Resolving the puzzle of sound propagation in a dilute Bose-Einstein condensate

A unified model of a dilute Bose–Einstein condensate is proposed, combining the logarithmic and Gross–Pitaevskii (GP) nonlinear terms in a wave equation, where the GP term describes two-body interactions, as suggested by the standard perturbation theory; while the logarithmic term is essentially nonperturbative, and takes into account quantum vacuum effects. The model is shown to have excellent agreement with sound propagation data in the condensate of cold sodium atoms known since the now classic works by Andrews and collaborators. The data also allowed us to place constraints on two of the unified model’s parameters, which describe the strengths of the logarithmic and GP terms. Additionally, we suggest an experiment constraining the value of the third parameter (the characteristic density scale of the logarithmic part of the model), using the conjectured attraction–repulsion transition of many-body interaction inside the condensate

Assessing the challenges that are confronted rural-based SMEs on the implementation of cloud services

The increase of contemporary technologies such as cloud-based services has attracted various institutions, especially in developing countries. Many businesses have started to show interest in migrating to the cloud to expand their businesses, particularly in urban areas. However, it has become challenging for rural-based Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) to integrate themselves with ICT innovations such as cloud services as they are facing various challenges like poor development of ICT infrastructure. It is these difficulties that are facing SMEs located in rural areas that are at the core of this study, whose aim is to assess the challenges that rural-based SMEs are facing on the implementation of cloud services. A literature review from the previous studies was used to identify these challenges, which were later transformed into variables that ended up being tested in this paper. These variables include independent variables such as Security, Compatibility, Perceived usefulness, Perceived ease of use, and dependent variable, which are cloud services. A Likert-scale questionnaire-based survey of small business employees was conducted from a small town called Elliotdale, Eastern Cape, South Africa, to assess whether the challenges mentioned above, according to them, have an impact on the implementation of cloud services by SMEs. The data were analyzed to test the reliability and validity of the data-gathering instrument(questionnaires) and inferential statistics such as correlations between independent and dependent constructs, and Regression (predictor). The results indicate that the participants agreed that the challenges mentioned above, such as Security, Compatibility, Perceived Usefulness, Perceived Ease of Use, have a significant impact on the implementation of cloud services by rural-based SMEs

In situ synthesis and AC conductivity studies of polypyrrole–cobalt nanocomposites

Through in situ pyrrole chemical polymerization with various concentrations of CoCl2, conducting polypyrrole-cobalt composites were synthesized using ammonium persulfate as the oxidizing agent. These composites were synthesized using different molarities (0.01, 0.02, 0.03, and 0.05 M) of CoCl2 in polypyrrole. The PPy-Co nanocomposites and their AC conductivity studies were evaluated in this study. The formation of nanocomposites and the structural properties of PPy/PVA/Co were confirmed using FTIR analysis and X-ray crystallography. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to analyze the morphology of the composites, and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) was used to investigate their thermal behavior. The room-temperature AC conductivity and dielectric response of the composites were investigated, and frequency-dependent AC conductivity investigations were conducted in the frequency range of 100 Hz–1 MHz

Association between sexual violence and depression is mediated by perceived social support among female university students in the kingdom of Eswatini

Gender-based violence is a tool that primarily functions to maintain gendered power hierarchies. Manifestations of gender-based violence, sexual assault and street harassment have been shown to have significant effects on mental wellbeing in the global North, however there is little research centering the experiences and consequences of gendered harassment in the Africa region.MethodsWe analyzed a cross-sectional random sample of 372 women attending a major university in Eswatini in 2017 to measure the prevalence of street harassment among female university students and assess the relationship between experiences of sexual assault, sexualized street harassment, and mental health outcomes in this population.ResultsWe found that in the previous 12 months, women reported experiencing high levels of sexual assault (20%), street harassment (90%), and depression (38%). Lifetime sexual assault, past 12 months sexual assault, and street harassment were all significantly associated with symptoms of depression. We created a structural model to test hypothesized causal pathways between street harassment, previous experiences of sexual assault, and symptoms of depression, with social support as a potential mediator. We found that a history of sexual violence significantly mediated the association between street harassment and depression, and that social support mediated a large proportion of the association between both forms of gender-based violence and depression.ConclusionSexualized street harassment is associated with increased depressive symptomology for nearly all women, however the effects are especially pronounced for women who have previous experiences of sexual violence. Sexualized street harassment functions as a tool to maintain gendered power hierarchies by reminding women of ongoing threat of sexual violence even in public spaces. Social support and solidarity among women is a potentially important source of resiliency against the physical and mental harms of all forms of gender based violence

