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Outcome determinants of urethroplasty in the management of inflammatory anterior urethral strictures
Get PDFPublished ArticleBackground. Limited data are available on outcomes of the surgical management of inflammatory urethral strictures secondary to infection,
a major cause of stricture. Several shortcomings that need to be addressed have been identified in the past.
Objective. To determine the impact of stricture length, position and degree of obliterative urethral lumen on the surgical outcomes of
corrective procedures for inflammatory anterior urethral strictures.
Methods. This retrospective analysis used the records of patients who presented with proven infective anterior urethral strictures at an
academic hospital from 2007 to 2010. All patients were followed up after 48 months. Urethroplasty outcomes were analysed according to
stricture location and length and effect of urethral obliteration.
Results. The median age of the 174 patients in the study was 47 (range 21 - 86) years. Anastomotic urethroplasty was successful in 59/99
(59.6%) patients. Augmented anastomotic urethroplasty was successful in 11/15 (73.3%) patients. Dorsal onlay buccal mucosa graft
urethroplasty was successful in 23/32 (71.9%) patients, significantly higher than in 2/9 (22.2%) patients who underwent ventral onlay buccal
mucosa graft urethroplasty (p=0.017; hazard ratio 3.4; 95% confidence interval 1.29 - 9.40). The one-stage circular pedicled penile skin-flap
urethroplasty was successful in 1/12 (8.3%) patients. Two-stage urethroplasty was successful in 5/7 (71.4%) patients. A primary component
analysis of the 73 failed procedures showed that stricture length was the main contributor to failure (eigenvalue 1.79; 45%).
Conclusions. Urethroplasty remains a challenge in inflammatory urethral strictures, where stricture length was the main reason for
treatment failure
Evaluating Multiple Tilt Angles Using an Innovative Jig with a Singular PV Module
Get PDFPublished ArticleResearchers need reliable and accurate
recording instruments or systems to obtain specific data for their
research. Customizable systems are not always commercially
available or may be too costly. The purpose of this paper is to
present an innovative jig that can be used to automatically adjust
a single PV module to different tilt angles throughout the day,
while simultaneously recording and storing specific data for
future analysis. The analysis should provide answers as to which
tilt angle enables the highest yield of output power in a particular
environment. To demonstrate the operation of the designed
system, voltage and current values of a 20 W PV module were
recorded for nine different tilt angles and at 10-minute intervals
during the solar productive period of the day. The results were
evaluated, and it was found that the recorded results from the
designed system correlate well with previous research resulting in
its validity. It is recommended that the designed innovative jig be
used to record data from a singular PV module at multiple tilt
angles under various environmental conditions
An Investigation on Policy Implementation by Primary School Principals in the Free State Province: A Management Pesrpective
Get PDFThesisThis study aimed to investigate policy implementation by primary school principals in the Free State Province. The investigation was prompted by the realisation that there were numerous incidents of poor policy implementation in the primary schools, which in some cases had a negative effect on how primary schools were managed.
The factors promoting effective management of primary schools were studied. The study revealed that school policies are one of the factors which promote effective management of primary schools and must be adhered to. The researcher subsequently made an in-depth study of the problems emanating from poor policy implementation in primary schools in the Free State Province. The study found that there are primary school policies that are not properly or effectively implemented in some primary schools in the Free State Province. As a result, these primary schools experience numerous management problems.
In the empirical research, data were collected by means of qualitative and quantitative research methods. The findings from collected data supported evidence collected from the literature study that some primary schools do not apply or adhere to school policies of the Free State Department of Education and the Department of Basic Education. The study identified the policies not complied with and the extent to which they were not complied with. The study also found that non-compliance with school policies can have a negative impact on school management. Furthermore, inadequate provision of resources and facilities by the Department of Education can also lead to the non-compliance of some policies.
The study concludes with recommendations to address the identified deficiencies as well as with a programme designed to address the problems of poor policy implementation in primary schools
The Role Of The South African Council Of Educators In The Development Of Early Entrant Educators
Get PDFDissertationThis research examines the role of the South African Council of Educators in the development of early entrant educators in the teaching profession. Teachers’ professional development is often regarded as the key to successful education reforms. Hence, teachers are expected to experience continuous professional development to keep abreast with the relentless change taking place in the education system. However, problems arise when too much emphasis is placed on making sure that teachers take part in professional development initiatives. To some teachers, professional development is seen as a burden and not as an opportunity to improve their practice as the reforms has intended. This happens as the teachers are made to take part in various standardised professional development programmes that are not tailored to their specific needs. As a result, it has become less effective in helping the teachers improve their own practice.
