Are people responsive to a more sustainable, decentralized, and user-driven management of urban metabolism?:
- Chelleri, Lorenzo, Kua, Harn W, Rodriguez Sanchez, Juan P, Nahiduzzaman, Kh M, Thondhlana, Gladman
- Authors: Chelleri, Lorenzo , Kua, Harn W , Rodriguez Sanchez, Juan P , Nahiduzzaman, Kh M , Thondhlana, Gladman
- Date: 2016
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/144299 , vital:38329 , https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8253-0264
- Description: Smart, green, and resilient city paradigms have been mainly promoted through top-down and technocratic approaches. However, based on the notion to return to “the right to the city”, emerging community-driven initiatives are providing self-managed infrastructures contributing to urban sustainability transitions. This paper explores the relevance of the behavioral aspects of people-centered approaches in dealing with two different facets of urban metabolism: physical infrastructure (involvement with the management of decentralized infrastructures) and consumption patterns (involvement in proactive reduction of resources used). In the first case we assessed community perceptions about the roles, benefits, and willingness to proactively engage in the management of decentralized green infrastructures in Bogotá City, Colombia. For the second facet, we measured the effectiveness of change agents in re-shaping energy consumption decisions within urban social networks in South Africa and Saudi Arabia. This paper’s results show that pre-determined and standardized strategies do not guarantee positive, nor homogeneous, results in terms of meeting sustainability targets, or promoting community involvement. Hence, a better integration of people-centered and top-down approaches is needed through context-dependent policies, for enhancing both users’ appreciation of and commitment to urban metabolism participative management.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
- Authors: Chelleri, Lorenzo , Kua, Harn W , Rodriguez Sanchez, Juan P , Nahiduzzaman, Kh M , Thondhlana, Gladman
- Date: 2016
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/144299 , vital:38329 , https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8253-0264
- Description: Smart, green, and resilient city paradigms have been mainly promoted through top-down and technocratic approaches. However, based on the notion to return to “the right to the city”, emerging community-driven initiatives are providing self-managed infrastructures contributing to urban sustainability transitions. This paper explores the relevance of the behavioral aspects of people-centered approaches in dealing with two different facets of urban metabolism: physical infrastructure (involvement with the management of decentralized infrastructures) and consumption patterns (involvement in proactive reduction of resources used). In the first case we assessed community perceptions about the roles, benefits, and willingness to proactively engage in the management of decentralized green infrastructures in Bogotá City, Colombia. For the second facet, we measured the effectiveness of change agents in re-shaping energy consumption decisions within urban social networks in South Africa and Saudi Arabia. This paper’s results show that pre-determined and standardized strategies do not guarantee positive, nor homogeneous, results in terms of meeting sustainability targets, or promoting community involvement. Hence, a better integration of people-centered and top-down approaches is needed through context-dependent policies, for enhancing both users’ appreciation of and commitment to urban metabolism participative management.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
Disaster management policy options to address the sanitation challenges in South Africa
- Hoossein, Shafick, Tandlich, Roman, Whittington-Jones, Kevin J, Laubscher, Richard K, Madikizela, Phindile, Zuma, Bongumusa M
- Authors: Hoossein, Shafick , Tandlich, Roman , Whittington-Jones, Kevin J , Laubscher, Richard K , Madikizela, Phindile , Zuma, Bongumusa M
- Date: 2016
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/75938 , vital:30485 , https://www.neha.org/node/28591
- Description: The current population of South Africa has been migrating into informal urban settlements that lack adequate sanitation service delivery, caused at least in part by the lack of the necessary skills in the local government sector and the lack of buy in from the community into the provided sanitation facilities. The authors report results of policy research into the relevant disaster management options that could be applied to improve the sanitation service delivery in South Africa. The best policy option was identified as the draft Disaster Management Regulations: Disaster Management. Local government can use these tools through the formation of the volunteer units from the nongovernmental organization sector, the business community, and from among the end users of sanitation facilities. Formation of the volunteer unit should follow the principles of cooperative governance and participatory approach to disaster management. Implementation should be facilitated through the adoption of locally specific municipal by laws.
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 2016
- Authors: Hoossein, Shafick , Tandlich, Roman , Whittington-Jones, Kevin J , Laubscher, Richard K , Madikizela, Phindile , Zuma, Bongumusa M
- Date: 2016
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/75938 , vital:30485 , https://www.neha.org/node/28591
- Description: The current population of South Africa has been migrating into informal urban settlements that lack adequate sanitation service delivery, caused at least in part by the lack of the necessary skills in the local government sector and the lack of buy in from the community into the provided sanitation facilities. The authors report results of policy research into the relevant disaster management options that could be applied to improve the sanitation service delivery in South Africa. The best policy option was identified as the draft Disaster Management Regulations: Disaster Management. Local government can use these tools through the formation of the volunteer units from the nongovernmental organization sector, the business community, and from among the end users of sanitation facilities. Formation of the volunteer unit should follow the principles of cooperative governance and participatory approach to disaster management. Implementation should be facilitated through the adoption of locally specific municipal by laws.
