De-colonizing amnesia: refusing false consciousness

When considering research discourses that pertain to Indigenous knowledges there is a constant reference to the positioning of the researcher in terms of their own cultural background and cultural understandings. This, of course, is related to the empowerment and importance of Indigenous research by Indigenous voices. This is particularly important within the context of Australia in relation Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander research. My analysis identifies and defines how the notion of ideology contributes to an amnesiac condition in Australia, one that underlines understandings of culture. It is vital to elaborate that the premise of amnesia is predicated on ideology itself. This has wider implications for the many cultures that have experienced the act of colonisation. The aim of this paper is to propose and elaborate a way of thinking about amnesia as premised on ideology. In order to do so, it is necessary to unravel and critique western notions of ideology especially those based on Louis Althusser’s elaboration of ideology as being based on an imaginary condition of existence (Althusser 1971). I have selected an Althusserian ideology in order to conduct a comparative analysis within an Indigenous framework. In this context, Althusserian ideology is an exemplar of representationalist thinking that continues to be dominant and endemic in western representationalist thinking. By identifying this gap, I provide an alternative framework of ideology based on the “real” and integrated conditions of existence that operate in an Indigenous ideology and culture and its ritualised practices. It is this alternative framework that can provide a new way of looking and thinking about how ideology can be reconfigured in their relationship with culture. It is here that relationality prevails. My argument operates within this space. It is within this space that I emphasise the importance of Land (“Country”) in order to demonstrate a “real” alternative ideology that is not based on the imaginary.

Midazolam for sedation before procedures

BACKGROUND: Midazolam is used for sedation before diagnostic and therapeutic medical procedures. It is an imidazole benzodiazepine that has depressant effects on the central nervous system (CNS) with rapid onset of action and few adverse effects. The drug can be administered by several routes including oral, intravenous, intranasal and intramuscular. OBJECTIVES: To determine the evidence on the effectiveness of midazolam for sedation when administered before a procedure (diagnostic or therapeutic). SEARCH METHODS: We searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL to January 2016), MEDLINE in Ovid (1966 to January 2016) and Ovid EMBASE (1980 to January 2016). We imposed no language restrictions. SELECTION CRITERIA: Randomized controlled trials in which midazolam, administered to participants of any age, by any route, at any dose or any time before any procedure (apart from dental procedures), was compared with placebo or other medications including sedatives and analgesics. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Two authors extracted data and assessed risk of bias for each included study. We performed a separate analysis for each different drug comparison. MAIN RESULTS: We included 30 trials (2319 participants) of midazolam for gastrointestinal endoscopy (16 trials), bronchoscopy (3), diagnostic imaging (5), cardioversion (1), minor plastic surgery (1), lumbar puncture (1), suturing (2) and Kirschner wire removal (1). Comparisons were: intravenous diazepam (14), placebo (5) etomidate (1) fentanyl (1), flunitrazepam (1) and propofol (1); oral chloral hydrate (4), diazepam (2), diazepam and clonidine (1); ketamine (1) and placebo (3); and intranasal placebo (2). There was a high risk of bias due to inadequate reporting about randomization (75% of trials). Effect estimates were imprecise due to small sample sizes. None of the trials reported on allergic or anaphylactoid reactions. Intravenous midazolam versus diazepam (14 trials; 1069 participants)There was no difference in anxiety (risk ratio (RR) 0.80, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.39 to 1.62; 175 participants; 2 trials) or discomfort/pain (RR 0.60, 95% CI 0.24 to 1.49; 415 participants; 5 trials; I² = 67%). Midazolam produced greater anterograde amnesia (RR 0.45; 95% CI 0.30 to 0.66; 587 participants; 9 trials; low-quality evidence). Intravenous midazolam versus placebo (5 trials; 493 participants)One trial reported that fewer participants who received midazolam were anxious (3/47 versus 15/35; low-quality evidence). There was no difference in discomfort/pain identified in a further trial (3/85 in midazolam group; 4/82 in placebo group; P = 0.876; very low-quality evidence). Oral midazolam versus chloral hydrate (4 trials; 268 participants)Midazolam increased the risk of incomplete procedures (RR 4.01; 95% CI 1.92 to 8.40; moderate-quality evidence). Oral midazolam versus placebo (3 trials; 176 participants)Midazolam reduced pain (midazolam mean 2.56 (standard deviation (SD) 0.49); placebo mean 4.62 (SD 1.49); P < 0.005) and anxiety (midazolam mean 1.52 (SD 0.3); placebo mean 3.97 (SD 0.44); P < 0.0001) in one trial with 99 participants. Two other trials did not find a difference in numerical rating of anxiety (mean 1.7 (SD 2.4) for 20 participants randomized to midazolam; mean 2.6 (SD 2.9) for 22 participants randomized to placebo; P = 0.216; mean Spielberger's Trait Anxiety Inventory score 47.56 (SD 11.68) in the midazolam group; mean 52.78 (SD 9.61) in placebo group; P > 0.05). Intranasal midazolam versus placebo (2 trials; 149 participants)Midazolam induced sedation (midazolam mean 3.15 (SD 0.36); placebo mean 2.56 (SD 0.64); P < 0.001) and reduced the numerical rating of anxiety in one trial with 54 participants (midazolam mean 17.3 (SD 18.58); placebo mean 49.3 (SD 29.46); P < 0.001). There was no difference in meta-analysis of results from both trials for risk of incomplete procedures (RR 0.14, 95% CI 0.02 to 1.12; downgraded to low-quality evidence). AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: We found no high-quality evidence to determine if midazolam, when administered as the sole sedative agent prior to a procedure, produces more or less effective sedation than placebo or other medications. There is low-quality evidence that intravenous midazolam reduced anxiety when compared with placebo. There is inconsistent evidence that oral midazolam decreased anxiety during procedures compared with placebo. Intranasal midazolam did not reduce the risk of incomplete procedures, although anxiolysis and sedation were observed. There is moderate-quality evidence suggesting that oral midazolam produces less effective sedation than chloral hydrate for completion of procedures for children undergoing non-invasive diagnostic procedures.

