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Trans-sulcal minimally invasive parafascicular surgery is an emerging technique to approach deep lesions with minimal brain retraction. Localization of the tubular retractor during surgery is critical, and intraoperative magnetic resonance imaging and neuronavigation present limitations. We describe the intraoperative use of O-Arm® coupled with pre-operative tractography to precisely localize the tubular retractor. With air acting as contrast, the tubular retractor was localized in three dimensions, without any additional disruption to white matter tracts or nearby vascular structures. We conclude that visualization of tubular retractor using an intraoperative computerized tomography scan is a safe and feasible adjunct in resection of deep lesions via a minimally invasive approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The document titled "Bookshelf 2023" provides a list of books that have not been reviewed in the journal, NWIG: New West Indian Guide / Nieuwe West-Indische Gids. The list includes titles such as "The Anglo-Spanish War 1655–1660" by Paul Sutton, "Taking Flight: Caribbean Women Writing from Abroad" by Jennifer Donahue, and "Communities of the Soul: A Short History of Religion in Puerto Rico" by José E. Igartua. The document also highlights several fiction books, including "Antoine of Gommiers" by Nathan H. Dize, "Une somme humaine" by Makenzy Orcel, and "Devil Makes Three" by Ben Fountain. These books cover a range of topics and perspectives related to the Caribbean region. [Extracted from the article]

This paper illuminates a method of representation of research methodologies and philosophical positioning expressed through the use of poetics, allowing for a more playful space for critical reflection in qualitative research. Methodologies and ontological and epistemological positioning can take on many forms within the research process and can pose a conundrum for the novice researcher. During my exploration for a suitable methodology whilst I undertook a Professional Doctorate in Health and Wellbeing there emerged a selection of poems debating the merits, in addition to the limitations, of the potential options available; all dependent on the philosophical stance I chose to embrace. Within this process, I was encouraged to use this art-based method of poetic expression within the doctoral trajectory which continued throughout the journey to facilitate reflexivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

I Monster in the Middle i (New York: Riverhead Books [Penguin/Random House], 2021, cloth US$ 27.00), is the second novel by Virgin Islands-born Tiphanie Yanique - in "Bookshelf 2014", we called her first one, the multiple prize-winning I Land of Love and Drowning i , "a gem", and this one is as well. Covid-19 has continued to affect book reviewing this year, as reviewers whom we had to remind wrote us back saying everything from "I'm stuck in Dakar" or "I crushed my right index finger in an anchor mishap two months ago [and] ... typing was problematic for a number of weeks" to "in the midst of the pandemic I fell and broke my leg in two places", not to mention people's frequent child-care/remote learning challenges (for some books, we had to identify and ask as many as nine potential reviewers before one agreed) or the difficulties of getting books from publishers to reviewers in pandemic-bombed Brazil. I Pleasantview i , "a novel in stories" by Trinidad-born and -resident Celeste Mohammed (New York: Ig Publishing, 2021, paper US$ 16.95), includes nine chapters, seven of which have been published as (often prize-winning) short stories. [Extracted from the article]

"Patchwork: Essays & Interviews on Caribbean Visual Culture" by Jacqueline Bishop is a collection of 30 essays and interviews that explore Caribbean visual culture. The book focuses on the diverse influences of ethnic, national, racial, and sexual identity, as well as family heritage and formal art training. It showcases the creative translations of Caribbean experiences into various mediums, including needlework, painting, sculpture, photography, and performance art. The book also addresses a wide range of concerns, such as colonialism, postcolonialism, environmental issues, spirituality, AIDS, globalization, gender, and sexuality. The featured artists and contributors reflect the diversity of Caribbean identity and experience. [Extracted from the article]

