Household food insecurity along an agro-ecological gradient influences children’s nutritional status in South Africa
- Chakona, Gamuchirai, Shackleton, Charlie M
- Authors: Chakona, Gamuchirai , Shackleton, Charlie M
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/179836 , vital:43193 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2017.00072"
- Description: The burden of food insecurity and malnutrition is a severe problem experienced by many poor households and children under the age of five are at high risk. The objective of the study was to examine household food insecurity, dietary diversity, and child nutritional status in relation to local context which influences access to and ability to grow food in South Africa and explore the links and associations between these and household socio-economic status. Using a 48-h dietary recall method, we interviewed 554 women from randomly selected households along a rural–urban continuum in three towns situated along an agro-ecological gradient. The Household Dietary Diversity Scores (HDDS) and the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS) tools were used to measure household dietary diversity and food insecurity, respectively. Anthropometric measurements with 216 children (2–5 years) from the sampled households were conducted using height-for-age and mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) as indicators of stunting and wasting, respectively. The key findings were that mean HDDS declined with decreasing agro-ecological potential from the wettest site (8.44 ± 1.72) to the other two drier sites (7.83 ± 1.59 and 7.76 ± 1.63). The mean HFIAS followed the opposite trend. Stunted growth was the dominant form of malnutrition detected in 35% of children and 18% of children were wasted. Child wasting was greatest at the site with lowest agro-ecological potential. Children from households with low HDDS had large MUAC which showed an inverse association among HDDS and obesity. Areas with agro-ecological potential had lower prevalence of food insecurity and wasting in children. Agro-ecological potential has significant influence on children’s nutritional status, which is also related to household food security and socio-economic status. Dependence on food purchasing and any limitations in households’ income, access to land and food, can result in different forms of malnutrition in children. Responses to address malnutrition in South Africa need to be prioritized and move beyond relying on food security and nutritional-specific interventions, but rather on nutrition-specific and sensitive programs and approaches; and building an enabling environment. Land availability, agriculture (including climate-smart agriculture especially in drier areas), and wild foods usage should be promoted.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Chakona, Gamuchirai , Shackleton, Charlie M
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/179836 , vital:43193 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2017.00072"
- Description: The burden of food insecurity and malnutrition is a severe problem experienced by many poor households and children under the age of five are at high risk. The objective of the study was to examine household food insecurity, dietary diversity, and child nutritional status in relation to local context which influences access to and ability to grow food in South Africa and explore the links and associations between these and household socio-economic status. Using a 48-h dietary recall method, we interviewed 554 women from randomly selected households along a rural–urban continuum in three towns situated along an agro-ecological gradient. The Household Dietary Diversity Scores (HDDS) and the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS) tools were used to measure household dietary diversity and food insecurity, respectively. Anthropometric measurements with 216 children (2–5 years) from the sampled households were conducted using height-for-age and mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) as indicators of stunting and wasting, respectively. The key findings were that mean HDDS declined with decreasing agro-ecological potential from the wettest site (8.44 ± 1.72) to the other two drier sites (7.83 ± 1.59 and 7.76 ± 1.63). The mean HFIAS followed the opposite trend. Stunted growth was the dominant form of malnutrition detected in 35% of children and 18% of children were wasted. Child wasting was greatest at the site with lowest agro-ecological potential. Children from households with low HDDS had large MUAC which showed an inverse association among HDDS and obesity. Areas with agro-ecological potential had lower prevalence of food insecurity and wasting in children. Agro-ecological potential has significant influence on children’s nutritional status, which is also related to household food security and socio-economic status. Dependence on food purchasing and any limitations in households’ income, access to land and food, can result in different forms of malnutrition in children. Responses to address malnutrition in South Africa need to be prioritized and move beyond relying on food security and nutritional-specific interventions, but rather on nutrition-specific and sensitive programs and approaches; and building an enabling environment. Land availability, agriculture (including climate-smart agriculture especially in drier areas), and wild foods usage should be promoted.
- Full Text:
How are learning and training environments transforming with ESD
- O’Donoghue, R, Taylor, Jim, Venter, V
- Authors: O’Donoghue, R , Taylor, Jim , Venter, V
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , book chapter
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/436718 , vital:73295 , ISBN 978-92-3-100244-1 , https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000261445
- Description: Action Area 2 of the Global Action Programme (GAP) on Edu-cation for Sustainable Development calls for the transformation of education and training environments1. This transformation can be interpreted in terms of changes in learning environ-ments brought about by the inclusion of ESD in education and training initiatives. This includes the integration of learning-led change found in whole-school approaches that emphasize in-clusive school governance, pedagogy and sustainable cam-pus management, as well as cooperation with partners and broader communities. These approaches are changing learn-ing environments in significant ways.
- Full Text:
- Authors: O’Donoghue, R , Taylor, Jim , Venter, V
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , book chapter
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/436718 , vital:73295 , ISBN 978-92-3-100244-1 , https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000261445
- Description: Action Area 2 of the Global Action Programme (GAP) on Edu-cation for Sustainable Development calls for the transformation of education and training environments1. This transformation can be interpreted in terms of changes in learning environ-ments brought about by the inclusion of ESD in education and training initiatives. This includes the integration of learning-led change found in whole-school approaches that emphasize in-clusive school governance, pedagogy and sustainable cam-pus management, as well as cooperation with partners and broader communities. These approaches are changing learn-ing environments in significant ways.
- Full Text:
How Far, Where To?: regionalism, the Southern African Development Community and decision-making into the Millennium
- Authors: Bischoff, Paul, 1954-
- Date: 2018
- Language: English
- Type: text , book
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/161638 , vital:40649 , ISBN 9781138726093
- Description: This title was first published in 2002: The resurgence of the democratization movement in Africa in the post-Cold War era is gradually replacing authoritarianism with forms of democratic systems. These changes have put into question the traditional big man image of African states’ foreign policy and foreign policy-making. The first book of its kind to focus on the foreign policy-making process of Southern African countries in the era of globalization, these instructive and rewarding case studies contextualize the increasing involvement of other internal actors in African states foreign policy-making process. Foreign policy actors such as the Presidency, Ministries of Defence, Foreign Affairs, Trade, Finance and the Intelligence Community, among others, are examined in a comparative perspective.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Bischoff, Paul, 1954-
- Date: 2018
- Language: English
- Type: text , book
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/161638 , vital:40649 , ISBN 9781138726093
- Description: This title was first published in 2002: The resurgence of the democratization movement in Africa in the post-Cold War era is gradually replacing authoritarianism with forms of democratic systems. These changes have put into question the traditional big man image of African states’ foreign policy and foreign policy-making. The first book of its kind to focus on the foreign policy-making process of Southern African countries in the era of globalization, these instructive and rewarding case studies contextualize the increasing involvement of other internal actors in African states foreign policy-making process. Foreign policy actors such as the Presidency, Ministries of Defence, Foreign Affairs, Trade, Finance and the Intelligence Community, among others, are examined in a comparative perspective.
