11613 research outputs found
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The search for high-energy gamma-ray emission from the close binary system AR Scorpii using Fermi-LAT data
No full textAR Scorpii (AR Sco) is an enigmatic close binary system which is observable across most of the electromagnetic spectrum. Multi-wavelength emission consists of both thermal and non-thermal components, where pulsed non-thermal emission has been observed from radio to X-ray. The apparent lack of accretion in the system also suggests that the highly magnetic white dwarf is primarily spin-powered, similar to pulsars, where particles can be accelerated to produce non-thermal emission. The multi-wavelength nature from radio to X-ray of AR Sco has been extensively studied and presented since 2016, showing a clear non-thermal synchrotron component from optical to X-ray. However, the parameters and processes towards the high-energy regime still need to be clearly verified and explored. Hence, a search for
non-thermal γ-ray emission from AR Sco using archival Fermi data from the past decade has been performed. By using updated Fermi-LAT software and Pass 8 analysis methods, low-level upper-limit emission has been observed above 100 MeV, with a possible low-level pulsed signal at the spin period (Ps = 117 s) of the white dwarf. Given the results, the possibility of non-thermal emission at higher energies can not be excluded. An updated spectral energy distribution using Fermi-LAT data was also produced to
serve as a template for future studies using more sensitive Cherenkov telescope detectors like e.g. the Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA)
Informal economy in the CBD and its contribution to local economic development in Bloemfontein
No full textDissertation (MDS (Development Studies))--University of the Free State, [2021]As a developing nation, South Africa is faced with the triple challenges of unemployment, poverty, and inequality. Therefore, the informal economy is a critical sector for the country to provide livelihood, income and job opportunities for millions of unemployed people and business owners. The South African economy has always catered to developing and establishing formal businesses that meet minimum standards such as registration. Since 1994 when the transition to democracy took place, Local Economic Development has been raised from an isolated development intervention to a mandate enforced for all South Africa’s local authorities. Without any economic activities in the formal sector, unskilled, poor and marginalised South Africans would rely on the informal economy and social grants for survival. Due to its easy access, the informal economy provides various economic activities for the poor. • The main objective of this study was to examine the informal economy in the Central Business District (CBD) and its contribution towards Local Economic Development (LED) in Bloemfontein. The sub-objectives included: to investigate the role of the informal economy for Local Economic Development; to examine the state of informal economy in South Africa, to analyse the importance of informal trading towards economic development in Bloemfotein, to examine the type of support and offer recommendations for informal economy in Bloemfontein CBD. A qualitative study using non-probability sampling was carried out on a sample of 20 informal traders and 5 government officials in the Central Business District of Bloemfontein. Informal traders were selected using a snowballing sampling procedure. Semi-structured interviews using questionnaires were conducted. The research objectives were analysed using a qualitative approach. The results show that informal traders are not supported to their satisfaction. To some extent, no support reaches them; hence the challenge of expansion and combating the triple challenges becomes hard to reach. Further results show a disconnection between local governments and an indication of a strained relationship. Therefore, the study recommends that the government partner with relevant players to execute their policy plans on informal economy. These players may vary from infrastructure development to primary producers and high-end supermarkets. Informal traders are urged to formalise their businesses to leverage their support and opportunities presented by the government
The effects of condonation on the promotion of senior phase mathematics learners into the FET phase
No full textThe purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of condonation on the promotion of senior phase mathematics learners to the FET phase in a selected combined school situated in the Amajuba district in Newcastle in the province of KwaZulu-Natal. The intention of this investigation was to suggest possible learning support strategies teachers could use to improve the performance of condoned mathematics learners in the FET. These learners were assisted to reach the FET phase, despite their not meeting the academic pass requirements; however, they did not receive any academic support to overcome their gaps in knowledge. The literature study was conducted on pertinent theories and the end results of prior studies involving similar concerns and pragmatic research. The researcher used an exploratory case study strategy, that is, a qualitative method in a case study paradigm to investigate the condonation policy and the effects thereof on mathematics by conducting interviews with learners in focus groups and with mathematics teachers. Open-ended questions were compiled for individually interviewing the mathematics teachers and the two focus groups of learners. The data analysis entailed the collation of all the data collected from the participants. The data were transcribed into text, read, coded and categorised, after which themes emerged. A thematic data analysis approach was then followed to analyse the data. The findings