Includes bibliographical references (leaves [117]-124). / This research investigates the relationship between economic well-being and attitudes to race amongst its respondents who took part in a survey known as the Cape Area Study (CAS) in 2005. In this inquiry, economic well-being is measured in two ways, by (household) income level and living conditions, the latter by means of a Living Coalitions Index (LCI), created by the author. The degree to which these two measures are able to explain variability in attitudes to race in the respondent sample is investigated. The specific aspect of attitude to race focused upon in this investigation is amenability to racial integration, and is measured by means of the Amenability to Racial Integration Index (ARII), also constructed by the author. Aside from the chief explanatory element of economic well-being, the degree of influence of other factors on attitude to race such as gender, age, education and employment status are also explored.

Includes bibliographical references (leaves 56-67). / Postoperative neurocognitive impairment has been associated with coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG). This study investigates the short-term effects of off-pump cardiopulmonary bypass graft surgery (OPCAB) on cognitive performance, as a possible safer alternative in the treatment of coronary artery disease. This research forms part of a larger study in which, in addition to the OPCAB procedure, the cognitive effects of CABG surgery and percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty with intra-coronary stenting are assessed. 36 participants undergoing OPCAB surgery were included in the study, with a further 36 participants included as an age- and education- matched non-surgical control group. A standardized battery of neuropsychological tests, designed to assess seven cognitive domains, was administered on two occasions, preoperatively at 1-2 days prior to surgery, and postoperatively at 1 month after surgery, with control participant assessments at the same intervals. Emotional state scales assessing depression and anxiety levels were administered at each assessment. Data analysis included a two-way mixed analysis of variance conducted on each measure of cognitive function, and on the indicators of emotional state. In addition, standard multiple regression was conducted to assess whether change in emotional state is able to predict change in any of the cognitive domains. Results indicated no evidence of short-term cognitive decline, and highlighted an improvement in cognitive performance in both surgical and control groups in the domain of language, psychomotor speed, executive function and visual memory, with the control group demonstrating a consistently superior performance. This counter-intuitive finding could not be attributed to practice effects.

Includes bibliographical references (leaves 88-106). / It has been proposed that autism is fundamentally a disorder of social relatedness. Severe deficits in theory of mind (ToM) - or the ability to understand that other people can have mental states different from our own and that these mental states influence behaviour - are commonly thought to explain the social-communicative deficits seen in autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). If deficits in ToM are responsible for the impairments found in ASD, these deficits should be found amongst all individuals with ASD (universality) and must be present throughout the course of the disorder (stability).

Includes bibliographical references (leaves 78-92). / “Theory of mind” (ToM) refers to the ability to understand and make inferences about other people’s intentions, feelings and beliefs. The fact that previous research shows an impairment in social competence following traumatic brain injury (TBI) alludes to a potential relationship between TBI and ToM. Although the relationship between paediatric TBI (pTBI) and ToM ability is relatively unexplored, especially within a South African context, previous research on TBI and ToM suggests social impairment following TBI. The current research project was aimed to investigate exactly that. The study reported here investigated this relationship, and specifically focused on the effects of pTBI on ToM ability in 9-15 year old children.

Includes bibliographical references. / This study is a retrospective cohort analysis of patients undergoing two different treatment modalities (brachytherapy and endoresection) for medium sized choroidal melanoma. Study methods involve the collection of baseline and follow-up data from three sources: 1) A database collected by the department of Radiation Oncology at Groote Schuur Hospital; 2) Private physicians responsible for patient follow-up following brachytherapy; 3) Private physicians responsible for endoresection surgery and patient follow-up. To date there has been limited publication of the outcomes of patients treated for choroidal melanoma in South Africa. The study aims to compare the outcomes of these procedures to help identify the possible benefits of each form of treatment.

Bibliography: leaves 87-101. / The present study compares the use of standardised diagnostic clinical interviews, self-report scales, and unstructured interviews, to determine if these different methods of assessment elicit the same or similar information with regards to trauma exposure, post-traumatic stress disorder, and depression in adolescents. A sample of Grade ll learners was drawn from two schools in the Northern Suburbs of Cape T own. The total sample comprised of 58 learners between the ages of 16 and 18 years. Each participant was administered a demographic questionnaire, a clinical diagnostic interview, two self-report scales, and an unstructured interview. The diagnostic interview used was the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Aged Children - Present and Lifetime version (K-SADS-PL), and the self- report scales used were the Child and Adolescent Trauma Survey (CATS) and the Children's Depression Inventory (CD1). The demographic questionnaire and qualitative interview were devised for the study. The McNemar Chi-Square statistic was used to determine differences between the interview and self-report methods of assessment, and a content analysis of the qualitative interview was conducted. Additionally, a Receiver Operating Characteristic analysis was used to establish a CATS score, indicating a high risk of PTSD, that was more sensitive to the sample. The results indicate that even though clinical interviews and self-report scales appear to produce different information, if appropriate cut-off points are used, self-report scales can be used as a screening device to reduce the number of clinical interviews required, thus contributing to a more efficient use of resources. They also indicate that unstructured qualitative interviews can elicit useful information about post- traumatic responses that is not captured by the DSM IV criteria.

