Browse
Recent Submissions
Item Ethnomycology of indigenous trametes mushrooms from northern Namibia(University of Namibia, 2017) Ueitele, Isabella S.; Kadhila-Muandingi, Nailoke P.; Chimwamurombe, Percy M.To date there is no documented data available on the Namibian indigenous Trametes mushrooms. The objective of this study was therefore to generate information for the first time, on the ethnomycology of Trametes species in Northern Namibia. A questionnaire was used and the data captured were analysed in SPSS. Results show that 83.9% of respondents included in this study knew Trametes mushroom but only 70.4% used it for medicinal purpose. Indigenous Trametes mushrooms in Namibia are mostly used as a tranquiliser to calm bereaved people who are crying hysterically at burials. Other uses include treating cattle from lung disease. These uses for Trametes species have not been reported before in literature.Item Diffraction grating and a plano convex lens refractometer(University of Namibia, 2017) Singh, ShyamThis paper describes a method of finding the refractive index of liquids using a thin plano-convex lens and a transmission diffraction grating. Light from a low power helium- neon laser is diffracted by a transmission diffraction grating and the diffracted light is received by the thin plano-convex lens L and focuses it at the image distance v. A formula is derived to calculate the refractive index of experimental liquid at a particular temperature.Item Stochastic behavior of South African rand exchange rate(University of Namibia, 2017) Shigwedha, Jacob N.; Vijayakumar, Kandaswamy R.; Gnitchogna, RodriqueThe study of fluctuations of exchange rates is one of many active research areas in the international finance. This paper is concerned with modeling of exchange rates of the South African Rand, through which the Namibian Dollar accesses the international market. It uses some standard models and tools of quantitative analysis, such as Random walk, Martingale hypothesis, Auto Regressive model (AR), Auto regressive polynomial model (PN), Feed forward artificial neural network (NN), functional coefficient model and non-parametric regression model (NP), to closely look at stochastic behaviors of the South African Rand exchange rates against thirteen currencies of countries that are major trade partners to and within Southern African nations. Due to increasing international trade volumes, Southern African nations are more and more exposed to the international community, and trading in both goods and services that are affected to a large extent by movements in exchange rates.Item Are there bubbles in the housing market of Namibia?: An analysis of historical evidence(University of Namibia, 2017) Nyambe, Crever; Vijayakumar, Kandaswamy R.; Gnitchogna, RodriqueThe dividend yield ratio in the stock markets is, to an extent, comparable to the rent price ratio in the housing market. Taking advantage of this definitional similarity, one can then use the traditional unit root test for log dividend yield in this case, the log rent-price ratio to test for the existence of real estate bubbles. Such unit root tests are conducted for the whole of Namibia. We develop a continuous and monthly rent price information-based method to track the periods when real estate prices diverge from their fundamental levels. The effect of those investigations would suggest the existence of pockets of bubbles in the real estate market. We finally get to distinguish of the pockets of bubbles observed, which minor, intermediate and major bubbles are.Item Investigation into health care worker’s awareness and implementation of policies for the prevention and control of hepatitis B infections in Namibia(University of Namibia, 2017) Mhata, Petrus; Small, Louis F.; Hunter, Christian J.Hepatitis is a viral infection that causes severe infection and death. The purpose of this study was to assess the current health care worker awareness and the implementation of national guiding documents, for the prevention and control of hepatitis B in Namibia. The study was qualitative descriptive survey conducted to establish baseline information on health care workers’ awareness and practices in preventing further spread of HBV in Namibia. Although health care workers are generally aware of hepatitis B disease burden in the country, their practices, availability and use of national guiding documents for effective prevention and control are insufficient.Item A study on the effect of environmental temperature with relation to feed intake, mineral mobilization and respective incorporation into the egg yolk of Lohmann Brown egg layer chickens given purified lignin at the Neudamm farm in Namibia(University of Namibia, 2017) Mausse, Francisco; Lyaku, Japhet R.; Itenge, Theopoline OmaganoIt is of knowledge that the usage of antibiotics leads to development of antibiotic-resistance by pathogenic bacteria which pose a major threat to both animal and human health. Bio-stimulators can replace the use of antibiotics as growth promoters and exert positive influence on metabolic processes. Between June and July, 2013 a study was conducted on the effect of purified lignin on egg layer chickens. The objective of this study was to assess the effect of purified lignin on Lohmann Brown egg layer chickens under Namibian environmental conditions. The feed additive made of purified lignin, containing humic acid, pH 8.5-10, and 14% humidity which is soluble in water was used in this experiment. Lignin at concentrations of 60mg kg-1, 50mg kg-1 and 40mg kg-1 diluted in water were used to feed 1446 chickens (482 each experimental group), while 489 served as the control group), for 17 days with 10 days interval at 18◦C and 23% humidity. Feed intake was evaluated; eggs from both groups were harvested, sorted and graded in different categories daily. Egg content from both groups and the presence of microorganisms in the gastro-intestinal gut were assessed. Results revealed that experimental chickens had low feed intake (4.3kgs less) and produced more eggs graded as extra-jumbo and jumbo, with less egg fats and oil content (g/100g) - 17.4 for experimental group; 19.4 control group). No gastro-intestinal microbial organisms were found. Purified Lignin is suggested to improve digestibility and feed conversion. The use of 50mg kg led to reduced feed intake in the experimental group despite low temperature while increasing the mobilisation of Fe, (mg/kg) - 17.7; 13.7; Se mg/kg -0.68 and 0.89; protein into egg yolk (g/100g) - 19.1; 17.1. Evidently, lignin can be used in the poultry industry as a feed additive and bio-stimulator to increase Iron (Fe) uptake which in return increases the level of haemoglobin and Selenium (Se) which serves as an antioxidant, while concurrently reducing microbial meat contamination and replace the use of antibiotics as feed additive.Item Current prospects and challenges of enterprise resource planning (ERP) adoption in developing countries(University of Namibia, 2017) Hasheela-Mufeti, VictoriaEnterprise Resource Planning (ERP) is an enterprise system that helps organizations to integrate their functional areas such as finance, human resources, accounting etc. It improves transparency, productivity and communications in organizations. It also improves the flow of information between departments. ERP has originally been developed with the best practices of large organizations, however Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) are also implementing ERP in order to remain competitive. Furthermore, ERP is not only implemented in developed countries where it originated, organizations in regions such as Africa and Asia are also implementing ERP. Considering the fact that ERP systems were developed in first world countries, their in-built processes are compatible with organizational structures of those countries. But ERP has taken over the whole world. Due to the differences on how organizations operate, organizations from other regions experience challenges when implementing ERP. This study explored the adoption of ERP implementation in developing countries, focusing on challenges and risks that they face. The study has found unreliable vendors, lack of skilled human resources, misfits between the ERP system’s built-in processes and the companies’ business processes as the main challenges.Item Optimisation of a hybrid PV-diesel system for rural application: The case of Oluundje village, Namibia(University of Namibia, 2017) Hamatwi, Ester; Nyirenda, Clement N.; Davidson, I.E.The absence of electricity in remote and rural areas is one of the major challenges faced by many poor and developing countries. Hybrid energy systems (HES) based on photovoltaics (PV) are considered to be an effective option to electrify remote and isolated areas, which are far from conventional grids. This is true for areas that receive high averages of solar radiation annually. This research investigation involves the modelling, simulation and optimization of a PV-Diesel hybrid system for Oluundje village in Namibia. A site survey was conducted in a form of questionnaires and interviews for the purpose of load forecasting and system modelling. HOMER software was used to design and model the proposed hybrid energy system. Costs of different components, hourly solar radiation, and rating parameters are inputs of the simulation program. Sensitivity analysis was carried out using Homer. The optimal PV-Diesel hybrid system and diesel-generator-only system were compared both technically and economically. Based on simulation results, it was found that electrifying a remote village using a PV-diesel hybrid system is more advantageous when compared to the diesel-generator-only system as it has lower operating costs and emissions. This system may be used as a preliminary design to guide in the planning and modelling of similar systems for other remote villages. diesel-generator only system, net present costItem The effects of antihypertensive drug therapies on blood glucose levels in maturity onset diabetes patients on oral hypoglycaemic drugs: The case of selected health centres in Lesotho(University of Namibia, 2017) Adorka, Matthias; Motseng, Letsa; Mitonga, Kabwebwe H.; Kirk, AllenBackground: Antihypertensive drugs may cause changes in blood glucose levels. The concurrent use of these medications with hypoglycaemic drugs in diabetic patients may contribute to inadequate control of blood glucose levels. Objectives: To describe the effects of prescribed antihypertensive agents on fasting blood glucose levels of non-insulin dependent diabetic patients on treatment with oral hypoglycaemic medications. Method: Descriptive data on fasting blood glucose levels of diabetic patients on hypoglycaemic and antihypertensive drug treatments were collected retrospectively for a six-month period. Data sources were medical records of patients attending diabetic clinics in five health centres in the Maseru Health Service A rea of Lesotho. There cords were categorised in to two basic patient groups, namely, patient groups treated with only oral hypoglycaemic agents and patient groups treated with same agents concurrent with Anti-hypertensive agents. Differences in the means of the initial and end of six-months Period fasting blood glucose levels of patient treatment groups were determined and compared. Results: Patients who received an anti-diabetic drug regime concurrent with antihypertensive medication tended to show improved fasting blood glucose levels at six months, whereas patients receiving only anti diabetic drugs did not show improvement. Partly owing to the small sample size (178patients), the differences were not statistically significant. Conclusion: Hydrochlorothiazide prescribed singly or in combination with other antihypertensive drugs was implicated in increased blood glucose levels. Captopril showed better glycaemic control for patients on oral hypoglycaemic agents. Atenolol and nifedipine appeared not to have any effects on patients’ fasting blood glucose levels. A prospective case-control study would help clarify these findings in this study’s population.