Design of a computer information system for the Algerian National Archives

The main purpose of this project is to investigate the state of the art of the Algerian National Archives (ANA) so as to design an automated system that responds to the needs of this institution. The concept of archives is defined. The effects of computerisation on archives are investigated. Some automated archives systems, around the world, are examined. The various obstacles impeding the development of a technology capable of processing Arabic script are reviewed. Some solutions are also discussed. The case of Algeria in the context of the Arab world is taken as en example. A number of problems hampering the transfer of technology are identified. The study is concentrated on the state of the art of the ANA. It is carried out using a variety of data collection techniques; including questionnaires, interviews, observation and the author's own experience of the ANA. Severel problem areas are identified; including: the lack of resource sharing between the various institutions and the access speed to documents, to name just a few. The objectives of the system to be designed and implemented ere identified. A prototype user-friendly system, using the Query language, dBASE III PLUS and Clipper, is developed to simulate some of the various tasks carried out within records management institutions. An explanation of how can the system be operated is provided. An evaluation of the prototype system is carried out. A number of recommendations to improve the system are presented. Amongst these, is the necessity to provide a much faster system. The prototype system is thus redeveloped using, this time, Turbo Pascal. Apart from speed, no alterations or additions are introduced to the one developed using dBASE. Because the project has not been taken to the last stages of the System Development Life Cycle (SDLC), a number of recommendations are made regarding the steps that the ANA should observe to ensure a smooth system implementation and maintenance

Survival of encapsulated islets:More than a membrane story

At present, proven clinical treatments but no cures are available for diabetes, a global epidemic with a huge economic burden. Transplantation of islets of Langerhans by their infusion into vascularized organs is an experimental clinical protocol, the first approach to attain cure. However, it is associated with lifelong use of immunosuppressants. To overcome the need for immunosuppression, islets are encapsulated and separated from the host immune system by a permselective membrane. The lead material for this application is alginate which was tested in many animal models and a few clinical trials. This review discusses all aspects related to the function of transplanted encapsulated islets such as the basic requirements from a permselective membrane (e.g., allowable hydrodynamic radii, implications of the thickness of the membrane and relative electrical charge). Another aspect involves adequate oxygen supply, which is essential for survival/performance of transplanted islets, especially when using large retrievable macro-capsules implanted in poorly oxygenated sites like the subcutis. Notably, islets can survive under low oxygen tension and are physiologically active at > 40 Torr. Surprisingly, when densely crowded, islets are fully functional under hyperoxic pressure of up to 500 Torr (> 300% of atmospheric oxygen tension). The review also addresses an additional category of requirements for optimal performance of transplanted islets, named auxiliary technologies. These include control of inflammation, apoptosis, angiogenesis, and the intra-capsular environment. The review highlights that curing diabetes with a functional bio-artificial pancreas requires optimizing all of these aspects, and that significant advances have already been made in many of them

Construction of a support tool for the design of the activity structures based computer system architectures

This thesis was submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy and was awarded by Brunel University.This thesis is a reapproachment of diverse design concepts, brought to bear upon the computer system engineering problem of identification and control of highly constrained multiprocessing (HCM) computer machines. It contributes to the area of meta/general systems methodology, and brings a new insight into the design formalisms, and results afforded by bringing together various design concepts that can be used for the construction of highly constrained computer system architectures. A unique point of view is taken by assuming the process of identification and control of HCM computer systems to be the process generated by the Activity Structures Methodology (ASM). The research in ASM has emerged from the Neuroscience research, aiming at providing the techniques for combining the diverse knowledge sources that capture the 'deep knowledge' of this application field in an effective formal and computer representable form. To apply the ASM design guidelines in the realm of the distributed computer system design, we provide new design definitions for the identification and control of such machines in terms of realisations. These realisation definitions characterise the various classes of the identification and control problem. The classes covered consist of: 1. the identification of the designer activities, 2. the identification and control of the machine's distributed structures of behaviour, 3. the identification and control of the conversational environment activities (i.e. the randomised/ adaptive activities and interactions of both the user and the machine environments), 4. the identification and control of the substrata needed for the realisation of the machine, and 5. the identification of the admissible design data, both user-oriented and machineoriented, that can force the conversational environment to act in a self-regulating manner. All extent results are considered in this context, allowing the development of both necessary conditions for machine identification in terms of their distributed behaviours as well as the substrata structures of the unknown machine and sufficient conditions in terms of experiments on the unknown machine to achieve the self-regulation behaviour. We provide a detailed description of the design and implementation of the support software tool which can be used for aiding the process of constructing effective, HCM computer systems, based on various classes of identification and control. The design data of a highly constrained system, the NUKE, are used to verify the tool logic as well as the various identification and control procedures. Possible extensions as well as future work implied by the results are considered.Government of Ira

Technological and Institutional Innovations for Marginalized Smallholders in Agricultural Development

Agriculture; Agricultural Economics; Geography, general; Innovation/Technology Managemen

BEHAVIOUR AND PARTICIPATION OF COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS AS LOCAL ACTORS IN POLICY IMPLEMENTATION IN DENPASAR

This research is entitled “Behaviour and Participation of Local Community Organizations as Local Actors in Policy Implementation in Denpasar” Denpasar city as one of a Metropolis City is a dense city with a high heterogeneity with all of its development policy problems. A development that can fulfill the citizen needs is a demand that can not be postponed again in this area of regional autonomy. However, in practice, this often encountered many obstacles and problems. Ideally, regional development should involve community participation and based on the neds of citizen itself. Observation methods used by the autor is qualitative descriptive method. The data source obtained from aspect of place, person, and paper. Data collection techniques include observation, interviews, and documentation. The role and participation of community organizations in the city of Denpasar in policy implementation in the city of Denpasar is required by the government to create a synergy of development in the city of Denpasar. Each actor reveals that there is still a lot of the problems that exist in the city of Denpasar, its because Denpasar itself which is now evolving into a dense city with large numbers of immigrants, with all of that problems it really needs synergy between the parties in order to solve it. Based on this observation, as a form of the problematic solution that there are methods of public organizations participation is one that is expected to be implemented. The most expected to be implemented. The most expected participation of actors involved in a variety of policy implementation in the city of Denpasar is the public organization

DIGITAL LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Digital system with its programssuch website, SMS center, e- paper, one stop permit service, electronic identity card,e-planning, e-budgeting, e-procurement, ewarehouse can enhance regional budget managementsystem, legal assurance and order to rules of lawfor local government apparatuses in perfomingtheir duties, with the digital system, effectiveness and efficiency in works can be enhanced too. Digital system that gives transparence space at last can enhance responses of the apparatuse, the society as the sovereignty holder are also given the same space equality in gaining services from the local government apparatuses