The purpose of this study is to explore the national policies, strategies, and programmatic responses on HIV/AIDS in eight Southeast Asia Countries by analyzing the contents of the National Strategic Plans on HIV/AIDS (NSPs) and biennial country progress report to UNAIDS from these countries. METHODS: Thematic content analysis method was used to analyze a total of 24 documents of the National Strategic Plan on HIV/AIDS and Global AIDS Response Progress Report submitted to UNAIDS from Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Thailand and Viet Nam. NVivo10 qualitative analysis software was used for coding and organizing documents. RESULTS: 28 main categories with sub-categories emerged from coding and analysis of NSPs and country progress report documents from eight SEA countries. NSPs from all countries significantly failed to tackle key topics in policy, social and economic environment around HIV control such as women empowerment, illiteracy, armed conflicts, natural disaster and humanitarian emergencies. CONCLUSION: In order to align with the global HIV strategy to reach Millennium Development Goals to stop the spread of HIV by 2015, SEA countries should improve their NSPs and progress reports by addressing the political, social, cultural, and economic factors which urgently need to be addressed. New technologies and approaches are important for developing HIV interventions to stop the HIV epidemic, but addressing policy, economic and social environment around HIV epidemic and control in SEA regions is a key for those HIV intervention strategies and programs to be effective in controlling for HIV.

This dissertation examines how contemporary Western ethical perspectives frame moral judgments about technologies intended to expand or enhance human abilities. Of particular interest are technological advances that involve nanotechnology, a realm of technoscience that seeks the precise control of matter through deliberately designing structures, devices, and processes with novel and useful properties at the molecular scale. In this thesis I analyze trends in the emerging dialogue about the social and ethical implications of nanotechnology. There is growing awareness that technological “progress” should not outpace critical reflection over the means and ends of those advances, but I argue that there is a tension between the role of ethics and the practice of technoscience. By ethics I mean ongoing public discussion that contemplates what it means to live a “good life” and that maintains limits to human actions. By contrast, the practice of technoscience appears to be guided by the “technological imperative” which holds that we can only know what is good by first figuring out what is possible. Despite concerted interdisciplinary efforts to address the broad range of ethical issues posed by nanotechnology’s proposed goals, the prevailing tone of the current discussion tends to reveal what I call a “technoprogressive” bias, or the belief that technological development is a primary way to improve the human estate and that it leads inevitably to cumulative progress. However, because technoprogressive commentary on nanotechnology focuses on concerns that are framed mainly in terms of risk assessment, cost-benefit analyses, and utilitarian principles, technoprogressive ethics overlooks crucial ethical questions of a different nature, questions that deal with the limits of human action, the nature of justice, and the meaning of being human. To analyze the implications of technoprogressive ethics, I employ the moral philosophy of Canadian thinker George Grant because he articulates an underrepresented yet valuable critique of Western society’s relationship with technology. Grant speaks for a type of transcendental moral realism that challenges the primacy of the technological imperative, insisting that justice ultimately must be grounded upon non-negotiable limits, and that there are objective norms to which human freedom and human self-assertion have to answer.

This dissertation examines how contemporary Western ethical perspectives frame moral judgments about technologies intended to expand or enhance human abilities. Of particular interest are technological advances that involve nanotechnology, a realm of technoscience that seeks the precise control of matter through deliberately designing structures, devices, and processes with novel and useful properties at the molecular scale. In this thesis I analyze trends in the emerging dialogue about the social and ethical implications of nanotechnology. There is growing awareness that technological “progress” should not outpace critical reflection over the means and ends of those advances, but I argue that there is a tension between the role of ethics and the practice of technoscience. By ethics I mean ongoing public discussion that contemplates what it means to live a “good life” and that maintains limits to human actions. By contrast, the practice of technoscience appears to be guided by the “technological imperative” which holds that we can only know what is good by first figuring out what is possible. Despite concerted interdisciplinary efforts to address the broad range of ethical issues posed by nanotechnology’s proposed goals, the prevailing tone of the current discussion tends to reveal what I call a “technoprogressive” bias, or the belief that technological development is a primary way to improve the human estate and that it leads inevitably to cumulative progress. However, because technoprogressive commentary on nanotechnology focuses on concerns that are framed mainly in terms of risk assessment, cost-benefit analyses, and utilitarian principles, technoprogressive ethics overlooks crucial ethical questions of a different nature, questions that deal with the limits of human action, the nature of justice, and the meaning of being human. To analyze the implications of technoprogressive ethics, I employ the moral philosophy of Canadian thinker George Grant because he articulates an underrepresented yet valuable critique of Western society’s relationship with technology. Grant speaks for a type of transcendental moral realism that challenges the primacy of the technological imperative, insisting that justice ultimately must be grounded upon non-negotiable limits, and that there are objective norms to which human freedom and human self-assertion have to answer.

