M.Ing. / Potential variation in tasks and relative location of manufacturing equipment (machine tools, robot, automated guided vehicles etc.) resulting from the need to restructure the production environment, require efficient and effective communication for optimal performance. The work presented makes use of information and data flow within a system to achieve an integrated and dynamic environment. Models are presented to describe the integration of processing and auxiliary equipment and to select auxiliary equipment for a specific environment. An analytical approach is included for the integration. Specific examples are included. The work presented attempts to contribute to the flexibility of modern manufacturing environments by integrating all facilities in the environment.

M.Ed. / The computer technology can be used as a complementary tool for teaching as well as a learning tool. Whilst not having the same level of computer use as the developed countries, South Africa is increasingly becoming a society of technology users; therefore, one prime goal of education would be to develop a basic knowledge of the structure and operating principle behind the use of computers in teaching and learning. This study was conducted at a selected public secondary school in Johannesburg West District, Gauteng Province. It focuses on the design and implementation of Data Handling lesson through computer-based spreadsheets for Grade 10 learners. The design type of this study is qualitative design experiment method with a small component of quantitative approach. This method is regarded as an educational intervention developed as a way of carrying out formative research to test and refine educational designs on the principles derived from earlier research. The method addressed the curricular content (Data Handling) in the classroom as well as PowerPoint, Microsoft Word and Spreadsheets software design. The design framework is derived from design principles generated from instructional system design theory and constructivist perspective. Design principles are used as a framework for the analysis of the learners’ and teacher’s experiences of a Data Handling lesson through computer-based spreadsheets. Data was collected through observation, interviews and assessment activities Findings suggested that the use of computer-based spreadsheets in teaching and learning had contributed positive effect towards the learning of Data Handling. Both teacher and her learners identified the positive experiences of fun and interest in using computer-based spreadsheets in teaching and learning.

The purpose of the present thesis is to create an understanding of entrepreneurship interpreted as communicative action. This is done through reflections on an interactive study that was planned and conducted together with members of a civic network-organization called Societal Change in Practice (SIP). According to Habermas, civic organizations are ideally characterized by a communicative rationality that enables them to organize informal public spheres; that is, arenas in social life where individuals can come together to discuss and act upon societal problems or opportunities that they have experienced in their private life-spheres. I have actively participated in three ventures with members from SIP. The first venture revolves around my own and members from SIP’s respective practices as education coordinators. Based on our common interest in education and learning in relation to entrepreneurship, we planned and conducted a series of joint activities that also involved our respective student groups. The activities are interpreted based on my own personal experiences as a researcher participating in a project that requires commitment and responsibility. The second venture involves the creation of a local community magazine that highlights examples of civic initiatives in two municipalities. The production of the magazine is interpreted as an example of how SIP creates public opinion in the local community. The third event relates to the organization of a conference on the subject of youth and digital media. The main message of the conference is interpreted in terms of a manifestation of what the public sphere can accomplish, or as a reaction in defense of a well-functioning public sphere in society. The methodological contribution of the thesis is its definition of three interactive research roles based on my own interaction as a researcher in different kinds of ventures. Based on a theatrical metaphor, I argue that the researcher can participate as one of the directors of a venture, as a member of the ensemble that performs a venture, or as a member of the audience that observes an event. The theoretical contribution of the study is that it shows how Habermas’ theory of communicative action can be modified and made useful as a theoretical frame of reference for studying entrepreneurship in civil society. Entrepreneurship is understood as a way to vitalize the informal public sphere, thereby influencing society as a whole and not just its economy.

No description available.

