Star image, celebrity reality television and the fame cycle

In this article, I discuss the phenomenon of celebrity reality television and explore its function for those participating in it. Drawing on the success of their non-celebrity counterparts, programmes such as Celebrity Big Brother, I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here and Dancing With the Stars have become popular globally and, although arguably no longer at their peak, continue to attract large audiences and significant amounts of publicity. In the article I discuss the role these shows can serve for celebrities at different levels of their careers. I argue that reality television appeals in different ways to celebrities at different points in the fame ‘cycle’: ‘ordinary’ people or ‘pre-celebrities’ seeking to become known through it; proto-celebrities who wish to expand their fame; celebrities engaged in the work of promotion for their other endeavours; celebrities who wish to remake their existing star image through using reality television as a rehabilitative strategy or an opportunity to develop new skills; and those whose careers are in a period of ‘post-celebrity’ who seek to renew their fame. I explore how a successful reality show cast is one that combines celebrities who are at a range of points in the fame cycle as the interactions between the cast members and their debates about fame and hierarchy prove a key attraction for audiences

Tropospheric Carbon Monoxide Measurements from the Scanning High-Resolution Interferometer Sounder on 7 September 2000 in Southern Africa During SAFARI 2000

[1] Retrieved tropospheric carbon monoxide (CO) column densities are presented for more than 9000 spectra obtained by the University of Wisconsin-Madison (UWis) Scanning High-Resolution Interferometer Sounder (SHIS) during a flight on the NASA ER-2 on 7 September 2000 as part of the Southern African Regional Science Initiative (SAFARI 2000) dry season field campaign. Enhancements in tropospheric column CO were detected in the vicinity of a controlled biomass burn in the Timbavati Game Reserve in northeastern South Africa and over the edge of the river of smoke in south central Mozambique. Relatively clean air was observed over the far southern coast of Mozambique. Quantitative comparisons are presented with in situ measurements from five different instruments flying on two other aircraft: the University of Washington Convair-580 (CV) and the South African Aerocommander JRB in the vicinity of the Timbavati fire. Measured tropospheric CO columns (extrapolated from 337 to 100 mb) of 2.1 × 1018 cm−2 in background air and up to 1.5 × 1019 cm−2 in the smoke plume agree well with SHIS retrieved tropospheric CO columns of (2.3 ± 0.25) × 1018 cm−2 over background air near the fire and (1.5 ± 0.35) × 1019 cm−2 over the smoke plume. Qualitative comparisons are presented with three other in situ CO profiles obtained by the South African JRA aircraft over Mozambique and northern South Africa showing the influence of the river of smoke

The Southern African Regional Science Initiative (SAFARI 2000): Overview of the Dry Season Field Campaign

The Southern African Regional Science Initiative (SAFARI 2000) is an international science project investigating the earth-atmosphere-human system in southern Africa. The programme was conducted over a two-year period from March 1999 to March 2001. The dry season field campaign (August-September 2000) was the most intensive activity and involved over 200 scientists from eighteen countries. The main objectives were to characterize and quantify biogenic, pyrogenic and anthropogenic aerosol and trace gas emissions and their transport and transformations in the atmosphere, and to validate NASA\u27s Earth Observing System\u27s satellite Terra within a scientific context. Five aircraft - two South African Weather Service Aerocommanders, the University of Washington\u27s CV-580, the U.K. Meteorological Office\u27s C-130, and NASA\u27s ER-2-with different altitude capabilities, participated in the campaign. Additional airborne sampling of southern African air masses, that had moved downwind of the subcontinent, was conducted by the CSIRO over Australia. Multiple observations were made in various geographical sectors under different synoptic conditions. Airborne missions were designed to optimize the value of synchronous over-flights of the Terra satellite platform, above regional ground validation and science targets. Numerous smaller-scale ground validation activities took place throughout the subcontinent during the campaign period

Assessing the use of an essential health package in a sector wide approach in Malawi

