The contribution of wool production to the sustainability of crop/pasture production systems in the Southern Cape

Thesis (MScAgric)--Stellenbosch University, 2022.ENGLISH SUMMARY: Population growth, urbanisation, and economic development worldwide continues to place significant pressure on producers to expand and intensify production systems to meet growing demand, while arable land and natural resources become strained. This necessitates a move from conventional agriculture towards more sustainable methods of food, feed, fibre, and fuel production. Conservation agriculture (CA) offers a holistic, sustainable approach to agricultural production. The concept of CA is based on three interlinked principles namely minimum soil disturbance, the maintenance of permanent soil cover, and improved crop diversity through crop rotation systems. Since the late 1990s, CA has been widely adopted throughout the Southern Cape region, mainly implemented on large commercial winter cereal farms with crop rotations forming the basis of these systems. The introduction of annual legume pastures in rotation with cash crops has enabled producers to diversify farming enterprises to include a livestock component. Sheep grazed on legume pastures and cash crop residues aim to improve soil health through nutrient recycling while supplementary income from meat and wool helps to mitigate crop production risks, thereby improving income stability and resilience of the whole farm. Soil compaction due to livestock trampling and overgrazing are; however, direct threats to the successful implementation of CA. In order to mitigate this risk, mixed crop-livestock systems require proper herd and pasture management with emphasis on suitable stocking rates and rest periods for pastures. This study primarily aimed to evaluate the potential role of sheep enterprises on the sustainability of selected cash crop/pasture systems in the Southern Cape. The complexity of modern agricultural systems elicits a systems thinking approach which enabled this study to help identify relationships and better understand the interaction and interrelatedness of all on-farm factors. A whole-farm, multi-period budget model was used to quantify the financial contribution of sheep enterprises to farm-level performance. A whole-farm budget model works to effectively integrate the physical and biological farm-level parameters and according to standard accounting principles, translate this into a financial output. The typical farm approach served as the reference point from which the budget model was built. Model inputs and assumptions were obtained through previous trial data combined with and validated by various industry experts and local producers in the Southern Cape region. The financial performance for each of the livestock management approaches was expressed and compared using the internal rate of return (IRR). All approaches were predicted to be profitable over a 20 year period. Scenario 1, as represented by the typical livestock approach for the Southern Cape, proved to be the most profitable. Furthermore, of the two sheep breeds, the Dohne Merino was proven to be the more favourable breed. Whole-farm profitability remained resilient against changes in both meat and wool product prices, thus further highlighting the importance that mixed crop-livestock systems may have on farm income, stability, and sustainability.AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Geen opsomming beskikbaarMaster

A qualitative study exploring the barriers and facilitators of implementing a cardiovascular disease risk reducing intervention for people with severe mental illness into primary care contexts across England: the 'PRIMROSE' trial.

BACKGROUND: People with severe mental illness (SMI) are at greater risk of earlier mortality due to physical health problems including cardiovascular disease (CVD). There is limited work exploring whether physical health interventions for people with SMI can be embedded and/or adopted within specific healthcare settings. This information is necessary to optimise the development of services and interventions within healthcare settings. This study explores the barriers and facilitators of implementing a nurse-delivered intervention ('PRIMROSE') designed to reduce CVD risk in people with SMI in primary care, using Normalisation Process Theory (NPT), a theory that explains the dynamics of embedding or 'normalising' a complex intervention within healthcare settings. METHODS: Semi-structured interviews were conducted between April-December 2016 with patients with SMI at risk of CVD who received the PRIMROSE intervention, and practice nurses and healthcare assistants who delivered it in primary care in England. Interviews were audio recorded, transcribed and analysed using thematic analysis. Emergent themes were then mapped on to constructs of NPT. RESULTS: Fifteen patients and 15 staff participated. The implementation of PRIMROSE was affected by the following as categorised by the NPT domains: 1) Coherence, where both staff and patients expressed an understanding of the purpose and value of the intervention, 2) Cognitive participation, including mental health stigma and staff perceptions of the compatibility of the intervention to primary care contexts, 3) Collective action, including 3.1. Interactional workability in terms of lack of patient engagement despite flexible appointment scheduling. The structured nature of the intervention and the need for additional nurse time were considered barriers, 3.2. Relational integration i.e. whereby positive relationships between staff and patients facilitated implementation, and access to 'in-house' staff support was considered important, 3.3. Skill-set workability in terms of staff skills, knowledge and training facilitated implementation, 3.4. Contextual integration regarding the accessibility of resources sometimes prevented collective action. 4) Reflexive monitoring, where the staff commonly appraised the intervention by suggesting designated timeslots and technology may improve the intervention. CONCLUSIONS: Future interventions for physical health in people with SMI could consider the following items to improve implementation: 1) training for practitioners in CVD risk prevention to increase practitioners knowledge of physical interventions 2) training in SMI to increase practitioner confidence to engage with people with SMI and reduce mental health stigma and 3) access to resources including specialist services, additional staff and time. Access to specialist behaviour change services may be beneficial for patients with specific health goals. Additional staff to support workload and share knowledge may also be valuable. More time for appointments with people with SMI may allow practitioners to better meet patient needs

