Minorities policy in the post‐Soviet republics: The case of the Gagauzi

This article explores the obstacles to crafting comprehensive policies for ethnic minorities within the Soviet successor states. It focuses on a case that has been viewed as a model for the peaceful resolution of ethnic conflict in the region: Moldova's devolution of power to its small Gagauz (Christian Turkic) minority. The relationship between the Moldovan government and the Gagauzi reached its nadir in 1990, when Moldovan volunteer forces and Gagauz irregulars stood at the brink of all‐out civil war over the issue of a separate Gagauz political entity. Since then, however, Moldova has created a special administrative unit known as Gagauz Yeri ('the Gagauz land'). In contrast to other ethno‐territorial disputes in the former Soviet Union, the Gagauz case has illustrated that a range of policy options exists between the extremes of maintaining a highly centralized, unitary state structure and the devolution of authority to loosely related confederative units.     

Ethnic intolerance and ethnic conflict in the dissolution of Yugoslavia

The causal link between ethnic intolerance and ethnic conflict is tested using four highly comparable data sets from Croatia that span the time before and after the violent dissolution of Yugoslavia: 1984–5, 1989–90, 1996 and 2003. Though most approaches to ethnic conflict posit a social-psychological dimension critical to violent encounters, our analysis provides an unprecedented empirical examination that dispels the commonly held view that ethnic hatred, hostility, and intolerance are the cause of ethnic conflict. After explaining the events and the shifting social, political and economic landscape that precipitated the war, we examine demographic, social structural and attitudinal changes between 1985 and 2003 that are associated with variation in ethnic intolerance, giving special attention to the connection between religiosity and intolerance. Prior to the war people were slow to translate public tensions into personal animosities. We find strong support for concluding that the events of the war itself and especially elite manipulation of public images of these events, are strongly implicated in rising intolerance during the war, and that the war's residual effect has been slow to dissipate.     

Mine warfare at sea—some legal aspects of the future

Abstract

The paper addresses some of the problems that new weapon technology at sea are posing to traditional legal concepts, and to illustrate these, the sea mine has been taken as the topical weapon. One of the difficulties is that since the Hague Peace Conference of 1907, through the Covenant of the League of Nations and the Paris Treaty of 1928 renouncing war as an instrument of national policy up to the situation after the Charter of the United Nations, it is improbable that any nation will ever again declare war. In the absence of declared war, it is probably most helpful to categorize the threat or use of armed force as either a delict, a sanction, or self‐defense. The use of mines in any legal context gives rise to two fundamental questions:

a. Is the mine a lawful weapon?

b. If it is a lawful weapon what are the legal restraints on its use, if any?

The paper asserts, inter alia, that the Hague Convention No VIII Relative to the Laying of Automatic Submarine Contact Mines does not prohibit the mine as then known, and that the legal status of mines as a weapon of war has not fundamentally changed since 1907.     

Diversity and the economy: a cross-country,comprehensive study

Using Alesina et al.'s (2003) fractionalization indices that separately measure ethnic (E), linguistic (L) and religious (R) diversity for 180 countries, a cluster analysis is performed to group the countries into three distinct clusters based on their similarities in the three diversity measures. Given these country clusters, this study examines how these different clusters perform, on average, in regard to thirteen different economic and political indicators. The results presented for the economic indicators suggest that ethnic and linguistic diversity measures might be relatively more important in affecting economic outcomes compared to religious diversity. In terms of the political indicators considered in this analysis, the countries in the most ethnically, linguistically and religiously diverse cluster performed statistically lower on average relative to the other country clusters.     

The development and status of Bt rice in China

Multiple lines of transgenic rice expressing insecticidal genes from the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) have been developed in China, posing the prospect of increases in production with decreased application of pesticides. We explore the issues facing adoption of Bt rice for commercial production in China. A body of safety assessment work on Bt rice has shown that Bt rice poses a negligible risk to the environment and that Bt rice products are as safe as non‐Bt control rice products as food. China has a relatively well‐developed regulatory system for risk assessment and management of genetically modified (GM) plants; however, decision‐making regarding approval of commercial production has become politicized, and two Bt rice lines that otherwise were ready have not been allowed to enter the Chinese agricultural system. We predict that Chinese farmers would value the prospect of increased yield with decreased use of pesticide and would readily adopt production of Bt rice. That Bt rice lines may not be commercialized in the near future we attribute to social pressures, largely due to the low level of understanding and acceptance of GM crops by Chinese consumers. Hence, enhancing communication of GM crop science‐related issues to the public is an important, unmet need. While the dynamics of each issue are particular to China, they typify those in many countries where adoption of GM crops has been not been rapid; hence, the assessment of these dynamics might inform resolution of these issues in other countries.     

