Study on the Isixhosa elder’s perspective on mental illness in buffalo city municipality, Eastern Cape, South Africa
- Authors: Bam, Zimkhitha Yolisa Nokubulela
- Date: 2023-12
- Subjects: Xhosa language -- Eastern Cape , Mental illness
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/62827 , vital:73046
- Description: Generally, the elders in the family are usually responsible for their families, including the care and socialisation of younger members. With the increasing number of mental illness cases being reported, not only in South Africa but the rest of the world, it is imperative to explore what the elderly understand about mental illnesses, given that they may have insights that might be useful. This study aimed to explore the perceptions of elderly members in the isiXhosa community of the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality in the Eastern Cape province, regarding their understanding of mental illnesses. The researcher employed an exploratory-descriptive, qualitative design and adopted Lincoln and Guba’s model of trustworthiness. Participants were recruited through the use of snowball and purposive sampling and the data was gathered through one-on-one interviews conducted with elderly isiXhosa individuals. Thematic analysis was used as a means of data analysis, by following data analysis method by Braun and Clarke. The following themes were identified during the study; Limited understanding about mental illness, varied causes of mental illness and a generationally linked understanding of mental illness. The findings reflected the participants understanding of what mental illness is and the causes of it and suggest that more research is required to understand the cultural influences on perceptions of mental illness. , Thesis (Ma) -- Faculty of Health Science, 2023
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- Date Issued: 2023-12
The coping experiences of healthcare workers during covid-19 pandemic in the Nelson Mandela Bay health district
- Authors: Matsolo, Vuyiswa
- Date: 2023-12
- Subjects: Medical personnel -- Nelson Mandela Bay , COVID-19 pandemic
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/62871 , vital:73061
- Description: COVID-19 increased in prevalence in 2019 and was declared a pandemic in 2020 by the World Health Organisation (WHO). The pandemic arrived in South Africa in March 2020, and drastically impacted the country. One such impact was to healthcare workers, who had contact with COVID-19 patients on an ongoing basis. Increasing pressure was placed on healthcare workers, and they needed to cope with the demands placed on them during the pandemic. The study aimed to explore and describe the coping experiences of healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in the Nelson Mandela Bay Health District. To meet this aim, a qualitative explorative descriptive research design was used. Data was collected using individual, semi-structured interviews, with a sample of 10 healthcare workers in the Nelson Mandela Bay Health District. The data was analysed using Braun and Clarke’s (2006) Reflexive Thematic Analysis and the trustworthiness of the study was ensured through Guba’s (1985) model of data verification. Social Constructionism was used as a theoretical framework to conceptualise the findings that emerged from the participants within their socio-historical context. Participants shared their coping experiences which were different from the other but shared particular themes. Participants made use a combination of problem, emotion and meaning focused coping strategies during the peaks while utilising predominantly problem focused coping strategies during the lulls. It became apparent that there were differences in coping in terms of the lulls and the peaks with peaks producing fear and anxiety, while lulls bringing a sense of relief. , Thesis (Ma) -- Faculty of Health Science, 2023
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- Date Issued: 2023-12
The impact of collaborative writing and scaffolding practices on student writing performance in second language contexts: action research at Midlands State University (MSU)
- Authors: Hlatshwayo, Primrose
- Date: 2023-12
- Subjects: English language -- Context , Writing -- Midlands State University
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/63309 , vital:73248
- Description: The mixed methods action research study explored how collaborative writing and scaffolding practices impacted on the writing performance of students writing in groups. It sought to establish whether using the collaborative writing (CW) method would enhance the writing performance of 55 social work Midlands State University first-year students. Socio-cultural theory (SCT) was employed as the theoretical basis for the study as it emphasises learning in socially constructed environments in which interaction among peers and teachers leads to learning and construction of knowledge. Through the examination of student interactions in two collaborative writing activities, an analysis of student perceptions of CW, and an assessment of student collaboratively produced texts, the study found that the different peer and teacher scaffolding practices that were employed in the collaborative writing sessions significantly enhanced the students’ writing performance. Regardless of the challenges identified in CW, for example, misunderstandings and meaningless contributions from some group members, the research findings revealed that the student interactions offered scaffolding to support their writing activities. For example, validation feedback, link to previous knowledge and the use of correctional feedback were the scaffolding practices used. In addition, the students were able to collaboratively produce better texts with improved cohesive linking, mechanics, organisation, development, structure and vocabulary. The study contributed to L2 collaborative writing literature as it identifies the different student scaffolding approaches and offers an insight into the collaborative writing process and how it could support ESL writing development. However, the methodology posed some limitations, for example, the use of a questionnaire instead of interviews and recording student interactions in a journal instead of audio recording and, lastly, the researcher struggled to balance research demands and her normal teaching load. The study recommends the monitoring of students in CW groups, facilitation of peer/teacher motivation, establishment of group norms and formation of small groups with a maximum number of six members. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Humanities, 2023
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- Date Issued: 2023-12
The intimate relationships of Xhosa men from the East London area: perceptions of the role and responsibilities
- Authors: Ntsaka, Ayanda
- Date: 2023-12
- Subjects: Intimate relationship , Indigenous Knowledge
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/62958 , vital:73076
- Description: Exploring gender identity and ideology can broaden our comprehension of how gender roles and responsibilities are carried out, and how disparities may be experienced. It is critical to explore them, within research, to generate new insight into the views and positioning of individuals, within their intimate relationships. Therefore, the aim of this study was to explore and describe the perceptions of isiXhosa men about their roles and responsibilities in intimate relationships. The study was broken down into three objectives which were: to explore perceptions of their role within their relationship, to explore their perceptions of their responsibilities within their relationship; and to explore factors supporting change within the roles and responsibilities. The study took the format of an exploratory descriptive research design. Ten Xhosa men were selected as participants using snowball sampling, and semi-structured interviews were used to gather data. Data was analysed using Braune and Clarke’s (2006) reflexive thematic analysis. The study came to the conclusion that there are two main roles of Xhosa men in intimate relationship, namely: head of the house; and the provider. Three dominant responsibilities were found to be common among the participants, namely, making all main decisions, providing financial support, and responsibility to safeguard. The study also found factors causing Xhosa men to change their roles and responsibilities in intimate relationsh were unemployment, disrespectful partner, extended family needs, demanding job and inadequate income from work. Lastly, the study concluded that the extent to which the changes of the roles and responsibilities among Xhosa men may affect their intimate relationships include break-ups/divorce, domestic violence, dysfunctional families – fragmentation of families and mental and emotional health issues. , Thesis (Ma) -- Faculty of Health Science, 2023
