1,721,029 research outputs found
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
Get PDFThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
Variations on the Author
Get PDF“Variations on the Author” discusses two of Eduardo Coutinho’s recent films (Um Dia na Vida, from 2010, and Últimas Conversas, posthumously released in 2015) and their contribution to the general question of documentary authorship. The director’s filmography is characterized by a consistent yet self-effacing form of authorial self-inscription: Coutinho often features as an interviewer that rather than express opinions propels discourses; an interviewer that is good at listening. This mode of self-inscription characterizes him as an author who is not expressive but who is nonetheless markedly present on the screen. In Um Dia na Vida, however, Coutinho is completely absent form the image, while Últimas Conversas, on the contrary, includes a confessional prologue that moves the director from the margins to the center of his films. This article examines the ways in which these works stand out in the filmography of a director who offers new insights into the notion of cinematic authorship
Appropriate Similarity Measures for Author Cocitation Analysis
Get PDFWe provide a number of new insights into the methodological discussion about author cocitation analysis. We first argue that the use of the Pearson correlation for measuring the similarity between authors’ cocitation profiles is not very satisfactory. We then discuss what kind of similarity measures may be used as an alternative to the Pearson correlation. We consider three similarity measures in particular. One is the well-known cosine. The other two similarity measures have not been used before in the bibliometric literature. Finally, we show by means of an example that our findings have a high practical relevance.information science;Pearson correlation;cosine;similarity measure;author cocitation analysis
Integration of indigenous knowledge systems in sustaining water security for cattle in resource-limited communities.
Get PDFMasters Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg.The broad objective of the study was to assess the integration of indigenous knowledge systems in
sustaining water security for cattle production in resource-limited communities. Cattle production
in resource-limited communities contributes enormously to their everyday livelihoods however it
is threatened by frequent occurrence of drought. A total of eight key informant interviews
constituting of indigenous knowledge custodians between ages of >60 years old were conducted
in Musina, Vhembe District Municipality, Limpopo and eight key informant interviews with
indigenous knowledge custodians between ages of >60 years old were conducted in
Umhlabuyalingana, Umkhanyakude District Municipality, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Four
focus group discussions with adult males and females, age >25 years and youth males and females,
age =<25 years old. A total of 284 structured questionnaires were administered in two local
municipalities of Limpopo and KwaZulu-Natal. In Umhlabuyalingana interviews listed the
rejection of indigenous knowledge as a contributing factor to water security challenges. Water
shortages forced cattle to travel long distances to water sources. Water security challenges cause
weight loss, low productivity and mortalities. The integration of IKS into conventional methods
was suggested in Umhlabuyalingana by elderly farmers unlike in Musina to assist curb water
insecurity. Integration of indigenous knowledge systems (IKS) and conventional knowledge (CK)
was encouraged in Umhlabuyalingana (11 %) as compared to Musina (1 %). Musina farmers
preferred CK (25 %) over IKS. The odds of youth (P < 0.05) being open to the idea of integration
of IKS and CK was seven times more than the adults. The association between cattle ownership
and the use of IKS in Umhlabuyalingana differed (P < 0.01), farmers (35 %) that owned cattle
used IKS more than farmers who owned cattle in Musina (18 %). Male farmers from
Umhlabuyalingana (55 %) preferred to feed natural pastures during drought periods unlike farmers
from Musina who preferred using commercial feeds and crop residues.
Therefore, a study was conducted to assess the effect of using different cow-calf management
systems on time budgets during droughts in Domboni village, Vhembe District, Musina. Four nondescript
lactating cows from each management practice were used. Extensive managed cows spent
2.2 hours/day more (P < 0.05) walking to water points as compared to semi-extensive managed
cows (0.7 ± 0.15 hours/day) during drought periods. Semi-extensive cows spent 3.4 hours/day
more time feeding (P < 0.05) compared to extensive managed cows (47 ± 3.53 %). In conclusions
drought poses as a threat to cattle and the lack of IKS use. Indigenous knowledge still has hope to
upsurge and the youth is showing interest. The use of natural and crop residue for feed increases
the possibilities of integrating IKS and CK. The semi-extensive management practices were viable
for the cows as they travelled less and spent more time eating while extensive managed cows
invested their time walking to water points and feeding points.
