Neurocognitive and symptom profiles of concussed and nonconcussed provincial rugby players over one season
- Authors: Clark, Susan Beverley
- Date: 2010
- Subjects: Rugby football injuries Brain -- Concussion -- Complications Head -- Wounds and injuries -- Complications Sports injuries -- Psychological aspects Brain damage Neuropsychological tests Rugby Union football players
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:2950 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002459
- Description: Neurocognitive and symptom profiles of concussed and nonconcussed adult provincial rugby union players were investigated over one rugby season, including early season (baseline), intermittent postconcussion, and end of season testing. In a non-equivalent quasi-experimental design, nonconcussed (n = 54) and concussed (n = 17) rugby groups were compared with demographically equivalent noncontact sport controls (n = 37, and n = 17, respectively). Measures included the ImPACT cognitive and symptom composites, and the WMS-III Visual Reproduction and Verbal Paired Associates subtests. The independent and dependent comparative analyses in respect of both nonconcussed and concussed groups, provided cross-validation of poorer acute and/or chronic neuropsychological outcomes for the rugby groups on the ImPACT Reaction Time, Visual Motor Speed, Impulse Control and Symptom composites, and the WMS-III Verbal Paired Associates. The finding of significantly poorer scores on Verbal Paired Associates up to 24 days post concussion for the rugby players versus controls, was longer than the 7 – 10 day recovery period frequently cited in the literature. The overall implication of the study is that even in a group with high cognitive reserve such as these provincial level athletes, there may be prolonged acute recovery, as well as permanent deleterious neuropsychological consequences of cumulative concussive injury in association with a sport such as rugby. Accordingly, the move towards careful individualised postconcussion monitoring of neurocognitive functioning is endorsed, including early identification of any significant permanent reductions in cognitive reserve. Sensitivity of the ImPACT test might be enhanced via inclusion of a verbal associate learning task.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2010
- Authors: Clark, Susan Beverley
- Date: 2010
- Subjects: Rugby football injuries Brain -- Concussion -- Complications Head -- Wounds and injuries -- Complications Sports injuries -- Psychological aspects Brain damage Neuropsychological tests Rugby Union football players
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:2950 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002459
- Description: Neurocognitive and symptom profiles of concussed and nonconcussed adult provincial rugby union players were investigated over one rugby season, including early season (baseline), intermittent postconcussion, and end of season testing. In a non-equivalent quasi-experimental design, nonconcussed (n = 54) and concussed (n = 17) rugby groups were compared with demographically equivalent noncontact sport controls (n = 37, and n = 17, respectively). Measures included the ImPACT cognitive and symptom composites, and the WMS-III Visual Reproduction and Verbal Paired Associates subtests. The independent and dependent comparative analyses in respect of both nonconcussed and concussed groups, provided cross-validation of poorer acute and/or chronic neuropsychological outcomes for the rugby groups on the ImPACT Reaction Time, Visual Motor Speed, Impulse Control and Symptom composites, and the WMS-III Verbal Paired Associates. The finding of significantly poorer scores on Verbal Paired Associates up to 24 days post concussion for the rugby players versus controls, was longer than the 7 – 10 day recovery period frequently cited in the literature. The overall implication of the study is that even in a group with high cognitive reserve such as these provincial level athletes, there may be prolonged acute recovery, as well as permanent deleterious neuropsychological consequences of cumulative concussive injury in association with a sport such as rugby. Accordingly, the move towards careful individualised postconcussion monitoring of neurocognitive functioning is endorsed, including early identification of any significant permanent reductions in cognitive reserve. Sensitivity of the ImPACT test might be enhanced via inclusion of a verbal associate learning task.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2010
New platinum and palladium complexes: their anticancer application
- Authors: Louw, Marissa
- Date: 2010
- Subjects: Complex compounds -- Synthesis , Ligands (Biochemistry) , Antineoplastic antibiotics
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:10424 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1016218
- Description: Novel non-leaving groups were employed in this dissertation to synthesize platinum complexes which can assist in the understanding or improvement of anticancer action. Emphasis was placed on (NS)-chelate and (NN)-chelate platinum complexes. Bidentate (NS)-donor ligands were used as non-leaving ligands in the synthesis of platinum(II) complexes with iodo, chloro, bromo and oxalato groups as leaving groups. These complexes were synthesized and studied since many questions regarding the interaction of sulfur-donors and platinum still exist. These relate to thermodynamic and kinetic factors and their influence on anticancer action. In this dissertation the properties of novel platinum(II) complexes of a bidentate ligand having an aromatic nitrogen-donor atom in combination with a thioethereal sulfur atom capable of forming a five-membered ring with platinum(II) were studied. The general structure of the (NS)-ligands used was 2-((alkylthio)methyl)pyridine. Alkyl groups used were methyl, ethyl, propyl, benzyl and phenyl. Amine complexes of platinum have been studied extensively in the past. However, attention was given to novel aspects of substituted pyridine and imidazole ligands and their corresponding complexes. Amongst these are 2-(2-methylaminoethyl)pyridine, 1-methyl-2-methylaminoethylimidazole and 1-methyl-2-methylaminobenzylimidazole. The leaving groups included chloro, bromo and oxalato. Mononitroplatinum(IV) complexes were prepared using novel synthetic methods. Selected platinum(II) amine complexes were used as starting materials for this synthesis. Some of these compounds exhibit promising anticancer behaviour. (Trans-(R,R)-1,2-diaminocyclohexane)(oxalato)(mononitrochloro)platinum(IV) is a particularly good anticancer agent and has been patented internationally. All these complexes were characterized using mass spectrometry, chromatography, thermogravimetric analysis, kinetic aspects such as ligand exchange rates and finally their anticancer action against three different cancer cell lines was evaluated via cytotoxicity assays. Some of the compounds exhibited particularly good anticancer potential.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2010
- Authors: Louw, Marissa
- Date: 2010
- Subjects: Complex compounds -- Synthesis , Ligands (Biochemistry) , Antineoplastic antibiotics
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:10424 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1016218
- Description: Novel non-leaving groups were employed in this dissertation to synthesize platinum complexes which can assist in the understanding or improvement of anticancer action. Emphasis was placed on (NS)-chelate and (NN)-chelate platinum complexes. Bidentate (NS)-donor ligands were used as non-leaving ligands in the synthesis of platinum(II) complexes with iodo, chloro, bromo and oxalato groups as leaving groups. These complexes were synthesized and studied since many questions regarding the interaction of sulfur-donors and platinum still exist. These relate to thermodynamic and kinetic factors and their influence on anticancer action. In this dissertation the properties of novel platinum(II) complexes of a bidentate ligand having an aromatic nitrogen-donor atom in combination with a thioethereal sulfur atom capable of forming a five-membered ring with platinum(II) were studied. The general structure of the (NS)-ligands used was 2-((alkylthio)methyl)pyridine. Alkyl groups used were methyl, ethyl, propyl, benzyl and phenyl. Amine complexes of platinum have been studied extensively in the past. However, attention was given to novel aspects of substituted pyridine and imidazole ligands and their corresponding complexes. Amongst these are 2-(2-methylaminoethyl)pyridine, 1-methyl-2-methylaminoethylimidazole and 1-methyl-2-methylaminobenzylimidazole. The leaving groups included chloro, bromo and oxalato. Mononitroplatinum(IV) complexes were prepared using novel synthetic methods. Selected platinum(II) amine complexes were used as starting materials for this synthesis. Some of these compounds exhibit promising anticancer behaviour. (Trans-(R,R)-1,2-diaminocyclohexane)(oxalato)(mononitrochloro)platinum(IV) is a particularly good anticancer agent and has been patented internationally. All these complexes were characterized using mass spectrometry, chromatography, thermogravimetric analysis, kinetic aspects such as ligand exchange rates and finally their anticancer action against three different cancer cell lines was evaluated via cytotoxicity assays. Some of the compounds exhibited particularly good anticancer potential.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2010
New Possibilities for Mediation in Society: How is Environmental Education Research Responding?
