How Do Men Who Have Sex With Men Currently Understand, Evaluate And Respond To HIV Risk? A Mixed Methods Analysis Of An Internet Survey In A Post-Antiretroviral Society.

This thesis sets out to examine how men who have sex with men (MSM) currently understand, evaluate and respond to HIV risk. The aims of the study were to explore key areas of HIV risk understanding, including how HIV risk was understood in a post-antiretroviral society and how masculinities affect this risk understanding. In addition, key aspects of the negotiation of sex used by those who were single and in (open) relationships were considered. An examination of a variety of mass media HIV prevention interventions was carried out to explore what viewing them tells us about risk perception and response. Of key interest to this research was how these understandings of HIV risk were evolving within the context of the shifting definitions of love, with the introduction of formalised relationship structures, and sex, caused by the impact of antiretrovirals in the MSM communities. This study unified the results from quantitative and qualitative data that emerged from an online mixed methods survey to unravel the experiences of a convenience sample of 557 UK-based MSM. This survey incorporated a mixture of both open and closed questions, vignette questions and made the use of visuals to allow nuanced responses to emerge. The findings reveal how these shifting definitions of sex and love are affecting how men understand HIV risk, the consequences for the negotiation of sex, and indicate various improvements that may need to be made to address these issues

Biodegradable Microparticles as Non-Live Viral Vectors for Respiratory Tract Vaccination.

End of Project ReportThe potential of a microparticulate vaccine delivery system in eliciting a specific humoral response in the upper respiratory tract of calves was evaluated. Microparticles composed of poly(lactideco- glycolide) containing ovalbumin, a model immunogen, were prepared by a solvent evaporation technique. The microparticles were under 10μm in diameter as determined by fluorescence activated cell sorter (FACS) analysis. Following immunisation, the microparticles induced production of specific secretory IgA (sIgA) in nasal samples.The sIgA was detected after only one week and persisted throughout the length of the study. Additionally, the effects of microencapsulated synthetic peptides (F peptide (0.5mg) and G peptide (0.5mg), representing known protective epitopes against bovine respiratory syncytial virus (BRSV), on the cellular and humoral immune responses of calves were investigated. ∗ No significant change in the cellular immune response was detected. * The secretory IgA response was significantly more prolonged following administration of the SF (F111-148) peptide when compared with the SG (G174-187) peptide. * It is concluded that microparticles incorporating antigens show potential in the quest for generating complete protection in the young bovine against respiratory tract pathogens. * Vaccination of calves with the SF (F111-148) and SG (G174-187) peptide resulted in a significant reduction in the requirement to treat with antibiotics for respiratory disease in the post-vaccination period.European Union Structural Funds (EAGGF

Young children as global citizens

The publication of Aistear, the Early Childhood Curriculum Framework (NCCA, 2009) provides a unique opportunity to promote the inclusion of a global and justice perspective in education programmes for young children at pre-school and junior primary school levels. The Framework highlights the importance of global citizenship and diversity issues and provides the opportunity to support educators engaged in their implementation. To facilitate the provision of such support, a partnership between Trócaire and St Patrick’s College, Drumcondra has undertaken research into young children’s engagement with issues of global justice. This article describes the background to the research, the methodologies used, and the research findings and dissemination

Bench-to-bedside review: Carbon dioxide

Carbon dioxide is a waste product of aerobic cellular respiration in all aerobic life forms. PaCO2 represents the balance between the carbon dioxide produced and that eliminated. Hypocapnia remains a common - and generally underappreciated - component of many disease states, including early asthma, high-altitude pulmonary edema, and acute lung injury. Induction of hypocapnia remains a common, if controversial, practice in both adults and children with acute brain injury. In contrast, hypercapnia has traditionally been avoided in order to keep parameters normal. More recently, advances in our understanding of the role of excessive tidal volume has prompted clinicians to use ventilation strategies that result in hypercapnia. Consequently, hypercapnia has become increasingly prevalent in the critically ill patient. Hypercapnia may play a beneficial role in the pathogenesis of inflammation and tissue injury, but may hinder the host response to sepsis and reduce repair. In contrast, hypocapnia may be a pathogenic entity in the setting of critical illness. The present paper reviews the current clinical status of low and high PaCO2 in the critically ill patient, discusses the insights gained to date from studies of carbon dioxide, identifies key concerns regarding hypocapnia and hypercapnia, and considers the potential clinical implications for the management of patients with acute lung injury

Impact of Altered Airway Pressure on Intracranial Pressure, Perfusion, and Oxygenation: A Narrative Review.

OBJECTIVES: A narrative review of the pathophysiology linking altered airway pressure and intracranial pressure and cerebral oxygenation. DATA SOURCES: Online search of PubMed and manual review of articles (laboratory and patient studies) of the altered airway pressure on intracranial pressure, cerebral perfusion, or cerebral oxygenation. STUDY SELECTION: Randomized trials, observational and physiologic studies. DATA EXTRACTION: Our group determined by consensus which resources would best inform this review. DATA SYNTHESIS: In the normal brain, positive-pressure ventilation does not significantly alter intracranial pressure, cerebral oxygenation, or perfusion. In injured brains, the impact of airway pressure on intracranial pressure is variable and determined by several factors; a cerebral venous Starling resistor explains much of the variability. Negative-pressure ventilation can improve cerebral perfusion and oxygenation and reduce intracranial pressure in experimental models, but data are limited, and mechanisms and clinical benefit remain uncertain. CONCLUSIONS: The effects of airway pressure and ventilation on cerebral perfusion and oxygenation are increasingly understood, especially in the setting of brain injury. In the face of competing mechanisms and priorities, multimodal monitoring and individualized titration will increasingly be required to optimize care

Ten Years Later, A Promised Unfulfilled

A new report, Ten Years Later, A Promise Unfulfilled, released by the NVRA Implementation Project -- a joint project between Demos, ACORN and Project Vote -- concludes that states are failing low-income communities and our nation's democracy by not adequately complying with federal law that requires human services agencies to provide voter registration services. Section 7 of the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) mandates that state offices administering family assistance, Medicaid, disability benefits and other programs offer applicants and clients the opportunity to register to vote. Poor compliance with the letter and spirit of Section 7 is resulting in the continued inequality in voter registration rates and voter turnout and the under representation of the poor, disabled and others. The report calls on state officials and federal agencies to take immediate action to ensure that low-income communities are able to access voter registration services

DIT Library Services: An Evolving Learning Environment

DIT Library Services: an evolving learning environment The library as a place of learning has seen progressive change. DIT Library Services is listening and responding to the student need for a library service that supports all their learning requirements and learning styles. A service designed to reach them at their point of need