An empirical study of the entrepreneurial intentions of research scientists and engineers in South Africa

Thesis (M.M. (Entrepreneurship and New Venture Creation))--University of the Witwatersrand, Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management, Graduate School of Business Administration, 2015.Universities and public research organisations have an important role to play in enhancing regional economic development through the commercialisation of research outputs. In South Africa, little is known about the motivations behind scientists’ and engineers’ intentions to transition from academic research to entrepreneurship. Drawing on the theory of planned behaviour, this research explores the entrepreneurial intentions of research scientists and engineers and the personal, social and environmental factors influencing these intentions. Primary data was collected at a university and a science council through an online survey. The theory of planned behaviour model was found to adequately explain the entrepreneurial intentions of the sampled research scientists and engineers. The three antecedents of entrepreneurial intentions in this model are an individual’s attitude to the entrepreneurial behaviour, subjective norms and perceived behavioural control. The attitude to entrepreneurial behaviour was found to be the main predictor of entrepreneurial intentions. The indirect effects of the subjective norms and the perceived behavioural control on entrepreneurial intentions were investigated using structural equation modelling. The research findings suggest that perceived barriers to, and perceived support structures for, entrepreneurship play a marginal role in influencing research scientists’ and engineers’ intentions to start a new business. Gender and age are important control variables, as they have an indirect effect on entrepreneurial intention through the three antecedents. This study is the first of its kind in South Africa where the theory of planned behaviour is used to explain the entrepreneurial intentions of research scientists and engineers. The study advances the knowledge and understanding of academic entrepreneurship in South Africa by accounting for individual attitudes, beliefs and perceptions

A conformational analysis of signal peptides

A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Science University of the Witwatersrand in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. Johannesburg, 1998.Conformational analysis of portions of functionally-active and functionally-inactive signal peptides (incorporating the wild-type and mutants thereof) has been performed using a variety of computational prediction techniques based on both statistics and molecular mechanics. Molecular mechanics conformational studies are generally plagued by the problem of combinatorial explosion; this problem was addressed with a systematic searching procedure as well as a recently developed genetic algorithm, both utilising tile ECEPP/3 force field. The genetic algorithm, in combination with a gradient minimiser, proved to be successful in finding low-energy conformations for each peptide sequence studied. Analysis was performed in both simulated hydrophobic and hydrophilic environments, under distance-constraints. The molecular mechanics results and statistical predictions generated from the study were compared With existing experimental observations. The reliability of statistical predictions proved to be dependent on prediction method; the more consistent predictions were produced by methods based on membrane proteins, as opposed to those based on globular proteins. The physical property of hydrophobicity of signal peptide sequences, explored in these statistical predictions, was determined to be an important factor in relating sequence to functional activity. Molecular mechanics calculations produced either interrupted or non interrupted a-helical secondary structures both for functionally-efficient and for functionally-inefficient signal peptides, indicating that cc-helixformation alone cannot be correlated with protein export competence. It was concluded from our overall results that both a-helicity and hydrophobicity are required for the efficient functioning of signal peptides.AC201

Designed Metal-ATCUN Derivatives: Redox- and Non-redox-Based Applications Relevant for Chemistry, Biology, and Medicine

UID/QUI/50006/2019The designed "ATCUN'' motif (amino-terminal copper and nickel binding site) is a replica of naturally occurring ATCUN site found in many proteins/peptides, and an attractive platform for multiple applications, which include nucleases, proteases, spectroscopic probes, imaging, and small molecule activation. ATCUN motifs are engineered at periphery by conjugation to recombinant proteins, peptides, fluorophores, or recognition domains through chemically or genetically, fulfilling the needs of various biological relevance and a wide range of practical usages. This chemistry has witnessed significant growth over the last few decades and several interesting ATCUN derivatives have been described. The redox role of the ATCUN moieties is also an important aspect to be considered. The redox potential of designed M-ATCUN derivatives is modulated by judicious choice of amino acid (including stereochemistry, charge, and position) that ultimately leads to the catalytic efficiency. In this context, a wide range of M-ATCUN derivatives have been designed purposefully for various redox- and non-redox-based applications, including spectroscopic probes, target-based catalytic metallodrugs, inhibition of amyloid-beta toxicity, and telomere shortening, enzyme inactivation, biomolecules stitching or modification, next-generation antibiotic, and small molecule activation.publishersversionpublishe

Platinum (II) complexes of heteroaromatic derivatives

Please read the abstract in the section front of this documentThesis (PhD (Chemistry))--University of Pretoria, 2006.Chemistryunrestricte

The international development of online privacy protection and universal core privacy rights in the public interest : a content analysis and an international comparative study

Privacy is considered as an important human right, and should accordingly be protected by States. Given the lack of a uniform and binding international order for cyber security and data protection, privacy in the online environment is often vulnerable to abuse by a variety of actors, including private international entities such as Facebook and Google. Data protection laws differ from state to state, which may result in inconsistent practices being carried out by international companies. There is a call for States to develop a uniform international order to regulate the internet and information and communications technology law. Thus the main question of this study is whether there exists an international standard of data protection that gives effect to online privacy protection, and which can be enforced. Such an international standard would be enforceable if it has become a rule of customary international law, as prescribed by the Statute of the International Court of Justice. The basic privacy protection standards provided by international organisations are often non-binding and are understood and implemented differently across States. Therefore, a comparison is drawn between these basic privacy protection standards provided by international organisations, as well as the various legal frameworks of States pertaining to online privacy protection or data protection. This exercise establishes that there may be a customary international rule that recognises online privacy protection and prescribes a certain standard of data protection. This study further investigates how an international standard can directly bind both states and private entities in a dynamic legal field such as internet law. Enforcement of online privacy may require one to look beyond the traditional division between states and private entities in international law as the internet goes beyond territorial jurisdiction.Mini Dissertation (LLM)--University of Pretoria, 2018.Public LawLLMUnrestricte