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Moralising female identity in Cameroon in the 1990s: female prostitution and the song “you gu cry”

- Enongene Mirabeau Sone

Authors: Enongene Mirabeau Sone
Date: 2014
Subjects: Misse Ngoh; females; identity; prostitution; Cameroon; modernity; music
Language: English
Type: Journal Article
Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/11260/2672 , vital:42313
Description: Between the 1970s and early 1980s, when Cameroon was still at the juncture of promising social plenitude, popular music genres like Makossa were a mere auditory art instead of a profit-making activity as we have in Cameroon today. Popular music at that time was simply “music for the ears”, meant to produce emotional sounds, pleasant to listen to. Bars, night clubs and streets were common environs where dancing took place as the physical expression of pleasure from music. The explosion of early music such as Makossa did not match the precarious marketable opportunities at that time. As a result, music appeared as a hobby, and not because singers derived income from its production. The themes focused on varying social experiences and problems, from love and emotional pathos to (im)morality. As such, one is tempted to assert that singers hardly expressed demur or outright lampoonery against public transgressions such as corruption, prostitution or swindling, as is the case nowadays. The themes were far less what we find in contemporary Cameroonian literate culture, namely cinema, media and popular music. This paper focuses on Misse Ngoh’s popular song titled “you gu cry” as a medium of social reform through the beguiling fantasies of a female archetype, Mary, in Cameroon in the nineties. The paper contends that though this song produces laughter, rendering it a humorous piece with potential enough to entertain, the same humour turns out serious, handling prostitution and women involved in this activity in a very negative way. This is achieved when Misse Ngoh, using his female archetype Mary, constructs a problematic image of females in the Cameroon urban sphere. Taking these into consideration, Cameroon popular music as seen from Misse Ngoh’s “you gu cry” takes on a different significance. Finally, in the iconography of Mary, this paper sets out to explore the agency of females who were baffled within the intricacies of urban life and modernity in the nineties. It examines the challenges of the new urban spaces (as notorious corners of prostitution) that such women chose.
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Morphology and histochemistry of the digestive tract in the Banded Tilapia (Tilapia Sparrmanii, Smith 1840)

- Bongile, Bhomela

Authors: Bongile, Bhomela
Date: 2014
Subjects: Tilapia sparrmanii, fish; Tilapia; teleost; stomach; digestive system; light microscopy; light microscopy; histology; morphology Teleostei, digestive tube, histology
Language: English
Type: Masters, Msc Zoology
Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/11260/2401 , vital:41456
Description: The digestive system of Tilapia sparrmanii, Smith 1894, a small sized cichlid fish widely distributed in Southern Africa and of little economic importance was studied by light microscopy as part of establishing base-line data for future references. The gut in T. sparrmanii was a simple long coiled tube. With greater fish length, the gut progressed into a complexly-coiled definitive form. Strong linear correlations were observed between fish size and gut length. The esophagus was relatively very short and the stomach sac-like and small. Histologically, T. sparrmanii displayed a stratified esophagus epithelium with goblet cells which displayed both neutral and acid mucus at the anterior region. The stomach of T. sparrmanii was divided into three distinct segments the cardiac, fundic, and pyloric portions. The study revealed that the gastric wall is composed of several tunicae: mucosa, submucosa, muscularis and serosa. The tunica mucosa was thrown up into a number of high longitudinal folds projecting into a lumen. The mucosal surface had surface epithelial cells. The epithelium in this region was simple columnar devoid of goblet cells, with glandular regions in the lamina propria. The mucosa of the fundic region had gastric pits lined by columnar epithelium, and simple tubular glands filled most of the lamina propria. The pyloric part of the stomach was very short and its mucosa was slightly folded and devoid of both gastric pits and mucous glandular cells. The lining epithelium of this portion of the stomach was simple columnar and a few goblet cells were seen at its junction with the first part of the intestine. The tunica muscularis of the stomach contained skeletal muscle in the initial and terminal regions, usually intermingled with smooth muscle fibres. Skeletal muscle fibres were also observed in the first portion of the proximal intestine, iii near the junction with the stomach. Gastric pits were present as invaginations of the mucosal surface. Their epithelium secreted both neutral and acid mucins. Simple, straight, tubular unbranched gastric glands occupied most of the surface of the mucosa, and were lined with cells that had eosinophilic granules. The tunica muscularis of the stomach consisted of skeletal muscles usually mixed with smooth muscle fibres. Also, the stomach was separated from the proximal intestine by a pyloric sphincter. Results demonstrate that the intestine was a relatively undifferentiated muscular tube lined with a simple columnar epithelium interspersed with goblet cells. The proximal region had a greater surface area, as revealed by the presence of elongated mucosal ridges. The enterocytes were covered apically with uniform microvilli. The number of goblet cells were moderate in the proximal intestine and fewer in the medial intestine. All segments of the intestine contained neutral and acidic mucins. The distal intestine mucosa was thinner and less elaborately folded and consisted of columnar cells with shorter and sparser microvilli. After the intestinerectal valve, the rectum displayed lower mucosal folds, numerous goblet cells and a thicker muscularis. An ileorectal valve was observed. This confirms that separate intestine and rectum does exist in T. sparrmanii.
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Morphology, histology and histochemistry of the digestive tract of the Banded tilapia, Tilapia sparrmanii (Perciformes: Cichlidae)