We report a rare case of metastatic colonic adenocarcinoma to the pituitary gland in a 58-year-old who presented with visual decline and panhypopituitarism. He underwent urgent transsphenoidal endoscopic surgery with significant improvement of his vision, followed by adjuvant fractionated radiotherapy to the resection cavity. He made a satisfactory recovery, but regrettably died from COVID-19 9 weeks after completion of radiotherapy. A multidisciplinary approach is essential for optimal management of this condition due to its rarity and complexity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) is the most common malignancy originating from the thyroid, with a good overall prognosis. However, distant metastasis of such lesions is very rare, with the brain being an incredibly uncommon site for secondary spread. The authors report a case of PTC brain metastasis 17-years after successful treatment of the primary malignancy, with no local or locoregional recurrence. Initial diagnostic uncertainty necessitated the involvement of a multidisciplinary team, and eventually the patient underwent image-guided gross surgical resection with intraoperative neuromonitoring (IOMN). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deep-seated brain tumours are surgically challenging to access. When planning approaches to these lesions, it is important to take into account eloquent cortical areas, grey matter nuclei, and subcortical white matter tracts. Traditionally, access to deep-seated lesions would require brain retraction; however, this is associated with secondary brain damage, which may impair neurological function. A trans-sulcal minimally invasive parafascicular approach allows gentle splitting of brain fibres and is thought to splay rather than sever white matter tracts. This is particularly important when approaching medially located, language-eloquent tumours, which lack brain surface expression. This video describes a minimally invasive approach to a deep-seated, language-eloquent brain tumour. We utilized preoperative cortical and subcortical planning to define a safe surgical corridor. We then demonstrate using intraoperative neuro-monitoring and mapping of the motor and language functions to define the boundaries of surgical resection. We find trans-sulcal minimally invasive parafascicular approach to be a safe and effective technique when approaching language-eloquent lesions medial to the main language subcortical networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Jamaica-born, Paris-based Alecia McKenzie, whose previous books have won prizes, now offers up I A Million Aunties i (Brooklyn NY: Akashic, 2020, US$ 15.95), a wide-ranging novel told in several voices that moves between New York, rural Jamaica, and Paris. Otmar Buyne (b. 1929) is a multitalented psychiatrist and neurologist, athlete, storyteller, poet, cook, and writer of culinary books, who has lived, studied, and worked in Suriname and the Netherlands. This has been a most trying year for book reviewers. [Extracted from the article]

Fashion has long been a dynamic aspect of Maroon culture in Suriname and French Guiana (Guyane). The textile arts that carry it through from one generation to the next were totally ignored by early writers, who lavished praise on the men's art of woodcarving but said virtually nothing about the artistic gifts of women—most importantly in calabash carving (referred to by one of them as "doodling") and clothing. This article, based on more than fifty years of ethnographic work with Maroons, focuses on textile arts and clothing fashions, running briefly through styles of the past before focusing on current directions. Today, with Maroons participating increasingly in life beyond the traditional villages of the rain forest, the women—like their mothers and grandmothers—have continued to enjoy adopting newly available materials and inventing novel techniques. In the process, they have been producing clothing that reflects both their cultural heritage of innovative artistry and their new place in the multicultural, commoditized society of the coast. The illustrations give an opening hint of the remarkable vibrancy of this aspect of Maroon life in the twenty-first century. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, the author discusses the issues regarding reviewer and editorial process which is everything from spelling and grammar to phrasing and citations and sample of Caribbean publishing.

The book is designed as a kind of practical guide, and its intended readership explicitly includes museum workers, museum visitors, and museum lovers who are not familiar with the academic literature on the subject. And it highlights Sumaya Kassim's essay, "The Museum Will Not Be Decolonised", as an important contribution to enlightened approaches to museum pay scales, and other essentials for moving toward a more decolonized museum world. Practicing Decoloniality in Museums: A Guide with Global Examples, by Csilla E. Ariese & Magdalena Wróblewska. [Extracted from the article]

Objectives To assess the number of parents who visited community pharmacies in London seeking pain medications for their children's pain and specifically for oral pain, to identify which health services parents contacted before their pharmacy visit and to estimate the cost to the National Health Service (NHS) when children with oral pain who visit pharmacies also see health professionals outside dentistry. Design A cross-sectional study. Setting 1862 pharmacies in London in November 2016-January 2017. Participants Parents, carers and adolescents purchasing over-the-counter pain medications or collecting pain prescriptions for children (0-19 years). Brief intervention A survey administered by pharmacy staff to participants and a guidance pack. Main outcome measures The number of parents who visited pharmacies seeking pain medications for their children's pain and oral pain and the number of parents who contacted health professionals outside dentistry before their pharmacy visit. Estimated costs of visits by children with oral pain to health professionals outside dentistry. Results One in two (951) pharmacies participated collecting information from 6915 parents seeking pain medications for their children. The majority (65%) of parents sought pain medications to relieve their children's oral pain. Only 30% of children with oral pain had seen a dentist before the pharmacy visit, while 28% of children had seen between one and four different health professionals. The cost to the NHS of children contacting health professionals outside dentistry was £36 573, extrapolated to an annual cost of £373 288. Replicating these findings across all pharmacies in England could mean that the NHS spends an estimated £2.3 million annually when children with oral pain inappropriately use multiple health services. Conclusion Most parents who visited pharmacies for children's pain medications in London sought pain medications for children's oral pain. Children's inappropriate contact with multiple health services when they have oral pain adds significant costs to the NHS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article provides a brief analysis of several reviews of nonfiction books published in the "New West Indian Guide" (NWIG) journal, and mentions the publishers and the state of the Caribbean book publishing.

