Good Chemistry
- Authors: Grange, Helen
- Date: 2011
- Subjects: Nyokong, Tebello , Africa-Arab State 2009 Unesco-L'Oreal Award for Women in Science
- Language: English
- Type: Article , text
- Identifier: vital:7185 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1006276 , Nyokong, Tebello , Africa-Arab State 2009 Unesco-L'Oreal Award for Women in Science
- Description: Helen Grange profiles four women who've fearlessly taken on the complex predominantly male-dominated field of science.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Grange, Helen
- Date: 2011
- Subjects: Nyokong, Tebello , Africa-Arab State 2009 Unesco-L'Oreal Award for Women in Science
- Language: English
- Type: Article , text
- Identifier: vital:7185 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1006276 , Nyokong, Tebello , Africa-Arab State 2009 Unesco-L'Oreal Award for Women in Science
- Description: Helen Grange profiles four women who've fearlessly taken on the complex predominantly male-dominated field of science.
- Full Text:
Has deregulation of non-timber forest product controls and marketing in Orissa state (India) affected local patterns of use and marketing
- Mahapatra, A K, Shackleton, Charlie M
- Authors: Mahapatra, A K , Shackleton, Charlie M
- Date: 2011
- Language: English
- Type: Article
- Identifier: vital:6643 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1006872
- Description: State control of marketing agricultural or forestry products may lead to a trade monopoly and restricted competition, resulting in inequitable returns to producers. Consequently, market deregulation for agriculture and other natural products has been advocated to improve market efficiencies, participation and returns for the producers and local traders. The study examines the impact of deregulation of state marketing controls on collection, sale and returns to extractors and traders from non-timber forest products. It assessed whether deregulation policy resulted in greater benefits to primary extractors and a win–win situation for both producers and traders? Mixed effects were found, with no significant changes in terms of trade, demand, or quantum of consumption; but there was an overall increase in the procurement price for several products following deregulation. The collection and farm gate price of tree based oilseeds and honey increased due to lower transaction costs, and ease of trading with a continued demand for these products. The impact on less valuable products was insignificant. Abolition of monopolistic trading increased competition and had a pull effect on the local market prices of several NTFPs. Although traders paid a higher price to procure products, overall they also benefited being able to sell the purchased products to merchants and manufacturers at a better margin than previously.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Mahapatra, A K , Shackleton, Charlie M
- Date: 2011
- Language: English
- Type: Article
- Identifier: vital:6643 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1006872
- Description: State control of marketing agricultural or forestry products may lead to a trade monopoly and restricted competition, resulting in inequitable returns to producers. Consequently, market deregulation for agriculture and other natural products has been advocated to improve market efficiencies, participation and returns for the producers and local traders. The study examines the impact of deregulation of state marketing controls on collection, sale and returns to extractors and traders from non-timber forest products. It assessed whether deregulation policy resulted in greater benefits to primary extractors and a win–win situation for both producers and traders? Mixed effects were found, with no significant changes in terms of trade, demand, or quantum of consumption; but there was an overall increase in the procurement price for several products following deregulation. The collection and farm gate price of tree based oilseeds and honey increased due to lower transaction costs, and ease of trading with a continued demand for these products. The impact on less valuable products was insignificant. Abolition of monopolistic trading increased competition and had a pull effect on the local market prices of several NTFPs. Although traders paid a higher price to procure products, overall they also benefited being able to sell the purchased products to merchants and manufacturers at a better margin than previously.
- Full Text:
Heritage–A conceptually evolving and dissonant phenomenon: Implications for heritage management and education practices in post-colonial Southern Africa
- Authors: Zazu, Clayton
- Date: 2011
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/387208 , vital:68215 , xlink:href="https://www.ajol.info/index.php/sajee/article/view/122250"
- Description: This conceptual paper is based on experiences and insights which have emerged from my quest to develop a conceptual framework for working with the term ‘heritage’ within an education for sustainable development study that I am currently conducting. Of specific interest to me, and having potential to improve the relevance and quality of heritage education in southern Africa, given the region’s inherent cultural diversity and colonial history, is the need for ‘heritage construct inclusivity’ within the processes constituting heritage education practices. Working around this broad research goal, I therefore needed to be clear about what I mean or refer to as heritage. I realised, however, how elusive and conceptually problematic the term ‘heritage’ is. I therefore, drawing from literature and experiences gained during field observations and focus group interviews, came up with the idea of working with three viewpoints of heritage. Drawing on real life cases I argue that current heritage management and education practices’ failure to recognise and respect the evolving, interconnectedness and multi layered nature of heritage, partly explain the same practices’ lack of relevance and agency to enhance the sustainable management of local heritage resources. I also suggest a few ideas which heritage educators in the context of post-colonial southern Africa may need to consider in their everyday heritage education practices. I also introduce the notion of conceptualising heritage as ‘cultural landscapes’, within which the evolving, dissonant and interconnected nature of heritage, and associated heritage constructs, may be reconciled.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Zazu, Clayton
- Date: 2011
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/387208 , vital:68215 , xlink:href="https://www.ajol.info/index.php/sajee/article/view/122250"
- Description: This conceptual paper is based on experiences and insights which have emerged from my quest to develop a conceptual framework for working with the term ‘heritage’ within an education for sustainable development study that I am currently conducting. Of specific interest to me, and having potential to improve the relevance and quality of heritage education in southern Africa, given the region’s inherent cultural diversity and colonial history, is the need for ‘heritage construct inclusivity’ within the processes constituting heritage education practices. Working around this broad research goal, I therefore needed to be clear about what I mean or refer to as heritage. I realised, however, how elusive and conceptually problematic the term ‘heritage’ is. I therefore, drawing from literature and experiences gained during field observations and focus group interviews, came up with the idea of working with three viewpoints of heritage. Drawing on real life cases I argue that current heritage management and education practices’ failure to recognise and respect the evolving, interconnectedness and multi layered nature of heritage, partly explain the same practices’ lack of relevance and agency to enhance the sustainable management of local heritage resources. I also suggest a few ideas which heritage educators in the context of post-colonial southern Africa may need to consider in their everyday heritage education practices. I also introduce the notion of conceptualising heritage as ‘cultural landscapes’, within which the evolving, dissonant and interconnected nature of heritage, and associated heritage constructs, may be reconciled.
- Full Text:
Heroes at the gates appeal and value in the Homeric epics from the archaic through the classical period
- Authors: Fox, Peta Ann
- Date: 2011
- Subjects: Homer. Iliad Homer. Odyssey Homer Criticism and interpretation Homer Influence Epic poetry, Greek -- History and criticism
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:3593 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002168
- Description: This thesis raises and explores questions concerning the popularity of the Homeric poems in ancient Greece. It asks why the Iliad and Odyssey held such continuing appeal among the Greeks of the Archaic and Classical age. Cultural products such as poetry cannot be separated from the sociopolitical conditions in which and for which they were originally composed and received. Working on the basis that the extent of Homer’s appeal was inspired and sustained by the peculiar and determining historical circumstances, I set out to explore the relation of the social, political and ethical conditions and values of Archaic and Classical Greece to those portrayed in the Homeric poems. The Greeks, at the time during which Homer was composing his poems, had begun to establish a new form of social organisation: the polis. By examining historical, literary and philosophical texts from the Archaic and Classical age, I explore the manner in which Greek society attempted to reorganise and reconstitute itself in a different way, developing original modes of social and political activity which the new needs and goals of their new social reality demanded. I then turn to examine Homer’s treatment of and response to this social context, and explore the various ways in which Homer was able to reinterpret and reinvent the inherited stories of adventure and warfare in order to compose poetry that not only looks back to the highly centralised and bureaucratic society of the Mycenaean world, but also looks forward, insistently so, to the urban reality of the present. I argue that Homer’s conflation of a remembered mythical age with the contemporary conditions and values of Archaic and Classical Greece aroused in his audiences a new perception and understanding of human existence in the altered sociopolitical conditions of the polis and, in so doing, ultimately contributed to the development of new ideas on the manner in which the Greeks could best live together in their new social world.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Fox, Peta Ann
- Date: 2011
- Subjects: Homer. Iliad Homer. Odyssey Homer Criticism and interpretation Homer Influence Epic poetry, Greek -- History and criticism
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:3593 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002168
- Description: This thesis raises and explores questions concerning the popularity of the Homeric poems in ancient Greece. It asks why the Iliad and Odyssey held such continuing appeal among the Greeks of the Archaic and Classical age. Cultural products such as poetry cannot be separated from the sociopolitical conditions in which and for which they were originally composed and received. Working on the basis that the extent of Homer’s appeal was inspired and sustained by the peculiar and determining historical circumstances, I set out to explore the relation of the social, political and ethical conditions and values of Archaic and Classical Greece to those portrayed in the Homeric poems. The Greeks, at the time during which Homer was composing his poems, had begun to establish a new form of social organisation: the polis. By examining historical, literary and philosophical texts from the Archaic and Classical age, I explore the manner in which Greek society attempted to reorganise and reconstitute itself in a different way, developing original modes of social and political activity which the new needs and goals of their new social reality demanded. I then turn to examine Homer’s treatment of and response to this social context, and explore the various ways in which Homer was able to reinterpret and reinvent the inherited stories of adventure and warfare in order to compose poetry that not only looks back to the highly centralised and bureaucratic society of the Mycenaean world, but also looks forward, insistently so, to the urban reality of the present. I argue that Homer’s conflation of a remembered mythical age with the contemporary conditions and values of Archaic and Classical Greece aroused in his audiences a new perception and understanding of human existence in the altered sociopolitical conditions of the polis and, in so doing, ultimately contributed to the development of new ideas on the manner in which the Greeks could best live together in their new social world.