- Full Text:
How important is green infrastructure in small and medium-sized towns? Lessons from South Africa
- Shackleton, Charlie M, Blair, Andrew, De Lacy, Peter, Kaoma, Humphrey, Mugwagwa, Noster, Dalu, Mwazvita T B, Walton, Wesley
- Authors: Shackleton, Charlie M , Blair, Andrew , De Lacy, Peter , Kaoma, Humphrey , Mugwagwa, Noster , Dalu, Mwazvita T B , Walton, Wesley
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/398321 , vital:69400 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landurbplan.2016.12.007"
- Description: The current nature and challenges of urbanisation in sub-Saharan Africa display several unique features only weakly evident on other continents. Key ones include the current high rates of population growth, inadequate planning and governance systems, concentration in small and medium-sized towns, and increasing urban poverty. These shape the extent, nature and use of ecosystem services provided by urban green infrastructure. This paper first examines the location of green infrastructure across nine towns, showing that it is unequal between suburbs and that the bulk is located under private tenure (74%) rather than in public spaces. We then consider the extent and patterns of use of selected provisioning and cultural ecosystem services from green infrastructure in different locations within towns, including private gardens, public parks and street trees. The results show significant use of green infrastructure for a range of provisioning and cultural services as well as its contribution to spiritual and mental wellbeing. Provisioning contributions are both in regular support of livelihood needs as well as increased use after a covariate shock (a flood), both of which help reduce household vulnerability. Lastly, our results show the expressed level of support and willingness-to-pay or work amongst urban residents for green infrastructure and the services it provides. Whilst the composite results indicate marked variation between and within towns, they show that there is widespread use of green infrastructure for both basic needs as well as for more aesthetic and psycho-spiritual appreciation and recreation, in small and medium-sized towns in a developing country such as South Africa.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Shackleton, Charlie M , Blair, Andrew , De Lacy, Peter , Kaoma, Humphrey , Mugwagwa, Noster , Dalu, Mwazvita T B , Walton, Wesley
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/398321 , vital:69400 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landurbplan.2016.12.007"
- Description: The current nature and challenges of urbanisation in sub-Saharan Africa display several unique features only weakly evident on other continents. Key ones include the current high rates of population growth, inadequate planning and governance systems, concentration in small and medium-sized towns, and increasing urban poverty. These shape the extent, nature and use of ecosystem services provided by urban green infrastructure. This paper first examines the location of green infrastructure across nine towns, showing that it is unequal between suburbs and that the bulk is located under private tenure (74%) rather than in public spaces. We then consider the extent and patterns of use of selected provisioning and cultural ecosystem services from green infrastructure in different locations within towns, including private gardens, public parks and street trees. The results show significant use of green infrastructure for a range of provisioning and cultural services as well as its contribution to spiritual and mental wellbeing. Provisioning contributions are both in regular support of livelihood needs as well as increased use after a covariate shock (a flood), both of which help reduce household vulnerability. Lastly, our results show the expressed level of support and willingness-to-pay or work amongst urban residents for green infrastructure and the services it provides. Whilst the composite results indicate marked variation between and within towns, they show that there is widespread use of green infrastructure for both basic needs as well as for more aesthetic and psycho-spiritual appreciation and recreation, in small and medium-sized towns in a developing country such as South Africa.
- Full Text:
How the roles of CEO's differ in response to different circumstances and in the context of succession: Anglo American-a case study
- Authors: Ball, Leslie
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Organizational change , Strategic planning , Executive succession , Anglo American Corporation of South Africa, ltd.
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/60799 , vital:27832
- Description: A review of the literature revealed that firms are inherently influenced by leadership in the upper echelons of the organization. The seminal paper of Hambrick and Mason (1984) has sparked much interest in the realm of organizational leadership. Studies involving organizational leadership have concentrated on leadership styles, the manner in which leadership takes place, leadership succession and organizational performance in an attempt to understand the dynamics of the senior leadership of organizations. Research has also explored how changes in the top management of firms has impacted its performance. This research has primarily been concerned with how a firm is impacted, once succession takes place, and has focused on financial performance, change in strategy and stockholder reaction (Shen & Cannella, 2002; Barron, Chulkov & Waddell, 2011; Friedman & Singh, 1989). Although their predisposition will largely influence the manner in which the incoming CEO acts, the literature has largely neglected the role the incoming CEO must fulfil, and how he/she steers the company, once appointed. In response, the following aim was developed to address this gap: To describe how the roles of two CEO's of the same company differed, during different time periods. The CEO assumes various strategic leadership roles, which they carry out in the context of their new environment once succession has taken place. From the literature, six strategic leadership roles were identified, which formed the foundation of this study. These were strategy formulation, strategy implementation, developing organizational culture, emphasizing ethical practices, managing the firm's resource portfolio and establishing balanced controls. The study set out to comparatively analyze two CEO's of the same firm during different periods. Both CEO's were investigated from the perspective of strategic leadership roles, allowing a comparison of their behaviour. The study analyses and describes these roles, and how they differed between the CEO's, in reaction to differing situational factors and in the context of succession. The study employed a deductive qualitative case study research design. This allowed the researcher to examine the complex phenomenon which have previously been studied at a more superficial level using quantitative methods (Baxter & Jack, 2008; Parrino, 1997; Jooste & Fourie, 2009). A qualitative methodological approach allowed the researcher to examine the topic through a lens which takes into account human variables and processes (Baxter & Jack, 2008). Data was sampled using purposive and convenience sampling while applying the critical incident technique. Data was collected through information sources such as news articles, press releases, annual reports, online interviews, news websites and other documents. Thematical analysis was used during the analysis phase of the study and allowed for patterns and links to be drawn between the collected data. The succession from one CEO to the next served as the comparative element of the study, which allowed for a contrasting of how both CEO's carried out their strategic leadership roles by adapting to their environment, and how they guided the strategic trajectory of the company. The study also took into account what both CEO's were confronted with at the start of their tenure and how this influenced how they carried out their leadership roles. It was found that Cynthia Carroll exercised her roles in a manner which addressed ethical and stakeholder engagement issues within the business. This was translated directly into how she guided the trajectory of the company. Upon appointment, Mark Cutifani exercised his roles in a manner which addressed the organizational performance and financial well-being of the company. This translated directly into how he shaped Anglo's trajectory in an attempt to better its financial performance. Given how they exercised their strategic roles in the company, each CEO influenced Anglo American's direction in a different way, which in turn, influenced the performance of the organization. It was shown that Cynthia Carroll improved the stakeholder engagement, communication and safety within the company, demonstrating behaviour that emphasized the importance of the ethics of the company. When the business had been carrying out its ethical practices effectively, but underperforming financially, Cutifani demonstrated the roles which would be geared toward resurrecting the organizational performance of the organization. Recommendations are made for further research including applying the same research method to investigate how these roles are carried out in companies which operate in a broad spectrum of industries.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Ball, Leslie
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Organizational change , Strategic planning , Executive succession , Anglo American Corporation of South Africa, ltd.
