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Background: Educating future physicians about sexual and gender minority (SGM) patients and their health care needs is an important way to mitigate discrimination and health disparities faced by this community. Canada, across its 17 medical schools, lacks a national standard for teaching this essential topic. This paper aims to review the best practices for teaching an SGM curriculum in undergraduate medical education and synthesize this information into actionable propositions for curriculum development. Methods: A scoping literature review was conducted to identify best practices for SGM teaching. The review elicited peer-reviewed and grey literature on best practices for SGM teaching, policy documents, and opinion pieces from medical education authorities and SGM advocacy groups. Through an iterative process with all authors, the Canadian Queer Medical Students Association (CQMSA), and the Association of Faculties of Medicine of Canada (AFMC), a set of propositions was developed. Results: The search yielded 1347 papers, of which 89 were kept for data extraction. The main outcomes of these papers were sorted along five repeating themes, which formed the basis for six propositions; two more propositions were then added after discussion with all authors. Conclusion: We present eight propositions for the development of a national standard for SGM education at the undergraduate medical level. These include standardizing learning objectives across all schools, using established curricular models to guide curriculum development, interweaving concepts across all levels of training, diversifying teaching modalities, providing faculty training, ensuring a safe space for SGM students and faculty, using OSCEs as a teaching tool, and involving the local SGM community in curriculum development and delivery.

What is a historical text, and what are the differences between such a text and other written genres? This question has occupied modern scholars of medieval Europe, medieval European authors themselves, and many others. Prompted by recent scholarship into the benefits, or otherwise, of trying to isolate distinct genres within what one scholar has referred to as “the whole mass of medieval historiography”, this article examines the so-called “historical” texts composed by the medieval English Cistercian abbot Aelred of Rievaulx (1110-1167). None of these seven texts fits into the classic genre of the history, and yet the article argues that all are indeed historiographical texts. Aelred wrote all these works while he was abbot of Rievaulx Abbey in Yorkshire, and the article suggests that Aelred’s experiences and responsibilities as abbot gave him both the skills to combine many literary genres – vita, genealogy, lament, relatio, translatio, exemplum, sermon, letter – when writing about the past as well as the desire to combine such genres so as to provide his readers with models of hope, and occasionally stern advice, from the past to use in the future.

This practice report explores a Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) course focused on awareness and esteem development for women teachers in South Sudan and volunteers associated with a US-based university. Pedagogy of hope was utilized as an educational tool for implementation and evaluation. Assessments of this COIL course focused on data from exit tickets and a final writing assignment. Self-perceptions of the participating teachers were analyzed based on their sense of preparedness, confidence, comfort levels with the class, and any impact the course had on teachers’ sense of teaching as a personal calling. Practitioners and teaching professionals interested in international virtual exchange will find key takeaways related to building partnerships starting with low-stakes initiatives and using COIL to help ignite advances in digital maturity in South Sudan.

BackgroundEngagement with the natural environment is a meaningful activity for many people. People living in long-term care facilities can face barriers to going outdoors and engaging in nature-based activities. In response to needs expressed by our long-term care facility resident partners, we examined the feasibility and benefits of a co-designed hydroponic and raised-bed gardening program. MethodsOur team of long-term care facility residents, staff and researchers co-designed and piloted a four-month hydroponic and raised-bed gardening program along with an activity and educational program, in 2019. Feedback was gathered from long-term care facility residents and staff through surveys (N = 23 at baseline; N = 23 at follow-up), through five focus groups (N = 19: n = 10 staff; n = 9 residents) and through photovoice (N = 5). A qualitative descriptive approach was applied to focus group transcripts to capture a rich account of participant experiences within the naturalistic context, and descriptive statistics were calculated. ResultsWhile most residents preferred to go outside (91%), few reported going outside every day (30%). Program participants expressed their joy about interacting with nature and watching plants grow. Analyses of focus group data generated the following themes: finding meaning; building connections with others through lifelong learning; impacts on mental health and well-being; opportunities to reminisce; reflection of self in gardening activities; benefits for staff; and enthusiasm for the program to continue. ConclusionActive and passive engagement in gardening activities benefitted residents with diverse abilities. This fostered opportunity for discussions, connections and increased interactions with others, which can help reduce social isolation. Gardening programs should be considered a feasible and important option that can support socialization, health and well-being.

