List of Titles

IL-4/ IL-13 directed microglial activation and differentiation in response to LPS-induced neuroinflammation

Authors: Ackerdien, Shiraz
Date: 2024-04
Subjects: Inflammation , Inflammation -- Treatment , Anti-inflammatory agents
Language: English
Type: Master's theses , text
Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/63606 , vital:73554
Description: Microglia activation is a common hallmark of neuroinflammation that occurs during pathogen invasion or lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammation. A neuroinflammatory response is elicited by the release of proinflammatory cytokines which stimulates microglia in an autocrine manner to be polarized into classically activated, pro-inflammatory M1 cells. Prolonged exposure to the inflammatory response can have disastrous effects on the central nervous system (CNS). However, microglia can alternatively be polarized into the activated M2 anti-inflammatory phenotype, but the exact molecular mechanism mediating this phenotypic switch remains poorly understood. Studies have shown that interleukin (IL)-4 can induce the M2 phenotype and activate the signal transducer and activator of the transcription 6 (STAT6) signalling pathway that in turn provokes a beneficial Th2 immune response. Since IL-4 and IL-13 share a common IL-4 receptor alpha (IL-4Rα) chain, it is possible that alternative microglia differentiation and its anti-inflammatory action also involve IL-13. This study aimed to investigate how IL-13 and STAT6 signalling orchestrates the microglial response and differentiation associated with LPS-induced inflammation. Furthermore, the molecular mechanisms that relieve LPS-induced neuroinflammation and neural protection through IL-13-enhanced BDNF signalling were also investigated. C8-B4 microglial cells were induced with LPS to exhibit an M1 pro-inflammatory phenotype or stimulated with IL-4 and/or IL-13 to exhibit an M2 anti-inflammatory microglial phenotype. The cell viability following LPS, IL-4, and/ or IL-13 exposure was determined. The LPS-induced neuroinflammatory response and the anti-inflammatory response induced by IL-4 and IL-13 which promotes STAT-6 signalling were determined by measuring TNFα, IL-1β, and BDNF protein concentrations using ELISA assays. The polarising effects of LPS and IL-4/IL-13 cytokines were also examined via changes in the expression of Iba-1, CD206, CD86, and STAT-6 determined by immunofluorescence analysis. These changes were further investigated by quantifying the mRNA transcripts of TNFα, IL-1 β, Arg-1, CD206, IL-4R, and STAT-6 and BDNF using qRT-PCR. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science, School of Biomolecular & Chemical Sciences, 2024
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Date Issued: 2024-04

Distinguishing elephant induced thicket degradation and climate related factors in Addo Elephant National Park, Eastern Cape, South Africa

- Mapheto, Tlhologelo James

Authors: Mapheto, Tlhologelo James
Date: 2023-04
Subjects: Elephant – Behaviour -- South Africa -- Addo Elephant National Park , Wildlife conservation -- South Africa
Language: English
Type: Master's theses , text
Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/60753 , vital:66741
Description: The Addo Elephant National Park (AENP) is an ecologically sensitive environment where the increase in elephant population, especially in a changing climate is a recipe for landscape degradation and biodiversity loss. The Park is situated in the drought prone Eastern Cape Province, however, the effects of drought on thicket vegetation is less understood. This study aimed to distinguish elephant-induced thicket degradation from the effects of climatic factors, using remote sensing, GIS, and statistical techniques. To characterise and map vegetation conditions of the reserve temporal series Landsat imagery (n = 22) from 1998 to 2018 were analysed. Vegetation states were determined using Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) derived from the growing season of the study period. Using supervised per-pixel image classification technique, the NDVI values characterized into distinct land cover classes viz (1) Intact Thicket, (2) Transformed Thicket, (3) Degraded Thicket, (4) Bare Ground and (6) Water Bodies. Post-classification change detection and landscape fragmentation analysis was performed. Climatic data were obtained from existing weather stations and raster surface of accumulated rainfall and mean maximum temperature were developed using the Inverse Distance Weighting (IDW). Time series analysis was implemented on the NDVI and climatic condition data by plotting annual measures to indicate variable trends. Temporal trend analysis was performed on the NDVI data using the nonparametric Mann-Kendall trend analysis test to indicate thicket vegetation condition improvement and general degradation. The Residual Trend (RESTREND) approach was employed to remove the effect of rainfall on vegetation productivity. This involved using the Ordinary Least Square regression functionality in ArcMap to compute the relationship between ∑NDVI and accumulated rainfall for every pixel for the study period. The products of the regression were assessed using Pearson’s Correlation (r) at a significance level of 90% (p-value ≤ 0.1) to distinguish strong relationships. Overlay analysis was performed, using the NDVI trend slope and the correlation coefficient (r) raster surfaces, to model vegetation dynamics influenced by elephant activities. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science, School of Environmental Sciences, 2023
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Date Issued: 2023-04

