Known as a contemporary art event of the biennial is organized every two years and mostly take the name from host city. The name of biennial used firstly in Venice and it was organized first time in Venice as Venice Biennial. Biennials accessed to many cities of the world and has provided economic contributions except of the social and cultural contributions for the city. International Istanbul Biennial that organized since 1987 in Turkey is not known and realized enough in terms of contribution and potential in Turkey. Especially paying attention to provided and providing contribution of biennials are necessary in tourism field. In the research biennials were examined on the field of event tourism as contemporary art events. Also in this research tourism were associated and classified with biennials in the framework of literature. Making assessment about contemporary art events in tourism is made with example of İnternational İstanbul Biennials in Turkey. Some examples and suggestions were tried to give for understanding potential of contemporary art events in tourism and relationship between biennials and tourism. In addition, information is given about biennials that are at international level. The main purpose of the research is that paying attention to benefits which is provided and possible from İnternational Istanbul Biennial and emphasized to importance of event tourism in Turkey.

  11. Women’s world in contemporary Tuva

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Larisa V. Anzhiganova

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available The article examines the ethnodemographic and ethnosocial position of ethnic Tuvan women in Tuva. Our analysis makes use of the concept of ‘women’s world’ which is actively used by researchers in the current state of increasing gender asymmetry. We treat ‘women’s world’ as a holistic worldview of women united by single values, attitudes and practices of living. The contemporary shift in traditional male and female roles leads to blurring the boundaries between male and female functions and responsibilities. The crisis of family values has been brought about by the market economy and the overall social and economic situation in the country. In contemporary society women find themselves involved in public life, which limits her abilities in the sphere of family relations and marriage. To analyze the values, attitudes and practices which are important for Tuvan women, we have held an opinion poll of 250 women respondents in Tuva in spring 2015. Tuvan society has always viewed family as the supreme value, and still does. When choosing a partner (which a woman is free to decide for herself, Tuvan women look for a caring, understanding, kind, educate, loving partner, with no pernicious addictions. Three is the ideal number of children in the family, although most families have only 1 or 2. Women of elder generations would typically have a bigger number of children. Younger generations are known for high divorce rate. One of the most important reasons for divorce is the urgent need for satisfying the family’s material needs. A contemporary Tuvan woman combines in her social position both traditional and new functions, trying to uphold the values of family life, high level of welfare and the opportunity for self-actualization. Due to this combination, Tuvan society has a relatively high (if compared to other regions level of reproductive goals, which means that a large part of respondents plans to have many children. However, the unstable

  12. The Development of the Wechsler Scales and Their Influence on Contemporary Intelligence Testing

    Science.gov (United States)

    Benisz, Mark

    2014-01-01

    The history of intelligence testing merits study as standardized intelligence tests have been administered for only a little over a century. The most popular tests in use today are the Wechsler scales, despite the availability of other test batteries that are better grounded in contemporary theory. To understand why contemporary revisions of…

  13. Distinguishing and diagnosing contemporary and conventional features of dental erosion.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bassiouny, Mohamed A

    2014-01-01

    The vast number and variety of erosion lesions encountered today require reconsideration of the traditional definition. Dental erosion associated with modern dietary habits can exhibit unique features that symbolize a departure from the decades-old conventional image known as tooth surface loss. The extent and diversity of contemporary erosion lesions often cause conflicting diagnoses. Specific examples of these features are presented in this article. The etiologies, genesis, course of development, and characteristics of these erosion lesions are discussed. Contemporary and conventional erosion lesions are distinguished from similar defects, such as mechanically induced wear, carious lesions, and dental fluorosis, which affect the human dentition.

  14. Between Yesterday and Today: Contemporary Art in Nepal

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kathryn Hagy

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper examines works from the last decade by six Nepalese artists and delves into questions such as how today’s artists align themselves between their ancient arts and their contemporary context. What is the conversation about globalism and its impact on artists? How do artists deal with social pressures and is the content of their work directly affected by these pressures? Through in-country research and subsequent study and interviews with artists, what is revealed is an energetic art scene that draws much of its inspiration from a local context, whether that be affirmation of or protest against that context to some degree. When visiting Kathmandu Nepal, one is bound to discover that like the ancient sculptures, paintings and temple architecture that exist on every corner, the art of contemporary Nepal is everywhere as well.

  15. Cardiovascular disease and use of contemporary protease inhibitors

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ryom, Lene; Lundgren, Jens D; El-Sadr, Wafaa

    2018-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Although earlier protease inhibitors have been associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease, whether this increased risk also applies to more contemporary protease inhibitors is unknown. We aimed to assess whether cumulative use of ritonavir-boosted atazanavir and ritonavir......-boosted darunavir were associated with increased incidence of cardiovascular disease in people living with HIV. METHODS: The prospective Data Collection on Adverse Events of Anti-HIV Drugs (D:A:D) study consists of people living with HIV-1 from 11 cohorts in Australia, Europe, and the USA. Participants were...... monitored from Jan 1, 2009, until the earliest of a cardiovascular event, 6 months after the last visit, or until Feb 1, 2016. The outcome of interest was the incidence of cardiovascular disease in adults (aged ≥16 years) living with HIV who were being treated with contemporary treatments. We defined...

  16. Memory, place, and ecology in the contemporary American novel

    OpenAIRE

    Schliephake, Christopher

    2012-01-01

    Memory, place, and ecology in the contemporary American novel. - In: Literature, ecology, ethics / Timo Müller ... (eds.). - Heidelberg : Univ.-Verl. Winter, 2012. - S. 95-112. - (Anglistische Forschungen ; 432)

  17. Contemporary earthen architecture in the northen temperate climate

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Vestergaard, Inge; Eybye, Birgitte Tanderup

    2017-01-01

    Contemporary ecological tendencies are rooted in early experimental houses. The number of experimental houses designed using passive strategies have increased. Earth as material is involved in the construction process. During the last few years new developments towards industrialized earthen...

  18. On Detailing in Contemporary Architecture

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kristensen, Claus; Kirkegaard, Poul Henning

    2010-01-01

    Details in architecture have a significant influence on how architecture is experienced. One can touch the materials and analyse the detailing - thus details give valuable information about the architectural scheme as a whole. The absence of perceptual stimulation like details and materiality...... / tactility can blur the meaning of the architecture and turn it into an empty statement. The present paper will outline detailing in contemporary architecture and discuss the issue with respect to architectural quality. Architectural cases considered as sublime piece of architecture will be presented...

  19. The Japanese Mind: Understanding Contemporary Japanese Culture.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Davies, Roger J., Ed.; Ikeno, Osamu, Ed.

    This collection of essays offers an overview of contemporary Japanese culture, and can serve as a resource for classes studying Japan. The 28 essays offer an informative, accessible look at the values, attitudes, behavior patterns, and communication styles of modern Japan from the unique perspective of the Japanese people. Filled with examples…

  20. INTERPRETATIONS OF JUSTICE IN CONTEMPORARY RUSSIA: THE RESULT OF ONLINE SURVEY

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dmitrij Vasilevich Rudenkin

    2015-02-01

    Full Text Available This article is aimed to clarify semantic connotations of the word «Justice», formed by the Russian political consciousness and represented in the language of Russian internet users. On the basis of secondary data analysis, the author analyzes the role of the idea of justice in the political consciousness of contemporary Russian citizens. Using the data of his own sociological research and secondary data analysis, the author describes the meanings often attributed to the concept of justice in contemporary Russian society and illustrates his ideas on the analysis of the attitudes of Russian Internet users. The key idea of the article is that the theme of justice has become one of the most important for the modern Russian society and it is often understood through the identification with the concept of law. In this article the author describes the relationship between these concepts in the opinion of contemporary Russians

  1. CONTEMPORARY SLAVERY IN BRAZIL: WHAT HAVE COMPANIES (NOT) DONE TO PREVENT IT?

    OpenAIRE

    PARENTE, TOBIAS COUTINHO; LUCAS, ANGELA CHRISTINA; CORDEIRO, RAFAELA ALMEIDA

    2017-01-01

    ABSTRACT Purpose: Identify the practices adopted by companies to monitor and prevent contemporary slavery and the elements that differentiate companies that adopt monitoring practices for prevention of slavery and those that do not. Originality/value: This question is investigated from the perspective of management, reputation and institutional environment literature, pointing out the reasons that lead companies to adopt or avoid contemporary slavery. Design/methodology/approach: We used s...

  2. Study on Teaching Reformation of Contemporary Art Teaching to University Students on Corel Painter Software

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xiong Mei Ni

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Contemporary art education started late in China on the basis of western teaching theories formed its own unique system, which has a great influence on Corel Painter software. This paper explores that contemporary art education is analyzed advantages and disadvantages of the influence on the development of Chinese painting, and the solutions are found out to the existing problems, summed up the reality enlightenment of that the contemporary art on the impact of education on Chinese painting development.

  3. J. M. Gratale on Jane Chapman’s Issues in Contemporary Documentary

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    2010-03-01

    Full Text Available Jane Chapman, Issues in Contemporary Documentary.  Polity Press, 2009.  pp.  210 ISBN:  978-0-7456-4009-9.The prevalence of images in contemporary society and culture is a patent reality.  From digital photography to cinematic film, and cell phone imaging to You Tube, the production and circulation of the image is becoming more and more diffused. In conjunction with such developments is the fact that the mediums and technologies which ‘deliver’ these images are constantly diversifying and imp...

  4. Islamic factor in contemporary Russia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    N. M. Shalenna

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available Russian Federation, a Eurasian multinational state, has a significant number of indigenous Muslim population (about 10% that continues to increase not only due to natural growth and conversion of non-Muslims to Islam, but also as a result of intensive immigration from the Central Asian countries and Azerbaijan. Islamic factor significantly predetermined policy of Russia during its historical development. The importance of Islam in contemporary political life has been underlined by many government representatives and by the leaders of social and religious organizations and movements. Russian Muslim Ummah nowadays is far from being homogeneous and integrated, that predisposes some groups to radicalization of sentiments, ideas and activities and inevitably causes significant destabilization in the religious, social and political spheres within certain subjects of the Russian Federation and at the national level. The article focuses on the complex investigation of the influence of Islam on the social and political processes in contemporary Russia. It reveals the main principles of the Russian administration policy in the field of religion in general and towards Muslims in particular. Specific features of Muslim communities’ formation and factors of their institutionalization are determined. This research covers the reasons of major contradictions existing within the Russian Ummah. The article stresses on the importance of this study in the context of Ukrainian-Russian conflict in Crimea and in eastern regions of Ukraine. Current policy of Russia towards the Crimean Tatar population is analyzed.

  5. Surveillance Privacy and Technology: Contemporary Irish Perspectives

    Science.gov (United States)

    Doyle, Kenny

    2013-01-01

    Surveillance is typically envisaged as the act of a person being physically watched, their movements and behaviour monitored in a given space and time. While this type of watching undoubtedly takes place, there is also the more subtle and pervasive monitoring of people through the data they accumulate in their daily lives. Contemporary Irish…

  6. Climate history shapes contemporary leaf litter decomposition

    Science.gov (United States)

    Michael S. Strickland; Ashley D. Keiser; Mark A. Bradford

    2015-01-01

    Litter decomposition is mediated by multiple variables, of which climate is expected to be a dominant factor at global scales. However, like other organisms, traits of decomposers and their communities are shaped not just by the contemporary climate but also their climate history. Whether or not this affects decomposition rates is underexplored. Here we source...

  7. Teaching Conversations, Contemporary Art, and Figure Drawing

    Science.gov (United States)

    Graham, Mark A.

    2012-01-01

    An important problem for high school art teachers is deciding what belongs in the art curriculum. What works of art, media, or ideas will inspire their students to more fully develop their own artistic potential and critically engage with contemporary art and culture? What artifacts of art, visual culture, or material culture should be included…

  8. Contemporary Development of Marxist Philosophy in China

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kang, Ouyang

    2002-01-01

    There are many points of interest pertaining to the development of Marxist philosophy in contemporary China. This paper will focus on the following areas and problems: (1) the debate about the criterion of truth; (2) Marxist philosophical textbook reform; (3) the inquiry into the human agent and subjectivity; (4) Marxism and Confucianism; (5) Deng…

  9. [Stereotyping of overweight children by their contemporaries].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thiel, Ansgar; Alizadeh, Manuela; Giel, Katrin; Zipfel, Stephan

    2008-12-01

    Childhood obesity represents not only a health risk but results also in social exclusion and stigmatization. While several studies have been conducted on this topic in America [1-3], there are hardly any German trials on the social impact of obesity in childhood and adolescence. This study investigates whether and how obese children and adolescents are stigmatized by their contemporaries because of their corpulence. A total of 454 (230 female, 224-male) children and adolescents aged 10-15 years from high and secondary modern schools in a Southern German university city were asked about how they appreciate their obese contemporaries. The interviewees were asked to assess six photographs of girls and boys with regard to sympathy, playmate preference, activity, intelligence and attractiveness. Obese children were assessed far more negatively in all asked areas compared to normal weight healthy and physically disabled children respectively. They were also referred to as more dislikable, lazy, less intelligent, unalluring and less considerable as playmates. This applies particularly for the obese boy. Hence, negative stereotypization of obese people can already be observed in childhood and adolescence.

  10. Contemporary management of median arcuate ligament syndrome provides early symptom improvement

    Science.gov (United States)

    Columbo, Jesse A.; Trus, Thadeus; Nolan, Brian; Goodney, Philip; Rzucidlo, Eva; Powell, Richard; Walsh, Daniel; Stone, David

    2017-01-01

    Objective Optimal diagnosis and management of median arcuate ligament (MAL) syndrome (MALS) remains unclear in contemporary practice. The advent and evolution of laparoscopic and endovascular techniques has redirected management toward a less invasive therapeutic algorithm. This study examined our contemporary outcomes of patients treated for MALS. Methods All patients treated for MALS at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center from 2000 to 2013 were retrospectively reviewed. Demographics and comorbidities were recorded. Freedom from symptoms and freedom from reintervention were the primary end points. Return to work or school was assessed. Follow-up by clinic visits and telephone allowed quantitative comparisons among the patients. Results During the study interval, 21 patients (24% male), with a median age of 42 years, were treated for MALS. All patients complained of abdominal pain in the presence of a celiac stenosis, 16 (76%) also reported weight loss at the time of presentation, and 57% had a concomitant psychiatric history. Diagnostic imaging most commonly used included duplex ultrasound (81%), computed tomography angiography (66%), angiography (57%), and magnetic resonance angiography (5%). Fourteen patients (67%) underwent multiple diagnostic studies. All patients underwent initial laparoscopic MAL release. Seven patients (33%) underwent subsequent celiac stent placement in the setting of recurrent or unresolved symptoms with persistent celiac stenosis at a mean interval of 49 days. Two patients required surgical bypass after an endovascular intervention failed. The 6-month freedom from symptoms was 75% and freedom from reintervention was 64%. Eighteen patients (81%) reported early symptom improvement and weight gain, and 66% were able to return to work. Conclusions A multidisciplinary treatment approach using initial laparoscopic release and subsequent stent placement and bypass surgery provides symptom improvement in most patients treated for MALS. The

  11. Collaboration, Interdisciplinarity, and the Epistemology of Contemporary Science

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Andersen, Hanne

    2016-01-01

    shall provide a new account of the structure and development of contemporary science based on analyses of, first, cognitive resources and their relations to domains, and second of the distribution of cognitive resources among collaborators and the epistemic dependence that this distribution implies...

  12. Challenges for Curriculum Leadership in Contemporary Teacher Education

    Science.gov (United States)

    Parkes, Robert J.

    2013-01-01

    This paper outlines the complex contemporary milieu of Australian teacher education within which curriculum leaders responsible for designing teacher education programs must make their program design decisions. Particular attention is paid to the collision of vertical ("hierarchical" or "academic rationalist") and horizontal…

  13. Early and contemporary Nahuatl texts in sociolinguistic perspective

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Flores Farfán, J.A.

    2007-01-01

    This paper will present a series of illustrations at different levels of sociolinguistic analysis, including phono-morphological as well as semantic materials stemming from work in progress on the investigation of Nahuatl linguistic ideologies in historical as well as in a contemporary perspective.

  14. Contemporary security management

    CERN Document Server

    Fay, John

    2010-01-01

    Contemporary Security Management, 3rd Edition teaches security professionals how to operate an efficient security department and how to integrate smoothly with other groups inside and outside their own organizations. Fay demonstrates the specifics of security management: * how to organize, plan, develop and manage a security operation. * how to identify vulnerabilities. * how to determine the protective resources required to offset threats. * how to implement all necessary physical and IT security measures. Security professionals share the responsibility for mitigating damage, serving as a resource to an Emergency Tactical Center, assisting the return of business continuity, and liaising with local response agencies such as police and fire departments, emergency medical responders, and emergency warning centers. At the organizational level, the book addresses budgeting, employee performance, counseling, hiring and termination, employee theft and other misconduct, and offers sound advice on building constructi...

  15. The Contemporary Goffman

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Despite aversion to famedom, idolatry and cults of intellectual celebrity, Erving Goffman was one of the leading and most original sociologists of the 20th century. This book takes him into the 21st century. The Contemporary Goffman offers a wide range of readings, interpretations and applications...... of the work of Erving Goffman by a host of international scholars. Some chapters grapple with the personal background and academic ascendency of Goffman, while others wrestle with his continued relevance to a variety of disciplines and sub-disciplines. Some of the chapters included deal with developments...... unforeseeable in Goffman's own lifetime such as the invention of the internet and mobile telephones, the rise of global tourism and everyday mobility as well as the emergence of a new cult of individualism, while other chapters locate his perspective within recent developments in social theory...

  16. Cultural diversity and Ottoman heritage in contemporary Greek popular novels

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Willert, Trine Stauning

    Public and scholarly interest in the impact of Ottoman history and culture on the successor states is increasing. Cultural co-existence in Ottoman society is explored perhaps in an attempt to find answers in the past to contemporary challenges emerging from transnational mobility/migration. Such ...... will place the contemporary novels in relation to earlier Greek literature dealing with cultural identity in the Ottoman period from different angles (e.g. Βιζυηνός, Δέλτα, Σωτηρίου, Φακίνος, Γαλανάκη).......Public and scholarly interest in the impact of Ottoman history and culture on the successor states is increasing. Cultural co-existence in Ottoman society is explored perhaps in an attempt to find answers in the past to contemporary challenges emerging from transnational mobility....../migration. Such interest is obvious in international academia as well as in the cultural sphere of the countries in South-eastern Europe. In Greece, the recent celebration of the 100 years of Thessaloniki’s incorporation in the Greek state has accentuated the city’s Ottoman heritage. A plenitude of exhibitions...

  17. Contemporary Culture and Aesthetic Education

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Friberg, Carsten

    2011-01-01

    relation to a specific cultural context, and our acquisition of it comes from being acquainted with cultural products. Aesthetics is thus closely related to hermeneutics, to how we interpret specific situations we find ourselves in. Key words: education, sensorial, judgement, hermeneutics, Kant...... century, a focus we on aesthetic education and communication. Important were arts and letters which still are important but very much on the defensive in our contemporary culture also because aesthetics often is a debate about criticism rather than about the sensorial and bodily aspect of cultural...

  18. TRENDS IN CONTEMPORARY PORT SERVICES MARKETS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hanna Klimek

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available This article describes the issues associated with functioning of contemporary seaport services markets. The growth of international supply chains, technical progress and the integration processes in shipping, growth of containerization, increasing competition in the seaport services markets and environmental protection regulations make it necessary for port service providers to adapt to the changing expectations and requirements of their customers, both shippers and, especially maritime, carriers. Thus, the activities they undertake are associated with making investments to ensure an adequate capacity to handle cargo, passengers and means of transport, required quality of service, but also with appropriate organization of port supply centres and lead to an improvement of their competitiveness. Both the factors associated with the external and internal environment of seaports affect the changes in the relationship between the supply and demand on port services markets. Contemporary port services markets are characterized by certain phenomena which can be a sign of their adaptation and development. The aim of this article is to present the essence of the port services market and its relationship with the environment, which subject to rapid and significant changes, creates new conditions for the operation of port supply centres and the entire port services market.

  19. The concept of humanitarian intervention in the context of contemporary international law

    OpenAIRE

    Grigaitė, Gabija

    2012-01-01

    Humanitarian intervention is a contraversial concept of international law doctrine because of its compatibility with the principles of state’s sovereignty and non - use of force in the contemporary international law. The Dissertation is intended for a systematic analysis of the concept of humanitarian intervention and its legality problem in order to provide coherent concept of humanitarian intervention in contemporary international law. This is one of the first efforts in the international l...

  20. You Are Whom You Eat: Cannibalism in Contemporary Chinese Fiction and Film

    OpenAIRE

    Tsai, Yun-Chu

    2016-01-01

    My project, You Are Whom You Eat: Cannibalism in Contemporary Chinese Fiction and Film, studies cannibalism in the works of Yu Hua, Mo Yan, and Lillian Lee. In contrast to other scholars who have interpreted cannibalism in modern and contemporary Chinese literature as merely allegorical, I find that cannibalism is better understood as both allegorical and literal. The trope of cannibalism uncovers the potential incorporation of Chinese gourmandism (Chinese culture of eating food and delicacie...

  1. Nationalist movement’s trends in contemporary Nigerian government and politics

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shittu, M

    2013-06-01

    Full Text Available This study seeks to understand the contemporary issues in Nigerian Government and Politics through an assessment of the nationalist movement and its persistent and recurrent trends in the contemporary Nigeria, and how these trends continue to affect the present socio-political issues in the country. This is carried out through mobilization of certain variables of political development theory despite its inability to explain the position of indigenous African people in the alien Western political institutions. Based on this, it is revealed that everything went well until that time the ground was made for power politics in which indigenous African people became players.

  2. The Cultural Revolution and Contemporary Chinese Art

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Guey-Meei; Suchan, Tom

    2009-01-01

    Using this instructional resource, teachers can explore the impact of the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976) on contemporary art in mainland China with their students. The three artists Luo Zhongli (b. 1948), Xu Bing (b. 1955), and Wang Guangyi (b. 1957) came of age during the Cultural Revolution and are representative of a much larger number of…

  3. Probability calculus of fractional order and fractional Taylor's series application to Fokker-Planck equation and information of non-random functions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jumarie, Guy

    2009-01-01

    A probability distribution of fractional (or fractal) order is defined by the measure μ{dx} = p(x)(dx) α , 0 α (D x α h α )f(x) provided by the modified Riemann Liouville definition, one can expand a probability calculus parallel to the standard one. A Fourier's transform of fractional order using the Mittag-Leffler function is introduced, together with its inversion formula; and it provides a suitable generalization of the characteristic function of fractal random variables. It appears that the state moments of fractional order are more especially relevant. The main properties of this fractional probability calculus are outlined, it is shown that it provides a sound approach to Fokker-Planck equation which are fractional in both space and time, and it provides new results in the information theory of non-random functions.

