Endangered bontebok and small game survival: a quest of palaeontology, climate change, consumptive use and biodiversity management in aouthern Africa

Presented at the 9th international wildlife ranching symposium: wildlife - the key to prosperity for rural communities, held on 12-16 September 2016 at Hotel Safari & the Safari Court, Windhoek, Namibia.Bontebok enhancement and survival as species came into question with the US Fisheries &Wildlife Services from an attack by the US Humane Society on permits for bontebok trophy imports in October 2015. A comprehensive report that enlightens the origin, development and reasons for the genetic bottleneck of the sub-species was compiled by the author. DNA genetics provides valued insight in the bontebok's heterozygosity when linked to historic palaeontology of the southern African coast line and the climate conditions and different vegetation as now indicated from radio-isotope from dental measurement of skeletons and fossils found in the Karoo Basin and along the southern coastline. An assessment of governmental attempts of protection verses the translocation of Bontebok out of its past natural distribution range in the Western Cape to alternative more suitable habitat in the Eastern Cape and the Free State are discussed. The impact of breeding on private land and the establishment of the WRSA Bontebok Breeding Group and the newly registered Bontebok Breeders Association (GAZETTE notice 690, 10 Jun 2016) as part of the Wildlife Production Association under the Animal Improvement Act (Act 62 of 1998) of the South African Department of Agriculture, Fisheries &Forestry is highlighted against the contradictive IUCN Red data listing. A difference in number of 1,200 versus 8,000 bontebok and the application to other game species are discussed

Purpose-orientated stocking of procedure trolleys saves time in busy Emergency Centres

Background and aim Inefficient storage and sourcing of routinely required consumables located on procedure trolleys results in time wasted when preparing for common procedures in Emergency Centres, contributing to poor efficiency and quality of care. We designed a novel purpose-orientated procedure trolley, and evaluated its impact on time spent on procedure preparation and efficiency. Methods In an urban emergency centre, eight participants were measured each day over 24 days, once using the contemporary setup and once using the modified procedure setup. During each simulation, efficiency markers were assessed (time spent on procedure preparation, steps taken, stops made, and amount of time participants had to open a drawer to locate required items). Results The mean time required to collect the required items for IV cannulation and blood sampling from the purpose-orientated trolley was 22.7 seconds(s) (SD = 3.66) compared to 49.2 s (SD = 15.45) using the contemporary trolley. There was a significant difference in mean collection time between the two trolleys (p < 0.0005). There was a significant difference (p-value < 0.0005) in all the other categories: steps taken, stops made, and drawer opening. Conclusion In our setting, stocking procedure trolleys in a purpose-orientated manner has the potential to improve efficiency by reducing time spent on procedure preparation

Students’ perceptions of global citizenship at a local and an international school in Israel

This article reports on a comparative study revealing students’ perceptions and conceptualisations of global citizenship in two different educational settings in Israel, a country facing long-lasting violent conflict between Jewish Israelis and Palestinians. Jewish Israeli students attending a public Israeli school and students at an international school located in Israel catering to a Jewish, Palestinian and international clientele participated in this exploratory qualitative study, which involved in-depth interviews and focus groups with students from both a local and an international school. Four major themes emerged through the analysis: (1) inclusion and exclusion criteria for the term ‘global citizen’; (2) the tensions between the different dimensions of global citizenship; (3) schools’ agency in educating towards global citizenship; and (4) the role of global citizenship in conflict resolution. The main contribution of this study lies in its comparative perspective that enables us to discern the different impacts of the Israeli context on the perceptions of global citizenship in different types of schools

Purpose-orientated stocking of procedure trolleys saves time in busy emergency centres

