Lawful residence rather than the possession of a particular passport should generate the right to vote

In this post Dr. Heather Green, Senior Lecturer, considers the law setting the franchise for the referendum on the UK’s membership of the European Union, which takes place on 23 June of this year. She argues that lawful residence should determine the right to vote, rather than the possession of a UK passport

Casting No Shadow: Overlapping Soilscapes of European-Indigenous Interaction in Northern Sweden

The Sámi’s past activities have been documented historically from a European perspective, and more recently from an anthropological viewpoint, giving a generalised observation of the Sámi, during the study period of AD200-AD1800, as semi-nomadic hunter gatherers, with several theories suggesting that interaction with Europeans, through trade, led to the adoption of European activities by certain groups of the Sámi (Eiermann, 1923; Paine, 1957; Manker and Vorren, 1962; Bratrein, 1981; Mathiesen et al, 1981; Meriot, 1984). However, there is almost no information on the impact the Sámi had on the landscape, either before or after any adoption of European activities, and none investigating what cultural footprint or indicators would remain from Sámi or European occupation and/or activity within the typically podzolic soils of Northern Sweden. Consequently the thesis aims to contribute to the gap in knowledge through the formation of a podzol model identifying the links between anthropogenic activity and the alteration of podzol soils, and through the creation of soils based models which identify the cultural indicators associated with both Sámi and European activity; formed from the identification of cultural indicators retained within known Sámi and European sites. The methods used to obtain the information needed to achieve this were the pH and magnetic susceptibility from bulk soil samples and micromorphological and chemical analysis of thin section slides through the use of standard microscopy and X-ray fluorescence from a scanning electron microscope. The analysis revealed that the Sámi had an extremely low impact on the landscape, leaving hard to detect cultural indicators related to reindeer herding in the form of reindeer faecal material with corresponding phosphorous peaks in the thin section slides. The European footprint however, was markedly different and very visible even within the acidic soil environment. The European indicators were cultivation based and included phosphorous and aluminium peaks as well as a deepened, highly homogenised plaggen style anthropogenic topsoil rich in ‘added’ materials. An abandoned European site which visibly and chemically shows the formation of a secondary albic horizon within the anthropogenic topsoil also provides an insight into the delicate balance of cultivated soil in northern Sweden, whilst reinforcing the outputs identified in the podzol model. Due to the almost invisible Sámi footprint on the landscape, areas of overlap were impossible to identify however, there was no evidence of the adoption of European cultivation activities at any of the Sámi sites investigated. The only known area of interaction between the two cultures was an official market place which had been a Sámi winter settlement prior to its use as a market site. This site showed none of the reindeer based Sámi indicators or the cultivation based European indicators, but did contain pottery fragments which could be linked to trade or occupation. Overall, the thesis reinforces the low impact expected of the semi-nomadic Sámi and sheds light on the underlying podzolic processes influencing the anthropogenically modified soils of Northern Sweden. The podzol model is reinforced by several findings throughout the thesis and the soils based cultural indicator models for both Sámi and European activity have been successfully tested against independent entomological and palynological data and therefore provide reliable reference material for future studies

An Examination of Seasonal Growth and Survivorship of \u3ci\u3eSigmodon hispidus\u3c/i\u3e in Southeastern Virginia

