Bloemfontein Area Research Articles

A Simplified Design Process for Thermal Supplementation of a Medium Sized Aquaponics System to Ensure Sustainability

Growing climate change awareness incentivizes establishment and implementation of efficient alternative food production methodologies such as aquaponics, with potentially high yield versus reduced footprint, urban implementation and local food security and employment. Viably maintaining such systems during freezing winter climate necessitates thermal supplementation to maintain biological viability of the fish stock and bio-filter micro-organisms. The purpose of this study is to present a simplified baseline approach for determining thermal supplementation for establishing sustainability of a medium sized aquaponics system. An existing aquaponics system is examined and described through historical temperature data, system thermal interaction via mass-flow loop energy transfer and a physical layout. Applicable historical measurements for initial supplementation determination are be listed. The chosen solar supplementation source is discussed in terms of cost and energy input. Further examination of study data informs system energy interaction and system micro-biota viability. The presented method results in an inter-cold-front positive system temperature recovery slope of 0.278˚C per day and an extrapolated temperature buffer recovery in 15 days, validating the viability of the method as presented. The value of adopting this method lies in promoting aquaponics system adoption by simplifying system-viability supplementation estimation where direct grid energy unit-cost comparison allows for informed decisions. Adopting the method for the Bloemfontein area, or locations with similar climate, is thus recommended.

Causative pathogens and antibiotic resistance in community-acquired urinary tract infections in central South Africa

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are very common in community practice. Both the South African (SA) antibiotic stewardship programme (2015) and the Essential Medicines List for SA (2018) recommend ciprofloxacin as first-line treatment for community-acquired urinary tract infections (CAUTIs). The pathogens responsible for CAUTIs and their susceptibility profiles need to be documented, which is important for developing and updating treatment protocols. To determine the causative pathogens of CAUTIs in the greater Bloemfontein area, central SA, and to review their susceptibilities to commonly prescribed antibiotics. Urine samples sent for microscopy and culture between 2011 and 2015 by the three largest primary healthcare facilities in Bloemfontein were analysed retrospectively. Specimens with a significant count (>105 CFU/mL) of a single uropathogen were included. These results were obtained from the National Health Laboratory Service central data warehouse after the required consent. Data regarding age, gender, pathogen cultured and antimicrobial susceptibilities were captured. All calculations were carried out with statistical analysis software SPSS 17.0 (SPSS Inc., USA). A total of 712 samples met the inclusion criteria. Women accounted for 481 (67.6%) of the infections. The prevalence of UTIs per age group was as follows: 1 month - 25 years (n=146; 20.51%); 26 - 50 years (n=324; 45.5%); and 51 - 75 years (n=199; 27.9%). The distribution of pathogens did not differ between age groups. Escherichia coli was the most prevalent uropathogen cultured from 410 (57.6%) specimens, followed by Klebsiella spp. from 97 (13.6%) and Enterococcus spp. from 71 (10.0%) specimens. E. coli showed resistance rates of 77.1% to amoxicillin, 15.6% to amoxicillin-clavulanate, 18.5% to ciprofloxacin, 4% to nitrofurantoin and 11% to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX). The distribution of uropathogens was different for men and women, with a lower prevalence of E. coli in men (p=0.045). As expected, E. coli comprised most of the isolates, with a higher than expected number of Klebsiella isolates cultured. The susceptibility of E. coli to commonly prescribed oral antibiotics has decreased in the research setting, which mirrors a global trend. This study provides data showing that TMP-SMX and nitrofurantoin can be used safely as alternatives to first-line ciprofloxacin in CAUTIs in central SA.

