ABSTRACT Introduction: The Impella ventricular support system is a device that can be inserted percutaneously or directly across the aortic valve to unload the left ventricle. The purpose of this study is to determine the role of Impella devices in patients with acute cardiogenic shock in the perioperative period of cardiac surgery. Methods: A retrospective single-surgeon review of 11 consecutive patients who underwent placement of Impella devices in the perioperative period of cardiac surgery was performed. Patient records were evaluated for demographics, indications for placement, and postoperative outcomes. Results: Impella devices were placed for refractory cardiogenic shock preoperatively in 6 patients, intraoperatively in 4 patients, and postoperatively as a rescue in 1 patient. Seven patients received Impella CP, 1 Impella RP, 1 Impella CP and RP, and 2 Impella 5.0. Additionally, 3 patients required preoperative venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VV-ECMO), and 1 patient required intraoperative venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO). All Impella devices were removed 1 to 28 days after implantation. Length of stay in the intensive care unit stay ranged from 2 to 53 days (average 23.9±14.6). The 30-day and 1-year mortality were 0%. Ten of 11 patients were alive at 2 years. Also, 1 patient died 18 months after surgery from complications of coronavirus disease (Covid-19). Device-related complications included varying degrees> of hemolysis in 8 patients (73%) and device malfunction in 1 patient (9%). Conclusions: The Impella ventricular support system can be combined with other mechanical support devices for additional hemodynamic support. All patients demonstrated myocardial recovery with no deaths in the perioperative period and in 1-year of follow-up. Larger studies are necessary to validate these findings.

Forward osmosis technology was evaluated for treating evaporator brine stream from a petrochemical industry at bench scale using ammonium bicarbonate as a draw solution. Calcium carbonate scaling that forms from the interaction between the calcium ions in the feed solution and carbonate ions from the draw solution (reverse salt diffusion) leads to the reduction in water flux and water recoveries achievable (feed TDS concentration of -60 000 mg-L-1, calcium -545 mg-L-1 and draw solution (ammonium bicarbonate) concentration of-240 000 mg-L-1). Fouling can be prevented by softening the feedwater before it is treated in forward osmosis. Without calcium and magnesium, permeate fluxes and water recoveries of up to 6L m-2·h-1 and 60%, respectively, could be achieved. It was also observed in this study that the concentration of the calcium ions in the feed does have an impact on the formation of the calcium carbonate scale, implying that some hardness can be tolerated in the feed to the forward osmosis process. It can, therefore, be concluded that without some hardness removal, ammonium bicarbonate draw solution is not suitable for treating concentrated brine streams (e.g., evaporator brine) that contain a high concentration of calcium ions. FO technology using ammonium bicarbonate as a draw solution can be considered an alternative technology to treat concentrated brine streams from inland industries, provided some pre-treatment to remove scaling precursors such as calcium is incorporated in the flow scheme.

The presence of micropollutants, such as pharmaceuticals and personal care products, in surface and ground water has escalated globally, leading to adverse effects on aquatic organisms in receiving waters. Untreated or inadequately treated wastewater is the main source of micropollutants entering the environment. In South Africa, the consumption of antibiotics and antiretroviral drugs is relatively higher than other nations; however, little data exists on the identification and remediation of micropollutants in domestic wastewater. In this study, a novel method to detect and measure 71 micropollutants using online solid phase extraction liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry was developed. To test the method in the South African context, grab samples of the influent and anaerobically treated effluent (AF effluent) from a demonstration-scale decentralised wastewater treatment system in eThekwini (Durban) were taken over 3 consecutive days at 2 time points. The presence of 24 micropollutants was detected in the raw wastewater, with analgesics/anti-inflammatory drugs, antiretrovirals, and antibiotics showing the highest concentrations and with the majority of compounds still present in the AF effluent. One antibiotic, ciprofloxacin, exceeded its predicted no-effect concentration in all influent and AF effluent samples. This suggests that the anaerobic treatment of the raw wastewater was not effective in removing micropollutants. Preliminary data from lab-scale adsorption experiments using biochar produced from a set of 4 feedstocks - olive residues, tomato residues, rice husks, and the African palm tree Raphia farinifera - showed average removal rates for 4 compounds of up to 62%. The application of biochar is thus recommended as a secondary treatment step in decentralised wastewater treatment for the removal of micropollutants in South Africa.

