Feeling gender speak: intersubjectivity and fieldwork practice with women who prostitute in Lima, Peru

This article discusses a dimension of fieldwork methodology often overlooked. It concerns the act of feeling (inferences) and how this subjective ability contributes to understanding cultural meanings, which are unspoken or encoded in dialogue, but remain unarticulated. The discovery of this dimension in fieldwork eventually brought several epistemological principles into question pertaining to power and intersubjectivity subscribed to in a feminist or critical anthropology. Simultaneously, the use of this dimension in fieldwork gave insight into the relational construction of gender identity - the author’s own, that of the women and a male assistant. The article illustrates this by reconstructing different ethnographic moments during fieldwork practice. Moreover, it aims to put these theoretical assertions into practice by presenting an ethnographic narrative intended to evoke meanings that contribute to feeling the construction of identity through interaction in fieldwork practice

Results from Iowa State Female Graduate Student Needs Assessment Survey, July 2012

During the spring 2012 semester, a task force of graduate students, staff, and faculty created a survey to gather information from women graduate students about their experiences at Iowa State University (ISU). The survey was adapted from similar surveys at MIT and University of Maryland. Our survey had four main sections: (1) Campus climate, (2) Professional development and academic services, (3) Student workload and student services, (4) Wellness, family and housing

Faces in the crowd: A narrative inquiry into the relationship violence experienced by four Black college women

Relationship violence among Black college women is becoming a serious concern. However, the face of relationship violence in higher education has been predominantly that of White women, which subsequently has excluded the voices of Black college women and other women of color. The rationale for this study came from my desire to uncover how Black college women make meaning of their experiences of relationship violence. Therefore, this narrative study explored (a) how four Black college women experienced relationship violence in college, (b) how they made meaning of their relationship violence experience in college, and (c) how they navigated campus resources related to their experience. The study used a Black feminist epistemological approach related to Black college women’s lived experiences to illustrate how they dealt with their relationship violence experiences on a college campus. Using Black feminist theory, social learning theory, and ecological theory as frameworks, the study examined the internal and external challenges, and the resilience of four Black college women navigating their campus environment as relationship violence survivors. The findings were derived from in-depth interviews with and the reflective journals of four Black college women who had experienced relationship violence on campus, as well as from my research journal. The significance of the findings of this study is two-fold in that it has the potential to contribute to both scholarship and practice.</p

Results from Iowa State Female Graduate Student Needs Assessment Survey, July 2012

During the spring 2012 semester, a task force of graduate students, staff, and faculty created a survey to gather information from women graduate students about their experiences at Iowa State University (ISU). The survey was adapted from similar surveys at MIT and University of Maryland. Our survey had four main sections: (1) Campus climate, (2) Professional development and academic services, (3) Student workload and student services, (4) Wellness, family and housing.</p

Surgical Management of Ulcerative Colitis in Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Review from the APSA Outcomes and Evidence-Based Practice Committee.

INTRODUCTION: The incidence of ulcerative colitis (UC) is increasing. Roughly 20% of all patients with UC are diagnosed in childhood, and children typically present with more severe disease. Approximately 40% will undergo total colectomy within ten years of diagnosis. The objective of this study is to assess the available evidence regarding the surgical management of pediatric UC as determined by the consensus agreement of the American Pediatric Surgical Association Outcomes and Evidence-Based Practice Committee (APSA OEBP). METHODS: Through an iterative process, the membership of the APSA OEBP developed five a priori questions focused on surgical decision-making for children with UC. Questions focused on surgical timing, reconstruction, use of minimally invasive techniques, need for diversion, and risks to fertility and sexual function. A systematic review was conducted, and articles were selected for review following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Risk of Bias was assessed using Methodological Index for Non-Randomized Studies (MINORS) criteria. The Oxford Levels of Evidence and Grades of Recommendation were utilized. RESULTS: A total of 69 studies were included for analysis. Most manuscripts contain level 3 or 4 evidence from single-center retrospective reports, leading to a grade D recommendation. MINORS assessment revealed a high risk of bias in most studies. J-pouch reconstruction may result in fewer daily stools than straight ileoanal anastomosis. There are no differences in complications based on the type of reconstruction. The timing of surgery should be individualized to patients and does not affect complications. Immunosuppressants do not appear to increase surgical site infection rates. Laparoscopic approaches result in longer operative times but shorter lengths of stay and fewer small bowel obstructions. Overall, complications are not different using an open or minimally invasive approach. CONCLUSIONS: There is currently low-level evidence related to certain aspects of surgical management for UC, including timing, reconstruction type, use of minimally invasive techniques, need for diversion, and risks to fertility and sexual function. Multicenter, prospective studies are recommended to better answer these questions and ensure the best evidence-based care for our patients. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level of evidence III. STUDY TYPE: Systematic review

