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This dissertation focuses on the role of the classical Indian dance form Kathak in negotiating questions of cultural identity and national affiliation among members of the Indian diaspora residing in London, UK, and Los Angeles, USA. This study considers how institutional actions and discourses related to the practice of Kathak dance in these two cities and the personal experiences of dancers themselves reflect certain political, aesthetic, and social values that impact the formation of diasporic identity. Grounded in multi-year fieldwork in the Kathak communities of London and Los Angeles, this interdisciplinary study argues that Indian diasporic subjects negotiate a fundamental tension through their practice of Kathak dance: the tension between Kathak’s inherent flexibility and contextual conditions of fixity.Kathak’s inherent flexibility refers to certain foundational elements of the dance that center around creative interpretation, improvisation, and immersive practice (riyaaz), as well as the expression of multiple identities that these foundational elements enable. A discourse of Kathak’s flexibility frames the dancer’s transcendence and/or transformation of socially assigned identifications as an act of aesthetic virtuosity with cross-cultural significance. However, the transformative potential of Kathak’s flexibility is limited by contextual conditions of fixity that include material and discursive frameworks that fix Kathak to regimes of affect and singular narratives that essentialize the dance as a marker of Indian national identity and curtail the breadth of flexible identifications for both the dance and its dancers. This dissertation explores two dominant and interconnected strategies that shape Kathak discourse and practice towards different socio-political ends. The heritage model practice of Kathak aims to empower Indian diasporic subjects by underscoring their difference from the dominant British or American classes. Drawing from Annette Weiner’s work on inalienable possessions, this study offers a new theory that casts Kathak in the heritage model as an inalienable practice ontologically tied to a singularized Indian cultural identity. Conversely, the integrative model frames Kathak as a tool for intercultural encounters, utilizing the dance’s inherent flexibility to create new pathways for Kathak dance and dancers to enter and/or converse with British and American national culture.

Background Many individuals infected SARS-COV2 never develop significant symptoms. With 24 million Americans already infected and highly transmissible variants rapidly emerging, it is highly probable that post- and pre-symptomatic individuals will form a significant fraction of those seeking dental care. Salivary carriage rates in these populations are not known. Moreover, although preventing transmission is critical for controlling spread, the efficacy of mouthrinses in reducing oral viral load is poorly studied.background Methods 201 asymptomatic, pre-symptomatic, post-symptomatic and symptomatic individuals were recruited and copy numbers of SARS-CoV2 measured in unstimulated saliva using real-time reverse transcriptase quantitative PCR. 41 symptomatic individuals were subsequently inducted into a randomized, triple-blinded study and instructed to rinse with saline, 1% hydrogen peroxide, 0.12% chlorhexidine or 0.5% povidone-iodine for sixty seconds. Viral load was measured 15- and 45-minutes post-rinsing. Results Salivary SARS-CoV2 was detected in 23% of asymptomatic, 60% of post-symptomatic and 28% of pre-symptomatic individuals. Neither carriage rate nor viral load correlated with COVID symptomatology, age, gender or ethnicity. All four mouthrinses decreased viral load by 61-89% at 15 minutes, and by 70-97% at 45 minutes. The extent of reduction correlated significantly with initial viral load.results Conclusions Non-symptomatic individuals can pose a risk for viral transmission, and mouthrinses are simple and efficacious means of reducing this risk, especially when the load is

Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) has emerged as a global health concern due to its recent spread in both old and new world. So far, no CHIKV specific drug or vaccine is licensed for human use. In this study, we report production of Chikungunya virus like particles (CHIK-VLPs) using novel yeast expression system (Pichia pastoris) and its evaluation as vaccine candidate. The gene encoding structural polyprotein of CHIKV from a recent epidemic strain was cloned into yeast expression system. The multicopy integrants were processed for expression of CHIK-VLPs. The VLPs were purified and confirmed through electron microscopic analysis for their morphological identity with CHIKV. The in vitro and in vivo evaluation of CHIK-VLPs as vaccine candidate was determined in Balb/c mice. Induction of both humoral and cellular immune response was observed with different doses of CHIK-VLPs. The humoral immune response was studied through different techniques like enzyme linked immunosorbent assay, IgG Isotyping and plaque reduction neutralization test. CHIK-VLPs were found to elicit high titer of antibodies that are able to recognize native CHIKV. Higher level of IgG2a and IgG1 subtypes was identified suggestive of balanced Th1/Th2 response. Both in vitro and in vivo neutralization activity of CHIK-VLPs antibodies was observed even with low concentration, which shows its high specificity and neutralizing activity against two different CHIKV strains. Neonatal mice receiving anti-CHIK-VLPs antibodies were protected from CHIKV challenge. Induction of cellular immune response was confirmed through higher level of TNF-alpha, IL-10 and substantial level of IL-2, IL-4 and IFN-gamma indicating a balanced response. This is the first report, where CHIK-VLPs has been expressed by Pichia pastoris and evaluated for neutralizing activity against CHIKV. These promising results indicate the utility of CHIK-VLPs as a promising vaccine candidate against emerging CHIKV. Defence Research Development Organization, Ministry of Defence, Govt of India This work was funded by Defence Research Development Organization, Ministry of Defence, Govt of India. The authors are thankful to the Director, Defence Research Development Establishment (DRDE), Gwalior for his keen interest and support in this study. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.