The Schedule for the Evaluation of Individual Quality of Life (SEIQoL). Administration Manual.

Advances in the clinical sciences this century have resulted in an impressive range of diagnostic procedures, therapies, drugs and surgical techniques which have revolutionised the management of heretofore fatal conditions. In addition to being concerned about life expectancy, people are also concerned about the quality of their lives. Partly in response to the views of patients, assessment of patient Quality of Life (QoL) is becoming increasingly important in medicine, nursing and in the behavioural sciences. It has already become an important outcome variable in assessing the impact of disease, illness and treatment (Spilker, 1990; Walker and Rosser, 1993; Bowling 1991; O\u27Boyle, 1992). QoL is a multi-dimensional construct and there are various approaches to its evaluation. The approach varies depending on the aims of the exercise. Health economists, for example, use techniques such as the QALY (Quality Adjusted Life Year), standard gamble and time-trade-off techniques in order to incorporate QoL measures into economic analysis and clinical trials. Clinical research has utilised standardised and disease specific measures, usually in the form of questionnaires, in order to determine the impact of disease and treatment on patients\u27 QoL. One of the problems of conducting research in this area is that there is no single agreed definition of QoL nor is there a single \u27gold standard\u27 measurement technique. However, there is broad agreement that studies of health related QoL should include assessments of physical functioning, including somatic sensations such as physical symptoms and pain; psychological function including concentration and mood; social and sexual functioning and occupational status. Many researchers also assess patients\u27 global satisfaction and the economic impact of the condition. While QoL scales and questionnaires, as well as the methods of rating and analysing them, have been developed by assessing the QoL of individuals, the specific items and the response categories do not represent the free choice of individuals who are subsequently investigated using the scale. Furthermore, the measures will often have been standardised in samples other than those currently being assessed. Results are generally presented as group statistics and provide little or no data on the QoL of individual patients

Reduced older male presence linked to increased rates of aggression to non-conspecific targets in male elephants

This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from the Royal Society via the DOI in this recordMales in many large mammal species spend a considerable portion of their lives in all-male groups segregated from females. In long-lived species, these all-male groups may contain individuals of vastly different ages, providing the possibility that behaviours such as aggression vary with the age demographic of the social environment, as well as an individual’s own age. Here, we explore social factors affecting aggression and fear behaviours in non-musth male African elephants (Loxodonta africana) aggregating in an all-male area. Adolescent males had greater probabilities of directing aggressive and fearful behaviours to non-elephant targets when alone compared to when with other males. All males, regardless of age, were less aggressive toward non-elephant targets, e.g., vehicles and non-elephant animals, when larger numbers of males from the oldest age cohort were present. Presence of older males did not influence the probability that other males were aggressive to conspecifics or expressed fearful behaviours toward non-elephant targets. Older bulls may police aggression directed toward non-elephant targets, or may lower elephants’ perception of their current threat level. Our results suggest male elephants may pose an enhanced threat to humans and livestock when adolescents are socially isolated, and when fewer older bulls are nearby.Leverhulme TrustExplorers ClubWilderness Wildlife TrustElephants for AfricaIDEAWIL

CHALLENGES FOR THE INTERGOVERNMENTAL COORDINATION OF THE BOLSA FAMILIA PROGRAM

The paper examines the intergovernmental coordination of the Bolsa Familia Program (PBF), given its goal to tackle poverty in a country with deep social and regional inequality. It seeks to qualify the debate on the centralization of cash transfer programs in Brazil through the analysis of intergovernmental relations adopted under the three main dimensions of the PBF - cash transfer, monitoring of conditionalities and articulation of complementary programs - considering the federative implications derived from the intersectoral perspective that drives the Program. Two categories of challenges are highlighted. The first one relates to the need for greater investment in space and opportunities for intergovernmental negotiation, especially in the dimension of income transfer, which initially was characterized by centralization. In the second, the intergovernmental matter demands the organization of a coordinated national strategy for the articulation of complementary programs, suggesting greater involvement of states in the regional coordination of the Program.51545847

