Assessment of the effectiveness of treatment methods on Eucalyptus grandis yielding pencil props

Abstract: Supporting of underground hanging-walls is an important task that ensures a safe working environment and a continuous opening in underground mining operations. Underground stope support systems such as yielding pencil props, packs, tendons and backfill are used to stabilise hanging-walls in excavations to reduce or eliminate falls of ground and rock-bursts. The brushingoff of the pod end of an installed E. grandis pencil prop is the initial yielding part of the support unit under load. This failure mechanism allows inelastic hanging-wall to converge or vertically dilate while the support unit maintains contact with the rock unit without losing its support integrity (i.e. it does not buckle). Higher Moisture Content (MC) in yielding pencil props allows the props to fail according to the expected mechanism. Tonnes of timber products are wasted annually due to severe cracking / checking during the storage phase. Physical deterioration in a form of cracks of more than 10 mm wide and longer than 1/3 of the longitudinal dimension of the yielding pencil prop are criteria used by timber units’ suppliers to reject yielding pencil props...M.Ing. (Engineering Management

Women's participation in water projects

Women's participation in water project

Analysis of the contribution of socio-economic factors on poor academic performance of grade 12 learners: the case of Butterworth education district, Eastern Cape Province South Africa

The drive of this research project was to discover factors contributing to the poor academic performance of Grade 12 learners at two selected schools in the Butterworth Education District, Eastern Cape province South Africa. The participants were Grade 12 learners, Grade 12 teachers and parents of Grade 12 learners in both schools. Both schools are located in rural areas of Mnquma municipality under the Butterworth education district. The study used both qualitative and quantitative research methods. The motivation behind using triangulation was to decrease or offset the deficiency of a specific methodology and for deeper understanding of the discoveries of the study. Use of triangulation in this study was aimed at expanding the legitimacy, dependability and generalizability of the results of the study. The findings of the study revealed that the most determining factor that contributes to the poor academic performance of Grade 12 learners in the Butterworth Education District is the unavailability and inadequacy of instructional resources. This is the most critical school resource which the parents cannot afford to buy for their children. Both teachers and Grade 12 learners indicated that they do not have a school library or a community library. The majority of learners also indicated that they do not have enough textbooks in all subjects and their parents concurred that their children end up sharing textbooks with their peers. Furthermore, the three groups of participants agreed that learners do not have access to computers, and the school does not have a science lab for Grade 12 learners doing science. The core argument of this study is that a poor socio-economic background is a primary contributor to low academic performance of Grade 12 learners at the Butterworth Education District. The findings of this study support this thesis as they indicate that instructional resources are inadequate, a school or community library is vii non-existent, and there is not enough textbooks at the selected schools. With parents from low socio-economic background, the Butterworth community is also not in a position to supplement these insufficient instructional resources. This study utilized the cultural reproduction theory of Bourdieu (1977) to explore a system of education in industrialized communities and the way it works to illuminate class differences in academic performance and achievement of Grade 12 learners. The study made recommendations that should be put in place to improve the academic performance of Grade 12 learners in the Butterworth Education District. The most important of these recommendations is that government officials should provide educational resources (teaching and learning resources). Furthermore, the researcher suggest that for further research, it would be interesting to find out about learners that perform well, regardless of identified factors that cause other learners to perform poorly to help them improve their academic performance

Analysis of the contribution of socio-economic factors on poor academic performance of grade 12 learners: the case of Butterworth education district, Eastern Cape Province South Africa