- Full Text:
Hierarchical spatial organization and prioritization of wetlands: a conceptual model for wetland rehabilitation in South Africa
- Sieben, E J J, Ellery, William F N, Kotze, Donovan C, Rountree, M
- Authors: Sieben, E J J , Ellery, William F N , Kotze, Donovan C , Rountree, M
- Date: 2011
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/144399 , vital:38342 , DOI: 10.1007/s11273-011-9212-8
- Description: Wetland rehabilitation planning needs to take into account many different aspects of the wetland and its context. In South Africa, much emphasis is placed on the delivery of ecosystem services, poverty relief and skills development for those involved in labour-intensive rehabilitation measures. A framework is presented that facilitates decision-making with regards to wetland rehabilitation planning. This starts with prioritizing which wetlands need attention within a catchment. This is followed by decisions regarding which rehabilitation measures would be effective in improving certain ecosystem services based upon the aims of rehabilitation and the social context of the surrounding catchment.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Sieben, E J J , Ellery, William F N , Kotze, Donovan C , Rountree, M
- Date: 2011
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/144399 , vital:38342 , DOI: 10.1007/s11273-011-9212-8
- Description: Wetland rehabilitation planning needs to take into account many different aspects of the wetland and its context. In South Africa, much emphasis is placed on the delivery of ecosystem services, poverty relief and skills development for those involved in labour-intensive rehabilitation measures. A framework is presented that facilitates decision-making with regards to wetland rehabilitation planning. This starts with prioritizing which wetlands need attention within a catchment. This is followed by decisions regarding which rehabilitation measures would be effective in improving certain ecosystem services based upon the aims of rehabilitation and the social context of the surrounding catchment.
- Full Text:
High Speed Lexical Classification of Malicious URLs
- Egan, Shaun P, Irwin, Barry V W
- Authors: Egan, Shaun P , Irwin, Barry V W
- Date: 2011
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/428055 , vital:72483 , https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Barry-Ir-win/publication/326225046_High_Speed_Lexical_Classification_of_Malicious_URLs/links/5b3f20acaca27207851c60f9/High-Speed-Lexical-Classification-of-Malicious-URLs.pdf
- Description: It has been shown in recent research that it is possible to identify malicious URLs through lexi-cal analysis of their URL structures alone. Lightweight algorithms are defined as methods by which URLs are analyzed that do not use external sources of information such as WHOIS lookups, blacklist lookups and content analysis. These parameters include URL length, number of delimiters as well as the number of traversals through the directory structure and are used throughout much of the research in the paradigm of lightweight classification. Methods which include external sources of information are often called fully featured classifications and have been shown to be only slightly more effective than a purely lexical analysis when considering both false-positives and falsenegatives. This distinction allows these algorithms to be run client side without the introduction of additional latency, but still providing a high level of accuracy through the use of modern techniques in training classifiers. Both AROW and CW classifier update methods will be used as prototype implementations and their effectiveness will be com-pared to fully featured analysis results. These methods are selected because they are able to train on any labeled data, including instances in which their prediction is correct, allowing them to build a confidence in specific lexical features.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Egan, Shaun P , Irwin, Barry V W
- Date: 2011
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/428055 , vital:72483 , https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Barry-Ir-win/publication/326225046_High_Speed_Lexical_Classification_of_Malicious_URLs/links/5b3f20acaca27207851c60f9/High-Speed-Lexical-Classification-of-Malicious-URLs.pdf
- Description: It has been shown in recent research that it is possible to identify malicious URLs through lexi-cal analysis of their URL structures alone. Lightweight algorithms are defined as methods by which URLs are analyzed that do not use external sources of information such as WHOIS lookups, blacklist lookups and content analysis. These parameters include URL length, number of delimiters as well as the number of traversals through the directory structure and are used throughout much of the research in the paradigm of lightweight classification. Methods which include external sources of information are often called fully featured classifications and have been shown to be only slightly more effective than a purely lexical analysis when considering both false-positives and falsenegatives. This distinction allows these algorithms to be run client side without the introduction of additional latency, but still providing a high level of accuracy through the use of modern techniques in training classifiers. Both AROW and CW classifier update methods will be used as prototype implementations and their effectiveness will be com-pared to fully featured analysis results. These methods are selected because they are able to train on any labeled data, including instances in which their prediction is correct, allowing them to build a confidence in specific lexical features.
- Full Text:
HIV-related stigma amongst service staff in Grahamstown: a comparison of Hi-Tec security guards and Rhodes catering in the Eastern Cape
- Authors: Mazorodze, Tasara
- Date: 2011
- Subjects: AIDS phobia -- Research -- South Africa -- Grahamstown HIV infections -- Employees -- Research -- South Africa AIDS (Disease) -- Employees -- Research -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:3016 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002525
- Description: Despite the acknowledged reality that HIV-related stigma is a major barrier to effective HIV prevention and treatment, and perhaps because it is complex in nature, few local empirical scales have been developed to measure stigma and to be able evaluate the impact of anti-stigma interventions. Whilst the development of two recent South African HIV-related stigma scales can be celebrated as a major breakthrough, the reliability and validity of these scales across contexts remains largely unknown. This research project employs these two local, and competing, HIV-related personal stigma scales - the first developed by Kalichman et al. (2005) and the second developed by Visser, Kershaw, Makin and Forsyth (2008)-to compare the psychometric properties of the scales and to obtain a measure of HIV-related stigma with a sample of 246 service staff employed at either Rhodes University Catering Division or the Hi-Tec Security company, both organisations located in Grahamstown, a small town in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. Both organisations are major employers of semi-skilled workers in this local context. The results suggest that the Visser et al. scale (2008) reports slightly better psychometric properties than the Kalichman et al. (2005) scale for this sample. Furthermore, the security guards appear to be more stigmatising than the caterers, and it is suggested that this might be a consequence of the combined influences of normative occupational roles and workplace context. Results also show that participants who practices safe sex, know someone with HIV and/or who have been tested for HIV show lower levels of HIV-related stigma. Finally, personal stigma scores are generally lower than attributed stigma scores, which might offer a useful point of intervention.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Mazorodze, Tasara
- Date: 2011
- Subjects: AIDS phobia -- Research -- South Africa -- Grahamstown HIV infections -- Employees -- Research -- South Africa AIDS (Disease) -- Employees -- Research -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:3016 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002525
- Description: Despite the acknowledged reality that HIV-related stigma is a major barrier to effective HIV prevention and treatment, and perhaps because it is complex in nature, few local empirical scales have been developed to measure stigma and to be able evaluate the impact of anti-stigma interventions. Whilst the development of two recent South African HIV-related stigma scales can be celebrated as a major breakthrough, the reliability and validity of these scales across contexts remains largely unknown. This research project employs these two local, and competing, HIV-related personal stigma scales - the first developed by Kalichman et al. (2005) and the second developed by Visser, Kershaw, Makin and Forsyth (2008)-to compare the psychometric properties of the scales and to obtain a measure of HIV-related stigma with a sample of 246 service staff employed at either Rhodes University Catering Division or the Hi-Tec Security company, both organisations located in Grahamstown, a small town in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. Both organisations are major employers of semi-skilled workers in this local context. The results suggest that the Visser et al. scale (2008) reports slightly better psychometric properties than the Kalichman et al. (2005) scale for this sample. Furthermore, the security guards appear to be more stigmatising than the caterers, and it is suggested that this might be a consequence of the combined influences of normative occupational roles and workplace context. Results also show that participants who practices safe sex, know someone with HIV and/or who have been tested for HIV show lower levels of HIV-related stigma. Finally, personal stigma scores are generally lower than attributed stigma scores, which might offer a useful point of intervention.