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 2016
Diversity of bacteria isolated from the flies Musca domestica (Muscidae) andChrysomya megacephala (Calliphoridae) with emphasis on vectored pathogens
- Brits, Devon, Brooks, Margot, Villet, Martin H
- Authors: Brits, Devon , Brooks, Margot , Villet, Martin H
- Date: 2016
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/66904 , vital:28998 , ISSN 1021-3589 , https://doi.org/10.4001/003.024.0365
- Description: Publisher version , We evaluated the bacteria occurring externally on Musca domestica and Chrysomya megacephala, the two most common synanthropic flies which may be found at many refuse sites throughout the world. Bacteria cultured from 10 specimens of each species were isolated, Gram-stained and examined microscopically, and divided into morphologically distinct ‘pseudospecies', to avoid excessive duplication of genetic identification. About 350 bp of the 16S ribosomalRNAgene was amplified from genomicDNAextracted from each ‘pseudospecies', sequenced, and bacteria identified using BLASTn. Nineteen different types of colony were identified from M. domestica, with Pseudomonas sp. and Swine Manure Bacterium SP14 being most abundant. Chrysomya megacephala yielded 15 distinct pseudospecies with total colony counts approximating to 10 000 from 10 plates, where 80 % of colonies were non-pathogenic Bacillus pumilus. A total of 18 species were identified genetically: three shared by the fly species; four unique to C. megacephala, and 13 unique to M. domestica. Half of these 18 species were pathogenic, two or three others were food spoilers and the rest were environmental or commensal bacteria from soil or plant matter. This study added three new pathogenic strains of bacteria and one new environmental strain to the list of bacteria reported to be vectored by these flies.
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 2016
- Authors: Brits, Devon , Brooks, Margot , Villet, Martin H
- Date: 2016
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/66904 , vital:28998 , ISSN 1021-3589 , https://doi.org/10.4001/003.024.0365
- Description: Publisher version , We evaluated the bacteria occurring externally on Musca domestica and Chrysomya megacephala, the two most common synanthropic flies which may be found at many refuse sites throughout the world. Bacteria cultured from 10 specimens of each species were isolated, Gram-stained and examined microscopically, and divided into morphologically distinct ‘pseudospecies', to avoid excessive duplication of genetic identification. About 350 bp of the 16S ribosomalRNAgene was amplified from genomicDNAextracted from each ‘pseudospecies', sequenced, and bacteria identified using BLASTn. Nineteen different types of colony were identified from M. domestica, with Pseudomonas sp. and Swine Manure Bacterium SP14 being most abundant. Chrysomya megacephala yielded 15 distinct pseudospecies with total colony counts approximating to 10 000 from 10 plates, where 80 % of colonies were non-pathogenic Bacillus pumilus. A total of 18 species were identified genetically: three shared by the fly species; four unique to C. megacephala, and 13 unique to M. domestica. Half of these 18 species were pathogenic, two or three others were food spoilers and the rest were environmental or commensal bacteria from soil or plant matter. This study added three new pathogenic strains of bacteria and one new environmental strain to the list of bacteria reported to be vectored by these flies.
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 2016
Docking of HIV protease to silver nanoparticles
- Whiteley, Chris G, Shing, C-Y, Kuo, C-C, Lee, Duu-Jong
- Authors: Whiteley, Chris G , Shing, C-Y , Kuo, C-C , Lee, Duu-Jong
- Date: 2016
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/67105 , vital:29032 , https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtice.2015.10.029
- Description: publisher version , This interaction of silver nanoparticles (AgNP) with human immune-deficiency virus aspartic protease (HIVPR) is examined by molecular dynamics simulation using the Colores (Situs) package and biophysical techniques using UV–vis spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering, transmission electron microscopy and circular dichroism. The ‘docking’ of AgNP with HIVPR creates a complex [AgNP–HIVPR] to initiate a hypochromic time-dependent red-shift for the surface plasmon resonance maximum. MD simulations reflect large perturbations to enzyme conformations by fluctuations of both rmsd and B-factors. Increase in changes to electrostatic potentials within the enzyme, especially, with chain B, suggest hydrophobic interactions for the binding of the AgNP. This is supported by changes to mainchain and sidechain dihedrals for many hydrophobic amino acid including Cys95, Trp6 and Trp42. Circular dichroism spectra reveal disappearance of α-helices and β-sheets and increase in random coil first from chain B then chain A. During initial stages of the interactive simulation the enzyme is conformational flexible to accommodate the AgNP, that docks with the enzyme under a cooperative mechanism, until a more stable structure is formed at convergence. There is a decrease in size of the HIVPR–AgNP complex measured by changes to the gyration radius supporting evidence that the AgNP associates, initially, with chain B.
