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Screening of elite cowpea genotypes for bruchid (Callosobruchus rhodensianus) resistance
Get PDFThesis (M.Sc. Agriculture (Agronomy)) -- University of Limpopo, 2023Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp) plays a crucial role in in the health of both humans and animals by providing a rich source of protein especially for those in rural developing areas. However, its production is limited because of lack of seeds due to cowpea bruchid investation. Cowpea bruchid Callosobruchus rhodensianus (F.) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) is one of the major pests of stored cowpea seeds, and it can render the seeds useless if not managed. There are various measures to control this pest, one of which is the host plant resistance which is regarded as the most efficient sustainable measure. The objective was to screen ten elite cowpea genotypes obtained from the University of Limpopo germplasm collection for bruchid resistance. The experiment was carried out at the University of Limpopo Plant Production Laboratory. Four pairs of bruchids were infested into batches of ten seeds of each genotype using a completely randomized design (CRD) with six replications and data were collected for 60 days. The variables measured included initial seed weight (g) (ISW), residual seed weight (g) (RSW), seed weight loss (%) (SWL), number of eggs (NE), seed damage (%) (SD), adult emergence (%) (AE), number of days to insect emergence (days) (NIE), total development time (days) (TDT) and mean development time (days) (MDT). Results show that significant differences (P˂0.05) were observed for ISW, RSW, SWL, and MDT; and the findings of this study further indicated a deviation in adult emergence, with a total development time of 39.50-46.50 days. AYT205A, AYT205B, AYT208B, AYT210B, AYT211A, AYT211B, AYT302A, AYT310B and CB-24J’burg exhibited longer developmental periods, which implies that they are promising lines and can be recommended to smallholder farmers with limited access to high-quality storage facilities. It is essential that further research work be done on these genotypes on the mechanisms of resistance and to identify factors responsible for bruchid vulnerability on cowpea.National Research Foundation (NRF
Investigation of the anti-inflammatory and anti-invasiveness effects of momordica balsamina leaf methanol extract using triple-negative breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-321
Get PDFThesis (M.Sc. (Biochemistry)) -- University of Limpopo, 2023Cancer is the world's second leading cause of death, with current treatments accompanied by a myriad of undesirable side effects. Medicinal plants contain chemoprotective and more tolerable phytochemicals for cancer treatment, making them a better alternative to current cancer treatments. Thus, many indigenous plants have yet to be investigated for anticancer properties. In this study, the Momordica balsamina leaf methanol extract was evaluated for its potential anti-inflammatory and anti-invasiveness effects in interleukin-6-activated triple-negative MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells. The dried ground leaves of M. balsamina were subjected to maceration in absolute methanol to obtain a crude M. balsamina leaf methanol extract. The Muse® cell count and viability assay was used to assess the effect of the M. balsamina leaf methanol extract on the viability of breast MDA-MB-231 and the kidney HEK-293 cells. The methanol extract induced a significant decrease in MDA-MB-231 and HEK-293 cell viability at 150 µg/mL and 125 µg/mL, respectively. The annexin-V-FLUOS assay was performed to determine the mode of cell death induced by the extract and to further confirm lack of significant cytotoxicity in MDA-MB-231 cells exposed to 75 or 100 µg/mL of the extract. The findings revealed that the reduction in extract-treated MDA-MB-231 cell viability was associated with a non-significant induction of apoptotic cell death. The assessment of the effect of the methanol extract on nitric oxide production using nitric oxide assay revealed that the extract induced nitric oxide production in IL-6-activated MDA-MB-231 cells. Wound healing and transwell cell invasion assays were employed to evaluate the effect of the methanol extract on the migration and invasiveness of IL-6-activated MDA-MB-231 cells, respectively. The results revealed that the methanol extract significantly inhibited the IL-6-induced migratory and invasive potential of IL-6-activated MDA-MB-231 cells. Western blot analysis showed that the methanol extract decreased MMP-2, MMP-9 and vimentin protein expression and increased TIMP-3 protein expression levels in IL-6-activated MDA-MB-231 cells. In addition, gelatin-zymography also showed that the methanol extract significantly decreased the proteolytic activity of MMP-2 and MMP-9 in IL-6activated MDA-MB-231 cells. Furthermore, an increase in Bax and decrease in Bcl-2, JAK2, STAT3, MMP-2 and MMP-9 mRNA expression, was observed in extract-treated IL-6-activated MDA-MB-231 cells as determined by quantitative reverse transcriptase