- O’Donoghue, Rob B, Lotz-Sisitka, Heila
- Authors: O’Donoghue, Rob B , Lotz-Sisitka, Heila
- Date: 2010
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , book
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/437354 , vital:73372 , ISBN 978-9460911590 , https://brill.com/display/title/36964?rskey=xymnmAandresult=1
- Description: African universities have, since their inception in the colonial era, been governed by a colonial framing of research agendas and modernist trajectories. Keeley and Scoones (2003), for example, explain how agronomy in the French colonies in Afri-ca was shaped by the ‘particular form of science’that arrived in Mali as the French set about expanding the production of cot-ton. French scientific research, at the time (in the post World War 1 period) emphasized the economic development of the colonies, which introduced scientific ways of improving the par-ticular production of cash crops, dealing with pests and improv-ing varieties, locating early university-based research in pat-terns of bureaucratic and state formation. Expatriate research-ers from universities in France, England and Belgium were brought to the colonies to set the agenda for research, as most of the colonial universities offered research and teaching pro-grammes that were accredited by universities in the ‘mother country’. While the number of expatriate researchers working in African universities may have declined in recent years, with the emphasis now on short-term consultancies (from the ‘donor country’), funding and technical inputs from mother and donor countries continues to shape research. What is of note here is how research agendas are coupled with particular research conventions and processes of administrative and social organ-ization1 that are seldom explicit..
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2010
- Authors: O’Donoghue, Rob B , Lotz-Sisitka, Heila
- Date: 2010
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , book
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/437354 , vital:73372 , ISBN 978-9460911590 , https://brill.com/display/title/36964?rskey=xymnmAandresult=1
- Description: African universities have, since their inception in the colonial era, been governed by a colonial framing of research agendas and modernist trajectories. Keeley and Scoones (2003), for example, explain how agronomy in the French colonies in Afri-ca was shaped by the ‘particular form of science’that arrived in Mali as the French set about expanding the production of cot-ton. French scientific research, at the time (in the post World War 1 period) emphasized the economic development of the colonies, which introduced scientific ways of improving the par-ticular production of cash crops, dealing with pests and improv-ing varieties, locating early university-based research in pat-terns of bureaucratic and state formation. Expatriate research-ers from universities in France, England and Belgium were brought to the colonies to set the agenda for research, as most of the colonial universities offered research and teaching pro-grammes that were accredited by universities in the ‘mother country’. While the number of expatriate researchers working in African universities may have declined in recent years, with the emphasis now on short-term consultancies (from the ‘donor country’), funding and technical inputs from mother and donor countries continues to shape research. What is of note here is how research agendas are coupled with particular research conventions and processes of administrative and social organ-ization1 that are seldom explicit..
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2010
Newspaper literacy and communication for democracy: is there a crisis in South African journalism?
- Siebörger, Ian, Adendorff, Ralph D
- Authors: Siebörger, Ian , Adendorff, Ralph D
- Date: 2010
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/125304 , vital:35770 , https://doi.org/10.2989/SALALS.2009.27.4.4.1024
- Description: Media theorists such as Barnett (2002), Buckingham (1997 & 2000) and Sampson (1999) describe a perceived crisis hindering the media’s ability to inform citizens for participation in democracy. One of the symptoms and causes of this crisis, they argue, is that the media use language that many citizens cannot understand. This article draws on theories and methodologies from linguistics to investigate whether this claim holds true for South African newspapers. The concept of the crisis in journalism is deconstructed in the light of Street’s (1984) ideological model of literacy. In a pilot study, multiple readability tests were conducted on one article from each of three newspapers, Business Day, The Herald and Daily Sun. The findings of these tests, and a systemic functional grammar analysis of cohesion and lexical density in the three articles, show that all three newspapers tailor their language to fit their target markets. This, triangulated with the rapid growth in readership of the Daily Sun and the more modest growth of The Herald, suggests that many South Africans are better informed for participation in democracy than in the past, although newspapers can do more to help readers learn a plurality of literacy practices.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2010
- Authors: Siebörger, Ian , Adendorff, Ralph D
- Date: 2010
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/125304 , vital:35770 , https://doi.org/10.2989/SALALS.2009.27.4.4.1024
- Description: Media theorists such as Barnett (2002), Buckingham (1997 & 2000) and Sampson (1999) describe a perceived crisis hindering the media’s ability to inform citizens for participation in democracy. One of the symptoms and causes of this crisis, they argue, is that the media use language that many citizens cannot understand. This article draws on theories and methodologies from linguistics to investigate whether this claim holds true for South African newspapers. The concept of the crisis in journalism is deconstructed in the light of Street’s (1984) ideological model of literacy. In a pilot study, multiple readability tests were conducted on one article from each of three newspapers, Business Day, The Herald and Daily Sun. The findings of these tests, and a systemic functional grammar analysis of cohesion and lexical density in the three articles, show that all three newspapers tailor their language to fit their target markets. This, triangulated with the rapid growth in readership of the Daily Sun and the more modest growth of The Herald, suggests that many South Africans are better informed for participation in democracy than in the past, although newspapers can do more to help readers learn a plurality of literacy practices.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2010
NMMU alumni as non-donors : why NMMU alumni do not become donors to the institution
- Authors: Knoesen, Evert Philip
- Date: 2010
- Subjects: Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University -- Alumni and alumnae , Universities and colleges -- Alumni and alumnae -- Charitable contributions
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:8642 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/1432 , Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University -- Alumni and alumnae , Universities and colleges -- Alumni and alumnae -- Charitable contributions
- Description: This project investigates why alumni do not become donors to the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University. Interviews with non-donors created the opportunity for an in depth qualitative examination of the motivating process that led these non-donors to abstain from giving. This study used the Van Slyke and Brooks (Van Slyke & Brooks, 2005) model of alumni giving and the Schervish (Schervish, The spiritual horizon of philianthropy: New directors for money and motives, 2000) supply side theory of philanthropy, which has been successfully applied in similar studies (Wastyn, 2008), to provide the conceptual framework. This framework maintains that donors and non-donors differ in that the manner in which they socially construct their university experience in creating their own realities. This constructed reality becomes the filter through which non-donors pass requests for financial support (whether direct or indirect) from the institution. The study revealed that at NMMU factors including generic donor behaviour among alumni, the status of current non-donors as being mostly past donors to their respective constituent institution, attitudes toward the institutional reputation (or aspects thereof) of the NMMU, identified obstacles to engagement, pervasive negative attitudes to institutional giving and alumni support for commercialised but not tiered giving activities, can play a major role in restructuring the manner in which non-donor alumni should be approached. The study demonstrates the need to include non-donors in research that explores alumni giving to the university. It confirms the distinct impact of the abnormally distributed demographic characteristics of this university and confirms that examining the impact of these characteristics and experiences cannot be effectively done by simply relying on one or two simple variables. Being a management project, 13 (thirteen) distinct categories of management recommendations are made, ranging from strategy development, through accounting and budgeting practice, to proposing specific revenue generating initiatives. The study concludes with the view that Alumni can and should be able to make a notable contribution to the revenue of the university and in so doing, contribute to the sustainability of the pro-social transformation process of the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2010
