Traditional Nuosu origin narratives : A case study of ritualized epos in Bimo incantation scriptures

The starting point for this essay is the word bbopa,2 whose common meaning is "origin" or "origin-narrative" in the Nuosu language. Bbopa refers to the creation of the world, to material and non-material creations of Nuosu society, and to "the way of speaking" about a remote past. Lubi are the salt of everyday Nuosu life, while bbopa is the prelude to ritual life. Throughout this essay, I underscore the consistency and diversity of Nuosu oral traditions. These few observations only begin to illustrate the many diverse generic categories of Nuosu oral traditions; included among them is bbopa, a rich and complex traditional narrative that encompasses a number of oral forms, styles, and genres.3 The bbopa constitute the case study for this essay.Issue title "Chinese Oral Traditions.

Elite theory and the 2003 Iraq Occupation by the United States – genuine democracy promotion or self-serving elites?

The Iraq War is one of the most widely documented wars in history. The repercussions are still being felt to this day, and the real reasons behind the war remain unclear. Bringing democracy and human rights to free the Iraqi people from the dictatorship of Saddam Hussein was the United States of America’s promise. However, many would say theory did not meet practice, and therefore the question arises of whether the war had an alternative or hidden agenda. For this study, the question is whether the decision-making elite of the United States of America (US) intended to dominate and control Iraq in both the short and long term for the benefit of their own interests, or whether the US decision-making elite intended to bring democracy and a system which protected the rights of Iraqis as broadcast to the world. The doctrine of elite theory argues that in every society there is inevitably an elite minority of the population in existence, who dominate and exploit decision-making to serve their own economic interests. This dominant elite minority cannot be controlled by the majority regardless of the democratic mechanisms that exist. Once elites are in decision-making positions, combined like-minded individuals, regardless of internal division, work together to dominate the decision-making process. Elite theory comprehensively describes the actualities in the war, occupation and legacy of democracy in Iraq. Elite theory explains the actions of the US elite decision-makers who went to war and occupied Iraq using democracy promotion as a cover for serving their own interests. Additionally, elite theory explains the political system of Iraq that came as a direct result of the US intervention. The US elites had two main goals in Iraq; firstly, to privatise the Iraqi state through creating a new free-market friendly constitution. Secondly, the US elites intended to outsource the rebuilding of Iraq to US corporations of which they were directly associated with. To facilitate the process with legitimacy inside Iraq, the US had pre-selected a group of Iraqi elites to govern Iraq in the interim and to write Iraq’s new constitution. The Iraqi elites would represent Iraq’s diversity, whilst maintaining support for US elite interests. However, the intended plans did not come to fruition. The US elites managed to outsource the rebuilding of Iraq to corporations they were associated with for as long as they could but failed to achieve their primary aim in establishing a functioning free-market democracy. One of the reasons for the failures of the US in Iraq was the great resistance that formed against the selection of Iraqi elites by the US elites, which subsequently forced them to immediately rethink their decision-making. Once the Iraqi populace understood the US privatisation agenda and their lack of commitment to democracy, an insurgency began and eventually forced the US into an early exit. In the process US elite decision makers benefitted directly from the war and occupation whilst great detriment was bought to Iraqis who were left with a new authoritarianism. Iraq’s new political system would be dominated by the original Iraqi elites that the US had supported before the war and undemocratically selected into the Iraqi Governing Council. Elite theory will be used to establish whether the backgrounds of US elites who made decisions in Iraq affected not only their pathway to their decision-making position, but also more importantly, their decision-making processes. An important question is whether there was a self-serving elite that dominated US foreign policy regarding Iraq and if so, who were they? How did their backgrounds affect their decision-making process? Based on studying the decision makers, what would I expect them to do on the ground in Iraq, and what did they actually do on the ground in Iraq? Did they have common interests in Iraq and if so, how and why? What does the existence of this elite mean for democracy in the US, and democracy promotion in Iraq? Another momentous question is whether the decision makers regarding the Iraq War directly benefitted financially from the war. If so, is US foreign policy corporate foreign policy? This study will examine whether the 2003 Iraq War and occupation was a case of elites serving their own self-interests or whether they were committed to democracy promotion as they declared to the world in selling the war. Media-projected intentions and realities broadcast to the world by the US were completely different to the actual reality on the ground in Iraq

Problemas comportamentais em adultos da provincia de Benguela/Angola: adaptação e normalização da tradução portuguesa da Adult Self Report de Achenbach