A reexamination of specific population dynamic aspects of Sigmodon hispidus, the hispid cotton rat, is necessary in order to gain additional knowledge and perspective on this species in its northernmost distribution on the east coast of the United States. Previous studies of Virginia cotton rats were based on data from necropsies, which do not allow for the determination of certain population characteristics, such as density, growth, and survival. General population trends and rates of growth and survival in males and females throughout the seasons in Virginia will also provide a basis for comparison with populations of cotton rats in other parts of its range. A monthly mark-and-recapture study was conducted in an old field in Chesapeake, Virginia, between December 2002 and March 2005 to elucidate these aspects of the population, as well as to confirm previous reproductive patterns for this geographic region. Annual population density in this study is similar to that observed in other northern populations of cotton rats. However, slight bimodal distributions also began to surface, which are more common in southern distributions of this species. Current patterns of reproduction were not significantly different from those previously reported in Virginia and were similar to patterns in northern portions of the species\u27 range. Highest rates of growth were present in the summer, while winter exhibited the lowest rates of growth. Previous Virginia studies have suggested males have the ability to gain mass over the winter months. Although positive winter growth in males was observed in this study, nil or negative growth was just as common. Higher rates of survival were present in the spring and autumn, while lowest rates of survival were in summer and winter and were influenced by energetic and environmental stresses, as well as other intrinsic population factors. Newly collected winter data reveal that winter growth and survivorship in cotton rats are very similar to trends observed in Kansas populations located at the same latitude. The new information from this study helps to better understand why different geographic populations exhibit differences in body size and other population characteristics and the relevant forces of selection promoting these patterns

The Development of Diagnostic Immunoassays for Melioidosis and Ebola Virus Disease

Burkholderia pseudomallei and five species of Ebola virus (EBOV) are the causative agents of melioidosis and Ebola virus disease (EVD), respectively. Melioidosis and EVD are deadly infectious diseases with high mortality rates. Furthermore, both pathogens are regulated under the United States of America Federal Select Agent Program due to their potential to be used in bioterrorism. Early diagnosis is imperative for treating the specific disease as well as minimizing the spread of the pathogen. Diagnostic measures for both diseases rely on identification of the causative agent or identifying a humoral response against the causative agent. For melioidosis, the current gold standard for diagnosing an infection is through isolating the bacteria by culturing. For EVD, the current diagnostic measures include polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to identify viral nucleic acid and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the detection of viral antigens or antibodies reactive to EBOV antigens. All three diagnostic assays can take several hours to days to get a result, require specialized training, and access to expensive equipment. The areas in which both pathogens cause the highest global burden are typically resource poor areas including Southeast Asia and northern Australia for B. pseudomallei and West Africa for Ebola virus. More rapid diagnostic methods would greatly improve the morbidity and mortality associated with these diseases. Lateral flow immunoassays (LFIs) are rapid, point-of-care (POC) diagnostic tools that utilize antibodies and colorimetry to detect a biomarker for a specific disease or other condition. This dissertation outlines alternative approaches to enhance the detection of B. pseudomallei capsular polysaccharide (CPS) on an LFI as well as outlines the development of a prototype LFI for the rapid diagnosis of early EVD through detection of Ebola virus soluble glycoprotein (sGP). The Active Melioidosis DetectTM Lateral Flow Immunoassay (AMD LFI) was developed by our laboratory in collaboration with InBios International, Inc. (Seattle, WA) to diagnose melioidosis through the detection of CPS, a biomarker of the disease. The AMD LFI has high specificity and analytical sensitivity, but the clinical sensitivity can be low depending on the sample type. testing of some patient samples on this assay indicated that it was not sensitive enough to detect all clinically relevant concentrations of CPS. Here we developed a magnetic immunoprecipitation method for the pre-concentration of CPS from melioidosis patient urine samples to enrich these samples for CPS. CPS reactive monoclonal antibody (mAb) 4C4 was conjugated to magnetic particles and a protocol was developed utilizing acid-base elution neutralization chemistry. We have shown that this protocol resulted in increased AMD LFI positivity when testing melioidosis patient urine samples.Passive concentration of Burkholderia pseudomallei CPS was also explored as an alternative method to enrich the sample for CPS prior to evaluating on the AMD LFI for a less labor-intensive approach. Following a melioidosis diagnosis, patients were actively enrolled into a study in which they provided urine and/or serum samples to be tested on the AMD LFI. These samples underwent extensive testing, including culturing to identify if B. pseudomallei was present at the time of sample collection as well LFI testing. Urine samples were tested on the AMD LFI, as well as serum samples from some patients for a direct comparison. Urine was found to be the optimal matrix for CPS detection in confirmed melioidosis patient samples as in general it appeared urine contained higher concentrations of CPS when compared to blood samples from the same patient taken at nearly the same time. Furthermore, we found that passive concentration of urine resulted in stronger test line intensity on the AMD LFI as well as provided more positive results than when testing serum or unconcentrated urine.Lastly, antibody-based immunoassays were developed for detection of EBOV sGP, a well-established biomarker of an Ebola virus infection. Current diagnostic assays for EVD focus on detection of glycoprotein (GP) and viral matrix protein (VP40), but sGP may have the potential to be a superior biomarker. sGP and GP are encoded by the same gene, GP, and sGP is the main product of GP. Furthermore, large amounts of sGP can be detected in the bloodstream early during an Ebola virus disease infection. Splenocytes were isolated from mice immunized with either sGP or Ebola virus-like particles (VLPs), and hybridoma technology was utilized to establish immortalized cell lines that produced sGP reactive antibodies. This work resulted in the isolation of a library of seventeen high affinity mAbs that are reactive to EBOV sGP. These mAbs were characterized via Western immunoblotting, direct and antigen-capture ELISA, surface plasmon resonance, and lateral flow immunoassay. Prototype antigen-capture ELISA and LFIs were developed and optimized using pairs of mAbs isolated in this study

