Advocating for the inclusion of operatic collaborative piano curricula in higher education: Informing curricula through lived experience

The purpose of this article was to examine how the lived experiences of five professional collaborative pianists during the 35th International Hans Gabor Belvedere Singing Competition, that was held in Cape Town in 2016, could inform the inclusion of new curricula for specialised operatic collaborative piano modules in tertiary institutions. Based on the literature reviewed and themes that emerged from the data, a curriculum could include the following aspects: a knowledge of the rules of lyric diction in foreign languages; excellent sight-reading skills; knowledge of the art of orchestral reduction and repertoire; the ability to transcribe and reduce full opera scores. One personal skill that is not often developed and should also be included is the ability of a pianist to evince empathy when working with singers

The role of social support in the persistence of first-year first-generation African students in a higher education institution in South Africa

Although there are several studies on first-year, first-generation students internationally, their focus have predominantly been on reasons for dropping out, transition issues and the students’ pre-entry attributes. However, few studies have focused on the first-year, first-generation African students (FYFGAS) in the African context. This article employed a qualitative inquiry to explore the role of social support in school retention among FYFGAS within the South African context. Twenty-three students in all participated in the individual interviews (n = 5) and in the focus group (n = 18) discussion. The interviews were based on questions where the research sought to understand the determinants and contributors to the students’ persistence and success in their first year of study. Themes that emerged from the data analysis indicated the important role of the family, the community at home and at university and of peers in supporting and encouraging the FYFGAS in pursuing their studies throughout their first year. Findings of this study indicated the importance of social support towards the persistence and success for FYFGAS in their first year of study at university

An Agronomic Evaluation of Grazing Maize Combined with Companion Crops for Sheep in Northwestern KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Northwestern KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), in South Africa, is well known for its sheep production from natural rangeland in summer (October to May). During winter however, the nutritional value of the rangeland cannot maintain young growing sheep or pregnant and lactating ewes. With this in mind Lyle (1991) suggested the use of planted pastures for the winter. Crichton, Gertenbach & Henning (1998) and Esterhuizen & Niemand (1989) suggested maize crop residues for both cattle and sheep during winter, whereas Moore (1997) evaluated grazing maize (not harvested) for this purpose. He found that the protein content of the crop was inadequate and for this reason, protein rich companion crops were evaluated in this study

An Evaluation of Grazing Value of Maize and Companion Crops for Wintering Lactating Ewes

Northwestern KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), in South Africa, is well known for its sheep production from natural rangeland in summer (October to May). During winter, however, the nutritional value of the rangeland cannot maintain young growing sheep or pregnant and lactating ewes. With this in mind, Lyle (1991) suggested the use of planted pastures for the winter. Crichton et al. (1998) and Esterhuizen & Niemand (1989) suggested the use of maize crop residues for both cattle and sheep during winter, whereas Moore (1997) evaluated grazing (not harvested) maize for this purpose. He found that the crude protein content of the crop was inadequate and for this protein-rich companion crops were evaluated in this study

Academic hospital accreditation strengthens postgraduate training programmes: Case study from Universitas Academic Hospital

Benefits derived from the Council for Health Services AccreditationSouth Africa (COHSASA) accreditation of the UniversitasAcademic Hospital (UAH) in Bloemfontein are illustrated.Accreditation assessments were performed between 2001 and 2007,and full compliance with the COHSASA standards for AcademicHospitals was achieved. An initiative to develop thoracic surgeryin central South Africa (SA) was launched by the Department ofCardiothoracic Surgery at UAH. The synergistic effects of qualityimprovements in healthcare provision owing to the accreditationprocess, and the project to increase service provision in thoracicsurgery in central SA, have led to a qualitative and quantitativeincrease in thoracic surgical service provision. The importanceof academic hospital accreditation in strengthening postgraduatetraining programmes is shown, and the accreditation process isrecommended for all South African academic teaching hospitals tosupport, improve and sustain our training platforms