There is shift in the Architectural / Engineering / Construction and Facility Management (AEC&FM) industry toward performance-driven projects. Assuring good performance requires efficient and reliable performance control processes. However, the current state of the AEC&FM industry is that control processes are inefficient because they generally rely on manually intensive, inefficient, and often inaccurate data collection techniques. Critical performance control processes include progress tracking and dimensional quality control. These particularly rely on the accurate and efficient collection of the as-built three-dimensional (3D) status of project objects. However, currently available techniques for as-built 3D data collection are extremely inefficient, and provide partial and often inaccurate information. These limitations have a negative impact on the quality of decisions made by project managers and consequently on project success. This thesis presents an innovative approach for Automated 3D Data Collection (A3dDC). This approach takes advantage of Laser Detection and Ranging (LADAR), 3D Computer-Aided-Design (CAD) modeling and registration technologies. The performance of this approach is investigated with a first set of experimental results obtained with real-life data. A second set of experiments then analyzes the feasibility of implementing, based on the developed approach, automated project performance control (APPC) applications such as automated project progress tracking and automated dimensional quality control. Finally, other applications are identified including planning for scanning and strategic scanning.

There is shift in the Architectural / Engineering / Construction and Facility Management (AEC&FM) industry toward performance-driven projects. Assuring good performance requires efficient and reliable performance control processes. However, the current state of the AEC&FM industry is that control processes are inefficient because they generally rely on manually intensive, inefficient, and often inaccurate data collection techniques. Critical performance control processes include progress tracking and dimensional quality control. These particularly rely on the accurate and efficient collection of the as-built three-dimensional (3D) status of project objects. However, currently available techniques for as-built 3D data collection are extremely inefficient, and provide partial and often inaccurate information. These limitations have a negative impact on the quality of decisions made by project managers and consequently on project success. This thesis presents an innovative approach for Automated 3D Data Collection (A3dDC). This approach takes advantage of Laser Detection and Ranging (LADAR), 3D Computer-Aided-Design (CAD) modeling and registration technologies. The performance of this approach is investigated with a first set of experimental results obtained with real-life data. A second set of experiments then analyzes the feasibility of implementing, based on the developed approach, automated project performance control (APPC) applications such as automated project progress tracking and automated dimensional quality control. Finally, other applications are identified including planning for scanning and strategic scanning.

Atat&uuml / rk Forest Farm is a unique spatial practice representing the main philosophy of the Turkish Republic to create a new society by holding together modern agricultural and industrial production techniques, combining them with leisure activities and developing an urban farm. Eventually it is neither simply a land problem nor a heritage issue. Its being is evaluated as a conscious contribution for the cultural transformation of the Turkish nation. Therefore, its genesis is discussed in relation to the main definitions of culture in history: 1) cultivating nature with the idea of increasing the efficiency in products and lands / 2) cultivation of minds in relation to the education of human beings / 3) the process of social development / 4) meanings, values, ways of life / 5) practices which produce meanings and finally 6) the meshing of anthropological views linking the two definitions of &lsquo / a way of life&rsquo / and &lsquo / the production of meaning&rsquo / as a network of representations. The research has proved that there are very few experiments that might have some resemblance with Atat&uuml / rk Forest Farm, however, its stance as a culture transformation agent is unique.