  4. Book review: Organisational behaviour: A contemporary South African perspective

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Andrew Thatcher

    2004-10-01

    Full Text Available Authors: Helen Schultz (Ed., Jeffrey Bagraim, Tracy Potgieter, Conrad Viedge, Amanda Werner Publisher: Van Schaik Publishers According to the authors the aim of this book is to present an interdisciplinary approach to the understanding of organisational behaviour within the contemporary South African environment. Within this framework, the book targets (senior undergraduate and postgraduate students in Industrial/Organisational Psychology and Human Resources Management. The text is written in a simple, conversational style (as was the intention of the authors that should be suitable for most undergraduate students at English-speaking tertiary institutions. The book is organised into three sections based on a model of four components of organizational behaviour: the individual, the group and the organisation. The fourth component of the model, the environment, refers specifically in the context of this book, to a contemporary South African approach to understanding behaviour in organisations. In the ‘individual’ section, the authors cover topics such as individual differences (e.g. personality, attitudes, perceptions, emotional intelligence, etc., ethics, work motivation, and performance management. In the ‘group’ section, the authors look at issues of group and team dynamics, power and empowerment, communication, decision-making and leadership. Finally, in the ‘organisation’ section, the authors address issues of contemporary organisational design, organisational change and employee well-being (e.g. stress management, job satisfaction, etc..

  5. Contemporary views on the lawfulness of naval blockades

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Fink, M.D.

    2011-01-01

    The traditional law of blockade has several technical requirements that if not met renders a blockade unlawful. These traditional requirements balance the interests of the belligerent and neutrals. A more contemporary view on the law of blockade, however, emphasizes that blockades are also subject

  6. Cases to accompany contemporary strategy analysis

    OpenAIRE

    R. Grant

    2007-01-01

    This volume represents an ongoing committment to examining the concepts and techniques of business strategy analysis in the context of real business situations. The cases have been written to accompany Contemporary Strategy Analysis textbook. Each case presents issues that illuminate the ideas, concepts, and analytical techniques contained in one or more chapters of the textbook. Most important, the cases promote deep learning by students of strategic management by requiring the application o...

  7. Trends in contemporary mathematics

    CERN Document Server

    Strickland, Elisabetta

    2014-01-01

    This book covers a wide spectrum of hot topics and current trends in mathematics, including noncommutative algebra via deformation theory,  optimal transportation, nonlinear potential theory, kinetic theory and gas dynamics, geometric numerical integration, finite simple groups of small essential dimension, optimal control problems, extended Dynkin diagrams, spin glasses, aspherical closed manifolds, Boltzmann systems, birational geometry of projective varieties and directed graphs, nonlinear diffusion, geometric constructions of extremal metrics on complex manifolds, and Pell’s equation in polynomials. The book comprises a selection of contributions by leading international mathematicians who were speakers at the "INdAM Day", an initiative dating back to 2004 at which the most recent developments in contemporary mathematics are presented.

  8. Contemporary Art and Citizenship Education: The Possibilities of Cross-Curricular Links on the Level of Content

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Metoda Kemperl

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Unlike the previous phenomenon of modern art, contemporary art strives to return to society and everyday life, while thematising the current issues that the individual faces here and now. One of its more frequent topics is that of sustainable development, and the accompanying issues of environment, values, relations to others, etc. All such topics are part of the concept of active citizenship, which is why understanding contemporary art calls for active citizenship. This particularly holds true for relational art, which demands active participation on the part of the viewer. This paper inquires into the possibilities of the connection of contemporary art and citizenship education in elementary schools. Contemporary pedagogic doctrine highly encourages cross-curricular teaching; therefore, I have focused my analysis on the curricula of the subjects of Art Education, and Citizenship and Patriotic Education and Ethics, determining that (from this perspective their link is quite troublesome. The absence of contemporary art from the curriculum of Art Education has been criticised on many occasions, but the problem of its curriculum seems to be of a conceptual nature. Only by a more intense inter-institutional link between schools and contemporary art galleries and museums can the common goals of art education and citizenship education be realised. This paper will, therefore, strive to show potential cross curricular links in content on three examples of participatory practices (Proletarians of All Countries, Beggar Robot and EU/Others, while warning (from the pedagogic perspective against the often neglected fact that contemporary art is experienced here and now.

  9. Potential use of the non-random distribution of N2 and N2O mole masses in the atmosphere as a tool for tracing atmospheric mixing and isotope fractionation processes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Well, R.; Langel, R.; Reineking, A.

    2002-01-01

    The variation in the natural abundance of 15 N in atmospheric gas species is often used to determine the mixing of trace gases from different sources. With conventional budget calculations one unknown quantity can be determined if the remaining quantities are known. From 15 N tracer studies in soils with highly enriched 15 N-nitrate a procedure is known to calculate the mixing of atmospheric and soil derived N 2 based on the measurement of the 30/28 and 29/28 ratios in gas samples collected from soil covers. Because of the non-random distribution of the mole masses 30 N 2 , 29 N 2 and 28 N 2 in the mixing gas it is possible to calculate two quantities simultaneously, i.e. the mixing ratio of atmospheric and soil derived N 2 , and the isotopic signature of the soil derived N 2 . Routine standard measurements of laboratory air had suggested a non-random distribution of N 2 -mole masses. The objective of this study was to investigate and explain the existence of non-random distributions of 15 N 15 N, 14 N 15 N and 14 N 14 N in N 2 and N 2 O in environmental samples. The calculation of theoretical isotope data resulting from hypothetical mixing of two sources differing in 15 N natural abundance demonstrated, that the deviation from an ideal random distribution of mole masses is not detectable with the current precision of mass spectrometry. 15 N-analysis of N 2 or N 2 O was conducted with randomised and non-randomised replicate samples of different origin. 15 N abundance as calculated from 29/28 ratios were generally higher in randomised samples. The differences between the treatments ranged between 0.05 and 0.17 δper mille 15 N. It was concluded that the observed randomisation effect is probably caused by 15 N 15 N fractionation during environmental processes. (author)

  10. A multi-analytical approach for the characterization of wall painting materials on contemporary buildings

    Science.gov (United States)

    Magrini, Donata; Bracci, Susanna; Cantisani, Emma; Conti, Claudia; Rava, Antonio; Sansonetti, Antonio; Shank, Will; Colombini, MariaPerla

    2017-02-01

    Samples from Keith Haring's wall painting of the Necker Children Hospital in Paris were studied by a multi-analytical protocol. X-ray fluorescence (XRF), powder X-ray diffraction (XRDP), Electron microscope (SEM-EDS), Infrared and Raman spectroscopy (μ-FT-IR and μ-Raman) measurements were performed in order to characterize the materials and to identify the art technique used to produce this contemporary work. Materials from the mural suffered from severe detachments of materials and several fragments were found on the ground beneath. Some of these fragments, which were representative of the whole palette and stratigraphic sequence, were collected and studied. The fragments were sufficiently large to enable non-invasive measurements to be performed in order to characterize the materials. A comparison of the data of the techniques applied revealed that Haring's palette was composed of organic pigments such as Naphtol red, phthalocyanine blue and green and Hansa yellow, in accordance with those used previously by the artist in other painted murals.

  11. Contemporary Nigerian Popular music: A Menace to National Development

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ogunrinade D O A

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available There is no gainsaying that most of the recent forms of contemporary popular music produced, packaged, made available for public consumption constitute grave danger and serious threat to moral uprightness in Nigerian society. This has exposed the Nigerian society to a wide variety of insecurity and violence. This is evident as seen from series of moral decadence and dissipation that infiltrated the lives of the citizenry - especially the youths (the leaders of tomorrow ranging from, sexual abuse, money mongering, indiscipline, examination malpractice and indecent dressing to mention but a few. Music is a powerful tool and a force for mobilization which brings about either reformation or deformation of character due to the type of rhythm, melody, harmony and principally the lyrics of the songs. This paper examines the new trend of contemporary popular music in Nigeria with a view to assess its negative and pessimistic impacts on the character molding of the citizenry in Nigerian society. Live performances of contemporary popular music were observed and audio and video tape materials relating to the said music were also analyzed based on their educational  and moral values of such songs. It was  discovered that contemporary popular music as we have it today in Nigeria communicates vulgarity and coarseness to the listeners and this poses a lot of negative effects on the attitude of the youths. Musicians employ indecent words to attract the youth thus creating negative influence on the character of the leaders of tomorrow (the youth to engage in various   debauchery.  The paper therefore, suggested that relevant agencies should be put in place to ensure that apart from entertainment, music should convey positive character building messages rather than music that egg on and motivate illicit acts. Likewise, musicians should compose songs in the spirit of societal reformation so as to impact moral virtues on the younger generation  thus

  12. The transformation of contemporary analyses of oral folklore: Fairy tale versus fantasy

    OpenAIRE

    Otčenášek Jaroslav

    2010-01-01

    The study focuses on contemporary forms of folklore and their relationship to literary forms like Fantasy, Sci-fi, Horror and Fantasy Game. The first problem is the specification of the terms and the classification of the internal structure of these terms. A typical structure of contemporary oral folklore, such as urban legends, is a combination of classical forms of folklore (subject matter from fairy tales, anecdotes etc.) and the influence of films, television and books. This contami...

  13. Aristotle's Theory of Deviance and Contemporary Symbolic Interactionist Scholarship: Learning from the Past, Extending the Present, and Engaging the Future.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Prus, Robert

    Although his work has been largely overlooked by symbolic interactionists and other students of deviance, Aristotle (c384-322BCE) addresses community life, activity, agency, and persuasive interchange in ways that not only are remarkably consistent with contemporary symbolic interactionist approaches to deviance, but that also conceptually inform present day theories of deviance and provide valuable transhistorical comparison points for subsequent analysis. Following (1) a brief overview of an interactionist approach to the study of deviance, attention is given to (2) classical Greek conceptions of good and evil (especially as these are articulated by Plato) before turning more directly to (3) Aristotle's notions of wrongdoing as this is reflected in his considerations of community, morality, agency, and culpability. While informed by Aristotle's considerations of causality (as addressed in Physics and Metaphysics ), this statement builds most centrally on Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics and Rhetoric . Striving for a broader understanding of deviance as a humanly engaged feature of community life, the paper briefly compares Aristotle's "theory of deviance" with Prus and Grills (2003) interactionist analysis of deviance. The paper (4) concludes with an assessment of the relative contributions of contemporary interactionist scholarship and Aristotle's materials for the study of deviance as a community-engaged process.

  14. Boscovich's philosophical meditations in the history of contemporary thought

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gori, P.

    The content of Boscovich's Theoria philosophiae naturalis was well-known to his contemporaries, but both scientists and philosophers chiefly discussed it during the 19th century. The observations that Boscovich presented in this text, and that he himself defined as ``philosophicas metitationes", soon showed their being a good programme for the forthcoming atomic physics, and contributed to get rid of the mechanistic paradigm in science. In this paper I will go back to some meaningful moments of the history of Boscovich's reception in the era of contemporary philosophy, by referring to what authors such as Popper, Cassirer, Nietzsche and Fechner wrote about him. These thinkers, indeed, particularly stressed the importance of the Theoria in the history of Western thought, and showed that it can easily be evaluated beyond the plane of a pure scientific investigation.

  15. The smartphone’s role in the contemporary backpacking experience

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Silas, Everiin; Løvlie, Anders Sundnes; Ling, Richard

    2016-01-01

    The purpose of this ethnographic study is to explore the smartphone’s role in the contemporary international backpacking experience. This paper will examine backpackers’ perceived changes in mediated relations and personal attitudes towards phone use in co-present situations pre-trip, on-trip, an......The purpose of this ethnographic study is to explore the smartphone’s role in the contemporary international backpacking experience. This paper will examine backpackers’ perceived changes in mediated relations and personal attitudes towards phone use in co-present situations pre-trip, on......-trip interviews were conducted primarily online through Skype. The findings suggest that there is an ideal of staying offline while traveling. Yet, backpackers report connecting daily with their smartphones and reveal a travel-time legitimacy for sharing updates and receiving attention on social media. After...

  16. The contemporary Malay Cultural and architecture in Medan City

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nawawiy Loebis, M.; Nirfalini Aulia, Dwira; Asdiana; Tuah Aditya Saragih, Jhon

    2018-03-01

    Malay is one of the identity of the city of Medan. Especially the Malay kingdom that has an important role in the history of the city of Medan and the river Deli. Some relics of the Malay kingdom in the form of buildings with Malay architecture that made the tourist area. In this modern era, many buildings are designed contemporary and leave behind a cultural background, especially Malay architecture. The research methodology used is qualitative methodology by way of observation and interviews with informants who are Malay people still in Medan city. And the distribution of questionnaires to the Malay community. The variables tested are, location and environment, language, technology, organizational livelihood system, the arts, and religious system. This study aims to determine the contemporary Malay culture and architecture prevailing in today’s Malay society.

  17. Genetic population structure accounts for contemporary ecogeographic patterns in tropic and subtropic-dwelling humans.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hruschka, Daniel J; Hadley, Craig; Brewis, Alexandra A; Stojanowski, Christopher M

    2015-01-01

    Contemporary human populations conform to ecogeographic predictions that animals will become more compact in cooler climates and less compact in warmer ones. However, it remains unclear to what extent this pattern reflects plastic responses to current environments or genetic differences among populations. Analyzing anthropometric surveys of 232,684 children and adults from across 80 ethnolinguistic groups in sub-Saharan Africa, Asia and the Americas, we confirm that body surface-to-volume correlates with contemporary temperature at magnitudes found in more latitudinally diverse samples (Adj. R2 = 0.14-0.28). However, far more variation in body surface-to-volume is attributable to genetic population structure (Adj. R2 = 0.50-0.74). Moreover, genetic population structure accounts for nearly all of the observed relationship between contemporary temperature and body surface-to-volume among children and adults. Indeed, after controlling for population structure, contemporary temperature accounts for no more than 4% of the variance in body form in these groups. This effect of genetic affinity on body form is also independent of other ecological variables, such as dominant mode of subsistence and household wealth per capita. These findings suggest that the observed fit of human body surface-to-volume with current climate in this sample reflects relatively large effects of existing genetic population structure of contemporary humans compared to plastic response to current environments.

  18. Genetic population structure accounts for contemporary ecogeographic patterns in tropic and subtropic-dwelling humans.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Daniel J Hruschka

    Full Text Available Contemporary human populations conform to ecogeographic predictions that animals will become more compact in cooler climates and less compact in warmer ones. However, it remains unclear to what extent this pattern reflects plastic responses to current environments or genetic differences among populations. Analyzing anthropometric surveys of 232,684 children and adults from across 80 ethnolinguistic groups in sub-Saharan Africa, Asia and the Americas, we confirm that body surface-to-volume correlates with contemporary temperature at magnitudes found in more latitudinally diverse samples (Adj. R2 = 0.14-0.28. However, far more variation in body surface-to-volume is attributable to genetic population structure (Adj. R2 = 0.50-0.74. Moreover, genetic population structure accounts for nearly all of the observed relationship between contemporary temperature and body surface-to-volume among children and adults. Indeed, after controlling for population structure, contemporary temperature accounts for no more than 4% of the variance in body form in these groups. This effect of genetic affinity on body form is also independent of other ecological variables, such as dominant mode of subsistence and household wealth per capita. These findings suggest that the observed fit of human body surface-to-volume with current climate in this sample reflects relatively large effects of existing genetic population structure of contemporary humans compared to plastic response to current environments.

  19. Editorial: Critical reflections on contemporary responses to gender ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Editorial: Critical reflections on contemporary responses to gender violence within public, political, health and research contexts. T Shefer. Abstract. No Abstract. Full Text: EMAIL FREE FULL TEXT EMAIL FREE FULL TEXT · DOWNLOAD FULL TEXT DOWNLOAD FULL TEXT · AJOL African Journals Online. HOW TO USE ...

  20. Memory culture and the contemporary city : building sites

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Staiger, Uta; Steiner, Henriette; Webber, Andrew

    "These essays by leading figures from academia, architecture and the arts consider how cultures of memory are constructed for and in contemporary cities. They take Berlin as a key case of a historically burdened metropolis, but also extend to other global cities: Jerusalem, Buenos Aires, Cape Town...

  1. Drivers of Sales Performance: A Contemporary Meta-Analysis

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    W.J.M.I. Verbeke (Willem); H.M.S. Dietz (Bart); E. Verwaal (Ernst)

    2010-01-01

    textabstractIt has been twenty-five years since the publication of a comprehensive review of the full spectrum of sales-performance drivers. This study takes stock of the contemporary field and synthesizes empirical evidence from the period 1982–2008. The authors revise the classification scheme for

  2. Contemporary Trends in Farmer-Based Tree Management and ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    This paper examines the contemporary trends in tree growing and management in the context of changing farmer livelihood systems in southeastern Nigeria. Data were collected in 1998-99 through a field survey involving interviews with 160 households drawn from 8 rural communities across the different agroecological ...

  3. Bibliography on Islam in contemporary Sub-Saharan Africa

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Schrijver, P.

    2006-01-01

    This book has been nominated for the Conover-Porter Award 2008 - This bibliography on Islam in contemporary Sub-Saharan Africa has been prepared as part of the African Studies Centre/Centre d'Etude d'Afrique Noire project entitled "Islam, the Disengagement of the State, and Globalization in

  4. Idiosyncratic Features of the Contemporary Regional Economic Architecture in Asia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dilip K. Das

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available The objective of this article is to examine the characteristic features of contemporary policy-led regionalism in Asia. It identifies the positive and negative features associated with the free trade agreements that have proliferated in Asia during the first decade of the 21st century. There has been a marked transformation in Asia's regional architecture in a short span of a decade-and-a-half. The mode and conduct of multilateral trade has been signifThe objective of this article is to examine the characteristic features of contemporary policy-led regionalism in Asia. It identifies the positive and negative features associated with the free trade agreements that have proliferated in Asia during the first decade of the 21st century. There has been a marked transformation in Asia's regional architecture in a short span of a decade-and-a-half. The mode and conduct of multilateral trade has been significantly transformed during recent years and Asia could not possibly remain immune to this transformation. The importance of regionalism in multilateral trade has increased steadily. In addition, the trade-investment-services nexus has developed and grown increasingly important. As business firms now manufacture parts of their products across the border, bilateral trade agreements (BTAs, regional trade agreements (RTAs and free trade agreements (FTAs of the contemporary period need to take into account the new kind of trade barriers that have been created due to the changing mode of trade. The contemporary regional agreements need to be designed to facilitate the new modes of conducting business and trade. It was understood rather late in Asia that the 'WTO-Plus' FTAs are more functional and result-oriented than their predecessors.

  5. Improving Sleep for Hospitalized Antepartum Patients: A Non-Randomized Controlled Pilot Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Kathryn A; Gay, Caryl L

    2017-12-15

    To evaluate feasibility and efficacy of a hospital-based protocol for improving sleep in high- risk antepartum patients. Sleep measures were compared during 1 week of hospitalization before and after implementing a Sleep Improvement Protocol for Antepartum Patients (SIP-AP). A non-randomized convenience sample of usual care controls was compared to a subsequent intervention sample after the protocol was implemented. Women were eligible if they spoke English, were medically stable, pregnant for at least 20 weeks, and hospitalized at least 24 hours; 25 pregnant women had sufficient data for analyses (11 controls, 14 intervention). Sleep was assessed in 3 ways: the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index was completed after obtaining consent to estimate sleep quality prior to hospital admission; sleep diary completed each hospital day; and General Sleep Disturbance Scale completed at 7 days or prior to hospital discharge. Symptoms that could affect sleep were assessed with the Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale. Both groups recorded similar sleep duration (7 hours) but the intervention group had fewer symptoms and significantly ( P = .015) lower sleep disturbance scores (53.1 ± 14.5) than controls (71.9 ± 18.8). Participant feedback about the intervention was positive, although adherence to components of the intervention protocol was variable. This pilot study provides evidence of the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of the SIP-AP intervention for reducing symptoms and improving sleep of antepartum patients during hospitalization. Further detailed evaluation of specific components of this protocol is warranted, and other types of hospitalized patients may benefit from unit-based modifications to this SIP-AP protocol. © 2017 American Academy of Sleep Medicine

  6. Contemporary Multi religious and Peaceful Coexistence of Islam in ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Contemporary Multi religious and Peaceful Coexistence of Islam in Nigeria's State. ... in a multicultural society tend to lead to the violation of universal human rights, ... religio-phobic, religio-centric and terrorist behaviours among adherents in ...

  7. Sexual dimorphism of the mandible in a contemporary Chinese Han population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dong, Hongmei; Deng, Mohong; Wang, WenPeng; Zhang, Ji; Mu, Jiao; Zhu, Guanghui

    2015-10-01

    A present limitation of forensic anthropology practice in China is the lack of population-specific criteria on contemporary human skeletons. In this study, a sample of 203 maxillofacial Cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) images, including 96 male and 107 female cases (20-65 years old), was analyzed to explore mandible sexual dimorphism in a population of contemporary adult Han Chinese to investigate the potential use of the mandible as sex indicator. A three-dimensional image from mandible CBCT scans was reconstructed using the SimPlant Pro 11.40 software. Nine linear and two angular parameters were measured. Discriminant function analysis (DFA) and logistic regression analysis (LRA) were used to develop the mathematics models for sex determination. All of the linear measurements studied and one angular measurement were found to be sexually dimorphic, with the maximum mandibular length and bi-condylar breadth being the most dimorphic by univariate DFA and LRA respectively. The cross-validated sex allocation accuracies on multivariate were ranged from 84.2% (direct DFA), 83.5% (direct LRA), 83.3% (stepwise DFA) to 80.5% (stepwise LRA). In general, multivariate DFA yielded a higher accuracy and LRA obtained a lower sex bias, and therefore both DFA and LRA had their own advantages for sex determination by the mandible in this sample. These results suggest that the mandible expresses sexual dimorphism in the contemporary adult Han Chinese population, indicating an excellent sexual discriminatory ability. Cone beam computed tomography scanning can be used as alternative source for contemporary osteometric techniques. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. From Mateev's baryogenesis ideas to contemporary cosmological constraints

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kirilova, D.

    2011-01-01

    Mateev's ideas on baryogenesis and the possibility to constrain new physics on the basis of cosmological observations present the first impulse for the development of the physical cosmology and astroparticle physics in Bulgaria. Contemporary cosmological models of baryogenesis, leptogenesis, primordial nucleosynthesis and cosmological constraints on new physics are discussed

  9. Bibliography on Islam in contemporary Sub-Saharan Africa

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Schrijver, P.

