Rethinking the dialectics of rural and urban in African art and scholarship:
- Siegenthaler, Fiona, Nzewi, Ugochukwu-Smooth C, Siegert, Nadine
- Authors: Siegenthaler, Fiona , Nzewi, Ugochukwu-Smooth C , Siegert, Nadine
- Date: 2019
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/146022 , vital:38488 , DOI: 10.1080/19301944.2018.1538856
- Description: This issue of Critical Interventions is dedicated to rethinking the dialectics of the rural and the urban in African art and scholarship. Inspired by the general theme of the European Conference of African Studies (ECAS/AEGIS) in Basel (June 28 to July 1, 2017), Urban Africa – Urban Africans: New Encounters of the Rural and the Urban, the guest editors of this issue hosted two panels on the relationship of urban-based artists and their interest in rural topographies, aesthetics, and cultural practices.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Siegenthaler, Fiona , Nzewi, Ugochukwu-Smooth C , Siegert, Nadine
- Date: 2019
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/146022 , vital:38488 , DOI: 10.1080/19301944.2018.1538856
- Description: This issue of Critical Interventions is dedicated to rethinking the dialectics of the rural and the urban in African art and scholarship. Inspired by the general theme of the European Conference of African Studies (ECAS/AEGIS) in Basel (June 28 to July 1, 2017), Urban Africa – Urban Africans: New Encounters of the Rural and the Urban, the guest editors of this issue hosted two panels on the relationship of urban-based artists and their interest in rural topographies, aesthetics, and cultural practices.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
Antihypertensive effects of the hydroethanol extract of Senecio serratuloides DC in rats
- Tata, Charlotte Mungho, Sewani-Rusike, Constance Rufaro, Oyedeji, Opeoluwa Oyehan, Gwebu, Ephraim Tobela, Mahlakata, Fikile, Nkeh-Chungag, Benedicta Ngwenchi
- Authors: Tata, Charlotte Mungho , Sewani-Rusike, Constance Rufaro , Oyedeji, Opeoluwa Oyehan , Gwebu, Ephraim Tobela , Mahlakata, Fikile , Nkeh-Chungag, Benedicta Ngwenchi
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: South Africa Hypertension Computer File
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/11260/5847 , vital:44656 , https://doi.org/10.1186/s12906-019-2463-2
- Description: Senecio serratuloides DC is used in folk medicine for treating hypertension, skin disorders, internal and external sores, rashes, burns and wounds. This study aimed at investigating the antihypertensive effects of the hydroethanol extract of S. serratuloides (HESS) in N-Nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) induced hypertension in rats. Methods: Acute toxicity of HESS was first determined to provide guidance on doses to be used in this study. Lorke’s method was used to determine safety of the extract in mice. Female Wistar rats were treated orally once daily with L-NAME (40 mg/kg) for 4 weeks and then concomitantly with L-NAME (20 mg/kg) and plant extract (150 and 300 mg/kg), captopril (20 mg/kg) or saline as per assigned group for 2 weeks followed by a 2-week period of assigned treatments only. Blood pressure was monitored weekly. Lipid profile, nitric oxide, renin and angiotensin II concentrations were determined in serum while mineralocorticoid receptor concentration was quantified in the kidney homogenate. Nitric oxide (NO) concentration was determined in serum and cardiac histology performed. Results HESS was found to be non-toxic, having a LD50 greater than 5000 mg/kg. Blood pressure increased progressively in all animals from the second week of L-NAME treatment. HESS treatment significantly and dose-dependently lowered systolic blood pressure (p less 0.001), diastolic blood pressure (p less 0.01), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (p less 0.01) and triglycerides (p less 0.01). It significantly prevented L-NAME induced decrease in serum angiotensin II (p less 0.01), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (p less 0.001) and serum nitric oxide concentrations (p less 0.001). HESS also significantly (p less 0.01) prevented collagen deposition in cardiac tissue. Conclusion The hydro-ethanol extract of Senecio serratuloides showed antihypertensive, antihyperlipidemic and cardioprotective effects in rats thus confirming its usefulness in traditional antihypertensive therapy and potential for antihypertensive drug development.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Tata, Charlotte Mungho , Sewani-Rusike, Constance Rufaro , Oyedeji, Opeoluwa Oyehan , Gwebu, Ephraim Tobela , Mahlakata, Fikile , Nkeh-Chungag, Benedicta Ngwenchi
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: South Africa Hypertension Computer File
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/11260/5847 , vital:44656 , https://doi.org/10.1186/s12906-019-2463-2
