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Molecular characterization of streptococcus agalactiae isolated from pregnant women in the Eastern Cape, South Africa and Windhoek, Namibia and antibacterial activities of some medicinal plant extracts on the isolates

  • Authors: Mukesi, Munyaradzi
  • Date: 2018
  • Subjects: Streptococcus Medicinal plants Pregnant women
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/13034 , vital:39437
  • Description: Streptococcus agalactiae (S. agalactiae) also known as group B Streptococcus (GBS) is one of the leading causes of bacterial morbidity and mortality among neonates worldwide. It is the cause of invasive Early Onset Disease (EOD), which occurs in the first 7 days of life and characterised by sepsis, pneumonia and meningitis and Late Onset Disease (LOD) occurring between 7 and 89 days of life. Late onset disease is characterised by meningitis and long term neurological sequelae such as cerebral palsy, hearing impairment and cognitive challenges. S. agalactiae does not only infect neonates, it also infects the elderly, immunocompromised individuals and pregnant and non-pregnant women, causing invasive disease. In the world, 10-40 percent of healthy women are rectally or vaginally colonised with GBS and they face the risk of passing it to their babies during the process of childbirth. During parturition, a GBS colonized pregnant woman transfers the bacterium to her new-born as the baby passes through the ruptured membrane, thus infecting the child. However, GBS has been reported to be transferred even without rupture of membranes. Once it infects the membranes, it is transferred into the amniotic fluid and subsequently infects the baby. It can be aspirated into the lungs causing pneumonia or it can infect the blood stream and disseminated round the body causing septicaemia, meningitis and other infections. Once in the neonate’s body, the bacteria is able to evade the immune system as the host immune system is not yet fully developed. Bacterial evasion of the immune system is enhanced by its various virulence factors which are deployed to help it escape the immune system. These include the polysaccharide capsule, haemolysin and the release of complement inactivating factors such C5a peptidase. The World Health Organisation (WHO) (2010) recommends universal screening of pregnant women to identify those colonised and who are at risk of passing the bacterium to their babies during birth. WHO also recommends identification of at risk women and providing Intrapartum Antibiotic Prophylaxis (IAP) using penicillin. However, problems arise in penicillin allergic women and while alternatives for IAP include erythromycin and clindamycin, there is increasing resistance to these drugs thereby limiting therapeutic options. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing is also not always possible in most resource constrained countries due to poor infrastructure, limited access to health care and the logistical problems in implementing the WHO guidelines. Alternative therapeutic options to GBS infection include developing new and potent antibiotics, development of a vaccine, use of medicinal plants and the use of bacteriophage therapy. While these look like better alternatives there is massive scientific work to be carried out to ensure proper characterisation and efficiency of such alternatives. This process should be followed by in vitro diagnostic testing, experiments with animal models and clinical trials. The problems encountered during vaccine development to curtail GBS infection are compounded by the multiplicity of S. agalactiae capsular types which vary in different geographic locations. Medicinal plants are a cheap and convenient option since they are widely used in communities but the phytochemical components of the plants have to be identified and subjected to in vitro testing to evaluate their therapeutic efficacy as antimicrobial agents. This study therefore sought to isolate GBS from pregnant women between 35 and 37 weeks gestation in Windhoek (Namibia) and the Eastern Cape (South Africa), to determine the prevalence of GBS colonisation in the vagina and rectum of the pregnant women, characterise the isolates by molecular techniques, determine the antimicrobial resistance profiles and genes of the isolates and explore the efficacies of medicinal plant extracts as possible candidates for therapeutic options.
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  • Date Issued: 2018

A strategic framework for managing and implementation of the intergovernmental relations policy in selected Eastern Cape municipalities

