Memory of Place: Restaging Lived Experience Through Photographic Images

My current thesis work consists of building and photographically documenting sets of SROs (single room occupancy housing) in order to understand the spaces used as housing for people that were formerly homeless, and who live with mental health and substance use issues. The work explores the idea of late photography, ie. photographs that are taken after an initial event, and the relation between documentary style truth telling and photographic recreation. Through the use of built sets, I recreate scenes based on memories I have of these spacesthe goal being to investigate whether these images of recreated spaces can stand in for the actual event. Within my research and investigation, I explore how these staged rooms photographs evoke ennui: feelings of absence/presences, boredom, and the uncanny. My thesis concludes by addressing the difficulty of separating these binary states true/false, absence/presence, and stimulation/boredom suggested by these photographs, and discovering through the recognition of their inherent overlap

Utjecaj razina vode Vranskog jezera i Jadranskog mora na kemizam vode Vranskog jezera

The set objective of this field research was the determination of anomalous states in the Vrana Lake waters that might be the consequence of environmental pressure. We postulated that water quality in Vrana Lake Nature Park would be mainly influenced by the agriculture and impact of the sea and climate. Methods employed include analysis of dynamics of temperature and precipitation, sea water and lake water levels and water monitoring in a time period from January 2000 to December 2009. Adriatic Sea and Vrana Lake water levels were monitored at water gauges placed at two sites. Water sampling was carried out at two measuring points as a part of the national water monitoring program. Comparison of water fluctuation levels in the lake and the sea with concentration dynamics of calcium, magnesium, chloride and sulfate ions, reveals that the relationship between lake water levels and sea water levels has a powerful and direct impact on the chemical activity of the lake water. The alkalinity and high electro conductivity of lake water is the consequence of mixing process with seawater. Penetration of sea water into the lake corresponds with the duration and intensity of the dry periods. Data on lake water hardness in location Prosika follows the same trend as data regarding ions and electro conductivity at the same location. Since our data indicates that with the change in the lake water and the sea water levels, the salinity of the lake changes, we conclude that sea water is the major source of salt in the lake.Kao cilj istraživanja na terenu postavljena je determinacija anomalnih stanja u vodi Parka prirode Vransko jezero koja bi mogla biti posljedica pritisaka na okoliš. Očekuje se da pritisci na kakvoću vode Vranskog jezera dolaze od poljoprivrede u slivnom području, ali i utjecajem mora i klime. Metode uključuju analizu dinamike temperatura i oborina i dinamika razine morske i jezerske vode za razdoblje promatranja od siječnja 2000. do prosinca 2009. Dinamika razina mora i jezerske vode praćena je na vodokazima postavljenim na dvije lokacije. Uzorkovanje vode provedeno je na dvije mjerne točke u sklopu državnog praćenja stanja voda. Usporedbom dinamike razine vode u jezeru i razine mora s dinamikom koncentracije iona kalcija, magnezija, klora, te sulfatnog iona, vidljivo je da odnos razine vode u jezeru i razine mora ima direktan i snažan utjecaj na kemizam jezerske vode. Lužnatost i njena visoka električna vodljivost posljedica su miješanja s morskom vodom. Činjenica da se promjenom odnosa razine jezerske vode i razine mora mijenja i koncentracija soli u jezeru pokazuje da je morska voda izvor soli u jezeru. Prodor morske vode u jezero korespondira s dugotrajnošću i izraženošću sušnih razdoblja. Podatci o tvrdoći jezerske vode na Prosiki prate isti trend kao i podatci o ionima i električnoj vodljivosti. Činjenica da se promjenom odnosa razine jezerske vode i razine mora mijenja i koncentracija soli u jezeru pokazuje da je morska voda izvor soli u jezeru

Characterization of intercellular communication and mitochondrial donation by mesenchymal stromal cells derived from the human lung

