Haunted Bodies: Cell Switching, Getting Lost and Adaptive Geographies

This article proposes the ideas of stochastic resonance and noise as devices with which to think of the body or self as plural and porous. Boundaries and surfaces are proposed as indefinite; cell switching and narratives of the self are discussed in relation to external forces, via Arendt’s inter-subjectivity and La Celca’s colonization as infection. The sonic artwork Ghost, which uses models of spiking neurons to materialize endogenous and exogenous composition in relation to noise and sonic memory is presented as an exploration of the boundary or limit of the notion of self. This paper, which serves as a cogitatum (a force) rather than cognitio (the result), articulates the human body as a complex and open system that steers towards chaos by adapting and accepting further complexity as, and within, constantly adaptive networks of creativity. We suggest that by focusing on the porosity of boundaries and the mechanisms that underlie their permeability, problems around identity and subjectivity might be seen in a new light

Hyperadrenocorticism in the Domestic Ferret

Domestic ferrets (Mustela putorius furo) are becoming increasingly common in the United States. They are very popular as household pets and are also used in large numbers as research animals. With the increase in ferret numbers, there has been a corresponding increase in the number and frequency of diseases described. Neoplastic conditions are at the top of the list of problems occurring in ferrets found in the United States. An exceedingly common condition is adrenal disease as a result of adrenocortical hyperplasia, adenoma, or adenocarcinoma. These conditions present as the same clinical syndrome and anyone examining ferrets in a veterinary setting can expect to see many cases of adrenal disease

CONTRIBUTIONS OF NONALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES TO THE U.S. DIET

This report analyzes consumer demand and nutritional issues associated with nonalcoholic beverages purchased for at-home use by looking at demographic variables such as household size, household income, education level, and region. The beverages include milk, carbonated soft drinks, bottled water, fruit juices, fruit drinks, coffee, tea, and isotonics (sports drinks). The report's focus is on the impact of nutritional quality from beverage purchase choices that a household makes, looking at the household's availability of calories, calcium, vitamin C, and caffeine from these beverage choices. Using the Daily Values on the Nutrition Facts portion of the food label as a reference, we find that nonalcoholic beverages purchased for at-home consumption provided, on a per-person basis: 10 percent of daily value for calories; 20 percent of the daily value for calcium; 70 percent of daily value for vitamin C. Statistical analyses included the use of descriptive cross-tabulations and regression analyses, with profiles of households that were more or less likely to purchase the beverages, as well as key determinants associated with the probability of purchasing selected beverages.nonalcoholic beverages, nutrient intake, cross-tabulations, regression analyses, probit analyses, Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety,

Growth and Localization of Polyhydroxybutyrate Granules in Ralstonia eutropha

The bacterium Ralstonia eutropha forms cytoplasmic granules of polyhydroxybutyrate that are a source of biodegradable thermoplastic. While much is known about the biochemistry of polyhydroxybutyrate production, the cell biology of granule formation and growth remains unclear. Previous studies have suggested that granules form either in the inner membrane, on a central scaffold, or in the cytoplasm. Here we used electron cryotomography to monitor granule genesis and development in 3 dimensions (3-D) in a near-native, “frozen-hydrated” state in intact Ralstonia eutropha cells. Neither nascent granules within the cell membrane nor scaffolds were seen. Instead, granules of all sizes resided toward the center of the cytoplasm along the length of the cell and exhibited a discontinuous surface layer more consistent with a partial protein coating than either a lipid mono- or bilayer. Putatively fusing granules were also seen, suggesting that small granules are continually generated and then grow and merge. Together, these observations support a model of biogenesis wherein granules form in the cytoplasm coated not by phospholipid but by protein. Previous thin-section electron microscopy (EM), fluorescence microscopy, and atomic force microscopy (AFM) results to the contrary may reflect both differences in nucleoid condensation and specimen preparation-induced artifacts

Sphingosine 1-phosphate enhances the excitability of rat sensory neurons through activation of sphingosine 1-phosphate receptors 1 and/or 3

