Electronic Theses and Dissertations (ETD)
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This Community hosts a collection of electronic theses and dissertations (ETDs) submitted by doctoral and masters' students of Wits University. Items in this collection are mapped to relevant collections within the Faculties and Schools communities.
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Item 27 April 2022 in Johannesburg The ‘original sin’ hypothesis and the evolution of programmed cell death en route to eukaryogenesis(2022) La, SoRiProgrammed Cell Death (PCD) genetic toolkits and mechanisms of death in prokaryotes, particularly archaea, are poorly understood and whether PCD mediated conflict in eukaryogenesis remains controversial. This study aimed to investigate C14 peptidases, the key effectors of PCD, in archaea and their evolutionary histories prior to eukaryogenesis. Their wide taxonomic distribution and phylogenetic reconstruction revealed that C14 peptidases were present before the divergence of prokaryotes. Furthermore, phyletic pattern and death domain architecture analyses revealed that they were likely associated with pro-survival functions before their co-option in PCD, supporting Ameisen’s ‘original sin’ hypothesis for PCD origins. In vivo analysis to explore potential caspase- and metacaspase-like activity in Halobacterium salinarum under oxidative stress showed negative results, in accordance with PCD being a black queen trait in the microbial loop between H. salinarum and Dunaliella salina. This study provides a detailed evolutionary history of C14 peptidases prior to eukaryogenesis.Item A 10-year retrospective cohort study on dermatological conditions in renal transplant recipients at the Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital, 2008-2018(2021) Ede, Roseline ChiomaIntroduction: Dermatological conditions are common in renal transplant recipients as aconsequence of chronic immunosuppression. Awareness of these conditions is important to dermatologists as their presentations may be atypical, and their occurrences affect the overall well-being of renal transplant recipients. Aim of study: To describe the spectrum of dermatological conditions observed in renal transplant recipients at Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic hospital between January 2008 and December 2018. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was performed. All participants aged 18 years and above that received a renal allograft and were followed up at the Renal unit in Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital, between January 1, 2008, and December 31, 2018, were recruited. A descriptive analysis of the data was performed. Continuous data were summarised as mean (standard deviation), and median (interquartile range), and categorical data as frequencies and proportions. A test of statistical significance was computed at p less than 0.05. All analyses were performed with Stata Release 15.1. Results: Of all the renal transplant recipients in the study (n=173), 69% developed dermatological conditions during the study period. Twenty-two percent of the dermatological conditions were viral infections; 17% were fungal infections 6% were bacterial infections; 6 % were cutaneous neoplasms, and 17% were adverse drug reactions. Twenty-nine participants had more than one condition. There was a statisticallysignificant difference in dermatological conditions for participants who had infection prophylaxis for six months versus greater than six months, p = .025. There was nostatistically significance difference in dermatological conditions for gender, age, race,aetiology of end-stage renal disease, organ donor type, and type of immunosuppressant drug. There was a trend to more cases of viral infections in males, participants less than 50 years, and participants of African descent but a statistical test of significance was not performed because of small sample size. The median time to develop dermatological conditions was two years. Discussion: The prevalence of dermatological conditions in this study is 69%. The majority ofthese conditions appear to occur between one year to two years following renal transplantation suggesting this may correspond to peak of immunosuppression. Conclusion: This study shows that dermatological conditions are common in renal transplantrecipients. This study also appears to suggest that majority of these dermatological conditions are cutaneous infections and occur at peak of immunosuppression. Cutaneous adverse drug reactions, mostly acneiform eruptions was also noted to be common during the peak of immunosuppression. It is important that patients are aware of these conditions and follow appropriate preventive strategies. It is even more pertinent that dermatologists collaborate with nephrologists in the surveillance and appropriate management of these conditions.Item A 3d monofilament biosuture for microvascular surgery applications(2022) de la Harpe, Kara MiaWith a huge global market of over $ 3.7 billion annually and employment in more than 12 million procedures per year, sutures are one of the most widely used medical devices of the day. Yet, the ideal suture material does not exist, and surgeons battle on a daily basis with the various complications caused by these key medical devices. The ideal suture should create an environment that not only supports, but also encourages wound healing by delicately approximating the wound edges without contributing to the damage and inflammatory activity of the wound. Regrettably, most suture materials have no inherent therapeutic activity and contrarily cause damage to the tissue through effects such as ‘sawing’ and ‘cheese-wiring’, that can delay the wound healing process. Hence, there is an urgent need for a more advanced suture material that is, not only biocompatible and safe, but also inherently bioactive and able to either prevent complications or contribute to the wound healing process. The aim of this study is to design, fabricate and evaluate a novel absorbable, monofilament biosuture material, that consist only of natural biopolymers with established biocompatibility and biodegradability. The biosuture will be transformed into a drug delivery device, that can provide localized, sustained drug release to help address complications such as ischemic reperfusion injury and the dreaded ‘no-reflow’ phenomenon during microvascular surgery. Various biopolymers, such as alginate, pectin, nanocellulose and gelatin, were investigated during the preliminary design phase, to obtain an optimized biosuture formulation that could meet the United Stated Pharmacopoeia’s requirements for suture tensile strength. The optimized formulation consisted of alginate (6% w/v), pectin (0.1% w/v), gelatin (3% w/v) and glycerol (4% v/v). Different methods of drug loading were also investigated and the optimal method, namely a lipid-drug coating, selected for further characterization. The biosutures displayed excellent mechanical properties with a maximum load failure of 4.14 N in the straight configuration. SEM images revealed a smooth surface morphology and even coating of the biosuture with the lipid-drug layer. The lipid-drug coating displayed a suitable loading capacity (53 – 101 ug/cm) and provided controlled drug release over a period of seven days. The biosutures degraded by means of surface erosion and were fully eroded after 5 weeks of incubation. The physiochemical and thermal properties of the biosutures were investigated by means of FTIR, XRD, TGA and DSC) and showed favourable results. The biosutures also displayed excellent biocompatibility and improved cell viability over a period of 48 hours. The biosutures displayed good hemocompatibility with no haemolytic or platelet activating abilities. The results are very encouraging warrant further in vivo investigation of the newly developed biosuture material.Item A Bayesian approach to lightning ground-strike points analysis(2022) Lesejane, WandileStudying cloud-to-ground lightning strokes and ground strike points provides an alternative method of lightning mapping for lightning risk assessment. Various k-means algorithms have been used to verify the ground strike points from lightning locating systems. These algorithms produce results but have the potential to be improved. This research report proposes using Bayesian Network which is a model that has not been used before to verify lightning ground strike points. A Bayesian Network is a probabilistic graphical model that makes use of Bayes Theorem to represent the conditional dependencies of variables. The network created for this research were learned from the data using a score-based structure learning and the Bayesian Information Criterion score function was used. The models were evaluated using a confusion matrix and a kappa index. They produced accuracies ranging from 86% to 94% with a kappa index of up to 0.76. The results from the Bayesian Network models are within the range of the available algorithms used currently to analyse lightning ground strike points but have an advantage of not needing a predetermined distance, easy to interpret and as well as being suitable for small data sets. The use of a Bayesian network is a good candidate for an alternative method to analyse lightning ground strike points.Item A bioresponsive injectable ocugel for post-surgical cataract treatment(2022) Lekoloane, Noko JacquelineThe eye is a complex organ with a unique anatomy and physiology. Topical formulations are still the most widely preferred non-invasive route of drug administration used to treat ocular diseases. This is owing to their ease of administration and high patient compliance. Nonetheless, the use of these conventional ocular formulations present bioavailability drawbacks as a result of the numerous anatomical constraints such as tear turnover, and static ocular barriers (sclera, different layers of the cornea, blood-aqueous and blood-retinal barriers) and dynamic ocular barriers (tear dilution, conjunctival blood flow, choroidal blood flow, and lymphatic clearance). These barriers pose a challenge and impede deeper ocular drug permeation. As a result, only around 5% of the topically administered dose penetrates deeper eye tissues. To overcome these ocular drug delivery barriers and improve ocular bioavailability, tremendous effort has gone into ocular research to develop safe and patient-friendly novel drug delivery systems/devices/biomaterials, such as emulsions, ointments, suspensions, nanomicelles, nanoparticles, liposomes, dendrimers, implants, microneedles, contact lenses, nanosuspensions, and in situ thermosensitive gels. The design of these drug delivery systems ranges from employing natural/synthetic polymers, peptides/proteins and ocular bioactives for treatment and management of ocular diseases. There have been great advancements in the area of ocular drug delivery. However, there is still no system that meets all the requirements of an ideal ocular drug delivery system. The goal of this research was to develop a stimuli-responsive intracamerally-injected thermo-ocugel system for post-cataract surgery infection and inflammation treatment or prophylaxis. A dual drug-loaded in situ-forming injectable thermoresponsive chitosangelatin hydrogel was developed employing naturally-derived polymers and crosslinkers