Features

LONDON — London-based Babylon Health says its artificial intelligence (AI) technology, in tests, has outperformed most physicians in assessing disease symptoms, throwing down a challenge to doctors, some of whom doubt its true abilities. 

Babylon, which was founded by entrepreneur Ali Parsa in 2013, is one of a number of start-ups tapping into the promise of artificial intelligence (AI) to help patients and doctors sift through symptoms to come up with a diagnosis. 

It aims to offer health advice of family-doctor quality by using AI delivered through a smartphone chatbot app — potentially a big saving for governments as they struggle to fund healthcare for growing and ageing populations. 

In a representative sample of questions set by the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) for its final exams to qualify as a family doctor, the Babylon app achieved an 81 per cent success level, well ahead of the average pass mark over the last five years of 72 per cent, the company said. 

But Martin Marshall, vice chairman of the RCGP, said AI systems could not be compared to highly-trained medical professionals. 

 “No app or algorithm will be able to do what a GP does,” he said. 

“An app might be able to pass an automated clinical knowledge test but the answer to a clinical scenario isn’t always cut and dried, there are many factors to take into account, a great deal of risk to manage, and the emotional impact a diagnosis might have on a patient to consider.” 

Babylon showed off its AI technology in a public demonstration on Wednesday evening. 

In a separate test against seven highly experienced primary care doctors, Babylon’s AI correctly diagnosed 80 per cent of illnesses, against a range of 64-97 per cent for the professionals, it said. 

Parsa said the results demonstrated Babylon’s AI could help bring healthcare to millions of people who have no access to even basic services, adding he was “saddened” by the criticism as the app was never designed to replace doctors. 

“Even in the richest nations, primary care is becoming increasingly unaffordable and inconvenient, often with waiting times that make it not readily accessible,” he said. 

“Babylon’s latest artificial intelligence capabilities show that it is possible for anyone, irrespective of their geography, wealth or circumstances, to have free access to health advice that is on-par with top-rated practicing clinicians.” 

Malcolm Grant, chairman of the state-funded National Health Service (NHS) in England, said the service was looking at a range of new technologies, including AI. 

Underscoring the pressure on costs, the British government this month announced an extra £20 billion ($26 billion) a year for the NHS by 2023, but critics said that still wouldn’t be enough to keep up with demand. 

Babylon, which secured a $60 million investment last year, is working with smartphone maker Samsung and Chinese Internet firm Tencent to roll out its technology. Rival AI health apps available in the UK include Ada and Your.MD. 

Smartphone diagnosis is only one way in which AI is being harnessed in healthcare. 

Elsewhere, medtech companies are already using the pattern-spotting power of computers to help interpret medical images, while many drug companies are increasingly investing in AI-driven techniques in drug discovery. 

Babylon’s app is allowing users in London to book NHS appointments with family doctors in seconds, it said, and have a video consultation typically within two hours. 

It is also helping more than 2 million people in Rwanda access digital healthcare, which it said gives the East African nation the highest penetration of digital health in the world. 

Elderly people with major depressive disorder may be more likely to suffer severe and persistent symptoms than younger adults with the same mental health diagnosis, a Dutch study suggests. 

Researchers examined data on 1,042 adults with major depressive disorder who ranged in age from 18 to 88. The researchers studied how depression developed over time by comparing symptoms at the start of the study to symptoms two years later. 

Compared with participants ages 18 to 29, people aged 70 and older were two to three times more likely to still have a diagnosis of major depressive disorder after two years, and to have had symptoms during most of that period, the study found. 

Elderly people also took longer to achieve remission or to experience improvements in the severity of their depression. 

One theory for why this might be the case is that elderly people are more likely to have risk factors for depression like multiple chronic illnesses, loneliness or unhealthy lifestyles. But depression had an outsize impact on elderly people even after researchers accounted for these factors, said senior study author Brenda Penninx of VU University Medical Centre in Amsterdam. 

It is also possible that the aging brain has less plasticity, or ability to rebound from mental illness, due to underlying inflammation or metabolic processes in the body that are different than what is typical earlier in life, Penninx said by e-mail. 

Prevention, as well as early diagnosis and treatment, are essential, Penninx said. 

“Obviously preventing is better than treating,” Penninx added.

“Everything that works [e.g. healthy lifestyle, social activities, taking care of one’s health as much as possible] in preventing depression is good,” Penninx advised. “In addition, if a depression occurs, seeking adequate treatment is important because there is — especially among older adults — quite some under-recognition of depression.”