    2006-01-01

    This book has been nominated for the Conover-Porter Award 2008 - This bibliography on Islam in contemporary Sub-Saharan Africa has been prepared as part of the African Studies Centre/Centre d'Étude d'Afrique Noire project entitled "Islam, the Disengagement of the State, and Globalization in

  10. COUNTERBALANCING BENEFITS AND DRAWBACKS OF CONTEMPORARY STABLISED EARTH CONSTRUCTION BY CONSTRUCTION PROFESSIONALS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohammad Sharif Zami

    2011-07-01

    Full Text Available It is debatable among the construction professionals whether contemporary stabilised earth construction is beneficial in urban low cost housing. Existing literature recorded a lot of benefits and drawbacks from construction professionals, which is empirically substantiated. But there are drawbacks found in the literature that seemingly are conflicting, and construction professionals are divided in their opinion. This paper seeks to address these conflicts and division by validating the controversial drawbacks of contemporary stabilised earth construction in urban low cost housing.

  11. Contemporary management of Bell palsy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jowett, Nate; Hadlock, Tessa A

    2015-04-01

    Bell palsy (BP) is the most common diagnosis in acute and chronic facial palsy. Although most patients fully recover, more than one-quarter will have residual dysfunction. Of these, nearly half will demonstrate severe limitations in facial expression. Though significant attention has been paid to acute management and prognosis, a paucity of literature exists addressing management of the long-term sequelae of BP. This article describes contemporary use of physical therapy, injectables, and static and dynamic surgical procedures in facial reanimation of acute and chronic BP. Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

  12. Contemporary challenges for intrafamilial relations

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. GOTEA

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available Nowadays we live in a time of rapid changes, from a social, industrial and technological standpoint. Profound mutations in family institution can be observed, regarding the family structure, lifestyle and the cycle of family life. Today’s tendencies reflect a clear distinction between marriage and the activity of raising children, as we can notice the increased number of marriages without children or the number of single-parent families. That is why, the present paper focus on these two types of intrafamily relationships: couple’s relationship and parent-child relation, pointing out some changes and challenges of contemporary period.

  13. Spatially nonrandom tree mortality and ingrowth maintain equilibrium pattern in an old-growth Pseudotsuga-Tsuga forest.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lutz, James A; Larson, Andrew J; Furniss, Tucker J; Donato, Daniel C; Freund, James A; Swanson, Mark E; Bible, Kenneth J; Chen, Jiquan; Franklin, Jerry F

    2014-08-01

    Mortality processes in old-growth forests are generally assumed to be driven by gap-scale disturbance, with only a limited role ascribed to density-dependent mortality, but these assumptions are rarely tested with data sets incorporating repeated measurements. Using a 12-ha spatially explicit plot censused 13 years apart in an approximately 500-year-old Pseudotsuga-Tsuga forest, we demonstrate significant density-dependent mortality and spatially aggregated tree recruitment. However, the combined effect of these strongly nonrandom demographic processes was to maintain tree patterns in a state of dynamic equilibrium. Density-dependent mortality was most pronounced for the dominant late-successional species, Tsuga heterophylla. The long-lived, early-seral Pseudotsuga menziesii experienced an annual stem mortality rate of 0.84% and no new recruitment. Late-seral species Tsuga and Abies amabilis had nearly balanced demographic rates of ingrowth and mortality. The 2.34% mortality rate for Taxus brevifolia was higher than expected, notably less than ingrowth, and strongly affected by proximity to Tsuga. Large-diameter Tsuga structured both the regenerating conspecific and heterospecific cohorts with recruitment of Tsuga and Abies unlikely in neighborhoods crowded with large-diameter competitors (P old-growth forests.

  14. The Bobath concept in contemporary clinical practice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Graham, Julie Vaughan; Eustace, Catherine; Brock, Kim; Swain, Elizabeth; Irwin-Carruthers, Sheena

    2009-01-01

    Future development in neurorehabilitation depends upon bringing together the endeavors of basic science and clinical practice. The Bobath concept is widely utilized in rehabilitation following stroke and other neurological conditions. This concept was first developed in the 1950s, based on the neuroscience knowledge of those times. The theoretical basis of the Bobath concept is redefined based on contemporary neuroscience and rehabilitation science. The framework utilized in the Bobath concept for the analysis of movement and movement dysfunction is described. This framework focuses on postural control for task performance, the ability to move selectively, the ability to produce coordinated sequences of movement and vary movement patterns to fit a task, and the role of sensory input in motor behaviour and learning. The article describes aspects of clinical practice that differentiate this approach from other models of practice. Contemporary practice in the Bobath concept utilizes a problem-solving approach to the individual's clinical presentation and personal goals. Treatment is focused toward remediation, where possible, and guiding the individual towards efficient movement strategies for task performance. The aim of this article is to provide a theoretical framework on which future research into the Bobath concept can be based.

  15. ISLAMIZATION OF CONTEMPORARY ARCHITECTURE: SHIFTING THE PARADIGM OF ISLAMIC ARCHITECTURE

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mustapha Ben- Hamouche

    2012-03-01

    Full Text Available Islamic architecture is often thought as a history course and thus finds its material limited to the cataloguing and studying of legacies of successive empires or various geographic regions of the Islamic world. In practice, adherent professionals tend to reproduce high styles such as Umayyad, Abassid, Fatimid, Ottoman, etc., or recycle well known elements such as the minarets, courtyards, and mashrabiyyahs. This approach, endorsed by the present comprehensive Islamic revival, is believed to be the way to defend and revitalize the identity of Muslim societies that was initially affected by colonization and now is being offended by globalization. However, this approach often clashes with the contemporary trends in architecture that do not necessarily oppose the essence of Islamic architecture. Furthermore, it sometimes lead to an erroneous belief that consists of relating a priori forms to Islam and that clashes with the timeless and universal character of the Islamic religion. The key question to be asked then is, beyond this historicist view, what would be an “Islamic architec-ture” of nowadays that originates from the essence of Islam and that responds to contemporary conditions, needs, aspirations of present Muslim societies and individuals. To what extends can Islamic architecture bene-fits from modern progress and contemporary thought in resurrecting itself without loosing its essence. The hypothesis of the study is that, just as early Muslim architecture started from the adoption, use and re-use of early pre-Islamic architectures before reaching originality, this process, called Islamization, could also take place nowadays with the contemporary thought that is mostly developed in Western and non-Islamic environ-ments. Mechanisms in Islam that allowed the “absorption” of pre-existing civilizations should thus structure the islamization approach and serve the scholars and professionals to reach the new Islamic architecture. The

  16. Interpreting the Diamond Way: Contemporary Convert Buddhism in Transition

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Burkhard Scherer

    2015-02-01

    Full Text Available This paper addresses the broader issues of continuity and change during the transition of Tibetan Buddhism from Asia to the West. It looks at the Diamond Way, a contemporary Karma bKa' brgyud lay movement founded by the Danish lay teacher Ole Nydahl. The paper aims to open this area of study by employing a balanced approach between a hermeneutics of suspicion and a hermeneutics of trust, and by adding the historical-critical approach of Tibetan Buddhist Studies to the perspectives of sociology and cultural anthropology. Acknowledging Nydahl as both a charismatic and controversial figure within contemporary Buddhism, the discussion focuses on notions of lay and yogi Buddhism in the Diamond Way and on the question of westernization in Diamond Way practices. The paper concludes by raising questions about the future, continuity and change of Nydahl's heritage after his death.

  17. Knowledge management vs business process management in contemporary enterprises

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bitkowska Agnieszka

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available The main objective of this paper is to identify the system of knowledge management in contemporary process organizations in business process perspective, especially with regard to technological and social conditions. Methodology is based on literature analysis and case studies. The integration of knowledge management technologies, concepts and methods into organizational business processes is challenging research issue today. The concepts of knowledge management and business process management should be analyzed jointly in the contemporary enterprises. Despite of the growing interest among researchers and practitioners of the concept of the knowledge management referring to business process management there is a lack of articles in this area. Appropriate approach to the modelling of knowledge management processes, as well as the use of IT tools, and a motivation system are of key importance for the introduction of this solution in organizations.

  18. Contemporary fiction and the ethics of modern culture

    CERN Document Server

    Karnicky, Jeffrey

    2007-01-01

    This book argues for the ethical relevancy of contemporary fiction at the beginning of the twenty-first century. Through reading novels by such writers as David Foster Wallace, Richard Powers, and Irvine Welsh, this book looks at how these works seek to transform the ways that readers live in the world.

  19. Rudy's Red Wagon: Communication Strategies in Contemporary Society.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rein, Irving J.

    The primary focus of this book is "the put-on" and other manipulative strategies. Manipulative forms of communication as used in contemporary society are examined in relation to advertisements and commercials, salesmen, political figures, authors, artists, educators and students. The book is a study of power--how the powerful and…

  20. Roots and Rhizomes--Some Reflections on Contemporary Pedagogy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Munday, Ian

    2012-01-01

    During this article, I look at three images of thought which feature in Deleuze and Guattari's "A Thousand Plateaus" and consider their relevance to contemporary pedagogy. Deleuze and Guattari begin by discussing tree-like thought, which involves an insular depiction of the world. I suggest that the performative apparatus, which structures…

  1. Images of power in contemporary Nigerian paintings | Gbaden ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Contemporary Nigerian paintings are replete with images and notions of power and power relations among the ethnically pluralistic peoples of Nigeria. This paper presents a select number of paintings that best manifest the idea of how power is depicted and how power influences human thinking and aspiration from a ...

  2. Tensions between the local and the global: contemporary rural and teaching in rural schools

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elizeu Clementino de Souza

    2012-05-01

    Full Text Available The paper aims to investigate potential tensions between local and global context of contemporary ruralities, emphasizing the times, rhythms and spaces constructed from the experiences of teachers and students in the organization of the routines of rural schools. The paper presents theoretical considerations resulting from two studies in the Graduate Program in Education and Contemporary - PPGEduC / UNEB. The clipping and analysis undertaken focus on education developed in rural areas and tensions present in this context in view, discuss issues concerning the new ruralities contemporary. This discussion has as its central theme the issues of timing and the rhythm in schools with multigrade classes Island Tide that articulates with dilemmas and tensions surrounding the experience lived by teachers of geography of the city engaged in teaching in rural areas in semi-arid region of Bahia. Research has pointed to difficulties faced by rural school to consider the different temporalities that exist in rural areas in their educational processes, as well as difficulties of articulation in these contexts of learning, between the local-global dimensions through which passes the contemporary space. This movement creates stress for teachers’ work, since it complicates the relationship between the times established, standardized and rigid, with times of personal students and teachers, covering aspects such as age, life histories, movements and experiences socio-historical and geographical subjects involved in the processes of teaching and learning in rural settings in contemporary times.

  3. “Girls are dancin’”: shōjo culture and feminism in contemporary Japanese art

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Emily Jane Wakeling

    2011-12-01

    Full Text Available This article explores the gender-transgressive expressions found in shōjo culture in order to highlight the potential for feminist analysis in the prevalence of the shōjo motif in contemporary Japanese art. Shōjo culture is a fascinating cultural space, within contemporary Japanese culture, which fosters creative expressions of gender that negate or make complex hegemonic categories. Departing from stereotypes of Japanese girls, this article will pay particular interest to an emerging wave of figurative contemporary art practices in which the figure of the shōjo is utilised for a new generation of feminist critique. Aoshima Chiho, Kunikata Mahomi, Takano Aya, Sawada Tomoko and Yanagi Miwa are among the current artists who feature the shōjo motif in contexts that foreground female subjectivities found paralleled in shōjo culture. These works will then be contextualised in the greater picture of current trends and themes in global contemporary feminist art.

  4. Contemporary perspectives on Lacanian theories of psychosis

    OpenAIRE

    Redmond, Jonathan D.

    2013-01-01

    Abstract:In contemporary Lacanian psychoanalysis, Verhaeghe’s theory of actualpathology / psychopathology in psychosis and the Millerian idea of ordinary psychosis provide diverging conceptual approaches to psychosis. In this paper, the two approaches to psychosis are examined with a particular emphasis on mild psychosis and compensatory mechanisms. Despite the shared focus on similar clinical phenomena, particularly body disturbances, these two theories provide different explanations of psyc...

  5. Scoring an Abstract Contemporary Silent Film

    OpenAIRE

    Frost, Crystal

    2014-01-01

    I composed an original digital audio film score with full sound design for a contemporary silent film called Apple Tree. The film is highly conceptual and interpretive and required a very involved, intricate score to successfully tell the story. In the process of scoring this film, I learned new ways to convey an array of contrasting emotions through music and sound. After analyzing the film's emotional journey, I determined that six defining emotions were the foundation on which to build an ...

  6. Comparison of four contemporary risk models at predicting mortality after aortic valve replacement.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Tom Kai Ming; Choi, David H M; Stewart, Ralph; Gamble, Greg; Haydock, David; Ruygrok, Peter

    2015-02-01

    Risk stratification for aortic valve replacement (AVR) is desirable given the increased demand for intervention and the introduction of transcatheter aortic valve implantation. We compared the prognostic utility of the European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation (EuroSCORE), EuroSCORE II, Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) score, and an Australasian model (Aus-AVR score) for AVR. We retrospectively calculated the 4 risk scores for patients undergoing isolated AVR at Auckland City Hospital from 2005 to 2012 and assessed their discrimination and calibration for short- and long-term mortality. A total of 620 patients were followed up for 3.8 ± 2.4 years, with an operative mortality of 2.9% (n = 18). The mean EuroSCORE, EuroSCORE II, STS score, and Aus-AVR score was 8.7% ± 8.3%, 3.8% ± 4.7%, 2.8% ± 2.7%, and 3.2% ± 4.8%, respectively. The corresponding C-statistics for operative mortality were 0.752 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.652-0.852), 0.711 (95% CI, 0.607-0.815), 0.716 (95% CI, 0.593-0.837), and 0.684 (95% CI, 0.557-0.811). The corresponding Hosmer-Lemeshow test P and chi-square values for calibration were .007 and 21.1, .125 and 12.6, .753 and 5.0, and .468 and 7.7. The corresponding Brier scores were 0.0348, 0.0278, 0.0276, and 0.0294. Independent predictors of operative mortality included critical preoperative state, atrial fibrillation, extracardiac arteriopathy, and mitral stenosis. The log-rank test P values were all <.001 for mortality during follow-up for all 4 scores, stratified by quintile. All 4 risk scores discriminated operative mortality after isolated AVR. The EuroSCORE had poor calibration, overestimating operative mortality, although the other 3 scores fitted well with contemporary outcomes. The STS score was the best calibrated in the highest quintile of operative risk. Copyright © 2015 The American Association for Thoracic Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. training for contemporary understanding of the human condition

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    These courses are offered internationally in English by the Institute for Nutrition Research, School of Nutrition, Formally Known as the Nordic School of Nutrition. The main aim of the courses is to have more Universities training programs take up the critical contemporary trends that may increasingly have an impact on the ...

  8. Traditional versus Contemporary Navajo Views of Special Education.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Medina, Catherine; Jones, Doris; Miller, Susan

    A survey and interviews examined the beliefs of traditional and contemporary Navajos concerning individuals with disabilities. Participants were 30 staff members from the Kayenta and Pinon Unified School Districts (Arizona), of whom 21 were Navajos, 8 Anglos, and 1 Hispanic; 1 Anglo and 8 Navajo community professionals; and 15 Navajo parents,…

  9. Ideology, Alienation and Reification: Concepts for a Radical Theory of Communication in Contemporary Capitalism

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Leila Salim Leal

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available Contemporary capitalism and its dynamics increase the material and ideological role played by the media, building a kind of sociality in which symbolic production becomes abundant. The critique of contemporary capitalism and the praxis to build alternatives to this form of society need to be put in the centre of debating cultural production. Cultural production interacts with the media and the market so that this symbolic field constitutes an increasingly predominant factor in the processes of the formation of consciousness. This instigates us to think about resistance as being necessarily linked to communication and culture. This article discusses the role of Marx’s concepts of ideology and alienation for the constitution of a contemporary critique of the processes of the formation of consciousness.

  10. Anthropometry, somatotypes, and aerobic power in ballet, contemporary dance, and dancesport.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liiv, Helena; Wyon, Matthew A; Jürimäe, Toivo; Saar, Meeli; Mäestu, Jarek; Jürimäe, Jaak

    2013-12-01

    This study compared anthropometric variables, somatotypes, and aerobic capacity between three groups of dancers: classical ballet dancers (M 33, F 56), contemporary dancers (M 28, F 109), and dancesport dancers (M 30, F 30). The assumption was that different functional requirements should produce differences in the anthropometric and aerobic capacity variables among the three groups. Anthropometric data for body mass index (BMI) and somatotypes were measured. Body fat percentage was measured by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry. Maximal oxygen consumption and aerobic power were measured during an incremental treadmill test until exhaustion. Dancesport athletes were taller compared with same gender contemporary dancers (pballet dancers had a lower body mass and BMI compared with their contemporary dance and dancesport equivalents (pballet counterparts, while dancesport dancers are taller and heavier, less muscular, with slightly greater adioposity compared to the classical ballet dancers. Ballet dancers had the lowest body fat percentage, weight, and BMI values. Dancesport dancers had greater aerobic capacity than the ballet dancers. Based on this study, we conclude that dancers in these three styles differ in some aspects of anthropometric variables, somatotypes, and aerobic capacity, but we cannot say is it because of the training or selection or both.

  11. Institutional Engagement and the Growing Role of Ethics in Contemporary Curatorial Practice

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Campolmi, Irene

    2016-01-01

    Abstract In recent years, the core aesthetic domain of museums has switched from exhibiting artworks into creating social impact. Ethics has replaced aesthetics as the main focus of the art museum. Modern and contemporary art museums are using exhibitions and public programs’ initiatives as a means...... to engage with the audiences and with contemporary events that influence society. The paper defines museum curatorial ethics as a way of thinking and behaving that is engaged with and shaped by contingent events. The paper investigates Tate Liverpool’s exhibitions and public programs’ initiatives as a case...

  12. Prototypical versus contemporary Mediterranean Diet.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rizza, W; De Gara, L; Antonelli Incalzi, R; Pedone, C

    2016-10-01

    To investigate the evolution of the Mediterranean Diet (MD) in a delimited area of Southern Italy, by comparing the diet adopted 60-70 years ago (Prototypical Mediterranean Diet, PMD) with the contemporary one (Contemporary Mediterranean Diet, CMD), and to verify to what extent they fitted the recommendations of the Italian and the USDA dietary guidelines. We recruited a total of 106 participants, divided in two groups. PMD group included 52 women aged >80 years, with a good cognitive function and full independence in basic and instrumental activities of daily living. CMD group included 20 men and 34 women aged 50-60 years. Food intake was assessed by administering the EPIC food frequency questionnaire to each participant, and an additional survey to the PMD subjects only. Both PMD and CMD showed adequate intakes of macronutrients, although some deficiencies related to micronutrient requirements were evident. CMD showed a slightly greater use of animal products, processed and sugary foods, and higher intakes of simple sugars, animal proteins (49.6 vs 28.3 g/day), animal lipids (37.8 vs 20.1 g/day), saturated fats (25.0 vs 15.8 g/day) and cholesterol (305.0 vs 258.5 g/day). PMD showed many similarities to the original version of the MD in terms of macronutrients distribution and food choices. The documented evolution of the dietary habits over a 70 years timespan suggests that nowadays Mediterranean regions adhere less strictly to the original MD, although nutrients intakes are adequate to LARN and USDA recommendations. Copyright © 2016 European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Contemporary cybernetics and its facets of cognitive informatics and computational intelligence.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Yingxu; Kinsner, Witold; Zhang, Du

    2009-08-01

    This paper explores the architecture, theoretical foundations, and paradigms of contemporary cybernetics from perspectives of cognitive informatics (CI) and computational intelligence. The modern domain and the hierarchical behavioral model of cybernetics are elaborated at the imperative, autonomic, and cognitive layers. The CI facet of cybernetics is presented, which explains how the brain may be mimicked in cybernetics via CI and neural informatics. The computational intelligence facet is described with a generic intelligence model of cybernetics. The compatibility between natural and cybernetic intelligence is analyzed. A coherent framework of contemporary cybernetics is presented toward the development of transdisciplinary theories and applications in cybernetics, CI, and computational intelligence.

  14. Contemporary Seicento: On the Dark Background of the Italian Historical Novel

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Davide Messina

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available While the historical novel is a product of European Romanticism, the first Italian historical novel expresses the critical awareness of its origin against the dark background of the Seicento. For the historical and political imagination of the Italian Romanticism, the Seicento represents the Middle Age of modernity, namely the obscurity of the contemporary. From the dark background of the Seicento the Italian historical novel draws stories that reflect on the obscurity of its own time. In particular, my essay examines a selection of contemporary texts that show the continued and critical presence of the Seicento in the Italian historical novel.

  15. Queer Hegemonies : Politics and Ideology in Contemporary Queer Debates

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Colpani, G.

    2017-01-01

    In this dissertation, I explore contemporary transformations of both progressive sexual politics and queer theory from a politico-philosophical perspective. On the one hand, I analyze how LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer) politics have been recently articulated to the politico-economic

  16. CATEGORIES AND PROTOTYPES: FROM CLASSICAL ANTIQUITY TO CONTEMPORARY LINGUISTICS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    ZHIVOKINA MAYYA ALEXANDROVNA

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available The article considers two approaches to category studies: a classical or logical one pronciples of which were formulated by Aristotle, and a contemporary or cognitive one that deals with such concepts as fuzzy logic, fuzzy sets, prototype, family resemblance.

  17. Traditional Plains Indian Art and the Contemporary Indian Student.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pakes, Fraser

    1987-01-01

    Examines underlying concepts in traditional Plains Indian arts and encourages incorporation of traditional concepts into contemporary art education. Discusses spiritual foundations, holism, art for art's sake, portability, body art, conservation, tribal identity, aesthetic features, age/sex differentiation in art production, white society's…

  18. Contemporary African philosophy, identity and the question of ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    This essay reviews the import of the issue of identity in contemporary African philosophy vis-a-vis the language policy of most African countries as well as the attitude of many Africans towards their indigenous languages. Given the pivotal importance of language in ensuring cultural identity it argues that there is an antithesis ...

  19. A Festival of Contemporary Science for Science Teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harrison, Tim; Berry, Bryan; Shallcross, Dudley

    2010-01-01

    In this article, the authors describe the first Festival of Contemporary Science for Science Teachers which was held in January 2010. Focusing on a number of leading-edge science topics, this new festival was organised by Bristol ChemLabS, in collaboration with the Science Learning Centre South West, and involved academics from several departments…

  20. Philosophy in contemporary time: Relevance vs. Public perception ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    What is the relevance of philosophy in this contemporary time? Philosophy is viewed by many people as an irrelevant discipline- one of no social and/or practical significance. It is sometimes seen also as an abstract and drab enterprise fit only for the intellectuals. Overtime also, philosophy has come to be perceived as ...

  1. Natural Synthesis and Contemporary Nigerian Visual Arts: An ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The frontiers of contemporary Nigerian art are expanding as ethnic traditions have continued to evolve in individual genius which gives it expression. In the visual art of Uche Okeke, we see a synthesis of old and new, hence a perpetuation of old artistic Nigeria traditions in modern artistic sensibility. Although a great deal ...

