In anthropology, elemental analysis of bone and teeth can provide significant details about an individual’s life history, such as diet, toxicity exposure, residency, and migration patterns. Intra-individual comparisons can help to gather information about a single individual’s life, while inter-individual comparisons can help illustrate a community’s life history during these periods. However, current methods of elemental analysis commonly involve the destruction of skeletal samples, which can damage a collection’s integrity and be perceived as disrespectful by descendant communities. Preliminary research has validated handheld x-ray fluorescence spectrometry (HHXRF) as an accurate and reliable method of analysis appropriate for determining the elemental composition of archaeological bone and teeth. In this study, teeth from 16 individuals (N=16) from the pre-conquest Classic Period (AD 625-1100) Maya site of Altun Ha, Belize, were analyzed using HHXRF to identify trace elements to gain a better understanding of the lives of the individuals and community. This study expands upon preliminary research by increasing the sample size and utilizes a filter to increase sensitivity to elements of interest. Diet and mobility were assessed using calcium (Ca), strontium (Sr), and bromine (Br) ratios. Net photon counts per element of interest were extracted and converted into ratios. An inter- and intra-individual comparison model was used. Results of calculated Sr/Ca ratios show a general increased reliance on marine subsistence sources within the sample. Shifts that do not align with this trend are present in several individuals, indicating social complexity of Altun Ha. Results of Br/Ca ratios are less clear in regard to diet and warrant further investigation.

Les théoriciens de la voix cinématographique, tels Michel Chion, Rick Altman, Mary Ann Doane et Kaja Silverman, évitent une réflexion sur l’expression des rapports de sexe en relation avec l’appartenance raciale ou la question postcoloniale. Au contraire, l’afro-américaine Julie Dash et la vietnamo-américaine Trinh T. Minh-ha se servent de la « caméra-stylo » afin de déconstruire le paradigme dominant de la voix selon lequel l’image serait source de la voix. Les films, Illusions et Daughters of the Dust de Dash, et Reassemblage, Naked Spaces et Surname Viet Given Name Nam de Trinh, désignent l’épistémologie comme un enjeu : les hommes blancs se servent de ce levier que constitue la fabrique de la voix pour investir le lieu du savoir. Ce faisant, ces deux cinéastes contemporaines élaborent un paradigme féministe. La voix masculine transcendante est remplacée par la voix immanente et polyphonique des femmes de couleur. Dash expose les techniques cinématographiques vocales et pratique un montage qui établit une vraisemblance avec la réalité. Nous sommes enveloppés par les voix de ses personnages. Trinh nous fait comprendre « l’architecture » du langage vocal cinématographique et opère un montage qui suspend la continuité. Elle nous incite à en découdre avec des éléments disparates. À travers certains procédés (voix synchronisée/voix désynchronisée par exemple), les femmes portent témoignage de la violence des hommes. Elles révèlent que la justice de la loi du Père est aussi illusoire que la voix cinématographique. D’objet épistémologique, la voix des femmes de couleur devient outil politique : elle détient la promesse de changer les mentalités et de fait, les lois de la cité. / The theoreticians of the cinematic voice, such as Michel Chion, Mary Ann Doane and Kaja Silverman, do not address vocal representation as an issue of gender and its relationship to race and postcolonialism. To the contrary, two contemporary filmmakers, Julie Dash and Trinh T. Minh-ha, use their “caméra-stylo” to deconstruct the dominant paradigm of the voice which has spectators believe that the image is at the source of the voices they hear. The films, Illusions and Daughters of the Dust by Dash, and Reassemblage, Naked Spaces and Surname Viet Given Name Nam by Trinh, show us how the cinematic voice is a construction. The stakes are high: white men use this vocal illusion as a lever to impose control over the world of epistemology. As an alternative, Dash and Trinh propose a feminist paradigm. The transcendent masculine voice is replaced by the immanent and polyphonic voices of women of color. Dash reveals the cinematic techniques of vocal reproduction, and she practices a classical editing that reaches for fidelity. The voices of her characters envelope the spectators. Trinh brings to the screen an understanding of the “architecture” of cinematic language, and her editing techniques suspend continuity. The spectator’s own voice must continually intervene in the construction of meaning. Through various techniques (synchronized/a-synchronized voice), the women characters come forward to witness the violence of men. Their stories reveal that the justice of the Law of the Father is as much an illusion as the cinematic voice. Women of color therefore take up the voice as a political tool: it holds the promise of changing mentalities and, in turn, the laws of city.