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/60799 , vital:27832
- Description: A review of the literature revealed that firms are inherently influenced by leadership in the upper echelons of the organization. The seminal paper of Hambrick and Mason (1984) has sparked much interest in the realm of organizational leadership. Studies involving organizational leadership have concentrated on leadership styles, the manner in which leadership takes place, leadership succession and organizational performance in an attempt to understand the dynamics of the senior leadership of organizations. Research has also explored how changes in the top management of firms has impacted its performance. This research has primarily been concerned with how a firm is impacted, once succession takes place, and has focused on financial performance, change in strategy and stockholder reaction (Shen & Cannella, 2002; Barron, Chulkov & Waddell, 2011; Friedman & Singh, 1989). Although their predisposition will largely influence the manner in which the incoming CEO acts, the literature has largely neglected the role the incoming CEO must fulfil, and how he/she steers the company, once appointed. In response, the following aim was developed to address this gap: To describe how the roles of two CEO's of the same company differed, during different time periods. The CEO assumes various strategic leadership roles, which they carry out in the context of their new environment once succession has taken place. From the literature, six strategic leadership roles were identified, which formed the foundation of this study. These were strategy formulation, strategy implementation, developing organizational culture, emphasizing ethical practices, managing the firm's resource portfolio and establishing balanced controls. The study set out to comparatively analyze two CEO's of the same firm during different periods. Both CEO's were investigated from the perspective of strategic leadership roles, allowing a comparison of their behaviour. The study analyses and describes these roles, and how they differed between the CEO's, in reaction to differing situational factors and in the context of succession. The study employed a deductive qualitative case study research design. This allowed the researcher to examine the complex phenomenon which have previously been studied at a more superficial level using quantitative methods (Baxter & Jack, 2008; Parrino, 1997; Jooste & Fourie, 2009). A qualitative methodological approach allowed the researcher to examine the topic through a lens which takes into account human variables and processes (Baxter & Jack, 2008). Data was sampled using purposive and convenience sampling while applying the critical incident technique. Data was collected through information sources such as news articles, press releases, annual reports, online interviews, news websites and other documents. Thematical analysis was used during the analysis phase of the study and allowed for patterns and links to be drawn between the collected data. The succession from one CEO to the next served as the comparative element of the study, which allowed for a contrasting of how both CEO's carried out their strategic leadership roles by adapting to their environment, and how they guided the strategic trajectory of the company. The study also took into account what both CEO's were confronted with at the start of their tenure and how this influenced how they carried out their leadership roles. It was found that Cynthia Carroll exercised her roles in a manner which addressed ethical and stakeholder engagement issues within the business. This was translated directly into how she guided the trajectory of the company. Upon appointment, Mark Cutifani exercised his roles in a manner which addressed the organizational performance and financial well-being of the company. This translated directly into how he shaped Anglo's trajectory in an attempt to better its financial performance. Given how they exercised their strategic roles in the company, each CEO influenced Anglo American's direction in a different way, which in turn, influenced the performance of the organization. It was shown that Cynthia Carroll improved the stakeholder engagement, communication and safety within the company, demonstrating behaviour that emphasized the importance of the ethics of the company. When the business had been carrying out its ethical practices effectively, but underperforming financially, Cutifani demonstrated the roles which would be geared toward resurrecting the organizational performance of the organization. Recommendations are made for further research including applying the same research method to investigate how these roles are carried out in companies which operate in a broad spectrum of industries.
- Full Text:
How to be or not to be? A critical dialogue on the limitations and opportunities of academic development in the current higher education context
- Behari-Leak, Kasturi, Chitanand, N, Padayachee, Kershree, Masehela, L, Vorster, Jo-Anne E, Ganas, Rieta, Merckel, Vanessa
- Authors: Behari-Leak, Kasturi , Chitanand, N , Padayachee, Kershree , Masehela, L , Vorster, Jo-Anne E , Ganas, Rieta , Merckel, Vanessa
- Date: 2018
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/124217 , vital:35577 , https://hdl.handle.net/10520/EJC-13671ff578
- Description: In the tumultuous time we find ourselves, debates about pedagogy have taken centre stage once again. Concerns raised by the student protests of 2015 and 2016 have highlighted the urgent need to re-think traditional teaching, learning and assessment practices, as well as the development of decolonised and transformative curricula.Traditional notions of academic and professional development are now being tested and contested, insofar as they are able to respond to student challenges in appropriate, responsive, legitimate and relevant ways. As a professional organisation dedicated to supporting learning and teaching, the executive team of HELTASA responded to the challenge in this article by engaging with perspectives on the purpose, role and conceptualisation of academic development in the current decolonial moment in the South African Higher Education landscape. Critical processes that enable academics to engage, share thoughts and debate epistemological, pedagogical and methodological options to support students and academics are much needed. And the context and spirit in which these debates occur may be as important as the debates themselves.At its annual conference, the executive team facilitated a critical dialogue with conference delegates on the limitations and opportunities of AD in our current context. Given the diverse teaching and learning contexts and institutional differentiation in the sector, this article explores individual and collective theorised observations, reflections and experiences of the seven facilitators who led the CD. These reflections were analysed and discussed against the backdrop of AD as well as the affordances of CD as a participatory learning and engagement methodology. The findings showed that there is dire need to re-imagine, not only AD’s role but alternative forms of critical engagement in the sector.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Behari-Leak, Kasturi , Chitanand, N , Padayachee, Kershree , Masehela, L , Vorster, Jo-Anne E , Ganas, Rieta , Merckel, Vanessa
- Date: 2018
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/124217 , vital:35577 , https://hdl.handle.net/10520/EJC-13671ff578
- Description: In the tumultuous time we find ourselves, debates about pedagogy have taken centre stage once again. Concerns raised by the student protests of 2015 and 2016 have highlighted the urgent need to re-think traditional teaching, learning and assessment practices, as well as the development of decolonised and transformative curricula.Traditional notions of academic and professional development are now being tested and contested, insofar as they are able to respond to student challenges in appropriate, responsive, legitimate and relevant ways. As a professional organisation dedicated to supporting learning and teaching, the executive team of HELTASA responded to the challenge in this article by engaging with perspectives on the purpose, role and conceptualisation of academic development in the current decolonial moment in the South African Higher Education landscape. Critical processes that enable academics to engage, share thoughts and debate epistemological, pedagogical and methodological options to support students and academics are much needed. And the context and spirit in which these debates occur may be as important as the debates themselves.At its annual conference, the executive team facilitated a critical dialogue with conference delegates on the limitations and opportunities of AD in our current context. Given the diverse teaching and learning contexts and institutional differentiation in the sector, this article explores individual and collective theorised observations, reflections and experiences of the seven facilitators who led the CD. These reflections were analysed and discussed against the backdrop of AD as well as the affordances of CD as a participatory learning and engagement methodology. The findings showed that there is dire need to re-imagine, not only AD’s role but alternative forms of critical engagement in the sector.
