Integrated Crop and Pasture Based Livestock Production System Success on Reclaimed Surface Coal Mined Land in South Africa

Coal mining is the largest surface mining operation in South Africa’s grassland biome. Surface mining is leaving large tracts of land revegetated to pasture species as mining companies attempt to reclaim the agricultural potential of mined areas. Top soil management remains the key challenge to ensure agricultural productivity. During the reclamation process, newly placed soils are very often chemically, physically and microbiologically degraded, and high soil ameliorant inputs are required to catalyse agroecosystem function. These revegetated landscapes can offer good grazing capacity; however, to date there are no livestock grazing these areas, resulting in the subsequent deterioration of these new vegetation covers. Integrated crop and pasture based livestock production systems can provide a sustainable nutrient recycling process which can build soil health, while animals convert plant protein to animal protein. This regenerative agriculture approach is essential in ensuring sustainable reclamation projects. The risk of low forage quality however, exists due to poor soil conditions. This study aimed to assess the effects of an integrated crop and pasture based livestock production system on soil and pasture properties on revegetated mined land. A randomized block design was used to implement three stocking rates (zero, optimal (0.25 LSU/ha) and high (1 LSU/ha)) in a rotational grazing system on reclaimed mined land, planted to the nurse crop Avena sativa mixed with Chloris gayana and Digitaria eriantha. Soil and pasture quality parameters such as soil- carbon (%C), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), soil strength (kPa), pasture basal cover, dry matter (DM) production, crude protein (CP), acid detergent fibre (ADF), neutral detergent fibre (NDF) and moisture content were measured throughout the trial period. High stocking rates ensured high defoliation rates. The data shows that increased soil qualities were evidently correlated with improved basal cover and forage quality parameters. Applying regenerative agricultural principles, such as controlled non-selective rotational grazing of reclaimed surface mined land, agroecosystem function can be reinstated to achieve sustainable production potential. This is achieved through nutrient recycling, soil surface scarification by cattle hooves and grass root growth stimulation through defoliation

Dispensing patterns of antimigraine agents with a focus on seasonal variations in prescribing

Purpose: To determine the dispensing patterns of antimigraine agents in a private healthcare setting, focusing on seasonal variations in prescribing.Methods: A retrospective, cross-sectional drug utilization study was conducted using a South African medical insurance scheme administrator database for 2016. The database contained 3 567 170 records for medicines, medical devices and procedures. All products in MIMS category 1.9 (antimigraine agents) were analysed.Results: A total of 914 antimigraine products were dispensed to 505 patients (69.70 % females) at a cost of US$10,988.63. The average age of patients was 41.57 (SD = 13.77) years. Of the eight active ingredients, clonidine was the most often dispensed (34.68 %), followed by rizatriptan (28.01 %) and ergotamine (26.04 %). Prescribing peaks were observed in February to April 2016, and again in October. These months coincide with the change in seasons to winter and to summer, respectively, in South Africa.Conclusion: The sample size was too small to make definite conclusions, but it seems that prescribing of antimigraine agents reaches a peak during seasonal change specifically autumn and spring, confirming that weather is a possible trigger factor in migraine.Keywords: Migraine, Antimigraine agents, Trigger factors, Environmental, Weather, Seasonal, Prescribing patterns, Rizatripta

Helicobacter pylori prevalence in non-ulcer dyspepsia ethnic and socio-economic differences

Helicobacter pylori is an important cause of gastritis and a number of therapeutic. trials suggest that it may be important in the genesis of duodenal ulcer recurrence. The reported prevalence of gastric colonisation by the organism varies considerably. The aiIn of this cross-sectional survey was to determine its prevalence in non-ulcer dyspeptics and to determine whether this is influenced by age, race, sex, socio-economic status, educational level and the nwnber of persons sharing accommodation. One hundred and sixty-nine patients underwent endoscopy; biopsy speciInens were taken from the antrwn and H. pylori status was determined histologically. Gastric colonisation was found in 106 patients (63%). The prevalence showed a marked ethnic difference: 40% in whites and 71% in coloureds (P < 0,001). The ethnic groups were characterised by significant differences in socio-economic status (P < 10-6), educational level (P < 10-6), number of persons sharing accommodation (P < 10-6 ) and age (P < 0,001). These same differences were found when comparing the H. pylori-positive and negative groups, but were less marked and could be attributed to the marked differences between ethnic groups. We conclude that H. pylori prevalence differs between the ethnic groups studied. This may be because of varying degrees of exposure risk