A brief introduction to the history of the ß-amyloid protein (Aß) of Alzheimer's disease

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia in the elderly. Typically, the disease progresses in a prolonged, inexorable manner [1]. Patients initially show symptoms of mild cognitive impairment, which may include some memory loss. As the disease progresses, more severe memory loss occurs (e.g., retrograde amnesia) leading to confusion and lack of orientation. The patient is often institutionalized in this period, as it becomes increasingly difficult for family members to cope with the constant requirements of care. In later stages of the disease, apathy and stupor can occur, and the patient becomes bedridden.

Anti-amnesic effect of enzyme extracted stevioside from Stevia rebaudiana

The increasing consumption of sucrose has resulted in several nutritional and medicinal problems, including obesity. There is an alarming rise in the prevalence of obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and metabolic syndrome in children and adults around the world, partly related to increasing availability of energy-dense, high-calorie foods, and perhaps to increased consumption of sugar and particularly fructose sweetened beverages. Therefore, low calorie sweeteners are urgently required to substitute table sugar.

Stevioside, a diterpene glycoside, is well known for its intense sweetness and is used as a non-caloric sweetener. Its potential widespread use requires an easy and effective extraction method. Enzymatic extraction of stevioside from Stevia rebaudiana leaves with cellulase, pectinase and hemicellulase using various parameters such as concentration of enzyme, incubation time and temperature was optimized. The extraction conditions were further optimized using response surface methodology (RSM). Under the optimized conditions, the experimental values were in close agreement with predicted model and resulted in a three times yield enhancement of stevioside.

Various studies have revealed that in addition to sweetening nature of stevisoide, it exerts beneficial effects including antihypertensive, anti-hyperglycemic, anti-human rotavirus, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antitumor actions. Its anti-amnesic potential remains to be explored, therefore the present study has been undertaken to investigate the beneficial effect of stevioside in memory deficit of rats employing scopolamine induced amnesia as an animal model.