In the first study, we formulate the passenger and cargo allocation problem as a variant of the price-dependent multi-item newsvendor model with capacity constraints. The effects of baggage weight, pricing, and costing on the number of passengers and amount of cargo carried are studied. Based on the model and the existing practice of carriers, we develop several illustrative cases and fend that to maximize profit, large aircraft may need to reduce their baggage limits significantly from the current policy. / In the second study, we propose the dynamic partnership concept, which assures a feasible partnership in an online logistics community. After identifying the platform requirements, a preliminary knowledge framework which describes the collaborative knowledge and new knowledge managing approaches is suggested. / In the third study, we provide a two-phase framework for an airfreight forwarder's resource planning. In each timed phase, an optimization model first determines the aggregates and a simulation model then examines the disaggregated situations evaluating whether the aggregate estimates are viable under disaggregation and uncertainties. Here, a set of measurements are established to evaluate the performance of a resource plan. For the inadequate plans, areas of possible improvements are identified for revision. / Three studies in air cargo logistics are conducted respectively, covering the following three areas: carrier's passenger and cargo management, logistics service provider's partnership strategy, and an airfreight forwarder's resource planning. / study 1. Optimal baggage limit policy: airline passenger and cargo allocation -- study 2. Dynamic partnership in online logistics community: concepts and a knowledge framework -- study 3. An airfreight forwarder's aggregate resource planning: booking of cargo space and disaggregation viability. / Wong, Wai Hung. / Adviser: Lawrence C. Leung. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 70-06, Section: A, page: 2121. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2008. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 172-175). / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Electronic reproduction. [Ann Arbor, MI] : ProQuest Information and Learning, [200-] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Electronic reproduction. Ann Arbor, MI : ProQuest dissertations and theses, [201-] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / School code: 1307.

Although much effort has been placed into the reduction of risks associated with manual materials handling, risk of musculoskeletal disorder development remains high. This may be due to the additional muscle activity necessary for the maintenance of postural equilibrium during work tasks. This research proposes that postural control and subsequent additional muscle activity is influenced by the magnitude of the external load and the degree of body movement. The objective of this research was to identify whether performing tasks with increased external load and with a greater degree of trunk motion places additional strain on the musculoskeletal system in excess of that imposed by task demands. Twenty-four male and twenty-four female subjects performed four load manipulation tasks under three loading conditions (0.8kg, 1.6kg, and 4kg). Each task comprised of a static and dynamic condition. For the static condition, subjects maintained a stipulated posture for ten seconds. The dynamic condition required subjects to move and replace a box once every three seconds, such that a complete lift and lower cycle was performed in six seconds. Throughout task completion, muscle activity of six pairs of trunk muscles were analysed using surface electromyography. This was accompanied by data regarding ground reaction forces obtained through the use of a force platform. After the completion of each condition subjects were required to identify and rate body discomfort. Differential analysis was used to isolate the muscle activity and ground reaction forces attributed to increased external load and increased trunk movement. It was found that the heaviest loading conditions (4kg) resulted in significantly greater (p<0.05) muscle activation in the majority of muscles during all tasks investigated. The trend of muscle activity attributed to load was similar in all significantly altered muscles and activation was greatest in the heaviest loading condition. A degree of movement efficiency occurred in some muscles when manipulating loads of 0.8kg and 1.6kg. At greater loads, this did not occur suggesting that heavier loading conditions result in additional strain on the body in excess of that imposed by task demands. In manipulated data, trend of vertical ground reaction forces increased with increased load in all tasks. Sagittal movement of the centre of pressure attributed to load was significantly affected in manipulated data in the second movement phase of the “hip shoulder” task and the second movement phase of the “hip twist” task. The “hip reach” task was most affected by increased load magnitude as muscle activity attributed to load was significantly different (p<0.05) under increased loading conditions in both movement phases in all muscles. Further, a significant interactional effect (p<0.05) between condition and data point was found in all muscles with the exception of the right and left lumbar erector spinae during the second movement phase of the “hip reach” task. Muscle activity associated with increased trunk motion resulted in additional strain on the trunk muscles in the “hip shoulder” and “hip reach” tasks as muscle activity associated with the static component of each of the above tasks was greater than that of the dynamic tasks. Trend of ground reaction forces attributed to increased trunk motion generally increased under increased loading conditions. Additionally, a significant interactional effect (p<0.05) between load and muscle activity pattern was found in all muscles during all tasks, with the exception of the right rectus abdominis in the first movement phase of the “hip shoulder’ task, the left rectus abdominis in the second movement phase of the “hip knee” task and the right latissimus dorsi during the first movement phase of the “hip twist” task. This was accompanied by a significant interactional effect (p<0.05) between load and sagittal centre of pressure movement attributed to load, in both movement phases of all tasks investigated. From this research it can be proposed that guidelines may underestimate risk and subsequently under predict the strain in tasks performed with greater external loads as well as tasks which require a greater degree of trunk motion. Therefore, this study illustrates the importance of the consideration of the muscle activity necessary to maintain postural equilibrium in overall load analyses.

