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Chambwe, Michael
Detection of Hepatitis B virus using dried blood spots and plasma separation cards
(North-West University, Mahikeng Campus - ROSS Department, 2024) Moabi, Tsholofelo; Mufhandu, Hazel Tumelo
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is one of the major public health problems in the world. Testing and diagnosis are the first steps that provide access to prevention and treatment services; however, many undiagnosed infections remain in resource-limited settings. This is because the current tests require the use of plasma samples which can only be obtained with venepuncture and some people have poor veins that are difficult to draw blood from and some are afraid of venous pricks and therefore not willing to give venous blood for testing. Thus, the collection of blood by a small finger prick and spotting on dried blood spots (DBS) is an alternative method that can overcome the problems seen with venepuncture blood collection. Moreover, there is a newly developed blood collection method called plasma separation card (PSC) which has similar features as DBS but rather separates plasma from whole blood, and offers excellent sample stability and a higher volume capacity. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of DBS and PSC for the detection of HBV infection in resource-limited areas. A total of 60 EDTA donated blood samples, 30 HBV positive and 30 HBV negative were used in the study. The DetermineTM HBsAg 2 Rapid test was used to test for HBV in the samples. DBS and PSC samples were prepared from the 60 blood samples and the remainder of the samples were used to obtain plasma samples. Ten randomly selected samples were stored at different temperatures, that is, 4 °C and room temperature (RT), for 3 days to assess the stability of the DBS and PSCs. The detection of HBV from DBS, PSC and plasma samples was then evaluated using Architect i1000sr and GeneXpert assays. Viral DNA was also extracted from all the samples and the complete HBV surface gene was amplified by nested PCR. The PCR amplicons were then purified and sequenced using the BigDye Terminator v3.0 Cycle Sequencing Ready Reaction Kit (Applied Biosystems, California, USA) on the AB 3500 xL Genetic Analyser DNA sequencer (Applied Biosystems, California, USA). DBS and PSC showed no significant change in HBsAg and HBV VL after 3 days at 4⁰C and RT compared to samples stored at -20 ⁰C. HBsAg was detected in 47 positive plasma samples, 35 positive DBS samples and 32 positive PSC samples using the Architect HBsAg assay. The sensitivity and specificity v of the DBS and PSC methods were compared with the gold standard plasma method and were determined using the area under the ROC curve (AUROC) analysis method. The DBS method was 76% sensitive and 56% specific while the PSC method was 80% sensitive and 56% specific. HBV viral load (VL) was detected in 26/47 plasma, 19/34 DBS and 22/31 PSC samples using GeneXpert. The mean difference of HBV DNA VL detected with DBS vs plasma samples was 0.5 log10 IU/ml while that of PSC vs plasma samples was 0.8 log10 IU/ml with a strong correlation of R 2 = 0.6019; p-value < 0.00 and R2 = 0.6726; p-value < 0.01 respectively. The Bland-Altman analysis plot showed great agreement when detecting HBV VL between plasma samples and card samples (DBS and PSC) for all storage conditions. DBS and PSC methods were able to detect HBsAg and HBV DNA VL even for samples stored at 4 °C and room temperature for 3 days. Some of the DBS and PSC samples were PCR amplified and compared with plasma samples. The samples were used further for phylogenetic analysis using Mega 7 software. Three genotypes (genotypes A, D and E) were detected. The study recommends the use of DBS and PSC blood colleection methods as the best alternative to the venepuncture blood collection method.
A framework for tourism value chain ownership in rural communities
(North-West University (South Africa), 2022) Chambwe, Michael; Saayman, Andrea; Viviers, Pierre-Andre
The lack of understanding and implementation of tourism community value chain ownership in South Africa inspired and compelled this research. This study aimed to develop a framework to close this gap by reviewing the various tourism community business ownership models as well as measuring the levels of tourism value chain ownership and business ventures by rural communities. The study postulates that through ownership of the tourism value chain, not only do the rural communities have the rights to the usage of the owned property, but they also have the means to be involved in tourism activities in more rewarding ways than mere participation as they develop skills and knowledge to manage these products. Since tourism communities formulate larger society, the study used a hypothetical sociological approach to grasp a better appreciation of society, its institutions, and relationships. Societal set-up has tremendous influence on communities' perceptions and attitude towards tourism. Through participation, communities' attitudes towards tourism are positively influenced but the lack of equitable benefits renders it inadequate. The study further examines the concept of ownership and community sense of ownership by reviewing various community ownership models, past and present, that reveal how community needs are dynamic and how they change over time. Through the ownership of the tourism value chain by local communities, the inadequacies of mere participation can be overcome. A phenomenological approach from a mixed-method framework of empirical study was adopted for this research that utilised the concurrent triangulation research design. The empirical phase of the study sought to ascertain the selected communities' status quo, their support for tourism, as well as determine their levels of, and barriers to, ownership of the tourism value chain. Qualitative data collection and the collection of quantitative data were done concurrently before results were analysed independently and then compared. Five in-depth interviews were conducted, two with the uKhahlamba Drakensberg Park community liaison officers, and three with the community traditional leaders, whilst a community survey gathered 325 completed questionnaires. vi While this research reveals a gloomy picture of the communities' ownership of the tourism value chain, it also highlights the potential that ownership of the tourism value chain by rural communities has in the quest for equitable development. This potential is negatively impacted largely by the communities' lack of business skills and education; lack of tourism exposure; lack of institutional (governmental and non-governmental) support; as well as financial incapacitation. This is worsened by lack of secure land tenure rights by the rural communities. This study suggests various equitable partnerships, capacitation, and funding of local communities for the ownership of the tourism value chain by rural communities to be a success. The study stipulates the desired role of external players in the various partnerships to foster self-reliance in local communities and discourage their dependence on outsiders for solutions to all their challenges. This research makes a theoretical contribution to the body of knowledge pertaining to tourism communities and ownership of the tourism value chain to advance the equitable distribution of tourism benefits in rural areas of developing countries. From a practical standpoint, this research submits a tourism community value chain ownership framework envisaged for use by policymakers, various developmental organisations, planners, and scholars in developing economies.
