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Investigation of the Voice of Students Regarding HIV/AIDS in South African Communities
Get PDFArticleThe voice of students has been lacking in the majority of research regarding HIV/AIDS. This study investigated students’ voice regarding HIV/AIDS and its impact on their communities in South Africa. Participants were 20 education students from a South African technology education university (female 60%, black 85%; age range from 18 to 24). The participants completed a semi-structured interview on their voice regarding HIV/AIDS and its impact on their communities in South Africa within the context of treatment of people living with HIV/AIDS. Data were thematically analysed. Findings revealed that church leadership was not informed and as a result, could not address the issues of HIV/AIDS regarding their members. The study indicated that people living with HIV/AIDS needed love, support and care and, further, that belief and culture are contributory factors which need to be addressed with the different stakeholders. As a result of these beliefs and culture, individuals with HIV/AIDS experienced discrimination, lack of support and unfair treatment from their families
AN EXPEDITIOUS AND GREEN APPROACH FOR THE SYNTHESIS OF 2-AMINO-4H-CHROMENES USING A CATALYST OF NATURAL ORIGIN
No full textPublished ArticleA highly efficient three-component one step system for the synthesis of 2-amino-4H-chromens is developed. Excellent yields were obtained simply by mixing malononitrile, aromatic aldehyde and α-napthol in lemon juice as a catalyst of natural origin and solvent, avoiding using hazardous organic solvents. The main advantages of this method are its green method character, short reaction time and simple workup procedures and the lack of using any metal containing catalysts
In silico analysis of cholesterol catabolic genes/proteins in the genus mycobacterium
Get PDFPublished ThesisIt is well known that Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the causative agent of one of the deadliest human diseases, tuberculosis, uses human cholesterol as a carbon source both in the latent and active phases of its lifestyle. The discovery of the ability of M. tuberculosis to degrade and use cholesterol as a sole source of carbon and energy has opened up the possibility of using genes/proteins involved in cholesterol degradation as novel drug targets. If one can find the highly conserved genes/proteins across the mycobacteria that are capable of degrading cholesterol, then in future these genes can possibly be used as universal drug targets against mycobacterial infections. However, to date, data on how many mycobacterial species utilise cholesterol has not been reported. Furthermore, performing laboratory experiments is laborious and time- and money-consuming, considering each of the mycobacterial species has different lifestyle and culture conditions. The study is aimed at using the available genomic data to perform comparative genomic studies to unravel the nature of cholesterol catabolic genes/proteins in the genus Mycobacterium to determine which mycobacterial species are capable of degrading cholesterol. This study is a first of its kind comprehensive analysis of the genes/proteins involved in cholesterol degradation across 93 mycobacterial species, using bioinformatic tools.
Ninety-three mycobacterial species whose genomes are available for public use at the KEGG database were used in this study. Literature on cholesterol degradation by bacteria was collected and the cholesterol degradation pathway was deduced. The intermediate metabolites and enzymes involved in each of the steps were identified and mapped using ChemDraw software. A software program that extracts homolog data across 93 mycobacterial species was developed. The hit proteins’ domains/functions were identified using software programs: NCBI Batch Web CD-search tool and the KEGG functional database. Based on the sequence identity, functional motifs and functional data, if available, the hit proteins were sorted into specific enzymatic reactions of cholesterol degradation.
After thorough literature analysis, 152 genes/proteins were identified as cholesterol catabolic genes/proteins and grouped into four different categories. The four categories are: (i) genes predicted to be specifically required for growth on cholesterol, (ii) cholesterol catabolic genes proven to be or predicted to be essential for the survival of M. tuberculosis in macrophage cells and in murine infection, (iii) genes/proteins that are up-regulated during growth on cholesterol, and (iv) genes involved in cholesterol degradation by M. tuberculosis H37Rv, but not confirmed or predicted to be essential. In silico analysis of 152 genes across 93 mycobacterial species revealed that 51 mycobacterial species are unable to degrade cholesterol
Teacher perceptions on mathematically gifted : A survey of mathematics teachers in Motheo and Xhariep districts’ primary schools of Free State Province
Get PDFThesis (Masters’ Degree in Education) -- Central University of Technology, Free State, 2018In South Africa, schools are defined as full-service schools (FSS) that are inclusive and welcoming of learners to develop their full potential irrespective of their background, culture, abilities or disabilities, their gender or race (Department of Basic Education, 2014). However, gifted learners are found in mainstream classrooms where teachers must deal with a wide diversity of learners. Empirical evidence shows that teachers are trained on inclusive education, but the interpretation of inclusive education is that of meeting the needs of learners who are falling behind. This interpretation excludes gifted learners confirming (Oswald & de Villiers, 2013) assertions that teachers are not trained on gifted education. Yet the outstanding creativity of a small percentage of the population (gifted learners) has been described as mankind’s ultimate human capital asset. This study adopted Gagné’s Differentiating Model of Giftedness and Talent (DMGT) which sensitizes researchers about the developmental process of the student’s potential that could be affected negatively or positively by environmental and intrapersonal catalysts. Consequently, if the developmental process is affected negatively, it becomes poor and result in hindering the gifted student to become talented. Such student’s inherent gifts will go to waste but if nurtured and developed, such potential (gifts) will reveal his or her talent (Gagné, 2007). Based on this concern, this study aimed at investigating perceptions of foundation phase teachers from the Motheo and Xhariep districts’ primary schools of the Free State toward mathematically gifted learners. This study was guided by Gagné’s fifth commandment about the education of gifted students that suggests the need for earliest intervention in developing talent into gifts – as early as kindergarten or first grade (Gagné, 2007). This study investigated foundation phase teachers’ preparedness in terms of catering for the needs of mathematically gifted learners in their regular classrooms. It also investigated principals’ perceptions toward gifted education through inclusive education that is currently practiced in mainstream classrooms. The study followed a mixed method approach. Purposive sampling was used to select the 118 mathematics teachers who took part in the study. Data was collected by means of a three-point Likert scale questionnaire and the face-to-face structured interview schedule for teachers and principals respectively, from all twenty selected primary schools. All the data, collected in this study, collected from questionnaires and interviews, were organised within the context of the research questions using thematic analyses drawn from to provide coherence on the findings of this study (Cohen, Manion & Morrison, 2011).
Regarding teacher preparedness, the results show that 94 teachers were trained to teach Numeracy, 91 teachers were trained to teach Literacy and 83 teachers were trained to teach Life Skills. The results also show that 64% of teachers perceived themselves as being competent enough to teach the gifted learners in their regular classrooms. However, 88% of teachers expressed the need for higher education institutions to include content on gifted education in their courses.
The results further, show that 35% of principals encourage teachers to differentiate teaching methods or strategies and resources in their lesson planning, to facilitate effective inclusive education. However, differentiation was with reference to struggling learners not for gifted learners. These results are similar to what Mhlolo (2015) found in terms of the implementation of an inclusive education policy in South Africa being a main concern which is affected by a number of factors such as lack of training
Optimal energy management modelling of a grid-connected micro-hydrokinetic with pumped hydro storage
No full textThesis (Doctor of Engineering in Electrical Engineering) -- Central University of Technology, Free State, 2018The pressure on greenhouse gases (GHGs) emission reduction and energy deficit crisis are of global concern. The ever increasing energy demand due to population growth as well as industrial and commercial business developments, leads to energy deficit crisis for electric utility operators around the globe. This generates an increased probability of grid instability and blackout challenges. Hence, this promotes the requirement for the additional fossil fuel power plants, leading to electricity price increase for consumers, due to high investment cost and the rising fossil fuels prices. The exploitation of an onsite grid-connected renewable energy (RE) system may mitigate all of the above-mentioned challenges.
However, the intermittent nature of RE resources (such as solar, wind, hydro, geothermal and marine) leads to a challenge of high uncertainty output power. Hence, power demand cannot be reliably met, due to daily or seasonal weather changes. Therefore, a stand-alone RE system should comprise of an energy storage system (ESS), to store surplus energy for later use when the power demand is more than the generated output power. Additionally, a grid-interactive RE system should also comprise of the ESS, due to the variable tariff rates imposed by utility companies around the globe. The aim is to store excess energy during low-priced off-peak periods, for later use during high-priced peak periods. Hence, minimal electricity bill may be achieved by the consumers. The utility grid operator may also reap a benefit of a reduced blackout probability, especially during peak demanding periods.
Among various RE technologies, hydrokinetic is a promising RE solution to be exploited in areas with flowing water resources, such as rivers, tidal current or artificial water channels. It is easily predictable and has proved to generate electricity at flowing water speeds, ranging from 0.5 m/s and above. It has proved to generate electricity markedly better and affordable than solar and wind energy systems. Furthermore, it has proved to operate cost-effectively, if it comprises of a pumped-hydro storage (PHS) system instead of a battery-based storage system.
Rural consumers, such a farms, industries and mines situated in close proximity to flowing water resources, may make use of a grid-connected micro-hydrokinetic-pumped-hydro-storage (MHK-PHS) system to reduce electricity bills and sell the excess energy to the grid. However, a grid-connected MHK-PHS system requires a complex optimal energy management system, instead of expecting a consumer to respond to a change in real-time electricity price. The system should allow for optimal energy storage and sales, while ensuring that the consumer load demand is met at all times, by considering variable time-of-use (TOU) tariffs and load demand uncertainties that might take place in real-time context.
This work deals with optimal energy management of a grid-connected MHK-PHS system, under different demand seasons for different load demand sectors, through the consideration of variable TOU tariffs. The aim is to minimize the customer electricity bills if the proposed system is approved to be non-interactive or interactive with the utility grid. Additionally, the alternative aim is to maximize the energy sales into the grid, if the system is grid-interactive.
The results have proved that the developed optimization-based model is capable of minimizing the grid-cost, particularly during expensive peak-periods. Furthermore, the energy sales revenue has been maximized during peak-periods. Sundays have proved to lead to the largest amount of grid-power storage into the storage system, as compared to other days of the week. The industrial load profile led to the low net income, since most energy sales take place during the evening peak hours, instead of morning peak hours.
However, if the load demand uncertainty constraint is considered, the above-mentioned open-loop optimization-based model has been unable to optimize the power flow. This led to the unmet load demand difficulty, as well as the excessive supply of power. Hence, an additional control model has been developed to assist the open-loop optimization-based model, to handle the load demand uncertainty disturbance in real-time context. The control model proved to mitigate the issue of both unmet load demand and excessive supply of power through the application of a rule-based algorithm. Additionally, a higher energy savings was achieved through the successful reduction of the excessively supplied power
Downscaling Africa’s Drought Forecasts through Integration of Indigenous and Scientific Drought Forecasts Using Fuzzy Cognitive Maps
Get PDFPublished ArticleIn the wake of increased drought occurrences being witnessed in Sub-Saharan Africa,
more localized and contextualized drought mitigation strategies are on the agendas of many researchers and policy makers in the region. The integration of indigenous knowledge on droughts with seasonal climate forecasts is one such strategy. The main challenge facing this integration, however, is the formal representation of highly-structured and holistic indigenous knowledge. In this paper, we demonstrate how the use of fuzzy cognitive mapping can address this challenge. Indigenous knowledge on droughts from five communities was modeled and represented using fuzzy cognitive maps. Maps from one of these case communities were then used in the implementation of the integration framework, called itiki
Exploring Casual Construction Workers' Job Security Difficulties in The Central Region of South Africa
Get PDFPublished ArticlePURPOSE The lack of job opportunities in the industrial sectors has increased the unemployment rate in most developing countries. This situation is evident in South African construction where people struggle to find and keep decent permanent jobs. The situation has encouraged the proliferation of the casualisation of employment in the industry. METHODOLOGY This article illustrates the challenges experienced by casual workers in the central region of South Africa. Mixed-methods data were used to understand the phenomenon in the construction industry context. The quantitative strand of the study involved 19 participants familiar with labour-intensive construction while the qualitative strand involved 24 interviewees and have lived expereinces of the casual labour phenomenon. FINDINGS The results show that the lack of economic growth, inadequate education, poverty, inequality, and systematic corruption contribute to the casualization and low job security among construction workers. The persistence of casualization marginalised the psychosocial wellbeing of workers, apart from the negative image of the industry through poor cost, health and safety, time and quality performance. VALUE FOR AUTHORS The article focuses on the need to pay close attention to the wellbeing of people in the front line of construction
Assessment Of Conditions For Implementing Information Technology In A Warehouse System: A Novel Fuzzy PIPRECIA Method
Get PDFPublished ArticleThe application of information technology in all areas represents a significant facilitation
of all business processes and activities. A competitive business system is hardly imaginable
without adequate information technology. Therefore, this paper evaluates the conditions for the
implementation of barcode technology in a warehouse system of a company for the manufacture
of brown paper. SWOT (Strengths,Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) matrix was formed with a
total of 27 elements based on which the benefits of the implementation of barcode technology in the
warehouse system need to be analysed. For this purpose, a new fuzzy PIPRECIA (PIvot Pairwise
RElative Criteria Importance Assessment) method has been developed to evaluate all elements in
SWOT matrix. In addition, a part of the new developed approach includes new fuzzy scales for
criterion assessment that are adapted to the methodology required by the fuzzy PIPRECIA method.
To determine the consistency of the method, Spearman and Pearson correlation coefficients are
applied. The results obtained in this study show that weaknesses are most noticeable in the current
system. By implementing barcode technology, it is possible to create opportunities defined in SWOT
matrix, which, in a very efficient way, allow elimination of the current weaknesses of the system
The Use Of Translators At Local Municipalities: A Case Study Of Moqhaka Local Municipality, South Africa
Get PDFThesisLocal municipalities in South Africa are seen as the first phase of government, because they are nearer to the citizens. The functions of local municipalities are to provide service delivery to residents within their municipal jurisdiction. This study is intended to highlight the fact that language services are to be taken as service delivery issues and be implemented by local municipalities as prescribed in the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa (Act. No 108 of 1996). The Bill of Rights as enshrined in the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa (Act. No 108 of 1996) stipulates that the communities have a right to maintain their linguistic and cultural activities within their municipal jurisdiction.
