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In this article, we explore how collaboration between Foundation Phase teachers could address and support the teaching of Foundation Phase learners with visual impairments (VI). By actively involving teachers in the research process, teachers contributed to changes that promoted the inclusion and success of FP learners with VI. This qualitative study implemented participatory action learning and action research (PALAR) as the research design of choice. Participants were recruited using purposive sampling, and the action learning set (ALS) comprised seven Foundation Phase teachers. Data generation entailed three cycles. Cycle One was relationship building, i.e. forming a shared vision for our study, negotiating an ethical agreement, and then determining the specific challenges Foundation Phase teachers have to face. During Cycle Two, we determined how we could address and support the educational needs of Foundation Phase learners with VI. During Cycle Three, we determined the strategies and guidelines that Foundation Phase teachers may use to enhance the teaching of learners with VI. Data generation encompassed ALS discussions, photovoice and reflective journal entries conducted throughout the three cycles. However, this article exclusively focuses on the ALS discussions. Data were analysed using thematic content analysis to design action plans collaboratively by means of which to assist Foundation Phase teachers working with learners with VI. The North-West University (NWU) and the Department of Education of the Western Cape (RSA) granted ethical clearance. The two themes derived from the findings highlighted the crucial importance of collaboration among parents, caregivers, teachers, and stakeholders in addressing the educational needs of FP learners affected by VI effectively, while also highlighting the importance of working together in designing strategies and guidelines for teaching FP learners with VI.

The purpose of this article is to explore the religious responses within the Orange Free State republic to the environmental crises in the period c. 1896 to c. 1898. During this time the state was subjected to severe drought, flooding, and the outbreak of various diseases. The article examines the way in which these afflictions where interpreted by the Christian and wider community in terms of God’s wrath for unrepented sins. The persistence of synchronistic elements of folk religion was seen to have brought plagues like those found in Exodus which were visited upon the Pharaoh and his kingdom. This interruptive frame work led to calls for national repentance, but also a resistance to scientific and medical resolutions to the crises. It also reinforced racial divisions. Black Africans were perceived as the carriers of the disease so their movement was prohibited. The article goes on to show how the effect of this biblical frame of reference protected the concept of God as the ever-present active God in every aspect of life against the scientific rationalism of the age, while at the same time ironically hindering the work of mission and the life of the church.

Norman D Goldstuck,1 Petrus S Steyn2 1Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Tygerberg Hospital, Western Cape, 2Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa Background: Women who undergo a cesarean section (CS) are in a unique position to receive the intrauterine contraceptive device (IUD). They may also want to use the IUD as a long-acting reversible contraceptive method provided the IUD is safe and effective in the presence of a CS scar. Search strategy: We researched and reviewed the MEDLINE, POPLINE, Google Scholar, and ClinicalTrials.gov databases from January 1968 to June 2015. Selection criteria: Eligible studies reported event rates or practical problems relating to IUD usage in post-placental or interval insertion (>90 days) after CS. Studies with ≥20 subjects were included. Data collection and analysis: Analysis of eligible data collected from the search followed the PRISMA guidelines. Main results: Twelve eligible studies of post-placental IUD insertion after CS included four randomized controlled trials of post-placental versus delayed insertion. Women randomized to delayed insertion were less likely to receive a device. Six studies examined the problem of missing IUD threads at follow-up with only 30%–60% presence of strings observed. Conclusion: The IUD is a long-acting reversible contraceptive method that is suitable for use in all women undergoing CS. The problems of device expulsion, missing threads at follow-up, and the tendency of increased puerperal bleeding need to be solved. Solutions are proposed. Keywords: post-placental IUD, cesarean section, missing IUD threads, IUD expulsion, long-acting reversible contraception

This study explores what factors enable or prevent South African educators from carrying out effective mathematics teaching. The objectives are to explore the qualifications and experience of those involved, which skills, tools, and resources they use and what barriers they encounter. A qualitative approach using an interpretivist paradigm with multiple case studies was used. Eighteen participants were interviewed, and the data were analysed using qualitative content analysis. Findings showed that the barriers impeding effective mathematics teaching included lack of resources, teachers leaving the profession and many principals not attending workshops or professional development programmes. From the findings, we recommend the Department of Basic Education encourage more teachers to specialise in mathematics and that more funding is directed toward allocating the necessary resources to schools where resources are lacking. The department can provide incentives to encourage more student teachers to pursue mathematics teaching.