Background: Bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (BM-MSCs) are capable of repairing wounded lung epithelial cells by donating cytoplasmic material and mitochondria. Recently, we characterized two populations of human lung-derived mesenchymal stromal cells isolated from digested parenchymal lung tissue (LT-MSCs) from healthy individuals or from lung transplant recipients' bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BAL-MSCs). The aim of this study was to determine whether LT-MSCs and BAL-MSCs are also capable of donating cytoplasmic content and mitochondria to lung epithelial cells. Methods: Cytoplasmic and mitochondrial transfer was assessed by co-culturing BEAS2B epithelial cells with Calcein AM or Mitotracker Green FM-labelled MSCs. Transfer was then measured by flow cytometry and validated by fluorescent microscopy. Molecular inhibitors were used to determine the contribution of microtubules/tunnelling nanotubes (TNTs, cytochalasin D), gap junctions (carbenoxolone), connexin-43 (gap26) and microvesicles (dynasore). Results: F-actin microtubules/TNTs extending from BM-MSCs, LT-MSCs and BAL-MSCs to bronchial epithelial cells formed within 45 minutes of co-culturing cells. Each MSC population transferred a similar volume of cytoplasmic content to epithelial cells. Inhibiting microtubule/TNTs, gap junction formation and microvesicle endocytosis abrogated the transfer of cytoplasmic material from BM-MSCs, LT-MSCs and BAL-MSCs to epithelial cells. In contrast, blocking connexin-43 gap junction formation had no effect on cytoplasmic transfer. All MSC populations donated mitochondria to bronchial epithelial cells with similar efficiency. Mitochondrial transfer was reduced in all co-cultures after microtubule/TNT or endocytosis inhibition. Gap junction formation inhibition reduced mitochondrial transfer in BM-MSC and BAL-MSC co-cultures but had no effect on transfer in LT-MSC co-cultures. Connexin-43 inhibition did not impact mitochondrial transfer. Finally, bronchial epithelial cells were incapable of donating cytoplasmic content or mitochondria to any MSC population. Conclusion: Similar to their bone marrow counterparts, LT-MSCs and BAL-MSCs can donate cytoplasmic content and mitochondria to bronchial epithelial cells via multiple mechanisms. Given that BM-MSCs utilize these mechanisms to mediate the repair of damaged bronchial epithelial cells, both LT-MSCs and BAL-MSCs will probably function similarly

An integrated dual strategy to control Fusarium graminearum sensu stricto by the biocontrol agent Streptomyces sp. RC 87B under field conditions. Reprint

Fusarium head blight (FHB) caused by species within the Fusarium graminearum complex is a devastating disease that causes extensive yield and quality losses to wheat in humid and semi-humid regions of the world. The disease can cause not only yield losses but also grain contamination with mycotoxins such as deoxynivalenol (DON). Several epidemics have occurred in Argentina, the last in 2012, with yield losses up to 70%. Control of the disease is partially achieved by chemical treatments, crop rotation, breeding for resistance and tillage practices. Biocontrol can be used as part of an integrated pest management. The objetives of this study were: 1- to evaluate the biological control effect of Streptomyces sp. RC 87B on FHB disease incidence, severity and DON accumulation and 2- to evaluate if Streptomyces sp. RC 87B reduces F. graminearum inoculum when applied to wheat stubble. Streptomyces sp. RC 87B was applied at wheat anthesis to determine effects on FHB disease parameters and over wheat stubble left after harvest to evaluate effects on the survival of F. graminearum. FHB incidence and severity were visually estimated and DON content was assessed by HPLC after harvest. On stubble, F. graminearum prevalence was monitored by using TaqMan PCR for 180 days. A significant disease severity and DON reduction were observed with the biocontrol treatments during the field trials (29–39% and 69–85%, respectively), but no reduction on disease incidence was achieved. On wheat stubble, Streptomyces sp. 87B reduced F. graminearum inoculum after 45 days (82%) and after 90 days no inoculum was detected in the first of two trials. In a second trial, a significant reduction (46%) in F. graminearum inoculum was observed after 90 days. The biocontrol strain Streptomyces sp. 87B showed high potential for contributing to the reduction of FHB on wheat at different times in the F. graminearum life cycle.EEA Marcos JuárezFil: Palazzini, Juan Manuel. Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físico, Químicas y Naturales. Departamento de Microbiología e Inmunología; ArgentinaFil: Yerkovich, N. Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físico, Químicas y Naturales. Departamento de Microbiología e Inmunología; ArgentinaFil: Alberione, Enrique Javier. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Marcos Juárez; ArgentinaFil: Chiotta, Maria Laura. Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físico, Químicas y Naturales. Departamento de Microbiología e Inmunología; ArgentinaFil: Chulze, Sofia Noemí. Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físico, Químicas y Naturales. Departamento de Microbiología e Inmunología; Argentin