IntroductionÊtre en harmonie avec la nature constitue pour beaucoup de monde une occupation enrichissante. Or les résidents d’établissements de soins de longue durée ont souvent à surmonter des obstacles s’ils désirent aller dehors et participer à des activités en nature. En réponse aux besoins exprimés par nos partenaires résidents d’établissements de soins de longue durée, nous avons étudié la faisabilité et les bienfaits d’un programme de culture hydroponique et de jardinage en jardins surélevés conçu de façon collaborative. MéthodologieEn 2019, notre équipe composée de chercheurs ainsi que de résidents et de membres du personnel d’un établissement de soins de longue durée a conçu et mis en œuvre un programme pilote de culture hydroponique et de jardinage en jardins surélevés d’une durée de quatre mois, qui comportait en outre un volet éducatif et des activités. Les rétroactions des résidents et du personnel de l’établissement de soins de longue durée ont été recueillies au moyen de sondages (N = 23 participants au début de l’étude; N = 23 lors du suivi), de cinq groupes de discussion (N = 19 participants, soit n = 10 membres du personnel et n = 9 résidents) et de la méthode photovoix (N = 5 participants). L’équipe de recherche s’est servie d’une méthode descriptive qualitative pour analyser les transcriptions des groupes de discussion et obtenir ainsi un compte rendu riche des expériences des participants en contexte réel. L’équipe a également produit des statistiques descriptives. RésultatsMême si la plupart des résidents ont indiqué préférer aller dehors (91 %), peu d’entre eux ont déclaré le faire tous les jours (30 %). Les participants au programme ont exprimé leur joie à pouvoir interagir avec la nature et regarder les plantes croître. Les analyses des données obtenues des groupes de discussion ont permis de dégager les thèmes suivants : découverte de sens; formation de liens avec les autres par un apprentissage constant; répercussions sur la santé mentale et le bien­être; occasions de se remémorer des souvenirs; reflet de sa vie dans les activités de jardinage; bienfaits pour le personnel et enfin désir que le programme se poursuive. ConclusionLa participation aux activités de jardinage, qu’elle ait été active ou passive, a eu des répercussions bénéfiques chez des résidents ayant des capacités diverses. Le programme a favorisé les discussions et l’établissement de liens et a permis d’accroître les interactions, ce qui est susceptible de contribuer à réduire l’isolement social. Les programmes de jardinage devraient être considérés comme une option efficace et réalisable pour favoriser la socialisation, la santé et le bien­être.

This article examines how existing primary care services were transformed in Québec during COVID-19 to better serve the most vulnerable individuals for whom inequities and access difficulties increased during the pandemic. In the context of a research project, six particularly promising practices to respond to these challenges were identified within one Centre intégré universitaire de santé et de services sociaux (CIUSSS). Using van Gestel et al.’s (2018) framework, which focuses on timing, ideas and institutional contexts, these practices are analyzed as rapid reforms, that is, policy responses or innovations that are initiated at an unusual pace in high pressure contexts, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, that provide an unprecedented window of opportunity to transform primary care services. The extreme pressure exerted on politicians and public decision-makers to act quickly created a context, characterized in certain circumstances by a decentralization of decision-making in the health system and greater agency by frontline actors, favouring bottom-up innovations. Despite the emergence of various rapid reforms, certain longer-term questions arise regarding their potential for sustainability, because their implementation has not been based on an in-depth redefinition of institutional structures and logics, which rests on the long-term adoption of new norms and values. Cet article examine comment les services de première ligne ont été transformés au Québec pendant la COVID-19 afin de mieux desservir les clientèles vulnérables, pour lesquels les inégalités et les difficultés d'accès se sont accrues pendant la pandémie. Dans le cadre d'un projet de recherche, six pratiques particulièrement prometteuses en réponse à ces enjeux ont été identifiées au sein d'un Centre intégré universitaire de santé et de services sociaux (CIUSSS). En utilisant le cadre de van Gestel et al. (2018), qui s’attarde au timing, aux idées et aux contextes institutionnels, ces pratiques sont analysées comme des réformes rapides, c'est-à-dire des politiques ou des innovations initiées à un rythme inhabituel dans un contexte de fortes pressions, tel que la pandémie de la COVID-19, et offrant une fenêtre d'opportunité sans précédent pour transformer les services de première ligne. La pression extrême exercée sur les politiciens et les décideurs publics pour qu'ils agissent rapidement a créé un contexte, caractérisé dans certaines circonstances par une décentralisation de la prise de décision dans le système de santé et une plus grande capacité d’action des acteurs sur le terrain, favorisant les innovations « du bas vers le haut » (bottom-up). Malgré l'émergence de ces réformes rapides, certaines questions à plus long terme se posent quant à leur potentiel de pérennisation, car leur mise en œuvre n'a pas été fondée sur une redéfinition en profondeur des structures et logiques institutionnelles, qui repose sur l'adoption à plus long terme de nouvelles normes et valeurs.