This study used the critical theory to determine the contextual factors that appear to help in understanding the language rights of Black literate and semi-literate residents within local municipalities in South Africa. This study employed mixed methods approach. Open-ended interviews were conducted with Moqhaka Local Municipality officials. A questionnaire was completed by Black literate and semi-literate residents within the Moqhaka Local Municipality. Qualitative data was analysed using interpretative-phenomenological data analysis while quantitative data was analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences.
The results from both qualitative and quantitative data revealed that the use of translator(s) is a need and essential in helping out (better understanding of municipal language of choice) Black literate and semi-literate residents within the Moqhaka Local Municipality. Both the Moqhaka Local Municipality officials and Black literate and semi-literate residents were aware of the value of using translator(s) and started seeing them (translators) as the vehicle for the promotion of their indigenous African languages and multilingualism. Translator(s) are valuable in ensuring that residents within local municipalities in South Africa are afforded their language rights to be accommodated in their preferred languages, taking into cognisance the official municipal language, as per Municipal Systems Act. No 32 of 2000. Local municipalities have language policies which in turn have provided for the employment and use of translator(s). As a result, an effective language policy should be triumphed by the implementation plan and employment of translator(s) thereof. It is pivotal to establish a language unit at local municipalities in South Africa in order to promote indigenous African languages and multilingualism. There cannot be an effective language policy without a language practitioner (for this study translator or translators). It appears as if there is no political will or commitment to promote indigenous African languages at some local municipalities in South Africa. This is because of ten (10) sampled local municipalities in the Free State, of only two (2) have full-time employed translators.
Local municipalities have raised a concern that languages are an unfunded mandate; as a result there is no mention of language practitioners (for this study translator or translators) in the Integrated Development Plan (IDP) or within municipal organograms. Local municipalities will be advised and encouraged to have language services within their Integrated Development Plan (IDP) to address the stipulation of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa (Act. No 108 of 1996). The study recommends that local municipalities (for this study, Moqhaka Local Municipality) respond to the stipulations in the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa (Act. No 108 of 1996) and use translator(s) when communicating with residents (especially Black literate and semi-literate)
Extent Of Inaccuracy In The Hydrometer Test
Get PDFDissertationAssessment of particle size distribution is a fundamental aspect of any soil characterization and is commonly used for soil classification. While it is relatively easy to classify the coarse fraction, classification of the soil fines remains problematic, particularly the fraction less than 2μm. Hydrometer analysis has been an international standard tool for fines assessment for many years but there may be serious flaws. A number of shortcomings facing the hydrometer have been alluded to by many researchers. Some of these have been addressed by laser scattering techniques. Others, including completeness of dispersion and the amount of clay carried down with coarser fractions, remain problematic.
Hydrometer analysis appears to underestimate clay content when compared to microscopic analysis and tends to overestimate clay fraction when compared to laser diffraction method. The analysis is based on Stoke’s law which estimates the rate at which particles settle in a suspension. The accuracy of hydrometer analysis depends critically on all of the clay present being dispersed into the suspension. Microscopic analysis, however, showed that, with the various types of dispersant specified in the hydrometer method, some samples experienced good dispersion while some were poorly dispersed.
Most of the commonly used methods of heave prediction in South Africa rely on an estimate of the clay fraction. Hydrometer analysis is not sufficiently reliable for a critical test such as heave prediction unless a means can be found of identifying which soils do not disperse effectively in the specified deflocculant.
Hydrometer and pipette analysis measures only the particle size distribution of the fine soil fraction, but some important aspects of soil behavior such as a change in volume depend on the clay mineral content. An assessment of clay mineral contents is therefore also required. The necessity for a better method of estimating the clay fraction is illustrated by the many buildings and roads that have failed due to heave movements. A good example of this is a government subsidy housing site at Kimberley, where hydrometer analysis showed only 6% clay fraction. Van der Merwe’s method therefore predicted zero heave and houses were built on that assumption. Heave did in fact occur and one house became structurally unsound while still under construction, whilst many others became unsound shortly after construction.
This investigation assessed some aspects of the reliability of the hydrometer by separating the sand, silt and clay fraction of selected soil samples by sedimentation and the conducting tests on these fractions. Microscopic examination using a methylene blue staining technique was used to compare the composition of sediment layers with that expected from hydrometer theory