Long-term cosmic-ray modulation studies using ab initio numerical modulation models require an understanding of the solar-cycle dependence of the heliospheric diffusion tensor. Such an understanding requires information as to possible solar-cycle dependences of various basic turbulence quantities. In this study, 1-minute resolution data for the N-component of the heliospheric magnetic field spanning from 1974 to 2012 is analysed using second-order structure functions constructed assuming a simple three-stage power-law frequency spectrum. This spectrum is motivated observationally and theoretically, and has an inertial, an energycontaining and a cutoff-range at small frequencies to ensure a finite energy density. Of the turbulence quantities calculated from 27-day averaged second-order structure functions, only the magnetic variance and the spectral level show a significant solar-cycle dependence, much less so the spectral index in the energy range. The spectral indices in the inertial range, as well as the turnover and cutoff scales do not appear to depend on the level of solar activity. The ratio of the variance to the square of the magnetic field also appears to be solar-cycle independent. These results suggest that the dominant change in the spectrum over several solar-cycles is its level. Comparisons of the results found in this study with relevant published observations of turbulence quantities are very favourable. Furthermore, when the magnetic variances and heliospheric magnetic magnitudes calculated in this study are used as inputs for theoretically motivated expressions for the mean free paths and turbulence-reduced drift lengthscale, clear solar-cycle dependencies in these quantities are seen. Values for the diffusion and drift lengthscales during the recent unusual solar minimum are found to be significantly higher than during previous solar minima. / MSc (Space Physics), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

Thesis (PhD (Psychology))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: There is a paucity of research documenting women’s undisclosed drinking. This study explored the discursive accounts of women’s alcohol dependence, treatment history and barriers in accessing alcohol dependence treatment. The goals of this dissertation were to explore women’s alcohol dependence history; explore women’s treatment history (or lack thereof); identify barriers and nature of barriers that limit women’s access to alcohol dependence treatment; identify the reasons for women not accessing treatment, and to interpret women’s experiences of treatment per se. A Human Scientific Approach was adopted to examine and interpret how women’s drinking is socially constructed. A social constructionist approach was utilised to access and construct meaning from the discourses emanating from the women’s narratives of their experience with alcohol and their attempts at rehabilitation. Ten women were interviewed using the life story (narrative) interview method. The findings illustrate two major discourses namely, secret drinking and inaccessibility of appropriate treatment facilities for women alcohol dependents. This means that participants feel forced to conceal their drinking and to drink secretively because of the stigma associated with women drinking heavily. The stigma they experience translates into barriers (mostly internal barriers) to seeking institutionalised treatment. This makes it easier for them to seek alternative treatment such as an anonymous fellowship, like Alcoholics Anonymous. Other discourses signify the importance of problem identification and treatment readiness. This means that if the alcohol dependent woman realises what the real problem is causing her to use alcohol as an escape or as a coping strategy, she will be more willing to address the underlying problem. Recommendations are made focusing on micro and macro-level intervention strategies such as access to treatment, public health campaigns and policies to improve the quality of life of women recovering from alcohol dependence. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Daar is min inligting beskikbaar oor die dokumentering van vroue wat in-die-geheim alkohol gebruik. Hierdie studie het die diskursiewe weergawe van vroue se alkoholgebruik, behandelingsgeskiedenis en hindernisse tot die behandeling van alkohol-misbruik verken. Die doelstellings van hierdie verhandeling is om die volgende te verken: Vroue se afhanklikheidsgeskiedenis; vroue se rehabiliteringsgeskiedenis (of die gebrek daaraan); die identifisering van hindernisse en die aard van die probleme wat vroue se toegang tot die behandeling van alkohol-misbruik beperk; die identifisering van redes waarom vroue rehabilitering weier; en die interpretasie van vroue se belewings van behandeling per se. ‘n Humanisties-wetenskaplike benadering is gebruik om die sosiale konstruksie van vroue se drinkgewoontes te ondersoek en te interpreteer. Die verstaan van en die skep van betekenis van die diskoerse van die vroue, en die temas wat na vore gekom het vanuit hul vertellings/narratiewe van hul alkohol-ervarings en hul pogings tot rehabilitering, is binne die raamwerk van die sosiaal-konstruksionistiese uitgangspunt aangepak. Onderhoude is met tien vroue gevoer en die narratiewe metode is gebruik. Die bevindings toon twee hoofdiskoerse naamlik, drinkery in-die-geheim en die ontoeganklikheid van gepaste behandelingsfasiliteite vir vroue met afhanklikheidsprobleme. Dit beteken dat vroue ondervind dat hulle gedwing word om in-die-geheim te drink, as gevolg van die stigmatisering van vroue en oormatige alkohol-gebruik. Hierdie stigmatisering kan herlei word tot hindernisse (meestal interne hindernisse) te make met ge-institutionaliseerde behandeling. Om die rede is dit makliker vir vroue om alternatiewe behandeling soos anonieme gemeenskappe, byvoorbeeld Alkoholiste Anoniem te oorweeg. Ander diskoerse beklemtoon die identifisering van probleme en die instemming tot rehabilitering. Dit beteken dat wanneer die alkoholis die werklike probleem vir alkohol-gebruik verstaan as ‘n ontsnapping of as ‘n hanteringsstrategie, sy meer gewillig sal wees om die onderliggende probleem aan te spreek. Aanbevelings is gemaak met die fokus op mikro- en makrointervensiestrategieë, soos die toegang tot rehabilitering, openbare gesondheidsveldtogte en beleide ten einde die leef-kwaliteit van vroue in die herstelproses van alkoholafhanklikheid te verbeter.

