ABSTRACT
Treatment units were created all across the country with a mission to save lives when the Ebola outbreak hit Guinea in 2014. These units were exceptional sites of biomedical and biosecurity ...technology. Nevertheless, the concrete procedures to contain the virus reduced the people quarantined to dangerous bodies. The emergency therefore created zombies, haunting figures trapped between life and death. The figure of the zombie shed light on the failure of the humanitarian engagement: when humanitarianism was driven by an ethical imperative of saving lives at any cost, its concrete procedures failed to preserve political and social existence. Zombies also related to the legacy of the slave trade. Connecting the zombie with the postcolonial context of Guinea, I will argue that humanitarian teams were dealing with already devalued lives. Zombies is then another word for pariah citizens of a global world. But people never live in utter subjection. The zombie is thus not only a metaphor for the commodification of life. It also invokes a slave rebellion. Enduring the politics of saving lives, zombies nevertheless resisted the confinement: to the quarantine but also to our analytical gaze. Zombies are thus the ones who outlive not only death in life but also conceptual death. life, violence, humanitarian aid, zombie, Ebola
RESUMEN
Las unidades de tratamiento fueron creadas en todo el país con una misión de salvar vidas cuando el brote del Ébola golpeó a Guinea en 2014. Estas unidades fueron sitios excepcionales de tecnología biomédica y de bioseguridad. Sin embargo, los procedimientos concretos para contener el virus redujeron a las personas puestas en cuarentena a cuerpos peligrosos. La emergencia por lo tanto creó zombis, figuras inquietantes atrapadas entre la vida y la muerte. La figura del zombi arrojó luz sobre la falla del compromiso humanitario: cuando el humanitarismo fue impulsado por un imperativo ético de salvar vidas a cualquier costo, sus procedimientos concretos fallaron en preservar la existencia política y social. Zombis también se relacionaron con el legado del comercio de esclavos. Conectando el zombi con el contexto postcolonial de Guinea, argumentaré que los equipos humanitarios estaban lidiando con vidas ya devaluadas. Zombis es entonces otra palabra para ciudadanos parias de un mundo global. El zombi es no sólo una metáfora para la comodificación de la vida. También invoca una rebelión esclava. Padeciendo la política de salvar vidas, zombis, sin embargo, resistieron el confinamiento: la cuarentena, pero también nuestra mirada analítica. Zombis son entonces aquellos que sobreviven no sólo la muerte en vida sino también la muerte conceptual. vida, violencia, ayuda humanitaria, zombie, Ébola
RÉSUMÉ
Lorsque l’épidémie d'Ebola frappa la Guinée en 2014, des centres de traitement furent créés à travers tout le pays. Ces infrastructures incarnaient la volonté humanitaire de sauver des vies. Cependant, leurs procédures biomédicales ont réduit les patients à des corps dangereux. De ce fait, l'urgence a permis la naissance de zombies dans les murs de ces centres. Les zombies sont des créatures qui errent entre la vie et la mort. Ils mettent en lumière l’échec de l'engagement humanitaire. Lorsque celui‐ci est guidé par une volonté de sauver des vies à tout prix, les dispositifs mis en place pour ce faire échouent à préserver la vie dans sa dimension sociale et politique. En faisant le lien entre zombies, traite des esclaves et contexte postcolonial de la Guinée, je souligne le fait que les équipes humanitaires ont rencontré sur place des vies déjà dévaluées. La figure du zombie attire finalement notre attention sur la rébellion des esclaves. Ainsi, les patients ont résisté à leur réduction en tant qu'objets. Les zombies sont de ce fait ceux qui passent outre la mort : que celle‐ci soit biologique ou conceptuelle. vie, violence, aide humanitaire, zombie, Ebola
•Teacher used contextualized TBL, THM, STEM, and PBL models in activity.•The PBL, STEM, TBL and THM promote interaction in a flipped classroom.•Innovative entrepreneurship ideas based on PBL, STEM, ...TBL, and THM were used to create a product at the university level.•High education must impact people, profits and the planet.•Society demands interaction between people, profits and the planet.
