21623 research outputs found
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Leveraging machine learning for spatio-temporal monitoring of carbon sequestration in urban reforested landscapes in eThekwini Municipality, South Africa.
No full textDoctoral Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg.Urbanization and expanding cities have emerged as major drivers of deforestation, forest degradation, and associated carbon emissions. While urban areas account for a disproportionate share of global greenhouse gas emissions, urban reforestation initiatives provide significant opportunities for climate change mitigation. This study investigates the utility of remote sensing and machine learning techniques for quantifying, mapping, and tracking carbon accumulation and storage by reforested urban landscapes. Through a systematic literature review, multisource satellite data integration (i.e. Sentinel-1, Sentinel-2, Rapideye and Planetscope spectral data), time-series image analysis, and future climate scenario modelling (i.e., CMIP6 models with 3 representative climate pathways in shared socio-economic pathways RCP-SSP), the research demonstrates the capabilities of geospatial analytics for robust carbon monitoring to strengthen localized climate action planning. Key findings showcase the ability of remote sensing spectral data, derived from the multisource satellite integration, to map heterogeneous reforested biomass and model spatiotemporal variations in aboveground carbon stocks across an urban landscape in South Africa, over seven years. Comparative assessment of reforestation carbon accumulation based on ecological history informs management prioritization for optimized climate benefits. Furthermore, simulation of carbon stocks using remote sensing data, climate models and machine learning indicate a shift in carbon accumulation under the three shared socioeconomic pathways, with the low emissions pathway showing an increase in carbon overtime. The methodological framework in this study delivers an adaptable tool for continuous near real-time quantification of urban forest carbon accumulation to support evidence-based decision-making through targeted monitoring, strategic expansions, and adaptive management. While underscoring the immense potential of urban reforestation for mitigation, the research highlights the need to refine an understanding of realized carbon capture rates, utilize emerging data sources such as Planetscope, Sentinel-1 and 2, and Rapid-Eye, expand spatio-temporal assessments, and integrate economic valuations to maximize climate policy impacts. This contributes to sustainable forest management and climate change mitigation.
Iqoqa.
Ukwenzabudolobha nokukhuliswa kwamadolobha kuvela njengento enkulu egqugquzela ukucekela phansi amahlathi, ukwehlisa izingabunjalo lamahlathi nalokho okuhlobene nokukhipha ikhabhoni. Ngesikhathi izindawo ezingamadolobha zibalelwa ekungahlukanisweni kahle komthelelasivuvu somhlaba sokukhishwa kwesisi umhlaba jikelele, ukuqaliswa kokuqalwa kwamahlathi emadolobheni kwanikezela ngamathuba asemqoka okuqeda ukuguquka kwesimomvama sezulu. Lolu cwaningo luphenya ngokusetshenziswa kwenzwakude namaqhingakwenza okufunda ngomshini, ukubala, ukuhlonza nokulandelela ukuqongelelwa kwekhabhoni nokugcinwa kwezindawo ezitshalwe kabusha amahlathi emadolobheni. Ngokohlelo lokubuyekezwa kwemibhalo, ukuhlanganiswa kwemininingo yesathelayithi yemithombominingi (okuyi, iSentinel-1, iSentinel-2, iRapideye nePlanetscope spectral data), ukuhlaziywa kwemifanekiso yochungechunge lwezikhathi nemodelingi yesiqagulo sangomuso sesimomvama sezulu sangomuso (okuyizinsulakuzo ze-CMIP6 ezimigudu emi-3 emele i-RCP-SSP yesimomvama sesimo sezulu emigudwini yenhlalomnotho okwabelwene ngayo), ucwaningo lwabonisa ukuhlaziywa kokwazi komhlabasikhala wokuqashwa ngamandla kwekhabhoni ukuze kuqiniswe uhlelo olusebenzayo lwesimomvama sezulu esikhona.
