The constraints of using design and build for the procurement of construction projects in South Africa

Despite the numerous advantages that design and build has as a procurement method for construction projects, which have made it the procurement method of choice for construction projects in Europe and North America, not many South African construction companies are making use of it. This study investigates the constraints which are associated with design and build in South Africa. It also seeks to find out how certain performance indicators in construction fare when design and build is used. It then proposes recommendations on how the method can be improved in order to increase its use in South Africa. Data for the study was collected from six major professions in the construction industry including contractors, engineers, quantity surveyors, project owners, project managers and architects in order to give a more balanced view of the problems. Questionnaires, emails and telephonic conversations were methods used to collect the data. Sample t-tests were then conducted on the data using the statistical package, Statistical Analysis Systems (SAS). The results obtained show that there are numerous problems faced in all phases of construction projects when design and build is used as the procurement method of choice in South Africa. Most of the problems are around the issues of inadequate knowledge by project owners in construction, and also the unavailability of manpower to help owners with technical issues. Of the performance indicators investigated, time management and project quality are found to perform poorly. Project owners should deploy their own project managers in the construction proces

The relationship between financialisation and the real economy in South Africa

The relationship between finance and the real economy which has been the subject of centuries old debates, gained renewed prominence with the relative and unprecedented growth of the financial sector over the last few decades. Finance has changed not only in terms of its size compared to other sectors, but also in terms of the nature of its products, and how it affects outcomes in the real economy. This has become known as financialisation. Research in other places has shown that the financial sector has grown at the expense of the real economy, as it has negatively impacted real investment. This occurred against the backdrop of non-financial corporations (NFCs) diverting more of their surpluses to the financial sector in the form of financial payout and financial investment. This research project studies the relationship between financialisation and the real economy in South Africa. Using aggregated data of all listed firms (with the exception of financial companies) on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange between 1971 and 2012 the impact of financialisation on real investment is empirically tested. Two channels in the form of financial payout (dividend and interest payments) and financial income (dividend and interest income) through which funds flow between the real economy and finance are analysed. We find that increased financial activity by NFCs may have a negative impact on real capital investment. Financial income presents more robust results than financial payout which may be an indication that the crowding out effect is a serious problem in South Africa

Impacts of Climate Variability and Change on Banana Yields in the CDC- Delmonte Banana Project, Tiko, South West Region, Cameroon

Climate variability and change are existing sets of conditions which affect crop productivity. An evaluation of their impacts on banana yield in the CDC-DelMonte Banana Project at Tiko is fundamental in conceiving adaptation strategies towards coping with, and minimizing their deleterious impacts for maximum productivity within the present trends on global climate change. An assessment of records of past climatic data (rainfall and temperatures) recorded within three zones ( Mondoni, Tiko and Benoe ) of the Project from 1990 to 2010 indicated decreasing trends in total annual rainfall and increasing trends in averaged annual temperatures in the Mondoni and Tiko zones while the Benoe Zone showed increasing rainfall and decreasing temperatures. An evaluation of banana productivity per unit hectare indicated decreasing trends in all three zones. Nematode infestations (Radopholus sp, Hoploilaimus sp) were found to be more prevalent in the Tiko Zone followed by Mondoni with mean maximum temperatures for March 2011 of 34.0oC and 32.2oC, respectively, while the Benoe Zone with a mean maximum temperature of 27.2oC was least. This indicates that nematode populations are favoured by decreased rainfall and increased temperatures. Consequently, the prevailing increasing trends of temperature locally and globally, and the general decrease in total annual rainfall with time are causes for future concern in banana production and nematode infestation in particular in the study area.Keywords: Tiko, CDC-Delmonte, climate change, climate variability, banana productivity, nematode infestation, adaptation strategie

Assessing the Impact of Climate and Change and Variability on Irish Potato (Solanum Tuberosum L. ) Production from 1995 to 2015 in Tubah Sub Division, North West Region, Cameroon

Climate change and variability are common phenomena that affect crop productivity globally but with significant differences between different regions of the world. Studies of the impacts of these phenomena on Irish potato –Solanum tuberosum L.-production within Tubah Sub-Division based on records of precipitation and temperatures from 1995 to 2015, indicated an increasing mean annual temperature rate of 0.09 0C per year and a slight  increasing annual rainfall rate of 25.8 mm per year. Potato yields within the same period equally increased by 1.26 t/ha per year until 2012 when the yields started decreasing due to a correspondingly marked  increase in both temperature and rainfall. The drop in potato yields has also been attributed to disease infestation such as potato blight and rot which are favoured by the increases in temperature and rainfall. Statistical correlation and regression analyses of these data revealed that the potato yields showed weak positive correlations with temperature (R= 0.02) and with rainfall (R= 0.12). Results from questionnaire survey, focus group discussions and semistructured interviews indicated that the potato crop (63 %) of most farmers were negatively affected by climate change and  variability through the increased sporadic rainfall which enhanced potato blight and rot. Some adaptation strategies to these climatic factors are already being practised by most farmers (81 %) who are making use of a combination of fertilizers, pesticides, improved seeds and irrigation  practices to remedy the situation although further approaches such as the use of resistant species are necessary towards improving on the dwindling potato yields.Keywords: Climate, Change, Variability, Tubah Sub Division, Irish Potato, Adaptation Strategies, Cameroon

The utilisation of satellite imagery and community perceptions to assess the impacts of sea encroachment in the West Coast of Cameroon at Limbe