The article discusses the various identitarian movements of the Caribbean region and compares them with the Créolité literary movement developed by the Martinican writers Patrick Chamoiseau, Jean Bernabé, and Raphaël Confiant in the book "Éloge de la créolité." It discusses the impacts of the interpersonal relationships of people from various backgrounds including artists, poets, dancers, musicians, journalists, publishers, and politicians on the outcomes of these movements.

An introduction is presented in which the editor discusses articles in the issue on topics including a list of books that have not been reviewed, the website www.repeatingislands.com about Caribbean culture and a list of fiction titles.

Ulcerative colitis is a chronic inflammatory disease affecting the colon and is characterized by epithelial damage and barrier dysfunction. Upregulation of the tight junction protein claudin-2 by cytokines is hypothesized to contribute to the dysregulation of the epithelial barrier. New therapeutic agents which block the action of cytokines are being investigated in patients with ulcerative colitis. In order to understand the potential of these therapies, it is important to have reliable assays that can assess downstream endpoints that reflect drug mechanism of action. The aim of the current study was therefore to establish & validate an assay to reproducibly assess the expression and distribution of claudin-2 in human colon biopsy samples. Initially, the potential to measure claudin-2 protein by immunohistochemistry (IHC) was investigated. To identify suitable reagents to develop an IHC assay, pre-established criteria were used to screen five commercial antibodies by Western blotting, immunofluorescence and immunohistochemistry on claudin-2 positive and negative cells and healthy and ulcerative colitis colon tissue. Despite some of these antibodies specifically detecting claudin-2 using some of these techniques, none of the antibodies showed the expected specific staining pattern in formalin fixed human colon samples. As an alternative method to detect claudin-2 expression and distribution in formalin fixed biopsy sections, an in situ hybridization assay was developed. This assay underwent a novel tiered approach of validation to establish that it was fit-for-purpose, and suitable for clinical deployment. In addition, to understand the possible relationship of claudin-2 in the context of disease severity, expression was compared to the Geboes score. Overall, the microscopical Geboes score correlated with the claudin-2 biomarker score for samples that retained crypt morphology; samples with the highest Geboes score were not specifically distinguished, probably due to crypt destruction. In summary, we have applied a strategy for identifying target-specific antibodies in formalin fixed biopsy samples and highlighted that (published) antibodies may not correctly identify the intended antigen in tissues fixed using this method. Furthermore, we have developed and, for the first time, validated an in situ hybridization assay for detection of claudin-2 mRNA, suitable for use as a supportative method in clinical trials. Using our validated assay, we have demonstrated that increased claudin-2 expression correlates with the severity of ulcerative colitis, where crypt destruction is not seen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article lists several books related to the Caribbean area along with the publication's opinion on them and comments on the review process followed by the publication for these books. Topics include the review process followed by the publication for books from various genres including books like "Conceiving Freedom: Women of Color, Gender, and the Abolition of Slavery in Havana and Rio de Janeiro" by author Camillia Cowling.

