127 research outputs found
Immortality yet? Or, the permanence of Mary Douglas
No full textThere is no absolute measure for the lasting impact of work by anthropologists. However, the scholarship of Mary Douglas has achieved wide‐ranging interdisciplinary recognition. Here the author considers ways in which her work has impacted scholarship
Development and initial validation of the bronchiectasis exacerbation and symptom tool (BEST)
No full textBackground: Recurrent bronchiectasis exacerbations are related to deterioration of lung function, progression of the disease, impairment of quality of life, and to an increased mortality. Improved detection of exacerbations has been accomplished in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease through the use of patient completed diaries. These tools may enhance exacerbation reporting and identification. The aim of this study was to develop a novel symptom diary for bronchiectasis symptom burden and detection of exacerbations, named the BEST diary.Methods: Prospective observational study of patients with bronchiectasis conducted at Ninewells Hospital, Dundee. We included patients with confirmed bronchiectasis by computed tomography, who were symptomatic and had at least 1 documented exacerbation of bronchiectasis in the previous 12 months to participate. Symptoms were recorded daily in a diary incorporating cough, sputum volume, sputum colour, dyspnoea, fatigue and systemic disturbance scored from 0 to 26.Results: Twenty-one patients were included in the study. We identified 29 reported (treated exacerbations) and 23 unreported (untreated) exacerbations over 6-month follow-up. The BEST diary score showed a good correlation with the established and validated questionnaires and measures of health status (COPD Assessment Test, r = 0.61, p = 0.0037, Leicester Cough Questionnaire, r = - 0.52,p = 0.0015, St Georges Respiratory Questionnaire, r = 0.61,p < 0.0001 and 6 min walk test, r = - 0.46,p = 0.037). The mean BEST score at baseline was 7.1 points (SD 2.2). The peak symptom score during exacerbation was a mean of 16.4 (3.1), and the change from baseline to exacerbation was a mean of 9.1 points (SD 2.5). Mean duration of exacerbations based on time for a return to baseline symptoms was 15.3 days (SD 5.7). A minimum clinically important difference of 4 points is proposed.Conclusions: The BEST symptom diary has shown concurrent validity with current health questionnaires and is responsive at onset and recovery from exacerbation. The BEST diary may be useful to detect and characterise exacerbations in bronchiectasis clinical trials.</p
Archaeology of Trobriand knowledge: Foucault in the Trobriand Islands
No full textThis thesis holds that the application of the archaeological
method, developed by the French philosopher Michel
Foucault, to the field of anthropology reveals a hitherto
hidden primitive episteme. Such a project represents a
rejection of a search for a fundamental Truth, available
through the traditional figures of rationality, either
vertically in history or horizontally across cultures. The
form of reason posited by this project does not have a
constant and universal occurrence but is given in the discontinuous
figures of the episteme. The quest for a single
manifestation of the conditions of validity in reason is
replaced by a study of the conditions of possibility of the
truths, discourses and institutions of a primitive peoples.
The conditions of possibility for the emergence of the
elements of primitive knowledge and practices are available
through the application of the explanatory unities of the
archaeological method. These unities replace the traditional
explanatory role of the subject, with all of its psychological
baggage, which has a central role in modern theories of
rationality. The subject-knowledge link that dominates
traditional anthropological analyses is replaced by a powerknowledge
link that postulates the two axes of discursive
and non-discursive concerns. The discursive axis is concerned
with the objects, concepts, statements and discursive
formations of primitive knowledge while the non-discursive
axis is concerned with the systems of power that propagate
and sustain those discourses. These two axes constitute the
nature of the archaeology employed in this study.
This thesis is sustained by both negative and positive
evidence. The negative evidence takes the form of an antisubjectivist
thrust where the subject-dependent explanatory
unities of the tradition are replaced by the positivistic
elements of archaeology. The positive evidence primarily
takes the form of a detailed analysis of the presence of the
guiding codes of the episteme amongst the Trobriand Islanders
that give rise to their primitive knowledge and practices.
In this area, I make extensive use of Malinowski's
ethnographic observations for their breath of detail and
application without employing his subject-dependent psychobiological
conclusions. Further, I am proposing a transformative
position such that orality becomes a feature of the
episteme rather than its condition of possibility.