  2. Contemporary energy storage sources. Energy saving

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Manev, Veselin

    2011-01-01

    The development of renewable energy system for electricity production is impede because of needs to be stabilized with nearly equivalent installed power of energy storage devices. The development of more electrical energy storage facilities will be extremely important for electricity generation in the future. Using hydro pumping, combined with a long life and fast charge/discharge rate, highly efficient contemporary power energy storage as Altairnano lithium ion battery, currently is seems to be the best solution for fast penetration rate of wind and solar energy systems

  3. Contemporary Chinese Art Under Deng Xiaoping

    OpenAIRE

    Lincot, Emmanuel

    2008-01-01

    Studying contemporary art in China is not an exclusively aesthetic choice. In the context of an emerging market, art is as much a matter of cultural economy as of socio-politics. Thus art is not the product of an independent condition. In its imagination, as well as in its own diversity and its transformations, it encompasses and summarises the changes of a culture which is appropriating the schemes, images and notions inherited both from an age-old tradition and from the West (a West which i...

  4. Volumetric polymerization shrinkage of contemporary composite resins

    OpenAIRE

    Nagem Filho, Halim; Nagem, Haline Drumond; Francisconi, Paulo Afonso Silveira; Franco, Eduardo Batista; Mondelli, Rafael Francisco Lia; Coutinho, Kennedy Queiroz

    2007-01-01

    The polymerization shrinkage of composite resins may affect negatively the clinical outcome of the restoration. Extensive research has been carried out to develop new formulations of composite resins in order to provide good handling characteristics and some dimensional stability during polymerization. The purpose of this study was to analyze, in vitro, the magnitude of the volumetric polymerization shrinkage of 7 contemporary composite resins (Definite, Suprafill, SureFil, Filtek Z250, Fill ...

  5. Infrastructural intelligence: Contemporary entanglements between neuroscience and AI.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bruder, Johannes

    2017-01-01

    In this chapter, I reflect on contemporary entanglements between artificial intelligence and the neurosciences by tracing the development of Google's recent DeepMind algorithms back to their roots in neuroscientific studies of episodic memory and imagination. Google promotes a new form of "infrastructural intelligence," which excels by constantly reassessing its cognitive architecture in exchange with a cloud of data that surrounds it, and exhibits putatively human capacities such as intuition. I argue that such (re)alignments of biological and artificial intelligence have been enabled by a paradigmatic infrastructuralization of the brain in contemporary neuroscience. This infrastructuralization is based in methodologies that epistemically liken the brain to complex systems of an entirely different scale (i.e., global logistics) and has given rise to diverse research efforts that target the neuronal infrastructures of higher cognitive functions such as empathy and creativity. What is at stake in this process is no less than the shape of brains to come and a revised understanding of the intelligent and creative social subject. © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. Slovenia as a locale in contemporary Australian verse

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Igor Maver

    1997-12-01

    Full Text Available Despite the fact that the writer Patrick White had worked on his novels for a short while also at Lake Bled in Slovenia at Hotel "Toplice", just like Agatha Christie did at Lake Bohinj, Slovenia has only recently come to feature in mainstream Australian literature, more precisely in contemporary Australian poetry. It should be stressed that Slovenia is thus no longer present only in Slovene migrant poetry written in Australia as has so far been the case: it entered the major contemporary Australian anthologies. This testifies to the fact that Slovenia no longer belongs to the uncharted part of Central Europe on the geographical and consequently also on the Australian literary map. Rather than that Slovenia increasingly makes part of an average Australian 'Grand Tour' travel itinerary in Europe; it has thus become present in the Australian cultural consciousness. In this light two recent Australian poems with Slovenia as a literary locale are discussed, Andrew Taylor's "Morning in Ljubljana" I and Susan Hampton's poem "Yugoslav Story".

  7. Modern trends in contemporary chemistry

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Javed, H.; Pervez, H.; Qadeer, R.

    1993-01-01

    This publication contains a collection of papers presented at symposium on M odern Trends in Contemporary Chemistry , that was held in Islamabad, Pakistan, March 6-8, 1990. The symposium was divided into five sections for presentation of about 55 scientific and technical papers and 6 review papers. The contents of these papers were of good quality in the widespread concern in new trends of chemistry. The six reviews papers covered fields of ortho metallation reactions, evaluation of heterogeneous electron transfer rate contents, macro reticular ion-exchange resins, spectrochemical analytical techniques, liquid crystal-high technology materials for practical applications and trends in advanced ceramics. (A.B.)

  8. Simultaneous recordings of human microsaccades and drifts with a contemporary video eye tracker and the search coil technique.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Michael B McCamy

    Full Text Available Human eyes move continuously, even during visual fixation. These "fixational eye movements" (FEMs include microsaccades, intersaccadic drift and oculomotor tremor. Research in human FEMs has grown considerably in the last decade, facilitated by the manufacture of noninvasive, high-resolution/speed video-oculography eye trackers. Due to the small magnitude of FEMs, obtaining reliable data can be challenging, however, and depends critically on the sensitivity and precision of the eye tracking system. Yet, no study has conducted an in-depth comparison of human FEM recordings obtained with the search coil (considered the gold standard for measuring microsaccades and drift and with contemporary, state-of-the art video trackers. Here we measured human microsaccades and drift simultaneously with the search coil and a popular state-of-the-art video tracker. We found that 95% of microsaccades detected with the search coil were also detected with the video tracker, and 95% of microsaccades detected with video tracking were also detected with the search coil, indicating substantial agreement between the two systems. Peak/mean velocities and main sequence slopes of microsaccades detected with video tracking were significantly higher than those of the same microsaccades detected with the search coil, however. Ocular drift was significantly correlated between the two systems, but drift speeds were higher with video tracking than with the search coil. Overall, our combined results suggest that contemporary video tracking now approaches the search coil for measuring FEMs.

  9. The Historical Foundations of Religious Restrictions in Contemporary China

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yu Tao

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available The ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP abolished its total ban on religious activities in 1982. However, the distrust that the CCP feels for religions remains obvious today, and the religious restrictions in contemporary China remain tight. Conventional wisdom tells us that the official atheist ideology of Marxism-Leninism is the main reason behind the CCP’s distrust for, and restriction of, religion. However, taking a historical institutionalist perspective, this paper argues that the religious restrictions in contemporary China are in fact rooted in the fierce political struggles of the country’s two major revolutions in the first half of the twentieth century. Without the support of religious groups, the Nationalist Republicans would have found it difficult to survive and succeed in overthrowing the Qing Dynasty during the Chinese Republican Revolution in the first decade of the twentieth century. Likewise, without cooperating with a wide range of religious groups, the CCP would have struggled to defeat the Nationalist regime and the Japanese invaders in the Chinese Communist Revolution between 1920s and 1940s. Thanks to the collaborations and struggles with various religious groups during the two revolutions which lead to its eventual ascent to power, the CCP thoroughly understands the organisational strength and mobilising capability embedded within religious groups. The tight restrictions on religious affairs in contemporary China is therefore likely to stem from the CCP’s worry that prospective competitors could mobilise religious groups to challenge its rule through launching, supporting, or sponsoring collective actions.

  10. Cosmopolitan canvases: the globalization of markets for contemporary art

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Velthuis, O.; Baia Curioni, S.

    2015-01-01

    This book brings together recent, multidisciplinary, cutting edge research on the globalization of markets for contemporary art. Focusing on different regions including China, Russia, India, and Japan, the chapters in this book study the extent to which art markets have indeed become global. On the

  11. Learning Outcomes in Affective Domain within Contemporary Architectural Curricula

    Science.gov (United States)

    Savic, Marko; Kashef, Mohamad

    2013-01-01

    Contemporary architectural education has shifted from the traditional focus on providing students with specific knowledge and skill sets or "inputs" to outcome based, student-centred educational approach. Within the outcome based model, students' performance is assessed against measureable objectives that relate acquired knowledge…

  12. Contemporary Zimbabwean popular music in the context of adversities

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    2018-03-19

    Mar 19, 2018 ... Contemporary Zimbabwean popular and urban genres of music namely, urban ... changes have been realised in the development of the genre and in the interviews ... and movements opposed to different forms of postcolonial oppression. ..... Global Children, Global Media: Migration, Media and Childhood.

  13. Music in Contemporary Nigerian Drama: A Functionalist Approach ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    It classifies the basic types of music, and identifies and analyses the various uses to which music is put, in contemporary Nigerian drama. In proving this, it draws on examples of the functions of music from four different Nigerian drama texts. The paper concludes on the submission that music goes a long way in consolidating ...

  14. From Mythological Ages to Contemporary Ages: Child Education

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yakar, Halide Gamze Ince

    2018-01-01

    Seeking the solution to the problems of contemporary man and approaching the social events through mythology is the other way to use the healing power of literature education. Having served as a guide for people in the past, mythology is the mirror of the past, which indicates the reasons and possible results of the events that have experienced…

  15. Benchmark solution of contemporary PWR integral fuel burnable absorbers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Stucker, D.L.; Hone, M.J.; Holland, R.A.

    1993-01-01

    This paper presents a closely controlled benchmark solution of the two major contemporary pressurized water reactor integral burnable absorber designs: zirconium diboride (ZrB 2 ) and gadolinia (Gd 2 O 3 ). The comparison is accomplished using self-generating equilibrium cycles with equal energy, equal discharge burnup, and equal safety constraints. The reference plant for this evaluation is a 3411-MW(thermal) Westinghouse four-loop nuclear steam supply system operating with an inlet temperature of 285.9 degrees C, a core coolant mass now rate of 16877.3 kg/s, and coolant pressure of 15.5 MPa. The reactor consists of 193 VANTAGE 5H fuel assemblies that are discharged at a region average burnup of 48.4 GWd/tonne U. Each fuel assembly contains a natural uranium axial blanket 15.24 cm long at the top and the bottom of the fuel rod. The burnable absorber rods are symmetrically radially dispersed within the fuel assembly such that intrabundle power peaking is minimized. The burnable absorber material for both ZrB 2 and Gd 2 O 3 is axially zoned to the central 304.8 cm of the absorber-bearing fuel rods. The fuel management was constrained such that the thermal and safety limitations of F δH q -5 /degrees C were simultaneously achieved. The maximum long-term operating soluble boron concentration was also limited to 446 effective full-power days (EFPDs) including 14 EFPDs of power coastdown were assumed

  16. Comparative Neutronics Analysis of DIMPLE S06 Criticality Benchmark with Contemporary Reactor Core Analysis Computer Code Systems

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wonkyeong Kim

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available A high-leakage core has been known to be a challenging problem not only for a two-step homogenization approach but also for a direct heterogeneous approach. In this paper the DIMPLE S06 core, which is a small high-leakage core, has been analyzed by a direct heterogeneous modeling approach and by a two-step homogenization modeling approach, using contemporary code systems developed for reactor core analysis. The focus of this work is a comprehensive comparative analysis of the conventional approaches and codes with a small core design, DIMPLE S06 critical experiment. The calculation procedure for the two approaches is explicitly presented in this paper. Comprehensive comparative analysis is performed by neutronics parameters: multiplication factor and assembly power distribution. Comparison of two-group homogenized cross sections from each lattice physics codes shows that the generated transport cross section has significant difference according to the transport approximation to treat anisotropic scattering effect. The necessity of the ADF to correct the discontinuity at the assembly interfaces is clearly presented by the flux distributions and the result of two-step approach. Finally, the two approaches show consistent results for all codes, while the comparison with the reference generated by MCNP shows significant error except for another Monte Carlo code, SERPENT2.

  17. Calculation of normalised organ and effective doses to adult reference computational phantoms from contemporary computed tomography scanners

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jansen, Jan T.M.; Shrimpton, Paul C.

    2010-01-01

    The general-purpose Monte Carlo radiation transport code MCNPX has been used to simulate photon transport and energy deposition in anthropomorphic phantoms due to the x-ray exposure from the Philips iCT 256 and Siemens Definition CT scanners, together with the previously studied General Electric 9800. The MCNPX code was compiled with the Intel FORTRAN compiler and run on a Linux PC cluster. A patch has been successfully applied to reduce computing times by about 4%. The International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) has recently published the Adult Male (AM) and Adult Female (AF) reference computational voxel phantoms as successors to the Medical Internal Radiation Dose (MIRD) stylised hermaphrodite mathematical phantoms that form the basis for the widely-used ImPACT CT dosimetry tool. Comparisons of normalised organ and effective doses calculated for a range of scanner operating conditions have demonstrated significant differences in results (in excess of 30%) between the voxel and mathematical phantoms as a result of variations in anatomy. These analyses illustrate the significant influence of choice of phantom on normalised organ doses and the need for standardisation to facilitate comparisons of dose. Further such dose simulations are needed in order to update the ImPACT CT Patient Dosimetry spreadsheet for contemporary CT practice. (author)

  18. An education in complexity: The role of contemporary art music

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Raffaele Pozzi

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available This paper provides some thoughts on the role of contemporary art music in the pedagogy of complexity. Today, theories of complexity are an area of thought that is largely established in the humanities and social sciences. They emphasize the importance of notions such as discontinuity, contradiction, non-linearity, multiplicity, randomness, and chaos in natural and cultural phenomena. The French epistemologist Edgar Morin, in a series of recent publications, has developed a pedagogy based on the theory of complexity. Contemporary art music contains a large repertoire of works, on which to build a pedagogy and didactics of complexity in music. The paper gives an example of use and didactic transposition of a piece, B.A.C.H. for solo piano (1970, by Italian composer Aldo Clementi.

  19. Relative role of contemporary environment versus history in shaping diversity patterns of China's woody plants

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Wang, Zhiheng; Fang, Jingyun; Tang, Zhiyao

    2012-01-01

    What determines large-scale patterns of species diversity is a central and controversial topic in biogeography and ecology. In this study, we compared the effects of contemporary environment and historical contingencies on species richness patterns of woody plants in China, using fine-resolution ......-plant species richness across China, while historical contingencies generate regional deviations from this trend. Our findings imply that both species diversity and regional evolutionary and ecological histories should be taken into account for future nature conservation......., and the Tibetan Plateau, perhaps reflecting their special geological features and history. Nevertheless, partial regression indicated that historical effects were less important relative to contemporary environment. In conclusion, contemporary environment (notably climate) determines the general trend in woody...

  20. Carabelli's trait in contemporary Slovenes and inhabitants of a medieval settlement (Sredisce by the Drava River).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stamfelj, Iztok; Stefancić, Marija; Gaspersic, Dominik; Cvetko, Erika

    2006-06-01

    The objectives of this study were to determine the total frequency, expression and asymmetry of Carabelli's trait in permanent dentitions of contemporary Slovenes and a medieval skeletal population from northeastern Slovenia. A total of 254 dental casts from contemporary Slovene children were examined. The population of a medieval settlement (10th-15th centuries), was represented by 94 skeletons. A modification of the method of Alvesalo and associates was used to classify Carabelli's trait on a five-grade scale. The trait was expressed on the upper first molars of 79.7% of the contemporary subjects and 75.8% of the medieval sample. Positive expressions of the trait were found in 10.1% of the contemporary subjects and 15.2% of the medieval sample. While the observed total frequency of the trait in both samples is characteristic of Europeans, the rates of positive expressions are surprisingly low but consistent with data from a recently published worldwide literature survey. Both populations showed a low rate of left-right fluctuating asymmetry of the trait. This finding might reflect a pronounced ability of individuals in the medieval population to buffer unfavourable influences from the environment and a relatively low level of environmental stress in the contemporary population.

  1. Examining the Effects of Teaching Contemporary Arabic Literature through Communicative Approach

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maryam i Jalae

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Examining the Effects of Teaching Contemporary Arabic Literature through Communicative Approach       Maryam Jalaei *   Narges Ganji **   Sardar Aslani ***           In order to make use of modern methods of teaching in the field of teaching Arabic to non- native Arab speakers, this study employed communicative approach for the teaching of contemporary Arabic literature. Thus, this study aimed at investigating the impact of using communicative approach in teaching contemporary Arabic literature on the speaking ability of Iranian university students of Arabic as a foreign language. In this experimental study, the researchers used test of speaking as an instrument. The participants in this study were 20 intermediate students studying at University of Isfahan. These 20 students were divided equally into two groups, one experimental & one control. The selection of the students was done randomly. In the experimental group, the students were taught according to communicative approach & in the control group, the traditional method was used. A pre–test was given to make sure about the homogeneity of the two groups in their speaking ability. The researchers also re-tested in two phases to monitor the development of communicative ability of the research sample in speaking. Data was analyzed by using T- test. It was found that the two groups had statistically significant differences. These differences can be related to the impact of communicative approach in improving students’ speaking skills.         Key words : Teaching Arabic to Iranian Learners, Communicative Approach, Contemporary Arabic Literature, Communicative Competence, Speaking Skill.       * Assistant Professor, Department of Arabic Language and Literature, University of Kashan .  ** Assistant Professor, Department of Arabic Language and Literature, University of Isfahan. *** Assistant Professor, Department of Arabic Language and Literature, University of Isfahan.

  2. Editorial: Contemporary Issues in International Economics

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Piotr STANEK

    2013-09-01

    Full Text Available International dimension is at the core of modern business activity and globalization processes tighten interconnectedness also at the macroeconomic level to unprecedented levels. This is clearly demonstrated by the first two issues of our review and expressed in editorial introductions (Wach, 2013; Klich, 2013. Thus, the third issue is explicitly devoted to contemporary issues in international economics. Obviously, tackling them in the way as complete as for example in Global Shift: Mapping the Changing Contours of the World Economy (Dicken, 2011 is impossible, taken into consideration limits of a journal issue.

  3. Advanced light sculpting for contemporary biophotonics

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Glückstad, Jesper; Palima, Darwin; Villangca, Mark Jayson

    , structured illumination, optical security, parallel laser marking and recently in contemporary biophotonics applications such as for real-­‐time parallel two-­‐photon optogenetics and neurophotonics. Our most recent GPC light sculpting developments geared towards these applications will be presented....... This includes both a static and a dynamic GPC Light Shaper implementation based on our latest theoretical derivations to demonstrate the benefits for typical applications where lasers have to be actively shaped into particular light patterns. We then show the potential of GPC for biomedical and multispectral...

  4. Preserving the Person in Contemporary Psychiatry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gabbard, Glen O

    2018-06-01

    Psychodynamic psychiatry is a way of thinking that places the person at the heart of diagnostic understanding and treatment. This emphasis on unique characteristics of an individual is at odds with much of contemporary psychiatric thought, which is geared to identifying a set of criteria designed to identify discrete diagnostic categories with biological underpinnings. This article addresses component parts of the person that are linked to psychodynamic constructs and lie at the heart of diagnostic understanding and treatment in psychodynamic psychiatry. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  5. Gender inequality: The challenge of contemporary demography

    OpenAIRE

    Šobot Ankica

    2010-01-01

    Gender perspective is a heuristic device in researching social phenomena, and gender inequality is a social fact which requires an adequate answer. Also, social differences between women and men are examined as relevant factors of demographic phenomena. The contemporary demography is opening up space not only for the gender aspect, but also for gender inequality as a relevant research topic. This paper discusses the possibilities of demographic approach to studying social inequality between w...

  6. Doing fatherhood, doing family: contemporary paternal perspectives

    OpenAIRE

    Osborn, Sharani Evelyn

    2015-01-01

    Research in recent decades has identified a conception among fathers, and others, of a widespread qualitative change in the potential nature of fatherhood for men. This widely circulated ideal of contemporary, participatory fatherhood is characterised as new, intimate, involved and productive of new practices of ‘masculinity’ (Henwood and Procter, 2003). A belief that fathers play a major part in family life and family a major part in fathers’ lives may, first, change the natur...

  7. A Novel Therapy for Chronic Sleep-Onset Insomnia: A Retrospective, Nonrandomized Controlled Study of Auto-Adjusting, Dual-Level, Positive Airway Pressure Technology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Krakow, Barry; Ulibarri, Victor A; McIver, Natalia D; Nadorff, Michael R

    2016-09-29

    Evidence indicates that behavioral or drug therapy may not target underlying pathophysiologic mechanisms for chronic insomnia, possibly due to previously unrecognized high rates (30%-90%) of sleep apnea in chronic insomnia patients. Although treatment studies with positive airway pressure (PAP) demonstrate decreased severity of chronic sleep maintenance insomnia in patients with co-occurring sleep apnea, sleep-onset insomnia has not shown similar results. We hypothesized advanced PAP technology would be associated with decreased sleep-onset insomnia severity in a sample of predominantly psychiatric patients with comorbid sleep apnea. We reviewed charts of 74 severe sleep-onset insomnia patients seen from March 2011 to August 2015, all meeting American Academy of Sleep Medicine Work Group criteria for a chronic insomnia disorder and all affirming behavioral and psychological origins for insomnia (averaging 10 of 18 indicators/patient), as well as averaging 2 or more psychiatric symptoms or conditions: depression (65.2%), anxiety (41.9%), traumatic exposure (35.1%), claustrophobia (29.7%), panic attacks (28.4%), and posttraumatic stress disorder (20.3%). All patients failed continuous or bilevel PAP and were manually titrated with auto-adjusting PAP modes (auto-bilevel and adaptive-servo ventilation). At 1-year follow-up, patients were compared through nonrandom assignment on the basis of a PAP compliance metric of > 20 h/wk (56 PAP users) versus insomnia severity (Hedges' g = 1.72) and sleep-onset insomnia (g = 2.07) compared to partial users (g = 1.04 and 0.91, respectively). Both global and sleep-onset insomnia severity decreased below moderate levels in PAP users compared to partial users whose outcomes persisted at moderately severe levels. In a nonrandomized controlled retrospective study, advanced PAP technology (both auto-bilevel and adaptive servo-ventilation) were associated with large decreases in insomnia severity for sleep-onset insomnia patients who

  8. Continuity and Discontinuity in the Contemporary Crisis of Meanings

    Science.gov (United States)

    Etzioni, Amitai

    1972-01-01

    A discussion of the main historical roots and the key features of the contemporary crisis of the erosion of legitimation and the loss of meaning. Author traces the course of capitalism from a puritan to a hedonistic ethos and discusses postmodern alternatives of social philosophy. (Author/JB)

  9. Public Policy-Making in Contemporary Ethiopia | Abebe | Africa Insight

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    This article draws attention to the perennial problems and salient features of public policy-making in contemporary Ethiopia, namely, the imbalance between policy-making institutions and policy benefi ciaries, and how these have infl uenced policy formulation and implementation from 1991 to 2004. Drawing from interviews ...

