Notes on Photography and Cultural Translation

The essay explores issues in the cultural translation of photographic images and ideas, particularly between East and West. Audiences and institutions continue to fall prey to the persistent notion that photography should demonstrate aspects of national identity. This foregrounding of cultural difference inhibits more layered interpretations. The work of cultural translation involves the movement of subjects rather than objects, with dialogue and personal experience essential to understanding. Drawing on the author’s experience working in China, the essay looks to Homi K. Bhabha, Jacques Rancière and 1960s critical pedagogy for constructive terms to shift the perspective of photographic education

Restricted dog leucocyte antigen (DLA) class II haplotypes and genotypes in Beagles

AbstractBeagles are commonly used in vaccine trials as part of the regulatory approval process. Genetic restriction within this breed and the impact this might have on vaccine responses are rarely considered. This study was designed to characterise diversity of dog leucocyte antigen (DLA) class II genes in a breeding colony of laboratory Beagles, whose offspring are used in vaccine studies. DLA haplotypes were determined by PCR and sequence-based typing from genomic DNA extracted from blood. Breeding colony Beagles had significantly different DLA haplotype frequencies in comparison with pet Beagles and both groups showed limited DLA diversity. Restricted DLA class II genetic variability within Beagles might result in selective antigen presentation and vaccine responses that are not necessarily representative of those seen in other dog breeds

Inconsistent MHC class II association in Beagles experimentally infected with Leishmania infantum

The clinical outcome of Leishmania infantum infection in dogs varies from subclinical infection to severe disease. Researchers attribute this variability in clinical manifestations to the ability of the immune response to limit pathogen multiplication and dissemination, which is, in part, likely determined by the immune response genes. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that MHC class II genes are associated with disease outcome of experimental L. infantum infection in Beagles. Dog leukocyte antigen (DLA) class II haplotypes were characterised by sequence-based typing of Beagle dogs experimentally infected with L. infantum during vaccine challenge studies. Variability of response to infection was determined by clinical score, serology and quantification of L. infantum DNA in the bone marrow over the study period. Dogs showed limited DLA diversity and the DLA profiles of dogs recruited for the different vaccine challenge studies differed. There were variable responses to infection, despite the apparent restriction in genetic diversity. One haplotype DLA-DRB1*001:02–DQA1*001:01–DQB1*002:01 was associated with increased anti-Leishmania antibodies in one infection model, but no DLA associations were found in other groups or with parasite load or clinical score. Examination of this particular DLA haplotype in a larger number of dogs is required to confirm whether an association exists with the immune or clinical responses to L. infantum infection

Measuring Trust

We combine two experiments and a survey to measure trust and trustworthiness—two key components of social capital. Standard attitudinal survey questions about trust predict trustworthy behavior in our experiments much better than they predict trusting behavior. Trusting behavior in the experiments is predicted by past trusting behavior outside of the experiments. When individuals are closer socially, both trust and trustworthiness rise. Trustworthiness declines when partners are of different races or nationalities. High status individuals are able to elicit more trustworthiness in others.Economic

Winds of Planet Hosting Stars

The field of exoplanetary science is one of the most rapidly growing areas of astrophysical research. As more planets are discovered around other stars, new techniques have been developed that have allowed astronomers to begin to characterise them. Two of the most important factors in understanding the evolution of these planets, and potentially determining whether they are habitable, are the behaviour of the winds of the host star and the way in which they interact with the planet. The purpose of this project is to reconstruct the magnetic fields of planet hosting stars from spectropolarimetric observations, and to use these magnetic field maps to inform simulations of the stellar winds in those systems using the Block Adaptive Tree Solar-wind Roe Upwind Scheme (BATS-R-US) code. The BATS-R-US code was originally written to investigate the behaviour of the Solar wind, and so has been altered to be used in the context of other stellar systems. These simulations will give information about the velocity, pressure and density of the wind outward from the host star. They will also allow us to determine what influence the winds will have on the space weather environment of the planet. This paper presents the preliminary results of these simulations for the star $\tau$ Bo\"otis, using a newly reconstructed magnetic field map based on previously published observations. These simulations show interesting structures in the wind velocity around the star, consistent with the complex topology of its magnetic field.Comment: 8 pages, 2 figures, accepted for publication in the peer-reviewed proceedings of the 14th Australian Space Research Conference, held at the University of South Australia, 29th September - 1st October 201

