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Background Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Among its subtypes, non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the most common. Recently, the mitochondrial isoform of the enzyme phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (HsPEPCK-M) was identified as responsible for the metabolic adaptation in the NSCLC allowing tumor growth even under conditions of glucose deficiency. This adaptation is possible due to the role of HsPEPCK-M in gluconeogenesis, converting the oxaloacetate to phosphoenolpyruvate in the presence of GTP, which plays an important role in the energetic support of these tumors. In this context, it was shown that the inhibition or knockdown of this enzyme was able to induce apoptosis in NSCLC under low glucose conditions. Purpose In this study, novel putative inhibitors were proposed for the human PEPCK-M (HsPEPCK-M) based on a computer-aided approach. Methods Comparative modeling was used to generate 3D models for HsPEPCK-M. Subsequently, the set of natural compounds of the ZINC database was screened against HsPEPCK-M models using structure-based pharmacophore modeling and molecular docking approaches. The selected compounds were evaluated according to its chemical diversity and clustered based on chemical similarity. Results The pharmacophore hypotheses, generated based on known PEPCK inhibitors, were able to select 7,124 candidate compounds. These compounds were submitted to molecular docking studies using three conformations of HsPEPCK-M generated by comparative modeling. The aim was to select compounds with high predicted binding affinity for at least one of the conformations of HsPEPCK-M. After molecular docking, 612 molecules were selected as potential inhibitors of HsPEPCK-M. These compounds were clustered according to their structural similarity. Chemical profiling and binding mode analyses of these compounds allowed the proposal of four promising compounds: ZINC01656421, ZINC895296, ZINC00895535 and ZINC02571340. Conclusion These compounds may be considered as potential candidates for HsPEPCK-M inhibitors and may also be used as lead compounds for the development of novel HsPEPCK-M inhibitors.

Madeline Otis Campbell, cultural anthropologist and ethnographer, has crafted a well-written tribute to the gender-related dilemmas and difficult work of conflict zone interpreters. As the author e...

This study analyzed fundraising efficiencies within the South African nonprofit social services sector. Employing an electronic questionnaire, this quantitative study used a national database of social service organizations as its sample. A secondary data analysis of the organizations’ audited annual financial statements was conducted. Fundraising-related financial data was in most cases inaccurate which limited amore extensive interrogation of fundraising indicators. The findings revealed inadequate fundraising management with limited or no fundraising monitoring and evaluation procedures. Better informed fundraising leadership was needed to alleviate organizations’ reliance on state funding, which in itself was also found to be problematic.

The efficacy of the current instrument to assess the social assistance needs of children with chronic health conditions in South Africa is questioned. To develop an improved assessment instrument for South African use, this instrument was pitted against two international social assistance assessment instruments, the United Kingdom (UK) Disability Living Allowance (DLA) and the Australian Child Disability Assessment Tool (CDAT). A purposive sample of 18 children representing six types of disability and chronic illnesses was selected, and all three assessment instruments were used to assess the needs of these children. A juxtaposition of the outcomes of the assessment instruments revealed significant differences. The South African instrument deemed the majority (56%) of the sample ineligible for assistance. On the contrary, significant majorities were deemed eligible for assistance in terms of the U.K. (94%) and Australian (89%) instruments. The study recommended that a holistic approach to need assessment be adopted in the design of a more appropriate assessment instrument for South African use.

UPtSn is known as a semimetal with a bandgap in the electronic density of states. We report the results of measurements of the cubic lattice parameter a(T), coefficient of thermal expansion α(T), magnetic susceptibility χ(T), magnetization σ(T,B), specific heat C(T) and electrical resistivity ρ(T, B). We give arguments that this compound is antiferromagnetically ordered with T N = 35 K, although this is not confirmed by neutron diffraction. For carefully annealed samples of UPtSn we provide a phenomenological description of electron transport properties in terms of the fact that the temperature-dependent bandgap is closed at T = 0 K. Results of electrical measurements on the isostructural compounds ThPtSn and ZrPtSn provide evidence for bandgap formation in these two compounds as well.