In this study, the adaptive behaviour towards sustainability initiatives is investigated in interorganizational exchange relations. To do so, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) in a supplier role that experienced a situation where a buyer asked them to adapt to a certain sustainability initiative are asked about their power relation with their buyer. During this process, suppliers perceived dependence and buyers perceived power are compared, and the outcome of these measures on the adaptive behaviour towards sustainability is modelled. In order to explain the power relation in the dyad in more detail, the framework of the bases of power as initially introduced by French Jr. and Raven (1959) is integrated in the analysis. Sustainability in the current globalised business environment needs to be tackled on a systems level rather than by focusing on a site. The purpose of this research is to shed some light on the permeation of sustainability initiatives through the upward supply chain. The current academic literature about the drivers of Sustainable Supply Chain Management (SSCM) point towards the buyers as a powerful driver. Therefore, this driver is scrutinized in detail with the aims to: a) deliver practical advice on how to improve sustainability permeation from a buyer s perspective; and b) contribute to academic knowledge by dismantling and analysing the mechanism behind buyer power driven sustainability permeation. An online questionnaire was deployed to collect data from SMEs in a supplier role. The participants were contacted and reminded via email. The questionnaire is based on established instruments to measure suppliers dependence (Bode et al., 2011) and the bases of power (Raven et al., 1998). The quantitative analysis of the responses to the questionnaires is built around a mediation model with suppliers dependence as Independent Variable (IV), the binary outcome of sustainability adaptation as Dependent Variable (DV) and two mediators representing the magnitude of hard and soft power bases in the dyadic exchange relation. The established framework of the bases of power is a suitable instrument to explain the relationship between a supplier s adaptive behaviour towards sustainability and its dependence on its buyer. Measurements solely of how a supplier perceives its dependence on the buyer do not explain the adaptive behaviour of a supplier towards a buyer-requested sustainability initiative. Introducing the bases of power framework and distinguishing between soft and hard bases of power explains why suppliers experiencing hard power bases are more likely to reject a buyer-requested sustainability initiative, whereas suppliers experiencing soft power bases show a significantly higher acceptance of buyer-requested sustainability initiatives. Without dismantling the black box power, the observation that the two effects neutralize each other if not distinguished cannot be made. The original contribution to knowledge is the mechanism behind power in dyadic exchange relations and how this mechanism conduces to the permeation of sustainability through the supply chain. Knowing about the different pathways hard and soft, and their opposite effect on sustainability adaptation, advances knowledge in the SSCM literature and provides guidance for practitioners.

No description available.

