Aborsie: ’n Juridiese, etiese en regsetiese vraagstuk

In die geledere van skokkende en onetiese dade in die menslike samelewing, beklee aborsie ’n besondere plek. Vir wetenskaplike doeleindes kan aborsie oor die algemeen gedefinieer word as die skeiding van of afdrywing uit die moederlyf van die „produk” van konsepsie, synde ’n fetus (Geldenhuys, 1974:11; O’Donovan 1975:2). ’n Verdere element van die definisie, wat die blote afdrywing van die vrug gewoonlik kwalifiseer, is dat die fetus, met betrekking tot nageboortelike lewe gesproke, nie lewensvatbaar moes gewees het nie. Met die byvoeging van hierdie element tot die eie definisie word tans egter vertoef ten einde eers die belangrike vraag wanneer lewe ontstaan, te beantwoord

Simulated Learning for Clinical Skill Acquisition and Retention: Report on a Research Project with Trainee Medical Interns

This paper reports on a research project conducted at the Advanced Clinical Skills Centre, University of Auckland, to determine whether the provision of a carefully engineered integrated virtual reality simulator for male and female urinary catheter insertion would increase student confidence levels and competency for those two skills. We present a literature review that demonstrates the increasing importance of simulation in medical education whilst detailing the perceived benefits and drawbacks of using simulations in medical education. We then present our research methodology including student numbers, procedures followed during the research, forms of evaluation carried out during the research and the current research stage. We conclude with the difficulties encountered in our study and a statement concerning the current status of our research

Venous bicarbonate and creatine kinase as diagnostic and prognostic tools in the setting of acute traumatic rhabdomyolysis

Background. Myorenal or crush syndrome often develops following soft-tissue traumatic injury. It is a spectrum of disease that may result in severe renal dysfunction and kidney injury requiring renal replacement therapy.Objectives. To review a large cohort of patients with so-called myorenal or crush syndrome and assess the biochemical markers of venous bicarbonate and creatine kinase as predictors for the development of acute kidney injury (AKI).Methods. All patients with myorenal syndrome who presented to Khayelitsha District Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa (SA), and Ngwelezana Hospital, Empangeni, KwaZulu-Natal, SA, between January and December 2017 were identified and reviewed.Results. A total of 212 patients were included in the study. At both hospitals, 94% of the patients were male. Using the Pearson correlation coefficient, we compared creatinine kinase (CK) against serum creatinine. The mean CK level was 5 311.8 U/L and the mean creatinine level 133.457 μmol/L. The r-value was 0.2533. Although this is a technically positive correlation, the relationship between the variables is weak. Using the Pearson R Calculator, we inserted the r-value to calculate the p-value. The p-value was 0.000208. When comparing venous bicarbonate (HCO3) against creatinine, the mean HCO3 level was 22.296 mmol/L and the mean creatinine level 162.053 μmol/L. The r-value was –0.3468. Although this is a technically negative correlation, the relationship between the variables is weak. Using the Pearson R Calculator, we inserted the r-value to calculate the p-value. The p-value was 0.000013. The inverse ratio shown with HCO3 v. creatinine, although still a weak correlation, is significantly better in predicting an increase in creatinine compared with the weak positive correlation of CK v. creatinine.Conclusions. Although both venous HCO3 and CK showed a weak correlation with creatinine, the former performed significantly better in predicting AKI. In a resource-constrained system, we recommend that HCO3 be measured to assess patients with crush injury and that CK be regarded as a complementary modality

Satellite tracking of leatherback and loggerhead sea turtles on the Southeast African coastline

The waters of southeast Africa contain important habitats for several sea turtle species, including the leatherback Dermochelys coriacea, loggerhead Caretta caretta, hawksbill Eretmochelys imbricata, green Chelonia mydas, and olive ridley turtle Lepidochelys olivacea. Many of these species are of conservation concern (Rakotoniria & Cooke, 1994; Thorson et al., 2012; Nel et al., 2013) and vulnerable to regional threats such as fisheries by-catch or boat-strikes (Bourjea et al., 2008; Grantham et al., 2008; Pusineri & Quillard, 2008). To help in the development of effective conservation plans for these species, many conservation or research organisations have used satellite transmitters to help identify critical habitats for sea turtles (Harris et al., 2015; Robinson et al., 2016). Here, we review the movement patterns of sea turtles that have been tracked through satellite telemetry from their nesting beaches on the east coast of South Africa

Cross border transhumance involvement in ticks and tick-borne pathogens dissemination and first evidence of Anaplasma centrale in Burkina Faso