that would aid cytocompatibility and biocompatibility in terms of presenting optimal mechanical properties, in combination with the anti-inflammatory agents such as dexamethasone sodium phosphate (DSP), and anti-bacterial agents such as moxifloxacin hydrochloride (MOX) The properties of the ocular drug delivery system were explored by employing double crosslinking approach to fabricate an ocular system capable of forming an in-situ hydrogel at ocular physiological conditions. The double crosslinking approach enabled the dual incorporation of MOX and DSP, in addition to forming the in situ thermoresponsive hydrogel. This drug delivery system acted as a reservoir for both MOX and DSP to prolong their residence time and control their release. thus to decreasing the need for frequent administration. The drug delivery system exhibited thermoresponsive behaviour with gel formation occurring within a temperature range of 25 to 38 °C with the highest gelling point at 32 °C. Rigidity (G’) of this system started increasing from 5 hours of genipin crosslinking and reached 3.5 kPa in 12 hours. The system allowed for dual drug encapsulation efficiencies of 91.48% and 75.27%, and drug loading of 1.87% and 6.14% for DSP and MOX, respectively. The system showed a burst release of 52.75 ± 3.12%, and 60.94 ± 8.31% in 12 hours, which increased to 76.61 ± 5.91% and 81.71± 4.85% in 3 days, followed by a steady release of 0.53 ± 0.15 % and 0.81 ± 0.26% per week for DSP and MOX, respectively. The system showed a rapid fluid uptake of 126.02% in the first 3 days followed by a gradual increase up to 198.72% in 28 days. The system exhibited a low level of erosion (1.5%) on the first 3 days whereas a slightly higher degree of erosion rate (16.58%) was observed between 3 and 14 days and the overall surface erosion was 18.20% in 28 days. The dual drug incorporation, fluid uptake and surface erosion properties of the fabricated novel thermo-ocugel system were suitable for the application as potential treatment of postcataract surgery infection and inflammation. The thermo-ocugel's in vivo performance and safety was evaluated in order to provide more evidence of its ocular compatibility and drug levels achieved in normal ocular conditions. Significant inflammatory alterations, as well as any differences in the ocular tissues as a result of the thermo-ocugel injection or the injection technique, were assessed via histological analysis. The thermo-ocugel introduction to ocular tissues following intracameral injection resulted in notable cases of inflammation. However, the inflammation cases showed great resolution within a period of 21 days for the dual drug-loaded thermo-ocugel. The high therapeutic concentrations (>0.2 µg/mL) attained in the first 7 days for MOX highlight that the drug level attained would be sufficient to induce a therapeutic antibiotic effect while still remaining under the reported non-toxic concentrations of 150 µg/mL for the required antibiotic treatment period of 7 days. The release profile for DSP indicated concentrations which were above the MEC (0.5164 µg/mL) for the 28-day period of investigation. The thermo-ocugel thus achieved therapeutic levels of both the antibiotic and anti-inflammatory agent over the required treatment periods, while significantly reducing administration frequency, which is one of the drawbacks associated with antibiotic and anti-inflammatory eyedrop formulations on the market for post-cataract surgery infection and inflammation. Furthermore, the prolonged maintenance of effective ocular anti-inflammatory drug concentrations is a good indication of the thermo-ocugel’s efficacy in counteracting the pathological tissue changes that occur when inflammation is prompted following ocular surgical procedures.Item A chow-liu score-based structure learning approach to refining course curricula in higher education(2024) Naicker, LeanthaHigh failure and dropout rates have challenged higher education learning institutions to support students and keep them motivated throughout their undergraduate and postgraduate learning. This is not only beneficial to tertiary institutions but also to South Africa as a whole. This research adds to the field of curriculum learning using structure learning graphical modelling to refine course curricula at a tertiary level. This will assist faculties in ensuring that students are provided sufficient knowledge in their respective fields through the co-requisite and prerequisite subjects of each program. This problem is constantly being looked at in literature, with most solutions embedded in manual methods; however, in recent years, there has been a shift to looking at how artificial intelligence and machine learning can be used to produce unbiased solutions. Chow-Liu’s score-based structure learning method in conjunction with K2 scoring is used in this research, due to its ability to handle large node spaces and reduce complexity with its treestructured approach. The method is first validated using synthetically generated data before it is exposed to the real-world observational database. The data set used for this study is obtained from a South African university after removing all socio-economic and demographic data. The results have two noted benefits; one is to help refine course curricula for undergraduate degrees by suggesting co-requisite and prerequisite courses to be added for various programs and the second is to help prescribe subject selection for postgraduate students.Item A clinical audit of antipsychotic prescriptions and associated clinical profile at Helen Joseph Hospital, Johannesburg, South Africa(2022) Mwenda, JonesBackground Antipsychotics are