Elephants and polity in ancient India as exemplified by Kautilya's Arthasastra (Science of Polity)

After providing some background on the domestication and use of elephants in ancient India, this article concentrates on the role of the elephant in Indian statescraft as outlined in Kautilya’s Arthasastra, reputed to have been written in the fourth century BC (over 2300 years ago). The body of this essay is presented as follows: first background on the nature of Kautilya’s Arthasastra is provided and then his advice is outlined and discussed about the care of elephants. This care involves the duty of the King, the duties of the superintendent of elephants and the law relating to the treatment of elephants. Subsequently, Kautilya’s views about the use of elephants in war are considered. The essay concludes with an overall assessment of the role of the elephant in the polity of ancient India as portrayed by Kautilya. It is argued that the high use value of elephants to ancient Indian rulers, especially in war, had a significant positive impact on the conservation of Asian wild elephants, and incidentally other wildlife in India as well. Today, the conservation of the Asian elephant depends mostly on its use for tourism and its non-use economic values which reflect human empathy with it and which are reinforced in India by social and cultural values.

Heritability and gene-environment interactions for melanocytic nevus density examined in a U.K. adolescent twin study

Risk factors for melanoma include environmental (particularly ultraviolet exposure) and genetic factors. In rare families, susceptibility to melanoma is determined by high penetrance mutations in the genes CDKN2A or CDK4, with more common, less penetrant genes also postulated. A further, potent risk factor for melanoma is the presence of large numbers of melanocytic nevi so that genes controlling nevus phenotype could be such melanoma susceptibility genes. A large Australian study involving twins aged 12 y of predominantly U.K. ancestry showed strong evidence for genetic influence on nevus number and density. We carried out essentially the same study in the U.K. to gain insight into gene-environment interactions for nevi. One hundred and three monozygous (MZ) and 118 dizygous (DZ) twin pairs aged 10-18 y were examined in Yorkshire and Surrey, U.K. Nevus counts were, on average, higher in boys (mean = 98.6) than girls (83.8) (p = 0.009) and higher in Australia (110.4) than in the U.K. (79.2, adjusted to age 12 y, p < 0.0001), and nevus densities were higher on sun-exposed sites (92 per m(2)) than sun-protected sites (58 per m(2)) (p < 0.0001). Correlations in sex and age adjusted nevus density were higher in MZ pairs (0.94, 95% CI 0.92-0.96) than in DZ pairs (0.61, 95%CI 0.49-0.72), were notably similar to those of the Australian study (MZ = 0.94, DZ = 0.60), and were consistent with high heritability (65% in the U.K., 68% in Australia). We conclude that emergence of nevi in adolescents is under strong genetic control, whereas environmental exposures affect the mean number of nevi.

The endgame for national girls' schooling policies in Australia?

Gender equity: A framework for Australian schools is the most recent policy dealing with gender in schools at the national level in Australia. This paper provides a critical discourse analysis of the policy document, tracking two themes: 'the construction of gender', and 'equity: a discourse of education for all boys and girls'. Through this analysis the authors argue that the policy signals a substantial shift in focus-from girls and boys in relation to girls, to both girls and boys-within a framework of presumptive equality. It is also argued that the policy shuts down federal involvement in policy for girls' schooling. In the process, responsibility is devolved to the states and territories where, in many cases, gender equity programs will be struggled over at a local, school-based level. At the same time, however, spaces have been created which potentially enable new strategies for gender equity policies in Australian schools.

Comparing physical activity questionnaires for youth: Seasonal vs annual format

Background: In large cohort studies of older children, self-report is the only practical way to assess physical activity. Assessing usual activity over the entire year is desirable, but children and adolescents may overestimate activities with high seasonal variability. Use of questionnaires in which individuals report each activity by season may improve accuracy. Methods: A total of 6782 girls and 5110 boys, aged 9–14 years in 1996, completed self-administered activity questionnaires in 1996 and in 1997. In 1996, participants reported the average time spent in each of 17 activities during the previous 12 months; in 1997, we also asked for the average time spent in the previous year, but within each of the four seasons. Results: Girls reported a median of 12.8 hours/week total activity in 1996 and 10.4 hours/week in 1997. For boys, the estimates were 15.5 hours/week and 13.4 hours/week, respectively. Girls and boys within 1-year age strata (e.g., comparison of 10-year olds in 1996 with 10-year olds in 1997) reported an average of 3.7 and 3.1 fewer hours per week, respectively, on the 1997 seasonal format versus the 1996 annual format questionnaire. In longitudinal analyses, the difference between the annual and the seasonal estimates was greater if participants did the activity in fewer seasons in 1997. Conclusions: In comparison to an annual format questionnaire, a seasonal format questionnaire may improve accuracy of self-report of physical activity by reducing over-reporting of activities in which pre-adolescents and adolescents engage in fewer seasons.

Treatment of lupus nephritis: art or science? [Editorial]

No Abstract

Sterilization of girls and women with intellectual disabilities - Past and present justifications

This article describes findings from empirical research examining sterilization applications for miners made to the Family Court of Australia between 1992 and 1999. Original materials and written reports from experts,family members, and judicial officers are used to highlight the dominant discourse and themes. These are compared with historical characterizations of young women with disabilities used during the notorious eugenics period in the first half of the 20th century. The new ways of justifying sterilization use the sanitized language of best interests, silencing constructionist approaches to disability and gender issues. The new ways are reminiscent of the old ways of discrimination, prejudice, and violation.