- Description: Senecio serratuloides DC is used in folk medicine for treating hypertension, skin disorders, internal and external sores, rashes, burns and wounds. This study aimed at investigating the antihypertensive effects of the hydroethanol extract of S. serratuloides (HESS) in N-Nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) induced hypertension in rats. Methods: Acute toxicity of HESS was first determined to provide guidance on doses to be used in this study. Lorke’s method was used to determine safety of the extract in mice. Female Wistar rats were treated orally once daily with L-NAME (40 mg/kg) for 4 weeks and then concomitantly with L-NAME (20 mg/kg) and plant extract (150 and 300 mg/kg), captopril (20 mg/kg) or saline as per assigned group for 2 weeks followed by a 2-week period of assigned treatments only. Blood pressure was monitored weekly. Lipid profile, nitric oxide, renin and angiotensin II concentrations were determined in serum while mineralocorticoid receptor concentration was quantified in the kidney homogenate. Nitric oxide (NO) concentration was determined in serum and cardiac histology performed. Results HESS was found to be non-toxic, having a LD50 greater than 5000 mg/kg. Blood pressure increased progressively in all animals from the second week of L-NAME treatment. HESS treatment significantly and dose-dependently lowered systolic blood pressure (p less 0.001), diastolic blood pressure (p less 0.01), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (p less 0.01) and triglycerides (p less 0.01). It significantly prevented L-NAME induced decrease in serum angiotensin II (p less 0.01), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (p less 0.001) and serum nitric oxide concentrations (p less 0.001). HESS also significantly (p less 0.01) prevented collagen deposition in cardiac tissue. Conclusion The hydro-ethanol extract of Senecio serratuloides showed antihypertensive, antihyperlipidemic and cardioprotective effects in rats thus confirming its usefulness in traditional antihypertensive therapy and potential for antihypertensive drug development.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
The contribution of NTFPs to rural livelihoods in different agro-ecological zones of South Africa
- Mugido, Worship, Shackleton, Charlie M
- Authors: Mugido, Worship , Shackleton, Charlie M
- Date: 2019
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/177488 , vital:42826 , https://doi.org/10.1016/j.forpol.2019.101983
- Description: Although many studies have examined the contributions of non-timber forest products (NTFPs) to rural livelihoods, relatively few consider the context in which income shares are shaped. A core one is the local agro-ecological potential because it moulds possible land use options and the potential balance between agricultural and NTFP activities. Using income surveys of 1200 households, this paper examined the absolute and relative contribution of NTFP income at six sites each paired across a gradient of differing agro-ecological potential.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Mugido, Worship , Shackleton, Charlie M
- Date: 2019
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/177488 , vital:42826 , https://doi.org/10.1016/j.forpol.2019.101983
- Description: Although many studies have examined the contributions of non-timber forest products (NTFPs) to rural livelihoods, relatively few consider the context in which income shares are shaped. A core one is the local agro-ecological potential because it moulds possible land use options and the potential balance between agricultural and NTFP activities. Using income surveys of 1200 households, this paper examined the absolute and relative contribution of NTFP income at six sites each paired across a gradient of differing agro-ecological potential.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
Antihypertensive effects of the hydroethanol extract of Senecio serratuloides DC in rats
- Tata, Charlotte Mungho, Sewani-Rusike, Constance Rufaro, Oyedeji, Opeoluwa Oyehan, Gwebu, Ephraim Tobela, Mahlakata, Fikile, Nkeh-Chungag, Benedicta Ngwenchi
- Authors: Tata, Charlotte Mungho , Sewani-Rusike, Constance Rufaro , Oyedeji, Opeoluwa Oyehan , Gwebu, Ephraim Tobela , Mahlakata, Fikile , Nkeh-Chungag, Benedicta Ngwenchi
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: South Africa Hypertension Computer File
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/11260/5842 , vital:44654 , https://doi.org/10.1186/s12906-019-2463-2
- Description: Senecio serratuloides DC is used in folk medicine for treating hypertension, skin disorders, internal and external sores, rashes, burns and wounds. This study aimed at investigating the antihypertensive effects of the hydroethanol extract of S. serratuloides (HESS) in N-Nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) induced hypertension in rats. Methods: Acute toxicity of HESS was first determined to provide guidance on doses to be used in this study. Lorke’s method was used to determine safety of the extract in mice. Female Wistar rats were treated orally once daily with L-NAME (40 mg/kg) for 4 weeks and then concomitantly with L-NAME (20 mg/kg) and plant extract (150 and 300 mg/kg), captopril (20 mg/kg) or saline as per assigned group for 2 weeks followed by a 2-week period of assigned treatments only. Blood pressure was monitored weekly. Lipid profile, nitric oxide, renin and angiotensin II concentrations were determined in serum while mineralocorticoid receptor concentration was quantified in the kidney homogenate. Nitric oxide (NO) concentration was determined in serum and cardiac histology performed. Results HESS was found to be non-toxic, having a LD50 greater than 5000 mg/kg. Blood pressure increased progressively in all animals from the second week of L-NAME treatment. HESS treatment significantly and dose-dependently lowered systolic blood pressure (p less 0.001), diastolic blood pressure (p less 0.01), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (p less 0.01) and triglycerides (p less 0.01). It significantly prevented L-NAME induced decrease in serum angiotensin II (p less 0.01), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (p less 0.001) and serum nitric oxide concentrations (p less 0.001). HESS also significantly (p less 0.01) prevented collagen deposition in cardiac tissue. Conclusion The hydro-ethanol extract of Senecio serratuloides showed antihypertensive, antihyperlipidemic and cardioprotective effects in rats thus confirming its usefulness in traditional antihypertensive therapy and potential for antihypertensive drug development.