suggest that condoning senior phase learners and promoting them to the FET phase result in their not mastering the foundational knowledge required to learn FET mathematics. Hence, condoning senior phase learners in mathematics results in their accumulating gaps in knowledge. Consequently, they struggle to achieve good performance levels in FET mathematics. This may lead to condoned learners failing mathematics in the FET phase, dropping mathematics in favour of the easier mathematical literacy or dropping out of school before reaching Grade 12. Furthermore, the findings of the study suggest that condoned senior phase mathematics learners need to undergo an academic support programme to be retaught the foundational knowledge they have not acquired as a result of condonation. They need to be retaught the basic mathematical concepts by receiving academic support outside the normal school day. An academic support programme is an individualised learning support programme for each condoned mathematics learner who is struggling to achieve good performance levels in FET mathematics. The individual support programme for mathematics comprises various academic teaching and learning support strategies the subject teacher should use to help improve learners’ performance in mathematics. The success of a learning support programme depends on the collaborative relationships stemming from a nurturing teacher, involved parents and positive discipline among learners in group teaching within supplemental learning classes
The prevalence of trauma symptoms and coping used in a disaster-affected community in Johannesburg, South Africa
No full textDissertation (M.Disaster Management (Disaster Management Training and Education Centre for Africa))--University of the Free State, 2021Worldwide, the prevalence of trauma symptoms and coping mechanisms used in a disaster-affected community have received little attention, especially in developing countries. This study, therefore, assessed the prevalence of trauma symptoms and coping mechanisms in the Setswetla informal settlement located within the flood line of the Jukskei River in the Alexandra township, in the city of Johannesburg, South Africa. The area is subject to disasters such as floods and shack fires. This study used the Harvard trauma questionnaire to assess the prevalence of trauma symptoms in Setswetla, and the Brief Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced, known as the brief COPE questionnaire, to determine the coping mechanisms used in the community. The results of the study indicate that 86% of the respondents have experienced or witnessed a disaster, and there is evidence of trauma symptoms among them. Whether the respondent has witnessed a disaster, as well as their income and employment status, relates to the prevalence of trauma symptoms. The Brief COPE questionnaire indicates that respondents exhibiting symptoms of trauma use coping mechanisms. A questionnaire on the experience of the Setswetla community of the Covid-19 pandemic indicates difficulty with complying with the regulations meant to stop the spread of the virus, as overcrowding and shared facilities make social distancing difficult. Loss of livelihoods from the lockdown regulations and the pandemic is also a concern. While the scope of the dissertation does not include addressing poverty and the systemic failure of the mental health system at a national level, recommendations are made for managing trauma and stress at the community level. It is recommended that disaster management first responders, as well as community leaders and community disaster management volunteers, be trained in Psychological First Aid to render initial assistance in the event of a disaster or other traumatic event. It is also recommended that wellness and stress management programmes be introduced in the community to assist residents with alleviating symptoms of stress and trauma and starting conversations around mental health to address the stigma that is still prevalent around such issues. Addressing and preventing symptoms of trauma could lead to improved functioning in Setswetla on an individual and community level
Human Trafficking as motif in fictional reflexive documentary filmmaking: a performance-based research study
No full textHuman trafficking, especially amongst women and girls, is not a new phenomenon. The
trafficking industry has transformed into a global, demand-driven industry with a demand for slavery and commercial sex, with the primary driving force being poverty, with a direct link to the exploitation of people with a lack of education and employment opportunities (Jinnah 2013). Currently, a growing movement, whether in the form of printed or social media, is exposing human trafficking as a real concern. Proper reporting has helped change the general public’s perspective to realising that trafficking is real and impacts people’s lives daily in nearly every region of the world. A documentary film is also often defined as a slice of life piece of art, with the option of being narrative based (Dirks 2017). The modern documentary genre makes use of set interviews with narration, planned cinematography, re-enactments, fictional storytelling inspired by factual events and an immense effort at post-production with regards to editing, graphic-effects, music and sound design. Ultimately this leads to directors having more control over what is shot and finally showcased (Hibbard 2015). Under the documentary genre of filmmaking, Bill Nichols1 establishes six modes in which individuals may create their documentary, setting conventions that these films may implement leaving specific expectations with the viewers. The study made use of a reflexive mode2 of documentary filmmaking. The primary outcome of this study is the production of a reflexive documentary inspired by the narrative of Grizelda Grootboom, a survivor of human trafficking