Comparative studies of different ant-hypertensive treatments used for cardiovascular disease patients : a case study of public health facility in the Eastern Cape South Africa
- Abiodun, Oluwatoyin Victoria
- Authors: Abiodun, Oluwatoyin Victoria
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Survival analysis (Biometry) Cardiovascular system -- Diseases
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/13205 , vital:39519
- Description: Discovery has shown that many deaths arising from cardiovascular disease often show early symptoms of high blood pressure, which makes it the leading risk factor of cardiovascular diseases. There is a distressing rate of 970 million hypertensive patients worldwide, a higher ratio of 640 million are from developing countries, if proper measures are not taken, there will be a higher growth of cardiovascular disease in adults by 2025. The focus of this study was to compare the therapeutic potentials of the anti-hypertensive therapies, drug A (amiloride + furosemide) and drug B (hydrochlorothiazide + enalapril) used in the treatment of cardiovascular disease patients for their capability to lengthen remission duration and survival time. All patients were diagnosed with a type of cardiovascular disorder, therefore patient records were followed up and blood pressure was being monitored for a period of two years. The retrospective data gotten from the public health facility was analysed using survival analysis methods. The results revealed that there was no statistical significance in the distributions of the length of remission and survival time of drug A and drug B patients. Also, in the age category, CVD patients that are 55 and above recover faster with drug A, while CVD patients below 55 shows a better survival with drug B. Then again, estimates from the gender category show a better survival in males using drug A, while the females thrive slightly better using drug B. Among all the risk factors considered in the study, only employment status showed a strong impact on survival time (remission). The findings from this study may help to formulate interventions and strategies that will increase the lifespan of cardiovascular patients and reduce early mortality due to cardiovascular diseases.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
- Authors: Abiodun, Oluwatoyin Victoria
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Survival analysis (Biometry) Cardiovascular system -- Diseases
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/13205 , vital:39519
- Description: Discovery has shown that many deaths arising from cardiovascular disease often show early symptoms of high blood pressure, which makes it the leading risk factor of cardiovascular diseases. There is a distressing rate of 970 million hypertensive patients worldwide, a higher ratio of 640 million are from developing countries, if proper measures are not taken, there will be a higher growth of cardiovascular disease in adults by 2025. The focus of this study was to compare the therapeutic potentials of the anti-hypertensive therapies, drug A (amiloride + furosemide) and drug B (hydrochlorothiazide + enalapril) used in the treatment of cardiovascular disease patients for their capability to lengthen remission duration and survival time. All patients were diagnosed with a type of cardiovascular disorder, therefore patient records were followed up and blood pressure was being monitored for a period of two years. The retrospective data gotten from the public health facility was analysed using survival analysis methods. The results revealed that there was no statistical significance in the distributions of the length of remission and survival time of drug A and drug B patients. Also, in the age category, CVD patients that are 55 and above recover faster with drug A, while CVD patients below 55 shows a better survival with drug B. Then again, estimates from the gender category show a better survival in males using drug A, while the females thrive slightly better using drug B. Among all the risk factors considered in the study, only employment status showed a strong impact on survival time (remission). The findings from this study may help to formulate interventions and strategies that will increase the lifespan of cardiovascular patients and reduce early mortality due to cardiovascular diseases.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
A discourse analysis of the construction of gendered relationships in grade 10-12 Life Orientation textbooks in the Eastern Cape
- Authors: Adams, Luvo
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Sex instruction -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Life skills -- Study and teaching (Secondary)
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSoc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/5532 , vital:29315
- Description: School-based sexuality education has been the subject of research in the social sciences and pedagogical spheres globally. In South Africa, growing interest among social scientists in the topic, were ignited by the introduction of sexuality education as a compulsory part of Life Orientation (LO) by the late 1990s. However, the implementation of LO has been problematic. Reviewed literature in the current study, reveals how the dominance of the heterosex discourse is foregrounded in LO content on gender and sexuality. The current study was aimed at examining the construction of gendered relationships in LO textbooks. The study sampled LO textbooks for Grades 10-12, learners in these grades are between the mean ages 16-18 years. This group is the target group, because they are legally afforded the right to consent to sexual activity with peers, within the same age bracket. Conducted from a social constructionist perspective, the current study employed qualitative methods of inquiry (textual analysis). Against the backdrop of heterosexuality as norm, it was the aim of the current study to understand the subject positions made available for female learners to construct themselves, within the discursive spaces in LO content. Findings suggest that two discourses namely: the heterosex discourse and the discourse of danger and disease, dominate in LO content on gender and sexuality. This leads to the construction of gendered relationships a s inherently heterosexual, leading to the marginalisation of relationships that fall outside of the norm. The female learner is positioned as a passive-victim, incapable of exercising sexual agency, while young men are positioned as inherently more powerful members of the intimate relationships or dangerous sexual predators. In the discourse of danger and disease, she is also positioned as a potential victim but the focus is on equipping her with skills, in a way which positioned her as an active-resistor in refusing sexual activity; and being in control of decision-making on issues of safety in relationships. The implications of these contradictions, is that they focus on the individual and disallow her taking up of sexual agency, and disregard the context in which she has to do so.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
- Authors: Adams, Luvo
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Sex instruction -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Life skills -- Study and teaching (Secondary)
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSoc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/5532 , vital:29315
- Description: School-based sexuality education has been the subject of research in the social sciences and pedagogical spheres globally. In South Africa, growing interest among social scientists in the topic, were ignited by the introduction of sexuality education as a compulsory part of Life Orientation (LO) by the late 1990s. However, the implementation of LO has been problematic. Reviewed literature in the current study, reveals how the dominance of the heterosex discourse is foregrounded in LO content on gender and sexuality. The current study was aimed at examining the construction of gendered relationships in LO textbooks. The study sampled LO textbooks for Grades 10-12, learners in these grades are between the mean ages 16-18 years. This group is the target group, because they are legally afforded the right to consent to sexual activity with peers, within the same age bracket. Conducted from a social constructionist perspective, the current study employed qualitative methods of inquiry (textual analysis). Against the backdrop of heterosexuality as norm, it was the aim of the current study to understand the subject positions made available for female learners to construct themselves, within the discursive spaces in LO content. Findings suggest that two discourses namely: the heterosex discourse and the discourse of danger and disease, dominate in LO content on gender and sexuality. This leads to the construction of gendered relationships a s inherently heterosexual, leading to the marginalisation of relationships that fall outside of the norm. The female learner is positioned as a passive-victim, incapable of exercising sexual agency, while young men are positioned as inherently more powerful members of the intimate relationships or dangerous sexual predators. In the discourse of danger and disease, she is also positioned as a potential victim but the focus is on equipping her with skills, in a way which positioned her as an active-resistor in refusing sexual activity; and being in control of decision-making on issues of safety in relationships. The implications of these contradictions, is that they focus on the individual and disallow her taking up of sexual agency, and disregard the context in which she has to do so.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
Assessment of national small and medium scale policy as a driver of local economic development : a case study of Ife Central Local government, Nigeria
- Authors: Adefemi, Adebayo Oluwaseun
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Economic policy Economic development -- Nigeria
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , M.Admin
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/12711 , vital:39301
- Description: This study, assessment of national small and medium scale policy as a driver of local economic development: a case study of Ife Central Local Government, Nigeria, was undertaken to find out if the National SME policy in Nigeria has performed its critical role of driving the local economic and if not, why, and also to identify measures to solve the problems that are hindering the implementation of the National SMEs policy. This study will therefore investigate the contributions of the Small and Medium Enterprises sub-sector of the Nigerian economy, its problems and prospects and also examine the National SME policy and the importance of the policy. The objective of this study is to explore the implementation of National SME policy as a driver of local economic development, analyse the challenges that are associated with implementing the National SME policy in Ife Central Local Government and make recommendations regarding the implementation of SME policy in Nigeria. A total of 5 MP’s were randomly selected from a cross section of 7 MP’s that represent Ife Central Local Government. Interviews was used to determine how the National SME policy is been implemented in there constituency and if they are facing any challenges as to the implementing the policy and how are they solving the problems that are associated with the policy. The major findings of this study include the following: the National SME policy is an important policy which if well implemented would help the development of SMEs and also have great impact on the local economic development. Among the problems associated with the policy according to the MP’s are financial problems, illiteracy level of people in their constituency, Land segmentation problem, marketing problems. This study therefore recommended that government should strengthen financial laws that mandates financial institutions to give low interest rate loans to SMEs with little or no collateral. The government should accelerated development and upgrade of rural roads and rail network and other infrastructural facilities and review taxies in favour of local manufacturers especially the SMEs.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
- Authors: Adefemi, Adebayo Oluwaseun
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Economic policy Economic development -- Nigeria
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , M.Admin
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/12711 , vital:39301
- Description: This study, assessment of national small and medium scale policy as a driver of local economic development: a case study of Ife Central Local Government, Nigeria, was undertaken to find out if the National SME policy in Nigeria has performed its critical role of driving the local economic and if not, why, and also to identify measures to solve the problems that are hindering the implementation of the National SMEs policy. This study will therefore investigate the contributions of the Small and Medium Enterprises sub-sector of the Nigerian economy, its problems and prospects and also examine the National SME policy and the importance of the policy. The objective of this study is to explore the implementation of National SME policy as a driver of local economic development, analyse the challenges that are associated with implementing the National SME policy in Ife Central Local Government and make recommendations regarding the implementation of SME policy in Nigeria. A total of 5 MP’s were randomly selected from a cross section of 7 MP’s that represent Ife Central Local Government. Interviews was used to determine how the National SME policy is been implemented in there constituency and if they are facing any challenges as to the implementing the policy and how are they solving the problems that are associated with the policy. The major findings of this study include the following: the National SME policy is an important policy which if well implemented would help the development of SMEs and also have great impact on the local economic development. Among the problems associated with the policy according to the MP’s are financial problems, illiteracy level of people in their constituency, Land segmentation problem, marketing problems. This study therefore recommended that government should strengthen financial laws that mandates financial institutions to give low interest rate loans to SMEs with little or no collateral. The government should accelerated development and upgrade of rural roads and rail network and other infrastructural facilities and review taxies in favour of local manufacturers especially the SMEs.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
Evaluation of some pharmaceutical and personal care products and pesticide residues in selected wastewater treatment plants and receiving watersheds in Eastern Cape, South Africa
- Ademoyegun, Olufemi Temitope
- Authors: Ademoyegun, Olufemi Temitope
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Emerging contaminants in water -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Water treatment plants -- Waste disposal -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Organic compounds -- Environmental aspects -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/2922 , vital:28138
- Description: Emerging organic contaminants (EOCs) have been the focus of global environmental research for over three decades. EOCs have caused widespread concern due to their extensive use. As EOCs were designed to correct, enhance or protect a specific physiological, their target effects in humans and/or farm stocks are relatively well known and documented. However, there is limited knowledge about their unintended effects in the environment. To address the occurrence, distribution and fate of EOCs in the environment, efficient and reliable analytical methods are needed. The relatively low concentration, high polarity, and thermal lability of some EOCs, together with their interaction with complex environmental matrices, make their analysis challenging. Sample preparation followed by GC or HPLC separation and mass spectrometry (MS) detection has become the standard approach for evaluating EOCs in environmental samples. Physicochemical properties of EOCs range from highly water-soluble (hydrophylic) to highly water-insoluble (hydrophobic). Two groups of these EOCs were considered for study in this work. Pharmaceutical and personal care products (PPCPs) were comprehensively studied in five wastewater treatment plants and their receiving watersheds in Amathole districts in Eastern C ape, South Africa. PPCPs have been widely reported in wastewater influents, effluents, receiving rivers and biosolids, but reports of their occurrence in all these matrixes have been limited by the difficulty of analysis. Therefore, a comprehensive validation of methods was carried out on the influents, effluents, sludge and soil from the irrigated golf course where the effluent of one of the study sites was being used for over three decades now for irrigation. In all, thirteen PPCPs from five therapeutic groups were selected for study in this work because of their administering rate and availability of analytical instrument. Good limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) were achieved for the method used. The LOD for the aqueous Three different technologies were employed for the treatment of wastewater in the five selected wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) and study was carried out to evaluate their ability to eliminate the selected compounds from the influents to the effluents using statistical analysis (ANOVA) at p<0.05 on the percentage removal rate across the three plants. The results had shown eight of the compounds having no significant difference among the treatment operations, whereas the remaining five compounds varied significantly among the treatment technologies under investigation. Principal component analysis was performed on the concentration of PPCPs, their removal rate and also on the physicochemical and treatment operation parameters. Hydraulic retention time (HRT) had correlation coefficient, r = 0.90 with the concentration of PPCPs and removal rates. Furthermore, occurrences, seasonal variation, mean concentration distribution pattern of the compounds, and temporal evaluation of the mean concentration of the pharmaceutical compounds in the five WWTPs during one year of sampling were considered. The results revealed that five products which were diclofenac, ibuprofen, paracetamol, triclosan and diethyl toluamide (DDET) were predominant among the PPCPs in all the WWTPs. The removal efficiency was highest in caffeine with 96 percent, and the lowest was obtained with carbamazepine (4 percent). Risk quotient of the concentration of PPCPs in the effluents and receiving waters was determined to assess their chronic toxicity at three trophic levels: fish, algae and matrixes studied ranged from 0.01 μg/L to 0.25 μg/L, and the LOQ from 0.02 μg/L to 0.78 μg/L. In the solid matrixes, LOD varied from 0.01 ng/g to 0.65 ng/g, and the LOQ between 0.08 ng/g and 5.17 ng/g. Better recovery efficiency was obtained with this mixture of solvents, acetone: dichloromethane (1:1), for the recovery of the five therapeutic groups in the solid matrixes using ultrasonication- assisted techniques. The results show percentage recovery values ranging from 68.8 percent to 107.5 percent diaphian. According to the environmental risk assessment results, ibuprofen and triclosan were found to be the most critical compounds due to their high risk quotient values. These findings will, therefore, help in the future evaluation of the efficiency of different treatment technologies in the removal of various PPCPs from the wastewater and their sustainable management in the aquatic resources in Eastern Cape, South Africa. For the lipophilic organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), the limits of detection (LODs) of the tested congeners varied from 0.04 ng/g (α-BHC) to 0.49 ng/g (endosulfan sulfate) and the limits of quantification ranging from 0.22 ng/g (aldrin) to 2.17 ng/g (δ-BHC).
