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Evaluating the Therapeutic Potential of Curcumin and Synthetic Derivatives: A Computational Approach to Anti-Obesity Treatments
Get PDFJournal Article, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, Biochemistry-- Mahikeng CampusNatural compounds such as curcumin, a polyphenolic compound derived from the rhizome of turmeric, have gathered remarkable scientific interest due to their diverse metabolic benefits including anti-obesity potential. However, curcumin faces challenges stemming from its unfavorable pharmacokinetic profile. To address this issue, synthetic curcumin derivatives aimed at enhancing the biological efficacy of curcumin have previously been developed. In silico modelling techniques have gained significant recognition in screening synthetic compounds as drug candidates. Therefore, the primary objective of this study was to assess the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic characteristics of three synthetic derivatives of curcumin. This evaluation was conducted in comparison to curcumin, with a specific emphasis on examining their impact on adipogenesis, inflammation, and lipid metabolism as potential therapeutic targets of obesity mechanisms. In this study, predictive toxicity screening confirmed the safety of curcumin, with the curcumin derivatives demonstrating a safe profile based on their LD50 values. The synthetic curcumin derivative 1A8 exhibited inactivity across all selected toxicity endpoints. Furthermore, these compounds were deemed viable candidate drugs as they adhered to Lipinski’s rules and exhibited favorable metabolic profiles. Molecular docking studies revealed that both curcumin and its synthetic derivatives exhibited favorable binding scores, whilst molecular dynamic simulations showed stable binding with peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ), csyclooxygenase-2 (COX2), and fatty acid synthase (FAS) proteins. The binding free energy calculations indicated that curcumin displayed potential as a strong regulator of PPARγ (−60.2 ± 0.4 kcal/mol) and FAS (−37.9 ± 0.3 kcal/mol), whereas 1A8 demonstrated robust binding affinity with COX2 (−64.9 ± 0.2 kcal/mol). In conclusion, the results from this study suggest that the three synthetic curcumin derivatives have similar molecular interactions to curcumin with selected biological targets. However, in vitro and in vivo experimental studies are recommended to validate these findings.Acknowledgments
Marakiya T. Moetlediwa is funded by the National Research Foundation (NRF) of South Africa and North-West University (NWU) master’s funding. The authors would like to acknowledge the National Integrated Cyberinfrastructure System’s Centre for High Performance Computing (NICIS-CHPC) for the computing resources required for this study
Perceived Phytosanitary Impacts of Climate Change and Climate Change Adaptation among Cocoa Farmers in Cameroon
Get PDFThe planetary commons: A new paradigm for safeguardingEarth- regulating systems in the Anthropocene
Get PDFJournal Article, Faculty of Law, Law; Justice and Sustainability-- Potchefstroom CampusThe Anthropocene signifies the start of a no-analogue trajectory of the Earth system that is fundamentally different from the Holocene. This new trajectory is characterized by rising risks of triggering irreversible and unmanageable shifts in Earth system functioning. We urgently need a new global approach to safeguard critical Earth system regulating functions more effectively and comprehensively. The global commons framework is the closest example of an existing approach with the aim of governing biophysical systems on Earth upon which the world collectively depends. Derived during stable Holocene conditions, the global commons framework must now evolve in the light of new Anthropocene dynamics. This requires a fundamental shift from a focus only on governing shared resources beyond national jurisdiction, to one that secures critical functions of the Earth system irrespective of national boundaries. We propose a new framework—the planetary commons which differs from the global commons framework by including not only globally shared geographic regions but also critical biophysical systems that regulate the resilience and state, and therefore livability, on Earth. The new planetary commons should articulate and create comprehensive stewardship obligations through Earth system governance aimed at restoring and strengthening planetary resilience and justice.ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The collaboration and work with this paper has been supported by the Earth Commission, the Research Institute for Sustainability Helmholtz Center Potsdam, the European Research Council (ERC) Advanced
Grant ERC-2016-ADG: Earth Resilience in the Anthropocene (grant number:743080)
Analysis of forced convection in the HTTU experiment using numerical codes
Get PDFJournal Article, Faculty of Engineering, Unit for Energy and Technology Systems-- Potchefstroom CampusThe High Temperature Test Unit (HTTU) was an experimental set-up to conduct separate and integral effects tests of the Pebble Bed Modular Reactor (PBMR) core. The annular core consisted of a randomly packed bed of uniform spheres. Natural convection tests using both nitrogen and helium, and forced convection tests using nitrogen, were conducted. The maximum material temperature achieved during forced convection testing was 1200 C. This paper presents the numerical analysis of the flow and temperature distribution for a forced convection test using 3D CFD as well as a 1D systems-CFD computer code. Several modelling approaches are possible, ranging from a fully explicit to a semi-implicit method that relies on correlations of their associated phenomena. For the comparison between codes, the analysis was performed using a porous media approach, where the conduction and radiative heat transfer were lumped together as an effective thermal conductivity and the convective heat transfer was correlated between the solid and gas phases. The results from both codes were validated against the experimental measurements. Favourable results were obtained, in particular by the systems-CFD code with minimal computational and time requirements.Acknowledgements
The authors wish to thank PBMR (Pty) Ltd. For permission to publish part of the work that was done in collaboration with the North-West University and M-Tech Industrial (Pty) Ltd., as well as the respective authors of the works cited
The regulation of the allocation of carbon tax revenue and climate change adaptation via disaster risk management in the South African agricultural sector
Get PDFDoctor of Law in Perspectives on Law, North-West University, Potchefstroom CampusThe South African agricultural sector has experienced an unprecedented occurrence of natural disasters over the past 10 years due to the adverse effects of climate change. This is directly linked to the increased amount of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions as a result of anthropogenic activities undertaken to accelerate economic development. International climate change law requires that national governments should mitigate GHG emissions through internationally accepted mechanisms. The South African government implemented a carbon tax which is considered a mitigation instrument to drive sustainability and a just transition towards a low GHG emission economy. Currently, carbon tax revenues are collected by government for the national reserve fund without ringfencing the funds for a specific purpose. The Disaster Management Act 57 of 2002 is the primary framework that manages disaster occurrences in South Africa. The purpose of this Act is, among other things, to invest in disaster risk reduction strategies, which are interlinked with climate adaptation, to limit vulnerability to natural disasters. The need for funding to address the adverse effects of climate change through climate adaptation, vis-à-vis, disaster risk reduction has increased, but the South African government has not allocated sufficient funding to meet the need. As the agricultural sector is considered the most vulnerable to harsh weather occurrences, this study will investigate how carbon tax revenues can be ringfenced for climate adaptation through the Disaster Management Act 57 of 2002 to ensure a prosperous agricultural sector that secures food security and promotes sustainable development
EXPLORING THE ONTOLOGICAL BOUNDARY OF METACOGNITIVE AWARENESS OF PRE-SERVICE EDUCATORS
Get PDFJournal Article, Faculty of Education (School of Professional Studies)--Northwest University, Mahikeng CampusThe pre-service educator preparation period is crucial in developing the competencies necessary for effective educators who succeed in the classroom. Consequently, it becomes imperative for pre-service educators to develop their awareness of self-regulatory and metacognitive skills to become effective in the classroom. Therefore, the process of developing pre-service educators’ metacognitive awareness is important if we are to produce self-directed learners with well-developed cognitive skills. However, the designing and development of Bachelor of Education programmes that enhances teaching with metacognition is a neglected area in higher education institutions. The concept of Ontology is applied in this presentation because it constitutes an explicit specification of a conceptualization of the levels of interpretation of metacognitive awareness. This presentation reports on part of a larger quantitative study on the relationship between metacognitive awareness, teaching perspectives, and sense of efficacy of pre-service educators. On the theoretical component, the presentation aims to explore a framework for analysing the level of pre-service educators’ metacognitive awareness, building on the self-directed learning theory and its application in the context of pre-service educators. A sample of 683 pre-service educators completed the Metacognitive Awareness Inventory for Teachers. To present and describe data, mean scores, standard deviations, Cohen’s effect size for interpretation of results, and Spearman’s correlation coefficients to determine correlations between concepts using multiple regression analysis were calculated, this was done to determine the nature of the relationship between the constructs (variables) of metacognitive knowledge and the effect of specified contextual components such as gender, Language of instruction, Mode of delivery Programme enrolled for and Area of specialisation as well as Campus of the respondents in relation to metacognitive awareness. There are two levels of interpretation of the findings presented here: (i) the manifested component of metacognitive awareness, and (ii) the contextual components of gender, language of instruction, programme enrolled for, area of specialisation, mode of delivery, and campus. This study is of particular interest to tertiary institutions, who are charged with the task of developing educators who can influence student achievement in a positive way
Realising undocumented immigrant children's right to a basic education in South Africa in accordance with international law
Get PDFDoctor of Laws with Perspectives on Law, North-West University, Potchefstroom CampusMany people in Africa are moving to countries that offer them prospects of peace, economic stability, and protection from political violence. South Africa is one of the most attractive destinations due to its relatively improved economy, political stability and good human rights record. Although asylum seekers and refugees form a part of immigrants, most people who arrive in South Africa are voluntary immigrants seeking greener pastures. Due to stringent visa requirements, which most of them do not meet, South Africa has seen exponential growth in undocumented immigrants who arrive with their young children and who also bear children inside South Africa. Undocumented immigrant children, like all other children, are entitled to all rights to which children are entitled in terms of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa ,1996 and treaties to which South Africa is a State Party. One of these rights is the right to a basic education. However, there are concerns that South African policies and legislation potentially violate its constitutional and international obligations as far as the provision of basic education for undocumented immigrant children is concerned. This is so because some policies and legislation prohibit or restrict the enrolment of undocumented immigrant children in schools. Also, there have been attempts to cut off funding for schools which provide learning opportunities for undocumented immigrant children. Although the courts interdicted such acts and interpreted legislation in a way that can be reconciled with the right to a basic education for undocumented immigrant children, barriers to access basic education persist. In this context, this thesis uses the doctrinal legal research method to ascertain the extent to which South Africa fulfils its international and domestic obligations to realise the