- Authors: Knoesen, Evert Philip
- Date: 2010
- Subjects: Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University -- Alumni and alumnae , Universities and colleges -- Alumni and alumnae -- Charitable contributions
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:8642 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/1432 , Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University -- Alumni and alumnae , Universities and colleges -- Alumni and alumnae -- Charitable contributions
- Description: This project investigates why alumni do not become donors to the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University. Interviews with non-donors created the opportunity for an in depth qualitative examination of the motivating process that led these non-donors to abstain from giving. This study used the Van Slyke and Brooks (Van Slyke & Brooks, 2005) model of alumni giving and the Schervish (Schervish, The spiritual horizon of philianthropy: New directors for money and motives, 2000) supply side theory of philanthropy, which has been successfully applied in similar studies (Wastyn, 2008), to provide the conceptual framework. This framework maintains that donors and non-donors differ in that the manner in which they socially construct their university experience in creating their own realities. This constructed reality becomes the filter through which non-donors pass requests for financial support (whether direct or indirect) from the institution. The study revealed that at NMMU factors including generic donor behaviour among alumni, the status of current non-donors as being mostly past donors to their respective constituent institution, attitudes toward the institutional reputation (or aspects thereof) of the NMMU, identified obstacles to engagement, pervasive negative attitudes to institutional giving and alumni support for commercialised but not tiered giving activities, can play a major role in restructuring the manner in which non-donor alumni should be approached. The study demonstrates the need to include non-donors in research that explores alumni giving to the university. It confirms the distinct impact of the abnormally distributed demographic characteristics of this university and confirms that examining the impact of these characteristics and experiences cannot be effectively done by simply relying on one or two simple variables. Being a management project, 13 (thirteen) distinct categories of management recommendations are made, ranging from strategy development, through accounting and budgeting practice, to proposing specific revenue generating initiatives. The study concludes with the view that Alumni can and should be able to make a notable contribution to the revenue of the university and in so doing, contribute to the sustainability of the pro-social transformation process of the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2010
Novel, soluble, FluXoro functional substituted zinc phthalocyanines; synthesis, characterization and photophysicochemical properties
- Erdoğmuş, Ali, Nyokong, Tebello
- Authors: Erdoğmuş, Ali , Nyokong, Tebello
- Date: 2010
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/261258 , vital:53378 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dyepig.2010.01.001"
- Description: Three novel phthalonitriles and the respective, peripheral tetrakis zinc phthalocyanines were synthesized and characterized using elemental analysis, IR, 1H NMR, mass spectra and electronic spectroscopy. The phthalocyanines displayed good solubility in organic solvents such as CHCl3, DCM, DMSO, DMF, THF and toluene. The presence of a long chain fluorine substitituent was found to result in reduced aggregation. The singlet oxygen, photodegradation, fluorescence quantum yield, triplet quantum yield and triplet life time of the complexes in toluene were determined. The effect of fluoro-functional groups on the photophysical and photochemical parameters of the zinc(II) phthalocyanines are also reported. Fluorescence quantum yields for the complexes ranged from 0.021 to 0.041.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2010
- Authors: Erdoğmuş, Ali , Nyokong, Tebello
- Date: 2010
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/261258 , vital:53378 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dyepig.2010.01.001"
- Description: Three novel phthalonitriles and the respective, peripheral tetrakis zinc phthalocyanines were synthesized and characterized using elemental analysis, IR, 1H NMR, mass spectra and electronic spectroscopy. The phthalocyanines displayed good solubility in organic solvents such as CHCl3, DCM, DMSO, DMF, THF and toluene. The presence of a long chain fluorine substitituent was found to result in reduced aggregation. The singlet oxygen, photodegradation, fluorescence quantum yield, triplet quantum yield and triplet life time of the complexes in toluene were determined. The effect of fluoro-functional groups on the photophysical and photochemical parameters of the zinc(II) phthalocyanines are also reported. Fluorescence quantum yields for the complexes ranged from 0.021 to 0.041.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2010
Occupational stressors that influence professional health workers
- Authors: Sontyale, Ulungile Klaas
- Date: 2010
- Subjects: Job stress -- South Africa , Medical personnel -- Job stress , HIV-positive persons -- Care -- South Africa , AIDS (Disease) -- Patients -- Care -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:8695 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/1098 , Job stress -- South Africa , Medical personnel -- Job stress , HIV-positive persons -- Care -- South Africa , AIDS (Disease) -- Patients -- Care -- South Africa
- Description: Background: Despite the prevalence of HIV/AIDS stabilizing and slightly decreasing in certain provinces, there are a number of People Living With HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) in South Africa. Many people seek help at primary health clinics and hospitals and receive chronic care at these facilities. Caring for these chronic patients and new patients entering the health system can be stressful to the health professionals who are involved. Many studies that have been conducted have focused on the clinical aspects of individual patients, while few studies have focused on the experiences and stressors of health professionals looking after PLWHA. To ensure quality of care for patients with HIV/AIDS, it is important to understand the experiences of health professionals looking after HIV/AIDS patients and how stressful experiences may influence their attitude towards these patients. Aim: The aim of this study is to report the factors health professionals perceive as occupational stressors caring for people living with HIV/AIDS in the public health sector of the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Municipality. Research design and Methodology: A quantitative, descriptive and non-experimental research design was followed. A pilot study was conducted to determine the clarity of questions, effectiveness of the instructions, completeness of the response sets, the time required to complete the questionnaires and the success of the data collection. The primary method of data collection was self-administered questionnaires. The questionnaires were dispatched to 30 health professionals at the public health facilities in the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Municipality. A descriptive statistical analysis was done using a Statistical Package. This revealed the following findings. Findings: The following are the findings that were perceived to be occupational stressors: organizational factors, job design factors, career and promotional factors, role-related factors and cultural factors. iv Conclusion and recommendations: There are occupational stressors that affect health care professionals working in an HIV/AIDS setting. The following are the recommendations to rectify or to improve the situation: • Improve the communication of goals and objectives; • Redesign the job; • Human-resources development ; • Improvement of salaries; • Career planning and mentoring; and • Sensitisation of employees to cultural differences.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2010
- Authors: Sontyale, Ulungile Klaas
- Date: 2010
- Subjects: Job stress -- South Africa , Medical personnel -- Job stress , HIV-positive persons -- Care -- South Africa , AIDS (Disease) -- Patients -- Care -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:8695 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/1098 , Job stress -- South Africa , Medical personnel -- Job stress , HIV-positive persons -- Care -- South Africa , AIDS (Disease) -- Patients -- Care -- South Africa
