Ambient sulphur dioxide (SO2) and particulate matter (PM10) concentrations measured in selected communities of north and south Durban.

Thesis (MMed)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, 2006.The industrial basin in the south of Durban is an area of ongoing contention between the residents and major industries, regarding environment health issues especially poor air quality resulting from industrial air pollution. This region is a result of poor urban planning that began in the early 1960's which saw rapid industrialisation alongside expanding communities, which has now resulted in a major environmental dilemma for the city of Durban, eThekwini Municipality. Durban is seen as a key area of growth in South Africa: it has the busiest harbour on the continent; it is a regional hub of the chemical industry and a major motor and metal manufacturer centre; and Durban's population continues to grow at ~4% per annum, all of which are destined to have significant environmental impacts. As part of a large epidemiological study and health risk assessment in this industrial basin, particulate matter smaller than 10 microns (PM10) and sulphur dioxide (S02) were measured in seven community sites across Durban: four in the South, (Wentworth, Bluff, Merebank and Lamontville) and three in the north (Kwamashu, Newlands East and Newlands West). The south sites are located in an industrial basin near two petroleum refineries and a paper mill, while the north comparison sites are ~25 km North West from major industries in the Basin. 24 hour PMIO samples were collected gravimetrically every day during four, three-week intensive phases and thereafter every 6th day using high, medium and low volume samplers. S02 was monitored every 10 minutes with active continuous analysers (European monitor labs and API) according to internationally accepted methods. Rigorous quality assurance methods were followed for both pollutants. S02 followed a distinct spatial distribution where the mean difference in S02 concentrations between the southern and the northern region was 6.7 ppb, while for PMIO similar concentrations were found across all sites with the highest mean concentration at Ngazana in the north (59 Ilg/m3) > Assegai in the south (~58 Ilg/m3) with all other sites ~ I to 10 Ilg/m3 less in mean concentration. S02 diurnal variations display two maxima from 5:00AM to 10:00AM being repeated in the latter part of the day from 20:00PM to 24:00PM. Seasonal pattern of PMIO and SOz to a lesser extent, display very similar mean variations for all sites - the highest levels seen in the colder months of May; June, July of 2004 and 2005. Weak to strong intersite correlations were found for SOz ranging from 0.16 to 0.22 among the south sites; 0.06 to 0.64 among the north sites, while PM10 ranged from 0.73 to 0.88 among the south sites and 0.86 to 0.91 among the north sites. A cross regional correlation of PMIO by sites displayed a moderate to strong correlation ranging from 0.73 to 0.88, while intrasite SOz with PMIO correlations displayed weak to moderate correlations from 0.35 to 0.53. Meteorological conditions wind speed, temperature, pressure and humidity differed across Durban. The difference in temperature and humidity between "summer" and "winter" was on average, approximately 7 °c and 10-15% respectively. These temperature and humidity patterns closely track the increase in SOz and PM10 during "winter" explaining the effects of winter inversions on pollutant levels. Also of interest is the variability of meteorological parameters between south and north Durban with the two regions being 35 km apart. Meteorological conditions impact differently on each pollutant e.g. rain is more likely to decrease PMIO concentrations than it would SOz In general relationships between pollutants and meteorological parameters differ on a site-bysite basis. For instance, wind direction at Assegai increases SOz levels whereas wind direction at Ngazana decreases SOz levels. Another independent variable that proved to be a consistent and important predictor for SOz and PM10 across most sites was the previous day's pollution events; this was a much stronger predictor for PM10 rather than SOz. These findings suggest that pollutants are not fully removed from the atmosphere during a 24 hour period and that the previous day's pollution levels will contribute to current levels, a finding that has important implication when implementing early warning pollution systems as envisaged for the Durban South Basin

A just peace agreement, or just a peace agreement: Reflections on the work of H.W. van der Merwe

No Abstrac

The design considerations and development of a simulator for the backtesting of investment strategies

The skill of accurately predicting the optimal time to buy or sell shares on the stock market is one that has been actively sought by both experienced and novice investors since the advent of the stock exchange in the early 1930s. Since then, the finance industry has employed a plethora of techniques to improve the prediction power of the investor. This thesis is an investigation into one of those techniques and the advancement of this technique through the use of computational power. The technique of portfolio strategy backtesting as a vehicle to achieve improved predictive power is one that has existed within financial services for decades. Portfolio backtesting, as alluded to by its name, is the empirical testing of an investment strategy to determine how the strategy would have performed historically, with a view that past performance may be indicative of future performance

An investigation into the molecular mechanisms induced by derivatives of natural products in oesophageal cancer

