Investigation into methods of recovering campylobacter spp. from river water samples
- Authors: Ngoni, Nandipha
- Date: 2023-10-13
- Subjects: Uncatalogued
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/424177 , vital:72130
- Description: Campylobacter species are slender, gram-negative, rod-shaped, spiral- or curved-shaped with single or pairs of flagella. They are the leading cause of diarrheal disease globally, consumption of and contact with water contaminated by faeces is a major risk factor for transmission of these organisms to humans. Rivers used for recreation and domestic and agricultural activities represent all the risk factors for Campylobacter spp. pollution and human exposure. Campylobacter spp. However, effective methods to recover Campylobacter spp. from river water samples are lacking, indicating the need for the development of more efficient methods of detection and isolation of these organisms from environmental water samples. Campylobacter detection in a water sample is critical to ascertain potential risks to humans. The aim of this study was to determine a suitable method for the detection of Campylobacter spp. from river water samples and the objectives were to (i) to evaluate the performance of different methods used for the recovery of Campylobacter spp. from environmental water samples based on Campylobacter colony count and PCR identification results, (ii) isolate and enumerate Campylobacter cells from river water samples, and (iii) identify Campylobacter spp. in river water samples. The Bloukrans River was chosen for this study because it is suspected to be contaminated by faecal inputs from nearby informal settlements without adequate sanitation, as well as untreated/insufficiently treated effluents from nearby wastewater treatment plants. First, the physicochemical quality of the river water and the presence of faecal contamination were assessed to confirm suitability for Campylobacter spp. survival and presence. Then different approaches to sample, concentrate and recover Campylobacter spp. from river water samples were assessed. The different methods assessed were (i) direct enrichment of water samples without prior concentration, (ii) prior concentration of water samples by centrifugation followed by membrane filtration of supernatant, and after that, pooling the residue and pellet together for enrichment, (iii) sampling by the Moore Swab technique. For all three methods, enrichment in Bolton broth supplemented with Bolton antibiotics was conducted. This was followed by plating on modified cefoperazone charcoal deoxycholate agar (mCCDA) and incubation under a microaerophilic atmosphere at 42°C for 48 h. Colony morphology, Gram staining and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) were used to identify and characterize the microorganisms. The growth of blue colonies on the mFc agar surface confirmed presence and faecal pollution of the Bloukrans River. The physicochemical properties, based on the range of pH measured at different sites of the river (between acidic 3.45 to 6.42 and alkaline 7.2 to 8.74) indicate that Campylobacter spp. can thrive in the river. Based on the results from enumeration and sequencing of colonies recovered by each method, it was discovered that the most suitable method to recover Campylobacter spp. from river water samples is by prior centrifugation (14,000 × g for 30 minutes) followed by membrane filtration of the supernatant, and subsequent pooling of the residue and pellet. The pooled residue and pellet might have increased Campylobacter spp. concentrations aiding more growth during the enrichment of Campylobacter spp. from the river water samples. Results from enumerating Campylobacter spp. cells from river water samples indicate that Campylobacter spp. are present in Bloukrans River. The sequence obtained from the PCR product indicates that the species found were Campylobacter jejuni (96% homology as evaluated by BLAST). This study provided a procedure effective for obtaining a satisfactory quantitative recovery of Campylobacter spp. from environmental waters, a critical need for quantitative microbial risk assessment studies. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science, Institute for Water Research, 2023
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- Date Issued: 2023-10-13
Investigation of brewery waste grains and microbial fuel cells as value-additive technologies improving solvent production yields in Clostridium acetobutylicum (ATCC 824) fermentation
- Authors: Du Toit, Ryan Guillaume
- Date: 2023-10-13
- Subjects: Biomass energy , Butanol , Fermentation , Microbial fuel cells , Brewery waste , Clostridium acetobutylicum
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/424643 , vital:72171
- Description: The production of the solvent compounds acetone, ethanol and butanol through fermentation of organic feedstocks using Clostridia species could be a promising route for biofuel production. However, the cost of raw materials, low yields and the complexity of anaerobic fermentation continue to hinder this means of generating these compounds. The research presented in this Thesis investigated low-cost interventions that could decrease the costs of production and to direct the synthesis of fuel compounds using microbial fuel cells. Low-cost anaerobic chambers were designed and constructed for the propagation and manipulation of Clostridium acetobutylicum, selected as a low-risk microbial catalyst. Fermentation was monitored using in situ pH measurements and a combination of turbidity measurements, nutrient assays (especially total carbohydrates) and HPLC-RI detection as a means of monitoring the consumption of nutrients (glucose), production of precursor compounds (butyric acid) and the formation of solvent molecules (acetone/ethanol and butanol) during fermentation by this organism. Brewer’s spent grains were tested as a sustainable and low-cost feedstock for solvent production, comparing the effects of sterilising before fermentation, or allowing resident microflora to remain during Clostridium-catalysed solvent production. Sterilised spent grains significantly improved the production of solvent molecules (e.g. 12.97 ± 0.38 g/L of butanol yielded, compared to 0.40 ± 0.33 g/L for defined media sampled during the solventogenic phase); compared to these, the use of non-sterilised brewer’s grain decreased both the reproducibility and yields of fermentation (8.66 ± 1.6 g/L of butanol). Microbial fuel cells were studied as a possible means of altering electron transfer to/from electrode-attached Clostridia to control the metabolic shift in bacteria from acidogenesis to solventogenesis. The base line MFC (11.00 ± 4.69 g/L) fermentation experiment did produce higher acetone/ethanol than the baseline batch experiment MB (5.47 ± 4.48 g/L), indicating an improvement to solvent production in C. acetobutylicum (ATCC 824) in a MFC fermentation. In this study, MFC-1 demonstrated remarkable superiority over MB in terms of butyric acid production, yielding significantly higher concentrations while also improving acetone and ethanol production. However, the enhanced butyric acid production did not correspond to significantly increased butanol yields when compared to batch fermentation of chemically defined media. These findings highlight the potential of MFC-1 as an efficient approach for enhancing the fermentative production of valuable compounds, with a particular focus on butyric acid and acetone/ethanol. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science, Biotechnology Innovation Centre, 2023
