Evaluation of XL370A-Derived Maize Germplasm for Resistance to Leaf Feeding by Fall Armyworm

The fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), is an economically important insect with larvae damaging maize (Zea mays L.) leaves and ear tissue. The pest has become resistant to several classes of insecticide and Bt-maize grown in some geographical areas. Once discovered and characterized, native sources of maize resistance to this pest could be effectively integrated with existing control tactics. The objective for this study was to test experimental lines derived from maize germplasm XL370A for resistance to leaf feeding by fall armyworm. Plants were grown in the field in 2018 and 2019, artificially infested with fall armyworm, and leaf damage scores recorded. Average 14-day scores for experimental maize lines GEMN-0095 (5.8), GEMN-0096 (5.7), and GEMN-0133 (5.6) were moderately resistant and 7- and 14-day scores for these entries were not significantly different across both years. Cuba 94 was not significantly different from the three entries with the exception of having greater 7-day damage scores in 2019. GEMN-0048 was not resistant but variability was observed in 14-day scores between 4 (resistant) and 8 (susceptible) in individual plants. The experimental lines are adapted for growth in temperate regions and might provide maize breeding programs with useful levels of resistance to fall armyworm

Effect of 3BNC117 and romidepsin on the HIV-1 reservoir in people taking suppressive antiretroviral therapy (ROADMAP): a randomised, open-label, phase 2A trial

Background The administration of broadly neutralising anti-HIV-1 antibodies before latency reversal could facilitate elimination of HIV-1-infected CD4 T cells. We tested this concept by combining the broadly neutralising antibody 3BNC117 in combination with the latency-reversing agent romidepsin in people with HIV-1 who were taking suppressive antiretroviral therapy (ART). Methods We did a randomised, open-label, phase 2A trial at three university hospital centres in Denmark, Germany, and the USA. Eligible participants were virologically suppressed adults aged 18-65 years who were infected with HIV-1 and on ART for at least 18 months, with plasma HIV-1 RNA concentrations of less than 50 copies per mL for at least 12 months, and a CD4 T-cell count of greater than 500 cells per mu L. Participants were randomly assigned (1:1) to receive 3BNC117 plus romidepsin or romidepsin alone in two cycles. All participants received intravenous infusions of romidepsin (5 mg/m(2) given over 120 min) at weeks 0, 1, and 2 (treatment cycle 1) and weeks 8, 9, and 10 (treatment cycle 2). Those in the 3BNC117 plus romidepsin group received an intravenous infusion of 3BNC117 (30 mg/kg given over 60 min) 2 days before each treatment cycle. An analytic treatment interruption (ATI) of ART was done at week 24 in both groups. Our primary endpoint was time to viral rebound during analytic treatment interruption, which was assessed in all participants who completed both treatment cycles and ATI. We used a log-rank test to compare time to viral rebound during analytic treatment interruption between the two groups. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials. gov, NCT02850016. It is closed to new participants, and all follow-up is complete. Findings Between March 20, 2017, and Aug 14, 2018, 22 people were enrolled and randomly assigned, 11 to the 3BNC117 plus romidepsin group and 11 to the romidepsin group. 19 participants completed both treatment cycles and the ATI: 11 in the 3BNC117 plus romidepsin group and 8 in the romidepsin group. The median time to viral rebound during ATI was 18 days (IQR 14-28) in the 3BNC117 plus romidepsin group and 28 days (21-35) in the romidepsin group B (p=0.0016). Although this difference was significant, prolongation of time to viral rebound was not clinically meaningful in either group. All participants in both groups reported adverse events, but overall the combination of 3BNC117 and romidepsin was safe. Two severe adverse events were observed in the romidepsin group during 48 weeks of follow-up, one of which-increased direct bilirubin-was judged to be related to treatment. Interpretation The combination of 3BNC117 and romidepsin was safe but did not delay viral rebound during analytic treatment interruptions in individuals on long-term ART. The results of our trial could serve as a benchmark for further optimisation of HIV-1 curative strategies among people with HIV-1 who are taking suppressive ART. Copyright (C) 2022 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd

Severe Asthma Standard-of-Care Background Medication Reduction With Benralizumab: ANDHI in Practice Substudy