A revision of the sauropod dinosaur genus ‘Bothriospondylus’ with a redescription of the type material of the Middle Jurassic form ‘B. madagascariensis’

Abstract: The sauropod dinosaur ‘Bothriospondylus’, originally named on the basis of Late Jurassic remains from England, is demonstrated to be invalid, and the characters used to diagnose it are shown to be obsolescent features which are widespread throughout Sauropoda. Material referred to this genus spans a temporal range from the Middle Jurassic until the early Late Cretaceous and has been described from five different countries, across three continents. These remains represent a wide array of sauropod groups, comprising non‐neosauropod eusauropods, a macronarian, titanosauriforms (including at least one definite brachiosaurid) and a rebbachisaurid. The type material of the Middle Jurassic ‘B. madagascariensis’ represents a derived non‐neosauropod eusauropod and possesses two potential autapomorphies. However, as a result of the fragmentary nature of the material and the uncertainty surrounding its association, a new taxon is not erected. Of the numerous specimens referred to ‘Bothriospondylus’, however, several remains are considered diagnostic: Ornithopsis hulkei (Early Cretaceous, UK), Lapparentosaurus madagascariensis (Middle Jurassic, Madagascar) and Nopcsaspondylus alarconensis (early Late Cretaceous, Argentina). At least three types of sauropod were present in the Bathonian (Middle Jurassic) of north‐west Madagascar, with a basal eusauropod (Archaeodontosaurus), a more derived eusauropod (‘B. madagascariensis’) and a titanosauriform (Lapparentosaurus) all approximately contemporaneous. Palaeocontinental reconstructions suggest that Middle Jurassic Madagascan sauropods would still have been capable of global biotic interchange, and this is perhaps reflected in their diverse assemblage. Re‐evaluation of these Malagasy forms has shed new light on this important time period in sauropod evolution.     

Mating disruption of the ambrosia beetle Megaplatypus mutatus in poplar and hazelnut plantations using reservoir systems for pheromones

Megaplatypus mutatus (Chapuis) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Platypodinae) is an ambrosia beetle native to South America, but it has recently been introduced into Italy and represents a serious problem in commercial poplar and fruit tree plantations. Male M. mutatus emit a sex pheromone composed of (+)‐6‐methyl‐5‐hepten‐2‐ol [(+)‐sulcatol], 6‐methyl‐5‐hepten‐2‐one (sulcatone), and 3‐pentanol. We performed three field trials of mating disruption of M. mutatus in hazelnut and poplar plantations in Argentina and Italy. To perform these tests, we made plastic pheromone reservoir‐type dispensers for sulcatol, sulcatone, and 3‐pentanol with zero‐order kinetics that were deployed in the field during the female flight period. The number of galleries where mating took place was significantly higher in control than in treated areas, indicating that pheromone application had interfered with female behavior and male localization. Because damage reduction was >56% in both countries, these results demonstrate the potential for the strategy of pheromone‐mediated mating disruption of M. mutatus in commercial poplar and hazelnut plantations. Also, our study provides the first evidence for successful pheromone‐mediated mating disruption in a forest beetle.     