Die afwesigheid van invloed van Duits op Afrikaans in Namibie en die soort invloed van Afrikaans op Duits lyl eienaardig as mens in gedagte hou dat die spraakgemeenskappe vir byna een honderd jaar in kontak was. In hierdie artikel word die moontlike oorsake van die baie eksplisiete negatiewe taalstereotipes van Duitssprekende Namibiers teenoor Afrikaans ondersoek. 'n Verduideliking word aangebied vir die anomalie dat ten spyte van hierdie negatiewe houdings Duitssprekende Namibiers heelwat Afrikaanse woorde en uitdrukkings in hul daaglikse taal opgeneem het.

Veeltaligheid in ′n bepaalde land word nog steeds deur sommige taal-beplanners gesien as ′n probleem. Verskeie oplossings wat vir die “problem” voorgestel is, word kortliks bespreek. Die fokus van die artikel is op een van hierdie oplossings, naamlik die unifisering van ver-skillende eng verwante varieteite in ′n nuwe standaardtaal. Die politieke agenda onderliggend aan hierdie soort taalbeplanning word aangedui. Op grand van ′n analise van twee voorbeelde van taalunifisering, word ′n paar voorvereistes vir taalunifisering geabstraheer. Daar word voorgestel dat, veral waar die geaffekteerde varieteite ten volle gestandaardiseerde tale is, die unifisering van die vaktaalregisters waarskynlik ′n goeie beginpunt is. Die artikel eindig deur die geldig-heid van die aanname dat veeltaligheid ′n probleem is, te bevraagteken.

An account is given of existing material of Hymenoptera collected by Boyer de Fonscolombe and located in Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris, in the University Museum, Oxford, and in Museum d'Histoire Naturelle, Geneva. It includes designations of 15 lectotypes and 16 neotypes, also 17 new synonyms and 6 new combinations. Much new Hymenoptera material, including about 550 species of Chalcidoidea, has been collected by the author on the Fonscolombe estate. An outline description of the features of the estate and its fauna and flora, is included, together with biographical notes on Boyer de Fonscolombe and remarks about the localities where he collected.

The diurnal growth rate of terminal and lateral fruitlets in the same cluster was studied in Golden Delicious under varying night and day temperature conditions In growth chambers as well as in the open. Terminal and lateral fruitlets had a similar growth rate. Both started to shrink approximately one hour after sunrise and to recover between 14:00 and 15:00 on clear, sunny days. Low night temperatures retarded the growth rate. Less shrinking occurred during periods of high humidity, low solar irradiation and low temperatures compared with low humidity, high solar irradiation and high temperatures. Fruitlets showed a greater overall increase in diameter under the latter conditions despite the reduction in size during the morning. Two-year-old shoots on which the fruit clusters were borne showed similar diurnal growth patterns as did the fruit. Differences in the incidence of stem end russet between terminal and lateral fruit produced on trees inside the growth chamber and trees In the open did not appear ...

Acquiring a reliable and adequate labour supply was a continual problem for the Zululand sugar planters and the securing thereof featured prominently in their farming activities. When Zululand was opened to white settlement by the Zululand Lands Delimitation Commission in 1905 one of the principles accepted was the granting of small farms (from 204 hectares for Class I farms to 448 hectares for Class III) to individuals under a system of personal occupation and leasehold title. None of the big sugar or milling companies were allowed to obtain any land grants although they were permitted to establish sugar mills to serve certain concession areas, e.g. J.L. Hulett & Sons Ltd at Amatikulu. Consequently, all these small individual landowners in Zululand competed amongst themselves for labour. There was no combined or joint recruitment by Zululand planters as existed for the gold and coal-mining industries or such as the recruitment of Mpondo by commercial recruiters or labour organizations for cane-cutting in the Natal south coast regions. A further complicating factor and added restriction to the acquisition of an adequate labour supply was that the sugar growing areas of Zululand were in a malarial belt (the low-lying coastal area of Zululand stretching roughly from the Thukela River all the way north into Mozambique, which was also the area most suitable for sugar cane cultivation) and recruitment from outside of this region was for health reasons, from time to time, prohibited by government legislation.

