In this study, we examined the extent to which global warming management is currently integrated into the European Water Framework Directive (WFD), the central legal framework for water management in the EU. We focused on the Elbe River Basin District and how global warming is addressed in its water management. We used the social–ecological systems (SES) approach as our theoretical framework, representing an eminent analytical frame of biosphere-based sustainability science. In our study, we analysed core characteristics of SES in the context of global warming to evaluate the effectiveness of current water management in the Elbe River basin concerning long-term changing climate conditions. To determine to what extent each SES feature is considered in the Elbe water management, we applied a scale of 1 to 5. Our results show that the SES feature “scale and openness” is best addressed (score 4.0) by the Elbe River basin management, followed by “context dependency” (score 3.9); however, “non-linearity, uncertainty, unpredictability” (score 3.2), “self-organisation and adaptability” (score 3.1), and “dynamics” (score 3.0) have only moderate impacts. SES features can only be considered comprehensively if global warming is accounted for in an integrated way at a European level. In order to ensure effective implementation, explicit regulations and legally binding obligations are most likely required.

Rural schools experience difficulty in filling teaching positions at higher rates than non-rural schools. Recruiting and retaining teachers are critical in these districts; however, because the term “rural” is variable, a one-size-fits-all response is not possible. Rural communities tend to be geographically remote, have a low critical mass of students with distinct disabilities, and have relatively few resources to provide differential support for students. In this context, special educators may find themselves in circumstances where they operate as general specialists who are responsible for addressing a broad range of student needs without the support of other related service providers (e.g., school psychologists, curriculum specialists, school counselors, speech and language pathologists). Garwood’s article provides a catalyst to consider ecological system factors that affect burnout, attrition, and, as a consequence, instruction, particularly for students with disabilities. In this response, we view this issue from a perspective of rural schools, where the system contexts are varied and directly impact teacher-level variables, such as the ability to implement evidence-based practices (EBPs) with fidelity. Taking a developmental systems approach, we describe what makes rural settings unique and how these characteristics interact with the critical features of EBPs, as well as suggest how preparation and induction programs might better prepare and sustain teachers to adapt instruction to these rural contexts. We conclude with implications for practice and policy.

No description available.

<p> One primary focus on internal combustion engines is that these engines create multiple harmful exhaust gases that can cause damage to the environment. There are a number of advanced strategies that are currently being investigated to help reduce the amount of these harmful emissions that are emitted from IC engines. One such method of reducing harmful emission gases focuses on the three-way-catalyst. A three-way-catalyst (TWC) is an exhaust emission control device that is designed in such a way to take harmful exhaust gases and convert them into less harmful gases through various chemical reactions within the TWC. To help further the reduction of these harmful gases in the TWC, a novel two-loop control and estimation strategy is used. This control and estimation strategy involves the use of two loops with an inner-loop controller, outer-loop robust controller, and an estimator in the outer-loop. The estimator consists of a TWC model and an extended Kalman filter which is used to estimate the fractional oxidation state (FOS) of the TWC. This estimated FOS is then used by the robust controller, along with other parameters, to produce a desired engine lambda reference signal, λup. This desired lambda signal is then used by the inner-loop controller to control the engine lambda. Accurate control of lambda is important because the air-fuel-ratio range for a TWC to effectively achieve oxidation and reduction simultaneously is extremely narrow. Another primary focus in the field of internal combustion engines is designing and tuning advanced models within GT-Power that can accurately predict what will happen when running an actual engine. Designing, troubleshooting, and testing a GT-Power model is an extensive but rewarding process. Creating an accurate engine model can not only provide one with primary engine data that is also measurable in a test cell, but can also provide insight into some of the intricate processes and nature of the engine that are difficult or impossible to physically measure. Cummins has an extensive process of tuning GT-Power engine models. This process include items such as initial model calibrations, model discretizations, turbocharger tunings, and other items. Some of these processes are used to calibrate both Cummins Power Systems Business Unit engines as well as a Purdue B6.7N natural gas engine. </p>

This study concerns the identification of the particular competences required by education, training and development practitioners (ETD practitioners) in the South African National Defence Force to develop suitable and appropriate career and training strategies. An applied research approach and a primarily quantitative approach were used. Questionnaires were completed by the commanding officers or the training managers, as well as the ETD practitioners at the education, training and development providers in the South African National Defence Force to determine the actual utilisation of ETD practitioners. Descriptive statistics were used to determine the roles, core competences, levels of competences and clusters of competences required by ETD practitioners in the South African National Defence Force. In addition, the actual utilisation of ETD practitioners was compared with a proposed competence profile that was based on the literature study in order to determine the competence gap that has to be addressed by means of career and training strategies. / Educational Studies / M.Ed.(Didactics)

