A taxonomic revision of Boerhavia (Nyctaginaceae) in southern Africa

AbstractThe genus Boerhavia in southern Africa is revised. Eight species and one infraspecific taxon are recognized for the Flora of Southern Africa region, with Boerhavia orbicularifolia Struwig described as new. Four of the species are indigenous, with three endemic to semi-arid parts of Namibia and north-western South Africa. The eight species can be distinguished from one another by the shape and indumentum of the anthocarp. The majority of taxa have no edaphic preferences but Boerhavia repens subsp. repens is associated with high Mg levels. This is a first attempt at a comprehensive taxonomic revision for the genus in southern Africa, and includes a key to the species, complete nomenclature, and a description of all the infrageneric taxa. Taxon accounts are supplemented with geographical distribution records, notes on the ecology, soil preferences and known traditional uses

The value of preparation in a systems engineering masters module : a longitudinal case study

This research emanates from a systems-oriented process of investigation into the educational approach of masters in engineering management programmes in order to find ways to improve student through-put rate and the quality of learning. The document describes the educational process, with specific emphasis on student preparedness, including the value and impact of a pivotal preparation test. This process is guided by constructive alignment; learning cycles through interactive blended teaching; and a focus on student learning. A longitudinal descriptive case study of the programmes was undertaken, focusing on a systems engineering module, which is integral to all masters programmes. The case is described with regard to its context; the educational process and teaching approach; and an educational and statistical analysis of the preparation test. The main contribution of the paper is the resulting structured, holistic, and integrated education process, designed to address the challenges, including a specific focus on student preparation and the pivotal preparation test. A clear link was established between student preparedness and the subsequent levels of teaching and learning. The preparation test was found to be on the relevant cognitive level; a predictor of course success; influencing positively the motivation of students; as well as impacting on the adaptation of the educational process. The use of the adapted Bloom’s taxonomy to evaluate cognitive levels of an intervention; the application of learning cycles and constructive alignment; as well as the impact of a preparation test, can significantly enhance the quality of the education process and consequently, student through-put rates.http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1002/(ISSN)1520-68582016-03-31hb201

System architecture and enterprise architecture : a juxta position?

A systems approach to creating a system is discussed. The system engineering process, and specifically the system architecture process, is formulated and applied to a typical (physical) system, enterprise, and project. These lead to the concepts of system architecture (SA), enterprise architecture (EA), and project architecture (PA) respectively. Similarities and inter-relationships among these architectures and related methodologies are investigated, seeking better interaction among them. ‘Work’ is proposed as an important conceptual building-block of these architectures, properly defined as activity with associated inputs, outputs, governances, and mechanisms. Techniques such as functional analysis, process modelling, and task analysis are used to demonstrate the inter-relationships among these apparently unrelated organisational perspectives of product, process, and project.’n Stelselbenadering tot die daarstelling van ’n stelsel word bespreek. Die stelselingenieurswese,en spesifiek die stelselargitektuurproses, word geformuleer en toegepas op ’n tipiese (fisiese) stelsel, onderneming, en projek. Dit lei tot die konsepte van stelselargitektuur (SA), ondernemingsargitektuur (OA), en projekargitektuur (PA). Ooreenkomste en verwantskappe tussen hierdie argitekture word ontleed om beter onderlinge interaksie te bewerkstellig. ’n Belangrike konseptuele bousteen van hierdie argitekture word voorgestel as ‘werk’, behoorlik gedefinieer as aktiwiteit met gepaardgaande insette, uitsette, kontroles, en meganismes. Tegnieke soos funksionele analise, prosesmodellering, en taakanalise word gebruik om die onderlinge verbande tussen hierdie skynbaar onverwante organisatoriese perspektiewe van produk, projek, en proses, te demonstreer.http://www.journals.co.za/ej/ejour_indeng.htmlai201

Technology diffusion and forecasting : the case of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) for simulation of greenhouse internal environments

