Walter Sisulu University

Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly being used in the field of medicine and healthcare. However, there are no articles specifically examining ethical and moral dimensions of AI use for evidence synthesis. This article attempts to fills this gap. In doing so, I deploy in written form, what in Bengali philosophy and culture, is the Adda (আড্ডা) approach, a form of oral exchange, which involves deep but conversational style discussion. Adda developed as a form of intellectual resistance against the cultural hegemony of British Imperialism and entails asking provocative question to encourage critical discourse.The raison d’être for using AI is that it would enhance efficiency in the conduct of evidence synthesis, thus leading to greater evidence uptake. I question whether assuming so without any empirical evidence is ethical. I then examine the challenges posed by the lack of moral agency of AI; the issue of bias and discrimination being amplified through AI driven evidence synthesis; ethical and moral dimensions of epistemic (knowledge-related) uncertainty on AI; impact of knowledge systems (training of future scientists, and epistemic conformity), and the need for looking at ethical and moral dimensions beyond technical evaluation of AI models. I then discuss ethical and moral responsibilities of government, multi-laterals, research institutions and funders in regulating and having an oversight role in development, validation, and conduct of evidence synthesis. I argue that industry self-regulation for responsible use of AI is unlikely to address ethical and moral concerns, and that there is a need to develop legal frameworks, ethics codes, and of bringing such work within the ambit of institutional ethics committees to enable appreciation of the complexities around use of AI for evidence synthesis, mitigate against moral hazards, and ensure that evidence synthesis leads to improvement of health of individuals, nations and societies.

Over the previous few years energy demand has drastically increased that lead to recycling of scrap tyres for the production of fuels for energy in South Africa. This chapter provides a detailed information on how to go about recycling of used tyres into pyrolysis oils and carbon black through pyrolisis method. This method provides clean renewable energy and also solve the difficulty of waste tyre removal in the landfills. During the pyrolysis process wasted tyres are decomposed into low molecular weight compounds under inert thermal conditions. An estimated yields of tyre pyrolysis are typical: 45–55% fuel oil 10–15% steel wire, 30–35% carbon black and 8–10% flammable gas. The recycled tyre pyrolysis oil promises to be a good substitution for diesel fuel and gives a opportunity to minimize the utilization of the natural resources. Due to high specific surface area and electrical conductivity in carborn black it has wide range of appliacation in catalysis, polymers reinforcement and solar energy.

Managing waste is an interest of many indudtries and it accumulates more attention given the enviromental difficulties and the breakage of viruses. The process of handling waste is managed with the virous options including burning for creating energy. The last and worst option seems to be a burial. Waste burial needs a high volume of land area to be implemented and causes the danger of leakage pollution into air, water, and soil. It also produces less value of energy in comparison with garbage burning. Energy from waste is a broad term that covers much more than waste incineration. It encompasses various waste treatment processes generating energy (e.g., in the form of electricity/or heat or produce a waste-derived fuel), each of which has different environmental impacts and cotribution to circular economy. Waste management is one of the main areas where further improvements are needed and within reach: increasing waste prevention, reuse and recycling are key objectives, both of the action plan and of the legislative package on waste. In seeking to solve the problem of waste disposal and producing energy from waste is one of the most challenging problems of the current world. To manage waste effectively, public–private partnership should be encouraged to jointly address waste management problems. The legislation, policies, governmental rules, and new technologies should be considered worldwide to raise the situation of waste to energy conversion in the market of renewable energies.

In this study, we have introduced the neutrosophic generalized β−J contraction as a generalization of the neutrosophic J-contraction with admissible mappings. Sufficient conditions for the existence and uniqueness of the fixed points for a neutrosophic generalized β−J contraction are derived in complete strong neutrosophic metric spaces (SNMSs). An application is given to support the main result. MSC2020 Classification: 47H10, 45D05, 54H25

This conceptual paper aimed to explore the transformation of university libraries in South Africa into dynamic learning spaces that cater to evolving academic and social needs of students. In the context of South Africa’s rapidly changing higher education landscape, where inclusivity and technological advancements are paramount, the role of university libraries is shifting from traditional information repositories to hubs of collaborative learning and student engagement. The paper employed a qualitative review of literature and an analysis of the existing infrastructures in libraries of Historically Disadvantaged Institutions (HDIs) to identify strategies for this transformation. The findings highlighted the pivotal role libraries play in promoting lifelong learning, enhancing digital literacy, and supporting academic success. Key recommendations include the integration of advanced technology, the creation of flexible, student-centred spaces, and the incorporation of inclusive practices to accommodate diverse student populations. This paper contributes to ongoing research by offering a model for reimagining library spaces in line with global trends, providing insights for other educational institutions seeking to foster dynamic, student-focused learning environments. Keywords: Dynamic Learning Spaces, Collaborative Environments, Inclusive Education, Digital Literacy, Lifelong Learning