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
- Authors: Ademoyegun, Olufemi Temitope
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Emerging contaminants in water -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Water treatment plants -- Waste disposal -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Organic compounds -- Environmental aspects -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/2922 , vital:28138
- Description: Emerging organic contaminants (EOCs) have been the focus of global environmental research for over three decades. EOCs have caused widespread concern due to their extensive use. As EOCs were designed to correct, enhance or protect a specific physiological, their target effects in humans and/or farm stocks are relatively well known and documented. However, there is limited knowledge about their unintended effects in the environment. To address the occurrence, distribution and fate of EOCs in the environment, efficient and reliable analytical methods are needed. The relatively low concentration, high polarity, and thermal lability of some EOCs, together with their interaction with complex environmental matrices, make their analysis challenging. Sample preparation followed by GC or HPLC separation and mass spectrometry (MS) detection has become the standard approach for evaluating EOCs in environmental samples. Physicochemical properties of EOCs range from highly water-soluble (hydrophylic) to highly water-insoluble (hydrophobic). Two groups of these EOCs were considered for study in this work. Pharmaceutical and personal care products (PPCPs) were comprehensively studied in five wastewater treatment plants and their receiving watersheds in Amathole districts in Eastern C ape, South Africa. PPCPs have been widely reported in wastewater influents, effluents, receiving rivers and biosolids, but reports of their occurrence in all these matrixes have been limited by the difficulty of analysis. Therefore, a comprehensive validation of methods was carried out on the influents, effluents, sludge and soil from the irrigated golf course where the effluent of one of the study sites was being used for over three decades now for irrigation. In all, thirteen PPCPs from five therapeutic groups were selected for study in this work because of their administering rate and availability of analytical instrument. Good limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) were achieved for the method used. The LOD for the aqueous Three different technologies were employed for the treatment of wastewater in the five selected wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) and study was carried out to evaluate their ability to eliminate the selected compounds from the influents to the effluents using statistical analysis (ANOVA) at p<0.05 on the percentage removal rate across the three plants. The results had shown eight of the compounds having no significant difference among the treatment operations, whereas the remaining five compounds varied significantly among the treatment technologies under investigation. Principal component analysis was performed on the concentration of PPCPs, their removal rate and also on the physicochemical and treatment operation parameters. Hydraulic retention time (HRT) had correlation coefficient, r = 0.90 with the concentration of PPCPs and removal rates. Furthermore, occurrences, seasonal variation, mean concentration distribution pattern of the compounds, and temporal evaluation of the mean concentration of the pharmaceutical compounds in the five WWTPs during one year of sampling were considered. The results revealed that five products which were diclofenac, ibuprofen, paracetamol, triclosan and diethyl toluamide (DDET) were predominant among the PPCPs in all the WWTPs. The removal efficiency was highest in caffeine with 96 percent, and the lowest was obtained with carbamazepine (4 percent). Risk quotient of the concentration of PPCPs in the effluents and receiving waters was determined to assess their chronic toxicity at three trophic levels: fish, algae and matrixes studied ranged from 0.01 μg/L to 0.25 μg/L, and the LOQ from 0.02 μg/L to 0.78 μg/L. In the solid matrixes, LOD varied from 0.01 ng/g to 0.65 ng/g, and the LOQ between 0.08 ng/g and 5.17 ng/g. Better recovery efficiency was obtained with this mixture of solvents, acetone: dichloromethane (1:1), for the recovery of the five therapeutic groups in the solid matrixes using ultrasonication- assisted techniques. The results show percentage recovery values ranging from 68.8 percent to 107.5 percent diaphian. According to the environmental risk assessment results, ibuprofen and triclosan were found to be the most critical compounds due to their high risk quotient values. These findings will, therefore, help in the future evaluation of the efficiency of different treatment technologies in the removal of various PPCPs from the wastewater and their sustainable management in the aquatic resources in Eastern Cape, South Africa. For the lipophilic organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), the limits of detection (LODs) of the tested congeners varied from 0.04 ng/g (α-BHC) to 0.49 ng/g (endosulfan sulfate) and the limits of quantification ranging from 0.22 ng/g (aldrin) to 2.17 ng/g (δ-BHC).
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
Psychological capital and emotional intelligence as moderators of the relationship between occupational stress and organisational citizenship behaviour among graduate employees in Nigeria
- Authors: Aderibigbe, John Kolawole
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Psychology, Industrial Emotional intelligence
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/8642 , vital:33250
- Description: The study investigated psychological capital and emotional intelligence as moderators of the relationship between occupational stress and organisational citizenship behaviour among graduate employees in Nigeria, using the explanatory cross-sectional (survey) research design and three sampling techniques (The Two-stage Cluster Sampling Method, The Convenience Sampling Method and The Purposive Sampling Technique) to sample 1532 male and female graduate employees in Nigeria. A structured validated questionnaire was used to collect data from the respondents. Six hypotheses were stated and tested in the study towards propounding a model, using Pearson Correlation Analysis, Multiple Regression Analysis and Structural Equation Modelling. The results show that there is a weak positive relationship between occupational stress and organisational citizenship behaviour, r = 0.070, p<0.01; there is a significant positive relationship between psychological capital and organisational citizenship behaviour, r = 0.588, p<0.01; there is a significant positive relationship between emotional intelligence and organisational citizenship behaviour, r = 0.473, p<0.01; psychological capital is a significant moderator of the relationship between occupational stress and organisational citizenship behaviour, F (2,1529) = 8.514; R2= 0.011; p <.05; emotional intelligence is a significant moderator of the relationship between occupational stress and organisational citizenship behaviour, F (2,1529) = 5.945; R2= 0.008; p <.05; psychological capital and emotional intelligence are significant joint moderators of the relationship between occupational stress and organisational citizenship behaviour, F (1,1530) = 221.240; R2= 0.186; p <.05; psychological capital has a direct and significant positive effect on organisational citizenship behaviour, R= 0.657, p<.001; emotional intelligence has a direct and significant positive effect on organisational citizenship behaviour, R= 0.183, p<.001; psychological capital has a direct and significant positive effect on occupational stress, R= 0.100, p<.001; emotional intelligence has a direct and significant positive effect on psychological capital, R= 0.547, p<.001. Based on the results, the study concludes that psychological capital and emotional intelligence are significant joint moderators of the relationship between occupational stress and organisational citizenship behaviour. The proposed model was, therefore, empirically confirmed. The researcher recommends that the empirical model of effective management of occupational stress and organisational citizenship behaviour, which has been propounded in the study, should be adopted and applied by teachers, lecturers, seminar facilitators, workshop trainers, supervisors and managers during their coaching or training sessions.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
- Authors: Aderibigbe, John Kolawole
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Psychology, Industrial Emotional intelligence
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/8642 , vital:33250
- Description: The study investigated psychological capital and emotional intelligence as moderators of the relationship between occupational stress and organisational citizenship behaviour among graduate employees in Nigeria, using the explanatory cross-sectional (survey) research design and three sampling techniques (The Two-stage Cluster Sampling Method, The Convenience Sampling Method and The Purposive Sampling Technique) to sample 1532 male and female graduate employees in Nigeria. A structured validated questionnaire was used to collect data from the respondents. Six hypotheses were stated and tested in the study towards propounding a model, using Pearson Correlation Analysis, Multiple Regression Analysis and Structural Equation Modelling. The results show that there is a weak positive relationship between occupational stress and organisational citizenship behaviour, r = 0.070, p<0.01; there is a significant positive relationship between psychological capital and organisational citizenship behaviour, r = 0.588, p<0.01; there is a significant positive relationship between emotional intelligence and organisational citizenship behaviour, r = 0.473, p<0.01; psychological capital is a significant moderator of the relationship between occupational stress and organisational citizenship behaviour, F (2,1529) = 8.514; R2= 0.011; p <.05; emotional intelligence is a significant moderator of the relationship between occupational stress and organisational citizenship behaviour, F (2,1529) = 5.945; R2= 0.008; p <.05; psychological capital and emotional intelligence are significant joint moderators of the relationship between occupational stress and organisational citizenship behaviour, F (1,1530) = 221.240; R2= 0.186; p <.05; psychological capital has a direct and significant positive effect on organisational citizenship behaviour, R= 0.657, p<.001; emotional intelligence has a direct and significant positive effect on organisational citizenship behaviour, R= 0.183, p<.001; psychological capital has a direct and significant positive effect on occupational stress, R= 0.100, p<.001; emotional intelligence has a direct and significant positive effect on psychological capital, R= 0.547, p<.001. Based on the results, the study concludes that psychological capital and emotional intelligence are significant joint moderators of the relationship between occupational stress and organisational citizenship behaviour. The proposed model was, therefore, empirically confirmed. The researcher recommends that the empirical model of effective management of occupational stress and organisational citizenship behaviour, which has been propounded in the study, should be adopted and applied by teachers, lecturers, seminar facilitators, workshop trainers, supervisors and managers during their coaching or training sessions.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
Evaluation of the physicochemical qualities and heavy metal regimes of the final effluents of some wastewater treatment facilties in Berlin, Alice and Bedford communities in the Eastern Cape, South Africa
- Authors: Agoro, Mojeed Adedoyin
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Water -- Purification -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Sewage -- Purification -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/5003 , vital:28924
- Description: Wastewater treatment facilities have been identified as potential source of surface water pollution worldwide. In this study, the physicochemical qualities and heavy metal (including Zinc, Cadmium, Iron, Lead and Copper) concentrations in the final effluents, as well as the reduction efficiencies of three municipal wastewater plants in the Eastern Cape, South Africa were evaluated from September 2015 to February 2016 using standard methods. Wastewater effluent and sludge samples were collected from the selected plants on monthly basis over a period of six months from September 2015 to February 2016. Standard analytical method (Atomic absorption spectroscopy [AAS]) was used to assess the concentration levels of heavy metals. The physicochemical parameters assessed include pH, Temperature, Total Dissolved Solid, Turbidity, Biochemical Oxygen Demand, Chemical Oxygen Demand, Alkalinity, Dissolved Oxygen, Free chlorine, Chloride, Sulphate, Phosphate, Ammonium and Electrical Conductivity. The results of the evaluation showed that temperature ranges from 19 to 36 °C, Electrical Conductivity from 60-1095 mS/m, Alkalinity from 2.6-20.9 mg/L, Nitrate from 0.24-26.5 mg/L, Nitrite from 0.01-90 mg/L, Phosphate from 0.02-5.12 mg/L, Ammonium from 0.06-112 mg/L, Sulphate from 3-72 mg/L, Chloride from 3.25-224 mg/L, Chemical Oxygen Demand from 17-394 mg/L and Turbidity from 1.96-715 NTU. Free chlorine concentrations and dissolved oxygen were within the recommended limits for most part of the sampling period and ranged between 0.17-0.48 mg/L and 0.19-21.9 mg/L respectively. The pH, Phosphate, Sulphate and Free chlorine were within acceptable limits while Electrical Conductivity, Temperature, Total Dissolved Solid, Turbidity, Chemical Oxygen Demand, Chloride, Ammonium, Nitrate and Nitrite were not within specified limits. The reduction efficiencies observed generally ranged between 43.9 and 100 percent at all sampling points while zinc and lead were not detected throughout the sampling period. Cadmium showed low reduction rate ranging from 0 to 11.7 percent, while the rate of Copper reduction ranged from 0 to25 percent in January and February 2016. Zinc, lead and cadmium were generally not detected in the sludge samples except in January and February which could be due to the prevailing atmospheric conditions during the sampling period. Cu and Fe were detected through the sampling months of the study. We conclude that these municipal sewage plants are sources of pollution to their receiving watersheds and threats to public and environmental health.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
- Authors: Agoro, Mojeed Adedoyin
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Water -- Purification -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Sewage -- Purification -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/5003 , vital:28924