- Description: Background: Despite the prevalence of HIV/AIDS stabilizing and slightly decreasing in certain provinces, there are a number of People Living With HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) in South Africa. Many people seek help at primary health clinics and hospitals and receive chronic care at these facilities. Caring for these chronic patients and new patients entering the health system can be stressful to the health professionals who are involved. Many studies that have been conducted have focused on the clinical aspects of individual patients, while few studies have focused on the experiences and stressors of health professionals looking after PLWHA. To ensure quality of care for patients with HIV/AIDS, it is important to understand the experiences of health professionals looking after HIV/AIDS patients and how stressful experiences may influence their attitude towards these patients. Aim: The aim of this study is to report the factors health professionals perceive as occupational stressors caring for people living with HIV/AIDS in the public health sector of the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Municipality. Research design and Methodology: A quantitative, descriptive and non-experimental research design was followed. A pilot study was conducted to determine the clarity of questions, effectiveness of the instructions, completeness of the response sets, the time required to complete the questionnaires and the success of the data collection. The primary method of data collection was self-administered questionnaires. The questionnaires were dispatched to 30 health professionals at the public health facilities in the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Municipality. A descriptive statistical analysis was done using a Statistical Package. This revealed the following findings. Findings: The following are the findings that were perceived to be occupational stressors: organizational factors, job design factors, career and promotional factors, role-related factors and cultural factors. iv Conclusion and recommendations: There are occupational stressors that affect health care professionals working in an HIV/AIDS setting. The following are the recommendations to rectify or to improve the situation: • Improve the communication of goals and objectives; • Redesign the job; • Human-resources development ; • Improvement of salaries; • Career planning and mentoring; and • Sensitisation of employees to cultural differences.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2010
Optical limiting properties of zinc phthalocyanines in solution and solid PMMA composite films
- Tekin, Sezen, Kürüm, Ulaş, Durmus, Mahmut, Yaglioglu, H Gul, Nyokong, Tebello, Elmali, Ayhan
- Authors: Tekin, Sezen , Kürüm, Ulaş , Durmus, Mahmut , Yaglioglu, H Gul , Nyokong, Tebello , Elmali, Ayhan
- Date: 2010
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/249071 , vital:51775 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.optcom.2010.07.003"
- Description: The nonlinear absorption and optical limiting (OL) performance of tetra- and octasubstituted zinc phthalocyanine complexes were described in solution and in the solid state using the open-aperture Z-scan technique. The measurements were performed using collimated 4 ns pulses generated from a frequency-doubled Nd:YAG laser at 532 nm wavelength. The polymeric films exhibit a much larger effective nonlinear absorption coefficient in comparison with solution. However, the parameters of the ratio of the excited to ground state absorption cross section and energy-dependent saturation in solution are much better compared to properties in the polymeric film. In terms of the ratio of the excited to ground state absorption cross section, the peripherally substituted complexes show better OL performance than the non-peripherally substituted derivative.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2010
- Authors: Tekin, Sezen , Kürüm, Ulaş , Durmus, Mahmut , Yaglioglu, H Gul , Nyokong, Tebello , Elmali, Ayhan
- Date: 2010
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/249071 , vital:51775 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.optcom.2010.07.003"
- Description: The nonlinear absorption and optical limiting (OL) performance of tetra- and octasubstituted zinc phthalocyanine complexes were described in solution and in the solid state using the open-aperture Z-scan technique. The measurements were performed using collimated 4 ns pulses generated from a frequency-doubled Nd:YAG laser at 532 nm wavelength. The polymeric films exhibit a much larger effective nonlinear absorption coefficient in comparison with solution. However, the parameters of the ratio of the excited to ground state absorption cross section and energy-dependent saturation in solution are much better compared to properties in the polymeric film. In terms of the ratio of the excited to ground state absorption cross section, the peripherally substituted complexes show better OL performance than the non-peripherally substituted derivative.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2010
Optimization of salbutamol sulfate dissolution from sustained release matrix formulations using an artificial neural network
- Chaibva, Faith A, Burton, Michael H, Walker, Roderick B
- Authors: Chaibva, Faith A , Burton, Michael H , Walker, Roderick B
- Date: 2010
- Subjects: Neural networks (Computer science)
- Language: English
- Type: Article
- Identifier: vital:6352 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1006034
- Description: An artificial neural network was used to optimize the release of salbutamol sulfate from hydrophilic matrix formulations. Model formulations to be used for training, testing and validating the neural network were manufactured with the aid of a central composite design with varying the levels of Methocel® K100M, xanthan gum, Carbopol® 974P and Surelease® as the input factors. In vitro dissolution time profiles at six different sampling times were used as target data in training the neural network for formulation optimization. A multi layer perceptron with one hidden layer was constructed using Matlab®, and the number of nodes in the hidden layer was optimized by trial and error to develop a model with the best predictive ability. The results revealed that a neural network with nine nodes was optimal for developing and optimizing formulations. Simulations undertaken with the training data revealed that the constructed model was useable. The optimized neural network was used for optimization of formulation with desirable release characteristics and the results indicated that there was agreement between the predicted formulation and the manufactured formulation. This work illustrates the possible utility of artificial neural networks for the optimization of pharmaceutical formulations with desirable performance characteristics.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2010
- Authors: Chaibva, Faith A , Burton, Michael H , Walker, Roderick B
- Date: 2010
- Subjects: Neural networks (Computer science)
- Language: English
- Type: Article
- Identifier: vital:6352 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1006034
- Description: An artificial neural network was used to optimize the release of salbutamol sulfate from hydrophilic matrix formulations. Model formulations to be used for training, testing and validating the neural network were manufactured with the aid of a central composite design with varying the levels of Methocel® K100M, xanthan gum, Carbopol® 974P and Surelease® as the input factors. In vitro dissolution time profiles at six different sampling times were used as target data in training the neural network for formulation optimization. A multi layer perceptron with one hidden layer was constructed using Matlab®, and the number of nodes in the hidden layer was optimized by trial and error to develop a model with the best predictive ability. The results revealed that a neural network with nine nodes was optimal for developing and optimizing formulations. Simulations undertaken with the training data revealed that the constructed model was useable. The optimized neural network was used for optimization of formulation with desirable release characteristics and the results indicated that there was agreement between the predicted formulation and the manufactured formulation. This work illustrates the possible utility of artificial neural networks for the optimization of pharmaceutical formulations with desirable performance characteristics.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2010
Osmoregulation in freshwater invertebrates in response to exposure to salt pollution
- Holland, Alexandra J, Gordon, Andrew K, Muller, Nikite W J
- Authors: Holland, Alexandra J , Gordon, Andrew K , Muller, Nikite W J
- Date: 2010
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , report
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/437700 , vital:73403 , ISBN 978-1-4312-0075-7 , https://wrcwebsite.azurewebsites.net/wp-content/uploads/mdocs/1585.pdf
- Description: The South African National Water Act (No. 36 of 1998) provides for an ecological Reserve which is intended to protect fresh water ecosystems and resources from degradation as a result of misuse, and to maintain vital ecological functions within these systems (Palmer et al., 2004). Water quality guidelines are an important tool in the management of these water resources, aiming to adequately balance protec-tion of aquatic ecological systems with sustainable human use needs. Jooste and Rossouw (2002) proposed guidelines or boundary values for inorganic salts to be included in the ecological Reserve. These boundary values for inorganic salts were derived as follows, acute lethality data (LC50s) from the ECOTOX database main-tained by the USEPA were projected to 336 h and the 5th percentile determined as a lethality benchmark, analogous to the Fair/Poor boundary. Similarly, the 5th percen-tile of available sublethal data was determined as the sublethality benchmark and analogous with the Natural/Good boundary value. The Good/Fair boundary was the mean value between Natural/Good and Fair/Poor values. It has been suggested however, that these guidelines might not be entirely appropriate as they were de-rived without including tolerances of South African biota. Furthermore, the accuracy for some salt boundary values have been questioned (Scherman, 2009; Scherman, 2010).
