No description available.

This dissertation examines the process of commodifying television formats (e.g., Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?, Survivor, Big Brother, and Idol) from television show ideas into global commodities. Instead of assuming that a format has always been a commodity, this dissertation seeks to understand the historical process of the transformation from a concept into a commodity. Specifically, it answers three questions: a) What is the process whereby a format obtains property status and becomes a copyrighted work? b) Who enables the transnational movement of a format, and how does that happen? and c) How do people recognize which formats are more valuable than others? To answer these questions, by articulating the distribution of value as a theoretical framework, this dissertation closely examines institutions of format distributions: legal frameworks for copyright, multinational corporations, and global television markets. Through historical analyses, this dissertation reveals that institutions of distribution gave rise to three aspects of the commodity form of formats: legality, functionality, and materiality. The development of these three aspects shows that a format became a commodity, rather than simply a method of copying television programs, only after 2004. This dissertation contends that the long history of copying television show ideas was punctuated by the emergence of the commodity form of formats, distinguishing the present state of global format trade from the previous one.

This degree work relates to the textile design field where the aim is to design jacquard woven patterns for smocking techniques, in order to create three-dimensional pattern surfaces for a spatial textile design context. Smocking is a traditional embroidery technique where the stitches manipulate the fabric and create decorative areas. Jacquard woven patterns work as templates for the smocking stitches so the pattern shapes the fabric. Bindings and yarn colour combinations were explored in an industrial jacquard machine and tried out with different smocking variations made by hand. Experiments with scale and materials have been done. The result consists of three woven textile objects smocked with two variants of lozenge smocking. The work demonstrates examples of smocked three-dimensional surfaces in various scales and shapes, which can be further developed into interior products, for instance room dividers or sound absorbers. The primary motive was to update the traditional smocking technique with patterns and colours, with the intension to develop a contemporary expression. The smocking technique acts as a method to manipulate patterns and can work as a sketching tool in pattern design. The purpose is to inspire alternative ways of sketching with patterns.

Thesis (M. Optometry) -- University of Limpopo, 2019 / BACKGROUND The measurement of the refractive end point plays a major role in the assessment of the refractive status of the patient. Currently, there are very few techniques if not one that can measure the refractive end point of the patient. The current method which is the duochrome technique is based on chromatic aberration. Until now there is no test for refractive end point that is not based on chromatic aberration. Therefore, it was against this background that the current study was undertaken to investigate an alternative for the duochrome technique to measure the refractive end point. AIM OF THE STUDY The aim of this study was to establish the use of cross grid in conjunction with Jackson crossed cylinders at distance as a monocular refractive end point technique. METHODOLOGY A cross-sectional analytic and descriptive study design was used. Sixty-four subjects (31 males and 33 females) were included in this study. Their ages ranged from 18 to 37 years with a mean of 20.75 years (SD = ± 2.67 years). The participants were University of Limpopo Optometry students. Ethical approval to perform this study was obtained from the Turfloop Research Ethics Committee (TREC) of University of Limpopo. All participants were made aware of the purpose of the study, and signed consent was obtained from each participant. All investigations and measurements adhered to the tenets or principles, belief and requirements of the Declaration of Helsinki. Optometric procedures performed included visual acuity, subjective measurement of refractive error, monocular refractive end point using duochrome technique and monocular refractive end point measurement using gross grid in conjunction with the cross grid. Data analysis was done using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) Version 23. Paired sample t-test was performed on all the procedures. RESULTS The uncorrected distance VA for the right eyes (OD) ranged from -0.30 LogMAR to 1.00 LogMAR with a mean of -0.25 LogMAR (SD = ±0.32). The nearest equivalent spherical powers (NSE = sphere +0.5 cylinder) for the right eye ranged from -4.25 to +4.25D (mean = -0.13, SD= ±1.09D) and from -4.50D to +1.00D (mean = +0.07 ±0.94D) for the left eye. After the removal of outliers, the refractive end point measurements with the duochrome technique for the right eyes ranged from -4.50D to 3.50D with a mean of -0.269, SD (±1.037) in bright illumination and from -4.50D to 4.50D with a mean of -1.914 (±1.101) in dim illumination. Subsequently, the NSE with the crossed cylinder in conjunction with the cross grid technique for the right eyes in bright illumination ranged from -4.75D to 4.75D with a mean of -0.481, SD (±1.037) and from -4.25D to 0.50D with a mean of -0.427 (±0.860) in dim illumination. Sample Pearson correlation coefficients for end point with duochrome and crossed cylinder found that the highest correlation is between the duochrome in bright and cross grid in dim illumination (r = 0.701, p < 0.05), while duochrome in dim and cross grid in bright illumination had the lowest correlation (r = 0.659). The Bland–Altman plots showed that there was a good agreement between the duochrome methods and between the crossed cylinder method methods. CONCLUSION the refractive end point measurements obtained from duochrome and cross grid are well correlated and comparable, suggesting that they could be used interchangeably in most clinical settings. However, caution is needed when using measurements obtained by cross grid method in dim illumination.