Standardized perioperative care reduces colorectal surgical site infection in children: A Western Pediatric Surgery Research Consortium multicenter analysis

PURPOSE: Surgical site infection (SSI) remains a significant source of patient morbidity and resource utilization in children undergoing colorectal surgery. We examined the utility of a protocolized perioperative care bundle in reducing SSI in pediatric patients undergoing colorectal surgery. METHODS: We conducted a prospective cohort study of patients ≤18 years of age undergoing colorectal surgery at ten United States children\u27s hospitals. Using a perioperative care protocol comprising eight elements, or colon bundle , we divided patients into low (1-4 elements) or high (5-8 elements) compliance cohorts. Procedures involving colorectal repair or anastomosis with abdominal closure were included. Demographics and clinical outcomes were compared between low and high compliance cohorts. Compliance was compared with a retrospective cohort. The primary outcome was superficial SSI incidence at 30 days. RESULTS: Three hundred and thirty-six patients were included in our analysis: 138 from the low compliance cohort and 198 from the high compliance cohort. Age and gender were similar between groups. Preoperative diagnosis was similar except for more patients in the high compliance cohort having inflammatory bowel disease (18.2% versus 5.8%, p\u3c0.01). The most common procedure performed was small bowel to colorectal anastomosis. Wound classification and procedure acuity were similar between groups. Superficial SSI at 30 days occurred less frequently among the high compliance compared to the low compliance cohort (4% versus 9.7%, p = 0.036). Median postoperative length of stay and 30-day rates of readmission, reoperation, intra-abdominal abscess and anastomotic leak requiring operation were not significantly different between groups. None of the individual colon bundle elements were independently protective against superficial SSI. CONCLUSION: Standardization of perioperative care is associated with a reduction in superficial SSI in pediatric colorectal surgery. Expansion of standardized protocols for children undergoing colorectal surgery may improve outcomes and decrease perioperative morbidity. TYPE OF STUDY: Clinical Research Paper LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level II

Evaluation and Management of Primary Spontaneous Pneumothorax in Adolescents and Young Adults: A Systematic Review From the APSA Outcomes & Evidence-Based Practice Committee.

INTRODUCTION: Controversy exists in the optimal management of adolescent and young adult primary spontaneous pneumothorax. The American Pediatric Surgical Association (APSA) Outcomes and Evidence-Based Practice Committee performed a systematic review of the literature to develop evidence-based recommendations. METHODS: Ovid MEDLINE, Elsevier Embase, EBSCOhost CINAHL, Elsevier Scopus, and Wiley Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials databases were queried for literature related to spontaneous pneumothorax between January 1, 1990, and December 31, 2020, addressing (1) initial management, (2) advanced imaging, (3) timing of surgery, (4) operative technique, (5) management of contralateral side, and (6) management of recurrence. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines were followed. RESULTS: Seventy-nine manuscripts were included. Initial management of adolescent and young adult primary spontaneous pneumothorax should be guided by symptoms and can include observation, aspiration, or tube thoracostomy. There is no evidence of benefit for cross-sectional imaging. Patients with ongoing air leak may benefit from early operative intervention within 24-48 h. A video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) approach with stapled blebectomy and pleural procedure should be considered. There is no evidence to support prophylactic management of the contralateral side. Recurrence after VATS can be treated with repeat VATS with intensification of pleural treatment. CONCLUSIONS: The management of adolescent and young adult primary spontaneous pneumothorax is varied. Best practices exist to optimize some aspects of care. Further prospective studies are needed to better determine optimal timing of operative intervention, the most effective operation, and management of recurrence after observation, tube thoracostomy, or operative intervention. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level 4. TYPE OF STUDY: Systematic Review of Level 1-4 studies