My entire career in lecturing and research in the field of financial management in education, have led to me becoming more and more intrigued by questions related to the amounts of money being spent on education and the performance of learners in the Senior Certificate Examination in public secondary schools in South Africa. The South African education system has changed dramatically since 1994 and is aimed at restoring the injustices of the past by providing equitable quality education. Despite many reforms our system is not rendering acceptable results as is evident from our participation in international and national tests (TIMSS, PIRLS, SACMEQ and ANA)2. Internationally UNESCO is driving the Educational for All campaign in an attempt to address issues related to quality education. The purpose of this research was to investigate the relationship between the funding of education and the quality of education in selected diverse top performing secondary schools in the Gauteng province of South Africa. The results of the sample schools in the National Senior Certificate examination was used as indicator of the quality of education provided. Towards this end, I have done multiple case study research in six schools selected using purposive and convenience sampling techniques. Semistructured interviews and document analysis were used to collect data. I found that there is a definite link between funding and the quality of education provided. This manifests itself in allowing schools to reduce class size by appointing additional teaching staff, access to technology and staff development. However, all the schools in the sample indicated that the crucial factor determining their success was their teachers! In addition to the role of the teachers, I found that structures created for and the manner in which academic performance was managed and parental involvement also played determining roles. Contrary to what was expected, the use of technology as teaching aid, although convenient, was not playing a decisive role. The research led to a much better and deeper understanding of the intricate relationship between funding and the quality of education, but additional investigation is required in order to highlight this matter even further to allow for the informed improvement of efforts to raise the quality of education in South Africa and the world. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2012. / Education Management and Policy Studies / unrestricted

Orientador: Celia Marisa Rizzatti Barbosa / Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Odontologia de Piracicaba / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-26T10:35:22Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Gama_MartaCristinadaSilva_D.pdf: 1662915 bytes, checksum: 18506169d934a9ebd8881f306afa48fb (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014 / Resumo: A Disfunção Temporomandibular (DTM) é uma condição de dor músculo-esquelética heterogênea. Recentemente, tem sido sugerida a distinção entre disfunção temporomandibular com dor localizada ou generalizada. O presente estudo teve como objetivo revisar o conhecimento atual sobre os achados clínicos relativos a avaliação funcional da mandíbula em pacientes com DTM, e avaliar a função mandibular e as características de dor facial entre subgrupos de pacientes com DTM, os quais foram classificados de acordo com a presença de dor localizada (DL) ou de dor generalizada (DG). Foram realizados dois estudos transversais e uma revisão da literatura. O questionário autoaplicável e os procedimentos de exame clínico do RDC / TMD foram aplicados em populações do Brasil (BR) e dos Estados Unidos da América (EUA). Os participantes foram classificados como controles sem queixas de DTM (BR=37, EUA=2,700), pacientes com DTM/DL (BR=43, EUA=463) e pacientes com DTM/DG (BR=33, EUA=569). Estes três grupos foram comparados em relação a cada medida de interesse, as quais foram obtidas a partir da avaliação clínica da dor facial e da função mandibular e de perguntas de auto-relato sobre dor facial, limitação funcional e hábitos parafuncionais. Além do exame clínico facial, a dor corporal e a presença de Bruxo-facetas também foram avaliadas na população dos EUA. Os resultados sugerem que os pacientes com DTM associada a DG apresentam uma forma mais grave de DTM do que pacientes com DL. Os pacientes com DTM diferem substancialmente dos controles com relação a todos os fatores de dor e quase todas as variáveis clínicas. Pacientes com DTM com dor generalizada relataram