Shīʿī aḥādīth, particularly on women, are an immensely understudied area. Studies on Shīʿī aḥādīth on women usually centre on Fāṭimah al-Zahrāʾ, and little research explores pre-Islamic sacred female figures in Shīʿī aḥādīth. At the same time, there an urgent interest in Shīʿism as well as women in Islam, and a desire for new methods to be applied as well as new questions to be asked. This thesis will analyse Shīʿī aḥādīth about women in pre-Islamic sacred history who appear in the Qurʾān (focusing on Eve, Sārah, Hājar, Zulaykhā, Bilqīs, and the Virgin Mary), and apply the methodologies of ideological criticism and feminist hermeneutics (to be explained in Chapter 1) to explore the subtexts about the essential nature and role of women communicated through these narrations. In addition to exploring the roots of these ideas, it will compare them against the contemporary Shīʿī ideology of gender referred to as the ‘separate-but-equal’ ideology to explore how well this ideology corresponds to Shīʿī narrations. (What constitutes an ‘ideology’ will be explored in Chapter 1.) Rather than attempting to derive the ‘authentic’ teachings of the Prophet or the Imāms, this study will take a stance of inauthenticity with respect to narrations and treat narrations as socio-cultural artefacts representing the diversity of views and beliefs of the Shīʿī community. This distinguishes it from other works which either attempt to derive the ‘authentic’ teachings of the Prophet, or else which presume that all narrations equally reflect what the Prophet and Imāms actually said. This avoids the sticky question of which narrations are actually ‘true’ and allows them to be treated equally as cultural artifacts in negotiating a Shīʿī ideology of gender. Because this study focuses on sacred female figures shared with the Judaeo-Christian tradition, it allows for the exploration of how ideas about women from outside the Islamic tradition were integrated into the Shīʿī corpus through isrāʾīlīyāt, particularly through the intertextual synthesis of pre-Islamic material (such as the Bible) with post-Prophetic notions (such as normative paradigms of jurisprudential discourse). Two trends will emerge from these narrations. The first heavily reinforces patriarchal norms, such as women’s seclusion, the need for male authority, and male guardianship over women. These narrations reflect jurisprudential discourse and are largely found in two of the four most prominent books of Shīʿī ḥadīth, al-Kāfī and al-Faqīh. However, in the second, other narrations form a ‘counter-narrative’ in which women and men are portrayed as equals; these narrations invoke the imagery of esoteric Shīʿism and focus on the narrative of wilāyah (loyalty to and love of the Prophet, Fāṭimah al-Zahrāʾ, and the Shīʿī Imāms). Since both sets of narrations address uniquely Shīʿī concerns, such as the Imāmate, it can be deduced that these differing portrayals of women reflect competing concerns in the early and mediaeval Shīʿī communities with respect to determining Shīʿī identity and orthodoxy, and may also reflect the spread of and resistance to Arabization. Lastly, because many narrations attributed to Imam ʿAlī convey strikingly different views about women, the penultimate chapter will explore whether Imam ʿAlī was misogynistic through a comparison of two foundational Shīʿī texts: Kitāb Sulaym ibn Qays al-Hilālī (c. 100 AH) and Nahj al-Balāghah (c. 400 AH).

