Bicycle Urbanism, Blog 2

Student blog posts from the Great VCU Bike Race Book

PROVINIALIZING WORLD LITERATURE: TRISTRAM SHANDY AND MIDNIGHT\u27S CHILDREN AS PRECURSORS TO CURRENT POSTCOLONIAL CRITICAL THEORY

Postcolonial critical theory is currently experiencing a period of upheaval. It is becoming increasing clear that the field\u27s concentration on geopolitical bifurcation has provided an incomplete paradigm for critical literary analysis. The current approach incorrectly separates literature (and the analysis thereof), into that of former colonies and that of former colonial powers, with each having distinct critical methodologies that are considered appropriate. I argue that Dipesh Chakrabarty\u27s method of provincializing, or the constant accumulation of new and divergent viewpoints to shape analysis through an iterative process, is a promising, but not new, critical paradigm. Chakrabarty\u27s contribution to postcolonial studies is interesting because it offers a critical methodology that is fruitful when applied to two novels that have traditionally provided great critical difficulties, Tristram Shandy and Midnight\u27s Children. In my analysis of the two works I will argue that they are only properly understood as precursors to Chakrabarty\u27s theories of critical analysis. Both use the novel as an outlet for the very procedural criticism that Chakrabarty recommends. Each novel proceeds to its end by continually modeling methods of knowing based on ideology and then undermining them by depicting them from alternate viewpoints that reveal their ridiculousness. The only methodology for gaining knowledge that remains effective under such parodic scrutiny is the very iterative movement toward knowledge that Chakrabarty recommends

Transit Access Equity in Richmond, VA

The purpose of this thesis is to analyze the extent of public transit access equity issues in Richmond, VA. The City of Richmond has an established public transportation network system, and the thesis explores the level of access for urban residents to use existing public transportation services. Technologies and programs have begun to emerge across the United States to help solve transit accessibility challenges. The thesis assesses the level of transit access equity that exists in Richmond and introduces technologies and services that could help improve accessibility and equity. The thesis uses a mixed methods approach that will consist of accessibility and equity measures, Geographic Information System (GIS), and key informant interviews

Perspectives on Water Quality Monitoring Approaches for Behavioral Change Research

Publication history: Accepted - 7 June 2022; Published online - 1 July 2022This review considers enhanced approaches to river water quality monitoring in north-western Europe following a series of study visits (11 sites in 7 countries). Based on the evidence gathered, options were identified and evaluated for their suitability to deliver specific water quality monitoring objectives and with a focus on effecting behavioral change. Monitoring programs were diverse, ranging from enhanced grab sampling and laboratory analysis to sub-hourly sampling of multiple parameters and nutrients in autonomous high-specification, bank-side or mobile laboratories. Only one program out of all the cases evaluated could readily identify influences that had produced behavioral change among stakeholders. This was principally because the other programs were focused on top-down policy change or surveillance rather than specifically focused on influencing behavior. Nevertheless, program researchers were clear that stakeholder engagement potential was very high and that the sites acted as important focus points for discussion on water quality issues, and so part of a suite of tools that might ultimately change behavior. This identifies a space where water quality monitoring solutions could be adapted for behavioral change research.This study was funded by the Department for Agriculture Environment and Rural Affairs, Belfast (Project 17/4/07)

In preeclampsia, maternal third trimester subcutaneous adipocyte lipolysis is more resistant to suppression by insulin than in healthy pregnancy

Obesity increases preeclampsia risk, and maternal dyslipidemia may result from exaggerated adipocyte lipolysis. We compared adipocyte function in preeclampsia with healthy pregnancy to establish whether there is increased lipolysis. Subcutaneous and visceral adipose tissue biopsies were collected at caesarean section from healthy (n=31) and preeclampsia (n=13) mothers. Lipolysis in response to isoproterenol (200 nmol/L) and insulin (10 nmol/L) was assessed. In healthy pregnancy, subcutaneous adipocytes had higher diameter than visceral adipocytes (<i>P</i><0.001). Subcutaneous and visceral adipocyte mean diameter in preeclampsia was similar to that in healthy pregnant controls, but cell distribution was shifted toward smaller cell diameter in preeclampsia. Total lipolysis rates under all conditions were lower in healthy visceral than subcutaneous adipocytes but did not differ after normalization for cell diameter. Visceral adipocyte insulin sensitivity was lower than subcutaneous in healthy pregnancy and inversely correlated with plasma triglyceride (<i>r</i>=−0.50; <i>P</i>=0.004). Visceral adipose tissue had lower <i>ADRB3, LPL,</i> and leptin and higher insulin receptor messenger RNA expression than subcutaneous adipose tissue. There was no difference in subcutaneous adipocyte lipolysis rates between preeclampsia and healthy controls, but subcutaneous adipocytes had lower sensitivity to insulin in preeclampsia, independent of cell diameter (<i>P</i><0.05). In preeclampsia, visceral adipose tissue had higher <i>LPL</i> messenger RNA expression than subcutaneous. In conclusion, in healthy pregnancy, the larger total mass of subcutaneous adipose tissue may release more fatty acids into the circulation than visceral adipose tissue. Reduced insulin suppression of subcutaneous adipocyte lipolysis may increase the burden of plasma fatty acids that the mother has to process in preeclampsia