The guiding codes of the Trobriand episteme take the
form of enclosed oppositional figures that are everywhere
related to space. The Trobriand episteme provides the conditions
for the emergence of primitive discourses and orders
the experiences of the Trobrianders. The guiding figures of
the episteme are based in a form of complementary opposition,
causation as vitality and a dogma of topological space
that give rise to primitive knowledge which is a form of
divination. A significant part of this dissertation is taken
up with an examination of the detail and limitation of these
figures where ideas from Levy-Bruhl, Hallpike, and others
are employed to produce the most appropriate configuration
for my project. A particular form of language as the manipulation
of real signs, rather than ideational signs, has its
possibility in this configuration which has consequences for
the type of knowledge produced. The form of knowledge appropriate
to the presence of such a model of language is magic.
Writing has no possibility for emerging in this episteme
and, therefore, there are significant consequences for the
type of knowledge that can be maintained and propagated in a
context which must utilise static tradition to the detriment
of reflection.
An archaeological analysis of the Trobriand Islanders,
focusing on discourses on sex and marriage, the nature of
tabooed sexual acts, economic relations arising out of
marriage and the role of the polygamous chief, the nature of
love-magic and magic in general, reveals a shared possibility
for all of these discursive realms in the figures of the
episteme. These discourses are regulated by the presence of
a fundamental opposition between a brother and his sister.
This opposition forms the motif for primitive problematizations
and constitutes a vulnerable boundary which is the
appropriate focus of taboos relating to sex and food,
amongst others.
This primitive episteme characterises the unity of the
experiences of the Trobrianders. This experience is discontinuous
with our own and does not involve a role for the
individual ego. This project represents a worthwhile contribution
to an understanding of human experience and knowledge
in general which does not seek to reduce the natural diversity
of man to just the monotonous experience of modern man.
In conclusion, I tentatively speculate about the appropriateness
of the Trobriand figures for primitive experience in
general
Mary's room: a case study on becoming a consumer in Francistown, Botswana
No full text
This chapter presents an extended case study of the personal experiences of a young Kalanga woman in Francistown, Botswana, as she moves from village girlhood to incipient urban consumerism. After describing the urban setting of Francistown and the expansion of the town's residential space under the Self-Help Housing Agency (SSHA) project in the 1980s, the author relates the story of Mary's transition from village to urban life, with its vastly increased levels of commodity consumption. He describes her initial rural-orientated identity embodying the productive and reproductive tasks defined for women in a village setting, the conflictive character of her village-oriented ties in the domain of kinship and, to a lesser extent, organized Christian religion, her tentative adoption of a new, socially negotiable identity through new aspirations based on the selection of a different reference group (urban female workmates and co-tenants), her learning of the role of "modern, urban consumer", her definition of a career goal, and her budgetary strategies (rotating credit or 'motshelo', and hire purchase). The narrative is based on participant observation and interviews over a period of five years from 1988. ASC – Publicaties niet-programma gebonde
Barnes v. Glen Theatre, Inc.: Nude Dancing and the First Amendment Question
No full textErotic dancers Gayle Sutro, Carla Johnson, and Darlene Miller can no longer dance nude in Indiana. In Barnes v. Glen Theatre, Inc. the United States Supreme Court held that Indiana\u27s prohibition of nude dancing did not violate the First Amendment to the United States Constitution. The Court\u27s holding ended years of controversy and debate over Indiana\u27s public indecency statute.
In 1979, in State v. Baysinger, the Indiana Supreme Court held that Indiana\u27s public indecency statute could be used to prohibit nude dancing. The court stated that the statute could not prohibit some larger forms of expression involving the communication of ideas. The court concluded, however, that nude dancing was mere conduct without ,the expression of ideas. Since Baysinger the Indiana Court of Appeals has struggled with the constitutional issues surrounding nude dancing. In 1990 the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit considered the application of the Indiana public indecency statute to nude dancing in Miller v. Civil City of South Bend.\u27 The Miller decision contained six separate opinions, revealing a court sharply divided on the basis of legal analysis as well as personal opinions and cultural views. The majority held that non-obscene nude dancing, performed as entertainment, is expression entitled to limited First Amendment protection.\u27 The majority suggested that the Indiana legislature could regulate nude dancing for reasons unrelated to the suppression of free expression. The court, however, found that the public indecency statute\u27s total ban on this protected activity was unconstitutional.
