52 research outputs found
Blood Upon the Rose: Easter Rising and Historical Trauma through the Lens of Comics
No full textThe recent success of such authors as Art Spiegelman, Joe Kubert and Marjane Satrapi highlighted the
comics’ potential in representing and questioning social traumas, collective memory and remembrance, thus
paving the way for a prolific and vivacious production of political and historical graphic novels which
undeniably deserves critical attention. This research focuses on the Irish author Gerry Hunt and, in particular,
on his work Blood Upon the Rose: Easter 1916: The Rebellion that Set Ireland Free published in 2009 by
O'Brien Press. Through the tragic story of Joseph Mary Plunkett and his girlfriend Grace Gifford, the 46-
page comics is a flashback narration which brings to life the salient moments of the rebellion fought in the
streets of Dublin in 1916. The present inquiry is centred around such a representation of conflict and political
violence in Ireland. Specifically, it aims at assessing how Hunt’s graphic novel relates to and portrays the
Irish past and fight for freedom by identifying multimodal forms and rhetorical as well as visual devices used
to depict the conflict on a linguistic, typographic and pictorial level. By virtue of such blending of verbal and
visual elements, Blood Upon the Rose gives a new, symbolic dimension to the representation of the Easter
Rising and its protagonists, and accordingly turns the readers into witnesses to socio-political events which
have shaped and still shape the Irish identity and history
Antibiotico-resistenza in enterococchi isolati da polli allevati
No full textGli enterococchi sono batteri comunemente riscontrati nella flora del tratto
gastrointestinale di mammiferi, incluso l’uomo, uccelli e invertebrati. Possono essere
responsabili di infezione, soprattutto in ambiente ospedaliero, con peculiari caratteristiche di
antibiotico-resistenza e trasmissione di geni di resistenza. Il presente studio ha portato
all’isolamento di 98 ceppi di enterococchi da 124 polli di 120 giorni, sani e mai sottoposti a
trattamenti antibiotici, di quattro razze del territorio: Livorno, Mugellese, Bianca di Saluzzo e
Valdarnese. I 98 ceppi sono stati identificati come Enterococcus faecium (73,46%), Enterococcus
faecalis (23,46%), ed Enterococcus avium (3,06%). Sono stati studiati i caratteri di antibiotico-resistenza dei 98 ceppi mediante metodo Kirby-Bauer, prova di resistenza ad alti livelli di aminoglicosidi (streptomicina e gentamicina), e determinazione della minima concentrazione inibente per la vancomicina. In aggiunta, è stato eseguito l’esame PCR, per la ricerca di cinque geni che codificano per la resistenza alle tetracicline, ovvero i geni tet(M), tet(L), tet(O), tet(K) e int-Tn. I ceppi sono risultati scarsamente resistenti ad alti livelli di aminoglicosidi, ma nel test di Kirby-Bauer sono risultati resistenti soprattutto alle streptogramine, rifampicina, tetraciclina, fluorochinoloni, e moderatamente resistenti alla tigeciclina. Nel totale 59 (60,2%) ceppi si sono rivelati multi-farmaco resistenti (MDR). 68 (69,38%) ceppi hanno presentato geni di resistenza alle tetracicline: si sono riscontrati in particolare il gene tet(M) (65,3%) per la maggior parte dei ceppi, per gli altri si sono riscontrati tet(L) (10,2%), tet(O) (2,04%), int-Tn (12,24%), e non sono stati trovati ceppi associati al gene tet(K). In conclusione, gruppi di giovani polli, sani e mai trattati con antibiotici possono essere serbatoi di ceppi di enterococchi con caratteri di antibiotico-resistenza e possono essere portatori di geni di resistenza.
Enterococci belong to the natural flora of the gastrointestinal tract in mammals,
including humans, birds and invertebrates. They can cause infection, mainly among
hospitalized patients, acquire antimicrobial-resistance and confer resistance genes. The present
study allowed the isolation of 98 strains of enterococci from 120 days old 124 chickens, healthy
and not treated with antibiotics belonging to four typical breeds: Livorno, Mugellese, Bianca di
Saluzzo and Valdarnese. The 98 isolates have been identified as Enterococcus faecium (73.46%),
Enterococcus faecalis (23.46%), and Enterococcus avium (3.06%). Their antibiotic-resistance has
been evaluated with Kirby-Bauer method, high-level aminoglycoside resistance test
(streptomycin and gentamicin), and minimum inhibitory concentration test for vancomycin.
