Designing for user experience : analysing app store reviews for app feature identification

Abstract: South Africa's blood stock level is often categorised as alarmingly low, leaving blood donation organisations in constant need of voluntary, unpaid blood donations to ensure their ability to supply hospitals with safe blood. Globally, there are successful mobile blood donation apps facilitating blood donation by providing useful services to blood donors, however similar apps available in South Africa are new, and not popular when compared to global standards. An estimated 5.9 million South Africans download and use mobile applications (apps), and this paper explores the process and results from the first phase of a study, which employed a sequential mixed method research design, to identify userpreferred features for a mobile blood donation app. The findings of the study should serve as a roadmap to blood donation organisations in South Africa, regarding what users expect from a blood donation app, and which features may possibly stimulate a constant or increased frequency of blood donation instances. The two largest app stores, Google Play and Apple iOS, served as the sources of the eventual sample of blood donation apps, of which the user reviews were analysed. Commenting from a design science paradigm, this paper reports on the selection process that had been followed to sample the relevant apps, and further discusses the user insights gained from the analysis of these apps' reviews. The paper further reports on how the app review analysis findings informed the creation of an interview schedule, that was used to gain in-depth understanding of perceptions held by users of the blood donation apps, specifically regarding the users' preferred features in these types of apps

A rapid and low-cost DNA extraction method for isolating Escherichia coli DNA from animal stools

The price of commercial DNA extraction methods makes the routine use of polymerase chain reaction amplification (PCR) based methods rather costly for scientists in developing countries. A guanidium thiocayante-based DNA extraction method was investigated in this study for the isolation of Escherichia coli (E. coli) DNA from goat, chicken, pig, cow and human stool samples. Two versions of the lysis buffer, with and without _-casein, were tested to alleviate PCR inhibition associated with DNA isolated from stool samples. Results obtained show that, this method using the lysis buffer containing _-casein, produces PCR ready DNA at a fraction of the cost of commercial DNA extraction kits & copy; 2011 Academic Journals

Inter-religious dialogue in schools: A pedagogical and civic unavoidability

Social and civic conflict inspired by the fundamental convictions of different religious groups seems to be rife all over the world, also in schools. One way of addressing this problem is to promote interreligious dialogue. To establish the viability of this solution, the authors take several steps. They analyze the phenomenon “religion” and discover that it is constituted of several layers or levels that have to be accounted for in the proposed inter-religious dialogue in schools. After discussing the term “dialogue” they consider several approaches to religious diversity or plurality to find a suitable basis for the proposed inter-religious dialogue in schools. Based on these analyses, the authors argue that schools (teacher-educators and learners) should be allowed to engage in inter-religious dialogue as part of their pedagogical and civic duty. This will ensure a better understanding of others and their religions, also at the deepest spiritual level. Such comprehension can contribute to the more peaceful co-existence of people in religiously pluralist societies. HTS Theological Studies Vol. 63 (2) 2007: pp. 543-56

Inter-religious dialogue in schools: A pedagogical and civic unavoidability

Social and civic conflict inspired by the fundamental convictions of different religious groups seems to be rife all over the world, also in schools. One way of addressing this problem is to promote interreligious dialogue. To establish the viability of this solution, the authors take several steps. They analyze the phenomenon “religion” and discover that it is constituted of several layers or levels that have to be accounted for in the proposed inter-religious dialogue in schools. After discussing the term “dialogue” they consider several approaches to religious diversity or plurality to find a suitable basis for the proposed inter-religious dialogue in schools. Based on these analyses, the authors argue that schools (teacher-educators and learners) should be allowed to engage in inter-religious dialogue as part of their pedagogical and civic duty. This will ensure a better understanding of others and their religions, also at the deepest spiritual level. Such comprehension can contribute to the more peaceful co-existence of people in religiously pluralist societies

The evaluation of immediate behavioural outcomes of the syndromic case management approach for the treatement of patients with sexually transmitted infections at PHC centres of South Africa: Knowledge, attitudes, beliefs and sexual behaviour