- Description: Wastewater treatment facilities have been identified as potential source of surface water pollution worldwide. In this study, the physicochemical qualities and heavy metal (including Zinc, Cadmium, Iron, Lead and Copper) concentrations in the final effluents, as well as the reduction efficiencies of three municipal wastewater plants in the Eastern Cape, South Africa were evaluated from September 2015 to February 2016 using standard methods. Wastewater effluent and sludge samples were collected from the selected plants on monthly basis over a period of six months from September 2015 to February 2016. Standard analytical method (Atomic absorption spectroscopy [AAS]) was used to assess the concentration levels of heavy metals. The physicochemical parameters assessed include pH, Temperature, Total Dissolved Solid, Turbidity, Biochemical Oxygen Demand, Chemical Oxygen Demand, Alkalinity, Dissolved Oxygen, Free chlorine, Chloride, Sulphate, Phosphate, Ammonium and Electrical Conductivity. The results of the evaluation showed that temperature ranges from 19 to 36 °C, Electrical Conductivity from 60-1095 mS/m, Alkalinity from 2.6-20.9 mg/L, Nitrate from 0.24-26.5 mg/L, Nitrite from 0.01-90 mg/L, Phosphate from 0.02-5.12 mg/L, Ammonium from 0.06-112 mg/L, Sulphate from 3-72 mg/L, Chloride from 3.25-224 mg/L, Chemical Oxygen Demand from 17-394 mg/L and Turbidity from 1.96-715 NTU. Free chlorine concentrations and dissolved oxygen were within the recommended limits for most part of the sampling period and ranged between 0.17-0.48 mg/L and 0.19-21.9 mg/L respectively. The pH, Phosphate, Sulphate and Free chlorine were within acceptable limits while Electrical Conductivity, Temperature, Total Dissolved Solid, Turbidity, Chemical Oxygen Demand, Chloride, Ammonium, Nitrate and Nitrite were not within specified limits. The reduction efficiencies observed generally ranged between 43.9 and 100 percent at all sampling points while zinc and lead were not detected throughout the sampling period. Cadmium showed low reduction rate ranging from 0 to 11.7 percent, while the rate of Copper reduction ranged from 0 to25 percent in January and February 2016. Zinc, lead and cadmium were generally not detected in the sludge samples except in January and February which could be due to the prevailing atmospheric conditions during the sampling period. Cu and Fe were detected through the sampling months of the study. We conclude that these municipal sewage plants are sources of pollution to their receiving watersheds and threats to public and environmental health.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
Cost and return analysis of smallholder organic crop farms in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa
- Authors: Akharume, Celestine Ohi
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Farms, Small -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Profit -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Organic farming -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MAgric
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/13730 , vital:39703
- Description: Agriculture remains an influential sector in South Africa in terms of its contributions to economic development and poverty reduction, notably in the rural areas. These include providing sufficient and affordable food for the constantly increasing population, providing cheap food for the developing industrial labor force, providing employment and livelihoods and supplying raw materials to the country’s rising domestic industrial sector. Despite phenomenal progress in integrating smallholder farmers into the mainstream economy since democratic reforms in the country, deteriorating soil quality through poor agricultural practices, land erosion, acidification and concerns about production and productivity and compliance with food safety standards are beginning to loom high. Hence, organic farming is identified as one of the sustainable approaches to farming. It is also believed to guarantee substantial net gains and to promote sustainable natural resource management with the possibility of enhancing overall agricultural productivity. Notwithstanding, organic farming is still being perceived negatively in South Africa and there is shortage of empirical studies which focus on cost and return of smallholder organic crop farms. It is in this regard that the study therefore seeks to analyze cost and return of smallholder organic crop farms in the Eastern Cape Province to contribute to knowledge on the relative economic advantages of organic agriculture at the smallholder sector. Specifically, the study profiled the socioeconomic characteristics of smallholder organic crop farmers, determined costs and returns, and estimated profitability and factors that constrain profitability of the smallholder organic crop farms. The research design used in this study was cross-sectional where data were collected at a single point in time. A multi- stage random sampling technique was used to obtain primary data from one hundred and sixty smallholder organic crop farmers (160) with the aid of structured questionnaires. Primary data were collected on demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, variable costs and fixed costs, and returns from the organic crop farms. Data collected were analyzed by Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) and the descriptive and inferential statistics involved were mean, frequency proportion, gross margin and net income analysis as well as OLS regression analysis. The results of the descriptive analysis showed that the proportions of women involved in organic crop farming were higher than that of men and many of the farmers cultivated on less than 1.0ha. The analysis of the data also showed that smallholder organic crop farms are undoubtedly profitable farm business, with attractive net farm income and lower production costs. The findings further affirmed that factors such as household size, gender, farming experience, number of years in school, farm size, source of labor and access to credit affect profitability and net farm income. Therefore, government is advised to encourage the practice of organic farming by giving short-term loans to smallholder farmers, to enable them invest more in their organic crop farms. There is also need for government to organize workshops and lectures, educating and enlightening individual smallholder organic crop farmers on modern organic farming techniques to enhance profitability of smallholder organic crop farms.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
- Authors: Akharume, Celestine Ohi
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Farms, Small -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Profit -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Organic farming -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MAgric
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/13730 , vital:39703
- Description: Agriculture remains an influential sector in South Africa in terms of its contributions to economic development and poverty reduction, notably in the rural areas. These include providing sufficient and affordable food for the constantly increasing population, providing cheap food for the developing industrial labor force, providing employment and livelihoods and supplying raw materials to the country’s rising domestic industrial sector. Despite phenomenal progress in integrating smallholder farmers into the mainstream economy since democratic reforms in the country, deteriorating soil quality through poor agricultural practices, land erosion, acidification and concerns about production and productivity and compliance with food safety standards are beginning to loom high. Hence, organic farming is identified as one of the sustainable approaches to farming. It is also believed to guarantee substantial net gains and to promote sustainable natural resource management with the possibility of enhancing overall agricultural productivity. Notwithstanding, organic farming is still being perceived negatively in South Africa and there is shortage of empirical studies which focus on cost and return of smallholder organic crop farms. It is in this regard that the study therefore seeks to analyze cost and return of smallholder organic crop farms in the Eastern Cape Province to contribute to knowledge on the relative economic advantages of organic agriculture at the smallholder sector. Specifically, the study profiled the socioeconomic characteristics of smallholder organic crop farmers, determined costs and returns, and estimated profitability and factors that constrain profitability of the smallholder organic crop farms. The research design used in this study was cross-sectional where data were collected at a single point in time. A multi- stage random sampling technique was used to obtain primary data from one hundred and sixty smallholder organic crop farmers (160) with the aid of structured questionnaires. Primary data were collected on demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, variable costs and fixed costs, and returns from the organic crop farms. Data collected were analyzed by Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) and the descriptive and inferential statistics involved were mean, frequency proportion, gross margin and net income analysis as well as OLS regression analysis. The results of the descriptive analysis showed that the proportions of women involved in organic crop farming were higher than that of men and many of the farmers cultivated on less than 1.0ha. The analysis of the data also showed that smallholder organic crop farms are undoubtedly profitable farm business, with attractive net farm income and lower production costs. The findings further affirmed that factors such as household size, gender, farming experience, number of years in school, farm size, source of labor and access to credit affect profitability and net farm income. Therefore, government is advised to encourage the practice of organic farming by giving short-term loans to smallholder farmers, to enable them invest more in their organic crop farms. There is also need for government to organize workshops and lectures, educating and enlightening individual smallholder organic crop farmers on modern organic farming techniques to enhance profitability of smallholder organic crop farms.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
Antidiabetic and toxicological properties of Dianthus thunbergii (Caryophyllaceae) roots and Hypoxis argentea (Hypoxidaceae) corms
- Authors: Akinrinde, Akinleye Stephen
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Medicinal plants--South Africa--Eastern Cape Traditional medicine--South Africa--Eastern Cape Diabetics--Alternative treatment--South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , Biochemistry
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/16036 , vital:40606
- Description: Diabetes mellitus is a chronic metabolic disorder primarily characterized by elevated blood glucose levels. Its rapidly increasing prevalence as a major non-communicable disease is now a growing concern for both developed and developing countries. The development of safe, cost-effective and pharmacologically-effective medications continues to a major challenge of antidiabetic management. Since most conventional antidiabetic drugs are costly and present with numerous adverse effects, alternatives are increasingly being sought from natural sources, most notably medicinal plants, as viable approaches to tackling the scourge of this disease. In the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa, the roots of Dianthus thunbergii and corms of Hypoxis argentea are frequently used traditionally for the treatment of diabetes mellitus, although no scientific evidence exists to validate their effectiveness for diabetes management. The studies conducted in the resent research were, therefore, aimed at investigating the antidiabetic and toxicological properties of these plants, in an attempt to providing data towards validating their use in traditional management of diabetes mellitus. Aqueous and ethanol extracts of the underground parts of D. thunbergii and H. argentea were initially subjected to analysis of their phytochemical composition, relative to standard compounds, and the nature of their in-vitro antioxidant activities using standard spectrophotometric methods. The potentials of these extracts for cytotoxicity and/or cell proliferation were evaluated using MTT assay in HepG2 cells and Crystal violet assay in INS-1 cells. These activities were further examined in INS-1 cells using live cell fluorescence imaging techniques. To evaluate the antidiabetic properties of the extracts, they were screened for their inhibitory effects on the activities of different enzymes including α-amylase, α-glucosidase, porcine pancreatic lipase, Dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPP-IV), collagenase and the drug metabolizing enzyme, CYP3A4, while also assessing their effects on protein glycation using in- vitro visible and fluorescence spectrophotometric approaches. Cell culture procedures were carried out to evaluate the effects of the extracts on glucose utilization in HepG2 cells and L6 myotubes; nitric oxide production in RAW 264.7 macrophages; glucose metabolism in INS-1 cells, as well as triglyceride accumulation in 3T3-L1 pre-adipocytes. Furthermore, identification of compounds present in the aqueous and ethanol extracts was carried out by Liquid chromatography- Mass spectrometry (LC-MS), while volatile oils extracted from fresh and dried parts of the two plants by hydrodistillation were also analyzed by Gas chromatography-Mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The ethanol extracts of both D. thunbergii and H. argentea contained higher amounts of total phenols, flavonoids, tannins, proanthocyanidins and alkaloids, when compared with the aqueous extracts. This finding was in direct correlation with the antioxidant activities of the extracts, with the ethanol extracts of both plants demonstrating stronger scavenging activities against hydrogen peroxide, nitric oxide, ABTS and DPPH radicals, while also exhibiting higher ferric reducing antioxidant potentials, when compared with the aqueous extracts, and in some cases, the standard antioxidants, Vitamin C, butylated hydroxytoluene and rutin. The aqueous extracts of D. thunbergii exhibited the highest toxicity in HepG2 cells with IC50 < 50 μg/ml, while also producing a concentration-dependent reduction in the viability of INS-1 cells up to 41.81percent at 50 μg/ml. Both extracts of H. argentea, however, did not produce any significant toxicity in these cells. Fluorescence imaging of live INS-1 cells using Hoechst and propidium iodide staining revealed stimulation of cell proliferation by H. argentea, while the cytotoxicity of D. thunbergii was further confirmed. H. argentea caused stimulation of glucose uptake in HepG2 cells up to 119.58 percent at 100 μg/ml and as much as 116.96 percent in L6 myotubes at 50 μg/ml, without showing toxicity to these cells. D. thunbergii produced 18.39 percent increase in L6 glucose uptake above untreated control; although its effect on HepG2 glucose uptake was irrelevant as significant toxicity was produced in these cells. H. argentea produced a concentration-dependent reduction in nitric oxide production in RAW macrophages, although not as effectively as the positive control, aminoguanidine. Again, the toxicity of D. thunbergii to this cell line precludes the relevance of nitric oxide inhibition as an antidiabetic mechanism for this plant. D. thunbergii produced a concentration-dependent increase in 3T3-L1 triglyceride accumulation, as measured by Oil red O staining, compared to untreated cells, while H. argentea exerted no significant alterations in pre- adipocyte differentiation. Generally, the two plants produced weak inhibition of the activities of the various enzymes measured, suggesting that this mechanism may not play a major role in the activities of these plants as possible antidiabetic agents. GC-MS analysis revealed major differences in the volatile oil composition between fresh and dried plant parts for both plants. Most notably, total terpenoid content of D. thunbergii oils reduced significantly from 77.17 percent in the fresh root oil to 47.58 percent in the dried root oil. Total terpenoid content was much lower in H. argentea oils, but similarly reduced from 10.58 percent in the fresh corm oil to 4.00 percent in the dried corm oil. LC-MS analysis enabled the tentative identification of compounds including phenolic glycosides, flavonoids, alkaloids, terpenoids saponins and sapogenins, many of which have been reported in literature to exert bioactivities relevant to the ones elucidated in the present study. Overall, H. argentea exhibited antidiabetic properties that may be mediated by its stimulation of glucose uptake in HepG2 and L6 cells; stimulation of proliferation in INS-1 cells; lack of stimulation of 3T3-L1 triglyceride accumulation and a tendency to reduce nitric oxide production in RAW macrophages. These activities suggest that H. argentea has promise for further investigations as an antidiabetic agent. On the contrary, D. thunbergii exhibited significant toxicity to HepG2 cells, INS-1 cells and RAW macrophages. Its cytotoxicity at the concentrations investigated in the present studies raises significant concerns about any potential antidiabetic applications for this plant.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
