Art Center Research Articles

Incidence and pattern of tuberculosis immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (TB-IRIS) in patients on anti-retroviral therapy: An observational study

BackgroundTuberculosis-immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome is an atypical, immoderate immune response mounted by the refurbishing immune system against the mycobacterium tuberculosis, commonly seen in HIV-infected individuals. ART significantly enhances one's immunity. However, this enhancement in immunity also sets off a number of inflammatory processes termed as Immune Reconstitution Inflammatory Syndrome (IRIS). MethodsThis observational study was conducted with the aim of assessing the incidence and pattern of TB-IRIS in people living with HIV/AIDS on ART registered at the ART Centre of S.C.B. Medical College and Hospital, Cuttack. They were evaluated for their plasma viral load and CD4 count at baseline. Thereafter, the plasma viral load was assessed every week and the CD4 count was assessed fortnightly. Each study participant was followed-up for a period of three months to look for any onset of TB-IRIS. ResultsA total of 286 patients were included the study. The overall incidence of TB-IRIS was 7.7%. The occurrence of paradoxical TB-IRIS was nearly double than ART-associated TB-IRIS. There was a significant rise in the CD4 cell count in the patients of both paradoxical (p = 0.001) and ART-associated (p = 0.017) TB-IRIS. The plasma viral load at baseline also showed significant differences from the levels documented at the appearance of the TB-IRIS both in both the types i.e. paradoxical (p = 0.001) and ART-associated (p = 0.012) TB-IRIS. ConclusionPeople with HIV/TB coinfection experience high morbidity and death from all kinds of TB-IRIS, necessitating specific attention. As HIV-positive cases and implementation of ART continue to rise, it's vital to quickly rule out TB coinfection.

Immigrant Artists and How They Affected the World Art Center (NYC) in the 1900s

This research is based on the population migration that is located in New York in the 1900s, where, at that time, numerous immigrants from all around the world arrived and dwelled, seeking chances and a place to live. Such a social context promoted interpersonal exchange and cultural diffusion and made New York the world center of art at the time. The paper focuses on the immigrant artists in New York city in the 1900s and how they affected New York city in that time period, giving examples of artists. This research views art from the perspective of immigration and cultural fusion and the impacts of modern population migration, so it will be able to explain the art developments in New York city from a different perspective. Finally, this research concludes that through influencing local organizations and inspiring people to pay more attention to the issues that immigrants face.

Guidelines for the success of silver plating and gold plating community enterprise in the art and craft center of Thailand

The purpose of this research was: (1) to study internal and external environment factors that affect the operation of the community enterprise and (2) to identify operational methods, promotion, and development of the community enterprise of the silver plating and gold plating group in the art and craft center of Thailand and expand results to other community enterprises. The sample group used in the study was 63 members of the silver plating and gold plating community enterprise groups in the art and craft center at Ban Yang Noi Community, Thailand. The research instruments were questionnaires. Statistics used for the research were frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation and stepwise multiple regression analysis. Research showed the internal environment factors in operational level of the community enterprise were at the highest level with the mean score 4.47 followed by production, marketing, finance, human resource management, motivation, and leadership factors. The external environment factors were at the highest level with the mean score 4.43 followed by government policies and mass media factors. The factors affecting success of the community enterprise were at the highest level with the mean score 4.43 followed by the market demand and sustainable business practices.

Using Photographs to Teach the Human Rights of Children Caught Up in Armed Conflicts

Click to increase image sizeClick to decrease image size Additional informationNotes on contributorsTracey HollandTracey Holland, Adjunct Assistant Professor, Latin American and Latinx Studies, Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, New York. Email: trholland@vassar.eduElizabeth NogradyElizabeth Nogrady, Mellon Curator of Academic Programs, Frances Lehman Loeb Art Center, Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, New York. Email: elnogrady@vassar.eduNotes1 For more recent critiques, including those by artists, see Sayej (2018 Sayej, N. (2018, November 28). “The art world tolerates abuse”—The fight to change museum wall labels. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2018/nov/28/the-art-world-tolerates-abuse-the-fight-to-change-museum-wall-labels[Crossref] , [Google Scholar]). On transparency in museum labels, see Cotter (2020 Cotter, H. (2020, March 18). America’s big museums on the hot seat. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/18/arts/design/how-to-save-museums.html [Google Scholar]).2 This article originally appeared as “Understanding a Photograph” in Selected Essays and Articles: The Look of Things (1972) by John Berger. The original author(s) and the publisher(s) retain all rights to this article. Please do not distribute or reproduce.

