Wait it Out

Wait it Out was a solo exhibition commissioned by Project Arts Centre, Dublin involving a developmental residency at Irish Museum of Modern Art (IMMA). The resulting exhibition and live performance contextualized, and problematized the ongoing tensions of the Northern Irish peace process. Further dissemination occurred through a Public Conversation and forthcoming publication. The significance of this exhibition has been demonstrated through Arts Council Ireland purchasing the artworks, and being awarded the O'Malley Visual Artist Award 202

To the Day

To the Day comprises two site-responsive performances created by Johnston for Center for Art on Migration Politics addressing issues of trauma and social invisibility among migrant communities in Denmark. It was part of the project entitled, We Shout and Shout, But No one Listens: Art From Conflict Zones which in addition to the performances also involved, participation in a symposium, facilitating a workshop and dissemination through an e-publication

The affects of forgiveness on the symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder as a result of sexual trauma

This study continues research pertaining to the affects of forgiveness on Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) symptoms resulting from sexual trauma. The research question asked whether or not the ability to forgive would reduce, increase, or have no affect upon PTSD symptoms. The hypotheses stated that the ability to forgive a specific traumatic sexual offense would correlate with fewer symptoms of PTSD, while the inability to forgive a specific traumatic sexual offense would correlate with a greater number of PTSD symptoms. Participants consisted of females eighteen and older, who had experienced sexual trauma, and stated that they had either forgiven or not forgiven their perpetrator/s. The first group was named “forgive”, and the second “unforgive”. Instruments included, a Demographic Survey, Offense Specific Forgiveness Measure, and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms Self Inventory. Within group data analysis was performed using the Pearson’s Product-Moment Correlation; between group data was analyzed using the t-test for r. Within group correlations for both group “forgive” and “unforgive” yielded strong but insignificant results. When raw from both groups were combined, the resulting analysis showed no significant results. Between group data analysis, indicated a significant difference in forgiveness. There was no significant difference between groups for the dependent variable – PTSD. Results were carefully interpreted and were not used to predict or establish causation as they were not large enough to imply any relationship between the variables. The small number of participants as well as the predominantly white sample limited generalizations. Demographic data indicated that individuals with stated religious affiliation were less forgiving than those with no stated religious affiliation. Those same individuals were also traumatized as adults rather than as children/adolescents. The sample was predominantly white individuals with post-high school level education. The majority of perpetrators were outside of the biological family. Group “forgiveness” scores indicated an inverse relationship between variables, supporting the hypothesis, while group “unforgive” scores did not. Between group scores indicated support for the correlation between stated forgiveness and actual forgiveness, while analysis of PTSD raw scores between groups was not significant. Mental health implications begin with the importance of age at occurrence of trauma, impacting the ability to forgive. It may be beneficial for researchers to study forgiveness across the lifespan, how forgiveness and unforgiveness are learned, cultural influence on learning, and the impact of education level upon forgiveness ability indicating how practitioners can utilize the most effective forgiveness interventions. Second, the spiritual belief of the client influences expressed and actual forgiveness. Forgiveness is a choice which empowers survivors of trauma. Although not every intervention is appropriate for every client, research supports the use of forgiveness intervention as an adjunct to mental health practice. Finally, further research into the impact of forgiveness interventions, their reliability and validity, and the long-term effects will aid clinicians in determining the part forgiveness will play in practice

Efficiency of bycatch reduction devices in small otter trawls used in the Florida shrimp fishery