- Full Text:
How an eco-school sanitation community of practice fosters action competence for sanitation management in a rural school : the case of Ramashobohle High School Eco-Schools Community of Practice in Mankweng circuit Polokwane Municipality Capricorn district in Limpopo Province, South Africa
- Authors: Manaka, Ngoanamoshala Maria
- Date: 2011
- Subjects: Sanitation -- South Africa -- Management -- Citizen participation Public utilities -- South Africa -- Management -- Citizen participation Sanitation, Rural -- South Africa Sanitation -- Study and teaching -- South Africa School children -- Health and hygiene -- South Africa School hygiene -- South Africa Sanitation -- Health aspects -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:1917 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1007319
- Description: Providing adequate sanitation facilities for the poor remains one of the major challenges in all developing countries. In South Africa, an estimated 11,7% of the schools are without sanitation. The South African government has a constitutional responsibility to ensure that all South Africans have access to adequate sanitation. When sanitation systems fail, or are inadequate, the impact of the health of the community, on the health of others and the negative impact on the environment can be extremely serious. In rural South African schools, many Enviro-Ioo toilets are available today. They are designed to suit a variety of water scarce areas and where there is a high risk of contamination of ground water resources. It is important to realize that any Enviro-Ioo system programme requires an education programme to ensure that the principles of use and maintenance are clearly understood by the user group. Their maintenance requires more responsibility and commitment by users. This study is an interpretive case study that indicates how sanitation in a rural Ramashobohle High School in Polokwane municipality was managed through an EcoSchools Sanitation Community of Practice, and how this developed action competence for sanitation management in the school. The study established that the earlier practice and knowledge of the Ramashobohle Eco-Schools community of practice exercised in maintaining Enviro-Ioo systems was inadequate; unhealthy and unsafe according to the data generated through focus group interviews, observations, interviews, action plan, workshops and reflection interviews. The data generated also indicates that the Eco-Schools community of practice was not committed to maintaining sanitation in their school because they were not sharing sanitation knowledge; they were not communicating and not updating one another concerning Enviro-Ioo systems maintenance as they had no adequate knowledge as to how to maintain the facilities; and the school management was also not supportive and was not taking responsibility. The study shows how this situation was turned around as an Eco-Schools Sanitation Community of Practice focussed on developing action competence in the school community. It provides a case based example of how knowledge and action competence, supported by an Eco-Schools Community of Practice, can find and implement solutions to inadequate sanitation management practices in rural schools, and shows how members of the school community can be engaged in learning how to manage and maintain school sanitation systems through a participatory process that develops action competence. The study points to important dimensions of developing action competence, such as providing knowledge and demonstrations, inviting experts to the school, involving learners in observations and monitoring and in ensuring that adequate facilities are available. In particular, a workshop conducted by Enviro-Ioo consultants, organised and supported by the Eco-Schools Sanitation COP, together with a follow up action plan, provided the main impetus for changes in practice in the school and served to support action competence development. Finally the study provides research findings and recommendations for further research.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Manaka, Ngoanamoshala Maria
- Date: 2011
- Subjects: Sanitation -- South Africa -- Management -- Citizen participation Public utilities -- South Africa -- Management -- Citizen participation Sanitation, Rural -- South Africa Sanitation -- Study and teaching -- South Africa School children -- Health and hygiene -- South Africa School hygiene -- South Africa Sanitation -- Health aspects -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:1917 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1007319
- Description: Providing adequate sanitation facilities for the poor remains one of the major challenges in all developing countries. In South Africa, an estimated 11,7% of the schools are without sanitation. The South African government has a constitutional responsibility to ensure that all South Africans have access to adequate sanitation. When sanitation systems fail, or are inadequate, the impact of the health of the community, on the health of others and the negative impact on the environment can be extremely serious. In rural South African schools, many Enviro-Ioo toilets are available today. They are designed to suit a variety of water scarce areas and where there is a high risk of contamination of ground water resources. It is important to realize that any Enviro-Ioo system programme requires an education programme to ensure that the principles of use and maintenance are clearly understood by the user group. Their maintenance requires more responsibility and commitment by users. This study is an interpretive case study that indicates how sanitation in a rural Ramashobohle High School in Polokwane municipality was managed through an EcoSchools Sanitation Community of Practice, and how this developed action competence for sanitation management in the school. The study established that the earlier practice and knowledge of the Ramashobohle Eco-Schools community of practice exercised in maintaining Enviro-Ioo systems was inadequate; unhealthy and unsafe according to the data generated through focus group interviews, observations, interviews, action plan, workshops and reflection interviews. The data generated also indicates that the Eco-Schools community of practice was not committed to maintaining sanitation in their school because they were not sharing sanitation knowledge; they were not communicating and not updating one another concerning Enviro-Ioo systems maintenance as they had no adequate knowledge as to how to maintain the facilities; and the school management was also not supportive and was not taking responsibility. The study shows how this situation was turned around as an Eco-Schools Sanitation Community of Practice focussed on developing action competence in the school community. It provides a case based example of how knowledge and action competence, supported by an Eco-Schools Community of Practice, can find and implement solutions to inadequate sanitation management practices in rural schools, and shows how members of the school community can be engaged in learning how to manage and maintain school sanitation systems through a participatory process that develops action competence. The study points to important dimensions of developing action competence, such as providing knowledge and demonstrations, inviting experts to the school, involving learners in observations and monitoring and in ensuring that adequate facilities are available. In particular, a workshop conducted by Enviro-Ioo consultants, organised and supported by the Eco-Schools Sanitation COP, together with a follow up action plan, provided the main impetus for changes in practice in the school and served to support action competence development. Finally the study provides research findings and recommendations for further research.
- Full Text:
How integrated are the African stock exchanges?: evidence from long term comovement, returns and volatility spillovers
- Kambadza, Tinashe Harry Dumile
- Authors: Kambadza, Tinashe Harry Dumile
- Date: 2011
- Subjects: Stock exchanges -- Africa Money market -- Africa Globalization -- Economic aspects -- Africa International economic relations
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MCom
- Identifier: vital:1017 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002752
- Description: Stock market linkages have implications for portfolio diversification, asset pricing, monetary and regulatory policy as well as financial stability. This study examines the extent to which African stock markets are linked using daily data for the period 2000-2010. The study is divided into three main parts each focussing on the ways in which integration of the stock markets can be viewed. Firstly, we analyse the long run co-movement of the stock markets using both bivariate and multivariate Johansen (1988) and Johansen and Juselius (1990) cointegration approaches. Secondly, we analyse returns linkages using Factor analysis and the Vector Autoregressive (VAR) models. In the Factor Analysis model, we used two extraction methods, namely Principal Component Analysis and the Maximurn Likelihood technique. The VAR model was extended with impulse response, variance decomposition and block exogeniety. Thirdly, we analyse the behaviour of volatility and the volatility linkages among the stock markets. We initially analysed and modelled volatility in each stock market using the GARCH, EGARCH and GJR GARCH and then examined the long-term trend of the volatility. Conditional volatility series for each country were then estimated using the most appropriate model and were analysed using VAR, block exogeniety, impulse response and variance decomposition to determine the extent of their linkages. The findings of the study are as follows: Both the bivariate and multivariate models found slim evidence of cointegration amongst the stock markets, suggesting that there were opportunities for portfolio diversification for investors. In general, the financial crisis had very little impact on the long-run relationships of the stock markets. Results for the returns linkages showed that there were limited retums linkages with the exceptions of South African-Namibia and Egypt-Morocco to a lesser extent. South Africa was found to be the most endogenous, whilst Ghana and Nigeria were the most exogenous on the continent. We regards to volatility, we found that it was asymmetric and persistent across all the stock markets with long term trend of volatility showing that it significantly increased for most of the markets. Finally, there were limited volatility linkages, only between South Africa, Egypt and Namibia, implying that African stock markets are still largely segmented from each other. However, the linkages between South Africa and Egypt could have negative effects as they could lead to the spread of contagion effects during times of crises. Therefore, policymakers should consider revising and improving policies to enhance economic integration on the continent.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Kambadza, Tinashe Harry Dumile
- Date: 2011
- Subjects: Stock exchanges -- Africa Money market -- Africa Globalization -- Economic aspects -- Africa International economic relations
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MCom
- Identifier: vital:1017 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002752
- Description: Stock market linkages have implications for portfolio diversification, asset pricing, monetary and regulatory policy as well as financial stability. This study examines the extent to which African stock markets are linked using daily data for the period 2000-2010. The study is divided into three main parts each focussing on the ways in which integration of the stock markets can be viewed. Firstly, we analyse the long run co-movement of the stock markets using both bivariate and multivariate Johansen (1988) and Johansen and Juselius (1990) cointegration approaches. Secondly, we analyse returns linkages using Factor analysis and the Vector Autoregressive (VAR) models. In the Factor Analysis model, we used two extraction methods, namely Principal Component Analysis and the Maximurn Likelihood technique. The VAR model was extended with impulse response, variance decomposition and block exogeniety. Thirdly, we analyse the behaviour of volatility and the volatility linkages among the stock markets. We initially analysed and modelled volatility in each stock market using the GARCH, EGARCH and GJR GARCH and then examined the long-term trend of the volatility. Conditional volatility series for each country were then estimated using the most appropriate model and were analysed using VAR, block exogeniety, impulse response and variance decomposition to determine the extent of their linkages. The findings of the study are as follows: Both the bivariate and multivariate models found slim evidence of cointegration amongst the stock markets, suggesting that there were opportunities for portfolio diversification for investors. In general, the financial crisis had very little impact on the long-run relationships of the stock markets. Results for the returns linkages showed that there were limited retums linkages with the exceptions of South African-Namibia and Egypt-Morocco to a lesser extent. South Africa was found to be the most endogenous, whilst Ghana and Nigeria were the most exogenous on the continent. We regards to volatility, we found that it was asymmetric and persistent across all the stock markets with long term trend of volatility showing that it significantly increased for most of the markets. Finally, there were limited volatility linkages, only between South Africa, Egypt and Namibia, implying that African stock markets are still largely segmented from each other. However, the linkages between South Africa and Egypt could have negative effects as they could lead to the spread of contagion effects during times of crises. Therefore, policymakers should consider revising and improving policies to enhance economic integration on the continent.
