Cannibale, Frigidaire, and the Multitude: Post-1977 Italian Comics through Radical Theory

A direct connection between comics and contemporary critical theory is to be found in the activity of the collective of artists who created "Cannibale" and "Frigidaire", the two most innovative Italian comics magazines of the late 1970s and early 1980s. The work of Andrea Pazienza, Filippo Scòzzari, Stefano Tamburini, Tanino Liberatore and Massimo Mattioli should be regarded as an expression of the radical movements from which Marxist Autonomist thinkers such as Antonio Negri, Franco ‘Bifo’ Berardi and Paolo Virno also emerged in the same period. As a consequence, the writings of the latter can be used to analyse the narrative and visual style, the recurring themes, and the editorial characteristics of the comics of the former. Moreover, an interesting parallel can also be drawn between the work of the most influential of these artists, Andrea Pazienza, and the thought of another prominent Italian philosopher, Giorgio Agamben, whose earliest books were published at that time too. The aim of this article is to show that the ideas of a number of the thinkers who have recently become internationally known as representatives of radical Italian theory, are useful to understand the work of this group of comics authors.

Management research on multinational corporations:A methodological critique

In the context of burgeoning research on multinational corporations (MNCs), this paper addresses the issue of the representativeness of databases of MNCs in Ireland. It identifies some important deficiencies in existing databases much used by scholars in the field. Drawing on the international literature, it finds that this problem also characterises research on MNCs in many other countries. In the Irish context, we find that the extant empirical research has generally excluded two key categories of MNCs, namely, (a) foreign MNCs which are not grant-aided by the main industrial promotions agencies and (b) Irish-owned MNCs. The paper outlines our experience in identifying and addressing these deficiencies and describes the methods that might be employed in more precisely defining the MNC population in Ireland. More generally the paper reviews some of the issues and obstacles confronting scholars investigating the MNC sector in Ireland and abroad.

Tissue plasminogen activator for hepatic vein thrombosis in paroxysmal nocturnal haemoglobinuria

Paroxysmal nocturnal haemoglobinuria (PNH) is an acquired clonal disorder thought to arise in a multipotent haemopoietic stem cell. A distinct clinical feature is a tendency to thrombosis, with a particular predilection for the hepatic veins (Budd-Chiari syndrome). We report here on two patients with PNH who developed hepatic vein thrombosis (HVT) and who were treated with tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA). Both patients had a marked clinical and radiological improvement following the t-PA treatment and remain well over 2 years and 6 years after the treatment. This method of thrombolysis for HVT occurring in PNH has only been reported in two previous patients with limited follow-up. We suggest that this therapy is a useful first-line treatment for PNH patients who develop HVT.

Serum erythropoietic activity in acute anemia--an animal model

Serum erythropoietic activity and reticulocyte response to anemia were investigated using a rabbit model. In hemolytic anemia, induced by injections of phenylhydrazine on Day 0 the hemoglobin reached a nadir (mean, 6.23 g/dl) on Day 4 when SEA was maximal (mean, 765 mU/ml). In animals venesected on Day 0 and Day 1 to produce anemia of equal severity, the SEA was maximal (mean 235 mU/ml) on Day 2. In both groups the reticulocyte response peaked on Day 7--at 34% for the hemolytic group and 21% for the venesected group. The 2,3-diphosphoglycerate, measured on Day 4, was significantly reduced in the PHZ-treated group. In the venesected group the 2,3-DPG increased between Day 0 and Day 4. There were no concurrent changes in acid-base balance. These results imply that the degree of anemia is only one of the factors which influence the level of circulating SEA.

A Framework for Prototyping and Reasoning about Distributed Systems

A framework supporting fast prototyping as well as tuning of distributed applications is presented. The approach is based on the adoption of a formal model that is used to describe the orchestration of distributed applications. The formal model (Orc by Misra and Cook) can be used to support semi-formal reasoning about the applications at hand. The paper describes how the framework can be used to derive and evaluate alternative orchestrations of a well know parallel/distributed computation pattern; and shows how the same formal model can be used to support generation of prototypes of distributed applications skeletons directly from the application description.

Water in protoplanetary disks

Infrared water line emission from protoplanetary disks, recently observed by the Spitzer and Herschel space telescopes, is thought to trace the surface layer of the inner to outer regions of the disks. We have modelled the water abundance profile and line emission, especially focusing on the effects of dust size growth and turbulent mixing. Comparison between model calculations and observations suggests a small grain model with turbulent mixing is preferred. Copyright © International Astronomical Union 2014.

The impact of patient suicide on community mental health teams

Suicide in Scotland is considered an urgent public health issue affecting all aspects of society. The aim of this study was to explore how a patient suicide impacts on members of a community mental health team (CMHT). Six members of one CMHT were interviewed on two occasions, approximately nine months following a patient suicide. An interpretative descriptive model, drawing on elements of grounded theory, phenomenology end ethnography was chosen, using semistructured interviews for data collection. Three main themes of emotional response, communication and clinical implications were clearly described. Emotional response included feelings of shock and surprise, concern and personal impact. Communication included examples of personal, team and management communication in the days and weeks following the suicide. Clinical aspects discussed included the non-replacement of staff and training and experience as sub-themes. Findings in relation to the wider published literature are discussed

Manipulation of intracellular glycerol and erythritol enhances germination of conidia at low water availability

The insect pathogen Beauveria bassiana, Metarhizium anisopliae and Paecilomyces farinosos can be effective biocontrol agents when relative humidity (RH) is close to 100%. At reduced water availability, germination of propagules, and therefore host infection, cannot occur. Cultures of B. bassiana, M. anisopliae and P. farinosus were grown under different conditions to obtain conidia with a modified polyol and trehalose content. Conidia with higher intracellular concentrations of glycerol and erythritol germinated both more quickly and at lower water activity (a(w)) than those from other treatments. In contrast, conidia containing up to 235.7 mg trehalose g-1 germinated significantly (P < 0 05) more slowly than those with an equivalent polyol content but less trehalose, regardless of water availability. Conidia from control treatments did not germinate below 0.951 - 0.935 a(w) (≡ 95.1 - 93.5% RH). In contrast, conidia containing up to 164.6 mg glycerol plus erythritol g-1 germinated down to 0.887 a(w) (≡ 88.7% RH). These conidia germinated below the water availability at which mycelial growth ceases (0.930 - 0.920 a(w)). Germ tube extension rates reflected the percentage germination of conidia, so the most rapid germ tube growth occurred after treatments which produced conidia containing the most glycerol and erythritol. This study shows for the first time that manipulating polyol content can extend the range of water availability over which fungal propagules can germinate. Physiological manipulation of conidia may improve biological control of insect pests in the field.