In West Africa, cross-border transhumance, also called seasonal migration, is known to be a very important animal production strategy, as it involves about 70 to 90% of cattle. In spite of the cattle movements, some strategic areas of transhumance remain poorly explored regarding ticks and their associated pathogens investigations. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the involvement of transhumance in the spread of cattle ticks and associated pathogens in Burkina Faso (BF) and Benin (BN), in a context of speedy invasion of West African livestock by Rhipicephalus microplus. A longitudinal survey was performed on 210 cattle from BF, monitored for ticks and tick-borne pathogens (TBP) during one seasonal transhumance. The first sampling coded “T0BF” took place in eastern BF, at the transhumance departure. A second sampling “T1BN” was carried out in northern BN, the transhumance arrival zone. A third sampling “T2BF” was done at the return of cattle in eastern BF. Ticks were morphologically identified and TBP detected with reverse line blot hybridization (RLB) assay. A total of 1027 ticks (7 species), 1006 ticks (11 species) and 1211 ticks (9 species) were respectively found at T0BF, T1BN and T2BF. Some species were collected at the three times of sampling without any significant difference in their relative abundances. However, other tick species appeared only at T1BN and/or T2BF. The TBP species found at the three points surveyed were Theileria annulata, Theileria mutans, Theileria velifera, Babesia bigemina and Anaplasma marginale. The most prevalent was T. mutans with 166/210 (79%), 159/210 (75.7%) and 78/210 (37%) cattle positive respectively at T0BF, T1BN and T2BF. Anaplasma centrale was evidenced with 0.5% and 0.9% respectively at T0BF and T2BF. To our knowledge, this represents its first report in the study area. Overall, the TBP prevalences were significantly lower at T2BF, highlighting the effect of tick populations changes induced by transhumance combined with the seasonal variation influence. © 202

Interspecific hybridization between greater kudu and nyala

Hybridization of wildlife species, even in the absence of introgression, is of concern due to wasted reproductive effort and a reduction in productivity. In this study we detail an accidental mating between a female nyala (Tragelaphus angasii) and a male greater kudu (T. strepsiceros). The hybrid was phenotypically nyala and was identified as such based on mitochondrial DNA. Further genetic analysis based on nine microsatellite markers, chromosome number and chromosome morphology however, confirmed its status as an F1 hybrid. Results obtained from a reproductive potential assessment indicated that this animal does not have the potential to breed successfully and can be considered as sterile.http://link.springer.com/journal/10709hb201

Assessing the efficacy of a modified assertive community-based treatment programme in a developing country

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>A number of recently published randomized controlled trials conducted in developed countries have reported no advantage for assertive interventions over standard care models. One possible explanation could be that so-called "standard care" has become more comprehensive in recent years, incorporating some of the salient aspects of assertive models in its modus operandi. Our study represents the first randomised controlled trial assessing the effect of a modified assertive treatment service on readmission rates and other measures of outcome in a developing country.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>High frequency service users were randomized into an intervention (n = 34) and a control (n = 26) group. The control group received standard community care and the active group an assertive intervention based on a modified version of the international model of assertive community treatment. Study visits were conducted at baseline and 12 months with demographic and illness information collected at visit 1 and readmission rates documented at study end. Symptomatology and functioning were measured at both visits using the PANSS, CDSS, ESRS, WHO-QOL and SOFAS.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>At 12 month follow-up subjects receiving the assertive intervention had significantly lower total PANSS (p = 0.02) as well as positive (p < 0.01) and general psychopathology (p = 0.01) subscales' scores. The mean SOFAS score was also significantly higher (p = 0.02) and the mean number of psychiatric admissions significantly lower (p < 0.01) in the intervention group.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Our results indicate that assertive interventions in a developing setting where standard community mental services are often under resourced can produce significant outcomes. Furthermore, these interventions need not be as expensive and comprehensive as international, first-world models in order to reduce inpatient days, improve psychopathology and overall levels of functioning in patients with severe mental illness.</p

Expanding the Social Security Net in South Africa: Opportunities, Challenges and Constraints

Rapid increases in government expenditure on social security between 2000 and 2006 has further increased poor households’ reliance on welfare grants and has been important in the fight against poverty. Already there is evidence of a substitution taking place within the social budget: expenditure on education and health seems to have declined in favour of increased welfare transfer expenditure

Light Perception in Two Strictly Subterranean Rodents: Life in the Dark or Blue?

BACKGROUND: The African mole-rats (Bathyergidae, Rodentia) are strictly subterranean, congenitally microphthalmic rodents that are hardly ever exposed to environmental light. Because of the lack of an overt behavioural reaction to light, they have long been considered to be blind. However, recent anatomical studies have suggested retention of basic visual capabilities. In this study, we employed behavioural tests to find out if two mole-rat species are able to discriminate between light and dark, if they are able to discriminate colours and, finally, if the presence of light in burrows provokes plugging behaviour, which is assumed to have a primarily anti-predatory function. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDING: We used a binary choice test to show that the silvery mole-rat Heliophobius argenteocinereus and the giant mole-rat Fukomys mechowii exhibit a clear photoavoidance response to full-spectrum ("white"), blue and green-yellow light, but no significant reaction to ultraviolet or red light during nest building. The mole-rats thus retain dark/light discrimination capabilities and a capacity to perceive short to medium-wavelength light in the photopic range of intensities. These findings further suggest that the mole-rat S opsin has its absorption maximum in the violet/blue part of the spectrum. The assay did not yield conclusive evidence regarding colour discrimination. To test the putative role of vision in bathyergid anti-predatory behaviour, we examined the reaction of mole-rats to the incidence of light in an artificial burrow system. The presence of light in the burrow effectively induced plugging of the illuminated tunnel. CONCLUSION/SIGNIFICANCE: Our findings suggest that the photopic vision is conserved and that low acuity residual vision plays an important role in predator avoidance and tunnel maintenance in the African mole-rats