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Exploring the community structure of Afrotropical macroinvertebrate traits and ecological preferences along an agricultural pollution gradient in the Kat River, Eastern Cape, South Africa
Get PDFAgricultural activities impact riverine ecosystem structure, function, and processes. In the Afrotropical regions, research on agricultural effects on macroinvertebrate trait distribution is sparse. In this study, we investigated the spatial and temporal changes in the community structure of macroinvertebrate traits along an agricultural disturbance gradient in an Afrotropical River system. Physicochemical variables were sampled alongside macroinvertebrates at eight sites in the dry (winter and spring) and wet (summer and autumn) periods of 2018–2019. We grouped the sites into four categories using the percentage of agricultural land-use cover within each drainage area. Our results showed that agricultural pollution exhibited varying effects on traits and ecological preferences, with traits such as a predatory lifestyle, medium body-size (>10–20 mm), active swimming, possession of spiracles and haemoglobin, and adult aquatic life stage increasing with the pollution gradient. These traits were positively associated with nutrients (PO4+-P, NO2+-N, NH4+-N and NO3+-N), salinity, turbidity and temperature and were deemed tolerant of agricultural pollution. Shredding, crawling, and a preference for macrophytes as food showed strong positive associations with the least disturbed sites and were negatively associated with increasing nutrients, salinity, turbidity and water temperature. As such, these three traits were considered sensitive to agricultural pollution. The identified indicator traits can be used to predict the survival and distribution patterns of organisms under the impact of agriculture-induced stress
Inadequate menstrual health management and human rights
Get PDFVarious human rights bodies have suggested that Inadequate Menstrual Health Management (MHM) could contribute to violations of human rights or, at the very least, is connected to the fulfilment of human rights. Despite recognition of this, there has not been thorough analysis of whether inadequate MHM is a violation of human rights, particularly in political discussions on the philosophy of human rights. Using a liberal cosmopolitan framework, this thesis attempts to bridge this gap and, ultimately, to argue that inadequate MHM constitutes a violation of human rights. This assertion brings with it various complications due to the heavily contested nature of human rights, their correlative duties, and the requirements for a lack of fulfilment to be considered a violation. I address each complication in turn. I argue that the traditional approach to human rights violations fails to consider the various ways that human rights are violated in our contemporary, globalised world. I suggest that structural violations of human rights should not be ruled out, particularly when we consider severe poverty and its by-products. Ultimately, the question of inadequate MHM is concerned with the content of human rights. If inadequate MHM were a violation, it would be a violation of women’s socio-economic rights. However, both group rights and socio-economic rights are contested. This thesis therefore justifies these rights. Group-differentiated rights are argued to be necessary for substantive equality. This is particularly the case when we consider the various risks women face simply because they are women. Women therefore need special protections and provisions for their human rights to be fulfilled. Socio-economic rights are necessary for the well-being and dignity of individuals everywhere. We can justify them even if they are costly, vague, and demanding on states, as critics argue they are. Therefore, if we can accept socio-economic rights and women’s rights, we can argue that inadequate MHM is a structural violation of human rights. Thinking about inadequate MHM in this way means we can respond to it with a level of urgency. This has the potential to improve the well-being, development, and dignity of women.Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Humanities, Political and International Studies, 202
Reproductive health systems analyses and the reparative reproductive justice approach: a case study of unsafe abortion in Lesotho
No full textHealth systems analyses are touted as mechanisms through which health policy and planning may be implemented. An example is the WHO health systems approach that connects people (needs, rights, perspectives) with services and technologies (equitable access, quality of care, mix of interventions) and with policies and institutional capacities (laws, regulations, human/physical resources, management and financing). The approach is comprehensive and multi-faceted, which is a strength. We argue, however, that health systems analyses should be supplemented with a focus on reproductive justice. Using the WHO health systems approach as an exemplar, we show how the reparative reproductive justice approach outlined by the first author and colleagues assists with outlining comprehensive remedies to the inequities identified in the systems analysis. We argue for attention to remedies at individual and collective, material and symbolic levels. We illustrate our argument using unsafe abortion, legal abortion services and post-abortion care in Lesotho as a case study. We outline the policies, services and people components of abortion in Lesotho using the WHO systems model, followed by a reparative justice analysis of remedies
Regioselectivity, chemical bonding and physical nature of the interaction between imidazole and XAHs (X= H, F, Cl, Br, CH3, and A= S, Se, Te)
