Community participation in health services

This study critically analyzes and synthesizes community participation (CP) theory across disciplines, defining and beginning to map out the elements of CP according to a preliminary framework of structure, process, intermediate outcomes, and ultimate outcomes. The first study component sought to determine the impact of Sight N' Soul, a CP project utilizing neighborhood health workers (NHWs), on appointment missing in an indigent urban African-American population. It found that persons entering the vision care system through contact with an NEW were about a third less likely to miss an appointment than those persons entering the system through some other avenue. While theory in this area remains too poorly developed to hypothesize causal relationships between structure, process, and outcomes, a summary of the elements of Sight N' Soul's structure and process both developed the preliminary framework and serves as a first step to mapping these relationships. The second component of the study uncovered the elements of structure and process that may contribute to a sustained egalitarian partnership between community people and professionals, a CP program called Project HEAL. Elements of Project HEAL's structure and process included a shared belief in the program; spirituality; contribution, ownership, and reciprocation; a feeling of family; making it together; honesty, trust, and openness about conflict; the inevitability of uncertainty and change; and the guiding interactional principles of respect; love, care, and compassion; and personal responsibility. The third component analyzed the existing literature, identifying and addressing gaps and inconsistencies and highlighting areas needing more highly developed ethical analysis. Focal issues include the political, economic, and historical context of CP; the power of naming; the issue of purpose; the nature of community; the power to muster and allocate resources; and the need to move to a systems view of health and well-being, expanding our understanding of the universe of potential outcomes of CP, including iatrogenic outcomes. Intermediate outcomes might include change in community, program, and individual capacity, as well as improved health care delivery. Ultimate outcomes include increased positive interdependencies and opportunities for contribution; improved mental, physical, and spiritual health; increased social justice; and decreased exploitation. ^

Contested Control: Irregular Transit Migrants in Europe

This presentation is about young migrants’ journeys with low chances of receiving asylum or any other type of residence in Europe. These migrants exhibit a highly complex migration pattern. First, these migrants are frequently in durable “transit” across Europe, moving back and forth between different states. Second, transit migrants must exhibit a high degree of flexibility, as they have to respond to suddenly changing conditions, such as work opportunities, rejection of asylum claims, detention or deportation. Third, transit migrants often switch between different legal statuses, such as asylum seeker, rejected asylum seeker, illegal worker or detainee. This throws them into a general state of uncertainty and psychological distress. The experience of these young adults shows a deep ambivalence between a sense of autonomy, on the one hand, and of profound hope- and powerlessness, on the other. This presentation explores the “fragmented journeys” of these migrants, by way of a multi-sited ethnographic approach and biographical interviews. It focuses on the lived experiences and the strategies of irregular migrants to find a way to reside in Europe in the context of an increasingly restrictive migration management.

Knowledge representation through graphs

Due to the increasing amount of data, knowledge aggregation, representation and reasoning are highly important for companies. In this paper, knowledge aggregation is presented as the first step. In the sequel, successful knowledge representation, for instance through graphs, enables knowledge-based reasoning. There exist various forms of knowledge representation through graphs; some of which allow to handle uncertainty and imprecision by invoking the technology of fuzzy sets. The paper provides an overview of different types of graphs stressing their relationships and their essential features.

Komatiites constrain molybdenum isotope composition of the Earth's mantle

In order to estimate the Mo isotope composition and Mo abundance in the Bulk Silicate Earth (BSE), a total of thirty komatiite samples from five localities on three continents were analyzed using an isotope dilution double spike technique. Calculated Mo concentrations of the emplaced komatiite lavas range from 25±325±3 to 66±22 ng/g66±22 ng/g, and the inferred Mo concentrations in the deep mantle sources of the komatiites range between 17±417±4 and 30±12 ng/g30±12 ng/g, with an average value of 23±7 ng/g23±7 ng/g (2SE). This average value represents our best estimate for the Mo concentration in the BSE; it is identical, within the uncertainty, to published previous estimates of 39±16 ng/g39±16 ng/g, but is at least a factor of 2 more precise. The Mo isotope compositions of the komatiite mantle sources overlap within uncertainty and range from View the MathML sourceδMo98=−0.04±0.28 to 0.11±0.10‰0.11±0.10‰, with an average of 0.04±0.06‰0.04±0.06‰ (2SE). This value is analytically indistinguishable from published Mo isotope compositions of ordinary and enstatite chondrites and represents the best estimate for the Mo isotope composition of the BSE. The inferred δ98Mo for the BSE is therefore lighter than the suggested average of the upper continental crust (0.3 to 0.4‰). Thus, from the mass balance standpoint, a reservoir with lighter Mo isotope composition should exist in the Earth's mantle; this reservoir can potentially be found in subducted oceanic crust. The similarity of δ98Mo between chondritic meteorites and estimates for the BSE from this study indicates that during the last major equilibration between Earth's core and mantle, i.e., the one that occurred during the giant impact that produced the Moon, chemical and isotopic equilibrium of Mo between Fe metal of the core and the silicate mantle was largely achieved.