in South Africa, with the aim of creating human trafficking awareness. The formal properties that is incorporated in the production is compiled using a Practice-based Research approach developed by Richard Blyth3.The practical outcome takes the form of a short film, inspired by actual events, namely by the life of Grizelda Grootboom, a human trafficking survivor, as it is told in her autobiography,EXIT!. Due to the leniency given by the reflexive mode of documentary filmmaking, the film’s synopsis is inspired by the autobiography, although not factually accurate to the novel,nthroughout the film. Etsoa!’s narrative is based on the life of fictional human trafficking survivor, Nthabiseng Matsuma, currently in a rehabilitation facility, writing an autobiography. The filmmaker aimed to stay true to the theoretical knowledge obtained in preceding chapters of this study, ensuring that the three major problems and the three stages of human trafficking are addressed
The implementation of the strategic management process by the school management teams in historically disadvantaged public secondary schools
No full textThe problem this study sought to address was the inconsistent and inappropriate implementation of the strategic management process (SMP) by the school management teams (SMTs) in the historically disadvantaged public secondary schools in Motheo District (Free State province). This problem had a negative impact on the management of these schools, and ultimately led to the education system being unable to provide quality education to learners in these schools. To address the above problem, I employed a mixed methods research approach by following an explanatory sequential design. This design is composed of quantitative phase and qualitative phase. In quantitative phase, I employed systematic sampling to select 130 SMT members as the participants. The questionnaire was employed to collect data from these participants; and descriptive statistical analysis was employed to analyse these data. In qualitative phase, three participants were selected from the 130 participants selected in quantitative phase. Face to face semi-structured interviews were employed to collect data; and thematic analysis was employed to analyse these data. The findings of these two phases were integrated to form the findings for this study. The findings revealed that a majority of sampled SMT members consistently and appropriately implemented the SMP, while a minority of sampled SMT members either implemented SMP inconsistently and inappropriately or did not implement it at all. The concern of this study was the latter, who confirmed existence of the above problem in these secondary schools. It was found that these members were unable to implement the SMP in their schools as they had not been trained. This lack of training had manifested itself into confusion, and a lack of understanding and knowledge on how to implement SMP in their schools. As such, it was recommended that Department of Basic Education (DBE) ought to adopt a policy that deals directly with the implementation of the SMP. In addition, DBE ought to train all schools’ SMTs. Each SMT ought to adopt an SMP model, and each school governing body (SGB) ought to allocate enough school funds to address the above problem. It is the understanding of this study that if these recommendations are adequately and properly implemented, may contribute to the solution of the above problem.Department of Basis Education (ETDP-SETA)University of the Free State, School of Postgraduate Studie
Are admission laboratory values in isolation valuable in predicting surgical outcome in patients with perforated peptic ulcers: a retrospective, cohort analytical, observational study
No full textBackground:
Perforated peptic ulcer carries a noteworthy mortality, and admission status is a significant prognosticator thereof. Laboratory values are objective and readily available and therefore ideal for risk stratification. The objective of the study is to calculate the predictive value of admission laboratory values in patients with perforated peptic ulcers.
Methods:
A retrospective, cohort analytical, observational study was performed. All patients with surgically confirmed perforated peptic ulcers at Pelonomi Tertiary Hospital from July 2014 to June 2019 were considered. Demographic data and admission laboratory values were collected from hospital and laboratory electronic databases and theatre books. Outcomes measured were in-hospital mortality, ICU admission and length of stay in ICU and in hospital. The significance of categorical variables was calculated by Chi-square and Fisher’s exact test. Logistic regression analysis considered univariately statistically significant variables. A p-value of < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.
Results:
Over the 5 years 188 patients met the inclusion criteria. The median age was 46 years (15-87) with a male predominance of 71.3 % (N=134). The median length of hospital stay was 7 days (1-94) and 31.4% (N=59) of patients were admitted to the Intensive Care Unit. Operative in-hospital mortality was 25.0% (N=47). Predicting the two categorical outcomes of in-hospital mortality and ICU admission abnormal haemoglobin, platelet count, urea, creatinine and potassium were all found to be statistically significant in univariate analysis. For in-hospital mortality age (OR 1.03 [95% CI 1.01-1.06]), haemoglobin (OR 4.36 [95% CI 0.98-19.39]),) and creatinine (OR 7.76 [95% CI 2.90- 20.74]),) were significant in multivariate analysis and for ICU admission age (OR 1.03 [95% CI 1.00-1.05]),), platelet count (OR2.94 [95% CI 1.24-7.01]),) and creatinine (OR 6.90 [95% CI 2.87-16.61]),). Urea ≥ 10.9mmol/L showed a sensitivity of 70.2% and specificity of 82.1% (AUC 0.79) and creatinine ≥ 109umol/L a sensitivity of 80.9% and specificity of 67.7% (AUC 0.80) in predicting in-hospital mortality.
