13 research outputs found
Cultural barriers to male partnersā involvement in antenatal care in Limpopo province
Background:Ā Participation of male partners in antenatal care (ANC) is a complicated process that involves social and behavioural transformation. It necessitates that males take a more active part in reproductive health. Menās participation in prenatal care has been linked to beneficial health outcomes such as enhanced maternal health outcomes across the world. However, culture has been identified as a barrier to male partnersā participation in prenatal care.
Aim:Ā The aim of the study was to explore and describe the cultural barriers to male partner involvement in ANC.
Setting:Ā The study focussed on selected clinics and hospitals under Vhembe District, Limpopo province.
Methods:Ā Qualitative, exploratory, descriptive, and contextual research design was used in this study. Qualitative data were collected through individual semi-structured interviews and Focus Group Discussions (FGDs). A thematic analysis approach was used to analyse the collected data from semi-structured interviews and FGDs.
Results:Ā The findings revealed three themes: cultural beliefs and practices that affect male partnersā involvement in ANC; gender-related barriers that affect male partnersā involvement in ANC; and socioeconomic barriers to male partnersā involvement in ANC.
Conclusion:Ā The studyās findings revealed that certain cultural beliefs and practices are a stumbling block to male partnersā involvement in antenatal healthcare.
Contribution:Ā Culturally based developed strategy might help in improving the knowledge and practices of male partners in ANC
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The significance of outsourced science teachers on learner academic performance: An educational management perspective
DEd (Eductional Management)Department of Educational ManagementThis study explored the significance of outsourced Science teachers on the learnersā
academic performance. The focus was on academic performance of learners in Physical
Sciences in Limpopo Province and outsourced teachers from other countries continentally
and abroad. The research population constituted all learners, outsourced teachers,
parents, school managers and curriculum advisors involved in Physical Sciences in
Limpopo Province. Purposive random sampling was used to obtain 1200 learners, 80
outsourced Science teachers, 40 parents, 40 school managers, and 16 curriculum
advisors, all from 8 of the 10 newly demarcated districts of Limpopo Province. Three
conceptual frameworks, namely, Structural Functionalism, Social Constructivism
and Community of Practice coherently underpinned the study. This qualitative study
used document analysis as well as face-to-face (individual) and focus-group interview
schedules that were semi-structured to solicit data from the participants. Trustworthiness
was guaranteed through Gubaās model of trustworthiness of qualitative research study. Data was
processed, summarized and analyzed, through thematic analysis. The following research
questions guided the study:
What is the significance of outsourced Science teachers on the learner academic
performance?
What are the factors that influence outsourced Science teachers to teach effectively?
What are the challenges faced by outsourced Science teachers and how do they deal
with them?
What model could be created which schools can envisage for insourced teachers to
use?
The study revealed that more than 75% of schools that performed well in 2018 Grade 12 Science
from all the ten districts of Limpopo Province are manned by outsourced teachers. Several other
reasons attributable to the academic achievement together with the challenges that outsourced
Physical Sciences teachers face in their trade were revealed by the study. The study
recommended that collaborative work approach among stakeholders to bring about good results.NR
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Experimental and theoretical studies of the inhibition potential of Lippia javanica plant extracts for the corrosion of aluminium, mild steel, and zinc metals in acidic medium
PhD (Chemistry)Department of ChemistryCorrosion is a natural phenomenon considered a chemical and an electrochemical process of