Next-to-Next-to-Next-to-Leading Order QCD Prediction for the Top Antitop S-Wave Pair Production Cross Section Near Threshold in e + e − Annihilation

We present the third-order QCD prediction for the production of top antitop quark pairs in electron-positron collisions close to the threshold in the dominant S-wave state. We observe a significant reduction of the theoretical uncertainty and discuss the sensitivity to the top quark mass and width.

The illness experience of persons with Parkinson's Disease

Background. Parkinson's disease is a chronic, progressive, age-related, neurodegenerative disorder with no known cause or promising cure. While substantial information is known about the pathophysiology of Parkinson's disease, little is known about the illness experience of persons living with the disease. The purpose of this study was to understand how persons with Parkinson's disease construct their illness experience and manage living with their illness on a daily basis. ^ Method. A qualitative study with an ethnographic approach employed the strategies of participant observations and fieldwork. Field data were generated from a two year exposure to two Parkinson's disease support groups in east Texas. Open-ended semi-structured interviews with seven men and seven women with Parkinson's disease were also conducted. These data were combined and analyzed using thematic analysis. ^ Findings. The illness experience is described through the metaphor "Sailing the Sea in The Eye of the Storm." This metaphor served as the overarching theme that covered the two interacting content themes of the voyage of Daily Negotiations in the Midst of Uncertainty and Reconstruction of the Self with Parkinson's Disease. Daily negotiations incorporated navigating daily activities with the uncertainty of both the progression and daily vicissitudes of the disease. Participants described their symptoms as progressive imprisonment that interfered with daily activities. The progressive nature of the disease required the participants to reconstruct their perceptions of themselves. Reconstructing the self involved the paradoxical balancing of preserving the self while simultaneously releasing aspects of the former self to reconstruct the self with Parkinson's disease. This process was reflected in four exemplars: I Know Me." "It's Still Me," "See Me." and "Remember Me." ^ Conclusions. This qualitative study illuminated the struggle of persons in dealing with the uncertainties and fluctuations of Parkinson's disease and the process of reconstructing their perceptions of themselves. The meaning and reconstruction of the illness experience expressed by participants will inform understanding beyond the disease itself to the illness experience that these participants must deal with on a daily basis. ^

Aguas abajo : la "enajenación" de Eduardo Wilde

Frente a una corriente crítica que ha incluido la novela Aguas abajo de Eduardo Wilde en el género autobiográfico, el presente trabajo ilumina esta obra a partir de los aportes críticos realizados por Lejeune acerca de dicho género. De esta forma, se propone demostrar que Aguas abajo no debe ser considerada como la autobiografía de su autor a pesar de las relaciones que pueden establecerse entre la biografía del escritor y los avatares del protagonista. Se demuestra, además, que las características del texto corresponden con mayor acierto a lo que el crítico francés denomina novela autobiográfica. Esto se debe a la ruptura por parte de Wilde del "pacto autobiográfico", que Lejeune propone como requisito indispensable para considerar una obra como la autobiografía de su creador. Así, la imposibilidad de identificar plenamente la figura del autor en la imagen de Boris, el protagonista, produce en el lector una vacilación y establece lo que el mismo crítico denomina como pacto ambiguo. Otro factor que intensifica este desconcierto es el uso de un narrador en tercera persona más cercano a la biografía. En este trabajo se propone también la idea de Boris como un alter ego de Wilde, que el autor configura intencionalmente para expresar con toda libertad sus reflexiones y sentimientos críticos hacia la sociedad que lo rodea y hacia su propia persona.

