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The effects of curcumin derivatives on SARS-CoV-2 spike S1 protein induced oxidative stress on macrophage cells
Full text linkThesis (M. Sc. (Biochemistry)) -- University of Limpopo, 2025The corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has emerged as a global health crisis that claimed almost 7 million lives and a total of more than 700 million cases to date with new variants still being reported in various countries. Currently, there is no specific treatment for COVID-19 patients and the sporadic emergence of new variants make vaccine development a delayed response towards management of future outbreaks. Infection of host cells via interaction with SARS-CoV-2 spike proteins is characterised by hyper-inflammation of the innate immune response leading to overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) by macrophage. The increased ROS production ultimately overwhelms the antioxidant pool and promote elevated oxidative stress levels, converting mild symptoms to severe COVID-19 outcomes. Curcumin has shown potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties in various pathological conditions. Thus, this study investigated the antioxidant potential of curcumin derivatives in ameliorating SARS-CoV-2 spike protein-induced oxidative stress using macrophage cells as the innate immune model system. The cytotoxicity effect of curcumin derivatives was assessed by using two viability assays, namely the colorimetric MTT and propidium iodide (PI) fluorescence assays on Raw 264.7 macrophage cells. The curcumin derivatives were shown to exert no cytotoxic effect on Raw 264.7 cells at low doses (1.25-0.625 mM). The Annexin-V/ PI assay was employed to evaluate the mode of cell death induced by these curcumin derivatives. The results obtained showed that the derivatives at 5 mM induce apoptosis as a mode cell death. The production of IL-6 pro-inflammatory cytokines was examined using ELISA from supernatant after stimulation with 100 ng/ml SARS-CoV-2 spike S1 and treated with 1 mM curcumin derivatives. Treatment of SARS-CoV-2 spike S1-stimulated Raw 264.7 macrophages with curcumin resulted in lower production of IL-6 compared to untreated SARS-CoV-2 spike S1 stimulated control cells. The oxidative stress muse kit and DAF-2 DA were used to determine the levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and nitric oxide (NO) produced by Raw 264.7 cells post SARS-CoV-2 spike S1 stimulation and curcumin
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derivative treatment. Treatment with 1 mM curcumin derivatives reduced the production of ROS and NO. The Western blot assay was used to measure the expression levels of Nrf2, IκΒ-α and NF-κB inflammatory proteins. Western blot protein expression assay demonstrated that these curcumin derivatives upregulate the expression of Nrf2 and IκΒ-α while downregulating that of NF-κB. Collectively, this study suggests that curcumin derivatives possess remarkable anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, making them a potential therapeutic treatment option to explore for the management of the SARS-Cov-2 induced oxidative stress and hyper-inflammation associated with COVID-19 infection
Managing student residences during the Covid-19 pandemic : a public administration perspective at a selected South African tertiary institution
Full text linkThesis (M. (Public Administration and Management)) -- University of Limpopo, 2025The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has brought unprecedented challenges worldwide, impacting various aspects of society, including students living in university residences. This abstract focuses on exploring the experiences of students residing in a selected tertiary institution in South Africa during the COVID-19 pandemic. The qualitative study uses interviews and surveys to gather data on how students in their university residence have been affected by the pandemic. Factors such as sudden transition to online learning, social isolation, mental health concerns, and financial pressures are examined to understand the multifaceted impacts of the pandemic on students’ daily lives. Through thematic analysis, common themes emerge that highlight the struggles, resilience, and coping mechanisms of students facing the challenges of the pandemic. The findings shed light on the unique experiences and perspectives of students living in university residences, providing insight for institutions to tailor support services and interventions effectively. The study aims to contribute to the existing literature on the socio-economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on tertiary students, with a specific focus on those residing in university accommodations. Recommendations based on the findings seek to guide policy makers, universities, and support services in the implementation of strategies to mitigate the adverse effects of the pandemic on student general well-being and academic success. Semi-structured interviews were used to collect data according to the aim and objectives of the study. Since the research is qualitative in nature, data analysis was conducted through inductive thematic analysis. The study found that in fact, the Student Residences had been significantly transformed by the Covid19 pandemic. The operations of the student residences had been forced to change in order to comply with Covid-19 regulations, so that student learning was shifted from face-to-face learning to online learning. This meant more time spent indoors, stricter measures now in place, and student residence policies having been broadened to ensure that they also monitor compliance. The study also noted that even after the pandemic, things will still take time to return to normal. The researcher can conclude that the Covid19 pandemic has had a huge effect on student residences at the selected university and that student should play their roles effectively to ensure that everyone remains saf
