The design, management and testing of a solar vehicle's energy strategy

In recent years the interest in implementing solar energy on vehicles (electrical and hybrid) has grown significantly [1]. There are currently limitations in this sector, such as the low energy density (efficiency of conversion) of this source, but it is still a renewable resource and as such, there is a growing interest [1]. A “smart” energy strategy implemented on a solar/electrical vehicle, in order to increase its energy harvesting volume, could enhance the growth of this sector. A tracking algorithm for a solar vehicle’s MPPT (Maximum Power Point Tracker) can be designed to source solar energy very effectively and to increase the speed of finding (tracking) this optimal sourcing point (solar panel voltage and current). Even though there are many different MPPT algorithms, it was decided that most of them were designed for stationary MPPT applications and the dynamics of implementing a MPPT on a vehicle create some unique scenarios. These include: Shadow flicker. This is rhythmic, rapid moving shadows across a solar panel, such as shadows from a line of trees: Rapid changes in solar panel orientation due to the road surface/relief; Rapid changes in panel temperature due to the location of the vehicle. The aim of the research can be divided into three outcomes: 1 Creating a “Smart” energy strategy/control, 2 Implement the new control system on a solar vehicle’s MPPT, and 3 Harvesting maximum energy from solar panels using the new energy strategy. The term “smart” is used to indicate the ability of the MPPT algorithm to be updated and improved based on previous results. A MPPT and scaled solar vehicle is designed and manufactured in order to test the MPPT algorithm. The purpose of using a self-developed experimental setup is to have more control over the system variables as well as having the maximum freedom in setting up the system parameters

People photography

ThesisThe word "photography" is adapted from the Greek words for "light" and "writing". The following people have contributed with the developing of photography: Joseph Nicephore Niepce, Louis J.M. Daguerre, and Hippolyte Bayard in France and William Henry Talbot in England. Daguerre's invention, (made public on 19 August 1839), was one of a kind picture on metal- in contrast to Talbot's invention of a negative made on paper and then later a positive. It became famous in 1840. After all of this, the gateway to photography was opened. In this essay I am going to concentrate more on the history of people photography, mainly concentrating on black and white photography

Assessing the effect of the lack of pharmaceutical manufacturing on healthcare provision in Botswana

Purpose: The lack of pharmaceutical products in Botswana has been a serious concern as citizens experience adverse health outcomes due to poor access to effective treatments. This study investigated the effect of the lack of pharmaceutical manufacturing on healthcare provision in Botswana. Systems Theory underpinned this study. This theory specifies the importance of component parts to work in unison to achieve a specific objective. An interpretivist research paradigm was adopted, which enhanced gaining knowledge on the fundamental reasons for the dearth of drugs/medicine in the Botswana healthcare system. Methodology: A qualitative research approach and an exploratory research design were selected for this study. These two methods enhanced the interviewing thirty-four participants such as doctors, nurses, pharmacists, inventory employees, and the public on the reasons for the shortage of drugs and how this affects citizens. Data were collected using open-ended interviews and responses were gathered from participants from a historical point of view. After the collection of data, an analysis was conducted using Atlas-ti Software (version 8.2). Themes and categories were generated and were discussed by corroborating them with the literature review findings.   Findings: Findings from the study indicate that the reasons for medical stockout include poor planning by medical authorities, the emergence of new diseases, the lack of public private partnerships, logistic issues such as organizational red tape during tender decisions, ordering less than national demand by medical procurement officials, delays in import permits, delays by suppliers, and transportation challenges. The effects of medicine stockout include the healthcare system’s inability to cure diseases, an increase of deaths, failure to control disease, continued stockouts, worsening of sicknesses, non-compliance of patients, failure to meet treatment outcomes, and an increased cost of medicines. The study recommends among others, that the government should support local pharmaceutical manufacturing, allow private companies to participate, and discourage sole distributorship.                                                                  Originality/Value: This research Assessing the effect of the lack of pharmaceutical manufacturing on healthcare provision in Botswan