IntroductionResearch has shown that during the 2003 SARS pandemic, emergency department (ED) visits among the pediatric population decreased. We set out to investigate if this was also true for injury-related ED visits during the COVID-19 pandemic. MethodsUsing data from the Canadian Hospitals Injury Reporting and Prevention Program (CHIRPP), we looked at 28 years of injury-related ED visits at the Montreal Children’s Hospital, a provincially designated Pediatric Trauma Centre. We compared data from a two-month period during the COVID-19 lockdown (16 March to 15 May) to the same period in previous years (1993–2019) to determine whether the 2020 decrease in ED visit numbers was unprecedented (i.e. a similar decrease had never occurred) for different age groups, nature of injuries, mechanisms and severity. ResultsThe 2020 decrease was unprecedented across all age groups between 1993 and 2019. When compared with the 2015 to 2019 average, the decrease was smallest in children aged 2 to 5 years (a 35% decrease), and greatest in the group aged 12 to 17 years (83%). Motor vehicle collisions and sports-related injuries practically vanished during the COVID-19 lockdown. Surprisingly, more children aged 6 to 17 years presented with less urgent injuries during the COVID-19 lockdown than in previous years. ConclusionAs was the case with SARS in 2003, COVID-19 acted as a deterrent for pediatric ED visits. The lockdown in particular had a profound impact on injury-related visits. The de-confinement period will be monitored to determine the impact in both the short and the long term.

IntroductionDes recherches ont mis en évidence une diminution du nombre de visites à l’urgence par des enfants pendant la pandémie de SRAS en 2003. Nous avons fait enquête afin de déterminer s’il en avait été de même pour les visites à l’urgence en raison de blessures pendant la pandémie de COVID-19. MéthodesNous avons examiné les données du Système canadien hospitalier d’information et de recherche en prévention des traumatismes (SCHIRPT) afin d’obtenir de l’information sur les visites liées à des blessures au service des urgences de l’Hôpital de Montréal pour enfants, un centre de traumatologie pédiatrique désigné par la province, au cours des 28 dernières années. Nous avons comparé les données correspondant à une période de deux mois pendant le confinement en raison de la COVID-19 (du 16 mars au 15 mai) avec celles de la même période pour les années précédentes (de 1993 à 2019), afin de déterminer si la diminution du nombre de visites à l’urgence en 2020 était sans précédent (c.-à-d. qu’aucune diminution semblable ne s’était jamais produite). Différents facteurs ont été inclus dans cette comparaison, soit les groupes d’âge, la nature des blessures, les mécanismes de blessure et la gravité. RésultatsLa diminution observée en 2020 était sans précédent pour tous les groupes d’âge examinés selon les données compilées entre 1993 et 2019. Comparativement à la moyenne obtenue pour la période entre 2015 et 2019, la diminution la plus faible s’est produite chez les enfants de 2 à 5 ans (baisse de 35 %) alors que la plus forte a eu lieu chez les enfants âgés de 12 à 17 ans (83 %). Les blessures liées aux collisions de véhicules automobiles et aux sports ont pratiquement disparu pendant le confinement lié à la COVID-19. Fait étonnant, pendant le confinement, plus d’enfants entre 6 et 17 ans se sont présentés à l’urgence avec des blessures moins urgentes que les années précédentes. ConclusionComme dans le cas du SRAS en 2003, la COVID-19 a eu un effet dissuasif sur les visites aux urgences pédiatriques. Le confinement, en particulier, a eu une incidence profonde sur les visites associées aux blessures. La période de déconfinement fera l’objet d’une surveillance afin de déterminer les répercussions, tant à court qu’à long terme.

Land regularization is an essential ingredient in the formalization on land rights and it plays an important role in improving tenure security of the urban poor. In order to facilitate the process of land regularization, there is need to have up to date spatial information on the settlements earmarked for the regularization process. Ground based survey methods have proved to be time consuming and costly. Thus there is need to adopt cost effective methodology in the acquisition of spatial data. In this study, an approach based on Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) was trialed for rapid assessment of a settlement earmarked for land regularization. The approach involved image acquisition for an area of 0.75km2 and processing to generate orthomosaic to aid in the regularization process. The developed approach demonstrates the utility of UAVs in the acquisition of spatial data for urban land regularization.

This study investigates the ability of a coupled finite element model to simulate Microbially Induced Calcium Carbonate Precipitation (MICP) and associated healing behaviour in cementitious samples. This recent coupled 3D model was first developed for simulating the behaviour of autonomic healing systems in cementitious structural elements. It employs a cohesive zone constitutive model for simulating the damage-healing behaviour of an embedded interface within 3D continuum elements. Fluid flow is simulated using a mass balance equation and Darcy’s law. Healing is computed via a generalised curing front model that simulates the accumulation of healed material within a crack. The research reported in this article demonstrates that the curing front model can be calibrated to predict healing from MICP in cementitious specimens with good accuracy.