  • Authors: Shasha, Zamuxolo
  • Date: 2017
  • Subjects: Intergovernmental fiscal relations -- South Africa Local government -- South Africa
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DPhil
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/8353 , vital:32310
  • Description: It is of paramount importance to highlight that the South African government is established in terms of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa of 1996. Whilst the government of South Africa is one, it consists of three spheres namely; national, provincial and local. These spheres of government are naturally distinctive, interdependent and interrelated. This is expressed in terms of section 41(1) of the Constitution, which requires that there should be co-operation, mutual trust and good faith amongst these three spheres of government. This form of a relationship compels different spheres to inform and consult one another on matters of common interest, co-ordinate their legislation, and adhere to agreed procedures in accordance with the provisions of the constitution which is the supreme law of the Republic. The study sort to find a strategic framework for managing and implementation of the Intergovernmental Relations Policy in Selected Eastern Cape Municipalities. A purposive sampling technique was used to identify the sample elements. The sample was composed of 160 participants and a semi-structured questionnaire was administered to the participants to gather information pertaining the research problem. A mixed research method was used to analyse the data gathered. The sampled respondents were municipal and government employees from various departments who have knowledge of the IGR policy. The study findings pointed out that the current framework on intergovernmental relations was ineffective in the Eastern Cape municipalities that were surveyed. Respondents pointed to a number of shortfalls in the implementation of the intergovernmental relations, which made it ineffective in improving how these municipalities operated and rendered service delivery. A number of factors inhibiting the effectiveness of the intergovernmental relations included lack of communication, poor coordination, lack of clear strategy, poor budgets amongst other factors. Based on the findings of the study, the researcher developed a strategic framework that could be adopted by municipalities in the Eastern Cape. The functionality of this framework would be influenced by the corrective measures taken by the municipalities in addressing the underlying problems of the current intergovernmental relations, as identified by the respondents.
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  • Date Issued: 2017

Factor analysis for dtetermination of metabolic syndrome components of anthropometric data from Kinshasa hiterland of the Democractic Republic of Congo

  • Authors: Nasila, John Sungwacha
  • Date: 2017
  • Subjects: Factor analysis Multivariate analysis
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/14032 , vital:39799
  • Description: Factor analysis is a multivariate statistical approach commonly used in psychology, education, and more recently in the health-related professions. This thesis will attempt to provide novice and experienced researchers an application of two factor analysis methods which are; exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) to medical data. As Biostatistics knowledge continues to grow, it is timely that this thesis contributes immensely; firstly to the discipline of Biostatistics and secondly to Medicine both nationally and internationally. Factor analysis is an important tool that can be used in the development, refinement, and evaluation of tests, scales, and measures that can be used in education and in health-related professions such as medicine. This thesis is focused on applying Factor Analysis on medical data, specifically on data obtained from patients that suffer from Metabolic Syndrome and patients who don’t suffer from Metabolic Syndrome. Metabolic Syndrome (MS) is a constellation of components (factors) such as obesity, lipid-lipoprotein (fats) disorders, increase in glucose (sugar), hypertension (blood pressure), and inflammation/ hypercoagulability (clotting). MS and other risk factors; (smoking, physical inactivity, excessive alcohol intake, and inappropriate diet) determine high morbidity and mortality for the cardiovascular disease (CVD=heart attack, brain attack, peripheral vascular disease) or cardio-metabolic risk (CMR=type 2 diabetes, kidney disease, retinopathy). Obesity, CVD, and CMR are emerging as epidemic conditions worldwide. However, Africa is not paying priority to early detection, treatment, prevention and control of atherosclerotic diseases (MS, CMR) from valid and reliable data. The aim of this thesis was to examine anthropometry, glucose and blood pressure (non-lipid components of MS) as most valid, reliable, less time-consuming, less complex and less expensive procedure of identifying people at high risks of CVD and CMR. A further contribution of this thesis was its understanding of the economic implications of the burden of Metabolic Syndrome. Other burden factors have been identified and also discussed. The study has revealed that the presence of metabolic syndrome has contributed to an enormous economic burden by about 20percent of the total economic loss experienced by many countries. The prevalence has risen recently and elevated patients’ use of more health care resources, and face higher morbidity and mortality, resulting in an enormous economic burden. Some studies have shown healthcare costs to be as much as 20percent higher than those accrued by patients without the risk factors. Patients with the Metabolic Syndrome have been shown to have greater drug expenditures, more frequent hospitalizations, and higher utilization of outpatient and physician services. When considered alone, the individual risk factor components account for a substantial economic burden to patients, health plans, and society as a whole. Overall, this has had serious economic impacts on many countries. The diagnosis of Metabolic Syndrome as a condition may encourage appropriate management and thus help prevent disease progression and reduce the considerable economic impact. This study was a cross-sectional, comparative, and correlational survey conducted between January and April 2005, in Kinshasa Hinterland, DRC. Participants were black Bantu Africans. In this study, the researcher attempted to determine latent factors that could explain the variability in a large set of data collected on many individuals of mixed health statuses. The original population consisted of 9770 people of whom, only 977 (10percent) participated. Factor analysis and interpretation of the results were based on anthropometric parameters (body mass index or BMI and waist circumference or WC), blood pressure (BP), lipid (triglycerides)-lipoprotein (HDL-C) and glucose with different numbers and cutoffs of components of Metabolic Syndrome. A number of different statistical procedural methods have been employed to clearly scrutinize and bring out the information which is concealed in a variety of variables observed/collected on many human participants. A large portion of these approaches was based on multivariate statistical methods. The approach, in this case, was the application of Principal Component Analysis (PCA); a multivariate statistical approach used under Factor Analysis to reduce many variables into a few latent variables which are seen as capable of explaining the variability. The approach was effected under both conditions of presence and absence of metabolic risk. Other data settings were: within males, within females, in the rural and in urban communities.
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  • Date Issued: 2017