A terminologia “problemas comportamentais” apresenta serias dificuldades quanto a definição, classificação e diagnóstico, prejudicando a análise dos comportamentos considerados desviantes, bem como as intervenções necessárias para evitá-los em contextos clínicos ou educacionais. O termo problema de comportamento é bastante ambíguo e controverso possuindo definições vagas, classificações exaustivas e sem limites para alguns tipos de problemas de comportamentos. Segundo Kaplan, Sadock, e Grebb, (1997) o DSM IV subdividiu problemas de comportamento em três grupos: transtorno desafiador opositivo, transtorno da conduta e transtorno do comportamento disruptivo sem outra especificação. O transtorno desafiador opositivo refere-se a "um padrão persistente de comportamentos negativistas, hostis e desafiadores na ausência de sérias violações de normas sociais ou direitos alheios", o qual deve estar presente durante, pelo menos, seis meses (Kaplan et al., 1997, p. 995). Para o transtorno de conduta é dada a seguinte definição: "o aspecto essencial do transtorno da conduta é um padrão repetitivo e persistente de conduta, no qual os direitos básicos dos outros ou as normas ou regras sociais apropriadas à idade são violados. Os comportamentos devem estar presentes por, pelo menos, seis meses para qualificarem o diagnóstico" (Kaplan et al., 1997, p. 997). Destas definições, é possível concluir que, para diagnosticar algum problema de comportamento, é preciso haver um padrão repetitivo e persistente de comportamento, o qual prejudica outras pessoas e viola seriamente regras sociais. Problemas comportamentais podem surgir e se manter devido a diversos fatores; um deles refere-se aos estilos de vida. No entanto, outras variáveis de contexto (estrutura familiar, cultura, nível socioeconómico, depressão, stress, ansiedade, queixas somáticas, conflitos conjugais), contribuindo nos diferentes problemas comportamentais. Consequentemente problemas comportamentais são influenciados por variáveis filogenéticas, ontogenéticas e culturais. Os objetivos do presente trabalho passaram por obter um conjunto de dados preliminares relativos à obtenção de normas comparativas e às caraterísticas psicométricas do Inventário de Auto Avaliação do Comportamento em Adultos (IAACA), tradução portuguesa (Caldas, 2010) do Adult Self Report (ASR) de Achenbach (2003) numa amostra (N = 400) de sujeitos da Província de Benguela/Angola, de ambos os sexos e com idades compreendidas entre os 18 e os 59 anos. Simultaneamente tentou-se verificar se na amostra em estudo existiriam diferenças relativas aos problemas comportamentais totais (soma de todos os itens do IAACA), em termos de género, faixas etárias, habilitações literárias, profissão e residência. Os resultados mostraram uma boa fidelidade do instrumento em termos de resultado total (soma de todos os itens), não se tendo conseguido no entanto demonstrar a validade fatorial do mesmo no que respeita aos fatores derivados na versão original, sendo para esta amostra a solução de um fator (total de problemas comportamentais) a que parece mais adequada. Disponibilizamos um conjunto de resultados normativos relativos a médias e desvios padrão dos resultados totais para a amostra total e por género, faixas etárias, habilitações, profissão e residência que, embora ainda preliminares, poderão servir de base à prática clínica dos Psicólogos angolanos em termos de avaliação de problemas comportamentais em adultos e respetiva comparação com estes dados normativos. Nas comparações estabelecidas tendo em conta os resultados totais de problemas comportamentais de acordo com as variáveis género, faixas etárias, profissão, grau de escolaridade, meio de residência, os resultados do nosso estudo revelaram, a inexistência de diferenças de género e de idade e a existência de diferenças quanto a habilitações, profissão e meio de residência

Prevalencia de terceros molares mandibulares impactados y su asociación con caries distales en segundos molares mandibulares mediante tomografía computarizada de haz cónico.

This study evaluated the prevalence and eruption’s pattern of impacted mandibular third molars (IMTM) and the influence of their eruption status on the distal caries of mandibular second molars (MSM) using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT). Material and methods: CBCT images taken for different purposes in private dental practices were analyzed retrospectively. Radiographic assessment included: prevalence of IMTM, degree of angulation, level of impaction and type of IMTM. Furthermore, the distance between the cement-enamel junctions (CEJ) of second and third molars and the occurrence of caries lesion on the distal surface of MSM was also evaluated. Data were analyzed by chi square test and logistic regression was used to find the association between distal caries of MSM and eruption status of IMTM. Results: Three hundred and eight CBCTs were screened, the prevalence of IMTM was 36.88% and their angulation degree were mostly less than 90º (mesioangular). Amongst those with impaction, 58 subjects (43%) had distal caries on MSM, 29.6% in females and 30.4% in the age group 19-27 years. Caries on the distal side of MSM were significantly associated with age, level and type of impaction, angulation degree and CEJ distances (p<0.05). Conclusions: The prevalence of IMTM is high (36.88%) and there are significant relationships between angulation degree, level and type of impaction, and CEJ distances with caries on the distal side of MSM.Introducción: Este estudio evaluó la prevalencia y el patrón de erupción de terceros molares mandibulares impactados (TMMI), y la influencia de su estado de erupción en la caries distal de los segundos molares mandibulares (SMM) mediante tomografía computarizada de haz cónico (TCHC).  Material y métodos: se analizaron retrospectivamente las imágenes de TCHC tomadas para diferentes fines en prácticas dentales privadas. La evaluación radiográfica incluyó: prevalencia de TMMI, grado de angulación, nivel de impacto y tipo de TMMI. Además, también se evaluó la distancia entre la unión amelocementaria (UAC) de los segundos y terceros molares y la aparición de lesión de caries en la superficie distal de SMM. Los datos se analizaron mediante la prueba de chi cuadrado y se usó la regresión logística para evaluar asociaciones entre la caries distal de SMM y el estado de erupción de TMMI. Resultados: Se examinaron 308 TCHC, la prevalencia de TMMI fue de 36.88% y su grado de angulación fue mayoritariamente menor a 90º (mesioangular). Entre aquellos con impacto, 58 sujetos (43%) tenían caries distales en los SMM, 29.6% eran mujeres y 30.4% pertenecieron al grupo de edad de 19-27 años. Las caries en el lado distal de MSM se asociaron significativamente con la edad, el nivel y el tipo de impactación, el grado de angulación y las distancias UAC (p<0.05). Conclusiones: la prevalencia de TMMI es alta (36.88%) y existen relaciones significativas entre el grado de angulación, el nivel y el tipo de impacto, y las distancias UAC con presencia de caries en el lado distal de los SMM

