Texte remanié de: Tesis doctoral--Universidad complutense de Madrid, 1994-95. Titre de soutenance : El grupo Ah Canul de la ciudad maya yucateca de Oxkintok. / Bibliogr. p. 215-220.

Thesis (MSc)--Stellenbosch University, 2015. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Galactooligosaccharides are produced by the transglycosylation activity of β-galactosidases (β-gal, EC 3.2.1.23) when utilising lactose as a substrate. They have emerged as important constituents used in the food and pharmaceutical industries owing to their prebiotic properties. Although transglycosylation was discovered in 1951 (Wallenfels 1951), and a number of β-gals have had their transglycosylation activity characterised, the activities of these enzymes are not optimal for industrial use. Their tendency to favour the hydrolytic reaction over the transglycosylation reaction, coupled with the production of shorter chain oligosaccharides has driven scientists to investigate altering protein structure both to increase chain lengths and the amount of oligosaccharide produced at lower substrate concentrations. In an attempt to alter the amount of oligosaccharide produced by a metagenomically derived β-gal belonging to the glycosyl hydrolase 2 family, random and site-directed mutagenesis were used. A randomly mutagenised library was screened on SOB agar plates containing 5% (w/v) lactose which should select for clones that synthesise oligosaccharides at relatively low concentrations. No such activity was detected. Site-directed mutagenesis was also utilised to alter protein structure. It was confirmed that the β-gal utilised in this study belonged to the glycosyl hydrolase 2 family through mutation of the predicted catalytic acid/base glutamic acid to a non-catalytic residue, thus removing activity. Another mutation was utilised to investigate if it was possible to increase the degree of polymerisation of oligosaccharides produced by the β-gal. This mutation was successful in increasing the degree of polymerisation. Biochemical characterisation of the β-gal revealed that it exhibited optimal activity at pH 8.0, with a temperature optimum of 30°C. The β-gal exhibited a Km and Vmax of 54.23 mM and 2.26 μmol/minute-1/mg protein-1 respectively, similar to kinetic parameters that have been determined for a number of previously characterised enzymes. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Galaktooligosakkariede word geproduseer deur die transglikosileering aktiwiteit van β-galaktosidase (β-gal, EG 3.2.1.23) wanneer hulle laktose as 'n substraat gebruik. Hierdie oligosakkariede het na vore gekom as 'n belangrike bestandeel vir gebruik in die voedsel en farmaseutiese bedryf as gevolg van hulle prebiotiese eienskappe. Alhoewel transglycosylation al in 1951 ontdek is (Wallenfels 1951) en 'n aantal β-gals se transglycosylation aktiwiteit gekenmerk is, is hierdie ensieme nie ideaal vir industriële toepassings nie. Die geneigdheid om die hidrolitiese reaksie oor die transglycosylation reaksie bevoordeel, tesame met die produksie van korter oligosakkariede het wetenskaplikes ondersoek genoop om die proteïenstruktuur te verander om ketting-lengte en die kwantiteit van oligosakkaried geproduseer teen laer substraat konsentrasies te verhoog. In 'n poging om die opbrengs van die oligosakkaried wat deur 'n metagenomiese β-gal wat aan die glycosyl hidrolase 2 familie behoort te verander, is lukraak en terrein gerigte-mutagenese gebruik. Die mutagenese biblioteek is op SOB agarplate met 5% (w/v) lactose gekeur, om klone wat die fenotipe wat verband hou met die produksie oligosakkaried teen relatiewe lae konsentrasies te selekteer. Geen aktiwiteit is opgemerk nie. Terrein gerigte-mutagenese is ook gebruik om die proteïenstruktuur te verander. Deur ‘n bioinformatiese voorspelling, is dit bevestig dat die β-gal wat in hiedie studie gebruik word tot die glycosyl hidrolase 2 familie behoort. Dit is gedoen deur mutasie van die voorspelde katalitiese suur/basis glutamiensuur na 'n nie-katalitiese oorskot, dus die verwydering van aktiwiteit. Nog ‘n mutasie is gebruik om te ondersoek of dit moontlik was om die ketting-lengte van die oligosakkaried wat deur die β-gal geproduseer is te verhoog. Die mutasie was suksesvol in die verhoging van die oligosakkaried wat geproduseer was. Biochemiese karakterisering van die β-gal het getoon dat hierdie β-gal optimale aktiwiteit het by pH 8.0, met 'n optimum temperatuur van 30°C. Die β-gal het 'n Km en Vmax van 54.23 mM en 2.26 μmol/minute-1/mg proteïen-1 onderskeidelik, soortgelyk aan kinetiese parameters wat bepaal word vir ensieme wat voorheen gekenmerk is.