Significance: Stevia is gaining significance in different parts of the world and is expected to develop into a major source of high potency sweetener for the growing natural food market. There is a strong possibility that Stevia sweeteners could replace aspartame in some diet variants. In addition, Stevia is expected to be used as a part substitute for sugar and also used in combination with other artificial sweeteners in the emerging phase of life cycle.

Alzheimer's, angiotensin IV and an aminopeptidase

The angiotensin AT₄ receptor was originally defined as the specific, high affinity binding site for the hexapeptide angiotensin IV (Ang IV). Subsequently, the peptide LVV-hemorphin 7 was also demonstrated to be a bioactive ligand of the AT₄ receptor. Central administration of Ang IV or LVV-hemorphin 7 (LVV-H7) markedly enhances learning and memory in normal rodents and reverse memory deficits observed in animal models of amnesia. The high affinity binding site has a broad distribution in the brain including areas such as the hippocmapus that are involved in memory processing. The high affinity Ang IV binding site (AT₄ receptor) has been identified as the transmembrane enzyme, insulin-regulated membrane aminopeptidase (IRAP). Insulin-regulated aminopeptidase is a type II integral membrane spanning protein belonging to the M1 family of aminopeptidases and in insulin-responsive cells colocalizes with GLUT4 in specific intra-cellular vesicles. Both Ang IV and LVV-H7 are competitive inhibitors of IRAP catalytic activity and are not substrates of the enzyme.

The angiotensin IV/AT4 receptor

The angiotensin AT4 receptor was originally defined as the specific, high-affinity binding site for the hexapeptide angiotensin IV (Ang IV). Subsequently, the peptide LVV-hemorphin 7 was also demonstrated to be a bioactive ligand of the AT4 receptor. Central administration of Ang IV, its analogues or LVV-hemorphin 7 markedly enhance learning and memory in normal rodents and reverse memory deficits observed in animal models of amnesia. The AT4 receptor has a broad distribution and is found in a range of tissues, including the adrenal gland, kidney, lung and heart. In the kidney Ang IV increases renal cortical blood flow and decreases Na+ transport in isolated renal proximal tubules. The AT4 receptor has recently been identified as the transmembrane enzyme, insulin-regulated membrane aminopeptidase (IRAP). IRAP is a type II integral membrane spanning protein belonging to the M1 family of aminopeptidases and is predominantly found in GLUT4 vesicles in insulin-responsive cells. Three hypotheses for the memory-potentiating effects of the AT4 receptor/IRAP ligands, Ang IV and LVV-hemorphin 7, are proposed: (i) acting as potent inhibitors of IRAP, they may prolong the action of endogenous promnestic peptides; (ii) they may modulate glucose uptake by modulating trafficking of GLUT4; (iii) IRAP may act as a receptor, transducing the signal initiated by ligand binding to its C-terminal domain to the intracellular domain that interacts with several cytoplasmic proteins.

Every day's a festival!

Despite their ubiquity and cultural prominence, the academic study of arts festivals has long been neglected. The burgeoning festivals industry is, however, firmly embedded in both the arts funding and weekly calendar of European cities, and there is no doubt that festivals are fast becoming a defining feature of urban life in the twenty-first century. Understanding their nature and their potential impact is now more pressing than ever before. The contributors to this volume explore the modern urban festival and the difference it makes to the experience and management of diversity in the city. Their research reveals an unsettling coupling of the celebration of local diversity with institutional amnesia, in which the memory of a festival hardly ever outlasts its funding. This book documents a key phenomenon of our time, the supplanting of community-based remembering with the repetitive structures of events whose historic and interpretative depth is lost amid a spiraling velocity of "festivalization."

Drinking patterns of adolescents who develop alcohol use disorders: results from the Victorian adolescent health cohort study

Objective: We identify drinking styles that place teensat greatest risk of later alcohol use disorders (AUD).Design: Population-based cohort study.Setting: Victoria, Australia.