Prevalence of URAT1 allelic variants in the Roma population

ABSTRACT

The Roma represents a transnational ethnic group, with a current European population of 8–10 million. The evolutionary process that had the greatest impact on the gene pool of the Roma population is called the founder effect. Renal hypouricemia (RHUC) is a rare heterogenous inherited disorder characterized by impaired renal urate reabsorption. The affected individuals are predisposed to recurrent episodes of exercise-induced nonmyoglobinuric acute kidney injury and nephrolithiasis. To date, more than 150 patients with a loss-of-function mutation for the SLC22A12 (URAT1) gene have been found, most of whom are Asians. However, RHUC 1 patients have been described in a variety of ethnic groups (e.g., Arab Israelis, Iraqi Jews, Caucasians, and Roma) and in geographically noncontiguous countries. This study confirms our previous findings regarding the high frequency of SLC22A12 variants observed. Frequencies of the c.1245_1253del and c.1400C>T variants were found to be 1.92% and 5.56%, respectively, in a subgroup of the Roma population from five regions in three countries: Slovakia, Czech Republic, and Spain. Our findings suggested that the common dysfunction allelic variants of URAT1 exist in the general Roma population and thus renal hypouricemia should be kept in differential diagnostic algorithm on Roma patients with defect in renal tubular urate transport. This leads to confirm that the genetic drift in the Roma have increased the prevalence of hereditary disorders caused by very rare variants in major population.     

Agent Orange Exposure and 2,3,7,8‐Tetrachlorodibenzo‐p‐Dioxin (TCDD) in Human Milk

Agent Orange was sprayed in parts of southern Vietnam during the U.S.‐Vietnam war and was a mixture of two chlorophenoxy herbicides. The mixture was contaminated with 2,3,7,8‐tetrachlorodibenzo‐p‐dioxin (TCDD). TCDD and other dioxins and furans are measurable in the milk of Vietnamese women. We explored whether the TCDD in milk from these women was from Agent Orange and whether lactational exposure can be a mode of transgenerational effects of TCDD from Agent Orange. A review of the world's literature on milk concentrations of polychlorinated compounds showed the presence of TCDD and other dioxins and furans in all countries that have been assessed. The congener profile of these chemicals, that is, the proportion of different congeners in the sample, can be used to assess the source of milk contamination. Measurements in most countries, including contemporary measurements in Vietnam, are consistent with non‐Agent Orange exposure sources, including industrial activities and incineration of waste. Models and supporting human data suggest that TCDD from breastfeeding does not persist in a child past adolescence and that the adult body burden of TCDD is independent of whether the individual was breast‐ or bottle‐fed as a child. These findings suggest that exposure to Agent Orange in Vietnam did not result in persistent transgenerational exposure through human milk     

Obesity Attenuates the Contribution of African Admixture to the Insulin Secretory Profile in Peripubertal Children: A Longitudinal Analysis

The pubertal transition has been identified as a time of risk for development of type 2 diabetes, particularly among vulnerable groups, such as African Americans (AAs). Documented ethnic differences in insulin secretory dynamics may predispose overweight AA adolescents to risk for type 2 diabetes. The objectives of this longitudinal study were to quantify insulin secretion and clearance in a cohort of 90 AA and European American (EA) children over the pubertal transition and to explore the association of genetic factors and adiposity with repeated measures of insulin secretion and clearance during this critical period. Insulin sensitivity was determined by intravenous glucose tolerance test (IVGTT) and minimal modeling; insulin secretion and clearance by C‐peptide modeling; genetic ancestry by admixture analysis. Mixed‐model longitudinal analysis indicated that African genetic admixture (AfADM) was independently and positively associated with first‐phase insulin secretion within the entire group (P < 0.001), and among lean children (P < 0.01). When examined within pubertal stage, this relationship became significant at Tanner stage 3. Total body fat was a significant determinant of first‐phase insulin secretion overall and among obese children (P < 0.001). Total body fat, but not AfADM, was associated with insulin clearance (P < 0.001). In conclusion, genetic factors, as reflected in AfADM, may explain greater first‐phase insulin secretion among peripubertal AA vs. EA; however, the influence of genetic factors is superseded by adiposity. The pubertal transition may affect the development of the β‐cell response to glucose in a manner that differs with ethnic/genetic background.     