Formation of academic identity of political science students at a South African higher education institution
Full text linkJournal article published in African Perspectives of Research in Teaching and Learning Journal Issue 1, Volume 9, 2025Higher education institutions serve as crucibles for shaping students' identities. Despite much research on students' identity formation, studies in the discipline of political science are limited. This study delves into the views of final-year political science students regarding the objectives of their studies, specifically examining whether they view their academic journey as a catalyst for personal transformation and the key causal mechanisms that facilitate or impede identity formation. Using an intensive approach, the research relies on in-depth interpretative data gathered through interviews with 12 students majoring in political studies, selected using snowball sampling. The morphogenetic framework, rooted in Archer's social realism, provided the theoretical foundation for this investigation. Qualitative data analysis reveals emerging themes that show that the student’s objectives in enrolling in the discipline were to improve
their employability and acquire skills to uplift their communities. Many constraints and enablements also affected the students, although some used their agency to realise identity change through their discipline. It is recommended that the student discipline be developed and that graduate attributes that are consistent with the teaching and learning strategies of the discipline be formulate
The challenges experienced by student teachers during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in their teaching practice
Full text linkJournal article published in African Perspectives of Research in Teaching and Learning Journal Issue 2, Volume 9, 2025Student teachers must cultivate the capacity to amalgamate their educational insights by engaging in a blend of academic and practical endeavours. Work Integrated Learning (WIL) within Higher Education Institutions serves as a pivotal component of undergraduate programs, emphasizing student-centred learning approaches. WIL is formally integrated into degree courses, validated through assessment criteria, and awarded credit points. The execution of teaching practice must be hands-on to translate theoretical knowledge into practical application. In light of the context, as mentioned earlier, this paper scrutinizes the obstacles encountered by student teachers amid the apex of the COVID-19 pandemic in their teaching practice. Departing from the constructivist research paradigm, a qualitative methodology is employed. Data acquisition entailed conducting in-depth interviews with participants, with purposive sampling guiding the selection of student teachers. Ten (10) fourth years studying Bachelor of Education in Further Education (BEDFET) student teachers served as key informants for this investigation. Thematic analysis of the data was conducted in alignment with the study's research objectives. The discourse underscores the imperative for the continuity of teaching practice even in the face of potential future pandemics
Students’ perceptions of digital technologies’ efficiency for research during and before the COVID-19 era
Full text linkJournal article published in African Perspectives of Research in Teaching and Learning Journal Issue 1, Volume 9, 2025The COVID-19 pandemic catalysed a rapid shift towards the use of digital technologies in higher education. This prompted the need to explore how digital technologies are used in academic research, propelling a critical examination of their efficiency for postgraduate research purposes. This mixed methods study investigated students' perceptions of digital technologies' efficiency for research during and before the COVID-19 era in two universities in South Africa. A simple random sampling method was utilised to recruit fifty (50) postgraduate student respondents who completed a survey questionnaire
designed to capture their perceptions. The survey instrument included items that assessed the ease of access, usability, and overall satisfaction with digital technologies both before and during the pandemic. The quantitative analysis revealed notable shifts in perceptions between the two time periods where participants generally reported an increase in reliance on digital technologies during the COVID-19 period. The increased use of digital technologies as indicated by participants improved access to online databases and other research environments. Nonetheless, challenges such as lack of user training, and
technical issues were also highlighted. This study recommends that universities develop user-friendly guides to aid students in independently understanding the use of digital technologies, thus encouraging efficiency whilst promoting self-directed learning
The effect of foreign direct investment and remittances on trade balance in BRICS countries : panel data analysis
Full text linkThesis (M. Com. (Economics)) -- University of Limpopo, 2024The study examined the effect of foreign direct investment (FDI) and remittances on BRICS countries trade balance spanning yearly data from 2001 to 2019. Employing econometric techniques such as Panel Autoregressive Distributive Lag (PARDL), Engel-Granger causality test and accounting innovations. The findings of PARDL revealed a significant negative effect on the trade balance in the long run. Yet a positive but insignificant effect in the short run. A favourable insignificant association was revealed between remittances and the trade balance in the long run, proving the absence of the Dutch Disease in BRICS countries. However, a positive effect but insignificant in the short run. The findings of Engel-Granger causality test revealed a unidirectional causal association between FDI and the trade balance. However, no sign of causality between remittances and the trade balance. Furthermore, the model’s variables primarily experience shocks from internal innovations, demonstrated by impulse response function and variance decomposition test