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Rio de Janeiro / O Staphylococcus aureus resistente a meticilina (MRSA) foi inicialmente descrito como um patógeno associado a infecções relacionadas à assistência em saúde; porém, um clone de MRSA, o CA-MRSA emergiu na comunidade e está atualmente incrementando nos hospitais. O objetivo desta tese foi descrever aspectos relacionados com a epidemiologia das infecções por cepas CA-MRSA no Hospital Universitário Pedro Ernesto da Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (HUPE/UERJ), avaliando especificamente fatores de risco relacionado com as infecções por CA-MRSA. Usando informações das bases de dados do laboratório de microbiologia, da farmácia e da Comissão para Controle da Infecção Hospitalar do HUPE/UERJ foi realizado um estudo retrospectivo de infecções/colonizações por cepas de S. aureus (fevereiro 2005 a Julho 2011). Foi realizado um estudo caso e controle, utilizando como casos os pacientes com infecções por cepas CA-MRSA. Na avaliação da susceptibilidade aos antimicrobianos usados em infecções graves por MRSA (vancomicina, teicoplanina, daptomicina e linezolida), foram determinadas as concentrações inibitórias mínimas (CIM) das amostras por diferentes metodologias (testes de difusão em agar, microdiluição em caldo e E-test). Nas analises das tendências temporais da apresentação dos subtipos de MRSA, usando um critério fenotípico para classificação das cepas MRSA, foi observada uma diminuição do número de cepas de MRSA multirresistente (HA-MRSA) (p<0.05). Também foi observada uma tendência ao aumento de cepas não-multirresistentes (CA-MRSA), mas sem alcançar a significância estatística (p = 0.06) igual que os S. aureus sensíveis a meticilina (MSSA) (p = 0.48). Não houve associação entre o subtipo de MRSA e a mortalidade devida à infecção por cepas MRSA. Uma idade acima de 70 anos (OR: 2.46, IC95%: 0.99 - 6.11), a presença de pneumonia adquirida no hospital (OR: 4.94, IC95%: 1.65 -14.8), a doença pulmonar obstrutiva crônica (OR: 6.09, IC95% 1.16 31.98) e a leucemia (OR: 8.2, IC95%: 1.25 54.7) foram fatores de risco associadas à mortalidade nas infecções por cepas de S. aureus. Usando curvas de Kaplan-Meier, foi observada uma tendência ao aumento da mortalidade em infecções causadas por MSSA na primeira semana, porém sem alcançar significância estatística (p = 0.07). Não foram observadas amostras MRSA com susceptibilidade intermediaria a vancomicina, linezolida, daptomicina ou teicoplanina. A dinâmica das infecções por S. aureus no HUPE/UERJ mudou durante o período de estudo, com menor número de episódios infecciosos causados por cepas de MRSA multirresistentes. Existe uma tendência ao aumento das cepas não-multirresistentes de MRSA entanto que a taxa de infecções por MSSA permaneceu estável no período do estudo. O perfil de resistência dos estafilococos não teve associação com a mortalidade / The methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) was described initially like a health-care associated pathogen. However, an MRSA clone called community-adquired S. aureus emerged with success in the community and now has a worring increasing frequency in hospital settings. The aim of this study was to descript issues related to the epidemiology of infections due tu CA-MRSA isolates at the Pedro Ernesto Universitary Hospital (HUPE/UERJ) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil from february 2005 to june 2011, analyzing risk factors related to these infections. Thus, using databases of the microbiology laboratory, pharmacia department and the infection control committee of the HUPE-UERJ, was realized an restrospective study of S. aureus isolates obtained from infected/colonizated patients hospitalized from February 2005 to July 2011. To evaluate risk factors related to CA-MRSA infections was conduced a case-control study, using patients with true infections due to MRSA like cases and patients with methicillin susceptible S. aureus (MSSA) like controls. To test the antimicrobial susceptibility of the antibiotics used in MRSA severe infections (Vancomycin, teicoplanin, daptomycin and linezolid), were determinated the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of MRSA isolates using differents methods (disk-difusion test, microdilution in broth and E-test strips). The trend analyses of the MRSA types, using a phenotypic criteria to classificate the MRSA isolates, found a decrease in the infections due to multi-resistant MRSA isolates (HA-MRSA) in our hospital (p<0.05). Also was observed and increase in non-multi-resistant MRSA strains (CA-MRSA), but without reach statistic significancy (p = 0.06), similar to MSSA (p = 0.48). There is not association between the MRSA phenotype and the mortality due to S. aureus infection. In the multivariate analysis, were observed that an older age than 70 years (OR: 2.46, IC95%: 0.99 - 6.11), health-care pneumonia (OR: 4.94, IC95%: 1.65 -14.8), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (OR: 6.09, IC95% 1.16 31.98) and leucaemia (OR: 8.2, IC95%: 1.25 54.7) were risk factors associated with mortality due to S. aureus infections. The Kaplan-Meier analysis, found a trend to high mortality due to MSSA infections in the first week, but without get statistic significancy (p = 0.07). We dont found any MRSA isolated with resistance or intermediary resistance to vancomycin, linezolid, daptomycin or teicoplanin. There is good correlation between both MICs determinations, with broth microdiluiton and E-Test strips metodhology. Its were concluded that the dynamic of the S. aureus infections at the HUPE/UERJ is changing, with less number of infectious episodes due to multi-resistant MRSA isolates. Moreover, there are an increasing number of infections due to non-multi-resistant MRSA isolate. The prevalence of infections due to MSSA dont have change in the time of period study. The kind of the S. aureus phenotype dont has association with all-causes-mortality

