After coming into government in 1994, the African National Congress (ANC) committed and became a signatory to some of the international, regional and national instruments for human rights and social security such as the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR). The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996 (Section 27(1) (c)), makes specific provision for the promotion and recognition of human rights such as social and economic rights, provision of health, water, shelter and social security. This includes provision for appropriate social assistance to people who are unable to support themselves and their dependants. For human rights to be effectively realised, policies governing the administration of social grants needed to be updated to address all the inequalities of the past and poverty. Before 1994, the formulation and operationalisation of policy in South Africa was characterised by a lack of transparency, while participation and the inclusion of all affected stakeholders was limited. To address this situation, the primary objective of this study was to develop a policymaking framework for the effective implementation of social assistance by the Department of Social Development (DSD) and the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA). The study included an assessment of the extent to which the existing policy-making framework for social assistance in South Africa has affected policy implementation within and between SASSA and DSD. To achieve this primary objective, a number of secondary objectives had to be achieved. These included: • To explore and conduct a literature survey on the prevailing theories and models of the existing theoretical framework and principles of the public policy-making process and policy implementation; • To analyse statutory, regulatory requirements and guidelines defining the functionality and relationship between DSD and SASSA in the implementation of the social assistance programme; and • To develop guidelines and propose key recommendations on how DSD and SASSA can improve on policy-making processes to achieve a more effective implementation of the social assistance programme. A case study design was followed for data collection, with SASSA Gauteng region as case study. Data was collected by means of interviews using an interview schedule, and was conducted with both regional and local office staff as units of analysis. The empirical findings emanating from the interviews indicated that, although there is some collaboration between DSD and SASSA during the policy-making processes, there are strong indications that this is not cascaded down to the operational levels for implementation. All of the interview participants agreed that the nature of current policy processes is reactionary to problems facing the South African Government. Participants maintained that there is limited or no consultation between DSD and SASSA before any agenda-setting process to determine the level of commitment and buy-in from stakeholders. Within the policy-making context public participation as defined by the UNDP (1981:5) in Cloete and De Coning (2011:91) entails the creation of opportunities that enable all members of a community and the larger society to actively contribute to and influence the development process and to share in the fruits of development. According to the findings, policy formulation and implementation between DSD and SASSA require people with specific policy formulation, policy analysis and general research skills. Monitoring and effective evaluation of impact and analysis of the policy should also be considered as one of the key areas requiring urgent improvement. The recommendations provided are aimed at assisting both DSD and SASSA, in terms of social assistance, and to add value to the current policy-making, implementation, and service delivery processes. / M Public Administration, North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

<p>The purpose with this dissertation is to study the Intersex phenomenon in South Africa, meaning the interplay between the dual sex and gender norms in society. Hence, the treatment by some medical institutions and the view of some non-medical institutions upon this ‘treatment’, have been studied in relation to the Intersex infant’s human rights and citizenship rights. The thesis has moreover also investigated how young Intersex children are included/excluded and mentioned/not mentioned within South Africa’s legal system and within UN’s Convention on the Rights of the Child.