- Full Text:
Hsp90α/β associates with the GSK3β/axin1/phospho-β-catenin complex in the human MCF-7 epithelial breast cancer model:
- Cooper, Leanne C, Prinsloo, Earl, Edkins, Adrienne L, Blatch, Gregory L
- Authors: Cooper, Leanne C , Prinsloo, Earl , Edkins, Adrienne L , Blatch, Gregory L
- Date: 2011
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/165096 , vital:41208 , DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2011.08.136
- Description: Hsp90α/β, the signal transduction chaperone, maintains intracellular communication in normal, stem, and cancer cells. The well characterised association of Hsp90α/β with its client kinases form the framework of multiple signalling networks. GSK3β, a known Hsp90α/β client, mediates β-catenin phosphorylation as part of a cytoplasmic destruction complex which targets phospho-β-catenin to the 26S proteasome. The canonical Wnt/β-catenin pathway promotes stem cell self-renewal as well as oncogenesis. The degree of Hsp90α/β involvement in Wnt/β-catenin signalling needs clarification. Here, we describe the association of Hsp90α/β with GSK3β, β-catenin, phospho-β-catenin and the molecular scaffold, axin1, in the human MCF-7 epithelial breast cancer cell model using selective inhibition of Hsp90α/β, confocal laser scanning microscopy and immunoprecipitation. Our findings suggest that Hsp90α/β modulates the phosphorylation of β-catenin by interaction in common complex with GSK3β/axin1/β-catenin.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Cooper, Leanne C , Prinsloo, Earl , Edkins, Adrienne L , Blatch, Gregory L
- Date: 2011
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/165096 , vital:41208 , DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2011.08.136
- Description: Hsp90α/β, the signal transduction chaperone, maintains intracellular communication in normal, stem, and cancer cells. The well characterised association of Hsp90α/β with its client kinases form the framework of multiple signalling networks. GSK3β, a known Hsp90α/β client, mediates β-catenin phosphorylation as part of a cytoplasmic destruction complex which targets phospho-β-catenin to the 26S proteasome. The canonical Wnt/β-catenin pathway promotes stem cell self-renewal as well as oncogenesis. The degree of Hsp90α/β involvement in Wnt/β-catenin signalling needs clarification. Here, we describe the association of Hsp90α/β with GSK3β, β-catenin, phospho-β-catenin and the molecular scaffold, axin1, in the human MCF-7 epithelial breast cancer cell model using selective inhibition of Hsp90α/β, confocal laser scanning microscopy and immunoprecipitation. Our findings suggest that Hsp90α/β modulates the phosphorylation of β-catenin by interaction in common complex with GSK3β/axin1/β-catenin.
- Full Text:
Human DNAJ in cancer and stem cells:
- Sterrenberg, Jason N, Edkins, Adrienne L, Blatch, Gregory L
- Authors: Sterrenberg, Jason N , Edkins, Adrienne L , Blatch, Gregory L
- Date: 2011
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/165118 , vital:41210 , DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2011.08.019
- Description: The heat shock protein 40 kDa (HSP40/DNAJ) co-chaperones constitute the largest and most diverse sub-group of the heat shock protein (HSP) family. DNAJ are widely accepted as regulators of HSP70 function, but also have roles as co-chaperones for the HSP90 chaperone machine, and a growing number of biological functions that may be independent of either of these chaperones. The DNAJ proteins are differentially expressed in human tissues and demonstrate the capacity to function to both promote and suppress cancer development by acting as chaperones for tumour suppressors or oncoproteins. We review the current literature on the function and expression of DNAJ in cancer, stem cells and cancer stem cells. Combining data from gene expression, proteomics and studies in other systems, we propose that DNAJ will be key regulators of cancer, stem cell and possibly cancer stem cell function. The diversity of DNAJ and their assorted roles in a range of biological functions means that selected DNAJ, provided there is limited redundancy and that a specific link to malignancy can be established, may yet provide an attractive target for specific and selective drug design for the development of anti-cancer treatments.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Sterrenberg, Jason N , Edkins, Adrienne L , Blatch, Gregory L
- Date: 2011
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/165118 , vital:41210 , DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2011.08.019
- Description: The heat shock protein 40 kDa (HSP40/DNAJ) co-chaperones constitute the largest and most diverse sub-group of the heat shock protein (HSP) family. DNAJ are widely accepted as regulators of HSP70 function, but also have roles as co-chaperones for the HSP90 chaperone machine, and a growing number of biological functions that may be independent of either of these chaperones. The DNAJ proteins are differentially expressed in human tissues and demonstrate the capacity to function to both promote and suppress cancer development by acting as chaperones for tumour suppressors or oncoproteins. We review the current literature on the function and expression of DNAJ in cancer, stem cells and cancer stem cells. Combining data from gene expression, proteomics and studies in other systems, we propose that DNAJ will be key regulators of cancer, stem cell and possibly cancer stem cell function. The diversity of DNAJ and their assorted roles in a range of biological functions means that selected DNAJ, provided there is limited redundancy and that a specific link to malignancy can be established, may yet provide an attractive target for specific and selective drug design for the development of anti-cancer treatments.
