An influenza pandemic : what it could mean for Scottish tourism

There is a growing unease among World Health Organisation (WHO) officials and other global disease surveillance organisations that Avian Flu will mutate into a human influenza pandemic. Such is the concern that the Scottish Executive asked public bodies to prepare business continuity plans based upon the National Health Service Scotland‘s contingency plan and scenarios, and this briefing paper is a consequence of that request

Modelling Immunological Memory

Accurate immunological models offer the possibility of performing highthroughput experiments in silico that can predict, or at least suggest, in vivo phenomena. In this chapter, we compare various models of immunological memory. We first validate an experimental immunological simulator, developed by the authors, by simulating several theories of immunological memory with known results. We then use the same system to evaluate the predicted effects of a theory of immunological memory. The resulting model has not been explored before in artificial immune systems research, and we compare the simulated in silico output with in vivo measurements. Although the theory appears valid, we suggest that there are a common set of reasons why immunological memory models are a useful support tool; not conclusive in themselves

Child sexual exploitation : definition & guide for professionals: extended text

This work was commissioned by the Department for Education (DfE) and is the extended text from which the DfE document ‘Child Sexual Exploitation: Definition and a guide for practitioners, local leaders and decision makers working to protect children from child sexual exploitation’ has been drawn. This can be viewed at www.gov.uk. The document outlines the new civil definition of child sexual exploitation, developed by the Home Office and DfE, together with an overview of our current understanding of the issue and an evidence-informed set of principles for responding. This extended version of the ‘guide’ provides professionals1 with further background information about child sexual exploitation and offers additional commentary around some of the complexities of practically responding to the issue. The document should be read in conjunction with Working together to safeguard children: A guide to inter-agency working to safeguard and promote the welfare of children (hereafter referred to as Working Together), that provides the statutory framework for responding to child sexual exploitation and all other forms of abuse. The content of this document does not in any way supersede the statutory provisions of Working Together, but rather considers some of the nuances and challenges of applying its requirements and principles to this particular form of abuse. This extended version of the ‘guide’ draws on the existing evidence base to identify issues that have proved challenging to address in practice and to draw out lessons learnt in relation to this. It does not seek to provide readers with a ‘step-by-step’ approach to addressing child sexual exploitation, but instead provides a high-level framework for building a locally informed enhanced response that concurrently addresses prevention, and responses to victimhood and perpetration, and supports the exercise of ‘professional curiosity’ within this. Although the document focuses on child sexual exploitation, many of the principles outlined herein hold relevance for responding to other forms of exploitation, abuse and vulnerability in adolescence and readers are encouraged to consider the interconnectedness of these issues and the transferability of learning between them

A Feminist Study of African American Art in New Orleans: Considerations of Aesthetics, Art History and Art Criticism.

How students are taught to think about what is considered art and who are artists contributes to their sense of self within the world. It can confine them to accept a system that devalues and excludes or it can inspire them to explore the political dimensions of art, to recognize social contradictions, and to contribute to cultural dialogue. The purpose of this study is to provide content for an art curriculum that develops the intellectual capabilities and broadens the critical consciousness of students. The study of aesthetics, art history, and art criticism offer possibilities for understanding the multiple social, historical, and cultural meanings of art. This dissertation adopts feminist approaches to the study of art as a means of exploring how the social reality of racial designation influences African American artistic production and meaning. Consideration is given to the cultural values that have influenced the meaning of African American art, a regional history of African American cultural production in New Orleans, Louisiana, and the experiences and artistic production of several regional African American artists. Throughout history, African American aesthetic values have been inseparable from ideological struggles for assimilation and self-determination. In 19th-century New Orleans, the work of slave and free Black artisans and free artists of color met the needs of a society that had developed a distinct Creole identity. Racial barriers limited the artistic productivity of all African Americans including the fine artists who were considered a third racial caste, had white patrons, and sometimes were trained in Paris. Following Reconstruction, legal restrictions and racial violence severely limited artistic opportunities for African Americans in New Orleans. Contemporary artists still face barriers as race relations change in the city. Interviews with five Black artists revealed the importance they attribute to transmitting African American cultural values to young people and the function of art as a means of responding to the social stereotypes that devalue African American people and culture. Conclusions of this study indicate that issues of racial identity and African American cultural values should be included in the art curriculum

Modelling Immunological Memory

Accurate immunological models offer the possibility of performing highthroughput experiments in silico that can predict, or at least suggest, in vivo phenomena. In this chapter, we compare various models of immunological memory. We first validate an experimental immunological simulator, developed by the authors, by simulating several theories of immunological memory with known results. We then use the same system to evaluate the predicted effects of a theory of immunological memory. The resulting model has not been explored before in artificial immune systems research, and we compare the simulated in silico output with in vivo measurements. Although the theory appears valid, we suggest that there are a common set of reasons why immunological memory models are a useful support tool; not conclusive in themselves

Medication adherence in patients with myotonic dystrophy and facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy

Myotonic dystrophy (DM) and facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD) are the two most common adult muscular dystrophies and have progressive and often disabling manifestations. Higher levels of medication adherence lead to better health outcomes, especially important to patients with DM and FSHD because of their multisystem manifestations and complexity of care. However, medication adherence has not previously been studied in a large cohort of DM type 1 (DM1), DM type 2 (DM2), and FSHD patients. The purpose of our study was to survey medication adherence and disease manifestations in patients enrolled in the NIH-supported National DM and FSHD Registry. The study was completed by 110 DM1, 49 DM2, and 193 FSHD patients. Notable comorbidities were hypertension in FSHD (44 %) and DM2 (37 %), gastroesophageal reflux disease in DM1 (24 %) and DM2 (31 %) and arrhythmias (29 %) and thyroid disease (20 %) in DM1. Each group reported high levels of adherence based on regimen complexity, medication costs, health literacy, side effect profile, and their beliefs about treatment. Only dysphagia in DM1 was reported to significantly impact medication adherence. Approximately 35 % of study patients reported polypharmacy (taking 6 or more medications). Of the patients with polypharmacy, the DM1 cohort was significantly younger (mean 55.0 years) compared to DM2 (59.0 years) and FSHD (63.2 years), and had shorter disease duration (mean 26 years) compared to FSHD (26.8 years) and DM2 (34.8 years). Future research is needed to assess techniques to ease pill swallowing in DM1 and to monitor polypharmacy and potential drug interactions in DM and FSHD