Spinal cord injury (SCI) is an acquired physical disability through traumatic injuries such as car accidents and shooting incidents, and non-traumatic injury such as a tumour on the spinal cord, amongst others. Unlike other parts of the body, the spinal cord does not have the ability to repair itself if it is damaged. Consequently, a person who has acquired an SCI will have a physical disability and will be either a paraplegic – paralysis of the lower part of the body, including the legs, or a quadriplegic, which is paralysis of all four limbs. Acquiring a spinal cord injury (SCI) has devastating long-term negative outcomes for the injured person as well as his/her cohabiting partner on a physical, psychological, psychosocial and socio-economical level. Exposure to such prolonged adversity and resulting negative outcomes calls for resilience, namely the ability to positively adapt despite the adversity being exposed to. Not all individuals have the natural ability to “bounce back”, and consequently resilience promotion is imperative. In South Africa, the focus of service delivery in rehabilitation centres is mainly centred on the injured person and consequently the well-being of the spinal cord injured person’s partner (SCIPP) is neglected. Little information is available on resilience-promoting programmes for SCIPPs; thus the main aim of this study was to design and develop a group resilience-promoting programme (GRPP) for SCIPPs. The researcher mainly followed a qualitative research approach and included a small quantitative component. In the context of applied research, an intervention research model comprising six phases was employed. Phase 1, Problem analysis and project planning, was reported on in section A. Manuscript 1 reports on phase 2 (information gathering and synthesis), and consists of a qualitative research synthesis, and mainly aimed at organizing and synthesizing previous research on resilience-promoting processes in order to inform the design and development of a group resilience-promoting programme (GRPP) for SCIPPs. After a systematic review and quality appraisal a total of 74 papers were selected to be quality appraised after abstracts and titles were assessed for relevance. Twenty-one studies were included and synthesized where after an outline for the content of a GRPP for SCIPPs was formulated. Conclusions and recommendations highlight that the formulated GRPP for SCIPPs needs to be further developed into an intervention that could be implemented with SCIPPs. As such, the researcher therefore proceeded with the study (see manuscript 2), aiming in developing small-group programme content and activities (using knowledge gathered from pre-existing interventions; resilience literature; consultations with experts; people living with spinal cord injury (SCI) and personal experience) to promote resilience in SCIPPs. By means of purposive sampling six advisory panel members from a diverse background were interviewed before and after the pilot study with two SCIPPs and one observer to contribute towards the further development of the GRPP for SCIPPs. A six-session GRPP for SCIPPs was formulated, including the following: (1) Information on SCI and resilience; (2) Help SCIPPs understand that their reactions to/emotions regarding these huge changes are normal; (3) Caretaking and support; (4) My dual role; (5) Own caretaking by SCIPPs; and (6) Termination and way forward. The newly developed GRPP for SCIPPs however had to be formally evaluated. Recommendations were made by professionals in the field that the GRPP for SCIPPs should first be subjected to peer review prior to implementing it with the target population. Therefore in manuscript 3 (reporting on phase 5 – evaluation ) the evaluation purpose was to subject the GRPP for SCIPPs to peer review by means of an empirical study with professional role-players (social workers and psychologists) in the field of spinal cord injury, prior to exhibiting it to the target population. The six group sessions were presented to professional role-players (n=12) working within the field of SCI during two 2-day workshops, whereby they were requested to evaluate the content and procedural elements of the GRPP for SCIPPs mainly by means of qualitative research, with a small numerical (quantitative) component. Thematic content analysis and basic descriptive statistics were employed. Overall positive feedback regarding the newly developed intervention was received, with suggested adjustments that needed to be made to the GRPP for SCIPPs prior to formal evaluation with the target group. The GRPP for SCIPPs will further be subjected to expert review in other provinces in South Africa, as the current participants were all from Gauteng. Furthermore, postgraduate students will be recruited to test the programme with the target-population in South Africa for possible further improvement and suggestions, as well as possible expansion to adjust this intervention to meet the needs of male SCIPPs; SCIPs themselves; children of a parent/s living with SCI; and also for post-injury cohabiting relationships, as this intervention might be a starting point for above-mentioned research-opportunities.