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- Date Issued: 2023-12
The use of a novel chemical system towards improving waste tyre pyrolysis and the quality of waste tyre pyrolysis products
- Authors: Tsipa, Phuti Cedric , Iwarere, Samuel
- Date: 2023-12
- Subjects: Tires -- Recycling , Rubber chemicals , Rubber, Reclaimed
- Language: English
- Type: Doctorial theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/62666 , vital:72912
- Description: Pyrolysis process is one of the most efficient methods in the waste tyre recycling sector at this moment, hence the attention it is receiving. However, this process has some limitations, with the main one being that it is non-conventional and typically energy intensive. In addition, its resultant products have been reported to have significantly poorer properties relative to their virgin counterparts, making it difficult to incorporate them in the mainstream of raw materials. For instance, waste tyre pyrolysis oil typically has poor fuel properties, high sulfur content, high amount of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and strong unpleasant odour; on the other hand, the quality of the recovered carbon black is dependent on the feedstock and the pyrolysis process conditions. Hence the need for further research and development to make the process effective and improve the quality of resultant products. The aim of this research project was to study the impact of pre-pyrolysis treatment of tyre crumbs and post-pyrolysis treatment of the oil using a novel chemical system on the quality/composition of the resultant products. In addition, the study compared the impact of pre- and post-pyrolysis treatments on the optimum pyrolysis time and temperature (energy). The equipment employed in this study included a vertical fixed bed pyrolysis pilot reactor (modified to suit the reaction/experiment) as well as characterization techniques such as fourier transform infrared (FTIR), elemental analysis (carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen and sulfur – CHNS analysis), gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometer (GCMS), gas chromatography coupled to flame photometric detector (GCFPD), thermo-gravimetric and derivative analysis (TG/DTG isothermal analysis, and proximate analysis) and scanning electron microscope (SEM). The highlight of the findings is that chemically pre-treating tyre crumbs with a mixture of protonic acid and organic solvent before pyrolysis significantly lowered the temperature required to pyrolyze them, from around 400-500 ℃ to 100-115 ℃. This meant that by using the chemical treatment on waste tyres a lot of energy can be saved. In addition, the sulfur content in the oil fraction was reduced from a total of 1.7 wt% to a total of about 0.2 wt%. This also showed that the contaminants in oil were significantly reduced. The oil was condensed into three (3) collectors for fractionation; in collector 2 was about 54 % of the total oil with sulfur content of about 0.015 wt%. The PAHs amounts were also lowered, as literature indicated that PAHs are mostly formed at around 600-700 ℃. It was also found that the oil produced from post-pyrolysis treatment of oil has a petroleum-like smell, whereas the pre-pyrolysis treated oil has a tyre-like pungent odour. Furthermore, the post-pyrolysis treated oil contains higher contents of alkanes and benzene, toluene, xylene (BTX). Findings of this study have a profound potential impact on the waste tyre recycling industry; for example, reduced production energy cost due to lowered temperature required for pyrolysis, improved quality of the products such as lowered sulfur and PAHs content as well as improved quality of the residual char and odour. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Science, School of Biomolecular and Chemical Sciences, 2023
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- Date Issued: 2023-12
Traditional birth attendants’ perceptions of their role in caring for women during childbirth in the Nyandeni sub-district
- Authors: Sinxi, Sisanda
- Date: 2023-12
- Subjects: Traditional Birth , Midwives--Nyandeni sub district
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/63012 , vital:73082
- Description: The role of Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs) has been within remote communities for a long time. TBAs remain a major health resource in rural communities in developing countries as well as in some parts of urban areas. South Africa is a long way from effectively utilising TBAs as a community resource to enhance access to maternity services. This qualitative study, with an explorative, contextual, and descriptive design, included ten (n=12) TBAs aged between 38 and 56 years who met the inclusion criteria and were interviewed for the study. The objective of the study was to explore and describe TBAs’ perceptions of their role in caring for women during childbirth in the Nyandeni Sub-district. Data for this study was collected using face-to- face and individual semi-structured interviews, and field notes. Recorded data was transcribed verbatim and analysed using thematic analysis. Three main themes emerged, namely: TBAs perceive their role in caring for women as an essential service to women in the community; they believe that they possess the knowledge to conduct deliveries safely; and acknowledge that collaboration with the Department of Health could strengthen rural midwifery services. , Thesis (Ma) -- Faculty of Health Science, 2023
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- Date Issued: 2023-12
Medication adherence: a review of policy and education in South Africa
- Authors: Nyoni, Cynthia Nomagugu
- Date: 2023-10-31
- Subjects: Patient compliance South Africa , Drugs Administration Study and teaching (Higher) , Pharmacist and patient South Africa , Pharmaceutical policy South Africa , Patient education South Africa , Medication adherence
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/419548 , vital:71653
- Description: Medication adherence is a patient's active and voluntary participation in following all the recommendations and instructions agreed upon with a health care provider such as a pharmacist. Adherence is a multidimensional phenomenon determined by the interplay of five factors: patient-related factors, socioeconomic factors, condition-related factors, health system-related factors, and therapy-related factors. Medication non-adherence is a problem in many countries, especially low to middle-income countries, including South Africa (SA). In low to middle-income countries, non-adherence is often worse due to insufficient health resources and inequities in access to health care. Medication adherence is a global problem and has raised the need for research and review. Many healthcare professionals, especially pharmacists, have an essential role in promoting medication adherence. This study described, explained and evaluated the policies in SA relating to the pharmacist's role in promoting medication adherence. Furthermore, it described medication adherence-related education at four universities in South Africa. The study was qualitative, and a two-phased approach was employed. In the first phase, a document analysis of the pharmacist’s role in supporting medication adherence was conducted as described in national policies and guidelines in SA. A total of 38 documents were analysed, including critical documents such as the South African Pharmacy Council Good Pharmacy Practice Manual and Associated SAPC rules (GPP) manual, National Drug Policy (NDP), Standard treatment guidelines (STGS) and Integrated Adherence Guidelines. The READ approach was used in conducting the document analysis and involved (1) preparing materials, (2) extracting data, (3) analysing data, and (4) distilling findings. The critical roles of pharmacists in medication adherence that were identified were in drug use, supply and management, dispensing, therapeutic drug monitoring, pharmacovigilance, pharmaceutical care, and special programmes like antimicrobial stewardship (AMS), multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) care and antiretroviral treatment (ARV) and chronic conditions. In the second phase, in-depth interviews were conducted with lecturers to investigate and report on the inclusion of medication adherence and the teaching thereof in the curriculum of the Bachelor of Pharmacy Degree (BPharm) in pharmacy institutions in SA. Purposive sampling was used, and seven lecturers from four different institutions participated in the interviews. The interviews were conducted via Zoom® and were transcribed and analysed using thematic analysis. The