Theorising South Africa's foreign policy: The case of Latin America

African Studies Seminar series. Paper presented 13 May, 1985. Not to be quoted without the Author's permissionDuring recent years local scholarship in the field of South Africa's foreign policy has tended to focus on the structure of state institutions and on the personalities of the decision makers. Whilst I do not wish to underplay the importance of monitoring the transformation occurring within the state apparatus , especially in relation to the militarization of the top layers of the bureaucracy, it is nevertheless important to draw away from an emphasis on the model of bureaucratic politics if one is to do full justice to an understanding of South Africa’s interactions with other social formations

Investigations into stability in the fig/ fig-wasp mutualism

Fig trees (Ficus, Moraceae) and their pollinating wasps (Chalcidoidea, Agaonidae) are involved in an obligate mutualism where each partner relies on the other in order to reproduce: the pollinating fig wasps are a fig tree’s only pollen disperser whilst the fig trees provide the wasps with places in which to lay their eggs. Mutualistic interactions are, however, ultimately genetically selfish and as such, are often rife with conflict. Fig trees are either monoecious, where wasps and seeds develop together within fig fruit (syconia), or dioecious, where wasps and seeds develop separately. In interactions between monoecious fig trees and their pollinating wasps, there are conflicts of interest over the relative allocation of fig flowers to wasp and seed development. Although fig trees reap the rewards associated with wasp and seed production (through pollen and seed dispersal respectively), pollinators only benefit directly from flowers that nurture the development of wasp larvae, and increase their fitness by attempting to oviposit in as many ovules as possible. If successful, this oviposition strategy would eventually destroy the mutualism; however, the interaction has lasted for over 60 million years suggesting that mechanisms must be in place to limit wasp oviposition. This thesis addresses a number of factors to elucidate how stability may be achieved in monoecious fig systems. Possible mechanisms include: 1) a parasitoidcentred short ovipositor hypothesis in Ficus rubiginosa, which suggests that a subset of flowers are out of reach to parasitoid ovipositors making these ovules the preferred choice for ovipositing pollinators and allowing seeds to develop in less preferred ovules; 2) the presence of third-party mutualists such as non-pollinating fig wasps (F. burkei) and patrolling green tree ants on the fig surface (F. racemosa) that limit pollinator and parasitoid oviposition respectively; and 3) selection on fig morphology which constrains the size (and therefore fecundity) of the associated pollinators. I discuss the lack of evidence for a single unifying theory for mutualism stability and suggest that a more likely scenario is the presence of separate, and perhaps multiple, stabilising strategies in different fig/ fig-wasp partnerships

Vagal Blocking for Obesity Control : a Possible Mechanism-Of-Action

14 September 2016 Erratum to: Vagal Blocking for Obesity Control: a Possible Mechanism-Of-Action Helene Johannessen, David Revesz, Yosuke Kodama, Nikki Cassie, Karolina P Skibicka, Perry Barrett, Suzanne Dickson, Jens Holst, Jens Rehfeld, Geoffrey van der Plasse, Roger Adan, Bård Kulseng, Elinor Ben-Menachem, Chun-Mei Zhao, Duan Chen, 2016, 2016. Obesity surgery. In the original article on page 4 the figures are referred to as (Fig. 1b-d) and (Fig. 1e) in the text. The correct reference is (Fig. 1b-e) and (Fig. 1f), respectively. In the original article on page 5 the figures are referred to as (Fig. 3c) and (Fig. 3d) in the text. The correct reference is (Fig. 3c,d) and (Fig. 3e,f), respectively. Peer reviewedPostprin

Deep mtDNA divergences indicate cryptic species in a fig-pollinating wasp

Background: Figs and fig-pollinating wasps are obligate mutualists that have coevolved for ca 90 million years. They have radiated together, but do not show strict cospeciation. In particular, it is now clear that many fig species host two wasp species, so there is more wasp speciation than fig speciation. However, little is known about how fig wasps speciate. Results: We studied variation in 71 fig-pollinating wasps from across the large geographic range of Ficus rubiginosa in Australia. All wasps sampled belong to one morphological species (Pleistodontes imperialis), but we found four deep mtDNA clades that differed from each other by 9–17% nucleotides. As these genetic distances exceed those normally found within species and overlap those (10–26%) found between morphologically distinct Pleistodontes species, they strongly suggest cryptic fig wasp species. mtDNA clade diversity declines from all four present in Northern Queensland to just one in Sydney, near the southern range limit. However, at most sites multiple clades coexist and can be found in the same tree or even the same fig fruit and there is no evidence for parallel sub-division of the host fig species. Both mtDNA data and sequences from two nuclear genes support the monophyly of the "P. imperialis complex" relative to other Pleistodontes species, suggesting that fig wasp divergence has occurred without any host plant shift. Wasps in clade 3 were infected by a single strain (W1) of Wolbachia bacteria, while those in other clades carried a double infection (W2+W3) of two other strains. Conclusion: Our study indicates that cryptic fig-pollinating wasp species have developed on a single host plant species, without the involvement of host plant shifts, or parallel host plant divergence. Despite extensive evidence for coevolution between figs and fig wasps, wasp speciation may not always be linked strongly with fig speciation

Cheating on Their Taxes: When Are Tax Limitations Effective at Limiting State Taxes, Expenditures, and Budgets?