- Authors: Akinrinde, Akinleye Stephen
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Medicinal plants--South Africa--Eastern Cape Traditional medicine--South Africa--Eastern Cape Diabetics--Alternative treatment--South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , Biochemistry
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/16036 , vital:40606
- Description: Diabetes mellitus is a chronic metabolic disorder primarily characterized by elevated blood glucose levels. Its rapidly increasing prevalence as a major non-communicable disease is now a growing concern for both developed and developing countries. The development of safe, cost-effective and pharmacologically-effective medications continues to a major challenge of antidiabetic management. Since most conventional antidiabetic drugs are costly and present with numerous adverse effects, alternatives are increasingly being sought from natural sources, most notably medicinal plants, as viable approaches to tackling the scourge of this disease. In the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa, the roots of Dianthus thunbergii and corms of Hypoxis argentea are frequently used traditionally for the treatment of diabetes mellitus, although no scientific evidence exists to validate their effectiveness for diabetes management. The studies conducted in the resent research were, therefore, aimed at investigating the antidiabetic and toxicological properties of these plants, in an attempt to providing data towards validating their use in traditional management of diabetes mellitus. Aqueous and ethanol extracts of the underground parts of D. thunbergii and H. argentea were initially subjected to analysis of their phytochemical composition, relative to standard compounds, and the nature of their in-vitro antioxidant activities using standard spectrophotometric methods. The potentials of these extracts for cytotoxicity and/or cell proliferation were evaluated using MTT assay in HepG2 cells and Crystal violet assay in INS-1 cells. These activities were further examined in INS-1 cells using live cell fluorescence imaging techniques. To evaluate the antidiabetic properties of the extracts, they were screened for their inhibitory effects on the activities of different enzymes including α-amylase, α-glucosidase, porcine pancreatic lipase, Dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPP-IV), collagenase and the drug metabolizing enzyme, CYP3A4, while also assessing their effects on protein glycation using in- vitro visible and fluorescence spectrophotometric approaches. Cell culture procedures were carried out to evaluate the effects of the extracts on glucose utilization in HepG2 cells and L6 myotubes; nitric oxide production in RAW 264.7 macrophages; glucose metabolism in INS-1 cells, as well as triglyceride accumulation in 3T3-L1 pre-adipocytes. Furthermore, identification of compounds present in the aqueous and ethanol extracts was carried out by Liquid chromatography- Mass spectrometry (LC-MS), while volatile oils extracted from fresh and dried parts of the two plants by hydrodistillation were also analyzed by Gas chromatography-Mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The ethanol extracts of both D. thunbergii and H. argentea contained higher amounts of total phenols, flavonoids, tannins, proanthocyanidins and alkaloids, when compared with the aqueous extracts. This finding was in direct correlation with the antioxidant activities of the extracts, with the ethanol extracts of both plants demonstrating stronger scavenging activities against hydrogen peroxide, nitric oxide, ABTS and DPPH radicals, while also exhibiting higher ferric reducing antioxidant potentials, when compared with the aqueous extracts, and in some cases, the standard antioxidants, Vitamin C, butylated hydroxytoluene and rutin. The aqueous extracts of D. thunbergii exhibited the highest toxicity in HepG2 cells with IC50 < 50 μg/ml, while also producing a concentration-dependent reduction in the viability of INS-1 cells up to 41.81percent at 50 μg/ml. Both extracts of H. argentea, however, did not produce any significant toxicity in these cells. Fluorescence imaging of live INS-1 cells using Hoechst and propidium iodide staining revealed stimulation of cell proliferation by H. argentea, while the cytotoxicity of D. thunbergii was further confirmed. H. argentea caused stimulation of glucose uptake in HepG2 cells up to 119.58 percent at 100 μg/ml and as much as 116.96 percent in L6 myotubes at 50 μg/ml, without showing toxicity to these cells. D. thunbergii produced 18.39 percent increase in L6 glucose uptake above untreated control; although its effect on HepG2 glucose uptake was irrelevant as significant toxicity was produced in these cells. H. argentea produced a concentration-dependent reduction in nitric oxide production in RAW macrophages, although not as effectively as the positive control, aminoguanidine. Again, the toxicity of D. thunbergii to this cell line precludes the relevance of nitric oxide inhibition as an antidiabetic mechanism for this plant. D. thunbergii produced a concentration-dependent increase in 3T3-L1 triglyceride accumulation, as measured by Oil red O staining, compared to untreated cells, while H. argentea exerted no significant alterations in pre- adipocyte differentiation. Generally, the two plants produced weak inhibition of the activities of the various enzymes measured, suggesting that this mechanism may not play a major role in the activities of these plants as possible antidiabetic agents. GC-MS analysis revealed major differences in the volatile oil composition between fresh and dried plant parts for both plants. Most notably, total terpenoid content of D. thunbergii oils reduced significantly from 77.17 percent in the fresh root oil to 47.58 percent in the dried root oil. Total terpenoid content was much lower in H. argentea oils, but similarly reduced from 10.58 percent in the fresh corm oil to 4.00 percent in the dried corm oil. LC-MS analysis enabled the tentative identification of compounds including phenolic glycosides, flavonoids, alkaloids, terpenoids saponins and sapogenins, many of which have been reported in literature to exert bioactivities relevant to the ones elucidated in the present study. Overall, H. argentea exhibited antidiabetic properties that may be mediated by its stimulation of glucose uptake in HepG2 and L6 cells; stimulation of proliferation in INS-1 cells; lack of stimulation of 3T3-L1 triglyceride accumulation and a tendency to reduce nitric oxide production in RAW macrophages. These activities suggest that H. argentea has promise for further investigations as an antidiabetic agent. On the contrary, D. thunbergii exhibited significant toxicity to HepG2 cells, INS-1 cells and RAW macrophages. Its cytotoxicity at the concentrations investigated in the present studies raises significant concerns about any potential antidiabetic applications for this plant.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
Contribution of home gardens to rural household income in Raymond Mhlaba Local Municipality, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa
- Authors: Alaka, Kolawole O
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Gardens Food security Sustainable agriculture -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MAgric
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/8176 , vital:31826
- Description: For decades, home gardens have proved to be significant to rural inhabitants by providing a wide range of useful products such as fruits, vegetables and medicine, but there is lack of quantitative information on its benefits and its contributions to income of rural household. The main objective of this study is to investigate contributions of home garden to income of rural household in Raymond Mhlaba Local Municipality, formerly Nkonkobe Local Municipality of Eastern Cape Province South Africa. The stratified random sampling method was applied in order to choose a sample of 160 household that were interviewed by means of semi-structured questionnaires. The study was conducted among 80 households engaging in home gardens and 80 non- participating households in the study area. Frequencies and mean were used to describe the general characteristics of the households as well as ownership patterns of home gardens. In order to determine the factors that influence home gardens ownership binary logistic regression model was used. The overall model show that level of education, total household income and access to land significantly affects ownership of the home garden positively. Social grant has the highest contributions to total household income for both category while income generated from home garden has the second largest share to total household income, this show that the majority of rural households in the study area rely on social grant as their source of income. Cabbage, spinach, potatoes and carrots were the dominant crops in home gardens. In view of research findings, there is still a wide room for further improvement in home gardens practises in study area. Contrary to expectations, home gardens have the potential to improve livelihood significantly if the rural households take the necessary steps to make the production more sustainable. Based on research findings several policy proposals are suggested. These include investment in agricultural programmes that will empower the rural households like Massive food projects, Siyazondla and related home garden initiatives. Home garden is the major source of food and income generation in Raymond Mhlaba Municipality. Therefore, government should provide sufficient credit facilities, extension services together with marketing arrangement in the area.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
- Authors: Alaka, Kolawole O
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Gardens Food security Sustainable agriculture -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MAgric
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/8176 , vital:31826
- Description: For decades, home gardens have proved to be significant to rural inhabitants by providing a wide range of useful products such as fruits, vegetables and medicine, but there is lack of quantitative information on its benefits and its contributions to income of rural household. The main objective of this study is to investigate contributions of home garden to income of rural household in Raymond Mhlaba Local Municipality, formerly Nkonkobe Local Municipality of Eastern Cape Province South Africa. The stratified random sampling method was applied in order to choose a sample of 160 household that were interviewed by means of semi-structured questionnaires. The study was conducted among 80 households engaging in home gardens and 80 non- participating households in the study area. Frequencies and mean were used to describe the general characteristics of the households as well as ownership patterns of home gardens. In order to determine the factors that influence home gardens ownership binary logistic regression model was used. The overall model show that level of education, total household income and access to land significantly affects ownership of the home garden positively. Social grant has the highest contributions to total household income for both category while income generated from home garden has the second largest share to total household income, this show that the majority of rural households in the study area rely on social grant as their source of income. Cabbage, spinach, potatoes and carrots were the dominant crops in home gardens. In view of research findings, there is still a wide room for further improvement in home gardens practises in study area. Contrary to expectations, home gardens have the potential to improve livelihood significantly if the rural households take the necessary steps to make the production more sustainable. Based on research findings several policy proposals are suggested. These include investment in agricultural programmes that will empower the rural households like Massive food projects, Siyazondla and related home garden initiatives. Home garden is the major source of food and income generation in Raymond Mhlaba Municipality. Therefore, government should provide sufficient credit facilities, extension services together with marketing arrangement in the area.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
Characterization of Staphylococcus aureus and Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in selected recreational marine waters and beach sand in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa
- Authors: Ankabi, Olufemi Emmanuel
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Marine microbiology -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Staphylococcus aureus infections -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Pathogenic microorganisms
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/4992 , vital:28915
- Description: Staphylococcus aureus is a Gram-positive bacterium predominantly found on human skin and in nasal passages with 20 to 40 percent of the population carrying this organism. Although S. aureus is an unspectacular, non-motile coccoid bacterium, it is a perilous human pathogen associated with both nosocomial and community-acquired infections and it is increasingly becoming virulent and resistant to most antibiotics. It is responsible for several infections such as osteomyelitis, toxin-mediated diseases and bacteraemia, with severe infections arising from strains harbouring antibiotic resistance genes together with virulence genes. S. aureus has been largely confined to hospitals and long-term care facilities, but it is now emerging in the community in places such as recreational beach waters, and occurring in healthy individuals with no associated risk factors. This organism has been reported to be released by swimmers in beaches, suggesting that recreational waters are a potential source of community-acquired S. aureus infections. It is possibly the pathogen of greatest concern due to its intrinsic virulence, its capacity to cause various life-threatening infections, and its ability to adapt to varying environmental conditions. This study was aimed at characterizing S. aureus and methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) in Port Elizabeth, Port Alfred, Kenton-on-sea and East London beaches of the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. This was done by investigating the occurrence, antibiotic susceptibilities, antibiotic-resistant genes and virulence genes profiles of S. aureus in the selected beaches. To achieve this aim, 249 beach sand and water samples were obtained from the beaches during the period of April 2015 to April 2016. Physico-chemical parameters of beach water was investigated on site using a multi-parameter ion specific meter during sample collection. Samples were filtered and inoculated on m-Endo agar, m-FC agar and bile aesculin azide agar for total and faecal coliform as well as Enterococci respectively. For isolation of S. aureus and MRSA, samples were cultured on Mannitol salt agar and Staph 24 agar. S. aureus was identified using morphological, Gram staining and molecular (PCR) methods. The isolates were further characterized by determining their antimicrobial resistance profiles, antibiotic resistant genes (mecA, rpoB, blaZ, ermB and tetK genes) and detection of virulent genes encoding intracellular adhesion (icaA), enterotoxin (seaA) and cytolytic toxins (PVL). The majority of study sites passed the directives of physico-chemical standards levels set by WHO during the study period. A total of 143 presumptive isolates were obtained of which 30 (30 percent) were confirmed as S. aureus with 22 (73.3 percent) of these confirmed isolates from marine water and 8 (26.7 percent) from marine sand. Upon culturing on MRSA 2 agar, 15 (50 percent) of isolates showed phonotypic resistance to methicillin. Based on Antimicrobial susceptibility tests, (22/30) 73.3 percent of the isolates showed phonotypic resistance to oxacillin. Out of the 30 isolates, 16 (53.3 percent) were mecA positive and were considered methicillin-resistant S. aureus. S. aureus showed high susceptibility to gentamycin, cefoxithin, levofloxacin, ciprofloxacin, imipenem, and chloramphenicol. A large proportion (36.67 percent to 96.7 percent) of the S. aureus isolates was resistant to penicillin G, ampicillin, oxacillin, tetracycline, clindamycin, rifampicin, vancomycin, sulfamethoxazole-Trimethoprim and erythromycin. Multiple antibiotic resistance (MAR) phenotypes were generated from 7 S. aureus isolates showing resistance to three or more antibiotics. The mecA, rpoB, blaZ, ermB and tetM genes coding for methicillin, rifampicin, βeta-lactam, erythromycin and tetracycline antibiotics resistance was detected in 5 (22.7 percent), 11 (45.8 percent), 16 (55.2 percent), 15 (71.4 percent) and 8 (72.7 percent) respectively. The PVL, icaA and seaA genes coding for virulent determinants were detected in 50, 20 and 13.3 percent of the confirmed isolates respectively. Physico-chemical and faecal indicator bacteria results obtained from this study can assist municipal authorities in developing appropriate management strategies for beaches in the study area. The findings of this study showed that the investigated beaches were contaminated with toxigenic and multi-drug resistant S. aureus strains. This emphasizes the need for the implementation of better control measures to reduce the occurrence of antibiotic resistant S. aureus and of virulent S. aureus strains in recreational waters. In our study it was established that the potential of recreational waters to be reservoirs of S. aureus should not be taken for granted, and it is important that beach goers be educated about this organism as well as other related pathogens that could affect human health, especially immuno-compromised individuals. The community should be educated on antibiotic stewardship and the detrimental effects of antibiotics abuse.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
