The conserved metabolites, oleic acid (18:1), a major monounsaturated fatty acid (FA), and glycerol-3-phosphate (G3P) are obligatory precursors of glycerolipid biosynthesis in plants. In Arabidopsis, the SSI2-encoded SACPD is the major isoform that contributes to 18:1 biosynthesis. Signaling induced upon reduction in oleic acid (18:1) levels not only upregulates salicylic acid (SA)-mediated responses but also inhibits jasmonic acid (JA)- inducible defenses. I examined the transcription profile of ssi2 plants and identified two transcription factors, WRKY50 and WRKY51. Although the ssi2 wrky50 and ssi2 wrky51 plants were constitutively upregulated in SA-derived signaling, they were restored in JAdependent defense signaling. Not only did these plants show JA-inducible PDF1.2 expression, but they were also restored for basal resistance to the necrotrophic pathogen, Botrytis cinerea. Overall, my results show that the WRKY50 and WRKY51 proteins mediate both SA- and low 18:1-dependent repression of JA signaling in Arabidopsis plants. My studies also show that cellular G3P levels are important for plant defense to necrotrophic pathogens. I showed that G3P levels are induced in Arabidopsis in response to the necrotrophic fungal pathogen B. cinerea. G3P-dependant induction of basal defense is not via the activities of other defense-related hormones such as SA, JA or the phytoalexin camalexin. Arabidopsis mutants unable to accumulate G3P (gly1, gli1) showed enhanced susceptibility to B. cinerea. Previous studies in our lab identified acyl-carrier protein 4 (ACP4), a component of FA and lipid biosynthesis, as an important regulator of plant systemic immunity. ACP4 mutant plants were defective in systemic acquired resistance (SAR) because they contained a defective cuticle. I further investigated the role of the plant cuticle in SAR by studying the involvement of long-chain acyl-CoA synthetases (LACS), a gene family involved in long-chain FA and cuticle biosynthesis, in SAR. In all, eight lacs mutants (lacs1, lacs2, lacs3, lacs4, lacs6, lacs7, lacs8, lacs9) were isolated and characterized. Six mutants were compromised in SAR. Together, my studies show that the various LACS isoforms contribute differentially to both cuticle formation and systemic immunity in Arabidopsis.

This ethnography of intravenous (IV) drug users challenges popular representations of a "junkie" subculture and stereotypes of users as rejecting the dominant cultural values of mainstream society. Users attempts to construct and maintain a moral identity are examined. Beyond "war stories" ennobling street life and survival, life narratives were constructed through a juxtaposition of voices and images establishing moral worth in opposition to others. Moral identity is a central concern for IV drug users, one influencing their response to risk. Social relations, responsibility, and an ethic of care were found to underlay the moral codes developed by users, codes socially-embedded and to some degree gender specific. Men tended to adopt a "tough guy," "independence" voice in which responsibility was largely framed around status and image as a role model. Women tended to see responsibility and morality within a web of interdependence and care. Social responsibility was a measure of moral goodness. The desire to be defined by mainstream values was strongly evident among women users who were mothers. Motherhood was a core symbol representing inherent goodness, a marker of moral identity, and a means toward achieving a socially acceptable identity. The identities of "junkie" and "mother" placed women in a state of perpetual tension and conflict as manifested in issues of child custody and welfare. Maintaining relationship with their children was central to the women's moral identity, be it based in daily interaction or visitations inspiring hopes for a future. This ethnography suggests that IV drug users, while chemically dependent, maintain a sense of agency. Contrary to stereotypes of irresponsibility, users are reflexive about their habit's control and their use of drugs to block suffering, social responsibility, and the pain they cause others. Displays of agency and exercises of control proved critical in identity construction, particularly for women users diagnosed HIV positive. Documented was the process whereby they redefined their "health" and moral identity in the company of others who assisted in constructing identities in contrast to the negative stereotypes of AIDS. Through discourse within these "life narrative groups" a positive diagnosis was transposed into a positive identity.