An investigation of polymorphisms in innate and adaptive immune response genes in canine leishmaniosis

The outcome of infection with Leishmania infantum in dogs is variable, which is thought to be due to the nature of the immune response mounted by the host. As a consequence, the clinical signs and severity of canine leishmaniosis vary between individual dogs. Host immunogenetic factors might play an important role in determining the outcome of infection. The aim of this study was to examine polymorphisms in innate and adaptive immune response genes, to determine whether any of these were associated with susceptibility or resistance to L. infantum infection. Genomic DNA was obtained from two groups: pet dogs in endemic regions of Europe and a group of Beagles exposed to sand fly infection as part of a vaccine study. Genotyping was performed using a SNP (single nucleotide polymorphism) array for selected immune response genes. The first part of the study compared 62 clinical cases with 101 clinically unaffected dogs that were seronegative for Leishmania antibodies. One SNP in the CIITA gene demonstrated a significantly higher minor allele frequency in the case group, compared with the control group at the individual SNP level after permutation, but was not significant after correction for multiple testing. The second part of the study examined 48 Beagle dogs exposed to L. infantum over two transmission seasons. Twenty-seven dogs with a resistant phenotype (no evidence of clinical disease, seronegative at the end of the study period, negative on lymph node culture and only transiently PCR positive in bone marrow) were compared with 21 dogs demonstrating a susceptible phenotype (clinical disease, seropositive, positive lymph node culture and consistently PCR positive in bone marrow). Three SNPs in TLR3, two SNPs in PTPN22 and one SNP in TLR4 and IL1A were associated with the susceptible phenotype in the Beagle group at the individual SNP level after permutation analysis, but were not significant after correction for multiple testing. Further validation of these SNPs is required in a larger cohort of dogs, ideally with extreme phenotypes to confirm an association with the outcome of L. infantum infection

Flow-process controls on grain type distribution in an experimental turbidity current deposit: Implications for detrital signal preservation and microplastic distribution in submarine fans

Deep-water depositional systems are the ultimate sink for vast quantities of terrigenous sediment, organic carbon and anthropogenic pollutants, forming valuable archives of environmental change. Our understanding of the distribution of these particles and the preservation of environmental signals, in deep-water systems is limited due to the inaccessibility of modern systems, and the incomplete nature of ancient systems. Here, the deposit of a physically modelled turbidity current was sampled (n = 49) to determine how grain size and grain type vary spatially. The turbidity current had a sediment concentration of 17%. The sediment consisted of, by weight, 65% quartz sand (2.65 g/cm3), 17.5% silt (2.65 g/cm3), 7.5% clay (2.60 g/cm3) and 5% each of sand-grade garnet (3.90 g/cm3) and microplastic fragments (1.50 g/cm3). The grain size and composition of each sample was determined using laser diffraction and density separation, respectively. The results show that: (a) bulk grain size coarsened axially downstream on the basin floor challenging the notion that basin floor deposits fine radially from an apex upon becoming unconfined; (b) no sample composition matched the input composition of the flow, indicating that allogenic signals can be autogenically shredded and spatially variable in sediment gravity flow deposits; and (c) microplastic fragments were concentrated in levee and lateral basin floor fringe positions; however, microplastic concentrations in these positions were lower than input, suggesting microplastics bypassed the sampled positions. These findings have implications for: (a) the development of ‘finger-like’ geometries and facies distributions observed in modern and ancient systems; (b) interpreting environmental signals in the stratigraphic record; and (c) predicting the distribution of microplastics on the sea floor. © 2021 The Authors. The Depositional Record published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of International Association of Sedimentologist

BMQ

BMQ: Boston Medical Quarterly was published from 1950-1966 by the Boston University School of Medicine and the Massachusetts Memorial Hospitals