From Ritual to Resurrection: The Exploratory Poetic of Seamus Heaney

Heaney\u27s poetry has grown and changed since the publication of his first collection of poetry, Death of a Naturalist. This paper is an attempt to present the development of Heaney\u27s exploratory poetic which was created through his use of language and image, allowing him metaphorical vehicles for the examination of oppositions. Heaney began his poetic exploration, or dig, with the collections Death of a Naturalist and Door Into the Dark. The poetry presents nature images which represent Heaney\u27s search into the unknown, the dark places. These images symbolize a searching for the imagination and for the purpose of art and beauty. In Wintering Out Heaney continues his search into the sounds and meanings of words. North is a similar exploration with the emphasis on cultural images. In both North and Field Work, Heaney is working within an established poetic which ritualizes the writing activity in such a way as to culminate in a renewing of cultural views. The views are connected to the traditional Irish culture, naming it lifeless. Also included in the exploration of Heaney is an examination of his biographical background and as well as a brief reminder of the political realities of Ireland. By the time Field Work is written, Heaney is able to express his politcal views directly. However, He never displays a poetic of gruesome violence and detail when working with the Irish troubles. Instead, he is able to integrate the political tensions into the language and image environments he has already established, allowing a more universal, more human approach to a specific political situation. The resolution to the many oppositions raised by Heaney is a creation or recreation of views, or what Heaney calls mind geographies, which suggest the support of that which is life-giving and life-supporting over that which is life-denying. Most of the paper is dedicated to the analysis of Heaney\u27s poetry, although much information has been included which was derived from book reviews, articles, essays written by Heaney, and interviews with the poet

Exercise and progressive supranuclear palsy : the need for explicit exercise reporting

Background Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP) is the most frequent form of atypical Parkinsonism. Although there is preliminary evidence for the benefits of gait rehabilitation, balance training and oculomotor exercises in PSP, the quality of reporting of exercise therapies appears mixed. The current investigation aims to evaluate the comprehensiveness of reporting of exercise and physical activity interventions in the PSP literature. Methods Two independent reviewers used the Consensus on Exercise Reporting Template (CERT) to extract all exercise intervention data from 11 studies included in a systematic review. CERT items covered: ‘what’ (materials), ‘who’ (instructor qualifications), ‘how’ (delivery), ‘where’ (location), ‘when’, ‘how much’ (dosage), ‘tailoring’ (what, how), and ‘how well’ (fidelity) exercise delivery complied with the protocol. Each exercise item was scored ‘1’ (adequately reported) or ‘0’ (not adequately reported or unclear). The CERT score was calculated, as well as the percentage of studies that reported each CERT item. Results The CERT scores ranged from 3 to 12 out of 19. No PSP studies adequately described exercise elements that would allow exact replication of the interventions. Well-described items included exercise equipment, exercise settings, exercise therapy scheduling, frequency and duration. Poorly described items included decision rules for exercise progression, instructor qualifications, exercise adherence, motivation strategies, safety and adverse events associated with exercise therapies. Discussion The results revealed variability in the reporting of physical therapies for people living with PSP. Future exercise trials need to more comprehensively describe equipment, instructor qualifications, exercise and physical activity type, dosage, setting, individual tailoring of exercises, supervision, adherence, motivation strategies, progression decisions, safety and adverse events. Conclusion Although beneficial for people living with PSP, exercise and physical therapy interventions have been inadequately reported. It is recommended that evidence-based reporting templates be utilised to comprehensively document therapeutic exercise design, delivery and evaluation

Entertaining free expression on public sidewalks: Are city ordinances kicking musical muses to the curb?