Keywords: Distance, weight loss, low productivity, mortalities, youth, extensive, semi-extensive,
feeding
Dispelling the Myths Behind First-author Citation Counts
Get PDFWe conducted a full-scale evaluative citation analysis study of scholars in the XML research field to explore just how different from each other author rankings resulting from different citation counting methods actually are, and to demonstrate the capability of emerging data and tools on the Web in supporting more realistic citation counting methods. Our results contest some common arguments for the continued
use of first-author citation counts in the evaluation of scholars, such as high correlations between author rankings by first-author citation counts and other citation
counting methods, and high costs of using more realistic citation counting methods that are not well-supported by the ISI databases. It is argued that increasingly available digital full text research papers make it possible for citation analysis studies to go beyond what the ISI databases have directly supported and to employ more
sophisticated methods
Effects of water deprivation on the prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites in Nguni goats.
Get PDFMasters Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg.The broad objective of the study was to determine the effects of water deprivation on prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites in Nguni goats. A cross-sectional survey was conducted on 285 farmers that kept goats from KwaNongoma in Zululand district in South Africa. Data collected included household demographics, goat production constraints, extent of water scarcity, disease challenges and prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites. Varying periods of water deprivation (0, 24 and 48 hours) on water intake, feed intake, body weight, body condition score, FAMACHA, faecal egg counts and faecal larval counts were determined.
Government grant was the main source of income for households experiencing no water shortages (60 %) and those experiencing water shortages (65 %). All households kept goats for traditional ceremonies. The mean goat flock sizes were not significantly different (P > 0.05) between households that did not face water shortages (14.7 ± 1.25) and households that experienced water shortages (13.2 ± 1.23). Goats in households experiencing water shortages were 11.0 times more likely to experience water scarcity than goats from households facing no water shortages (P < 0.05). Coccidia and roundworms were the most prevalent parasites in goats from households experiencing water shortages.
From the experiment, daily water intake (DWI) was the same in goats deprived of water for 0 (control) and 24 and 48 hours (P > 0.05). The daily feed intake (DFI) and the DWI: DFI ratio deprived of water for 0 and 24 hours was similar (P > 0.05). The FEC was the same in goats deprived of water for 0 and 24 hours (P > 0.05). Faecal egg counts (FEC) were highest in goats deprived of water for 48 hours (P < 0.01). Faecal larval counts (FLC) for goats deprived of water for 48 hours were almost double the counts from goats deprived for 24 hours. This implied that parasite infestation was strongly related to water intake. Correlation between water deprivation period with DFI, DWI: DFI ratio and BCS were negative (P < 0.05). The FAMACHA scores increased as the water deprivation period was increased. The FAMACHA correlated positively with FEC and FLC (P < 0.01) and negatively with BWT. There was a negative correlation between water deprivation period and BWT (P < 0.01). Pearson’s correlation coefficients between FEC with water deprivation period were positive (P < 0.01), and negative with BWT (P < 0.01) and BCS (P < 0.05). There was a positive correlation between FLC and water deprivation period (P < 0.01), whereas a negative correlation with DFI (P < 0.05). It was concluded that coccidiosis and gastrointestinal parasites were major constraints to goat productivity and were severe in households that experienced water shortages. The increased periods of water deprivation compromised goat productivity, therefore, water deprivation periods can be set to 24 hours for Nguni goats
Influence of feed bulk on physicochemical properties of digesta in pigs.
Get PDFM.Sc.Agric. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg 2013.Physicochemical properties of fibre-based diets were used to determine the influence of feed bulk on physicochemical properties of digesta within each segment of the gastrointestinal tract and digesta in pigs. In the first experiment, three pigs (14 ± 1.2 kg body weight (BW) were allocated to each of six diets containing maize cob levels at 0, 80, 160, 240, 320 and 400 g/kg DM inclusion levels for four weeks. All pigs were fed ad libitum. They were slaughtered, eviscerated and weights of the gut compartments were recorded, then contents of digesta from each segment were sampled for the determination of water concentration, water holding capacity (WHC) and swelling capacity (SWC). The WHC of digesta in the stomach, ileum and caecum decreased (P < 0.05) with maize cob inclusion level. The SWC in the stomach decreased with the inclusion level of maize cob meal. The SWC of caecal digesta increased with maize cob inclusion (P < 0.05). Physicochemical properties of digesta increased (P < 0.05) from the stomach to ileum then decreased as the digesta moved through the hindgut.
