Walking and the social life of solar charging in rural Africa

We consider practices that sustain social and physical environments beyond those dominating sustainable HCI discourse. We describe links between walking, sociality, and using resources in a case study of community-based, solar, cellphone charging in villages in South Africa’s Eastern Cape. Like 360 million rural Africans, inhabitants of these villages are poor and, like 25% and 92% of the world, respectively, do not have domestic electricity or own motor vehicles. We describe nine practices in using the charging stations we deployed. We recorded 700 people using the stations, over a year, some regularly. We suggest that the way we frame practices limits insights about them, and consider various routines in using and sharing local resources to discover relations that might also feature in charging. Specifically, walking interconnects routines in using, storing, sharing and sustaining resources, and contributes to knowing, feeling, wanting and avoiding as well as to different aspects of sociality, social order and perspectives on sustainability. Along the way, bodies acquire literacies that make certain relationalities legible. Our study shows we cannot assert what sustainable practice means a priori and, further, that detaching practices from bodies and their paths limits solutions, at least in rural Africa. Thus, we advocate a more “alongly” integrated approach to data about practices.This research was supported by CSIR-Meraka, South Africa and, partly, by an Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council grant (EP/H042857/1).http://dl.acm.org/hb201

Walking and the Social Life of Solar Charging in Rural Africa

We illustrate links between walking, sociality and using resources in a case-study of community-based, solar, cellphone charging in two villages in Eastern Cape, South Africa. Like 360 million rural Sub-saharan Africans, inhabitants are poor and, like 25% and 92%, of the world respectively, do not have domestic electricity or own motor vehicles. We show that the ways we move through the world affect the meanings we embody; that certain representations obscure continuities in the practices we seek to understand and influence; and, some of the motivations of the billions of people who are marginalized in discussing sustainable HCI. Locally, about 65% of inhabitants over 14 years old own cell- phones and, over a year, we recorded 500 names of people using the Charging Stations that, we deployed within several technology probing endeavours, many on a regular basis. The detail of our longitudinal study contributes considerably to sustainable design for ‘developing’ regions. Walking is a noticeable part of charging, and all other subsistence rou- tines, and shapes inhabitants’ motivations when they use, re-purpose, store and share resources. Inhabitants are moti- vated by cost and comfort and, importantly, by performing collectivity in their tight-knit community; but, not by being green. Further, different ways of walking relate to social roles and other aspects of sociality and, we propose, shaped inhabitants’ and researchers’ perspectives on charging and using phones. We suggest this is significant for the methods and designs that we use to explore and support sustainable practices in rural Africa and, indeed, more generally

Systematic screening for skin, hair, and nail abnormalities in a large-scale knockout mouse program

The International Knockout Mouse Consortium was formed in 2007 to inactivate (“knockout”) all protein-coding genes in the mouse genome in embryonic stem cells. Production and characterization of these mice, now underway, has generated and phenotyped 3,100 strains with knockout alleles. Skin and adnexa diseases are best defined at the gross clinical level and by histopathology. Representative retired breeders had skin collected from the back, abdomen, eyelids, muzzle, ears, tail, and lower limbs including the nails. To date, 169 novel mutant lines were reviewed and of these, only one was found to have a relatively minor sebaceous gland abnormality associated with follicular dystrophy. The B6N(Cg)-Far2tm2b(KOMP)Wtsi/2J strain, had lesions affecting sebaceous glands with what appeared to be a secondary follicular dystrophy. A second line, B6N(Cg)-Ppp1r9btm1.1(KOMP)Vlcg/J, had follicular dystrophy limited to many but not all mystacial vibrissae in heterozygous but not homozygous mutant mice, suggesting that this was a nonspecific background lesion. We discuss potential reasons for the low frequency of skin and adnexal phenotypes in mice from this project in comparison to those seen in human Mendelian diseases, and suggest alternative approaches to identification of human disease-relevant models.This work was supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health (R21-AR063781 and U42-OD011185). Shared services at The Jackson Laboratory are subsidized by a National Cancer Institute Core Grant (P30-CA034196). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript

Systematic screening for skin, hair, and nail abnormalities in a large-scale knockout mouse program.

The International Knockout Mouse Consortium was formed in 2007 to inactivate ( knockout ) all protein-coding genes in the mouse genome in embryonic stem cells. Production and characterization of these mice, now underway, has generated and phenotyped 3,100 strains with knockout alleles. Skin and adnexa diseases are best defined at the gross clinical level and by histopathology. Representative retired breeders had skin collected from the back, abdomen, eyelids, muzzle, ears, tail, and lower limbs including the nails. To date, 169 novel mutant lines were reviewed and of these, only one was found to have a relatively minor sebaceous gland abnormality associated with follicular dystrophy. The B6N(Cg)-Far2tm2b(KOMP)Wtsi/2J strain, had lesions affecting sebaceous glands with what appeared to be a secondary follicular dystrophy. A second line, B6N(Cg)-Ppp1r9btm1.1(KOMP)Vlcg/J, had follicular dystrophy limited to many but not all mystacial vibrissae in heterozygous but not homozygous mutant mice, suggesting that this was a nonspecific background lesion. We discuss potential reasons for the low frequency of skin and adnexal phenotypes in mice from this project in comparison to those seen in human Mendelian diseases, and suggest alternative approaches to identification of human disease-relevant models. PLoS One 2017 Jul 10; 12(7):e018068

NO BENEFIT OF INGESTING A LOW-DOSE KETONE MONOESTER SUPPLEMENT ON COGNITIVE PERFORMANCE IN TRAINED FEMALES

BACKGROUND: β-hydroxybutyrate is one of three substrates that the brain can preferentially oxidize for meeting energetic demands. Ketone monoesters (KME) allow for the rapid elevation in circulating β-hydroxybutyrate levels without following a low-carbohydrate diet or prolonged fasting and some past work with KME have shown potential to mitigate cognitive decrements in states of fatigue, but no studies have yet been conducted in a female cohort. METHODS: Following a familiarization session and a baseline session without a mental fatiguing protocol (MF), 12 trained females completed two experimental sessions, consisting of a battery of cognitive tests (psychomotor vigilance test (PVT), task-switching, incongruent flanker) performed before (PRE) and after (POST) MF. In a counter-balanced crossover design, a ketone monoester (KME, ~188 mg·kg-1 body mass) or non-caloric placebo (PLA) were ingested before MF. Markers of cognitive performance (speed and correct responses per second), blood β-hydroxybutyrate, glucose, and lactate, and subjective markers of perceived cognitive load and fatigue were collected at PRE and POST.RESULTS: KME ingestion significantly increased blood β-hydroxybutyrate (P\u3c0.001; ~1.8 mM), decreased glucose (P\u3c0.001; ~0.6 mM), and attenuated a ~34% rise in lactate at POST compared to PLA (P=0.04). MF significantly increased perceived cognitive workload and fatigue for both experimental trials in comparison to the control (P\u3c0.05) but did not impair any of the cognitive variables assessed (all P\u3e0.05). Although ingestion of a KME increased perceptions of cognitive performance compared to PLA (KME, 7.8 vs. PLA, 5.5; P=0.05), no differences were observed between groups for markers of cognition.CONCLUSION: Although changes in blood markers mimic those observed in past KME investigations, compared with PLA, KME ingestion did not affect cognitive performance following a MF protocol in trained females

ACUTE INGESTION OF A KETONE MONOESTER WITH CARBOHYDRATE IMPROVES COGNITIVE MEASURES BUT NOT PERFORMANCE IN TRAINED FEMALES

BACKGROUND: In recent years, the field of sports performance and cognitive enhancement has witnessed a growing interest in the potential benefits offered to athletes with the supplementation of exogenous ketones, specifically the ketone monoester (KME). However, the present literature has examined KME ingestion in male or mixed cohorts, with female research currently underrepresented. Thus, we examined the acute ingestion of a KME with co-ingestion of a carbohydrate (KME+CHO) compared to carbohydrate alone (CHO) on cycling performance and cognitive performance in trained females. METHODS: Using a two condition, placebo-controlled, crossover design, twelve trained females (mean ± SD: age, 23 ± 3 y; height, 1.64 ± 0.08 m; mass, 65.2 ± 12.7 kg) completed a baseline assessment of cognitive performance (psychomotor vigilance testing (PVT), task switching, and incongruent flanker), followed by 6x5-min intervals at 40%, 45%, 50%, 55%, 60%, and 65% of their maximal power output (Wmax) and then a 10-km time trial (TT), concluding with the same assessments of cognitive performance post-exercise. Participants consumed either 375 mg·kg-1 body mass of KME with a 6% CHO solution (1 g·min-1 of exercise) or CHO alone, across 3 boluses (50:25:25). RESULTS: Blood β-hydroxybutyrate concentrations averaged 1.80±0.07 mM and 0.13±0.01 mM during exercise in KME+CHO and CHO, respectively. Blood glucose decreased following drink 1 of KME+CHO (~15%; P=0.01) but not CHO alone, and lactate concentrations were significantly lower in KME+CHO at 50%, 55%, 60%, and -65%Wmax (all P\u3c0.05), compared to CHO. Despite these changes, no differences were found between conditions for TT finishing times (KME+CHO, 29.7±5.7 min; CHO, 29.6±5.7 min; P=0.92). However, only KME+CHO resulted in increases in PVT speed (~4%; P=0.01) and faster reaction times (~14%; P\u3c0.01), and speed (~15%; P\u3c0.01) and correct responses (~13%; P=0.03) in the incongruent flanker during post-testing compared to CHO alone. CONCLUSION: Acute ingestion of a KME+CHO elevated blood β-hydroxybutyrate and simultaneously lowered glucose and lactate across multiple timepoints during exercise compared to CHO alone. Although these changes did not affect physical performance, several markers of cognitive performance were improved by the addition of a KME in trained females

Follicular dystrophy in fatty acyl CoA reductase 2 mutant mice.

<p>In areas of alopecia, the B6N(Cg)- <i>Far2</i>^{<i>tm2b(KOMP)Wtsi</i>}/2J mutant skin was mildly acanthotic and orthokeratotic, most likely secondary to the abnormal secretions of the sebaceous glands. The infundibulum was mildly dilated (A, B). Follicles with follicular dystrophy (C, D) and with pigment cast (E) were identified occasionally to frequently. Such ruptured follicles with granulomatous inflammation eventually lead to follicular scarring, a form of cicatricial alopecia. Hematoxylin and eosin stain, bar size indicated in each figure.</p

Sebaceous gland changes in fatty acyl CoA reductase 2 mutant mice.

<p>Most late stage anagen hair follicles in B6N(Cg)-<i>Far2</i>^{<i>tm2b(KOMP)Wtsi</i>}/2J mutant mice, as in this 184 day old male, were relatively normal and produced a normal hair shaft (A). However, the sebaceous glands were mildly hypoplastic with brightly eosinophilic mature sebocytes that did not immediately rupture as they entered the infundibulum (C). As in other mouse mutations that cause hypoplasia of sebaceous glands, the hair shafts in these mice did not exit the follicular ostium resulting in perforation of the root sheaths, release of the hair shaft into the dermis, and an inflammatory reaction (B). This healed by follicular scarring, or cicatricial alopecia. By contrast, aged and sex matched B6N(Cg) controls rarely exhibited ruptured follicles (D). Sebaceous glands varied in size with the hair cycle, which was normal, and sebocytes had light pink cytoplasm that becomes very pale as the cells matured and abruptly ruptured into the duct. (E). Hematoxylin and eosin stain, bar size indicated in each figure.</p