Lady Gaga as (dis)simulacrum of monstrosity

Lady Gaga’s celebrity DNA revolves around the notion of monstrosity, an extensively researched concept in postmodern cultural studies. The analysis that is offered in this paper is largely informed by Deleuze and Guattari’s notion of monstrosity, as well as by their approach to the study of sign-systems that was deployed in A Thousand Plateaus. By drawing on biographical and archival visual data, with a focus on the relatively underexplored live show, an elucidation is afforded of what is really monstrous about Lady Gaga. The main argument put forward is that monstrosity as sign seeks to appropriate the horizon of unlimited semiosis as radical alterity and openness to signifying possibilities. In this context it is held that Gaga effectively delimits her unique semioscape; however, any claims to monstrosity are undercut by the inherent limits of a representationalist approach in sufficiently engulfing this concept. Gaga is monstrous for her community insofar as she demands of her fans to project their semiosic horizon onto her as a simulacrum of infinite semiosis. However, this simulacrum may only be evinced in a feigned manner as a (dis)simulacrum. The analysis of imagery from seminal live shows during 2011–2012 shows that Gaga’s presumed monstrosity is more akin to hyperdifferentiation as simultaneous employment of heterogeneous and potentially dissonant inter pares cultural representations. The article concludes with a problematisation of audience effects in the light of Gaga’s adoption of a schematic and post-representationalist strategy in the event of her strategy’s emulation by competitive artists

Abundance, distribution and size structure of Diadema antillarum (Echinodermata: Diadematidae) in South Eastern Cuban coral reefs

The 1983-1984 mass mortality event of Diadema antillarum affected more than 93% of the total Caribbean population. Although there are no records about the status of Diadema populations before and after die-off on Cuban reefs, anecdotal information suggests that populations were struck. We analyzed spatial variation in the abundance and size structure of D. antillarum in 22 reefs sites in Jardines de la Reina, from June 2004 to September 2005. Counts of Diadema were performed in five 30x2m transects at each sampling site and sampling time, and test diameters were measured in September 2005 at the same fore reefs. Abundances were higher at reef crests (mean densities 0.08-2.18 ind./m²), while reef slope populations reached a maximum site level of 0.13 ind./m² at only one site and showed values up to three orders of magnitude lower than those from reef crests. Highest abundance occurred at the west margin of major channels between keys where larval recruitment seems to be favored by local oceanographic features and facilitated by the abundance of Echinometra lucunter. The size frequency distribution of D. antillarum indicates that recruitment began to be noticeable three years before September 2005, suggesting these populations were depleted in the past and they are recovering now. Rev. Biol. Trop. 58 (2): 663-676. Epub 2010 June 02

Is exposure to ionising radiation associated with childhood cardiac arrhythmia in the Russian territories contaminated by the Chernobyl fallout? A cross-sectional population-based study

International audienceObjective To investigate childhood cardiac arrhythmia and chronic exposure to caesium-137 (137 Cs) resulting from the Chernobyl accident.Design Prospective cross-sectional study using exposed/unexposed design conducted in the Bryansk region from May 2009 to May 2013 on children selected on the basis of 137 Cs soil deposition Control territories ([ 137 Cs]555 kBq per square metre, where children were considered as exposed). Setting Russian territories affected by the Chernobyl fallout (Bryansk region). Participants This cross-sectional study included 18 152 children aged 2-18 years and living in the Bryansk region (Russia). Main outcome measures All children received three medical examinations (ECG, echocardiography and 137 Cs whole-body activity measurement) and some of them were given with a 24-hour Holter monitoring and blood tests.Results Cardiac arrhythmia was diagnosed in 1172 children living in contaminated territories and 1354 children living in control territories. The crude prevalence estimated to 13.3% in contaminated territories was significantly lower than in control territories with 15.2% over the period 2009-2013 (P<0.001). Considering 137 Cs whole-body burden as exposure, cardiac arrhythmia was found in 449 contaminated children and 2077 uncontaminated children, corresponding to an estimated crude prevalence of 14.5% and 14.2%, respectively, which does not differ significantly (P=0.74). Also, we investigated the association between territory, exposure to 137 Cs and cardiac arrhythmia The adjusted OR was not significant (0.90 with 95% CI 0.81 to 1.00; P=0.06) for the territory. For 137 Cs whole-body burden, the ORs close to 1 did not reach statistical significance (P for trend=0.97).Conclusion This study does not observe an association between cardiac arrhythmia and 137 Cs deposition levels in the Bryansk region exposed to Chernobyl fallout. The suspected increase of cardiac arrhythmia in children exposed to Chernobyl fallout is not confirmed

Digitalizzazione e intelligenza del falso epigrafico. Il caso di un titulus atestino

This essay focuses upon a fragmentary Latin inscription found in Monselice in 1837. Giuseppe first Furlanetto published it in 1847. In 1872, Theodor Mommsen published it as CIL V 2484. However, among Furlanetto’s work materials there is a manuscript note that relates to the same inscription, but shows an intact epigraphic text. Maria Silvia Bassignano published it in 1997, maintaining that the inscription was a forgery. The digitization of the note in EDF, a re-examination of all extant documentation, the books of Livy, and a new analysis of the original inscription, now in Brescia, allow a reassessment of the whole matter, and prompt some methodological and epistemological remarks on the notion of epigraphic forgery.This essay focuses upon a fragmentary Latin inscription found in Monselice in 1837. Giuseppe first Furlanetto published it in 1847. In 1872, Theodor Mommsen published it as CIL V 2484. However, among Furlanetto’s work materials there is a manuscript note that relates to the same inscription, but shows an intact epigraphic text. Maria Silvia Bassignano published it in 1997, maintaining that the inscription was a forgery. The digitization of the note in EDF, a re-examination of all extant documentation, the books of Livy, and a new analysis of the original inscription, now in Brescia, allow a reassessment of the whole matter, and prompt some methodological and epistemological remarks on the notion of epigraphic forgery

Are dietary reports in a case-control study on thyroid cancer biased by risk perception of Chernobyl fallout?

Background: In retrospective case-control studies performed following nuclear tests or nuclear accidents, individual thyroid radiation dose reconstructions are based on fallout and meteorological data from the residential area, demographic characteristics, and lifestyle as well as dietary information. Collecting the latter is a controversial step, as dietary declarations may be affected by the subjects' beliefs about their risk behavior. This report analyses the potential for such bias in a case-control study performed in eastern France.Methods: The study included 765 cases of differentiated thyroid carcinoma matched with 831 controls. Risk perceptions and beliefs of cases and controls were compared using Chi2 tests and differences in dietary reports were analyzed using a two-way ANOVA.Results: In general, atmospheric pollution and living near a nuclear power plant were the two major risks that may influence thyroid cancer occurrence cited by cases and controls. When focusing in particular on the consequences of the Chernobyl accident, cases were more likely to think that the consequences were responsible for thyroid cancer occurrence than controls. Vegetable consumption during the two months after the Chernobyl accident was correlated with the status of subjects, but not to their beliefs. Conversely, consumption of fresh dairy products was not correlated with the status or beliefs of subjects.Conclusion: We found no evidence of systematic bias in dietary reports according to the status or beliefs held by subjects about the link between thyroid cancer occurrence and Chernobyl fallout. As such, these dietary reports may be used in further studies involving individual dosimetric reconstructions