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The objectives of this paper is to investigate internal and external factors influencing the gold mining in Russian Far East. Justification of the methodological and practical recommendations as well as effective strategies which in full measure correspond to the range of economic and technical factors aimed to increase the effectiveness of gold mining industry in Russia are presented. In this paper, we analysed the current state and main development trends, identified strengths and weaknesses of the internal environment, as well as opportunities and threats of the external environment for the gold mining enterprises based on SWOT analysis. Based on the analysis identified directions of production strategies improvements, sound strategic response and strategic management mechanisms to mitigate the challenges of current times. Their implementation will allow companies using the strengths to reduce the negative impact of weaknesses and prevent key threats, that will significantly increase the competitiveness and economic efficiency of the Russian gold mining industry.

The importance of language is consistently ignored within teacher training across Africa, with training designed based on the assumption that learners are fully competent in the medium of instruction (MOI). This causes widespread challenges and often means that children cannot access education in a familiar language. This is particularly true at the primary level, where the familiar languages of the children may not be the same as the specified medium of instruction. Focusing on Tanzania, this paper discusses the need to embed language supportive pedagogies into teacher training at all levels, but particularly at the primary level. The paper discusses interviews with key stakeholders in education which illustrate language attitudes and language use within the classroom. Data from these interviews also highlights the challenges which teachers face relating to language, and the creative methods they use to resolve these challenges. We argue that monolingual approaches to language-in-education are not effective, and that formal training in multilingual, language supportive pedagogies is required to provide teachers with the skills they need to effectively engage with multilingual classrooms. Based on multilingual realities, we make practical suggestions for language supportive pedagogies. We view these pedagogies as an essential factor in teacher training which is linked to wider notions of access and equality, but which is currently being overlooked. Umuhimu wa lugha katika mafunzo ya walimu ni suala linaloendelea kupuuzwa barani Afrika. Mara nyingi mafunzo ya ualimu yanapoandaliwa inachukuliwa kuwa wanafunzi wote wanaifahamu vizuri lugha ya kujifunzia na kufundishia (LKK). Suala hili linasababisha changamoto kubwa, na mara nyingi hudhaniwa kwamba watoto hawawezi kupata elimu zao za asili wanazozimudu vizuri. Hali hii hujitokeza zaidi katika ngazi ya elimu ya msingi, ambapo lugha ambayo watoto wanaifahamu mara nyingi inatofautiana na lugha rasmi ya kujifunzia na kufundishia. Kwa kutumia Tanzania kama kifani cha uchunguzi, makala hii inajadili umuhimu wa kuwa na mtaala unaozingatia lugha katika mafunzo ya ualimu katika ngazi zote hususani katika ngazi ya elimu ya msingi. Makala inatumia data za usaili kutoka kwa wadau muhimu wa elimu kuhusu mitazamo ya matumizi ya lugha darasani. Data zinazotokana na usaili zinahusu changamoto za lugha ambazo walimu hukabiliana nazo, na mbinu bunifu wanazozitumia kuzikabili. Hoja yetu ni kwamba mbinu za utumizi wa lugha moja katika elimu si faafu katika mazingira ya wingilugha, na mafunzo rasmi yahusuyo ufundishaji unaozingatia lugha katika mazingira ya wingilugha yanahitajika ili kuwapa walimu maarifa wanayohitaji ili kufundisha vyema madarasa yenye wingilugha. Kulingana na uhalisia wa wingilugha, tunatoa mapendekezo ya mtazamo huu wa mafunzo ya ualimu kuwa kigezo muhimu katika mafunzo ya ualimu ambacho kinahusishwa moja kwa moja na mawazo mapana ya upatikanaji na usawa, masuala ambayo kwa sasa hayazingatiwi.

Moral purism is the view that doing evil is never allowed, even as a means to prevent a greater evil. This article assesses two main versions of moral purism and shows that they are implausible. The first version claims that it is always impermissible to choose an option that results in a bad states of affairs, while the second version claims that it is always impermissible to choose an option that is wrong, even if it is only prima facie wrong. I contend that both versions are incomplete, in the sense that they are unable to provide practical guidance for cases in which all available options result in bad states of affairs, or in which all available options are prima facie wrong.

Copyright of Cultures et Conflits is the property of Centre d'Etudes sur les Conflits, Revue Cultures & Conflits and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Preparing future public health (U.S.) or health and social care (U.K.) professionals for international settings is imperative in today’s higher education landscape. Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) is an innovative form of virtual exchange (VE) that provides students with international experience, cultural competence, and an understanding of global healthcare needs. This practice report summarizes how two universities in the U.S. and U.K. co-developed a COIL unit for their public health and health and social care students to learn about international healthcare systems. Public health faculty used SUNY COIL planning strategies and backward course design to guide the planning of the COIL unit. The learning processes and outcomes were designed to support program and campus learning outcomes that align with domain areas required by the Council on Education for Public Health. The planning process, curriculum, and technology used for the COIL unit are outlined. Evaluation of the unit included achieving student learning outcomes at the course, program, and campus levels; changes in intercultural awareness based on the Intercultural Knowledge and Competence VALUE Rubric; benefits to students, research assistants, and faculty; and alignment with the qualities of VE.

