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Effects of hypohydration and fluid balance in athletes’ cognitive performance: a systematic review
Get PDFBackground: The effects of progressive body fluid loss on athletic and cognitive performance are known to result from exposure to environmental heat stress, morphologic factors, and limited fluid replenishment. Athletes need to restore lost body water. However, athletes may fail to maintain euhydration during exercise. This systematic review investigated hypohydration and fluid balance effects on an athlete’s cognitive function.
Methods: The PubMed, Sports Discuss, and Ebsco databases were searched for studies reporting on hypohydration, fluid balance and heat on cognitive performance in sport. Multiple phrases including hydration, dehydration, fluid balance, mood, cognition, vigilance, decision making, and brain were explored. Participants in the studies did either receive fluid or did not receive fluid during exercise.
Results: Twenty-four trials (n=493 participants) from 24 articles met the inclusion criteria. Significant hypohydration, >2% body mass loss was reported consistently in 16 publications. Five articles where hypohydration was associated with heat stress and limited fluid intake (3-5% body mass loss) impaired cognitive performance. Mood disturbance, fatigue, and ratings of perceived exertion constantly complemented hypohydration impairment on cognition.
Conclusion: Findings show that hypohydration impairs cognitive performance and mood at higher levels of 3-5% body mass loss. However, sport-specific cognitive protocols of accessing hypohydration and fluid balance in individual and team sports remain equivocal
Depicting the Black African Refugee in The Jungle by Joe Murphy and Joe Robertson
Get PDFDepicting the Black African Refugee in The Jungle by Joe Murphy and Joe RobertsonThis paper explores the depiction of black African refugees in The Jungle, a 2017 play by two young British playwrights, Joe Murphy and Joe Robertson.
The Jungle is a theatrical recreation of the lives of refugees from the migrant camp in Calais, from which hundreds of refugees made – and still make –
often fatal attempts to enter the UK through the Channel Tunnel. The graphic images of the squalid living conditions of its residents – many of them from
Africa – dominated the news, as did the dramatic manner in which the camp was dismantled in 2016. This paper is interested in the textual gestures and
representational decisions of the playwrights in the written play that provide clues to the possible ways in which black Africans are thought of and
constructed in the minds of Europeans. In this way, this inquiry contributes to analysing literary engagements with contemporary African migration to Europe provided from European points of view
An in silico approach to understanding the role of P450s involved in secondary metabolites production in mycobacterial species
Get PDFA dissertation submitted in fulfilment of the requirement for the Degree of Master of Science in the Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Agriculture and Engineering, at the University of Zululand, 2022.Cytochrome P450 monooxygenases (P450s/CYPs) are ubiquitous enzymes with unique regio- and stereo-selective oxidation activities. Due to these properties, P450s play a key role in the biosynthesis of natural metabolites. Mycobacterial species are well-known producers of complex metabolites that help them survive in diverse ecological niches, including in the host. In this study, a comprehensive analysis of P450s and their role in natural metabolite synthesis in 2666 mycobacterial species have been carried out. The study revealed the presence of 62815 P450s that can be grouped into 182 P450 families and 345 subfamilies. Blooming (presence of more than one copy of the same gene) and expansion (presence of the same gene in many species) were observed at the family and subfamily levels. CYP135 was the dominant family in mycobacterial species. The mycobacterial species have distinct P450 profiles, indicating lifestyle impacts P450 content in their genome vis a vis P450s play a key role in organisms' adaptation. Analysis of the P450 profile revealed a gradual loss of P450s from non-pathogenic to pathogenic mycobacteria. Pathogenic mycobacteria have more P450s in biosynthetic gene clusters that produce natural metabolites. This indicates that P450s are recruited for the biosynthesis of unique metabolites, thus helping these pathogens survive in their niches. This study is the first to analyze P450s and their role in natural metabolite synthesis in many mycobacterial species
Exploring grade 12 learners’ graphical interpretation of rate and extent of reaction: a case study of King Cetshwayo district grade 12 learners
Get PDFA dissertation submitted to the Department of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education in fulfilment of the Requirements for a Master of Education in the Faculty of Education at the University of Zululand, 2022.Graphs are very important in all areas of science, and they are an essential part of tertiary, high school, and primary school curricula around the world. A solid understanding of graph interpretation is essential for understanding today's world and becoming a scientifically literate. However, graph interpretation is a complex and challenging activity. The aim of this study was to explore learners’ graphical interpretation of the rate and extent of reaction topic. A mixed-method explanatory sequential design was adopted for this study. A purposive sampling technique was used to sample participants from the accessible population in King Cetshwayo District KwaZulu-Natal province in South Africa. One-hundred and forty-six (146) grade 12 Physical Sciences learners, formed the sample from King Cetshwayo District. A validated three-tier diagnostic questionnaire and semi-structured interviews were used to collect data. The findings indicated that learners rely on definitions to interpret graphs. Most of the learners failed to interpret the surface features of the graphs. Interpretations were ranked hierarchical (Curcio’s levels) to measure learners’ graphical literacy and most learners struggled with lower levels. The findings of this study are diagnostic and they assist module designers and educators in determining challenges learner’s face when interpreting graphs in chemistry. Further studies are needed to determine how surface features can be employed to address graphical interpretation in chemical kinetics
