The purpose of this study was to analyze the factor structure of items pertaining to health on the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI2) for chronic back pain patients in comparison to a control group. The results may be used as groundwork for developing an MMPI2 subscale to describe this population. The groups differed in the sequence of the resulting factors and the percentage of variance accounted for by each factor. The factors extracted when evaluating the control group were titled in order: Poor Physical Health, Digestive Difficulties, Equilibrium, Depression/Malaise, and Multiple Somatic Complaints. Resulting factors for the pain group were: Depression/Malaise, Digestive Difficulties, Multiple Somatic Complaints, Headaches/Dizziness, and Neurological Reaction/Poor Physical Health.

This study investigated speech sound and syllable development in eighteen Zulu speaking children, between the ages of 3;0 to 6;2. In addition, the frequency of occurrence of Zulu speech sounds and syllables in this age group was investigated. To elicit a representative sample of the subjects’ natural speech, a 100-word spontaneous conversational sample was elicited from each subject. The samples were collected by a linguistically matched research assistant. All samples were transcribed phonetically by a stringent transcription procedure, and the reliability of the transcription was assessed by an external moderator. The UNIBET was used to code the transcription into computer recognisable symbols. The Phonetic Calculator Program (PCP) quantitively analysed the samples in terms of speech sound inventory, syllable inventory and the frequency of occurrence of speech sounds and syllables. The data was processed to allow for the comparison of the findings at three age levels namely, 3;0-4;0; 4;1-5;1 and 5;2-6;2. It was found that there was developmental progression between the ages of 3;0-6;2, with regard to speech sounds and syllables. It was found that much speech and syllable development occurred before the age of 3;0, and that the speech sound inventory and syllable inventory was incomplete by the age of 6;2. In addition, the nasals, plosives, approximants and fricatives were found to develop earlier than the affricates, clicks and prenasalised consonant sounds. The shorter syllable strings were found to develop earlier than the longer syllable strings. The subjects produced more speech sounds at an earlier age than their English-speaking peers. The subjects also produced longer strings of syllables at a younger age than their English-speaking peers. The findings in Group 1, Group 2 and Group 3 were similar to each other with regard to, the order of the speech sound frequency and syllable frequency. The more complex sounds and syllables were produced more frequently by the older subjects, demonstrating developmental progression. The findings have important clinical implications. Furthermore, the study can provide Speech-Language Therapists with a framework for further research, and contribute in constructing a relevant database of Zulu speech development. / Dissertation (MA (Communication Pathology))--University of Pretoria, 2005. / Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology / Unrestricted

This thesis focus on short-term assets and their management. The theoretical part contains basic informations about the company's assets, short -- term assets, its characteristics and it describes in details the options valuation methods of assets and inventory management. Practical part contains analyzes of current assets management system in selected company, compare findings with the competition, it identifies potential deficiencies and recommends changes for improvement.

The purpose of the present study was to study the relationship of MCMI-III clinical scales with MMPI-2 clusters in a chronic pain population. Data was obtained through assessment data (N = 242) from the Dallas Spinal Rehabilitation Center (DSRC), that included MMPI-2 and MCMI-III, as well as pre-and post-assessment information (n = 21) and follow-up questionnaires (n = 19). Subjects' age ranged from 18 to 64. Each patient had a primary diagnosis related to a back and/or a cervical injury, a chronic pain diagnosis, and often medical prescription dependency and/or addition. Each has experienced back pain in the lumbar region (L1 to L5) or cervical region (C1 to C7) for an average of 32 months. Patients with thoracic (mid-spine) and carpal tunnel pain were excluded from this study. A multivariate cluster analysis procedure was performed that yielded 3 homogeneous female MMPI-2 clusters and 4 MMPI-2 homogeneous male clusters. Seven multiple regression analyses were performed to determine which MCMI-III clinical scales predicted cluster membership in the MMPI-2 clusters. Results indicated that MCMI-III clinical scales "7" Compulsive, "X" Validity and "C" Borderline were predictors for membership in the male MMPI-2 clusters. Membership in the female MMPI-2 clusters were predicted by MCMI-III clinical scales "4" Histrionic, "T" Drug Dependence and "2A" Avoidant. Nineteen pre-and post-MCMI-IIIs were analyzed for change after participants completed the six-week pain management program. Paired-sample t-tests were performed on these data and revealed that significant change was noted on 10 MCMI-III clinical scales. Follow-up data questionnaires were available on these same individuals. Results from a correlation analysis indicated that patients who reported having supportive relationships with their spouse and family and a secure source of income report better quality of sleep, better mood, are able to relax and are believe that they are able to manage their pain. Participants who were able to relax and remain calm report better quality of sleep, exercise frequently, report better quality of mood and believe that they will return to work soon. Findings from this study suggest that rather than using the MCMI-III as a diagnostic tool, a more efficient use of this instrument would be to understand maladaptive coping styles that may be present under stressful situations. This study's findings suggest that pain treatment program staff could utilize follow up information, as well as diagnostic information about coping strategies that might appear under stress, to shape interventions. Future research might focus on investigation of factors that predict both improvement and program failure, especially those present at initial intake.

