Sixteen-year Period Research Articles

Comparative analysis of the prevalence of congenital malformations of the brain in children of the radioactively contaminated territories of the Bryansk region after the Chernobyl disaster (1999-2014)

Purpose of the study. Based on the official statistics for 1999-2014, we carried out a comparative analysis of the incidence of congenital brain malformations in children resided in the radiation-contaminated areas of the Bryansk region after the Chernobyl disaster with different densities of Cesium-137 and Strontium-90. Material and Methods. Student’s t-test, Pearson chi-square test, Pearson correlation test, linear regression. Results. As a result of the study, no statistically significant excess in the frequency of anencephaly, hydrocephalus and encephalocele in children in more radiation-contaminated south-western territories (SWT) was found compared to the average regional data. However, in the SWT, the prevalence of microcephaly is statistically significant (p<0,05) above the average regional values (5.8 times). While the maximum values are recorded in the most radioactively polluted areas of the region when high statistically significant correlations are detected with the density of radioactive contamination with Cesium-137 (r=0.69; p=0.040) and Strontium 90 (r=0.70; p=0.037), while there are no significant dependencies for other brain defects of the brain. A statistically significant decrease in the long-term trend in the prevalence of microcephaly throughout the region without SWT in the period 1999-2014, and an increase in the radiation-contaminated SWT, was found. Conclusions. The results obtained presumably indicate to the influence of the radiation factor on the increased incidence of microcephaly in SWT relative to the average regional values without SWT for a sixteen-year period (1999-2014). The further studies are needed to analyze the incidence of various types of congenital malformations in order to determine a strategy for preventing birth of children with congenital anomalies.

Comparative analysis of the prevalence of congenital malformations of the brain in children of the radioactively contaminated territories of the Bryansk region after the Chernobyl disaster (1999-2014)

Purpose of the study. Based on the official statistics for 1999-2014, we carried out a comparative analysis of the incidence of congenital brain malformations in children resided in the radiation-contaminated areas of the Bryansk region after the Chernobyl disaster with different densities of Cesium-137 and Strontium-90. Material and Methods. Student’s t-test, Pearson chi-square test, Pearson correlation test, linear regression. Results. As a result of the study, no statistically significant excess in the frequency of anencephaly, hydrocephalus and encephalocele in children in more radiation-contaminated south-western territories (SWT) was found compared to the average regional data. However, in the SWT, the prevalence of microcephaly is statistically significant (p<0,05) above the average regional values (5.8 times). While the maximum values are recorded in the most radioactively polluted areas of the region when high statistically significant correlations are detected with the density of radioactive contamination with Cesium-137 (r=0.69; p=0.040) and Strontium 90 (r=0.70; p=0.037), while there are no significant dependencies for other brain defects of the brain. A statistically significant decrease in the long-term trend in the prevalence of microcephaly throughout the region without SWT in the period 1999-2014, and an increase in the radiation-contaminated SWT, was found. Conclusions. The results obtained presumably indicate to the influence of the radiation factor on the increased incidence of microcephaly in SWT relative to the average regional values without SWT for a sixteen-year period (1999-2014). The further studies are needed to analyze the incidence of various types of congenital malformations in order to determine a strategy for preventing birth of children with congenital anomalies.

Early Shaver Surgical Treatment of the Chronic Tophaceous Masses Effectively Remove the Lesions Without Major Complication

Background: Gout is a modern-day chronic disease seen in 4·62% of Taiwan’s general population. Although the current treatment of urate lowering therapy (ULT) is effective, there remains 10% of patients who do not response well for this treatment. This paper reviews the effectiveness of the shaver technique, which not only increases efficacy when coupled with ULT but can also be used individually to treat the 10% subset that suffer from chronic tophaceous lesions. Method: Using PubMed, all available series of surgery for tophaceous gout were reviewed. Statistical analysis was performed on our surgical outcomes of patients treated by the shaver technique over a sixteen-year (2002 to 2018) period. Finding: The key to shaver technique is early intervention to prevent joint function deterioration. Statistical analysis showed that infection and surgery sites directly correlate to the prognosis of gout patients. Moreover, 6 published surgical articles were identified. All 6 articles were published between 2009 and 2019. The reported outcome of surgical intervention for gout was positive with satisfactory cosmetic outcome and faster recovery period. Interpretation: Although ULT is currently used as the first-line approach to tophaceous gout, we believe the shaver technique should be implemented at the early phase of tophaceous gout lesions, thereby preventing excessive damage in the joints, but also the complication of the shaver technique is minor compared to other available surgical options. Funding: This study was authors’ own work. Declaration of Interests: No conflicts of interests to be disclosed. Ethics Approval Statement: The study was approved by Institutional Review Board at Kaohsiung Medical University.

