Die Alpe, anime en Afrikaans: “Heidi” as transnasionale teks en kultuurproduk

The name “Heidi” is known and loved all over the world, due to Swiss author, Johanna Spyri’s works, Heidis Lehr- und Wanderjahre (1880) and Heidi kann brauchen, was es gelernt hat (1881), which form part of the classic international children’s literature canon. These stories have since crossed national boarders, by manifesting transnationally in several culture products. The focus of this article lies on the transnational traffic between the original Heidi (1881) and its adaptations. Because “Heidi” as a cultural phenomenon contains universal themes, the product was able to spread globally. This journey stretches from the Swiss Alps, to Japan and finally finds a home in South Africa and Afrikaans. Included in the article is an overview of how the Heidi text manifested in several cultures and its transnational movement, spanning time and place. The popularity of the animation series in South Africa among Afrikaans speaking people is analysed, along with suggestions for possible reasons for this big following and prevalence . The central argument of the article is that “Heidi” as cultural product has had a transnational journey from the Alps, to anime andAfrikaans

'Re-zoning' proximal development in a parallel e-learning course

The action inquiry reported in this article focused on the way in which students engaged in, and what their views were on, a course that included two concurrent modes of delivery - a face-to-face version and its exact twin in online format, the former being complemented by the latter. This twinning course was introduced to expand learning opportunities in what we perceived to have become a compressed face-to-face curriculum with less scheduled teaching time than previously. Additionally, we wanted to engage students by exposing them to a constructivist educational landscape in the twin courses by challenging them to construct a multi-media metaphor as main learning artefact, integrating their ways of learning in this artefact. We believed that the two courses would reinforce each other in an educational symbiosis, and that the online version would compensate for less face-to-face learning and teaching time, due to logistical changes at the institution. In the first set of findings, in a research project that will continue for three years, the researchers found that it was initially very disturbing for the students to work in parallel mode within the same curriculum, but that they gradually became au fait with the processes and that the majority saw it as an opportunity to become more proficient learners. There were, however, a substantial number of students for whom the disturbance of their cognitive comfort zone of mostly reproductive 'learning' was an extremely negative experience. They appeared to be trapped in their educational comfort zones and had narrowed their zones of proximal development, probably because of fixed patterns of educational behaviour, which could include an epistemology that was not receptive to self-directed learning. (South African Journal of Education: 2002 22(4): 297-304

Ekologies sistemiese faktore wat bydra tot die onafhanklike funksionering van kwadrupleë

Text in AfrikaansDie ekologiese faktore wat bydra tot die onafhanklikheid van twintig Suid-Afrikaanse kwadruplee is vanuit 'n sistemiese perspektief beskou. ('n Selfontwerpte vraelys en onderhoud is benut). Die kriteria was dat: Hulle 'n betrekking beklee; finansieel selfonderhoudend is; tuis gaan in 'n eie woonplek; 'n voertuig besit wat aan hulle mobiliteitsvereistes voldoen; en van 'n rolstoel gebruik maak. Sekere demografiese faktore staan in 'n positewe vehouding tot onafhanklikheid. F aktore rakende die indiwidu het die meeste waarde vir die instandhouding en ontwikkeling van 'n onafhanklike lewenstyl. Faktore wat verband hou met die sosiale ondersteuningstelsel is van ietwat minder belang. Alhoewel die faktore wat verband hou met die gemeenskap nie heeltemal onbelangrik is nie, het dit deurgaans die minste waarde. Faktore wat verband hou met funksionele aanpassings (versorging; mobiliteit; loopbaanaangeleenthede en finansies; en dermkanaal- en blaasbeheer) was deurgaans van besondere belang. Die belangrikheid van tersiere opleiding; die hoeveelheid hulpmiddels in gebruik; en sport, oefening en ontspanning was minder as wat verwag is.The ecological factors contributing to the independence of twenty South African quadriplegics were investigated from an systemic perspective. (A self compiled questionnaire and semi-structured interview were used). The criteria for inclusion is: Employment; financial self-support; living in a residences of their own; having a motor vehicle that satisfy their mobility requirements; and reliance on a wheelchair. Certain demographic factors are linked, positively to independence. The factors related to the individual appeared to be the most important factor in developing and maintaining an independent lifestyle. The social support system received a slightly lower value rating. Community factors, while not entirely unimportant, received the lowest ratings throughout the study. The factors regarding functional adaptations ( care; mobility; career issues and finances; and control over bowels and bladder) were in general of great significance. The value of tertiary education; the amount of special aids in use; and sport, exercise and recreation have been less than expected.Social WorkM.A. (Sosiale Wetenskappe (Geestesgesondheid)