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- Date Issued: 2023-10-13
Kant and the experience of skepticism: rranscendental arguments, skepticism, and a version of the problem of the justification of foundational assumptions
- Authors: Grecia, Hadley
- Date: 2023-10-13
- Subjects: Kant, Immanuel, 1724-1804 , Transcendental argument , Deductive reasoning , Skepticism , Foundationalism (Theory of knowledge)
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/425078 , vital:72207
- Description: Immanuel Kant is a key thinker in the History of Western Philosophy whose ideas continue to fascinate contemporary English-speaking academic philosophers. One such idea is Kant's conception of transcendental arguments. Although these arguments do not originate in Kant's philosophy, Kant's conception of them occupies a special place in the English-speaking literature on the topic. A growing trend in this literature is to claim that Kant's transcendental arguments are unique because they aim to achieve an anti-skeptical end through deductive means. I call the basic assumption behind readings of transcendental arguments like these the deductive/anti-skeptical assumption. This assumption claims that deduction is the best means to achieve an anti-skeptical end. In this thesis, I argue that accepting this assumption is one way to misinterpret transcendental arguments because—even though it seems compelling at first blush—it must be false. The resultant twist is that transcendental arguments cannot be deductive, which, in turn, means that understanding that Kant's transcendental arguments are not deductive in nature is itself no small detail for understanding the version of Kant's 'not-deductive' solution to skepticism developed here. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Humanities, Philosophy, 2023
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- Date Issued: 2023-10-13
Phylogeography of two small owl species in South Africa: population genetics and phenotypic variation in the African Barred Owlet (Glaucidium capense) and the African Scops Owl (Otus senegalensis)
- Authors: Balmer, Jonathan Peter
- Date: 2023-10-13
- Subjects: Uncatalogued
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/424369 , vital:72147
- Description: Embargoed. Expected release date in 2025. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science, Zoology and Entomology, 2023
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- Date Issued: 2023-10-13
Relating vegetation distribution to cycles of erosion and deposition in the Kromme River wetlands
- Authors: Jarvis, Samuel Cameron
- Date: 2023-10-13
- Subjects: Uncatalogued
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/424582 , vital:72166
- Description: The role of geomorphic disturbance has been increasingly recognized as fundamental in the creation and functioning of wetlands. This is true of the Kromme River wetland which has been formed through repeated cycles of erosion and deposition. However, the response – and influence – of wetland plants to these sorts of disturbance has not been investigated. This study sought to fill this knowledge gap by classifying vegetation communities over a range of hydrological and geomorphic disturbance regimes that have happened over the last few decades, and relating those vegetation communities to environmental factors. The study identified seven vegetation communities based on their species composition and abundance, which were related to geomorphic disturbance events. A conceptual model that accounts for vegetation distribution in the Kromme wetland was developed. Soil saturation was the most important factor explaining vegetation community distribution, which, in turn, is influenced by cycles of erosion and deposition. Following an erosional event on the valley floor, Prionium serratum dominated wetland is converted to a number of other vegetation communities. On the floodplain surface adjacent to the eroded gully, the Prionium serratum dominated wetland is transformed over time to Cynodon dactylon and Sporobolus fimbriatus communities. Prionium serratum clumps immediately adjacent to the recently incised gullies are able to persist, having sufficient access to water. Within the newly formed gullies, Juncus lomatophyllus colonizes the gully beds flooded to a shallow depth, Miscanthus capensis colonizes the gully bars and Setaria incrassata colonizes the exposed gully banks. Localised depositional features close to the thalweg in the gully are colonized by Prionium serratum seedlings and vegetative propagules. These plants represent the regenerating phase of Prionium serratum wetland, which also colonizes depositional floodouts downstream of the newly-formed gully. The Stenotaphrum secundatum community dominates drier, more elevated areas of the floodout. Over time, as the gully fills, Prionium serratum expands beyond the gully onto the valley floor, to replace the floodplain communities Cynodon dactylon and Sporobolus fimbriatus. Over time, Prionium serratum is thought to colonize the valley floor as the gully fills, stabilising it and promoting diffuse flow. Many restoration efforts in damaged palmiet wetlands have been focused on the preservation of intact palmiet communities upstream of erosional headcuts, with limited understanding of vegetation dynamics associated with the cut-and-fill cycles that naturally occur in these wetlands. Understanding the regeneration of Prionium serratum following erosional events is thus important for wetland restoration, as it should focus more attention on promoting palmiet restoration on depositional floodouts downstream of eroded gullies. A secondary aim of this study was to explore the possibility of mapping palmiet communities in Kromme River wetland using remote sensing techniques. Using a combination of ground-truthed data from this and previous studies in the Kromme River wetland, together with raster layers derived from a LiDAR survey, an overlay analysis was developed to effectively map the distribution of the Prionium serratum dominated community. The overlay was created using a machine learning library in RStudios known as Rpart. The results found that the model were 91% effective in classifying the distribution of the Prionium serratum community. A secondary finding was that the inclusion of a Relative Elevation Model in the overlay analysis allowed for the identification of Prionium serratum communities vulnerable to degradation following previous geomorphic disturbance events and those Prionium serratum communities that are likely to persist following a geomorphic disturbance event. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science, Geography, 2023
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- Date Issued: 2023-10-13
Spatial analysis of littoral and demersal fish assemblages within the Knysna Estuary system
- Authors: Meiklejohn, Andrew Keith
- Date: 2023-10-13
- Subjects: Uncatalogued
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/424334 , vital:72144