Preliminary evaluation of improved banana varieties in Mozambique

Banana (Musa spp.) production in Mozambique is largely confined to the Cavendish variety that is eaten as a dessert. On the other hand, banana is a staple food crop in many countries in sub-Saharan Africa. The introduction of a range of high yielding and disease resistant cooking and dessert varieties in Mozambique could play a potential role in ensuring food security and raising incomes of millions of small scale farmers. In the framework of a USAID-funded project on dissemination and evaluation of improved banana varieties, plantlets of new Musahybrids were distributed to small-scale farmers. In addition, several demonstration plots and an on-station trial at the Agrarian Research Institute of Mozambique (IIAM), Umbeluzi research farm were established. The objectives of this study were (i) to evaluate the general performance of the hybrids in the different locations andanalyse data collected from one of the sites, and (ii) to assess farmer acceptability of the hybrids in one of the agro-ecologies in Mozambique. The FHIA (Fundacion Hondurena de Investigacion Agricola) hybrids performed relatively well in the more moist agro-ecologies and where irrigation was available, but not in the drier areas in the south of Maputo. Although ‘FHIA 17’ was the most vigorous, this variety took the longest time to produce a bunch. The hybrid, ‘SH 3640’ produced the largest bunch but this was not significantly different from that of‘Grand Naine’ the local check used in the trials. The hybrid ‘SH3460’ and ‘Grand Naine’ emerged as the best cultivars in terms of post-harvest quality and acceptability. Less than 50% of the participants indicated their preference for ‘FHIA17’, ‘FHIA21’ or ‘FHIA23’. Feedback from farmers involved in the on-farm activitiesindicated that those from the central and southern parts of the country preferred dessert types, while those from the north preferred both dessert and cooking types

Importance of old bulls: Leaders and followers in collective movements of all-male groups in African savannah elephants (Loxodonta africana)

This is the final version. Available on open access from Nature Research via the DOI in this record.Due to the sensitive nature of reporting on elephant locations and numbers, the data that support the findings of this study are available on reasonable request from the corresponding author.In long-lived social species, older individuals can provide fitness benefits to their groupmates through the imparting of ecological knowledge. Research in this area has largely focused on females in matrilineal societies where, for example, older female African savannah elephants (Loxodonta africana) are most effective at making decisions crucial to herd survival, and old post-reproductive female resident killer whales (Orcinus orca) lead collective movements in hunting grounds. In pathways in Makgadikgadi Pans National Park, Botswana, we found that the oldest males were more likely to lead collective movements. Our results challenge the assumption that older male elephants are redundant in the population and raise concerns over the biased removal of old bulls that currently occurs in both legal trophy hunting and illegal poaching. Selective harvesting of older males could have detrimental effects on the wider elephant society through loss of leaders crucial to younger male navigation in unknown, risky environments

Interval post-colonoscopy colorectal cancer following a negative colonoscopy in a fecal immunochemical test-based screening program

Background In the Dutch colorectal (CRC) screening program, fecal immunochemical test (FIT)-positive individuals are referred for colonoscopy. If no relevant findings are detected at colonoscopy, individuals are reinvited for FIT screening after 10 years. We aimed to assess CRC risk after a negative colonoscopy in FIT-positive individuals. Methods In this cross-sectional cohort study, data were extracted from the Dutch national screening information system. Participants with a positive FIT followed by a negative colonoscopy between 2014 and 2018 were included. A negative colonoscopy was defined as a colonoscopy during which no more than one nonvillous, nonproximal adenoma &lt; 10mm or serrated polyp &lt; 10mm was found. The main outcome was interval post-colonoscopy CRC (iPCCRC) risk. iPCCRC risk was reviewed against the risk of interval CRC after a negative FIT (FIT IC) with a 2-year screening interval. Results 35 052 FIT-positive participants had a negative colonoscopy and 24 iPCCRCs were diagnosed, resulting in an iPCCRC risk of 6.85 (95%CI 4.60-10.19) per 10 000 individuals after a median follow-up of 1.4 years. After 2.5 years of follow-up, age-adjusted iPCCRC risk was approximately equal to FIT IC risk at 2 years. Conclusion Risk of iPCCRC within a FIT-based CRC screening program was low during the first years after colonoscopy but, after 2.5 years, was the same as the risk in FITnegative individuals at 2 years, when they are reinvited for screening. Colonoscopy quality may therefore require further improvement and FIT screening interval may need to be reduced after negative colonoscopy.</p