This study aimed to determine the immediate behavioural outcomes of the WHO syndromic case management model for STIs in the public health sector in South Africa, on the levels of knowledge, attitudes and beliefs, and behavioural practices (KABPs) concerning STIs. An outcomes evaluation was conducted using KABP methodology. Exit interviews were conducted with 126 STI and non-STI patients at 24 primary health care (PHC) centres in four provinces. Both groups were found to have equally high levels of knowledge about STIs and their attitudes towards and beliefs about STIs were mostly practical and slightly negative, with only promiscuity both stereotyped and stigmatised. However, both groups were found to engage in risky sexual behavioural practices although they also indicated very strong intentions to use condoms in future. Overall, no significant differences were found between the two groups on any of the variables investigated. The implications of these findings for the control and prevention of both classic STIs and HIV/AIDS in South Africa are discussed. Keywords: sexually transmitted infections, syndromic case management, KABP, South Africa, primary health care centres. RÉSUMÉ Le but de cette étude était d'établir les résultats comportementaux immédiats du modèle de l'OMS de la gestion syndromique de cas de maladies sexuellement transmises (STIs) dans le secteur public de santé en Afrique du Sud au niveau de la connaissance, des attitudes, de la croyance et des pratiques (KABP) vis-à-vis les STIs. Une évaluation des résultats a été faite par le biais de la méthodologie KABP. Des entrevues de sortie ont eu lieu auprès de 126 patients de STIs et des patients qui n'en souffrent pas dans 24 centres de santé situés dans quatre provinces. Les résultats ont montré que les deux groupes avaient le même niveau de connaissance des STIs, leur attitude envers les STIs et ce qu'ils croyent des STIs étaient plutôt pratiques et un peu négatifs. La promiscuité était la seule à être stéréotypée et à être stigmatisée. Cependant, tous les deux groupes ont eu des rapports sexuels risqués, même s'ils ont montré une intention d'utiliser des préservatifs dans l'avenir. Dans l'ensemble, il n'y a pas eu de différences importantes entre les deux groupes sur les variables étudiées. Les conséquences de ces résultats pour le contrôle et la prévention des STIs et le VIH/SIDA en Afrique du Sud sont au centre de cette étude. Mots clés : les maladies/infections sexuellement transmises, la gestion syndromique de cas, les centres pour la santé primaire, l'Afrique du Sud. SAHARA J Vol.1(1) 2004: 35-4

Het vaststellen van de mate van religieuze tolerantie bij leraren in opleiding

In recent years, schools and education authorities worldwide have been paying increased attention to issues surrounding diversity and religious tolerance. Tolerance constitutes one of the most important preconditions for social justice, fairness and peaceful coexistence. Hence, the authors of this article decided to develop an instrument measuring the degree and nature of religious tolerance among student teachers. It is not this article’s purpose to enter into a discussion about how to actually resolve religious, cultural and political conflict, but merely to embark on the process of developing an instrument to measure the degree of religious tolerance among teachers and student teachers.Religious intolerance is increasingly viewed as problematic, and it appears that education has been assigned the role of inculcating religious tolerance in young people. Teachers are expected to be able to inculcate in their students the respect, empathy, critical thinking and acceptance of differences among people associated with the notion of tolerance. To be able to do this, teachers have to possess the traits of a tolerant person.Whether teachers are indeed tolerant in practice depends on the extent to which they have mastered the capacity to be tolerant. This article reports on a study that culminated in the construction of a questionnaire for measuring the degree to which students on the threshold of entering the teaching profession displayed a tolerant attitude.The construction of the questionnaire was based on a theoretical study of tolerance and intolerance. The questionnaire was then applied in three different countries (South Africa, the Netherlands and India). Factor analyses were performed on the data to establish the validity of the instrument. The first round of application revealed a number of shortcomings in the questionnaire. The study therefore recommends a revision of the questionnaire. Among other things, the factoral structure and the reliability of some of the sub-scales require further attention. The study ascribes the lower than expected explanation of variance in the data set to the cultural differences existing among the different groups of respondents in the three countries.The article closes by drawing a conclusion regarding the degree of religious tolerance among the respondents who participated in this first round of application of the questionnaire

Proteogenomic analysis of mycobacterium smegmatis using high resolution mass spectrometry