This thesis examined phonological processing in adults with postlingually acquired moderate-to-severe hearing impairment (HI) and whether explicit working memory processing of phonology and individual working memory capacity (WMC) can compensate for degraded phonological representations in this group (papers I-III). A second aim was to provide reference data for a test of WMC, the reading span test, and to examine the relation between reading span test performance and speech recognition in noise in a larger sample of 50-89 year olds with HI (paper IV). Non-auditory tasks of phonological processing, episodic long-term memory and WMC were used in papers I-III, and both behavioral and electrophysiological measures were collected. Results showed that phonological processing was impaired in the group with HI but that WMC and explicit working memory processing of phonology could be employed to compensate for degraded phonological representations. However, this compensation may come at the cost of interfering with episodic memory encoding. An  electrophysiological marker of HI in text-based rhyme judgments was found. Paper IV presented reference data for reading span test performance in two versions of the test in individuals with HI, and results suggesting that WMC may be differentially predictive of speech recognition in noise in different age groups of older adults with HI. The clinical implications of the present results concerns the double disadvantage of individuals with lower WMC and HI. A structured assessment of WMC in rehabilitative settings would help to identify these individuals and tailor treatment to their needs. The reading span test is suggested as a suitable future candidate for clinical WMC assessment. / I denna avhandling undersöktes fonologiska processer hos personer med postlingualt förvärvad, måttlig till mycket grav hörselnedsättning (HNS) och om inkoppling av explicit bearbetning av fonologi eller individuell arbetsminneskapacitet kan kompensera för försämrade ljudminnen i denna grupp (studie I-III). Ett andra syfte var att sammanställa referensdata för ett test av arbetsminneskapacitet, lässpann, och undersöka relationen mellan prestation på lässpann ochigenkänning av tal-i-brus i en större grupp av 50-89 åriga personer  med HNS (studie IV). Icke-auditiva test av fonologisk förmåga, episodiskt långtidsminne och arbetsminneskapacitet användes i studie I-III och både beteendedata och elektrofysiologiska data samlades in. Resultaten visade på försämrad fonologisk förmåga i gruppen med HNS men också att explicit bearbetning av fonologi och arbetsminneskapacitet kunde användas för att kompensera för försämrade fonologiska representationer i denna grupp. Denna kompensation kan dock ske på bekostnad av att inkodning i episodiska långtidsminnet störs. Vidare identifierades en elektrofysiologisk markör för HNS i en textbaserad rimuppgift. I studie IV presenterades referensdata i två versioner av lässpanntestet för personer med mild till mycket grav HN och resultat som pekar mot möjliga skillnader mellan olika åldersgrupper i hur väl arbetsminneskapacitet predicerar igenkänning av tal-i-brus. Kliniska implikationer rör den dubbla belastning det innebär att ha både en HN och relativt sänkt arbetsminneskapacitet. En strukturerad bedömning av arbetsminneskapacitet i samband med rehabilitering skulle kunna bidra till att synliggöra dessa personer och anpassa insatser efter deras behov. Lässpanntestet är ett test som i framtiden skulle kunna vara användbart i det sammanhanget.

Background: Until recently, qualitative researchers have avoided interviewing participants with brain injuries because of the ethical and practical dilemmas which may arise and because it has been argued that they may not be able to reflect and accurately report upon their experiences. Therefore, little research has been produced which explores the personal experience of living with a brain injury. Recently, however, some researchers have challenged the view that people with brain injuries are unsuitable as interviewees in qualitative research and have, through their own research, highlighted the importance of understanding their views and perspectives in order to provide them with the best care and rehabilitation. Aims: With this in mind, and in line with current calls for more research gaining the brain injured person’s perspective, this study attempted to gain an in depth understanding of what it is like from the brain injured person’s perspective, to live with an acquired brain injury. The study focussed upon the experience of gaining consciousness following a brain injury, the experience of living with permanent memory loss, the experience of gaining awareness of deficits, the experience of losing an identity and adjusting to a new identity, the impact on relationships with friends and family and experiences as an inpatient in a Brain Injury Unit. Sources of strength and coping mechanisms were also explored. Method: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with six individuals who had severe acquired brain injuries and were inpatients in a post-acute neuro-rehabilitation unit. The verbatim transcripts of the semi-structured interviews were then analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). Results: The analysis produced four master themes. These were: ‘Piecing together the past and becoming aware of the present’, ‘The transition from old self to new self’, ‘Sources of strength and survival’ and ‘Experiences in rehabilitation’. A description of these themes is presented with the corresponding subordinate themes. Conclusions: The clinical implications of the research and guidance for future research are discussed. The study produced a valuable insight into the personal experience of living with a severe acquired brain injury that could be used to inform rehabilitation interventions. The results also indicated that people with acquired brain injuries may experience Post Traumatic Growth.