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Tata, Charlotte Mungho , Sewani-Rusike, Constance Rufaro , Oyedeji, Opeoluwa Oyehan , Gwebu, Ephraim Tobela , Mahlakata, Fikile , Nkeh-Chungag, Benedicta Ngwenchi
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: South Africa Hypertension Computer File
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/11260/5842 , vital:44654 , https://doi.org/10.1186/s12906-019-2463-2
- Description: Senecio serratuloides DC is used in folk medicine for treating hypertension, skin disorders, internal and external sores, rashes, burns and wounds. This study aimed at investigating the antihypertensive effects of the hydroethanol extract of S. serratuloides (HESS) in N-Nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) induced hypertension in rats. Methods: Acute toxicity of HESS was first determined to provide guidance on doses to be used in this study. Lorke’s method was used to determine safety of the extract in mice. Female Wistar rats were treated orally once daily with L-NAME (40 mg/kg) for 4 weeks and then concomitantly with L-NAME (20 mg/kg) and plant extract (150 and 300 mg/kg), captopril (20 mg/kg) or saline as per assigned group for 2 weeks followed by a 2-week period of assigned treatments only. Blood pressure was monitored weekly. Lipid profile, nitric oxide, renin and angiotensin II concentrations were determined in serum while mineralocorticoid receptor concentration was quantified in the kidney homogenate. Nitric oxide (NO) concentration was determined in serum and cardiac histology performed. Results HESS was found to be non-toxic, having a LD50 greater than 5000 mg/kg. Blood pressure increased progressively in all animals from the second week of L-NAME treatment. HESS treatment significantly and dose-dependently lowered systolic blood pressure (p less 0.001), diastolic blood pressure (p less 0.01), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (p less 0.01) and triglycerides (p less 0.01). It significantly prevented L-NAME induced decrease in serum angiotensin II (p less 0.01), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (p less 0.001) and serum nitric oxide concentrations (p less 0.001). HESS also significantly (p less 0.01) prevented collagen deposition in cardiac tissue. Conclusion The hydro-ethanol extract of Senecio serratuloides showed antihypertensive, antihyperlipidemic and cardioprotective effects in rats thus confirming its usefulness in traditional antihypertensive therapy and potential for antihypertensive drug development.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
Poverty reduction strategies and non-timber forest products
- Pullanikkatil, Deepa, Shackleton, Charlie M
- Authors: Pullanikkatil, Deepa , Shackleton, Charlie M
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , book chapter
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/433583 , vital:72985 , ISBN 978-3-319-75580-9 , https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-319-75580-9_1
- Description: The first of the 17 Global Goals that make up the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is to end poverty in all its forms everywhere. Although the numbers of poor people in the world has declined over the last few decades, it is still alarmingly high, being approximately 770 million in 2013 (Fig. 1) (World Bank in Understanding Poverty 2017). Currently the majority of the world’s poor live in rural areas, and their livelihoods are dominated by land-based activities including gathering of Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs). There were rela tively few studies offering more socially orientated perspectives and insights on the links between NTFP use, dependency and poverty. The ordinary people using NTFPs, their reasons for doing so and their experiences are given in this book.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Pullanikkatil, Deepa , Shackleton, Charlie M
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , book chapter
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/433583 , vital:72985 , ISBN 978-3-319-75580-9 , https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-319-75580-9_1
- Description: The first of the 17 Global Goals that make up the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is to end poverty in all its forms everywhere. Although the numbers of poor people in the world has declined over the last few decades, it is still alarmingly high, being approximately 770 million in 2013 (Fig. 1) (World Bank in Understanding Poverty 2017). Currently the majority of the world’s poor live in rural areas, and their livelihoods are dominated by land-based activities including gathering of Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs). There were rela tively few studies offering more socially orientated perspectives and insights on the links between NTFP use, dependency and poverty. The ordinary people using NTFPs, their reasons for doing so and their experiences are given in this book.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
