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Tails through time: leopard population dynamics in the Little Karoo
Get PDFLarge carnivores play a vital role in structuring our ecosystems, yet they face mounting threats such as habitat loss, prey reduction and persecution. These threats reduce their global distribution and impacts their population numbers. Protected areas can offer refuge for large carnivores, however leopards (Panthera pardus), can persist outside of these areas and often occupy mixed-use landscapes. Our understanding of how leopards persist over time in mixed-use landscapes is limited, especially in the semi-arid regions of southern Africa. This study, to the best of my knowledge, is the only multi-session maximum likelihood spatial capture-recapture (SCR) analysis to have been conducted in a semi-arid environment outside of a protected area in Southern Africa. The study aimed to estimate leopard population changes over time and to investigate the possible drivers affecting density, using three surveys (2012, 2017, 2022), in the mixed-use landscape of the Little Karoo in the Western Cape, South Africa. In 2012, a total of 141 paired camera stations were used for a total of 13,050 trap days resulting in 29 unique leopard captures. In 2017, a total of 40 paired camera stations were used for a total of 2,128 trap days resulting in 18 unique leopard captures and in 2022 a total of 64 paired camera stations were used for a total of 8,997 trap days resulting in 37 unique leopard captures. The best performing density model indicated an increasing population trend over the study period which included a trend term on density (D~year) and an interaction term (individual session*sex) on λ0 (capture rate) and σ (spatial decay). Density estimates (Standard Error) for leopard populations for the three surveys 2012, 2017, and 2022, were 0.52 (± 0.11), 0.70 (± 0.08), and 0.95 (± 0.08) leopards per 100 km2, respectively. Terrain ruggedness, elevation, vegetation type and distance from major rivers were all important drivers in leopard density in the Little Karoo. Indicating that high lying areas provide suitable refuge for leopards and are key areas for movement corridor planning. These density estimates are similar to previous single maximum likelihood SCR density estimate studies in the Little Karoo and the Western Cape province. Results from this study indicate the leopards have persisted in the Little Karoo over the study period and suggest that the population may be increasing. Further research on what is driving this population shift is needed, but the results serve as an encouraging sign for leopard conservation in the Little Karo
Investigating the use of electronic referrals to facilitate the patient referral process in Southern African public hospitals
Get PDFDigital health interventions, particularly electronic referrals (e-referrals) and health information systems, have revolutionised clinical workflows in public hospitals by automating processes. However, the utilisation of e-referrals has yielded mixed outcomes, with varying levels of success in organisational processes. While most healthcare providers (HCPs) in high-income countries have effectively leveraged the benefits of e-referrals, those in low- and middle-income countries have been slower in their adoption and implementation. Consequently, there is a dearth of comprehensive studies documenting the successes and advantages of e-referrals in these contexts. Most studies highlight constraints and challenges related to the significant infrastructural challenges in low- and middle-income countries, ranging from limited internet access, insufficient user involvement, and design limitations within existing health information systems. Consequently, studies conducted in these settings primarily highlight rather than present the potential benefits of e-referrals. In the face of these limitations, HCPs resort to workarounds and improvisations in the form of Shadow Information Technologies (SIT) by using platforms such as WhatsApp to complete their work. Such workarounds, while practical, may not offer the same level of information security as they are neither mandated nor supported by the Information Technology (IT) department. The purpose of this study is to investigate the use of electronic referrals to facilitate the patient referral process in Southern African public hospitals. Employing a multiple case study strategy, the research examined use of e-referrals in two tertiary public hospitals in South Africa's Western Cape Province and Namibia's Khomas region through a comparative study. Additionally, the study explored workaround practices related to mandated health information systems in order to understand their occurrence and effect on referral outcomes. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 31 HCPs in these settings, and a thematic approach was employed to analyse the data. The theoretical explanation of empirical findings was provided through the lens of the design-reality framework, the Process framework for Healthcare Information System Workarounds and Impacts, and the Systems Engineering Patient Safety model (SEIPS 3.0). The study findings show substantial evidence indicating design reality gaps between the HCP's requirements to complete work and the design of the referral applications in public hospitals where the research was conducted. As a result of these gaps, HCPs enacted workarounds in various forms, including the utilisation of Shadow IT, augmenting existing systems with alternative computer-based, telephonic, and paper-based referrals, and adapting the existing e-referral applications to accommodate work-related misfits. These practices suggested design-reality gaps. For instance, the ereferrals were inadequately designed and were not accommodating some of the real needs of HCPs. Furthermore, the design-reality gaps were attributed to inadequate functionalities of health information systems, poor management systems and structures, lack of end-user involvement and IT support, and the absence of relevant IT policies and policy awareness among HCPs. These gaps resulted in ineffective use of ehealth applications and enactment of workarounds to these e-health applications in both case studies. Additionally, the study found that electronic applications were introduced in these hospitals without a comprehensive understanding of the context and needs of HCPs. Existing e-health applications, such as the District Health Information Systems (DHIS 2) and the Vula application, did not fully support the referral process in public hospitals. In the one case study, Vula's implementation lacked adequate involvement from HCPs, failing to address their unique needs and contextual requirements. In the other case study, although DHIS2 was implemented as the national Health Information system in Namibia, it was not utilised for referral purposes but rather for administrative tasks. These challenges led to frustration and decreased satisfaction with the mentioned e-health applications, prompting HCPs to resort to workarounds to complete their work. These workaround practices stemmed from the autonomy exercised by HCPs to deliberately circumvent the mandated systems in order to achieve their tasks effectively and efficiently. The conceptual framework developed from the data explained these workaround practices emerging from design-reality gaps. The use of Shadow IT and workaround practices introduced unprecedented security risks to clinical information shared in shadow systems, compromising patient privacy and confidentiality. The study findings demonstrated that workarounds significantly amplified patient safety concerns and led to negative outcomes in the referral process and overall health organisations. In general, Shadow IT should not be viewed negatively, but should be viewed as opportunities for revealing the real needs and challenges encountered by HCPs. One could argue that the utilisation of Shadow IT not only exposes design-reality gaps in existing systems but also pinpoints the realities and demands of healthcare professionals within their specific environments. Consequently, Shadow IT provides innovative solutions to address limitations in the existing health information systems, particularly in enhancing healthcare delivery for referral processes. In conclusion, this research highlights the challenges and complexities in implementing electronic referrals in Southern African public hospitals. Understanding the underlying design-reality gaps and workaround practices can help health organisations develop more contextually relevant e-referral solutions to enhance patient safety and overall healthcare outcomes
Expression of genetic peripheral neuropathies in South African Children
Get PDFGenetic peripheral neuropathies are described in European ancestries, with a population prevalence of 1:2500-1:10000. However, these diseases are under-reported and poorly understood in African populations. Definite, probable and suspected genetic peripheral neuropathy cases, were characterized from children based in an African setting. A hospital based retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted through a referral neuromuscular disease centre in South Africa. Diagnostic work-up consisted of clinical, neurophysiology, where available histology and genetics screens. Of 63 recruited children, 19 % had definite (genetic confirmed) and 81% probable (neurophysiology and or histology confirmed) hereditary causes for neuropathy. Of the 63 individuals, 12 (19 %) were of African, 26 (41 %) Mixed, 24 (38%) European, 1(2%) Asian ancestry. 52% were females. Twelve with genetic confirmation consisted of seven CMT1A (PMP22 dup), two IGHMBP2, one MFN2, one SLC12A6 and one SLC52A3. Most children had axonal type of neuropathy (79.4 %): affecting African 11/12, Mixed 17/26, European 21/24 ancestries. Axonal neuropathy is the most common genetic neuropathy manifesting in children of African ancestry in South Africa. CMT1A was not identified in children of African ancestry
Textbook citations increase subsequent citations in economics, except for the most cited articles
Get PDFThis dissertation explores the intricate dynamics of information attribution and dissemination within academia, focusing on how textbook citation events influence subsequent citation patterns of academic literature. Rooted in the science of science, this study employs a comprehensive dataset of collaboration, affiliation, and citation metrics. The primary objective has been to uncover the nuanced mechanisms underlying the provenance of information by investigating how the attribution of ideas changes following a “notable event” – the citation of academic literature in well-known microeconomics textbooks. Defining two distinct effects associated with a “notable event” that could influence the subsequent citation counts of academic literature, this study examined the cessation effect, linked with decreasing citations, and the signalling effect, tied to increasing citations. Constructing a curated citation dataset of 610 observations and 18 variables, articles were categorised into treatment and control groups. The treatment group includes articles cited in microeconomics textbooks, while the control group, meticulously matched to ensure comparability, comprises uncited articles. A multiple linear regression model contrasts the citation trajectories of cited and uncited articles after the textbook citation event, simultaneously exploring the influence of various control variables on citation count. My findings shed light on the significant impact of textbook citation events on subsequent citation counts, ultimately enhancing the attribution of ideas. Notably, cited articles consistently achieve higher post-event citations, highlighting the reinforcement of attribution and confirming the presence of a signalling effect. However, for highly cited articles, a theoretical reduction in post-event citations was observed, suggesting a potential weakening of attribution and indicating the presence of a cessation effect. In addition to these central findings, the analysis of control variables revealed compelling insights. A positive correlation was identified between journal ranking, article length, and author citedness with citation counts, while a negative relationship surfaced between title length and citations. These secondary findings contributed to a deeper understanding of citation dynamics within academia. Drawing practical implications from these findings, this study affirms the robustness and enduring nature of academic referencing practices, elucidating that citing sources in textbooks significantly bolsters the preservation of information attribution. Furthermore, by drawing parallels between academic citation and data lineage, the research underscores the broader implications for data provenance, emphasising the importance of documenting data origins, sources, and methods thoroughly to ensure data reliability and traceability. Overall, this research offers a comprehensive analysis of the impact of textbook citation events on information attribution and dissemination within the field of economics. The study serves as a valuable contribution to the science of science, enriching the understanding of citation patterns and the complex social dynamics that shape the provenance of information in academia and beyond
The Legislative Complexities of Municipal Real Estate Transactions in the Context of Social Value Creation
No full textLegislation governing the sale and lease of immovable property by South African municipalities to third parties is extensive and multi-faceted. Different pieces of legislation are applicable, which specify several requirements to be complied with before a municipality enters into a sale or lease transaction. Compliance with some of these requirements are time-consuming and there are instances of overlap. While the requirements stipulate how a municipality should transact when undertaking immovable property transactions, consideration must also be given to overall municipal objectives and mandate, as provided for in the Constitution. The central theme of these objectives is the delivery of social value to the local community. This dissertation aims to determine to what extent legislative requirements applicable to the sale and lease of municipal immovable property to third parties support the realisation of social value objectives, as provided for in the Constitution. The study has three main objectives: a. First, to identify the legislation applicable to municipal immovable property transactions and to determine the objectives of the legislation relating to municipal immovable property transactions. b. Second, to examine the extent to which social value objectives are achieved through municipal immovable property transactions. c. Third, to investigate whether the legislation and processes relating to municipal immovable property transactions may be improved to better facilitate social value delivery. These objectives are considered by investigating and analysing the processes followed at two South African metropolitan municipalities when undertaking immovable property transactions. The study identifies and considers both the general challenges experienced by municipal officials regarding these transactions, as well as specific challenges faced in relation to the application of the legislation. The study illustrates how the legislative requirements, aimed at providing fairness and transparency, may inadvertently discourage social value creation. Recommendations are made to streamline and simplify the transaction process
An Enterprise Architecture approach for Data Quality management within Namibian Health Information Systems
Get PDFA Health information system (HIS) is regarded a key pillar in any healthcare sector. Yet, for many developing countries, challenges with data quality management have affected the adequate use of HIS. Resilient and well-functioning HIS systems contribute to the delivery of high-quality healthcare services, enhanced operational efficiency, informed decisionmaking, and the advancement of public health systems. Efforts to improve the quality of data in HIS has recently been a research interest in healthcare literature. This study investigates the use of Enterprise Architecture (EA) principles as an approach to data quality management in the context of Namibian Health Information Systems (NHIS). The study focuses on the principles outlined in The Open Group Architectural Framework (TOGAF) EA framework. This study followed a Grounded Theory Methodology (GTM). The themes from literature and data were used to form a conceptual model. Themes that emerged from the data include governing laws, standardization, data quality assessment and data quality assurance. The findings highlight the use of EA principles in Namibian HIS (NHIS) and showed that the standard out-of-the-box implementation of EA may not be suitable for use within a healthcare setting. The results, however, indicate that EA implementation should be informed by healthcare laws and policies particularly those pertaining to patient privacy. Furthermore, data quality challenges and some of the contextual conditions were discussed in depth and found to be similar to the findings in literature
Acoustic manipulation by brood-parasitic honeyguide
No full textBrood-parasitic birds lay their eggs in the nests of other species (‘hosts'), and their chicks encounter the challenge of acquiring sufficient food from host parents. Many parasitic chicks require more food than host chicks, and so need to elicit high rates of provisioning through their begging displays. Greater (Indicator indicator) and lesser (I. minor) honeyguides are closely related brood parasites that require more food than host chicks, whom they kill soon after hatching. Previous research demonstrated that both species receive the same amount of food as an entire brood of hosts (little bee-eaters Merops pusillus and black-collared barbets Lybius torquatus respectively), and that their begging calls influence provisioning by host parents. However, the acoustic mechanisms facilitating this phenomenon remained unknown. In this dissertation, I first test whether greater and lesser honeyguides mimic the begging calls of their respective hosts and quantify the accuracy of acoustic mimicry. I then test the hypothesis that honeyguides elicit increased provisioning from host parents by mimicking an entire brood of host chicks. I found that while both honeyguides mimic their host's nestlings, they do not specifically replicate the sound of a brood rather than a single chick. Finally, I test the hypothesis that non-linear vocal phenomena (NLP) in honeyguide begging calls could facilitate a supernormal stimulus particularly when the pitch and temporal structure of begging calls is constrained (such as by selection for mimicry). NLP are known to indicate high-arousal states in other ecological settings, inspiring the hypothesis that elevated NLP could function to increase provisioning to parasitic chicks beyond levels individual host nestlings would receive. I found that greater honeyguides tended towards higher perceived roughness (a form of NLP) than single bee-eater nestlings, but not significantly so. Lesser honeyguide begging calls tended towards higher amplitude modulation frequencies and perceived roughness than single barbet nestlings, but this too was not significant. Since both these features are associated with the amplitude envelope, I conducted a playback experiment at black-collared barbet nests in the field in Zambia to test whether the shape of the amplitude envelope of honeyguide begging calls increases host provisioning. This cautiously suggested it did not, at least at the levels manipulated here. Together, these results show that honeyguides mimic the pitch and temporal structure of their primary hosts' begging calls but do not mimic a brood to increase host provisioning, contrary to previous suggestions. The results are inconclusive as to whether NLP could be exploited by honeyguides to increase host provisioning. NLP should be further examined as a potential signalling mechanism that could be exploited by brood parasites to elevate the level of provisioning by host parents. More generally, the signalling function of NLP in bird begging calls, which had not been examined prior to this dissertation, deserves further investigation
Closure: a mind/brain perspective
Get PDFThe topic of closure - that sense of logical completion and conclusion - is often given much weight in the discussion of Western Classical music. However, this discussion enters uncertain territory when dealing with works which eschew the tonal-syntactic structure of the common practice period; a challenge common to music of the Twentieth Century. This dissertation concerns itself with the question of how closure can be achieved under these conditions. Most of the literature approaches this issue by analysing musical devices or procedures which composers employ at non-tonal musical endings, but this is usually done without first establishing criteria for distinguishing between endings that articulate closure and those that do not. To address this, I begin by proposing a definition of closure as a concept and then explore the cognitive underpinnings of this sensation through a review of Event Segmentation Theory. This allows me to construct a lens through which to revisit the existing work on non tonal endings and discuss their potential closural effect. My discussion concludes that, in the absence of a well-developed or commonly understood grammatical-semantic system, music requires a linear or directed process with a limiting element (either a process which is self limiting, one that proceeds toward a previously stated limit, or one that is interrupted by a significant modification) for it to stimulate a sense of closure. A notable exception to this was the possibility of closure as a result of high processing effort when locating an ending. I believe that these conclusions are valuable to the formal analysis or composition of non-tonal works within the Western Classical traditio