teaching of medication adherence in the BPharm curriculum of the respective interviewed pharmacy institutions was explored. It was found that the topic of medication adherence was integrated into all subjects throughout the curriculum and not taught as a formal course. Although medication adherence is taught in many disciplines, it is predominantly in pharmacy practice in all institutions. The teaching methods identified included lectures, case studies, workshops, tutorials, practicals, readings, tasks, assignments and videos. The perceived effectiveness of the teaching methods was explored; also the time spent teaching medication adherence and the time efficiency. Student understanding, interest and engagement with the topic were explored and determined through their assessment performance and class attendance. In conclusion, from policies, the pharmacist's role concerning adherence is indirectly integrated into many other roles. It is often not distinguishable from that of other healthcare professionals and is often implied as part of a more generic role. Pharmacy students are educated on medication adherence and the skills and knowledge required to identify, monitor and support patient adherence to therapy. However, there is scope to increase the course content on medication adherence. There is a need to identify effective strategies for preparing pharmacists to assist patients in medication adherence. , Thesis (MPharm) -- Faculty of Pharmacy, 2023
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- Date Issued: 2023-10-31
A case study of role conflict experienced by middle management during organizational change
- Authors: Sepeng, Mugabe
- Date: 2023-10-13
- Subjects: Role conflict , Change management , Middle managers , Middle management , ISO 9001 Standard Implementation of
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/419189 , vital:71624
- Description: This research investigation is based on continuous improvement changes arising from - and related to - ISO 9001 implementation at Sundays River Citrus Company (SRCC), which is one of the biggest packers, marketers, and exporters of citrus fruit in South Africa. The Board of SRCC adopted ISO 9001 to ensure organizational efficiency and sustainability while improving quality control, customer service, teamwork and leadership. However, research indicates not all organizations that have Implemented ISO 9001 realize the intended benefits. While no research was available on the citrus agriculture industry, research in the tourism industry indicates that not only did some companies not realize the expected benefits, but also incurred substantial investment costs. It is estimated that approximately thirty to ninety percent of change initiatives fail to meet their objectives, and research studies also indicate that middle managers play a critical role that can influence the outcomes of a change project. However, Balogun (2003) indicates that middle managers play a complex role and are exposed to role conflict, which can influence the outcomes of change initiatives. In this context, this research study aimed to investigate the role conflicts experienced by middle managers during the process of an ISO 9001 continuous improvement change. The study draws on role theory, applying it to their management of change. The following role conflict types were investigated: (1) intra-sender conflict, (2) inter-sender role conflict, (3) inter-role conflict, (4) role ambiguity and (5) role strain. The research approach is qualitative, and has adopted a post-positivist paradigm, utilizing a deductive qualitative method. The study adopted a case study approach. Data was gathered mainly from interviews and supported by organizational documents. Semi structured interviews were conducted with questions formulated through the use of the coding manual (See Appendix C) to ensure alignment of data collection with the research propositions derived from literature. A deductive thematic analysis method was used to analyze the interview data. The research findings confirmed that during continuous improvement change, as middle managers strived to satisfy the incompatible expectations of role senders (mainly senior and junior managers), they experienced the five role conflict types. The study findings also indicate that middle managers experience conflicts due to the incompatible expectations of other role senders such as quality and marketing departments. The findings suggest that middle managers are managing these conflicts, but notes that they do require some assistance and support from senior management. The study concludes with managerial and research recommendations. , Thesis (MBA) -- Faculty of Commerce, Rhodes Business School, 2023
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- Date Issued: 2023-10-13
A comprehensive review of the taxonomic diversity within the freshwater catfish genus Parauchenoglanis (Siluriformes, Auchenoglanididae)
- Authors: Sithole, Yonela
- Date: 2023-10-13
- Subjects: Uncatalogued
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/402992 , vital:69912
- Description: Thesis embargoed. To be released early 2026. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Science, Ichthyology & Fisheries Science, 2023
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- Date Issued: 2023-10-13
A council of women
- Authors: Sobekwa, Lelethu Anathi
- Date: 2023-10-13
- Subjects: Uncatalogued
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/435988 , vital:73218
- Description: This thesis comprises extracts of life writing written in short prose forms. The work reads like a novella and I have been inspired by Margaret Patton Chapman’s approach to the novella, where she condenses “the telling of a long story time wise”, so that a story occurring over two years can be told over two pages. The thesis explores relationships between mother, daughter, grandmother and granddaughter, each with different life experiences and each teaching the next generation about how to navigate life as politically, socially and economically disadvantaged women. I have also drawn inspiration from authors such as NoViolet Bulawayo who explores the hypocrisies of the church and the government in We Need New Names. In Kate Bernheimer’s “Fairy Tale is Form, Form is Fairy Tale” she writes about fairy tales adopting “intuitive logic” or telling in the form of “this happens and then this happens” while the explanation behind the events is not spelt out but rather exists between the lines. My thesis adopts this style of writing by allowing the reader to understand what is being said without over-simplifying. To this end, I have used the concept of place modelled on Es’kia Mphahlele’s In Corner B, where characters are inscribed in relation to the spaces they inhabit. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Humanities, School of Languages and Literatures, 2023
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- Date Issued: 2023-10-13
A distributed approach to leadership in an academic department in a South African university: an exploratory case study
- Authors: Haufiku, Kenneth David
- Date: 2023-10-13
- Subjects: Universities and colleges Administration , Education, Higher South Africa , Distributed leadership , College department heads South Africa , School management and organization South Africa , Group decision making
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/419748 , vital:71672
- Description: The Head of Department (HOD) position at a university has traditionally been viewed as an individual construct. However, due to the demanding nature of such a position, it is not sought-after, as it remains exclusive and unappealing to many academics. Moreover, it is a position that does not encourage inclusive leadership. Tension and role ambiguity are known to arise between the scholarly project on the one hand and management and administrative matters on the other. To address challenges associated with this singular leadership position, an academic department at a South African university adopted a distributed leadership approach in their department as a research experiment. My study was based on this research experiment. I designed this research as an exploratory case study, guided by a socio-cultural conceptualisation of distributed leadership that included a leader-plus and a practice aspect, defined as a product of the interactions of school leaders, followers and their situation. This qualitative case study aimed to describe and explain how a distributed leadership approach was understood and practised in an academic department. It also investigated the enablements and constraints of the approach. Data were generated through document analysis, observation, and individual and focus group interviews. The participants in this study included