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In his postmodern novel Homesickness (1980), Australian novelist Murray Bail depicts a group of Australian tourists on a package tour through diverse countries--including an unnamed African country, the UK and Ecuador--and cities of London, New York and Moscow. In addressing the archetype of the tourist, for which the mobile Australian is judged suitably representative, Bail explores the various perspectives of his diverse group in their picaresque encounters with unfamiliar, Other landscapes and people. In particular he focusses on the nature of their descriptions of such encounters in an increasingly virtual or curated world of global tourism (its museums, guides, exhibitions). This is seen in the dialogic, arguably appropriating, acts of naming, identifying, epistolary accounts (notably in postcards) and also photography, including by the group's tellingly blind photographer. From a postcolonial perspective, Bail's tourist group can be considered akin to the settler, albeit in a global situation in which places visited and their people are viewed as Other. This article primarily addresses Bail's examination of the nature of human apprehension of unfamiliar and familiar worlds through the binaries of distance/closeness, as well as though ratiocinative, visual, classifying, collecting impulses as distinct from a more chaotic, random indeterminate acceptance. A central anchoring, comparative reference point is the familiar (the Australian home, landscape, vegetation and its various stereotypes including in unfamiliar places) and the alternative counter viewpoints of non-travellers. Consideration is given to themes concerning consciousness and the visual, including perspectives of philosopher Maurice Blanchot and postmodern theorist Ihab Hassan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Background: Candida auris, an emerging nosocomial pathogen, exhibits phenotypic variation. Non‐aggregating C. auris isolates display greater biofilm‐forming capacity and virulence than aggregate‐forming isolates. Most of the studies till date have focused on clinical isolates. The biofilm‐forming capacity of colonising isolates remains uninvestigated. Objectives: The present study aimed to elucidate the biofilm‐forming capacity of the colonising isolates of C. auris, correlate it with their aggregation behaviour and antifungal susceptibility, and compare it with that of the isolates from blood‐stream infection. Methods: Colonising and clinical (candidemia) isolates of C. auris were screened for aggregation behaviour, biofilm‐forming capacity and antifungal susceptibility testing. Aggregation behaviour was assessed microscopically. Biofilm‐forming capacity was determined on 96‐well flat‐bottomed microtitre plates. Antifungal susceptibility testing was performed by broth microdilution assay. Results: Aggregative and non‐aggregative phenotypes were found to be predominantly associated with colonising and clinical isolates, respectively, with the former ones being stronger biofilm producers in the colonising group. Non‐aggregative isolates in the colonising group showed lower susceptibility to amphotericin B and fluconazole than aggregative isolates. In contrast, no association was noted between biofilm formation, aggregation behaviour and antifungal susceptibility amongst the clinical isolates. Conclusion: Biofilm formation is a strain‐dependent trait in C. auris, strongly associated with the type and phenotypic behaviour of the isolates. Colonising isolates of this fungus were found to be predominantly aggregative in nature, with a higher biofilm‐forming capacity than non‐aggregative ones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although Christianity was introduced to and embraced by Batswana over two centuries ago, some Batswana still hold dear to their traditions, customs and cultures, which, at times, are not in line with the Word of God. Volz (2008:112) concedes that, although European missionaries introduced Batswana to Christianity, they had hardly any control over how early Batswana converts perceived and adapted their teachings. In some instances, dikgosi,¹ as traditional leaders, are still facing a serious conundrum of being a Christian, on the one hand, and a custodian of culture, on the other. This is in line with the view expressed by Amanze (2003:43) that many Christians, especially members of the African Independent Churches, live a strange life, with one foot rooted in the African traditional beliefs and the other in Christian beliefs and practices. Given the statement "For there is only one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus" (1 Tim. 2:5), the question is: Where does this place traditions, customs and culture?. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Candiduria is a common finding in catheterised patients with increasing trend of non albicans Candida species. Biofilm formation on indwelling catheters leads to persistent colonisation ending up in infection in immunocompromised patients. Aim: This study was conducted with the aim of identification of Candida species isolated from urine samples of catheterised patients; comparison of three phenotypic methods for biofilm detection in these Candida isolates and evaluating the role of biofilm in persistent candiduria. Materials and Methods: A prospective study was conducted in Microbiology Department. Total 50 non repeat urine samples were selected from the patient’s sample received in the laboratory routinely. Samples with significant number of pus cells and budding yeast cells in direct microscopy and significant count of Candida species in culture from catheterised patients were subjected to HiChrom agar for species identification and tube method, congo red agar and tissue culture plate method for biofilm detection. Diagnostic test analysis was done for the three biofilm detection methods taking tissue culture plate methods as gold standard. Chi-square analysis was performed for comparison of persistent candiduria with duration of catheterisation and biofilm. Results: Sensitivity and specificity for tube method was 100% and 0% respectively and 26.53% and 100% respectively for Congo red agar. A significant difference was found in persistent candiduria in patients with duration of catheterisation of one week and those with more than one week (χ2 =0.0047 p-value=0.9) and also in proportion of biofilm positive Candida isolates in these two group of patients χ2 =4.56, p-value=0.9). Conclusion: Tube method showed excellent sensitivity while congo red agar had better specificity. This study shows that Candida colonisation and biofilm formation is associated with persistent candiduria.

There is a complex geography to Aboriginal-dingo-settler-dog relationships in Australia. This paper examines aspects of that geography in a world heritage area, heavily contested by multiple stakeholders for whom the dingo has come to represent resource and identity, as well as a powerful symbol of nature. The Butchulla people were recently recognised in Australian law as holding native title to world-heritage listed K’gari-Fraser Island, a decision that confers recognition and consultation rights; however, genuine ownership and control of the island is denied through a lack of joint management of the island. This paper reviews evidence from some Butchulla people who declare their ongoing dispossession through various discourses and actions that attempt to circumvent extinguishment of their title to territory. They implied that dingoes have equally endured dispossession and extinguishment of territory through common colonial discourses that subjugate the ‘other’, albeit Butchulla people and dingoes have different forms of resistance and agency. Butchulla people in our study parallel their treatment under colonial structures of governance with those of the dingo in that both have endured limited freedom of movement and expressions of sovereignty. We argue some Butchulla people liken notions of dingo agency and resistance with their own attempts to assert sovereignty and responses to displacement. Aligning with the dingo (and broader discourses and politics that surround the dingo) may afford Butchulla people a greater entitlement to be a major voice in dingo 'management' specifically, and management of the island more broadly, than their native title resolution confers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Disciplines such as archaeology, anthropology and history exercise a seemingly disproportionate influence on race relations in settler democracies. In South Australia, this influence has complex and unbroken genealogies linked to the beginnings of British settlement and the Protectors of Aborigines. This colonising character survives, and we argue that researchers working in Aboriginal heritage can be positioned as the new Protectors of Aborigines, reinvigorating a colonising network of power relations that remains critical in determining Indigenous interests and futures. In response Ngarrindjeri are theorising and strategising a transformative programme for decentring the new Protectors that avoids contexts where authenticity is at question or fundamental to the negotiations. Mapping actor networks revealed in everyday meetings and performances, and understanding local/global cultures of governmentality, have been necessary to safely bring Indigenous interests into Aboriginal heritage research, planning and policy, without activating the colonial archive and recycling Aboriginalist myths. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]