- Description: The Knysna Estuary is a unique system as it is the only “estuarine bay” system in the warm-temperate region of South Africa and is the largest estuary system on the southern coastline of South Africa. The Knysna Estuary has been identified as the estuary with the highest conversation priority in South Africa. The volume of research undertaken on the Knysna Estuary has led to it being rated “excellent” in terms of research productivity. However, despite this, surprisingly little work has been undertaken and published around the dynamics of fish assemblages occurring in the system, with little to no research assessing the demersal fish assemblage. The last widespread fish sampling effort that has been published was conducted in 1994, highlighting the need for an updated fish assessment with a focused sampling effort targeting both the littoral and demersal fish populations. The identification of key habitats for estuarine fish assemblages is essential for addressing estuarine conservation needs. Despite the importance of spatial data in addressing conservation planning, few estuarine studies have used spatial analyses in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to identify conservation priority areas. Such information is critical for effective estuarine management plans. The aim of this project was to identify juvenile fish density hotspots to inform future systematic conservation planning. This study made use of two methods of sampling, seine netting to target the littoral fish assemblage and beam trawling to target demersal fish species. Two dedicated sampling trips for each sampling method were undertaken in June 2021 and March 2022 for Seine net sampling and November 2021 and March 2022 for Beam trawl sampling. Fish were identified to species level, measured (mm TL) and categorised into life history stages (i.e. settlement stage, juvenile and adult) and thereafter assigned into their various estuarine association guilds. A total of 47 species were recorded, with 42 species were caught in the seine net sampling and 24 species in the beam trawl sampling. The results from this study showed the vast extent of marine dominance in the Knysna Estuary, with marine estuarine-opportunist (MEO) species dominating catches (richness) from both sampling methods. The spatial analysis highlighted the importance of the lower “marine bay” region of the system, with the majority of estuarine guilds showing a high abundance in this region. Key fishery species and dominant fish species were identified during this study, the dominant species during the sampling effort were identified as ecologically important fish species and were dominated by adult specimens. The key fishery species sampled during this study were dominated by juvenile specimens. This highlights the role of the Knysna Estuary as a nursery area for juvenile fishery species and the contribution of the estuary to the estuarine and adjacent coastal fisheries. Key hotspots were identified for fishery species, these being the “Ashmead Channel” in the marine bay region and the “Belvidere” section of the lagoon region. Ashmead channel is sheltered backwater area while the Belvidere section is some distance from the main river channel, reducing the anthropogenic impact on these areas. The low anthropogenic utilization of these areas along with weaker water current in these regions was linked to the usage of these region by key fishery species. These areas were highlighted as important conservation hotspots with both currently not adequately protected under the current habitat sensitivity management model. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science, Ichthyology and Fisheries Science, 2023
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- Date Issued: 2023-10-13
Stimulating continuous professional development and teacher leadership in a rural Namibian school: a participatory action research
- Authors: Mario, Kangende Mebin
- Date: 2023-10-13
- Subjects: Uncatalogued
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/424075 , vital:72121
- Description: Namibia values democratic and quality education. One way to improve quality education is by allowing teachers autonomy and offering continuous professional development (CPD) to teachers. Historically, the CPD programmes on offer in Namibia were centralised and generic, using a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach offered as mini workshops to train teachers. In 2012, a decentralised method of school-based CPD program was initiated in schools, to give opportunities to schools to identify, plan, implement and evaluate their own professional needs. However, a recent study indicated that these initiatives have failed due to poor leadership, a lack of training and support as well as limited knowledge of principals in running CPD initiatives. Against this backdrop, my study aimed at engaging in a participatory action research process with teachers and SMT members in a rural combined school in the Kavango West region to stimulate the failed school-based CPD program and develop teacher leadership. My study therefore aligned with the international recommendations that school-based CPD be built around the notions of distributed leadership and teacher leadership (Smulyan, 2016; Hunzicker, 2018). The three-step model of change and action research developed by Kurt Lewin served as the underpinning theory for this study. The study was situated within a critical paradigm and driven by the question: “Does the involvement in participatory action research process stimulate a school-based CPD programme and develop teacher leadership?” The study involved two phases. The contextual profiling stage generated data through the analysis of documents, focus group interviews, and observation. Phase 2 engaged the participant in participatory action research to stimulate school-based CPD and develop teacher leadership. Thematic analysis supported by both inductive and deductive methods was used to analyse the data. The findings from phase one indicated that CPD was interpreted differently by the participants and confirmed that there was no CPD program in the school. Using Grant's (2017) model of teacher leadership, the findings further revealed that although teacher leadership was practised in all four zones, it was strongest in the classroom and initiated through delegated practices. Using Angelle and Dehart (2010), constraining forces included negative teachers’ attitudes, limited knowledge, skills, and confidence as well as a school culture of distrust. Phase 2 revealed that participatory action research can be a useful stimulus for school-based CPD. A tangible output from the PAR sessions was a template for the internal policy for school-based continuous teacher development. In addition, the findings from the sessions indicated the significance of supportive leadership to ensure the efficacy of school-based CPD and teacher leadership. , Thesis (MEd) -- Faculty of Education, Primary and Early Childhood Education, 2023
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- Date Issued: 2023-10-13
The activity and foraging patterns of the western rock elephant shrew (Elephantulus rupestris)
- Authors: Jackson, Emily Anne
- Date: 2023-10-13
- Subjects: Elephant shrews Behavior , Elephant shrews Food , Ecological interaction , Foraging , Elephant shrews Effect of temperature on , Trade-off
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/424402 , vital:72150
