Whitman and Van Gogh: An Exchange

Offers a critique of Jean Schwind\u27s essay on Van Gogh\u27s "Starry Night" and Whitman (in Walt Whitman Quarterly Review, Summer 1985), questioning Schwind\u27s identification of the Van Gogh painting and the likelihood it was influenced by Whitman; with a response from Jean Schwind

Ethical intuitionism and the linguistic analogy

It is a central tenet of ethical intuitionism as defended by W. D. Ross and others that moral theory should reflect the convictions of mature moral agents. Hence, intuitionism is plausible to the extent that it corresponds to our well-considered moral judgments. After arguing for this claim, I discuss whether intuitionists offer an empirically adequate account of our moral obligations. I do this by applying recent empirical research by John Mikhail that is based on the idea of a universal moral grammar to a number of claims implicit in W. D. Ross’s normative theory. I argue that the results at least partly vindicate intuitionism

A first-order Temporal Logic for Actions

We present a multi-modal action logic with first-order modalities, which contain terms which can be unified with the terms inside the subsequent formulas and which can be quantified. This makes it possible to handle simultaneously time and states. We discuss applications of this language to action theory where it is possible to express many temporal aspects of actions, as for example, beginning, end, time points, delayed preconditions and results, duration and many others. We present tableaux rules for a decidable fragment of this logic

Capacity building efforts and perceptions for wildlife surveillance to detect zoonotic pathogens: comparing stakeholder perspectives.

BackgroundThe capacity to conduct zoonotic pathogen surveillance in wildlife is critical for the recognition and identification of emerging health threats. The PREDICT project, a component of United States Agency for International Development's Emerging Pandemic Threats program, has introduced capacity building efforts to increase zoonotic pathogen surveillance in wildlife in global 'hot spot' regions where zoonotic disease emergence is likely to occur. Understanding priorities, challenges, and opportunities from the perspectives of the stakeholders is a key component of any successful capacity building program.MethodsA survey was administered to wildlife officials and to PREDICT-implementing in-country project scientists in 16 participating countries in order to identify similarities and differences in perspectives between the groups regarding capacity needs for zoonotic pathogen surveillance in wildlife.ResultsBoth stakeholder groups identified some human-animal interfaces (i.e. areas of high contact between wildlife and humans with the potential risk for disease transmission), such as hunting and markets, as important for ongoing targeting of wildlife surveillance. Similarly, findings regarding challenges across stakeholder groups showed some agreement in that a lack of sustainable funding across regions was the greatest challenge for conducting wildlife surveillance for zoonotic pathogens (wildlife officials: 96% and project scientists: 81%). However, the opportunity for improving zoonotic pathogen surveillance capacity identified most frequently by wildlife officials as important was increasing communication or coordination among agencies, sectors, or regions (100% of wildlife officials), whereas the most frequent opportunities identified as important by project scientists were increasing human capacity, increasing laboratory capacity, and the growing interest or awareness regarding wildlife disease or surveillance programs (all identified by 69% of project scientists).ConclusionsA One Health approach to capacity building applied at local and global scales will have the greatest impact on improving zoonotic pathogen surveillance in wildlife. This approach will involve increasing communication and cooperation across ministries and sectors so that experts and stakeholders work together to identify and mitigate surveillance gaps. Over time, this transdisciplinary approach to capacity building will help overcome existing challenges and promote efficient targeting of high risk interfaces for zoonotic pathogen transmission

German geographical research on Japan

--Japan,German geographical reseach on Japan,regional geography,geopolitics,cultural landscape,physical geography,geography of economics and traffic,settlement and urban geography,city and regional planning,regional development,regional policy,population geography,geography of education and educational behaviour,geography of tourism and recreational behaviour,environmental protection,research perspectives,research cooperation,references on the geography of Japan,Japan,deutsche geographische Japanforschung,geographische Länderkunde,Geopolitik,Kulturlandschaft,Physische Geographie,Wirtschafts- und Verkehrsgeographie,Siedlungs- und Stadtgeographie,Stadt- und Regionalplanung,Regionalentwicklung,Raumordnung,Bevölkerungsgeographie,Geographie des Bildungswesens und Bildungsverhaltens,Geographie des Freizeitwesens und Freizeitverhaltens,Umweltprobleme,Umweltschutz,Forschungsperspektiven,Forschungskooperation,Literatur zur Geographie Japans

