bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Structural, Optical, Electrical, and Photoresponse Properties of Postannealed Sn‐Doped ZnO Nanorods
Authors: Humayun Q. , Kashif M. , Hashim U.
Published: December 2013

Tin (Sn) doped ZnO nanorods were synthesized on glass substrate using a sol‐gel method. The synthesized nanorods were postannealed at 150, 350, and 500°C. The surface morphologies of Sn‐doped ZnO nanorods at different postannealing temperatures were studied using scanning electron microscope (SEM). XRD results show that as the postannealing temperature increased from 150°C to 500°C, the c‐axis orientation becomes stronger. Refractive indices and dielectric constants were calculated on the basis of different relationships by utilizing bandgap values. These bandgap values were obtained in terms of optical absorption by using a UV‐Visible spectrophotometer. The enhancing effects of annealing temperatures on electrical properties were observed in terms of current‐to‐voltage measurements. Resistivity decreases as postannealing temperature increases from 150°C to 500°C. Annealed samples were evaluated for UV‐sensing application. The samples exhibit a responsivity of 1.7 A/W.
Block Empirical Likelihood for Semiparametric Varying-Coefficient Partially Linear Errors-in-Variables Models with Longitudinal Data
Authors: Xia Yafeng , Da Hu
Published: December 2013

Block empirical likelihood inference for semiparametric varying-coeffcient partially linear errors-in-variables models with longitudinal data is investigated. We apply the block empirical likelihood procedure to accommodate the within-group correlation of the longitudinal data. The block empirical log-likelihood ratio statistic for the parametric component is suggested. And the nonparametric version of Wilk’s theorem is derived under mild conditions. Simulations are carried out to access the performance of the proposed procedure.
Andrographolide, a Novel NF-κB Inhibitor, Induces Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell Apoptosis via a Ceramide-p47phox-ROS Signaling Cascade
Authors: Chen Yu-Ying , Hsu Ming-Jen , Sheu Joen-Rong , Lee Lin-Wen , Hsieh Cheng-Ying
Published: December 2013

Atherosclerosis is linked with the development of many cardiovascular complications. Abnormal proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) plays a crucial role in the development of atherosclerosis. Accordingly, the apoptosis of VSMCs, which occurs in the progression of vascular proliferation, may provide a beneficial strategy for managing cardiovascular diseases. Andrographolide, a novel nuclear factor-κB inhibitor, is the most active and critical constituent isolated from the leaves ofAndrographis paniculata. Recent studies have indicated that andrographolide is a potential therapeutic agent for treating cancer through the induction of apoptosis. In this study, the apoptosis-inducing activity and mechanisms in andrographolide-treated rat VSMCs were characterized. Andrographolide significantly induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation, p53 activation, Bax, and active caspase-3 expression, and these phenomena were suppressed by pretreating the cells with N-acetyl-L-cysteine, a ROS scavenger, or diphenylene iodonium, a nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase (Nox) inhibitor. Furthermore, p47phox, a Nox subunit protein, was phosphorylated in andrographolide-treated rat VSMCs. However, pretreatment with 3-O-methyl-sphingomyelin, a neutral sphingomyelinase inhibitor, significantly inhibited andrographolide-induced p47phox phosphorylation as well as Bax and active caspase-3 expression. Our results collectively demonstrate that andrographolide-reduced cell viability can be attributed to apoptosis in VSMCs, and this apoptosis-inducing activity was associated with the ceramide-p47phox-ROS signaling cascade.
Similarities and Differences between the Pathogenesis and Pathophysiology of Diastolic and Systolic Heart Failure
Authors: Komamura Kazuo
Published: December 2013

Pathophysiology of heart failure has been considered to be a damaged state of systolic function of the heart followed by a state of low cardiac output that is, systolic heart failure. Even if systolic function is preserved, left ventricular filling in diastole can be impeded and resulted in elevation of filling pressure and symptoms of heart failure. This kind of heart failure is called diastolic heart failure. Nowadays, diastolic heart failure is referred to as heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), whereas systolic heart failure is referred to as heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). In this paper, the similarities and differences between the pathogenesis and pathophysiology of diastolic and systolic heart failure were reviewed. Although diastolic heart failure is a common condition of heart failure worldwide, its pathophysiology has not been sufficiently elucidated. This is thought to be the most significant reason for a lack of established treatment methods for diastolic heart failure. We hope to proceed with future studies on this topic.
Damage Simulation and Ultrasonic Detection of Asphalt Mixture under the Coupling Effects of Water-Temperature-Radiation
Authors: Cheng Yong-chun , Zhang Peng , Jiao Yu-bo , Wang Ye-dan , Tao Jing-lin
Published: December 2013