Abstract Objective To conduct a systematic review of the computer vision applications that detect, diagnose, or analyse tuberculosis (TB) pathology or bacilli using digitised human lung tissue images either through automatic or semi-automatic methods. We categorised the computer vision platform into four technologies: image processing, object/pattern recognition, computer graphics, and deep learning. In this paper, the focus is on image processing and deep learning (DL) applications for either 2D or 3D digitised human lung tissue images. This review is useful for establishing a common practice in TB analysis using human lung tissue as well as identifying opportunities for further research in this space. The review brings attention to the state-of-art techniques for detecting TB, with emphasis on the challenges and limitations of the current techniques. The ultimate goal is to promote the development of more efficient and accurate algorithms for the detection or analysis of TB, and raise awareness about the importance of early detection. Design We searched five databases and Google Scholar for articles published between January 2017 and December 2022 that focus on Mycobacterium tuberculosis detection, or tuberculosis pathology using digitised human lung tissue images. Details regarding design, image processing and computer-aided techniques, deep learning models, and datasets were collected and summarised. Discussions, analysis, and comparisons of state-of-the-art methods are provided to help guide future research. Further, a brief update on the relevant techniques and their performance is provided. Results Several studies have been conducted to develop automated and AI-assisted methods for diagnosing Mtb and TB pathology from digitised human lung tissue images. Some studies presented a completely automated method of diagnosis, while other studies developed AI-assisted diagnostic methods. Low-level focus areas included the development of a novel $$\upmu$$ μ CT scanner for soft tissue image contract, and use of multiresolution computed tomography to analyse the 3D structure of the human lung. High-level focus areas included the investigation the effects of aging on the number and size of small airways in the lungs using CT and whole lung high-resolution $$\upmu$$ μ CT, and the 3D microanatomy characterisation of human tuberculosis lung using $$\upmu$$ μ CT in conjunction with histology and immunohistochemistry. Additionally, a novel method for acquiring high-resolution 3D images of human lung structure and topology is also presented. Conclusion The literature indicates that post 1950s, TB was predominantly studied using animal models even though no animal model reflects the full spectrum of human pulmonary TB disease and does not reproducibly transmit Mtb infection to other animals (Hunter, 2011). This explains why there are very few studies that used human lung tissue for detection or analysis of Mtb. Nonetheless, we found 10 studies that used human tissues (predominately lung) of which five studies proposed machine learning (ML) models for the detection of bacilli and the other five used CT on human lung tissue scanned ex-vivo.

The landscape in which modern organisations operate is rapidly changing and requires managerial agility. This necessitates a frequent review of how managers are developed. The aim of this article is to examine the role of workplace feedback in employee development. This will be achieved by developing a contemporary and comprehensive definition of feedback and specifying the elements of feedback that are associated with managerial development. Employing a qualitative, non-systematic literature review approach, journal articles and textbooks published after 2015, with feedback as their primary theme, were systematically selected and analysed for their content as well as the seminal works they referred to. The analysed literature suggests that feedback forms part of a dynamic communication and learning process. Development-driven feedback is information presented to recipients regarding their behaviour and/or performance in executing work tasks, as assessed by supervisors, subordinates, peers, coworkers, or the recipients themselves, with the intent to enhance work relationships and job performance. The elements central to structuring feedback were identified as purpose, content, source, frequency, timing, and delivery. These elements are customised to meet workplace performance requirements, also taking individual skill sets and personalised needs into account. A broad base of academic literature was captured and integrated to reach a comprehensive understanding of feedback as a development intervention. It was concluded that, although complex, literature on feedback can be consolidated to present both an inclusive definition of the concept and the elements associated with it.

The adage "happy wife, happy life" implies that women's gender emancipation could contribute to the overall societal quality of life. However, it raises at least two questions: Does advancing women's rights lead to increased happiness for women? Is it possible that advancing women’s rights occurs at the expense of men? The study examines the relationship between gender emancipation and happiness, aiming to determine whether gender emancipation genuinely enhances the happiness of both women and men, and whether the focus on women’s well-being might negatively impact men. Data from the World Values Survey were used to conduct cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses. The cross-sectional analysis focused on the relationship between emancipation and happiness, while the longitudinal analysis explored trends in gender emancipation and happiness from the 3rd cohort (1995-1998) to the 7th cohort (2017-2022). Women had higher gender emancipation scores, but the genders did not differ significantly in happiness scores. Surprisingly, there was no significant correlation between gender emancipation and happiness, whether analysing the entire sample or each gender separately. Longitudinal data revealed increasing gender emancipation and happiness over time. This similarity in trends was interpreted as a spurious relationship. It was hypothesised that happiness could stem from gender emancipation. However, despite longitudinal data revealing growing gender emancipation and happiness for both sexes, the cross-sectional analysis showed no such correlations. Gender emancipation and happiness, as measured by the World Values Survey, were not related. Emancipation does not necessarily equate to a happy life.

