Firstly, this research aimed to understand what behaviours are considered sensitive or private by university students (N=306) in respect of disclosure in the research context. A total of 71 items were extracted by factor analysis: 20 sensitive items, 26 related non-sensitive items and 25 non-related non-sensitive items. Differences in sensitivity were noted for gender and race, reported below. Furthermore, a three-phase exploration of data collection methods was used in determining which self-report method is most valid and reliable when researching sensitive topics. A quantitative experiment compared the effectiveness of the Unmatched Count Technique (Type I), Self-Report Questionnaires and Audio Computer-Assisted Self-Interviews, in terms of their ability to elicit honest answers when dealing with the sensitive topics (N=410). This section of the study used pairwise tests of proportions by Winks statistical software. The sensitive topics under investigation in this study are condom use,HIV/AIDS as well as relationships such as transactional and multiple and concurrent partners.The results of this study, reported below, indicate pairwise significant differences between the SRQ, ACASI and UCT Type I. Additionally, the Unmatched Count Technique (Type I), Self-Report Questionnaires and Audio Computer-Assisted Self-Interviews were compared in terms of Socially Desirable Responding scores as well as experience of participation. No statistically significant differences were obtained for overall scores across data collection methods for SDR and experience of participation. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2013.

The C4 plant, sugarcane (Saccharum spp. hybrids), accumulates sucrose to high concentrations and, as a result, has been the focus of extensive research into the biochemistry and physiology of sucrose accumulation. Despite this, the relationship between source leaf photosynthetic rates and sucrose accumulation in the culm has not been well documented. The observations that photosynthetic activity declines during culm maturation in commercial cultivars and that high-sucrose accumulating ancestral genoptypes photosynthesize at rates two-thirds of those of low-sucrose ancestral Saccharum species indicate that source-sink communication may play a pivotal role in determining sucrose yield. The relationship between source and sink tissues in sugarcane was investigated using a supply-demand paradigm, an approach novel in the study of the crop. The demand for photosynthate from the primary culm growth sink was shown to be closely linked to photosynthetic rates, sucrose export and the eventual physiological decline of source leaves. Results from initial field experiments revealed that leaf assimilation rates were negatively correlated with leaf hexose concentrations, but not those of sucrose. Further manipulation of leaf sugar status, through sugar-feeding and cold-girdling techniques, demonstrated the regulatory role of leaf sugar concentrations on photosynthetic activity, thus revealing sucrose, and particularly hexose, as key signal molecules in the modulation of the amount of photosynthate available for export to the sink. Gene expression profiling, by means of array technologies, indicated that changes in leaf sugar status and photosynthetic rates result in concurrent modifications in the expression of several genes involved in fundamental metabolic pathways, including photosynthesis, carbohydrate metabolism, stress response and sugar-signaling. Notable amongst these, was the identification of a potential trehalose 6-phosphate (T6P) sugar-signaling mechanism, thus implicating the trehalose pathway as a central regulatory system in the communication of sink carbon requirements to the source leaf. This study demonstrated that maturation of the culm results in a decreased demand for sucrose, which invokes a sugar-mediated feedback signal to decrease leaf photosynthetic supply processes. However, sugarcane leaves appear to retain the capacity to increase the supply of assimilate to culm tissues under conditions of increased assimilate demand. Uncoupling of the signaling pathways that mediate negative feedback between source and sink tissues may result in improved leaf assimilation rates and, consequently, lead to increased sugarcane sucrose yields. / Thesis (Ph.D.) - University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville, 2007.