Influenza A is one of the most prevalent and significant viral infections worldwide, resulting in annual epidemics and occasional pandemics. Upon infection, antiviral drugs targeting the neuraminidase protein and M2 protein are the only treatment options available. However, the emergence of antiviral drug resistance is concerning, therefore the aim of this work was to identify inhibitor molecules that may bind to highly conserved regions of selected internal influenza A proteins. Sequences of the non-structural protein 1 (NS1), nuclear export protein (NEP) and polymerase basic protein 2 (PB2) from all hosts and subtypes were aligned and the degree of amino acid conservation was calculated based on Valdar's scoring method. Missing parts of the experimental structures were predicted using the I-TASSER server and ligand binding hot spots were identified with computational solvent mapping. Selected binding sites in conserved regions were subjected to virtual screening against two compound libraries using AutoDock Vina and AutoDock 4. Two out of twelve top hit compounds predicted to target the NS1 protein showed capability of reducing influenza A H1N1 replication in plaque reduction assays at concentrations below 100 μM, although the target protein and mechanism of action could not be confirmed. For the NEP, conservation analysis was based on 3000 sequences and binding hot spots were located in common areas amongst three structures. Docking results revealed predicted binding affinities of up to -8.95 kcal/mol, and conserved amino acid residues interacting with top compounds include Arg42, Asp43, Lys39, Ile80, Gln101, Leu105, and Val109. For the PB2 protein, conservation analysis was based on ~12,000 sequences and fifteen potential binding hot spots were identified. Docking results revealed predicted binding affinities of up to -10.3 kcal/mol, with top molecules interacting with the highly conserved residues Gln138, Gly222, Ile539, Asn540, Gly541, Tyr531 and Thr530. The findings from this research could provide starting points for in vitro experiments, as well as the development of antiviral drugs that function to inhibit influenza A replication without leading to resistance.

γ-aminobutyric acid is the major inhibitory neurotransmitter in the adult mammalian central nervous system (CNS) and may also play a neurotrophic role during CNS development. Diversification of GABA_A receptor mediated responses are in part a result ofvariation in subunit composition in the receptor complex. This variation arises both from the number of different subtypes of GABA_A receptor subunits (α1-6, β1-4, γ1-3, δ1, ρ1-3, ε, ρ), as well as from post-transcriptional processes such as RNA splicing. In this thesis, I have investigated the developmental onset of GABA_A receptor gene expression and the distribution and temporal expression of GABA_A receptor subunit mRNAs and 12 splice variants within the developing and adult murine CNS. Preliminary studies using S 1 nuclease protection analysis demonstrated that α1, β3 and γ2 were the predominant subtypes of GABA_A receptor subunits expressed at embryonic day 14 and in the adult murine CNS. In situ hybridisation analysis demonstrated overlapping but distinct spatial and temporal patterns of GABA_A subunit mRNA expression during postnatal development and in the adult murine CNS. Analysis of γ2 mRNA splice variants demonstrated that the γ2S transcript is the predominant γ2 mRNA expressed during latter stages of embryo genesis, while the γ2L transcript is the predominant γ2 isoform present inthe adult CNS. Since there is a 29 to 47 percent amino acid identity among the various GABA_A receptor subunits, I have also demonstrated through site-directed mutagenesis studies, that changes in a conserved amino acid in the cysteine loop of the bovine a 1 GABA_A receptor subunit resulted in a loss of agonist and antagonist binding (DI49N), while a change in a conserved amino acid in the M1 transmembrane domain of the bovine α1 GABA_A receptor subunit resulted in loss of agonist binding and reduction in the B_max and K_d for antagonist binding (P243A). 'These results are in contrast to the effect of identical mutations in the bovine β1 subunit and suggest that if the pentameric GABA_A receptor assembly is composed of (α1)2(β1)1(γ2)2, then changes in highly conserved amino acids in the α1 receptor subunit would have a greater distortion on the structure of the receptor complex.