In order to accurately simulate the performance changes of asphalt pavement in the hot rainy days, laboratory water-temperature-radiation cycle test is designed and carried out for the damage simulation of asphalt mixture under the environmental effect of rain, high temperatures, and sunshine. Ultrasonic detection method is used to determine the ultrasonic velocity of asphalt mixture specimen under different temperatures and water contents in the process of water-temperature-radiation cycles. Thus, we get the preliminary damage assessment. Splitting strength attenuation is defined as the damage parameter. In addition, the regression prediction models of the ultrasonic velocity and damage coefficient of asphalt mixture are constructed using the grey theory, neural network method, and support vector machine theory, respectively. We compare the prediction results of the three different models. It can be concluded that the model derived from the support vector machine possesses higher accuracy and stability, which can more satisfactorily reflect the relationship between ultrasonic velocity and damage coefficient. Therefore, the damage degree of the asphalt mixture can be obtained.
Detection and Countermeasure of Node Misbehaviour in Clustered Wireless Sensor Network
Authors: Tripathi Meenakshi , Gaur M. S. , Laxmi V. , Sharma P.
Published: December 2013

Wireless sensor networks are widely used in many applications like battlefield monitoring, environment monitoring, and so forth. In all of these applications the cooperation among various sensor nodes is needed to forward the data packets to the base station. However, it expends the various resources of a sensor node such as battery power, storage, and processing power. Therefore, to conserve its own resources a node may become selfish by not forwarding the data to the others. This kind of attack has serious consequences if the attacker node is the leader of a cluster. In the presence of attack the base station will not be able to get the data from the victimized cluster while resources of the member of that cluster are being consumed. In this paper we propose a scheme called window based scheme (WBS) to detect this kind of misbehavior in WSN. Our detection scheme is energy efficient because most of the computations are done at base station only. Simulation results prove that our method detects and removes the attacker effectively and efficiently.
A Simple Semi-Empirical Model for the Estimation of Photosynthetically Active Radiation from Satellite Data in the Tropics
Authors: Janjai S. , Sripradit A. , Wattan R. , Buntoung S. , Pattarapanitchai S. , Masiri I.
Published: December 2013

This paper presents a simple semi-empirical model for estimating global photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) under all sky conditions. The model expresses PAR as a function of cloud index, aerosol optical depth, total ozone column, solar zenith angle, and air mass. The formulation of the model was based on a four-year period (2008–2011) of PAR data obtained from the measurements at four solar monitoring stations in a tropical environment of Thailand. These are Chiang Mai (18.78°N, 98.98°E), Ubon Ratchathani (15.25°N, 104.87°E), Nakhon Pathom (13.82°N, 100.04°E), and Songkhla (7.20°N, 100.60°E). The cloud index was derived from MTSAT-1R satellite, whereas the aerosol optical depth was obtained from MODIS/Terra satellite. For the total ozone column, it was retrieved from OMI/Aura satellite. The model was validated against independent data set from the four stations. It was found that hourly PAR estimated from the proposed model and that obtained from the measurements were in reasonable agreement, with the root mean square difference (RMSD) and mean bias difference (MBD) of 14.3% and −5.8%, respectively. In addition, for the case of monthly average hourly PAR, RMSD and MBD were reduced to 11.1% and −5.1%, respectively.
Red-Eared Slider Turtles Lack Response to Immunization with Keyhole Limpet Hemocyanin but Have High Levels of Natural Antibodies
Authors: Zimmerman Laura M. , Bowden Rachel M. , Vogel Laura A.
Published: December 2013

While the specific humoral response of reptiles is slow and does not typically increase in titer or binding affinity upon secondary immunization, reptiles produce polyreactive natural antibodies (NAbs) that have low binding affinity and are produced in the absence of antigen stimulation. Given the poor specific response, NAbs may be an important protective resource in reptiles. In order to investigate the relative contributions of natural and specific antibodies, we immunized turtles with the novel antigen keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH). We did not detect an increase in antibody titers. However, preimmunization titers to KLH, as well as to a series of other novel antigens, were high in the turtles, indicating a strong NAb response. Interestingly, we found an age-associated increase in NAb titers in adults. Overall, our data suggest that reptiles may use NAbs as part of a strong innate immune response rather than relying on slower specific humoral responses.
An Algorithmic Framework for Multiobjective Optimization
Authors: Ganesan T. , Elamvazuthi I. , Shaari Ku Zilati Ku , Vasant P.
Published: December 2013

Multiobjective (MO) optimization is an emerging field which is increasingly being encountered in many fields globally. Various metaheuristic techniques such as differential evolution (DE), genetic algorithm (GA), gravitational search algorithm (GSA), and particle swarm optimization (PSO) have been used in conjunction with scalarization techniques such as weighted sum approach and the normal‐boundary intersection (NBI) method to solve MO problems. Nevertheless, many challenges still arise especially when dealing with problems with multiple objectives (especially in cases more than two). In addition, problems with extensive computational overhead emerge when dealing with hybrid algorithms. This paper discusses these issues by proposing an alternative framework that utilizes algorithmic concepts related to the problem structure for generating efficient and effective algorithms. This paper proposes a framework to generate new high‐performance algorithms with minimal computational overhead for MO optimization.
Conformity Check of Thickness to the Crystal Plateλ/4(λ/2)
Authors: Syuy Alexander , Shtarev Dmitriy , Krishtop Victor , Kireeva Natalia
Published: December 2013