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Rio de Janeiro / O Staphylococcus aureus resistente a meticilina (MRSA) foi inicialmente descrito como um patógeno associado a infecções relacionadas à assistência em saúde; porém, um clone de MRSA, o CA-MRSA emergiu na comunidade e está atualmente incrementando nos hospitais. O objetivo desta tese foi descrever aspectos relacionados com a epidemiologia das infecções por cepas CA-MRSA no Hospital Universitário Pedro Ernesto da Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (HUPE/UERJ), avaliando especificamente fatores de risco relacionado com as infecções por CA-MRSA. Usando informações das bases de dados do laboratório de microbiologia, da farmácia e da Comissão para Controle da Infecção Hospitalar do HUPE/UERJ foi realizado um estudo retrospectivo de infecções/colonizações por cepas de S. aureus (fevereiro 2005 a Julho 2011). Foi realizado um estudo caso e controle, utilizando como casos os pacientes com infecções por cepas CA-MRSA. Na avaliação da susceptibilidade aos antimicrobianos usados em infecções graves por MRSA (vancomicina, teicoplanina, daptomicina e linezolida), foram determinadas as concentrações inibitórias mínimas (CIM) das amostras por diferentes metodologias (testes de difusão em agar, microdiluição em caldo e E-test). Nas analises das tendências temporais da apresentação dos subtipos de MRSA, usando um critério fenotípico para classificação das cepas MRSA, foi observada uma diminuição do número de cepas de MRSA multirresistente (HA-MRSA) (p<0.05). Também foi observada uma tendência ao aumento de cepas não-multirresistentes (CA-MRSA), mas sem alcançar a significância estatística (p = 0.06) igual que os S. aureus sensíveis a meticilina (MSSA) (p = 0.48). Não houve associação entre o subtipo de MRSA e a mortalidade devida à infecção por cepas MRSA. Uma idade acima de 70 anos (OR: 2.46, IC95%: 0.99 - 6.11), a presença de pneumonia adquirida no hospital (OR: 4.94, IC95%: 1.65 -14.8), a doença pulmonar obstrutiva crônica (OR: 6.09, IC95% 1.16 31.98) e a leucemia (OR: 8.2, IC95%: 1.25 54.7) foram fatores de risco associadas à mortalidade nas infecções por cepas de S. aureus. Usando curvas de Kaplan-Meier, foi observada uma tendência ao aumento da mortalidade em infecções causadas por MSSA na primeira semana, porém sem alcançar significância estatística (p = 0.07). Não foram observadas amostras MRSA com susceptibilidade intermediaria a vancomicina, linezolida, daptomicina ou teicoplanina. A dinâmica das infecções por S. aureus no HUPE/UERJ mudou durante o período de estudo, com menor número de episódios infecciosos causados por cepas de MRSA multirresistentes. Existe uma tendência ao aumento das cepas não-multirresistentes de MRSA entanto que a taxa de infecções por MSSA permaneceu estável no período do estudo. O perfil de resistência dos estafilococos não teve associação com a mortalidade / The methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) was described initially like a health-care associated pathogen. However, an MRSA clone called community-adquired S. aureus emerged with success in the community and now has a worring increasing frequency in hospital settings. The aim of this study was to descript issues related to the epidemiology of infections due tu CA-MRSA isolates at the Pedro Ernesto Universitary Hospital (HUPE/UERJ) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil from february 2005 to june 2011, analyzing risk factors related to these infections. Thus, using databases of the microbiology laboratory, pharmacia department and the infection control committee of the HUPE-UERJ, was realized an restrospective study of S. aureus isolates obtained from infected/colonizated patients hospitalized from February 2005 to July 2011. To evaluate risk factors related to CA-MRSA infections was conduced a case-control study, using patients with true infections due to MRSA like cases and patients with methicillin susceptible S. aureus (MSSA) like controls. To test the antimicrobial susceptibility of the antibiotics used in MRSA severe infections (Vancomycin, teicoplanin, daptomycin and linezolid), were determinated the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of MRSA isolates using differents methods (disk-difusion test, microdilution in broth and E-test strips). The trend analyses of the MRSA types, using a phenotypic criteria to classificate the MRSA isolates, found a decrease in the infections due to multi-resistant MRSA isolates (HA-MRSA) in our hospital (p<0.05). Also was observed and increase in non-multi-resistant MRSA strains (CA-MRSA), but without reach statistic significancy (p = 0.06), similar to MSSA (p = 0.48). There is not association between the MRSA phenotype and the mortality due to S. aureus infection. In the multivariate analysis, were observed that an older age than 70 years (OR: 2.46, IC95%: 0.99 - 6.11), health-care pneumonia (OR: 4.94, IC95%: 1.65 -14.8), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (OR: 6.09, IC95% 1.16 31.98) and leucaemia (OR: 8.2, IC95%: 1.25 54.7) were risk factors associated with mortality due to S. aureus infections. The Kaplan-Meier analysis, found a trend to high mortality due to MSSA infections in the first week, but without get statistic significancy (p = 0.07). We dont found any MRSA isolated with resistance or intermediary resistance to vancomycin, linezolid, daptomycin or teicoplanin. There is good correlation between both MICs determinations, with broth microdiluiton and E-Test strips metodhology. Its were concluded that the dynamic of the S. aureus infections at the HUPE/UERJ is changing, with less number of infectious episodes due to multi-resistant MRSA isolates. Moreover, there are an increasing number of infections due to non-multi-resistant MRSA isolate. The prevalence of infections due to MSSA dont have change in the time of period study. The kind of the S. aureus phenotype dont has association with all-causes-mortality

No description available.