PERSPECTIVES ON MUSICAL STRATEGIES OF SETTLEMENT AND MIGRATION: FOUR CASE STUDIES FROM THE WESTERN CAPE, SOUTH AFRICA

Musi

Genome-wide association and transcriptome studies identify target genes and risk loci for breast cancer

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified more than 170 breast cancer susceptibility loci. Here we hypothesize that some risk-associated variants might act in nonbreast tissues, specifically adipose tissue and immune cells from blood and spleen. Using expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) reported in these tissues, we identify 26 previously unreported, likely target genes of overall breast cancer risk variants, and 17 for estrogen receptor (ER)-negative breast cancer, several with a known immune function. We determine the directional effect of gene expression on disease risk measured based on single and multiple eQTL. In addition, using a gene-based test of association that considers eQTL from multiple tissues, we identify seven (and four) regions with variants associated with overall (and ER-negative) breast cancer risk, which were not reported in previous GWAS. Further investigation of the function of the implicated genes in breast and immune cells may provide insights into the etiology of breast cancer.www.nature.com/naturecommunicationsam2019Genetic

Germline sequence variants contributing to cancer susceptibility in South African breast cancer patients of African ancestry

Since the discovery of the breast cancer susceptibility genes, BRCA1 and BRCA2, various other genes conferring an increased risk for breast cancer have been identified. Studies to evaluate sequence variants in cancer predisposition genes among women of African ancestry are limited and mostly focused on BRCA1 and BRCA2. To characterize germline sequence variants in cancer susceptibility genes, we analysed a cohort of 165 South African women of self-identified African ancestry diagnosed with breast cancer, who were unselected for family history of cancer. With the exception of four cases, all others were previously investigated for BRCA1 and BRCA2 deleterious variants, and were negative for pathogenic variants. We utilized the Illumina TruSight cancer panel for targeted sequencing of 94 cancer susceptibility genes. A total of 3.6% of patients carried a pathogenic/likely pathogenic variant in a known breast cancer susceptibility gene: 1.2% in BRCA1, 0.6% in each of BRCA2, ATM, CHEK2 and PALB, none of whom had any family history of breast cancer. The mean age of patients who carried deleterious variant in BRCA1/BRCA2 was 39 years and 8 months compared to 47 years and 3 months among women who carried a deleterious variant in other breast cancer susceptibility genes.The University of Pretoria, Genomics Research Institute, the Cancer Association of South Africa, the South African Medical Research Council and the South African National Research Foundation.https://www.nature.com/srepBiochemistryGeneticsMicrobiology and Plant Patholog

Phase 1 clinical study of the acute and subacute safety and proof-of-concept efficacy of carbohydrate-derived fulvic acid

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this research was to determine the acute and subacute safety and proof-of-concept efficacy of carbohydrate-derived fulvic acid (CHD-FA). METHODS: In this double-blind study, 30 male volunteers with predetermined atopy were randomly assigned to either Group A or Group B, each consisting of 15 participants. In part 1 of the study, the groups were administered increasing amounts of CHD-FA, ranging from 5 mL to 40 mL, provided that no adverse events had occurred at the previous dosage. In part 2, Group A participants received 20 mL of 3.8% CHD-FA twice daily for 3 days and were monitored for a week. Because no adverse events occurred, Group B received 40 mL of 3.8% CHD-FA twice daily for a period of 3 days. In part 3, both groups received either 40 mL of 3.8% CHD-FA or placebo twice daily for a period of one week, followed by a one-week washout period before crossover to the alternative treatment schedule. Parameters used to establish safety were electrocardiography, a physical examination, a health questionnaire, and hematology and biochemistry, determined at baseline, during regular calculated intervals, and at the end of each part of the study. A skin prick test was done as part of the screening process and, from the result, the allergen the participant was most allergic to was then selected, along with the positive histamine and negative control to be repeated at the start and end of each respective stage. RESULTS: Safety parameters remained constant throughout the trial. A significant decrease in skin prick test results was observed. CONCLUSION: No severe adverse events occurred, establishing that CHD-FA to be safe at doses up to 40 mL twice daily for a week and that at this dosage CHD-FA acts as an anti-inflammatory agent. These findings confirm earlier animal data.http://www.dovepress.com/clinical-pharmacology-advances-and-applications-journa

