1,761 research outputs found
Terrorising the political: 9/11 within the context of the globalisation of violence
El punto de partida de este trabajo es un sentimiento general de insatisfacción intelectual
con las interpretaciones liberales que sitúan el evento del 11-S fuera del ámbito propio
de la política. Centrándose en esta despolitización del “Terrorismo” y en la invocación de
una metafísica del Bien y del Mal para su explicación, este artículo ofrece una perspectiva
alternativa que lo sitúa en el contexto de un proceso de globalización de la Violencia.
Basándome en la Teoría del partisano de Schmitt, abogo por la naturaleza inmanente —y
no metafísica— del “terrorismo” en la política global contemporánea, como expresión de
resistencia al régimen de verdad que subyace a la globalizaciónThe starting point for this paper is a general sense of intellectual dissatisfaction with liberal
interpretations that place the event of 9/11 outside the realm of politics. Taking issue with
this de-politisation of “Terrorism” and the invocation of a metaphysics of Good and Evil in
explaining its occurrence, this article offers an alternative perspective that places this event
within the context of a general globalisation of Violence. Drawing on Schmitt’s Theorie des
Partisanen, I argue for the immanent rather than metaphysical nature of ‘terrorism’ in
contemporary global politics as an expression of resistance to the universalist regime of
truth that underlies globalisatio
Female health-care providers' advocacy of self-sampling after participating in a workplace program for cervical cancer screening in Ghana: a mixed-methods study
Background: Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer among Ghanaian women and screening coverage is low. ACCESSING is a cross-sectional study investigating human papillomavirus (HPV) prevalence via self-sampling in rural communities of the North Tongu district in Ghana. Female health-care providers (HCPs) were invited to self-collect a cervicovaginal sample with a commercial sampler in order to acquaint themselves with the sampling method.
Objective: This study set out to explore female HCPs' perceptions, advocacy for, and implications of self-sampling with the aim of enhancing self-sampling acceptability in the targeted screening population.
Methods: A mixed-methods approach was used, consisting of (a) a survey among 52 female HCPs working in a district hospital and (b) 10 one-to-one semi-structured interviews with purposefully sampled HCPs.
Results: The quantitative analysis of the survey (n = 52) showed that, among HCPs who took the sample themselves (50/52), all found it 'Easy' or 'Very Easy' and felt 'Very Comfortable' or 'Comfortable'. 82.7% indicated that they would undertake screening more often, and 98.1% indicated they would prefer self-sampling, if cervical cancer risk is as reliably determined as by clinician-directed cytobrush sampling. All interview participants (n = 10) indicated that they appreciated the program and would recommend the screening to their patients and/or family members and neighbours. Common reasons for preferring self-sampling were less (anticipated) pain compared to speculum examination and more privacy.
Conclusions: Self-sampling for cervical cancer screening is highly acceptable to female HCPs. Setting up a workplace screening program that entails the option of self-sampling could create greater awareness and positive attitudes among HCPs to educating their patients, families, and neighbours on cervical cancer risks and motivate HCPs to advocate for women's participation in screening
Characterization of Human Papillomavirus prevalence and risk factors to guide cervical cancer screening in the North Tongu District, Ghana
Introduction: This population-based study aimed to fill the knowledge gap on Human Papillomavirus (HPV) prevalence and associated sociodemographic risk factors of the general population in the North Tongu District, Ghana. These results are needed to guide cervical cancer prevention efforts, as the leading type of female cancers.
Methods: A cross-sectional study including 2002 women in the North Tongu District, Ghana investigated HPV prevalence and associated sociodemographic risk factors. Women were recruited by geographical distribution through the local community-based health system and samples collected using a self-sampling device. For HPV genotyping BSGP5+/6+-PCR with Luminex-MPG readout was used. Multivariate logistic regression analyzed sociodemographic risk factors for HPV positivity.
Results: Of 2002 self-collected samples, 1943 were eligible, contained sufficient DNA and provided valid HPV genotyping results. Prevalence of single high risk HPV types was 32.3% and of multiple high risk types 9.7%. The five most common detected HPV types were HPV16 (7.4%; 95%CI: 6.3–8.7), HPV52 (7.2%; 95%CI: 6.1–8.5), HPV35 (4.8%; 95%CI: 3.9–5.8), HPV59 (4.7%; 95%CI: 3.8–5.8), HPV56 (3.9%; 95%CI: 3.1–4.8). Highest prevalence was observed among women aged 18–24 years, while age 25–54 years was inversely associated with high risk HPV positivity in multivariate analysis. Sociodemographic risk factors identified were i) having any sexual partner, ii) more partners increased the odds for high risk HPV positivity, iii) independently from this marital status, in particular not being married.