Assessment of the implementation of the National Certificate (Vocational) plant production modules

  • Authors: Langa, Phakama Perry Macmillan
  • Date: 2016
  • Subjects: Curriculum planning Technical education -- Curricula Vocational education -- Curricula
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/2359 , vital:27778
  • Description: From 2010, the South African vocational skills education is offered by the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) through the Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges. TVET colleges need to be transformed in order to empower young learners with the skills required by the various sectors of the economy. The purpose of this study was to assess the implementation of the National Certificate (Vocational) Plant Production module in Training and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Colleges. The sample for this study is concurrent triangulation whereby complementary methods of data sources were brought together to offset each other‘s weaknesses. The sample for this study consisted of participants from three TVET colleges: one deep rural, one semi-rural/semi-urban and one urban in terms of geographical location. A total of 18 participants were interviewed: 2 subject advisors engaged by the colleges, 1 lecturer from college A, 3 lecturers from college B, 2 lecturers from college C, 4 graduates from college B, 3 graduates from college C and 3 employers .Research design for this study has features of both a survey and a case study. The mixed-method approach was applied using document analysis, questionnaires and interviews for data collection. The researcher found out that there is a disparity between the Plant Production guidelines and their implementation and assessment. Among the main reasons for failure to implement the guidelines properly are poor or inadequate infrastructure for doing practical work, high rate of student absenteeism within the investigated categories, and the high drop-out rate at Levels 2–4. To minimize the challenges in offering the Plant Production module, the study recommends that since some colleges cannot afford purchasing large sizes of land to properly implement the Plant Production guidelines, the government and the DHET should link the Primary Agriculture training to the land reform program where students can be trained under the land reform program.
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  • Date Issued: 2016

Assessment of the implementation of the National Certificate (Vocational) plant production modules

  • Authors: Langa, Phakama Perry Macmillan
  • Date: 2016
  • Subjects: Technical education -- Curricula Vocational education -- Curricula Curriculum planning
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Doctoral , Degree
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/5391 , vital:29229
  • Description: This study investigates the implementation of Language in Education Policy (LiEP) in learning and teaching in grades six from two schools. It critically examines the teachers’ practices and experiences towards English as the language of learning and teaching (LoLT) at two different primary schools from the eMalahleni in the Lady Frere Education District in the Eastern Cape. The study is guided by the fact that most learners use their mother tongue (isiXhosa) in classroom as well as outside classroom contexts. Furthermore, some teachers use the translation method of teaching language as they code-switch to their home language when teaching content subjects as well as English. Despite this practice in class, learners are expected to answer their test and examination questions in English. Theoretically, this study is underpinned by the constructivist view of language learning (Gaserfeld, 2003) and English as an international language (Sivasubramaniam, 2011). On the basis of the ecological and the constructivist approaches to language learning, Sivasubramaniam (2011 p.53) views language as a creative instrument of meaning which ‘has the power to create meaning anew and afresh’ each time that someone uses it. The study makes use of the qualitative research method with a case study design that is placed within the interpretive paradigm. The data collected will be analysed through the use of critical discourse analysis. The findings from the study suggest some instrumental motivations to use English as LOLT which is informed by Language policy. Some of these motivations are: studying abroad, business with foreign investors and integrative motivations as the learner will be able to communicate with people from different countries. The study concludes that there is need for schools to stick to the English medium because this acts as an open door to the upward economic mobility among the previously disadvantaged. Based on this, it can be recommended that schools stick to English first additional language as their language of teaching and learning.
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  • Date Issued: 2016

Examining the nature and extent to which learners with special educational needs are included in regular schools: the case of four primary schools in Cape Town, South Africa