- Description: The increase, and prolonged periods, of high ambient temperatures are cause for concern for small mammals living in arid areas of Southern Africa. In this study, I aimed to determine the effect of high environmental temperatures on the activity, body temperature maintenance and foraging behaviour in a population of Western rock elephant shrew, Elephantulus rupestris, in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. I found that E. rupestris maintained stable body temperatures (Tb = 37.31 °C ± 0.64) over a range of environmental temperatures (Tair = 5° to 33.9 °C), indicating their ability to remain normothermic during the heat of the day. Under cool, mild and hot air temperatures, E. rupestris were predominantly active in the morning and night, being the least active during midday. This shift in activity time, known as polyphasic activity, is common amongst Macroscelidea species and is a mechanism for escaping thermal extremes. To determine the effect of temperature on foraging behaviour, I ran giving-up density (GUD) experiments on E. rupestris under a range of environmental conditions. GUD experiments yielded no conclusive results as animals did not show a significant preference for foraging under certain thermal conditions, and rather foraged under a variety of air temperatures. Overall, E. rupestris showed risk adverse behaviour, trading-off thermoregulation with foraging and activity for self-preservation during hot periods of the day. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science, Zoology and Entomology, 2023
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- Date Issued: 2023-10-13
The contentious relationship between feminist scholarship and university sexual violence policies: 1980-2021
- Authors: Roberts, Lily May
- Date: 2023-10-13
- Subjects: Sexual assault South Africa History , Women college students Crimes against South Africa , Feminism and higher education South Africa , Educational leadership South Africa , Education, Higher Administration
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/425267 , vital:72224
- Description: This thesis tracks the historically contentious relationship between feminist scholarship and university sexual violence policies. It examines the rise of the managerial university in South Africa, and the overlapping development of sexual violence policies through feminist activism from the early 1990s. Through an examination of the sexual violence policies of the University of Cape Town, the University of the Witwatersrand, Rhodes University, Stellenbosch University, and the University of the Western Cape, this thesis argues that these policies are aimed at ‘managing’ the process of reporting, rather than dismantling the broader structures – both within the university and society as a whole – that lead to and enable sexual violence. In this way, sexual violence policies are governed by a managerial discourse, limiting the possibility of addressing the dismantling of structures and discourses that perpetuate sexual violence, which, as I argue, is fundamentally opposed to the intellectual and political project of feminist scholarship from which these sexual violence policies initially emerged. However, this thesis also argues that feminist scholarship is not immune to the influence of managerialism, as discourses of efficiency and effectiveness have shaped Gender and Women’s Studies, where feminist scholarship is often located. I use the #RUReferenceList protests that drew on black feminist scholarship and came under managerial control as an example of the contentious relationship between managerialism and feminist activism. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Humanities, History, 2023
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- Date Issued: 2023-10-13
The development and op timisation of a Theiler’s murine encephalomyelitis virus antiviral assay
- Authors: Naidoo, Urisha Tirah
- Date: 2023-10-13
- Subjects: Uncatalogued
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/424677 , vital:72174
- Description: Picornaviruses belong to the Picornaviridae family which are one of the largest and most diverse family of RNA viruses that cause a broad spectrum of infections in both humans and animals. These diseases range from severe infections such as poliomyelitis, meningitis, myocarditis to mild illnesses such as the common cold. Picornavirus outbreaks are a worldwide threat as they are continuously occurring. A recent outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease caused by a picornavirus occurred in South Africa, resulting in a temporary ban on the movement of cattle. Currently, the FDA has not approved any antiviral drugs against this virus, increasing the urgency for identifying effective antivirals. Picornaviruses have similar genomes and capsid organisation as such, those that are non-hazardous to humans can be used as a model system. A Theiler’s murine encephalomyelitis virus (TMEV) strain GDVII and Baby Hamster Kidney fibroblasts (BHK-21 cells) was used as a replication system to develop and optimise a medium-throughput antiviral screening assay. The TMEV GDVII replication system in BHK-21 cells was validated, and preliminary experiments were performed that were necessary for the development of the TMEV GDVII antiviral assay. This was achieved by conducting a CPE assay to visually monitor the onset and development of CPE induced by TMEV GDVII. Plaque assays accurately quantified the number of infectious virus particles required for calculating the MOI in downstream experiments. Lastly, indirect immunofluorescence and Western blot analysis detected the expression of viral proteins using previously generated antibodies against the TMEV GDVII VP1 capsid and 2C protein, thereby confirming infection in BHK-21 cells. The development of robust and reproducible assays is an essential component in antiviral drug discovery. Therefore, the confirmed replication system was then used as a foundation to develop a medium-throughput CPE-based TMEV GDVII antiviral assay whereby the parameters were optimised to produce one of high quality. Firstly, the quantitation of viral-induced CPE was examined and confirmed in a 96-well plate using resazurin as a cell viability indicator. Each parameter was tested at varying conditions, and the optimal was concluded as 2 % FBS in the assay media, a 15 000 cells/well seeding density, infecting the cells with TMEV GDVII at an MOI of 0.00625 and measuring resazurin at an endpoint of 72 hpi. Furthermore, the parameters were ii validated by calculating the Z’- factor, which consistently produced scores above 0.5, indicative of a reliable, robust, reproducible antiviral assay. Currently, there are no inhibitors against TMEV GDVII that have been reported or confirmed in cell lines, animal models or clinical trials. Therefore, once the optimal assay parameters were selected, it presented an opportunity to assess whether potential compounds, including itraconazole (ITZ) and dipyridamole (DIP), possessed antiviral activity that could firstly, be utilised as a control inhibitor when screening compounds against TMEV GDVII and secondly, contribute to research on this virus. Additionally, the previously produced anti-TMEV GDVII capsid antibody was shown to neutralise viral infection and was also included as a potential control. The sensitivity of the cells towards DMSO, a solution in which the compounds were solubilised, was first investigated. It was found that concentrations above 1 % are toxic to the cells; as such, the final DMSO concentrations were always kept below 1 % when screening compounds. Lastly, the generation of dose-response curves aided in the conclusion that the antibody was the most suitable control inhibitor as it displayed potent antiviral activity and no cytotoxicity towards the cells. In contrast, ITZ and DIP did not possess effective antiviral action and were toxic to cells at high concentrations. Finally, after all the components of the medium-throughput TMEV GDVII antiviral assay were identified, it was possible to screen 24 compounds from a coumarin and marine natural product library for cell cytotoxicity and antiviral activity. After generating dose-response curves, it was concluded that no compound effectively inhibited virus-induced CPE, and most were toxic to cells at relatively high concentrations. In conclusion, this is the first study that describes the development and optimisation of a robust medium-throughput CPE-based antiviral assay that has immense potential to screen other libraries of compounds for antiviral activity against TMEV GDVII. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science, Biochemistry and Microbiology, 2023
