Breaking New Ground: The First Generation of Women to Work as Professional Authors in English Canada (1880-1920)

In the later decades of the nineteenth century and the early decades of the twentieth, large numbers of Canadian women were stepping out of the shadows of private life and into the public world of work and political action. Among them, both a cause and an effect of these sweeping social changes, was the first generation of Canadian women to work as professional authors. Although these women were not unified by ideology, genre, or date of birth, they are studied here as a generation defined by their time and place in history, by their material circumstances, and by their collective accomplishment. Chapters which focus on E. Pauline Johnson (Tekahionwake), the Eaton sisters (Sui Sin Far and Onoto Watanna), Joanna E. Wood, and Sara Jeannette Duncan explore some of the many commonalities and interrelationships among the members of this generation as a whole. This project combines archival research with analytical bibliography in order to clarify and extend our knowledge of Johnson’s and Duncan’s professional lives and publishing histories, and to recover some of Wood’s “lost” stories. This research offers a preliminary sketch of the long tradition of the platform performance (both Native and non-Native) with which Johnson and others engaged. It explores the uniquely innovative ethnographic writings of Johnson, Duncan, and the Eaton sisters, among others, and it explores thematic concerns which relate directly to the experiences of working women. Whether or not I convince other scholars to treat these authors as a generation, with more in common than has previously been supposed, the strong parallels revealed in these pages will help to clarify and contextualize some of their most interesting work.

From 'Good as Gold' to 'Gold Diggers': Farming Women and the Survival of British Family Farming

The survival of family farming in British agriculture has long been a topic of interest for rural researchers and is undergoing something of a current renewal of interest. However, insights from feminist approaches remain underutilised despite the crucial role farming women continue to play in family farming. This paper addresses the unity of farm, family and business by interpreting it as a patriarchal â??way of lifeâ??. An ethnographic-informed repeated life history methodology is employed to study in detail the family members of seven farms in rural mid-Wales. Findings show that the recent survival of the family farms investigated has been heavily dependent upon compliance with a patriarchal ideology that demands women be â??as good as goldâ??. However, it is discovered that a new view of women is emerging in the world of British family farming, that of â??gold diggerâ??. Women entering relationships with farming men are increasingly being considered a threat to farm survival by virtue of their entitlements if the relationship breaks down. The necessity to study the intricacies of personal relationships in family farming has important implications for most future research into this form of agricultural business arrangement.

Preliminary investigation of the application of Raman spectroscopy to the prediction of the sensory quality of beef silverside

The potential of Raman spectroscopy for the determination of meat quality attributes has been investigated using data from a set of 52 cooked beef samples, which were rated by trained taste panels. The Raman spectra, shear force and cooking loss were measured and PLS used to correlate the attributes with the Raman data. Good correlations and standard errors of prediction were found when the Raman data were used to predict the panels' rating of acceptability of texture (R-2 = 0.71, Residual Mean Standard Error of Prediction (RMSEP)% of the mean (mu) = 15%), degree of tenderness (R-2 = 0.65, RMSEP% of mu = 18%), degree of juiciness (R-2 = 0.62, RMSEP% of mu = 16%), and overall acceptability (R-2 = 0.67, RMSEP% of mu = 11%). In contrast, the mechanically determined shear force was poorly correlated with tenderness (R-2 = 0.15). Tentative interpretation of the plots of the regression coefficients suggests that the alpha-helix to beta-sheet ratio of the proteins and the hydrophobicity of the myofibrillar environment are important factors contributing to the shear force, tenderness, texture and overall acceptability of the beef. In summary, this work demonstrates that Raman spectroscopy can be used to predict consumer-perceived beef quality. In part, this overall success is due to the fact that the Raman method predicts texture and tenderness, which are the predominant factors in determining overall acceptability in the Western world. Nonetheless, it is clear that Raman spectroscopy has considerable potential as a method for non-destructive and rapid determination of beef quality parameters.

Social Networks Usage Profile: Descriptive study with students in the University of Murcia

Telematic tools are very important for our lives in the present era and moreover this idea is made more evident if we analyse young people behaviours. However, it seems that the possibilities that these tools allow subjects from a professional point of view, beyond the purely playful aspects, are still not fully exploited both by subjects, neither by educational institutions where they learn. Our work studies the uses of social media in the context of university students. In order to this we have designed a research based on quantitative methodology with a survey. We have applied a questionnaire to students in the University of Murcia. The questionnaire was answered by 487 students in the first half of 2014. The survey results confirm our hypothesis that social networks are part of the basic and habitual tools of communication between the youth of our university and eminently used for leisure purposes, and that the tools used for more academic activities are those allowing greater control of privacy.