- Full Text:
How to establish and run a catchment management forum
- Palmer, Carolyn G, Holleman, Helen, Wolff, Margaret G
- Authors: Palmer, Carolyn G , Holleman, Helen , Wolff, Margaret G
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , report
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/437894 , vital:73420 , ISBN 978-1 4312-0986-6 , https://wrcwebsite.azurewebsites.net/wp-content/uploads/mdocs/SP 118-18 web.pdf
- Description: The user-friendly series of “How to….” handbooks are aimed at staff and stakehold-ers in catchment management forums (CMFs), catchment management agencies (CMAs) and municipalities. The handbooks are not all written at exactly the same level of “user-friendliness”, it depends on the topic, and target users.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Palmer, Carolyn G , Holleman, Helen , Wolff, Margaret G
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , report
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/437894 , vital:73420 , ISBN 978-1 4312-0986-6 , https://wrcwebsite.azurewebsites.net/wp-content/uploads/mdocs/SP 118-18 web.pdf
- Description: The user-friendly series of “How to….” handbooks are aimed at staff and stakehold-ers in catchment management forums (CMFs), catchment management agencies (CMAs) and municipalities. The handbooks are not all written at exactly the same level of “user-friendliness”, it depends on the topic, and target users.
- Full Text:
How to think about water for people and people for water: Some for all, forever
- Authors: Palmer, Carolyn G
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , report
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/437922 , vital:73422 , ISBN 978-1 4312-0985-9 , https://wrcwebsite.azurewebsites.net/wp-content/uploads/mdocs/SP%20117-18%20web.pdf
- Description: Water for people and people for water. We need water and water needs us. That is what this book is about. Water is the basis of all life. No plant, animal or person on earth can survive without it. In fact, all organisms are mostly made up of water. Wa-ter shapes the earth’s surface. It is a fundamental part of climate processes. Out in the natural world, water is not found in taps, buckets and glasses but in rivers, wet-lands, lakes, dams, estuaries, groundwater and the sea. It falls from the sky as rain, runs off the landscape, filters into the soil, flows to the sea in rivers, is stored in dams, evaporates into the sky, and rains back onto the earth. This is the water cycle. People need water for all sorts of things, for drinking, washing, cooking, growing food, in industries, and to dilute and transport wastes. But in the process of using water, people can damage rivers, wetlands, lakes and other watery places. Dam-aged ecosystems do not work very well and may fail us when we need them most. The message of this book is – look after water in the places where it is naturally found – look after water and water ecosystems because you need them so much.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Palmer, Carolyn G
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , report
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/437922 , vital:73422 , ISBN 978-1 4312-0985-9 , https://wrcwebsite.azurewebsites.net/wp-content/uploads/mdocs/SP%20117-18%20web.pdf
- Description: Water for people and people for water. We need water and water needs us. That is what this book is about. Water is the basis of all life. No plant, animal or person on earth can survive without it. In fact, all organisms are mostly made up of water. Wa-ter shapes the earth’s surface. It is a fundamental part of climate processes. Out in the natural world, water is not found in taps, buckets and glasses but in rivers, wet-lands, lakes, dams, estuaries, groundwater and the sea. It falls from the sky as rain, runs off the landscape, filters into the soil, flows to the sea in rivers, is stored in dams, evaporates into the sky, and rains back onto the earth. This is the water cycle. People need water for all sorts of things, for drinking, washing, cooking, growing food, in industries, and to dilute and transport wastes. But in the process of using water, people can damage rivers, wetlands, lakes and other watery places. Dam-aged ecosystems do not work very well and may fail us when we need them most. The message of this book is – look after water in the places where it is naturally found – look after water and water ecosystems because you need them so much.