Editor's Highlight: Chemotherapeutics are the epitome of the medical double-edged sword. These agents must be sufficiently toxic to eradicate cancerous cells, but in doing so, non-target tissues are often damaged. One prime example is the damage to the heart tissue after treatment with anthracyclines, such as doxorubicin. Damage to cardiac tissue during treatment leads to an increased rate of heart failure in cancer survivors. As such, it is important to better understand the structural and functional sequelae of treatment on the myocardium. Cove-Smith, Woodhouse, and coworkers employed a battery of cardiac measures along with sophisticated multi-modal cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) to reveal adverse cardiac consequences after doxorubicin treatment. Key findings include early functional deficits as measured by CMR, as well as subcellular myofibrillar damage and mitochondrial degeneration that occurred well before overt cardiac myocyte degeneration. —Lu Cai and Gary W. MillerMany efficacious cancer treatments cause significant cardiac morbidity, yet biomarkers or functional indices of early damage, which would allow monitoring and intervention, are lacking. In this study, we have utilized a rat model of progressive doxorubicin (DOX)-induced cardiomyopathy, applying multiple approaches, including cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), to provide the most comprehensive characterization to date of the timecourse of serological, pathological, and functional events underlying this toxicity. Hannover Wistar rats were dosed with 1.25 mg/kg DOX weekly for 8 weeks followed by a 4 week off-dosing “recovery” period. Electron microscopy of the myocardium revealed subcellular degeneration and marked mitochondrial changes after a single dose. Histopathological analysis revealed progressive cardiomyocyte degeneration, hypertrophy/cytomegaly, and extensive vacuolation after two doses. Extensive replacement fibrosis (quantified by Sirius red staining) developed during the off-dosing period. Functional indices assessed by cardiac MRI (including left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), cardiac output, and E/A ratio) declined progressively, reaching statistical significance after two doses and culminating in “clinical” LV dysfunction by 12 weeks. Significant increases in peak myocardial contrast enhancement and serological cardiac troponin I (cTnI) emerged after eight doses, importantly preceding the LVEF decline to <50%. Troponin I levels positively correlated with delayed and peak gadolinium contrast enhancement, histopathological grading, and diastolic dysfunction. In summary, subcellular cardiomyocyte degeneration was the earliest marker, followed by progressive functional decline and histopathological manifestations. Myocardial contrast enhancement and elevations in cTnI occurred later. However, all indices predated “clinical” LV dysfunction and thus warrant further evaluation as predictive biomarkers. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In recent years, there has been considerable activity to identify urinary biomarkers of nephrotoxicity as noninvasive measurements with greater sensitivity and specificity than traditional biomarkers, such as serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen. Our study aimed to use cisplatin-treated rats to evaluate the use of immunohistochemistry directed at multiple urinary biomarkers in kidney tissue. Tissue levels were compared to urinary levels of these biomarkers to demonstrate tissue specificity and sensitivity. These techniques could also be used in studies where urine samples are not available, such as retrospective studies in drug safety testing, to demonstrate the potential utility of using these biomarkers in future preclinical or clinical studies. All of the biomarkers investigated showed either an increase (kidney injury molecule [KIM-1], osteopontin [OPN], and, clusterin) or a decrease (alpha-glutathione S-transferase and trefoil factor 3) except beta 2 microglobulin (β2MG) that showed no significant changes 5 days after 1.0 mg/kg or 2.5 mg/kg cisplatin treatment. All of the biomarkers except β2MG showed utility as tissue biomarkers, but KIM-1 and OPN expression correlated closely with urinary biomarker measurements and reflect tissue damage. Future studies are needed to determine the wider application of these two markers for detecting renal toxicity following administration of other nephrotoxicants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite six decades of clinical experience with the polymyxin class of antibiotics, their dose-limiting nephrotoxicity remains difficult to predict due to a paucity of sensitive biomarkers. Here, we evaluate the performance of standard of care and next-generation biomarkers of renal injury in the detection and monitoring of polymyxin-induced acute kidney injury in male Han Wistar rats using colistin (polymyxin E) and a polymyxin B (PMB) derivative with reduced nephrotoxicity, PMB nonapeptide (PMBN). This study provides the first histopathological and biomarker analysis of PMBN, an important test of the hypothesis that fatty acid modifications and charge reductions in polymyxins can reduce their nephrotoxicity. The results indicate that alterations in a panel of urinary kidney injury biomarkers can be used to monitor histopathological injury, with Kim-1 and α-GST emerging as the most sensitive biomarkers outperforming clinical standards of care, serum or plasma creatinine and blood urea nitrogen. To enable the prediction of polymyxin-induced nephrotoxicity, an in vitro cytotoxicity assay was employed using human proximal tubule epithelial cells (HK-2). Cytotoxicity data in these HK-2 cells correlated with the renal toxicity detected via safety biomarker data and histopathological evaluation, suggesting that in vitro and in vivo methods can be incorporated within a screening cascade to prioritize polymyxin class analogs with more favorable renal toxicity profiles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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A number of novel urinary biomarkers have been identified and partially qualified for use as markers for renal injury in rats. We used two multiplex assays for these novel biomarkers to quantify biomarker concentration in serial urine collections from rats of both sexes administered varying concentrations of cisplatin. From these data, we calculate inter-individual variation and reference ranges from predose animals and intra-individual variation and reference change values from undosed control animals. The biomarkers evaluated are albumin, α glutathione s-transferase, glutathione S-transferase-yb1, lipocalin-2, kidney injury molecule-1, osteopontin, and renal papillary antigen 1. For any creatinine-corrected novel biomarkers, we found intra-individual variation to be no greater than 44% and inter-individual variation to be no greater than 46%. Reference change values for most corrected analytes (except osteopontin) were 50–100%, indicating that a >100% increase in analyte concentration between serial samples would be unlikely to be associated with inherent analytical or biological variation. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

A bibliography is presented which includes the books "An Ethnographic Study of Papadjab, an Afro-Caribbean Devil Dancer: The Christmas Street Festival in St. Lucia," by Benjamin Wintersteen, "Beyond the Slave Narrative: Politics, Sex, and Manuscripts in the Haitian Revolution," by Deborah Jenson and "The Brilliant Disaster: JFK, Castro, and America’s Doomed Invasion of Cuba’s Bay of Pigs," by Jim Rasenberger.