Background. Inefficient storage and sourcing of routinely required consumables located on procedure trolleys result in time wasted when preparing for common procedures in emergency centres (ECs), contributing to poor efficiency and quality of care.Objectives. We designed a novel purpose-orientated procedure trolley and evaluated its impact on time spent on procedure preparation and efficiency.Methods. In an urban EC, eight participants were measured each day over 24 days, once using the standard setup and once using the modified procedure setup. During each simulation, efficiency markers were assessed (time spent on procedure preparation, steps taken, stops made, and time spent opening drawers to locate required items).Results. The mean (standard deviation) time required to collect the required items for intravenous cannulation and blood sampling from the purpose-orientated trolley was 22.7 (3.66) seconds, compared with 49.2 (15.45) seconds using the standard trolley. There was a significant difference between the two trolleys in mean collection time (p&lt;0.0005) and in all the other categories: steps taken, stops made and drawer opening (p&lt;0.0005).Conclusions. In our setting, stocking procedure trolleys in a purpose-orientated manner has the potential to improve efficiency by reducing time spent on procedure preparation

Die invloed van tanniene in plante op die voedingsekologie van kameelperde (Giraffa camelopardalis)

The project originated due to kudu mortalities on several Western Transvaal Bush veld farms. Conclusively was found that plants defend themselves against excessive browsing by means of chemical substances such as flavonoids and that neighbouring plants alarm each other upon utilization. Flavonoids are byproducts of photosynthesis. More than 3 000 flavonoid compounds have already been described of which condensed and hydrolyzable tannin is of most importance, in particular those steriochemical types with a molecular mass between 300 and 700. Tannin precipitates protein readily to the disadvantage of herbivores. The precipitate is undigestable to ruminants. Unprecipitated tannin inhibits enzyme activity within the digestive tract. Precipitation of muco-protein on the epithelium of the digestive tract decreases absorption of digestive products across the membrane. Tannin protein precipitation result an unpalatable taste (astringent) to the browser. Diversity of tannin composition within plants is species specific. Thirty to fourty steriochemical tannins may occur within the same plant. For each plant species a specific spectrum of tannin concentration values exists. Plant species can thus be divided into three categories according to dry mass tannin concentration threshold value (TCTV): species containing low TCTV (> o to 4 %), species containing high TCTV (> 4 to 15 %) and species containing extremely high TCTV (> 15 %). Within the canopy cover of Acacia nigrescens trees nine tannin concentration levels were distinguished. The levels resemble different degrees of zonized ruminant browsing. Tannin concentration differs with temperature variation and therefore follows a 24 hour cyclic oscillation curve. Active merystematic tissue of young leaf lets and sprout contain higher tannin concentrations than old mature leaves. Trees and shrubs respond to physical disturbance due to browsing. Tannin concentration of Acacia nigrescens increased by 70 % within two minutes after commencement of browsing (immediate response). A second reaction (belated response) followed within 30 to 100 min. after commencement (an increase of 120 %) . Normal equilibrium, corresponding to the 24 hour oscillation curve, was retrieved after 60 hours. The availability frequence of dietary plants within the habitat correlated poorly (r = 0,332; p < 0,001) with the feeding preference of giraffes. Feeding preference correlated acceptably (r = 0,730; p < 0,001) to tannin content of the diet. Giraffes positively selected low tannin content diets. Eighty three percent of the observed giraffe utilizations were of plant species containing low tannin concentration threshold values (less than 10 % TCTV). For 63 % of all utilizations on trees situated down wind from previously utilized trees, feeding duration was significantly shorter for the former trees than for the latter. Seventy four percent of all giraffe feeding movements were either upwind or across wind during a sequence of utilizations. Down wind utilizations were affected by previous upwind utilizations regarding increased tannin production within the tree leaves. It seems that ethyleen which is despersed by wind from disturbed/utilized leaf tissue, activate undisturbed tissue to increase its tannin biosynthesis activity. Giraffes sensed tannin increase by taste and tried to avoid it.Thesis (MSc (Wildlife Research))--University of Pretoria, 1991.Animal and Wildlife SciencesMSc (Wildlife Research)Unrestricte