Okumqoka okwatholwa ucwaningo kwabonisa amandla emininingo eqoqozinhlobo zenzwakude, esuka kundidiyela yesathelayithi emthombominingi, ukuhlonza isiphehlimandla sokutshalwa kwamahlathi anhlobonhlobo nokwahlukana kwesikhashana kwemodeli yendawosikhathi yendawo ephezulu yezitokwe zekhabhoni ezindaweni zonke ezisemadolobheni eNingizimu Afrika, ngaphezu kweminyaka eyisikhombisa. Uhloloqhathaniso lokuqongelelwa kokutshalwa kwamahlathi ekhabhoni okugxile emlandweni wezemvelo kwazisa ngokulawulwa kokubekwa phambili kwemihlomulo eseqophelweni eliphezulu lesimomvama sezulu. Ngaphezu kwalokho, isingakwenza lezitokwe zekhabhoni kusetshenziswa imininingo yenzwelakude, amamodeli esimomvama sezulu nokufunda ngomshini kwakhombisa ukuguquka ekuqongelweni kwekhabhoni phansi kwemigudu emithathu yenhlalomnotho eyatshiwe nemigudu ekhipha kancane ekhombisa ukukhula kwekhabhoni ngesikhathi. Uhlaka lwendlelakwenza kulolu cwaningo lwaletha ithuluzi eliyimvumelanisasimo sokuqhubeka nokubala isikhathi sangampela esiseduze nokuqongelelwa kwekhabhoni yamahlathi asemadolobheni ukuze kwesekwe ukuthathwa kwezinqumo okugxile ebufakazini bokuqashwa kokuqokiwe, amasu okwandisa kanye nokumelana nokulawula. Ngenkathi kugcizelelwa okungaba namandla ukuqeda ukutshalwa kwamahlathi emadolobheni, ucwaningo lwagqamisa isidingo sokukhanyisa kahle ngokuqondwa ngokubonwa kwamazinga okugcinwa kwekhabhoni, ukusetshenziswa kwemithombo yemininingo efikayo njengePlanetscope, iSentinel-1 neye-2, neRapid-Eye, ukwandisa ukuhlola kwesikhashana kwendawosikhathi, nokuhlanganisa isilinganiso sentengo yezomnotho ukuze kubekwe ezingeni eliphezulu imithelela yenqubomgomo yesimomvama sezulu. Lokho kwenza ukuba kube nokulawulwa kokugcinwa kwamahlathi nokuqedwa koguquko lwesimomvama sezulu
Teacher support for students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in a special needs school.
No full textMasters Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban.Students with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) often experience academic and social problems at school because of their behaviour. The teacher becomes the main figure who can help students with ADHD in the school through the implementation of different support strategies to make teaching and learning easy for a student with ADHD in a special needs classroom. The study aimed to explore Teacher Support for Students with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in a Special Needs School. The study was conducted in a special needs school in Kwamashu, Durban. Six participants were selected purposely for this study. Pseudonyms were used in this report to protect the identities of the participants and the school. This study employed the qualitative approach and an interpretivist paradigm, as it was grounded in the world of lived experiences. Data was produced using interviews and observation. The study was based on Urie Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Systems Theory, offering valuable insights into child development and the crucial role teachers play in supporting students with ADHD to facilitate effective teaching and learning. Collaborating with the community and parents, teachers help children succeed in school by building a strong foundation through ecological systems. According to the data collected from the participants, it was evident that some teachers possess a strong understanding of ADHD support strategies, while others lack this knowledge. This disparity poses a significant challenge for teachers when it comes to providing adequate support to students in special needs classrooms. Based on the data, it was found that certain teachers did not receive adequate training on ADHD and support strategies for students with ADHD during their university education. This lack of detailed coverage of ADHD in the curriculum has resulted in teachers being less proficient in developing intervention support strategies for ADHD students. There is a need for teachers to receive more training on ADHD support strategies to be able to support their students in their classrooms. The government can also play a major role by providing special needs teachers with workshops to educate them more about support strategies
Sexy selfies, girls and the performance of heterosexuality.