This work demonstrates that if crystal plates are identical in thickness in the direction of radiation, the intensity at the output of the polarizer-crystal-crystal-analyzer system equals zero. This means that it is possible to control the difference in thickness between the reference crystal plate (e.g., plates ofλ/4orλ/2) and the examined plate by the intensity of the transmitted radiation. Further, it shows that if nonmonochromatic radiation is used, then the spectrum of radiation at the output is determined by the relative orientation of the optical elements and their sizes. The paper gives the theoretical model for calculations of profile of spectra for the number of important cases of orientation of elements.
A Comparison of Southern Hemisphere Cyclone Track Climatology and Interannual Variability in Coarse-Gridded Reanalysis Datasets
Authors: Eichler Timothy Paul , Gottschalck Jon
Published: December 2013

Southern Hemisphere (SH) extratropical cyclones have received less study than their Northern Hemisphere (NH) counterparts. Generating SH cyclone tracks from global reanalysis datasets is problematic due to data reliability, especially prior to 1979. It is therefore prudent to compare the climatology and variability of SH cyclone tracks from different reanalysis datasets. We generate cyclone track frequency and intensity climatologies from three reanalysis datasets: The National Center for Environmental Prediction’s Reanalysis I and Reanalysis II datasets and the European Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasts ERA-40 dataset. Our results show that ERA-40 produces more intense cyclones in the SH active cyclone region compared to NCEP reanalyses. More intense storms are also found in the SH active cyclone region in NCEP reanalyses data post-1979 reflecting the positive trend in the AAO in the past few decades. When evaluating interannual variability, our results show Rossby wave trains including the Pacific South American (PSA) and the East Indian Ocean pattern in response to anomalous heating linked to El Niño and the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD), respectively. Response to the AAO shows a robust annular structure for cyclone track frequency, but not intensity suggesting a weak relationship between cyclone frequency and cyclone intensity.
Antimutagenic Effect of Medicinal PlantsAchillea millefoliumandBauhinia forficata In Vivo
Authors: Düsman Elisângela , Almeida Igor Vivian de , Coelho Ana Carolina , Balbi Thiago José , Düsman Tonin Lilian Tatiani , Vicentini Veronica Elisa Pimenta
Published: December 2013

The investigation of traditionally used medicinal plants is valuable both as a source of potential chemotherapeutic drugs and as a measure of safety for the continued use of these medicinal plants.Achillea millefoliumL. (AM) is an ancient remedial herb native to Europe that is used to treat wounds, gastrointestinal and hepatobiliary disorders, inflammation, headaches, and pain.Bauhinia forficataLink (BF), an Asiatic plant, is one of the most commonly used plants in folk medicine against diabetes. The aim of this study was to evaluate the cytotoxic and antimutagenic potential of aqueous extracts of AM and BF on bone marrow cells of Wistar rats treatedin vivo. These plant extracts possess considerable antioxidant activity due to the presence of flavonoids and phenolic compounds. These compounds were determinants to noncytotoxic and antimutagenic/protective action of these plants, that reduced statistically the percentage of chromosomal alterations induced by the chemotherapeutic agent cyclophosphamide in simultaneous (AM, 68%; BF, 91%), pre- (AM, 68%; BF, 71%), and post-treatment (AM, 67%; BF, 95%). Therefore, the results of this study indicate that extracts ofA. millefoliumandB. forficatahave antimutagenic potential and that their consumption can benefit the health of those using them as an alternative therapy.
PEComa: A Perivascular Epithelioid Cell Tumor in the Liver—A Case Report and Review of the Literature
Authors: Khaja Faseeh , Carilli Allison , Baidas Said , Sriharan Aravindhan , Norford Shanedelle
Published: December 2013

Perivascular epithelioid cell tumors are soft tissue tumors that can occur in various locations in the body whose incidence is rising. Hepatic PEComas are quite rare and diagnosis involves positivity of Melan-A and HMB45 on immunohistochemistry. Usual treatment is surgery for benign tumors and chemotherapy including mTOR inhibitors for malignant tumors. Here we discuss the radiological and pathological diagnosis, evaluation, and management of a hepatic PEComa. We describe a 51-year-old patient who was diagnosed incidentally after unusual physical exam findings.
Involvement of Differential Relationship between HCV Replication and Hepatic PRR Signaling Gene Expression in Responsiveness to IFN-Based Therapy
Authors: Yuki Nobukazu , Matsumoto Shinji , Kato Michio , Yamaguchi Toshikazu
Published: December 2013

