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Information about lightning properties is important in order to advance the current understanding of lightning, whereby the characteristics of ground strike points (GSPs) are in particular helpful to improving the risk estimation for lightning protection. Lightning properties of a total of 1174 negative downward lightning flashes are analyzed. The high-speed video recordings are taken in different regions, including Austria, Brazil, South Africa and the USA, and are analyzed in terms of flash multiplicity, duration, interstroke intervals and ground strike point properties. According to our knowledge this is the first simultaneous analysis of GSP properties in different regions of the world applying a common methodology. Although the results vary among the data sets, the analysis reveals that a third of the flashes are single-stroke events, while the overall mean number of strokes per flash equals 3.67. From the video imagery an average of 1.56 GSPs per flash is derived, with about 60 % of the multiple-stroke flashes striking the ground in more than one place. It follows that a ground contact point is struck 2.35 times on average. Multiple-stroke flashes last on average 371 ms, whereas the geometric mean (GM) interstroke interval value preceding strokes producing a new GSP is about 18 % greater than the GM value preceding subsequent strokes following a pre-existing lightning channel. In addition, a positive correlation between the duration and multiplicity of the flash is presented. The characteristics of the subset of flashes exhibiting multiple GSPs is further examined. It follows that strokes with a stroke order of 2 create a new GSP in 60 % of the cases, while this percentage quickly drops for higher-order strokes. Further, the possibility of forming a new lightning channel to ground in terms of the number of strokes that conditioned the previous lightning channel shows that approximately 88 % developed after the occurrence of only one stroke. Investigating the time intervals in the other 12 % of the cases when two or more strokes re-used the previous lightning channel showed that the average interstroke time interval preceding a new lightning channel is found to be more than twice the time difference between strokes that follow the previous lightning channel.

The effective control and treatment of acid mine drainage (AMD) from sulfide-containing mine wastes is of fundamental importance for current and future long-term sustainable and cost-effective mining industry operations, and for sustainable management of legacy AMD sites. Historically, AMD management has focused on the use of expensive neutralising chemicals to treat toxic leachates. Accordingly, there is a need to develop more cost-effective and efficient methods to prevent AMD at source. Laboratory kinetic leach column experiments, designed to mimic a sulfide-containing waste rock dump, were conducted to assess the potential of organic waste carbon supplements to stimulate heterotrophic microbial growth, and supress pyrite oxidation and AMD production. Microbiological results showed that the addition of biosolids was effective at maintaining high microbial heterotroph populations and preventing AMD generation over a period of 80 weeks, as verified by leachate chemistry and electron microscopy analyses. This research contributes to the ongoing development of a cost effective, multi-barrier geochemical-microbial control strategy for reduced mineral sulfide oxidation rates at source.

Acid and metalliferous drainage (AMD) is broadly accepted to be a major global environmental problem facing the mining industry, requiring expensive management and mitigation. A series of laboratory-scale kinetic leach column (KLC) experiments, using both synthetic and natural mine wastes, were carried out to test the efficacy of our pyrite passivation strategy (developed from previous research) for robust and sustainable AMD management. For the synthetic waste KLC tests, initial treatment with lime-saturated water was found to be of paramount importance for maintaining long-term circum-neutral pH, favourable for the formation and preservation of the pyrite surface passivating layer and reduced acid generation rate. Following the initial lime-saturated water treatment, minimal additional alkalinity (calcite-saturated water) was required to maintain circum-neutral pH for the maintenance of pyrite surface passivation. KLC tests examining natural potentially acid forming (PAF) waste, with much greater peak acidity than that of the synthetic waste, blended with lime (≈2 wt %) with and without natural non-acid-forming (NAF) waste covers, were carried out. The addition of lime and use of NAF covers maintained circum-neutral leachate pH up to 24 weeks. During this time, the net acidity generated was found to be significantly reduced by the overlying NAF cover. If the reduced rate of acidity production from the natural PAF waste is sustained, the addition of smaller (more economically-feasible) amounts of lime, together with application of NAF wastes as covers, could be trialled as a potential cost-effective AMD mitigation strategy.