the departmental leadership team and the department’s academic and administrative staff. Unfortunately, my study took place during the global COVID-19 pandemic and national lockdowns. I had no choice but to adapt my data generation methods due to lockdown restrictions. As a result, most data generation was done via online communication. The study used inductive and abductive analysis to make the data meaningful to the reader. The findings revealed that different participants had different ideas about distributed leadership. Distributed leadership was understood as a socio-cultural practice rather than an individual practice with multiple leaders in relational practice. In addition, this approach was understood as a way of developing and sharing expertise by encouraging teamwork, collegiality and collective decision-making which aligns with the notion of democratic decision-making which creates a platform for the enablement of leadership in others. The study further explored how distributed leadership was practised. The findings were that the HOD position, usually a one-person role, was reconceptualised as a HOD team comprised of three academics and the departmental administrator. The HOD team divided the work among themselves, and this was done according to each individual’s expertise. In addition, leadership within the academic department was not limited to the HOD team but stretched across the department; thus, multiple leaders were evident. Therefore, based on the data, this study discovered that a distributed approach values leadership expertise in others. Consequently, it can be used to promote an inclusive environment in which any organisation member can lead. Inclusivity in the decision-making process was also regarded as a strong practice in the academic department. As a result, this study contends that those in formal positions can develop leadership in others through a distributed leadership approach. Through that, lecturer leadership was enacted through formal faculty and university structures and informally as and when the situation required it. The enablements of this departmental leadership approach included the structural innovation of the Friday check-in as well as the buddy system. These two innovations provided the space for collegiality and the development of voice and leadership. The consultative nature of the HOD team was also viewed as an enablement. Certain factors constrained the distributed leadership approach, one of which was the tension between the hierarchical structure of the university and the more horizontal, distributed leadership approach being piloted in the academic department. In addition to that, another constraint was also very real with the transition to Zoom as an online teaching, learning and supervision platform as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic. The final constraint was experienced concerning the department’s history, as it was within a historically White university in South Africa. The effects of this history impacted the departmental culture and, as we know from the literature, institutional culture is extremely difficult to change. Finally, the study concluded that conceptualising distributed leadership as a sociocultural practice with leader-plus and practice aspects provides descriptive language and a solid theoretical and analytical framework for a distributed leadership study. The study makes an important knowledge contribution in the African Higher Education context as limited research has been carried out in this area. Furthermore, in terms of practice, my study serves as a stimulus for leadership discussions that are beneficial to everyone involved in educational institutions as they promote a level of leadership reflexivity, currently absent in many institutions. , Thesis (MEd) -- Faculty of Education, Secondary and Post-School Education, 2023
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- Date Issued: 2023-10-13
A formative evaluation and critical analysis of an alcohol and pregnancy intervention in the Eastern Cape of South Africa
- Authors: Graham, Nicola Susan Jearey
- Date: 2023-10-13
- Subjects: Uncatalogued
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/432541 , vital:72879 , DOI 10.21504/10962/432541
- Description: Some communities in South Africa have the highest documented rates of Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) in the world. Interventions to reduce alcohol consumption during pregnancy are crucial, but evaluations of such interventions are sparse. Formative evaluations are indicated to assist in the development of interventions. Harmful alcohol consumption during pregnancy is undergirded by a range of social injustices, including those imposed by colonisation and patriarchy; a feminist, decolonial approach to evaluations is, therefore, important. A research project, consisting of three arms, examined alcohol use during pregnancy in an under-resourced urban area of the Eastern Cape, and this research was one of those arms. An intervention was being rolled out in this area and I gathered a range of data from it. I engaged in a formative evaluation of it, and I reflect on the difficulties that I encountered in this endeavour. In the bulk of this thesis, I examine the power apparatuses and technologies that were used during the intervention to discursively position pregnant women. My analysis was guided by Foucauldian and post-Foucauldian theories, using Foucauldian Discourse Analysis and simplified Conversation Analysis (CA). Power apparatuses of coloniality, patriarchy, and pastoral power were used in the intervention to construct positions for pregnant women who drink alcohol as ignorant children, sinners, criminals, or “Mommies”. The foetus was constructed as a precious, vulnerable baby, while the person with FASD was constructed as the defiled Other, responsible for societal dissolution. The intervention used various disciplinary techniques to exhort women to follow their dictates. Women were generally compliant with being positioned as ignorant children, which absolved them from any blame for pre-natal drinking. However, some resistance was evident. I then introduce an ethics of care and justice, and I argue that pregnant/newly parenting women need to be positioned within such an ethics, which acknowledges both the universal resources that they require for reproductive freedoms, as well as their particular care needs. I highlight the few times when women were positioned in this way in the data, and I look at how the common positions could be altered or expanded to promote such an ethics. I conclude by arguing that alcohol use during pregnancy cannot be separated from the larger context of the cultural hegemony of alcohol use in some communities, and the social injustices that potentiate this use. I provide suggestions for country-wide policies and interventions, as well as specific FASD prevention programmes, and I argue that a feminist decolonising approach, within an ethics of care and justice, should guide interventions at all levels. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Humanities, Psychology, 2023
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- Date Issued: 2023-10-13
A grounded theory study of the identity and career decisions of artistic creative entrepreneurs
- Authors: Gibson-Tessendorf, Jacoba Cornelia
- Date: 2023-10-13
- Subjects: Entrepreneurship , Creative entrepreneurship , Personality and creative ability , Career choice , Creative industries , Identity (Psychology)
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/419208 , vital:71625 , DOI 10.21504/10962/419208
