Reclaiming the political : emancipation and critique in security studies

The critical security studies literature has been marked by a shared commitment towards the politicization of security – that is, the analysis of its assumptions, implications and the practices through which it is (re)produced. In recent years, however, politicization has been accompanied by a tendency to conceive security as connected with a logic of exclusion, totalization and even violence. This has resulted in an imbalanced politicization that weakens critique. Seeking to tackle this situation, the present article engages with contributions that have advanced emancipatory versions of security. Starting with, but going beyond, the so-called Aberystwyth School of security studies, the argument reconsiders the meaning of security as emancipation by making the case for a systematic engagement with the notions of reality and power. This revised version of security as emancipation strengthens critique by addressing political dimensions that have been underplayed in the critical security literature

Long-Term Survival Rates after Resection for Locally Advanced Kidney Cancer: Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center 1989 to 2012 Experience

Purpose: We analyzed the 23-year Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center experience with surgical resection, and concurrent adrenalectomy and lymphadenectomy for locally advanced nonmetastatic renal cell carcinoma. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the records of 802 patients who underwent nephrectomy with or without concurrent adrenalectomy or lymphadenectomy for locally advanced renal cell carcinoma, defined as stage T3 or greater and M0. Patients who received adjuvant treatment within 3 months of surgery or had fewer than 3 months of followup or bilateral renal masses at presentation were excluded from analysis. Five and 10-year progression-free and overall survival was estimated by the Kaplan-Meier method. Differences between groups were analyzed by the log rank test. Results: A total of 596 (74%) and 206 patients (26%) underwent radical and partial nephrectomy, respectively. Renal cell carcinoma progressed in 189 patients and 104 died of the disease. Median followup in patients without progression was 4.6 years. Symptoms at presentation, ASA (R) classification, tumor stage, histological subtype, grade and lymph node status were significantly associated with progression-free and overall survival. On multivariate analysis adrenalectomy use decreased with time but lymphadenectomy use increased (OR 0.82 vs 1.16 per year). Larger tumors were associated with a higher likelihood of concurrent adrenalectomy and lymphadenectomy. Conclusions: In our series of patients with locally advanced nonmetastatic renal cell carcinoma survival was favorable in those in good health who were asymptomatic at presentation with T3 tumors and negative lymph nodes. Further, there has been a trend toward more selective use of adrenalectomy and increased use of lymphadenectomy

Quantitative localized proton-promoted dissolution kinetics of calcite using scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM)

Scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM) has been used to determine quantitatively the kinetics of proton-promoted dissolution of the calcite (101̅4) cleavage surface (from natural “Iceland Spar”) at the microscopic scale. By working under conditions where the probe size is much less than the characteristic dislocation spacing (as revealed from etching), it has been possible to measure kinetics mainly in regions of the surface which are free from dislocations, for the first time. To clearly reveal the locations of measurements, studies focused on cleaved “mirror” surfaces, where one of the two faces produced by cleavage was etched freely to reveal defects intersecting the surface, while the other (mirror) face was etched locally (and quantitatively) using SECM to generate high proton fluxes with a 25 μm diameter Pt disk ultramicroelectrode (UME) positioned at a defined (known) distance from a crystal surface. The etch pits formed at various etch times were measured using white light interferometry to ascertain pit dimensions. To determine quantitative dissolution kinetics, a moving boundary finite element model was formulated in which experimental time-dependent pit expansion data formed the input for simulations, from which solution and interfacial concentrations of key chemical species, and interfacial fluxes, could then be determined and visualized. This novel analysis allowed the rate constant for proton attack on calcite, and the order of the reaction with respect to the interfacial proton concentration, to be determined unambiguously. The process was found to be first order in terms of interfacial proton concentration with a rate constant k = 6.3 (± 1.3) × 10–4 m s–1. Significantly, this value is similar to previous macroscopic rate measurements of calcite dissolution which averaged over large areas and many dislocation sites, and where such sites provided a continuous source of steps for dissolution. Since the local measurements reported herein are mainly made in regions without dislocations, this study demonstrates that dislocations and steps that arise from such sites are not needed for fast proton-promoted calcite dissolution. Other sites, such as point defects, which are naturally abundant in calcite, are likely to be key reaction sites