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polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). The adhesiveness of IL-6-activated MDA-MB231 cells to extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins was assessed using the cell adhesion assay and CHEMICON® ECM-cell adhesion array kit, respectively. The results showed that the methanol extract significantly inhibited the IL-6-induced MDA-MB-231 cell adhesiveness. This could be associated with the inhibition of the attachment of IL6-activated MDA-MB-231 cells to collagen I, II, IV, laminin, tenascin, fibronectin, and vitronectin. In conclusion, the M. balsamina leaf methanol extract inhibited the IL-6induced MDA-MB-231 cell invasiveness, migration, and adhesiveness through the modulation of the IL-6/JAK2/STAT3 pathway.National Research Foundation (NRF) and South African Medical
Research Council-Research Capacity and Development Initiative (SAMRCRCDI
An analysis of feasibility of sustaining retirement benefits in South Africa
Get PDFThesis (LLM. (Labour Law)) -- University of Limpopo, 2023Retirement reforms in South Africa is a longest debate post democratic systems of
governance which has been accepted with mixed reactions from members of
retirement funds and retirement industry. This debate has been ongoing since 2002
to date. Since then, National Treasury has published numerous retirement reforms
discussion papers which aimed at overhauling the retirement funding systems to be
in line with the core values of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996
which is based on no-racialism, non-sexism, social justice, and human dignity. The
retirement funding systems under apartheid systems of governance excludes Africans,
coloureds and Indians. The system favoured the white minority who were far ahead
of blacks in terms of retirement funding savings. The study analysis the feasibility of
sustaining retirement benefits in South Africa and explore measures which must be
implemented in order to achieve and deliver preservation of the pension fund benefits.
Furthermore, it interrogates contemporary literature, regulations, and policies to
explore ways in which the current retirement system may be reformed holistically to
ensure that preservation of the pension fund benefits is achieved
Depiction of women in selected Tshivenda poetry
Get PDFThesis (M.A.(African Language)) -- University of Limpopo, 2023Women often receive characterisations of themselves in an idealised and
stereotypical manner in literature, which warrants both contestation and the provision
of remedial strategies against such representations of women in literature.
Underpinned by African Feminism and the qualitative research approach, the study
not only analysed a selection of Tshivenḓa poems, but also purposively analysed
those poems that challenge the portrayal of women in a negative light by presenting
them, arguably, as dignified human beings. Among the negative portrayals of women
were depictions of women as slaves, catastrophic beings, subservient humans,
sexual objects, and idiots, consequently culminating in the perception of women as
marginalised in a variety of spheres. The study might contribute to the ongoing
discourse on women liberation and empowerment
A retrospective study to compare episodic and prophylactic factor viii treatment in severe haemophilia A patients at Pietersburg Hospital
No full textThesis (M.Med. (Paediatrics and Child Health)) -- University of Limpopo, 2023Introduction. The purpose of this study was to describe and compare episodic and prophylactic treatment regimens with factor VIII in paediatric patients living with severe haemophilia A at Pietersburg Hospital in Limpopo province, South Africa.
Study design. Anonymised patient record data was collected retrospectively from the haemophilia treatment centre in Pietersburg Hospital, the site responsible for treating paediatric patients living with severe haemophilia A in the province.
Objectives. Annualised bleeding rates and factor VIII consumption were analysed and compared between the two groups.
Results. The results of the study showed that compared to the episodic group, participants in the prophylactic group had a substantial reduction in annualised bleeding rates per patient with a median of 4 vs 6 but a higher consumption of factor VIII. The annual median factor VIII consumption was 12000 IU vs 4000 IU per patient for prophylactic and episodic group respectively.