No full textMasters Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban.Research has shown that teenage girls' engagement with sexually suggestive selfies often places them in a position of passivity and subordination to the male gaze, reinforcing stereotypes about female sexuality. This study explores this phenomenon by utilising the
ontological frameworks of Deleuze and Guattari, along with feminist interpretations of concepts such as "assemblage," "becoming," "territorialisation," "de-territorialisation," and "affect." The study examines how social media platforms can both expand and restrict teenage
girls' sexual expression. It argues that while posting provocative selfies can serve as an opportunity for girls to explore their sexuality, it can also perpetuate dominant ideologies rooted in heteronormative norms, ultimately reinforcing male entitlement over girls' bodies and limiting their agency. In the South African context, these dominant ideologies are further complicated by racialised beauty standards and slim-thick ideals, which perpetuate hierarchies of femininity. Data was collected from 30 black teenage girls through semi-structured interviews and focus group
discussions that included photo elicitation. The results highlighted the conflicting experiences that girls face when navigating their online sexuality. While they actively perform heterosexual desirability through sexy selfies, they simultaneously encounter harmful gender norms that
restrict their expressions of sexiness. The study concludes that new feminist materialism provides a valuable framework for understanding the complex dynamics at play when girls negotiate their sexuality online. This approach should be further developed and incorporated into future research. The study also recommends that stakeholders such as government officials, educators, and parents create safer spaces for teenage girls to express their concerns about social media. Teachers should be provided with resources that address the gendered risks young people face online, and teenage girls should be educated on safe ways to navigate online sexual expressions
Analysis of the gut microbiome sheds insights into breed resilience and the challenges of antimicrobial resistance in Dohne merino sheep.
No full textMasters Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg.This study focused on analysing the gut microbiome of Dohne Merino, one of South Africa’s leading sheep breeds, that is also reared in Australia, New Zealand, and other European countries. Dohne Merino is of high economic importance in South Africa as it maintains livelihoods in many small rural communities. In South Africa, sheep and other livestock are exposed to multiple diseases and parasites. The efforts to manage these diseases and infections while keeping high productivity have led to an increased usage of antimicrobials in agriculture. This has resulted in high prevalence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), that is a primary global concern demanding surveillance and action. Some sheep breeds and populations are known to be resilient to diseases, harsh production, and environmental conditions and have low AMR prevalence, which could be due to the defense provided by their gut microbiome. Studying the gut microbiome is essential because the gut microbiome contributes to animal nutrition and
health. The study investigated the gut microbial environment of South African Dohne merino sheep. Metagenomic sequencing of the rumen, reticulum, omasum, and abomasum of six mature Dohne Merino ewes that were raised on open pasture was performed. Illumina HiSeq2500 was used to generate a total of 15million reads of 150bp illumina base pairs. The members of the microbial population were fully characterised, and the resistome of the gut was analysed. The microbial population was studied at phylum, class, order, genus, and species level, with bacteria being the most abundant and diverse domain. Other present domains included archaea and viruses. Majority of the microbial population was Bacteroides (53,9%) and Firmicutes (25,4%). Two illness-related bacterial phyla were also identified, Actinobacteria and Cyanobacteria. Identified archaea belonged to the phyla Candidatus Asgardarchaeota, Candidatus Thermoplasmatota, and Euryarchaeota. The observed viral population was very diverse with a total of 5 realms, 8 kingdoms,13 phyla, and 21 classes. Many of the viruses were dsDNA phages belonging to the Duplodnaviria realm. Disease-linked RNA viruses belonging to the Riboviria realm were also observed. Riboviria members have been associated with diseases such as influenzae, rabies and the corona virus. The relationships between microbiome composition and AMR prevalence across the four gut compartments were assessed. A total of 12 AMR genes were identified in the gut and were found to confer resistance to 15 antimicrobials. The observed antimicrobial resistance profiles were low compared to those reported for other breeds and species implying breed resilience of the Dohne Merino sheep. The analysis of the resistance profiles within the compartments revealed that, the higher the diversity, the lower the prevalence of AMR. The overall high diversity of the gut microbiome is the probable cause of breed resilience in Dohne Merino sheep. Additionally, the observed AMR high prevalence with no clinical symptoms of AMR in the animals is also indicative of breed resilience. More studies that will investigate the relationships between the gut microbiome and AMR prevalence are required and the knowledge generated can then be applied to overcome the challenges of AMR in livestock species.EMBARGO ON THESIS, release date 01 January 2025
Teacher learning through teacher learning communities (TLCs): a case of consumer studies teachers in one district in KwaZulu-Natal.