An Agronomic Evaluation of Grazing Maize Combined with Companion Crops for Sheep in Northwestern KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Northwestern KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), in South Africa, is well known for its sheep production from natural rangeland in summer (October to May). During winter however, the nutritional value of the rangeland cannot maintain young growing sheep or pregnant and lactating ewes. With this in mind Lyle (1991) suggested the use of planted pastures for the winter. Crichton, Gertenbach & Henning (1998) and Esterhuizen & Niemand (1989) suggested maize crop residues for both cattle and sheep during winter, whereas Moore (1997) evaluated grazing maize (not harvested) for this purpose. He found that the protein content of the crop was inadequate and for this reason, protein rich companion crops were evaluated in this study

Two-dimensional boson-fermion mixtures

Using mean-field theory, we study the equilibrium properties of boson-fermion mixtures confined in a harmonic pancake-shaped trap at zero temperature. When the modulus of the s-wave scattering lengths are comparable to the mixture thickness, two-dimensional scattering events introduce a logarithmic dependence on density in the coupling constants, greatly modifying the density profiles themselves. We show that for the case of a negative boson-fermion three-dimensional s-wave scattering length, the dimensional crossover stabilizes the mixture against collapse and drives it towards spatial demixing.Comment: 9 pages, 4 figure

Predation by West Coast rock lobsters (Jasus lalandii) on two species of winkle (Oxystele sinensis and Turbo cidaris)

Rock lobsters, Jasus lalandii, may play an important role in structuring the communities on shallow reef ecosystems and have recently increased in density in the area between Cape Hangklip and Danger Point on the southwest coast of South Africa. This has probably resulted in increased predation on natural populations of smooth turban shells (Turbo cidaris) and pink-lipped topshells (Oxystete sinensis), both of which are proposed targets for small-scale commercial fisheries. This study examines the size selectivity, prey species preferences and consumption rates of rock lobsters feeding on these two winkle species. Rock lobsters showed a strong preference for small O. sinensis, and were limited to taking a maximum (or critical) size of prey, which increased linearly with rock-lobster size. By contrast, rock lobsters of all size classes tested were able to crack and consume a full size range of T. cidaris, and no size preferences were evident. When the two gastropods were offered simultaneously, rock lobsters preferentially consumed the thinner shelled O. sinensis.Consumption rates increased linearly with rock-lobster size. Population consumption rates indicate that rock lobsters will have a profound effect on winkle stocks in the area, even if winkles constituted less than 1% of the diet. This in turn suggests that commercial exploitation of these stocks is unlikely to remain sustainable

Stability and correlations in dilute two-dimensional boson systems

The hyperspherical adiabatic expansion method is used to describe correlations in a symmetric boson system rigorously confined to two spatial dimensions. The hyperangular eigenvalue equation turns out to be almost independent of the hyperradius, whereas the solutions are strongly varying with the strength of the attractive two-body potentials. Instability is encountered in hyperangular, hyperradial, and mean-field equations for almost identical strengths inversely proportional to the particle number. The derived conditions for stability are similar to mean-field conditions and closely related to the possible occurrence of the Thomas and Efimov effects. Renormalization in mean-field calculations for two spatial dimensions is probably not needed.Comment: 5 pages, two figures, submitted to Phys. Rev. A, second version contains added discussion, especially of renormalizatio

Realistic modeling of leakage and intrusion flows through leak openings in pipes

The hydraulics of leakage and intrusion flows through leak openings in pipes is complicated by variations in the leak areas owing to changes in pressure. This paper argues that the pressure–area relationship can reasonably be assumed to be a linear function, and a modified orifice equation is proposed for more realistic modeling of leakage and intrusion flows. The properties of the modified orifice equation are explored for different classes of leak openings. The implications for the current practice of using a power equation to model leakage and intrusion flows are then investigated. A mathematical proof is proposed for an equation linking the parameters of the modified orifice and power equations using the concept of a dimensionless leakage number. The leakage exponent of a given leak opening is shown to generally not be constant with variations in pressure and to approach infinity when the leakage number approaches a value of minus one. Significant modeling errors may result if the power equation is extrapolated beyond its calibration pressure range or at high exponent values. It is concluded that the modified orifice equation and leakage number provide a more realistic description of leakage and intrusion flows, and it is recommended that this approach be adopted in modeling studies