Applying human factors and ergonomics to a healthcare clinic record-keeping process using a community-based participatory research approach in Makhanda
- Authors: Kingwill, Kirsten Rosemary
- Date: 2025-04-02
- Subjects: Human engineering , Clinics Records and correspondence , Community-engaged research , Community-based research , Records management
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/479152 , vital:78265
- Description: Background: Healthcare record-keeping is an important process. However, several challenges associated with taking, storing and maintaining accurate records have been identified as a barrier to the quality and safety of care globally and locally in primary healthcare clinics in Makhanda, Eastern Cape, South Africa. In this context, local healthcare providers argue that this stems from the hybrid nature of the system (paper and electronic) and the impact of several systemic challenges. Poor records can result in negative outcomes for patients, healthcare workers and the greater public healthcare system. For example, if patient files are not adequately completed, poor patient care and medico-legal litigation costs may emerge. Furthermore, given that HFE promotes the participation of stakeholders in identifying and resolving workplace challenges, this study adopted a participatory research approach, more specifically a Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) approach. This research project, therefore, aimed to explore the barriers and facilitators to record-keeping in a primary healthcare clinic in Makhanda, the adequacy of patient file completeness and reasons as to why files may or may not have been adequately completed, following a CBPR approach. Methods: Following a period of pre-data collection embedding in the clinic to become familiar with the system and the staff and to form a relationship with a community collaborator from the clinic, this study was completed in two broad phases. During Phase 1, observations, informal discussions and semi-structured interviews were conducted with 11 clinic staff members to understand the clinic and record-keeping systems through the work system components and barriers of both systems. Phase 1 data was analysed through thematic analysis and presented by work system components, selected SEIPS 101 tools and a Hierarchical Task Analysis to detail the tasks involved in the record-keeping process. During Phase 2, a comparative assessment of a sample of patient files (n=55) was conducted against a local standard checklist, detailing what was to be completed in patient files. This was done to assess the completeness of different file sections which were analysed through a frequency count. This was followed by three interviews with clinicians, which explored their perceptions on why sections of the records may have been better completed than others. The interviews were then thematically analysed. Results: Administrative staff shortages, a lack of file storage space, limited access to technology such as computers, lost files, and the amount of information to complete in files were identified as the major challenges associated with the record-keeping system and influencing the completion of patient files. Through the analysis of patient files, it was found that some patient file sections were completed more adequately than others. For example, administrative details were the most well-completed section, and the Anti-Retroviral Therapy (ART) initiation section was the most poorly completed. The findings also revealed reasons as to why these sections may or may not have been adequately completed. These included the need for the duplication of information, particularly for antenatal care clinicians. Time pressure for clinicians to see and complete patient records and work ethic and accountability were additional emergent themes. Lastly, clinicians argued that having a lack of access to, a shortage of or broken medical and record-keeping equipment that inhibited clinicians from obtaining and recording patient information, were additional reasons for poorly taken records. Conclusions: As the findings revealed, the primary healthcare clinic and its hybrid record-keeping system and process were influenced by a variety of clinic and record-keeping challenges that interacted and ultimately influenced the record-keeping process and completeness of patient files. The system constraints are important considerations as understanding how the clinic functions under them is a starting point for future system improvement. Furthermore, barriers impacting the record-keeping system influence several key steps in the record-keeping process, including the completion of details within patient files. Here it was found that some sections and information details were more adequately completed than others, which impacted the continuity, quality and safety of patient care. Additionally, the discrepancies found between the standard checklist and patient files were highlighted as a point of concern for the Department of Health (DoH) as clinics were being assessed based on a checklist that did not match the patient files, incorrectly representing the completeness of files to the DoH. Throughout the research project, the application and implementation of HFE and CBPR have been shown to be important in the local healthcare record-keeping system in that real-world challenges were identified through the perspective of community members facing the challenges. Therefore, HFE researchers should adopt a CBPR approach and apply these complementary domains in other complex systems and varying contexts to comprehensively understand the barriers, facilitators and opportunities for human-system interaction improvements. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science, Human Kinetics and Ergonomics, 2025
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- Date Issued: 2025-04-02
Pre-release evaluation of stem-galling and seed-feeding midges (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) from South Africa as biological control agents for Guinea grass (Megathyrsus maximus) in Texas, United States
- Authors: De la Fontaine, Benjamin
- Date: 2025-04-02
- Subjects: Guinea grass Biological control Texas , Gall midges , Invasive plants Biological control Texas , Maxent , Phylogeny , Grasses Texas
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/479002 , vital:78248
- Description: Guinea grass (Megathyrsus maximus) is a tall-statured C4 grass with a native range spanning sub-Saharan Africa. Intentionally exported for centuries for its grazing value, it has become a near-global invasive. Texas, USA is the first territory to initiate a biological control program for Guinea grass, targeting an invasive population with genetic origins that have been traced to South Africa. This study focuses on the identification and evaluation of biological control agents for Guinea grass. Native-range natural enemy surveys were performed in South Africa, resulting in the identification of several undescribed species of phytophagous midges (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) on Guinea grass, including stem-galling taxa (gall midges) and seed-feeding taxa (seed midges). These taxa are expected to be highly host-specific based on the known biology of this family of insects, but the difficulty of rearing them in the laboratory necessitated field-based assessments. Field host range assessments of stem gall midges resulted in the rejection of one candidate (the horn gall midge, undescribed sp.) due to feeding on a relative of the target plant, Batochloa deusta, and the prioritization of another candidate (the blister gall midge, Arabukodiplosis vesicaria) that feeds only on Megathyrsus maximus. Combined field host range evaluations and phylogenetic analysis of a cryptic species complex of seed midges resolved this as a new genus containing up to seven species, with five species that are likely to be specific to their respective Panicoideae grass hosts, including Megathyrsus maximus and Cenchrus ciliaris (buffelgrass – also invasive in the USA). Climate matching models for the blister gall midge and seed midge on Guinea grass predicted high likelihood of establishment and nearly complete coverage of invaded sites in Texas, and identified northern KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa as an ideal source region for Guinea grass biocontrol agents. The nascent sub-field of grass biocontrol research has developed slowly because of inaccurate perceptions that grasses lack host-specific herbivores, and faces a severe taxonomic impediment given the large number of undescribed insect species feeding on grasses, especially in Africa. This study has contributed to resolving both challenges by identifying several new host-specific insect species, showing that the prospects for future success and discovery in grass biological control are promising. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science, Zoology and Entomology, 2025
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- Date Issued: 2025-04-02
Undergraduate bachelor of nursing students’ learning experiences of the operating room environment in public and private hospitals in the Eastern Cape
- Authors: de Vega, Jaunita Martina
- Date: 2024-12
- Subjects: Operating room nurses -- South Africa , Operating rooms -- South Africa , Nursing -- Study and teaching -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/69794 , vital:78035
- Description: As per the regulations outlined by the South African Nursing Council (SANC), nursing students must fulfil a specified number of clinical hours to become registered practitioners. Regulation R425 and R174 mandates that undergraduate nursing students complete clinical hours in General Nursing Science (GNS), including a component in the operating room (OR) as part of their specialization. However, the educational experiences of Bachelor of Nursing (BON) students in the OR setting are not always positive. The intensity and urgency of perioperative activities in the OR can sometimes leave nursing students feeling threatened and overwhelmed, hindering their ability to view the OR as a conducive clinical learning environment (CLE). The purpose of the study was to gain an understanding of undergraduate nursing students’ learning experiences of the OR environment in public and private hospitals while achieving the learning objectives for course completion. The study followed a qualitative, exploratory, descriptive and contextual design. Undergraduate nursing students based at a higher education institution (HEI) undergoing a four-year BON degree and who had exposure to the OR environment were invited to participate in the study. Data collection involved interviewing 20 participants using focus group discussions. Data was transcribed verbatim and analysed thematically using Tesch’s method of analysis. Vygotsky’s theory of sociocultural learning was used as a lens to explore the OR learning experiences of the nursing students placed at both public and private hospitals. An adapted version of the AGREE II tool was used as a framework to develop recommendations to optimise the learning experiences of nursing students in the OR environment. The analysis yielded three overarching themes and nine related sub-themes. It was evident that these students encountered challenges when adapting to the OR environment. These challenges were attributed to factors such as the reception and support they received in the CLE, their level of preparedness for OR procedures, and the numerous factors influencing their learning opportunities within the OR. The findings propose that enhancing nursing students’ preparation, along with implementing a structured induction programme, could lead to a more favourable experience in the OR and optimise learning outcomes. Additionally, fostering supportive mentorship programmes with OR professional nurses or staff trained to introduce nursing students to the OR, promoting professional communication between nursing education institutions (NEIs) and hospital OR management, are pivotal measures for maximizing learning opportunities and nurturing the professional growth of nursing students within the OR environment. Recommendations were developed using an adapted version of the AGREE II tool as a framework to optimise the learning experiences of nursing students in the OR environment. , Thesis (MCur) -- Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Clinical Care & Medicinal Sciences, 2024
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- Date Issued: 2024-12
Towards a sustainable food management system: Exploring indigenous food practices of sorghum grain in the Moshana village, Northwest, South Africa
- Authors: Nkgothoe,Julius Batlhalifi
- Date: 2022-12
- Subjects: Food security -- Moshana village-- South Africa , Sustainable development-- South Africa -- North West , Sorghum --Composition
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/59271 , vital:61803
- Description: This research study explores indigenous sorghum food management practices as a pathway towards sustainable food systems. The level of hunger is ever-increasing, and so is the global population. Regions less industrialized and developed suffer the most as they host growing populations and most of the worlds undernourished. Further intensified in this problem are a culling and unforgiving food systems run by a few conglomerates and a knowledge system driven by a histography of ‘othering’ even in its knowledge creation process. Although there exist institutions such as the United Nations Food and Agricultural programs, these remain relegated to policy and intergovernmental level, in the process, not being mindful of the real food issues faced at the grassroots level. This research study centralizes indigenous food practices to make sense of how rural and indigenous livelihoods such as those located in the Moshana village thrive and survive in a monopolized and urban-centred food climate like South Africa. By interviewing 12 participants, living, and taking part in the Moshana village food systems and employing stringent face-to-face semi-structured interviews, we present an indigenous food system as experienced and shared by Moshana Village Community members. The findings present an array of indigenous and food management practices, perspectives through an African ecological philosophical view. Conceptually inspired by the works of Vandana Shiva and many global south thinkers on seeds, grains and sustainable indigenous food systems, this study hopes to reinsert back the centrality of food in the growing field of African Sociology. The findings clearly show that elderly women are preserving the Sorghum knowledge and preservation processes. These practices have assisted the Moshana Village community members to cope with food shortages and lockdown restrictions during the strict COVID-19 lockdown in South Africa. The study concludes with clear need for the archiving and intergenerational communication of food management within the rural communities. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Humanities, School of Governmental and Social Sciences, 2022
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- Date Issued: 2022-12
Mobilising indigenous technologies of making oshikundu and uumboloto to motivate and enable sense making of the topic carbon dioxide by grade 8 rural school learners
- Authors: Nandjedi, Fredinard Nghinaounditala
- Date: 2022-10-14
