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Abstract In this paper we demonstrate that matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization/time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry can be used to rapidly detect occult blood in human feces. The water-soluble hemoglobins, which are the most predominant proteins found in blood, were used as protein biomarkers for the presence of occult blood. The proteins were best extracted from feces using a small amount of pure water and then separated from the feces through centrifugation. We found that saturated 4-hydroxy-£\-cyanocinnamic acid (£\-CHC) solution was the best MALDI matrix for hemoglobin analysis; this matrix was mixed with the aqueous solution extracted from the feces at a volumetric ratio of 1:1. Although the MALDI-TOF MS results obtained using real samples were consistent with those provided through conventional chemical analysis, the detection limit of occult blood (0.1¡V1 £gg/mg of feces) in feces when using MALDI MS was approximately 10¡V100 times lower than that of the conventional approach. In addition, materials that commonly interfere with the conventional chemical assaying of occult blood in feces¡Xsuch as foods containing animal blood¡Xdo not interfere with the detection of the hemoglobin biomarkers during MALDI-TOF MS analysis.

Through an examination of Robertson Davies’s The Deptford Trilogy, this thesis analyses the influence of the international Theosophical movement (with close attention to the Toronto Theosophical Society) and psychoanalysis to the moral world presented in these three Davies novels. Chapter One outlines the context of nineteenth-century Western belief in Theosophy, the most powerful occult movement in the world at the time, with special attention to Toronto as the center for Theosophy in Canada. Chapter Two looks at the occult influence of psychoanalysis, specifically Freud’s uncanny, in Fifth Business, Jung’s theory of individuation in The Manticore and Davies’s growing understanding of Gnosticism in World of Wonders. This second chapter is supported with reference to Davies’s personal library, now housed at the W.D. Jordan Special Collections and Music Library at Queen’s University. I conclude by arguing, with evidence from the novels, that Davies was aware of and influenced by the teachings of the Theosophical Society, which along with his study of Jung, brought him into sympathy with modern Gnosticism. I present evidence that Davies placed numerous hidden references to occult themes within The Deptford Trilogy for the enlightened reader to discover, and that these references offer a new perspective on Davies analysis not yet part of the critical record. / Thesis (Master, English) -- Queen's University, 2013-08-22 16:35:50.33

What this study will demonstrate is that Shakespeare's use of occult manifestations is not as superficial as it is sometimes said to be. On the contrary, it is the contention of this study that, especially in certain of the major tragedies, occult phenomena are integral to the main action, provide the play with essential motivation, and, in fact, are indispensable to a proper resolution.

Title page, table of contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University of Adelaide Library. / A major clinical dilemma in the management of patients with early stage breast cancer is determining which patients are at risk of subsequent recurrence so that these patients may be offered adjuvant therapies. Currently, the major prognostic factors used in determining prognosis including nodal status and tumour size fail to identify up to 30% of patients classified as having low risk disease who subsequently recur with breast cancer. Therefore, there is a great need for new methodologies that can sensitively and specifically identify disseminated disease. During this study, the major aims were to use immunobead-based and methylation-based methods for the detection of occult disseminated disease in peripheral blood samples obtained from breast cancer patients. Firstly, an RT-PCR assay was developed that identified a panel of gene specific markers that could be used for sensitive and specific detection of any circulating epithelial cells with minimal risk of false positive results from contaminating haematopoietic compartment cells. These gene markers were used to assess breast cancer patients using immunobead enrichment prior to RT-PCR (IB RT-PCR) and resulted in the detection of circulating epithelial cells in 21157 peripheral blood samples. Importantly, some of these patients had been deemed lymph node negative and at low risk of relapse. Furthermore, it was decided to screen for gene promoter region methylation in freely circulating DNA in the plasma fraction, and in DNA from the nuclei of epithelial cells captured using the immunomagnetic enrichment method. The analysis of gene loci methylation of patient samples was conducted concurrently with the analysis of the frequency of gene loci methylation in mononuclear cells from normal individuals. Surprisingly, a high proportion of normal individuals were methylated at high frequency at gene loci that have previously been reported to be tumour specific. This finding had implications for the concurrent study using methylation as a marker of occult disseminated disease in breast cancer patients. The analysis of blood samples using the methodology presented in this thesis for the early detection of breast cancer dissemination, has the potential to be developed to a point where it can be introduced into the clinical setting. Once fully developed and validated, this minimally invasive methodology, that causes little discomfort to the patient, could help to improve breast cancer staging, and provide important prognostic information ensuring the identification of those early stage breast cancer patients with the greatest risk of relapse and in most need of adjuvant therapies. / http://proxy.library.adelaide.edu.au/login?url= http://library.adelaide.edu.au/cgi-bin/Pwebrecon.cgi?BBID=1097066 / Thesis (Ph.D.) -- University of Adelaide, Dept. of Medicine, 2003

