“The Hour of the Furnaces: Collaborative Cinema’s Fragmentary Form”

Cinematic structure remains constitutively collaborative. While critics like André Bazin have described cinema as mixed or impure, this article advances the concept of cinema as collaborative aesthetics. The conventional understanding of collaboration is that it represents aggregation, namely the gradual growth toward a total and completed whole. After all, collaborative practice generally works toward identifiable goals. Conversely, I argue here that The Hour of the Furnaces shows us how cinematic collaboration also operates by subtractions, unresolved dissonances, unfinished instances, and contradictions rather than syntheses or cohesive totality. Despite the filmmakers’ express intentions, I contend that their political documentary film lacks a monolithic structure at the service of a single narrative. Thus my interpretation of films as collaborative art form goes even against Solanas and Getino’s understanding of Third Cinema’s collaborative nature, at least as presented in their manifesto or suggested in the documentary. While advancing an alternate model for reading the three-part film, this article highlights the fragment as the cinematic unit by which a conception of reality can be not so much reproduced or represented, as transformed

Empowering Women in Ecclesiastical Spaces: Insights from the World Council of Churches.

This study delves into the responses of women amidst the dynamic shifts within the ecumenical movement from 1910 to 1948 Two pivotal developments marked the burgeoning presence of women in missions during the early 20th century The Edinburgh World Missionary Conference of 1910 emerged as a cornerstone event within the ecumenical movement attracting numerous women missionaries representing diverse missionary societies and church mission boards Concurrently the Woman s Missionary Jubilee 1910- 11 underscored the fostering of camaraderie among women across First World and Third World churches These events catalyzed the integration of women into the fabric of Protestant missions leading to the formation of women s communities and their significant contributions to church establishment development and expansion However the establishment of the World Council of Churches WCC in 1948 ushered in a period of diminished opportunities for women s participation The predominant presence of male policy makers within the WCC particularly within the influential Central Committee which steered the Council between assemblies reflected a systemic gender disparity This shift prompted women to devise strategic approaches to bolster their roles within both church and society Consequently this paper aims to delineate the strategic initiatives undertaken by pioneering women leaders of the early 20th century to enhance the status of women leaders within the ecclesiastical and societal domain

Effects of restaurant green practices: Which practices are important and effective?

As customers’ ecological concern is steadily increasing, demand for products and services designed to be less harmful to the environment has augmented. By executing green practices, many business owners believe the image of their companies can be improved. Furthermore, the improved image may eventually motivate the customers to use products or services offered by the green company. The restaurant industry is witnessing the green movement as well. Restaurant owners adopt green practices to their properties with the purpose of creating a distinctive image that can differentiate them from their competitors. Therefore, restaurateurs strive to get this competitive advantage by introducing green practices into their restaurants. However, previous researches have not investigated the relationship between image of the company and customers\u27 behavioral intentions in the context of the green movement. This study attempted to find out the answer to the question whether green practices have strong effects on the image of the company and customers’ behavioral intentions in the hospitality industry. If so, can the increased image of the company affect customers’ behavioral intentions? Furthermore, how would this relationship be different within diverse segments of customers who have great ecological purchasing behavior or those who do not

Nicotine on Children's Hands: Limited Protection of Smoking Bans and Initial Clinical Findings.

BackgroundThirdhand smoke (THS) pollutants, such as nicotine, accumulate on the hands of children who live in homes with smokers and are exposed to secondhand smoke. Our objective was to examine whether levels of hand nicotine in exposed children are associated with demographics, environmental factors, and clinical findings.MethodsParticipants were caregivers who smoke and children (mean age (SD) = 2.6 (3.7) years) who were part of an ongoing 2-group, randomized controlled trial of an emergency department-based tobacco cessation intervention (N = 104). The primary outcome measure was nicotine on the child's hand. Caregivers reported demographics and smoking patterns; children's medical records were abstracted for chief complaint, medical history, and diagnoses.ResultsAll children had detectable hand nicotine (geometric mean [GeoM] = 86.2 ng/wipe; range = 3.5-2, 190.4 ng/wipe). Children in the age group of 2 to 4 years old (GeoM = 185.6 ng/wipe) had higher levels than the children in the age groups of 0 to 1 (GeoM = 68.9 ng/wipe, P < .001), 5 to 9 (GeoM = 77.9 ng/wipe, P = .04), and 10 to 15 years old (GeoM = 74.2 ng/wipe, P = .048). Children whose caregivers smoked 6 to 14 (GeoM = 97.2 ng/wipe, P = .047) and 15 to 40 cigarettes/day (GeoM = 124.0 ng/wipe, P = .01) had higher levels than children whose caregivers smoked 1 to 5 cigarettes/day (GeoM = 59.7 ng/wipe). Children with 6 to 14 cigarettes/day (GeoM = 163.11 ng/wipe, P = .007) and 15 to 40 cigarettes/day (GeoM = 186.1, P = .003) smoked inside the home by all smokers had significantly higher levels than homes with 0 cigarettes (GeoM = 81.3 ng/wipe). Similar differences in hand nicotine levels were found for smoking frequency of all household members in any location. Children with complaints of cough/congestion (GeoM = 97.7 ng/wipe) had higher levels than those without cough/congestion (GeoM = 59.0 ng/wipe, P = .01).ConclusionsThe high hand nicotine levels in children whose caregivers do not necessarily smoke indoor demonstrate that indoor smoking bans do not safeguard against THS exposure and the associations with increased home smoking activity indicate that hand wipes may be a noninvasive way to characterize children's exposure. The findings of associated cough and congestion with higher THS levels need to be examined further

