Biological activity of extracellular and intracellular polysaccharides from Pleurotus tuber-regium hybrid and mutant strains
- Authors: Bamigboye, Comfort Olukemi , Oloke, Julius Kola , Dames, Joanna Felicity
- Date: 2016
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/69056 , vital:29376 , http://pubs.sciepub.com/jfnr/4/7/2/
- Description: Publisher version , Pleurotus tuber-regium (Fr.) Singer (1951) is a unique sclerotium-forming edible and medicinal mushroom. Interestingly, both the sclerotium and mushroom are edible and are often used for curing various ailments. Previous studies have focused on the antimicrobial and antioxidant activity of the extracellular polysaccharide (EPS) from wild P. tuber-regium. There has been no report on the intracellular polysaccharide (IPS) of the wild mycelia, likewise there is very meager information on the improvement of the perceived potentials of P. tuber-regium. This research study analysed the EPS and IPS fractions of P. tuber-regium hybrid and mutant strains. The antimicrobial potential of the IPS and EPS fractions, their scavenging activity on 1, 1-diphenyl–2picryhydrazyl (DPPH) and Hydroxyl radicals were also determined. Both IPS and EPS fractions of P. tuber-regium hybrids and mutants showed increased DPPH and hydroxyl scavenging activity over the wild P. tuber-regium with an EC50 mostly 1 mg/ml. The antimicrobial activity of the IPS from a mutant strain had an IC50 of 15.6 mg/ml compared to the wild type (18.75 mg /ml). This study showed that selected mutant and hybrids of P. tuber-regium had increased radical scavenging activity indicating potentially increased biological activity that could offer increased benefit as a neutraceutical.
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 2016
Diet of the endemic bivalve Solen cylindraceus inferred from stable isotope analysis in the Kariega Estuary, South Africa
- Authors: Nel, Holly A , Froneman, P William
- Date: 2016
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/67933 , vital:29170 , https://doi.org/10.1080/13235818.2016.1175917
- Description: Publisher version , Sedentary filter-feeders such as the razor clam (Solen cylindraceus) are believed to indiscriminately exploit a carbon source derived from particulate organic matter (POM). POM demonstrates a high degree of spatial and temporal variability in composition, which may result in intraspecific dietary variation. This study aimed to investigate seasonal ontogenetic shifts in the feeding ecology of S. cylindraceus using dual stable isotopic (δ13C and δ15N) analyses in the oligotrophic temperate permanently open Kariega Estuary, South Africa. Mixing model results demonstrate that the different size classes of S. cylindraceus had a diet comprised mainly of POM. However, size grouping did have a significant effect on carbon and nitrogen signatures. Specifically, during winter, carbon isotopic signatures became more depleted with a decrease in size, while both winter and summer δ15N values became more nitrogen enriched with an increase in size. The observed trend in the ratios can likely be ascribed to the hydrodynamics of the system. Data from this study suggest that there may be some degree of variation among the different size cohorts, although this needs further investigation.
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 2016
Disaster management policy options to address the sanitation challenges in South Africa
- Authors: Hoossein, Shafick , Tandlich, Roman , Whittington-Jones, Kevin J , Laubscher, Richard K , Madikizela, Phindile , Zuma, Bongumusa M
- Date: 2016
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/75938 , vital:30485 , https://www.neha.org/node/28591
- Description: The current population of South Africa has been migrating into informal urban settlements that lack adequate sanitation service delivery, caused at least in part by the lack of the necessary skills in the local government sector and the lack of buy in from the community into the provided sanitation facilities. The authors report results of policy research into the relevant disaster management options that could be applied to improve the sanitation service delivery in South Africa. The best policy option was identified as the draft Disaster Management Regulations: Disaster Management. Local government can use these tools through the formation of the volunteer units from the nongovernmental organization sector, the business community, and from among the end users of sanitation facilities. Formation of the volunteer unit should follow the principles of cooperative governance and participatory approach to disaster management. Implementation should be facilitated through the adoption of locally specific municipal by laws.
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 2016
Food waste generation and potential interventions at Rhodes University, South Africa
- Authors: Painter, Kathleen , Thondhlana, Gladman , Kua, Harn W
- Date: 2016
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/67733 , vital:29135 , https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2016.07.013
- Description: Publisher version , Estimation of food waste generation represents the first step when considering efforts to reduce waste generation and monitor food waste reduction against set targets. This study reports on an estimation of food waste generated in university dining halls at Rhodes University, South Africa. Daily food waste generation was estimated at about 555 g per student or 2 tonnes across all sample dining halls, translating to about 450 tonnes per year. The results show that food waste is influenced by an array of contextual factors, including distance to dining hall, gender composition of hall and meal times and meal options. It is estimated that the university could save up to US$ 80 000 annually for every 10% reduction in the current rate of food waste generation. Possible educational, technical and administrative interventions for food waste reduction are discussed.
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 2016
Introduction: the multilingual context of education in Africa
- Authors: Kaschula, Russell H , Wolff, H Ekkehard
- Date: 2016
- Language: English
- Type: text , book
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/174849 , vital:42515 , ISBN 978-0415315760 , https://www.amazon.com/Multilingual-Education-Africa-Practices-Routledge/dp/041531576X
- Description: The common thread in this book is the exploration of innovative pedagogies in language teaching and language use in education. The greatest danger facing educators is one of complacency. Whether set in Zimbabwe, Ethiopia, South Africa or elsewhere in Africa, all the chapters in this book emphasise the imperative for educators to constantly revise curricula and teaching methods in order to find the most appropriate ways of teaching and using language in multilingual settings.
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- Date Issued: 2016
Un Langage, des Visions, une Passerelle:
- Authors: Tshilumba Mukendi, J S
- Date: 2016
- Language: English
- Type: text , book
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/146177 , vital:38502 , ISBN 9789074816496 , https://books.google.co.za/books?id=QDSdAQAACAAJanddq=Creer+en+postcolonie:+Voix+et+dissidences+belgo-congolaise+2010-2015andhl=enandsa=Xandved=0ahUKEwjts_Si_b_pAhXvShUIHWXwCd4Q6AEIJzAA
- Description: Book abstract. The authors and artists (Baloji, Toma Muteba Luntumbue, Nganji Laeh, Nina Miskina, Joëlle Sambi, Sarah Arens, Heleen Debeuckelaere, Bénédicte Kumbi ...) who contributed to the work to debate the Belgian postcolonial question and it will be punctuated by poetic and musical stops.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
Why a contextual approach to professional development?
- Authors: Leibowitz, B L , Vorster, Jo-Anne , Ndebele, C
- Date: 2016
- Language: English
- Type: article , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/61288 , vital:28009 , https://journals.co.za/content/journal/10520/EJC-4ad93ec2a
- Description: One of the peculiarities of the literature on academic professional development with regard to teaching is its a-political nature. It pays insufficient attention to issues of equity, and to how privilege, geographical location, class and ethnicity influence the way that staff in higher education learn to teach. This is surprising, or paradoxical, given the strong world-wide concern for widening participation and student success in higher education. The approaches towards professional academic development have been dominated by literature from the global North, which does not take into account conditions in resource-constrained environments. We contend that literature from these Southern environments enrich the international body of literature. Thus there is a need for scholarly writing on learning to teach in higher education, which takes a specifically social, contextual and relational approach and which considers these within resource-rich as well as resource-constrained environments.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
Why a contextual approach to professional development?
- Authors: Leibowitz, B L , Vorster, Jo-Anne , Ndebele, C
- Date: 2016
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/71141 , vital:29789 , https://doi.org/10.20853/30-6-714
- Description: One of the peculiarities of the literature on academic professional development with regard to teaching is its a-political nature. It pays insufficient attention to issues of equity, and to how privilege, geographical location, class and ethnicity influence the way that staff in higher education learn to teach. This is surprising, or paradoxical, given the strong world-wide concern for widening participation and student success in higher education. The approaches towards professional academic development have been dominated by literature from the global North, which does not take into account conditions in resource-constrained environments. We contend that literature from these Southern environments enrich the international body of literature. Thus there is a need for scholarly writing on learning to teach in higher education, which takes a specifically social, contextual and relational approach and which considers these within resource-rich as well as resource-constrained environments.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016