Designing an instrument to measure quality of life in low cost housing settlements.

Thesis (M.Env.Dev.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2005.South Africa's post-apartheid housing situation is permeated with the knowledge and criticisms of low-income housing. Of late, the latter has gained more exposure than the merits of the process of low-come housing provision, but the criticisms have been generalised comments that have rarely been based on a methodical format of collection and analysis. Furthermore, there have been no reported instruments that have garnered collective perceptions of residents of low-income housing settlements. In light of this gap, in both the academic and political aspects of low income housing, this dissertation describes the design of a multi-construct instrument, aimed at determining quality of life (QOL) in low-income settlements, and specifically describes the two aspects of development of that instrument. It describes the development of the model, as well as the development of the instrument that is derived from that model. Furthermore, results of qualitative tests of fitness for the model and internal reliability tests of the instrument are also described. The model design details the development of domains and variables, derived primarily from literature, while the instrument details the design of items that constitute each variable. Cronbach's alpha reliability tests used to determine the internal reliability of items of the instrument indicate good internal consistencies of twelve of the fifteen constructs constituting the instrument, while frequency tables and descriptive statistics indicate high prioritisation of existing domains used within the model. This high prioritisation and good internal consistencies suggests that the model and instrument are adequately appropriate, relevant and reliable in as far as they have been developed at this stage, and with suitable modifications as recommended on the basis of the research, will yield an appropriate tool for similar studies

IN VITRO ANTI-INFLAMMATORY ACTIVITY OF SYRINGIC ACID

Objective: The present study was carried out to investigate the in vitro anti-inflammatory activity of syringic acid (SA).  Methods: SA was tested for it's in vitro anti-inflammatory activity at different concentrations in protein denaturation, proteinase inhibition and human red blood cell (HRBC) membrane stabilization assay. The reference drugs used were aspirin and diclofenac sodium. Results: SA showed concentration-dependent inhibition of protein denaturation and proteinase activity with a half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) value of 49.38±0.56 µg/ml and 53.73±0.27 µg/ml respectively. Heat-induced haemolysis was inhibited by SA with an IC50 value of 57.13±0.24 µg/ml. SA also inhibited the hypotonicity-induced haemolysis (IC50 value of 53.87±0.72 µg/ml). Conclusion: From the present study, we can conclude that SA possesses appreciable anti-inflammatory effect against denaturation of proteins, proteinase activity, and human red blood membrane stabilization assays. Further studies are required for determining the possible mechanisms behind its anti-inflammatory action

Antibacterial activity of Eucalpytus citriodora Hk. oil on few clinically important bacteria

The antibacterial activity of Eucalyptus citriodora oil was evaluated. The volatile oil was extracted by steam distillation method. The tested bacterial strains were Escherichia coli ATCC 25922, Staphylococcus aureus, Proteus mirabilis NCIM2241, Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC27853, Proteus vulgaris NCTC8313, Salmonella typhimurium, Enterobacter aerogenes ATCC13048, Pseudomonas testosteroni NCIM 5098, Alcaligenes fecalis, Bacillus cereus ATCC11778 and Citrobacter freundiiATCC10787. Piperacillin and Amikacin were used as the positive controls. The activity of the oil increased with increase in concentration but decreased after a certain level. The study suggests that isolation of the active compound from oil would give more satisfactory and promising results

Review of the regulation of veterinary drugs and residues in South Africa

Published ArticleThe food safety risk analysis framework of the FAO/WHO is used in the review of veterinary drug and residue regulation in South Africa to determine possible inefficiencies within this system. Results indicate that a variety of challenges relating to the processes of risk assessment, management, and communication do exist, although these occur within a fragmented system of legislation, functions, and structures. Addressing these challenges therefore requires a change to a more collaborative and integrated system. It is indicated that for such a change, the underlying challenges of inadequate horizontal communication, poor conceptualization, and awareness of functions of the system are required to be dealt with