High stakes and low bars: How international recognition shapes the conduct of civil wars

When rebel groups engage incumbent governments in war for control of the state, questions of international recognition arise. International recognition determines which combatants can draw on state assets, receive overt military aid, and borrow as sovereigns—all of which can have profound consequences for the military balance during civil war. How do third-party states and international organizations determine whom to treat as a state's official government during civil war? Data from the sixty-one center-seeking wars initiated from 1945 to 2014 indicate that military victory is not a prerequisite for recognition. Instead, states generally rely on a simple test: control of the capital city. Seizing the capital does not foreshadow military victory. Civil wars often continue for many years after rebels take control and receive recognition. While geopolitical and economic motives outweigh the capital control test in a small number of important cases, combatants appear to anticipate that holding the capital will be sufficient for recognition. This expectation generates perverse incentives. In effect, the international community rewards combatants for capturing or holding, by any means necessary, an area with high concentrations of critical infrastructure and civilians. In the majority of cases where rebels contest the capital, more than half of its infrastructure is damaged or the majority of civilians are displaced (or both), likely fueling long-term state weakness

Nonprimate hepaciviruses in domestic horses, United kingdom

Although the origin of hepatitis C virus infections in humans remains undetermined, a close homolog of this virus, termed canine hepacivirus (CHV) and found in respiratory secretions of dogs, provides evidence for a wider distribution of hepaciviruses in mammals. We determined frequencies of active infection among dogs and other mammals in the United Kingdom. Samples from dogs (46 respiratory, 99 plasma, 45 autopsy samples) were CHV negative by PCR. Screening of 362 samples from cats, horses, donkeys, rodents, and pigs identified 3 (2%) positive samples from 142 horses. These samples were genetically divergent from CHV and nonprimate hepaciviruses that horses were infected with during 2012 in New York state, USA. Investigation of infected horses demonstrated nonprimate hepacivirus persistence, high viral loads in plasma (105–107 RNA copies/mL), and liver function test results usually within reference ranges, although several values ranged from high normal to mildly elevated. Disease associations and host range of nonprimate hepaciviruses warrant further investigation

The timing of strike-slip shear along the Ranong and Khlong Marui faults, Thailand

The timing of shear along many important strike-slip faults in Southeast Asia, such as the Ailao Shan-Red River, Mae Ping and Three Pagodas faults, is poorly understood. We present 40Ar/39Ar, U-Pb SHRIMP and microstructural data from the Ranong and Khlong Marui faults of Thailand to show that they experienced a major period of ductile dextral shear during the middle Eocene (48–40 Ma, centered on 44 Ma) which followed two phases of dextral shear along the Ranong Fault, before the Late Cretaceous (>81 Ma) and between the late Paleocene and early Eocene (59–49 Ma). Many of the sheared rocks were part of a pre-kinematic crystalline basement complex, which partially melted and was intruded by Late Cretaceous (81–71 Ma) and early Eocene (48 Ma) tin-bearing granites. Middle Eocene dextral shear at temperatures of ~300–500°C formed extensive mylonite belts through these rocks and was synchronous with granitoid vein emplacement. Dextral shear along the Ranong and Khlong Marui faults occurred at the same time as sinistral shear along the Mae Ping and Three Pagodas faults of northern Thailand, a result of India-Burma coupling in advance of India-Asia collision. In the late Eocene (<37 Ma) the Ranong and Khlong Marui faults were reactivated as curved sinistral branches of the Mae Ping and Three Pagodas faults, which were accommodating lateral extrusion during India-Asia collision and Himalayan orogenesis

Calculation of policy-relevant spatial indicators of urban liveability : experiences of scaling a research programme from local to global

