Underneath the Arches : developing a relational theatre practice in response to a specific cultural site

This thesis applies Nicolas Bourriaud’s concept of ‘relational aesthetics’ to the development of site-specific theatre practice. Focussing on the Arches arts centre in Glasgow, the aim is to suggest ways in which a performance aesthetic can be developed that uses, makes evident and contributes to what Bourriaud describes as the ‘space of relations’ that exists within every site. Employing a practice-as-research methodology in order to develop a ‘relational theatre practice’, the performances that comprise half of this thesis aim to respond to and generate relationships not only between theatre and its ‘audience’, but through a sensitivity to site as historically, geographically, culturally and socially located. Key to this project is an understanding of the boundaries, limitations and exclusions that inevitably come to define theatre practice in a site with as many contradictory and conflicting relationships as a busy arts venue like the Arches. The findings of this research are primarily dependent on three practice-as-research projects at the venue: Underneath the Arches (January 2009), Midland Street (September 2009) and A Work on Progress (April 2010). These projects have focussed respectively on three key areas of relational theatre practice; the performance text, the theatre audience and processes of theatre production. The written part of the thesis provides an exegesis of this practice, critically reflecting on the relationships that developed through the performances. Combining a practical and theoretical approach, this research interrogates Bourriaud’s relational aesthetic model through its application to the development of theatre practice within the specific context of a cultural site. Conversely, it reveals and works with the multiple relationships of the Arches, thereby providing new knowledge about the relational processes through which a cultural site is constituted

Biphasic neurogenic vasodilatation in the bovine intraocular long posterior ciliary artery

1.Previous research in the bovine intraocular long posterior ciliary artery (LPCA) has suggested that its response to electrical field stimulation (EFS) is a uniphasic vasodilatation, mediated jointly by the neurotransmitters nitric oxide (NO) and calcitonin gene related-peptide (CGRP). 2.This study of the bovine intraocular LPCA, where a short period of EFS (10 s) was employed, demonstrated that the vasodilator response to EFS was in fact biphasic. The first and second components of the response peaked separately at 10 s and 50 s following the onset of stimulation. 3.Both components of vasodilatation to EFS were abolished by tetrodotoxin (TTX), confirming their neurogenic origin. 4.Inhibition of the first component of the vasodilatation to EFS by the nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibitor, L-NAME, and the inhibitor of soluble guanylate cyclase, ODQ, confirmed the involvement of NO from nitrergic nerves. Experiments involving treatment with capsaicin and the CGRP antagonist, CGRP8-37, failed to produce any evidence of involvement of CGRP in the second component of neurogenic vasodilatation. 5.A number of other potential neurotransmitter candidates including substance P, vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) were investigated, but there was no convincing evidence to suggest that they play a role in mediating the second component of neurogenic vasodilatation. 6.As the transmitter responsible for mediating the second component of neurogenic vasodilatation could not be identified, the mechanism by which it operated was also investigated. 7.Although the first component of neurogenic vasodilatation was clearly mediated by NO, inhibitors of PDE5, PKG and the soluble guanylate cyclase/cGMP/NO pathway had no effect on the second component of vasodilatation. 8.Furthermore, various K+ channel blockers, or inhibitors of the PKA/cAMP pathway did not inhibit the second component of neurogenic vasodilatation. Therefore, neither the identity of the neurotransmitter responsible for the second component, nor its mechanism of action could be determined. 9.NG-substituted analogues of L-arginine are routinely used to inhibit the NOS family of enzymes. The first of these to be introduced, NG-methyl-L-arginine (L-NMMA), is generally reported to inhibit all three isoforms of NOS. Despite this, however, L-NMMA does not inhibit nitrergic nerve-mediated relaxation in other bovine tissues including the retractor penis muscle or penile artery. 10.In this study of the bovine intraocular LPCA, L-NMMA was found to inhibit the endothelium-dependent dilatation mediated by eNOS, but not the nitrergic vasodilatation by nNOS. Indeed, the ability of L-NMMA to protect nitrergic dilatation against blockade by L-NAME in a manner similar to L-arginine, suggests it might act as an alternative substrate for nNOS in this tissue. 11.Isoform-selective inhibitors of NOS are of great interest, both as investigational tools and potential therapeutic agents. Two nNOS-specific inhibitors have recently been identified: N-[(4S)-4-amino-5-[(2-aminoethyl)amino]pentyl]-N'-nitroguanidine tris (trifluoroacetate) salt (AAAN) and NG-propyl-L-arginine. 12.AAAN failed to affect vasodilatation induced either by nitrergic nerves or by bradykinin-induced, endothelium-derived NO in the bovine intraocular LPCA. 13.Although NG-propyl-L-arginine did inhibit nitrergic vasodilatation, it also blocked the bradykinin-induced, endothelium-dependent vasodilatation mediated by NO. It thus failed to exhibit the expected selectivity for nNOS over eNOS in the bovine intraocular LPCA. 14.These findings with AAAN and NG-propyl-L-arginine are a reminder that it is not always possible to extrapolate findings in biochemical assays to functional responses in intact tissues. 15.In conclusion, these findings show that neurogenic vasodilatation in the bovine LPCA involves two components: a fast, transient component mediated by NO from nitrergic nerves, and a second slower, more sustained component mediated by an as yet unidentified second neurotransmitter

