Something in the atmosphere? Michael Chekhov, Deirdre Hurst Du Prey, and a web of practices between acting and dance

This article contextualises principles of Chekhov’s technique within convergent developments in dance by bringing into focus the interesting web of connections between Chekhov’s female colleagues — specifically his associate Deirdre Hurst Du Prey — and key pioneers in the field of dance and dance-mime, including Mary Wigman, Isadora Duncan, Martha Graham and Margaret Barr. Their cross-connections broaden our view on the canon of embodied theatre practice, and also open up reflection on how overlaps between acting- and dance principles may be useful for contemporary embodied theatre practice and its efforts to work across these currently (in the Western conservatoire context) quite segregated disciplines

Liposomi rivastigmina za isporuku u mozak intranazalnim putem

The present study is mainly aimed at delivering a drug into the brain via the intranasal route using a liposomal formulation. For this purpose, rivastigmine, which is used in the management of Alzheimer’s disease, was selectd as a model drug. Conventional liposomes were formulated by lipid layer hydration method using cholesterol and soya lecithin as lipid components. The concentration of rivastigmine in brain and plasma was studied in rat models after intranasal and oral administration of liposomes and free drug. A significantly higher level of drug was found in the brain with intranasal liposomes of rivastigmine compared to the intranasal free drug and the oral route. Intranasal liposomes had a longer half-life in the brain than intranasally or orally administered free drug. Delivering rivastigmine liposomes through the intranasal route for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease might be a new approach to the management of this condition.Glavni cilj rada je razvoj liposoma za intranazalnu primjenu za isporuku lijeka u mozak. U tu svrhu izabran je rivastigmin kao modelni lijek koji se upotrebljava u terapiji Alzheimerove bolesti. Liposomi su pripravljeni metodom hidratacije lipidnog sloja koristeći kolesterol i lecitin iz soje kao lipidne komponente. Praćena je koncentracija rivastigmina u mozgu i plazmi nakon intranazalne i peroralne primjene liposoma i slobodnog lijeka. S intranazalnim liposomima rivastigmina postignuta je značajno veća koncentracija lijeka u mozgu. Osim toga intranazalni liposomi imaju dulje vrijeme poluživota u mozgu. Intranazalna primjena liposoma rivastigmina mogla bi predstavljati novi pristup terapiji Alzheimerove bolesti

A single-blinded trial of methotrexate versus azathioprine as steroid-sparing agents in generalized myasthenia gravis

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Long-term immunosuppression is often required in myasthenia gravis (MG). There are no published trials using methotrexate (MTX) in MG. The steroid-sparing efficacy of azathioprine (AZA) has been demonstrated after 18-months of starting therapy. However, AZA is considered expensive in Africa. We evaluated the steroid-sparing efficacy of MTX (17.5 mg weekly) compared with AZA (2.5 mg/kg daily) in subjects recently diagnosed with generalized MG by assessing their average monthly prednisone requirements.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The primary outcome was the average daily prednisone requirement by month between the two groups. Prednisone was given at the lowest dose to manage MG symptoms and adjusted as required according to protocol. Single-blinded assessments were performed 3-monthly for 2-years to determine the quantitative MG score and the MG activities of daily living score in order to determine those with minimal manifestations of MG.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Thirty-one subjects (AZA n = 15; MTX n = 16) satisfied the inclusion criteria but only 24 were randomized. Baseline characteristics were similar. There was no difference between the AZA- and MTX-groups in respect of prednisone dosing (apart from months 10 and 12), in quantitative MG Score improvement, proportions in sustained remission, frequencies of MG relapses, or adverse reactions and/or withdrawals. The MTX-group received lower prednisone doses between month 10 (p = 0.047) and month 12 (p = 0.039). At month 12 the prednisone dose per kilogram bodyweight in the MTX-group (0.15 mg/kg) was half that of the AZA-group (0.31 mg/kg)(p = 0.019).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>This study provides evidence that in patients with generalized MG methotrexate is an effective steroid-sparing agent 10 months after treatment initiation. Our data suggests that in generalized MG methotrexate has similar efficacy and tolerability to azathioprine and may be the drug of choice in financially constrained health systems.</p> <p>Trial registration</p> <p>SANCTR:DOH-27-0411-2436</p

Connective Memory Work on Justice for Mike Brown

This chapter addresses what I term the "connective memory work" carried out on Facebook page dedicated to achieving justice for Michael Brown, an African America teenager whose death at the gun of white police officer Darren Wilson in early August 2014 led to the Ferguson protests. The chapter outlines four types of connective memory work evident on the page. These types include the ‘memetic resurrection’ that involved the appropriation of iconic historical imagery alongside those of networked commemoration, digital archiving and curation, and crowd reconstruction. Central to this contribution the call to rethink the digital memory work practices of activists so as to integrate a concern for the agency of social media platforms themselves.<br/

Demographic, clinical and antibody characteristics of patients with digital ulcers in systemic sclerosis: data from the DUO Registry

OBJECTIVES: The Digital Ulcers Outcome (DUO) Registry was designed to describe the clinical and antibody characteristics, disease course and outcomes of patients with digital ulcers associated with systemic sclerosis (SSc). METHODS: The DUO Registry is a European, prospective, multicentre, observational, registry of SSc patients with ongoing digital ulcer disease, irrespective of treatment regimen. Data collected included demographics, SSc duration, SSc subset, internal organ manifestations, autoantibodies, previous and ongoing interventions and complications related to digital ulcers. RESULTS: Up to 19 November 2010 a total of 2439 patients had enrolled into the registry. Most were classified as either limited cutaneous SSc (lcSSc; 52.2%) or diffuse cutaneous SSc (dcSSc; 36.9%). Digital ulcers developed earlier in patients with dcSSc compared with lcSSc. Almost all patients (95.7%) tested positive for antinuclear antibodies, 45.2% for anti-scleroderma-70 and 43.6% for anticentromere antibodies (ACA). The first digital ulcer in the anti-scleroderma-70-positive patient cohort occurred approximately 5 years earlier than the ACA-positive patient group. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides data from a large cohort of SSc patients with a history of digital ulcers. The early occurrence and high frequency of digital ulcer complications are especially seen in patients with dcSSc and/or anti-scleroderma-70 antibodies