External costs of harmful algal blooms using hedonic valuation: The impact of karenia brevis on Southwest Florida

Abstract We use a hedonic valuation method to measure the costs of harmful algal blooms to properties in Southwest Florida. Persistent blooms of “red tide” have lasted for over months at a time and can render the appeal of the Gulf Coast useless, usually a valuable amenity to property prices in the area. We study property prices over a sixteen-year period during which, four major blooms plagued the coast. We find property prices within five miles of the coast decline about 10% during a persistent bloom. Property prices also decrease more, in a non-linear fashion as blooms persist for additional months. Our estimate of local costs, although the first of its kind for this region and this type of algae, is similar to those found elsewhere in the literature for different algae across the country. Our results show the importance of mitigation, as counties face tight budgets and must realize the full external costs of these blooms.

Scenario Analysis in the Electric Power Industry under the Implementation of the Electricity Market Reform and a Carbon Policy in China

In China, electricity market reform was first implemented in 2015. At the same time, the national carbon market was built, along with the electricity industry, which was considered a breakthrough. Some key considerations for the future development of China’s electricity system include the implementation of demand-side measures in order to adjust the peak-to-valley difference and the economic dispatch of increasing intermittent renewable energy and traditional energy in the process of power marketization with the implementation of a carbon policy. This paper examines the impact of policies on electricity generation by modelling the evolution process of power marketization and the economic dispatch of generation technologies over a sixteen-year period beginning in 2020. We model four potential influencing factors of government policy: (1) the demand response mode; (2) power marketization process; (3) capacity adjustment of thermal power units; and (4) carbon taxes, which vary in terms of their timing and amount. This model assesses the impact of these influencing factors on the competition between electricity generators using a range of output variables, including generation portfolios, electricity prices, capacity factors, CO2 emissions, etc. The results show that the new round of electricity market reforms has had a positive impact on renewable energy generation. The influence of carbon policy is evident in the promotion, transformation and elimination of thermal units, and an indirect increase in renewable energy generation.

Trends and Determinants of Antenatal Care Service Use in Ethiopia between 2000 and 2016.

Antenatal care (ANC) services are an essential intervention for improving maternal and child health worldwide. In Ethiopia, however, ANC service use has been suboptimal, and examining the trends and factors associated with ANC service use is needed to inform targeted maternal health care interventions. This study aimed to investigate the trends and determinants of ANC service utilisation in Ethiopia for the period ranging from 2000 to 2016. This study draws on the Ethiopia Demographic and Health Survey data for the years 2000 (n = 7928), 2005 (n = 7276), 2011 (n = 7881) and 2016 (n = 7558) to estimate the trends in ANC service utilisation. Multivariate logistic regression models with adjustment for clustering and sampling weights were used to investigate the association between the study factors and ANC service utilisation. Over the sixteen-year period, the proportion of Ethiopian women who received the recommended four or more ANC visits increased from 10.0% (95% confidence interval (95% CI: 8.7–12.5%) in 2000 to 32.0% (95% CI: 29.4–34.3%) in 2016. Similarly, the proportion of women who received one to three ANC visits increased from 27.0% (95% CI: 23.6–30.7%) in 2000 to 62.0% in 2016 (95% CI: 60.4–67.3%). Multivariate analyses showed that higher maternal and paternal education, higher household wealth status, urban residency and previous use of a contraceptive were associated with ANC service use (1–3 and 4+ ANC visits). The study suggests that while Ethiopian pregnant women’s engagement with ANC services improved during the millennium development goal era (2000–2015), recommended ANC use remains suboptimal. Improving the utilisation of ANC services among pregnant women is essential in Ethiopia, and efforts should focus on vulnerable women.

