Modelling Organisational Factors Influencing Sustainable Development Implementation Performance in Higher Education Institutions: An Interpretative Structural Modelling (ISM) Approach

open access articleGlobally, higher education institutions (HEIs) have continued to record varied sustainable development (SD) implementation performances. This variance has been attributed to the presence of certain organisational factors. Whereas previous studies have successfully identified the factors influencing the SD implementation performance in HEIs, few studies have attempted to explore the relationship between these factors and the influence of such a relationship on the management of SD implementation in HEIs. This is the objective of this study. Understandably, an understanding of such relationships will facilitate the development of appropriate frameworks for managing SD implementation in HEIs. Relying on a case study of a South African University of Technology (SAUoT), this study elicits data through a focus group discussion session. An interpretative structural modelling (ISM) focus group protocol indicating extant pair-wise relationships between identified organisational factor categories was extensively discussed. The emergent data was recorded, transcribed verbatim and subsequently analysed. The findings suggest that communication was critical to the prevalence of other factors, hence indicating its centrality to the effective management of SD implementation in HEIs. These findings will guide implementing agents in HEIs towards developing appropriate strategies for communicating SD implementation strategies

Perceptions of parents and teachers of the use of mobile apps for mathematical education

Institute for Science and Technology Education (ISTE

Self-Assembled Lipid Cubic Phase and Cubosomes for the Delivery of Aspirin as a Model Drug

Three-dimensionally organized lipid cubic self-assemblies and derived oil-in-water emulsions called “cubosomes” are attractive for various biotechnological applications due to their ability to be loaded with functional molecules and their associated sustained release properties. Here, we employed both of these lipid-based systems for the delivery of a model drug, aspirin, under comparable conditions. Studies were performed by varying drug-to-lipid ratio and the type of release medium, water and phosphate buffer saline (PBS). Release rates were determined using UV−vis spectroscopy, and small-angle X-ray scattering was used to confirm the type of self-assembled nanostructures formed in these lipid systems. The release from the bulk lipid cubic phase was sustained as compared to that of dispersed cubosomes, and the release in PBS was more efficient than in water. The tortuosity of the architecture, length of the diffusion pathway, type of nanostructure, and physicochemical interaction with the release media evidently contribute to these observations. This work is particularly important as it is the first report where both of these nanostructured lipid systems have been studied together under similar conditions. This work provides important insights into understanding and therefore controlling the release behavior of lipid-based drug nanocarriers

A calibration report for wireless sensor-based weatherboards

Sub-Saharan Africa contains the highest number of people affected by droughts. Although this can easily be mitigated through the provision of timely, reliable and relevant weather forecasts, the sparse network of weather stations in most of these countries makes this difficult. Rapid development in wireless sensor networks has resulted in weatherboards capable of capturing weather parameters at the micro-level. Although these weatherboards offer a viable solution to Africa's drought, the acceptability of such data by meteorologists is only possible if these sensors are calibrated and their field readiness scientifically evaluated. This is the contribution of this paper; we present results of a calibration exercise that was carried out to: (1) measure and correct lag, random and systematic errors; (2) determine if Perspex was an ideal material for building sensor boards' enclosures; and (3) identify sensor boards' battery charging and depletion rates. The result is a calibration report detailing actual error and uncertainty values for atmospheric pressure, humidity and temperature sensors, as well as the recharge and discharge curves of the batteries. The results further ruled out the use of Perspex for enclosing the sensor boards. These experiments pave the way for the design and implementation of a sensor-based weather monitoring system (SenseWeather) that was piloted in two regions in Kenya

