Intergenerational Sexual Relationships: The Voices of the Public

Encouraging intimate talk about sex on the radio is an unorthodox way of reaching research participants. However for this study it was the only viable option for eliciting information about a taboo topic-older men having sex with young girls.  Two radio talk-back sessions were conducted in Gaborone-Botswana with the aim of gathering men's views on intergenerational sexual relationships. The callers were asked whether they thought intergenerational sexual relationships were prevalent in Botswana or not, they were asked to give reasons for such relationships and whether they think intergenerational sexual relationships could contribute to the spread of HIV/AIDS in Botswana. They were 56 callers, 38 men and 18 women. They called from all parts of Botswana. In the views of the public and not just those of men are reported. All the 56 callers said that intergenerational sexual relationships exist in Botswana. Financial and material gain, love and sexual satisfaction, stimulating sexual drive, the myth of self-cleansing, loss of religious beliefs and cultural values were cited as the drivers of intergenerational sexual relationships. The majority of callers indicated that the main reason why these sexual relationships could contribute to the spread of HIV is the lack of condom use.  The lack of condom use was associated with the motives that drive older men and girls to engage in these sexual relationships. It is recommended that programmes that greatly increase the risk perception of young women and older men regarding involvement in intergenerational sexual relationships be launched. Legislation that takes a zero tolerance approach to exploitation and violence against women and girls should be reinforced. Keywords: Intergenerational;  self-cleansing;    myth; stimulating; polygamy; condo

Synthesis and activity of tyrosinase in mouse skin melanocytes

Tyrosinase (E.C. 1.14.18.1) is a key enzyme in the biosynthesis of melanin. The control of melanin sythesis was explored in skin melanocytes of the following strains; wild type (C57BL/6J-C/C) (which maximally synthesize melanin at normal mammalian body temperature, Himalayan (C57BL/6J-cʰ/cʰ) (which maximally synthesize melanin at temperatures below 37°C) and albino (Balb c-c/c) (a mutant which does not synthesize melanin) The effect of a-MSH on tyrosinase activity was initially investigated. A skin culture tyrosinase assay that made it possible to measure the effect of α-MSH on the activity of this enzyme in vitro was first developed. It was found that α-MSH activated the wild type and Himalayan tyrosinase in a dose-dependent manner and that this activation did not require the de novo synthesis of new enzyme. The role of glycosylation on the wild type and particularly the Himalayan tyrosinase activity was next investigated. The results do not support, but are not in conflict with the theory that the Himalayan tyrosinase is inherently underglycosylated. Translation and transcription as additional control mechanisms of tyrosinase activity was finally investigated. The correlation between the levels of tyrosinase activity, abundance of the enzyme and the synthesis of tyrosinase mRNA in wild type, Himalayan and albino mice was determined. It was shown that the levels of newly synthesized tyrosinase and tyrosinase mRNA transcripts were higher in the wild type than in the Himalayan skin. This could account for the reduced tyrosinase activity in the Himalayan mutant at normal body temperature. Low levels of tyrosinase mRNA were found in the albino skin though there was no immunodetectable enzyme in this tissue

The Influence Of Language Assessment On Language Teaching Methods

A ZJER article on language teaching and assessment.This paper examines the influences of language assessment on language teaching. The paper was written in response to the assessment procedures recommended in the new English syllabus for senior secondary schools in Botswana. The main argument in the paper is that unless the assessment procedures are also changed to become communicative, like the recommended teaching approach, the teaching will remain unchanged. It is further argued that changing a test is possibly the most powerful means to bring about improvements in the learning experiences that go before it. The main shortcoming in the new syllabus, it is argued, is that there is no assessment of oral skills recommended for the short term, and therefore the 'washback effect’ of the English examination syllabus would be negative: most likely it will lead to the neglect of the teaching and learning of oral skills. The paper goes on to suggest a number of tasks that could be used to test oral skills in the examination of the new syllabus and how these would engender the teaching and learning of oral skills. Expertise for the construction of tests of oral skills, it is further argued, can be found locally; all the responsible authorities have to do is consult it

Educational Reform in Third World Countries

This paper examines some educational reforms in third world countries in Asia and Africa and concludes that generally they have failed or only gained partial success. The problem is that most of the innovations that are introduced in third world countries such as Botswana follow top-down models or centre-periphery models of change, as they are usually borrowed or imported from outside, including from western countries like the United Kingdom or the USA. The innovations are perceived to be incongruent with the prevailing social and cultural values of the classroom and therefore do not receive the support of both teachers and students and therefore fail to take root. The importation of innovations is usually done through bilateral or multilateral aid agencies, which usually have agendas that go beyond educational ones. Keywords: implementation, learner-centered, innovation, classroom interaction, pedagogy, teacher-centered

Specialised anti-corruption courts: A means of promoting sustainable transformation in Africa?

