Contradiction, history and politics in Season of the Rain, by José Eduardo Agualusa

This text analyzes the novel Season of the Rain, from the Angolan Jose Eduardo Agualusa, in which the writer makes use of historical events that occurred in Angola in the period of wars for independence as well as in the following years, showing them under another perspective. The novel is formed by a contradictory, historic and political text,evaluated from the historiographical metafiction concept, as leading the narrative between history and fiction, the author ends up proposing to the readers a new version of facts, by deconstructing myths and national heroes and questioning the value of a so stated independence in a country in ruins.

THE GUARDIANS OF SIGNS: WOMEN OF LATIN-AMERICAN LITERATURE

One hundred years of solitude, Report on the blind and Alturas de Machu Picchu, outstanding works from the Latin American Literature of the period of its boom, broke the relationship with facile and nineteenth schemes, and brusquely sprouted in a world that went far ahead of the surrealistic theses spread by André Breton. This was possible by the emergence of magical realism in the Hispanic American pens. According to Alejo Carpentier, “Our magical realism is the one we found in a raw state, omnipresent all through Latin America. Here, the unusual is daily, in fact it has always been daily”. It should not be forgotten that Carpentier and Sábato were in Breton’s work staff, because they guarded each a deep knowledge of Surrealism. Yet the history of the religions should also be taken into account, since the knowledge of myths, with Mircea Eliade as the chief head, enables an important and close approach to the works of these authors. That is the reason why, in this essay, the mythical aspects in the previously mentioned works are analyzed.

Ecce homo - Chinua Achebe's image of Conrad

In his famous essay, "An image of Africa: racism in Conrad's Heart of Darkness", the late Nigerian writer, scholar and critic Chinua Achebe points out how the permanent place held by Joseph Conrad and his novel in the literary pantheon has contributed towards perpetuating "comforting myths" where Africa and its people serve as a coarse foil against which to show Western civilisation's refinement and achievements (ACHEBE In ARMSTRONG, 2006, p. 339). A ferocious "Ecce homo", this seems to be the bottom line of Achebe's unapologetically emotional criticism. Tainted by irredeemable eurocentrism and racism, Joseph Conrad should then be finally overthrown by critics and ostracised by the public. But, relevant and (always) timely as it is, should cultural criticism, especially when championed by an eminent, authoritative African scholar as Achebe, refuse Conrad the benefit of the doubt? Literature, genuine literature, we believe, won't pass the test of time unless it proves to be more than ideological prestidigitation and strikes a chord that is more than decorous compassion. It is by looking at Heart of Darkness as first and foremost a work of art that we attempt to outline an alternative image to the racist Conrad presented by Achebe.

An investigation of contact transmission of methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus

Hand hygiene is critical in the healthcare setting and it is believed that methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), for example, is transmitted from patient to patient largely via the hands of health professionals. A study has been carried out at a large teaching hospital to estimate how often the gloves of a healthcare worker are contaminated with MRSA after contact with a colonized patient. The effectiveness of handwashing procedures to decontaminate the health professionals' hands was also investigated, together with how well different healthcare professional groups complied with handwashing procedures. The study showed that about 17% (9–25%) of contacts between a healthcare worker and a MRSA-colonized patient results in transmission of MRSA from a patient to the gloves of a healthcare worker. Different health professional groups have different rates of compliance with infection control procedures. Non-contact staff (cleaners, food services) had the shortest handwashing times. In this study, glove use compliance rates were 75% or above in all healthcare worker groups except doctors whose compliance was only 27%.