Almost one in five adults will experience a bout of major depression at least once in their lifetime, but the course of these episodes can be highly variable, the study team notes in The Lancet Psychiatry. 

Major depression affects people of all ages, but the risk is highest between ages 45 and 65, said Tze Pin Ng of the National University of Singapore, author of an accompanying editorial.

Although the risk of developing major depression is lower in older people, partly because of their better ability to cope with stress and emotional regulation, elderly adults who do develop depression tend to have worse cases than their younger counterparts, Ng told Reuters Health by e-mail.

“The current study goes further than other studies so far in establishing the poorer clinical course and worse treatment outcomes of depression in late life,” Ng said.

Particularly when people develop depression for the first time after 65, they are more likely to have damage to small blood vessels in the brain and greater degrees of cognitive impairment than might have been the case earlier in life, Ng added. 

Risk factors for heart disease and stroke like obesity, high blood sugar and high cholesterol can also cause damage to the blood vessels in the brain, Ng said.

While more research is needed to determine the exactly how age may influence the course of depression, elderly people can still take steps to protect themselves, Ng said.

“It is reasonable to suggest that older people can help themselves to reduce their risk of becoming depressed or their severity of depression by giving attention to adequate levels of physical and social activities and healthy dietary habits to reduce their metabolic and vascular risks of developing heart disease, dementia and depression all at the same time,” Ng advised.

LOS ANGELES — Though new entries “Sicario: Day of the Soldado” and “Uncle Drew” scored higher debuts than expected, “Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom” still reigns supreme at the domestic box office.

“Fallen Kingdom” picked up $60.9 million from 4,485 locations in its second outing, bringing its domestic tally to $265.7 million. Even with a 59 per cent drop, the dinosaur tentpole has nothing to fear. To date, the Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard-led sequel has pocketed $932 million globally and is well on its way to crossing $1 billion. Overseas, the Universal and Amblin Entertainment blockbuster pulled in $56.1 million this weekend.

“Sicario: Day of the Soldado” bowed with $19 million in 3,055 locations, while fellow newcomer “Uncle Drew” racked up $15.2 million from 2,742 theaters. Meanwhile, the third outing of “Incredibles 2” stayed at No. 2 with $44.6 million from 4,410 locations. That takes the Disney-Pixar sequel’s domestic total up to $438.8 million in three weeks.

“Ocean’s 8” continues to stay in the top five, stealing another $8.3 million from 2,345 theaters this weekend. In four weeks, the Warner Bros. heist film has amassed $114 million at the domestic box office.

Earlier in the week, “Sicario: Day of the Soldado” and “Uncle Drew” were targeting openings between $10 million and $13 million. The follow-up to Denis Villeneuve’s “Sicario” scored a better debut than its predecessor, which opened with $12 million in 2015. The critically acclaimed original film — which scored three Oscar nods — picked up $84 million globally during its theatrical run. The sequel has not gathered the same praise, earning a B CinemaScore and an average 64 per cent rating on Rotten Tomatoes. To compare, “Sicario” received a 93 per cent on Rotten Tomatoes. Still, critics praised Josh Brolin and Benicio Del Toro for their performances. Stefano Sollima took over directing duties for “Soldado”, while Taylor Sheridan returned to pen the script.

Like “Sicario 2”, Lionsgate’s sports comedy “Uncle Drew” — based on the Pepsi commercial starring NBA icon Kyrie Irving — also served as counterprogramming against a series of superhero tentpoles. The film received an A CinemaScore, though its Rotten Tomato average was slightly less enthusiastic at 67 per cent. As expected, the audience was 59 per cent male, while 58 per cent of moviegoers were over the age of 25.

At the specialty box office, Neon’s “Three Identical Strangers” made $163,000 when it opened in just five theatres. That’s a per screen average of $32,000 — a solid start during a summer where documentaries have fared exceptionally well.

Another documentary, “Won’t You Be My Neighbour”, ranked in the top 10 at the domestic box office again. Morgan Neville’s film, focusing on beloved children’s show host Mister Rogers, made another $2.4 million from 654 theatres in its fourth frame. In total, it has grossed $7.5 million.

The 2018 box office, which just hit $6 billion in record time, is up 9.3 per cent, according to ComScore. Meanwhile, the summer box office remains a force, up 15.3 per cent compared to last summer, which was the lowest popcorn season in over a decade.