Title page, table of contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University of Adelaide Library. / A major clinical dilemma in the management of patients with early stage breast cancer is determining which patients are at risk of subsequent recurrence so that these patients may be offered adjuvant therapies. Currently, the major prognostic factors used in determining prognosis including nodal status and tumour size fail to identify up to 30% of patients classified as having low risk disease who subsequently recur with breast cancer. Therefore, there is a great need for new methodologies that can sensitively and specifically identify disseminated disease. During this study, the major aims were to use immunobead-based and methylation-based methods for the detection of occult disseminated disease in peripheral blood samples obtained from breast cancer patients. Firstly, an RT-PCR assay was developed that identified a panel of gene specific markers that could be used for sensitive and specific detection of any circulating epithelial cells with minimal risk of false positive results from contaminating haematopoietic compartment cells. These gene markers were used to assess breast cancer patients using immunobead enrichment prior to RT-PCR (IB RT-PCR) and resulted in the detection of circulating epithelial cells in 21157 peripheral blood samples. Importantly, some of these patients had been deemed lymph node negative and at low risk of relapse. Furthermore, it was decided to screen for gene promoter region methylation in freely circulating DNA in the plasma fraction, and in DNA from the nuclei of epithelial cells captured using the immunomagnetic enrichment method. The analysis of gene loci methylation of patient samples was conducted concurrently with the analysis of the frequency of gene loci methylation in mononuclear cells from normal individuals. Surprisingly, a high proportion of normal individuals were methylated at high frequency at gene loci that have previously been reported to be tumour specific. This finding had implications for the concurrent study using methylation as a marker of occult disseminated disease in breast cancer patients. The analysis of blood samples using the methodology presented in this thesis for the early detection of breast cancer dissemination, has the potential to be developed to a point where it can be introduced into the clinical setting. Once fully developed and validated, this minimally invasive methodology, that causes little discomfort to the patient, could help to improve breast cancer staging, and provide important prognostic information ensuring the identification of those early stage breast cancer patients with the greatest risk of relapse and in most need of adjuvant therapies. / http://proxy.library.adelaide.edu.au/login?url= http://library.adelaide.edu.au/cgi-bin/Pwebrecon.cgi?BBID=1097066 / Thesis (Ph.D.) -- University of Adelaide, Dept. of Medicine, 2003

Yes / Introduction: Despite scaphoid fractures being relatively uncommon pro-active treatment of suspected fractures has been seen as a risk management strategy. The poor positive predictive value of X-rays has led to published guidelines advocating MRI as a first-line or early imaging tool. It is unclear whether UK hospitals have been able to introduce early scanning and this national survey sought to establish the current management strategies for patients with a suspected scaphoid fracture. Method: An electronic survey of UK emergency departments (ED) was conducted to establish the initial and follow up strategies for patients with negative imaging. Comparison of first and second-line imaging modalities was undertaken together with review of the clinical speciality responsible for ongoing management. Results: 166 UK NHS Trusts were identified with emergency department facilities of which 66 (39.8%) responded. All sites perform an X-ray as the initial examination. For those with a negative examination ED follow up was the most common approach (54.6%), although many sites refer patients to other specialities including orthopaedics (39.4%) for follow up. The data demonstrated inconsistencies in the number of follow-up episodes and the different imaging investigations utilised. Frustration with the challenges presented by this patient cohort was evident. Conclusion: The suspected scaphoid fracture represents an ongoing challenge to the NHS with many resource intensive pathways reliant on access to complex imaging investigations. Implications for practice: Our study identified that UK Emergency Departments have limited early access to complex imaging for scanning of the scaphoid. A range of strategies are used for follow up of suspected scaphoid fractures and these are resource intensive. Overtreatment of patients with suspected scaphoid fracture is used as a risk management approach.

The Chymical Wedding of Benjamin Roylance is a collection of poetry. It is interested in themes of occultism, identity, alchemy, ufology, and rebirth.

<p>During the nineteenth century, an impressive number of occult organizations blossomed both in Europe and the United States. The most influential of these groups was arguably the Theosophical Society. One feature that set it apart from other groups was the assertion that its teachings came from highly advanced beings often referred to in Theosophical literature as the “Masters.” Various authors claim that two of them, Koot Hoomi and Morya, have their roots in the East. However, the descriptions provided include many aspects that might be more readily associated with the West.</p><p>The aim of this study is to critically examine a selection of Theosophical writings composed in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries which concern the Masters in the light of the notion of Orientalism. Textual analysis is the method applied. The question I seek to answer is: In what ways do these descriptions exemplify Orientalism? The results indicate that examples can be found in discussions concerning their names and titles, how they are defined, the brotherhood to which they belong, characteristics they possess, their functions, their homes, and what they look like. This is also the case in regard to writings describing how one becomes a Master and those debating whether or not they exist. The matters addressed are relevant because they provide insight into how conceptualizations of other cultures are constructed and because the notion of ascended masters is still a common one in new age religion.</p>

During the nineteenth century, an impressive number of occult organizations blossomed both in Europe and the United States. The most influential of these groups was arguably the Theosophical Society. One feature that set it apart from other groups was the assertion that its teachings came from highly advanced beings often referred to in Theosophical literature as the “Masters.” Various authors claim that two of them, Koot Hoomi and Morya, have their roots in the East. However, the descriptions provided include many aspects that might be more readily associated with the West. The aim of this study is to critically examine a selection of Theosophical writings composed in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries which concern the Masters in the light of the notion of Orientalism. Textual analysis is the method applied. The question I seek to answer is: In what ways do these descriptions exemplify Orientalism? The results indicate that examples can be found in discussions concerning their names and titles, how they are defined, the brotherhood to which they belong, characteristics they possess, their functions, their homes, and what they look like. This is also the case in regard to writings describing how one becomes a Master and those debating whether or not they exist. The matters addressed are relevant because they provide insight into how conceptualizations of other cultures are constructed and because the notion of ascended masters is still a common one in new age religion.