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2010
- Authors: Holland, Alexandra J , Gordon, Andrew K , Muller, Nikite W J
- Date: 2010
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , report
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/437700 , vital:73403 , ISBN 978-1-4312-0075-7 , https://wrcwebsite.azurewebsites.net/wp-content/uploads/mdocs/1585.pdf
- Description: The South African National Water Act (No. 36 of 1998) provides for an ecological Reserve which is intended to protect fresh water ecosystems and resources from degradation as a result of misuse, and to maintain vital ecological functions within these systems (Palmer et al., 2004). Water quality guidelines are an important tool in the management of these water resources, aiming to adequately balance protec-tion of aquatic ecological systems with sustainable human use needs. Jooste and Rossouw (2002) proposed guidelines or boundary values for inorganic salts to be included in the ecological Reserve. These boundary values for inorganic salts were derived as follows, acute lethality data (LC50s) from the ECOTOX database main-tained by the USEPA were projected to 336 h and the 5th percentile determined as a lethality benchmark, analogous to the Fair/Poor boundary. Similarly, the 5th percen-tile of available sublethal data was determined as the sublethality benchmark and analogous with the Natural/Good boundary value. The Good/Fair boundary was the mean value between Natural/Good and Fair/Poor values. It has been suggested however, that these guidelines might not be entirely appropriate as they were de-rived without including tolerances of South African biota. Furthermore, the accuracy for some salt boundary values have been questioned (Scherman, 2009; Scherman, 2010).
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2010
Parallel packet classification using GPU co-processors
- Nottingham, Alistair, Irwin, Barry V W
- Authors: Nottingham, Alistair , Irwin, Barry V W
- Date: 2010
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/430250 , vital:72677 , https://doi.org/10.1145/1899503.1899529
- Description: In the domain of network security, packet filtering for classification pur-poses is of significant interest. Packet classification provides a mecha-nism for understanding the composition of packet streams arriving at distinct network interfaces, and is useful in diagnosing threats and un-covering vulnerabilities so as to maximise data integrity and system se-curity. Traditional packet classifiers, such as PCAP, have utilised Con-trol Flow Graphs (CFGs) in representing filter sets, due to both their amenability to optimisation, and their inherent structural applicability to the metaphor of decision-based classification. Unfortunately, CFGs do not map well to cooperative processing implementations, and single-threaded CPU-based implementations have proven too slow for real-time classification against multiple arbitrary filters on next generation networks. In this paper, we consider a novel multithreaded classification algorithm, optimised for execution on GPU co-processors, intended to accelerate classification throughput and maximise processing efficien-cy in a highly parallel execution context.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2010
- Authors: Nottingham, Alistair , Irwin, Barry V W
- Date: 2010
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/430250 , vital:72677 , https://doi.org/10.1145/1899503.1899529
- Description: In the domain of network security, packet filtering for classification pur-poses is of significant interest. Packet classification provides a mecha-nism for understanding the composition of packet streams arriving at distinct network interfaces, and is useful in diagnosing threats and un-covering vulnerabilities so as to maximise data integrity and system se-curity. Traditional packet classifiers, such as PCAP, have utilised Con-trol Flow Graphs (CFGs) in representing filter sets, due to both their amenability to optimisation, and their inherent structural applicability to the metaphor of decision-based classification. Unfortunately, CFGs do not map well to cooperative processing implementations, and single-threaded CPU-based implementations have proven too slow for real-time classification against multiple arbitrary filters on next generation networks. In this paper, we consider a novel multithreaded classification algorithm, optimised for execution on GPU co-processors, intended to accelerate classification throughput and maximise processing efficien-cy in a highly parallel execution context.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2010
Participatory human development in post-apartheid South Africa: a discussion of the 2006/7 Tantyi Youth Empowerment Project
- Authors: Kulundu, Injairu M
- Date: 2010
- Subjects: Spirals Trust (South Africa) Community development -- South Africa -- Citizen participation Economic development projects -- South Africa -- Citizen participation Youth in development -- South Africa Non-governmental organizations -- South Africa Post-apartheid era -- South Africa South Africa -- Politics and government -- 1994-
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:2791 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003001
- Description: This thesis relates the work of a non-governmental organisation, The Spirals Trust, to discussions on human and participatory development. The focus of the study is one of The Spirals Trust’s projects, the 2006/7 Tantyi Youth Empowerment Project, which is discussed in relation to theoretical material on human development and participatory development. Collectively these perspectives are defined in this thesis as ‘participatory human development’. The 2006/7 Tantyi Youth Empowerment Project illustrates some of the challenges that face the practice of participatory human development. Workshops and focus group interviews were conducted with participants who were part of the 2006/7 Tantyi Youth Empowerment Project in order to draw out their experiences of the project. Questions were created from themes that emerged from the participants’ discussion of their experiences and these questions were then posed to members of staff of The Spirals Trust. The experiences of both the participants and the staff members are discussed in order to explore issues that emerge in the practice of participatory human development in the 2006/7 Tantyi Youth Empowerment Project. The results highlight the challenges of putting into action the tenets of participatory human development. Feedback showed that a focus on personal development can help cultivate the ethic of participation. The effort that this entailed on the part of facilitators is discussed. The importance of exposing and continually working with power dynamics that may emerge in projects of this nature is revealed and the eroding influence of bureaucratic compliance in projects like this one is explored. The study also suggests that there is a need to promote development initiatives that challenge the political status quo rather than just finding ways to incorporate the marginalised more effectively into current systems. New questions that the research poses to the practice of participatory human development are considered in conjunction with suggestions for further research.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2010
- Authors: Kulundu, Injairu M
- Date: 2010
- Subjects: Spirals Trust (South Africa) Community development -- South Africa -- Citizen participation Economic development projects -- South Africa -- Citizen participation Youth in development -- South Africa Non-governmental organizations -- South Africa Post-apartheid era -- South Africa South Africa -- Politics and government -- 1994-
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:2791 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003001
- Description: This thesis relates the work of a non-governmental organisation, The Spirals Trust, to discussions on human and participatory development. The focus of the study is one of The Spirals Trust’s projects, the 2006/7 Tantyi Youth Empowerment Project, which is discussed in relation to theoretical material on human development and participatory development. Collectively these perspectives are defined in this thesis as ‘participatory human development’. The 2006/7 Tantyi Youth Empowerment Project illustrates some of the challenges that face the practice of participatory human development. Workshops and focus group interviews were conducted with participants who were part of the 2006/7 Tantyi Youth Empowerment Project in order to draw out their experiences of the project. Questions were created from themes that emerged from the participants’ discussion of their experiences and these questions were then posed to members of staff of The Spirals Trust. The experiences of both the participants and the staff members are discussed in order to explore issues that emerge in the practice of participatory human development in the 2006/7 Tantyi Youth Empowerment Project. The results highlight the challenges of putting into action the tenets of participatory human development. Feedback showed that a focus on personal development can help cultivate the ethic of participation. The effort that this entailed on the part of facilitators is discussed. The importance of exposing and continually working with power dynamics that may emerge in projects of this nature is revealed and the eroding influence of bureaucratic compliance in projects like this one is explored. The study also suggests that there is a need to promote development initiatives that challenge the political status quo rather than just finding ways to incorporate the marginalised more effectively into current systems. New questions that the research poses to the practice of participatory human development are considered in conjunction with suggestions for further research.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2010