Distribution of the common warthog (Phacochoerus africanus) and the desert warthog (Phacochoerus aethiopicus) in the Horn of Africa

The Somali warthog, Phacochoerus aethiopicus delamerei, is the surviving relative of the Cape warthog, P. a. aethiopicus, which formerly inhabited Cape Province but became extinct in the last century. It is only recently that these two subspecies of Phacochoerus aethiopicus have been restored to the status of a species – the ‘desert warthog’– distinct from the common warthog, P. africanus ( Grubb, 1985 ; Grubb & Oliver, 1991 ; Grubb, 1993 ). Mitochondrial DNA analysis has recently confirmed that the common and desert warthogs are two different and widely divergent species (Randi et al., unpublished). This preliminary study maps their distribution in the Horn of Africa, and discusses the significance of ecological barriers that limit these distributions. One hundred and thirty‐three skulls from 64 different localities in five countries – mostly from museum collections – were identified. New material was obtained from the field and reliable literature data were also recorded. Locality records suggest that the optimal habitats of desert warthog are low altitude arid lands. The two species may overlap locally in northern Somalia, northern and eastern Kenya and southern and south‐eastern Ethiopia, but the desert warthog's precise range is still not accurately established and basic data about its conservation status, ecology and behaviour are still very poor.     

Nosocomial infection caused by vancomycin‐susceptible multidrug‐resistant Enterococcus faecalis over a long period in a university hospital in Japan

Compared with other developed countries, vancomycin‐resistant enterococci (VRE) are not widespread in clinical environments in Japan. There have been no VRE outbreaks and only a few VRE strains have sporadically been isolated in our university hospital in Gunma, Japan. To examine the drug susceptibility of Enterococcus faecalis and nosocomial infection caused by non‐VRE strains, a retrospective surveillance was conducted in our university hospital. Molecular epidemiological analyses were performed on 1711 E. faecalis clinical isolates collected in our hospital over a 6‐year period [1998–2003]. Of these isolates, 1241 (72.5%) were antibiotic resistant and 881 (51.5%) were resistant to two or more drugs. The incidence of multidrug resistant E. faecalis (MDR‐Ef) isolates in the intensive care unit increased after enlargement and restructuring of the hospital. The major group of MDR‐Ef strains consisted of 209 isolates (12.2%) resistant to the five drug combination tetracycline/erythromycin/kanamycin/streptomycin/gentamicin. Pulsed‐field gel electrophoresis analysis of the major MDR‐Ef isolates showed that nosocomial infections have been caused by MDR‐Ef over a long period (more than 3 years). Multilocus sequence typing showed that these strains were mainly grouped into ST16 (CC58) or ST64 (CC8). Mating experiments suggested that the drug resistances were encoded on two conjugative transposons (integrative conjugative elements), one encoded tetracycline‐resistance and the other erythromycin/kanamycin/streptomycin/gentamicin‐resistance. To our knowledge, this is the first report of nosocomial infection caused by vancomycin‐susceptible MDR‐Ef strains over a long period in Japan.     

Nepali Concepts of Psychological Trauma: The Role of Idioms of Distress,Ethnopsychology and Ethnophysiology in Alleviating Suffering and Preventing Stigma

In the aftermath of a decade-long Maoist civil war in Nepal and the recent relocation of thousands of Bhutanese refugees from Nepal to Western countries, there has been rapid growth of mental health and psychosocial support programs, including posttraumatic stress disorder treatment, for Nepalis and ethnic Nepali Bhutanese. This medical anthropology study describes the process of identifying Nepali idioms of distress and local ethnopsychology and ethnophysiology models that promote effective communication about psychological trauma in a manner that minimizes stigma for service users. Psychological trauma is shown to be a multifaceted concept that has no single linguistic corollary in the Nepali study population. Respondents articulated different categories of psychological trauma idioms in relation to impact on the heart-mind, brain-mind, body, spirit, and social status, with differences in perceived types of traumatic events, symptom sets, emotion clusters and vulnerability. Trauma survivors felt blamed for experiencing negative events, which were seen as karma transmitting past life sins or family member sins into personal loss. Some families were reluctant to seek care for psychological trauma because of the stigma of revealing this bad karma. In addition, idioms related to brain-mind dysfunction contributed to stigma, while heart-mind distress was a socially acceptable reason for seeking treatment. Different categories of trauma idioms support the need for multidisciplinary treatment with multiple points of service entry.     