- Full Text:
Hydrological proceses, chemical variability, and multiple isotopestracing of water flow paths in the Kudumela Wetland- Limpopo Province, South Africa
- Authors: Mekiso, Feleke Abiyo
- Date: 2011
- Subjects: Kudumela Wetland -- South Africa -- Limpopo , Wetland hydrology -- South Africa -- Limpopo , Wetlands -- South Africa -- Limpopo , Wetland conservation -- South Africa -- Limpopo , Wetland management -- South Africa -- Limpopo , Isotopes
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:6027 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1006153 , Kudumela Wetland -- South Africa -- Limpopo , Wetland hydrology -- South Africa -- Limpopo , Wetlands -- South Africa -- Limpopo , Wetland conservation -- South Africa -- Limpopo , Wetland management -- South Africa -- Limpopo , Isotopes
- Description: The hydrology of the Kudumela Wetland, Limpopo Province of South Africa was studied from November 2005 to April 2007, involving both fieldwork and laboratory analyses. This study presents the results of an investigation of the hydrology of the Kudumela Wetland in South Africa, and its contribution to dry season flow in the Mohlapitsi and Olifants Rivers. Initially, 40 Piezometers were installed along seven transects and water levels monitored in order to understand water table level characteristics (fluctuations) with time. Water levels in transects one, three, the right bank portion of transect four and transect six showed fluctuations. Transect two, the left bank portion of transect four and transect five did not show significant temporal changes. The relationships between piezometer water levels, rainfall in the study area and stream flow observed at a river gauging station are not clear. The river within the wetland is a gaining stream because the water table level elevation is above that of the river. This indicates that the wetland is feeding the river. The northern part of the wetland (T1 and T2) is affected by artificial drains and most of the piezometers closest to the river channel showed the lowest variations. The relationships between rainfall, groundwater, and surface water at this site shows that stream flow did not respond quickly to precipitation as expected, even in months when rainfall increased (for example, 74 and 103mm during 08/02/06 and 18/02/06 respectively), and the groundwater levels did not show fluctuations, indicating that groundwater responds gradually to precipitation, and that the relationship between rainfall, groundwater and surface water is complex. The environmental stable isotopes (deuterium and oxygen-18) and the radioactive isotope (tritium) were analyzed, along with field observations of electrical conductivity (EC), pH, total alkalinity (Talka) and some major and minor dissolved ion analyses for tracing water dynamics in the study area. A total of 39 water samples was taken and analyzed from boreholes, auger holes, right bank and left bank drains, various points along the river and springs in four sampling visits to the wetland. The results did not clearly provide a temporal record of isotope and chemical variations in the various sources. Results from the most extensive sampling survey in April 2007 provide the most comprehensive overview of hydrological relationships. Clustering of the stable isotope data suggests that the water samples of upstream and downstream river, auger holes further south and most drains clustered together suggesting a common water source and almost all samples fall above the global (GMWL) and local (Pretoria MWL) meteoric water lines, while some fall between the global and Pretoria meteoric water lines. Six representative water samples were analyzed for major ion concentration. Both cation (Ca, Mg, K, and Na) and anion (HCO3, SO4, Cl, and NO3) analyses in November 2007 confirmed conclusions reached from field observations. The analysis shows that a single type of water (Ca, Mg-HCO3) is involved in the study area. In almost all major ion plots, the right bank drains, upstream river and downstream river samples grouped together in a single cluster. As the means for reliable river flow measurements were not available, except for the gauging station at the outlet of the valley, rough, semi-quantitative estimates were made during several field visits. These, suggest considerable losses of river flow into the gravel/boulder beds at and below a gabion dam at the head of the valley. Three major and several other left bank springs and right bank drains at transects T1 and T2 contributed to the river flow at all times. Along with the isotopic and chemical evidence, these observations have lead to a hypothesis that river water enters the wetland and flows back to the Mohlapitsi River through boulder beds underlying the wetland and through drains on the surface of the argillaceous aquitard covering the more conductive boulder beds. Deeper dolomitic groundwater does not appear to contribute to the water balance at least in the northern half of the wetland. Although environmental isotope and hydrochemistry results may not unequivocally prove this hypothesis they do not contradict it.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Mekiso, Feleke Abiyo
- Date: 2011
- Subjects: Kudumela Wetland -- South Africa -- Limpopo , Wetland hydrology -- South Africa -- Limpopo , Wetlands -- South Africa -- Limpopo , Wetland conservation -- South Africa -- Limpopo , Wetland management -- South Africa -- Limpopo , Isotopes
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:6027 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1006153 , Kudumela Wetland -- South Africa -- Limpopo , Wetland hydrology -- South Africa -- Limpopo , Wetlands -- South Africa -- Limpopo , Wetland conservation -- South Africa -- Limpopo , Wetland management -- South Africa -- Limpopo , Isotopes
- Description: The hydrology of the Kudumela Wetland, Limpopo Province of South Africa was studied from November 2005 to April 2007, involving both fieldwork and laboratory analyses. This study presents the results of an investigation of the hydrology of the Kudumela Wetland in South Africa, and its contribution to dry season flow in the Mohlapitsi and Olifants Rivers. Initially, 40 Piezometers were installed along seven transects and water levels monitored in order to understand water table level characteristics (fluctuations) with time. Water levels in transects one, three, the right bank portion of transect four and transect six showed fluctuations. Transect two, the left bank portion of transect four and transect five did not show significant temporal changes. The relationships between piezometer water levels, rainfall in the study area and stream flow observed at a river gauging station are not clear. The river within the wetland is a gaining stream because the water table level elevation is above that of the river. This indicates that the wetland is feeding the river. The northern part of the wetland (T1 and T2) is affected by artificial drains and most of the piezometers closest to the river channel showed the lowest variations. The relationships between rainfall, groundwater, and surface water at this site shows that stream flow did not respond quickly to precipitation as expected, even in months when rainfall increased (for example, 74 and 103mm during 08/02/06 and 18/02/06 respectively), and the groundwater levels did not show fluctuations, indicating that groundwater responds gradually to precipitation, and that the relationship between rainfall, groundwater and surface water is complex. The environmental stable isotopes (deuterium and oxygen-18) and the radioactive isotope (tritium) were analyzed, along with field observations of electrical conductivity (EC), pH, total alkalinity (Talka) and some major and minor dissolved ion analyses for tracing water dynamics in the study area. A total of 39 water samples was taken and analyzed from boreholes, auger holes, right bank and left bank drains, various points along the river and springs in four sampling visits to the wetland. The results did not clearly provide a temporal record of isotope and chemical variations in the various sources. Results from the most extensive sampling survey in April 2007 provide the most comprehensive overview of hydrological relationships. Clustering of the stable isotope data suggests that the water samples of upstream and downstream river, auger holes further south and most drains clustered together suggesting a common water source and almost all samples fall above the global (GMWL) and local (Pretoria MWL) meteoric water lines, while some fall between the global and Pretoria meteoric water lines. Six representative water samples were analyzed for major ion concentration. Both cation (Ca, Mg, K, and Na) and anion (HCO3, SO4, Cl, and NO3) analyses in November 2007 confirmed conclusions reached from field observations. The analysis shows that a single type of water (Ca, Mg-HCO3) is involved in the study area. In almost all major ion plots, the right bank drains, upstream river and downstream river samples grouped together in a single cluster. As the means for reliable river flow measurements were not available, except for the gauging station at the outlet of the valley, rough, semi-quantitative estimates were made during several field visits. These, suggest considerable losses of river flow into the gravel/boulder beds at and below a gabion dam at the head of the valley. Three major and several other left bank springs and right bank drains at transects T1 and T2 contributed to the river flow at all times. Along with the isotopic and chemical evidence, these observations have lead to a hypothesis that river water enters the wetland and flows back to the Mohlapitsi River through boulder beds underlying the wetland and through drains on the surface of the argillaceous aquitard covering the more conductive boulder beds. Deeper dolomitic groundwater does not appear to contribute to the water balance at least in the northern half of the wetland. Although environmental isotope and hydrochemistry results may not unequivocally prove this hypothesis they do not contradict it.
- Full Text:
I love laser : it's my guiding light
- Authors: Nolan, Cathy
- Date: 2011
- Subjects: Nyokong, Tebello
- Language: English
- Type: Article , text
- Identifier: vital:7184 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1006274 , http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0019/001906/190645e.pdf#190680 , Nyokong, Tebello
- Description: What is the common thread that could possibly link denim jeans, cancer and pesticides? None is evident. Yet when South African chemist Tebello Nyokong describes her fascinating research, the link that emerges is light. Nyokong, a specialist in nanochemistry, loves laser, and is using it in ways that could have a revolutionary impact on medicine and the environment.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Nolan, Cathy
- Date: 2011
- Subjects: Nyokong, Tebello
- Language: English
- Type: Article , text
- Identifier: vital:7184 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1006274 , http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0019/001906/190645e.pdf#190680 , Nyokong, Tebello
- Description: What is the common thread that could possibly link denim jeans, cancer and pesticides? None is evident. Yet when South African chemist Tebello Nyokong describes her fascinating research, the link that emerges is light. Nyokong, a specialist in nanochemistry, loves laser, and is using it in ways that could have a revolutionary impact on medicine and the environment.