- Grace E. Okuthe, Bongile Bhomela

Authors: Grace E. Okuthe , Bongile Bhomela
Date: December 23, 2020
Subjects: Fish, gastrointestinal tract, histo-architecture
Language: English
Type: Journal Article
Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/11260/2425 , vital:41881
Description: ABSTRACT. This study described anatomical, histological and histochemical features of the mucosal layer of the digestive tract of Tilapia sparrmanii Smith, 1840, an omnivorous freshwater fish endemic to Southern Africa. This species exhibited a short thick oesophagus with long deep longitudinal folds (466.68 ± 16.91 µm), and a thick (173.50 ± 10.92 µm) muscular layer that allow the passage of large food items. The mucosa was lined with stratified secretory epithelium rich in goblet cells that secreted neutral and acid mucins. The stomach was a sac-like structure with simple tubular glands surrounded by connective tissue. The mucosa was lined with simple columnar epithelium and the lamina propria exhibited a well-developed layer of gastric glands that occupied the entire length of the cardio-fundic region. The stomach mucosa consisted of epithelial cells with intense neutral mucin secretion which protects against gastric juice. Neck cells of gastric glands synthesized neutral and acid mucins. The intestine was highly coiled and presented a complex pattern of transversal folds internally (villi). Villi length decreased progressively from the anterior to the posterior intestine (p < 0.0001). Tunica muscularis of the mid-intestine had the thinnest thickness among all parts of the intestine (p < 0.0001). Goblet cells whose numbers increased towards the rectum secreted both acid and neutral mucins. The results indicate structural similarities of T. sparrmanii GIT with other tilapia species and will be useful for understanding the physiology of the digestive systems as well as functional components of the GIT.
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Neuropsychiatric Genetics of African Populations-Psychosis (NeuroGAPPsychosis): a case-control study protocol and GWAS in Ethiopia, Kenya, South Africa and Uganda

- Stevenson, Anne, Zingela, Zukiswa, Akena, Dickens, Stroud, Rocky E, Atwoli, Lukoye, Campbell, Megan M, Chibnik, Lori B, Kwobah, Edith, Kariuki, Symon M, Martin, Alicia R, de Menil, Victoria, Newton, Charles R J C, Sibeko, Goodman, Stein, Dan J, Teferra, Solomon, Koenen, Karestan C