In the second experiment, four fibres namely maize cob, lucerne hay, sunflower husk and citrus pulp were used. These fibres were used in formulating diets for finishing pigs. Twenty-one complete diets were formulated by dilution of a conventional feed with increment levels of each fibre source at 0, 80, 160, 240, 320 and 400 g/kg. Each of the diets was offered ad libitum to four of 84 pigs weighing 80.8 ± 8.15 kg body weight, in individual pens, for 30 days. Stomach weights increased linearly with an increase in neutral detergent fibre (NDF) but increased with quadratic functions with an increase in SWC of the diet (P <0.05). An increase in WHC of the fibrous diets increased linearly the WHC of the proximal colon (P <0.01) at a faster rate compared to the WHC of the distal colon (P <0.001). As the SWC of the diets increased, linear increases in SWC of the digesta in the stomach (P <0.01) and
caecum (P 0.05). There was a linear decrease (P < 0.01) in SFI of finishing pigs as the SWC of the digesta. It can be concluded that the swelling capacity of the diets and stomach digesta in stomach are accurate predictors of scaled feed intake. Swelling capacity had great influence in the stomach weights whilst other bulking properties, such as WHC and neutral detergent fibre, affected the weight and digesta properties in the caecum, proximal and distal colon.More keywords can be found on page iii of the dissertation
Influence of polyethylene glycol inclusion on growth performance and serum biochemistry of growing pigs fed on Acacia tortilis leaf meal.
Get PDFMaster of Science in Agriculture (Animal and poultry science)The broad objective of the study was to determine the influence of polyethylene glycol (PEG) in leaf meal diets on growth performance and serum biochemistry of growing pigs. Forty eight clinically healthy male F1 hybrid (Landrace x Large White, IPC group) pigs were randomly allotted to individually pens, in a complete randomized design. There were eight pigs with an initial body weight of 15.8 (s. d. 0.032) kg per treatment. The Acacia tortilis leaf meal was treated with six incremental levels (0, 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 g/kg) of PEG. Each of the six diets was offered ad libitum to pigs for four weeks. Clean water was available at all times.
Average daily feed intake (ADFI) and average daily gain (ADG) were determined every week. Scaled feed intake (SFI) and gain: feed ratio (G: F) were also calculated. Blood was collected at the end of the experiment to determine total protein (TP), albumin, globulin, creatinine, cholesterol, uric acid and activities of alkaline phosphatase (ALP), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST).
There was a quadratic increase in SFI (P 0.05) with PEG and ADF inclusion. There was a linear relationship between ADG and PEG inclusion (P 0.05). There was a linear decrease in the activity of AST and ALT (P 0.05).
In conclusion, PEG up to 25 g/kg increase most of the response variables quadratically. It can be concluded that the relationship between PEG inclusion and performance of growing pigs fed on A. tortilis is exponential, rather than linear
Adaptation and behaviour of finishing pigs to Vachellia tortilis leaf meal inclusion.
Get PDFMaster of Science in Animal and Poultry Science. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2017.The broad objective of the study was to determine the adaptation and behaviour of pigs fed on incremental levels of Vachellia tortilis leaf meal based diets. Forty-eight clinically healthy male pigs Large White × Landrace with a mean (± SD) body weight of 63.8 ± 3.28 kg were randomly assigned to individual pens in a completely randomized design. Eight pigs were fed on diets that contained 0, 30, 60, 90, 120 and 150 g/kg DM of V. tortilis leaf meal. Pigs were fed ad libitum and had free access to clean water throughout the experiment.
Average daily feed intake (ADFI), average daily gain (ADG) and gain: feed ratio (G: F) were determined weekly. The adaptation period was calculated at the end of the experiment for each individual pig. Coefficient of variation (CV) of feed intake across V. tortilis leaf meal diets was calculated. Number of visits to the feeder were calculated. The time spent eating, drinking, standing, lying down, sniffing, biting objects and licking objects were observed using six closed circuit television cameras (CCTV) once a week for three days.
There was a quadratic decrease (P < 0.001) in ADFI, while ADG increased linearly (P < 0.001) with incremental level of V. tortilis leaf meal. Incremental level of V. tortilis leaf meal increased G: F ratio quadratically (P < 0.001). A linear increase in adaptation period of pigs was observed (P < 0.05) with increasing inclusion level of V. tortilis leaf meal. The variation of feed intake, expressed as a coefficient of variation, increased linearly (P < 0.05) with increasing inclusion level of V. tortilis leaf meal. Increasing inclusion levels of V. tortilis leaf meal linearly
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decreased time spent eating, lying down and the number of visit to the feeder (P 0.05) between V. tortilis leaf meal inclusion and time spent drinking, sniffing and licking of objects. It can be concluded that pigs require a long time to adapt to Vachellia diets. Increasing levels of V. tortilis leaf meal also alters time spent on behavioural patterns of pigs
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