significativamente maior intensidade de dor facial e corporal, mais auto-relato de atividades parafuncionais orais, apresentaram maior frequência de dor moderada a severa à palpação, maior incapacidade relacionada à dor, maior número de sintomas orofaciais inespecíficos e maior limitação emocional e de comunicação do que os pacientes com dor localizada. Os pacientes com dor localizada apresentaram maior sobreposição incisal e maior presença de Bruxo-facetas, demonstrando que fatores locais podem contribuir para a dor na DTM localizada. Como conclusão, os subgrupos de DTM apresentam perfis distintos que foram mais relacionados com a presença de dor do que com limitação funcional mandibular. No entanto, a dor localizada da DTM parece ser mais influenciada por fatores locais, como a má oclusão e desgaste dentário. Mais estudos são necessários para uma melhor compreensão da função mandibular e dor em pacientes com diferentes perfis de DTM / Abstract: Temporomandibular Disorder (TMD) is a heterogeneous musculoskeletal pain condition. Recently, the distinction between temporomandibular disorders with localized or generalized pain has been suggested. The present study aimed to review the current knowledge about clinical findings concerning jaw functional assessments in patients with TMD, and to evaluate jaw function and facial pain characteristics among subgroups of TMD patients, which were classified according to the presence of localized pain (LP) or widespread pain (WP). Two cross-sectional studies and a literature review were conducted, and a self-administered questionnaires and clinical examination procedures from the RDC/TMD were applied in populations from Brazil (BR) and United States or America (USA). Participants were classified as controls free of TMD complaints (BR=37, USA=2700), TMD/LP patients (BR=43, USA=463) and TMD/WP patients (BR=33, USA=569). These three groups were compared with respect to each measure of interest, which were obtained from the clinical assessment of facial pain and jaw function and from self-reported questions of facial pain, functional limitation and parafunctional habits. Add to clinical facial exam, body pain and the presence of bruxo-facets was assessed in USA population. The results suggest that TMD patients with WP have a more severe form of TMD than patients without WP. Patients with TMD differ substantially from controls with respect to all pain factors and almost all clinical variables. TMD patients with generalized pain reported significantly higher facial and body pain intensity and greater self-reported oral parafunctional activities, presented increased frequency of moderate/severe pain on palpation, higher pain-related disability, greater number of nonspecific orofacial symptoms, and greater emotional and communication limitation than the patients with localized pain. The patients with localized TMD presented higher incisal overlap and higher presence of bruxo-facets, demonstrating that local factors may contribute to localized TMD pain. As conclusion, TMD subgroups present distinct profiles which were more related with pain presence than with jaw functional limitation. However, localized TMD pain seems to be more influenced by local factors such as malocclusion and tooth wear. More studies are needed for a better understanding of jaw function and pain in patients with different profiles of TMD / Doutorado / Anatomia / Doutora em Biologia Buco-Dental

Objetivo: Avaliar a responsividade da escala de avaliação funcional para pacientes com distrofia muscular de Duchenne (DMD), domínio 1 - sentar e levantar da cadeira (FES-DMD-D1). Método: Estudo observacional, retrospectivo e longitudinal (seguimento por um ano). Foi estudada, utilizando o software FES-DMD-DATA, uma amostra de 150 avaliações da atividade de sentar e levantar da cadeira, a partir de um banco de imagens com filmes de 30 crianças com DMD, executando atividades funcionais, avaliadas a cada três meses, em um período de um ano. A avaliação da FES-DMD-D1 foi aplicada por fisioterapeuta treinado, considerando os escores das fases de flexão, de contato e de extensão da atividade de sentar na cadeira e, das fases de flexão, de transferência e de extensão da atividade de levantar da cadeira. Para avaliar a responsividade da FES-DMD-D1 foram analisadas as avaliações dos períodos de seguimento de três, seis, nove e doze meses, por meio do tamanho do efeito (TE) e da média de resposta padronizada (MRP). Resultados: A responsividade da atividade de sentar na cadeira foi considerada de pequena a moderada