Goucher College

Le film Rachida est sorti à la fin de la décennie noire en Algérie. Sa réalisatrice, Yamina Bachir-Chouikh, cherchait à privilégier un récit d’espoir pour les femmes et les enfants que l’on a oubliés parmi toute la violence. Cet espoir peut se lire à travers le féminin sacré inspiré de la Vierge Marie dans le Coran. Les quatre personnages principaux représentent les cinq noms, ou facettes, de Marie : Aïcha, la mère de Rachida, est القانتة(al-Qanitah) la pieuse ; Yasmina, l’amie, est الساجدة(al-Sajidah) l’orante ; Zohra, la jeune femme que les terroristes ont enlevée, est الطاهرة (al-Tahira) la purifiée ; et Rachida est الصدقة(al-Siddiqah) la porteuse de vérité. L’espoir, inspiré du féminin sacré, se propage de manière intergénérationnelle, de chaque femme aux autres, des femmes aux enfants. En analysant ces représentations de Marie j’explique comment les femmes et le féminisme musulman sont pluriels et pour établir un avenir sûr, il faut mettre en avant toutes ces facettes différentes.

Burnout and declining fulfillment are prevalent among facial plastic surgeons (FPS), yet the organizational drivers of these challenges remain underexplored. Ownership structure, workplace autonomy, and collective representation may influence surgeon well-being and workforce sustainability.To assess how autonomy, ownership, and unionization relate to satisfaction and stress among FPS. We hypothesized that private practitioners would report greater autonomy and satisfaction, that academic and hospital-employed surgeons would experience more stress and diminished control, and that prior union exposure would correspond with more favorable views of collective representation.Cross-sectional observational survey (STROBE).A 26-item anonymous survey was distributed to all 1,041 members of the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery; 104 responded (10%). Variables included practice type, ownership, union history, autonomy, compensation satisfaction, stressors, and openness to unionization. Analyses employed chi-square tests and qualitative content analysis.Surgeons in private practice reported the highest autonomy and compensation satisfaction and the lowest rates of feeling rushed. Hospital-employed and academic surgeons were more likely to report diminished autonomy, administrative stress, and lack of influence over workplace decisions. Only 11% of respondents expressed interest in unionizing, though prior union members generally described positive experiences. Surgeons' beliefs about whether unionization affects patient care did not vary significantly by practice setting.Structural factors, particularly the autonomy and ownership model, are strongly linked to satisfaction and stress among FPS. Organizational reforms that enhance autonomy and support collective voice may reduce burnout and improve workforce sustainability.

This study introduces a novel approach, utilizing activity tracking devices (ATDs), such as Fitbit, to monitor mobility during cesarean recovery and investigate the relationship between physical activity (PA) and postpartum hemorrhage (PPH). We conducted a prospective cohort study involving postpartum patients aged 18-50 years who delivered at George Washington University and underwent a scheduled or emergent cesarean from December 2022 to September 2023. The primary outcome was assessing the relationship between PPH and PA for 2 weeks postpartum using the Fitbit. Data from all patients were extracted from the electronic medical records. The Fitbit Model of Inspire was used to monitor patients' PA. Statistical analyses of the relationship between quantitative blood loss (QBL) during cesarean delivery and average steps per day postpartum found statistically non-significant results (Δ1.16 [1.16%], P = 0.817) for the collective cohort. Excluding one outlier from the patient cohort, analysis of the relationship between the same two variables found statistically significant results (Δ1.83 [1.83%], P = 0.023). A coefficient of 1.83 (1.83%) on the QBL variable was found, signifying that an increase of 1 mL in QBL corresponds to an average decrease of 1.83 (1.83%) in average steps per day postpartum. This study's findings underscore the potential clinical relevance of monitoring PA to identify and address postpartum complications. Further research could explore interventions to mitigate the observed decline in mobility associated with PPH, ultimately enhancing maternal healthcare outcomes.

Despite decades of interventions aiming to transform the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) workforce to be more inclusive and diverse, little progress has been made in creating long-lasting, sustainable change. For a long period of time, the STEM workforce has been described as a leaky pipeline. While there has been some utility to thinking about the STEM workforce in this way, in this article, we discuss how characterizing the STEM workforce as a leaky pipeline can impede the design of innovative interventions that contribute to sustainable change toward a more inclusive scientific enterprise. As an alternative, we join others in proposing the braided river ecosystem model, related social sciences and career development theories as more inclusive ways to think about the STEM workforce and how a target group or an individual navigates their career choices and development as a scientist. New models and paradigms to understand the STEM workforce and individuals’ careers in science may open the door to finding novel strategies to make careers in STEM accessible to all. We present case studies demonstrating the practical applications of these inclusive models.