Participants: A representative sample of 1943adolescents living in Victoria in 1992.Outcome measures: Teen drinking was assessed at6 monthly intervals (5 waves) between mean ages 14.9and 17.4 years and summarised across waves as none,one, or two or more waves of: (1) frequent drinking(3+ days in the past week), (2) loss of control overdrinking (difficulty stopping, amnesia), (3) bingedrinking (5+ standard drinks in a day) and (4) heavybinge drinking (20+ and 11+ standard drinks in a dayfor males and females, respectively). Young AdultAlcohol Use Disorder (AUD) was assessed at 3 yearlyintervals (3 waves) across the 20s (mean ages 20.7through 29.1 years).

Results: We show that patterns of teen drinkingcharacterised by loss of control increase risk for AUDacross young adulthood: loss of control over drinking(one wave OR 1.4, 95% CI 1.1 to 1.8; two or morewaves OR 1.9, CI 1.4 to 2.7); binge drinking (one waveOR 1.7, CI 1.3 to 2.3; two or more waves OR 2.0, CI1.5 to 2.6), and heavy binge drinking (one wave OR2.0, CI 1.4 to 2.8; two or more waves OR 2.3, CI 1.6 to3.4). This is not so for frequent drinking, which wasunrelated to later AUD. Although drinking was morecommon in males, there was no evidence of sexdifferences in risk relationships.

Conclusions: Our results extend previous work byshowing that patterns of drinking that represent loss ofcontrol over alcohol consumption (however expressed)are important targets for intervention. In addition tocurrent policies that may reduce overall consumption,emphasising prevention of more extreme teenagebouts of alcohol consumption appears warranted.

Immaterial Land: refiguring art and materialism

Material RepresentationsThrough an examination and critique of western notions of ideology, particularlythose based on Lois Althusser’s account of ideology grounded in imaginaryconditions of existence, my research aimed to propose an alternative way of thinkingabout ideology and ontology. My argument related specifically to art and culture anddemonstrated through theoretical argument and practice, how Indigenous art andculture allow us to conceive of an alternative understanding of ideology. The purposeis to attempt to overturn the amnesia condition that persists in Australia with regardsto culture. I elaborated an alternative framework of ideology based on Indigenousculture and grounded on the relationship between culture and Land and posited amaterialist ontology that resolves the opposition between “real” and the “imaginary”as they are understood within an Althussian framework. My argument is underpinnedby the crucial premise that an Indigenous ideology is grounded upon the notion of“Country” (Land) and its inextricable relation to culture.

Articulating memory and practice

Material RepresentationsWhat we propose here today is a reconfiguration of western ways of representationalist thinking. The purpose is to provide an alternative way of thinking about ideology and ontology in relation to culture. So what is this thinking based on representationalist world-views?Through an examination and critique of western notions of ideology, particularly those based on Lois Althusser’s account of ideology grounded in imaginary conditions of existence, we aim to propose an alternative way of thinking about ideology and ontology. Our argument relates specifically to art and culture and is demonstrated through theoretical argument and practice, how Indigenous art and culture allow us to conceive of an alternative understanding of ideology. The purpose is to attempt to overturn the amnesia condition that persists in Australia with regards to culture.

Neuroimaging and electrophysiology efficacy in measuring acute effects and long-term sequelae following sports-related concussion

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a complex pathophysiological process resulting from external forces applied to the skull and affecting the brain. TBI is a significant global contributor to disability and death, particularly in children and young adults. The severity of a TBI may range from "mild" (a brief change in mental status or consciousness) to "severe" (an extended period of unconsciousness or amnesia after the injury), with mild TBI (mTBI) the most common form, diagnosed in 80-90% of cases. Sports-related concussion contributes significantly to mTBI accounting for nearly 20% of all mTBI cases. In the past decade there has been increasing growing public concern regarding the association of sports concussion; in particular further chance of recurrent injury following a concussion due to transient cognitive impairments, and long-term detrimental mental health issues and deterioration in brain function as a consequence of multiple concussions. Attention is also turning to methods to assess concussion with questions surrounding the reliability in traditional methods of concussion assessment that include symptom observation and cognitive assessment. This chapter will discuss the neuroscience of sports-related concussion, reviewing the evidence from new and rigorous methods of concussion assessment, such as neuroimaging and electrophysiology, with a focus on transcranial magnetic stimulation, following acute concussive events through tolong-term manifestations of multiple concussions.