Moreover, PCR has been used to investigate five genes encoding for resistance to tetracyclines,
screening genes tet(M), tet(L), tet(O), tet(K) and int-Tn. The enterococcal isolates showed
sparsely resistance to high-level aminoglycoside resistance test, but in Kirby-Bauer test the
strains showed resistance mainly to streptogramins, rifampicin, tetracycline and
fluoroquinolones, and showed moderate resistance to tigecycline. Among them, 59 (60.2%)
strains have been classified as multidrug-resistant (MDR). Tetracyclines-resistance genes have
been detected in 68 (69.38%) of the isolates: most of them carried gene tet(M) (65.3%), the
remaining of them carried genes tet(L) (10.2%), tet(O) (2.04%), int-Tn (12.24%), and none of the
strains carried gene tet(K). In conclusion, young chickens, healthy and not treated with
antibiotics, can be reservoirs of antimicrobial-resistant enterococci encoding for resistance
genes
Dalla valutazione in vitro a quella in campo dell’efficacia di diverse miscele di oli essenziali nei confronti dei coccidi dei polli
No full textThe shift toward sustainable and residue-free poultry production demands alternatives to conventional antibiotic prophylaxis. Essential oils (EOs) are emerging as promising candidates owing to their bioactive properties, offering antimicrobial, anticoccidial, and immunomodulatory effects. The research study integrated in vitro oocysticidal assays, in vitro cytotoxicity evaluations, and in vivo dietary supplementation trials to assess the efficacy of EO constituents in controlling Eimeria spp. infections. Thymol, carvacrol, and cinnamaldehyde exhibited significant in vitro oocysticidal activity, either individually or in combination, highlighting their potential as targeted anticoccidial agents. Among these, thymol demonstrated a favourable safety profile and sustained bioactivity, with cytotoxicity assays defining an optimal range for achieving beneficial, non-toxic effects on gut health. The in vivo trial outcomes demonstrated the importance of considering infection pressure and environmental conditions when evaluating EO-based interventions. Dietary supplementation with thymol and Energy Poultry did not significantly reduce oocyst shedding. Despite the presence of highly pathogenic Eimeria species (E. tenella, E. necatrix, and E. praecox), no clinical signs of severe coccidiosis, such as morbidity or mortality, were observed. This may be explained by the low baseline parasitic load, which limited the capacity to detect pronounced reductions in oocyst shedding. The absence of standardised experimental protocols and immortalised avian intestinal cell models underscores the need for methodological advancements to improve reproducibility and comparability. Future research should focus on optimising EO formulations, addressing compositional variability, and exploring synergistic combinations with other natural or synthetic compounds. RNA sequencing remains underexplored but is crucial for clarifying EO-driven gene expression and regulatory pathways related to gut integrity and immune modulation, enabling targeted therapeutic strategies. Although challenges persist regarding long-term safety data and regulatory approval, EOs hold significant potential as practical and sustainable feed additives for coccidiosis prevention in poultry farming
Corrigendum to “Spinal dural tenting sutures in intradural tumor surgery: A technical insight” [J Clin Neurosci 61 (2019) 322–323] (Journal of Clinical Neuroscience (2019) 61 (322–323), (S0967586818315510), (10.1016/j.jocn.2018.10.085))
No full textThe authors regret for the incorrect affiliation format for author Alessandro Frati. The corrected affiliation is shown above. The authors would like to apologise for any inconvenience caused
Invited Article: Complex vibrational susceptibility by interferometric Fourier transform stimulated Raman scattering
No full textWe introduce interferometric (I) Fourier-transform (FT) stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) to measure the complex nonlinear vibrational susceptibility of molecules. The technique is a simple variation of FT-SRS, which was previously demonstrated to combine the very high sensitivity of single-channel lock-in detection with the spectral resolution afforded by FT spectroscopy. In IFT-SRS, a local oscillator, temporally anticipated with respect to the broadband pump pulse, enables the interferometric detection of both real and imaginary parts of the nonlinear susceptibility, whose spectrum is recorded in the time domain by scanning the delay of the local oscillator using a birefringent common-path interferometer. We apply IFT-SRS to record the complex vibrational response of different solvents and their mixtures. (C) 2018 Author(s)
The use of surgical sealants in the repair of dural tears during non-instrumented spinal surgery
No full textPurpose: To compare the success in repair of dural tears (DTs) using two different surgical sealants in non-instrumented lumbar spinal surgery and evaluate the incidence of associated short- and long-term complications. Methods: Twenty-three patients undergoing non-instrumented spinal surgery with intraoperative DTs were included both retrospectively and prospectively in this study. External signs of CSF leakage, neurological deficits, and infection-related complications were investigated postoperatively. The persistence of low-back pain was also evaluated and postoperative MRI was performed in all patients. DTs were repaired intraoperatively using suture with or without a dural patch. Eleven patients received an application of fibrin glue (Tissucol®; Baxter, Inc., IL, USA) and 12 patients received an application of bovine serum albumin glutaraldehyde surgical adhesive (BioGlue® Surgical Adhesive; CryoLife, GA, USA). These patients were followed up at 3 months and 1 year postoperatively. Results: Successful intraoperative DT repair was obtained in all cases. Three patients in the Tissucol group presented with CSF leakage in the early postoperative period. There were no complications observed in the patients treated with BioGlue. At 3-month follow-up, no incidences of neurological or infection-related complications were observed in either group. There was no statistically significant difference in VAS between the two treatment groups. Conclusions: Intraoperative DTs can be easily repaired by many effective techniques. However, in our experience, the use of BioGlue is an effective adjunct to immediate dural repair, being comparable in terms of efficacy and safety to the use of fibrin glue, potentially decreasing the incidence of associated short- and long-term complications. © 2014 The Author(s)
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Airspace: Antarctic Sound Transmission
No full textThis paper investigates how sound transmission can contribute to the public understanding of climate change within the context of the Poles. How have such transmission-based projects developed specifically in the Arctic and Antarctic, and how do these works create alternative pathways in order to help audiences better understand climate change? The author has created the media project Sonic Antarctica from a personal experience of the Antarctic. The work combines soundscape recordings and sonifications with radio-style audio interview excerpts. This work will be examined in the context of the other sound transmission science and art works.
