Structuring Liminality: Theorizing the Creation and Maintenance of the Cuban Exile Identity

In this article, we examine the exilic experience of the Cuban-American community in South Florida through the dual concepts of structure and liminality. We postulate that in the case of this exilic diaspora, specific structures arose to render liminality a persistent element of the Cuban-American identity. The liminal, rather than being a temporal transitory stage, becomes an integral part of the group identity. This paper theorizes and recasts the Cuban-American exile experience in Miami as explicable not only as the story of successful economic and political incorporation, although the literature certainly emphasizes this interpretation, but one consisting of permanent liminality institutionalized by structural components of the exiled diaspora. We argue that the story of exemplary incorporation so prevalent in the academic literature is a result of structured liminality. We apply Turner\u27s conceptualization to the creation and maintenance of the Cuban-American Exile Identity (Grenier and Perez, 2003). While testing the theoretical postulates is beyond the scope of this article, we interpret previous research through our new theoretical lens

Rapid estimation of antibiotic efficacy of low bacterial inoculums using multi-frequency impedance measurements

Background: In order to obtain Minimum Inhibitory Concentrations (MICs), antibiotics are, by convention, tested against turbidometrically standard suspensions containing [about]5x105 CFU/ml of bacteria. This not only fails to accurately represent the clinical situation, where loads range from 107CFU/ml for meningitis, but introduces a delay of [about]1day to allow for the preparation of the turbidometric standard from colonies. Methods: We use a multifrequency impedance measurement method to observe in real time the effect of antibiotics on bacteria present at loads of [about]103 CFU/ml. Applied high frequency (100KHz to 100MHz) AC voltages leads to charge-buildup at the membranes of living cells (due to their membrane potential), contributing to a "bulk capacitance" (Cb) in the suspension. An increase in cell number (bacterial proliferation) results in an increase in Cb, whereas cell-death leads to a loss of membrane potential (decrease in Cb). Cb remains unchanged in the case of bacterial stasis. This allows us to directly observe the mode of action of the antibiotic (whether bactericidal or bacteriostatic) and determine MIC. Results: At bacterial loads of [about]103 CFU/ml, the MICs of gentamicin and amikacin against Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC-27853 were 0.5 and 2 mg/l, whereas the MICs of ampicillin and chloramphenicol against Escherichia coli ATCC-25922 were 8 and 2 mg/l, respectively. With the exception of gentamicin where the recorded MIC was lower, all MICs were within the expected range for the combination of strain and antibiotic (as measured for loads of [about]105 CFU/ml). Also, amikacin was observed to act in a bactericidal manner at its MICs for loads 103 CFU/ml, whereas its action is bacteriostatic at loads of [about]105 CFU/ml. Conclusions: Our method, which enables direct observation of antibiotic-bacteria interaction at low bacterial loads (~103 CFU/ml), can be used to determine the presence of an "inoculum effect" for low bacterial loads. This, coupled with the time saved by avoiding the day-long process involved in preparing turbidometric standards, can have clinical benefits

The effects of oryzanol on bone mineral density in ovariectomized, retired breeder rats

The accelerated rate of bone loss that occurs after menopause may be reduced by consuming rice bran oil (RBO), which contains natural oryzanol. Three different forms of oryzanol (natural oryzanol, NO; crystalline oryzanol, CO; and solubilized oryzanol, SO) were evaluated in a rat model of postmenopausal women. Retired Sprague-Dawley breeder rats were stratified by weight and assigned randomly to one of five groups for a thirteen week study. Rats were either variectomized (O, n=37) or sham-operated (ShC, n=10) and assigned to control (C) diets (OC, n=10 or ShC, n=10) or one of three forms of oryzanol (NO, n=9; CO, n=9; or SO, n=9). Bone mineral density of the vertebrae, humerus, femur, and tibia were measured by pDEXA. Results demonstrated that the diet consisting of natural oryzanol (RBO) was slightly protective in preventing bone loss at several bone sites including the elbow, total femur, hip, knee, and femoral mid-shaft. Also, the NO-containing diet was effective in preventing loss of bone mineral density of the tibia. Although the NO-containing diet seemed to have a positive effect on long bones, it did not demonstrate similar effects in the vertebrae. This suggests that NO primarily affects cortical bone. The benefits seen with the natural oryzanol were not seen with the crystalline or solubilized oryzanol. One explanation might be that the natural oryzanol was absorbed more effectively than the crystalline and solubilized oryzanol. Another reason could be that the benefits of the NO diet are due to other components of the unsaponifiable fraction of rice bran oil. Rice bran oil, fed as a sole source of dietary fat reduced bone loss in long bones of ovariectomized rats suggesting there may be beneficial effects in humans