a group of agents used to treat symptoms of several psychiatric disorders. Multiple global guidelines recommend treatment with second-generation antipsychotic (SGA) agents as a first line of treatment for psychotic disorders. Aim The aim was to examine the pattern of antipsychotic prescription and associated factors at Helen Joseph Hospital over a six-month period. Methods The researcher conducted a retrospective record review of 104 patients who were treated at various times over six months from 1 July to 31 December 2018. The data on demographic information, psychiatric diagnoses, medication, side effects were extracted from available clinical records. Results The mean age of patients in this study was 35.4 years with more being male (n=65, 62.5%) than female (n=39, 37.5%). Antipsychotics were used mostly for treating psychotic disorders (n=39; 37.5%) followed by mood disorders (n=31; 29.8%), substance-induced disorders (n=26; 25%), and psychiatric disorders due to another medical condition (n=8; 7.7%). Majority of patients were on oral SGAs (n=86), mostly risperidone (n=59) followed by olanzapine (n=24). LAIs were used in 27 cases with flupenthixol (n=17) being the main one. Oral FGAs were used in 13 patients and clozapine was used in four. Three-quarters of the patients (76.2%) were on monotherapy, the only statistically viii significant finding. Risperidone was implicated in most side effects reported (n=8) with EPSEs (n=6) occurring most commonly in the study population. Conclusion The use of antipsychotics at Helen Joseph Hospital was found to be in line with the local Essential Medicines List and global trends.Item A clinical review of patients who underwent arthroplasty for the treatment of a neck of femur fracture at Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital(2022) Wessels, Joseph DanielBackground: Intracapsular neck of femur fractures are common in the elderly and are associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Little is known about the outcome of intracapsular neck of femur fractures in South Africa. The aim of this study was to determine the outcome of patients who underwent arthroplasty for the treatment of a neck of femur fracture at Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital. Methods: A retrospective, descriptive review was done on 114 patients who underwent arthroplasty for the treatment of a neck of femur fracture from 01 January 2013 to 30 April 2017 at Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital. Primary outcome measures included mortality and morbidity. Secondary outcome measures included patient based outcome scores, as well as clinician based outcome measures. Results: The mean age of the patients was 66.6 years (range 50 to 92 years). The majority of patients were female (n = 65; 59.1%). Most patients underwent an uncemented total hip arthroplasty (n = 80; 72.7%). The posterior approach was the most frequently used approach (n = 74; 67.3%). There was one (0.9%) in-hospital mortality and 19 (17.3%) patients had morbidities. Iatrogenic intra-operative peri-prosthetic fracture was the most frequently encountered complication, occurring in 14 (12.7%) patients. This did not alter the outcome. Conclusion: Our results show that patients have a favourable outcome when arthroplasty is used for the treatment of neck of femur fractures even though our management protocol differs from the recommended guidelines. Furthermore, our results indicate a low rate of morbidity with only one mortality.Item A comparative analysis of mining environmental management programme reports following a change to the one environmental system(2022) Mathe, LebogangThe mining fraternity has recently seen a shift in terms of environmental requirements under the ambit of the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act 28 of 2002 (MPRDA) to the National Environmental Management Act 107 of 1998 (NEMA). The objective was to ensure a streamlined environmental compliance and to put emphasis on integrated environmental management. The One Environmental System (OES) was introduced which denotes that all environmental related projects or activities, including mining, are regulated through an ambit of one system. NEMA is recognised as an overarching law which provides for co-operative environmental governance; therefore, all environmental related activities are regulated under its ambit and EIA regulations. In this research report, the Environmental Management Programme (EMP) reports and Environmental Authorisations that were issued under the MPRDA and the 2014 NEMA regulations respectively, were analysed using the respective regulations to compare the environmental management measures outlined in the reports to achieve better environmental results. The aim of the research was to assess whether the Environmental Authorisations granted in terms of NEMA reflect better environmental results as compared to those issued under the MPRDA. Better environmental results mean improved management plans with clearer assessment of impacts, more detailed mitigation measures with specific, achievable, relevant and time bound actions that do not pose harmful effects on the environment and communities. A mixed method of analysis was implemented which included a review and comparison of legislation, evaluation and scoring of 20 EMPs (10 submitted under MPRDA and 10 submitted under NEMA) and interviews with key informants, namely competent authorities and the Environmental Assessment Practitioners (EAPs) were conducted to support the findings of the reports. In conclusion, the reports analysed presented a significant improvement and better environmental results under NEMA. The