The case for investing in the improvement of the paratransit sector ( in cites of the developing world)

This paper questions the “official view” that the paratransit sector is inherently part of a vicious cycle and puts an “alternative view” namely that the paratransit sector is an integral part of the urban mobility system and that authorities and public transport users stand to gain significantly from investment in the improvement of the sector. The paper provides an understanding of the generic business logic underpinning paratransit operations and puts forward a series of policy and regulatory shifts and practical business improvement initiatives that can turn the sector from villain to strategically.Papers presented at the 36th Southern African Transport Conference, CSIR International Convention Centre, Pretoria, South Africa on 10-13 July 2017.Transportation research board of the national academie

The effects of co-culturing human embryos in one-step continuous culture media on blastulation and assisted reproductive technology outcomes

Thesis (MSc)--Stellenbosch University, 2021.ENGLISH SUMMARY : Background: The embryo culture system plays a vital role in optimizing human embryos' growth and development in vitro. At present, studies determining these conditions are often limited and contradictory, especially when considering the best culture media (sequential vs. continuous) and method of embryo culture (individual vs. co-culture) to use. As such, each laboratory is recommended to perform their own internal studies to determine which culture conditions give them the best clinical outcomes based upon their patient population and laboratory settings. Aim: This study aims to investigate the effects of changing the embryo culture method from individually culturing embryos in Sequential SeriesTM embryo culture medium (ORIGIO®, Embryo Culture Method A) to co-culturing embryos in SAGETM 1-StepTM with Human Albumin Solution (ORIGIO®, Embryo Culture Method B) at Drs. Aevitas Fertility Clinic. Objectives: Primary objective: To evaluate the effects of changing the embryo culture method on the blastulation outcomes. Secondary objective: To evaluate the effects of changing the embryo culture method on the ART outcomes. Tertiary objective: To determine whether the findings from this study support the continued use of Embryo Culture Method B at Drs. Aevitas Fertility Clinic for future ART cycles. Methods and Materials: This was a retrospective study, utilizing the data obtained from the medical and laboratory records of Drs. Aevitas Fertility Clinic between January 2016 to December 2018. 479 cycles were included and separated into two sub-groups (Group A with 184 cycles and Group B with 295 cycles). All data were analysed and assessed for statistical significances (p<0.05) based on the difference in the means ± 95% confidence intervals. Results: This study concluded that Group B attained statistically better blastulation outcomes than Group A, resulting in significantly higher blastocyst development rates [total blastocysts (53.96% vs. 40.70%), good-quality (11.97% vs. 4.45%), and fair-quality blastocysts (11.97% vs. 4.45%)], a significantly higher proportion of better-quality blastocysts [significantly more good-quality blastocysts (18.92% vs. 7.61%) and fewer poor-quality blastocysts (39.77% vs. 51.03%)], and a significantly higher day 5 embryo transfer rate (95.76% vs. 88.04%). Furthermore, Group B attained a significantly better blastocyst attribution profile, resulting in significantly more and better good-quality blastocysts obtained, utilized, and available for cryopreservation. This suggested a potential advantage of attaining better cumulative pregnancy rates than Group A. Group B further attained slightly better ART