Conclusion. These findings suggest that treatment of paediatric patients living with severe haemophilia A using low-dose prophylaxis could be a better option in developing countries with limited economic resources
The impact of Covid-19 on nurses' mental health in the City of Johannesburg Clinics, Gauteng Province
Get PDFThesis (M. (Nursing)) -- University of Limpopo, 2023The mental health of nurses is crucial to their ability to deliver high-quality nursing care during the pandemic since they are the backbone and front-line personnel of the healthcare system. The Covid 19 pandemic presented nurses with a variety of challenges, including abrupt deaths among patients, staff members, and families, a lack of resources, and restrictive measures. Despite the terrible circumstances brought by Covid 19, nurses were still required to care for the victims.
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to determine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of nurses in the City of Johannesburg clinics in Gauteng province.
Study method
The qualitative, explorative, and descriptive design was used for the researcher to get insight into the lived experience of the participants. Non-probability, purposive homogeneous sampling was used in this study to select 14 nurses from five clinics in the City of Johannesburg municipality region A & E.
The researcher asked the participants about their experiences regarding the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on their mental health, to explore more information. Data were collected using semi-structured one-on-one interviews with a scheduled interview guide. Qualitative data analysis using Tesch's approach was followed. Ethical principles were applied throughout the study.
Results
The following themes emerged from the study: The impact of COVID-19 on nurses’ mental health regarding contributing factors, mental health symptoms, behavioral symptoms, support and measures to improve nurses’ mental health.
Conclusion
Various factors contributed to the impact of COVID-19 on professional nurses’ mental health; these include the sudden onset of COVID-19, losses of colleagues and family members, insufficient material and human resources, inadequate psychosocial support, COVID-19 symptoms, as well as the COVID-19 preventative and intervention measures should be considered in managing the well-being of nurses who had been serving as the front liners. Timely psychological counselling, as well as awareness and intervention, need to be implemented for nurses to alleviate their anxiety or discomfort while dealing with other pandemics in future and improve their general mental health
The prevalence and associated charateristics of patients with Kaposi at Pietersburg Hospital, Limpopo Province
No full textThesis (M.Med. (Internal Medicine)) -- University of Limpopo, 2023Background
Among the most prevalent malignancies associated with AIDS, Kaposi Sarcoma (KS) is one of them. In the developing countries, it is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality, resulting in 2500 deaths per year and it accounts for approximately more than 10% of all cancer deaths in Sub Saharan Africa. Due to the availability of ART, the prevalence of KS has decreased in western nations, but it has increased in Sub-Saharan Africa due to higher rates of co-infection with HIV and the Kaposi Herpes virus (KSHV). Hence, the present study investigated the prevalence of KS in Limpopo Province in the era of ART roll out in South Africa.
Aim and objectives.
To assess the prevalence and associated characteristics of patients with Kaposi Sarcoma at Pietersburg Hospital, Limpopo Province in South Africa.
Methods
The study was a retrospective cross sectional descriptive study in adult individuals (years ± 40yrs) conducted at Pietersburg Medical Oncology clinic over 3 years period (1st January 2015 to 31st December 2018). There was no sample size calculation, and convenient study sample sampling was used. Due to the present study small size, the study’s patients were not divided into their respective years.
Results
A total of 117 patients were included in the data analysis. There was no statistical difference in gender groups (p-value = 0.51). The study reported that the overall prevalence of Kaposi Sarcoma at Pietersburg Hospital was 4%. The predominant subtypes were 94% with AIDS associated KS and 6% endemic. Majority of patients (93%) were HIV positive and only 7% were HIV Negative. Males (72%) had increased percentage of KS as compared to their females (45%) counter
parts. All the patients were of African descent with no case of Classic KS seen over the study period.
