Enhancing the enzymatic browning inhibition capacity of Moringa oleifera seed extract via the Maillard reaction

The antioxidant and anti-browning activity of heated plant extracts have been attributed to the formation of Maillard reaction products (MRPs) via the Maillard reaction (MR). The inhibitory effect of heated Moringa oleifera (MO) seed extract on banana polyphenol oxidase (PPO) was investigated. The Plain MO seed extracts and those with added glucose and glycine (1.5 mM each) were heated at 100°C for 15, 30, 60 and 120 min. The pH and brown colour development decreased and increased significantly (P <0.05) with increased reaction time, respectively, with heated moringa glucose-glycine HMGGL for 120 min exhibiting the highest pH reduction (2.58) and darkest extracts at an L* value of 8.11. This phenomenon is associated with progression of the MR. With reference to enzymatic browning, heated MO seed extracts exhibited stronger inhibitory effect against banana PPO activity in vivo and in vitro than the unheated counterpart. Evident to this are the higher inhibition percentages and lower ΔE values. Among model systems, the highest in vitro browning inhibition was exhibited mostly by longer heating times of 60 and 120 min. Model system HMGGL 120 min proved to be superior at 96% inhibition, which was comparable to known synthetic commercial antioxidants such as ascorbic acid (AA) at 99%, as well as ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) and citric acid (CA), both at 100% inhibition. In vivo enzymatic browning inhibition followed a similar trend, where the brown pigment (melanin) intensified as shown by an increase in ΔE as the storage time increased from 0.5 to 24 h. The model system UMGGL exhibited highest inhibition of brown melanin (p <0.05). Although it was the best amongst other model systems, it was surpassed by synthetic antioxidants AA, EDTA and CA, which were ranked amongst the top three in inhibiting brown pigment formation in vivo. To further illustrate the effect of MR augmented MO seed extracts on enzyme activity inhibition, UMGGL 60 and 120 at 5 and 24 h storage surpassed the inhibitory effect of AA. At the said storage times, AA lost its inhibitory potential against pigment formation. This was due to oxidation of AA to form dehydroascorbic acid, which lacks inhibitory potential. This study proved that heating MO plant extracts increases their enzymatic browning inhibition potential, furthermore, the inhibitory capacity was heightened when reacted via the MR

Blood ordering practices in the management of ectopic pregnancy at Groote Schuur hospital

The International Society for Burns Injuries (ISBI) has published guidelines for the management of multiple or mass burns casualties, and recommends that 'each country has or should have a disaster planning system that addresses its own particular needs.' The need for a national burns disaster plan integrated with national and provincial disaster planning was discussed at the South African Burns Society Congress in 2009, but there was no real involvement in the disaster planning prior to the 2010 World Cup; the country would have been poorly prepared had there been a burns disaster during the event. This article identifies some of the lessons learnt and strategies derived from major burns disasters and burns disaster planning from other regions. Members of the South African Burns Society are undertaking an audit of burns care in South Africa to investigate the feasibility of a national burns disaster plan. This audit (which is still under way) also aims to identify weaknesses of burns care in South Africa and implement improvements where necessary

Blood ordering practices in the management of ectopic pregnancy at Groote Schuur hospital

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The initial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the diagnosis of new cancers at a large pathology laboratory in the public health sector, Western Cape Province, South Africa

Background. The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted cancer diagnostic services. A decline in the number of new cancers being diagnosed over a relatively short term implies a delay in diagnosis and subsequent treatment. This delay is expected to have a negative effect on cancerrelated morbidity and mortality. The impact of the pandemic on the number of new cancer diagnoses in our setting is unknown.Objectives. To assess the impact of COVID-19 on the number of new cancers diagnosed at our institution in the first 3 months following the implementation of lockdown restrictions, by focusing on common non-cutaneous cancers.Methods. A retrospective laboratory-based audit was performed at a large anatomical pathology laboratory in Western Cape Province, South Africa. The numbers of new diagnoses for six common cancers (breast, prostate, cervix, large bowel, oesophagus and stomach) from 1 April 2020 to 30 June 2020 were compared with the corresponding period in 2019.Results. Histopathological diagnoses for the six cancers combined decreased by 193 (–36.3%), from 532 new cases in the 2019 study period to 339 in the corresponding period in 2020. Substantial declines were seen for prostate (–58.2%), oesophageal (–44.1%), breast (–32.9%), gastric (–32.6%) and colorectal cancer (–29.2%). The smallest decline was seen in cervical cancer (–7%). New breast cancers diagnosed by cytopathology declined by 61.1%.Conclusions. The first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic and the associated response resulted in a substantial decline in the number of new cancer diagnoses, implying a delay in diagnosis. Cancer-related morbidity and mortality is expected to rise as a result, with the greatest increase in mortality expected from breast and colorectal cancer

“Managing Staff WFH in Crisis Times” - How Are Teacher Education Managers Supporting Staff Working Remotely at an Odel College?

The sudden onslaught of the Covid-19 pandemic changed how university managers operate. Staff working from home (WFH) needed support and teacher education managers (TEM) played an important role in giving such support. This study is underpinned by the crisis leadership theory and ubuntu-oriented management style. The aim of this exploratory study is to ascertain the support strategies provided by TEM to staff WFH during the Covid-19 pandemic. To achieve the aim, this study investigates motivational support TEM provided to staff WFH during the pandemic. The aim included establishing which stress management techniques TEM used to support staff WFH and explore communicative tools used to support staff WFH.  The constructivist-interpretivist lens is foregrounding the qualitative single case research, exploring the kind of support that six distance managers provided to staff WFH at an open distance e-learning university. Results revealed that staff WFH were acknowledged and rewarded for hard work and excellence. Several web-based video-conferencing sessions were offered through online Teams webinars, seminars, workshops and stress management techniques. Further research needs to be undertaken to determine, through a mixed-method design, how TEM employed stress management techniques for staff WFH, which may yield different results