scholarly journals Party structures and organization building in Africa

2021 ◽  
pp. 135406882110410
Author(s):  
Sarah J Lockwood ◽  
Matthias Krönke ◽  
Robert Mattes

Political parties are a vital element in the quality of representative democracy, playing a crucial role in mobilization, competition, governance, and accountability. Despite their importance, however, we currently know relatively little about how political parties in Africa are organized, with most evidence restricted to journalistic accounts or country-specific scholarly accounts. This symposium, which comes out of a conference on political parties held at the University of Cape Town, takes a closer look at the development of party structures and organization across the continent. It seeks to answer a number of critical questions including: What affects the organizational structure of parties? How do party primaries affect party-building and electoral success? And what effect does the shrinking of open political space have on the ways in which parties organize? Taken as a whole, this issue brings together established and emerging scholars, to systematically explore, for the first time, what party organization looks like on the African continent, and how it affects critical issues of governance, mobilization, and accountability.

2012 ◽  
Vol 5 (12) ◽  
pp. 2993-3006 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. E. Sheese ◽  
K. Strong ◽  
E. J. Llewellyn ◽  
R. L. Gattinger ◽  
J. M. Russell ◽  
...  

Abstract. The Optical Spectrograph and InfraRed Imaging System (OSIRIS) on the Odin satellite is currently in its 12th year of observing the Earth's limb. For the first time, continuous temperature profiles extending from the stratopause to the upper mesosphere have been derived from OSIRIS measurements of Rayleigh-scattered sunlight. Through most of the mesosphere, OSIRIS temperatures are in good agreement with coincident temperature profiles derived from other satellite and ground-based measurements. In the altitude region of 55–80 km, OSIRIS temperatures are typically within 4–5 K of those from the SABER, ACE-FTS, and SOFIE instruments on the TIMED, SciSat-I, and AIM satellites, respectively. The mean differences between individual OSIRIS profiles and those of the other satellite instruments are typically within the combined uncertainties and previously reported biases. OSIRIS temperatures are typically within 2 K of those from the University of Western Ontario's Purple Crow Lidar in the altitude region of 52–79 km, where the mean differences are within combined uncertainties. Near 84 km, OSIRIS temperatures exhibit a cold bias of 10–15 K, which is due to a cold bias in OSIRIS O2 A-band temperatures at 85 km, the upper boundary of the Rayleigh-scatter derived temperatures; and near 48 km OSIRIS temperatures exhibit a cold bias of 5–15 K, which is likely due to multiple-scatter effects that are not taken into account in the retrieval.


2014 ◽  
Vol 32 (3) ◽  
pp. 308-321 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ling-Feng Hsieh ◽  
Jiung-Bin Chin ◽  
Mu-Chen Wu

Purpose – The aim of this paper is to construct a model of cost efficiency and service effectiveness for a university e-library to allocate e-resources cost and to attain quality of service enhancement and cater to the needs of readers with existing e-resources. Design/methodology/approach – The paper establishes an assessment model for the cost efficiency and service effectiveness of a university e-library in Taiwan. It then proceeds with an empirical study and analysis of related data collected from e-libraries of 16 universities. A discussion of the results of the study and suggestions for the adjustment of the university e-libraries follows. Findings – The paper combines two models of cost efficiency and service effectiveness for the first time to analyze and consider the output results created by the input cost of university e-libraries in Taiwan and their utilization by readers. Originality/value – The paper builds a figure for the relationship of e-library cost efficiency and service effectiveness at 16 universities in Taiwan and then divides it into four types.


Rechtsmedizin ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Witte ◽  
J.-P. Sperhake ◽  
K. Püschel ◽  
F. Holz ◽  
B. Ondruschka ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Decedents who are repatriated to Germany from abroad are not systematically registered nationwide. In Hamburg, in addition to an epidemic hygienic examination, registration and examination of the content of the documents accompanying the corpses of German citizens has been carried out since 2007. In this way, unclear and non-natural deaths in particular are to be followed up as necessary. Material and methods Protocols of external and internal autopsies of German nationals who died abroad and were repatriated to Hamburg via the port or airport between 2007 and 2018 were retrospectively evaluated with respect to numbers, completeness of the autopsy abroad and correctness of manner and cause of death. Results Between 2007 and 2018 a total of 703 corpses were repatriated via the port or airport of Hamburg and examined by the Port Medical Service for epidemic hygiene and for anything conspicuous in the documents accompanying the corpse. Of them, 307 corpses were examined at the Institute of Legal Medicine at the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf. In total, 82.4% of the examined cases had an incorrect, unspecific or incomplete foreign death certificate. Of the deceased, 238 were subjected to a second external autopsy by a forensic pathologist and 69 deceased were autopsied again or for the first time in Hamburg. It was found that 84% of the autopsies performed abroad were not performed according to German and European standards. The most common discrepancy was incomplete preparation of the organs. In almost one quarter of the autopsies performed in Hamburg a different cause of death than abroad was determined at autopsy. Conclusion Since the quality of autopsies performed abroad sometimes does not meet the standards in Germany and Europe and many papers accompanying corpses are incomplete or incorrectly filled out, a systematic review procedure in the home country is recommended. Through the system established in Hamburg in 2007, at least a re-evaluation of the cases takes place.


