Towards sustainability in South Africa : a study of local government sustainability planning in the Cape Metropolitan Area

Includes bibliography.The popular use of the term sustainability represents a consensus around the fact that society must change its path towards ecological destruction and the consequent decline in human's quality of life. Sustainability facilitates the integration of environmental issues, previously seen as radical and disruptive, into mainstream political, social and economic discourse. The term therefore represents a transitional tool which will lead society from its current non-sustainable phase to greater sustainability. At present the most successful action for change is being initiated from the local level through local sustainability planning. Sustainability planning represents an alternative approach to local government decision-making based on the principles of sustainability. Many countries are experiencing success with local sustainability planning initiatives such as Healthy Cities and Local Agenda 21. These initiatives represent generic approaches to sustainability planning. This thesis contends that a more successful approach could be gained through tailoring strategic planning to local contexts. The challenge is to design a framework that meets the needs of the specific socio-economic, legislative and institutional contexts of a given area. South Africa's discriminatory socio-political history has resulted in major social and environmental legacies, especially amongst the marginalised and poor sectors of society. These legacies must be understood and addressed in order to carry-out successful sustainability planning processes. Since 1994 sustainability in South Africa has received significant attention in the legislation which has emanated from the democratic government. The legal framework for sustainability is provided by a progressive Constitution [Act 108 of 1996]. The Constitution provides clear objectives for environmental management. Furthering the framework for environmental management set out in the Constitution is the National Environmental Management Act [Act 107 of 1998] (NEMA). NEMA is a key piece of legislation which has far-reaching implications for sustainability. It establishes general principles which act as a framework within which environmental management in the country will be carried out. The Constitution [Act 108 of 1996] also sets out clear objectives for local governance. Local government in the CMA, as in the rest of South Africa, is suffering from the effects of the (re)current restructuring period following the country's transition to democracy. This sphere of government is experiencing significant financial and capacity constraints. The situation has been compounded by a lack of civil-sector consultation during this protracted period of change. Mechanisms for addressing sustainability and incorporating environmental issues within local government planning and decision-making are absent from national legislation. Local government sustainability planning represents such a mechanism. This study researches the current status and future prospects for local government sustainability planning using the Cape Metropolitan Area (CMA) in South Africa as a case study. A framework for local government sustainability planning is developed based on the current national and local contexts. The proposed framework places the fundamental principles of sustainability at the highest strategic level in the authority. Alongside these principles are key operational themes of sustainability. Each of these should be used to guide and inform decisions and activities carried out within the local government authority. As we enter the new millennium local government in South Africa has an increasing responsibility to achieve local sustainability and in so doing to elevate its citizens quality of life. A bold response to local sustainability planning is required if this is to be achieved

Identification of multiple genomic DNA sequences which form i-motif structures at neutral pH

i-Motifs are alternative DNA secondary structures formed in cytosine-rich sequences. Particular examples of these structures, traditionally assumed to be stable only at acidic pH, have been found to form under near-physiological conditions. To determine the potential impact of these structures on physiological processes, investigation of sequences with the capacity to fold under physiological conditions is required. Here we describe a systematic study of cytosine-rich DNA sequences, with varying numbers of consecutive cytosines, to gain insights into i-motif DNA sequence and structure stability. i-Motif formation was assessed using ultraviolet spectroscopy, circular dichroism and native gel electrophoresis. We found that increasing cytosine tract lengths resulted in increased thermal stability; sequences with at least five cytosines per tract folded into i-motif at room temperature and neutral pH. Using these results, we postulated a folding rule for i-motif formation, analogous to (but different from) that for G-quadruplexes. This indicated that thousands of cytosine-rich sequences in the human genome may fold into i-motif structures under physiological conditions. Many of these were found in locations where structure formation is likely to influence gene expression. Characterization of a selection of these identified i-motif forming sequences uncovered 17 genomic i-motif forming sequence examples which were stable at neutral pH

Variability of exhaled breath condensate leukotriene B4 and 8-isoprostane in COPD patients

