Diplomacy and the politics of fear: the 21st century challenges to the theory and practice of Diplomacy and International Relations

Conflicts, political unrest, mass migration and the rise of violent extremism by non-state actors are features that have characterized the early 21st century. A huge challenge to world peace and security is posed by volatile economic and political conditions around the world. This situation has led to a growing tension in many inter-state relations which arguably has underpinned the rise of groups such as Al Qaeda and Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) in the Middle East, the Boko Haram in West Africa, and Al Shabaab in East Africa. Arguably, there is a growing sense of fear and unease in every sphere of social, economic and political life. More than at any other time in human history, the future seems uncertain. Relationships and trusts between states and their citizens are breaking down; relations, mutual cooperation and connections between states are under strain; there is growing sense of disillusionment by the governed of the ability of governments and mainstream political establishments to address their concerns and meet their needs. The feeling of uncertainty and general fear for the future is real. While these may not necessarily be universally held views, there is a growing indication that people and communities around the world are feeling dissatisfied and may be threatened by mainstream political systems. Just when it is most needed, diplomacy and diplomatic practice seem to be taking the back seat in the face of growing conflicts. This conference examines the socio-economic and political environment that creates social and political discontent, political apathy, the weakening of inter-state relations, and the general sense of fear

Adaptive Stand Up Paddleboard

The task of this project was to create an adaptive paddleboard capable of being ridden by someone who does not have full mobility in one or more of their lower extremities. This project was worked on by a team of five students - three mechanical engineers and two kinesiology students - to create an effective and robust design for the client. To do this, the team regularly met with the client and used individual and group expertise in various fields to bring the best product to the end user. The client, Damien, was a firefighter who was injured in July 2015 after a tree fell on him while he was on duty. The incident left Damien with an incomplete spinal cord injury at level T12 and L1. An incomplete spinal cord injury differs from a complete spinal cord injury in that the spinal cord is not completely severed; instead, due to vertebrae compression or fracture, the axons of a nerve are crushed or destroyed, affecting the ability of motor or sensory information to be transmitted to the brain. However, because of the incomplete nature of the injury, some motor and sensory function is still preserved. The extent of sensory and/or motor preservation is highly varied from person to person because of the difference in the amount of damage on each person’s nerve fibers. Injuries to the L1 vertebrae commonly result in mild loss of function in the hips and legs. As is typical with these types of thoracic injuries, Damien retained full function and strength in his arms and hands. Damien began working on strengthening his legs and reestablishing patterned neural activity in the Central Nervous System (CNS) through intensive therapy at Project Walk in the third quarter of 2015. The therapy is an intensive physical therapy regime; with the goal of being able to walk by the time his therapy is completed. The project was meant to be used by the client for the entirety of his therapy and beyond. For this, the team went through many designs and ideas before all settling on one style, a rear folding, low profile support that could assist the client in a standing position. This design went through a multitude of design changes and iterations as proof of concept tests and analysis was done throughout the year. Consultation with the client, sponsors, advisors, and those interested in the project or working on something similar were paramount helping the team finalize the design. The final chosen design is a modified version of the preliminary selected design. Upon presenting the final preliminary design to Damien, the team received valuable feedback regarding how he planned to use the board, as well as his progress in his ability to move his legs. The largest change Damien wanted to see in the design was the addition of a seating position on the board, which became a focus for the team. Furthermore, Damien expressed how he was very comfortable using dip bars to move his body up and down, as this is a very common movement for wheelchair users. The team took this feedback, in addition to other items, and integrated them into the design in an attempt to create the product so it uniquely fit Damien’s desires. One major breakthrough on the project was that of the insert design used to attach the structure to the board. Through research into methods to attaching structures to prefabricated paddleboards, there was no basis that could be found, as most products of this type were made building custom boards. For this project, and the help of SUP Think Tank and Ding King Surfboard Repair, the team used the “top hat” method, which consists of the following order for each of the four insert locations: two layers of carbon fiber sheets, three layers of 4 oz. fiberglass sheets, the wooden inserts, and then three more layers of 4 oz. fiberglass. Another major recognition was that of automated machining, where using CNC machines became a major help when having tried and failed and hand machining certain aspect of this project. All of this lead to the final design for the adaptive stand up paddleboard project. The final design consists of three positions, kneeling, sitting, and standing. Movement between these positions is possible with the use of the dip bars Damien suggested, and the low profile idea from the initial concept was kept. This low profile concept allows the standing and sitting support to fold down against the paddleboard, also clearing room for a more comfortable kneeling position. The entire project was made marine compatible, with the structure being made of anodized aluminum, nylon straps, and stainless steel bolts and pins. This design was made modular, so it could be removed from the board if necessary, allowing the paddleboard to progress with the client throughout his recovery and more, assisting him in all areas necessary

