This paper investigates the challenges associated with the inconspicuousness of indigenous African languages in the South African education system,as established during empirical research conducted by the author for h...This paper investigates the challenges associated with the inconspicuousness of indigenous African languages in the South African education system,as established during empirical research conducted by the author for his PhD thesis.According to the findings of the research,integrating indigenous African languages in the basic education sector is a key strategic shift that should be considered for it could fast-track efforts to elevate and promote indigenous African languages as media of educational instruction.These languages have been discriminated against for decades,since the era of colonisation and Apartheid South Africa.Despite attempts by the democratic government,through transformative legislative frameworks,African languages are inconspicuous within the education sector.Institutions of learning have developed multilingual language policies yet their implementation remains a problem.Based on the critical review of the literature on indigenous African languages,and with a focus on information and communication technology(ICT),the paper investigates policy opportunities and challenges.The paper concludes by assessing the low profile of indigenous languages in education,and its likely impact on the high failure rate in South African schools.展开更多
Since mid-2016,the low pathogenic H7N9 influenza virus has evolved into a highly pathogenic(HP)phenotype in China,raising many concerns about public health and poultry industry.The insertion of a“KRTA”motif at hemag...Since mid-2016,the low pathogenic H7N9 influenza virus has evolved into a highly pathogenic(HP)phenotype in China,raising many concerns about public health and poultry industry.The insertion of a“KRTA”motif at hemagglutinin cleavage site(HACS)occurred in the early stage of HP H7N9 variants.During the co-circulation,the HACS of HP-H7N9 variants were more polymorphic in birds and humans.Although HP-H7N9 variants,unlike the H5 subtype virus,exhibited the insertions of basic and non-basic amino acids,the underlying function of those insertions and substitutions remains unclear.The results of bioinformatics analysis indicated that the PEVPKRKRTAR/G motif of HACS had become the dominant motif in China.Then,we generated six H7N9 viruses bearing the PEIPKGR/G,PEVPKGR/G,PEVPKRKRTAR/G,PEVPKGKRTAR/G,PEVPKGKRIAR/G,and PEVPKRKRR/G motifs.Interestingly,after the deletion of threonine and alanine(TA)at HACS,the H7N9 viruses manifested decreased thermostability and virulence in mice,and the PEVPKRKRTAR/G-motif virus is prevalent in birds and humans probably due to its increased transmissibility and moderate virulence.By contrast,the insertion of non-basic amino acid isoleucine and alanine(IA)decreased the transmissibility in chickens and virulence in mice.Remarkably,the I335V substitution of H7N9 virus enhanced infectivity and transmission in chickens,suggesting that the combination of mutations and insertions of amino acids at the HACS promoted replication and pathogenicity in chickens and mice.The ongoing evolution of H7N9 increasingly threatens public health and poultry industry,so,its comprehensive surveillance and prevention of H7N9 viruses should be pursued.展开更多
文摘This paper investigates the challenges associated with the inconspicuousness of indigenous African languages in the South African education system,as established during empirical research conducted by the author for his PhD thesis.According to the findings of the research,integrating indigenous African languages in the basic education sector is a key strategic shift that should be considered for it could fast-track efforts to elevate and promote indigenous African languages as media of educational instruction.These languages have been discriminated against for decades,since the era of colonisation and Apartheid South Africa.Despite attempts by the democratic government,through transformative legislative frameworks,African languages are inconspicuous within the education sector.Institutions of learning have developed multilingual language policies yet their implementation remains a problem.Based on the critical review of the literature on indigenous African languages,and with a focus on information and communication technology(ICT),the paper investigates policy opportunities and challenges.The paper concludes by assessing the low profile of indigenous languages in education,and its likely impact on the high failure rate in South African schools.
基金supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China(31672586 and 31830097)the Key Research and Development Program of Guangdong Province(2019B020218004)+2 种基金Earmarked Found for China Agriculture Research System(CARS-41-G16)Guangdong Province Universities and Colleges Pearl River Scholar Funded Scheme(2018,Wenbao Qi)Young Scholars of Yangtze River Scholar Professor Program(2019,Wenbao Qi)
文摘Since mid-2016,the low pathogenic H7N9 influenza virus has evolved into a highly pathogenic(HP)phenotype in China,raising many concerns about public health and poultry industry.The insertion of a“KRTA”motif at hemagglutinin cleavage site(HACS)occurred in the early stage of HP H7N9 variants.During the co-circulation,the HACS of HP-H7N9 variants were more polymorphic in birds and humans.Although HP-H7N9 variants,unlike the H5 subtype virus,exhibited the insertions of basic and non-basic amino acids,the underlying function of those insertions and substitutions remains unclear.The results of bioinformatics analysis indicated that the PEVPKRKRTAR/G motif of HACS had become the dominant motif in China.Then,we generated six H7N9 viruses bearing the PEIPKGR/G,PEVPKGR/G,PEVPKRKRTAR/G,PEVPKGKRTAR/G,PEVPKGKRIAR/G,and PEVPKRKRR/G motifs.Interestingly,after the deletion of threonine and alanine(TA)at HACS,the H7N9 viruses manifested decreased thermostability and virulence in mice,and the PEVPKRKRTAR/G-motif virus is prevalent in birds and humans probably due to its increased transmissibility and moderate virulence.By contrast,the insertion of non-basic amino acid isoleucine and alanine(IA)decreased the transmissibility in chickens and virulence in mice.Remarkably,the I335V substitution of H7N9 virus enhanced infectivity and transmission in chickens,suggesting that the combination of mutations and insertions of amino acids at the HACS promoted replication and pathogenicity in chickens and mice.The ongoing evolution of H7N9 increasingly threatens public health and poultry industry,so,its comprehensive surveillance and prevention of H7N9 viruses should be pursued.