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The sector wide approach (SWAp) used in many developing countries is difficult to assess. One way is to consider the essential health package (EHP) which is commonly the vehicle for a SWAp's policies and plans. It is not possible to measure the impact of an EHP by measuring health outcomes in countries such as Malawi. But it is possible to assess the choice of interventions and their delivery in terms of coverage. This paper describes an attempt to assess the Malawi SWAp through its EHP using these available measures of technical efficiency.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A burden of disease model was used to identify the priority diseases and their estimated incidence. Data from the health management information system (HMIS) were used to measure the coverage of these interventions. A review of the cost-effectiveness of the chosen and potential interventions was undertaken to assess the appropriateness of each intervention used in the EHP. Expenditure data were used to assess the level of funding of the EHP.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>33 of the 55 EHP interventions were found to be potentially cost-effective (<$150/DALY), 12 were not so cost-effective (>$150/DALY) and cost-effective estimates were not available for ten. 15 potential interventions, which were cost-effective and tackling one of the top 20 ranked diseases, were identified.</p> <p>Provision had increased in nearly all EHP services over the period of the SWAp. The rates of out patient attendances and inpatient days per 1000 population had both increased from 929 attendances in 2002/3 to 1135 in 2007/08 and from 124 inpatient days in 2002/03 to 179 in 2007/08.</p> <p>However, by 2007/08 the mean gap between what was required and what was provided was 0.68 of the estimated need. Two services involving the treatment of malaria were overprovided, but the majority were underprovided, with some such as maternity care providing less than half of what was required.</p> <p>The EHP was under-funded throughout the period covering on average 57% of necessary costs. By 2007/08 the funding paid by SWAp partners including the government of Malawi to fund the EHP was at US$13.5 per capita per annum, which was almost half of the revised EHP estimated required expenditure per capita per annum.</p> <p>Discussion</p> <p>The SWAp had invested in some very cost-effective health interventions. In terms of numbers of patients treated, the EHP had delivered two thirds of the services required. This was despite serious under-funding of the EHP, an increase in the population and shortage of staff.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The identification of interventions of proven effectiveness and good value for money and earmarked funding through a SWAp process can produce measurable improvement in health service delivery at extremely low cost.</p

Gender differences in presentation and diagnosis of chest pain in primary care

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Chest pain is a common complaint and reason for consultation in primary care. Research related to gender differences in regard to Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) has been mainly conducted in hospital but not in primary care settings. We aimed to analyse gender differences in aetiology and clinical characteristics of chest pain and to provide gender related symptoms and signs associated with CHD.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We included 1212 consecutive patients with chest pain aged 35 years and older attending 74 general practitioners (GPs). GPs recorded symptoms and findings of each patient and provided follow up information. An independent interdisciplinary reference panel reviewed clinical data of every patient and decided about the aetiology of chest pain at the time of patient recruitment. Multivariable regression analysis was performed to identify clinical predictors that help to rule in or out CHD in women and men.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Women showed more psychogenic disorders (women 11,2%, men 7.3%, p = 0.02), men suffered more from CHD (women 13.0%, men 17.2%, p = 0.04), trauma (women 1.8%, men 5.1%, p < 0.001) and pneumonia/pleurisy (women 1.3%, men 3.0%, p = 0.04) Men showed significantly more often chest pain localised on the right side of the chest (women 9.1%, men 25.0%, p = 0.01). For both genders known clinical vascular disease, pain worse with exercise and age were associated positively with CHD. In women pain duration above one hour was associated positively with CHD, while shorter pain durations showed an association with CHD in men. In women negative associations were found for stinging pain and in men for pain depending on inspiration and localised muscle tension.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>We found gender differences in regard to aetiology, selected clinical characteristics and association of symptoms and signs with CHD in patients presenting with chest pain in a primary care setting. Further research is necessary to elucidate whether these differences would support recommendations for different diagnostic approaches for CHD according to a patient's gender.</p

Dual-source computed tomography in patients with acute chest pain: feasibility and image quality