Incidencia de bacterias patógenas en muestras de camarón fresco extraído en la Laguna de Bluefields

This study was based on a mixed approach, the incidence of pathogenic bacteria in the shrimp extracted from Bluefields Lagoon and consumed by the population was evaluated, which shows the possible risks to their health. Direct shrimp catches were made at three sampling points (Half Way Cay, Banco Rojo and Santa María). Later they were analyzed in the Aquatic Rresearch Center of BICU, the bacteria were isolated and purified in specific agar for Escherichia coli, Salmonella sp, Clostridium perfringens and Enterococcus faecalis bacteria. From samples obtained, the one that presented the greatest contamination was Santa María, with the presence of Escherichia coli, Clostridium perfringens and Enterococcus faecalis, in Half Way Cay E.coli was present; however, it was within the acceptable values ​​of a food that does not cause any risk for consumers, since it presented 49 CFU / g. The Banco Rojo sample presented E.coli in acceptable values, but had the presence of Salmonella sp, which indicates that it is a risk for consumers. It can be said that the shrimp presented different levels of contamination for which it is recommended to refrigerate the product at minus 4º C temperatures and prepare them so that they are well cooked, avoid that children and older adults consume the pre-cooked or raw shrimp, since they are the most vulnerable people to the toxins of these bacteria. All this information must be passed on to community and regional decision-makers for a timely intervention.Este estudio se basó en un enfoque mixto, se evaluaron la incidencia de bacterias patógenas en el camarón que se extrae de la Laguna de Bluefields y que se consume por la población, lo cual evidencia los posibles riesgos para su salud. Se realizaron capturas directas de camarones en tres puntos de muestreos (Half Way Cay, Banco Rojo y Santa María). Posteriormente se analizaron en el centro de investigaciones acuática de BICU, las bacterias fueron aisladas y purificadas en agar específicos para las bacterias Escherichia coli, Salmonella sp, Clostridium perfringens y Enterococcus faecalis. De las muestras obtenidas la que presentó mayor contaminación fue la de santa María, con presencia de Escherichia coli, Clostridium perfringens y Enterococcus faecalis, en Half Way Cay se presentó E.coli, pero estaba dentro de los valores aceptable de alimento que, no causa ningún riesgo para los consumidores, ya que presentaba 49 UFC/g. La muestra de Banco Rojo, presentó E.coli en valores aceptables, pero tenía la presencia de Salmonella sp, lo que indica que es un riesgo para los consumidores. Se puede decir que los camarones presentaron diferentes niveles de contaminación por lo cual se recomienda refrigerar el producto a temperaturas de -4ºc y prepararlos de manera que queden bien cocinados, evitar que niños y personas adultos mayores consuman el camarón pre-cocido o crudo, ya que son las personas más vulnerables a las toxinas de estas bacterias. Toda esta información debe ser pasada a decisores comunales y regionales para una intervención oportun

Incidencia de bacterias patógenas en muestras de camarón fresco extraído en la Laguna de Bluefields

