Onderwys-/opleidingsvoorsiening en ekonomiese aanvraag

Education/training and economic demand Education systems and their output appear to be out of step with the demands of the economy in many countries, including South Africa. Massive education investment and expansion seem to have resulted, especially in developing countries, in schooled unemployment rather than economic development, modernisation and full employment. A historicalcomparative overview reveals how economically successful countries such as the United Kingdom, the United States of America, Germany, and (until recently) the new economic giants of South-East Asia and the Far East, succeeded in aligning education and training with the economy. In conclusion the implications of their strategies for South Africa are explored. A combination of the British and Singaporean models is recommended for South Africa. A warning is, however, sounded throughout that economic systems that do not adhere to the principles of human stewardship and responsible management should not be supported by education and training in their present forms. Those involved in education and training should rather call for reform of the systems that they are expected to support

Spheroidisation of iron powder in a microwave plasma reactor

Plasma-assisted spheroidisation of metal powders offers several technical advantages with respect to both the ease of materials handling and powder-metallurgical item manufacturing. Advantages include improved flowability, increased powder packing density, elimination of internal component cavities and fractures, changes in morphology resulting in decreased friction between particles and contamination during pneumatic transport and enhanced particle purity. In this empirical study, spherical iron particles were produced using a microwave plasma operating at atmospheric pressure and characterized using optical microscopy and SEM techniques. Iron powders were fed into the system at fixed operating conditions, resulting in particles with spherical structures. The theoretical estimate of the time required for melting to occur is 1.6 ms, an order of magnitude smaller than the actual residence time.http://www.saimm.co.za/journal-papersam2016Chemical Engineerin

Boekbespreking

No abstract available

A quantitative systems pharmacology consortium approach to managing immunogenicity of therapeutic proteins

Immunogenicity is a major challenge in drug development and patient care. Currently, most efforts are dedicated to the elimination of the unwanted immune responses through T‐cell epitope prediction and protein engineering. However, because it is unlikely that this approach will lead to complete eradication of immunogenicity, we propose that quantitative systems pharmacology models should be developed to predict and manage immunogenicity. The potential impact of such a mechanistic model‐based approach is precedented by applications of physiologically‐based pharmacokinetics

Influence of different housing systems on the performance of hens of four laying strains

Four laying strains were evaluated with regard to henday egg production, egg mass, feed conversion, mortality, Haugh units, shell thickness and percentage soiled, cracked and broken eggs produced under a battery, floor house and free-range system. This was done to determine whether significant differences do exist in performance between the different housing systems and to identify any stain x housing system interactions that may be present. Strain accounted for most variation in all the tested traits. Overall the battery system seemst o be more advantageousth an the other systems,y ielding a significantly higher henday egg production than the free-range system, a significantly higher egg mass than in the floor house system, a significantly better feed conversion than both the floor house and free-range systems, significantly less mortalities and less soiled, cracked and broken eggs than both the other systems. Strain x housing system interactions were observed with regard to feed conversion and mortality.Vier lOrassei s gegvalueert en opsigte van hendageierproduksiee, iermassa,v oeromset,m ortaliteit, Haugh-eenhede,d opdikte en persentasiev uil, gekraaktee n gebreektee iersv erkry vanaf 'n battery-,v loerhuis-e n veldkampstelsel.D it is gedoen om vas te stel of daar betekenisvollev erskille bestaani n prestasiet ussenv erskillendeb ehuisingstelselse n om enige ras x behuisingstelselinteraksiews at teenwoordigm ag wees,t e identifiseer.D ie meestev ariasiei n die gemetee ienskappew ord deur ras verklaar.I n die geheelb lyk die batterystelsevl oordeligert e weesa s die ander twee stelsels.' n Betekenisvolleh o0r hendageierproduksiew ord in die batterystelseal s in die veldkampbehuisingstelsevle rkry, 'n ho€r eiermassaa s in die vloerhuisstelsel,' n beter voeromseta s in albei die ander behuisingstelselsla, er mortaliteit en 'n laer persentasiev uil, gekraakte en gebreektee iers as in die vloerhuis- en veldkampbehuisingstelselsR.a s x omgewingbehuisingstelselinteraksieiss waargeneem ten opsigte van voeromset en mortaliteit.Keywords: Feed conversion, Haugh units, henday egg production, housing system, strain

An unusual case of oromandibular-limb hypogenesis syndrome

The oromandibular-limb hypogenesis syndrome is a rare complex of jaw and limb defects with unclear aetiology. Multiple and variable deformities of the mandible, maxilla and tongue may occur in combination with a variety of limb defects. The wide range and combination of anomalies make classification difficult. A patient with all of the features of oromandibular-limb hypogenesis syndrome (except cranial nerve palsy) is presented. Despite severe micrognathia, synostosis of the jaws and soft-tissue synechiae between the hypoplastic tongue and the cleft palate, this patient had no respiratory difficulty and thrived with nasogastric feeding. The surgical management is discussed with emphasis given to the difficult airway and restoration of normal function of the tongue and jaws. © 2008 Springer-Verlag.Articl

Serum beta-2-microglobulin in the differential diagnosis of monoclonal gammopathies

Serum beta-2-microglobulin (B2m) concentrations were determined in 43 southern African black patients with multiple myeloma (MM), in 130 black patients with monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) and in 70 control subjects. The results showed median values for serum B2m in patients with MM, MGUS and the control group to be 8,10 mg/l, 3,05 mg/l, and 2,35 mg/l, respectively; these values differed significantly from one another (P< 0,01), even when patients with normal renal function (serum creatinine value < 110 μmol/l) were considered separately. The median serum B2m concentration for IgG MM (22 cases) was 4,3 mg/l, for IgA MM (8 cases) 7,3 mg/l, and 24,2 mg/l for Bence Jones MM (12 cases). These differences were also significant (P = 0,001), but not in the restricted group of MM patients with normal renal function. In the 43 MM patients serum B2m concentrations had a significant positive correlation with serum creatinine (r = 0,706; P < 0,005) and a significant negative correlation with haemoglobin values (r =-0,459; P = 0,006). In 28 MM patients with normal renal function, serum B2m values had a significant negative correlation with serum albumin (r = -0,602, P = 0,003). Sixty-five per cent of the 43 MM patients and 18,5% of the MGUS patients had raised serum B2m values (> 4,7 mgl/). An optimum cut-off value for serum B2m of 6,9 mg/l for differentiating MM from MGUS was determined using a classification rule. Despite lacking specificity, serum B2m measurement was useful in differentiating MM from MGUS, and was the best second choice variable in relation to serum albumin and haemoglobin in patients with normal renal function

Health, well-being and wellness: An anthropological eco-systemic approach

More than two decades ago, Fritjof Capra commended - and indeed advocated – a paradigm shift in health science and care. In his book The Turning Point (1982) he talks of a major shift from the preoccupation with micro-organisms to a careful study of the ‘host organism and its environment’, of ‘significant attempts to develop a unified approach to the mind/body system’ in Western medicine, of ‘a new holistic paradigm’ (as opposed to ‘the old biomedical paradigm’) regarding the problem of health and healing, of ‘a holistic and humanistic approach to primary care’, and of ‘a holistic therapy’ as opposed to ‘the traditional biochemical practice of associating a physical disease with a specific physical cause’. Our concern in this article is with the paradigm shift advocated by Capra in this book and the progress that has since been made.http://search.sabinet.co.za/WebZ/Authorize?sessionid=0&next=ej/ej_content_health.html&bad=error/authofail.htm