On Peter Weibel

Abstract He was always the youngest in the group. In 1966, the core participants in what he—with Valie Export—would later dub “Viennese Actionism” applied for government funding to attend the Destruction in Art Symposium in London. The group sent him, just twenty-two years old, to the ministry to argue their case. He remained their go-to spokesperson. On June 7, 1968, at the Kunst und Revolution event in Lecture Hall 1 of the University of Vienna, it was he who introduced the wild proceedings with an “Inflammatory Speech,” his raised right asbestos-gloved hand in flames. Ending quickly in a cry of pain—kerosene on his naked forearm caught fire—his oration, titled (after Lenin's pamphlet) “What Is to Be Done?: Burning Questions of Our Movement,” gave way to the more scandalous, though perhaps less cunning, actions of his older comrades. Otto Muehl, a “former middle- school teacher,” as one “memory protocol” described him, screamed obscenities while whipping a bandaged man until he bled. Gunter Brus, after undressing onstage, cut himself and (again the protocol) “masturbated for about 20 minutes” before shitting and pissing in the audience's direction. Oswald Wiener, his speech drowned out onstage by grunting, was falsely heard to say that the shitting should move from the lecture hall to St. Stephen's Cathedral, the city's holy of holies. Meanwhile he, the event's “inflammatory” opening speaker, was the only actual student to address the Austrian Socialist Students’ Union (the hapless host of Vienna's infamous “hot quarter-hour”), and he had come well equipped. He brought with him a water bucket to extinguish his burning glove and wore safety goggles to protect his eyes against flames and, as things turned out, against blood, excrement, and urine. When he died this year, just four days short of his seventy-ninth birthday, Peter Weibel seemed perennially youthful. He had led the ZKM Center for Art and Media Karlsruhe for almost a quarter century, indefinitely postponing his retirement by mounting art exhibitions—sometimes as many as seven in one year—that reshaped the definition of art exhibitions. It was Weibel, earlier and more consistently than anyone, who gave museological form to our posthuman, postmedium, anthropocenic condition. Sprawling, experimental, and provisory, these exhibitions yielded mighty catalogues: about surveillance, futurity, and digital art, about forgotten contemporaries (like Vilém Flusser) and emergent stars (Weibel was early in celebrating William Kentridge and Olafur Eliasson). Of these many shows, the four co-curated with Bruno Latour, who passed away five months before Weibel, were the most significant. Weibel and Latour called them Gedankenausstellungen (“thought exhibitions”). With challenging titles like “Making Things Public,” “Reset Modernity,” and “Critical Zones” and conceptual in what they displayed and how, they blurred the lines between science and art, gallery space and laboratory, aesthetic object and political debate while remaining fun to visit and popularly appealing.

16th International Conference on the Modelling of Casting, Welding, and Advanced Solidification Processes