Investigating thermal supplementation of an aquaponics system under severe climate conditions

PurposeClimate change strains scarce water resources and food production infrastructure, necessitating establishment of sound scientific basis for operation of sustainable alternative food production methodologies - such as aquaponics, which promises high yield versus small footprint. In a climate (such as in Bloemfontein, South Africa) including temperatures below freezing, real-time aquaponics monitoring and control is necessary to mitigate thermal losses and to ensure sustainability of fish stock and bio-filter micro-organisms. The system thermal energy also needs sustainable supplementation during wintertime. This study/paper aims to address the problem of monitoring and controlling thermal energy in a medium sized aquaponics system, to ensure biological sustainability, especially during extreme cold weather events.Design/methodology/approachRequired supplementation was determined and the aquaponics system described and quantified in terms of mass-flow power transfer by measuring loop differential temperature and flow rate. Cold front temperature data evaluation determined implementation suitability and -sustainability. Subsystem temperature contributions to the main reservoir, and their cumulative influence on the biological component, were considered.FindingsResults indicate thermal supplementation enabled 1.3 °C temperature loss mitigation for a 42-kl water reservoir over a period of three days, offsetting severe system temperature decrease during a cold front event, and preventing organism mortalityOriginality/valueQuantification of flow loop power transfer, and successful supplementation monitoring and control, demonstrates the approach and implementation merit in the Bloemfontein area. Wi-Fi-enabled online real-time data potentially facilitates incorporation into the concept of “Sustainable Smart Cities”.

Stocking rate of extensive land-reform livestock farmers during 2018/2019 drought: Bloemfontein grassland biome case study

The study aimed to determine the average stocking rate among land reform beneficiary farmers specialising in livestock production in order to establish differences between calving percentage, fodder availability, and mortality rate of sampled farms, as well as to compare forage scarcities of Land Reform farms with their neighbouring farms during the midsummer drought of 2018/2019 in the Bloemfontein area. The average stocking rate was 5.9 ha/LSU in comparison with the Departmental grazing capacity norm of 6 ha/LSU for rangeland in good condition. However, 31% of the sampled farms were found to be severely overstocked, and the mortality rate on these farms, in relation to grazing capacity of 6 ha/LSU, was significantly higher (P < 0.05) than the mortalities on the other remaining farms. Naturally available fodder was found to be heterogeneous, with 37.9% of the respondents observing their available fodder as worse than that of their neighbours. The total mortality of 176.77 LSUs was recorded for the 29 sampled farms. These findings will assist the local extension personnel prevent future rangeland condition degradation and increase land reform farmers’ productivity. The study concluded that training is paramount to farmers’ development and further recommends more research undertakings.

The accuracy of Bloemfontein-based Emergency Medical Services providers in recognising sepsis

Background: Sepsis is considered a severe life-threatening medical emergency and globally carries a high mortality. Research suggests early recognition of sepsis can lead to early initiation of treatment and effective communication of this condition to the receiving facility by pre-hospital emergency care (PEC) providers. Depending on system operations, this has been shown to improve patient outcomes. However, sepsis often presents non-specifically, and in the absence of validated pre-hospital sepsis screening tools, less than half of sepsis patients seen by PEC providers are recognised. This study aimed to determine the accuracy with which Bloemfontein-based PEC providers recognise sepsis in a series of patient vignettes. Methods: A series of seven case vignettes were presented to a convenient sample of advanced life support (ALS) and intermediate life support (ILS) PEC providers. The PEC providers were asked to review each vignette and indicate whether the patient described had sepsis or not. The vignettes consisted of a clinical case description with signs and symptoms of patients presenting with or without sepsis, and images were shown where relevant. Elements of the Robson Prehospital Severe Sepsis Screening (RPSS) tool were used to populate the sepsis vignettes. Results: A total of 27 ILS and ALS PEC providers in the Bloemfontein area partook in the research study. Thus, a total of 189 vignettes were evaluated for sepsis. PEC providers, both ILS and ALS, recognised sepsis with a sensitivity of 69.63% and a specificity of 37.04% (PPV 73.44%, NPV 32.79%), indicating an accuracy of 60.32%. Although all participants mentioned some motivations for their answers, none of the participants gave specific cut-off value ranges at which point they would suspect sepsis. Conclusion: This vignette-based study found that PEC providers can recognise sepsis with modest accuracy, echoing previous work on this topic. In addition, the study provides a platform for similar studies, which, in turn, could aid in the development of a validated, pre-hospital sepsis screening tool.

