Improved survival of children and adolescents with classical Hodgkin lymphoma treated on a harmonised protocol in South Africa

Funding: CANSA, Wits Faculty Research Committee Individual Research Grant, Carnegie Corporation Research Funding, Crowdfunding through Doit4Charity Backabuddy and the Ride Joburg Cycle Race.Background Historic South African 5-year overall survival (OS) rates for Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) from 2000 to 2010 were 46% and 84% for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive and HIV-negative children, respectively. We investigated whether a harmonised treatment protocol using risk stratification and response-adapted therapy could increase the OS of childhood and adolescent HL. Methods Seventeen units prospectively enrolled patients less than 18 years, newly diagnosed with classical HL onto a risk-stratified, response-adapted treatment protocol from July 2016 to December 2022. Low- and intermediate-risk patients received four and six courses of adriamycin, bleomycin, vinblastine, and dacarbazine (ABVD), respectively. High-risk patients received two courses of ABVD, followed by four courses of cyclophosphamide, vincristine, prednisone, and dacarbazine (COPDac). Those with a slow early response and bulky disease received consolidation radiotherapy. HIV-positive patients could receive granulocyte colony-stimulating factor and less intensive therapy if stratified as high risk, at the treating clinician's discretion. Kaplan–Meier survival analysis was performed to determine 2-year OS and Cox regression to elucidate prognostic factors. Results  The cohort comprised 132 patients (19 HIV-positive, 113 HIV-negative), median age of 9.7 years, with a median follow-up of 2.2 years. Risk grouping comprised nine (7%) low risk, 36 (27%) intermediate risk and 87 (66%) high risk, with 71 (54%) rapid early responders and 45 (34%) slow early responders, and 16 (12%) undocumented. Two-year OS was 100% for low-risk, 93% for intermediate-risk, and 91% for high-risk patients. OS for HIV-negative (93%) and HIV-positive (89%) patients were similar (p = .53). Absolute lymphocyte count greater than 0.6 × 109 predicted survival (94% vs. 83%, p = .02). Conclusion In the first South African harmonised HL treatment protocol, risk stratification correlated with prognosis. Two-year OS of HIV-positive and HIV-negative patients improved since 2010, partially ascribed to standardised treatment and increased supportive care. This improved survival strengthens the harmonisation movement and gives hope that South Africa will achieve the WHO Global Initiative for Childhood Cancer goals.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

The genomes of two key bumblebee species with primitive eusocial organization

Background: The shift from solitary to social behavior is one of the major evolutionary transitions. Primitively eusocial bumblebees are uniquely placed to illuminate the evolution of highly eusocial insect societies. Bumblebees are also invaluable natural and agricultural pollinators, and there is widespread concern over recent population declines in some species. High-quality genomic data will inform key aspects of bumblebee biology, including susceptibility to implicated population viability threats. Results: We report the high quality draft genome sequences of Bombus terrestris and Bombus impatiens, two ecologically dominant bumblebees and widely utilized study species. Comparing these new genomes to those of the highly eusocial honeybee Apis mellifera and other Hymenoptera, we identify deeply conserved similarities, as well as novelties key to the biology of these organisms. Some honeybee genome features thought to underpin advanced eusociality are also present in bumblebees, indicating an earlier evolution in the bee lineage. Xenobiotic detoxification and immune genes are similarly depauperate in bumblebees and honeybees, and multiple categories of genes linked to social organization, including development and behavior, show high conservation. Key differences identified include a bias in bumblebee chemoreception towards gustation from olfaction, and striking differences in microRNAs, potentially responsible for gene regulation underlying social and other traits. Conclusions: These two bumblebee genomes provide a foundation for post-genomic research on these key pollinators and insect societies. Overall, gene repertoires suggest that the route to advanced eusociality in bees was mediated by many small changes in many genes and processes, and not by notable expansion or depauperation

