Centuries of American Women Poets (Emily Dickinson, Ann Bradstreet, Emma Lazarus, Louis Bogan, Sylvia Plath, Diane Wakoski, Alice Walker, Erica Yong, Maya Angelou)

In Contemporary American Women Poets: An A-To-Z Guide, prepared by Catherine Cucinella (2002) readers find a mapping of achievements among contemporary American women poets, that encounter an enormous range of variety. Innovative writing styles divergence from established history of literary thoughts. Refashioning poetry follows reshaping of the culture of living and supports liberation tendencies against restrictive conventional views. The American female poetry has been influenced by a range of issues as infinite as the rapid redefining and questioning of the meaning of everything. These women’s authors from the 17th century to today, carry on a spiritual and intellectual wealth that built the American, and global bank of issues, as relevant to a society in change as it is applicable to international literary and trans-literary, societal and cultural topics of our planet. Out of thousands of female voices, we could only chose 10 for this occasion, those that denote cornerstones in style and substance. This selection offers female poets whose observation became known both for its modern and postmodern women’s liberation movement, as much as for its 17th and 18th c bold voices. It includes poets acclaimed for their 1960’ socialist revolt and sexual revolution, as well as their ethnic minority, multi-cultural quest and unrest for ideological or social recognition, for human rights, or defense of individual liberties

Nilkkamurtumapotilaiden postoperatiiviseen kipuun vaikuttavat tekijät

Tiivistelmä. Nilkkamurtumat ovat yleisin työikäisten murtuma, joka vaatii sairaala- ja leikkaushoitoa. Näiden murtumien määrä on kasvussa väestön ikääntymisen myötä. Instabiilit nilkkamurtumat hoidetaan leikkaushoidolla, jotta murtuneet kehräsluut voidaan palauttaa anatomiseen asentoonsa. Leikkauksissa anestesiavaihtoehtoina ovat yleis- tai spinaalianestesia ja molempiin muotoihin liittyvät omat etunsa ja haittansa. Tämän vuoksi anestesiamuodon valinnassa on huomioitava potilaan tilanne kokonaisuutena. Ortopedisiin leikkauksiin, kuten nilkkamurtumaleikkauksiin, liittyy voimakasta leikkauksen jälkeistä kipua, mikä voi muodostua ongelmaksi leikkauksen jälkeen potilaan toipumisen ja mobilisaation kannalta. Usein leikkauksen jälkeinen kipu hoidetaan opioidilääkityksellä. Tämä tutkimus on retrospektiivinen tutkimus, jonka aineistona käytettiin vuonna 2016 Oulun Yliopistollisessa sairaalassa leikattuja aikuisia nilkkamurtumapotilaita, joille oli tehty toimenpidekoodin NHJ10 mukainen kiinnitysleikkaus. Aineisto kerättiin ESKO-potilastietojärjestelmästä tutkittavan potilaskertomuksen ja anestesiakertomuksen perusteella. Aineistomääräksi saatiin 166 potilasta. Tutkimuksen tarkoituksena oli kartoittaa nilkkamurtumapotilaiden leikkaushoitoon liittyviä tekijöitä ja menetelmiä, mitkä vaikuttavat leikkauksen jälkeiseen akuuttiin kipuun ja opioidikulutukseen. Tärkeimpinä arvioinnin kohteena olivat anestesiamuodon ja leikkausmenetelmän yhteys leikkauksen jälkeiseen opioidilääkityksen määrään ja sairaalassa oloaikaan. Eri tekijöiden vertailussa käytettiin tilastollista analyysia, jolla selvitettiin tekijöiden merkityksellisyyttä. Tutkimuksen perusteella spinaalianestesian saannet potilaat olivat kivuttomampia leikkauksen jälkeen ja heidän opioidilääkitysen määrä heräämössä ja leikkauspäivänä oli puolet pienempi kuin yleisanestesian saaneilla potilailla. Sairaalassa oloaikaan vaikuttivat vammanlaajuus ja leikkaustekniikka. Nilkkamurtumia esiintyi aineistossamme korostuneesti ikääntyvässä väestössä erityisesti naisilla. Leikkaushoitoon liittyviä komplikaatioita olivat haavainfektiot, joille altistavat alkoholin käyttö, diabetes, runsaat perussairaudet ja vammalaajuus

