Titel:                                   Det ligger i människans natur att berätta historier - Hur corporate storytelling på intranätet kan öka personalens tillfredsställelse Författare:                         Maria Karlsson & Cecilia Lindberg Handledare:                      Kent Sahlgren Nivå:                                  Kandidat i marknadsföring, (15 högskolepoäng), Våren 2010 Nyckelord:                         Corporate Storytelling, Intern marknadsföring, Kommunikationsföringsverktyg, Shannon & Weaver modell, Intranätet, tillfredsställelse Fråga:                                Hur kan stora svenska banker använda intern Corporate Storytelling på sitt intranät för att öka personalens tillfredsställelse på arbetsplatsen? Purpose:                            Denna uppsats avser beskriva och förklara hur stora svenska banker i praktiken kan använda intern storytelling som ett verktyg på företagets intranät för att öka personalens tillfredställelse på arbetsplatsen. Method:                            En kvalitativ forskningssats har används på ett fallföretag, Swedbank.  Teoretiskt perspektiv:     Vi börjar det teoretiska avsnittet med att implementera corporate storytelling till kommunikationsprocessen mellan ett företag och dess personal, för att sedan presentera våran omarbetade version av Shannon och Weavers modell “the mathematical theory of communication” model.  Det teoretiska avsnittet analyserar hur corporate storytelling kan användas för att öka personalens tillfredsställelse på arbetsplatsen. Empiriskt perspektiv:      Det empiriska avsnittet presenterar resultatet av intervjuerna med de tre respondenterna på vårt fallföretag, Swedbank. Slutsats:                            Studien visar att corporate storytelling kan användas för att öka personalen tillfredsställelse på arbetsplatsen. Denna tillfredsställelse är dock beroende av att företaget anpassar storytellingen efter personalens vardag på arbetsplatsen.  

Webs are fundamental to the ecology of Nephila clavipes, the golden orb-weaver spider, because they serve as sites for prey capture, reproduction, competition, predation, and parasitism. In addition to the presence of the female N. clavipes, males and kleptoparasites reside on the web in varying numbers. Webs are also found in clusters with conspecific females. Web site selection and length of web tenure is a behavioral decision vital to the spider’s fitness and the ecology of her species. I conducted a field census to quantify these factors and analyze their influence on web tenure, compare web ecology between a forest and non-forest habitat, as well as explain the significance of N. clavipes’ web as central to many interactions. Web tenure, as well, was influenced differently by the factors between both environments. In the forest habitat, increase in prey capture rate decreased web tenure and inclusion in cluster increased web tenure. In the non-forest habitat, only increase in spider size was related to increased web tenure. There were significant differences between the two habitats in the sizes of the female spider and quantity of males and kleptoparasites. Results also showed that spider size influenced quantity of males and web diameter influenced quantity of kleptoparasites. Explanation of these results can be attributed to the complex relationships among the variables and the consequences of living in habitats impacted by human occupation.

Beowulf presents a literary starting point in the discussion of peace weaving, reflecting the primary focus of Anglo Saxon epic poetry on the male hero rather than the peace weaver. Scholarship on peace weaving figures in the poem tend to negatively perceive the lack of female presence, and determine the tradition as one set up for failure. Adding historical peace weavers like Queen Emma to the discourse encourages scholars to view smaller successes, like temporary peace, as building on each other to ultimately cause the peace weaver to be successful at her task. From studying the life of Queen Emma, the continuous struggle of such a figure to be an influential presence in her nation is more evident. Combining the images of peace weaving set down by literature and then history prove that figures participating in the tradition are as vital to the heroic world as the warrior himself.

The purpose of this study is to provide a simple user interface with which everyone can design his/her own game, and play it on Game Boy Advance console. This project helps people develop games without having programming knowledge. Everything is done by means of a user interface and without any programming knowledge. It is magic, isn’t it? Game Boy Advance is a game console developed by Nintendo. In order to market their products, they must also develop games running on their products. Every time they develop a game for the Game Boy Advance console, they have to implement a low level C++ application over and over again. This makes things more complicated. However, if this software is used, everything becomes easier. This project can be seen as an interpreter that interprets the designed game, which is very high level, and converts it to a Game Boy Advance game. If this project is finished successfully, game design for Game Boy Advance will experience a revolution in its history. In brief, it is required to develop a visual, GUI‐based system that allows people to develop games for the Game Boy Advance console. This GUI system is required to implement and use the API (Game Engine) developed by Lypson.