The In Vitro Antitumour Activity of Novel, Mitochondrial-Interactive, Gold-Based Lipophilic Cations

In this study we compared the effects of two previously described antimitochondrial gold complexes, that is, [A] [Au(dppe)2]Cl and [B] [Au(d4pype)2]Cl with two novel lipophilic cations, that is, [C] [Au(dpmaaH2)(dpmaaSnMe2)]Cl and [D] [Au(dpmaaSnMe2)2]Cl as antimitochondrial agents. The results of this study indicate that [C] and [D] have intermediate partition coefficients and exhibited a selective uptake by cells. They exhibited a higher selectivity for the various cell lines than [A] but were more cytotoxic than [B]. There is a significant correlation between the cytotoxic potential of [A], [B], [C], and [D] and their octanol/water partition coefficients in both MCF-7 (breast cancer) and MCF-12A (nonmalignant breast) cells, whereas their cytotoxic potential and ability to induce the release of cytochrome c correlated only in the case of the MCF-12A cells. Complexes [C] and [D] are promising new chemotherapeutic drugs. These compounds target the mitochondrial membranes of certain cancer cells exploiting the differences between the mitochondrial membrane potential of these cells and normal cells. Although the concentrations of these compounds necessary to eradicate cancer cells are very high, the results provide a basis for the synthesis of a new family of compounds with intermediate partition coefficients compared to [A] and [B] but with increased activity against cancer cells

Embryonic thermal manipulation and dietary fat source during acute heat stress : 1. Effect on hatchability and broiler performance

Modern broilers have been selected for rapid growth but demonstrate reduced heat tolerance toward market age. As the poultry industry expands globally, strategies must be developed to support broiler performance in challenging climates. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of embryonic thermal manipulation (TM) and dietary fat source during the finisher period on broiler performance during acute heat stress (AHS) close to market age. The cyclic exposure to high temperatures during mid-incubation used in TM has been demonstrated to improve broiler tolerance to heat stress. However, high incubation temperatures can be detrimental to embryonic development and impair posthatch broiler performance. Embryos were exposed to 39.5°C for 12 h daily from incubation day 7 to 16 to assess the impact of TM on hatching and broiler performance. Dietary fat is commonly added to poultry diets during heat stress and it was theorized that differences in fat source may further impact bird performance. Finisher diets were supplemented with soya oil, poultry fat, or olive oil at 4.5% each. Broilers were exposed to a period of AHS at 43 d. Embryo mortality was increased, and hatchability was reduced by TM. Broiler performance was also decreased for the TM birds, but mortality during AHS was markedly reduced. Dietary fat source did not influence bird performance but was shown to interact with incubation treatment. Overall, the present data suggest optimal performance in modern broiler strains may be at odds with improved heat tolerance.The North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Piedmont Research Station, as well as the North Carolina State University Prestage Department of Poultry Science and Feed Mill.https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/journal-of-applied-poultry-researchhj2022Animal and Wildlife Science

Factors contributing to relapse of mental health care users treated for substance-induced psychotic disorder in a psychiatric hospital in Gauteng, South Africa

This study explored the factors contributing to relapse of mental health care users (MHCUs) treated for substance-induced psychotic disorder in a public psychiatric hospital in Gauteng, South Africa. A qualitative, explorative, descriptive and contextual research design was followed. The study was conducted at the outpatient department of the hospital. Participants were selected purposefully from MHCUs visiting the outpatient department for follow-up. Ten semi-structured interviews were used to collect data until data saturation occurred. The transcribed interviews and field notes were analysed using Tesch's method of qualitative data analysis. The researcher and an independent coder reached consensus on the categories, sub-categories and themes. Trustworthiness was ensured through application of the strategies of dependability, transferability, conformability, credibility and authenticity. The findings explicated the factors contributing to relapse of MHCUs treated for substance-induced psychotic disorder in a psychiatric hospital. These factors included psychological, physical and social factors. Recommendations were provided for psychiatric nurses in terms of therapeutic programme planning and involvement of the community and family in the management of MHCUs treated for substance-induced psychotic disorder.http://www.unisa.ac.za/Default.asp?Cmd=ViewContent&ContentID=24782http://reference.sabinet.co.za/sa_epublication/ajnmam201