Rehabilitation possibilities and results after neurosurgical intervention of brain tumors

Authors examined the rehabilitation possi-bi-lities, necessities, and results of patients after operation with brain tumor, and report their experiences. Retrospective, descriptive study at the Brain Injury Rehabilitation Unit, in National Institute for Medical Rehabilitation. Patients were admitted consecutively after rehabilitation consultation, from different hospitals, following surgical intervention of brain tumors, between 01 January 2001 and 31 December 2016. Patients participated in a postacute inpatient rehabilitation program, in multidisciplinary team-work, leaded by Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine specialist included the following activities: rehabilitation nursing, physical, occupational, speech, psychological and neuropsychological therapy. At the rehabilitation unit, in the sixteen-year period 84 patients were treated after operation with brain tumor. Patients arrived at the unit after an average of 41 days to the time of the surgical intervention (range: 10-139 days), and the mean length of rehabilitation stay was 49 days (range: 2-193 days). The mean age of patients was 58 years (20-91), who were 34 men and 50 women. The main symptoms were hemiparesis (64), cognitive problems (26), dysphagia (23), aphasia (16), ataxia (15), tetraparesis (5), and paraparesis (1). The mean Barthel Index at the time of admission was 35 points, whereas this value was 75 points at discharge. After the inpatient rehabilitation, 73 patients improved functionally, the status of 9 patients did not show clinically relevant changes, and 2 patients deteriorated. During the rehabilitation 10 patients required urgent interhospital transfer to brain surgery units, 9 patients continued their oncological treatment, two patients continued rehabilitation treatment at another rehabilitation unit, and after rehabilitation 73 patients were discharged to their homes. Inpatient rehabilitation treatment could be necessary after operation of patients with brain tumor especially when functional disorders (disability) are present. Consultation is obligatory among the neurosurgeon, rehabilitation physician and the patient to set realistic rehabilitation goals and determine place and method of rehabilitation treatment, but even at malignancies cooperation with oncological specialist also needed. Authors' experience shows benefits of multidisciplinary rehabilitation for patients after brain tumor surgery.

Hospital Performance and Ownership Type: A Re-Assessment of the Evidence

Prior empirical research on US hospitals mostly concludes that ownership type – not-for-profit (NFP) versus for-profit (FP) – does not affect financial performance. This is surprising, in light of strong predictions from theories of NFP firm behavior. We revisit the issue with a comprehensive dataset covering the sixteen-year period 2000-2015, and find that ownership type matters a great deal, increasingly so over time, and in a manner consistent with theory. NFPs have higher operating expenses, broadly similar revenues and lower operating margins compared to FPs, findings that are robust to alternate specifications. The main reason for the higher costs in NFPs appears to be excess employment, especially of non-care provider staff. Further, hospitals that convert from NFP to FP status achieve lower cost and lower employment post-conversion. Quality measures and patient satisfaction scores are, however, somewhat higher for NFPs. Consistent with theory, ownership type creates a trade-off between efficiency and quality in the delivery of US hospital care.

A comparative study of citations to chemical encyclopedias in scholarly articles: Kirk-Othmer Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology and Ullmann’s Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry

Subject encyclopedias have long been regarded as authoritative reference works that contain credible and reliable information on a subject area or discipline for use by scholars and researchers. In the digital age, when subject-specific information is readily accessible online for free or through a subscription-based resource, researchers may no longer rely on standard reference sources such as subject encyclopedias. To determine whether subject encyclopedias are used in research, a citation analysis study was conducted using two of the best-known subject encyclopedias relevant to chemists and chemical engineers: the Kirk-Othmer Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology and Ullmann’s Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry. Citations to each encyclopedia were obtained from the Science Citation Index Expanded in Web of Science (WoS) from 2000 to 2015 (inclusive) and compared by document type. Article citations to these encyclopedias were compared by year, journal, country of publication, organizational affiliations, and WoS subject category. Over the sixteen-year period, citations to both encyclopedias have doubled from 943 to 1876 peer-reviewed articles. The study supports the view that such long-standing reference sources are still needed for research and valued by the scientific community despite the availability of online resources. The study used VOSviewer to analyze and compare the key terms in the title and abstract of all articles citing each encyclopedia. This analysis revealed sub-disciplinary differences in the use of the two encyclopedias.

