Anarchival Practices:The Clanwilliam Arts Project as Re-imagining Custodianship of the Past

Where is the past? It is not really behind us, but with us, constantly imagined and re-imagined in public discourse through historical narrations. Using the Clanwilliam Arts Project as a case study, this volume is founded on the ‘anarchive’, a conceptual constellation that positions the past in relation to the present, bringing into view strategies to facilitate remembering beyond the colonial archive.Carine Zaayman, Anarchival Practices: The Clanwilliam Arts Project as Re-imagining Custodianship of the Past, Worlding Public Cultures (Berlin: ICI Berlin Press, 2023) <https://doi.org/10.37050/wpc-ca-01

Elucidation of Diuraphis noxia biotype-specific responses in Triticum aestivum (98M370 Dn7+)

The Russian wheat aphid (Diuraphis noxia, RWA), is a serious pest in most wheat producing countries around the world. Infestation of wheat fields by this pest has a severe economic impact, as a result of heavy losses in crop yield. Because of the importance of wheat as a food source and its ever growing supply demand, the study of wheat-Russian wheat aphid interactions on the molecular level are integral to the development of management strategies. This is highlighted by the fact that new RWA biotypes that overcome resistance in a number of wheat varieties, continually emerge. Therefore, this study aims to contribute to this endeavour, by elucidating the molecular mechanisms by which the RWA resistance gene Dn7 confers resistance to three different RWA biotypes (one from SA, and two from the USA). Firstly, suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH) was applied in order to isolate transcripts differentially expressed in the RWA resistant wheat line, 94M370, carrying the Dn7 gene. There are two main advantages to this technique. One is that the relative representation of rare transcripts is increased in the subsequent cDNA population, and it is these low abundance transcripts that are arguably the ones of particular interest. Secondly, this method allows for the isolation of unknown transcripts, without the need for existing sequence information. Experiments with this method however, failed, leading to an investigation as to probable causes. The various steps involved in the SSH procedure were individually assessed in an attempt to identify and correct the problem. Various adjustments were made to PCR procedures, template enzyme digestions and ligation reactions, without success. After creating a basic cDNA-AFLP fingerprint from the existing cDNA template, in order to confirm that the template is not responsible for experimental difficulties – it was decided to apply a different strategy in order to meet research objectives. Consequently, the study on Dn7 mediated defence responses was continued with cDNA-AFLP. In addition to studying the response by Dn7 to South African biotype RWA infestation, its responses to infestation by two United States RWA biotypes was also explored. This allowed us to gain a greater comprehension of the methods by which Dn7 activates defences against different aphid eliciting agents. Findings suggest that this gene activates responses that are unique to each of the different aphid interactions. Although the interactions between Dn7 and the two US biotypes were very similar, this can possibly be explained by the fact that the differences between these two biotypes on molecular level are minuscule. Dn7 responds to the South African biotype of the RWA in a completely different manner, as judged by the very dissimilar expression patterns obtained during cDNA-AFLP analysis. Reasons for this phenomenon could include molecular differences between the South African and US RWA biotypes, differences in response generating elicitor molecules (which has indeed been shown to be the case between South African and US aphid biotypes), or a combination of both. The sequencing of fragments displaying differential expression patterns during cDNA-AFLP fingerprinting, provides us with additional information as to the exact mechanisms potentially involved. As expected, various compounds related to plant defence were identified, such as a number of Leucine rich repeat (LRR) domain containing proteins, genes related to cell signalling and genes involved in protein processing (proteases, peptidases). Finally, these results are consistent with theories that Dn7 may recognise and interact with its distinct aphid elicitors either directly, by the presence of multiple bindings sites on the same protein, or indirectly. In that case, in accordance with the guard hypothesis, Dn7 may simply monitor interactions between aphid elicitors and other recognition factors- after which a response cascade is activated. Useful potential research would focus on Dn7 itself, including mapping, isolation as well as structural and functional characterization.Dissertation (MSc)--University of Pretoria, 2007.Geneticsunrestricte

Professional nurses’ experiences of their community service placement year at a secondary academic hospital in the Western Cape

Magister Curationis - MCurCommunity service has been an inevitable part of most health professionals’ lives since it began in 1998. In 2004 the Health Minister in South Africa announced that community service will be extended to include nurses once the Nursing Bill of 2005 was passed by Parliament. Community service for nurses is one year of service after graduation and before the graduate is registered as a professional nurse with the South African Nursing Council. The period of transition from student to newly qualified nurse is known to be stressful. “Reality shock” is a common experience for newly qualified nurses who find themselves in work situations for which they feel inadequately prepared. The aim of the study was to explore the professional nurses’ experience of the community service year at a secondary hospital in the Western Cape. The two objectives were to explore the professional nurses’ experience of their transition from student to community service practitioner and to explore the support and challenges experienced by professional nurses during their community service year at a secondary hospital in the Western Cape. A qualitative research approach and an exploratory and descriptive research design were used to gain insight into the professional nurses’ experiences of their community service year. The population included all professional nurses employed in community service during 2012-2013 and who were working at the selected research site, a secondary academic hospital in the Western Cape. Participants, sampled through purposive sampling, participated in semi-structured interviews during September 2014-January 2015. The inductive process described by Thomas (2003) was used to analyse the data. The results of this study revealed that the community service year was experienced as difficult as it required the community service practitioners to apply new knowledge and take on a higher level of responsibility in practice. The undergraduate nursing programme was perceived as not preparing them for the responsibility as community service practitioner.However, transition from student to community service practitioner was experienced as positive as they developed positive relationships with staff that supported them through the process while they developed professionally

Three Scrambles for Africa

Tato teze zkoumá tri navzájem související období, týkající se vztahu Afriky se specifickými zememi a mocenskými bloky mimo africký kontinent od doby vedoucí ke kolonizaci Afriky, dále pak obdobím, oznaceném jako druhý mocenský boj, kde analyzuji proces soutežení a geopolitického napetí mezi dvema svetovými supervelmocemi behem Studené války a související s rozširováním vlivu mezi samotnými africkými státy, a rozsah, jehož proces vyvolal geopolitickou souteživost. Tretí kapitola mocenskych putek zahrnuje období od konce Studené války po prítomnost.Hodnocením procesu vztahu Afriky v prubehu techto trí specifických období vidím nedostatek patricných informací mezi vetšinou akademiku nejenom v Ceské republice, ale rovnež i na mezinárodním poli, což predstavuje nové pole pro hlubší výzkum. Prestože Afrika je dobre prozkoumána z hlediska spolecenských ved, chybí souhrnné studie a kritické analýzy v oblasti geopolitiky a politické geografie. Prispívá k tomu i skutecnost, že velká vetšina výzkumu je prací akademiku, kterí sami z Afriky nepocházejí. Tudíž pretrvává situace, kdy se na celou problematiku nahlíží periferne, a nikoliv zevnitr. Tato teze se proto pokouší vybídnout a hledat rešení techto témat.This thesis examines three pertinent periods regarding Africa's relationship with specific countries and power blocks outside the continent from the period leading up to the colonisation of Africa followed by what is termed the Second Scramble which, analyses the process of competition and geopolitical tension between the two superpowers during the Cold War period, pertaining to expanding their influence amongst African countries and the extent to which the process excited geopolitical competition. The Third Scramble encompasses the period from the end of the Cold War to the present. Reviewing the process of Africa's relationship throughout these specific periods remains unfamiliar to the majority of academics not only in the Czech Republic but also internationally and presents a new field of research. Although Africa continues to be well researched within certain fields of social sciences, it is within the field of political geography and by extension, geopolitics that there remains a deficiency regarding comprehensive study and critical analysis of the subject in general. Compounded to this is the fact that the vast majority of research is by academics who themselves are not from Africa. Hence, a situation prevails, whereby the subject itself is viewed from the periphery as opposed to from...Katedra politologieDepartment of Political ScienceFaculty of Social SciencesFakulta sociálních vě

A comparison of mollusc diversity between the relatively pristine Marico River and the impacted Crocodile River, two major tributaries of the Limpopo River, South Africa

A study of the freshwater mollusc diversity was conducted at selected sites in the relatively pristine  Marico River and the impacted Crocodile River, the major tributaries of the Limpopo River. Four  surveys were conducted, two in an early (May 2013 and 2014) and two in a late (November 2013 and 2014) low-flow period. Semi-quantitative surveys were done by sampling the vegetation, as well as the substratum, with a standard SASS net for approximately 15 min each. Environmental parameters including water temperature, electrical conductivity (EC) and pH were measured at each site. Molluscs were identified up to species level, sorted, counted, and the presence of juvenile specimens recorded. Historical data for the 1/16th degree square grids (loci), in which each of the sampling sites of the current study was located, were extracted from the National Freshwater Snail Collection at the Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management, Potchefstroom Campus of the North-West University. During this study, 20 and 9 species were recovered from the Marico and Crocodile Rivers, respectively, as compared to 13 and 12 species on record for these loci, respectively. Juvenile specimens were present during the four surveys at most of the sites. Canonical correspondence analyses were applied which revealed that biotopes, water temperature and EC played the most significant role in the distribution and abundance of species. The relatively high mollusc diversity and the fact that juveniles were present throughout the study, demonstrated that current habitat and environmental conditions were suitable to promote recruitment and the sustainability of diverse mollusc populations in the Marico River and its tributaries. However, in contrast to this, the exploitation of and habitat transformation in the Crocodile River has resulted in the decrease of biotopes which eventually could have led to the  decrease in diversity and the establishment of P. acuta, an exotic invader species.Keywords: freshwater molluscs, biodiversity, Marico River, Crocodile River, environmental variable

A sensitive nested real-time RT-PCR for the detection of Shuni virus

Recently Shuni virus (SHUV) has been identified in clinical cases of neurological disease in horses in South Africa. Being that it was one of the less recognized orthobunyaviruses, with limited clinical descriptions of disease dating back to the 1960s and 1970s, SHUV-specific assays were never developed. In this study, the development of a nested real-time PCR assay is described for the detection of SHUV by means of melt-curve analysis using fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) probe technology. The assay was validated against previously positive clinical specimens and a dilution series of controls. This assay was applied in the screening of 386 clinical specimens of horses with neurological signs. SHUV could be amplified from cell culture, blood and tissue specimens from horses with acute disease. This is a rapid and sensitive assay that may be implemented in both diagnostic and research laboratories.National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS) pathology and the Global Disease Detection (GDD) programme of the Centres for Disease Control (CDC).http://www.elsevier.com/locate/jviromethb201

Shuni Virus as Cause of Neurologic Disease in Horses

To determine which agents cause neurologic disease in horses, we conducted reverse transcription PCR on isolates from of a horse with encephalitis and 111 other horses with acute disease. Shuni virus was found in 7 horses, 5 of which had neurologic signs. Testing for lesser known viruses should be considered for horses with unexplained illness

Lineage 2 West Nile Virus as Cause of Fatal Neurologic Disease in Horses, South Africa

Lineage 2 WNV may be missed as a cause of neurologic infections in horses and humans in this region

Transmission of West Nile Virus during Horse Autopsy

No abstract available