Perceived need and willingness of a sample of registered casualty unit nurses to engage in supplementary counselling skills training
- Authors: Leonard, Warren Leon
- Date: 2010
- Subjects: Counseling -- Training skills , Counseling , Nursing
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:9888 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/1176 , Counseling -- Training skills , Counseling , Nursing
- Description: In 2002 there were an estimated 1.5 million people admitted into casualty emergency units within the Republic of South Africa. Many of these admissions dealt with events that were traumatic for both families and practitioners and these traumatic events have effects on the biological, psychological and social wellbeing of these individuals. Coupled with this is an ever increasing demand for mental health services and a worldwide shortage of qualified individuals to provide these services. Registered nurses in casualty units deal with the majority of these issues and the effect of these traumatic events. The crisis intervention model may provide these registered nurses with the necessary skills to deal with these problems not only for patients but possibly for themselves. Furthermore the biopsychosocial model of health allows these registered nurses to assess the impact of these events on the individuals. Yet, some registered nurses feel that they lack the necessary skills to deal with and assess these problems and intervene in these crisis situations. This study was exploratory descriptive in nature and aimed to examine whether there was a perceived need for registered casualty unit nurses to engage in supplementary counselling skills training. These perceptions were obtained through purposively sampled interviews and analysed qualitatively, using Tesch’s model of content analysis. Findings indicated that the registered nurses do perceive a need for supplementary counselling training, both for use with the patients and for themselves, and are willing to engage in this training although there are problems that inhibit this willingness. Recommendations regarding the implementation of a supplementary counselling skills training course as well as future research in the field were made.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2010
- Authors: Leonard, Warren Leon
- Date: 2010
- Subjects: Counseling -- Training skills , Counseling , Nursing
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:9888 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/1176 , Counseling -- Training skills , Counseling , Nursing
- Description: In 2002 there were an estimated 1.5 million people admitted into casualty emergency units within the Republic of South Africa. Many of these admissions dealt with events that were traumatic for both families and practitioners and these traumatic events have effects on the biological, psychological and social wellbeing of these individuals. Coupled with this is an ever increasing demand for mental health services and a worldwide shortage of qualified individuals to provide these services. Registered nurses in casualty units deal with the majority of these issues and the effect of these traumatic events. The crisis intervention model may provide these registered nurses with the necessary skills to deal with these problems not only for patients but possibly for themselves. Furthermore the biopsychosocial model of health allows these registered nurses to assess the impact of these events on the individuals. Yet, some registered nurses feel that they lack the necessary skills to deal with and assess these problems and intervene in these crisis situations. This study was exploratory descriptive in nature and aimed to examine whether there was a perceived need for registered casualty unit nurses to engage in supplementary counselling skills training. These perceptions were obtained through purposively sampled interviews and analysed qualitatively, using Tesch’s model of content analysis. Findings indicated that the registered nurses do perceive a need for supplementary counselling training, both for use with the patients and for themselves, and are willing to engage in this training although there are problems that inhibit this willingness. Recommendations regarding the implementation of a supplementary counselling skills training course as well as future research in the field were made.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2010
Perceptions of psychologists regarding the use of religion and spirituality in therapy
- Authors: Naicker, Samantha
- Date: 2010
- Subjects: Psychology and religion , Psychiatry and religion , Counseling -- Religious aspects , Psychotherapy -- Religious aspects , Spirituality
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:9875 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/1363 , Psychology and religion , Psychiatry and religion , Counseling -- Religious aspects , Psychotherapy -- Religious aspects , Spirituality
- Description: Religion and spirituality are acknowledged coping resources, yet for many years, the use of religion and spirituality was not practiced in therapy. Psychologists were once branded the least religious of all academicians; however there is evidence of an integration of psychology with religion and spirituality. Recently, studies have been conducted to prove the success of using religion and spirituality to cope with psychological disorders, prevent unhealthy behaviours and promote resilience. Despite this, very little research to date has explored South African psychologists’ perceptions on this matter. This study aimed to explore the perceptions of psychologists in the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Municipality area about the use of religion and spirituality in therapy. Purposive sampling was employed to obtain a sample and focus groups were used to the collect data. The data was analyzed using Tesch’s model of qualitative content analysis. Many themes emerged from the data analysis process. The participants indicated that they perceive the definitions of religion and spirituality as difficult to define and reach consensus on. Nevertheless, the participants recognized that religion and spirituality are important aspects of their clients’ lives and that they cannot be ignored in therapy. Particular emphasis was placed on the fact that religion and spirituality are coping mechanisms for both clients and psychologists. Most of the participants indicated that they were willing to discuss religion and spirituality with their clients if they brought it up. The participants highlighted specific factors that made it possible for them to engage with their clients on religious and spiritual levels, and factors that made it difficult for them to do so. The value of the research was discussed. Limitations of the study were also highlighted and based on these, recommendations for future research were outlined.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2010
- Authors: Naicker, Samantha
- Date: 2010
- Subjects: Psychology and religion , Psychiatry and religion , Counseling -- Religious aspects , Psychotherapy -- Religious aspects , Spirituality
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:9875 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/1363 , Psychology and religion , Psychiatry and religion , Counseling -- Religious aspects , Psychotherapy -- Religious aspects , Spirituality
- Description: Religion and spirituality are acknowledged coping resources, yet for many years, the use of religion and spirituality was not practiced in therapy. Psychologists were once branded the least religious of all academicians; however there is evidence of an integration of psychology with religion and spirituality. Recently, studies have been conducted to prove the success of using religion and spirituality to cope with psychological disorders, prevent unhealthy behaviours and promote resilience. Despite this, very little research to date has explored South African psychologists’ perceptions on this matter. This study aimed to explore the perceptions of psychologists in the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Municipality area about the use of religion and spirituality in therapy. Purposive sampling was employed to obtain a sample and focus groups were used to the collect data. The data was analyzed using Tesch’s model of qualitative content analysis. Many themes emerged from the data analysis process. The participants indicated that they perceive the definitions of religion and spirituality as difficult to define and reach consensus on. Nevertheless, the participants recognized that religion and spirituality are important aspects of their clients’ lives and that they cannot be ignored in therapy. Particular emphasis was placed on the fact that religion and spirituality are coping mechanisms for both clients and psychologists. Most of the participants indicated that they were willing to discuss religion and spirituality with their clients if they brought it up. The participants highlighted specific factors that made it possible for them to engage with their clients on religious and spiritual levels, and factors that made it difficult for them to do so. The value of the research was discussed. Limitations of the study were also highlighted and based on these, recommendations for future research were outlined.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2010
Performance management at transnet national ports authority Port Elizabeth: the role of human resources
- Authors: Vezile, Cikizwa Aretha
- Date: 2010