Increasing low-carbon energy in Scottish agriculture through a whole systems approach

The Climate Change Plan update sets out targets to reduce emissions from the agriculture sector. Carbon dioxide emissions associated with stationary combustion sources and off-road machinery use in agriculture contribute significantly to agricultural emissions and have increased between 2020 and 2021. The impact of agriculture’s energy use can be difficult to account for, with emissions being captured within grouped sectors (electricity, gas and other) of the GHG inventory. This report examines the energy use and associated emissions baseline on farms and crofts in Scotland, and explores the potential for efficiency measures and new, low-carbon technologies to support energy emissions reductions in the longer term

Lactic Acid Bacteria as Biological Control of Staphylococcus aureus in Coalho Goat Cheese

Svrha je ovoga rada bila istražiti bakterijsku populaciju kozjeg sira coalho, koji se proizvodi u djelomično sušnom području sjevernoistočnog Brazila, ispitati antibiotičku rezistenciju patogenih bakterija izoliranih iz uzoraka sira, utvrditi prisutnost gena za enterotoksin stafilokoka i procijeniti utjecaj autohtonih bakterija mliječno-kiselog vrenja koje se koriste kao starter kulture na rast bakterije Staphylococcus aureus. U ispitanim uzorcima pronađeno je 11 sojeva bakterije Escherichia coli, 18 sojeva Salmonella spp., 6 sojeva Listeria spp. i 9 sojeva S. aureus s višestrukom antibiotičkom rezistencijom. Najzastupljenija patogena bakterija u ispitanim uzorcima sira coalho bila je S. aureus, čiji su izolati bili pozitivni na prisutnost gena koji kodiraju enterotoksin A (sea), B (seb), C (sec) i D (sed). Autohtone bakterije mliječno-kiselog vrenja koje inhibiraju rast S. aureus identificirane su kao vrsta Enterococcus faecium, te su odabrane za ispitivanje zaštitnog učinka in vitro, sigurnosti korištenja te tehnoloških i funkcionalnih svojstava. Dodatak odabranih sojeva bakterija mliječno-kiselog vrenja smanjio je broj bakterija S. aureus u uzorku kozjeg sira coalho za 3 logaritamske jedinice.The aim of this study is to investigate the bacterial population in coalho goat cheese produced in the semi-arid northeast region of Brazil, to analyse the antibiotic resistance profiles of the identified pathogenic bacteria, to detect the staphylococcal enterotoxin genes and to evaluate the addition of autochthonous lactic acid bacteria (LAB) with technofunctional properties for the control of Staphylococcus aureus growth. In the analysed samples, strains of Escherichia coli (N=11), Salmonella spp. (N=18), Listeria spp. (N=6) and S. aureus (N=9) were classified as multidrug resistant (MDR). The most commonly isolated pathogen from the studied coalho goat cheese was S. aureus. Its isolates were positive for the genes encoding enterotoxins A (sea), B (seb), C (sec) and D (sed). The autochthonous LAB with the potential to inhibit S. aureus were identified as Enterococcus faecium. These strains were selected for in vitro tests of protective, safety, technological and functional properties. In the coalho goat cheese food matrix, these selected autochthonous LAB were able to reduce the enterotoxigenic MDR S. aureus load by approx. 3 log units

Distinct Patterns of Internalization of Different Calcitonin GeneRelated Peptide Receptors

Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) is a neuropeptide that is involved in the transmission of pain. Drugs targeting CGRP or a CGRP receptor are efficacious in the treatment of migraine. The canonical CGRP receptor is a complex of a G protein-coupled receptor, the calcitonin-like receptor (CLR), with an accessory protein, receptor activity-modifying protein 1 (RAMP1). A second receptor, the AMY1 receptor, a complex of the calcitonin receptor with RAMP1, is a dual high-affinity receptor for CGRP and amylin. Receptor regulatory processes, such as internalization, are crucial for controlling peptide and drug responsiveness. Given the importance of CGRP receptor activity in migraine we compared the internalization profiles of both receptors for CGRP using novel fluorescent probes and a combination of live cell imaging, fixed cell imaging, and ELISA. This revealed stark differences in the regulation of each receptor with the AMY1 receptor unexpectedly showing little internalization.Peer Reviewe

Standard smoking cessation services in sites participating in the SCIMITAR+ trial for people with severe mental ill health

Aims and method: SCIMITAR+ trial was commissioned to evaluate the effectiveness of a bespoke smoking cessation intervention for people with severe mental ill health compared to usual services. It is difficult to define what constitutes ‘usual care’ in stop smoking services. We aimed to define what this was during the trial. Twenty-two NHS healthcare providers participated in a bespoke survey asking about usual care in their area. Results: All sites offered smoking cessation support, however, service provider and service type varied substantially. In some cases services were not streamlined, meaning that people received smoking cessation counselling from one organisation and smoking cessation medication from another. Clinical implications: To better implement the NICE guideline PH48, clearer referral pathways need to be implemented and communicated to patients, staff and carers. People with SMI need to be able to access services that combine Nicotine Replacement Therapy and behavioural support in a streamlined manner

The plant-derived decapeptide OSIP108 interferes with Candida albicans biofilm formation without affecting cell viability

We previously identified a decapeptide from the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana, OSIP108, which is induced upon fungal pathogen infection. In this study, we demonstrated that OSIP108 interferes with biofilm formation of the fungal pathogen Candida albicans without affecting the viability or growth of C. albicans cells. OSIP108 displayed no cytotoxicity against various human cell lines. Furthermore, OSIP108 enhanced the activity of the antifungal agents amphotericin B and caspofungin in vitro and in vivo in a Caenorhabditis elegans-C. albicans biofilm infection model. These data point to the potential use of OSIP108 in combination therapy with conventional antifungal agents. In a first attempt to unravel its mode of action, we screened a library of 137 homozygous C. albicans mutants, affected in genes encoding cell wall proteins or transcription factors important for biofilm formation, for altered OSIP108 sensitivity. We identified 9 OSIP108-tolerant C. albicans mutants that were defective in either components important for cell wall integrity or the yeast-to-hypha transition. In line with these findings, we demonstrated that OSIP108 activates the C. albicans cell wall integrity pathway and that its antibiofilm activity can be blocked by compounds inhibiting the yeast-to-hypha transition. Furthermore, we found that OSIP108 is predominantly localized at the C. albicans cell surface. These data point to interference of OSIP108 with cell wall-related processes of C. albicans, resulting in impaired biofilm formation

The Genetic Basis of Hepatosplenic T-cell Lymphoma

Hepatosplenic T cell lymphoma (HSTL) is a rare and lethal lymphoma; the genetic drivers of this disease are unknown. Through whole exome sequencing of 68 HSTLs, we define recurrently mutated driver genes and copy number alterations in the disease. Chromatin modifying genes including SETD2, INO80 and ARID1B were commonly mutated in HSTL, affecting 62% of cases. HSTLs manifest frequent mutations in STAT5B (31%), STAT3 (9%), and PIK3CD (9%) for which there currently exist potential targeted therapies. In addition, we noted less frequent events in EZH2, KRAS and TP53. SETD2 was the most frequently silenced gene in HSTL. We experimentally demonstrated that SETD2 acts as a tumor suppressor gene. In addition, we found that mutations in STAT5B and PIK3CD activate critical signaling pathways important to cell survival in HSTL. Our work thus defines the genetic landscape of HSTL and implicates novel gene mutations linked to HSTL pathogenesis and potential treatment targets