Drug-induced kidney injury (DIKI) results in attrition during drug development; new DIKI urinary biomarkers offer potential to detect and monitor DIKI progression and regression, but frequently only in rats. The triple reuptake inhibitor (TRI) PRC200-SS represents a new class of antidepressants that elevate synaptic levels of serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine and is expected to produce more rapid onset and better antidepressant efficacy than single or dual inhibitors. Although preclinical studies and recent clinical trials lend support to this concept of superior efficacy for TRIs, there is little information on the safety profile of this class of compounds. Using histopathology and DIKI biomarkers, in single- and repeat dose toxicological studies in cynomolgus monkeys, PRC200-SS demonstrated dose-proportional kidney toxicity. Characterization of the histopathological lesions, using a combination of immunohistochemistry (IHC) and urinary biomarker analysis, indicated that the compound is a distal tubule and collecting duct toxicant. Segment specificity for the lesions was shown using a newly developed triple IHC combination method with antibodies against calbindin D28, aquaporin 2, and aquaporin 1. Urinary biomarker analyses, using multiplex immunoassays, confirmed a dose-proportional increase in the excretion of calbindin D28 and clusterin in compound-treated monkeys with levels returning to baseline during the drug-free recovery period. These results constitute the validation of distal nephron DIKI biomarkers in the cynomolgus monkey and demonstrate the utility of calbindin D28 and clusterin to monitor the progression of distal nephron DIKI, representing potential early biomarkers of DIKI for the clinic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Searchfield L, Price S A, Betton G, Jasani B, Riccardi D & Griffiths D F R (2011) Histopathology 180-190 Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) often recurs as distant metastasis; there is thus a need for new indicators to identify high-risk patients. Glutathione S-transferases (GST)-α and -π are involved in the renal bioactivation of toxic metabolites. The aim was to investigate whether their expression is of diagnostic and prognostic value. Western blotting of microdissected normal kidney and immunostaining of histological RCC microarrays shows expression of GST-α in proximal tubular cells, while GST-π was found in the distal nephron. Of the primary 174 RCC cases examined, GST-α immunoreactivity was restricted to conventional RCC ( n = 76, 68% positive) and was not seen in any other RCC subtypes. The cross-tabulation of the GST-α scores with other prognostic indices demonstrated that GST-α immunostaining was significantly more frequent in low-grade tumours (χ: P < 0.004), and that conventional GST-α-positive RCC patients had a mean disease-free survival of 6.0 years (95% confidence interval 5.33-6.63), compared with 4.7 years (3.54-5.90) in GST-α-negative tumours (Kaplan-Meier survival analysis, P = 0.011, log-rank test). GST-α is a highly specific diagnostic marker for primary conventional RCC, where it is a prognostic marker if grade is omitted from the multivariate analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently there are no biomarkers for detecting collecting duct damage in man. Antibodies to several collecting duct-specific antigens exist but sandwich assays have been difficult to establish due to the need for two different antibodies to the same protein. We hypothesized that a collecting duct-specific lectin could be used in combination with a collecting duct-specific antibody to negate the need for two different antibodies. The collecting duct specificity of selected antibodies (NiCa II 13C2, Pap XI 3C7, HuPaP VII 2B11 and aquaporin 2), was verified by immunohistochemistry. Aquaporin 2 and Pap XI 3C7 were used successfully in setting up assays with the lectin Dolichos biflorus, using the Meso Scale Discovery (MSD) platform. Antigen expression was highest in the papillae of rat and human kidney (corresponding to the greatest density of collecting ducts) and was also present in normal urine. We propose that further qualification and validation would lead to an assay for detecting collecting duct damage in man. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents the 2008 William Fagg Lecture, delivered by anthropologist Sally Price at the British Museum in London, England on October 30, in which she discussed primitive African art, ethnographic museum collections in Paris, France, and the treatment of primitive objects as either ethnographic artifacts or works of art.

