Imagination, performance and affect: a critical pedagogy of the Holocaust?

Based on video testimony interviews held in the Shoah FoundationInstitute’s Visual History archive and the Melbourne JewishHolocaust Centre’s archive, this paper examines Holocaust survivortestimony as it relates to their return to the sites of atrocity,particularly Auschwitz-Birkenau. It analyses how survivor’s (re)encounters with material and imaginative landscapes revealsconceptions of, inter alia, agency, community, absence andbelonging in the performance of self. It uses these tensionsbetween landscapes of the past and present to develop thetheoretical relationship between performativity and ideas ofaffect. In doing so, it explores how these ideas can be used toengage students in a critical pedagogy of the Holocaust throughanalysis of survivor video-testimony and in visiting landscapes ofthe Holocaust.

Multiple days of heat exposure on firefighters' work performance and physiology

This study assessed the accumulated effect of ambient heat on the performance of, and physiological and perceptual responses to, intermittent, simulated wildfire fighting tasks over three consecutive days. Firefighters (n = 36) were matched and allocated to either the CON (19°C) or HOT (33°C) condition. They performed three days of intermittent, self-paced simulated firefighting work, interspersed with physiological testing. Task repetitions were counted (and converted to distance or area) to determine work performance. Participants were asked to rate their perceived exertion and thermal sensation after each task. Heart rate, core temperature (Tc), and skin temperature (Tsk) were recorded continuously throughout the simulation. Fluids were consumed ad libitum. Urine volume was measured throughout, and urine specific gravity (USG) analysed, to estimate hydration. All food and fluid consumption was recorded. There was no difference in work output between experimental conditions. However, significant variation in performance responses between individuals was observed. All measures of thermal stress were elevated in the HOT, with core and skin temperature reaching, on average, 0.24 ± 0.08°C and 2.81 ± 0.20°C higher than the CON group. Participants' doubled their fluid intake in the HOT condition, and this was reflected in the USG scores, where the HOT participants reported significantly lower values. Heart rate was comparable between conditions at nearly all time points, however the peak heart rate reached each circuit was 7 ± 3% higher in the CON trial. Likewise, RPE was slightly elevated in the CON trial for the majority of tasks. Participants' work output was comparable between the CON and HOT conditions, however the performance change over time varied significantly between individuals. It is likely that the increased fluid replacement in the heat, in concert with frequent rest breaks and task rotation, assisted with the regulation of physiological responses (e.g., heart rate, core temperature).

Cardiovascular alterations and management

This chapter reviews the support of cardiovascular function in the face of
many compromises to the system. It focuses on two of the most prevalent and fatal diseases affecting the heart: coronary heart disease and heart failure. These diseases are also a common comorbidity in elderly patients admitted to critical care units. The first section on coronary heart disease reviews the pathophysiological concepts of myocardial ischaemia and associated complications, with detailed consideration of the clinical implications, assessment and associated management. Heart failure is discussed in terms of the body’s compensatory mechanisms and the clinical sequelae and associated clinical features of heart failure. Nursing and medical management is outlined including the management of acute exacerbations of heart failure. Finally, other cardiovascular disorders commonly managed in critical care units are reviewed, ranging from other forms of heart failure to hypertensive emergencies and aortic aneurysms. The case study presented at the end of the chapter highlights the key aspects of the management of coronary heart disease and heart failure in patients admitted to critical care units.

Managing dynamic public sector networks : effectiveness, performance, and a methodological framework in the field of national security

Networks are increasing in number and in importance across the security field as a means of providing inter-agency coordination. Based on a large qualitative study of networks in the field of national security in Australia, this article aims to advance our knowledge of the internal properties of public sector networks in the field of national security and the conditions shaping their performance. It puts forward a multi-level theoretical framework involving five interdependent levels of analysis—structural, cultural, policy, technological, and relational—which aims to account for the internal properties of networks and examines each of these levels in relation to public sector networks in the field of national security. Using detailed interviews with senior members of security, law enforcement, and intelligence agencies, the article aims to highlight the potential lessons this framework has for strategically organizing and managing dynamic networks within and beyond the field of national security.

Do performance and image enhancing drug users in regional Queensland experience difficulty accessing health services?

INTRODUCTION AND AIM: To understand health service access and needs of people who use performance and image enhancing drugs (PIED) in regional Queensland. DESIGN AND METHODS: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 21 people (n = 19 men) who reported the use of a range of PIEDs, including anabolic-androgenic steroids, human chorionic gonadotropin, growth hormone, clenbuterol, tamoxifen, insulin and peptides. RESULTS: Participants reported accessing a range of services, including needle and syringe programs and pharmacies, for sterile injecting equipment. While PIEDs users attributed some stigma to needle and syringe programs, they were seen as an important service for injecting equipment. Participants reported receiving either positive care from health-care providers, such as general practitioners (GP), or having negative experiences due to the stigma attached with PIED use. Few participants reported disclosing their PIED use to their GP not only because of the concerns that their GP would no longer see them but also because they felt their GP was not knowledgeable about these substances. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Participants in the study reported no difficulty in accessing health services based on living in a regional area, with their concern focused more upon how they were viewed and treated by service staff. [Dunn M, Henshaw R, Mckay F. H. Do performance and image enhancing drug users in regional Queensland experience difficulty accessing health services? Drug Alcohol Rev 2015;00:000-000].