Biochemical evidence is vital for accurate genome annotation. The integration of experimental data collected at the proteome level using high resolution mass spectrometry allows for improvements in genome annotation by providing evidence for novel gene models, while validating or modifying others. Here, we report the results of a proteogenomic analysis of a reference strain of Mycobacterium smegmatis (mc2155), a fast growing model organism for the pathogenic Mycobacterium tuberculosis—the causative agent for Tuberculosis. By integrating high throughput LC/MS/MS proteomic data with genomic six frame translation and ab initio gene prediction databases, a total of 2887 ORFs were identified, including 2810 ORFs annotated to a Reference protein, and 63 ORFs not previously annotated to a Reference protein. Further, the translational start site (TSS) was validated for 558 Reference proteome gene models, while upstream translational evidence was identified for 81. In addition, N-terminus derived peptide identifications allowed for downstream TSS modification of a further 24 gene models. We validated the existence of six previously described interrupted coding sequences at the peptide level, and provide evidence for four novel frameshift positions. Analysis of peptide posterior error probability (PEP) scores indicates high-confidence novel peptide identifications and shows that the genome of M. smegmatis mc2155 is not yet fully annotated. Data are available via ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD003500

Structural insight into African horsesickness virus infection

African horsesickness (AHS) is a devastating disease of horses. The disease is caused by the double-stranded RNA-containing African horsesickness virus (AHSV). Using electron cryomicroscopy and three-dimensional image reconstruction, we determined the architecture of an AHSV serotype 4 (AHSV-4) reference strain. The structure revealed triple-layered AHS virions enclosing the segmented genome and transcriptase complex. The innermost protein layer contains 120 copies of VP3, with the viral polymerase, capping enzyme, and helicase attached to the inner surface of the VP3 layer on the 5-fold axis, surrounded by double-stranded RNA. VP7 trimers form a second, T 13 layer on top of VP3. Comparative analyses of the structures of bluetongue virus and AHSV-4 confirmed that VP5 trimers form globular domains and VP2 trimers form triskelions, on the virion surface. We also identified an AHSV-7 strain with a truncated VP2 protein (AHSV-7 tVP2) which outgrows AHSV-4 in culture. Comparison of AHSV-7 tVP2 to bluetongue virus and AHSV-4 allowed mapping of two domains in AHSV-4 VP2, and one in bluetongue virus VP2, that are important in infection. We also revealed a protein plugging the 5-fold vertices in AHSV-4. These results shed light on virus-host interactions in an economically important orbivirus to help the informed design of new vaccines

HERBAL MEDICINES USED BY BAPEDI TRADITIONAL HEALERS TO TREAT REPRODUCTIVE AILMENTS IN THE LIMPOPO PROVINCE, SOUTH AFRICA

The current study focussed on documenting the ethnobotanical knowledge of herbal medicines used by the Bapedi traditional healers to treat reproductive ailments in the Limpopo Province, South Africa. Fifty one healers from 17 municipalities covering Capricorn, Sekhukhune and Waterberg districts of the Limpopo Province were interviewed between January and July 2011. Semi-structured interviews, observations and guided field surveys with the healers were employed. Thirty-six medicinal plant species belonging to 35 genera and 20 families were documented. The most used species were Zanthoxylum humile (25.5%), Catha edulis (21.6%), Ozoroa sphaerocarpa (15.7%), Hypoxis hemerocallidea (13.7%), Hypoxis obtusa (11.7%), Gomphocarpus fruticosus subsp. fruticosus and Gymnosporia senegalensis (9.8% each). The dominant growth forms among the reported medicinal plants were herbs (39%), followed by shrubs and trees with 33% and 28%, respectively. The preferred plant parts were roots (63.9%), followed by bark (13.9%), whole plant (11.1%), tubers (8.3%), bulbs (5.6%), fruits, leaves, stems and twigs (2.8% each). The majority of the species were used to treat gender specific reproductive ailments; while a minority were used for treating reproductive ailments of both genders. Twenty-two species (61.1%) are supported by reports of similar uses in other countries or have proven biological activity. This study illustrates that Bapedi traditional healers possess remarkable knowledge on medicinal plants used for treating and managing reproductive ailments