- Full Text:
How to understand environmental water quality in water resources management
- Authors: Palmer, Carolyn G
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , report
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/437951 , vital:73424 , ISBN 978-1 4312-0992-7 , https://wrcwebsite.azurewebsites.net/wp-content/uploads/mdocs/SP%20124-18%20web.pdf
- Description: We all depend on water for life, well-being and economic prosperity. In our homes water is used for drinking, cooking and washing. In our workplaces water is used for agriculture and industry. Water provides for recreation and our need for natural beauty, and it can be part of our spiritual awareness. Water is so important and is used in so many ways that if it is overused, we risk damaging our very life source. This happens when we take too much water out of aquatic ecosystems, and put in too much waste. The South African National Water Act (NWA) (No. 36 of 1998) rec-ognises that water resources are part of the integrated water cycle made up of wa-ter ecosystems– rivers, wetlands, lakes, dams, estuaries and groundwater – and the processes of precipitation, transpiration, infiltration and evaporation. Closely con-nected to the water cycle is the use that people make of water resources. The NWA promotes protection of water resources so that people can use water both now and into the future. Water is at the heart of “a better life for all”. This handbook focuses on environmental water quality (EWQ), in particular the use of water resources for waste disposal, and the effect that waste disposal has on ecosystems. The term wa-ter quality is used to describe the microbial, physical, chemical and radiological properties of water. These properties affect both ecosystem health and the “fitness for use” of the water.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Palmer, Carolyn G
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , report
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/437951 , vital:73424 , ISBN 978-1 4312-0992-7 , https://wrcwebsite.azurewebsites.net/wp-content/uploads/mdocs/SP%20124-18%20web.pdf
- Description: We all depend on water for life, well-being and economic prosperity. In our homes water is used for drinking, cooking and washing. In our workplaces water is used for agriculture and industry. Water provides for recreation and our need for natural beauty, and it can be part of our spiritual awareness. Water is so important and is used in so many ways that if it is overused, we risk damaging our very life source. This happens when we take too much water out of aquatic ecosystems, and put in too much waste. The South African National Water Act (NWA) (No. 36 of 1998) rec-ognises that water resources are part of the integrated water cycle made up of wa-ter ecosystems– rivers, wetlands, lakes, dams, estuaries and groundwater – and the processes of precipitation, transpiration, infiltration and evaporation. Closely con-nected to the water cycle is the use that people make of water resources. The NWA promotes protection of water resources so that people can use water both now and into the future. Water is at the heart of “a better life for all”. This handbook focuses on environmental water quality (EWQ), in particular the use of water resources for waste disposal, and the effect that waste disposal has on ecosystems. The term wa-ter quality is used to describe the microbial, physical, chemical and radiological properties of water. These properties affect both ecosystem health and the “fitness for use” of the water.
- Full Text:
HUMA: A platform for the analysis of genetic variation in humans
- Brown, David K, Tastan Bishop, Özlem
- Authors: Brown, David K , Tastan Bishop, Özlem
- Date: 2018
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/124653 , vital:35642 , https://doi.10.1002/humu.23334
- Description: The completion of the human genome project at the beginning of the 21st century, along with the rapid advancement of sequencing technologies thereafter, has resulted in exponential growth of biological data. In genetics, this has given rise to numerous variation databases, created to store and annotate the ever-expanding dataset of known mutations. Usually, these databases focus on variation at the sequence level. Few databases focus on the analysis of variation at the 3D level, that is, mapping, visualizing, and determining the effects of variation in protein structures. Additionally, these Web servers seldom incorporate tools to help analyze these data. Here, we present the Human Mutation Analysis (HUMA) Web server and database. HUMA integrates sequence, structure, variation, and disease data into a single, connected database. A user-friendly interface provides click-based data access and visualization, whereas a RESTfulWebAPI provides programmatic access to the data. Tools have been integrated into HUMA to allow initial analyses to be carried out on the server. Furthermore, users can upload their private variation datasets, which are automatically mapped to public data and can be analyzed using the integrated tools. HUMA is freely accessible at https://huma.rubi.ru.ac.za.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Brown, David K , Tastan Bishop, Özlem
- Date: 2018
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/124653 , vital:35642 , https://doi.10.1002/humu.23334
- Description: The completion of the human genome project at the beginning of the 21st century, along with the rapid advancement of sequencing technologies thereafter, has resulted in exponential growth of biological data. In genetics, this has given rise to numerous variation databases, created to store and annotate the ever-expanding dataset of known mutations. Usually, these databases focus on variation at the sequence level. Few databases focus on the analysis of variation at the 3D level, that is, mapping, visualizing, and determining the effects of variation in protein structures. Additionally, these Web servers seldom incorporate tools to help analyze these data. Here, we present the Human Mutation Analysis (HUMA) Web server and database. HUMA integrates sequence, structure, variation, and disease data into a single, connected database. A user-friendly interface provides click-based data access and visualization, whereas a RESTfulWebAPI provides programmatic access to the data. Tools have been integrated into HUMA to allow initial analyses to be carried out on the server. Furthermore, users can upload their private variation datasets, which are automatically mapped to public data and can be analyzed using the integrated tools. HUMA is freely accessible at https://huma.rubi.ru.ac.za.
- Full Text:
Human capital and other stories
- Authors: Dludlu, John
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Short stories, South African (English) -- 21st century , South African fiction (English) -- 21st century
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/63121 , vital:28365
- Description: My collection of short stories is set mostly in Gauteng and revolves around mainly the lives of the urban, black elite almost three decades after the first non‐racial elections in South Africa. It captures emerging trends and fault lines and enquires into whether South Africa can continue on a different path from that of the rest of the continent. Themes covered in the collection, which still espouses idealism, include the acquisition of power, status and money, the use and abuse of these, as well as the psychosocial effects of money on this group. My writing is inspired by the courageous, inventive and introspective writings of the Drum generation of writers William Bloke Modisane, Nat Nakasa and Can Themba, as well as the use of language and the experimental form of writing as embodied in the work of Lidia Yuknavitch to deal with similarly pressing social issues of the day.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Dludlu, John
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Short stories, South African (English) -- 21st century , South African fiction (English) -- 21st century
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/63121 , vital:28365
- Description: My collection of short stories is set mostly in Gauteng and revolves around mainly the lives of the urban, black elite almost three decades after the first non‐racial elections in South Africa. It captures emerging trends and fault lines and enquires into whether South Africa can continue on a different path from that of the rest of the continent. Themes covered in the collection, which still espouses idealism, include the acquisition of power, status and money, the use and abuse of these, as well as the psychosocial effects of money on this group. My writing is inspired by the courageous, inventive and introspective writings of the Drum generation of writers William Bloke Modisane, Nat Nakasa and Can Themba, as well as the use of language and the experimental form of writing as embodied in the work of Lidia Yuknavitch to deal with similarly pressing social issues of the day.
