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Background. The presence of fathers during the birth of their babies has been recognised as beneficial for both the mother and the baby. Objective. To investigate the reasons and demographic factors associated with father absence at delivery. Methods. We conducted a quantitative, cross-sectional study. Anonymous questionnaires were completed by mothers admitted to the postnatal ward at Pelonomi Tertiary Hospital in Bloemfontein, South Africa, after a live birth. Mothers answered questions regarding mother and father characteristics (age, employment, residence), whether the father was present or absent at delivery and the reasons for his absence. Results. The highest percentage (30.7%) of the 137 participating mothers was in the age range 20 - 25 years. More than half (56.2%) resided in Bloemfontein/Mangaung, and 70.6% were unemployed. Most mothers (68.4%) were multiparous. In total, 81.0% of fathers were absent at delivery, although 50.0% had planned to be at the delivery. The main reason for their absence was employment (52.7%), which can be substantiated by the fact that most fathers (80.3%) were employed. For more than half (58.1%) of the deliveries, neither the father nor any other person (family member or friend) was present at the delivery. There was no association between maternal or paternal demographics and father absence at delivery. Conclusion. Father absence was common. Community-based programmes must encourage father involvement in all spheres of their children's lives and create awareness of the impact that their presence during birth can have. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Department of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology at the University of Limpopo (Medunsa Campus) redesigned their curriculum at the beginning of 2010. The template that was developed shows the horizontal and vertical integration of outcomes. Although the outcomes of the entire process met the requirements of the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) and the level descriptors of the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) (2007), the development process did not go without difficulties. This article describes the process of re-engineering the curriculum and critically reflects on the problems encountered. Results obtained from questionnaires reflected the opinions of the staff members with regard to problems experienced, but also the gains made in terms of personal growth, as well as the benefits for teaching and learning. The experiences gained from re engineering the curriculum enabled the authors to make recommendations to overcome challenges when attempting the process of curriculum development in future. (Contains 1 table and 4 figures.)

Summary: Oxidation–reduction potential (ORP) is a newer integrated measure of the balance between total oxidants (reactive oxygen species—ROS) and reductants (antioxidants) that reflects oxidative stress in a biological system. This study measures ORP and evaluates the effect of exogenous induction of oxidative stress by cumene hydroperoxide (CH) on ORP in fresh and frozen semen using the MiOXSYS Analyzer. Semen samples from healthy donors (n = 20) were collected and evaluated for sperm parameters. All samples were then flash‐frozen at −80°C. Oxidative stress was induced by CH (5 and 50 μmoles/ml). Static ORP (sORP—(mV/106 sperm/ml) and capacity ORP (cORP—μC/106 sperm/ml) were measured in all samples before and after freezing. All values are reported as mean ± SEM. Both 5 and 50 μmoles/ml of CH resulted in a significant decline in per cent motility compared to control in pre‐freeze semen samples. The increase in both pre‐freeze and post‐thaw semen samples for sORP was higher in the controls than with 50 μmoles/ml of CH. The change from pre‐freeze to post‐thaw cORP was comparable. The system is a simple, sensitive and portable tool to measure the seminal ORP and its dynamic impact on sperm parameters in both fresh and frozen semen specimens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Temidayo S Omolaoye,1,2 Shantal Lynn Windvogel,1,3 Stefan S Du Plessis1,2 1Division of Medical Physiology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Tygerberg, South Africa; 2Department of Basic Sciences, College of Medicine, Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dubai, United Arab Emirates; 3Centre for Cardio-Metabolic Research in Africa, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South AfricaCorrespondence: Stefan S Du PlessisDepartment of Basic Sciences, College of Medicine, Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences, P.O. Box 505055, Dubai, 505055, United Arab EmiratesEmail Stefan.duplessis@mbru.ac.aeBackground: Testicular insulin signalling is altered in diabetic (DM) males. While unravelling the mechanism through which DM exert these detrimental effects, studies have shown the importance of insulin regulation in glucose homeostasis, and how a lack in insulin secretion indirectly led to reduced male fertility. The current study aimed to investigate the role of rooibos, honeybush and Sutherlandia on insulin signalling in the testicular tissue of type I diabetic rats.Methods: Animals (n=60) were randomly divided into six groups. The groups include a control group, a vehicle group, and diabetes was induced in the remainder of animals via a single intraperitoneal injection of STZ at 45mg/kg. The remaining four groups included a diabetic control (DC), diabetic + rooibos (DRF), diabetic + honeybush (DHB) and diabetic + Sutherlandia group (DSL). Animals were sacrificed after seven weeks of treatment, and blood and testes were collected.Results: All diabetic groups (DC, DRF, DHB, DSL) presented with a significant increase in blood glucose levels after diabetes induction compared to the control and vehicle (p< 0.001). The DC animals presented with decreased testicular protein expression of IRS-1, PkB/Akt and GLUT4 compared to controls. DRF and DHB animals displayed an acute upregulation in IRS-1, while the DSL group showed improvement in IRS-2 compared to DC. Although, DRF animals presented with a decrease in PkB/Akt, DHB and DSL animals displayed upregulation (22.3%, 48%) compared to controls, respectively.Conclusion: The results taken together, it can be suggested that these infusions may enhance insulin signalling through diverse pathways.Keywords: testis, rooibos, honeybush, Sutherlandia, diabetes, insulin signalling