The use of scales on the Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI) to detect defensiveness in criminal and nonclinical samples was evaluated. Forty-five male inmates of a county jail and 38 male undergraduate psychology students were provided with incentives to complete the PAI under two conditions: standard instructions and experimental instructions to feign a specific, positive role. The sequence of instructions was counterbalanced in both samples for the purpose of examining ordering effects. A repeated measures multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) was performed, yielding significant main effects of condition, group and order. Additionally, a step-wise discriminant function analysis significantly predicted group membership (i.e., subjects under honest and faking conditions) with a hit rate = 84.4%. Finally, a more effective cutting score for the Positive Impression scale was recommended.

This study was undertaken to help determine the usefulness of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) for providing information regarding a person's object relations. Subjects were 136 college students (56 males, 80 females) ranging in age from 18 to 48. Subjects were administered the Rorschach, the Self Object Scale (SOS), and the MMPI. The Rorschach was scored using Blatt, Brenneis, Schimek, and Glick's (1976a) manual for scoring the level of object relations (Developmental Analysis of the Concept of the Object Scale-DACOS), the SOS scored as Blatt, Chevron, Quinlan, and Wein's manual (1981) directs, and the MMPI scored in the standardized manner using college-age norms. MANOVA's on the SOS and the DACOS resulted in significant effects for sex on MMPI scales 6, 7, and 8. Sex differences on MMPI scales 6 and 4 were obtained for high/low level of object relations on the DACOS. Pearson correlations showed positive correlations for males between level of object relations on the SOS and MMPI scale 5, and negative correlations on MMPI scale 5 for females. For males positive correlations between the DACOS and MMPI scale 4 and negative correlations on MMPI scale 10 were noted. These results were discussed as pertaining to the socialization of males and females. The most puzzling finding was the lack of correlation between the DACOS and the SOS. This was discussed as possibly being a result of the effect of the Rorschach, which measures psychopathology, whereas the SOS may be a purer measure of object relations. The paucity and weakness of the results was attributed to the restricted variance of the population. Implications for future research included obtaining a larger sample from a normal population, establishing clear norms for object eolations measures, obtaining correlations between a measure of current functioning and the object relations measures as a step toward establishing cut-off scores for groups on the measures, and further exploration of the weights in the scoring categories "of Blatt's DACOS scale.

This thesis focuses on the management of a selected part of the production process in IMI Precision Engineering and aims to present a proposal for the introduction of a new approach to managing the production task of the given production process part using the Kanban model. The subject of the analysis is the inventory of the given production process part, which are analysed based on ABC / XYZ analysis, the conclusions of which, presented in the design part of the thesis, serve as basis for the creation of a proposal for the introduction of Kanban.

Thesis (M.A. Pharm. (Pharmacy Practice) -- University of Limpopo, 2020 / Background: Non-communicable chronic disease contributes to premature mortality in SA, threatening the socio-economic development of the country. The efficient management of essential medicines supply at the clinic level is vital as stock-outs of the medicines increase morbidity and mortality. Objectives: The study aimed to identify and determine the challenges in the inventory management of medicine for the treatment of non-communicable chronic diseases at public health clinics in the Dikgale community of Limpopo province. Methods: The study used a cross-sectional quantitative research design; the purposive sampling technique was used, as it requires people with specific skills, knowledge, and expertise. A Pre-validated questionnaire was used to collect data from pharmacists, professional nurses, and transport personnel. Stock card utilization review and checklist were used to verify the answers obtained from the participants. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyse the data collected. All these processes ensure that stock is always available and at optimal levels. The availability of stock at optimal levels is dependent on the personnel following SOPs. Results: In total, 40% of pharmacists indicated to have never trained nursing personnel on stock management, and 66.7% which, is the majority of nursing personnel, reported they have never been trained on stock management. Only 26.67% of medicines used for NCDs did not have stock cards. The study further found that the stock-card was not used every time a transaction was made. Thirty-nine (39%) percent of the respondents did not know how to quantify order quantities; this factor contributes to stock-outs experienced at clinics. All the clinics did not have a secure dedicated area. Deliveries are offloaded outside the medicine room. Conclusions: There is a training gap that needs to be closed to meet the minimum requirements as per GPP guidelines and also help to reduce medicine stock-outs as personnel will be well equipped to handle stock. In terms of inventory management and stock control systems, all primary healthcare sectors used a manual/paper-based inventory management system. Stock control systems are in place but were not always utilised and, processes are not consistent among staff members across clinics. With distribution, it would work better if nursing personnel dedicated a person to place and receive orders as discrepancies will be picked up sooner, and quantities will be sufficient to last until the next ordering date. None of the clinics complied with “Ideal Clinic” standards for infrastructure, storage, and inventory management. / VLIR

The master's thesis analyses the present state of inventory management in VSM Production, Ltd. It identifies the problems concerning the provision of the continuous flows of material for the manufacturing of Pfaff sewing machines with a view to achieve the advancement of the efficiency and economy of the provision of this procedure. The improvement suggestions are directed at several spheres: the differentiated inventory management, the optimizing of order process, the overabundant inventory and the information system of inventory management.

A theme of the diploma work "The study of purchasing management for implementation of new production" is a suggestion for improving the purchasing operations for newly lauching production in the company IFE-CR, a.s. The first part is focused on a description of the company and a theoretical specification of purchasing of a manufactoring company, the second part deals with an analysis of the current state of purchasing in the company. In the last part there is a suggestion for steps of how to improve the current purchasing functions.