The right to basic education for children with special education needs in South Africa
Full text linkThesis (LLM.) -- University of Limpopo, 2025The right to education is guaranteed under section 29 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa (Act 108 of 1996). Notwithstanding this constitutional guarantee, children with special education needs face significant barriers in realising their right to education. The barriers they face include inadequate infrastructure, insufficient educator training, and challenges linked to policy implementation. This study investigated the realisation of the right to basic education for children with special needs in South Africa. It focused on the legislative and policy frameworks that promote inclusive education. The key questions that the study investigated are: To what extent do the provisions of the South African Schools Act 84 of 1996 comply with the constitutional obligation to guarantee the right to basic education for children with special education needs? What mechanisms are available to the state to best realise these rights in terms of the Constitution? Does the jurisprudence of the Constitutional Court and other superior courts affirm the immediate realisation of the right to basic education under section 29, particularly in relation to children with special education needs? The study utilised qualitative methodology, which involved a doctrinal analysis of primary sources, encompassing constitutional provisions, legislation, and case laws, alongside secondary sources like books, scholarly journal articles, policy documents, reports, government publications, the Education White Paper 6 of 2001, and statistical data. The key findings of this study revealed several significant shortcomings in the Schools Act regarding the provision of education for children with special education needs. The key issues identified included inadequate financial resources, a shortage of trained educators, and insufficient accessible infrastructure, all of which hinder the effective implementation of inclusive education. Furthermore, the state was found to have failed in fulfilling its constitutional obligations under section 29, due to the lack of accountability mechanisms, which hindered the provision of equal educational opportunities. The jurisprudence of the Constitutional Court affirmed the right to basic education as immediately realisable. However, the implementation of this constitutional right remains limited. The recommendations of the study address key areas where improvements are needed. For example, amendments to the Constitution, the Schools Act, and policy reforms
Dietary effects of artemisia afra on stress response in oreochromis mossambicus and clarias gariepinus
Full text linkThesis (M.Sc. (Agriculture)) -- University of Limpopo, 2025The aim of this study was to investigate the anti-stress properties of the A. afra essential oil in Oreochromis mossambicus and Clarias gariepinus subjected to different stressors, namely handling, feed deprivation and stocking density. Ten percent (10%) Artemisia afra was reported to boost immunity in O. mossambicus and C. gariepinus. Artemisia afra contains active ingredients such as polyphenols, phenols, tannins, saponins, flavonoids, carotenoids, alkaloids, and Vitamin C, compounds with various functions such as antioxidant properties. Two diets D1 (0%) and D2 (10%) A. afra were formulated and randomly fed to triplicate groups of Oreochromis mossambicus (30.65 ± 4.61 g) and Clarias gariepinus (38.36 ± 4.89 g) stocked at 15 fish per treatment in a 1000 L tank, filled to a 900 L mark. Fish were fed twice daily (09:00hr and 15:00hr) until apparent satiation.
The effect of handling stress on the opercular beat rate, growth performance, and innate immunity in O. mossambicus and C. gariepinus fed with A. afra-based diets was investigated over a period of 45 days. Different fish species respond differently to handling times, therefore, handling times in O. mossambicus were control (0), 10, 15, and 20 minutes. In C. gariepinus, the handling times were control (0), 15, 30, and 45 minutes. All fish were scooped out of the tank and were handled by gripping the whole body twice daily (09:00hr and 15:00hr) for 3 days a week. Control denotes that there was no fish handling. The results indicated that an increase in opercular beat rate was much higher (P 0.05, ANCOVA) by handling times in both fish species fed with the 10% A. afra-based diet, whereas lysozyme activity in fish fed with the 0% A. afra-based diet significantly declined with increasing handling times (P 0.05, ANCOVA) by feed deprivation periods in both fish species fed with the 10% A. afra-based diet. This may explain why plasma cortisol levels did not rise when fish were under feed deprivation stress. The best glucose levels and blood performance were observed in O. mossambicus deprived of feed for 6 days and C. gariepinus deprived of feed for 12 days fed with the 10% A. afra-based diet. Lysozyme activity followed the same trend as handling stress. The results of this experiment demonstrated that the opercular beat rate, growth performance, and innate of O. mossambicus and C. gariepinus fed with the 10% A. afra were not affected by feed deprivation periods. Additionally, it shows that the 10% A. afra-based diet improved better feed intake, thus affecting growth. Therefore, the null hypothesis is accepted. The last experiment evaluated the effect of stocking density on the opercular beat rate, growth performance, and innate immunity in O. mossambicus and C. gariepinus fed with 0% and 10% A. afra-based diets over a duration of 21 days. The stocking density experiment was limited to 21 days. This shorter duration was sufficient to observe the acute effects of elevated stocking density, such as immediate stress responses, increased competition for resources, and rapid changes in growth performance or opercular beat rate. The fish were stocked in 500 L fibreglass tanks in a completely randomized design. The