Bibliography: leaves 103-107. / Literature has indicated that international students may experience difficulties when entering their country of sojourn. Previous studies have not addressed the experience of these students in South Africa. Given the unique social and historical context of the country, students may encounter issues dissimilar to other countries. The objective of this study was to explore the experiences of international students in South Africa, in terms of the social, academic and general experience. Additionally, students' motivations and expectations were explored. For this purpose, a survey was conducted via e-mail to students at three Western Cape universities. The final sample comprised 142 postgraduate international students from three universities. The participants were from a variety of faculties, and originated from a variety of countries, most of them coming from the African continent.( A questionnaire, comprising closed-and open-ended questions, was constructed from findings in international research. The collected data were analysed both quantitatively and qualitatively. The quantitative analysis included chi-squares, Fischer's exact tests and logistic regression. The qualitative data were analysed using thematic content analysis. The main finding of this study was that students, although in most respects faring well, experienced problems in social interaction with South Africans.) Specifically, students reported having experienced discrimination. Their worst experiences were crime and social problems, and the experiences they enjoyed the most were mainly sightseeing and social activities, as well as faring well socially. Most students had arrived in the country in search of education, and with realistic expectations. The academic lives of most students were satisfactory. However, most students did not wish to remain in South African after the completion of their studies. Thus, there was no brain gain in favour of South Africa.

The acceptable performance levels and serviceability of reinforced concrete (RC) structures are always the priorities of asset managers, engineers and researchers in any country. RC structures in service may fail to adequately perform due to changes in functionality, corrosion attack on the reinforcing bars, lack of proper and timely maintenance, and loading and standards updating, among other reasons. Impact loading is an extreme form of loading that can damage RC structures such as bridges, interchanges and flyovers during their life span. The repair and strengthening of deteriorating RC structures in service, by using concrete patch repairs and fibre reinforced polymers (FRP) respectively, has attracted a lot of attention from researchers and engineers. Nevertheless, these rehabilitated RC structures in service are susceptible to future deterioration with adverse effects. Inspection and periodic maintenance of strategic RC structures in use are essential for their safe serviceability and to avoid or mitigate economic loss. This experimental study was conducted on fifteen RC beams with the size of 155 x 254 x 2000 mm, in order to study their behaviour under impact loading testing. Twelve out of these fifteen RC beams were intentionally damaged by uniformly reducing 14 % of the cross-section of their main reinforcing bars, as this simulated the effects of corrosion on RC structures. The drop test, with the impactor applied from varying drop heights, was selected from the different types of impact loading testing methods and used in this research. Each tested RC beam was subjected to eight consecutive drop tests. During this experimental study 120 tests were performed and, from these tests, dynamic responses were recorded for analysis. Two transducers, a load cell and high-speed camera (HSC), were used to record data. In general the captured and stored dynamic responses led to the extraction of contact forces and deflections results. In addition, the HSC recorded video footage of the impact scenarios of the RC beams. The combined use of software such as Photron FASTCAM Analysis (PFA) and Matlab R2014a enables the acquisition of deflection results and, on the basis of these results, residual deflection

In 2010, the adoption of nuclear power was declared a national priority in Kenya. Thereafter, a target of obtaining 4000 MW of nuclear power by the year 2030 was documented in Kenya's Least Cost Power Development Plan (LCPDP) 2010-2031. The nuclear target has drawn a lot of opposition from some Kenyans whose concerns are centered on the cost and safety risks incurred by nuclear power. The government however states that nuclear power is necessary for the diversification of the electricity generation mix and satisfaction of future electricity demand. The aim of this thesis was therefore to determine whether electricity demand in Kenya could be met without nuclear power and whether it was more economical to utilize nuclear power in Kenya's electricity generation mix rather than increase the generation capacity of other sources of electricity available to Kenya. To answer these questions, two capacity expansion models were developed. These models like the LCPDP studied the period between 2010 and 2031. The aim of the first model was to replicate LCPDP, and in doing so verify the necessity of nuclear power for meeting Kenya's future electricity demand. As far as was possible, the validation model utilized the same assumptions, including the same demand forecast that was used to develop the LCPDP 2010-2031. The validation was done to verify the necessity of nuclear power from the LCPDP's set of assumptions. The second model was developed with the aim of obtaining an updated capacity expansion plan. This plan utilized recent assumptions including an updated demand forecast. The demand was forecasted using regression of historical electricity demand against GDP in the commercial and industrial category. In the domestic category historical demand was regressed against GDP per capita and population. Based on recent data and economic forecasts, a GDP growth rate of 6% was used to forecast the electricity demand instead of 9% used in the LCPDP's demand forecast. [Please note: this thesis file has been deferred until June 2018]

This thesis presents a study of the technical, economic and social appropriateness of small stand-alone photovoltaic (PV) systems for meeting minimal electrical requirements in low-income off-grid households. A comprehensive review of the literature on photovoltaic technology was undertaken to identify key theoretical parameters and issues, and also to determine what the experience has been of similar applications in third world countries. Two PV systems were installed as demonstration projects: one at Uitsig near Cape Town, and the other at Omdraaisvlei in the Northern Cape. In order to monitor and evaluate the techriical performance of these systems, remote data capture units were installed for measuring appropriate parameters for analysis on typical daily, weekly and monthly bases. The degree of matching between the PV output characteristics and the battery and load demand was examined as weLl as the costs of system and component efficiencies under different operating conditions. The economic evaluation aimed to compare small PV systems with these of alternative power systems, for example petrol generators. Using a life cycle costing methodology (discounted to present value) the least-cost option for small power systems was determined under a range of financial scenarios. The social evaluation aimed at determining the impact of PV power on peoples' lifestyles. The results of the two demonstration projects have shown that photovoltaics can appropriately meet small domestic power needs in off-grid applications, providing clean, reliable, maintenance-free electricity which is far more convenient than other electricity producing technologies. Photovoltaics proved to be very much more cost effective than petrol generators, and were also found to be cheaper than coventionally used energy sources such as paraffin, candles and batteries. Both of the demonstration project households were extremely satisfied with the PV systems, which have resulted in significant improvement in quality of lifestyles. However, based on the overall performance of the systems it was recommended that more research was needed, using local conditions, and data to develop better PV system design and sizing methodologies.