Model validation and economic dispatch of a dual axis pv tracking system connected to energy storage with grid connection: A case of a healthcare institution in South Africa

Healthcare institutions, ranks the second highest energy intensive buildings in the commercial sector, with daily energy consumption ranging from 43 to 92 kWh per bed. Energy management in this sector may prove difficult due to the demand's critical and non-deferrable nature. Therefore, in this paper, a validated optimal power dispatch model of a proposed hybrid energy system connected to a healthcare institution is developed. The healthcare institution considered in this study, which will remain anonymous,11The healthcare institution considered in this paper is located in the Bloemfontein area and referred to as an anonymous healthcare entity in order to maintain confidentiality and privacy of sensitive data used in this study. is subjected to Time-of-Use (ToU) tariffs and maximum demand charges and is considering the implementation of renewable energy technologies to reduce energy costs. Consequently, given the geographical location of the building, a system consisting of a photovoltaic tracking system with a battery bank and grid connection supplying the load is proposed and modelled. The aim is to optimize the power flow between the hybrid system and battery in order to minimize the grid energy costs based on the ToU tariff while reducing the maximum demand charges from the utility. Annual potential cost savings of up to 40.9% were attained, while a projected break-even point of 7.1 years is noted with the proposed optimally controlled system as compared to the load exclusively supplied by the grid.

Birds of the Bloemfontein area, Free State Province, South Africa, during the years 1977-2000: an overview

The aim of this paper is to summarize our knowledge of the birds of the Bloemfontein area, Free State, South Africa. It presents data on the status, distribution, population densities and habitat of the birds of this area, during the years 1977-2000 (with a special emphasis on the years 1993-1998). Both published and unpublished data are analysed. Population densities were estimated mainly using the line transect method and territory mapping method. For most fairly common, common and very common species, data on population densities are provided, while for 19 species (mainly rare or very rare), distribution maps of their occupied territories are presented. A total of 324 bird species were recorded. Breeding birds comprised 60.2% of the overall species (195), while non-breeding birds made up the remaining 39.8% (129). Among the breeding species, most (55.9%) were residents throughout the year, 3.1% were intra-African migrants and 1.2% were nomads. Non-breeding birds were represented by Palearctic migrants (35 species, 10.8%) classified as vagrants, irregular and regular visitors; and African non-breeding species (94; 29.0%), which were mainly vagrants. Among the breeding species, most were rare or very rare (100 species, 56.4%). Only 24 (12.3%) of them were very common, nine of which were non-passeres and 15 passeres. The main threat to birds in the Bloemfontein area is intensive agriculture. Some suggestions and recommendations are given for more effective and efficient bird conservation in this important area.

Job satisfaction amongst teachers at special needs schools

The aim of this study was to establish the level of job satisfaction amongst teachers at special schools. Teachers in special schools need to cope with curriculum changes, the administrative duties that come with these changes, and the learners with their diverse needs. Learners with special needs require a specific educational programme and also schools that cater for the needs of learners with emotional, social, neurological or physical problems. The research group consisted of 101 teachers working at six different special schools situated in various parts of the Bloemfontein area, two in the Mangaung area, and four were situated in suburban areas. The group consisted of English- and Afrikaans-speaking teachers of both genders and from different race groups. The data for this study were compiled by means of a short biographical questionnaire and the Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire. The results indicated that the teachers experienced an average level of job satisfaction. In addition to this finding, differences were also found in the levels of job satisfaction between different races, but not between genders. Keywords: job satisfaction; Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire; South African education; special schools

An exploratory study on entrepreneurial mindset in the small and medium enterprise (SME) sector: A South African perspective on fostering small and medium enterprise (SME) success