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is an acquired physical disability through traumatic injuries such as car accidents and shooting incidents, and non-traumatic injury such as a tumour on the spinal cord, amongst others. Unlike other parts of the body, the spinal cord does not have the ability to repair itself if it is damaged. Consequently, a person who has acquired an SCI will have a physical disability and will be either a paraplegic – paralysis of the lower part of the body, including the legs, or a quadriplegic, which is paralysis of all four limbs. Acquiring a spinal cord injury (SCI) has devastating long-term negative outcomes for the injured person as well as his/her cohabiting partner on a physical, psychological, psychosocial and socio-economical level. Exposure to such prolonged adversity and resulting negative outcomes calls for resilience, namely the ability to positively adapt despite the adversity being exposed to. Not all individuals have the natural ability to “bounce back”, and consequently resilience promotion is imperative. In South Africa, the focus of service delivery in rehabilitation centres is mainly centred on the injured person and consequently the well-being of the spinal cord injured person’s partner (SCIPP) is neglected. Little information is available on resilience-promoting programmes for SCIPPs; thus the main aim of this study was to design and develop a group resilience-promoting programme (GRPP) for SCIPPs. The researcher mainly followed a qualitative research approach and included a small quantitative component. In the context of applied research, an intervention research model comprising six phases was employed. Phase 1, Problem analysis and project planning, was reported on in section A. Manuscript 1 reports on phase 2 (information gathering and synthesis), and consists of a qualitative research synthesis, and mainly aimed at organizing and synthesizing previous research on resilience-promoting processes in order to inform the design and development of a group resilience-promoting programme (GRPP) for SCIPPs. After a systematic review and quality appraisal a total of 74 papers were selected to be quality appraised after abstracts and titles were assessed for relevance. Twenty-one studies were included and synthesized where after an outline for the content of a GRPP for SCIPPs was formulated. Conclusions and recommendations highlight that the formulated GRPP for SCIPPs needs to be further developed into an intervention that could be implemented with SCIPPs. As such, the researcher therefore proceeded with the study (see manuscript 2), aiming in developing small-group programme content and activities (using knowledge gathered from pre-existing interventions; resilience literature; consultations with experts; people living with spinal cord injury (SCI) and personal experience) to promote resilience in SCIPPs. By means of purposive sampling six advisory panel members from a diverse background were interviewed before and after the pilot study with two SCIPPs and one observer to contribute towards the further development of the GRPP for SCIPPs. A six-session GRPP for SCIPPs was formulated, including the following: (1) Information on SCI and resilience; (2) Help SCIPPs understand that their reactions to/emotions regarding these huge changes are normal; (3) Caretaking and support; (4) My dual role; (5) Own caretaking by SCIPPs; and (6) Termination and way forward. The newly developed GRPP for SCIPPs however had to be formally evaluated. Recommendations were made by professionals in the field that the GRPP for SCIPPs should first be subjected to peer review prior to implementing it with the target population. Therefore in manuscript 3 (reporting on phase 5 – evaluation ) the evaluation purpose was to subject the GRPP for SCIPPs to peer review by means of an empirical study with professional role-players (social workers and psychologists) in the field of spinal cord injury, prior to exhibiting it to the target population. The six group sessions were presented to professional role-players (n=12) working within the field of SCI during two 2-day workshops, whereby they were requested to evaluate the content and procedural elements of the GRPP for SCIPPs mainly by means of qualitative research, with a small numerical (quantitative) component. Thematic content analysis and basic descriptive statistics were employed. Overall positive feedback regarding the newly developed intervention was received, with suggested adjustments that needed to be made to the GRPP for SCIPPs prior to formal evaluation with the target group. The GRPP for SCIPPs will further be subjected to expert review in other provinces in South Africa, as the current participants were all from Gauteng. Furthermore, postgraduate students will be recruited to test the programme with the target-population in South Africa for possible further improvement and suggestions, as well as possible expansion to adjust this intervention to meet the needs of male SCIPPs; SCIPs themselves; children of a parent/s living with SCI; and also for post-injury cohabiting relationships, as this intervention might be a starting point for above-mentioned research-opportunities.