An exploration of translanguaging in a grade ten reading class in Ntambanana circuit schools
Get PDFA dissertation submitted in fulfillment of the academic requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in the Department of African Languages in the Faculty of Arts, University of Zululand, 2022.Learners’ poor performance in schools is of grave concern in South Africa due inter alia, to low literacy and numeracy levels. It has been found that, comparatively, learners in South Africa lag behind other learners in other countries in terms of their ability to read with comprehension. The study aimed to explore the employment of translanguaging as a teaching strategy aimed at improving learner comprehension in a Grade ten reading class. Three rural high schools were selected which offer English as a second language and isiZulu as a home language. Ten Grade ten learners in each school were purposively sampled and the study comprised thirty learners. The findings revealed that while some learners are competent enough in English, mainly due to their backgrounds, most of them comprehend better, and they responded more correctly to comprehension-seeking questions when the input language was their home language (isiZulu). The learners in the three high schools pointed out after writing the comprehension tests that even if the text can be written in their second language (English) and they read it without understanding some words and some paragraphs, but if they are questioned in their home language, they can respond with ease to the questions. The findings clearly demonstrate the role that learners’ home language should play in in their learning. The study, therefore, recommends translanguaging as a teaching strategy that teachers can employ to improve learner comprehension and to ensure that learners benefit from their entire linguistic repertoire.Learners, schools, translanguagin
Tropical cyclones in the northern Mozambique Channel: composite intra-seasonal forcing and 2019 event
Get PDFTropical cyclones in the northern Mozambique Channel: composite intra‑seasonal forcing and 2019 eventTropical cyclone (TC) activity in the northern Mozambique Channel (nMC) during the satellite era is studied, culminating with the anomalous 2019 season. We identify 21 westward-moving TCs since 1979 and analyze regional to local conditions as they move over the nMC. As easterly flow is needed to steer these TC into the channel and over land, we look for scenarios under which this flow is established along with thermodynamic conditions necessary to support TCs. At seasonal scales there is a dichotomy between westward steering flow and reduced thermodynamic energy during Pacific La Niña and cool-phase Indian Ocean Dipole (–IOD). Equatorial convective systems (Madden Julian Oscillation, MJO) entering the west Indian Ocean can trigger TC formation and subtropical ridging, more effectively at the end of austral summer. Conditions in early 2019 favoured westward flow over Madagascar. The onset of warm phase+IOD was evident in the Walker circulation and downwelling ocean Rossby wave that warmed SST to 31 °C north of Madagascar. High-amplitude MJO triggered the genesis of TCs Idai (March) and Kenneth (April) and both TCs transited the Mozambique Channel causing unprecedented foods. TC Kenneth intensified rapidly, and satellite rainfall and upper level ozone indicated the presence of a southern spiral cloud band that shielded the TC from the sub-tropical jet over Madagascar. Numerical model forecasts of track and intensity are evaluated
Principals’ leadership practices and their influence on primary schools’ teachers’ performance in Shiselweni region of eSwatini
Get PDFA thesis submitted in fulfilment of the academic requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Curriculum and Instructional Studies in the Faculty of Education, University of Zululand, 2022.Leadership forms the cornerstone of quality teaching and learning. In order for schools to produce quality results, effective leadership is imperative. Effective leadership is benchmarked on the leadership practices used by the school principal. Depending on their leadership styles, principals can impact teaching and learning either positively or negatively. Therefore, this study explored principals’ leadership practices and their influence on primary schools teachers’ performance in the Shiselweni region of Eswatini.
Using the embedded mixed method, the study used a sample of 110 participants, who comprised 10 primary school principals and 100 teachers. The principals were selected using purposive sampling whereas the teachers were selected using stratified random sampling. Qualitative data were collected using semi-structured interviews and quantitative data were collected using Likert scale questionnaires. The interviews were conducted with the school principals, whereas the questionnaires were distributed to the teachers.
Qualitative data were analysed using thematic content analysis, whereas quantitative data were analysed statistically using both descriptive and inferential statistics through the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) (Version 28). The findings revealed that there was a strong positive correlation between teachers’ performance and principal leadership styles. However, the findings indicated no particular leadership style was suitable in all situations. To improve teacher morale, principals need be supportive, and the school environment has to be conducive. As revealed by the findings, teachers’ performance is positively influenced by adequate teaching and learning materials as well as opportunities for professional growth and fulfilment.
