The economic impact of Rhodes University students on the Grahamstown economy

From Executive Summary: This study compares the spending patterns and economic impact of three groups of Rhodes University students: South Africans (SA), Other Africans and students from the Rest of the World (RoW). Data was collected via self-completion questionnaires and the final sample size was 163. Despite differences in spending patterns, total spending was found to be remarkably similar across groups, the major differences being between those students in university residence and those in digs (rented accommodation in town). Total monthly spending for those in residence was highest for SA students (R1034), then Other Africans (R850) and finally RoW (R777). For those in digs, total monthly spending was very similar, but again highest for SA students (R2495), then RoW (R2480) and then students from Other African countries (R2461). SA students have a considerably lower average unearned income than other groups, with students from the RoW having the highest unearned income (R1060 for those in residence and R2300 for those in digs). However, 55% of SA students, compared to 47% of foreign students, have sources of earned income, usually related to the university. Monthly income also tended to be higher for SA students (R654) than for other groups (Other Africa = R557; RoW = R575). The general conclusion that can be drawn is that there is very little difference in total spending between groups, although SA students have a somewhat higher average than others. A straight line ordinary least squares regression showed that, holding all else constant, SA students spent on average R169 more per month than foreign students (significant at the 10% level)

The role of processors, wholesalers and retailers in the marketing of food in South Africa:

The importance of the middlemen of marketing was recently high-lighted with the publication of a thirty item 'food basket' for South Africa. While the producer's share of the foodbasket is usually of chief interest to the farmers of our country and often to agricultural economists, the field of traditional agricultural marketing takes in the whole area from farm gate to consumer's table

Association of MMP3 but not TIMP2 gene variants with elite rugby player status and rugby code

Introduction: Achilles tendon pathology and anterior cruciate ligament rupture are multifactorial conditions for which genetic risk factors have been identified. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within the MMP3 (rs591058, rs679620, rs650108) and TIMP2 (rs4789932) genes have previously been associated with tendon and ligament pathologies. Although not entirely clear, prior literature indicates the risk alleles for Achilles tendon pathology as T (rs591058), G (rs679620) and A (rs650108) for MMP3. However, prior evidence regarding TIMP2 is equivocal. MMP3 is considered an essential regulator of matrix degradation and remodelling within diseased and normal musculoskeletal soft tissues. TIMP2 maintains homeostasis in the extracellular matrix in part by inhibiting MMP function. Given the high incidence and severity of tendon and ligament injuries in elite rugby athletes, we hypothesised that the aforementioned SNPs would be associated with career success. Methods: Participants from the RugbyGene project were elite Caucasian male rugby athletes (n = 566; mean (standard deviation) height 1.85 (0.07) m, mass 101 (14) kg, age 29 (7) yr), including 420 rugby union (RU) athletes that for some analyses were divided into forwards and backs and 120 rugby league (RL) athletes. Non-athletes were 589 Caucasian men and women (n = 589, 57% male, height 1.72 (0.10) m, mass 74 (14) kg, age 31 (7) yr). PCR of genomic DNA was used to determine genotypes using TaqMan probes, then groups were compared using Χ2 and odds ratio (OR) statistics. Results: As hypothesized, the MMP3 rs591058 risk genotype (TT) was less frequent in rugby athletes (28%) compared to non-athletes (33%) (Χ2 = 7.265, P = 0.026; OR = 1.18, 95% confidence intervals (CI) = 0.86-1.63). No differences were found for MMP3 rs679620, rs650108 or TIMP2 rs4789932 between rugby athletes and non-athletes. When RL athletes were compared to non-athletes, the risk genotype (TT) of MMP3 rs591058 was underrepresented in RL athletes (19%) compared to non-athletes (33%). The MMP3 rs679620 ‘protective’ allele (C) was more frequent in RL athletes (55%) compared to non-athletes (48%) (OR = 1.3, 95% CI = 0.98-1.74). However, for MMP3 rs650108 the ‘risk’ allele (A) was overrepresented in RL athletes (32%) compared to non-athletes (26%). There were no genotype differences for any gene variant between RU athletes and non-athletes. The ‘risk’ allele (T) of the MMP3 rs679629 polymorphism and the ‘protective’ allele (G) of the MMP3 rs650108 polymorphism were less common in RL (45%, 68%, respectively) than RU athletes (54%, 76%, respectively). Conclusion: We provide evidence for elite rugby athletes possessing a protective genetic profile regarding tendon and ligament injury risk. Notably, a less frequent rs591058 TT genotype in athletes suggests a lower risk of injury could therefore enhance career success in rugby. Furthermore, RL players appear to have differing genetic characteristics compared to their RU counterparts, which might reflect some differences in physiological demands between codes.Peer reviewedFinal Published versio

Towards an economic valuation of biodiversity: freshwater ecosystems

The valuation of environmental resources and biodiversity as a whole has become an increasingly necessary topic of research as our understanding of the importance and benefits of the healthy functioning of the environment develops. A major shortcoming of current research is that there has been very little advance in the valuation of freshwater biodiversity. The paper examines the socioeconomic importance of biodiversity and outlines the fundamentals of economic valuation thereof. The difficulties associated with the valuation of freshwater ecosystems are outlined and the results of a study presented to the South African Water Research Commission incorporating resource economics into freshwater quality objectives is described. The valuation of freshwater biodiversity is an important and complicated task that needs close attention in future research