- Authors: Ankabi, Olufemi Emmanuel
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Marine microbiology -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Staphylococcus aureus infections -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Pathogenic microorganisms
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/4992 , vital:28915
- Description: Staphylococcus aureus is a Gram-positive bacterium predominantly found on human skin and in nasal passages with 20 to 40 percent of the population carrying this organism. Although S. aureus is an unspectacular, non-motile coccoid bacterium, it is a perilous human pathogen associated with both nosocomial and community-acquired infections and it is increasingly becoming virulent and resistant to most antibiotics. It is responsible for several infections such as osteomyelitis, toxin-mediated diseases and bacteraemia, with severe infections arising from strains harbouring antibiotic resistance genes together with virulence genes. S. aureus has been largely confined to hospitals and long-term care facilities, but it is now emerging in the community in places such as recreational beach waters, and occurring in healthy individuals with no associated risk factors. This organism has been reported to be released by swimmers in beaches, suggesting that recreational waters are a potential source of community-acquired S. aureus infections. It is possibly the pathogen of greatest concern due to its intrinsic virulence, its capacity to cause various life-threatening infections, and its ability to adapt to varying environmental conditions. This study was aimed at characterizing S. aureus and methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) in Port Elizabeth, Port Alfred, Kenton-on-sea and East London beaches of the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. This was done by investigating the occurrence, antibiotic susceptibilities, antibiotic-resistant genes and virulence genes profiles of S. aureus in the selected beaches. To achieve this aim, 249 beach sand and water samples were obtained from the beaches during the period of April 2015 to April 2016. Physico-chemical parameters of beach water was investigated on site using a multi-parameter ion specific meter during sample collection. Samples were filtered and inoculated on m-Endo agar, m-FC agar and bile aesculin azide agar for total and faecal coliform as well as Enterococci respectively. For isolation of S. aureus and MRSA, samples were cultured on Mannitol salt agar and Staph 24 agar. S. aureus was identified using morphological, Gram staining and molecular (PCR) methods. The isolates were further characterized by determining their antimicrobial resistance profiles, antibiotic resistant genes (mecA, rpoB, blaZ, ermB and tetK genes) and detection of virulent genes encoding intracellular adhesion (icaA), enterotoxin (seaA) and cytolytic toxins (PVL). The majority of study sites passed the directives of physico-chemical standards levels set by WHO during the study period. A total of 143 presumptive isolates were obtained of which 30 (30 percent) were confirmed as S. aureus with 22 (73.3 percent) of these confirmed isolates from marine water and 8 (26.7 percent) from marine sand. Upon culturing on MRSA 2 agar, 15 (50 percent) of isolates showed phonotypic resistance to methicillin. Based on Antimicrobial susceptibility tests, (22/30) 73.3 percent of the isolates showed phonotypic resistance to oxacillin. Out of the 30 isolates, 16 (53.3 percent) were mecA positive and were considered methicillin-resistant S. aureus. S. aureus showed high susceptibility to gentamycin, cefoxithin, levofloxacin, ciprofloxacin, imipenem, and chloramphenicol. A large proportion (36.67 percent to 96.7 percent) of the S. aureus isolates was resistant to penicillin G, ampicillin, oxacillin, tetracycline, clindamycin, rifampicin, vancomycin, sulfamethoxazole-Trimethoprim and erythromycin. Multiple antibiotic resistance (MAR) phenotypes were generated from 7 S. aureus isolates showing resistance to three or more antibiotics. The mecA, rpoB, blaZ, ermB and tetM genes coding for methicillin, rifampicin, βeta-lactam, erythromycin and tetracycline antibiotics resistance was detected in 5 (22.7 percent), 11 (45.8 percent), 16 (55.2 percent), 15 (71.4 percent) and 8 (72.7 percent) respectively. The PVL, icaA and seaA genes coding for virulent determinants were detected in 50, 20 and 13.3 percent of the confirmed isolates respectively. Physico-chemical and faecal indicator bacteria results obtained from this study can assist municipal authorities in developing appropriate management strategies for beaches in the study area. The findings of this study showed that the investigated beaches were contaminated with toxigenic and multi-drug resistant S. aureus strains. This emphasizes the need for the implementation of better control measures to reduce the occurrence of antibiotic resistant S. aureus and of virulent S. aureus strains in recreational waters. In our study it was established that the potential of recreational waters to be reservoirs of S. aureus should not be taken for granted, and it is important that beach goers be educated about this organism as well as other related pathogens that could affect human health, especially immuno-compromised individuals. The community should be educated on antibiotic stewardship and the detrimental effects of antibiotics abuse.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
The impact of the farmer field school approach on small-scale vegetable farmers' knowledge, agency and production in Alice, Eastern Cape
- Authors: Apleni, Asanda
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Agricultural extension work -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/8187 , vital:31873
- Description: This study investigates the impact of the Farmer Field School approach on the knowledge, agency and production of small-scale farmers. Farmer Field Schools were devised in the 1980s by the Food and Agriculture Organization as a form of adult education in agriculture. It is a group-based approach in which a facilitator meets with farmers on a regular basis and sets in motion a process by which farmers ‘learn how to learn’, both from themselves and from one another. However, it remains an open question whether the Farmer Field School approach could be a solution to South Africa’s abiding problem of weak agricultural extension. Early in 2015, the University of Fort Hare and the Nkonkobe Farmers’ Association initiated a number of study groups in the Alice area, based largely on Farmer Field School principles. The main objective of the study was to assess the impact of the Farmer Field School approach on small-scale farmers’ knowledge, agency and production, focusing on home gardeners. The study was conducted in the Raymond Mhlaba Local Municipality in Alice of the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. The research consisted of a survey of all the study group participants involved with home gardens, including some who joined the groups in 2015 but left in 2016. Both cross-sectional and longitudinal designs were used. Findings from this study have shown how participation in the study groups modelled on the FFS approach can improve the knowledge and skills of home gardeners, while also enabling them to produce significantly larger quantities of vegetables, and even a marketable surplus, albeit from a small base. In order to make more people to join, more incentives should be made available. Such incentives should be made available only to “kick start” the FFS study groups and take heed in prevention of dependence.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
- Authors: Apleni, Asanda
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Agricultural extension work -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/8187 , vital:31873
- Description: This study investigates the impact of the Farmer Field School approach on the knowledge, agency and production of small-scale farmers. Farmer Field Schools were devised in the 1980s by the Food and Agriculture Organization as a form of adult education in agriculture. It is a group-based approach in which a facilitator meets with farmers on a regular basis and sets in motion a process by which farmers ‘learn how to learn’, both from themselves and from one another. However, it remains an open question whether the Farmer Field School approach could be a solution to South Africa’s abiding problem of weak agricultural extension. Early in 2015, the University of Fort Hare and the Nkonkobe Farmers’ Association initiated a number of study groups in the Alice area, based largely on Farmer Field School principles. The main objective of the study was to assess the impact of the Farmer Field School approach on small-scale farmers’ knowledge, agency and production, focusing on home gardeners. The study was conducted in the Raymond Mhlaba Local Municipality in Alice of the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. The research consisted of a survey of all the study group participants involved with home gardens, including some who joined the groups in 2015 but left in 2016. Both cross-sectional and longitudinal designs were used. Findings from this study have shown how participation in the study groups modelled on the FFS approach can improve the knowledge and skills of home gardeners, while also enabling them to produce significantly larger quantities of vegetables, and even a marketable surplus, albeit from a small base. In order to make more people to join, more incentives should be made available. Such incentives should be made available only to “kick start” the FFS study groups and take heed in prevention of dependence.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
Group membership and collective action among small-scale farmers in Nkonkobe Local Municipality, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa
- Authors: Arwari, Margaret Kwamboka
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Farmers -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Farms, Small -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/8144 , vital:31535
- Description: In South Africa, the organisation of farmers into groups has been a basic tenet for numerous, small and dispersed small-scale farmers to make their voices heard, address challenges and access support services from the government and other development agencies. However, the literature shows that the South African government promotes inappropriate forms of farmer collective action, i.e. collective production. The government seems to lack knowledge on what forms of collective action to implement and support. It is also noted in the literature that in South Africa, the majority of farmers do not participate in farmer organisations. There is limited research on the determinants of membership in farmer organisations, especially in terms of the role of ‘human agency’. Human agency is a concept which is interrelated with the concept of ‘empowerme nt’, whereby a person with strong agency is someone who is an agent of positive change. Therefore, the study sought to address these gaps. The broad objective of this study was to explore the phenomenon of group membership and collective action among small-scale farmers in Nkonkobe Local Municipality, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. The study used the mixed method approach where an exploratory design was employed. A mult istage sampling technique was used which employed random, purposive and convenience sampling techniques. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected from 245 farmers using semistructured questionnaires and detailed qualitative data were elicited from 16 farmer organisat ions using interview guides. For the quantitative research, a cross-sectional survey design was employed. After discarded unusable observations, data from 228 farmers were analysed using a combination of descriptive statistics, simple inferential statistics, and econometric analysis. For the qualitative data obtained, thematic analysis was used in line with the study objectives. The study findings show that farmers undertake collective action through farmer organisations. These farmer organisations were categorised into two types, i.e. farmer cooperatives and farmer associations. However, low membership in these farmer organisations is noted and this was attributed to the following: (1) low farmer awareness of the existence of farmer organisations, (2) challenges faced by the organisations that contribute to their ineffectiveness and thus low membership, (3) the prevalence of negative perceptions of farmer organisations due to confusion as to their role, (4) the government’s farmer support approach which compels or encourages farmers to form groups. The results also showed that the following are determinants of participation in farmer organisations: farmer’s age, level of education, human agency, whether a farmer has off-farm income sources, whether a farmer is involved in government supported projects, whether a farmer accesses extension information, the number of visits from extension officers received by a farmer, and the number of adults in a household contributing family labour. The study findings also show that the farmers in farmer organisations have higher human agency compared to those not in farmer organisations. According to the study results, farmer groups offer a number of benefits. For one, farmer organisations are avenues for farmers’ voices to be heard, they lobby government for better access to support services such as credit, input supply, information, and training. In addition, farmers who belong to organisations experience the benefits of collective marketing. Despite the aforementioned benefits of farmer organisations, group challenges are observed. For example, farmer organisations face declining membership, the free rider problem and conflicts between members, have a problem of ineffective, old members and lack of commitment of some group members. It was therefore recommended that there is a need for concerted effort by the government, development agencies, non-governmental organisations, farmers, and farmer organisations to ensure the success of farmer organisations in promoting small-scale agriculture.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
