1834 research outputs found
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Governing information security within the context of "bring your own device" in small, medium and micro enterprises
No full textThroughout history, information has been core to the communication, processing and storage of most tasks in the organisation, in this case in Small-Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs). The implementation of these tasks relies on Information and Communication Technology (ICT). ICT is constantly evolving, and with each developed ICT, it becomes important that organisations adapt to the changing environment. Organisations need to adapt to the changing environment by incorporating innovative ICT that allows employees to perform their tasks with ease anywhere and anytime, whilst reducing the costs affiliated with the ICT. In this modern, performing tasks with ease anywhere and anytime requires that the employee is mobile whilst using the ICT. As a result, a relatively new phenomenon called “Bring Your Own Device” (BYOD) is currently infiltrating most organisations, where personally-owned mobile devices are used to access organisational information that will be used to conduct the various tasks of the organisation. The use of BYOD in organisations breeds the previously mentioned benefits such as performing organisational tasks anywhere and anytime. However, with the benefits highlighted for BYOD, organisations should be aware that there are risks to the implementation of BYOD. Therefore, the implementation of BYOD deems that organisations should implement BYOD with proper management thereof.National Research Foundatio
A review of the Pseudobarbus afer (Peters, 1864) species complex (Teleostei, Cyprinidae) in the eastern Cape fold ecoregion of South Africa
No full textThe Eastern Cape redfin, Pseudobarbus afer, has long been considered to be a single widespread and
variable species occurring in multiple isolated river systems in the Cape Fold Ecoregion (CFE) at the
southern tip of Africa. Mitochondrial cytochrome b and control region sequence data of individuals
from populations currently assigned to P. afer across the species’ distribution range revealed existence
of four deeply divergent taxonomic units: (i) the Mandela lineage confined to the Sundays, Swartkops
and Baakens river systems, (ii) the Krom lineage endemic to the Krom River system, (iii) the St Francis
lineage occurring in the Gamtoos and adjacent river systems, and (iv) the Forest lineage occurring in
several coastal river systems from the Tsitsikamma to the Klein Brak River system. The Forest lineage
is closely related to P. phlegethon from the Olifants River system on the west coast of South Africa,
suggesting that it does not belong to P. afer s.l. Herein we focus on the three lineages within the P. afer
s.l. complex and provide new diagnosis for P. afer s.s (Mandela lineage), revalidate P. senticeps (Krom
lineage) as a distinct species, and describe a new species P. swartzi (St Francis lineage). The three species
exhibit subtle differences, which explains why they were previously considered to represent a single
variable and widespread species. Pseudobarbus senticeps differs from both P. afer and P. swartzi by having
fewer (i.e. larger) scales (25–33, mode 29 lateral line scale series; 10–12, mode 11 circumpeduncular
scales) and presence of a lateral stripe which terminates in a conspicuous triangular blotch at the base
of the caudal fin. Long barbels which reach or surpass the vertical through the posterior edge of the eye
further separate P. senticeps from P. afer s.s. which possesses simple short barbels which do not reach the
vertical through the posterior margin of the eye. Pseudobarbus afer s.s differs from P. swartzi sp. n. by possession of fewer scale rows along the lateral line (29–35, mode 32 vs 34–37, mode 36 in P. swartzi),
fewer scales around the caudal peduncle (12–16, mode 12 vs 13–17, mode 16 in P. swartzi) and a distinct
mesh or net-like pigmentation pattern on latero-ventral scales
HMG-CoA Reductase inhibitor, atorvastatin, Induces apoptosis in human lung adenocarcinoma cells (A549)
No full textNational Research Foundatio
The effect of ‘6 Bricks’ guided play on grade two learners’ visual perception and reasoning abilities
No full textThis study investigates the possible effects that construction play (in the forms of guided play and guided play with exploratory talk) using the ‘6 Bricks’ approach has on the development of learners’ visual perception and reasoning abilities. The intervention, which aimed at developing visual perception, required the participating teachers to use the ‘6 Bricks’ approach three times a week over a period of six months. The sub-set of teachers in the intervention group who were also expected to facilitate discussion to promote reasoning abilities were tasked with additional ‘6 Bricks with exploratory talk’ activities once a week spread over ten weeks during the intervention period. The study followed an explanatory sequential mixed-method design with pre-post-testing using comparison and experimental groups to generate both quantitative and qualitative data. The sample included Grade 2 teachers and their learners in five purposively selected schools in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. Quantitative data were generated via pre-post-analysis of two tests, namely, the Visual Perceptual Aspects Test (VPAT) and Raven’s Coloured Progressive Matrices (RCPM) test. Statistically significant improvements were found in the experimental group’s pooled VPAT subtest scores as opposed to only three for the comparison group’s VPAT subtest scores. Statistically significant improvements in mean scores were achieved by some schools in the exploratory talk experimental group for the RCPM test. Qualitative data, obtained from teacher record sheets, researcher’s observations and semi-structured, open-ended teacher interviews were triangulated against the quantitative data. The findings, when considered in light of the literature, suggest that the ‘6 Bricks’ approach can contribute to the development of learners’ visual perception. In the instances when using the ‘6 Bricks’ approach with exploratory talk was implemented successfully, improvements in learners’ reasoning abilities were observed.National Research Foundatio