Large-spored alternaria pathogens in section porri disentangled

The omnipresent fungal genus Alternaria was recently divided into 24 sections based on molecular and morphological data. Alternaria sect. Porri is the largest section, containing almost all Alternaria species with medium to large conidia and long beaks, some of which are important plant pathogens (e.g. Alternaria porri, A. solani and A. tomatophila). We constructed a multi-gene phylogeny on parts of the ITS, GAPDH, RPB2, TEF1 and Alt a 1 gene regions, which, supplemented with morphological and cultural studies, forms the basis for species recognition in sect. Porri. Our data reveal 63 species, of which 10 are newly described in sect. Porri, and 27 species names are synonymised. The three known Alternaria pathogens causing early blight on tomato all cluster in one clade, and are synonymised under the older name, A. linariae. Alternaria protenta, a species formerly only known as pathogen on Helianthus annuus, is also reported to cause early blight of potato, together with A. solani and A. grandis. Two clades with isolates causing purple blotch of onion are confirmed as A. allii and A. porri, but the two species cannot adequately be distinguished based on the number of beaks and branches as suggested previously. This is also found among the pathogens of Passifloraceae, which are reduced from four to three species. In addition to the known pathogen of sweet potato, A. bataticola, three more species are delineated of which two are newly described. A new Alternaria section is also described, comprising two large-spored Alternaria species with concatenate conidia.This research was supported by the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science through an endowment of the FES programme “Making the tree of life work”.http://www.studiesinmycology.org/am201

Smallholder Zebu and Forage Production Development in Central Madagascar

Poverty in the Central Highlands of Madagascar is partly driven by inefficient exploitation of native forages and poor livestock nutrition. Zebus are of importance as cultural symbols, but this tradition has grown disconnected from agricultural policy. This project is working with three central highland communities near the protected areas of Itremo, Ibity and Ankafobe, to boost rangeland productivity and trial management methods which will support key forage grasses and improve livestock nutrition. A severe nitrogen deficiency compounded by extremely acidic soil conditions and low phosphorus is observed across the three sites. The lowest grazing capacity of an estimated 0.7 livestock unit per hectare and biomass production of 1600 kg/ha is observed at Ankafobe, the highest elevation windy site with fires that are almost annual. Low production is due to acidic soils with a lack of phosphorus as well as likely iron toxicity. The project works with 90 households owning a total 150 female zebu, 1-5 per household. The project initiated 3 demonstration farms to show the planting of sorghum for silage, harvesting of the native grasses for hay, and building a secure barn meeting at least minimum animal care standards, using local materials to protect the livestock from the weather and theft which is sadly perceived to be common. In the first year the project produced the highest yields in the most remote and fertile site of Itremo, with 365 kg of sorghum silage from 0.5 ha and 165 kg of Brachiaria hay from 0.5 ha. Five households based in the milk producing region of eastern Ibity have completed new barns. Fifty percent of households at Ibity successfully fed silage and hay to their zebu for the first time. Madagascar remains famous for subsistence farming and rural poverty with a long-term decline in livestock, but substantial opportunity nevertheless exists for integrated crop and livestock production, alongside the protection of biodiversity in nearby forests

Principles for transformative ocean governance

With a focus on oceans, we collaborated across ecological, social and legal disciplines to respond to the United Nations call for transformation in the ‘2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development’. We developed a set of 13 principles that strategically and critically connect transformative ocean research to transformative ocean governance (complementing the UN Decade for Ocean Science). We used a rigorous, iterative and transparent consensus-building approach to define the principles, which can interact in supporting, neutral or sometimes conflicting ways. We recommend that the principles could be applied as a comprehensive set and discuss how to learn from their interactions, particularly those that reveal hidden tensions. The principles can bring and keep together partnerships for innovative ocean action. This action must respond to the many calls to reform current ocean-use practices which are based on economic growth models that have perpetuated inequities and fuelled conflict and environmental decline

Rebuffing Royals? Afrikaners and the royal visit to South Africa in 1947’

This article traces the responses of Afrikaners to the symbolism and political purposes of the 1947 royal visit to Southern Africa, the first post-war royal tour and the first visit of a reigning sovereign to the Union of South Africa. Taking place in the aftermath of a war that had caused bitter political divisions within Afrikaner ranks and stimulated radical populist nationalism, a royal tour intended to express the crown's gratitude for South Africa's participation in that war was bound to be contentious. Drawing on press accounts, biographies, autobiographies and archival sources, this article argues that the layered reactions of Afrikaners demonstrate that, even on the eve of the National Party's electoral victory on a republican and apartheid platform, attitudes towards monarchy and the British connection were more fluid and ambiguous than either contemporary propaganda or recent accounts have allowed. The diverse meanings attributed to this iconic royal tour reveal a process of intense contestation and reflection about South Africa's place in an empire that was in the throes of post-war redefinition and transformation, and confirm recent characterisations of the 1940s as one of manifold possibilities such that outcomes, like the electoral victory of the National Party in the following year, was far from pre-determined

International consensus statement for the screening, diagnosis, and treatment of adolescents with concurrent Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and substance use disorder

Education and Child Studie

Die bepaling van Ca, Mg, Al, Fe, Mn en Cu in plantmateriaal met behulp van die horisontale vonk-metode

Tesis (M. Sc.) -- Universiteit van Stellenbosch, 1963.Rugtitel: Plantontledings met die horisontale vonkmetode.Full text to be digitised and attached to bibliographic record

Die bepaling van Ca, Mg, Al, Fe, Mn en Cu in plantmateriaal met behulp van die horisontale vonk-metode

Tesis (M. Sc.) -- Universiteit van Stellenbosch, 1963.Rugtitel: Plantontledings met die horisontale vonkmetode.Full text to be digitised and attached to bibliographic record