In March 2020, COVID-19 challenged health and educational systems across the country. The rapid reallocation of resources to ensure public safety had taken priority over educational obligations. Healthcare students were removed from clinical environments as their learning came to a grinding halt. While academic institutions were pivoting and transforming teaching and learning experiences, students responded to the pandemic with innovation, attending to gaps in patient care. As educators, we must understand how we can further support students and faculty to unleash innovative thinking during a crisis. To begin to address this educational need, academic institutions now have an opportunity to broaden the practice of education scholarship in accordance with best practices to nurture innovation and innovative thinking. What framework can aid us in this endeavor? In times of instability, Developmental Evaluation is an approach that can support the implementation of innovations within medical education. Using an example of an innovation in medical education, we offer six practical tips to begin to use Developmental Evaluation to support and enable learners and faculty in the creation of innovations and contribute to a broader definition of education scholarship.

Implication Statement Problem-based learning (PBL) and case-based learning (CBL) often mention social identities only if this information is directly relevant to diagnosis, which can inadvertently perpetuate stereotypes in trainee learning. Using a student-developed resource entitled “Portraying Social Identities in Medical Curriculum: A Primer,” we analyzed cases for social identities, identified gaps, and proposed changes, including use of a validated name bank to reflect diversity as represented by local census data. Through this innovation, suggestions were provided to represent the social determinants of health in CBL cases. Other medical schools can use our innovation to improve the social diversity of their medical curriculums.

On 1 September 2020, Canada's first combined nursing-midwifery regulator was created with the amalgamation of the separate nurse and midwife regulators in British Columbia (BC). The highly critical Cayton Report on health profession regulation, the previous experience of amalgamating nursing regulators in BC, and a broader call for more efficient and effective regulation were factors influencing this reform. The goals of the reform were to increase regulatory efficiency (by maximizing economies of scale) and effectiveness (by ensuring adequate resources to meet the public interest mandate) and, for the regulators, to control the pace and progress of the amalgamation ahead of impending government dictate. These goals of the regulators' proposal to amalgamate clearly fit with the BC government's vision for modernizing health profession regulation. To implement the amalgamation, the BC government released an Order in Council on 8 June 2020 that amended various regulations under BC's Health Professions Act and confirmed the September 1 date of amalgamation. There is currently no clearly articulated evaluation plan for this reform; however, evaluating regulatory efficiency and effectiveness in the interests of the public is likely to be a focus moving forward for both regulators and governments. Le premier organisme de réglementation combiné des soins infirmiers et de la profession de sage-femme au Canada a été résulté le 1er septembre 2020 de la fusion des organismes distincts de réglementation des soins infirmiers et de la profession de sage-femme en Colombie-Britannique. Les facteurs ayant influencé cette réforme ont été le très critique rapport Cayton sur la réglementation des professions de santé, l’expérience antérieure de la fusion des organismes de réglementation des soins infirmiers en Colombie-Britannique et un courant général en faveur d’une réglementation plus efficiente et efficace. Les objectifs de la réforme étaient d’accroître l’efficacité réglementaire (en maximisant les économies d’échelle) et l’efficience (en garantissant des ressources adéquates pour répondre au mandat d’intérêt public) et, pour les régulateurs, de contrôler le rythme et la progression de la fusion avant l’imminence d’un diktat gouvernemental. Ces objectifs de la proposition de fusion des organismes de réglementation correspondent clairement à la vision du gouvernement de la Colombie-Britannique en matière de modernisation de la réglementation des professions de santé. Pour mettre en œuvre la fusion, le gouvernement de la Colombie-Britannique a publié le 8 juin 2020 un décret modifiant divers règlements en vertu de la Health Professions Act de la Colombie-Britannique et confirmant la date du 1er septembre pour la fusion. Il n’existe actuellement aucun plan d’évaluation clairement formulé pour cette réforme; toutefois, l’évaluation de l’efficacité et de l’efficience de la réglementation dans l’intérêt du public sera probablement un point central à l’avenir, tant pour les régulateurs que pour les gouvernements.

Argues that Tom Six's controversial, excessive first two Human Centipede films offer a critical grotesque realism that can be traced to the Bakhtinian carnivalesque. In Freeman's analysis, The Human Centipede, First Sequence (2009) and Full Sequence (2011), are savvy reflections of spectatorial desire and horror's attractions-style presentation.

Advances in Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) have revolutionized the geospatial industry around the globe. Recently, the Government of Zimbabwe realized the need to adopt GNSS- Continuously Operating Reference Stations (CORS) for boundary mapping of farms to ensure security of tenure. In order to fully utilize the proposed CORS network there is need to ascertain the readiness of stakeholders involved in the land delivery value chain. This study was conducted to evaluate the perceptions of Zimbabwean geospatial practitioners concerning CORS and their readiness to adopt the technology. The readiness of stakeholders was evaluated based on their level of awareness to the CORS technology, access to GNSS equipment compatible with CORS, prior experience with CORS and skills on manipulation of CORS data. Data were gathered in the form of questionnaires and focus group discussions. The study showed positive results in terms of access to GNSS equipment and level of awareness to CORS, where more than 50% of the participants responded positively. However, in terms of frequency of use and preparedness of stakeholders to upgrade their GNSS equipment to become compatible with CORS technology, the results were discouraging.