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Modelling the dynamics of Breast Cancer disease with hormone therapy and surgery controls

- Ngalo, Akhona Sunshine, Mbava,Willard

Authors: Ngalo, Akhona Sunshine , Mbava,Willard
Date: 2023-04
Subjects: Cancer -- Molecular aspects , Breast cancer -- South Africa , Hormone therapy
Language: English
Type: Master's theses , text
Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/61487 , vital:70688
Description: In this study, we discussed a mathematical model that incorporates important interactions between normal cells, tumor cells, immune cells, and estrogen. The mathematical model was revised to include two control measures; namely surgery and hormone therapy to minimize the number of tumor cells. The model was mathematically analyzed with the premise that the two control measures are positive constants. Locally and globally analyses were performed using a variety of analytical methods to investigate the stability of the breast cancer model. Furthermore, an optimal control problem was formulated and used to determine the best strategy for reducing the number of tumor cells by incorporating hormone therapy and surgery, based on the well-known Pontryagin’s Maximum Principle. The numerical results indicates combining both optimal control measures (surgery and hormone therapy) simultaneously is more efficacious than using single control measure separately in decreasing the number of tumor cells. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science, School of Computer Science, Mathematics, Physics and Statistics, 2023
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Date Issued: 2023-04

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Hiding no scars

- Mhlongo, Sanele

Authors: Mhlongo, Sanele
Date: 2022-04-07
Subjects: Creative writing (Higher education) South Africa , South African poetry (English) 21st century , Interpersonal relations in literature , Diaries -- Authorship , South African essays (English) 21st century , Russian poetry 20th century History and criticism , South African fiction (English) 21st century History and criticism , Greek poetry History and criticism , German poetry 20th century History and criticism
Language: English
Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/294311 , vital:57190
Description: My thesis is a collection of free-verse narrative and prose poetry focusing on rural life and people, as well as my personal relationships. Poetry through its play with language has the ability to say things with immediacy and allows unnoticed things to acquire relevance. It gives me a framework within which to express difficult themes such as family relationships, death, solitude, and poverty. In writing these poems I have drawn on the work of Constantine P. Cavafy, particularly the poems ‘Ithaka’, ‘The City’ and ‘As Much As You Can’ which showcase his consistently simple narrative style that covers profound subjects. I have also been influenced by Paul Celan’s poetry in his collection Breathturn Into Timestead where poems such as ‘Corona’, ‘In praise of remoteness’ and ‘Twelve Years’ demonstrate how poetry can have pace through tightly controlled yet experimental structure. I have also drawn on Anna Akhmatova’s symbolic poetry, specifically the poems ‘Now the pillow’s’, ‘He loved three things, alive’ and ‘Prologue’ from the selection Anna Akhmatova: Selected Poems which has its intention the re-creation of the past in the present. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Humanities, School of Languages and Literatures, 2022
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Date Issued: 2022-04-07

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An anthropological enquiry on the perceptions of adults on female sterilisation: a case of Gunguluza township