Post-trial access to treatment: corporate best practices

The paper Post-Trial Acces To Treatment (PTA) offers an insight into current corporate policies and corporate best practices relating to the provision of PTA in low and middle income countries based on company sources. In these countries there is a greater appeal for pharmaceutical companies to take responsibility for providing PTA. However, the practice of providing PTA is the exception rather than the rule

Calidad percibida del cuidado humanizado del profesional de enfermería en la unidad de recuperación post anestésica del hospital Santa Rosa II-2 Piura

El presente estudio de investigación tuvo como objetivo determinar la calidad percibida del cuidado humanizado que brinda el profesional de enfermería en la Unidad de Recuperación Post Anestésica del Hospital Santa Rosa II-2 Piura, es un estudio cuantitativo, descriptivo y transversal cuya muestra fue de 102 pacientes de la unidad de recuperación post anestésica del hospital, los resultados a los que arribó el estudio fueron: La calidad percibida respecto al cuidado humanizado que brinda el profesional de enfermería en el servicio en la unidad de recuperación post anestésica, es de nivel medio en la mayoría de los pacientes (61.8%) siendo de nivel medio para el 22.5% y alto para el 15.7%; ya que la cantidad de profesionales de enfermería no es coherente con el número de pacientes que se atiende en la URPA, originando que se tenga mayores actividades que cumplir y se limite su desempeño. El 60.8% percibe la calidad del cuidado humanizado en la dimensión Humanismo/Sensibilidad en nivel medio. El 61.8% perciben la calidad en la dimensión Ayuda/Confianza en nivel medio. El 60.8% percibe la calidad en la dimensión Expresión de sentimientos en nivel medio. El 59.8% percibe la calidad en la dimensión Enseñanza/Aprendizaje en nivel medio pues existe transmisión de conocimiento sin educar debido a escases de tiempo. El 62.7% percibe la calidad del cuidado en la dimensión Soporte/Protección Ambiente en nivel medio, por que existe poca valoración del grado de dependencia del paciente en URPA y del código de ética y deontología del profesional. El 63.8% percibe la calidad en la dimensión Asistencia de las necesidades Humanas en nivel medio puesto que la demanda provoca una atención mecanizada, carente de espíritu de servicio.The present research study aimed to determine the perceived quality of the humanized care provided by the nursing professional in the Post Anesthetic Recovery Unit of the Hospital Santa Rosa II-2 Piura, it is a quantitative, descriptive and cross-sectional study whose sample was 102 patients from the hospital's post-anesthetic recovery unit, the results of the study were: The perceived quality regarding the humanized care provided by the nursing professional in the service in the post-anesthetic recovery unit, is of medium level in most of the patients (61.8%) being of medium level for 22.5% and high for 15.7%; since the number of nursing professionals is not consistent with the number of patients treated at the URPA, causing more activities to be carried out and their performance limited. 60.8% perceive the quality of humanized care in the Humanism / Sensitivity dimension at a medium level. 61.8% perceive the quality in the Help / Trust dimension at medium level. 60.8% perceive the quality in the Expression of feelings dimension at a medium level. 59.8% perceive the quality in the Teaching / Learning dimension at the intermediate level since there is transmission of knowledge without educating due to time shortages. 62.7% perceive the quality of care in the Support / Environmental Protection dimension at a medium level, because there is little assessment of the degree of dependence of the patient on URPA and the professional's code of ethics and deontology. 63.8% perceive the quality in the dimension Assistance of Human needs at a medium level since the demand causes a mechanized attention, lacking in the spirit of serviceTesis de segunda especialida

