Performing Both Sides of the Glass: Videogame Affordances and Live Streaming on Twitch

This thesis examines the performative dimensions videogame affordances assume within online, live streaming environments. This approach considers how streamers configure their videogame play in terms of a potential audience, drawing on five semi-structured, in-depth interviews with Australian-based Twitch streamers to analyse how streamers leverage videogame affordances to produce “meaningful moments”. Guiding this thesis is the question of how the player-videogame relationship is maintained, fractured or altered within live-streaming environments such as Twitch

A selective assessment of business opportunities in South Africa under the Clean Development Mechanism

This report first summarizes matters related to the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) in the South African context, considering its current position and its position after 2012. It then discusses South Africa in comparison with Brazil and India, summarized in terms of selected key indicators. CDM projects in Brazil and India, which are further along in terms of project development, are then outlined. Finally the report estimates the costs and benefits of CDM potential in industry through the deployment of energy efficiency measures as well as renewable electricity generation

Successful Termination in Timed CSP

In previous work the authors investigated the inconsistencies of how successful termination was modelled in Hoare, Brookes and Roscoe's original CSP. This led to the definition of a variant of CSP, called CSPt. CSPt presents a solution to these problems by means of adding a termination axiom to the original process axioms. In this paper we investigate how successful process termination is modelled in Reed and Roscoe's Timed CSP, which is the temporal version of Hoare's original untimed CSP. We discuss the issues that need to be considered when selecting termination axioms for Timed CSP, based on our experiences in defining CSPt. The outcome of this investigation and discussion is a collection of candidate successful termination axioms that could be added to the existing Timed CSP models, leading to an improved treatment of successful termination within the Timed CSP framework. We outline how these termination axioms would be added to the family of semantic models for Timed CSP. Finally, we outline what further work needs to be done once these new models for Timed CSP have been defined. For example, it would then be possible to define timed versions of the new more flexible parallel operators introduced in CSPt

Specifying and Analysing Networks of Processes in CSPt (or In Search of Associativity)

In proposing theories of how we should design and specify networks of processes it is necessary to show that the semantics of any language we use to write down the intended behaviours of a system has several qualities. First in that the meaning of what is written on the page reflects the intention of the designer; second that there are no unexpected behaviours that might arise in a specified system that are hidden from the unsuspecting specifier; and third that the intention for the design of the behaviour of a network of processes can be communicated clearly and intuitively to others. In order to achieve this we have developed a variant of CSP, called CSPt, designed to solve the problems of termination of parallel processes present in the original formulation of CSP. In CSPt we introduced three parallel operators, each with a different kind of termination semantics, which we call synchronous, asynchronous and race. These operators provide specifiers with an expressive and flexible tool kit to define the intended behaviour of a system in such a way that unexpected or unwanted behaviours are guaranteed not to take place. In this paper we extend out analysis of CSPt and introduce the notion of an alphabet diagram that illustrates the different categories of events that can arise in the parallel composition of processes. These alphabet diagrams are then used to analyse networks of three processes in parallel with the aim of identifying sufficient constraints to ensure associativity of their parallel composition. Having achieved this we then proceed to prove associativity laws for the three parallel operators of CSPt. Next, we illustrate how to design and construct a network of three processes that satisfy the associativity law, using the associativity theorem and alphabet diagrams. Finally, we outline how this could be achieved for more general networks of processes

Physical activity recommendations for early childhood: an international analysis of ten different countries’ current national physical activity policies and practices for those under the age of 5