Software defined radio (SDR) introduces endless possibilities for future communication technologies. Instead of being limited to a static segment of the radio spectrum, SDR allows RF front-ends to be more flexible by using digital signal processing (DSP) and cognitive techniques to integrate adaptive hardware with dynamic software. We present the design and implementation of an innovative RF front-end transceiver architecture for application into a SDR test-bed platform. System-level requirements were extracted from the Space Network User Guide (SNUG). Initial system characterization demonstrated image leakage due to poor filtering and mixer isolation issues. Hence, the RF front-end design was re-implemented using the Weaver architecture for improved image rejection performance.

Η Νόσος του Πάρκινσον αποτελεί τη δεύτερη συχνότερη νευροεκφυλιστική ασθένεια μετά τη νόσο του Αλτσχάιμερ, η οποία εμφανίζεται στο 2% των ανθρώπων άνω των 65 ετών. Η μέχρι στιγμής αντιμετώπισή της περιορίζεται σχεδόν αποκλειστικά στη χορήγηση του προδρόμου μορίου της ντοπαμίνης L-DOPA, με σκοπό την αντιμετώπιση των κινητικών προβλημάτων της ασθένειας, η οποία επιφέρει όμως ισχυρές παρενέργειες. Για το λόγο αυτό κρίνεται σκόπιμη η εύρεση νευροπροστατευτικών ουσιών οι οποίες θα καθυστερούν ή θα αναστέλλουν την εξέλιξη της νόσου, με τις ελάχιστες δυνατές παρενέργειες. Ο μυς weaver, φέρει μία αυτοσωμική υπολειπόμενη μετάλλαξη στο γονίδιο Girk2 και αποτελεί το μοναδικό γενετικό μοντέλο της νόσου του Πάρκινσον, το οποίο εμφανίζει προοδευτική απώλεια των ντοπαμινεργικών νευρώνων της μέλαινας ουσίας, η οποία συμβαίνει ενδογενώς. Για το λόγο αυτό θεωρείται ιδανικό για μελέτες νευροπροστασίας. Τόσο in vitro, όσο και in vivo μελέτες στο μοντέλο weaver αλλά και σε άλλα παρκινσονικά μοντέλα (συμπεριλαμβανομένων προηγούμενων αποτελεσμάτων της ομάδας μας, (Διδακτορική Διατριβή Κωνσταντίνου Μποτσάκη, Σεπτέμβριος 2013) αναδεικνύουν ότι το ενδογενές νευροστεροειδές δεϋδροεπιανδροστερόνη (DHEA), καθώς και ο θειικός της εστέρας (DHEA-S) ασκούν ισχυρότατη νευροπροστατευτική δράση στους ντοπαμινεργικούς νευρώνες της μέλαινας ουσίας των παρκινσονικών αυτών ζώων. Επιπλέον, το συνθετικό ανάλογο του DHEA 17β-spiro[5-androstene-17,20-oxiran]-3β-ol (ΒΝΝ-50), το οποίο δεν μεταβολίζεται ενδογενώς σε οιστρογόνα (και θα μπορούσε κατά συνέπεια να είναι κατάλληλο για κλινική χρήση), φαίνεται να ασκεί την ίδια νευροπροστατευτική επίδραση στους ντοπαμινεργικούς νευρώνες της μέλαινας ουσίας των ομοζυγωτικών μυών weaver (Δ.Δ Κωνσταντίνου Μποτσάκη, Σεπτέμβριος 2013), αλλά και σε κυτταροκαλλιέργειες PC12 κυττάρων. Σκοπός της παρούσας εργασίας ήταν η διερεύνηση του μηχανισμού δράσης των νευροπροστατευτικών αυτών ουσιών. Για το λόγο αυτό διερευνήθηκε η πιθανή αντιαποπτωτική δράση των DHEA-S και ΒΝΝ-50, μέσω προσδιορισμού του λόγου των επιπέδων της αντιαποπτωτικής πρωτεΐνης Bcl-2 προς τα επίπεδα της προαποπτωτικής πρωτεΐνης Bax. Ο προσδιορισμός αυτός πραγματοποιήθηκε στο μεσεγκέφαλο φυσιολογικών μυών και μυών weaver ηλικίας Ρ21 ημερών, μετά από χρόνια χορήγηση των νευροστεροειδών (από την Ρ1 έως την Ρ21). Επιπλέον, διερευνήθηκε η πιθανή αντιοξειδωτική δράση του νευροστεροειδούς