Anti-HIV-1 integrase potency of methylgallate from Alchornea cordifolia using in vitro and in silico approaches:
- Noundou, Xavier S, Musyoka, Thommas M, Moses, Vuyani, Ndinteh, Derek T, Mnkandhla, Dumisani, Hoppe, Heinrich C, Tastan Bishop, Özlem, Krause, Rui W M
- Authors: Noundou, Xavier S , Musyoka, Thommas M , Moses, Vuyani , Ndinteh, Derek T , Mnkandhla, Dumisani , Hoppe, Heinrich C , Tastan Bishop, Özlem , Krause, Rui W M
- Date: 2019
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/162975 , vital:41001 , https://0-doi.org.wam.seals.ac.za/10.1038/s41598-019-41403-x
- Description: According to the 2018 report of the United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), a disease caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), remains a significant public health problem. The non-existence of a cure or effective vaccine for the disease and the associated emergence of resistant viral strains imply an urgent need for the discovery of novel anti-HIV drug candidates. The current study aimed to identify potential anti-retroviral compounds from Alchornea cordifolia.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Noundou, Xavier S , Musyoka, Thommas M , Moses, Vuyani , Ndinteh, Derek T , Mnkandhla, Dumisani , Hoppe, Heinrich C , Tastan Bishop, Özlem , Krause, Rui W M
- Date: 2019
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/162975 , vital:41001 , https://0-doi.org.wam.seals.ac.za/10.1038/s41598-019-41403-x
- Description: According to the 2018 report of the United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), a disease caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), remains a significant public health problem. The non-existence of a cure or effective vaccine for the disease and the associated emergence of resistant viral strains imply an urgent need for the discovery of novel anti-HIV drug candidates. The current study aimed to identify potential anti-retroviral compounds from Alchornea cordifolia.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
Food web structure and trophic dynamics of a fish community in an ephemeral floodplain lake
- Peel, Richard A, Hill, Jaclyn M, Taylor, Geraldine C, Weyl, Olaf L F
- Authors: Peel, Richard A , Hill, Jaclyn M , Taylor, Geraldine C , Weyl, Olaf L F
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/444690 , vital:74260 , https://doi.org/10.3389/fenvs.2019.00192
- Description: In Africa, wetlands, such as shallow, ephemeral lakes provide ecosystem services, such as water purification, food supply, and flood control but are subject to dynamic flooding/drying cycles which vary in duration from years to decades. The stochastic nature of drying events subjects ephemeral lake fauna to persistent disturbance regimes, therefore understanding how biota respond to flooding and drying events is essential for their conservation and management. Primary production sources supporting consumer biomass in the shallow ephemeral Lake Liambezi (upper Zambezi Ecoregion), were investigated using stable isotope analysis, mixing models and stomach content analysis to investigate the following hypotheses: (1) algal primary production supports a higher consumer biomass than aquatic macrophytes; (2) the lake food chain is short, because the majority of fish fauna are detritivorous/herbivorous cichlids that are consumed by top predators; (3) fish community trophic structure will be similar between years; and (4) with short food chains and stochastic resource availability, there will be substantial competition for food among fish species.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Peel, Richard A , Hill, Jaclyn M , Taylor, Geraldine C , Weyl, Olaf L F
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/444690 , vital:74260 , https://doi.org/10.3389/fenvs.2019.00192
- Description: In Africa, wetlands, such as shallow, ephemeral lakes provide ecosystem services, such as water purification, food supply, and flood control but are subject to dynamic flooding/drying cycles which vary in duration from years to decades. The stochastic nature of drying events subjects ephemeral lake fauna to persistent disturbance regimes, therefore understanding how biota respond to flooding and drying events is essential for their conservation and management. Primary production sources supporting consumer biomass in the shallow ephemeral Lake Liambezi (upper Zambezi Ecoregion), were investigated using stable isotope analysis, mixing models and stomach content analysis to investigate the following hypotheses: (1) algal primary production supports a higher consumer biomass than aquatic macrophytes; (2) the lake food chain is short, because the majority of fish fauna are detritivorous/herbivorous cichlids that are consumed by top predators; (3) fish community trophic structure will be similar between years; and (4) with short food chains and stochastic resource availability, there will be substantial competition for food among fish species.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
