The impact of the neoliberal technological epoch and Covid-19 on the decolonization of the university curriculum

In this article we will argue that South Africa’s capitalist neoliberal agenda for higher education, where the focus is on the shift from a knowledge economy to a digital economy, will choke the life of indigenous knowledge out of the university curriculum. To support this claim the article discusses, firstly, the impact of the core neoliberal ideals on the university curriculum landscape. Secondly, drawing on the scholarly work of Martin Heidegger and his anticipation of the spirit of the time in the technological epoch, the article shows how humans in this era will be viewed as a heap of fungible raw materials, resources, or standing reserve (Bestand) awaiting optimisation. In this technological age knowledge is subject to the demands of the market, where the focus will be exclusively on knowledge that has a utilitarian value in and impact on the technological epoch. A direct consequence of this is that little space will be provided for the inclusion of indigenous knowledge in the curriculum

Satellite cell content is specifically reduced in type II skeletal muscle fibers in the elderly

Satellite cells (SC) are essential for skeletal muscle growth and repair. As sarcopenia is associated with type II muscle fiber atrophy, we hypothesized that SC content is specifically reduced in the type II fibers in the elderly. A total of 8 elderly (E:76+/-1y) and 8 young (Y:20+/-1y) healthy males were selected. Muscle biopsies were collected from the vastus lateralis in both legs. ATPase staining and a pax7-antibody were used to determine fiber type specific SC content (i.e. pax7-positive SC) on serial muscle cross-sections. In contrast to the type I fibers, the proportion and mean cross-sectional area of the type II fibers were substantially reduced in the E versus the Y. The number of SC per type I fiber was similar in E and Y. However, the number of SC per type II fiber was substantially lower in the E versus the Y (0.044+/-0.003 vs 0.080+/-0.007; P<0.01). In addition, in the type II fibers the number of SC relative to the total number of nuclei and the number of SC per fiber area were also significantly lower in the E. This study is the first to show type II fiber atrophy in the elderly to be associated with a fiber type specific decline in SC content. The latter is evident when SC content is expressed per fiber or per fiber area. The decline in SC content might be an important factor in the etiology of type II muscle fiber atrophy, which accompanies the loss of skeletal muscle with aging. Key words: skeletal muscle, sarcopenia, muscle stem cells, atrophy, metabolism