Text in English with abstracts in English, Sepedi and Venda / Access to firewood and other affordable energy sources is essential to the livelihoods of rural households in developing countries. Studies have been conducted to understand the reasons behind an extensive reliance on firewood in rural areas, especially in developing countries, despite improved electrification rates and a number of government policies introduced to encourage rural households to switch from traditional to modern fuels. This study aimed at assessing and thus understand the factors influencing the use of firewood by households in Ga - Malahlela village in Limpopo Province. Limited research has been conducted on firewood use, subsequent to improved electrification in rural areas in South Africa, hence it was to shed light on this little-explored subject on which the study was carried out. The assessment was based on household demographics and household energy use patterns, with a structured questionnaire being utilised to arrive at a detailed understanding of the factors that drive firewood use. It was established that firewood was still used to a significant degree, to satisfy household energy needs such as cooking, water heating and space heating. This was mainly due to the socioeconomic status of households. Socio-economic factors such as income, education level, household size and preference were found to be the factors exerting the greatest influence on the use of firewood among households in the study area. Psychological variables and the geographical location of the study area were also shown to promote the use of firewood. The study further revealed that, as indicated in the reviewed literature, households in the study area fuel stack and do not ascend the energy ladder. The reviewed literature further indicated that not all factors have equivalent significance in determining the behaviour and pattern of household energy use. This indicates that energy sources such as firewood are not completely discarded but are instead used in conjunction with modern energy sources such as electricity. In conclusion, this study established that despite the availability of electricity, as a result of poverty and the lack of free basic services such as free basic electricity, reliance on firewood in rural areas will continue. / Go hwetša dikgong le methopo ye mengwe ya dibešwa tšeo di rekegago go bohlokwa go mekgwa ya malapa a dinagamagaeng go hwetša dilo tše bohlokwa tša bophelo dinageng tšeo di hlabologago. Dithutelo di phethagaditšwe go kwešiša mabaka ao a thekgago kholofelo go dikgong mafelong a dinagamagaeng a dinaga tšeo di hlabologago le ge go na le ditekanyo tše di kaonafaditšwego tša tlhagišo ya mohlagase le palo ya melaotshepetšo ya mmušo yeo e tsebišitšwego go tutuetša malapa a dinagamagaeng go fetoga go tloga go dibešwa tša sekgale go iša go tša sebjale. Thutelo ye e ikemišeditše go lekola ka gona go kwešiša mabaka ao a huetšago malapa a Motsaneng wa Ga-Malahlela ka Profenseng ya Limpopo go diriša ya dikgong. Dinyakišišo tše lekantšwego di phethagaditšwe ka ga tirišo ya dikgong ka morago ga tlhagišo ya mohlagase yeo e kaonafaditšwego mafelong a dinagamagaeng ka Afrika Borwa, gomme e be e swanetše go fa tshedimošo ka ga hlogotaba yeo e hlohlomišitšwego gannyane gore thutelo ye e phethagatšwe. Tekolo ye e theilwe go dipalopalo ka ga malapa setšhabeng le mekgwa ya malapa ya go dirišwa dibešwa, ka go diriša lenaneopotšišo leo le beakantšwego gore go fihlelelwe kwešišo ye e hlalošago ka botlalo mabaka ao a hlohleletšago tirišo ya dikgong. Go lemogilwe gore dikgong di sa dirišwa ka bontši bjo bo bonagalago go kgotsofatša dinyakwa tša malapa tša enetši tše bjalo ka go apea, go ruthetša meetse le go ruthetša lefelo. Se se be se swanela gagolo ka lebaka la boemo bja ka moo ekonomi e amago tšwelopele ya malapa. Mabaka a ka moo ekonomi e amago tšwelopele ya setšhaba a go swana le ditseno, boemo bja thuto, bogolo bja lelapa le tšeo di ratwago go hweditšwe go ba mabaka ao a hlohleletšago khuetšo ye kgolokgolo go tirišo ya dikgong gare ga malapa thutelong ye. Dielemente tšeo di ka fetolwago le lefelo tikologong ye e itšeng tša thutelo le tšona di bontšhitšwe go godiša tirišo ya dikgong. Thutelo ye gape e utollotše gore, bjalo k age go šupilwe dingwalong tšeo di lekotšwego, malapa a lefelong la thutelo a latela mekgwa ya dibešwa tša mehutahuta gomme ga a latele manamelo a enetši. Dingwalo tšeo di lekotšwego di laeditše go ya pele gore