Bakgrund Att inducera en förlossning innebär att försöka manipulera igång ett förlossningsarbete i syfte att åstadkomma en vaginal förlossning. Nyttan med induktionen måste alltid överväga riskerna för förlossningskomplikationer. Riksgenomsnittet för inducerade förlossningar var år 2007, 13,2 %. Syfte Kartlägga inducerade förlossningar på en förlossningsklinik i södra Sverige under året 2009. Kartläggningen inbegrep induktionsindikation, använda induktionsmetoder samt förlossningsförlopp och utfall. Metod Retrospektiv observationsstudie där samtliga inducerade förlossningar med levande foster vid induktionsstarten under 2009 på förlossningskliniken inkluderades. Detta gav ett underlag på 306 inducerade förlossningar. Chi-två test och Fisher´s exakta test användes för att testa skillnader i resultatet. Resultat Indikationerna till förlossningsinduktion fördelade sig så att 250 (82 %) utgjorde medicinsk indikation, där vattenavgång utgjorde den främsta anledningen, och 56 (18 %) på humanitär indikation. Det var 220 kvinnor som krävde minst ett upprepat induktionsförsök innan de kom i aktivt förlossningsarbete. Det fanns en signifikant skillnad som talade för att ju högre Bishop score det var vid första induktionsförsöket, desto kortare tid till partus. Förlossningsutfallet blev 71% partus normalis, 18% sectio, 6% vakuum extraktion och 5% partus cum haem. Slutsats Studien visade att det kan finnas anledning för förlossningskliniken att förbättra journalföringen och öka följsamheten av PM vid förlossningsinduktioner. / Background To induce labour means trying to manipulate labour to start in order to achieve vaginal childbirth. The benefits of induction must always outweigh the risk of labour complications. The national average of induced labour in 2007 was 13, 2%. Aim To map induced labours at a childbirth clinic in Southern Sweden during 2009. The mapping included induction indication, used methods of induction, childbirth processes and outcome. Method Retrospective observation study which included all induced labours with living foetuses at the start of induction, at the childbirth clinic during 2009. This gave a basis of 306 induced labours. Chi-squared testing and Fisher’s exact testing was used to test significant differences in the result. Result Indications of labour induction were divided where 250 (82%) constituted medical indication, the water breaking constituting the main reason, and 56 (18%) humanitarian indication. 220 women required at least one repeated induction try before they were in active labour. There was a significant difference indicating that the higher the Bishop Score was at the first induction try, the shorter the time until delivery. Labour outcome was 71% partum normalis, 18% caesarean sections, 6% vacuum extractions and 5% post partum haemorrhages. Conclusion The study showed that there might be reasons to improve the journal keeping and follow the PMs regarding labour induction at the childbirth clinic.

Sammanfattning Studien syftar till att ge fördjupad kunskap om svenskt internationellt biståndsarbete samt hur problem formuleras och lösningar konstrueras av biståndsorganisationernas arbetsätt.  Studien är genomförd med en kvalitativ metod och det empiriska materialet har inhämtats genom intervjuer. Intervjuerna genomfördes med tre ledande personer från två svenska biståndsorganisationer som arbetar på internationell nivå. Vidare inryms i studien observationer från dessa två biståndsorganisationer. Studiens teoretiska perspektiv är den postkoloniala teorin, teorin om konstruktion av sociala problem samt begreppen kolonialism och eurocentrisk diffusion. Resultatet i studien visar att de studerade biståndsorganisationerna i stora drag har ett liknande tillvägagångssätt i sitt arbete med internationellt bistånd. De arbetar utifrån att ha en stödjande roll gentemot mottagarna av biståndet så att mottagarna kan definiera sina behov och vara aktiva i lösningarna tillsammans med de svenska biståndsorganisationerna.  Samtidigt agerar de kontrollerande gällande huruvida biståndsorganisationernas egna visioner och värderingar ska vara styrande i utformningen av hjälparbetet.   De svenska biståndsorganisationernas mål är att kunskapsbilda, medvetandegöra och ombilda befintliga lokala organisationer för att förbättra människors levnadsvillkor till det bättre i utsatta länder. För att detta ska vara möjligt är det avgörande att samarbeta med lokala organisationer som är likasinnade med de svenska biståndsorganisationerna.  Studien påvisar att det finns en idé om att påverka mottagarna av biståndet genom eftersträvan av att de ska anamma de svenska biståndsgivarnas egna visioner och värderingar. Detta framkommer tydligt genom de svenska biståndsorganisationernas arbetsätt samt deras delaktighet vid formuleringar av problem och konstruktioner av lösningar hos biståndsmottagarna. Vidare framkommer att biståndsorganisationernas kunskapsgivande och ombildning av lokala organisationer bidrar med att västerländsk kunskapssyn sprids ut i världen. / The study aims to provide profound knowledge of Swedish international aid work and how problems are formulated and solutions designed by aid organizations working methods. The study is conducted using a qualitative approach and the empirical material has been collected through interviews and observations. The interviews took place with three leading figures from two Swedish aid organizations working at international level. Furthermore, are observations from these two aid organizations part of the studies method. The studies theoretical perspective is the post-colonial theory, the theory of constructions of social problems and the concept of colonialism and eurocentrism diffusion. The result of the study shows that the studied organizations have broadly similar procedures in their work with international aid work. The organizations work on a paradoxical basis. On the one hand they have a supporting role to the recipients of aid so that the recipients can define their own needs and be active in the solutions along with swedish aid organizations. On the other hand, the organizations acts controlling where their own vision and values are guiding the relief effort. The swedish aid organizations aim is to educate, raise awareness and transform existing organizations in the countries they operate in order to improve people's lives for the better in vulnerable countries around the world.  For achieving this purpose, it is crucial for them to work with local organizations that are like-minded the swedish aid organizations.  This study shows that there is an idea to affect the recipients of aid in pursuing them to embrace the Swedish donors' own visions and values. This is clearly shown by the Swedish aid organizations working methods as well as their involvement in the formulation of problems and constructions of solutions of aid recipients. Furthermore, it appears that the aid organizations' knowledge rewarding and transformation of local organizations contribute to Western conception of knowledge spread out in the world.

