Master of Science / Food Science Institute / Fadi M. Aramouni / Jeffrey A. Gwirtz / In order to improve the quality of products available for consumers who require a gluten-free diet, this study examined the effects of sorghum flour composition and particle size on functionality in gluten-free batter bread. White, food-grade sorghum was milled to flour of varying extraction rates (60%, 80%, 100%), and was subsequently pin-milled at different speeds (no pin-milling, low- speed, and high-speed) to create flours of both variable composition and particle size. Two commercially-milled sorghum flour samples (AF and TV) were included in the study and subjected to the same pin-milling treatments. Characterization of each flour included measurements of flour composition, total starch content, particle size distribution, damaged starch, and water absorption. Bread characterization included measurement of specific volume, crumb properties, and crumb firmness through the use of digital imaging and texture profile analysis. Significant differences were found (p<0.05) in the composition of sorghum flours of varying extraction rate, most notably for fiber and total starch contents. Flour particle size and starch damage were significantly impacted by extraction rate and speed of pin milling (p<0.05). With the exception of the commercial flour samples, water absorption increased significantly with increasing extraction rate and speed of pin-milling speed (p<0.05). Within all treatments, breads produced from 60% extraction flour had significantly higher specific volumes, better crumb properties, and lower crumb firmness when compared to all other extractions and flour types. These measured bread characteristics were significantly impacted by flour properties, specifically particle size, starch damage, and fiber content (p<0.0001). The commercial flours studied produced breads of low specific volume, poor crumb properties, and dense textures. These results can assist millers and product developers in advancing the quality of sorghum-based gluten-free foods for the consumers that require them. Further research is necessary to better understand the extent to which particle size, and therefore starch damage, can improve sorghum-based gluten-free breads.

Master of Science / Department of Biological & Agricultural Engineering / Danny H. Rogers / Center pivot irrigation systems are used in crop production across the state of Kansas. The American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE) standard on uniformity testing of a center pivot system calls for collectors to be used to measure the water depth emitted by the irrigation system. The standard was designed without specially considering the low pressure sprinklers now commonly used on center pivot systems; the recommended collectors may not accurately measure the applied depth from these sprinklers. The collector size effect on measured water depth and measured depth variability was studied for spinning plate, fixed plate, and wobbling plate sprinkler systems. Five different collector sizes (C2 (5.5 cm), C4 (10.0 cm), C6 (14.8 cm), C8 (20.0 cm), and C10 (27.4 cm)) were studied using four 5x5 Latin squares. Each collector’s water depth was measured and statistically analyzed. Two analysis of variance (ANOVA) tests of the collector size effect were reported. Past experimental results were compared to this experiment’s results. The ANOVA for the measured water depth reported no collector size effect for the spinning plate and wobbling plate systems. The ANOVA of the variability of measured depths showed significant differences between collector sizes for the spinning plate system but not for the wobbling plate system. Previous studies of spinning plate and wobbling plate systems reported acceptable variability for all collector sizes. Although some collector sizes measured significantly different mean depths, the numerical difference in mean depths was small. Any studied collector size could be used to measure the water depth of wobbling plate systems, but the C4 collector is ideal. C4 and C6 collectors are ideal for measuring spinning plate systems. Significant differences between measured depths were reported for the fixed plate system. The C10 measured significantly lower water depths than all other collectors, and the C4 collector measured lower depths than the C2 and C8 collectors. The variability of mean depths was similar and high for all collector sizes. Previous experiments also indicated that different collector sizes measured different depths and had high variability of depth measurements for the fixed plate sprinkler systems. The distinct stream pattern provides a challenge for accurately measuring the water depth with these collector sizes; other methods of measuring uniformity should be considered for fixed plate sprinklers.

In this qualitative study, the phenomenon of large class teaching in South African secondary schools is investigated. It was concluded that since large classes will be a feature of the South African teaching context for many years to come due to financial constraints, educators and educational planners should explore and implement coping strategies instead of becoming demoralised by the situation. The study provides several instructional guidelines for implementation in large classes in the South African context. The focus of these guidelines is on large class management and effective teaching in large classes. The possibilities of strategies such as whole group instruction, cooperative learning, peer teaching, groupwork and the proper organisation of classroom space are investigated. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (Didactics)

ITC/USA 2007 Conference Proceedings / The Forty-Third Annual International Telemetering Conference and Technical Exhibition / October 22-25, 2007 / Riviera Hotel & Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nevada / The Endevco model 7270A high-g accelerometer has been used successfully in numerous flight tests at the U.S. Army Research Laboratory. The accelerometer is available in ranges as low as 6,000 g’s up to 200,000 g’s so they can be used in a variety of situations to measure setback, set forward and balloting in artillery rounds, mortars and tank projectiles to name a few. However, one of the disadvantages of the model 7270A is its physical size, in the era of die level and surface mount components, the 7270A is relatively large. The sensing element is packaged inside a metal case with screw holes for mounting to a rigid surface. In addition, there are wires protruding from the case for electrical connections. In the area of munitions, small cavities don’t always afford the room for a large gauge. It was desirable to repackage the die in a smaller container and make it a surface mount component for a printed circuit board. A contract was developed for Endevco to repackage the die and to develop a tri-axial version with the repackaged die. The newly developed accelerometers were tested and evaluated by the U.S. Army Research Laboratory.