Freedom of expression, provided by the First Amendment, is a core part of the foundation of our democracy. Yet those who use public places for artistic expression, such as music, are still fighting to benefit from this right, a right vital to their ability to earn a living from musical performances. Historically, both in the United States and elsewhere, buskers, those who perform on the streets for tips, have been subjected to unreasonable restrictions on the time, place, and manner of their speech, and, at times, outright banishment from constitutionally protected public fora. This article demonstrates why current restrictions on street performers constitute clear violations of free speech through an examination of historical restrictions, case law, and the current rules and regulations of four US cities. Obtaining an ostensibly permanent decision from the Supreme Court is not the solution for ensuring the free-speech rights of street performers. Rather, we present an example of model regulations that, if embraced by individual localities, can ensure proper protection for the First Amendment rights of musicians in public spaces

Mobile phones in the classroom: Policies and potential pedagogy

Many university instructors (76% of our survey) have a mobile phone policy in their classrooms, due to the distractions of unregulated use. Yet only about half of those who ask students to put down their phones report that these policies are effective. Given that students want to and will use their phones, are instructors taking the opportunity to integrate these mobile devices as a part of media literacy or other pedagogy? We conducted a nationwide survey of more than 150 college instructors to explicate what policies are used, and where they come from; how they are enforced (e.g. rewards and punishments); and for those instructors who use mobile phones in instruction, whether and how the technology is used for academic purposes. Respondents (74%) permit mobile phones for basic classroom activities, but lack true integration with teaching and learning

Clerodane diterpenes: sources, structures, and biological activities

The clerodane diterpenoids are a widespread class of secondary metabolites and have been found in several hundreds of plant species from various families and in organisms from other taxonomic groups

Inclusion of Adolescents in STI/HIV Biomedical Prevention Trials: Autonomy, Decision Making, and Parental Involvement

In order to develop new methods for prevention and treatment of sexually transmitted infection (STI) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), clinical trials must be conducted in relevant populations. In the U.S., half of all STI incident infections are among 15-24 year olds (Satterwhite et al., 2013), making healthy adolescents a highly relevant population. The inclusion of adolescents in STD/HIV prevention research is critical for developing appropriate strategies to promote adolescent sexual health. Results from adult studies may not generalize to adolescents, given their biological and psychosocial developmental status (Hwang et al., 2009). In order to understand the extent to which these differences are applicable to safety, efficacy, and acceptability, the products must be tested in minors. Enrolling adolescents who have not reached the legal age of majority in sexual health research, though, poses legal and ethical challenges. Investigators have been described as facing moral conflict between their responsibility to protect the scientific rigor of the study and the well-being of the participants (Merritt, 2005). Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) must balance the interests of minors, their parents, and the institution (Knopf et al., 2016). Data suggest that adolescents are under-represented in biomedical trials of HIV and STD prevention (Tolley et al., 2014; Hoffman et al., 2016). We propose that the inclusion of these adolescents in sexual health research is not only ethically permissible but is ethically required

Bactericidal Effects of Cold Plasma Technology on Geobacillus Stearothermophilus and Bacillus Cereus Microorganisms

Cold plasma is a state of matter that contains a large number of particles that are electrically charged. Plasmas generate chemically reactive species and ultraviolet radiation making them useful in decontamination applications (Kong & Laroussi, 2003). Research regarding the inactivation of gram-positive bacteria by cold plasma has been studied by Laroussi et al (2003); however, there is limited research regarding the germicidal effectiveness of cold plasma on Geobacillus stearothermophilus and Bacillus cereus microorganisms. The purpose of this study was to determine if cold plasma technology inactivates Geobacillus stearothermophilus and Bacillus cereus vegetative cells and spores. This study consisted of 981 samples; 762 experimental samples exposed to cold plasma at various times and 291 controls. Experimental samples were inoculated and exposed either directly or indirectly/remotely to cold plasma. After exposure the samples were incubated for 12 to 16 hours and colony forming units (CFU) were quantified. The percentage kill and log concentration reductions were calculated from the CFU counts. Data was analyzed using one-way ANOVA, Kruskal Wallis and Tukey\u27s tests at the .05 level. There was a statistically significant difference in the inactivation of Geobacillus stearothermophilus vegetative cells for indirect exposure (p=.0001), direct exposure (p=.0013), as well as for Bacillus cereus vegetative cells and spores (p=.0001). Exposure of Geobacillus stearothermophilus spores to cold plasma demonstrated no statistically significant differences in inactivation for indirect exposure (p=.7208) and direct exposure (p=.0835). Results indicate that cold plasma exposure significantly inactivated Geobacillus stearothermophilus (vegetative) and Bacillus cereus; however, Geobacillus stearothermophilus spores were not significantly inactivated. Funding for this project was provided by ADHA IOH