  10. Comparison of Effects Produced by Physiological Versus Traditional Vocal Warm-up in Contemporary Commercial Music Singers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Portillo, María Priscilla; Rojas, Sandra; Guzman, Marco; Quezada, Camilo

    2018-03-01

    The present study aimed to observe whether physiological warm-up and traditional singing warm-up differently affect aerodynamic, electroglottographic, acoustic, and self-perceived parameters of voice in Contemporary Commercial Music singers. Thirty subjects were asked to perform a 15-minute session of vocal warm-up. They were randomly assigned to one of two types of vocal warm-up: physiological (based on semi-occluded exercises) or traditional (singing warm-up based on open vowel [a:]). Aerodynamic, electroglottographic, acoustic, and self-perceived voice quality assessments were carried out before (pre) and after (post) warm-up. No significant differences were found when comparing both types of vocal warm-up methods, either in subjective or in objective measures. Furthermore, the main positive effect observed in both groups when comparing pre and post conditions was a better self-reported quality of voice. Additionally, significant differences were observed for sound pressure level (decrease), glottal airflow (increase), and aerodynamic efficiency (decrease) in the traditional warm-up group. Both traditional and physiological warm-ups produce favorable voice sensations. Moreover, there are no evident differences in aerodynamic and electroglottographic variables when comparing both types of vocal warm-ups. Some changes after traditional warm-up (decreased intensity, increased airflow, and decreased aerodynamic efficiency) could imply an early stage of vocal fatigue. Copyright © 2018 The Voice Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. Of Mermaids and Changelings: Human Rights, Folklore and Contemporary Irish Language Poetry

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rióna Ní Fhrighil

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available This article investigates the intersection of human rights discourse, Irish folklore and contemporary Irish-language poetry. The author contends that contemporary Irish-language poets Louis de Paor and Nuala Ní Dhomhnaill exploit the multi-faceted nature of international folklore motifs, along with their local variants, to represent human rights violations in their poetry. Focusing specifically on the motif of the changeling in De Paor’s poetry and on the motif of the mermaid in Ní Dhomhnaill’s, the author traces how folklore material is reimagined in ways that eschew uncomplicated transnational solidarity but which engender empathetic settlement.

  12. ‘Deconstructing Gao Minglu: critical reflections on contemporaneity and associated exceptionalist readings of contemporary Chinese art’

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Paul Gladston

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available In this article, I shall seek to offer an ethically/politically focused critique of exceptionalist accounts of the development of contemporary Chinese art. I shall begin by giving a brief overview of thinking associated with the concept of contemporaneity. I shall then go on to analyze critically an essay by the historian and curator Gao Minglu, which asserts that contemporary Chinese art is open to localized Chinese interpretative perspectives separate from those of internationally dominant postmodernist discourses. In analyzing Gao’s essay, I shall not only argue that its exceptionalist account of the significance of contemporary Chinese art relies on highly selective readings of historical ‘fact’, but also that it is theoretically contradictory/inconsistent and therefore unsustainable as a categorical truth claim. I shall then conclude by examining the ethical/political implications of Gao’s exceptionalist account of the significance of contemporary Chinese art as well as advancing some first thoughts towards a general critique of contemporaneity.

  13. Adaptation: a contemporary view, revisiting Crichton-Miller's 1925 paper.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Music, Graham

    2016-03-01

    In this paper I discuss a contemporary 'take' on the concept of adaptation in light of Crichton-Miller's original 1926 paper. I look briefly at some of the ways that contemporary thinking is both similar to and different from ideas of 90 years ago. In particular I think about how recent neurobiological findings, epigenetic research and attachment theory have cast new light on our understanding of the ways humans adapt to social and emotional environments. It looks at how psychiatric presentations which are seen as maladaptive might well have an adaptive origin in early life. In this account I emphasise how a more modern version of evolutionary theory can be developed, particularly one influenced by life history theory, and suggest that such ideas have powerful explanatory power as well as being based solidly in good research. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

  14. Risk factors for lower-extremity injuries among contemporary dance students

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van Seters, Christine; van Rijn, Rogier M; van Middelkoop, Marienke; Stubbe, Janine H

    2017-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: To determine whether student characteristics, lower-extremity kinematics, and strength are risk factors for sustaining lower-extremity injuries in preprofessional contemporary dancers. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. SETTING: Codarts University of the Arts. PATIENTS: Forty-five

  15. Aneuploidy in immortalized human mesenchymal stem cells with non-random loss of chromosome 13 in culture.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Takeuchi, Masao; Takeuchi, Kikuko; Ozawa, Yutaka; Kohara, Akihiro; Mizusawa, Hiroshi

    2009-01-01

    Aneuploidy (an abnormal number of chromosomes) is commonly observed in most human cancer cells, highlighting the need to examine chromosomal instability in tumorigenesis. Previously, the immortalized human mesenchymal stem cell line UE6E7T-3 was shown to undergo a preferential loss of one copy of chromosome 13 after prolonged culture. Here, the loss of chromosome 13 was found to be caused by chromosome missegregation during mitosis, which involved unequal segregation, exclusion of the misaligned chromosome 13 on the metaphase plate, and trapping of chromosome 13 in the midbody region, as observed by fluorescence in situ hybridization. Near-diploid aneuploidy, not tetraploidy, was the direct result. The loss of chromosome 13 was non-random, and was detected by analysis of microsatellites and single nucleotide polymorphism-based loss of heterozygosity (LOH). Of the five microsatellite loci on chromosome 13, four loci showed microsatellite instability at an early stage in culture, and LOH was apparent at a late stage in culture. These results suggest that the microsatellite mutations cause changes in centromere integrity provoking loss of this chromosome in the UE6E7T-3 cell line. Thus, these results support the use of this cell line as a useful model for understanding the mechanism of aneuploid formation in cell cultures.

  16. Christian music in contemporary Africa: a re-examination of its essentials

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    F. Adedeji

    2007-07-01

    Full Text Available Christian music all over Africa (be it liturgical church music or gospel, in contemporary times has become so popular and well grown howbeit in divergent dimensions. As a result, there have been questions, debates and confusions both by insiders and outsiders of the Christian faith on what exactly constitutes Christian music. There then arises the need to theorise the fundamentals of Christian music, exhuming the Biblical, musical and socio-cultural basis for its performance practices. This article examines various principles that should guide contemporary Christian musicianship, especially as contained in the Scriptures; arguing that the practice of Christian music cannot be divorced from Bible even when the principles of musical sound organisation and the socio-cultural needs of the society have to be observed. The tension created by the superimposition of the three is also resolved. This article is therefore theoretical and prescriptive in focus and depth as it offers to the African audience the paradigms for understanding the art, gives guidance to the practitioners, and supplies scholarly information to the scholars and observers of Christian studies in general. The article concludes by recommending the indispensability of Biblical standards and skilful originality/artistry in contemporary Christian musicianship.

  17. Linking contemporary research to the classics: Celebrating 125 years at APA.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Enns, James T; Becker, Stefanie I; Brockmole, James; Castelhano, Monica; Creem-Regehr, Sarah; Gray, Rob; Hecht, Heiko; Juhasz, Barbara; Philbeck, John; Woodman, Geoffrey

    2017-10-01

    APA is celebrating 125 years this year and at the journal we are commemorating this milestone with a special issue. The inspiration came from our editorial team, who wished to acknowledge the links between game-changing articles that have influenced our research community in the past-we call them classics for short-and contemporary works. The main idea was to feature the work of nine contemporary research teams, while at the same time drawing readers' attention to their links with the classics. In this introduction, we have organized the articles according to several broad themes: active perception, perception for action, action alters perception, perception of our bodies in action, and acting on selective perceptions. As all who have read and contributed to the journal over the past few years have come to realize, it is no longer possible to study perception without considering its role in action. Nor is it possible to study action (formerly called performance , as reflected in the journal title) without understanding the perceptual contributions to action. These nine articles each exemplify, in their own way, how these dynamic interactions play out in contemporary research in our field. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

  18. Nonrandom γ-TuNA-dependent spatial pattern of microtubule nucleation at the Golgi.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sanders, Anna A W M; Chang, Kevin; Zhu, Xiaodong; Thoppil, Roslin J; Holmes, William R; Kaverina, Irina

    2017-11-07

    Noncentrosomal microtubule (MT) nucleation at the Golgi generates MT network asymmetry in motile vertebrate cells. Investigating the Golgi-derived MT (GDMT) distribution, we find that MT asymmetry arises from nonrandom nucleation sites at the Golgi (hotspots). Using computational simulations, we propose two plausible mechanistic models of GDMT nucleation leading to this phenotype. In the "cooperativity" model, formation of a single GDMT promotes further nucleation at the same site. In the "heterogeneous Golgi" model, MT nucleation is dramatically up-regulated at discrete and sparse locations within the Golgi. While MT clustering in hotspots is equally well described by both models, simulating MT length distributions within the cooperativity model fits the data better. Investigating the molecular mechanism underlying hotspot formation, we have found that hotspots are significantly smaller than a Golgi subdomain positive for scaffolding protein AKAP450, which is thought to recruit GDMT nucleation factors. We have further probed potential roles of known GDMT-promoting molecules, including γ-TuRC-mediated nucleation activator (γ-TuNA) domain-containing proteins and MT stabilizer CLASPs. While both γ-TuNA inhibition and lack of CLASPs resulted in drastically decreased GDMT nucleation, computational modeling revealed that only γ-TuNA inhibition suppressed hotspot formation. We conclude that hotspots require γ-TuNA activity, which facilitates clustered GDMT nucleation at distinct Golgi sites. © 2017 Sanders et al. This article is distributed by The American Society for Cell Biology under license from the author(s). Two months after publication it is available to the public under an Attribution–Noncommercial–Share Alike 3.0 Unported Creative Commons License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0).

  19. Critical appraisal of nonrandomized studies-A review of recommended and commonly used tools.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Quigley, Joan M; Thompson, Juliette C; Halfpenny, Nicholas J; Scott, David A

    2018-02-27

    When randomized controlled trial data are limited or unavailable, or to supplement randomized controlled trial evidence, health technology assessment (HTA) agencies may rely on systematic reviews of nonrandomized studies (NRSs) for evidence of the effectiveness of health care interventions. NRS designs may introduce considerable bias into systematic reviews, and several methodologies by which to evaluate this risk of bias are available. This study aimed to identify tools commonly used to assess bias in NRS and determine those recommended by HTA bodies. Appraisal tools used in NRS were identified through a targeted search of systematic reviews (January 2013-March 2017; MEDLINE and EMBASE [OVID SP]). Recommendations for the critical appraisal of NRS by expert review groups and HTA bodies were reviewed. From the 686 studies included in the narrative synthesis, 48 critical appraisal tools were identified. Commonly used tools included the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale, the methodological index for NRS, and bespoke appraisal tools. Neither the Cochrane Handbook nor the Centre for Reviews and Dissemination recommends a particular instrument for the assessment of risk of bias in NRS, although Cochrane has recently developed their own NRS critical appraisal tool. Among HTA bodies, only the Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health recommends use of a specific critical appraisal tool-SIGN 50 (for cohort or case-control studies). Several criteria including reporting, external validity, confounding, and power were examined. There is no consensus between HTA groups on the preferred appraisal tool. Reviewers should select from a suite of tools on the basis of the design of studies included in their review. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  20. Contemporary high performance computing from petascale toward exascale

    CERN Document Server

    Vetter, Jeffrey S

    2015-01-01

    A continuation of Contemporary High Performance Computing: From Petascale toward Exascale, this second volume continues the discussion of HPC flagship systems, major application workloads, facilities, and sponsors. The book includes of figures and pictures that capture the state of existing systems: pictures of buildings, systems in production, floorplans, and many block diagrams and charts to illustrate system design and performance.

  1. Transformative Critique: What Confucianism Can Contribute to Contemporary Education

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sigurðsson, Geir

    2017-01-01

    Critical thinking is currently much celebrated in the contemporary West and beyond, not least in higher education. Tertiary education students are generally expected to adopt a critical attitude in order to become responsible and constructive participants in the development of modern democratic society. Currently, the perceived desirability of…

  2. Contemporary Challenges and Changes: Principals' Leadership Practices in Malaysia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jones, Michelle; Adams, Donnie; Joo, Mabel Tan Hwee; Muniandy, Vasu; Perera, Corinne Jaqueline; Harris, Alma

    2015-01-01

    This article outlines the findings from a contemporary study of principals' leadership practices in Malaysia as part of the 7 System Leadership Study. Recent policy developments within Malaysia have increased principals' accountability and have underlined the importance of the role of the principals in transforming school performance and student…

  3. Frontiers Of Identity: Representations Of Italianità In Contemporary ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Frontiers Of Identity: Representations Of Italianità In Contemporary Narrative. R Wilson. Abstract. Il concetto di identità culturale italiana, sempre problematica, è stata complicata ulteriormente da alcuni scrittori, che portano avanti una “politica del locale”, contestando nozioni ricevute e omogenee di territorio, identità e ...

  4. Alienation and Transformation: An International Education in Contemporary Dance

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martin, Rosemary

    2013-01-01

    This research investigates experiences of an international education in dance. Through the narratives of seven female dance practitioners from the southern Mediterranean region, who have trained in contemporary dance in Western cultural contexts, a multiplicity of encounters are illustrated. Two key findings emerged from the dancers' experiences.…

  5. Contemporary sensorimotor theory

    CERN Document Server

    Martin, Andrew

    2014-01-01

    This book analyzes the philosophical foundations of sensorimotor theory and discusses the most recent applications of sensorimotor theory to human computer interaction, child’s play, virtual reality, robotics, and linguistics. Why does a circle look curved and not angular? Why does red not sound like a bell? Why, as I interact with the world, is there something it is like to be me? An analytic philosopher might suggest: ``if we ponder the concept of circle we find that it is the essence of a circle to be round’’. However, where does this definition come from? Was it set in stone by the Gods, in other words by divine arbiters of circleness, redness and consciousness? Particularly, with regard to visual consciousness, a first attempt to explain why our conscious experience of the world appears as it does has been attributed to Kevin O’Regan and Alva Noe, who published their sensorimotor account of vision and visual consciousness in 2001. Starting with a chapter by Kevin O’Regan, Contemporary Sensorimo...

  6. Neutral Community Dynamics and the Evolution of Species Interactions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Coelho, Marco Túlio P; Rangel, Thiago F

    2018-04-01

    A contemporary goal in ecology is to determine the ecological and evolutionary processes that generate recurring structural patterns in mutualistic networks. One of the great challenges is testing the capacity of neutral processes to replicate observed patterns in ecological networks, since the original formulation of the neutral theory lacks trophic interactions. Here, we develop a stochastic-simulation neutral model adding trophic interactions to the neutral theory of biodiversity. Without invoking ecological differences among individuals of different species, and assuming that ecological interactions emerge randomly, we demonstrate that a spatially explicit multitrophic neutral model is able to capture the recurrent structural patterns of mutualistic networks (i.e., degree distribution, connectance, nestedness, and phylogenetic signal of species interactions). Nonrandom species distribution, caused by probabilistic events of migration and speciation, create nonrandom network patterns. These findings have broad implications for the interpretation of niche-based processes as drivers of ecological networks, as well as for the integration of network structures with demographic stochasticity.

  7. Self-reported and reported injury patterns in contemporary dance students.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baker, Jo; Scott, Daniel; Watkins, Katherine; Keegan-Turcotte, Sheramy; Wyon, Matthew

    2010-03-01

    Injury is a major concern among dancers, as currently rates are reported as being high. The purpose of the present study was to assess the incidence and details of injuries across an academic year at a full-time contemporary dance school. A questionnaire was distributed to 57 dancers at the end of their first academic year. Reported injury information was also retrieved from a database as collected from a physiotherapist over the same period. Differences were found between the reported and self-reported information, particularly with reference to shin injuries. The majority of injuries occurred in November and May, noted to be close to assessment periods. Injury rates in contemporary dance are high; notably, 89% of dancers reported one or more injuries. This problem is particularly evident in the lower limb. Med Probl Perform Art 2010; 25:10-15.

  8. Defenses and morality: Adam Smith, Sigmund Freud, and contemporary psychoanalysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gabrinetti, Paul A; Özler, Sule

    2014-10-01

    In this paper we follow the development and transmission of moral learning from Adam Smith's impartial spectator to Sigmund Freud's superego and then to contemporary psychoanalysis. We argue that defenses are an integral component in the acquisition of any moral system. Elaborating on this argument, we assert that there is a progression from defensive systems that are "closed" to defensive systems that are "open," as defined in a recent work by Novick and Novick. The former system is "static, avoids reality, and is characterized by power dynamics, sadomasochism, and omnipotent defense." The latter, on the other hand, is a system that allows for "joy, creativity, spontaneity, love and it is attuned to reality." Furthermore, while Smith and Freud's systems are more one-person systems of defense, contemporary psychoanalysis has moved to more of a two-person system.

  9. Dirty Pop: Contemporary British Painting, Group Exhibition

    OpenAIRE

    Stubbs, Michael

    2013-01-01

    Phil Allen, Peter Ashton Jones, Jake Clark, Richard Clegg, Dan Coombs, Nelson Diplexcito, Nadine Feinson, Mick Finch, Richard Hamilton, Dan Hays, Gavin Lockheart, Andrea Medjesi Jones, David Leeson, Duncan Newton, Sarah Pickstone, Colin Smith, John Stark, Michael Stubbs, James White, Mark Wright.\\ud \\ud Dirty Pop, curated for &Model by Mark Wright, presents twenty contemporary painters whose work connects with Pop Art of the 1960’s, and particularly the legacy of the important British artist ...

  10. Monday-Morning Quarterbacking: A Senior Analyst Uses His Early Work to Discuss Contemporary Child and Adolescent Psychoanalytic Technique.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sugarman, Alan

    2015-01-01

    Contemporary child and adolescent psychoanalytic technique has evolved and changed a great deal in the last thirty years. This paper will describe the analysis of an adolescent girl from early in the author's career to demonstrate the ways in which technique has changed. The clinical material presented highlights six areas in which contemporary child and adolescent analysts practice and/or understand material and the clinical process differently than they did thirty years ago: (1) the contemporary perspective on mutative action, (2) the contemporary emphasis on mental organization, (3) the developmental lag in integrating the structural model, (4) the child analyst's multiple functions, (5) the child analyst's use of countertransference, and (6) the child analyst's work with parents. The author discusses how he would work differently with the patient now using his contemporary perspective. But he also wonders what might have been lost by not working in a more traditional manner, in particular the opportunity to analyze the patient's hypersensitivity to feeling hurt and mistreated so directly in the transference.

  11. Contemporary Political Paranoia, a Case of Political Gnosticism

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Antonio Rivera García

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available This article puts forward the concept of political paranoia as a useful category to understand some contemporary manifestations of the pathologies of power. For this aim an interdisciplinary approach has been used, namely, the knowledge provided by psychoanalysis, political philosophy, theology and literary or aesthetic studies. Freud’s and Lacan’s psychoanalysis allows us to understand why the paranoid subject is a megalomaniac and hyperrational subject who wants to be in control of everything. It is a sovereign subject, who has adapted not only to the Society of Control initially defined by Deleuze, but also to a conception of philosophy that aims for totality. After dealing with the close relationship between paranoia and conspiratorial political theory, the article explains the reason why contemporary political paranoia represents a case of the most radical political theology: political Gnosticism. This term stands for a conception of politics that reduces the Other to the condition of an absolute enemy that needs to be eliminated. Lastly, the article establishes a close link between the cure for political paranoia and the assumption of an ontology of incompleteness

  12. Film Tourism: A Contemporary Resource for Promoting Serbia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dejan Berić

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Studies of the relationships between film, TV and tourism are relatively new, and in development mainly since the early 1990s. Leisure activities such as watching films as well as traveling are ways to escape. Both provide temporary relief from the real world. Contemporary tourism industry itself is very competitive and many new destinations are trying to attract the tourists to their destinations. Film can provide knowledge of certain aspects of the country such as nature, culture and people which result in the construction of the attitudes towards the country. An interest in the nation and its positive image can eventually lead to an actual visit to the country. Serbia offers a range of scenery that can serve diverse location needs from villages to rivers, mountains and forests. The country’s unique architecture from Ottoman and Habsburg to Socialist period structures and from Roman and Medieval to contemporary urban is offering rich, distinct backdrops for a variety of productions. This paper investigates the film tourism phenomenon by reviewing previous research and practices (in several countries, including Serbia to highlight the benefits of film in promoting tourist products.

  13. Contemporary art and Hanna Segal's thinking on aesthetics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abella, Adela

    2010-02-01

    From the point of view of the history of ideas in psychoanalysis, a major shift may be described from Freud's starting point considering art as sublimation of sexual desires on a largely objectal level to later developments emphasizing the presence in art of destructiveness and narcissistic conflicts. Segal's contribution represents a watershed in this evolution. Following Klein, Hanna Segal suggests considering art in relation to depressive anxieties and reparation in such a way that artistic activity may be seen as an attempt 'to restore and re-create the loved object outside and inside the ego' which implies a successful work of mourning accompanied by symbol formation. For Segal, these reparative processes are conveyed through formal beauty which represents the victory of reparation over destruction. Nevertheless, contemporary art demands that we consider the intervention, in art, of more raw and less symbolized/sublimated processes, including acting-out in often primitive, psychotic or perverse ways. Thus this paper unfolds in two directions: on the one hand, it examines the differences and continuities between Freud's and Segal's thinking whilst, on the other, the author presents some alternative ideas which stress the search for truth and new thinking in contemporary art.

  14. What is the urban in the contemporary world?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Roberto Luís Monte-Mór

    2005-06-01

    Full Text Available Central concepts of contemporary life such as politics, civilization, and citizenship derive from the city's form and social organization. The city expresses the socio-spatial division of labor, and Henri Lefèbvre proposes to view its transformation within a continuum from the political city to the urban, whereby it completes its domination over the countryside. The city's transformation into the urban takes place when industry brings production (and the proletariat into that space of power. The city, locus of surplus, power, and the fiesta, a privileged scenario for social reproduction, was subordinated to the industrial logic and underwent a dual process: its centrality imploded, and its outskirts exploded on surrounding areas through the urban fabric, bearing with it the seeds of the polis and civitas. The urban praxis, formerly restricted to the city, re-politicized social space as a whole. In Brazil, the urban has its origins in the military governments' centralizing and integrating policies, following Vargas's expansionism and Kubitschek's developmental interiorization (or occupation of the hinterlands. Today, urban-industrial processes impose themselves over virtually all social space, in contemporary extended urbanization.

  15. Investigating the Usefulness of Lexical Phrases in Contemporary Coursebooks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koprowski, Mark

    2005-01-01

    Over the past decade, lexical theory, corpus statistics, and psycholinguistic research have pointed to the pedagogical value of lexical phrases. In response, commercial publishers have been quick to import these insights into their materials in a bid to accommodate consumers and to profit from the "lexical chunk" phenomenon. Contemporary British…

  16. Pitch and tonality in contemporary African music: Nigerian gospel ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Like melody, language and rhythm, pitch and tonality are major indicators of African identity in music. In traditional African musical forms, these elements are obvious, but in contemporary African musical expressions which are influenced by several external factors, it is necessary to know the extent to which the elements ...

