Senior Recital: Kerry Brunson, saxophone

This recital is presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Bachelor of Music in Performance Ms. Brunson studies saxophone with Sam Skelton.https://digitalcommons.kennesaw.edu/musicprograms/1638/thumbnail.jp

Critical dialogical approach: A methodological direction for occupation-based social transformative work

Background: Calls for embracing the potential and responsibility of occupational therapy to address socio-political conditions that perpetuate occupational injustices have materialized in the literature. However, to reach beyond traditional frameworks informing practices, this social agenda requires the incorporation of diverse epistemological and methodological approaches to support action commensurate with social transformative goals. Aim: Our intent is to present a methodological approach that can help extend the ways of thinking or frameworks used in occupational therapy and science to support the ongoing development of practices with and for individuals and collectives affected by marginaliz- ing conditions. Method: We describe the epistemological and theoretical underpinnings of a methodological approach drawing on Freire and Bakhtin ’ s work. Results: Integrating our shared experience taking part in an example study, we discuss the unique advantages of co-generating data using two methods aligned with this approach; dialogical interviews and critical reflexivity. Discussion: Key considerations when employing this approach are presented, based on its proposed epistemological and theoretical stance and our shared experiences engaging in it. Significance: A critical dialogical approach offers one way forward in expanding occupational therapy and science scholarship by promoting collaborative knowledge generation and examin- ation of taken-for-granted understandings that shape individuals assumptions and actions

A Controlled Study on the Characterisation of Bioaerosols Emissions from Compost

Bioaerosol emissions arising from biowaste treatment are an issue of public concern. To better characterise the bioaerosols, and to assess a range of measurement methods, we aerosolised green waste compost under controlled conditions. Viable and non-viable Andersen samplers, cyclone samplers and a real time bioaerosol detection system (Spectral Intensity Bioaerosol Sensor (SIBS)) were deployed simultaneously. The number-weighted fraction of fluorescent particles was in the range 22–26% of all particles for low and high emission scenarios. Overall fluorescence spectral profiles seen by the SIBS exhibited several peaks across the 16 wavelength bands from 298 to 735 nm. The size-fractionated endotoxin profile showed most endotoxin resided in the 2.1–9 μm aerodynamic diameter fraction, though up to 27% was found in a finer size fraction. A range of microorganisms were detected through culture, Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption and Ionisation Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-TOF) and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), including Legionella pneumophila serogroup 1. These findings contribute to our knowledge of the physico-chemical and biological characteristics of bioaerosols from composting sites, as well as informing future monitoring approaches and data interpretation for bioaerosol measurement

Preparing midwifery students for traumatic workplace events: Findings from the POPPY (programme for the prevention of posttraumatic stress disorder in midwifery) feasibility study

Midwifery students can experience events on clinical placements that they perceive to be traumatic. There is currently no requirement to provide training about the nature of trauma, normal responses, or the most helpful ways of self-managing these. The POPPY programme, developed for qualified midwives, incorporates educational (the POPPY workshop) and supportive resources to prevent the development of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in midwives. As part of the feasibility evaluation of POPPY, the POPPY workshop element was adapted for pre-registration midwifery students (PreR-POPPY). Attention to this issue during pre-registration education could improve student experience and support student retention. To identify students' perspectives on the contents (clarity, understandability, organisation of the workshop, utility, relevance), their understanding of trauma and psychological responses, and confidence in recognising and managing early signs of distress following participation in a PreR-POPPY workshop. Perspectives on preferred timing in their midwifery programmes, and methods of delivery were also sought. In keeping with educational evaluations, anonymous feedback was collected from students. Two higher education institutes. Midwifery undergraduate students on the three year or shortened programme for registered nurses (n = 131), and midwifery educators (n = 5). Students participated in the workshop and provided feedback immediately. Midwifery educators participated in a meeting with the researchers to provide feedback. High levels of satisfaction with the contents of the workshop were identified. Ninety-nine percent of students would recommend the workshop to other midwifery students. Provision of the workshop early in midwifery programmes, revisited at later points, was strongly endorsed. Learning outcomes were very positive for understanding trauma/early stress responses, and recognising and managing early responses to trauma. Strong endorsement for the provision of the workshop was received from the midwifery educators. The pre-registration adapted POPPY workshop should be routinely provided in preregistration midwifery. [Abstract copyright: Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Immunisation with purified Coxiella burnetii phase I lipopolysaccharide confers partial protection in mice independently of co-administered adenovirus vectored vaccines