Next weekend sees the release of Marvel’s “Ant-Man and the Wasp” starring Paul Rudd and Evangeline Lilly. The superhero sequel is currently tracking between $68 million and $80 million.

“The much-anticipated debut of Disney’s ‘Ant-Man and The Wasp’ will get the momentum train rolling again with what will be the latest in an impressively long line of box office and critical hits for the Marvel brand,” said Paul Dergarabedian, box office analyst at ComScore.

The plug-in hybrid variant of Mercedes-Benz’ well-regarded compact executive saloon model line, the C350e seems to be the sort of hybrid that would appeal to drivers who are more likely to be ambivalent or lukewarm about hybrids.

Discrete in appearance and badging, and with plenty of conservative appeal, the C350e makes real world performance and efficiency gains on the C250 combustion engine it is based on. More importantly, it does this without too many compromises in terms of practicality, design and driving dynamics and involvement. 

Save for the ‘e’ suffix in its model designation badge, the C350e does without the attention-seeking sense of do-goodery that many a hybrid and electric vehicle exhibit with overt badges, colour schemes and model-specific details, let alone smug, standalone, electrified model lines. Without little to hint at its part-electric drive-line, the subtle C350e is not a car to draw additional attention and passes for a standard combustion engine version of the handsome C-Class, right down to its big front intakes and twin bumper-integrated exhaust ports.

Discrete design

 Smooth, subtle and sleek with flowing lines, sculpted surfacing and a tapered rear, the C-Class’ basic design emphasises its elegance, while avant-garde trim — as tested — layers this with sportier elements, including a two-slat grille with a prominent tri-star emblem embedded within, rather than atop. Unchanged aesthetically, the C350e, however, incorporates an electric motor between the in-line combustion engine and the 7-speed automatic gearbox. Meanwhile its battery pack, situated below the boot floor, reduces boot volume from 480 to 335 litres, and adds a partially stepped and higher boot floor.

Primarily powered by Mercedes’ familiar turbocharged, direct injection, 2-litre, 4-cylinder engine in the same state of tune as the C250, the C350e’s combustion engine develops 208BHP at 5500rpm and 258lb/ft torque throughout 1200-4000rpm. Quick to boost, generous in mid-range and willing to be revved hard, the E350e’s petrol engine is supplemented by an additional 80BHP and 251lb/ft courtesy of the electric motor. Combined, the two motors produce 275BHP and an epic 443lb/ft, which translates into instant response from standstill and huge-ever-present waves of torque for briskly confident driving flexibility.

Flexible, frugal and fast

Swift through gears and versatile on the move, the C350e dashes though 0-100km/h in just 5.9 seconds and is capable of an electronically governed 250km/h when using both petrol and electric motors in hybrid drive mode, where both motors are used when necessary. Using its exclusively electric-drive E-mode, the C350e can attain 130km/h and has a 31km range, while 2.1-litre/100km combined cycle fuel efficiency is quoted in ideal conditions. Undoubtedly frugal, the C350e’s electric range and fuel consumption, however, varies significantly in real world driving and according to conditions and driving style.

Driving the rear wheels through a slick 7-speed automatic gearbox whether driven by either or both motors, the C350e drives like a normal car and can better utilise its electric motor’s capability than EVs with single speed gearboxes. Muscular and genuinely quick in bursts and short sustained full throttle, the C350e is also quick to recharge its batteries through kinetic braking and through the combustion engine, where it serves as an electric generator in charge mode. However, like any hybrid, the C350e is not designed for sustained full-throttle acceleration on incline, where its battery charge depletes more quickly.

Composed and confident

A flexible and practical hybrid that gives the driver a high level of control over how it operates, the C350e’s dedicated hybrid/EV driving mode even includes an E-save mode, where charge is saved for later use according to the driver’s control. Well equipped with driver assistance, safety, convenience and infotainment systems, the E350e also features a haptic accelerator pedal which gives eco-driving feedback for the driver to modulate input for improved efficiency in certain situations. Plug-in charging times quoted by Mercedes include one hour 30 minutes and two hours, 30 minutes for different chargers. 