O objeto de estudo da presente pesquisa são as comunidades mediadas pela Internet (CMIs). Uma CMI consiste de um conjunto de pessoas que compartilham interesses e que, durante algum tempo, utilizam recursos em comum na Internet (por exemplo, um web site – objeto preferencial deste trabalho) para trocarem informações umas com as outras relativamente aos interesses compartilhados. A pesquisa realizada é exploratória e qualitativa, tendo feito uso de estudos de caso, pesquisa-ação e entrevistas em profundidade para estruturar uma base conceitual para as CMIs e reunir elementos relevantes a serem considerados quando da construção de web sites para as mesmas. Realizou-se estudo de caso de 5 (cinco) web sites de CMIs, a fim de serem identificadas as principais tecnologias e métodos em uso atualmente para a estruturação de web sites para CMIs. Na pesquisa-ação, 7 (sete) grupos de pessoas foram identificados e, para cada um, construiu-se 1 (um) web site, de modo que se ofereceu um espaço na Internet para a interação dos seus integrantes. A observação da interação das pessoas através dos web sites permitiu concluir-se que, dos sete grupos iniciais, apenas 1 (um) poderia ser caracterizado como CMI, conforme critérios de Jones (1997): associação sustentável, variedade de comunicadores, espaço virtual para a comunicação em grupo, e interatividade. Para as entrevistas em profundidade, elaborou-se um questionário com base no referencial teórico, nos estudos de caso e na pesquisa-ação, sendo aplicado a 17 (dezessete) pessoas (da única CMI e de dois dos sete grupos). O objetivo das entrevistas foi levantarem-se percepções sobre os web sites utilizados pelos grupos, percepções essas que, sob análise de conteúdo, ajudaram na formação de um conjunto de 12 (doze) recomendações para a construção de web sites para CMIs. As recomendações são de natureza diversa, mas deixam clara a necessidade de haver um entendimento profundo do contexto de uma CMI previamente ao projeto do seu web site.

In spite of the multisite phenomenon’s apparent “success” and effectiveness in fulfilling the Great Commission, there are looming variables related to leadership structures and organizational complexities that have not been adequately addressed. Perhaps the most significant question in need of further research in the multisite field is simply determining where final decision-making authority is found. Does such authority lie at the campus level, or at the larger church level? For example, what decisions can and cannot a campus pastor make apart from the approval of the senior leadership team? The longevity of the multisite movement will ultimately be determined by the presence of healthy leadership structures that learn the tedious balance between control and freedom. The senior leadership team has the arduous task of being closely enough involved in the operations of each campus to ensure that campuses rightly embody the DNA of the overall church. Yet at the same time, this senior leadership team must empower and legitimize campus leadership in such a way that they do not feel unnecessarily restricted and compromised of their unique calling and giftedness. Such perceptions on behalf of campus leadership can lead to mistrust, conflict, and the ultimate deterrence of the mission of the church. This quantitative study addresses the leadership dynamics and organizational complexities in multisite churches, with a particular emphasis on the relationship between campus pastors and the church’s senior leadership team. Chapter 1 introduces the research problem and its practical significance. It also defines the research questions while indicating the study’s limitations. The examination of the precedent literature in chapter 2 underscores the biblical and theological foundations of this topic, such as the clear examples of shared leadership structures seen in the New Testament. Additionally, this chapter details the contemporary research regarding multisite structures in general, and leadership structures in particular. Chapter 3 presents the research design, defines the population, establishes the selection criteria, and outlines the instrumentation. Chapter 4 analyzes the findings, while chapter 5 presents the researcher’s conclusions. The study’s ultimate aim is to stimulate meaningful dialogue among multisite churches, and to strengthen multisite churches’ leadership structures so as to better ensure biblical fidelity, health, unity, and longevity.