A bespoke smoking cessation service compared with treatment as usual for people with severe mental ill health: the SCIMITAR+ RCT

BackgroundThere is a high prevalence of smoking among people with severe mental ill health (SMI). Helping people with SMI to quit smoking could improve their health and longevity, and reduce health inequalities. However, those with SMI are less likely to access and engage with routine smoking cessation services than the general population.ObjectivesTo compare the clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of a bespoke smoking cessation (BSC) intervention with usual stop smoking services for people with SMI.DesignA pragmatic, two-arm, individually randomised controlled trial.SettingPrimary care and secondary care mental health services in England.ParticipantsSmokers aged ≥ 18 years with SMI who would like to cut down on or quit smoking.InterventionsA BSC intervention delivered by mental health specialists trained to deliver evidence-supported smoking cessation interventions compared with usual care.Main outcome measuresThe primary outcome was self-reported, CO-verified smoking cessation at 12 months. Smoking-related secondary outcomes were self-reported smoking cessation, the number of cigarettes smoked per day, the Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence and the Motivation to Quit questionnaire. Other secondary outcomes were Patient Health Questionnaire-9 items, Generalised Anxiety Disorder Assessment-7 items and 12-Item Short-Form Health Survey, to assess mental health and body mass index measured at 6 and 12 months post randomisation.ResultsThe trial randomised 526 people (265 to the intervention group, 261 to the usual-care group) aged 19 to 72 years (mean 46 years). About 60% of participants were male. Participants smoked between 3 and 100 cigarettes per day (mean 25 cigarettes per day) at baseline. The intervention group had a higher rate of exhaled CO-verified smoking cessation at 6 and 12 months than the usual-care group [adjusted odds ratio (OR) 12 months: 1.6, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.9 to 2.8; adjusted OR 6 months: 2.4, 95% CI 1.2 to 4.7]. This was not statistically significant at 12 months (p = 0.12) but was statistically significant at 6 months (p = 0.01). In total, 111 serious adverse events were reported (69 in the BSC group and 42 in the usual-care group); the majority were unplanned hospitalisations due to a deterioration in mental health (n = 98). The intervention is likely (57%) to be less costly but more effective than usual care; however, this result was not necessarily associated with participants’ smoking status.LimitationsFollow-up was not blind to treatment allocation. However, the primary outcome included a biochemically verified end point, less susceptible to observer biases. Some participants experienced difficulties in accessing nicotine replacement therapy because of changes in service provision. Efforts were made to help participants access nicotine replacement therapy, but this may have affected participants’ quit attempt.ConclusionsPeople with SMI who received the intervention were more likely to have stopped smoking at 6 months. Although more people who received the intervention had stopped smoking at 12 months, this was not statistically significant.Future workFurther research is needed to establish how quitting can be sustained among people with SMI.Trial registrationCurrent Controlled Trials ISRCTN72955454.FundingThis project was funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Health Technology Assessment programme and will be published in full in Health Technology Assessment; Vol. 23, No. 50. See the NIHR Journals Library website for further project information

Smoking cessation for people with severe mental illness (SCIMITAR+) : a pragmatic randomised controlled trial