Exposure to the “Troubles” in Northern Ireland influences the clinical presentation of schizophrenia

Introduction: This study investigates the effect of exposure to "The Troubles" (the period of civil unrest from 1968 onwards) in Northern Ireland on symptomatology in people with schizophrenia.

Method: Eighty-two participants were assessed on a number of psychiatric rating scales and on measures of trauma, including an instrument designed to assess exposure to "Troubles"-related trauma.

Results: People with schizophrenia and a history of exposure to "The Troubles" had significantly higher levels of anxiety, depression, dissociative symptoms and number of admissions compared to those patients with no such exposure.

Discussion: "Troubles"-related trauma has a direct effect on the presentation of schizophrenia in Northern Ireland. Specific therapeutic intervention may be required in order to help patients come to terms with their experiences. © 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The frequency of JAK2 exon 12 mutations in idiopathic erythrocytosis patients with low serum erythropoietin levels

Idiopathic erythrocytosis (IE) is characterized by erythrocytosis in the absence of megakaryocytic or granulocytic hyperplasia, and is associated with variable serum erythropoietin (Epo) levels. Most patients with IE lack the JAK2 V617F mutation that occurs in the majority of polycythemia vera patients. Four novel JAK2 mutant alleles have recently been described in patients with V617F-negative myeloproliferative disorders presenting with erythrocytosis. The aims of this study were to assess the prevalence of JAK2 exon 12 mutations in IE patients, and to determine the associated clinicopathological features.

Utilization of analgesics, sedatives, and pain scores in infants with a prolonged hospitlaization: A prospective descriptive cohort study

Aim
Describe the utilization of analgesic and sedative medications and documentation of pain scores in a cohort of critically ill infants in a neonatal intensive care unit.

Method
A prospective, longitudinal, cohort study of infants with a predicted length of stay =28 days. Dosages and routes of administration of analgesic and sedative medications and documentation of pain scores were collected on a daily basis.

Results
55 infants were enrolled into the study. Oral sucrose was administered to all 55 infants, 51 infants (93%) were administered enteral acetaminophen and 50 (91%) infants were administered morphine during their hospitalization. Sedatives were administered to 42 infants (76%); 36 (65%) were administered chloral hydrate and 32 (58%) were administered intravenous midazolam. With the exception of the first week of admission, when there was highest utilization of opioids and lower use of sucrose, acetaminophen and sedatives, the pattern of administration of analgesic and sedative agents remained relatively constant throughout the hospitalization. Pain scores were documented for 36 (65%) infants during their hospitalisation, however for these 36 infants, pain scores were infrequently recorded.

Conclusion
There was substantial and varied analgesic and sedative use in this cohort of infants, yet infrequent documentation of pain assessment scores. These practices highlight important clinical implications for sick infants requiring careful consideration of pain and distress management.

Development of a monoclonal antibody binding okadaic acid and dinophysistoxins-1, -2 in proportion to their toxicity equivalence factors

Okadaic acid (OA) and structurally related toxins dinophysistoxin-1 (DTX-1), and DTX-2, are lipophilic marine biotoxins. The current reference method for the analysis of these toxins is the mouse bioassay (MBA). This method is under increasing criticism both from an ethical point of view and because of its limited sensitivity and specificity. Alternative replacement methods must be rapid, robust, cost effective, specific and sensitive. Although published immuno-based detection techniques have good sensitivities, they are restricted in their use because of their inability to: (i) detect all of the OA toxins that contribute to contamination; and (ii) factor in the relative toxicities of each contaminant. Monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) were produced to OA and an automated biosensor screening assay developed and compared with ELISA techniques. The screening assay was designed to increase the probability of identifying a MAb capable of detecting all OA toxins. The result was the generation of a unique MAb which not only cross-reacted with both DTX-1 and DTX-2 but had a cross-reactivity profile in buffer that reflected exactly the intrinsic toxic potency of the OA group of toxins. Preliminary matrix studies reflected these results. This antibody is an excellent candidate for the development of a range of functional immunochemical-based detection assays for this group of toxins.