BAKGRUND:Kunskapsöversikt från bland annat Odelfors (1998) visar att flickor och pojkar i förskola och skola blir bemötta olikaoch att de sedan förhåller sig till detta på olika sätt utifrån respektive kön. Studier på detta område har tidigaregenomförts mer i skolan än i förskolan och därmed blev det extra intressant att vi skulle utföra vår undersökning påförskolans arena. Då Odelfors kunskapsöversikt delvis stämmer in med våra tidigare upplevelser av pedagogersbemötande av pojkar och flickor på fältet, har det byggt upp ett behov hos oss av att få undersöka om det i dagensförskola är skillnad på pedagogernas uppmärksamhet gentemot könen. Vi ställer oss då frågan: finns det likheter ochskillnader i hur uppmärksamheten riktas till flickor och pojkar?SYFTE:Syftet med studien är att undersöka hur några pedagoger riktar sin uppmärksamhet gentemot flickor och pojkar undermåltidsituationen i förskolan.METOD:Undersökningen har genomförts med hjälp av kvalitativ metod med inspiration av delar från den etnografiskaforskningsansatsen. Resultatet grundar sig i nitton observerade måltidssituationer på två förskoleavdelningar där vihar tittat på hur pedagogerna riktar sin uppmärksamhet gentemot flickor och pojkarRESULTAT:Eftersom den insamlade datan är analyserad genom två olika sätt, kvalitativ och kvantitativ analys, har vi kunnatkomma fram till följande. Resultatet visade att det fanns både skillnader och likheter på de bådaförskoleavdelningarna när pedagogerna riktade sin uppmärksamhet genom handlingar och kommunikation gentemotflickor och pojkar. Observationerna visar i det stora hela inte på några större skillnader mellan hur pedagogernariktar flickor eller pojkar som grupper uppmärksamhet. Däremot kunde vi se variationer i hur pedagogerna riktadeuppmärksamhet mot enskilda flickor och pojkar. / Uppsatsnivå: C

A dor encontra-se inerente aos procedimentos de tratamento intensivo dos recém-nascidos pré-termo em Unidade de Terapia Intensiva Neonatal. As experiências precoces e repetidas de dor podem ter efeitos a longo prazo para os recém-nascidos vulneráveis. A Academia Americana de Pediatria e a Sociedade Pediátrica Canadense recomendam o uso da solução de sacarose como rotina para alívio da dor em Unidade de Terapia Intensiva Neonatal, durante os procedimentos invasivos e dolorosos. O presente estudo teve por objetivo avaliar as reações de dor de neonatos pré-termo durante procedimento de coleta de sangue, analisando o momento da punção, assim como os efeitos do manuseio dos neonatos para a anti-sepsia e o curativo e avaliar a eficácia da intervenção com solução de sacarose a 25% no alívio da dor administrando-a em dose única de 0,5ml/Kg. Trinta e três neonatos foram distribuídos randomicamente em dois grupos: Grupo Sacarose (n=17) e Grupo Água (n=16). Os neonatos foram avaliados durante dois dias consecutivos. Na primeira avaliação, os neonatos de ambos os grupos não receberam nenhuma substância antes do procedimento doloroso. Na segunda avaliação, o Grupo Sacarose recebeu sacarose oral e o Grupo Água recebeu água estéril, dois minutos antes do procedimento invasivo e doloroso de punção para coleta de sangue. Cada avaliação foi dividida em cinco fases: Linha de Base, Preparação para Punção (anti-sepsia), Punção, Recuperação com Manuseio (curativo) e Recuperação sem Manuseio. O indicador de dor foi avaliado pela atividade facial, que foi mensurada pelo Neonatal Facial Coding System. O nível de ativação dos neonatos foi medido pelo estado de vigília e sono e pela freqüência cardíaca. A análise entre grupos e intra-grupo dos dados revelou que no primeiro dia de avaliação os neonatos anteciparam a reação ao estímulo doloroso de punção, apresentando elevação significativa dos indicadores atividade facial, estado de vigília e sono e freqüência cardíaca avaliados na Preparação para Punção. Ambos os grupos mostraram alta reatividade comportamental e fisiológica na fase de Punção, em comparação à