List of abstracts and authors: 1. Bipolar disorder not otherwise specified -overdiagnosed or underdiagnosed? E Allers 2. The prognosis of major depression untreated and treated: Does the data reflect the true picture of the prognosis of this very common disorder? E Allers 3. Can we prolong our patients' life expectancy? Providing a better quality of life for patients with severe mental illness O A Betencourt 4. The scope of ECT practice in South Africa J Benson-Martin, P Milligan 5. Biomarkers for schizophrenia: Can we evolve like cancer therapeutics? P Buckley 6. Relapse in schizophrenis: Major challenges in prediction and prevention P Buckley 7. Informed consent in biological treatments: The right to know the duty to inform I Chetty 8. Effectiveness of a long-acting injectable antipsychotic plus an assertive monitoring programme in first-episode schizophrenia B Chiliza, L Asmal, O Esan, A Ojagbemi, O Gureje, R Emsley 9. Name, shame, fame P Cilliers 10. Can we manage the increasing incidence of violent raging children? We have to! H Clark 11. Serotonin, depression and antidepressant action P Cowen 12. Prevalence and correlates of comorbid psychiatris illness in patients with heroin use disorder admitted to Stikland Opioid Detoxification Unit L Dannatt, K J Cloete, M Kidd, L Weich 13. Investigating the association between diabetes mellitus, depression and psychological distress in a cohort of South African teachers A K Domingo, S Seedat, T M Esterhuizen, C Laurence, J Volmink, L Asmal 14. Neuropeptide S -emerging evidence for a role in anxiety K Domschke 15. Pathogenetics of anxiety K Domschke 16. The effects of HIV on the fronto-striatal system S du Plessis, M Vink, J Joska, E Koutsilieri, C Scheller, B Spottiswoode, D Stein, R Emsley 17. Effects of acute antipsychotic treatment on brain morphology in schizophrenia R Emsley, L Asmal, B Chiliza, S du Plessis, J Carr, A Goosen, M Kidd, M Vink, R Kahn 18. Development of a genetic database resource for monitoring of breast cancer patients at risk of physical and psychological complications K Grant, F J Cronje, K Botha, J P Apffelstaedt, M J Kotze 19. Unipolar mania reconsidered: Evidence from a South African study C Grobler 20. Antipsychotic-induced movement disorders: Occurence and management P Haddad 21. The place of observational studies in assessing the effectiveness of long-acting injectable antipsychotics P Haddad 22. Molecular mechanisms of d-cycloserine in fear extinction: Insights from RNS sequencing S Hemmings, S Malan-Muller, L Fairbairn, M Jalali, E J Oakeley, J Gamieldien, M Kidd, S Seedat 23. Schizophrenia: The role of inflammation DC Henderson 24. Addictions: Emergent trends and innovations V Hitzeroth 25. The socio-cultural-religious context of biological psychiatric practice B Janse van Rensburg 26. Biochemical markers for identifying risk factors for disability progression in multiple sclerosis S Janse van Rensburg, M J Kotze, F J Cronje, W Davis, K Moremi, M Jalali Sefid Dashti, J Gamieldien, D Geiger, M Rensburg, R van Toorn, M J de Klerk, G M Hon, T Matsha, S Hassan, R T Erasmus 27. Alcohol-induced psychotic disorder: Brain perfusion and psychopathology - before and after antipsychotic treatment G Jordaan, J M Warwick, D G Nel, R Hewlett, R Emsley 28.'Pump and dump': Harm reduction strategies for breastfeeding while using substances L Kramer 29. Adolescent neuropsychiatry - an emerging field in South African adolescent psychiatric services A Lachman 30. Recovery versus remission, or what it means to be healthy for a psychiatric patient? B Latecki 31. Holistic methods utilised to normalise behaviours in youth diagnosed with neuro-biochemical disorders P Macqueen 32. Candidate genes and novel polymorphisms for anxiety disorder in a South African cohort N McGregor, J Dimatelis, S M J Hemmings, C J Kinnear, D Stein, V Russel, C Lochner 33. Higher visual functioning A Moodley 34. The effects of prenatal methylmercury exposure on trace element and antioxidant levels in rat offspring following 6-hydroxydopamine-induced neuronal insult Z M Moosa, W M U Daniels, M V Mabandla 35. Paediatric neuropsychiatric movement disorders L Mubaiwa 36. The South African national female offenders study M Nagdee, L Artz, C de Clercq, P de Wet, H Erlacher, S Kaliski, C Kotze, L Kowalski, J Naidoo, S Naidoo, J Pretorius, M Roffey, F Sokudela, U Subramaney 37. Neurobiological consequences of child abuse C Nemeroff 38. What do Stellenbosch Unviversity medical students think about psychiatry - and why should we care? G Nortje, S Suliman, K Seed, G Lydall, S Seedat 