Abstract Ionic driving forces provide the net electromotive force for ion movement across receptors, channels, and transporters, and are a fundamental property of all cells. In the nervous system, fast synaptic inhibition is mediated by chloride permeable GABAA and glycine receptors, and single-cell intracellular recordings have been the only method for estimating driving forces across these receptors (DFGABAA). Here we present a tool for quantifying inhibitory receptor driving force named ORCHID: all-Optical Reporting of CHloride Ion Driving force. We demonstrate ORCHID’s ability to provide accurate, high-throughput measurements of resting and dynamic DFGABAA from genetically targeted cell types over multiple timescales. ORCHID confirms theoretical predictions about the biophysical mechanisms that establish DFGABAA, reveals differences in DFGABAA between neurons and astrocytes, and affords the first in vivo measurements of intact DFGABAA. This work extends our understanding of inhibitory synaptic transmission and demonstrates the potential for all-optical methods to assess ionic driving forces.

Railway wheels experience high temperatures during operation, especially during severe block braking. The thermal expansion of wheel rim material due to frictional heating is limited by the wheel's geometry and size. This study investigated the impact of this combined mechanical and thermal loading on the mechanical properties and microstructure in the tread surface of an ER7T steel railway wheel.The material response below the austenitisation temperature is comprehensively evaluated through thermal cycling at peak temperatures of 300, 400, 600, and 650 °C, simulating severe block braking cycles with varying degrees of thermal dilatation (25 %, 50 %, 75 %, and 100 %). An initial plastic deformation was observed during the first heating cycle for the two lower temperatures at lower restrictions, followed by a predominantly elastic response. However, at higher restrictions, the material showed time-dependent relaxation during heating, and some plastic deformation was observed during cooling. Notably, even at the lowest level of restriction, similar observations were made at higher peak temperatures. Increasing the restriction resulted in large strains and a wider hysteresis loop. The test bars exposed to the two higher temperatures retained large tensile stresses after cooling. This indicates a risk of a significantly altered residual stress state in the rim of an overheated railway wheel, which could adversely affect its fatigue properties. The study's outcomes will aid in designing and calibrating constitutive material models for severe block braking. Furthermore, it will significantly contribute to research into the thermo-mechanical behaviour of pearlitic/near-pearlitic materials during railway operations and maintenance.

Background: Many adults with intellectual disabilities live a sedentary lifestyle, have low levels of functional fitness and are overweight. The purpose of this study was to determine whether an exercise intervention with activities which are simple, fun, accessible and adapted for socialising in a group would elicit significant improvements in various parameters associated with functional fitness for adults with intellectual disabilities. Methods: Forty-two adults with intellectual disability (44.5 ± 11.5 years) were randomly located to an exercise group (n = 19) and a control group (n = 23). The program consisted of walking, dancing, and resistance training exercises and was implemented, three times a week for 6 weeks. Results: Significant ameliorations (p < 0.05) were reported for body mass, hip circumference, aerobic capacity, functional ability, muscular strength, balance, and flexibility with varying degrees of effect sizes. p Conclusions: The combined exercise training program showed a significant positive impact on various parameters associated with functional fitness for adults with intellectual disability.

Background: The purposes of this study were to (1) longitudinally examine US college and university COVID-19 dashboard content and (2) explore county-level population health and COVID-19 community indicators where colleges with large undergraduate enrollments were located. Methods: We identified 10 colleges with the largest undergraduate enrollments. Next, we located all public and private two- and four-year nonprofit colleges (n = 58) in each respective county. We assessed active COVID-19 dashboards using established criteria from "We Rate COVID Dashboards" in March 2021 and February 2022. Results: In 2021 and 2022, two-thirds (n = 38/58) of colleges had an active COVID-19 dashboard. While most COVID-19 dashboards were easy to read, they were less likely to include updated daily infection rates and testing frequency details. Conclusion: Overall quality, content, and features of COVID-19 dashboards varied greatly across colleges. Future COVID-19 dashboard designs should focus on providing evidence-based information with the goal of promoting and supporting informed decision making.