No full textDoctoral Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban.This study aimed to better understand how Consumer Studies teachers learned through Teacher Learning Communities (TLCs) in one district in KwaZulu-Natal. Recurring curriculum changes that have plagued the South African education system have been evident in Consumer Studies as
a subject. As a result, to ensure that teachers understand the continuous changes and implementation in the subject, there is a need for Consumer Studies teachers to be developed professionally to ensure that the quality of their teaching is up to the required standard, and they
are kept abreast with the latest developments. The study is grounded in the Community of Practice (CoP) theoretical framework. The study utilised a qualitative case study design supported by the interpretive paradigm. The ten Consumer Studies teachers teaching the subject were purposefully selected through purposive sampling. Data were generated through telephonic semi-structured interviews, WhatsApp-based Focus group interviews and reflective journals. The generated data were thematically analysed. The study's findings indicated that Consumer Studies teachers learned through various platforms and forms within their schools and outside the schools. The study revealed the benefits of
engaging as a community in various programmes such as developmental workshops, subject committees, moderations and conferences. Although Consumer Studies teachers were engaging in TLCs through different forms, challenges encountered during learning limited the way learning occurred in these programmes. Given the constraints imposed by the circumstances in Consumer Studies on the effective face-to-face interactions among teachers in learning communities, the participants adopted a supportive culture and interdependent strategies that facilitated their learning community engagements. This created the availability of excess resources and expertise that the Consumer Studies teachers could tap into. They utilised social media platforms with which they were conversant to communicate and share teaching materials while fostering social interaction. Based on the findings, the study found the need to improve the implementation of TLCs for better learning. The study also made recommendations to effect the needed changes to enhance teachers’ engagement in Consumer Studies learning community programmes
The complexity of women’s roles in Boko Haram terrorist activities in North-East, Nigeria.
No full textResearch Articles. Criminology and Forensic Studies.This concept paper examined the multifaceted roles of women in the Boko Haram insurgency in North-East Nigeria. Drawing on social movement theory and gender and power dynamics theory, the paper explored how women are both victims and perpetrators of Boko Haram's violence. It highlighted the ways in which women are influenced by the group's ideology and the challenges they face in resisting its control. The paper also discussed the importance of addressing the needs of women who have been affected by Boko Haram and promoting gender equality in the region. Addressing the challenges faced by women in Boko Haram requires a multifaceted approach that recognises the diverse experiences and needs of women within the insurgency. This includes providing support to women who have been abducted or forced into marriage, promoting gender equality within Boko Haram and addressing the root causes of the insurgency. By implementing these recommendations, it is possible to address the complex challenges posed by Boko Haram and to build a more just and equitable society in North-East Nigeria
The african notion of God: an examination of Kwasi Wiredu's quasi-physicality and materiality.
No full textDoctoral Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg.No abstract available
Analysis of the products from mixed plastic waste pyrolysis.
