The nutritive value of maize foggage for ewes and their lambs in the North Eastern Free State

(South African J of Animal Science, 2000, 30, Supplement 1: 65-67

The variation in antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of acetone leaf extracts of 12 Moringa oleifera (Moringaceae) trees enables the selection of trees with additional uses

AbstractBackgroundThe aim of this study was to evaluate the variation in antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of the leaf acetone extracts of 12 Moringa oleifera trees harvested in order to select the best material for clonal propagation.MethodsA two-fold serial microdilution method was used to determine the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) against a panel of fungal (Candida albicans, Aspergillus fumigatus and Cryptococcus neoformans) and bacterial (Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) species. The radical scavenging capacity was determined using 2,2 diphenyl-1-picryhydrazyl (DPPH).ResultsThere was a large variation in antimicrobial activities with MICs between 0.04 and 2.50mg/ml against bacteria and from 0.16 to >2.50mg/ml against fungi. For samples harvested in winter: trees L3 and LP2 had significant activity against E. faecalis (MIC 0.08mg/ml) and E. coli (MIC 0.04mg/ml). Trees L5, LP1 and LP6 had weak activity against E. coli (MICs 1.25 and 2.50mg/ml), S. aureus (MIC 1.25mg/ml), and E. faecalis (MIC 2.50mg/ml), while other samples had moderate activity against the four bacteria (MICs 0.16–0.63mg/ml). From samples collected in summer: L5 (MIC 0.08mg/ml), L6 (MIC 0.08mg/ml after 1h incubation), LP1 (MICs 0.08mg/ml), LP2 (MICs 0.08mg/ml after 1h incubation), LP4 (0.08mg/ml) and LP5 (MICs 0.04 and 0.08mg/ml) had significant activity against E. faecalis (L5, L6, LP1, LP2, LP4, and LP5), S. aureus (LP1, and LP5), and E. coli (LP2, and LP5), respectively. Other extracts had weak antibacterial activity with MICs ranging from 0.16 to 0.63mg/ml. Most of the samples harvested in winter had moderate antifungal activity: L1, L2, L3, L4, L5, L6, LP1, LP2, and LP3 had moderate activity against C. albicans (ATCC strains) with MIC of 0.63mg/ml in all cases while L2, L3 and L4 as well as L6, LP1, LP2, LP3, LP5 and LP6 against A. fumigatus (MICs 0.63mg/ml) and C. neoformans (MICs 0.63mg/ml), respectively. Apart from L1 (MIC 0.31mg/ml), L2, L3 and LP6 (MICs 0.63mg/ml in all cases) with moderate activity, all the samples collected during summer had weak activity against A. fumigatus (MICs 1.25–2.50mg/ml). All the extracts had a low radical scavenging activity with the IC50 values ranging from 34.72 to 109.62μg/ml, compared to the reference standard l-ascorbic acid (IC50 2.41μg/ml). This may be related to the extractant used.ConclusionThe large variation in antimicrobial activity and antioxidant activities of 24 acetone leaf extracts of 12 M. oleifera trees may lead to the selection of clonal material to serve as a source of propagation materials. Successful propagation and growth of tree LP with very good activity against E. coli and a high total activity could provide an additional use of this valuable plant species to rural people

Constructing a comprehensive learning style flexibility model for the innovation of an information literacy module

The Department of Information Science in the Faculty of Engineering, Built Environment and Information Technology at the University of Pretoria is responsible for offering a semester module on Information Literacy to all first-year students across all faculties. The Department has embarked on a process of curriculum innovation of the module. For this purpose the learning style theory of Herrmann (1995) and related principles are implemented. At the same time we have expanded the learning style model, referred to as the Whole Brain learning model that Herrmann has developed. We constructed a comprehensive learning style flexibility model or comprehensive whole brain model based on our scholarly engaging with the application of the related principles in numerous contexts. These contexts include our own teaching practices and research and supervision of postgraduate students. The Information Literacy module serves as an exemplar of curriculum innovation based on the concept of learning style flexibility or whole brain learning as it is reflected in our comprehensive model. The model answers the question of how a comprehensive teaching and learning model can be constructed to serve as a guideline for facilitating learning in a learning style flexible/whole brain fashion, accommodating differences in terms of learning preferences and developing students’ and lecturers’ full potential? The differences in terms of learning preferences referred to in the question were scientifically determined by means of the Herrmann Brain Dominance Instrument (HBDI) (Herrmann 1995). However, the model was not constructed based on this quantitative data only. Through different qualitative methods, such as text analysis, observations, student feedback and interviews, used in different contexts, we as authors extracted from our own work and students’ work the ideas that helped shape the model. A constructivist approach was followed as it is embedded in the process of action research.http://www.reference-global.com/loi/libram201