metals interacting with the surrounding corrosive environment. Inhibition is a preventive measure
used by corrosion engineers to reduce the effects of corrosion on metals, the environment, society,
and the economy. The current study investigates the use of the Lippia javanica plant as an ecofriendly
green inhibitor for mild steel (MS), aluminium (Al), and zinc (Zn) corrosion in a 1 M HCl
environment. The leaf extracts were prepared by the Soxhlet extraction method using methanol,
ethanol, and acetone as solvents. The leaf extracts of L. javanica were characterized using Fouriertransform
infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC/MS)
analysis. The inhibitory potential of L. javanica extracts was established by performing weight
loss measurements, electrochemical methods such as potentiodynamic polarization (PDP), and
electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) techniques. The weight loss assessment was
carried out at different temperatures (303 to 333 K) and varying concentrations of the extracts from
200 to 800 ppm. The technique was also used to determine the stability of the extract with varying
immersion times. Weight loss measurements showed that the inhibition efficiency increased with
increasing concentration of the extracts up to 800 ppm for all three metals. Increasing the
temperature of the corrosive environment resulted in a decrease in the inhibition efficiency of Al
and MS corrosion, with that of Zn increasing with temperature. The variation of inhibition
efficiency with time showed a similar trend, with the protective efficiency of Al and MS decreasing
with time and Zn increasing with immersion time. Increasing Znās inhibition efficiency with
temperature and immersion time implies a chemical protection mode. The reduction in the
inhibition efficiency with temperature and immersion time for Al and MS suggests a physical
protection mode. According to EIS measurements, the extracts adsorb onto Al, Zn, and MS
surfaces to create a protective coating with pseudo-capacitive properties. The only component of
the Zn and MS Nyquist plots in the high frequency was a capacitive loop, but the Al plots also
showed an inductive loop at a lower frequency. The higher frequency loop represents the resistance
for the charge transfer during the corrosion process.
In contrast, the lower frequency loop represents the relaxing of hydrogen ions and the adsorption
of corrosive chloride ions onto the oxide film. The PDP results revealed that for Al and MS, the
three extracts had a similar impact on both the anodic and cathodic half-reactions. In contrast, both
half-reactions were affected for Zn, but the cathodic area was more significantly impacted.
Undulation Tafel curves for MS and Zn were observed with and without the extracts; however, a
longer passive region was detected for Al, particularly in the presence of the plant extracts. The
investigational extracts function as mixed-type corrosion inhibitors for Al, Zn, and MS, as
indicated by the control of both the anodic and cathodic areas with the introduction of the extracts.
Among the many plotted isotherms for the three extracts on the metal surfaces, the Langmuir
adsorption isotherm was determined to be the best-fit isotherm. The isotherm confirmed the
mechanism of adsorption, which was a mixed-type adsorption for Al, Zn, and MS. Spectroscopy
studies revealed that the interaction of the three extracts with Al, Zn, and MS resulted in the
formation of metal-inhibitor complexes, which slowed the corrosion process. Scanning electron
microscopy/energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM/EDS) studies demonstrated that L.
javanica leaf extracts form a protective film on Al, Zn, and MS surfaces, protecting them from the
corrosive environment. Theoretical simulations showed that the primary extract constituent
(verbascoside) had binding energy greater than 13 kcal/mol on the surfaces of Zn(110), Al(111),
and Fe(110). The high binding energy indicates a mixed-type binding process that includes
chemisorption and physisorption. All corrosion experiments revealed that the three extracts
exhibited superior inhibition performance for all the three metals studied with comparable results
in 1 M HCl corrosive solution.National Research Foundation (NRF