At a Seminar arranged by the Ecological Research Committee on October 30 , 1967, Dr. Svante Odén discussed the acidity and sulphur conditions over Europe and the consequensos to soils, surfaco waters and biological systems. In 1952 a European network of stations for atmospheric chemistry was organized by the International Meteorological Institute , Stockholm (Fig. 1). Odén and Dr. Torsten Ahl, Uppsala, later complemented the network in Scandinavia with stations for surface water chemistry (Fig. 3). At the atmospheric chemical network measurements of different element s havc been made for about 15 years. Changes of the atmospheric chemical climate can now be evaluated from the dat a, showing either positive or negative trends (Fig. 2 , 20 and 21). The sulphur content of air (Fig. 18) and of precipitation (Fig. 17 ) shows a characteristic pattern for Europe, indicating a close rolationship to air pollution from citiesand industrios. The rising sulphur content in the atmosphere are undoubtedly connected with the incrcasing use of sulphurous f'uels as a suostitute for coke and coal. The increasing addition of sulphur compounds t o the atmosphere (mainly as SO2 and H2S ) leads to an incrcase of the acidity o f the precipitation. Monthly data from threc stations conccrning pH are given (Fig. 4 , 5 and 6) . With a few exceptions the pH valuos at the network stations are dccrcasing with time (Fig. 9, 10 and 11) . The ratc of decrcasc of the 1) Department of Pedology, Agricultural College of Sweden, Uppsala 2) Swedish Natural Science Research Council , Sveavägen 166, Stockholm 23 pH values shows a geographical distribution pattern (Fig. 12), which can be expected from the intensity of industrial activities. The acidity of the yearly precipitation in Europe is mapped for 1958 (Fig. 13) , 1962 (Fig. 14) and 1965 (Fig. 15). In 1958 values below pH 5 were to be found only in a limited area over The Netherlands. As is shown on the succceding maps, this area has since spread over Central Europe. The other acid zones are also procecding and in 1965 the isoline for pH 4.5 had reached the Southern part of Sweden. In 1967 the pH values for Central Sweden had decreased to approx. 4.3. A study of the wind trajectories (Fig. 8) shows, that this low pH value is partly a result of a transport of air pollutants from source to sink areas. "The Scandinavian Sulphur Depression" (Fig. 2 2) indicates that a complicated hydrometeorological mechanism is involved in the distributional pattern. In 1965 almost a thousand Scandinavian lake and river waters were chemically investigatcd by Ahl and Odén. For considerable areas the pH-values were found to be so low as to affect fish life. The mapping of pH (Fig. 2 5 ) corresponds with that for Magnesium (Fig. 26) indicating a depletion of eations of the soil complex .. This is also reflected by thc long term changes of the concentration af anions ( so4) and cations (Ca) in river systems (Fig. 27 a and b). Last summer a special study o f the acidity of 600 lakes in Western Scandinavia was made by Dr. E . Eriksson. The results showed that since 1959 the pH-values have boen reduced on an average by 0.4 units. The acid precipitation will sooner or later acidify the river systers. The change in pH will depend, among others, on the buffer capacity of the catchment area. However, negative trends have already appeared in both large river systems (Fig. 23) and small ones (Fig. 24). The acidification of natural waters can be a threat to aquatic life. Organisms cannot normally exist in water with pH-values below 4.0. Certain valuable fish, such as salmon, are threatened at pH 5.5 and the catch of salrnon in Mörrumsån is continuously decreasing (Fig. 28 ). Soils may also be affected if the supply of nautralizing alkalis are depleted or poor. An impoverished forest arowth rate could be the result (Fig. 30). The important point is, according to Odén, that the balance of nature is considerably disturbed by the present atmospheric pollution of sulphuric acid and other acidifying compounds such as nitric and hydrochloric acid. An atmospheric chemical atlas of Europe containing data on air as well as precipitation is being prepared on the basis of existing data. * * * In the discussion that followed Odéns paper f'urther evidence of extensive fish kill in acid waters was given. Two speakers emphasized the economic aspects of the heavy damage that is caused each year by acid corrosion of metals, now amounting to 2 % of our gross national product, and the economic as well as cultural valuecs that are lost by the deterioration of buildnings and stone ornaments

The effects of pH-stat long-term lactic acid bacterial activity prior to curd formation on the development of cheese structure in a fat free model cheese : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Food Technology at Massey University, Manawatu, New Zealand