Q fever is a highly infectious zoonosis caused by the Gram-negative bacterium Coxiella burnetii. The worldwide distribution of Q fever suggests a need for vaccines that are more efficacious, affordable, and does not induce severe adverse reactions in vaccine recipients with pre-existing immunity against Q fever. Potential Q fever vaccine antigens include lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and several C. burnetii surface proteins. Antibodies elicited by purified C. burnetii lipopolysaccharide (LPS) correlate with protection against Q fever, while antigens encoded by adenoviral vectored vaccines can induce cellular immune responses which aid clearing of intracellular pathogens. In the present study, the immunogenicity and the protection induced by adenoviral vectored constructs formulated with the addition of LPS were assessed. Multiple vaccine constructs encoding single or fusion antigens from C. burnetii were synthesised. The adenoviral vectored vaccine constructs alone elicited strong cellular immunity, but this response was not correlative with protection in mice. However, vaccination with LPS was significantly associated with lower weight loss post-bacterial challenge independent of co-administration with adenoviral vaccine constructs, supporting further vaccine development based on LPS

Impact of climate change on New York City’s coastal flood hazard: Increasing flood heights from the preindustrial to 2300 CE

The flood hazard in New York City depends on both storm surges and rising sea levels. We combine modeled storm surges with probabilistic sea-level rise projections to assess future coastal inundation in New York City from the preindustrial era through 2300 CE. The storm surges are derived from large sets of synthetic tropical cyclones, downscaled from RCP8.5 simulations from three CMIP5 models. The sea-level rise projections account for potential partial collapse of the Antarctic ice sheet in assessing future coastal inundation. CMIP5 models indicate that there will be minimal change in storm-surge heights from 2010 to 2100 or 2300, because the predicted strengthening of the strongest storms will be compensated by storm tracks moving offshore at the latitude of New York City. However, projected sea-level rise causes overall flood heights associated with tropical cyclones in New York City in coming centuries to increase greatly compared with preindustrial or modern flood heights. For the various sea-level rise scenarios we consider, the 1-in-500-y flood event increases from 3.4 m above mean tidal level during 1970–2005 to 4.0–5.1 m above mean tidal level by 2080–2100 and ranges from 5.0–15.4 m above mean tidal level by 2280–2300. Further, we find that the return period of a 2.25-m flood has decreased from ∼500 y before 1800 to ∼25 y during 1970–2005 and further decreases to ∼5 y by 2030–2045 in 95% of our simulations. The 2.25-m flood height is permanently exceeded by 2280–2300 for scenarios that include Antarctica’s potential partial collapse

Grouping practices in the primary school: what influences change?

During the 1990s, there was considerable emphasis on promoting particular kinds of pupil grouping as a means of raising educational standards. This survey of 2000 primary schools explored the extent to which schools had changed their grouping practices in responses to this, the nature of the changes made and the reasons for those changes. Forty eight percent of responding schools reported that they had made no change. Twenty two percent reported changes because of the literacy hour, 2% because of the numeracy hour, 7% because of a combination of these and 21% for other reasons. Important influences on decisions about the types of grouping adopted were related to pupil learning and differentiation, teaching, the implementation of the national literacy strategy, practical issues and school self-evaluation

Scoping studies to establish the capability and utility of a real-time bioaerosol sensor to characterise emissions from environmental sources