O objeto de estudo da presente pesquisa são as comunidades mediadas pela Internet (CMIs). Uma CMI consiste de um conjunto de pessoas que compartilham interesses e que, durante algum tempo, utilizam recursos em comum na Internet (por exemplo, um web site – objeto preferencial deste trabalho) para trocarem informações umas com as outras relativamente aos interesses compartilhados. A pesquisa realizada é exploratória e qualitativa, tendo feito uso de estudos de caso, pesquisa-ação e entrevistas em profundidade para estruturar uma base conceitual para as CMIs e reunir elementos relevantes a serem considerados quando da construção de web sites para as mesmas. Realizou-se estudo de caso de 5 (cinco) web sites de CMIs, a fim de serem identificadas as principais tecnologias e métodos em uso atualmente para a estruturação de web sites para CMIs. Na pesquisa-ação, 7 (sete) grupos de pessoas foram identificados e, para cada um, construiu-se 1 (um) web site, de modo que se ofereceu um espaço na Internet para a interação dos seus integrantes. A observação da interação das pessoas através dos web sites permitiu concluir-se que, dos sete grupos iniciais, apenas 1 (um) poderia ser caracterizado como CMI, conforme critérios de Jones (1997): associação sustentável, variedade de comunicadores, espaço virtual para a comunicação em grupo, e interatividade. Para as entrevistas em profundidade, elaborou-se um questionário com base no referencial teórico, nos estudos de caso e na pesquisa-ação, sendo aplicado a 17 (dezessete) pessoas (da única CMI e de dois dos sete grupos). O objetivo das entrevistas foi levantarem-se percepções sobre os web sites utilizados pelos grupos, percepções essas que, sob análise de conteúdo, ajudaram na formação de um conjunto de 12 (doze) recomendações para a construção de web sites para CMIs. As recomendações são de natureza diversa, mas deixam clara a necessidade de haver um entendimento profundo do contexto de uma CMI previamente ao projeto do seu web site.

Les travaux de cette thèse s'inscrivent dans l'objectif général de fournir des recommandations sur la façon d'intégrer les effets du site dans l'évaluation probabiliste des risques sismiques, mieux connue sous le nom de PSHA, une méthodologie connue et utilisée à l'échelle mondiale pour estimer l'aléa et le risque sismiques à l'échelle régionale et locale. Nous passons donc en revue les méthodes disponibles dans la littérature pour obtenir la courbe d'aléa sismique en surface d'un site non-rocheux, en commençant par les méthodes les plus simples et plus génériques (partiellement probabiliste), jusqu'aux méthodes site-spécifiques (partiellement et entièrement probabilistes) qui nécessitent une caractérisation du site de plus en plus poussée, rarement disponible sauf cas exceptionnel comme par exemple le site test d'Euroseistest. C'est justement sur l'exemple de ce site que sont donc comparées un certain nombre de ces méthodes, ainsi qu'une nouvelle.La spécificité et la difficulté de ces études PSHA "site-spécifiques" vient du caractère non-linéaire de la réponse des sites peu rigides, ainsi que du fait que le rocher de référence contrôlant cette réponse est souvent très rigide. Les aspects "ajustement rocher dur" et "convolution" de l'aléa sismique au rocher avec la fonction d'amplification ou la fonction transfert (empirique ou numérique) d’un site font donc l'objet d'une attention particulière dans ces études comparatives. Un cadre général est présenté sur la façon de prendre en compte simultanément les caractéristiques spécifiques au site, la variabilité aléatoire complète ou réduite ("single station sigma"), les ajustements hôte-cible et le comportement linéaire / non linéaire d'un site, où nous expliquons toutes les étapes, corrections, avantages et difficultés que nous avons trouvés dans le processus et les différentes façons de les mettre en oeuvre.Cette étude comparative est divisée en deux parties: la première porte sur les méthodes non site-spécifiques et les méthodes hybrides site-spécifique (évaluation probabiliste de l'aléa au rocher et déterministe de la réponse de site), la seconde porte sur deux approches prenant en compte la convolution aléa rocher / réponse de site de façon probabiliste. Un des résultats majeurs de la première est l'augmentation de l'incertitude épistémique sur l'aléa en site meuble comparé à l'aléa au rocher, en raison du cumul des incertitudes associées à chaque étape. Un autre résultat majeur commun aux deux études est l'impact très important de la non-linéarité du sol dans les sites souples, ainsi que de la façon de les prendre en compte: la variabilité liée à l'utilisation de différents codes de simulation NL apparaît plus importante que la variabilité liée à différentes méthodes de convolution 100% probabilistes. Nous soulignons l'importance d'améliorer la manier d’inclure les effets du site dans les méthodes de l’estimation de l’aléa sismique probabiliste ou PSHA, et nous soulignons aussi l'importance d'instrumenter des sites actifs avec des sédiments meubles, comme l'Euroseistest, afin de tester et valider les modèles numériques.Finalement, on présente un résumé des résultats, des conclusions générales, de la discussion sur les principaux problèmes méthodologiques et des perspectives d'amélioration et de travail futur.Mots-clés: Effets du site, incertitude épistémique, PSHA, single station sigma, ajustements hôte-cible, effets linéaires et non linéaires, réponse de site / The overall goal of this research work is of provide recommendations on how to integrate site effects into Probabilistic Seismic Hazard Assessment, better