fish stocking densities for both fish species were as follows; low stocking density (LSD): 1.44 kg/m3 (45 fish/treatment), medium stocking density (MSD): 2.63 kg/m3 (75 fish/treatment), and high stocking density (HSD): 3.68 kg/m3 (105 fish/treatment). The experimental system used for both fish species was the same. In O. mossambicus fed with the 10% A. afra-based diet, the best (P < 0.05, ANCOVA) SGR, feed intake, FCR, and lowest opercular beat rate were recorded at high stocking density (3.68 kg/m3). This suggest that 10% A. afra-based diet maximized feed intake and SGR while minimizing the effects of stress and fish were able to convert feed into body mass efficiently, leading to optimal growth at high stocking density. The highest SGR, feed intake, best FCR and lowest opercular beat rate in C. gariepinus fed with the 10% A. afra-based diet were recorded at medium stocking density (2.63 kg/m3) (P < 0.05, ANCOVA). At medium stocking densities, there was no competition for food and space and as a result, fish stress did not occur. The fish may have been able to channel their energy to feeding instead of fighting stress. Mortality rates were similar to that observed in handling stress and feed deprivation experiments In O. mossambicus, fish fed with the 10% A. afra-based diet recorded the best (P < 0.05, ANCOVA) plasma cortisol, glucose levels compared and blood performance than fish fed with the 0% A. afra-based diet. The lowest plasma cortisol, glucose and blood performance in C. gariepinus was recorded in fish fed with the 10% A. afra-based diet than in fish fed with the 0% A. afra-based diet at medium stocking density (2.63 kg/m3). This may indicate that the 10% A. afra-based diet inclusion may have helped in stabilizing osmotic balance and reducing physiological stress, leading to lower cortisol and glucose levels. These results indicated that the opercular beat rate, growth performance, and innate of O. mossambicus and C. gariepinus fed with the 10% A. afra were not affected by stocking density. Hence, the null hypothesis is accepted. The study showed that Artemisia afra essential oil have the potential to reduce stress when supplemented in the diets of two commonly warm freshwater species when subjected to handling stress, feed deprivation and stocking density. Reducing the stocking density is recommended to maximize the growth and innate immunity of catfish at high densities. While high stocking densities are often necessary in catfish culture to reduce cannibalism, particularly during early developmental stages; excessively high densities can lead to negative impacts on growth performance, water quality, and immune function. Therefore, stocking density must be carefully optimized to balance the reduction of cannibalism with the maintenance of physiological health and growth. Moderately high densities may provide a compromise by minimizing cannibalism without excessively compromising innate immunity and growth. At farm levels, fish can be handled and deprived of feed without adversely affecting the growth and health of fish when supplemented with A. afra essential oil at a concentration of 10%. This may increase warm freshwater aquaculture production and improve the livelihood of local fish farmers.Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment (DFFE)
ROC Water Technologies
French South African Agriculture Institute (F’SAGRI
Social media maintenance expectations and relationship satisfaction among first year psychology students at the University of Limpopo attachment styles as a mediating factor
Full text linkThesis (M. A. (Clinical Psychology)) -- University of Limpopo, 2025This study investigated the relationship between Social Media Maintenance
Expectations (SMME), Relationship Satisfaction (RS), and Attachment Styles among
first-year Psychology students at the University of Limpopo. The research aimed to
understand the mediating role of attachment styles and explore the factors influencing
RS within the context of social media use. The data were collected through surveys
and analysed using mediation analysis and ordinal regression models.
The findings revealed several important insights. First, higher attachment styles were
positively associated with increased RS (P Za = 0.002 < 0.05), even when controlling
for SMME. This highlights the significance of attachment orientations in predicting RS
among first-year Psychology students. Second, individuals with anxious attachment
styles tended to have higher expectations for social media maintenance. This
suggests that attachment styles influence individuals' perceptions of how relationships
should be maintained on social media platforms. Furthermore, SMME played a
significant role in influencing RS, independently of the mediating effect of attachment
styles. The more an individual’s SMME were met, the higher their RS.
These findings highlight the importance of considering attachment styles and SMME
in understanding relationship dynamics and developing interventions to promote
healthy and satisfying relationships among first-year Psychology students.
Recommendations include attachment-aware relationship interventions, education on
healthy social media use, support for relationship building, continued research and
evaluation, and promoting relationship quality awareness. By implementing these
recommendations, educational institutions and counselling centres can provide
effective interventions and support systems to enhance relationship quality and well-being among first-year university student
An overview of disease and health research Vol. 3
Full text linkBookThis book covers key areas of disease and health. The contributions by the
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allergies, sickle cell disease, homozygous state, Arab-Indian haplotype, betaglobin gene, antenatal care, rural-urban disparities, maternal health service,
health care-seeking behaviour. This book contains various materials suitable for
students, researchers, and academicians in the fields of disease and health