- Mbanjwa, Mpho

Authors: Mbanjwa, Mpho
Date: 2021-04
Subjects: Port Elizabeth (South Africa) , Eastern Cape (South Africa) , South Africa
Language: English
Type: Master's theses , text
Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/54859 , vital:48085
Description: The purpose of the study was to make an enquiry on the perceptions on female sterilisation adult participants, residing in Gunguluza Township, Uitenhage had. A qualitative research approach was used to collect the responses of 10 participants. These included eight women, one man and one traditional healer registered within the Traditional Healers Association of South Africa. The interviews had been semistructured with open-ended questions pre-set to help the researcher guide the conversation. Conversation analysis was the technique used to transform the information into research data that would attempt to answer the research question. The question this research attempted to answer was to form an understanding of how information and education resources provided by both Western and Traditional sources, including their availability and accessibility with regards to female sterilisation, as a form of contraception, have been understood, received and interpreted by adults residing in the research area of Gunguluza township. Gunguluza forms part of the area formally known as the Kwanobuhle 10 and Kwanobuhle 11 respectively. Some limitations, including limiting resources that resulted in only 10 participants being interviewed. The results had shown that participants had shown interest in acquiring more knowledge about female sterilisation and other reproductive health issues, in order to make informed decisions about their bodies, with contraceptive choice and use in particular. Most felt the need to engage with their partners about the choice of sterilisation largely due to the support they would need. With regard to traditional health as an alternative or interchangeable method of contraception, participants had very little knowledge of, with some expressing some importance and relevance in acquiring such knowledge, in a modern context. These findings came with sets of recommendations which placed an emphasis on the building of indigenous knowledge and its inclusion in formal spaces for open engagement and discussion. Traditional knowledge needed to be transferred from an oral to being documented into literature for future preservation and to eliminate any distortion. There was a gap for formal western medicine to collaborate or accommodate traditional medicine. The study made use of female sterilisation as a conceptual framework, with time and more future research could build and produce new theoretical understandings of the concept, from an Afrocentric context in particular. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Humanities, School of Governmental and Social Sciences, 2021
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Date Issued: 2021-04

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The perceptions of employees and employer on the ever increasing use of technology: the case of the acoustex in Port Elizabeth

- Matamela, Wanga

Authors: Matamela, Wanga
Date: 2020-04
Subjects: Port Elizabeth (South Africa) , Eastern Cape (South Africa) , South Africa
Language: English
Type: Master's theses , text
Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/54783 , vital:47664
Description: It is evident that many companies and organization are currently using high powered technology to be at par with the trends throughout the globe. This research focuses on the perception of workers and management on the Fourth Industrial Revolution at Acoustex in Port Elizabeth. The research objectives of this study is firstly, to investigate the perceptions of workers and management at Acoustex in Port Elizabeth. Secondly, to contribute within economic and industrial anthropology with reference to Port Elizabeth in the Eastern Cape and raise awareness. Thirdly, to propose recommendations that can be used by industries and the government to save jobs. The research methodology employed in this study include among others, individual interviews using an interview guide containing questions that is relevant to the study. To supplement the above, secondary sources ranging from relevant scholarly journals and books were consulted. Ethical compliance was adhered to by the researcher in terms of applying for permission to conduct interviews and it was granted. The concept unemployment was used as a conceptual framework to understand the impact of Fourth Industrial Revolution at Acoustex in particular and workplace in general. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Humanities, School of Governmental and Social Sciences, 2020
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Date Issued: 2020-04

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Violence and destruction as an important part of artistic action with reference to the two Great Wars

- Hallier, Michael Glen Thomas

Authors: Hallier, Michael Glen Thomas
Date: 1971-11
Subjects: Uncatalogued
Language: English
Type: Master's theses , text
Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/190329 , vital:44984
Description: A well known fact about any work of art of any significance is its power to upset current conventions and disturb certain of our normal emotional patterns. The artist frequently achieves this by deliberately expressing emotions that are violent. There is nothing, however, new about the existence of violence in the arts, a large number of works in the history of art being painted with blood. One has only to think of the many battles, rapes, murders, martyrdoms and catastrophes that have been the subjects of many great paintings. Since the beginning of this century, and especially since the work of the Impressionists, in which violence is entirely excluded, violence has taken on a role of great importance and has been used to a greater or lesser extent by artists and group movements. It would appear initially that there are two main reasons in this century for the use of violence: one as a means of using it as a weapon against the academic and avant-garde in the arts, which in turn reflects attitudes found in society, and secondly as a direct reflection of the corrupt society in which we live. This is not to say that the twentieth century is an age in which more violence and sadism is found than in any other era of history, but never has it received so much publicity. I do not believe that man has change so much over the years, but it is my view that the apparent increase in this century is due to the vast changes in communications, it is due to the publicity it receives that violence has in recent times become a focal point, with murders, assassinations and war part of our daily lives. , Thesis (MFA) -- Faculty of Humanities, Fine Art, 1971
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Date Issued: 1971-11

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