The acculturation and hegemony brought by the European settlers divided and consequently vanquished the African pride embedded in traditional music and dances in the AmaMpondo communities. This study aims to revive the AmaMpondo socio-cultural practices, reflected in their attire, language, and traditional practices, to preserve their legacy for future generations. Vygotsky’s theory, which focuses on how humans arrange and express their thoughts to learn and communicate, underpins this study, concluding that human learning necessitates social contact. This study used the interpretivism paradigm, encouraging the author to seek firsthand experience and explore various interpretations of specific social contexts to advance the research. The author explored a qualitative ethnographic approach to encourage open responses from the focus groups to the semi-structured and open-ended questions, allowing for the sharing of perspectives for recording and documentation. A narrative analysis was used to describe, interpret, and analyse the collected data, allowing the author to closely read and express individual experiences and social realities from the participants’ perspectives. Findings indicated that by stimulating a variety of traditional practices, with songs and dances sung during the ritual performances, the amaMpondo heritage can be revitalised. Furthermore, these practices contribute to instilling morals and values in the younger generation, and the preservation of cultural identity. The author recommends that AmaMpondo should instil symbiosis and syncretism in their children from the elementary stage, encouraging them to collaborate with teachers at school. Therefore, the author advocates for the convergence of diverse cultures. Keywords: Socio-Cultural Practices, Traditional Instruments, amaMpondo, Revitalisation, Syncretism.

Background The Integrated Longitudinal Clinical Clerkship (ILCC) is seen as an enabling learning space for medical students and empowering preceptors. The presence of ILCC students in hospitals contributes to delivering health services and sustained improvement in the quality of health services in those facilities. This study explored health professionals’ perceptions of the impact of a South African medical university’s ILCC on health professionals’ workload and service delivery in district hospitals. Methods We conducted in-depth interviews with 33 purposively recruited health professionals for this study. Participants from six district hospitals were asked about health workforce workload and service delivery factors linked to the ILCC program. Thematic analysis was conducted using NVIVO. Ethics approval was obtained from the Walter Sisulu University (WSU) Faculty of Health Sciences Human Research Ethics Committee (ref: 033/2018). Results Regarding the effect of WSU’s ILCC on health professionals’ workload, it was found that while students contributed positively to their competencies, there were negative consequences in terms of the time spent orienting new students at the beginning of the ILCC block. In terms of service delivery quality, the findings indicate that students enhance the quality of health services; the presence of medical students encourages clinicians to refresh their knowledge and improves patient experiences at the facility. However, the initial integration of students can slow down service delivery due to the time required for teaching, which may also lead to diminished trust from patients. Conclusion The ILCC approach at WSU offers a medical education platform and addresses rural medical needs. Both the university and healthcare providers should optimise the longitudinal clerkship approach. ILCC plays an essential role in improving healthcare systems, prioritising patient-centred care, and addressing public health challenges in rural communities of South Africa.

This a journey through landscapes beyond the confines of textbooks. In this journey, future educators immerse themselves in the study of geography and become part of the dynamic rhythm of the natural world. This research explored the transformative realm of experiential learning outside the traditional classroom. Here, field trips, outdoor projects, and hands-on workshops serve as a vibrant backdrop for understanding sustainable natural resource management. This investigation focused on using geography-focused experiential learning in resource management within the Chris Hani West District of South Africa. As global environmental challenges escalate, the need for innovative educational approaches has become unprecedented. This study, guided by David Kolb’s experiential learning theory (ELT), adopted an interpretive research paradigm through a phenomenological lens. The purposive and snowball sampling methods were employed for participant recruitment, and one-on-one data collection provided deep insight into participants’ subjective experiences. Thematic analysis was used to present our findings. The results disclosed the potential of experiential learning to cultivate environmental stewardship and empower individuals as active contributors to resource conservation efforts. Importantly, the study highlights the necessity and value of internships and apprenticeships in this educational paradigm. It further investigated the critical role of experiential learning in geography education for effective natural resource management. Some recommendations suggested promoting activities like field trips, habitat restoration efforts, and simulations to provide student teachers with essential hands-on experience and skill-building opportunities. State the contribution of this study to scholarship. Keywords: Experiential Learning, Effectiveness, Geography, Natural Resource Management, Classroom Settings.

