Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf): Open Journal Systems
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An update on the effects of radiation therapy and dental management of head and neck cancer patients
Get PDFDefects in the maxillofacial region may result in cosmetic, functional and psychological impairment which can have far reaching effects on patients’ quality of life. Head and neck cancer may be treated with a variety of modalities including surgical resection, chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Ionising radiation destroys tumour cells, rendering them less able to divide, and thereby halting tumour progression, but also destroys many normal cells leaving patients with a number of oral and/or facial side effects, some of which develop quickly and others only becoming evident after some time. This paper will review these complications and the effects they have on patient functionally, aesthetically and psychosocially. It will also propose ways in which dentists can be part of the multidisciplinary team who try to prevent, reduce or manage post radiation sequalae, and help restore patients’ dignity, functioning and general quality of life. The topic of osseointegrated implants in irradiated bone is a much debated, complex and controversial issue. This will be addressed in a follow-up review
Effectiveness of different traps and lures for coffee berry borer, Hypothenemus hampei (Ferrari, 1867) in São Tomé Island
No full textCoffee berry borer, Hypothenemus hampei (Ferrari, 1867), is a serious insect pest of organic coffee plantation in São Tomé Island. To date, limited information regarding the seasonal phenology of this pest species on the islands limits the implementation of integrated pest management (IPM) programmes. As part of a coffee farmer training programme, three attractants were evaluated in red vs. transparent traps to assess olfactory and visual stimuli. The experiment was delineated in a split-block design with three types of attractants: commercial ethanol + 40 g of ripe Robusta coffee (A1), proportion 3:1 methanol and ethanol (A2), and commercial ethanol + 10 g of ground roasted Arabica coffee (A3); and two home-made transparent (D1) and red (D2) traps. The results showed that there was significant interaction between the trap model and the attractant for borer capture. The transparent trap baited with methanol and ethanol exhibited the best result with an average of 14.3 ± 5.4 adults/trap/week. Transparent traps baited captured more borers and largest numbers of beetles were trapped late May through September. In short, home-made traps alone are not effective for controlling the coffee berry borer, but they are useful in monitoring this species
DIE DELIKTUELE AANSPREEKLIKHEID VAN TESTAMENTOPSTELLERS
No full textDie beslissing van die Hoogste Hof van Appèl in Bekker v Naudé (2003 5 SA 173 (HHA)) dat nie-selfopgestelde vormgebrekkige testamente nie binne die trefwydte van die hof se kondoneringsbevoegdheid ingevolge artikel 2(3) van die Wet op Testamente (7 van 1953) val nie, kan verreikende gevolge vir testamentopstellers hê. In hierdie beslissing het die Hoogste Hof van Appèl beslis dat die vereiste dat die dokument “wat opgestel of verly is deur 'n persoon wat sedert die opstel of verlyding daarvan oorlede is …” veronderstel dat die dokument deur die erflater persoonlik opgestel moes wees. In casu het die appellante en haar man, Bekker, hul bank volgens gevestigde praktyk genader ten einde hulle met die opstel van hul testament behulpsaam te wees. 'n Konseptestament is opgestel, deur die bank aan die erflaters vir goedkeuring en ondertekening terugbesorg, maar Bekker het gesterf voordat die testament onderteken is. ‟n Tydperk van vyf jaar het verloop sedert die opstel van die konseptestament en die afsterwe van die oorledene in Mei 1998.Die hof het ook by verskillende ander geleenthede beslis dat blote instruksies vir die opstel van 'n testament, sonder die daaropvolgende daarstelling van 'n testament, nie kragtens artikel 2(3) kondoneerbaar is nie. Dit laat dus ook hierdie dokumente buite die trefwydte van artikel 2(3)
MANUFACTURERS AND STRICT LIABILITY FOR DEFECTIVE PRODUCTS Wagener v Pharmacare Ltd; Cuttings v Pharmacare Ltd 2003 4 SA 285 (SCA)
No full textFor years academics and consumer activists have been calling for manufacturers to be held strictly liable for defective products, irrespective of whether or not they are contractually linked to consumers. In the United States of America, for example, these calls go back as far as the 1940s. The present position in our law is that, unless the action arises out of a contractual relationship, the general principles of delict apply and negligence or intentional misconduct on the part of the manufacturer must be proven by the injured consumer. The problem for consumers is that it is often very difficult for them to do this. This is particularly true in South Africa where we have a highly sophisticated manufacturing industry serving a largely unsophisticated consumer market. Following Ciba-Geigy (Pty) Ltd v Lushof Farms (Pty) Ltd (2002 2 SA 447 (SCA)), some suggested that the Supreme Court of Appeal had left the door open for the courts to recognise strict liability in delict for unintended harm caused by defective products. Neethling and Potgieter in their article “Die Hoogste Hof van Appel laat die Deur Oop vir Strikte Vervaardigersaanspreeklikheid” (2002 TSAR 582) concluded as follows:“Aangesien die appelhofuitspraak in Ciba klaarblyklik nie afwysend staan teenoor die erkenning van strikte risiko-aanspreeklikheid op die gebied van defekte produkte nie, vertrou ons dat die howe in verdienstelike gevalle hieraan gevolg sal gee” (586).However, in Wagener v Pharmacare Ltd; Cuttings v Pharmacare Ltd (2003 4 SA 285 (SCA)) the Supreme Court of Appeal closed the door, holding instead that introducing strict liability for manufacturers is the prerogative of the legislature and not the courts
Hands off our Intangible Cultural Heritage - Khoin v Jenkins in re: Observatory Civic Association v Trustees for the Time Being of the Liesbeek Leisure Properties Trust
No full textThis case note analyses an appeal decision (Khoin v Jenkins in Re: Observatory Civic Association v Trustees for the Time Being of the Liesbeek Leisure Properties Trust [2023] 1 All SA 110 (WCC)) handed down in 2022 by the Western Cape High Court, its purpose being to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the decision and to comment on possible future developments. The text of the judgment is interpreted in the light of judicial precedent, literature and domestic (South African) and international law. One of the key findings is that "intangible heritage" is an integral part of both domestic and international law, and the Khoin-case gives judicial recognition to the concept as a part of South African heritage law. One of the main criticisms levelled against the judgment is that it does not adhere to judicial precedent in failing to find that the right to consultation of First Nations Peoples before administrative action is taken that allegedly violates their constitutional rights to intangible heritage is sufficient to satisfy the test for the existence of a prima facie right for the purposes of obtaining an interim interdict
Alcohol consumption patterns, suppliers and online alcohol marketing: Before and during COVID-19 alcohol bans
No full textCOVID-19-related alcohol sales bans and stay-at-home orders prompted the alcohol industry in South Africa to increase their online alcohol sales promotions. We investigated changes in alcohol-related behaviour and the drivers of illegal alcohol sales through a self-reported Facebook survey that ran from July to November 2020. Questions included socio-demographics and comparison of alcohol purchasing behaviour and intake during 2019 and 2020. Statistical tests were applied to find associations between illegal alcohol purchasing and alcohol-related behaviours. A total of 792 participants took part in the survey, 69.7% of whom were female. During lockdown periods, most participants (55.3%) bought alcohol illegally from illegal outlets or friends. Online alcohol-delivery marketing increased by 20 percentage points from 2019 to 2020, with participants stating that they saw a lot of advertisements per day and 80% of persons under 25 years were not asked to verify their age in 2020 upon delivery. Home-brewed beer and vodka intake increased in 2020 during the alcohol sales bans. Men from the Western Cape who engaged in daily or weekly heavy episodic drinking were more prone to purchase alcohol illegally. The Western Cape, which is South Africa’s most prolific wine-producing region, had the highest odds of people buying alcohol illegally, with wine being found to be the most frequently bought alcohol online and consumed by these participants. There is a need for further research into the differences in alcohol-related behaviour affecting illegal alcohol purchasing according to income group, proximity to alcohol producers and underage alcohol sales and marketing through online applications.
Significance:
Alcohol sales bans have the potential to reduce and stop the alcohol intake of moderate drinkers, but may make heavy episodic drinkers drink more than usual.
During COVID-19 lockdown, illegal alcohol sales were taking place through unlicenced alcohol outlets and friends, and not through licenced online applications.
Unlicenced alcohol outlets need to be addressed to prevent future illegal alcohol sales.
Stricter regulations aimed at legal online alcohol sales applications should be put in place to prevent alcohol sales to minors and those who have already consumed too much alcohol.
There should be a ban on marketing of addictive substances, such as alcohol
The pros and cons of buccal swabbing and tail clipping for monitoring reptilian biodiversity
No full textIn biodiversity research, the retrieval of genetic material from organisms is a common and essential component for assessing genetic diversity. The welfare of the organism, however, needs to be balanced against the overall goal of the intended research. One sampling technique often applied to retrieve DNA material from small reptiles is the removal of a small portion of the distal end of the tail. While most squamate reptiles have tail autotomy, some species (e.g. many iguanid lizards and snakes) do not regenerate tail tissue. We therefore explored the efficacy of a minimally disruptive technique, buccal swabbing, as an alternative to tissue sampling via tail clipping, particularly for species without tail autotomy, using dwarf chameleons (Bradypodion spp.) as a case study. The two sampling techniques were compared to assess the efficacy of DNA retrieval. We also evaluated the financial implications of each technique. The results indicate that buccal swabs paired with a specialised DNA extraction kit offer a feasible (although expensive), once-off alternative to tissue sampling, but with no material left for biobanking. Deviations in swab type used and the DNA extraction process (i.e. using more affordable extraction procedures) resulted in poor DNA retrieval and unreadable sequences. This finding suggests that buccal swabbing can be a suitable alternative when finances are not constrained, an expensive extraction kit is available, and biobanking is not a concern. For researchers from low- to middle-income economies, this expensive alternative may hamper research progress by placing a financial obstacle in the way, and therefore the next best option is tissue sampling.
Significance:
This study provides guidance on the efficacy of buccal swabs as a viable alternative to tissue samples collected via tail clipping for DNA retrieval from small reptiles. The results indicate that swabs may be a feasible alternative to tissue samples when finances are not constrained. Deviations in buccal swabbing method (i.e. using more cost-effective alternatives) performed poorly in DNA retrieval and do not offer competitive alternatives to tissue samples. Although buccal swabs were shown to offer an alternative to tissue samples, the financial implications to research in low- to middle-income economies may hinder research goals unnecessarily
Distinguishing the genuine from the fake in South African universities: Scholarly awards, books and academic credibility
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