Total Encounter: Theorizing Image-Text Collaborations from the Francophone Caribbean

This dissertation highlights an understudied but vital engagement with the visual arts by some of the most influential writers from the Francophone Caribbean: Aimé Césaire, Patrick Chamoiseau, Frankétienne and Dany Laferrière. The liminal space produced by the encounter of image and text in the illustrated books, graphic novels, “Spirals” and livres dessinés I examine is a site where we can see other forms of exchange and creolization take shape. I contend that these types of transgeneric collaborations enact decolonial thinking in a way that is not achievable through text alone. These works destabilize arbitrary boundaries while questioning and re-presenting the nature of both intellectual property and historiography. My work draws connections among theories of creolization and mondialité from the Francophone Caribbean, decolonial thinkers from the Global South, and Black diaspora studies more broadly in order to argue for a more decentered conceptualization of authorship and authority. In turn, these collaborations propose visualizing history as multidirectional, relational, and falsely universalized. The Martinican writer and philosopher Édouard Glissant frames my discussion of how the reader/viewer’s interpretive strategies operate, particularly through his idea of Tremblement: meaning trembling or quake, here used to name the positive chaotic vibration created from a relational way of thinking that connects everything to everything else without establishing a linear directionality, filiation, or hierarchy. By looking through this lens of collaborative authorship, we can see Glissant’s philosophy of Relation in action.Doctor of Philosoph

An examination of sample length and reliability of the Interactional Network Tool, a new measure of group interactions in acquired brain injury

Background: Conversation is challenging to measure. Quantitative and qualitative measures need to be sensitive to the conversation context, the purpose and the variable contributions of participants in order to capture meaningful change. Measurements also need to be consistent across independent raters. The reliability of global observational rating scales across differing sample lengths has previously been investigated. An investigation into the effects of sample length on inter-rater reliability using a behavioural frequency measure is a new field of research. Aims: This study reports on the inter-rater reliability of the Interactional Network Tool (INT), a behavioural coding system for use with group interaction data. It examines the effects of sample length on reliability using a refined coding system designed to improve the speed and efficiency of use in clinical settings. Methods: Fourteen video samples of group interactions for people with acquired brain injury were prepared for analysis. Two raters independently coded the films using the INT coding system. Individual code reliability was calculated using intra-class correlations (ICCs). Codes were combined to form a new coding structure. Reliability of the new codes was calculated using intra-class correlations across four sample lengths (5,10,15 and 20 minutes). A one-way analysis of variance was used to compare the means of the four sample lengths. Outcomes and Results: Acceptable inter-rater reliability was achieved using the refined INT coding system. There was no difference between the four sample lengths. Conclusions: These findings indicate that trained clinicians using the INT in clinical practice can achieve a reliable measure of participation in a group interaction from short samples. Validation with other clinical groups is now indicated

Vasopressin potentiates corticotropin-releasing hormone-induced insulin release from mouse pancreatic β-cells

Arginine vasopressin (AVP) and corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) have both been implicated in modulating insulin secretion from pancreatic β-cells. In the present study, we investigated the insulin-secreting activities of AVP and CRH in wild-type and AVP VIb receptor knockout mice. Both neuropeptides stimulated insulin secretion from isolated mouse pancreatic islets. The response of islets to CRH was increased fourfold by concomitant incubation with a subthreshold dose of AVP that alone did not stimulate insulin secretion. Activation of the endogenously expressed M3 receptor by the cholinergic agonist carbachol also potentiated CRH-induced insulin secretion, indicating that the phenomenon may be pathway specific (i.e. Ca2+-phospholipase C) rather than agonist specific. The protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitors Ro-31-8425 and bisindolylmaleimide I attenuated the potentiating effect of AVP on CRH-stimulated insulin secretion and blocked AVP-stimulated insulin secretion. A possible interaction between the PKC and protein kinase A pathways was also investigated. The phorbol ester phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) stimulated insulin secretion, while the addition of both PMA and CRH enhanced insulin secretion over that measured with either PMA or CRH alone. Additionally, no AVP potentiation of CRH-stimulated insulin secretion was observed upon incubation in Ca2+-free Krebs–Ringer buffer. Taken together, the present study suggests a possible synergism between AVP and CRH to release insulin from pancreatic β-cells that relies at least in part on activation of the PKC signaling pathway and is dependent on extracellular Ca2+. This is the first example of a possible interplay between the AVP and CRH systems outside of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis

Re-envisioning negritude: historical and cultural contexts for Aimé Césaire and Léopold Sédar Senghor

This thesis seeks to expose and discredit a perceived misconception that understood the Negritude movement as one, relatively uniform concept. An oversimplified, homogeneous view of Negritude at times appears to contradict itself, leading critics to dismiss the movement's relevance and/or standing in diaspora studies. The extensive intellectual relationship and personal friendship between Aimé Césaire and Léopold Sédar Senghor underscores many of the similarities that allowed for the collaboration that started the movement. A detailed analysis of Césaire and Senghor's relationships to Negritude, however, illustrates significant differences in each poet's perception of the movement. I examine the conditions in early twentieth-century Paris that marked it as a cross-cultural center of diasporic literary production. Many critiques of Negritude do not take into account the importance of the historical and cultural contexts surrounding the birth of the movement, when in fact, context is the essence of Negritude's formation. I analyze the conceptions of Negritude found in Césaire's Cahier d'un retour au pays natal and Senghor's Chants d'Ombre and Hosties noires and discuss the reasons behind their intrinsic differences, which are also contextually centered. I argue that Negritude not only bears a historical importance, but also continues to carry significance in present-day Francophone and diaspora studies. The movement led to a growing unrest over colonization and Western supremacy that eventually resulted in independence movements in Africa and departmentalization in the Antilles. It remained a point of contention after decolonization and endures as a present force in the background of both spaces

Time-to-diagnosis and symptoms of myeloma, lymphomas and leukaemias: A report from the Haematological malignancy Research Network

© 2013 Howell et al. Background: Prior to diagnosis, patients with haematological cancers often have multiple primary care consultations, resulting in diagnostic delay. They are less likely to be referred urgently to hospital and often present as emergencies. We examined patient perspectives of time to help-seeking and diagnosis, as well as associated symptoms and experiences. Methods: The UK's Haematological Malignancy Research Network (www.hmrn.org) routinely collects data on all patients newly diagnosed with myeloma, lymphoma and leukaemia (>2000 annually; population 3.6 million). With clinical agreement, patients are also invited to participate in an on-going survey about the circumstances leading to their diagnosis (presence/absence of symptoms; type of symptom(s) and date(s) of onset; date medical advice first sought (help-seeking); summary of important experiences in the time before diagnosis). From 2004–2011, 8858 patients were approached and 5038 agreed they could be contacted for research purposes; 3329 requested and returned a completed questionnaire. The duration of the total interval (symptom onset to diagnosis), patient interval (symptom onset to help-seeking) and diagnostic interval (help-seeking to diagnosis) was examined by patient characteristics and diagnosis. Type and frequency of symptoms were examined collectively, by diagnosis and compared to UK Referral Guidelines. Results: Around one-third of patients were asymptomatic at diagnosis. In those with symptoms, the median patient interval tended to be shorter than the diagnostic interval across most diseases. Intervals varied markedly by diagnosis: acute myeloid leukaemia being 41 days (Interquartile range (IQR) 17–85), diffuse large B-cell lymphoma 98 days (IQR 53–192) and myeloma 163 days (IQR 84–306). Many symptoms corresponded to those cited in UK Referral Guidelines, but some were rarely reported (e.g. pain on drinking alcohol). By contrast others, absent from the guidance, were more frequent (e.g. stomach and bowel problems). Symptoms such as tiredness and pain were common across all diseases, although some specificity was evident by sub-type, such as lymphadenopathy in lymphoma and bleeding and bruising in acute leukaemia. Conclusions: Pathways to diagnosis are varied and can be unacceptably prolonged, particularly for myeloma and some lymphomas. More evidence is needed, along with interventions to reduce time-to-diagnosis, such as public education campaigns and GP decision-making aids, as well as refinement of existing Referral Guidelines

The Relationship between Body Mass Index and Mammographic Density during a Premenopausal Weight Loss Intervention Study.