The Engineering Field Testing Platform (EFTP) was designed to provide an opportunity for technology developers (TDs) to test non-sewered sanitation prototypes in the eThekwini Municipal Area (Durban), South Africa. Between 2017 and 2020, 15 sanitation systems were tested in informal settlements, peri-urban households, and other 'real world' settings. This paper illustrates the lessons learned from establishing and managing this testing platform. Costs and timelines for testing are dependent on several factors, including the aims of testing, the development stage of the prototype, whether testing takes place in a community or household setting and if a testing site is shared between prototypes. Timelines were routinely underestimated, particularly for community engagement and commissioning of prototypes to reach steady-state operation. Personnel accounted for more than half of the EFTP's costs. The presence of the municipality as a platform partner was vital to the success of testing, both for gaining political support and for enabling access to testing sites. It is noted that working in communities, with test sites in public spaces, requires technical and social sensitivity to context. It was important to ensure testing supported future municipal decision-making on service provision, as well as longer-term development within communities. The high number of stakeholders, locally and internationally, raised management challenges common to any large project. However, the EFTP added value to TDs, the eThekwini Municipality, and communities requiring improved sanitation services; this was amplified through the platform approach.

Abstract This paper is based on a proposal submitted for a BRICS astronomy flagship program, which was presented at the 2019 meeting of the BRICS Astronomy Working Group, held in Rio de Janeiro from 29 September to 2 October 2019. The future prospects for the detection and study of transient phenomena in the Universe heralds a new era in time domain astronomy. The case is presented for a dedicated BRICS-wide flagship program to develop a network of ground-based optical telescopes for an all-sky survey to detect short lived optical transients and to allow follow-up of multi-wavelength and multi-messenger transient objects. This will leverage existing and planned new facilities within the BRICS countries and will also draw on the opportunities presented by other multi-wavelength space- and ground-based facilities that exist within the BRICS group. The proposed optical network would initially perform followup observations on new transients using existing telescopes. This would later expand to include a new global network of \sim ∼70 wide-field 1-m telescopes which will cover the entire sky, simultaneously, with a cadence of less than a few hours. This realization would represent a ground-breaking and unique global capability, presenting many scientific opportunities and associated spin-off benefits to all BRICS countries.

Abstract Gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) are the most energetic and mysterious events in the Universe, which are observed in all ranges of electromagnetic spectrum. Most valuable results about physics of GRB are obtained by optical observations. GRBs are initially detected in gamma-rays with poor localization accuracy, and an optical counterpart should be found. The faster the counterpart is found, the more it can give to physics. This first phase, as a rule, corresponds to an early afterglow. The next phases of the observations are multicolor photometry, polarimetry, spectroscopy, and few days later the search for a supernova or kilonova associated with the GRB, and finally, observations of the host galaxy. To manage the problem of fast optical observations, telescopes with a small aperture are suitable. They can have a large field of view, which is necessary to cover initial localizations of GRBs. The sensitivity of the telescope+detector may be sufficient to record statistically significant light curve with fine time resolution. We describe one of the networks of telescopes with a small aperture IKI-GRB FuN, and present the results of early optical observation of GRB sources, and discuss the design requirements of the optical observations for effective GRB research in the next decade.

In order to treat faecal sludge from ventilated improved pit (VIP) latrines, eThekwini Municipality (Durban, South Africa) developed an infrared dryer, 'LaDePa' (Latrine Dehydration Pasteurization). Parameters that influence its operation were investigated using a laboratory-scale replica of the full-scale machine. For this, faecal sludge collected from VIP latrines was pelletized and dried under different operating conditions. Drying curves were obtained by plotting medium wave infrared intensity (MIR), height of emitters above the belt, air flowrate and pellet diameter against the residence time. These curves were then used to determine the drying rate and energy consumption. The results show that the drying rate increased while the energy consumption decreased by increasing the power of the MIR emitters and decreasing the size of the pellets. For example, the drying time to get a moisture content of 0.8 g water/g dry solid was shortened from 27 to 6 min while the energy consumption for this reduced from 1.5 to 0.8 kWh after increasing the MIR power from 1.5 to 3.3 kW. Similar drying curves were obtained by varying the distance between the pellets and MIR emitters, and adjusting intensity of the MIR radiation to obtain the same temperature in the drying zone. It was also observed that higher airflow rates enhanced mass transfer rates, but led to a cooling effect. No effect on the drying rate was observed after pre-drying the sludge or adding sawdust. The study shows that for the process to be efficient, the MIR intensity should be high enough for fast drying to occur (T ≥ 150°C), but without causing thermal degradation (T ≤ 220°C). The height of emitter above the belt and the pellet size should be as small as possible (8 mm); airflow rate should be optimised to maximize the mass transfer rate and minimize the cooling effect.

