Masakwa dry season cropping in the Chad Basin

In the inundation area - the basin of the former larger Lake Chad - a special type of sorghum is grown on the clay soils (firgi). This dry-season guinea corn is also called dwarf sorghum or masakwa. In Kanuri, the dominant language in the region, sorghum is called ngawuli. The dry-season types are called ngawuli firgibe (lit. translated: sorghum of the firgi). During the dry season when the natural vegetation becomes dry and yellow, masakwa fields appear in prominent green covering large areas of the clay plains. The most important natural factor for this specialized dry season cropping is the presence of soils with a high clay content. For a better understanding of masakwa and its related issues, a multidisciplinary sub-project (G1) has been established within the SFB 268 (Joint Research Project: History of Culture and Language in the Natural Environment of the West-African Savannah). This project in which all disciplines participate is entitled: "Natural basis for masakwa cultivation and its meaning for the settlement history of the clay plains (firgi) in the Chad basin"

Four thousand years of plant exploitation in the Chad Basin of northeast Nigeria I: The archaeobotany of Kursakata

This paper discusses archaeobotanical remains from the settlement mound of Kursakata, Nigeria, comprising both charred and uncharred seeds and fruits as well as charcoal. In addition, impressions of plant tempering material in potsherds were analysed. The late Stone Age and Iron Age sequence at Kursakata is date from 1000 cal. B.C. to cal. A.D. 100. DomesticatedPennisetum (pearl millet), wild Paniceae and wild rice are the most common taxa. Kernels from tree fruits were regularly found including large numbers ofVitex simplicifolia—a tree which is absent from the area today. A distinct change in plant spectra can be observed between the late Stone Age and the Iron Age. Although domesticated pearl millet was already known at the beginning of the settlement sequence of Kursakata, it only gained greater economic importance during the Iron Age. Besides farming, pastoralism and fishing, gathering of wild plants always played a major role in the subsistence strategy of the inhabitants of Kursakata. The charcoal results show that firewood was mainly collected from woodlands on the clay plains, which must have been more diverse than today. The end of the late Stone Age in the Chad Basin was presumably accompanied by the onset of drier environmental conditions from ca. 800 cal. B.C. onward

Rolle und Bedeutung der Medien für Menschen mit Behinderung

Da Menschen mit Behinderung in unserer Gesellschaft immer noch den Status einer Minderheit haben, sind sie mit verhältnismäßig schwierigen Lebensbedingungen konfrontiert. Kommunikationswissenschaftlich betrachtet ergibt sich für Menschen mit einer Behinderung außerdem die Problematik, dass medial vermittelte Darstellungen und Bilder von behinderten Menschen bzw. Behinderung oftmals nicht den eigenen Vorstellungen entsprechen. In den Medien existieren überwiegend behindertenspezifische Bilder, die einer stereotypen und defizitorientierten Darstellungsweise folgen. Eine mangelnde aktive Einbindung beeinträchtigter Menschen in das Mediengeschehen, beispielsweise als JournalistInnen, ist ein Grund dafür. Sowie ein über Jahrhunderte hinweg gesellschaftlich tradierter, überwiegend diskriminierender Umgang mit „Behinderung“. Vor diesem Hintergrund ist es Ziel der Arbeit die medialen Bedürfnisse von Menschen mit Behinderung mittels Befragungen zu untersuchen, um Rolle und Bedeutung der Medien im Lebensalltag Betroffener verorten zu können. Welche Identifikationsangebote in den Massenmedien zur Verfügung stehen und genutzt werden, und inwiefern erwähnte Problematik die mediale Selbstwahrnehmung bzw. Identitätsbildung beeinflusst, sind zentrale Aspekte der Untersuchung. Problemzentrierte Interviews mit körperlichen, sinnes-, und kognitiv beeinträchtigten RezipientInnen und eine anschließende qualitative Inhaltsanalyse ergeben den empirischen Teil der Arbeit. Als Ergebnis können mediale Bedürfnisse hinsichtlich Mediennutzung und deren Motive, möglichen Zugangsbarrieren und auf inhaltlich-formaler Ebene formuliert werden. Unter Einbeziehung des aktuellen Forschungsstands der „Disability Studies“ und deren Erfassung des Phänomens Behinderung aus sozialer und kulturwissenschaftlicher Sicht stehen Thematik und Forschungsergebnisse im Rahmen dieser Arbeit zur Diskussion.As people with disabilities still have the status of a minority within our society they are confronted with rather difficult living conditions. As far as communication studies are concerned disabled people also encounter the problem that images of disabled people and disabilities which are conveyed in the media very often do not correspond to the images they have. The media mainly portray people with disabilities in a stereotype and deficit-oriented way. That disabled people play an insufficient active role, e. g. as journalists, is a reason therefore. As well as a mainly discriminative attitude toward disability that has been passed on in our societies over centuries. Regarding this background the aim of this paper is to examine the media-related needs of disabled people by means of a survey in order to determine the role and importance of the media in the daily life of the persons concerned. Which role models are on display in the mass media and which of them are used and in how far the previously mentioned problem has an influence on the media-related self-perception and identity formation are central aspects of the survey. Problem-centred interviews with physically, cognitive or sensory impaired recipients and a qualitative content analysis afterwards form the paper’s empirical part. As a result media-related needs, existing on the basis of media consumption and the respective motives, potential entry barriers and on a content and form-related basis can be finally expressed. Based on the current state of research in the area of disability studies and the reflection of the phenomenon disability from social and cultural perspectives the subject matter and the research results of this paper are put forward for discussion