- Full Text:
Hybrid Sensor Simulation within an ICS Testbed
- Shaw, Brent, Irwin, Barry V W
- Authors: Shaw, Brent , Irwin, Barry V W
- Date: 2018
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/427713 , vital:72457 , https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Barry-Ir-win/publication/327624204_Hybrid_Sensor_Simulation_within_an_ICS_Testbed/links/5b9a50d8299bf14ad4d79587/Hybrid-Sensor-Simulation-within-an-ICS-Testbed.pdf
- Description: Industrial Control Systems (ICS) are responsible for managing factories, power-grids and water treatment facilities, and play a key role in running and controlling national Critical Information Infrastructure (CII). The integrity and availability of these systems are paramount, and the threat of cyberphysical attacks on these systems warrant thorough research into ensuring their security. The increasing interconnectivity seen in both the domestic and industrial sectors exposes numerous devices and systems to the Internet. These devices are exposed to malware and advanced persistent threats, that can affect CII through the attack of ICS. While simulations provide insights into how systems might react to certain changes, they generally lack the ability to be integrated into existing hardware systems. Hybrid testbeds could provide a platform for testing hardware and software components, enabling researchers to examine the interactions between various different networking through exploratory research and investigation in a controlled environment. This work presents an approach to traffic generation for use within ICS/IoT testbeds, through the production of Docker-based simulation nodes that are constructed based on the configuration of the system.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Shaw, Brent , Irwin, Barry V W
- Date: 2018
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/427713 , vital:72457 , https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Barry-Ir-win/publication/327624204_Hybrid_Sensor_Simulation_within_an_ICS_Testbed/links/5b9a50d8299bf14ad4d79587/Hybrid-Sensor-Simulation-within-an-ICS-Testbed.pdf
- Description: Industrial Control Systems (ICS) are responsible for managing factories, power-grids and water treatment facilities, and play a key role in running and controlling national Critical Information Infrastructure (CII). The integrity and availability of these systems are paramount, and the threat of cyberphysical attacks on these systems warrant thorough research into ensuring their security. The increasing interconnectivity seen in both the domestic and industrial sectors exposes numerous devices and systems to the Internet. These devices are exposed to malware and advanced persistent threats, that can affect CII through the attack of ICS. While simulations provide insights into how systems might react to certain changes, they generally lack the ability to be integrated into existing hardware systems. Hybrid testbeds could provide a platform for testing hardware and software components, enabling researchers to examine the interactions between various different networking through exploratory research and investigation in a controlled environment. This work presents an approach to traffic generation for use within ICS/IoT testbeds, through the production of Docker-based simulation nodes that are constructed based on the configuration of the system.
- Full Text:
I won’t be long
- Mhlambi, Ntombi Kayise Millicent
- Authors: Mhlambi, Ntombi Kayise Millicent
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Creative writing (Higher education) -- South Africa , South African fiction (English) -- 21st century , South African poetry (English) -- 21st century , Short stories, South African (English) -- 21st century
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/63603 , vital:28446
- Description: My thesis is a weave of short stories, flash fiction and vignettes of prose-poetry. It uses lyrical, scenic and explorative modes to explore the stories of women, past, present and future, from all walks of life. These women, young and old, struggle to find their way within a ‘world’ characterised as Salithambo (the pink castle) whose structures and survival preys on their bodies. The stories explore the themes of girlhood and maturation, violence (specifically against women), animality, scatology, time, gender roles and expectations, and their rejection. I draw inspiration, stylistically, from Irenosen Okojie’s depiction of beauty and terror in the same sentence; Selah Saterstrom’s fragmented plot and directorial stroke; Taban Lo Liyong & Amos Tutuola’s avant-gardism and amplification of language; Adania Shibli’s sensorial and spare prose, Lyudmila Petrushevskaya, Lily Hoang & Carol Oates’ normalized magic spell, Athena Villaverde & Espido Freire’s imaginative overload of childhood; Shelley Jackson & Chevisa Woods’ construction of body parts as bearing texts or as texts themselves.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Mhlambi, Ntombi Kayise Millicent
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Creative writing (Higher education) -- South Africa , South African fiction (English) -- 21st century , South African poetry (English) -- 21st century , Short stories, South African (English) -- 21st century
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/63603 , vital:28446
- Description: My thesis is a weave of short stories, flash fiction and vignettes of prose-poetry. It uses lyrical, scenic and explorative modes to explore the stories of women, past, present and future, from all walks of life. These women, young and old, struggle to find their way within a ‘world’ characterised as Salithambo (the pink castle) whose structures and survival preys on their bodies. The stories explore the themes of girlhood and maturation, violence (specifically against women), animality, scatology, time, gender roles and expectations, and their rejection. I draw inspiration, stylistically, from Irenosen Okojie’s depiction of beauty and terror in the same sentence; Selah Saterstrom’s fragmented plot and directorial stroke; Taban Lo Liyong & Amos Tutuola’s avant-gardism and amplification of language; Adania Shibli’s sensorial and spare prose, Lyudmila Petrushevskaya, Lily Hoang & Carol Oates’ normalized magic spell, Athena Villaverde & Espido Freire’s imaginative overload of childhood; Shelley Jackson & Chevisa Woods’ construction of body parts as bearing texts or as texts themselves.
- Full Text:
Igniting public space at the Chale Wote street art festival in Accra:
- Authors: Simbao, Ruth K
- Date: 2018
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/147048 , vital:38588 , https://theconversation.com/igniting-public-space-at-the-chale-wote-street-art-festival-in-accra-102783
- Description: For the past eight years at the end of every August the James Town suburb of Ghana’s capital Accra has been taken over by the Chale Wote street art festival. During the festival, thousands of people, including local celebrities, artists, musicians, boxers and everyday revellers, move up and down the streets mostly by foot and at times on roller skates or unicycles.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Simbao, Ruth K
- Date: 2018
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/147048 , vital:38588 , https://theconversation.com/igniting-public-space-at-the-chale-wote-street-art-festival-in-accra-102783
- Description: For the past eight years at the end of every August the James Town suburb of Ghana’s capital Accra has been taken over by the Chale Wote street art festival. During the festival, thousands of people, including local celebrities, artists, musicians, boxers and everyday revellers, move up and down the streets mostly by foot and at times on roller skates or unicycles.