Economic growth and life expectancy: a panel analysis of the BRICS countries
(North-West University (South Africa), 2026) Oche, Mary Onyemowo; Mah, Gisele
With notable increases in GDP per capita and a disproportionate share of global output, the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) economies have become prominent actors in the global economy. However, these nations have continued to face several health issues, ranging from the prevalence of both communicable and non-communicable illnesses, and water and air pollution, as well as road traffic accidents. Thus, life expectancy, a crucial measure of population health, has not increased consistently across these countries despite significant economic progress. Hence, this current study sought to statistically investigate the link between life expectancy and economic growth of the BRICS nations. With data sourced from World Bank Development indicators for the period 2000-2023, a life expectancy model and a growth model are estimated in this study in cooperating variables such as life expectancy, GDP per capita, education, trade, physicians per 1000, CO2 emissions, health expenditure per capita, and gross fixed capital formation. This study investigates the long-run relationship between life expectancy and economic growth in the BRICS countries using annual panel data and advanced econometric techniques. The panel cointegration approach was employed and the results confirm a stable long-term link between the variables. The Fully Modified Ordinary Least Squares (FMOLS) and Dynamic Ordinary Least Squares (DOLS) estimators as well as Granger causality test were applied to capture both long-term and short-term dynamics. The empirical results of the Life Expectancy Model of this study showed that GDP per capita and education have significant positive effects on life expectancy in the BRICS countries, while carbon emissions have a significant negative relationship with life expectancy. The Granger causality analysis further reveals a bidirectional relationship between GDP per capita and life expectancy, indicating that economic growth and population health mutually reinforce each other. Additionally, carbon emissions unidirectionally Granger-cause life expectancy, highlighting the detrimental impact of environmental degradation on health outcomes. These findings suggest that policies aimed at improving life expectancy should prioritize sustained economic growth, expansion of educational opportunities, and effective environmental management. More specifically, governments should invest in income-generating initiatives (micro- and small enterprise development, and Transport and Logistics Services among others) and social protection, to boost GDP per capita, enhance access to quality education to strengthen human capital, and also implement stringent carbon emission controls alongside renewable energy vi adoption to mitigate health risks from pollution. Such integrated strategies can simultaneously improve population health and reinforce long-term economic development. Furthermore, the empirical findings from the Economic Growth Model indicate that life expectancy and current health expenditure per capita have statistically significant positive effects on economic growth in the BRICS countries. The Granger causality analysis shows that life expectancy unidirectionally Granger-causes GDP per capita, and carbon emissions also exhibit a unidirectional causal influence on economic growth. These results highlight the central role of population health and healthcare investment in promoting economic performance, as well as the potential impact of environmental quality on growth outcomes. Based on the significant long-run results, policymakers in the BRICS countries should prioritize interventions that improve population health and strengthen healthcare systems. Investments in healthcare infrastructure, preventive care, and public health programmes will enhance labour productivity and support sustainable economic growth. Given the causal influence of life expectancy on economic performance, integrating health improvements into national development strategies is crucial. Additionally, although carbon emissions are not significant in the long run, their unidirectional effect on economic growth underscores the importance of environmental management. Policies should include stricter emission controls, promotion of renewable energy, and cleaner industrial practices to protect both health and long-term economic performance.
Enhancing Java learning through gamification: a web-based application
(North-West University (South Africa), 2026) Sithole, Jonathan T.; Nhlapo, Moleboge E.; Gorejena, Karikoga
The challenge of student attrition and lack of engagement in introductory programming courses is a global concern in higher education. Java, specifically, presents a steep learning curve due to its strict syntax and abstract concepts, often leading to cognitive overload and demotivation among novice programmers. This study investigates how gamification can be leveraged to address these challenges by designing and developing a web-based learning application tailored to the needs of IT students. Adopting a design science research (DSR) methodology, the study followed a rigorous cycle of problem identification, objective definition, design, development, and evaluation. Data was collected from information technology students at North-West University (NWU) through quantitative questionnaires (N=20) and qualitative focus groups (N=6). The findings revealed that students desire authentic practice over superficial "toy" games, with a strong demand for immediate feedback (100% agreement), professional-grade tools (simulating Visual Studio Code), and "safe" social competition where leaderboards are opt-in to reduce anxiety. Based on these empirical insights, the study developed JavaRealm, a web application utilizing the MERN stack (MongoDB, Express, React, Node.js). The artifact features a "Skill Tree" for visual progression, an authentic Monaco code editor for practical tasks, and a narrative-driven "Boss Battle" system to test mastery. The design verification confirms that JavaRealm is built to translate established motivational and engagement principles into a functional software artifact, grounded in empirical student needs data and established educational theory. The study contributes to the field of educational technology by providing a practical blueprint for implementing gamification in complex cognitive domains, proposing, based on empirical design evidence, that effective gamification must prioritise scaffolding, authenticity, structured progression, and user autonomy over simple points and badges - a set of design principles ready for empirical validation in future longitudinal research.