Aim. To gain an insight into the effect of HCV replication-associated interference with the IFN system on hepatic mRNA expression involved in IFN production. Methods. Relative mRNA expression of TLR3/RIG-I signaling genes involved in IFN-β production was correlated with positive- and negative-strand HCV RNAs in pretreatment liver tissues responsive and nonresponsive to peginterferon and ribavirin for chronic hepatitis C genotype 1. Treatment response was analyzed for per protocol population at weeks 12 (n=45) and 24 (n=40) and at 24 weeks aftertreatment (n=38). Results. HCV replication had no relation to the expression of TLR3, RIG-I, TRIF, IPS-1, IRF3, and IFN-β mRNAs in responders. In striking contrast, positive- and/or negative-strand HCV showed positive correlations with TLR3, RIG-I, TRIF, IPS-1, and IRF3 mRNAs in week-12 nonresponders; with RIG-I, TRIF, IPS-1, and IRF3 mRNAs in week-24 nonresponders; and with TLR3, RIG-I, and IRF3 mRNAs in posttreatment nonresponders. Thus mRNA expression of TLR3/RIG-I signaling genes was increased in relation to viral replication in nonresponders. Conclusions. The findings in IFN nonresponders may imply a host feedback response to severe impairment of the IFN system associated with HCV replication.
Knowledge, Beliefs, and Psychosocial Effect of Acne Vulgaris among Saudi Acne Patients
Authors: Darwish Magdy A. , Al-Rubaya Ahmed A.
Published: December 2013

Objective. This study was conducted to assess the knowledge, beliefs, and psychosocial effect of acne vulgaris among acne patients attending referral dermatology clinic in Al-Khobar city. Material and Methods. A cross-sectional study was conducted on all Saudi acne patients (males and females) attending referral dermatology clinic in Al-Khobar Governmental Hospital. The data were collected by using a structured self-administered questionnaire. Results. Like other studies conducted before, we found that 58.33% of our sample have poor knowledge about factors that affect acne vulgaris with a significant correlation with both age and gender (P=0.012 and P=0.031,
resp.). There was significant association of reporting affected social activities with age and educational level (P=0.023
and P=0.013,
resp.). Variation between both genders regarding reporting feeling stressed due to acne was significant (P=0.001). The majority of our sample sought medical advice after one year. The most commonly used treatment for acne vulgaris before seeking medical help was peeling products. The majority of our patients thought that acne needs no treatment by physicians. Doctors' treatment is considered guaranteed and safe by the vast majority of our patients. Conclusion. This study showed that knowledge about acne is still insufficient among acne patients.
A Dynamic Genetic Algorithm for Solving a Single Machine Scheduling Problem with Periodic Maintenance
Authors: Ebrahimy Zade Amir , Fakhrzad Mohammad Bagher
Published: December 2013

The scheduling problem with nonresumable jobs and maintenance process is considered in order to minimize the makespan under two alternative strategies. The first strategy is to implement the maintenance process on the machine after a predetermined time period and the second one is to consider the maximum number of jobs that can be done with an especial tool. We propose a new mathematical formulation for the aforementioned problem which is included in the NP-Hard class of problems; in the second part of the paper, we propose a dynamic genetic algorithm so that the large- and medium-scale problems could be solvable in computationally reasonable time. Also we compare the performance of the proposed algorithm with existing methods in the literature. Experimental results showed that the proposed genetic algorithm is able to attain optimum solutions in most cases and also corroborate its better performance from the existing heuristic methods in the literature.
Mechanical Properties of Polymer Concrete
Authors: Bedi Raman , Chandra Rakesh , Singh S. P.
Published: December 2013

Polymer concrete was introduced in the late 1950s and became well known in the 1970s for its use in repair, thin overlays and floors, and precast components. Because of its properties like high compressive strength, fast curing, high specific strength, and resistance to chemical attacks polymer concrete has found application in very specialized domains. Simultaneously these materials have been used in machine construction also where the vibration damping property of polymer concrete has been exploited. This review deals with the efforts of various researchers in selection of ingredients, processing parameters, curing conditions, and their effects on the mechanical properties of the resulting material.
An Improved Optimal Linear Weighted Cooperative Spectrum Sensing Algorithm for Cognitive Radio Sensor Networks
Authors: Wang Yonghua , Li Yuehong , Yang Jian , Wan Pin , Wang Qinruo
Published: December 2013

In order to improve the sensing accuracy of the Cognitive Radio Sensor Networks and reduce the interference to the primary user, this paper proposes an improved optimal linear weighted cooperative spectrum sensing scheme on the assumption that the report channel is not ideal. Through mathematical modeling, the spectrum sensing problem is ultimately converted into a constrained nonconvex optimization problem, and the chaotic harmony search (CHS) algorithm is to be used to find the optimal weighting vector value. The simulation results show that the proposed linear cooperative spectrum detection scheme based on the CHS algorithm has better performance than HS, SFLA, EGC, MRC, and MDC algorithm. In addition, the influence of local noise power, report channel noise power, and report channel gain on the performance of the algorithm is analyzed by simulation. The results show that local noise power has greater impact on the sensing performance.
Spontaneous Rapid Resolution of Acute Epidural Hematoma in Childhood
Authors: Gülşen Ismail , Ak Hakan , Sösüncü Enver , Yavuz Alpaslan , Kiymaz Nejmi
Published: December 2013

Acute epidural hematoma is a critical emergency all around the world, and its aggressive diagnosis and treatment are of vital importance. Emergent surgical evacuation of the hematoma is known as standard management; however, conservative procedures are also used for small ones. Spontaneous rapid resolution of these hematomas has also been reported in eight pediatric cases. Various theories have been proposed to explain the underlying pathophysiology of this resolution. Herein, we are reporting a new pediatric case with spontaneously resolving acute epidural hematoma 12 hours after admission to the emergency room.
Studying the Polypeptide Sequence (α-Code) of Escherichia coli
Authors: Rosenfeld Vladimir R.
Published: December 2013