- Authors: Arwari, Margaret Kwamboka
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Farmers -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Farms, Small -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/8144 , vital:31535
- Description: In South Africa, the organisation of farmers into groups has been a basic tenet for numerous, small and dispersed small-scale farmers to make their voices heard, address challenges and access support services from the government and other development agencies. However, the literature shows that the South African government promotes inappropriate forms of farmer collective action, i.e. collective production. The government seems to lack knowledge on what forms of collective action to implement and support. It is also noted in the literature that in South Africa, the majority of farmers do not participate in farmer organisations. There is limited research on the determinants of membership in farmer organisations, especially in terms of the role of ‘human agency’. Human agency is a concept which is interrelated with the concept of ‘empowerme nt’, whereby a person with strong agency is someone who is an agent of positive change. Therefore, the study sought to address these gaps. The broad objective of this study was to explore the phenomenon of group membership and collective action among small-scale farmers in Nkonkobe Local Municipality, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. The study used the mixed method approach where an exploratory design was employed. A mult istage sampling technique was used which employed random, purposive and convenience sampling techniques. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected from 245 farmers using semistructured questionnaires and detailed qualitative data were elicited from 16 farmer organisat ions using interview guides. For the quantitative research, a cross-sectional survey design was employed. After discarded unusable observations, data from 228 farmers were analysed using a combination of descriptive statistics, simple inferential statistics, and econometric analysis. For the qualitative data obtained, thematic analysis was used in line with the study objectives. The study findings show that farmers undertake collective action through farmer organisations. These farmer organisations were categorised into two types, i.e. farmer cooperatives and farmer associations. However, low membership in these farmer organisations is noted and this was attributed to the following: (1) low farmer awareness of the existence of farmer organisations, (2) challenges faced by the organisations that contribute to their ineffectiveness and thus low membership, (3) the prevalence of negative perceptions of farmer organisations due to confusion as to their role, (4) the government’s farmer support approach which compels or encourages farmers to form groups. The results also showed that the following are determinants of participation in farmer organisations: farmer’s age, level of education, human agency, whether a farmer has off-farm income sources, whether a farmer is involved in government supported projects, whether a farmer accesses extension information, the number of visits from extension officers received by a farmer, and the number of adults in a household contributing family labour. The study findings also show that the farmers in farmer organisations have higher human agency compared to those not in farmer organisations. According to the study results, farmer groups offer a number of benefits. For one, farmer organisations are avenues for farmers’ voices to be heard, they lobby government for better access to support services such as credit, input supply, information, and training. In addition, farmers who belong to organisations experience the benefits of collective marketing. Despite the aforementioned benefits of farmer organisations, group challenges are observed. For example, farmer organisations face declining membership, the free rider problem and conflicts between members, have a problem of ineffective, old members and lack of commitment of some group members. It was therefore recommended that there is a need for concerted effort by the government, development agencies, non-governmental organisations, farmers, and farmer organisations to ensure the success of farmer organisations in promoting small-scale agriculture.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
Multi-temporal assessment of spatial changes in vegetation distribution in the Swartkops estuary, Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape, South Africa
- Authors: Atyosi, Yonwaba
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Climatic changes -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Environmental impact analysis Estuaries -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/13762 , vital:39710
- Description: Over the last decade, image classification has been widely used as a change detection method and provides detailed information for detecting and monitoring changes in land use and land cover (LULC). The main objective of this study was to reconstruct long-term changes in the spatial distribution of different vegetation types in the Swartkops Estuary from 1983 to 2013. The Swartkops Estuary is ecologically important for its wide range of vegetation types that are habitat to estuarine and riverine organisms. Four Landsat images for the years 1984 (Thematic Mapper), 1993 (Thematic Mapper), 2003(Enhanced Thematic Mapper +) and 2013 (Operational Land Imager) were used with the aid of aerial photographs that were used as an ancillary data source. The research methodology comprised of supervised classification, classification accuracy assessment and image differencing. Supervised classification was performed and results of the image classification process for the four time periods were compared to derive information on changes that occurred over the 29-year study period. Images were classified into the following classes: Estuarine water, Salt works, Zostera capensis, Spartina maritima, Terrestrial vegetation, Salt marsh, Swartkops thicket, Built-up areas, Bare areas, and Beach sand, using the Maximum likelihood classifier on Erdas IMAGINE 2014 Software. The significance of the image classification was tested using linear trend regression analysis. Image differencing was performed using 1984 and 2013 Landsat images to reconstruct overall changes in vegetation distribution of the Swartkops Estuary. Results of this investigation revealed significant changes in all land cover types, 24 ha increase from 1984 to 2013 in Zostera capensis as well as Spartina maritima, salt marshes increased by 14 ha between 1984 and 2013, terrestrial vegetation declined by 18 ha between 1984 and 2013. There was a stable increase in estuarine water from 1984 to 2013 by a total area of 29 ha. Water increased by 14 ha between 1984 and 1993, 11 ha increase between 1993 and 2003. However, there was a decline in estuarine water in the period between 2003 and 2013.This decline is associated with the increase in submerged macrophytes like Zostera capensis which utilise open water habitat. The dominant salt marsh species Limonium peregrinum, Sarcoconia pillansii and Spartina maritima occurred in the intertidal, supratidal and floodplain areas where the water table was the shallowest, with the soil moisture being the highest. These results indicate that Remote Sensing and GIS can be effectively used to detect and monitor changes in estuarine biodiversity and habitat in South Africa.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
- Authors: Atyosi, Yonwaba
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Climatic changes -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Environmental impact analysis Estuaries -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/13762 , vital:39710
- Description: Over the last decade, image classification has been widely used as a change detection method and provides detailed information for detecting and monitoring changes in land use and land cover (LULC). The main objective of this study was to reconstruct long-term changes in the spatial distribution of different vegetation types in the Swartkops Estuary from 1983 to 2013. The Swartkops Estuary is ecologically important for its wide range of vegetation types that are habitat to estuarine and riverine organisms. Four Landsat images for the years 1984 (Thematic Mapper), 1993 (Thematic Mapper), 2003(Enhanced Thematic Mapper +) and 2013 (Operational Land Imager) were used with the aid of aerial photographs that were used as an ancillary data source. The research methodology comprised of supervised classification, classification accuracy assessment and image differencing. Supervised classification was performed and results of the image classification process for the four time periods were compared to derive information on changes that occurred over the 29-year study period. Images were classified into the following classes: Estuarine water, Salt works, Zostera capensis, Spartina maritima, Terrestrial vegetation, Salt marsh, Swartkops thicket, Built-up areas, Bare areas, and Beach sand, using the Maximum likelihood classifier on Erdas IMAGINE 2014 Software. The significance of the image classification was tested using linear trend regression analysis. Image differencing was performed using 1984 and 2013 Landsat images to reconstruct overall changes in vegetation distribution of the Swartkops Estuary. Results of this investigation revealed significant changes in all land cover types, 24 ha increase from 1984 to 2013 in Zostera capensis as well as Spartina maritima, salt marshes increased by 14 ha between 1984 and 2013, terrestrial vegetation declined by 18 ha between 1984 and 2013. There was a stable increase in estuarine water from 1984 to 2013 by a total area of 29 ha. Water increased by 14 ha between 1984 and 1993, 11 ha increase between 1993 and 2003. However, there was a decline in estuarine water in the period between 2003 and 2013.This decline is associated with the increase in submerged macrophytes like Zostera capensis which utilise open water habitat. The dominant salt marsh species Limonium peregrinum, Sarcoconia pillansii and Spartina maritima occurred in the intertidal, supratidal and floodplain areas where the water table was the shallowest, with the soil moisture being the highest. These results indicate that Remote Sensing and GIS can be effectively used to detect and monitor changes in estuarine biodiversity and habitat in South Africa.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
Enhancing productivity and market participation for poverty reduction and shared prosperity in South Africa
- Authors: Avuletey, Richard
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Poverty -- South Africa Economic development -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/13978 , vital:39736
- Description: There have been several attempts by the South Africa government to improve the agricultural productivity on smallholder farms since the end of apartheid. In spite of the government support, agricultural productivity has stagnated for several years across the Eastern Cape rural communities including Mthatha and Qamata. The aim of this study was to understand the roles played by irrigation adoption and market participation in addressing poverty reduction and shared prosperity levels of smallholder farmers in Eastern Cape of South Africa. Data were collected using purposive and random sampling approach through the use of the snowball method. To collect data, a questionnaire was designed and administered through face-to-face interviews. Overall, 200 farmers were interviewed both at Mthatha and Qamata irrigation scheme to represent the farmers in the area. The collected data were analysed using both parametric and non-parametric methods. The non-parametric methods used include descriptive analysis, estimation of gross margins as a proxy for profitability. The Stochastic Frontier Analysis (SFA), Binomial Logistic Regression (BLR), Ordinary Least Squares (OLS), tobit censored regression and propensity score matching (PSM) were the parametric methods used in the study. Profit efficiency was measured using the normalized transcendent logarithmic profit frontier approach (Cobb-douglas). Stochastic Production Frontier (SPF) technique was used to determine the technical efficiency of individual farmers and to identify the major factors that influence technical efficiency. Binomial logistic regression was used to determine factors affecting irrigation adoption and market participation among smallholder farmers. OLS was used to estimate the impact of institutional characteristics, socio-economic and agronomic factors on smallholder farmers’ level of market participation for selected crop enterprises. Lastly, tobit regression and propensity score matching (PSM) analyses were used to estimate the impact of irrigation technology adoption on poverty reduction in the province. The results of the descriptive statistics of the overall sample revealed an average age of 61 years, and mean household size of 4.6 persons with majority of the household head having at least obtained some primary school education (59.5percent). Most of the household heads interviewed were men (68.5percent). Most farmers are single (65percent) with regard to their marital status. Farming is viewed as major source of livelihood for smallholders with an average income of R12523.37 for overall sample and income of R15559.80 and R5795.59 per crop season, respectively, for irrigators and non irrigators. Smallholder irrigators generated a higher gross margin of R7585.26, R21966.89 and R6266.07 from maize, cabbage and potato enterprises, respectively, compared to their non irrigator counterparts in maize (R131.39), cabbage (R10938.04) and potato (R3433.31) enterprises. The results of the frontier profit model revealed mean profit efficiency of 90percent, 99.99percent and 99.99percent, respectively, for maize, cabbage and potato.The binary logistic regression model for irrigation adoption indicated that years in school, cooperative membership, off-farm income, credit access and distance to market significantly explain smallholder farmers’ irrigation adoption decision. On the other hand, age of household head, market support, farm size, livestock income and distance to market were the key variables that accounted for smallholder farmers’ market participation adoption behaviour. The findings from the stochastic production frontier (SPF) indicate that smallholder farmers are technically efficient in maize and cabbage enterprises both at 99.99percent. Lastly, the findings from the Tobit regression and propensity score matching are consistent across the two methods, suggesting that being a member of irrigation adoption has a positive significant impact on income of smallholder farmers. Irrigation and market participation appear to have a significant and positive impact on smallholder poverty reduction (measured by crop income) for those farmers engaged in them. The findings from this study provide useful practical insights for policy makers, farm advisers and researchers in the design of effective and efficient policies, programmes and projects which can affect the adoption of irrigation technology and market participation.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
- Authors: Avuletey, Richard
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Poverty -- South Africa Economic development -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/13978 , vital:39736