This article refers to the South African Design teachers' attitudes towards the implementation of the 2020 Section 4 amendments of the Design Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS). The purpose of the article is twofold: first to establish the necessity for "awareness" of the teachers' attitudes towards curriculum changes, especially when they are unexpected and abrupt. Secondly, to demonstrate the importance of "awareness" among educational authorities about the role of transparent discussions on the nature, purpose, and consequences of their relevant decisions before their final implementation. To this end, the article discusses the amendments and their differences to the former curriculum. The role of the Design teachers' positive attitude towards curriculum changes, especially in dealing with challenging pedagogical issues and communicating creative motivation to learners, is critically assessed. Theoretically, the study was guided by "Ubuntu" philosophy and the South African democratic principles while methodologically, based on a qualitative data collection process, the "attitudes" of Design teachers from seven selected schools have been individually examined. In conclusion, the teachers' heterogeneous responses have indicated that their opinions do not reflect the "à priori" governmental acceptance of the amendments.

Norman D Goldstuck,1 Petrus S Steyn2 1Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Tygerberg Hospital, Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa; 2Reproductive Health and Fertility Regulation, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Groote Schuur Hospital and University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa Background: All postpartum women, including those who are breastfeeding or have had a cesarean section, appear potentially suited to intrauterine contraception, a long acting reversible contraceptive (LARC). Like any other method used after delivery, it should not interfere with lactation or be affected by cesarean section. Study design: We searched the MEDLINE, PubMed, Popline, Google Scholar, and Clinicaltrials.gov databases from January 1968 through to December 2012. Studies were included if they reported event rates in women who had a cesarean section and event rates and clinical outcomes in lactating women or their infants in the breastfeeding group. Summary odds ratios were not calculated because of the diverse methods of reporting event rates in the cesarean section group and the heterogeneity of the results in the breastfeeding group. Results: We found 26 articles on event rates in interval and post-placental intrauterine device (IUD) use, and 18 on event rates and clinical outcomes in breastfeeding IUD users. Four prospective studies and one retrospective study showed an increased expulsion rate in interval insertion. There were 19 studies, of which five were controlled in post-placental IUD insertion after cesarean section. Four studies had expulsion rates of 10 or more per 100 woman-years of use and 15 expulsion rates below 10 per 100 woman-years of use. Three studies showed that event rates for lactating IUD users are the same as those for non-lactating users. Fifteen controlled studies showed that the IUD had no effect on milk production and seven of these showed no effect on infant growth. Pharmacovigilance databases report an increased rate of IUD perforations in lactating women, while the event rate studies report that insertion is generally easier and less painful than expected. These were uncontrolled reports. Conclusion: The IUD is a long-acting reversible method of contraception with expulsion rates of 5–15 per 100 woman-years of use when used as a post-placental method immediately after cesarean section. As an interval procedure (6 or more weeks after cesarean section) it appears to have a high expulsion rate (5% or higher) notably in older devices. The IUD does not affect breastfeeding and is easy to insert in these women, but appears to be associated with a higher perforation rate (>1 per 100). Providers should not be deterred from using this contraception method, especially in developing countries, but should be attentive to preventing these potential problems. Keywords: long acting reversible contraception, IUD, cesarean section, post-placental, lactation

It is commonly assumed that formal education fos­ters both knowledge and character development. How­ever, this study questions the integrity of this assumption. This research aims to investigate whether education and ob­taining higher qualifications genuinely lead to enhanced gen­eral knowledge and a heightened awareness of one's igno­rance regarding certain topics. Cross-sectional data from the World Values Survey (N > 90,000) on educational levels, gen­eral knowledge, and the acknowledgement of ignorance were analysed. Education levels corresponded with elevated gen­eral knowledge; however, both educated and less educated individuals displayed similar tendencies to acknowledge their unfamiliarity with certain top­ics. The hypothesis pro­posing that higher levels of education correlate with superior general knowledge was supported by the data, but the com­mendable trait of acknowledging one's igno­rance does not ap­pear to be cultivated among those with higher degrees. This research raises important questions about the value of ad­vanced education as a builder of character and could consti­tute a call to universities to incorporate more formal ethics training into their curriculum.

