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Scholarship about Southern Africa registers a persistent tension between the prospect of relations created in a processual manner over time and the role of discrete ritual or lifecycle events. Marriage is one of the sites where this tension becomes particularly evident, not only in bridewealth transactions but also in an increasing prominence given to European-style ‘white weddings’. For Baptist Christians living in urban Zimbabwe, the tension raises a host of ethical considerations. This group of Christians seeks to establish and maintain social relations that they value for cultural and for religious reasons, while also facing the ethical task of moderating the degree of obligation that these relations can exert over them. They do so in order to maintain the moral autonomy necessary to live ethical Baptist lives, and attempt to achieve this goal by creating marriages according to a model of immediate transformation, rather than one of gradual unfolding. I suggest that drawing from recent discussions in the anthropological study of ethics offers a way to discuss choice and evaluation in marriage practice in ways not reducible to class interest or social and material expediency alone.

What is the relation between divine and human action in the world? To understand how a certain group of Christians reckon human capacity and divine authority, I explore articulations of two theolog...

Brain tumours make up 3% of all cancers. The disease and treatment have significant impact on function and quality of life (QoL). Early outpatient rehabilitation can improve function. National Institute of Clinical Excellence recommends patients have access to rehabilitation across the pathway, but unmet need is prevalent in this population. We recognised late referrals in our Trust and poor patient awareness of Therapies, resulting in reduced access to rehabilitation. METHOD: A retrospective notes review of new neuro-oncology patients (n=56) referred to RMH from July - December 2018 was undertaken to identify therapy needs and timeliness of referrals. A therapy screening tool was devised and piloted from July – December 2019. Additionally, an MDT questionnaire was circulated to gain feedback regarding this service. RESULTS: Retrospective review revealed that of those patients with identified therapy needs, 16% of physiotherapy (PT), 10% of Occupational Therapy (OT) and 9% of Speech and Language Therapy (SLT) were referred late. Additionally, referrals were not received for 40% of patients with OT needs, 32% for PT and 30% for SLT. Following implementation of the screening tool, referrals occurred earlier in the pathway, and rates increased by 60% in SLT, 59% in PT, and 25% in OT. An MDT questionnaire revealed 100% consensus that screening was beneficial to patients and the MDT with improved access to therapies. CONCLUSION: Brain tumour patients require prompt therapy intervention to improve and maintain function and QoL. We identified high levels of unmet need which was eliminated by a screening tool and subsequently increased referral rates. Patients and the MDT had improved awareness of the role of Therapies, as well as earlier access. The neuro-oncology MDT benefitted from the effects of therapy intervention improving patient tolerance to oncological treatment. Therapists were able to identify and manage impairments earlier, improving QoL.

The 28th International Biology Olympiad (IBO) took place at the University of Warwick between 23 – 30 July 2017 with 264 international competitors (aged 14 – 18) competing in a series of practical and theoretical exams devised by School of Life Sciences staff and colleagues from the Royal Society of Biology. These exams sought to provide an educational experience for the competing students and provide a robust theoretical and practical challenge to discriminate between abilities. Their secondary aim was to showcase complex biological concepts to further pique candidate’s interest in biological science and encourage them to pursue careers in this area. The structure of practical and theoretical exams was underpinned by these pedagogical aims by applying a contextual narrative throughout the papers. Whilst a few logistical problems occurred, these did not impact the desired educational aim, leading to one of the most successful IBO’s in recent years.

Thanatophoric dysplasia is a type of short-limbed neonatal dwarfism that is usually lethal in the perinatal period. It is characterized by short limbs, a narrow, bell-shaped thorax, macrocephaly with a prominent forehead, and flattened vertebral bodies. These malformations result from autosomal dominant mutations in the fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 (FGFR3) gene. In this report, we describe a novel FGFR3 insertion mutation in a fetus with shortened limbs, curved femurs, and a narrow thorax. The diagnosis of thanatophoric dysplasia type 1 was suspected clinically, and FGFR3 sequencing showed a c.742_743insTGT variant, which predicts p.R248delinsLC. In vivo studies in zebrafish demonstrated that this mutation resulted in the overexpression of zebrafish Fgfr3, leading to the over-activation of downstream signaling and dorsalized embryos. To date, no insertions or deletions in FGFR3 have been reported to cause thanatophoric dysplasia types 1 or 2; therefore, this represents the first report to describe such a mutation. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The human X chromosome has a unique biology that was shaped by its evolution as the sex chromosome shared by males and females. We have determined 99.3% of the euchromatic sequence of the X chromosome. Our analysis illustrates the autosomal origin of the mammalian sex chromosomes, the stepwise process that led to the progressive loss of recombination between X and Y, and the extent of subsequent degradation of the Y chromosome. LINE1 repeat elements cover one-third of the X chromosome, with a distribution that is consistent with their proposed role as way stations in the process of X-chromosome inactivation. We found 1,098 genes in the sequence, of which 99 encode proteins expressed in testis and in various tumour types. A disproportionately high number of mendelian diseases are documented for the X chromosome. Of this number, 168 have been explained by mutations in 113 X-linked genes, which in many cases were characterized with the aid of the DNA sequence.

Glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) secretion from intestinal L-cells is triggered by luminal nutrients. We reported previously that glucose-triggered GLP-1 release from the L-cell model GLUTag involves closure of ATP-sensitive K+ (K(ATP)) channels. We show here that GLP-1 secretion and electrical activity of GLUTag cells is triggered not only by metabolizable sugars (glucose or fructose) but also by the nonmetabolizable monosaccharide methyl-alpha-glucopyranoside. Responses to glucose and methyl-alpha-glucopyranoside were impaired by the sodium-glucose cotransporter (SGLT) inhibitor phloridzin. SLGT1 and 3 were detected in GLUTag cells by RT-PCR. Whereas fructose closed K(ATP) channels, methyl-alpha-glucopyranoside increased the membrane conductance and generated an inward current. Low concentrations of glucose and methyl-alpha-glucopyranoside also triggered small inward currents and enhanced the action potential frequency. We conclude that whereas low concentrations of metabolizable sugars trigger GLP-1 secretion via K(ATP) channel closure, SGLT substrates generate small inward currents as a result of the electrogenic action of the transporter. This transporter-associated current can trigger electrical activity and secretion when the concentration of substrate is high or when outward currents are reduced by metabolic closure of the K(ATP) channels. Electrogenic sugar entry via SGLTs provides a novel mechanism for glucose sensing by neuroendocrine cells.