The role of contracting strategies in social value implementation

There has been an increasing demand for social value (SV) implementation to assume a cardinal position in the infrastructure delivery efforts of infrastructure client organisations (ICOs). However, whereas successful implementation has been recorded in some projects, monumental failures have also been recorded in others. This variance in implementation performance is a cause for concern. The mode of governance applied in an infrastructure delivery endeavour has been identified as capable of influencing the implementation of SV. This observation makes imperative an investigation into the role of contracting strategies – an integral part of governance modes – adopted by ICOs on SV implementation performance. This is the aim of this study. Using a case study approach, three infrastructure projects which used different contracting strategies were selected from two different countries, the UK and Nigeria. Semistructured interviews were conducted with ICO representatives on these projects and subsequently analysed using qualitative content analysis. Findings confirmed that the kind of contract adopted by ICOs influenced their ability to drive the successful implementation of desirable SV objectives through their supply chain. It is therefore recommended that ICOs ensure that the selected contracting strategies are capable of ensuring successful implementation of the desired objectives

The formation of carbon–carbon and carbon–heteroatom bonds using silver tetrafluoroborate as a promoter

AbstractSilver tetrafluoroborate (AgBF4) is a transition metal salt extensively used in organic syntheses. This review provides insight into the use of the silver salt as a promoter in the synthesis of compounds via the formation of carbon–carbon and carbon–heteroatom bonds. We summarised articles where AgBF4 plays an important role in the activation of coupling sites. These include the elimination of oxygen and sulphur leaving groups, hydride abstraction, halide abstraction and participation in stereo-selective and regio-specific halogenation reactions. AgBF4-mediation in heterocyclisation reactions, ring-opening and successive cyclisation reactions were also reviewed. The uses of the AgBF4 in the heteroatom–heteroatom bond-forming reaction and in the formation of complexes are beyond the scope of this review and were therefore not considered

The use of ultraviolet radiation as a non-thermal treatment for the inactivation of alicyclobacillus acidoterrestris spores in water, wash water from a fruit processing plant and grape juice concentrate

Alicyclobacillus acidoterrestris is a non-pathogenic, spore-forming bacterium that can survive the commercial pasteurisation processes commonly used during fruit juice production. Surviving bacterial endospores germinate, grow and cause spoilage of high acid food products. Fruit juices can be treated using ultraviolet light (UV-C) with a wavelength of 254 nm, which has a germicidal effect against micro-organisms. In this study, A. acidoterrestris was inoculated into water, used wash water from a fruit processing plant and grape juice concentrate. Ultraviolet dosage levels (J L−1) of 0, 61, 122, 183, 244, 305 and 367 J L−1 were applied using a novel UV-C turbulent flow system. The UV treatment method was shown to reliably achieve in excess of a 4 log10 reduction (99.99%) per 0.5 kJ L-1 of UV-C dosage in all the liquids inoculated with A. acidoterrestris. The applied novel UV technology could serve as an alternative to thermal treatments of fruit juices for the inactivation of Alicyclobacillus spores as well as in the treatment of contaminated wash water used in fruit processing.Department of HE and Training approved lis

Review of current methods for estimating areal reduction factors applied to South African design point rainfall and preliminary identification of new methods

Published ArticleDesign point rainfall estimates assume a uniform distribution of rainfall over a catchment, and hence are only representative for a limited area. For larger areas, areal reduction factors (ARFs) are used to convert design point rainfall depths/intensities to an average areal design rainfall depth/intensity for a catchment-specific critical storm duration and catchment area. This paper presents a review of ARF estimation methods used nationally and internationally, with comparisons of the South African methods in the C5 secondary drainage region using standard input variables. The comparison of different ARF estimation methods confirmed that the empirical methods adopted for general use in South Africa are based on a limited database of observed rainfall data and are used without local correction factors beyond their original developmental regions. This results in the characterisation of the actual rainfall process over a catchment, and translation into questionable design peak discharge estimates. Therefore, the ARFs in South Africa need to be re-investigated in the light of recent extreme flood events, utilising the longer periods of record and denser rain-gauge networks which are now available for analysis. The variation of ARFs with return period and with rainfall producing mechanisms also needs to be investigated. Updated ARFs developed and verified using local rainfall data will improve the accuracy of design hydrology for large catchments in South Africa when eventbased rainfall-runoff deterministic methods are used

