Engaging Disadvantaged Youth in the Creative Process

Public Practice is vital for personal and cultural development and it connects individuals to the larger world. Art enables creative exploration, helps build confidence, and enables children in disadvantaged schools to take part in a positive creative process that subsequently affects their school, community, and ability to take control of their future. As more research is conducted in this field, researchers are finding that art levels the "learning field" across socio-economic boundaries, improves student retention and reduces the achievement gap

The Old English Herbal in Cotton Ms. Vitellius C. iii : Studies

Even for experts in the field, early English medicine seems to present difficulties. For the uninitiated, it is a trackless jungle. . . the field of medical and other scientific vernacular manuscripts is still a Yukon territory crying out for exploitation.The MS. designated Vitellius C. iii in the Cotton Collection of the British Museum contains an Old English trans­ lation of a medical complex based upon the Herbarium of the Pseudo-Apuleius. This study is concerned with that herbal complex (f. ll-82v) and with an investigation of the full­ page illustrations in the complex to determine if they can provide any clues toward the solution of some of the vexing problems posed by this MS. No detailed study dealing with the MS., its position in the tradition, and its use has been made in this century. The only published complete edition of the herbal complex appears in Volume I of Leechdoms, Wortcunning and Starcraft of Early England, ed. Thomas O. Cockayne, Rolls Series, Vol. 35 (London, 1864) . This work has recently been re-issued (London, 1961) with a new Introduction by Charles Singer. Problems inhering in the reprint will be discussed below; suffice it to say at this point that Cockayne’s original work and Introduction are still important and will continue to be useful. The first 132 plant chapters of the Herbal were edited again by A. J. G. Hilbelink as Cotton MS Vitellius C III of the Herbarium Apuleii, Academisch Proefschrift (Amsterdam, 1930). Her edi­tion is a collation of the MS. in question with the sister MSS. Bodleian Hatton 76 and B. M. Harley 585; it has the briefest of introductions, but a number of grammatical tables are appended. Recently a number of scholars have undertaken further work with the codex. The Herbal is scheduled for pub­lication in the series Early English Manuscripts in Facsimile, and two dissertation projects dealing with this MS. have been undertaken. The absence of any attempt to synthesize the various approaches to this MS. may be the result of the nature of the classical and medieval herbal. The herbal is a phenomenon with no modern parallels, and modern scholarly disciplines tend to distort our view of it. Historians of medicine and of science, particularly pre-Linnean botany, deal with the herbal tradition and this MS. as evidence of the state of their sciences at a particular time. Art historians are con­ cerned with the tradition and the MS. from the standpoint of the survival of classical art and from the standpoint of the development of plant portrayal from naturalistic to ornamental representation. Paleographers and codicologists assess the textual problems of the many extant MSS. of the Herbarium Apulei in both Latin and the vernacular languages. Students of Old English language and literature find Cotton Vitellius C. iii of particular interest not merely because it is the source of most of our knowledge of the Anglo-Saxon's plant vocabulary, but also because it is witness to the existence of a secular classical tradition in Anglo-Saxon England and be­ cause it tells something about the nature and function of a secular codex in England before the Conquest. Unfortunately, many of these approaches, by their modern frames of reference, impede our understanding of a herbal complex. In this study I intend to draw on these various approaches to Vitellius C. iii in order to assess our current knowledge regarding the codex, the herbal tradition, the position of the OE MSS. in that tradition, and the uses of such a codex. I intend also to deal with details concerning the MS. which have been hitherto overlooked, particularly those concerning the full-page illustrations.--Introduction.Gatch, Milton McC.Includes bibliographical references

Die genetische Variante c.131C>T im humanen SPG4-Gen: Entwicklung eines Detektionsverfahrens und Ermittlung der Prävalenz in Familien mit einer Hereditären Spastischen Paraplegie und in Kontrollindividuen