Aims: Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) is often researched from a reductionist perspective, focusing on pathology and dysfunction (Olney & Kim, 2001). More recently there has been a call towards taking a person-centred, global approach; questioning old ‘assumptions’ about what is currently known, and incorporating the views of the patient (Hill, 1999). This qualitative research study aimed to make a further contribution to the evidence-base by investigating the experience of adjusting to life after ABI. Method: Six participants, (two female, four male) aged 26-49, who had experienced a severe ABI an average of 31 months previously, were interviewed using a semistructured schedule. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) was employed to analyse the transcripts. Results: Five master themes emerged from the participants’ accounts: Experiencing a loss of control; Observed changes as a threat to identity; Being displaced by the injury: Feeling unchanged in a changed world; Attempts at managing a threatened identity, and Enable me don’t disable me: The role of support in recovery. Implications: Clinical implications were considered within Bronfenbrenner’s (1979, 2004) Ecological Systems Theoretical Framework. Within the Microsystems (the individual’s immediate systems such as their body, home and work) participants described a struggle to make sense of their perceived loss of control of their body and brain. They described the importance of making sense of these changes. Clinically there is a potential role for professionals to facilitate how people make sense of their experiences, perhaps moving away from reductionist explanations, which appeared to prevent participants from having hope to influence change. From a Macrosystemic level (the individual’s social, cultural and political systems) the participants felt they were less valued and as a result, judged by society and by political systems. Participants’ accounts suggested that they wanted to continue to contribute and be valuable in society. An implication therefore is for professionals involved to take more a political stance in influencing how we currently conceptualise people after brain injury, focusing on enablement rather than disablement.

Few studies have explored emotion processing abilities in children following Acquired Brain Injury (ABI). This study develops previous research in this area by exploring emotion processing skills in children with focal ABI, using eye tracking technology. It was hypothesised that children with focal ABI would demonstrate impaired emotion recognition abilities relative to a control group and that, similar to adult eye tracking studies, they would show an atypical pattern of eye moments when viewing faces. Sixteen participants with focal ABI (10-16 years) and 27 healthy controls (10-16 years) completed one novel and one adapted visual emotion processing task, presented using a T120 Tobii eye-tracker. The eye-tracker measured eye-movement fixations in three areas of interest (AOIs; eyes, nose, mouth), as participants viewed the stimuli. Emotion perception accuracy was recorded. All participants from the ABI group also completed neuropsychological assessment of their immediate visual memory, visual attention, visuospatial abilities, and everyday executive function. The results of the study showed no significant difference in accuracy between the ABI and control groups. However, on average children with ABI appeared slightly less accurate than the control group in both emotion recognition tasks. Within-subjects analysis revealed no effect of lesion location and laterality or age at lesion onset upon emotion recognition accuracy. Eye tracking analysis showed that children within the ABI group presented with an atypical pattern of eye movements relative to the control group, demonstrating significantly greater fixation times within the eye region, when viewing disgusted, fearful angry and happy faces. The ABI group also showed reduced mean percentage fixation duration within the nose and mouth regions, relative to controls. Furthermore, it was observed that the ABI group took longer on average to give an accurate response to sad, disgusted, happy and surprised faces and this difference reached statistical significance for the accurate recognition of happy and surprised faces. It is suggested that the atypical fixation patterns noted within the ABI group, may represent a difficulty with dividing visual attention rapidly across the whole of the face. This slowing may have an impact upon functioning in everyday social situations, where rapid processing and appraisal of emotion is thought to be particularly important. It is therefore suggested that eye tracking technology may be a valuable method for the identification of subtle difficulties in facial emotion processing, following focal ABI in childhood, and may also have an application in the rehabilitation of these difficulties in future.

Hospital-acquired infections are to date a major challenge in the patient safety. The proliferation of pathogens such as Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae is often reported in connection with textiles, which represent a significant source of transmission. This leads most often to the contamination and cross-contamination of the hospitalized patient and the hospital staff. A promising approach and the immediate objective of this research is the application of probiotics to a textile fabric. They provide preliminary evidence in being able to inhibit pathogenic bacteria growth through their competitive mechanism. During this study, screen-printing was used as a method to apply probiotics on a polyester fabric. The viability of probiotics on the fabric was evaluated in the agar plate test method. Samples that exhibited a growth of grown out colonies were further tested regarding their efficacy towards the abovementioned pathogens. This was determined in a competition test, that included the individually inoculation of the samples with the different bacteria strains. Contact-angle measurements and abrasion resistance as well as the durability were tested in order to investigate the applicability of the fabric and scanning electron microscope images were taken to detect probiotics and to evaluate the quality of the print on the fabric. Major findings included that probiotics were able to survive on the polyester fabric and that these viable probiotics are further successful in the growth inhibition of pathogenic bacteria. Thereby their efficacy against pathogens is related to the viability the probiotics. As neither the probiotics used in this study, nor the other ingredients are considered as hazardous, this process is environment-friendly. This work increases the understanding of probiotics mechanism and their survival and competition behaviour on a textile material. It opens a way in the reduction of hospital-acquired infections through the beneficial effects of probiotics.