The drive of this research project was to discover factors contributing to the poor academic performance of Grade 12 learners at two selected schools in the Butterworth Education District, Eastern Cape province South Africa. The participants were Grade 12 learners, Grade 12 teachers and parents of Grade 12 learners in both schools. Both schools are located in rural areas of Mnquma municipality under the Butterworth education district. The study used both qualitative and quantitative research methods. The motivation behind using triangulation was to decrease or offset the deficiency of a specific methodology and for deeper understanding of the discoveries of the study. Use of triangulation in this study was aimed at expanding the legitimacy, dependability and generalizability of the results of the study. The findings of the study revealed that the most determining factor that contributes to the poor academic performance of Grade 12 learners in the Butterworth Education District is the unavailability and inadequacy of instructional resources. This is the most critical school resource which the parents cannot afford to buy for their children. Both teachers and Grade 12 learners indicated that they do not have a school library or a community library. The majority of learners also indicated that they do not have enough textbooks in all subjects and their parents concurred that their children end up sharing textbooks with their peers. Furthermore, the three groups of participants agreed that learners do not have access to computers, and the school does not have a science lab for Grade 12 learners doing science. The core argument of this study is that a poor socio-economic background is a primary contributor to low academic performance of Grade 12 learners at the Butterworth Education District. The findings of this study support this thesis as they indicate that instructional resources are inadequate, a school or community library is vii non-existent, and there is not enough textbooks at the selected schools. With parents from low socio-economic background, the Butterworth community is also not in a position to supplement these insufficient instructional resources. This study utilized the cultural reproduction theory of Bourdieu (1977) to explore a system of education in industrialized communities and the way it works to illuminate class differences in academic performance and achievement of Grade 12 learners. The study made recommendations that should be put in place to improve the academic performance of Grade 12 learners in the Butterworth Education District. The most important of these recommendations is that government officials should provide educational resources (teaching and learning resources). Furthermore, the researcher suggest that for further research, it would be interesting to find out about learners that perform well, regardless of identified factors that cause other learners to perform poorly to help them improve their academic performance

Body mass index, body image and possible factors related to weight loss practices of female undergraduate students on the Pietermaritzburg campus, University of Kwazulu-Natal.

Masters degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg.South Africa is undergoing epidemiological transition, characterized by an increasing prevalence of obesity, especially among women. Among those 15 to 24 years of age, the prevalence of overweight and obesity at 40.9% is cause for concern, as it is associated with the development of non-communicable diseases of lifestyle. However, 18.1% of women in the above age category, indicated that they are unhappy with their current weight. Body image is related to an individual’s perception of the attractiveness of their own body, and has an impact on actual weight and weight management practices. Body image dissatisfaction refers to the negative perceptions and feelings a person has about their body and can be affected by factors such as body shape and appearance, body weight gain attitudes, and cultural norms regarding an ideal body size. In this respect, university students are of particular interest, as they are known to experience a number of stressors during the transition from secondary- to tertiary education that contributes to unhealthy eating habits, a decreased level of physical activity and subsequent weight gain. Objectives To determine the Body Mass Index (BMI), body image and factors related to weight loss practices among female undergraduate students on the Pietermaritzburg (PMB) campus of the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN). Methods A cross sectional descriptive survey of conveniently sampled female undergraduate students on the PMB campus (N=316), UKZN was conducted. Weight and height were measured by trained fieldworkers for the calculation of BMI. Data was collected by means of a