Americanizing Africanization : the Congo crisis, 1960-1967

"May 2014."Dissertation Supervisor: Dr. Carol Anderson.Includes vita.This dissertation provides a concise account of U.S. intervention in the Congo between 1960 and 1967, explaining the decisions made by U.S. policymakers and their Congolese counterparts. It argues that the intervention occurred not only because of a commitment to contain the communist threat, but also because of a commitment to a liberal ideology, one devoted to remaking the world in the image of the United States. By confining the meanings of liberty, equality, and development to an American framework, however, the United States found itself in competition with local leaders' visions for their own country. As a consequence, the intervention not only failed to deliver freedom to the Congolese people, but tragically abetted Mobutu Sese Seko's rise to power, a dictator whose kleptocratic rule removed any hope for meaningful development over a thirty-year period.Includes bibliographical references (pages 209-235)

SPECT Imaging of Epilepsy: An Overview and Comparison with F-18 FDG PET

Epilepsy surgery is highly effective in treating refractory epilepsy, but requires accurate presurgical localization of the epileptogenic focus. Briefly, localization of the region of seizure onset traditionally dependents on seizure semiology, scalp EEG recordings and correlation with anatomical imaging modalities such as MRI. The introduction of noninvasive functional neuroimaging methods, including single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) and positron emission tomography (PET) has dramatically changed the method for presurgical epilepsy evaluation. These imaging modalities have become powerful tools for the investigation of brain function and are an essential part of the evaluation of epileptic patients. Of these methods, SPECT has the practical capacity to image blood flow functional changes that occur during seizures in the routine clinical setting. In this review we present the basic principles of epilepsy SPECT and PET imaging. We discuss the properties of the SPECT tracers to be used for this purpose and imaging acquisition protocols as well as the diagnostic performance of SPECT in addition to SPECT image analysis methods. This is followed by a discussion and comparison to F-18 FDG PET acquisition and imaging analysis methods

“Waiting for a Wife”: Transnational Marriages and the Social Dimensions of Refugee “Integration”

This paper addresses the gap in research on the social dimensions of refugee resettlement. This is accomplished by examining refugee belonging and definitions of “integration”through a case study of Acehnese refugees resettled in Vancouver, British Columbia, between 2004 and 2006. We analyze findings based on a survey and in-depth interviews conducted five years after resettlement. Our findings suggest that recently resettled groups like the Acehnese, who are “new and few,” face specif c integration challenges. Importantly,the lengthy timelines to enact sponsorship of a spouse and/or family reunification from Aceh unwittingly inhibit the social integration of the sponsors waiting in Canada.Cet article traite de lacunes en matière de recherche sur les dimensions sociales de la réinstallation des réfugiés en examinant l’appartenance de réfugiés et les définitions de «l’intégration» à travers une étude de cas de réfugiés acehnais réinstallés à Vancouver en Colombie-Britannique, entre 2004 et 2006. Nous analysons les résultats sur la base d’un sondage et d’entrevues en profondeur menés cinq ans après la réinstallation. Nos résultats suggèrent que des groupes récemment réinstallés comme les habitants d’Aceh, qui sont «nouveaux et rares», sont confrontés à des difficultés d’intégration particulières. Notamment, les longs délais pour établir le parrainage d’un conjoint et/ou le regroupement des familles à Aceh empêchent sans le vouloir l’intégration sociale des parrains qui attendent au Canada

Teaching Beyond Trans-Competency: Exploring Trans-Affirming Pedagogy Through Applied Case Studies

In this paper, we share two applied case studies social work instructors can use to teach trans-affirming, anti-oppressive practice. These cases span two practice arenas, child welfare and low-barrier shelter services, and are derived from practice in the authors’ personal and professional experiences in the Northeastern and Midwestern regions of the United States. For each case, we describe the accompanying class context, share our pedagogical approach, name the underlying assumptions and structures that facilitate harm, explore relevant practice skills, and identify theoretical, philosophical, and ethical commitments essential for trans-affirming practice. Our approach to social work education on transgender and gender expansice (TGE) issues goes beyond the didactic forms of trans-competency lectures we are all too familiar with, whereby students memorize statistics and terms. Instead, we offer strategies to open up possibilities for transformative and sustainable shifts in thinking about social work practice with TGE communities. In this article, we use “TGE” to refer to transgender and gender expansive individuals and LGBTQ+ to refer to people belonging to gender and sexual minority groups. Any deviations represent language used within specific studies or cases cited

Prevention of Short- and Long-term Impacts of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) through Widespread Implementation of the Community Resiliency Model

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are harmful events (e.g., physical or sexual abuse, neglect, observing a parent with an alcohol or drug addiction) that are experienced before the age of 18. Various research studies described in this paper have reported prevalence rates of ACEs that vary between 22 and 45%. With each additional reported ACE, there is an increased risk of diseases (e.g., heart disease, cancer) and mental health disorders (e.g., depression, anxiety). The Community Resiliency Model (CRM) is a public health model that teaches individuals to respond to their body’s reactions to stressors by performing behavioral skills that return the body to sense of calm. Teaching school administrators, teachers, and students about their window of stress tolerance and triggers allows for all to understand behavioral issues and learn how to effectively cope with stress. This paper details the physical and mental health impacts of ACEs, and proposes the adoption of policy that will promote widespread implementation of the CRM in North Carolina schools and communities.Master of Public Healt

Klaus Vieweg/Michael Winkler (Hrsg.): Bildung und Freiheit. Ein vergessener Zusammenhang. Paderborn: Schöningh, 2012[Rezension]

Rezension von: Klaus Vieweg/Michael Winkler (Hrsg.): Bildung und Freiheit. Ein vergessener Zusammenhang. Paderborn: Schöningh, 2012, 248 S., EUR 29,90

Malignant gliomas: Current perspectives in diagnosis, treatment, and early response assessment using advanced quantitative imaging methods

Malignant gliomas consist of glioblastomas, anaplastic astrocytomas, anaplastic oligodendrogliomas and anaplastic oligoastrocytomas, and some less common tumors such as anaplastic ependymomas and anaplastic gangliogliomas. Malignant gliomas have high morbidity and mortality. Even with optimal treatment, median survival is only 12-15 months for glioblastomas and 2-5 years for anaplastic gliomas. However, recent advances in imaging and quantitative analysis of image data have led to earlier diagnosis of tumors and tumor response to therapy, providing oncologists with a greater time window for therapy management. In addition, improved understanding of tumor biology, genetics, and resistance mechanisms has enhanced surgical techniques, chemotherapy methods, and radiotherapy administration. After proper diagnosis and institution of appropriate therapy, there is now a vital need for quantitative methods that can sensitively detect malignant glioma response to therapy at early follow-up times, when changes in management of nonresponders can have its greatest effect. Currently, response is largely evaluated by measuring magnetic resonance contrast and size change, but this approach does not take into account the key biologic steps that precede tumor size reduction. Molecular imaging is ideally suited to measuring early response by quantifying cellular metabolism, proliferation, and apoptosis, activities altered early in treatment. We expect that successful integration of quantitative imaging biomarker assessment into the early phase of clinical trials could provide a novel approach for testing new therapies, and importantly, for facilitating patient management, sparing patients from weeks or months of toxicity and ineffective treatment. This review will present an overview of epidemiology, molecular pathogenesis and current advances in diagnoses, and management of malignant gliomas. © 2014 Ahmed et al