Introduction The Central Chronic Medicines Dispensing and Distribution (CCMDD) programme, a differentiated alternative service delivery programme, initiated by the Department of Health, South Africa, allows clinically stable patients to receive chronic medication refills at the clinic-based or community-based pick-up points, offering stable patients suffering from non-communicable diseases an easy way to collect their medication. This facilitates the achievement of positive therapeutic outcomes and underscores the importance of this programme, which has resulted in decreased stigma concerns and optimising the workload for public health facilities and health workers. Therefore, this scoping review aims to explore and describe how the improved CCMDD programme has widened access to medications in South Africa in readiness for the implementation of the National Health Insurance. Methods and analysis This scoping review will be conducted using the Arksey and O’Malley framework and further refined by the Levac framework. The review will follow a six-step approach: (1) identifying the research question, (2) identifying relevant studies, (3) studying selection eligibility, (4) charting the data, (5) collating, summarising and reporting the results and (6) consultation. A comprehensive search strategy will be developed by searching studies published between 2014 and 2024 using the following electronic databases; PubMed, Web of Science and Google Scholar. Grey literature including conference abstracts and reports will also be searched. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and the Meta-Analysis for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) will be used as a guide for this scoping review protocol. Two independent reviewers will screen identified studies’ titles, abstracts and full texts. Discrepancies will be handled by consensus or consulting a third reviewer author. Data extraction will be conducted using a standardised form. The selection of studies for the review is anticipated to be completed within 10 weeks, from 15 March to 30 May 2025, with strict adherence to the guidelines of the PRISMA-ScR checklist. Ethics and dissemination This review, not requiring ethical approval, will inform policymakers, researchers and healthcare professionals to improve the deliverables of the CCMDD programme for all chronic conditions and ailments with a high prevalence in South Africa and identify any research gaps. We plan to disseminate our findings via a peer-reviewed journal, policy briefs, conference presentations and stakeholder engagement.

South Africa has a complex educational landscape. This study explored four children's early home literacy practices and their uptake by Grade 1 teachers in rural Libode, Eastern Cape Province in South Africa. The paper addresses the critical need for understanding literacy development in multilingual, resource-constrained environments. Using a qualitative, ethnographic design underpinned by Cultural Historical Activity Theory (CHAT), the study used observations and interviews in home and school settings. The findings revealed a rich diversity of home literacy practices, including oral traditions and emerging digital literacy, contrasting with the school's emphasis on phonics-based instruction and English as the language of learning. Significant disparities between home and school practices challenge children's educational transition. Evidence of translanguaging suggests a potential for multilingual approaches to instruction. The study contributes valuable insights for developing culturally responsive pedagogies, informing teacher training, and guiding resource allocation to enhance literacy outcomes in South Africa's Foundation Phase.

Electrodeposition of CdTeSe thin films with two-electrode electrodeposition method in potentiostatic mode was performed at different TeO2 concentrations of 0.075, 0.150, 0.225, 0.30, and 0.375 mM. The structural, optical, surface morphology, surface roughness, and compositional properties of as-deposited (AD) and annealed (HT) CdTeSe thin film samples were investigated by using x-ray diffraction (XRD), ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectrophotometry, scanning electron microscopy, scanning probe microscopy and energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy, respectively. The XRD results confirmed that CdSe thin films are of hexagonal structure. After TeO2 was added, the CdTeSe films were found to have mixed hexagonal and cubic phases. The UV-Vis spectrophotometry results confirmed that the absorbance and band gap of the materials varied as the TeO2 concentration changed. For AD samples, the energy band gap was found to be (1.45–1.75) eV; for HT samples, it varied from (1.53–1.86) eV with TeO2 concentration. The average surface roughness was 93.17 nm and 79.59 nm for the AD and HT un-doped CdSe films, respectively. The average surface roughness values for the AD TeO2 doped (CdTeSe) samples were observed to be 23.00, 162.29, and 26.90 nm, and for the HT samples, they were 25.80, 153.10, and 19.35 nm for TeO2-concentrations of 0.075,0.150, and 0.375 mM respectively. Compositional analysis verified the presence of Cd, Te, and Se in the films. The results show that CdSeTe thin films have potential applications in thin-film solar cell device technology.