self-administered questionnaire to determine the socio-demographic characteristics, physical activity level, nutrition knowledge, body perceptions, weight management practices and dietary diversity of study participants. Results The majority of participants (86.7%), were black African and registered for study within the College of Agriculture, Engineering and Science (45.6 %). The mean age of the study sample was 20 ± 2 years. Participants mainly resided in private accommodation (44.3%), followed by 38.6% living in university residences. The majority (72.7%) were funded by the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS). Participants who prepared their own meals, did so 3.7 ± 2.3 times per week, with 84.3% reporting that they prepared their own meals most days of the week. Most consumed take-aways (91.1%), with 61.2% doing so on a weekly basis. Nearly half (48.1%) of the participants had a normal BMI, followed by 19% being overweight. Furthermore, 13.3% were classified as obese class I, while 12.6% were classified as obese class II. Only 4.4% were underweight, while 2.5% were classified as obese class III. The majority (46.8%) could be classified as being moderately physically active, followed by those with a low level of physical activity at 38.6%. Only 14.6% were classified as having a high level of physical activity. A nutrition knowledge score of ≥ 50% was achieved by 63.8% of participants, followed by a third (34.3%) who had a score of less than 50%. The most noteworthy findings were that participants were not aware that starchy foods should form the basis of most meals, and that drinking boiled water does not facilitate weight loss. An assessment of participant weight management practices, revealed that 59.1% weighed themselves, with 61.0% reporting that they do so monthly. Despite the fact that the majority of participants (70.0%) classified their current body weight as normal, 56.4% had attempted weight loss. Of those who had not attempted weight loss, the majority (37.5%) indicated that the reason for not attempting weight loss, was that they were satisfied with their body weight, followed by 35% indicating that they perceived their body weight as normal. The majority of participants who attempted weight loss, resorted to healthy weight loss practices (50.9%), followed by 42.0% who made use of a combination of healthy and unhealthy weight loss practices. In terms of body image perceptions, the difference between perceived (“feel”) and ideal body size was calculated, rendering a Feel Ideal Index (FID) score of 0.4 ± 1.33, indicating that participants desired to be thinner. The majority of participants (45.0%) had a medium dietary diversity as was indicated by the consumption of 6 to 11 food groups, followed by more than a third of participants (35.6%) having a high dietary diversity score due to the consumption of more than 11 food groups. One out of five participants (19.4%) consumed diets that lacked diversity. Conclusion Body image perception and level of body image satisfaction were the most important determinants of whether participants engaged in weight management practices. This was illustrated by participants who had never attempted weight loss, indicating that the reason why they have never attempted weight loss was because they “perceived their current body weight to be normal” and that they are “satisfied with current weight”. An increase in BMI was positively associated with an increase in body image dissatisfaction (BID), resulting in overweight and obese participants attempting to lose weight. It was also noted that a larger proportion of participants indicated that they have attempted weight loss, and did so using healthy weight loss practices such as exercise, diet and reduced portion sizes. Participants desired body sizes that were thinner than their perceived current body size. This was illustrated by a positive mean FID index score of 0.4 ± 1.33. Although those with a high BMI desired a large body size, it was thinner than what they perceived themselves to be. Furthermore, participants living in university residences and private accommodation, had a higher BMI than those who lived at home. Those with a higher physical activity level (PAL), weighed themselves more often when compared to those who were less active. This may suggests that participants were engaged in physical activity to improve appearance. However, it could also be an indicator that participants were physically active for the promotion of health, general wellbeing and for social reasons. Significant relationships between nutrition knowledge score and BMI, as well as dietary diversity score were not documented. However, participants with a good nutrition knowledge score perceived their current weight to be lower than those with a poor nutrition knowledge score.Ethics Approval Letter is on page 111