Landsat study of deforestation in the Amazon region of Colombia: Departments of Caquetá and Putumayo

The Amazon rainforest, the largest in the world in terms of size and diversity, is recognized as a source of ecological services for both local and worldwide communities. Ten percent of its territory belongs to Colombia, covering approximately 35% of the country's total area. In spite of global efforts, it continues to be vulnerable to deforestation pressures. In the departments of Caquetá and Putumayo, human activities such as logging and cattle ranching are the main causes of deforestation, which is increasing the department's vulnerability to climate change and natural hazards. However, there is a lack of consistent quantitative monitoring in the Colombian Amazon region, not only of total deforestation rates but also of specific locations and causes of deforestation, despite its high rates of deforestation compared to neighboring Ecuador. In this study, Landsat 7 ETM+ and Landsat 8 images over a sixteen-year period were used to map recent changes in land cover in the departments affected by deforestation. Supervised classifications were made using the Maximum Likelihood Classifier (MLC) and expert classification system, using False Color IR composites which were effective for identifying vegetation land cover. Over sixteen years, the Tropical Rainforest land cover in the study region lost 5.2% of its area, corresponding to 3020.56 square kilometers. Overall, the study region shows an annual rate of deforestation of 0.46%, and for Caquetá alone that rate is 0.77% - about twice as high as estimates from previous studies of between 0.38% and 0.4% loss rates for tropical South America. No single factor driving deforestation was found; rather, different regions within the study area displayed different rates and causes. The particularly rapid deforestation in the department of Caquetá and the encroachment of agricultural activities into national park reserves may be explained by higher colonization pressures and intensification of illegal coca cultivation.

Gender and preterm birth: Is male fetal gender a clinically important risk factor for preterm birth in high-risk women?

Gender differences in several adverse pregnancy outcomes have been described, including preterm labour and delivery. In the low risk population, the male fetus is at significantly higher risk of spontaneous preterm birth. ObjectivesOur objective was to examine the risk effect of fetal gender on pregnant women at higher risk of preterm birth, and therefore its potential impact on targeting management. Study designThis was an analysis of prospectively collected data from a dedicated inner-city Prematurity Surveillance Clinic over a sixteen-year period. All women were high-risk for preterm delivery in view of their history, which included previous late miscarriage, PTB or significant cervical surgery. Obstetric variables and pregnancy outcomes were compared in male and female babies. Demographic and risk factors were compared between groups, and both spontaneous and iatrogenic preterm delivery rates interrogated (<24, <28, <34 and <37 weeks’ gestation). Risk ratios (with 95% confidence intervals) were calculated for each gestational band. ResultsIn this cohort, 14.5% of women (363/2505) delivered before 37 weeks. Pregnant women were stratified by fetal gender and were comparable for referral risk factors and demographic characteristics. There was no significant association between fetal gender and incidence of miscarriage less than 24 weeks (RR 1.17, 95% CI 0.65–2.10, p = 0.607), or preterm births 24 to 37 weeks RR 1.07 (95% CI 0.82–1.40, p = 0.383). Furthermore, analysis by gestational band [<28 RR 0.91 (95% CI 0.60–1.37, p = 0.647), <34 RR 1.18 (95% CI 0.89–1.57, p = 0.257 and <37 weeks RR 1.10 (95% CI 0.91–1.33, p = 0.309)] also showed no effect. This held true for both spontaneous and iatrogenic preterm delivery. In our high-risk cohort there was no gender difference for preeclampsia (RR 0.93, 95% CI 0.61 to 1.41, p = 0.725) or preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROM) (RR 1.14, 95% CI 0.86 to 1.50, p = 0.384) ConclusionsIn a high-risk cohort there was no significant increased risk of miscarriage, spontaneous or iatrogenic PTB, preeclampsia or PPROM for the male fetus. This is contradictory to low-risk populations and confirms that gender need not be integrated into high-risk management protocols for preterm birth.