39. Neurological soft skins in Nigerian Africans with first episode schizophrenia: Factor structure and clinical correlates A Ojagbemi, O Esan, O Gureje, R Emsley 40. Should psychiatric patients know their MTHFR status? E Peter 41. Clinical and functional outcome of treatment refractory first-episode schizophrenia L Phahladira, R Emsley, L Asmal, B Chiliza 42. Bioethics by case discussion W Pienaar 43. Reviewing our social contract pertaining to psychiatric research in children, research in developing countries and distributive justice in pharmacy W Pienaar 44. The performance of the MMSE in a heterogenous elderly South African population S Ramlall, J Chipps, A I Bhigjee, B J Pillay 45. Biological basis addiction (alocohol and drug addiction) S Rataemane 46. Volumetric brain changes in prenatal methamphetamine-exposed children compared with healthy unexposed controls A Roos, K Donald, G Jones, D J Stein 47. Single voxel proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy of the amygdala in social anxiety disorder in the context of early developmental trauma D Rosenstein, A Hess, S Seedat, E Meintjies 48. Discussion of HDAC inhibitors, with specific reference to supliride and its use during breastfeeding J Roux 49. Prevalence and clinical correlates of police contact prior to a first diagnosis of schizophrenia C Schumann, L Asmal, K Cloete, B Chiliza, R Emsley 50. Are dreams meaningless? M Solms 51. The conscious id M Solms 52. Depression and resilience in HIV-infected women with early life stress: Does trauma play a mediating role? G Spies, S Seedat 53. State of affairs analysis for forensic psychiatry in SA U Subramaney 54. Escitalopram in the prevention of post-traumatic stress disorder: A pilot randomised controlled trial S Suliman, S Seedat, J Pingo, T Sutherland, J Zohar, D J Stein 55. Epigenetic consequences of adverse early social experiences in primates S Suomi 56. Risk, resilience, and gene x environment interactions in primates S Suomi 57. Biological aspects of anorexia nervosa C Szabo 58. Agents used and profiles of non-fatal suicidal behaviour in East London H Uys 59. The contributions of G-protein coupled receptor signalling to opioid dependence J van Tonder 60. Emerging trend and innovation in PTSD and OCD J Zohar 61. Making the SASOP treatment guidelines operational E Allers Poster Presentations 62. Neuropsychological deficits in social anxiety disorder in the context of early developmental trauma S Bakelaar, D Rosenstein, S Seedat 63.Social anxiety disorder in patients with or without early childhood trauma: Relationship to behavioral inhibition and activation and quality of life S Bakelaar, C Bruijnen, A Sambeth, S Seedat 64. Exploring altered affective processing in obssessive compulsive disorder symptom subtypes E Breet, J Ipser, D Stein, C Lochner 65. To investigate the bias toward recognising the facial expression of disgust in obsessive compulsive disorder as well as the effect of escitalopram E Breet, J Ipser, D Stein, C Lochner 66. A fatal-case of nevirapine-induced Stevens-Johnson's syndrome in HIV mania A Bronkhorst, Z Zingela, W M Qwesha, B P Magigaba 67. Association of the COMT G472A (met/met) genotype with lower disability in people diagnosed with multiple sclerosis W Davis, S J van Rensburg, L Fisher, F J Cronje, D Geiger, M J Kotze 68. Homocycsteine levels are associated with the fat mass and obesity associated gene FTO(intron 1 T>A) polymorphism in MS patients W Davis, S J Van Rensburg, M J Kotze, L Fisher, M Jalali, F J Cronje, K Moremi, J Gamieldien, D Geiger, M Rensburg, R van Toorn, M J de Klerk, G M Hon, T Matsha, S Hassan, R T Erasmus 69. Analysis of the COMT 472 G>A (rs4680) polymorphism in relation to environmental influences as contributing factors in patients with schizophrenia D de Klerk, S J van Rensburg, R A Emsley, D Geiger, M Rensburg, R T Erasmus, M J Kotze 70. Dietary folate intake, homocysteine levels and MTHFR mutation detection in South African patients with depression: Test development for clinical application D Delport, N vand der Merwe, R Schoeman, M J Kotze 71. The use ofexome sequencing for antipsychotic pharmacogenomic applications in South African schizophrenia patients B Drogmoller, D Niehaus, G Wright, B Chiliza, L Asmal, R Emsley, L Warnich 72. The effects of HIV on the ventral-striatal reward system S du Plessis, M Vink, J Joska, E Koutsilieri, C Scheller, B Spottiswoode, D Stein, R Emsley 73. Xenomelia relates to asymmetrical insular activity: A case study of fMRI S du Plessis, M Vink, L Asmal 74. Maternal mental helath: A prospective