The need for the optimal use of land, without a yield penalty, in urban and peri-urban (UP) settlements is vital. This study investigated the effect of intercropping madumbe and rice with respect to yield and land productivity when irrigated with anaerobic baffled reactor (ABR) effluent under different irrigation water management techniques. It was hypothesized that intercropping under different irrigation water management techniques has no effect on the yield and land productivity. Field trials were conducted in the 2017 and 2018 cropping seasons with ABR effluent (without fertilizer) at the Newlands Mashu Experimental Site, Newlands East, Durban, South Africa. A randomized complete block design with 3 replications; cropping treatments of sole madumbe, sole rice and madumbe + rice (intercrop) and irrigation treatments of alternate wetting and drying (AWD), continuous flood irrigation (CFI) and wetting without flooding (WWF) was used. Growth and yield parameters at harvest were determined. Thereafter, land equivalent ratio (LER) was calculated to evaluate the productivity of the intercrop. The effect of intercropping was significant (P < 0.05) on the total number of irrigation events and total water use. There was a significant reduction (P < 0.05) in plant heights of both madumbe and rice at intercrop. However, the effect on plant height for treatment CFI was positive but not significant (P > 0.05) for both seasons. A significant (P < 0.05) reduction also occurred in the number of madumbe leaves/plant, and panicles/plant and tillers/plant for rice. Intercropping significantly reduced (P < 0.05) madumbe corm and rice grain yield over the two seasons relative to sole cropping. LER showed that intercropping madumbe with rice was not more productive (LER < 1) than sole cropping of madumbe. It was concluded that over the two-season period, intercropping madumbe and rice do not yield appreciably under any of the three irrigation management techniques applied and the study hypothesis is thus rejected.

BACKGROUND: Knowledge transfer is very important in knowledge-intensive organisations in both developed and developing countries. A knowledge-intensive organisation is an organisation whose operations depend on specialised knowledge. Knowledge-intensive organisations lose intellectual property when experienced employees retire from their jobs. To avoid knowledge loss, skills and expertise should be transferred from experts to non-experts on time. Knowledge transfer tools allow sharing of tacit knowledge between and amongst staff members. The study provides an analysis and review of the most effective knowledge transfer tools in knowledge-intensive organisations because an organisation's success is based on its ability to transfer knowledge. OBJECTIVES: The study had two main objectives: to identify and review knowledge transfer tools used in knowledge-intensive organisations and to recommend the best knowledge transfer tool that can be used in organisations for the purpose of enhanced competitive advantage. METHOD: A well-structured questionnaire was used to collect quantitative data from the research participants in knowledge-intensive organisations in Namibia. RESULTS: The results indicate that the most effective knowledge transfer tool in knowledge-intensive organisations is a community of practice; 40% of the participants considered the tool effective, and 27% considered it to be very effective. This was followed by the mentoring tool, which was ranked 54% effective and 11% very effective by the participants because it exposes mentees to new ideas and new ways of thinking. Storytelling was ranked 28% effective and 17% very effective because it is a natural learning process. Succession plans were ranked 21% effective and 12% very effective because having succession plans in place on time is essential for organisational success. Coaching and knowledge repositories were ranked below 20% on knowledge transfer effectiveness. From the findings, we conclude that the most effective tool for knowledge transfer in knowledge-intensive organisations is communities of practice (CoP) followed by mentoring, storytelling, succession plans, coaching and finally knowledge repositories. CONCLUSION: The most effective knowledge transfer tool in knowledge-intensive organisations is Communities of Practice, followed by mentoring, storytelling, succession plans and lastly coaching. Communities of Practice are important for knowledge transfer in that they encourage and promote teamwork through discussions and knowledge sharing amongst employees. The study therefore recommends the creation of such Communities of Practice in knowledge-intensive organisations for effective knowledge transfer and sharing.

Abstract Bothrops are one of the most common medically important snakes found in Latin America. Its venom is predominantly hemotoxic and proteolytic, which means that local lesion (edema and redness) and hemorrhagic symptoms are recurrent in envenoming by this snake. Although hemorrhage is usually the major cause of death, snakebite-related acute kidney injury is another potentially fatal clinical complication that may lead to chronic kidney disease. The present review highlights the main studies on Bothrops venom-related acute kidney injury, including observational, cross-sectional, case-control and cohort human studies available up to December 2019. The following descriptors were used according to Medical Subject Headings (MeSH): on Medline/Pubmed and Google Scholar “acute kidney injury” or “kidney disease” and “Bothrops”; on Lilacs and SciELO “kidney disease” or “acute kidney injury” and “Bothrops”. Newcastle-Ottawa quality assessment scale was used to appraise the quality of the cross-sectional and cohort studies included. The selection of more severe patients who looked for health care units and tertiary centers is a risk of bias. Due to the methodological heterogeneity of the studies, a critical analysis of the results was performed based on the hypothesis that the design of the included studies influences the incidence of acute kidney injury. Fifteen human studies (total participants 4624) were included according to stablished criteria. The coagulation abnormalities (hemorrhagic symptoms, abnormal fibrinogen and activated partial thromboplastin time) were associated with acute kidney injury in the most recent studies reported. The findings observed in this review provide up-to-date evidence about the acute kidney injury pathogenesis following Bothrops syndrome. Studies pointed out that coagulation abnormalities comprise the major pathway for acute kidney injury development. This review may improve patient management by primary healthcare providers, allowing earlier diagnosis and treatment of Bothrops venom-related acute kidney injury.