ΒΝΝ-50, μέσω του προσδιορισμού της ελεύθερης (frMDA) και προσδεδεμένης σε πρωτεΐνες (prMDA) μαλονικής διαλδεΰδης, στο μεσεγκέφαλο φυσιολογικών μυών και μυών weaver ηλικίας Ρ21 ημερών, μετά από χρόνια χορήγηση του αναλόγου (από την Ρ1 έως την Ρ21). Τα αποτελέσματα ανέδειξαν ότι τόσο το DHEA-S, όσο και το BNN-50 ασκούν ισχυρή αντιαποπτωτική δράση στο μεσεγκέφαλο των μυών weaver, αυξάνοντας τον λόγο Bcl-2/Bax (o οποίος εμφανίζεται μειωμένος στo μεσεγκέφαλο των wv/wv ζώων, σε σχέση με τα φυσιολογικά ζώα) κατά 74% και 83% αντίστοιχα, σε σχέση με τα weaver μύες που έλαβαν φυσιολογικό ορό. Η δράση αυτή επιτυχάνεται με διαφορετικό τρόπο, ανάμεσα στα δύο νευροστεροειδή. Πιο συγκεκριμένα, το DHEA-S επαναφέρει πλήρως τα μειωμένα επίπεδα της αντιαποπτωτικής πρωτεΐνης Bcl-2 στo μεσεγκέφαλο των wv/wv ζώων χωρίς να επηρεάζει τα επίπεδα της προαποπτωτικής πρωτεΐνης Bax, ενώ το ΒΝΝ-50 επαναφέρει πλήρως τα αυξημένα επίπεδα της προαποπτωτικής πρωτεΐνης Βax στo μεσεγκέφαλο των wv/wv ζώων, χωρίς να επηρεάζει τα επίπεδα της αντιαποπτωτικής πρωτεΐνης Bcl-2. Επιπλέον, κατέστει σαφές ότι το στεροειδές ΒΝΝ-50 κατέχει και αντιοξειδωτική δράση, αφού επάγει τη δραματική μείωση των επιπέδων της ολικής μαλονικής διαλδεΰδης, τελικού προϊόντος της υπεροξείδωσης των λιπιδίων που εμφανίζεται αυξημένη στo μεσεγκέφαλο των wv/wv ζώων, φέρνοντάς τα κοντά στα φυσιολογικά επίπεδα. Η μείωση αυτή οφείλεται αποκλειστικά στη μείωση των επιπέδων της προσδεδεμένης σε πρωτεΐνες και όχι της ελεύθερης ΜDA, πιθανότατα λόγω της πολύ μεγαλύτερης αύξησης της πρώτης σε σχέση με τη δεύτερη, στο μεσεγκέφαλο των ομοζυγωτικών weaver μυών. Τα παραπάνω αποτελέσματα οδηγούν στο συμπέρασμα ότι τα νευροστεροειδή DHEA-S και ΒΝΝ-50 ασκούν τη νευροπροστατευτική τους επίδραση δρώντας πλειοτροπικά, τουλάχιστον μέσω δύο γραμμών δράσης, της αντιαποπτωτικής και αντιοξειδωτικής. Το γεγονός αυτό είναι ιδιαίτερα σημαντικό καθώς για πρώτη φορά, γίνεται μελέτη του μηχανισμού της δράσης του στεροειδούς ΒΝΝ-50 in vivo. Καθώς το BNN-50 δεν μεταβολίζεται ενδογενώς σε φυλετικές ορμόνες, και θα μπορούσε συνεπώς να είναι κατάλληλο για κλινική χρήση, κρίνεται απαραίτητη η περαιτέρω διερεύνηση του μηχανισμού δράσης του, ώστε να διευκρινιστεί η πιθανή ικανότητα χρήσης του για αντιμετώπιση της σοβαρής αυτής νόσου, μελλοντικά. / Parkinson’s Disease is the second most common neurodegenerative disease, affecting about 2% of the population aged over 65 years old. The most common treatment of the disease until now, is the administration of L-DOPA, a dopamine precursor, in order to reduce the locomotive defects caused by the disease, a drug that causes severe side effects. Hence, the discovery of neuroprotective compounds that can prohibit or at least prolong the progression of the disease is highly required. The weaver mouse carries an autosomic recessive mutation at the Girk-2 gene and consists the only non-invasive genetic model of Parkinson’s Disease that exhibits progressive neurodegeneration of the nigrostriatal dopaminergic neurons. Thus, it is ideal for neuroprotection studies. The endogenous neurosteroif dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) as well as its sulphated