A comparison of grazing management techniques revealed that, in general, lamb performance under a continuous grazing system was superior to that measured under a rotational grazing system. Lamb performance was also superior at moderate to low levels of pasture dry matter availability using a variable stocking rate ("put and take") continuous grazing system compared to the fixed stocked continuous system. The analysis of lamb performance during periods of uniform dry matter availability revealed a decline in mass gain as the season progressed. There is evidence to suggest that the decline is partly attributable to quantity/quality changes in the pasture and partly to physiological changes in the lambs. Keywords: availability; clover; continuous grazing; dry matter; grazing; grazing management; kokstad agricultural research station; ladino; lambs; mass; pasture; performance; rotational grazing; sheep; south africa; stocking rate; techniques

The effects of variation in dry-bulb temperature between 2l°C and 35°C on the physiological responses to a 12-minute progressive submaximal exercise test have been examined in four healthy men partially acclimated to heat. On average, cardiac frequency and minute ventilation at standard oxygen uptake increased by 1·4% (r+0·85; p

The method of assessing veld condition which has been developed in Natal by Foran has given a reasonable separation of the veld in ten experimental paddocks which varied widely in condition both from the broad ecological viewpoint and in relation to their agricultural value for grazing animals. There are still, however, aspects which give rise to concern and it would be advisable to develop the method further before its adaptation for general use.

OPSOMMING Die klassieke (of positivistiese) benadering tot die studie van taal is gekenmerk deur pogings om die uiteindelike konstituente te identifiseer en dan die taalstruktuur te rekonstrueer. Hierdie atomistiese benadering is ook in die taalprofessies gereflekteer en, soos in die linguistiek, het dit gelei tot 'n verdraaide beeld van taal. Die effek van hierdie benadering op die terminografieteorie en die onderrig van vaktaal word bespreek. In 'n postpositivistiese of sisteembenadering is die fokus hoofsaaklik op die geheel en as dit eers begryp is, kan die rol van die dele verantwoord word. Die dele word gesien as konstituente van 'n netwerk van verhoudings wat die geheel vorm en gevolglik is die dele niks meer as stabiele patroon nie. Pogings om hierdie benadering toe te pas op die studie van taal begin nou na vore tree en sommige van die implikasies van so 'n benadering vir die taalprofessies word bespreek.

Hypothetical data relating stocking rate to daily animal live‐mass gain on different types of pasture under continuous grazing or one of two forms of rotational grazing have been employed to determine the net return on investment over a range of stocking rates. By determining the stocking rate at which this function reaches its maximum value, it is possible to identify the optimum stocking rate for each management system in a variety of economic circumstances. The most profitable system of grazing management can then be identified.

Grazing research in South Africa has been largely pasture oriented and consequently there is still a need to fully evaluate many of our more important pasture types and grazing management practices in terms of livestock production so that efficient pasture‐based feeding systems can be constructed. In order to do this it is necessary to design grazing trials in which the main emphasis is on the animal. An important consideration in trials of this kind is the control of experimental error by careful selection and blocking of animals, applying effective animal weighing procedures and manipulating certain aspects of experimental design. In addition, quality and quantity of herbage consumed should be measured, while the use of continuous grazing and a variable stocking rate as research tools may be particularly effective in certain circumstances. Information provided by these techniques in well integrated field trials for pasture evaluation in terms of livestock production is likely to be of great gen...

A method for assessing the condition of veld has been developed in the Dry Tall Grassveld, Moist Tall Grassveld and Highland Sourveld of Natal. The method is based on Dyksterhuis’ Quantitative Climax Method which has been modified to suit the sub‐climax nature of this veld by the incorporation of three categories of plants: Decreaser species which decline in abundance with bad management; Increaser I species which increase with underutilization; and Increaser II species which increase with over‐utilization. In addition, this modified method allows for a deduction of marks for veld whose basal cover falls below that of veld in its optimum condition. In all three types there was a close relationship between the abundance of Themeda triandra and the veld condition. It is probable therefore, that this single measure can be used to forecast veld condition in these veld types.