Impacts of Protected Areas on Local Livelihoods in Cambodia

SummaryImpact evaluation methods (mixed effects models and matching) were used to investigate the effect of protected areas (PAs) on poverty and livelihoods in Cambodia, comparing households inside PAs with bordering villages and controls. There was no evidence that PAs exacerbated local poverty or reduce agricultural harvests in comparison with controls. Households bordering the PAs were significantly better off due to greater access to markets and services. Non-timber forest product (NTFP) collectors inside PAs were significantly better off than controls and had greater rice harvests, because they had more secure access to land and forest resources. The PAs in Cambodia therefore have some positive impacts on households that use forest and land resources for their livelihoods

Vibration induced fatigue failure in piping system

Vibration induced fatigue failure in piping system is a critical yet common problem in the petrochemical industry. Root cause identification and severity assessment of these problems usually require specialist input. The objective of this study is to develop a spreadsheet based approach using guidelines published by Energy Institute to identify the likelihood of failure in a piping system. Test case for a Malaysian offshore was undertaken for the validation of the developed software. Such software allows vibration induced fatigue failure to be screened in the design of a new plant or modification of an existing plant. This software can also be used to analyze pipeline used in other industry

Emotionen in Kambodscha in der Vergangenheitsaufarbeitung der Khmer Rouge Zeit

Das Ziel der vorliegenden Dissertation ist es Emotionen in Kambodscha in der Vergangenheitsaufarbeitung der Khmer Rouge Zeit (1975-1979) zu untersuchen. Dafür wurden in zwei Feldaufenthalten in Kambodscha (2016, 2018) Interviews mit Überlebenden der Khmer Rouge Zeit in dem ländlich gelegenen Dorf Phum aufgenommen, deren thematischer Schwerpunkt auf den Erlebnissen der Interviewpartner*innen zur Zeit der Khmer Rouge lag. Durch die Methode der teilnehmenden Beobachtung konnte nicht nur eine Vertrauensbasis zu dem Forschungsfeld aufgebaut werden, sondern auch Mimik und Gestik, welche in Zusammenhang mit Emotionen steht, beobachtet werden. Die aufgenommen Interviews wurden nach der Transkription in Hinblick auf Emotionen analysiert. Die während der Forschung festgestellten Emotionen werden in dieser Arbeit beschrieben, kontextualisiert und analysiert, wodurch ein Beitrag zu der Forschung in Kambodscha und insbesondere zu Emotionen geliefert wurde. Die Forschungsergebnisse zeigen den Charakter und die Dimensionen von Emotionen in Kambodscha in Zusammenhang mit der Khmer Rouge Zeit. Außerdem geben sie Aufschluss darüber, wie weit die Khmer Rouge Zeit von den Forschungsteilnehmer*innen emotional aufgearbeitet wurde. Drittens stellen sie heraus wie wichtig die Temporalität von Emotionen in dem Forschungskontext ist und zeigen, dass die gesellschaftliche Aufarbeitung der Khmer Rouge Vergangenheit in starkem Gegensatz zu der rechtlichen Aufarbeitung in den Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC) steht. Des Weiteren heben sie die Wichtigkeit der Einbeziehung von buddhistischen (u.a. Karma) und kambodschanischen (u.a. mien muk, mien moat; sangsoek) Konzepten für die Analyse von Emotionen hervor. Die Ergebnisse liefern somit einen Beitrag zu der international geprägten Debatte rund um die Institution der ECCC, welche kambodschanische Normen, Werte und Konzepte der Vergangenheitsaufarbeitung nicht mit einbezieht. Schließlich werden neue Ansätze zum Umgang mit Überlebenden der Khmer Rouge Zeit ebenso vorgeschlagen, wie die Optimierung bestehender Therapieformen von lokalen Anbietern von psychischer Gesundheit

Approach to programming and master planning for Joseph C. Wilson Center for Research and Technology

Thesis (M.S.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Architecture, 1996.Includes bibliographical references (leaves 174-176).The research question in this thesis supports a master plan effort at the Wilson Center for Research and Technology in Webster, New York. It concerns workplace design, space and technology issues, within the business context of research and development operations. A framework is proposed for developing R&D workplace laboratories based on the analysis of a pilot project completed in the Wilson Center. The analysis centers on understanding of the impacts of space, technology, organizational policies and practices, and how these affect the rate of product development. This thesis examines the Wilson Center's ongoing efforts to create a work environments that support innovation. The central hypothesis is that master planning processes, in addition to space and technology renovation, must also focus on learning methods intrinsic in a design process to achieve a unified approach and outcome. A unified research work environment is as dependent on it's culture as a reconstruction of its environment. Ultimately, a more appropriate design for supporting specific research processes is achieved when the users design the environment themselves.by Suon Kuo Cheng.M.S

Organizational Culture in Small Medium Enterprises in Malaysia Unravelled: A Case Study on Fastmetal Sdn Bhd

This dissertation will focus on the company called FASTMETAL SDN BHD (“FASTMETAL”), which is partly founded and managed by me. In my role as the sole Executive Director of FASTMETAL for the past two (2) years (although the FASTMETAL has been established since 1997 wherein he took over the management in year 2004), he has been trying vigorously and painstakingly to restructure FASTMETAL from a pre-dominantly “China Man Business” into a more professionally managed outfit, befitting of a modern 21st century company. In his attempt to shed this rather colloquial image, one of the problems he encountered is culture in FASTMETAL. Over time, I discovered that the employees from the production line to the clerical staff lack the necessary drive and passion to turn this company into a professional outfit. His attempts to introduce the concept of total quality management (“TQM”), even in the most basic of form, have found obstacles and resistance along the way from his employees. Hence, in trying to resolve this myth and challenge, I have decided to conduct a research in the area of organizational culture with particular reference to FASTMETAL. It is also my objective study the culture of FASTMETAL critically and suggesting possible lessons and changes deem appropriate in order to improve the operations of FASTMETAL. It is also hope that the possible lessons learned and change suggested could be of use to other small medium enterprises (“SMEs”) that share the same characteristics of FASTMETAL

Oxysterol-Binding Protein-1 (OSBP1) Modulates Processing and Trafficking of the Amyloid Precursor Protein

BACKGROUND Evidence from biochemical, epidemiological and genetic findings indicates that cholesterol levels are linked to amyloid-β (Aβ) production and Alzheimer's disease (AD). Oxysterols, which are cholesterol-derived ligands of the liver X receptors (LXRs) and oxysterol binding proteins, strongly regulate the processing of amyloid precursor protein (APP). Although LXRs have been studied extensively, little is known about the biology of oxysterol binding proteins. Oxysterol-binding protein 1 (OSBP1) is a member of a family of sterol-binding proteins with roles in lipid metabolism, regulation of secretory vesicle generation and signal transduction, and it is thought that these proteins may act as sterol sensors to control a variety of sterol-dependent cellular processes. RESULTS We investigated whether OSBP1 was involved in regulating APP processing and found that overexpression of OSBP1 downregulated the amyloidogenic processing of APP, while OSBP1 knockdown had the opposite effect. In addition, we found that OSBP1 altered the trafficking of APP-Notch2 dimers by causing their accumulation in the Golgi, an effect that could be reversed by treating cells with OSBP1 ligand, 25-hydroxycholesterol. CONCLUSION These results suggest that OSBP1 could play a role in linking cholesterol metabolism with intracellular APP trafficking and Aβ production, and more importantly indicate that OSBP1 could provide an alternative target for Aβ-directed therapeutic.National Institute on Aging (AG/NS17485

Entomological outcomes of cluster-randomised, community-driven dengue vector-suppression interventions in Kampong Cham province, Cambodia

Cambodia has one of the highest dengue infection rates in Southeast Asia. Here we report quantitative entomological results of a large-scale cluster-randomised trial assessing the impact on vector populations of a package of vector control interventions including larvivorous guppy fish in household water containers, mosquito trapping with gravid-ovitraps, solid waste management, breeding-container coverage through community education and engagement for behavioural change, particularly through the participation of school children. These activities resulted in major reductions in Container Index, House Index, Breteau Index, Pupal Index and Adult Index (all p-values 0.002 or lower) in the Intervention Arm compared with the Control Arm in a series of household surveys conducted over a follow-up period of more than one year, although the project was not able to measure the longer-term sustainability of the interventions. Despite comparative reductions in Adult Index between the study arms, the Adult Index was higher in the Intervention Arm in the final household survey than in the first household survey. This package of biophysical and community engagement interventions was highly effective in reducing entomological indices for dengue compared with the control group, but caution is required in extrapolating the reduction in household Adult Index to a reduction in the overall population of adult Aedes mosquitoes, and in interpreting the relationship between a reduction in entomological indices and a reduction in the number of dengue cases. The package of interventions should be trialled in other locations