Eine langdauernde Vorinkubation des GPI bzw. des MVD mit Morphin-haltiger Nährlösung (unter in vitro-Bedingungen wird anstelle von Morphin häufig Normorphin verwendet) führte zur Entwicklung von Toleranz und im Falle des GPI zu einer zusätzlichen Abhängigkeits-ähnlichen Reaktion. Die Toleranz manifestierte sich als verminderte Ansprechbarkeit gegenüber dem in Anwesenheit des Morphins akut applizierten Normorphin, während die Gewebeabhängigkeit sich als starke Naloxon-induzierte Kontraktion bemerkbar machte. Diese Kontraktion beruhte auf einer massiven Ausschüttung von Acetylcholin aus den postganglionär parasympathischen Nervenendigungen. Als Erklärung wurde hinzugezogen, dass Naloxon das Morphin von seinen Rezeptoren verdrängt und eine entzugsähnliche Reaktion auslöst. Da nicht nur eine in vitro-Vorinkubation mit Morphin in den beiden Präparaten zur Empfindlichkeitsabnahme gegenüber Morphin/Normorphin führte sondern auch die mehrtägige, subkutane Implantation eines Morphin-Pellets oder einer Opioid-Lösung enthaltenden osmotischen Minipumpe, haben wir über den letzteren Weg selektive Toleranz gegenüber μ- (Morphin, Fentanyl), δ- (DADLE) und κ-Agonisten (Ethylketocyclazocin, MR 2034, MRZ) hervorgerufen. Nach in vivo-Behandlung mit den genannten Substanzen wurde das GPI präpariert, in einer Nährlösung, die den jeweiligen Agonisten in der ungefähr 80-fachen Toleranz-induzierenden Kon-zentration enthielt, aufgehängt und mit Feldelektroden elektrisch stimuliert. Die Reizparameter wurden so gewählt (supramaximale Spannung, 0.5 ms Reizbreite, 0.1 Hz Frequenz), dass ausschließlich das neuronale Gewebe stimuliert wurde, nicht aber der Glattmuskel. In vorhergehenden Experimenten konnte die Rezeptorausstattung des GPI nicht eindeutig identifiziert werden. Mit der Erzeugung der selektiven Toleranz an µ-Rezeptoren wurde die akute Wirkung von sowohl μ- als auch δ-Rezeptor-Agonisten wesentlich vermindert. Demgegenüber, übten κ-Rezeptor-Agonisten ihre Wirkung in unveränderter Intensität aus. Die vollständige Kreuz-Toleranz zwischen Morphin und DADLE schloss das Vorhandensein eines δ-Rezeptors aus, während die fehlende Kreuz-Toleranz zwischen Normorphin/DADLE einerseits und Ethylketocyclazocin andererseits das Vorhandensein eines κ-Rezeptors belegte. Es bedarf einer Erklärung, weshalb die in vivo-Behandlung mit Fentanyl nur geringe Toleranz gegenüber Normorphin auslöste und vice versa (wenig Kreuz-Toleranz), obwohl sich eine hochgradige Toleranz gegenüber derselben Substanz entwickelte. Es wurde geschlussfolgert, dass es verschiedene Subtypen von μ-Rezeptoren gibt, eines mit Empfindlichkeit gegenüber Morphin/Normorphin und ein anderes gegenüber Fentanyl.

International Telemetering Conference Proceedings / October 28-31, 1996 / Town and Country Hotel and Convention Center, San Diego, California / Improved processing techniques, particularly with respect to parallel computing, are the underlying focus in computer science, engineering, and industry today. Semiconductor technology is fast approaching device physical limitations. Further advances in computing performance in the near future will be realized by improved problem-solving approaches. An important issue in parallel processing is how to effectively utilize parallel computers. It is estimated that many modern supercomputers and parallel processors deliver only ten percent or less of their peak performance potential in a variety of applications. Yet, high performance is precisely why engineers build complex parallel machines. Cumulative performance losses occur due to mismatches between applications, software, and hardware. For instance, a communication system's network bandwidth may not correspond to the central processor speed or to module memory. Similarly, as Internet bandwidth is consumed by modern multimedia applications, network interconnection is becoming a major concern. Bottlenecks in a distributed environment are caused by network interconnections and can be minimized by intelligently assigning processing tasks to processing elements (PEs). Processing speeds are improved when architectures are customized for a given algorithm. Parallel processing techniques have been ineffective in most practical systems. The coupling of algorithms to architectures has generally been problematic and inefficient. Specific architectures have evolved to address the prospective processing improvements promised by parallel processing. Real performance gains will be realized when sequential algorithms are efficiently mapped to parallel architectures. Transforming sequential algorithms to parallel representations utilizing linear dependence vector mapping and subsequently configuring the interconnection network of a systolic array will be discussed in this paper as one possible approach for improved algorithm/architecture symbiosis.

The main objective of my thesis paper is to determine which organizations from a wide range of NGOs, including their donor relationships, are susceptible to funding manipulation and why. Through review of a focused selection of literature and case studies, I seek to identify a pattern of characteristics or variables among the weaker organizations which increases vulnerability to such practices. I will review the organizations' size, market competition, funding strategies, and supply-led contracts. I intend to conclude with the various ways in which NGO's can protect against funding manipulation.

