The Iceberg’s Remain Afloat

The Bondi Icebergs Winter Swimming Club has become a celebration of the national traditions that are inherent to the site. However the Club has redefined itself in contemporary society by adopting a ‘heritage’ discourse, where the traditions have in themselves a ‘modern character’. This paper explores how this continuity of traditions represents cultural forms, and the impact of external pressures and progress in modern society, with a particular focus on the growth of consumerism. These traditions have also developed along with the growing personality of the Bondi area. The Swimming Club has attempted to maintain the traditions of the Club, retaining its position as the only licensed Winter Swimming Club in the world. Yet its transformation from a tin shed directed at improving fitness of the local surf club members, into a Swimming Club with a four-storey space, complete with club and restaurant facilities drawing local and international celebrities, has resulted in a focus on the aesthetically pleasing building in the heart of Bondi. This is opposed to the swimming facilities and activities it has to offer. Although the Club has remained a social hub over time, this hub is centred on the different interests in the various time periods.

Attachment Representations and Reflective Function in Women with Borderline Personality Disorder and their Adolescent Offspring

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is characterized by significant disruptions in development, including but not limited to the development of attachment representations and a capacity to reflect on mental states of self and other. For the individual with BPD, these disruptions may greatly impact the development of her offspring, including an increased risk of the child developing borderline psychopathology. Examining the attachment representations and the reflective capacity of the offspring of women with BPD can add to the understanding of developmental pathways to pathology and resilience. In particular, assessing for BPD-related patterns in attachment representations, narrative coherence, and reflective functioning in adolescent offspring may be especially illuminating as it is in adolescence that BPD can first be diagnosed. It is also in adolescence when attachment representations can begin to be measured most directly given the cognitive capacities gained by this developmental period. The body of parent-offspring attachment research that exists to date has focused primarily upon infant-parent relationships. Minimal research has explored adolescent-parent relationships. The current study examines a low socioeconomic status sample of 20 adolescents and their mothers where the mothers are diagnosed with BPD and a sample of 19 matched comparison adolescents and their mothers on: adult/adolescent attachment representations, the capacity for reflective functioning, and coherence in discourse regarding early attachment-related experiences. Measures utilized include: the Adult Attachment Interview (AAI), which measures attachment representations of adults and adolescents, and the Reflective Functioning (RF) coding system, which measures the capacity to understand self and others in terms of mental states. Results demonstrated no significant relationships between BPD and comparison groups on two-way or four-way attachment classification for mothers or their adolescent offspring. A marginally significant difference was found between groups of mothers on the capacity for RF. No such difference was detected between groups for adolescents. Narrative coherence as measured by the AAI was not found to be correlated between mothers and adolescents. Finally, affect instability, a main feature of BPD, was not found to be correlated with RF capacity. The implications of these findings, the methods used, and suggested future directions for research are discussed

Potential for rabies control through dog vaccination in wildlife-abundant communities of Tanzania

Canine vaccination has been successful in controlling rabies in diverse settings worldwide. However, concerns remain that coverage levels which have previously been sufficient might be insufficient in systems where transmission occurs both between and within populations of domestic dogs and other carnivores. To evaluate the effectiveness of vaccination targeted at domestic dogs when wildlife also contributes to transmission, we applied a next-generation matrix model based on contract tracing data from the Ngorongoro and Serengeti Districts in northwest Tanzania. We calculated corresponding values of R0, and determined, for policy purposes, the probabilities that various annual vaccination targets would control the disease, taking into account the empirical uncertainty in our field data. We found that transition rate estimates and corresponding probabilities of vaccination-based control indicate that rabies transmission in this region is driven by transmission within domestic dogs. Different patterns of rabies transmission between the two districts exist, with wildlife playing a more important part in Ngorongoro and leading to higher recommended coverage levels in that district. Nonetheless, our findings indicate that an annual dog vaccination campaign achieving the WHO-recommended target of 70% will control rabies in both districts with a high level of certainty. Our results support the feasibility of controlling rabies in Tanzania through dog vaccination

SOCIAL FUNCTIONING IN ADULTS WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER: THE ROLE OF BIOLOGICAL STRESS RESPONSE AND PSYCHOSOCIAL STRESS

