176 research outputs found
Exploring the culture of corporate social investment within a multinational corporation: a Gauteng-based case study
A research report submitted to the
School of Human and Community Development
Faculty of Humanities
University of the Witwatersrand
In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Master of Arts in the field of Social
Development
March 2018The South African government impels business to contribute to the country’s transformation
through corporate social investment (CSI) to accelerate social development. The study
focused on the sub-element of CSI as part of the broader corporate social responsibility CSR
frame. CSI in South Africa assumes a vastly different dimension from that of global
practices, founded predominantly on the country’s historical disparities. Post-apartheid
legislation makes CSI an obligatory practice. A business’s commitment reflects in company
policies, operations and organisational culture. The case study of a multinational corporation
(MNC) used face-to-face interviews and a semi-structured interview schedule with eleven
purposively sampled employees. Via a qualitative, interpretive paradigm, the study
examined participant perspectives on the prevailing corporate culture on CSI. Corporate
culture by way of the shared values and beliefs of employees as significant stakeholders was
analysed and the New Institutional Economics (NIE) framework was applied. Thematic
analysis concluded that over time the company made notable progress in its CSI practices.
The MNC continues to instil a CSI culture across its operations, so social responsibility
embeds as an essential element of its corporate culture. A key outcome of this research is an
adapted CSI model. The pivotal role of leadership and the positioning of the CSI department
within the MNC are a priority for entrenching a CSI culture. Related themes were the
importance of marketing and communication, employee volunteering, policy and
sustainability. The commitment of MNCs is fundamental to the dependency discourse
articulated by state and civil society that business invest in social development to facilitate
access to the economy for vulnerable communities. A strategic social contract between
private sector, government and civil society is pivotal for a well-functioning state – a
synergy, central to tackle widespread inequality and poverty in South Africa. CSI is a vital
conduit to propel social development.MT 201
Supercritical fluid extraction and analysis of indigenous medicinal plants for uterotonic activity.
Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of Natal, Durban, 1997.Ingestion of extracts prepared from various medicinal plants to induce or augment labour
is common amongst Black South African women during the late stages of pregnancy.
This applies particularly to the rural areas where modern health care facilities are often
lacking. Many of these plants have not been investigated scientifically and one needs to
substantiate claims of quality, safety and efficacy. Furthermore, it is believed that the
consumption of these plant extracts can result in foetal meconium staining at delivery.
An investigation into the uterotonic properties of three plants viz. Ekebergia capensis
Sparrm. Clivia miniata (Lindl.) Regel. and Grewia occidentalis L. were carried out using
guinea pig uterine smooth muscle in vitro. Supercritical fluid extraction was performed
with water modified supercritical carbon dioxide to extract the uterotonic components.
An attempt was also made to couple supercritical fluid extraction directly on-line to the
bioassay so that on line screening of crude plant extracts could be performed within short
periods of time. The effects of supercritical CO2 decompression on temperature and pH of
the muscle bathing solution were considered since these factors affect muscle
contractility. The direct effects of excess CO2 on intracellular mechanisms were
eliminated by constructing a CO2 reduction interface together with passage of carbogen
which aided in the rapid displacement of excess CO2, As samples of these extracts were
found to induce muscle contraction, supercritical fluid fractionation (SFF) was performed
by sequentially increasing the fluid density. Extracted fractions were obtained by
sequentially increasing the pressure at constant temperature and modifier concentration in
an attempt to identify the active fractions. Extractions were performed at 200 atm, 300
atm and 400 atm respectively. Subsequent testing of these fractions enabled the detection
of active and inactive fractions as well as a fraction that had a spasmolytic effect on
uterine muscle. The 400 atm extracts of E. capensis and C. miniata displayed maximum
activity while only the 300 atm extract of G. occidentalis induced uterine muscle
contraction. Subsequent analysis of the sequentially extracted fractions, by high
performance liquid chromatography and micellar electrokinetic capillary chromatography
revealed that certain compounds present in the fractions that stimulated muscle
contraction, were sensitive to the extraction pressure hence making it possible to
determine the compounds that were likely to be active. Column chromatography
followed by various spectroscopic techniques were performed in an attempt to isolate and
elucidate the structures of the compounds that were present in the plant extracts. The
extract of Ekebergia capensis yielded five known compounds (B-sitosterol, oleanonic
acid, 3-epioleanolic acid, 2,3,22,23-tetrahydroxy-2,6,1 0, 15,19 ,23-hexamethyl-6, 10, 14, 18-
tetracosatetrene and 7-hydroxy-6-methoxy coumarin. The extract of Clivia miniata
yieded linoleic acid and 5-hydroxymethyl-2-furancarboxaldehyde while the extract of
Grewia occidentalis yielded 3-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-2-propenal, a novel
compound 2,2' ,6,6'-tetramethoxy-4'-al-4-(w-oxo-E-propenyl)-biphenyl and oleanonic
acid. The pure compounds were further evaluated pharmacologically to identify the
active components and assess the physiological mode of action by the use of various
receptor blockers. Oleanonic acid, 3-epioleanolic acid, linoleic acid and 5-
hydroxymethyl-2-furancarboxaldehyde and 3-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-2-propenal
were found to induce an agonistic muscle response. All these compounds were observed
to mediate their effects through the cholinergic receptors. The results obtained in this
study supports the claim of these plants possessing uterotonic properties
A chemical investigation of a KwaZulu-Natal medicinal plant, Momordica foetida Schum. & Sond.
Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of Natal, Durban, 1994.Momordica foetida Schum. & Sond. (Cucurbitaceae), locally known as
iNtshungu, is widely used by the Zulu people of Natal-KwaZulu for the
treatment of a variety of ailments.
The dried leaves leaves and stems of this plant was subjected to soxhlet
extraction by refluxing with hexane, chloroform and methanol successively.
Thin layer chromatography of the chloroform extract of the leaves revealed a
multiplicity of compounds. The chloroform extract was further partitioned with
sodium hydroxide resulting in an organic and aqueous phase. The organic
phase, containing extract A, afforded two compounds, viz. compounds 1 and 2.
The basic aqueous fraction was neutralised and re-extracted with chloroform to
give extract B, affording five compounds, viz. compounds 3,4,5,6 and 7.
Structural elucidation was accomplished by techniques such as IH and 13C NMR
spectroscopy, HETCOR, COSY, FTIR and High Resolution Mass
Spectrometry.
Compounds 1 and 2 were identified as cucurbitane triterpenoids known as
momordicines which had been previously discovered in the related species of
this plant, Momordica charantia L. The remaining five compounds were
identified as novel compounds, although natural derivatives of compounds 6
and 7 had been isolated previously from Momordica charantia L. Compounds
3-7 were each isolated as an epimeric mixture but it was possible to select the
resonances corresponding to the major epimer. These five epimers were
respectively identified as 5, 19-epoxy-19(R)-hydroxy-25-methoxy-5β-
cucurbita-6,23-diene-3β-ol [102], 5,19-epoxy-19(R),25-dihydroxy-5β-cucurbita-
6,23-diene-3β-ol [103], 5,19-epoxy-19(R)-methoxy-25-hydroxy-5β-cucrbita-
6,23-diene-3β-ol [104], 5,19-epoxy-25-methoxy-5β-cucurbita-6,23diene-
3β-ol [105] and 5,19-epoxy-19(R),25-dimethoxy-5β-cucurbita-6,23diene-
3β-ol [106].
Appropriate reactions were performed, where possible, on the compounds
isolated in order to confirm their identity
An LC-MS-MS method for the determination of cyclizine in human serum
Cyclizine is a piperazine derivative with anti-emetic activity that is useful in the prevention and treatment of nausea and vomiting associated with motion sickness. A liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS-MS) method is presented for the quantitation of cyclizine in serum. Sample pretreatment involved liquid-liquid extraction of 200 μl of serum with dichloromethane after the addition of 100 μl each of ammonium hydroxide and internal standard solutions. The extracts were analyzed by HPLC on a Luna ® C18 reversed-phase column and an ion-trap mass spectrometer with an electrospray interface. A limit of detection of 1 ng/ml was determined which allowed for the reliable measurement of cyclizine in the serum of human subjects. The method was found to be linear over the calibration range of 2.5-100 ng/ml. The applicability of this method was demonstrated by the analysis of serum obtained from a human volunteer following administration of a single 50 mg cyclizine hydrochloride tablet. The reported method was observed to have the necessary sensitivity, selectivity, precision and accuracy for monitoring cyclizine concentrations in human subjects following oral administration
Cisplatin-Associated Ototoxicity: A Review for the Health Professional
Cisplatin is an effective drug used in the treatment of many cancers, yet its ototoxic potential places cancer patients, exposed to this drug, at risk of hearing loss, thus negatively impacting further on a patient’s quality of life. It is paramount for health care practitioners managing such patients to be aware of cisplatin’s ototoxic properties and the clinical signs to identify patients at risk of developing hearing loss. English peer-reviewed articles from January 1975 to July 2015 were assessed from PubMed, Science Direct, and Ebscohost. Seventy-nine articles and two books were identified for this review, using MeSH terms and keywords such as “ototoxicity”, “cisplatin”, “hearing loss”, and “ototoxicity monitoring”. This review provides an up-to-date overview of cisplatin-associated ototoxicity, namely, its clinical features, incidence rates, and molecular and cellular mechanisms and risk factors, to health care practitioners managing the patient with cancer, and highlights the need for a team-based approach to complement an audiological monitoring programme to mitigate any further loss in the quality of life of affected patients, as there is currently no otoprotective agent recommended routinely for the prevention of cisplatin-associated ototoxicity. It also sets the platform for effective dialogue towards policy formulation and strengthening of health systems in developing countries
Systematic Review of Genetic Factors in the Etiology of Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma in African Populations
Background: Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), one of the most aggressive cancers, is endemic in Sub-Saharan Africa, constituting a major health burden. It has the most divergence in cancer incidence globally, with high prevalence reported in East Asia, Southern Europe, and in East and Southern Africa. Its etiology is multifactorial, with lifestyle, environmental, and genetic risk factors. Very little is known about the role of genetic factors in ESCC development and progression among African populations. The study aimed to systematically assess the evidence on genetic variants associated with ESCC in African populations. Methods: We carried out a comprehensive search of all African published studies up to April 2019, using PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and African Index Medicus databases. Quality assessment and data extraction were carried out by two investigators. The strength of the associations