‘Sanitise your hands with rainbows!’ Encouraging self-representation in times of crisis: inclusive reflections on Covid-19, together with women with learning disabilities from East London

This article re-contextualises applied drama practice in the wake of Covid-19, with a particular focus on cognitive diversity. From an inclusive perspective, it asks how encouraging self-expression helps to diversify the still often one-dimensional perception of people with learning disabilities in media reports. It thereby continues an on-going argument around empowered representation within disability drama and culture. The article traces arts practice that engaged a group of women with learning disabilities in reflections about the lockdown 2020. The practice section of the article documents three concrete examples from a workshop series with the members of Powerhouse, a group of women with learning disabilities from the East of London

Music Theatre without Voice: Facilitating and directing diverse participation for opera, musical, and pantomime

Much has been published in recent years about different areas of disability theatre and fringe theatre that is interested in inclusivity and music. Some productions and companies have become prominent players. Within the area of opera, musical, and pantomime, however, the concept of inclusive music theatre lacks a critical space for evolving a shared vocabulary in praxis. Deploying methods from the field of practice arts research, this PhD thesis investigates inclusive music theatre as coherent aesthetic paradigm. The research articulates through studio and performance work what constitutes participatory music drama and consolidates a discrete set of engagement strategies under the umbrella of ‘music theatre without voice’. A renewed, polyvalent notion of voice emerges in all this as sensorial tool, image of creative agency, and political metaphor. The thesis extends the idea of voice into a multisensory discourse (olfactory, gustatory, visual, tactual, and aural), reaching out to differently-abled communities with a particular focus on learning disability and non-verbal communication. In doing so, the dramatic praxis opens up a discussion into how inclusive music theatre appears as an embodied practice away from naturalised norms of linguistic, intellectual, or physical ableism. The thesis further sheds light on the position of the facilitator-director within inclusive work as a liminal figure between co-creating and artistically guiding devising and rehearsal processes. To problematise this fluid role, co-creative leadership is explored through a variety of practice research projects, evidencing methods of how to facilitate and direct successfully in these contexts. The projects presented include a pantomime devised with young adults from the autistic spectrum; a melodramatic story for women with learning disabilities; a multi-sensory opera experience for women with learning disabilities. The thesis further updates the practice in times of Covid with research into digital facilitation. It also investigates techniques of musical storytelling within an LGBTQ setting to reveal the adaptability of the practice articulated. The PhD introduces and coins the term faciliteur for a participatory director within the inclusive work field to advance academic discussion as much as practical considerations

Population trends of resident and migratory Canada geese in relation to strikes with civil aircraft

Canada geese (Branta canadensis) are of particular concern to aviation in the USA because of their large size, flocking behavior, attraction to airports for grazing, and, for the resident population, year-round presence in urban environments. We documented trends in resident and migrant Canada goose populations in North America from 1970 to 2012, and for 1990 to 2012 examined these trends in relation to trends in reported civil aircraft collisions (strikes) with Canada geese. The overall Canada goose population increased 4.5 fold from 1.26 million in 1970 to 5.69 million in 2012. Most of this overall increase was due to a 15.6-fold increase in the population of resident geese (from 0.25 to 3.85 million), especially during the 1990s when the population increased at a mean annual rate of 12.7%. From 2000 to 2012, the resident population has stabilized, fluctuating between 3.36 and 3.85 million birds. The migrant population has remained relatively stable since 1990, with the population in 2012 estimated at 1.84 million. Resident geese comprised 68% of the total Canada goose population in 2012 compared to 41% in 1990 and 20% in 1970. From 1990 to 2012, 1,403 Canada goose strikes with civil aircraft were reported in the USA, of which 704 (50%) caused damage. The strike rate and damaging strike rate for all geese and for resident geese only (strikes in May to September) increased in parallel with the increase in the total Canada goose population (resident and migratory combined) and resident population, respectively, from 1990 to 1999. From 1999 to 2012, the strike rate and especially the damage strike rate exhibited a downward trend, especially for strikes involving resident geese during May to September. We hypothesize that this decline is due to Canada goose management programs implemented at many airports and in other urban areas