- Subjects: Performance -- Management , Performance standards -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:8693 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/1105 , Performance -- Management , Performance standards -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth
- Description: At Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA), disagreement existed in terms of the role of human resources in performance management, which resulted in different role expectations and perceptions, often leading to conflict. An overview of existing literature reviewed that performance management was mostly presented from the view of line management, and that the role of human resources was not well defined. The purpose of this study was therefore to clarify the role of human resources in performance management, and with specific application at Transnet National Ports Authority. The purpose of performance management in Transnet is to influence each employee to perform optimally in his/her position by ensuring that each employee understands his/her role in the performance management process. A very important aspect of performance management is that it does not entail one activity only; it is part of the employee development life cycle in which the employee agrees with the manager on the expected performance of tasks, evaluation standards, tools required and important dates when performance will be formally discussed. The objectives of the study were achieved by means of a literature review. Following the literature review interviews were conducted with the Group Performance Manager, a line manager and a human resources practitioner at TNPA to get their views of performance management at TNPA and specifically of the role of human resources in performance management. The interviews, in addition to the literature study, also served as a basis for a survey questionnaire, which was used to probe the views of line iv management and human resources practitioners at TNPA on the role of human resources in performance management. The results of the interviews and the survey showed that performance management was not applied as a continuous and developmental process at TNPA, and that it was often perceived as punitive. The results also indicated that human resources at TNPA should be well versed in the use of the score card method and apply quality assurance in performance management. Recommendations were made for the role of line management and the role of human resources in performance management at TNPA, as well as for the relationship between the two parties.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2010
- Authors: Vezile, Cikizwa Aretha
- Date: 2010
- Subjects: Performance -- Management , Performance standards -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:8693 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/1105 , Performance -- Management , Performance standards -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth
- Description: At Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA), disagreement existed in terms of the role of human resources in performance management, which resulted in different role expectations and perceptions, often leading to conflict. An overview of existing literature reviewed that performance management was mostly presented from the view of line management, and that the role of human resources was not well defined. The purpose of this study was therefore to clarify the role of human resources in performance management, and with specific application at Transnet National Ports Authority. The purpose of performance management in Transnet is to influence each employee to perform optimally in his/her position by ensuring that each employee understands his/her role in the performance management process. A very important aspect of performance management is that it does not entail one activity only; it is part of the employee development life cycle in which the employee agrees with the manager on the expected performance of tasks, evaluation standards, tools required and important dates when performance will be formally discussed. The objectives of the study were achieved by means of a literature review. Following the literature review interviews were conducted with the Group Performance Manager, a line manager and a human resources practitioner at TNPA to get their views of performance management at TNPA and specifically of the role of human resources in performance management. The interviews, in addition to the literature study, also served as a basis for a survey questionnaire, which was used to probe the views of line iv management and human resources practitioners at TNPA on the role of human resources in performance management. The results of the interviews and the survey showed that performance management was not applied as a continuous and developmental process at TNPA, and that it was often perceived as punitive. The results also indicated that human resources at TNPA should be well versed in the use of the score card method and apply quality assurance in performance management. Recommendations were made for the role of line management and the role of human resources in performance management at TNPA, as well as for the relationship between the two parties.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2010
Perspectives of managers regarding the effectiveness of programmes at Nerina one stop youth justice centre for addressing yout re-offending
- Authors: Agaba, Gary
- Date: 2010
- Subjects: Recidivists -- South Africa , Juvenile delinquents -- South Africa , Programmed instruction -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:9993 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/1460 , Recidivists -- South Africa , Juvenile delinquents -- South Africa , Programmed instruction -- South Africa
- Description: The aim of the study was to explore and describe causes of re-offending and the management’s perspective of the effectiveness of programmes being implemented at Nerina One Stop Youth Justice Centre in dealing with re-offenders. Youth re-offending involves breaking of the law and crime. Offending if repeated then develops to be re-offending which is the breaking of the law more than once and this is a dilemma in South Africa as the increase of crime is a challenging issue. A qualitative approach was utilized following an exploratory, descriptive research design as the researcher sought to understand the perspective of the managers at Nerina regarding causes of re-offending and the effectiveness of the intervention programmes aimed at addressing this phenomenon. The researcher conducted face to face interviews with the mangers at Nerina One Stop Youth Justice Centre. For the purpose of this study the population was the total complement of the management staff at the One Stop Youth Justice Centre, this included the personnel of the departments of Justice, Social Development, and South African Police Service who are all involved in rendering services at Nerina. The method of data collection was one on one semi structured interviews and data analysis undertaken according to the steps for qualitative data analysis as proposed by Tesch in Creswell (1994). Guba’s model (Krefting, 1991) was employed for assessing the trustworthiness of the qualitative data. Some of the important findings included the causes of re-offending which included loss of parents, alcohol and drug abuse, inadequate parent role, role of peers and inadequate facilities. Further more from the study suggestions for improving programmes at the One Stop Youth Justice Center were discussed and these include involvement of community, involve more role players, training staff and increasing staff.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2010
- Authors: Agaba, Gary
- Date: 2010
- Subjects: Recidivists -- South Africa , Juvenile delinquents -- South Africa , Programmed instruction -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:9993 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/1460 , Recidivists -- South Africa , Juvenile delinquents -- South Africa , Programmed instruction -- South Africa
- Description: The aim of the study was to explore and describe causes of re-offending and the management’s perspective of the effectiveness of programmes being implemented at Nerina One Stop Youth Justice Centre in dealing with re-offenders. Youth re-offending involves breaking of the law and crime. Offending if repeated then develops to be re-offending which is the breaking of the law more than once and this is a dilemma in South Africa as the increase of crime is a challenging issue. A qualitative approach was utilized following an exploratory, descriptive research design as the researcher sought to understand the perspective of the managers at Nerina regarding causes of re-offending and the effectiveness of the intervention programmes aimed at addressing this phenomenon. The researcher conducted face to face interviews with the mangers at Nerina One Stop Youth Justice Centre. For the purpose of this study the population was the total complement of the management staff at the One Stop Youth Justice Centre, this included the personnel of the departments of Justice, Social Development, and South African Police Service who are all involved in rendering services at Nerina. The method of data collection was one on one semi structured interviews and data analysis undertaken according to the steps for qualitative data analysis as proposed by Tesch in Creswell (1994). Guba’s model (Krefting, 1991) was employed for assessing the trustworthiness of the qualitative data. Some of the important findings included the causes of re-offending which included loss of parents, alcohol and drug abuse, inadequate parent role, role of peers and inadequate facilities. Further more from the study suggestions for improving programmes at the One Stop Youth Justice Center were discussed and these include involvement of community, involve more role players, training staff and increasing staff.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2010