Urban liveability is a global priority, underpinning the creation of healthy, sustainable cities, aligning strongly with the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals. Measurement of policy-relevant spatial indicators of built and natural environments supports city planning at all levels of government. Analysis of their spatial distribution within cities, and impacts on individuals and communities, can assist with implementation and evaluation of policy for effective and equitable planning decisions. The Urban Liveability Index was underpinned by a detailed socio-ecological model of associations between the built environment and health. Using this framework, we developed methods for calculating a high-resolution spatial urban liveability index, encompassing empirically-tested indicators across liveability domains, including walkability, access to community and health services, employment, food, housing, public open space, and transport. The resulting spatial indicators supported analysis and mapping of geographic access to health-supportive environments, providing evidence of within-city and between-city liveability inequities in Australia and internationally. A pilot project, which focused on Melbourne in 2012, developed an initial workflow to calculate address-level liveability measures. This workflow was extended to capital and regional cities, towns and local government areas around Australia, and to 25 cities located in diverse international contexts across two distinct projects. The results informed scorecard reports of urban liveability, interactive indicator map portals, analysis of health outcomes, and amenity provision in new urban developments. This paper reviews methodological challenges encountered in the scaling up of this 5-year collaborative research program. It derives lessons-learned from these experiences that can further strengthen evidence and tools used by urban planners, policy makers and researchers for creating healthy, sustainable cities

Genetic architecture of human plasma lipidome and its link to cardiovascular disease

AbstractUnderstanding genetic architecture of plasma lipidome could provide better insights into lipid metabolism and its link to cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Here, we perform genome-wide association analyses of 141 lipid species (n = 2,181 individuals), followed by phenome-wide scans with 25 CVD related phenotypes (n = 511,700 individuals). We identify 35 lipid-species-associated loci (P −8), 10 of which associate with CVD risk including five new loci-COL5A1, GLTPD2, SPTLC3, MBOAT7 and GALNT16 (false discovery rateAbstract Understanding genetic architecture of plasma lipidome could provide better insights into lipid metabolism and its link to cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Here, we perform genome-wide association analyses of 141 lipid species (n = 2,181 individuals), followed by phenome-wide scans with 25 CVD related phenotypes (n = 511,700 individuals). We identify 35 lipid-species-associated loci (P <5 ×10−8), 10 of which associate with CVD risk including five new loci-COL5A1, GLTPD2, SPTLC3, MBOAT7 and GALNT16 (false discovery rate<0.05). We identify loci for lipid species that are shown to predict CVD e.g., SPTLC3 for CER(d18:1/24:1). We show that lipoprotein lipase (LPL) may more efficiently hydrolyze medium length triacylglycerides (TAGs) than others. Polyunsaturated lipids have highest heritability and genetic correlations, suggesting considerable genetic regulation at fatty acids levels. We find low genetic correlations between traditional lipids and lipid species. Our results show that lipidomic profiles capture information beyond traditional lipids and identify genetic variants modifying lipid levels and risk of CVD

Crop Updates 2005 - Geraldton

This session covers seventeen papers from different authors 2005 Seasonal Outlook, David Stephens and Nicola Telcik, Department of Agriculture Horses for Courses – using the best tools to manage climate risk, Cameron Weeks, Mingenew-Irwin Group / Planfarm and Richard Quinlan, Planfarm Agronomy Global influences driving Australian agriculture, Tony Harman, Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Wheat yield and quality improvements – where have they come from and can we have more? Wal Anderson, Department of Agriculture Rotations for nematode management, Vivien A. Vanstone, Sean J. Kelly, Helen F. Hunter and Mena C. Gilchrist, Department of Agriculture Integrate strategies to manage stripe rust risk, Ciara Beard, Geoff Thomas, Robert Loughman, Kith Jayasena and Manisha Shenkar, Department of Agriculture Frequency of herbicide resistance in wild radish populations across the WA wheatbelt, Dr Michael Walsh, Mechelle Owen and Prof. Stephen Powels, University of Western Australia The incidence and severity of wild radish resistance in the NAR – results from an in-situ survey, Rob Grima and Andrew Blake, Elders Limited Stubble management: the pros and cons of different methods, Bill Bowden, Department of Agriculture, Mike Collins WANTFA Effectiveness of Zinc Application Methods in Wheat, Luigi Moreschi, CSBP Know your Mo, Douglas Hamilton, Department of Agriculture Atrazine contamination of groundwater in the agricultural region of Western Australia, Russell Speed1, Neil Rothnie2, John Simons1, Ted Spadek2, and John Moore1, 1Department of Agriculture, 2Chemistry Centre (W.A.) Comparison of canola varieties in the Northern Agricultural Region in 2004, Graham Walton Department of Agriculture Pasture rotations are a promising option for sandplain production, Nadine Eva, Department of Agriculture Zone management can improve profit on sandplain, Bindi Webb, Damian Shepherd, Department of Agriculture, David Forrester, Davejeff Farms, casuarinas via Geraldton, Peter Tozer, Department of Agriculture Crop leftovers: what’s in stubble for sheep? Roy Butler and Keith Croker, Department of Agriculture Realising Rural Equity, Nathan Windebank, Australian Agricultural Contracts Limite

