Book Review

Reviewing Fred A. Mettler, The Medical Sourcebook, Little, Brown and Company, 195

Book Review

Reviewing Fred A. Mettler, The Medical Sourcebook, Little, Brown and Company, 195

Conditional Zoning in Virginia

Zoning ordinances in the United States are of relatively recent origin. Local government planners were quick to recognize their usefulness as a means of land use control, and over the years zoning ordinances have been developed into many varied and complex forms. This article will focus on conditional zoning, one of the newest forms of zoning, as it exists today in Virginia. Some background on zoning in general, however, will be useful to achieve a proper understanding of conditional zoning

Apse Mosaics of the Virgin Mary in Early Byzantine Cyprus

The dissertation examines three early Christian apse mosaics preserved in medieval churches on the island of Cyprus. The mosaics of the Panagia Kanakariá at Lythrankomi, the Panagia Angeloktistos at Kiti, and the Panagia tes Kyras at Livadia portray the Virgin Mary as a central figure, representing a significant development after the Council of Ephesos in 431, when she was confirmed as Theotokos (God-bearer). Similar depictions of the Virgin or Virgin and Child would occupy the apse consistently in middle and late Byzantine programs. Despite the notable subject matter and the rare survival of wall and vault mosaics in the Eastern Mediterranean, the group has never been the subject of an extensive inquiry. Part one of the dissertation determines the dates of the apse mosaics using conventional art historical methods and evaluates the original production, decline, and preservation of the mosaics. Part two analyzes and contextualizes the mosaics more fully by concentrating on a set of themes: sacred space and liturgy, metaphor, and intercession. Through these themes, the dissertation explores the prominence of the Virgin Mary in the apse mosaics of Cyprus and investigates the multiple functions of apse decoration in the early Christian period. Prevailing theological interpretations of early Christian apse decoration emphasize the importance of the Virgin for Christology, but overlook other essential functions elaborated here. Additionally, early Byzantine homiletic, hymnographic, hagiographic, and liturgical texts are used to illuminate various aspects of the mosaics and issues of their contemporary reception

The value of monitoring wildlife roadkill

The number of wildlife-vehicle collisions has an obvious value in estimating the direct effects of roads on wildlife, i.e. mortality due to vehicle collisions. Given the nature of the data—species identification and location—there is, however, much wider ecological knowledge that can be gained by monitoring wildlife roadkill. Here, we review the added value and opportunities provided by these data, through a series of case studies where such data have been instrumental in contributing to the advancement of knowledge in species distributions, population dynamics, and animal behaviour, as well as informing us about health of the species and of the environment. We propose that consistently, systematically, and extensively monitoring roadkill facilitates five critical areas of ecological study: (1) monitoring of roadkill numbers, (2) monitoring of population trends, (3) mapping of native and invasive species distributions, (4) animal behaviour, and (5) monitoring of contaminants and disease. The collection of such data also offers a valuable opportunity for members of the public to be directly involved in scientific data collection and research (citizen science). Through continuing to monitor wildlife roadkill, we can expand our knowledge across a wide range of ecological research areas, as well as facilitating investigations that aim to reduce both the direct and indirect effects of roads on wildlife populations

The Iowa Homemaker vol.11, no.9

If Mother Always Does It… By Lydia v. Swanson And So We Have Grapefruit By Louise L’Engle From Cleopatra to Betty Coed… By Ruth Ellen Lovrien Luncheon, Shamrock-Trimmed… By Ida M. Shillin

Who the hell was that? Stories, bodies and actions in the world

This article explores a two-way relationship between stories and the experiential actions of bodies in the world. Through an autoethnographic approach, the article presents a series of interlinked story fragments in an effort to show and evoke a feel for the ways in which stories, bodies, and actions influence and shape each other over time. It offers some reflections on the experiences the stories portray from the perspective of a social constructionist conception of narrative theory and suggest that while stories exert a powerful influence on the actions of our bodies, our bodies intrude on or ‘talk back’ to this process because bodies have an existence beyond stories

Do drugs offering only PFS maintain quality of life sufficiently from a patient's perspective? Results from AVALPROFS (Assessing the 'VALue' to patients of PROgression Free Survival) study.

PURPOSE: Trials of novel drugs used in advanced disease often show only progression-free survival or modest overall survival benefits. Hypothetical studies suggest that stabilisation of metastatic disease and/or symptom burden are worth treatment-related side effects. We examined this premise contemporaneously using qualitative and quantitative methods. METHODS: Patients with metastatic cancers expected to live > 6 months and prescribed drugs aimed at cancer control were interviewed: at baseline, at 6 weeks, at progression, and if treatment was stopped for toxicity. They also completed Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy (FACT-G) plus Anti-Angiogenesis (AA) subscale questionnaires at baseline then monthly for 6 months. RESULTS: Ninety out of 120 (75%) eligible patients participated: 41 (45%) remained on study for 6 months, 36 progressed or died, 4 had treatment breaks, and 9 withdrew due to toxicity. By 6 weeks, 66/69 (96%) patients were experiencing side effects which impacted their activities. Low QoL scores at baseline did not predict a higher risk of death or dropout. At 6-week interviews, as the side effect severity increased, patients were significantly less inclined to view the benefit of cancer control as worthwhile (X2 = 50.7, P < 0.001). Emotional well-being initially improved from baseline by 10 weeks, then gradually returned to baseline levels. CONCLUSION: Maintaining QoL is vital to most patients with advanced cancer so minimising treatment-related side effects is essential. As side effect severity increased, drugs that controlled cancer for short periods were not viewed as worthwhile. Patients need to have the therapeutic aims of further anti-cancer treatment explained honestly and sensitively