Women in senior leadership positions: higher education in eSwatini
Get PDFIn recent years, there have been numerous changes in higher education institutions (HEI) in eSwatini. These changes include an increase in the number of women appointed to senior leadership positions. However, research indicates that despite the increase in the number of women who are senior leaders in HEIs, women still face certain barriers to not only their advancement, but also to fulfilling their roles as leaders of academic institutions. In order to understand the experiences of women in senior leadership positions in eSwatini's HEIs, this study adopted a qualitative research approach, using semi-structured face-to-face interviews as a way to document women's experiences. The data was analysed using Braun and Clarke's (2006) thematic analysis, which aligns with the intersectional feminist lens that informed the researcher's reading of the data. Findings suggest that a patriarchal culture dominates eSwatini, and that women's experiences in the workplace are determined by patriarchal norms. As a result, women's promotion to more senior roles have happened at a slower pace, and when they are promoted, women experience several barriers. These barriers include: a lack of institutional support, particularly in the form of mentorship programs and funding; lack of family support; and gender- and age-related stereotypes. The study also found that participants consider themselves to be more effective leaders than men because of qualities like emotional intelligence, introspective abilities, and empathy. This study highlights the importance of supporting women in senior leadership positions in HEIs, who are often the ones who take on the role of mentoring younger scholars, sharing the skills they have acquired. The goal of this study is to inform the implementation of institutional policies and programmes aimed at supporting women advance to senior leadership positions, and offer the support they need to successfully navigate their positions once promoted. Most importantly, there needs to be a change in the patriarchal institutional cultures that make it hard for women to lead effectively
Towards a black poetics: alternative modes of visibility in representations of post-apartheid black trauma
Get PDFOver the years, literary scholarship has revealed writers' creative attempts to represent the experiences of marginalised groupsthat have been disregarded by legacies of colonial violence. Conscious of the genealogy of Black women poets who have contributed to South Africa's literary landscape, I make a case for poetry's restorative function with the aim of offering an intervention in the fields of post-colonial criticism and trauma studies. I critically explore how specific poetic techniques employed in the collections of Koleka Putuma (2021), Gabeba Baderoon (2018), and Maneo Mohale (2019) allow for the historical trauma of Black women to be attended to in the contemporary moment. These collections provide a basis from which to examine how a poetic reimagining prevents the textual revival of colonial violence, whilst simultaneously resisting historical erasure by bringing the voices of Black women to the forefront. Through close analysis of the aforementioned works, I draw attention to various modes of visibility as a way to illuminate how all three poets under review make use of certain strategies and creative interventions in order to craft new parameters for calling Black experience into sight. I suggest that the artistic commitment of reaffirming Black experiences can be productively understood through particular engagement with Black poetics. Drawing from scholars like Makhosazana Xaba, Barbara Boswell, Pumla Gqola, Saidiya Hartman, and Audre Lorde, I identify the poems' modes of visibility according to three main tropes: the physical body, domestic spaces, and South Africa's botanical landscape. These representational forms radically depart from conventional traditions of knowledge-making and instead, facilitate an active shift in readers' attention by emphasising the capacity of poetic language to make visible the localised histories of marginalised communities in ways that are ethical. Bearing these poetic strategies in mind, I have focused on recentring the representational medium of poetry as a valuable and generative literary form through which the historical trauma of colonialism and apartheid can be articulated, and have consequently sought to emphasise the need to recognise creative sites asspaces where theoretical frameworks are produced, and not merely applied