This study aimed to improve our understanding of social functioning in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) by: (1) identifying differences in stress among adults with ASD and healthy volunteers; and (2) examining the relationship between stress and social functioning in adults with ASD. This study hypothesized that adults with ASD would experience greater stress than healthy volunteers and that there would be a significant, negative relationship between stress and social functioning in adults with ASD. Data were collected from 40 adults with ASD and 25 healthy volunteers during a single session in the laboratory. Repeated measures of systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), and heart rate (HR) were taken during a social stress challenge task, while salivary cortisol was collected before and after the task. Measures also assessed psychosocial stress (perceived stress and stressful life events), global functioning, social disability, daily living skills, and social impairment. Analyses examined group differences between adults with ASD and healthy volunteers on biological stress response and psychosocial stress using analysis of variance procedures. The relationship between stress and social functioning was analyzed using hierarchical multiple regression procedures separately for biological stress response and psychosocial stress. This research found that adults with ASD and healthy volunteers exhibit remarkably similar patterns of biological stress response, yet the ASD group reported more psychosocial stress than healthy volunteers. In addition, findings indicated that psychosocial stress was a pertinent predictor of social disability in adults with ASD, but that biological stress response did not predict social functioning in this group. These results suggest that, while adults with ASD experience greater psychosocial stress than healthy volunteers, they do not differ significantly from healthy volunteers in their biological stress response. In addition, the lived experience of stress may have a greater influence on social disability than biological stress response in this population, although a lack of biological stress response difference between adults with ASD and healthy volunteers may be explained by burnout. Future research should examine interventions that might improve social functioning by helping adults with ASD perceive and cope with stress differently

The Interplay Between ASD Symptomatology and Camouflaging on the Adjustment to College in Female Students with and without ASD

Previous studies have suggested a relation between ASD symptomatology and camouflaging on college adjustment. Specifically, individuals with ASD may engage in camouflaging behaviors to hide autistic symptoms, but this may contribute to challenges in adjusting to college. Thus, the goal of this study is to investigate the relation between these variables and their impact on college adjustment. Our results suggest that ASD symptomatology and camouflaging significantly predict lower adjustment to college. Given these findings, creating environments where individuals with autism feel accepted might reduce the need to engage in camouflaging behaviors, and thus improve adjustment to college

Training Simulation for Fall Protection in Commercial Construction

Falls are the leading cause of fatalities in construction, accounting for approximately one-third of all fatalities in the construction industry. The purpose of this project is to develop effective fall protection training procedure to reduce falls and allow for proactive measures in minimizing risks in the commercial construction industry while ensuring compliance with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) Fall Protection standards. Different types of safety harnesses, guardrails, safety nets, and anchorage points were analyzed, evaluating the effects of different designs on fall arrest performance. Several fall hazards were assessed and addressed by selecting the most appropriate form of fall protection for each hazard. The findings underscore the critical role of equipment selection, utilization, and comprehensive training. Specific design parameters for the six fall protection systems are illustrated, focusing on their efficacy and how the systems work together in averting injuries or fatalities. Meticulous attention to equipment design, usage, and optimal integration of features mitigates fall-related risks. Tailored training programs are essential for fostering proper equipment utilization. This comprehensive approach not only fosters a safer work environment but also aligns with organizations\u27 broader safety objectives. Continuous research and audits are vital for enhancing training efficacy and equipment usage by the worker

XO-2b: a hot Jupiter with a variable host star that potentially affects its measured transit depth

The transiting hot Jupiter XO-2b is an ideal target for multi-object photometry and spectroscopy as it has a relatively bright ($V$-mag = 11.25) K0V host star (XO-2N) and a large planet-to-star contrast ratio (R$_{p}$/R$_{s}\approx0.015$). It also has a nearby (31.21") binary stellar companion (XO-2S) of nearly the same brightness ($V$-mag = 11.20) and spectral type (G9V), allowing for the characterization and removal of shared systematic errors (e.g., airmass brightness variations). We have therefore conducted a multiyear (2012--2015) study of XO-2b with the University of Arizona's 61" (1.55~m) Kuiper Telescope and Mont4k CCD in the Bessel U and Harris B photometric passbands to measure its Rayleigh scattering slope to place upper limits on the pressure-dependent radius at, e.g., 10~bar. Such measurements are needed to constrain its derived molecular abundances from primary transit observations. We have also been monitoring XO-2N since the 2013--2014 winter season with Tennessee State University's Celestron-14 (0.36~m) automated imaging telescope to investigate stellar variability, which could affect XO-2b's transit depth. Our observations indicate that XO-2N is variable, potentially due to {cool star} spots, {with a peak-to-peak amplitude of $0.0049 \pm 0.0007$~R-mag and a period of $29.89 \pm 0.16$~days for the 2013--2014 observing season and a peak-to-peak amplitude of $0.0035 \pm 0.0007$~R-mag and $27.34 \pm 0.21$~day period for the 2014--2015 observing season. Because of} the likely influence of XO-2N's variability on the derivation of XO-2b's transit depth, we cannot bin multiple nights of data to decrease our uncertainties, preventing us from constraining its gas abundances. This study demonstrates that long-term monitoring programs of exoplanet host stars are crucial for understanding host star variability.Comment: published in ApJ, 9 pages, 11 figures, 3 tables; updated figures with more ground-based monitoring, added more citations to previous work