The developing chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) of the ostrich (Struthio camelus) was studied between embryonic days 16 (E16) and E37. Egg masses and volumes were estimated prior to harvesting of the CAM. CAM volumes were obtained before the CAM was sampled for histology and transmission electron microscopy analysis. Stereological methods were used to estimate volume densities and absolute volumes of CAM structural components. Growth rate estimates of the CAM and its major components were obtained. At E16, the three layers of the CAM were clearly delineated, but large parts still had not developed the blood–gas barrier (BGB) portions. By E37, chorionic blood capillaries had assumed a superficial position with thin BGB portions covering most of the chorionic surface. On regression analyses, the CAM had two growth phases, namely phase I that occurred between E16 and E25, when the CAM grew rapidly from a volume of 5.55 ± 1.27 to 28.82 ± 5.62 cm³ to then decrease to 25.18 ± 4.79 cm³ during phase II (E25−E37). The latter decline was attributed to changes in the chorionic and allantoic layers, while regression in the mesoderm mainly characterized blood and lymphatic vessels. This article is part of the theme issue ‘The biology of the avian respiratory system’.

Research on biodegradable materials has gained significant attention due to increasing environmental awareness. Starch, as a biodegradable polymer readily available from agricultural resources, is a promising candidate for biocomposite production. Starch-based films, though exhibiting low mechanical strength, can be enhanced using various plasticizers at elevated temperatures with shear, resulting in a deformable thermoplastic material known as thermoplastic starches. The tensile properties of these starch-based composites can be further improved by incorporating fibres, making them more suitable for a range of applications. This review highlights the significance of biodegradable materials as sustainable alternatives to synthetic plastics, driven by environmental concerns. It focuses on natural fibre–reinforced biopolymer composites, particularly those based on starch, which exhibit improved properties. The review also covers natural fibres as reinforcement, starch as a biopolymer component and potential applications of these composites and suggests directions for future research. The results of this compilation show that natural fibres have a significant influence on the characteristic of the fabricated composites.

Mineral revenue is a vital source of revenue for the Government of Ghana, making it essential to assess its impact on economic growth. This study examines the long-term relationship between mineral revenue, government expenditure (GE), foreign direct investment (FDI), and economic growth in Ghana from 1990 to 2019. Utilising a quantitative approach, data was sourced from the Minerals Commission, the Bank of Ghana, the Ghana Chamber of Mines, and World Development Indicators. The study employed techniques such as the Vector Error Correction Model, Granger Causality, variance decomposition, and VAR for time series data analysis. Cointegration results indicated at least one cointegrating equation, revealing a long-term economic relationship among the variables. The findings suggest that mineral revenue positively correlates with economic growth (measured as real GDP), while FDI and GE exhibit negative relationships with real GDP. Notably, the inverse correlation between GE and real GDP implies that public spending may not be effectively directed toward sectors that significantly enhance economic growth. Overall, the study confirms that mineral revenue is a key contributor to Ghana's GDP and highlights that shocks to the mining industry could have substantial repercussions for the economy.

We introduce the new notion of generalized α−ψ rational type contractions of type I and type II in controlled metric spaces. By making use of these new notions, some fixed point theorems are also proved in the mentioned spaces for the α− admissible self maps. Some examples on the finite sets are also provided to prove the validity of our results. Some results which are direct consequences of the proved results are mentioned in the form of corollaries. As an application, an integral equation is solved with the aid of our results. Finally, a series electric circuit problem in the form of second-order differential equation is solved by converting it into fixed point problem with the aid of the proved result.

The glycol-thermal technique synthesized Zn0.7Ni0.3RE0.1Fe1.9O4 (RE = 0, Gd, Sm, Dy) nanostructured ferrites with fine particles in the 8–13 nm range. X-ray diffraction (XRD) data confirmed a single-phase cubic spinel structure with no impurity peaks for the samples investigated. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HrTEM) showed nearly spherical particle images for the pure Zn0.7Ni0.3Fe2O4. HrTEM images for Zn0.7Ni0.3RE0.1Fe1.9O4 (RE = Gd, Sm, or Dy) rare-earth-substituted fine particles revealed agglomerated particles with irregular shapes. Reduced particle sizes of rare-earth-substituted Zn-Ni compared to undoped compounds have been explained based on electron–electron repulsion of 4f electrons. Electron spin dynamics were investigated by electron spin resonance (ESR) measurements. A broad ESR signal with the highest intensity has been observed for the Sm-doped compound (Zn0.7Ni0.3Sm0.1Fe1.9O4) with a particle size of about 8 nm. Broadening of the signal revealed stronger magnetic dipole interactions and narrower signals for Gd- and Dy-doped compounds indicate stronger superexchange interactions. The slightest ESR signal observed for the Gd-based (Zn0.7Ni0.3Gd0.1Fe1.9O4) compound has been attributed to high spin–orbit coupling and the paramagnetic nature of Gd ions disrupting magnetic resonance. The evolution of the magnetic parameters, such as signal line width, intensities, and g-factors, as a function of the type of rare-earth ions, has been presented and correlated with the outer 4f electron number of rare-earth ions and particle size. Rare-earth-doped Zn0.7Ni0.3RE0.1Fe1.9O4 (RE = Gd, Sm, Dy) nanostructured ferrites exhibit enhanced magnetic and structural properties, critical for advanced applications such as magnetic separation and biomedical imaging. This study demonstrates the influence of rare-earth doping on ESR parameters, particle size, and magnetization, providing insights into the role of 4f electron configurations.

Net-zero buildings (NZBs) are a key component of sustainable development in the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry, offering a path to mitigating environmental impacts. The Metaverse, as an emerging digital technology, has the potential to enhance NZB optimisation by facilitating design simulation, stakeholder collaboration, and real-time performance assessment. However, its integration into the AEC sector faces several obstacles. This study investigates the hindrances to Metaverse adoption for NZBs within South Africa’s AEC sector, a region striving to meet sustainability goals amid technological and infrastructural constraints. A quantitative research design was employed, utilising a structured questionnaire to gather data from registered and practising built environment professionals. Out of 163 distributed questionnaires, 121 valid responses were analysed using descriptive statistics and exploratory factor analysis. The findings categorise the hindrances into five key clusters: (1) Metaverse adoption barriers, (2) integration challenges, (3) technological limitations, (4) acceptance-related concerns, and (5) human- and skill-based obstacles. This study concludes that despite the Metaverse’s transformative potential for advancing NZBs, overcoming these barriers requires strategic interventions from industry professionals and policymakers. This research provides actionable insights to facilitate the effective integration of Metaverse technologies into sustainable construction practices, ensuring a more seamless transition towards digitalised NZB implementation.

The rural youth population in Nigeria encounters one of the most vulnerable economic situations, due to limited opportunities. While most rural youth engage solely in farming for sustenance, others explore non-agricultural activities as an additional income source. However, there is a deficiency of literature regarding the nexus between rural youth farm households’ welfare and participation in non-agricultural employment. This study utilizes cross-sectional data from 668 rural youth farm households in Nigeria to investigate the welfare (proxied by total household income, agribusiness income and consumption expenditure per capita) impact of non-agricultural employment. Potential estimation biases were corrected by employing the instrumental variable (two-stage least square and endogenous treatment) regression econometric method to analyze the data. The results reveal that factors such as education, household size, membership in youth forums, accessibility to information and credit influence youth engagement in non-agricultural employment. The impact estimates show that non-agricultural employment significantly increases rural youth’s welfare. Therefore, the policy framework on rural development could be directed towards encouraging and providing opportunities via non-agricultural employment to youth. These could, in turn, provide an avenue to upscale youth agribusinesses and improve the general household welfare.

Stakeholder collaboration plays a pivotal role in enhancing academic performance and institutional effectiveness in secondary schools. This paper examines the effects of collaboration among key stakeholders, including faculty, administration, students, external industry partners, and community members, on both student outcomes and the overall effectiveness of secondary schools. This paper is underpinned by the Collaborative Governance Theory which posits that multi-stakeholder collaboration can effectively improve institutional outcomes by leveraging diverse perspectives, resources, and expertise. The theory emphasizes the importance of shared decision-making and collective action, which are crucial in navigating complex organizational environments like schools. A sample of one rural university was selected for this study, with a focus on the experiences, behaviours, and social interactions of 3 parents, 3 learners, 3 teachers, and 1 school principal in each school. Based on the study’s interpretive paradigm, it was discovered that schools with well-integrated collaborative frameworks are better positioned to foster student success, maintain competitive relevance, and ensure long-term institutional growth. The study recommended that schools formalize collaborative processes by creating clear frameworks that define the roles and responsibilities of all stakeholders, including faculty. It was further recommended that schools should actively seek partnerships with industry, alumni, and community organizations. This study contributes to the growing body of literature on collaborative governance and its implications for achieving academic excellence and sustainable institutional development in the higher. Keywords: Education, Stakeholders, Collaboration, Institutional growth, Development.