https://ir.cut.ac.zw:8080/xmlui/handle/123456789/271 Dissertations & Theses Sat, 06 Jun 2026 01:34:23 GMT 2026-06-06T01:34:23Z https://ir.cut.ac.zw:8080/xmlui/handle/123456789/705 An Internal Audit framework for enhancing management control in Zimbabwean local Governments. Chigutei, Nisha The study looked at how Risk-Based Auditing (RBA) frameworks were used in Zimbabwean local government financial management systems, specifically to improve accountability and performance. The main objective was to investigate how technology-enabled internal auditing improves management control systems in Zimbabwean local governments. The goal of the research was to investigate how technology-enabled internal auditing improves management control systems in Zimbabwean local governments, with a focus on assessing adoption of RBA, evaluating tools like Integrated Financial Management Information Systems (IFMIS), Geographic Information Systems (GIS), continuous auditing, and control self-assessment, and identifying barriers to implementing RBA. The research used a mixed-methods approach underpinned by a pragmatist philosophy, involving a population of local government officials and auditors, with 96 participants selected through stratified and purposive sampling techniques. The study assessed the current state of internal auditing practices, the effectiveness of technological tools like IFMIS, and the barriers to implementing RBA. The major findings revealed that, while RBA was moderately adopted by local governments, substantial obstacles remained, including insufficient resources, inadequate auditor training, and political meddling that hindered the auditing process. Despite these challenges, the study highlighted RBA's potential benefits, including more openness, timely reporting, and more efficient financial management. Finally, the study made actionable recommendations for strengthening internal audit functions through improved training programs, better technological integration, and establishing a supportive governance structure. Furthermore, the relationship between technology-driven audits and management control system performance was discussed, revealing that while technology improves accountability and transparency, its advantages are frequently negated by systemic governance flaws. Quantitative data were analyzed using SPSS. Through addressing these deficiencies, the study hoped to contribute to the enhancement of financial accountability and operational efficiency in Zimbabwe's local government sector, thereby helping the larger goal of effective public service delivery. Thu, 01 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://ir.cut.ac.zw:8080/xmlui/handle/123456789/705 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z https://ir.cut.ac.zw:8080/xmlui/handle/123456789/394 Structure-based hit-to-lead design, optimization, and synthesis of tetrahydro-1,3,5-triazine-2-amine derivatives as potential inhibitors of Mycobacterium tuberculosis Dihydrofolate Reductase (MtbDHFR). Zindoga, Albert Among several Mycobacterium tuberculosis potential drug targets, Mycobacterium tuberculosis Dihydrofolate Reductase (MtbDHFR) is a key enzyme involved in folate metabolism. It is an important target in which its inhibition results in mycobacterial cell death. Several successful anti-folates against infectious diseases exist, but none have been developed to combat tuberculosis. Previously, two potent anti-tuberculosis phenotypic hits belonging to the tetrahydro-1,3,5-triazine-2-amine (THT) family, were predicted and confirmed as inhibitors of MtbDHFR. Therefore, optimizing these confirmed hits can lead to a new class of anti-tuberculosis compounds that are target specific and highly potent. The study aims to design and synthesize tetrahydro-1,3,5-triazine-2-amine derivatives as potential anti-TB hit based on the 3D structure of MtbDHFR. Structure-activity relationship (SAR) was applied in the design of 113 tetrahydro-1,3,5-triazine-2-amine based on the 3D structure of MtbDHFR. The rest of the compounds were designed by scaffold hopping via the synergy of Marvin Sketch (manual design) and Spark software program to inflate the library to a capacity of 1700 compounds. By considering the key distinguishing features between human-DHFR and MtbDHFR, the matter of selectivity was well addressed. Resultantly 23 out of 40 tested compounds favored MtbDHFR inhibition over Human DHFR in terms of selectivity. The generated compound library was subjected to virtual screening using Auto-Dock Vina to predict the binding affinities and the best binding pose of each compound inside the binding site of the MtbDHFR target. Next, ADMET studies were then performed to predict the pharmacokinetics and toxicity profiles of the designed compounds. Furthermore, Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulations were done on four ligand complexes where conformational stability, residue flexibility (RMSF), compactness (Rg), and hydrogen bonding were analyzed. The Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulation results support excellent binding affinities of these ligands observed earlier by molecular docking. The study demonstrated a successful hit to lead optimization and all compounds were identified with, binding affinities ranging from -6.5 to -14.1 kcal/mol, improved drug-like, and ADMET properties. Two of the high-ranked compounds were selected for synthesis. The carbodiimide, DCC-mediated coupling reaction was used to synthesize two of the pre-qualified compounds AZ01 and TB1 which had a percentage yield of 74 and 67% respectively, paving the way for further exploration and experimentation work such as biological assays and potentially preclinical testing. Conclusively it is imperative to mention that 1,3,5-triazine scaffolds holds a great promise to the design of novel effective anti-TB leads and may be a beacon of hope for the eradication of this global burdensome TB disease. vi Furthermore, the inter-disciplinary project has advanced basic science at CUT and boosted molecule design and synthesis in addition to encouraging inter-disciplinary collaborations. Wed, 01 Mar 2023 00:00:00 GMT https://ir.cut.ac.zw:8080/xmlui/handle/123456789/394 2023-03-01T00:00:00Z https://ir.cut.ac.zw:8080/xmlui/handle/123456789/393 Techno-economic analysis and life-cycle assessment of bio-oil production from microwave-assisted pyrolysis of pine sawdust Makepa, Denzel Christopher Pyrolysis is a promising method for producing bio-oil from biomass. However, bio-oil must be upgraded before it can be used as fuel in internal combustion engines. While biofuels are often considered renewable and eco-friendly, it is important to understand the complete economic and environmental impacts of biofuel production to make informed decisions about their use. This study aims to evaluate the process’s economic viability and the environmental sustainability of converting pine sawdust to crude bio-oil via microwave-assisted pyrolysis. The study used ASTM D 410-84, D3173-5 and ASTM D5373 standards to characterize the feedstock and pyrolysis products, and thermogravimetric analysis to study the thermal degradation behavior of pine sawdust. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and Fourier transform-infra red (FTIR) were used to analyze the compositional properties of the organic phase and fatty acid methyl esters. The study found that the optimal operating conditions for producing the highest amount of bio-oil were achieved at 550℃ and 1 atm, yielding 42.28 wt.% of bio-oil, with phenolics contributing the greatest percentage of organic compounds. Transesterification improved the bio-oil properties by converting organic acids and oxygenated compounds to fatty acid methyl esters with a concentration of 510.05 mg/L. The study also evaluated the economic feasibility of the process, establishing the minimum selling price (MSP) of bio-oil, and predicted MSP for biodiesel. The MSP of bio-oil and biodiesel was established through the use of a discounted cashflow rate of return (DCFROR) analysis. The study found that the process was economically viable, with a MSP of $1.14/L of bio-oil and a predicted MSP for biodiesel of $2.31/L. The minimum selling price of biodiesel was consistent with the prices reported in previous studies, albeit with minor variations primarily attributed to variations in feedstock composition and the complexity of the thermochemical conversion process. The life cycle assessment (LCA) utilized a cradle-to-gate system boundary approach. To evaluate the environmental sustainability of the system, the Ecoinvent v3.7 database in openLCA v2.0 software. They conducted an analysis of 18 environmental impact categories using the ReCiPe 2016 (H) midpoint impact assessment methodology. However, the study found that the process had environmental impacts, including global warming potential, photochemical oxidant formation, and human toxicity, primarily due to the use of methanol in the biofuel synthesis stage. The study suggests that implementing sustainable practices, such as using organic fertilizers, optimizing transportation routes, implementing gas cleaning technologies, and effective waste management practices, could enhance the environmental performance of the biofuel production system. Sun, 01 Jan 2023 00:00:00 GMT https://ir.cut.ac.zw:8080/xmlui/handle/123456789/393 2023-01-01T00:00:00Z https://ir.cut.ac.zw:8080/xmlui/handle/123456789/391 Molecular epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2 genetic variants in Africa: The development of a guide for the selection of effective variant-specific vaccines Mtetwa, Desire Fears that newly emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants might resist antibody-based treatments and evade antibodies produced by vaccination or prior infection have led to various investigations on the effect of SARS-CoV-2 variants and mutations on neutralizing antibody activity. Since the immune response consists of only one component, the neutralizing antibody titers, and connection of these neutralizing antibody titers to protection continue to be determined, the findings from these studies cannot be utilized to make determinations on the efficacy or effectiveness of vaccines. The nature and quality of antibodies also serve as significant indicators of a strong neutralizing antibody response. In this investigation, the Molecular Dynamics simulations to test for vaccine efficacy and determine variant-specific vaccines were done. First determination of genetic diversity and spread dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 lineages circulating within African populations was done and only 465 of the 2610 Pango lineages identified worldwide circulated in Africa, with the following five Variants of Concern (VOCs) predominating at different stages: Alpha, Beta, Delta, Gamma and Omicron. We established that South Africa, Kenya, and Nigeria were significant drivers of viral transmissions between Sub Saharan African countries. These findings provided insight into the viral variants that are currently circulating throughout Africa's population. Secondly, identification of mutation hotspots of SARS-CoV-2 variants within the spike protein region using NextClade was done. The same five VOCs that predominated at different stages of the pandemic were identified as the most epidemiological important variants. These variants showed that there are three mutation hotspots within the spike protein region, at the NTD, RBD and CTD 2. Thirdly, we homology modelled different types of IgG antibodies, those that are infection-induced and vaccine-induced by retrieving antibody sequences from The Coronavirus Antibody Database (CoV-AbDab) and using RosettaAntibodyDesign (RAbD) server to homology model antibodies. Protein-protein docking of the antibodies which were homology modeled and spike protein structures of the five VOCs retrieved from PDB database was done using HADDOCK. Lastly; Molecular Dynamics simulations were done using GROMACS. XMGRACE was used to calculate RMSD and RMSF to determine the stability of the protein relative to its conformation. We then performed binding free energy calculations using MMPBSA to examine reduction of vaccine efficacy and determine variant-specific vaccines by noting the binding affinity of antibodies to variants. MD results implied that the AstraZeneca vaccine should be used as a multivalent vaccine on all VOCs or as v a bivalent vaccine on Alpha and Beta variants. Pfizer vaccine should be used as a bivalent vaccine on Delta and Omicron while Moderna vaccine should be used on Gamma variants Thu, 01 Jun 2023 00:00:00 GMT https://ir.cut.ac.zw:8080/xmlui/handle/123456789/391 2023-06-01T00:00:00Z