This study was based on a mixed approach, the incidence of pathogenic bacteria in the shrimp extracted from Bluefields Lagoon and consumed by the population was evaluated, which shows the possible risks to their health. Direct shrimp catches were made at three sampling points (Half Way Cay, Banco Rojo and Santa María). Later they were analyzed in the Aquatic Rresearch Center of BICU, the bacteria were isolated and purified in specific agar for Escherichia coli, Salmonella sp, Clostridium perfringens and Enterococcus faecalis bacteria. From samples obtained, the one that presented the greatest contamination was Santa María, with the presence of Escherichia coli, Clostridium perfringens and Enterococcus faecalis, in Half Way Cay E.coli was present; however, it was within the acceptable values ​​of a food that does not cause any risk for consumers, since it presented 49 CFU / g. The Banco Rojo sample presented E.coli in acceptable values, but had the presence of Salmonella sp, which indicates that it is a risk for consumers. It can be said that the shrimp presented different levels of contamination for which it is recommended to refrigerate the product at minus 4º C temperatures and prepare them so that they are well cooked, avoid that children and older adults consume the pre-cooked or raw shrimp, since they are the most vulnerable people to the toxins of these bacteria. All this information must be passed on to community and regional decision-makers for a timely interventionEste estudio se basó en un enfoque mixto, se evaluaron la incidencia de bacterias patógenas en el camarón que se extrae de la Laguna de Bluefields y que se consume por la población, lo cual evidencia los posibles riesgos para su salud. Se realizaron capturas directas de camarones en tres puntos de muestreos (Half Way Cay, Banco Rojo y Santa María). Posteriormente se analizaron en el centro de investigaciones acuática de BICU, las bacterias fueron aisladas y purificadas en agar específicos para las bacterias Escherichia coli, Salmonella sp, Clostridium perfringens y Enterococcus faecalis. De las muestras obtenidas la que presentó mayor contaminación fue la de santa María, con presencia de Escherichia coli, Clostridium perfringens y Enterococcus faecalis, en Half Way Cay se presentó E.coli, pero estaba dentro de los valores aceptable de alimento que, no causa ningún riesgo para los consumidores, ya que presentaba 49 UFC/g. La muestra de Banco Rojo, presentó E.coli en valores aceptables, pero tenía la presencia de Salmonella sp, lo que indica que es un riesgo para los consumidores. Se puede decir que los camarones presentaron diferentes niveles de contaminación por lo cual se recomienda refrigerar el producto a temperaturas de -4ºc y prepararlos de manera que queden bien cocinados, evitar que niños y personas adultos mayores consuman el camarón pre-cocido o crudo, ya que son las personas más vulnerables a las toxinas de estas bacterias. Toda esta información debe ser pasada a decisores comunales y regionales para una intervención oportun

Assessing malaria control in the Kassena-Nankana district of northern Ghana through repeated surveys using the RBM tools

BACKGROUND: The goal of Roll Back Malaria (RBM) is to reduce malaria morbidity and mortality by 50% by the year 2010, and still further thereafter until the disease becomes no more a threat to public health. To contribute to the monitoring and evaluation process of this goal, two surveys were carried out in 2000 and 2003 in households and health facilities in the Kassena-Nankana district, northern Ghana using the RBM-WHO/AFRO monitoring and evaluation tools for malaria control activities. METHODS: Data were collected from mothers/caretakers on signs/symptoms of the most recent malaria attack for their under five year old children; the management actions that they took and their perception of health services provided at the health facilities, bednet use, antenatal attendance and place of delivery for the most recent pregnancy, malaria prophylaxis during their last pregnancy. Community health workers and herbalist/traditional healers were also interviewed about the types of health services they provide to community members. RESULTS: The results revealed a significant improvement in knowledge among mothers/caretakers over the three-year period; this affected caretakers' initial management of illnesses of their young children. The management in terms of the type and dosage of drugs used also improved significantly (p < 0.0001) over the period. Reported insecticide-treated bed net use among children under-five years and pregnant women significantly increased between 2000 and 2003 (p < 0.0001). Health professionals had improved on adoption of their quality of care roles. The intensification of malaria control activities and awareness creation in this district over a three year period had started demonstrating positive results towards reducing malaria disease burden. CONCLUSION: Periodic performance assessments through surveys as described and prompt feedback of results to stakeholders in the locality serves as a catalyst to improving malaria control in malaria-endemic countries

Insecticide resistance profiles for malaria vectors in the Kassena-Nankana district of Ghana