This paper documents the first comprehensive inventory of thermokarst and thaw-sensitive terrain indicators for a 2 million km2 region of northwestern Canada. This is accomplished through the Thermokarst Mapping Collective (TMC), a research collaborative to systematically inventory indicators of permafrost thaw sensitivity by mapping and aerial assessments across the Northwest Territories (NT), Canada. The increase in NT-based permafrost capacity has fostered science leadership and collaboration with government, academic, and community researchers to enable project implementation. Ongoing communications and outreach have informed study design and strengthened Indigenous and stakeholder relationships. Documentation of theme-based methods supported mapper training, and flexible data infrastructure facilitated progress by Canada-wide researchers throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. The TMC inventory of thermokarst and thaw-sensitive landforms agree well with fine-scale empirical mapping (69%–84% accuracy) and aerial inventory (74%–96% accuracy) datasets. National- and circumpolar-scale modelling of sensitive permafrost terrain contrasts significantly with TMC outputs, highlighting their limitations and the value of empirically based mapping approaches. We demonstrate that the multiparameter TMC outputs support a holistic understanding and refined depictions of permafrost terrain sensitivity, provide novel opportunities for regional syntheses, and inform future modelling approaches, which are urgently required to comprehend better what permafrost thaw means for Canada's North.

This special issue addresses how evidentiality and mirativity are expressed in various Bantu languages. Both the notions of evidentiality and mirativity remain underexamined for the Bantu languages – the following quote is quite typical: “It appears that expressing evidentiality as a verbal affix or clitic is the most common strategy.

Between the now more remote prospect of a second referendum on Scotland’s independence and Sinn Fein’s claim for a reunification of the two Irelands, one might wonder where Wales stands. Under the Wales Act 2017, the evolution from a conferred-powers model to a reserved-powers model and the transition from an Assembly to a Welsh parliament – or Senedd Cymru – have granted Wales more independence from Westminster. An emboldened, resolutely devolutionist Wales is now working on its own model of governance as a possible alternative to the Westminster model. This is part of a constitution-building process not only for the Welsh people but also as a viable solution to the fragmented British Union. To this effect, a Commission on the Constitutional Future of Wales was set up in 2021. While its remit includes examining all options for Wales, including independence, its May 2022 progress report clearly stated that “Wales remains an integral part of the United Kingdom”. The Welsh model of governance could serve as a source of inspiration for England.

Snow is an important driver of ecosystem processes in cold biomes. Snow accumulation determines ground temperature, light conditions, and moisture availability during winter. It also affects the growing season’s start and end, and plant access to moisture and nutrients. Here, we review the current knowledge of the snow cover’s role for vegetation, plant-animal interactions, permafrost conditions, microbial processes, and biogeochemical cycling. We also compare studies of natural snow gradients with snow experimental manipulation studies to assess time scale difference of these approaches. The number of tundra snow studies has increased considerably in recent years, yet we still lack a comprehensive overview of how altered snow conditions will affect these ecosystems. Specifically, we found a mismatch in the timing of snowmelt when comparing studies of natural snow gradients with snow manipulations. We found that snowmelt timing achieved by snow addition and snow removal manipulations (average 7.9 days advance and 5.5 days delay, respectively) were substantially lower than the temporal variation over natural spatial gradients within a given year (mean range 56 days) or among years (mean range 32 days). Differences between snow study approaches need to be accounted for when projecting snow dynamics and their impact on ecosystems in future climates.

Introduction: L’obésité est associée à une modification de la composition du microbiote intestinal qui pourrait participer à l’évolution des pathologies associées. Les fructanes de type inuline (FTI) sont des glucides non digestibles qualifiés de prébiotiques car ils permettent, chez le rongeur, de promouvoir certains types de bactéries (notamment les bifidobactéries), un phénomène associé à une amélioration du métabolisme glucidique et lipidique et à une diminution de l’adiposité et de l’inflammation. L’objectif de cette étude est d’analyser, chez des patientes présentant un indice de masse corporel supérieur à 30kg/m2, l’impact d’un traitement prébiotique sur la composition du microbiote intestinal et de relier les changements de microbiote aux effets métaboliques engendrés par les FTI. Matériels et méthodes: Étude parallèle, randomisée, en double aveugle chez des femmes obèses traitées pendant 3 mois soit avec les FTI (Synergy 1®) soit avec un placebo (maltodextrine) à raison de 16g/jour. En début et fin de traitement, le sang, les fèces et les urines sont prélevés, un HOMA et un test de tolérance au glucose sont réalisés et la composition corporelle est déterminée par impédancemétrie. Résultats: Les FTI diminuent la masse grasse de manière modeste sans effet significatif sur le poids corporel. Toutefois, ils empêchent la détérioration de la tolérance au glucose. Ils modifient la composition du microbiote intestinal (augmentation des bifidobactéries et lactobacilles) et diminuent les taux de lipopolysaccharides plasmatiques. Le profil métabolique urinaire déterminé par spectroscopie RMN met en évidence un effet des prébiotiques sur le métabolisme de la choline ainsi que des corrélations entre des métabolites urinaires et certaines bactéries intestinales. Conclusion: Les changements de composition et d’activité bactérienne induits par un traitement prébiotique chez des femmes obèses sont associés à une diminution de l’inflammation et à une amélioration du métabolisme, un phénomène qui serait indépendant de la masse grasse. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Orange Fleshed Sweet Potato (OFSP) is a highly nutritious tuber, rich in vitamins, and a major source of micronutrients (beta-carotene, ascorbic acid and phenolic acid). The retention of these micronutrients during the conversion of OFSP to flour is limited by the choice of drying methods. There is a dearth of information for ascorbic acid and phenolic acid retention levels. Therefore, this study was designed to optimise the OFSP processing methods so that appreciable quantities of the micronutrients are retained in the conversion of OFSP to flour. Time study and Value stream mapping methods were used to establish a standard time for each operation and process improvement, respectively. Using the traditional methods, production time for the process was 2 days, 2 hrs, 44 mins. For the optimised process, the production time was 9 hrs, 5 min, 15 s. The processed OFSP flour had the following nutrient densities: betacarotene (0.00011 mgꞏg-1), ascorbic acid (1.76120 mgꞏg-1), and phenolic acid (0.24321 mgꞏg-1) at optimised conditions. Based on these results, it can be concluded that nutrients were retained in good measure for the OFSP (Mother’s Delight Variety) through improved drying and production times.

