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Preparation for the operatic stage means that for some students their voice will undergo significant transformation during training. For most operatic singers, voice type will determine future roles, the music they perform and potential career trajectory. Voice type becomes a facet of identity and position within the operatic world. This article presents a narrative thematic analysis of a young woman's account of her teaching and learning experiences in preparation for a career on the operatic stage. Two semi-structured interviews were conducted, and beliefs and values about her singing and voice type were elicited. This article discusses how significant changes to her voice have affected her self-concept, singer identity and potential career in opera. Also discussed is the impact of conservatorium environment, peers and mentors on her feelings of self-belief.

Maternal immunisation, a low cost and high efficacy intervention is recommended for its pathogen specific protection. Evidence suggests that maternal immunisation has another significant impact: reduction of preterm birth (PTB), the single greatest cause of childhood morbidity and mortality globally. Our overarching question is: how does maternal immunisation modify the immune system in pregnant women and/or their newborn to reduce adverse pregnancy outcomes and enhance the newborn infant's capacity to protect itself from infectious diseases during early childhood? To answer this question we are conducting a multi-site, prospective observational cohort study collecting maternal and infant biological samples at defined time points during pregnancy and post-partum from nulliparous women. We aim to enrol 400 women and determine the immune trajectory in pregnancy and the impact of maternal immunisation (including influenza, pertussis and/or COVID-19 vaccines) on this trajectory. The results are expected to identify areas that can be targeted for future intervention studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This case report describes the discovery of a type 1 retroaortic left renal vein (RLRV) in an 83-year-old male cadaveric donor with multiple comorbidities. RLRV is an anatomical variant with an estimated incidence of 0.5-3.6%, with type 1 RLRV being the most common subtype. RLRV is typically asymptomatic, which aligns with the benign nature of the anatomical variation seen in this case. However, it is important to recognize that RLRV can be symptomatic. The hallmark manifestations of renal vein entrapment, colloquially known as the "nutcracker syndrome," include hematuria, proteinuria, flank pain, and varicocele, which are concurrent with the encasement of the renal vein between the aorta and surrounding anatomical structures. RLRV is typically diagnosed using multidetector CT (MDCT) or Doppler ultrasound (DUS). The therapeutic approach to symptomatic RLRV primarily encompasses conservative strategies, such as the administration of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and aspirin, whereas surgical interventions are generally reserved for refractory cases, i.e., when conservative measures fail to alleviate the symptoms., Competing Interests: Human subjects: All authors have confirmed that this study did not involve human participants or tissue. Conflicts of interest: In compliance with the ICMJE uniform disclosure form, all authors declare the following: Payment/services info: All authors have declared that no financial support was received from any organization for the submitted work. Financial relationships: All authors have declared that they have no financial relationships at present or within the previous three years with any organizations that might have an interest in the submitted work. Other relationships: All authors have declared that there are no other relationships or activities that could appear to have influenced the submitted work., (Copyright © 2024, Cox et al.)

Maternal immunisation, a low cost and high efficacy intervention is recommended for its pathogen specific protection. Evidence suggests that maternal immunisation has another significant impact: reduction of preterm birth (PTB), the single greatest cause of childhood morbidity and mortality globally. Our overarching question is: how does maternal immunisation modify the immune system in pregnant women and/or their newborn to reduce adverse pregnancy outcomes and enhance the newborn infant's capacity to protect itself from infectious diseases during early childhood? To answer this question we are conducting a multi-site, prospective observational cohort study collecting maternal and infant biological samples at defined time points during pregnancy and post-partum from nulliparous women. We aim to enrol 400 women and determine the immune trajectory in pregnancy and the impact of maternal immunisation (including influenza, pertussis and/or COVID-19 vaccines) on this trajectory. The results are expected to identify areas that can be targeted for future intervention studies., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Giles, Cole, O’Bryan, Krishnaswamy, Ben-Othman, Amenyogbe, Davey and Kollmann.)