Preface The 16th International Conference on the Modelling of Casting, Welding, and Advanced Solidification Processes (MCWASP XVI) was held from June 18 to 23, 2023, in Banff, Canada, at the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity. Founded in 1933, the Centre in Treaty 7 Territory within Banff National Park—Canada’s first National Park—is a learning organization built upon an extraordinary legacy of excellence in artistic and creative development. The “all-inclusive” nature of the conference and the remote setting meant that participants dined, attended oral and poster presentations, and participated in social activities as a group, fostering outstanding opportunities for networking.Given that the MCWASP community had not met in person since 2015 in Japan (the 2020 edition of MCWASP was virtual owing to COVID-19), the 2023 conference provided the opportunity to renew old friendships and make new ones as well as discuss the science of solidification and related processes—all within the backdrop of the beautiful Canadian Rocky Mountains.The technical program comprised more than 70 oral and poster presentations. In addition to content related to modelling of casting, welding, and advanced solidification processes, keynotes were invited to talk about related subjects (artificial intelligence/machine learning, and permeability modelling in shale rock) as well as the rich diversity of fossils, especially dinosaurs, found in Alberta.The oral technical program was organized with as a single session (i.e., no concurrent presentations). It featured all aspects of solidification modelling, including solidification process technologies (continuous and semi-continuous casting, shape casting, additive manufacturing, and welding), coupled multi-physics simulations, defect formation, fluid flow, micro- and macro-structure formation, numerical methods, and related experimentation, especially in-situ observation of solidification.The four-day technical program was spread over five days to give participants the opportunity to explore the stunning Canadian Rocky Mountains.In these proceedings, the papers are organized by major theme. The dominant topics are Additive Manufacturing and Welding and Microstructure Formation, followed by Continuous Casting – Shape Casting, Heat Transfer and Fluid Flow, Alloy Segregation, Defects, Imaging of Solidification, Thermomechanics, and Materials Properties. In these themes, the authors report advances in numerical modelling techniques, new scientific and process developments in solidification, and related in-situ experimentation.Although significant progress has been made over these past 16 MCWASP conferences covering 43 years, it is clear that the complexity of advanced solidification phenomena as related to conventional and emerging manufacturing technologies still attracts a great deal of scientific and industrial interest to support technological innovation. André Phillion Banff, Canada, June 2023MCWASP XVI 2023List of Peer Reviewers, Sponsors, MCWASP XVI Organizers, International Scientific Committee are available in this Pdf.

Working together: the National Centre for Arts and Mental Health in Denmark

Working together: the National Centre for Arts and Mental Health in Denmark

Pool: A Social History of Segregation, Fairmount Water Works, Philadelphia

Review| May 01 2023 Pool: A Social History of Segregation, Fairmount Water Works, Philadelphia Pool: A Social History of Segregation. Victoria Prizzia, Curator. Fairmount Water Works, Philadelphia, PA. March–September, 2022 (Reopened March 23, 2023). https://www.poolphl.com/ Kendra D. Boyd Kendra D. Boyd Rutgers University-Camden Search for other works by this author on: This Site PubMed Google Scholar The Public Historian (2023) 45 (2): 134–138. https://doi.org/10.1525/tph.2023.45.2.134 Views Icon Views Article contents Figures & tables Video Audio Supplementary Data Peer Review Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Cite Icon Cite Search Site Citation Kendra D. Boyd; Pool: A Social History of Segregation, Fairmount Water Works, Philadelphia. The Public Historian 1 May 2023; 45 (2): 134–138. doi: https://doi.org/10.1525/tph.2023.45.2.134 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Reference Manager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentThe Public Historian Search Pool: A Social History of Segregation explores race and public pools in the United States as well as African Americans’ relationship with water over time. Funded through a $260,000 grant from the Pew Center for Arts and Heritage, the 4,700-square-foot exhibition was originally scheduled to open in September of 2021 but was delayed due to flooding from Hurricane Ida. After six months of restoration efforts, the exhibit opened on March 22, 2022, which fittingly was World Water Day. The majority of the exhibit is located in and around the Kelly Natatorium, known as the Kelly Pool, within the Fairmount Water Works building. This indoor pool opened in 1961 as an Olympic training facility, and later became a public pool. The city of Philadelphia closed Kelly Pool in 1972, when flooding from Hurricane Agnes damaged the natatorium, and it subsequently fell into disrepair.1 This location has been brilliantly repurposed for... You do not currently have access to this content.

Artistic activity of Russian-Soviet artists in Harbin and Shanghai China during the period of the Republic of China (1912–1949)

This article mainly studies and analyzes the artistic activity of Soviet artists in Harbin and Shanghai during the period of the Republic of China. Due to their special geographical location, Harbin and Shanghai have always been centers of dissemination and artistic exchange of Soviet art and culture in China. The subject of the study is various types of art education and artistic activities that Soviet artists carried out in China during the period of the Republic of China. The object of the study is the influence that the spread of Soviet realistic painting in China had on the development of modern Chinese art in the XX century. The author pays special attention to the analysis of the profound impact that the appearance of various art studios created in China, acquaintance with the artistic work of Soviet artists, as well as training with the owl, have had on the development of modern Chinese art. Soviet art has been the basis for the development of modern Chinese art from the very beginning. The novelty of this study lies in the fact that the author addresses a little – explored topic – how the arrival of Soviet artists in China, which coincided with the "Movement of Foreign Painting" in the Republic of China, influenced the formation of Chinese art. Soviet artists strongly supported the innovative artistic creativity of Chinese artists and at the same time contributed to the dominance of Soviet realistic art in the artistic landscape during the formation of China. The main conclusions of the study are that the mass spread of Soviet art in China created new ground for traditional Chinese art, gave a continuation and a new life to traditional painting. To a certain extent, this influenced the artistic and aesthetic preferences of that time and even the general public, and also directly affected the development of Chinese art education in the XX century.