naturalistic study of the outcome of pregancy in women with major psychiatric disorders in an African country E du Toit, L Koen, D Niehaus, B Vythilingum, E Jordaan, J Leppanen 75. Prefrontal cortical thinning and subcortical volume decrease in HIV-positive children with encephalopathy J P Fouche, B Spottiswoode, K Donald, D Stein, J Hoare 76. H-magnetic resonance spectroscopy metabolites in schizophrenia F Howells, J Hsieh, H Temmingh, D J Stein 77. Hypothesis for the development of persistent methamphetamine-induced psychosis J Hsieh, D J Stein, F M Howells 78. Culture, religion, spirituality and psychiatric practice: The SASOP Spirituality and Psychiatry Special Interest Group Action Plan for 2012-2014 B Janse van Rensburg 79. Cocaine reduces the efficiency of dopamine uptake in a rodent model of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: An in vivo electrochemical study L Kellaway, J S Womersley, D J Stein, G A Gerhardt, V A Russell 80. Kleine-Levin syndrome: Case in an adolescent psychiatric unit A Lachman 81. Increased inflammatory stress specific clinical, lifestyle and therapeutic variables in patients receiving treatment for stress, anxiety or depressive symptoms H Luckhoff, M Kotze, S Janse van Rensburg, D Geiger 82. Catatonia: An eight-case series report M Mabenge, Z Zingela, S van Wyk 83. Relationship between anxiety sensitivity and childhood trauma in a random sample of adolescents from secondary schools in Cape Town L Martin, M Viljoen, S Seedat 84. 'Making ethics real'. An overview of an ethics course presented by Fraser Health Ethics Services, BC, Canada JJ McCallaghan 85. Clozapine discontinuation rates in a public healthcare setting M Moolman, W Esterhuysen, R Joubert, J C Lamprecht, M S Lubbe 86. Retrospective review of clozapine monitoring in a publica sector psychiatric hospital and associated clinics M Moolman, W Esterhuysen, R Joubert, J C Lamprecht, M S Lubbe 87. Association of an iron-related TMPRSS6 genetic variant c.2007 C>7 (rs855791) with functional iron deficiency and its effect on multiple sclerosis risk in the South African population K Moremi, S J van Rensburg, L R Fisher, W Davis, F J Cronje, M Jalali Sefid Dashti, J Gamieldien, D Geiger, M Rensburg, R van Toorn, M J de Klerk, G M Hon, T Matsha, S Hassan, R T Erasmus, M Kidd, M J Kotze 88. Identifying molecular mechanisms of apormophine-induced addictive behaviours Z Ndlazi, W Daniels, M Mabandla 89. Effects of lifestyle factors and biochemistry on the major neck blood vessels in patients with mutiple sclerosis M Nelson, S J van Rensburg, M J Kotze, F Isaacs, S Hassan 90. Nicotine protects against dopamine neurodegenration and improves motor deficits in a Parkinsonian rat model N Ngema, P Ngema, M Mabandla, W Daniels 91. Cognition: Probing anatomical substrates H Nowbath 92. Chronic exposure to light reverses the effects of maternal separation on the rat prefrontal cortex V Russel, J Dimatelis 93. Evaluating a new drug to combat Alzheimer's disease S Sibiya, W M U Daniels, M V Mabandla 94. Structural brain changes in HIV-infected women with and without childhood trauma G Spies, F Ahmed, C Fennema-Notestine, S Archibald, S Seedat 95. Nicotine-stimulated release of hippocampal norepinephrine is reduced in an animal model of attention-deficit/ hyperactivity disorder: the spontaneously hypertensive rat T Sterley 96. Brain-derive neurotrophic factor (BDNF) protein levels in anxiety disorders: Systematic review and meta-regression analysis S Suliman, S M J Hemmings, S Seedat 97. A 12-month retrospective audit of the demographic and clinical profile of mental healthcare users admitted to a district level hospital in the Western Cape, South Africa E Thomas, K J Cloete, M Kidd, H Lategan 98. Magnesium recurarization: A comparison between reversal of neuromuscular block with sugammadex v. neostigmine/ glycopyrrolate in an in vivo rat model M van den Berg, M F M James, L A Kellaway 99. Identification of breast cancer patients at increased risk of 'chemobrain': Case study and review of the literature N van der Merwe, R Pienaar, S J van Rensburg, J Bezuidenhout, M J Kotze 100. The protective role of HAART and NAZA in HIV Tat protein-induced hippocampal cell death S Zulu, W M U Daniels, M V Mabandla