- Full Text:
Identifying the interdependence between South Africa's monetary policy and the stock market
- Authors: Muroyiwa, Brian
- Date: 2011
- Subjects: Monetary policy -- South Africa , Stock exchanges -- Law and legislation -- South Africa , Interest rates -- South Africa , Securities -- Prices -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MCom
- Identifier: vital:982 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002716 , Monetary policy -- South Africa , Stock exchanges -- Law and legislation -- South Africa , Interest rates -- South Africa , Securities -- Prices -- South Africa
- Description: This study estimates the interdependence between South Africa‟s monetary policy and stock market performance, utilising structural vector autoregression (SVAR) methodology. The study finds that a stock price shock which decrease stock prices by 100 basis points leads to 5 basis points decrease in interbank rate. A monetary policy shock that increases the interbank rate by l percent leads to decrease in real stock prices by 1 percent. This result for South Africa is similar to the result by Bjornland and Leteimo (2009) which earlier concluded that there was a high interdependence between interest rate setting and stock prices. However the magnitude of the relationship is relatively lower for South Africa compared to that of the United States of America (USA). The result of the current study is also very much consistent with the argument that the South African stock market is resource-based and so is influenced by external shocks, meaning monetary policy shock does not have as much impact on stock market in South Africa as in the USA. However the SARB may have to consider watching movements in stock prices so that booms in stock markets do not defeat central bank monetary policy thrusts. The stock price market is an essential source of information for monetary policy in South Africa.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Muroyiwa, Brian
- Date: 2011
- Subjects: Monetary policy -- South Africa , Stock exchanges -- Law and legislation -- South Africa , Interest rates -- South Africa , Securities -- Prices -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MCom
- Identifier: vital:982 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002716 , Monetary policy -- South Africa , Stock exchanges -- Law and legislation -- South Africa , Interest rates -- South Africa , Securities -- Prices -- South Africa
- Description: This study estimates the interdependence between South Africa‟s monetary policy and stock market performance, utilising structural vector autoregression (SVAR) methodology. The study finds that a stock price shock which decrease stock prices by 100 basis points leads to 5 basis points decrease in interbank rate. A monetary policy shock that increases the interbank rate by l percent leads to decrease in real stock prices by 1 percent. This result for South Africa is similar to the result by Bjornland and Leteimo (2009) which earlier concluded that there was a high interdependence between interest rate setting and stock prices. However the magnitude of the relationship is relatively lower for South Africa compared to that of the United States of America (USA). The result of the current study is also very much consistent with the argument that the South African stock market is resource-based and so is influenced by external shocks, meaning monetary policy shock does not have as much impact on stock market in South Africa as in the USA. However the SARB may have to consider watching movements in stock prices so that booms in stock markets do not defeat central bank monetary policy thrusts. The stock price market is an essential source of information for monetary policy in South Africa.
- Full Text:
Identity, belonging and ecological crisis in South African speculative fiction
- Authors: Steenkamp, Elzette Lorna
- Date: 2011
- Subjects: South African fiction -- History and criticism Identity (Philosophical concept) in literature Group identity in literature Ecology in literature Science fiction, South African -- History and criticism Fantasy fiction, South African -- History and criticism Ecofiction -- History and criticism Ecocriticism
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:2219 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002262
- Description: This study examines a range of South African speculative novels which situate their narratives in futuristic or ‘alternative’ milieus, exploring how these narratives not only address identity formation in a deeply divided and rapidly changing society, but also the ways in which human beings place themselves in relation to Nature and form notions of ‘ecological’ belonging. It offers close readings of these speculative narratives in order to investigate the ways in which they evince concerns which are rooted in the natural, social and political landscapes which inform them. Specific attention is paid to the texts’ treatment of the intertwined issues of identity, belonging and ecological crisis. This dissertation draws on the fields of Ecocriticism, Postcolonial Studies and Science Fiction Studies, and assumes a culturally specific approach to primary texts while investigating possible cross-cultural commonalities between Afrikaans and English speculative narratives, as well as the cross-fertilisation of global SF/speculative features. It is suggested that South African speculative fiction presents a socio-historically situated, rhizomatic approach to ecology – one that is attuned to the tension between humanistic- and ecological concerns.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Steenkamp, Elzette Lorna
- Date: 2011
- Subjects: South African fiction -- History and criticism Identity (Philosophical concept) in literature Group identity in literature Ecology in literature Science fiction, South African -- History and criticism Fantasy fiction, South African -- History and criticism Ecofiction -- History and criticism Ecocriticism
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:2219 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002262
- Description: This study examines a range of South African speculative novels which situate their narratives in futuristic or ‘alternative’ milieus, exploring how these narratives not only address identity formation in a deeply divided and rapidly changing society, but also the ways in which human beings place themselves in relation to Nature and form notions of ‘ecological’ belonging. It offers close readings of these speculative narratives in order to investigate the ways in which they evince concerns which are rooted in the natural, social and political landscapes which inform them. Specific attention is paid to the texts’ treatment of the intertwined issues of identity, belonging and ecological crisis. This dissertation draws on the fields of Ecocriticism, Postcolonial Studies and Science Fiction Studies, and assumes a culturally specific approach to primary texts while investigating possible cross-cultural commonalities between Afrikaans and English speculative narratives, as well as the cross-fertilisation of global SF/speculative features. It is suggested that South African speculative fiction presents a socio-historically situated, rhizomatic approach to ecology – one that is attuned to the tension between humanistic- and ecological concerns.
- Full Text:
Ilam's Archival Revitalisation: the past five years at the International Library of African Music
- Authors: Still-Drewett, F
- Date: 2011
- Language: English
- Type: Article
- Identifier: vital:6983 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1006719
- Description: The International Library for African Music (ILAM) was begun in 1954 by ethnomusicologist Hugh Tracey (1903–1977). Since 2007, an active set of projects in preservation and digitisation of both sound and photographic archives have meant that this highly important archive of traditional African music has been stabilized and conserved. New outreach education projects are helping distribute the wealth of the collection back to the African people. ILAM now has a more secure future and makes seminal contributions in the fields of research, publication and education for African music. French Abstract La Bibliothèque Internationale pour la Musique Africaine (ILAM) a été établie en 1954 par l’ethnomusicologue Hugh Tracey (1903–1977). Depuis 2007, un ensemble de projets actifs dans la préservation et la numérisation des archives sonores et photographiques, a eu comme résultat que ces archives très importantes de la musique traditionnelle africaine ont été stabilisées et conservées. De nouveaux projets d’éducation et de sensibilisation aident à distribuer la richesse de cette collection à la population africaine. ILAM a maintenant un avenir plus sûr et apporte une contribution fondamentale dans les domaines de la recherche, la publication et l’enseignement de la musique africaine. German Abstract Die International Library for African Music (ILAM) wurde im Jahr 1954 durch den Musi kethnolo - gen Hugh Tracey (1903–1977) gegründet. Seit 2007 laufende Projekte zur Bestandssicherung und Digitalisierung des Schall- und Fotoarchivs helfen, dieses überaus wichtige Archiv für traditionelle afrikanische Musik zu erhalten und in seiner Existenz zu stabilisieren. Neue, nach außen wirkende Bildungsprojekte tragen dazu bei, den Reichtum der Sammlung an die afrikanische Bevölkerung zurückzugeben. Durch seine nun gesicherte Zukunft kann ILAM für die afrikanische Musik grundlegende Beiträge in Forschung, Veröffentlichung und Bildung leisten. Afrikaans Abstract Die International Library of African Music (ILAM) is in 1954 deur die etnomusikoloog, Hugh Tracey (1903–1977), gestig. Aktiewe preserverings- en digitaliseringsprojekte van beide klank- en foto-argiewe sedert 2007, het tot gevolg gehad dat hierdie hoogs belangrike argief van tradisionele Afrikamusiek gestabiliseer en bewaar kon word. Nuwe ontwikkelings-uitreikprojekte dra daartoe by dat die rykdom van hierdie versameling teruggeploeg word aan Afrika. ILAM het tans ‘n meer versekerde toekoms en lewer invloedryke bydraes op die gebied van navorsing, publikasie en opleiding in Afrikamusiek. IsiXhosa Abstract Ithala lehlabathi lomculo wase-Afrika, i- International Library for African Music (ILAM) laqalwa ngo- 1954 yingcali yomculo weentlanga ngeentlanga, uHugh Tracey (1903–1977). Ukususela ngo-2007 umsebenzi wokulondoloza nokugcina ngekhompyutha isandi seengoma kwakunye neefoto uthetha ukuba le mbali ibalulekileyo kumculo we-Afrika wemveli iqiniselwe kwaye igcinwe ngononophelo. Iiprojekti ezintsha zokolulela isandla kwabanye abantu ziyanceda ekusasazeni le ndyebo kwabo bantu isuka kubo, ama-Afrika. Ngoku i-ILAM inekamva elingagunqgiyo kwaye inegalelo elibonakalayo kuphando, upapasho nemfundo ngomculo wase-Afrika.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Still-Drewett, F
- Date: 2011
- Language: English
- Type: Article
- Identifier: vital:6983 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1006719