Bioorthogonal Small Molecule Imaging Agents Allow Single-Cell Imaging of MET

The hepatocyte growth factor receptor (MET) is a receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) that has emerged as an important cancer target. Consequently, a number of different inhibitors varying in specificity are currently in clinical development. However, to date, it has been difficult to visualize MET expression, intracellular drug distribution and small molecule MET inhibition. Using a bioorthogonal approach, we have developed two companion imaging drugs based on both mono- and polypharmacological MET inhibitors. We show exquisite drug and target co-localization that can be visualized at single-cell resolution. The developed agents may be useful chemical biology tools to investigate single-cell pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of MET inhibitors

Polarization-sensitive spectral interferometry

A polarization sensitive spectral interferometer apparatus and method for analyzing a sample by optical energy reflected from the sample. The polarization sensitive spectral interferometer apparatus and method determines polarization properties of the sample by optical energy reflected from the sample.Board of Regents, University of Texas Syste

Optimal H1N1 vaccination strategies based on self-interest versus group interest

Background\ud Influenza vaccination is vital for reducing H1N1 infection-mediated morbidity and mortality. To reduce transmission and achieve herd immunity during the initial 2009-2010 pandemic season, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended that initial priority for H1N1 vaccines be given to individuals under age 25, as these individuals are more likely to spread influenza than older adults. However, due to significant delay in vaccine delivery for the H1N1 influenza pandemic, a large fraction of population was exposed to the H1N1 virus and thereby obtained immunity prior to the wide availability of vaccines. This exposure affects the spread of the disease and needs to be considered when prioritizing vaccine distribution.\ud \ud Methods\ud To determine optimal H1N1 vaccine distributions based on individual self-interest versus population interest, we constructed a game theoretical age-structured model of influenza transmission and considered the impact of delayed vaccination.\ud \ud Results\ud Our results indicate that if individuals decide to vaccinate according to self-interest, the resulting optimal vaccination strategy would prioritize adults of age 25 to 49 followed by either preschool-age children before the pandemic peak or older adults (age 50-64) at the pandemic peak. In contrast, the vaccine allocation strategy that is optimal for the population as a whole would prioritize individuals of ages 5 to 64 to curb a growing pandemic regardless of the timing of the vaccination program.\ud \ud Conclusions\ud Our results indicate that for a delayed vaccine distribution, the priorities that are optimal at a population level do not align with those that are optimal according to individual self-interest. Moreover, the discordance between the optimal vaccine distributions based on individual self-interest and those based on population interest is even more pronounced when vaccine availability is delayed. To determine optimal vaccine allocation for pandemic influenza, public health agencies need to consider both the changes in infection risks among age groups and expected patterns of adherence

Polarization-sensitive spectral interferometry as a function of depth for tissue identification

A polarization sensitive spectral interferometer apparatus and method for analyzing a sample by optical energy reflected from the sample. The polarization sensitive spectral interferometer apparatus and method determines polarization properties of the sample by optical energy reflected from the sample. The method for analyzing a sample with a spectral interferometer identifies the tissue type of the sample by the polarization properties as a function of depth from the sample.Board of Regents, University of Texas Syste

Estimating the Risk of COVID-19 Death During the Course of the Outbreak in Korea, February–May 2020

Background: In Korea, a total of 10, 840 confirmed cases of COVID-19 including 256 deaths have been recorded as of May 9, 2020. The time-delay adjusted case fatality risk (CFR) of COVID-19 in Korea is yet to be estimated. Methods: We obtained the daily series of confirmed cases and deaths in Korea reported prior to May 9, 2020. Using statistical methods, we estimated the time-delay adjusted risk for death from COVID-19 in Daegu, Gyeongsangbuk-do, other regions in Korea, as well as the entire country. Results: Our model-based crude CFR fitted the observed data well throughout the course of the epidemic except for the very early stage in Gyeongsangbuk-do; this was partially due to the reporting delay. Our estimates of the risk of death in Gyeongsangbuk-do reached 25.9% (95% Credible Interval (CrI): 19.6%–33.6%), 20.8% (95% CrI: 18.1%–24.0%) in Daegu, and 1.7% (95% CrI: 1.1%–2.5%) in other regions, whereas the national estimate was 10.2% (95% CrI: 9.0%–11.5%). Conclusions: The latest estimates of CFR of COVID-19 in Korea are considerably high, even with the early implementation of public health interventions including widespread testing, social distancing, and delayed school openings. Geographic differences in the CFR are likely influenced by clusters tied to hospitals and nursing homes

Polarization-sensitive spectral interferometry

A polarization sensitive spectral interferometer apparatus and method for analyzing a sample. The polarization sensitive spectral interferometer apparatus and method determines polarization properties of the sample.Board of Regents, University of Texas Syste