Master of Science / Department of Civil Engineering / Asad Esmaeily / Performance-based building design is a necessity in geographic locations where buildings are susceptible to large earthquakes and high winds. This design method requires an analysis of the performance of the structural system with loadings and deflections caused by earthquakes and wind. Current design codes include the load intensity in analysis procedures, but do not consider the effect of load pattern in the performance analysis of reinforced concrete columns. Because a thorough analysis must take into consideration load pattern and load intensity, computer software is ideal to analyze these systems. A computer program was originally developed by Esmaeily (USC_RC), and was revised later to be renamed (KSU_RC) in order to make the analysis of concrete column performance accurate, yet simple for design purposes. This analytical tool used analytical methods and material models, verified against experimental data, to accurately predict the performance of reinforced concrete columns under various loading conditions, including any pattern in lateral direction and independently variable axial load. However, the program was limited to circular, rectangular, hollow circular and rectangular sections and uniaxial lateral curvature and displacement. The next generation of the program, KSU RC 2.0, was developed to overcome the aforesaid limitations.

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No abstract / Dissertation LLM--University of Pretoria, 2014 / hb2014 / Mercantile Law / unrestricted

This dissertation entitled: “Policy Options in The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC): An Overview from 1960 to 2006” entails to develop an analytical framework with the intention of looking at various policy options that could guide the leadership in mapping out a roadmap for sustainable development in the reconstruction of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The research recognises that suitable policies which can provide solutions for the political and socio-economic problems of the DRC must be sought within the geographic, demographic, religious and ethnic context of that country. Hence, the dissertation departs from the premises that the diagnosis of the solution needed to remedy problems afflicting many African nations such as the Democratic Republic of the Congo begins with the inherent problem of governance. Consequently, the study investigates sources of bad governance and factors which have led to the collapse of a state beginning with the historical consequence of colonialism and the mismanagement by successive regimes. These factors are largely responsible for the decimation of potentially, Africa’s wealthiest nations, reducing them to being amongst the poorest in the world. Beyond the context of the continental policies, the dissertation examines the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s own Post Conflict and Reconstruction policy. Also for consideration is the areas of priority that needs focussing on if a post conflict and reconstruction policy is to be successful. This includes ensuring that peace and security prevails by stabilising the country through the reform of the security sector. Security in this context must be understood in its broad format which includes human security. On the other hand, the study also presents the argument that policies alone are not sufficient to create a functioning state that is of service to its people. For the future and prosperity of the Congo, it is essential not only to have the correct policies only, but also a leadership, at all levels, that will embrace and implement them. / Dissertation (MAdmin)--University of Pretoria, 2009. / School of Public Management and Administration (SPMA) / unrestricted

The poor learner outcomes in the TIMSS assessment, the SACMEQ assessment, and the Grade 9 ANAs led to this study being conducted. The purpose of the study was to explore whether Grade 9 mathematics teachers’ teaching can improve learner outcomes. This study therefore investigated the literature regarding mathematics teachers’ classroom practices with an emphasis on teachers’ Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK), Pedagogical Content Knowledge and Skills (PCK&S), and how these teachers used assessment outcomes to inform their teaching of mathematics. In developing learners’ conceptual understanding and higher-order thinking skills, mathematics teachers not only need subject matter knowledge, but also PCK and the skill to implement their planning efficiently during instruction. The conceptual framework for this study is based on Gess-Newsome’s (in Berry et al., 2015) Model of Teachers’ Professional Knowledge and Skills. Based on this, PCK was examined in the planning and executing of topic-specific instruction and as a skill when teaching this content to the learners for enhanced learner outcomes. The research approach was qualitative and the research design was a case study. Two Grade 9 mathematics teachers from one school were selected through purposive sampling. The data were collected using a baseline test, three classroom observations, one semi-structured interview and a formative test. Both teachers used Direct Instruction in all their lessons, but proficiently used various representations when explaining the work, and integrated the topic into other mathematical topics and real-life scenarios. The teachers admitted that they did not usually make use of baseline tests to inform their teaching due to time constraints, but found it valuable during this endeavour. The findings from the two tests showed many learners still have the same misconceptions regarding the concepts of surface area, volume and capacity; continued to make the same typical mistakes in finding formulae for surface area and volume; and still found it difficult to convert between the SI units. There was, however, significant improvement in learner outcomes, but the positive outcomes regarding all typical mistakes and learner difficulties were still below 46%. / Dissertation (MEd)--University of Pretoria, 2017. / Science, Mathematics and Technology Education / MEd / Unrestricted

Funktionsintegrering är ett planeringsideal som förespråkas i dagens stadsplanering. Funktionsintegreringen kom som en motreaktion till funktionalismens funktionsseparering. Viljan att blanda olika verksamheter och funktionsintegrera kommer från en vilja att skapa en hållbar stad med närhet och ett flöde av människor bland annat skapar trygghet. Trots detta finns det fördelar med funktionsseparering för exempelvis störande verksamheter. Idrottsverksamheter har specifika svårigheter som att de upptar stora ytor, skapar stora flöden av människor och har störande faktorer som buller. Därför analyserar denna uppsats möjligheten att planera för funktionsintegrering i ett tidigare renodlat idrottsområde genom en fallstudie av Gavlehov i Gävle. Gavlehov har sedan 1960-talet varit ett renodlat idrottsområde som sedan början av nollnolltalet har planerats för funktionsintegrering. Studien baseras på besök på platsen, en dokument- och textstudie, enkäter i området samt en intervju av stadsplanerare Petter Jonegård från Gävle kommuns stadsplaneringskontor. Resultatet tyder på att det finns möjligheter att integrera funktioner i ett tidigare renodlat idrottsområde men att det kräver kommunikation, planering och hänsyn till svårigheterna med idrottsverksamheter. Det kan trots möjligheterna att integrera nya funktioner vara svårt att få med sig tjänstemän, politiker och befolkningen. Det kan även ske mycket under tiden som området planeras och byggs som gör att området inte blir som det först var planerat samt det är svårt att skapa funktionsintegrering vid nybyggnation / Mixed use cities are an ideal within city planning today. Mixed used cities came as a counter- reaction to the separation of functions during the functionalist planning era. Mixed used cities are preferred today because of how it creates sustainability through closeness and security. There are however advantages with functionalism when it comes to disruptive or hindering functions. Sports activities have specific difficulties such as demanding large areas, creating large flows of people and have disruptive factors such as noise. Therefore, this essay will analyse the possibility of creating a mixed used city out of an area with former predominantly sports arenas through a case study of Gavlehov in Gävle. Gavlehov has been an area with predominantly sport arenas since the sixties but is being transformed into a mixed used city. The study is based on with an interview of city planner Petter Jonegård from the city planning office in Gävle municipality, questionnaire in the area and document and text studies. The results indicate that it is possible to integrate functions into an area with predominantly sport arenas, but it takes communication, planning and taking the difficulties with sport stadiums into consideration. Despite this it can be difficult to persuade planning officials, politicians and the public to integrate new functions. It can also happen things during planning and building the area that change the outcome of the area and it can be hard to create a mixed use city when building a new area

An inherited muscle hypertrophy in sheep is caused by the callipyge gene (CLPG) located on ovine chromosome 18. It has been suggested that this gene is a single autosomal dominant gene. Animals expressing the callipyge gene show increased muscling in the pelvic and torso regions of the body and, thus, have been given the phenotype- descriptive name callipyge (from Greek calli-beautiful; pyge-buttocks). In this study 21 wether lambs, the offspring of callipyge rams (genotype CLPG /clpg) and normal Rambouillet ewes (genotype clpg/clpg), were used to determine the difference s in muscle fiber type percentages, composition, and tenderness between normal and callipyge lambs . Eleven of these lambs showed muscle hypertrophy typical of the callipyge phenotype; 10 were classified as normal . Several histochemical, biochemical , and physical measures were examined in order to study changes in the physiology and biochemistry of some economically important muscles. When compared to normal lambs, the callipyge lambs have a larger (P < .05) average percentage of fast-twitch glycolytic (FG) muscle fibers and smaller average percentages of fast-twitch oxidative and glycolytic (FOG) and slow-twitch oxidative (SO) muscle fibers in both the longissimus and gluteus medius muscles. The diameter of the fast-twitch muscle fibers was larger in the callipyge group, but slow-twitch fibers were smaller than those of normal lambs. No differences were observed in the supraspinatus muscle of the normal and callipyge groups. Thus there is an indication of a differential effect of the callipyge gene among muscles of the callipyge lambs. The semitendinosis muscles of both the callipyge and normal groups were dissected from the carcasses. This muscle was larger (P < .01) and contained more protein in the callipyge lambs than in the normal lambs. However, the callipyge semitendinosis muscle did not have a significantly higher content of DNA than the normal lamb semitendinosis, suggesting that the muscle hypertrophy is not associated with an increase in muscle nuclei. The protein-to-DNA ratio was larger (P < .05) in the semitendinosis muscle of callipyge lambs than in the normal lambs. Protein-to-RNA and RNA-to-DNA ratios were similar; this suggests that the semitendinosis muscle was enlarged without increased translational or transcriptional activity. Samples from the callipyge longissimus and gluteus medius muscles had RNA, DNA, and protein ratios similar to those of the semitendinosis muscle, suggesting a similar mode of action for muscle enlargement in other muscles affected by this gene. Loin chops from the callipyge lambs had lower tenderness scores (P < .01) as measured by the Wamer-Bratzler shear force and myofibril fragmentation index (MFI). However, aging increased MFI scores and decreased shear scores (P < .0 l) of the callipyge lamb chops . The normal lamb chops also had decreased shear and increased MFI scores following the aging period. The loin chops from the callipyge lambs also tended to be less red (P < .1) than chops from normal animals as measured by Hunter 'L,' 'a,' and 'b' colorimeter scores.