Two bycatch reduction devices (BRDs)—the extended mesh funnel (EMF) and the Florida fisheye (FFE)—were evaluated in otter trawls with net mouth circumferences of 14 m, 17 m, and 20 m and total net areas of 45 m2. Each test net was towed 20 times in parallel with a control net that had the same dimensions and configuration but no BRD. Both BRDs were tested at night during fall 1996 and winter 1997 in Tampa Bay, Florida. Usually, the bycatch was composed principally of finfish (44 species were captured); horseshoe crabs and blue crabs seasonally predominated in some trawls. Ten finfish species composed 92% of the total finfish catch; commercially or recreationally valuable species accounted for 7% of the catch. Mean finfish size in the BRD-equipped nets was usually slightly smaller than that in the control nets. Compared with the corresponding control nets, both biomass and number of finfish were almost always less in the BRD-equipped nets but neither shrimp number nor biomass were significantly reduced. The differences in proportions of both shrimp and finfish catch between the BRD-equipped and control nets varied between seasons and among net sizes, and differences in finfish catch were specific for each BRD type and season. In winter, shrimp catch was highest and size range of shrimp was greater than in fall. Season-specific differences in shrimp catch among the BRD types occurred only in the 14-m, EMF nets. Finfish bycatch species composition was also highly seasonal; each species was captured mainly during only one season. However, regardless of the finfish composition, the shrimp catch was relatively constant. In part as a result of this study, the State of Florida now requires the use of BRDs in state waters

The pulmonary surfactant system matures upon pipping in the freshwater turtle Chelydra serpentina

© The Company of BiologistsPulmonary surfactant (PS), a mixture of phospholipids (PL), neutral lipids and surfactant proteins (SP), lowers surface tension within the lung, which increases lung compliance and improves the removal of fluid at birth. Here, we have examined the expression of thyroid transcription factor-1 (TTF-1) and the surfactant protein SP-B, and also the composition of pulmonary surfactant lipids in the developing lung of the turtle Chelydra serpentina. Lavage and lung tissue were collected from late embryonic, pipped and hatchling turtles. TTF-1, a regulator of gene expression of surfactant proteins and cell differentiation in mammals, was detected using immunohistochemistry in epithelia of the gas-exchange area and conducting airways during late development. Expression declined in hatchlings. SP-B was detected in subsets of cells within the respiratory epithelium at all stages sampled. The same cell types also stained for TTF-1. Turtle surfactant lipids matured toward the end of incubation. Maximal secretion of both total phospholipids and disaturated phospholipid (DSP) occurred at the time of pipping, coincident with the onset of breathing. The DSP/PL ratio increased after pipping, whereas cholesterol levels (Chol) increased prior to pipping. This resulted in a decrease in the Chol/PL and Chol/DSP ratios after pipping. Thus, TTF-1 and SP-B appear to be highly conserved within the vertebrates. Maturation of surfactant phospholipid content occurred with the commencement of pulmonary ventilation.Sonya D. Johnston, Christopher B. Daniels, David Cenzato, Jeffrey A. Whitsett and Sandra Orgei

Impact of Pediatric Obesity on Grades in Elementary School

Objective: The current study examines the relationship between obesity and academic performance among second grade students. We hypothesized that students who were overweight or obese would have poorer grades than students who were normal weight. Design: Cross-sectional. Setting: Seven elementary schools from a southeast Texas Independent School District. Participants: The sample was composed of 798 ethnically and racially diverse elementary school children. Students were classified as normal weight, overweight, and obese. Main Outcome Measures: Differences in cumulative grades (math, science, and reading) across weight classifications were examined using sex, race/ethnicity, and school socioeconomic level as covariates. Additionally, all subject areas were analyzed independently. Analysis: Linear mixed models and follow-up pairwise comparisons. Results:The linear mixed model revealed significant differences in grades across weight classifications (p\u3c.05). Conclusions and Implications: This study suggests that weight status is an important marker of scholastic success. Addressing overweight may bolster efforts to improve academic performance

Impact of hospital characteristics on patients’ experience of hospital care: Evidence from 14 states, 2009-2011

This paper uses patient responses to the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) survey for three years (2009-2011) from 1,333 acute-care hospitals in fourteen states to analyze patterns in 10 hospital-reported patient experience-of-care scores by 29 characteristics classified as: patient characteristics, payer source, patient severity, hospital characteristics, hospital operations, and market characteristics. We also evaluate how scores have changed over the three-year period. We find significant differences in patient experience-of-care scores by hospital characteristics for 250 out of 290 HCAHPS-hospital characteristic combinations measured. We find fewer significant differences in changes in scores from 2009-2011 (135 out of 290), with hospitals categorized as high scoring also reporting consistently greater improvement. We conclude that patient experience-of-care scores vary by hospital characteristics, although improvements in scores show less variety by hospital categorization

Immunogenicity and safety of combined tetanus, reduced diphtheria, acellular pertussis vaccine when co-administered with quadrivalent meningococcal conjugate and human papillomavirus vaccines in healthy adolescents.