Religion is often viewed as incompatible with queer sexualities and genders. In the Afrikaans-speaking communities of South Africa, Calvinist doctrine and dogma have been used to marginalise and ostracise those sexual and gender identities that stray from the heteronormative scripts sanctioned by cultural and religious practices. In this article, I examine how the libidinal is central to the way in which queer and faith communities interact in Afrikaans-speaking communities in two films: Kanarie and Skeef. The two films represent different filmic genres with Kanarie a fictional feature film and Skeef being a documentary. The two films, despite their different genres, broach the difficulty of being queer and religious. At the same time, the films show that it is possible to rethink religions/faith communities. Such rethinking creates accommodative spaces within faith communities in a way in which queerness is not viewed as a deviance or an abomination. I read these Afrikaans-language films against the conceptualisation of the libidinal offered by Keguro Macharia together with the ideas of queer agency proposed by Adriaan van Klinken. This queer agency marks not just a transgression of heteronormative Christian norms but also engenders expansive ways of understanding human sexuality and gender identities.

Abstract Background India is the largest milk producer globally, with the largest proportion of cattle milk production coming from smallholder farms with an average herd size of less than two milking cows. These cows are mainly undefined multi-generation crosses between exotic dairy breeds and indigenous Indian cattle, with no performance or pedigree recording. Therefore, implementing genetic improvement based on genetic evaluation has not yet been possible. We present the first results from a large smallholder performance recording program in India, using single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotypes to estimate genetic parameters for monthly test-day (TD) milk records and to obtain and validate genomic estimated breeding values (GEBV). Results The average TD milk yield under the high, medium, and low production environments were 9.64, 6.88, and 4.61 kg, respectively. In the high production environment, the usual profile of a lactation curve was evident, whereas it was less evident in low and medium production environments. There was a clear trend of an increasing milk yield with an increasing Holstein Friesian (HF) proportion in the high production environment, but no increase above intermediate grades in the medium and low production environments. Trends for Jersey were small but yield estimates had a higher standard error than HF. Heritability estimates for TD yield across the lactation ranged from 0.193 to 0.250, with an average of 0.230. The additive genetic correlations between TD yield at different times in lactation were high, ranging from 0.846 to 0.998. The accuracy of phenotypic validation of GEBV from the method that is believed to be the least biased was 0.420, which was very similar to the accuracy obtained from the average prediction error variance of the GEBV. Conclusions The results indicate strong potential for genomic selection to improve milk production of smallholder crossbred cows in India. The performance of cows with different breed compositions can be determined in different Indian environments, which makes it possible to provide better advice to smallholder farmers on optimum breed composition for their environment.

Abstract Background The genetic structure of a diverse set of 15 Indian indigenous breeds and non-descript indigenous cattle sampled from eight states was examined, based on 777 k single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotypes obtained on 699 animals, with sample sizes ranging from 17 to 140 animals per breed. To date, this is the largest and most detailed assessment of the genetic diversity of Indian cattle breeds. Results Admixture analyses revealed that 109 of the indigenous animals analyzed had more than 1% Bos taurus admixture of relatively recent origin. Pure indigenous animals were defined as having more than 99% Bos indicus ancestry. Assessment of the genetic diversity within and between breeds using principal component analyses, F statistics, runs of homozygosity, the genomic relationship matrix, and maximum likelihood clustering based on allele frequencies revealed a low level of genetic diversity among the indigenous breeds compared to that of Bos taurus breeds. Correlations of SNP allele frequencies between breeds indicated that the genetic variation among the Bos indicus breeds was remarkably low. In addition, the variance in allele frequencies represented less than 1.5% between the Indian indigenous breeds compared to about 40% between Bos taurus dairy breeds. Effective population sizes (N e ) increased during a period post-domestication, notably for Ongole cattle, and then declined during the last 100 generations. Although we found that most of the identified runs of homozygosity are short in the Indian indigenous breeds, indicating no recent inbreeding, the high F ROH coefficients and low F IS values point towards small population sizes. Nonetheless, the N e of the Indian indigenous breeds is currently still larger than that of Bos taurus dairy breeds. Conclusions The changes in the estimates of effective population size are consistent with domestication from a large native population followed by consolidation into breeds with a more limited population size. The surprisingly low genetic diversity among Indian indigenous cattle breeds might be due to their large N e since their domestication, which started to decline only 100 generations ago, compared to approximately 250 to 500 generations for Bos taurus dairy cattle.