- Full Text:
Impact of invasive alien plants on water provision in selected catchments
- Preston, Ian R, Le Maitre, D C, Blignaut, J N, Louw, Lynette, Palmer, Carolyn G
- Authors: Preston, Ian R , Le Maitre, D C , Blignaut, J N , Louw, Lynette , Palmer, Carolyn G
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , report
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/437979 , vital:73426 , ISBN 1816-7950 , https://wrcwebsite.azurewebsites.net/wp-content/uploads/mdocs/44_04_20_33741.pdf
- Description: We analyse the impact of failing to control invasive alien plants (IAPs) on the water supply to the Berg River and De Hoop Dams, in other words, the opportunity cost of not clearing IAPs in these two catch-ments. To do this we used models to assess and compare the impact of current and future invasions on inflows into the dams. Although the clearing of current invasions would only provide a modest increase in the amount of water compared to, for example, the construction of an-other dam, failure to clear the invasion will have a negative impact on water security in the long term. We estimated that the Berg River Dam could lose up to 51% of its mean annual inflows to IAPs over a 45-year period, and the De Hoop Dam catchment could lose up to 44%. These impacts would continue to increase over time, and the costs of control could become very high as the plants invade rugged terrain. Major in-frastructural development requires Ministerial approval, supported by advice from senior officials. We suggest that such advice should sub-stantively take sufficient account of the benefits of clearing existing in-vasions, or at least of preventing further invasions. Our results suggest that serious consequences arise from insufficient investment in catch-ment management. An integrated approach to the management of the supply of and demand for water, that ensures long-term sustainability, is essential in informed decision-making and the early control of IAPs is a key component of that approach.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Preston, Ian R , Le Maitre, D C , Blignaut, J N , Louw, Lynette , Palmer, Carolyn G
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , report
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/437979 , vital:73426 , ISBN 1816-7950 , https://wrcwebsite.azurewebsites.net/wp-content/uploads/mdocs/44_04_20_33741.pdf
- Description: We analyse the impact of failing to control invasive alien plants (IAPs) on the water supply to the Berg River and De Hoop Dams, in other words, the opportunity cost of not clearing IAPs in these two catch-ments. To do this we used models to assess and compare the impact of current and future invasions on inflows into the dams. Although the clearing of current invasions would only provide a modest increase in the amount of water compared to, for example, the construction of an-other dam, failure to clear the invasion will have a negative impact on water security in the long term. We estimated that the Berg River Dam could lose up to 51% of its mean annual inflows to IAPs over a 45-year period, and the De Hoop Dam catchment could lose up to 44%. These impacts would continue to increase over time, and the costs of control could become very high as the plants invade rugged terrain. Major in-frastructural development requires Ministerial approval, supported by advice from senior officials. We suggest that such advice should sub-stantively take sufficient account of the benefits of clearing existing in-vasions, or at least of preventing further invasions. Our results suggest that serious consequences arise from insufficient investment in catch-ment management. An integrated approach to the management of the supply of and demand for water, that ensures long-term sustainability, is essential in informed decision-making and the early control of IAPs is a key component of that approach.
- Full Text:
Improved Photophysical and Photochemical Properties of Thiopheneethoxy Substituted Metallophthalocyanines on Immobilization onto Gold‐speckled Silica Nanoparticles
- Dube, Edith, Oluwole, David O, Nyokong, Tebello
- Authors: Dube, Edith , Oluwole, David O , Nyokong, Tebello
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/187699 , vital:44688 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.1111/php.12879"
- Description: This work reports on the synthesis of tetrakis-[(thiophineethoxy) phthalocyaninato] indium(II) chloride (3). The photophysical behavior of complex 3 was compared to that of the Zn derivative (tetrakis-[(thiophineethoxy) phthalocyaninato] zinc(II) (complex 2)). The compounds were interacted with gold-speckled silica (GSS) nanoparticles via Au–S self assembly to afford the conjugates (2–GSS and 3–GSS). The photophysicochemical behavior of the compounds and their conjugates were assessed. The conjugates afforded a decrease in fluorescence quantum yields and lifetimes with improved triplet and singlet oxygen quantum yields in comparison with complexes 2 and 3 alone. The complexes and their conjugates could serve as good candidates for photodynamic therapy.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Dube, Edith , Oluwole, David O , Nyokong, Tebello
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/187699 , vital:44688 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.1111/php.12879"
- Description: This work reports on the synthesis of tetrakis-[(thiophineethoxy) phthalocyaninato] indium(II) chloride (3). The photophysical behavior of complex 3 was compared to that of the Zn derivative (tetrakis-[(thiophineethoxy) phthalocyaninato] zinc(II) (complex 2)). The compounds were interacted with gold-speckled silica (GSS) nanoparticles via Au–S self assembly to afford the conjugates (2–GSS and 3–GSS). The photophysicochemical behavior of the compounds and their conjugates were assessed. The conjugates afforded a decrease in fluorescence quantum yields and lifetimes with improved triplet and singlet oxygen quantum yields in comparison with complexes 2 and 3 alone. The complexes and their conjugates could serve as good candidates for photodynamic therapy.
- Full Text:
In silico characterization of plasmodial transketolases as potential malaria drug target
- Authors: Boateng, Rita Afriyie
- Date: 2018
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/63540 , vital:28433
- Description: Expected release date-April 2019
- Full Text:
- Authors: Boateng, Rita Afriyie
- Date: 2018
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/63540 , vital:28433
- Description: Expected release date-April 2019
- Full Text:
In silico study of Plasmodium 1-deoxy-dxylulose 5-phosphate reductoisomerase (DXR) for identification of novel inhibitors from SANCDB
- Authors: Diallo, Bakary N'tji
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Plasmodium 1-deoxy-dxylulose 5-phosphate reductoisomerase , Isoprenoids , Plasmodium , Antimalarials , Malaria -- Chemotherapy , Molecules -- Models , Molecular dynamics , South African Natural Compounds Database
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/64012 , vital:28523
- Description: Malaria remains a major health concern with a complex parasite constantly developing resistance to the different drugs introduced to treat it, threatening the efficacy of the current ACT treatment recommended by WHO (World Health Organization). Different antimalarial compounds with different mechanisms of action are ideal as this decreases chances of resistance occurring. Inhibiting DXR and consequently the MEP pathway is a good strategy to find a new antimalarial with a novel mode of action. From literature, all the enzymes of the MEP pathway have also been shown to be indispensable for the synthesis of isoprenoids. They have been validated as drug targets and the X-ray structure of each of the enzymes has been solved. DXR is a protein which catalyses the second step of the MEP pathway. There are currently 255 DXR inhibitors in the Binding Database (accessed November 2017) generally based on the fosmidomycin structural scaffold and thus often showing poor drug likeness properties. This study aims to research new DXR inhibitors using in silico techniques. We analysed the protein sequence and built 3D models in close and open conformations for the different Plasmodium sequences. Then SANCDB compounds were screened to identify new potential DXR inhibitors with new chemical scaffolds. Finally, the identified hits were submitted to molecular dynamics studies, preceded by a parameterization of the manganese atom in the protein active site.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Diallo, Bakary N'tji
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Plasmodium 1-deoxy-dxylulose 5-phosphate reductoisomerase , Isoprenoids , Plasmodium , Antimalarials , Malaria -- Chemotherapy , Molecules -- Models , Molecular dynamics , South African Natural Compounds Database
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/64012 , vital:28523
- Description: Malaria remains a major health concern with a complex parasite constantly developing resistance to the different drugs introduced to treat it, threatening the efficacy of the current ACT treatment recommended by WHO (World Health Organization). Different antimalarial compounds with different mechanisms of action are ideal as this decreases chances of resistance occurring. Inhibiting DXR and consequently the MEP pathway is a good strategy to find a new antimalarial with a novel mode of action. From literature, all the enzymes of the MEP pathway have also been shown to be indispensable for the synthesis of isoprenoids. They have been validated as drug targets and the X-ray structure of each of the enzymes has been solved. DXR is a protein which catalyses the second step of the MEP pathway. There are currently 255 DXR inhibitors in the Binding Database (accessed November 2017) generally based on the fosmidomycin structural scaffold and thus often showing poor drug likeness properties. This study aims to research new DXR inhibitors using in silico techniques. We analysed the protein sequence and built 3D models in close and open conformations for the different Plasmodium sequences. Then SANCDB compounds were screened to identify new potential DXR inhibitors with new chemical scaffolds. Finally, the identified hits were submitted to molecular dynamics studies, preceded by a parameterization of the manganese atom in the protein active site.