Sarie en Rooi Rose se keuse van voorblaaie: tendense en motiverings

Thesis (M.A. (Communication Studies))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2010The wide variety of magazines in the South African market and the economic relapse that has been experienc,e d worldwide has given rise to the increasing competition for higher circulation figures and advertising income. This phenomenon especially occurs between publications competing for the same target audience, such as the women's magazines SARIE and rooi rose, competitors over many years in the Afrikaans magazine market. Magazine covers play a critical role in this rivalry due to the direct connection between the popularity of the cover and circulation figures. The more popular the cover of a publication, the higher the sales, circulation and potential profitability will be. Thus it is of the utmost importance for any publication to make the suitable cover selections, considering that the wrong choices can contribute towards a decrease in circulation and eventually fatal consequences for the publication. This study endeavours to determine which requirements magazine covers should meet to be successful and also which tendencies can be identified in the cover choices of SARIE and rooi rose and how these tendencies can be explained. In literature it was found that there are several requirements and directions to which magazine covers should account to be able to be achieving success. It was also found that magazine covers consist of several elements, such as the logo (master-head), cover-girl/-photo, background colours, text and also competitions (announced on the cover). SARIE and rooi rose's covers were analysed in accordance with the requirements for magazine covers. It was found that these magazine covers complied with the formal requirements formulated in the literature consulted. It also appeared that the success of every cover and edition is determined by the cover elements as a whole and not only the popularity of the "cover-girl" only. Several aspects should thus be taken into account when planning the magazine cover. It also appeared that although the cover choice sets an agenda for readers concerning the topics they will eventually be thinking about and discussing, another dimension of agenda-setting rather is to the point, namely the role readers' preferences play (through their personal feedback and buying of magazines) regarding editors' decision in respect of covers.Master

Towards a holistic customer experience management framework for enterprises

We have entered the age of the customer where customer choice is the main differentiator between enterprises. Therefore, enterprises need to shift their focus to customer experience management (CEM). A survey conducted within the telecommunications sector indicated a gap between theoretical CEM approaches and their implementation in enterprises. Although a systematic literature review and inductive thematic analysis of CEM literature revealed nine common themes, none of the existing approaches includes all of these themes in a comprehensive way. Based on those nine themes, this paper presents a new holistic framework for CEM that managers and practitioners concerned with improving customer experiences could use

Improved survival of children and adolescents with classical Hodgkin lymphoma treated on a harmonised protocol in South Africa

Background Historic South African 5-year overall survival (OS) rates for Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) from 2000 to 2010 were 46% and 84% for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive and HIV-negative children, respectively. We investigated whether a harmonised treatment protocol using risk stratification and response-adapted therapy could increase the OS of childhood and adolescent HL. Methods Seventeen units prospectively enrolled patients less than 18 years, newly diagnosed with classical HL onto a risk-stratified, response-adapted treatment protocol from July 2016 to December 2022. Low- and intermediate-risk patients received four and six courses of adriamycin, bleomycin, vinblastine, and dacarbazine (ABVD), respectively. High-risk patients received two courses of ABVD, followed by four courses of cyclophosphamide, vincristine, prednisone, and dacarbazine (COPDac). Those with a slow early response and bulky disease received consolidation radiotherapy. HIV-positive patients could receive granulocyte colony-stimulating factor and less intensive therapy if stratified as high risk, at the treating clinician's discretion. Kaplan–Meier survival analysis was performed to determine 2-year OS and Cox regression to elucidate prognostic factors. Results The cohort comprised 132 patients (19 HIV-positive, 113 HIV-negative), median age of 9.7 years, with a median follow-up of 2.2 years. Risk grouping comprised nine (7%) low risk, 36 (27%) intermediate risk and 87 (66%) high risk, with 71 (54%) rapid early responders and 45 (34%) slow early responders, and 16 (12%) undocumented. Two-year OS was 100% for low-risk, 93% for intermediate-risk, and 91% for high-risk patients. OS for HIV-negative (93%) and HIV-positive (89%) patients were similar (p = .53). Absolute lymphocyte count greater than 0.6 × 109 predicted survival (94% vs. 83%, p = .02). Conclusion In the first South African harmonised HL treatment protocol, risk stratification correlated with prognosis. Two-year OS of HIV-positive and HIV-negative patients improved since 2010, partially ascribed to standardised treatment and increased supportive care. This improved survival strengthens the harmonisation movement and gives hope that South Africa will achieve the WHO Global Initiative for Childhood Cancer goals