During the last two decades there have been growing interests on recommendations for children’s physical activity. The World Health Organization (WHO) launched the first global international recommendations for children in 2010, focusing on children and youth aged 5-17 year olds. The recommendations were based on the dose-response relationship between the frequency, duration, intensity, type and amount of physical activity needed for prevention of non-communicable diseases. There remains however, at time of writing, (2019) a gap in the recommendations, as the WHO did not offer global recommendations for those children under the age of 5 (early years). An international policy and practice analysis, (not previously undertaken), of ten sample countries, was completed of current national physical activity practices. Also an international comparison of early years’ education settings were examined, specifically for those under the age of 5, to investigate current curricula, as well as the qualifications, knowledge and understanding of those supporting children’s learning in different cultural contexts. The sample of ten countries (Belgium, China, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Norway, United Kingdom and United States of America) questioned whether the global daily physical activity recommendations (WHO, 2010) are costumed and used for to the early years’ age group on a national level or if they need to be adjusted. The analysis revealed that eight countries have developed their own national recommendations for children below the age of 5, while only two countries do not have any early years’ specific physical activity recommendations. National authorities seem to be the most common executive sources behind the recommendations. The content of physical activity for children under the age of 5, mostly included the total amount and intensity of physical activity. The total daily amount of physical activity in these ten countries varies between 60 minutes moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity up to 180 min total light to moderate intensity physical activity and for some countries the daily recommendations are only from age 1 year, not between birth and 1 year, this age range remains unsupported. The conclusions from the analysis of national recommendations, underlined the need to see the global recommendations be developed for the younger age group, to support all countries. It is proposed a need for universally new recommendations to go beyond just physical activity intensity levels and to consider how young children’s development can be supported in a versatile way by physically active play. Also age specific recommendations are offered for appropriate and purposeful physical activity to support early years and school aged children’s overall development. The findings also suggest educational recommendations for staff members of early childhood education and care settings to know appropriate and age specific recommendations to ensure they are able to support young children to reach the national and global recommendations. Research recommendations are also proposed

Energy Access Scenarios to 2030 for the Power Sector in Sub-Saharan Africa

In order to reach a goal of universal access to modern energy services in Africa by 2030, consideration of various electricity sector pathways is required to help inform policy-makers and investors, and help guide power system design. To that end, and building on existing tools and analysis, we present several ‘high-level’, transparent, and economy-wide scenarios for the sub-Saharan African power sector to 2030. We construct these simple scenarios against the backdrop of historical trends and various interpretations of universal access. They are designed to provide the international community with an indication of the overall scale of the effort required. We find that most existing projections, using typical long-term forecasting methods for power planning, show roughly a threefold increase in installed generation capacity occurring by 2030, but more than a tenfold increase would likely be required to provide for full access – even at relatively modest levels of electricity consumption. This equates to approximately a 13% average annual growth rate, compared to a historical one (in the last two decades) of 1.7%.Energy Access, Power System Planning, Sub-Saharan Africa

South African Energy Policies for Sustainable Development

This report models a range of energy policies for sustainable development in South Africa and evaluates the results against energy indicators of sustainable development. Demand- and supply-side policies exist that can contribute both to energy objectives, and also to broader sustainable development goals. The report builds on previous work on a South African profile on energy for sustainable development (ERC 2004a), identifying, modelling and evaluating future policy options. The purpose of the report is to present possible energy futures for the country and to demonstrate how indicators of sustainable development can be used to assess options. This method, we argue, provides the means for policymakers to identify synergies and trade-offs between options, and to evaluate them in economic, social and environmental dimensions

What has preclinical systematic review ever done for us?

Systematic review and meta-analysis are a gift to the modern researcher, delivering a crystallised understanding of the existing research data in any given space. This can include whether candidate drugs are likely to work or not and which are better than others, whether our models of disease have predictive value and how this might be improved and also how these all interact with disease pathophysiology. Grappling with the literature needed for such analyses is becoming increasingly difficult as the number of publications grows. However, narrowing the focus of a review to reduce workload runs the risk of diminishing the generalisability of conclusions drawn from such increasingly specific analyses. Moreover, at the same time as we gain greater insight into our topic, we also discover more about the flaws that undermine much scientific research. Systematic review and meta-analysis have also shown that the quality of much preclinical research is inadequate. Systematic review has helped reveal the extent of selection bias, performance bias, detection bias, attrition bias and low statistical power, raising questions about the validity of many preclinical research studies. This is perhaps the greatest virtue of systematic review and meta-analysis, the knowledge generated ultimately helps shed light on the limitations of existing research practice, and in doing so, helps bring reform and rigour to research across the sciences. In this commentary, we explore the lessons that we have identified through the lens of preclinical systematic review and meta-analysis

Energy policies for sustainable development in South Africa: options for the future

The purpose of this publication is to present a profile of energy in South Africa, assess trends and analyse some options for the future. It is divided into two parts – Part I presents a profile of energy and sustainable development in South Africa, while Part II uses modelling tools and indicators to assess future policy options for the country