On the dole for the homeless soul: Religious and sex discrimination by sectarian adoption services

Religious institutions have historically taken care of orphaned or unwanted children. Although the U.S. has provided public child services for nearly a century, the country still relies heavily on private, faith-based organizations to care for and place children with families. Some of these organizations receive public funds, yet their mission statements often prioritize placing young people with families that meet religious standards; they may reject parents who have religions or lifestyles that they disagree with. Such religious discrimination brings to the fore the Free Exercise and Establishment Clauses of the First Amendment and the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment, as well as social considerations such as the Best Interests of the Child (BIC). This chapter will explore the legal, political, and social labyrinth that is closing doors to potential parents in favor of saving souls

Recent advances in the investigation of curcuminoids

More than 30 Curcuma species (Zingiberaceae) are found in Asia, where the rhizomes of these plants are used as both food and medicine, such as in traditional Chinese medicine. The plants are usually aromatic and carminative, and are used to treat indigestion, hepatitis, jaundice, diabetes, atherosclerosis and bacterial infections. Among the Curcuma species, C. longa, C. aromatica and C. xanthorrhiza are popular. The main constituents of Curcuma species are curcuminoids and bisabolane-type sesquiterpenes. Curcumin is the most important constituent among natural curcuminoids found in these plants. Published research has described the biological effects and chemistry of curcumin. Curcumin derivatives have been evaluated for bioactivity and structure-activity relationships (SAR). In this article, we review the literature between 1976 and mid-2008 on the anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, anti-HIV, chemopreventive and anti-prostate cancer effects of curcuminoids. Recent studies on curcuminoids, particularly on curcumin, have discovered not only much on the therapeutic activities, but also on mechanisms of molecular biological action and major genomic effects

Cold Plasma Technology: Bactericidal Effects on Geobacillus Stearothermophilus and Bacillus Cereus Microorganisms

Introduction: Cold plasma, also known as Low Temperature Atmospheric Pressure Plasma (LTAPP) is a novel technology consisting of neutral and charged particles, including free radicals, which can be used to destroy or inactivate microorganisms. Research has been conducted regarding the effect of cold plasma on gram-positive bacteria; however, there is limited research regarding its ability to inactivate the spore-formers Geobacillus stearothermophilus and Bacillus cereus. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine if cold plasma inactivates G. stearothermophilus and B. cereus vegetative cells and spores. Methods: Nine hundred eighty-one samples were included in this study (762 experimental and 219 controls). Experimental samples were exposed indirectly or directly to cold plasma, before plating and incubating for 16 hours. Control samples were not exposed to cold plasma. The percentage-kill and cell number reductions were calculated from Colony Forming Units (CFU). Data were statistically analyzed at the .05 level using one-way ANOVA, Kruskal Wallis and Tukey\u27s tests. Results: There was a statistically significant difference in the inactivation of G. stearothermophilus vegetative cells receiving indirect and direct exposure (p=0.0001 and p=0.0013, respectively), as well as for B. cereus vegetative cells and spores (p=0.0001 for direct and indirect). There was no statistically significant difference in the inactivation of G. stearothermophilus spores receiving indirect exposure (p=0.7208) or direct exposure (p=0.0835). Conclusion: Results demonstrate that cold plasma exposure effectively kills G. stearothermophilus vegetative cells and B. cereus vegetative cells and spores; however, G. stearothermophilus spores were not significantly inactivated