The legal uncertainties and legal disputes raised by Brexit have indirectly led to a growing use of judicial review and a more assertive judiciary. The tenth anniversary of the United Kingdom Supreme Court (UKSC) – officially set up in October 2009 – was a time to look back on its work reflecting on some of its key rulings as well as on its constitutional position. A special series of lectures were delivered by a judge from each of the four nations - represented in the Supreme Court – in November and December 2019 to reflect on the court’s work over the last ten years (2009-2019). The first Welsh speaking judge of the UKSC David Lloyd-Jones entitled his lecture “Wales: Law in a small nation.” That very year Brexit gave proposal to “ensure that it [judicial review] is not abused to conduct politics by another means or create needless delays” – as written in the 2019 Conservative manifesto. Such a proposal, they fear, would seriously undermine judges’ check on the lawfulness of the acts and decisions of the executive as well as judges’ authority.

Automobiles significantly changed access to leisure for Americans at the beginning of the twentieth century, spawning interest in and growth of resort towns like Miami, Florida. The occupation of chauffeur was a frequent site of both class conflict and anti-Black terror. Yet the car operated as a liminal site of subjectivity in which Black chauffeurs determined some parameters of their experience of both work and pleasure. Black chauffeurs in Miami in the 1910s were at the vanguard of efforts by local Black communities to create and claim pleasurable space and its attendant leisure via driving in a profoundly racist and exceptionally dangerous touristic climate. At stake was access to a commodity and a profession with an exhilarating potential to upend social, political and economic norms, remolding communities in ways that promised leisure for local Black motorists, chauffeurs, and vacationers. Black automotivity in Miami disrupted aspects of the city’s system of racial capitalism and established the car as a potent site of refusal, work, and pleasure.

Abstract Background Understanding the relationship between genetic admixture and phenotypic performance is crucial for the optimization of crossbreeding programs. The use of small sets of informative ancestry markers can be a cost-effective option for the estimation of breed composition and for parentage assignment in situations where pedigree recording is difficult. The objectives of this study were to develop small single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) panels that can accurately estimate the total dairy proportion and assign parentage in both West and East African crossbred dairy cows. Methods Medium- and high-density SNP genotype data (Illumina BovineSNP50 and BovineHD Beadchip) for 4231 animals sampled from African crossbreds, African Bos taurus, European Bos taurus, Bos indicus, and African indigenous populations were used. For estimating breed composition, the absolute differences in allele frequency were calculated between pure ancestral breeds to identify SNPs with the highest discriminating power, and different combinations of SNPs weighted by ancestral origin were tested against estimates based on all available SNPs. For parentage assignment, informative SNPs were selected based on the highest minor allele frequency (MAF) in African crossbred populations assuming two Scenarios: (1) parents were selected among all the animals with known genotypes, and (2) parents were selected only among the animals known to be a parent of at least one progeny. Results For the medium-density genotype data, SNPs selected for the largest differences in allele frequency between West African indigenous and European Bos taurus breeds performed best for most African crossbred populations and achieved a prediction accuracy (r 2 ) for breed composition of 0.926 to 0.961 with 200 SNPs. For the high-density dataset, a panel with 70% of the SNPs selected on their largest difference in allele frequency between African and European Bos taurus performed best or very near best across all crossbred populations with r 2 ranging from 0.978 to 0.984 with 200 SNPs. In all African crossbred populations, unambiguous parentage assignment was possible with ≥ 300 SNPs for the majority of the panels for Scenario 1 and ≥ 200 SNPs for Scenario 2. Conclusions The identified low-cost SNP assays could overcome incomplete or inaccurate pedigree records in African smallholder systems and allow effective breeding decisions to produce progeny of desired breed composition.

Although the TEI has traditionally been used for encoding text, its combination of structured and semi-structured data has made it a compelling choice for born-digital, linked-data resources as well. Our intent here is to demonstrate the advantages it offers for digital prosopographies along with a model that can be used for them. Syriac Persons, Events, and Relations (SPEAR) is a born-digital prosopography project in the field of Syriac studies. Where traditional prosopographies focused on prose descriptions of individual persons of significance, SPEAR follows recent developments in research methodologies that instead produce prosopographical factoids. Factoids are structured data about persons drawn from the analysis of historical texts. Most factoid prosopographies use relational databases to model data. Instead, SPEAR uses a customized TEI schema to model factoids that can be queried and visualized in an XML database as well as serialized in HTML for human viewers and in RDF for data sharing. The TEI’s provisions for structured and semi-structured data make it ideal for encoding data from heterogeneous historical source material. Moreover, its linking capabilities connect SPEAR data to related data sets. By modeling prosopographical factoids, and not the source texts themselves, SPEAR offers an example of how a born-digital, data-oriented approach to using the TEI can circumvent some of the challenges posed by the tree structure of XML. It also disrupts traditional understandings of data and stand-off markup through combining linked open data approaches with the use of the TEI.

Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) is a widely used approach for exploring latent traits. The EFA literature contains many inconsistencies regarding appropriate sample sizes, remedies for violation of assumptions, and the use of rotational methods. Given that EFA is an iterative process, which involves varied decision-making, the objective of the current paper is to highlight the use of modernized methods using a heuristic approach for performing robust EFA to achieve optimal results. An example implementing these methods is presented using free online software (FACTOR). The paper concludes with seven recommendations for achieving well-defined factor solutions.

Cet entretien avec les deux bibliothécaires américains qui ont coprésidé le groupe de travail qui a mené à la création du Référentiel de littératie informationnelle en enseignement supérieurde l’Association of College & Research Libraries (ACRL 2016) revient sur la démarche de création ainsi que la réception qu’a connu ce document depuis sa publication il y a cinq ans. Les auteurs rappelent les principaux débats conceptuels qui ont façonné le Référentiel et proposent une typologie des courants actuels de la littératie informationnelle, donnant ainsi à voir les enjeux qui informent l'évolution des différentes conceptions du rôle pédagogique des bibliothécaires dans le milieu de l’enseignement supérieur d’hier à aujourd’hui. Cet entretien est une traduction en français de la version originale en langue anglaise.

