Exploring the Shifting Dynamics of Female Victimhood and Vocality in Poe and Pirkis

This essay will examine the detective fiction of Edgar Allan Poe (published between 1841 and 1844) in conjunction with Catherine Louisa Pirkis’ 1894 work The Experiences of Loveday Brooke, Lady Detective in terms of their diverging authorial approaches to narratives of detection. While Poe, writing in the years preceding the first significant mobilisation of American women towards the attainment of civil liberties, is credited with creating the figure of the male detective, Auguste Dupin, for whom the paradigms of detection rested on a gendered dichotomy between the actively logical masculine and the passive (and usually dead) feminine, Pirkis’ seminal collection introduces a female investigator, Loveday Brooke, whose successful appropriation of the detective role challenged these same paradigms. Although the temporal distance between Dupin and Brooke is considerable, both texts are significant in terms of the degree to which they establish or reinscribe the gendered parameters of canonical detective fiction

Knowledge and provision practices of misoprostol among pharmacies in Senegal

Marie Stopes International and the Population Council conducted a study on the knowledge and practice of misoprostol provision among pharmacy workers in Senegal, as part of the Strengthening Evidence for Programming on Unintended Pregnancy (STEP UP) research program. This study helped guide strategies for expanding provision and proper delivery in pharmacies of misoprostol, a drug which is highly effective and acceptable for treating postpartum hemorrhage and post-abortion complications. Amplified communication about the product can contribute to an increase in demand from providers in all sectors. However, as demand for the product increases, the supply chain must be strengthened to respond effectively and avoid shortages. The Ministry of Health has committed to working to ensure the availability of essential medicines, including misoprostol, and to train pharmacy workers to allow them to sell misoprostol safely for gynecological purposes

Genome assembly and visualization of aggressive wheat blast strain 16MoT01

Wheat blast, a highly destructive fungal disease caused by pathotype Magnaporthe oryzae Triticum, can cause up to 100% yield loss in wheat fields under optimal pathogen conditions. Until 2016, the disease had been confined to South America, but recent outbreaks of the disease in Asia and Africa threaten the global wheat supply. This study aims to characterize the genome structure of strain 16MoT01, which has proven to be particularly aggressive even towards wheat genotypes that have previously been resistant to blast. Genomic DNA from 16MoT01 was sequenced using Oxford Nanopore long read sequencing, assembled with Canu, and polished using Illumina reads, resulting in a finished chromosome-level assembly consisting of seven core-chromosomes, a mini-chromosome, and a mitochondrial genome. When compared to the reference genome of strain B71, the core-chromosomes show high similarity and the mini-chromosome shows a high level of divergence. The presence of mini-chromosomes will be confirmed through contour-clamped electric field (CHEF) gel electrophoresis. The CHEF protocol was developed using genomic DNA from a rice blast fungus. This assembly provides another reference genome and potential insights into what makes this strain so aggressive

Single-Use bioprocess containers: Raw material control strategy for optimal cell growth

There is an upward trend in the use of disposable containers for manufacturing biopharmaceuticals. Single-use systems offer several advantages such as increased flexibility, the elimination of cleaning procedures, and reduced capital expenditure. However, due to the plastic nature of these disposable bags, the materials of construction can be more complex than traditional stainless steel vessels. They are often made of films containing multiple layers of polymers with various additives for processing. There have been scientific reports of the inhibition of biopharmaceutical cell culture growth attributed to a leachate originating from an antioxidant commonly used in the plastic films of single-use bioprocess containers. In the current study, extractions were carried out at the different stages throughout the production of a single-use container from raw materials through to finished product in order to establish a comprehensive understanding of the origin of the leachate and the factors that influence its formation. The processing conditions used to manufacture the film were also assessed in the study. Both chemical analysis of extracts and cell culture growth performance were evaluated. The extraction profile of the single-use bioprocess container was found to be influenced by the raw materials, the film processing parameters, and container sterilization. The cell culture growth performance correlated to changes in the extraction profile throughout the production of the bioprocess containers. This comprehensive study demonstrates that the extraction profile of single-use bioprocess containers and the subsequent impact of the potential leachates on cell culture growth can be effectively controlled through implementation of risk management from raw material selection to container production

Electrodiagnostic tests are unlikely to change management in those with a known cause of typical distal symmetric polyneuropathy

Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/138297/1/mus25713_am.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/138297/2/mus25713.pd

