Research supervision: Perceptions of postgraduate nursing students at a higher education institution in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Background. Scientific advancement, particularly in the area of information communication technology (ICT), challenges the mode of knowledgeadvancement at universities. Such challenges are especially evident in the area of postgraduate (PG) research supervision, particularly in the light ofthe changing students’ demography, whereby there is a radical shift from full-time campus-based students to part-time students. This challenge iscompounded by many countries not considering research competency as a requirement for PG supervision – the result of static and outdated curricula.Objective. To explore the perceptions of PG nursing students with regard to the research supervision process.Methods. A quantitative research study was conducted at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), Durban, South Africa using non-convenience sampling.The PG Research Experience Survey questionnaire was adapted for the current study. Ethical clearance was obtained from UKZN’s Ethics Committee.The population consisted of the PG coursework Master’s nursing students who were registered for the research project module during 2012. A total of 56students participated, with a response rate of 70%. Data were analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences 19 (SPSS 19) (IBM Corp., USA).Results. The findings revealed that more than half of the respondents (66.2%; n=37) rated the level of support from research supervisors as moderateon a scale of low to high. The period of research supervision, mode of attendance and status within the university were identified as factors influencingthe perceptions of support from research supervisors.Conclusion. This study recommends that, to improve the quality of research supervision, there is a need to include a research supervision module inthe curriculum of nurse educators and to adopt online research supervision, underpinned by the extensive use of ICT to accommodate both part-timeand full-time PG students

Synthesis, characterisation and electrochemistry of eight Fe coordination compounds containing substituted 2-(1-(4-R-phenyl-1H-1,2,3-triazol-4-yl)pyridine ligands, R = CH3, OCH3, COOH, F, Cl, CN, H and CF3

© 2018 Elsevier B.V. Eight different Dichloro(bis{2-[1-(4-R-phenyl)-1H-1,2,3-triazol-4-yl-κN3]pyridine-κN})iron(II) compounds, 2–9, have been synthesised and characterised, where group R = CH3 (L2), OCH3 (L3), COOH (L4), F (L5), Cl (L6), CN (L7), H (L8) and CF3 (L9). The single crystal X-ray structure was determined for the L3 which was complemented with Density Functional Theory calculations for all complexes. The structure exhibits a distorted octahedral geometry, with the two triazole ligands coordinated to the iron centre positioned in the equatorial plane and the two chloro atoms in the axial positions. The values of the FeII/III redox couple, observed at ca. −0.3 V versus Fc/Fc+ for complexes 2–9, varied over a very small potential range of 0.05 V. The observation that the different R substituents have virtually no effect on the values of the FeII/III redox couple for all eight complexes 2–9, is explained by the character of the highest molecular orbitals of complexes 2–9, which do not show any communication of electron density between the various ligands and the metal Fe. However, the HOMOs of the free ligands L2 – L9, display extended π-character over the entire ligand, explaining the sensitivity of the 1H NMR C–H-triazole peak, which is dependent on the electron donating/withdrawing power of the R substituent attached to the 2-[1-(4-R-phenyl)-1H-1,2,3-triazol-4-yl]pyridine ligands

Towards Room Temperature Thermochromic Coatings with controllable NIR-IR modulation for solar heat management & smart windows applications

Solar heat management & green air-conditioning are among the major technologies that could mitigate heat islands phenomenon while minimizing significantly the CO2 global foot-print within the building & automotive sectors. Chromogenic materials in general, and thermochromic smart coatings especially are promising candidates that consent a noteworthy dynamic solar radiation Infrared (NIR-IR) regulation and hence an efficient solar heat management especially with the expected increase of the global seasonal temperature. Within this contribution, two major challenging bottlenecks in vanadium oxide based smart coatings were addressed. It is validated for the first time that the NIR-IR modulation of the optical transmission (∆TTRANS = T(T〈TMIT) − T(T〉TMIT) of Vanadium oxide based smart coatings can be controlled & tuned. This upmost challenging bottle-neck controllability/tunability is confirmed via a genuine approach alongside to a simultaneous drastic reduction of the phase transition temperature TMIT from 68.8 °C to nearly room temperature. More precisely, a substantial thermochromism in multilayered V2O5/V/V2O5 stacks equivalent to that of standard pure VO2 thin films but with a far lower transition temperature, is reported. Such a multilayered V2O5/V/V2O5 thermochromic system exhibited a net control & tunability of the optical transmission modulation in the NIR-IR (∆TTRANS) via the nano-scaled thickness’ control of the intermediate Vanadium layer. In addition, the control of ∆TTRANS is accompanied by a tremendous diminution of the thermochromic transition temperature from the elevated bulk value of 68.8 °C to the range of 27.5–37.5 ºC. The observed remarkable and reversible thermochromism in such multilayered nano-scaled system of V2O5/V/V2O5 is likely to be ascribed to a noteworthy interfacial diffusion, and an indirect doping by alkaline ions diffusing from the borosilicate substrate. It is hoped that the current findings would contribute in advancing thermochromic smart window technology and their applications for solar heat management in glass windows in general, skyscraper especially & in the automotive industry. If so, this would open a path to a sustainable green air-conditioning with zero-energy input