Heterologous expression of equine influenza virus major surface glycoproteins and determination of their immunogenicity in animal models
Abstract: Equine influenza virus (EIV) is the major cause of respiratory tract infection in horses worldwide. The most effective preventative and control measure against EIV infections is by vaccination. The currently commercialized EIV vaccines are propagated in chicken embryonated eggs. However, vaccine production in this manner has several well-recognised drawbacks (supply of chicken eggs, contamination by egg protein and yield in eggs, cost, disposal of waste, working directly with the highly pathogenic EIV etc.). These bottlenecks necessitate the development of an alternative EIV vaccine production strategy. Like other influenza viruses, EIV comprises of two major surface glycoproteins named hemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA). The HA protein is the principal antigen against which neutralizing antibodies are produced, making it an obvious target for vaccine formulation against EIV infections. The NA protein, although lessimportant in contrast to the HA protein, is also used in some instances for vaccine formulation. The addition of the NA protein with the HA component is known to boost antibodyresponse. The aim of this present study was to use recombinant DNA (rDNA) technology for heterologous production of recombinant proteins(HA/NA) to be used in the development of HA, a combination of HA and NA EIV vaccine candidates formulated with and without an adjuvant. The Yarrowia lipolytica yeast system was used in this present study for heterologous expression of HA and NA EIV major surface glycoproteins. This system was chosen for its multifaceted advantages it provides (safe, costeffective, high yield and, scalable). The HA/NA genes were sub-cloned into a yeast expression vector (pKOV410) following their release from a donor vector (pUC57) by restriction enzyme digest. Recombinant pKOV410-HA/NA vectors were subsequently linearized with NotI restriction enzyme to separate the expression cassettes from the DNA moiety to facilitate the transformation of the expression cassettes into the yeast cell genome. The sodium dodecyl sulphatepolyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) was used to determine the expression of the recombinant HA/NA proteins. The produced vaccine candidates were tested for their immunogenicity in clinical studies using guinea pigs as animal models. The vaccine types were able to induce a positive antibodyresponse in the first and second week post-vaccination (PV) but were seronegative following booster dose. Therefore, intensive research is needed towards the improvement of boosting strategies, for example, the alternative route of administration and purification of proteins should be the center of focus in the improvement of a better alternative yeast-based vaccine platform.M.Sc. (Biochemistry
Qualification problem of intentional infliction of serious bodily injury which, as a result of the negligence of the offender, has been the cause of the death of the victim
TiesÄ«bu zinÄtneTiesÄ«bu zinÄtneLaw ScienceLaw ScienceAutore izstrÄdÄja maÄ£istra darbu ar nosaukumu āTÄ«Å”a smaga miesas bojÄjuma nodarÄ«Å”anas, kas vainÄ«gÄ neuzmanÄ«bas dÄļ bija par iemeslu cietuÅ”Ä nÄvei, kvalifikÄcijas problÄmasā.
Autore darbÄ pÄtÄ«s tÄ«Å”a smaga miesas bojÄjuma nodarÄ«Å”anu, kas vainÄ«gÄ neuzmanÄ«bas dÄļ bijis par iemeslu cietuÅ”Ä nÄvei, kvalifikÄcijas problÄmas, kÄ arÄ« analizÄs likumdoÅ”anÄ pastÄvoÅ”Äs problÄmas, kas saistÄ«tas ar noziedzÄ«gu nodarÄ«jumu noŔķirÅ”anu ar citiem pret veselÄ«bu un dzÄ«vÄ«bu vÄrstiem noziegumiem, tas ir, slepkavÄ«bu bez pastiprinoÅ”iem vai mÄ«kstinoÅ”iem apstÄkļiem un nonÄvÄÅ”anu aiz neuzmanÄ«bas.
Autores izvirzÄ«tais maÄ£istra darba mÄrÄ·is ā izpÄtot tÄ«Å”a smaga miesa bojÄjuma nodarÄ«Å”anas, kas vainÄ«gÄ neuzmanÄ«bas dÄļ bijis par iemeslu cietuÅ”Ä nÄvei, kvalifikÄcijas problÄmas, konstatÄt tiesiskÄs problÄmas un piedÄvÄt to risinÄjumus.
PÄtÄ«juma jautÄjums ā KÄds pamats domÄt, ka regulÄjumÄ ir kvalifikÄcijas problÄmas saistÄ«bÄ ar tÄ«Å”a smaga miesas bojÄjuma nodarÄ«Å”anu, kas vainÄ«gÄ neuzmanÄ«bas dÄļ bijis par iemeslu cietuÅ”Ä nÄvei, un kÄdi var bÅ«t risinÄjumi Å”o noziegumu pareizai kvalifikÄcijai?
