Host Range and Emerging and Reemerging Pathogens

Emerging and reemerging species of human pathogens are associated with a broad range of nonhuman hosts

Modes on the Move: Interval Cycles and the Emergence of Major-Minor Tonality

The issue of the emergence of major-minor tonality is addressed by recourse to a novel pitch grouping process, referred to as interval cycle proximity (ICP). An interval cycle is the minimum number of (additive) iterations of an interval that are required for octave-related pitches to be re-stated, a property conjectured to be responsible for tonal attraction. It is hypothesised that the actuation of ICP in cognition, possibly in the latter part of the sixteenth century, led to a hierarchy of tonal attraction which favoured certain pitches over others, ostensibly the tonics of the modern major and minor system. An ICP model is described that calculates the level of tonal attraction between adjacent musical elements. The predictions of the model are shown to be consistent with music-theoretic accounts of common practice period tonality, including Piston’s Table of Usual Root Progressions. The development of tonality is illustrated with the historical quotations of commentators from the sixteenth to the eighteenth centuries, and can be characterised as follows. At the beginning of the seventeenth century multiple ‘finals’ were possible, each associated with a different interval configuration (mode). By the end of the seventeenth century, however, only two interval configurations were in regular use: those pertaining to the modern major- minor key system. The implications of this development are discussed with respect interval cycles and their hypothesised effect within musi

Leukocyte adhesion and recruitment, and alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency: a report from ATS 2001, May 18-23, San Francisco

The program at this year's American Thoracic Society international conference included over 300 scientific and clinical symposia. In this report I have reviewed the data presented on two important areas of lung inflammation, namely leukocyte recruitment and alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency. Highlights included work from a number of groups identifying the contribution of specific leukocyte adhesion molecules (CD18, CD11a and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1) which varied according to the site and nature of the initial inflammatory stimulus. In addition work was presented examining the contribution of various chemoattractants to the process of leukocyte recruitment in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, with leukotriene B(4) in particular appearing to play a major role. In alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency other molecules may also be important and work was presented demonstrating the pro-inflammatory potential of alpha-1-antitrypsin polymers in the lungs of these patients. These advances in the understanding of the basic mechanisms of inflammation will, in the future, allow the development of novel anti-inflammatory therapies for a variety of lung diseases

ENGAGING VULNERABLE WOMEN WHO USE ILLICIT DRUGS: EXPERIENCES OF DRUG-USING WOMEN AND FAMILY PHYSICIANS

Aims: This thesis explored the experiences of vulnerable women using illicit drugs and inner-city family physicians in order to better understand the process of engagement. Methods: This qualitative, phenomenological study used in-depth interviews with vulnerable, drug-using women and inner-city family physicians. An iterative and interpretive analysis was conducted. Findings: All participants identified proximal and distal contexts that were barriers to engagement. Women and family physician participants took actions that served to both facilitate and hinder access to primary health care. Lastly, participants identified the central role of the patient-physician relationship in the process of engagement and maintenance. Conclusions: Engagement is a two-step process characterized by engagement and maintenance phases. Strategies which enhance engagement include: 1) housing, 2) harm reduction programs 3) investing in peer programs, 4) concurrent social and medical services; and 5) patient-centered care

The Biology and Ecology of six rare plants from Plumas National Forest, Northern California, USA

The majority of our knowledge about the natural world has come from the study and observation of common species, yet a significant portion of species in the world are rare. In this study, biological and ecological data was collected for six rare taxa from Plumas National Forest. The taxa were Monardella stebbinsii, Monardella follettii (Lamiaceae), Lewisia cantelovii (Montiaceae), Cypripedium californicum, Cypripedium fasciculatum (Orchidaceae) and Clarkia mildrediae subsp. mildrediae (Onagraceae). The two Monardella\u27s and Cypripedium californicum are serpentine endemics, and the Lewisia is found growing both on and off serpentine. Five sites were visited per species, and soil samples and leaf tissue were collected to examine elemental concentrations in the soil and respective ion uptake. Detailed studies were conducted on the three rarest taxa, including comparative ecology and reproductive biology of the two congeners and a reciprocal transplant to assess the extent of local adaptation to substrate in L. cantelovii. Significant differences were found in the study of the two Monardella\u27s and Lewisia cantelovii showed early evidence for local adaptation to substrate. Gaining a better understanding of the biology and ecology of these rare plants will increase the efficacy of management practices as well as provide data in order to inform a multi-species conservation approach