interviews conducted with authorities and the EAPs have also substantiated the observations made in terms of Environmental Management Programme reports and Environmental Authorisations submitted. The findings indicated that there were similarities in the MPRDA and NEMA regulations as 4 | P a g e regards some environmental requirements. However, the MPRDA lacked to outline a detailed description of environmental requirements needed to manage environmental impacts. Thus, applicants provided limited information in terms of the management of impacts. NEMA has provided additional requirements, including baseline environmental information, specialist reports and public participation amongst others; these contributed to improved environmental results. The study revealed that the reports submitted under NEMA provided better environmental management measures as compared to the reports submitted under MPRDA.Item A comparative study of classical and contemporary commercial vocal pedagogies(2022) Cox, Megan NicoleThis study analyses the emerging discourses present in classical and contemporary commercial music (CCM) vocal pedagogy texts. It inquires into how these discourses manifest with regards to the vocal techniques of registration, vocal colour, and vibrato. The methodology involved identifying key words and phrases, interpreting them through the devices of situated meanings and cultural models, and placing them in a larger social structure through historical and intertextual context. The emergent discourses among classical pedagogy texts reflect themes of racial and gender bias, pathologising and othering CCM techniques and singers, recommending a bodiless tone, and revering the golden age of bel canto. The emergent discourses among CCM pedagogy texts reflect themes of commercialism, anti-institutionalism, and omnivory. Overall, this suggests that the discourses driving these fields are not unrelated, but rather reflections of each other.Item A comparison of growth between HIV exposed and uninfected and HIV unexposed uninfected infants who received KMC at Chris Hani Baragwanath academic hospital.(2022) Mapatha, Leshata AbigailIntroduction: Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) has been associated with improved growth in low birthweight infants and reduction in hypothermia, hypoglycaemia, apnoeas, sepsis, hospital stay and mortality. The growth of HIV-infected children is poorer than those who are HIV-uninfected. There is paucity of data on the growth in the HIV-exposed uninfected (HEU) infants compared to HIV-unexposed uninfected (HUU) infants receiving KMC. Aim: This study compared the growth of HEU and infants HUU from admission to the KMC ward until 12 months corrected age (CA) follow-up visit. Methods: Retrospective record review of the neonates admitted in KMC at Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital over a two-year period (2012-2013). The weight gain was assessed via weight velocity using the formula; weight/kg/day from admission to KMC to discharge, at term, 3, 6 and 9- and 12-months (CA). The demographics were collected and analysed using Statistica. Results: Seventy-seven (129/166) percent of the mothers were HIV negative. HIV negative mothers were younger (25.9 vs 31.6 years; p=0.000) and had fewer pregnancies (p=0.02). There was no difference between the gestational age (30.3±2.53 vs 30.8±2.88 weeks; p=0.35) and birthweight (1345g±234 vs 1314g±209; p= 0.47) between HEU and HUU. There were no differences in the weight gain (23.84g±12.18 vs 23.22±15.16; p=0.83) in KMC. There were no differences in weight gain at the different follow-up time points between the two groups. Conclusion: Both HEU and HUU groups of infants showed reasonable weight gain above 15g/kg/day despite maternal HIV statusItem A comparison of the Ages and Stages questionnaire3 (ASQ-3) with the gold standard- Bayley Scales of Infant Development III in South Africa.(2022) Omar, ZaheerahIntroduction Globally, over 200 million children in low-middle income countries (LMIC) have disabilitiesor developmental delay. In South Africa and other LMIC due to the high burden of health- related disorders, early identification of developmental delays is often not prioritised. Assessment tools help us screen and assess if an infant or toddler is reaching their milestonesand are developing accordingly. The Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development (version 3) (BSID-III) has been deemed the “gold-standard” of developmental assessment globally. It has been used worldwide and has been translated into many languages. The Ages and Stages Questionnaire(ASQ-3) is a global, frequently used parental screening tool with good psychometric characteristics and it is considered cost effective and appropriate for developing countries. Ithas been used in a variety of cultures and countries and literature suggests that it’s an appropriate tool to be used cross-culturally. This study aimed at comparing the results obtained from the ASQ-3 completed by the parentto the BSID-III completed by the physiotherapist. Method This study was a cross sectional study, conducted in Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital (CMJAH) in South Africa at the neonatal high risk follow up clinic. A total of 60 children aged two months, four months, six months, eight months, ten months andtwelve months were assessed. Parents completed the ASQ-3 and the researcher conducted theBSID-III thereafter. Data was collected from both tests and documented. Both assessments were scored so that the subtests from the ASQ-3 and BSID-III results could be compared. 