LASEK for the correction of hyperopia with mitomycin C using SCHWIND AMARIS excimer laser: one-year follow-up

AIM: To evaluate the efficacy, safety and predictability of laser-assisted sub-epithelial keratectomy (LASEK) for the correction of hyperopia using the SCHWIND AMARIS platform. METHODS: This retrospective single-surgeon study includes 66 eyes of 33 patients with hyperopia who underwent LASEK with mitomycin C (MMC). The median age of patients was 35.42±1.12y (ranging 18 to 56y). In each patient LASEK was performed using SCHWIND AMARIS excimer laser. Postoperatively clinical outcomes were evaluated in terms of predictability, safety, efficacy, subjective and objective refractions, uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA), best spectacle-corrected visual acuity (BSCVA) and adverse events. RESULTS: The mean baseline refraction was 3.2±1.6 diopters (D) (ranging 0 to 7 D). The mean pre-operative and postoperative spherical equivalent (SE) were 2.34±1.76 (ranging -1.25 to 7 D) and 0.30±0.84 (ranging -0.2 to 0.8 D) respectively (P=0.001). The mean hyperopia was 0.63±0.84 D (ranging -1.75 to 2.76 D) 6 to 12mo postoperatively. Likewise, the mean astigmatism was 0.68±0.43 D (range 0 to 2 D) with 51 (77.3) and 15 (22.7) eyes within ±1 and ±0.50 D respectively. The safety index and efficacy index were 1.08 and 1.6 respectively. CONCLUSION: LASEK using SCHWIND AMARIS with MMC yields good visual and refractive results for hyperopia. Moreover, there were no serious complications. Copyright 2015 by the IJO Press

One Health proof of concept: Bringing a transdisciplinary approach to surveillance for zoonotic viruses at the human-wild animal interface.

As the world continues to react and respond inefficiently to emerging infectious diseases, such as Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome and the Ebola and Zika viruses, a growing transdisciplinary community has called for a more proactive and holistic approach to prevention and preparedness - One Health. Such an approach presents important opportunities to reduce the impact of disease emergence events and also to mitigate future emergence through improved cross-sectoral coordination. In an attempt to provide proof of concept of the utility of the One Health approach, the US Agency for International Development's PREDICT project consortium designed and implemented a targeted, risk-based surveillance strategy based not on humans as sentinels of disease but on detecting viruses early, at their source, where intervention strategies can be implemented before there is opportunity for spillover and spread in people or food animals. Here, we share One Health approaches used by consortium members to illustrate the potential for successful One Health outcomes that can be achieved through collaborative, transdisciplinary partnerships. PREDICT's collaboration with partners around the world on strengthening local capacity to detect hundreds of viruses in wild animals, coupled with a series of cutting-edge virological and analytical activities, have significantly improved our baseline knowledge on the zoonotic pool of viruses and the risk of exposure to people. Further testament to the success of the project's One Health approach and the work of its team of dedicated One Health professionals are the resulting 90 peer-reviewed, scientific publications in under 5 years that improve our understanding of zoonoses and the factors influencing their emergence. The findings are assisting in global health improvements, including surveillance science, diagnostic technologies, understanding of viral evolution, and ecological driver identification. Through its One Health leadership and multi-disciplinary partnerships, PREDICT has forged new networks of professionals from the human, animal, and environmental health sectors to promote global health, improving our understanding of viral disease spillover from wildlife and implementing strategies for preventing and controlling emerging disease threats