The subject of exemption: through discourses of normalization and individualization in Denmark

This article examines the constructions of the deviant subject in Danish Foucauldian educational research. Following the work of Foucault, we argue that the deviant subject, on the one hand, could be considered as a subject of exemption. In this case, exemption is deduced from Foucault’s understanding of the relation between normality and deviancy. On the other hand, an examination of Danish Foucauldian disability research shows that this conception of ‘the deviant subject’ has changed over time. Hence, the present expectations of ‘the disabled’ are – more or less – influenced by contemporary discourses of general education. Thus, this article argues that Foucauldian disability studies could benefit from taking into account Foucauldian research in the field of general education. Until recently, the two research fields have been mutually isolated

Oxygen restriction increases the infective potential of Listeria monocytogenes in vitro in Caco-2 cells and in vivo in guinea pigs

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Listeria monocytogenes has been implicated in several food borne outbreaks as well as sporadic cases of disease. Increased understanding of the biology of this organism is important in the prevention of food borne listeriosis.</p> <p>The infectivity of <it>Listeria monocytogenes </it>ScottA, cultivated with and without oxygen restriction, was compared in <it>vitro </it>and <it>in vivo</it>. Fluorescent protein labels were applied to allow certain identification of <it>Listeria </it>cells from untagged bacteria in <it>in vivo </it>samples, and to distinguish between cells grown under different conditions in mixed infection experiments.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Infection of Caco-2 cells revealed that <it>Listeria </it>cultivated under oxygen-restricted conditions were approximately 100 fold more invasive than similar cultures grown without oxygen restriction. This was observed for exponentially growing bacteria, as well as for stationary-phase cultures.</p> <p>Oral dosage of guinea pigs with <it>Listeria </it>resulted in a significantly higher prevalence (p < 0.05) of these bacteria in jejunum, liver and spleen four and seven days after challenge, when the bacterial cultures had been grown under oxygen-restricted conditions prior to dosage. Additionally, a 10–100 fold higher concentration of <it>Listeria </it>in fecal samples was observed after dosage with oxygen-restricted bacteria. These differences were seen after challenge with single <it>Listeria </it>cultures, as well as with a mixture of two cultures grown with and without oxygen restriction.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Our results show for the first time that the environmental conditions to which <it>L. monocytogenes </it>is exposed prior to ingestion are decisive for its <it>in vivo </it>infective potential in the gastrointestinal tract after passage of the gastric barrier. This is highly relevant for safety assessment of this organism in food.</p

Dietary xylo-oligosaccharide stimulates intestinal bifidobacteria and lactobacilli but has limited effect on intestinal integrity in rats.

BACKGROUND: Consumption of prebiotics may modulate gut microbiota, subsequently affecting the bacterial composition, metabolite profile, and human health. Previous studies indicate that also changes in intestinal integrity may occur. In order to explore this further we have investigated the effect of the putative prebiotic xylo-oligosaccharides (XOS) on the gut microbiota and intestinal integrity in male Wistar rats. As changes in intestinal integrity may be related to the expected bifidogenic effect of XOS, we additionally addressed effects of supplementation with a commensal Bifidobacterium pseudolongum (BIF) isolated from the same breed of laboratory rats. RESULTS: Changes in faecal and caecal bacterial composition determined by 16S rRNA gene sequencing and quantitative PCR for selected bacterial groups revealed that the overall bacterial composition did not differ markedly between the control (CON), XOS, and BIF groups, when correcting for multiple comparisons. However as hypothesised, the relative abundance of Bifidobacterium spp. was increased in XOS-fed rats as compared to CON in faecal samples after the intervention. Also Lactobacillus spp. was increased in both the XOS and BIF groups in caecum content compared to CON. Intestinal permeability determined in vivo by FITC-dextran permeability and in vitro using extracted caecum water in trans-epithelial resistance (TER) assay showed no effect on intestinal integrity in either the XOS or the BIF groups. However, the expression of occludin, which is part of the tight junction complex, was increased in the XOS group compared to the CON group. CONCLUSIONS: Supplementation with XOS or a commensal Bifidobacterium pseudolongum had very limited effects on intestinal integrity in rats as only significant change in expression of a single tight junction protein gene was found for the XOS group

