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Now showing 1 - 5 of 11

Recent Submissions

An investigation into the effect of maltitol, sorbitol, and xylitol on the formation of carbamazepine solid dispersions through thermal processing
(Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI), 2025) Aucamp, Marique Elizabeth; Poka, Madan Sai; Milne, Marnus
Background: Carbamazepine (CBZ) is a Biopharmaceutical Classification System (BCS) class II drug, that is practically insoluble in water, influencing the oral bioavailability. Polyols are highly hydrophilic crystalline carriers studied for their success in developing solid dispersions (SDs) for improved solubility and dissolution rate. Polyols are generally regarded as safe (GRAS) and maltitol (MAL), xylitol (XYL) and sorbitol (SOR) are among the approved polyols for market use. While xylitol (XYL) and sorbitol, have shown promise in improving the solubility and dissolution rates of poorly soluble drugs, their full potential in the context of improving the solubility of carbamazepine have not been thoroughly investigated. To the best of our knowledge, maltitol (MAL) was not studied previously as a carrier for preparing SDs. Hence, the purpose of this study was to investigate their use in the preparation of CBZ SDs by the fusion method. Methods: CBZ-polyol SDs were prepared in varying molar ratios (2:1, 1:1 and 1:2) and characterised for solid-state nature, solubility and in-vitro dissolution rate. Results: Solid-state characterisation of the CBZ-polyol SDs revealed the existence of the SDs as continuous glass suspensions with fine CBZ crystallites suspended in the amorphous polyol carriers. Among the polyols studied, XYL exhibited good miscibility with CBZ and showed significant improvement in the solubility and dissolution rate. The prepared SDs showed a 2 to 6-folds increase in CBZ solubility and 1.4 to 1.9-folds increase in dissolution rate in comparison with pure CBZ. Conclusions: The study explains the possible use of polyols (XYL and SOR) based SDs of BCS Class II drugs with good glass forming ability for enhanced solubility and dissolution.
Doing pedagogy differently: in memory of Elmarie Costandius
(University of the Western Cape, 2025) Grace Bozalek, Vivienne Grace; Romano, Nike
Elmarie Costandius was passionate about pedagogy, particularly from a social justice perspective, throughout her career in higher education. Although located as a senior lecturer in the visual arts programme at Stellenbosch University, she pursued the field of education in her postgraduate studies, when she completed a second Masters Degree in Adult Learning and Global Change in 2007 at the University of the Western Cape, as well as a PhD in Curriculum Studies at Stellenbosch University, graduating in 2012. She received multiple teaching awards both from her own institution, Stellenbosch University, as well as nationally. Elmarie was also a teaching fellow in the Centre for Teaching and Learning (CTL) at Stellenbosch University and was chosen to be part of the Teaching Advancement at Universities (TAU) Fellowship programme, a national programme for outstanding teachers in higher education. In 2023, she won the TAU Fellows Award, which she felt honoured to receive - as she expressed it:
Determinants of cryptocurrency use and acceptance amongst Cape Town muslims
(University of the Western Cape, 2025) Allie, Tameem
Cryptocurrency is a relatively new concept that has proven to be controversial in its acceptance by the general populace and even more so by Muslims specifically. Due to the strictly ethical nature of Islamic finance and the volatile, unregulated and exploitable nature of cryptocurrency, the acceptance of cryptocurrency in the Muslim world is an uncertain subject. This raises the question of what factors determine its acceptance by Muslims. To answer this question, this research examines the determinants of the use and acceptance of cryptocurrency among Cape Town Muslims using a quantitative approach. It also evaluates the possible determinants of the legal acceptance of cryptocurrency among popular Islamic scholars by reviewing their fatāwa (Islamic legal edicts) using a qualitative approach. The study is mixed method in nature.
Impact of short-term external shocks on the world and European economies
(West Ukrainian National University, 2026) Barvinok, Alina; Mantsurov, Igor; Chernyshev, Igor
This study models the response of the global and European economies to short-term external shocks, including changes in trade and import tariffs, as well as geo-economic and geopolitical factors. The analysis examines the stochastic relationship between external events and variations in key macroeconomic indicators, including global and European GDP, global and European trade volumes, and the Composite Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) across major sectors of the world economy. A regression framework incorporating a formalized binary variable is employed to capture the effects of changes in tariff and sanctions policies on economic performance. The empirical results indicate statistically significant effects of external shocks on individual macroeconomic indicators of the global and European economies, as well as on an aggregated index constructed from these indicators. The findings reveal differences in the responses of the examined economies to external shocks, enabling a comparative assessment of their stability and resilience. The results suggest that the European economy demonstrates a higher degree of resistance to external shocks compared to the global economy as a whole and to the Chinese economy.
Antimicrobial resistance and stewardship in a dental curriculum in South Africa: a single-site curriculum mapping study
(Springer, 2025) Ahmed, Suwayda; Adam R.Z.; Coetzee R.
Background: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) currently poses a significant public health crisis. Shortcomings in the knowledge and awareness of AMR and antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) among dental practitioners and undergraduate dental students have been widely reported, highlighting the need for comprehensive education and training programs to address AMR and AMS in curricula. Curriculum mapping is a valuable tool in healthcare education, allowing for the alignment of content with competencies, identifying gaps, and establishing best practices. Objectives: Mapping an undergraduate dental curriculum at a dental school in South Africa against the AMR and AMS core competencies as outlined by the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) and World Health Organization (WHO). Methods: Undergraduate courses (n = 47) within the dental program were included. The outcomes were mapped against the HPCSA core competencies for dental graduates and the WHO curricula guide for health workers’ education and training on AMR. Results: Specified core competencies as described by the HPCSA and WHO as they relate to AMR and AMS were present in two third-year courses and two fourth-year courses of the undergraduate dentistry program. Conclusions: The curriculum mapping exercise highlighted the limited integration of AMR and AMS competencies in the undergraduate dental curriculum. Although the core competencies as outlined by the HPCSA and WHO on AMR and AMS have been addressed, it is present in the third and fourth years of the undergraduate program. This highlights the need for enhanced education on these competencies, to equip graduates for antimicrobial stewardship.