ICT: performance evaluation of community development worker’s in South Africa on e-skills*

ABSTRACT

Community development service practitioners have been increasingly burdened with a broader range of responsibilities and ICT could enhance their productivity. Therefore, it is prudent to incorporate information communication technology (ICT) skills into the skills matrix required by the practitioners in order to deliver the service effectively. Furthermore, ICT use is prevalent in almost every organization, therefore, ICT can also serve as a major factor in flexibility of delivery of community development service to the communities, but only if the practitioners possess adequate skills in using ICT tools (software applications) in retrieving, presenting and disseminating valuable and adequate information within the workplace to the parties involved. The study determines the current work conditions, level of performance and expertise in the use of ICT among community development workers (CDWs) in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, by evaluating their abilities and experiences, with a view to identify the areas to enhance their effectiveness. Determining the competency of their use of ICT applications is not an easy task; thus a survey methodology was adopted, with a sample of 189 CDWs (63% female and 37% male). Respondents were given the opportunity to rate of their own current ability to use common computer software applications.     

电磁流量计的使用及维护

介绍了电磁流量计的工作原理,电磁流量计的精度、口径和传感器绝缘衬里选择;一体电磁流量计和分体式电磁流量计的安装;电磁流量计在使用过程中故障现象和处理方法。     

变压器绕组温度计异常的原因及改进建议

介绍了9F燃机发电机主变压器的绕组温度计异常现象的分析和处理及绕组温度测量的热模拟法和改进建议.     

移动阅读终端介绍及测试方法研究

基于对信息需求的硬性需求,随着通信技术、显示技术、数据版权和计算机技术的飞速发展,移动阅读悄然进入我们的生活,改变着我们传统的阅读方式,由此也产生了信息量无限大而又具备纸质阅读感受的移动阅读终端。本文首先对移动阅读终端的软、硬件和功能进行介绍,进而简要介绍移动阅读终端的测试方法,最后对移动阅读终端发展进行了展望。     

Comparative Antimicrobial Activity of Silver Nanoparticles Obtained by Wet Chemical Reduction and Solvothermal Methods

The synthesis of nanoparticles from noble metals has received high attention from researchers due to their unique properties and their wide range of applications. Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), in particular, show a remarkable inhibitory effect against microorganisms and viruses. Various methods have been developed to obtain AgNPs, however the stability of such nanostructures over time is still challenging. Researchers attempt to obtain particular shapes and sizes in order to tailor AgNPs properties for specific areas, such as biochemistry, biology, agriculture, electronics, medicine, and industry. The aim of this study was to design AgNPs with improved antimicrobial characteristics and stability. Two different wet chemical routes were considered: synthesis being performed (i) reduction method at room temperatures and (ii) solvothermal method at high temperature. Here, we show that the antimicrobial properties of the obtained AgNPs, are influenced by their synthesis route, which impact on the size and shape of the structures. This work analyses and compares the antimicrobial properties of the obtained AgNPs, based on their structure, sizes and morphologies which are influenced, in turn, not only by the type or quantities of precursors used but also by the temperature of the reaction. Generally, AgNPs obtained by solvothermal, at raised temperature, registered better antimicrobial activity as compared to NPs obtained by reduction method at room temperature.     

高速切削振动的形成及其控制

基于系统工程理论,阐述了高速机床结构、工具系统构成、工件材料特性、切削参数选用和加工环境状况是导致高速切削加工振动形成的主要原因。探讨了高速加工振动形成的机制,并针对高速加工系统各部位控制的特点,提出了主动控制高速加工振动的主要控制策略及改进途径。     

LD端面抽运激光介质热效应的有限元分析

针对激光介质的通光面为方形、抽运光为高斯光束的情况,以Nd:YAG激光介质为例,用ANSYS有限元软件模拟了激光介质的热效应,精确地给出了激光介质中各点的温度和温度分布。分别对提高介质侧面对流换热系数、降低冷却液温度、抽运端面水冷这3种情况下的温度场进行了模拟。结果表明,通过提高晶体侧面的热对流换热系数和降低冷却液温度,几乎不能降低激光介质的热效应,而通过抽运端面水冷,可有效地降低激光介质的热效应。     

In Vitro Assays to Identify Metabolism-Disrupting Chemicals with Diabetogenic Activity in a Human Pancreatic β-Cell Model

There is a need to develop identification tests for Metabolism Disrupting Chemicals (MDCs) with diabetogenic activity. Here we used the human EndoC-βH1 β-cell line, the rat β-cell line INS-1E and dispersed mouse islet cells to assess the effects of endocrine disruptors on cell viability and glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS). We tested six chemicals at concentrations within human exposure (from 0.1 pM to 1 µM). Bisphenol-A (BPA) and tributyltin (TBT) were used as controls while four other chemicals, namely perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), triphenylphosphate (TPP), triclosan (TCS) and dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE), were used as “unknowns”. Regarding cell viability, BPA and TBT increased cell death as previously observed. Their mode of action involved the activation of estrogen receptors and PPARγ, respectively. ROS production was a consistent key event in BPA-and TBT-treated cells. None of the other MDCs tested modified viability or ROS production. Concerning GSIS, TBT increased insulin secretion while BPA produced no effects. PFOA decreased GSIS, suggesting that this chemical could be a “new” diabetogenic agent. Our results indicate that the EndoC-βH1 cell line is a suitable human β-cell model for testing diabetogenic MDCs. Optimization of the test methods proposed here could be incorporated into a set of protocols for the identification of MDCs.     

关于异黄酮类化合物精制方法的探讨

简单介绍了异黄酮类化合物的结构、性质,着重对吸附法、超滤膜法、溶剂提取（萃取）法、色谱法、重结晶法等异黄酮精制方法的特点和应用情况进行了综述。     

A cluster-DEE-based strategy to empower protein design

The Medical and Pharmaceutical industries have shown high interest in the precise engineering of protein hormones and enzymes that perform existing functions under a wide range of conditions. Proteins are responsible for the execution of different functions in the cell: catalysis in chemical reactions, transport and storage, regulation and recognition control. Computational Protein Design (CPD) investigates the relationship between 3-D structures of proteins and amino acid sequences and looks for all sequences that will fold into such 3-D structure. Many computational methods and algorithms have been proposed over the last years, but the problem still remains a challenge for Mathematicians, Computer Scientists, Bioinformaticians and Structural Biologists. In this article we present a new method for the protein design problem. Clustering techniques and a Dead-End-Elimination algorithm are combined with a SAT problem representation of the CPD problem in order to design the amino acid sequences. The obtained results illustrate the accuracy of the proposed method, suggesting that integrated Artificial Intelligence techniques are useful tools to solve such an intricate problem.