Data from: The genomes of two key bumblebee species with primitive eusocial organisation

Background: The shift from solitary to social behavior is one of the major evolutionary transitions. Primitively eusocial bumblebees are uniquely placed to illuminate the evolution of highly eusocial insect societies. Bumblebees are also invaluable natural and agricultural pollinators, and there is widespread concern over recent population declines in some species. High-quality genomic data will inform key aspects of bumblebee biology, including susceptibility to implicated population viability threats. Results: We report the high quality draft genome sequences of Bombus terrestris and Bombus impatiens, two ecologically dominant bumblebees and widely utilized study species. Comparing these new genomes to those of the highly eusocial honeybee Apis mellifera and other Hymenoptera, we identify deeply conserved similarities, as well as novelties key to the biology of these organisms. Some honeybee genome features thought to underpin advanced eusociality are also present in bumblebees, indicating an earlier evolution in the bee lineage. Xenobiotic detoxification and immune genes are similarly depauperate in bumblebees and honeybees, and multiple categories of genes linked to social organization, including development and behavior, show high conservation. Key differences identified include a bias in bumblebee chemoreception towards gustation from olfaction, and striking differences in microRNAs, potentially responsible for gene regulation underlying social and other traits. Conclusions: These two bumblebee genomes provide a foundation for post-genomic research on these key pollinators and insect societies. Overall, gene repertoires suggest that the route to advanced eusociality in bees was mediated by many small changes in many genes and processes, and not by notable expansion or depauperation

Data from: The genomes of two key bumblebee species with primitive eusocial organisation

Background: The shift from solitary to social behavior is one of the major evolutionary transitions. Primitively eusocial bumblebees are uniquely placed to illuminate the evolution of highly eusocial insect societies. Bumblebees are also invaluable natural and agricultural pollinators, and there is widespread concern over recent population declines in some species. High-quality genomic data will inform key aspects of bumblebee biology, including susceptibility to implicated population viability threats. Results: We report the high quality draft genome sequences of Bombus terrestris and Bombus impatiens, two ecologically dominant bumblebees and widely utilized study species. Comparing these new genomes to those of the highly eusocial honeybee Apis mellifera and other Hymenoptera, we identify deeply conserved similarities, as well as novelties key to the biology of these organisms. Some honeybee genome features thought to underpin advanced eusociality are also present in bumblebees, indicating an earlier evolution in the bee lineage. Xenobiotic detoxification and immune genes are similarly depauperate in bumblebees and honeybees, and multiple categories of genes linked to social organization, including development and behavior, show high conservation. Key differences identified include a bias in bumblebee chemoreception towards gustation from olfaction, and striking differences in microRNAs, potentially responsible for gene regulation underlying social and other traits. Conclusions: These two bumblebee genomes provide a foundation for post-genomic research on these key pollinators and insect societies. Overall, gene repertoires suggest that the route to advanced eusociality in bees was mediated by many small changes in many genes and processes, and not by notable expansion or depauperation.,RAD tag (SgrAI) derived SNPs from Bombus impatiensRAD tag (SgrAI) derived SNPs from Bombus impatiens from Sadd et al. (2015) &quot;The genomes of two key bumblebee species with primitive eusocial organisation&quot;Filtered_Bombus_imp_AEgenome.vcf,</span

RAD tag (SgrAI) derived SNPs from Bombus impatiens

RAD tag (SgrAI) derived SNPs from Bombus impatiens from Sadd et al. (2015) "The genomes of two key bumblebee species with primitive eusocial organisation