ga se mabaka ka moka ao a nago le bohlokwa bjo bo lekanago go šupeng boitshwaro le mokgwa tša tirišo ya enetši ka malapeng. Se se šupa gore methopo ya enetši ye bjalo ka dikgong ga se ya tlogelwa ka gohlegohle eupša e dirišwa mmogo le methopo ya sebjale ya enetši ye bjalo ka mohlagase. Go ruma, thutelo ye e utollotše gore le ge go na le mohlagase, ka lebaka la bohloki le tlhaelo ya ditirelo tša motheo tša mahala tše bjalo ka mohlagase wa motheo wa mahala, kholofelo go dikgong dinagamagaeng e tlo tšwela pele. / U swikelela khuni na zwiṅwe zwiko zwa fulufulu zwine zwa swikelelea ndi zwa ndeme kha u tsireledza zwo teaho zwa vhutshilo kha miṱa ya vhupo ha mahayani kha mashango o no khou bvelelaho. Ngudo dzo farwa u itela u pfesesa zwiitisi zwa u ḓitika zwihulwane nga khuni kha vhupo ha mahayani kha mashango ane a khou ḓi bvelela zwi si na ndavha na u khwiniswa ha u dzheniswa ha muḓagasi na tshivhalo tsha mbekanyamaitele dza muvhuso dzo ḓivhadzwaho u ṱuṱuwedza miṱa ya vhupo ha mahayani u bva kha u shumisa zwivhaswa zwa kale u ya kha zwa ano maḓuvha. Ngudo iyi yo livhiswa kha u asesa na u pfesesa zwiṱaluli zwine zwa ṱuṱuwedza u shumiswa ha khuni nga miṱa ya Muvhunduni wa Ga-Malahlela Vunduni ḽa Limpopo. Ṱhoḓisiso dzi si nngana dzo itwa nga ha u shumiswa ha khuni hu tshi tevhela u dzheniswa ha muḓagasi vhuponi ha mahayani Afurika Tshipembe, ho vha u bvisela khagala nga ha zwiṱuku zwo wanululwaho kha thero heyi ye ngudo ya i bveledzisa. U linga ho vha ho ḓisendeka nga ngudamirafho ya miṱa na kushumisele kwa fulufulu miṱani, hu na mbudzisombekanywa dzo dzudzanywaho dzo shumiswaho u swikelela kha u pfesesa nga vhuḓalo zwiṱaluli zwine zwa ta u shumiswa ha khuni. Ho dzhielwa nṱha uri khuni dzi kha ḓi shumiswa nga maanḓa u ḓisa ṱhoḓea dza fulufulu miṱani u fana na u bika, u vhilisa maḓi na u dudedza vhudzulo. Hezwi zwo tea nga maanḓa kha vhuimo ha matshilisano a zwa ikonomi miṱani: zwiṱaluli zwa ikonomi ya matshilisano zwi ngaho sa mbuelo, vhuimo ha pfunzo, vhuhulu ha muṱa na zwo no takalelwa ho wanwa uri ndi zwiṱaluli zwine zwa shumisa ṱhuṱhuwedzo khulwane ya u shumiswa ha khuni vhukati ha miṱa ya vhupo ha ngudo. Variabuḽu dza saikhoḽodzhikhaḽa na vhupo ha ḓivhashango zwa vhupo ha ngudo zwo sumbedziswa u ṱuṱuwedza u shumiswa ha khuni. Ngudo yo isa phanḓa na u wanulusa uri, sa zwo sumbedziswaho kha maṅwalwa o sedzuluswaho, miṱa kha vhupo ha ngudo i kuvhanganya fulufulu ngeno hu sina u gonya ha tshanduko ya kushumisele kwa fulufulu. Maṅwalwa o sedzuluswaho o sumbedzisa a tshi i sa phanḓa uri a si zwiṱaluli zwoṱhe zwine zwa vha na ndeme i linganaho kha u ta vhuḓifari na kushumisele kwa fulufulu miṱani. Hezwi zwi sumbedza uri zwiko zwa fulufulu zwi ngaho sa khuni a zwo ngo laṱelwa kule tshoṱhe fhedzi zwi shumiswa zwo ṱanganyiswa na zwiko zwa fulufulu zwa ano maḓuvha zwi ngaho sa muḓagasi. Ri tshi pendela, ngudo iyi i ta uri na musi muḓagasi u hone, nga nṱhani ha vhushayi na ṱhahelelo ya tshumelo dza muḓagasi wa mahala wa mutheo u fana na muḓagasi wa mahala wa mutheo, u ḓitika nga khuni vhuponi ha mahayani hu ḓo ḓi bvela phanḓa. / Department of Environmental Science / M.A. (Environmental Science)

Despite its chequered interpretational history, the book of Shîr ha-Shîrîm (Song of Songs) in the Hebrew Bible and Christian Old Testament has still not come to its fullest religious potential. The reason is that it has mainly served relatively closed religious traditions defined by the exclusion of those that have reacted against it. As the text of Song of Songs itself does not explicitly testify to any religiosity, these communities have understood it religiously by projecting their own predetermined needs and beliefs onto it. The text does, however, suggest several layers in the history of its formation, representing different levels of consciousness and stages of religiosity. In the postmodern globalising context where the importance of interfaith understanding is increasingly realised and the nature of human religiosity is constantly redefined in terms of ever-broadening horizons, the religiosity of the book has been stretched as wide as possible by also taking into consideration the ancient contextual influences which could have left their traces on the unconscious mind of its author(s) and redactor(s). To this end, the transpersonal psychological theory of Kenneth Wilber as interpreted by Michael Washburn has been used. Wilber’s inclusive view of religiosity respects all its forms as developmentally appropriate