  • Authors: Shadaya, Girlie
  • Date: 2016
  • Subjects: Special education Inclusive education -- South Africa -- Cape Town Children with disabilities -- Education -- South Africa -- Cape Town
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Doctoral , Degree
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/5346 , vital:29214
  • Description: The study is premised on the assumptions that learners with special educational needs are not fully included in regular schools and that perceptions of teachers influence their behaviour toward and acceptance of learners with special educational needs in regular classes. In light of this, the aim of the current study was to examine the nature and extent to which learners with special educational needs are included in regular schools with the ultimate aim of assisting learners with special educational needs to be fully catered for by schools and teachers. The researcher opted for the mixed method approach which is embedded in the post positivist research paradigm. The mixed method approach makes use of quantitative and qualitative methods of data collection, presentation and analysis. Data were generated from a sample of 60 teachers and 4 principals from 4 regular primary schools mainly through questionnaires. Data were also generated from interviews, observation and documents. These data from interviews, observation and documents were used to buttress results from the questionnaires. The findings of this present study showed that many schools are now moving towards inclusivity. There is a relative prevalence of learners with disability in schools. The study also established that the inclusion of learners with special educational needs in regular schools was faced with a number of problems. There were inadequate professionally-trained teachers in schools. Shortage of classrooms, large class sizes, equipment and materials affected the quality of access to education for learners with special educational needs. Although there was significant support at school level, it emerged that there was inadequate quality in-service training programmes for teachers conducted by district officials. Overall, the findings of the study have confirmed the assumptions of the study. For learners with special educational needs to be fully included in regular schools, the study would recommend that the government improve the quality of teachers through in-service training programmes. Moreover, schools must be adequately resourced and government should commit itself to the alleviation of large class sizes. The study further revealed that, gaps still exist in the inclusion of learners with special educational needs between the intended and the actual practice. The study, therefore, recommends that research be conducted with the possibility of establishing strategies for the inclusion of learners with special educational needs in regular schools. This might improve the actual practice of including learners with iii special educational needs in regular schools. In turn, learners with special educational needs can be said to have equal access to education.
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  • Date Issued: 2016

Examining the nature and extent to which learners with special educational needs are included in regular schools: the case of four primary schools in Cape Town, South Africa

  • Authors: Shadaya, Girlie
  • Date: 2016
  • Subjects: Special education -- South Africa -- Cape Town Inclusive education -- South Africa -- Cape Town Children with disabilities -- Education -- South Africa -- Cape Town
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/2336 , vital:27754
  • Description: The study is premised on the assumptions that learners with special educational needs are not fully included in regular schools and that perceptions of teachers influence their behaviour toward and acceptance of learners with special educational needs in regular classes. In light of this, the aim of the current study was to examine the nature and extent to which learners with special educational needs are included in regular schools with the ultimate aim of assisting learners with special educational needs to be fully catered for by schools and teachers. The researcher opted for the mixed method approach which is embedded in the post positivist research paradigm. The mixed method approach makes use of quantitative and qualitative methods of data collection, presentation and analysis. Data were generated from a sample of 60 teachers and 4 principals from 4 regular primary schools mainly through questionnaires. Data were also generated from interviews, observation and documents. These data from interviews, observation and documents were used to buttress results from the questionnaires. The findings of this present study showed that many schools are now moving towards inclusivity. There is a relative prevalence of learners with disability in schools. The study also established that the inclusion of learners with special educational needs in regular schools was faced with a number of problems. There were inadequate professionally-trained teachers in schools. Shortage of classrooms, large class sizes, equipment and materials affected the quality of access to education for learners with special educational needs. Although there was significant support at school level, it emerged that there was inadequate quality in-service training programmes for teachers conducted by district officials. Overall, the findings of the study have confirmed the assumptions of the study. For learners with special educational needs to be fully included in regular schools, the study would recommend that the government improve the quality of teachers through in-service training programmes. Moreover, schools must be adequately resourced and government should commit itself to the alleviation of large class sizes. The study further revealed that, gaps still exist in the inclusion of learners with special educational needs between the intended and the actual practice. The study, therefore, recommends that research be conducted with the possibility of establishing strategies for the inclusion of learners with special educational needs in regular schools. This might improve the actual practice of including learners with special educational needs in regular schools. In turn, learners with special educational needs can be said to have equal access to education.
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  • Date Issued: 2016

The enforcement of the right of access to adequate housing in South Africa: a lesson for Lesotho