Corruption is inimical to Africa’s quest for socio-economic transformation. Available empirical evidence highlights a sustained increase of corruption globally, with an equal emphasis on interdisciplinary interventions. There are also strong arguments for institutional specialisation in the judicature to buttress anticorruption initiatives. As a result, specialised anti-corruption courts (SACCs) quickly are gaining traction in Africa, at the expense of conventional courts. This paper examines the rationale for SACCs and the variegated institutional SACC design choices by providing an overview of selected African countries

Conditions associated with levels of allergens and fungal aerosols in selected homes of selected primary school children in Durban.

Thesis (MMedSc-Occupational and Environmental Health)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, 2007.This indoor environment study formed part of the South Durban Health Study (SDHS) that investigated the health effects of exposure to ambient air pollution. Homes of children from seven communities corresponding schools were recruited to participate. This study was designed to determine characteristics in the homes that are associated with higher or lower levels of allergens and fungal aerosols. Homes were inspected using a field tested walkthrough checklist to collect data on home characteristics associated to adverse health effects. The characteristics include dampness, visible mould, type of flooring, type of bedding, type of heating systems, and building type and age. Dust samples for allergen analysis were collected from the bedding and the floor of the sleep area used by the children. Air samples from all rooms in the house were collected on malt extract agar, the media used for identifying and quantifying airborne fungal aerosols. More than 70% of the homes were single units standing on their own, 20% were attached houses (flats or apartments) and the rest (10%) were informal houses. Construction material of the homes comprised of bricks (93%), wood (5%) and other material (2%) such as corrugated iron of which 94% were formally constructed. Dampness signs were observed in 51% of the homes and visible mould growth 13% of them. In all them, at least one characteristic that is hypothetically associated to elevated house dust mite allergens was found. Levels of mould (Asp f 1) allergen and house dust mite (Der p 1 and Der f 1) allergen were comparable to levels found in other parts of the world. Asp f 1 allergen levels ranged between 0.32-1.379g/g and Der p 1 and Der f 1 allergen levels ranged from undetectable to 49.61 and from undetectable to 39.319g/g of dust respectively. Some home characteristics from walkthrough checklist were associated with Asp f 1, Der p1 and Der f 1 allergen levels when simple regression analysis was performed. Asp f 1 was significantly associated with single family home [OR= 0.004 (95%CI 0.004–0.35)] and polyester filled pillows [OR= 0.07 (95%CI 0.01– 0.61)] in logistic regression models. Der p 1 allergen was associated with observed extent of roof dampness [OR= 0.33 (95%CI 0.13–0.81)]. Fungal aerosol mixture consisted of Cladosporium spp. as the predominant genus together with other genera such as Aspergillus, Penicillium and Fusarium were, to a lesser extent, identified in the samples from the homes. Mean concentration of total indoor fungal aerosol of indoor and outdoor were 1108 CFU/m3 and 1298 CFU/m3 respectively. Individual genera of fungi in the childrens sleep area had mean levels of 783 CFU/ m3, 30CFU/ m3, 64CFU/ m3, 48CFU/ m3 and 43 CFU m3 for Cladosporium spp., Aspergillus spp., Penicillium, spp., Fusarium spp. and Rhizopus spp. respectively. Simple regression showed some conditions in the homes to be predictors of higher levels of total fungal aerosols. In a linear regression models, total outdoor fungal levels were a protective effect on total indoor fungal levels [C= 0.542 (95%CI 0.437–0.647)] whilst homes with hard floors had about 25 CFU/m3 [C= 5.235 (95%CI 0.557–9.913)] in the homes were significantly associated. This study showed the need to adapt observational instrument/ checklist/ questionnaire to suit the environment or the study area of interest. As other studies and findings indicated, the best way to assess exposure to biological pollutants indoors needs a combination of two or more methods, i.e. direct and indirect methods

Understanding crime in the context of COVID-19: The case of Saldanha Bay Municipality

South Africa faces high levels of crime. The Saldanha Bay Municipality, the setting of this study, is laden with poverty, unemployment and gangsterism that deprive quality of life and contribute to social ills. While crime management and prevention strategies require information regarding crime trends, this information for the Saldanha Bay Municipality area is limited. Hence, the study aimed to illustrate the spatial distribution and trends of crime in the Saldanha Bay Municipality, focusing on the period January 2017 to June 2020, and to indicate the recent impact of COVID-19 on these crime trends. The results of the study are presented by means of graphs and tables, and hotspot mapping was done using the ArcGIS Getis-Ord Gi* statistics tool. These results indicate that crime has increased over the past three years and that criminal activities are linked to urban hubs where most people stay and work. In terms of the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic and the lockdown regulations on crime, it is interesting to note the variations in crime rates during the first three months of lockdown (from April 2020 to June 2020) when compared to the rest of the period under investigation. Amongst the five towns investigated, the town of Vredenburg which has the highest population total and was ranked highest in terms of crime rates prior to the lockdown, moved from first to third, behind Langebaan and St Helena Bay. Similarly, Saldanha Bay with the second highest population total moved down to fourth. Hopefield was still the town with the lowest mean crime rate

Implementation of programmes for maintaining care and safety of learners in secondary schools in the Graaff Reinet education district