</p><p>Furthermore, because Intersex children are viewed as ‘different’ on two accounts – their status as infants and born with an atypical congenital physical sexual differentiation, the thesis’ theoretical framework looks at the phenomenon from three perspectives – ‘the politics of difference’, human rights, and citizenship rights directed towards infants. The theoretical frameworks have been used to ask questions in relation to the empirical data, i.e. look at how the Intersex infants are ‘treated’ in relation to their status as ‘different’; and also in relation to the concept of being recognized, respected and allowed to partake in deciding whether to impose surgery or not. Moreover, what ‘treatment’ serves the best interest of the Intersex child? This has been done through semi structured interviews.</p><p>In conclusion, some of the dissertation’s most important features are that since the South African society, like many other societies, strongly live by the belief that there are only two sexes and genders, this implies that Intersex infants do not fit in and become walking pathologies who must be ‘fixed’ to become ‘normal’. Moreover, since most genital corrective surgeries are imposed without being medically or surgically necessary, and are generally imposed before the age of consent (18), the children concerned, are generally not asked for their opinion regarding the surgery. Lastly because early corrective surgery can have devastating life lasting consequences, this ultimately means that the child’s human rights and citizenship rights are of a concern. These conclusions do however not ignore the consequences one has to endure for the price of being ‘different’.</p>

This thesis is on the space--time variational multiscale (ST-VMS) computation of wind-turbine rotor and tower aerodynamics. The rotor geometry is that of the NREL 5MW offshore baseline wind turbine. We compute with a given wind speed and a specified rotor speed. The computation is challenging because of the large Reynolds numbers and rotating turbulent flows, and computing the correct torque requires an accurate and meticulous numerical approach. The presence of the tower increases the computational challenge because of the fast, rotational relative motion between the rotor and tower. The ST-VMS method is the residual-based VMS version of the Deforming-Spatial-Domain/Stabilized ST (DSD/SST) method, and is also called ``DSD/SST-VMST'' method (i.e., the version with the VMS turbulence model). In calculating the stabilization parameters embedded in the method, we are using a new element length definition for the diffusion-dominated limit. The DSD/SST method, which was introduced as a general-purpose moving-mesh method for computation of flows with moving interfaces, requires a mesh update method. Mesh update typically consists of moving the mesh for as long as possible and remeshing as needed. In the computations reported here, NURBS basis functions are used for the temporal representation of the rotor motion, enabling us to represent the circular paths associated with that motion exactly and specify a constant angular velocity corresponding to the invariant speeds along those paths. In addition, temporal NURBS basis functions are used in representation of the motion and deformation of the volume meshes computed and also in remeshing. We name this ``ST/NURBS Mesh Update Method (STNMUM).'' The STNMUM increases computational efficiency in terms of computer time and storage, and computational flexibility in terms of being able to change the time-step size of the computation. We use layers of thin elements near the blade surfaces, which undergo rigid-body motion with the rotor. We compare the results from computations with and without tower, and we also compare using NURBS and linear finite element basis functions in temporal representation of the mesh motion.

No description available.

Submitted by CARLA MARIA GOULART DE MORAES (carlagm) on 2015-04-06T17:18:33Z No. of bitstreams: 1 VilsonGartnerComputacao.pdf: 9068377 bytes, checksum: 6ace07d8901f11d83ef8a8c13f4f62c7 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2015-04-06T17:18:33Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 VilsonGartnerComputacao.pdf: 9068377 bytes, checksum: 6ace07d8901f11d83ef8a8c13f4f62c7 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011 / CAPES - Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / O Desenvolvimento Distribuído de Software (DDS) é um modelo de desenvolvimento que vem se intensificando nos últimos anos. Também conhecido como Desenvolvimento Global de Software (DGS), esse modelo de desenvolvimento é realizado por equipes em diferentes localizações geográficas. Entre os fatores que contribuem para esse aumento, está a necessidade de negócio das corporações, que buscam redução de custos, recursos qualificados e necessidade de uma presença global. Em outros casos, se deve ao surgimento de novos movimentos de desenvolvimento de software, como a comunidade de software livre, um exemplo bem sucedido de DDS. Apesar da necessidade ou mesmo da conveniência de desenvolver o software de forma distribuída, é extremamente difícil fazê-lo com sucesso. A separação física traz uma série de problemas e desafios interessantes que recém estão começando a ser compreendidas: questões estratégicas, questões culturais, comunicação