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- Date Issued: 2023-10-13
The effect of piospheres on the ecology of insectivorous birds and their arthropod prey
- Authors: Balmer, Natasha Louise
- Date: 2023-10-13
- Subjects: Desertification South Africa Eastern Cape , Environmental degradation , Arid regions ecology , Insectivores , Arthropoda , Birds Food , Plants Effect of grazing on South Africa Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/424380 , vital:72148
- Description: Desertification is the degradation of arid ecosystems that result in the loss of biodiversity. Piospheres are areas of local degradation around a central point due to overgrazing and increased herbivore presence. There is a paucity of information regarding the effect of localised degradation on arthropods and insectivorous birds. Both of these organisms play crucial roles in ecosystem functioning and stability and can be used as models to study ecosystem functioning. I investigated the effect of piospheres on arthropods and birds in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. I found that the abundance and diversity of arthropods were significantly reduced inside the piospheres due to the lack of vegetation. Termites were a group specifically negatively impacted by piospheres, with a significant reduction in their presence inside the piosphere. The family composition of arthropods also changed inside and outside the piospheres, with Caelifera, Diptera and Formicidae being the most dominant groups. The diversity of birds was also significantly reduced due to the degradation inside the piospheres. Looking at insectivorous birds, I found that the reduction in both vegetation and arthropod prey availability resulted in non-random avoidance of piospheres. This shows that piospheres negatively impact both arthropods and birds. The results from my study are supported by other literature studying the effects of habitat degradation associated with desertification. Due to the similarities of degradation between piospheres and desertification I make the argument that piospheres can be studied as localised models of desertification. The decrease in vegetation and arthropod abundance and diversity was found to further impact the feeding success of insectivorous birds. Using piospheres as a model for desertification, I found that the foraging effort of birds is significantly reduced within a degraded area due to the lack of vegetation providing safety to arthropod prey species. In addition to this, the foraging efficiency of insectivorous birds is significantly reduced inside the piospheres due to the decreased arthropod abundance and diversity. This shows that inside the piospheres birds spend less time searching for insects and have fewer successful feeds. This has implications for desertification of arid environments where birds face hyperthermia. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science, Zoology and Entomology, 2023
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- Date Issued: 2023-10-13
The impacts of game farming on worker’s livelihoods: a case of a private game reserve in South Africa’s Eastern Cape Province
- Authors: Ngcoza, Nkosiphendule Mbasa
- Date: 2023-10-13
- Subjects: Game reserves South Africa , Land use South Africa , Agriculture Economic aspects South Africa , Wildlife tourism , Rural development South Africa , Rural development Sociological aspects
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/425182 , vital:72217
- Description: Land use shifts from commercial agricultural farming to game farming through wildlife tourism, has been prevalent in post-apartheid South Africa. Scholars have argued that wildlife tourism to be more profitable than other forms of commercial farming. As such, game farming has been promoted as a community-engaged vehicle for rural development through the creation of better employment opportunities. This study explored the implications of these shifts on the livelihoods of farm workers living on the game farms. Unlike labour tenants, farm workers who live on the private game, earn a wage. However, farm workers’ accommodation on the game farm is dependent on them being employed on the farm. The aim of the study was to explore the impacts of game farms on the livelihoods of farm workers since the shift from commercial agricultural practices to tourism services in the form of private game reserves. A case study research design was used to gather in-depth information about the multiple realities of the participants, not only about their employment relationships, but also their experiences living on the property on which they are employed. I collected data mainly through semi-structured interviews. I also collected and analysed company documents. The study adopted a Sustainable Livelihoods Framework as a theoretical schema to analyse the livelihood assets readily available to the farm dwellers and the various livelihood strategies they used to make ends meet. The findings of the study revealed that residing on the game farm, although it provided access to free accommodation, tended to pose several challenges to the workers, including i) exploitative employment structures and ii) insecure land rights. The findings also revealed human capital development initiatives mandated for employees were not formally documented. As a result, employees were confined in their current employment. Consequently, the study revealed that participants who had been employed by the game farm for over a decade showed little evidence of enhanced livelihoods. The livelihood strategies of the participants were their basic employment wage, the use of money borrowing systems through stokvels, and informal trading such as selling sweets and chips in the game reserve villages where other workers live with their families. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Humanities, Sociology, 2023
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- Date Issued: 2023-10-13
The obligation of South Africa to provide social security to refugees and asylum seekers during the COVID-19 pandemic
- Authors: Dekeda, Awethu Zethu
- Date: 2023-10-13
- Subjects: Social security Law and legislation South Africa , Human rights South Africa , Refugees Government policy South Africa , Political refugees South Africa , COVID-19 Pandemic, 2020- Influence
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/424119 , vital:72125