No full textMasters Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban.The utilization of plastic products has grown significantly in the last several decades and consequently expanded the production rate of plastic products, as well as increased pollution rates of waste plastic globally. Pyrolysis processes may be a feasible alternative for the management of non-recyclable plastic waste such as mixed plastic. During this process, plastics (individual or mixed types) are reacted at high temperatures (generally from 300°C to 900°C) to crack and breakdown. Products such as pyrolysis liquid, wax, gas, and char result from the process. South African legislation on pyrolysis emissions has caused several pyrolysis facilities in KwaZulu-Natal to halt operations due to non-compliance. Hence, pyrolysis technologies for the treatment of plastics needs to be analysed and redesigned/optimized to reduce emissions such that it complies with legislation. This work falls under a broader research project with the goal of developing an optimized pyrolysis process with novel aspects to manage mixed waste plastic through catalytic pyrolysis. This dissertation focuses specifically on the analysis of components generated from catalyzed lab-scale plastic pyrolysis. Plastic pyrolysis experiments were conducted using a feedstock of compounded low-density polyethylene (LDPE), high-density polyethylene (HDPE), and polypropylene (PP) and mixtures of these plastics at 450°C and vacuum of approximately 42 kPa. Zinc oxide powder was used as the catalyst, and its effect was investigated in comparison to the thermal (uncatalysed) pyrolysis process. The selection of the conditions and catalyst used are described in detail within this dissertation. Product yields of the pyrolysis liquid, wax, char, and gas were determined through weighing and mass balance. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was used to perform chemical analyses on the liquid and wax to determine the types of components constituting these products. Additionally, the emissions were analysed to identify the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) present. The results indicated that the zinc oxide catalyst effectively enhanced the pyrolysis experiments and increased the combined liquid and wax product yields, which are the desirable products. Pure LDPE and HDPE pyrolysis with catalyst to feed ratios of 5:100 produced 78.3 wt % and 78.2 wt % of combined liquid and wax yields respectively. This was relatively high compared to the other pure plastic experiments with and without catalyst. However, uncatalysed HDPE pyrolysis produced a combined liquid and wax yield of 85.4 % but required a longer reaction time. The use of zinc oxide catalyst (5:100 ratio) in LDPE pyrolysis experiments reduced reaction times by approximately 14 hours compared to the uncatalyzed experiment. Reaction times of catalysed (5:100) HDPE and PP pyrolysis experiments were reduced by 1 hour 30 minutes (HDPE) and 15 minutes (LDPE) compared to their respective uncatalyzed experiments. Pure PP pyrolysis produced the highest gas yields (ranging from 17.7 wt % to 19.2 wt %). Mixed plastic feed experiments with higher proportions of compounded LDPE produced the highest combined liquid and wax yields. The usage of catalyst caused a reduction of gas yields in many of the mixed plastic pyrolysis experiments. According to the GC-MS analyses, the use of 5:100 zinc oxide catalyst to feed ratio produced the lowest total VOC peak area percentages for many of the pure plastic feed types, however it seems the catalyst caused greater fractions of VOCs to form in the mixed plastic experiments. Many of the liquid and wax analysis results indicated a large proportion of components within the C12 to C27 range. This indicates that the liquid products potentially had similar properties to diesel fuel and correlates with the results of similar studies in the literature. Furthermore, the 5:100 zinc oxide catalyst to feed specification produced the highest combined liquid and wax yields in many of the experiments. A catalysed (5:100) experiment using a feedstock of 32.3 wt % LDPE, 34.52 wt % HDPE, and 33.18 wt % PP indicated a trade-off between high liquid + wax yields, reasonable VOC content in emissions, lower gas yields, and lower energy usage per gram of product formed relative to experiments with other feed compositions. A preliminary life cycle gate to gate analysis was conducted for the laboratory scale process, and it was determined that the major power consuming units, heating mantle, condensing circulator and vacuum pump contribute approximately equally to the indirect CO2 emissions for the process, assuming they are operating at capacity. Pure LDPE pyrolysis had the highest CO2 emissions per gram of desirable product obtained (3.83 2 ) while PP pyrolysis with a catalyst ratio of 10:100 had the lowest CO2 emissions (0.31 2). In the mixed plastic experiments, the CO2 emissions increased as the amount of LDPE in the feed was increased. The proportion of gas product streams that would be considered volatile organic compounds (VOCs) constituted between 32-83 % for each experiment. The total VOCs was lowest in mixed plastic pyrolysis experiments where approximately equal proportions of compounded LDPE, HDPE and PP was used as the feed, compared to the other sets. It was observed that the use of catalyst (5:100) generally increased the total VOCs and the carbon number of the most abundant VOCs in the gas stream in the mixed plastic experiments
An assessment of gold nanoclusters in the delivery of therapeutic siRNA to breast cancer cells in vitro.