inadequada, gestão do conhecimento, alocação de tarefas, confiança, questões técnicas, entre outros. Desde que surgiu, o DDS mudou grande parte da tradição do desenvolvimento de software e, para manter o seu mercado, as organizações não podem depender das mesmas competências e tecnologias de engenharia de software utilizadas no desenvolvimento interno. Nesse sentido, o presente trabalho tem por objetivo auxiliar na redução dos problemas e dificuldades trazidos por esse modelo de desenvolvimento, através da implementação de um ambiente de desenvolvimento cujas ferramentas foram definidas com base em estudos e trabalhos relacionados ao tema. / The Distributed Software Development (DSD) is a development model that has been intensified in recent years. Also known as Global Software Development (GSD), this development model is done by teams in different geographical locations. Among the factors that have contributed to this increase, there is the corporations business need of seeking ways to reduce costs, seeking skilled resources and having a global presence. In other cases, it is due to the emergence of new movements in software development, such as the free software community, a successful example of DSD. Despite the need or even desirability of developing software in a distributed way, it is extremely difficult to do this successfully. Physical separation has a number of interesting problems and challenges that are just beginning to be understood: strategic issues, cultural issues, inadequate communication, knowledge management, task allocation, trust, technical issues, among others. DSD has changed much of the tradition of software development since it appeared. Organizations cannot rely on the same skills and software engineering technologies used internally to maintain this new market. In this way, this work aims to help to reduce the problems and difficulties brought by this type of development, through the implementation of a software development environment whose tools were defined based on studies related to the topic.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-27T18:12:40Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Daniela Martins Galli.pdf: 866653 bytes, checksum: 03cc358fbf91f1908432a864f05858c3 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2009-02-26 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / This issue encompasses a bibliography exploratory study on the Disorders of Sexual Development (DSD). Its goal is to describe, analyze and systematize information on such disorders, especially in terms of ways of conceiving them and treating them to subsidize and give the speech support approach with this profile, through multi-and interdisciplinary teams. DSD questions, throughout life, organizational issues, sexuality and psychological constitution, including developments affecting the speech work for language sequels and damages often occur (oral and/or writing), in the voice and hearing. This issue was motivated by concerns and questions arising from clinical practice with patients with DSD. In the light of the lack of speech therapy studies on the subject, it was decided to make from clinical inquiries the axis of an initial systematization of the original (specialized) literature, introducing their questions to speech therapists, as well as highlighting the relevance of their work in this field. The literature points out the severe organic problems of DSD (genetic, hormonal, etc.), regarding distress and suffering of parents and patients due to the controversial, complex and multifaceted condition that overcome problems related to human sexuality. Ultimately, the problem surrounding these anomalies sets itself as a generating field of disorders of various sources: affective-related, organizational, communication, among others; which demands from health professionals specific training, standpoint, clinical listening and teamwork / Esta dissertação compreende um estudo bibliográfico exploratório sobre as anomalias da diferenciação sexual (ADS). Seus objetivos são descrever, analisar e sistematizar informações sobre tais anomalias, sobretudo em termos dos modos de concebê-las e tratá-las, para subsidiar e fundamentar a atuação fonoaudiológica com esses quadros, em equipes multi e interdisciplinares. As ADS põem em xeque, ao longo da vida, questões orgânicas, de sexualidade e de constituição psíquica, inclusive com desdobramentos que afetam o trabalho fonoaudiológico, pois, com frequência, ocorrem comprometimentos ou sequelas na linguagem (oral e/ou escrita), na voz e na audição. A pesquisa foi motivada por inquietações e questionamentos advindos da prática clínica com pacientes portadores de ADS. Em função da escassez de estudos fonoaudiológicos sobre o assunto, decidiu-se por fazer das indagações clínicas o eixo de uma sistematização inicial da literatura especializada, introduzindo suas questões aos fonoaudiólogos, bem como apontando a pertinência de seu trabalho nesse campo. A literatura aponta para os severos problemas orgânicos das ADS (genéticos, hormonais, etc.), para a angústia e o sofrimento de pais e pacientes, em função da condição polêmica, complexa e multifacetada que contorna os problemas ligados à sexualidade humana. Em última análise, a problemática em torno dessas anomalias configura-se como campo gerador de transtornos de diversas ordens: afetivo-relacional, orgânica, comunicacional, entre outras; o que demanda, dos profissionais da saúde, formação específica, posicionamento, escuta clínica e trabalho em equipe

The purpose with this dissertation is to study the Intersex phenomenon in South Africa, meaning the interplay between the dual sex and gender norms in society. Hence, the treatment by some medical institutions and the view of some non-medical institutions upon this ‘treatment’, have been studied in relation to the Intersex infant’s human rights and citizenship rights. The thesis has moreover also investigated how young Intersex children are included/excluded and mentioned/not mentioned within South Africa’s legal system and within UN’s Convention on the Rights of the Child. Furthermore, because Intersex children are viewed as ‘different’ on two accounts – their status as infants and born with an atypical congenital physical sexual differentiation, the thesis’ theoretical framework looks at the phenomenon from three perspectives – ‘the politics of difference’, human rights, and citizenship rights directed towards infants. The theoretical frameworks have been used to ask questions in relation to the empirical data, i.e. look at how the Intersex infants are ‘treated’ in relation to their status as ‘different’; and also in relation to the concept of being recognized, respected and allowed to partake in deciding whether to impose surgery or not. Moreover, what ‘treatment’ serves the best interest of the Intersex child? This has been done through semi structured interviews. In conclusion, some of the dissertation’s most important features are that since the South African society, like many other societies, strongly live by the belief that there are only two sexes and genders, this implies that Intersex infants do not fit in and become walking pathologies who must be ‘fixed’ to become ‘normal’. Moreover, since most genital corrective surgeries are imposed without being medically or surgically necessary, and are generally imposed before the age of consent (18), the children concerned, are generally not asked for their opinion regarding the surgery. Lastly because early corrective surgery can have devastating life lasting consequences, this ultimately means that the child’s human rights and citizenship rights are of a concern. These conclusions do however not ignore the consequences one has to endure for the price of being ‘different’.

Les programmes de développement font appel à l'expression coordonnée de milliers de gènes, à laquelle le RNA-seq nous donne maintenant accès.Quelles différences d'expression sous-tendent les différences de programmes de développement, (i)entre organes similaires d'une même espèce ? (ii) entre organes homologues dans des espèces différentes ? Alors que d'autres études s'intéressent à des gènes maîtres régulateurs, je me suis intéressée au transcriptome pris dans son ensemble, dans ce qu'il peut nous apporter pour comprendre les différences de programme de développement en relation avec la morphologie finale. Notre modèle est le développement des molaires inférieure et supérieure chez les rongeurs, pour lesquelles nous avons obtenus des séries transcriptomiques de germes dentaires complets ou de germe coupés en deux.La majeure partie de la variation dans ces données correspond à un signal temporel qui est observé pour organes complets au cours du développement, mais aussi plus finement entre réplicats et enfin au niveau de dents coupées en deux.Le deuxième patron de variation est la différence entre la molaire inférieure et supérieure.Nous avons mis en évidence que le transcriptome reflète les proportions relatives de tissus qui le composent et nous renseigne sur des différences de population de cellules constituant chaque molaire. Ainsi les molaires de souris diffèrent entre elles par leur composition relative en mésenchyme et en tissu de cuspides.Puis nous avons montré que les spécificités des programmes inf/sup sont conservées chez la souris et le hamster. Cependant, les différences transcriptomiques entre ces deux espèces ne corrèlent pas avec les différences morphologiques, même dans le cas où la morphologie est similaire. Cette évolution rapide des profils temporels d'expression est compatible avec un phénomène de dérive développementale.Enfin, je me suis intéressée à l'identité bucco-lingual (BL) des molaires, car les cuspides supplémentaires de la molaire sup de souris se forment côté lingual. Nous avons montré que le côté lingual a sa propre identité et que les