Drosophila as a model for the Anopheles Malpighian tubule

The insect Malpighian tubule is involved in osmoregulation, detoxification and immune function, physiological processes which are essential for insect development and survival. As the Malpighian tubules contain many ion channels and transporters, they could be an effective tissue for targeting with novel pesticides to control populations of Diptera. Many of the insecticide compounds used to control insect pest species are no longer suited to their task, and so new means of control must be found. The malarial mosquito, Anopheles gambiae, spreads the Plasmodium parasite which is responsible for over one million deaths each year, and is one of the species on which many current insecticides are no longer effective. Anopheles is notoriously difficult to study due to a lack of natural mutation stocks and transgenic capabilities, as well as the difficulties involved with maintaining a colony. The fruit-fly Drosophila melanogaster is a useful model organism for Anopheles, and previous studies suggest that the mechanisms of Malpighian tubule function are well conserved between the two species. Following microarray investigations to identify genes which were highly enriched in both the Anopheles and Drosophila Malpighian tubules, four homologous genepairs were selected, AGAP097752 and CG15406, AGAP012251 and Picot, AGAP009005 and ZnT35C, and AGAP002587 and CG8028. Analysis of the Anopheles Malpighian tubule microarray data-set showed ion channels and transporters to be highly expressed in the tubules, although similarly to Drosophila, very few of the renal up-regulated genes have been characterised. The gene-pairs chosen were all novel, but putatively predicted to be involved in sugar transport, phosphate transport, zinc transport and monocarboxylate transport respectively. These are functions which are likely to be essential, but so far remain unstudied in the insect renal system. The gene-pairs were chosen with two main purposes; to determine how closely expression of the genes was conserved between Anopheles and Drosophila, and also to determine which of the genes were essential, and could therefore be effective insecticide targets. The homologous gene-pair AGAP007752 and CG15406 have well-conserved expression in the Malpighian tubules, suggesting that they are functionally important genes. This was shown in Drosophila, where knockdown of CG15406 4 expression was lethal to the fly. A direct role in tubule fluid secretion was not found, and experiments to determine the sugars transported by CG15406 were inconclusive, possibly due to an abundance of highly-expressed sugar transporters in the tubules. The inorganic phosphate co-transporters AGAP012251 and Picot also show conservation of expression in the Malpighian tubules, and are likely to be involved in the transport of inorganic phosphate into the tubules for incorporation into metallo-organic concretions. In the Anopheles tubules the concretions are found in the main segment, in the Drosophila tubules they are located in the distal initial and transitional segments, where AGAP012251 and Picot are expressed. Picot is essential for Drosophila development through to adulthood, and for survival as an adult, although the transporter does not appear to be directly involved in fluid secretion. Expression of neither AGAP012251 nor Picot is confined to the tubules. The putative zinc transporters AGAP009005 and ZnT35C show a highly conserved expression pattern, and appear to be involved in the secretion of excess zinc from the Malpighian tubules. ZnT35C is essential early-on in Drosophila development, and for survival in the adult fly. Similarly to Picot and CG15406, there is no direct role for ZnT35C in fluid secretion from the tubules under normal zinc conditions. The putative monocarboxylate transporters AGAP002587 and CG8028 are not as well conserved, as AGAP002587 is highly upregulated in the tubules of female mosquitoes both before and after a bloodfeed, whereas CG8028 has no sex-specific up-regulation. CG8028 is not essential for Drosophila development or survival, and plays no discernable role in fluid secretion. The data collected during this investigation suggests that in general there is a high level of conservation of expression between homologous transport genes in the Anopheles and Drosophila Malpighian tubules. The three gene-pairs which show the greatest conservation of expression are also essential for development and survival in Drosophila. This suggests that cross-species studies are an effective way of finding essential and important genes. The data collected also suggests that Drosophila is a reliable model for Anopheles, and could be used as a high-throughput system of finding genes which could be effective insecticide targets in Diptera