nas avaliações a cada três meses (TE de 0,22 a 0,49 e MRP de 0,32 a 0,54), de pequena a moderada a cada seis meses (TE de 0,50 a 0,61 e MRP de 0,41 a 0,61), de pequena a grande a cada nove meses (TE de 0,69 a 1,11 e MRP de 0,49 a 0,79) e grande no período de um ano (TE de 1,07 e MRP de 0,80). Na atividade de levantar da cadeira, a responsividade foi pequena a cada três meses (TE de 0,21 a 0,35 e MRP de 0,28 a 0,45), de pequena a grande a cada seis meses (TE de 0,45 a 0,62 e MRP de 0,50 a 0,96), de moderada a grande a cada nove meses (TE de 0,76 a 0,89 e MRP de 0,74 a 1,47) e grande em um ano (TE de 1,28 e MRP de 1,24). Conclusão: A FES-DMD-D1 mostrou responsividade de moderada a grande, aumentando gradativamente nos intervalos de seis, nove e doze meses. Dessa forma, é indicado o uso da FES-DMD-D1 a partir de seis meses / Objective: To evaluate the responsiveness of the functional evaluation scale for patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) - domain 1: sitting and standing from the chair (FES-DMD-D1). Method: Observational, retrospective and longitudinal study with one year follow-up. A sample of 150 evaluations of sitting and rising from the chair was studied, using the FES-DMD-DATA software, from a bank of images of 30 children with DMD performing functional activities, evaluated every three months in a period of one year. FES-DMD-D1, which explores the scores of the phases of flexion, contact, extension of the activity of sitting on the chair, and of the phases of flexion, transference, extension of the activity of rising from the chair was applied by a trained physiotherapist. To evaluate the responsiveness of FES-DMD-D1 we considered the follow-up evaluations after three, six, nine and twelve months. The analysis used the effect size (ES) and standardized response mean (SRM). Results: The responsiveness of sitting on the chair was considered low to moderate in evaluations with three months intervals (ES from 0.22 to 0.49 and SRM from 0.32 to 0.54), low to moderate with six months intervals (ES from 0.50 to 0.61 and SRM from 0.41 to 0.61), low to high in nine months intervals (ES from 0.69 to 1.11 and SRM from 0.49 to 0.79) and high in the reassessment after one year (ES from 1.07 and SRM from 0.80). The responsiveness of the rising from the chair was low in three months (ES from 0.21 to 0.35 and SRM from 0.28 to 0.45), from low to high in six months (ES from 0.45 to 0.62 and SRM from 0.50 to 0.96), moderate to high in nine months (ES from 0.76 to 0.89 and SRM from 0.74 to 1.47) and high in a year (ES from 1.28 and SRM from 1.24). Conclusion: FES-DMD-D1 showed moderate to high responsiveness, gradually increasing for intervals of six, nine and twelve months. Thus, the use of FES-DMD-D1 is indicated from six months

Introdução: O aperfeiçoamento da assistência pré-natal e dos cuidados intensivos neonatais contribuiu para a redução da mortalidade dos recémnascidos (RN) com riscos para alterações do desenvolvimento neuromotor. Apesar destes avanços, a difícil previsão e prevenção de danos neurológicos está associada ao aumento de crianças com problemas graves como a Paralisia Cerebral (PC). Das avaliações disponíveis atualmente, a que possui melhor valor preditivo de danos neurológicos em bebês até os cinco meses de idade é a \"Avaliação Qualitativa dos Movimentos Generalizados (MGs)\" de Prechtl. No entanto, apresenta pouca aderência na prática clínica devido à sua subjetividade e necessidade de treinamento prévio para aplicação. Objetivos: Desenvolver e analisar a confiabilidade de uma escala de avaliação baseada nos MGs caracterizados a partir da avaliação qualitativa de Prechtl em recémnascidos e lactentes com riscos para alterações no desenvolvimento neuromotor. Método: Estudo observacional transversal com a participação de 30 RNs e lactentes com idade compreendida entre 31 semanas pós-menstrual e 17 semanas pós-termo avaliados no Hospital Universitário da USP. Os MGs normais e anormais foram avaliados segundo a análise qualitativa dos MGs de Prechtl seguindo as três fases: pré-termo (n=7), writhing movements (n=13) e fidgety movements (n=10). A escala foi construída baseando-se nestas fases e foram elaboradas duas versões, sendo analisadas as confiabilidades inter e intra-examinador por meio do ICC e do índice de Kappa. A consistência interna da versão final foi analisada através do alfa de Cronbach. Resultados: Foram analisadas duas versões da escala com três diferentes sistemas de pontuação: respostas do tipo \"SIM ou NÃO\"; do tipo \"SEMPRE, ALGUMAS VEZES e NUNCA\"; e \"SEMPRE, QUASE SEMPRE, ALGUMAS VEZES, QUASE NUNCA E NUNCA\". Os resultados mais significativos foram obtidos com as respostas binárias (SIM ou NÃO), sendo que nas fases pré-termo e writhing movements a pontuação máxima é de 32 pontos e na fase dos fidgety movements é de 12 pontos. A análise da confiabilidade da versão final da escala evidenciou concordância excelente tanto para a confiabilidade intra-avaliador (ICCs: 0.914 a 0.999; Kappa: 0.6 a 1 e 0.606 a 1, considerando a escala binária), como para confiabilidade inter-avaliadores (ICCs: 0.871 a 0.966 para avaliação 1; Kappa: 0.682 a 0.775 para avaliação 1, considerando novamente a escala binária). Apenas o índice Kappa neste caso apresentou concordância boa. Os valores de alfa de Cronbach se mostraram de bons a excelentes (0.866 a 0.980). Verificou-se também que os bebês com MGs anormais apresentaram pontuação abaixo de valores entre 20 e 25 na fase pré-termo e dos writhing movements, e abaixo de valores entre 8 e 12 na fase dos fidgety movements. Conclusão: Foi possível desenvolver uma escala capaz de quantificar os MGs, com pontuação capaz de diferenciar MGs normais de anormais, com excelente confiabilidade inter e intra-avaliador e alta consistência interna. A escala apresenta grande relevância clínica e, aliada ao treinamento no método qualitativo, torna-se um instrumento promissor para a detecção precoce de riscos para atraso do desenvolvimento neuromotor e seleção dos RNs e lactentes para acompanhamento e intervenção precoce / Introduction: The technological improvement of neonatal care and intensive care contributed to reduction of preterm newborn (PTNB) mortality. Despite these improvements, is still difficult to predict and prevent neural damage and neurobehavioral impairments, which are associated to higher proportion of children with severe neurological problems, such as Cerebral Palsy (CP). Between all the available methods of babies\' assessment and examination, the Prechtl´s Method of Qualitative Assessment of General Movements (GMs) shows the higher predictive value to neurological damage. Nevertheless, this assessment is not widely used because of its subjectivity and the necessity of training of the examiners. Objective: To develop a quantitative scale based on GMs in the newborn and infant, and to verify its reliability. Method: Crosssectional observational study involving 30 newborns and infants aged between 31 weeks postmenstrual age and 17 weeks post term age assessed at university hospital of University of São Paulo. The normal and abnormal GMs were evaluated based on the Prechtl´s Method of Qualitative Assessment of GMs following the three phases: preterm GMs (n=7), writhing movements (n=13) and fidgety movements (n=10). The scale was developed based on these phases and Kappa and ICC statistics were applied in the reliability analysis (inter- and intra-observer agreement). Cronbach alpha was applied in the internal consistency analysis. Results: Two versions of the scale were analyzed with three different scoring systems: \"YES or NO\"; \"ALWAYS, SOMETIMES and NEVER; \"ALWAYS, OFTEN, SOMETIMES, ALMOST NEVER and NEVER\". The most significant results were obtained with \"YES or NO\" answers. The total score obtained in preterm and writhing movements phases was 32 points and in the fidgety movements phase was 12 points. Considering the assessment with the final version of the scale, high to very high inter- (ICCs 0.871-0.966; Kappa 0.682-0.775 for the first evaluation, considering \"YES or NO\" answers) and intra-observer reliability (ICCs: 0.914-0.999; Kappa: 0.6-1, considering \"YES or NO\" answers) was found. High to very high Cronbach alpha values was also found (0.866-0.980). The infants showed abnormal GMs score below values between 20 and 25 in preterm phase and writhing movements, and below values between 8 and 12 at fidgety movements age. Conclusion: It was possible to develop a scale able to quantify GMs, with scores that can differentiate normal from abnormal GMs, with excellent inter- and intra-observer reliability and internal consistency. The scale has great clinical relevance and, combined with training in qualitative method, it is a promising tool for early detection of risks for delayed neuromotor development and screening of newborns and infants for monitoring and early intervention

The purpose of this research is to find additional predictor variables specifically with regard to graduate student success in the Master of Science (M.S.) Industrial/Organizational Psychology program.