Hansson, L. Detektion av makrolidresistens hos Mycoplasma genitalium med Panther Fusion. Examensarbete i biomedicinsk laboratorievetenskal 15 högskolepoäng. Malmö universitet: Fakulteten för hälsa och samhälle, institutionen för Biomedicinsk Vetenskap, 2023.   Mycoplasma genitalium är en sexuellt överförbar mikroorganism som infekterar både män och kvinnor, som behandlas oftast med azitromycin med ett ökande problem av antibiotikaresistens. För M. genitalium är makrolidresistens det främsta hotet mot behandling, och har kopplats till fyra punktmutationer i region V i 23S rRNA-genen: A2071G, A2072G, A2072C samt A2071T (M. genitalium G-37, GenBank NR_077054.1). Projektet har undersökt möjligheten att ersätta nuvarande in house realtids-PCR metod för makrolidresistensbestämning med ett integrerat nukleinsyra-reningssteg och realtids-PCR med Panther Fusion (Hologic) hos Klinisk mikrobiologi i Lund. Under projektet analyserades 55 patientprover som samlades under perioden januari-februari 2023 i Region Skåne, som blivit positiva vid M. genitalium testning. Dessa prover har därefter analyserats av personal med nuvarande ABI-metod för resistensbestämning och sedan analyserats på Panther Fusion. Nuvarande ABI-metod resulterade i positiv signal för 91% (50/55) av patientprover positiva vid M. genitalium analys och makrolidresistensmutation hos 25 % (14/55), medan Panther Fusion metoden resulterade i positiv signal för 81 % (45/55) av positiva M. genitalium prover och påvisade resistensmutation hos 20 % (11/55) av proverna.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-12-17T14:01:56Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 ViniciusPO.pdf: 1959283 bytes, checksum: a0ff605126178472baa83d52b610e562 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2007-12-03 / Coordena??o de Aperfei?oamento de Pessoal de N?vel Superior / This study evaluates the influence of depth and environmental parameters on the development of Gracilaria birdiae Plastino & Oliveira (Gracilariaceae Rhodophyta) in an organic shrimp pound (Litopenaeus vannamei) under euthrophical conditions. PVC structures (module) witch four ropes laden with 150 g of macroalgae each, were kept during 35 days at three different depths (surface, 10 and 20 cm depth). Wet biomass weighing and environmental parameters (temperature, salinity, turbidity, pH, transparence, precipitation, evaporation, insolation, accumulated solar radiation, nitrite, nitrate, ammonium and orthophosphate) were measured weekly. At all three proposed depths, the macroalgae displayed a higher biomass at the end of experiment than at the initial inoculations. The module kept at a 10 cm depth presented the greatest average biomass (186,3), followed by that kept at 20 cm (180,4 g) and the surface module (169,9 g). Biomass variations showed algae to suffer the direct effects of depths. Biomass loss was associated with the factors that influence light penetration, such as sediment deposits above the thallus, rate of evaporation and precipitation. The smallest loses occurred in the algae kept on surface (0,16%), followed by the algae kept at 20 cm (0,20%) and 10 cm (0,22%). The specific growth rate (SGR) of G. birdiae showed no significant difference between the three depths nor the sample periods. Nevertheless, the modules kept at 10 and 20 cm depths presented similar growth evolution, both growing 0,38%?per day-1, while the module kept on surface had an average SGR of 0,36%?day-1. The models related to growth rate demonstrated temperature, salinity, pH, orthophosphate, ammonium, precipitation and turbidity as the principal environmental parameters influencing the development of G. birdiae / Este estudo avalia a influ?ncia da profundidade e dos par?metros ambientais sobre o desenvolvimento de Gracilaria birdiae Plastino & Oliveira (Gracilariaceae Rhodophyta) em condi??es eutr?ficas de um viveiro org?nico de camar?o Litopenaeus vannamei. Estruturas de PVC (m?dulos), contendo quatro cordas com 150 g de macroalgas, foram mantidas por 35 dias em tr?s profundidades distintas (superf?cie, 10 e 20 cm de profundidade). Semanalmente foram realizadas as pesagens de