This study focuses on the lives and livelihoods of foreign African academics at UKZN. The study attempts to unpack the driving forces behind their decision to migrate and why South Africa has become a preferred destination for these migrants. It explores the kind of networks that inform them of employment opportunities that are available in institutions of higher learning in South Africa. It also sets out to explore the kind of skills possessed by these migrants that are needed for the development of skills in the institution. Research findings reveal a combination of micro and macro factors as reasons surrounding foreign African professional migrancy in South Africa. Macro factors are subsumed under general and structural reasons which include high unemployment rates, corruption, nepotism, and other forms of political oppressions and infrastructural problems. Over and above the relative viability of South African institutions with modern technological facilities and well organised curricular and material structures serve as major attractions to foreign African professional migrancy into the country. The factors of cultural affinity and geographical proximity are also among the reasons that foreign African academics at UKZN cited for their migration into South Africa. The individual in this study constitutes the basic unit in providing a more nuanced understanding of why this group of foreigners migrated to South Africa. In this regard personal reasons such as family pressure and change of geographical space form an integral part of reasons surrounding their migrancy in South Africa. Following the professional convenience that UKZN offers, this research showcases the desire expressed by various migrants under this study to pursue and establish a scholarship that would promote and legitimise Africa as an intellectual space of knowledge production. Being a “Premier University of African Scholarship”, professional migrants from the rest of the continent have indicated their willingness to dedicate their services within their different capacities to develop a curriculum that meets the needs of South Africa and Africa. The study shows some contributions that foreign academic are making in the development of the institution. From a social perspective the study highlights how professional African migrants have reconstructed gender roles and household constitution. Transnational migration as shown by this study reveals changing patterns in gender as African women just like the men are engaged in transnational activities for economic and career advancement. African women with educational skills whether married or unmarried have independently undertaken the decision to migrate for economic and social upliftment. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2009.

No abstract available. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2010.

The HIV and AIDS epidemic is having a devastating effect on the mental health of people living with HIV and AIDS (PL WHA), who join support groups to receive support and empowerment. However these support groups are often unstructured, sporadically attended and lacking in social cohesion. The purpose of this research was to design, implement and evaluate a psychological well-being intervention for PL WHA. The intervention was based on and measured with an objective psychological well-being scale, which included dimensions of autonomy, personal growth, environmental mastery, purpose in life, positive relations with others and self-acceptance. Following establishment of experimental and control groups, six-week interventions with weekly sessions were run during which participants took turns to lead group presentations on the improvement of a previously chosen component of psychological well-being. The six week interventions as well as individual sessions were pre and post-tested. Qualitative and quantitative evaluation revealed that participants generally found the psychological well-being intervention meaningful and valuable in its provision of knowledge, learning, understanding and empowerment. Further research with an extended intervention program, regular attendance, larger samples of participants, and comparative evaluations of physical, biological, social and environmental factors is needed in order to more clearly establish the effectiveness of psychological well-being interventions for PLWHA. / Thesis (M.A.) -- University of KwaZulu-Natal, 2004.

This study assessed the sexual attitudes and behaviours of the students at the University ofKwaZulu-Natal, Westville campus. The relationships between high risk sexual behaviour and sexual attitudes were explored. The sample was obtained from the second and third year psychology classes, and III questionnaires were analysed using a quantitative, correlational analysis. The findings indicate that the majority of the students are engaging in high risk sexual behaviour. These high risk behaviours were found to relate to more traditional attitudes towards rape myths and sexual coercion, as well as more traditional attitudes towards sexuality issues. These findings can be used to inform future research on the campus, as well as to "inform future intervention strategies. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, 2004

Thesis (M.Soc.Sc.) - University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2009. / Full text also available online. Scroll down for electronic link.

Published Article / This study was conducted with 29 Grade 12 learners who were studying calculus. The purpose was to explore how the learners responded to questions based on the derivative and why they did so. Data was collected from the written responses of the learners to two assessments carried out over a six-month period as well as interviews with four of the learners. It was found that learners made extensive use of inappropriate formulae, drawn from other sections of the curriculum The study recommends that teachers should not focus solely on how to carry out procedures, but they should also pay attention to why certain procedures are appropriate or not.

Port scanning is the first activity an attacker pursues when attempting to compromise a target system on a network. The aim is to gather information that will result in identifying one or more vulnerabilities in that system. For example, network ports that are open can reveal which applications and services are running on the system. How a port responds when probed with data can reveal which protocol the port utilises and can also reveal which implementation of that protocol is being employed. One of the most valuable pieces of information to be gained via scanning and probing techniques is the operating system that is installed on the target. This technique is called operating system fingerprinting. The purpose of this research is to alert computer users of the dangers of port scanning, probing, and operating system fingerprinting by exposing these techniques and advising the users on which preventative countermeasures to take against them. Analysis is performed on the Transmission Control Protocol (TCP), User Datagram Protocol (UDP), Internet Protocol (IPv4 and IPv6), and the Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMPv4 and ICMPv6). All the software used in this project is free and open source. The operating system used for testing is Linux (2.4 and 2.6 kernels). Scanning, probing, and detection techniques are investigated in the context of the Network Mapper and Xprobe2 tools. / Thesis (M.Sc. - Computer)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2007.

Abstract not available. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of Kwazulu-Natal, 2008.