This proposal, based on curricular innovation, addresses the need to improve entrepreneurship education and the transition from theoretical to hands-on constructivist activities by addressing an unresolved problem such as environmental protection. The descriptive study considers the potential of Problem-Based Learning (PBL) and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) as action-based higher education teaching activities to support advance entrepreneurial education of all students in a set of beneficial practices. Working in teams, students faced the challenge of applying their knowledge in practice and gained the satisfaction of using attractive, innovative and motivating activities to describe and develop prototype eco-friendly shopping bags. The study fills a gap in the literature by providing the precise in-class methodology for applying of a practical exercise with the introduction of the Triple Bottom Line (TBL) and the Triple Helix Model (THM). The principal finding was the students succeeded in acquiring support to sell their prototype bags within the community with the municipality and industry cooperation. This approach would be suitable for application in different teaching environments, including MBA and executive entrepreneurship programs.
During the Ebola outbreak that hit Guinea in 2014, most of the people employed at the Wonkifong Ebola treatment unit were from Africa or Cuba. Despite the recruitment of black personnel, the unit ...exposes how the humanitarian infrastructure exploited Guinean workers as if their lives were less vulnerable than those of the foreign personnel. The Africanization of aid reveals a post‐colonial segregation at the intersection of race, class, and locality. The article follows Guinean workers in the quarantine unit, as well as their enrolment in media campaigns. Their experience illuminates a triage at the core of Global Health according to which not only were local workers treated as expendable lives, but their stories were silenced. Yet how did Guinean workers inhabit this anti‐black world? The article unfolds the journey of workers during the outbreak and three years later, exploring the strategies they used to produce their own narratives through personal archives. humanitarian aid, humanitarian media campaigns, race, Ebola, archives
Résumé
Durant l’épidémie d'Ebola qui frappa la Guinée en 2014, la majorité des soignants du centre de traitement Ebola de Wonkifong provenait d'Afrique ou de Cuba. Cependant, malgré le recrutement d'un personnel majoritairement noir, l'infrastructure humanitaire a exploité les travailleurs guinéens comment si leurs vies étaient moins vulnérables que celles du personnel étranger. Ainsi l'africanisation de l'aide met en lumière une ségrégation postcoloniale à l'intersection de la race, de la classe et de la localité. Cet article explore le parcours des travailleurs guinéens dans l'unité de quarantaine ainsi qu'au travers de leur engagement dans des campagnes médiatiques. Leur expérience dévoile un tri au cœur de la santé globale au travers duquel les travailleurs locaux ont été non seulement traités comme des vies consommables mais leur histoire a également été passée sous silence. Cependant, comment les soignants guinéens sont‐ils capables d'habiter cet univers anti‐noir ? L'article suit ces travailleurs durant l’épidémie de même que trois ans plus tard, il explore ainsi les stratégies utilisées par ces derniers pour produire leurs propres récits au travers d'archives personnelles.
The dual‐focus vision observed in eagles' eyes is an intriguing phenomenon captivates scientists since a long time. Inspired by this natural occurrence, the authors’ research introduces a novel ...bifocal meta‐device incorporating a polarized camera capable of simultaneously capturing images for two different polarizations with slightly different focal distances. This innovative approach facilitates the concurrent acquisition of underfocused and overfocused images in a single snapshot, enabling the effective extraction of quantitative phase information from the object using the transport of intensity equation. Experimental demonstrations showcase the application of quantitative phase imaging to artificial objects and human embryonic kidney cells, particularly emphasizing the meta‐device's relevance in dynamic scenarios such as laser‐induced ablation in human embryonic kidney cells. Moreover, it provides a solution for the quantification during the dynamic process at the cellular level. Notably, the proposed eagle‐eye inspired meta‐device for phase imaging (EIMPI), due to its simplicity and compact nature, holds promise for significant applications in fields such as endoscopy and headsets, where a lightweight and compact setup is essential.
The eagle's eyes, equipped with bifocals, demonstrate the ability to capture the bear, analogous to the authors’ designed meta‐device with two focal lengths, which enables the capture of phase information from the “transparent bear.”