Sex differences in oncogenic mutational processes.

Sex differences have been observed in multiple facets of cancer epidemiology, treatment and biology, and in most cancers outside the sex organs. Efforts to link these clinical differences to specific molecular features have focused on somatic mutations within the coding regions of the genome. Here we report a pan-cancer analysis of sex differences in whole genomes of 1983 tumours of 28 subtypes as part of the ICGC/TCGA Pan-Cancer Analysis of Whole Genomes (PCAWG) Consortium. We both confirm the results of exome studies, and also uncover previously undescribed sex differences. These include sex-biases in coding and non-coding cancer drivers, mutation prevalence and strikingly, in mutational signatures related to underlying mutational processes. These results underline the pervasiveness of molecular sex differences and strengthen the call for increased consideration of sex in molecular cancer research

Factors Associated with Revision Surgery after Internal Fixation of Hip Fractures

Background: Femoral neck fractures are associated with high rates of revision surgery after management with internal fixation. Using data from the Fixation using Alternative Implants for the Treatment of Hip fractures (FAITH) trial evaluating methods of internal fixation in patients with femoral neck fractures, we investigated associations between baseline and surgical factors and the need for revision surgery to promote healing, relieve pain, treat infection or improve function over 24 months postsurgery. Additionally, we investigated factors associated with (1) hardware removal and (2) implant exchange from cancellous screws (CS) or sliding hip screw (SHS) to total hip arthroplasty, hemiarthroplasty, or another internal fixation device. Methods: We identified 15 potential factors a priori that may be associated with revision surgery, 7 with hardware removal, and 14 with implant exchange. We used multivariable Cox proportional hazards analyses in our investigation. Results: Factors associated with increased risk of revision surgery included: female sex, [hazard ratio (HR) 1.79, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.25-2.50; P = 0.001], higher body mass index (fo

Retrospective evaluation of whole exome and genome mutation calls in 746 cancer samples

Funder: NCI U24CA211006Abstract: The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC) curated consensus somatic mutation calls using whole exome sequencing (WES) and whole genome sequencing (WGS), respectively. Here, as part of the ICGC/TCGA Pan-Cancer Analysis of Whole Genomes (PCAWG) Consortium, which aggregated whole genome sequencing data from 2,658 cancers across 38 tumour types, we compare WES and WGS side-by-side from 746 TCGA samples, finding that ~80% of mutations overlap in covered exonic regions. We estimate that low variant allele fraction (VAF < 15%) and clonal heterogeneity contribute up to 68% of private WGS mutations and 71% of private WES mutations. We observe that ~30% of private WGS mutations trace to mutations identified by a single variant caller in WES consensus efforts. WGS captures both ~50% more variation in exonic regions and un-observed mutations in loci with variable GC-content. Together, our analysis highlights technological divergences between two reproducible somatic variant detection efforts