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The execution of operational improvement projects can create new knowledge that can be used to contribute to the success of future projects. A paradox exists, in that new knowledge is seldom transferred to future projects, and so the associated value-adding opportunities are lost. The objectives of this study are to determine whether lessons learned are captured during operational improvement projects, and to identify contextual factors that support or hinder the knowledge transfer processes. Through the use of interviews and subsequent data analysis, the research shows that the transfer of knowledge can be better facilitated by addressing the knowledge transfer inhibitors, recognising the valueadding potential of knowledge transfer during the execution of improvement projects, and creating a culture that is conducive to sharing knowledge - in particular, the lessons learned from mistakes and poor management practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Surgical teaching missions are known to contribute significantly in reducing the local burden of disease. However, the value of short-term medical service trips (MSTs) remains under debate. Humanitarian surgery is highly dependent on funding, and consequently, data evaluation is needed to secure funding for future projects. The aim of this trial is to evaluate the results of 6-year MSTs to rural Nigeria with a specific emphasis on hernia repairs.Methods: Retrospective series of consecutive operations performed between 2011 and 2016 in rural Nigeria during 13 MSTs. Operations were categorized into type and number of procedures and origin of the surgeon. In terms of inguinal hernia repairs additional data was evaluated such as frequency of local anaesthesia (LA) and the type of hernia. The total amount of disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) averted during each mission are presented and discussed with regard to sustainability of these missions.Results: From 2011 to 2016, a total of 1674 patients were operated. Of these, 1302 patients were operated for 1481 hernias of which 36.7% accounting as inguinoscrotal hernias. The percentage of operations performed by Nigerian staff increased from 31 to 55%. Overall, eighteen percent of the operations was solely performed by Nigerians. Totally, we averted 8092.83 DALY's accounting for 5.46 DALY's per hernia.Conclusion: The presented missions contribute significantly to an improvement in local healthcare and decrease the burden of disease. We were able to show the sustainable character of these surgical missions. As a next step, we will analyse the cost-effectiveness of MSTs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Companies need to thrive in a dynamic environment, responding to it in an agile way. Within a company's ICT domain, a key to achieving agility is to use agile software development. Experience, together with a literature review, has shown that the agile software development family of methods does not naturally fit into the context of medium to large enterprises. This article focuses on the challenges associated with agile software development. The main contribution of the article is to affirm that a class-of-problems exists - i.e., that many practitioners face challenges in implementing existing agile software development approaches successfully in medium to large enterprises. We also gather data via multiple interviews to show that the class-of-problems exists in a real-world enterprise that currently applies agile software development in medium-sized governmental bodies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Commissioning parents, in terms of a surrogacy agreement, have the same parental obligations towards their child as traditional parents. Yet, despite the legitimising of surrogacy in the Children's Act 38 of 2005, no provision has been made for suitable parental leave to be granted to these persons so that they may fulfil their parental obligations. The only leave that is currently available to commissioning parents is three days family responsibility leave in terms of section 27 of the Basic Conditions of Employment Act 75 of 1997 (BCEA). It is submitted that this leave is insufficient. In MIA v State Information Technology Agency 2015 36 ILJ 1905 (LC), the Labour Court indicated that amendments to labour legislation are necessary to address the lacuna in this respect. The Labour Laws Amendment Bill of 2015 has since proposed relevant amendments to such leave in terms of the BCEA. While the amendments are welcomed, the proposed period and management of the different types of leave give rise to concern and should be addressed. The latest developments in the United Kingdom in the field of parental leave make it a worthy comparator to provide guidelines for the improvement of the abovementioned Bill. In so doing, South African law can also sufficiently protect the interests of the parties to a surrogacy agreement, including the child born in terms thereof. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the study that assesses how much of 30 minutes allocated for a plastic surgery day case is spent on operation, based on assumption of eight patients with 30 minutes indicated surgical time to be operated on in four hours. It found difficulty for consultant plastic surgeon to complete average minor surgery case in 30 minutes, less than 10 minutes available operating gloves on time per case, and factors contributing to overall time taken per case, including documentation.