Treatment Effectiveness for Resolving Post Dural Puncture Headache

Postdural puncture headaches are a complication associated with neuraxial anesthesia. The risk of developing a postdural puncture headache varies among the patient population in which neuraxial anesthesia is utilized, as weII as the experience of the anesthesia provider inserting the neuraxial block. Several options exist regarding treatment for PD PH\u27 s, and the knowledge, as well as the skiII level of the provider, plays an important role in the best utilization of the treatment options. The purpose of this independent project was to explore the treatment options that are available for both the provider and the patient, incorporating available technology in assisting the provider with treatment options A comprehensive literature review, including case reports and prospective studies, was conducted. The findings were compiled and presented in a power point format which included the etiology of PDPH as well as the association between treatment modalities and resolution of PDPH\u27s. The physiologic framework of adaptation and homeostasis was used as the theoretical framework for this study. The power point findings were presented at the North Dakota Association of Nurse Anesthetists Spring Educational Meeting and to first year nurse anesthetist students at the University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, North Dakot

The Other and Narrative Framing in Nabokov\u27s The Real Life of Sebastian Knight, Lolita, and Pnin

Vladimir Nabokov is often noted for his portrayal of controversial characters, isolated from the real world. These characters, known as Others, are shunned by society because of their socially unacceptable or inappropriate behavior. However, in order to understand fully the Other and his motives, readers must evaluate the Other\u27s behavior within the context of his alternate existence, an isolated existence created in response to the threat common society imposes on his Self. Focusing on three of Nabokov\u27s novels, The Real Life of Sebastian Knight, Lolita, and Pnin, this thesis examines the character of the Other through two approaches: a psychological approach, delineating the character\u27s development as an Other with regards to psychotherapist R.D. Laing\u27s theory outlined in The Divided Self, and supported by a technical approach, detailing the narrative strategies--especially in terms of frameworks--Nabokov employs to further his presentation of the Other. These two approaches work from an existential basis, evaluating the other in terms of a being-in-his-own-world existence. Much of what Nabokov does, as revealed by these two approaches, places his works within the postmodern movement in literature. Overall, the effect Nabokov achieves in these novels is a presentation of the ontological insecurity of the Others and a shift in the ontological security of the readers

The strength of aged glass

Glass is known for its excellent durability, but the strength of glass is very sensitive to the characteristics of its surface, which is known to accumulate damage during its service life. There is however, a lack of strength data on weathered or aged glass, particularly on thermally or chemically treated glass. In this study a carefully calibrated sand trickling test is used to produce surface damage equivalent to erosive action of 20 years of natural weathering on different types of glass: soda-lime-silica annealed, soda-lime-silica fully toughened and aluminosilicate chemically toughened. The soda-lime-silica glass specimens are tested destructively in their as-received and artificially aged form in a conventional coaxial double ring set-up, while the alumino-silicate chemically toughened specimens are tested in an improved coaxial double ring set-up. Fractography is subsequently used to identify and measure the critical flaw size on each specimen. The strength data are analysed statistically and the design strengths for each glass type are obtained. It is found that all glasses suffer a loss in strength after artificial ageing, with fully toughened glass providing the best post-aged performance. It was also found that the degree of toughening in the glass affects the erosion resistance, with chemically toughened glass outperforming the other glasses in this respect.EPSRC, Eckersley o' Callaghan, Onassis Foundatio