Water is becoming a scarce resource in many parts of South Africa and, therefore, numerous plans are being put in place to satisfy the increased urban demand for this resource. Two of the methods currently considered are desalination of seawater and reuse of mine-affected water based on the use of reverse osmosis (RO) membranes. Due to their high energy consumption and associated environmental impacts, these methods have been under scrutinity and, therefore, an LCA was undertaken for both methods. To allow comparison between the two, the functional unit of 1 kL of potable water was specified. Design data were collected for both the construction and operation phases of the plants while SimaPro was used as the LCA analysis software with the application of the ReCiPe Midpoint method. The results indicate that the operation phase carried a greater environmental burden than the materials required for the infrastructure. In particular, electricity production and consumption is responsible for the majority of environmental impacts that stem from the respective plants. The total energy consumption of the proposed desalination plant is 3.69 kWh/kL and 2.16 kWh/kL for the mine-water reclamation plant. This results in 4.17 kg CO2 eq/kL being emitted for the desalination plant and 2.44 kg CO2 eq/kL for the mine-affected plant. A further analysis indicated that replacing South African electricity with photovoltaic (solar) and wind power has the potential to bring significant environmental benefits. The integration of these renewable energy systems with desalination and membrane treatment of mine-affected water has been proven to reduce environmental burdens to levels associated with conventional water technologies powered by the current electricity mix.

BACKGROUND: Knowledge management aims to improve organisational performance and it marks the beginning of organisational transformation. Most knowledge-intensive organisations engage and practise knowledge management without a full understanding of its benefits. A knowledge-intensive organisation is an organisation whose services and operations are heavily reliant on professional knowledge. The study, therefore, provides a solid understanding of knowledge management benefits, processes, infrastructure and barriers in knowledge-intensive organisations OBJECTIVES: To understand knowledge management, its benefits, processes, infrastructure and barriers in knowledge-intensive organisations. The research objectives extend our understanding of knowledge management in organisations, identify and describe knowledge management benefits. Identification of the most important knowledge management process and associated infrastructure are among other objectives. METHOD: A survey was used to solve the problem. A structured questionnaire was used to collect quantitative data from 112 participants from knowledge-intensive firms in Namibia. The quantitative data were analysed using Microsoft Excel 2013 spreadsheet package. RESULTS: The study has revealed that the prime benefit of knowledge management in knowledge-intensive organisations is to allow improved knowledge flow, thereby enhancing the capability of the organisation to manage change with more than 50% representation of the participants. In addition to that, the study also found that knowledge sharing is the most important knowledge management process, among other processes such as knowledge creation, knowledge capture and knowledge reuse. All the participants (100%) concurred that a flat organisational structure supports knowledge sharing. The research findings have further discovered that the biggest barrier to effective knowledge management is the lack of budget to support knowledge management efforts. This was represented by 67.9% of the participants. Lack of executive support and lack of time were also among the great barriers with 57.1% and 52.7%, respectively. CONCLUSION: Knowledge management allows improved knowledge flow in knowledge-intensive organisations. We can, therefore, conclude that the participants believed that knowledge sharing is more important than creation, capturing, transferring and reuse. It is, therefore, important to underscore that knowledge sharing should be taken as a priority if organisations are to remain competitive. Research results have also revealed that a flat organisational structure is the best for knowledge sharing. For improved organisational performance, knowledge management barriers must be removed with the assistance of management.

A multiple criteria decision analysis (MCDA) was developed for the selection of sanitation systems. This decision support system was aimed at assisting municipal engineers to design and implement sustainable solutions to meet a municipality's obligation to provide free basic sanitation (FBS). Multi-attribute value theory (MAVT) was selected as the method most suited to the problem under consideration. Criteria which determine the sustainability of sanitation were selected from the literature and a spreadsheet-based MCDA with stakeholder and expert user interfaces was developed. Stakeholders determine the weighting of each indicator and expert users determine the values to be entered for the alternatives against each indicator. The partial values are aggregated using a weighted sum function. Research carried out into the implementation of FBS by the eThekwini Municipality that includes the city of Durban was analysed. This informed the allocation of indicator values to the sanitation alternatives under consideration: ventilated improved pit latrines (VIPs) and urine diversion dehydrating toilets (UDDTs). An innovative scenario analysis method was used to determine the effect of different weightings and/or values, representing changes in stakeholder involvement, resource recovery and political support for ecological sanitation. The MCDA was found to provide a guiding framework for municipal engineers in their efforts to implement sustainable sanitation. The process of deriving values for the MCDA is likely to prove even more useful than the overall value scores of the options under consideration.