ester (DHEA-S) exhibit a significant neuroprotective effect on the dopaminergic neurons of the weaver mouse (K. Botsakis phD thesis, 2013), as well as in other in vitro and in vivo studies. Additionally, the synthetic analogue of DHEA 17β-spiro[5-androstene-17,20-oxiran]-3β-ol (BNN-50), that is not metabolized to estrogens in vivo, exhibits the same neuroprotective effect on the dopaminergic neurons of the weaver mouse as DHEA-S (K. Botsakis phD thesis, 2013) as well as in PC12 cell cultures. The aim of this study was the investigation of the mechanism of action of DHEA-S and BNN-50 in vivo. To that extend, we investigated the possible antiapoptotic action of DHEA-S and BNN -50 by determining the ratio of the levels of the antiapoptotic protein Bcl-2 to the levels of pro-apoptotic protein Bax. The assay was performed in the midbrain of control mice and omozygous weaver mice at P21, after chronic administration of neurosteroids ( from P1 to P21 ) . Furthermore , we investigated the potential antioxidant properties of the neurosteroid BNN -50 , through the determination of free (frMDA) and protein-bound (prMDA) malonic dialdeyde in the midbrain of control mice and omozygous weaver mice at P21 after chronic administration of analogue ( from P1 to P21 ) . The results revealed that DHEA-S as well as the BNN-50 exert a very important antiapoptotic action in the weaver mouse midbrain, increasing the ratio of Bcl-2/Bax (that is reduced in the midbrain of the wv / wv animals, compared to control) by 74 % and 83 % respectively, compared with the weaver mice that received saline. This antiapoptotic action is achieved in different ways for the two neurosteroids . More specifically, DHEA-S fully restore the reduced levels of the antiapoptotic protein Bcl-2 in the wv/wv midbrain, without affecting the levels of the proapoptotic protein Bax, while the BNN -50 fully restored the elevated levels of proapoptotic protein Bax in the wv/wv midbrain, without affecting the levels of the antiapoptotic protein Bcl-2. Moreover , it became clear that the steroid BNN -50 possesses significant antioxidant activity, inducing a dramatic reduction in the levels of total MDA , the end product of lipid peroxidation that is displayed increased in the wv/wv midbrain, bringing the MDA level almost to control. The decrease is due to the reduction of the levels of protein-bound and not free MDA , probably due to the much higher increase of the first than the second , in the midbrain of homozygous weaver mice . The aforementioned results suggest that thee neurosteroids DHEA-S and BNN -50 exert their neuroprotective effects by acting pleiotropically , at least through two lines of action, one antiapoptotic and one antioxidant . This is particularly important because for the first time , there is a study of the mechanism of action of steroid BNN -50 in vivo. As BNN-50 is not metabolized endogenously in sex hormones , it could therefore be suitable for clinical use. Hence, it is necessary to further investigate the mechanism of action of the steroid, in order to clarify its possible usability for treating this serious disease in the future .