This paper is devoted to algebraically simulating the α-code of bacterium Escherichia coli
and studying contrast factors (words) in its polypeptide sequence. We utilize the methods of
spectral theory of graphs which were previously employed by us for enumerating De Bruijn
and Kautz sequences. The empirical material is borrowed from the computer investigation of
contrast factors in the polypeptide sequences of prokaryotes.
Resveratrol: Why Is It a Promising Therapy for Chronic Kidney Disease Patients?
Authors: Saldanha Juliana F. , Leal Viviane de O. , Stenvinkel Peter , Carraro-Eduardo José Carlos , Mafra Denise
Published: December 2013

Resveratrol, a phenolic compound found in various plants, including grapes, berries, and peanuts, shows promise for the treatment of cancer, aging, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases. Resveratrol can promotetranscription factor nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor 2(Nrf2) activation, increase the expression level of SIRT-1, which is a sirtuin family protein, and reduce mTOR pathway signaling. This compound has anti-inflammatory properties in that it inhibits or antagonizes the nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) activity, which is a redox-sensitive transcription factor that coordinates the inflammatory response. Inflammation and oxidative stress, which are common features in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), are interrelated and associated with cardiovascular disease and the progression of CKD itself. Because of the modulation of the mechanisms involved in the inflammatory-oxidative stress cycle, resveratrol could play an important role in controlling CKD-related metabolic derangements. Although resveratrol supplementation in theory is a promising therapy in this patient group, there are no studies evaluating its effects. Thus, the present review aims to describe the role of resveratrol in inflammation and oxidative stress modulation and its possible benefits to patients with CKD.
Properties of Spent Active Coke Particles Analysed via Comminutionin Spouted Bed
Authors: Buczek Bronislaw
Published: December 2013

Samples of active coke, fresh and spent after cleaning flue gases from communal waste incinerators, were investigated. The outer layers of both coke particles were separately removed by comminution in a spouted bed. The samples of both active cokes were analysed by means of densities, mercury porosimetry, and adsorption technique. Remaining cores were examined to determine the degree of consumption of coke by the sorption of hazardous emissions (SO2, HCl, and heavy metals) through its bed. Differences in contamination levels within the porous structure of the particles were estimated. The study demonstrated the effectiveness of commercial active coke in the cleaning of flue gases.
“I Got to Know Them in a New Way”
Authors: Fornssler Barbara , McKenzie Holly A. , Dell Colleen Anne , Laliberte Larry , Hopkins Carol
Published: December 2013

Drawing on three culturally specific research projects, this paper examines how community-based knowledge brokers’ engagement in brokering knowledge shaped the projects’ processes. Informed by Deleuze and Guattari’s (1987) conceptualization of the “rhizome,” we discuss how community knowledge brokers’ engagement in open research-creation practices embrace the relational foundation of Indigenous research paradigms in contrast to mainstream Western research practices that are engaged as linear, objective, and outcome-oriented activities. In turn, we offer propositions for building team environments where open research-creation practices can unfold, informing a periphery of shared space for Indigenous and Western paradigms.
THE DYNAMICS OF FIELDWORK AMONG THE TALENSI: MEYER FORTES IN NORTHERN GHANA, 1934–7
Authors: Parker John
Published: December 2013

This article examines the encounter between the social anthropologist Meyer Fortes and his wife Sonia, on the one hand, and the Talensi people of northern Ghana, on the other, in the years 1934–7. Based in large part on the Forteses’ extensive corpus of recently archived field notes, diaries and other papers, it argues that the quotidian dynamics of that encounter were in many ways quite different from those of Talensi social life as enshrined in Meyer's famous published monographs. Far from entering a timeless world of enduring clanship and kinship, the Forteses grappled with a society struggling to come to terms with the forces of colonial change. The focus is on the couple's shifting relationship with two dominant figures in the local political landscape in the 1930s: Tongrana Nambiong, the leading Talensi chief and their host in the settlement of Tongo, and Golibdaana Tengol, a wealthy ritual entrepreneur who dominated access on the part of ‘stranger’ pilgrims to the principal oracular shrine in the adjacent Tong Hills. These two bitter rivals were, by local standards, commanding figures – yet both emerge as psychologically complex characters riddled with anxiety, unease and self-doubt. The ethnographic archive is thereby shown to offer the possibility of a more intimate history of the interior lives of non-literate African peoples on remote colonial frontiers who often passed under the radar of the state and its documentary regime.
INTRODUCTION: SUSTAINING THE LIFE OF THE POLIS
Authors: Geissler P. Wenzel , Kelly Ann H. , Manton John , Prince Ruth J. , Tousignant Noémi
Published: December 2013