1970 ◽  
Vol 18 ◽  
pp. 275-288 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laszlo Berczelli

This paper throws light on one of the important invisibilia in the Ustinow collection in Oslo: a marble fragment of a prelate’s tombstone from Jaffa with incised pictorial decoration, dated to 1258 by the Gothic inscription in Latin, and a Cufic dedication table for a mosque on the rear side of the slab. In modern literature the Crusader tombstone is always discussed referring to 19th-century publications without photographic documentation. Consequently, the monument and related items from the Ustinow collection are never mentioned in the University Museum of Cultural Heritage in Oslo, which is the present owner. Moreover, many allusions in the literature contain erroneous, contradictory or incomplete information. In 1999 three new pieces of the tombstone were detected in the museum storage. Except for a small and insignificant fragment, the marble slab is now almost identical with the casual find in 1873, as it is shown in M. Lecomte’s contemporary drawing. This rediscovery gives us a new chance of studying the original slab in detail and correcting errors and confusions in earlier publications. Even the high artistic quality of the pictorial decoration can for the first time be fully recognized since Clermont-Ganneau’s early publications, and a new attempt will be made to find the relevant iconographic, art historical and historical contexts for the monument. There are many convincing indications that the Crusaders tombstone has to be connected to the French king Saint Louis IX’s Crusade and stay in Jaffa in 1252-1253. To answer the question of exact provenance a specialist in Cufic inscriptions has to re-examine the problems concerning the dedication of a mosque incised on the rear of the slab and the date of it.


2015 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 30
Author(s):  
Wei Feng ◽  
Shuhua Qiu ◽  
Zhenming Deng ◽  
Tao Dong

<p><strong>Objective:</strong> To analyze the causes of blood donation reaction of university students, propose appropriate preventive measures to avoid blood waste and ensure the quality of the blood. <strong>Methods:</strong> The university students in Guiyang city were selected from January to December 2010, The cases of blood donation reaction and the causes are analyzed on 7063 college students. <strong>Results:</strong> Among the 7063 college students, there are 292 students with blood donation reaction, the main cause is psychological factors, followed by fatigue before blood donation, not-ideal blood donation environment, limosis or starvation, etc. It occurs more in the first time donors. blood donors with different times and posture have different adverse reactions. <strong>Conclusion:</strong> Constantly summarizing experiences, development and implementation of scientific and causable preventive measures, improving the environment for blood donation, strengthening the sense of responsibility and sense of service of blood collection personnel, strengthening psychological nursing, giving donors a warm caring and confidence as far as possible, making donors relax mind and in the best state can help to reduce and prevent the occurrence of blood donation reaction, organize  more donators and college students to actively participate in blood donation, in order to promote vigorous, healthy and sustained development of voluntary blood donation. The blood donation adverse reactions of university students are related to the frequency of blood donation and posture, we have developed a series of preventive measures against the causes of blood donation adverse reactions to reduce the incidence of adverse reactions.</p>


2016 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 116-129
Author(s):  
S. Kyobula-Mukoza ◽  
C. Volks ◽  
L. Reddy

The purpose of this research article is to report the findings of an implementation evaluation that was conducted to assess the quality of services offered by two service providers at an HIV testing campaign, rolled out at the University of Cape Town (UCT). This evaluation was conducted to investigate the quality of service provided by a PEPFAR funded HIV testing organisation and a non-PEPFAR HIV testing organisation. The HIV testing campaign was open to all students at UCT. The goal of the campaign was to encourage students to know their status and be informed about safer sex practices. The HIV testing and counselling process ran for three days in August 2011. The sample of this evaluation consisted of UCT registered students who volunteered to take part in the HIV testing and counselling campaign. The non-probability sampling method was used. This entailed selecting students on the basis of their availability to test for HIV. To gather data for the evaluation, a quantitative survey questionnaire was developed and administered. Findings from this evaluation revealed that both service providers offered a good quality service. In other words, the HIV testing services provided by the PEPFAR funded organisation compared favourably with the services provided by a non-PEPFAR funded organisation.


2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. 2432 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lin Feng ◽  
Wei Wei

We introduce an approach that supports researchers and practitioners to determine the quality of first-time user experience (FTUX) and long-term user experience (LTUX), as well as to identify critical issues with these two types of UX. The product we chose to study is a mobile fitness application. Mobile apps tend to have a much shorter service life than most other products; thus, the developers/designers need to pay great attention to both first-time and long-term user experience. This study is based on a multi-method approach. We employed the AttrakDiff questionnaire to assess users’ first impressions of the app, and the UX Curve method to evaluate how users’ experience of the app has changed over time. Besides the quantitative data, which helped to determine the quality of user experience, we also collected qualitative data during two interviews with participants, and focused on the issues that predominantly deteriorated user experience. A four-coordinate plane tool was designed later in the data analysis process that combined the two kinds of user experience data at the same time, which led to a qualitative positioning of the user experience status of a certain product. The model was further successfully adopted in the identification of user experience issues of an online fitness application.