Authors: Stevenson, Anne , Zingela, Zukiswa , Akena, Dickens , Stroud, Rocky E , Atwoli, Lukoye , Campbell, Megan M , Chibnik, Lori B , Kwobah, Edith , Kariuki, Symon M , Martin, Alicia R , de Menil, Victoria , Newton, Charles R J C , Sibeko, Goodman , Stein, Dan J , Teferra, Solomon , Koenen, Karestan C
Date: 2021
Language: English
Type: Journal Article
Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/11260/4594 , vital:44137
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Peer-Assisted Learning Programme: Supporting Students in High-Risk Subjects at the Mechanical Engineering Department at Walter Sisulu University

- Qonda Makala

Authors: Qonda Makala
Date: 2017
Subjects: peer-assisted learning; peer-assisted learning leaders; at-risk students; mechanical engineering; university of technology
Language: English
Type: Journal Article
Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/11260/2433 , vital:41883
Description: The majority of the students who enroll at the Walter Sisulu University (WSU) in South Africa are not equipped with the necessary academic/learning skills to cope with the university environment, especially in Mechanical Engineering. The Department of Higher Education and Training (2013, p. 17), further states that “students’ support is crucial to ensure that students adapt to the demands of college life and that they can meet the demands of college programmes”. Particularly in South Africa, the school environment might also contribute to poor student performance as a result of insufficient student support, and a lack of facilities and resources. In order to address this gap, a Peer-Assisted Learning (PAL) programme was implemented to provide support targeting high-risk subjects for at-risk students in Mechanical Engineering at WSU. The programme therefore is pro-active and student-driven in that senior students assist junior students with their academic work and learning processes. The programme is designed to encourage collaborative and cooperative learning approaches during group sessions and active student engagement to support student learning (Laal & Laal, 2012). The programme requires substantial resources and time commitments. It is important from an operational, learning, and student perspective to understand in what ways the PAL programme assists students (if at all). Eliciting the experiences of students also helps the department to design interventions from a student-centred perspective using the lens of learning theories. This qualitative case study explores the student experience of the Peer-Assisted Learning (PAL) programme. Open-ended questionnaires/survey from 20 first-year students elicited their perceptions and experiences of the PAL programme. Responses were analysed thematically. Findings indicated that the students had useful insights that may contribute to revising the programme. Aspects mentioned were improved study skills, improved time management, and improved communication, problem-solving and presentation skills. The study suggests that the PAL programme also creates a safe (where students of the same age come together to discuss concepts of the subject under the guidance of the senior student as an experienced student), comfortable and conducive environment for first-year students’ learning. However, the gender dynamics within the programme point to revisions needed in the programme to address the gap on the gender balance as only six out of the twenty participants in this study were female. The study contributes to our understanding of aspects of PAL for first-year Mechanical Engineering students at WSU, as it affords students the opportunity to interpret, integrate and apply information/knowledge acquired during lectures and to interact effectively in small-group sessions.
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Pentalogy of Cantrell with Total Ectopia Cordis and a Major Omphalocele—A Case Report

- Delgado, Arturo Leonardo, Matongo, Kopolo Mfuneko, Dumo, Bangasa, Mzayiya, Ntsikelelo, Mrara, Busisiwe

Authors: Delgado, Arturo Leonardo , Matongo, Kopolo Mfuneko , Dumo, Bangasa , Mzayiya, Ntsikelelo , Mrara, Busisiwe
Date: 2019
Subjects: Ectopia cordis, major omphalocele, sternum agenesis, anterior diaphragmatic deficiency, absence of pericardium, persistence of the Ductus arteriosus.
Language: English
Type: Journal Article
Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/11260/6360 , vital:45379
Description: Abstract: Ectopia cordis (EC) is a rare malformation due to failure of maturation of the midline mesodermal components of the chest and abdomen. It can be defined as 0.1% of congenital heart diseases, and it could present isolated or could belong to the spectrum of the Pentalogy of Cantrell (PoC), which is a rare congenital disorder first described in 1958 by Cantrell.We are reporting a rare case of total ectopia cordis, associated to a major omphalocele, total agenesis of the sternum, anterior diaphragmatic deficiency, absence of pericardium, and persistence of the Ductus arteriosus, making therefore these features compatible with a full spectrum of the Pentalogy of Cantrell, encouraging us to report this case.
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Pharmacotherapeutic interventions for bipolar disorder type II: addressing multiple symptoms and approaches with a particular emphasis on strategies in lower and middle-income countries