Comparing Open Radical Cystectomy and Robot-assisted Laparoscopic Radical Cystectomy: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Background: Open radical cystectomy (ORC) and urinary diversion in patients with bladder cancer (BCa) are associated with significant perioperative complication risk. Objective: To compare perioperative complications between robot-assisted radical cystectomy (RARC) and ORC techniques. Design, setting, and participants: A prospective randomized controlled trial was conducted during 2010 and 2013 in BCa patients scheduled for definitive treatment by radical cystectomy (RC), pelvic lymph node dissection (PLND), and urinary diversion. Patients were randomized to ORC/PLND or RARC/PLND, both with open urinary diversion. Patients were followed for 90 d postoperatively. Intervention: Standard ORC or RARC with PLND; all urinary diversions were performed via an open approach. Outcome measurements and statistical analysis: Primary outcomes were overall 90-d grade 2-5 complications defined by a modified Clavien system. Secondary outcomes included comparison of high-grade complications, estimated blood loss, operative time, pathologic outcomes, 3-and 6-mo patient-reported quality-of-life (QOL) outcomes, and total operative room and inpatient costs. Differences in binary outcomes were assessed with the chi-square test, with differences in continuous outcomes assessed by analysis of covariance with randomization group as covariate and, for QOL end points, baseline score. Results and limitations: The trial enrolled 124 patients, of whom 118 were randomized and underwent RC/PLND. Sixty were randomized to RARC and 58 to ORC. At 90 d, grade 2-5 complications were observed in 62% and 66% of RARC and ORC patients, respectively (95% confidence interval for difference, -21% to -13%; p = 0.7). The similar rates of grade 2-5 complications at our mandated interim analysis met futility criteria; thus, early closure of the trial occurred. The RARC group had lower mean intraoperative blood loss (p = 0.027) but significantly longer operative time than the ORC group (p \u3c 0.001). Pathologic variables including positive surgical margins and lymph node yields were similar. Mean hospital stay was 8 d in both arms (standard deviation, 3 and 5 d, respectively; p = 0.5). Three-and 6-mo QOL outcomes were similar between arms. Cost analysis demonstrated an advantage to ORC compared with RARC. A limitation is the setting at a single high-volume, referral center; our findings may not be generalizable to all settings. Conclusions: This trial failed to identify a large advantage for robot-assisted techniques over standard open surgery for patients undergoing RC/PLND and urinary diversion. Similar 90-d complication rates, hospital stay, pathologic outcomes, and 3-and 6-mo QOL outcomes were observed regardless of surgical technique. Patient summary: Of 118 patients with bladder cancer who underwent radical cystectomy, pelvic lymph node dissection, and urinary diversion, half were randomized to open surgery and half to robot-assisted laparoscopic surgery. We compared the rate of complications within 90 d after surgery for the open group versus the robotic group and found no significant difference between the two groups. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials. gov identifier NCT01076387, www.clinicaltrials.gov. (C) 2014 European Association of Urology. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

Pionic contribution to relativistic Fermi Liquid parameters

We calculate pionic contribution to the relativistic Fermi Liquid parameters (RFLPs) using Chiral Effective Lagrangian. The RFLPs so determined are then used to calculate chemical potential, exchange and nuclear symmetry energies due to $\pi$$N$ interaction. We also evaluate two loop ring diagrams involving $\sigma$, $\omega$ and $\pi$ meson exchanges and compare results with what one obtains from the relativistic Fermi Liquid theory (RFLT).Comment: 6 pages, 2 figures, Published in Canadian Journal of Physics, vol. 88, issue 8, pp. 585-59

The Role of I Region Gene Products in Macrophage - T Lymphocyte Interaction

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/73965/1/j.1600-065X.1978.tb00400.x.pd

Perceived Threat, Risk Perception, and Efficacy Beliefs Related to SARS and Other (Emerging) Infectious Diseases: Results of an International Survey

PURPOSE: To study the levels of perceived threat, perceived severity, perceived vulnerability, response efficacy, and self-efficacy for severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and eight other diseases in five European and three Asian countries. METHOD: A computer-assisted phone survey was conducted among 3,436 respondents. The questionnaire focused on perceived threat, vulnerability, severity, response efficacy, and self-efficacy related to SARS and eight other diseases. RESULTS: Perceived threat of SARS in case of an outbreak in the country was higher than that of other diseases. Perceived vulnerability of SARS was at an intermediate level and perceived severity was high compared to other diseases. Perceived threat for SARS varied between countries in Europe and Asia with a higher perceived severity of SARS in Europe and a higher perceived vulnerability in Asia. Response efficacy and self-efficacy for SARS were higher in Asia compared to Europe. In multiple linear regression analyses, country was strongly associated with perceived threat. CONCLUSIONS: The relatively high perceived threat for SARS indicates that it is seen as a public health risk and offers a basis for communication in case of an outbreak. The strong association between perceived threat and country and different regional patterns require further researc

Phenotypic Signatures Arising from Unbalanced Bacterial Growth

Fluctuations in the growth rate of a bacterial culture during unbalanced growth are generally considered undesirable in quantitative studies of bacterial physiology. Under well-controlled experimental conditions, however, these fluctuations are not random but instead reflect the interplay between intra-cellular networks underlying bacterial growth and the growth environment. Therefore, these fluctuations could be considered quantitative phenotypes of the bacteria under a specific growth condition. Here, we present a method to identify “phenotypic signatures” by time-frequency analysis of unbalanced growth curves measured with high temporal resolution. The signatures are then applied to differentiate amongst different bacterial strains or the same strain under different growth conditions, and to identify the essential architecture of the gene network underlying the observed growth dynamics. Our method has implications for both basic understanding of bacterial physiology and for the classification of bacterial strains