Prostitution som företeelse engagerar och väcker känslor, både bland individer och offentliga aktörer. I detta arbete belyser vi utvecklingen av samhällets syn på prostitutionen genom att analysera den period då den i Sverige var offentligt reglementerad och kontrollerad, 1859 – 1918. Denna tidsperiod rymmer avgörande skiftningar i offentligsamhällets syn på prostitution, en företeelse som tidigare under historien setts som en allvarlig försyndelse i sig. Reglementeringen infördes som ett smittskyddsprojekt där målet var att hejda spridningen av framför allt syfilis. Reglementeringen kom dock även att präglas av moraliska aspekter innan det, efter förnyade utredningar, konstaterades att den spelat ut sin roll för att hejda den veneriska smittspridningen. Prostitutionen kom då att regleras i andra lagrum. Studiens syfte är att, genom en kvalitativ litteraturstudie, kartlägga vilka lagar, regler och påföljder som omgärdat hanteringen av prostitutionen under den studerade perioden, hur statens och hälso-och sjukvårdens syn på prostitution sett ut och inverkat på lagstiftningen samt hur reglementeringssystemet kan förstås utifrån teorierna om stigma och det ideala offret. Arbetets huvudsakliga slutsatser är att det, i litteraturen, går att återfinna tydliga förändringar i offentligsamhällets attityder mot prostitution under den studerade perioden. I periodens början sågs prostitutionen huvudsakligen som ett sanitärt problem, men kom sedermera alltmer att betraktas som ett socialt. Vidare har vi kunnat påvisa att reglementeringssystemet väl låter sig förstås utifrån Erving Goffmans teori om stigma, men att den prostituerade kvinnans status som offer enligt Nils Christies teori om det ideala offret är mer komplex och mångfacetterad. / Prostitution as a phenomenon engages and evokes feelings, both among individuals and public actors. In this work, we illustrate the development of public society's view of prostitution by analysing the period when it was publicly regulated and controlled in Sweden, 1859 – 1918. This period contains crucial shifts in society's view of prostitution, a phenomenon previously in history seen as a serious offence in and of itself. The regulations were introduced as an infection prevention project with the goal to stop the spread primarily of syphilis. However, the regulations also came to be characterised by moral aspects before, after renewed investigations, it was stated that it had played its role in halting the spread of venereal disease and prostitution came to be regulated by other legislation. The purpose of the study is to identify, through a qualitative literature study, what laws, rules and penalties that surrounded the handling of prostitution during the studied period, what the state’s and health care system’s views on prostitution were and how they influenced the legislation and how the regulatory system can be understood based on the theories of stigma and the ideal victim. The essay’s main conclusions are that, in literature, it is possible to identify clear changes in the public society's attitudes towards prostitution during the period studied. At the beginning of the period, prostitution was mainly seen as a sanitary problem, but eventually it became viewed as a more social one. Furthermore, we have been able to demonstrate that the system of regulation can be understood on the basis of Erving Goffman's theory of stigma, but that the status of the female prostitute as victim according to Nils Christie's theory of the ideal victim is more complex and multifaceted.