Linha de Base. Durante a recuperação, o indicador fisiológico de freqüência cardíaca continuou elevado. No segundo dia de avaliação os neonatos que receberam 0,5ml/Kg de solução de sacarose a 25% apresentaram menores escores de atividade facial, indicativo de menos dor, em comparação aos neonatos que receberam água estéril, antes, durante e após o procedimento de punção para coleta de sangue. Entretanto, o indicador fisiológico de freqüência cardíaca não apresentou diferença significativa entre os grupos. Conclui-se que a dose de 0,5ml/Kg de solução de sacarose a 25%, recomendada para a administração da substância em doses repetidas, foi eficaz no alívio de dor, avaliada por meio da redução de indicadores comportamentais. Entretanto, o indicador fisiológico continuou elevado, sugerindo a necessidade de outras medidas de conforto associadas à sacarose, com a finalidade de atenuação do estado de ativação e irritabilidade do sistema nervoso central. / Pain is inherent to the intensive treatment procedures offered to preterm neonates in Neonatal Intensive Care Units. The early and repeated experiences of pain may have a long-term effects for the vulnerable neonates. The American Academy of Pediatrics and the Canadian Pediatric Society recommend using a sucrose solution for pain relief in NICU during invasive and painful procedures. The present study had the purpose to assess the pain reactions of preterm neonates during a procedure for blood collection, evaluating the moment of puncture as well as the effects of handling the neonates for antisepsis and for bandages, and evaluating the efficacy of the intervention with the sucrose solution at 25% for pain relief by administering a single dose of 0.5 ml/Kg. Thirty-three neonates were randomly assigned to two groups: Sucrose Group (n=17) and Water Group (n=16). The neonates were evaluated during two consecutive days. In the first assessment, the neonates from both groups did not receive the solution before the painful procedure. In the second assessment, the Sucrose Group received oral sucrose and the Water Group received sterile water, two minutes before the invasive painful procedure of puncture for blood collection. Each evaluation was divided into five phases: Baseline, Preparation for Puncture (antisepsis), Puncture, Recovery with Handling (bandage), and Recovery without Handling. The indicators of pain were evaluated by the facial activity, measured by the Neonatal Facial Coding System. The level of activation of the neonates was measured by their sleep-awake state and heart rate. The between and within-group data analysis revealed that, on the first day of evaluation, the neonates anticipated their reaction to the painful puncture stimulus, and showed a significant increase in the behavioral indicators of facial activity, sleep-awake state, and heart rate evaluated at the Preparation for Puncture. Both groups showed a high behavioral and physiological reactivity in the Puncture phase, in comparison to the Baseline. During recovery, the physiological indicator of heart rate continued high. In the second day of evaluation, the neonates who received 0.5 ml/Kg of the sucrose solution at 25% showed lower scores of facial activity, which indicates they experienced less pain in comparison to the neonates who received sterile water before, during, and after the procedure of puncture for blood collection. However, there were no significant differences in terms of the physiological indicator of heart rate. It is concluded that the dose of 0.5 ml/kg of sucrose solution at 25%, recommended for the administration in repeated doses, was efficient for pain relief, evaluated by means of the reduction of behavioral indicators. However, the physiological indicator remained high, which suggests there is a need for other comfort manegement associated to sucrose, with the aim to diminish the state of activation and irritability of the central nervous system.