- Description: The International Library for African Music (ILAM) was begun in 1954 by ethnomusicologist Hugh Tracey (1903–1977). Since 2007, an active set of projects in preservation and digitisation of both sound and photographic archives have meant that this highly important archive of traditional African music has been stabilized and conserved. New outreach education projects are helping distribute the wealth of the collection back to the African people. ILAM now has a more secure future and makes seminal contributions in the fields of research, publication and education for African music. French Abstract La Bibliothèque Internationale pour la Musique Africaine (ILAM) a été établie en 1954 par l’ethnomusicologue Hugh Tracey (1903–1977). Depuis 2007, un ensemble de projets actifs dans la préservation et la numérisation des archives sonores et photographiques, a eu comme résultat que ces archives très importantes de la musique traditionnelle africaine ont été stabilisées et conservées. De nouveaux projets d’éducation et de sensibilisation aident à distribuer la richesse de cette collection à la population africaine. ILAM a maintenant un avenir plus sûr et apporte une contribution fondamentale dans les domaines de la recherche, la publication et l’enseignement de la musique africaine. German Abstract Die International Library for African Music (ILAM) wurde im Jahr 1954 durch den Musi kethnolo - gen Hugh Tracey (1903–1977) gegründet. Seit 2007 laufende Projekte zur Bestandssicherung und Digitalisierung des Schall- und Fotoarchivs helfen, dieses überaus wichtige Archiv für traditionelle afrikanische Musik zu erhalten und in seiner Existenz zu stabilisieren. Neue, nach außen wirkende Bildungsprojekte tragen dazu bei, den Reichtum der Sammlung an die afrikanische Bevölkerung zurückzugeben. Durch seine nun gesicherte Zukunft kann ILAM für die afrikanische Musik grundlegende Beiträge in Forschung, Veröffentlichung und Bildung leisten. Afrikaans Abstract Die International Library of African Music (ILAM) is in 1954 deur die etnomusikoloog, Hugh Tracey (1903–1977), gestig. Aktiewe preserverings- en digitaliseringsprojekte van beide klank- en foto-argiewe sedert 2007, het tot gevolg gehad dat hierdie hoogs belangrike argief van tradisionele Afrikamusiek gestabiliseer en bewaar kon word. Nuwe ontwikkelings-uitreikprojekte dra daartoe by dat die rykdom van hierdie versameling teruggeploeg word aan Afrika. ILAM het tans ‘n meer versekerde toekoms en lewer invloedryke bydraes op die gebied van navorsing, publikasie en opleiding in Afrikamusiek. IsiXhosa Abstract Ithala lehlabathi lomculo wase-Afrika, i- International Library for African Music (ILAM) laqalwa ngo- 1954 yingcali yomculo weentlanga ngeentlanga, uHugh Tracey (1903–1977). Ukususela ngo-2007 umsebenzi wokulondoloza nokugcina ngekhompyutha isandi seengoma kwakunye neefoto uthetha ukuba le mbali ibalulekileyo kumculo we-Afrika wemveli iqiniselwe kwaye igcinwe ngononophelo. Iiprojekti ezintsha zokolulela isandla kwabanye abantu ziyanceda ekusasazeni le ndyebo kwabo bantu isuka kubo, ama-Afrika. Ngoku i-ILAM inekamva elingagunqgiyo kwaye inegalelo elibonakalayo kuphando, upapasho nemfundo ngomculo wase-Afrika.
- Full Text:
Ill at ease in our translated world ecocriticism, language, and the natural environment in the fiction of Michael Ondaatje, Amitav Ghosh, David Malouf and Wilma Stockenström
- Authors: Johnson, Eleanore
- Date: 2011
- Subjects: Ondaatje, Michael, 1943- The English patient Ghosh, Amitav. The hungry tide Malouf, David, 1934- An imaginary life Stockenström, Wilma. The expedition to the Baobab tree Ecocriticism Human ecology in literature Nature in literature
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:2234 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002277
- Description: This thesis explores the thematic desire to establish an ecological human bond with nature in four contemporary novels: The English Patient by Michael Ondaatje, The Hungry Tide by Amitav Ghosh, An Imaginary Life by David Malouf, and The Expedition to The Baobab Tree by Wilma Stockenström. These authors share a concern with the influence that language has on human perception, and one of the most significant ways they attempt to connect with the natural world is through somehow escaping, or transcending, what they perceive to be the divisive tendencies of language. They all suggest that human perception is not steered entirely by a disembodied mind, which constructs reality through linguistic and cultural lenses, but is equally influenced by physical circumstances and embodied experiences. They explore the potential of corporeal reciprocity and empathy as that which enables understanding across cultural barriers, and a sense of ecologically intertwined kinship with nature. They all struggle to reconcile their awareness of the potential danger of relating to nature exclusively through language, with a desire to speak for the natural world in literature. I have examined whether they succeed in doing so, or whether they contradict their thematic suspicion of language with their literary medium. I have prioritised a close ecocritical reading of the novels and loosely situated the authors’ approach to nature and language within the broad theoretical frameworks of radical ecology, structuralism and poststructuralism. I suggest that these novels are best analysed in the context of an ecocritical mediation between poststructuralist conceptions of nature as inaccessible cultural construct, and the naïve conception of unmediated, pre-reflective interaction with the natural world. I draw especially on the phenomenological theories of Maurice Merleau-Ponty, whose insistence that perception is always both embodied and culturally mediated truly renders culture and nature irreducible, intertwined categories. By challenging historical dualisms like mind/body and culture/nature, the selected novels suggest a more fluid and discursive understanding of the perceived conflict between language and nature, whilst problematizing the perception of language as merely a cultural artefact. Moreover, they are examples of the kind of literature that has the potential to positively influence our human conception of nature, and adapt us better to our ecological context on a planet struggling for survival.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Johnson, Eleanore
- Date: 2011
- Subjects: Ondaatje, Michael, 1943- The English patient Ghosh, Amitav. The hungry tide Malouf, David, 1934- An imaginary life Stockenström, Wilma. The expedition to the Baobab tree Ecocriticism Human ecology in literature Nature in literature
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:2234 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002277
- Description: This thesis explores the thematic desire to establish an ecological human bond with nature in four contemporary novels: The English Patient by Michael Ondaatje, The Hungry Tide by Amitav Ghosh, An Imaginary Life by David Malouf, and The Expedition to The Baobab Tree by Wilma Stockenström. These authors share a concern with the influence that language has on human perception, and one of the most significant ways they attempt to connect with the natural world is through somehow escaping, or transcending, what they perceive to be the divisive tendencies of language. They all suggest that human perception is not steered entirely by a disembodied mind, which constructs reality through linguistic and cultural lenses, but is equally influenced by physical circumstances and embodied experiences. They explore the potential of corporeal reciprocity and empathy as that which enables understanding across cultural barriers, and a sense of ecologically intertwined kinship with nature. They all struggle to reconcile their awareness of the potential danger of relating to nature exclusively through language, with a desire to speak for the natural world in literature. I have examined whether they succeed in doing so, or whether they contradict their thematic suspicion of language with their literary medium. I have prioritised a close ecocritical reading of the novels and loosely situated the authors’ approach to nature and language within the broad theoretical frameworks of radical ecology, structuralism and poststructuralism. I suggest that these novels are best analysed in the context of an ecocritical mediation between poststructuralist conceptions of nature as inaccessible cultural construct, and the naïve conception of unmediated, pre-reflective interaction with the natural world. I draw especially on the phenomenological theories of Maurice Merleau-Ponty, whose insistence that perception is always both embodied and culturally mediated truly renders culture and nature irreducible, intertwined categories. By challenging historical dualisms like mind/body and culture/nature, the selected novels suggest a more fluid and discursive understanding of the perceived conflict between language and nature, whilst problematizing the perception of language as merely a cultural artefact. Moreover, they are examples of the kind of literature that has the potential to positively influence our human conception of nature, and adapt us better to our ecological context on a planet struggling for survival.
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Improved tree species discrimination at leaf level with hyperspectral data combining binary classifiers
- Authors: Dastile, Xolani Collen
- Date: 2011
- Subjects: Mathematical statistics , Analysis of variance , Nearest neighbor analysis (Statistics) , Trees--Classification
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:5567 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002807 , Mathematical statistics , Analysis of variance , Nearest neighbor analysis (Statistics) , Trees--Classification
- Description: The purpose of the present thesis is to show that hyperspectral data can be used for discrimination between different tree species. The data set used in this study contains the hyperspectral measurements of leaves of seven savannah tree species. The data is high-dimensional and shows large within-class variability combined with small between-class variability which makes discrimination between the classes challenging. We employ two classification methods: G-nearest neighbour and feed-forward neural networks. For both methods, direct 7-class prediction results in high misclassification rates. However, binary classification works better. We constructed binary classifiers for all possible binary classification problems and combine them with Error Correcting Output Codes. We show especially that the use of 1-nearest neighbour binary classifiers results in no improvement compared to a direct 1-nearest neighbour 7-class predictor. In contrast to this negative result, the use of neural networks binary classifiers improves accuracy by 10% compared to a direct neural networks 7-class predictor, and error rates become acceptable. This can be further improved by choosing only suitable binary classifiers for combination.