How are publics of protection and care defined in African cities today? The effects of globalization and neo-liberal policies on urban space are well documented. From London to São Paulo, denationalization, privatization, offshoring and cuts in state expenditure are creating enclaves and exclusions, resulting in fragmented, stratified social geographies (see Caldeira 2000; Ong 2006; Harvey 2006; Murray 2011). ‘Networked archipelagoes’, islands connected by transnational circulations of capital, displace other spatial relations and imaginaries. Spaces of encompassment, especially, such as ‘the nation’ or simply ‘society’ as defined by inclusion within a whole, lose practical value and intellectual purchase as referents of citizenship (Gupta and Ferguson 2002; Ferguson 2005). In African cities, where humanitarian, experimental or market logics dominate the distribution of sanitation and healthcare, this fragmentation is particularly stark (see, for example, Redfield 2006, 2012; Fassin 2007; Bredeloup et al. 2008; Nguyen 2012). Privilege and crisis interrupt older contiguities, delineating spaces and times of exception. The ‘public’ of health is defined by survival or consumption, obscuring the human as bearer of civic rights and responsibilities, as inhabitants of ‘objective’ material worlds ‘common to all of us’ (Arendt 1958: 52). Is it possible, under these conditions, to enact and imagine public health as a project of citizens, animated in civic space?
Neurotic Being and Erotic Time: Philosophic Reflections on Hans Loewald's Contributions to Psychoanalysis
Authors: Fenichel Teresa
Published: December 2013

This essay considers Hans Loewald's critique of Freud, which centers on the conflict between static and fluid visions—a conflict that arises in the psychoanalytic conception of reality but also in the mirroring of the analyst, in the development of the ego, and in the evolution of the psychic structures as a whole. In exploring the shortcomings of the static, Loewald directs our attention to what should be the central inquiry of psychoanalysis. It is not merely possible for psychoanalysis to conceptualize reality for itself but in fact necessary and intrinsic to its nature and goals. Psychoanalysis is uniquely capable of thinking about reality in a way that acknowledges and requires that which cannot be translated into more mature ego-reality experience. In Freud's work on telepathy and the uncanny we see that psychoanalytic theory, practice, and the ensuing conception of reality, must integrate more primitive ego-reality experience. This integration must be dynamic, in Loewald's terminology, without limiting itself to the kind of 'neurotic' explanation that distances psychoanalysis from the subject that it must always transform and disturb.
Isabel Archer's "Delicious Pain": Charting Lacanian Desire in The Portrait of a Lady
Authors: van Slyck Phyllis
Published: December 2013

This essay offers a Lacanian reading of desire in Henry James's The Portrait of a Lady . Isabel Archer's discovery of love through the ideal image of herself that she finds mirrored in Gilbert Osmond's gaze reveals the foundational paradox of desire and betrays her unconscious quest for what Jacques Lacan defines as jouissance or "painful pleasure." Through her choices, Isabel tacitly embraces the death drive and thus confronts the irrevocable "lack" which constitutes the human condition. Her active role in the destruction of her ideal of coherence and autonomy, including her final decision to return to Osmond, defines her, avant la lettre , as a shattered post-humanist subject.
L'effet c'est toi : Projective Identification from Nietzsche to Klein
Authors: Russell Jared
Published: December 2013

This essay puts Kleinian concepts in dialogue with certain aspects of Nietzsche's philosophical project. Grosskurth indicates that Klein studied Nietzsche's work in her early years, but no reference to Nietzsche can be found in her later writings. This does not mean that Nietzsche's influence on Klein's thinking was not profound. Nietzsche's genealogy of morality strikingly foreshadows Klein's portrayal of the infant's phenomenological world. By demonstrating how Nietzsche anticipated some of Klein's most central contributions, the essay uses Klein to bring Nietzsche to bear on clinical concerns, while using Nietzsche to bring out the philosophical depth of Klein's thinking.
Re-configuring Oedipal Scenes: Loss, Retrieval, and Deathly Visitation in Peter Sasdy's Hands of the Ripper and Tom McLoughlin's The Unsaid
Authors: Chrysochou Panayiota
Published: December 2013

The essay focuses on Peter Sasdy's Hands of the Ripper and Tom McLoughlin's thriller The Unsaid , showing how they represent thematically and stylistically a revisiting and reworking of classical Freudian concepts such as the Oedipus complex, the death drive, and primal scenes. Starting from the basic Freudian premise that there is something "uncanny" about the compulsion-to-repeat, it shows how both Hands of the Ripper and The Unsaid , in their repetitive figurations and reconstructions of the Oedipal schema inevitably usher in or foreshadow the most repetitive process of all: death, and specifically the death of the mother. The essay draws on Laplanche's general theory of seduction and focuses on the primal Oedipal scene as both reconstructed fantasy and horrendous actuality, together with its several renderings throughout both films.
"Now We're Out of Time": Thoughts on Endings in Poetry and Psychoanalysis
Authors: Jones Alice A.
Published: December 2013