- Full Text:
In vitro analysis of putative cancer stem cell populations and chemosensitivity in the SW480 and SW620 colon cancer metastasis model:
- Slater, Cindy, de la Mare, Jo-Anne, Edkins, Adrienne L
- Authors: Slater, Cindy , de la Mare, Jo-Anne , Edkins, Adrienne L
- Date: 2018
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/164401 , vital:41115 , DOI: 10.3892/ol.2018.8431
- Description: The cancer stem cell (CSC) theory implicates a small subpopulation of cells with stem like properties, which is responsible for tumour initiation, development and metastasis. The unique biological and functional characteristics of CSCs, widely associated with treatment resistance, indicate an association between metastasis and stemness. It was hypothesised that metastatic cell lines may be enriched in CSCs and that this would correlate with a more resistant tumour. In the present study, the SW480 and SW620 paired cell lines derived from a colon adenocarcinoma and its lymph node metastasis, respectively were compared as an in vitro model of cancer progression. Their chemosensitivity and CSC properties were investigated. A range of in vitro assays were performed, including the side population assay, ALDEFLUOR assay, tumoursphere assay and assessment of CSC associated surface phenotypes.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Slater, Cindy , de la Mare, Jo-Anne , Edkins, Adrienne L
- Date: 2018
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/164401 , vital:41115 , DOI: 10.3892/ol.2018.8431
- Description: The cancer stem cell (CSC) theory implicates a small subpopulation of cells with stem like properties, which is responsible for tumour initiation, development and metastasis. The unique biological and functional characteristics of CSCs, widely associated with treatment resistance, indicate an association between metastasis and stemness. It was hypothesised that metastatic cell lines may be enriched in CSCs and that this would correlate with a more resistant tumour. In the present study, the SW480 and SW620 paired cell lines derived from a colon adenocarcinoma and its lymph node metastasis, respectively were compared as an in vitro model of cancer progression. Their chemosensitivity and CSC properties were investigated. A range of in vitro assays were performed, including the side population assay, ALDEFLUOR assay, tumoursphere assay and assessment of CSC associated surface phenotypes.
- Full Text:
In vitro antimalarial, antitrypanosomal and HIV-1 integrase inhibitory activities of two Cameroonian medicinal plants: Antrocaryon klaineanum (Anacardiaceae) and Diospyros conocarpa (Ebenaceae)
- Fouokeng, Y, Feusso, H M Feumo, Noundou, Xavier S, Krause, Rui W M, Teinkela, Jean E Mb, Wintjens, R, Hoppe, Heinrich C, Azebaze, Anatole G B, Vardamides, Juliette C, Isaacs, Michelle
- Authors: Fouokeng, Y , Feusso, H M Feumo , Noundou, Xavier S , Krause, Rui W M , Teinkela, Jean E Mb , Wintjens, R , Hoppe, Heinrich C , Azebaze, Anatole G B , Vardamides, Juliette C , Isaacs, Michelle
- Date: 2018
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/126653 , vital:35908 , https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sajb.2018.10.008
- Description: Antiplasmodial, antitrypanosomal and anti-HIV-1 activities of crude extracts, fractions and some isolated compounds from two Cameroonian medicinal plants: Antrocaryon klaineanum Pierre (Anacardiaceae) and Diospyros conocarpa Gürke ex K. Schum. (Ebenaceae) were assessed. The phytochemical studies led to the isolation of eight compounds (1–8) from Diospyros conocarpa and six compounds (6, 9–13) from Antrocaryon klaineanum. These compounds were identified as mangiferolic acid (1), 3β, 22(S)-dihydroxycycloart-24E-en-26-oic acid (2), lupeol (3), aridanin (4), betulin (5), betulinic acid (6), bergenin (7), D-quercitol(8), entilin C(9), entilin A(10), antrocarine A(11), 7R,20(S)-dihydroxy-4,24(28)-ergostadien-3-one(12) and stigmasterol glucoside (13). The criteria for activity were set as follows: an IC50 value
- Full Text:
- Authors: Fouokeng, Y , Feusso, H M Feumo , Noundou, Xavier S , Krause, Rui W M , Teinkela, Jean E Mb , Wintjens, R , Hoppe, Heinrich C , Azebaze, Anatole G B , Vardamides, Juliette C , Isaacs, Michelle
- Date: 2018
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/126653 , vital:35908 , https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sajb.2018.10.008
- Description: Antiplasmodial, antitrypanosomal and anti-HIV-1 activities of crude extracts, fractions and some isolated compounds from two Cameroonian medicinal plants: Antrocaryon klaineanum Pierre (Anacardiaceae) and Diospyros conocarpa Gürke ex K. Schum. (Ebenaceae) were assessed. The phytochemical studies led to the isolation of eight compounds (1–8) from Diospyros conocarpa and six compounds (6, 9–13) from Antrocaryon klaineanum. These compounds were identified as mangiferolic acid (1), 3β, 22(S)-dihydroxycycloart-24E-en-26-oic acid (2), lupeol (3), aridanin (4), betulin (5), betulinic acid (6), bergenin (7), D-quercitol(8), entilin C(9), entilin A(10), antrocarine A(11), 7R,20(S)-dihydroxy-4,24(28)-ergostadien-3-one(12) and stigmasterol glucoside (13). The criteria for activity were set as follows: an IC50 value
- Full Text: