In this thesis, I use a multi-perspectival analytical approach to investigate the paralanguage of naturally occurring work-based Instant Message conversations. My research into the field of computer-mediated discourse analysis (CMDA) has shown that written non-verbal cues have been considered as important means of contextualising text-based computer-mediated communication (CMC), yet their scholarly treatment has been scant. Previous findings about the importance paralanguage in CMD have been further strengthened by the findings of the field of business communication: in the virtual work environment the lack of audio-visual information has been found to contribute to miscommunication and consequently hinder cooperation. The linguistic devices and discursive strategies that are used in order to compensate for the limitations imposed by the text-based communicative channel have therefore been identified as in need of further exploration. In this thesis, I have outlined a CMC cue system based on the previous findings of CMDA to investigate the range of cues used as non-verbal signals in workplace text- based CMC. I have also used a multi-perspectival approach based on the theoretical frameworks of interactional sociolinguistics, communities of practice, relational work and politeness and conversation analysis (CA) in order to investigate the range of interactional roles of paralanguage during computer-mediated business conversations. The interpretive CA-informed analysis I have conducted has provided evidence of the important role of non-verbal signals during the contextualisation of complex transactional and relational communicative goals in the workplace. The analysis in this thesis has provided two significant results: firstly, by incorporating the findings of research into paralanguage of spoken as well as other written genres it resulted in a comprehensive description of the orthographic and typographic non-verbal cues used in text-based CMC and, secondly, by drawing on the multi-perspectival framework, it allowed for a description of the complex interactional functions of these cues during the contextualisation of content and relational intent and the creation of interactional coherence in IM.

Magister Commercii - MCom / Against the background of major corporate scandals internationally and in South Africa, questions are being asked about the level of morality of leaders in organisations. This study assessed the level of moral reasoning of senior managers in a South African company in the insurance industry. The study was based on Kohlberg’s Cognitive Moral Development (CMD) Theory and an assessment of key literature pieces relating to ethical leadership and business ethics. Research has demonstrated that ethical leaders have a significant influence on an organisation’s performance, reputation, sustainability, ethical climate and employee engagement. Globally and in the South African corporate context it is therefore important for organisations to understand the capacity of its leaders to behave ethically so that appropriate interventions can be engaged in. More specifically, this study aimed to assess the level of moral reasoning of managers in a large South African organisation and examined the relationship between the variables age, gender, race, tenure and education on the one hand and the level of moral reasoning on the other hand. This study also assessed the reliability of the Managerial Moral Judgment Test (MMJT). This study was a cross-sectional, quantitative study utilising a previously developed questionnaire, the Managerial Moral Judgment Test. This study contributed to the very sparse body of knowledge of managerial moral reasoning in the South African business context, while the research results can be used to identify managerial training and development needs in ethics in the organisation studied. This study found that the moral reasoning levels of managers at the research site, is at the conventional level, while the variables age, gender, race, tenure and education have no significant influence on the level of moral reasoning. In addition, this study established the internal reliability of the Managerial Moral Judgment Test and located ethical leadership and business ethics in the literature.