- Description: Covid-19 a novel pandemic, has wreaked havoc globally, threatening the livelihoods of all, including refugees and asylum seekers. Like all other countries globally, South Africa has gone to great lengths to mitigate the challenges that this pandemic has caused. However, it is far from clear whether these responses are according due regard to the rights of some of the most vulnerable in society, amongst which are refugees. This thesis deals with South Africa’s obligation to provide social security to refugees during the Covid-19 pandemic. It specifically assesses whether South Africa's responses to the Covid-19 pandemic were in adherence to fundamental refugee law principles relevant to the protection of refugees. The study commences with a general introduction, followed by an analysis of the international human rights and refugee law framework relevant to protection of refugees. This framework is used to assess South Africa’s responses. Subsequently, the discussion delves into South Africa’s own national framework on social security. Using the standards identified in both the national and international frameworks, the thesis then proceeds to measure South Africa’s Covid-19 related responses regarding social security to resolve the issue of whether South Africa adhered to these standards in as far the protection of refugees’ right to social security is concerned. , Thesis (LLM) -- Faculty of Law, Law, 2023
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- Date Issued: 2023-10-13
The perspectives of some amaXhosa healthcare workers regarding mental distress: an interpretive phenomenological analysis
- Authors: Ngqamfana, Siphosethu
- Date: 2023-10-13
- Subjects: Mental distress , Xhosa (African people) Social life and customs , Stigma (Social psychology) , Health professional , Eurocentrism , Afrocentrism , Sociocultural perspective
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/425031 , vital:72203
- Description: Mental distress is a universal phenomenon experienced by many individuals despite age, race, gender, occupation, or socio-cultural context and is slowly becoming a major contributor to the burden of disease in South Africa. However, mental distress fails to take precedence in SA because of inherent intricacies in understandings about it, as a result of ways of being conceptualised and interpreted differently across cultures. This research study explored amaXhosa healthcare workers’ understandings, knowledge, practices, and attitudes regarding mental distress amongst some amaXhosa people. The study aimed to investigate what mental distress means for some people who belong to the amaXhosa ethnic group, to uncover how they conceptualise mental distress, seek help or what behaviours prevent help-seeking. It aimed to highlight any prevalent attitudes of stigma and discrimination, to build insight into overlooked aspects in psychotherapy practice especially when dealing with non-western populations. The study utilised interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) as its analytical lens; to explore and to enter as far as possible into the worlds of participants to generate rich data and in-depth analysis. Four participants were recruited through both purposive and snowball sampling and data were gathered using individual semi-structured interviews. From the data collected, the findings illustrate a limited understanding of mental distress amongst some amaXhosa people due to lack of education and awareness on the subject, leading to the apparent silence in discussing such matters and inadvertently predisposing it to being viewed as taboo. The predominant themes as evidenced by the data were the use of language that sensationalises mental distress; misinformation; Afrocentric beliefs that rationalise mental distress; alienation and segregation of those affected; and the primary healthcare system as a source of reinforcing prevalent stigma and discrimination. The findings show a link between constructs around mental distress and the prevalent socioiii cultural environment, denoting that some perspectives can be linked to observations or modelling in childhood, from people in the respective communities in which people live. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Humanities, Psychology, 2023
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- Date Issued: 2023-10-13
Vernacular sound technologies: experimenting with reverb in isiXhosa choral recordings
- Authors: Ncanywa, Sibusiso
- Date: 2023-10-13
- Subjects: Uncatalogued
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/432147 , vital:72846
- Description: Access restricted. Expected release date 2025. , Thesis (MMus) -- Faculty of Humanities, Music and Musicology, 2023
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- Date Issued: 2023-10-13
Visual representations of linear algebraic expressions: a case study in a Grade 9 after-school mathematics club
- Authors: Herbert, Sindisiwe
- Date: 2023-10-13
- Subjects: Visual learning , Algebra Study and teaching (Secondary) South Africa , Algebras, Linear , After-school programs , Kinaesthetic learning
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/424019 , vital:72116
- Description: Visualisation is commonly used as a tool in introducing algebra through visual or kinaesthetic sequences designed to prompt learners' development of a general rule for moving from a term's position to its output value. Fluency in both the concepts and the conventions of elementary algebra are essential to learners, as algebra forms the language in which many advanced mathematical ideas are encoded. Moreover, algebraic fluency is often associated with an ability to think abstractly about arithmetic processes. In many classrooms, however, research has shown that learners often focus on fluency in algebraic conventions rather than concepts, learning how to manipulate expressions without understanding the algorithms they are taught to follow. This trend can be linked to several causes, including teacher-centred mathematics classrooms in which learners are – whether implicitly or explicitly – encouraged to copy formulae and methods in order to ‘get it right in a test’ without necessarily grasping the underlying logical relationships. This case study, therefore, aimed to determine whether there was value in using visual, kinaesthetic models to broaden and deepen learners' use of algebra. To that end, in the context of an extra-curricular mathematics club that aimed to decentre the teachers and demand innovative ideas of the participants, six pairs of Grade 9 learners were tasked with creating visual representations of a linear algebraic expression using coloured building cubes. The responses to this task over the course of five assignments were many and varied and almost universally displayed a sustained internal logic that the learners were able to explain and develop. Most pairs began with a visual list of terms arranged in sets of towers, pyramids or, in one case, a spiral. At the end of the study, all but one of the pairs had settled on a Visual Expression, in which various colours were used to represent elements of the algebra such as the values of the coefficient, the variable and the constant term. The participants' representations grew in complexity over the course of the study and the conformity of the final responses showed that the club was a collaborative space in which learners shared ideas. However, the structure of the Visual Expressions and their own confessions of nerves about ‘getting it wrong’ in the interviews suggest that the participants were stuck in a mindset that led them to seek out and idealise the representation closest to the original algebra, even though that representation revealed little about the structural relationship underlying the expression. , Thesis (MEd) -- Faculty of Education, Secondary and Post-School Education, 2023