We evaluated the association between short-term change in body mass index (BMI) and breast density during a 1 year weight-loss intervention (Manchester, UK). We included 65 premenopausal women (35-45 years, ≥7 kg adult weight gain, family history of breast cancer). BMI and breast density (semi-automated area-based, automated volume-based) were measured at baseline, 1 year, and 2 years after study entry (1 year post intervention). Cross-sectional (between-women) and short-term change (within-women) associations between BMI and breast density were measured using repeated-measures correlation coefficients and multivariable linear mixed models. BMI was positively correlated with dense volume between-women (r = 0.41, 95%CI: 0.17, 0.61), but less so within-women (r = 0.08, 95%CI: -0.16, 0.28). There was little association with dense area (between-women r = -0.12, 95%CI: -0.38, 0.16; within-women r = 0.01, 95%CI: -0.24, 0.25). BMI and breast fat were positively correlated (volume: between r = 0.77, 95%CI: 0.69, 0.84, within r = 0.58, 95%CI: 0.36, 0.75; area: between r = 0.74, 95%CI: 0.63, 0.82, within r = 0.45, 95%CI: 0.23, 0.63). Multivariable models reported similar associations. Exploratory analysis suggested associations between BMI gain from 20 years and density measures (standard deviation change per +5 kg/m2 BMI: dense area: +0.61 (95%CI: 0.12, 1.09); fat volume: -0.31 (95%CI: -0.62, 0.00)). Short-term BMI change is likely to be positively associated with breast fat, but we found little association with dense tissue, although power was limited by small sample size

Penetrance estimates for BRCA1, BRCA2 (also applied to Lynch syndrome) based on presymptomatic testing: a new unbiased method to assess risk?

PURPOSE: The identification of BRCA1, BRCA2 or mismatch repair (MMR) pathogenic gene variants in familial breast/ovarian/colorectal cancer families facilitates predictive genetic testing of at-risk relatives. However, controversy still exists regarding overall lifetime risks of cancer in individuals testing positive. METHODS: We assessed the penetrance of BRCA1, BRCA2, MLH1 and MSH2 mutations in men and women using Bayesian calculations based on ratios of positive to negative presymptomatic testing by 10-year age cohorts. Mutation position was also assessed for BRCA1/BRCA2. RESULTS: Using results from 2264 presymptomatic tests in first-degree relatives (FDRs) of mutation carriers in BRCA1 and BRCA2 and 646 FDRs of patients with MMR mutations, we assessed overall associated cancer penetrance to age of 68 years as 73% (95% CI 61% to 82%) for BRCA1, 60% (95% CI 49% to 71%) for BRCA2, 95% (95% CI 76% to 99%) for MLH1% and 61% (95% CI 49% to 76%) for MSH2. There was no evidence for significant penetrance for males in BRCA1 or BRCA2 families and males had equivalent penetrance to females with Lynch syndrome. Mutation position and degree of family history influenced penetrance in BRCA2 but not BRCA1. CONCLUSION: We describe a new method for assessing penetrance in cancer-prone syndromes. Results are in keeping with published prospective series and present modern-day estimates for overall disease penetrance that bypasses retrospective series biases

Exploring the spectral diversity of low-redshift Type Ia supernovae using the Palomar Transient Factory

We present an investigation of the optical spectra of 264 low-redshift (z < 0.2) Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) discovered by the Palomar Transient Factory, an untargeted transient survey. We focus on velocity and pseudo-equivalent width measurements of the Si II 4130, 5972, and 6355 A lines, as well those of the Ca II near-infrared (NIR) triplet, up to +5 days relative to the SN B-band maximum light. We find that a high-velocity component of the Ca II NIR triplet is needed to explain the spectrum in ~95 per cent of SNe Ia observed before -5 days, decreasing to ~80 per cent at maximum. The average velocity of the Ca II high-velocity component is ~8500 km/s higher than the photospheric component. We confirm previous results that SNe Ia around maximum light with a larger contribution from the high-velocity component relative to the photospheric component in their Ca II NIR feature have, on average, broader light curves and lower Ca II NIR photospheric velocities. We find that these relations are driven by both a stronger high-velocity component and a weaker contribution from the photospheric Ca II NIR component in broader light curve SNe Ia. We identify the presence of C II in very-early-time SN Ia spectra (before -10 days), finding that >40 per cent of SNe Ia observed at these phases show signs of unburnt material in their spectra, and that C II features are more likely to be found in SNe Ia having narrower light curves.Comment: 18 page, 10 figures, accepted for publication in MNRA