Taxi 'Sugar Daddies' and Taxi queens: Male Taxi Driver Attitudes Regarding Transactional Relationships in the Western Cape; South Africa

Media reports are emerging on the phenomenon of young girls who travel with older mini-bus taxi drivers; and who are thought to have sex with the drivers in exchange for gifts and money. The extent to which such relationships might facilitate unsafe sexual practices and increased risks for both the men and the young women; often referred to as taxi queens; remains an important question in the light of the current challenges of HIV/AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa. However; very little research has been undertaken on this issue; especially regarding the perceptions and experiences of taxi drivers. Thus this paper aims to provide some preliminary findings on taxi drivers' attitudes and beliefs about taxi queens and their relationships with taxi drivers. A 22-item questionnaire was administered to 223 male taxi drivers in two regions in the Western Cape Province; South Africa. Taxi drivers in this study largely saw the relationship between taxi drivers and the young girls who ride with them as providing status for both the girls and drivers; and there seemed to be recognition of the transactional nature of the relationship between taxi drivers and taxi queens. The stigmatisation of young girls who ride with taxi drivers was evident. Drivers had knowledge and awareness of the risks of unsafe sex and supported condom use; although there appeared to be some uncertainty and confusion about the likelihood of HIV infection between drivers and girls. While taxi drivers recognised the role of alcohol in relationships with young girls; they seemed to deny that the abuse of drugs was common. The study highlights a number of key areas that need to be explored with men in the taxi industry; in order to address risk behaviours for both taxi drivers and the girls who ride with them

The evaluation of immediate behavioural outcomes of the syndromic case management approach for the treatment of patients with sexually transmitted infections at PHC centres in South Africa: knowledge, attitudes, beliefs and sexual behaviour.

This study aimed to determine the immediate behavioural outcomes of the WHO syndromic case management model for STIs in the public health sector in South Africa, on the levels of knowledge, attitudes and beliefs, and behavioural practices (KABPs) concerning STIs. An outcomes evaluation was conducted using KABP methodology. Exit interviews were conducted with 126 STI and non-STI patients at 24 primary health care (PHC) centres in four provinces. Both groups were found to have equally high levels of knowledge about STIs and their attitudes towards and beliefs about STIs were mostly practical and slightly negative, with only promiscuity both stereotyped and stigmatised. However, both groups were found to engage in risky sexual behavioural practices although they also indicated very strong intentions to use condoms in future. Overall, no significant differences were found between the two groups on any of the variables investigated. The implications of these findings for the control and prevention of both classic STIs and HIV/AIDS in South Africa are discussed.

Vaccination in the control of bluetongue in endemic regions: the South African experience.

The eradication of bluetongue virus (BTV) from endemic regions of Africa is virtually impossible due to the role played by the widely distributed Culicoides spp. of midge vectors and the ubiquitous distribution of reservoir species. In endemic areas attempts can only be made to limit the occurrence of bluetongue (BT) disease and its economic impact through vaccination. Despite several potential problems (teratogenicity, risk of reassortment and reversion to virulence of the attenuated viral strains), epidemiological and recent molecular data support the fact that the live attenuated vaccine that has been used for decades in enzootic regions, provides a safe and efficacious means to control the disease in regions of southern Africa, as well as other areas of the world.

The social construction of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in South African communities.

Since the medical link between sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and HIV/AIDS was established, there has been an increased focus on the spread of STIs in South Africa. The aim of this study was to provide an in-depth picture of the dynamics involved in sexuality and the spread of STIs and HIV/AIDS. The authors present the findings of a focus group study, which was a part of a larger, national project addressing the broad question of health-care seeking behavior for STIs. A discourse analysis carried out on 10 focus groups reveals complex and rich narratives on the way in which STIs are constructed in South African communities. The dominant discourses focused on the continuing stigmatization of STIs, causal explanations, and prevention strategies. The analysis raises important recommendations for both educational interventions and health services toward the challenge of halting the spread of STIs and HIV/AIDS.

Intracellular free calcium in the neutrophils of maintenance haemodialysis patients.

Chronic renal failure has on occasion been referred to as a state of calcium toxicity. The aim of this study was to investigate the status of intracellular free Ca2+ in the neutrophils of chronic renal failure patients on maintenance haemodialysis treatment. Factors previously suggested to influence intracellular free Ca2+ were investigated including PTH levels, oxidative stress and recombinant human erythropoietin administration. The study involved 14 chronic renal failure patients on the haemodialysis programme of the Pretoria Academic hospital. Intracellular free Ca2+ and transmembrane Ca2+ fluxes were investigated by fluorescence spectrophotometry. Increases above control values were found in intracellular free Ca2+ (P-value 0.0242) and in the transmembrane Ca2+ flux upon fMLP stimulation (P-value 0.0002). The results showed significant differences in intracellular free Ca2+ between patients on rHuEPO and patients not on rHuEPO. The apparently rHuEPO-induced increase in intracellular free Ca2+ persisted in the presence of calcium channel blockers. No overt indications of oxidative stress could be detected by the antioxidant vitamin levels. It is concluded that factors other than those associated with uraemia, such as rHuEPO administration, might contribute to the often reported increase in intracellular free Ca2+ in these patients. Further studies to investigate the relationship between intracellular free Ca2+, rHuEPO and calcium channel blockers are suggested.

Temporal aspects related to the perception of skatole and androstenone, the major boar odour compounds.