outcomes, resulting in higher implantation rates (38.36% vs. 36.23%), higher clinical pregnancy rates (54.91% vs. 46.74%), lower miscarriage rates (9.15% vs. 10.33%), and higher live birth rates (47.12% vs. 41.85%). Although, no statistical significance was reported. Conclusion: This study supports the continued use of Embryo Culture Method B at Drs. Aevitas Fertility Clinic in future ART cycles.AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING : Die embrio kultuursisteem speel ‘n baie belangrike rol om die groei en ontwikkeling van die menslike embrio, in vitro, optimaal te maak. Studies wat hierdie kultuursisteme ondersoek is huidiglik skaars en ook soms teenstrydig, veral in die geval van watter die beste kultuurmedium (opeenvolgend vs aaneenlopend) en embrio kultuurmetode (individueel- vs saam kultuur) is. Elke laboratorium word dus aanbeveel om hul eie interne studies uit te voer om te bepaal watter kultuurkondisies vir hulle die beste kliniese uitkomste gee – gebaseer op hul unieke pasiëntpopulasie en laboratoriuminstelling. Doelwit: Die studie het ondersoek ingestel na die effek wat die verandering van die embrio kultuurmetode A [waar embrios individueel kultuur is in “Sequential SeriesTM embryo culture medium (ORIGIO®)”] na embrio kultuurmetode B [waar embrios saam kultuur is in “SAGETM 1-StepTM with Human Albumin Solution (ORIGIO®)”] teweeggebring het by die Drs Aevitas Fertiliteitskliniek. Doel: Primêre Doel: Die evaluasie van die effek wat die verandering van die embrio kultuurmetode op blastosistvorming teweeggebring het. Sekondêre Doel: Die evaluasie van die effek wat die verandering van die embrio kultuurmetode op geassisteerde reproduktiewe tegnieke (GRT) teweeggebring het. Tersiêre Doel: Bepaling of die bevindings van die studie die voortgesette gebruik van embrio kultuurmetode B vir tekomstige GRT siklusse by die Drs Aevitas Fertiliteitskliniek, ondersteun. Metodes en Materiaal: Die huidige studie was retrospektief, die data wat gebruik is vir die ondersoek is verkry uit mediese- en laboratoriumdokumente van die Drs Aevitas Fertiliteitskliniek (Januarie 2016 tot Desember 2018). 479 siklusse is in die studie ingesluit. Die siklusse is onderverdeel in twee subgroepe (Groep A met 184 siklusse en Groep B met 295 siklusse). Alle data is analiseer en stastisties ontleed vir statistiese betekenisvolheid – gebaseer op die verskil in die gemiddeldes ± 95% vertrouensintervalle. Resultate: Die studie se gevolgtrekking was dat blastosistvorming in Groep B statisties betekenisvol beter was as in Groep A. Blastosist ontwikkelingskoers [totale blastosiste (53.96% vs. 40.70%), goeie kwaliteit (11.97% vs. 4.45%) en billike kwaliteit (11.97% vs. 4.45%) was betekenisvol beter. Die proporsie van blastosiste met beter kwaliteit was ook groter. Betekenisvol meer goeie kwaliteit (18.92% vs. 7.61%) en betekenisvol minder swak kwaliteit blastosiste (39.77% vs. 51.03%) is gevind. Die dag 5 embrio terugplasingskoers (95.76% vs. 88.04%) was ook betekenisvol beter. Daar is verder gevind dat Group B se toeskrywingsprofiel betekenisvol beter was. Betekenisvol meer goeie kwaliteit blastosiste is verkry, gebruik en was beskikbaar vir kriopreservering. Hierdie uitkoms dui daarop dat ‘n beter kumulatiewe swangerskapsyfer moontlik kan wees in Groep B. Alhoewel die GRT uitkomste nie statisties betekenisvol was nie, was alle GRT uitkomste gering beter in Groep B; beter implantasiesyfer (38.36% vs. 36.23%); beter kliniese swangerskapsyfer (54.91% vs. 46.74%); swakker miskraamsyfer (9.15% vs. 10.33%) en beter lewendige geboortesyfer (47.12% vs. 41.85%). Gevolgtrekking: Die huidige studie se uitkoms ondersteun die voortgesette gebruik van embrio kultuurmetode B by die Drs Aevitas Fertiliteitskliniek vir toekomstige GRT siklusse.Master