The objective of this study was to determine the therapeutic and residual efficacy of a topically applied combination of cyphenothrin (40 %) and pyriproxyfen (2 %) against the tick Haemnphysalis elliptica and the flea Ctenocephalides felis on dogs. Twelve dogs were infested with 50 ticks 2 days before they were treated and with approximately 100 fleas 6 days before treatment and again 2 days before treatment and with 50 ticks and approximately 100 fleas at weekly intervals thereafter. They were ranked according to their flea counts and sex 5 days before treatment and randomly allocated to an untreated control group of 6 dogs and a treated group of 6 dogs. Ticks and fleas were collected from the dogs 48 h after treatment and 48 h after each infestation and live and dead ticks and live fleas were counted. The counts of ticks and fleas were transformed to geometric means, and efficacy was calculated by comparing these means. The product had a therapeutic efficacy of 83.1 % against H. elliptica and 97.5 % against C. felis 2 days after treatment. The residual period of protection during which efficacy was ≥ 90% was 5 weeks for both H. elliptica and C. felis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Advantages associated with the transdermal delivery route are well documented, but in the past scientists have concentrated primarily on means of decreasing the barrier function of the skin for improved permeability. Pro-drugs, which possess more favourable physicochemical properties for improved transdermal permeability may have considerable potential. These have been considered in the past but recent information concerning structure activity relationships in dermal penetration has prompted increased interest. During this study, N-methyl (2), N-ethyl (3) and N-(2-hydroxyethyl) carbamazepine (4) analogues were synthesised for transdermal evaluation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract. The Karoo Paralysis tick, Ixodes rubicundus Neumann (Acari: Ixodidae), is a semi-voltine ixodid that survives stressful environmental conditions using morphogenetic diapause (eggs and engorged nymphs) and desiccation resistance. Both photoperiod and temperature influence diapause induction in the engorged nymph. Ixodes rubicundus nymphs are typical long-day photoperiodic organisms. The critical photoperiod is ∼ 13.5 h light, 10.5 h dark, and they display a thermolabile response. The period between detachment and apolysis in engorged nymphs is modified by photoperiod; however, apolysis to ecdysis is not affected by photoperiod. Thus, initiation of development, but not the actual process is controlled by photoperiod. Most engorged nymphs delayed metamorphosis when exposed to short-day regimen (LD 12 : 12 h) after feeding. Nymphs exposed to pre- and post-feeding long-day regimen (LD 14 : 10 h) developed. Times for 50% of nymphs to apolyse when exposed to photoperiods of LD 14 : 10 h, 13.5 : 10.5 h, 13 : 11 h and 12 : 12 h were 28, 36, 40 and 58 days, respectively. Times for 50% of engorged nymphs to ecdyse ranged from 38 to 40 days after apolysis. Nymphs were sensitive to photoperiodic exposures before, during and after feeding. Nymphs exposed to long day (LD 14 :10 h) before and during feeding, moulted at 20°C; however, most exposed to 10°C followed by 20°C (post-feeding) went into diapause. Both short- (10 : 14 h) and long- (14 : 10 h) day exposed engorged nymphs survived 45 days at 0% r.h. (n = 73), but diapause-destined ticks kept at 13°C lost the least mass (29.5 ± 9.5%, SD), while nondiapause ticks at 23°C lost the most (48.7 ± 8.2%, SD). Termination of diapause and transition to development probably coincides with a definite increase of water vapour uptake by engorged nymphs. Comparatively, I. rubicundus engorged nymphs are more desiccation tolerant than a North-American counterpart, Amblyomma... [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a case study of epithelioid trophoblastic tumour (ETT) with spontaneous bilateral pneumothoraces. It described ETT as a rare neoplastic proliferation of the intermediate trophoblast that may be differentiated from choriocarcinoma. A female was presented with persistent vaginal bleeding, and was confirmed as ETT by the diagnosis. The association of ETT with pregnancy is discussed.

The article reports on a study that discusses the possibility of improving information access by implementing automated traceability in the fruit export industry of South Africa. It is reported that the traceability of food has evolved as a voluntary and regulative framework to bridge the information gaps between farmer, food producer, food retailer and consumer. This study gave an outlook of a combination of legal and trade requirements that are forcing stakeholders to implement traceability systems for all fresh produce supply chains. It also found that the feasibility of implementing automated traceability is concerned with fruit supply chains only.