Die hereditäre spastische Paraplegie ist eine heterogene Gruppe der neurodegenerativen Erkrankungen. Die Hauptgruppe bildet die SPG4-assozierte autosomal dominante Form der HSP. Eine der wenigen Basensubstitutionen, die zu einem Aminosäureaustausch am N´-Terminus des Genprodukts Spastin führen, ist der Nukleotidaustausch c.131C>T (p.44S>L). Im Rahmen der dieser Arbeit wurde ein sicheres und schnelles, RFLP-basiertes Detektionsverfahren entwickelt und etabliert, mit dessen Hilfe ermittelt werden konnte, dass es sich bei dem c.131T-Allel um einen seltenen Polymorphismus handelt (Prävalenz 1,43 %). Durch Stammbaumanalysen konnten weitere Hinweise für einen modifizierenden Effekt des c.131T-Allels auf den Phänotyp einer HSP ermittelt werden. Heterozygote c.131TAllelträger, die eine krankheitsverursachende SPG4-Mutation in trans geerbt haben, sind auch in dieser Arbeit früher und schwerer an einer HSP erkrankt, während heterozygote c.131T-Träger nicht betroffen sind; der Nukleotidaustausch wird unabhängig von einer HSP vererbt

Extracorporeal cytokine adsorption reduces systemic cytokine storm and improves graft function in lung transplantation

OBJECTIVES Ischemia-reperfusion injury often coincides with a cytokine storm, which can result in primary graft dysfunction following lung transplantation. Our previous research has demonstrated allograft improvement by cytokine adsorption during ex vivo lung perfusion. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of in vivo extracorporeal cytokine adsorption in a large animal model. MATERIALS AND METHODS Pig left lung transplantation was performed following 24 hours of cold ischemic storage. Observation period after transplantation was 24 hours. In the treatment group (n = 6), extracorporeal CytoSorb adsorption was started 30 minutes before reperfusion and continued for 6 hours. A control group (n = 3) did not receive adsorber treatment. RESULTS During adsorption, we consistently noticed a significant decrease in plasma proinflammatory interleukin (IL)-2, trends of less proinflammatory, tumor necrosis factor- α, IL-1α, and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor as well as significantly reduced systemic neutrophils. In addition, a significantly lower peak airway pressure was detected during the 6 hours of adsorption. After 24 hours of observation, when evaluating the left lung allograft independently, we observed significantly improved CO2 removal, partial pressure of oxygen/inspired oxygen fraction ratio, and less acidosis in the treatment group. At autopsy, bronchoalveolar lavage results exhibited significantly lower recruitment of cells and less pro-inflammatory IL-1α, IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-8 in the treatment group. Histologically, the treatment group had a strong trend, indicating less neutrophil invasion into the alveolar space. CONCLUSIONS Based on our findings, cytokine adsorption during and after reperfusion is a viable approach to reducing posttransplant inflammation following lung transplantation. CytoSorb may increase the acceptance of extended criteria donor lungs, which are more susceptible to ischemia-reperfusion injury

The effects of resistance training on well-being and memory in elderly volunteers

Objective: to determine the short- and long-term effects of resistance training on muscle strength, psychological well-being, control-beliefs, cognitive speed and memory in normally active elderly people. Methods: 46 elderly people (mean age 73.2 years; 18 women and 28 men), were randomly assigned to training and control groups (n = 23 each). Pre- and post-tests were administered 1 week before and 1 week after the 8-week training intervention. The training sessions, performed once a week, consisted of a 10 min warm-up phase and eight resistance exercises on machines. Results: there was a significant increase in maximum dynamic strength in the training group. This training effect was associated with a significant decrease in self-attentiveness, which is known to enhance psychological well-being. No significant changes could be observed in control-beliefs. Modest effects on cognitive functioning occurred with the training procedure: although there were no changes in cognitive speed, significant pre/post-changes could be shown in free recall and recognition in the experimental group. A post-test comparison between the experimental group and control group showed a weak effect for recognition but no significant differences in free recall. Significant long-term effects were found in the training group for muscular strength and memory performance (free recall) 1 year later. Conclusion: an 8-week programme of resistance training lessens anxiety and self-attentiveness and improves muscle strengt

Kidney Retransplantation after Graft Failure: Variables Influencing Long-Term Survival