Background: Every Preemie–SCALE developed and piloted the Family-Led Care model, an innovative, locally developed model of care for preterm and low birth weight babies receiving kangaroo mother care. Aim: The aim of this study was to describe healthcare workers’ experience using Family-Led Care. Setting: This study was conducted in five health facilities and their catchment areas in Balaka district, Malawi. Methods: The mixed-methods design, with two data collection periods, included record reviews, observations and questionnaires for facility staff and qualitative interviews with health workers of these facilities and their catchment areas. The total convenience sample comprised 123 health professionals, support staff and non-professional community health workers. Results: Facility-based staff generally had positive perceptions of Family-Led Care (83%). Knowledge and application-of-knowledge scores were 69% and 52%, respectively. A major change between the first and the second data periods was improvement in client record-keeping. Documentation of newborn vital signs increased from 62% to 92%. Themes emerging from the qualitative interview analysis were the following: benefits of Family-Led Care; activities supporting the implementation of Family-Led Care; own care practices; and families’ reaction to and experience of Family-Led Care. Conclusion: This article reports improved quality of care through better documentation and better follow-up of preterm and low birth weight babies receiving kangaroo mother care according to the Family-Led Care model. Overall, health workers were positive about their involvement, and they reported positive reactions from families. Lessons learned have been incorporated into a universal Family-Led Care package that is available for adaptation by other countries.

On Arctic coasts, erosion is limited by the presence of nearshore sea ice, which creates a protective barrier from storms. In Kivalina, an Alaskan Inupiaq Inuit community, decreasing seasonal sea ice extent and a lengthening of the open-water season may be resulting in fall storms that (1) generate higher, longer, and more destructive waves and (2) cause damage later in the year, resulting in increased flooding and erosion. We assess trends in the duration of nearshore sea ice and their relationship with storm occurrence over the period 1979–2015 in Kivalina. Analysis of passive microwave sea ice concentration data indicates that the open-water season has increased by 5.6 ± 1.2 days/decade over the last 37 years, with moderate evidence that it is extending further into the fall than into the spring. This is correlated with an increased reporting frequency of high-damage storms; 80% of reported storms since 1970 occurred in the last 15 years. Each high-damage storm event occurred during the open-water season for that year. Our findings support Kivalina villagers’ assertions that climate change increases storm exposure and associated damages from flooding and erosion.

In this article you find the second part of a roundtable on Wolfgang’s Iser legacy with Gerald Prince, Mark Freeman, Marco Caracciolo and Federico Bertoni. In Part II we discuss with Prof. Mark Freem the role of narrative hermeneutics in understanding the human realm and the tenets of self-interpretation, as well as the necessity of literary antrhopology and literary theory.

La gamma delle iniziative introdotta dal governo scozzese e dalle agenzie partner, nazionali e locali, ha lo scopo di ridurre il ricorso alla detenzione di breve durata, di promuovere una risposta più efficace nei confronti delle cause del crimine e di ridurre la recidiva. Queste iniziative indicano che il governo ed i suoi partner riconoscono che, anche se di cruciale importanza, le misure in comunità da sole saranno inefficaci. Sono state previste anche altre risposte che focalizzano chiaramente l’attenzione sulla prevenzione, sulla riduzione delle disuguaglianze e sulle problematiche connesse all'infanzia e associate alla recidiva in età adulta. Viene prestata particolare attenzione all'importanza della tipologie di condanne disponibili e alle agenzie che lavorano in modo collaborativo e responsabile nella comunità, al fine di concentrarsi su obiettivi condivisi. Resta da verificare se, dopo anni di continuo aumento della popolazione carceraria, queste diverse misure possono dimostrare di avere un impatto sia sul ricorso alla custodia in carcere sia sui tassi di recidiva. Tuttavia, in conformità con la ricerca, in merito a ciò che funziona per ridurre il crimine e a quello che potrebbe ridurre il ricorso alla carcerazione, sembra che l'approccio si mostri complessivamente promettente. Les différentes initiatives mises en ɶuvre par le gouvernement écossais et par les agences partenaires nationales et locales ont pour but de réduire le recours à l'emprisonnement de courte durée, de promouvoir une réponse plus efficace aux causes de la criminalité et de réduire la récidive. Elles indiquent que le gouvernement et les partenaires reconnaissent que, bien qu’elles soient extrêmement importantes, les solutions communautaires alternatives à l’incarcération seules s’avéreront inefficaces. D’autres réponses, clairement axées sur la prévention, sur la réduction des inégalités et sur des questions liées à l’enfance et associées à la récidive à l’âge adulte, sont mises en place. Il reste à voir si, après des années d’augmentation constante de la population carcérale, ces différentes mesures pourront produire un effet clairement positif aussi bien sur la mise en détention que sur les taux de récidive. Toutefois, conformément à la recherche sur les moyens efficaces de prévenir le crime et sur les mesures pour réduire le recours à la prison, il semblerait que cette approche s’annonce généralement prometteuse. The range of initiatives being introduced by the Scottish Government and national and local partner agencies are intended to reduce the use of short-term imprisonment, promote a more effective response to the causes of crime and reduce re-offending. They indicate that the Government and partners recognize that, although crucially important, alternative community based options alone will be ineffective. Other responses, involving a clear focus on prevention and reducing the inequalities and related issues in childhood associated with re-offending into adulthood, are also being introduced. There is a clear emphasis on the importance of available sentencing powers and of agencies working collaboratively and accountably in the community to focus on shared aims. Whether, after years of steadily increasing prison populations, these various measures can demonstrably impact on both the use of custody and re-offending rates remains to be seen. However, in accordance with the research on what works to reduce crime and what might reduce the use of custody, it would appear that the approach collectively shows promise.