Renal papillary necrosis (RPN) is a relatively common toxicity observed in preclinical drug safety testing. It is also observed in a variety of human diseases. RPN is difficult to diagnose without expensive scanning methods or histopathology. A noninvasive biomarker that could be detected at early stages of kidney damage would be of great value both to preclinical drug safety testing and in the clinic. An antibody raised to an unknown epitope of an antigen in rat kidney papilla was found to be specific for collecting duct cells in the kidney; this was termed renal papillary antigen 1 (RPA-1). In this study, the authors show that RPA-1 is an early biomarker of RPN in two different rat models of toxicity: 2-bromoethanamine (BEA) and N-phenylanthranilic acid (NPAA). RPA-1 can be detected in urine at early stages of toxicity and correlates well with the histopathology observed. We also characterized the biochemical properties of RPA-1 and found that the antigen is a high molecular weight membrane bound glycoprotein, with the epitope likely to be carried on an N-linked carbohydrate structure. This study demonstrates that RPA-1 is an excellent marker of RPN that can be used to detect this toxicity in preclinical safety testing. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The Musée du quai Branly, built in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower, opened to great fanfare in 2006. Since then it has sponsored a wide variety of exhibitions and conjoint activities and fueled rich debates about museology in the postcolonial world—from collecting practices in the field and issues concerning cultural property to the politics of display and the distribution of power among collectors, dealers, curators, anthropologists, and art historians. This article follows on the book in which Price (2007) chronicled events leading up to the museum's inauguration. It lays out developments over the past three years and engages the literature, in France and elsewhere, that has swirled around the museum's undertaking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evidence suggests that γδ T cells form part of the innate immune response to Mycobacterium bovis infection. Dendritic cells (DCs) are capable of secreting high levels of interleukin-12 (IL-12) following infection with mycobacteria and can induce interferon-γ (IFN-γ) secretion by natural killer and γδ T cells We investigated the innate interactions occurring between WC1+γδ T cells and M. bovis-infected DCs. Following coculture with M. bovis-infected DCs, secretion of IFN-γ and expression of CD25 and major histocompatibility complex class II on WC1+γδ T cells were significantly enhanced. Reciprocal enhancement of IL-12 secretion by the DCs was also observed and this interaction was found to be contact dependent. We hypothesize that there is an early, transient signal between the WC1+γδ T cells and the DCs, which promotes the synthesis of biologically active IL-12, and which is dependent upon cell–cell contact. Reciprocal signals including IL-12 are then delivered to WC1+γδ cells, which leads to the enhanced secretion of IFN-γ, and the up-regulation of activation markers and antigen presentation molecules by the WC1+γδ T cells. These interactions are likely to form a critical part of the T helper type 1-conditioning response of DCs to M. bovis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When artists who were once dubbed "primitive" find themselves operating in a freshly expanded environment, with an international clientele, new materials to work with, access to urban exhibition spaces, the counsel of culture brokers, and options for travel abroad, their response can include highly creative innovations in both the forms they produce and the interpretations they offer of their work. The new environment can sometimes even lead to adjustments in their vision of the origins and meanings of their artistic heritage. In this article, I trace the recent history of art made by Maroon men in the Guianas, following its mutation from a form of expression for internal consumption, largely as gifts for wives and lovers, to a commodity sold in an external market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Title. Users’ views of prison health services: a qualitative study. Aim. This paper is a report of a study of the views of prisoners about health services provided in prisons. Background. Prison provides an opportunity for a ‘hard to reach’ group to access health services, primarily those provided by nurses. Prisoners typically have high health and social needs, but the views and experiences of prisoners about health services in prison have not been widely researched. Method. Semi-structured interviews were carried out with 111 prisoners in purposively selected 12 prisons in England in 2005. Interviews covered both prisoners’ views of health services and their own ways of caring for their health in prison. Interviews were analysed to develop a conceptual framework and identify dominant themes. Findings. Prisoners considered health services part of a personal prison journey, which began at imprisonment and ended on release. For those who did not access health services outside prison, imprisonment improved access to both mental and physical health services. Prisoners identified accessing services, including those provided by nurses, confidentiality, being seen as a ‘legitimate’ patient and living with a chronic condition as problems within the prison healthcare system. At all points along the prison healthcare journey, the prison regime could conflict with optimal health care. Conclusion. Lack of autonomy is a major obstacle to ensuring that prisoners’ health needs are fully met. Their views should be considered when planning, organizing and delivering prison health services. Further research is needed to examine how nurses can ensure a smooth journey through health care for prisoners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