right to access a basic education for undocumented immigrant children. The thesis contributes to legal knowledge by adding new insights into the right to a basic education for undocumented immigrant children in South Africa. After a diligent search of legal materials, no comprehensive work could be found on the legal challenges undocumented immigrant children face in accessing basic education in South Africa. The thesis further contributes to knowledge by bringing insights and recommendations from the treatment of undocumented children in the United States of America (USA) education system to bear on the South African perspective. The USA also experiences high levels of illegal immigration and has grappled with some of the same challenges facing South Africa in providing basic education for undocumented immigrant children. While other countries (and their legal systems) encounter immigration, the USA is looked at specifically as it has probably adopted the most far reaching decision to fully grant education rights and benefits to undocumented immigrant children
FARMERS’ PARTICIPATION IN CLIMATE SMART AGRICULTURE INITIATIVES AND ADOPTION DECISIONS IN THE ARSI AND EAST SHEWA ZONES OF OROMIA REGION, ETHIOPIA
Get PDFJournal Article. Faculty of Agricultural Economics and Extension, North--West University-Mafikeng CampusClimate change is a major challenge to sustainable agricultural production in the world. The intricacy of the problem requires farmers’ compliance with regenerative agricultural practices that can facilitate conservation of fragile productive systems, while sustaining their productivity. Accordingly, various climate change management strategies have been promoted in Ethiopia. This paper analyzed farmers’ participation in CSA practices and the determinants of adoption in the Oromia region of Ethiopia. The data were collected during the 2020 cropping season from 420 randomly selected farmers in the Arsi (highland) and East Shewa (lowland) zones of the Oromia region. The data was analyzed with descriptive and Logit regression. The results showed that of the total thirteen climate smart agricultural practices that were assessed, about 6 and 4 were adopted by more than 50% of the farmers in the highland and lowland, respectively. Also, 21.0% and 42.4% of respondents from highland and lowlandrespectively participated in CSA programs or projects. Moreover, 35.5% and 34.8% of the highland and lowland agroecology farmers respectively adopted some CSA after project participation. In the highland agroecology, crop rotation, crop residual management, crop diversification and intercropping were the mostly used practices, while crop rotation, adjustment of planting time, minimum tillage and planning of drought resistant varieties were mostly used by lowland agroecology farmers. Moreover, logistic regression results reveal that CSA adoption is influenced by age, education, gender, family size, credit support, experience, extension support, non-agricultural income, and livestock holding. It was concluded that adoption of CSA was low, and promotion of extension support and CSA participation experiences will facilitate adoption of some CSA practices. More importantly,extension support should focus on CSA practices that were widely used by the farmers
How does work-life conflict influence wellbeing outcomes? A test of a mediating mechanism using data from 33 European countries
Get PDFJournal Article, Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences, Workwell: Research Unit for Economic; Management Sciences-- Potchefstroom CampusReflecting a recent guideline for operationalizing subjective wellbeing (OECD, 2023), this study tested a model that shows how work-life conflict, one of the key dimensions that detracts from wellbeing outcomes. It does so through a mediating mechanism involving domain satisfaction (i.e., family and work wellbeing), subjective wellbeing, and eudaimonic wellbeing. Specifically, we theorize that work-life conflict detracts from both family and work wellbeing, which in turn decreases subjective wellbeing. In turn, decreases in subjective wellbeing serve to decrease eudaimonic wellbeing. We also argue that work-life conflict has direct adverse effects on both subjective wellbeing and eudaimonic wellbeing. Data collected from the 2016 European Quality of Life Survey were used to test the model; the sample included 18,137 respondents from 33 European countries. The results from multi-level modeling were supportive of our hypotheses. Policy implications were discussed, along with study limitations and suggestions for future research.Open Access
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Assessing South Africa’s cyber surveillance legislation against democratic principles
Get PDFMaster of Laws in Constitutional Law, North-West University, Potchefstroom CampusIntelligence services play a vital role to predict, detect, and analyse threats to a state’s national security. In order to properly perform this function, intelligence services use various surveillance methods, including cyber surveillance, to gather intelligence on a potential threat. However, the very nature of surveillance dictates that it be done in secrecy, which makes proper oversight an unenviable task, and poses a significant threat to the democratic principles upon which South Africa has been rebuilt. South Africa’s intelligence services have a long history of abuse of power and excessive secrecy during apartheid. Considerable legislative changes have consequently been made in the post-apartheid era in an effort to ensure that the intelligence services uphold international surveillance standards, the rule of law, and democratic principles such as transparency, accountability, and impartiality. At the centre of these legislative changes is the Constitution, which provides a framework for the intelligence services to rid it of its apartheid-era characteristics, and to create structures that ensure that it effectively pursues its mandate, while also upholding democratic principles. This study draws the conclusion that, despite these extensive legislative changes, the intelligence services are still plagued with inefficiency, excessive secrecy, politicisation, and abuse of power that pose a significant risk to the democratic dispensation in South Africa. The intelligence services are not currently in compliance with the Constitution, international surveillance standards, and democratic principles, and it is recommended that several changes to the intelligence oversight structures is needed to ensure compliance