Discussion & conclusion: Most importantly, the high risk HPV prevalence detected from this study is higher than estimates reported for Western Africa. This needs be considered, when deciding on the cervical cancer screening algorithms introduced on a wider scale. Follow-up and triage, depending on the methods chosen, can easily overburden the health system. Self-sampling worked well and provided adequate samples for HPV-based screening. Women with increasing number of sexual partners and not being married were found to have higher odds of being high risk HPV positive, therefore could be a higher prioritized screening target group
Crystalline silicate dust around evolved stars I. The sample stars
This is the first paper in a series of three where we present the first
comprehensive inventory of solid state emission bands observed in a sample of
17 oxygen-rich circumstellar dust shells surrounding evolved stars. The data
were taken with the Short and Long Wavelength Spectrographs on board of the
Infrared Space Observatory (ISO) and cover the 2.4 to 195 micron wavelength
range. The spectra show the presence of broad 10 and 18 micron bands that can
be attributed to amorphous silicates. In addition, at least 49 narrow bands are
found whose position and width indicate they can be attributed to crystalline
silicates. Almost all of these bands were not known before ISO. We have
measured the peak positions, widths and strengths of the individual, continuum
subtracted bands. Based on these measurements, we were able to order the
spectra in sequence of decreasing crystalline silicate band strength. We found
that the strength of the emission bands correlates with the geometry of the
circumstellar shell, as derived from direct imaging or inferred from the shape
of the spectral energy distribution. This naturally divides the sample into
objects that show a disk-like geometry (strong crystalline silicate bands), and
objects whose dust shell is characteristic of an outflow (weak crystalline
silicate bands). All stars with the 33.6 micron forsterite band stronger than
20 percent over continuum are disk sources. We define spectral regions (called
complexes) where a concentration of emission bands is evident, at 10, 18, 23,
28, 33, 40 and 60 micron. We derive average shapes for these complexes and
compare these to the individual band shapes of the programme stars.Comment: 41 pages, 20 figures, accepted by A&A. Tables 4 to 20 are only
available in electronic form at the CDS via anonymous ftp to
cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (130.79.128.5) or via
http://cdsweb.u-strasbg.fr/cgi-bin/qcat?J/A+A
New Limits on Dark Matter from Super-Kamiokande
The signals observed at the direct detection experiments DAMA, CoGeNT and
CRESST could be explained by light WIMPs with sizeable spin-independent cross
sections with nucleons. The capture and subsequent annihilation of such
particles in the sun would induce neutrino signals in the GeV range which may
be observed at Super-Kamiokande. We determine the rate of upward stopping muons
and fully contained events at Super-Kamiokande for various possible WIMP
annihilation channels. This allows us to provide strong constraints on the
cross section of WIMPs with nucleons. We find that the DAMA and CoGeNT signals
are inconsistent with standard thermal WIMPs annihilating dominantly into
neutrino or tau pairs. We also provide limits for spin-dependent WIMP nucleus
scattering for masses up to 80 GeV. These exclude the DAMA favored region if
WIMPs annihilate even subdominantly into neutrinos, taus, bottoms or charms.Comment: 19 pages, 4 figure
Exposure to ultrafine carbon particles at levels below detectable pulmonary inflammation affects cardiovascular performance in spontaneously hypertensive rats
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Exposure to particulate matter is a risk factor for cardiopulmonary disease but the underlying molecular mechanisms remain poorly understood. In the present study we sought to investigate the cardiopulmonary responses on spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) following inhalation of UfCPs (24 h, 172 μg·m<sup>-3</sup>), to assess whether compromised animals (SHR) exhibit a different response pattern compared to the previously studied healthy rats (WKY).</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Cardiophysiological response in SHRs was analyzed using radiotelemetry. Blood pressure (BP) and its biomarkers plasma renin-angiotensin system were also assessed. Lung and cardiac mRNA expressions for markers of oxidative stress (hemeoxygenase-1), blood coagulation (tissue factor, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1), and endothelial function (endothelin-1, and endothelin receptors A and B) were analyzed following UfCPs exposure in SHRs. UfCPs-mediated inflammatory responses were assessed from broncho-alveolar-lavage fluid (BALF).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Increased BP and heart rate (HR) by about 5% with a lag of 1–3 days were detected in UfCPs exposed SHRs. Inflammatory markers of BALF, lung (pulmonary) and blood (systemic) were not affected. However, mRNA expression of hemeoxygenase-1, endothelin-1, endothelin receptors A and B, tissue factor, and plasminogen activator inhibitor showed a significant induction (~2.5-fold; p < 0.05) with endothelin 1 being the maximally induced factor (6-fold; p < 0.05) on the third recovery day in the lungs of UfCPs exposed SHRs; while all of these factors – except hemeoxygenase-1 – were not affected in cardiac tissues. Strikingly, the UfCPs-mediated altered BP is paralleled by the induction of renin-angiotensin system in plasma.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Our finding shows that UfCPs exposure at levels which does not induce detectable pulmonary neutrophilic inflammation, triggers distinct effects in the lung and also at the systemic level in compromised SHRs. These effects are characterized by increased activity of plasma renin-angiotensin system and circulating white blood cells together with moderate increases in the BP, HR and decreases in heart rate variability. This systemic effect is associated with pulmonary, but not cardiac, mRNA induction of biomarkers reflective of oxidative stress; activation of vasoconstriction, stimulation of blood coagulation factors, and inhibition of fibrinolysis. Thus, UfCPs may cause cardiovascular and pulmonary impairment, in the absence of detectable pulmonary inflammation, in individuals suffering from preexisting cardiovascular diseases.</p
Gamma Ray Line Constraints on Effective Theories of Dark Matter
A monochromatic gamma ray line results when dark matter particles in the
galactic halo annihilate to produce a two body final state which includes a
photon. Such a signal is very distinctive from astrophysical backgrounds, and
thus represents an incisive probe of theories of dark matter. We compare the
recent null results of searches for gamma ray lines in the galactic center and
other regions of the sky with the predictions of effective theories describing
the interactions of dark matter particles with the Standard Model. We find that
the null results of these searches provide constraints on the nature of dark
matter interactions with ordinary matter which are complementary to constraints
from other observables, and stronger than collider constraints in some cases.Comment: 20 pages, 9 figure
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