В середине XIX в. основными для развития этнографической картографии были вопросы классификации и территориального распределения этнических групп. В ходе работы картографaм, этнографaм и статистикaм приходилось сталкиваться с серьезными материальными и техническими проблемами, которые до сих пор не становились объектами исследования. В настоящей статье «процесс картографирования» (М. Edney) в 1840‑е гг. рассматривается на материале переписки между Петром Кёппеном и Императорской Санкт-Петербургской академией наук о подготовке этнографического атласа Европейской России (1848). Публикуемые впервые источники хранятся в Санкт-Петербургском филиале Архива Российской академии наук, в личном фонде Петра Кёппена. Они заключают в себе подробную информацию об обстоятельствах создания атласа, который был одной из первых этнографических карт, изданных в Российской империи. Академия опубликовала лишь краткие резюме обсуждения их создания, отредактированные и не включающие важную финансовую и методическую информацию. Письма Кёппена задают новую перспективу в истории российской картографии и раскрывают трудности, с которыми сталкивались ученые в своей работе. Переписка ярко характеризует отношения между Петербургской академией наук и Русским географическим обществом, их взгляд на вопросы картографии в ранние годы, борьбу Кёппена за финансирование его картографических проектов и материальные аспекты подготовки этнографической карты. Особенное внимание в статье уделено тому, как Кёппен пытался вписать свои планы в ограниченные обстоятельствами рамки и согласовать свои научные интересы с целями научных организаций, с которыми сотрудничал.

Abstract Background This study aimed at identifying genomic regions that underlie genetic variation of worm egg count, as an indicator trait for parasite resistance in a large population of Australian sheep, which was genotyped with the high-density 600 K Ovine single nucleotide polymorphism array. This study included 7539 sheep from different locations across Australia that underwent a field challenge with mixed gastrointestinal parasite species. Faecal samples were collected and worm egg counts for three strongyle species, i.e. Teladorsagia circumcincta, Haemonchus contortus and Trichostrongylus colubriformis were determined. Data were analysed using genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and regional heritability mapping (RHM). Results Both RHM and GWAS detected a region on Ovis aries (OAR) chromosome 2 that was highly significantly associated with parasite resistance at a genome-wise false discovery rate of 5%. RHM revealed additional significant regions on OAR6, 18, and 24. Pathway analysis revealed 13 genes within these significant regions (SH3RF1, HERC2, MAP3K, CYFIP1, PTPN1, BIN1, HERC3, HERC5, HERC6, IBSP, SPP1, ISG20, and DET1), which have various roles in innate and acquired immune response mechanisms, as well as cytokine signalling. Other genes involved in haemostasis regulation and mucosal defence were also detected, which are important for protection of sheep against invading parasites. Conclusions This study identified significant genomic regions on OAR2, 6, 18, and 24 that are associated with parasite resistance in sheep. RHM was more powerful in detecting regions that affect parasite resistance than GWAS. Our results support the hypothesis that parasite resistance is a complex trait and is determined by a large number of genes with small effects, rather than by a few major genes with large effects.

Abstract Background This study aimed at (1) comparing the accuracies of genomic prediction for parasite resistance in sheep based on whole-genome sequence (WGS) data to those based on 50k and high-density (HD) single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) panels; (2) investigating whether the use of variants within quantitative trait loci (QTL) regions that were selected from regional heritability mapping (RHM) in an independent dataset improved the accuracy more than variants selected from genome-wide association studies (GWAS); and (3) comparing the prediction accuracies between variants selected from WGS data to variants selected from the HD SNP panel. Results The accuracy of genomic prediction improved marginally from 0.16 ± 0.02 and 0.18 ± 0.01 when using all the variants from 50k and HD genotypes, respectively, to 0.19 ± 0.01 when using all the variants from WGS data. Fitting a GRM from the selected variants alongside a GRM from the 50k SNP genotypes improved the prediction accuracy substantially compared to fitting the 50k SNP genotypes alone. The gain in prediction accuracy was slightly more pronounced when variants were selected from WGS data compared to when variants were selected from the HD panel. When sequence variants that passed the GWAS $$- log_{10} (p\,value)$$ -log10(pvalue) threshold of 3 across the entire genome were selected, the prediction accuracy improved by 5% (up to 0.21 ± 0.01), whereas when selection was limited to sequence variants that passed the same GWAS $$- log_{10} (p\,value)$$ -log10(pvalue) threshold of 3 in regions identified by RHM, the accuracy improved by 9% (up to 0.25 ± 0.01). Conclusions Our results show that through careful selection of sequence variants from the QTL regions, the accuracy of genomic prediction for parasite resistance in sheep can be improved. These findings have important implications for genomic prediction in sheep.

Menander Rhetor’s instructions for composing and delivering a “bridal chamber speech” (κατευναστικός) suggest that the consummation of a marriage in some partsof the Greek-speaking world in the late third century CE may have been confirmed and celebrated by the display of a blood-stained item before guests on the morning after the wedding.