Confident, quick and composed, the C350e is a highly competent and convincing hybrid. Central to its appeal is how familiar it feels and that it drives and operates much like a regular C-Class in most circumstances. If not an all-out sports saloon with a visceral analogue driver-car connection, the C350e is, however, not aloof, disconnected or synthetic in character. Better integrating the driving experience and its two motors than most hybrids, the C350e’s petrol motor connects to the electric motor and gearbox smoothly through the clutch, while throttle modulation at low speeds is accurate and progressive.

Stable and smooth

A better integrated hybrid than most, the C350e’s throttle response is, however, not as sharp or immediate when coming off the throttle from full load. Quick and versatile, the C350e’s drive-line never feels dependent on its electric motor, and is just fine driving briskly using the combustion engine, despite a significant weight increase over non-hybrid four-cylinder C-Class models. Driving through fast country lanes and switch backs, the C350e’s steering feels as sharp, quick, refined and accurate as other C-Classes, while its regenerative brakes have better pedal feel than many hybrids, and are backed up by yet more effective disc brakes.

Well spaced with a good seating position and elegantly user-friendly cabin, the C350e is also refined and stable at speed, settled on rebound and comfortable over imperfections, as fitted with 225/5R17 tyres. Eager into corners and well controlled throughout, the E350e’s adaptive suspension and driveline could be tailored to emphasise different characteristics, responsiveness and stiffness.

However, it is through quick corners where the C350e’s additional weight of over 200kg is most noticed. With some half of the weight gain positioned behind the rear axle, the C350e does have an instinct to run wide and swing out slightly at the rear if one chucks it in too forcefully or comes back too wild on the throttle, just before stability controls step in.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

• Engine: 2-litre, turbocharged, in-line 4-cylinders, +electric motor
• Bore x stroke: 83.1 x 91.9mm
• Compression ratio: 9.8:1
• Valve-train: 16-valve, DOHC, direct injection
• Gearbox: 7-speed automatic, rear-wheel-drive
• Combined power, BHP (PS) [kW]: 275 (279) [205] 
• Petrol engine power, BHP (PS) [kW]: 208 (211) [155] @5,500rpm
• Electric motor, power, BHP (PS) [kW]: 80 (82) [60]
• Combined torque, lb/ft (Nm): 443 (600)
• Petrol engine torque, lb/ft (Nm): 258 (350) @ 1,200-4,000rpm
• Electric motor, torque, lb/ft (Nm): 251 (340)
• 0-100km/h: 5.9-seconds
• Top speed, electronically governed/electric mode: 250km/130km/h
• Fuel consumption, combined: 2.1-2.4 litres/100km 
• CO2 emissions, combined: 48-54g/km
• Fuel capacity: 50-litres
• Electric drive range: 31km
• Charging time, at 230-volt, 16-amp, 3.7kW: 1-hour, 30-minutes
• Charging time, at 230-volt, 13-amp, 3kW: 2-hours, 30-minutes
• Length: 4,686mm
• Width: 1,810mm
• Height: 1,442mm
• Wheelbase: 2,840mm
• Track, F/R: 1,588/1,570mm
• Overhang, F/R: 790/1,056mm
• Aerodynamic drag co-efficiency: 0.27
• Headroom, F/R: 1,039/942mm
• Legroom, F/R: 1,066/812mm
• Luggage volume (without spare tyre): 335-litres
• Kerb weight: 1,785kg
• Steering: Electric-assisted rack & pinion
• Turning Circle: 11.22-metres
• Suspension: Multi-link, air suspension
• Brakes: Ventilated discs, regenerative
• Tyres: 225/50R17

Triclosan, an antimicrobial agent found in toys, toothpaste, cosmetics and more than 2,000 other consumer products, has been found to wreak havoc on the guts of mice whose blood concentrations of the compound are roughly equivalent to a typical level for humans.

One group of mice who were fed a diet laced with triclosan for three weeks ended up with low-grade inflammation of the colon and saw their garden of gut microbes become notably depleted. When researchers chemically induced inflammatory bowel disease in another group of mice, those exposed to real-world levels of triclosan suffered increased damage to the colon and more severe symptoms of colitis than did mice who weren’t fed the chemical.

Finally, in mice made to develop colon cancer, those exposed to triclosan at normal human levels developed more and larger tumours, fueled by the activation of genes known to drive the cancer’s growth. In addition, these mice were slightly more likely to die of colon cancer than their counterparts whose diets and environments were triclosan-free. However, the difference was too small for scientists to say it was more than a statistical fluke.