Conclusion
The study highlighted the positive impact of anti-retroviral therapy (ART) in reducing the prevalence of Kaposi Sarcoma and the late diagnosis of HIV KS with almost 50% of patients not on ART at the time of diagnosis. The study has reported that although KS is still being diagnosed in patients with HIV at Pietersburg Hospital, there was lower prevalence of KS, which does not differ from that of other South African studies. More studies are still warranted using larger sample sizes on patients in order to further investigate the relationship of HIV+ patients and KS
Assessment of soil and leachate heavy metal contamination at the Weltevreden Landfill, Polokwane
Get PDFThesis (M. Sc. Agriculture (Soil Science) -- University of Limpopo, 2023In recent times, there has been increasing environmental concern that municipal solid waste (MSW) landfills are potentially a sink of persistent heavy metal contaminants. The contamination of landfill soil by heavy metals seems to be widespread in MSW landfills. Overtime, the accumulation of heavy metals in landfill soils resulting from the disposal of municipal waste represents a threat to the environment. Despite this, the provenance of heavy metals in landfill soils, leachates and groundwater quality is rarely known with certainty and whether concentrations of the heavy metals exceed the statutory recommended thresholds for safety. Therefore, the present study was conducted to (1) assess heavy metal contamination of soil and leachates from the Weltevreden landfill site and (2) examine the spatial variability and distribution patterns of heavy metals across the landfill site using geostatistical techniques. Soil samples were collected from the landfill site and an area located 100 m away from the landfill site (reference site). Soil samples were collected at a depth of 0-30 cm using a 50 m x 50 m grid. At the nodes of the grid, landfill characteristics, including the landscape position, elevation, latitude and longitude of each sample location were recorded to analyse and map the spatial distribution of the heavy metal concentrations across the site. Collected soil samples were analysed for total concentration of arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), nickel (Ni), manganese (Mn), zinc (Zn), cobalt (Co), copper (Cu) and iron (Fe) and physicochemical properties such as soil pH, soil organic carbon (SOC) and soil texture were analysed. Leachable heavy metals in the collected soil samples at the landfill site were determined using the toxicity characteristics leaching procedure (TCLP). The extent of pollution in the landfill soil was determined using the contamination factor (CF), enrichment factor (EF), pollution load index (PLI), ecological risk factor (Er) and ecological risk index (RI). The study also characterised the spatial structure of the soil heavy metals in the landfill site by computing semivariograms and determining their spatial distribution using the ordinary kriging (OK) geostatistical technique.
The results obtained in this study revealed that the concentration of all heavy metals in the soil was higher in the landfill site compared to the reference site. The only heavy metal which was an exception to this pattern was Fe. The results also showed that the mean concentration of As and Cd in the landfill soil was above the acceptable limits of the South African National Norms and Standards for Remediation of Contaminated
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Land and Soil Quality. The correlation analysis revealed that most of the heavy metals were strongly positively correlated with each other (As, Cd, Pb, Ni, Zn and Co). The results of the different indices show moderate contamination of the landfill soil by As, Cd, Cr, Pb, Ni, Mn, Zn, Co and Cu. The PLI index shows that the landfill site is highly polluted with heavy metals (PLI>1). The calculated enrichment factors suggest an anthropogenic origin for Cd and Pb, and natural origins for As, Cr, Mn, Co and Cu. Among the analysed heavy metals, a moderate ecological risk was observed only in the case of Cd concentration in the landfill soil. Meanwhile, the other investigated heavy metals had a low ecological risk. The overall ecological risk status of the heavy metals in the landfill soils was found to be low.