The manufacture of defect-free parts has been a key discussion topic with the widespread adoption of additive manufacturing by industry. While significant research has been performed on the detection of powder bed defects, the focus has been on the classification of the defects according to defect type. However, when looking at creating a closed loop feedback system, it is important for the machine to make autonomous decisions regarding defects. The focus of this paper will be to create a defect severity classification matrix based on industry partner experience as well as published literature that can be used to autonomously classify defects

Abstract Background Smallholder dairy farming in much of the developing world is based on the use of crossbred cows that combine local adaptation traits of indigenous breeds with high milk yield potential of exotic dairy breeds. Pedigree recording is rare in such systems which means that it is impossible to make informed breeding decisions. High-density single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) assays allow accurate estimation of breed composition and parentage assignment but are too expensive for routine application. Our aim was to determine the level of accuracy achieved with low-density SNP assays. Methods We constructed subsets of 100 to 1500 SNPs from the 735k-SNP Illumina panel by selecting: (a) on high minor allele frequencies (MAF) in a crossbred population; (b) on large differences in allele frequency between ancestral breeds; (c) at random; or (d) with a differential evolution algorithm. These panels were tested on a dataset of 1933 crossbred dairy cattle from Kenya/Uganda and on crossbred populations from Ethiopia (N = 545) and Tanzania (N = 462). Dairy breed proportions were estimated by using the ADMIXTURE program, a regression approach, and SNP-best linear unbiased prediction, and tested against estimates obtained by ADMIXTURE based on the 735k-SNP panel. Performance for parentage assignment was based on opposing homozygotes which were used to calculate the separation value (sv) between true and false assignments. Results Panels of SNPs based on the largest differences in allele frequency between European dairy breeds and a combined Nelore/N’Dama population gave the best predictions of dairy breed proportion (r2 = 0.962 to 0.994 for 100 to 1500 SNPs) with an average absolute bias of 0.026. Panels of SNPs based on the highest MAF in the crossbred population (Kenya/Uganda) gave the most accurate parentage assignments (sv = −1 to 15 for 100 to 1500 SNPs). Conclusions Due to the different required properties of SNPs, panels that did well for breed composition did poorly for parentage assignment and vice versa. A combined panel of 400 SNPs was not able to assign parentages correctly, thus we recommend the use of 200 SNPs either for breed proportion prediction or parentage assignment, independently.

Petina Gappah’s debut novel, The Book of Memory (2015), centres on the lives of two ‘white’ characters in post-independent Zimbabwe: Memory, the protagonist-narrator and a woman with albinism, and Lloyd, Memory’s adoptive father and a white, closeted gay man. Both characters are rendered to the margins of Zimbabwean society. This paper analyses how Memory and Lloyd are brought together by their respective forms of marginalisation. Memory is a person with albinism and her whiteness is perceived as dirty and a contagion. On the other hand, Lloyd is a white, closeted gay man in Mugabe’s homophobic Zimbabwe. Making use of Ann Cvetkovich’s reading of trauma and Robert McRuer’s concept of ‘compulsory able-bodiedness’, in this paper we argue that Gappah’s novel depicts a refiguring of the marginalised body as one capable of agency and existence in its own right. In the process, such refiguring destabilises race and sexuality as social constructs.

The Bantu language Rangi is spoken at the northern borderlands of Tanzania, where Bantu, Cushitic and Nilotic languages meet. In many regards, Rangi exhibits the morphosyntax typically associated with East African Bantu: SVO word order, an extensive system of agreement and predominantly head-marking morphology. However, the language also exhibits a number of features which are unusual from a comparative and typological perspective, and which may have resulted from language contact. Four of these features are examined in detail in this paper: 1) Verb-auxiliary order found in the future tense, 2) clause-final negation, 3) a three-way distinction in verbal deictic markers, and 4) an inclusive/exclusive distinction in personal possessive pronouns. These features are assessed with reference to three criteria: syntactic structure, lexical/morphological form and geographic distribution. The examination shows that two of the unusual features result from a combination of internal and external factors, while the other two appear not to be related to external influence through contact. The results of the study show the complex interaction between internal and external factors in language change, and the importance of investigating potentially contact-induced change in detail to develop a more complex and fine-grained understanding of the morphosyntactic process of innovation involved.

Background: The knowledge and ability to prescribe safely and effectively is a core competency for every graduating medical student. Our previous research suggested concerns about medical student prescribing abilities, and interest in a standardized assessment process. Methods: A multi-year cross-sectional study evaluating the feasibility, acceptability, and discriminative ability of an online prescribing competency assessment for final year Canadian medical students was conducted. Students at nine sites of four Ontario medical schools were invited to participate in an online one-hour exam of eight domains related to prescribing safely. Student feedback on perceived fairness, clarity, and ease of use formed the primary outcome. Exam performance and parity between schools were the secondary outcome. Results: A total of 714 students completed the assessment during spring final review courses between 2016 and 2018. Student feedback was more favourable than not for appropriateness of content (53.5% agreement vs 18.3% disagreement), clarity of questions (65.5% agreement vs 11.6% disagreement), question layout and presentation (70.8% agreement vs 12.2% disagreement), and ease of use of online interface (67.1% agreement vs 13.6% disagreement). Few (23.6% believed their course work had prepared them for the assessment. Mean total exam score was 70.0% overall (SD 10.4%), with 47.6% scoring at or above the pass threshold of 70%. Conclusion: Our prescribing competency assessment proved feasible, acceptable, and discriminative, and indicated a need for better medical school training to improve prescribing competency. Further evaluation in a larger sample of medical schools is warranted.