Socio-economic developmental strategies as retail performance indicators: a balanced scorecard approach

This research analyses the commitment to and use of ‘balanced scorecards’ by retailers in generating sustainable profitability, whilst contributing to socio-economic development in South Africa. An international literature review of scorecard frameworks, plans and reports by major retail companies and semi-structured dialogic interviews with a purposive sample of retail business stakeholders and government officials formed the methodology. By contrasting the literature and empirical insights, a summary of findings was generated, which conclude that most retailer scorecards (formal or informal) seek to balance financial with ‘cause-related marketing’ targets, but implementation differs according to factors such as company size, developmental maturity and managerial competence. Furthermore, collaboration between retailers and state institutions in scorecard management is not a reality, as has been achieved in other industries. It is therefore recommended that a Retail Charter scorecard framework be considered, to promote public/private-sector knowledge-sharing and socio-economic development

Nutritional quality of amadumbe (Colocasia esculenta L. Schott) and development of an efficient tissue culture propagation protocol

Submitted in fulfilment for the Master’s Degree of Applied Sciences in Food Science and Technology, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa, 2025.Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott commonly known as amadumbe in South Africa is a conventional underutilised crop. Nutritionally, amadumbe leaves and corms contain nutritionally rich micro- and macro minerals. Amadumbe also contains high fibre, carbohydrates, and protein reserves. Amadumbe can be used as a dual-purpose crop to satisfy undernourished individuals and to alleviate global food insecurity. This research aimed to investigate the quality of amadumbe for use as a green leafy vegetable and to optimize a decontamination procedure to eliminate surface and endogenous contaminants in explants for plant tissue culture. Two sites Umbumbulu (South) and Snembe (North) of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa were sampled and studied. The two sites are located on opposite ends of the province experiencing varied weather patterns viz. temperature and precipitation. Umbumbulu experiences temperatures of 26.2±20.6°C with annual precipitation of 573 mm compared to Snembe with temperatures of 26.5±20.2°C and annual precipitation of 597 mm. Specifically, the (young and mature) leaves and corms were harvested and processed for the quantification of the nutritional (micro and macro nutrients), proximate composition (organic molecules), antinutritional (oxalate concentrations) and optimisation of plant tissue culture decontamination procedure. Furthermore, soil samples were collected from both sites for determination of the soil mineral composition. Potassium was the dominant macro element ranging from (2.0 – 5.1 g/100 g), calcium (0.08 – 1.5 g/100 g), magnesium (0.14 – 0.48 g/100 g), and phosphorus (0.14 – 0.43 g/100 g) in plant tissues. Furthermore, higher levels of micro nutrients were observed with iron (13.4 -88 mg/100 g) and manganese (2.2 – 64 mg/100 g) dominating. Amadumbe leaves also showed to be abundant in moisture, protein, ash, NDF, and ADF. The soil mineral concentrations were significantly different (p<0.05) between locations with soil:plant organ interaction. The effect of [Control, PPMTM, PPMTM (P), NaDCC, and NaDCC (P)] in eliminating contaminants was insignificant (p>0.05), and further optimization approaches need to be investigated. Benlate, alcohol, and TWEEN 20 did not provide any effective outcome to remove possible endogenous and surface contaminants. Bacterial (BC), fungal (FC), and aseptic (ACS) cultures were lost at 120 d due to obstinate microorganisms.National Research Foundation (NRF)