expressions of experiences of the divine which should all be taken seriously. The explicit “absence” of the divine in Song of Songs has been so conspicuous that it has ironically made it more present and led to a greater search for the Ineffable whose whispering and footprints are discernible in relation to the level of consciousness. Exploring the religiosity of Song of Songs in this way then becomes an exercise in being more sensitive to the presence of the divine in all other areas of life as well. Traditional polarities such as sexuality and religiosity are dissolved at the same time and proven to coincide as two aspects of the same experience. Not only does erotic love open one’s eyes to the divine in nature as the body of God, but one also encounters the divine in the body. / Old Testament & Ancient Near Eastern Studies / D. Th. (Old Testament)

長久以來，以「解放人類」為訴求目標與口號的馬克思主義，一直以其濃厚的烏托邦 色彩困惑人心。本論文撰寫的目的，正是針對這個問題，以馬克思共產主義理論的誕 生地一「巴黎手稿」為中心，展開對馬克思所謂「解放」，即自由概念的分析。本論 文共分為五章 第一章 馬克思對黑格爾和費爾巴哈的揩判 旨在說明馬克思從對黑格爾和費爾巴哈的批判中，建立了他的研究方法，而恩格斯認 為馬克思所建立的「歷史唯物主義」，在此也已有了基本雛型 第二章 馬克思對人的看法 馬克思認為人通勞動建立人與自然、人與社會的關係。勞動是人生命的表現，一旦它 不能使人的禾能、潛力得到發揮，這時就產生了異化。 第三章 異化勞動 就在說明馬克思如何解析人在資本主義社會當中，包括工人程資本家在內被異化的處 境，其根源正是來自於私有財產與分工。因此揚棄異化必須廢除私有財產與分工，才 能使人從社會的桎梏中獲得解放。馬克思認為資本主義社會已經為人類揚棄異化提供 了現實性的條件，但是，在獲致自由的途徑中，人還必須克服理論與實踐脫離的問題 第四章的內容，就在呈現馬克思如何整合理論與實踐，從而使他的共產主義主張或自 由概念有了不同於前人的內涵。最，第五章，承續前幾章討論內容，就馬克思在「手 稿」中呈現的自由概念的特質，做出結論並加以批評。

Dans le domaine de l'ingénierie du cartilage, les hydrogels à base d'alginate (Alg) et de cellules souches mésenchymateuses (CSM) sont utilisés comme biomatériaux pouvant être utilisés pour combler des lésions cartilagineuses plus ou moins profondes. Cependant, pour reproduire l’organisation zonale du cartilage, des biomatériaux multiphasiques sont nécessaires. Afin de guider la différenciation des CSM dans les différentes strates du biomatériau, sans apports de facteurs de croissance, des composants naturels du cartilage (acide hyaluronique, HA) ou de la matrice osseuse (hydroxyapatite, Hap) peuvent être ajoutés à l’alginate. L’objectif de ce travail de thèse consiste à analyser l’impact de la composition de biomatériaux à base d’alginate enrichi soit en HA soit en Hap sur le comportement des CSM. La première partie de notre travail à consister à évaluer le comportement des CSM issues de la gelée de Wharton dans ces hydrogels. Nos résultats mettent en évidence que les hydrogels d’Alg/Hap possèdent non seulement de meilleures propriétés mécaniques que les hydrogels Alg/HA et favorisent la viabilité des CSM ainsi que leur différenciation par rapport aux CSM ensemencées dans un hydrogel d’Alg/HA. La méthode de stérilisation du biomatériau représente une étape incontournable, dont on doit impérativement évaluer les multiples effets, en particulier pour ce qui touche au comportement des cellules, mais aussi au maintien de l’intégrité des propriétés physicochimiques de l'hydrogel. Ainsi, dans une seconde partie du travail, nous avons montré que le traitement de stérilisation par autoclave induisait un effet négatif sur les caractéristiques initiales de l'hydrogel à base d'alginate. Il ressort également de cette investigation sur les modes de stérilisation, que la stérilisation des hydrogels avec des UV est plus efficace et permet de préserver au mieux les propriétés spécifiques de l'hydrogel, notamment de l’Alg/HA. Enfin, dans une troisième partie de notre travail, nous avons évalué l’évolution des propriétés mécaniques au cours de la différenciation et l’impact de celles-ci sur la différenciation des CSM ainsi que sur leurs propriétés immunomodulatrices. À partir de ces résultats, nous avons montré que les caractéristiques physico-chimiques des hydrogels d’Alg/ha et Alg/hap influençaient non seulement le potentiel de différenciation des CSM-GW mais également la sécrétion des facteurs solubles impliqués dans l’immunomodulation. Ces propriétés physico-chimiques étant influencées dès le procédé de stérilisation, il est alors conseillé de les prendre en compte dans toutes les étapes de l’ingénierie tissulaire / In the field of cartilage engineering, alginate (Alg)-based hydrogels and mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) are widely used as raw biomaterials and stem cells which can be used to fill cartilage lesions of varying depth. However, to reproduce the zonal organization of articular cartilage, a graft multilayer is necessary. In order to guide the differentiation of MSCs in different strata of