Thesis (MA (Sociology and Social Anthropology))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: South Africa’s natural environment is internationally recognised for its biodiversity, and therefore deep concern exists regarding the significant impact of invasive alien species (IAS) on that biodiversity. To combat the spread of IAS in South Africa, the national Working for Water (WfW) Programme was established in 1995. In addition to the clearing of IAS, the programme has also been designed to provide employment and empowerment to the marginalised sectors of South African society. With regard to the latter, WfW forms part of South Africa’s Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP), and can be defined as a workfare programme, since it provides paid employment, rather than welfare payment. Following a contractor development approach, it also intends to create independent entrepreneurial contractors who, ideally, should ‘exit’ WfW, by being absorbed in the broader labour market. However, anecdotal evidence indicates that, since the establishment of WfW, many of its intended beneficiaries have become highly dependent on such employment, and therefore do not wish to “exit” the programme. Also, mounting concern regarding beneficiary dependence on Public Works Programmes in general, has spurred numerous academic debates on welfare dependence, as well as attempts to explain variability in dependence on government support. This thesis reports on a multi-site case study of beneficiary dependence on four WfW projects, which was undertaken in four CapeNature reserves in the Western Cape province of South Africa. Five broad research questions were formulated, which relate to the extent of beneficiaries’ dependence on the projects concerned, as well the sociological factors that may contribute to such a phenomenon. The data collected for this study were analysed with reference to various theories of state dependence. The beneficiaries were found to have become highly dependent, mostly in a financial sense, on the WfW projects studied, but also in regard to expectations of remaining in the WfW Programme in future. Such dependence is largely due to WfW having become engrained in beneficiaries’ social structure to such an extent, that it affects both their choices and their actions. Fearing a return to the conditions of farm labour, or the inability to escape the culture of poverty and/or marginalisation they experienced before joining WfW, seems to have resulted in the “unanticipated consequence” of workers being reluctant to exit from the programme, on which they have become dependent for their income and social standing. In the light of these findings, the thesis also briefly reflects upon South Africa’s EPWPs, with the conclusion of the case study offering at least a partial solution to improving the WfW Programme as an EPWP. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Suid-Afrika se natuurlike omgewing word internasionaal erken vir sy biodiversiteit, en om hierdie rede bestaan daar goot bekommernis oor die beduidende uitwerking van uitheemse indringerspesies (UIS) op hierdie biodiversiteit. Om die verspreiding van UIS in Suid-Afrika te bekamp, is die Nasionale Werk vir Water (WfW) Program in 1995 gestig. Benewens die verwydering van UIS, is die program ook ingestel op werkverskaffing en bemagtiging van die gemarginaliseerde sektore van die Suid-Afrikaanse samelewing. Met betrekking tot laasgenoemde vorm WfW deel van die Suid-Afrikaanse Uitgebreide Openbare Werke Program (UOWP), en kan gedefineër word as ‘n werkswelsynsprogram, met die klem op die verskaffing van werk teen betaling, eerder as bloot net ’n welsynsbetaling. WfW volg ‘n kontrakteur-ontwikkelingsbenadering, waarvolgens kontrakteurs ontwikkel word, wat, ideaal gesien, die program as entrepreneurs kan verlaat en as sodanig in die breër arbeidsmark geabsorbeer kan word. Nietemin, in die praktyk wil dit tans egter voorkom asof die veronderstelde begunstigdes van WfW eerder hoogs afhanklik geraak het van die werk en dit derhalwe nooit wil verlaat nie. Die stygende kommer rakende begunstigde afhanklikheid van Openbare Werke Programme oor die algemeen, het reeds oorsprong verleen aan menige akademiese debatte oor welsynsafhanklikheid, sowel as pogings om verskille in omvang van afhanklikheid van regeringsondersteuning te verduidelik. Die tesis rapporteer oor ’n veelligging gevallestudie oor begunstigde afhanklikheid van vier WfW-projekte, wat geleë is in vier CapeNature reservate in die Wes-Kaapprovinsie van Suid-Afrika. Vyf breë navorsingsvrae is ontwerp, wat verband hou met die omvang van afhanklikheid van hierdie spesifieke projekte, sowel as die sosiologiese faktore wat tot die ontwikkeling van hierdie verskynsel sou kon bydra. Data is ontleed met verwysing na verskeie teorieë van staatsafhanklikheid. Daar is bevind dat begunstigdes hoogs afhanklik geraak het, hoofsaaklik in ‘n finansiële sin, van die bestudeerde WfW-projekte, maar ook verwagtinge het om in die toekoms deel te bly van die WfW-Program. Hierdie afhanklikheid spruit voort daaruit dat die begunstigdes se sosiale struktuur tot so ‘n mate met WfW verweef geword het, dat dit ’n uitwerking het op die werkers se keuses, asook hul optrede. ’n Vrees om terug te keer na die omstandighede van plaaswerk, of die onvermoë om te ontvlug van die kultuur van armoede en/of marginalisering wat hulle ervaar het voor deelname aan WfW, het skynbaar die “onbedoelde gevolg” gehad dat werkers onwillig is om te tree uit die program waarvan hulle afhanklik geraak het vir hul inkomste en sosiale stand. In die lig van hierdie bevindinge reflekteer hierdie tesis ook kortliks oor Suid-Afrika se UOWP, met die gevolgtrekking van die gevallestudie wat ten minste ‘n gedeeltelike oplossing bied ter verbetering van die WfWProgram, as ’n UOWP.

Implementation of intensive forestry (fertilization, cultivation of non-native tree species, and clone cultivation) on part of the forested land area in Sweden and an increased construction of wood-framed multi-storey buildings can contribute to reduce the net carbon dioxide emissions of the built environment. This thesis evaluates the acceptance of and interest in intensive forestry and multi-storey wood frames among different actors, and some of the underlying reasons for their approach. The results of quantitative and qualitative studies among members of the general public, private forest owners, architects, and contracts managers in Sweden are presented in six different papers. Both intensive forestry and multi-storey wood frames lack sufficient acceptance and compliance with relevant institutions such as priorities, norms, and regulations in the eyes of the studied actors. The acceptance of intensive forestry would be larger among members of the general public if they would perceive such practices to have less negative environmental effects and perceive a greater need to increase forest growth. Among the private forest owners, the interest to cultivate non-native tree species would be larger if there were more positive attitudes towards the economic consequences. Architects and contracts managers associate multistorey wood frames with several disadvantages and uncertainties, primarily with respect to fire safety, stability, durability, and sound proofing. The contracts managers’ perceptions have stronger implications for the prospects for wood frames, than the architects’ perceptions do. Promotional activities aimed to change such perceptions may improve the prospects for more wood framed multi-storey buildings in Sweden. The path dependency of Swedish multi-storey construction however implies that such activities are not enough for multi-storey wood frames to diffuse to greater extent. Broader changes to the wider context of the decisions taken in construction projects, e.g. to policy or economic environments, which change the priorities of the construction industry actors, are needed.

This thesis focuses on a number of aspects governing the transformation of gibbsite, via intermediate phases, to a-alumina. These aspects include the size and morphology of the gibbsite grains, the influence of additions of foreign elements, the effect of a mechanical treatment of the gibbsite prior to calcination, and combinations of these factors. The materials were characterisedb y scanninge lectron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and surfacea rea measurementsF. or someo f the calcined materials an attempt was made to sinter the powders to a dense body to investigate if any of the treatments during calcination had an effect on this process. The literature review covers the current state of understanding of the production of bulk alumina powder by the Bayer process and the phase changes seen on calcination of precursors to the stable a-alumina phase. A detailed description of the phase changes is given and the various routes and conditions necessary for the transformations to occur are considered. The transformations are examined in relation to the morphology of the crystals and the variables controlling the phase transformation route are discussed. Calcination in air showed that the size of the gibbsite grain governs the calcination route taken to reach a-alumina. The standard gibbsites used in this work show a mixed calcination sequence transforming both via the boehmite phase, followed by the y, 8 and 0 phases, and via the x and K phases. The formation of boehmite is attributed to retention of water vapour within the grainDifferences in morphology of the starting materials showed that for the range of materials seen, the morphology of the grain is less important than its size. The super fine material confirmed that a small grain size transforms via the non-boehmite route only, with the other gibbsites taking intermediate routes as for the standard gibbsites. Of the additions made prior to calcination, aluminium fluoride was found to reduce the transformation temperature to a-alumina by approximately 300°C. Other additions had little effect on the transformation temperature although a reduction in grain size was seen with aluminium chloride. It was found that good mixing of the alumina fluoride was essential to obtain reliable and reproducible results. This is due to the small amounts of additive that are needed and the sensitivity of the process to concentration variations. Mineralisation of a range of gibbsites showed that the presence of sodium in the starting material was crucial in reducing the calcination temperature. This led to the conclusion that the sodium and fluoride react to form a liquid phase. The presence of a liquid phase increases the mobility of the aluminium and oxygen atoms resulting in a reduction of the transformation temperature. Fluoride additions to the gibbsites with different morphologies showed that the presence of sodium was the governing factor in reduction of the transformation temperature. Milling of the starting materials showed that there was a small reduction in the transformation temperature between some of the phases. The energy involved in milling leads to activation of the gibbsite. This activation takes the form of a reduction in the grain size and in a reduction of the crystallinity seen in the XRD patternFluoride additions during the calcination of sapphire with a standard gibbsite powder showed preferential grain growth. It was possible to initiate growth of small plate-like crystals on the polished surface of a piece of sapphire parallel to the basal plane. Crystal growth was also seen in scratches on a polished surface perpendicular to the basal plane