A qualitative evaluation of gender aspects of agricultural intensification practices in central Malawi

United States Agency for International Developmen

A mineral rights policy framework for promoting the small-scale mining industry in South Africa

A project report submitted to the Faculty of Engineering, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Engineering.This study addresses a principal issue associated with the small-scale mining industry in South Africa, namely mineral rights. Firstly it defines a small-scale mine and its role in the South African economy. It then examines the current mineral rights policy and the conditions under which the current mineral rights policy could be reformed in order to encourage the growth of the small-scale mining sector. Various models and proposals have been examined in an attempt to suggest the most suitable policy in terms of acquisition and distribution of mineral rights, Acquisition of mineral rights remains one of the major obstacles facing small-scale mining companies. The need to change the legal framework surrounding the acquisition of mineral rights is clearly demonstrated in this project report. Simplification of the legal framework would lead to easy access to mineral rights by both large-scale and small-scale, South African and foreign mining companies and remove the traditional complexities associated with the current South African mineral rights policy which tend to sterilise mineral rights. These complexities include subdivision of mineral rights, potential lockup of mineral rights by private companies and individuals and the State. Analysis of methods to rationalise the mineral rights policy have demonstrated that nationalisation and expropriation of mineral rights are counter productive and can not be used as vehicles for access to mineral rights. In order to strengthen the small-scale mining industry changes to the mineral rights have been proposed. A model mineral rights policy framework has been designed to promote small-scale mining. Introduction of a mineral fights tax, taking into consideration the specifics of the South African mining industry, similar to that of Swaziland of 1958 is proposed as one of the ways of discouraging the sterilisation of mineral rights. It introduces a cost element in the locking up of mineral rights by private companies and individuals. It is envisaged that when the cost of holding these mineral rights is greater than the benefits of holding the mineral rights, mineral rights holders would relinquish them thereby allowing access to these mineral rights to other interested parties. The relinquished mineral rights should revert to the State, which in tum should allocate them to qualified mining companies. Due considerations of the unique characteristics of the South African mining industry need to be taken into account when designing any mineral rights policy. Implementation of any such policy should therefore be done with the consensus of the mining industry. Access to State mineral rights is also considered vital. Whilst it is important to provide the small-scale mining sector with access to mineral rights it is recognised that the success of the sector depends many factors, mineral rights among others. A holistic approach that take into all facets of small-scale mining are included in the proposed policy framework for the development of the small-scale mining industry in South Africa.AC201

The Role of c-Abl Kinase in HCC Development

Hepatocellular Carcinoma is the second most lethal cancer after pancreatic cancer. Unresectable HCC tumors carry a poor prognosis and few treatment options are available. The dismal prognosis is mainly due to limited therapy options and molecularly targeted therapy is deemed as solution. Here, we report a novel role of c-Abl in HCC development. We provide evidence of c-Abl activation in human HCC samples compared to normal liver. Using genetic and pharmacological tools, we show that c-Abl plays a vital role in HCC progression in vitro and in vivo. We have identified Axl as an effector in processes mediated by c-Abl. Our findings also show that c-Abl inhibition has synergistic effects with Sorafenib treatment and that this synergism occurs because Sorafenib induces activation of both c-Abl and Axl. Taken together, these data we have thus far provide evidence for c-Abl as a critical HCC oncogenic driver which can be targeted pharmacologically

Acute poisoning in a paediatric intensive care unit in Harare

A CAJM clinical report on acute poisoning of infants studied at a hospital children ward in Harare, Zimbabwe.Forty two cases of acute poisoning were studied retrospectively over a two year period (1990 to 1991, inclusive) in the paediatric Intensive Care Unit (ICU), at Parirenyatwa Hospital in Harare. This formed 8,6 pc of the total admissions into the unit over the same period. The four commonest types of poisons were organophosphates, 38,1 pc; paraffin, 26,2 pc; traditional medicines (muti), 14,3 pc and miscellaneous drugs, such as chloroquine, aspirin, chloropromazine, diazepam and gama-benzene, 9,5 pc. The results suggest poor living conditions, local beliefs, customs and ignorance of the dangers of chemicals, as the risk factors associated with acute poisoning. Eighty eight pc of all admissions were children below the age of five years. The mortality rate in this series was 21 pc. Compared to the overall mortality rate of all ICU admissions of 30,9 pc over the same period, death due to acute poisoning was 1,8 pc of all ICU deaths

Antibiotic use in infants hospitalised with HIV-related pneumonia in Harare, Zimbabwe

A CAJM journal article.Objective: To describe the clinical features of infants admitted with HIV-related pneumonia and to describe antibiotic use in relation to recommended treatment guidelines. Design: Case series. Setting: Paediatric medical wards of two University Teaching Hospitals, Parirenyatwa and Harare Central Hospitals. Subjects: 100 infants aged one to 12 months admitted with HIV-related pneumonia Main Outcome Measures: Mortality and antibiotic use in the two hospitals. Methods: Records of 100 infants admitted for 48 hours or more with features of HIV-related pneumonia were analysed for clinical features and antibiotic use. Results: 77% of patients were in the first six months of life with a peak age of two months and a median of four months (Q1 = 2, Q3 = 6). The median age of children admitted to Parirenyatwa hospital was 5.5 months (Q1 = 3, Q3 =7) and in Harare hospital it was three months (Q1 = 2, Q3 = 6). The difference was statistically significant, p=0.035. Fifty four percent of cases received penicillin, aminoglycoside and cotrimoxazole and overall only 30% of prescriptions complied with Essential Drug List of Zimbabwe (EDLIZ) recommendations for treatment of severe pneumonia in children with HIV infection. The overall mortality was 27.0%. The mortality in Harare Central Hospital was 40.4% and 15.7% in Parirenyatwa. The difference was statistically significant p= 0.005. Conclusion: The difficulties in establishing the cause of the pneumonia in infants with HIV infection was a contributory factor to lack of adherence to standard treatment guidelines. In countries with a high prevalence of HIV infection and with limited resources, a clinical case definition for Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP) is required as a measure to provide treatment for infants with HIV related pneumonia which is evidence based. This approach will also promote rational antibiotic prescribing and will contain cost