Coal fly ash obtained from a local power station was used as an adsorbent in the removal of sulphates in an aqueous solution. The coal fly ash was characterised using an x-ray fluorescence (XRF) which revealed that it was class C and sub-bituminous type fly ash, an x—ray diffractometer (XRD) which revealed the dominance of a large amorphous phase and a Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) which showed the presence of both organic and inorganic functional groups. Adsorbent dosage, contact time, temperature and solution pH were varied and all the parameters showed a higher uptake of sulphate ions with their increase, except pH which showed a decreasing uptake. The pseudo second order model showed a better fit for the sorption data with lower error values than the pseudo first order model. The uptake of sulphate ions followed both the Langmuir and the Freundlich isotherm models with RL values for the Langmuir within the range 0 < RL < 1 and n-values for the Freundlich within the range 0 < n < 10 showing a favourable sorption for both models. All the thermodynamic parameters (ΔG°, ΔH° and ΔS°) were positive indicating a non – spontaneous, endothermic and a random solid – liquid interface. The process was shown to follow a unimolecular layer approach with chemical adsorption as the dominating mechanism. Generally, coal fly ash showed a higher affinity for sulphates leading to its effective removal.

A blend of piperazine (PZ), N-methylpiperazine (MPZ) and N,N’-dimethylpiperazine (DMPZ) is described as a novel CO2 capture solvent for aqueous absorption-stripping. This blend provides improved solid solubility and heat of absorption compared to concentrated PZ. No insolubility was observed for regions of high CO2 loading, unlike PZ solvents. The blend performed like concentrated PZ in terms of CO2 capacity and CO2 absorption rate, both of which were more than double that of a traditional 7 molal (30 wt%) MonoEthanolAmine (MEA). Thermal equilibrium was established between the three constituent amines that increases the thermal stability compared to traditional blended solvents. The primary drawback of this novel solvent system is enhanced amine volatility at absorber conditions compared with both concentrated PZ and MEA.

This paper gives an overview of a combined experimental-numerical study on vascular self-healing (SH) systems for cementitious composite materials. The work aimed to bridge the gap between numerical and experimental investigations for this type of SH system and to provide a set of data for developing, calibrating and validating a finite element model for these materials. The study investigated both healing-agent transport and mechanical damage-healing processes, including healing-agent curing. The experimental programme included mechanical tests on notched concrete beams and compact direct-tension specimens with inbuilt vascular healing systems, as well as tests to measure the transport properties of healing-agent within discrete concrete cracks and through the concrete matrix. The new coupled model employs elements with embedded strong discontinuities to simulate cracks and mechanical healing behaviour. A damage-healing constitutive model is described that simulates multiple damage-healing ‘events’. This mechanical model is coupled to discrete and continuum flow models that simulate healing-agent transport. The transport model accounts for pressurised and capillary flow, as well as curing-dependent flow properties. The main focus of this contribution is to show how these parallel programmes of work were combined so that the experimental observations guided the numerical developments and modelling questions were answered using experimental findings.