Objective: Current United States immunization recommendations for adolescents include vaccines against tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis (Tdap), human papillomavirus (HPV), and Neisseria meningitidis serogroups A, C, W-135, and Y. In this Phase IV study, we primarily investigated the impact of concomitant administration of a quadrivalent meningococcal CRM197-conjugate vaccine (MenACWY-CRM) with Tdap and HPV vaccines, in terms of immunogenicity to Tdap antigens and overall reactogenicity. Methods: A total of 801 healthy adolescents aged 10-18 years were randomized to one of two groups to receive either MenACWY-CRM or a placebo, co-administered with Tdap and a quadrivalent HPV vaccine (HPV4). Antibody responses to the Tdap antigens, as well as to meningococcal serogroups A, C, W-135, and Y, were assessed at one month post-vaccination. Safety and adverse events were monitored throughout the study. Results: One month post-vaccination, 95% and 99% of subjects in the MenACWY-CRM group had seroprotective antibody levels ( 651.0 IU/mL) against the diphtheria and tetanus toxoids, respectively, compared with 82% and 98% in the placebo group. Ratios of geometric mean concentrations of antibodies against pertussis antigens pertussis toxin, filamentous hemagglutinin and pertactin for the MenACWY-CRM group versus placebo were 1.01, 0.84, and 0.82, respectively. Predetermined non-inferiority criteria for immunological responses against all Tdap antigens were met. Co-administration of a single dose of MenACWY-CRM was well tolerated and elicited robust antibody responses against the four meningococcal serogroups, with 77%, 84%, 95% and 86% of subjects having seroprotective human complement serum bactericidal activity (titers 658) against serogroups A, C, W-135, and Y, respectively, one month post-vaccination. Conclusions: Collectively, these results demonstrate that the MenACWY-CRM, Tdap and HPV4 vaccines can be administered at the same visit without compromising Tdap immune responses or increasing reactogenicit

Sepsis-induced coagulopathy is associated with new episodes of atrial fibrillation in patients admitted to critical care in sinus rhythm

BackgroundSepsis is a life-threatening disease commonly complicated by activation of coagulation and immune pathways. Sepsis-induced coagulopathy (SIC) is associated with micro- and macrothrombosis, but its relation to other cardiovascular complications remains less clear. In this study we explored associations between SIC and the occurrence of atrial fibrillation (AF) in patients admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) in sinus rhythm. We also aimed to identify predictive factors for the development of AF in patients with and without SIC.MethodsData were extracted from the publicly available AmsterdamUMCdb database. Patients with sepsis and documented sinus rhythm on admission to ICU were included. Patients were stratified into those who fulfilled the criteria for SIC and those who did not. Following univariate analysis, logistic regression models were developed to describe the association between routinely documented demographics and blood results and the development of at least one episode of AF. Machine learning methods (gradient boosting machines and random forest) were applied to define the predictive importance of factors contributing to the development of AF.ResultsAge was the strongest predictor for the development of AF in patients with and without SIC. Routine coagulation tests activated Partial Thromboplastin Time (aPTT) and International Normalized Ratio (INR) and C-reactive protein (CRP) as a marker of inflammation were also associated with AF occurrence in SIC-positive and SIC-negative patients. Cardiorespiratory parameters (oxygen requirements and heart rate) showed predictive potential.ConclusionHigher INR, elevated CRP, increased heart rate and more severe respiratory failure are risk factors for occurrence of AF in critical illness, suggesting an association between cardiac, respiratory and immune and coagulation pathways. However, age was the most dominant factor to predict the first episodes of AF in patients admitted in sinus rhythm with and without SIC