The aim of this study was to determine the feasibility and image quality of dual-source computed tomography angiography (DSCTA) in patients with acute chest pain for the assessment of the lung, thoracic aorta, and for pulmonary and coronary arteries. Sixty consecutive patients (32 female, 28 male, mean age 58.1±16.3 years) with acute chest pain underwent contrast-enhanced electrocardiography-gated DSCTA without prior beta-blocker administration. Vessel attenuation of different thoracic vascular territories was measured, and image quality was semi-quantitatively analyzed by two independent readers. Image quality of the thoracic aorta was diagnostic in all 60 patients, image quality of pulmonary arteries was diagnostic in 59, and image quality of coronary arteries was diagnostic in 58 patients. Pairwise intraindividual comparisons of attenuation values were small and ranged between 1±6 HU comparing right and left coronary artery and 56±9 HU comparing the pulmonary trunk and left ventricle. Mean attenuation was 291±65 HU in the ascending aorta, 334±93 HU in the pulmonary trunk, and 285±66 HU and 268±67 HU in the right and left coronary artery, respectively. DSCTA is feasible and provides diagnostic image quality of the thoracic aorta, pulmonary and coronary arteries in patients with acute chest pain

Ruling out coronary heart disease in primary care patients with chest pain: a clinical prediction score

Chest pain raises concern for the possibility of coronary heart disease. Scoring methods have been developed to identify coronary heart disease in emergency settings, but not in primary care. Data were collected from a multicenter Swiss clinical cohort study including 672 consecutive patients with chest pain, who had visited one of 59 family practitioners' offices. Using delayed diagnosis we derived a prediction rule to rule out coronary heart disease by means of a logistic regression model. Known cardiovascular risk factors, pain characteristics, and physical signs associated with coronary heart disease were explored to develop a clinical score. Patients diagnosed with angina or acute myocardial infarction within the year following their initial visit comprised the coronary heart disease group. The coronary heart disease score was derived from eight variables: age, gender, duration of chest pain from 1 to 60 minutes, substernal chest pain location, pain increasing with exertion, absence of tenderness point at palpation, cardiovascular risks factors, and personal history of cardiovascular disease. Area under the receiver operating characteristics curve was of 0.95 with a 95% confidence interval of 0.92; 0.97. From this score, 413 patients were considered as low risk for values of percentile 5 of the coronary heart disease patients. Internal validity was confirmed by bootstrapping. External validation using data from a German cohort (Marburg, n = 774) revealed a receiver operating characteristics curve of 0.75 (95% confidence interval, 0.72; 0.81) with a sensitivity of 85.6% and a specificity of 47.2%. This score, based only on history and physical examination, is a complementary tool for ruling out coronary heart disease in primary care patients complaining of chest pain

Numerical model simulation of the Saharan dust event of 6–11 March 2006 using the Regional Climate Model version 3 (RegCM3)

The Sahara desert is the world's primary source of mineral dust aerosols and is known to be an important but poorly understood component of the climate system. Climate models which incorporate dust modules have the potential to improve our understanding of the climate impacts of dust. In this study, the performance of the Regional Climate Model version 3 (RegCM3) with an active dust scheme is evaluated, using a major dust event of 6-11 March 2006 as a test case. To account for the distribution of preferential dust source regions, soil texture characteristics were modified in dust source regions identified from long-term SEVIRI satellite data. The dust event was associated with a pronounced cold outbreak of midlatitude air over the northern Sahara which produced anomalously strong northerly winds, which propagated from west to east over the Sahara during the study period. This resulted in dust mobilization from multiple dust sources across the domain. RegCM3 represents the space/time structure of near-surface meteorology well, although surface winds are underestimated in absolute terms. The experiment in which soils are modified provides a better representation of local dust sources and emission and resulting atmospheric optical thickness (AOT). In this experiment, model simulated dust flux exported from the Sahara to the Sahel and the tropical east Atlantic is estimated as 1.9 Tg d(-1). The dust event had a profound impact on the surface solar radiation budget of similar to-140 W m(-2) per unit AOT (domain average). The shortwave radiative effect at the top of the atmosphere is similar to-10 W m(-2) per unit AOT over the study domain. However, this is strongly dependent on surface albedo. The results also highlight how errors in model simulated circulation lead to errors in the position of the dust plume