- Description: This research, in the field of creative careers, identity and entrepreneurship, aims to develop a grounded theory to explain the interaction between the phenomena of identity and career decision-making, focusing on Artistic Creative entrepreneurs in the creative industries. Artistic Creatives have unique characteristics and creative identities, presenting unique career opportunities. This research is interested in the different values of Artistic Creatives compared to those of Artistic Creative Entrepreneurs, who often experience a tension between their creative identity and their entrepreneurial identities The methodology used is the Straussian Grounded Theory. A Qualitative Research Approach used interviews to collect data on the careers and identity of Artistic Creative entrepreneurs in an area in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. Creative entrepreneurs work in the fields of fine art, design and crafts. The research procedure was recorded in detail, which enhances dependability. Ethics approval was obtained prior to the data collection. The data was analysed through open coding, axial coding and using a Straussian paradigm model. The findings present the values and identity of the Artistic Creative with Artistic Creative Archetypes and the entrepreneurial identities as Artistic Creative Entrepreneur Profiles. The Thesis by JC Gibson-Tessendorf effects of identity and contextual factors on their career patterns, especially as entrepreneurs, are analysed. The contribution that this study makes towards the creation of new knowledge is through, firstly, presenting aspiring creatives with career opportunities that relate to individual values. Secondly, it provides a model of Career Stage Options and Strategies that Artistic Creative Entrepreneurs may follow to either become part-time creative entrepreneurs or use the model as a guide for career planning. The study also developed a substantial theory proposing that the identities of Artistic Creative Entrepreneurs are 1) firstly multiple, 2) flexible and open to change, 2) driven by their values, 3) enacting across the tripartite identity framework, being personal identity, role identity and social identity. The concept of a tripartite of identities was taken from Brewer and Gardner (1996). , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Commerce, Rhodes Business School, 2023
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- Date Issued: 2023-10-13
A molecular investigation of stem-galling Tetramesa Walker (Hymenoptera: Eurytomidae) on African grasses: applications to biological control
- Authors: Van Steenderen, Clarke Julian Mignon
- Date: 2023-10-13
- Subjects: Uncatalogued
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/432565 , vital:72881 , DOI 10.21504/10962/432565
- Description: South Africa is a larger donor than receiver of alien grasses, where approximately 15% (_ 165 spp.) of the country's native grass species have become naturalised elsewhere. Many of these grasses have become serious invaders, causing significant damage to native species, habitat structure, and ecosystem functioning. Biological control is a sustainable and cost-effective method for the control of invasive weeds, but its application to invasive grasses has been approached with trepidation in the past due to the fears of a lack of host-specific herbivores that may cause non-target damage to agriculturally-important crops. The Tetramesa Walker genus (Hymenoptera: Eurytomidae) is one of three genera in the family that feed exclusively on grasses, and have a record of being host-specific to a particular species, or complex of closely-related congeners. There are over 200 described Tetramesa species, but this taxonomic effort has occurred almost exclusively in the Northern Hemisphere. Only about 2% of the described species are from Africa, with none from southern Africa despite the high diversity of grasses in the region. The low morphological variability between many Tetramesa groups has made identification difficult, where there may in fact be multiple undiscovered cryptic species. This thesis generated genetic sequence data (mitochondrial COI and nuclear 28S) that revealed at least eight native southern African Tetramesa taxa that are new to science, focusing particularly on the assemblages associated with Eragrostis curvula Nees (African lovegrass) and Sporobolus pyramidalis Beauv. and S. natalensis Steud. (giant rat's tail grass) which are alien invasive pests in Australia. Approximately 200 eurytomid wasps were collected and sequenced from 19 grass species across six South African provinces. Additionally, 27 grass species were sequenced using four gene regions (rps16-trnK, rps16, rpl32-trnL, and ITS), which were added to existing sequence data to build a dataset comprising over 700 sequences. Field host ranges and the use of host grass genetic proxies were important in making inferences about the host-specificity of eurytomid wasps of interest. Nine Tetramesa groups appeared to be host-specific to a single grass species, while six Tetramesa were associated with multiple species in a single grass genus. Since S. pyramidalis, S. natalensis, S. africanus, Hyparrhenia hirta, E. trichophora, and Andropogon gayanus are weeds elsewhere, there are at least six potential Tetramesa biological control agents that have been identified. A high diversity of Tetramesa on grasses within the Eragrostis genus was reported, with at least four taxa associated with E. curvula. It is currently uncertain whether these taxa represent different cryptic species or intraspecific populations that are the result of geographic sub-structuring. No-choice host-specificity testing using Tetramesa sp. 4 on E. curvula revealed that the wasp could complete its lifecycle on two non-target African grasses; namely E. plana and E. planiculmis. The wasp was also recorded on other Eragrostis species in the field (namely E. biflora and E. capensis). Using grass genetic sequences obtained in this study, it was found that there are four native Australian Eragrostis species that are more closely related to target E. curvula than to the non-target E. plana and E. planiculmis. This suggests that Tetramesa sp. 4 may not be suitably host-specific for use as a biological control agent. Further host-specificity testing on these native Australian species is required, however, before this insect is ruled out completely. The Tetramesa on S. pyramidalis (Tetramesa sp. 1), and the unidentified Sporobolus species presumed to be S. africanus, were suitably host-specific to be used as biological control agents. Since it was unclear whether some phylogenetic clades were true species or intraspecific populations, which is essential to understand when selecting agents for biological control, a new piece of software, SPEDE-sampler", was developed. It offers users of the Generalised Mixed Yule Coalescent (GMYC) species delimitation model a means of assessing the degree to which sampling effects such as data size and parameter choice can influence species diversity estimates. When applied to the Tetramesa data set, the software assisted in identifying which groups may contain cryptic species, uncovering that the COI marker is affected more by singletons than the 28S marker (i.e. species diversity tends to be overestimated), and confirming putative Tetramesa taxa that could be useful for biological control programmes going forward. This thesis has provided evidence that South Africa contains a diverse assemblage of Tetramesa and other eurytomids that are closely associated with their grass hosts, and that many of these taxa hold promise for grass biological control. This work has also highlighted the importance of integrative taxonomy in the discovery of novel taxa, and that biological control practitioners need to be aware of the caveats of each line of evidence used in the delimitation of putative species. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Science, Zoology and Entomology, 2023
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- Date Issued: 2023-10-13
A second skin: investigating the role of dress in identity formation
- Authors: Featherstone, Juanito Romario
- Date: 2023-10-13
- Subjects: Identity (Psychology) in art , Clothing and dress in art , Clothing and dress Social aspects , Clothing and dress Psychological aspects , Self South Africa Makhanda
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/425322 , vital:72229
- Description: This thesis is a secondary component to an artistic practice-led process and as such, is guided by my own artistic practice in that way. In this body of work, I use myself as the main character or protagonist for the artworks that I have created. However, both the thesis and the exhibition also respond to social issues of identity beyond the personal and examines the construction of identity in a South African, and more specifically Makhanda context, as that is the larger context in which I am situated. The work itself is inspired by memories and experiences of feeling uncomfortable in my own (first) skin, and how I found that comfort in my second skin (dress). My professional art practice and my thesis are based on the concept of clothes as a second skin for human beings, specifically observing the ways in which we utilise dress to construct and express our identities. As such, this thesis is an attempt at understanding the relationship between clothes and the body through the lens of identity politics. Through the topics and artworks discussed in visual and textual analysis, this thesis intends to unpack the properties of dress as a complex medium individuals can utilise as a tool to construct their identity. This is partially achieved through the exploration of my own personal experiences of dress and of the spaces that shaped and mediated the construction of identity. Lastly, it is an attempt to understand the experiences of dress in parallel to the experience of the body/self, which consists of the world within and the one outside. , Thesis (MFA) -- Faculty of Humanities, Fine Art, 2023