BACKGROUND: Sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) is a bioactive sphingolipid that acts through a family of five G-protein-coupled receptors (S1PR1-5) and plays a key role in regulating the inflammatory response. Our previous studies demonstrated that rat sensory neurons express the mRNAs for all five S1PRs and that S1P increases neuronal excitability primarily, but not exclusively, through S1PR1. This raises the question as to which other S1PRs mediate the enhanced excitability. METHODS: Isolated sensory neurons were treated with either short-interfering RNAs (siRNAs) or a variety of pharmacological agents targeted to S1PR1/R2/R3 to determine the role(s) of these receptors in regulating neuronal excitability. The excitability of isolated sensory neurons was assessed by using whole-cell patch-clamp recording to measure the capacity of these cells to fire action potentials (APs). RESULTS: After siRNA treatment, exposure to S1P failed to augment the excitability. Pooled siRNA targeted to S1PR1 and R3 also blocked the enhanced excitability produced by S1P. Consistent with the siRNA results, pretreatment with W146 and CAY10444, selective antagonists for S1PR1 and S1PR3, respectively, prevented the S1P-induced increase in neuronal excitability. Similarly, S1P failed to augment excitability after pretreatment with either VPC 23019, which is a S1PR1 and R3 antagonist, or VPC 44116, the phosphonate analog of VPC 23019. Acute exposure (10 to 15 min) to either of the well-established functional antagonists, FTY720 or CYM-5442, produced a significant increase in the excitability. Moreover, after a 1-h pretreatment with FTY720 (an agonist for S1PR1/R3/R4/R5), neither SEW2871 (S1PR1 selective agonist) nor S1P augmented the excitability. However, after pretreatment with CYM-5442 (selective for S1PR1), SEW2871 was ineffective, but S1P increased the excitability of some, but not all, sensory neurons. CONCLUSIONS: These results demonstrate that the enhanced excitability produced by S1P is mediated by activation of S1PR1 and/or S1PR3

Carlsberg alibi marketing in the UEFA Euro 2016 football finals: implications of Probably inappropriate alcohol advertising

Background: Alcohol advertising is a key driver of alcohol consumption, and is prohibited in France by the Loi Evin. In 2016 the Danish brewer Carlsberg sponsored the UEFA Euro 2016 finals, held in France, and used the alibis ‘Probably’ and ‘…the best in the world’ in place of Carlsberg in pitch-side advertising. We have quantified the advertising exposure achieved during the final seven games in the UEFA Euro 2016 championship. Methods: Appearances of the Carlsberg alibis ‘Probably’ and ‘the best in the world’ were counted and timed to the nearest second during all active play in live coverage of quarter final, semi-final and final matches broadcast in the UK. We used census data and viewing figures from Kantar Media to estimate gross and per capita impressions of these advertisements in the UK population. Results: In 796 minutes, 29 seconds of active play there were 746 alibi appearances, totalling 68 minutes 35 seconds duration and representing 8.6% of active playing time. Appearances were particularly frequent at the end of normal time, extra time and penalties. The seven matches delivered up to 7.43 billion Carlsberg alibi impressions to UK adults and 163.3 million to children. In the only match involving a second country with laws prohibiting alcohol advertising (France versus Iceland), exposure occurred for only 1.8% of playing time. Conclusions: Alibi marketing achieved significant advertising coverage during the final seven EURO 2016 championship games, particularly to children. Since ‘Probably’ is registered by Carlsberg as a wordmark this advertising appears to contravene the Loi Evin, though Carlsberg have defended their marketing actions

The future of post-reproductive health: The role of the Internet, the Web, information provision and access

The World Wide Web celebrated its 25th birthday in 2014. In those 25 years, the Web has evolved from static websites (Web 1.0) to a highly complex dynamic system (Web 3.0) with health information processing one of the primary uses. Until now, the western biomedical paradigm has been effective in delivering healthcare, but this model is not positioned to tackle the complex challenges facing healthcare today. These challenges have arisen by increasing healthcare demands across the world, exacerbated by an ageing population, increased lifespan and chronic conditions. To meet these needs, a ‘biopsychosocial’ shift from reactive to proactive health is necessary with a patient-centric emphasis (personalised, preventative, participatory and predictive) that includes ‘gender-specific medicine’. The management of the menopause, part of post-reproductive health, requires a life-course approach as it provides a framework for achieving a women’s preferred health outcome. Surveys from www.menopausematters.co.uk have consistently shown that women do not feel informed enough to make decisions regarding Hormone Replacement Therapy and alternative therapies. Health professionals must meet this challenge. The recently published National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidance on the diagnosis and management of the menopause highlights the need for tailored information provision. The Internet underpinned by the academic disciplines of Health Web Science and Medicine 2.0 has potential to facilitate this shift to biopsychosocial medicine and tailored information within a life-course framework. The concept of Health Web Observatories and their potential benefit to a life-course approach using tools such as www.managemymenopause.co.uk is discussed

Positioning Dispositions in Initial Teacher Education: An Action Research Approach

In spite of debate, ambiguity, and tension around teacher dispositions, in the past over two decades, the place of dispositions in initial teacher education (ITE) has been widely supported among policy makers and researchers. Specifically, debate on whether dispositions are teachable has largely given way to action to foster dispositions. Adopting a two-cycle participatory action research design, this study explored ways to teach the first-year teacher candidates’ dispositions in an early childhood ITE programme in New Zealand. The intervention included eight focus dispositions and corresponding strategies to teach each focus disposition. Data collection methods included student self-assessment surveys, individual and focus group interviews with students and teaching staff, team meetings, and a variety of pedagogical documentation. Ethnographic content analysis generated three themes: legitimacy of the intervention, experiential orientation of the intervention, and effect of the intervention. The study exemplifies how dispositions intervention can be incorporated in ITE programmes