The centralised applications system: staff and student perceptions at Durban University of Technology and the University of KwaZulu-Natal.

Doctoral Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban.Undergraduate admission processes in South African Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) have been characterised by numerous challenges and a series of negative consequences. One overarching challenge is improving the efficiency and effectiveness of the institutional management of admissions processes. The way in which late applications to institutions have been managed is also of grave concern for both the government and general public, notably, issues of affordability and access to HEIs remain highly contested in the sector. Centralising the applications process nationally, beyond the current dispensation in KwaZulu-Natal, is a solution proposed by the government but the question of whether a Central Application System (CAS) will sufficiently address these challenges calls for undertaking an empirical investigation of the phenomenon. This study evaluates current perceptions of the staff and student CAS users at the Durban University of Technology (DUT) and the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), to ascertain, inter alia, whether the CAS is a fit and suitable application process model for HEIs. The researcher implemented a mixed method research design driven by a case study strategy, underpinned by post-positivist, pragmatism and constructivist worldviews and guided by an input-output-outcome meta-theoretical framework. Data were collected at DUT, UKZN and the Central Applications Office (CAO), from 312 participants, through semi-structured interviews, focus groups and a group interview with staff, and a student survey. Emerging themes from combined application of content, matrix and thematic analyses provide guidance on how to improve the CAS before it becomes operational for all HEIs. Stata 11.0 results from the surveys revealed a number of statistically significant relationships between relevant variables. Qualitative and quantitative results converge on the fitness of the CAS model for processing undergraduate applications. Findings highlight CAS challenges such as mismatched information; lack of compatibility of technology systems between the CAO and the two universities. This applied research produces knowledge on policy implementation strategies with recommendations for administrative enhancement of access to higher education

Outcomes of retinal detachment surgery at Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital

A research report submitted to the Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Medicine in the branch of Ophthalmology. Johannesburg, 2018.Purpose: The aim of this study was to determine the visual acuity and anatomical outcome of retinal detachment repair at Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic hospital. Methods: Retrospective record review (clinical audit) of outcomes in patients who had retinal surgery (pars plana vitrectomy) for either rhegmatogenous retinal detachment or diabetic retinal detachment (tractional detachment or combined tractional and rhegmatogenous detachment) at Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic hospital during the period from 1 January 2010 to 31 December 2014. Results: During the specified time period 941 pars plana vitrectomies (including repeat surgery) were performed at the hospital. After exclusion for indications other than retinal detachment repairs and for missing or incomplete records, a total of 164 records of 164 patients were reviewed. The patients were divided into two groups: a rhegmatogenous retinal detachment group (n=99) and a diabetic retinal detachment group (n=65). Rhegmatogenous retinal detachment Ninety nine patients with rhegmatogenous detachment were included in the study, 62% male and 38% female. The mean age (± standard deviation) was 48(±18.4) years. The most common cause of rhegmatogenous detachment was trauma followed by cataract surgery, accounting for 37 % and 21% of all causes respectively. Sixty three percent of these detachments involved the macula at the time of presentation, and 58% had proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR). Eighty three eyes (84%) obtained vision improvement or stabilization and retinal attachment. Forty eyes (40%) had visual acuity improvement, 43 eyes (43%) retained the same vision. Successful anatomical reattachment of the retina was obtained in 93% (n=92) of eyes including those that needed a repeat surgery. Diabetic retinal detachment Sixty five patients with diabetic retinal detachment were included in the study. Sixty three percent (n=41) were males and the mean age (± standard deviation) was 54± 12.2 years. Sixty eight percent (n=44) had tractional retinal detachment and 32% (n=21) had a combined tractional and rhegmatogenous retinal detachment. Thirty two percent of patients had detachments associated with vitreous haemorrhage, and 60% had macular involving detachments. Forty six eyes (71%) obtained vision improvement or stabilization and attachment of the retina; 36.9% (n=24) had visual acuity improvement, 33.9% (n=22) retained the same visual acuity and 29.2% (n=19) lost vision. Eighty five percent (n=55) had successful anatomical reattachment of the retina and 15% (n=10) had re-detachments after surgery. Conclusions: This study found that the majority of patients, whose files were reviewed, benefited from surgical intervention for rhegmatogenous and diabetic retinal detachment in terms of stabilisation or improvement of vision. The major limitation of this study is the large number of missing or incomplete records. The results of this study are therefore not generalisable to our retinal detachment patient population.LG201