Persistent Borrelia Infection in Patients with Ongoing Symptoms of Lyme Disease

Introduction: Lyme disease is a tickborne illness that generates controversy among medical providers and researchers. One of the key topics of debate is the existence of persistent infection with the Lyme spirochete, Borrelia burgdorferi, in patients who have been treated with recommended doses of antibiotics yet remain symptomatic. Persistent spirochetal infection despite antibiotic therapy has recently been demonstrated in non-human primates. We present evidence of persistent Borrelia infection despite antibiotic therapy in patients with ongoing Lyme disease symptoms. Methods: In this pilot study, culture of body fluids and tissues was performed in a randomly selected group of 12 patients with persistent Lyme disease symptoms who had been treated or who were being treated with antibiotics. Cultures were also performed on a group of ten control subjects without Lyme disease. The cultures were subjected to corroborative microscopic, histopathological and molecular testing for Borrelia organisms in four independent laboratories in a blinded manner. Results: Motile spirochetes identified histopathologically as Borrelia were detected in culture specimens, and these spirochetes were genetically identified as Borrelia burgdorferi by three distinct polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based approaches. Spirochetes identified as Borrelia burgdorferi were cultured from the blood of seven subjects, from the genital secretions of ten subjects, and from a skin lesion of one subject. Cultures from control subjects without Lyme disease were negative for Borrelia using these methods. Conclusions: Using multiple corroborative detection methods, we showed that patients with persistent Lyme disease symptoms may have ongoing spirochetal infection despite antibiotic treatment, similar to findings in non-human primates. The optimal treatment for persistent Borrelia infection remains to be determined

Knowledge and provision of misoprostol among pharmacy workers in Senegal: a cross sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Making misoprostol widely available for management of postpartum haemorrhage (PPH) and post abortion care (PAC) is essential for reducing maternal mortality. Private pharmacies (thereafter called "pharmacies") are integral in supplying medications to the general public in Senegal. In the case of misoprostol, pharmacies are also the main supplier to public providers and therefore have a key role in increasing its availability. This study seeks to understand knowledge and provision of misoprostol among pharmacy workers in Dakar, Senegal. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in Dakar, Senegal. 110 pharmacy workers were interviewed face-to-face to collect information on their knowledge and practice relating to the provision of misoprostol. RESULTS: There are low levels of knowledge about misoprostol uses, registration status, treatment regimens and side effects among pharmacy workers, and corresponding low levels of training on its uses for reproductive health. Provision of misoprostol was low; of the 72% (n = 79) of pharmacy workers who had heard of the product, 35% (n = 27) reported selling it, though rarely for reproductive health indications. Almost half (49%, n = 25) of the respondents who did not sell misoprostol expressed willingness to do so. The main reasons pharmacy workers gave for not selling the product included stock outs (due to product unavailability from the supplier), perceived lack of demand and unwillingness to stock an abortifacient. CONCLUSIONS: Knowledge and availability of misoprostol in pharmacies in Senegal is low, posing potential challenges for delivery of post-abortion care and obstetric care. Training is required to address low levels of knowledge of misoprostol registration and uses among pharmacy workers. Barriers that prevent pharmacy workers from stocking misoprostol, including weaknesses in the supply chain and stigmatisation of the product must be addressed. Low reported sales for reproductive health indications also suggest limited prescribing of the product by health providers. Further research is needed to explore the reasons for this barrier to misoprostol availability

Oppositional defiant disorder

Oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) is a disruptive behaviour disorder involving an ongoing pattern of angry/irritable mood, argumentative/defiant behaviour and vindictiveness. Onset is typically before 8 years of age, although ODD can be diagnosed in both children and adults. This disorder is associated with substantial social and economic burden, and childhood ODD is one of the most common precursors of other mental health problems that can arise across the lifespan. The population prevalence of ODD is ~3 to 5%. A higher prevalence in males than females has been reported, particularly before adolescence. No single risk factor accounts for ODD. The development of this disorder seems to arise from the interaction of genetic and environmental factors, and mechanisms embedded in social relationships are understood to contribute to its maintenance. The treatment of ODD is often successful, and relatively brief parenting interventions produce large sized treatment effects in early childhood. Accordingly, ODD represents an important focus for research, practice and policy concerning early intervention and prevention in mental health.</p