Effects of commercial diets and temperature on the growth performance and stress response of hapuku (Polyprion oxygeneios)

There is a growing interest in the development of hapuku (Polyprion oxygeneios) for aquaculture in New Zealand and Australia. This is driven by the high value of this species prized for its excellent flesh quality, texture and its rapid growth capability. As a relatively new aquaculture candidate, little is currently known about their thermal tolerance and stress response. Juveniles inhabit surface waters, have a high rate of growth and move into a demersal habitat at an age between 3 and 4 years, where water temperature is cooler (7-15. °C) and more stable. The sea surface temperature in New Zealand can reach 22. °C during the summer months in more northerly locations, and captive rearing has indicated that during periods of high temperature, growth is reduced and it is possible that the physiological response is compromised. We examined the effects of two rearing temperatures (18. °C and 22. °C) and three commercial diets on the growth of P. oxygeneios during a 14 week trial. At the end of this trial, fish were exposed to a crowding stressor, and their stress response (plasma cortisol, glucose and cholesterol levels) determined. In addition, we examined the temporal stress response of P. oxygeneios acclimated to 18. °C and 22. °C subjected to a single acute handling stress. Specific growth rate and condition factor significantly increased over time in fish reared at 18. °C, but not at 22. °C. Plasma cortisol levels in hapuku prior to and after application of the stressors were within the range observed in other teleost species and the magnitude of the cortisol response was higher in hapuku subjected to crowding than handling stress. In summary, the results indicated that rearing P. oxygeneios at temperatures of 22. °C compromised their growth and that all three diets tested promoted growth in hapuku reared at 18. °C but not at 22. °C.Statement of relevanceHapuku over 1 kg had better growth rates at 18. °C than 22. °C.

StressCloud: a tool for analysing performance and energy consumption of cloud applications

Finding the best deployment configuration that maximises energy efficiency while guaranteeing system performance of cloud applications is an extremely challenging task. It requires the evaluation of system performance and energy consumption under a wide variety of realistic workloads and deployment configurations. This paper demonstrates StressCloud, an automatic performance and energy consumption analysis tool for cloud applications in real-world cloud environments. StressCloud supports 1) the modelling of realistic cloud application workloads, 2) the automatic generation and running of load tests, and 3) the profiling of system performance and energy consumption. A demonstration video can be accessed at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0l4-a-CNtVQ.

Simulated firefighting task performance and physiology under very hot conditions

PURPOSE: To assess the impact of very hot (45°C) conditions on the performance of, and physiological responses to, a simulated firefighting manual-handling task compared to the same work in a temperate environment (18°C). METHODS: Ten male volunteer firefighters performed a 3-h protocol in both 18°C (CON) and 45°C (VH). Participants intermittently performed 12 × 1-min bouts of raking, 6 × 8-min bouts of low-intensity stepping, and 6 × 20-min rest periods. The area cleared during the raking task determined work performance. Core temperature, skin temperature, and heart rate were measured continuously. Participants also periodically rated their perceived exertion (RPE) and thermal sensation. Firefighters consumed water ad libitum. Urine specific gravity (USG) and changes in body mass determined hydration status. RESULTS: Firefighters raked 19% less debris during the VH condition. Core and skin temperature were 0.99 ± 0.20 and 5.45 ± 0.53°C higher, respectively, during the VH trial, and heart rate was 14-36 beats.min(-1) higher in the VH trial. Firefighters consumed 2950 ± 1034 mL of water in the VH condition, compared to 1290 ± 525 in the CON trial. Sweat losses were higher in the VH (1886 ± 474 mL) compared to the CON trial (462 ± 392 mL), though both groups were hydrated upon protocol completion (USG < 1.020). Participants' average RPE was higher in the VH (15.6 ± 0.9) compared to the CON trial (12.6 ± 0.9). Similarly, the firefighers' thermal sensation scores were significantly higher in the VH (6.4 ± 0.5) compared to the CON trial (4.4 ± 0.4). CONCLUSIONS: Despite the decreased work output and aggressive fluid replacement observed in the VH trial, firefighters' experienced increases in thermal stress, and exertion. Fire agencies should prioritize the health and safety of fire personnel in very hot temperatures, and consider the impact of reduced productivity on fire suppression efforts.