Re-theorising international agricultural trade regulation to realise the human right to food in developing countries

The call to re-theorise international agricultural trade regulation to advance the human right to food has gained traction in various international platforms, including the United Nations (UN) and the World Trade Organization (WTO), among others. The emerging consensus is that the WTO-driven liberal rules on agricultural trade regulation have been unable to deliver effective outcomes for the realisation of the human right to food. This article explores options for re-theorising the regulation of international trade in agriculture to strengthen synergetic linkages with the obligations imposed on States to respect, promote, fulfil, and realise the human right to food enshrined under the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and a number of other international human rights instruments. It contends that existing legal theories provide the basis for a plausible theoretical justification for incorporating explicit human right to food obligations into the WTO framework for agricultural trade regulation through the reform of key provisions of the WTO Agreement on Agriculture (AoA) pertaining to market access, domestic support to agriculture, and export subsidies. Theories of sustainable development and distributive justice theories spawn a comprehensive egalitarian imperative for re-conceptualising the rules of the AoA in pursuit of realising the human right to food, especially in developing countries

Molecular epidemiology of African swine fever in East Africa

African swine fever (ASF), a hemorrhagic disease of domestic pigs, is caused by a large enveloped icosahedral arbovirus of the Asfivirus genus in the family Asfarviridae . It has a linear, covalently close-ended, double stranded DNA (dsDNA) genome, 170 – 190 kbp in size. Warthogs (Phaecochoerus aethiopicus ), bushpigs (Potamochoerus porcus ) and soft ticks of the Ornithodoros genus are natural reservoirs of ASF virus (ASFV) in Africa. Serological differentiation between field strains is not possible and as no vaccine is available, control relies on stamping out and strict zoosanitary practices. In order to identify possible sources of virus and prevent further introductions, ASFVs need to be differentiated on genotype basis. Genotyping of East African ASFV isolates was achieved in this study by characterization of the C-terminal region of the major capsid protein gene, p72 . Thirteen genotypes were identified among East African sylvatic and domestic hosts. Of significance was the recovery of an apparently geographically restricted homogenous domestic pig cycle in the region, as well as the presence of viruses of the ESACWA genotype, formerly believed to be confined to Europe, South America, the Caribbean Islands and West Africa. Due to the conserved nature of the p72 gene, intra-genotypic relationships of viruses recovered from a homogeneous domestic pig-associated lineage, genotype VIII, could not be resolved. In an attempt to address this short-coming, genetic characterization of the Central Variable Region (CVR) within the 9-RL open reading frame (ORF) of the central conserved region of ASFV genome was conducted. Eight groups were resolved, some of which confirmed prolonged periods of circulation of a particular virus type, whilst others confirmed transboundary transmission of the disease. The complexity of ASF epidemiology in East Africa exemplified by the presence of a sylvatic and domestic pig cycle, multiple genotypes within countries and identical genotypes shared by multiple countries, was revealed. The East African ASFV molecular epidemiological database created in this study will be of great assistance to veterinary officials implementing prevention and outbreak control strategies.Dissertation (MSc)--University of Pretoria, 2007.Zoology and Entomologyunrestricte

A new automatic repeat request protocol based on Alamouti space-time block code over Rayleigh fading channels.

Masters Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban.Spatial and multiplexing diversity of multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) schemes improves link reliability and data rates of wireless networks. MIMO-based space-time block codes (STBCs) improve wireless network reliability by using different copies of the receiver’s original data. Recently automatic repeat request (ARQ) technique was introduced for MIMO schemes to enhance the system's link reliability. ARQ improves the link reliability by using acknowledgments and timeouts to ensure efficient transmission of data over an insecure system. In this dissertation, we propose a new ARQ protocol based on Alamouti space-time block code (STBC) over Rayleigh fading channels. The proposed system transmits data by employing two transmit antennas ( ) and four receive antennas , and it is developed by applying the recent technique called uncoded space-time labeling diversity (USTLD). The main idea behind the proposed technique is to use two distinct mappers to improve the error performance of the system. The theoretical expression of the proposed technique is derived employing the union bound approach, and the theoretical analysis is validated with the simulation results. Furthermore, the results revealed that there is a symbol error probability (SEP) performance improvement of 4 dB for 16-QAM and 4.90 dB for 64-QAM when one mapper is employed as compared to the Alamouti system at a SEP of . The results also revealed that when the proposed system uses two mappers, there is a SEP performance improvement of 7.98 dB for 16-QAM and 9.8 dB for 64-QAM compared to the Alamouti system at a SEP of

Beneficiation of haematite from fluorspar tailings by reverse flotation

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Blowing the whistle for personal gain in the Republic of South Africa : an option for consideration in the fight against fraud?

Financially rewarding whistleblowers for information that has led to recovery of fraud losses suffered by government is common practice under the United States of America’s False Claims Act of 1986. However, a whistleblower in the Republic of South Africa is not afforded similar treatment in terms of section 9(1)(b) of the Protected Disclosures Act (26 of 2000) of the Republic of South Africa. In certain circumstances, whistleblowers may not even be protected against occupational detriment resulting from the disclosure. Similar principles of the Protected Disclosures Act in terms of rewarding whistleblowers also apply in the United Kingdom. The objective of this article is to establish whether rewarding whistleblowers should be considered in the fight against fraud in the Republic of South Africa with a similar view of the United States of America’s False Claims Act. In order to address the research objective, the adopted methodology can be described as a conceptual review of whistleblowing policies and regulations in the public sector, specifically focusing on rewarding whistleblowers. This article, therefore, evaluates available literature to determine whether the Republic of South Africa should consider the False Claims Act route by reviewing its legal position, United States of America and the United Kingdom. It further considers whistleblowing as a fraud risk management tool and raises the question whether the current legal obligations on public officials to report fraud are effective in curbing it.http://www.journals.co.za/content/journal/sajaaram2017Auditin