Text in Afrikaans / In hierdie studie word die rol van interpersoonlike komrnunikasie in die funksionering van die algemene inligtingsdiens van die Unisa Biblioteek aan die Universiteit van Suid-Afrika ondersoek. 'n Kwantitatiewe meetinstrument word ontwikkel om gebruikertevredenheid met die hoofkomponente van die algemene inligtingsdiens, naamlik die inligtingsassistent, die inligting wat deur die klient ontvang word en die fisiese omgewing waarin die diens gelewer word, te evalueer. Daar word bevind dat 'n beduidende assosiasie bestaan tussen gebruikertevredenheid met die inligtingsassistent en gebruikertevredenheid met die inligting wat ontvang word. 'n Verkorte vrae lys word ontwerp en aanbevee 1 as 'n meetinstrument waarmee die bestuur gebruikertevredenheid met die algemene inligtingsdiens op 'n gereelde grondslag kan meet. / This study investigates the role of interpersonal communication in the functioning of the general information service provided by the Unisa Library at the University of South Africa. A quantitative measuring instrument is developed to evaluate user satisfaction with the main components of the general information service, that is the information assistant, the information received by the client and the physical surroundings in which the service is provided. It is found that a significant association exists between user satisfaction with the information assistant and user satisfaction with the information received. A shortened questionnaire is designed and recommended as a measuring instrument with which management can on a regular basis measure user satisfaction with the general information service. / Communication Science / M.A. (Communication)

Mathematics anxiety is a personal characteristic which is widespread and continuing. It has a debilitating effect on mathematics performance and contributes to perceptions and attitudes that perpetuate a dislike for mathematics and a lack of confidence when dealing with mathematical problems. An investigation of relevant literature on mathematics anxiety identifies sources and symptoms and emphasises a need for a comprehensive approach to remediation. The historical development of an appropriate measuring instrument is documented and statistical evidence is used to create a mathematics anxiety rating scale suitable for measuring anxiety levels of secondary school pupils and student teachers. The extensive literature interest, research publications and remedial programmes emphasise the problem of mathematics anxiety and thus the need for a comprehensive approach to remediation. Mathematics teaching and curriculum design is expounded to provide the necessary direction to the alleviation of mathematics anxiety. General perspectives on curriculum design are discussed and a cyclical systems approach is recommended. Elements of this approach are detailed and are linked to important personal characteristics to add a humanistic and socio-cultural view of curriculum design in mathematics. The didactic viability of constructivism as an approach to mathematics curriculum design is investigated. Constructivism embodies a philosophy and a methodology which addresses the critical aspects influencing mathematics anxiety. Classroom topics and activities are reviewed in terms of a constructivist approach and the sources of mathematics anxiety are discussed from a constructivist perspective. A longitudinal case study of pupils during their five years at secondary school as well as a study involving student teachers was undertaken. Mathematics performance, perceptions, attitudes and levels of anxiety were investigated by means of tests, questionnaires, and mathematics anxiety rating scales. The statistical results of this research provide evidence to support a comprehensive approach to the remediation of mathematics anxiety. Constructivism is seen as the synthesis of critical aspects of teaching and curriculum development which will stem the perpetuation of mathematics anxiety. Constructivism provides the didactic approach to develop each individual's intellectual autonomy and mathematics power, by instilling a problem solving attitude and a self-confidence when doing mathematics. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / D. Ed. (Didactics)

O Tiro com Arco é uma modalidade olímpica na qual os atletas exibem diversas estratégias de coordenação muscular na preparação do disparo da flecha, principalmente no período da liberação do clicker, tornando dificultosa a interpretação da coordenação de arqueiros no que tange à sua pontuação. Deste modo, algumas técnicas, como a Análise de Vetor Codificado e co-ativação/inibição recíproca, provenientes de abordagens de Controle Motor, podem ajudar-nos a desvendar quais parâmetros em comum que estes arqueiros utilizam quando atiram e sua relação com seu desempenho obtido durante o disparo sequencial de flechas. O objetivo do trabalho foi o de avaliar a coordenação muscular utilizada por arqueiros da seleção brasileira durante uma simulação qualificatória olímpica, através da técnica eletromiográfica. Participaram 11 arqueiros da seleção brasileira; idade: 25,2±4,9 anos, altura: 1,72±0,12m, peso: 68,6±11,8 kg, FITA score: 1258±43 pontos, Qualificação: 632±20 pontos, Flecha média: 8,7±0,3 pontos. A análise EMG foi dividida em 0,5s antes e 0,15s após a liberação do clicker. Foi utilizado o valor RMS deste sinal de doze músculos: no lado que traciona a corda (dominante) - FSD (Flexor Superficial dos dedos); ED (Extensor dos dedos); BBL (Bíceps Braquial); TBL (Tríceps Braquial Cabeça longa); GD (Grande Dorsal) PMC (Peitoral Maior Clavicular); TS (Trapézio Superior); SAD (Serrátil Anterior); RA (Reto Abdominal) e ML (Multífido Lombar). Lado não dominante (nD) DPnD (Deltóide Posterior); SAnD (Serrátil Anterior), no qual foram criados em 14 pares de análise (agonista-antagonista: FSD-ED; BBL-TBL; GD-PMC; TS-SAD; RA-ML; distal-proximal: FSD-BBL; FSD-TBL; ED-BBL; ED-TBL; e mistos: PMC-SAD; GD-TS; SAD-SAnD; SAnD-DPnD; GD-DPnD), para a análise dentro das técnicas de Co-ativação/Inibição Reciproca e Análise de Vetor Codificado. Nos resultados; oito pares (FSD-ED; BBL-TBL; TS-SAD; FSD-BBL; FSD-TBL; ED-TBL; SAD-SAnD; SAnD-DPnD) co-ativaram diferentemente na transição de blocos (p<0.05); e 12 (FSD-ED; BBL-TBL; GD-PMC; TS-SAD; FSD-BBL; FSD-TBL; ED-BBL; ED-TBL; PMC-SAD; SAD-SAnD; SAnD-DPnD; GD-DPnD) co-ativaram diferentemente na comparação do escore obtido (p<0.05). Em nove pares, os arqueiros, evidenciaram diferentes estratégias de inibição recíproca na transição de blocos (FSD-ED; BBL-TBL; TS-SAD; FSD-BBL; FSD-TBL; ED-BBL; ED-TBL; SAD-SAnD; SAnD-DPnD) (p<0.05); um (TS-SAD) na análise de flechas (p<0.05); e nove (FSD-ED; BBL-TBL; FSD-BBL; FSD-TBL; ED-BBL; ED-TBL; SAD-SAnD; SAnD-DPnD; GD-DPnD) na análise do escore. A análise de Vetor Codificado apresentou que, no total de flechas disparadas nove pares (FSD-ED; GD-PMC; FSD-BBL; FSD-TBL; ED-BBL; ED-TBL; PMC-SAD; SAD-SAnD; SAnD-DPnD) mudaram a moda de fase de coordenação na transição de ajustes posturais, enquanto no desempenho 11 pares (FSD-ED; BBL-TBL; GD-PMC; TS-SAD; FSD-BBL; FSD-TBL; ED-BBL; ED-TBL; PMC-SAD; SAD-SAnD; SAnD-DPnD) evidenciaram tais mudanças. As técnicas apresentadas no presente estudo revelaram parâmetros em comum associados com as sequências temporais de disparo de flechas e com os escores obtidos por arqueiros de elite, isto corrobora com a complexidade da análise do desempenho em atletas de alto rendimento, contudo também colocam a disposição técnicas que ajudam na filtragem e verificação desses parâmetros outrora divergentes / Archery is an Olympic sport in which the athletes exhibit several muscular coordination patterns in the arrow shooting, mainly in the clicker falls tempo, making difficult the interpretation of the coordination of archers in what concerns to their score. Thus, some techniques, such as Vector Coding and co-activation/reciprocal inhibition, from Motor Control approaches, can help us to discover what common patterns these archers use when firing and their relation to their obtained performance during the sequential firing of arrows. Aim: evaluate the muscular coordination used by archers of the Brazilian team during an Olympic qualifying simulation, using the electromyographic technique. Eleven archers of the Brazilian team participated; age: 25.2 ± 4.9 years, height: 1.72 ± 0.12m, weight: 68.6 ± 11.8 kg, FITA score: 1258 ± 43 points, Qualification: 632 ± 20 points, Mean arrow: 8.7 ± 0.3 points. The EMG analysis was divided in 0.5s before and 0.15s after the release of the clicker. The RMS value of this twelve-muscle signal was used: drawning arm (dominant side) - FDS (Flexor Digitorum Superficilis); ED (Extensor Digitorum); BB (Biceps Brachii); TBL (Triceps Brachii - Long Head); LD (Latissimus Dorsi) PMC (Pectoralis Major Clavicular Head); UT (Upper Trapezius); ASD (Anterior Serratus); RA (Rectus Abdominis) and LM (Lumbar Multifidus). Non-dominant side (nD) DPnD (Posterior deltoid) and ASnD (Anterior Serratus non-dominant side); pairs created (Agonist-Antagonist: FDS-ED, BBL-TBL, LD-PMC, UT-ASD, RA-LM; Distal-Proximal: FDS-BBL, FDS-TBL, ED-BBL, ED-TBL and the pairs glenohumeral-scapular: PMC-SAD, GD-TS, SAD-SAnD, SAnD-DPnD, GD-DPnD) for analysis of co-activation/reciprocal inhibition and Vector Coding. Results; eight pairs (FDS-ED, BB-TBL, UT-ASD, FDS-BB, FDS-TBL, ED-TBL, ASD-ASnD, ASnD-DPnD) coactivated differently in blocks transition (p<0.05); and 12 (FDS-ED, BB-TBL, LD-PMC, UT-ASD, FDS-BB, FDS-TBL, ED-BB, ED-TBL, PMC-ASD, ASD-ASnD, ASnD-DPnD, LD-DPnD) co-activated differently in the score comparison (p<0.05). Also, the archers displayed different strategies of reciprocal inhibition in the blocks transition (FDS-ED, BB-TBL, UT-ASD, FDS-BB, FDS-TBL, ED-BBL, ED-TBL, ASD-ASnD; ASnD-DPnD) (p<0.05); one (UT-ASD) in the arrow analysis (p<0.05); and nine (FDS-ED, BB-TBL, FDS-BBL, FDS-TBL, ED-BBL, ED-TBL, ASD-ASnD, ASnD-DPnD, LD-DPnD) in the score analysis. Nine Vector Coding pairs (FDS-BB, FDS-TBL, ED-BB, ED-TBL, PMC-ASD, ASD-ASnD, ASnD- DPnD) changed the coordination phase mode in postural adjustments transition, while 11 pairs (FDS-ED; BB-TBL; LD-PMC; UT-ASD; FDS-BB; FDS-TBL; ED-BB; ED-TBL, PMC-ASD, ASD-ASnD, ASnD-DPnD) showed such changes in score analysis. The techniques presented in the present study revealed common parameters associated with temporal shoot-out and scores obtained by elite archers, dispite the complexity of performance analysis in high-performance athletes

Σκοπός της διατριβής είναι η ανάπτυξη ενός δυναμικού συστήματος επιχειρηματικής αρίστευσης το οποίο μπορεί να εφαρμοστεί σε οποιοδήποτε περιβάλλον (γεωγραφικό, κλαδικό, οικονομικό) υιοθετώντας τις αρχές της Ποιότητας, της Συστημικής Προσέγγισης και των Δυναμικών Συστημάτων. Ως μελέτες περίπτωσης δίνεται η ανάπτυξη του Ελληνικού Μοντέλου Επιχειρηματικής Αρίστευσης και ενός κλαδικού μοντέλου στις Τηλεπικοινωνίες. / The aim of the dissertation is the development of an integrated system of business excellence which can be applied to any environment (geographical, sector and economical) by adopting Quality Management priciples, Systemic Approach and System Dynamics. Case studies have been developed for both the Hellenic Business Excellence framework and the Telecommications sector.

This study concerns the identification of the particular competences required by education, training and development practitioners (ETD practitioners) in the South African National Defence Force to develop suitable and appropriate career and training strategies. An applied research approach and a primarily quantitative approach were used. Questionnaires were completed by the commanding officers or the training managers, as well as the ETD practitioners at the education, training and development providers in the South African National Defence Force to determine the actual utilisation of ETD practitioners. Descriptive statistics were used to determine the roles, core competences, levels of competences and clusters of competences required by ETD practitioners in the South African National Defence Force. In addition, the actual utilisation of ETD practitioners was compared with a proposed competence profile that was based on the literature study in order to determine the competence gap that has to be addressed by means of career and training strategies. / Educational Studies / M.Ed.(Didactics)