The United States Supreme Court, in Barnes v. Glen Theatre, Inc., reversed the Seventh Circuit. Chief Justice Rehnquist wrote the plurality opinion, joined by Justices O\u27Connor and Kennedy. Chief Justice Rehnquist conceded that nude dancing is expressive conduct that falls within the outer perimeters of the First Amendment.\u27 Nonetheless, he determined that the Indiana statute\u27s prohibition of nude dancing was clearly within the State\u27s constitutional power.\u27 In reaching this decision, Chief Justice Rehnquist applied the four-part test announced in United States v. O\u27Brien and concluded that Indiana\u27s substantial governmental interest in promoting morality and protecting societal order justified the application of the statute to this expressive activity. He reasoned that the public indecency statute was unrelated to the suppression of free expression and only incidentally infringed upon the protected activity at issue.\u2
Students' experiences and expectations of technologies: an Australian study designed to inform planning and development decisions
No full textThe pace of technological change accompanied by an evolution in social, work-based and study behaviours and norms poses particular challenges for universities as they strive to develop high quality and sustainable technology-rich learning environments. Maintaining currency with the latest advances is resource intensive, hence the costs incurred in upgrading existing and introducing new technologies need to be carefully weighed up against the potential benefits to students. This calls for a multidimensional approach to planning, with the student voice being an important dimension. Three Australian universities have recently completed a project to gain a better understanding of students\u27 experiences and expectations of technologies in everyday life and for study purposes. The LMS and 25 other technologies ranging from established university offerings (email, learning management systems) to freely available social networking technologies (YouTube, Facebook) were surveyed. More than 10,000 students responded. This paper discusses the development of the survey and presents the broad trends that have emerged in relation to the current use of technologies and desired future use of these for learning purposes. The implications of the survey findings for developing institutional infrastructure to engage students and support their learning are highlighted
The generalizability of bronchiectasis randomized controlled trials:a multicentre cohort study
No full textIntroduction Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) for bronchiectasis have experienced difficulties with recruitment and in reaching their efficacy end-points. To estimate the generalizability of such studies we applied the eligibility criteria for major RCTs in bronchiectasis to 6 representative observational European Bronchiectasis cohorts. Methods Inclusion and exclusion criteria from 10 major RCTs were applied in each cohort. Demographics and outcomes were compared between patients eligible and ineligible for RCTs. Results 1672 patients were included. On average 33.0% were eligible for macrolide trials, 15.0% were eligible for inhaled antibiotic trials, 15.9% for the DNAse study and 47.7% were eligible for a study of dry powder mannitol. Within these groups, some trials were highly selective with only 1-9% of patients eligible. Eligible patients were generally more severe with higher mortality during follow-up (mean 17.2 vs 9.0% for macrolide studies, 19.2%% vs 10.7% for inhaled antibiotic studies), and a higher frequency of exacerbations than ineligible patients. As up to 93% of patients were ineligible for studies, however, numerically more deaths and exacerbations occurred in ineligible patient across studies (mean 56% of deaths occurred in ineligible patients across all studies). Conclusion Our data suggest that patients enrolled in RCT's in bronchiectasis are only partially representative of patients in clinical practice. The majority of mortality and morbidity in bronchiectasis occurs in patients ineligible for many current trials.</p
The bronchiectasis severity index. An international derivation and validation study
No full textRATIONALE: There are no risk stratification tools for morbidity and mortality in bronchiectasis. Identifying patients at risk of exacerbations, hospital admissions, and mortality is vital for future research.OBJECTIVES: This study describes the derivation and validation of the Bronchiectasis Severity Index (BSI).METHODS: Derivation of the BSI used data from a prospective cohort study (Edinburgh, UK, 2008-2012) enrolling 608 patients. Cox proportional hazard regression was used to identify independent predictors of mortality and hospitalization over 4-year follow-up. The score was validated in independent cohorts from Dundee, UK (n = 218); Leuven, Belgium (n = 253); Monza, Italy (n = 105); and Newcastle, UK (n = 126).MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Independent predictors of future hospitalization were prior hospital admissions, Medical Research Council dyspnea score greater than or equal to 4, FEV1 < 30% predicted, Pseudomonas aeruginosa colonization, colonization with other pathogenic organisms, and three or more lobes involved on high-resolution computed tomography. Independent predictors of mortality were older age, low FEV1, lower body mass index, prior hospitalization, and three or more exacerbations in the year before the study. The derived BSI predicted mortality and hospitalization: area under the receiver operator characteristic curve (AUC) 0.80 (95% confidence interval, 0.74-0.86) for mortality and AUC 0.88 (95% confidence interval, 0.84-0.91) for hospitalization, respectively. There was a clear difference in exacerbation frequency and quality of life using the St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire between patients classified as low, intermediate, and high risk by the score (P < 0.0001 for all comparisons). In the validation cohorts, the AUC for mortality ranged from 0.81 to 0.84 and for hospitalization from 0.80 to 0.88.CONCLUSIONS: The BSI is a useful clinical predictive tool that identifies patients at risk of future mortality, hospitalization, and exacerbations across healthcare systems.</p
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