biomassa ?mida e o monitoramento dos par?metros ambientais (temperatura, salinidade, turbidez, pH, transpar?ncia, precipita??o pluviom?trica, taxa de evapora??o, insola??o, radia??o solar acumulada, nitrito, nitrato, ?on am?nio e ortofosfato). Nas tr?s profundidades propostas, as macroalgas apresentaram, no fim do experimento, biomassa superior ao in?culo inicial. O m?dulo mantido a 10 cm de profundidade apresentou a maior m?dia de biomassa (186,3 g), seguido pelo m?dulo mantido a 20 cm (180,4 g) e o m?dulo mantido na superf?cie (169,9 g). As varia??es de biomassa apontaram que as algas sofrem efeitos diretos da profundidade. As perdas de biomassa estiveram associadas aos fatores que influenciam na penetra??o de luz como a deposi??o de sedimento sobre os talos, taxa de evapora??o e taxa de precipita??o. As menores perdas ocorreram nas algas mantidas na superf?cie (0,16%), seguidas pelas algas mantidas a 20 cm (0,20%) e a 10 cm (0,22%). As taxas de crescimento espec?fico (TCE) de G.birdiae n?o apresentaram diferen?as significativas entre as tr?s profundidades e nem entre os per?odos amostrais. Entretanto, os m?dulos mantidos a 10 e 20 cm mostraram evolu??es de crescimento bastante semelhantes, ambos cresceram 0,38%?dia-1, enquanto o m?dulo mantido na superf?cie obteve a TCE m?dia de 0,36%?dia-1. Os modelos relacionados ?s taxas de crescimento apontaram a temperatura, salinidade, pH, ortofosfato, ?on am?nio, precipita??o e turbidez como os principais fatores ambientais a influenciar no desenvolvimento de G. birdiae

Made available in DSpace on 2014-12-17T14:33:09Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 IzabelMMS_DISSERT.pdf: 5861857 bytes, checksum: 79bb0912ed83687a1e7f40e3d441ee7c (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012-06-18 / Coordena??o de Aperfei?oamento de Pessoal de N?vel Superior / Coral bleaching has been increasingly the focus of research around the world since the early 1980s, when it was verified to be increasing in frequency, intensity and amount of areas affected. The phenomenon has been recorded since 1993, associated with elevation of the sea surface temperature due to El Ni?os and water thermal anomalies, according to most reports around the world. On the coast of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil, a mass coral bleaching event was recorded in the Environmental Protection Area of Coral Reefs (APARC) during March and April 2010, when the water temperature reached 34?C for several days. About 80% of the corals in Maracaja? reef-complex exhibited partial or total bleaching. The aims of this study were to verify representativeness of coral coverage and how the bleaching dynamic has developed among different species. Coral coverage was estimated according to Reef Check Brazil protocol associated with quadrant method, and bleaching was evaluated from biweekly visual surveys in 80 colonies of Favia gravida, Porites astreoides, Siderastrea stellata and Millepora alcicornis. At the same time temperature, pH, salinity and horizontal transparency, as well as mortality and disease occurrence were monitored. Analysis of variance and Multiple Regression from the perspective of time lag concept were used to evaluate the bleaching dynamics among species and the relationship between variation of means of bleaching and variations of abiotic parameters, respectively. Species showed significant differences among themselves as to variation of means of bleaching over time, but the dynamic of variation exhibited similar patterns / O branqueamento de corais tem sido o foco de um n?mero crescente de estudos desde a d?cada de 1980 quando foi verificado o aumento na frequ?ncia, intensidade e n?mero de ?reas atingidas. No Brasil o fen?meno tem sido registrado desde 1993, associado ? eleva??o da temperatura das ?guas superficiais do mar decorrente de eventos de El-Ni?os e anomalias t?rmicas, conforme a maioria dos relatos em todo o mundo. No litoral do Rio Grande do Norte registrou-se branqueamento em massa de corais nos recifes da ?rea de Prote??o Ambiental dos Recifes de Corais (APARC) em Mar?o e Abril de 2010, quando a temperatura da ?gua atingiu valor de 34?C durante v?rios dias. Cerca de 80% dos corais do complexo recifal de Maracaja? exibiram branqueamento parcial ou total. Os objetivos deste trabalho foram verificar qual a representatividade do recobrimento de corais no Parracho de Maracaja? e como a din?mica de branqueamento se desenvolve entre as esp?cies. A cobertura de corais foi estimada de acordo com o protocolo Reef Check Brasil associado ao m?todo de quadrado, e o branqueamento foi avaliado a partir de censos visuais quinzenais em 80 col?nias de Favia gravida, Porites astreoides, Siderastrea stellata e Millepora alcicornis. Ao mesmo tempo foram monitorados a temperatura da ?gua, pH, salinidade e transpar?ncia horizontal, e a ocorr?ncia de mortalidade e sintomas de doen?as. Foram utilizadas a An?lise de Vari?ncia e a Regress?o M?ltipla sob a perspectiva do conceito do time lag para avaliar a din?mica de branqueamento entre as esp?cies e a rela??o da varia??o das m?dias com a varia??o dos fatores abi?ticos, respectivamente. As esp?cies apresentaram diferen?a significativa entre si quanto ? varia??o das m?dias de branqueamento ao longo do tempo, mas a din?mica de varia??o exibiu padr?es semelhantes

Submitted by Automa??o e Estat?stica (sst@bczm.ufrn.br) on 2017-01-27T13:44:02Z No. of bitstreams: 1 CarlosEduardoRochaDuarteAlencar_TESE.pdf: 5420561 bytes, checksum: 7adb44a6f91e7ed1f5abb1941d322150 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Arlan Eloi Leite Silva (eloihistoriador@yahoo.com.br) on 2017-01-31T14:30:25Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 CarlosEduardoRochaDuarteAlencar_TESE.pdf: 5420561 bytes, checksum: 7adb44a6f91e7ed1f5abb1941d322150 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-01-31T14:30:25Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 CarlosEduardoRochaDuarteAlencar_TESE.pdf: 5420561 bytes, checksum: 7adb44a6f91e7ed1f5abb1941d322150 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-02-20 / Coordena??o de Aperfei?oamento de Pessoal de N?vel Superior (CAPES) / O assoreamento ? um problema historicamente reconhecido nos ecossistemas costeiros/marinhos. Nas ?ltimas d?cadas, o ritmo acelerado do assoreamento vem afetando a biota, principalmente, atrav?s da perda de diversidade de habitat e redu??o do crescimento de produtores prim?rios e efeitos indiretos nas comunidades marinhas. As respostas de uma assembl?ia de siris (Arenaeus cribarius, Callinectes danae e C. ornatus) em uma enseada subtropical da Plataforma Sudeste brasileira, Enseada da Fortaleza, com acentuado assoreamento de fra??es sedimentares finas, em um intervalo de 20 anos (1989-2009), foram avaliadas. O processo de assoreamento foi detectado a partir da investiga??o de dados in situ e inspe??o geotecnol?gica. Quatro principais causas para a ocorr?ncia de assoreamento foram sugeridas: (1) sedimentos oriundos do estu?rio local (2) hidrodinamismo oce?nico (3) resuspens?o sedimentar por retra??o de correntes marinhas e (4) a??es antr?picas diversas. Redu??o da variabilidade sedimentar e varia??es de temperatura de fundo da coluna de ?gua ocasionaram respostas distintas na ocorr?ncia e densidade das esp?cies. Al?m disso, investiga??es sobre a ocorr?ncia de padr?es competitivos exclusivos entre as esp?cies fortaleceram a prerrogativa de que a modula??o das esp?cies de caranguejos e siris ? fortemente associada aos parametros abi?ticos locais. A. cribarius apresentou uma resposta levemente positiva em abund?ncia e n?mero de ocorr?ncias, C. danae apresentou uma resposta est?tica, enquanto C. ornatus, a esp?cie dominante, apresentou uma forte resposta negativa de abund?ncia. Em adi??o, a implementa??o de medidas regulat?rias para explora??o dos recursos marinhos, localmente, foram essenciais para a manuten??o das tr?s esp?cies de siris. Os efeitos do assoreamento na resposta da assembl?ia de Portunoidea provavelmente ser?o irrevers?veis, no entanto, a capacidade de resili?ncia do ecossistema costeiro ainda ? pouco conhecido, assim, estudos que avaliem a din?mica e transporte de fra??es finas do sedimento podem auxiliar nas capacidades preditivas de modelos de distribui??o das esp?cies para as pr?ximas d?cadas.

Submitted by Automa??o e Estat?stica (sst@bczm.ufrn.br) on 2017-06-02T23:08:22Z No. of bitstreams: 1 JeanneRaquelDeAndradeFranco_DISSERT.pdf: 3675339 bytes, checksum: 97a2dabc11a0348c6acf6db2de294e5d (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Arlan Eloi Leite Silva (eloihistoriador@yahoo.com.br) on 2017-06-12T19:27:50Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 JeanneRaquelDeAndradeFranco_DISSERT.pdf: 3675339 bytes, checksum: 97a2dabc11a0348c6acf6db2de294e5d (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-06-12T19:27:50Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 JeanneRaquelDeAndradeFranco_DISSERT.pdf: 3675339 bytes, checksum: 97a2dabc11a0348c6acf6db2de294e5d (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-02-14 / Coordena??o de Aperfei?oamento de Pessoal de N?vel Superior (CAPES) / Manguezais s?o ecossistemas costeiros e estuarinos que pertencem a climas quentes e temperados ou tropicais ?midos, s?o dominados por esp?cies lenhosas, fornecem importantes bens e servi?os ecossist?micos e possuem valor socioecon?mico. Os manguezais s?o sens?veis a dist?rbios e est?o em constante processo de degrada??o devido ? carcinicultura e ao desenvolvimento urbano. Intera??es entre indiv?duos vegetais podem resultar em competi??o e facilita??o interferindo no crescimento, no padr?o de distribui??o e na sobreviv?ncia das plantas, al?m de modificar caracter?sticas f?sico-qu?micas do ambiente. Vari?veis abi?ticas e bi?ticas interagem permitindo an?lise da adapta??o das esp?cies em diferentes condi??es ambientais, podendo tamb?m inferir sobre a intensidade de degrada??o. O objetivo geral do estudo foi identificar os principais fatores limitantes no crescimento e na sobreviv?ncia de plantas de Rhizophora mangle L. (Rhizophoraceae) em dois ambientes dominados pela esp?cie e localizados em ?rea de carcinicultura, sendo um com presen?a de ?rvores e copa fechada, e outro aberto com plantas jovens e subarbustivas. Foram realizados dois monitoramentos com sele??o de parcelas e plantas em cada ambiente, totalizando 90 indiv?duos, para quantificar o crescimento ao longo do tempo atrav?s de medidas da altura, n?mero de ramos e di?metro a 30 cm do solo. Para as vari?veis abi?ticas foram feitas medidas da temperatura e pH do solo, luminosidade, salinidade, velocidade do vento, temperatura do ar e penetrabilidade do solo nas parcelas de cada ambiente aberto e fechado por 12 meses. Indiv?duos adultos de R. mangle foram competidores interferindo no crescimento de plantas jovens da mesma esp?cie atrav?s da limita??o de luz e do estresse advindo do ac?mulo de sedimentos. Em ambiente aberto, com plantas jovens apresentando mesma idade e distribu?das de forma agregada, ocorreu facilita??o com redu??o de condi??es estressantes devido ? maior incid?ncia de radia??o solar e temperatura desse ambiente, e tamb?m competi??o atrav?s de alta densidade de plantas. Devido a essas intera??es positivas e negativas agindo simultaneamente, o efeito final da densidade-depend?ncia no crescimento de plantas do ambiente aberto foi neutro. Al?m disso, temperaturas m?dias de 30?C, pH do solo com valores entre 5,5 e 6,5 e salinidade com cerca de 35 ppm foram fatores que beneficiaram o crescimento das plantas ao longo do tempo em ambiente aberto atrav?s da fotoss?ntese, de adapta??es fisiol?gicas e poss?vel melhor assimila??o de nutrientes do solo. Esses resultados ajudaram a entender as caracter?sticas ambientais que facilitam e interferem na recupera??o de ?reas degradadas pela carcinicultura. / Mangroves are ecosystems coastal and estuarine belonging to warm and temperate climates and wet tropics, mangroves are dominated by woody species, provide important ecosystem goods and services and have socioeconomic value. Mangroves are sensitive to disturbances and are constantly being degraded due to shrimp farming and to urban development. Interactions between plant individuals may result in competition and facilitation by interfering on the plant growth, pattern of distribution and plant survival, besides modifying physical-chemical characteristics of the environment. Abiotic and biotic variables interact allowing the analysis of the adaptation of the species in different environmental conditions and also about the intensity of degradation. The main objective of the study was to identify the main limiting factors on the growth and survival of Rhizophora mangle L. (Rhizophoraceae) plants in two environments dominated by this specie and located in the shrimp farming area, one with trees and closed canopy, and another open with young and sub-shrub plants. Two monitoring were carried out with selection of plots and plants in each environment, totaling 90 individuals, to quantify the growth over time by means of measures of height, number of branches and diameter at 30 cm. For the abiotic variables, measurements of soil temperature and pH, luminosity, salinity, wind velocity, air temperature and soil penetrability were taken in the plots of each open and closed environment for 12 months. Adult individuals of R. mangle were competitors interfering in the growth of young plants of the same species through the limitation of light and of the stress coming from the accumulation of sediments. In the open environment, with young plants presenting the same age and distributed in an aggregated way, facilitation occurred with reduction of stressful conditions due to the higher incidence of solar radiation and temperature of this environment, and also competition through high density of plants. Due to these positive and negative interactions acting simultaneously, the final effect of density dependence on plant growth of the open environment was neutral. However, mean temperatures of 30?C, soil pH values between 5.5 and 6.5 and salinity with about 35 ppm were factors that benefited the growth of the plants over time in open environment through photosynthesis, of physiological adaptations and possible better assimilation of soil nutrients. These results helped to understand the environmental characteristics that facilitate and interfere the recovery of areas degraded by shrimp farming.

Tato diplomová práce se zabývá API a ABI kompatibilitou Java knihoven. Jsou popsány typy kompatibility a analyzovány změny API, které vedou k zdrojové či binárni nekompatibilitě. Dále je provedena analýza existujících nástrojů, které provádějí zjišťování nekompatibility. Vhodný nástroj z předchozí analýzy je vybrán a rozšířen. Na základě rozšířeného nástroje je vytvořena serverová aplikace, která poskytuje informace o kompatibilitě sledovaných knihoven.

There is a consensus within the United Nations (UN), as well as various governmental entities, politicians, individuals, scholars, and academic communities, on the need to reform governmental performances. However, there is no unanimity among them pertaining to a specific reforming model that is valid for all contexts worldwide. Accordingly, many performance management processes and practical techniques have been put into practice, which aim at improving governmental institutions' performance. Hence, the purpose of this research is to develop, by studying the public health services that are provided by the government, an effective model, with the aim of improving governmental performance in the context of Bahrain. With regard to originality and values, the research discerns that among the many factors affecting governmental entities' performance, there are two dominant contextual factors, i.e. the sociocultural and political forces, both of which synergise with the so-called United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Good Governance Approach. The study develops a new perspective on the Interactive Complex Intervention Model (ICIM), stemming from the Grounded Theory (GT) and Normalisation Process Theory/Model (NPT/M), as disclosed in practical terms by the outcomes of the data gathered and its analysis. In fact, although those elements influence all other factors, there are interactive correlative impacts among all factors. Despite these outcomes, the data obtained from the research cannot be generalised, as they are derived from the local context of Bahrain; certainly until now, they can allow other similar contexts in particular to implement the insights reported in this study. It is important to note that the most influencing factor enabling this research, which aims to develop the ICIM for reforming governmental entities' performance in Bahrain, is the salient points raised in Imam Ali's famous consultative letter to the Governor of Egypt, Malik Ashtar, which he wrote while he was the Caliph, as scholars regard this letter as a basic guide for the Islamic administration and the UNDP Good Governance Approach. Regarding the practical implications, the research has attempted to empirically understand the role of the aforementioned primary contributing forces, that are regarded as the critical prerequisite - the first step that allows the governments' decision makers, based on the underlying knowledge involved in the work, to forthwith provide them with several contextual practical insights towards adopting the ICIM in order to enhance and reform the government entities' performance.