This research takes the form of a qualitative study that employs three research instruments: document analysis, questionnaires that are filled in by all the teachers and semi-structured interview sessions. This research study is guided by three key questions: What are early entrant teachers’ perceptions of the impact of professional development on their teaching practice? Secondly, what factors influence early entrant teachers’ perceptions of the impact of professional development on their teaching practice as executed by the professional body SACE? Finally, what are the challenges or difficulties experienced and how effectively could SACE respond to the needs of early entrant educators? The findings reveal that the participants have issues with sustaining changes to their practice; from the transformation process and the legislative framework utilised to transform and democratise education, the South African education system should have yielded good results by now. However, professionalization of education has been badly neglected as well as regulating unionism to adapt to progressive mechanisms and democracy. The character of South African education has not changed much except for registration with the South African Council for Educators (SACE) which is a legislated prerequisite for entrance into the teaching profession. To improve and to alter the education system, the Department of Basic Education should venture into adopting legal measures like writing board examinations just like the other major professions due to prospective practitioners. Early educators experience external professional development overload while at the same time they are also struggling to create more opportunities for school-based professional development. In addition, the findings from this study also indicate that the participants want to have some say for their own professional learning. In addition, this study also stresses on the need for to the participants to experience one professional development programme at a time and to have enough support and follow-up during that time to ensure that changes in teaching practice are best sustained
Utilization Of Small Conduit Hydropower Generation For Domestic Loads
Get PDFDissertationThe growth in the world’s population has led to an increased energy demand. Today and in the near future, renewable energy should be widely implemented, to meet the growing demand for energy. In all various renewable energy technologies, hydropower generation is the most established. A portion of small hydropower generation can be obtained by recovering the energy within water supply systems.
Investing in water energy recovery is of utmost importance, considering the unsustainable use of water on the world level. Therefore, the process of energy recovery should be part of the water cycle. Many countries have begun with the development of this technology, although not much is exploited. The exploitation may contribute to the cost reduction of water supply systems, increasing feasibility.
The current study focused on developing a simulation tool that may be used for conduit hydropower generation. This will assist the conduit hydropower developers to quantify the available energy and evaluate the viability of the conduit hydropower projects. The main findings revealed that the developed model responded effectively under variable pressure. The system was solely active when excess pressure was available. This was due to the pressure difference between PRV pre-set pressure and the system pressure. When the inlet pressure was greater than that of the pressure setting at PRV, the energy recovery turbine utilized the pressure drop to drive the PMSG. Various output voltages and currents were obtained; the generator did not generate when the pressure drop was zero.
Further research is required to address the factors not covered by this work. This include: evaluation of various turbine and generator technology to validate the model as a universal conduit hydropower model, application of various configurations of the pipeline system and incorporating it to the simulation model and a thorough analysis of the physical losses in the pipeline, in order to accurately match the measured and simulated outputs
The Exposure Of Township Secondary School Learners To Career Education In Lejweleputswa District
Get PDFDissertationThe purpose of this study was to examine how Grades 9, 10 and 11 learners are exposed to career education. Based on the literature review, career education is a self-concept which begins in early childhood because of the influence of the self-concept formation on career development. Questionnaires were administered to both learners and educators. A closed-ended questionnaire was administered to 337 learners from selected secondary schools in Lejweleputswa Education District. An open-ended questionnaire was also administered to four educators who taught Life Orientation in Grade 9, 10 and 11. Closed-ended questionnaire data were analysed quantitatively whilst the open-ended questionnaire was analysed qualitatively. A literature review revealed that career counselling by Life Orientation educators play a major role in career guidance. Educators guide learners to the desired career goals.
Items on perceptions of learners to career education exposure were analysed using descriptive statistics, from descriptive analysis KMO which was used to verify sampling adequacy for data analysis. Factor analysis was done and five factors were extracted. Factor 1 was called career education value, Factor 2 was called career exhibition exposure, whilst Factor 3 was called social influence, Factor 4 was called Life Orientation influence and Factor 5 was called specific subject influence. Most learners agreed that Life Orientation played a major and an important role in career education; hence they agreed that career education is valuable. Learners and educators agreed that it was through career exposure and career education that learners develop an interest in certain careers and this can be achieved through constant exposure of learners to career education. The results showed there was a statistically significant difference between Grade 9, 10 and 11 learners in career education value scores. The results also showed that there was a statistically significant difference between Grade 9, 10 and 11 learners in career exhibitions exposure scores.