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- Authors: Dastile, Xolani Collen
- Date: 2011
- Subjects: Mathematical statistics , Analysis of variance , Nearest neighbor analysis (Statistics) , Trees--Classification
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:5567 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002807 , Mathematical statistics , Analysis of variance , Nearest neighbor analysis (Statistics) , Trees--Classification
- Description: The purpose of the present thesis is to show that hyperspectral data can be used for discrimination between different tree species. The data set used in this study contains the hyperspectral measurements of leaves of seven savannah tree species. The data is high-dimensional and shows large within-class variability combined with small between-class variability which makes discrimination between the classes challenging. We employ two classification methods: G-nearest neighbour and feed-forward neural networks. For both methods, direct 7-class prediction results in high misclassification rates. However, binary classification works better. We constructed binary classifiers for all possible binary classification problems and combine them with Error Correcting Output Codes. We show especially that the use of 1-nearest neighbour binary classifiers results in no improvement compared to a direct 1-nearest neighbour 7-class predictor. In contrast to this negative result, the use of neural networks binary classifiers improves accuracy by 10% compared to a direct neural networks 7-class predictor, and error rates become acceptable. This can be further improved by choosing only suitable binary classifiers for combination.
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In service to the law: Alastair James Kerr SC
- Authors: Glover, Graham B
- Date: 2011
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/70658 , vital:29686 , https://hdl.handle.net/10520/EJC53959
- Description: Professor Alastair James Kerr SC passed away at Settlers Hospital in Grahamstown on the 29th of September 2010. He was eighty-eight years of age. Ironically, his death occurred at the time that the third part of the 2010 SALJ appeared in print, containing a tribute to one of the other great writers on South African contract law, Professor Richard (Dick) Christie, who had passed away earlier in the year (see A J G Lang 'Professor Richard Hunter Christie: A memorial tribute' (2010) 127 SALJ 414). 2010 may have been a momentous year in South Africa for many reasons, but the deaths of these two men in the same year has left the landscape of our contract law irrevocably changed, even though their ideas will live on through their published works.
- Full Text: false
- Authors: Glover, Graham B
- Date: 2011
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/70658 , vital:29686 , https://hdl.handle.net/10520/EJC53959
- Description: Professor Alastair James Kerr SC passed away at Settlers Hospital in Grahamstown on the 29th of September 2010. He was eighty-eight years of age. Ironically, his death occurred at the time that the third part of the 2010 SALJ appeared in print, containing a tribute to one of the other great writers on South African contract law, Professor Richard (Dick) Christie, who had passed away earlier in the year (see A J G Lang 'Professor Richard Hunter Christie: A memorial tribute' (2010) 127 SALJ 414). 2010 may have been a momentous year in South Africa for many reasons, but the deaths of these two men in the same year has left the landscape of our contract law irrevocably changed, even though their ideas will live on through their published works.
- Full Text: false
In vitro toxicity testing of zinc tetrasulfophthalocyanines in fibroblast and keratinocyte cells for the treatment of melanoma cancer by photodynamic therapy
- Maduray, Kaminee, Karsten, Alta, Odhay, Bharti, Nyokong, Tebello
- Authors: Maduray, Kaminee , Karsten, Alta , Odhay, Bharti , Nyokong, Tebello
- Date: 2011
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/247588 , vital:51597 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jphotobiol.2011.01.020"
- Description: A series of water-soluble tetrasulfonated metallophthalocyanines (MPcs) dyes have been studied to be used as a drug or photosensitizer (PS) in photodynamic therapy (PDT) for the treatment of cancers. During PDT the PS is administrated intravenously or topically to the patient before laser light at an appropriate wavelength is applied to the cancerous area to activate the PS. The activated PS will react with oxygen typically present in the cancerous tissue to generate reactive oxygen species for the destruction of the cancerous tissue. This in vitro study aimed at investigating the cytotoxic effects of different concentrations of zinc tetrasulfophthalocyanines (ZnTSPc) activated with a diode laser (λ = 672 nm) on melanoma, keratinocyte and fibroblast cells. To perform this study 3 × 104 cells/ml were seeded in 24-well plates and allowed to attach overnight, after which cells were treated with different concentrations of ZnTSPc. After 2 h, cells were irradiated with a constant light dose of 4.5 J/cm2. Post-irradiated cells were incubated for 24 h before cell viability was measured using the CellTiter-Blue Viability Assay. Data indicated high concentrations of ZnTSPc (60–100 μg/ml) in its inactive state are cytotoxic to the melanoma cancer cells. Also, results showed that photoactivated ZnTSPc (50 μg/ml) was able to reduce the cell viability of melanoma, fibroblast and keratinocyte cells to 61%, 81% and 83% respectively. At this photosensitizing concentration the efficacy the treatment light dose of 4.5 J/cm2 against other light doses of 2.5 J/cm2, 7.5 J/cm2 and 10 J/cm2 on the different cell lines were analyzed. ZnTSPc at a concentration of 50 μg/ml activated with a light dose of 4.5 J/cm2 was the most efficient for the killing of melanoma cancer cells with reduced killing effects on healthy normal skin cells in comparison to the other treatment light doses. Melanoma cancer cells after PDT with a photosensitizing concentration of 50 μg/ml and a treatment light dose of 4.5 J/cm2 showed certain apoptosis characteristics such as chromatin condensation and fragmentation of the nucleus. This concludes that low concentrations of ZnTSPc activated with the appropriate light dose can be used to induce cell death in melanoma cells with the occurrence of minimal damage to surrounding healthy tissue.
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- Authors: Maduray, Kaminee , Karsten, Alta , Odhay, Bharti , Nyokong, Tebello
- Date: 2011
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/247588 , vital:51597 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jphotobiol.2011.01.020"
- Description: A series of water-soluble tetrasulfonated metallophthalocyanines (MPcs) dyes have been studied to be used as a drug or photosensitizer (PS) in photodynamic therapy (PDT) for the treatment of cancers. During PDT the PS is administrated intravenously or topically to the patient before laser light at an appropriate wavelength is applied to the cancerous area to activate the PS. The activated PS will react with oxygen typically present in the cancerous tissue to generate reactive oxygen species for the destruction of the cancerous tissue. This in vitro study aimed at investigating the cytotoxic effects of different concentrations of zinc tetrasulfophthalocyanines (ZnTSPc) activated with a diode laser (λ = 672 nm) on melanoma, keratinocyte and fibroblast cells. To perform this study 3 × 104 cells/ml were seeded in 24-well plates and allowed to attach overnight, after which cells were treated with different concentrations of ZnTSPc. After 2 h, cells were irradiated with a constant light dose of 4.5 J/cm2. Post-irradiated cells were incubated for 24 h before cell viability was measured using the CellTiter-Blue Viability Assay. Data indicated high concentrations of ZnTSPc (60–100 μg/ml) in its inactive state are cytotoxic to the melanoma cancer cells. Also, results showed that photoactivated ZnTSPc (50 μg/ml) was able to reduce the cell viability of melanoma, fibroblast and keratinocyte cells to 61%, 81% and 83% respectively. At this photosensitizing concentration the efficacy the treatment light dose of 4.5 J/cm2 against other light doses of 2.5 J/cm2, 7.5 J/cm2 and 10 J/cm2 on the different cell lines were analyzed. ZnTSPc at a concentration of 50 μg/ml activated with a light dose of 4.5 J/cm2 was the most efficient for the killing of melanoma cancer cells with reduced killing effects on healthy normal skin cells in comparison to the other treatment light doses. Melanoma cancer cells after PDT with a photosensitizing concentration of 50 μg/ml and a treatment light dose of 4.5 J/cm2 showed certain apoptosis characteristics such as chromatin condensation and fragmentation of the nucleus. This concludes that low concentrations of ZnTSPc activated with the appropriate light dose can be used to induce cell death in melanoma cells with the occurrence of minimal damage to surrounding healthy tissue.
- Full Text: