The evolution of South Africa's democracy promotion in Africa : from idealism to pragmatism

Abstract: South Africa is an emerging power with fairly strong democratic institutions that were crafted during the transition from minority to majority rule twenty years ago. How has South Africa used its position and power to promote democracy in Africa? Against the backdrop of debates on democracy promotion by emerging powers, this article probes attempts by successive post-apartheid governments to promote democracy in Africa. We argue that although democracy promotion featured prominently in South Africa’s policy toward Africa in the immediate post-apartheid period under Nelson Mandela, the administrations of Thabo Mbeki and Jacob Zuma faltered in advancing democratic norms. This is largely because South Africa has confronted pressures to maximize pragmatic national interests, which have compromised a democratic ethos in a continental environment where these values have yet to find steady footing

Red hot frogs:Identifying the Australian frogs most at risk of extinction

More than a third of the world’s amphibian species are listed as Threatened or Extinct, with a recent assessment identifying 45 Australian frogs (18.4% of the currently recognised species) as ‘Threatened’ based on IUCN criteria. We applied structured expert elicitation to 26 frogs assessed as Critically Endangered and Endangered to estimate their probability of extinction by 2040. We also investigated whether participant experience (measured as a self-assigned categorical score, i.e. ‘expert’ or ‘non-expert’) influenced the estimates. Collation and analysis of participant opinion indicated that eight species are at high risk (>50% chance) of becoming extinct by 2040, with the disease chytridiomycosis identified as the primary threat. A further five species are at moderate–high risk (30–50% chance), primarily due to climate change. Fourteen of the 26 frog species are endemic to Queensland, with many species restricted to small geographic ranges that are susceptible to stochastic events (e.g. a severe heatwave or a large bushfire). Experts were more likely to rate extinction probability higher for poorly known species (those with <10 experts), while non-experts were more likely to rate extinction probability higher for better-known species. However, scores converged following discussion, indicating that there was greater consensus in the estimates of extinction probability. Increased resourcing and management intervention are urgently needed to avert future extinctions of Australia’s frogs. Key priorities include developing and supporting captive management and establishing or extending in-situ population refuges to alleviate the impacts of disease and climate change

Advancing research for seamless Earth system prediction

Whether on an urban or planetary scale, covering time scales of a few minutes or a few decades, the societal need for more accurate weather, climate, water, and environmental information has led to a more seamless thinking across disciplines and communities. This challenge, at the intersection of scientific research and society’s need, is among the most important scientific and technological challenges of our time. The “Science Summit on Seamless Research for Weather, Climate, Water, and Environment” organized by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) in 2017, has brought together researchers from a variety of institutions for a cross-disciplinary exchange of knowledge and ideas relating to seamless Earth system science. The outcomes of the Science Summit, and the interactions it sparked, highlight the benefit of a seamless Earth system science approach. Such an approach has the potential to break down artificial barriers that may exist due to different observing systems, models, time and space scales, and compartments of the Earth system. In this context, the main future challenges for research infrastructures have been identified. A value cycle approach has been proposed to guide innovation in seamless Earth system prediction. The engagement of researchers, users, and stakeholders will be crucial for the successful development of a seamless Earth system science that meets the needs of society

Multifactorial Analysis of Differences Between Sporadic Breast Cancers and Cancers Involving BRCA1 and BRCA2 Mutations

Background: We have previously demonstrated that breast cancers associated with inherited BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene mutations differ from each other in their histopathologic appearances and that each of these types differs from breast cancers in patients unselected for family history (i.e., sporadic cancers). We have now conducted a more detailed examination of cytologic and architectural features of these tumors. Methods: Specimens of tumor tissue (5-µm-thick sections) were examined independently by two pathologists, who were unaware of the case or control subject status, for the presence of cell mitosis, lymphocytic infiltration, continuous pushing margins, and solid sheets of cancer cells; cell nuclei, cell nucleoli, cell necrosis, and cell borders were also evaluated. The resulting data were combined with previously available information on tumor type and tumor grade and further evaluated by multifactorial analysis. All statistical tests are two-sided. Results: Cancers associated with BRCA1 mutations exhibited higher mitotic counts (P = .001), a greater proportion of the tumor with a continuous pushing margin (P<.0001), and more lymphocytic infiltration (P = .002) than sporadic (i.e., control) cancers. Cancers associated with BRCA2 mutations exhibited a higher score for tubule formation (fewer tubules) (P = .0002), a higher proportion of the tumor perimeter with a continuous pushing margin (P<.0001), and a lower mitotic count (P = .003) than control cancers. Conclusions: Our study has identified key features of the histologic phenotypes of breast cancers in carriers of mutant BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes. This information may improve the classification of breast cancers in individuals with a family history of the disease and may ultimately aid in the clinical management of patients. [J Natl Cancer Inst 1998;90:1138-45

Minnesota State Capitol

Interior, dom

Minnesota State Capitol

Interior, atriumBuilt 1895-190

Minnesota State Capitol

Interior viewBuilt 1895-190

Application of Reproductive Technologies to the Critically Endangered Baw Baw Frog, Philoria frosti

Reproductive technologies (RTs) can assist integrated conservation breeding programs to attain propagation targets and manage genetic diversity more effectively. While the application of RTs to enhance the conservation management of threatened amphibians has lagged behind that of other taxonomic groups, a recent surge in research is narrowing the divide. The present study reports on the first application of RTs (hormone-induced spawning, hormone-induced sperm-release, and sperm cryopreservation) to the critically endangered Baw Baw frog, Philoria frosti. To determine the effect of hormone therapy on spawning success, male–female pairs were administered either 0 μg/g gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist (GnRHa), 0.5 μg/g GnRHa, or 0.5 μg/g GnRHa + 10 μg/g metoclopramide (MET) (n = 6–7 pairs/treatment), and the number of pairs ovipositing, total eggs, and percent fertilisation success were quantified. To determine the effect of hormone therapy on sperm-release and to establish the peak time to collect sperm post-hormone administration, males were administered 0 IU/g (n = 4), or 20 IU/g hCG (n = 16). Total sperm, sperm concentration, and percent viability were quantified at 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12 h post-hormone administration. Overall, the percentage of pairs ovipositing was highest in the GnRHa + MET treatment, with 71% of pairs ovipositing, compared to 57% and 33% of pairs in the GnRHa and control treatments, respectively. The quantity of sperm released from males in response to hCG peaked at 4 h post-hormone administration, though it remained high up to 12 h. The percent sperm viability also peaked at 4 h post-administration (94.5%), exhibiting a steady decline thereafter, though viability remained above 77% throughout the 12 h collection period. The remaining sperm samples (n = 22) were cryopreserved using established protocols and biobanked for long-term storage and future conservation applications. The mean post-thaw sperm viability was 59%, and the percent total motility was 17%. The results from this preliminary study will direct further applications of RTs to the critically endangered Baw Baw frog to assist with species recovery