Adolescent girls bear a disproportionate burden of both the HIV epidemic and unintended pregnancies; yet important questions remain unanswered regarding the effects of hormonal contraceptives on the ...vaginal immune microenvironment, which can impact HIV susceptibility in this group. Multiple studies report genital immune alterations associated with the progestin-based contraceptive Depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA) in adult women, but there is little available data in adolescents. The objective of this longitudinal cohort study was to evaluate the effects of short-term use of three progestin-based contraceptives, levonorgestrel intrauterine device (LNG-IUD), subdermal etonogestrel (ETNG), and injectable DMPA, on HIV-associated vaginal immune biomarkers and microbiome in adolescent girls. Fifty-nine sexually active, HIV-uninfected girls aged 15-19, were recruited from the Washington DC metro area and self-selected into Control (condoms only), combined oral contraceptive pills, LNG-IUD, ETNG and DMPA groups. Vaginal swabs were collected at baseline prior to contraceptive use and at 3-month follow-up visit. Vaginal secretions were tested for pro-inflammatory (IL-1α, IL-1β, TNF-α, IL-6, IL-8, MIP-3α, IP-10, RANTES, MIP-1α, MIP-1β) and anti-inflammatory/anti-HIV (Serpin-A1, Elafin, Beta-Defensin-2, SLPI) immune biomarkers using ELISA and for anti-HIV activity using TZM-bl assay. Vaginal microbiome was evaluated using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Data were analyzed using SAS Version 9. Among the 34 participants who completed both visits, no significant changes in median biomarker concentrations, HIV inhibition and microbiome composition were observed between baseline and follow-up visits for any of the contraceptive groups. IL-8 (p<0.01), MIP-3α (0.02), Elafin (p = 0.03) and RANTES (p<0.01) differed significantly by race whereas IL-6 was significantly different by age (p = 0.03). We conclude that 3-month use of LNG-IUD, ETNG and DMPA have minimal effects on adolescent vaginal immune microenvironment, and therefore unlikely to impact HIV risk. Future studies with larger sample size and longer follow-up are recommended to continue to evaluate effects of contraceptives on the lower genital tract immunity and susceptibility to sexually transmitted infections.
Piezo1 belongs to mechano‐activatable cation channels serving as biological force sensors. However, the molecular events downstream of Piezo1 activation remain unclear. In this study, we used ...biosensors based on fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) to investigate the dynamic modes of Piezo1‐mediated signaling and revealed a bimodal pattern of Piezo1‐induced intracellular calcium signaling. Laser‐induced shockwaves (LIS) and its associated shear stress can mechanically activate Piezo1 to induce transient intracellular calcium (Cai) elevation, accompanied by an increase in FAK activity. Interestingly, multiple pulses of shockwave stimulation caused a more sustained calcium increase and a decrease in FAK activity. Similarly, tuning the degree of Piezo1 activation by titrating either the dosage of Piezo1 ligand Yoda1 or the expression level of Piezo1 produced a similar bimodal pattern of FAK responses. Further investigations revealed that SHP2 serves as an intermediate regulator mediating this bimodal pattern in Piezo1 sensing and signaling. These results suggest that the degrees of Piezo1 activation induced by both mechanical LIS and chemical ligand stimulation may determine downstream signaling characteristics.
Synopsis
How activation of the mechano‐sensitive Piezo1 cation channel transmits signals remains incompletely understood. Here, the degree of Piezo1 activation induced by mechanical force or chemical ligand stimulation is found to determine downstream signaling characteristics.
FRET imaging in live cells monitors the effects of laser‐induced shockwaves (LIS) and their associated shear stress, and of Piezo1 stimulation by its chemical ligand Yoda1.
Mechanical or chemical activation of Piezo1 induces transient intracellular calcium elevation, accompanied by an increase in FAK activity.
Multiple pulses of shockwave stimulation cause a more sustained calcium increase and a decrease in FAK activity.
SHP2 can serve as an intermediate regulator mediating this bimodal pattern in Piezo1 sensing and signaling.
Combination of mechanical laser‐induced shockwave or chemical ligand Yoda1 stimulation and FRET imaging in live cells reveals that transient versus sustained calcium influx through mechano‐activatable channels has opposite effects on FAK kinase activity.