No full textTheambidentreactivityofsmall-sizedXAHs(X=H,F,Cl,Br,CH3,andA=S,Se,Te)moleculestowardsthe imidazole molecule (IMZ) has been investigated using wave function (MP2) and Density Func-tional Theory (B3LYP, B3LYP-D3). Molecular electrostatic potentials (MEPs) and frontier molecularorbitals of monomers are computed to rationalise the regioselectivity of IMZ towards XAHs. Thechemical bonding of each complex is described in the framework of the quantum theory of atomsin molecules (QTAIM) and natural bond orbital (NBO) paradigms. The symmetry-adapted pertur-bation theory (SAPT) is employed to assess the physical nature of the interactions. Our findingssuggest that XAHs mainly bind to IMZ through H-bonding and chalcogen-bonding interactionsof weak to moderate strength, with binding energies ranging from−3.1 to−17.6 kcal/mol at theMP2/aug-cc-pVDZ(-PP) level. Topological QTAIM descriptors reveal all H-bonds between IMZ andXAHs to be purely noncovalent contacts, while chalcogen bonds of halogenated XAHs (X=F, Cl, Br) show a partial covalent character. SAPT2 calculations indicate that both H-bonded and chalcogen-bonded complexes are mainly stabilised by electrostatic interactions. Insights drawn from this studyare expected to constitute the bedrock for further investigations about noncovalent interactionbetween middle to big-sized chalcogen-containing molecules and imidazole derivatives
Strategies to improve implementation of curriculum and assessment policy statement (CAPS) in Secondary Schools in Eastern Cape Province
Get PDFThe study was conducted in one education district of the Eastern Cape Province. The study aimed to explore the challenges experienced by teachers and learners concerning the implementation of CAPS in secondary schools of the Eastern Cape Province. The study reviewed to improve the implementation of CAPS in secondary schools. The cognitive constructivist theory was used in this study. The study adopted a qualitative research approach through which a case study design was chosen. In-depth individual interviews were conducted to attain rich and accurate data from ten teachers, five principals, five heads of departments and five learners who participated in this study: from five secondary schools of Chris Hani West district. A total of nine themes became observable in this study through the analysis of the interviews. One of the key findings was that the Department of Basic Education did not involve teachers when changing the curriculum. The study concludes that issues such as learner-teacher ratio, overcrowded classrooms, insufficient resources, promotion and progression policy, syllabus coverage, lack of teachers with inclusive education, lack of parental involvement in learners’ work and Language of Learning and Teaching hinder the quality of teaching and learning processes. It was suggested that the Department of Basic Education, parents, principals and learners should collaborate to address the hindrances to effective teaching and learning.Thesis (Masters) -- Faculty of Education, 202
Synthesis and conformational studies of 5-bromo-1-[(N-substituted-carbamoyl) methyl]-7-azabenzimidazoles
Get PDFThe Cs2CO3-catalysed condensation of 5-bromo-7-azabenzimidazole with a series of bromomethyl ketones has afforded a small library of ten, novel 5-bromo-1-[(N-substututed-carbamoyl)methyl]-7-azabenzimidazoles. Rotamerism in the products, as evidenced by the splitting of 1H- and 13C-NMR signals, is attributed to hindered internal rotation about the amide N-C(=O) bond, and has been explored using dynamic NMR (DNMR) analysis and computational methods at the GIAO B3LYP/6-311+G(2d,p) level of theory. Coalescence temperatures have been obtained for representative examples and rotational barriers determined experimentally and theoretically. A detailed theoretical analysis has been undertaken to explore conformations which may contribute to the relative populations of the s-cis and s-trans rotamers. The products have also been screened for cytotoxicity and activity against two parasitic protozoan strains (Plasmodium falciparum and Trypanosoma brucei)
Intellectual capital, organisation capabilities and business performance among small businesses
Get PDFThis study was aimed at testing an intellectual capital-structural model and ascertaining the role of organisational capabilities on business performance in ICT-based small businesses in South Africa. The extant literature indicated that intellectual capital is a knowledge-related intangible assets which is rooted in an organisation that comprises intellectual property, intellectual competences and intellectual resources. Theoretically, the relationship between organisational knowledge and business performance is embedded in organisational learning because a lot of small businesses gain more knowledge from customers for the purposes of improving their sales and profits. The study used a quantitative approach and it was conducted on 261 owners/ managers of ICT-small businesses using a convenience sampling method. The data was collected using a structured questionnaire and also structural equation modelling (SEM) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) tools for data analysis and testing relationships between variables were used. The study revealed that there is a significant positive relationship between knowledge management capability and human capital. Additionally, the study discovered that innovation capability and business performance had a significant positive relationship. The study also revealed and confirmed that intellectual capital mediates the relationship between learning capability and business performance. Both the measurement and structural model fit indices showed reasonable goodness of fit indices. The findings of the study contributed to the literature of intellectual capital by providing empirical evidence on the relationship between organisational capabilities and performance. Together, the insights from this research underscored the importance of managing IC effectively with its components and prioritising the value of OC in order to comprehend the necessity for optimising firm performance. Lastly, this was the first study to test the mediating role of intellectual capital in the relationship between organisational capability and performance on ICT-based small businesses in a developing country.Thesis (DBM) -- Faculty of Management and Commerce, 202