Potential probiotic properties of lactic acid bacteria isolated from gastrointestinal tracts of broiler chickens

Submitted in fulfilment of the academic requirement for the degree of Master of Applied Sciences in Biotechnology, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa, 2025.In poultry farming, antibiotics have been widely utilized as growth enhancers to promote intestinal health and reduce mortality in livestock from pathogenic microorganisms. Many countries have implemented bans on the excessive use of antibiotics because of increasing concerns regarding the resistance of bacteria to antibiotics and the presence of antibiotic residues in poultry products. To counteract this problem, probiotics could be used as adjuncts or as substitutes for preserving a diverse and balanced microflora to prevent the colonization and multiplication of pathogenic bacteria in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, while also improving poultry performance. The functional properties of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and their potential as poultry probiotics have been extensively recorded. Hence, this study aimed to assess the potential probiotic properties of LAB for the development of poultry probiotics by isolating lactic acid bacteria from the digestive tracts of broiler chickens. To achieve this aim, a total of 66 LAB isolates were isolated from the crops and small intestines of broiler chickens, which were screened and evaluated for their probiotic properties, among which 11 strains exhibited excellent probiotic traits and were identified by 16S rDNA sequencing as Enterococcus faecalis strain ATCC 19433 (isolates C4 and C5), Pediococcus pentosaceus strain DSM 20336 (isolates C7, C13 C24, SI23 and SI38), Streptococcus salivarius strain ATCC 7073 (isolate SI4) and Levilactobacillus brevis ATCC 14869 (isolates SI6, SI8 and SI9). The selected strains inhibited tested pathogenic bacterial growth Listeria monocytogenes (ATCC 7644), Salmonella enterica (ATCC 13314), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (ATCC 27853) and Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 29213) with zones of inhibition ranging from 9.00 ±5.66 to 30.00 ±0 mm and survived in simulated gastric juice with a cell viability count greater than 7.0 CFU/ml. Furthermore, the isolates demonstrated remarkable auto aggregation and coaggregation capabilities, along with α-glucosidase inhibitory activity ranging from 25.84 ± 3.08% to 61.77 ± 6.16%. Principal component analysis results indicated that L. brevis NKFS9, P. pentosaceus NKFS3, P. pentosaceus NKFS11 and E. faecalis NKFS1 are the most promising LAB candidates that can be utilized for the development of a multi probiotic strain for broiler chickens. In conclusion, the lactic acid bacteria (LAB) strains isolated from the crops and small intestines of broiler chickens present a valuable prospect for the development of effective probiotics. These probiotics can be utilized as a supplementary inclusion in poultry feed, reducing or obviating the need for antibiotics as growth promoters. Nevertheless, additional in vivo studies are essential to closely monitor and assess the beneficial effects of probiotics on the GI tract of chickens.

Design and construction of a smart meter with embedded web portal

The absence of the necessary infrastructure to make an accurate and precise collection of data when compared to the firstworld countries in the power industry is great. Due to that, the need for the deployment of smart meters has increased in order to offer consumers and customers awareness of their electricity usage, helping them lower their total energy footprint. In this study, realtime low-cost energy management is designed and developed with an embedded web server integration. Using both real and reactive power data obtained from the smart energy system, the power quality can be made better for people taking their power straight from the grid. The work drives building a smart metering solution that helps in the process of monitoring. This smart metering solution involves connecting a load displacement sensor, which is an example of a smart sensor, to a web server, which tracks power consumption. It is mainly utilized for managing the overall power plant and measuring the major power system quantities. Data compression is employed for measurements of power quality and for speeding up the process of data loss prevention. When excess electricity usage occurs, the electrical energy is disconnected from the grid. Future residences will be designed to provide a high degree of interconnectivity and scalability. We demonstrate that by utilizing the foundational ideas of modern Web architecture, we can quickly and simply construct reliable, versatile smart Meter applications with few drawbacks

Metabolomic profiling, computational and experimental validation of sunflower seeds as therapeutics against type-2diabetes mellitus