The evolving SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in Africa: Insights from rapidly expanding genomic surveillance

INTRODUCTION Investment in Africa over the past year with regard to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) sequencing has led to a massive increase in the number of sequences, which, to date, exceeds 100,000 sequences generated to track the pandemic on the continent. These sequences have profoundly affected how public health officials in Africa have navigated the COVID-19 pandemic. RATIONALE We demonstrate how the first 100,000 SARS-CoV-2 sequences from Africa have helped monitor the epidemic on the continent, how genomic surveillance expanded over the course of the pandemic, and how we adapted our sequencing methods to deal with an evolving virus. Finally, we also examine how viral lineages have spread across the continent in a phylogeographic framework to gain insights into the underlying temporal and spatial transmission dynamics for several variants of concern (VOCs). RESULTS Our results indicate that the number of countries in Africa that can sequence the virus within their own borders is growing and that this is coupled with a shorter turnaround time from the time of sampling to sequence submission. Ongoing evolution necessitated the continual updating of primer sets, and, as a result, eight primer sets were designed in tandem with viral evolution and used to ensure effective sequencing of the virus. The pandemic unfolded through multiple waves of infection that were each driven by distinct genetic lineages, with B.1-like ancestral strains associated with the first pandemic wave of infections in 2020. Successive waves on the continent were fueled by different VOCs, with Alpha and Beta cocirculating in distinct spatial patterns during the second wave and Delta and Omicron affecting the whole continent during the third and fourth waves, respectively. Phylogeographic reconstruction points toward distinct differences in viral importation and exportation patterns associated with the Alpha, Beta, Delta, and Omicron variants and subvariants, when considering both Africa versus the rest of the world and viral dissemination within the continent. Our epidemiological and phylogenetic inferences therefore underscore the heterogeneous nature of the pandemic on the continent and highlight key insights and challenges, for instance, recognizing the limitations of low testing proportions. We also highlight the early warning capacity that genomic surveillance in Africa has had for the rest of the world with the detection of new lineages and variants, the most recent being the characterization of various Omicron subvariants. CONCLUSION Sustained investment for diagnostics and genomic surveillance in Africa is needed as the virus continues to evolve. This is important not only to help combat SARS-CoV-2 on the continent but also because it can be used as a platform to help address the many emerging and reemerging infectious disease threats in Africa. In particular, capacity building for local sequencing within countries or within the continent should be prioritized because this is generally associated with shorter turnaround times, providing the most benefit to local public health authorities tasked with pandemic response and mitigation and allowing for the fastest reaction to localized outbreaks. These investments are crucial for pandemic preparedness and response and will serve the health of the continent well into the 21st century

Conceptualisation of knowledge construction in community service-learning programmes in nursing education

Background: Practices in higher education have been criticised for not developing and preparing students for the expertise required in real environments. Literature reports that educational programmes tend to favour knowledge conformation rather than knowledge construction; however, community service learning (CSL) is a powerful pedagogical strategy that encourages students to make meaningful connections between the content in the classroom and real-life experiences as manifested by the communities. Through CSL, learning is achieved by the active construction of knowledge supported by multiple perspectives within meaningful real contexts, and the social interactions amongst students are seen to play a critical role in the processes of learning and cognition. This article reflects facilitators’ perspective of the knowledge construction process as used with students doing community service learning in basic nursing programmes. Objectives: The aim of this article was to conceptualise the phenomenon of knowledge construction and thereby provide educators with a shared meaning and common understanding, and to analyse the interaction strategies utilised by nurse educators in the process of knowledge construction in community service-learning programmes in basic nursing education. Method: A qualitative research approach based on a grounded theory research design was used in this article. Two nursing education institutions were purposively selected. Structured interviews were conducted with 16 participants. Results: The results revealed that the knowledge construction in community service-learning programmes is conceptualised as having specific determinants, including the use of authentic health-related problems, academic coaching through scaffolding, academic discourse-dialogue, interactive learning in communities of learners, active learning, continuous reflection as well as collaborative and inquiry-based learning. Upon completion of an experience, students create and test generated knowledge in different contextual health settings. Conclusion: It was concluded that knowledge is constructed by students as a result of their interaction with the communities in their socio-cultural context and is mediated by their prior concrete experiences. The implication of this is that students construct knowledge that can be applied in their future work places