This item contains the agenda, minutes, and attachments for the Faculty Senate meeting on this date. There may be additional materials from the meeting available at the Faculty Center.

Zur Aufklärung des Wirkungsmechanismus der toleranzerhöhenden Wirkung gegenüber Salinität des Pflanzenwurzeln besiedelnden PGPR Bacillus subtilis wurden bakterielle Stoffwechselprodukte der Stämme FZB24 und FZB41 bei der Testpflanze Tomate unter dem Einfluss von hohem Salzstress getestet. Das Kulturfiltrat mit der Gesamtheit der von B. subtilis produzierten Stoffwechselprodukte zeigte im axenischen Test zur Ermittlung des Wachstums nach 7-tägiger Behandlung der Sämlinge und nachfolgender Kultivierung unter Salzstress eine gewisse toleranzerhöhende Wirkung bei 0,1 %-Konzentration. Zur Produktaufschlüsselung wurde das Kulturfiltrat über Adsorberharz und HPLC fraktioniert. Diese Fraktionen, sowie die aus dem Kulturfiltrat nach 19 h Fermentation wurden ebenfalls bei Sämlingen axenisch getestet. Fraktionen mit verschiedenen Proteinen und Peptiden, die von B. subtilis produziert werden, zeigten teilweise eine konzentrationsabhängige Wirkung hinsichtlich der Wachstumsstimulierung und zugleich Toleranzerhöhung gegenüber Salzstress, weshalb nachfolgend ein Peptidextrakt aus B. subtilis einer Testung im axenischen System unterzogen wurde. Der Peptidextrakt zeigte gleichfalls eine erkennbare konzentrationsabhängige Wirkung. Mit gleichem Testsystem wurden Auxin-Präkursoren und Auxin selbst, die als Stoffwechselprodukte von B. subtilis nachgewiesen sind, sowohl als Wurzelbehandlung, wie auch als Blattbehandlung bei Sämlingen geprüft. Zusätzlich wurde die Wirkung der Auxine auf den Wassergehalt der Sämlinge unter Salzstress, sowie die Adventivwurzelbildung von Hypokotylsegmenten aus etiolierten Sämlingen in An- und Abwesenheit von Salinität getestet. Darüber hinaus wurde die Aufnahme und der Transport von Auxinen, ebenfalls bei Sprosssegmenten aus etiolierten Sämlingen in An- und Abwesenheit von Salinität geprüft. Schließlich wurde die Wirkung der Auxine auf das Wachstum und den Wassergehalt in einer Hydrokultur im Gewächshaus unter Salzstress ermittelt. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass namentlich Auxin-Präkursoren und z. T. Auxin als Stoffwechselprodukte von B. subtilis eine Erhöhung der Salzstresstoleranz bei der Testpflanze herbeiführen können, wenngleich die Wirkung auf die Salztoleranz sehr differenziert und unterschiedlich stark ausgeprägt war. Der vorhandene Effekt vor allem der Auxin-Präkursoren wird als offenbar bedeutendster Mechanismus für die wachstumsstimulierende und zugleich toleranzerhöhende Wirkung gegenüber Salinität des Rhizobakteriums bei Wurzelbesiedlung und Interaktion mit dem pflanzlichen Stoffwechsel diskutiert. / To find out the mode of tolerance increasing action against salinity of the plant root colonizing PGPR Bacillus subtilis, bacterial metabolites of the strains FZB24 and FZB41 were studied in the test plant tomato under the influence of high salinity. Because the culture filtrate with the whole range of produced metabolites by B. subtilis showed to a certain extent a tolerance increasing action at dilution of 0,1 % in axenic plant growth tests after 7 days treatment of seedlings and subsequent cultivation under salt stress, it has been fractionated with adsorber resin and HPLC. These fractions, as well as fractions from the culture filtrate after 19 h fermentation were tested also by seedlings in axenic culture. Fractions with different proteins and peptides, which were produced by B. subtilis, showed partly activities also depending of concentration with regard to the growth stimulation and at the same time tolerance increase against salt stress. Following also a peptide extract from B. subtilis was examined in the axenic plant test system, showing similarly a visible action depending of concentration. In the same test system there were tested further auxin precursors and auxin itself, which are known metabolites of B. subtilis, on seedlings both by root treatment and leaf treatment. Additionally was studied the action of auxins on the water content of the seedlings under salt stress, as well as on the adventitious root formation of hypokotyl segments from etiolated seedlings, in presence and absence of salinity. Finally it was studied the uptake and transport of auxins in segments of stems from etiolated seedlings in presence and absence of salinity. Lastly it was tested the action of auxins on plant growth and water content in a hydroponic cultivation under greenhouse conditions and salt stress. The results show that particularly auxin precursors and partly auxin as metabolites of B. subtilis can induce an increase in the salt stress tolerance of the test plant, although the action on the salt tolerance was differentiated and variable in its extent. The existing effect firstly of the auxin precursors is discussed as obviously main mechanism for the plant growth stimulating and at the same time tolerance increasing action of the rhizobacterium against salinity by root colonization and interaction with the plant metabolism.