  17. Second-Person Address Forms in Contemporary Uruguayan Children's Literature

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rosales Lagos, María José; Moyna, María Irene

    2016-01-01

    In this study, we analyze the representations of singular address ("voseo," "tuteo," and "ustedeo") in contemporary Uruguayan children's literature from 1997 to 2011 as part of a broader analysis of variation and change in Uruguayan Spanish (Behares 1981; Bertolotti 2011; Bertolotti and Coll 2003; Elizaincín and Díaz…

  18. Stages of Drama: Classical to Contemporary Theater. Third Edition.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Klaus, Carl H.; And Others

    Organized along broadly historical lines, this comprehensive collection of outstanding plays includes 41 works from the classical Greek period to the contemporary. As an introduction to the theater, the collection is unmatched for its theatrical variety and cultural diversity. It provides: (1) a general introduction on reading and witnessing a…

  19. THE ROLE OF THE CODE OF ETHICS IN THE CONTEMPORARY FIRMS ACTIVITY

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    ANDREEA GANGONE

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available Nothing is eternal, except changes. This statement characterizes the contemporary world, as succinctly and correctly as possible. The field of economic affairs, strongly marked by the effects of the economic globalization process development, by the manifestation of the knowledge-based economy and by the moral, ecological and social consciousness of contemporary economic organizations, within the framework of the aggravation of some social and ecological problems, faces today the need for various fundamental changes, starting from the reconsideration of the validity of those principles that have governed it for the last decades. Respecting the ethical norms or principles in developing economic affairs does not represent a recent approach, but, as a result of the changes that marked the contemporary economy, tends to become an organic component of the process of adopting organizational decisions and an indissolubly respected principle in the process of planning the future of the organization. Moreover, the international organizations’ experience proclaimed the importance of respecting a unitary set of business ethics principles, disregarding the market or the geographical area where they develop their activity, leading thus to the enrichment of science and management functions with an ethical part.

  20. Projecting the voice: observations of audience behaviours in ICT-mediated contemporary opera

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, Yu-Wei; Williams, Alan E.

    2014-07-01

    This paper examines how audiences experience live opera performance and the behaviours they exhibit during live-streaming of the performance. It aims to contribute to our understanding of how audiences, who increasingly inhabit an environment saturated with digital media, respond to contemporary opera performance. Based on a comparative study of audience experiences and behaviours during a live opera performance and the streamed opera screening, we investigate whether digital mediation affects audience appreciation, and whether streaming live opera means the same thing to an audience as the unmediated performance. We firstly outline the conception, design and performance of a contemporary opera and its simultaneous streaming to nearby digital screens. Then, we report the evaluation of the project as measured by a mix of qualitative and quantitative methods during the rehearsals, the live performance and the screening. As one of the few social studies of contemporary classical music in Britain, our study of opera audience behaviours sheds light on the challenges and opportunities afforded by digital technologies for opera companies. Understanding how audiences appreciate digital operas offers practical advice on how theatres and opera companies could respond to new forms of digital activities.

  1. Pânico e desamparo na atualidade Panic and helplessness in contemporary society

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lucianne Sant'Anna de Menezes

    2005-12-01

    Full Text Available Procura-se articular o que Freud denominou "mal-estar na civilização" às psicopatologias contemporâneas, examinando-se a relação da incidência do pânico com as modalidades subjetivas emergentes. Diante do deslocamento da ordem paterna como referencial central, o desamparo do sujeito contemporâneo tornou-se agudo. Na tentativa de proteção contra o desamparo, o sujeito pode fazer uso de modalidades subjetivas que privilegiam o masoquismo. O pânico seria efeito do desamparo na contemporaneidade, uma forma de padecimento em que está em jogo o masoquismo como figura da servidão.Pretends to articulate what Freud called "civilization and its discontents" to contemporary psychopathologies, examining the relationship between the incidence of panic symptoms and contemporary ways of subjectivity construction. In face of current displacement of paternal order as a central reference, the helplessness of the subject became severe, acute. To protect himself from a radical helplessness, masochist ways may be privileged. The panic is an effect a helplessness in contemporary society, a suffering form where masochism appears as a figure of servitude.

  2. "Vraisemblance" and the Western Setting in Contemporary Science Fiction Film.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roth, Lane

    Analyzing the setting of six recent "blockbuster" films, this study outlines numerous instances of the Western's influence on several contemporary science fiction films, "Star Wars,""Battlestar Galactica,""Star Trek: The Motion Picture,""The Black Hole,""The Empire Strikes Back," and…

  3. Morphological and genetic evidence of contemporary intersectional hybridisation in Mediterranean Helichrysum (Asteraceae, Gnaphalieae).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Galbany-Casals, M; Carnicero-Campmany, P; Blanco-Moreno, J M; Smissen, R D

    2012-09-01

    Hybridisation is considered an important evolutionary phenomenon in Gnaphalieae, but contemporary hybridisation has been little explored within the tribe. Here, hybridisation between Helichrysum orientale and Helichrysum stoechas is studied at two different localities in the islands of Crete and Rhodes (Greece). Using three different types of molecular data (AFLP, nrDNA ITS sequences and cpDNA ndhF sequences) and morphological data, the aim is to provide simultaneous and direct comparisons between molecular and morphological variation among the parental species and the studied hybrid populations. AFLP profiles, ITS sequences and morphological data support the existence of hybrids at the two localities studied, shown as morphological and genetic intermediates between the parental species. Chloroplast DNA sequences show that both parental species can act either as pollen donor or as maternal parent. Fertility of hybrids is demonstrated by the viability of seeds produced by hybrids from both localities, and the detection of a backcross specimen to H. orientale. Although there is general congruence of morphological and molecular data, the analysis of morphology and ITS sequences can fail to detect backcross hybrids. © 2012 German Botanical Society and The Royal Botanical Society of the Netherlands.

  4. Information Practices in Contemporary Cosmopolitan Civil Society

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    Michael Olsson

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available What is the nature of information?  What is its role in Contemporary Cosmopolitan Civil Society? What is the basis for the widespread current belief that we live in an ‘information society’? The present article will examine these questions through an examination of the historical origins of established ‘scientized’ views of information in the philosophy of the Enlightenment. It describes how postmodern and poststructuralist critique of such positivist approaches led to profound paradigmatic and methodological shifts in the social and information studies fields in recent decades. It consider how the emergence of social constructivist approaches to information research drawing on discourse analysis, practice theory and ethnographic theories and methodologies has led to a have led researchers to a radically different understanding of central concepts such as: the influence of emergent information and communication technologies on contemporary society; the relationship between knowledge and power, the nature of expertise and authoritative information; a re-thinking of community and consensus; a re-interpretation of notions of space and place in information dissemination, sharing and use and a reconsideration of the role of the researcher. The article illustrates this changing research landscape through reference to the work of scholars in the Cosmopolitan Civil Societies Research Centre at the University of Technology, Sydney, published in the Centre’s journal.

  5. Intergenerational fertility correlations in contemporary developing counties.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Murphy, Michael

    2012-01-01

    To estimate the magnitude of intergenerational continuities in total and effective fertility among women in a group of 46 contemporary developing countries. Information collected from 93,000 women aged 45-49 for estimation of maternal mortality in the demographic and health surveys (DHS) program is analyzed using Pearson product moment intergenerational fertility correlations. A positive but usually small intergenerational correlation is found for both completed fertility (CFS, total number of children born) and effective fertility (EFS, number of children surviving to age of reproduction). Although the developing countries are mainly located in sub-Saharan Africa, a similar pattern appears to hold for the Asian and Latin American countries included. Women in the second generation with no education have a stronger relationship with their parents' fertility than women with some education. The relationship is also stronger in rural than in urban areas and in countries with lower levels of development. Intergenerational correlations of completed fertility in both generations are marginally stronger than for effective fertility largely because the number of a woman's total sibs is more strongly related to her subsequent childbearing than her number of adult sibs. Values of intergenerational correlations for these countries are similar to published values for a number of Western pretransitional populations, but well below values in contemporary developed societies. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  6. Human heavy-chain variable region gene family nonrandomly rearranged in familial chronic lymphocytic leukemia

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shen, A.; Humphries, C.; Tucker, P.; Blattner, F.

    1987-01-01

    The authors have identified a family of human immunoglobulin heavy-chain variable-region (V/sub H/) genes, one member of which is rearranged in two affected members of a family in which the father and four of five siblings developed chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Cloning and sequencing of the rearranged V/sub H/ genes from leukemic lymphocytes of three affected siblings showed that two siblings had rearranged V/sub H/ genes (V/sub H/TS1 and V/sub H/WS1) that were 90% homologous. The corresponding germ-line gene, V/sub H/251, was found to part of a small (four gene) V/sub H/ gene family, which they term V/sub H/V. The DNA sequence homology to V/sub H/WS1 (95%) and V/sub H/TS1 (88%) and identical restriction sites on the 5' side of V/sub H/ confirm that rearrangement of V/sub H/251 followed by somatic mutation produced the identical V/sub H/ gene rearrangements in the two siblings. V/sub H/TS1 is not a functional V/sub H/ gene; a functional V/sub H/ rearrangement was found on the other chromosome of this patient. The other two siblings had different V/sub H/ gene rearrangements. All used different diversity genes. Mechanisms proposed for nonrandom selection of a single V/sub H/ gene include developmental regulation of this V/sub H/ gene rearrangement or selection of a subpopulation of B cells in which this V/sub H/ has been rearranged

  7. In search of an appropriate contemporary approach in Christian ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The article addresses the question: 'To what extent can Max Weber's ethic of responsibility be a helpful resource in the search of Christian Social Ethics for an appropriate contemporary approach'? This question is addressed by, first of all, providing a summary of Weber's famous speech Politics as a Vocation in which he ...

  8. The Pragmatics of Political Apology in Ghana's Contemporary Politics

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The paper discusses political apology in the 4th republic of Ghanaian contemporary politics from 2013 to 2015. It taps its data from apologetic speeches by political officials and from apologies rendered to politicians. The paper discusses the semantics and pragmatics of political apology. It examines the use of the language ...

  9. Women's social status and social justice in contemporary Tswana ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    This article explored the sociocultural traditions and legal practices that have contributed to the low status of women in contemporary Tswana society, presenting a state-of-the art literature review of the customary law and marriage act statutes and their adverse impact on the status of women in Botswana. There is evidence ...

  10. Promoting Science Learning and Scientific Identification through Contemporary Scientific Investigations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Van Horne, Katie

    This dissertation investigates the implementation issues and the educational opportunities associated with "taking the practice turn" in science education. This pedagogical shift focuses instructional experiences on engaging students in the epistemic practices of science both to learn the core ideas of the disciplines, as well as to gain an understanding of and personal connection to the scientific enterprise. In Chapter 2, I examine the teacher-researcher co-design collaboration that supported the classroom implementation of a year-long, project-based biology curriculum that was under development. This study explores the dilemmas that arose when teachers implemented a new intervention and how the dilemmas arose and were managed throughout the collaboration of researchers and teachers and between the teachers. In the design-based research of Chapter 3, I demonstrate how students' engagement in epistemic practices in contemporary science investigations supported their conceptual development about genetics. The analysis shows how this involved a complex interaction between the scientific, school and community practices in students' lives and how through varied participation in the practices students come to write about and recognize how contemporary investigations can give them leverage for science-based action outside of the school setting. Finally, Chapter 4 explores the characteristics of learning environments for supporting the development of scientific practice-linked identities. Specific features of the learning environment---access to the intellectual work of the domain, authentic roles and accountability, space to make meaningful contributions in relation to personal interests, and practice-linked identity resources that arose from interactions in the learning setting---supported learners in stabilizing practice-linked science identities through their engagement in contemporary scientific practices. This set of studies shows that providing students with the

  11. Bodies of Knowledge – Anatomy and Transparency in Contemporary Art

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Silvia Di Marco

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Since the 1990s, the growing expansion of a vast array of medical technologies for the visualization of the inner body seems to have revamped, in an improved version, the tradition of the anatomical theatre, fuelling not only the question of the relation between inner and outer body, public and private space, visible and invisible objects, but also the problem of the relation between art, science and knowledge. The objective of this article is to shed some light on how contemporary artists engage with the very notion of “knowledge of the inner body” proper of the anatomical tradition. To this aim I briefly summarize some fundamental aspects of such tradition and subsequently examine the work of two artists, Laura Ferguson and Annie Cattrell, as examples of very different approaches to the meaning of the visualization and representation of the inner body in contemporary art.

  12. Masked Thinkers? Politics and Ideology in the Contemporary Superhero Film

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rodrigo Muñoz-González

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available This article analyzes the ideological representations in the discourse of contemporary superhero films. In recent years, there has been a tendency in the genre: The characters have become more self-conscious of their roles, even questioning the ‘greater good’ that they are trying to achieve. Thus, the ideological representations of two recent superhero films are studied. For the corpus of analysis, Iron Man (2008 and Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014 would be selected to be examined based on a Critical Discourse Analysis approach, and using two categories: plot and characters (the second with two subcategories: biographic origin and objectives. The main results point out political contradictions at the discursive level and suggest a relation with current political issues of the contemporary capitalism. This work discusses how a text unfolds an ideology harbored in the meanings and values of an American-based production and political culture.

  13. ARE CONTEMPORARY WARS “NEW”?

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    Clara Darabont

    2010-03-01

    Full Text Available This paper will assess the existing perspectives on “new wars” in the literature. It will then analyze the degree to which contemporary wars are “new” by looking firstly at the changing nature of the state. It will not however support the view that state’s weakness is a structural cause of conflict but rather that it is a facilitator one. Finally, it will explore the degree to which globalization has impacted the role Romanian forces have to play in hotbeds such as Irak or Afghanistan. While engaging the existing literature, I argue that we must understand the “new wars” as an adapted form of engagement and not necessarily as a new breed of war.

  14. Comparison of three contemporary risk scores for mortality following elective abdominal aortic aneurysm repair.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grant, S W; Hickey, G L; Carlson, E D; McCollum, C N

    2014-07-01

    A number of contemporary risk prediction models for mortality following elective abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repair have been developed. Before a model is used either in clinical practice or to risk-adjust surgical outcome data it is important that its performance is assessed in external validation studies. The British Aneurysm Repair (BAR) score, Medicare, and Vascular Governance North West (VGNW) models were validated using an independent prospectively collected sample of multicentre clinical audit data. Consecutive, data on 1,124 patients undergoing elective AAA repair at 17 hospitals in the north-west of England and Wales between April 2011 and March 2013 were analysed. The outcome measure was in-hospital mortality. Model calibration (observed to expected ratio with chi-square test, calibration plots, calibration intercept and slope) and discrimination (area under receiver operating characteristic curve [AUC]) were assessed in the overall cohort and procedural subgroups. The mean age of the population was 74.4 years (SD 7.7); 193 (17.2%) patients were women and the majority of patients (759, 67.5%) underwent endovascular aneurysm repair. All three models demonstrated good calibration in the overall cohort and procedural subgroups. Overall discrimination was excellent for the BAR score (AUC 0.83, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.76-0.89), and acceptable for the Medicare and VGNW models, with AUCs of 0.78 (95% CI 0.70-0.86) and 0.75 (95% CI 0.65-0.84) respectively. Only the BAR score demonstrated good discrimination in procedural subgroups. All three models demonstrated good calibration and discrimination for the prediction of in-hospital mortality following elective AAA repair and are potentially useful. The BAR score has a number of advantages, which include being developed on the most contemporaneous data, excellent overall discrimination, and good performance in procedural subgroups. Regular model validations and recalibration will be essential. Copyright

  15. Australian Writing and the Contemporary: Are We There Yet?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Annee Lawrence

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available Australia’s geographical location (within ‘Asia’—seen as a negative into the twenty-first century when the nation defined itself as culturally and aspirationally linked to the major Euro-American metropolitan cultural centres (the ‘West’—must now be reevaluated. After two hundred years of white settlement and of turning its back on the region in which it is located, some Australian writers are writing texts that illuminate an aspect of Australian literature that is in transition, becoming, by definition, in, of, and with the region as well as in, of, and with present time. Art historian Terry Smith’s theory of the three currents of contemporary art, particularly the third current, suggests a new paradigm, a potential break from modernism, and a different kind of entanglement and interconnection in a world that is witnessing shifts in world power, voluntary and involuntary mass movements of people, and real time global communication technologies. Adrian Snodgrass and David Coyne’s application of hermeneutical theory to the architectural design studio via the metaphor of excursion and return illuminates some imaginative intersections, understandings and energies in three texts by Australian authors—Michelle De Kretser, Chi Vu and Jennifer Mackenzie. In Smith’s terms too, the texts perform original leaps of the imagination in their diversity, freshness, and ability to surprise and invite questions about literature’s potential to stir up prior understandings and invite new ways of being in the present. In terms of Giorgio Agamben’s definition of the contemporary, the three texts bring the reader to a plurality and intercultural connectedness that we have yet to fully recognise and live. They represent a line of flight towards a literary imaginary in Australian writing that is contemporary, locally grounded, but also regionally and globally entangled.

  16. Genetic evidence for natural selection in humans in the contemporary United States.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Beauchamp, Jonathan P

    2016-07-12

    Recent findings from molecular genetics now make it possible to test directly for natural selection by analyzing whether genetic variants associated with various phenotypes have been under selection. I leverage these findings to construct polygenic scores that use individuals' genotypes to predict their body mass index, educational attainment (EA), glucose concentration, height, schizophrenia, total cholesterol, and (in females) age at menarche. I then examine associations between these scores and fitness to test whether natural selection has been occurring. My study sample includes individuals of European ancestry born between 1931 and 1953 who participated in the Health and Retirement Study, a representative study of the US population. My results imply that natural selection has been slowly favoring lower EA in both females and males, and are suggestive that natural selection may have favored a higher age at menarche in females. For EA, my estimates imply a rate of selection of about -1.5 mo of education per generation (which pales in comparison with the increases in EA observed in contemporary times). Although they cannot be projected over more than one generation, my results provide additional evidence that humans are still evolving-albeit slowly, especially compared with the rapid changes that have occurred over the past few generations due to cultural and environmental factors.

  17. Contemporary Perspectives on the Constitution and Separation of Powers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    American Bar Association, Chicago, IL. Special Committee on Youth Education for Citizenship.

    A collection of essays designed to provide educators and other interested individuals with contemporary perspectives on the U.S. Constitution and separation of powers is presented. Separation of powers refers to one of the enduring principles of the U.S. constitutional system of government, in which governmental powers are subject to a division of…

  18. Genre Transformation of the Fairy Tale in Contemporary Russian Literature

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    Ekaterina Zueva

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available This research is devoted to some peculiarities of structure and semantics of contemporary Russian fairy tale. The analyzed genre model is quite actual in the literature of modern turn of the centuries. It is actualized in the creativity of L. Petrushevskaya, A. Kabakov, B. Akunin, M. Fray, D. Bykov, etc. This is connected with the universality of themes and problems and the dynamics of structure of genre analyzed. Modern literature process suggests the use of various genre forms (including fairy-tale one in the context of realization of game strategies of world construction with the deconstruction principle domination. The usage of the most productive for such kind of research methods (structural-semantical and comparative ones gives grounds for understanding the specifics of realization of deconstruction principle through the variety of forms and meanings. For example, the scheme of “genre memory” is widely used in contemporary fairy tale. If that scheme deals with the sphere of semantics, then structural components are actively deconstructed (e.g. fairy tales by L. Petrushevskaya. If the meaningful fairy tale composition models are actualized, then the semantic component is widely transformed (e.g. Moscow Fairy Tales by A. Kabakov. The most important peculiarity of contemporary fairy tale is the integration of fairy tale, legendary, mythological and literary plots to the one game system. The result of this is on the one hand travestying of the iconic plots, on the other hand achieving the new meanings due to including context mechanisms.

  19. An Historical and Contemporary Overview of Gendered Caribbean Relations

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dr. Sharla Blank

    2013-06-01

    Full Text Available This paper presents a broad overview of historical and contemporary gender and social class relations in the British, French, and Spanish Caribbean islands focusing primarily on Afro-Caribbean people. It begins with a discussion of gendered relations during slavery and then investigates gender roles post emancipation. Next, multiple aspects of contemporary West Indian family life are addressed including the prevalence of matrifocal households and child shifting. The important roles played by Caribbean female household heads are discussed in the context of patriarchy. Highlights include the significance of the maternal role over the marital, socializing youth, particular negative expectations each sex holds of the other, customary sexual behavior, as well as common relationship types. Varying aspects of women’s behavior according to social class is touched upon followed by a brief synopsis of the status of Caribbean women on measures of educational and work force participation rates; finally, a summary of the dearth of active women’s movements in the region is addressed. The paper provides an introduction to the intimate and working lives of Caribbean women and men.

  20. War and perpetual peace: Hegel, Kant and contemporary war

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maria de Lourdes Borges

    2006-01-01

    Full Text Available The paper compares the views of two classical authors about the possibility of peace and the inevitability of war: Kant and Hegel. The paper will argue that the main lines of these two schools are still alive today in our contemporary international politics. The Kantian school, with the possibility of peace, based on a league of nations, has inspired the creation of the United Nations. The Hegelian way of thinking (there is no judge above the national states, besides the history of the world has proven to be as contemporary as ever, once one analyzes some recent events of the international politics. Both Kantian and Hegelian views have weak and strong points, and it is a difficult task to reconcile both of them in a reasonable international politics. At the end, the paper will present JohnRawls´ doctrine of international politics, as stated in The Laws of Peoples, arguing that this doctrine follows the Kantian tradition of a foedus pacificum, while giving room to some Hegelian philosophical conceptions.

  1. Postmodern messiahs: the changing saviours of contemporary popular culture

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sofia Sjö

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available The messiah myth is alive and well in the modern world. Contemporary science fiction film has taken the myth to heart and given us an endless stream of larger than life heroes. The heroes of the present are, however, not exactly the same as the heroes of the past. A changing world demands new things of its saviours. Using a textual and narrative analysis based on insights gained from feminist film theory and cultural studies, this article looks closely at the messiah theme in science fiction films and TV series from the last three decades. The study explores the changes that have occurred in relation to images of the body, the attitudes and personalities of modern heroes, gender, questions of power and ideas of the transcendent. The article then discusses what these changes both between newer and older heroes and between contemporary heroes and the traditional messiah story might say about religion and spirituality in the modern world. Finally the article explores the question of why the messiah myth still finds an audience today.

  2. Healing bodies: Contemporary spirituality, practice and therapeutic landscapes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Matejskova, Tatiana

    In response to the reductionist accounts of contemporary non-religious spiritual practices as simply a by-product of post-modern consumerism, geographers have recently stressed the need to take such practices seriously. This paper heeds this call by focusing on a particular aspect of modern spiri...... therapeutic and spiritual landscapes - traditionally relying on impoverished conceptions of body – as dynamic and relational emergences effectuated quite literally in and through the bodily...