Trends in currency’s return

The purpose of this paper is to show that short-ranged dependence prevailed for Singapore-Malaysia exchange. Although, it is perceived that there is some evidence of long-ranged dependence [1,2], it is still unclear whether Singapore-Malaysia exchange indeed exhibits long-ranged dependence. For this paper, we focus on the currency rate for a sixteen-year period ranging from September 2002 to September 2017. We estimate the Hurst parameter using the famous rescaled R/S statistics technique. From our analysis, we showed that the Hurst parameter is approximately 0.5 which indicates short-ranged dependence. This short memory property is further validated by performing a one-tailed z-test whose alternative hypothesis is that the Hurst parameter is not 0.5 at 1% significance level. We conclude that the alternative hypothesis is rejected. The existence of short memory proves that the behaviour of the exchange rate is unpredictable, supporting the efficient market hypothesis, which states that not only is price movement completely random but also tomorrow’s prices are predicted by all the information in today’s prices.

GEOLOGISTS JOHN FAREY AND WILLIAM SMITH AWARDED SILVER MEDALS FOR AGRICULTURE

In 1805 John Farey and William Smith, received silver medals for agriculture from the Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce, in recognition of work they had carried out on the Duke of Bedford's estate at Woburn. Today we recognise these men as leading geologists of their time, but Farey's medal was awarded for experiments which recorded the growth of timber trees in Brown's Wood over a sixteen-year period and William Smith's for turning Prisley Bog into a water meadow. While today these agricultural endeavours may appear unrelated to geology, this paper demonstrates how an increasing understanding of the substratum became an important aspect of agriculture, and how the offer of premiums for agriculture indirectly contributed to advancing the young science of geology.

Sentinel node biopsy status is strongly predictive of survival in cutaneous melanoma: Extended follow-up of Oxford patients from 1998 to 2014

Sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) is widely used as a key investigatory tool for cutaneous melanoma, with results incorporated into the latest AJCC staging guidelines. We present the results of our extended follow-up of sentinel lymph node biopsy for melanoma over a sixteen-year period. Data were collected prospectively from June 1998 to December 2014 from a single tertiary skin cancer referral centre. Chi-squared analysis was used to analyse patient demographics and primary tumour pathology. Survival analysis was conducted using Cox regression models and Kaplan-Meier survival curves. Over a sixteen-year period 1527 patients underwent SLNB in 1609 basins, with 2876 nodes harvested. 347 patients (23%) had a positive biopsy. The most common primary tumour sites for males was the back (32%); women had a significantly higher number of melanomas occurring on the lower and upper limbs (45% and 26% respectively) [all p<0.0001, Chi-squared]. Mean follow-up time was 4.9 years. Patients with a positive SLNB at diagnosis were significantly more likely to die from melanoma (subhazard ratio 5.59, p=0.000, 95% CI 3.59-8.69). Breslow thickness and ulceration were also significant predictors of melanoma-specific mortality. For patients with a primary Breslow >4.0mm ten-year disease free survival was 52% for SLNB negative and 26% for SLNB positive patients. For Breslow thicknesses of 2.01-4mm these values were 66% and 32% respectively. Sentinel lymph node biopsy status is strongly predictive of survival across all thicknesses of primary cutaneous melanoma.

Groundwater Quality Assessment Based on WQI and Its Vulnerability to Saltwater Intrusion in a Coastal City, Iran

The purpose of this paper was to assess the quality of groundwater in Behshahr (Iran) based on water quality index (WQI). Sixteen water samples from this coastal aquifer were collected and analyzed to study physico-chemical parameters such as pH, hardness, chloride (Cl), electrical conductivity (EC) and total dissolved solids (TDS). The results showed that the annual average of TDS value increased by 343 mg/l between 1999 and 2015 due to anthropogenic activities. According to WQI, it was concluded that the groundwater quality degraded over the last sixteen-year period so that the percentage of samples identified as “good water” decreased by 18.5% and on the other hand, alas, the percentage of “poor water” quality soared by nearly 12.5%. Correspondence of WQI distribution diagram with that of chloride-bicarbonate ratio attests to the significant contribution of saltwater intrusion to groundwater quality deterioration in this area.