Körperliche Gesundheit und maximale Leistungsfähigkeit gelten im Spitzensport als oberste Priorität. So können akute Schmerzen im Mund-, Kiefer-, Gesichtsbereich sowie funktionelle Beschwerdebilder zu Ausfällen, mangelnder Regeneration und Leistungseinbußen führen. Obwohl eine entsprechende Beachtung im Profisport von zahlreichen internationalen Organisationen wie FDI, IOC und UEFA gefordert wird, belegen Studien, dass Leistungssportler unterschiedlichste Defizite des Mungesundheitszustandes aufweisen. Insgesamt gibt es nur wenig verfügbare Daten, daher war es ein Ziel der Dissertation zu Grunde liegenden Studie, klinische Daten zu oralen Entzündungen, Karieserfahrung, craniomandibulären Dysfunktioen sowie Erosionen (orofaszialer Gesundheitsstatus) von jungen Spitzensportlern in Deutschland zu erheben und diese im Vergleich zu einer Kontrollgruppe einzuordnen. Ein weiterer Fokus lag auf der Erfassung des Mundgesundheitsverhaltens dieser speziellen Kohorte um eine Einschätzung der Bedeutung diese Faktor auf den vorliegenden Mundgesundheitszustand zu ermöglichen.:1. Einführung in das Thema 1.1. Einleitung 1.2. Mundgesundheitszustand bei Sportlern 1.3. Auswirkungen der Mundgesundheit auf die sportliche Performance 1.3.1. Allgemeines 1.3.2. Einschränkungen durch akute Beschwerden 1.3.3. Systemischer Einfluss 1.4. Auswirkungen des Leistungssports auf die Mundgesundheit 1.4.1. Allgemeines 1.4.2. Verändertes Mundgesundheitsverhalten 1.4.3. Vermehrte Mundtrockenheit 1.4.4. Spezielle Ernährungsgewohnheiten 1.4.5. Systemischer Einfluss 1.5. Fragestellung der vorliegenden Studie 2. Publikationsmanuskript 3. Zusammenfassung der Arbeit 4. Literatur 5. Wissenschaftliche Präsentation 6. Darstellung des eigenen Beitrages 7. Erklärung über die eigenständige Abfassung der Arbeit 8. Lebenslauf 9. Danksagung

Die vorliegende Arbeit fasst 4 Studien zusammen, die konservative Behandlungsstrategien und Folgeerscheinungen an Kiefergelenken mit bestehender Diskusverlagerung (DV) ohne Reposition evaluieren. Studie 1 beurteilt die Therapie mit Äquilibrierungsschienen in Form einer Anwendungsbeobachtung. Die Schmerzsymptomatik und die Kieferöffnungsweite werden über einen Beobachtungszeitraum von 13 Monaten positiv beeinflusst. Studie 2 zeigt als randomisierte, kontrollierte Doppelblindstudie, dass sich die Symptomatik der DV ohne Reposition sowie der aktivierten Arthrose während eines Beobachtungszeitraums von 4 Monaten signifikant verbessert, unabhängig von der durchgeführten Therapie bzw. der Behandlung mit einem Placebogerät. Somit erzielt die Pulsierende Signaltherapie keinen spezifischen therapeutischen Effekt. Die Studie 3 beurteilt die Kaueffektivität bei vorliegender DV ohne Reposition im Vergleich zu einer Kontrollgruppe. Die Kaueffektivität nimmt in Abhängigkeit von der Dauer des Krankheitsbildes deutlich zu, erreicht jedoch nicht die Effizienz der gesunden Vergleichsgruppe. Die Studie 4 stellt eine MRT-gestützte Nachuntersuchung von Patienten mit DV ohne Reposition dar. Das Krankheitsbild geht mit deutlichen degenerativen Veränderungen der Gelenkstrukturen einher, die sich aber über einen Beobachtungszeitraum von ca. 2 Jahren hinweg nicht signifikant verändern. Entzündungszeichen nehmen jedoch signifikant ab und die Translationsbewegung der Kondylen verbessert sich. Die DV ohne Reposition kann somit als Krankheitsbild mit morphologischen Veränderungen und funktionellen Beeinträchtigungen gewertet werden, dessen subjektive Beschwerden sich auch ohne Intervention verbessern. Morphologische Veränderungen unterliegen sich selbst limitierenden Adaptationsmechanismen. / This work presents four studies dealing with disk displacement without reduction, its treatment and long-term effects. Study 1 evaluates the treatment effects of stabilization splints. The study has a prospective follow-up design. Thirteen months after the baseline examination pain relieves and mouth opening reached a significant larger extend. Study 2 is randomised controlled and double blinded and evaluates pulsed electromagnetic fields (PEMF) as a new conservative treatment method. After a period of 4 months the pain relieves significantly and mouth opening is significantly larger in patients with anterior disk displacement or activated arthrosis, independent to active or mock treatment. PST has no specific effect on disk displacement without reduction or activated arthrosis. Study 3 tests the chewing efficiency of patients with disk displacement without reduction in comparison to a control trial. The chewing efficiency improves according to the time since onset of the disorder but is nevertheless reduced compared to a control group without TMJ-disorders. Study 4 is a MRI-controlled study, evaluating morphologic changements. Over an average time of 2 years no significant ongoing of degenerative changements accur, only high signal areas disappear and the translation of the condyle improves significantly. Anterior disk displacement is therefore a TMJ-disorder accompanied by limitation of joint function and degenerative changements of joint structures, which improve without treatment and can be interpreted as a self limiting adaptative process.