Public policy and Batho Pele in South Africa : time to turn over a new leaf

Published ArticleThis paper is concerned to show that seminal public policy principles have sometimes failed to translate into improved customer service in South Africa and to discover why this should be so. After discussing various dimensions of public policy formulation and implementation, the article cites instances whereby service levels are seen to be compromised by poor execution of policy. It is submitted that inappropriate criteria for the recruitment of office bearers, and a worrying tendency to fail to distinguish adequately between public and private goods, have contributed to degraded levels of customer service which violate the spirit of Batho Pele. It is concluded that government needs to 'walk the talk' with respect to Batho Pele by ridding its administration of officials who have shown themselves to be either incompetent or corrupt

Pharmacological evaluation of extracts from Buxus macowanii, Polygala myrtifolia, Scilla sp. and Xanthocercis zambesiaca

Published ThesisThe outbreak of drug resistant pathogens, the high cost of health care, limited accessibility of the conventional drugs and their side effects are problems that make the treatment of infectious diseases difficult all over the world. These challenges have led to the search for novel drugs and drug leads that can surpass the quality of the currently available antimicrobial agents. Medicinal plants are considered to be the best candidates for the discovery of new drugs because of their long history of use in the treatment of various ailments in communities. The current study was aimed at investigating the antimicrobial activity, cytotoxic activity and phytochemical composition of the methanol extracts from Buxus macowanii, Polygala myrtifolia, Scilla sp. and Xanthocercis zambesiaca. Staphylococcus aureus, Clostridium perfringens, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterococcus faecalis, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus epidermidis, and the fungal species Candida albicans and Candida tropicalis were used to evaluate the antimicrobial activity of the selected plant extracts using the broth Microdilution method. All the plants extracts tested showed no activity against all the bacterial and fungal species except Buxus macowanii. Buxus macowanii inhibited the growth of Staphylococcus aureus, Clostridium perfringens, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Candida albicans and Candida tropicalis at the MIC of 2.5 mg/ml while Enterococcus faecalis and Escherichia coli were inhibited at 1.2 mg/ml. Buxus macowanii was selected for further studies because it presented the best antimicrobial properties. Antimicrobial compounds were located using TLC bioautography. Four clear zones possibly flavonoids and alkaloids were detected on the TLC chromatogram. These findings suggest that the antimicrobial activity of Buxus macowanii was not attributed to a single compound but to a synergy of compounds. The effect of Buxus macowanii on the bacterial cell morphology was also evaluated. Morphological changes such as damage to the cell wall, loss of intracellular contents, incomplete cell division and shrinkage of the cells were observed using Scanning and Transmission Electron Microscopy. Bacterial cells were affected morphologically after treatment with the extracts of B. macowanii. In order to evaluate the safety of the extracts used in the study, the Sulforhodamine cytotoxicity assay was carried out using the WI-38 cell line (Normal human fetal lung fibroblast). P. myrtifolia was inactive against the WI-38 cell line whereas B. macowanii and X. zambesiaca were found to be moderately hazardous. Scilla extracts were found to be hazardous. These results indicate that caution should be exercised when employing plants like B. macowanii, X. zambesiaca and Scilla sp. for treatment of ailments. The phytochemical screening of B. macowanii, P. myrtifolia, Scilla and X. zambesiaca using standard methods, TLC and GCMS revealed compounds that have important health benefits. Bioactive compounds such as flavonoids, alkaloids, terpenes, cardiac glycosides, steroids, saponins and tannins were found in most of the extracts and their presence may explain the medicinal usage of the plants. GCMS also revealed compounds such as neophytadiene that was found in the extracts of Buxus macowanii, n-hexadecanoic was also found in the extracts of scilla sp and X. zambesiaca. 2-methoxy- 4-vinylphenol was found in the extracts of P. myrtifolia and X. zambesiaca. The results obtained in this study show that B. macowanii is a promising source of antimicrobial drugs. Further investigation into the isolation and identification of the bioactive compounds as well as in vivo screening is recommended