Tecnología e incertidumbre en la práctica del riego en la provincia de Córdoba

En el presente trabajo se busca caracterizar a los regantes de Río Segundo, Córdoba, en términos comparativos y en vinculación con la tecnología. Se trata de pequeños y medianos productores localizados en el Espinal cordobés, límite de la región pampeana argentina, que se dedican a la agricultura extensiva de cereales y oleaginosas utilizando riego suplementario con agua subterránea. El objeto de estudio se aborda considerando que las lógicas de conocimiento atraviesan la producción y que el crecimiento de la incertidumbre es impulsado por la práctica de la innovación y la búsqueda de eficiencia. La gestión profesionalizada de la producción que lleva a la planificación de las actividades productivas en base a la reflexión permanente, revela la necesidad de conocer aquello que aún no se conoce, lo cual está en relación directa con la incertidumbre y con una mayor toma conciencia de los riesgos, tanto climáticos como económicos que se vinculan con la producción. Para alcanzar los objetivos propuestos se utilizó una metodología cualitativa basada en el trabajo de campo, la realización de entrevistas en profundidad y un marco interpretativo crítico complementado con elementos de la teoría social del riesgo.

The increasing role of career guidance at the turn of the centuries

At the beginning this paper sketches trends of the rapid changes of nearly all life issues, especially in society, work behaviours, labour environment and demands for adjustment under new social values. As main factors which influence worldwide the economic development and the labour market are elaborated the globalization and liberalization process and the labour market aspects of feminization, ageing labour force, migration, unemployment as a global phenomenon and general changes in labour demand by occupations and skill level. A well-developed and highly qualified career guidance service is seen as one of the most effective instruments in solving these problems which are raised by the described developements. The personal and psychological effects of uncertainty and dislocation of people and the new requirements of the expected qualification standard make career guidance an important cornerstone to cope with these social aspects. Thus, the nature and structure of guidance and counselling are described under the new challenges. The international co-operation in the guidance sector has accompanied this process in delivering two important documents. The Mission Statement and the Ethical Standards of IAEVG, adopted by the General Assembly of IAEVG in 1995, show in what direction guidance services have to be developed.

Tecnología e incertidumbre en la práctica del riego en la provincia de Córdoba

En el presente trabajo se busca caracterizar a los regantes de Río Segundo, Córdoba, en términos comparativos y en vinculación con la tecnología. Se trata de pequeños y medianos productores localizados en el Espinal cordobés, límite de la región pampeana argentina, que se dedican a la agricultura extensiva de cereales y oleaginosas utilizando riego suplementario con agua subterránea. El objeto de estudio se aborda considerando que las lógicas de conocimiento atraviesan la producción y que el crecimiento de la incertidumbre es impulsado por la práctica de la innovación y la búsqueda de eficiencia. La gestión profesionalizada de la producción que lleva a la planificación de las actividades productivas en base a la reflexión permanente, revela la necesidad de conocer aquello que aún no se conoce, lo cual está en relación directa con la incertidumbre y con una mayor toma conciencia de los riesgos, tanto climáticos como económicos que se vinculan con la producción. Para alcanzar los objetivos propuestos se utilizó una metodología cualitativa basada en el trabajo de campo, la realización de entrevistas en profundidad y un marco interpretativo crítico complementado con elementos de la teoría social del riesgo.

The increasing role of career guidance at the turn of the centuries

At the beginning this paper sketches trends of the rapid changes of nearly all life issues, especially in society, work behaviours, labour environment and demands for adjustment under new social values. As main factors which influence worldwide the economic development and the labour market are elaborated the globalization and liberalization process and the labour market aspects of feminization, ageing labour force, migration, unemployment as a global phenomenon and general changes in labour demand by occupations and skill level. A well-developed and highly qualified career guidance service is seen as one of the most effective instruments in solving these problems which are raised by the described developements. The personal and psychological effects of uncertainty and dislocation of people and the new requirements of the expected qualification standard make career guidance an important cornerstone to cope with these social aspects. Thus, the nature and structure of guidance and counselling are described under the new challenges. The international co-operation in the guidance sector has accompanied this process in delivering two important documents. The Mission Statement and the Ethical Standards of IAEVG, adopted by the General Assembly of IAEVG in 1995, show in what direction guidance services have to be developed.