Determination of Gifted Middle School Students' Mental Models of Earthquake

This study aims to determine the mental models of gifted middle school students about an earthquake. The study employed the phenomenological design. In this context, the study was conducted on 41 students having gained the status of gifted students are results of the exams conducted by Science and Art Centres (BİLSEM) in three different provinces of Turkey. In these centres, gifted students, are diagnosed and can recognize their areas of special talent and get education to develop these areas in addition to the formal education they receive in their schools. In the current study, the “Earthquake Mental Model Test” was developed by the researchers in order to determine the mental models of the gifted students about the concept of an earthquake. According to finding mental models of the 41 gifted students are gathered under the mental models of natural disaster-energy-destruction (f=1), natural disaster-earth’s crust movement-destruction (f=6), natural disaster-destruction (f=2), energy-protection (f=1), quake (f=4), quake-destruction (f=16), earth’s crust movement (f=2), earth’s crust movement-protection (f=1) and earth’s crust movement-destruction (f=8). According to the findings obtained, the mental models of the students regarding the earthquake are gathered under the themes of Natural disaster-energy-destruction model. Natural disaster-energy-destruction model: Natural disaster-earth’s crust movement-destruction model, Natural disaster-destruction model, Energy-protection model, Quake model, Quake-destruction model, Earth’s crust movement model, Earth’s crust movement-protection model and Earth’s crust movement-destruction model.

국립민족예술단과 북한의 민족음악

This article aims to enhance understanding of the National Folk Art Center (hereafter, the Center) through dividing its 75-year history and activities into three periods, and to review the trend of changes in North Korean national music, From 1947 to 1965, the Center had been reorganized as the Joseon Classical Music Research Institute, the Classical Orchestra directly under the Ministry of Culture and Propaganda, the Hyeopryuldan within the National Arts Theater, the Classical Orchestra under the direct control of the National Arts Theater, the National Classical Arts Theater, and then National Folk Arts Theater. During this period, traditional music capabilities such as changgeuk (Korean opera derived from pansori) and instrumental performances of Korean traditional musician who crossed the border to North Korea had a great impact on the North Korean music scene.
 From 1965 to 1992, the Center had been renamed as the National Folk Opera Theater, the Pyongyang Art Organization, the Moranbong Art Organization, and then the Pyongyang Art Organization; the content of activities had changed. At this time, the pibada ('Sea of Blood') style of national opera was established, and the comprehensive music and dance performances were vitalized while many folk dance and national dance works were created.
 Since 1992, when the Center worked as a National Folk Art Center, it has created and performed works such as national operas, folk dance suites, and national songs and dances. Since the 2000s, the Center focused on creating large-scale art performances together collaborating with various music organizations, rather than solo performances. After the Kim Jong Un era, the Center has been pursuing activities as an independent organization.
 Through the activities from the Joseon Classical Music Research Institute to the National Folk Art Center, we can get a glimpse of the way in which the modern transformations of national music were realized in North Korea, and confirm that the activities of those who crossed the border to North Korea were at the base. The activities and roles they played in North Korea serve as a point of contact for South and North Korea to confirm their traditional musical culture and national identity.

