Integrating values and principles of cooperative enterprises with TQM elements a conceptual framework for customer satisfaction

Abstract: The concept of cooperative enterprise is a potentially effective intervention for eradicating poverty and merging the first and second economy of South Africa. This paper shows the importance of ensuring integrated implementation of cooperative principles and values within the cooperative enterprise. To ensure effectiveness and efficiency in cooperative enterprises, the principles and values must be integrated with the elements of Total Quality Management (TQM). With this realization, cooperative enterprises can serve their reason of existence in the county

"Re-educating" tumor-associated macrophages by targeting NF-kappaB

The nuclear factor kappaB (NF-kappaB) signaling pathway is important in cancer-related inflammation and malignant progression. Here, we describe a new role for NF-kappaB in cancer in maintaining the immunosuppressive phenotype of tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs). We show that macrophages are polarized via interleukin (IL)-1R and MyD88 to an immunosuppressive "alternative" phenotype that requires IkappaB kinase beta-mediated NF-kappaB activation. When NF-kappaB signaling is inhibited specifically in TAMs, they become cytotoxic to tumor cells and switch to a "classically" activated phenotype; IL-12(high), major histocompatibility complex II(high), but IL-10(low) and arginase-1(low). Targeting NF-kappaB signaling in TAMs also promotes regression of advanced tumors in vivo by induction of macrophage tumoricidal activity and activation of antitumor activity through IL-12-dependent NK cell recruitment. We provide a rationale for manipulating the phenotype of the abundant macrophage population already located within the tumor microenvironment; the potential to "re-educate" the tumor-promoting macrophage population may prove an effective and novel therapeutic approach for cancer that complements existing therapies

Biofuel sector as a potential business opportunity for emerging cooperatives a case study of South African cooperatives

Abstract: This study points to the biofuel industry as a potential business idea that can be used by a selected group that has to form and run a sustainable cooperative. Biofuel projects are considered in this study, focusing on how biofuel projects may be incorporated in the running of biofuel industry. The study investigated the opportunities of the emerging South African cooperatives in biofuels industry. We used the qualitative method to collect data. A total of 200 cooperative were studied through observations, interviews, and focused group interviews. Out of 200 small scale biodiesel plants situated in South Africa, 35 are in four provinces namely Mpumalanga, Western Cape, Kwa-Zulu Natal and Gauteng, where empirical studies were conducted in form of observations and interviews. Cooperatives are widely spread all over South Africa. The study however, focused on the cooperatives that are situated in Limpopo and Gauteng province. The researcher also attended several workshops and conferences that are related to development of South African cooperative and other social enterprises. Both the strategy of the cooperative and biofuels aimed at one most important aspect which is to merge the first and second economy. Both are in the emerging stage, and working on a common goal of educating and training those that are affected to achieve the aim

Anorectal Disorders

This report defines criteria and reviews the epidemiology, pathophysiology, and management of the following common anorectal disorders: fecal incontinence (FI), functional anorectal pain, and functional defecation disorders. FI is defined as the recurrent uncontrolled passage of fecal material for at least 3 months. The clinical features of FI are useful for guiding diagnostic testing and therapy. Anorectal manometry and imaging are useful for evaluating anal and pelvic floor structure and function. Education, antidiarrheals, and biofeedback therapy are the mainstay of management; surgery may be useful in refractory cases. Functional anorectal pain syndromes are defined by clinical features and categorized into 3 subtypes. In proctalgia fugax, the pain is typically fleeting and lasts for seconds to minutes. In levator ani syndrome and unspecified anorectal pain, the pain lasts more than 30 minutes, but in levator ani syndrome there is puborectalis tenderness. Functional defecation disorders are defined by ≥2 symptoms of chronic constipation or irritable bowel syndrome with constipation, and with ≥2 features of impaired evacuation, that is, abnormal evacuation pattern on manometry, abnormal balloon expulsion test, or impaired rectal evacuation by imaging. It includes 2 subtypes: dyssynergic defecation and inadequate defecatory propulsion. Pelvic floor biofeedback therapy is effective for treating levator ani syndrome and defecatory disorders

Red drum : natural history and fishing techniques in South Carolina

In addition to information about the natural history of the red drum, there is also a section on fishing techniques designed to assist readers, particularly beginning anglers, in their piscatorial pursuits as well as a section explaining the approach and rationale for conservation efforts that have been or soon will be proposed

