Ethnic Cultures of the Mind: The Harrigan-Hart Mosaic

This article looks at the way archaeology and history have been practised and taught at the Livingstone Museum, Zambia and the University of Zambia in relation to each other as closely allied disciplines between 1973 and 2016. It identifies some of the areas in which they have either collaborated well, or need to do so, and those that set them apart in their common aim to study the past. The paper has identified a number of grey areas that have tended to be inimical to the advancement of the two institutions in their quest to advance the study of Zambia’s historical and prehistoric past. The paper is presented in a narrative form in which issues central to the development of archaeology are discussed and challenges highlighted. The paper has established that despite the close relationship that exists between archaeology and history and their practice in the Livingstone Museum and the University of Zambia, little has been done to ensure that the two disciplines benefit from collaboration

Abundant and equipotent founder cells establish and maintain acute lymphoblastic leukaemia

High frequencies of blasts in primary acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) samples have the potential to induce leukaemia and to engraft mice. However, it is unclear how individual ALL cells each contribute to drive leukaemic development in a bulk transplant and the extent to which these blasts vary functionally. We used cellular barcoding as a fate mapping tool to track primograft ALL blasts in vivo. Our results show that high numbers of ALL founder cells contribute at similar frequencies to leukaemic propagation over serial transplants, without any clear evidence of clonal succession. These founder cells also exhibit equal capacity to home and engraft to different organs, although stochastic processes may alter the composition in restrictive niches. Our findings enhance the stochastic stem cell model of ALL by demonstrating equal functional abilities of singular ALL blasts and show that successful treatment strategies must eradicate the entire leukaemic cell population

Investigating the evolution of dexamethasone resistance in acute lymphoblastic leukaemia

PhD ThesisThe evolution of ALL from presentation to relapse is often accompanied by the emergence of resistance to commonly used chemotherapeutics, including dexamethasone (Dex), a synthetic glucocorticoid that has been the backbone of ALL treatment since the 1950s. In order to investigate the evolution of drug resistance we focused on the L707 cells, a matched Dex-sensitive presentation and Dex-resistant relapse pair from a patient with t(17;19) B ALL. A major genetic difference between presentation and relapse is a 5q deletion spanning 6 genes, including NR3C1, the glucocorticoid receptor and the site of action for Dex. It was found previously that the L707 presentation engrafts and proliferates faster than the relapse cells in the NSG mouse model. The loss of NR3C1 was hypothesised as the cause for reduced fitness of the relapse. This thesis investigated this, and the mechanisms behind the Dex resistance in the L707 relapse. Using shRNA approaches to look at the function of the genes in the relapse 5q deletion identified NR3C1 as the major driver of resistance but did not provide evidence that loss resulted in reduced fitness. Further in depth analysis of the L707 cells using microarrays has shown that the differences between presentation and relapse extend past the genetic differences, including alterations in transcriptional programmes. To identify further novel drivers of resistance, a whole genome in vivo CRISPR screen was carried out, implicating several genes in leukaemic fitness and Dex resistance as well as being a proof of concept for the use of these screens in primary material. Finally, an incidental finding that 697 pre B leukaemic cell line was Dex resistant in vivo, but not in vitro, and examination of these cells using RNA sequencing resulted in the finding that alterations in transcription induced by the murine microenvironment may be responsible for this change

Optimising mirid control on cocoa farms through complementary monitoring systems

Mirids (Sahlbergella singularis and Distantiella theobroma) are the most important insect pests affecting cocoa production across West Africa. Understanding the population dynamics of mirids is key to their management, however, the current recommended hand-height assessment method is labour intensive. The objective of the study was to compare recently developed mirid sex pheromone trapping and visual hand-height assessment methods as monitoring tools on cocoa farms and to consider implications for a decision support system. Ten farms from the Eastern and Ashanti regions of Ghana were used for the study. Mirid numbers and damage were assessed fortnightly on twenty trees per farm, using both methods, from January 2012 to April 2013. The mirid population increased rapidly in June, reached a peak in September and began to decline in October. There was a significant linear relationship between numbers of mirids sampled to hand-height and mirid damage. High numbers of male mirids were recorded in pheromone traps between January and April 2012 after which there was a gradual decline. There was a significant inverse relationship between numbers of trapped adult mirids and mirids sampled to hand-height (predominantly nymphs). Higher temperatures and lower relative humidities in the first half of the year were associated with fewer mirids at hand-height but larger numbers of adult males were caught in pheromone traps. The study showed that relying solely on one method is not sufficient to provide accurate information on mirid population dynamics and a combination of the two methods is necessary

Effectiveness and profitability of integrated pest management for improving yield on smallholder cocoa farms in Ghana