- Subjects: Science Study and teaching (Secondary) Social aspects Namibia , Culturally relevant pedagogy Namibia , Ethnoscience Namibia , Carbon dioxide
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/405357 , vital:70164
- Description: Poor performance in Science has been noted in most rural schools and this has become a concern to education planners and implementers. Part of the failure is said to be caused by inadequate school resources, under-preparedness of teachers to teach Science, poor command of the Language of Learning and Teaching, negative attitudes that are accompanied by lack of insights into the value of Science, low self-efficacy, and poor-quality environments for learning Science. In this regard, literature has revealed that many Science teachers in Namibia do not consider learners’ local indigenous knowledge (IK) also known as indigenous technology to mediate learning. Yet, it is a requirement of the Namibian Science curriculum. I assume that this could be due in part to the fact that the Science curriculum is not explicit on how IK should be integrated into Science teaching. It is against this backdrop that this study sought to explore the opportunities IK integration into Science may offer in mediating learning and sense-making on the topic of carbon dioxide (CO2). Learners’ indigenous technological practices of making oshikundu and uumboloto were used as vehicles of learning. This qualitative case study is underpinned by the interpretive and indigenous research paradigms. Within the indigenous research paradigm, I focused on the Ubuntu perspective. This study was conducted at a rural under-resourced school in the Ohangwena region in Namibia. Thirty Grade 8 learners, one science teacher and two expert community members were involved as participants. Data were gathered using focus group interviews (sharing circles), group activities, participatory observations, and journal reflections. Data interpretation and analysis were done using Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory and Ogunniyi’s contiguity argumentative theory. A thematic approach to data analysis was adopted. That is, an inductive approach was employed whereby sub-themes were identified, and thereafter common sub-themes were combined into themes. The findings of this study revealed that the process of making oshikundu and uumboloto can be used to enable learners to make sense of the topic of CO2 and other related concepts. Furthermore, the study revealed that hands-on practical activities done with easily accessible resources which are related to learners’ indigenous technologies help learners learn Science easily. The study thus recommends that educators should use oshikundu and/or uumboloto to mediate learning of topics such as CO2. Science teachers should always try to tap into learners’ socio-cultural backgrounds in their lessons to enhance better understanding of Science concepts. , Thesis (MEd) -- Faculty of Education, Education, 2022
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- Date Issued: 2022-10-14
Structural determinants of the HSP90-Fibronectin interaction and implications for fibrillogenesis
- Authors: Chakraborty, Abir
- Date: 2022-04-08
- Subjects: To be added
- Language: English
- Type: thesis , text , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/294572 , vital:57234
- Description: Thesis embargoed. Release date April 2024. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Science, Biochemistry and Microbiology, 2022
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- Date Issued: 2022-04-08
[iLahleko - Loss]
- Authors: Qhali, Itumeleng
- Date: 2021-10-29
- Subjects: Creative writing (Higher education) South Africa , Xhosa poetry 21st century , South African poetry (English) 21st century , Short stories, South African (English) 21st century , Loss (Psychology) in literature , Poetry History and criticism , Bilingual authors , Bilingualism and literature , Bilingualism in literature
- Language: English , Xhosa
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/191825 , vital:45169
- Description: My thesis is a collection of poems and prose that explores the disjunction of losses for women and children across the two languages I inhabit, isiXhosa and English. Ukulahlekelwa lithemba, ukudukelwa yingqondo, ukholo, ubuwena, umzimba nothando. For me, isiXhosa captures the innate musicality and deep emotions within a word or a sound that are not available in English. On the other hand, English readily produces visceral images that are more difficult for me to access in isiXhosa. Kolu phononongo ndikwasebenzisa namagama emboleko ukuze ndikhulise isigama. Ndisebenzisa amagama azibeka zinjalo iimvakalelo, angqalileyo kuncwadi lwesiXhosa. Ndisebenzisa zombini ilyric form kunye neprozi ngenxa yesingqi esiphuhliswa yilyric, nangenxa yenkululeko umbali ayifumanayo kwiprozi. As a bilingual writer ndifuthelwe sisingqi nobunzulu bentlungu obufumaneka in the translated and bilingual works of Isabella Motadinyane, noMarina Ivanovna Tsvetaeva, imibongo yeDaikwan eguqulwe nguStephen Watson ethi Song of the Broken String; iimbongi zespanish ezinjengo Antonia Machado; ngendlela abasebenzisa ngayo ulwimi lwabo ukunabisa nokugqithisa umyalezo ngeentlungu abadibana nazo, bakwanaso nesingqi somculo othuthuzelayo kwimibongo yabo. The structure of my thesis is inspired by the innovative mixed genre layout of Sindiswa Busuku-Mathese’s Loud and Yellow Laughter, and the new formats of isiXhosa writing presented in Mthunzikazi Mbugwana’s poetry. My work has also been shaped by the visceral imagery and briefly captured moments of loss in imisebenzi ka S.S Mema, Nontsizi Mgqwetho, noPascale Petit, novangile gantsho. Imisebenzi yabo ikuzobela umfanekiso ngqondweni ophilayo. Bonke abababhali bahambe indlela endinika umdla nendifuna ukuyihamba nam njengombhali omtsha obhala ngeelwimi ezimbini. , My thesis is a collection of poems and prose that explores the disjunction of losses for women and children across the two languages I inhabit, isiXhosa and English. For me, isiXhosa captures the innate musicality and deep emotions within a word or a sound that are not available to me in English. On the other hand, English readily produces visceral images that are more difficult for me to find in isiXhosa. My poems use the music and introspection of the lyric form, as well as the emotional outpouring that prose poetry allows. As a bilingual writer, I am influenced by the transference of musicality and gravity of loss conveyed in the translated and bilingual work of Isabella Motadinyane, the Russian Marina Tsvetaeva, Stephen Watson’s Song of the Broken String, as well as the Spanish poets Antonio Machado. The structure of my thesis is inspired by the innovative mixed genre layout of Sindiswa Busuku-Mathese’s Loud and Yellow Laughter, and the new formats of isiXhosa writing presented in Mthunzikazi Mbugwana’s poetry. My work has also been shaped by the visceral imagery and briefly captured moments of loss in the work of South African poets vangile gantsho, S.S. Mema, and Nontsizi Mgqwetho, as well as the English poet, Pascale Petit. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Humanitites, School of Languages and Literatures, 2021
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- Date Issued: 2021-10-29
Sustainability focus in water management and curriculum practices in an agricultural college: a case study of Fort Cox Agriculture and Forestry Training Institute
- Authors: Ramphinwa, Azwindini Edson
- Date: 2021-10-29
- Subjects: Water-supply Management South Africa Ixesi , Water-supply Management Study and teaching (Higher) South Africa Ixesi , Curriculum planning South Africa Ixesi , Environmental education Activity programs South Africa Ixesi , Agricultural colleges Curricula South Africa Ixesi , Sustainable development South Africa Ixesi , Educational change South Africa , Fort Cox Agriculture and Forestry Training Institute , Practice Architectures Theory (PAT)
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/192030 , vital:45189
- Description: This case study of Fort Cox Agriculture and Forestry Training Institute explored the sustainability focus in water management and curriculum practices. I was inspired to develop a deeper understanding of current water management and curriculum practices at Fort Cox with fellow academics involved in the teaching of water dependent curricula, students who were enrolled in water dependent subjects, and support staff involved in water management practices around campus. My initial assumption was there was a practice disconnect or mismatch between water management practices and the stated curriculum requirements at Fort Cox. To develop a deeper understanding and possible responses, the study adopted the Practice Architectures Theory (PAT) developed by Kemmis (2009) and Kemmis, McTaggart and Nixon (2013). A supportive theory was also considered in the form of the action learning process developed by Marquardt (2007), which was aimed at bringing people together in an attempt to respond to water management practice concerns in their context. Practice Architectures Theory was used with the view to understand the ‘sayings, doings, and relatings’ regarding water management and curriculum practices at Fort Cox, in particular around Irrigation, Soil and Water Conservation subjects and the other water dependent subjects. Kemmis et al. (2013) suggested that practices come into being because people do not act alone but as a collective, and bring them into being. In practice, individual understanding and action are orchestrated in collective social-relational projects. A qualitative case study approach was used to solicit data using different techniques namely workshops, semi-structured interviews, document analysis, observations and Unit-Based Sustainability Assessment Tool questionnaires. Data collected through all these techniques was triangulated in the form of analytical memoranda which helped to develop analytical statements aligned with the research goals. The findings confirmed the evident practice disconnect between water management and curriculum practices which was found to be problematic at Fort Cox. The findings also suggest that there were inadequate water management topics across the curriculum. The findings lead to recommendations including future research recommendations for possible implementation. One notable recommendation is staff development on current sustainable water management and curriculum practices to address the challenges of both Fort Cox and the region. , Thesis (MEd) -- Faculty of Education, Education, 2021