Care and safety of learners refers to the behavioral practices which protect children from danger, risks and injuries. It also includes environment that is free from violence since where there is no fear perceived, there is reverence for the school and its disciplinary measures (Hernandez & Seem, 2004; Marotz, Cross, Rush, 2005; Mathe, 2008; Chukwu, 2008). Schools should have positive environment which allows members of staff, learners and guests to freely interact without threats or fear. Learners and staff should feel psychologically, physically and emotionally safe and secure (Dwyer & Osher, 2000; Tabancali &Bektas, 2009; Butcher& Manning 2005). Consequently, care and safety of learners can also be viewed in a more practical and management oriented way. According to Hull (2010) care and safety of learners in a management oriented way includes, maintenance of school buildings and grounds, care of facilities, furniture and equipment with spacious corridors that allow free flow and emergency movement to prevent illness and death. Classes should accommodate the required educator-learner ratio. The playgrounds are reduced to limited space to ensure that learners are visible and are controllable. Moreover provision of care and safety of learners includes school culture and the appropriate training of educators as well as school staff who should respond to threats and hazards. It also includes addressing the range of crisis the school can face such as death and natural disasters (Phaneuf, 2009). Reeves, Nickerson, Conolly-Wilson, Suson, Lazzaro, Jimerson, and Pesce (2012) contend that the educators on duty should provide learners with safety precautions to guard against the possibility of single learner slipping away and suffering injuries (Dilion, 2007). According to Mogopodi, Banyaladzi & Petros (2015) facilities like laboratories should be suitable for all learners because they help to transform theoretical education into practice making learning effective. Astor, Guerra, Van Acker (2010) suggest that provision of care and safety for learners is among the most essential components for achieving effective teaching and learning. This will only be achieved by putting in place proper care and safety programmes and ensuring that they are effectively implemented (Netshitahame, & Vollenhoven, 2002, Astor et.al.2010)

Design and manufacture of a taper thermosyphon drill for dry drilling operations

Abstract: Previous studies have indicated that the use of metal working fluids is harmful and poses health risks, also indicating that they are increasingly expensive. There is a drive to look for more environmentally friendly methods of machining, one such being the option of removing the need to use metal working fluids to cool off drill bits. There are studies which have highlighted the option of dry drilling without use of metal working fluids. Dry drilling has been researched and methods such as the minimal use of cutting fluid have proved to reduce the temperature of the drill bit during drilling to a certain extent when compared to the full use of metal working fluid. Dry drilling introduces options which include the use of a thermosiphon for reducing temperature of the drill bit tip, during drilling operations. The use of thermosiphons has been proved to be the most effective in cooling drill bits for dry drilling. This study focused on the design, manufacturing and testing of a reverse tapered thermosiphon, which is efficient for evaporation and condensation within a drill bit for dry drilling operations. The methodology consisted of a virtual design and a stress analysis conducted on the reverse tapered thermosyphon through the use of SolidWorks software. The stress analysis conducted on the drill bit demonstrated optimal positions of the largest diameter of the taper thermosyphon and distance from the cutting edge...M.Phil. (Mechanical Engineering

An evaluation of the approaches of the arbitrators to the promotion of disputes resolution in public education

Public Education like other sectors such as Health, International Relations, Finance, Local Government and Environmental Affairs that fall under Public Administration as well as business in private, factory and industrial institutions are embraced or characterized by the concept of employer and employee relationships. These relationships are not always wholesome and harmonious but are overshadowed by disputes and strikes which bring about paralysis and polarization of the operation of business and educational stability in public service and administration sectors as well as at learning institutions. These disputes arise from inter alia, disagreements regarding wage negotiations, unfair dismissals, unfair labour practice involving appointments, promotions and transfers, mutual interest, severance pay, automatically dismissals, operational requirements dismissals (both single and multiple), disclosure of information disputes, organizational rights disputes, agency shop disputes, picketing disputes, unfair discrimination disputes in terms of the Employment Equity of Act as amended, and disputes involving the enforcement of collective agreements or the non-compliance with the Basic Conditions of Employment Act and others. Whilst there are similar trends and patterns of disputes in all these sectors, they are, however, not only differ in intensity and rapid occurrence but also in how they are negotiated and settled because the work environments are different at the level of operation, administration and management. What is common in all disputes is that they are all conciliated and arbitrated by arbitrators at the Commission for Conciliation, and Arbitration (hereafter referred to as the CCMA), Education Labour Relations Council (ELRC), Private Resolution Agencies and the Labour Court. The Apartheid era administration had labour laws which dealt with these disputes, but were not progressive and effective in handling them. This placed a heavy burden on the new ANC led government to change the laws of the previous regime. Most of these changes happened in the labour relations and the labour policies. In view of the above situation, the new political dispensation that came into existence and operation in 1994 developed a new labour legislative framework with specific focus on the review of the collective bargaining dispensation. Of significant importance was the entrenchment of labour rights in the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996. Section 23 of the Constitution is extensive in highlighting the importance to protect amongst others, the right of every trade union to organize and engage in collective bargaining, disclosure of information, restricted rights in domestic sector, rights to establish threshold of representativeness, organizational rights in collective agreements and disputes about organizational rights