NRF RISA Renewal consolidated
No full textThe Grants Management and Systems Administration (GMSA) Directorate hosted its 8th annual Research Administrators Workshop (RAW) from 9 to 11 October 2017 in the Western Cape. The workshop aimed to bring together key stakeholders from universities and science councils across South Africa, including international delegates, to share experiences and best practices in research administration and management
2017 Research Administrators Workshop: RAW 2016 – Feedback report
No full textThe Grants Management and Systems Administration (GMSA) Directorate hosted its 8th annual Research Administrators Workshop (RAW) from 9 to 11 October 2017 in the Western Cape. The workshop aimed to bring together key stakeholders from universities and science councils across South Africa, including international delegates, to share experiences and best practices in research administration and management
National Equipment Programme (NEP) & National Nanotechnology Equipment Programme (NNEP) Annual Progress Reports requirements
No full textThe Grants Management and Systems Administration (GMSA) Directorate hosted its 8th annual Research Administrators Workshop (RAW) from 9 to 11 October 2017 in the Western Cape. The workshop aimed to bring together key stakeholders from universities and science councils across South Africa, including international delegates, to share experiences and best practices in research administration and management
Graduate Support Hub (UP). Establishing Institutional Values of student Support
No full textThe Grants Management and Systems Administration (GMSA) Directorate hosted its 8th annual Research Administrators Workshop (RAW) from 9 to 11 October 2017 in the Western Cape. The workshop aimed to bring together key stakeholders from universities and science councils across South Africa, including international delegates, to share experiences and best practices in research administration and management
The influences of plant secondary metabolites on the foraging behaviour and carrying capacities of the African elephant, Loxodonta africana
No full textHerbivore diet selection is influenced by plant quality and availability. For browsing and mixed-feeding herbivores, such as elephants, which consume trees and shrubs, plant quality is influenced by the concentrations of crude protein, fibre, and plant secondary metabolites (PSMs). To date, the driving factors behind elephant diet selection have not been well understood. The broad aim of this study was to better understand how pre-ingestive cues such as volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and postingestive cues such as the effects of plant secondary metabolites (PSMs) influenced the foraging behaviour of African elephants. I also examined the salivary tannin-binding proteins of elephants and how these influenced carrying capacities. I found that elephants were able to differentiate between plant odours in the form of VOCs across multiple spatial scales. This could help elephants to reduce their search time while foraging across a landscape. I also found that these pre-ingestive cues were a better indicator of diet preference than the tested postingestive cues such as digestibility, crude protein, tannins (a type of total polyphenol) and the ratio of palatable: unpalatable indices. The VOCs in preferred plant species had significantly lower concentrations and diversity of PSMs than avoided species, particularly with respect to monoterpenes, a known anti-herbivory VOC. In contrast, avoided plant species were more digestible and had lower levels of polyphenols and tannins. Ultimately, I found that terpenes play a stronger role in elephant diet choice than phenolics (such as tannins) and other postingestive feedback measures. This is likely because terpenes are a pre-ingestive cue that also incur postingestive costs, which the elephants can use prior to making foraging decisions, unlike other postingestive feedback measures. While it seems counterintuitive that preferred plants have high concentrations of tannins, which reduces the amount of crude protein available, I found that elephants have salivary tannin-binding proteins, which neutralize the influences of tannins by an average of 75%. This neutralization influences the amount of available crude protein, which would, in turn, influence the carrying-capacity for elephants. I constructed an optimal-foraging model for carrying capacity that incorporated the negative effects of tannins and the neutralization of these chemicals by the tannin-binding affinity of elephant saliva. I also included diet breadth and dietary contribution of browsed species, browse quality, and the available standing crop of browsed species. As a result, my model produced more plausible estimates of elephant carrying capacity than conventional standing-crop models.National Research Foundatio