  • Authors: Pule, Sesinyi Edwin
  • Date: 2014
  • Subjects: Housing -- Law and legislation -- South Africa , Housing -- Law and legislation -- Lesotho
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , LLM
  • Identifier: vital:11122 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/d1016249 , Housing -- Law and legislation -- South Africa , Housing -- Law and legislation -- Lesotho
  • Description: South Africa is one of the countries with a very horrifying history. However, in the dawn of democratic governance, a worldly admirable constitution was brought into picture. The 1993 and 1996 South African Constitutions entrenched an elaborate Bill of Rights with provisions empowering courts to grant “appropriate relief and to make “just and equitable” orders. Happily, the Bill of Rights included justiciable and enforceable socio-economic rights. Amongst them, there is a right of access to adequate housing, for which this work is about. South Africa is viewed as a country with developed jurisprudence in the enforcement of socio-economic rights, hence it has been used as a lesson for Lesotho. Lesotho is still drowning in deep blue seas on enforcement of socio-economic rights either because the constitution itself hinders the progress thereon or because the parliament is unwilling to commit execute to the obligations found in the socio-economic rights filed. This work scrutinizes many jurisdictions and legal systems with a view to draw lively examples that may be followed by Lesotho courts towards enforcing housing rights. Indian and South African jurisprudences epitomize this notion.
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  • Date Issued: 2014

The democratisation of art CAP as an alternative art space in South Africa

  • Authors: Lochner, Eben
  • Date: 2011
  • Subjects: Arts and society -- South Africa Democracy and the arts -- South Africa Art -- Political aspects -- South Africa Apartheid and art -- South Africa
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
  • Identifier: vital:2409 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002205
  • Description: While formal arts education was inaccessible to many during Apartheid, community-based centres played a significant role in the training of previously disadvantaged artists. By engaging in a socio-political critique of the history of South African art, this thesis argues that even though alternative art spaces are often marginalised, they remain essential to the diversification and democratisation of contemporary South African art today with its re-entry into the international art scene. According to Lize van Robbroeck (2004:52), “some of the fundamental ideals of community arts need to be revised to enrich, democratize and diversify [South Africa's] cultural practice.” The aim of my Thesis is to investigate this statement in relation to the contribution the Community Arts Project (CAP) in Cape Town (1977-2003). CAP and other art centres have played an indispensable role in the establishment of black artists and in producing a locally reflective artistic practice in South Africa, even into the 21st century. Through researching the changes the organisation underwent between the 1980s and 1990s, the ways in which such art centres constantly need to respond to the changing sociopolitical landscape around them become clear. Within South Africa these centres were seen to play a significant part in the liberation struggle and then later in nation building. While these centres were well supported by foreign donors in the late 1980s, such funding was withdrawn in 1991 and the majority of art centres collapsed, illustrating to some degree that the training of artist was not valued outside the context of the struggle against apartheid. By interviewing key people and by reading documentation stored at the Manuscripts and Archives department of UCT I have discovered some of the different benefits and hindrances of working in community art centres both during and after Apartheid. This thesis argues that these centres still play a vital role in contributing to the development of South Africa's local art practice and should not be relegated to the sideline.
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  • Date Issued: 2011

Microbial ecology of the Buffalo River in response to water quality changes

  • Authors: Zuma, Bongumusa Msizi
  • Date: 2010
  • Subjects: Water quality -- South Africa -- Buffalo River (Eastern Cape) , Microbial ecology -- South Africa -- Buffalo River (Eastern Cape) , River Health Programme (South Africa)
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
  • Identifier: vital:6038 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1006182 , Water quality -- South Africa -- Buffalo River (Eastern Cape) , Microbial ecology -- South Africa -- Buffalo River (Eastern Cape) , River Health Programme (South Africa)
  • Description: South Africa’s freshwater quality and quantity is declining and consequently impacting on the ecological health of these ecosystems, due to increased agricultural, urban and industrial developments. The River Health Programme (RHP) was designed for monitoring and assessing the ecological health of freshwater ecosystems in South Africa, in order to effectively manage these aquatic resources. The RHP utilises biological indicators such as in-stream biota as a structured and sensitive tool for assessing ecosystem health. Although the RHP has been widely implemented across South Africa, no attempts have been made to explore microbial ecology as a tool that could be included as one of the RHP indices. This study used selected microbial responses and water physico-chemical parameters to assess the current water quality status of the Buffalo River. This study showed that water quality impairments compounded in the urban regions of King William’s Town and Zwelitsha and also downstream of the Bridle Drift Dam. The results also showed that the lower and the upper catchments of the Buffalo River were not significantly different in terms of water physico-chemistry and microbiology, as indicated by low stress levels of an NMDS plot. Though similarities were recorded between impacted and reference sites, the results strongly showed that known impacted sites recorded the poorest water physico-chemistry, including the Yellowwoods River. However, the Laing Dam provided a buffer effect on contributions of the Yellowwoods River into the Buffalo River. Multivariate analysis showed that microbial cell counts were not influenced by water physico-chemical changes, whilst microbial activity from the water and biofilm habitats showed significant correlation levels to water physico-chemical changes. This study demonstrated that further investigations towards exploitation of microbial activity responses to water physico-chemical quality changes should be channelled towards the development of microbiological assessment index for inclusion in the RHP.
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  • Date Issued: 2010

