Drought tolerance, traditional crops and biotechnology: breeding towards sustainable development

Germplasm of traditional vegetable crops were screened for drought tolerance. Different physiological, morphological and biochemical traits of drought tolerance were investigated, including enzymes of the antioxidative pathway (SOD, AP and GR), turgor maintenance (LWP, RWC), membrane stability (CMS, TTC), osmoprotection (proline), productivity (photosynthesis), rooting (root architecture), early drought tolerance and leaf area. Different in vitro screening techniques were carried out. Useful traits of drought tolerance were identified in Amaranthus tricolor, A. hybridus, A. hypochondriacus, Vigna unguiculata and V. subterranea, and are currently being applied in a breeding programme in an attempt to develop tolerant genotypes of neglected vegetable and seed crops that might contribute to secure food production in rural areas in Africa

Vitamin D content of australian native food plants and australian-grown edible seaweed

Vitamin D has previously been quantified in some plants and algae, particularly in leaves of the Solanaceae family. We measured the vitamin D content of Australian native food plants and Australian-grown edible seaweed. Using liquid chromatography with triple quadrupole mass spectrometry, 13 samples (including leaf, fruit, and seed) were analyzed in duplicate for vitamin D2, vitamin D3, 25-hydroxyvitamin D2, and 25-hydroxyvitamin D3. Five samples contained vitamin D2: raw wattleseed (Acacia victoriae) (0.03 µg/100 g dry weight (DW)); fresh and dried lemon myrtle (Backhousia citriodora) leaves (0.03 and 0.24 µg/100 g DW, respectively); and dried leaves and berries of Tasmanian mountain pepper (Tasmannia lanceolata) (0.67 and 0.05 µg/100 g DW, respectively). Fresh kombu (Lessonia corrugata) contained vitamin D3(0.01 µg/100 g DW). Detected amounts were low; however, it is possible that exposure to ultraviolet radiation may increase the vitamin D content of plants and algae if vitamin D precursors are present

Establishing a basis for ecosystem management in the western Indian Ocean

An ambitious multinational programme, with generous funding for an initial five years, aims to provide understanding of marine resources for the benefit of impoverished island and coastal populations in a much-neglected ocean region

Surgical resection for hepatocellular carcinoma in Cape Town - A clinical and histopathological study

Objective. Review of surgical resections performed for hepatocellular carcinoma (BCC) at our institution between 1990 and 1996, histology of resected specimens, and clinical outcome. Design, Retrospective and prospective study of 14 patients who underwent resection for HCC.Setting. The Hepatobiliary Unit and Liver Clinic, Groote Schuur Hospital, Cape Town.Patients. Fourteen patients who underwent liver resections for HCC.Interventions. Hepatic resections using prolonged vascular inflow occlusion.Outcome measures. Clinical outcome and disease-free survival following resection.Results. Fourteen patients (5.6% of the total number presenting with HCC) underwent liver resection for HCC at our institution between 1990 and 1996. There were 7 men, median age 40 years (range 18 - 74 years). Only 2 patients were black, and only 1 of these patients had evidence of hepatitis B virus (HBY) infection in the liver. Extensive liver resections were often required. The mean (SD) ischaemic time was 81 (26) minutes and mean estimated blood loss was 938 (649) ml. During hospital admission, 1 patient developed a minor bile leak that settled spontaneously, and 1 patient suffered a stroke and died. The mean hospital stay following operation was 12 days (range 7 - 21 days). Disease-free patient survival at 1, 2 and 3 years was 85%, 75%, and 62%, respectively. Histopathology of the resected specimens showed that 10 of 14 tumours had arisen in non-cirrhotic livers. Mean tumour size was 10.6 (4.6) cm. Only 1 specimen showed the fibrolamellar variant of HCC.Conclusions. Only a small proportion of patients with HCC seen at Groote Schuur Hospital were eligible for resection, and only a minority of these had HBV-associated 'African' HCC. The results of hepatic resection at our institution compare favourably with literature reports, despite the relatively large size of the tumours. It is of interest that most tumours arose in non-cirrhotic livers. There was no evidence of proliferation of 'oval-like' cells in non-neoplastic liver tissue

Mineral-PET: Kimberlite sorting by nuclear-medical technology

A revolutionary new technology for diamond bearing rock sorting which has its roots in medical-nuclear physics has been taken through a substantial part of the R&D phase. This has led to the construction of the technology demonstrator. Experiments using the technology demonstrator and experiments at a hospital have established the scientific and technological viability of the project

The success of the Montreal Protocol in mitigating interactive effects of stratospheric ozone depletion and climate change on the environment

The Montreal Protocol and its Amendments have been highly effective in protecting the stratospheric ozone layer, preventing global increases in solar ultraviolet-B radiation (UV-B; 280-315 nm) at Earth's surface, and reducing global warming. While ongoing and projected changes in UV-B radiation and climate still pose a threat to human health, food security, air and water quality, terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, and construction materials and fabrics, the Montreal Protocol continues to play a critical role in protecting Earth's inhabitants and ecosystems by addressing many of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.Non peer reviewe