Bridging the digital divide : a South African perspective on minimally invasive education

Advances in Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) have brought many opportunities to South Africa and also challenges, such as narrowing the gap, known as the digital divide, between those who have (the “haves”) and those who do not have (the “have-nots”) access to ICTs. The majority of South Africans living in developing areas throughout South Africa do not have access to computers and are mostly computer illiterate. The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) launched their Digital Doorway project across South Africa to evaluate the feasibility of an alternative computer training method following a minimally invasive educational approach. Within the scope of the CSIR’s project, this research study endeavoured to explore to what extent and how the children had obtained computer skills, without the guidance of a facilitator, during the Digital Doorway project launched in Atteridgeville, Pretoria. A qualitative research methodology was adopted for the study. During the course of this research project, it was not possible to determine whether the children obtained any initial or additional computer skills, since the children were mostly unable to use the computers due to the malfunctioning thereof. The findings of this study coincide with authoritative literature on the topic which points out that real ICT access entails more than merely installing hardware and software.Dissertation (MEd (Computer Assisted Education))--University of Pretoria, 2007.Curriculum Studiesunrestricte

The impact of the data management approach on information systems auditing

In establishing the impact of formal data management practices on systems and systems development auditing in the context of a corporate data base environment; the most significant aspects of a data base environment as well as the concept of data management were researched. It was established that organisations need to introduce a data management function to ensure the availability and integrity of data for the organisation. It was further established that an effective data management function can fulfil a key role in ensuring the integrity of the overall data base and as such it becomes an important general control on which the auditor can rely. The audit of information systems in a data base environment requires a more "holistic" audit approach and as a result the auditor has to expand the scope of the systems audit to include an evaluation of the overall data base environment.AuditingM. Com (Applied Accounting

Emergency centre reorganization in preparation to the COVID-19 pandemic: A district hospital’s dynamic adaptation response

Furstenburg PP, Mukonkole SN, Kibamba CN, et al. Emergency centre reorganization in preparation to the COVID-19 pandemic: A district hospital’s dynamic adaptation response. Afr J Prm Health Care Fam Med. 2020;12(1), a2514. https://doi. org/10.4102/phcfm.v12i1.2514CITATION:Furstenburg PP, Mukonkole SN, Kibamba CN, et al. Emergency centre reorganization in preparation to the COVID-19 pandemic: A district hospital’s dynamic adaptation response. Afr J Prm Health Care Fam Med. 2020;12(1), a2514. https://doi. org/10.4102/phcfm.v12i1.2514The original publication is available at http://www.phcfm.orgThe COVID-19 global pandemic forced healthcare facilities to put special isolation measures in place to limit nosocomial transmission. Cohorting is such a measure and refers to placing infected patients (or under investigation) together in a designated area. This report describes the physical reorganisation of the emergency centre at Khayelitsha Hospital, a district level hospital in Cape Town, South Africa in preparation to the COVID-19 pandemic. The preparation included the identification of a person under investigation (PUI) room, converting short stay wards into COVID-19 isolation areas, and relocating the paediatric section to an area outside the emergency centre. Finally, we had to divide the emergency centre into a respiratory and non-respiratory side by utilising part of the hospital's main reception. We are positive that the preparation and reorganization of the emergency centre will limit nosocomial transmission during the expected COVID-19 surge. Our experience in adapting to COVID-19 may have useful implications for ECs throughout South Africa and in low-and-middle income countries that are preparing for this pandemic

On the uniqueness and global dynamics of AdS spacetimes

We study global aspects of complete, non-singular asymptotically locally AdS spacetimes solving the vacuum Einstein equations whose conformal infinity is an arbitrary globally stationary spacetime. It is proved that any such solution which is asymptotically stationary to the past and future is itself globally stationary. This gives certain rigidity or uniqueness results for exact AdS and related spacetimes.Comment: 18pp, significant revision of v