The reproducibility of exhaled breath condensate (EBC) mediators is not well documented in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). This study assessed within assay (WA), within (WD) and between day (BD) reproducibility of EBC leukotriene B4 (LTB4) and 8-isoprostane. Three EBC samples were collected from 24 COPD patients separated by 1 h and 1 wk, to assess WD and BD reproducibility. WA reproducibility was assessed by sample analysis by enzyme immunoassay in triplicate. WA coefficient of variation for LTB4 and 8-isoprostane (18.2% and 29.2%, respectively) was lower than corresponding values for WD (47.7% and 65.3%, respectively) and BD (75.7% and 79.1%, respectively). Repeatability coefficient for 8-isoprostane and LTB4 assays were 18.6 pg/ml and 13.2 pg/ml, respectively. Group mean differences for WD and BD were small and statistically nonsignificant. Using the Bland Altman method, there were wide limits of agreement for WD (−51.6 to 47.2 for 8-isoprostane and −31.8 to 31.4 for LTB4) and BD reproducibility (−61.4 to 75.7 for 8-isoprostane and −29.3 to 38.6 for LTB4). This is the first study to fully report the variability of EBC 8-isoprostane and LTB4 in COPD. WA variability and group mean changes were small. However, we observed considerable WD and BD variability for these biomarkers

Identification of multiple genomic DNA sequences which form i-motif structures at neutral pH

i-Motifs are alternative DNA secondary structures formed in cytosine-rich sequences. Particular examples of these structures, traditionally assumed to be stable only at acidic pH, have been found to form under near-physiological conditions. To determine the potential impact of these structures on physiological processes, investigation of sequences with the capacity to fold under physiological conditions is required. Here we describe a systematic study of cytosine-rich DNA sequences, with varying numbers of consecutive cytosines, to gain insights into i-motif DNA sequence and structure stability. i-Motif formation was assessed using ultraviolet spectroscopy, circular dichroism and native gel electrophoresis. We found that increasing cytosine tract lengths resulted in increased thermal stability; sequences with at least five cytosines per tract folded into i-motif at room temperature and neutral pH. Using these results, we postulated a folding rule for i-motif formation, analogous to (but different from) that for G-quadruplexes. This indicated that thousands of cytosine-rich sequences in the human genome may fold into i-motif structures under physiological conditions. Many of these were found in locations where structure formation is likely to influence gene expression. Characterization of a selection of these identified i-motif forming sequences uncovered 17 genomic i-motif forming sequence examples which were stable at neutral pH

Quantifying fault interpretation uncertainties and their impact on fault seal and seismic hazard analysis

We would like to thank DugInsight for the provision of an academic license for their software package. We would like to thank Emma Miche and two anomalous reviewers for constructive feedback on the original version of the manuscipt.Peer reviewe

Duplex DNA from Sites of Helicase-Polymerase Uncoupling Links Non-B DNA Structure Formation to Replicative Stress

BACKGROUND: Replication impediments can produce helicase-polymerase uncoupling allowing lagging strand synthesis to continue for as much as 6 kb from the site of the impediment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We developed a cloning procedure designed to recover fragments from lagging strand near the helicase halt site. RESULTS: A total of 62% of clones from a p53-deficient tumor cell line (PC3) and 33% of the clones from a primary cell line (HPS-19I) were within 5 kb of a G-quadruplex forming sequence. Analyses of a RACK7 gene sequence, that was cloned multiple times from the PC3 line, revealed multiple deletions in region about 1 kb from the cloned region that was present in a non-B conformation. Sequences from the region formed G-quadruplex and i-motif structures under physiological conditions. CONCLUSION: Defects in components of non-B structure suppression systems (e.g. p53 helicase targeting) promote replication-linked damage selectively targeted to sequences prone to G-quadruplex and i-motif formation

A modelling evaluation of electromagnetic fields emitted by buried subsea power cables and encountered by marine animals : considerations for marine renewable energy development

Part of this work was supported by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (contract number M14PC00009).The expanding marine renewable energy industry will increase the prevalence of electromagnetic fields (EMFs) from power cables in coastal waters. Assessments of environmental impacts are required within licensing/permitting processes and increased prevalence of cables will increase questions concerning EMF emissions and potential cumulative impacts. It is presumed that protecting a cable by burial, may also mitigate EMF emissions and potential impacts on species. Focussing on a bundled high voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission cable, we use computational and interpretive models to explore the influence of cable properties and burial depth on the DC magnetic field (DC-MF) potentially encountered by receptive species. Greater cable pair separation increased the deviations from the geomagnetic field and while deeper burial reduced the deviations, the DC-MF was present at intensities perceivable by receptive species. An animal moving along a cable route may be exposed to variable EMFs due to varied burial depth and that combined with an animal’s position in the water column determines the distance from source and EMF exposure. Modelling contextually realistic scenarios would improve assessments of potential effects. We suggest developers and cable industries make cable properties and energy transmission data available, enabling realistic modelling and environmental assessment supporting future developments.PostprintPeer reviewe