Si notre crise environnementale actuelle est, comme Amitav Ghosh le constate, « dans tous les sens une problématique collective », une des questions essentielles de l’impact écologique de l’art porte sur son rôle dans la promotion des modes d’action collaboratifs nécessaires face aux défis environnementaux. De telles discussions comprennent la critique de Baz Kershaw sur la « production de spectateurs » anti-écologique des théâtres, et le constat récent de Brian Kulick que le théâtre génère des moments d’attention collective qui pourraient contribuer à des collaborations au-delà du spectacle lui-même. En nous appuyant sur des recherches récentes sur les biens communs et la mise en commun, nous examinons des performances in situ axées sur l’environnement dans lesquelles l’engagement collaboratif des participants non-artistes a été une partie centrale de l’activité créatrice. Toutes réalisées dans des espaces socialement et environnementalement interstitiels, ces œuvres intègrent collaboration sociale et buts environnementaux ancrés dans un cadre social qui dépasse le moment même de la performance. Nous examinons les stratégies esthétiques clés employées en fonction du contexte social et historique de Marseille et nous cherchons à identifier les facteurs les plus importants susceptibles d’influer sur leurs contributions à la ville comme site d’approches collaboratives des questions environnementales.

IntroductionRecurrent corneal perforations can be challenging to treat, especially in cases of chronic ocular inflammation. We highlight a novel technique for the definitive treatment of corneal perforations not amenable to therapy with cyanoacrylate glue.MethodsWe report two cases of large corneal perforations secondary to active rheumatoid arthritis. The cases had perforations that failed to seal after several attempts of cyanoacrylate glue and bandage contact lenses. A novel technique- Tri-lamellar tectonic Mini-Descemet Stripping Endothelial Keratoplasty (Mini-DSEK) along with amniotic membrane transplant (AMT) was used to restore anatomical integrity with success in both cases. In addition to the mini-DSEK patch, an overlay stromal cap was harvested from the same donor tissue and used as a patch graft, ‘sandwiched’ in between the DSEK tissue and the AMT. The AMT and patch were secured in position with fibrin glue, sutures and a BCL that provided additional strength. The sutures were removed at one month.ResultsBoth had deep anterior chambers with no leak post operatively. The stromal cap is thin, transparent and adds tissue in the area of thinning. This tri-lamellar technique provides structural integrity, transparency, has anti-inflammatory properties, promotes re-epithelialization and ocular surface healing.DiscussionTectonic mini-DSEK with an overlay stromal cap is a novel procedure for corneal perforations which may be used as an alternative to anterior surgical approaches like penetrating or lamellar keratoplasty- reducing astigmatism and the risk of immunological rejection. The tri-lamellar technique adds tissue in areas of thinning and provides early visual rehabilitation.

Abstract Apyrase (nucleotide triphosphate diphosphohydrolase, NTPDase; EC 3.6.1.5) functions in a variety of plant growth and developmental processes and responses to pathogens, in part, by regulating extracellular ATP (eATP) concentrations. In this study, we investigated possible roles for apyrase in the recruitment of phosphate (Pi) from extracellular nucleotides inArabidopsis thalianaseedlings that constitutively expressapyrase 1(APY1). Under Pi limitation, both WT andAPY1seedlings had decreased Pi contents and a characteristic remodeling of root system architecture (RSA). This phosphate starvation response (PSR) was prevented by uptake of Pi released by metabolism of extracellular NTP, which supported normal seedling growth. In Pi-sufficient media, Pi contents ofAPY1seedlings were higher than in WT seedlings. Addition of NTP reduced the number of LR and decreased Pi contents of WT seedlings but markedly increased both LR and root hair (RH) formation and Pi contents ofAPY1seedlings. Genome-wide expression profiling revealed the repression of PSR genes inAPY1seedlings, relative to WT seedlings, consistent with their elevated Pi contents. The expanded RSA ofAPY1seedlings was correlated with induction of >100 genes involved in regulation of auxin homeostasis, signaling and transport, which previous studies have shown to be increased whenAPY1is overexpressed.APY1regulation of [eNTP] and purinergic signaling may play a role in regulating this auxin response, resulting in enhanced uptake of Pi from the medium, including Pi released by eNTP metabolism.