ABSTRACT Small and Medium Size Enterprise (SMEs) have long been recognised as the major drivers of economic activities due to their entrepreneurial traits of being innovative which lead to job creation, sustaining economic growth, export expansion, and efficient allocation of resources in line with their competitive goals and their respective country’s objectives. In their pursuit as major economic drivers in their respective economies, SMEs are barely exposed to hostile environments triggering fierce competition from Multinational Corporations. This has entailed that SMEs need to enhance their capabilities in such environments to sustain their competitive advantage by reconfiguring their internal and external competences and resources in response to changing environments. Surprisingly, literature on how SMEs develop dynamic capabilities in such markets is limited and inconsistent. Therefore, this thesis explores how SMEs develop dynamic capabilities in emerging markets specifically in African markets.   The central purpose of the study is to explore how SMEs in emerging markets such as Africa develop dynamic capabilities to compete alongside MNCs. Building on prior researches which conceptually suggested that market orientation, learning orientation, and entrepreneurial orientation in separate cases, enables SMEs to build dynamic capabilities in dynamic environments, this study explored this viewpoint through a qualitative case study data. Comparative multiple case studies are developed in order to have a holistic understanding of how SMEs across sectors develop dynamic capabilities. The study employs empirical data collected through the use of semi-structured interviews in which samples are purposively selected from 10 firms from separate industries in Africa, in which five were drawn from Cameroon and other five drawn from Zambia. The study follows a qualitative-deductive approach.   Findings indicate that SMEs develop dynamic capabilities in emerging market principally through the lenses of market orientation and learning orientation. While entrepreneurial orientation is found lacking the potential to enable SMEs build-up the required dynamic capabilities due to the fact that it places huge demand on SMEs who are short of adequate financial resources to meet up with the contingencies of being fully entrepreneurial. That is to say, market orientation and learning orientation other than entrepreneurial orientation are the enablers of dynamic capabilities in emerging market. The findings contribute to existing literature by building an empirically-grounded synthesis of the constructs of market orientation, learning orientation and entrepreneurial orientation involved in the development of dynamic capabilities which validates earlier claims on the development of dynamic capabilities in dynamic environment. Second, the results contribute to theory by advancing an original model which brings together all standalone models in the field of dynamic capabilities development into one, thereby harmonising the polarisation of facts. Furthermore, the findings bear potential for researchers and entrepreneurs intending to invest in emerging markets such as Africa.   To improve on this study, we suggest undertaking a related cross-comparative case study on similar grounds which takes into account homogeneity and age parameters at industry level from two or more countries. We believe this might provide an additional explanation on how SMEs in emerging markets develop dynamic capability and may also shed more light on whether age of a firm has an effect on the build-up of dynamic capabilities.

Oil is an important part of the Saudi economy. With the volatility of oil prices and the pressing needs of economic growth and development, the Saudi Arabian government has planned to diversify its sources of income. To this end, the majority of effort has focused on developing the non-oil export sectors, particularly in manufacturing. Despite government efforts to enhance the ratio of non-oil export to total exports, it remains weak, amounting to 15 per cent of total exports in 2010 (which compares unfavourably with the average for other Middle East and North Africa countries (MENA) which stood between 30-46 per cent in 2010). This research aims to provide a comprehensive assessment of non-oil exports and their financing in Saudi Arabia. This study uses unique, primary data, collected through a custom designed questionnaire and a unique sample of Saudi exports. There is currently no comparable database for Saudi firms, or for other MENA countries trying to engage in export diversification strategies. This dissertation comprises three main empirical parts which are; ownership structure and operations, finance, and business climate, respectively (chapters 3, 4 and 5). In the first, the econometric analysis shows multiple factors have a significant positive impact on export intensity, including: whether the firm is shareholding, the age of the firm, internationally and locally recognised quality certificate, length of export experience, supplies of domestic origin, independent retail stores, TV or radio advertising, a foreign language website and finally an export marketing plan. Regarding the impact of financial factors on exports at firm level, the econometric analysis showed that younger firms are more likely to be credit-constrained than older firms. Finally, this dissertation provides evidence of the relationship between the business environment, competition and firm’s exports. The main findings show that firm performance, measured as intensity of exports, is boosted by an increase in experience of export and hindered by a high level of labour, competition, custom and trade regulation, and the informal sector.

