Staging modernity: the Semarang international colonial exhibition, 1914

The international exhibitions of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries are now generally seen as sites for the dissemination of an evolving discourse on modernity's primary theme: progress. These technological and cultural spectacles represented 'the self-congratulatory pride' of the bourgeoisie in their attainment of world power (Corbey 1994:60). The didactic function of international exhibitions lay embedded in their carefully arranged, itemised and annotated displays, as well as in the very architecture within which such displays were housed. It was a pedagogy palely echoed in every elementary classroom and school textbook of the newly created mass education systems of the day (Cote 2000a). The exhibitions were also modern in their embrace of the mass audience and their intentionally populist focus. An exhibition was intended to provide the visitor, already touched by a modern curiosity, with personal access to the wonders of modernity.

Staging cultures : the potential for intercultural theatre

Recently, 'intercultural' theatre has taken aspects of performance genres from different cultures and has blended them into a new hybrid form. This thesis engages with this issue through performance practice, textual analysis and theoretical critique, and aims to explore the possibilities and boundaries of a practical non-neo-colonial 'intercultural' theatre.

The staging of identity in other/s' spaces

Exploring the framing of identity within different modes of representation, particularly Australian art, the thesis built on poststructural discussions of inside/outside power relations, conceptualising art as a political tool for the staging of identity, not only for the subjects inside the artwork, but also the viewer, and marginalised artist/author.

Does stage of illness impact treatment response in bipolar disorder? Empirical treatment data and their implication for the staging model and early intervention

Objective: The staging model suggests that early stages of bipolar disorder respond better to treatments and have a more favourable prognosis. This study aims to provide empirical support for the model, and the allied construct of early intervention.

Methods: Pooled data from mania, depression, and maintenance studies of olanzapine were analyzed. Individuals were categorized as having had 0, 1–5, 6–10, or >10 prior episodes of illness, and data were analyzed across these groups.

Results: Response rates for the mania and maintenance studies ranged from 52–69% and 10–50%, respectively, for individuals with 1–5 previous episodes, and from 29–59% and 11–40% for individuals with >5 previous episodes. These rates were significantly higher for the 1–5 group on most measures of response with up to a twofold increase in the chance of responding for those with fewer previous episodes. For the depression studies, response rates were significantly higher for the 1–5 group for two measures only. In the maintenance studies, the chance of relapse to either mania or depression was reduced by 40–60% for those who had experienced 1–5 episodes or 6–10 episodes compared to the >10 episode group, respectively. This trend was statistically significant only for relapse into mania for the 1–5 episode group (p = 0.005).

Conclusion: Those individuals at the earliest stages of illness consistently had a more favourable response to treatment. This is consistent with the staging model and

Northward migration of Afro-Siberian Knots Calidris canutus canutus : high variability in Red Knot numbers visiting staging sites on the French Atlantic coast, 1979–2009

The Afro–Siberian Red Knot subspecies, Calidris canutus canutus, winters mainly on Banc d’Arguin, Mauritania, West Africa. An International Wader Study Group project carried out in 1979 suggested that during northward migration Red Knots cover their migration between the wintering grounds and the Siberian breeding grounds in two long-distance non-stop flights, stopping only in the Wadden Sea in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. Each year Red Knots also visit staging sites along the French Atlantic coast in addition to the German Wadden Sea. Ever since 1979, the French staging sites have been counted on a regular basis and here we present the count data from these 30 years. In some years more than 20% of the population used the French Atlantic coast as a staging site, but numbers are highly variable from one year to the next. We suggest that high numbers in France might occur when birds have to stop short of the Wadden Sea because of head-winds and/or a lack of tail-winds en route from West Africa.