Female-to-male (FTM) transgender men (affirmed males) can experience planned and unplanned pregnancy during and after testosterone therapy. We conducted an exploratory study to understand current ...contraceptive practices and fertility desires among transgender men during and after transitioning.
Self-identified transgender and transmasculine individuals assigned female at birth, ages 18–45, completed an anonymous online survey derived from standardized family planning surveys. We recruited participants from LGBT health centers, online listservs, and online groups for transgender men and used a mixed-methods analysis to evaluate quantitative and qualitative data.
Of the one hundred and ninety-seven participants included in the study, the median age was 30 years old, most respondents were white, and 86% were taking masculinizing hormones (testosterone). Of the 60 pregnancies reported, 10 (17%) pregnancies occurred after stopping testosterone, 1 (1.6%) while taking testosterone irregularly, and 5 of 7 abortions occurred in participants who had been using testosterone in the past. Over half of the respondents desired at least one child, and a quarter reported fears of not getting pregnant. The majority of participants reporting using contraception (n=110, 60.1%), with condoms and pills used most commonly (n=90, 49.2% and n=62, 33.9% respectively). Methods of contraception used did not differ between testosterone users and non-users, except for hormonal IUDs (20% testosterone versus 7% non-testosterone). Thirty participants (16.4%) believed that testosterone was a form of contraception, and 10 (5.5%) participants reported that their healthcare providers advised testosterone as contraception.
Transgender men use contraception and can experience pregnancy and abortion, even after transitioning socially and hormonally. Transgender men need counseling and care regarding reproductive health, including contraceptive and conception counseling.
Providers should be aware that transgender men may desire pregnancy and use contraception; this study highlights the need for further research regarding fertility, fertility desires, and optimal contraception among transgender men.
The purpose of this study was to develop and validate an instrument to measure love myths among Chilean youth. Items created based on review of available literature were refined through experts’ ...revisions and participant focus groups. The initial questionnaire was applied to 1,538 high school and university students, aged between 14 and 24 years old. Exploratory factor analysis performed with half of the sample led to a 10-item questionnaire, grouped in two factors: idealization and love–abuse. Confirmatory factor analyses conducted with the other half of the sample corroborated this factorial structure. Reliability analyses indicated an adequate internal consistency, and correlations with dating violence and quality of relationship provide evidence on its concurrent validity. Complementary, results showed that females endorse more idealization and males love–abuse, and adolescents scored higher in both dimensions than emerging adults.
Two-dimensional (2D) layered hybrid bromoplumbate perovskites are promising candidates for solution-processed light-emitting materials. Here, we report the synthesis and characterization of two novel ...layered bromoplumbates: (4BrPhMA)2PbBr4 (1) and (4BrPhA)6Pb3Br12 (2), where 4BrPhMA is (4-bromophenyl)methylammonium and 4BrPhA is (4-bromophenyl) ammonium. Despite similar optical absorption, these materials show remarkably different photoluminescence properties: 1 emits a narrow exciton band at ca. 395 nm with a very small bandwidth (particularly at low temperatures of 15–50 K) and Stokes shift, while 2 exhibits a broad emission at ca. 560 nm with a large Stokes shift, both at low and ambient temperatures. However, under several kbar of hydrostatic pressure, the broad emission diminishes and a new band reversibly develops at ca. 395 nm, similar to that in 1. Our results emphasize organic layer flexibility as an important design factor for this class of perovskite-like materials featuring broadband emission.
Covalent radii revisited Cordero, Beatriz; Gómez, Verónica; Platero-Prats, Ana E ...
Dalton transactions : an international journal of inorganic chemistry,
2008-Jun-07
21
Journal Article
Recenzirano
A new set of covalent atomic radii has been deduced from crystallographic data for most of the elements with atomic numbers up to 96. The proposed radii show a well behaved periodic dependence that ...allows us to interpolate a few radii for elements for which structural data is lacking, notably the noble gases. The proposed set of radii therefore fills most of the gaps and solves some inconsistencies in currently used covalent radii. The transition metal and lanthanide contractions as well as the differences in covalent atomic radii between low spin and high spin configurations in transition metals are illustrated by the proposed radii set.