Analogy-Making as a Core Primitive in the Software Engineering Toolbox

An analogy is an identification of structural similarities and correspondences between two objects. Computational models of analogy making have been studied extensively in the field of cognitive science to better understand high-level human cognition. For instance, Melanie Mitchell and Douglas Hofstadter sought to better understand high-level perception by developing the Copycat algorithm for completing analogies between letter sequences. In this paper, we argue that analogy making should be seen as a core primitive in software engineering. We motivate this argument by showing how complex software engineering problems such as program understanding and source-code transformation learning can be reduced to an instance of the analogy-making problem. We demonstrate this idea using Sifter, a new analogy-making algorithm suitable for software engineering applications that adapts and extends ideas from Copycat. In particular, Sifter reduces analogy-making to searching for a sequence of update rule applications. Sifter uses a novel representation for mathematical structures capable of effectively representing the wide variety of information embedded in software. We conclude by listing major areas of future work for Sifter and analogy-making in software engineering.Comment: Conference paper at SPLASH 'Onward!' 2020. Code is available at https://github.com/95616ARG/sifte

Antiviral Properties of Chemical Inhibitors of Cellular Anti-Apoptotic Bcl-2 Proteins

Viral diseases remain serious threats to public health because of the shortage of effective means of control. To combat the surge of viral diseases, new treatments are urgently needed. Here we show that small-molecules, which inhibit cellular anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 proteins (Bcl-2i), induced the premature death of cells infected with different RNA or DNA viruses, whereas, at the same concentrations, no toxicity was observed in mock-infected cells. Moreover, these compounds limited viral replication and spread. Surprisingly, Bcl-2i also induced the premature apoptosis of cells transfected with viral RNA or plasmid DNA but not of mock-transfected cells. These results suggest that Bcl-2i sensitizes cells containing foreign RNA or DNA to apoptosis. A comparison of the toxicity, antiviral activity, and side effects of six Bcl-2i allowed us to select A-1155463 as an antiviral lead candidate. Thus, our results pave the way for the further development of Bcl-2i for the prevention and treatment of viral diseases.Peer reviewe

Role of Nicotine Dependence in the Association between the Dopamine Receptor Gene DRD3 and Major Depressive Disorder

Peer reviewe

The effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of strength and balance Exergames to reduce falls risk for people aged 55 years and older in UK assisted living facilities: A multi-centre, cluster randomised controlled trial

Background: Falls are the leading cause of fatal and non-fatal unintentional injuries in older people. The use of Exergames (active, gamified video-based exercises) is a possible innovative, community-based approach. This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of a tailored OTAGO/FaME based strength and balance Exergame programme for improving balance, maintaining function and reducing falls risk in older people. Methods: A two-arm cluster randomised controlled trial recruiting adults aged 55 years and older living in 18 assisted-living (sheltered housing) facilities (clusters) in the UK. Standard care (physiotherapy advice and leaflet) was compared to a tailored 12-week strength and balance Exergame programme, supported by physiotherapists or trained assistants. Complete-case analysis (intention to treat) was used to compare Berg Balance Scale (BBS) at baseline and at 12 weeks. Secondary outcomes included: fear of falling, mobility, falls risk, pain, mood, fatigue, cognition, healthcare utilisation and health-related quality of life; self-reported physical activity and falls. Results: Eighteen clusters were randomised (9 to each arm) with 56 participants allocated to the intervention and 50 to the control (78% female, mean age 78 years). Fourteen participants withdrew over the 12 weeks (both arms), mainly for ill health. There was an adjusted mean improvement in balance (BBS) of 6.2 (95% CI 2.4 to 10.0), reduced fear of falling (p=0.007) and pain (p=0.02) in Exergame group. Mean attendance at sessions was 69% (mean exercising time of 33 minutes/week). 24% of control group and 20% of Exergame group fell over trial period. The change in falls rates significantly favoured the intervention (incident rate ratio 0.31 (95% CI 0.16 to 0.62, p=0.001)). The point estimate of the incremental cost effectiveness ratio (ICER) was £15,209.80 per QALY. Using 10,000 bootstrap replications, at the lower bound of the NICE threshold of £20,000 per QALY, there was a 61% probability of Exergames being cost-effective, rising to 73% at the upper bound of £30,000 per QALY. Conclusions: Exergames, as delivered in this trial, improve balance, pain and fear of falling and are a cost-effective fall prevention strategy in assisted living facilities for people aged 55 years or older

Antiviral properties of chemical inhibitors of cellular anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 proteins