Wage structure has shown to be crucial for firms and workers. However, there existwage dispersion for identical workers in labor markets. The paper measures the effectof industry and firm size on wages in Sweden. The results show that both industry andfirm size have significant effects on wages. Regarding the explanation factors, thefinding is that human capital factors can explain a portion of the industry wagedifferentials, but have less impact on wage differentials across firm size. However,compensating differentials and union organization are not the determinants of theindustry wage differentials and firm size-wage effects. In addition, unobservedindividual characteristics can partly explain firm size effect on wages, but cannotexplain industry wage differentials based on our samples.

Syftet med den här studien var att undersöka om revirstorleken påverkar den reproduktiva framgången hos lövsångarhanar. Datan samlades in i södra Sverige mellan 1984 och 1988 och består av etableringsdatum av revir, revirstorlek, antal partners (en eller ingen), datum för parning, antal ägg i kullen och antal flygga ungar. Det fanns inget samband mellan revirets storlek och de olika variablerna. Inte heller fanns det något samband mellan revirstorlek och hanens ålder när samma individ följdes över tid. Det fanns inget samband mellan revirstorlek och huruvida hanarna parades eller inte. Sammanfattningsvis påverkar inte revirstorleken hanens reproduktiva framgång. Istället finns det andra faktorer som troligtvis påverkar, som revirets kvalitet (t.ex. föda och predatorskydd), hanens ankomsttid, hanens sångrepertoar, hanens ålder samt föräldrarnas kondition. / The aim of this study was to examine if territory size of Willow Warbler males affects reproductive success. The data were collected in the south of Sweden between 1984 and 1988 and consist of date of establishing territory, territory size, number of partners (one or none), date of pairing, number of laid eggs and number of fledglings. There were no relationships between territory size and the different variables, nor was there a relationship between age of the male and territory size when following the same individual over time. There was also no relationship between territory size and whether or not the males reproduced or not. In summary, I could find no relationship between territory size and male reproductive success. Instead, other factors are likely to affect reproductive success, such as territory quality (i.e., abundance of food, safety from predation), male time of arrival, male song repertoire, male age and the body condition of the male and his partner.

Thesis (MSc)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Invasive alien plants have had diverse ecological and social impacts on recipient ecosystems and are a major problem for land managers. Successful management demands an understanding of the ecology of invading taxa. The invasive status and impacts are documented for Prosopis populations in South Africa. However, unresolved taxonomic issues, the extent of hybridization, the applicability of morphology as a species identification approach, and the role that some traits plays in the invasion success have not been studied. This creates a gap that hinders implementation of effective management policies. In this thesis I use a phylogenetic approach to determine the taxonomic make-up of invasive Prosopis populations in South Africa (Chapter 2) and compare the results to morphological identification (Chapter 3). I also look at seedling growth rates in the context of variation in genome size and seed size (Chapter 4). Almost all regions invaded by Prosopis are characterized by taxonomic uncertainty exacerbated by the ease of inter-specific hybridization. In Chapter 2 I aim to resolve taxonomic issues of invasive Prosopis populations in South Africa using a phylogenetic approach. In addition, I aim to unravel the extent of hybridization and the species involved in South Africa. Here, I found that Prosopis populations in South Africa comprise both reported and previously unreported species, indicating a need for a reassessment of the identity of invasive taxa. Hybridization is prevalent and all confirmed species are involved. These findings call for a rethink of legislation and management approaches, e.g. the selection of classical biological control agents. Overall the extent of hybridization indicates that Prosopis species in South Africa comprise a freely inter-breeding population typical of a syngameon. Proper morphological identification of invasive species is crucial for ecological studies and management of invasions. In Chapter 3, I use the total evidence approach to assess whether morphological approaches for identification are adequate for identifying Prosopis species in South Africa. I found that Prosopis taxa in South Africa cannot be reliably distinguished using existing morphological keys. This is likely due mainly to the proliferation of hybrids with a diverse morphology. Therefore, molecular tools are crucial for confirming any morphological identities and for determining the presence of any unreported species. Genome size and seed size have been reported to be associated with invasiveness in a number of plant groups, but not often in a system with multiple hybrids like Prosopis. In Chapter 4, I first investigate the relationship between genome size and seed size in invasive populations of Prosopis spp. in South Africa and secondly I investigate how genome and seed sizes influence germination and early growth. Here I found that genome size loses its distinctness, being diluted in hybridizing populations, but can still be used to assess hybridization events themselves. Large seed size seems to be important for invasiveness as it positively influences germination and early growth. This thesis confirms the taxonomic conundrum of Prosopis species in invasive ranges. This coupled with inadequacy of morphological identification calls for a global study involving native and invasive range taxa to clarify the existing confusions. In view of the presence of unreported Prosopis species in South Africa and extensive hybridization, a rethink of the current legislation and control is needed. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Uitheemse indringer plante het grootskaalse ekologiese en sosiale impakte op die ekosisteme wat hulle indring en stel 'n groot uitdaging vir bestuurders van natuurlike hulpbronne. Suksesvolle bestuur en bestryding van indringer plante verg deeglike kennis oor hulle ekologie. Die indringer status en impakte van Prosopis populasies in Suid Afrika is reeds voorheen beskryf. Nieteenstaande, die problematiese taksonomie, die omvang van hibridisasie, die waarde van morfologiese identifikasie, en die rol wat sekere eienskappe speel in die sukses van hierdie groep is nog nie bestudeer nie. Daar is dus 'n gaping in kennis wat die effektiewe beheer van die groep in Suid Afrika belemmer. In hierdie tesis pas ek 'n filogenetiese benadering toe om die taksonomiese verwantskappe van Prosopis populasies in Suid Afrika te bepaal (Hoofstuk 2) en vergelyk my resultate met morfologiese identifikasie sleutels (Hoofstuk 3). Ek ondersoek ook saailing groei tempos in die konteks van variasie in genoom en saad groote in die groep (Hoofstuk 4). Bykans alle areas in Suid Afrika waar Prosopis voorkom word gekenmerk deur taksonomiese onsekerheid, verder bemoeilik deur die gemak waarmee spesies vrylik hibridiseer. Ek vind dat beide bekende en voorheen-onbeskryfde Prosopis spesies in Suid Afrika aangetref word en beklemtoon die behoefte om die identiteit van spesies in die land te hersien. Hibridisasie kom algemeen voor tussen alle spesies teenwoordig in Suid Afrika. Hierdie bevindinge beklemtoon dat wetgewing en beheermaatreêls hersiening benodig, byvoorbeeld in die toepassing van biologiese beheer. In samevatting kom dit voor asof hibridisasie gelei het tot 'n vrytelende Prosopis groep in Suid Afrika, tipies van 'n singameon. Ordentlike morfologiese identifikasie van indringer spesies is belangrik in enige ekologiese studie en die implementering van doeltreffende beheermaatreëls. In Hoofstuk 3 gebruik ek ʼn ‘totale bewys’ benadering om vas te stel of morfologiese eienskappe alleenlik genoegsaam is om Prosopis spesies in Suid Afrika korrek te kan identifiseer. Ek vind dat spesies nie geloofwaardig geïdentifiseer kan word nie, heel moontlik as gevolg van wydverspreide hibridisasie tussen alle spesies teenwoordig in die land. Genoom en saad groote is voorheen geassosieer met die indringer aard van verskeie plant groepe. In Hoofstuk 4 ondersoek ek die verwantskap tussen genoom en saad groote. Tweedens bepaal ek die invloed van genoom en saad groote op ontkieming en vroeë groei eienskappe van Prosopis. My bevindinge toon dat, terwyl die kenmerklikheid van genoom groote verloor word as gevolg van hibridisasie, dit steeds hibridisasie gebeurtenisse per se kan identifiseer. Groot sade het ook ʼn positiewe invloed op die ontkieming en vroeë groei eienskappe van Prosopis. Die tesis bevestig die taksonomiese onduidelikheid van indringer Prosopis taksa in Suid Afrika. Tesame met die onakkuraatheid van morfologiese sleutels beklemtoon my bevindinge die behoefte vir ʼn dringende wêreldwye studie op indringer en inheemse populasies van Prosopis om taksonomiese onsekerhede op te klaar. Die identifikasie van nuwe spesies in Suid Afrika beklemtoon ook die behoefte om huidige wetgewing en beheer van die groep in die land te hersien.

The aim of this study is to examine the long-term cognitive effects and educational outcomes of being born small-for-gestational-age (SGA). It also assesses whether the family’s attitude towards education modifies the effect of SGA on cognitive performance. A total of 9598 children born in 1953 and living in the Stockholm metropolitan area in 1963 were included in this study. Data were obtained from the Stockholm Birth Cohort. Multiple ordinary least square regressions analyses suggest that SGA children have lower mean verbal, spatial and numerical test scores than appropriate-for-gestational-age (AGA) children. However, these differences are small. Other results from modification analyses indicate that the effect of SGA status on cognitive performance is modified by the family’s attitude towards education. Additional logistic regression analyses suggest that the unadjusted difference in log odds of attaining higher education is largely explained by the family’s attitude towards education. The results suggest that the detrimental influences of being born SGA on some cognitive and educational outcomes are limited and may be reduced.