2 2 The scaled scores of the BSID-III were compared to total ASQ-3 scores. Results were analysed to see if there was a correlation and agreement between that attained by the physiotherapist using the BSID-III and the parent completed ASQ-3. Results Sixty infants up to the age of 12 months were assessed using both the ASQ-3 and the BSIDIII. A weak non-significant correlation was found between all domains of the BSID and the ASQ. The only significant correlation (0.04) was found between the fine motor domains of both tools. When investigating whether participants were categorised as normal, at risk and delayed on the two tests, there was only a significant difference in categorisation for thelanguage/communication domains (p=0.01). The sensitivity and specificity of the ASQ-3 was estimated with the BSID-III as the referencemethod. Sensitivity ranged from 12.5%-42.9% and specificities ranged from 71.1%-93.2%. Conclusion In the South African context, the ASQ-3 is a simple and cost-effective screening tool for developmental delay. Despite the BSID-III and ASQ-3 not correlating strongly, the ASQ-3 can be used to identify infants who may need further detailed developmental assessments as itcan indicate if they are at risk for developmental delay.Item A Comparison of the Catherine Bergego Scale and the Semi-Structured Scales for Functional Evaluation of Hemi-Inattention in patients with stroke(2022) Vorster, KaraBackground It is common to experience unilateral neglect after suffering from a stroke. This can have an effect on the patient’s activities of daily living, the rehabilitation process and the length of stay in hospital. There are many different outcome measures that can be used to measure unilateral neglect. It is therefore important to determine which outcome measure is best used in a South African in-patient rehabilitation hospital. The aim of this study was to compare the responsiveness of the CBS via the KF-NAP to the Two Semi-Structured Scales for Functional Evaluation of Hemi-inattention when measuring unilateral neglect in adult patients following a stroke in a neurological rehabilitation unit. Method Forty-one patients from Witrand Hospital Rehabilitation unit were recruited to participate in this study. All of the participants included in this study experienced a first-ever stroke and they were excluded if they had severe speech impairments, were confused or had impairments or activity limitations that are not related to stroke. All participants gave informed consent and thereafter the Catherine Bergego Scale (CBS) and the Two Semi-Structured Scales for Functional Evaluation of Hemi-inattention was then administered. The scores were calculated for the CBS & the Two Semi-Structured Scales for Functional Evaluation of Hemi-inattention by adding the results of each item for each patient. The different categories were also scored individually. Frequencies and percentages for the CBS via KFNAP and the Two Semi-Structured Scales for Functional Evaluation of Hemi-inattention were calculated. Results It was determined that the majority of study participants experienced neglect on admission at the Rehabilitation unit. The unilateral neglect mean score during admission was higher than the score on discharge with the CBS and the Two Semi-Structured Scales for Functional Evaluation of Hemi-inattention. The p-value comparing mean scores of the two methods, was 0,308 which showed that statistically there was no difference when comparing the two outcome measures. Conclusion This study found that either the CBS via the KF-NAP or the Two Semi-Structured Scales for Functional Evaluation of Hemi-inattention are responsive when measuring unilateral neglect in a rehabilitation setting.Item A comparison of the lesser pelvis and hip's synergistic muscular function between women with self-reported hip symptoms and a control group(2022) Oelofse, MarietteIntroduction The pelvic floor muscles (PFM) and the hip's indiscriminate relationship are shown in their anatomical connection. Excluding PFM function when managing hip symptoms may lead to essential information being overlooked and missed. This study investigated Hip and PFM symptoms, quality of life (QoL) and function in young sportswomen, with self-reported hip symptoms, compared to a non-symptomatic hip group and hypothesised to identify differences between groups. Method This observational study compared the stated outcomes between two groups of nulligravida sportswomen aged 18-35 years: Group 1 (n=19) with hip symptoms and a non-symptomatic Group 2 (n=19). The Self-Administered Co-Morbidity Questionnaire (SCQ) and The Hip And Groin Outcome Score (HAGOS) were utilised to screen and select participants. The HAGOS also measured Group1's hip symptoms. The Australian Pelvic Floor Function Questionnaire measured PFM QoL and symptoms. A transverse, transabdominal sonar application measured bladder base (BB) displacement indicating PFM movement. Furthermore, a practical work/rest surface electromyography (sEMG) test showed the balanced function of the hip's posterior synergies. The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 27 and The Mann–Whitney U test was used. The effect sizes were interpreted according to Cohen's (1992) recommendations. Results Group 1 reported hip symptoms and PFM symptoms such as incomplete bladder emptying, urgency, frequency and dyspareunia. These symptoms impacted their QoL. Group 2 reported no hip symptoms and fewer PFM symptoms, which had a lesser effect on their QoL. The strength difference between groups for bladder function was medium (r = -0.340). No significant differences were found in the bowel and sexual function. The PFM function sonar assessment showed asymmetry of the BB at rest was evident in Group 1, 