Business success in the new economy is merely not a function of relevant skills; but also requires people who have entrepreneurial mindsets. As much as entrepreneurial mindset is important for business success, it is also vital to understand the current level of entrepreneurial mindsets in each entrepreneurial community by identifying which factors are lacking that needs to be improved as a means to foster the success of entrepreneurs. This study’s objective is to understand the level of entrepreneurial mindset in the small and medium enterprise (SME) sector in South Africa. The population for the study comprised of entrepreneurs in the SME sector in Bloemfontein area. The questionnaire, answered by 86 entrepreneurs, was designed with the aid of an entrepreneurial mindset tool and Mind Prober 3.0. The respond and result gotten from the questionnaires distributed indicated a low level of entrepreneurial mindset in South Africa. This deduction led to the establishment of the fact that the lack of an entrepreneurial mindset contributes to the high failure rate of SMEs in South Africa. Further observation on this study also established that entrepreneurs with an entrepreneurial mindset performed better in certain factors (creativity, risk taking propensity, growth mindset etc) which are considered vital for business success. A culmination of these briefly exemplified elements thus makes it necessary to look into means and the need of fostering SME success in South Africa. Key words: Entrepreneurial mindset, small and medium enterprises, success, South Africa.

The Implementation and Evaluation of a Resiliency Programme for Children

Children moving from middle childhood to adolescence experience challenges that require effective skills to cope with the increasing complexity of life. This is particularly true in South Africa where the exposure to violence, poverty and ongoing socio-economic transformation leads to high levels of stress. Accordingly, children need to be resilient to cope with stress and trauma. The goal of this investigation was to develop, implement and evaluate a resiliency programme for 12–year-old children. A total of 161 participants was selected from four schools in the Bloemfontein area and divided into experimental and control groups. The Solomon Four Group Design was used. The following measuring instruments were used to assess the participants' resilience: the Behavioural and Emotional Rating Scale, Resiliency Scales for children and adolescents, and the Fortitude Scale. The intervention programme consisted of 15 sessions presented over a period of three weeks and focused on activities promoting emotional regulation, stress management, interpersonal skills, and problem solving. Two post-test evaluations were conducted: three weeks after the intervention programme and a follow-up three months later. Findings indicated that intra personal characteristics such as emotional regulation and self-appraisal increased significantly after the children had been exposed to the resiliency programme; while interpersonal skills and external resources such as family and general social support did not increase significantly. The content of the resiliency programme and the recommendations for interventions are discussed in the article.

Reflections of Teacher Perceptions Regarding Curriculum Change in the Bloemfontein Area, South Africa

With the dawn of the new curriculum in this country, namely, Curriculum 2005 (C2005) in 1997, and the Revised National Curriculum Statement (RNCS) in 2002, which are the two major curriculum policy...

Psychiatric evaluation of intellectually disabled offenders referred to the Free State Psychiatric Complex, 1993-2003

Background . Increased crime is a problem in South Africa and complications arise when the accused is intellectually disabled. The accountability and fitness to stand trial of such individuals is an important facet that needs to be managed by the judicial and health systems. Objective . To analyse the accountability and triability of intellectually disabled people awaiting trial referred to the Free State Psychiatric Complex (FSPC) from 1993 to 2003 according to Sections 77 and 78 of the Criminal Procedures Act (Act 51 of 1977). Method . A retrospective study was conducted. The study population consisted of 80 intellectually disabled people awaiting trial in the Free State, referred to the FSPC. The reason for referral was the possibility that they were not triable or accountable. A data form was compiled to transfer the relevant information from the patients’ clinical files. Results . The study found that the majority of subjects were male (96.3%), unmarried (76.3%) and unemployed (63.8%). The median age was 27 years. A relatively high percentage (49%) had received some schooling and 16% had attended a special school. Most (32%) were referred from the Bloemfontein area and 68% were referred from the remainder of the Free State and other areas. The majority were referred according to Sections 77 and 78. The highest number of the offences were of a sexual nature (78%). Of the subjects, 62 (62.5%) were diagnosed as having mild mental retardation, while 16% were diagnosed as having moderate mental retardation. A total of 71 (71.25%) were found to be untriable and unaccountable. Conclusion . Triability and accountability are not only reflected by IQ score, but also involve the accused’s understanding of his/her environment, his/her speech and language proficiency, level of education, reasoning ability and the manner in which the crime was committed. It is important to note that having an IQ of 70 or less does not automatically mean that the accused is unfit to stand trial or is not accountable. It is possible for an intellectually disabled person to be triable, accountable or diminished accountable.