The increasing role of career guidance at the turn of the centuries

At the beginning this paper sketches trends of the rapid changes of nearly all life issues, especially in society, work behaviours, labour environment and demands for adjustment under new social values. As main factors which influence worldwide the economic development and the labour market are elaborated the globalization and liberalization process and the labour market aspects of feminization, ageing labour force, migration, unemployment as a global phenomenon and general changes in labour demand by occupations and skill level. A well-developed and highly qualified career guidance service is seen as one of the most effective instruments in solving these problems which are raised by the described developements. The personal and psychological effects of uncertainty and dislocation of people and the new requirements of the expected qualification standard make career guidance an important cornerstone to cope with these social aspects. Thus, the nature and structure of guidance and counselling are described under the new challenges. The international co-operation in the guidance sector has accompanied this process in delivering two important documents. The Mission Statement and the Ethical Standards of IAEVG, adopted by the General Assembly of IAEVG in 1995, show in what direction guidance services have to be developed.

Tecnología e incertidumbre en la práctica del riego en la provincia de Córdoba

En el presente trabajo se busca caracterizar a los regantes de Río Segundo, Córdoba, en términos comparativos y en vinculación con la tecnología. Se trata de pequeños y medianos productores localizados en el Espinal cordobés, límite de la región pampeana argentina, que se dedican a la agricultura extensiva de cereales y oleaginosas utilizando riego suplementario con agua subterránea. El objeto de estudio se aborda considerando que las lógicas de conocimiento atraviesan la producción y que el crecimiento de la incertidumbre es impulsado por la práctica de la innovación y la búsqueda de eficiencia. La gestión profesionalizada de la producción que lleva a la planificación de las actividades productivas en base a la reflexión permanente, revela la necesidad de conocer aquello que aún no se conoce, lo cual está en relación directa con la incertidumbre y con una mayor toma conciencia de los riesgos, tanto climáticos como económicos que se vinculan con la producción. Para alcanzar los objetivos propuestos se utilizó una metodología cualitativa basada en el trabajo de campo, la realización de entrevistas en profundidad y un marco interpretativo crítico complementado con elementos de la teoría social del riesgo.

Simulation Model of Benthic Antarctic Assemblages (SIMBAA), link to PC-executable

SIMBAA is a spatially explicit, individual-based simulation model. It was developed to analyse the response of populations of Antarctic benthic species and their diversity to iceberg scouring. This disturbance is causing a high local mortality providing potential space for new colonisation. Traits can be attributed to model species, e.g. in terms of reproduction, dispersal, and life span. Physical disturbances can be designed in space and time, e.g. in terms of size, shape, and frequency. Environmental heterogeneity can be considered by cell-specific capacities to host a certain number of individuals. When grid cells become empty (after a disturbance event or due to natural mortality of of an individual), a lottery decides which individual from which species stored in a pool of candidates (for this cell) will recruit in that cell. After a defined period the individuals become mature and their offspring are dispersed and stored in the pool of candidates. The biological parameters and disturbance regimes decide on how long an individual lives. Temporal development of single populations of species as well as Shannon diversity are depicted in the main window graphically and primary values are listed. Examples for simulations can be loaded and saved as sgf-files. The results are also shown in an additional window in a dimensionless area with 50 x 50 cells, which contain single individuals depicted as circles; their colour indicates the assignment to the self-designed model species and the size represents their age. Dominant species per cell and disturbed areas can also be depicted. Output of simulation runs can be saved as images, which can be assembled to video-clips by standard computer programs (see GIF-examples of which "Demo 1" represents the response of the Antarctic benthos to iceberg scouring and "Demo 2" represents a simulation of a deep-sea benthic habitat).

Understanding traders' regional arbitage : the case of rice traders in Antananarivo, Madagascar

Many studies find that agricultural markets in developing countries are poorly integrated spatially. Traders' regional arbitrage plays a key role in integrating markets across space. We investigate the performance of regional arbitrage and the associated obstacles for rice traders in Antananarivo, Madagascar. On the basis of a trader-level biweekly survey spanning 2012–2013, we find that traders are not fully exploiting the regional arbitrage opportunities: most of them fail to purchase from the cheapest district and are paying higher prices than those in the cheapest district. One apparent obstacle is obtaining price information from many different regions. To reduce search costs, we provided regional price information via SMS to randomly selected traders, but found that this had a null-effect on improving arbitrage performance. Traders tend to concentrate on trading with a few fixed districts, even if they are informed about cheaper prices in other new districts, because they worry about quality uncertainty and the trustworthiness of new partners. These findings suggest that not only transmission of price information but also issues related to produce quality and matching prevent the performance of arbitrage and market integration.