Submitted in fulfilment for the Degree of Master of Applied Science in Biotechnology, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa, 2025.Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a chronic metabolic disorder characterized by impaired glucose metabolism due to insufficient insulin secretion or insulin resistance. This global health crisis is projected to affect an estimated 7079 individuals per 100,000 by 2030. While medications like metformin are effective, accessibility and affordability are issues consistent with low-income populations alongside potential side effects like hypoglycaemia, nausea and gastrointestinal issues that have limited their use in clinical practice. More importantly, uncontrolled T2DM can lead to serious complications like retinopathy, nephropathy, neuropathy, and delayed wound healing. Therefore, this prompts the search for alternative management options that are safer, easily accessible, affordable and with minimal side effects. Plants and their products are becoming increasingly important due to their relative ease of accessibility, affordability and potential health benefits. Sunflower seed, a popular dietary snack, has rich nutritional profile and has found significant health benefits as an antiinflammatory, antioxidant, anticancer, antimicrobial, and antidiabetic agent. While the antidiabetic potential of sunflower seeds has been explored, there remains a lack of understanding on its mechanism of action. This study addressed this knowledge gap by establishing the comprehensive metabolite profiles and investigating the antidiabetic efficacy of sunflower seed extracts through a two-pronged approach: targeted enzyme inhibition and network pharmacology analyses complemented with experimental validation in vitro. Metabolomic profiling of six cultivars of sunflower seeds commonly consumed in South Africa, namely, AGSUN 8251, 5270, 5101 CLP, 5103 CLP, 5106 CLP and 5108 CLP was performed using Liquid chromatography – mass spectrometry (LC-MS) and Gas chromatography – mass spectrometry (GC-MS) techniques. A total of 94 metabolites were identified, with LC-MS analysis revealing 44 phenolic compounds across the six cultivars with a minor variance of 39.7%, while GC-MS analysis revealed the presence of volatile compounds such as organic acids, alkanes, alcohols, terpenes, heterocyclic compounds and hydrocarbons in all the cultivars in similar abundance. Noteworthily, 84 of the 94 metabolites profiled passed Lipinski’s rule of five and were selected for further analysis. For the enzyme inhibition study, molecular docking analysis was initially used to screen the profiled metabolites against the key enzymes [α-amylase (AAMY), α-glucosidase (AGLU), aldose reductase (AR), sorbitol dehydrogenase (SDH), dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP-4) and protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B)] implicated in T2DM pathogenesis and its secondary complications. The top-ranked metabolites against each enzyme were further subjected to molecular dynamics (MD) simulation to identify putative leads with the strongest binding affinity, and unperturbed structural integrity through evaluation of their stability, compactness and intermolecular interactions. This aspect of the study identified sonchuside I (SON I) - AAMY (–47.26 kcal/mol), sacranoside A (SAC A) - α-glucosidase (–40.10 kcal/mol), pelatoside A (PLT) - AR (–58.84 kcal/mol), sacranoside A (SAC A) - SDH (–48.03 kcal/mol), 4α,6S,7α)-6α-[6-O-(4-Hydroxybenzoyl)-β-D-glucopyranosyloxy]-7βmethyloctahydrocyclopenta[c]pyran-1-one) (PYR) -DPP-4 (–37.93 kcal/mol) and chlorogenic acid (CGA)-PTP1B (–24.32 kcal/mol) as potential lead inhibitors of the respective enzyme relative to their respective reference standards. This was further supported by their improved thermodynamic properties and favourable post-dynamic simulation parameters such as improved stability and compactness of their resulting complexes. These observations are suggestive of multiple mechanisms by which sunflower seed may exert its antidiabetic effects such as anti-hyperglycaemia (α-amylase and α-glucosidase), prevention and management of diabetic complications (AR and SDH), increasing insulin signalling (DPP-4) and sensitivity (PTP1B) by the respective putative leads. For network pharmacology analysis, the filtered sunflower seed metabolites were used to create a gene-compound library that was subsequently used to identify genes commonly associated with both the metabolites and T2DM. Thereafter, Kyoto Encyclopaedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis was performed to identify the most significantly enriched pathways with key target genes for molecular docking and MD simulations to identify lead metabolites. Finally, the