- Brian Godman, Antony P Martind, Christoffel Grobler, Marianne Van-De-Lisleh, Janney Wale, Wallace Breno Barbosa, Amos Masselek, Philip Opondo, Guenka Petrova, Konstantin Tachkov, Israel Sefah, Suhaj Abdulsalimo, Alian A. Alrasheedy, Mazhuvancherry Kesavan Unnikrishnanp, Kristina Garuolieneq, Kayode Bamitaler, Dan Kibuule, Francis Kalemeerar, Joseph Fadares, Tanveer Ahmed Khan, Shahzad Hussain, Tomasz Bochene, Aubrey Chichonyi Kalungia, James Mwanza, Ruaraidh Hilly, Corrado Barbui

Authors: Brian Godman , Antony P Martind , Christoffel Grobler , Marianne Van-De-Lisleh , Janney Wale , Wallace Breno Barbosa , Amos Masselek , Philip Opondo , Guenka Petrova , Konstantin Tachkov , Israel Sefah , Suhaj Abdulsalimo , Alian A. Alrasheedy , Mazhuvancherry Kesavan Unnikrishnanp , Kristina Garuolieneq , Kayode Bamitaler , Dan Kibuule , Francis Kalemeerar , Joseph Fadares , Tanveer Ahmed Khan , Shahzad Hussain , Tomasz Bochene , Aubrey Chichonyi Kalungia , James Mwanza , Ruaraidh Hilly , Corrado Barbui
Date: 2019
Language: English
Type: Journal Article
Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/11260/4711 , vital:44166
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Phenotypic and molecular characterization of clinical isolates of s. Aureus and s. Epidermidis in the Eastern Cape province, South Africa : evaluation of plant-derived compounds

