La Boite The Story of an Australian Theatre Company

Since its genesis in 1925, La Boite has never been afraid of change. Despite controversies, crises and crippling set-backs that should have closed its stage doors many times, La Boite - which began life as the Brisbane Repertory Theatre Society - has proved itself an extraordinary survivor. When the opportunity came to build its own theatre, its inspired choice of theatre-in-the-round gave Brisbane an iconic performance space that attracted a whole new generation of actors, directors and designers and placed La Boite at the forefront of contemporary theatre practice. The place, in Katharine Brisbane’s words, “to see the red meat of theatre”. Always enterprising, with gritty determination it became a professional theatre company of national significance; and early in the new millennium triumphantly re-located to its new home at The Roundhouse Theatre. La Boite –The Story of an Australian Theatre Company both interrogates and celebrates the history of Queensland’s oldest theatre company. Highlighting the roles key people played in its evolution – particularly four remarkable women – Christine Comans explores La Boite’s colourful past, its cultural significance to Brisbane, and its vibrant and enduring role in the nation’s theatrical history.

De la reconstruction a l’augmentation du corps humain en medecine restaurative et en cybernetique

Aux confluences historiques et conceptuelles de la modernité, de la technologie, et de l’« humain », les textes de notre corpus négocient et interrogent de façon critique les possibilités matérielles et symboliques de la prothèse, ses aspects phénoménologiques et spéculatifs : du côté subjectiviste et conceptualiste avec une philosophie de la conscience, avec Merleau-Ponty ; et de l’autre avec les épistémologues du corps et historiens de la connaissance Canguilhem et Foucault. Le trope prometteur de la prothèse impacte sur les formations discursives et non-discursives concernant la reconstruction des corps, là où la technologie devient le corrélat de l’identité. La technologie s’humanise au contact de l’homme, et, en révélant une hybridité supérieure, elle phagocyte l’humain du même coup. Ce travail de sociologie des sciences (Latour, 1989), ou encore d’anthropologie des sciences (Hakken, 2001) ou d’anthropologie bioculturelle (Andrieu, 1993; Andrieu, 2006; Andrieu, 2007a) se propose en tant qu’exemple de la contribution potentielle que l’anthropologie biologique et culturelle peut rendre à la médecine reconstructrice et que la médecine reconstructrice peut rendre à la plastique de l’homme ; l’anthropologie biologique nous concerne dans la transformation biologique du corps humain, par l’outil de la technologie, tant dans son histoire de la reconstruction mécanique et plastique, que dans son projet d’augmentation bionique. Nous établirons une continuité archéologique, d’une terminologie foucaldienne, entre les deux pratiques. Nous questionnons les postulats au sujet des relations nature/culture, biologie/contexte social, et nous présentons une approche définitionnelle de la technologie, pierre angulaire de notre travail théorique. Le trope de la technologie, en tant qu’outil adaptatif de la culture au service de la nature, opère un glissement sémantique en se plaçant au service d’une biologie à améliorer. Une des clés de notre recherche sur l’augmentation des fonctions et de l’esthétique du corps humain réside dans la redéfinition même de ces relations ; et dans l’impact de l’interpénétration entre réalité et imaginaire dans la construction de l’objet scientifique, dans la transformation du corps humain. Afin de cerner les enjeux du discours au sujet de l’« autoévolution » des corps, les théories évolutionnistes sont abordées, bien que ne représentant pas notre spécialité. Dans le cadre de l’autoévolution, et de l’augmentation bionique de l’homme, la somation culturelle du corps s’exerce par l’usage des biotechnologies, en rupture épistémologique de la pensée darwinienne, bien que l’acte d’hybridation évolutionnaire soit toujours inscrit dans un dessein de maximisation bionique/génétique du corps humain. Nous explorons les courants de la pensée cybernétique dans leurs actions de transformation biologique du corps humain, de la performativité des mutilations. Ainsi technologie et techniques apparaissent-elles indissociables de la science, et de son constructionnisme social.