Background: The phase IIIb, randomized, parallel-group, placebo-controlled ANDHI double-blind (DB) study extended understanding of the efficacy of benralizumab for patients with severe eosinophilic asthma. Patients from ANDHI DB could join the 56-week ANDHI in Practice (IP) single-arm, open-label extension substudy. Objective: Assess potential for standard-of-care background medication reductions while maintaining asthma control with benralizumab. Methods: Following ANDHI DB completion, eligible adults were enrolled in ANDHI IP. After an 8-week run-in with benralizumab, there were 5 visits to potentially reduce background asthma medications for patients achieving and maintaining protocol-defined asthma control with benralizumab. Main outcome measures for non-oral corticosteroid (OCS)-dependent patients were the proportions with at least 1 background medication reduction (ie, lower inhaled corticosteroid dose, background medication discontinuation) and the number of adapted Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) step reductions at end of treatment (EOT). Main outcomes for OCS-dependent patients were reductions in daily OCS dosage and proportion achieving OCS dosage of 5 mg or lower at EOT. Results: For non-OCS-dependent patients, 53.3% (n = 208 of 390) achieved at least 1 background medication reduction, increasing to 72.6% (n = 130 of 179) for patients who maintained protocol-defined asthma control at EOT. A total of 41.9% (n = 163 of 389) achieved at least 1 adapted GINA step reduction, increasing to 61.8% (n = 110 of 178) for patients with protocol-defined EOT asthma control. At ANDHI IP baseline, OCS dosages were 5 mg or lower for 40.4% (n = 40 of 99) of OCS-dependent patients. Of OCS-dependent patients, 50.5% (n = 50 of 99) eliminated OCS and 74.7% (n = 74 of 99) achieved dosages of 5 mg or lower at EOT. Conclusions: These findings demonstrate benralizumab's ability to improve asthma control, thereby allowing background medication reduction

Important Occasion

Musical composition composed by me entitled Important Occasion. One of eight compositions in this book: Australian Music Examinations Board (AMEB) publication - Clarinet Series 3 Grade

2 Cool 4 Skool (Tenor 4th Grade)

Musical work composed by me entitled 2 Cool 4 Skool. One of twelve compositions in this book - the other eleven composed by other composers: Australian Music Examinations Board (AMEB) publication - Tenor Saxophone Series 2 Grade

Strange goings on

Musical work composed by me entitled Strange Goings On. One of eleven compositions in this book: Australian Music Examinations Board (AMEB) publication - Clarinet Series 3 Grade

Liquorice Stick

Published musical work composed by me entitled Liquorice Stick - one of eight compositions in this book: Australian Music Examinations Board (AMEB) publication - Clarinet Series 3 Grade

2 Cool 4 Skool (Alto-4th Grade)

Musical work composed by me entitled 2 Cool 4 Skool. One of twelve compositions in this book - the other eleven composed by other composers: Australian Music Examinations Board (AMEB) publication - Alto Saxophone Series 2 Grade

Foofaraw

Published musical work composed by me entitled Foofaraw - one of 12 pieces in this publication (11 composed by other composers): Australian Music Examinations Board (AMEB) publication - Clarinet Series 3 Grade

Tertiary popular music education: Institutions, innovation and tradition

This chapter examines how discourses of innovation and tradition play out in popular music education (PME) today. Drawing on comparative examples from the history of jazz education, we describe the ways that institutionalized music education tends to rely on genre-based models of pedagogical innovation, which in turn create binary oppositions between innovation and tradition. Like jazz education, PME has undergone an intense period of institutionalization—from the “street” to the “ivory tower”—where it has been defined in relation to the normative or traditional pedagogies of Western classical music (Nicholson 2005; Parkinson and Smith 2015). In contrast, we try to understand notions of innovation and tradition in more nuanced ways, in the hope of addressing some of the pedagogical pitfalls and crises that have faced jazz education; what Wilf has referred to as the paradoxes of institutionalized creativity (Wilf 2014) whereby jazz education has struggled to balance tradition and innovation (Kearns 2015). In particular, we suggest that the integration of PME in the tertiary environment can no longer be understood as innovative by default, or based on assumptions about musical genre (see Moir and Hails, Chapter 14 in this volume, for more discussion on this issue). Rather, we present a critical reading of the relationship between innovation and tradition, and how this might inform an “integrated” music pedagogy and educational practice in the twenty-first century, charting some of the challenges and opportunities that are presented by the rapid expansion of PME as a field of practice