No description available.

Masters of Science / The aim of this study was to develop a Stock Control Assessment Tool for use in the public health care sector and then to apply it to identify problems in the stock control system. This would help authorities to optimize the system. The advantages experienced with such a dynamic Assessment Tool were many: The Tool was quick and easy to apply; it was user friendly; it provided an immediate SWOT analysis of a particular facility; it is in line with the SA NDP directives and it provides an indication of which structures are in place and whether they are functioning properly. Furthermore; it could determine the increase or decrease in performance of a facility (therefore identify trends within the functional status of a system) when data is collected over a period of time; and finally, it could also be used to prioritize drug policy directives. The following steps were established in the development of the Tool: A literature review of pharmaceutical stock control and Drug Supply Management was addressed to provide the background information for the motivation of this study and to identify the various elements that could influence stock control at a facility level. Observational studies were applied at selected private and public facilities to observe the impact of these identified stock control elements. An 'ideal' stock control system was then generated from the literature review and observational assessment. A structured questionnaire was developed and surveyed at these facilities to generate key areas of concern of a stock control system. A study and adaptation of the indicator methods used by the World Health Organization (WHO) to monitor drug use in health facilities resulted in the formulation of a practical Stock Control Assessment Tool based on 11 key indicators and a number of sub-indicators, all of which were objectively defined. The Tool was then applied at selected public facilities and the results were analyzed quantitatively, qualitatively and subjectively. Each of the indicators was then applied and results examined closely with a view to possible refinements of the indicator. The refinements were made and the Tool was re-applied at two selected facilities. These two facilities were randomly selected from the original six facilities included for the testing of the Tool. Final conclusions and specific recommendations were generated to improve the stock control systems at the selected public health care facilities.

Made available in DSpace on 2017-07-10T17:11:48Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertacao Mariana Uzeda2.pdf: 3273824 bytes, checksum: cb0d125fc8aae9dfe673029b5f5a30a5 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014-08-29 / This work presents a comparative study between four different sliding mode variable structure control strategies (SMVSC) applied to autonomous underwater vehicles (AUV) positioning in 6 DOF, under the influence of wind, waves and marine currents. The addressed strategies are the conventional CEV-MD control based on Lyapunov stability, the CEV-MD control based on the equivalent control, the CEV-MD control based on the input-output stability and the CEVMD adaptive control. The accomplished comparisons seek a satisfactory tradeoff between the tracking performance and the closed-loop system stability in light of eliminating the chattering phenomenon. In that sense, the analysis and synthesis of the respective SMVSC control laws is carried out fromthe Lyapunov Stability Theory and the Barbalat s Lemma. As well as numerical simulations are implemented to obtaining the respective performances of each SMVSC control strategy presented. / Este trabalho apresenta um estudo comparativo entre quatro diferentes estratégias de controle de estrutura variável por modos deslizantes (CEV-MD) aplicadas ao posicionamento de veículos subaquáticos autônomos (VSA) em 6 GDL, sob a influência de ventos, ondas e correntes marinhas. As estratégias abordadas são o controle CEV-MD convencional baseado na estabilidade de Lyapunov, o controle CEV-MD baseado no controle equivalente, o controle CEV-MD baseado na estabilidade entrada-saída e o controle CEV-MD adaptativo. As comparações realizadas visam a eliminação do do fenômeno do chattering buscando um compromisso satisfatório entre o desempenho de rastreamento e a estabilidade do sistema em laço fechado. Nesse sentido, a análise e síntese das respectivas leis de controle CEV-MD é realizada a partir da Teoria de Estabilidade de Lyapunov e do Lema de Barbalat. Assim como simulações numéricas são implementadas para a obtenção dos respectivos desempenhos de cada estratégia de controle CEV-MD apresentada.