Toyin Dorcas Alabi,1 Charon de Villiers,2 Stephan S du Plessis,3 Thomas K Monsees,4 Nicole L Brooks,5 Oluwafemi Omoniyi Oguntibeju1 1Phytomedicine & Phytochemistry Group, Oxidative Stress Research Centre, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Wellness Sciences, Cape Peninsula University of Technology, Bellville, South Africa; 2PUDAC-Delft Animal Facility, South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town 7505, South Africa; 3Division of Medical Physiology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Tygerberg 7505, South Africa; 4Department of Medical Biosciences, University of the Western Cape, Bellville 7535, South Africa; 5Faculty of Health and Wellness Sciences, Cape Peninsula University of Technology, Cape Town, South AfricaCorrespondence: Oluwafemi Omoniyi Oguntibeju Tel +27 219538495Email oguntibejuo@cput.ac.zaBackground: Progression of diabetes mellitus has increasingly led to several diabetic complications. Diabetes is one of the major factors implicated in male reproductive system damage. Recent approaches such as the use of medicinal plants have been explored in the management of diabetes and associated complications. Anchomanes difformis (common name: children’s umbrella) has been shown to possess anti-diabetic ability in animal model. Therefore, this study seeks to investigate the potency of Achomanes difformis in ameliorating diabetes-induced reproductive dysfunction.Methods: Type 2 diabetes was induced in male Wistar rats with 10% fructose administration for 2 weeks and an intraperitoneal injection of 40mg/kgBW of streptozotocin. Aqueous extract (200mg and 400mg/kgBW) of Anchomanes difformis leaves was administered daily for 6 weeks. The rats were randomly divided into 7 groups with a minimum of eight rats in each (8 rats in normal groups and 10 in diabetic groups). The impact of diabetes and treatment was investigated by estimating sperm concentration, motility indices, viability and morphological parameters in the normal, treatment controls and diabetic rats using CASA-SCA system. Histological examination of the testes and epididymis was performed.Results: Diabetes induction resulted in significant decrease in sperm concentration, viability and some motility parameters with 40% abnormalities in sperm morphology. The administration of Anchomanes difformis significantly increased sperm concentration and sperm viability, while it significantly improved the percentage of morphologically normal sperm in diabetic rats. Anchomanes difformis ameliorated testicular damage such as vacuolization and loss of germinal epithelium in the diabetic-treated rats when compared to the diabetic controls.Conclusion: The potency Anchomanes difformis displayed against diabetic-induced damage in the reproductive system might be a new and promising tool in the management of male reproductive dysfunctions and associated complications in diabetes mellitus.Keywords: Anchomanes difformis, diabetes mellitus, male fertility, sperm function

Childhood trauma is a recognised risk factor for schizophrenia. It has been proposed that childhood trauma interferes with normal neurodevelopment, thereby establishing a biological vulnerability to schizophrenia. Poor premorbid adjustment is frequently a precursor to schizophrenia, and may be a manifestation of neurodevelopmental compromise. We investigated the relationship between childhood trauma and premorbid adjustment in 77 patients with first-episode schizophrenia spectrum disorders. We also investigated possible mediating roles for other selected risk factors in the relationship. We found several significant correlations between different trauma types and both social and academic premorbid adjustment from childhood to late adolescence. There were no significant moderating effects for family history of schizophrenia or family history of psychiatric disorder. History of obstetric complications, substance abuse and poor motor coordination weakened some of the associations between childhood trauma and premorbid adjustment, while poor sequencing of motor acts strengthened the association. Our results confirm previous studies indicating an association between childhood trauma and premorbid adjustment. Results indicate a general rather than specific association, apparent with different types of trauma, and affecting both social and academic components of premorbid adjustment across childhood, early and late adolescence. Further, our results suggest a complex interplay of various risk factors, supporting the notion of different pathways to psychosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Regulatory takings have become an increasingly important legal and economic issue in the USA and elsewhere, resulting in large claims for compensation. The purpose of this paper is twofold: firstly, to stimulate the interest of economists in this topic, and secondly, to act as an early warning of an issue that is likely to rise in importance as the South African government pursues microeconomic reform and other regulatory interventions in the economy. The reality of the concern is demonstrated with a recent example from the scrap metal industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. During a service-learning module, the focus is on the development of reflective competence, which is part of professional competence. The students have to reflect in a structured manner on the service-learning experience to understand and appreciate not only the module and discipline, but also their sense of personal value and social responsibility. By providing structured opportunities for reflection, deeper learning can be facilitated, which enhances competence. Do students benefit from the process of reflection and how should it be measured? Objective. To determine the usefulness of an assessment tool. Methods. A documented review of reflection journals made use of a rubric to score the structured reflection of students at a particular service-learning site. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse the data. Results. The results showed positive changes in terms of analysis, critical thinking, emotive aspects, social responsibility and self-confidence. Conclusion. Specific factors were identified that could have affected the reflections, and recommendations are made to increase the effectiveness of the assessment tool and the process of reflection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Educators in higher education in South Africa often find that some black first-year students either do not fully comprehend concepts explained in English or lack the fluency to express themselves clearly in academic tasks. The project investigated the benefits of code-switching to the students' first languages by peer tutors. A descriptive design within a quantitative framework was selected and a questionnaire was designed as survey instrument. After each set of lectures students were divided into first language groups and a peer tutor summarised the lectures in the group's first languages, followed by group discussions. After the module the students completed the questionnaire. The findings indicate that the students were in general positive about peer tutoring and that code-switching provided clarity; allowed participation; provided peer support; and imparted a feeling of being valued. It is concluded that the students' first languages can be regarded as a resource to draw on in an English environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Neurosurgeons regularly plan their surgery using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) images, which may show a clear distinction between the area to be resected and the surrounding healthy brain tissue depending on the nature of the pathology. However, this distinction is often unclear with the naked eye during the surgical intervention, and it may be difficult to infer depth and an accurate volumetric interpretation from a series of MRI image slices. Objectives: In this work, MRI data are used to create affordable patient-specific 3-dimensional (3D) scale models of the brain which clearly indicate the location and extent of a tumour relative to brain surface features and important adjacent structures. Methods: This is achieved using custom software and rapid prototyping. In addition, functionally eloquent areas identified using functional MRI are integrated into the 3D models. Results: Preliminary in vivo results are presented for 2 patients. The accuracy of the technique was estimated both theoretically and by printing a geometrical phantom, with mean dimensional errors of less than 0.5 mm observed. Conclusions: This may provide a practical and cost-effective tool which can be used for training, and during neurosurgical planning and intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The problem of derivation and calculation of sensitivity functions for all parameters of the mass balance reduced model of the COST benchmark activated sludge plant is formulated and solved. The sensitivity functions, equations and augmented sensitivity state space models are derived for the cases of ASM1 and UCT reduced biological models. Matlab software for sensitivity function calculation and sensitivity model simulation is developed. The results are described and discussed. The behaviour of the sensitivity functions is used to determine which parameters of the reduced model need to be estimated in order to fit the reduced model behaviour to the real data for the process behaviour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research examines previous findings regarding the robustness of the African growth dummy by (i) expanding the list of variables to include those suggested by Easterly and Levine (1998) and Sachs and Warner (1997b) and (ii) with a modelling strategy that allows explicitly for model uncertainty. Using the Bayesian Averaging of Classical Estimates approach, this paper concludes that the African growth dummy does not appear to be robustly related to growth. This supports the interpretation that the significance of the African dummy may be attributable to omitted variable bias. The paper also contributes to the debate on growth strategies for Africa by assessing the robustness of divergent perspectives offered in the recent literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research has revealed that reactive oxygen species (ROS) negatively affect sperm function, both in vivo and in vitro. Sperm preparation techniques for assisted reproductive technologies (ART) are potential causes for additional ROS production. This study aimed to correlate the concentration of exogenous H2O2 with sperm motility parameters and intracellular ROS and nitric oxide (NO) levels to reiterate the importance of minimising ROS levels in ART. Human spermatozoa from 10 donors were incubated and exposed to different exogenous H2O2 concentrations (0, 2.5, 7.5 and 15 μm). Subsequently, motility was determined using computer-aided semen analysis, while ROS (2,7-dichlorofluorescin diacetate) and NO (diaminofluorescein-2/diacetate) were analysed using fluorescence-activated cell sorting. Results