Prevalence of Listeria pathogens in effluents of some wastewater treatment facilities in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa

  • Authors: Odjadjare, Emmanuel Erufuare Onogwuwhenya
  • Date: 2010
  • Subjects: Listeria -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Sewage -- Purification -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Water -- Pollution -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/7826 , vital:30747
  • Description: astewater discharges may contain health compromising pathogens and carcinogenic and/or chemical substances that could compromise the public health and impact negatively on the environment. The present study was conducted between August 2007 and July 2008 to evaluate the Listeria abundance (as free-living and plankton associated species) and physicochemical qualities of the final effluents of three wastewater treatment facilities in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa selected to represent typical urban, peri-urban and rural communities and the impact of the discharged final effluents on their respective receiving watershed, as well as to elucidated the in vitro antibiotic susceptibilities and resistance genes profile of Listeria species isolated from the final effluents. The suitability of the secondary effluent of the urban treatment facility (as a case study) for use in agriculture and aquaculture with reference to recommended standards was also determined. Wastewater samples were collected from the raw sewage, secondary effluent, final treated effluent, discharge point, 500 m upstream discharge point, and 500 m downstream discharge point from all three locations on a monthly basis throughout the study period. Listeria abundance in the final effluents and the receiving watersheds varied between 2.9× 100 and 3.52 × 105cfu/ml across the sampled locations. Free-living listerial density across the sampled locations ranged between 0 and 3.2 × 103cfu/ml while counts of Listeria species attached to large (180 μm) planktons varied from 0 to 1.58 × 105 cfu/ml and those of the 60 and 20 μm categories were in the range of 0 to 1.32 × 103 cfu/ml and 0 to 2.82 × 105 cfu/ml respectively. Listeria abundance did not vary significantly with location and season; there was however, significant (P < 0.05; P < 0.01) variance in Listeria abundance with plankton sizes across the locations. Free-living Listeria species were more abundant in the rural and urban xii communities than plankton attached Listeria species; whereas the reverse was the case in the peri-urban community.
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  • Date Issued: 2010

The development and assessment of a generic carbamazepine sustained release dosage form