Translation as transexuality in Greek Modernism

This essay attempts to show how the classical approach that examines relations between source and target text in translation may prove to be only a basic one. Indeed, many different texts related or not to the original, may play a fundamental role in shaping the final product of a translation. Therefore, the consideration of a net of associations between a rich hypotext and a final hypertext leads to a more complex study of the translation process, the analysis of which is not merely reduced to the description of the traditional operations of addition, suppression or substitution, but is enriched with the recovering of intertextual references. Furthermore, the notion of transtextuality, seen as the amount of texts involved in this process, helps to give a broader understanding of translation as a practice capable of including and preserving some traces of preceding texts. The Greek version of T.S. Eliot’s The Waste Land written by the poet Giorgos Seferis, firstly edited in 1936, represents a useful case study that can help to clarify how different texts from other languages may influence the translation of a literary work

The use of online text based technologies as a medium for employee counselling: perceptions of online counsellors

A research report submitted to the Faculty of Humanities, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Occupational Social Work, August 2017Technology is ubiquitous and presents an opportunity for the psychosocial profession to explore and expand the platforms through which counselling and support for employees is offered. The aim of the research study was to explore the perceptions of counsellors regarding the use of online text technologies as a medium for intervention in the workplace environment. Mobile technology globally and in South Africa is growing rapidly, people are connected to information and services more than ever before. More services are being offered and marketed through the use of online technology mediums; these include professional services for mental wellbeing counselling support. Recognising that this is a relatively new field of study, it is valuable to gain insight from experienced counsellors regarding the use of online text based technologies for counselling specifically for workplace environments. Cultural Historical Activity Theory (CHAT) is used as a framework that it explains how the object of study being text based counselling technologies are used currently characterised by highly mobile social media use. This study employed a qualitative approach and was contextualised to a specific organisation, the South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG) because it offers online counselling interventions which include specific programmes for workplace environments on mental health. Purposive sampling was used to select a total of eight counsellors with experience using online text based mediums and two key informants representing management of the organisation. Individual face-to-face interviews were conducted using two semi- structured interview schedules. Thematic content analysis was used for interpretation of the data. The findings show that counsellors do not prefer to use text based online counselling technologies for serious mental health issues. Results indicate that though online text based technologies are relevant as part of employee wellness services in the workplace, the platforms are more suitable for containment, information and referral purposes. Recommendations from the study are for further research to inform standards of practise and formalised and structured training is required for counsellors.XL201

Influence of pre-strain and bake hardening on the static and fatigue strength of a DP600 steel sheet

The influence of pre-strain on the tensile and fatigue properties of a dual phase DP600 steel was studied. The material was pre-strained by uni-axial tension in rolling and transverse direction. Thereafter, specimens were cut from the deformed plates in parallel or orthogonal to pre-strain direction. It was found that pre-strain increases yield and tensile strength. Results suggested that strain path change primarily affects the elastic-plastic transition during early stage of reloading. Pre-strained specimens showed an increase in high cycle regimes as a consequence of yield strength increment, irrespective of imposed pre-straining direction. A modified stress life equation that accounts for pre-strain was proposed and showed good agreement with experimental data. Bake hardening enhanced both tensile and high cycle fatigue resistance. Walker equation was successfully fitted to account for tensile mean stress. In low cycle fatigue, negligible influence of pre-strain was observed due to cyclic softening and residual stress relaxation

A deployable and inflatable robotic arm concept for aerospace applications

The interest in soft systems for space missions represents a growing trend in recent years. The development of inflatable robots, combined with the improvement of deployment mechanisms, allows to build novel lightweight and deployable robotic manipulators. In several space applications, the use of soft robots could minimize bulk and mass, reducing space mission costs. The main challenges in soft robotics are the control of the system and the exertion of high forces. In this manuscript, the concept of an inflatable manipulator with two inflatable links and three degrees of freedom is proposed. After a review about the possible materials to be used for the inflatable parts, the robot mechanical structure, the deploying strategy and the pneumatic line are presented. Then, an elastostatic approach is proposed to model the robot with the aim of developing its control. The last section shows preliminary experimental tests performed on the link prototype with the purpose to evaluate a static characterization in relation to the supplied pressure. Results suggest the validity of the adopted approach to model the system and clarify the pressure influence about the system performances. The study puts the basis for the development of the first prototype of the robotic system