Kinetics of the serological response up to one year after tularemia.

Serological analysis is the predominant method used to diagnose tularemia, a zoonotic disease caused by the highly virulent bacterium F. tularensis. We determined F. tularensis-specific IgM and IgG antibody titers by an LPS-based ELISA assay on five occasions one to twelve months after onset of ulceroglandular tularemia in 19 individuals. Peak IgM antibody titers were observed at the one-month time point and peak IgG antibody titers at the two-month time point. Both IgG and IgM antibody levels declined linearly thereafter with rather similar kinetics. Compared to the average one-month antibody titers, average IgG titers were not significantly lower before the 12-month time point and IgM titers before the 4-month time point. All, but one average titer, were significantly increased compared to the cut-off of the assay. Average IgG and IgM titers were significantly lower for the group = 69 years old compared to the group < 69 years. Collectively, the data demonstrate a persistence of F. tularensis-specific IgM and IgG antibody titers for at least 12 months after ulceroglandular tularemia. Thus, low, but significantly elevated F. tularensis-specific antibody titers are of limited diagnostic value since they are not indicative of ongoing tularemia.

Mapping research on the social impact of the arts: what characterises the field?

This article explores the broad and undefined research field of the social impact of the arts. The effects of art and culture are often used as justification for public funding, but the research on these interventions and their effects is unclear. Using a co-word analysis of over 10,000 articles published between 1990 and 2020, we examined the characteristics of the field as we have operationalised it through our searches. We found that since 2015 this research field has expanded and consists of different epistemologies and methodologies, summarised in largely overlapping subfields belonging to the social sciences, humanities, arts education, and arts and health/therapy. In formal or informal learning settings, studies of theatre/drama as an intervention to enhance skills, well-being, or knowledge among children are most common in our corpus. A study of the research front through the bibliographic coupling of the most cited articles in the corpus confirmed the co-word analysis and revealed new themes that together form the ground for insight into research on the social impact of the arts. This article can therefore inform discussions on the social value of culture and the arts.