Most Figures from published sources have been removed for copyright reasons but may be accessed via their source listed in the References. Figures 2-1, 2-32, 2-33 do not have an accessible source and therefore remain. Corresponding Figures from journal sources are as follows: Fig 2.4 (=Dalgleish, 2011 Fig 5; Fig 2.18 (=Dalgleish & Corredig, 2012 Fig 4 a & b); Fig 2.20 (=Bech, 1993 Fig 4); Fig 2.21 (=McSweeney, 2004 Fig 5); Fig 2.22 (=Sousa et al., 2001 Fig 1); Fig 2.24 (=Tunick, 2000 Fig 3); Fig 2.26 (=Tunick, 2000 Fig 1); 2.28 (Waungana et al., 1998 Fig 2); Fig 2.29 (=Guinee et al., 1998 Fig 1); Fig 5.11 (=Piraino et al., 2007 Fig 1 e & f & b); & Fig 5.14 (=Lane & Fox, 1997 Fig 6).Cheese ripening is an important step in most cheese production practices during which a tasteless fresh cheese is converted to a tasty and flavourful product with specific textural attributes. However, the complexity of its composition (pH, solubilisation of calcium from the colloidal casein proteins, salt concentration, acid production rate, indigenous and added enzymes, residual activity of the enzymes etc.) coupled with the length of time associated with manufacturing which in some cases can be in excess of two years has made it a complicated area of study. The influences of the composition and process contributors are confounded and it is impossible to connect the impact of one particular parameter on cheese making steps and quality attributes. pH has proven to be an important influential factor to influence the extent of effects of other parameters with significant influence on other ruling parameters in milk, curd and cheese. Proteolysis during ripening is the most important physicochemical pathway to define the quality of cheese. One of the major factors governing cheese ripening reactions is the starter bacteria. This study has aimed to characterise the effects of starter bacteria activity on curd formation and resultant cheese textural attributes of the long fermented cheesemilk. By developing a pH-stat system, long fermentations carried out to assess the proteolytic activity of selected starter lactic acid bacteria (LAB) on a milk based medium before rennet addition. It was attempted to assess the degree of hydrolysis of cheesemilk through extended bacterial fermentation, conducted under pH-stat conditions, prior to curd formation. The effects of the bacterial activity on casein proteins during pH-stat long term (PSLT) fermentations were evaluated by assessing proteolysis index from pH4.6 soluble nitrogen as a fraction of total nitrogen (pH4.6SN/TN). The proteolysis of proteins during PSLT was further assessed by doing reverse-phase high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) on 70%Ethanol soluble (70%EtOHS) and insoluble (70%EtOHI) fractions of pH4.6 soluble fraction of the samples. The effects of PLST fermentation on formation of small-size peptides were assessed by quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (Q-ToF MS) on the 70%EtOHS fraction. The effect of PLST fermentation on ‘depth of proteolysis’ during cheese ripening were assessed by analysing the quantity of free amino acid (FAA) formed in resultant cheese after 12 months storage at 4°C. The impact of PLST fermentation on gel formation attributes were assessed by doing dynamic law amplitude oscillatory rheometry (DLAOR). The consequent effects on resultant cheese texture were evaluated using texture profile analysis (TPA). The impact of PSLT on microstructure were assessed by confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). The results provided evidence for the adequacy of developed fermentation to conduct PSLT with reproducible results. High correlation between the parameters of the PSLT fermentation system were obtained. The proteolysis index measured from the PSLT fermentations with different durations showed evidences on the significance of LAB proteolytic system on cheese milk prior to curd formation. The proteolysis index for the longest fermentation prior to curd formation was 5% which was comparable to day one cheese proteolysis index, in presence of rennet, in most cheeses varieties. Peptide profiling of the 70%EtOHS and 70%EtOHI sub-fractions of pH4.6S showed significant (p<0.05) effects arising from PSLT fermentations. Analysis of FAA of ripened cheese also showed a significant increase (p<0.05) in the samples with longer PSLT (20 times increase in total free amino acids compared to non-fermented treatment) fermentations. The differences in gelation behaviour of the sample and textural attributes of cheese and microstructure of final cheese were connected to the extent of proteolytic activity of LAB during PSLT fermentations. The hardness of cheese significantly (p<0.05) decreased (up to ~60%) by increasing fermentation duration over the studied timescale

First record of the non-pollinating fig wasp Odontofroggatia galili Wiebes, 1980 from Malta (Hymenoptera, Chalcidoidea, Agaonidae)

The fig wasp Odontofroggatia galili is reported for the first time from Malta. Odontofroggatia is a non-pollinating fig wasp genus associated with a narrow range of host plant species, among them Ficus microcarpa, a widespread ornamental tree native to Asia.peer-reviewe

Search for pressure induced superconductivity in CeFeAsO and CeFePO iron pnictides

The CeFeAsO and CeFePO iron pnictide compounds were studied via electrical transport measurements under high-pressure. In CeFeAsO polycrystals, the magnetic phases involving the Fe and Ce ions coexist up to 15 GPa, with no signs of pressure-induced superconductivity up to 50 GPa. For the CeFePO single crystals, pressure stabilizes the Kondo screening of the Ce 4f-electron magnetic moments.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures. Figure 1 is now separated into Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 to separate piston-cylinder and anvil pressure techniques. Updated reference list. Modified Fig.