  • Authors: Patel, Fathima
  • Date: 2006
  • Subjects: Carbamazepine Pharmacokinetics Drugs -- Controlled release Drugs -- Dosage forms Tablets (Medicine) Drugs -- Administration
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
  • Identifier: vital:3784 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003262
  • Description: Carbamazepine (CBZ) is a first-line drug used for the treatment of partial and tonic-clonic seizures. It is also the drug of choice for use during pregnancy and recommended for the treatment of seizure disorders in children. CBZ possesses the ability to induce metabolism of drugs that are transformed in the liver and has the unique ability to induce its own metabolism by a phenomenon known as ‘auto- induction’, where its biological half-life is significantly reduced during chronic administration. Large doses of CBZ are often prescribed as daily divided doses and this often adversely affects patient compliance, with the result that therapy is ineffective. A sustained-release dosage form containing CBZ is currently marketed as Tegretol® CR and the development of a generic product would provide patients with an equivalent product with a similar dosing frequency, at a reduced cost. Therefore, the development of a polymer-based matrix tablet was undertaken to produce a sustained-release dosage form of CBZ, since these dosage forms are relatively simple and cheap to produce when compared to other, more sophisticated forms of sustained-release technology. Preformulation studies were conducted to assess moisture content of excipients and dosage forms and to identify possible incompatibilities between CBZ and potential formulation excipients. Furthermore, studies were conducted to assess the potential for polymorphic transitions to occur during manufacture. Stability testing was conducted to assess the behaviour of the dosage forms under storage conditions that the product may be exposed to. Dissolution testing was undertaken using USP Apparatus 3, which allowed for a more realistic assessment and prediction of in vivo drug release rates. Samples were analysed using a high performance liquid chromatographic method that was developed and validated for the determination of CBZ. Tablets were manufactured by wet granulation and direct compression techniques, and the resultant drug release profiles were evaluated statistically by means of the f1 and f2 difference and similarity factors. The f2 factor was incorporated as an assessment criterion in the design of an artificial neural network that was used to predict drug release profiles and formulation composition. A direct compression tablet formulation was successfully adapted from a prototype wet granulation matrix formulation and a number of formulation variables were assessed to establish their effect(s) on the dissolution rate profile of CBZ that resulted from testing of the dosage forms. The particle size grade of CBZ was also investigated and it was ascertained that fine particle size grade CBZ showed improved drug release profiles when compared to the coarse grade CBZ which was desirable, since CBZ is a highly water insoluble compound. Furthermore, the impact of the viscosity grade and proportion of rate-controlling polymer, viz., hydroxypropyl methylcellulose was also investigated for its effect on drug release rates. The lower viscosity grade was found to be more appropriate for use with CBZ. The type of anti-frictional agent used in the formulations did not appear to affect drug release from the polymeric matrix tablets, however specific compounds may have an effect on the physical characteristics of the polymeric tablets. The resultant formulations did not display zero-order drug release kinetics and a first-order mathematical model was developed to provide an additional resource for athematical analysis of dissolution profiles. An artificial neural network was designed, developed and applied to predict dissolution rate profiles for formulation. Furthermore, the network was used to predict formulation compositions that would produce drug release profiles comparable to the reference product, Tegretol® CR. The formulation composition predicted by the network to match the dissolution profile of the innovator product was manufactured and tested in vitro. The formulation was further manipulated, empirically, so as to match the in vitro dissolution rate profile of Tegretol® CR, more completely. The test tablets that were produced were tested in two health male volunteers using Tegretol® CR 400mg as the reference product. The batch used for this “proof of concept” biostudy was produced in accordance with cGMP guidelines and the protocol in accordance with ICH guidelines. The test matrix tablets revealed in vivo bioavailability profiles for CBZ, however, bioequivalence between the test and reference product could not be established. It can be concluded that the polymeric matrix CBZ tablets have the potential to be used as a twice-daily dosage form for the treatment of relevant seizure disorders.
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  • Date Issued: 2006

Research projects

  • Authors: Thomas, Chacko
  • Date: 2002
  • Subjects: Mathematics -- Study and teaching -- South Africa Competency-based education -- South Africa Mathematics teachers -- Training of -- South Africa
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
  • Identifier: vital:1856 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1004531
  • Description: The South African education is undergoing transformation. The introduction of Curriculum 2005 and Outcome Based Education (OBE) are important aspects of this transformation process. The implementation of the new curriculum however, has not been smooth. A lack of adequately qualified and trained teachers and effective learning support materials have been identified as some of the major problems facing the implementation of OBE at school level. Even though the colleges of education in the country were not brought on board in the planning and implementation levels of the new curriculum, they could have played an important role in training of educators and developing learning materials for the successful take off of the new curriculum. In the first research project I look into the preparedness of the Mathematics Department of a college of education in the Eastern Cape towards the implementation of Outcome Based Education. The first part of the research project consists of a literature review on Curriculum 2005, Outcome Based Education and the expectations of teachers in the new curriculum and the research methodologies used. The findings revealed that the department, as a whole, was not adequately prepared for the implementation of outcome-based education even though there were some indications that the department effected some modifications in its curriculum and practice teaching. As an OBE facilitator and a college lecturer, I developed some learning materials in Linear Programming. These activity-oriented materials were based on constructivist principles and were used by my first year Secondary Teachers Diploma students. In the second research project, I reflect on the results of using these learning materials by my students. In the first chapter of the project, the context and background of the research and the reasons for selecting Linear Programming as the topic for preparing the learning material are described. This is followed by a brief overview of constructivism together with a brief explanation of the reasons for considering the material to be constructivist. The research paradigm followed in the project, the research techniques employed in evaluating the learning material and the strengths and weaknesses of the evaluation techniques are given in the next chapter. In the following chapter, the findings from the various data gathering methods and the results of the implementation of the material are described. The concluding chapter presents a critical reflection on the whole process involved in the material development. The post 1994 government in South Africa seems to attach much importance to mathematics, science and technology education. The majority of the population who were previously denied access to these subjects is given more opportunities to learn them. The international Mathematics Union declared 2000 as the World Mathematical Year. One of the aims of the activities organized as part of the celebrations was improving the public image of mathematics to realize the vision of "Mathematics For All". The South African government shows keen interest to improve mathematics education in the country in an attempt to realize the vision of Mathematics For All. Even though the accessibility rate to mathematics has increased, the success rate has not yet increased as anticipated. In this context I, as a post-graduate student in Mathematics Education, thought of /reviewing the concept of Mathematics For All in the South African context. In the third research project, which is a literature review, initially an attempt is made to unpack the concept of Mathematics for ALL. In analyzing the concept, answers are sought for questions like: What is mathematics and why should it be taught? It is followed by a brief review of some goals of mathematics education. Then the current situation of mathematics education in South Africa and the efforts to improve it are also looked at. This is followed by an analysis pf the reasons for the general unpopularity of mathematics. In the concluding part some suggestions for improving mathematics education in the country are given.
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  • Date Issued: 2002