<p>This research report, explores the challenges contributing to a non-effective implementation of performance and development management system at the Department of Social Development in Eastern Cape. My argument is that although the system has been fully implemented throughout the province and in all the layers of the department, there are still challenges that contribute to its ineffective implementation of this system. This research report debates a range of issues such as: challenges that revolve around the lack of proper&nbsp / knowledge and training in staff, non-alignment of performance contracts with operations of the department, attitudes of officials towards the system itself and the desired&nbsp / institution&rsquo / s operation that may contribute to its performance and achieve its objective of effective service delivery meaningfully. The research report also explores the paradigm shift&nbsp / of the department from a traditional &lsquo / welfarish&rsquo / approach to a one that focuses on social development. This research especially seeks to understand how the department seeks to plan for institutional change that will promote delivery its services to communities more. The reason for this focus derives from department is practice to provide services sectoralyand not in an integrated manner. Hence the critique, in this research is of the roles and responsibilities of all different layers of the department. This, I specifically argue for re-orientation of the department, not merely institutionally, but also strategically by adopting a social development approach to service delivery.</p>

Modern software systems, in particular distributed ones, are everywhere around us and are at the basis of our everyday activities. Hence, guaranteeing their correctness, consistency and safety is of paramount importance. Their complexity makes the verification of such properties a very challenging task. It is natural to expect that these systems are reliable and above all usable. i) In order to be reliable, compositional models of software systems need to account for consistent dynamic reconfiguration, i.e., changing at runtime the communication patterns of a program. ii) In order to be useful, compositional models of software systems need to account for interaction, which can be seen as communication patterns among components which collaborate together to achieve a common task. The aim of the Ph.D. was to develop powerful techniques based on formal methods for the verification of correctness, consistency and safety properties related to dynamic reconfiguration and communication in complex distributed systems. In particular, static analysis techniques based on types and type systems appeared to be an adequate methodology, considering their success in guaranteeing not only basic safety properties, but also more sophisticated ones like, deadlock or livelock freedom in a concurrent setting. The main contributions of this dissertation are twofold. i) On the components side: we design types and a type system for a concurrent object-oriented calculus to statically ensure consistency of dynamic reconfigurations related to modifications of communication patterns in a program during execution time. ii) On the communication side: we study advanced safety properties related to communication in complex distributed systems like deadlock-freedom, livelock-freedom and progress. Most importantly, we exploit an encoding of types and terms of a typical distributed language, session π-calculus, into the standard typed π-calculus, in order to understand the expressive power of concurrent calculi with structured communication primitives and how they stand with respect to the standard typed concurrent calculi, namely (variants) of typed π-calculus. Then, we show how to derive in the session π-calculus basic properties, like type safety or complex ones, like progress, by encoding.