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- Date Issued: 2021-10-29
Mobilising stories about cultural beliefs and practices on traditional foods to contextualise the topic on nutrition in a Grade 6 township class
- Authors: Nuntsu, Sipho Nimrod
- Date: 2021-10
- Subjects: Culturally relevant pedagogy South Africa , Science Study and teaching (Elementary) South Africa , Nutrition Study and teaching (Elementary) South Africa , Traditional ecological knowledge South Africa , Storytelling , Reasoning , Contiguity Argumentation Theory (CAT) , South African Curriculum Assessment and Policy Statement (CAPS) , Socio-cultural theory
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/190940 , vital:45043
- Description: The South African Curriculum Assessment and Policy Statement (CAPS) document stipulates that science teachers should integrate indigenous knowledge (IK) into their science teaching. The rationale for this is to contextualise the content and make science accessible and relevant to learners. Despite these ideals, however, CAPS seems to be silent on how science teachers should go about doing this. Instead, it assumes that all teachers know how to integrate IK in their science teaching. As a result, many teachers are still not sure of how to integrate IK into their science classrooms. Such rhetoric and tension between curriculum formulation and implementation triggered my interest to do a study on how to mobilise stories about cultural beliefs and practices of traditional foods to mediate learning of nutrition in a Grade 6 Natural Sciences township class. The study was underpinned by an interprevist paradigm complemented with an Ubuntu paradigm to enhance explanations. Within these paradigms, a qualitative case study research design was adopted. It was conducted at Mdoko Primary school (pseudonym) in a semi-urban community in the Amathole West district of the Eastern Cape. The participants were 34 Grade 6 learners (15 boys and 19 girls), a Grade 6 Natural Sciences teacher who was my critical friend, and two expert community members. To generate data, I used a focus group discussion, group activities, classroom observations, and learners’ reflective journals. Vygotsky’s socio-cultural theory and Ogunniyi’s Contiguity Argumentation Theory (CAT) were used as theoretical and analytical frameworks, respectively. A thematic approach to data analysis was employed. That is, data were analysed inductively to identify sub-themes and subsequently similar sub-themes were grouped together to form themes. The two expert community members’ presentations equipped my learners with stories on cultural beliefs and practices that were used in the olden days (past) and how such stories are used in our days (present). For instance, the findings of this study revealed that women during menstruation must not drink amasi as it is believed that it would prolong the menstruation time. The findings also revealed that eating of amaqanda and inside meat by youths should be minimised as it is believed that it can stimulate their sex hormones. It also revealed that there is no relevance to science that men eating imifino would be weak among other men who do not eat them. The implications for this study is that science teachers should make some efforts to integrate IK in their teaching to make science accessible and relevant to their learners. To achieve this, the study thus recommends that science teachers should find ways of tapping into the cultural heritage and wisdom that is possessed by the expert community members to enable learners to cross the bridge from home to school. , Thesis (MEd) -- Faculty of Education, Education, 2021
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- Date Issued: 2021-10
Modification of Gelatin-Methacrylate, Hyaluronic-Methacrylate and Poly(ethylene) glycol Diacrylate hydrogel bioinks towards the additive manufacturing of articular cartilage
- Authors: Barwick, Matthew William
- Date: 2021-10
- Subjects: Cartilage Diseases , Cartilage Regeneration , Articular cartilage Diseases , Chondrogenesis , Stem cells , Scanning electron microscopy , Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy , Three-dimensional printing , Gelatin-Methacrylate , Hyaluronic-Methacrylate , Poly(ethylene) glycolDiacrylate , Hydrogel bioinks , Real-Time Quantitative Cell Analysis (RTCA) , Bioprinting
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/191181 , vital:45068