Public financial performance management in South Africa : a conceptual approach

The South African Government’s service delivery initiatives do not guarantee quality of life for all citizens of South Africa. An active challenge faced by researchers and practitioners, who do not have adequate solutions available, is based on the fact that government departments are not able to say what they have achieved; only what they have done. The aim of this study was to develop a conceptual approach or framework for public financial performance management, which will pave the way for operational and line managers in public financial management towards world-class performance with specific reference to effectiveness and service delivery outcomes. The contextualisation of public administration highlights the scientific foundations of public administration and the continuous development of administrative theories and growing administrative thought within the discipline of Public Administration. The development of public administration proves to be dynamic with the emphasis on future trends and emerging concepts of public management and good governance and the need for more efficient and effective service delivery. The state's role has changed from hands-on management and direct delivery of goods and services to the facilitation of an enabling environment, which provides a framework for private sector participation. Successful development programmes hinge on the effective economic policies, good governance and financial performance management of the facilitator. Due to the fragmentation of policy responsibility in society, the traditional mechanisms of governmental control are no longer workable, or even appropriate. Control is giving way to interaction and involvement with critical implications for the operational manager’s ability to manage, but still to be accountable. The future role of government will be based on governance and stewardship, which can create an enabling environment for all its citizens to enjoy a good life. Derived from an analysis of the public administration environment, the magnitude of the challenges and the tasks facing African countries, African governments and other stakeholders, especially the international community, must establish capacity to deal with a dynamic and changing environment. A systematic and holistic approach will be needed for the implementation of policy in order to become more effective and responsive to the needs of society. The role of governance as the ideal platform allows for an interactive relationship between the public financial management system and the budget process to be facilitated by various role players in different relationships. Interaction is based on the concept of getting the basics right and is also aligned with the public financial management system as a series of realistic platforms to accommodate the multiple role players. The result is a financial system that provides the opportunity for financial performance management and effective and optimal budget outcomes. A high-performing public-sector organisation is results-driven with a sound public financial management system, which allows the government to make the best use of all available resources. This type of organisation will meet the quest to efficiently and effectively utilise public resources to meet the needs of the community in an equitable manner. Public financial performance management must be viewed as the next logical evolution of the field of public management. Public financial performance management must be viewed as an essential component of successful management. This is cultural, operational and human resource management change. The transition will require recognition that rationality is the underlying force of performance management. The development of public financial performance management capacity is a means and not an end in itself; it is an integral part of the overall development agenda. Consequently, a capacity development strategy must be based on a broader vision of improved financial performance management and increasing organisational effectiveness leading to good governance. While country ownership is critical, the capacity development efforts have to be tailored to match the existing human resources, institutions, legal system, as well as the administrative and political culture. The drive for capacity development should transcend the mode by which it is to be delivered.Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2013.School of Public Management and Administration (SPMA)unrestricte

Enhancing Project Management for SMEs: A Hybrid Approach

Objective: South Africa's economic growth and development are closely intertwined with government-prioritized infrastructure development projects. However, SMEs in this sector often grapple with insufficient project management processes, impeding their efficacy and economic contributions. The issue stems from the inadequate implementation of project management methodologies by SMEs, which adversely affects project outcomes and consequently their economic impact. Research Design & Methods: A literature review was conducted to assess the implementation of project management methodologies by SMEs in South African infrastructure development projects. The objective is to highlight areas for improvement, rectify the deficiency in project management practices among SMEs, and bolster their effectiveness and economic contributions. Findings: Preliminary findings accentuate the critical role of project management as a discipline for SMEs involved in infrastructure projects. Its absence or inadequate implementation hampers the growth and sustainability of organizations aiming to make substantial economic contributions and create employment. A hybrid project management model tailored for SMEs in infrastructure development emerges as a mechanism for effectively managing infrastructure projects. Implications and Recommendations: The conceptualization of a hybrid project management model for infrastructure development projects holds the potential to enhance project value by facilitating adaptability. By incorporating agile project management components, this model also stands to improve client engagement, consequently elevating the prospects of success in infrastructure development projects. Contribution & Value Added: This study contributes to the understanding of how SMEs can improve their effectiveness and economic contributions in South Africa's infrastructure development sector. The proposed hybrid project management model offers valuable insights for practitioners and policymakers in South Africa, ultimately fostering economic development and sustainable growth in the country

Towards best practice financial performance management : a plaform design for stewardship in Public Administration

Since the start of human civilisation, the field of public administration has changed to a landscape of modern public administration unrecognisable to second-generation theorists and their normative theories. Rising aspirations of people are placing more demands on effective mobilisation of financial resources. the emphasis of the citizenry is on value for money measured in terms of economy, efficiency and effectiveness, thus making public financial performance management increasingly vital. The success of the public service of the future will be its ability to balance continuity and change; and the need to devote significant intellectual energy to the subject of stewardship as a concept for the enhancement of organisational performance becomes evident. Stewardship in the context of public administration underlines the relationship between the public administration environment, the generic functions of public administration and management and the application of good governance principles in order to provide the opportunity for enhanced public financial performance. High-performing organisations have moved beyond bureaucracy to a commitment-based (platform) approach and are able to mobilise themselves within a complex and rapidly changing environment. “Performance management is seen as an integrated framework of systems and processes for the alignment of strategic intentions, decisions and activities across and within public service organisations.” The stewardship theory recognises the importance of structures that empower the steward and offer maximum autonomy built on trust. It stresses the position of public managers to act more autonomously so that the shareholders’ returns are maximised. The act of stewardship relies on a performance platform that is provided by the functions of public administration based on good governance for the economic, efficient and effective delivery of goods and services, meeting the needs of society.am201

Communities in control of their own integrated technology development processes

This article studies technology driven, development focused initiatives [ICT4D projects] at a community level in South Africa. This study forms part of the existing debate on ICT4D project success, and suggests answers towards accelerating ICT4D projects’ growth towards maturity and sustainability. Concerns that receive attention include the level of ownership and control taken by members of benefiting local communities in ICT4D projects, the level of social embeddedness of ICT4D projects, and a revision of the concept of sustainability within the ICT4D context. A detailed case study that compares two similar ICT4D projects influencing four local communities, focusing on educational institutions within the communities in South Africa, provides the foundation for this article. Adjustments are made to the Five Stages Maturity Model for ICT projects (Leem et al., 2008) and then used to guide our critical discussion regarding each community’s relationship with the ICT4D projects currently running within each society, and how these relationships can be matured and sustained. Findings include a discussion of the importance of direct and diffused increases in freedom resulting from an ICT4D project and the often discounted role of recognition, celebration of achievements within the local community, and media involvement in the maturity, and hence sustainability, of ICT4D projects.http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/titd202015-06-30hb201

(Ferrocenylpyrazolyl) zinc (II) benzoates as catalysts for the ring opening polymerization of ε-caprolactone

