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Assignment of spin and parity to states in the nucleus ¹⁹⁶T1

  • Authors: Uwitonze, Pierre Celestin
  • Date: 2015
  • Subjects: Nuclear spin , Particles (Nuclear physics) -- Chirality
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
  • Identifier: vital:5558 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1017903
  • Description: This work presents a study of high-spin states in the nucleus ¹⁹⁶Tl via γ-spectroscopy. ¹⁹⁶Tl was produced via the ¹⁹⁷Au(⁴He,5n) ¹⁹⁶Tl reaction at a beam energy of 63 MeV. The γ-γ coincidence measurements were performed using the AFRODITE γ-spectrometer array at iThemba LABS. The previous level scheme of ¹⁹⁶Tl has been extended up to an excitation of 4071 keV including 24 new γ-ray transitions. The spin and parity assignment to levels was made from the directional correlation of oriented nuclei (DCO) and linear polarization anisotropy ratios. An analysis of the B(M1)/B(E2) ratios was found to be consistent with the configuration of πh₉/₂♁vi₁₃/₂ for the ground state band. Although no chiral band was found in ¹⁹⁶TI and ¹⁹⁸TI.
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  • Date Issued: 2015

Gene expression analysis of Thaumatotibia leucotreta in response to the Cryptophlebia leucotreta granulovirus

  • Authors: Ridgeway, Jaryd Antony
  • Date: 2015
  • Subjects: Gene expression , Insects -- Viruses , Tortricidae -- Viruses
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
  • Identifier: vital:5931 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1017809
  • Description: Gene expression studies provide baseline information on the interactions of insects with their environment. Despite the importance of this information, limited gene expression data are available for most insect pests, including the family Tortricidae (Lepidoptera), which includes Thaumatotibia leucotreta (Meyr), an important agricultural pest in Africa. Because T. leucotreta can be controlled successfully by a granulovirus, this system is a good model for exploring insect-virus susceptibility. The main aim of this study was to investigate gene expression of T. leucotreta in responce to virus infection. However, before pursuing this aim, two objectives required completion. First, the most suitable RNA extraction method for insects needed to be determined and second, the most suitable reference genes for qPCR for Tortricidae pests needed to be identified. Once these objectives were accomplished, the response of T. leucotreta to its granulovirus was evaluated at different temperatures and points after infection.Four RNA extraction methods, the RNeasy® Mini Kit, SV Total RNA isolation system, TRIzol® reagent, and a CTAB-based method, were compared using two beetle and two moth species, including T. leucotreta. The quality of extracted RNA was similar for all four species for all extraction methods. Based on several criteria, the best RNA extraction method was the SV Total RNA isolation system. Six candidate reference genes were evaluated for qPCR using different tissue types of T. leucotreta and two other Tortricidae pests. Additionally, reference genes were evaluated for T. leucotreta with and without its granulovirus at different temperatures. Reference gene stability was found to be dependent on species and tissue type. Overall the most suitable combination of reference genes for T. leucotreta were α-actin, arginine kinase and elongation factor 1-α.Gene expression of T. leucotreta in response to granulovirus infection at different temperatures and intervals after infection was evaluated by qPCR using 13 target genes associated with the infection process. Most genes were down-regulated after 24 and 48 h.p.i. However, after 72 h.p.i most genes were up-regulated. The same trend was observed at different temperatures, where most genes were down-regulated at 15°C and 25°C but up-regulated at 35°C. These results show that there is a dynamic gene expression response in T. leucotreta due to granulovirus infection under different conditions. Not only do these findings provide insight into the control of this tortricid pest, they also contribute further to our knowledge of insect-virus interactions.
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  • Date Issued: 2015

The origin of endorheic pans on the African erosion surface North of Grahamstown, South Africa