Viral diseases remain serious threats to public health because of the shortage of effective means of control. To combat the surge of viral diseases, new treatments are urgently needed. Here we show that small-molecules, which inhibit cellular anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 proteins (Bcl-2i), induced the premature death of cells infected with different RNA or DNA viruses, whereas, at the same concentrations, no toxicity was observed in mock-infected cells. Moreover, these compounds limited viral replication and spread. Surprisingly, Bcl-2i also induced the premature apoptosis of cells transfected with viral RNA or plasmid DNA but not of mock-transfected cells. These results suggest that Bcl-2i sensitizes cells containing foreign RNA or DNA to apoptosis. A comparison of the toxicity, antiviral activity, and side effects of six Bcl-2i allowed us to select A-1155463 as an antiviral lead candidate. Thus, our results pave the way for the further development of Bcl-2i for the prevention and treatment of viral diseases.</p

Synnyttäneiden naisten kokemuksia seksuaalisuudestaan ja seksuaaliterveysohjauksesta raskausaikana

Opinnäytetyön tarkoituksena oli kuvata synnyttäneiden naisten kokemuksia seksuaalisuudestaan ja saamastaan seksuaaliterveyteen liittyvästä ohjauksesta raskauden aikana. Tavoitteena oli saatujen tulosten perusteella kehittää raskaudenaikaista seksuaaliterveyteen liittyvää ohjausta neuvolassa. Opinnäytetyössä selvitettiin, miten synnyttäneet naiset kokivat seksuaalisuutensa raskausaikana ja miten he kokivat saamansa seksuaaliterveyteen liittyvän ohjauksen raskauden aikana neuvolassa. Opinnäytetyö toteutettiin teemahaastatteluna, jossa haastateltiin kuutta synnyttänyttä naista yksilöhaastatteluissa, jotka äänitettiin. Aineisto litteroitiin ja purettiin teemoittain haastattelussa käytettyjen teemojen mukaisesti. Aineistoa tarkasteltiin merkitysten tulkinnan näkökulmasta. Teemoittelun jälkeen aineistoa yhdisteltiin, jolloin etsittiin teeman sisällöstä löytyviä samankaltaisuuksia eri haastateltavien kokemusten välillä. Haastateltavat kokivat oman seksuaalisuutensa muuttuneen raskausajan myötä. Tuen ja ohjauksen tarve seksuaaliasioihin liittyen oli kytköksissä siihen, millaiseksi nainen koki itsensä ja elämäntilanteensa kokonaisuudessaan. Neuvolan tuki koettiin tärkeänä asiana seksuaaliasioiden käsittelyssä. Naiset kokivat tuen jääneen vähäiseksi, mutta olivat kuitenkin pääosin tyytyväisiä saamaansa ohjaukseen. Tuloksissa korostui puheeksiottamisen merkitys neuvolan puolelta ja luottamuksellinen hoitosuhde koettiin tärkeänä. Tasapainoinen parisuhde oli naisen hyvinvoinnin kannalta tärkeää ja puolison huomiointi neuvolakäynneillä koettiin tärkeäksi sekä parisuhdetta tukevaksi. Opinnäytetyön tuloksia voidaan hyödyntää neuvoloiden raskausaikaisessa seksuaaliterveysohjauksessa. Tulokset antavat terveydenhoitajille tietoa siitä, minkälaista tietoa ja tukea naiset kaipaavat raskautensa aikana seksuaalisuuteensa liittyen.The purpose of this Bachelor's Thesis was to describe the after-childbirth experiences of women of their sexuality and sexual health counseling received during pregnancy. The aim was to use the results to develop sexual health counseling in the maternity clinics during pregnancy. This Bachelor´s Thesis examined how pregnant women experienced their sexuality during pregnancy and how they experienced the sexual health counseling that they received during pregnancy in the maternity clinic. The thesis was implemented as recorded theme interviews where six women were individually interviewed after their childbirth. The collected data was transcribed and analyzed on the basis of the themes used in the interviews. The data was viewed from the perspective of interpretations. After thematizing the data was combined so as to find similarities between the women’s experiences under the different themes. The interviewees experience was that that their sexuality had changed during pregnancy. The need of support and sexual counseling was related to their experience of themselves and their life situation as a whole. The women found the support of the maternity clinic important when dealing with sexual matters. They felt that the support they had received was exiguous. However, they were mainly satisfied with the sexual counseling they had received. Bringing up the matter by the maternity clinic was highlighted and the experience of a confidential care relationship was deemed important. A balanced relationship was important for the women’s health, and paying attention to their partner in the maternity clinic was seen important and as a support to the relationship. The results of the thesis can be used in maternity clinics’ sexual counseling during pregnancy. The results advise the personnel of the maternity clinics about the information and support that women need during pregnancy in sexuality related question