The Effect on Gifted Students’ 21st-Century Skills of Supporting Science Teaching with LEGO® Education® BricQ Motion Essential and Student Opinions on this Instruction

In many countries, individuals have started to gain 21st-century skills from an early age. In Turkey, the education of gifted students is supported with activities enriched in parallel with these skills in science and art centres. The LEGO® Education® BricQ Motion Essential Set reinforces achievements with hands-on activities in science subjects, while also improving 21st-century skills such as problem solving, critical thinking, creativity, and collaboration. At this point, this study aims to examine the effect of the LEGO® Education® BricQ Motion Essential Set on the 21st-century skills of gifted students in the teaching of the ‘Force and Motion’ unit and to determine the students’ views on the teaching process. The study was carried out in a science and art centre in Konya in the spring term of the 2021–2022 academic year. The sample of the study consisted of 21 gifted students studying in Support-2 programmes (4th grade). An explanatory sequential design was preferred in the study. In the quantitative data collection phase of the study, a one-group pre-test/post-test experimental design was used. Interviews were used for the qualitative data collection phase. The quantitative data of the research were analysed with the SPSS 26 statistical package program. Qualitative data were categorised according to themes and codes in accordance with content analysis. The results of the research showed that the LEGO® Education® BricQ Motion Essential Set was effective for 21st-century learning and the renewal of the skills of the gifted students participating in the research and that the students developed positive opinions about this education set. It is recommended to use LEGO® training sets to develop the 21st-century skills of gifted students.

Sistem Pengelolaan Sanggar Pendidikan Seni di Lombok Timur

The purpose of this study was to find out how the management of art education centers in East Lombok Regency. This research uses a qualitative approach with a qualitative descriptive method. This research used three data collection techniques: interviews, observation, and documentation. While data analysis was carried out through four stages: data collection, data reduction, data presentation, and data verification. The results of this study are, the management system of art education studios in East Lombok consists of an organizational form, articles of association, and bylaws as well as administration which contains data on administrators, students, infrastructure, correspondence, and work programs. The production system of each art studio which includes training activities, training materials, training techniques, making works, and performance has been running well but still needs improvement. Several activities and initiatives are carried out in East Lombok to develop arts and culture. Arts education centers in East Lombok are influenced by various factors, including creativity, quality of education, financial support, market access, social environment, and technology. The conclusion of this research is that the management of art education studios in East Lombok has a legal and incorporated organizational system, a production system that has been running even though it is not optimal, and a management system and productivity that is quite good.
 
 Keywords: Arts centers. Arts education, Management

The Porta speciosa of Esztergom •

This essay was carried out in the framework of a research programme (Thesaurus Mediaevalis, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, 2017–2022) funded by the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, and deals with one of the most complex but hardly accessible works of the Árpád period, the former main portal of the Esztergom Cathedral, which was decorated with sculptures and inlaid marble images. It was built in the last decade of the 12th century under King Béla III (1172–1196) and survived the Turkish invasion, but its remains were destroyed during the 19th century construction works. Since then, it exists only in textual sources, depictions and museum fragments. The present work aims primarily to collect and catalogue the fragments, but also to examine the structure of this work of exceptional quality, the artistic orientation of its workshop and the content of the images. It examines questions such as the history of the construction of the building, the sculptural quality of the fragments, which European art centres are related to them (including, in addition to the dominant role of the centres in northern Italy, the Byzantine influence conveyed by the various forms of transport), the circumstances under which the artists could have arrived in the Kingdom of Hungary, the inspiration for their art, what their knowledge and the needs of their clients reveal, and whether there were any interruptions, changes of plan or new beginnings during the construction.

The Transmission of Guqin Musical Instrument Knowledge Literacy and its Reflection Study in Guizhou Province, China

The Guqin is a string instrument that has been played in China for over 3,000 years. It is famous for its meditative, soothing sound and is frequently associated with Confucianism, Taoism, and Chinese literati culture. The instrument has seven strings that can be plucked with a plectrum or with the fingers. The Guqin’s sound is said to resemble a gentle breeze blowing through the trees, and it is frequently used in Chinese music to evoke feelings of tranquillity and introspection. This study was conducted by statistically analyzing field research data and making recommendations for their educational status. In this study, samples of local Guqin musical instruments were selected, and a field study was carried out for the three local Guqin musical instrument groups, the Guangling sect, the Jiuyi sect, and the Yushan sect. The questionnaire was administered to 180 participants and included a literature analysis. The results of this study show that the province of Guizhou is home to a diverse collection of peoples, and the art of the Guqin is being modernized and incorporated to produce a form of art that the general populace appreciates. It is possible to make innovations and explore ways to form an ensemble using Guqin, Guzheng, Dizi, and other ethnic instruments, hold various Guqin concerts and art festivals, and engage in cultural and artistic exchanges. Guqin music will be celebrated at an increasing number of festivals in the future.