The clinical diagnostics of olfactory dysfunction in children turns out to be challenging due to low attention span, insufficient linguistic development and lack of odor experiences. Several smell tests have been developed for adults. Most of these examinations take a relatively long time and require a high level of concentration. Therefore, the aim of the current study was to evaluate an odor discrimination and olfactory threshold test using the frequently used “Sniffin’ Sticks” in children and adolescents in a simplified two-alternative-forced-choice version (2AFC) and compare it to the original three-alternative-forced-choice test (3AFC). One-hundred-twenty-one healthy participants aged between 5 and 17 years took part in this study. Within each of the two sessions participants underwent olfactory testing using the modified 2AFC as well as the standard 3AFC method. A better test-retest reliability was achieved using the original 3AFC method compared to the modified 2AFC. This was true for the odor discrimination as well as the olfactory threshold. Age had a significant influence on both tests, which should be considered when testing young children. We discuss these findings with relation to the existing norms and recommend using the 3AFC version due to a better test-retest reliability to measure olfactory function in children.

Objective Although avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID) has been included as a new diagnostic entity of childhood feeding and eating disorders, there is a lack of measures to reliably and validly assess ARFID. In addition, virtually nothing is known about clinical characteristics of ARFID in nonclinical samples. Method The present study presents the development and validation of an ARFID module for the child and parent version of the Eating Disorder Examination (EDE) in a nonclinical sample of N = 39 children between 8 and 13 years with underweight and/or restrictive eating behaviors. For evaluating the ARFID module's reliability, the convergence of diagnoses between two independent raters and between the child and parent module was determined. The module's validity was evaluated based on the full-length child version of the EDE, a 24 h food record, parent-reported psychosocial functioning and self-reported quality of life, and objective anthropometric measures. Results In total, n = 7 children received an ARFID diagnosis. The ARFID module showed high interrater reliability, especially for the parent version, and high convergence between child and parent report. Evidence for the module's convergent, divergent, and discriminant validity was provided. Specifically, children with versus without ARFID reported significantly less macro- and micronutrient intake and were more likely to be underweight. Discussion This pilot study indicates the child and parent version of the EDE ARFID module to be promising for diagnosing ARFID in a structured way but still necessitates a validation in a larger clinical and community-based sample.

Joint detection is vital for characterizing human pose and serves as a foundation for a wide range of computer vision applications such as physical training, health care, entertainment. This dissertation proposed two methods to detect joints in the human body for pose analysis. The first method detects joints by combining body model and automatic feature points detection together. The human body model maps the detected extreme points to the corresponding body parts of the model and detects the position of implicit joints. The dominant joints are detected after implicit joints and extreme points are located by a shortest path based methods. The main contribution of this work is a hybrid framework to detect joints on the human body to achieve robustness to different body shapes or proportions, pose variations and occlusions. Another contribution of this work is the idea of using geodesic features of the human body to build a model for guiding the human pose detection and estimation. The second proposed method detects joints by segmenting human body into parts first and then detect joints by making the detection algorithm focusing on each limb. The advantage of applying body part segmentation first is that the body segmentation method narrows down the searching area for each joint so that the joint detection method can provide more stable and accurate results.

Aim of this work is description of design and manufacturing by welding technology of adjustable runner blades circle of Kaplan turbine. For designing and its subsequent strength control using the finite element method were performed with using static analysis in the program SolidWorks ® 2013. Material of adjustable runner blades circle's parts was designed S 355 J2 G3, which is able to withstand a given load. In the design of technology of welding there was elected MAG-welding method, with the active gas mixture Ar +18% CO2. Additive material for welding will be OK Autrod 12.51, like it‘s marked by ESAB s.r.o. For each weld is necessary to create the welding edge, which is made on computer controlled machining machines. In the production we require strict adherence to the prescribed workflow and compliance with WPS protocol. After welding and machining of adjustable runner blades circle we will make weld test, visual examination, dye penetrant and ultrasonic examination.