Prospectus, March 10, 1999

https://spark.parkland.edu/prospectus_1999/1008/thumbnail.jp

Prospectus, February 3, 1999

https://spark.parkland.edu/prospectus_1999/1003/thumbnail.jp

A dosimetric comparison of four treatment planning methods for high grade glioma

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>High grade gliomas (HGG) are typically treated with a combination of surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Three dimensional (3D) conformal radiotherapy treatment planning is still the main stay of treatment for these patients. New treatment planning methods suggest better dose distributions and organ sparing but their clinical benefit is unclear. The purpose of the current study was to compare normal tissue sparing and tumor coverage using four different radiotherapy planning methods in patients with high grade glioma.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Three dimensional conformal (3D), sequential boost IMRT, integrated boost (IB) IMRT and Tomotherapy (TOMO) treatment plans were generated for 20 high grade glioma patients. T1 and T2 MRI abnormalities were used to define GTV and CTV with 2 and 2.5 cm margins to define PTV1 and PTV2 respectively.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The mean dose to PTV2 but not to PTV1 was less then 95% of the prescribed dose with IB and IMRT plans. The mean doses to the optic chiasm and the ipsilateral globe were highest with 3D plans and least with IB plans. The mean dose to the contralateral globe was highest with TOMO plans. The mean of the integral dose (ID) to the brain was least with the IB plan and was lower with IMRT compared to 3D plans. The TOMO plans had the least mean D10 to the normal brain but higher mean D50 and D90 compared to IB and IMRT plans. The mean D10 and D50 but not D90 were significantly lower with the IMRT plans compared to the 3D plans.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>No single treatment planning method was found to be superior to all others and a personalized approach is advised for planning and treating high-grade glioma patients with radiotherapy. Integral dose did not reflect accurately the dose volume histogram (DVH) of the normal brain and may not be a good indicator of delayed radiation toxicity.</p

Comparison of T2 and FLAIR imaging for target delineation in high grade gliomas

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>FLAIR and T2 weighted MRIs are used based on institutional preference to delineate high grade gliomas and surrounding edema for radiation treatment planning. Although these sequences have inherent physical differences there is limited data on the clinical and dosimetric impact of using either or both sequences.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>40 patients with high grade gliomas consecutively treated between 2002 and 2008 of which 32 had pretreatment MRIs with T1, T2 and FLAIR available for review were selected for this study. These MRIs were fused with the treatment planning CT. Normal structures, clinical tumor volume (CTV) and planning tumor volume (PTV) were then defined on the T2 and FLAIR sequences. A Venn diagram analysis was performed for each pair of tumor volumes as well as a fractional component analysis to assess the contribution of each sequence to the union volume. For each patient the tumor volumes were compared in terms of total volume in cubic centimeters as well as anatomic location using a discordance index. The overlap of the tumor volumes with critical structures was calculated as a measure of predicted toxicity. For patients with MRI documented failures, the tumor volumes obtained using the different sequences were compared with the recurrent gross tumor volume (rGTV).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The FLAIR CTVs and PTVs were significantly larger than the T2 CTVs and PTVs (p < 0.0001 and p = 0.0001 respectively). Based on the discordance index, the abnormality identified using the different sequences also differed in location. Fractional component analysis showed that the intersection of the tumor volumes as defined on both T2 and FLAIR defined the majority of the union volume contributing 63.6% to the CTV union and 82.1% to the PTV union. T2 alone uniquely identified 12.9% and 5.2% of the CTV and PTV unions respectively while FLAIR alone uniquely identified 25.7% and 12% of the CTV and PTV unions respectively. There was no difference in predicted toxicity to normal structures using T2 or FLAIR. At the time of analysis, 26 failures had occurred of which 19 patients had MRIs documenting the recurrence. The rGTV correlated best with the FLAIR CTV but the percentage overlap was not significantly different from that with T2. There was no statistical difference in the percentage overlap with the rGTV and the PTVs generated using either T2 or FLAIR.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Although both T2 and FLAIR MRI sequences are used to define high grade glial neoplasm and surrounding edema, our results show that the volumes generated using these techniques are different and not interchangeable. These differences have bearing on the use of intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) and highly conformal treatment as well as on future clinical trials where the bias of using one technique over the other may influence the study outcome.</p

The Grizzly, August 28, 2008

Ursinus Welcomes Class of 2012: Largest in History • Students Embrace Unique Summer Research Opportunity • Academic Insight into the Lighter Side of Ramadan • That Dream Internship Just Might be Within Your Reach • Berman Exhibitions: Watercolors and Working Women • New Dining Options at Ursinus a Matter of Convenience • UC Theater and Dance Departments Have Lined Up a Full Season for Review • Opinions: Obama-nomics for the United States? No Thank You • UC Versus the Centennial Conference • UCXC Hits the Ground Runninghttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/grizzlynews/1765/thumbnail.jp