Asymptotic Expansions for the Conditional Sojourn Time Distribution in the M/M/1M/M/1-PS Queue

We consider the $M/M/1$ queue with processor sharing. We study the conditional sojourn time distribution, conditioned on the customer's service requirement, in various asymptotic limits. These include large time and/or large service request, and heavy traffic, where the arrival rate is only slightly less than the service rate. The asymptotic formulas relate to, and extend, some results of Morrison \cite{MO} and Flatto \cite{FL}.Comment: 30 pages, 3 figures and 1 tabl

TREND AND STATISTICAL ANALYSIS OF ANNUAL MAXIMUM DAILY RAINFALL (AMDR) FOR SARAWAK RIVER BASIN, SARAWAK, MALAYSIA

The Sarawak River Basin is one of the major river basins located in the southern part of Sarawak, Malaysia, and has experienced frequent extreme rainfall resulting in flash floods in recent years. This study aims to carry out trend and statistical analysis of annual maximum daily rainfall (AMDR) for 10 rainfall stations distributed evenly in the basin from 1975 to 2020. From the analysis, the AMDR records high variability for most of the rainfall stations, with the month of January having the highest occurrence of AMDR events. The linear regression plot of the mean AMDR showed a slight decreasing trend over the past four decades. The threshold rainfall value of 180 mm was used to perform frequency analysis, and the result shows that the return period for daily rainfall exceeding 180 mm was 2.71 years. The occurrence probability of the flood event at least once in 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 years was 0.37, 0.60, 0.75, 0.84 and 0.90, respectively. A frequency curve based on the mean AMDR data with Gumbel distribution fitting was also developed from the current study and can be applied to the planning and design of flood infrastructures in the basin

Comparison of three diagnostic methods to detect the occurrence of Fasciola species in communally grazed cattle in the North West Province, South Africa

DATA AVAILABILITY STATEMENT : The data presented in this study are available on request from the corresponding author.Fasciolosis causes significant economic losses in commercial cattle herds in South Africa, but its prevalence is unknown in most communal areas. A cross-sectional study was conducted with the aim of determining the occurrence of bovine fasciolosis using three different diagnostic methods in Moretele Local Municipality in Bojanala District, NorthWest Province. Faecal samples were collected from 277 cattle of different breeds, ages, sex and faecal condition scores and examined using the sedimentation technique, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and faecal antigen enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (coproELISA). All samples were negative for bovine fasciolosis using coproELISA. A total of 73 (26.4%) samples were positive using the qPCR, while 36 were positive using the sedimentation technique, with low faecal egg counts (1 to 20 eggs per gram). The qPCR detected the highest positivity (26.4%, 95% CI 21.3, 32.0) followed by the sedimentation test (13.0%; 95% CI 9.3, 17.5). Location, breed, sex, age and faecal consistency score were not associated with positive qPCR results (p > 0.05). There was also no significant agreement (kappa = 0.011, p = 0.843) between qPCR and the sedimentation technique for the detection of Fasciola spp. The qPCR appeared to be the most sensitive method for detection of Fasciola spp. Further studies are required on the characterisation of Fasciola spp. in communal cattle in South Africa.The National Research Foundation (NRF) of South Africa, the University of Pretoria (South Africa) postgraduate bursary and the University of Ibadan (Nigeria) Tertiary Education Trust Fund.https://www.mdpi.com/journal/pathogensam2023Production Animal StudiesVeterinary Tropical Disease

Understanding Collaboration: Introducing the Collaborative Governance Case Databank

Studying collaborative governance has become a booming business. However, the empirical literature still struggles to produce robust generalizations and cumulative knowledge that link contextual, situational and institutional design factors to processes and outcomes. We still have not mustered the broad and deep evidence base that will really help us sort fact from fiction and identify more and less productive approaches to collaboration. The current empirical evidence in the study of collaborative governance consists chiefly of small-N case studies or large-N surveys. The challenge is to move from case-based, mid-range theory building to more large N-driven systematic theory-testing, while also retaining the rich contextual and process insights that only small-N studies tend to yield. This article, and the articles in the accompanying special issue, introduces an attempt to provide this middle ground – the Collaborative Governance Case Database. The database has been developed to serve as a free common pool resource for researchers to systematically collect and compare high-quality collaborative governance case studies. This article is an introduction to the database, exploring its design, opportunities and limitations. This article is also an invitation; inviting all researchers to freely use the cases in the database for their own research interest and to help strengthening the database by adding new cases there are eager to share with colleagues