After paying homage to the work of E. Chevreul, Prof. Robert Gibson went on in a lighthearted way to find similarities in the way they both approached their respective fields of research, as well as their way of life. Prof. Robert Gibson, who was awarded the 2021 Chevreul Medal, reported that “his huge delight was to witness the massive growth of lipid research and to have played a role in elucidating the role of dietary fats in the health of mothers and their babies”. Prof. Gibson highlighted some of the major results he collected from Australian clinical studies conducted on the role of omega-3 fatty acids on the health outcomes of mothers and their infants. He first discussed the role of fish oil on visual acuity of babies and demonstrated that infant formulas supplying more than 1% of linolenic acid (ALA) seemed adequate to ensure optimal visual and cognitive development of term infants. However, in preterm infants, whether there is a specific need for DHA above the benefit provided by ALA, still needs to be clarified. He reported a small beneficial impact on the cognitive development of preterm infants receiving DHA enriched breast milk of their mothers (1% of total fatty acids). He then discussed data from his large randomised clinical trials conducted on pregnant women receiving a DHA dietary treatment (800 mg/d DHA) or placebo, that suggested that DHA may decrease the risk of preterm birth (DOMInO trial, 2400 women). This effect was confirmed in the ORIP trial (5400 women) which found that preterm birth could be prevented by a DHA supplement treatment mainly in women with a singleton pregnancy who had a low omega-3 status in the first trimester. In the last part of his review, Robert Gibson described the use of a new low cost, rapid and efficient method to monitor changes in blood levels of omega-3 fatty acids with clinical outcomes: the Dried Blood Spots (DBS) technology. The validation of this technique has been demonstrated in large trials like N3RO and ORIP involving large cohorts of women, which could not have been obtained easily by classical analysis of lipids. He went on to point out that free fatty acids (generally not explored despite their importance in many metabolic disorders) and oxylipins, are both stable and easily identified when they are preserved in a dry state on a paper matrix (DBS), thus opening new fields of research. To conclude, the major impact of Prof. Robert Gibson’s work was identifying and overcoming one of the causes of early preterm birth (omega-3 deficiency), developing a tool to rapidly assess omega-3 status (the DBS technique) that together is close to being implemented into the world health system.

The centrality of anarchism to the praxis of contemporary anti-systemic social movements has been well documented. From the alter-globalisation movement to Occupy, many contemporary anti-systemic movements are defined by their commitment to some of the central tenets of anarchism, including the pursuit of decentralized, directly democratic and egalitarian organisational forms that are independent from and reject the state as an agent of social change. This stands in contrast to traditional anti-systemic forces which, as Immanuel Wallerstein identifies, have typically seen the state as the principle agent of social change. However, within the scholarly literature, only limited attempts have been made to develop an understanding as to why many anti-systemic movements now reject the state as an agent of change. This paper seeks to provide a theoretical and historical account of this. By tracing the historical failure of ‘state-centric’ anti-systemic movements (principally state communist, social-democratic and nationalist forces) this paper argues that an anarchistic praxis – though not a doctrinaire ideological programme – has become a primary point of reference for contemporary anti-systemic movements. It argues further that this can be seen, in many ways, as a response to the failure of ideologically motivated, state-centric anti-systemic forces to bring about substantial, transformative social change once assuming power. This argument will be substantiated and illustrated through two qualitative cases: the Zapatistas and the South African shack dweller’s movement, Abahlali baseMjondolo.

Background: When the Global Health training program was created at the University of Calgary, residents were encouraged to seek learning experiences that met their career goals and individualized objectives. An assessment tool was sought that could be reliable, valid, yet flexible. A portfolio process was chosen, but research was necessary to determine whether it was robust. Methods: A qualitative study was conducted with academic experts in Canadian residency training, as well as directors and residents involved in Global Health study in order to assess the validity and benefit of such a tool. Through an online survey, interviews, and focus groups, views on the portfolio and intended content were collected and coded thematically. Results: Multiple themes emerged from the content analysis. Overall, all stakeholders (residents and faculty) were supportive of the use of portfolios for summative assessment, mentioning authentic and varying assessments, reflective and narrative components, and mentor interaction as positive attributes, but they did have many recommendations. Conclusion: This qualitative evaluation validated the use of portfolios for this cohort of students while yielding comments and suggestions that will further enhance the interactive and flexible nature of this seldom used assessment tool. These findings contribute to the understanding of how Global Health assessment can remain individualized yet rigorous.

This paper examines post-independent Zimbabwean literary narratives which engage with how the ruling ZANU-PF government frames dissenting voices as constituting dirt, filth and undesirability. Making use of Achille Mbembe's postulations on the "vulgarity of power" and Kenneth W. Harrow's readings of the politics of dirt, the central thesis of this paper is that the troping of dirt and state sponsored violence are closely related to the themes of memory and belonging. Literary works by writers such as Chistopher Mlalazi, NoViolet Bulawayo and John Eppel become self-effacing speech acts that are involved in reimagining and revisioning our understanding of power dynamics and how this affects human and social experiences.

This paper presents an overview of diminutives in the Bantu language family, with an emphasis on the role of the noun class system in diminutive formation. It charts different processes of language change which have shaped the present-day situation, as well as highlighting instances in which language contact has played a role in the development of diminutive systems. It also addresses semantic and pragmatic processes underlying the change and variation in Bantu diminutives. The comparison is based on a cross-Bantu typology, examining a sample of 48 languages distributed across the linguistic region.