Through readings of several poems, the essay considers endings in poetry and psychoanalysis as processes of a change of state, a compressed phase in which consciousness transforms as one begins to comprehend the shift from a sense of infinite time to finite. With the recognition of death and loss, one can open up a wider consciousness of what it means to be human. Within this internal change of state, recognition of transience—of time as limited and oneself as mortal—and an intensity of aliveness and beauty can occur. This transformation is part of what allows one to end analysis and of what may be gained by ending. Involving both a fading of omnipotence and an acceptance of mortality, the reality of ending an analysis offers the opportunity to consolidate and deepen the perspective of the depressive position. As a poem does, psychoanalysis moves in both lyric and narrative time. Through both its form and content, endings in poetry can further our experience and recognition of transience.
Delany’s Comet: Fugitive Science and the Speculative Imaginary of Emancipation
Authors: Rusert Britt
Published: December 2013

This essay excavates a genealogy of speculative engagements with natural science among African American writers and intellectuals during the antebellum period. Focusing on Frederick Douglass’s 1854 speech on ethnology and Martin Delany’s 1859–62 serial novel Blake; or, the Huts of America , it chronicles how black cultural actors turned to the many fields of natural science not only to critique racist science but also to produce a rich speculative imagination of and for emancipation. More broadly, the essay maps the contours of what I term fugitive science , a furtive, subterranean history of experiments and practices that linked racial science to abolitionism across the Atlantic and mobilized natural science for more fleeting, but no less important, acts of black resistance and world making.
Deadly Perils: Japanese Beetles and the Pestilential Immigrant, 1920s–1930s
Authors: Shinozuka Jeannie N.
Published: December 2013

In the early twentieth century, government officers and the mass media demonized mutually constitutive Japanese beetles and bodies as deadly yellow perils. The Japanese beetle, second-generation Japanese Americans, and the Asiatic farmer transformed anti-Asian and anti-immigration policies during the early twentieth century. The metaphor of Japanese immigrants as invaders formed the central vehicle that dehumanized them and persuaded the larger American public that these foreigners ought to be eradicated. Their increasing presence occurred as the United States grappled with the problem of dealing with those aliens inside its borders. The story of Japanese insect, plant, and human immigrants is not simply one of inclusion–exclusion or even colonizer–colonized. These historical depictions of Japanese immigrants can be situated within a long trajectory of continuing practices of the animalization and dehumanization of other racialized groups, including Mexican immigrants.
African Refugee and Immigrant Health Needs: Report From a Community-Based House Meeting Project
Authors: Boise Linda , Tuepker Anais , Gipson Teresa , Vigmenon Yves , Soule Isabelle , Onadeko Sade
Published: December 2013

Background : As in other communities in the United States, information is lacking about the health needs of Africans refugees and immigrants living in Portland, Oregon. In 2008, the African Partnership for Health coalition (APH) was formed to carry out research, advocacy and education to improve the health and well-being of Africans in Oregon. This was APH’s initial project.
Objectives : The purposes of this study were to gather data about the perceived health needs and barriers to health care Africans encounter, and lay the foundation for a program of action to guide APH’s future work.
Methods : Community-based participatory research (CBPR) methods were used to collect data on how to improve the health of the African community in the Portland area and define an agenda for future projects. Popular education principles guided the engagement and training of African community members, who conducted nine house meetings with 56 Africans from 14 countries. The results were analyzed by African community members and researchers and prioritized at a community meeting.
Results: Three themes emerged: The stressfulness of life in America, the challenges of gaining access to health care, and the pervasive feelings of disrespect and lack of understanding of Africans’ health needs, culture, and life experiences by health providers and staff members.
Conclusion: Using CBPR methods, we identified and prioritized the needs of the African community. This information provides a framework for future work of the African Partnership for Health and other service and advocacy groups.
“Tension” in South Asian Women: Developing a Measure of Common Mental Disorder Using Participatory Methods
Authors: Karasz Alison , Patel Viraj , Kabita Mahbhooba , Shimu Parvin
Published: December 2013

Background: Although common mental disorder (CMD) is highly prevalent among South Asian immigrant women, they rarely seek mental treatment. This may be owing in part to the lack of conceptual synchrony between medical models of mental disorder and the social models of distress common in South Asian communities. Furthermore, common mental health screening and diagnostic measures may not adequately capture distress in this group. Community-based participatory research (CBPR) is ideally suited to help address measurement issues in CMD as well as to develop culturally appropriate treatment models.

Objectives: To use participatory methods to identify an appropriate, culturally specific mental health syndrome and develop an instrument to measure this syndrome.

Methods: We formed a partnership between researchers, clinicians, and community members. The partnership selected a culturally specific model of emotional distress/illness, “tension,” as a focus for further study. Partners developed a scale to measure Tension and tested the new scale on 162 Bangladeshi immigrant women living in the Bronx.

Results: The 24-item “Tension Scale” had high internal consistency (α = 0.83). On bivariate analysis, the scale significantly correlated in the expected direction with depressed as measured by the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-2), age, education, self-rated health, having seen a physician in the past year, and other variables.