53% (n = 19), vs Group 2, 31,6% (n = 19). Furthermore, the caudal displacement of the BB during a breathing cycle of high-medium effect (r = - 0.467) and a significant difference in the displacement of the BB in a cephalad direction during a voluntary PFM contraction (r = -0.671). The sEMG, as a measure of hip muscle function, the posterior synergies of the hip, between groups, showed more imbalance between hips in Group 1 vs Group 2. When considering the median value as a measure of central tendency between Group 1, Mdn = 8.4 (n = 19), and Group 2 Mdn = 3.7 (n = 19), a clinically relevant difference is observed and indicates more imbalance between hips in Group 1. Conclusion The hip and PFM dynamic relationship in managing young sportswomen with hip symptoms should be considered as differences in PFM symptoms, QoL and significant differences in PFM function were found between Group 1 and Group 2. Furthermore, clinically relevant hip function differences were found between groups. Health professionals in the sporting environment can utilise the current study's non-invasive measures and procedures during clinical assessment. The outcomes may lead to the holistic management of hip and PFM symptoms, early referral to relevant health professionals and management of load on the PFM and the hip during sports participation.Item A computationally efficient method for the scheduling of complex batch processes(2022) Croft, JoelThis dissertation presents an improved continuous time, unit-specific event-based Mixed-Integer Linear Programming formulation for the optimal scheduling of general network-represented batch plants, based on the State-Task Network representation. The formulation draws on and combines the strengths of previous works in order to incorporate rigorous conditional sequencing, pre- and post-processing unit wait and task splitting while ensuring the integrity of the Finite Intermediate Storage policy. Task splitting is simulated without requiring potential problem truncation and nested iteration which may result from the utilization of a splitting parameter ∆𝑛 and threeindex binary and continuous variables to represent the start and end events of tasks. Additionally, the proposed formulation allows for the fractional extraction of produced states from their producing unit at multiple events, thereby increasing the flexibility of resulting schedules. Computational performance is compared against reimplementations of four recent task splitting formulations through solution of 22 example problems using the GAMS CPLEX solver in order to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach and highlight its advantages. It is shown how the proposed formulation is the most reliable due to its ability to converge in all of the considered problem instances and not get trapped at suboptimal solutions due to iterative procedures relating to task splitting. The proposed model performed the fastest during solution in 16 of these examples, while in the other six (Examples 4.1 and 10.4 to 10.8.), the solution time was very comparable to the other formulations investigated. The proposed model demonstrated a best-case CPU time reduction of more than 90%.Item A content and genre analysis of Black romance novels in South Africa(2023) Mhlambi, NolwaziThe popularity of independently published black women authors within the South African publishing market has raised multiple areas of interest. The project has both genre analysis and content-based goals. Firstly, these goals have to do with defining what is Black South African romance and identifying the literary narratives that fall within this genre. Secondly, the project analyses the identified themes as part of the literature review and as part of common themes such as gender-based violence, patriarchy, violence, and intimate partner violence that are identifiable in romance novels written by Black South African women. Consequently, these themes become a vehicle to interrogate why black romance novels are actively gatekept from mainstream publishing and how these challenges of gatekeeping present themselves to these authors.Item A cost effectiveness analysis of maternal multiple micronutrient supplementation in South Africa(2022) Mdewa, WinfridaObjectives Recent evidence has demonstrated that multiple micronutrient supplementation in pregnancy has greater benefits than iron and folate supplementation with recommendations being made to the South African government to consider switching from the current iron and folate regimen to multiple micronutrients. The objective of the study was to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of replacing iron and folate supplementation with multiple micronutrient supplementation in antenatal care in the South African public health care system. Methods A cost-utility analysis was conducted using a decision analytical model from a public healthcare payers perspective. The target population for the analysis was pregnant women attending antenatal clinics in the public health sector. Health outcomes considered in the analysis were obtained from a systematic review and include low birth weight, small for gestational age, still births and diarrhoea in children under 1 year. Direct medical costs considered in the analysis were incurred in one year and benefits accrued over a person’s lifetime. Resource utilisation, cost estimates, length of hospitalisation, probabilities of health outcomes, and measures of effectiveness were sourced from literature. Costs were expressed in South African rand and effectiveness was measured in DALYs. One way and probabilistic sensitivity analysis were conducted to explore key model assumptions and