Benzo[a]pyrene Toxicokinetics in Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) Acclimated to Different Salinities

Abstract. The effects of environmental salinity on the distribution, metabolism, and elimination of benzo [a]pyrene (B[a]P) were examined in mature rainbow trout. Trout acclimated to either fresh water (0 ppt, FW) or sea water (20 ppt, SW) for 3 weeks received a single 10 mg/kg intra-arterial injection of [ 3 H]-benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P) at their acclimation salinity or when subjected to an acute salinity change. Statistically significant differences in the percent body burden of B[a]P-derived radioactivity in various tissues were seen between fish in FW versus SW. Significant differences in the distribution of B[a]P and its metabolites were also noted when fish were subjected to an acute salinity change after chemical injection. Modulation of B[a]P metabolism by environmental salinity included: (1) significant differences in the proportions of Phase I metabolites in the bile of FW-(2.3%) versus SW-acclimated (14.1%) fish, and (2) alterations in the accumulations of specific metabolites (predominantly t-9, 10-dihydrodiol-B[a]P in FW fish, and 3-hydroxy-B[a]P in SW fish). The percentages of the [ 3 H]-B[a]P dose eliminated by 48 h was similar in FW and SW fish, but decreased in fish subjected to an acute salinity change (FW 98.8% eliminated, FW:SW 90.4%, SW 98.1%, and SW:FW 93.1%). Pharmacokinetic modeling confirmed that acute salinity changes can result in longer terminal half-lives and slower total body clearances of B[a]P

Do pharmacy practice standards effectively describe behaviour? Reviewing practice standards using a behavioural specificity framework

BACKGROUND: Guidelines and practice standards exist to communicate the conduct and behaviour expected of health care professionals and ensure consistent quality practice. It is important that they describe behaviours explicitly so they can be interpreted, enacted and measured with ease. The AACTT framework specifies behaviour in terms of the: Action to be performed, Actor who performs the action, Context where the action occurs, Target who the action is performed with/for and Time when the action is performed (AACTT). It provides the most up to date framework for specifying behaviours and is particularly relevant to complex behavioural problems that involve sequences of behaviours performed by different people. Behavioural specificity within pharmacy practice standards has not been explored. AIM: To determine if behaviours described in the Professional Practice Standards for Australian Pharmacists specify Action, Actor, Context, Target and Time. METHODS: Two researchers independently reviewed the scope and structure of the practice standards and one extracted action statements (behaviours) verbatim. Through an iterative process, the researchers modified and developed the existing AACTT definitions to operationalise them for application to review of the action statements in the practice standards. The operational definitions, decision criteria and curated examples were combined in a codebook. The definitions were consistently applied through a directed content analysis approach to evaluate all extracted action statements by one researcher. For consistency 20% was independently checked for agreement by a second researcher. RESULTS: A novel codebook to apply AACTT criteria to evaluate practice standards was developed. Application of this codebook identified 768 independent behaviours. Of these, 300 (39%) described at least one discrete observable action, none specified an actor, 25 (3%) specified context, 131 (17%) specified target and 88 (11%) specified time. CONCLUSION(S): The behaviours detailed in practice standards for Australian pharmacists do not consistently specify behaviours in terms of Action, Actor, Context, Target and Time. Developers in the pharmacy profession, and beyond, should consider the behavioural specificity of their documents to improve interpretability, usability and adherence to the behaviours detailed. This also has implications for the development and evaluation of interventions to change such behaviours and improve quality of care

Inhibition of HIV-1 in Cell Culture by Synthetic Humate Analogues Derived from Hydroquinone: Mechanism of Inhibition