Background: There is an increasing demand for kidney retransplantation. Most studies report inferior outcomes compared to primary transplantation, consequently feeding an ethical dilemma in the context of chronic organ shortage. Objective: To assess variables influencing long-term graft survival after kidney retransplantation. Material and Methods. All patients transplanted at our center between 2000 and 2016 were analyzed retrospectively. Survival was estimated with the Kaplan-Meier method, and risk factors were identified using multiple Cox regression. Results: We performed 1,376 primary kidney transplantations and 222 retransplantations. The rate of retransplantation was 67.8% after the first graft loss, with a comparable 10-year graft survival compared to primary transplantation (67% vs. 64%, p=0.104) but an inferior graft survival thereafter (log-rank p=0.026). Independent risk factors for graft survival in retransplantation were age ≥ 50 years, time on dialysis ≥1 year, previous graft survival <2 years, ≥1 mild comorbidity in the Charlson-Deyo index, active smoking, and life-threatening complications (Clavien-Dindo grade IV) at first transplantation. Conclusion: Graft survival is comparable for first and second kidney transplantation within the first 10 years. Risk factors for poor outcomes after retransplantation are previous graft survival, dialysis time after graft failure, recipient age, comorbidities, and smoking. Patients with transplant failure should have access to retransplantation as early as possible

Lung transplantation for emphysema: impact of age on short- and long-term survival†

OBJECTIVES Overall, emphysema (EMP) is the most common indication for lung transplantation. The majority of patients present with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and less frequently with alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (A1ATD). We analysed the results of lung transplants performed for EMP in order to identify the impact of age on short- and long-term outcome. METHODS A retrospective analysis was undertaken of the 108 consecutive lung transplants for EMP performed at our institution from November 1992 to August 2013 (77 COPD, 31 A1ATD). Retransplantations were excluded. RESULTS The median age was 56 years (range 31-68). Thirty-day mortality rate was 3.7%. One- and 5-year survival rates in COPD and A1ATD recipients were comparable (P = 0.8). The 1- and 5-year survival rates for recipients aged <60 years old were significantly better than the age group of ≥60 years (91 and 79 vs 84 and 54%, P = 0.05). Since 2007, the 1- and 5-year survival for these two age groups were 96 and 92 vs 86 and 44%, respectively, P = 0.04, log-rank test). For the following parameters, we were not able to find any difference to affect survival rates: use of intraoperative extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, waiting list time, sex, graft size reduction, body mass index and diagnosis. In multivariate analysis, age at transplantation (≥60 years old) (HR 2.854; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.338-6.08, P = 0.008) and unilateral lung transplantation (HR 15.2; 95% CI 3.2-71.9, P = 0.009) were independent risk factors for mortality. CONCLUSIONS COPD and A1ATD recipients have similar overall long-term survival. Recipients aged ≥60 years and unilateral lung transplants were risk factors for mortalit

Survival After Lung Transplantation for Chronic Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis: Results From a Large International Cohort Study

Repeated exposure to antigens via inhalation is the primary cause of hypersensitivity pneumonitis, a form of interstitial pneumonia. The chronic form of hypersensitivity pneumonitis leads to progressive loss of respiratory function; lung transplantation is the only therapeutic option for chronically ill patients. The ESTS Lung Transplantation Working Group conducted a retrospective multicentred cohort study to increase the body of knowledge available on this rare indication for lung transplantation. Data were collected for every patient who underwent lung transplant for hypersensitivity pneumonitis in participating centres between December 1996 and October 2019. Primary outcome was overall survival; secondary outcome was freedom from chronic lung allograft dysfunction. A total of 114 patients were enrolled from 9 centres. Almost 90% of patients were diagnosed with hypersensitivity pneumonitis before transplantation, yet the antigen responsible for the infection was identified in only 25% of cases. Eighty per cent of the recipients received induction therapy. Survival at 1, 3, and 5 years was 85%, 75%, and 70%, respectively. 85% of the patients who survived 90 days after transplantation were free from chronic lung allograft dysfunction after 3 years. The given study presents a large cohort of HP patients who underwent lung transplants. Overall survival rate is higher in transplanted hypersensitivity pneumonitis patients than in those suffering from any other interstitial lung diseases. Hypersensitivity pneumonitis patients are good candidates for lung transplantation