Conclusions: Using participatory techniques, we created a new measure designed to assess CMD in an isolated immigrant group. The new measure shows excellent psychometric properties and will be helpful in the implementation of a community-based, culturally synchronous intervention for depression. We describe a useful strategy for the rapid development and field testing of culturally appropriate measures of mental distress and disorder.
A Community-Based Participatory Research Approach to Developing the Harvest for Healthy Kids Curriculum
Authors: Izumi Betty T. , Peden Amanda M. , Hallman Jennifer A. , Barberis Dawn , Stott Brie , Nimz Sandy , Ries William R. , Capello Angela
Published: December 2013

Background: A diet rich in fruits and vegetables is associated with reduced risk of diet-related chronic diseases. However, fewer than half of children in the United States consume the recommended amount.
Objectives: This article describes the community-based participatory research (CBPR) process used to develop the Harvest for Healthy Kids curriculum.
Methods: Harvest for Healthy Kids is a intervention research project designed to increase access to and intake of fruits and vegetables among preschoolers enrolled in Head Start. The curriculum is composed of eight kits, each focusing on a different fruit or vegetable.
Results: The Harvest for Healthy Kids curriculum was developed through an iterative process in which Head Start teachers were highly involved. The final product reflects the teachers’ experiences using the curriculum and their suggestions for improving.
Conclusions: The CBPR process used to develop the Harvest for Healthy Kids curriculum led to a product that is grounded in theory and practice.
A Communications Tool to Recruit Policymakers to a CBPR Partnership for Childhood Obesity Prevention
Authors: Winterbauer Nancy L. , Garrett Kathy C. , Hyde Samantha , Feinberg Valerie , Husband Laureen , Landry Karen , Sylvester James E.
Published: December 2013

The purpose of this paper is to describe a process and technical requirements for the development of a video and related communications strategy that CBPR partnerships can use to recruit policymakers to participatory research. Policymakers play a critical role in social change agendas, yet are often difficult to engage for a variety of reasons, including limited availability and multiple, competing demands and constituencies. This paper draws on the experience of the Healthy Jacksonville Childhood Obesity Prevention Coalition, a 10-year-old partnership with a large membership and strong community roots in Duval County, Florida. The objectives of the communications strategy were to engage local and state policymakers in policy change that would positively affect childhood obesity prevention; educate policymakers about the social determinants of health, particularly those related to childhood obesity; and to do so in a way that elicited champions for the coalition’s goals.
Partnership Functioning: A Case in Point Between Government, Nongovernment, and a University in Australia
Authors: Henderson Saras , Kendall Elizabeth , Forday Peter , Cowan Debbie
Published: December 2013

Background: Culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities in Queensland, Australia, do not access health services, contributing to poor health outcomes. To improve health in CALD communities, a partnership was formed between the state government, two nongovernment CALD-specific organizations (NGOs), and a university to develop a service that could facilitate health service use. This qualitative research explored the partners’ perspectives on how the partnership functioned and its outcomes.
Objectives: We sought to (1) explore how participants engaged with the principles of partnership, the processes they used, and their beliefs about the facilitators and barriers to intersectoral collaboration and (2) gain insights into how the partners perceived the development and functioning of the partnership.
Methods: Qualitative, semistructured interviews were conducted with each of the key stakeholders in the partnership ( n = 4). A focus group was also conducted with those working within the two NGO partners in the delivery of the service ( n = 8). Open-ended questions drawn from the literature on partnership principles were used to guide the interviews and focus group data collection. The data were transcribed and analyzed using thematic principles.
Results: The four themes identified were: (1) Perceived benefits of the partnership outweighed organizational differences; (2) respectful relationships sustained the partnership; (3) mitigating conflict enabled the purpose of the partnership to be fulfilled; and (4) a neutral interpersonal space enabled the partnership to be enacted.
Conclusions: Our study showed how contextual pressures created within the system can damage tenuous connections that have been developed between otherwise competitive organizations, leading to dissolution of partnerships. However, the study has also shown that partnerships may be purpose and time bound, not necessarily with respect to longevity. Through strategic negotiations, partnerships can be sustained until the goal of the partnership is attained, which in this instance was the development of a new service delivery model.
Proyecto Interconexiones : A Pilot Test of a Community-Based Depression Care Program for Latina Violence Survivors
Authors: Nicolaidis Christina , Mejia Angie , Perez Marlen , Alvarado Anabertha , Celaya-Alston Rosemary , Quintero Yolanda , Aguillon Raquel
Published: December 2013

Background: Latina intimate partner violence (IPV) survivors often face great barriers to depression care. We sought to use a community-based participatory research (CBPR) approach to create and evaluate a community-based depression care program for Latina IPV survivors.
Methods: We created a multifaceted, culturally tailored intervention, based on principles of chronic illness management. A promotora provided case management services and led 12 weekly group sessions. Participants completed surveys at baseline and 6 months and participated in open-ended exit interviews.
Results: Ten Spanish-speaking Latina women participated in the intervention. The program had excellent attendance, with 100% of women attending at least 10 group sessions, and high satisfaction. We found a large decrease in depression severity (Patient Health Questionnaire [PHQ]-9, 17.3–7.2; p = .001), as well as improvements in depression self-efficacy, self-esteem, and stress.
Conclusion: This study offers promising preliminary data to support the use of community-based approaches to reducing depression disparities in Latina IPV survivors.