383 research outputs found
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General Spin Dirac Equation (II).
No full textThis is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution
License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work
is properly cited.In an eailer reading [4], we did demonstrate that one can write down a general spin Dirac
equation by modifying the usual Einstein energy-momentum equation via the insertion of the quantity
?s? which is identified with the spin of the particle. That is to say, a Dirac equation that describes a
particle of spin S = 1
2 s~ where ~ is the normalised Planck constant, are the Pauli 2 ? 2 matrices and
s = (?1,?2,?3, . . . etc). What is not clear in the reading [4] is how such a modified energy-momentum
relation would arise in Nature. At the end of the day, the insertion by sleight of hand of the quantity
?s? into the usual Einstein energy-momentum equation, would then appear to be nothing more than
speculation. In the present reading ? by making use of the curved spacetime Dirac equations proposed in
the work [3], we move the exercise of [4] from the realm of speculation to that of plausibility
Altered esterase activity due to pesticide exposure in the aquatic snail Physa acuta.
No full textThe effect of pesticides on the xenobiotic metabolising enzymes of the aquatic snail Physa acuta was studied. Adult snails reared in the laboratory were exposed daily for three days
to the following pesticides: 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, deltamethrin, endosulphan,malathion and pirimiphos-methyl, Cytosolic fractions prepared from the snails showed that pesticide exposure had no effect on the glutathione or glutathione dependent enzyme activities. General esterase activity using two different substrates was reduced significantly by exposure to the organophosphate pesticides malathion and pirimiphos. Exposure to the
other pesticides did not cause any substantial changes in the esterases activities. The nature of this inhibition is not yet apparent. It is likely, however, that the changes are due to a competitive type inhibition by the pesticides for the active site of the enzyme.International Foundation for Science,
Stockholm, Sweden (No Al2036)
Research Board, University of Zimbabwe
and the International Program in the Chemical
Sciences, Uppsala University, Sweden
Management of financial records at the Marondera Municipality in Zimbabwe
No full textPublished articleThis study examines the management of financial records at the Municipality of Marondera. A qualitative case
study design with an interpretevist world view was used in this exploratory study. Interviews and document
analysis were employed as data gathering techniques. The sample was purposively selected from key financial and
records management staff at the municipality and the National Archives of Zimbabwe. The major finding in this
study was that financial records were not properly managed. This was evidenced by a large number of records of
enduring importance which were intermingled with those of transitory value. Findings revealed that staff were not
trained to effectively manage financial records. Furthermore, there was no clear framework or programme within
which financial records were managed. There was some disconnect between the municipality and the National
Archives of Zimbabwe. The researchers recommend that the municipality should employ qualified and experienced
records personnel to design and implement a proper financial records management programme in compliance with
relevant legislation. The municipality should also develop an integrated framework for managing its records in
general and financial records in particular. The municipality should also seek to work with the National Archives
of Zimbabwe so that it gets guidance on the management of its records, especially with regards to matters pertaining
to retention, appraisal and disposal of financial records
PIMA Point of Care CD4+ Cell Count Machines in Remote MNCH Settings: Lessons Learned from Seven Districts in Zimbabwe
No full textOpen Access: Full open access to this and thousands of other papers at http://www.la-press.com.An evaluation was commissioned to generate evidence on the impact of PIMA point-of-care CD4+ count machines in maternal and new-born child health settings in Zimbabwe; document best practices, lessons learned, challenges, and recommendations related to scale up of this new technology. A mixed methodology approach that included 31 in-depth interviews with stakeholders involved in procurement, distribution, and use of the POC machines was employed. Additionally, data was also abstracted from 207 patient records from 35 sites with the PIMA POC CD4+ count machines and 10 other comparative sites without the machine. A clearer training strategy was found to be necessary. The average time taken to initiate clients on antiretroviral treatment (ART) was substantially less, 15 days (IQR-1-149) for sites with a PIMA POC machine as compared to 32.7 days (IQR-1-192) at sites with no PIMA POC machine. There was general satisfaction because of the presence of the PIMA POC CD4+ count machine at sites that also initiated ART.UNICEF, Zimbabwe
Implementation Of A Computerized Balanced Scorecard (BSC) System In A Manufacturing Organisation In Zimbabwe
No full textThis modern era?s high technological improvements present manufacturers and other organizations with a plethora of Management Information Systems (MISs) which makes them face challenges when choosing a corporate information system. High initial investment in setting up the information systems make it very difficult for companies to adopt new systems as they come into market before realizing a reasonable return from the previous system. In line with these concerns, a methodology for building a Balanced Scorecard module as a strategic management platform that can be integrated smoothly into already existing information system such as MRP/ERP is presented. The paper uses a case study of a manufacturing company based in Zimbabwe. Various manufacturing based metrics are reviewed with the main intent of showing how these can be tracked in a computerized platform. Sample data extracted from the production system is used to test the built system. The paper shows a methodology for software design, setting up and adopting a BSC system. The proposed approach is used to design a computerized BSC system for the case study company, which incorporates a BSC dashboard for the four main perspectives derived from various operational metrics
Copyright in the 21st Century: International Developments and their impact on African Librarianship.
