Work title: Conception of a new Kickboxing examination code for testing technical skills up to 1st Dan. The goal of this work: The primary goal of my master's paper is to break the current and past Czech kickboxing examination system down to the individual levels of technical skills and examine each of them. Further, it is my aim to propose and develop a detailed conception of new examination code from 7th Kyu to 1st Dan. Methods: I carried out a content analysis of the current and past examination code for testing technical skills in the Czech Republic and compared those with examination codes from abroad. I consulted the proposed new conception of the examination code with professional specialists. Based on their advice and based on information sourced from various publications I developed the detailed new conception. Results: A new examination code with well arranged overview of the required technical skills of a kickboxer for each level of the downwardly system of kickboxer's technical proficiency is the output of my work. Key words: Technique, technical proficiency, kickboxer .

Historically the nutrient rich Benguela ecosystem supported large stocks of commercially important fish which sustained the Namibian fishing sector. Recently, non-exploited species i.e. bearded goby (Sufflogobius bibarbatus) and jellyfish (Chrysaora fulgida and Aequorea forskalea) have become more apparent and are described as key-species in this ecosystem. Empirical evidence for understanding the stock abundance and dynamics of S. bibarbatus and jellyfish are still sparse, as research focus has been mainly on commercially important fish. The abundance of these non-exploited species in relation to the environment and commercial species are also not well understood. Lack of methods to effectively assess jellyfish and S. bibarbatus have furthermore limited our knowledge. Acoustics can cover large water volumes and observe many trophic groups and interactions simultaneously hence currently proposed as the most reliable observation tool available to remotely study multiple species that are overlapping and widely distributed in marine ecosystems. For acoustic assessments using echo sounders, the ability to detect, identify and distinguish targets from each other and the echo ability (target strength: TS) of individual targets is pivotal to convert acoustic data from a calibrated system into significant biological measures. The lack of effective acoustic identification (ID) techniques and knowledge about TS of species may limit the application of acoustics. The swimbladder generally contributes more than 90% to the backscattered energy from fish, which makes knowledge of the swimbladder vital for understanding the acoustic properties of a fish. Prior to this study, the presence or absence of a swimbladder within S. bibarbatus has been uncertain. This thesis is an exploratory study addressing 1) the acoustic identification challenge of species in aggregating in mixed assemblages and 2) the acoustic characteristics of the target species. The latter two are of essence to assess the biomass, distributions and ecological interactions of these non-exploited. The multiple frequency data (18, 38, 70, 120 and 200 kHz) and trawl data used in this study were collected on a survey conducted by the RV G.O.Sars during April 2008 in the northern Benguela. Fifteen validated assumed to be ‘single species' trawl and acoustic datasets were selected and used in the application and developing of ID techniques. Traditional acoustic identification techniques (Sᵥ-differencing and relative frequency response r(f)) were adopted and found ineffective as standalones to discriminate the species under study. The overlaps in the Sᵥ differences of the three species complicated separation. A multivariate statistical approach, Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA) was applied to predict which of the variables s[subscript(A)], S[subscript(A)], Δs[subscript(A)] and r(f) discriminated the three species groups from each other with a higher accuracy. It was found that by combining backscattering strength S[subscript(A)] and r(f) a correct classification accuracy of up to 95% could be obtained. Limitation is that the LDA technique as any classification method is not applicable in “real time” during surveys. A new technique, here within referred to as the Separator Technique, which incorporates the standard techniques, LDA results, a novel r(f) similarity comparison technique and a threshold s[subscript(A)] response technique was established. The effectiveness of the Separator Technique is in the recognition of similarities and stability in frequency response by simple correlation of the observed frequency response at systematic Sᵥ-threshold levels. Accurate acoustic classification depends on good and valid training datasets and there has so far not been a simple way of acoustically detecting if the selected assumed “pure” datasets is contaminated or not. Only available reliable source are the trawl samples. The r(f) similarity comparison method showed that some of the assumed ‘single species' trawls were mixed and that presence of <1% of strong scatterers could mask a weaker scatterer. By evaluating the threshold s[subscript(A)] frequency response, the proportion of thresholded backscattering could be quantified. A frequency which is more appropriate for the acoustic assessment of the respective species in mixed aggregations could also be identified. Further improvements of the Separator Technique are required in terms of the precise Sᵥ-cut levels. The presence of S. bibarbatus' swimbladder was confirmed from two thawed specimens. From further investigations on 26 dissections of sampled S. bibarbatus, the swimbladder was identified as a physoclist (closed swimbladder) with an extensive gas gland, and its morphology was roughly described as prolate spheroid shaped and with about 5ᴼ negatively tilted compared fish vertebra. This means that the strongest echo from a goby will be found when the fish is at about 5ᴼ head down relative to the horizontal. The in situ TS of 8 cm sized S. bibarbatus and the two jellyfish species: C. fulgida [umbrella diameter: 21.7 cm] and A. forskalea [16 cm] at multiple frequencies (18, 38, 70, 120 and 200 kHz) was estimated. At 38 kHz, the TS was -53 dB for S. bibarbatus, -58 dB for A. forskalea and -66 dB for C. fulgida. The single echo detection (SED) approach which is assumed to be a more accurate method for estimating TS than the previously applied methods for jellyfish. The TS results for S. bibarbatus are of similar magnitude to other published TS values of C. fulgida. This suggests that estimates of jellyfish may be overestimated due to inaccuracies in target identification. This thesis established the acoustic characteristics of jellyfish and S. bibarbatus within the northern Benguela which makes it possible to acoustically assess and monitor jellyfish and/or fish. The identification technique though still in early phases of development, can be applied to enhance quality of training datasets (samples) used in classification. This piece of work can reduce variability in biomass estimates that arises from masking or misclassification of echoes.