  • Authors: Alistoun, Judith Robyn
  • Date: 2014
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
  • Identifier: vital:4775 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1011048
  • Description: Pans on the African Erosion Surface near Grahamstown are small features, which, perhaps due to their small size have been neglected by researchers. From the outset the striking difference of these pans relative to other pans in southern Africa, is that the host rock is silcrete, a highly resistant rock well known as being associated with deeply weathered plateaus. The dominant origin theory for pans in southern Africa was developed by Goudie and Thomas (1985), and focuses on mechanisms relating to erosion and deflation. This model does not fit in well with the pans that have formed on substrate that has largely been unaffected by erosion in recent geological history (thousands to 10 000 years). As such this study examined the role of prolonged chemical weathering of Dwyka Tillite, that has led to the formation of silcrete. The hypothesis was that such deep weathering is responsible for local scale volume changes, which have in turn led to the formation of a depression. The centre of the pan indicated the highest concentration of Al₂O₃ and kaolinite at mid depths, and their concentrations decreased vertically away from these depths, and laterally towards the margins of the pan. Similar results were noted for SiO₂, while CaO and MgO (and calcite and dolomite) were highest at mid depths along the margins of the pan, and decreased laterally toward the centre of the pan. Results indicated that there was a positive relationship in the centre of the pan between: - the degree of chemical weathering and volume losses, - relative elevation of the pan and volume changes. Geochemically and mineralogically, there was a link between the high concentrations of Ca and Mg carbonates and volume gains in the margin of the pans. It is proposed that transpiration of vegetation along the margin of the pan caused the lateral movement of solutes, and the selective exclusion of these solutes by plants was associated with carbonate precipitation, leading to the creation of local relief. These results provide evidence to suggest that weathering and precipitation processes occurring over geological time scales are responsible for minor scale relief features, whose origin has been mistakenly attributed to deflation processes occurring over hundreds to thousands of years.
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  • Date Issued: 2014

The reproduction biology of four species of South African dolphins

  • Authors: Reddy, Kasturi
  • Date: 1996
  • Subjects: Dolphins -- South Africa -- Reproduction , Bottlenose dolphin -- Reproduction , Striped dolphin -- Reproduction , Chinese white dolphin -- Reproduction
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
  • Identifier: vital:5753 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1005441 , Dolphins -- South Africa -- Reproduction , Bottlenose dolphin -- Reproduction , Striped dolphin -- Reproduction , Chinese white dolphin -- Reproduction
  • Description: Seasonality of reproduction in common dolphins (Delphinus delphis), bottlenosed dolphins (Tursiops aduncus), striped dolphins (Stenella coeruleoalba) and humpbacked dolphins (Sousa chinensis) was examined using standard light microscope techniques. In the males four stages of testicular development could be identified. Individuals less than 2.26m in length and 105kg in mass had testes that contained small seminiferous tubules (0.048mm ± O.Olmm in diameter) and were classified either as juveniles (gonocytes present) or inactive (no gonocytes). Adults whose testes contained spermatozoa were said to be in late spermatogenesis while those whose testes contained no spermatids or spermatozoa were referred to as being in early spermatogenesis. In the males of D. delphis, T. aduncus and S. chinensis, late spermatogenesis occurred throughout the year and there was no significant difference in the monthly mean seminiferous tubule diameters (p > 0.05) within species. I conclude therefore that in these three species spermatogenesis is aseasonal. No conclusions about seasonality of spermatogenesis could be made for S. coeruleoalba owing to the small sample size. Large Graafian follicles occurred in the ovaries of all four species in most months of the year. However, the presence of Graafian follicles can not be taken as an indication of timing of reproduction since they may be remnants of follicles that have not yet degenerated. In D. delphis, T. aduncus and S. coeruleoalba luteal bodies (corpora albicans or corpora lutea) occurred in most months of the year. Active corpora lutea will be present in all months, in some members of the population, since gestation is approximately 12 months. The sperm structure of D. delphis was examined by scanning electron microscopy. The sperm of D. delphis is essentially similar to that described for two other species of Cetacea (Physeter catodon and Tursiops aduncus), having an ellipsoidally shaped head and a short mid-piece with nine mitochondria. The sperm dimensions for D. delphis were head length, 4.4pm; head width, 2.0pm and mid-piece length, 2.4pm. An analysis of foetal age in D. delphis showed that the majority of the foetuses were conceived in January with birth occurring the following summer (December), suggesting that reproduction is seasonal. Neonates of T. aduncus were found throughout the year suggesting aseasonal reproduction. Foetal material was not available for S. coeruleoalba and S. chinensis. Seasonality of reproduction in the four species of dolphins studied has been discussed in relation to feeding, migration and worldwide distribution of the species.
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  • Date Issued: 1996

Analytical procedures for the determination of wattle polyphenols in wastewaters

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