Has the Internet Reduced Friendship? Scientific Relationships in Ghana, Kenya, and India, 1994-2010

Has the Internet changed the pattern of social relations? More specifically, have social relations undergone any systematic change during the recent widespread diffusion of new communications technology? This question is addressed using a unique longitudinal survey that bookends the entire period of Internet diffusion in two African nations and one Indian state. We analyze data on nine professional linkages reported by a population of agricultural and environmental scientists in Kenya, Ghana, and Kerala over a sixteen-year period (1994-2010). Factor analysis reveals two clusters of relationships, one interpretable as traditional scientific exchange, the other indicating mediated forms of collaboration. While collaboration increases in frequency, friendship declines. We interpret this shift as a consequence of communications technology that facilitates formal projects, reducing the affective dimension of professional association.

Pioneer girl: the annotated autobiography

Long hidden in archives, Laura Ingalls Wilder's original handwritten autobiography is a tribute to her family and her experiences as a pioneer. Written for an older audience, Pioneer Girl is her first-person narrative of the settling of Dakota Territory, the building of the railroad west, and life as a pioneer. The stories in this autobiography formed the basis of Wilder's international best-selling autobiographical novels, known as the Little House Series. For the first time, readers will have full access to the original manuscript that began it all. Written in six tablets on lined paper, Pioneer Girl follows the Ingalls family through Kansas, Missouri, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, back to Minnesota, and on to Dakota Territory over a sixteen-year period. Using revised Pioneer Girl manuscripts edited by Wilder's daughter Rose Wilder Lane, letters written between Wilder and Lane, photographs, newspapers, and other sources, Pamela Smith Hill and other editors of the Pioneer Girl Project lead readers through Wilder's early recollections and her first attempts at publication. While Laura Ingalls Wilder is a familiar figure, Pioneer Girl: The Annotated Autobiography re-introduces readers to the woman who defines the pioneer experience and gives new insight into her motivations and experiences. For more information visit: www.pioneergirlproject.org

Primary Arthrodesis of the Tibiotalar Joint in Severely Comminuted High-Energy Pilon Fractures.

The treatment of highly comminuted tibial pilon fractures is controversial. The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness and outcomes of primary arthrodesis following highly comminuted tibial plafond fractures. A database search was performed to identify all patients who underwent blade plate arthrodesis at our institution over a sixteen-year period. Inclusion criteria included patients with an Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Osteosynthesefragen/Orthopaedic Trauma Association type-C2 or type-C3 pilon fracture that was deemed to be non-reconstructable by the treating surgeon. Outcomes were measured using the Short-Form 36-Item Health Survey, time to independent walking, time to consolidation of the arthrodesis, and wound-healing complications. A total of twenty patients were included in this study, and seventeen patients (85%) were available for follow-up at a minimum of two years after their surgery. Wound infections or wound dehiscence did not occur in this series. All patients were walking without crutches or a walker at their latest follow-up. One patient developed an aseptic nonunion and healed successfully after revision surgery. Blade plate ankle fusion using a posterior approach is a reliable method for the treatment of a small subset of patients with severely comminuted, non-reconstructable pilon fractures. Therapeutic Level IV. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

'A Scientific Humanitarian and a Humanitarian Scientist' Lee Kaufer Frankel and American Jewish Philanthropy, 1899-1931