- Mthethwa, Ntombeziningi Shirley

Authors: Mthethwa, Ntombeziningi Shirley
Date: 2015
Language: English
Type: PhD Manuscript
Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/11260/2030 , vital:40805 , Doctor Of Philosophy (Health Sciences) Medical Microbiology
Description: Staphylococcal species are known pathogens that are responsible for an extensive array of clinical manifestations in humans of diverse age groups in different settings and countries. They are responsible for cases of food poisoning, toxic shock syndrome, staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome, carbuncles, meningitis, among others. High level of antibiotic resistance patterns are common among isolates from different sources. The quest to discover alternative therapeutic regimes by use of medicinal plants are now topical and the subject of research activities. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and antibiotic resistant patterns of Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis isolated from patients attending different hospitals and clinics in rural communities around Mthatha; determine the activity of medicinal plants against S. aureus and S. epidermidis, including the characterisation of active compounds; ascertain phylogenetic relatedness of isolates; determine the genes coding for resistance in both pathogens and assess the role of human sera samples from different blood groups against S. aureus and S. epidermidis . In order to achieve these goals, the following aspects were explored and are hereby presented in chapters. Chapter one focused on the general introduction and literature review. The morphology, cultural characteristics, laboratory diagnosis, pathogenesis, antibiograms and clinical manifestations of Staphylococcus epidermidis and Staphylococcus aureus were reviewed. Furthermore the activities of medicinal plants and their various applications in the management of infections in different countries, including their possible active compounds and toxicity levels were also explored in an endeavour to provide suitable background for the study. iii The activity of human serum samples from different blood groups and their kinetics were also foregrounded. In Chapter 2, the antimicrobial susceptibility, genes coding for resistance and pathogenesis, and phylogenetic relatedness in S. aureus and S. epidermidis were investigated. Samples were collected from the Nelson Mandela Academic Hospital, Mthatha General Hospital and other samples were received from surrounding satellite hospitals. Samples were analysed using Kirby Bauer disk diffusion (antibiotic susceptibility testing), micro-broth dilution (MIC) and conventional PCR for the investigation of the genes (mecA, luks-lukf, msrA, ermA, ermC and icaA) responsible for resistance, virulence and pathogenesis of isolates. RAPD-PCR (Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA – Polymerase Chain Reaction) was used to determine phylogenetic relatedness amongst the S. aureus and S. epidermidis isolates. Results indicated that wound swabs and blood cultures were identified as the main sources of S. aureus and S. epidermidis and prevalence rates in children less than eleven years (25.7%) (S. aureus) and (7%) (S. epidermidis) were recorded. Vancomycin had the highest activity against both S. aureus and S. epidermidis, penicillin had the lowest activity.There were no significant differences in resistance patterns among different age groups and gender (p>0.01). Ninety three percent of S. aureus that were confirmed as MRSA with PCR method possessed mecA gene, whilst 16% of S. epidermidis had mecA and 33% possessed icaA gene. Fifty eight percent (58%) of S. aureus possessed luks-lukf PVL gene suggesting that it may have been acquired from the community. Forty two percent 42% of msrA was detected in S. epidermidis, 43% ermC and 34% ermA were detected in S. aureus isolates. Eleven percent 11% of S. aureus isolates were found to carry both ermA and ermC genes. mecA and luks-lufPV genes are implicated in iv methicillin resistant S. aureus that causes necrotizing pnemoniae and icaA is implicated in the formation of biofilm, another mechanism of resistance in S. epidermidis. RAPD profile resulting in DNA amplification fragments ranged in size from 300 to 1500 bp. The RAPD patterns obtained showed various trends among isolates meaning that S. aureus and S. epidermidis isolates investigated had high diversity among them. Dendograms constructed with each oligonucleotide showed that PCR patterns obtained with primer OPL11 (S. aureus) and ERIC1 (S. epidermidis) strains had genetic similarity indices ranging from 0.009 to 0.329. This wide range of similarity indices indicated a high level of DNA polymorphism among S. aureus and S. epidermidis isolates. Knowledge of the genes coding for resistance in this study will address the gaps in the mechanisms of resistance for effective intervention strategies. The infections caused by multi-resistant strains of Staphylococcal species represent an important problem that affects many health institutions. Due to the large number of patients infected with S. aureus and S. epidermidis and the diverse possibilities of contamination, it is always necessary to review the evolution of antimicrobial resistance and the therapeutic responses of the bacterial strains. This aspect of the study provides updated data on susceptibility patterns of local isolates of S. aureus and S. epidermidis for use in empiric management of patients including the various genes coding for resistance in the designated pathogens and their phylogenetic relatedness. Chapter 3 presents the antimicrobial and anti-HIV1 activities of selected medicinal plants from the Eastern Cape Province used for treating skin and respiratory tract infections. Anti-HIV activities were investigated because of the role of staphylococcal v species as opportunistic pathogens in HIV infections. Four medicinal plants were evaluated for antimicrobial activities and cytotoxicity on clinical isolates of S. aureus and S. epidermidis. Medicinal plants used in this study were Cassine transvaalensis, Croton gratissimus, Vangueria infausta and Vitex ferruginea. The Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion and 96 well microtiter plate methods were used in the antimicrobial activity studies but for the anti-HIV1 activity, MAGI assay was used. Microtetrazolium assay (MTT) was used for the evaluation of cytotoxicity of plants. Bio-autographic assay was used to locate the position of the active compound using Rf value; thin layer chromatography and column chromatography were used in the isolation of active compounds and NMR was used in the identification and structural elucidation of the active compounds. C. transvaalensis and V. infausta were found to possess high activity against S. aureus and S. epidermidis with the lowest MIC of 0.02. In the anti HIV1 MAGI assay, C. transvaalensis and C. gratissimus showed activity against HIV1. C. transvaalensis and C. grattisimus possessed high level of toxicity with CC50 reading of 0.2 while V. infausta and V. ferruginea had reading of 0.1. Two triterpenoids were successfully isolated in C. transvaalensis. Elucidation of the structure of active compounds of plant extracts of medicinal plants provides suitable templates for candidate drug designs and drug discovery. Such potential application will be contingent on the results of cytotoxicity testing and this underlines the significance of the test. Human serum is an important host defence mechanism against disease causing agents. Chapter four evaluates the bactericidal activity of different blood groups. Blood samples of different blood groups were screened for the presence of antibodies against S. aureus and S. epidermidis using agglutination test. Serum sensitivity assay vi was employed for susceptibility testing of S. aureus and S. epidermidis to blood samples. The Gunea-pig serum was used to determine the role of complement in serum bactericidal activity. The results showed that S. aureus and S. epidermidis were highly sensitive to normal human sera from blood group B with a percentage of 61% (S. aureus) and 83.3% (S. epidermidis). When the role of complement in bactericidal activity of the serum to staphylococci species was assessed it was shown that when both S. aureus and S. epidermidis were incubated with individual sera of blood groups and pooled serum of the same blood groups, the organisms were serum sensitive. The findings showed that different individual and pooled serum samples had a role to play in the defence mechanisms of individuals against S. aureus and S. epidermidis. In general the study provides a reference document on S. aureus and S. epidermidis in terms of their antibiograms, molecular characterization, sensitivity to human sera and susceptibility to medicinal plant extracts. Cytotoxicity profiles of the medicinal plants are also reported. Due to the on-going need to expand on the frontiers of knowledge, it is therefore recommended, as a way of building on this study, extensive investigations on the epidemiology of S. epidermidis, S. aureus and related pathogens to be conducted because studies of this nature have been limited by the fact that S. epidermidis strains are often considered to be contaminants. High-level surveillance of clinical samples of MRSA to define the instance and spread of CA-MRSA and HA-MRSA in hospital settings including health care workers and patients are also warranted in addition to further anti -cancer activities and cytotoxicity tests.
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Phytomedical Studies of Medicinal Plants Traditionally Used for The Treatment of Chest and Cough Related Diseases in The Eastern Cape