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- Date Issued: 2023-10-13
A study on visual inspection of citrus sorters in a packhouse in the Eastern Cape of South Africa
- Authors: Maher, Christopher Richard
- Date: 2023-10-13
- Subjects: Uncatalogued
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/424256 , vital:72137
- Description: Background and Purpose. The South African citrus industry is a major global producer of citrus as well as the second largest exporter of citrus fruit in the world. This industry provides employment to an estimated 112 000 workers in South Africa and is vital in providing economic opportunities to communities such as those in the Sunday’s River Valley in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa due to the low employment and education levels within this province. Citrus sorting is a visual inspection task that requires workers to sustain attention and remain vigilant for the duration of a working shift. Their role in the packhouse is to ensure that no defective products are packed for export or the local market and that the fruit meets the customers’ expectations. Since the demands of sorting citrus are poorly understood, this study attempted to assess the effect that sorting citrus has on vigilance performance as well as attempt to quantify perceived workload while taking into account different contextual factors that affect perceptions of this working task. Methods. This study was conducted within a citrus packhouse in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. The sample was comprised of individuals employed by the packhouse as citrus sorters. In addition to a recruitment and information session, testing was conducted at three intervals during a working shift on four consecutive days. Each time, indicators of vigilance, such as correct responses, sensitivity, reaction time, false alarms and misses, were collected during a 5-minute computerised version of the Mackworth Clock-test, while perceived workload was assessed with the NASA-TLX scale, and sleepiness was recording using the WITS Sleepiness Scale. Furthermore, an open-ended question was asked to further understand factors affecting the ability of participants to concentrate during their task of sorting. Results. 18 participants consented to participate in this study. 16 of these individuals identified as female with an average age of 30 years (± 7). 83% of participants were of Black African descent and were isiXhosa speakers, while 17% of participants were of Coloured descent and Afrikaans speakers. This study found that performance, as measured by the percentage of correct responses, sensitivity and reaction time on the 5-minute long Mackworth Clock Test was not significantly affected as time-on-task for sorting citrus increased during a working shift, neither did performance on the vigilance test change as days of the week proceeded. However, ‘misses’ during the vigilance test were found to significantly decrease over the course of a working shift, thus contradicting the expected outcomes of this study. Perceived workload of sorting citrus, as well as perceived sleepiness, significantly increased with time-on-task during the course of a working shift. The major contributions for this increase in perceived workload while sorting citrus were derived from the Mental Demand and Physical Demand sub-scale for the NASA-TLX. However, responses from the open-ended question indicated that participants generally enjoyed their work, although there were factors, such as the nature of fruit and social set-up of work, that negatively affected this perception. Discussion. The results from this study contradicted the researcher’s expectations. It was anticipated that measures of correct responses and sensitivity would decrease and misses, and reaction time would increase with time-on-task for sorting citrus, yet vigilance indicators from the Mackworth Clock Test generally indicated no change in vigilance, and, according to “misses” even improved with time-on-task. A likely explanation for this is that the use of a 5-minute Mackworth Clock-test was unsuitable in this context, or rather, the time of this test was not long enough to induce a ‘vigilance decrement’. Furthermore, in order to administer this vigilance test, participants were taken off the production line and led to a testing room which most likely increased their levels of arousal, thus affecting performance on the vigilance test. However, even though perceived sleepiness was found to significantly increase over the course of a working shift, these data correlated poorly with the vigilance results, thus contradicting the expected outcomes of the study. Mental demand significantly increased, possibly due to the demand of attentional informational processing required for sorting, as well as various environmental factors present within the packhouse. Physical demand, too, significantly increased as workers were required to remain standing throughout their working task as well as to make use of their upper extremities to remove defective fruit. Correlation analyses showed significantly weak correlation for Mackworth Clock Test variables and sleepiness ratings to all other variables. NASA-TLX variables, however, generally showed significantly moderate correlations with one another. Conclusion. It remains unclear how vigilance changes and sustained attention while sorting citrus, since the experiment did not show changes in performance. This is largely attributed to the methodological set-up which could have increased arousal and therefore affected vigilance. It is recommended that future studies research vigilance and sustained attention during the sorting itself, rather than attempting to infer vigilance results from a computerised vigilance test. Perceived workload of sorting, however, increased over the course of a working shift due to significant increases in perceptions of the physical and mental demands of sorting. Future studies should address concerns relating to the physical demand of sorting. Furthermore, it would be beneficial to compare responses of day and night shift sorters to further understand how the relationship between these variables may change. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science, Human Kinetics and Ergonomics, 2023
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- Date Issued: 2023-10-13
Action Research reflecting the process of a collaborative, multi-theoretical group intervention with foster parents of children affected by childhood trauma
- Authors: Cahill, Susan Mary
- Date: 2023-10-13
- Subjects: Uncatalogued
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/432297 , vital:72859 , DOI 10.21504/10962/432297
- Description: Children are received into the Care of the State in the Republic of Ireland due to chronic or acute maltreatment in their families of origin. Maltreatment may include neglect; physical, sexual, or emotional abuse; exposure to domestic violence; or a combination of these. Resulting emotional and behavioural consequences may be challenging to foster parents who might experience stress, secondary trauma, compassion fatigue or burnout, which along with the child’s emotional and behavioural difficulties can result in placement breakdown. After reviewing the literature on fostering internationally and in Ireland, this study sought to determine the types and level of stress in a sample of foster parents and the types of challenging emotional and behavioural difficulties of their fostered children. Results revealed that foster parents found fostering stressful; factors included biological parents; organisational issues; and the child’s behaviour. According to the foster parents, nearly 60% of the foster children in this sample were showing high levels of emotional and behavioural distress. These difficulties differed according to age and gender. Adolescent Girls and Young Boys (5 – 11 years) were reported as having the most difficulties, including symptoms of behavioural and Conduct Disorder (CD). Symptoms associated with CD were reported in at least 40% of every age and gender category of children over five years. Further, this study outlines the development, facilitation and outcomes of a small group psychoeducational-reflective foster parenting Course, involving six separate groups of parents (n=38) each meeting for eight sessions. In this Course, foster children were conceptualised from a bio-psycho-social-ecological viewpoint, utilising theoretical concepts from Prenatal Development, Attachment and Trauma, pertaining to vulnerable children to illustrate the cumulative effects of adversities. Time for discussion and reflection on the material was structured into the Course. This combination of knowledge, practical skills, reflection and support for parents aimed to promote healing relationship-based practices for the child within their foster home. This multi-faceted study was grounded in Community Psychology, using mixed methods to gather data during action research processes, to reflect the different components of an action cycle. Ideas and modifications to the Course based on feedback from the foster parent participants’ experiences have been included. It is recommended that the Course be provided to other foster parents and audiences such as social workers, teachers and solicitors. Furthermore, suggestions are made regarding assessment, diagnosis and interventions for foster children and parents, based on a multidisciplinary consultancy model. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Humanities, Psychology, 2023