known as PSHA, a well-known and widely used methodology. Globally used to estimate seismic hazard and risk at regional and local scales. We therefore review the methods available in the literature to obtain the seismic hazard curve at the surface of a soft soil site, starting with the simplest and most generic methods (partially probabilistic), up to the full site-specific methods (partially and fully probabilistic), requiring an excellent site-specific characterization, rarely available except exceptional cases such as the case of Euroseistest site. It is precisely on the example of this site that are compared a number of these methods, as well as a new one. And it is precisely at the Euroseistest that we performed an example of application of the different methods as well as a new one that we propose as a result of this work.The specificity and difficulty of these "site-specific" PSHA studies comes from the non-linear nature of the response of the soft sites, as well as from the fact that the reference rock controlling this response is often very rigid. The "rock to hard rock adjustment" and "convolution" aspects of the rock seismic hazard, together with the amplification function or the transfer function (empirical or numerical) of a site are therefore the subject of particular attention in these studies. comparative studies. A general framework is presented on how to simultaneously take into account the site-specific characteristics, such as the complete or reduced random variability ("single station sigma"), host-to -target adjustments and the linear / nonlinear behavior of a site, where we explain all the followed steps, the different corrections performed, the benefits and difficulties that we found in the process and the ways we sort them and discussing them when the answer was not straight forward.This comparative study is divided into two parts: the first deals with non-site-specific methods and site-specific hybrid methods (probabilistic evaluation of rock hazard and deterministic of the site response). The second deals with two approaches taking into account the convolution of rock hazard and the site response in a probabilistically way. One of the major results of the first is the increase of the epistemic uncertainty on the soft site hazard compared to the rock hazard, due to acumulation of uncertainties associated to each step. Another major common result to both studies is the very important impact of non-linearity on soft sites, as well as the complexity on how to account for them: the variability associated with the use of different non-linear simulation codes appears to be greater than the method-to-method variability associated with the two different full convolution probabilistic methods. We emphasize on the importance of improving the way in which the site effects are included into probabilistic seismic hazard methods, PSHA. And we also emphasize on the importance of instrumenting active sites with soft sediments, such as the Euroseistest, to test and validate numerical models.Finally, a summary of the results, the general conclusions, discussion of key methodological issues, and perspectives for improvement and future work are presented.Keywords: Site Effects, Epistemic Uncertainty, PSHA, single station sigma, host to target adjustments, linear and nonlinear site effects, soil site response.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-12-08T16:18:46Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Felipe.pdf: 2736863 bytes, checksum: 2e8d61074dc45ac65af7f130eb7bd823 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011-11-21 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / This dissertation [Juri 2 - Dissertation] consists of the presentation and exhibition of the Project [LANDSCAPE:BORDER] which consists of a configurative practice as a discursive site of artistic investigation done as a territory consisting of a net of experiences and discursive practices, and articulates, while a discursive instance, in three stages: site experiences, docs/registries of these experiences and exhibitions (publications/talks) of the investigative process. This work [Juri 2- Dissertation] therefore consists of questions that arose between 2008 and 2010 from experiences based on the discursive site of the artistic investigation accessed through docs/registries (diagrams, articles, undone projects, etc). The dissertation/exhibition is organized in five parts: an introduction, three chapters and final considerations. The first chapter provides a close view to the process of building the Project [LANDSCAPE:BORDER] as a discursive site for of artistic investigation. The reader/public will then get to the second chapter including a discussion about site-specific contemporary practice which addresses the discursive site as a nomadic narrative whose path is articulated by the passage of the artist by contexts that are inscribed in artistic practice. On the same second chapter the Project [LANDSCAPE:BORDER] is addressed as a site placed in the intersection between the art site and other sites starting from the relationship between the generating sites and the generated sites . Third chapter derivates from the following question: how to make it the Project [LANDSCAPE:BORDER] available to the public? . It brings a discussion about building discursive exhibition sites that enable the circulation of docs/registries of experiences through artistic investigative discursive sites. Lastly final considerations presents a reflection about the practice of projects that were not intended to get to a final product