différences d'expression BL sont plus fortes dans la molaire sup de souris. Enfin, les perspectives de ces travaux seront de comprendre les modifications du programme développemental qui différencient les molaires sup de souris et de hamster, en s'appuyant en plus sur les données BL, afin de comprendre comment la molaire sup de souris développe 2 cuspides linguales supplémentaires. / Developmental programs are the result of the coordinate expression of thousands of genes which is nowadays accessible through RNA-sequencing.Which differences in expression levels underlie differences in developmental programs, (i) betweensimilar organs of the same species? (ii) between homologous organs in different species?While others studies have been focusing on master regulatory genes, I concentrated on transcriptomeas a whole to untangle the link between differences in developmental programs and differences in final morphologies. Our model of study is the development of rodent upper and lower first molars, for which we obtained transcriptomes for either whole molar germs at different stages of development or molar germs cut in half.The main variation in these data is a temporal signal which is present in whole organs, as in biological replicates and also in germ halves. The second pattern of variation is the difference between upper and lower molars. We evidenced that transcriptome reflects the relative tissue proportions composing the organ, thus it informed us on differences in cellular proportion between each molars. Thus mouse first molars differ in their relative proportion in mesenchyme and cusp tissue. Then, we showed that specificities of the upper/lower molar developmental programs are conserved between mouse and hamster. However, transcriptomic differences between species are not correlated to the morphological differences, even when the final morphology is similar (eg. the lower molar). This rapid evolution of expression profiles between species is consistent with a phenomenon known as Developmental System Drift (DSD).At last, I was interested in the identity of the buccal and lingual side (BL) of mouse molars, because the supplementary cusps of the mouse first upper molar are formed lingually. We evidenced that the lingual side has an identity of its own and that the differences of expression between buccal and lingual side are increased in mouse upper molar.Finally, the prospects for this work will be to understand the changes of the developmental program that differentiate mouse upper molar from hamster ones, relying more these BL data, to understand how the mouse first upper molar developed formed two supplementary lingual cusps.

The perception of how sexed bodies should behave and look has shifted throughout history and today we see a rise in discussions about bodily autonomy and the opportunity for diverse bodies to co-exist and flourish in modern society. Human rights activists and organisations led by people born with intersexual variations of sex characteristics (IVSC) have persistently critcized health care regulations for “fixing” intersex bodies without the consent of the individual. This study investigates how the Swedish National Board of Health and Welfare (NBHW) intend to protect intersex infants from invasive surgeries and interventions performed early in life. The study also adresses the pathological aspects of how intersex conditions are being described by medical discourses as well as how current legislations manage to secure the rights and integrity of people with IVSC. By using Faircloughs critical discourse analysis I delve into the updated guidelines presented by the NBHW to review if significant changes in the recommendations for medical practice of intersex health appear in line with the organisations’ requests. This essay takes on a poststructuralist perspective with support from Judith Butler’s body and gender based theories as the main theoretical framework.Previous studies have concluded that most medical practises regarding intersex remain unchanged. They show that there is a tendency to rationalize normalizing interventions with a primary focus on the looks of genitalia. There seems to be an underlying lack of communication between the medical world and the human rights organisations, these conclusions were brought to light by authors such as Erika Alm and Surya Monro. The results of this study show that a traditional and pathological definition of intersex dominates the medical discourse and that progressive terminology is only discussed on a doctor-patient level and not on a structural scale. These results impart on the current legal inconsistencies which weaken the protection of intersex integrity as they remain unchanged. While the importance of patient integrity is addressed, the NBHW argue that there is lack of evidence based knowledge to implement more resolute restrictions and they express a lack of ambition to investigate further into these matters.