BACKGROUND: Malaria is a major public health problem in Ghana. The current strategy of the National Malaria Control Programme is based on effective case management and the use of insecticide treated bed nets among vulnerable groups such as children under-five years of age and pregnant women. Resistance to pyrethroids by Anopheles gambiae s.l. and Anopheles funestus has been reported in several African countries including neighbouring Burkina Faso. METHODS: Indoor resting Anopheles mosquitoes were collected. Blood-fed and gravid females were allowed to oviposit, eggs hatched and larvae reared to 1-3 days old adults and tested against permethrin 0.75%, deltamethrin 0.05%, cyfluthrin 0.15%, lambdacyhalothrin 0.1% and DDT 4%, based on WHO methodology. PCR analyses were carried out on a sub-sample of 192 of the An. gambiae for sibling species complex determination. Resistance to pyrethroids and DDT was determined by genotyping the knock-down resistance kdr gene mutations in the study area. RESULTS: A total of 9,749 1-3 days-old F1 female Anopheles mosquitoes were exposed to the insecticides. Among the pyrethroids, permethrin, 0.75% had the least knockdown effect, whilst cyfluthrin 0.15%, had the highest knock-down effect. Overall, no difference in susceptibility between An. gambiae 93.3% (95% CI: 92.5-94.1) and An. funestus 94.5% (95% CI: 93.7-95.3) was observed when exposed to the pyrethroids. Similarly, there was no difference in susceptibility between the two vector species (An. gambiae = 79.1% (95% CI: 76.6-81.8) and An. funestus = 83.5% (95% CI: 80.2-86.4) when exposed to DDT. Overall susceptibility to the insecticides was between 80% and 98%, suggesting that there is some level of resistance, except for cyfluthrin 0.15%. The kdr PCR assay however, did not reveal any kdr mutations. The analysis also revealed only the molecular M (Mopti) form. CONCLUSION: The findings in this study show that An. gambiae and An. funestus, the main malaria vector mosquitoes in the Kassena-Nankana district are susceptible to the insecticides being used in the treatment of bed nets in the malaria control programme. There is however, the need for continuous monitoring of the pyrethroids as the efficacy is not very high

A Human-Like Senescence-Associated Secretory Phenotype Is Conserved in Mouse Cells Dependent on Physiological Oxygen

Cellular senescence irreversibly arrests cell proliferation in response to oncogenic stimuli. Human cells develop a senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP), which increases the secretion of cytokines and other factors that alter the behavior of neighboring cells. We show here that “senescent” mouse fibroblasts, which arrested growth after repeated passage under standard culture conditions (20% oxygen), do not express a human-like SASP, and differ from similarly cultured human cells in other respects. However, when cultured in physiological (3%) oxygen and induced to senesce by radiation, mouse cells more closely resemble human cells, including expression of a robust SASP. We describe two new aspects of the human and mouse SASPs. First, cells from both species upregulated the expression and secretion of several matrix metalloproteinases, which comprise a conserved genomic cluster. Second, for both species, the ability to promote the growth of premalignant epithelial cells was due primarily to the conserved SASP factor CXCL-1/KC/GRO-α. Further, mouse fibroblasts made senescent in 3%, but not 20%, oxygen promoted epithelial tumorigenesis in mouse xenographs. Our findings underscore critical mouse-human differences in oxygen sensitivity, identify conditions to use mouse cells to model human cellular senescence, and reveal novel conserved features of the SASP

Revising the WHO verbal autopsy instrument to facilitate routine cause-of-death monitoring.

OBJECTIVE: Verbal autopsy (VA) is a systematic approach for determining causes of death (CoD) in populations without routine medical certification. It has mainly been used in research contexts and involved relatively lengthy interviews. Our objective here is to describe the process used to shorten, simplify, and standardise the VA process to make it feasible for application on a larger scale such as in routine civil registration and vital statistics (CRVS) systems. METHODS: A literature review of existing VA instruments was undertaken. The World Health Organization (WHO) then facilitated an international consultation process to review experiences with existing VA instruments, including those from WHO, the Demographic Evaluation of Populations and their Health in Developing Countries (INDEPTH) Network, InterVA, and the Population Health Metrics Research Consortium (PHMRC). In an expert meeting, consideration was given to formulating a workable VA CoD list [with mapping to the International Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) CoD] and to the viability and utility of existing VA interview questions, with a view to undertaking systematic simplification. FINDINGS: A revised VA CoD list was compiled enabling mapping of all ICD-10 CoD onto 62 VA cause categories, chosen on the grounds of public health significance as well as potential for ascertainment from VA. A set of 221 indicators for inclusion in the revised VA instrument was developed on the basis of accumulated experience, with appropriate skip patterns for various population sub-groups. The duration of a VA interview was reduced by about 40% with this new approach. CONCLUSIONS: The revised VA instrument resulting from this consultation process is presented here as a means of making it available for widespread use and evaluation. It is envisaged that this will be used in conjunction with automated models for assigning CoD from VA data, rather than involving physicians