2019 ◽  
pp. 128-142
Author(s):  
Abour H. Cherif ◽  
Farahnaz Movahedzadeh ◽  
Gerald Adams ◽  
Margaret Martyn ◽  
Jennifer D. Harris ◽  
...  

With growth in enrollment in online courses at the university level, the quality of those courses is coming under increased scrutiny. This study surveyed faculty with experience in online, onsite, and blended courses to identify factors most likely to impede student success in online courses as well as strategies to improve online courses. The most common responses for why students might find online courses more challenging focus in the areas time management, student-teacher interaction, and motivation. The strategies for improving student success in online courses fall into the categories of assignments, teaching strategies, and training for both faculty and students. Steps for students to take before enrolling in an online course and tips for faculty who want to teach online courses for the first time are also included as appendices.


Author(s):  
Marco Dettori ◽  
Antonio Azara ◽  
Erika Loria ◽  
Andrea Piana ◽  
Maria Masia ◽  
...  

The aim of the work is to evaluate the effectiveness of the risk communication strategies in cases of unsafe drinking water supply in Sardinia, the Italian context with the highest population distrust in drinking water safety. During the period 2010–2015, the ordinances published on the institutional websites were analyzed, and the population risk perception was evaluated by applying, for the first time in public health threats, the “OUTRAGE Prediction & Management” software released by Sandman. Overall, 417 ordinances issued by the Sardinian Municipalities were found. Only 1.5% of the ordinances reported information about parameters, concentrations, and risks to health, whereas 4.8% indicated only the parameters and non-standard levels. By contrast, 53.2% specified only the non-standard parameter, and 40.5% indicated a generic non-drinking motivation. The outrage assessment showed values exceeding the threshold of risk acceptance, attributable to the lack and low clarity of the information reported by the ordinances. The present study allowed us to highlight critical issues in risk communication of the quality of drinking water.


2019 ◽  
pp. 137-141
Author(s):  
S.V. Soloviev

В рамках нового издательского проекта Санкт-Петербургский альманах Парадигма начал выпуск серии книг, посвященных истории Высших Женских (Бестужевских) курсов, показанной через биографии курсисток. В 2018 г. вышло две книги серии: Дневник одного живого существа: Из жизни бестужевки (автор Н.Х. Орлова, издание посвящено Е.П. Казанович) и Ксения Милорадович: судьба, письма, творчество (авторы А.В. Востриков и Н.Х. Орлова), готовится к изданию третья. Автор рецензии высоко оценивает проект и его перспективы, а также отдает должное качеству архивно-библиографической работы, проделанной авторами первых двух книг серии. Представленные книги и в целом идея издательского проекта Парадигмы вносят серьезный вклад в исследование истории Санкт-Петербургского университета и истории высшего образования в России. При этом характер подачи материала и язык книг, живой и увлекательный, позволяют рекомендовать их не только исследователям, специализирующимся в данной тематике, но и широкому кругу читателей, интересующихся историей университетского образования, женщин-ученых и в целом историей России.As part of a new publishing project, the St. Petersburg almanac Paradigm started the production of a series of books on the history of the Higher Womens (Bestuzhev) Courses told through biographies of female students. In 2018, two books of the series were published: The Diary of a Living Being: From the Life of a Bestuzhevka (by N.Kh.Orlova), devoted to Evlalia P.Kazanovich, and Ksenia Miloradovich: Destiny, Letters, Creativity (by A.V. Vostrikov and N.Kh. Orlova), the third book of the series is being prepared for publication. The author of the review highly appreciates the project and its prospects, and the quality of archival and bibliographic work performed by the authors of the first two books of the series. The presented books and the whole idea of the publishing project developed by Paradigm make a serious contribution to the study of the history of St. Petersburg University and the history of higher education in Russia. In the diaries and correspondence of Miloradovich and Kazanovich, which are published for the first time, a significant place is occupied by teachers of the Bestuzhev Courses, wellknown scientists such as A.I.Vvedensky, E.L.Radlov, I.A.Shlyapkin. The biography of the heroines of the books reflects the era not only the joy of gaining opportunities for women to get a university education, to freely choose their own profession, but also revolutionary whirlwinds, political repression and personal losses. Their lives were intimately intertwined not only with the history of the Higher Womens (Bestuzhev) Courses, but also with the entire cultural life of Saint PetersburgPetrogradLeningrad. Much is said about the content of philosophical lectures in the prerevolutionary years, about the anxieties and hopes of their listeners. For the authors of the books who are closely associated with the university (Aleksey Vostrikov is incharge of the Bestuzhev library, Nadezhda Orlova studied in the building of the former Bestuzhev Courses, and later became a professor at the Faculty of Philosophy), this is also a fulfillment of a duty of memory. At the same time, the nature of the presentation of the material and the language of the books, lively and fascinating, allows recommending them not only to researchers specializing in this topic, but also to a wide circle of readers interested in the history of university education, women scientists and, in general, the history of Russia.


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