No abstract available

A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Science, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. Johannesburg, South Africa. 14 October 2014. / Research investigations indicate that note-taking and note-making are related to academic performance. This study investigated four factors, in a first-year biology course at a South African University, that influence student note-making practices, and determined whether the quality of notes is related to their approach to learning and their academic performance. The factors that were assessed included: the impact of social and cultural capital of first and second generation students on their expectations of the University academic environment; the students’ experience with their construction of notes at school; the level of detail on slides provided by lecturers, the access that students had to slides on the intranet, and the influence of English as a first or second language. The study commenced at the beginning of semester two 2009 and ended after semester one 2011. Student questionnaires, interviews of students and lecturers, assessment of notes made, and test and examination results were interrogated and sample lectures were video-recorded. The study identified that the students’ high school experience in constructing notes provided the platform for these practices when they entered University. Second-generation students had a more accurate expectation of their ownership for their notes and learning in first year, and of the grades that they received compared to the expectations held by first generation students. Additionally data analysis lead to the inference that self-regulated students, who personalised their notes, performed better than the underprepared students, who learnt solely from the lecturers’ slides; but this statement is not a blanket generalisation. Two lecturers from each semester were interviewed before they commenced lecturing, and one each of their lectures was video-recorded for analysis with student notes. Findings indicated that the amount of detail that lecturers provided on presentation slides stemmed from their conception of the students’ role in learning. When skeletal lecture slides (i.e. slides containing only keywords or key points) were presented then students perceived that they needed to take ownership in constructing their notes, whereas when slides appeared to be detailed they saw them as a ‘complete’ set of notes, and reported being less attentive in class. In both cases students hardly noted any information other than that presented on the slides. Students had access to slides on the intranet in the first semester of each year, but not in the second semester. Although students reported that they were more attentive in class when they did not have access to slides on the intranet, there was only a slight difference in the students’ grades between semesters. In the first study cohort (i.e. 2009), first-language students performed better than second-language students, but performance evened out when an intervention, which used writing as a means to promote critical thinking, was provided in 2010 and 2011. The findings presented in this study would be useful to lecturers who wish to understand how students’ use and reconstruct their class notes during the process of learning. The findings could also be of benefit to student support programmes that seek a practical tool (the writing intervention) to deepen the students’ approach to their learning.

A hernia frequently complicates abdominal stoma formation. The aetiology of parastomal herniation is claimed to be multi-factorial but currently only age and trephine diameter have been shown to independently predict its development. Open or laparoscopic repair of a symptomatic parastomal hernia is frequently challenging and is associated with unsatisfactory recurrence rates. As a result, many affected patients are managed non-operatively. Prevention of parastomal herniation by prophylactic mesh reinforcement of the stoma site is a new strategy that may reduce its incidence. Manual mesh implantation, however, is thought to increase the operating time and is considered cumbersome, particularly in laparoscopic surgery. As a result, routine reinforcement of the stoma site is not currently standard practice within the National Health Service. Thus, there is a need for a simple and quick technique for stoma formation which avoids creating an oversized defect and simultaneously reinforces the trephine with mesh. The aims of this thesis included: (i) understanding the aetiopathogenesis of parastomal herniation, assessing its impact on patients’ quality of life and examining the outcomes associated with current therapeutic strategies in order to find novel therapies that may lead to its prevention; (ii) assessing the safety, reproducibility and efficacy of the Stapled Mesh stomA Reinforcement Technique (SMART) in preventing parastomal herniation and (iii) investigating the contribution of the rectus abdominis muscle to the development of herniation. A detailed literature review of PubMed and Medline databases confirmed that stoma formation through the rectus muscle is complicated by parastomal herniation in 50%-80% of 4 cases. Surgeons have underestimated its impact on patients’ quality of life. There is no conclusive evidence that alternative techniques (e.g. extraperitoneal, lateral rectus abdominis positioned stoma) are superior. Open and laparoscopic parastomal hernia repair have similar recurrence rates up to 50%. Prophylactic reinforcement of the stoma trephine with mesh in the sublay or subperitoneal position is safe and appears to reduce the herniation rate but it is difficult laparoscopically and does not address the issue of trephine size when a defect <25mm is associated with a reduced herniation risk. The Stapled Mesh stomA Reinforcement Technique (SMART) obviates the technical issues associated with routine stoma formation and reinforcement. In a pilot study with patients at high risk for herniation, SMART was found to be safe and reproducible and reduced the herniation rate to 18%. Preliminary results of the international multicentre randomised controlled trial in all patients undergoing permanent stoma formation show that SMART reduces the herniation rate compared to the standard technique, without added morbidity and minimal impact on the operating time. A radiological study assessing the contribution of the rectus abdominis muscle into the development of parastomal herniation showed that the abdominal musculature undergoes postoperative changes consistent with atrophy with postoperative muscle density being higher in patients without parastomal herniation. In conclusion, at this moment in time, prophylactic mesh reinforcement should be offered to all patients undergoing elective permanent stoma formation. The SMART procedure has the potential to change current surgical practice. The contribution of the rectus muscle to the development of herniation warrants further research since improving muscle repair and regeneration may result in therapeutic benefits.

No description available.

"The hazard associated with dust deflagrations has increased over the last decade industries that manufacture, transport, process, or use combustible dusts. Identification of the controlling parameters of dust deflagration mechanisms is crucial to our understanding of the problem. The objective of this study is to develop an experimental platform, called the Hybrid Flame Analyzer (HFA), capable of measuring the laminar and turbulent burning velocity of gas, dust, and hybrid (gas and dust) air premixed flames as a function of properties specific to the reactants such as dust-particle size and concentration. In this work the HFA is used to analyze a particle-gas-air premixed system composed of coal dust particles (75-90 µm and 106-120 µm) in a premixed CH4-air ( = 0.8, 1.0 and 1.2) flame. This work ultimately aims to improve the knowledge on fundamental aspects of dust flames which is essential for the development of mathematical models. This study is the first of its kind where multiple different parameters that govern flame propagation (initial particle radius, particle concentration, gas phase equivalence ratio, turbulent intensity, and integral length scale) are systematically analyzed in a spatially uniform cloud of volatile particles forming a stationary flame. The experiments show that the turbulent burning velocity is more than two-times larger than the laminar counter-part for each and every case studied. It is observed that smaller particles and larger concentrations (> 50 g/m3) tend to enhance the turbulent burning velocity significantly compared to larger particle sizes and lower concentration ranges. The experimental data is used to develop a correlation similar to turbulent gas flames to facilitate modeling of the complex behavior. "

Aluminum dross is a by-product of Aluminum production. At present, dross is processed in rotary kilns to recover the Al, and the resultant salt cake is sent to landfills; although it is sealed to prevent from leaching, the potential for leaching exists and could harm the environment as the salt cake contains fluorides and other salts. Furthermore, much energy is consumed to recover the Al from the dross; this is energy that can be saved if the dross could be diverted and utilized as an engineering material. The objective of this work is to eliminate waste and instead utilize the waste in a natural cycle (closed loop) by using it as an engineered material. Three avenues were investigated to utilize the dross: (i) refractory materials; (ii) aluminum composites; (iii) high temperature additive for de-sulphurizing steel. We have found that the use of dross waste to manufacture refractory material has much merit. Mechanical property evaluations revealed the possibility for dross waste to be utilized as filler in concrete, resulting in a 40% higher flexural strength and a 15% higher compressive strength compared to pure cement. These results will be presented and discussed.

Digitized by Kansas Correctional Industries

A Avenida Assis Brasil, na zona norte de Porto Alegre, é uma importante centralidade para a metrópole e sua região de influência. Nesta avenida convergem grandes contingentes populacionais diariamente, estes deslocamentos se dão pela concentração de grandes centros comerciais, hospital, shoppings centers, supermercados, além de muitos outros serviços, todos, ligados pelas mais de cem linhas de ônibus que circulam pela avenida. Esta centralidade faz parte da história de Porto Alegre, ela começou a ser formada na década de 1930 com os primeiros movimentos de urbanização através de loteamentos feitos nesta área, além disso, após a década de 1940 inúmeras indústrias situaram-se próximas à avenida à fim de aproveitar as vantagens locacionais. O espaço urbano desta área ganhou importância através do desenvolvimento do comércio local, que é alternativa ao centro da metrópole. As tendências atuais da metropolização tornam este processo mais complexo. Hoje em dia a financeirização do espaço tem levado à produção de inúmeros prédios e vem sendo o motor da urbanização nesta centralidade. O trabalho se propõe a ser um estudo sobre a influência dos diferentes tempos históricos na constituição da centralidade da Avenida Assis Brasil, utilizando o método regressivo-progressivo de Lefebvre. Buscaremos entender os momentos do percebido, do concebido e do vivido na centralidade da zona norte porto-alegrense, da sua constituição até o estágio atual da metropolização. Como resultado, conseguimos estabelecer relações entre o tipo de ocupação dos prédios com seu tempo estimado de construção. Além disso, a metodologia nos proporcionou à vermos novas tendências de urbanização em parte da Avenida. / Assis Brasil Avenue, in the north of Porto Alegre, is an important center for the metropolis and its region of influence. In this avenue converges large population contingents daily, these displacements are given by the concentration of big shopping centers, hospital, shopping malls, supermarkets, in addition to many other services, all linked by more than one hundred bus lines that circulate along the avenue. This centrality is part of the history of Porto Alegre, it began to be formed in the 1930s with the first urbanization movements through subdivisions made in this area, moreover, after the 1940s countless industries were located near the avenue for locational advantages. The urban space of this area gained importance through the development of local commerce, which rivals the center of the metropolis. Current trends in metropolization make this process more complex. Nowadays the financialization of space has led to the production of numerous buildings and has been the motor of urbanization in this centrality. This work proposes to be a study of the influence of different historical times in the constitution of the centrality of Avenida Assis Brasil, using Lefebvre's regressive-progressive method, we will try to understand the moments of perceived, conceived and lived in the centrality of the north port zone from its constitution to the present stage of metropolization. As a result, we have been able to establish relationships between the type of occupation of the buildings with their estimated time of construction. In addition, the methodology has given us to see new trends of urbanization in part of the Avenue.