Participation in an Educational Module for Medical Students in Regards to Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) Therapies

Background and Review of the Literature: In the United States, the use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) has increased. The term CAM refers to a variety of alternative therapies and techniques usually not part of standard medical care. According to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), more than thirty percent of adults and twelve percent of children use methods not typically considered conventional, or mainstream practice. Complementary medicine can be utilized with standard medical treatments for a more patient-centered collaborative approach, referred to as integrative medicine (IM). Although gaining popularity and driven by patients, many conventional healthcare providers lack the awareness and familiarity to discuss, recommend, or refer CAM therapies. Purpose: The purpose of this DNP project is to investigate medical students\u27 knowledge, beliefs, attitudes and future collaboration practices related to complementary therapies through the use of an online educational portal Method: This project implemented an educational intervention in order to improve the knowledge of students enrolled in a Doctor or Osteopathic Medicine Program in regards to Complementary and Alternative Medicine. Implementation Procedure: An internet based resource tool was developed as a resource guide, providing information about complimentary licensed practitioners, therapies, best practices, and protocols

Growth and Survival in a Northern Population of Hispid Cotton Rats

Using data from a 28-month capture–mark–recapture study that included 3 winters, we compared rates of body growth and survival for a population of hispid cotton rats (Sigmodon hispidus) in eastern Virginia with another marginal population in eastern Kansas, and where possible, with southern populations in coastal Texas and central Florida. Patterns of seasonal growth were similar in Virginia and Kansas, being low, often near 0, in winter but moderate in other seasons, unlike the uniform seasonal growth rates in Texas. Survival rates were similar between the sexes in both Virginia and Kansas but the overall monthly survival rate in Kansas (0.75) was much higher than the means for Virginia (0.69 for females and 0.62 for males). In sum, despite mild and mostly snow-free winters in eastern Virginia, the patterns of body mass and rates of growth and survival were more similar to those of Kansas populations than to those of cotton rat populations from Texas or Florida

Population Dynamics of the Cotton Rat in Southeastern Virginia

Abstract We used monthly live trapping for 2.5 years to evaluate the life-history features of the most common small mammal, Sigmodon hispidus (hispid cotton rat), in an old field at its northern limit of distribution on the Atlantic coast. Peak densities, achieved in late autumn or early winter, were among the highest recorded for the species and were more typical of marginal populations rather than of central ones. Unlike some other marginal populations, hispid cotton rats in eastern Virginia did not lose significant body mass over the winter (when few juveniles were present) and survival in winter was not significantly different from other seasons. Our study provides support for the presence of spring and autumn cohorts, with long-lived animals being drawn almost entirely from the latter