γδ T-cell receptor+ T lymphocytes are an important element of the innate immune system. Early production of interferon (IFN)-γ by γδ T cells may have a role in linking innate and adaptive immune responses and contribute to T helper-1 bias. We investigated the role of cytokines in the activation and induction of IFN-γ secretion by bovine workshop cluster 1+ (WC1+) γδ T cells. The effects of culture with interleukin (IL)-12, IL-18, IL-15 and IL-2 were investigated; these cytokines are known to influence murine and human γδ T cells. We report that bovine WC1+γδ T cells are synergistically stimulated by IL-12 and IL-18 to secrete large quantities of IFN-γ. Neonatal calves were shown to have significantly higher numbers of circulating WC1+γδ T cells than adult animals. In addition, the response of peripheral blood WC1+γδ T cells was significantly higher in neonatal calves compared with adult animals. However, in adult animals the response of lymph node WC1+γδ T cells to IL-12/IL-18 was more pronounced than that of peripheral blood WC1+γδ T cells. We hypothesize that the induction of IFN-γ secretion from WC1+γδ T cells by IL-12 and IL-18 is likely to be an important element of the innate response to pathogens such as Mycobacterium bovis. The high numbers of WC1+γδ T cells in neonatal calves, and their inherent ability to respond to inflammatory cytokines, could be a key factor in the enhanced responses seen in calves to BCG vaccination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peripheral neuropathy is a common, irreversible complication of diabetes. We investigated whether gene transfer of an engineered zinc finger protein transcription factor (ZFP-TF) designed to upregulate expression of the endogenous vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-A gene could protect against experimental diabetic neuropathy. ZFP-TF-driven activation of the endogenous gene results in expression of all of the VEGF-A isoforms, a fact that may be of significance for recapitulation of the proper biological responses stimulated by this potent neuroprotective growth factor. We show here that this engineered ZFP-TF activates VEGF-A in appropriate cells in culture and that the secreted VEGF-A protein induced by the ZFP protects neuroblastoma cell lines from a serum starvation insult in vitro. Importantly, single and repeat intramuscular inject-ions of formulated plasmid DNA encoding the VEGF-A-activating ZFP-TF resulted in protection of both sensory and motor nerve conduction velocities in a streptozotocin-induced rat model of diabetes. These data suggest that VEGF-A-activating ZFP-TFs may ultimately be of clinical utility in the treatment of this disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports on an evaluation of the Bristol Pregnancy and Domestic Violence Programme, introduced to support the launch of routine antenatal enquiry for domestic violence. In particular, it focuses on data from a national survey of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) (n=23) and interviews with educationalists (n=10) that assessed the potential impact on education of the introduction of routine antenatal enquiry. Findings suggest that a more systematic approach to domestic violence teaching is needed, focusing on the development of skill acquisition in ‘asking the question’. While HEIs were enthusiastic about their role, professionally developed competencies for pre-registration students are also required to sustain routine enquiry in the longer term. Similarly, existing staff require access to validated programmes within trusts, in association with child protection training to enable existing practitioners to role-model good practice. Where possible, education should be delivered inter- professionally to enable practitioners to establish their role alongside other professionals and agencies, particularly the voluntary sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Historically, maternity care for women in prison has been poor, with little attention paid to the specific needs of pregnant women in the policy literature. However prison health care is undergoing a modernisation programme with a requirement that prisoners receive health care to the same standard as those not imprisoned. This two-part article describes the findings of a research study into the maternity services for women in prison. Part one provides a background to the project and describes the pregnant prison population, and the current services available to them. What is evident from the findings is that the standard of care for women in prison is variable, dependent upon the establishment in which they reside. As a disenfranchised group, with high risk factors for pregnancy and birth, women in prison and midwives who care for them face many challenges in the provision of equitable care that is accessible and effective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a list of books related to West Indians. The books include "The Poetry of Slavery: An Anglo-American Anthology, 1974-1985," edited by Marcus Wood, "The Annihilation of Fish and Other Stories," by Anthony C. Winkler, "Dancing Nude in the Moonlight," by Joanne C. Hillhouse and "The Humming-Bird Tree," by Ian MacDonald.

This study examined the role of p38 mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase in transducing high glucose into deficits in nerve conduction velocity (NCV) that are characteristic of diabetic neuropathy. p38 activation and NCV were measured in streptozocin-induced diabetic rats treated with a p38 inhibitor, an aldose reductase inhibitor, and insulin. Dorsal root ganglia (DRG) from diabetic animals showed marked activation of p38 at 12 weeks of diabetes. Insulin treatment for the last 4 of 12 weeks of diabetes normalized p38 activation. Furthermore, activation was completely prevented by 12 weeks' treatment with the aldose reductase inhibitor, fidarestat. Immunocytochemistry localized activation of p38 to the nuclei of virtually all sensory neuronal phenotypes in the DRG, and activation was clear in diabetes, as was inhibition by fidarestat and by the p38 inhibitor SB 239063. In the ventral horn of the spinal cord, p38 was present in motoneuron cell bodies; and again, activation in diabetes and fidarestat inhibition was clear. Treatment of diabetic animals with a specific inhibitor of p38 (SB 239063), fidarestat, or insulin also prevented reductions in both motor and sensory NCV. These findings suggest that increased polyol pathway flux in diabetic animals leads to the activation of p38. This activation can mediate changes in gene transcription and cellular phenotype that are likely to underlie the NCV deficits. Insulin and aldose reductase inhibitors can prevent excess polyol pathway flux, and hence these agents may prevent NCV deficits by preventing p38 MAP kinase activation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Focuses on the role of Michel Leiris in the anthropological practice in France. Profile on Leiris; Education and personal background; Training in anthropology; State of French anthropology during Leiris' time.