the biomaterials, without input of growth factors, natural cartilage components (hyaluronic acid, HA) or bone matrix (hydroxyapatite, Hap) can be added into the alginate. The aim of this work is to analyze the impact of the composition of alginate enriched either in HA or in Hap on the behavior of MSCs. The first part of our work is to evaluate the behavior of WJ-MSCs into these hydrogels. Our results have shown that Alg/ Hap hydrogels not only possess better mechanical properties than Alg/HA hydrogels, but also promote the viability of MSCs and their differentiation from MSC seeded into the Alg/HA hydrogel. The sterilization method of biomaterial is an essential step, the multiple effects of which must be evaluated, in particular as regards the behavior of the cells, but also to maintain the integrity of the physicochemical properties of hydrogel. Thus, in a second part of this work, we showed that the autoclave sterilization treatment induced a negative effect on the initial characteristics of alginate hydrogel. It is also apparent from this investigation of the sterilization modes that the sterilization of hydrogels with UV is more efficient and makes it possible to preserve the specific properties of the hydrogel as best as possible, in particular Alg/HA. Finally, in a third part of our work, we also evaluated the evolution of the mechanical properties during the differentiation and the impact of these on the differentiation of MSCs and their immunomodulatory properties. From these results, we have shown that the physico-chemical characteristics of Alg / ha and Alg/hap hydrogels influence not only the differentiation potential of WJ-MSC but also the secretion of soluble factors involved in immunomodulation. Since these physicochemical properties are influenced by the sterilization process, it is advisable to take them into account in all stages of tissue engineering

Abstract in English, Venda and Zulu / Workplace wellness, organisational commitment and retention play a phenomenal role in organisations. Insurance companies form part of the organisations affected by retention of employees. Employees need to be physically, spiritually, socially, emotionally, intellectually, occupationally and environmentally well to perform, commit and remain in the organisation for longer. The objective of the study was to (i) establish a relationship between workplace wellness, organisational commitment and retention among employees of an insurance organisation in Johannesburg, (ii) to establish whether a relationship exists between the variables and the demographics age, gender, race groups, marital status and education levels. A deductive quantitative research method with systematic sampling was utilized to gather and evaluate the data in a sample of 726 randomly selected participants. A 22.59% response rate was obtained. The findings indicate significant relationships between the respondents', workplace wellness, organisational commitment and retention, also between workplace wellness, retention and education level. This is an indication that workplace wellness and organisational commitment has an influence on retaining employees and that employees with a level of education attest to that. No significant relations found between variables workplace wellness, organisational commitment, retention and the biographical variables age, gender, marital status, employment levels. No significant relations were found between organisational commitment and education level. The findings of this research contribute to the existing body of knowledge by providing human resource managers and practitioners with insights on specific commitment and retention strategies that will make employees commit and remain longer in the organisation. An important understanding gained on retention strategies will assist human resource managers to design relevant interventions to have committed employees and retain them. / Impilonhle emsebenzini, ukuzibophezela kwabasebenzi enhlanganweni kanye nokugcinwa kwabasebenzi kudlala indima enkulu ezinhlanganweni. Izinkampani zomshwalense ziyingxenye yezinhlangano ezithintekayo ekugcinweni kwabasebenzi. Abasebenzi kumele babe sesimweni esihle ngokomzimba, ngokomphefumulo, ngokwemizwa, ngokwengqondo, ngokomsebenzi kanye nangokwesimo semvelo abaphila kusona ukuze bakwazi ukwenza umsebenzi wabo kahle futhi bahlale isikhathi eside enhlanganweni. Injongo yalolu cwaningo kwabe (i) kuwukubheka nokuthola