Morality as a predictor of loneliness: a cross-cultural study

Loneliness is currently regarded as one of the most common and prevalent problems experienced by adolescents, and it is also observed as a painful, unpleasant and negative experience. South African adolescents also have to face and cope with this predicament daily. The main objective of this study was to establish the perception of adolescents of different cultures regarding loneliness and morality and to investigate the relationship between them. It was also determined which of the independent variables, namely morality, gender, age, mother tongue and ethnicity, contributed significantly to the prediction of loneliness. A total of 714 adolescents from three different secondary schools in the greater Bloemfontein area between the ages of 13 and 17 were selected. Adolescents were used because they are increasingly being confronted with moral issues and because loneliness occurs more commonly during adolescence. The focus was on three ethnic groups, namely Coloured, black and white. Three different questionnaires, namely the Le Roux Loneliness Scale, the Morally Debatable Behaviours Scale and a biographical questionnaire were completed to obtain the necessary data. A significant inverse correlation between loneliness and morality was determined, while morality was identified as the best predictor of loneliness.

Use and care of an endotracheal/tracheostomy tube cuff--are intensive care unit staff adequately informed?

There is an apparent high incidence of tracheal stenosis in the Bloemfontein area. The aim of this study was to determine intensive care unit (ICU) staff knowledge of the use and care of endotracheal and tracheostomy tube cuffs. One hundred and twelve qualified nurses, working in 11 different ICUs, were asked to complete an anonymous questionnaire regarding endotracheal/tracheostomy tube cuffs. The results highlight the following three areas of concern: (i) there was an overall misconception in 38% of the respondents that the function of the cuff was to secure the tube in position in the trachea to prevent self-extubation; (ii) accurate regulation of cuff pressure was not routine practice in any of the ICUs; and (iii) only half of the respondents felt their training regarding cuff care management was sufficient. ICU staff had misconceptions regarding the function and care of endotracheal/tracheostomy tube cuffs. The concept of a higher cuff pressure for better stabilisation of the tube is probably an important factor that could have caused the increase in tracheal stenosis in the Bloemfontein area. Critical care nursing needs to emphasise the use of current techniques, discourage routine cuff deflation, and encourage collaboration with ICU physicians on standards of care. A protocol that could be used in the ICUs regarding the use and care of an endotracheal/tracheostomy tube cuff is proposed.

Antimicrobial properties of extracts from Euclea crispa subsp. crispa (Ebenaceae) towards human pathogens

Leaf samples of Euclea crispa subsp. crispa were collected in the Bloemfontein area of the Free State Province as part of a project to screen South African plants for their antimicrobial potential. Crude extracts were obtained with a 95% methanol solution and the aqueous fraction remaining after methanol was removed by distillation, was bioassayed in vitro for its potential to inhibit the growth of eleven human pathogenic bacteria and two human pathogenic fungi. Of all the plant extracts tested, the E. crispa crude leaf extract showed the most promising antimicrobial activity against human pathogenic bacteria and fungi. Subsequently, the crude extract was fractionated by means of liquid-liquid extraction using four different organic solvents in order of increasing polarity. Most of the antibacterial activity was observed in the more polar ethyl acetate fraction. No particular trend of inhibition was observed between the Gram-negative and Grampositive bacteria. Neither the crude extract nor the semipurified fractions inhibited the growth of Haemophilus influenzae, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Streptococcus pneumoniae. The growth of the other eight human pathogenic bacteria was inhibited to different degrees. Both the crude extract as well as all the semi-purified fractions inhibited the growth of two human pathogenic test fungi.