The findings were published this week in the journal Science Translational Medicine.

The study authors, led by Haixia Yang, a postdoctoral food science researcher at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, discovered that the guts of triclosan-fed mice were particularly depleted of Bifidobacterium, a strain that has been shown to have anti-inflammatory effects.

By changing the gut’s microbiotic population and activating genes that govern inflammation and cancer growth, triclosan “could cause adverse effects on colonic inflammation and colon cancer”, Yang and her colleagues wrote. “Further studies are urgently needed to better characterise the effects of [triclosan] exposure on gut health to establish science-based policies for the regulation of this antimicrobial compound in consumer products.”

Previous research has demonstrated triclosan’s toxicity at doses that would be unusually high for humans, but the new study is among the first to rigorously explore the compound’s safety at more typical levels of exposure.

Triclosan used to be widely used in antibacterial soaps and hand sanitisers marketed to consumers. But the Food and Drug Administration ordered it removed from soaps and hand sanitisers marketed to consumers in 2016. Last December, the FDA declared triclosan and 24 other antimicrobial compounds to be “not generally recognised as safe and effective” for antiseptic products intended for use in healthcare settings as well.

The FDA’s findings gave the makers of antiseptic soaps, rubs and skin preparations until the end of this year to remove triclosan and the other antimicrobial compounds from their products, and most have already done so. But it remains ubiquitous on the US market — an ingredient intended to reduce bacterial contamination of cosmetics, yoga mats and other athletic clothes and gear, children’s toys, kitchenware, and even building materials such as carpeting and paint.

It would fall to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to regulate the use of triclosan and related antimicrobial agents in consumer goods where no health benefit to the consumer is claimed. Under EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt, the agency has been focused on rolling back regulations rather than expanding them.

Meanwhile, triclosan is routinely still used in many toothpastes — with the FDA’s blessing — since it has been found to prevent gingivitis. Researchers have found evidence it settles and accumulates in household dust, extending human exposure.

Triclosan appears to be readily absorbed in the gastrointestinal tract. While humans clear most of it quickly, there is growing evidence that traces of the compound accumulate. And its health effects have come under mounting suspicion.

At high doses, triclosan is associated with a decrease in the levels of some thyroid hormones, at least in animals. Other studies have raised concern that exposure to triclosan increases the likelihood that bacteria will develop resistance to antibiotics. Researchers are also exploring whether long-term triclosan exposure increases risk for skin cancer.

Last June, 200 scientists and medical professionals signed the Florence statement, calling triclosan and a related agent, triclocarban, “environmentally persistent endocrine disruptors that bioaccumulate in and are toxic to aquatic and other organisms”. The group called for “greater transparency” in their use, adding that “they should only be used when they provide an evidence-based health benefit”.

Northwestern University environmental engineer Erica Marie Hartmann, who was not involved in the new study, said the work was “very thorough”.

“These researchers have drilled down and said, ‘We think this adverse effect is mediated by gut microbiome,’” she said.

Since the FDA has called its routine use into question, conducting trials of long-term human exposure to triclosan might be ethically problematic, Hartmann added.

“But I think it’s fair to say, it’s possible to draw analogies,” she said. “Even at very low levels of exposure, we still see these adverse health outcomes. This doesn’t make me feel any more comfortable about triclosan in toothpaste.”

By Yaman Tal

Consultant Urological Surgeon and Consultant in Sexual Medicine

Love is one of the strongest of human emotions but if you think it is coming from the heart, think again. Neuroscientists have discovered that love is a chemical reaction which involves the same cocktail of chemicals that are produced in the brain during addictions.

Our brain controls our feelings while falling in love. According to renowned anthropologist and love scientist Helen Fisher, love has three stages: 

1. Lust: This stage is driven by sex hormones (testosterone and oestrogen). These hormones are what send us looking for a partner who matches certain predefined characteristic that we set, based on our genetic and cultural backgrounds. 

2. Attraction: This stage of romantic love is controlled by dopamine and norepinephrine. 

• Dopamine is a neurotransmitter which stimulates desire and reward-seeking centres in the brain and triggers an intense rush of pleasure, euphoria and elation, similar to taking cocaine 

• Norepinephrine is similar to adrenaline — it is what makes our heart start race, cheeks flush and palms sweat when close to your loved one 

These two hormones are responsible for the high level of energy, sleeplessness and obsession with the smallest details of your person of interest. At this stage, many areas of the brain shut down, such as the frontal cortex which is responsible for reasonable judgements. When judgement centres are not functioning, lovers are willing to risk everything for their relationship and indulge in risky behaviours. In this stage, love is truly blind. 