India's encounter with genetically engineered Bt cotton has been a contested one, and one that has rarely conformed to expectations. I argue that two primary vantage points on the question of agricultural biotechnology – those advocating the "biosafe use" of Bt cotton or those who insist it involves "inherent problems" - frequently anticipate an "imagined farmer" in incomplete and sometimes plainly incorrect ways. Thus, there is more to the Bt cotton debate than has been considered to date. Drawing from qualitative interviews with cotton farmers in two regions of Andhra Pradesh, I call attention to the unintended effects of widespread Bt cotton cultivation and debates missing from this controversy. Misconstrual of the "imagined farmer" has edged out civil society's acknowledgement of farmers' negotiation of the (immediate and physical) risks of pesticide use as contrasted with those (more abstracted and unknown) of genetically engineered seed. Bt cotton's advocates, on the other hand, seldom address the unintended effects of its widespread use, including potentially reduced labor opportunities for the most marginal rural laborers. In conclusion, I urge a more expansive assessment of the trade-offs between risks and benefits that farmers make regarding Bt cotton, alongside a closer look at the nuances of their decision-making. Framing agribiotech risk as a matter of manageable (or inherently problematic) "biosafety" does not resonate with farmers using a broader concept of health and environmental safety threatened by heavy pesticide usage. Keywords: Bt cotton, political ecology, genetic engineering risk, pesticides, India

With the 1912 publication by Elkin Mathews of a selection from Lionel Johnson’s posthumous works titled Some Poems of Lionel Johnson, the complex representation, marketing, and intellectual inheritance of Victorian, late-Victorian, and fin de siècle lyric poetics are represented in a unique material and culturally specific form. By radically abridging the collected writings of Johnson and distilling them into a marketable form, Mathews constructs particular ways of reading the poetry book of the fin de siècle and of creating a poetry book that could function as a seductive short encounter for the reader. This essay explores the critical spirit informing the posthumous editions of Johnson’s poetic works and how such key figures of the period as Mathews, Yeats, and Pound articulated their critical revisions of fin de siècle poetic practices through the selective editing of Johnson’s complex poetic style. This essay argues that this kind of strategic revision of late-Victorian lyricism, decoration, and ritualized poetics does not merely function in relation to decorative publishing practices of the fin de siècle or as a denial of Johnson’s aesthetic sensibilities but that it points to a broader cultural criticism of Victorian aesthetic excess and of mid- to late-Victorian aesthetic ideology.

The term "genocide" refers to the worst of crimes. Yet, although it involves complex social processes with enormous impacts on individuals and societies, it has been rather neglected by social scientists. This is due in part to the fact that the international legal definition of "genocide" is unclear and unsatisfactory, and also in part to the methodological problems of comparing large-scale events. The article proposes a methodological solution to these problems —involving the use of Weber’s ideal type— and offers a critical review of the leading explanatory theories of genocide. It concludes that these theories offer considerable insight into the causation of genocide, although none is wholly convincing. A brief analysis of the crisis in Darfur is made to clarify some of the remaining problems in this field.

Durante nuestros trabajos de excavación en los niveles del Magdaleniense Inferior Cantábrico del yacimiento de El Juyo (Igollo, Cantabria), se recuperó una serie de peculiares artefactos óseos. Se trataba de un reducido número de pequeños huesos cortados que se encontraron juntos en el Nivel 6 y de diversos fragmentos grabados y quemados de escápulas de cérvidos, descubiertos en mayor cantidad en el Nivel 8. La comparación efectuada con especímenes etnograficamente conocidos sugiere que tal vez se utilizaran estos objetos en la adivinación para enfrentarse a los aleatorios caprichos del mundo natural. Postulamos que los huesos cortados podrían ser los dados utilizados en juegos y en la adivinación y que las escápulas son el resultado de la práctica de la escapulomancia.

Las doce sonatas para teclado, Op. 1, de Ludovico Giustini (1685-1743), constituyen la música más antigua explícitamente indicada para su interpretación en el pianoforte. Son composiciones atractivas en el estilo clásico temprano, que exhiben una interesante mezcla de influencias de la música italiana de tecla, la sonata italiana para violín y la música francesa para clave. Su inusual formato de danzas, sus excursiones contrapuntísticas, y novedades en cuatro o cinco movimientos, parecen haberse inspirado en las sonatas para violín Op. 1 del toscano Francesco Veracini. Aunque la única fuente de las sonatas es un impreso datado en Florencia, en 1732, está claro que el impreso sólo pudo haber aparecido entre 1734 y 1740. Fue posiblemente difundido a Lisboa, y no a Florencia, como resultado del mecenazgo del Infante Antonio de Portugal y Dom João de Seixas, relevante cortesano en Lisboa durante los últimos años de la década de 1730.

For years, the world paid scant attention to the sporadic skirmishes and sovereignty squabbles in what is known by many as the South China Sea. However, in the past few years, there have been several noteworthy happenings that have drawn the attention of media outlets, including a Chinese oil rig placement near Vietnam, a Philippineinternational court case, a U.S.–ASEAN summit, and Chinese reclamation projects. Many of the countries involved are members of the regional grouping known as ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations). This study examined Asean’s English-language press, looking at the amount, patterns, and tone of coverage given to regional maritime disputes. Results indicate that use of the term ‘South China Sea’ prevails in all countries except Vietnam. The Asean newspapers have devoted a consistent and substantial amount of space to covering the topic. Indonesia’s Jakarta Post tended to use neutral or positive language when mentioning Asean and the US, while China saw more negative associations in the coverage. Further research is suggested, taking into account mass communication theories and perspectives.