Coastal erosion associated to sea encroachment is a major problem at the West Coast of Limbe, specifically in the Debundscha Fishing Port (DFP). This study sought to assess the physical vulnerability of the West Coast of Limbe to coastal erosion associated to sea encroachment. This was achieved by assessing: i) the physical vulnerability of the West Coast to coastal erosion; ii) land cover changes and iii) community perception at DFP to sea encroachment and coastal erosion in the past 30 years. Three variables: rock type, adjacent land use and coastal protection were used to assess the vulnerability of the West Coast to coastal erosion. Landcover / coastal changes were assessed from satellite images from 1986 to 2018. Semi-structural interviews were used to acquire knowledge on the population’s perception and impact of the studied hazards. A cost benefit approach was used to weigh the potentials of these localities to adapt to coastal erosion. The DFP and Idenau Beach were identified as major hotspots of coastal erosion with an annual rate of >100 m².  Landcover changes showed a net increase in water levels inland and into settlements. The population is knowledgeable and is aware of the risk of sea encroachment and coastal erosion. The physical, socio-economic and health effects were: destruction of mangroves;relocation; malaria, typhoid and abdominal illnesses respectively. Coping strategies included the use of sandbags, building on higher grounds and on embankments. Cost benefit analysis ranked vegetative cover as the best option environmentally and financially viable to reduce coastal erosion from sea encroachment at the West Coast. Key words: Sea encroachment, coastal erosion, physical vulnerability, perception, Debundscha Fishing Por

Impacts of Climate Change and Climate Variability on Cocoa (Theobroma Cacao) Yields in Meme Division, South West Region of Cameroon

An assessment of trends of climate change and variability on cocoa yields from 1975 to 2010 in Meme Division aimed at providing a framework for future adaptation strategies was focused on relating cocoa yield with climatic conditions. Rainfall and temperature data were analyzed by fitting regression lines in an attempt to determine their trend during the study period and possible future projections. The purposive sampling technique was used to select ten villages using a criteria based on the proportion of the population involved in cocoa cultivation. Farm selection was based on age, consistency of sizes and management practices in an attempt to keep the factors affecting cocoa yield constant. Data on cocoa yield, flowering, and pod infestation were obtained through semi-structured questionnaire and analyzed using univariate, bivariate and graphical techniques. The results revealed that increased rainfall above 3000mm per annum, decreased cocoa yields by 0.16% per millimeter while increased temperatures of 0.34°C per decade increased cocoa yield. Flowering intensity also varied with seasons and was continuous in some localities, while cocoa black pod infestation increased with rainfall and low temperatures, and vice versa for capsids.Keywords: climate change and variability, cocoa yields, Meme Division, black pod infestation, capsidsJOURNAL OF THE CAMEROON ACADEMY OF SCIENCES VOL. 11 No. 1 (2013

Mutant U2AF1-expressing cells are sensitive to pharmacological modulation of the spliceosome

Somatic mutations in spliceosome genes are detectable in ∼50% of patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). We hypothesize that cells harbouring spliceosome gene mutations have increased sensitivity to pharmacological perturbation of the spliceosome. We focus on mutant U2AF1 and utilize sudemycin compounds that modulate pre-mRNA splicing. We find that haematopoietic cells expressing mutant U2AF1(S34F), including primary patient cells, have an increased sensitivity to in vitro sudemycin treatment relative to controls. In vivo sudemycin treatment of U2AF1(S34F) transgenic mice alters splicing and reverts haematopoietic progenitor cell expansion induced by mutant U2AF1 expression. The splicing effects of sudemycin and U2AF1(S34F) can be cumulative in cells exposed to both perturbations—drug and mutation—compared with cells exposed to either alone. These cumulative effects may result in downstream phenotypic consequences in sudemycin-treated mutant cells. Taken together, these data suggest a potential for treating haematological cancers harbouring U2AF1 mutations with pre-mRNA splicing modulators like sudemycins

Investigation of the association between the TCF7L2 rs7903146 (C/T) gene polymorphism and obesity in a Cameroonian population: a pilot study

Objective: This study aimed at investigating the association between the rs7903146 (C/T) polymorphism of the TCF7L2 gene with obesity in a Cameroonian population. Method: This was a case-control pilot study including 61 obese and 61 non-obese Cameroonian adults. Anthropometric indices of obesity, blood pressure, fasting blood glucose, and blood lipids were measured. The rs7903146 (C/T) polymorphism of the TCF7L2 gene was genotyped using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP), and genotypes were correlated with clinical and biological parameters. Results: The T allele was predominant in the study population with a frequency of 93%. No statistically significant difference was however observed between the genotypic (p = 0.50) and allelic frequencies (p = 0.58) of obese and non-obese subjects. Comparison of clinical and biochemical parameters of C allele carriers (CX = CC + CT) with those of TT genotype showed that there was no significant difference between the lipid profile of these two groups. Conclusion: The rs7903146 (C/T) polymorphism of the TCF7L2 gene might not be associated with obesity in the Cameroonian population

Erratum to: Investigation of the association between the TCF7L2 rs7903146 (C/T) gene polymorphism and obesity in a Cameroonian population: a pilot study

Upon publication of the original article [1], it was noticed that the author\u2019s name \u201cJean Jacques Noubiap\u201d was incorrectly given as \u201cJean Jacques N. Noubiap\u201d. This has now been acknowledged and corrected in this erratum