Vocal Communications and the Maintenance of Population Specific Songs in a Contact Zone

Bird song has been hypothesized to play a role in several important aspects of the biology of songbirds, including the generation of taxonomic diversity by speciation; however, the role that song plays in speciation within this group may be dependent upon the ability of populations to maintain population specific songs or calls in the face of gene flow and external cultural influences. Here, in an exploratory study, we construct a spatially explicit model of population movement to examine the consequences of secondary contact of populations singing distinct songs. We concentrate on two broad questions: 1) will population specific songs be maintained in a contact zone or will they be replaced by shared song, and 2) what spatial patterns in the distribution of songs may result from contact? We examine the effects of multiple factors including song-based mating preferences and movement probabilities, oblique versus paternal learning of song, and both cultural and genetic mutations. We find a variety of conditions under which population specific songs can be maintained, particularly when females have preferences for their population specific songs, and we document many distinct patterns of song distribution within the contact zone, including clines, banding, and mosaics

A far UV study of interstellar gas towards HD34078: high excitation H2 and small scale structure - Based on observations performed by the FUSE mission and at the CFHT telescope

To investigate the presence of small scale structure in the spatial distribution of H2 molecules we have undertaken repeated FUSE UV observations of the runaway O9.5V star, HD34078. In this paper we present five spectra obtained between January 2000 and October 2002. These observations reveal an unexpectedly large amount of highly excited H2. Column densities for H2 levels from (v = 0, J = 0) up to (v = 0, J = 11) and for several v = 1 and v = 2 levels are determined. These results are interpreted in the frame of a model involving essentially two components: i) a foreground cloud (unaffected by HD34078) responsible for the H2 (J = 0, 1), CI, CH, CH+ and CO absorptions; ii) a dense layer of gas (n = 10E4 cm-3) close to the O star and strongly illuminated by its UV flux which accounts for the presence of highly excited H2. Our model successfully reproduces the H2 excitation, the CI fine-structure level populations as well as the CH, CH+ and CO column densities. We also examine the time variability of H2 absorption lines tracing each of these two components. From the stability of the J = 0, 1 and 2 damped H2 profiles we infer a 3 sigma upper limit on column density variations Delta(N(H2))/N(H2) of 5% over scales ranging from 5 to 50 AU. This result clearly rules out any pronounced ubiquitous small scale "density" structure of the kind apparently seen in HI. The lines from highly excited gas are also quite stable (equivalent to Delta(N)/N <= 30%) indicating i) that the ambient gas through which HD34078 is moving is relatively uniform and ii) that the gas flow along the shocked layer is not subject to marked instabilitie

Equilibrium and dynamical properties of two dimensional self-gravitating systems

A system of N classical particles in a 2D periodic cell interacting via long-range attractive potential is studied. For low energy density $U$ a collapsed phase is identified, while in the high energy limit the particles are homogeneously distributed. A phase transition from the collapsed to the homogeneous state occurs at critical energy U_c. A theoretical analysis within the canonical ensemble identifies such a transition as first order. But microcanonical simulations reveal a negative specific heat regime near $U_c$. The dynamical behaviour of the system is affected by this transition : below U_c anomalous diffusion is observed, while for U > U_c the motion of the particles is almost ballistic. In the collapsed phase, finite $N$-effects act like a noise source of variance O(1/N), that restores normal diffusion on a time scale diverging with N. As a consequence, the asymptotic diffusion coefficient will also diverge algebraically with N and superdiffusion will be observable at any time in the limit N \to \infty. A Lyapunov analysis reveals that for U > U_c the maximal exponent \lambda decreases proportionally to N^{-1/3} and vanishes in the mean-field limit. For sufficiently small energy, in spite of a clear non ergodicity of the system, a common scaling law \lambda \propto U^{1/2} is observed for any initial conditions.Comment: 17 pages, Revtex - 15 PS Figs - Subimitted to Physical Review E - Two column version with included figures : less paper waste

Assessing the performance of maternity care in Europe: A critical exploration of tools and indicators

Background: This paper critically reviews published tools and indicators currently used to measure maternity care performance within Europe, focusing particularly on whether and how current approaches enable systematic appraisal of processes of minimal (or non-) intervention in support of physiological or "normal birth". The work formed part of COST Actions IS0907: "Childbirth Cultures, Concerns, and Consequences: Creating a dynamic EU framework for optimal maternity care" (2011-2014) and IS1405: Building Intrapartum Research Through Health - an interdisciplinary whole system approach to understanding and contextualising physiological labour and birth (BIRTH) (2014-). The Actions included the sharing of country experiences with the aim of promoting salutogenic approaches to maternity care. Methods: A structured literature search was conducted of material published between 2005 and 2013, incorporating research databases, published documents in english in peer-reviewed international journals and indicator databases which measured aspects of health care at a national and pan-national level. Given its emergence from two COST Actions the work, inevitably, focused on Europe, but findings may be relevant to other countries and regions. Results: A total of 388 indicators were identified, as well as seven tools specifically designed for capturing aspects of maternity care. Intrapartum care was the most frequently measured feature, through the application of process and outcome indicators. Postnatal and neonatal care of mother and baby were the least appraised areas. An over-riding focus on the quantification of technical intervention and adverse or undesirable outcomes was identified. Vaginal birth (no instruments) was occasionally cited as an indicator; besides this measurement few of the 388 indicators were found to be assessing non-intervention or "good" or positive outcomes more generally. Conclusions: The tools and indicators identified largely enable measurement of technical interventions and undesirable health (or pathological medical) outcomes. A physiological birth generally necessitates few, or no, interventions, yet most of the indicators presently applied fail to capture (a) this phenomenon, and (b) the relationship between different forms and processes of care, mode of birth and good or positive outcomes. A need was identified for indicators which capture non-intervention, reflecting the reality that most births are low-risk, requiring few, if any, technical medical procedures