Complications 15 years after breast augmentation with polyacrylamide

AbstractPolyacrylamide hydrogel (PAAG) has been used as an injectable, permanent filler for soft-tissue augmentation for more than two decades. Several complications have been reported worldwide. In this case report, we present a woman with long-term complications 15 years after bilateral breast augmentation with PAAG injections

Construction of a multiple fluorescence labelling system for use in co-invasion studies of Listeria monocytogenes

BACKGROUND: Existing virulence models are often difficult to apply for quantitative comparison of invasion potentials of Listeria monocytogenes. Well-to-well variation between cell-line based in vitro assays is practically unavoidable, and variation between individual animals is the cause of large deviations in the observed capacity for infection when animal models are used. One way to circumvent this problem is to carry out virulence studies as competition assays between 2 or more strains. This, however, requires invasion-neutral markers that enable easy discrimination between the different strains. RESULTS: A fluorescent marker system, allowing visualization and identification of single L. monocytogenes cells as well as colonies in a non-destructive manner, was developed. Five different fluorescent labels are available, and allowed simultaneous visual discrimination between three differently labelled strains at the single cell level by use of fluorescence microscopy. More than 90% of the L. monocytogenes host cells maintained the fluorescence tags for 40 generations. The fluorescence tags did not alter the invasive capacity of the L. monocytogenes cells in a traditional Caco-2 cell invasion assay, and visual discrimination between invaded bacteria carrying different fluorescent labels inside the cells was possible. CONCLUSION: The constructed fluorescent marker system is stable, easy to use, does not affect the virulence of L. monocytogenes in Caco-2 cell assays, and allows discrimination between differently labelled bacteria after internalization in these cells

Masculinising testosterone treatment and effects on preclinical cardiovascular disease, muscle strength and power, aggression, physical fitness and respiratory function in transgender men : protocol for a 10-year, prospective, observational cohort study in Denmark at the Body Identity Clinic (BIC)

Introduction The number of individuals with gender dysphoria seeking gender-affirming treatment is increasing. The short-term and long-term effects of masculinising treatment with testosterone are debated as serum testosterone increases up to 20-fold compared with cisgender women. We will investigate short-term and long-term effects of masculinising testosterone treatment on preclinical and clinical coronary disease, muscle strength and power, oxygen consumption (VO2) max, cardiac and respiratory function and quality of life including aggression in transgender men. Methods and analyses Prospective, single-centre, observational cohort study at the Body Identity Clinic (BIC), Odense University Hospital, Denmark. Investigations are performed at inclusion and following 1, 3, 5 and 10 years of testosterone therapy. Non-calcified coronary plaque volume and calcium score are estimated by coronary CT angiography. CT is only performed at inclusion and following 1 and 10 years. Upper body muscle strength and power are measured by a 'low row' weight stack resisted exercise machine. Evaluation of aggression and quality of life is assessed by questionnaires, VO2 max is estimated by maximal testing on bike ergometer, and cardiac and respiratory functions are measured by echocardiography and spirometry, respectively. Markers of cardiovascular risk and inflammation and also cortisol and cortisone are assessed in blood, diurnal urine and/or hair samples. Our cohort (BIC), including dropouts, will be an embedded subcohort in a future national registry study in all individuals with gender dysphoria and controls. Data are available on International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems 10(th) version diagnostic codes, prescriptions, socioeconomics and causes of death. Ethics and dissemination The Regional Committee on Health Research Ethics for Southern Denmark (S-20190108) and the Danish Data Protection Agency (19/27572) approved the study. Signed informed consent will be obtained from all participants. All findings will be published in peer-reviewed journals or at scientific conferences