PÄtÄ«juma objekts ir ā tÄ«Å”a smaga miesas bojÄjuma nodarÄ«Å”anas, kas vainÄ«gÄ neuzmanÄ«bas dÄļ bijis par iemeslu cietuÅ”Ä nÄvei, ar kvalifikÄciju saistÄ«tÄs tiesiskÄs attiecÄ«bas.
Neskatoties uz ilgu gadu pastÄvoÅ”u problÄmu, kas saistÄ«ta ar KriminÄllikuma 125.panta treÅ”Äs daļas pareizu kvalifikÄciju un noŔķirÅ”anu no citiem pret veselÄ«bu un dzÄ«vÄ«bu vÄrstiem noziedzÄ«giem nodarÄ«jumiem, kÄ arÄ« neskatoties uz vairÄkkÄrtÄ«giem tiesu prakses apkopojumiem, kuros konkrÄti tika norÄdÄ«ti kritÄriji pÄc kuriem jÄvadÄs, noŔķirot minÄtos noziedzÄ«gus nodarÄ«jumus, joprojÄm minÄtÄs problÄmas pastÄv. GalvenÄ problÄma ir subjektÄ«vas puses nepietiekama analÄ«zÄ un nodoma pareiza noteikÅ”ana.
MaÄ£istra darbÄ tika izmantoti gan Latvijas, gan arÄ« Ärvalstu autoru darbi tÄdÄs jomÄs kÄ tiesÄ«bu teorija, kriminÄltiesÄ«bas, kriminoloÄ£ija. Papildus tika izmantoti juridiskÄs prakses materiÄli, normatÄ«vie akti un interneta resursu publiskotie materiÄli. MaÄ£istra darba apjoms 82 lapas. MaÄ£istra darbs sastÄv no ievada, ÄetrÄm nodaļÄm, nobeigumÄ izteiktiem secinÄjumiem un priekÅ”likumiem, kÄ arÄ« izmantotÄs literatÅ«ras un avotu saraksta.The author has developed a masterās thesis called āIssues of qualifying murder and commitment of intentional infliction of serious bodily injury which, as a result of the negligence of the offender, has been the cause of the death of the victimā.
The author has examined the issues of qualifying murder and commitment of intentional infliction of serious bodily injury which, as a result of the negligence of the offender, has been the cause of the death of the victim, as well as the existing legislative issues related to separating a criminal offence from other offences against a personās health or life, namely, murder without aggravating or mitigating circumstances and homicide through negligence.
The goal of the thesis set by the author is as follows: after having examined the issues of qualifying murder and commitment of intentional infliction of serious bodily injury which, as a result of the negligence of the offender, has been the cause of the death of the victim, to detect legal issues and offer solutions to them.
The research question is as follows: What is the ground for the assumption that the issues exist within the legal framework regarding commitment of intentional infliction of serious bodily injury which, as a result of the negligence of the offender, has been the cause of the death of the victim, and what solutions are there to qualify these offences in a proper way?
The object of the research is as follows: the legal relations related to the qualification of commitment of intentional infliction of serious bodily injury which, as a result of the negligence of the offender, has been the cause of the death of the victim.
Despite the long-existing issues related to proper qualification and separation of Part 3 of Section 125 of the Criminal Law from other criminal offences against a personās health and life, as well as despite numerous collections of case laws that provide criteria to be followed, the issues still exist upon separating the above-mentioned criminal offences. Yet the main issue is an insufficient analysis of the subjective side and the proper determination of the intention.