- Ndamane, Yolanda

Authors: Ndamane, Yolanda
Date: 2013
Language: English
Type: Masters
Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/11260/2814 , vital:42954
Description: GENERAL ABSTRACT Herbal plants play a fundamental role in the treatment of coughing and chest related diseases particularly in remote areas of Eastern Cape where health care facilities are sparsely located. The phytomedical studies of plants implicated in the treatment of coughing and chest related diseases in the OR Tambo District Municipality,Eastern Cape was investigated. This study was aimed at documenting the commonly used plants and validates their efficacy against different organisms which are notorious for causing coughing and chest related diseases. The methods employed for the present study include interviews with traditional healers, herbalist and knowledgeable rural dwellers that provided ethnobotanical information and identified 17 plants used for the treatment of coughing and chest related diseases in the study area. Of these the three medicinal plants that were reported to be most widely and frequently used by the local people as remedies for coughing and chest related diseases were Tetradenia riparia, Plectranthus laxiflarus and Eucalyptus renans. T. riparia was selected for further study based on its frequency of citation during the interviewees. Hexane, ethyl acetate, methanol, dichloromethane and Aqueous extracts of Tetradenia riparia were screened against ten bacterial species. The dichloromethane extract was the only extract that did not show any activity against bacterial strains. All other four extracts exhibited various degrees of activity with the ethyl acetate extract showing the highest activity against the bacterial species used during the antibacterial assays. Bioactivity-guided fractionation of the leaves of Tetradenia riparia yielded one pure compound. The antimicrobial investigation of the isolated compound showed inhibitory activity against all tested microorganisms. It is noteworthy that the isolated compound showed a significantly higher inhibitory activity than the actual crude extract, this is suggestive of the powerful ability of the compound in working independently.The present study has lend scientific credence to the folkloric use of T.riparia in the management of cough on chest related disorders.
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