Denna studie är en litteraturstudie med syftet att belysa vilka möjligheter och hinder som digitala verktyg innebär för elevers skrivutveckling. Studien utgår från frågeställningen: ”Vilka möjligheter och hinder skapar digitala verktyg för elevers skrivutveckling?”  Studien är baserad på tio artiklar där både kvalitativ och kvantitativ ansats har inkluderats. Artiklarna har valts ut genom både manuell sökning och databassökning och urvalet har genomförts efter vissa bestämda kriterier, därmed behandlar denna studie endast undervisningen i årskurs F-6. Artiklarna har bearbetats, analyserats och sammanställts med syfte att besvara frågeställningen. Resultatet visade att användningen av digitala verktyg både skapar möjligheter och hinder i skrivunder­visningen. Digitala verktyg bidrar bland annat till utveckling av texters innehåll, form och längd. Digitala verktyg gynnade även elevernas fokus, motivation och skrivprocess. Hinder som visade sig var att lärare kände en oro kring att använda digitala verktyg i undervisningen, att lärare upplevde det problematiskt att hitta tid till att planera lektioner där dessa verktyg användes samt att vissa elever blev mer otåliga än engagerade vid användning av digitala verktyg. Slutligen visade resultatet att digitala verktyg inte skapar större möjlighet för elever att utveckla sin lexikala mångfald, lexikala densitet och grammatik.

While trade relations between French colonists and indigenous peoples in New Orleans are well documented, there have been few in depth studies utilizing archaeological sites in the city to illuminate the ways in which such relations shaped the day to day lives of the peoples involved. This work has attempted to elucidate trade practices between these groups by utilizing archaeological data uncovered at 810 Royal Street during excavations from 2015 through 2018. A collection of hand-built ceramics typically associated with indigenous peoples found in French colonial contexts on the site may help explicate the nature of trade occurring within the city and the ways in which this trade was reflective of larger patterns of urban colonial adaptation and creolization. This work seeks to illuminate the motivations behind such trade and the ways in which economic motives and individual self-interests drove colonists to undermine the original French designs for the city.

This document is a professional project and academic companion piece completed to partially fulfill requirements for the attainment of a Masters in City and Regional Planning at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. The project is the City of King West Broadway Master Plan (Plan). The Plan was completed over the course of a year for a real-world client (The City of King) and provides new form-based code recommendations in the Plan Area. The Plan is included as Appendix A. The companion piece is intended to provide additional background research that was conducted during the planning process, but omitted from the final project. In the companion piece, I first explain why I selected the WBMP for my professional project. Next, I elaborate on the sources and inspiration for the goals of the project that are listed in the plan including grant requirements, input from the public, and current planning practices. Finally, I provide background research and justifications for two parts of the plan that have little reasoning in the text: mobilehome relocation law and the suggested development standards.

This work places itself in the field of textile design, knitting and three-dimensional objects. The primary motive is to investigate flat knitting as a technique to design form. The aim is to explore the possibilities within flat knitting in order to explore the relationship between knit and non-textile components to achieve three-dimensional forms for sitting. The design process consisted of experimental sketching on a flat knitting machine and small prototypes were produced. Rib, plain knit and mesh structures were tested in combination with partial knit, intarsia and plating. These bindings and techniques were combined with steel constructions to explore possibilities for shaping and function. By integrating a non-textile component as support in the knitted samples three-dimensional objects are created. The outcome of the study is a collection of knitted objects. Common for these is that they all suggest a function in relation to seating. The textile in the construction serves a function, an aesthetic expression and as the connection material in the construction. For further development, the possibility of creating textiles for furniture with capabilities for changes in expression and function can be explored.

Financial accountability is a pressing issue in United States NPOs because there is a demand, by donors and the public they serve, to implement clear accountability practices. The purpose of this study was to explore and document the financial oversight and accountability policies and procedures that successful NPOs employ to maintain clear financial accountability practices. The theoretical framework underlining this qualitative phenomenological study was a combination of social construction theory and institutional rational choice theory. The research question was focused on understanding essential financial oversight and accountability policies and procedures that should be designed for NPOs to create and maintain financial accountability. Interview data were collected from 6 participants from 4 successful emerging organizations, less than 5 years in business, and 8 participants from organizations that have a longer history, more than 5 years in business. Data were coded using the basic NVivo software package and analyzed thematically. Findings regarding the tools needed to create and maintain vital accountability policies and procedures in NPOs were as follows; need for accountability, importance of appropriate disclosure, impact of dashboard tool, expense projection, financial manager, financial misappropriation reporting, oversight policies, revenue forecasts, board members and supportive culture. The potential impact of this qualitative study for social change is that the policies, practices, and procedures of successful NPOs were identified and documented for those old, new and emerging NPOs not using them. The critical finding of this study shows the need for continued research to bring positive social change through nonprofit financial accountability policy improvement.

Maritime pilots provide a vital service in facilitating the safe and efficient passage of vessels into and out of ports and waterways worldwide. Lack of effective selection of maritime pilots can jeopardize the welfare of people, property, and marine ecosystems. Based on Edwards' conceptualization of person-job fit theory, this quantitative, ex post facto study was an examination of whether personality traits, as measured by the Personality Research Form E (PRF-E), could predict maritime pilot selection. The research questions were: (a) Is there a significant relationship between respondents' PRF-E scale ratings and selection for a maritime pilot job and (b) How significant is the relationship between each of the 22 PRF-E scale ratings and selection for a maritime pilot job. Using a sample of 328 maritime pilot applicants, binary logistic regression was conducted to determine if any of the PRF-E variables were significant predictors of pilot selection. The results of the logistic regression analysis illustrated a significant predictive relationship between 9 of the 22 PRF-E scales and maritime pilot selection, specifically the traits of abasement, achievement, change, cognitive structure, dominance, harmavoidance, sentience, desirability, and infrequency. Future research should examine the relationship between selected maritime pilots' personality traits and job performance. Potential contributions to positive social change include improving the capability of maritime pilot commissions and associations to make more informed and effective selection decisions. The continued assessment of maritime pilot candidates' personality traits could support the prevention of future vessel accidents, ecological damage, human injuries, and fatalities.