Many pests, especially capsid bugs, infest cocoa and contribute to low yields in producing countries. In Ghana, synthetic pesticides are recommended for controlling the insect pests, and a combination of synthetic pesticides and cultural practices for diseases and weeds. However, the farmers in Ghana are not motivated to adopt these recommendations due to the high cost of pesticides and low producer prices. There is also concern that use of synthetic pesticides on a wide scale can affect both human health and the environment. With the objective of improving cocoa yields through environmentally friendly pest control practices, evaluation of an integrated pest management (IPM) package based on aqueous neem (Azadirachta indica A. Juss.) seed extracts to control the insect pests and cultural practices to manage the diseases, weeds and parasitic plants was undertaken in farmers' fields with their active participation. The IPM package improved yields significantly and was found to be more profitable than the farmers' practices. However, there are two major constraints to adoption of the package by farmers: it is labour-intensive and currently, neem is not readily available to the community. The study recommends that these constraints must be tackled to motivate the farmers to adopt or adapt the IPM package

Intensive adoption as a management strategy for unowned, urban cats: A case study of 25 years of trap–assess–resolve (TAR) in Auckland, New Zealand

Globally, unowned urban cats are a major concern because they may suffer from poor welfare and cause problems, including public health risks, nuisances, and urban wildlife predation. While management options are often presented as a choice between culling or trap–neuter–return (TNR), for 25 years, the Lonely Miaow (Inc.) charity in Auckland, New Zealand (hereafter LM), has used a third strategy—intensive adoption or trap–assess–resolve (TAR). As of 2019, of 14,611 unowned cats trapped, 64.2% were adopted, 22.2% were euthanized if unsocialised or in grave ill-health, 5.7% were neutered and returned to the site, and 7.9% had other outcomes, such as being transferred to other shelters. Adoption rates increased over this time, exceeding 80.0% in 2018 and 2019. The cost of processing each cat from capture to adoption rose from NZD 58 in 1999 to NZD 234 by 2017. Approximately 80% of colonies (sites where cats were trapped) were around residential areas. Approximately 22% of cats required veterinary treatment after capture; common ailments included respiratory infections, ringworm, dental problems, and trauma. Consistently, 52% of cats were young kittens (5 years old. TAR avoids euthanasia where possible. Its effectiveness would be enhanced by fewer abandonments of owned cats and kittens, fitting within integrated strategies for the control of unowned cats involving community education. Cat adoptions improve the welfare of cats and, with appropriate husbandry, should alleviate concerns about nuisances, public health, and attacks on wildlife or the cats themselves, essentially benefitting the community and the cats. This case study is relevant to other cities around the world that are seeking to manage unowned cats

Healthworkers’ motivation in low and middle-income countries: A systematic review of the literature.

Healthcare systems in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) face a double burden of workforce challenges: low availability of healthworkers, and poor performance of many in post. Knowledge of what motivates healthworkers in their work may help address both challenges. To understand developments in this area, a systematic review of f literature was conducted. From an initial 4341 papers, 73 met the review’s inclusion criteria, encompassing a mix of focuses, methodologies, and geographical areas. Five themes are identified by healthworkers in the studies reviewed as influencing their motivation: working conditions (54 studies), financial incentives (46 studies), social incentives (37 studies), career development (31 studies) and living conditions (28 studies). As in previous reviews, there is a lack of evidence on the effectiveness of interventions for improving the availability, performance and motivation of healthworkers. A number of areas for further research are highlighted such as: developing effective interventions, understanding the role of context, and analysing the cost-effectiveness of different approaches to attracting and motivating healthworkers

Main flexible pavement and mix design methods in Europe and challenges for the development of an european method

Pavement and mix design represent one of the key components within the life cycle of a road infrastructure, with links to political, economic, technical, societal and environmental issues. Recent researches related to the characteristics of materials and associated behavior models both for materials and pavement, made it appropriate to consider updating current pavement design methods, and especially in the USA this has already been in process while in Europe uses of the methods developed in the early 1970s. Thus, this paper firstly presents a brief historical overview of pavement design methods, highlighting early limitations of old empirical methods. Afterwards, French, UK and Shell methods currently in use in Europe will be presented, underlining their main components in terms of methodology, traffic, climatic conditions and subgrade. The asphalt mix design and modeling in Europe are presented with their inclusion in the pavement design methods. Finally, the main challenges for the development of a European pavement design method are presented as well as the recent research developments that can be used for that methodThe second author would like to express the support of Portuguese National Funding Agency for Science, Research and Technology (FCT) through scholarship SFRH/BSAB/114415/ 2016. This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio