The hypothesis of this study is as follows: If Psalm 47 is analysed intra-, inter and extratextually, we will be able to gain greater insight into the cultural and historical context in which it originated, the cultic use of the Psalm in later periods, as well as its general meaning. All this is done to determine whether there are any indications of universalism in Psalm 47 and that has indeed been found to be the case on various grounds. Each chapter deals with one of these aspects. Chapter 1 forms the introduction that stipulates the research question and how the study will go about resolving it. Chapter 2 focuses on an intratextual analysis of Psalm 47 in an attempt to determine the interrelatedness of all textual features (morphology, syntax, poetic stratagems, structure, genre) on the literary level. This analysis will aid the interpreter in establishing a structure of the text, suggesting one that could meet with relative consensus amongst some exegetes. It, in turn, forms the framework for the socio-historical interpretation of the text. Other interpretation problems such as its Gattung, Sitz im Leben and dating are also discussed in this section. Chapter 3 investigates Psalm 47 from an intertextual perspective. Attention is paid to similarities with other texts in the immediate and more remote context of the psalm. An intertextual analysis is conducted between Psalm 47 and Psalms 46 and 48, and a brief overview of intertextual relations between Psalm 47 and the rest of the Korahite Psalms are given. Here the study links up with a recent trend in Psalms research, namely to concentrate less upon individual poems and their so-called Sitz im Leben and more upon the composition and redaction of the Psalter as a book especially by focussing on concatenation of a psalm and the psalms which follow on it and precede it. Attention is also given to a spatial reading of these texts to understand how they fit into the Ancient Near Eastern spatial orientation, but also transcend it. Chapter 4 consists of an extratextual analysis of Psalm 47. It had three aims: First, to identify and explain terminology referring to patronage and how patron-client/vassal relationships functioned in the Ancient Near East. This was done through a socio-scientific investigation of the poem in its social context, in order to understand the behaviour of the different role-players in the psalm. Second, to identify and explain war terminology occurring in Psalm 47. Third, to “illustrate” the psalm by investigating Ancient Near Eastern iconography and art. The main goal of this chapter was to gain a clearer understanding of the relationship between Israel and her neighbours. Are the nations considered to be incorporated into Israel or do they function merely as a vassal to their patron in Psalm 47:10? Chapter 5 is a summary of the insights gained in the previous chapters. It critically discusses the results of the study, the conclusions reached, the contribution of this work to the field of study, areas opened for further research, and possible shortcomings in the researcher’s own approach. Copyright / Dissertation (MA)--University of Pretoria, 2008. / Ancient Languages / unrestricted

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As the major combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan fade from headline news, the effect remains a national concern for the 2.6 million post-9/11 veterans. Their hardships form the basis for this qualitative case study, which analyzed the organizational change effort at the Wounded Warrior Regiment (WWR). This organization, specifically formed by the U.S. Marine Corps, instituted the necessary programs to meet the needs of Marine wounded warriors. However, the needs of these warriors are different now, and the WWR must adapt to remain relevant. The transformative change model presented by Anderson and Anderson formed the conceptual framework for this case study, which explored the central research question of how the leaders of an organization designed for a special mission effectively transform their operations to respond to new demands in a complex environment. The results from this case study, denoted by 8 themes, were derived from the analysis of the transcripts from 19 interviews conducted with representatives of the WWR. The 19 participants represented the diverse workforce of the WWR and were located at its sections across the country. To identify the emergent themes, structural and pattern coding methods were used as the data analysis process. Two themes from the data analysis were: developing a strategic communication plan and advancing the relevance of the WWR. The results from the case study were intended to help the leaders of the WWR realign their operations to achieve their new strategic objectives. This study is significant because it assessed the organizational change effort at the WWR to gain knowledge about veterans that may promote positive social change by informing the broader community of veteran support agencies about the urgent needs of the post-9/11 veterans.

Le sanctuaire laténien de Ribemont-sur-Ancre (Somme) est interprété comme un lieu dévolu au culte après des évènements guerriers survenus durant le IIIe siècle avant J. C. Des pièces métalliques (lances, épées, éléments de harnachement), céramiques, restes de faune et des os humains, appartenant à plus de 500 individus, dont les têtes sont absentes, ont été découverts sur ce site. Nous avons identifiés de nombreuses traces de violence à la surface de ces os humains : guerre, décapitation, décarnisation, amputations. Les analyses ostéométriques mettent en lumière les caractéristiques physiques de ces Gaulois. L’examen des nombreuses traces permet de formuler des hypothèses sur les procédés de la guerre et sur le traitement réservé aux corps. Cette approche et le large corpus de Ribemont-sur-Ancre offrent l’opportunité d’avancer de nouvelles interprétations sur l’organisation du sanctuaire et d’ébaucher une anthropologie de la guerre et du guerrier chez les Gaulois. / The Iron Age sanctuary at Ribemont-sur-Ancre (Somme) is interpreted as a place devoted to cult establish after warlike events which took place during 3rd B. C. century. Metallic pieces (weapons, swords, harness fitting), ceramics, faunal remains, and humans bones, remains of the body of more 500 individuals, with an absence of skulls, have been recovered. We identified lot of violence marks on the surface bones: warfare, beheading, defleshing, amputation. The ostéometric analysis highlighted features in physical characteristic of gauls individuals. Examinations of numerous traces allow to put forward hypothesis on the process of war and body remains treatments. The approach and the large corpus at Ribemont-sur-Ancre, allow to put forward new interpretation on the sanctuary organization and about anthropology of war and gaul warriors.

The aim of this thesis is to interpret and discuss the weapon-graves of Viking Age Birka. The weapon-grave phenomenon is deemed differential in relation to the rest of the grave-material of the site, and thus the questions that motivate the thesis is: who was buried with weapons and why? Further questions arise regarding the social aspects of individuals who were buriedalong with weapons. The theoretical approach will be to evaluate any differences in 'social class', 'social age' and 'gender' between the weapon-grave contexts. By conducting qualitativeand quantified analysis of the grave-goods, this thesis adresses both overall and detailed patterns in correlation and constellations between weapons, other grave-goods and terms of burial.

A better understanding of the brine-rock- supercritical CO2 interaction is needed to evaluate the risks of geologic CO2 sequestration. The geochemical effects of brine and supercritical CO2 were examined via laboratory modeling of in situ conditions on two reservoir caprocks in the Black Warrior River Basin, the Pottsville and Parkwood Formations. The clay fraction was extracted and treated at ~ 100 bar and 363 K (90 °C) over periods of up to 70 hours. Supercritical CO2 was introduced as dry ice in a pressurized vessel. Samples were observed using XRD, WD-XRF, AA, SEM, and EDS. Clay fractions contained Fe-chlorite, illite, kaolinite, and quartz. Results show the dissolution of illite, CO2-brine induced cation exchange ok K+, and the dissolution of silicate minerals. Steady-state K/Si ratios in the fluid suggest quartz re-precipitation. These interactions could adversely affect the long-term storativity of the caprock and point to a need for further study.

This study examines the contemporary American memoirs Goat (2004) by Brad Land, Prozac Diary (1998) by Lauren Slater, and The Woman Warrior: Memoirs of a Girlhood Among Ghosts (1976) by Maxine Hong Kingston to reveal how these texts push traditional thematic and genre boundaries as well as conceptions of minority identity. Their inclusion of fictional aspects, episodic structure, narrative excesses, and non-teleological endings work to enhance their status as sociocultural critique and protest. This dissertation utilizes a social oppression angle within disability studies to demonstrate the overlapping processes and experiences of marginalization faced by these disparate protagonists who are dis-abled due to their undesired bodily variations and their failure to meet sociocultural standards of appropriate embodied behavior. Society is ideologically unwilling to accommodate or accept the differences the protagonists possess. Such a frame expands the artificial and culturally constructed notion of disability by illustrating the ways that discourse and ideologies of embodied normalcy intersect to constitute various minority identities as incompetent and unworthy. The texts bear witness to each protagonists’ struggle to cultivate meaningful subjectivity and reject passive victim status; however, their resulting survivor subjectivities are both resistant to and complicit with hegemonic tenets. This literary project augments ongoing work in minority, identity, autobiography, cultural, and disability studies that deconstructs essentialist paradigms while reinforcing the important cultural and literary work of contemporary memoir. Moreover, it fills a critical gap with respect to Goat and Prozac Diary, bringing these two texts into the critical discussion of autobiography. Finally, this dissertation illustrates that memoir is uniquely positioned within literary genres to navigate the interconnectedness of identity, subjectivity, and ideology, thus challenging readers to confront the injustice of a sociocultural structure that sanctions these inequities in the first place / Writing a better story : authorizing a vivid and valid self -- Lauren Slater's Prozac diary : the medical model and the suppression of the patient -- Maxine Hong Kingston's The woman warrior : the spectacular subjugation of the dually oppressed and dis-abled body -- The three memoirs : no prosthesis needed. / Writing a better story : authorizing a vivid and valid self -- Lauren Slater's Prozac diary : the medical model and the suppression of the patient -- Maxine Hong Kingston's The woman warrior : the spectacular subjugation of the dually oppressed and dis-abled body -- The three memoirs : no prosthesis needed. / Department of English

Heart rate variability belongs to basic and most frequently interpretation of physiologic statement in medicine. The pulse rate serves as an indicator of the heart activity. The subject of this diploma thesis is projection of the heartbeat counter. The work describes electrocardiograph and separated waves, ways of calculation heart rate, characteristics mechanism for measuring and other necessary information about heart rate measuring. This master thesis fixates on heart rate-calculation from including R-R intervals. Here is described whole project of heartbeat counter, properties of separated blocks and calculation of useful parameters. Further there is noted software resolution for the microcontroller and program for the calculation of heart rate frequency including unwinding signal preprocessing and detection of separated QRS complexes. The products of this diploma thesis are the circuit including the board circuit and codes of separated programs.

The purpose of this thesis is to perform a gender study focusing on Viking Age weapon graves. A female weapon burial, a male weapon burial and a female burial are studied in this thesis. It is necessary first to discuss the meaning of a weapon burial. Thereafter the thesis will discuss if it is possible to find any differences in the gender interpretation of weapon burials belonging to men and females. The weapon graves will also be interpreted in relation to a female burial. The research history is primarily based on Conkey & Spector’s (1984) article regarding archaeological androcentrism. The result of the thesis states that a weapon burial must consist of at least one of following weapons: sword, shield, spear, axe, horse equipment or arrowheads. The results also state that the interpretation of a weapon burial depends on the sexual identity of the buried individual. It is easier to state that the buried individual is a warrior if the individual is assumed to be a male. It is also possible to see differences regarding male and female burials in general where the interpretation of rich female graves is questioned due to the absence of a man in the grave. The graves are still interpreted in traditional gender roles, where the gender roles are based on the grave goods.