Includes bibliographical references.Current chemotherapies for oesophageal cancer display poor efficacy and tolerability, highlighting an unmet need for novel chemotherapeutic agents. Artemisinin derivatives, currently used to treat malaria, were recently shown to possess potent anticancer activity. This study investigated the potential of two first generation artemisinin derivatives (artesunate and dihydroartemisinin), together with novel artemisinin hybrid compounds, as cancer chemotherapeutic agents and explored the mechanism of action in oesophageal cancer. Artesunate and dihydroartemisinin including seventeen other artemisinin derivatives were screened against oesophageal cancer cells using the 3 - [4,5-dimethylthiazol-2 -yl]-2,5 - diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay and GraphPad Prism Software to calculate IC 50 (50% inhibitory concentration) values. Novel halogenated artemisinin - isatin hybrid compounds displayed the best activity against oesophageal cancer cells, and were more potent than artesunate and dihydroartemisinin in a small panel of oesophageal, breast and cervical cancer cell lines tested. The novel derivatives induced a G0/ G1 cell cycle arrest whilst the parental compounds induced a G2/ M block of the cell cycle, using flow cytometry. This suggested a different mechanism of action for the novel compounds. Dihydroartemisinin and the most active novel hybrid, EXP57EA, were investigated to understand their molecular mechanisms of action in oesophageal cancer

Genetic diversity of populations of a Southern African millipede, Bicoxidens flavicollis (Diplopoda, Spirostreptida, Spirostreptidae)

Masters Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban.The African millipede genus Bicoxidens is endemic to Southern Africa, inhabiting a variety of regions ranging from woodlands to forests. Nine species are known within the genus but Bicoxidens flavicollis is the most dominant and wide spread species found across Zimbabwe. Bicoxidens flavicollis individuals have been found to express phenotypic variation in several morphological traits. The most commonly observed body colours are brown and black. In the Eastern Highlands of Zimbabwe body colour ranges from orange- yellow to black, individuals from North East of Harare have a green-black appearance and a range in size (75–110 mm). There is disparity in body size which has been noted with individuals ranging from medium to large and displaying variation in the number of body rings. Although much morphological variation has been observed within this species, characterization based on gonopod morphology alone cannot distinguish or define variation between phenotypically distinct individuals. Morphological classification has been found to be too inclusive and hiding significant genetic variation. Taxa must be re-assessed with the implementation of DNA molecular methods to identify the variation between individuals. This study aimed to detect genetic divergence of B. flavicollis due to isolation by distance of populations across Zimbabwe. The mitochondrial DNA 16S and 12S rRNA genes were used to detect levels of genetic variation as mitochondrial markers express high variability making them suitable for phylogenetic studies. Sequence analysis of the 16S rRNA gene resulted in the generation of 22 haplotypes, derived from 42 sequences with strong haplotype diversity (Hd > 0.9). Analysis of Molecular Variance (AMOVA) analysis determined that variation among the populations was significantly greater (> 80 %) than the variation occurring within populations ( 60 %) than the variation occurring within populations (< 40 %), although both were quite high. A low fixation index (FST = 0.37466) suggests a predominantly homozygous population structure. Both genes indicated distinctly structured populations, whilst the 16S rRNA also suggested the existence of closely clustered populations based on PCoA analyses, which is further supported by the presence of admixed haplotypes. The results are significant for B. flavicollis as a genetically diverse species. The findings of this study can be considered for future comparative research within the genus Bicoxidens or against other geographically distant genera. Additional markers such as those of nuclear origin, can be used along with mitochondrial markers to investigate and identify more diplopods which exhibit this level of genetic divergence although belonging to a single species. Acquired knowledge and understanding from phylogeographic studies will provide researchers with greater taxonomic awareness

Perceptions of recent wits physiotherapy graduates regarding the Orthopaedic Manipulative Therapy (OMT) undergraduate curriculum content

Faculty of Health Sciences School of Physiotherapy 9303432y [email protected] manipulative therapy (OMT) like other areas of physiotherapy, is a rapidly advancing field. To keep abreast of changes, curricula need regular evaluation and updating. The curriculum consists of many components that may vary from content to timetabling. The aim of this study was to determine how past graduates from the University of the Witwatersrand perceived the OMT curriculum with regards to content, teaching methods and clinical learning. This information will contribute to an overall evaluation of the present OMT curriculum. The sample consisted of graduates from 1997-1999. Questionnaires and interviews were used to gather the information. Some interviews were carried out following analysis of answers to the questionnaire to clarify issues or gain additional information. Results indicated that eighty one percent of the sample found the content relevant to clinical practice, but forty two percent found certain aspects of the content inadequate. The following areas of content were deficient: sixty percent found information on patient education, advice and counseling related to OMT inadequate. Fifty five percent would have liked to be more exposed to research in this area. Sixty seven percent felt that teaching of clinical reasoning skills was lacking. Ninety four percent would have liked information on other joint mobilization concepts. It was perceived that active learning methods were more effective than passive learning methods. Fifty eight percent found tutorials, sixty eight percent found practical sessions, and fifty eight percent found workshops very effective. With regards to clinical learning, seventy seven percent found supervision very helpful in clinical placements. Eighty one percent found patient presentations helpful, and seventy one percent found discussion of patients with lecturers very helpful. Most responses indicated that the OMT curriculum was relevant to current practice in South Africa but inadequate in certain specific areas

An assessment of visitor profiles, consumption patterns and perceptions as well as the state of coastal and marine tourism (specifically beach) sites in KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa.