Sustainable performance of buildings has become a major concern among construction industry professionals. However, sustainability considerations are often treated as an add-on to building design, following ad hoc processes for their implementation. As a result, the most common problem to achieve a sustainable building outcome is the absence of the right information at the right time to make critical decisions. For design team members to appreciate the requirements of multidisciplinary collaboration, there is a need for transparency and a shared understanding of the process. The aim of this study is to investigate, model, and facilitate the early stages of Building Information Modelling (BIM) enabled Sustainable Building Design (SBD) by formalising the ad hoc working relationships of the best practices in order to standardise the optimal collaboration workflows. Thus, this research strives to improve BIM maturity level for SBD, assisting in the transition from ad hoc to defined , and then, to managed . For this purpose, this study has adopted an abductive research approach (iterative process of induction and deduction) for theory building and testing. Four (4) stages of data collection have been conducted, which have resulted in a total of 32 semi-structured interviews with industry experts from 17 organisations. Fourteen (14) best practice case studies have been identified, and 20 incidents narratives have been collected applying the Critical Decision Method (CMD) to examine roles and responsibilities, resources, information exchanges, interdependencies, timing and sequence of events, and critical decisions. As a result, the research has classified the critical components of SBD into a framework utilising content and thematic analyses. These have included the definition of roles and competencies that are essential for SBD along with the existing opportunities, challenges, and limitations. Then, Schedules of Services for SBD have been developed for the following stages of the RIBA Plan of Work 2013: stage 0 (Strategic Definition), stage 1 (Preparation and Brief), and stage 2 (Concept Design). The abovementioned SBD components have been coordinated explicitly into a systematic process, which follows Concurrent Engineering (CE) principles utilising Integrated DEFinition (IDEF) structured diagramming techniques (IDEF0 and IDEF3). The results have identified the key players roles and responsibilities, tasks (BIM Uses), BIM-based deliverables, and critical decision points for SBD. Furthermore, Green BIM Box (GBB) workflow management prototype tool has been developed to analyse communication and delivery of BIM-enabled SBD in a centralised system (Common Data Environment, CDE). GBB s system architecture for SBD process automation is demonstrated through Use Case Scenarios utilising the OMG UML (Object Management Group s Unified Modelling Language) notation. The proposed solution facilitates the implementation of BIM, Information Communication Technology (ICT), and Building Performance Analysis (BPA) software to realise the benefits of combining distributed teams expertise holistically into a common process. Finally, the research outcomes have been validated through academic and industrial reviews that have led to the refinement of the IDEF process model and framework. It has been found that collaborative patterns are repeatable for a variety of different non-domestic building types such as education, healthcare, and offices. Therefore, the research findings support the idea that a detailed process, which follows specified communication patterns, can assist in achieving sustainability targets efficiently in terms of time, cost, and effort.

This diploma thesis is concerned with possibilities of patient data transfer from a pacemaker or implantable cardioverter-defibrillator to physician over GSM. Theoretical part describes options of data transfer in GSM networks, data appropriate for sending and a structure of message is proposed. A device, that is able to send medical data in a form of SMS messages is designed and constructed. The device uses a Freescale MC68HC908GP32 microcontroller, character display with a Hitachi HD44780 controller and a cell phone Sony CMD-J70. The program for microcontroller is written in assembler for HC08. For tabular view of received messages, an application software for PC was created.