3. Attachment: The chemicals released previously are normalised at this stage and love becomes less dramatic and less dangerous. Love-struck couples enter a state of tranquillity and reason. Some couples may start noticing faults in their partners, not because these faults are new but because love is less blind now. The attachment stage is controlled by two hormones – oxytocin and vasopressin: 

• Oxytocin, which is the milk hormone that cements the bond between mother and her baby. It is also produced in men and women during orgasm. It enhances the bond between couples and is responsible for the intense feeling of closeness between couples. It is suggested the more sex couples have, the more affectionate they will become due to the release of oxytocin

• Vasopressin is another bonding hormone which scientists believe is responsible for calmness, security and faithfulness — all essential for managing and maintaining a long-term loving relationship 

Dr Tal’s tips for rekindling the flame

Love is all about chemicals, but do we control these chemicals? Luckily yes. We can trigger our body chemicals to keep love alive and I always advise my patients to follow these rules to maintain the flame: 

1. Keep it fresh: The release of dopamine is triggered by doing novel things together. To maintain romantic love, start doing something new together. For example, go to movies, exercise, go out for dinner, explore new places together, even do housework together. Sharing house chores is the first stage of foreplay! 

2. Keep in touch: The more hugs and kisses you give each other, the more oxytocin will be released. Hold hands, hug and kiss at least eight times a day-this is my advice to couples looking to increase harmony and intimacy.

3. Keep it hot: The more sex you have with your partner, the more you want. If you get in the habit of living without it, you may need to seek professional help. 

Reprinted with permission from Family Flavours magazine

On Palestine

Noam Chomsky and Ilan Pappe

Edited by Frank Barat

US: Haymarket Books, UK: Penguin, 2015

Pp. 215

This book brings together the ideas of two activist intellectuals, Noam Chomsky and Ilan Pappe, both of Jewish heritage, both with extensive contacts among Israelis and Palestinians, and both known for advocating peace and justice in Palestine and internationally.

What makes “On Palestine” especially interesting is that two-thirds of the book consists of dialogues between Chomsky and Pappe, moderated by Frank Barat, human rights activist and coordinator of the Russell Tribune on Palestine. While all three agree on the basics, there are shades of difference, which compels readers to do their own thinking.

Barat sets the stage for new thinking by querying why one becomes an activist. He contends that, initially, everybody is an activist: “We are all born with compassion, generosity, and love for others… We are all moved by injustice and discrimination… But… We live in a society, and an epoch, where we do not have time to think any longer… Our minds, our souls, have been slowly corrupted by materialistic nothingness…” (p. 2)

The conversations between Pappe and Chomsky have three parts: a discussion of the past focusing on the nature of Zionism historically; a discussion of the present focusing on applying the apartheid model to Israel, and the impact of the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement; and a conversation on the future discussing the choice between the two-state and one-state solutions. Throughout the dialogues, the importance of history and language —what terms are used — is emphasised by all three discussants. 

Pappe critiques what he calls ‘The Dictionary of the Peace Orthodoxy’, connected to the two-state solution, wherein terms like “the peace process”, “the Israel-Palestine conflict” and ‘the need to stop the violence of both sides’ falsely equate the two unequal sides, and rather than promoting a solution, serve as a subterfuge for ongoing Israeli land grabs and aggression against the Palestinians. In contrast, the new movement of solidarity with the Palestinians, associated with the BDS movement, does not limit its scope to the West Bank and Gaza, or to post-1967 events, but relates to the whole of historical Palestine, and frames Israel as an example of settler colonialism and apartheid. 

The corollary of these concepts is advocating decolonisation, democratic regime change, and a unitary state. A historical perspective shows that ethnic cleansing is an inherent component of Zionism’s racism which will not end by itself but must be stopped by a stronger force, allowing the return of the refugees. In Pappe’s view, “The new movement has created a new dictionary that if used extensively can help shift public opinion…” (p. 20)

Whereas the world of Western diplomacy and media almost consistently deal with the Palestinian issue as if it began with the Oslo Agreement, Chomsky argues for remembering the past when seeking justice: “To forget about the past means forgetting about the future because the past involves aspirations, hopes, many of them entirely justified, that will be dealt with in the future if you pay attention to them.” (p. 49)

The importance of this view is clear when one thinks of the Palestinians’ right of return.