Οι μεταλλαγμένοι μύες weaver αποτελούν ένα μοναδικό γενετικό μοντέλο της νόσου Πάρκινσον. Πρόκειται για μια νευροβιολογική μετάλλαξη η οποία συμβολίζεται ως wv και περιγράφηκε για πρώτη φορά από τον Lane (1964). Πρόκειται για μετάλλαξη με λάθος νόημα στο γονίδιο Girk 2 που βρίσκεται στο χρωμόσωμα 16 του ποντικού σε μια περιοχή ανάλογη με την περιοχή του 21 χρωμοσώματος του ανθρώπου που ευθύνεται για το σύνδρομο Down και οδηγεί σε τροποποίηση της λειτουργίας ενός διαύλου καλίου. Επειδή ο εγκέφαλος των θηλαστικών είναι από τους πιο ευαίσθητους ιστούς πολλές μελέτες έχουν γίνει για τις επιδράσεις των φαρμάκων (νευροστεροειδών), στην παθογένεια και στην αντιμετώπιση των νευροεκφυλιστικών νόσων. Ο παράγοντας BNN 50 είναι ένα νευροστεροειδές που έχει συνώνυμο το BNN 20. Παράγεται από το ανδρογόνο νευροστεροειδές δεϋδροεπιανδροστερόνη (DHEA) με εποξείδωση της 17-κετομάδας του με χρήση trimethylsulfonium methylide (τριμεθυλοσούλφωνο-μεθυλίδιο). Έχει το πλεονέκτημα ότι δεν μεταβολίζεται σε οιστρογόνα ενδογενώς, όπως το DHEA, κι επομένως ενδέχεται να είναι καταλληλότερο για φαρμακευτική χρήση. Σκοπός της παρούσας μελέτης είναι να διερευνηθεί η επίδραση στο οξειδωτικό στρες του νευροστεροειδούς BNN 50 σε εγκεφάλους μυών κατά την 21 ημέρα με ταυτόχρονο προσδιορισμό των επιπέδων υπεροξείδωσης λιπιδίων και πρωτεϊνών στις ακόλουθες περιοχές: α) CE (παρεγκεφαλίδα), β) HIP (ιππόκαμπος), γ) CX (εγκεφαλικός φλοιός). Για το σκοπό αυτό τα πειραματόζωα χωρίστηκαν στις ακόλουθες 4 ομάδες: 1) φυσιολογικοί μύες (control) χωρίς BNN 50, με saline 2) control με BNN 50, 3) weaver χωρίς BNN 50 με saline και 4) weaver με ΒΝΝ 50. Οι μύες (control-weaver) δέχονταν BNN 50 (100 mg/kg σωματικού βάρους) ημερησίως από την πρώτη μέρα της ζωής (με ενδοπεριτοναϊκή ένεση) και για διάστημα 18 ημερών. Μετά την τελευταία ένεση, οι μύες θανατώθηκαν και οι εγκεφαλικοί ιστοί απομονώθηκαν σε ειδικό αντιοξειδωτικό ρυθμιστικό διάλυμα. Για τον προσδιορισμό του βαθμού λιπιδικής υπεροξείδωσης στα ομογενοποιήματα των ιστών χρησιμοποιήθηκε ως δείκτης η MDA (μηλονική δυαλδεύδη), σε ελεύθερη μορφή και συνδεδεμένη με πρωτεΐνες (FrMDA και PrMDA, αντιστοίχως). Επίσης, ποσοτικοποιήθηκαν και τα υδροϋπεροξείδια των λιπιδίων και των πρωτεϊνών (LOOH και PrOOH, αντιστοίχως). Όσον αφορά τα αποτελέσματα βρέθηκε ότι: (1) το νευροστεροειδές BNN 50 δρα αντιοξειδωτικά στις δυο από τις τρεις περιοχές εγκεφάλου που μελετήθηκαν (ιππόκαμπος και παρεγκεφαλίδα), και (2) οι μύες weaver στους οποίους είχε χορηγηθεί το φάρμακο είχαν χαμηλότερες τιμές σε τρεις από τους τέσσερις δείκτες ελέγχου για λιπιδική και πρωτεϊνική υπεροξείδωση εκτός από τα πρωτεϊνικά υπεροξείδια. Συνεπώς η αντιοξειδωτική δράση των νευροστεροειδών ενδέχεται να συντελέσει στην ανάπτυξη νέων μεθόδων θεραπείας για την αντιμετώπιση των νευροεκφυλιστικών νόσων. / The mutant mouse weaver constitutes a unique genetic model of Parkinson's disease. It is a neurobiological mutation denoted wv and first described by Lane (1964). This mutation in the wrong sense Girk 2 gene located on chromosome 16 of the mouse in a region similar to the region of human chromosome 21 that is responsible for the syndrome Down and leads to modulation of the function of a potassium channel. Because the brain of mammals is among the most sensitive tissues many studies have been done on the effects of drugs (neurosteroids) in the pathogenesis and treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. The agent BNN 50 is a neuroactive steroids having synonymous BNN 20. Produced by neuroactive steroids androgen dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) by epoxidation of 17- keto group of using trimethylsulfonium methylide (trimethylsulfonium - methylide). It has the advantage that it is metabolized to endogenous estrogens, such as DHEA, and therefore may be suitable for pharmaceutical use. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of oxidative stress neurosteroid BNN 50 in brains muscle at day 21 with simultaneous determination of the levels of lipid peroxidation and protein in the following areas: a) CE (cerebellum), b) HIP (hippocampus) c) CX (cerebral cortex). For this purpose, the animals were divided in the following four groups: 1) normal muscles (control) without BNN 50, with saline 2) control with BNN 50, 3) weaver without BNN 50 with saline and 4) weaver with BNN 50. Muscles accept BNN 50 (100 mg / kg body weight) per day from the first day of life (by intraperitoneal injection) and for 18 days. After the last injection, the mice were sacrificed and brain tissues were isolated in a special antioxidant buffer. For determining the degree of lipid peroxidation in tissue homogenates was used as the index of MDA (dyaldefdi malonate), in free form and bound protein (FrMDA and PrMDA, respectively). Also quantitated and hydroperoxides of lipids and proteins (LOOH and PrOOH, respectively). Regarding the results found that: (1) the neuroactive steroids BNN 50 acts antioxidants in two of the three brain regions studied (hippocampus and cerebellum), and (2) the weaver mice dosed with the drug were lower in three of four indicators for monitoring lipid peroxidation and protein than the protein peroxides. Therefore, the antioxidant activity of neurosteroids may contribute to the development of new therapies for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.

Webs are fundamental to the ecology of Nephila clavipes, the golden orb-weaver spider, because they serve as sites for prey capture, reproduction, competition, predation, and parasitism. In addition to the presence of the female N. clavipes, males and kleptoparasites reside on the web in varying numbers. Webs are also found in clusters with conspecific females. Web site selection and length of web tenure is a behavioral decision vital to the spider’s fitness and the ecology of her species. I conducted a field census to quantify these factors and analyze their influence on web tenure, compare web ecology between a forest and non-forest habitat, as well as explain the significance of N. clavipes’ web as central to many interactions. Web tenure, as well, was influenced differently by the factors between both environments. In the forest habitat, increase in prey capture rate decreased web tenure and inclusion in cluster increased web tenure. In the non-forest habitat, only increase in spider size was related to increased web tenure. There were significant differences between the two habitats in the sizes of the female spider and quantity of males and kleptoparasites. Results also showed that spider size influenced quantity of males and web diameter influenced quantity of kleptoparasites. Explanation of these results can be attributed to the complex relationships among the variables and the consequences of living in habitats impacted by human occupation.