No full textPresented at the Africa Library Summit, Pretoria, South Africa 11th -13th May, 201
Application of Remote Sensing and Geographical Information Systems in Determining the Groundwater Potential in the Crystalline Basement of Bulawayo Metropolitan Area, Zimbabwe
No full textThis is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.This study is concerned with the identification and delineation of aquiferous zones for potential groundwater development
across Bulawayo Metropolitan from remotely sensed data and geological inference. Attempts have been made to review literatures on groundwater exploitation in the study area and the constraints to effective and sustainable management
of underground water in the study area. Remote Sensing and Geographical Information Systems (GIS) is useful in the recognition and delineation of aquiferous zones for potential groundwater in crystalline basement aquifers. LANDSAT ETM+ image, SRTM data, aeromagnetic data and other ancillary data sets were utilized to extract information on the groundwater storing controlling features of this study area. Six thematic maps were produced from remote
sensing data and other ancillary data - Land use/landcover, drainage density, slope map, contact density, lithology and lineament density. GIS modeling technique of the index overlay method was used to produce the groundwater potential map. The study revealed that the regional lineaments correlate with faults, fracture zones, and lithological contrasts along fold belts in the crystalline basement rocks, while the main direction of faulting and jointing is
north-north-west to north with several faults oriented, to the north-north-east, parallel to the Great Dyke. Proximity to
lineaments is the highest zone of increased porosity and permeability which in turn have a greater chance of accumulating
groundwater. The results have shown massive spatial variability of ground water potential ranging from very good to poor. The variability closely followed variations in the structures, geology, topography/slope, drainage density and
land use/land cover in the project area. This work is a reconnaissance which needs to be validated by the use of high-resolution terrain data and satellite imagery and the quantitative analysis should be done using geophysical and hydrogeological surveys.African Regional Centre for Space Science and Technology in English (ARCSSTE-E)
Design of an Automated Grinding Media Charging System for Ball Mills.
No full textPresented at the SAIIE25 Proceedings, 9th ? 11th of July 2013, Stellenbosch, South Africa ? 2013 SAIIE.The parameters of mill load (ML) not only represent the load of the ball mill, but also
determine the grinding production ratio (GPR) of the grinding process. Monitoring and
recognition of milling conditions have significant effect on the operating efficiency, product
quality, and energy and grinding media consumption for the milling circuit. This paper presents an automated grinding media charging system incorporating a multi-agent system developed in Java Agent Development Environment (JADE). A control logix program is
designed to determine the precise quantities of grinding media to be charged in an
incremental manner such that shock loading is avoided. The multi-agent system created in
JADE monitors the power drawn and the mill load of the ball mill such that proper charging
conditions are established. High quality of the regulation process is achieved through
utilization of the control logix and the multi-agent system
Infopreneurial Behaviour among University Graduates in the Information Science Faculty of a University in Zimbabwe
No full textConference paper presented at the ICEE ICIT 2013 Conference.Infopreneurial behaviour amongst University graduates has the potential to guarantee employment and bridge
the gap between job-security and the perceived insecurity of an own information business. At present, the
National University of Science and Technology in Zimbabwe offers infopreneurship and entrepreneurship
courses to students in the faculty of Communication and Information Science. The course content and
presentation are similar in nature as they all relate to the selling, marketing and promotion of information
products and services. However distant and limited research has been done to find out the impact of this course
in creating an infopreneurial behaviour among graduating students. The researchers conducted a
questionnaire-based survey to find out the infopreneurial behaviour among students who graduated from 2008
to 2012 in the faculty. The exploratory investigation reported by this paper brings out the status of these
graduates in utilising their acquired knowledge in infopreneurship and entrepreneurship with regards to the
selling and marketing of information products and services, especially through small physical or
online/internet-based businesses. The major finding of this study was that the later crop of students between
2011 and 2012 have been making initiatives to establish internet-based information businesses but lack further
business and technical skills necessary to translate these initiatives into ?real. businesses. These business and
technical skills are lacking in the course contents. The researchers conclude by making recommendations on
possible adaptations that can be introduced to the courses to improve infopreneurial behaviour among
graduating students in information science
Health, Safety and Environmental Management for Productivity Improvement.
No full textPublished in The Chronicle of 06 june 2013 on the productivity column.We all need to be healthy and we aspire for a continued healthy life. Being safe gives us a sense of
security. The environment that we live in gives us comfort. This must be what all people feel about
Health, Safety and the Environment. Our bodies want this and we have to create it. The challenge comes
when businesses harness the gifts of nature to produce products. This is the time when conflict with the
health, safety and the environment happen. It however is prudent for stakeholders in this conflict to
reach a compromise that does not harm people, property and the environment