Educators’ responses indicated their active involvement in career education, despite the lack of career resources and lack of financial assistance because learners must be taken to career exhibitions which are held far away from schools. Educators mentioned that social influence was one of the reasons why learners made wrong subject choices, which led to wrong career choices. This implied that parents, friends and the media may play prominent roles in influencing certain learners in choosing their careers. This study recommends that it is through consistent exposure to career guidance that learners can reach full career maturity and confidence in career choice. Career education is valuable because it assists learners to be the master of their own career choice; it enables them to independently make informed and decisive career choices. During career exhibitions, career counsellors should be readily available to counsel groups of learners with similar career choices or interests. The Department of Basic Education (DBE) can ensure that within local libraries, recent career education resource packages are always available. The DBE should work with local authorities to ensure that the Internet is available at township libraries to assists less-fortunate learners. This will enable these learners to access information on career education and career choices
An Investigation Into The Use Of Dicalcium Phosphate And Complex AD3E On Mineral Status And Homeostasis Of Free Ranging Beef Cattle During Dry Season
Get PDFDissertationIn South African commonage beef production, revenue is adversely affected by low mineral
concentration in pastures especially during the winter season. Therefore, this study was
undertaken to accurately determine the mineral status of grasses, blood and the blood
metabolite important for effective livestock production. Body weights, body condition score,
hair coat condition, and blood mineral status and blood metabolites were physiological
parameters used as indicators for growth and health. A total of thirty Bonsmara calves were
blocked according to age and randomly assigned to 3 groups. In the three groups D1 was
allowed maintenance ration only, D2 was given dicalcium phosphate lick adlib and D3 was
fed dicalcium phosphate lick adlib and were also inoculated with a shot of vitamin AD3E plus
minerals on top of the maintenance ration on monthly intervals after sample collections.
Grass P concentrations ranged between 1.12 mg g -1 and 1.52mg g-1, Ca from 6.18 mg g-1 to
13.03 mg g-1 and Mg from 1.50 mg g-1 to 2.48 mg g-1 and were lower than those
recommended to meet animal mineral requirements. Highest mean (P <0.05) values
(245.13kg and 239.00kg) for BW were recorded in April and May, respectively, while the
lowest mean value (204.20kg) was recorded in July. Body scoring condition (BCS) recorded
highest (P <0.05) mean value (5.87) in April with comparable mean values (5.70 and 5.67) in
May and June, respectively, while the lowest mean value (5.50) was observed in July. Hair
coat condition (HCC) was highest (P <0.05) in animals offered D3 with comparable mean
value (3.2) in animals treated with D2, while the lowest value (3.08) was recorded in animals
receiving the D1 diet. Blood P and Mg were higher (1.74 mmol/L, 0.60 mmol/L and 1.85
mmol/L, 0.75 mmol/L) in animals receiving D2 and D3, respectively, than those on D1 diet
(0.78 mmol/L and 0.44 mmol/L). Blood Ca increased across the treatments with highest
value (3.70 mmol/L) in animals receiving D3, while the lowest value (1.57 mmol/L) was
observed in animals fed with D1. Albumin, blood urea nitrogen, creatinine and total protein
with highest (P <0.05) mean values (45.33 G/L, 5.56 uMOL/L. 147.68 FLMOL/L and 73.83
g/l) were recorded in animals receiving D1, while lowest values were observed in animals
receiving diets D2 and D3, respectively. Higher glucose mean values (3.25 and 3.36 mmol/L)
were recorded in D2 and D3, respectively, compared to D1 (1.99 mmol/L). Faecal P (2.40
mg g-1, 2.27 mg g-1 and 2.24 mg g-1) and Ca (12.63 mg g-1, 13.21 mg g-1 and 12.70 mg g-1)
were highest in May, June and July, respectively, while the lowest Faecal P value (1.06 mg g-
1) and Faecal Ca (10.13 mg g-1) were recorded at the beginning of the experiment. Higher
(5.10mg g-1) Faecal Mg was documented in June with comparable mean values (1.91mg g-
1 , 1.95 mg g-1 and 2.73 mg g-1 ) recorded for April, May and July, respectively. The study
indicates that minerals can be successfully utilized in the wintering of replacement calves on
communal grazing systems
The Impact Of Employees’ Perceptions Of Diversity Management Practices On Psychological Capital: A Case Of Bed And Breakfast Establishments In Matjhabeng Local Municipality In The Free State Province
Get PDFSeveral studies have been conducted on diversity management practices and psychological capital as separate independent studies in the hospitality sector. These studies, however, have focused more on large establishments and in the developed economies context, thus making the insights from such studies inadequate regarding small establishments, such as B&Bs in developing contexts, such as South Africa. This gap creates an avenue for further research, therefore, this study attempted at closing this gap by focusing, in one single study, how diversity management practices and psychological capital concepts correlate among employees within the B&B establishments in a developing context. The objective of the study was, therefore, to determine how employees’ perceived diversity management practices influence their psychological capital.