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- Date Issued: 2023-10-13
African linguistic phenomenology as illustrated through the Setswana language
- Authors: Modisakeng, Lemogang
- Date: 2023-10-13
- Subjects: Uncatalogued
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/425089 , vital:72208
- Description: Embargoed. Expected release date 2025. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Humanities, Philosophy, 2023
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- Date Issued: 2023-10-13
African population prevalent genetic variations of dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase as the 5-flourouracil cancer drug metabolizing enzyme: computational approaches towards pharmacogenomics studies
- Authors: Tendwa, Maureen Bilinga
- Date: 2023-10-13
- Subjects: Uncatalogued
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/432263 , vital:72856 , DOI 10.21504/10962/432270
- Description: In an era of newly emerging cases of non-communicable diseases such as cancer, research is vital for both the medical and economic well-being of humanity. Pharmacogenomics has laidthegroundworkfor the identification of potential genes in cancer progression and treatment outcome investigations. Researchers are increasingly discovering heterogeneity in the efficacy and toxicity responses of drugmetabolizing enzymes (DMEs) in diverse patient populations receiving anti-cancer therapy. DMEs comprise of Phase I (Cytochrome P450s) and Phase II (glutathione-S-transferases (GSTs), UDP-glucuronosyltransferases (UGTs), and dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenases (DPD)enzymes. The main cause of disparity in DME treatment outcomes is genetic variation,which causes missense mutations leading to structural and kinetic properties of the enzyme. These modifications have a deleterious impact on the pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics of drugs through multiple mechanisms. Presently, most cancer medicines are manufacturedin developed countries based on the genetic background of non-African subpopulations. Thus, these drugs may not be optimally effective or can cause adverse side effects. Even though heterogeneity in toxicity and efficacy of these drugs has been observed in African descent, the basis of this population variance remains partially understood. For instance,a deficiencyof DPD, the first-rate limiting metabolizing enzyme in the pyrimidinepathway, causes severe toxicity when exposed to 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) chemotherapy. However, minimum studies have been conducted to unravel itsmolecular mechanismwhich may unravel the observed drug treatment outcomes.The aim of this pharmacogenomics study was to determine the underlying mechanism by which DPD missense mutations, which are associated with an African ancestry subpopulation, provoke dysfunctional 5-FU metabolism, resulting in drug toxicity. This knowledge will be critical in designing drug modulators to aid in the restoration of DPD function, a hallmark of precision medicine. Therefore, in the first part of the research we identified and reviewed the general role of Phase I and Phase II cancer drug metabolizing enzymes. We then used World Health Organization (WHO) essential medicine and drug.com to authenticate the usage of 5-FU as an anti-cancer treatment agent. The 3D structure and chemical structure of the agent was then downloaded from the Drug bank. Subsequently, Human Mutation Analysis - Variant Analysis PORtal (HUMA) and Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM) were used to obtain data on DPD non-synonymous genetic variants. Additionally, the aggregate information of DPD missense mutations and their relation to human health were extracted from ClinVar and Pharmacogenomics Knowledge Base (PharmKGB). This information, along with additional data from single nucleotide polymorphisms (dbSNP), 1000 Genomes Project and Exome Sequencing Project (ESP MAF) considering variants classified based on their minor allele frequency (MAF) of 0.001, as well as research articles, consolidated information on missense mutations associated with African subpopulations. Finally, the wild type (WT) and detected mutation sequences were obtained from the Universal Protein Resources database (UniProt). However, because the 3D structure of human DPD was missing, the dimeric wild type (WT) human 3-dimensional (3D) structure was modeled via MODELLER using the pig’s structure as a template. PRIMO, HHpred, and the Protein Data Bank (PDB) were all used to locate the suitable template. As a result, six clinical (C29R, M166V, Y186C, S534N, I543V, and D949V) and thirteen non-clinical (S201R, K259E, D342N, D432N, S492L, R592Q, A664S, G674D, A721T, V732G, T768K, R886C, and L993R) mutations were discovered. Using AMBER tools, we then determined accurate force field parameters for each monomer of DPD protein's Fe2+ centers. Following the creation of each mutation model structure in Discovery Studio, the resulting AMBER force field parameters were inferred. For each model structure, a drug free (inactive/open-conformation) and drug bound (active/closed-conformation) model structure was created (WT and mutations). The model structures were validated using the consensus of three validation programs, namely ERRAT, PROCHECK, and ProSA. Similarly, the impact on structural functionalities was predicted by consensus from Variant Analysis Porta (VAPOR) web server, which include three support vector machines (SVM)-based tools; PhD-SNP, MUpro, and I-Mutation. After protonation in the H++ web server, the six clinical and thirteen non-clinical (six active site and seven non-active site) mutations identified were then exposed to 600 ns molecular dynamic (MD) simulation. The non-clinical data was divided into two categories to better understand the impact of the mutation based on its position in the protein: six catalytic-domain (R592Q, A664S, G674D, A721T, V732G, and T768K) and seven remote (S201R, K259E, D342N, D432N, S492L, R886C, and L993R) missense mutations. The post-MD analysis was done using the typical existing computational global investigations [RMSD, all versus all RMSD, RMSF, RG, hydrogen bonds (H-bonds) and dynamic cross correlation (DCC)]. In addition, we used in silico tools newly developed within the Research Unit in Bioinformatics (RUBI) group, such as comparative essential dynamics (ED)-principal component analysis and dynamic residue network (DRN) multi-metric [betweenness centrality (BC), closeness centrality (CC), degree of centrality (DC), eigen-centrality (EC) and Katz centrality (KC)] analysis algorithms. From the analysis, it was observed that the loop regions of the mutation proteins had increased loop flexibility, particularly around the catalytic loop, which could account for the enhanced asymmetric behavior of the mutation’s monomers compared to the WT. Notably, the A664S mutant showed relatively lower fluctuations, deviating from the observed heightened flexibility in other mutants. A general decrease in hydrogen bonds was observed in the 5-FU binding environment of the mutations compared to the WT. In particular, 5-FU contact analysis of the WT versus the mutation revealed a reduction in contact between core 5-FU binding residues and catalytic residues Cys671 and Ser670, which form hydrogen bonds that initiate DPD catalytic action. Additionally, BC was used to quantify the importance of a protein residue based on how often it acted as a bridge along the shortest paths between other residues. It reflected the potential control or influence a residue may have over communication between different parts of a protein structure. DC assesses the number of connections or interactions a residue had with other residues in the protein, indicating its overall connectivity within the structure. In both drug free and drug bound state, DPD data from the active site hubs' BC and DC revealed a dimeric asymmetric communication