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- Date Issued: 2023-10-13
Year-end oversight in Local Government: a case study of water and sanitation service delivery at Amathole District Municipality
- Authors: Seoke, Duncan
- Date: 2023-10-13
- Subjects: Uncatalogued
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/425206 , vital:72219
- Description: Poor service delivery is a challenge that has continued to plague the constitutional democracy of South Africa. Legislation has, in response, been passed to ensure efficient service delivery. Despite this legislation, municipal service delivery has been alarmingly poor, and reports on municipal performance and newspaper articles have corroborated this. On the causes of poor service delivery, the existing literature appears to have focused on financial mismanagement, corruption, and the incapacity of officials. Absent from existing literature are discussions on how municipal service delivery is affected by the lack of interrelatedness between municipal public resource management processes (such as revenue collection, expenditure management and oversight). This dissertation addresses this gap by examining the municipal public resource management processes from an oversight perspective. The study sought to analyse the effectiveness of year-end oversight at Amathole District Municipality (ADM) over water and sanitation services. This research aimed to study the year-end oversight over service delivery with reference to the Municipal Public Resource Management (MPRM) model. According to the model, effective service delivery includes inter alia effective oversight, as oversight forms part of the entire system of the municipal resource management cycle. Thus, for the MPRM model, oversight should be exercised on all these processes. The research was a desktop analysis that used both a qualitative and quantitative research methodology. The primary document analysed was the ADM Oversight Report (OR). This report is produced by the Municipal Public Accounts Committee (MPAC) and reflects the year-end oversight conducted by the MPAC on the municipality's activities. In the analysis of the OR, it was concluded that the ADM MPAC had failed to conduct effective year-end oversight of W&S services. The efficacy of the ADM MPAC's year-end oversight was measured against guidelines for effective year-end oversight from the National Treasury and the MPRM model. The findings suggested that there were inefficiencies in the manner that the ADM MPAC exercised its year-end oversight. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Humanities, Sociology, 2023
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- Date Issued: 2023-10-13
Nurses’ experiences of an abortion counselling training course and their understandings of quality abortion services
- Authors: Mogonong, Laurah Carolina
- Date: 2023-03-30
- Subjects: Abortion counseling , Abortion Psychological aspects , Nurses Attitudes , Abortion services South Africa Eastern Cape , Grounded theory , Person-centered therapy
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/408862 , vital:70532
- Description: This research study focuses on nurses’ experiences of participating in an abortion counselling training programme in the Eastern Cape Province (E.C), using a grounded theory and symbolic interactionism framework. The study aims to investigate how participating in a women-centred abortion counselling training course offered through the Critical Studies in Sexualities and Reproduction research unit may modify or improve nurses’ practice of abortion counselling and understanding of quality abortion services. Through purposive sampling, nine research participants working as abortion providers in EC health care facilities were recruited. Research data were produced using discussions around prior abortion counselling experiences, a reflective activity, power point case presentations conducted within the counselling training, and semi-structured interviews conducted two months after the training with five of the providers. A grounded theory analysis was used to generate themes that highlighted different aspects that enabled or hindered access to quality abortion services. In accordance with prior research, it was revealed that nurses undergo abortion training but there is limited content on abortion counselling training. Findings from this study reveal the modifications of practice and understanding of quality abortion services of nurses who participated in the client-centred abortion counselling training course. Themes of change that emerged from the nurses’ experiences were rendering counselling services in a non- judgemental, non-directive way, being acknowledged and recognized for the services they offer as abortion providers, and accepting that abortion is a reproductive legal right that can be accessed whenever a woman in need of the service requests it. The findings of this research also indicate that, despite the controversy and stigma attached to providing abortion services, the participants were motivated to continue offering abortion services because they felt equipped since undergoing abortion counselling training. The training course improved reported abortion counselling practices, but systematic issues such as lack of managerial support, space for individual counselling and procedure equipment continue to undermine services. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Humanities, Psychology, 2023
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- Date Issued: 2023-03-30
Biological longitudinal aspects of the Kabompo River, a significant tributary of the upper Zambezi sub-catchment, North-west Province, Zambia
- Authors: Janse van Rensburg, Lomarie Cathleen
- Date: 2023-03-29
- Subjects: Uncatalogued
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/422292 , vital:71928
- Description: The landscape of the Upper Zambezi Catchment in the remote North-Western Province of Zambia retains many natural features, but current and future anthropogenic activities threaten its integrity. Lack of information relating to the basic ecological functioning of the region hampers conservation efforts. Flooding from the adjacent woody-savanna and open grasslands in the Upper-Zambezi Catchment in the wet season drives crucial processes in the aquatic ecosystems such as the Kabompo River. This thesis describes aquatic food webs and describes the nutrient cycling in this river. A general introduction was based on the seasonality, river morphology, and biodiversity of the Kabompo River. There is no aquatic food web information available on this river. To address this knowledge gap, sampling of the principal food web components– vegetation, invertebrates, and fish – were collected in the dry season from August to September 2019 across six sites in the Kabompo River. Stable isotope analyses provided proxies for the food web structure at each site, and were the basis of longitudinal comparisons. The analyses suggest that the Kabompo River food