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Taxonomic research and resultant checklists play a crucial role in underpinning all biodiversity research. Compiling an inventory of plants that occur in a region or country is a complicated task that can be subject to errors and incompleteness, which in turn can hinder other fields of botanical research. South Africa has put in place a rigorous and defensible method of compiling and updating a national checklist, which can serve as a guide to any country in the process of doing so. The process of creating the checklist and significance of this is presented, and the governance, including the choice of classification followed and use of common names, is discussed. Methods for compilation and dissemination of the checklist are described. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

INTRODUCCIÓN: En el retratamiento endodóntico, la remoción de gutapercha es esencial para lograr una adecuada limpieza y conformación del conducto. Los instrumentos D-Race/I Race y XP-endo Finisher R (FKG) son sistemas mecanizados usados para la desobturación del conducto. OBJETIVO: Comparar, ex vivo, la remoción de gutapercha del conducto radicular con el sistema D-Race/I Race, con la obtenida con el instrumento suplementario XP-endo Finisher R y xilol, en premolares. MATERIAL Y MÉTODO: Se seleccionaron 10 premolares con un solo conducto obturados con gutapercha y sellador AH26. Para la desobturación, la muestra se dividió en Grupo A: sin xilol y Grupo B: con Xilol. En ambos grupos se utilizaron los sistemas D-Race/I Race; irrigando con hipoclorito de sodio a cada cambio de instrumento. Posteriormente, se usó XP-endo Finisher R. Se tomaron tres radiografías: la primera, con la obturación del conducto; la segunda luego de usar D Race/I Race y la tercera, posteriormente a XP-endo Finisher R. Se midieron las áreas radiopacas de los conductos con el Software Image Pro-Plus v6. Los datos se evaluaron mediante análisis de varianza con medidas repetidas. En todos los casos el nivel de significación fue p

International studies reveal that students have more freedom, as well as unstructured and unsupervised time, which makes them susceptible to problematic internet use (PIU). Although students are a risk group for PIU, no evidence of local research on internet use among students could be identified. This article reports on a study on the nature and impact of internet use among students at a tertiary institution. A quantitative research approach was adopted and a survey with a group-administered questionnaire was conducted with 295 second-year students (between 18 and 25 years) registered for a module in a basic social science. Respondents were recruited through convenience sampling. The nature of internet use was explored with reference to internet platforms, reasons for internet use, devices for connecting to the internet, and the locations where respondents access the internet. The impact of internet use was explored through eight constructs adopted from two screening instruments in the public domain, i.e. the Internet-Related Addictive Behaviour Inventory and the Problematic Internet Use Questionnaire. The research results were calculated by means of descriptive and association statistics, specifically the chi-square and Fisher's exact tests. Ethical considerations, such as informed consent and voluntary participation, were observed. The research results revealed that the respondents preferred email and chatting as internet platforms, while they used the internet mostly for extrinsic reasons, such as for assignments and socialising. Online activities occurred mostly on campus and at home during the early evenings via mobile phones or laptops. The respondents scored relatively low on the constructs measuring PIU. However, two constructs 'escape from problems' and 'loss of control' presented with markedly higher scores and could be flagged as potential risk areas. Furthermore, association statistics indicated a statistically significant difference of some constructs with regard to gender and the romantic relationship status of respondents, which could be considered in the provision of student support services. The development and evaluation of evidence-based interventions for the prevention, treatment and management of PIU are recommended.

Sugarcane is an economically important crop plant across the globe as it is the primary source of sugar and biofuel. Its growth and development are greatly influenced by water availability; therefore, in periods of water scarcity, yields are severely compromised. Small Ubiquitin‐Like Modifier (SUMO) proteases play an important role in stress responses by regulating the SUMO‐related post‐translational modification of proteins.In an attempt to enhance drought tolerance in sugarcane, this crop was genetically transformed with a cysteine protease (OVERLY TOLERANT TO SALT‐1; OTS1) from Arabidopsis thaliana using particle bombardment. Transgenic plants were analysed in terms of photosynthetic capacity, oxidative damage, antioxidant accumulation and the SUMO‐enrich protein profile was assessed.Sugarcane transformed with the AtOTS1 gene displayed enhanced drought tolerance and delayed leaf senescence under water deficit compared to the untransformed wild type (WT). The AtOTS1 transgenic plants maintained a high relative moisture content and higher photosynthesis rate when compared to the WT. In addition, when the transgene was expressed at high levels, the transformed plants were able to maintain higher stomatal conductance and chlorophyl content under moderate stress compared to the WT. Under severe water deficit stress, the transgenic plants accumulated less malondialdehyde and maintained membrane integrity. SUMOylation of total protein and protease activity was lower in the AtOTS1 transformed plants compared to the WT, with several SUMO‐enriched proteins exclusively expressed in the transgenics when exposed to water deficit stress.SUMOylation of proteins likely influenced various mechanisms contributing to enhanced drought tolerance in sugarcane. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]