The aim of this study was to determine the effects of the heavy metal pollution on microbial diversity along the gradient from a platinum mine tailings dam using culture-dependent (plating methods) and molecular methods. Tailings and soil samples were collected from seven sites (6 samples per site) at increasing distances from the tailings dam. Samples were collected over a two year period and included two rainy and two dry periods. Concentrations of various heavy metals were determined using an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (ICP-MS). The results demonstrated that seasonal variations in metal concentrations occurred and also that concentrations were significantly different'(P < 0.05) between the experimental sites for each metal. The relative relationship between metals was in the following order: Al > Ni > Cu > Cr. Since soil metal concentration benchmarks for South Africa are lacking, the concentrations were compared to the Canadian microbial benchmarks (MB) and Netherlands maximum permissible concentrations (MPC). Concentrations of most of the heavy metals exceeded the MB and MPC. Levels and diversity of culturable fungi and bacteria at each site were determined using plate count methods. Results indicated that levels of bacteria and fungi were not suppressed by high concentrations of heavy metals. Significantly higher levels (P < 0.05) of fungi were found at the sites on the tailings dam (higher concentrations of heavy metals), compared to sites more than 300 m away. A commonly used soil health index (Shannon-Weaver diversity index) was used to compare microbial community diversity at each site and to evaluate whether or not the heavy metal contamination impacted negatively on these soil bacterial and fungal communities. Shannon-Weaver diversity indices were higher at sites on and close to the tailings dam than sites more than 300 m away. However, ratio of fungal to bacterial levels as determined by plate counts was inconsistent. Representatives of bacterial species that were grouped using colony morphology and whole cell protein profiles were identified by 16S rDNA sequences as Bacillus barbaricus (B. barbaricus) and -Paenibacillus lautus {P. Lautus). Restriction enzyme digest, SDS-PAGE and random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analyses provided supporting evidence that representatives were correctly grouped. Cluster analysis results demonstrated that the RAPD profiles of the metal tolerant P. lautus representatives were sufficiently dissimilar to discriminate between individuals from the spatially separated sites. The spatially separated sites also represented sites with high and low heavy metal concentrations. Observed genetic variability was thus also associated with varying levels of heavy metals. In conclusion, this study demonstrated the potential of using RAPD analysis as biomarkers for genotoxic effects of heavy metals on bacterial genomes. / Masters / Thesis (M.Sc. (Microbiology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2009.

The aim of this study was to determine the effects of the heavy metal pollution on microbial diversity along the gradient from a platinum mine tailings dam using culture-dependent (plating methods) and molecular methods. Tailings and soil samples were collected from seven sites (6 samples per site) at increasing distances from the tailings dam. Samples were collected over a two year period and included two rainy and two dry periods. Concentrations of various heavy metals were determined using an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (ICP-MS). The results demonstrated that seasonal variations in metal concentrations occurred and also that concentrations were significantly different'(P < 0.05) between the experimental sites for each metal. The relative relationship between metals was in the following order: Al > Ni > Cu > Cr. Since soil metal concentration benchmarks for South Africa are lacking, the concentrations were compared to the Canadian microbial benchmarks (MB) and Netherlands maximum permissible concentrations (MPC). Concentrations of most of the heavy metals exceeded the MB and MPC. Levels and diversity of culturable fungi and bacteria at each site were determined using plate count methods. Results indicated that levels of bacteria and fungi were not suppressed by high concentrations of heavy metals. Significantly higher levels (P < 0.05) of fungi were found at the sites on the tailings dam (higher concentrations of heavy metals), compared to sites more than 300 m away. A commonly used soil health index (Shannon-Weaver diversity index) was used to compare microbial community diversity at each site and to evaluate whether or not the heavy metal contamination impacted negatively on these soil bacterial and fungal communities. Shannon-Weaver diversity indices were higher at sites on and close to the tailings dam than sites more than 300 m away. However, ratio of fungal to bacterial levels as determined by plate counts was inconsistent. Representatives of bacterial species that were grouped using colony morphology and whole cell protein profiles were identified by 16S rDNA sequences as Bacillus barbaricus (B. barbaricus) and -Paenibacillus lautus {P. Lautus). Restriction enzyme digest, SDS-PAGE and random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analyses provided supporting evidence that representatives were correctly grouped. Cluster analysis results demonstrated that the RAPD profiles of the metal tolerant P. lautus representatives were sufficiently dissimilar to discriminate between individuals from the spatially separated sites. The spatially separated sites also represented sites with high and low heavy metal concentrations. Observed genetic variability was thus also associated with varying levels of heavy metals. In conclusion, this study demonstrated the potential of using RAPD analysis as biomarkers for genotoxic effects of heavy metals on bacterial genomes. / Masters / Thesis (M.Sc. (Microbiology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2009.