Stochastic atmospheric assistance and the use of emergency staging sites by migrants

Numerous animals move vast distances through media with stochastic dynamic properties. Avian migrants must cope with variable wind speeds and directions en route, which potentially jeopardize fine-tuned migration routes and itineraries. We show how unpredictable winds affect flight times and the use of an intermediate staging site by red knots (Calidris canutus canutus) migrating from west Africa to the central north Siberian breeding areas via the German Wadden Sea. A dynamic migration model incorporating wind conditions during flight shows that flight durations between Mauritania and the Wadden Sea vary between 2 and 8 days. The number of birds counted at the only known intermediate staging site on the French Atlantic coast was strongly positively correlated with simulated flight times. In addition, particularly light-weight birds occurred at this location. These independent results support the idea that stochastic wind conditions are the main driver of the use of this intermediate stopover site as an emergency staging area. Because of the ubiquity of stochastically varying media, we expect such emergency habitats to exist in many other migratory systems, both airborne and oceanic. Our model provides a tool to quantify the effect of winds and currents en route.

Performing self and other in architecture : Staging Zaha Hadid

London-based Iraqi-born architect, Zaha Hadid, is often portrayed as extravagant and exotic; an image reinforced by her sense of fashion and her passion for the clothes of Japanese designer, Issey Miyake. By examining some of the ways that Zaha Hadid has staged herself as an architect, this article links notions of performance with processes of becoming an architect. It argues that Hadid is marked by traces of otherness–gender, culture, race–which give rise to questions about the story of the master architect dominating a westernized history of architecture and art.

The staging of identity in other/s’ spaces : heterotopias and superfictions in practice

Focuses on ways in which artists have sought to capture identity within their work.

Cumulative morbidity and prognostic staging of illness in the systematic treatment enhancement program for Bipolar Disorder (STEP-BD)

Objective: Staging models may provide heuristic utility for intervention selection in psychiatry. Although a few proposals have been put forth, there is a need for empirical validation if they are to be adopted. Using data from the Systematic Treatment Enhancement Program for Bipolar Disorder (STEP-BD), we tested a previously elaborated hypothesis on the utility of using the number of previous episodes as a relevant prognostic variable for staging in bipolar disorder.

Methods: This report utilizes data from the multisite, prospective, open-label study ‘Standard Care Pathways’ and the subset of patients with acute depressive episodes who participated in the randomized trial of adjunctive antidepressant treatment. Outpatients meeting DSM-IV diagnostic criteria for bipolar disorder (n = 3345) were included. For the randomized pathway, patients met criteria for an acute depressive episode (n = 376). The number of previous episodes was categorized as less than 5, 5–10 and more than 10. We used disability at baseline, number of days well in the first year and longitudinal scores of depressive and manic symptoms, quality of life and functioning as validators of models constructed a priori.

Results: Patients with multiple previous episodes had consistently poorer cross-sectional and prospective outcomes. Functioning and quality of life were worse, disability more common, and symptoms more chronic and severe. There was no significant effect for staging with regard to antidepressant response in the randomized trial.

Conclusions: These findings confirm that bipolar disorder can be staged with prognostic validity. Stages can be used to stratify subjects in clinical trials and develop specific treatments.

Treatment response for acute depression is not associated with number of previous episodes: lack of evidence for a clinical staging model for major depressive disorder

Mental illness has been observed to follow a neuroprogressive course, commencing with prodrome, then onset, recurrence and finally chronic illness. In bipolar disorder and schizophrenia responsiveness to treatment mirrors these stages of illness progression, with greater response to treatment in the earlier stages of illness and greater treatment resistance in chronic late stage illness.

Using data from 5627 participants in 15 controlled trials of duloxetine, comparator arm (paroxetine, venlafaxine, escitalopram) or placebo for the treatment of an acute depressive episode, the relationship between treatment response and number of previous depressive episodes was determined. Data was dichotomised for comparisons between participants who had >3 previous episodes (n=1697) or ≤3 previous episodes (n=3930), and additionally for no previous episodes (n=1381) or at least one previous episode (n=4246). Analyses were conducted by study arm for each clinical trial, and results were then pooled.

There was no significant difference between treatment response and number of previous depressive episodes. This unexpected finding suggests that treatments to reduce symptoms of depression during acute illness do not lose efficacy for patients with a longer history of illness.