Drawing on a cross-sectional case study design, data was conveniently collected from 100 employees employed in seventy-seven (77) bed and breakfast establishments within the Matjhabeng Local Municipality in the Free State Province of South Africa, using a structured 6-point Likert scale questionnaire. Data was analysed using descriptive statistics, exploratory factor analysis, Cronbach Alpha Coefficient, Kolmogorov-Smirnov (K-S) test, Shapiro-Wilk test and the Spearman Correlations. The key findings from the empirical study are: employees know and understand diversity; bed and breakfast establishments utilize diversity management practices; employees’ perceptions of diversity management practices are all positive and that these perceived diversity management practices have a positive effect on the psychological capital of the bed and breakfast establishment employees. From the study, it is recommended that for bed and breakfast establishments to have a sustainable future, they should learn and understand diversity as this will help them value cultural differences and effectively manage a diverse workforce
Investigation Into The Precision Feeding Of Nguni Steers Under Feedlot Conditions
Get PDFThe purpose of the project was to assist the Nguni Cattle Breeders’ Society to determine
the most suitable ration for Nguni calves under feedlot conditions, and to investigate
which animals will perform best under feedlot conditions. The rations that were
evaluated were: Nguni Starter (High roughage), Nguni Grower (Medium roughage),
Nguni Finisher (Low roughage) and Feedlot Grower Commercial (Low roughage). The
trial was run at Sernick feedlot, near Edenville. Two hundred Nguni male calves, sourced
from 24 different herds from five provinces, were divided into four groups of 50 each.
They were backgrounded in the pre-conditioning phase for 32 days and received ad lib
Eragrostis grass. They were randomly allocated to, and tested on four different rations,
viz and slaughtered when they reached acceptable carcass subcutaneous fat classification,
either after 105, 120 or 135 days on test. Animals with the highest initial weights were
slaughtered first (105 days on feed and had the highest end- and carcass weights). None
of the other slaughter groups were able to match these end and carcass weights,
irrespective of the rations received. Calves on the commercial ration did significantly
better than the calves on the other rations for ADG (1.34 kg/d vs 1.24-1.27 kg/d), total
gain (159.1 kg vs 147-150 kg), end weight (7 to 11 kg heavier) and had a carcass weight
of 204 kg vs. 196-198 kg for the other treatment groups.
Dressing percentage of animals on the commercial ration was 56.5%, which was not
significantly better (P >0.05) than the dressing percentage of the high (roughage) ration
animals. Significant differences in starting weight and age were evident in calves
originating from different provinces, but these differences were not significant at the end
of the test with regards to carcass traits, as animals were not slaughtered on the same day.
Arrival weight had a marked influence on test length and margin over feed costs,
favouring the heavier calves. Carcase weights of calves with higher arrival weights were
also heavier and closer to market requirements. It was concluded that Nguni cattle can be fed profitable in feedlots. Results indicate that preconditioning calves to reach minimum
weights close to 200 kg to be considered on arrival (or at the end of preconditioning or
backgrounding phase) for profitable feeding of Nguni cattle in a feedlot. Although ration
had a significant effect on ADG, it was negated by other factors contributing to
differences in feedlot profitability. Although the low roughage and commercial rations
were not the cheapest per ton, they were the most profitable to feed in this case. Nguni
cattle did also perform profitably on the (normal) commercial diet. Significant
differences in feedlot performance could be attributed to the source of animals.
Individual herds were obviously restricted to region or province. Although not
necessarily proven by this trial, these differences may be due to genetic merit, or
environmental conditions prior to the trial. No excessive health fallouts occurred
Optimal Energy Management and Economic Analysis of a Grid-Connected Hybrid Solar Water Heating System: A Case of Bloemfontein, South Africa
Get PDFPublished ArticleIn this paper, the optimal energy management of a hybrid solar electric water heater is presented. A typical
medium density household is considered. Actual historic exogenous data, obtained from a weather station in the
considered area is used as input for the established model.
The aim is to evaluate the energy and cost saving potential of the system, that may be achieved under timebased
pricing, while maintaining a comfortable thermal level of the hot water user.
Comparisons between the operation of a thermostatically controlled traditional electric storage tank water
heater and the hybrid solar electric water heater, offered an energy saving of 75.8% in the winter and 51.5%
during the summer period.
A life cycle cost (LCC) analysis is presented, where the project lifetime is taken over 20 years. The LCC
analysis of the hybrid system demonstrates a 44% saving in overall cost, as compared to a traditional water
heating system. Simulation results conclude that the break-even point for the evaluated system was at R10 870 in
3.3 years, under the evaluated time-based pricing structure