- Description: There have been several attempts by the South Africa government to improve the agricultural productivity on smallholder farms since the end of apartheid. In spite of the government support, agricultural productivity has stagnated for several years across the Eastern Cape rural communities including Mthatha and Qamata. The aim of this study was to understand the roles played by irrigation adoption and market participation in addressing poverty reduction and shared prosperity levels of smallholder farmers in Eastern Cape of South Africa. Data were collected using purposive and random sampling approach through the use of the snowball method. To collect data, a questionnaire was designed and administered through face-to-face interviews. Overall, 200 farmers were interviewed both at Mthatha and Qamata irrigation scheme to represent the farmers in the area. The collected data were analysed using both parametric and non-parametric methods. The non-parametric methods used include descriptive analysis, estimation of gross margins as a proxy for profitability. The Stochastic Frontier Analysis (SFA), Binomial Logistic Regression (BLR), Ordinary Least Squares (OLS), tobit censored regression and propensity score matching (PSM) were the parametric methods used in the study. Profit efficiency was measured using the normalized transcendent logarithmic profit frontier approach (Cobb-douglas). Stochastic Production Frontier (SPF) technique was used to determine the technical efficiency of individual farmers and to identify the major factors that influence technical efficiency. Binomial logistic regression was used to determine factors affecting irrigation adoption and market participation among smallholder farmers. OLS was used to estimate the impact of institutional characteristics, socio-economic and agronomic factors on smallholder farmers’ level of market participation for selected crop enterprises. Lastly, tobit regression and propensity score matching (PSM) analyses were used to estimate the impact of irrigation technology adoption on poverty reduction in the province. The results of the descriptive statistics of the overall sample revealed an average age of 61 years, and mean household size of 4.6 persons with majority of the household head having at least obtained some primary school education (59.5percent). Most of the household heads interviewed were men (68.5percent). Most farmers are single (65percent) with regard to their marital status. Farming is viewed as major source of livelihood for smallholders with an average income of R12523.37 for overall sample and income of R15559.80 and R5795.59 per crop season, respectively, for irrigators and non irrigators. Smallholder irrigators generated a higher gross margin of R7585.26, R21966.89 and R6266.07 from maize, cabbage and potato enterprises, respectively, compared to their non irrigator counterparts in maize (R131.39), cabbage (R10938.04) and potato (R3433.31) enterprises. The results of the frontier profit model revealed mean profit efficiency of 90percent, 99.99percent and 99.99percent, respectively, for maize, cabbage and potato.The binary logistic regression model for irrigation adoption indicated that years in school, cooperative membership, off-farm income, credit access and distance to market significantly explain smallholder farmers’ irrigation adoption decision. On the other hand, age of household head, market support, farm size, livestock income and distance to market were the key variables that accounted for smallholder farmers’ market participation adoption behaviour. The findings from the stochastic production frontier (SPF) indicate that smallholder farmers are technically efficient in maize and cabbage enterprises both at 99.99percent. Lastly, the findings from the Tobit regression and propensity score matching are consistent across the two methods, suggesting that being a member of irrigation adoption has a positive significant impact on income of smallholder farmers. Irrigation and market participation appear to have a significant and positive impact on smallholder poverty reduction (measured by crop income) for those farmers engaged in them. The findings from this study provide useful practical insights for policy makers, farm advisers and researchers in the design of effective and efficient policies, programmes and projects which can affect the adoption of irrigation technology and market participation.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
Forest resources income, poverty and income inequality: evidence from rural households in South-western Nigeria.
- Authors: Azeez, Fatai Abiola
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Poverty--Nigeria http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh2010107919 , Rural poor--Nigeria , Income distribution--Nigeria
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/19454 , vital:43119
- Description: This thesis explores economic contributions of forest resources in relation to rural households’ welfare and inequality as well as forest resources management. The thesis consists of an introductory chapter, study locations, literature review on major concepts of the study and findings on different forest extraction activities impacts on rural households livelihood in South-western region Nigeria, which make up the rest of the thesis chapters. , Thesis (PhD) (Agric Econs) -- University of Fort Hare, 2017
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
- Authors: Azeez, Fatai Abiola
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Poverty--Nigeria http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh2010107919 , Rural poor--Nigeria , Income distribution--Nigeria
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/19454 , vital:43119
- Description: This thesis explores economic contributions of forest resources in relation to rural households’ welfare and inequality as well as forest resources management. The thesis consists of an introductory chapter, study locations, literature review on major concepts of the study and findings on different forest extraction activities impacts on rural households livelihood in South-western region Nigeria, which make up the rest of the thesis chapters. , Thesis (PhD) (Agric Econs) -- University of Fort Hare, 2017
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
Sedimentary, geochemical and geophysical study of the Ecca group, Karoo supergroup and its hydrocarbon potential in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa
- Authors: Baiyegunhi, Christopher
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Sediments (Geology) -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Sedimentology -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/4881 , vital:28658
- Description: The Ecca Group of Karoo Supergroup is a sedimentary rock sequence that deposited between the Late Carboniferous (Dwyka Group) and the Late Permian-Middle Triassic (Beaufort Group). The Ecca Group investigated in this study is situated in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa and it comprises mainly of shales, mudstones, siltstones and sandstones. The Ecca Group sequence contains considerable carbon content and suitable thickness to make it an ideal target for shale gas exploration. Previous studies put more emphasis on the geology and stratigraphy of the Ecca Group, this study revised the stratigraphy, and put new insight on the petrography, depositional processes, sedimentary facies, provenance, paleoweathering, tectonic setting, subsidence rates and history, electrical resistivity, source rock characteristics and diagenesis of the potentially feasible sandstone and mudrock reservoir rocks of the Ecca Group. Based on the lithological features, sedimentary structures and facies characteristics, the stratigraphy of the Prince Albert, Whitehill, Collingham and Fort Brown Formations of the Ecca Group is now subdivided into two informal members each, i.e. Lower Member and Upper Member. Furthermore, the Ripon Formation is now subdivided into three informal members. Each member has been asigned a lithological name. The grain size parameters show that most of the Ecca Group sandstones are very fine to fine grained, poorly to moderately well sorted, mostly near-symmetrical and mesokurtic in grain-size distribution. The linear discriminant function analysis is dominantly indicative of turbidity current deposits under deep marine environment for Prince Albert, Whitehill and Collingham Formations, shallow marine environment for Ripon Formation, while the Fort Brown Formation is lacustrine-deltaic deposits. Modal composition analysis and petrography studies revealed that the detrital components of the sandstones are dominated by monocrystalline quartz, feldspar and lithic fragments. The sandstones are compositionally and texturally immature and can be classified as feldspathic wacke and lithic wacke. The provenance analysis revealed plutonic and metamorphic terrains as the main source rocks with minor debris derived from recycled sedimentary rocks. The detrital modal compositions of these sandstones are related to back arc to island and continental margin of tectonic setting. Based on the detailed sedimentological analyses of outcrop and borehole data, fourteen lithofacies were identified and seven facies associations (FAs) were recognised. The facies associations are: FA 1: Shale and mudstones intercalated with siltstones, FA 2: Carbonaceous shale, mudstone with subordinate chert and sandstone, FA 3: Mudstones rhythmite with thin bedded mudstone and lenticular siltstone, FA 4: Greyish medium bedded sandstone intercalated with laminated mudstone, FA 5: Dark-grey medium to thick bedded mudstone and siltstone, FA 6: Thin to medium bedded sandstone alternated with thin bedded carbonaceous mudstone, and FA 7: Varved mudstone rhythmite intercalated with siltstone and minor sandstone. Sedimentological characteristics of the identified facies associations indicate four deposition environments, namely, deep marine basin, turbidite, shallow marine and lacustrine environments, which constitute a gradually regression sequence as a result of sea-level dropping and shallowing of the basin during the developmental processes. Geochemical analysis of the Ecca mudrocks and sandstones revealed that the rocks are of quartzose sedimentary provenance, suggesting that they were derived from a cratonic interior or recycled orogen. The petrography and geochemistry of the sandstones indicated that the source areas are composed of plutonic and metamorphic rocks with a minor component from sedimentary rocks. The geochemical diagrams and indices of weathering suggested that the granitic source rocks underwent moderate to high degree of chemical weathering. The tectonic setting discrimination diagrams support passive continental margin setting of the provenance.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
- Authors: Baiyegunhi, Christopher
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Sediments (Geology) -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Sedimentology -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/4881 , vital:28658
- Description: The Ecca Group of Karoo Supergroup is a sedimentary rock sequence that deposited between the Late Carboniferous (Dwyka Group) and the Late Permian-Middle Triassic (Beaufort Group). The Ecca Group investigated in this study is situated in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa and it comprises mainly of shales, mudstones, siltstones and sandstones. The Ecca Group sequence contains considerable carbon content and suitable thickness to make it an ideal target for shale gas exploration. Previous studies put more emphasis on the geology and stratigraphy of the Ecca Group, this study revised the stratigraphy, and put new insight on the petrography, depositional processes, sedimentary facies, provenance, paleoweathering, tectonic setting, subsidence rates and history, electrical resistivity, source rock characteristics and diagenesis of the potentially feasible sandstone and mudrock reservoir rocks of the Ecca Group. Based on the lithological features, sedimentary structures and facies characteristics, the stratigraphy of the Prince Albert, Whitehill, Collingham and Fort Brown Formations of the Ecca Group is now subdivided into two informal members each, i.e. Lower Member and Upper Member. Furthermore, the Ripon Formation is now subdivided into three informal members. Each member has been asigned a lithological name. The grain size parameters show that most of the Ecca Group sandstones are very fine to fine grained, poorly to moderately well sorted, mostly near-symmetrical and mesokurtic in grain-size distribution. The linear discriminant function analysis is dominantly indicative of turbidity current deposits under deep marine environment for Prince Albert, Whitehill and Collingham Formations, shallow marine environment for Ripon Formation, while the Fort Brown Formation is lacustrine-deltaic deposits. Modal composition analysis and petrography studies revealed that the detrital components of the sandstones are dominated by monocrystalline quartz, feldspar and lithic fragments. The sandstones are compositionally and texturally immature and can be classified as feldspathic wacke and lithic wacke. The provenance analysis revealed plutonic and metamorphic terrains as the main source rocks with minor debris derived from recycled sedimentary rocks. The detrital modal compositions of these sandstones are related to back arc to island and continental margin of tectonic setting. Based on the detailed sedimentological analyses of outcrop and borehole data, fourteen lithofacies were identified and seven facies associations (FAs) were recognised. The facies associations are: FA 1: Shale and mudstones intercalated with siltstones, FA 2: Carbonaceous shale, mudstone with subordinate chert and sandstone, FA 3: Mudstones rhythmite with thin bedded mudstone and lenticular siltstone, FA 4: Greyish medium bedded sandstone intercalated with laminated mudstone, FA 5: Dark-grey medium to thick bedded mudstone and siltstone, FA 6: Thin to medium bedded sandstone alternated with thin bedded carbonaceous mudstone, and FA 7: Varved mudstone rhythmite intercalated with siltstone and minor sandstone. Sedimentological characteristics of the identified facies associations indicate four deposition environments, namely, deep marine basin, turbidite, shallow marine and lacustrine environments, which constitute a gradually regression sequence as a result of sea-level dropping and shallowing of the basin during the developmental processes. Geochemical analysis of the Ecca mudrocks and sandstones revealed that the rocks are of quartzose sedimentary provenance, suggesting that they were derived from a cratonic interior or recycled orogen. The petrography and geochemistry of the sandstones indicated that the source areas are composed of plutonic and metamorphic rocks with a minor component from sedimentary rocks. The geochemical diagrams and indices of weathering suggested that the granitic source rocks underwent moderate to high degree of chemical weathering. The tectonic setting discrimination diagrams support passive continental margin setting of the provenance.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
Analyses of the simple harmonic oscillator and its variations
- Authors: Bambiso, Noludwe Patience
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Harmonic analysis Vibration -- Mathematical models Oscillations
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/8132 , vital:31530
- Description: Vibratory motion is fundamental to all natural phenomena. It occurs everywhere in nature, from fundamental particles to the complexity of the life of the smallest cell, to the properties of the cosmos. Its frequency ranges from those of gammarays down the spectrum of X-rays, microwave, optical and radio waves. These are common concepts in everyday life, but their origin and nature are seldom comprehended. In this thesis we look at the mathematical fundamentals and how to apply them. We start with fundamental concepts and extend them to more complicated systems. We consider methods of analysis and applications. In Chapter 2 we consider simple harmonic oscillators and their mathematical analyses and in Chapter 3 we look at applications. Chapter 4 discusses the general form of simple harmonic motion, i.e. damped and forced harmonic motion. We consider simple coupled systems and their analysis. In Chapter 5 we introduce the method of complex functions and its application to complicated compound systems. Chapter 6 introduces a novel application, that of how SHM can be used as a model for advanced effects, or acausality. Chapter 7 presents a summary and conclusion.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
