Tracing metals: an archaeo-metallurgical investigation of metal working remains and artefacts from Thaba Nkulu in the Waterberg, South Africa

A dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Science, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in fulfilment of requirements for the degree of Master of Science. Johannesburg, 2015.Excavations conducted at Thaba Nkulu, an Early Farming Community homestead with associated metal working debris, led to the recovery of iron slag, tuyères, furnace lining, iron ore, copper artefacts and iron artefacts. Using the material recovered, this dissertation identified chemical signatures for metal artefacts and metal smelting and smithing associated material. This was achieved through the use of a combination of X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (XRF) and Scanning Electron Microscopy coupled with Energy-Dispersive X-Ray Spectroscopy (SEM-EDX). The artefacts recovered were analysed, and 3 sets of possible chemical signatures were recorded

Responsible leadership as an approach to facilitate Olympic work engagement via learning organization

This study investigates the relationship between responsible leadership and work engagement using learning organization as a mediator. A quantitative approach was used in the present study. Data were collected from 302 participants, using evidence from the sports event industry in Japan. The results revealed responsible leadership positively affects learning organization and work engagement. The results also suggest that learning organization partially mediates the relationship between responsible leadership and work engagement. A qualitative approach is needed to more fully understand how/why responsible leadership development affects employee work engagement and the role of learning organization. Responsible leadership development has become essential for creating sustainable positive impacts in the sports event industry

Complexity and creativity : John’s presentation of Jesus in the Book of Revelation

This thesis provides an examination of John’s depiction of Jesus in Revelation. Past studies of John’s presentation of Jesus in Revelation have tended to focus upon either the synthesis of the various themes and phrases or upon a particular image used throughout the book. Past studies have likewise generally focused upon either the Old Testament or Roman emperor worship as the major source for the imagery used by John. Within this thesis, I argue that John interacts with imagery from his cultural context (Roman emperor worship), from the key writings of his apparent religious heritage (the Old Testament), and from convictions shared with the wider early Christian community. In the sections devoted to each of these three sources (Roman emperor worship, the Old Testament writings, and early Christianity), I provide an assessment of the way that John utilizes images, phrases, and motifs from each in his depiction of Jesus. The interaction with this material represents, I argue, not a haphazard conglomeration of material from divergent sources, but rather a complex, well-developed set of religious convictions concerning Jesus, creatively expressed in this early Christian writing

Mitochondrial DNA sequencing of a wet-collection syntype demonstrates the importance of type material as genetic resource for lantern shark taxonomy (Chondrichthyes: Etmopteridae)

After initial detection of target archival DNA of a 116-year-old syntype specimen of the smooth lantern shark, Etmopterus pusillus, in a single-stranded DNA library, we shotgun-sequenced additional 9 million reads from this same DNA library. Sequencing reads were used for extracting mitochondrial sequence information for analyses of mitochondrial DNA characteristics and reconstruction of the mitochondrial genome. The archival DNA is highly fragmented. A total of 4599 mitochondrial reads were available for the genome reconstruction using an iterative mapping approach. The resulting genome sequence has 12 times coverage and a length of 16 741 bp. All 37 vertebrate mitochondrial loci plus the control region were identified and annotated. The mitochondrial NADH2 gene was subsequently used to place the syntype haplotype in a network comprising multiple E. pusillus samples from various distant localities as well as sequences from a morphological similar species, the shortfin smooth lantern shark Etmopterus joungi. Results confirm the almost global distribution of E. pusillus and suggest E. joungi to be a junior synonym of E. pusillus. As mitochondrial DNA often represents the only available reference information in non-model organisms, this study illustrates the importance of mitochondrial DNA from an aged, wet collection type specimen for taxonomy.publishedVersio

Autonomous Target Recognition and Localization for Manipulator Sampling Tasks

Future exploration missions will require autonomous robotic operations to minimize overhead on human operators. Autonomous manipulation in unknown environments requires target identification and tracking from initial discovery through grasp and stow sequences. Even with a supervisor in the loop, automating target identification and localization processes significantly lowers operator workload and data throughput requirements. This thesis introduces the Autonomous Vision Application for Target Acquisition and Ranging (AVATAR), a software system capable of recognizing appropriate targets and determining their locations for manipulator retrieval tasks. AVATAR utilizes an RGB color filter to segment possible sampling or tracking targets, applies geometric-based matching constraints, and performs stereo triangulation to determine absolute 3-D target position. Neutral buoyancy and 1-G tests verify AVATAR capabilities over a diverse matrix of targets and visual environments as well as camera and manipulator configurations. AVATAR repeatably and reliably recognizes targets and provides real-time position data sufficiently accurate for autonomous sampling

SPATIAL SPEED-ACCURACY TRADE-OFF IN INTERNATIONAL BADMINTON PLAYERS PERFORMING THE FOREHAND SMASH

Speed and accuracy of the badminton smash are critical components for successful performance. Fifty-two participants data were collected using a Vicon 3D Motion capture system (400 Hz) at the BWF Glasgow World Championships (2017). The purpose of this study was to identify and compare spatial speed-accuracy trade-off (SATO) relationships amongst international badminton players performing the forehand smash, under two conditions: maximal speed (MS) in the direction of a target; and maximal speed aiming to hit the centre of a target (TAR). Exploratory and confirmatory cluster analyses revealed three groupings: Fitts’ inverse relationship (FIR), no relationship (NR) and alternate inverse relationship (AIR). Findings indicate that for international badminton players 80–99% of maximum speed is the threshold for achieving the highest levels of spatial accuracy