Some studies of the chemistry and technology of Soupfin Sharkliver oil

During the past ten years the world demand for vitamin A has increased steadily. The increase is due partly to growing popularity of vitamin therapy and partly to the enormous rate at which vitamin A is being used in America for animal feeding. During the war years it has been used extensively for food fortification in England and Europe, and this will probably be continued for several years. It is very difficult to estimate the annual world consumption of vitamin A, but we know that in America 67 x 10¹² International Units (I. U.) were used in 1939. Approximately 60% of this quantity was used for animal feeding. We also know that in England the fortification of margarine is compulsory and that the diet of all school children is supplemented with vitamin A. The distribution of the world production of vitamin A was seriously disrupted by the war, when the Norwegian and Japanese productions were cut off from their normal destinations. Under these circumstances it is no wonder that the United States, Canada, South Africa, India and Australia made serious and successful attempts to produce fish liver oils, the main source of vitamin A. Argentina produced 25 x 10¹² U.S.P. units in 1945 and the United States 9 x 10¹³ U.S.P. units in the same year. The South African production increased from 2 x 10¹² I.U., valued at £80,000 in 1943, which year may be regarded as the birth of the South African industry, to 1 x l0¹³ I.U., valued at £400,000 in 1946-1947. There are four companies engaged in the production of fish liver oils in South Africa, and the success of this venture has probably provided the biggest impetus to our rapidly expanding fishing industry. This treatise deals with some aspects of the composition, characteristics, production, refining and storage of soupfin shark liver oil

Design guide for power tapping from extra-high voltage (EHV) lines using insulated shield-wire and series compensation, with standardised components

ThesisThe technology for tapping power from Extra-high Voltage (EHV) lines by using an insulated shield-wire and series compensation, has already been developed. This technique is known as CAPTAP. The CAPTAP technology's main target area is in sparsely populated areas where people are living next to an Extra-high Voltage line and do not have the benefit of electricity. The technology can only supply approximately 50kW of power. With this low kilowatt capacity per substation and thus a very low revenue, it is essential to develop a CAPTAP system as cost-effective as possible. With the CAPT AP development up to date, a new shunt capacitor and reactor value had to be determined for each new CAPT AP substation design, without any standardisation on these components. The aim of this study is to design and build future low-cost CAPT AP substations, by using standardised components with the absolute minimum computer usage. There was a serious need to construct a CAP TAP substation in a sparsely populated area after the prototype built by Leigh Stubbs of Eskom Transmission Department in 1992. Unfortunately the Prototype CAPTAP was not situated close to any domestic customers who have not yet experienced the benefit of electricity. Eskom management agreed to subsidise a Pilot CAPT AP substation, on condition that the cost be kept as low as possible. The author took the initiative to design and construct a proper low-cost substation in an area that justifies this kind of technology. It was decided that the equipment from the prototype substation would be re-used in order to build a Pilot CAPT AP substation. Having had the opportunity of building a Pilot CAPTAP substation, the author designed a new improved off-ground level low-cost substation. With the experience gained from this field exercise, the autB~ veloped a new method of designing a CAPTAP system With 'g{andilJdised ,~J~Tpon nts and without Ot- I nc in-depth computer simulations

The dynamics of microalgal communities in response to environmental variables and nutrient fluxes in ephemeral wetlands in the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropole

Ephemeral wetlands provide numerous ecosystem services, but are disappearing due to urbanisation and habitat fragmentation. Knowledge is required to conserve these systems, but ephemeral wetland research in South Africa is lacking. As primary producers, microalgae provide a key link between the biotic and abiotic components of aquatic ecosystems. Despite their importance, there is a paucity in information concerning microalgal dynamics in ephemeral wetlands. The aim of this study was to understand the spatial and temporal dynamics of microalgae in ephemeral wetlands of the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropole. The research followed a funnel-based approach that assessed 35 wetlands at a regional level, followed by a temporal assessment of six wetlands, monitored biweekly, monthly or quarterly. Thereafter, a case study at local scale was carried out to address wetland connectivity and Hydrogeomorphic unit trends. The research culminated in a benthic flux chamber experiment, addressing the influence of microalgal-mediated processes on wetland development for a month post inundation. Phytoplankton biomass showed strong regional associations with rainfall zone, with Chl a concentrations of 17; 4.6; and 25 µg.L-1 in the high, intermediate and low rainfall zones, respectively. The MPB communities in Seeps, Depressions and Wetland flats, comprised between 45 and 60 % diatoms, whilst other microalgal groups were dominant in the water columns (> 90 %). Phytoplankton and MPB interactions facilitated significant night-time NH4+ and SRP effluxes, (1.5 and 0.4 mg.m-2.h-1, respectively) four days post inundation. High Silica uptake in the latter stages, was attributed to an increase in diatom abundance. Within the chambers, MPB growth was continuous whilst phytoplankton exhibited cyclical growth as the system approached dynamic equilibrium. This study demonstrated the importance of nutrient cycling in structuring aquatic food webs, and indicated the sensitivity of ephemeral wetlands to environmental perturbations