Inter-relationships among alternative definitions of feed efficiency in grazing lactating dairy cows

peer-reviewedInternational interest in feed efficiency, and in particular energy intake and residual energy intake (REI), is intensifying due to a greater global demand for animal-derived protein and energy sources. Feed efficiency is a trait of economic importance, and yet is overlooked in national dairy cow breeding goals. This is due primarily to a lack of accurate data on commercial animals, but also a lack of clarity on the most appropriate definition of the feed intake and utilization complex. The objective of the present study was to derive alternative definitions of energetic efficiency in grazing lactating dairy cows and to quantify the inter-relationships among these alternative definitions. Net energy intake (NEI) from pasture and concentrate intake was estimated up to 8 times per lactation for 2,693 lactations from 1,412 Holstein-Friesian cows. Energy values of feed were based on the French Net Energy system where 1 UFL is the net energy requirements for lactation equivalent of 1 kg of air-dry barley. A total of 8,183 individual feed intake measurements were available. Energy balance was defined as the difference between NEI and energy expenditure. Efficiency traits were either ratio-based or residual-based; the latter were derived from least squares regression models. Residual energy intake was defined as NEI minus predicted energy to fulfill the requirements for the various energy sinks. The energy sinks (e.g., NEL, metabolic live weight) and additional contributors to energy kinetics (e.g., live weight loss) combined, explained 59% of the variation in NEI, implying that REI represented 41% of the variance in total NEI. The most efficient 10% of test-day records, as defined by REI (n = 709), on average were associated with a 7.59 UFL/d less NEI (average NEI of the entire population was 16.23 UFL/d) than the least efficient 10% of test-day records based on REI (n = 709). Additionally, the most efficient 10% of test-day records, as defined by REI, were associated with superior energy conversion efficiency (ECE, i.e., NEL divided by NEI; ECE = 0.55) compared with the least efficient 10% of test-day records (ECE = 0.33). Moreover, REI was positively correlated with energy balance, implying that more negative REI animals (i.e., deemed more efficient) are expected to be, on average, in greater negative energy balance. Many of the correlations among the 14 defined efficiency traits differed from unity, implying that each trait is measuring a different aspect of efficiency.The authors gratefully acknowledge funding from the Irish Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine (Dublin, Ireland) Research Stimulus Fund project GENCOST, and funding from the Marie Curie project International Research Staff Exchange Scheme SEQSE

Characteristics of feed efficiency within and across lactation in dairy cows and the effect of genetic selection

peer-reviewedThe objective of the present study was to investigate the phenotypic inter- and intra-relationships within and among alternative feed efficiency metrics across different stages of lactation and parities; the expected effect of genetic selection for feed efficiency on the resulting phenotypic lactation profiles was also quantified. A total of 8,199 net energy intake (NEI) test-day records from 2,505 lactations on 1,290 cows were used. Derived efficiency traits were either ratio based or residual based; the latter were derived from least squares regression models. Residual energy intake (REI) was defined as NEI minus predicted energy requirements based on lactation performance; residual energy production (REP) was defined as net energy for lactation minus predicted energy requirements based on lactation performance. Energy conversion efficiency was defined as net energy for lactation divided by NEI. Pearson phenotypic correlations among traits were computed across lactation stages and parities, and the significance of the differences was determined using the Fisher r-to-z transformation. Sources of variation in the feed efficiency metrics were investigated using linear mixed models, which included the fixed effects of contemporary group, breed, parity, stage of lactation, and the 2-way interaction of parity by stage of lactation. With the exception of REI, parity was associated with all efficiency and production traits. Stage of lactation, as well as the 2-way interaction of parity by stage of lactation, were associated with all efficiency and production traits. Phenotypic correlations among the efficiency and production traits differed not only by stage of lactation but also by parity. For example, the strong phenotypic correlation between REI and energy balance (EB; 0.89) for cows in parity 3 or greater and early lactation was weaker for parity 1 cows at the same lactation stage (0.81), suggesting primiparous cows use the ingested energy for both milk production and growth. Nonetheless, these strong phenotypic correlations between REI and EB suggested negative REI animals (i.e., more efficient) are also in more negative EB. These correlations were further supported when assessing the effect on phenotypic performance of animals genetically divergent for feed intake and efficiency based on parental average. Animals genetically selected to have lower REI resulted in cows who consumed less NEI but were also in negative EB throughout the entire lactation. Nonetheless, such repercussions of negative EB do not imply that selection for negative REI (as defined here) should not be practiced, but instead should be undertaken within the framework of a balanced breeding objective, which includes traits such as reproduction and health.Funding from the Irish Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine (Dublin, Ireland) Research Stimulus Fund project Genetics of cost production traits (GENCOST), and funding from the Horizon 2020 Marie Curie project International Research Staff Exchange Scheme Global cooperation to develop next generation whole genome sequence selection tools for novel traits (SEQSEL) are greatly appreciated