Multidisciplinary collaboration : a necessity for education innovation

Die operasionele konteks van die navorsing waaroor hier gerapporteer word, is die onderrig van 'n module oor Inligtinggeletterdheid op universiteitsvlak. Die spesifieke fokus word geplaas op die verskeidenheid leerstylvoorkeure van die akademiese en professionele personeel wat verantwoordelik is vir kurrikuluminnovering. Data oor leerstylvoorkeure dien as vetrekpunt vir navorsing oor professionele ontwikkeling. Die voortgesette professionele ontwikkeling van akademiese personeel by universiteite het dwingend noodsaaklik geword. Hierdie toedrag van sake is onder andere die gevolg van die nuwe onderwysstelsel wat die belangrikheid van hoër onderwys en opleiding beklemtoon. Dit het gelei tot die skep van 'n Ministerie vir Hoër Onderwys en Opleiding. Hierdie imperatief word deur hoër onderwysinstansies deur middel van talle inisiatiewe ondersteun. Die kurrikuluminnoveringsproses waaroor gerapporteer word, vorm 'n integrerende deel van die professionele ontwikkeling van diegene wat betrokke is. As samevatting van die navorsingsbevindinge kan dit onomwonde gestel word dat die spanpoging, soos in die artikel beskryf, alleenlik suksesvol is omdat die span uit spanlede vanuit 'n verskeidenheid dissiplines bestaan - kundiges met die nodige vakkennis ter sprake in die module onder bespreking, naamlik inligtingkunde en ander vakkundiges wat in kurrikulumontwikkeling, hoër onderwys, en instruksionele ontwerp spesialiseer. Derhalwe word die term multidissiplinêre span in die titel en deurgaans in die teks gebruik. 'n Belangrike voorwaarde vir die sukses van die samewerking wat ter sprake is, is dat die spanlede mekaar die ruimte gun om elkeen binne sy/haar eie voorkeurdenkmodus 'n bydrae te kan lewer. Leerprosesse wat tydens kurrikulumontwikkelingsessies ter sprake kom, word as geleenthede vir professionele ontwikkeling benut. Elke spanlid kry die geleentheid om oor sy/haar eie prakyk te reflekteer, wat deel vorm van 'n konstruktivistiese professionele leerproses wat die diskoers oor kurrikuluminnovering verryk.The operational context of the research reported in this paper is teaching a module on Information Literacy at university level. The specific focus is on the array of learning style preferences of the academic staff responsible for offering the module and of academic and professional staff responsible for curriculum innovation. The learning style profile data set is used as point of departure for professional development activities. Continuing professional development of academic staff at universities has become an imperative in South Africa. This is inter alia a consequence of the new education dispensation that emphasises the importance of higher education and training that has recently resulted in the South African government appointing a minister of higher education and training for the first time. This imperative is underscored by several initiatives taken by higher education institutions in the country. The University of Pretoria is no exception: Professional development of academic staff is increasingly being highlighted in policy documents, in the welcoming speech of the newly appointed Principal, strategic initiatives in this regard by the office of the Vice-principal responsible for undergraduate studies, the Department for Education Innovation that takes responsibility for academic staff development and the Division for Higher Education in the Faculty of Education that offers a formal higher education qualification. The curriculum innovation process reported is an integral part of the professional development of all involved. The Department of Information Science, Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment at the University of Pretoria is responsible for offering a semester module on Information Literacy to all first year students across all faculties annually. The module is presented to more than 8000 students. A textbook, "Navigating Information Literacy: Your information society survival toolkit", written by subject specialists from the Department is used as learning material for the module. Although the module has an acceptable pass rate, the scholarly application of the applicable skills linked to the subject content and learning outcomes is limited and in some cases lacking in subsequent academic years of study. In their endeavour to empower students to develop as lifelong learners the Department introduced a collaborative project. It is entitled "Facilitating Whole Brain Information Literacy: A multidisciplinary research project." At the same time, to empower all staff involved, the Department embarked on a research project that covers aspects such as professional development of staff, which forms the focus of this paper. The professional development of academic staff is one of the sub-projects. The overarching project consists of the following sub-projects: Professional development of academic staff Information literacy across the curriculum Education innovation Leadership and management in higher education Community engagement These sub-projects are closely integrated and confirm the multidisciplinary nature of the project. The multidisciplinary team consists of information science specialists, librarians, instructional designers, educational consultants and staff development professionals. They were invited to participate in a collaborative process to enhance the curriculum, and to design and develop teaching and learning material. The learning material has been developed as a lecturer's "toolkit" that aims at enhancing information literacy skills across the curriculum and instilling a culture of applied information literacy within the learners. The overarching research project commenced with a baseline study. It entailed a quantitative approach to determining the learning style preferences of a cohort of first year students, the lecturers and other professional staff involved. For this purpose the Herrmann Brain Dominance Instrument (HBDI) (Herrmann 1996) was used. The baseline study, presented at different conferences highlighted the fact that students have different thinking and learning preferences. Therefore, a teaching methodology embracing the notion of "one style fits all" is not effective. It was decided that Herrmann's Whole Brain principles would be applied to all aspects of the project, including multidisciplinary collaboration and cooperation in the context of curriculum innovation. The academic programme under discussion is currently put under a scholarly lens as an investigation from within the Department. An internal locus of control viewpoint is taken when it comes to quality assurance. A scholarly and action research-driven approach is taken. As epistemological underpinning and impetus for education innovation, whole brain learning forms the crux. As research paradigm and process for professional learning action research is promoted. Action research is considered most applicable when it comes to professional development and practitioner research. This paper briefly links the baseline data of the two groups of lecturers and the group of students as background to the discourse on multidisciplinary collaboration below. The curriculum innovation group consists of an array of staff members. So-called professionals include an education consultant, designers of learning material and an information specialist from the library. Two groups of lecturers are implied. A group of senior academics are responsible for developing the academic programme under discussion. The offering of the programme is the responsibility of a group of 16 assistant lecturers. A summary of the research findings highlights the fact that it is clear that the team effort, as discussed in the article, can only be a success if the team consists of members from different disciplines - scholars with the subject knowledge needed for offering the module in question, namely information science and other scholars in the field of curriculum development, higher education and instructional design. For this reason the term multidisciplinary team is used in the title and throughout the text. The success of the collaboration depends on the important condition that each team member is given the opportunity to contribute to the process from the perspective of his/her own preferred mode of thinking. Learning processes that present themselves during the curriculum development process are used as opportunities for professional growth. Each team member is offered the opportunity to reflect on his/her practice that forms part of a constructivist approach to the professional learning process that enriches the curriculum development discourse.http://www.journals.co.za/ej/ejour_akgees.htmlgv201