Comprehensive standardized data definitions for acute coronary syndrome research in emergency departments in Australasia

Patients with chest discomfort or other symptoms suggestive of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) are one of the most common categories seen in many Emergency Departments (EDs). While the recognition of patients at high-risk of ACS has improved steadily, identifying the majority of chest pain presentations who fall into the low-risk group remains a challenge. Research in this area needs to be transparent, robust, applicable to all hospitals from large tertiary centres to rural and remote sites, and to allow direct comparison between different studies with minimum patient spectrum bias. A standardised approach to the research framework using a common language for data definitions must be adopted to achieve this. The aim was to create a common framework for a standardised data definitions set that would allow maximum value when extrapolating research findings both within Australasian ED practice, and across similar populations worldwide. Therefore a comprehensive data definitions set for the investigation of non-traumatic chest pain patients with possible ACS was developed, specifically for use in the ED setting. This standardised data definitions set will facilitate ‘knowledge translation’ by allowing extrapolation of useful findings into the real-life practice of emergency medicine.

La raza y la lengua como capital en las escuelas : una propuesta sociológica para las reformas en educación lingüística

Este texto hace un acercamiento sociológico al análisis de la raza y la lengua en la formación de programas de educación en idiomas. Este enfoque usa los modelos de Bourdieu de habitus y campo social, los cuales enmarcan la raza y la lengua como elementos variables en el cambio educativo y pedagógico, que están, a la vez, sujetos a la agenciamiento de profesores y estudiantes. El enfoque sugiere que una política de educación en lenguas para la justicia social puede concentrarse no sólo en el cambio y el desarrollo del sujeto humano, sino también en cambio sistemático de los campos sociales del currículo.

Macular function in tilted disc syndrome

Tilted disc syndrome can cause visual field defects due to an optic disc anomaly. Recent electrophysiological findings demonstrate reduced central outer retinal function with ophthalmoscopically normal maculae. We measured macular sensitivity with the microperimeter and performed psychophysical assessment of mesopic rod and cone luminance temporal sensitivity (critical fusion frequency)in a 52-year-old male patient with tilted disc syndrome and ophthalmoscopically normal maculae. We found a marked reduction of sensitivity in the central 20 degrees and reduced rod- and cone-mediated mesopic visual function. Our findings extend previous electrophysiological data that suggest an outer retinal involvement of cone pathways and present a case with rod and cone impairment mediated via the magnocellular pathway in uncomplicated tilted disc syndrome.

Good results for early treatment of clinically isolated syndrome prior to multiple sclerosis with interferon beta-1b and glatiramer

Background: The first sign of developing multiple sclerosis is a clinically isolated syndrome that resembles a multiple sclerosis relapse. Objective/methods: The objective was to review the clinical trials of two medicines in clinically isolated syndromes (interferon β and glatiramer acetate) to determine whether they prevent progression to definite multiple sclerosis. Results: In the BENEFIT trial, after 2 years, 45% of subjects in the placebo group developed clinically definite multiple sclerosis, and the rate was lower in the interferon β-1b group. Then all subjects were offered interferon β-1b, and the original interferon β-1b group became the early treatment group, and the placebo group became the delayed treatment group. After 5 years, the number of subjects with clinical definite multiple sclerosis remained lower in the early treatment than late treatment group. In the PreCISe trial, after 2 years, the time for 25% of the subjects to convert to definite multiple sclerosis was prolonged in the glatiramer group. Conclusions: Interferon β-1b and glatiramer acetate slow the progression of clinically isolated syndromes to definite multiple sclerosis. However, it is not known whether this early treatment slows the progression to the physical disabilities experienced in multiple sclerosis.