Both scholars speak/write with precision and compassion. Their dialogue revolves around many very interesting questions, such as whether Israel could have been formed without the Holocaust, Israel’s historical rejection of peace overtures, the similarities and differences between Israel and apartheid South Africa, how to gear solidarity initiatives so they actually help the Palestinians, the impact of the Arab uprisings of 2011-12, the disappearance of liberal Zionism from the Israeli political scene, the legacy of Edward Said and much more.

Chomsky puts special emphasis on the importance of US support having enabled Israel to carry out its policies virtually unimpeded: “Israel understands, like South Africa at the time, that they can be a pariah state, the whole world can be against them, but that does not make a difference as long as the USA backs them… The US solidarity movement has to focus on that.” (p. 83)

Pappe leans towards the one-state solution, noting that it already exists on the ground in some respects, but democratic regime change is needed. Chomsky, however, thinks it is an interesting idea but simply not an option at present. To him there are only two choices: two states or the Greater Israel that the Zionist state is creating by continued land confiscation, fragmentation of the Palestinian space and population, and ongoing ethnic cleansing. 

The second part of the book is composed of articles written by the two scholars, several of them in response to the repeated Israeli wars on Gaza and ending with Chomsky’s eloquent address to the UN General Assembly in October 2014, which pulls no punches. Though most of the material in this book dates back to 2014, it is more relevant than ever today in view of the events of 2018, chiefly, President Trump’s moving the US embassy to Jerusalem, thus recognising it as Israel’s capital, and the heroic March of Return initiated by the people of Gaza this spring. 

“On Palestine” is available at ARAMEX outlets.

PARIS — New Caledonian crows use mental pictures to twist twigs into hooks and make other tools, according to a provocative study that suggests the notoriously clever birds pass on successful designs to future generations, a hallmark of culture.

“We find evidence for a specific type of emulation we call mental template matching,” co-author Alex Taylor, director of the Language, Cognition and Culture Lab at the University of Aukland, told AFP.

“Put simply, crows can reverse engineer tool designs using only a mental image of that tool.”

A long-simmering debate among evolutionary biologists asks how much of the crow’s tool-making ability is genetically programmed and how much is acquired and transmitted through learning and memory.

A famous experiment filmed in 2002 featuring “Betty the crow” showed the bird bending a straight piece of wire into a hook in order to retrieve a morsel of meat stuffed in a narrow plastic tube.

The feat was hailed as proof that the New Caledonian crow could invent new tools on the spot, a rare ability among non-human animals.

But a study published a dozen years later found that more than a dozen wild-caught crows also broke off small branches and fashioned them into tiny hooks with their beaks, leading some researchers to conclude this ability is at least partly hardwired.

To the extent it is learnt, there’s a further split: some experts think the birds are mimicking witnessed techniques, and others — including Taylor — say the crows have a more sophisticated approach.

The distinction is comparable to two methods for making a paper plane.

“You can follow a list of directions — fold in the middle, then the corners, etc.”, said Taylor. 

Culturally transmitted

“Or you could have an image in your mind of what you want the airplane to look like at the end and work to that goal.” 

To remove lingering ambiguity, Taylor and colleagues captured eight wild crows and trained them to drop variously sized bits of paper into a vending machine in order to retrieve rewards. 

In the second part of the experiment, the birds — when given large cards — tore them up to create pieces similar in size and shape to those that had earned them goodies.

“The crows were able to recreate tool designs without a reference point — there was no tool they could see when making a ‘tool’ from the card,” Taylor said.

The only way the birds could have reproduced the objects is by having a “mental template of the tool design in their mind”. 

Indeed, New Caledonian crows do not appear to imitate, or play close attention to the tool building of other birds in the wild.

But that does not mean that the tools they design cannot be culturally transmitted, Taylor insisted. 

“Cumulative cultural evolution is the natural selection of ideas — we copy the best ideas and then modify them,” he explained.

“Some of these modifications works, some don’t, and the best ones are then copied and passed on.” 

CORUCHE, Portugal — A Portuguese tech firm is uncorking an Android smartphone whose case is made from cork, a natural and renewable material native to the Iberian country.

The Ikimobile phone is one of the first to use materials other than plastic, metal and glass and represents a boost for the country’s technology sector, which has made strides in software development but less in hardware manufacturing.

