The edge of the periphery: situating the ≠Khomani San of the Southern Kalahari in the political economy of Southern Africa

This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in African Identities on 14/04/16, available online: http://www.tandfonline.com/10.1080/14725843.2016.1154813In this article, we situate the Southern Kalahari San within the political economy of Southern Africa and within the world system. Here we draw on and critique modernization theory as a model of explanation for the lack of development found locally. In the Southern Kalahari, the ≠Khomani San won a massive land claim that should have empowered and enabled local development. Yet they remain largely impoverished, while seeking out a meaningful life on the edge of the capitalist world system. Within states, contradictions remain as local diversity continues to be reproduced and modernity itself is reproduced as local diversity. The research is premised on empirical fieldwork conducted in the Southern Kalahari in 2013 and supported by a series of earlier field research over the previous five years. The San of the Southern Kalahari are not resisting modernity but drawing on aspects of it selectively for their own vision of meaningful development

Fas-positive T cells regulate the resolution of airway inflammation in a murine model of asthma

Persistent airway inflammation, mucus production, and airway hyperreactivity are the major contributors to the frequency and severity of asthma. Why lung inflammation persists in asthmatics remains unclear. It has been proposed that Fas-mediated apoptosis of inflammatory cells is a fundamental mechanism involved in the resolution of eosinophilic airway inflammation. Because infiltrating eosinophils are highly sensitive to Fas-mediated apoptosis, it has been presumed that direct ligation of Fas on eosinophils is involved. Here, we utilize adoptive transfers of T cells to demonstrate that the delayed resolution of eosinophilia in Fas-deficient mice is a downstream effect of Fas deficiency on T cells, not eosinophils. Interestingly, the mice that received Fas-deficient T cells, but not the controls, developed a persistent phase of inflammation that failed to resolve even 6 wk after the last challenge. This persistent phase correlated with decreased interferon (IFN)γ production by Fas-deficient T cells and could be reproduced with adoptive transfer of IFNγ-deficient T cells. These data demonstrate that Fas deficiency on T cells is sufficient for the development of long-term allergic airway disease in mice and implies that deregulation of death receptors such as Fas on human T cells could be an important factor in the development and/or chronic nature of asthma

Assessing Walking Ability in People with HTLV-1-Associated Myelopathy Using the 10 Meter Timed Walk and the 6 Minute Walk Test

Five to ten million persons, are infected by HTLV-1 of which 3% will develop HTLV-1-associated myelopathy (HAM) a chronic, disabling inflammation of the spinal cord. Walking, a fundamental, complex, multi-functional task is demanding of multiple body systems. Restricted walking ability compromises activity and participation levels in people with HAM (pwHAM). Therapy aims to improve mobility but validated measures are required to assess change.Prospective observational study.To explore walking capacity in pwHAM, walking endurance using the 6 minute walk (6MW), and gait speed, using the timed 10m walk (10mTW).Out-patient setting in an inner London Teaching hospital.Prospective documentation of 10mTW and 6MW distance; walking aid usage and pain scores measured twice, a median of 18 months apart.Data analysis was completed for twenty-six pwHAM, (8♂; 18♀; median age: 57.8 years; median disease duration: 8 years). Median time at baseline to: complete 10m was 17.5 seconds, versus 21.4 seconds at follow up; 23% completed the 6MW compared to 42% at follow up and a median distance of 55m was covered compared to 71m at follow up. Using the 10mTW velocity to predict the 6MW distance, overestimated the distance walked in 6 minutes (p<0.01). Functional decline over time was captured using the functional ambulation categories.The 10mTW velocity underestimated the degree of disability. Gait speed usefully predicts functional domains, shows direction of functional change and comparison with published healthy age matched controls show that these patients have significantly slower gait speeds. The measured differences over 18 months were sufficient to reliably detect change and therefore these assessments can be useful to detect improvement or deterioration within broader disability grades. Walking capacity in pwHAM should be measured using the 10mTW for gait speed and the 6MW for endurance