Hypertension is a chronic non-communicable disease and a major risk factor for cardiovascular diseases, renal malfunction, disability, and premature death. One of the public health recommendations for the management of hypertension is the reduction of sodium/salt intake. There is need to develop and implement new evidence-based theoretical interventions to initiate and sustain behavior change in health education and promotion. Therefore, the quantitative cross-sectional method and design was used to investigate the adequacy of multi-theory model (MTM) constructs for the initiation and the sustenance of low sodium/salt intake behavior in hypertensive Nigerian adults. In addition, the impact of the MTM (initiation) constructs on actual salt/sodium intake was evaluated to validate self-reported behavior. A convenience sample of 149 consenting Nigerian adults with hypertension and of ages 20 to 60 years, self -administered the valid and reliable 39-item MTM instrument. The findings of confirmatory factor analysis showed construct validity of subscales for the initiation and sustenance model. All items loading for the two models were significant, p < 0.001. Multivariate regression analysis revealed 40.6% of the variance in initiating the consumption of low salt diets explained by advantages outweighing disadvantages, behavioral confidence, and changes in physical environment. About 41.8 % of the variance to sustain the intake of low salt diet was explained by emotional transformation, practice for change, and changes in social environment. The results justified the predictive role of MTM and adequacy of its utility to build evidence-based health education programs and interventions to address the health need of people with hypertension and contribute to social change in the country.

本研究為個案研究，以政大EMBA永續農業促進小組所創「政大一畝田」品牌專案為例，以深度訪談為研究方法，主要探討社會公民社團，如何透過策略聯盟方式，與策略夥伴為利害關係人以及社會共創新價值，並輔以相關文獻的深度分析，對農民團體策略聯盟以推廣有機農業提供具體建議。 根據農糧署2010/05發佈台灣有機認證農地共有4217公頃,僅佔所有農地的0.4％，在政府目前積極的倡導下，消費者認同與消費者支持已大幅增加，台灣的農民團體多自行組織，自產自銷，或者透過地方產銷班等，共同銷售予通路商、中盤商，但現行的銷售管道之銷量不大，又易被中盤商壓價，因此造成台灣有機小農的銷售困境。 研究者發起「政大EMBA永續農業促進小組」，透過資源分析以及環境分析，以組織內部成員之人脈資源、資金、商管知識以及服務熱忱作為基礎，再加上政大之社群資源，與農民團體合作，選定宜蘭三星行健有機合作社作為策略夥伴，推行「政大一畝田」契作稻田認養專案，建立以國內相關企業為目標客群之企業認養的銷售管道。 此公益項目增進台灣有機稻農的生計，也為認養企業與家庭提供樂活體驗、二次公益等社會企業責任的價值，更透過媒體公關行銷，使策略夥伴以及有機議題得到大眾關注，以提昇國民對有機農產的認同與支持。 / Based on the Case of NCCU's My-Farmland Project by National ChengChi University EMBA Sustainable Agriculture Promoting Organization, this paper will discuss how Non-Profit Organizations create new value of sustainability with other stakeholders by strategic alliance and offer some advice to the agricultural organization in Taiwan to promote sustainable agriculture. This paper will also provide literature review on civil society, sustainable agriculture, social enterprise and strategic alliance. According to the Council of Agriculture, the organic farmland officially recorded is 4217 hectares which only accounts for 0.4 percent of the total farmland in Taiwan. Now through the active promotion of the government, both the consumer identification and their support have increased dramatically. The agricultural organizations in Taiwan are made up almost entirely of farmers only. They produce and sell their products on their own. Their main sales channels are to wholesalers, distributors and some end consumers in low volumes. With low bargaining power, organic farmers in Taiwan have a difficult sales condition. This researcher initiated the "National Chengchi University EMBA sustainable agriculture promotion teams" to promote the Case of NCCU's My-Farmland Project through resources and environmental analysis together with the networking, capital, business management knowledge and dedicated services of the members of the NCCU or ganization, plus the community resources of the National Chengchi University. It is the goal of this project to assist the agricultural organizations in Taiwan in prospering and expanding their business. We have selected Ilan Samsung organic cooperatives as a strategic partner to promote and execute the above project and create a sales pipeline for relevant domestic enterprises as target customers. This charity project will provide Taiwan organic farmers with better lives, and also offer country life experiences for the corporations and families who join the project. Additionally, this project will allow the corporations to fulfill their corporate social responsibilities. Furthermore, with the promotion and attention through medias, this project will really increase the consumer identification and their support for the organic farmers in Taiwan.