Philosophers and the Poor
- Authors: Jones, Ward E
- Date: 2010
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/275671 , vital:55068 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.3167/th.2010.5712506"
- Description: This is a programmatic paper, calling for the renewal andmodernisation of the therapeutic approach to philosophy found inEpicureans, Stoics, and Skeptics; and, in particular, for an applicationof the therapeutic approach to the life of poverty. The general assump-tion behind a therapeutic approach to philosophy is that it is possiblefor someone to be exposed to philosophical work which leads her toan improved understanding of herself and her situation, and for herlife to be improved by this understanding. After offering a sketch ofhow, given the current nature of academic philosophy, such work willbe carried out and disseminated, I suggest three areas in which philo-sophical discourse could have a therapeutic affect on the poor.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2010
- Authors: Jones, Ward E
- Date: 2010
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/275671 , vital:55068 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.3167/th.2010.5712506"
- Description: This is a programmatic paper, calling for the renewal andmodernisation of the therapeutic approach to philosophy found inEpicureans, Stoics, and Skeptics; and, in particular, for an applicationof the therapeutic approach to the life of poverty. The general assump-tion behind a therapeutic approach to philosophy is that it is possiblefor someone to be exposed to philosophical work which leads her toan improved understanding of herself and her situation, and for herlife to be improved by this understanding. After offering a sketch ofhow, given the current nature of academic philosophy, such work willbe carried out and disseminated, I suggest three areas in which philo-sophical discourse could have a therapeutic affect on the poor.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2010
Phishing within e-commerce: reducing the risk, increasing the trust
- Authors: Megaw, Gregory M
- Date: 2010
- Subjects: Phishing , Identity theft -- Prevention , Electronic commerce , Computer security , Internet -- Safety measures
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MCom (Information Systems)
- Identifier: vital:11131 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/376 , Phishing , Identity theft -- Prevention , Electronic commerce , Computer security , Internet -- Safety measures
- Description: E-Commerce has been plagued with problems since its inception and this study examines one of these problems: The lack of user trust in E-Commerce created by the risk of phishing. Phishing has grown exponentially together with the expansion of the Internet. This growth and the advancement of technology has not only benefited honest Internet users, but has enabled criminals to increase their effectiveness which has caused considerable damage to this budding area of commerce. Moreover, it has negatively impacted both the user and online business in breaking down the trust relationship between them. In an attempt to explore this problem, the following was considered: First, E-Commerce’s vulnerability to phishing attacks. By referring to the Common Criteria Security Model, various critical security areas within E-Commerce are identified, as well as the areas of vulnerability and weakness. Second, the methods and techniques used in phishing, such as phishing e-mails, websites and addresses, distributed attacks and redirected attacks, as well as the data that phishers seek to obtain, are examined. Furthermore, the way to reduce the risk of phishing and in turn increase the trust between users and websites is identified. Here the importance of Trust and the Uncertainty Reduction Theory plus the fine balance between trust and control is explored. Finally, the study presents Critical Success Factors that aid in phishing prevention and control, these being: User Authentication, Website Authentication, E-mail Authentication, Data Cryptography, Communication, and Active Risk Mitigation.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2010
- Authors: Megaw, Gregory M
- Date: 2010
- Subjects: Phishing , Identity theft -- Prevention , Electronic commerce , Computer security , Internet -- Safety measures
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MCom (Information Systems)
- Identifier: vital:11131 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/376 , Phishing , Identity theft -- Prevention , Electronic commerce , Computer security , Internet -- Safety measures
- Description: E-Commerce has been plagued with problems since its inception and this study examines one of these problems: The lack of user trust in E-Commerce created by the risk of phishing. Phishing has grown exponentially together with the expansion of the Internet. This growth and the advancement of technology has not only benefited honest Internet users, but has enabled criminals to increase their effectiveness which has caused considerable damage to this budding area of commerce. Moreover, it has negatively impacted both the user and online business in breaking down the trust relationship between them. In an attempt to explore this problem, the following was considered: First, E-Commerce’s vulnerability to phishing attacks. By referring to the Common Criteria Security Model, various critical security areas within E-Commerce are identified, as well as the areas of vulnerability and weakness. Second, the methods and techniques used in phishing, such as phishing e-mails, websites and addresses, distributed attacks and redirected attacks, as well as the data that phishers seek to obtain, are examined. Furthermore, the way to reduce the risk of phishing and in turn increase the trust between users and websites is identified. Here the importance of Trust and the Uncertainty Reduction Theory plus the fine balance between trust and control is explored. Finally, the study presents Critical Success Factors that aid in phishing prevention and control, these being: User Authentication, Website Authentication, E-mail Authentication, Data Cryptography, Communication, and Active Risk Mitigation.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2010
Photodynamic therapy for the Developing World
- Authors: Songca, S P
- Date: 2010
- Subjects: Skin -- Diseases -- Photochemotherapy Phototherapy Skin -- Diseases -- Treatment
- Language: English
- Type: text , Lectures
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/11260/1056 , vital:30559
- Description: This article contains some of the contributing works to the founding of the prestigious journal Tetrahedron and it describes the total synthesis of chlorophyll-a starting from Knorr's pyrrole synthesis and includes more than forty six stages required to reach the target molecule.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2010
- Authors: Songca, S P
- Date: 2010
- Subjects: Skin -- Diseases -- Photochemotherapy Phototherapy Skin -- Diseases -- Treatment
- Language: English
- Type: text , Lectures
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/11260/1056 , vital:30559
- Description: This article contains some of the contributing works to the founding of the prestigious journal Tetrahedron and it describes the total synthesis of chlorophyll-a starting from Knorr's pyrrole synthesis and includes more than forty six stages required to reach the target molecule.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2010
Photoelectrochemical characterization of electrodeposited ZnO thin films sensitized by octacarboxymetallophthalocyanine derivatives
- Idowu, Mopelola A I, Loewenstein, Thomas, Hastall, Andreas, Nyokong, Tebello, Schlettwein, Derck
- Authors: Idowu, Mopelola A I , Loewenstein, Thomas , Hastall, Andreas , Nyokong, Tebello , Schlettwein, Derck
- Date: 2010
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/262655 , vital:53541 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.1142/S1088424610001854"
- Description: Hybrid thin films of crystalline zinc oxide (ZnO) modified by different octacarboxymetallophthalocyanines (MOCPc) were prepared by the readsorption method. Homogeneously blue or green thin films were formed. The photoelectrochemical characteristics of the electrodes were studied by time-resolved photocurrent measurements. Zinc(II) 2,3,9,10,16,17,23,24-octacarboxyphthalocyanine (ZnOCPc) showed considerably large quantum efficiency in sensitization of ZnO, one of the highest quantum efficiencies obtained so far with phthalocyanine-type sensitizers on nanocrystalline ZnO films.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2010
- Authors: Idowu, Mopelola A I , Loewenstein, Thomas , Hastall, Andreas , Nyokong, Tebello , Schlettwein, Derck
- Date: 2010
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/262655 , vital:53541 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.1142/S1088424610001854"
- Description: Hybrid thin films of crystalline zinc oxide (ZnO) modified by different octacarboxymetallophthalocyanines (MOCPc) were prepared by the readsorption method. Homogeneously blue or green thin films were formed. The photoelectrochemical characteristics of the electrodes were studied by time-resolved photocurrent measurements. Zinc(II) 2,3,9,10,16,17,23,24-octacarboxyphthalocyanine (ZnOCPc) showed considerably large quantum efficiency in sensitization of ZnO, one of the highest quantum efficiencies obtained so far with phthalocyanine-type sensitizers on nanocrystalline ZnO films.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2010