Thick disk kinematics from RAVE and the solar motion

Radial velocity surveys such as the Radial Velocity Experiment (RAVE) provide us with measurements of hundreds of thousands of nearby stars most of which belong to the Galactic thin, thick disk or halo. Ideally, to study the Galactic disks (both thin and thick) one should make use of the multi-dimensional phase-space and the whole pattern of chemical abundances of their stellar populations. In this paper, with the aid of the RAVE Survey, we study the thin and thick disks of the Milky Way, focusing on the latter. We present a technique to disentangle the stellar content of the two disks based on the kinematics and other stellar parameters such as the surface gravity of the stars. Using the Padova Galaxy Model, we checked the ability of our method to correctly isolate the thick disk component from the Galaxy mixture of stellar populations. We introduce selection criteria in order to clean the observed radial velocities from the Galactic differential rotation and to take into account the partial sky coverage of RAVE. We developed a numerical technique to statistically disentangle thin and thick disks from their mixture. We deduce the components of the solar motion relative to the Local Standard of Rest (LSR) in the radial and vertical direction, the rotational lag of the thick disk component relative to the LSR, and the square root of the absolute value of the velocity dispersion tensor for the thick disk alone. The analysis of the thin disk is presented in another paper. We find good agreement with previous independent parameter determinations. In our analysis we used photometrically determined distances. In the Appendix we show that similar values can be found for the thick disk alone as derived in the main sections of our paper even without the knowledge of photometric distances.Comment: accepted on A&A, please see companion paper "THIN disk kinem...

The six-minute walk test in community dwelling elderly: influence of health status.

BACKGROUND: The 6 minutes walk test (6MWT) is a useful assessment instrument for the exercise capacity of elderly persons. The impact of the health status on the 6MWT-distance in elderly, however, remains unclear, reducing its value in clinical settings. The objective of this study was to investigate to what extent the 6MWT-distance in community dwelling elderly is determined by health conditions. METHODS: One hundred and fifty-six community dwelling elderly people (53 male, 103 female) were assessed for health status and performed the 6MWT. After clinical evaluation, electrocardiography and laboratory examination participants were categorized into a stratified six-level classification system according to their health status, going from A (completely healthy) to D (signs of active disease at the moment of examination). RESULTS: The mean 6MWT-distance was 603 m (SD = 178). The 6MWT-distance decreased significantly with increasing age (ANOVA p = 0.0001) and with worsening health status (ANCOVA, corrected for age p < 0.001). A multiple linear regression model with health status, age and gender as independent variables explained 31% of the 6MWT-distance variability. Anthropometrical measures (stature, weight and BMI) did not significantly improve the prediction model. A significant relationship between 6MWT-distance and stature was only present in category A (completely healthy). CONCLUSIONS: Significant differences in 6MWT-distance are observed according to health status in community-dwelling elderly persons. The proposed health categorizing system for elderly people is able to distinguish persons with lower physical exercise capacity and can be useful when advising physical trainers for seniors

Museum activities in dementia care: using visual analog scales to measure subjective wellbeing

Introduction: Previous research has shown that people with dementia and caregivers derive wellbeing-related benefits from viewing art in a group, and that facilitated museum object handling is effective in increasing subjective wellbeing for people with a range of health conditions. The present study quantitatively compared the impact of two museum-based activities and a social activity on the subjective wellbeing of people with dementia and their caregivers. Methods: A quasi-experimental crossover design was used. People with early to middle stage dementia and caregivers (N = 66) participated in museum object handling, a refreshment break and art-viewing in small groups. Visual analogue scales were used to rate subjective wellbeing pre and post each activity. Results: Mixed-design ANOVAs indicated wellbeing significantly increased during the session, irrespective of the order in which the activities were presented. Wellbeing significantly increased from object-handling and art-viewing for those with dementia and caregivers across pooled orders, but did not in the social activity of a refreshment break. An end-of-intervention questionnaire indicated that experiences of the session were positive. Conclusion: Results provide a rationale for considering museum activities as part of a broader psychosocial, relational approach to dementia care and support the use of easy to administer visual analogue scales as a quantitative outcome measure. Further partnership working is also supported between museums and healthcare professionals in the development of non-clinical, community-based programmes for this population