showed that H2O2 did affect the sperm parameters. Exogenous H2O2 was detrimental to motility and resulted in a significant increase in overall ROS and NO levels. A significant increase in static cells was seen as well. It is important to elucidate the mechanisms between intracellular ROS levels with sperm motility parameters. While this experiment demonstrated a need to reduce exogenous ROS levels during ART, it did not illustrate the cause and effect relationship of intracellular ROS and NO levels with sperm motility. Further research needs to be conducted to define a pathological level of ROS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using a multivariate cointegration and error correction modelling framework, with data from the SACU countries, this paper tested two rival theories on the effect of financial integration (FI), that is whether FI is a complement or a substitute to financial development (FD). Financial integration is a complement where it helps to boost domestic FD through greater competitive pressures on financial intermediaries, and encourage international good practices in accounting, financial regulation and supervision. It is a substitute where FI renders the local financial system irrelevant or causes it to deteriorate. Overall, the empirical analysis finds strong evidence of a long-run relationship between FD and FI across the SACU countries. The results show that causality runs in both directions between FD and FI across the SACU countries with the exception of Lesotho where the causality runs mainly from FI to FD. No consistent effect of FI on FD (or the reverse) emerged from the empirical results in this sample. The results were also affected by the measurements used for the capital stock and FD. These results do not support any onesize- fits-all policy approach to stimulating FD or harnessing the benefits of FI, rather, they suggest that country specific aspects of the financial system should be paramount when analysing the impact of FI on FD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 1991 Oscillatoria simplicissima replaced Microcystis aeruginosa in the Vaal River, South Africa. This study explored the reason for this succession by looking at the photosynthetic performance of these two cyanoprokaryotes at different temperatures, light intensities and N:P ratios. Microcystis aeruginosa showed higher growth rates and chlorophyll a concentrations than O. simplicissima for most treatments, except the N-deficient treatments. It seems that M. aeruginosa can maintain growth under a range of different conditions and can keep forming mass occurrences, but has high light requirements for photosynthesis and maintenance and can tolerate a much higher light intensity without experiencing photo-inhibition. Oscillatoria simplicissima, on the other hand, is able to harvest available light more efficiently at 25 °C and 15 μmol m-2 s-1, experiences less damage or loss at antenna level and retains more of its electron transport capabilities than Microcystis, giving it a competitive edge over M. aeruginosa under these environmental conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Nearly complete 16S ribosomal RNA sequences from a strain isolated in the Vaal River, South Africa, commonly identified as “Oscillatoria simplicissima sensu PIETERSE & STEYNBERG 1993”, as well as Planktothrix pseudagardhii NIVA CYA 153 were determined. Phylogenetic analysis of these species, together with P. pseudagardhii NIES 845T, Planktothrix agardhii NIES 204T and other closely related strains, showed that this South African strain of “O. simplicissima” closely clusters with P. pseudagardhii NIVA CYA 153, P. pseudagardhii NIES 845T and a group of P. pseudagardhii available on the database. A polyphasic approach was used to re-identify this isolate of “O. simplicissima”. A comparative morphological study between it and P. pseudagardhii NIVA CYA 153 revealed no clearly defined structural differences. Morphological studies indicated that cells of the “O. simplicissima” isolate have clear gas vesicles, which further suggests that it must be renamed to “Planktothrix pseudagardhii SUDA et M.M. WATANABE in SUDA et al. [Suda, S., Watanabe, M.M., Otsuka, S., Mahakahant, A., Yongmanitchai, W., Nopartnaraporn, N., Liu, Y., Day, J.G., 2002. Taxonomic revision of water-bloom-forming species of oscillatoroid cyanobacteria. International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology 52, 1577–1595.]”. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The central question in this investigation was whether there is a common factor providing some explanation why students with similar final school results perform differently at first-year university level. The underlying hypothesis was: the more students believe they are cognitively capable and equipped to achieve success at university level, the better they perform academically. A description is provided of a questionnaire used in this investigation which also forms part of a tracking system at Stellenbosch University. With the results of this questionnaire for three cohorts of first-year students of the years 2002, 2003 and 2004 grouped together in subgroups (based on final school year performance and including a group of Extended Degree Programme students), it is demonstrated that there is a strong relationship between high self-appraised cognition as measured in the questionnaire and successful performance at university level. These findings are corroborated by international research which is referred to in the article. The implications of this investigation are far-reaching in terms of the necessity to regard a student holistically, to realise the importance of how students appraise themselves cognitively, and the need to pay special attention to building a healthy self-concept. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]