  3. An adaptive-critic look to contemporary poetry in Iran and Iraq

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rreza Kiani

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available Radical innovations in imagery and trying to create new images and combination in nowadays poetry, lead the language out of the monotony and revitalize it. Contemporary poets with personalizing sentiments in two axes companion and succession, rejected arbitrarily the principles and highlighted their words. In this way, poets of Iran and Iraq due to the proximity of certain intellectual and cultural issues, and influencing by various factors of life today, seeking to create fresh images, violating the rules of the meaning of language have created hesitations deliberately in the audiences’ understanding. Most of criticisms in this area are relevant and thought-provoking and can be used in the field of contemporary criticism as a topic worth discussing. In other words, poets have used language not as an opportunity to manifest their poetry, but as a tool to destroy the norms of the past, have taken advantage. In general, the use of frequent and dead images, the lack of illustrations, the use of compounds abandoned, oldness, orientation to the stereotypes and outdated themes, scare senses, due to the role of transformational language, regardless of other applications... are among the issues related to pathology in "beauty-removing" in contemporary poetry of Iran and Iraq which in continue the effects of the three aspects_ langue, mental form and imagination_ have been reviewed. In other words, the findings of this research show that "extremism in tabular arrangement of words and disruption of family practice words", "Rely on the use of stereotypical language," "intellectual solidity on archaic situations" and some of the factors considered in the scope of the meaning of language, contemporary aesthetic realm make poetry of Iran and Iraq vulnerable; This means that poets carry out in the realm of semantic, have not always been associated with success and beauty, and whenever it was lower in the creative process, it is  criticized. It should be

  4. A Developmental Perspective on Adolescent Risk Taking in Contemporary America.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baumrind, Diana

    1987-01-01

    Adolescent risk-taking behavior needs to be understood in the context of contemporary youth culture and normal development. To facilitate passage through adolescence, parents should sustain a climate of control and commitment balanced by respect for the adolescent's increased capacity for self-regulation. (Author)

  5. Moral Choices in Contemporary Society: A Courses by Newspaper Reader.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rieff, Philip, Ed.; Finkle, Isaac, Ed.

    This reader, which contains 135 primary source readings about morality, is one of several college-level instructional materials developed to supplement a nationwide newspaper course on moral issues in contemporary society. The authors represent a diverse group including theologians, psychologists, politicians, professional athletes, lawyers, and…

  6. Reptiles traded in markets for medicinal purposes in contemporary Morocco

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Nijman, V.; Bergin, D.

    2017-01-01

    Reptiles are traded globally for medicinal purposes. Historic qualitative accounts of reptiles used as medicine in Morocco are numerous, but contemporary quantitative data are rare. In 2013-2014, we surveyed 49 wildlife markets in 20 towns throughout Morocco, plus the Spanish exclaves of Ceuta and

  7. Skepticism films: Knowing and doubting the world in contemporary cinema

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Schmerheim, P.A.

    2013-01-01

    Cinema has always displayed an affinity to characters with distorted or even hallucinatory relations to reality. With such films as The Truman Show, the Matrix films or Inception, contemporary filmmakers add another layer to this canon of film characters: unwitting ordinary victims of deception for

  8. Respect in Kant’s Tugendlehre and its place in contemporary ethics

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Darlei Dall'Agnol

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available The paper examines Kant’s conception of respect, especially in his work Metaphysical first principles of the doctrine of virtue (briefly Tugendlehre or Doctrine of Virtue, the second part of his The Metaphysics of Morals, and its place in contemporary ethics. The main question it asks is this: is respect just a feeling, a particular virtue or a moral duty/right? The initial hypothesis is that, in the relevant sense, respect is so to speak a “dutright,” that is, a duty that is at the same time a right. It leads to a fundamental principle, namely respect for persons, defining ‘person’ as a bearer of rights/obligations. Leaving Kant’s metaphysical commitments aside, it shows that this is one of the most important Kantian contributions to contemporary ethics

  9. Multidisciplinary intervention reducing readmissions in medical inpatients: a prospective, non-randomized study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Torisson G

    2013-09-01

    Full Text Available Gustav Torisson,1 Lennart Minthon,1 Lars Stavenow,2 Elisabet Londos1 1Clinical Memory Research Unit, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, 2Department of Internal Medicine, Skåne University Hospital, Malmö, Sweden Background: The purpose of this study was to examine whether a multidisciplinary intervention targeting drug-related problems, cognitive impairment, and discharge miscommunication could reduce readmissions in a general hospital population. Methods: This prospective, non-randomized intervention study was carried out at the department of general internal medicine at a tertiary university hospital. Two hundred medical inpatients living in the community and aged over 60 years were included. Ninety-nine patients received interventions and 101 received standard care. Control/intervention allocation was determined by geographic selection. Interventions consisted of a comprehensive medication review, improved discharge planning, post-discharge telephone follow-up, and liaison with the patient's general practitioner. The main outcome measures recorded were readmissions and hospital nights 12 months after discharge. Separate analyses were made for 12-month survivors and from an intention-to-treat perspective. Comparative analyses were made between groups as well as within groups over time. Results: After 12 months, survivors in the control group had 125 readmissions in total, compared with 58 in the intervention group (Mann–Whitney U test, P = 0.02. For hospital nights, the numbers were 1,228 and 492, respectively (P = 0.009. Yearly admissions had increased from the previous year in the control group from 77 to 125 (Wilcoxon signed-rank test, P = 0.002 and decreased from 75 to 58 in the intervention group (P = 0.25. From the intention-to-treat perspective, the same general pattern was observed but was not significant (1,827 versus 1,008 hospital nights, Mann–Whitney test, P = 0.054. Conclusion: A multidisciplinary approach

  10. Interrupting the telos: locating subsistence in contemporary US forests

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marla R. Emery; Alan R. Pierce

    2005-01-01

    People continue to hunt, fish, trap, and gather for subsistence purposes in the contemporary United States. This fact has implications for forest policy, as suggested by an international convention on temperate and boreal forests, commonly known as the Montreal Process. Three canons of law provide a legal basis for subsistence activities by designated social groups in...

  11. The Contemporary Gothic: Literacy and Childhood in Unsettled Times

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carrington, Victoria

    2012-01-01

    This paper argues that the revival of the Gothic as an expression of contemporary tensions and issues has significance for our views of childhood and, as a consequence, for literacy and literacy education. While the ways in which Gothic literature and other Gothic popular culture forms are used to speak to these tensions have shifted across time…

  12. Lwati: A Journal of Contemporary Research - Vol 10, No 3 (2013)

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Lwati: A Journal of Contemporary Research - Vol 10, No 3 (2013) ... Evaluation of Social Studies Curriculum on Compassion Dispositions in Students of ... European Trading Companies and Economic Development in the Cross River Basin of ...

  13. CULTURAL PHENOMENA AND PROCESSES IN CONTEMPORARY SOCIETY – DETERMINANTS OF CULTURAL POLICIES

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    ANDREEA MIHAELA NITA

    2012-05-01

    Full Text Available Cultural phenomena and processes in the contemporary society, influenced by the social development models and by the fact that the constitutive elements of the culture have become the decisive factors of social change, are the determinants of the cultural policies. They are centered on the active process of cultural globalization that emphasizes besides the assimilation of the European principles, also the preservation of the cultural dialog without identity loss. Contemporary culture cannot be appreciated unless we know the main processes and phenomena that lately have generated impressive changes in the area of technology and means of communication. Due to these transformations we witness a change of the cultural paradigms, a mutation of values.

  14. Traditional and Contemporary Lakota Death, Dying, Grief, and Bereavement Beliefs and Practices: A Qualitative Study

    OpenAIRE

    Stone, Joseph B.

    1998-01-01

    Bereavement beliefs and practices in the modern, American culture have been well documented. However, virtually no research has been conducted on traditional and contemporary death, dying, grief, and bereavement beliefs and practices among native tribes, such as the Lakota. The present study was conducted with the Lakota, and fulfilled two goals. iii First, the contemporary and traditional death, dying, grief, and bereavement beliefs and practices of the Lakota were documented and summariz...

  15. Reconstruction after complex facial trauma: achieving optimal outcome through multiple contemporary surgeries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jaiswal, Rohit; Pu, Lee L Q

    2013-04-01

    Major facial trauma injuries often require complex repair. Traditionally, the reconstruction of such injuries has primarily utilized only free tissue transfer. However, the advent of newer, contemporary procedures may lead to potential reconstructive improvement through the use of complementary procedures after free flap reconstruction. An 18-year-old male patient suffered a major left facial degloving injury resulting in soft-tissue defect with exposed zygoma, and parietal bone. Multiple operations were undertaken in a staged manner for reconstruction. A state-of-the-art free anterolateral thigh (ALT) perforator flap and Medpor implant reconstruction of the midface were initially performed, followed by flap debulking, lateral canthopexy, midface lift with redo canthopexy, scalp tissue expansion for hairline reconstruction, and epidermal skin grafting for optimal skin color matching. Over a follow-up period of 2 years, a good and impressive reconstructive result was achieved through the use of multiple contemporary reconstructive procedures following an excellent free ALT flap reconstruction. Multiple staged reconstructions are essential in producing an optimal outcome in this complex facial injury that would likely not have been produced through a 1-stage traditional free flap reconstruction. Utilizing multiple, sequential contemporary surgeries may substantially improve outcome through the enhancement and refinement of results based on possibly the best initial soft-tissue reconstruction.

  16. The Work in the Contemporary World: The Metamorphoses in the Work Concept

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Prudêncio Hilário Serra Neto

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of this study is to discuss the world of contemporary work, without ignoring their historical transformations in the search for answers off-axis market / commodity. It is intended sketch answers to questions like: work has always been the way we know it today? The work exists beyond the market? How will the job without jobs? In order to achieve this aim, we will seek to demonstrate, at first, the transformation of the working world, from pre- capitalist  stage,  to  the  contemporary  world,  marked  by  economic  globalization  and financialization of wealth. Face will be some aspects of the "crisis" of employment in the contemporary world, due to these changes, with the loss of work hegemony face of their frequent  subdivision  and  disqualification.  Finally,  they  discuss  will  be  possible  ways, especially the third sector and the need for cooperation and reunion of working with the community, unleashing up the human value of the productivity of ideas and consumption, directed solely to the market . It is hoped that raising the issue and establish some key points relevant to future insights.

  17. Writing Homer, Reading Riordan: Intertextual Study in Contemporary Adolescent Literature

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bright, Amy

    2011-01-01

    When readers of contemporary adolescent literature are encouraged to participate in conversations about what is considered canonical literature, the literary value of adolescent reading expands past narrowly defined borders. Several recent adolescent novels provide access to the classics and may generate interest among middle school students in…

  18. Educating "The Simpsons": Teaching Queer Representations in Contemporary Visual Media

    Science.gov (United States)

    Padva, Gilad

    2008-01-01

    This article analyzes queer representation in contemporary visual media and examines how the episode "Homer's Phobia" from Matt Groening's animation series "The Simpsons" can be used to deconstruct hetero- and homo-sexual codes of behavior, socialization, articulation, representation and visibility. The analysis is contextualized in the…

  19. Integrating Touch-Enabled and Mobile Devices into Contemporary Mathematics Education

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meletiou-Mavrotheris, Maria, Ed.; Mavrou, Katerina, Ed.; Paparistodemou, Efi, Ed.

    2015-01-01

    Despite increased interest in mobile devices as learning tools, the amount of available primary research studies on their integration into mathematics teaching and learning is still relatively small due to the novelty of these technologies. "Integrating Touch-Enabled and Mobile Devices into Contemporary Mathematics Education" presents…

  20. Kidnapping in the South eastern States of contemporary Nigeria: An ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The study empirically investigate salient social and demographic characteristics as determinants of kidnapping in the South-eastern States of contemporary Nigeria using inmates detained on the grounds of kidnapping in Abakaliki and Umuahia Prisons as a unit of analysis. The study adopted a cross-sectional research ...

  1. Exploring compassion: implications for contemporary nursing. Part 2.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Straughair, Collette

    A range of contemporary political and professional literature endorse the principle of compassion in nursing as a core and underpinning philosophy fundamental to the profession. However, despite pledges to ensure that compassion lies at the heart of nursing, the concept has not been clearly defined. It is evident that uncovering the true meaning is complex and challenging owing to its subjective nature. In light of this, several implications must be considered. Effective student nurse recruitment is essential to ensure that the most appropriate individuals are selected. Contemporary marketing campaigns must be implemented, and recruitment strategies developed, which consider specific values and attitudes. Service user involvement in recruitment and selection, curriculum planning and learning and teaching strategies, and post-qualification education, can enhance nurses' understanding of the patient perspective and make headway in embedding compassion as a core nursing value. Additionally, effective role modelling in practice which demonstrates high-quality compassionate nursing care is essential. Nurses must be adequately supported in the clinical environment to facilitate compassionate behaviours and clinical leadership at all levels must uphold political and professional pledges to achieve this. Consideration of these implications for practice is essential to ensure that nurses are able to respond to patients with humanity and kindness, and deliver high-quality, compassionate care to all.

  2. Extreme nationalism and the security of contemporary society

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mijalković Saša

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Ethnic groups are characterized by certain collective identity whose foundations are made of language, religion, race, and country of origin with its culture and customs. Since ethnic identities differ one from another, in multinational and multicultural societies there is a latent danger of having ideologies that advocate ethnic distancing, imposing a danger to the security of other ethnicities, the change of constitutional order, as well as separation of certain parts of sovereign states with the aim of creating new countries or accession to some other ones. Besides the fact that these phenomena cause collective discrimination and severe violation of human rights, they are also, very often, accompanied by individual and collective violence - terrorism, (civil wars, genocide, war crimes and other forms of inter-ethnic violence. Alongside with the extreme intolerance, these ideologies also propagate particularization of a society by ethnic, religious and race criteria. Given the fact that their base is made of glorification of their own national identity and negation of other ones, it is reasonably justified for them to carry an epithet of extreme-nationalist. Regarding the mentioned, this paper gives a perspective on definition and typology of nationalism, its consequences for the security of contemporary society, as well as on contemporary social reaction to it.

  3. A Contemporary Approach to the Oldest International Crime

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Michael Scharf

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available Maritime piracy began to re-emerge a decade ago, mostly off the coast of Somalia, thereby presenting major economic, security and humanitarian concerns. Prosecuting piracy raises many issues, not in the least because traditional maritime piracy from 200 years ago is so notably different from contemporary piracy. The present article describes the Public International Law and Policy Group’s formation of the High Level Piracy Working Group (HLPWG, which since 2011 has been producing memoranda on major issues in contemporary piracy prosecution. The issues span the legal foundations of piracy prosecution, including how to criminalise certain acts and how to exercise jurisdiction over such acts. Laws governing the use of force could apply to government or private actors when capturing and apprehending pirates. Once captured, there are questions of extraditing and transferring these pirates. Moreover, when such pirates are eventually brought to trial, there are pre-trial, evidentiary, substantive and post-prosecution issues to consider. The article also explores the merits and likelihood of creating an international piracy court. It shows how the HLPWG has influenced legal and policy developments today that draw on the distant past, and will undoubtedly have an enduring legacy in the future.

  4. Evaluation of alanine as a reference dosimeter for therapy level dose comparisons in megavoltage electron beams

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    McEwen, Malcolm; Sharpe, Peter; Voros, Sandor

    2015-01-01

    When comparing absorbed dose standards from different laboratories (e.g. National Measurement Institutes, NMIs, for Key or Supplementary comparisons) it is rarely possible to carry out a direct comparison of primary standard instruments, and therefore some form of transfer detector is required. Historically, air-filled, unsealed ionization chambers have been used because of the long history of using these instruments, very good stability over many years, and ease of transport. However, the use of ion chambers for therapy-level comparisons is not without its problems. Findings from recent investigations suggest that ion chambers are prone to non-random variations, they are not completely robust to standard courier practices, and failure at any step in a comparison can render all measurements potentially useless. An alternative approach is to identify a transfer system that is insensitive to some of these concerns - effectively a dosimeter that is inexpensive, simple to use, robust, but with sufficient precision and of a size relevant to the disseminated quantity in question. The alanine dosimetry system has been successfully used in a number of situations as an audit dosimeter and therefore the purpose of this investigation was to determine whether alanine could also be used as the transfer detector for dosimetric comparisons, which require a lower value for the measurement uncertainty. A measurement protocol was developed for comparing primary standards of absorbed dose to water in high-energy electron beams using alanine pellets irradiated in a water-equivalent plastic phantom. A trial comparison has been carried out between three NMIs and has indicated that alanine is a suitable alternative to ion chambers, with the system used achieving a precision of 0.1%. Although the focus of the evaluation was on the performance of the dosimeter, the comparison results are encouraging, showing agreement at the level of the combined uncertainties (∼0.6%). Based on this

  5. Contemporary Network Proteomics and Its Requirements

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goh, Wilson Wen Bin; Wong, Limsoon; Sng, Judy Chia Ghee

    2013-01-01

    The integration of networks with genomics (network genomics) is a familiar field. Conventional network analysis takes advantage of the larger coverage and relative stability of gene expression measurements. Network proteomics on the other hand has to develop further on two critical factors: (1) expanded data coverage and consistency, and (2) suitable reference network libraries, and data mining from them. Concerning (1) we discuss several contemporary themes that can improve data quality, which in turn will boost the outcome of downstream network analysis. For (2), we focus on network analysis developments, specifically, the need for context-specific networks and essential considerations for localized network analysis. PMID:24833333

  6. Art Struggles: Confronting Internships and Unpaid Labour in Contemporary Art

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Panos Kompatsiaris

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available This article explores the practices of recently formed and mainly UK-based art workers’ collectives against unpaid internships and abusive work. The modes through which these collectives perform resistance involve activist tactics of boycotting, site-specific protests, counter-guides, and whistleblowing and name and shame approaches mixed with performance art and playful interventions. Grappling with the predicaments of work in contemporary art, a labouring practice that does not follow typical processes of valorization and has a contingent object and an extremely loose territorial unity, this article argues that while the identity of the contemporary artist is systemically and conceptually moving towards fluidity and open-endedness, these groups work to reaffirm a collective in whose name it is possible to advance certain claims, assumptions, and demands. The contradictions and dynamics of art workers organizing against internships and voluntary work within a highly individualized, self-exploitative, and often privileged field are useful for informing labour organizing in the framework of ongoing capitalist restructuring.

  7. The Essence and Efficiency Criteria of the Contemporary Economic Systems

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Demydiuk Olga O

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available The article generalizes and systematizes the basic scientific approaches to the definition of the category of «economic system». The author’s own definition of the contemporary economic systems as highly complex dynamic structures, characterized by the organizational heterogeneous integrity, ability to selforganization and self-development, which occur under the influence of both external and internal factors, has been proposed. The basic efficiency criteria of functioning and development of the contemporary economic systems were generalized and systematized. Some practical recommendations for improving efficiency of the economic system of Ukraine have been elaborated. In particular, the emphasis was made on the need to pay special attention to countering corruption, the illegal economic manifestations of the shadow economy, overcoming resistance by the special interest groups, which are not interested in any radical market-oriented transformations, since they lose their quasi-rent received as a result of activities of the inefficient institutions.

  8. Berlin: Emergency shelters and contemporary border struggles

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Žiga Podgornik-Jakil

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available Researching the developments of present political economy must necessarily include investigating the tools of contemporary border regime. These are used for surveillance and control of populations in order to create new divisions of labour and enable extraction of rent by using peoples’ bodies. The article focuses on emergency shelters in Berlin, that is, on their function and ways in which the asylum seekers accommodated there spontaneously struggle against them. The research was done as a militant and cooperative work of the network Lager Mobilisation Network in Berlin’s district Wedding, which builds connections with people housed in the sports halls in the mentioned district. The author underlines that exhausting the aslyum seekers psychically is one of the strategies for filtering the ‘unwanted’ from the ‘wanted’, that is the ones that are interesting for the labour market. At the same time, the restriction of movement and limited access to civil rights confine asylum seekers in emergency shelters run by private companies, which seek profits on their account. Far from claiming that non-profit companies have a ‘better’ shelter administration, since the boundaries between them and profit-oriented companies are often blurred, the author rather speaks of new forms of anticolonial struggles by the people living inside. He understands these struggles as the struggles against the contemporary border regime in Germany and the EU and as a potential for building an inclusive society.

  9. Visualizing the Impact of Art: An Update and Comparison of Current Psychological Models of Art Experience.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pelowski, Matthew; Markey, Patrick S; Lauring, Jon O; Leder, Helmut

    2016-01-01

    The last decade has witnessed a renaissance of empirical and psychological approaches to art study, especially regarding cognitive models of art processing experience. This new emphasis on modeling has often become the basis for our theoretical understanding of human interaction with art. Models also often define areas of focus and hypotheses for new empirical research, and are increasingly important for connecting psychological theory to discussions of the brain. However, models are often made by different researchers, with quite different emphases or visual styles. Inputs and psychological outcomes may be differently considered, or can be under-reported with regards to key functional components. Thus, we may lose the major theoretical improvements and ability for comparison that can be had with models. To begin addressing this, this paper presents a theoretical assessment, comparison, and new articulation of a selection of key contemporary cognitive or information-processing-based approaches detailing the mechanisms underlying the viewing of art. We review six major models in contemporary psychological aesthetics. We in turn present redesigns of these models using a unified visual form, in some cases making additions or creating new models where none had previously existed. We also frame these approaches in respect to their targeted outputs (e.g., emotion, appraisal, physiological reaction) and their strengths within a more general framework of early, intermediate, and later processing stages. This is used as a basis for general comparison and discussion of implications and future directions for modeling, and for theoretically understanding our engagement with visual art.

  10. Visualizing the Impact of Art: An Update and Comparison of Current Psychological Models of Art Experience

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pelowski, Matthew; Markey, Patrick S.; Lauring, Jon O.; Leder, Helmut

    2016-01-01

    The last decade has witnessed a renaissance of empirical and psychological approaches to art study, especially regarding cognitive models of art processing experience. This new emphasis on modeling has often become the basis for our theoretical understanding of human interaction with art. Models also often define areas of focus and hypotheses for new empirical research, and are increasingly important for connecting psychological theory to discussions of the brain. However, models are often made by different researchers, with quite different emphases or visual styles. Inputs and psychological outcomes may be differently considered, or can be under-reported with regards to key functional components. Thus, we may lose the major theoretical improvements and ability for comparison that can be had with models. To begin addressing this, this paper presents a theoretical assessment, comparison, and new articulation of a selection of key contemporary cognitive or information-processing-based approaches detailing the mechanisms underlying the viewing of art. We review six major models in contemporary psychological aesthetics. We in turn present redesigns of these models using a unified visual form, in some cases making additions or creating new models where none had previously existed. We also frame these approaches in respect to their targeted outputs (e.g., emotion, appraisal, physiological reaction) and their strengths within a more general framework of early, intermediate, and later processing stages. This is used as a basis for general comparison and discussion of implications and future directions for modeling, and for theoretically understanding our engagement with visual art. PMID:27199697

  11. A note on contemporary psychometrics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vitoratou, Silia; Pickles, Andrew

    2017-12-01

    Psychometrics provide the mathematical underpinnings for psychological assessment. From the late 19th century, a plethora of methodological research achievements equipped researchers and clinicians with efficient tools whose practical value becomes more evident in the era of the internet and big data. Nowadays, powerful probabilistic models exist for most types of data and research questions. As the usability of the psychometric scales is better comprehended, there is an increased interest in applied research outcomes. Paradoxically, while the interest in applications for psychometric scales increases, publishing research on the development and/or evaluation of those scales per se, is not welcomed by many relevant journals. This special issue in psychometrics is therefore a great opportunity to briefly review the main ideas and methods used in psychometrics, and to discuss the challenges in contemporary applied psychometrics.