pathway per monomer involving a cluster of newly introduced hubs ensemble along the oxidoreduction conduit from NADPH to 5-FU. The two BC communication pathways were located more on the interior of the oxidoreduction conduit, while the two DC communication pathways were located on the exterior. In both cases, one pathway dominated the other. Partially lost function reported in mutation systems could be credited to the compensation communication response to the catalytic site via the least compromised routes. Similar patterns were observed in allosteric communication pathways to the active site induced by remote mutations. Mutations may have destabilized the active-loop and 5-FU binding environment, resulting in a compensatory mechanism seen by the addition of new hubs to the communication network. Surprisingly, EC hubs in the WT were found within the catalytic site domain, indicating that the region is important in 5-FU metabolism. EC measured the importance of a residue by considering both its own degree of connectivity and the degrees of connectivity with its neighboring residues, highlighting its significance in information flow and communication. Herein, EC hubs in mutant systems were found to lose this importance, with active site domain mutations suffering the most. This could explain why non-clinical catalytic domain mutations R592Q, A664S, and G674D, as well as clinical catalytic domain mutations S534N and I543V, experienced drug exit in one of their monomers during simulation. In contrast, there was no 5-FU exit in the non-clinical remote domain. Additionally, aside from the active site, KC hubs were also found around the cofactors, indicating that these components were equally important in DPD overall function. KC combines the concepts of both degree centrality and eigen-centrality, it incorporated both direct and indirect interactions to evaluate the importance of a residue, assigning higher centrality to residues that have connections to other highly central residues. Hence, providing a more comprehensive measure of influence within the protein network. More importantly, CC is known to measure how efficiently a residue can interact with other residues in the protein, considering the shortest path lengths. It indicates the proximity of a residue to others, suggesting its potential for information transfer or functional integration. CC revealed that the majority of persistent hubs were found within the protein-cores known as cold-spots. Overall, this study highlighted the communication pathways triggered by active site domain mutations, as well as the allosteric communication pathways triggered by each remote mutation in both drug free and drug bound states of the DPD enzyme. Both clinical and non-clinical mutations revealed each protein's adaptive compensation mechanism, which results in partial function loss. In each case, the communication network of the different monomers changed from inactive to activated DPD protein. Cold-spot areas were discovered to contain key persistent residues involved in protein function and stability. These areas have been proposed as potential targets for new or repurposed pharmacological modulators that can restore enzyme function. In the pursuit of precision medicine, it also lays the groundwork for detecting and explaining the molecular mechanisms of other drug metabolizing enzymes related to the African-descent subpopulation. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Science, Biochemistry and Microbiology, 2023
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- Date Issued: 2023-10-13
An analysis of power relations, affiliation and individuation in selected coup, secession, and inaugural speeches of Nigerian leaders, 1960-2015
- Authors: Unegbu, Osondu Chukwuemeka
- Date: 2023-10-13
- Subjects: Uncatalogued
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/432399 , vital:72867 , DOI 10.21504/10962/432399
- Description: This study examines the positioning of Zimbabwe and the United Kingdom (UK) in the language of news articles about diplomatic relations between the two countries published in two prominent Zimbabwean newspapers, The Herald and The Standard, between 2016 and 2020, using Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL) and Legitimation Code Theory (LCT). Zimbabwe's present diplomatic discourses are a product of its colonial and post-independence history. This thesis places The Herald and The Standard within the larger context of the Zimbabwean media landscape as a state-owned and a privately owned newspaper, respectively. It contends that the two newspapers influence the positioning of Zimbabwe and the United Kingdom in public spheres where readers engage with the news concerning diplomatic ties. The research begins with a corpus-based examination of 42 news articles published between 2016 and 2020 in The Herald and The Standard. The investigation identified several angles through which Zimbabwe and the UK are positioned in the coverage. Zimbabwe is positioned through reference to its reform agenda, intentions for free and fair elections, and its diplomatic re-engagement drive. The UK is positioned as a source of development funding and new trade agreements, while improved diplomatic relations and the removal of restrictive measures against Zimbabwe are anticipated. Fine-grained analysis was conducted on four articles, two from each newspaper, selected to reflect the trends found in the corpus analysis. The fine-grained analyses showed how linguistic resources contributed to the positioning of the UK and Zimbabwe. Complementary analyses of these articles were conducted using LCT and SFL to describe how readers' knowledge of diplomatic relations is built using language in The Herald and The Standard. The study used the concepts of constellations and cosmologies from LCT to demonstrate how diplomatic knowledge is built in these news articles. In the articles, the constellations are related to policies such as Zimbabwe's reform agenda, people (diplomats and government officials) and moral judgments. Both newspapers contain both positive and negative positioning of Zimbabwe and the UK. However, The Standard is generally critical of removing the UK's sanctions on Zimbabwe and of the Zimbabwean government's reform agenda. Meanwhile, The Herald justifies Zimbabwe's Fast-track Land Reform Programme as resulting from Britain's refusal to fund a land redistribution programme as per the 1979 Lancaster House Agreement. The use of SFL's Appraisal framework helps to examine the linguistic resources used by The Herald and The Standard to describe the positioning of the two countries in relation to each other. Lexical strings help to establish diplomatic positioning in the news articles. These couple with Appraisal to accomplish individuation and affiliation. Affect and Judgement resources revealed the decisions taken by the UK to solve the conflict by encouraging the implementation of a reform agenda by Zimbabwe. Negative evaluation is consistently used to disalign with sanctions. The emerging patterns in the data show that diplomats representing the UK affiliate with Zimbabwe's stated economic and political reforms, and the government of Zimbabwe affiliates with the new trade agreement between Zimbabwe and the UK. At the same time, the UK diplomats individuate away from human rights abuses and the Fast-track Land Reform Programme. Affiliation strengthens confidence in diplomatic ties between Zimbabwe and the UK because the emphasis is placed on restoring them despite the conditions attached. The Herald and The Standard position Zimbabwe as a reformed country ready to implement policies to improve citizens' lives and as a country violating human rights and the rule of law. They position the UK as asserting power over Zimbabwe, willing to resolve the crisis through its foreign policy, and credited for assisting Zimbabwe. This strengthens re-engagement in diplomatic relations and commercial trade between the UK and Zimbabwe. In light of these findings, Zimbabweans are encouraged to cultivate an awareness that enables them to reflect on the challenges associated with diplomatic discourses and the implications for critically analysing the re-engagement initiative. They can promote re-engagement by being cognisant of specific values portrayed in The Herald and The Standard and challenging these values in the light of policy transformation to revive the relations between the two countries. The re-engagement process requires a transformation in Zimbabwe's modus operandi to improve the country's positioning in the diplomatic relations between it and the UK. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Humanities, Linguistics and Applied Language Studies, 2023
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- Date Issued: 2023-10-13