No full textDoctoral Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban.Strategies that inhibit the expression of aberrant genes have potential in the treatment of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), a highly heterogeneous subtype of breast cancer that lacks targeted treatments. Small interfering RNA (siRNA)-mediated knockdown of the inflammatory cytokine tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and the oncogene c-MYC has emerged as a potential novel TNBC therapy. siRNA, however, requires a vector to ensure safe and successful delivery into the target cells. Gold nanoclusters (AuNC) are novel ultrasmall nanoparticles (NPs) that have been widely investigated as imaging agents due to their unique optical properties, and have recently gained attention as vectors for gene delivery. This study aimed to synthesize and functionalize AuNC and investigate their potential as vectors for the delivery of siRNA in selected breast cancer cell lines. AuNC were synthesized through glutathione reduction of chloroauric acid and functionalized with chitosan and polyethylene glycol in weight ratios of 1% and 2%. The synthesized AuNC and its functionalized counterpart (FAuNC) were characterized using UV-visible and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Interactions between the FAuNC and siRNA were investigated using the gel retardation, ethidium bromide intercalation, and nuclease protection assays. In vitro studies were conducted in three cell lines, the hormone receptor positive MCF-7, TNBC MDA-MB-231, and non-cancer HEK293. Cytotoxicity and cellular uptake of the FAuNC were evaluated using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) cytotoxicity assay and fluorescence microscopy, respectively. The in vitro effects of anti-TNF-α siRNA delivery were investigated using flow cytometry to determine the effects on the apoptosis and oxidative stress levels, and cell cycle distribution in treated cells. Knockdown efficiency was evaluated in vitro using anti-c-MYC siRNA, targeting the upregulated MYC oncogene, in MCF-7 cells. Reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) were conducted to assess gene knockdown at the mRNA and protein levels, respectively. UV spectroscopy and TEM confirmed the synthesis of nanoclusters less than 2 nm in diameter. NTA analysis showed all FAuNC to display appropriate hydrodynamic diameters for cellular uptake and good colloidal stability. All FAuNC were capable of effectively binding and condensing siRNA, and providing protection from complete degradation by RNase A. The MTT cytotoxicity assay showed all FAuNC to be well-tolerated in all cell lines. Cellular uptake studies indicated successful interactions between FAuNC and cells, suggesting successful uptake. Flow cytometry assays showed delivery of anti-TNF-α siRNA to have little effect on the growth of HEK293 and MCF-7 cells; however, delivery in MDA-MB-231 cells was observed to lead to slight increases in apoptosis and oxidative stress levels, and slight shifts in cell cycle distribution. Based on these results, the AuCS-2% PEG were chosen as vectors for gene silencing studies. From qPCR and ELISA, the AuCS-2% PEG did not induce significant knockdown of the c-MYC gene. Overall, the FAuNC synthesized in this study showed favourable physicochemical characteristics and low cytotoxicity in vitro, but the results obtained warrant further optimization of the PEGylated FAuNC should they be considered for delivery of siRNA
An analysis of the religio-cultural perception of abortion of marange people of Zimbabwe using a feminist engagement.
No full textMasters Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg.This study uses a feminist approach to analyse Marange people’s religio-cultural perceptions of abortion in Marange district of Manicaland province in Zimbabwe. The study was motivated by an increase in maternal mortality observed in Marange rural district. The study seeks to answer the key research question, which is: How can a feminist critical engagement with Marange people’s perceptions of abortion contribute to life-affirmation of young women in Marange? Young and old women in Marange district expressed their views, attitudes and perceptions of abortion as one of women’s sexual reproductive rights. This study excludes males and minors’ participation. The theoretical frameworks used in this study are Feminist Cultural Hermeneutics and Reproductive Justice. Feminist Cultural Hermeneutics looks at how women’s understanding of certain concepts is influenced by a given culture at a given time. Reproductive Justice advocates for freedom of choice by women in any given society. These clearly show that the social needs and individual bodily aspects of pregnant women cannot be separated. According to the interviewed Marange women, unwanted pregnancies are the major cause of backyard abortions, which are rampant in Marange. The study found that Marange women use a variety of abortifacients to terminate unwanted pregnancies. It is surprising to note that despite the designed strict abortion policies, men at times support, initiate and fund clandestine abortion acts, when they intend to cover up the shame and decline the responsibility begotten from unwanted pregnancies that occur outside of marriage