Stranded Iconographies: The Journeys of Tapestries from Rorke’s Drift, 1965

South African institutions were slow to acquire artworks by black women. When they did, among the first were tapestries from a Swedish art center at Rorke’s Drift in rural South Africa. However, it remains unknown that many works by these marginalized African women had entered Swedish collections before then, showing in acclaimed exhibitions such as Woven in Africa, which opened at Röhsska Museum of Design and Craft in Göteborg in 1965. Despite the proportions of this export undertaking, and the valorizing of Sweden in the reinvention of African culture, little is remembered of these “stranded” works or the subjectivities that informed them. The recent showing in 2021–2022 of Röhsska’s Rorke’s Drift tapestries on Migration—The Journey of Objects provides a context for interrogating past curatorial practices related to these works. Revealing how the meanings of these migrating tapestries shifted over time, this article also shows that their vicissitudes were also ordained in the conception of the Rorke’s Drift project. Using a post-development methodology, the author unsettles erstwhile notions of cultural philanthropy, showing how the venture advanced the interests of its planners in Stockholm, and how these problematically-connoted tapestries reflect the hegemonies of both apartheid and mid-century Swedish “development.”

Recent clomiphene citrate exposure does not impact subsequent clinical outcomes in single euploid frozen embryo transfer cycles

Do infertile couples who recently utilized clomiphene citrate (CC) for ovulation induction or ovarian stimulation (<90 days previously) followed by a single euploid embryo transfer (SEET) have lower implantation potential compared with patients who were not exposed to CC within 90 days before embryo transfer (ET)? There does not appear to be an association between recent CC exposure and lower implantation potential in patients who undergo a frozen embryo transfer (FET) of euploid embryos. Clomiphene has been found to be associated with lower pregnancy rates when compared against other ovarian stimulation medications. The majority of published research about the effects of CC on implantation potential suggest an anti-estrogenic effect on the endometrium. Quality evidence and information about utilization of CC and its effect on implantation potential after euploid ETs is lacking in the literature. A retrospective cohort study with propensity score matching was carried out. We included all patients that underwent an autologous SEET from September 2016 to September 2022 at a single academic-private ART center. The study group included patients that had utilized CC during either ovulation induction cycles and/or controlled ovarian stimulation at least 90 days before FET. A propensity score-matched control group of patients that were unexposed to CC within 90 days prior to SEET was used for comparisons. The primary outcome was positive pregnancy test (defined as a positive serum β-hCG measured 9 days after ET), with other outcomes including clinical pregnancy, ongoing pregnancy, biochemical pregnancy loss, and clinical pregnancy loss rates per SEET. Multivariate regression analyses fitted with generalized estimating equations were utilized to analyze if there was an association between CC utilization and IVF outcomes. Furthermore, the study evaluated the cumulative effect of CC and endometrial receptivity in vivo and subsequent IVF outcomes. A total of 593 patients with utilization of CC in <90 days before ET were compared with 1779 matched controls. Positive pregnancy test rates were comparable among the control group and the CC exposed groups, respectively (74.3% versus 75.7%, P = 0.79), as were clinical pregnancy (64.0% versus 65.0%, P = 0.60), ongoing pregnancy (51.8% versus 53.2%, P = 0.74), biochemical pregnancy loss (15.7% versus 14.03%, P = 0.45), and clinical pregnancy loss rates were also comparable among cohorts (17.1% versus 18.1%, P = 0.71). No association was found between utilization of clomiphene and lower implantation rates (adjusted odds ratio 0.95, 95% CI 0.76-1.18). Also, no differences were observed in sub-analyses based on multiple CC utilization periods. Finally, no association was found between the number of consecutive cumulative clomiphene cycles and sub-optimal IVF outcomes. The study has inherent bias that originated from its retrospective design. Serum levels of CC were not measured and sample size for the sub-analyses was small. There does not appear to be an association between recent CC exposure and lower implantation potential in patients who undergo a FET of euploid embryos. This finding remains consistent, even in patients who undergo multiple, consecutive clomiphene cycles prior to ET. There were no long-term effects of CC on endometrial development and clinical characteristics examined in this study. Patients that utilized CC medication prior to a SEET cycle for either ovarian stimulation or ovulation induction, can be assured that there is no evidence of a residual effect of recent CC administration that could jeopardize their pregnancy probability. No funding was received for the realization of this study. A.C. is advisor and/or board member of Sema4 (stakeholder in data) and Progyny. The other authors have no conflicts of interest to declare. N/A.