Insight on Propolis from Mediterranean Countries: Chemical Composition,Biological Activities and Application Fields

This review updates the information upon the chemical composition of propolis from all Mediterranean countries as well as their biological properties and applications. The non‐volatile fraction of propolis was characterized by the presence of phenolic acids and their esters and flavonoids. Nevertheless, in some countries, diterpenes were also present: Sicily (Italy), Croatia, Malta, Creta (Greece), Turkey, Cyprus, Egypt, Libya, Algeria and Morocco. The volatile fraction of propolis was characterized by the presence of benzoic acid and its esters, mono‐ and sesquiterpenes, being the oxygenated sesquiterpene β‐eudesmol characteristic of poplar propolis, whereas the hydrocarbon monoterpene α‐pinene has been related with the presence of conifers. Regardless the chemical composition, there are common biological properties attributed to propolis. Owing to these attributes, propolis has been target of study for applications in diverse areas, such as food, medicine and livestock.     

Symbolic ethnicity and symbolic religiosity: Towards a comparison of ethnic and religious acculturation

This article begins with a brief section updating my 1979 Ethnic and Racial Studies article ‘Symbolic ethnicity: the future of ethnic groups and cultures in America’. However, its main aim is to describe and develop the somewhat parallel concept of symbolic religiosity, which I conceive as the consumption of religious symbols apart from regular participation in a religious culture or in religious organizations, for the purpose of expressing feelings of religiosity and religious identification. Since I assume that symbolic religiosity develops mainly among the acculturating descendants of immigrants, I also explore the possibility of separating and then comparing ethnic and religious acculturation. I assume further that among religio‐ethnic groups like the Jews, and ethno‐religious groups such as Russian, Greek and other Orthodox Catholics, ethnic and religious acculturation proceed in divergent ways. This raises a number of interesting empirical questions about the differences between and similarities of ethnicity and religion among these groups and in general. The article concludes with speculations about what might happen to ethnicity and religiosity in the future. Most of my illustrative data in this article are drawn from studies and observations about American Jewry.     

Helicobacter pylori and the birth cohort effect: evidence for stabilized colonization rates in childhood

Background: The prevalence of Helicobacter pylori has declined over recent decades in developed countries. The increasing prevalence with age is largely because of a birth cohort effect. We previously observed a decline in H. pylori prevalence in 6‐ to 8‐year‐old Dutch children from 19% in 1978 to 9% in 1993. Knowledge about birth‐cohort‐related H. pylori prevalence is relevant as a predictor for the future incidence of H. pylori‐associated conditions. Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate whether the birth cohort effect of H. pylori observed between 1978 and 1993 continued in subsequent years. Methods: Anti‐H. pylori IgG antibodies and anti‐CagA IgG antibodies were determined in serum samples obtained in 2005/2006 from 545 Dutch children aged 7–9 years who participated in the Prevention and Incidence of Asthma and Mite Allergy birth cohort. The H. pylori and CagA antibodies were determined by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assays that have been extensively validated in children, with a 94% sensitivity for H. pylori colonization and a 92.5% sensitivity for colonization with a cagA‐positive strain. Results: Of the 545 children (M/F 300/245), most (91.5%) were of Dutch descent. The H. pylori positivity rate was 9% (95% CI 6.6–11.4%). The prevalence of CagA antibodies was 0.9% (95% CI 0.1–1.6%). No significant differences were demonstrated in H. pylori and cagA prevalence in relation to gender or ethnicity. Conclusion: The prevalence of H. pylori in childhood has remained stable in the Netherlands from 1993 to 2005, suggesting a stabilization of the previously decreasing trend in subsequent birth cohorts. This finding may reflect stabilization in determinants such as family size, housing, and hygienic conditions (or offset by day care). If confirmed in other populations in developed countries, it implies that colonization with H. pylori will remain common in the coming decades. Remarkably however, the rate of colonization with cagA⁺H. pylori strains has become very low, consistent with prior observations that cagA⁺ strains are disappearing in Western countries.     