The reaction of Zn(OAc)2 and C6H5COOH or 3,5-NO2-C6H3COOH with 3-ferrocenylpyrazolyl-methylenepyridine (L1), 3-ferrocenyl-5-methylpyrazolyl-methylenepyridine (L2), 3-ferrocenylpyrazolyl-ethylamine (L3) and 3-ferrocenyl-5-pyrazolyl-ethylamine (L4) afford the corresponding complexes [Zn(C6H5COO)2(L1)] (1), [Zn(C6H5COO)2(L2)] (2), [Zn(3,5-NO2-C6H3COO)2(L1)] (3), [Zn(3,5-NO2-C6H3 COO)2(L2)] (4), [Zn(C6H5COO)2(L3)] (5), [Zn(C6H5COO)2(L4)] (6), [Zn(3,5-NO2-C6H3COO)2(L3)] (7) and [Zn(3,5-NO2-C6H3COO)2(L4)] (8). These complexes behave as catalysts for the ring opening polymerization of e-caprolactone to produce polymers with molecular weight that range from 1480 to 7080 g mol1 and exhibited moderate to broad PDIs. Evidence of these complexes acting as catalysts was obtained from both the polymerization data and kinetic studies. The polymerization data show that variation of the [CL]/[C] from 100 to 800 produced PCL with relatively the same molecular weight indicative of a catalyst behavior. The appearance of induction period in kinetic plots strengthens the fact that these complexes are catalysts rather than initiators. MALDI-TOF MS and 1 H NMR data show di-hydroxy end groups, which support the coordination mechanism rather than insertion mechanism. To understand the broad PDIs obtained for some of the polymer, the electronic properties of the zinc complexes were investigated using cyclic voltammetry. The results show that the zinc complexes containing amine based ligands are highly electrophilic therefore making them unstable, hence the broad PDIs observed for zinc complexes containing amine based ligands. Among the eight complexes investigated, complex 7 is the most active catalyst with kp value of 1.18 107 h1 mol1 at 110 C

Community Engagement newsletter, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Autumn 2015

Originally published as HTML file, converted to PDF with Adobe Acrobat 9 Pro Version 9.0.0.News articles with colour photos about the various community engagement projects of the Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria.Engagement with livestock farmers – Rust De Winter / Abdur Rahmaan Kadwa -- A day in Mamelodi / Myra Marais -- A day at the zoo / Tandile Ndobeni, Jayde Flax, Johan Jordaan Karli du Preez, and Vanessa Salisbury.ab201

Development and testing of a transcatheter heart valve with reduced calcification potential

IntroductionPatients from developing countries who require heart valve surgery are younger and have less access to open heart surgery than those from developed countries. Transcatheter heart valves (THVs) may be an alternative but are currently unsuitable for young patients because of their inadequate durability. We developed and tested a THV utilizing two new types of decellularized bovine pericardial leaflets in an ovine model.MethodsThe two decellularized tissues [one with a very low dose (0.05%) of monomeric glutaraldehyde (GA) fixation and detoxification (DF) and the other without glutaraldehyde (DE)] were compared to an industry standard [Glycar—fixed with the standard dose (0.625%) of glutaraldehyde]. THVs were manufactured with the three tissue types and implanted in the pulmonary position of nine juvenile sheep for 180 days. Baseline and post-explantation evaluations were performed to determine the hemodynamic performance of the valves and their dynamic strength, structure, biological interaction, and calcification.ResultsHeart failure occurred in one animal due to incompetence of its Glycar valve, and the animal was euthanized at 158 days. The gradients over the Glycar valves were higher at the explant than at the implant, but the DE and DF valves maintained normal hemodynamic performance throughout the study. The DF and DE tissues performed well during the mechanical testing of explanted leaflets. Glycar tissue developed thick pannus and calcification. Compared to Glycar, the DF tissue exhibited reduced pannus overgrowth and calcification and the DE tissue exhibited no pannus formation and calcification. All tissues were endothelialized adequately. There was a striking absence of host ingrowth in the DE tissue leaflets, yet these leaflets maintained integrity and mechanical function.ConclusionIn the juvenile sheep THV model, Glycar tissue developed significant pannus, calcification, and hemodynamic deterioration. Using a very low dose of monomeric GA to fix the decellularized bovine pericardium yielded less pannus formation, less calcification, and better hemodynamic function. We postulate that the limited pannus formation in the DF group results from GA. Bovine pericardium decellularized with our proprietary method resulted in inert tissue, which is a unique finding. These results justify further development and evaluation of the two decellularized tissue types in THVs for use in younger patients