Focus on ‘the family’? How South African family policy fails queer families
- Macleod, Catriona I, Morison, Tracy, Lynch, Ingrid
- Authors: Macleod, Catriona I , Morison, Tracy , Lynch, Ingrid
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , book chapter
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/434398 , vital:73054 , ISBN 9780367777401 , https://www.routledge.com/Queer-Kinship-South-African-Perspectives-on-the-Sexual-politics-of-Family-making-and-Belonging/Morison-Lynch-Reddy/p/book/9780367777401
- Description: The most policy document is the White Paper on Families, which aims to facilitate the mainstreaming of a family perspective into all government policy-making from the national to the municipal level and across multiple departments. The irony is that less than a third of South African families actually conform to the two cisgender heterosexual biological parent model that is favoured in family policy. South African research has shown that children of lesbian parents learn open-mindedness and to be comfortable with the family in which they live, and that men in same-sex relationships challenge gendered divisions of household tasks. Promoting the two-biological-parent family as the preferred family structure creates an impossible ideal for the majority of South Africans to live up to. Because such a family structure is strongly connected to class, it is out of reach for the majority of citizens, let alone those who live in queer relationships.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Macleod, Catriona I , Morison, Tracy , Lynch, Ingrid
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , book chapter
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/434398 , vital:73054 , ISBN 9780367777401 , https://www.routledge.com/Queer-Kinship-South-African-Perspectives-on-the-Sexual-politics-of-Family-making-and-Belonging/Morison-Lynch-Reddy/p/book/9780367777401
- Description: The most policy document is the White Paper on Families, which aims to facilitate the mainstreaming of a family perspective into all government policy-making from the national to the municipal level and across multiple departments. The irony is that less than a third of South African families actually conform to the two cisgender heterosexual biological parent model that is favoured in family policy. South African research has shown that children of lesbian parents learn open-mindedness and to be comfortable with the family in which they live, and that men in same-sex relationships challenge gendered divisions of household tasks. Promoting the two-biological-parent family as the preferred family structure creates an impossible ideal for the majority of South Africans to live up to. Because such a family structure is strongly connected to class, it is out of reach for the majority of citizens, let alone those who live in queer relationships.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
International book donors and public libraries as partners in primary school literacy development in Kenya:
- Mose, Peter, Kaschula, Russell H
- Authors: Mose, Peter , Kaschula, Russell H
- Date: 2019
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/174783 , vital:42509 , https://doi.org/10.1108/LM-05-2018-0046
- Description: The purpose of this paper is to explore the impact of international library materials aid in primary schools and to outline obstacles to effective utilization for maximum literacy benefits among primary school children. Data were gathered via interviews, observation, focus group discussions and document analyses.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Mose, Peter , Kaschula, Russell H
- Date: 2019
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/174783 , vital:42509 , https://doi.org/10.1108/LM-05-2018-0046
- Description: The purpose of this paper is to explore the impact of international library materials aid in primary schools and to outline obstacles to effective utilization for maximum literacy benefits among primary school children. Data were gathered via interviews, observation, focus group discussions and document analyses.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
The use of turnitin in the higher education sector: Decoding the myth
- Mphahlele, Amanda, McKenna, Sioux
- Authors: Mphahlele, Amanda , McKenna, Sioux
- Date: 2019
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/124229 , vital:35578 , https://doi.org/10.1080/02602938.2019.1573971
- Description: Plagiarism needs to be addressed to maintain academic standards and to safeguard the integrity of the academic project. With the evolving digital world, conventional methods of addressing plagiarism are gradually being dismissed in favour of new technologies. Unfortunately, there is a general misunderstanding about what such technologies do. This paper was written from a PhD study, and looks at how such misunderstandings emerge across the higher education sector of one country. Institutional policies and other documents related to plagiarism were analysed from public universities across South Africa, and this was then augmented with interviews with members of institutional plagiarism committees. The results of the study revealed that technology is a key facet in these universities’ attempts to reduce the incidents of plagiarism, and that Turnitin is the most favored text-matching tool. However, the software is misunderstood to be predominantly a plagiarism detection tool for policing purposes, ignoring its educational potential for student development. The implication is that, if Turnitin is primarily used as a policing tool, students are not only denied access to nuanced pedagogical interventions that might develop their academic writing, but its misuse could also change students’ behavior in undesirable ways.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Mphahlele, Amanda , McKenna, Sioux