Based on the findings, the study concludes that good leadership practices promote effective teaching and learning and vice versa. Teachers are also likely to perform better when they feel important and when their needs are met. Therefore, the study recommends that principals adopt situational leadership practices. Principals should involve teachers in decision making so that they do not feel alienated. The welfare of teachers also should be taken seriously as it influences their performance
Evaluating Routing Protocol for Low power and Lossy Networks (RPL)-Based Load Balancing Routing Algorithms in Internet of Things (iot) Networks
Get PDFA dissertation submitted in fulfillment of the academic requirements for the degree of Master of Science in the Department of Computer Science in the Faculty of Science, Agriculture and Engineering, University of Zululand, 2022.The Internet of Things (IoT) is the network of different objects communicating different information in different scenarios. The networking objects are embedded with low-power devices that are responsible for collecting data in the physical environment and transmitting the data from one point to another. Routing is a mandatory factor in low-power devices to improve data transmission due to the volume of data transmitted in an IoT network. The Internet engineering task force designed an IPv6 routing protocol for low-power and lossy network (RPL) to govern data transmission in low-power devices. However, RPL fails to transmit data effectively in large IoT networks because it does not balance the load distribution during data transmission. Load balancing is the factor that enables the data to be distributed effectively among the IoT devices until they reach the destination. Several authors proposed load-balancing routing algorithms for RPL which were evaluated in different network scenarios. The proposed RPL-based load balancing routing algorithms offers partial load balancing and were evaluated in non-standard network areas and network size. Thus, it is challenging to identify an effective RPL-based load-balancing routing algorithm. To find the effective RPL-Based load balancing routing algorithms for IoT networks, we proposed three RPL-based load-balancing routing algorithms for the IoT network namely: Enhanced Context aware and load balancing routing algorithm for RPL (ENCLRPL), Buffer occupancy load balancing for RPL (BLRPL) and Enhanced ETXPC-RPL(EN-ETXPC-RPL). The design science research method (DSRM) was adopted to conduct this study. The algorithms were developed in the Contiki operating system and demonstrated in a simulation environment to find their effectiveness in an IoT network. The performance of the RPL-based load-balancing routing algorithms was evaluated based on reliability and stability metrics in different network sizes. The results obtained indicate that BLRPL is the most effective routing algorithm for IoT networks with the maximum of 96% of packet delivery ratio, 0.16 ms of network delay and 1.0 mW power consumption.CSI
Commercial Farming Adaption to Drought as a Strategy for Stable Local Economic Growth in Ugu District Municipality
No full textA thesis submitted to the Faculty of Arts in fulfilment of the requirements for the Master of Development Studies in the Department of Anthropology and Development Studies at the University of Zululand, South Africa, 2022.Agriculture is regarded as the sector that mostly relies on climate conditions for its productivity, yet in
recent years this sector has been experiencing droughts. The study attempted to explain how
commercial farming adaptation to droughts maybe be used as a strategy for stable Local Economic
Growth (LEG) amongst commercial farms in Ugu District Municipality. This study situates the
commercial farming adaptation to droughts within the theoretical framework of an Action Theory of
Adaptation to climate change. The key finding is that commercial farmers in uGu district Municipality
perceived drought coping strategies a difficult task if not impossible to manage without government’s
intervention. The majority of the participants admitted that drought has defeated their willingness to
farm, and they were subjected to failure. The study recommends that the use of weather forecasting,
vulnerability assessment, crops diversification, sustainable and efficient water management practice,
cultivation of low water consuming crops, and systematic cropping pattern as some of the strategies
which can mitigate the adverse effects of drought among commercial farmers.
Key Words: Climate Change (Drought), Commercial Farming, Economic Growth and Adaptation.CSIR Inter-Bursary Support Programm
Exploring the decline of Agricultural Science teachers in South African schools: A case study
No full textExploring the decline of Agricultural Science teachers in South African schools: A case studyThe Department of Basic Education in South Africa is experiencing a shortage of Agricultural Science teachers since their numbers are drastically decreasing. Several schools are failing to recruit appropriately qualified Agricultural Science teachers. This decline seems to be worsening annually. It is not peculiar to the Kwa-Zulu Natal Department of Education Kwa-Zulu Natal province only but seems to be a national phenomenon. This study aims to identify and analyse the causes of the decline of Agricultural Science teachers in the Provincial Department of Education. A qualitative method of research was employed. Data was collected by interviewing respondents on either cell phones or telephones. The findings revealed severe shortages of Agricultural Science teachers in Kwa-Zulu Natal schools. However, it is not peculiar to the Kwa-Zulu Natal Department of Education only, but it seems a national phenomenon. The study recommended, among other things, a clear line of the communication channel between the national Department of Basic Education, Kwa-Zulu Natal Department of Education and the Department of Higher Education and Training to facilitate at local, provincial and national levels, a comprehensive recruitment and training plan for the Department of Basic Education. The study also recommended the introduction of a Bachelor of Education degree with a specialisation in Agricultural Science in some universities, especially in rural areas