The present thesis has employed different theories by both Latvian and foreign scholars regarding such domains as legal theory, criminal law and criminology. Additionally legal practice materials, regulatory acts and materials available from the internet resources have been examined. The volume of the present paper is 82 pages. It consists of the introduction, four chapters, conclusions and proposals set out in the concluding part, as well as the list of sources used
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Corrosion inhibition exploration of synthesized carboxylic acid and amino esters on selected metals in acid medium
MSc (Chemistry)Department of ChemistryIn this study, carboxylic acid and two ionic liquids-based amino esters were used as corrosion inhibitors for aluminium and mild steel. These compounds were selected because they are said to be non-toxic and environmentally friendly. The non-toxicity of these compounds is essential due to the increasing implementation of strict environmental regulations. The investigated compounds as corrosion inhibitors in this study include a carboxylic acid, namely, N-benzoyl2-aminobutyric acid (2-NBABA), and two amino esters which are 1-(benzyloxy)-1-oxopropan2-aminium 4-methylbenzenesulfonate (1-BOPAMS) and 4-(benzyloxy)-4-oxobutan-1aminium 4-methylbenzenesulfonate (4-BOBAMS) for aluminium and mild steel corrosion in 1.0 M hydrochloric solution (HCl) at 303-333 K. The three compounds were synthesized and characterized by spectroscopic methods (FT-IR, 13C-NMR and 1H-NMR). Their anti-corrosive properties, inhibition mechanism, inhibitor-metal adsorption behaviour and corrosion inhibition efficiency were investigated by employing several techniques such as the gravimetric, potentiodynamic polarization (PDP) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) was used to investigate the functional group responsible for the adsorption/desorption process of the inhibitor molecules and those that disappeared or formed on the surfaces of mild steel and aluminium. Gravimetric analysis exhibited an increase in the inhibition efficiency as the concentrations of the inhibitors were increased for all the three inhibitors studied. Amongst the several isotherms plotted, Langmuir adsorption isotherm was found to be the best-fit isotherm for the three compounds on the metal surfaces. The isotherm provided a clear indication on the mechanism of adsorption which was mixed-type adsorption for both aluminium and mild steel. The impendence result showed an increase in the Rct values as the concentration of the inhibitors was raised, resulting in an increase in the surface coverage by the inhibitor molecules. The adsorption of the inhibitor molecules on the aluminium and mild steel surface led to the decrease in the double-layer capacitance (Cdl) as the molecules of the inhibitors replaced the water molecules at the metal/solution interface reducing the local dielectric constant while increasing the double layer thickness. The data gathered showed that the adsorption of the three inhibitors prevented the dissolution of the mild steel and aluminium in 1.0 M HCl without altering the corrosion mechanism of the metals. The PDP results obtained indicated that the three inhibitors affected both the anodic and cathodic half-reactions to a similar extent. The anodic and cathodic Tafel curves were both affected by the introduction of the inhibitors which revealed that the investigated inhibitors act as mixed-type corrosion inhibitors. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy studies showed that the corrosion process was reduced due to the interaction of the three inhibitors with mild steel and aluminium resulting in the formation of a Fe-inhibitor and Al-inhibitor complexes.NR
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Male partners's view of involvement in maternal health care services at Makhado B Local Area Clinics in Vhembe District of Limpopo Province
MCurDepartment of Advanced Nursing Scienc
Male partnersā views of involvement in maternal healthcare services at Makhado Municipality clinics, Limpopo Province, South Africa
Background: Male partners have a strong influence on pregnant partnersā health and their access to care. Their involvement is critical in the delivery and uptake of maternal healthcare services and improving maternal and child health outcomes.
Aim: The study sought to determine male partnersā views on their involvement in maternal healthcare services.
Setting: The Makhado Municipalityās Kutama, Madombidzha and Vleifontein clinics.
Methods: A qualitative study design, which is exploratory, descriptive and contextual in nature, was used. The population comprised 15 men whose partners had been pregnant within the last 2 years. A non-probability, purposive sampling procedure was used. Data were collected via in-depth individual interviews using a voice recorder and an interview schedule guide. Teschās open coding method was used to analyse data.
Results: The findings revealed one major theme, namely that maternal health issues are viewed as a womanāsdomain; and three sub-themes: culture and participation in childbirth, male partnersā employment status, and male partnersā unwillingness to participate in maternal health issues.
Conclusions: The involvement of male partners in maternal healthcare services, and further research in promoting this activity, should be proposed to policymakers.
Keywords: Views, partners, involvement, maternal health care services, antenatal care, labour and postnatal care