Role of luteinizing hormone elevation in outcomes of ovulation induction with letrozole for polycystic ovary syndrome.

The effect of elevated luteinizing hormone (LH) on the clinical outcomes of ovulation induction (OI) in infertile anovulatory patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) remains controversial. This retrospective study included PCOS patients undergoing intrauterine insemination (IUI) following letrozole (LE) stimulation without OC pretreatment. A retrospective cohort analysis was conducted in a single, academic ART center from January 2013 to May 2019. In total, 835 IUI cycles of PCOS patients treated with letrozole were collected for the analysis. Cohorts were separated based on the level of basal LH (bLH) and LH level after letrozole administration (LHle) during OI. OI response and reproductive outcomes were evaluated for each cohort. No adverse effects of dysregulated levels of either bLH or LHle on ovulation rate or reproductive outcomes were observed. Furthermore, the cohort of individuals with normal bLH and high LHle levels, exclusive of LH surge, exhibited significantly higher rates of clinical pregnancy (30.3% vs. 17.3%, p = 0.002) and live birth (24.2% vs. 15.2%, p = 0.024) than those with normal bLH and normal LHle. These results indicated that high LH levels in PCOS are not solid evidence of poor prognosis of letrozole-induced ovulation, while elevated LHle may be a prospective predictor for better OI outcomes. It seems that preinhibition of LH secretion is not needed.

Strategies in Managing Challenges of The Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre (KLPAC) during Uncertain Times: A Reflection and A Way Forward

The recent pandemic was a plague to the performing arts industry. KLPAC was crippled by the incessant restrictive movement orders, where theatres were deprived of audiences for over 377 days bringing losses to about RM2,000,000 during that period. Previous studies on tackling these challenges are widely addressed in countries that rely heavily on this industry to preserve traditions. In Malaysia, collective coping strategies across cultural policies in the country is still in its infancy. Decentralisation in the navigation of this predicament compelled such cultural and arts centres to find their own way out in times of uncertainty. Hence, this paper examines the strategies adopted by KLPAC during the pandemic with the hope of extending these sustainable measures across any uncertain times that may occur in the future. The study was guided by John’s Model of Structured Reflection. Interviews were conducted with KLPAC’s management, stakeholders, and audience to explore ad hoc and long-term strategies. Through a focus group discussion, responses were analysed to gauge the efficacy of these suggestions and feedback. The findings of this study indicate the need for a new business model and the necessity to build a resilient arts community through digitalisation.

Long-term treatment outcome and mutational analysis of patients on third-line antiretroviral therapy in programmatic conditions.

In low- and middle-income countries where most patients receive standardized third-line ART through national programmes, real-world data are scarce. This study was done to assess the long-term survival, and virological and mutational outcomes of people living with HIV receiving third-line ART between July 2016 and December 2019 in an ART centre in India. Eighty-five patients were started on third-line ART. Genotypic resistance testing to identify drug resistance mutations in the integrase, reverse transcriptase and protease genes was done at the start of third-line therapy, as well as in those who did not attain virological suppression after 12 months of therapy. Survival was 85% (72/85) at 12 months and 72% (61/85) at the end of follow-up in March 2022. Virological suppression was present in 82% (59/72) and 88% (59/67) at 12 months and at the end of follow-up, respectively. Five out of 13 patients who had virological failure at 12 months showed virological suppression at the end of the study. At the start of third-line therapy, 35% (14/40) and 45% (17/38) of patients had major integrase- and protease-associated mutations, respectively, even though they had never been on integrase inhibitor-based regimens. At 1 year follow-up, among those failing third-line therapy, 33% (4/12) of patients had major integrase mutations, but none had major protease mutations. This study demonstrates good long-term outcome in patients on standardized third-line ART in programmatic conditions with very few mutations in those failing the therapy.