From Harmony of the Spheres to Acoustic Ecology: Intersections of Music and Science in the Works of David Dunn and Andrea Polli
No full textabstract: Fifty years ago, we embarked on a journey for the first time in all of history \u2014 an exploration of the final frontier: outer space. Now, having been to the moon and back, we are still exploring the unknown. In the 21st century, we have pioneered genetic cloning and made other unprecedented biotechnological advances. Similarly, artists have ventured into their own frontier, branching out of their own narrowly defined areas and breaking down barriers \u2014 barriers between art and science, between the concert hall and the outdoors, between manmade instruments and the sounds of nature. At first glance, it seems that music and science have little in common. But upon closer inspection, one will discover that there are similarities and intersections between these two fields that deserve attention. Interest in the correlation between music and science can be traced back at least as far as Ancient Greece; since Pythagoras, mathematicians, physicists, acousticians and many others have addressed connections between the two fields in manifold ways. It is becoming increasingly obvious that art and science are not at the opposite ends of the spectrum, where conventional wisdom has traditionally located them, but at the opposite sides of the same coin. In my thesis, I seek to explore the connections between music and the sciences by examining the field of acoustic ecology. I will first provide an overview of music as an interdisciplinary field. Then I will undertake two case studies of musicians whose endeavors have been significant to the field of acoustic ecology, and consider the benefits that can be drawn from their work. These artists are David Dunn and Andrea Polli. I will draw on their philosophy, writings and art as well as on secondary literature. I will take a philosophical approach to the intersections between the two areas and identify heretofore little explored aspects of the interdisciplinary potential of these two fields
Strategic management of population programs
No full textFormal strategic planning and management appear to contribute to organizational effectiveness. The author surveys the literature on strategic management in private/for-profit organizations and applies lessons from that literature to population programs. Few would argue that population programs would not benefit from strategic planning and management, but it would be inadvisable to initiate the process when the organization is faced with a short-term crisis; during or immediately before a change in leadership; or when implementation is unlikely. Public sector programs seem to have the latitude to manage strategically. Models available for adoption include life-cycle models, strategic issues management, stakeholder analysis, and portfolio analysis. The model selected may be a function of: (1) who will use it (life-cycle/evolutionary models may be well-suited to the planning needs of donors); (2) the presence of challenges to the survival of the program or to key components of it (stakeholder analysis would find ready application in those circumstances); and (3) the relative success and stability of the program (portfolio analysis may help a program balance its activities in a stable environment whereas strategic issues management is useful in responding to a dynamic environment.) It is important to marshall top-level support, designatewho will do the leg work, analyze the organization's history and current situation, assess internal strengths and weaknesses and external threats and opportunities, and summarize critical issues facing the program. Then a strategy may be developed. Among the available approaches are: (1) scenario developments (useful for a program that senses a need to change its approach to clients); (2) critical issues analysis (useful for refining successful programs); and (3) a goal approach (useful for programs with diffuse, ill-defined objectives). There are no short-cuts, it is argued. A strategic plan typically contains: (1) a mission statement that describes the social need to be addressed, what is unique about the organization, what its values are, and who the principal stakeholders are; (2) a statement of the population to be served and goals for service delivery and quality standards; (3) a service delivery strategy; (4) a financial strategy; (5) a marketing strategy; and (6) support strategies. Most organizations will find that there is no ideal structure - all require tradeoffs - and that attention should focus on eliminating patently dysfunctional aspects of the structure.Health Monitoring&Evaluation,ICT Policy and Strategies,Agricultural Knowledge&Information Systems,Educational Sciences,Enterprise Development&Reform
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