Against a backdrop of feminist and social scientific research on sex, female embodiment, and normality this thesis aims to discern how young women, who in adolescence have learned that their bodies are developing in ways considered ‘atypical’ for the female sex, make sense of their bodies and their situation. In focus are the ways in which the women make sense of and negotiate female embodiment; how they, particularly in stories about their interactions with others, position their embodied selves; and how norms and beliefs about sexed embodiment, heterosexual practice, and in/fertility are strengthened and challenged in the interviewees’ sense-making. The data comprise 23 in-depth interviews with women who in adolescence have learned that they do not have a uterus and a vagina, or who have learned that they do not have two X chromosomes and have no, or non-functioning, ovaries. Through narrative and thematic analysis the thesis shows how the women’s sense-making can be obstructed by norms about female embodiment, heterosexual practice, and in/fertility, expressed through medical terminology and practice and in interaction with family, friends, and peers, as described by the interviewees. Concomitantly, as the thesis demonstrates, medical terminology can be experienced and function as a resource in the women’s sense-making. Diagnostic categories enable them to put the specificities of sex development into words and raise awareness about bodily variation. Furthermore, in their stories about others’ reactions to their bodies and about their experience and management of certain medical treatments, the women question norms about female embodiment, heterosexual practice, and in/fertility that were previously taken for granted. The complexity of the women’s sense-making is demonstrated through the ways in which the interviewees, on the one hand, align with norms about female embodiment, heterosexual practice, and in/fertility, and in which they, on the other hand, succeed in challenging the same. In this ‘juggling’ of reinforcement and resistance, the thesis argues, the women are found to expand rather than dismiss beliefs about female embodiment.  Thus, the thesis contributes with deepened knowledge about what it can be like to live with these specific conditions and with problematizations of how norms about female embodiment can be enacted and questioned. / Mot bakgrund av feministisk och samhällsvetenskaplig forskning kring kön, kvinnlig kroppslighet och normalitet syftar avhandlingen till att undersöka hur unga kvinnor, som i tonåren fått reda på att deras kropp utvecklas på ett sätt som anses ”otypiskt” för det kvinnliga könet söker förstå och skapa mening kring sin kropp och situation. Framförallt undersöks dessa kvinnors meningsskapande, hur de i sina berättelser positionerar sig i relation till andra, och hur normer och föreställningar om kvinnlig kroppslighet, heterosexuell praktik och in/fertilitet förstås, förhandlas, stärks och ifrågasätts i berättelserna. Materialet som undersöks utgörs av 23 djupintervjuer med kvinnor som i tonåren fått reda på att de antingen inte har någon livmoder och vagina eller att de inte har två X kromosomer och inga eller  icke-fungerade äggstockar. Genom narrativa och tematiska analyser visar avhandlingen hur kvinnornas meningskapande formas av normer kring kvinnlig kroppslighet, heterosexuell praktik och in/fertilitet, då de uttrycks i kvinnornas berättelser om sin situation i möten med andra och i relation till medicinsk praktik. Samtidigt, visar avhandlingen, kan medicinsk terminologi, specifikt diagnoser, och praktik utgöra resurser i kvinnornas meningsskapande som möjliggör för dem att sätta ord på och sprida kunskap om kroppslig variation. I kvinnornas berättelser om andras reaktioner på deras kroppar och om deras erfarenhet och hantering av specifika medicinska behandlingar utmanas vidare normer som kvinnorna tidigare har tagit för givet. Genom analysen framträder således komplexiteten i kvinnornas meningskapande då de å ena sidan anammar förgivettagna normer om kvinnlig kroppslighet, heterosexuell praktik och infertilitet och å andra sidan utmanar de samma. I detta ”jonglerande” av anpassning till normer och motstånd mot desammasyns kvinnorna expandera snarare än avfärda föreställningar om kvinnlig kroppslighet. Avhandlingen fördjupar därmed kunskapen om hur det kan vara att leva med dess specifika tillstånd och till att problematisera hur normer om kvinnlig kroppslighet kan ta sig uttryck och ifrågasättas.