Adult Acquired Flatfoot Deformity (AAFD) is a progressive disease characterized by mechanical degeneration of the soft tissue structure in the arch of the foot that leads to changes in joint alignment. Surgical intervention commonly via tendon transfer and bony osteotomy is used to restore arch architecture, however there is a lack of quantitative assessments that measure the success of the surgical correction in vivo. Using plantar pressures via Tekscan® HR Mat and surveys (SF-36, FAOS), pre-operative and post-operative measures for six participants were defined, analyzed and compared. A paired t-test showed significant lateral shift for percent body weight during walking postoperativelyin the forefoot and midfoot regions. However, arch index measurement showed no significant change. The FAOS survey score also improved statistically postoperatively. The surgical correction was successful as deemed by some of these quantitative and qualitative measures.

While age-related sex chromosomal aneuploidy is a well-characterized phenomenon, the relationship between autosomal loss and age remains unclear. The emergence of the specific and highly sensitive fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) technology has enabled investigators to study interphase cells, thereby overcoming problems inherent with the study of metaphase spreads for acquired aneuploidy assessment. Despite all the advantages of this technique, there are some limitations that could be misleading when scoring interphase autosomal aneuploidy. In this study we show that sex chromosomal hypoploidy is correlated with age. By using a twin study design, we evaluated Y chromosome hypoploidy frequencies and found that loss of the Y chromosome is likely to be a multifactorial phenotype, being influenced by both genetic and environmental factors. An analysis of acquired aneuploidy frequencies for 13 autosomes in men showed that only one autosome, chromosome 3, had an age-related increase in acquired aberrations levels. Using a multi-probe study design, we determined that an apparent loss of fluorescent signal(s) could result from the coincident positioning (overlaying) of the repeat sequences targeted by the probes (due to either somatic homolog pairing or aggregation of the heterochromatic regions). Therefore, caution should be taken when performing autosomal FISH analysis to avoid overestimation of autosomal aneuploidy in uncultured leukocytes.

It is estimated that there are 12.5 million people in England living with neurological disorders (Neurological Alliance, 2014). People with neurological disorders as a result of acquired brain injury (ABI) are living with short and long-term disabilities. These include cognitive impairment, and physical and emotional distress. One of the most common complaints by individuals who have ABI is attention impairment. Attention difficulties can have serious ramifications for daily functioning. Although studies have explored the effects of evidence-based interventions such as mindfulness-based therapy on attention abilities, and have found that it improves individuals' attention skills (Moore et al, 2012), thus far research has been conducted mainly with non-clinical populations. This study set out to investigate whether a mindfulness-based intervention could prove beneficial for people with neurological disorders, particularly whether it could positively impact on attention impairment. The study employed a one group pre-test post-test design. The intervention was adapted from the MBSR programme developed by Kabat-Zinn. Twenty-two participants with ABI were recruited. The Conners Continuous Performance Test 3rd Edition (CPT-3), Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS), Attention Process Training-II Attention Questionnaire (APT-II AQ) and Clinical Outcome in Routine Evaluation-Outcome Measure (CORE-OM) were utilised to measure outcomes. The results revealed that there was a clinical improvement in self reported measures of mindfulness (MAAS) (Cohen d=0.28), attention (APT-II AQ) (Cohen d=0.33), and psychological distress (CORE-OM) (Cohen d=0.72). This was not observed using the neuropsychological test of attention (CPT-3) for overall group scores, but further evaluation showed some individuals' scores improved. The study is promising as it indicates that mindfulness based treatment can be effective with attentional problems as well as in reducing psychological distress for individuals with ABI. This could be valuable in terms of providing treatment for this client group and adds to the expanding research base on mindfulness-based intervention with this population.