Abstract Background Timely and informed public health responses to infectious diseases such as COVID-19 necessitate reliable information about infection dynamics. The case ascertainment rate (CAR), the proportion of infections that are reported as cases, is typically much less than one and varies with testing practices and behaviours, making reported cases unreliable as the sole source of data. The concentration of viral RNA in wastewater samples provides an alternate measure of infection prevalence that is not affected by clinical testing, healthcare-seeking behaviour or access to care. Methods We construct a state-space model with observed data of levels of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater and reported case incidence and estimate the hidden states of the effective reproduction number, R, and CAR using sequential Monte Carlo methods. Results We analyse data from 1 January 2022 to 31 March 2023 from Aotearoa New Zealand. Our model estimates that R peaks at 2.76 (95% CrI 2.20, 3.83) around 18 February 2022 and the CAR peaks around 12 March 2022. We calculate that New Zealand’s second Omicron wave in July 2022 is similar in size to the first, despite fewer reported cases. We estimate that the CAR in the BA.5 Omicron wave in July 2022 is approximately 50% lower than in the BA.1/BA.2 Omicron wave in March 2022. Conclusions Estimating R, CAR, and cumulative number of infections provides useful information for planning public health responses and understanding the state of immunity in the population. This model is a useful disease surveillance tool, improving situational awareness of infectious disease dynamics in real-time.

Zimbabwe grapples with a significant brain drain as many educated individuals seek better opportunities abroad. Given the decreasing number of highly educated individuals who remain in the country, their prospects of career advancement and wealth generation are expected to increase. This research aimed to investigate the impact of education on the employment status and income of individuals who stay in Zimbabwe. Cross-sectional data from the World Values Survey was used to characterize Zimbabwean respondents in relation to their employment status and income. To provide a comparative context, the results were juxtaposed with data from Australia and the United Kingdom (UK), popular destinations for Zimbabwean immigrants. Educated individuals in Zimbabwe face higher unemployment rates (22%) than those in Australia (2%) and the UK (3%). Additionally, educated Zimbabweans are more frequently self-employed (25%) than educated individuals in Australia (7%) and the UK (8%). Moreover, educated Zimbabweans are less likely to categorize themselves as high earners (10%) than Australians (38%) and UK residents (19%) with similar educational backgrounds. The significant disparities in employment rates, self-employment prevalence and perceived high-earning status between educated individuals in Zimbabwe and those in Australia and the UK underscore the challenges faced by educated individuals within Zimbabwean society. This research underscores the need for more job opportunities and the limited wealth creation prospects of highly educated individuals in Zimbabwe. If economic inclusivity is not fostered for the educated workforce, the brain drain will persist since opportunities will remain scarce, even for those who stay in the country. Targeted interventions to address structural issues and to promote a more inclusive economic environment in Zimbabwe are deemed necessary.

Background: For many years, the lived experiences, knowledge systems and histories of previously colonised people have been misinterpreted, removed and devalued in university teaching. The present curricula of African universities are predominantly Eurocentric and Criminology is no exception. In the wake of the #RhodesMustFall student protest action, there is a recognition and need to include African epistemology within the discipline of Criminology. Aim: The study investigated the views of lecturers and postgraduate students regarding the content, transformation and decolonisation of Criminology curricula. Setting: South African universities offering Criminology as a degree and/or academic subject. Methods: A total of 87 respondents, 42 lecturers and 45 postgraduate students, voluntarily participated in an online survey. Lecturers were purposively selected whilst postgraduate students were recruited via snowball sampling. Results: Nearly all the respondents had heard of decolonisation before, with the majority of the academic staff members being aware of it prior to #RhodesMustFall. Respondents agreed that the Criminology curriculum needs to be decolonised, with statistically significant differences emanating between black lecturers and white lecturers. Conclusion: Decolonisation and transformation have been debated for many years without meaningful translation in and changes to Criminology curricula.

Shareholder loans are often used as an alternative to traditional third-party loans or equity especially for private companies in various jurisdictions, including South Africa, to finance their business activities. These loans provide companies with greater flexibility to meet their financing needs, i.e., there is no need to seek external financing while offering shareholders a potentially profitable investment opportunity. However, the legal nature of shareholder loans could pose complex legal questions and this form of loans may not necessarily be as straightforward as it first appears. This article explores the legal framework and practical considerations surrounding shareholder loans in South Africa in small private companies, with a focus on developments in case law and their implications for companies and shareholders. Amongst other issues, the application of the principle of arbitrium boni viri to the interpretation and enforcement of these agreements will be discussed. The article aims to provide a critical analysis of the legal questions associated with shareholder loans in South Africa.