Abstract: Aims: To investigate patterns of practice in palliative radiotherapy in Africa. Materials and methods: Fifteen centres in Africa provided detailed information about radiotherapy in both metastatic and locally advanced disease via a questionnaire. Information included general information (institution status, equipment, staff, patient number), radiotherapy and other treatment characteristics in bone metastasis, brain metastasis, metastatic spinal cord compression, lung and liver metastasis, as well as locally advanced tumours. Results: The number of patients annually seen/treated ranged from 285 to 5000. Breast, cervix, head and neck, gastrointestinal and prostate cancer were the top five cancers overall. Eight (53%) institutions were without linear accelerators, four (27%) had a single one, whereas one institution each had two, three and four linear accelerators. The number of cobalt machines ranged from 0 to 2 (median 1). Most centres still prefer to use fractionated radiotherapy regimens over single-fraction regimens in bone metastasis, although most centres are now using single-fraction radiotherapy in retreatments. Radiotherapy in brain metastasis and metastatic spinal cord compression mostly conform to worldwide standards. Lung and liver metastases are rarely irradiated, largely as a consequence of the lack of modern radiotherapy technology. Locally advanced disease in various tumour sites was mostly palliated, in agreement with current evidence-based practices. Conclusions: African countries still lack adequate staffing and equipment to adequately address their clinical burden, being palliative in most cases. Emphasis should also be made on more rationally using existing capacities by using more of the single-fraction radiotherapy regimens, especially in bone metastasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Aims: To investigate patterns of practice in palliative radiotherapy in Africa. Materials and methods: Fifteen centres in Africa provided detailed information about radiotherapy in both metastatic and locally advanced disease via a questionnaire. Information included general information (institution status, equipment, staff, patient number), radiotherapy and other treatment characteristics in bone metastasis, brain metastasis, metastatic spinal cord compression, lung and liver metastasis, as well as locally advanced tumours. Results: The number of patients annually seen/treated ranged from 285 to 5000. Breast, cervix, head and neck, gastrointestinal and prostate cancer were the top five cancers overall. Eight (53%) institutions were without linear accelerators, four (27%) had a single one, whereas one institution each had two, three and four linear accelerators. The number of cobalt machines ranged from 0 to 2 (median 1). Most centres still prefer to use fractionated radiotherapy regimens over single-fraction regimens in bone metastasis, although most centres are now using single-fraction radiotherapy in retreatments. Radiotherapy in brain metastasis and metastatic spinal cord compression mostly conform to worldwide standards. Lung and liver metastases are rarely irradiated, largely as a consequence of the lack of modern radiotherapy technology. Locally advanced disease in various tumour sites was mostly palliated, in agreement with current evidence-based practices. Conclusions: African countries still lack adequate staffing and equipment to adequately address their clinical burden, being palliative in most cases. Emphasis should also be made on more rationally using existing capacities by using more of the single-fraction radiotherapy regimens, especially in bone metastasis. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Diamond-bearing kimberlites in the Fort à la Corne field, east-central Saskatchewan, consist primarily of volcaniclastic deposits which are interstratified with Lower Cretaceous continental, marginal marine and marine sediments. Seventy kimberlite occurrences have been drill-confirmed with the majority of those occurring in the Fort à la Corne main trend. The Star (352 ha) and Orion South (358 ha) kimberlite complexes are located at the south-eastern extremity of the main trend and contain some of the world''s best examples of preserved primary volcaniclastic kimberlite deposits. The advanced exploration programs on both the Star and Orion South complexes offer a rare opportunity to examine a wide variety of in situ volcaniclastic kimberlite deposits. Both kimberlite complexes are composed of multiple eruptive units that were deposited episodically over 4 to 6 million years, separated by periods of volcanic quiescence marked by reworking of kimberlite and siliciclastic sedimentation. Detailed logging of core from 100 m spacing grid drilling has revealed well-defined tuff ring, tuff cone, crater and extra crater deposits. Evaluation of these large tonnage, lower grade, coarse diamond size frequency kimberlite complexes requires a methodical and multi-branched exploration strategy utilizing: 1. Grid-pattern core drilling to gain an understanding of the three-dimensional architecture of the kimberlite complexes; 2. Underground bulk sampling to provide appreciable carats for accurate estimates of diamond grade and price; and, 3. Grid-pattern mini-bulk sampling via large diameter drilling to obtain an understanding of the diamond grade across the breadth of each kimberlite. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]