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 2016
- Authors: Whiteley, Chris G , Shing, C-Y , Kuo, C-C , Lee, Duu-Jong
- Date: 2016
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/67105 , vital:29032 , https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtice.2015.10.029
- Description: publisher version , This interaction of silver nanoparticles (AgNP) with human immune-deficiency virus aspartic protease (HIVPR) is examined by molecular dynamics simulation using the Colores (Situs) package and biophysical techniques using UV–vis spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering, transmission electron microscopy and circular dichroism. The ‘docking’ of AgNP with HIVPR creates a complex [AgNP–HIVPR] to initiate a hypochromic time-dependent red-shift for the surface plasmon resonance maximum. MD simulations reflect large perturbations to enzyme conformations by fluctuations of both rmsd and B-factors. Increase in changes to electrostatic potentials within the enzyme, especially, with chain B, suggest hydrophobic interactions for the binding of the AgNP. This is supported by changes to mainchain and sidechain dihedrals for many hydrophobic amino acid including Cys95, Trp6 and Trp42. Circular dichroism spectra reveal disappearance of α-helices and β-sheets and increase in random coil first from chain B then chain A. During initial stages of the interactive simulation the enzyme is conformational flexible to accommodate the AgNP, that docks with the enzyme under a cooperative mechanism, until a more stable structure is formed at convergence. There is a decrease in size of the HIVPR–AgNP complex measured by changes to the gyration radius supporting evidence that the AgNP associates, initially, with chain B.
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 2016
Listening to the ‘Born Frees’: politics and disillusionment in South Africa
- Malila, Vanessa, Garman, Anthea
- Authors: Malila, Vanessa , Garman, Anthea
- Date: 2016
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/158884 , vital:40237 , https://doi.org/10.1080/23743670.2015.1084587
- Description: In 2014 South Africa celebrated 20 years of democracy, and for many of the ‘Born Frees’ – those who came of age politically after 1996 – this was their first opportunity to vote in national elections. With democracy came the promise for South Africa's marginalised majority of voice and agency, but also the implicit promise that their democratically elected government would listen to them. In addition, the South African media have long championed their role as a voice for the voiceless. This article presents work done with youngsters from South Africa's poorest province, the Eastern Cape, in an effort to listen to their experience of politics and to understand their use of the media – especially whether it enables them to speak out and be heard in the public sphere.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
- Authors: Malila, Vanessa , Garman, Anthea
- Date: 2016
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/158884 , vital:40237 , https://doi.org/10.1080/23743670.2015.1084587
- Description: In 2014 South Africa celebrated 20 years of democracy, and for many of the ‘Born Frees’ – those who came of age politically after 1996 – this was their first opportunity to vote in national elections. With democracy came the promise for South Africa's marginalised majority of voice and agency, but also the implicit promise that their democratically elected government would listen to them. In addition, the South African media have long championed their role as a voice for the voiceless. This article presents work done with youngsters from South Africa's poorest province, the Eastern Cape, in an effort to listen to their experience of politics and to understand their use of the media – especially whether it enables them to speak out and be heard in the public sphere.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
Structure based docking and molecular dynamic studies of plasmodial cysteine proteases against a South African natural compound and its analogs:
- Musyoka, Thommas M, Kanzi, Aquillah M, Lobb, Kevin A, Tastan Bishop, Özlem
- Authors: Musyoka, Thommas M , Kanzi, Aquillah M , Lobb, Kevin A , Tastan Bishop, Özlem
- Date: 2016
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/148027 , vital:38703 , DOI: 10.1038/srep23690
- Description: Identification of potential drug targets as well as development of novel antimalarial chemotherapies with unique mode of actions due to drug resistance by Plasmodium parasites are inevitable. Falcipains (falcipain-2 and falcipain-3) of Plasmodium falciparum, which catalyse the haemoglobin degradation process, are validated drug targets. Previous attempts to develop peptide based drugs against these enzymes have been futile due to the poor pharmacological profiles and susceptibility to degradation by host enzymes. This study aimed to identify potential non-peptide inhibitors against falcipains and their homologs from other Plasmodium species.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
- Authors: Musyoka, Thommas M , Kanzi, Aquillah M , Lobb, Kevin A , Tastan Bishop, Özlem
- Date: 2016
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/148027 , vital:38703 , DOI: 10.1038/srep23690
- Description: Identification of potential drug targets as well as development of novel antimalarial chemotherapies with unique mode of actions due to drug resistance by Plasmodium parasites are inevitable. Falcipains (falcipain-2 and falcipain-3) of Plasmodium falciparum, which catalyse the haemoglobin degradation process, are validated drug targets. Previous attempts to develop peptide based drugs against these enzymes have been futile due to the poor pharmacological profiles and susceptibility to degradation by host enzymes. This study aimed to identify potential non-peptide inhibitors against falcipains and their homologs from other Plasmodium species.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
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