Le renouveau copte, invention de la tradition ou élaborations émancipatrices

En Égypte, I 'évocation des rapports musulmans/chrétiens reste aujourd'hui, au mieux, une question assez abstraite d'équité quotidienne ou de « consensus national », pour parler I 'idiome nassérien, ou encore, depuis peu, de Droits de I 'Homme (Ayad 2002, Colonna 2004, Adrien 2009). Les violences d'Alexandrie à Noël 2010, si près d'élections législatives où les Coptes n 'ont récolté aucun siège, ne semblent pas, vues de l'extérieur du pays, avoir radicalement changé la vie quotidienne ni la problématique globale. À une exception de taille cependant : dans les manifestations qui ont suivi l'attentat de décembre 2010, la participation copte a été exceptionnellement nombreuse, revendicative voire violente. De même, lors du soulèvement de janvier/février 2011, on aparfois entendu associer « les chrétiens » comme acteurs à part entière. Aussi bien, le moment parait bien choisi pour évoquer un phénomène de société misant explicitement sur la longue durée, et censé redonner à cette « minorité » qui refuse d'en être une, le droit d'être reconnue comme une partie insécable de la Nation égyptienne (Al Khawaga 1994)

Chesapeake Bay Nutria Eradication Project: 2017 Update

Nutria, a semi-aquatic, South American rodent, was introduced to Maryland during the early 1940s. Originally brought to the area for fur farms, the market never established and animals were released or escaped. Nutria thrived, destroying coastal wetlands which resulted in negative environmental and economic impacts to the Chesapeake Bay region. To preserve and protect valuable wetland resources, the Chesapeake Bay Nutria Eradication Project (CBNEP) was established in 2002 through a partnership between the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, the United States Department of Agriculture’s Wildlife Services, Maryland Department of Natural Resources, and many state agencies and non-governmental organizations. Since inception, the CBNEP has removed and reduced nutria populations to near zero across ¼ million acres of wetlands throughout the Delmarva Peninsula (Maryland, Delaware, and Virginia). The CBNEP has aided in the protection of critical natural resources and provided assistance to over 400 private landowners. Throughout its history, the CBNEP has developed new detection techniques and modified existing methods as the nature of the eradication effort changed. We provide a project overview and detail several observer-based and device-based methods that were developed and used for detection of nutria including: shoreline and ground surveys, monitoring platforms, detector dogs, lure development and remote triggered cameras

Factores determinantes que Inciden en la informalidad de la pesca artesanal en Chimbote, 2020

El presente estudio se propuso como objetivo general identificar los factores determinantes que inciden en la informalidad de la pesca artesanal en Chimbote, 2020. El estudio es de tipo no experimental, con diseño de investigación explicativo, el cual contó con una población de 6184 pescadores artesanales en la región Áncash, de los cuales se seleccionó una muestra de 200 pescadores artesanales del Distrito de Chimbote. Para comprobar el grado de explicación de los factores con respecto a informalidad laboral en la pesca se empleó la prueba de regresión logística binaria. Del análisis de resultados se identificó que el modelo de factores propuesto explica la informalidad de la pesca artesanal en Chimbote, tal como se evidencia en el valor de la significancia (p=0.029), el cual es menor que p=0.05. Asimismo, se evidenció que los factores socioculturales no explican la informalidad de la pesca artesanal en Chimbote; mientras que la mayoría de los indicadores de los factores de accesibilidad a la formalización sí la explican; finalmente, se estableció que los factores de control y seguimiento influyen en la informalidad de la pesca artesanal en Chimbote