A Made in Portugal version of the phone is set to launch this year as Ikimobile completes a plant to transfer most of its production from China.

“Ikimobile wants to put Portugal on the path to the future and technologies by emphasising this Portuguese product,” Chief Executive Tito Cardoso told Reuters at Ikimobile’s plant in the cork-growing area of Coruche, 80km west of Lisbon.

“We believe the product offers something different, something that people can feel good about using,” he said. Cork is harvested only every nine years without hurting the oak trees and is fully recyclable. 

Portugal is the world’s largest cork producer and the phone also marks the latest effort to diversify its use beyond wine bottle stoppers.

Portuguese cork exports have lately regained their peaks of 15 years ago as cork stoppers clawed back market share from plastic and metal. Portugal also exports other cork products such as flooring, clothing and wind turbine blades.

A layer of cork covers the phone’s back providing thermal, acoustic and anti-shock insulation. The cork comes in colours ranging from black to light brown and has certified antibacterial properties and protects against battery radiation.

Cardoso said Ikimobile is working with north Portugal’s Minho University to make the phone even “greener” and hopes to replace a plastic body base with natural materials soon. 

The material, agglomerated using only natural resins, required years of research and testing for the use in phones. 

The plant should churn out 1.2 million phones a year — a drop in the ocean compared to last year’s worldwide smartphone market shipments of almost 1.5 billion.

Most cell phones are produced in Asia but local manufacture helps take advantage of the availability of cork and the “Made in Portugal” brand appeals to consumers in Europe, Angola, Brazil and Canada, Cardoso said.

In 2017, it sold 400,000 phones assembled in China in 2017, including simple feature phones. It hopes to surpass that amount with local production this year. Top-of-the-line cork models, costing 160-360 euros ($187-$420), make up 40 per cent of sales.

PARIS — The risk of dying prematurely more than doubles for single fathers compared with single mothers or paired-up dads, according to a recently published study of Canadian families.

“Our research highlights that single fathers have higher mortality, and demonstrates the need for public health policies to help identify and support these men,” said lead author Maria Chiu, a scientist at the University of Toronto.

The findings, published in The Lancet Public Health, may apply to wealthy nations with similar ratios of single-parent families to Canada, the researchers said.

Chiu and colleagues tracked nearly 40,500 people across Canada over 11 years. The subjects — who included 4,590 single moms and 871 single dads — were, on average, in their early 40s when study began. 

Nearly 700 died by the end of the monitoring period.

Compared to partnered fathers or single moms, the death rate was three times higher among single fathers.

Factoring in that solo dads tended to be older, had higher cancer rates, and were more prone to heart disease, the researchers concluded their mortality risk was still twice as high.

Likely culprits include poor lifestyle choices and stress, Chiu said.

“We did find that single fathers tended to have unhealthier lifestyles,” which could include poor diet, lack of exercise, or excessive drinking, she said.

Men parenting on their own were more likely to be separated, divorced or widowed than single mothers — a larger proportion of whom raise babies conceived outside of a relationship, the team found.

Having experienced a breakup is a risk factor for mental ill health.

“These results show that single fathers might be a particularly vulnerable group,” Rachel Simpson, an epidemiologist at the University of Oxford, commented in the same journal. 

Making matters worse, a 2016 study showed that go-it-alone dads — even if they acknowledge being in poor shape, physically and mentally — are less likely to seek professional help than women.

Single-parent households have become more common across the developed world in recent decades.

In the United States, for example, the percentage of children living with single mothers nearly tripled from 8 per cent in 1960 to 23 per cent in 2016, according to the US Census. 

The percentage living with single fathers increased from one to four over the same period.

In Europe, Denmark tops the list of single-parent households which make up 30 per cent of the total.

Of those, 23 per cent are headed by women and seven per cent by men, according to the OECD rich country grouping.

The corresponding percentages are 19 and four for France; 14 and five for Sweden, 17 and two for Germany; 16 and three for Canada.

Rates of single-parenthood are even higher in many low-income nations, especially in Africa, according to Joseph Chamie, former director of the UN Population Division. 

Close to 40 per cent of children in South Africa, for example, have their mother as the sole parent, and 4 per cent have only a dad.

“Of the world’s 2.3 billion children, 14 per cent — or 320 million — are living in a single-parent household,” he calculated.