Abstract The inverse of the gametic covariance matrix between relatives, G-1, for a marked quantitative trait locus (QTL) is required in best linear unbiased prediction (BLUP) of breeding values if marker data are available on a QTL. A rapid method for computing the inverse of a gametic relationship matrix for a marked QTL without building G itself is presented. The algorithm is particularly useful due to the approach taken in computing inbreeding coefficients by having to compute only few elements of G. Numerical techniques for determining, storing, and computing the required elements of G and the nonzero elements of the inverse are discussed. We show that the subset of G required for computing the inbreeding coefficients and hence the inverse is a tiny proportion of the whole matrix and can be easily stored in computer memory using sparse matrix storage techniques. We also introduce an algorithm to determine the maximum set of nonzero elements that can be found in G-1 and a strategy to efficiently store and access them. Finally, we demonstrate that the inverse can be efficiently built using the present techniques for very large and inbred populations.

Includes the following reviews: pp. 96-97. Sandra Freeman. Griffiths, T.R. & Llewellyn, M. (eds.), British and Irish Women Dramatists Since 1958. pp. 97-98. Michael Jamieson. Esslin, M., Pinter the Playwright. pp. 98-100. Christopher Murray. Hodgson, T., Modern Drama: From Ibsen to Fugard. + Innes, C., Modern British Drama 1890-1990. pp. 100-103. Ulf Danatus. Russell, J.R., The Penguin Dictionary of the Theatre. + Wandor, M., Drama Today; A Critical Guide to British Drama. + Acheson, J. (ed.), British and Irish Drama since 1960. + Hilton, J. (ed.), New Directions in Theatre. pp. 103-105. Göran Kjellmer. Cowie, A.P. & Mackin, R. (eds.), Oxford Dictionary of Phrasal Verbs. p. 105. Anne Moskow. Virago Press - Feminist Publisher. pp. 105-106. Ronald Paul. Burgess, A., A Mouthful of Air. pp. 106-109. Frank-Michael Kirsch. Byram, M. (ed.), Germany. Its Representation in Text, Books for Teaching German in Great Britain. pp. 110-111. Bo Andersson. Günter, S. & Kotthoff, H. (Hrsg.), Die Geschlechter im Gespräch. Kommunikation in Institutionen. pp. 112-113. Gustav Korlén. Leiser, E., Gott hat kein Kleingeld. pp. 114-117. Elisabeth Tegelberg. L'année scandinave 1989-1991, Nouvelles du Nord 1992. pp. 117-118. Börje Schylter. Hedberg, J., Nostalgia. pp. 118-119. Lars-Göran Sundell. Boysen, G., Fransk grammatik. p. 120. Redaktionsmeddelande/A Message from the Editors

Le théâtre contemporain

El término "genocidio" alude al peor de los crímenes. Aunque este concepto implica complejos procesos sociales que tienen un gran impacto sobre los individuos y las sociedades, ha sido descuidado por los científicos sociales. Esto es debido en parte al hecho de que la definición internacional de "genocidio" es confusa e insatisfactoria, y también en parte a problemas metodológicos en la comparación de grandes sucesos. El artículo propone una solución metodológica a esos problemas utilizando los tipos ideales de Weber y ofrece una revisión crítica de las principales teorías explicativas del genocidio. El artículo concluye con la idea de que esas teorías ofrecen una considerable comprensión de las causas del genocidio, aunque ninguna resulta totalmente convincente. Se realiza un breve análisis de la crisis en Darfur con la intención de clarificar algunos de los problemas remanentes en este campo.

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En una primera parte se repasan los fundamentos del paleomagnetismo con especial énfasis en los métodos y técnicas aplicados a las muestras coleccionadas en el estudio piloto de los bordes de la Cuenca Balear. En una segunda parte se describen los resultados obtenidos en el estudio de distintas litologías . Los diques del Carbonífero-Pérmico presentan una magnetización muy bien definida que los hace particularmente uu1izables para estudios paleomagnéticos. Las calizas del Muschelkalk presentan una remagnetización que posiblemente puede datarse como paleógena.. Algunas de las series jurásicas muestreadas pueden usarse con fines magnetoestratigráficos. Los resultados obtenidos han permitido iniciar estudios específicos de posibles movimientos de bloques en la Cadena Costera Catalana, la estructura de enlace entre la Cadena Costera Catalana y la Cordillera Ibérica y evolución tectónica del conjunto balear.

Copyright of Proges en Urologie is the property of Elsevier B.V. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)