antidiabetic activity of sunflower seed extracts and the findings from the network pharmacology analysis were validated using insulin-resistant HepG2 cells where glucose consumption assay and gene expression analysis were performed. The network pharmacology analysis revealed a total of 87 genes common to sunflower seeds metabolites and T2DM, whereas KEGG enrichment analysis highlighted 35 signalling pathways potentially influenced by the metabolites. Of these, the Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) signalling pathway and its hub receptors, Matrix metalloproteinase-1(MMPI) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPAR) were selected as the most significant. These receptors interacted mostly with the identified metabolites, with CGA (– 43.74 kcal/mol), GPA (–41.62 kcal/mol), and CFG (–45.36 kcal/mol) having lower binding free energy than both reference standards, rosiglitazone (ROS) and metformin (MET) against MMP1 after 100 000 ps MD simulation. In contrast, ROS (–46.98 kcal/mol) had better affinity against PPARA compared to the top-hits derived from sunflower seeds. However, against both genes, the top-hits had significant thermodynamic stability, flexibility, and compactness, which are attributable to their bond interactions and molecular orbital properties. These findings are suggestive of the essential role of the top-hits in the antidiabetic potential of sunflower seeds through activation of the PPAR signalling pathway and most especially MMP1. In this regard, the modulation of MMP1 and PPARA genes by the identified metabolites of sunflower seeds may enhance insulin sensitivity and glucose homeostasis in the management of T2DM. Finally, the in vitro validation using insulin-resistant HepG2 cells revealed cultivar-specific effects on cell viability, with each cultivar having a unique optimal concentration. Overall, all cultivars demonstrated the ability to stimulate glucose consumption, suggesting their potential antihyperglycemic activity. Among the cultivars, AGSUN 5103 CLP (14.4 mmol/L), 8251 (14.6 mmol/L), and 5101 CLP (13.7 mmol/L) exhibited the most pronounced glucose lowering action compared to the untreated cells (23.3 mmol/L) after 24 h, highlighting their promising antidiabetic effects. These three cultivars also modulate the PPAR signalling pathway, as evidenced by the upregulation of MMP1 and PPARA expression. Specifically, AGSUN 5101 CLP emerged as a particularly promising candidate based on its superior glucose lowering potential and higher fold increase expression of MMP1 (1.88) and PPARA (4.59) compared to the effect observed with the untreated cells (1.00). In conclusion, this study provides compelling evidence for the antidiabetic potential of sunflower seeds. The observed effects on enzyme inhibition, activation of the PPAR signalling pathway, and stimulation of glucose uptake in HepG2 cells suggest a multifaceted approach by the seeds in regulating blood sugar levels. The identification of cultivar-specific effects and promising lead compounds warrants further investigation to explore the therapeutic potential of sunflower seeds in managing T2DM.

First choice or fallback option? The attractiveness of South Africa’s retail industry for Gen Y members

The wholesale and retail industry is the fourth largest contributor to South Africa’s Gross Domestic Product. However, it faces the major challenge of attracting highly skilled and motivated workers. Although South African universities launched programs in retail management, attracting young talents to a career in retailing remains a tough challenge. Drawing on previous findings from the field of graduate decision-making and industry image from other countries, this research examines the perceptions and expectations of Gen Y members with regard to their field of study and their prospective career. A nationwide survey with 1363 South African first year students, in their first week at university, shows significant differences between freshmen enrolled in retail business management and those enrolled in other business majors. While retail students, as compared to other participants, tend to hold stronger positive associations with their field of study and a retail career, majoring in retailing appears to be a fallback option. Over all participants, the analysis reveals that the perception of retailing careers primarily exceeds expectations on attributes that are only of minor importance. When it comes to important career attributes like payment, work-life balance and advancement issues, the retail image lags behind that of other industries. Comparing the field of study with the preferred industry, we identify four different segments of students that qualify to be targeted by companies and universities in different ways