Subjectivity[]Culture[]Communications[]Intermedia: A Meditation on the "impure interactions" of Performance and the "in-between" Space of Intimacy in a Wired World

This "meditation" pursues four objectives. The first is to provide an introduction to a variety of psychological interpretations of the concept of intimacy in terms of its motivations, characteristics, and functions within the larger understanding of the construction, maintenance, and expansion of the "self" in relationship and interaction. The second objective is to attempt to locate these psychological observations on intimacy within broader socio-anthropological frameworks, in order to consider if and how they are manifest in cultural and ideological developments. The third objective is to overlay these initial findings with multiple theories of communications and media influence on individuals and communities, as they relate to the reformation of and potential for intimacy in contemporary mediatized societies. The pursuit here is of a composite "logic" of resonance, interconnection, and generalized causality within these overlapping evolutionary spheres (psychology, sociology, communications). The fourth objective is to elucidate (as opposed to "define") the elusive concept of intermedia as it is understood, analyzed, and enacted by contemporary practitioners and theorists, with a particular emphasis on the role of intimacy in terms of intention, design, and experience. Finally, the emerging theoretical insights generated are tentatively applied to a performance by the intermedial, site-specific performance troupe Bluemouth Inc. Presents. In the process of these inquiries, I hope to establish intermedia—and, specifically, intermedial intimacy—as the recognizable (though not necessarily inevitable) offspring of the previously explored personal, cultural, and ideological developments. Résumé Cette « méditation » poursuit quatre objectifs. Le premier : présenter diverses interprétations du concept d’intimité tel qu’il est entendu dans le domaine de la psychologie (motivations, caractéristiques et fonctions) et les placer dans le cadre plus large de la construction, de l’entretien et de l’expansion du « soi » dans le contexte d’une relation et d’une interaction. Le second objectif : inscrire ces observations sur l’intimité dans un cadre socio-anthropologique plus vaste pour voir si on les retrouve dans des développements culturels et idéologiques. Le troisième objectif : superposer à ces premières constatations quelques théories de la communication ayant trait à l’influence des médias sur l’individu et la société en rapport avec la réforme de l’intimité et son potentiel dans des sociétés contemporaines médiatisées. Cet objectif est celui d’une « logique » composite de la résonnance, de l’interconnexion et de la causalité généralisée au sein même des sphères évolutionnaires qui se chevauchent (psychologie, sociologie, communication). Le quatrième objectif est de clarifier (plutôt que « définir ») le concept insaisissable d’intermédia tel que l’entendent, l’analysent et le mettent en œuvre des praticiens et théoriciens contemporains. Une importance toute particulière est accordée au rôle de l’intimité en ce qui a trait à l’intention, à la conception et à l’expérience. Et enfin, l’auteur tentera de mettre en pratique les théories en émergence en se servant de l’exemple d’une représentation intermédia localisée de la compagnie Bluemouth Inc. Au fil de son enquête, l’auteur souhaite montrer que l’intermédia – et plus précisément, l’intimité intermédia – est le produit reconnaissable (mais pas nécessairement inévitable) d’événements personnels, culturels et idéologiques explorés auparavant

Big Data: Medical Claims Data for Translational Research: Medicaid

Medical claims can be a primary data source for translational research. This presentation provides information on Medicaid as a source of claims data, including a description of Medicaid datasets, the most commonly used variables on each dataset, and examples of translational analyses using Medicaid

Performance Government in Maine: The Effort to Make State Government More Efficient, Responsive, and Accountable

Maine, like the federal government and many other states, has embarked upon a major initiative to change how government conducts its business. At the federal level this initiative has been called the National Performance Review. Spearheaded by Vice President Al Gore, its goal is nothing short of reinventing government so it performs better, costs less, and gets results. Today, many states have undertaken initiatives similar to the National Performance Review and the general term used to describe these activities is “performance government.” In Maine, a 1991 Special Commission on Governmental Restructuring marks the first time this concept was seriously talked about. Although performance government may apply to a wide range of administrative changes, it most typically applies to three reform initiatives: strategic planning, performance budgeting and performance contracting. Maine has been reinventing its government systems to include each of these components. This two-part symposium on performance government begins with this article by Bruce Clary and Barton Wechsler of the Muskie School of Public Service. Clary and Wechsler provide an overview of efforts to reinvent government and the context for Maine’s current initiatives

Data Acquisition, Management and Tracking

As part of the mini-symposium entitled Data Acquisition, Data Management, and Subject Tracking in Clinical and Translational Research: Seeking Solutions to Persistent Challenges, Drs. Barton and Costanza introduce the symposium with a presentation explaining the importance of data acquisition, management, and tracking of clinical research data

International trends in pancreatic cancer incidence and mortality rates

Background: Pancreatic cancer is a rare disease, with a lifetime risk of 1.45%. However, it is deadly, with a 1-year relative survival rate of 20% and a 5-year rate of 4% in the US. Risk factors for pancreatic cancer are cigarette smoking, obesity, physical inactivity, among others. Associated with developed countries, these risk factors are increasing in less developed and economically transitioning countries. Therefore, the objective of this presentation is to show international trends in pancreatic cancer incidence and mortality rates. Method: The pancreatic cancer incidence rates were collected from the Cancer Incidence in Five Continents (CI5) report and the mortality rates were collected from the World Health Organization cancer mortality database, both by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, for the periods 1988-1992 to 1998-2002 (10-year) and 1978-1982 to 1998-2002 (20-year). The statistics are provided countrywide or for specific regions within a country. Results: In America, 50% of evaluated countries/regions showed decreased pancreatic cancer incidence rates in any or both sexes during the 10-year period. In Northern Europe, one-third of the evaluated countries/regions showed decreased pancreatic cancer incidence rates in any or both sexes during the 10-year period. In Southern Europe, 44% of the evaluated countries/regions showed increased pancreatic cancer incidence rates in any or both sexes during the 10-year period. Both Chinese regions show increased pancreatic cancer incidence rates in both sexes during the 20-year period. Twenty-seven percent of the evaluated world countries/regions show decreased pancreatic cancer mortality rates in both sexes during the 20-year period. Discussion: There is international/regional variation in pancreatic cancer incidence and mortality rates. Specific protective or risk (like acquiring developed-country lifestyles or high life expectancy) factors could explain these differences. Conclusion: The findings of this study provide preliminary evidence to reassess pancreatic cancer prevention strategies worldwide