webs follow the trophic ordination and nutrient cycling characteristic of the revised-Riverine Productivity Model. Food webs and community assemblages remain structurally similar between sites and provide some evidence of bottom-up productivity-driven trophic dynamics. To predict the possible landscape-scale processing of nutrient changes present for the aquatic ecosystems of the Kabompo River, a longitudinal comparison between a herbivore, Labeo cylindricus, and omnivore, Synodontis spp., fish species and their resources (primary producers and invertebrates) was done and showed archetypal fish food web trophic separation (2 ‰ to3 ‰) between species which remains consistent for the headwater sites. The nutrient values change at the convergence between the Kabompo Bridge and the Mwinilunga branches and show a decrease in the trophic separation of the sites below. This change becomes apparent from the last site, Watopa, where the trophic separation re-establishes (2 ‰ to 3 ‰) between the species. The trend suggests primarily autochthonous production in the headwater reaches, changing to allochthonous and autochthonous nutrient incorporation after the convergence of the two main branches. Permanent wetlands surrounding the convergence zones may be conducive to more primary producer activity and increased nutrient turnover. Permanent wetlands are a common feature of the Upper Zambezi Catchment tributaries, with the most notable lentic system the Barotse Flood Plains in the south, which shares reach-adjacent characteristics with the Kabompo River. Trends from the 2015 dry season identified for the Barotse Flood Plains support the findings of this thesis, where the δ13C values recorded reach depletion of -45 ‰. Management in the Upper Zambezi Basin and the Kabompo River comprises biannual assessments of water quality and quantity by the Zambezi River Authority, but not of the ecosystem process. This thesis may provide information to address the ecological (food webs and nutrient cycling) dynamics of the Basin rivers. As the first baseline information on the river's biology and ecology, it may present a comparative basis for future assessments under conservation management strategies. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science, Ichthyology and Fisheries Science, 2023
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- Date Issued: 2023-03-29
Factors influencing the number of non-timber forest product species used at the individual, household and village levels in Vhembe, Limpopo Province, South Africa
- Authors: Mulaudzi, Takalani Rachel
- Date: 2023-03-29
- Subjects: Uncatalogued
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/422481 , vital:71946
- Description: Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs) are wild biological resources obtained from natural landscapes, agricultural systems, and rural and urban regions for a variety of uses. NTFPs contribute significantly to livelihoods and living standards by offering a variety of socioeconomic benefits such as food, health, income generation, and safety nets. These multiple benefits are provided by a wide diversity of plant, animal and fungal species in different settings. However, the precise number of NTFP species used depends on the scale of assessment, namely use by individuals, by households and by villages. Consequently, it is difficult to compare numbers of species used between studies because of the differing scales. As a result, the objective of this study was to determine the number of NTFP species used at three different scales and how each is correlated with appropriate scale-dependent contextual variables. This objective was met by sampling individuals and whole households in five villages in the Vhembe District in Limpopo Province, South Africa. Twenty households were randomly selected in each village, providing a total sample of 100 households and 179 individuals in those households. In each household, every adult member was interviewed individually about the NTFPs that they used or knew. The major questions covered the NTFP species used, the respondents' socioeconomic level, the NTFP species used previously, and if the number of NTFP species are changing in the landscape. Data were reported per individual as well as per household and per village. The household level was derived by adding the responses of all the adults in each household but excluding duplicates. The same approach was used at the village scale, namely, the data across the 20 households were pooled, and duplicates were omitted. Patterns of NTFP use were examined by type of NTFP, and analysis using standard statistical tests, along with a Principal Components Analysis and a multivariate Detrended Correspondence Analysis of the NTFP species composition across villages. A total of 275 species of NTFPs were mentioned across the entire sample, including 81 species of firewood, 48 species of edible insects, 43 species of wild vegetables, 40 species of edible fruits, 38 species of wood utensils, 28 species of medicinal plants, 23 species of thatch grass, 19 species of poles, 19 species of wood for carvings, nine species of reeds, eight species of mushroom, and eight species of fodder. Of these species, some species had more than one use. Approximately 90% of the species used by the respondents were native species. Wild vegetables (e.g., Corchorus olitorius, Amaranthus capensis, Bidens pilosa), firewood (e.g., Colophospermum mopane, Parinari curatellifolia, Combretum hereroense), wild fruit (e.g., Landolphia kirkii, Vangueria infausta), and edible insects (e.g., Imbrasia belina, Macrotermes michaelseni, Encosternum delegorguei) were the most often used NTFPs by communities in the Vhembe area. Most of the households relied on NTFPs for subsistence. At the scale of an individual, the mean number of NTFP species used was 26.8±12.6 across the five villages. When considering a household, the mean number was 36.1±10.7 species. When aggregated across the 20 households per village, the mean number per village was 105.2±34.1 species. The species accumulation curve showed that 20 households per village were reasonably representative for four of the five villages. The results from the principal component analysis (PCA) and correlation analysis revealed that age, education, and employment status were significantly associated with the number of species used by individuals, whereas gender showed no clear correlation. At the household scale, household size was positively related with the number of species used, but income level and income source were not. At the village scale, attributes such as proximity to a town, settlement type, vegetation type, and distance to a nearby savanna all had some influence on the number of NTFP species listed. Most of the respondents felt that the number of species used had increased over the last 10–15 years, although some stated the opposite. Increases were attributed by traditional councils bans, the establishment of protected areas, and restoration. Activities eroding the number of NTFP species were identified as clear felling for farming, climate change, and over-harvesting. This study suggests that communities must be made more aware of the overharvesting of NTFP species in the savanna to avoid biodiversity loss. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science, Environmental Science, 2023
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- Date Issued: 2023-03-29