ubudlelwano phakathi kwempilonhle emsebenzini, ukuzibophezela kwabasebenzi enhlanganweni kanye nokugcinwa kwabasebenzi ezinhlanganweni zomshwalense eGoli, (ii) ukuthola ukuthi bukhona yini ubudlelwano phakathi kwezimo ezintathu ezishiwo ngenhla (impilonhle emsebenzini, ukuzibophezela kwabasebenzi enhlanganweni kanye nokugcinwa kwabasebenzi) kanye nezici eziphathelene nabantu ezinjengeminyaka yobudala, ubulili, uhlanga/ibala lomuntu, isimo somshado kanye namazinga emfundo. Kwasetshenziswa i-deductive quantitative research method ehambisana ne-systematic sampling ukuqoqa nokuhlola idatha kubabambiqhaza bocwangino abangama-726 ababeqokwe ngaphandle kokulandela indlela ethile ehlelekile. Kwatholakala izinga lokuphendula (response rate) elingama-22.59%. Imiphumela yocwaningo ibonisa ukuba khona kobudlelwano obukhulu phakathi kwempilonhle emsebenzini, ukuzibophezela kwabasebenzi enhlanganweni kanye nokugcinwa kwabasebenzi; futhi bukhona ubudlelwano phakathi kwempilonhle emsebenzini nokugcinwa kwabasebenzi kanye nezinga lemfundo. Lokhu kuyinkomba yokuthi impilonhle emsebenzini kanye nokuzibophezela kwabasebenzi enhlanganweni kunawo umthelela ekugcinweni kwabasebenzi futhi abasebenzi abanezinga elithile lemfundo bawubufakazi balokho. Abukho ubudlelwano obuphawulekayo obatholakala phakathi kwezimo ezinjengempilonhle emsebenzini, ukuzibophezela kwabasebenzi enhlanganweni kanye nokugcinwa kwabasebenzi kanye nezici eziphathelene nabantu ezinjengeminyaka yobudala, ubulili, isimo somshado kanye namazinga okuqashwa. Futhi abukho ubudlelwano obuphawulekayo obatholakala phakathi kokuzibophezela kwabasebenzi enhlanganweni kanye nezinga lemfundo. Imiphumela yalolu cwaningo ifaka isandla olwazini olukhona njengamanje ngokuhlinzeka abaphathi kanye nabasebenzi beminyango yezindaba zabasebenzi ngolwazi oluzobalekelela ukuthi bakwazi ukuqonda kahle amaqhingasu athile aphathelene nokuzibophezela kwabasebenzi kanye nokugcinwa kwabo emsebenzini okuyinto ezokwenza ukuthi abasebenzi bazibophezele futhi bahlale isikhathi eside enhlanganweni. Ukuqonda amaqhingasu okugcinwa kwabasebenzi kuzolekelela abaphathi beminyango yezindaba zabasebenzi ukuthi bakwazi ukwenza izinhlelo zokungenelela ezifanelekile ukuze babe nabasebenzi abazibophezele futhi babagcine emsebenzini. / Mutakalo mushumoni, u ḓikumedzela ha tshiimiswa na u dzudza zwi shela mulenzhe nga huhulu kha tshiimiswa. Khamphani dza ndindakhombo dzi vhumba tshipiḓa tsha zwiimiswa zwo khwameaho zwa u dzudza vhatholwa mushumoni. Vhatholwa vha tea u vha vhe na mutakalo muvhilini, muyani, matshilisano, mielekanyo, vhuṱali, mushumo na vhupo havhuḓi u kona u shuma, u ḓikumedzela, na u dzula kha tshiimiswa lwa tshifhinga tshilapfu. Ndivho ya ngudo ho vha u (i) thoma vhushaka vhukati ha mutakalo mushumoni, u ḓikumedzela ha tshiimiswa na u dzudza vhukati ha vhatholwa vha tshiimiswa tsha ndindakhombo ngei Johannesburg, (ii) u vhona arali hu na vhushaka vhukati ha zwishanduwaho na vhukale ha tshandukisatshivhumbeo, mbeu, zwigwada zwa mirafho, nyimele ya mbingano na vhuimo ha pfunzo. Kuitele kwa ṱhoḓisiso dzo no itwaho nga vhaṅwe kwa khwaḽithethivi na vhukhethatsumbonanguludzwa kwo shumiswa u kuvhanganya na u ela data kha tsumbonanguludzwa dza 726 dza vhadzheneli vho nangwaho nga nḓila ye zwa itea ngayo. Ho waniwa phimo ya u fhindula ya 22.59%. Mawanwa a sumbedzisa vhushaka ha ndeme vhukati ha vhafhinduli vha mutakalo mushumoni, u dzudza na u ḓikumedzela ha tshiimiswa; na vhukati ha mutakalo mushumoni, u dzudza na vhuimo ha pfunzo. Heyi ndi tsumbo ya uri mutakalo mushumoni na u ḓikumedzela ha tshiimiswa zwi na ṱhuṱhuwedzo kha u dzudza vhatholwa na uri vhatholwa na vha re na vhuimo ha pfunzo vho zwi khwaṱhisedza. A huna vhushaka ha ndeme he ha wanala vhukati ha zwishanduwaho zwa mutakalo mushumoni, u ḓikumedzela ha tshiimiswa na u dzudza, vhukale ha zwishanduwaho zwa nganeavhutshilo, mbeu, nyimele ya mbingano na vhuimo ha mushumo. Mawanwa a ṱhoḓisiso iyi o shela mulenzhe kha ndivho ya tshiimiswa i re hone nga u ṋetshedza ndivho vhalanguli vha zwiko zwa vhashumi na vhashumeli nga ha u ḓikumedzela ho tiwaho na zwiṱirathedzhi zwa u dzudza zwine zwa ḓo ita uri vhatholwa vha ḓikumedzele nga vhone vhaṋe kha, na u dzula tshifhinga tshilapfu kha tshiimiswa. U pfesesa zwi tshi elana na zwiṱirathedzhi zwa u dzudza zwi ḓo thusa vhalanguli vha zwiko zwa vhashumi u dzudzanya u dzhenelela ho teaho u vha na vhatholwa vho ḓikumedzelaho na u vha dzudza. / Business Management / M. Com. (Business Management)