Pork fat samples from 50 boars slaughtered at a commercial abattoir were analysed for skatole and androstenone concentrations and grouped within a 3×3 matrix representing low, medium and high levels of the odour compounds. A 10 member sensory panel, screened and trained to recognise and quantify skatole and androstenone odour intensities, was used to verify the human perception of boar odour in these pork fat samples immediately after heating (±65°C) and following a cooling period of ten minutes (±25°C). Principal component analysis revealed that the sensory panel differentiated the pork fat samples first and foremost on the basis of the presence or absence of androstenone and/or skatole odours and secondly on the character of the androstenone or skatole odour. Evidence of adaptation towards the odour of skatole was shown by a decreased sensitivity over replicates. Sensory perception of boar odour seems to have a temporal character which can be explained by differences in volatilisation (involving both odourant release and retention) of skatole and androstenone, odour synergism and possibly differences in the properties of the fat matrix of different samples. The results suggest that factors influencing volatilisation of skatole and androstenone should also be considered when predicting sensory responses of boar odour.

Effects of electrical and mechanical stunning methods on meat quality in ostriches.

The effect of electrical and captive needle air pressure stunning methods on some meat quality parameters was examined in ostriches under practical conditions. One hundred and fifteen ostriches were used in three experiments. The ostriches were stunned either electrically (head only) or by using a captive needle with air pressure. In the first experiment the ostriches were stunned at 90 V (∼effectively 52 V), 200 V and by captive needle using air pressure. In the second experiment voltages of 175 and 200 V were applied and a captive needle stunning method using air pressure. In the third experiment the birds were stunned at 175 V with a short stun/stick interval. Experiments 2 and 3 were performed in a different slaughterhouse from experiment 1. Meat quality was assessed by measuring the pH, temperature and colour at 45 min and 18 h post mortem and by determining water binding capacity and haemorrhage score at 18 h post mortem in the big drum, tender loin and triangular filet muscles. The measured stunning parameters in the first experiment were 204±96 mA (∼52 V) during 11±1 s and 556±85 mA (∼200 V) during 6±0 s. The stun/stick interval was 136±38 s. The rigor mortis value in the tender loin and both pH(1) and pH(2) in the big drum, tender loin and triangular filet muscles were (p<0.05) lower when stunned with air pressure compared with electrical stunning. Moreover internal light scattering remained higher. The measured currents in the second experiment were 561±226 mA (∼173 V) during 6±2 s and 518±120 mA (∼200 V) during 6 s. The stun/stick interval was 39±12 s. The pH at 45 min and 18 h differed (p<0.05) in the tender loin and triangular filet muscles as did the temperature at 45 min in the three muscles between the different stunning groups. The stunning in the third experiment was carried out with 548±180 mA during 6±2 s. The stun/stick interval was 5±2 s. After the short stun/stick interval the pH(2) was lower (p<0.05) for the tender loin and triangular filet muscles and the wetness of the filter paper of the big drum was (p<0.05) lower compared with the other groups. Our experiments showed that stunning methods affected several meat quality parameters. Using a high electrical stunning current, captive needle stunning or a short stun/stick interval may positively affect some parameters. More research is necessary to examine effects of pre slaughter handling on meat quality.

Some neural and behavioural aspects of electrical and mechanical stunning in ostriches.

Different electrical and mechanical stunning procedures were studied in ostriches to determine the effectiveness of the method. Fifty-eight South-African Black ostriches were equipped with EEG electrodes and stunned with three different electrical head-only methods and with a new captive needle pistol, using air pressure. The first stunning procedure consists of two trials. In the first trial a total of 45 ostriches were stunned with a voltage of 200V (spiked electrodes) during 1s. Unfortunately, in 10 animals the electrodes were disconnected. A general epileptiform insult on the EEG followed by recovery was observed in 20 ostriches. Another eight animals died after recovery and five showed an iso-electric line and were dead. The total duration of the insult was 25±10s. The measured current was 463±120mA. In the second trial a constant current of 400mA was administered to 13 ostriches. In one animal the electrodes were disconnected. Eight out of 12 animals showed a general epileptiform insult, two of them showed an iso-electric line and two did not show the characteristics of a general epileptiform insult. The total duration of the insult on the EEG was 21±8s. The measured current was 365±91mA and the voltage 191±27V. During the second stunning procedure four and seven ostriches were stunned with 200V (spiked electrodes) and 48V (blunt electrodes), respectively, during approx. 6s. They all died. In addition, a group of 20 ostriches stunned with captive needle pistol using air pressure showed unconsciousness after stunning by the appearance of theta and delta waves tending to an iso-electric line on the EEG trace. It is recommended to use at least 500mA to stun ostriches effectively and to use a short stun-stick interval or to kill them by a long stunning duration. The captive needle pistol, using air pressure, can be an alternative for electrical head-only stunning.

Determination of the functioning of autotransplanted parathyroid tissue in muscle.

Twenty dialysis and renal transplant patients with parathyroid hyperplasia underwent a total parathyroidectomy and an autotransplantation in forearm muscle. Twelve patients were available for investigation of the function of the transplanted parathyroid tissue. Differential studies of the two arms revealed functioning of the transplanted tissue in all cases. This was more readily demonstrated by determining the intact hormone in both arms.

Coincidental finding of May-Hegglin anomaly in a patient with end-stage renal failure.

We present two cases of May-Hegglin anomaly incidentally discovered in a patient and his brother during investigation of the patient for end-stage renal failure and workup for renal transplantation. Routine laboratory tests were performed and included a basically normal clotting profile. Ultrastructural studies of the May-Hegglin inclusions proved diagnostic, findings were compared with those of two similar granulocyte inclusion bodies, and nomenclature discrepancies that still exist in most references are again emphasized. The finding of the May-Hegglin anomaly in our patient appears to be incidental to the underlying renal disease. A successful renal transplant has been carried out in this patient. We now report on a patient and his brother in which the MHA was discovered during workup of the patient for end-stage renal failure and renal transplantation. No association between the underlying renal disease and the MHA could be demonstrated.