Kong, Kwok Ho. / "August 2011." / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2011. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 67-68). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / Abstract --- p.ii / 摘要 --- p.iii / Acknowledgements --- p.iv / Chapter 1. --- Introduction --- p.1 / Chapter 2. --- Literature Review --- p.4 / Chapter 2.1 --- The Retirement-Consumption Puzzle --- p.4 / Chapter 2.2 --- Food Expenditure and Food Consumption --- p.7 / Chapter 2.3 --- Heterogeneous Impact of Retirement on Consumption Expenditure --- p.7 / Chapter 3. --- Data Sources and Description --- p.10 / Chapter 3.1 --- Surveys --- p.10 / Chapter 3.2 --- Sample --- p.12 / Chapter 4. --- Methodology --- p.16 / Chapter 5. --- "Comparison of the NHAPS, ATUS, and ASEC Estimates" --- p.18 / Chapter 6. --- Empirical Results-Demographic Characteristics --- p.21 / Chapter 6.1 --- Male and Female Householders --- p.23 / Chapter 6.2 --- Marital Status --- p.25 / Chapter 6.3 --- Education --- p.27 / Chapter 7. --- Empirical Results-Financial Characteristics --- p.29 / Chapter 7.1 --- Housing Ownership --- p.30 / Chapter 7.2 --- Interest and Dividend Income --- p.32 / Chapter 8. --- Empirical Results-Dependency Status --- p.35 / Chapter 9. --- Potential Bias of Using Age as an Insturment for Retirement --- p.38 / Chapter 10. --- Robustness Checking --- p.40 / Chapter 10.1 --- Estimation with Restricted Samples --- p.40 / Chapter 10.2 --- Ordinary Least Square (OLS) Estimation --- p.41 / Chapter 11. --- Conclusions --- p.43 / Chapter Figure 1 --- Level Changes of Time Spent on Food Production for Household Members by Three-year Ranges --- p.46 / Chapter Figure 2 --- Percentage Change of Time Spent on Food Production for Household Members by Three-year Ranges --- p.47 / Chapter Table 1 --- "Descriptive Statistics of Non-retired and Retired Individuals in NHAPS, ATUS, and ATUS-ASEC" --- p.48 / Chapter Table 2 --- Descriptive Statistics of Time Spent on Home Food Production (in minutes per day) of Non-retired and Retired Households --- p.49 / Chapter Table 3 --- Comparison of Regression Result between the Estimation of Aguiar and Hurst (2005) and the Author's Estimation --- p.50 / Chapter Table 4 --- Descriptive Statistics of ATUS Non-retired and Retired Individuals by Gender --- p.51 / Chapter Table 5 --- 2SLS Estimates of ATUS-ASEC Householders by Gender --- p.52 / Chapter Table 6 --- 2SLS Estimates of ATUS-ASEC Female Householders by Marital Status --- p.53 / Chapter Table 7 --- 2SLS Estimates of ATUS-ASEC Male Householders by Marital Status --- p.54 / Chapter Table 8 --- 2SLS Estimates of ATUS-ASEC Householders by Education Attainment --- p.55 / Chapter Table 9 --- 2SLS Estimates of ATUS-ASEC Householders by Housing Ownership --- p.56 / Chapter Table 10 --- 2SLS Estimates of ATUS-ASEC Householders by Interest Income and Dividend Income during the Survey Year --- p.57 / Chapter Table 11 --- 2SLS Estimates of ATUS-ASEC Householders by Dependency Status during the Survey Year --- p.58 / Chapter Table 12 --- Comparison of Regression Results under Full Samples and Restricted Samples --- p.59 / Chapter Table 13 --- Comparison of Regression Results between the Use of 2SLS and OLS Methods --- p.60 / Chapter Appendix: --- Data --- p.61 / Chapter Appendix Table 1 --- Time Spent on Home Food Production (in Minutes per Day) of Householders by Marital Status --- p.62 / Chapter Appendix Table 2 --- Time Spent on Home Food Production (in Minutes per Day) of Householders by Education Attainment --- p.63 / Chapter Appendix Table 3 --- Time Spent on Home Food Production (in Minutes per Day) of Householders by Housing Ownership and the Sum of Interest Income and Dividend Income --- p.64 / Chapter Appendix Table 4 --- Housing Ownership and Education Attainment of Individuals in 2003-2009 ATUS-ASEC --- p.65 / Chapter Appendix Table 5 --- Time Spent on Home Food Production (in Minutes per Day) of Householders by Dependency Status --- p.66 / References --- p.67