Interaction between an entomopathogenic fungus and entomopathogenic nematodes for increased mortality of Thaumatotibia leucotreta (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae)
No full textThaumatotibia leucotreta (Meyrick) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) is a major phytosanitary pest of citrus in South Africa. Although several management tools exist, control options registered for use against the soil-dwelling life stages are limited. Both entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) and entomopathogenic fungi have been investigated previously, but they have not been studied in combination against T. leucotreta. Thus, this study investigated the interaction of an indigenous entomopathogenic fungus, Metarhizium pinghaense (previously anisopliae) FCM Ar 23 B3 with three indigenous EPNs: Steinernema yirgalemense 157-C, S. jeffreyense J194 and Heterorhabditis noenieputensis 158-C for increased late instar T. leucotreta larval mortality. Before interaction experiments, lethal concentration (LC) values for each of these microbial agents were determined through dose–response bioassays. Heterorhabditis noenieputensis recorded the highest LC50 amongst the nematodes (7.11 IJs/50 µl). Using the pre-determined LC70 value of M. pinghaense and the LC50 values for each of the nematode species, interaction experiments were conducted. Combinations of the nematodes either applied simultaneously with the fungus or at 24, 48, 72 or 96 h post-fungal application showed predominantly additive interactions. Synergy between the simultaneous application of S. yirgalemense and M. pinghaense was found, whilst the interaction between H. noenieputensis and M. pinghaense applied simultaneously and S. jeffreyense applied 24 h post-fungal application, recorded antagonistic interactions. The use of these agents in combination may therefore have the potential to increase control of T. leucotreta soil-dwelling life stages in citrus orchards across South Africa and should be further investigated
Primordial risk factors and primary prevention framework for overweight and obesity among children of the Prospective Urban Rural Epidemiological (PURE) study participants in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa
Get PDFThesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, 202
perception of male university students regarding the relationshinship between masculinity and gender based violence: A health promotion enquiry
Get PDFGlobally, Gender Based Violence (GBV) refers to harmful act directed at an individual based on their gender, power and positions within a given society. According to Statistics South Africa report 2021, one in five women (21%) had experienced physical violence by a partner. GBV is rooted in gender disparities, the abuse of power and harmful norms. Both men and women to some extent experience GBV and suffer from discrimination if they deviate from societal expectations of masculinities. Men’s violence, whether directed at women, people with diverse sexual orientations and gender identities or other men, is inextricably linked to hegemonic and toxic masculinity. The aim of the study was to investigate perception of male university students regarding the relationship between masculinity and gender-based violence. This study adopted qualitative phenomenological approach. The research was conducted at WSU, Mthatha campus, Eastern Cape, South Africa. Purposive sampling was used to select 24 participants. Semi-structured, in-depth, face to face interviews were used to gather data. The collected qualitative data was analysed utilizing thematic analysis method with the assistance of NVIVO software. Ten overarching themes were identified using thematic method and reported and categorised as factors associated with GBV and suggested action plans to fight against GBV and these includes: (1) Gender discrimination as a contributing factor towards GBV; (2) Impact of association on GBV; (3) Perception of males on how the law handles GBV cases; (4) Dark figures and unreported cases escalate GBV (5) Influence of materialistic things on “blesser/blesse” relationship; (6) Social norms or community common practices misconception that still promote gender differences; (7) Poor decision making based on wrong assumptions about what other people thinks or do (8) Sexual education gaps on deciding when to start sex in a relationship; (9) Suggested preventative actions to prevent GBV. This study concluded with discussion and recommendations of further study to support participants recommendations for continuous health education and strengthen increase on youth friendly GBV programs to empower males in the university and further suggested development of comprehensive health promotion strategies to reduce gender-based violence. This study concluded with discussions and recommendations of the required comprehensive health promotion program to curb GBV and as well suggestions for further research studies to focus on developing health promotion intervention to prevent causes of GBV.Thesis (Masters) -- Faculty of medicine and Health Sciences, 202