Physical, political and local practice factors as barriers to agricultural development: a case of the Kat River valley, South Africa

The Kat River Valley, in the Eastern Cape of South Africa, provided a case study against which propositions of determinants of economic development were tested. Physical location was found to matter in determining the level of development and economic leverage which Middle Kat farmers had compared to those downstream in accordance with Bromley's (1982) proposition. Physical location, however, was not a determining factor for farmers in the Upper Kat River who were the least developed. As predicted by Ostrom (1990), high transaction costs stemming from information asymmetries, selfish interests coupled with poor leadership, an unequal distribution of power and the flouting of formal agreements ensured the demise of a once successful Hacop project in the Upper Kat. Finally, Hirschman's (1960) much earlier line of argument was supported in that the nature of proposed development programmes and the compatibility with community values or ‘self images’ contributed to the lack of success of an externally initiated development effort. The findings and conclusion serve an important lesson to economic researchers and decision makers not to duplicate policies for implementation in all geographical and social contexts on the basis of their success elsewhere

The economic impact of Rhodes University students on the Grahamstown economy

Publisher versionFrom Executive Summary: This study compares the spending patterns and economic impact of three groups of Rhodes University students: South Africans (SA), Other Africans and students from the Rest of the World (RoW). Data was collected via self-completion questionnaires and the final sample size was 163. Despite differences in spending patterns, total spending was found to be remarkably similar across groups, the major differences being between those students in university residence and those in digs (rented accommodation in town). Total monthly spending for those in residence was highest for SA students (R1034), then Other Africans (R850) and finally RoW (R777). For those in digs, total monthly spending was very similar, but again highest for SA students (R2495), then RoW (R2480) and then students from Other African countries (R2461). SA students have a considerably lower average unearned income than other groups, with students from the RoW having the highest unearned income (R1060 for those in residence and R2300 for those in digs). However, 55% of SA students, compared to 47% of foreign students, have sources of earned income, usually related to the university. Monthly income also tended to be higher for SA students (R654) than for other groups (Other Africa = R557; RoW = R575). The general conclusion that can be drawn is that there is very little difference in total spending between groups, although SA students have a somewhat higher average than others. A straight line ordinary least squares regression showed that, holding all else constant, SA students spent on average R169 more per month than foreign students (significant at the 10% level)

Temporal Proteomic Analysis of BK Polyomavirus Infection Reveals Virus-Induced G2 Arrest and Highly Effective Evasion of Innate Immune Sensing.

BK polyomavirus (BKPyV) is a small DNA virus that establishes a life-long persistent infection in the urinary tract of most people. BKPyV is known to cause severe morbidity in renal transplant recipients and can lead to graft rejection. The simple 5.2-kbp double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) genome expresses just seven known proteins; thus, it relies heavily on the host machinery to replicate. How the host proteome changes over the course of infection is key to understanding this host-virus interplay. Here, for the first time quantitative temporal viromics has been used to quantify global changes in >9,000 host proteins in two types of primary human epithelial cells throughout 72 h of BKPyV infection. These data demonstrate the importance of cell cycle progression and pseudo-G2 arrest in effective BKPyV replication, along with a surprising lack of an innate immune response throughout the whole virus replication cycle. BKPyV thus evades pathogen recognition to prevent activation of innate immune responses in a sophisticated manner.IMPORTANCE BK polyomavirus can cause serious problems in immune-suppressed patients, in particular, kidney transplant recipients who can develop polyomavirus-associated kidney disease. In this work, we have used advanced proteomics techniques to determine the changes to protein expression caused by infection of two independent primary cell types of the human urinary tract (kidney and bladder) throughout the replication cycle of this virus. Our findings have uncovered new details of a specific form of cell cycle arrest caused by this virus, and, importantly, we have identified that this virus has a remarkable ability to evade detection by host cell defense systems. In addition, our data provide an important resource for the future study of kidney epithelial cells and their infection by urinary tract pathogens.Isaac Newton Trust (part funding of ISSF award to C.M.C.

An Investigation into Genetic Associations with Musculoskeletal Soft Tissue Injuries in Elite Rugby – Preliminary Findings

Peer reviewe

Metabolic oscillations on the circadian time scale in <i>Drosophila</i> cells lacking clock genes.

Circadian rhythms are cell-autonomous biological oscillations with a period of about 24 h. Current models propose that transcriptional feedback loops are the primary mechanism for the generation of circadian oscillations. Within this framework, &lt;i&gt;Drosophila&lt;/i&gt; S2 cells are regarded as "non-rhythmic" cells, as they do not express several canonical circadian components. Using an unbiased multi-omics approach, we made the surprising discovery that &lt;i&gt;Drosophila&lt;/i&gt; S2 cells do in fact display widespread daily rhythms. Transcriptomics and proteomics analyses revealed that hundreds of genes and their products, and in particular metabolic enzymes, are rhythmically expressed in a 24-h cycle. Metabolomics analyses extended these findings and demonstrate that central carbon metabolism and amino acid metabolism are core metabolic pathways driven by protein rhythms. We thus demonstrate that 24-h metabolic oscillations, coupled to gene and protein cycles, take place in nucleated cells without the contribution of any known circadian regulators. These results therefore suggest a reconsideration of existing models of the clockwork in &lt;i&gt;Drosophila&lt;/i&gt; and other eukaryotic systems