Illustrator, collaborator, auteur: the expression and enactment of agency in design/scenography education

This thesis argues that there has been an authorial turn in the occupational identities of theatre designer/scenographers, illustrated through the title of this thesis, ‘Illustrator, Collaborator, Auteur’. The authorial turn has been caused by the scenographic turn that may be described as a turn away from design/scenography for performance towards design/scenography as performance and this has led to a shift in the positionality of designer/scenographers in performance-making. Design/Scenography education is chosen as the context for the study as it is both an under-theorised area of scholarly enquiry and represents a site of social practices with the potential to provide insights into the changing occupational role of the designer/scenographer. The dual disciplinary context of the study, namely drama and education, necessitates engagement with theoretical frameworks and methodological approaches from both disciplines. These are applied in two case studies of design/scenography education. The first examines the emergence of design/scenography education in the UK in the period between the wars at the London Theatre Studio, and the subsequently constituted Motley Theatre Design Course. The second presents analysis of interviews with current course leaders of design courses

The role of the AdeRS two component system and the AdeABC RND Efflux pump in antibiotic resistance, biofilm formation and virulence in Acinetobacter baumannii

Acinetobacter baumannii is a nosocomial pathogen and causes infections in hospitals worldwide. This organism is often multi-drug resistant (MDR), can persist in the environment and forms a biofilm on environmental surfaces and wounds. This thesis describes research that investigates the role of the two component system AdeRS, which regulates production of the AdeABC MDR efflux pump. Its role in MDR, biofilm formation and virulence of A. baumannii was determined in mutants constructed for this study. Deletion of AdeRS or AdeABC resulted in increased susceptibility to antibiotics, decreased biofilm formation on biotic and abiotic surfaces and decreased virulence in a strain dependent manner. RNA-Seq revealed that loss of AdeRS or AdeB significantly altered the transcriptome, resulting in changed expression of many genes, notably those associated with antimicrobial resistance and virulence interactions. Thjs study demonstrated the scope of AdeRS mediated regulation and suggests that inhibition of AdeABC could prevent biofilm formation or colonisation in patients by A. baumannii and so provides a good target for drug discovery. This study also highlighted the differences between A. baumannii strains and shows that conclusions for the species should not be drawn from the study of single strains

Does Birth Order Have an Effect on an Individual’s Conscientiousness?

Looking at familial relationships, specifically between sibling dynamics, has been focused on in many different angles in the field of psychology. Psychologists seek to understand the relationships between siblings, and how the relationships affect their bond, personality, and social life. Past studies have shown that siblings do tend to bounce off of each other, such as older sibling control having more of an effect in conflicts rather than in intimacy (Tucker & Updegraff). We hypothesized that the oldest siblings would clean up after themselves or not make a mess, middle children would clean up after themselves, the youngest would make a mess and leave, and only children would clean up after themselves. The participant sample is 60 introductory to psychology students who participated in this study to receive credit in their courses. The study should only take thirty minutes. They will first be brought into a room and be asked to watch a fifteen minute episode of Spongebob while eating a nature valley granola bar. We are measuring the amount of crumbs left behind by each individual and which sibling they are. Afterward, they will be given a short demographics survey and a questionnaire containing the BFI items, Responsibility Manifesto items, Self-Responsibility scale, and Social Responsibility Scale. Afterwards we will debrief them on the true nature of our study. Results will be presented at SURS

Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the asylum system

Recent years have seen rapid developments in the mobilising of Artificial Intelligence (AI) for the purposes of regulating migration, asylum decision-making, and border control. This paper reviews the applications of AI tools in the asylum context and considers their impact across diverse zones of human activity, including law, governance, and administration. Examples from human trafficking and modern slavery are also drawn upon to illustrate the potential of AI to assist more broadly in assessing risk and identifying support needs. Our aim is to review existing research and implementation of AI and its likely impact on outcomes for individuals seeking asylum and victims of trafficking.<br/

An update on oral cavity cancer:epidemiological trends, prevention strategies and novel approaches in diagnosis and prognosis

In the UK, the incidence of oral cavity cancer continues to rise, with an increase of around 60% over the past 10 years. Many patients still present with advanced disease, often resulting in locoregional recurrence and poor outcomes, which has not changed significantly for over four decades. Changes in aetiology may also be emerging, given the decline of smoking in developed countries. Therefore, new methods to better target prevention, improve screening and detect recurrence are needed. High-throughput ‘omics’ technologies appear promising for future individual-level diagnosis and prognosis. However, given this is a relatively rare cancer with significant intra-tumour heterogeneity and variation in patient response, reliable biomarkers have been difficult to elucidate. From a public health perspective, implementing these novel technologies into current services would require substantial practical, financial and ethical considerations. This may be difficult to justify and implement at present, therefore focus remains on early detection using new patient-led follow-up strategies. This paper reviews the latest evidence on epidemiological trends in oral cavity cancer to help identify at risk groups, population-based approaches for prevention, in addition to potential cutting-edge approaches in the diagnosis and prognosis of this disease. Keywords: Epidemiology, Oral Cancer, Survival, Risk Factors, Squamous Cell Carcinoma, Mouth Neoplasm

Factors influencing implementation and sustainability of interventions to improve oral health and related health behaviours in adults experiencing severe and multiple disadvantage: a mixed-methods systematic review

OBJECTIVES: Among people experiencing severe and multiple disadvantage (SMD), poor oral health is common and linked to smoking, substance use and high sugar intake. Studies have explored interventions addressing oral health and related behaviours; however, factors related to the implementation of these interventions remain unclear. This mixed-methods systematic review aimed to synthesise evidence on the implementation and sustainability of interventions to improve oral health and related health behaviours among adults experiencing SMD. METHODS: Bibliographic databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, CINAHL, EBSCO, Scopus) and grey literature were searched from inception to February 2023. Studies meeting the inclusion criteria were screened and extracted independently by two researchers. Quality appraisal was undertaken, and results were synthesised using narrative and thematic analyses. RESULTS: Seventeen papers were included (published between 1995 and 2022). Studies were mostly of moderate quality and included views from SMD groups and service providers. From the qualitative synthesis, most findings were related to aspects such as trust, resources and motivation levels of SMD groups and service providers. None of the studies reported on diet and none included repeated offending (one of the aspects of SMD). From the quantitative synthesis, no difference was observed in programme attendance between the interventions and usual care, although there was some indication of sustained improvements in participation in the intervention group. CONCLUSION: This review provides some evidence that trust, adequate resources and motivation levels are potentially important in implementing interventions to improve oral health and substance use among SMD groups. Further research is needed from high quality studies and focusing on diet in this population. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42020202416

Viral hepatitis testing and treatment in community pharmacies:a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background: The World Health Organization seeks to eliminate viral hepatitis as a public health threat by 2030. This review and meta-analysis aims to evaluate the effectiveness of programs for hepatitis B and C testing and treatment in community pharmacies. Methods: Medline, Embase, Cochrane CENTRAL, and Global Health were searched from database inception until 12 November 2023. Comparative and single arm intervention studies were eligible for inclusion if they assessed delivery of any of the following interventions for hepatitis B or C in pharmacies: (1) pre-testing risk assessment, (2) testing, (3) pre-treatment assessment or (4) treatment. Primary outcomes were proportions testing positive and reaching each stage in the cascade. Random effects meta-analysis was used to estimate pooled proportions stratified by recruitment strategy and setting where possible; other results were synthesised narratively. This study was pre-registered (PROSPERO: CRD42022324218). Findings: Twenty-seven studies (4 comparative, 23 single arm) were included, of which 26 reported hepatitis C outcomes and four reported hepatitis B outcomes. History of injecting drug use was the most identified risk factor from pre-testing risk assessments. The pooled proportion hepatitis C antibody positive from of 19 studies testing 5096 participants was 16.6% (95% CI 11.0%–23.0%; heterogeneity I 2 = 96.6%). The pooled proportion antibody positive was significantly higher when testing targeted people with specified risk factors (32.5%, 95% CI 24.8%–40.6%; heterogeneity I 2 = 82.4%) compared with non-targeted or other recruitment methods 4.0% (95% CI 2.1%–6.5%; heterogeneity I 2 = 83.5%). Meta-analysis of 14 studies with 813 participants eligible for pre-treatment assessment showed pooled attendance rates were significantly higher in pharmacies (92.7%, 95% CI 79.1%–99.9%; heterogeneity I 2 = 72.4%) compared with referral to non-pharmacy settings (53.5%, 95% CI 36.5%–70.1%; heterogeneity I 2 = 92.3%). The pooled proportion initiating treatment was 85.6% (95% CI 74.8%–94.3%; heterogeneity I 2 = 75.1%). This did not differ significantly between pharmacy and non-pharmacy settings. Interpretation: These findings add pharmacies to the growing evidence supporting community-based testing and treatment for hepatitis C. Few comparative studies and high degrees of statistical heterogeneity were important limitations. Hepatitis B care in pharmacies presents an opportunity for future research. Funding: None.</p

Investigating the effectiveness and acceptability of oral health and related health behaviour interventions in adults with severe and multiple disadvantage:Protocol for a mixed-methods systematic review

Increasing numbers of people in England experience homelessness, substance use, and repeated offending (known as ‘severe and multiple disadvantage’; SMD). Populations experiencing SMD often have extremely poor oral health, which is closely inter-linked with high levels of substance use, smoking, and poor diet. This study aims to undertake an evidence synthesis to identify the effectiveness, resource requirements, and factors influencing the implementation and acceptability of oral health and related health behaviour interventions in adults experiencing SMD. Two systematic reviews will be conducted using mixed-methods. Review 1 will investigate the effectiveness and resource implications of oral health and related health behaviours (substance use, smoking, diet) interventions; Review 2 will investigate factors influencing the implementation of such interventions. The population includes adults (≥18 years) experiencing SMD. Standard review methods in terms of searches, screening, data extraction, and quality appraisal will be conducted. Narrative syntheses will be conducted. If feasible, a meta-analysis will be conducted for Review 1 and a thematic synthesis for Review 2. Evidence from the two reviews will then be synthesised together. Input from people with experience of SMD will be sought throughout to inform the reviews. An initial logic model will be iteratively refined during the review.</jats:p