Diabetes activates all three groups of MAP kinases in sensory ganglia. Inhibition of this activation for the ERK and p38 groups prevents nerve damage, and agents that improve neuronal function in diabetic rats—antioxidants and aldose reductase inhibitors—also inhibit activation of ERK and p38 in dorsal root ganglia (DRG). However, these same treatments consistently increase activation of JNK. Thus, in DRG from rats with streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetes of 12-week duration, the p54/56 isoforms of JNK were activated by 2.75 compared to controls (P < .05). In DRG from diabetic rats treated with a gamma-linolenic acid and alpha-lipoic acid diester (GLAˆˆLA), the activity of the p54/56 isoform was 3.75 that of controls and the p46 isoform was also increased to 1.75 that of controls (both P < .05 compared to both controls and untreated diabetics). We therefore tested the hypothesis that JNK activation is protective. Exposure of rats to diabetes increased activation of JNK in DRG, but treatment with GLAˆˆLA increased this effect (P < .05). Specific inhibition of JNK in primary cultures of DRG neurons using a peptide inhibitor of JNK (JNKi1, 159-600-R100, 7.5 μM, Alexis Biochemicals) increased the release of LDH and reduced MTT staining; both findings indicate an increase in neuronal damage. Taken together these findings indicate that multiple isoforms of JNK were activated in sensory neurons of diabetic rats, probably by a combination of raised glucose and oxidative stress, and that this activation of JNK serves to protect the neurons from damage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Methanotrophic bacteria oxidize methane (CH4) in forest soils that cover ∼30% of Earth's land surface. The first measurements for a pristine Southern Hemisphere forest are reported here. Soil CH4 oxidation rate averaged 10.5±0.6 kg CH4 ha−1 yr−1, with the greatest rates in dry warm soil (up to 17 kg CH4 ha−1 yr−1). Methanotrophic activity was concentrated beneath the organic horizon at 50–100 mm depth. Water content was the principal regulator of ( r2=0.88) from the most common value of field capacity to less than half of this when the soil was driest. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that soil temperature was not very influential. However, inverse co-variability confounded the separation of soil water and temperature effects in situ. Fick's law explained the role of water content in regulating gas diffusion and substrate supply to the methanotrophs and the importance of pore size distribution and tortuosity. This analysis also showed that the chambers used in the study did not affect the oxidation rate measurements. The soil was always a net sink for atmospheric CH4 and no net CH4 (or nitrous oxide, N2O) emissions were measured over the 17-month long study. For New Zealand, national-scale extrapolation of our data suggested the potential to offset 13% of CH4 emissions from ca. 90 M ruminant animals. Our average was about 6.5 times higher than rates reported for most Northern Hemisphere forest soils. This very high was attributed to the lack of anthropogenic disturbance for at least 3000–5000 years and the low rate of atmospheric nitrogen deposition. Our truly baseline data could represent a valid preagricultural, preindustrial estimate of the soil sink for temperate latitudes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mitochondrial dysfunction has been proposed as a mediator of neurodegeneration in diabetes complications. The aim of this study was to determine whether deficits in insulin-dependent neurotrophic support contributed to depolarization of the mitochondrial membrane in sensory neurons of streptozocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. Whole cell fluorescent video imaging using rhodamine 123 (R123) was used to monitor mitochondrial inner membrane potential (deltapsi(m)). Treatment of cultured dorsal root ganglia (DRG) sensory neurons from normal adult rats for up to 1 day with 50 mmol/l glucose had no effect; however, 1.0 nmol/l insulin increased deltapsi(m) by 100% (P < 0.05). To determine the role of insulin in vivo, STZ-induced diabetic animals were treated with background insulin and the deltapsi(m) of DRG sensory neurons was analyzed. Insulin therapy in STZ-induced diabetic rats had no effect on raised glycated hemoglobin or sciatic nerve polyol levels, confirming that hyperglycemia was unaffected. However, insulin treatment significantly normalized diabetes-induced deficits in sensory and motor nerve conduction velocity (P < 0.05). In acutely isolated DRG sensory neurons from insulin-treated STZ animals, the diabetes-related depolarization of the deltapsi(m) was corrected (P < 0.05). The results demonstrate that loss of insulin-dependent neurotrophic support may contribute to mitochondrial membrane depolarization in sensory neurons in diabetic neuropathy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]