BACKGROUND: People with severe mental illnesses such as schizophrenia are three times more likely to smoke than the wider population, contributing to widening health inequalities. Smoking remains the largest modifiable risk factor for this health inequality, but people with severe mental illness have not historically engaged with smoking cessation services. We aimed to test the effectiveness of a combined behavioural and pharmacological smoking cessation intervention targeted specifically at people with severe mental illness. METHODS: In the smoking cessation intervention for severe mental illness (SCIMITAR+) trial, a pragmatic, randomised controlled study, we recruited heavy smokers with bipolar disorder or schizophrenia from 16 primary care and 21 community-based mental health sites in the UK. Participants were eligible if they were aged 18 years or older, and smoked at least five cigarettes per day. Exclusion criteria included substantial comorbid drug or alcohol problems and people who lacked capacity to consent at the time of recruitment. Using computer-generated random numbers, participants were randomly assigned (1:1) to a bespoke smoking cessation intervention or to usual care. Participants, mental health specialists, and primary care physicians were unmasked to assignment. The bespoke smoking cessation intervention consisted of behavioural support from a mental health smoking cessation practitioner and pharmacological aids for smoking cessation, with adaptations for people with severe mental illness-such as, extended pre-quit sessions, cut down to quit, and home visits. Access to pharmacotherapy was via primary care after discussion with the smoking cessation specialist. Under usual care participants were offered access to local smoking cessation services not specifically designed for people with severe mental illnesses. The primary endpoint was smoking cessation at 12 months ascertained via carbon monoxide measurements below 10 parts per million and self-reported cessation for the past 7 days. Secondary endpoints were biologically verified smoking cessation at 6 months; number of cigarettes smoked per day, Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence (FTND) and Motivation to Quit (MTQ) questionnaire; general and mental health functioning determined via the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), the Generalised Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) questionnaire, and 12-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-12); and body-mass index (BMI). This trial was registerd with the ISRCTN registry, number ISRCTN72955454, and is complete. FINDINGS: Between Oct 7, 2015, and Dec 16, 2016, 526 eligible patients were randomly assigned to the bespoke smoking cessation intervention (n=265) or usual care (n=261). 309 (59%) participants were male, median age was 47·2 years (IQR 36·3-54·5), with high nicotine dependence (mean 24 cigarettes per day [SD 13·2]), and the most common severe mental disorders were schizophrenia or other psychotic illness (n=343 [65%]), bipolar disorder (n=115 [22%]), and schizoaffective disorder (n=66 [13%]). 234 (88%) of intervention participants engaged with the treatment programme and attended 6·4 (SD 3·5) quit smoking sessions, with an average duration of 39 min (SD 17; median 35 min, range 5-120). Verified quit data at 12 months were available for 219 (84%) of 261 usual care and 223 (84%) of 265 intervention participants. The proportion of participants who had quit at 12 months was higher in the intervention group than in the usual care group, but non-significantly (34 [15%] of 223 [13% of those assigned to group] vs 22 [10%] of 219 [8% of those assigned to group], risk difference 5·2%, 95% CI -1·0 to 11·4; odds ratio [OR] 1·6, 95% CI 0·9 to 2·9; p=0·10). The proportion of participants who quit at 6 months was significantly higher in the intervention group than in the usual care group (32 [14%] of 226 vs 14 [6%] of 217; risk difference 7·7%, 95% CI 2·1 to 13·3; OR 2·4, 95% CI 1·2 to 4·6; p=0·010). The incidence rate ratio for number of cigarettes smoked per day at 6 months was 0·90 (95% CI 0·80 to 1·01; p=0·079), and at 12 months was 1·00 (0·89 to 1·13; p=0·95). At both 6 months and 12 months, the intervention group was non-significantly favoured in the FTND (adjusted mean difference 6 months -0·18, 95% CI -0·53 to 0·17, p=0·32; and 12 months -0·01, -0·39 to 0·38, p=0·97) and MTQ questionnaire (adjusted mean difference 0·58, -0·01 to 1·17, p=0·056; and 12 months 0·64, 0·04 to 1·24, p=0·038). The PHQ-9 showed no difference between the groups (adjusted mean difference at 6 months 0·20, 95% CI -0·85 to 1·24 vs 12 months -0·12, -1·18 to 0·94). For the SF-12 survey, we saw evidence of improvement in physical health in the intervention group at 6 months (adjusted mean difference 1·75, 95% CI 0·21 to 3·28), but this difference was not evident at 12 months (0·59, -1·07 to 2·26); and we saw no difference in mental health between the groups at 6 or 12 months (adjusted mean difference at 6 months -0·73, 95% CI -2·82 to 1·36, and 12 months -0·41, -2·35 to 1·53). The GAD-7 questionnaire showed no difference between the groups (adjusted mean difference at 6 months -0·32 95% CI -1·26 to 0·62 vs 12 months -0·10, -1·05 to 0·86). No difference in BMI was seen between the groups (adjusted mean difference 6 months 0·16, 95% CI -0·54 to 0·85; 12 months 0·25, -0·62 to 1·13). INTERPRETATION: This bespoke intervention is a candidate model of smoking cessation for clinicians and policy makers to address high prevalence of smoking. The incidence of quitting at 6 months shows that smoking cessation can be achieved, but the waning of this effect by 12 months means more effort is needed for sustained quitting. FUNDING: National Institute for Health Research Health Technology Assessment Programme