1,720,960 research outputs found
Kick-starting aquaponics production in South Africa.
Doctoral Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg.Abstract available in PDF
Comparative evaluation of small-scale vertical hydroponic structures against growing plants in soil with respect to growth parameters and resource use efficiencies.
Masters Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg.Abstract available in PDF
New approaches to the determination of minor frictional losses in irrigation systems.
Doctoral Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg.Abstract available in PDF
The effects of precipitation on the sugarcane supply chain of Sezela and Umzimkulu.
Master of Science in Bioresources Systems. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 2015.Abstract available in PDF file
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
The 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
Estimating traffic induced sugarcane losses for various harvesting, loading and infield transport operations in South Africa.
Doctor of Philosophy in Bioresources Engineering. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 2016.Infield traffic has been understood to cause adverse field conditions for crop growth. Literature containing traffic induced yield responses for sugarcane was reviewed and synthesised to better estimate the impact of infield traffic on sugarcane yields. Approximately 128 sugarcane yield responses to infield traffic treatments from local and international trials were collated and analysed. The impact of soil compaction effects on soil properties were not considered as there is a substantial body of knowledge on this topic. The results confirm that traffic on a sugarcane row is more detrimental than inter-row traffic. Soil water content at the time of infield traffic and infield traffic load intensity are further critical factors affecting soil compaction and sugarcane yield. Further aggregation of the data by soil textural groups was found to establish yield response trends useful for modelling of infield traffic scenarios, but were not statistically significant.
Infield traffic paths of equipment movements were surveyed and mapped for a range of typical harvesting systems found commercially in the South African sugarcane industry. The maps were analysed to proportion the field area by row traffic, inter-row traffic and remaining non traffic areas for each machine component used infield. Yield losses based on vehicle traffic impacts were assigned to each corresponding component as determined from the results of the literature synthesis. The traffic induced yield loss was apportioned to the areas trafficked to determine a field based yield loss estimate for each of the harvesting and extraction systems and a corresponding economic impact reported. The ranking of system costs, reported off a mechanisation costing base, altered when the additional field traffic induced yield loss components were added, particularly when yield losses were compounded across multiple ratoons within a cropping cycle. Systems operating with low impact vehicles, of low traffic extent combined with controlled traffic practices resulted in the lowest yield losses on a field basis and also resulted in the lowest overall cost. Controlled traffic practices reduce the impact of heavy infield equipment on yields.
The significance of this work is that the yield losses due to infield traffic can now be attributed to systems to allow for improved costing analyses and system comparisons to be conducted. It is proposed that this new contribution be incorporated into standard mechanisation costing methodologies to allow for such crop yield losses to be accounted for
Variations on the Author
“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
We 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
Determining an integrated solid waste management action plan for urban Harare city, Zimbabwe: a system dynamics approach.
Doctoral Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg.Abstract available in PDF
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