Modulation of anabolic and catabolic responses via a porous polymer scaffold manufactured using thermally induced phase separation

We describe two studies encompassing the iterative refinement of a polymer-based rhBMP-2 delivery system for bone tissue engineering. Firstly, we compared the boneforming capacity of porous poly(D,L-lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) scaffolds produced by thermally induced phase separation (TIPS) with non-porous solvent cast poly(D,L-lactic acid) (PDLLA) used previously. Secondly, we examined the potential synergy between rhBMP-2 and local bisphosphonate in the PLGA scaffold system. In vivo ectopic bone formation studies were performed in C57BL6/J mice. Polymer scaffolds containing 0, 5, 10 or 20 μg rhBMP-2 were inserted into the dorsal musculature. At all rhBMP-2 doses, porous PLGA produced significantly higher bone volume (BV, mm) than the solid PDLLA scaffolds. Next, porous PLGA scaffolds containing 10μg rhBMP-2 ±0.2, or 2μg zoledronic acid (ZA) were inserted into the hind-limb musculature. Co-delivery of local 10μg rhBMP-2/2μg ZA significantly augmented bone formation compared with rhBMP-2 alone (400 % BV increase, p < 0.01). Hydroxyapatite microparticle (HAp) addition (2% w/w) to the 10μg rhBMP-2/0.2μg ZA group increased BV (200 %, p < 0.01). We propose that this was due to controlled ZA release of HAp-bound ZA. Consistent with this, elution analyses showed that HAp addition did not alter the rhBMP-2 elution, but delayed ZA release. Moreover, 2 % w/w HAp addition reduced the scaffold's compressive properties, but did not alter ease of surgical handling. In summary, our data show that refinement of the polymer selection and scaffold fabrication can enhance rhBMP-2 induced bone formation in our bone tissue engineering implant, and this can be further optimised by the local co-delivery of ZA/HAp

Spatial control of bone formation using a porous polymer scaffold co-delivering anabolic RHBMP-2 and anti-resorptive agents

Current clinical delivery of recombinant human bone morphogenetic proteins (rhBMPs) utilises freeze-dried collagen. Despite effective new bone generation, rhBMP via collagen can be limited by significant complications due to inflammation and uncontrolled bone formation. This study aimed to produce an alternative rhBMP local delivery system to permit more controllable and superior rhBMP-induced bone formation. Cylindrical porous poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) scaffolds were manufactured by thermally-induced phase separation. Scaffolds were encapsulated with anabolic rhBMP-2 (20 μg) ± anti-resorptive agents: zoledronic acid (5 μg ZA), ZA pre-adsorbed onto hydroxyapatite microparticles, (5 μg ZA/2 % HA) or IkappaB kinase (IKK) inhibitor (10 μg PS-1145). Scaffolds were inserted in a 6-mm critical-sized femoral defect in Wistar rats, and compared against rhBMP-2 via collagen. The regenerate region was examined at 6 weeks by 3D microCT and descriptive histology. MicroCT and histology revealed rhBMP-induced bone was more restricted in the PLGA scaffolds than collagen scaffolds (-92.3 % TV, p < 0.01). The regenerate formed by PLGA + rhBMP-2/ZA/HA showed comparable bone volume to rhBMP-2 via collagen, and bone mineral density was +9.1 % higher (p < 0.01). Local adjunct ZA/HA or PS-1145 significantly enhanced PLGA + rhBMP-induced bone formation by +78.2 % and +52.0 %, respectively (p ≤ 0.01). Mechanistically, MG-63 human osteoblast-like cells showed cellular invasion and proliferation within PLGA scaffolds. In conclusion, PLGA scaffolds enabled superior spatial control of rhBMP-induced bone formation over clinically-used collagen. The PLGA scaffold has the potential to avoid uncontrollable bone formation-related safety issues and to customise bone shape by scaffold design. Moreover, local treatment with anti-resorptive agents incorporated within the scaffold further augmented rhBMP-induced bone formation

The Impact of Parent-Delivered Intervention on Parents of Very Young Children with Autism

This study investigated the impact of a parent-coaching intervention based on the Early Start Denver Model (P-ESDM) on parenting-related stress and sense of competence. This was part of a multisite, randomized trial comparing P-ESDM (n=49) with community intervention (n=49) for children aged 12 and 24 months. The P-ESDM group reported no increase in parenting stress, whereas the Community group experienced an increase over the same 3-month period. Parental sense of competence did not differ. Number of negative life events was a significant predictor of parenting stress and sense of competence across both groups. This suggests that a parent-coaching intervention may help maintain parental adjustment directly after a child is diagnosed with ASD