Conclusions:
The mortality rate in patients with perforated peptic ulcer disease is still substantial. Admission laboratory values shows statistical significance as outcome indicators and are valuable to assist in predicting prognostication. Abnormal high serum creatinine was the strongest single predictor of both mortality and ICU admission
Examining the maturity of South Africa's government departments to implement the infrastructure delivery management system (IDMS)
No full textThe purpose of this exploratory study is to examine the maturity of South Africa’s provincial government departments in engaging with the Infrastructure Delivery Management System (IDMS) towards facilitating effective infrastructure delivery. Furthermore, the study sought to formulate evidence-based interventions that could be utilised by these government departments to engender successful delivery of infrastructure assets and associated services to their beneficiaries. This research was descriptive and employed the quantitative research approach. Data was elicited from three provincial government departments in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Structured maturity modelling questionnaires were deployed for data collection from the respondents. The emergent data was analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS), Version 26. A One-Way ANOVA, aimed at enabling a comparative analysis of differences in the degree of maturity between the three provincial government departments that utilise the IDMS, was conducted. Results from the study indicate that the three departments (cases) had a maturity rating between 3 and 4, signifying well-defined and documented standard processes that can be improved over time. However, an IDMS-ready organisation would ideally have a maturity rating at level 5. In addition, the leadership dimension was found to be a driver of all other dimensions, where a high maturity level under this dimension directly correlates with improved maturity in the other dimensions. It is recommended that adequate management and leadership support is needed to improve organisational maturity in relation to IDMS implementation. The study was confined to KwaZulu-Natal, due to the short survey period for information gathering and data collection. The COVID-19 pandemic also had a great impact on the undertaking of some key research processes mostly affecting the research methodology, particularly during data collection. This study is the first of its kind in South Africa to assess the maturity of provincial government departments to implement the IDMS, which is indicative of an evaluation void gap.Publisher's versio
A cross-sectional study of the practice, knowledge and perception of suncreen use among dermatology patients at Universitas Academic Hospital
No full textBackground: Sunscreens are produced to protect the skin from cutaneous acute and chronic adverse effects of ultraviolet radiation. Their correct use is pivotal in determining their efficacy. Objectives: To assess the practice, knowledge, and perception or understanding with regards to sunscreen use in dermatology patients visiting Universitas dermatology clinic in Bloemfontein, Free State province; by comparing patients with personal skin cancer history and/or risk factors and the group of patients that do not have skin cancer history or risk factors. Methods: Using a questionnaire as a data collection tool, a cross-sectional study was carried out on the days of adult clinic over a period of three weeks. All new and old patients attending the Universitas Academic hospital dermatology clinic, aged 18 years and older, and agreeing to participate, were included in the study. Different parameters were used to
measure the practice, knowledge, and perception regarding sunscreen use and its benefits. Results: 131 out of 150 completed questionnaires qualified to be included in the data analysis. Majority of the respondents were female (64. 6%) and >60 years of age (46.9%). Risk factors for developing skin cancer were used to classify the high risk group which had a total number of 74 respondents (56.5%). The high risk group was compared with the lowrisk group when analysing response data for the practice, knowledge, and perception of sunscreen use. The study revealed that 46 respondents (62.2%) from the high risk group wear sunscreen in comparison with 19 respondents (45.2%) in the low risk group. A significant number of respondents from both groups (21% from the high risk group versus 14.1% from the low risk group) do not use sunscreen correctly. Assessment of the knowledge about sunscreen use demonstrated that 46.7% of the high risk group had slightly more knowledge on proper use of sunscreen as compared to 30% of the low risk group. Although both groups had differing opinions on whether sunscreen is a an over-the-counter drug or merely a cosmetic product, they both acknowledged its protective benefits to the skin. Conclusion: Assessment on the practice and knowledge of sunscreen use highlighted the suboptimal and inappropriate use of sunscreen by dermatology patients, as well as inadequate knowledge about correct use of sunscreen in contrast to having a good perception regarding the protective role of sunscreen against skin cancer. There is a dire need for more education or counselling of all dermatology patients on regular and correct use of sunscreen, particularly for the reduction of skin cancer in high risk individuals
Future ruin for fynbos: Fynbos Interpretation and Regeneration Centre: Berg River Dam, Franschhoek
No full textThe fynbos biome is a natural splendour in South Africa, however, not a lot of people are educated on the complexities of the biome and how to conserve it for future generations. A small farm school ruin situated between Franschhoek and the Jonkershoek Nature Reserve has fallen into disuse and decay but planted a seed for many possibilities. The educational background and location of the ruin present the opportunity for a new intervention, driven by Cape Nature, that builds on the past function, creating a place that educates hikers, tourists, and locals alike on the importance of fynbos. A Fynbos Interpretation and Regeneration Centre is proposed to bridge the gap between human and nature through architectural spaces. In order to create a symbiotic relationship between man and nature the proposed intervention builds on the past, to educate the present and future generations about the fynbos biome. Time serves as an important element in the Fynbos Interpretation and Regeneration Centre as it is the architect of ruin, thus time and ruin will be used as tools to instil nature appreciation. The design is intended to decay, allowing nature to take back the place, leaving behind fragments of the past whilst still serving the intended purpose of celebrating fynbos. With time the proposal aims to regenerate the surrounding landscape, whereafter it will leave behind a ruin that continues to enhance the phenomenological experience of the place