(Re)theorising laddish masculinities in higher education

In the context of renewed debates and interest in this area, this paper reframes the theoretical agenda around laddish masculinities in UK higher education, and similar masculinities overseas. These can be contextualised within consumerist neoliberal rationalities, the neoconservative backlash against feminism and other social justice movements, and the postfeminist belief that women are winning the ‘battle of the sexes’. Contemporary discussions of ‘lad culture’ have rightly centred sexism and men¹s violence against women: however, we need a more intersectional analysis. In the UK a key intersecting category is social class, and there is evidence that while working class articulations of laddism proceed from being dominated within alienating education systems, middle class and elite versions are a reaction to feeling dominated due to a loss of gender, class and race privilege. These are important differences, and we need to know more about the conditions which shape and produce particular performances of laddism, in interaction with masculinities articulated by other social groups. It is perhaps unhelpful, therefore, to collapse these social positions and identities under the banner of ‘lad culture’, as has been done in the past

A novel malaria vaccine candidate antigen expressed in Tetrahymena thermophila

Development of effective malaria vaccines is hampered by the problem of producing correctly folded Plasmodium proteins for use as vaccine components. We have investigated the use of a novel ciliate expression system, Tetrahymena thermophila, as a P. falciparum vaccine antigen platform. A synthetic vaccine antigen composed of N-terminal and C-terminal regions of merozoite surface protein-1 (MSP-1) was expressed in Tetrahymena thermophila. The recombinant antigen was secreted into the culture medium and purified by monoclonal antibody (mAb) affinity chromatography. The vaccine was immunogenic in MF1 mice, eliciting high antibody titers against both N- and C-terminal components. Sera from immunized animals reacted strongly with P. falciparum parasites from three antigenically different strains by immunofluorescence assays, confirming that the antibodies produced are able to recognize parasite antigens in their native form. Epitope mapping of serum reactivity with a peptide library derived from all three MSP-1 Block 2 serotypes confirmed that the MSP-1 Block 2 hybrid component of the vaccine had effectively targeted all three serotypes of this polymorphic region of MSP-1. This study has successfully demonstrated the use of Tetrahymena thermophila as a recombinant protein expression platform for the production of malaria vaccine antigens

Developing human biomonitoring as a 21st century toolbox within the European exposure science strategy 2020-2030

Human biomonitoring (HBM) is a crucial approach for exposure assessment, as emphasised in the European Commission’s Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability (CSS). HBM can help to improve chemical policies in five major key areas: (1) assessing internal and aggregate exposure in different target populations; 2) assessing exposure to chemicals across life stages; (3) assessing combined exposure to multiple chemicals (mixtures); (4) bridging regulatory silos on aggregate exposure; and (5) enhancing the effectiveness of risk management measures. In this strategy paper we propose a vision and a strategy for the use of HBM in chemical regulations and public health policy in Europe and beyond. We outline six strategic objectives and a roadmap to further strengthen HBM approaches and increase their implementation in the regulatory risk assessment of chemicals to enhance our understanding of exposure and health impacts, enabling timely and targeted policy interventions and risk management. These strategic objectives are: 1) further development of sampling strategies and sample preparation; 2) further development of chemical-analytical HBM methods; 3) improving harmonisation throughout the HBM research life cycle; 4) further development of quality control / quality assurance throughout the HBM research life cycle; 5) obtain sustained funding and reinforcement by legislation; and 6) extend target-specific communication with scientists, policymakers, citizens and other stakeholders. HBM approaches are essential in risk assessment to address scientific, regulatory and societal challenges. HBM requires full and strong support from the scientific and regulatory domain to reach its full potential in public and occupational health assessment and in regulatory decision-making.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Legalisation of the sex industry in the State of Victoria, Australia: the impact of prostitution law reform on the working and private lives of women in the legal Victorian sex industry

Deposited with permission of the author. © 2002 Alison Arnot.In 1984 the State Parliament of Victoria began the process of legalising sectors of the Victorian sex industry. Reforming legislation was enacted in 1984, 1986 and 1994. To date there has been no research assessing the changes to the industry that have occurred as a result of the legalisation process, and in particular, the effect it has had on the lives of the women working in the industry. This research has examined the impact of sex industry law reform on the working and private lives of women in the Victorian sex industry. Interviews were conducted with twenty women, nine of whom had worked in the industry prior to legalisation. All but four of the interviewees had experienced work in the industry before and after reforms. A number of significant findings were made. Since legalisation brothels have become cleaner and physical surroundings have been improved. However, the owners and managers of industry businesses have increased their level of control over workers by determining services to be offered, fees to be charged and clothes to be worn

Nonspecific Immunoglobulin M Binding and Chondroitin Sulfate A Binding Are Linked Phenotypes of Plasmodium falciparum Isolates Implicated in Malaria during Pregnancy

Binding of immunoglobulin M (IgM) antibodies from normal human serum to the surface of Plasmodium falciparum-infected red blood cells (iRBC) has previously been demonstrated only in parasites that form rosettes with uninfected red cells. We show that natural, nonspecific IgM but not IgG, IgA, IgD, or IgE also binds to the surface of iRBC selected for adhesion to chondroitin sulfate A (CSA), a placental receptor for parasites associated with malaria in pregnancy. The protease sensitivity of IgM-binding appears to match that of CSA binding, suggesting that the two phenotypes may be mediated by the same parasite molecule. We also show that a wide range of mouse monoclonal antibodies of the IgM class bind nonspecifically to CSA-selected iRBC, an important consideration in the interpretation of immunological assays performed on these parasite lines

Comparative Testing of Six Antigen-Based Malaria Vaccine Candidates Directed Toward Merozoite-Stage Plasmodium falciparum▿

Immunogenicity testing of Plasmodium falciparum antigens being considered as malaria vaccine candidates was undertaken in rabbits. The antigens compared were recombinant baculovirus MSP-119 and five Pichia pastoris candidates, including two versions of MSP-119, AMA-1 (domains I and II), AMA-1+MSP-119, and fused AMA-1/MSP-119). Animals were immunized with equimolar amounts of each antigen, formulated in Montanide ISA720. The specificities and titers of antibodies were compared using immunofluorescence assays and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The antiparasite activity of immunoglobulin G (IgG) in in vitro cultures was determined by growth inhibition assay, flow cytometry, lactate dehydrogenase assay, and microscopy. Baculovirus MSP-119 immunizations produced the highest parasite-specific antibody titers in immunofluorescence assays. In ELISAs, baculovirus-produced MSP-119 induced more antibodies than any other single MSP-119 immunogen and three times more MSP-119 specific antibodies than the AMA-1/MSP-119 fusion. Antibodies induced by baculovirus MSP-119 gave the highest levels of growth inhibition in HB3 and 3D7 parasite cultures, followed by AMA-1+MSP-119 and the AMA-1/MSP-119 fusion. With the FCR3 isolate (homologous to the AMA-1 construct), antibodies to the three AMA-1-containing candidates gave the highest levels of growth inhibition at high IgG concentrations, but antibodies to baculovirus MSP-119 inhibited as well or better at lower IgG concentrations. The two P. pastoris-produced MSP-119-induced IgGs conferred the lowest growth inhibition. Comparative analysis of immunogenicity of vaccine antigens can be used to prioritize candidates before moving to expensive GMP production and clinical testing. The assays used have given discriminating readouts but it is not known whether any of them accurately reflect clinical protection