Substantial research has been carried out on evaluating the physician-patient interaction and on launching policy initiatives to improve patient-centred care. However, the organizational uptake of strategies to improve patient-centredness has received less attention in research and practice. Against this background, this thesis pursues the question whether strategies to improve patient centred care are associated with, and can be facilitated by quality improvement in European hospitals. The findings suggest that strategies to improve patient-centredness and hospital quality improvement systems are to some extent associated; however, hospital's quality improvement systems are not sufficient in ensuring organization-wide implementation of patient-centred care. Gaps between strategic level and ward level implementation and confounding factors suggest that additional factors facilitate or exert pressure on hospitals to adapt a patient-centred approach. Tools addressing selected domains of patient information, education and health promotion can be embedded into existing quality improvement systems in order to facilitate implementation. / Nombrosos estudis han avaluat la interacció metge-pacient en l'atenció sanitària i es van iniciar múltiples accions de la política de salut per millora l'atenció centrada en el pacient. No obstant això, la implantació d'estratègies per millorar l'atenció centrada al pacient a nivell organitzacional va rebre menys atenció en recerca i en la pràctica. En aquest context aquest estudi pretén avaluar si les estratègies per la millora de l'atenció centrada al pacient estan associades i/o facilitades pels sistemes de la millora de la qualitat en hospitals Europeus. Les troballes d'aquest treball suggereixen que les estratègies de l'atenció centrada al pacient i els sistemes de millora de la qualitat estiguin parcialment associades però, els últims no són suficients per garantir la implantació de les estratègies de l'atenció centrada al pacient per tota la organització hospitalària. Diferències entre la implantació al nivell estratègic i al nivell del departament apunten a altres factors facilitadors o factors externs que potencialment influeixen l'adaptació d'un enfocament centrada al pacient. L'ús d'eines pràctiques per a la millora de la informació, educació i promoció de salut del pacient pot completar els sistemes de millora de la qualitat assistencial existents. / Números estudios han evaluado la interacción médico-paciente en la atención sanitaria y se iniciaron múltiples acciones de la política de salud para mejorar la atención centrada al paciente. No obstante, la implantación de estrategias para mejorar la atención centrada al paciente al nivel organizacional recibió menos atención en investigación y la práctica. En este contexto, este estudio pretende evaluar si las estrategias para la mejora de la atención centrada al paciente están asociadas y/o facilitadas por los sistemas de la mejora de la calidad en hospitales Europeos. Los hallazgos del presente trabajo sugieren que las estrategias de la atención centrada al paciente y los sistemas para la mejora de la calidad asistencial están parcialmente asociadas, sin embargo, los últimos no son suficientes para garantizar la implantación de las estrategias de la atención centrada al paciente por toda la organización hospitalaria. Diferencias entre la implantación al nivel estratégica y al nivel del departamento apuntan a otros factores facilitadores o factores externos que potencialmente influyen la adaptación de un enfoque centrada en el paciente. El uso de herramientas prácticas para la mejora de la información, educación y promoción de salud del paciente puede complementar los sistemas de la mejora de la calidad asistencial existentes.