JB1-001

Part A (Nu. 1.1): Sago work (Kulakula kunda na) narrative by Sawanga Aliau, 17 Oct 1976, 6 min. Part B (Nu. 1.2): Numbami origins (Numbami ndi dabola) story by Abu Bamo, 5 Nov 1976, incomplete.Lae District, Papua New Guine

Kuinka nivelreumapotilaiden biologiset lääkeainehoidot vaikuttavat potilaiden parodontiumissa ja parodontiitissa

Parodontiitti eli hampaiden tuki- ja kiinnityskudossairaus ja nivelreuma ovat molemmat kroonisia tulehdussairauksia, joiden patologiset taudinkulut muistuttavat vahvasti toisiaan. Tämän tutkielman tarkoituksena oli selvittää, kuinka nivelreuman hoitoon käytetyt biologiset lääkeainehoidot tehoavat samanaikaisesti potilaiden parodontiumiin ja mahdollisesti biofilmi välitteiseen parodontiittiin. Uudet spesifisesti vaikuttavat monoklonaalliset vasta-aineet ovat tuoneet moderniin lääketieteeseen tehokkaat ja tarkasti toimivat tavat hoitaa potilaiden monimuotoisia sairauksia. Nivelreuman sekä parodontiitin samantapaiset patogeeniset, etiologiat, yhteiskunnallisesti kalliit hoidot ja sairauksien vahvat yhteydet toisiinsa ovat isoja tekijöitä sille, miksi sairauksien yhtaikaista lääkehoitamista olisi syytä tutkia. Proinflammatoriset TNF-alfa-, IL-6- ja IL-1-sytokiinit ovat todistetusti osoittaneet isot roolinsa molempien tulehduksellisten sairauksien patologisissa prosesseissa. Täten esille nouseekin kysymys, että kuinka systeemisesti toteutetut biologiset lääkehoidot vastaavat sairauksien hoitoon. Lääkehoitojen kalliiden kulujen takia olisi järkevää ja yhteiskunnallisesti kannattavaa hyödyntää kyseisiä lääkeainehoitoja tehokkaan kohdistetusti sellaisille potilasryhmille, jotka hyötyisivät niistä kaikkein eniten. Näin potilaiden hoitomyöntyvyydet pitkille sekä raskaille hoidoille lisääntyisivät sekä tautien komplikaatioriskit vähentyisivät. Kaiken kaikkiaan pitkittäisprospektiiviset potilastutkimukset osoittivat tilastollisesti merkittäviä parannuksia nivelreumapotilaiden reumatologisissa - sekä parodontaallisissa parametreissa. Lääkeainehoidot osoittivat tehonsa nopeasti ja olivat muihin immunosuppressiivisiin lääkehoitoihin verrattuna tehokkaampia sekä paremmin siedettyjä. Täten biologiset lääkehoidot voisivat mahdollisesti tulevaisuudessa toimia osana parodontiitin hoitoa. Positiivisista tuloksista huolimatta on kuitenkin hyvä sanoa, että mittavampia tutkimuksia aiheesta tarvitaan lisää

Effect of Concrete Strength on Shear Capacity of Reinforced High-Strength Concrete Continuous Beams without Web Reinforcements

In order to evaluate the shear strength and behavior of high-strength concrete beams without web reinforcing, eight high-strength continuous concrete beams with cross sections of 200 mm by 300 mm were cast and tested to failure. The ultimate load-carrying capability and shear behavior are presented. The applicability of the Sudheer et al. equations and ACI 318M-14 is examined. In addition, the effects of the compressive strength (fc′) and shear span to effective depth ratio (a/d) on the shear strength and behavior of HSRC beams without stirrups are also studied. 63 MPa, 78.8 MPa, 85.9 MPa, and 92 MPa were the concrete’s compressive strengths, while 2.41 and 3.33 were its shear span to effective depth ratios. There were two equal spans of continuous beams, and at each span, they were evaluated under a single-point load. It was found that with increasing compressive strength, the failure load was increased. But the deflection did not affect it significantly. While increasing, (a/d) led to a decrease in failure load but increased deflection. It was also found that both ACI 318 M-14 and Sudheer et al. equation were more conservative