Mechanisms of toxic smoke inhalation and burn injury: Role of neutral endopeptidase and vascular leakage in mice

The effects of neutral endopeptidase (NEP) in acute inflammation in the lung were studied using a newly developed murine model of smoke and burn (SB) injury. C57BL/6 mice were pretreated with an i.v. dose of a specific NEP antagonist CGS-24592 (10 mg/Kg) 1 h prior to SB injury (n = 5–8/group). Mice were anesthetized with i.p. ketamine/xylazine, intubated, and exposed to cooled cotton smoke (2 × 30 s). After s.c. injection of 1 ml 0.9% saline, each received a 40% total body surface area (TBSA) flame burn. Buprenorphene (2 mg/kg) was given i.p. and resuscitated by saline. Evans Blue dye (EB) was injected i.v. 15 min before sacrifice. Lung wet/dry weight ratio was measured. After vascular perfusion, lungs were analyzed for their levels of EB dye and myeloperoxidase (MPO). In mice pretreated with CGS-24592 followed by SB injury the EB levels were significantly higher (61%, p = 0.043) than those with SB injury alone. There was a significant increase (144%, p = 0.035) in EB dye in animals with SB injury alone as compared to shams. In mice pretreated with CGS-24592 prior to SB injury wet/dry weight ratios were significantly (27%, p = 0.042) higher compared to animals with SB injury alone. CGS-24592 pretreatment also caused a significant increase in MPO (29%, p = 0.026) as compared to mice with SB injury alone. In conclusion the current study indicates that specific NEP inhibitor CGS 24592 exacerbates the SB-induced lung injury and inflammation in mice

Validation of a new test that assesses functional performance of the upper extremity and neck (FIT-HaNSA) in patients with shoulder pathology

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>There is a lack of standardized tests that assess functional performance for sustained upper extremity activity. This study describes development of a new test for measuring functional performance of the upper extremity and neck and assesses reliability and concurrent validity in patients with shoulder pathology.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A series of developmental tests were conducted to develop a protocol for assessing upper extremity tasks that required multi-level movement and sustained elevation. Kinematics of movement were investigated to inform subtask structure. Tasks and test composition were refined to fit clinical applicability criteria and pilot tested on 5 patients awaiting surgery for shoulder impingement and age-sex matched controls. Test-retest reliability was assessed on 10 subjects. Then a cohort of patients with mild to moderate (n = 17) shoulder pathology and 19 controls (17 were age-sex matched to patients) were tested to further validate the Functional Impairment Test-Hand, and Neck/Shoulder/Arm (FIT-HaNSA) by comparing it to self-reported function and measured strength. The FIT-HaNSA, DASH and SPADI were tested on a single occasion. Impairments in isometric strength were measured using hand-held dynamometry. Discriminative validity was determined by comparing scores to those of age-sex matched controls (n = 34), using ANOVA. Pearson correlations between outcome measures (n = 41) were examined to establish criterion and convergent validity.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A test protocol based on three five-minute subtasks, each either comprised of moving objects to waist-height shelves, eye-level shelves, or sustained manipulation of overhead nuts/bolts, was developed. Test scores for the latter 2 subtasks (or total scores) were different between controls as compared to either surgical-list patients with shoulder impingement or a variety of milder shoulder pathologies (p < 0.01). Test 1 correlated the highest with the DASH (r = -0.83), whereas Test 2 correlated highest with the SPADI (r = -0.76).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Initial data suggest the FIT-HaNSA provides valid assessment of impaired functional performance in patients with shoulder pathology. It discriminates between patients and controls, is related to self-reported function, and yet provides distinct information. Longitudinal testing is warranted.</p