Helminths in dogs from a peri-urban resource-limited community in Free State Province, South Africa

This study focused on the helminth parasites of dogs in the Bloemfontein area of the Free State Province of South Africa. Samples were collected from 63 stray dogs destined for euthanasia. Complete sets of samples, consisting of blood, faeces, adhesive tape swabs and organs (heart, lungs and complete gastro-intestinal tract) from each dog were examined for helminth parasites. Dipylidium caninum was the most common helminth, and was recovered from 44% of dogs, followed by Taenia spp. (33%), Toxascaris leonina (32%), Ancylostoma caninum (27%), Toxocara canis (21%), Ancylostoma braziliense (19%), Spirocerca lupi (13%) and Joyeuxiella sp. (5%). Although human infection with S. lupi and Joyeuxiella sp. are unlikely, all the other helminths reported in this study are zoonotic, and therefore pose a threat to community health in Bloemfontein.

Serological survey for antibodies reactive with Ehrlichia canis and E. chaffeensis in dogs from the Bloemfontein area, South Africa.

Sera from 161 dogs in the Bloemfontein area in South Africa were tested for the presence of antibodies reactive with Ehrlichia canis and E. chaffeensis by indirect fluorescent antibody testing. Overall, 68 (42%) of the dogs had significant antibody titres (> or = 1/64) against E. canis and 61 (38%) had significant titres (> or = 1/64) against E. chaffeensis. Seven (11%) dogs had higher titres to E. chaffeensis than E. canis (1/2048 and 1/1024 (2 dogs); 1/1024 and 1/512 (2 dogs); 1/2048 and 1/512; 1/512 and 1/256 and 1/512 and < 1/64, respectively). The remaining seropositive dogs had equal (n = 26; 42%) or 2-(n = 17; 25%), 3-(n = 13; 2%) or 4-fold (n = 5; 7%) higher titres against E. canis. Dogs from economically depressed, high-density suburbs (60/112; 48%) had significantly higher prevalences of antibodies against E. canis than those from more affluent, low-density suburbs (8/49; 14%) (chi 2 = 19.38, p < 0.001). Higher titres to E. chaffeensis than E. canis were found in dogs from affluent, low-density suburbs (3/49) and in dogs from economically depressed, high-density suburbs (4/112).

Vliegintensiteite van kransduiwe (&lt;i&gt;Columba guinea&lt;i/&gt;) en sonneblomskade

Daily flight patterns of rock pigeons (Columba guinea) in the Bloemfontein area are characterised by prominent peaks in early morning and late afternoon. During the middle of the day the birds usually rest in shady places of buildings situated en route to and from field crops in the immediate vicinity of the city. Sunflower is damaged mainly by rock pigeons of which the local population was estimated to be at least 6000. Investigations of bird damage to sunflower within a radius of 20 km from the city centre amounts to between 1 and 7% of the potential seed yield. The regular hunting of rock pigeons is recom­mended as a deterrent.

The Free State Floods: A Case Study

This is an exploratory study of the stress experiences of 20 flood victims in the Bloemfontein area. Measures consisted of demographic variables, Rotter's Locus of Control scale, Horowitz's Impact of Event scale and unstructured interviews. Whereas female subjects reported higher levels of stress than male subjects, no differences in the subjects' experiences of stress were found with regard to age, occupation or the measure of internal-external locus of control. In accordance with Lazarus's stress model, the interviews revealed that the subjects' initial reactions to the disaster (primary appraisals) included feelings of numbness, despondency, helplessness and reduced control over their circumstances. With regard to secondary appraisals the subjects reported having employed a number of successful as well as inadequate coping strategies. Sex differences occurred especially with regard to the subjects' accounts of primary appraisals and their use of external (outwardly directed) coping strategies.

Risk analysis of wheat production in the central Orange Free State using a growth model

A wheat crop growth model (Singels, 1983) was refined and used to calculate annual grain yield from weather data for 45 seasons in the Bloemfontein area. Five different levels of profile-available water capacity were used as soil input parameter. Other input parameters were kept constant at optimum levels. The average yield and gross margin were calculated for the different hypothetical soil types as were probabilities for positive gross margins. Results indicated that successful wheat production is possible on soils with a profile-available water capacity between 92 mm and 112 mm. Below 92 mm the low water storage capacity of soils limits yields. Soils with an available water capacity of more than 100 mm m−1 (clays and loams) under certain circumstances experience profile water deficits at planting as a result of climatic conditions.