Forecasting emerging technologies as well as rate of diffusion of resultant products are complex in the context of management of technology usually because of a lack of relevant data. Techniques such as bibliometric analysis and the Bass diffusion model are utilized in this paper to assess the growth rate and market penetration of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) as a technology. The penetration and growth rate of user acceptance to two CFD codes (not identified) are simulated. Furthermore a technology forecasting model of research and innovation in the field of application of CFD in the assessment of greenhouses is presented. Some CFD results of simulations for internal and external flow in an eight span greenhouse are presented as illustration of the power of CFD as technology.http://www.worldscinet.com/ijitm/ai201

A system dynamics approach to technology interaction : from asymptotic to cyclic behaviour

This paper is an extension and elaboration of previous research on the simulation of three competing technologies that interact. A modified version of the three-technology system is investigated, and some initial system dynamics results are reported illustrating the progression from asymptotic to cyclic behaviour. Technology is considered in this research as a result of innovation, a rate-dependent process that may include several non-linearities due to interaction with the environment and social context. Using bibliometrics as a research data source is an interesting way to trace technology growth patterns very effectively. In this research, the existence of cyclic behaviour in two real life technologies is illustrated using bibliometrics. In this paper, a technology systemconsisting of three interacting technologies is treated andmodelled in a coupled manner where the interacting dynamics is described by the Lotka–Volterra system of differential equations. The effect of interaction between the technologies and the period of cyclic behaviour is illustrated parametrically. Furthermore, the possible uncertain diffusion as well as interaction effect for two of the technologies is also addressed in this research using a Monte Carlo multivariate simulation technique and a system dynamics approach. The research method is exploratory and case based.University of Pretoria, the University of Johannesburg and the National Research Foundation (NRF) in South Africa.http://www.journals.elsevier.com/technological-forecasting-and-social-change2016-08-31hb201

Micromorphology and cytology of Prototulbaghia siebertii, with notes on its taxonomic significance

Four genera of the Alliaceae are known to occur in sub-Saharan Africa, in total comprising 35 indigenous and two naturalized alien species (Table 2) (Archer 2003; Klopper et al. 2006). Tulbaghia L. is the most diverse and widespread genus of the family in southern Africa, but the other two indigenous sub-Saharan genera, Allium L. and Prototulbaghia Vosa, are each represented by a single restricted-range species, of which the latter has only been described recently (Vosa 2007). This note supplements the existing description of P. siebertii Vosa, which is endemic to the Sekhukhuneland Centre of Endemism (Van Wyk & Smith 2001), South Africa (Vosa et al. 2011), where it is restricted to the summit of the Leolo Mountain Range, Limpopo Province. Although macromorphological characters of Prototulbaghia have been documented by Siebert et al. (2008), little is known about the micromorphology and cytology of P. siebertii.The North-West University and University of Pretoria provided financial support.http://www.sanbi.or

Phocine distemper Virus: Current knowledge and future directions

Phocine distemper virus (PDV) was first recognized in 1988 following a massive epidemic in harbor and grey seals in north-western Europe. Since then, the epidemiology of infection in North Atlantic and Arctic pinnipeds has been investigated. In the western North Atlantic endemic infection in harp and grey seals predates the European epidemic, with relatively small, localized mortality events occurring primarily in harbor seals. By contrast, PDV seems not to have become established in European harbor seals following the 1988 epidemic and a second event of similar magnitude and extent occurred in 2002. PDV is a distinct species within the Morbillivirus genus with minor sequence variation between outbreaks over time. There is now mounting evidence of PDV-like viruses in the North Pacific/Western Arctic with serological and molecular evidence of infection in pinnipeds and sea otters. However, despite the absence of associated mortality in the region, there is concern that the virus may infect the large Pacific harbor seal and northern elephant seal populations or the endangered Hawaiian monk seals. Here, we review the current state of knowledge on PDV with particular focus on developments in diagnostics, pathogenesis, immune response, vaccine development, phylogenetics and modeling over the past 20 years