Black and white with some shades of grey: the diverse responses of inducible metabolic pathways in Escherichia coli

The metabolic pathways for many sugars are inducible. This process has been extensively studied in the case of Escherichia coli lactose metabolism. It has long been known that gratuitous induction of the lac operon with non‐metabolizable lactose analogues generates an all‐or‐nothing response, where some cells express the lac genes at a maximal rate and others not at all. However, the response to lactose itself is graded, where all cells express the lac genes in proportion to lactose concentrations. The mechanisms generating these distinct behaviours in lactose metabolism have been a topic of many studies. Despite this large body of work, little is known about how other pathways respond to their cognate sugars. An article of Molecular Microbiology investigated the response of eight metabolic pathways in E. coli to their cognate sugars at single‐cell resolution. The authors demonstrate that these pathways exhibit diverse responses, ranging from graded to all‐or‐nothing responses and combinations thereof. Remarkably, they were able to interpret these responses using a simple mathematical model and identify the mechanisms likely giving rise to each.     

The first collective protest of black African migrants in postcolonial France (1960–1975): a struggle for housing and rights

The study of the political activism of black African diasporas in France after the independence era remains a neglected area of research. This paper fills a gap in the literature by exploring the first notable postcolonial protests in the country by sub-Saharan migrants. The struggle of black African workers against their dire housing conditions opened up a ‘cycle of collective action’ that led to the better-known Sonacotra migrant hostels (foyers) rent strike of 1975–1980. Even before the Sonacotra strike, however, black African workers had been able to call on the authorities from both their origin and residence countries and to mobilize transnational networks in order to support their demands. This article provides the first comprehensive historical study of this decisive period. It highlights how ethnic ties are intertwined with political and social ones, focusing on the solidarities that these migrants developed in political networks and in their neighbourhoods.     

Monitor lizards: a pan-African check-list of their zoogeography (Sauria: Varanidae: Polydaedalus)

Aim This goal of this paper is to present an up‐to‐date, accurate check‐list and distribution of the monitor lizards on the African continent. No such list of their distribution has been attempted since Robert F. Mertens' (1942) treatise (Abhandlungen Senckenbergischen Naturforschenden Gesellschaft, 462 , 465 , 466 ). Location The localities included herein are all countries on the African continent, and adjacent islands, with a list of Varanus known to Yemen and Saudi Arabian Republics included for clarity. One fossil Varanus rusingensis is included, as it is the first, and only described, fossil African Varanus known. Methods Locality records were reviewed from literature sources, museum voucher specimens, personal comments, field observations and photographic records. Results A summation of 3,268 locality records are included herein from the methods listed, with maps depicting these records. Main conclusions From the locality records listed herein, it is evident that the Nile monitor (V. niloticus) has the widest distribution, and that the Yemen monitor (V. yemenensis) has the most restricted distribution; paradoxically, both features may be indicative of their relic habitation on the African continent.     

Recovery and status of native and introduced beavers Castor fiber and Castor canadensis in France and neighbouring countries

• 1 The Eurasian beaver Castor fiber suffered a drastic reduction in both geographical range and population size, due to human persecution, until the end of the 19th century. After the adoption of protection measures, natural expansion and reintroductions led to the recovery of this species over much of its European range.
• 2 We review historical events that led to the recovery of beavers in France, and summarize the status of beavers in various river systems. Beaver establishment in France is a story of overall success: several major river systems are presently occupied, so that the species is no longer at risk in France.
• 3 However, beaver recolonization took place in parallel with increasing human impacts on the environment. In addition to natural limiting factors, anthropogenic factors impeded beaver settlement in many areas. Today, beavers often occupy suboptimal habitats and, as a consequence, come into conflict with human activities. Effective solutions for preventing beaver damage include the restoration of riparian habitats to discourage crop damage and the provision of physical barriers to protect crops.
• 4 Beaver populations reintroduced into France all originate from the relict Rhône population. However, in recent years, beavers from populations in neighbouring countries have been expanding into north‐eastern France. Therefore, our review of beaver origin and distribution in these countries may contribute to the development of appropriate national management strategies and towards important decisions, e.g. the decision to try to keep Rhône beavers genetically isolated, or to allow populations to mix.
• 5 The recently discovered presence of North American beavers Castor canadensis in three countries surrounding France has raised an important issue. This species may out‐compete C. fiber in places where the species come into contact. A programme based on field‐trapping sessions and genetic analyses has recently been initiated in some western countries in order to eradicate this non‐native species.