AbstractHumic acids are natural constituents of soil and ground water and mainly consist of mixtures of polycyclic phenolic compounds. A similar complex of compounds with a mean size of about 1000 Da, designated HS-1500, was synthesized by oxidation of hydroquinone. HS-1500 inhibited HIV-1 infection of MT-2 cells with an IC50of 50–300 ng/ml and showed a mean cell toxicity of about 600 μg/ml. Inhibition of HIV-induced syncytium formation was observed at 10–50 μg/ml. Treatment of free and cell-attached HIV with HS-1500 irreversibly reduced its infectivity, whereas the susceptibility of target cells for the virus was not impaired by treatment prior to infection. The HIV envelope protein gp120SU bound to sepharose-coupled HS-1500 and could be eluted by high salt and detergent. HS-1500 interfered with the CD4-induced proteolytic cleavage of the V3 loop of virion gp120SU. Furthermore, binding of V3 loop-specific antibodies was irreversibly inhibited, whereas binding of soluble CD4 to gp120SU on virus and infected cells was not affected. In conclusion, our data suggest, that the synthetic humic acid analogue inhibits the infectivity of HIV particles by interference with a V3 loop-mediated step of virus entry

Tiger Sharks Eat Songbirds: Reply

In response to our recent paper (Drymon et al. 2019), Yosef (2019) questions the mechanism proposed to explain interactions between tiger sharks (Galeocerdo cuvier) and migratory songbirds, while offering an alternative mechanism based on a single observation. We appreciate the comments from Yosef and the opportunity to respond

Population Dynamics, Relative Abundance, and Habitat Suitability of Adult Red Drum (Sciaenops ocellatus) in Nearshore Waters of the North-Central Gulf of Mexico

In the Gulf of Mexico, the red drum (Sciaenops ocellatus) is an immensely popular sportfish, yet the Gulf of Mexico stock is currently managed as data-limited in federal waters. The results of the federal stock assessment conducted in 2016 for Gulf of Mexico red drum were not recommended for providing management advice. Consequently, we sought to address data gaps highlighted in the assessment by producing up-to- date overall and sex-specific growth models, standardized indices of relative abundance, and predictions of habitat suitability and by updating estimates of natural mortality. Using a time series for the period of 2006–2018, we assigned ages of 0–36 years to 1178 red drum. A negative binomial generalized linear model including variables for year, depth, surface temperature, dissolved oxygen, and bottom salinity was used to standardize an index of relative abundance. Examination of catch per unit of effort revealed that adult red drum were significantly more abundant in state waters than in federal waters. These findings were explained by habitat suitability models, which were used to identify surface current velocity, surface temperature, and depth as the strongest predictors of relative abundance. The results of our investigation reveal that the adult spawning stock of red drum in the Gulf of Mexico is not fully protected by the catch moratorium in federal waters

Molecular basis for passive immunotherapy of Alzheimer's disease

Amyloid aggregates of the amyloid-{beta} (A{beta}) peptide are implicated in the pathology of Alzheimer's disease. Anti-A{beta} monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) have been shown to reduce amyloid plaques in vitro and in animal studies. Consequently, passive immunization is being considered for treating Alzheimer's, and anti-A{beta} mAbs are now in phase II trials. We report the isolation of two mAbs (PFA1 and PFA2) that recognize A{beta} monomers, protofibrils, and fibrils and the structures of their antigen binding fragments (Fabs) in complex with the A{beta}(1–8) peptide DAEFRHDS. The immunodominant EFRHD sequence forms salt bridges, hydrogen bonds, and hydrophobic contacts, including interactions with a striking WWDDD motif of the antigen binding fragments. We also show that a similar sequence (AKFRHD) derived from the human protein GRIP1 is able to cross-react with both PFA1 and PFA2 and, when cocrystallized with PFA1, binds in an identical conformation to A{beta}(1–8). Because such cross-reactivity has implications for potential side effects of immunotherapy, our structures provide a template for designing derivative mAbs that target A{beta} with improved specificity and higher affinity