Adaptive immunity to rhinoviruses: sex and age matter

Background: Rhinoviruses (RV) are key triggers in acute asthma exacerbations. Previous studies suggest that men suffer from infectious diseases more frequently and with greater severity than women. Additionally, the immune response to most infections and vaccinations decreases with age. Most immune function studies do not account for such differences, therefore the aim of this study was to determine if the immune response to rhinovirus varies with sex or age

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus acquisition in healthcare workers with cystic fibrosis: a retrospective cross-sectional study.

Background People with cystic fibrosis (CF) may work in healthcare settings risking nosocomial pathogen acquisition. The aim of this study was to determine the incidence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection in adult healthcare workers with CF (HCWcf). Methods Data was collected in this observational study on MRSA acquisition from 405 CF patients attending an adult CF centre in Australia between 2001–2012. Demographic and clinical characteristics were compared between HCWcf and non-HCWcf. A sub-analysis was subsequently performed to compare demographic and clinical characteristics between those patients (HCWcf versus non-HCWcf) that acquired MRSA. We also investigated rates of chronic MRSA infection and the outcome of eradication treatment in HCWcf. Results A higher proportion of HCWcf acquired MRSA [n = 10/21] compared to non-HCWcf [n = 40/255] (P <0.001). The odds of MRSA acquisition were 8.4 (95 % CI, 3.0 – 23.4) times greater in HCWcf than non-HCWcf. HCWcf with MRSA were older (P = 0.02) and had better lung function (P = 0.009), yet hospitalisation rates were similar compared to non-HCWcf with MRSA. Chronic MRSA infection developed in 36/50 CF patients (HCWcf, n = 6; non-HCWcf, n = 30), with eradication therapy achieved in 5/6 (83 %) HCWcf. Conclusions The rate of MRSA incidence was highest in HCWcf and the workplace is a possible source of acquisition. Vocational guidance should include the potential for MRSA acquisition for CF patients considering healthcare professions

Short courses of antibiotics for children and adults with bronchiectasis (Review)

BackgroundBronchiectasis is an important cause of respiratory morbidity in both developing and developed countries. Antibiotics are considered standard therapy in the treatment of this condition but it is unknown whether short courses (four weeks or less) are efficacious.ObjectivesTo determine whether short courses of antibiotics (i.e. less than or equal to four weeks) for treatment of acute and stable state bronchiectasis, in adults and children, are efficacious when compared to placebo or usual care.Search methodsThe Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL, The Cochrane Library), MEDLINE, EMBASE, OLDMEDLINE, CINAHL, AMED and PsycINFO and handsearching of respiratory journals and meeting abstracts were performed by the Cochrane Airways Group up to February 2011.Selection criteriaOnly randomised controlled trials were considered. Adults and children with bronchiectasis (defined clinically or radiologically) were included. Patients with cystic fibrosis were excluded.Data collection and analysisTwo review authors independently reviewed the titles, abstracts and citations to assess eligibility for inclusion. Only one study fulfilled the inclusion criteria and thus meta-analysis could not be performed.Main resultsThe single eligible study showed a small benefit, when compared to placebo, of four weeks of inhaled antibiotic therapy in adults with bronchiectasis and pseudomonas in their sputum. There were no studies in children and no studies on oral or intravenous antibiotics.Authors\u27 conclusionsThere is insufficient evidence in the current literature to make reasonable conclusions about the efficacy of short course antibiotics in the management of adults and children with bronchiectasis. Until further evidence is available, adherence to current treatment guidelines is recommended