  12. COMPARISON OF METHODS FOR ESTIMATING CONTEMPORARY COSTS: AN APPLICATION TO LIVER TRANSPLANTATION IN THE UNITED KINGDOM.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Singh, Jeshika; Longworth, Louise

    2017-01-01

    Our study addresses the important issue of estimating treatment costs from historical data. It is a problem frequently faced by health technology assessment analysts. We compared four approaches used to estimate current costs when good quality contemporary data are not available using liver transplantation as an example. First, the total cost estimates extracted for patients from a cohort study, conducted in the 1990s, were inflated using a published inflation multiplier. Second, resource use estimates from the cohort study were extracted for hepatitis C patients and updated using current unit costs. Third, expert elicitation was carried out to identify changes in clinical practice over time and quantify current resource use. Fourth, routine data on resource use were obtained from National Health Service Blood and Transplant (NHSBT). The first two methods did not account for changes in clinical practice. Also the first was not specific to hepatitis patients. The use of experts confirmed significant changes in clinical practice. However, the quantification of resource use using experts is challenging as clinical specialists may not have a complete overview of clinical pathway. The NHSBT data are the most accurate reflection of transplantation and posttransplantation phase; however, data were not available for the whole pathway of care. The best estimate of total cost, combining NHSBT data and expert elicitation, is £121,211. Observational data from routine care are potentially the most reliable reflection of current resource use. Efforts should be made to make such data readily available and accessible to researchers. Expert elicitation provided reasonable estimates.

  13. The contemporary Romanian paradigm of marketing promotion

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Manic Marius

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Contemporary marketing takes place in the field of permanent interconnection, of instant information and immediate rewards. Communication through marketing promotion will take these characteristics into account or will be just an inefficient spending. The Romanian market is no different from the global one. Marketing promotion currently has new tools that lead to new challenges in that it makes use of traditional, yet pow erful forms, but also absolute ways of communication. The Romanian promotion is helped today by these tools, but its task is more complex than it was a decade ago .

  14. Contemporary pain management in total knee arthroplasty.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khanasuk, Yutthana; Ngarmukos, Srihatach

    2012-10-01

    Pain management has become a very important part of postoperative care for total knee arthroplasty patients. Contemporary pain control has evolved from high-dose opioid in the past to state-of-the-art multimodal regimens. These include multiple non-opioid medication such as NSAIDs, COX-2 inhibitors, and gabapentinoid, and novel anesthetic techniques such as preemptive analgesia and ultrasound-guided peripheral nerve blocks. Another method which is gaining popularity is intraarticular injection of anesthetic cocktail during surgery. Pre-op education can also help patients cope with their pain better.

  15. Performing the good death: the medieval Ars moriendi and contemporary doctors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thornton, K; Phillips, C B

    2009-12-01

    Death is inevitable, but dying well is not. Despite the role of medical professionals as overseers of dying in contemporary society, there is comparatively little discourse among doctors about the constituents of a good death. In the 15th century, by contrast, the Ars moriendi portrayed normative medieval ideas about good and bad deaths. At a time when dying could be viewed as a performed battle against damnation, the Ars moriendi codified a set of moral precepts that governed the expression of autonomy, relations between the dying and the living and orientation towards God. In these images, dying well is a moral activity that results from active decisions by the dying person to turn from earthly preoccupations to contemplation of, and submission to, the divine. It is likely in contemporary society that there is a range of understandings of the "good death". While attitudes to personal autonomy may differ, reflectiveness and dying at home in the presence of family (expressed in the Ars moriendi), remain part of many modern notions of the good death. We argue that medical institutions continue to construct death as a performed battle against physical debility, even when patients may have different views of their preferred deaths. The dialectic approach of the Ars moriendi may offer a way for contemporary doctors to reflect critically on the potential dissonance between their own approach to death and the variety of culturally valorised "good deaths".

  16. Between Contemporary Art and Cultural Analysis: Alternative Methods for Knowledge Production

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Billy Ehn

    2012-03-01

    Full Text Available Artistic research suggests alternative methods for producing various kinds of knowledge, whether within or without the confines of academe. These methods may involve either the production of investigative artworks or the writing by the artist of a doctoral dissertation about his or her own work. For cultural researchers, the methods employed by artists engaged in these processes are both familiar and challenging, as conventional ethnography is mixed with more unpredictable experiments. This article presents several contemporary artworks, including sculpture, film, dance, installation and performance that explore various aspects of reality. What can be learnt from these works? And what could be achieved by an open exchange between artists and academic researchers? Four methodological approaches are highlighted as being of particular interest. The first relates to artists’ tendency to live experimentally, using themselves both as actors and as research objects. The second arises from the very tangible ways in which contemporary artworks approach the theme of materiality. The third relates to the emotional nature of much of contemporary art – even when it is categorised as conceptual – in its creation, forms of presentation, and influence on the spectator. Finally, many artists are gifted with the ability to find and communicate surprising meanings in ordinary life. How do they do this? Part of the answer seems to be that although artists are open to the implementation of “wild whims”, they exploit their spontaneity in a highly professional manner.

  17. Review: Lisa Mackenrodt, Swahili Spirit Possession and Islamic Healing in Contemporary Tanzania: The Jinn Fly on Friday (2011 Buchbesprechung: Lisa Mackenrodt, Swahili Spirit Possession and Islamic Healing in Contemporary Tanzania: The Jinn Fly on Friday (2011

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jigal Beez

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Review of the monograph:Lisa Mackenrodt, Swahili Spirit Possession and Islamic Healing in Contemporary Tanzania: The Jinn Fly on Friday, Hamburg: Verlag Dr. Kovač, 2011, ISBN 978-3-8300-5806-9, 216 pagesBesprechung der Monographie:Lisa Mackenrodt, Swahili Spirit Possession and Islamic Healing in Contemporary Tanzania: The Jinn Fly on Friday, Hamburg: Verlag Dr. Kovač, 2011, ISBN 978-3-8300-5806-9, 216 Seiten

  18. Understanding Immigrants, Schooling, and School Psychology: Contemporary Science and Practice

    Science.gov (United States)

    Frisby, Craig L.; Jimerson, Shane R.

    2016-01-01

    Immigration into the United States is a particularly salient topic of current contemporary educational, social, and political discussions. The school-related needs of immigrant children and youth can be well served by rigorous research and effective school psychology preservice training and preparation. This overview highlights key definitions,…

  19. Impossible Puzzle Films : A Cognitive Approach to Contemporary Complex Cinema

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kiss, Miklós; Willemsen, Steven

    2017-01-01

    Narrative complexity is a trend in contemporary cinema. Since the late 1990s there has been a palpable increase in complex storytelling in movies. But how and why do complex movies create perplexity and confusion? How do we engage with these challenges? And what makes complex stories so attractive?

  20. Functional redundancy patterns reveal non-random assembly rules in a species-rich marine assemblage.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nicolas Guillemot

    Full Text Available The relationship between species and the functional diversity of assemblages is fundamental in ecology because it contains key information on functional redundancy, and functionally redundant ecosystems are thought to be more resilient, resistant and stable. However, this relationship is poorly understood and undocumented for species-rich coastal marine ecosystems. Here, we used underwater visual censuses to examine the patterns of functional redundancy for one of the most diverse vertebrate assemblages, the coral reef fishes of New Caledonia, South Pacific. First, we found that the relationship between functional and species diversity displayed a non-asymptotic power-shaped curve, implying that rare functions and species mainly occur in highly diverse assemblages. Second, we showed that the distribution of species amongst possible functions was significantly different from a random distribution up to a threshold of ∼90 species/transect. Redundancy patterns for each function further revealed that some functions displayed fast rates of increase in redundancy at low species diversity, whereas others were only becoming redundant past a certain threshold. This suggested non-random assembly rules and the existence of some primordial functions that would need to be fulfilled in priority so that coral reef fish assemblages can gain a basic ecological structure. Last, we found little effect of habitat on the shape of the functional-species diversity relationship and on the redundancy of functions, although habitat is known to largely determine assemblage characteristics such as species composition, biomass, and abundance. Our study shows that low functional redundancy is characteristic of this highly diverse fish assemblage, and, therefore, that even species-rich ecosystems such as coral reefs may be vulnerable to the removal of a few keystone species.

  1. “Girls are dancin’”: shōjo culture and feminism in contemporary Japanese art

    OpenAIRE

    Emily Jane Wakeling

    2011-01-01

    This article explores the gender-transgressive expressions found in shōjo culture in order to highlight the potential for feminist analysis in the prevalence of the shōjo motif in contemporary Japanese art. Shōjo culture is a fascinating cultural space, within contemporary Japanese culture, which fosters creative expressions of gender that negate or make complex hegemonic categories. Departing from stereotypes of Japanese girls, this article will pay particular interest to an emerging wave of...

  2. Organizational and methodological aspects for contemporary health and safety management system

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sugak Evgeny

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Industrial injuries and work-related disorders considerable lowering we are facing in developed countries may be due to switching to a new health and safety management system entitled “Occupational Safety and Health Management System”. The Russian Federation has prepared certain regulatory documents prescribing some suggestions regarding implementing the contemporary system for industrial injuries prevention based upon the methods for professional risks management. However, despite the efforts made by the Russian Government, reformation of the health and safety management system at various companies is being performed rather slowly that may be as well owing to poor competence of managers and specialists regarding contemporary labor safety model content, methodical and organizational novations in the sphere of occupational safety and health management.. The article refers to a number of principal issues distinguishing the new health and safety management system from conventional approach.

  3. The economy of smiles: affect, labour and the contemporary deserving poor.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gerrard, Jessica

    2018-02-14

    This paper examines the affective dimensions of new forms of informal entrepreneurial work carried out in spaces of unemployment. Situating the analysis within contemporary scholarship on deservingness and on affect and labour, I shed light on the forms of entrepreneurial labour that rely upon affect-driven economies of exchange underpinned by moral judgements of deservingness, value and worth. In particular, this paper draws on a multi-city (Melbourne, London, San Francisco) study of homeless street press sellers (The Big Issue and Street Sheet) to explore the ways in which contemporary practices of charity and care are carried out through individualized market-place exchanges. Sellers' accounts of their work reveal how smiling and being (or looking) happy is a performative expectation that must be managed in the face of poverty and precarity. © London School of Economics and Political Science 2018.

  4. Traditional vs. Contemporary Management Control Practices for Developing Public Health Policies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Naranjo-Gil, David; Sánchez-Expósito, María Jesús; Gómez-Ruiz, Laura

    2016-07-14

    Public health policies must address multiple goals and complex community health needs. Recently, management control practices have emerged to provide a broader type of information for evaluating the effectiveness of healthcare policies, and relate activities and processes to multiple strategic outcomes. This study compares the effect of traditional and contemporary management control practices on the achievement of public health policies. It is also analyzed how two different uses of such practices (enabling vs. coercive) facilitate the achievement of public health policies. Relationships are explored using data collected from managers from public health agencies and public hospitals in Spain. The findings show that contemporary management control practices are more suitable than traditional practices to achieve public health policies. Furthermore, results show that public health policies are better achieved when managers use management control practices in an enabling way rather than in a coercive way.

  5. "A sound track of your life": music in contemporary UK funerals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Adamson, Sue; Holloway, Margaret

    2012-01-01

    This article considers the role that music plays in contemporary UK funerals and the meaning that the funeral music has for bereaved families. It is based on findings from a recently completed study of 46 funerals funded by the UK Arts and Humanities Research Council. Music contributes to the public ceremony and the personal existential quest of the bereaved. It is important to both the content and process of the contemporary funeral, an event of deep cultural significance in our response as individuals and communities to death and the loss of a significant relationship. There is evidence that for many people, the music chosen and used also evokes and conveys their spirituality. Spirituality may not be intrinsic to the music but spiritual experience may result from the meaning that the music has for that particular person.

  6. The weak spots in contemporary science (and how to fix them)

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Wicherts, J.M.

    2017-01-01

    In this review, the author discusses several of the weak spots in contemporary science, including scientific misconduct, the problems of post hoc hypothesizing (HARKing), outcome switching, theoretical bloopers in formulating research questions and hypotheses, selective reading of the literature,

  7. Unframing Immigration: Looking through the Educational Space of Contemporary Art

    Science.gov (United States)

    Desai, Dipti

    2010-01-01

    This article uses the lens of contemporary visual art as a counternarrative to explore the racialization of immigration in the United States and its relationship to education. Drawing on critical race theory, I argue that today several artists use their artistic practice to intervene strategically in the immigration debates. These artistic…

  8. Global phylogenetic analysis of contemporary aleutian mink disease viruses (AMDVs)

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ryt-Hansen, Pia; Hagberg, E. E.; Chriél, Mariann

    2017-01-01

    a strain originating from Sweden. In contrast, we did not identify any potential source for the other and more widespread outbreak strain. To the authors knowledge this is the first major global phylogenetic study of contemporary AMDV partial NS1 sequences. The study proved that partial NS1 sequencing can...

  9. Contemporary Reception of Rene Descartes’ Mysticism

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Volodymyr Khmil

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available The article aim is to turn the spotline on the main thesis of refl ection of Descartes’ skepticism doctrine as well one’s argumentation estimation at the context of thinker’s creativeness. These steps will promote the overcoming of one-dimensional comprehension of his attitude on skepticism as an essential part of his doctrine. That is why it has sense to concentrate an attention on some interpretations of key motives of Cartesian anti-skeptic approach at research literature as well as defi ne the place of anthropological project at these motives fi rstly. Secondly, make an accent on the key role of anthropological dimension of one’s doctrine at the context of philosophical polemics with skepticism. The analysis of interpretations of Descartes’ heritage as well as one’s original texts demonstrates the absence of adequate interpretation of one’s place at the history of skepticism. The specifi c place of Descartes’ anti-skepticism is also demonstrated. Most of researchers pay ones’ attention on the tight vision of Modern Age at the form of development of scientifi c worldview. This position does not takes into account the contemporary level of Descartes’ studies. First of all, authors make an accent on the need to overcome the fragmentary vision of thinker’s heritage. Secondly, the valuable role of anthropological dimension of Descartes’ texts is underlined. This position lets perform more authentic perception of one’s anti-skeptic approach. In the course of fi nding the roots of researched situation, the authors’ attention was consistently concentrated on the features of the contemporary interpretation of Modern Age request which is reduced to development of scientifi c worldview by the skepticism researchers. Such position marginalizes the anthropological component of one’s doctrine.

  10. The Role of Cultural Memory in Contemporary Migrant Activism: Staging Gender in a Transforming Welfare State

    OpenAIRE

    Alund, Aleksandra; Schierup, Carl Urlik

    2015-01-01

    Contemporary scientific and media debates about cultural conflict and gender relations have consolidated stereotypical categorisations of female migrants as passive victims of traditional cultural values. This risks veiling agency against ethnic, gender and other kinds of discrimination inherent in contemporary transformation of Swedish welfare state. In the light of a critical review of the current debate on gender and culture, the authors discuss an alternative understanding of past m...

  11. The Relevance of Evidence from the History of Science in the Contemporary Realism/Anti-realism Debate

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Wray, K. Brad

    2018-01-01

    I aim to clarify the relevance of evidence from the history of science to the contemporary realism/anti-realism debate as the need for evidence from the history of science is often misunderstood or misrepresented.......I aim to clarify the relevance of evidence from the history of science to the contemporary realism/anti-realism debate as the need for evidence from the history of science is often misunderstood or misrepresented....

  12. Ayn Rand phenomenon in contemporary social and ethical problems

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. I. Korobko

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available This paper attempts to give a general outline of the phenomenon of well­known American writer and philosopher Ayn Rand in contemporary social and ethical space. Application to the research of life, literary and philosophical heritage of the writer makes it possible to assess its impact on the current situation in politics and philosophy. Review of Ayn Rand’s artistic positions confirms her role as a landmark figure, who represented at that time the actual socio­cultural request of active man in contemporary philosophy and politics, “putting down” in literary form complex of philosophical questions to the level of the ordinary man. Ayn Rand is the focus of the social practices in which she was formed, lived and worked. The ideas of almost all philosophical subjects are presented in her works in a simple way, but they are fundamentally different from conventional notions of ethics, politics and philosophy in general, even the ideas of philosophers, whom she honored, such as Aristotle. That’s why modern philosophers are interested in studying her works now. After all, still there has no comprehensive academic analysis of her philosophical and scientific works of art.

  13. Contemporary Ecological Interactions Improve Models of Past Trait Evolution.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hutchinson, Matthew C; Gaiarsa, Marília P; Stouffer, Daniel B

    2018-02-20

    Despite the fact that natural selection underlies both traits and interactions, evolutionary models often neglect that ecological interactions may, and in many cases do, influence the evolution of traits. Here, we explore the interdependence of ecological interactions and functional traits in the pollination associations of hawkmoths and flowering plants. Specifically, we develop an adaptation of the Ornstein-Uhlenbeck model of trait evolution that allows us to study the influence of plant corolla depth and observed hawkmoth-plant interactions on the evolution of hawkmoth proboscis length. Across diverse modelling scenarios, we find that the inclusion of contemporary interactions can provide a better description of trait evolution than the null expectation. Moreover, we show that the pollination interactions provide more-likely models of hawkmoth trait evolution when interactions are considered at increasingly finescale groups of hawkmoths. Finally, we demonstrate how the results of best-fit modelling approaches can implicitly support the association between interactions and trait evolution that our method explicitly examines. In showing that contemporary interactions can provide insight into the historical evolution of hawkmoth proboscis length, we demonstrate the clear utility of incorporating additional ecological information to models designed to study past trait evolution.

  14. Spilt Ink: Aesthetic Globalization and Contemporary Chinese Art

    OpenAIRE

    Gaskell, Ivan

    2012-01-01

    In response to globalization, is there to be a single, homogeneous set of aesthetic values governing the production and consumption of art? The article focuses on a newcomer to globalized contemporary art, China. It suggests that artworld art (encompassed by the artworld institutions of commerce, museums, and the academy) is far from the only art currently produced. Art beyond the artworld, whether commercial or religious, is important to many people worldwide. It describes four kinds of art ...

  15. Capitalist Development in Contemporary Southeast Asia

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Juego, Bonn

    2013-01-01

    ), and an emerging social form of authoritarian liberalism (i.e., a political-economic regime whereby a neoliberal economy operates within an authoritarian polity). The empirical examination of the studied cases shows how elite interests shape, mediate, negotiate, or resist the process of neoliberal reproduction......, producing and encouraging the social form of authoritarian liberalism. Importantly, it highlights the reality that the elite interests-driven process of neoliberal reproduction which reinforces authoritarian liberalism is replete with structural contradictions and agential conflicts in both latent...... other existing, prospective, or counter-hegemonic processes, interests, and forms. Conceptually, it introduces and develops the key concepts of neoliberal reproduction, elite interests, and authoritarian liberalism that are essential in understanding the contemporary shape of capitalism...

  16. Japanese women in the contemporary society

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dinca Violeta Mihaela

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of this paper is to examine Japanese society and present contemporary issues with emphasis on the changes in the role, status and preferences of Japanese women within the Japanese society, through the years. The first part of the paper makes an overview on the evolution of the role of women in Japanese society during Shogunate until now, focusing mainly on increasing Japanese women's status within the enterprise. In the second part of the paper, the author exposes the results of several studies on the effects on the marketing of luxury for Japanese women, highlighting the correlation between increased interest to be as competitive in the workplace and enhancing concern for luxury brands.

  17. “No More Boomerang”: Environment and Technology in Contemporary Aboriginal Australian Poetry

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    John Charles Ryan

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Based in oral traditions and song cycles, contemporary Aboriginal Australian poetry is full of allusions to the environment. Not merely a physical backdrop for human activities, the ancient Aboriginal landscape is a nexus of ecological, spiritual, material, and more-than-human overlays—and one which is increasingly compromised by modern technological impositions. In literary studies, while Aboriginal poetry has become the subject of critical interest, few studies have foregrounded the interconnections between environment and technology. Instead, scholarship tends to focus on the socio-political and cultural dimensions of the writing. How have contemporary Australian Aboriginal poets responded to the impacts of environmental change and degradation? How have poets addressed the effects of modern technology in ancestral environments, or country? This article will develop an ecocritical and technology-focused perspective on contemporary Aboriginal poetry through an analysis of the writings of three significant literary-activists: Jack Davis (1917–2000, Oodgeroo Noonuccal (1920–1993, and Lionel Fogarty (born 1958. Davis, Noonuccal, and Fogarty strive poetically to draw critical attention to the particular impacts of late modernist technologies on Aboriginal people and country. In developing a critique of invasive technologies that adversely affect the environment and culture, their poetry also invokes the Aboriginal technologies that sustained (and, in places, still sustain people in reciprocal relation to country.

  18. Tales of the unexpected: Integrating career shocks in the contemporary careers literature

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jos Akkermans

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available Orientation: This article addresses the interplay between individual agency and contextual factors in contemporary career development processes. In light of the prominence of the former in the contemporary scholarly debate, we present a case for a more comprehensive approach by heeding the latter as well.   Research purpose: The main aim of this article was to provide a definition and conceptualisation of career shocks, as well as an agenda for future research on this topic.   Motivation for the study: Most of the contemporary careers literature has overemphasised the role of individual agency in career development. While certainly important, we argue that we also need to address the role of context – in this case, career shocks – in order to gain a fuller appreciation of career development processes.   Main conclusions and implications: We provide a definition of career shocks based on the existing literature related to chance events and turnover. In addition, we provide an overview of attributes of career shocks, potentially valuable theoretical perspectives and key issues for future research.   Contribution: This article brings together several existing streams of literature related to career shocks and provides an integrative definition and conceptualisation. We hope that this will ignite future research on an important but often overlooked topic.

  19. This Path We Travel: Celebrations of Contemporary Native American Creativity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    La Pena, Frank

    1994-01-01

    An exhibition at the opening of the George Gustav Heye Center in New York City presents the talents of 15 contemporary Native American artists who during the past several years met at four different locations representing the cardinal directions. The exhibit combines sculpture, performance, poetry, music, and video to portray Indian world views…

  20. Freudian Notion of Psychoanalysis: Its Implications in Contemporary Teaching Practices

    Science.gov (United States)

    Awan, Muhammad Afzal

    2017-01-01

    The author has engaged in a critical review of Frued's notion of psychoanalysis and its vitality in teaching. Illustrating from Freud's own assertions and through the interpretations of the later critics, the author has pointed out certain noticeable pitfalls and, or incapacities of contemporary teaching practices. The forces of aggression and sex…