Small farms in Appalachia are economically challenged due to complex topography and soil constraints that limit productivity. Most farms have considerable acreage in forest, some of which is on the least productive sites, which contributes little income. The purpose of this study was to determine management and microclimate impacts on the establishment of an agro-forest for increasing the economic value of the forested land resource. A 1.2 ha forest clear-cut was planted with red oak (Quercus rubra) as the desired mature forest species alternated with rows of Chinese chestnut (Castanea mollissima), pawpaw (Asimina triloba), hazelnut (Corylus americana), and white pine (Pinus strobus) for generating income as the forest matures. Oak and chestnut required protection from deer. Oak had the lowest survival rate (61%) and chestnut had the highest survival rate (94%). While providing protection, Tubex plastic tubes also resulted in spindly tree growth. Plastic tubes did, however, improve pawpaw survival. Oak did best on well-drained locations. Chestnut and hazelnut were negatively impacted by forest edge more than oak or pawpaw. Overall there was a high degree of variability in tree growth suggesting that on low productivity sites, a planting density substantially higher than the desired final stand may be warranted to optimize the tree-vigor/micro-site match. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Laboratory kinetic leach column (KLC) tests were carried out to define the conditions required to control acid generation from a highly reactive, potentially acid-forming (PAF) iron ore waste rock. It was found that lime addition (0.1 wt % blended) plus either blending of silicates (25 wt % K-feldspar and 25 wt % chlorite), or addition of a non-acid forming (NAF) top cover containing about 10% dolomite (PAF:NAF = 5:1 wt %), when watered/flushed with lime-saturated water, greatly reduced acid generation as compared to the control KLC (PAF alone, watered/flushed with Milli-Q water), but did not result in circum-neutral pH as required for pyrite surface passivation and effective acid and metalliferous drainage (AMD) mitigation. In contrast, the combined use of these treatments—blended lime and silicates with an NAF cover and watering/flushing with lime-saturated water—resulted in leachate pH of 12 (up to 24 weeks). Mass balance calculations for Ca2+ and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analyses suggest that calcite or gypsum may have formed in the NAF-amended KLCs and lime with added silicate KLC. Although the combined approach in the form trialled here may not be practical or cost-effective, control of a highly reactive natural PAF waste by pyrite surface passivation appears to be possible, and an improved treatment methodology (e.g., slightly increased lime blending without the need for further lime watering/flushing) could usefully be examined in the future.

Yields of (14)CO(2) from [2-(14)C]mevalonate and [5-(14)C]mevalonate have been used by others to estimate the activity of the non-sterol-forming pathway, also called the mevalonate shunt pathway, and yields of (14)C in sterols have been used to estimate the activity of the sterol-forming pathway. Both these pathways operate following the conversion of carbon 1 of mevalonate to CO(2). The estimations of the shunt pathway contribution are dependent upon the fractions of carbons 2 and 5 of mevalonate that are oxidized to CO(2) in the Krebs cycle after leaving the pathway. Unless all of carbons 2 and 5 are oxidized to CO(2), the estimates are minimal. The metabolism of mevalonate has now been examined in slices of livers and kidneys from fasted rats and rats in diabetic ketosis. Yields of (14)CO(2) from [1-(14)C]mevalonate are used as the measure of the contributions of all the pathways by which carbon 1 of mevalonate is converted to CO(2). Yields of (3)H-labeled nonsaponifiable lipids from [5-(3)H]mevalonate are used as the measure of the sterol-forming pathway. The differences in these yields are then taken as the measure of the non-sterol-forming pathway or pathways. Yields of (14)CO(2) from [1-(14)C]mevalonate markedly exceeded the sum of the yields of (14)C in CO(2) and nonsaponifiable lipids from either [2-(14)C]mevalonate or [5-(14)C]mevalonate. Therefore, in liver and kidney, under the conditions of this study, either one or more pathways other than the shunt pathway, by which mevalonate can be metabolized to other than sterols, is operative to a marked degree, or estimates of the shunt pathway's contributions as judged by yields of (14)CO(2) from [2-(14)C]mevalonate and [5-(14)C]mevalonate are significantly underestimated.-Brady, P. S., W. C. Schumann, S. Ohgaku, R. F. Scofield, and B. R. Landau. Evidence for an underestimation of the shunt pathway of mevalonate metabolism in slices of livers and kidneys from fasted rats and rats in diabetic ketosis.