- Authors: Bambiso, Noludwe Patience
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Harmonic analysis Vibration -- Mathematical models Oscillations
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/8132 , vital:31530
- Description: Vibratory motion is fundamental to all natural phenomena. It occurs everywhere in nature, from fundamental particles to the complexity of the life of the smallest cell, to the properties of the cosmos. Its frequency ranges from those of gammarays down the spectrum of X-rays, microwave, optical and radio waves. These are common concepts in everyday life, but their origin and nature are seldom comprehended. In this thesis we look at the mathematical fundamentals and how to apply them. We start with fundamental concepts and extend them to more complicated systems. We consider methods of analysis and applications. In Chapter 2 we consider simple harmonic oscillators and their mathematical analyses and in Chapter 3 we look at applications. Chapter 4 discusses the general form of simple harmonic motion, i.e. damped and forced harmonic motion. We consider simple coupled systems and their analysis. In Chapter 5 we introduce the method of complex functions and its application to complicated compound systems. Chapter 6 introduces a novel application, that of how SHM can be used as a model for advanced effects, or acausality. Chapter 7 presents a summary and conclusion.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
Determining and analysing the emergent behaviour from context-aware devices
- Authors: Bandason, Vivian
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Context-aware computing Mobile computing
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/7907 , vital:30805
- Description: With the continued miniaturization of technology and the incorporation of Moore’s law, smartphones are more powerful. These mobile devices contain technologies that add other functionalities to them. Technologies such as sensors constantly provide information to the device. The constant stream of information from these sensors often leads to information overload of relevant and irrelevant information. To work towards solving this problem context-aware computing was introduced. Our major concern is that context information in context aware computing is not completely being utilized. The aggregation of context information could unlock more possibilities. This research seeks to aggregate the context of multiple devices such that, through analysis, some emergent behaviour can be observed. In this research context information from the sensors of devices is collected using an Android application and a central Server. The context information is used for pattern analysis. A pattern analysis algorithm is designed and used to observe patterns throughout the data set. It shows patterns that are similar within the dataset. In the case that the pattern observed has no similar pattern or few similar patterns this behaviour can be stated as emergent in the dataset. Further study of this emergent behaviour can be performed were a classifier can be used to give the exact activities that were being performed at that time. The research found this was possible and has many uses. One of these is in disaster prevention were the behaviour of a group of individuals may be monitored to observe any random changes such as masses running at the same time. This could be used as a first warning to natural disasters.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
- Authors: Bandason, Vivian
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Context-aware computing Mobile computing
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/7907 , vital:30805
- Description: With the continued miniaturization of technology and the incorporation of Moore’s law, smartphones are more powerful. These mobile devices contain technologies that add other functionalities to them. Technologies such as sensors constantly provide information to the device. The constant stream of information from these sensors often leads to information overload of relevant and irrelevant information. To work towards solving this problem context-aware computing was introduced. Our major concern is that context information in context aware computing is not completely being utilized. The aggregation of context information could unlock more possibilities. This research seeks to aggregate the context of multiple devices such that, through analysis, some emergent behaviour can be observed. In this research context information from the sensors of devices is collected using an Android application and a central Server. The context information is used for pattern analysis. A pattern analysis algorithm is designed and used to observe patterns throughout the data set. It shows patterns that are similar within the dataset. In the case that the pattern observed has no similar pattern or few similar patterns this behaviour can be stated as emergent in the dataset. Further study of this emergent behaviour can be performed were a classifier can be used to give the exact activities that were being performed at that time. The research found this was possible and has many uses. One of these is in disaster prevention were the behaviour of a group of individuals may be monitored to observe any random changes such as masses running at the same time. This could be used as a first warning to natural disasters.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
An analysis of gender transformations in the sleeping beauty fairy tale
- Authors: Banks, Monique
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Fairy tales Gender identity in literature Children's stories--History and criticism
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , English
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/16346 , vital:40712
- Description: The fairy tale genre has an extremely complex, yet interesting history and development. Originally created and used for the entertainment of adults, these tales traditionally included a wide range of themes, characters and gender dynamics than more recent, modern tales. This is because the original tales spoke to and included themes, characters and gender roles evident in the societal structure and time period in which each was written. Thus, traditionally patriarchal, gender-unequal societies generated tales which embodied this patriarchy and inequality. As society developed and gender relationship dynamics changed, writers of fairy tales began to alter the traditional tales, as they no longer suited the society’s outlook on life and gender. In addition to this, as the original tales were remade, the dynamic views of the society in which each was recreated, was then reflected. Therefore, this study’s primary focus is to investigate the development of the fairy tale genre, specifically the Sleeping Beauty tale, over the years and analyse the changes of the tale, with regards to patriarchal traditions, character traits and gender relationships. Within this work, the original tales of Charles Perrault and the Grimm Brothers, as well as the Sleeping Beauty remakes of Anne Thackeray Ritchie, Angela Carter, Robert Coover and Neil Gaiman will be analysed through the lens of feminism. Thus, each tale will be examined for their characters’ traits and gender relationships, and how these traits and relationships support and continue patriarchy and gender inequality, or question, challenge and provide alternatives for this patriarchy and inequality. In addition, the historical context of each author will be investigated in order to determine how each tale fits into the social context in which it was written and published. To conclude, through studying each Sleeping Beauty remake, this study has highlighted an interesting movement in fairy tale literature. As tales are published in more recent times, so their characters become altered from the typical and patriarchally expected gender roles and character traits. More and more, writers are creating characters that challenge the ‘norm’ of patriarchy. Therefore, this shows that in more modern times, societies’ structures are becoming more diverse and accepting of alternatives to traditional gender roles. Importantly, there is a wide sector of fairy tale literature which has not yet been examined in this way. The traditional fairy tales and their remakes include a number of interesting points that, as this study has proved in its analysis of Sleeping Beauty, can have a major impact on the study of the fairy tale genre as well as highlight developments in social structure and feminist thought.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
- Authors: Banks, Monique
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Fairy tales Gender identity in literature Children's stories--History and criticism
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , English
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/16346 , vital:40712
- Description: The fairy tale genre has an extremely complex, yet interesting history and development. Originally created and used for the entertainment of adults, these tales traditionally included a wide range of themes, characters and gender dynamics than more recent, modern tales. This is because the original tales spoke to and included themes, characters and gender roles evident in the societal structure and time period in which each was written. Thus, traditionally patriarchal, gender-unequal societies generated tales which embodied this patriarchy and inequality. As society developed and gender relationship dynamics changed, writers of fairy tales began to alter the traditional tales, as they no longer suited the society’s outlook on life and gender. In addition to this, as the original tales were remade, the dynamic views of the society in which each was recreated, was then reflected. Therefore, this study’s primary focus is to investigate the development of the fairy tale genre, specifically the Sleeping Beauty tale, over the years and analyse the changes of the tale, with regards to patriarchal traditions, character traits and gender relationships. Within this work, the original tales of Charles Perrault and the Grimm Brothers, as well as the Sleeping Beauty remakes of Anne Thackeray Ritchie, Angela Carter, Robert Coover and Neil Gaiman will be analysed through the lens of feminism. Thus, each tale will be examined for their characters’ traits and gender relationships, and how these traits and relationships support and continue patriarchy and gender inequality, or question, challenge and provide alternatives for this patriarchy and inequality. In addition, the historical context of each author will be investigated in order to determine how each tale fits into the social context in which it was written and published. To conclude, through studying each Sleeping Beauty remake, this study has highlighted an interesting movement in fairy tale literature. As tales are published in more recent times, so their characters become altered from the typical and patriarchally expected gender roles and character traits. More and more, writers are creating characters that challenge the ‘norm’ of patriarchy. Therefore, this shows that in more modern times, societies’ structures are becoming more diverse and accepting of alternatives to traditional gender roles. Importantly, there is a wide sector of fairy tale literature which has not yet been examined in this way. The traditional fairy tales and their remakes include a number of interesting points that, as this study has proved in its analysis of Sleeping Beauty, can have a major impact on the study of the fairy tale genre as well as highlight developments in social structure and feminist thought.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
Thermodynamic and electrical performance monitoring of a domestic split-type air conditioner and development of a simulation based R22 permanent replacement
- Authors: Bantan, Mafor Glory
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Air conditioning
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/4857 , vital:28537
- Description: The difficulty that exists in accurately monitoring the performance of air conditioners has made performance prediction an arduous task. Nevertheless, the performance still needs to be monitored and predicted as it helps solve a lot of problems resulting from this technology like effect of the technology on the grid, energy consumption, water utilisation and GHGs emission. With the introduction of regression modelling as a means of system monitoring and prediction some years ago, the accuracy was still a call for concern. It is worth realising that increasing the number of predictors will enhance this method’s accuracy. As such, this document intends to increase the accuracy of this method’s monitoring and predicting ability by increasing the number of predictors to cut across system thermal, environmental and human behavioural variation. These predictors experimentally gotten are used to build an environ-behavioural model that monitors the coefficient of performance and energy consumption of a domestic split-type air conditioner with higher accuracy. Refrigerants have undergone evolution in the past decades in a bid to come up with a refrigerant that has zero ODP, lower – than – R22 GWP and much better than R22 thermodynamic performance. No pure refrigerant has been found to possess these qualities as such mixtures or blends are the best shot at the moment. R410A could stand the test of time to be the long term R22 replacement but for the fact that besides R410A’s higher GWP than that of R22, the former’s system performance is lower than that of the latter’s due to the lower thermodynamic performance of the former. This means the search continues. In this document, a combination of carefully chosen refrigerant components are carefully blended to come up with a simulation based R22 long term replacement, which will be referred to in this document as BTEP.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
- Authors: Bantan, Mafor Glory
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Air conditioning
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/4857 , vital:28537
- Description: The difficulty that exists in accurately monitoring the performance of air conditioners has made performance prediction an arduous task. Nevertheless, the performance still needs to be monitored and predicted as it helps solve a lot of problems resulting from this technology like effect of the technology on the grid, energy consumption, water utilisation and GHGs emission. With the introduction of regression modelling as a means of system monitoring and prediction some years ago, the accuracy was still a call for concern. It is worth realising that increasing the number of predictors will enhance this method’s accuracy. As such, this document intends to increase the accuracy of this method’s monitoring and predicting ability by increasing the number of predictors to cut across system thermal, environmental and human behavioural variation. These predictors experimentally gotten are used to build an environ-behavioural model that monitors the coefficient of performance and energy consumption of a domestic split-type air conditioner with higher accuracy. Refrigerants have undergone evolution in the past decades in a bid to come up with a refrigerant that has zero ODP, lower – than – R22 GWP and much better than R22 thermodynamic performance. No pure refrigerant has been found to possess these qualities as such mixtures or blends are the best shot at the moment. R410A could stand the test of time to be the long term R22 replacement but for the fact that besides R410A’s higher GWP than that of R22, the former’s system performance is lower than that of the latter’s due to the lower thermodynamic performance of the former. This means the search continues. In this document, a combination of carefully chosen refrigerant components are carefully blended to come up with a simulation based R22 long term replacement, which will be referred to in this document as BTEP.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017