Th e role of medical humanities, ethical coaching and global bioethics in addressing the ethical vulnerability of health care practitioners

Published ArticleTh is paper outlines the many ethical challenges faced today by health care practitioners. Th ese challenges are not limited to the conventional bioethical challenges of life and death, informed consent, palliative care or research on human subjects only. Th e literature review suggests that complex matters such as a weakening health care system, health care research supported by the medical industry, socio-economic and sociopolitical circumstances, communication, and the globalization of bioethics contribute to the already numerous ethical challenges that presently intensify the ethical vulnerability of health care practitioners. Given this context, the aim of this paper is to unpack what the ethical challenges as experienced by health care practitioners entail and how health care practitioners can be supported to deal with these challenges. Aspects such as the medical humanities, ethical coaching and an integrated bioethical model to support health care practitioners are discussed. Ultimately, the discourse is based on the values of Christian ethics

Identifying critical factors to deal with research ethics

Published ArticleIn this article the focus is on the role of ethics in the research cycle. The author argues that current thinking with regard to ethics in research is very often scattered and limited to certain disciplines and certain activities only. It is also pointed out that research ethics is not only applicable to the actual doing of research but also processes associated with research such as supervision, the commercialization of research and the presentation of research within the public domain

Isolation and characterization of antiplasmodial compounds from Siphonochilus aethiopicus and Aloe ferox and bioavailability of a novel furanoterpenoid

Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 138-162)

Isokinetic norms for ankle, knee, shoulder and forearm muscles in young South African men

Isokinetic test results are often evaluated against a norm or normal value. Previous research on isokinetics is prolific however, different populations present with different “normal” values. Thus, the aim of the present study was to establish isokinetic norms for the ankle, knee, shoulder, elbow and forearm joints in young, South African men. Methods: Four hundred and thirty eight (N = 438) young male participants (19.06 ± 1.86 yrs) were evaluated in terms of isokinetic peak torque of the ankle, knee, shoulder and forearm. A Cybex 340 isokinetic dynamometer was used to evaluate their concentric peak torque at a low velocity (30 or 60 /s); gravity was not corrected for. The data was tested for normality and the descriptive statistics were calculated. Percentile scores were subsequently constructed. Results: Normative values for peak torque, peak torque per body mass and agonistantagonist ratios were constructed for the ankle, knee, shoulder and forearm. Conclusions: Results from this study might provide useful norms for the clinical evaluation of low velocity, concentric peak torque in young males, when gravity correction is not performed

"Research education" : a concept wider than postgraduate supervision?

Published ArticleThis paper promotes the argument that although conventional postgraduate supervision is useful to address the research skills and competences of postgraduate students, a wider perspective is nonetheless required to educate and train any researcher (including postgraduate students upon their entrée into the world of research) to comprehend the demands made by research and how best these demands can be addressed. It is in this context that a more comprehensive concept of research education is promoted. The argument is based on the perspective that methodological understanding alone is not sufficient to assist a researcher in meeting the expectations of a research project. Research education refers to the training of researchers to be responsive to the research value chain. This includes aspects such as the formal research process, the importance of research ethics and integrity regarding the research project, the imperative to promote scholarship in research and the application of research results through technology transfer, innovation and incubation. Research education sensitizes the researcher to look beyond the scope of the academic research project and to extend the research to activities such as technology transfer, innovation, commercialization and partnerships. The aim of research education is to promote the wide range of aspects contributing to the understanding of what counts as research and its application

Remarks on the church in the consumer society: similarities and dissimilarities

The church cannot escape the influence of the consumer society. The influence of the consumer society is often viewed as negative although it can have many positive influences on the building and growth of the church. The consumer society reminds the church that, although the message of the church cannot change, the style of church services can. Pastors should make it clear that the gospel message is not a product for sale; however the gospel message should be directed at the needs of people. This article outlines the influence of the consumer society on the church. The article also outlines the similarities and dissimilarities between the church and the consumer society. It concludes with guidelines on how the church can bring its gospel message regardless the dominant influences of the consumer society.