African experiences and alternativity in International Relations theorizing about security

Deconstructing International Relations (IR) episteme acknowledges its generation of power imbalances in security knowledge that relegate African experiences to the margins of global politics. Central to this process of relegation is a pervasive ‘methodological whiteness’, which, while eliding coloniality and racism, projects white experience as a universal perspective. Accompanying this Eurocentric bias has been the intrusive projection of the Weberian state as the most effective site for security governance and conflict prevention on a continent with states that are characterized by a hybridity of political orders, which deviate substantially from the ideal-type state that they seek to mimic. Not only has this resulted in disastrous policies in many parts of Africa, but critical questions arise as to the relevance of conventional IR and security studies as neutral sites for dispassionate knowledge production and policy-making on African security, thereby necessitating alternative perspectives. This article reflects on the ways in which IR and security studies have been responsible, in part, for the production of a racialized mode of security knowledge generation that obfuscates the security policies and experiences of people in African locales. It draws on insights from post-colonial discourses and the episteme of alternativity to explore how the study of events and processes in Africa in a theoretically conscious manner could advance IR scholarship as a whole. It contends that incorporating African experiences as they manifest through hybrid security orders can broaden the empirical base for IR theorizing about security since they offer another perspective outside the conventional western assumptions and experiences.

Indicators of effective site management

The article deals with the problem of assessing the effect of managing a library web-site. The purpose of the article is to identify indicators of effective website management. It has been established that the result of website management can be expressed by several effects at once: social, technological, managerial, economic. The analytical basis for assessing indicators is the data of web analytical tools. The definition of the effectiveness of the library in the web environment, considered in the article, is given. A detailed list of actions is proposed to assess the possible effects of managing a library website using web analytics data

543 Escharotomy Incisions in the Burn Foot and Toe with Compartment Syndrome

Introduction Patients with burn injuries are at risk for lower extremity compartment syndrome, especially if the injury is circumferential. The hypothesis was that two dorsal escharotomy incisions to release foot and toe compartment syndrome would be most efficacious in the prevention of lower extremity amputations. Methods This was a retrospective chart review of foot compartment syndrome in burn patients between January 2001 and May 2019. Results The study consisted of 59 feet from 32 patients who had been admitted to the Burn Center for thermal injury. The patient age was a mean±sd of 29±30 years, and 41±29 as the % total body surface area (%TBSA); there were 19 males and 13 females. All patients had received fluid resuscitation on admission. Twenty-one (66%) of the patients did not require amputations after undergoing a median of two incisions (range 1–5); 6 of 59 (11%) required fasciotomies. Compared to medial or dorsal or multiple echarotomies, the majority of patients who underwent two dorsal foot escharotomies did not require amputations, p = .0001. Significantly more patients were alive with no amputation 15 (50%) compared to 4 (13%) (dead with amputations), p = .02. Survivors were significantly younger than the non-survivors (median 20 and range1-69) compared to the non-survivors (48, 12–59), p =.04. The survivors also had significantly less severe %TBSA median 22 (range 2–75) versus 83 (35–95) %TBSA, p < .0002. Dorsal/Lateral incisions had the highest number of amputations. Conclusions Foot dorsal compartment release is the most effective site for escharotomies in the treatment of burn-induced compartment syndrome. It does not require more than two incisions at the skin/fat level and over the second and fourth metatarsal bones on the dorsal part of the foot to decrease the lower extremity amputation rate in the majority of cases.

Addressing a complicated problem: can COVID-19 asymptomatic cases be detected – and epidemics stopped− when testing is limited and the location of such cases unknown?

Can the COVID-19 pandemic be stopped when the principal disseminators −asymptomatic cases− are not easily observable? This question was addressed exploring the cumulative epidemiologic data reported by 51 countries, up to October 2, 2020. In particular, the validity of test positivity and its inverse (the ratio of tests performed per case detected) to indicate whether asymptomatic cases are being detected and isolated –even when only a minor percentage of the population is tested− was evaluated. By linking test positivity data to the number of COVID-19 related deaths reported per million inhabitants, the research question was answered: countries that expressed a high percentage of test positivity (>5%) reported, on average, 15 times more deaths than countries that exhibited <1% test positivity. It is suggested that such a large difference in outcomes is due to the exponential growth that epidemics may experience when silent (asymptomatic) cases are not detected and, consequently, the disease disseminates. Because temporal and geo-referenced data on test positivity may facilitate cost-effective, site-specific testing policies, it is postulated that the risk of uncontrolled epidemics may be ameliorated when test positivity is investigated.

Palmer amaranth control, fecundity, and seed viability from soybean herbicides applied at first female inflorescence

Palmer amaranth is an extremely troublesome weed for soybean growers because of its aggressive growth, adaptability, prolific seed production, and widespread resistance to many herbicides. Studies were initiated to determine the effects of herbicide application at first female inflorescence on Palmer amaranth control, biomass, seed production, cumulative germination, and seed viability. Enlist (2,4-D–resistant) soybean and Xtend (dicamba-resistant) soybean were planted and various combinations of either 2,4-D or dicamba with and without glufosinate and/or glyphosate were applied at first visible female Palmer amaranth inflorescence. Mixtures of 2,4-D + glufosinate and 2,4-D + glufosinate + glyphosate provided the greatest control at 4 wk after treatment in Enlist soybean. Similarly, in Xtend soybean, combinations of dicamba + glufosinate and dicamba + glufosinate + glyphosate provided the greatest control. The greatest reductions in biomass were from combinations of auxin herbicides (2,4-D or dicamba) plus glufosinate with and without glyphosate. Seed production was reduced most by treatments containing at least one effective site of action: an auxin herbicide (2,4-D or dicamba) or glufosinate. In contrast to previous research, cumulative germination and seed viability were not affected by herbicide treatments. This research indicates the efficacy of auxin herbicides or glufosinate alone and in combination to reduce the seed production of Palmer amaranth when applied at first female inflorescence. More research is needed to evaluate the full potential for applications of these herbicides at flower initiation to mitigate the evolution of herbicide resistance.

A Study into the Supervision Styles Used by Building Contractors for Improving Craftsmen Performance in Anambra State, Nigeria

Poor productivity of construction craftsmen is one of the causes of cost and time overruns in construction projects. Successful delivery of construction of projects within the measurable tenets is driven by effective site supervision. Nevertheless, the inability of many supervisors to organize, communicate with workers, and direct activities sufficiently is primarily connected to the quality of the construction. Hence, this study examined how enhanced supervision styles can lead to the improvement of craftsmen performance in Anambra State, Nigeria. Being a survey research, the study employed the use of review of related literature and structured questionnaire. Accordingly, a total one hundred (100) questionnaires administered and seventy-five (75) were retrieved. This corresponds to a response rate of 75%. Data garnered were analysed and presented using relative importance index, mean scores and frequency tables. The study found out that listening to subordinates or supervisees was the most important supervision styles for improved building craftsmen performance in the study area. Therefore, the study concluded by recommending team work and effective communication channels should be adopted for improving building craftsmen performance as regards project delivery.