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico / The reflections on this research began-taking as a starting point the interest in issues related to the most primitive experiences that underlie the constitution of subjectivity. It is thought, as some authors, that the initial experiences of a baby are very important for the formation of his psychic apparatus, especially those related to the set of sensations in which it is immersed. But then what happens when the baby is born with some deficiency in their sensorimotor apparatus, as in the case of babies born blind? It is known that blind people have to use other means to establish relations with the world of objects, people and things that surround them, implying a process of profound perceptual reorganization in which the stimuli provided by the environment play a key role. However, several studies indicate that many of these children who are blind from birth are not able to develop harmoniously manifesting often similar to autism in children visionaries, among other disorders. It seems that in these cases, visual impairment Baby profoundly affected the capacity to bond with attachment figures and this fact led to important onsequences for the evolution of the child. At the other extreme, infants who achieved an adequate level of development, showed healthy bonds with family, especially his mother. Thus, the purpose of this research concerns on the one hand, the understanding of the path taken by children who do not have the help of the sense of sight and, secondly, the understanding of the role of the first links to both health cases and for cases where the pathology and psychological distress arise. / As reflexões acerca desta pesquisa iniciaram-se tendo como ponto de partida o interesse pelas questões relacionadas às experiências mais primitivas que estão na base da constituição da subjetividade. Pensa-se, tal como alguns autores, que as vivências iniciais de um bebê são bastante importantes para a formação de seu aparato psíquico, sobretudo, as que dizem respeito ao conjunto de sensações nas quais o mesmo está imerso. Mas, então, o que se passa quando o bebê nasce com alguma deficiência em seu aparato sensório-motor, como no caso de bebês cegos de nascença? Sabe-se que as pessoas cegas precisam utilizar outros meios para estabelecer relações com o mundo dos objetos, pessoas e coisas que as cercam, implicando um processo de profunda reorganização perceptiva no qual os estímulos proporcionados pelo ambiente desempenharão um papel fundamental. No entanto, vários estudos apontam que muitas destas crianças cegas desde o nascimento não conseguem se desenvolver de modo harmônico manifestando distúrbios freqüentemente semelhantes ao autismo em crianças videntes, entre outros. Parece que, nestes casos, a incapacidade visual do bebê afetou profundamente as capacidades de vínculo com as figuras de apego e este fato originou seqüelas importantes na evolução da criança. No outro extremo, bebês que conseguiram um nível de desenvolvimento adequado, mostraram vínculos saudáveis com a família, em especial com a mãe. Assim, a finalidade da presente pesquisa prende-se, por um lado, à compreensão do caminho percorrido por crianças que não contam com o auxílio do sentido da visão e, por outro, ao entendimento do papel dos primeiros vínculos tanto para os casos de saúde quanto para os casos em que a patologia e o sofrimento psíquico surgem.