A novel dual excitation wavelength based bioaerosol sensor with multiple fluorescence bands called Spectral Intensity Bioaerosol Sensor (SIBS) has been assessed across five contrasting outdoor environments. The mean concentrations of total and fluorescent particles across the sites were highly variable being the highest at the agricultural farm (2.6 cm−3 and 0.48 cm−3, respectively) and the composting site (2.32 cm−3 and 0.46 cm−3, respectively) and the lowest at the dairy farm (1.03 cm−3 and 0.24 cm−3, respectively) and the sewage treatment works (1.03 cm−3 and 0.25 cm−3, respectively). In contrast, the number-weighted fluorescent fraction was lowest at the agricultural site (0.18) in comparison to the other sites indicating high variability in nature and magnitude of emissions from environmental sources. The fluorescence emissions data demonstrated that the spectra at different sites were multimodal with intensity differences largely at wavelengths located in secondary emission peaks for λex 280 and λex 370. This finding suggests differences in the molecular composition of emissions at these sites which can help to identify distinct fluorescence signature of different environmental sources. Overall this study demonstrated that SIBS provides additional spectral information compared to existing instruments and capability to resolve spectrally integrated signals from relevant biological fluorophores could improve selectivity and thus enhance discrimination and classification strategies for real-time characterisation of bioaerosols from environmental sources. However, detailed lab-based measurements in conjunction with real-world studies and improved numerical methods are required to optimise and validate these highly resolved spectral signatures with respect to the diverse atmospherically relevant biological fluorophores

Accelerating clinical development of a live attenuated vaccine against Salmonella Paratyphi A (VASP): study protocol for an observer-participant-blind randomised control trial of a novel oral vaccine using a human challenge model of Salmonella Paratyphi A infection in healthy adult volunteers

Introduction: This is the first efficacy study of an oral live attenuated vaccine against Salmonella Paratyphi A using a human challenge model of paratyphoid infection. S. Paratyphi A is responsible for 3.3 million cases of enteric fever every year, with over 19 000 deaths. Although improvements to sanitation and access to clean water are vital to reduce the burden of this condition, vaccination offers a cost-effective, medium-term solution. Efficacy trials of potential S. Paratyphi vaccine candidates in the field are unlikely to be feasible given the large number of participants required. Human challenge models therefore offer a unique, cost-effective solution to test efficacy of such vaccines. Methods and analysis: This is an observer-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial phase I/II of the oral live-attenuated vaccine against S. Paratyphi A, CVD 1902. Volunteers will be randomised 1:1 to receive two doses of CVD 1902 or placebo, 14 days apart. One month following second vaccination all volunteers will ingest S. Paratyphi A bacteria with a bicarbonate buffer solution. They will be reviewed daily in the following 14 days and diagnosed with paratyphoid infection if the predefined microbiological or clinical diagnostic criteria are met. All participants will be treated with antibiotics on diagnosis, or at day 14 postchallenge if not diagnosed. The vaccine efficacy will be determined by comparing the relative attack rate, that is, the proportion of those diagnosed with paratyphoid infection, in the vaccine and placebo groups. Ethics and dissemination: Ethical approval for this study has been obtained from the Berkshire Medical Research Ethics Committee (REC ref 21/SC/0330). The results will be disseminated via publication in a peer-reviewed journal and presentation at international conferences. Trial registration number: ISRCTN15485902

Paediatric meningitis in the conjugate vaccine era and a novel clinical decision model to predict bacterial aetiology

Objectives The aims of this study were to assess aetiology and clinical characteristics in childhood meningitis, and develop clinical decision rules to distinguish bacterial meningitis from other similar clinical syndromes. Methods Children aged <16 years hospitalised with suspected meningitis/encephalitis were included, and prospectively recruited at 31 UK hospitals. Meningitis was defined as identification of bacteria/viruses from cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and/or a raised CSF white blood cell count. New clinical decision rules were developed to distinguish bacterial from viral meningitis and those of alternative aetiology. Results The cohort included 3002 children (median age 2·4 months); 1101/3002 (36·7%) had meningitis, including 180 bacterial, 423 viral and 280 with no pathogen identified. Enterovirus was the most common pathogen in those aged <6 months and 10–16 years, with Neisseria meningitidis and/or Streptococcus pneumoniae commonest at age 6 months to 9 years. The Bacterial Meningitis Score had a negative predictive value of 95·3%. We developed two clinical decision rules, that could be used either before (sensitivity 82%, specificity 71%) or after lumbar puncture (sensitivity 84%, specificity 93%), to determine risk of bacterial meningitis. Conclusions Bacterial meningitis comprised 6% of children with suspected meningitis/encephalitis. Our clinical decision rules provide potential novel approaches to assist with identifying children with bacterial meningitis. Funding This study was funded by the Meningitis Research Foundation, Pfizer and the NIHR Programme Grants for Applied Research