- Date: 2019
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/124229 , vital:35578 , https://doi.org/10.1080/02602938.2019.1573971
- Description: Plagiarism needs to be addressed to maintain academic standards and to safeguard the integrity of the academic project. With the evolving digital world, conventional methods of addressing plagiarism are gradually being dismissed in favour of new technologies. Unfortunately, there is a general misunderstanding about what such technologies do. This paper was written from a PhD study, and looks at how such misunderstandings emerge across the higher education sector of one country. Institutional policies and other documents related to plagiarism were analysed from public universities across South Africa, and this was then augmented with interviews with members of institutional plagiarism committees. The results of the study revealed that technology is a key facet in these universities’ attempts to reduce the incidents of plagiarism, and that Turnitin is the most favored text-matching tool. However, the software is misunderstood to be predominantly a plagiarism detection tool for policing purposes, ignoring its educational potential for student development. The implication is that, if Turnitin is primarily used as a policing tool, students are not only denied access to nuanced pedagogical interventions that might develop their academic writing, but its misuse could also change students’ behavior in undesirable ways.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
Behaviour of an alpine range-restricted species is described by interactions between microsite use and temperature
- Oswald, Krista N, Smit, Ben, Lee, Alan T K, Cunningham, Susan J
- Authors: Oswald, Krista N , Smit, Ben , Lee, Alan T K , Cunningham, Susan J
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/441531 , vital:73896 , https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anbehav.2019.09.006
- Description: Climate change predictions include increased mean temperatures and increased frequency of heatwaves. Short-term responses to high air temperatures can allow animals to conserve water while maintaining a safe body temperature. For birds, cooling is often through evaporative water loss, which can be physiologically costly. Microsite use is an effective means of conserving water via reducing environmental heat load, so long as there are no negative trade-offs with other necessary functions, such as foraging. We examined behavioural responses to temperature in Cape rockjumpers, Chaetops frenatus (hereafter: ‘rockjumper’), an alpine specialist bird. We hypothesized that rockjumper behaviours would be temperature and microsite dependent. We collected data on rockjumper microsite use (sun, rock shade), behaviour (activity, foraging, preening, panting) and temperature (air, environmental). Rockjumpers made increased use of rock shade as air temperature increased. However, birds in rock shade foraged less. Depending on where their main food source is located, this suggests that when foraging demands are high, birds may need to remain in the sun despite risks of high thermal load, or else may suffer costs of lost foraging opportunities when using shade. The relationship between air temperature and heat dissipation behaviour (panting) was also mediated by microsite: birds showed significant increases in panting with increasing air temperature only when in the sun. The lack of increase in panting for birds in rock shade suggests that shade seeking may buffer physiological thermoregulatory costs (i.e. water expenditure). Individuals may therefore be able to mitigate some potential negative effects of high temperatures by making use of cooler microsites, although this could come at a cost to foraging.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Oswald, Krista N , Smit, Ben , Lee, Alan T K , Cunningham, Susan J
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/441531 , vital:73896 , https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anbehav.2019.09.006
- Description: Climate change predictions include increased mean temperatures and increased frequency of heatwaves. Short-term responses to high air temperatures can allow animals to conserve water while maintaining a safe body temperature. For birds, cooling is often through evaporative water loss, which can be physiologically costly. Microsite use is an effective means of conserving water via reducing environmental heat load, so long as there are no negative trade-offs with other necessary functions, such as foraging. We examined behavioural responses to temperature in Cape rockjumpers, Chaetops frenatus (hereafter: ‘rockjumper’), an alpine specialist bird. We hypothesized that rockjumper behaviours would be temperature and microsite dependent. We collected data on rockjumper microsite use (sun, rock shade), behaviour (activity, foraging, preening, panting) and temperature (air, environmental). Rockjumpers made increased use of rock shade as air temperature increased. However, birds in rock shade foraged less. Depending on where their main food source is located, this suggests that when foraging demands are high, birds may need to remain in the sun despite risks of high thermal load, or else may suffer costs of lost foraging opportunities when using shade. The relationship between air temperature and heat dissipation behaviour (panting) was also mediated by microsite: birds showed significant increases in panting with increasing air temperature only when in the sun. The lack of increase in panting for birds in rock shade suggests that shade seeking may buffer physiological thermoregulatory costs (i.e. water expenditure). Individuals may therefore be able to mitigate some potential negative effects of high temperatures by making use of cooler microsites, although this could come at a cost to foraging.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
Teaching Referencing as an Introduction to Epistemological Empowerment
- Hendricks, Monica G, Quinn, Lynn
- Authors: Hendricks, Monica G , Quinn, Lynn
- Date: 2000
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/484198 , vital:78879 , https://doi.org/10.1080/713699175
- Description: The purpose of this paper is to report on a small-scale research project conducted into how students acquire academic literacy through their writing. Understanding how knowledge is constructed in the various disciplines is the essence of academic literacy. Integrating the ideas of others from sources with one's own ideas, we believe, is the key to knowledge construction in the writing of academic essays. For that reason we focused on problems first year students encounter in the English Language for Academic Purposes (ELAP) course at Rhodes University when they use and acknowledge sources in their academic essays. The investigation on how students understand and incorporate source texts in their own writing showed the difficulties they have in using their own words, and in distinguishing different voices in writing. We found that explicit assistance from lecturers at the draft stage of the writing process can assist students in understanding better how knowledge is constructed at university.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2000
- Authors: Hendricks, Monica G , Quinn, Lynn
- Date: 2000
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/484198 , vital:78879 , https://doi.org/10.1080/713699175
- Description: The purpose of this paper is to report on a small-scale research project conducted into how students acquire academic literacy through their writing. Understanding how knowledge is constructed in the various disciplines is the essence of academic literacy. Integrating the ideas of others from sources with one's own ideas, we believe, is the key to knowledge construction in the writing of academic essays. For that reason we focused on problems first year students encounter in the English Language for Academic Purposes (ELAP) course at Rhodes University when they use and acknowledge sources in their academic essays. The investigation on how students understand and incorporate source texts in their own writing showed the difficulties they have in using their own words, and in distinguishing different voices in writing. We found that explicit assistance from lecturers at the draft stage of the writing process can assist students in understanding better how knowledge is constructed at university.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2000
Outcome of illustrated information leaflet on correct usage of asthma-metered dose inhaler:
- Wrench, Wendy M, Van Dyk, Lynette, Srinivas, Sunitha C, Dowse, Roslind
- Authors: Wrench, Wendy M , Van Dyk, Lynette , Srinivas, Sunitha C , Dowse, Roslind
- Date: 2019
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/156640 , vital:40033 , https://doi.org/10.4102/phcfm.v11i1.2079
- Description: Research globally has shown that metered dose inhaler (MDI) technique is poor, with patient education and regular demonstration critical in maintaining correct use of inhalers. Patient information containing pictorial aids improves understanding of medicine usage; however, manufacturer leaflets illustrating MDI use may not be easily understood by low-literacy asthma patients. To develop and evaluate the outcome of a tailored, simplified leaflet on correct MDI technique in asthma patients with limited literacy skills.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Wrench, Wendy M , Van Dyk, Lynette , Srinivas, Sunitha C , Dowse, Roslind
- Date: 2019
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/156640 , vital:40033 , https://doi.org/10.4102/phcfm.v11i1.2079
- Description: Research globally has shown that metered dose inhaler (MDI) technique is poor, with patient education and regular demonstration critical in maintaining correct use of inhalers. Patient information containing pictorial aids improves understanding of medicine usage; however, manufacturer leaflets illustrating MDI use may not be easily understood by low-literacy asthma patients. To develop and evaluate the outcome of a tailored, simplified leaflet on correct MDI technique in asthma patients with limited literacy skills.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
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