ARIA 2016: Care pathways implementing emerging technologies for predictive medicine in rhinitis and asthma across the life cycle

The Allergic Rhinitis and its Impact on Asthma (ARIA) initiative commenced during a World Health Organization workshop in 1999. The initial goals were (1) to propose a new allergic rhinitis classification, (2) to promote the concept of multi-morbidity in asthma a

Development of a quantitative PCR for detection of Lactobacillus plantarum starters during wine malolactic fermentation

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Characterization and emended description of lactobacillus kunkeei as a fructophilic lactic acid bacterium

Lactobacillus kunkeei is an inhabitant of fructose-rich niches and is a potential member of the fructophilic lactic acid bacteria. In the present study, the phylogenetic and biochemical characteristics of the type strain and eight isolates of L. kunkeei, originating from wine, flowers and honey, were studied. The nine isolates, including the type strain, formed a well-defined phylogenetic subcluster based on the analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences. The subcluster was not closely related to other subclusters in the Lactobacillus phylogenetic group. Biochemically, the eight new isolates showed typical fructophilic characteristics. The eight isolates grew poorly on glucose, but grew well on fructose. Good growth on glucose was only recorded in the presence of electron acceptors. The type strain of L. kunkeei differed from the other isolates only on the basis of poor growth on fructose. Although they belong to a group of obligately heterofermentative lactic acid bacteria, all nine isolates, including the type strain, produced almost equimolar amounts of lactic acid and acetic acid and very little ethanol from glucose. Eight of the isolates can thus be regarded as typical 'obligately' fructophilic lactic acid bacteria. Although the type strain of L. kunkeei was phenotypically slightly different from the other isolates, it possessed several important fructophilic characteristics. On the basis of the evidence gathered in this study, the type strain of L. kunkeei is recognized as a member of the 'obligately' fructophilic lactic acid bacteria. © 2012 IUMS

Serum progesterone as an indicator of cyclic activity in post-partum goat does

The aim of this trial was to assess post-partum ovarian activity of the does of two South African goat breeds from their serum progesterone concentrations. Between seven and 100 days post-partum, does from the Boer goat breed and an indigenous rural goat type were allocated to two nutritional treatments within breed. One group per breed received a concentrated diet in an intensive feeding programme. The other group per breed was subjected to a low level of nutrition through the grazing of the natural pasture in an extensive (veld) grazing system. Blood samples were collected weekly from five does per breed per treatment. Serum progesterone concentrations were determined using a Gamma CoatTM [128] progesterone radioimmunoassay kit (Sorin Diagnostics, France). Large variations in serum progesterone concentrations were recorded within and between breeds and nutritional regimens. Irrespective of breed, in the extensive groups subjected to the low level of nutrition, mean peak serum progesterone concentrations never exceeded 0.2 ng/mL. This suggests that throughout the experimental period, ovarian activity remained low in the extensive groups. It was concluded that nutritional regimen plays a significant role in ensuring high ovarian activities. Furthermore, the higher mean serum progesterone levels in the Boer goat indicate an earlier and higher oestrous activity, compared to the indigenous does

Ecologie et distribution des espèces de Culicoides Latreille 1809 (Diptera : Ceratopogonidae) à proximité d’une exploitation bovine en Belgique

peer reviewedBluetongue is a non-contagious disease that affects domestic and wild ruminants. Since its spreading to Northern Europe in 2006, this viral epizooty caused considerable economical losses on the ovine and bovine livestock. The biological vectors of the bluetongue virus (BTV) are biting midges belonging to the genus Culicoides. Many elements still remain unknown about their biology, physiology, ecology and distribution. This study shows that these biting midges are much more abundant on farm level than in the nearby meadows; these last ones nevertheless present a much more specifi c diversity. So possibility of migration between the meadow and the farm is voiced for the C. chiopterus and C. dewulfi species. Females are much more represented than males for the farm and the meadow alike. The physiology observation of these ones is realized throughout the study