Marginalised and Emerging Identities: The Traditional Voice in Irish Contemporary Music

Over the past three decades, the relationship between Irish traditional music and contemporary ‘art’ or classical music has been extensively documented and critiqued by musicologists and ethnomusicologists alike. The predominant focus of this scholarship, has more often than not, been in the realm of instrumental music. With the exc eption of a small body of research dealing specifically with hybrid forms of vocal music and the wider global and European contexts of Irish musical culture, such as the works of Susan Motherway (2013) and John O’Flynn (2009) for example, discussions about what the traditional music/contemporary art music relationship might mean for Irish cultural identity have, as consequence, also been limited to instrumental music. The longstanding European modernist idea that an independent instrumental art music is the sole marker of a highly developed musical culture has contributed to this discursive limitation, and has held influence (whether consciously or not) over Irish musicology. The fact that Irish musical culture has struggled to gain the same strong foothold as its literary equivalent within the field of Irish studies (White, 1998, 2008, 2014; Smyth, 2010) has also served to sideline discussions of Irish musical identity within broader cross - disciplinary contexts in the past. As a result, collaborations involv ing vocal music, particularly between sean nós and contemporary music (a relatively recent musical development that has gained momentum over the past decade) have been largely overlooked, as have discussions surrounding what collaborations between these tw o genres might mean for previous conceptions of Irish musical identity

The characterization ofnovel protein glycosylation in Helicobacter pylori

Protein glycosylation in Helicobacter pylori is known to modify the flagellins with pseudaminic acid (pse). This modification is required for proper flagellum production and H pylori motility, which implicates protein glycosylation in H. pylori’s pathogenesis. We investigated whether protein glycosylation extends beyond pse-specific flagellin glycosylation by the use of H pylori pse biosynthesis mutants and the detection of glycoproteins by glycoprotein-specific chemical labelling. Using these methods, we demonstrated the presence of novel protein glycosylation in H pylori, in terms of both the identification of membrane glycoproteins and at least two alternative glycosylation pathways. In addition, a link between protein glycosylation and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) biosynthesis was elucidated, in which the O-antigen ligase, WaaL, is a candidate glycoprotein and was shown to exhibit general oligosaccharyltransferase activity. Overall, this study highlights that protein glycosylation affects several proteins in H pylori and has a key role in the production of multiple virulence factors

Relationship between Quality of Life for Patients with Neuroendocrine Tumors and Novel Biomarkers

Research in the field of neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) has increased over the last decade, including studies focused on biochemical markers (biomarkers) of the disease. There is also growing interest in how NETs impact patients\u27 quality of life (QOL). Consequently, there is a paucity of information about whether the expression of the specific disease biomarkers affects QOL as well as whether the primary tumor site impacts QOL. Using the explanatory model of health promotion and quality of life in chronic disabling conditions as the theoretical framework and data collected with the Norfolk QOL-NET instrument, this study\u27s purpose was to fill that gap in knowledge through research questions addressing the relationship between the primary tumor site and NET patients\u27 total QOL score as well as the effect of specific NET biomarkers on NET patients\u27 total QOL score. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), regression analysis, and post hoc tests to determine significance. Results from an ANOVA showed that abnormal NET biomarkers affected total QOL (p = 0.011). In the analyses of whether the independent biomarker variables affected the dependent total QOL variable, only the result for Serotonin Normal was significant (p = 0.002). The presence of abnormal biomarker measurements also affected two of the Norfolk QOL-NET domains significantly, gastrointestinal and physical functioning (p = 0.005 and p = 0.030, respectively). By understanding the relationship between NETs and patient QOL, the potential positive social change implications are helping NET patients assess the severity of their condition, determining what affects their well-being, and using this information to help monitor their treatment/progress

English as a Foreign Language Teacher Training Curriculum Model for the Beijing Coal Mining Management College, Beijing, People's Republic of China

When a populous giant such as the People's Republic of China takes up an interest this one being English--with such fervor, it is no small venture. In fact, one finds it difficult to know where to begin in describing circumstances and prescribing solutions concerning EFL in China. And since China has only in the last seven years opened its doors for serious Western interaction, there has not yet been time to probe extensively with statistical studies about English teaching progress in China, nor to make other than wide-sweeping generalizations about inconsistencies encountered. There is a joke we often heard duriog our six-month teaching term in Beijing, which I found repeated in my reading ... "those who stay in China for a week write a book about it. Those who stay a month write an article. And those who live a year or more there, . write nothing 11 (Maley, 1983, p. 97). Appropriately then, I might add: those who stay in China six months write a thesis. As I have indicated, the primary basis for the following curriculum modification I am proposing is a spring 1984 teaching experience in Mainland China. A colleague, Linda Stark, and I, through the recommendation of a visiting scholar to Oklahoma State University, received an assignment to teach in a small college on the outskirts of Beijing. My personal assignment was to provide native English instruction for middle school English teachers from small coal mining towns throughout Northeastern China. In a cooperative effort with the Chinese EFL teachers of these teacher trainees, I taught on alternate weeks two classes (41 students) of secondary teachers. Though later rewarding, initially the teaching experience was frustrating. A major problem identified by Chinese and Westerner alike concerns the conflicting perspectives and approaches expected of the foreign teacher working in China (J. Scovel, 1982; Maley, 1983; Wu, 1983). The students I taught expected me to expound upon antiquated textbook passages, to provide expert answers to all questions of grammar, and to give informative lectures on American and British literature. I, on the other hand, felt my function to be one of structuring a communicative classroom stressing all skill areas, informing these teachers of up-to-date methods and techniques, and providing them with cultural information on the United States. Though these objectives clearly stood in opposition, our ultimate goal was shared: increased skill in the teaching of English. What evolved, through a mutual reshaping of expectations, was a compromise. I began to explicate more completely on the textbook and to give lectures on English literature, while involving the students in highly structured communicative activities. Later, after returning to the United States and pondering this evolution in my teaching, I have now developed what is a personally satisfying proposal for a curriculum revision. Given the transitory role of the foreign teacher in China, everchanging TEFL practices and materials availability there, this model functions primarily as a foundation easily adapted in actual use. It is hoped that this proposal suggests a more efficient and pleasant experience for the foreign teacher, while respecting the tradition and pedagogical thought of the Chinese.Teaching English as a Second Languag

Learning from the implementation of Universal Free School Meals in Scotland using Normalisation Process Theory:Lessons for policymakers to engage multiple stakeholders

In 2014/15, Universal Free School Meals (UFSM) were introduced in Scotland and England for children in their first three years of primary school. This study examined the implementation of UFSM in Scotland using Noramlisation Process Theory (NPT), a middle-range theory of implementation, to identify areas of learning for policymakers wishing to introduce or extend similar policies. NPT is predominantly used to evaluate interventions or new technologies in healthcare settings. Qualitative data were collected across Scotland using a case study approach shortly after implementation (n = 29 school-level stakeholders) and in the following school year (n = 18 school-level stakeholders and n = 19 local authority-level stakeholders). Observations of lunchtime in each school were conducted at both timepoints. Data were analysed using a thematic framework approach using NPT constructs and sub-constructs. Results suggested education and catering stakeholders experiences of implementation diverged most around the NPT concepts of coherence, cognitive participation, and reflexive monitoring. Lack of coherence around the purpose and long-term benefits of UFSM appeared to reduce education stakeholders’ willingness to engage with the policy beyond operational issues. In contrast, catering stakeholders identified a direct benefit to their everyday work and described receiving additional resources to deliver the policy. Overall, participants described an absence of monitoring data around the areas of greatest salience for education stakeholders. This study successfully used NPT to identify policy learning around school meals. Policymakers must increase the salience of such intersectoral policies for all relevant stakeholders involved before policy implementation, and plan adequate monitoring to evaluate potential long-term benefits