'A Scientific Humanitarian and a Humanitarian Scientist' Lee Kaufer Frankel and American Jewish Philanthropy, 1899-1931 Michael R. Cohen (bio) Following the great 1906 San Francisco earthquake and fire, in which 3,000 people were killed and between half and three-quarters of San Francisco's population was left homeless, Lee Kaufer Frankel and Judah Magnes traveled from New York on behalf of the National Conference of Jewish Charities. The section of the city where most immigrant Jews lived had been hit particularly hard by the fire, and Frankel, upon his arrival, met with Jacob Voorsanger, a local rabbi who had been appointed by San Francisco's mayor as chairman of the Food Committee following the disaster. Though Voorsanger had been unable able to ascertain exact statistics, he estimated that approximately 10,000 Jews had been left homeless and that American Jews would need to donate at least $30,000 to a special relief fund for the victims. Frankel, far more an advocate of statistics than of estimates, visited some of the victims' makeshift camps for himself, where he counted far fewer Jews than expected based on the rabbi's estimate—suggesting to him that such a fund would perhaps not be necessary. He also met with a representative of the American Red Cross who believed that Red Cross relief funds would be doled out "for rehabilitation purposes, along nonsectarian [sic] lines." Believing that the Red Cross allocations would be adequate for the displaced Jews, he concluded that "there was no need of a special fund for the immediate relief of Jewish sufferers."1 On the surface, Frankel's approach seems rather cold, and when we compare his decision to the major accomplishments of his life, it seems particularly out of place. As manager of New York's United Hebrew Charities (UHC) Frankel instituted convalescent care programs as well as programs aimed at reducing instances of marital desertion, and he also created new facilities for treating victims of tuberculosis. Moreover, he revolutionized the life insurance industry by proving to large corporations [End Page 207] that preventative care was profitable and in their best interest—saving, by one estimate, 200,000 lives and $18 million over a sixteen-year period. Furthermore, he risked his life to travel to Eastern Europe amid the devastation of World War I on behalf of the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (Joint/JDC), helping to implement a more efficient plan to rebuild a destroyed Jewish world. And additionally, he helped to reconcile the often-bitter divide between American Zionists and non-Zionists, helping to create the Jewish Agency, which bettered the lives of Jewish refugees in Palestine. How can we reconcile Frankel's unwillingness to help the San Francisco sufferers with his life-long devotion to humanitarian causes? The answer lies in Frankel's two-pronged reconceptualization of American Jewish philanthropy. First, Frankel worked to reshape philanthropic priorities from a direct social-service agenda that met immediate needs to one of proactive social change that identified and addressed long-term root causes by offering sustainable solutions.2 For Frankel, the difference between the two approaches could be compared to the difference between a fire fighter and fire prevention education. After an alarm sounded, "the engine was on the way and before long the fire was out . . . The firemen had done their task. It consisted in putting out fires." Yet he believed there was a more effective method. "It was not their concern to know that in the long run to educate people regarding the use of matches is more economical than to pay for heroic acts of rescue."3 By encouraging such a shift in thinking, and by addressing causes of poverty that were rooted within social systems, Frankel hoped to foster systemic change within American Jewish philanthropy. Second, and closely intertwined with the first approach, Frankel also sought to change how American Jewish philanthropic organizations identified priorities and conducted business. He advocated a transition from an observational, individualized approach to one that relied on trained professionals to scientifically analyze data and suggest the most efficient, economically sustainable solutions. Frankel's approach mirrored the [End Page 208] professionalization of medicine that was occurring in this same...

Media Personalisation in Context: A Cross-National Comparison between the UK and the Netherlands, 1992–2007

The phenomenon of (media) personalisation has generated a considerable amount of scholarly attention and is regarded as being a significant aspect of contemporary politics and political communication. To investigate long-term trends in personalisation, this study draws on a unique data set that is composed of Dutch and British newspaper articles from a sixteen-year period. The evidence suggests that personalisation is present in both countries, but its realisation differs in each country: where the UK is characterised by a concentration of attention towards the prominent offices and the Prime Minister, the Netherlands has seen an increased visibility of the ‘non-prominent’ Cabinet members. The second part of the study investigates the impact of various events on the visibility levels of the most prominent ministerial functions, with particular attention paid to the Prime Minister. Leaders appear not to be more in the foreground during national crises. Finally, the explanatory power of events for determining the visibility of Cabinet members does not seem to increase in importance over time.