The alcohol improvement programme: evaluation of an initiative to address alcohol-related health harm in England

Aims: The evaluation aimed to assess the impact of The Alcohol Improvement Programme (AIP). This was a UK Department of Health initiative (April 2008–March 2011) aiming to contribute to the reduction of alcohol-related harm as measured by a reduction in the rate of increase in alcohol-related hospital admissions (ARHAs). Methods: The evaluation (March 2010–September 2011) used a mix of qualitative and quantitative methods to assess the impact of the AIP on ARHAs, to describe and assess the process of implementation, and to identify elements of the programme which might serve as a ‘legacy’ for the future. Results: There was no evidence that the AIP had an impact on reducing the rise in the rate of ARHAs. The AIP was successfully delivered, increased the priority given to alcohol-related harm on local policy agendas and strengthened the infrastructure for the delivery of interventions. Conclusion: Although there was no measurable short-term impact on the rise in the rate of ARHAs, the AIP helped to set up a strategic response and a delivery infrastructure as a first, necessary step in working towards that goal. There are a number of valuable elements in the AIP which should be retained and repackaged to fit into new policy contexts

Preoperative and Intraoperative Opioid-Sparing Analgesic Techniques to Reduce Postoperative Opioid Consumption in Patients Undergoing Open, Non-Emergent Abdominal Surgeries: An Educational Module

Background: Opioids have long been considered the “gold standard” of pain management; however, the significant side effects associated with opioid use make opioid-sparing analgesic methods appealing for various reasons. Reducing postoperative opioid consumption without compromising pain management is an area requiring further exploration. Objective: This study seeks to assess healthcare providers’ knowledge and confidence regarding the use of various preoperative and perioperative interventions aimed at reducing postoperative opioid consumption following non-emergent open abdominal surgeries. Based on the systematic review performed, Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists were presented with a pre-assessment test, an educational video presentation, and a post-assessment test. Data Sources: Investigator used Pubmed, CINAHL, and EMBASE databases to answer the PICO (i.e., population, intervention, comparison, outcome) question: In patients undergoing open, nonemergent abdominal surgeries, does the use of multimodal, opioid-sparing pain management techniques during the preoperative and perioperative period reduce postoperative opioid consumption versus non-multimodal pain management? This question became the basis for the educational module by the same name. Pre-assessment and post-assessment testing were used to measure the effects of the intervention. Statistical analysis was applied to assess the effectiveness of the educational intervention. Study Selection: Nine articles were included in the systematic review and the findings were incorporated into the educational presentation. All found that their respective non-opioid interventions reduced postoperative opioid consumption to some degree. A majority reported secondary outcomes of reduced opioid-related side effects such as nausea and vomiting, decreased time to first meal, first ambulation, and foley removal, and increased patient satisfaction. Results: There were nine participants in the study and survey. The pre- and post-test gauged participants’ knowledge and confidence in non-opioid analgesic methods and implementing them in practice. The average number of correct answers in the pre-test was 4.22, compared to 7.44 in the post-test. Confidence for preoperative and intra-operative interventions improved from 44.44% and 33.33% to 88.89% and 100%, respectively. With education, participants were more likely to advocate for opioid-sparing analgesic interventions to improve postoperative outcomes for patients undergoing non-emergent abdominal surgery. All participants selected more correct answers in the post-test than pre-test. Conclusions: The evidence shows that several non-opioid analgesic interventions can reduce postoperative opioid consumption. The implementation of an educational module based on these findings led to a significant increase in providers’ knowledge and confidence of opioid-sparing analgesic methods in patients undergoing non-emergent open abdominal surgery and the benefits associated with non-opioid interventions

Fear and Loaning in North Carolina: The Availability and Use of LGBTQ Materials in North Carolina Public High School Libraries

The purpose of this dissertation was to investigate, firstly, the availability of LGBTQ materials in public high school libraries in the U.S. state of North Carolina and, secondly, how LGBTQ students use these materials. The availability of LGBTQ materials was researched via querying schools’ remotely accessible OPACs for both checklists and relevant subject headings. Use was examined by requesting and analysing circulation data provided by willing school librarians, and by conducting an online questionnaire of young LGBTQ adults over the age of eighteen. The final sample was comprised of 55 schools, 6 sets of circulation data, and 21 survey respondents. The main findings were that 1) North Carolina’s public school libraries are still under-collecting LGBTQ materials, although there has been a sharp drop in schools that had none of these materials at all; 2) these materials had a higher than expected mean relative use factor at the schools from which circulation data were collected; 3) students look to the school library as a last resort for accessing LGBTQ materials, instead preferring to use public libraries and online sources, and 4) the main influences on students’ choice of place to obtain LGBTQ materials were selection of LGBTQ books, privacy/secrecy, and convenience