- Description: Cartilage degradation is most commonly associated with Rheumatoid arthritis and Osteoarthritis, affecting millions of people worldwide. Joint transplants commonly use titanium alloys, which have a shelf life of between 10-15 years. Although the titanium transplant restores partial mobility, side effects such as inflammation, swelling, faulty implants, and metal poisoning in some cases resulting from the transplant. The use of additive manufacturing of articular cartilage sheds new, innovative prospects for joint replacements. This study sets out to formulate and characterize five different hydrogel types towards the additive manufacturing of articular cartilage. Chondrogenic and Adipogenic differentiation was carried out on two separate adipose-mesenchymal stem cell lines A270620-01A, and A311019-02T and validation and efficiency of the differentiation and chondrogenic gene expression was carried out using Alcian Blue stain, Oil Red O stain and Quantitative Reverse Transcription PCR (RT-qPCR). Hydrogel formulation and characterisation of 10 % Gelatin-methacryloyl (GelMA), 10 % Poly (ethylene) glycol diacrylate (PEGDA), 5 % GelMA/5 % PEGDA, 10 % GelMA/0.5 % Hyaluronic Acid Methacrylate (HAMA) and 10 % PEGDA/0.5 % HAMA was carried out through swelling and degradation ratios, surface area and porosity characterisation using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). Hydrogel component and spectroscopic analysis were carried using Real-Time Quantitative Cell Analysis (RTCA) and Fourier-transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis for each formulated hydrogel's chemical characterisation. Three-dimensional printing (3D) of 10 % PEGDA/0.5 % HAMA and 5 % GelMA/5 % PEGDA was performed using the Zortrax INKSPIRE Resin Ultra-Violet (UV) LCD Desktop 3D Printer. Hydrogel sterility and cell viability were carried out for each hydrogel type using fluorescence microscopy. Both A270620-01A and A311019-02T cell lines showed adipogenic and chondrogenic differentiation ability, with A311019-02T cell line showing greater chondrogenic differentiation of Alcian blue staining. The A270620-01A cell line resulted in a greater collagen gene expression based on the RT-qPCR results. The hydrogel 10 % GelMA showed the greatest swelling ratio of 1260 % in DPBS and 1192 % in DMEM. A significant difference between hydrogel swelling and swelling with Dulbecco's Phosphate Buffered Saline (DPBS) and Dulbecco’s Modified Eagle Medium (DMEM) was observed. The 10 % PEGDA hydrogel had the greatest degradation ratio of 59 % mass remaining, where the 10 % GelMA/0.5 % HAMA showed the least amount of degradation with a mass remaining at 91 %. The 10 % GelMA showed the greatest porosity will the largest pore size of 14 μm in diameter. Hydrogel component and spectroscopic analysis showed no cytotoxic effects for the visible light photoinitiator used to polymerize the hydrogel and no cytotoxic effects for the concentrations used in chondrogenic differentiation. The FTIR analysis showed partial gelatin and hyaluronic acid modification with methacrylic anhydride; however, the distinction between the hybrid hydrogels and single polymer hydrogels could not be made effectively. UV and ethanol washing showed to completely sterilise the hydrogel disks from any contaminants, making them suitable for tissue culture. The cell viability analysis showed the 10 % GelMA/HAMA having the highest cell viability of 77.3 % using 5000 cells/disk and 89.64 % viability using 50 000 cells/disk over a 7-day incubation period. Overall, the combination of two polymers, GelMA and HAMA, has good potential as a 3D hydrogel scaffold towards additive manufacturing of articular cartilage. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science, Biotechnology Innovation Centre, 2021
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- Date Issued: 2021-10
Grade 3 teachers’ strategies for developing learners’ reading comprehension skills in bilingual classrooms in Idutywa Education District
- Authors: Mzendana, Tembela Rosemary
- Date: 2021-04
- Subjects: Reading (Primary) , Reading comprehension
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/20119 , vital:45281
- Description: Learners’ low literacy achievements with regard to reading and writing in early schooling in South Africa remain a concern, particularly in the Foundation Phase. With regard to reading, amongst other things, Foundation Phase learners have been found to be “barking” at the text. That is an indication that they are struggling with achieving and grasping the main goal and purpose of reading, which is comprehension. In this dissertation, I explore the reading strategies teachers utilise in their grade 3 classrooms when teaching IsiXhosa and English. Participants for this study were grade 3 teachers from 2 different public schools in Idutywa District and grade 3 learners from 2 different public schools in Idutywa district. This qualitative study thus sought to investigate Grade 3 teachers’ strategies for developing learners’ reading comprehension skills in bilingual classrooms in two schools in the Idutywa Education District. Data was generated through semi-structured interviews. Amongst other issues, findings of the study revealed the following: participants reported valuing reading as an important skill that learners need to acquire academic success. Teachers demonstrated some understanding of how reading lessons are sequenced and paced. This study, thus, recommends that if learners are to acquire bilingual reading comprehension skills, both target languages should be valued and teachers be equipped on how to use these languages as resources in the classroom. , Thesis (MEd.) -- University of Fort Hare, 2021
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- Date Issued: 2021-04