The effect of point of substitution and silver based nanoparticles on the photophysical and optical nonlinearity of indium carboxyphenoxy phthalocyanine
- Authors: Oluwole, David O , Ngxeke, Sixolisile M , Britton, Jonathan , Nyokong, Tebello
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/188596 , vital:44768 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jphotochem.2017.07.032"
- Description: Indium(III) chloride 1,8(11),15(18),22(25)-tetra-(3-carboxyphenoxy) phthalocyanine (1) and indium(III) chloride 2,9(10),16(17),23(24)-tetra–(3-carboxyphenoxy) phthalocyanine (2) were covalently linked to glutathione capped silver nanoparticles (AgNPs–GSH) and silver selenide/zinc sulfide (Ag2Se/ZnS–GSH) quantum dots via amide bond formation. The photophysical and nonlinear optical behaviour of the metallophthalocyanines and their conjugates with nanoparticles were investigated using the open aperture Z–scan technique. Complex 2 showed enhanced photophysical properties compared to 1. The conjugates revealed improved triplet state quantum yields (except for 1-AgNPs-GSH which afforded lower triplet state quantum yields in comparison to 1) and nonlinear optical activities in comparison to the Pc complexes. The synthesized complexes, nanoparticles and their conjugates could be potential nonlinear optical materials due to their good nonlinear optical activities.
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- Date Issued: 2017
The effects of expansive shrubs on plant species richness and soils in semi-arid communal lands, South Africa
- Authors: Sholto-Douglas, Craig , Shackleton, Charlie M , Ruwanza, Sheunesu , Dold, Tony
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/398394 , vital:69408 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.2745"
- Description: Expansion by expansive species can have severe ecological, social and economic impacts through the reduction of ecosystem goods and services and species richness. However, expansion by expansive species may also offer benefits to ecosystems and humans, through the supply of ecosystem goods and services (such as firewood, fodder and fruits), as well as potentially offering refugia in heavily used landscapes. Here, we examine the effects of four expansive dwarf shrub species (Aspalathus subtingens, Dicerothamnus rhinocerotis, Pteronia incana and Oedera genistifolia) on plant species richness (at the point scale), vegetation cover, soil properties and whether the expansive species offer refugia to other species. Plant species richness, cover and soil properties were recorded in 1-m2 quadrats located within a mosaic of expanded and non-expanded patches for the four expansive shrub species. Plant species richness was significantly higher in the non-expanded areas compared to the expanded ones for all four expansive species. Some of the expansive shrubs provided refugia to certain plant species and limited the frequency of other species. With regard to species composition, there was little separation of expanded and non-expanded samples within sites, indicating that the site factors were stronger determinants of plant species richness and composition than expansion. Therefore, it is more likely that the reduction in species richness in expanded sites is caused by multiple drivers, including vegetation attributes cover, litter cover and soil nutrients (organic C, Zn and P) and soil compaction.
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- Date Issued: 2017
The effects of rhizobium inoculation on growth performance, forage production, nutrient and anti-nutrient content of lablab purpureus cultivars
- Authors: Senti, Sibongile Portia https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4906-9570
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Livestock productivity , Rhizobium japonicum
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/22864 , vital:53011
- Description: Declining soil fertility and inadequate low quality feed resources limit smallholder livestock production in the semi-arid regions of Eastern Cape in South Africa. Smallholder farmers are facing problems of high cost of artificial fertilisers limiting them in production of cereal crops and also fodder for their livestock. This leads to poor nutrition, particularly in the dry season, it affects livestock production. Planting Lablab purpureus and inoculating with Rhizobium would limit the necessity for buying expensive protein supplements and nitrogen fertilisers. Lablab purpureus can provide feed in the dry season for the improvement of livestock production. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of Bradyrhizobium japonicum inoculation on growth performance, biomass production, nutrient and anti-nutrient content of the two Lablab purpureus cultivars (Rongai and Highworth). The experiment was conducted at Fort Hare Research Farm in Alice, South Africa. Data was collected on plant seedling emergence, plant height, stem diameter, plant vigour, chlorophyll content, nodule numbers as well as dry matter content, biomass yield, nutrient and anti-nutrient contents at 30, 60 and 90 DAP. Samples of Lablab purpureus were harvested at flowering stage and analysed for dry matter content, biomass yield, chemical, mineral and anti-ntrient composition. The results showed that Rhizobium inoculation significantly increased (p<0.05) seedling emergence, plant height and stem diameter of both Lablab purpureus cultivars. Rhizobium inoculation had no significant effect (p>0.05) on chlorophyll content for both cultivars. Highworth had significantly higher (p<0.05) plant vigour than Rongai on both inoculated and uninoculated. Varieties and inoculation effects were significant (p<0.05) for number of nodules, nodulation rate, active nodules and nodule dry yield. Rhizobium inoculation significantly (p<0.05) increased fresh matter yield, dry matter yied and dry matter content on both cultivars. There were no significant differences (p>0.05) in NDF, ADIN, ADL, ADF, and Na between inoculated and uninoculated plants for both cultivars. The inoculation of Rhizobium improved CP (15.65%) in Highworth cultivar. The inoculation of Rhizobium significantly increased Ca (1.76-1.84%), Zn (191.91-2 8.33ppm) and Cu (3.50-6.16ppm) compared to un-inoculated plants. Varieties and Rhizobium had no interaction (p>0.05) with condensed tannin, hydrolysable tannin, total polyphenols and saponins . Therefore, the Rhizobium inoculation assisted in improving quality in terms of nutrient composition and decreasing anti-nutrients. It is recommended to use both cultivars of Lablab purpureus. Based on the results of this study it is concluded that Rhizobium inoculation increases yield and forage quality of Lablab purpureus. It is recommended that Highworth cultivar can be used by communal farmers in the Eastern Cape. This cultivar showed that it needs Rhizobium inoculation inorder to produce high quality that can increase livestock production. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science and Agriculture, 2017
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- Date Issued: 2017
The impact of preventive family-strengthening programmes on family cohesion in the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality
- Authors: Nyanhoto, Rumbidzai https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8505-9890
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Family social work http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh85047068 , Social service http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh85124049 , Social problems http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh85123988
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/19487 , vital:43132
- Description: This study focused on the impact which specific selected preventive family-strengthening programmes in the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa have on improving family cohesion. A mixed methods approach was used to collect and analyse the data. The quantitative approach was the dominant one, while a qualitative approach was used to corroborate the quantitative findings. The quantitative data was collected through a survey. One hundred questionnaires were distributed among the beneficiaries of selected preventive family-strengthening programmes, which were parenting and marriage enrichment programmes. The beneficiaries of the programmes were selected through simple random sampling from the databases of the NGOs which had agreed to participate in the study. The qualitative component of the study produced results which supported the quantitative findings. This data was collected through in-depth interviews which were conducted with fifteen purposively selected social workers who were involved in the implementation of the selected preventive family-strengthening programmes. The findings of the study indicated that although both of the parenting and marriage enrichment programmes do cater for the common problems which affect families, in many cases they do not appear to meet the expectations of their intended beneficiaries. The study found that of the 10 objectives of the parenting programme, only 6 were being met. The programme was found to have achieved its objective of helping parents to understand the behaviour of their children, to be sensitive to their feelings, to develop their self-esteem, to communicate effectively with them, to build the family and to understand their rights with respect to grants. However, the beneficiaries who attended the programme were still unable to encourage self-discipline, to talk to their children about sexuality, to prevent instances of violence in their families or to deal with problems pertaining to child abuse, which represents a failure to meet four of the specific objectives of the programme. The marriage enrichment programme was found to have met its objectives to help couples to assess strength and growth areas, to strengthen their communication skills and to develop personal goals, goals for themselves as couples and goals for their families. The objectives of helping couples to resolve conflicts constructively, to resolve problems pertaining to their families of origin and develop workable budgets or financial plans between spouses were not being met, as the findings indicated that most of the beneficiaries were still struggling to meet these three specific objectives. Their failures in these domains could be attributed to the perceptions which their African culture had instilled in the beneficiaries. The results of the study also indicated that attending the preventive family-strengthening programmes had strengthened the cohesion of families. The discernible evidence of cohesion in the families of most of the beneficiaries who had attended the programmes was expressed through shared affection, a sense of loyalty, reciprocity, solidarity within families and shared decision making. On the basis of the findings, it is recommended that the government should provide adequate means to facilitate the implementation of the programmes, to facilitate partnerships among stakeholders and to ensure the continuous monitoring and evaluation of the programmes. It is also recommended that in order to meet the vii expectations of the beneficiaries of the programmes, needs assessments which engage the communities in the reviewing of the content of the programmes should be performed. In social work practice, the indigenisation of the programmes and the incorporation of the spill over hypothesis will promote their effective implementation. , Thesis (PhD) (Social Work) -- University of Fort Hare, 2017
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- Date Issued: 2017
The photophysical studies of Pluronic F127/P123 micelle mixture system loaded with metal free and Zn 5, 10, 15, 20-tetrakis [4-(benzyloxy) phenyl] porphyrins
- Authors: Managa, Muthumuni , Ngoy, Bokolombe P , Nyokong, Tebello
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/188932 , vital:44799 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jphotochem.2017.02.018"
- Description: Binary mixtures of Pluronics are studied as drug nanocarriers in this work. H2 and Zn 5,10,15,20-tetrakis[4-(benzyloxy) phenyl] porphyrin were encapsulated onto binary micelle mixture of Pluronic F127/P123. The fluorescence and singlet oxygen generating behaviour of the porphyrins were investigated following incorporation. The fluorescence quantum yield for H2TBnOPP (ΦF = 0.034) was higher than that of ZnTBnOPP (ΦF = 0.023) and decreased when ZnTBnOPP or H2TBnOPP when in the presence of Pluronic F127/P123 binary mixtures. The kq values were 2.8 × 108 and 3.7 × 108 M−1 s−1, for H2TBnOPP + Pluronic F127/P123 and ZnTBnOPP + Pluronic F127/P123 in water, respectively. The binding constants (Kb) were 1.58 × 105 M−1 and 1.02 × 105 M−1 for ZnTBnOPP + Pluronic F127/P123 and H2TBnOPP + Pluronic F127/P123, respectively.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
The relevance of cross-scale connections and spatial interactions for ecosystem service delivery by protected areas: Insights from southern Africa
- Authors: de Vos, Alta , Cumming, Graeme S , Roux, Dirk J
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/416438 , vital:71348 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoser.2017.11.014"
- Description: The ecosystem services (ES) concept can frame the value of protected areas (PAs) to society and identify management actions that bridge biodiversity conservation and human benefits. In this special issue on ES flows to and from southern African PAs we consider two themes: (1) water as a biophysical and social-ecological connector; and (2) cross-scale interactions and connections as influences on cultural ecosystem service (CES) provision. Freshwater flows have supporting, regulating, and cultural elements, leading to complexities in governance as well as place attachment, intellectual, and recreational services. Scale dependence in CES creates trade-offs that challenge the usefulness of the ES framework for PA management. Ecosystem service production can potentially create political support for PAs and helps to build connections and feedbacks that increase PA resilience. Papers in the feature highlight a need to understand trade-offs in optimising for biodiversity vs. particular bundles of ES; impacts of investment in built infrastructure on ES use; how managers facilitate ES; scale and heterogeneity as influences; the role of adaptive monitoring of PAs as social–ecological systems; and services and benefits from PAs that are not well-articulated in ES classifications. PA research can thus add nuance, depth and substance to broader thinking around CES.
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- Date Issued: 2017
The Role of HOP in Emerin-Mediated Nuclear Structure
- Authors: Kituyi, Sarah Naulikha
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Heat shock proteins , Nuclear structure , Nuclear membranes , Cancer Treatment , Molecular chaperones , Cytoskeleton , Cytoplasm
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/59230 , vital:27485 , DOI 10.21504/10962/59230
- Description: A vital component of the integral nuclear membrane is emerin, a Lamin Emerin and Man1 (LEM) domain protein whose concentration determines the levels of partner proteins that together constitute the structure of the nuclear envelope. Deficiencies in any of these proteins causes the failure of the structure and assembly and disassembly of the nuclear envelope, which disrupts chromosome segregation and nuclear compartmentalization that are both associated with disease. Emerin also localizes in the cytoplasm where it is implicated in the structure of the cytoskeleton via interaction with tubulin and actin and thus its deficiency may equally contribute to the collapse of the cytoskeleton. The Hsp70-Hsp90 organising protein (Hop) functions as a cochaperone for entry of client proteins into the Hsp90 folding cycle. Hop is upregulated in cancer and regulates a number of cell biology processes via interactions with proteins independently of Hsp90. In a previous study using global whole cell mass spectrometry, emerin was shown to be the most significantly down regulated protein in Hop depleted cell lysates. In this current study, it was postulated that emerin interacts with Hop, and this interaction regulates the stability, and level of emerin in the nucleus which impacts on the structure of the nuclear envelope. We used HEK293T cell lines stably expressing shRNA against Hop, emerin and a non-targeting control alongside the over expression of Hop in HEK293 cells to determine the effect of Hop levels on emerin expression and vice versa via Western blotting. The effect of Hop on the localization of emerin was assessed via subcellullar fractionation and confocal microscopy, while the impact on the structure of the nucleus was determined by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). We established that the depletion of Hop using shRNA and the over expression of Hop both result in the proteasomal and lysosomal degradation of emerin. Co-immunoprecipitation assays confirmed that Hop and emerin are in a common complex, which was not dependent on the presence of Hsp90. Loss of Hop or emerin led to a deformation of nuclear structure and a statistically significant decrease in nuclear size compared to control cells and was associated with an increase in the levels of nuclear protein, lamin A-C. Loss of emerin and Hop resulted in increased long term cell survival, but only after restriction of the nucleus when the cells had migrated across a transwell membrane. Taken together, the results obtained suggest that Hop acts as a scaffold for the stabilization of emerin and that the effects of Hop depletion on the structure of the nucleus and long term survival are mediated via the depletion of emerin. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Science, Biochemistry and Microbiology, 2017
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- Date Issued: 2017
The safety net function of NTFPs in different agro-ecological zones of South Africa
- Authors: Mugido, Worship , Shackleton, Charlie M
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/180111 , vital:43311 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s11111-017-0285-z"
- Description: Various South African studies have shown that rural households use NTFPs as safety nets in times of misfortune. However being focused on one or two sites, they do not show the prevalence of NTFP use as safety nets across multiple sites. In addition, they do not show the use of NTFPs as safety nets by rural households in different agro-ecological zones. The results of the study showed that about 79% of the total households interviewed experienced at least one shock of some magnitude in the previous 12 months. The most experienced shocks were illness, death, crop failure, and hunger. The households employed various coping strategies in response to different types of shocks, with the three widely used strategies being assistance from friends and relatives, using cash savings, and using NTFPs. Households in low agro-ecological zones used NTFPs as safety nets more than households in high agro-ecological zones.
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- Date Issued: 2017
The trade in and household use of Phoenix reclinata palm frond hand brushes on the Wild Coast, South Africa: Effects on soil nutrients
- Authors: Mjoli, Nwabisa , Shackleton, Charlie M
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/180800 , vital:43647 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s12231-015-9316-9"
- Description: The Trade in and Household Use of Phoenix reclinata Palm Frond Hand Brushes on the Wild Coast, South Africa. This paper reports on an investigation of the harvesting, trade, and use of hand brushes made from fronds of the wild palm, Phoenix reclinata. We considered both the abundance of the resource as well as the demand. Within the harvesting areas, there were approximately 141 palm plants per hectare, of which almost two-thirds showed no signs of frond harvesting. During harvesting, most fronds (82%) were left on the plant, 16% were removed to make brushes, and 2% were cut and discarded. Although the number of harvesters had increased during the last decade, most felt that the number of palm plants had remained stable or even increased over the same period. There was strong consensus that cut fronds were replaced within two months, after which a particular stem could be harvested again. Harvesting and trade were practiced largely by middle-aged to elderly women, who had limited formal education, skills, and employment prospects. Most had entered the trade because of cash income poverty. The main markets for selling the palm brushes were in nearby urban areas. The income earned from the trade was modest, but still rated highly by the traders, for most of whom it was the second most-important source of cash income. For many users, the palm brushes was found to be the only type of brush suitable for cleaning mud and cow-dung flooring and, most importantly for many, their use forms part of a long household use history and culture.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2015
The use of experimental design for the development of a capillary zone electrophoresis method for the quantitation of captopril
- Authors: Mukozhiwa, S Y , Khamanga, Sandile M , Walker, Roderick B
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/183828 , vital:44073 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.1691/ph.2017.7071"
- Description: A capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) method for the quantitation of captopril (CPT) using UV detection was developed. Influence of electrolyte concentration and system variables on electrophoretic separation was evaluated and a central composite design (CCD) was used to optimize the method. Variables investigated were pH, molarity, applied voltage and capillary length. The influence of sodium metabisulphite on the stability of test solutions was also investigated. The use of sodium metabisulphite prevented degradation of CPT over 24 hours. A fused uncoated silica capillary of 67.5cm total and 57.5 cm effective length was used for analysis. The applied voltage and capillary length affected the migration time of CPT significantly. A 20 mM phosphate buffer adjusted to pH 7.0 was used as running buffer and an applied voltage of 23.90 kV was suitable to effect a separation. The optimized electrophoretic conditions produced sharp, well-resolved peaks for CPT and sodium metabisulphite. Linear regression analysis of the response for CPT standards revealed the method was linear (R2 = 0.9995) over the range 5-70 μg/mL. The limits of quantitation and detection were 5 and 1.5 μg/mL. A simple, rapid and reliable CZE method has been developed and successfully applied to the analysis of commercially available CPT products.
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- Date Issued: 2017
Understanding spatial variation in the drivers of nature-based tourism and their influence on the sustainability of private land conservation
- Authors: Baum, Julia , Cumming, Graeme S , de Vos, Alta
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/416481 , vital:71352 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2017.05.005"
- Description: Protected areas connect socio-economic and ecological systems through their provision of ecosystem goods and services. Analysis of ecosystem services allows the expression of ecological benefits in economic terms. However, cultural services, such as recreation opportunities, have proved difficult to quantify. An important challenge for the analysis of cultural services is to understand the geography of service provision in relation to both human and ecological system elements. We used data on visitation rates and measures of context, content, connectivity, and location for 64 private land conservation areas (PLCAs) to better understand geographic influences on cultural service provision. Visitation to PLCAs was influenced by a combination of ecological and socio-economic drivers. Variance partitioning analysis showed that ecology explained the largest proportion of overall variation in visitation rates (26%), followed by location (22%). In tests using generalized linear mixed models, individual factors that significantly explained visitation rates included the number of mammal species, the number of Big 5-species (ecological variables), the number of facilities provided (infrastructure) and average accommodation charges (affordability). Our analysis has important implications for the economic sustainability of PLCAs and more generally for understanding the relevance of spatial variation for analyses of cultural services.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
Voices of the hungry: A qualitative measure of household food access and food insecurity in South Africa
- Authors: Chakona, Gamucharai , Shackleton, Charlie M
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/398443 , vital:69412 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.1186/s40066-017-0149-x"
- Description: South Africa is rated a food secure nation, but large numbers of households within the country have inadequate access to nutrient-rich diverse foods. The study sought to investigate households’ physical and economic access and availability of food, in relation to local context which influences households’ access to and ability to grow food which may affect the dietary quality. We sought to understand self-reported healthy diets, food insecurity from the perspective of people who experienced it, barriers to household food security and perceptions and feelings on food access as well as strategies households use to cope with food shortages and their perceptions on improving household food security.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
West African arthropods hold promise as biological control agents for an invasive tree in the Pacific Islands
- Authors: Paterson, Iain D , Paynter, Quentin , Neser, Stefan , Akpabey, FJ , Compton, Stephen G
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/407119 , vital:70338 , xlink:href="https://hdl.handle.net/10520/EJC-639c91613"
- Description: African tulip tree, Spathodea campanulata Beauv. (Bignoniaceae), is a large tree of secondary forests, forest edges and savannas that is indigenous to Central and West Africa (Bidgood 1994). It has been widely utilised as an ornamental plant due to its beautiful flowers, fast growth and relative ease of cultivation, as a shade tree in parks and coffee plantations, and as a living fencepost (Francis 1990). Naturalisation has often followed cultivation of the plant, which is now established outside of the native range in Africa (Hedberg et al. 2006), the Caribbean (Francis 1990; Labrada and Medina 2009) and many Pacific islands (Meyer 2004), including Hawaii, Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Samoa, Tonga,Vanuatu and Tahiti (Lowe et al. 2000; Dovey et al. 2004; Labrada and Medina 2009). On some of these islands it has become a destructive weed, invading indigenous forests and having a severe impact on agricultural production (Labrada and Medina 2009; Larrue et al. 2014). This has resulted in African tulip tree being recognised as one of the 100 worst alien invasive species worldwide, along with only 30 other terrestrial plants (Lowe et al. 2000).
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
We’re talking about semantics here: Axiological condensation in the South African parliament
- Authors: Siebörger, Ian , Adendorff, Ralph D
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/385389 , vital:68015 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.1075/fol.24.2.03sie"
- Description: This article describes how procedural knowledge is produced in a meeting of the South African parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Transport, using concepts from Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL) and Legitimation Code Theory (LCT). Members of this committee argue over whether or not to amend a draft committee report and in the process co-construct procedural norms for future committee meetings. Participants on both sides of the argument use axiological condensation, in which actions and ideas are associated with each other and charged with a particular moral or affective value ( Maton 2014 : 130) to portray their version of the procedure to be followed as morally superior to that of their opponents. They also use axiological rarefaction ( Maton 2014 : 130) to reinforce their positions by making apparent concessions to those on the other side of the argument. This is revealed through an analysis of the coupling of ideation and Appraisal ( Martin 2000 : 161) in the logogenetic unfolding of members’ talk, combined with elements of Interactional Sociolinguistics ( Gumperz 1982 ). The analysis suggests that axiological condensation and rarefaction in this meeting reflect competing visions of what it means to be ‘pro-democracy’ in post-apartheid South Africa.
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- Date Issued: 2017
Women's and health workers’ Voices in open, inclusive communities and effective spaces (VOICES)
- Authors: Kuhlmann, Serbert , Gullo, Sara , Galavotti, Christine , Grant, Carolyn , Cavatore, Maria , Posnock, Samuel
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/281190 , vital:55700 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.1111/dpr.12209"
- Description: Given the growing popularity of the social accountability approach to governance, we developed and tested measures of governance outcomes to evaluate maternal and reproductive health social accountability interventions. We articulate a theory of change for how CARE's Community Score Card©, a social accountability approach, 1) empowers women, 2) empowers health workers and 3) creates expanded, inclusive and effective spaces for the two to interact. Our measures worked well in surveys of women and health workers. For women, eight of 13 scales had alphas ≥.70. For health workers, five of 11 scales were ≥.70; four were .60–.69. To our knowledge, this is the first attempt to develop comprehensive measures of governance outcomes to evaluate a social accountability approach for maternal and reproductive health.
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- Date Issued: 2017
Woody plant species richness, composition and structure in urban sacred sites, Grahamstown, South Africa
- Authors: De Lacy, Peter J G , Shackleton, Charlie M
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/180079 , vital:43307 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s11252-017-0669-y"
- Description: Sacred sites are important not only for their traditional, spiritual or religious significance, but may also potentially be valuable for biodiversity conservation in human transformed landscapes. Yet, there has been little consideration of sacred sites in urban areas in this respect. Consequently, to better understand the ecosystem service and conservation value of urban sacred sites, inventories of their floral communities are needed. We examined the richness, composition and structure of the trees and shrubs in 35 urban churchyards and cemeteries in the City of Saints (Grahamstown). The combined area of urban sacred sites (38.7 ha) represented 2.2% of the city area and 13.6% of the public green space area. Species richness of woody plants was high, albeit dominated by non-native species. Levels of similarity among sites were low, indicating the effects of individual management regimens. There was no relationship between age of the site and measured attributes of the vegetation, nor were there any significant differences in vegetation among different religious denominations. However, the basal area and number of woody plants was significantly related to site size. These results indicate the significant heterogeneity of urban sacred sites as green spaces within the urban matrix. The significance of this heterogeneity in providing ecosystem services to users of sacred sites and the broader urban communities requires further investigation.
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- Date Issued: 2017