Background: This needs assessment was initially undertaken to explore the beliefs and knowledge of nurses and physicians about the impact of environmental toxicants on maternal and infant health, as well as to describe current practice and needs related to addressing environmental health issues (EHI). Methods: One hundred and thirty-five nurses (n = 99) and physicians (n = 36) working in Saskatchewan completed an online survey. Survey questions were designed to determine how physicians and nurses think about and incorporate environmental health issues into their practice and means of increasing their capacity to do so. Results: Although participants considered it important to address EHIs with patients, in actual practice they do so with only moderate frequency. Participants reported low levels of knowledge about EHIs’ impact on health, and low levels of confidence discussing them with patients. Participants requested additional information on EHIs, especially in the form of online resources. Conclusion: The results suggests that while nurses and physicians consider EHIs important to address with patients, more education, support, and resources would increase their capacity to do so effectively. Based on the findings, considerations and recommendations for continuing education in this area have been provided.

A growing number of countries are embracing graduate training in the specialty of Family Medicine as a core component of global health systems reform. One significant challenge for new programs is to adequately prepare for educational excellence and leadership. Promising residents are often encouraged to remain in their program as faculty, but may not have had the benefit of specific training in teaching, curriculum development, learner assessment or educational leadership. Faculty Development is a potential avenue to providing these skills to new Family Medicine Faculty and to encourage new graduates to consider teaching. We are currently seeking to further clarify what the current needs and future possibilities are for Family Medicine Faculty Development in Sub-Saharan Africa.

INTRODUCTION: This exploratory study was intended to shed light on Canadian academics’ participation in, knowledge of and attitudes towards Open Access (OA) journal publishing. The primary aim of the study was to inform the authors’ schools’ educational and outreach efforts to faculty regarding OA publishing. The survey was conducted at two Canadian comprehensive universities: Brock University (St. Catharines, Ontario) and Wilfrid Laurier University (Waterloo, Ontario) in 2014. METHODS: A Web-based survey was distributed to faculty at each university. The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics. LIMITATIONS: Despite the excellent response rates, the results are not generalizable beyond these two institutions. RESULTS: The Brock response rate was 38 percent; the Laurier response rate was 23 percent from full-time faculty and five percent from part-time faculty. Brock and Laurier faculty members share common characteristics in both their publishing practices and attitudes towards OA. Science/health science researchers were the most positive about OA journal publishing; arts and humanities and social sciences respondents were more mixed in their perceptions; business participants were the least positive. Their concerns focused on OA journal quality and associated costs. CONCLUSION: While most survey respondents agreed that publicly available research is generally a good thing, this study has clearly identified obstacles that prevent faculty’s positive attitudes towards OA from translating into open publishing practices. INTRODUCTION : Cette étude exploratoire tente de mieux comprendre la participation, les connaissances et les attitudes des universitaires canadiens envers la publication en libre accès. Le but premier de cette étude est d’éclairer les campagnes éducatives et de sensibilisation concernant la publication en libre accès auprès des institutions des auteurs. Un sondage a été mené en 2014 à deux universités à vocation générale canadiennes : Brock University (St. Catherine, Ontario) et Wilfrid Laurier University (Waterloo, Ontario). MÉTHODES : Un sondage en ligne a été envoyé au corps professoral de chaque université. Les données ont été analysées à l’aide de statistiques descriptives. LIMITES : Malgré l’excellent taux de réponse, les résultats ne peuvent être généralisés au-delà des deux universités. RÉSULTATS : Le taux de réponse de Brock était de 38%; celui de Laurier était de 23% pour les professeurs à temps plein et 5% pour les professeurs à temps partiel. Les professeurs des deux universités partagent quelques caractéristiques quant à leurs pratiques et attitudes envers le libre accès. Les chercheurs en médecine et en sciences de la santé étaient les plus positifs envers la publication dans des revues en libre accès; les répondants des arts, sciences humaines et sciences sociales avaient des opinions mixtes; les participants en gestion étaient les moins positifs. Leurs inquiétudes portaient sur la qualité des revues en libre accès et les coûts associés. CONCLUSION : Malgré le fait que la plupart des répondants croient qu’il est bon que la recherche soit disponible au grand public, cette étude identifie clairement des obstacles qui empêchent les professeurs de passer d’attitudes positives envers le libre accès à des pratiques concrètes de publication ouverte.

This paper presents a social-educative networks managerial model based on interorganizational collaboration across the community. Researchers underline significant differences between network management and managerial issues from an independent and traditional organization. But literature shows an important lack around the specific managerial variables needed to lead these complex initiatives, in order to maximize goal achievement in a community level. Results from this work present a global frame by integrating crucial strategies in the management of socialeducative networks, as process steps that drive the network performance to its effectiveness through the development of a collaborative culture between professionals in the community, and the enhancement of community social capital. Therefore, the model provides some specific guidelines for network managers, so as a frame for the assessment of managerial performance.

Papua New Guinea has been experiencing frequent bridge failures and collapses due to flooding rivers in the recent past. According to the records from Papua New Guinea Department of Works, it is estimated that over Two Hundred and Eighty (285) bridges, fords (causeways) and major culverts were damaged by flood action alone in the last five years between 2013-2017. That is approximately at an average rate of 57 bridges in a year. This result is very disturbing and as such this study was undertaken to assess and analyze the flood-induced bridge failure causes and offer applicable solutions. This study will report on the field investigation works and results derived from the twenty-one flood affected bridges in six different major road networks in three provinces of Papua New Guinea. Hence, it was observed in this study that substructure damages due to flooding account for seventy percent (70%) of the bridge damages while superstructure damages account for the thirty percent (30%). The common causes of flood-induced bridge failures were identified as local scour around bridge piers and abutments, contraction scours, sedimentation, debris, and log impact.