parameters. Results Multiple micronutrient supplementation was the dominant strategy being more effective and less costly than iron and folate supplementation. Sensitivity analysis showed that base-case results were robust to variations of key model parameters. The South African government should consider replacing iron and folate supplementation with multiple micronutrient supplementation in South African public health facilities.Item A covariance based method to describe power processing in power electronics converters(2022) Eardley, ArloThis paper explores the use of a new topology evaluation framework to describe the internal power processing of a power electronics converter. This method is called the matrix method and leverages off a covariance matrix to describe power processing patterns in a power electronics converter. Covariance measures how two signals interact with each other. The covarianc between the power waveforms of the components in a converter describes how these components interact in terms of power. These are called “power interactions”. These power interactions between component powers provide insight into the power processing of a topology. The covariance matrix contains all combinations of component power pairs. This aims to describe all the power interactions components have in the entire converter. The covariance matrix is interpreted as describing the power processing inside a converter, where circulating power is occurring and which components are most involved in power processing. The covariance matrices of converters are able to be compared in a quantitative manner with the aim of providing a more justifiable reason for topology selection rather than personal bias. The matrix method is shown to be aligned with the principles of differential power theories. The matrix method is shown to be useful in comparing topologies, aiding in the topology selection processItem A critical discourse analysis of the operation of power and ideology in COVID-19 vaccine Twitter commentary(2023) Jokanovic, IvanaSince its emergence in early 2020, the Covid-19 pandemic has drastically altered the lives of people across the world. Whilst the effects of the pandemic have currently subsided, the most prominent preventative measure for minimizing severe infection in those most vulnerable to the disease included the recent scientific developments of Covid-19 vaccines. A multitude of discourses that promote the use of vaccines exist alongside discourses that challenge the efficacy of vaccines. The aim of this research report was to provide a greater comprehension of the existing discourses and ideologies of Covid-19 vaccine acceptance and reluctance in South Africa as revealed by Twitter commentaries. Naturally occurring data generated between February 2021 and February 2022 was collected from Twitter in the form of Tweets authored by South African influencers, and comments constructed by Twitter users in response to influencer content. This report utilised Fairclough’s model of critical discourse analysis which consisted of three phases that began with a textual analysis, followed by a processing analysis, and concluded with a social analysis. Vaccine hesitant discourses functioned as the foundations of cultural, religious, familial, and political ideologies – which broadly constructed a reality in which the Covid-19 vaccine was deemed as risky and potentially lethal. The primary discourses that shed light on the ideologies underpinning Covid-19 vaccine acceptance included medical-scientific and biological discourses. These discourses were deemed to be functions of the ideology of evidence-based medicine and the educational institutional state apparatus. The functioning of these ideologies constructed a reality in which scientific institutions and knowledge were deemed as trustworthy and the Covid-19 vaccine was constructed as life-saving intervention. This research contributes to the literature on vaccine discourses in the era of social media and Covid-19. This report’s findings may provide opportunities for productive communication and intervention with the occurrence of similar divisive phenomena in South African digital spaces.Item A critique of sexism in selected Zimbabwean songs: a decolonial perspective(2023) Gazimbi, Takudzwa SandraThis study is a critique of sexism in Zimbabwean dancehall (Zimdancehall) songs. It aims to unpack how male artists represent women in their song lyrics in the local Shona language. To validate the decoloniality of the study, the researcher also looks at female artists’ contribution to sexism in song lyrics. The study particularly examines how women become victims of oppression and insult through song lyrics. The research takes a decolonial posture that seeks to research while empowering and fighting alongside women. Social justice and activism accompany the theory and the method of this study and that is in rhythm and rhymes with decoloniality as a theory and critical diversity literacy, in which this study is located. The use of a qualitative research approach enables the study to answer why and how male artists portray women as sexist objects. The analysis of the music lyrics displays unequal power relations which exist between men and women. Issues of commodification, violence, objectification, exploitation of women are raised. The excerpts from the songs display how, indeed, sexism has become rampant in Zimbabwean songs. A considerable portion of these songs contain obscene amounts of sexist talk which disrespects womanhood. Sexist lyrics continue to gain affirmation from listeners. This exposure makes them perpetrators of sexism as music has a huge impact on people.