Single-Layered Biosynthesized Copper Oxide (CuO) Nanocoatings as Solar-Selective Absorber

Herein, spectrally selective single-layered CuO nanocoatings were successfully demonstrated via green synthesis and deposited on stainless steel (SS) substrates using a spin coater at 700, 800, 900, and 1000 rpm. The morphological, structural, and compositional analyses of the obtained nanocoatings were studied using SEM, XRD, EDX, and Raman spectroscopy. The SEM images show nanorod-like structure surfaces with dense surface morphology. The XRD patterns confirmed the presence of peaks indexed to a monoclinic structural phase of CuO. The EDX spectra clearly revealed the presence of Cu and O elements, and XPS spectra showed peaks of Cu2p and O1s core levels, which are typical characteristics of Cu (II) and O(II), respectively, in CuO. The Raman spectra showed peaks at 305, 344, and 642 cm−1 attributed to Raman active (Ag+2Bg) modes for Cu-O stretching. Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS) determined the content of the elements and the changes in the thicknesses of the coatings with the rotational speed (RS) of the spin coater. The elemental content of Cu and O atoms were, respectively, 54 and 46%. The thicknesses were calculated to be 1.406 × 1018 atoms/cm2 (296.3 nm), 1.286 × 1018 atoms/cm2 (271.0 nm), 1.138 × 1018 atoms/cm2 (239.8 nm), and 0.985 × 1015 atoms/cm2 (207.5 nm) at 700, 800, 900 and 1000 rpm, respectively. The optical properties of the CuO nanocoatings were characterized using UV–Vis–NIR and FTIR spectrometers; its vital solar selectivity parameters of solar absorptance (α) and emissivity (ε) were evaluated in the ranges of 0.3–2.5 and 2.5–20 µm wavelengths, respectively. The obtained coatings exhibited solar parameters (α = 0.90, and ε = 0.31) associated with 700 rpm due to an intrinsic and interference-induced absorption as well as higher attenuation of light

Single-Layered Biosynthesized Copper Oxide (CuO) Nanocoatings as Solar-Selective Absorber

Herein, spectrally selective single-layered CuO nanocoatings were successfully demonstrated via green synthesis and deposited on stainless steel (SS) substrates using a spin coater at 700, 800, 900, and 1000 rpm. The morphological, structural, and compositional analyses of the obtained nanocoatings were studied using SEM, XRD, EDX, and Raman spectroscopy. The SEM images show nanorod-like structure surfaces with dense surface morphology. The XRD patterns confirmed the presence of peaks indexed to a monoclinic structural phase of CuO. The EDX spectra clearly revealed the presence of Cu and O elements, and XPS spectra showed peaks of Cu2p and O1s core levels, which are typical characteristics of Cu (II) and O(II), respectively, in CuO. The Raman spectra showed peaks at 305, 344, and 642 cm−1 attributed to Raman active (Ag+2Bg) modes for Cu-O stretching. Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS) determined the content of the elements and the changes in the thicknesses of the coatings with the rotational speed (RS) of the spin coater. The elemental content of Cu and O atoms were, respectively, 54 and 46%. The thicknesses were calculated to be 1.406 × 1018 atoms/cm2 (296.3 nm), 1.286 × 1018 atoms/cm2 (271.0 nm), 1.138 × 1018 atoms/cm2 (239.8 nm), and 0.985 × 1015 atoms/cm2 (207.5 nm) at 700, 800, 900 and 1000 rpm, respectively. The optical properties of the CuO nanocoatings were characterized using UV–Vis–NIR and FTIR spectrometers; its vital solar selectivity parameters of solar absorptance (α) and emissivity (ε) were evaluated in the ranges of 0.3–2.5 and 2.5–20 µm wavelengths, respectively. The obtained coatings exhibited solar parameters (α = 0.90, and ε = 0.31) associated with 700 rpm due to an intrinsic and interference-induced absorption as well as higher attenuation of light

Correction to: Self-sampling for human papillomavirus testing among rural young women of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Following publication of the original article [1], one of the authors reported that his name had been spelled incorrectly. It should be Galappaththi-Arachchige, not Galapaththi-Arachchige