Radio studies of ionized hydrogen in the southern Milky Way

  • Authors: Gaylard, Michael John
  • Date: 1990
  • Subjects: Interstellar hydrogen Milky Way Astrophysics
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
  • Identifier: vital:5440 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1001993
  • Description: This thesis describes the results of a survey of the HI42ɑ recombination line emission at 2.3 GHz from HII regions in the Southern Milky Way, carried out with the 26 m diameter Hartebeesthoek radio telescope. The Galactic Longitude range covered was 290° to 40°. Single recombination lines were detected from 375 positions. Multiple lines were observed towards 90 positions in the inner Galaxy. No line emission could be detected in 28 positions. Continuum antenna temperatures were estimated from drift scans or radio maps observed for the purpose. LTE electron temperatures and turbulent velocities of the HII regions were calculated where possible. The properties of the sample were compared to those observed in HI09ɑ surveys. The lines observed from over 50 positions were first detections, of which half were associated with optically-identified HII regions. In about 150 cases the lines were only the second to be detected from those HII regions. The processes of the radio emission, detection, and analysis were simulated numerically. The detectability of the emission and the magnitude of non-LTE effects and pressure-broadening in multi-component HII regions was predicted and compared to observations. The radio luminosity function of the HII regions was determined over a range of three orders of magnitude in intrinsic brightness for the first time, using techniques which corrected for different types of incompleteness in the samples. The luminosity function was compared to those in five selected spiral galaxies, and shown to lie between those of M33 and M81. An alternate form of the luminosity function was developed for use with a numerical model of the spiral arm structure of the Milky Way. The physical parameters defining the major spiral arms were established by comparing synthesized diagrams of radial velocity versus Galactic Longitude with those actually observed. The faint, extended HII regions S9 and RCW129 in Scorpius, the Barnard Loop in Orion, and S296 in Canis Major were analyzed, using all available data. All the recombination lines from these HII regions were first detections
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  • Date Issued: 1990

Tempera painting: an investigation of the aesthetic and technical advantages of the medium

  • Authors: De Bliquy, Leon Paul
  • Date: 1986
  • Subjects: Painting -- Technique Tempura painting
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MFA
  • Identifier: vital:2469 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1009443
  • Description: From Introduction: The balance between practical and theoretic components in the total submission bears relation to the title of this essay where aesthetic advantages are largely theoretical and where technical advantages refer mainly to the practical component. The historical significance of this structure is to be found in the earliest treatises on painting, Cenninni's treatment of painting as a purely practical matter is in accord with medieval tradition. His recipes are aligned according to the various individual techniques, tempera painting being the most significant to this essay. Practical recipes are interspersed with directions for the representation of various pictorial themes, and in the resultant conglomeration, the subdivisions are discernible only as basic premises. In contrast to him, the Renaissance authors beginning with Alberti make a significant innovation in that they divide their material into a theoretical and a practical part . The inter-relationship of practical and theoretical - aesthetic and technical aspects are un-avoidable when it comes down to realities. This is clearly illustrated in the notes of Leonardo da Vinci. Plans for the organization of the treatise are vaguely formulated .
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  • Date Issued: 1986
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