In much of the historiography surrounding print culture and the book trade, the worldliness of print remains a point of common emphasis. Indeed, many influential studies either assume or actively present the history of print as part of a broader ‘secularization thesis’. Recently, however, historians have challenged these narratives, recognizing the central role of religious print as a driver of growth within the book trade and discussion within the nascent ‘public sphere’. Yet the scholarship into ‘religion and the book’ remains fragmentary, focused on individual genres or persons, with no unified monograph or standard reference work yet to emerge. This dissertation addresses some of the barriers to synopsis by investigating the long-term print output of the largest social and professional group engaged in evangelizing Christianity to the public: the clergy of the Church of England. By focusing on the clergy, this dissertation evades the usual narrow focus on genre. In the past, book-historical and bibliographic studies have relied heavily on a priori classification schemes to study the market for print. While sufficient in the context of relatively well-defined genre categories, such as printed sermons, the validity of these classification schemes breaks down at the wider level, for example, under the conceptual burden of defining the highly fluid and wide-ranging category of ‘religious works’. This dissertation begins to remedy such problems by modelling the print output of a large population of authors who had the strongest stake in evangelizing Christianity to the public through print. It utilizes the latest techniques in the field of digital humanities and bibliometrics to create a representative sample of the print output of the Anglican clergy over the ‘long’ eighteenth-century (here 1660-1800). Based on statistical trends, the thesis identifies a crucial period in the history of clerical print culture, the first four decades of the Hanoverian regime. The period is explored in detail through three subsequent case studies. By combining both traditional and digital methods, therefore, the dissertation explores clerical publishing as a phenomenon subject to evolution and change at both the macro and micro level. The first chapter provides an overarching statistical study of clerical publishing between 1660 and 1800. By combining data from two bibliographical datasets, The English Short-Title Catalogue (ESTC), and the prosopographical resource, The Clergy of the Church of England Database (CCED), I extract and analyse a dataset of clerical works consisting of almost 35,000 bibliographic records. The remaining chapters approach the thesis topic through primary research-based case studies using both print and manuscript sources. The case studies were selected from the period identified in the preceding statistical analysis as a crucial transitional moment in the history of clerical publishing culture, c.1714 to 1750. These case studies form chapters 2, 3, and 4, each of which explore a different aspect of a network of authors who worked under the direction of the bishop of London, Edmund Gibson (1723-1748), during the era of Whig hegemony under Sir Robert Walpole. Finally, an appendix outlines the methodology used in chapter 1 to extract the sample of clerical printed works from the ESTC. Overall, the thesis demonstrates the profound influence of the clergy on the development of English print in the hand-press period. It thus forms both a historiographic intervention against the secularization thesis still implicit in discussions of print culture and the book trade, as well as providing a cautionary critique of the revisionism which has shaped recent investigations into the Church of England.

This research focuses on the role of the school principal as instructional leader in primary schools in Thoyandou area, Limpopo Province. It was motivated by a marked decline in the fulfilment of the instructional leadership role of principals in certain schools in the Limpopo Province. A literature study was undertaken to determine the role of a instructional leader, approaches to this role as well as the relationship between the principal's instructional leadership role and staff development and staff appraisal respectively. A qualitative inquiry was conducted using a focus group and personal interviews with a small sample of participants selected by judgement sampling. The findings suggest that understanding of the instructional leadership is fragmented; principals often fail to develop staff adequately; and the Department of Education's new approach to staff and development appraisals is not adequately implemented in schools. Finally guidelines are provided to assist principals in fulfilling their role as effective instructional leaders. / Educational Studies / M.Ed. (Education Management)

No description available.