shifting the attention of the work to the process, namely the life-in-the-project presented by documents / A dissertação [Banca 2 Dissertação] é uma apresentação e exposição do Projeto [PAISAGEM:FRONTEIRA], o qual é uma prática configurada como um site discursivo de investigação artística que se faz como um território constituído por uma rede de experiências e práticas discursivas, e articula-se, como instância discursiva, em três etapas: experiências pelos sites, docs/registros das experiências e exposições (publicações/conversas) do processo de investigação. O trabalho [Banca 2 Dissertação], portanto, expõe questões construídas entre os anos 2008 e 2010, a partir de experiências pelo site discursivo de investigação artística, acessadas por docs/registros (diagramas, artigos, projetos irrealizados, etc.). A dissertação/exposição organiza-se em cinco partes: uma introdução, três capítulos e considerações finais. Após passar pelo primeiro capítulo, que realiza uma aproximação ao processo de construção do Projeto [PAISAGEM:FRONTEIRA] como um site discursivo de investigação artística, o leitor/ público encontrará, no segundo capítulo, uma discussão sobre práticas contemporâneas site-specific que abordam o site discursivo como uma espécie de narrativa nômade, cujo percurso é articulado pela passagem do artista por contextos que se inscrevem na prática artística. Ainda no segundo capítulo, a partir da relação entre os Sites Geradores e os Sites Gerados que configuram o site discursivo, há uma abordagem do Projeto [PAISAGEM:FRONTEIRA] com um site posicionado na intersecção entre o campo da arte e outros campos. O terceiro capítulo, que surgiu da pergunta Como disponibilizar ao público o Projeto [PAISAGEM:FRONTEIRA]? , traz uma discussão sobre a construção de sites expositivos discursivos que possibilitem a circulação de docs/registros de experiências por sites discursivos de investigação artística. Por fim, nas Considerações Finais, há uma reflexão sobre a prática de projetos que ao não terem a preocupação de chegar a um produto final deslocam a atenção da obra para o processo, isto é, para a vida-no-projeto apresentada através de documentos

Thesis Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree MAGISTER TECHNOLOGIAE In BUSINESS INFORMATION SYSTEMS in the FACULTY OF BUSINESS at the CAPE PENINSULA UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY 2011 / With over a billion Internet users surfing the Web daily in search of information, buying, selling and accessing social networks, marketers focus intensively on developing websites that are appealing to both the searchers and the search engines. Millions of webpages are submitted each day for indexing to search engines. The success of a search engine lies in its ability to provide accurate search results. Search engines’ algorithms constantly evaluate websites and webpages that could violate their respective policies. For this reason some websites and webpages are subsequently blacklisted from their index. Websites are increasingly being utilised as marketing tools, which result in major competition amongst websites. Website developers strive to develop websites of high quality, which are unique and content rich as this will assist them in obtaining a high ranking from search engines. By focusing on websites of a high standard, website developers utilise search engine optimisation (SEO) strategies to earn a high search engine ranking. From time to time SEO practitioners abuse SEO techniques in order to trick the search engine algorithms, but the algorithms are programmed to identify and flag these techniques as spamdexing. Search engines do not clearly explain how they interpret keyword stuffing (one form of spamdexing) in a webpage. However, they regard spamdexing in many different ways and do not provide enough detail to clarify what crawlers take into consideration when interpreting the spamdexing status of a website. Furthermore, search engines differ in the way that they interpret spamdexing, but offer no clear quantitative evidence for the crossover point of keyword dense website text to spamdexing. Scholars have indicated different views in respect of spamdexing, characterised by different keyword density measurements in the body text of a webpage. This raised several fundamental questions that form the basis of this research. This research was carried out using triangulation in order to determine how the scholars, search engines and SEO practitioners interpret spamdexing. Five websites with varying keyword densities were designed and submitted to Google, Yahoo! and Bing. Two phases of the experiment were done and the results were recorded. During both phases almost all of the webpages, including the one with a 97.3% keyword density, were indexed. The aforementioned enabled this research to conclusively disregard the keyword stuffing issue, blacklisting and any form of penalisation. Designers are urged to rather concentrate on usability and good values behind building a website. The research explored the fundamental contribution of keywords to webpage indexing and visibility. Keywords used with or without an optimum level of measurement of richness and poorness result in website ranking and indexing. However, the focus should be on the way in which the end user would interpret the content displayed, rather than how the search engine would react towards the content. Furthermore, spamdexing is likely to scare away potential clients and end users instead of embracing them, which is why the time spent on spamdexing should rather be used to produce quality content.