A review of donor agency approaches to anti-corruption

This literature review examines donor approaches to anti-corruption using available policy, project, and academic material. This first entails a discussion of the main conceptual issues such as the definitions of, and theoretical approaches to, corruption. This is then complemented by a discussion of implementation issues - through the comparison of different bilateral and multilateral donor approaches to corruption and an analysis of lessons learned from past experience. The paper concludes by highlighting areas for further work

EVALUATION OF METHODS TO OPERATE GATE VALVES USING ELAPSED TIME, RATING OF PERCEIVED EXERTION, AND ELECTROMYOGRAPHY

Hutchinson, Francis Williams, B.G.S., Louisiana State University, 1989 Master of Science in Industrial Engineering, Summer Commencement, 2012 Major: Industrial Engineering Evaluation Of Methods To Operate Gate Valves Using Elapsed Time, Rating Of Perceived Exertion, And Electromyography Thesis directed by Professor Fereydoun Aghazadeh, Ph.D., PE Pages in thesis, 86. Words in abstract, 253. ABSTRACT Industrial valve handwheels are in common use in many industries to block, allow, or regulate the flow of materials within a system. Significant numbers of musculoskeletal disorders have been attributed to turning valve handwheels. The torques encountered to “break” and/or turn these handwheels often exceeds 100 Nm and therefore necessitate the use of special wrenches or other aids. The literature reveals that most of the research has been done to determine the operator’s capabilities for developing the “breaking” forces. After breaking, the continuous muscular effort for as much as five to fifteen minutes required to fully open or close some valves is believed to place greater demands physically and physiologically on the operator than the initial breaking torque requirement. This study used electromyographic data taken from two different locations, the elapsed time to fully open a valve, and Borg’s subjective Ratings of Perceived Exertion (RPE) obtained from the participants to determine the optimum method for opening the valve. The data was obtained from a group of 10 participants who fully opened the valve by using their hands only, using a conventional valve wrench, and using a modified valve wrench. The tasks were repeated with the valve wheel set at two different torque requirements: 25Nm and 50Nm. The data gathered was then analyzed and evaluated to determine if the modified wrench was the optimum method to open the valve. Although the modified wrench was demonstrated to be the most efficient under some conditions, advantages from further testing and modifications to the wrench were indicated

Connecting South and Southeast Asia: Implementation challenges and coordination arrangements

With closer regional integration there is increasing interest within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and on the part of ASEAN's dialogue partners in the potential gains of closer connections between Southeast Asia and South Asia. The strategic positions of India, Myanmar, and Thailand provide the basis and scope for implementing multi-modal connectivity projects, for building upon and improving existing infrastructure and processes for cross-border connectivity in trade. With outward-looking policies in the various subregions that seek to link their economies closer than ever, the ASEAN and South Asian countries are presented with a wide array of options at the bilateral, subregional, and regional levels that can be pursued in partnership under the different frameworks for cooperation. The role of regional entities such as the Asian Development Bank is also important to consider. This paper assesses the political economy and other implications of cross-border connectivity between South and Southeast Asia, and suggests practicable options for moving forward

Democratic leadership: a charming solution for nursing’s legitimacy crisis

Editorial regarding democratic leadership for nursing

A taxonomy of tool-related issues affecting the adoption of model-driven engineering

Although poor tool support is often blamed for the low uptake of model-driven engineering (MDE), recent studies have shown that adoption problems are as likely to be down to social and organizational factors as with tooling issues. This article discusses the impact of tools on MDE adoption and practice and does so while placing tooling within a broader organizational context. The article revisits previous data on MDE use in industry (19 in-depth interviews with MDE practitioners) and reanalyzes that data through the specific lens of MDE tools in an attempt to identify and categorize the issues that users had with the tools they adopted. In addition, the article presents new data: 20 new interviews in two specific companies—and analyzes it through the same lens. A key contribution of the paper is a loose taxonomy of tool-related considerations, based on empirical industry data, which can be used to reflect on the tooling landscape as well as inform future research on MDE tools

Sediment and particulate carbon removal by pipe erosion increase over time in blanket peatlands as a consequence of land drainage

Land drainage is common in peatlands. Artificially drained blanket peat catchments have been shown to have a significantly greater soil pipe density than intact catchments. This paper investigates the role of surface land drains in the enhancement of soil piping in blanket peats. The density of piping was found to significantly increase in a linear fashion with the age of the drainage. Thirty-five years after drains were cut, slopes would be expected to have twice the density of soil piping than would an undrained blanket peat catchment. The rate of pipe erosion increases exponentially over time, so that particulate carbon loss from subsurface pipes is greatest where drains are oldest

Surgical trial in traumatic intracerebral haemorrhage (STITCH) : A randomised controlled trial of early surgery compared with Initial conservative treatment

Funding This project was funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Health Technology Assessment programme.Peer reviewedPublisher PD