The effect of metamictization on the Raman spectroscopy of the uranyl titanate mineral davidite (La,Ce)(Y,U,Fe2+)(Ti,Fe3+)20(O,OH)38

Raman spectra of the uranyl titanate mineral davidite-(La) (La,Ce)(Y,U,Fe2+)(Ti,Fe3+)20(O,OH)38 were analysed and related to the mineral structure. Observed bands are attributed to the TiO and (UO2)2+ stretching and bending vibrations, U-OH bending vibrations, H2O and (OH)- stretching, bending and libration modes. U-O bond lengths in uranyls and O-H…O bond lengths are calculated from the wavenumbers assigned to the stretching vibrations. Raman bands of davidite-(La) are in harmony with those of the uranyl oxyhydroxides. The mineral davidite-(La) is metamict as is evidenced by the intensity of the UO stretching and bending modes being of lower intensity than expected and with bands that are significantly broader.

Climate variability and hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome transmission in northeastern China

Background: The transmission of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) is influenced by climatic variables. However, few studies have examined the quantitative relationship between climate variation and HFRS transmission. ---------- Objective: We examined the potential impact of climate variability on HFRS transmission and developed climate-based forecasting models for HFRS in northeastern China. ---------- Methods: We obtained data on monthly counts of reported HFRS cases in Elunchun and Molidawahaner counties for 1997–2007 from the Inner Mongolia Center for Disease Control and Prevention and climate data from the Chinese Bureau of Meteorology. Cross-correlations assessed crude associations between climate variables, including rainfall, land surface temperature (LST), relative humidity (RH), and the multivariate El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) index (MEI) and monthly HFRS cases over a range of lags. We used time-series Poisson regression models to examine the independent contribution of climatic variables to HFRS transmission. ----------- Results: Cross-correlation analyses showed that rainfall, LST, RH, and MEI were significantly associated with monthly HFRS cases with lags of 3–5 months in both study areas. The results of Poisson regression indicated that after controlling for the autocorrelation, seasonality, and long-term trend, rainfall, LST, RH, and MEI with lags of 3–5 months were associated with HFRS in both study areas. The final model had good accuracy in forecasting the occurrence of HFRS. ---------- Conclusions: Climate variability plays a significant role in HFRS transmission in northeastern China. The model developed in this study has implications for HFRS control and prevention.

La théorie démocratique et La Physique Théorique

Le présent essai soutient, un peu le long d'une ligne simmelienne, que la théorie démocratique peut produire des théories pratiques et universelles, comme celles développées en physique théorique. Le raisonnement qui sous-tend cet essai est de montrer que la théorie de la «démocratie de base" peut-être vrai par le faite si on la comparer à la Relative Spécifique d’Einstein portant spécifiquement sur les paramètres de symétrie, l'unification, la simplicité et l'utilité. Ces paramètres sont ce qui fait qu’une théorie en physique comme ont la rencontre s’adapte non seulement aux connaissances actuelles, mais aussi de produire des chemins vers l'essai (application). Comme la théorie de la «démocratie de base » peut satisfaire ces mêmes paramètres, il pourrait trancher le débat relatif à la définition de la démocratie. Ceci sera d'abord soutenu pour discuter de ce qui est la théorie de la «démocratie de base» et pourquoi cela diffère des travaux précédents, en deuxième lieu, en expliquant les paramètres choisis (comme pour quoi ceux-ci et pas à d'autres confirment ou échouent les théories) et, troisièmement, en comparant comment la relativité et la théorie de la «démocratie de base » peut correspondre aux paramètres.

Observational assessment and maternal reports of motivation in children and adolescents with Down Syndrome

Despite a lack of consistent empirical evidence, there has been an ongoing assumption that intellectual disability is associated with reduced levels of motivation. The participants in this study were 33 children with Down syndrome ages 10–15 years and 33 typically developing 3–8-year-old children. Motivation was measured through observational assessments of curiosity, preference for challenge, and persistence, as well as maternal reports. There were no significant group differences on motivation tasks, but mothers of children with Down syndrome rated their children significantly lower on motivation than did parents of typically developing children. There were some intriguing group differences in the pattern of correlations among observations and parent reports. The findings challenge long-held views that individuals with intellectual disability are invariably deficient in motivation.