was measured by odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals. Results: Twenty-three genetic studies on ESCC in African populations were included in the systematic review. They were carried out on Black and admixed South African populations, as well as on Malawian, Sudanese, and Kenyan populations. Most studies were candidate gene studies and included DNA sequence variants in 58 different genes. Only one study carried out whole-exome sequencing of 59 ESCC patients. Sample sizes varied from 18 to 880 cases and 88 to 939 controls. Altogether, over 100 variants in 37 genes were part of 17 case-control genetic association studies to identify susceptibility loci for ESCC. In these studies, 25 variants in 20 genes were reported to have a statistically significant association. In addition, eight studies investigated changes in cancer tissues and identified somatic alterations in 17 genes and evidence of loss of heterozygosity, copy number variation, and microsatellite instability. Two genes were assessed for both genetic association and somatic mutation. Conclusions: Comprehensive large-scale studies on the genetic basis of ESCC are still lacking in Africa. Sample sizes in existing studies are too small to draw definitive conclusions about ESCC etiology. Only a small number of African populations have been analyzed, and replication and validation studies are missing. The genetic etiology of ESCC in Africa is, therefore, still poorly defined
An overview of cancer research in South African academic and research institutions, 2013 - 2014
Background and objectives. Cancer is emerging as a critical public health problem in South Africa (SA). Recognising the importance of research in addressing the cancer burden, the Ministerial Advisory Committee on the Prevention and Control of Cancer (MACC) research working group undertook a review of the current cancer research landscape in SA and related this to the cancer burden.Methods. Academic and research institutions in SA were contacted to provide information on the titles of all current and recently completed (2013/2014) cancer research projects. Three MACC research working group members used the project titles to independently classify the projects by type of research (basic, clinical and public health – projects could be classified in more than one category) and disease site. A more detailed classification of projects addressing the five most common cancers diagnosed in males and females in SA was conducted using an adapted Common Scientific Outline (CSO) categorisation.Results. Information was available on 556 cancer research projects. Overall, 301 projects were classified as clinical, 254 as basic science and 71 as public health research. The most common cancers being researched were cancers of the breast (n=95 projects) and cervix (n=43), leukaemia (n=36), non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (n=35) and lung cancer (n=23). Classification of the five most common cancers in males and females in SA, using the adapted CSO categories, showed that the majority of projects related to treatment, with relatively few projects on prevention, survivorship and patient perspectives.Conclusion. Our findings established that there is a dearth of public health cancer research in SA
Informing etiologic research priorities for squamous cell esophageal cancer in Africa: a review of setting-specific exposures to known and putative risk factors
Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is one of the most common cancers in most Eastern and Southern African countries, but its etiology has been understudied to date. To inform its research agenda, we undertook a review to identify, of the ESCC risk factors which have been established or strongly suggested worldwide, those with a high prevalence or high exposure levels in any ESCC-affected African setting and the sources thereof. We found that for almost all ESCC risk factors known to date, including tobacco, alcohol, hot beverage consumption, nitrosamines and both inhaled and ingested PAHs, there is evidence of population groups with raised exposures, the sources of which vary greatly between cultures across the ESCC corridor. Research encompassing these risk factors is warranted and is likely to identify primary prevention strategies
Golestan cohort study of oesophageal cancer: feasibility and first results
To investigate the incidence of oesophageal cancer (EC) in the Golestan province of North-East Iran, we invited 1349 rural and urban inhabitants of Golestan province aged 35–80 to undergo extensive lifestyle interviews and to provide biological samples. The interview was repeated on a subset of 130 participants to assess reliability of questionnaire and medical information. Temperature at which tea was consumed was measured on two occasions by 110 subjects. Samples of rice, wheat and sorghum were tested for fumonisin contamination. An active follow-up was carried out after 6 and 12 months. A total of 1057 subjects (610 women and 447 men) participated in this feasibility study (78.4% participation rate). Cigarette smoking, opium and alcohol use were reported by 163 (13.8%), 93 (8.8%) and 39 (3.7%) subjects, respectively. Tobacco smoking was correlated with urinary cotinine (κ=0.74). Most questionnaire data had κ >0.7 in repeat measurements; tea temperature measurement was reliable (κ=0.71). No fumonisins were detected in the samples analysed. During the follow-up six subjects were lost (0.6%), two subjects developed EC (one dead, one alive); in all, 13 subjects died (with cause of death known for 11, 84.6%). Conducting a cohort study in Golestan is feasible with reliable information obtained for suspected risk factors; participants can be followed up for EC incidence and mortality
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