Masters Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban.Coastal and Marine Tourism (CMT) is the main sub-sector of tourism and has substantial socio-economic and environmental importance. Specifically, CMT is a key economic contributor as well as creating opportunities for social recreational and leisure experiences and promoting conservation and environmental awareness concerning coastal and marine natural resources. However, there are increasing demands on CMT locations that include increases in visitor numbers, residential and business/ industrial demand, natural resource extraction activities, and conservation imperatives. Understanding and balancing these demands are central to sustainable CMT in South Africa. KwaZulu-Natal (with its mild climate and more than 600 km coastline with diverse coastal and marine resources and activities) is South Africa’s key CMT destination. There is limited research that undertakes provincial level analyses that focus on demands and impacts. In this context, this study adopts the drivers, pressures, state, impact and response (DPSIR) framework to examine visitor profiles, consumption of coastal and marine activities, and perceptions of CMT locations in 41 selected beaches along KwaZulu-Natal's coastline. One thousand two hundred (1 200) visitor surveys were conducted at selected beach locations in KwaZulu-Natal using the spatially-based, systematic sampling approach. Additionally, the state of the beaches were assessed using an on-site observation checklist. Forty one beaches were purposively chosen for the on-site observations during off-peak and peak periods to consider seasonality. The use of mixed methods is a methodological contribution since there is limited research that integrates both visit surveys and observation assessments at CMT locations. The results indicate that diverse visitors in relation to socio-economic and spatial characteristics visit CMT locations. The main activities that visitors participate in are coastal recreational and leisure activities, with lower participation rates in relation to marine activities. The economic value of CMT emerges with most respondents being overnight visitors and day-trippers compared to local residents. Of importance is that KwaZulu-Natal is the main source market for CMT followed by Gauteng, the main domestic tourism market in the country. Repeat visitation was noted together with generally high levels of satisfaction with beach experiences and locations. The main visitor spend was on food and drinks, and transportation; with accommodation spend also being important in relation to overnight visitors. In relation to the on-site observations, the substantial increase in the numbers of visitors during peak compared to off-peak periods was evident. Of concern was that although signage indicated that there is awareness of aspects that need to be considered to restrict or limit usage at CMT locations, compliance of rules and regulations was almost non-existent, which is a serious concern. Thus, a key recommendation is that the management of CMT beach locations, especially during peak seasons when the number of visitors and consumption increases substantially, needs to be addressed. Training of security personnel to assist with raising awareness and enforcement is particularly important. Improving infrastructure and services (such as better waste management) is also recommended. This study indicates that the demands on CMT beach locations, which are popular destinations, need to be better managed to ensure socio-economic and environmental sustainability.Authors keywords: Coastal and Marine Tourism (CMT), Visitor profiles, Beach site assessments, CMT consumption patterns, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Trusting consumers: Involving communities in municipal water service decision making in Durban, South Africa

The Constitution of 1996 sets out the government’s responsibility to provide the public with the opportunity to be involved in government decisions that affect their lives (R Kasrils, Former Minister of Water Affairs and Forestry, 2001)Participation is a guiding principle of South Africa’s post-apartheid water sector reforms. Yet studies indicate that substantive and effective participation has been difficult to achieve. In an effort to develop sustainable and creative dialogue with consumers, the University of KwaZulu-Natal in partnership with eThekwini Water and Sanitation (EWS) piloted the establishment of community-based focus groups in 3 different types of communities. The goals of the project were to build trust, generate social capital and widen the store of available methods for enhancing dialogue between service providers and consumers. This paper details the methods used. This pilot formed part of a larger strategy to develop and refine a methodology to be used in a municipality-wide research and engagement strategy involving a diverse selection of wards. At the time of publication, research in 6 wards and one similar study with people with disabilities were complete.Keywords: participation, trust, water service improvemen

An analysis of the presentation and admissibility of evidence at CCMA arbitrations.

Thesis (LL.M.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2013.Historically, labour dispute resolution in South Africa has been synonymous with being expensive, unnecessarily lengthy and ineffective. The Labour Relations Act (LRA) 66 of 1995 set out to change this through the creation of the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA). The design of the CCMA is centred on a dispute resolution institution that adopts a quick, cheap and non-legalistic approach to dispute resolution. Through the introduction of compulsory arbitration for specified dismissal and unfair labour practice disputes, the LRA granted the CCMA the mandate of upholding the objectives of industrial peace and reducing exorbitant legal costs. The outcome of arbitration proceedings conducted under the auspices of the CCMA are final and binding. Accordingly, this sui generis type of proceedings aimed at being cheap and informal has several implications. The adherence to traditional legal principles, in particular the rules relating to the presentation and admissibility of evidence cannot be adhered to rigorously in a forum where parties are unrepresented and that has informality as a defining feature. This paper set out to examine the proposition that based on various statutory powers; arbitrations are to be conducted informally and free from legalism- which necessarily entails a relaxation if not elimination of the traditional exclusionary rules pertaining to the presentation and admission of evidence