Fish Intelligence, Sentience and Ethics

Fish are one of the most highly utilised vertebrate taxa by humans; they are harvested from wild stocks as part of global fishing industries, grown under intensive aquaculture conditions, are the most common pet and are widely used for scientific research. But fish are seldom afforded the same level of compassion or welfare as warm-blooded vertebrates. Part of the problem is the large gap between people’s perception of fish intelligence and the scientific reality. This is an important issue because public perception guides government policy. The perception of an animal’s intelligence often drives our decision whether or not to include them in our moral circle. From a welfare perspective, most researchers would suggest that if an animal is sentient, then it can most likely suffer and should therefore be offered some form of formal protection. There has been a debate about fish welfare for decades which centres on the question of whether they are sentient or conscious. The implications for affording the same level of protection to fish as other vertebrates are great, not least because of fishing-related industries. Here, I review the current state of knowledge of fish cognition starting with their sensory perception and moving on to cognition. The review reveals that fish perception and cognitive abilities often match or exceed other vertebrates. A review of the evidence for pain perception strongly suggests that fish experience pain in a manner similar to the rest of the vertebrates. Although scientists cannot provide a definitive answer on the level of consciousness for any nonhuman vertebrate, the extensive evidence of fish behavioural and cognitive sophistication and pain perception suggests that best practice would be to lend fish the same level of protection as any other vertebrate

Human subcortical brain asymmetries in 15,847 people worldwide reveal effects of age and sex

The two hemispheres of the human brain differ functionally and structurally. Despite over a century of research, the extent to which brain asymmetry is influenced by sex, handedness, age, and genetic factors is still controversial. Here we present the largest ever analysis of subcortical brain asymmetries, in a harmonized multi-site study using meta-analysis methods. Volumetric asymmetry of seven subcortical structures was assessed in 15,847 MRI scans from 52 datasets worldwide. There were sex differences in the asymmetry of the globus pallidus and putamen. Heritability estimates, derived from 1170 subjects belonging to 71 extended pedigrees, revealed that additive genetic factors influenced the asymmetry of these two structures and that of the hippocampus and thalamus. Handedness had no detectable effect on subcortical asymmetries, even in this unprecedented sample size, but the asymmetry of the putamen varied with age. Genetic drivers of asymmetry in the hippocampus, thalamus and basal ganglia may affect variability in human cognition, including susceptibility to psychiatric disorders

Clinical delineation, sex differences, and genotype-phenotype correlation in pathogenic KDM6A variants causing X-linked Kabuki syndrome type 2.

PURPOSE: The variant spectrum and the phenotype of X-linked Kabuki syndrome type 2 (KS2) are poorly understood. METHODS: Genetic and clinical details of new and published individuals with pathogenic KDM6A variants were compiled and analyzed. RESULTS: Sixty-one distinct pathogenic KDM6A variants (50 truncating, 11 missense) from 80 patients (34 males, 46 females) were identified. Missense variants clustered in the TRP 2, 3, 7 and Jmj-C domains. Truncating variants were significantly more likely to be de novo. Thirteen individuals had maternally inherited variants and one had a paternally inherited variant. Neonatal feeding difficulties, hypoglycemia, postnatal growth retardation, poor weight gain, motor delay, intellectual disability (ID), microcephaly, congenital heart anomalies, palate defects, renal malformations, strabismus, hearing loss, recurrent infections, hyperinsulinism, seizures, joint hypermobility, and gastroesophageal reflux were frequent clinical findings. Facial features of over a third of patients were not typical for KS. Males were significantly more likely to be born prematurely, have shorter stature, and severe developmental delay/ID. CONCLUSION: We expand the KDM6A variant spectrum and delineate the KS2 phenotype. We demonstrate that the variability of the KS2 phenotypic depends on sex and the variant type. We also highlight the overlaps and differences between the phenotypes of KS2 and KS1