Geostatistical analysis of the data revealed that Cu was characterised by a strong spatial dependence while Cd, Pb and Fe showed moderate spatial dependence and As, Cr, Ni Mn, Zn and Co were characterised by a weak spatial dependence. Copper accumulation in the soil was linked to natural factors such as soil mineralogy while As, Cr, Co, Ni, Mn and Zn accrual were linked to anthropogenic activities such as waste disposal. Iron, Pb and Cd were driven by both natural and anthropogenic factors. Based on the interpolated maps, similar spatial patterns were observed for Cd and Pb kriged maps, whereby hotspots were in the northwestern parts of the landfill site. Meanwhile, Mn, Zn and Fe were also found to exhibit similar concentration hotspots in the southwest part of the landfill. The distribution of Cr displayed high concentrations in the central part of the landfill. Similarly, As, Ni and Co showed similar distribution with the southwest parts also having high concentrations. Results from TCLP confirmed concentrations of Cd, Ni and Mn that were found to be above the South African National Norms and Standards for Remediation of Contaminated Land and Soil Quality while Zn, Co and Cu were within acceptable levels. Overall, the results show that the disposal of waste at the Weltevreden landfill site led to differences in the concentration of heavy metals. The current study has offered a better understanding of the current state and potential pollution risks as well as the spatial distribution of heavy metals in the landfill soil. It is envisaged that these findings will help landfill managers to properly manage the municipal solid waste at the Weltevreden landfill site to minimise heavy metal contamination
Analysing wheat price volatility in South Africa from 1996 to 2015
Get PDFThesis (M.Sc. Agriculture (Agricultural Economics) -- University of Limpopo, 2023In South Africa, the import of wheat exceeds its domestic production. The research aimed to examine the fluctuations in wheat prices within the country and evaluate the factors contributing to these price variations during the specified study period. This study used yearly data for wheat price, rainfall, temperature, and total production from 1996 to 2015. Climate conditions, power cuts, price fluctuations, and an increase in population pose a huge danger to the production of goods and services. To determine the volatility of wheat prices in South Africa from 1996 to 2015 and to identify and analyse the determinants (price, rainfall, temperature, and total production) of wheat price volatility in the South African market, where two primary objectives were used in this study. The Johansen cointegration test was employed to investigate the possible long-term correlation between wheat price and variables including rainfall, temperature, and total production. Both trace and eigenvalue tests were conducted, and the cointegration results were positive, indicating a sustained connection among the variables over an extended period. As a result, the study's findings indicate that there is a long-term association among wheat price, rainfall, temperature, and total production, affirming the presence of cointegration among these variables. Rainfall has a positive impact while temperature and total production hurt the price of wheat, on average, ceteris paribus based on the VECM results. In this study, the positive coefficients for temperature and wheat total production were 7.472087 and 0.005639, respectively, showing that in the long run, increasing temperature and total production levels were associated with declining wheat prices or decreasing temperature, and total production is associated with increasing wheat price.
The study proposes that the government of South Africa implement subsidies to address high price volatilities and promote wheat production, considering the high consumption of wheat that is used to produce bread and is a staple food. Subsidies can help stabilise prices and ensure a reliable supply of wheat. Additionally, the study suggests that accessible information on wheat market dynamics, including prices and production technologies, should be provided to farmers to facilitate informed decision-making and encourage higher wheat production.South African Cultivars and Technology Agency (SACTA
The use of academic library electronic information resource by selected undergraduates students at the University of Limpopo during coronavirus pandemic
Get PDFThesis (M. Information Studies ) -- University of Limpopo, 2023Academic libraries subscribe to Electronic Information Resources (EIRs) yearly to
meet the academic information needs of their patrons who live in the digital era. In
2020, a lockdown was enforced in South Africa to reduce the number of COVID-19
infections. Consequently, higher education institutions were forced to close and later
obliged to continue with teaching and learning through online means. Students had to
attend classes online and were required to use online library resources to complete
their academic tasks. Against the foregoing backdrop, the study investigated the use of EIRs at UL during the COVID-19 pandemic environment. The study was restricted to undergraduate students from the Faculty of Humanities and the librarians attached to the UL library as the target population. The study used both the qualitative and quantitative approaches. An online questionnaire was distributed to the students using the Google Forms questionnaire and was completed by 80 students. Three librarians participated in the study. One librarian participated in an unstructured interview whereas 2 librarians completed the prepared questions for semi-structured interviews that was
sent. A majority of the participants (students) are extremely aware of the multiple EIRs that they could use during the lockdown. Library orientation and information literacy
sessions helped the students to become aware of those resources. Most
undergraduate students were neither satisfied nor dissatisfied with the services that
are offered by the library during the pandemic. Unstable power supply and low internet
bandwidth were mentioned as prevalent challenges students face when accessing
EIRs. Librarians made electronic information available to undergraduate students
despite the challenges such as system outages and internet connectivity. The study
concludes that undergraduate students were using EIRs and librarians supported
students during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study recommends that EIRs should be marketed on social media pages, videos for bibliographic instruction sessions should be created and UL faculties should be encouraged to frequently use the institutional repository to upload theses and dissertations for the students to access with ease and convenience. Librarians should get formal training on how to virtually interact with the students using the university learning management system