Background: Prenatal alcohol consumption is one of the leading preventable causes of birth defects, including fetal alcohol syndrome and learning disabilities. Although there is strong evidence of the benefits of screening and alcohol brief interventions (ABIs) in reducing hazardous and harmful drinking among the primary care population, evidence of its effectiveness with the antenatal care population is limited. Nevertheless, the Scottish Government is incorporating an alcohol screening and ABI programme as part of the routine antenatal care provided to women in a bid to protect the health and safety of the unborn child and improve subsequent health and developmental outcomes. This research therefore seeks to increase understanding of the factors that are likely to influence the effectiveness of this recently implemented programme. It also aims to explore the extent to which contemporary issues such as change in guidelines regarding alcohol consumption during pregnancy influences perceptions and attitudes, and the possible implications of these on the screening and ABI delivery. Methods: The study described in this thesis employed a realistic evaluation methodology. Realistic evaluation is a theory-driven approach to investigating social programmes. It is concerned with hypothesising, testing and refining programme theories by exploring the interaction of contexts, mechanisms and outcomes. To identify the relevant screening and ABI programme theories, two separate systematic reviews, a critical review and four face-to-face interviews were undertaken with health policy implementers. The findings were used to construct context, mechanism and outcomes propositions. The propositions were then tested by conducting individual interviews with seventeen pregnant women and fifteen midwives, a further six midwifery team leaders were involved in a focus group discussion. A thematic approach using a hybrid of inductive and deductive coding and theme development informed the qualitative analysis. Results: In the context of uncertainties regarding the threshold of drinking that causes fetal harm, pregnant women reported that screening assessment helped them to reflect on their drinking behaviour and facilitate behaviour change. For women who drank at hazardous and harmful levels before attending the booking appointment, screening and ABI may be helpful in terms of eliciting behaviour change. However, they may not be very beneficial in terms of reducing harm to the fetus as it has been found that drinking during the first trimester poses the most risk to the fetus. Training and resources provided to midwives as part of the screening and ABI programme were found to be facilitating mechanisms that midwives indicated improved their skills and confidence. However, most of the midwives had not subsequently employed the motivational interviewing skills required for the ABI delivery, as many of the pregnant women reported that they reduced or abstained from alcohol consumption once pregnancy was confirmed. The outcome noted was that midwives confidence decreased leading to missed opportunities to appropriately deliver the ABI to eligible women. The small numbers of women being identified for ABI meant midwives rarely delivered the ABI. This negatively influenced midwives attitudes as they then accorded ABI low priority in their workload. Other disenabling mechanisms noted to be hampering the implementation of the screening and ABI initiative included midwives contending with competing priorities at the booking appointments, and the lack of adequate rapport between midwives and pregnant women at the booking appointment to discuss alcohol issues appropriately, leading to women providing socially desirable responses to screening questions. Conclusions: The findings of this study has generated greater explanations of the working of the screening and ABI programme in antenatal care setting and has provided transferable lessons that can be used by others intending to implement similar programmes in other settings.

The researcher has a daughter who was born with an encephalocele and her neuropsychological assessment indicates a Nonverbal Learning Disability (NLD). The difficulties of the educational experiences that emerged over time, mainly because her learning profile was not understood, prompted reflection on the consequences for other students who present with this profile. A concern for the long-term implications for students and parents of the frequent misunderstandings of the NLD has inspired this study. A review of the literature suggested a need to raise educator awareness about the subtle but disabling nature of the NLD syndrome. This study explored the perceptions of teachers, teacher aides and parents involved with 5 students who showed hallmark signs of an NLD. The theoretical foundation rests in the understanding that a student's learning experiences are influenced by past and present school experiences, the attitudes of peers, and parental expectations. The purpose of this thesis is to help parents, teachers and others appreciate the school experiences of children at Level 1 risk of developing an NLD, those with a hydrocephalic condition. It does not purport to offer ultimate solutions or to contribute to diagnosis but rather to act as a starting point for a body of theory to guide development of suitable learning environments for such children. Of further importance is emphasis on the need for similar studies to be conducted into the learning experiences of other children who demonstrate specific syndromes or mosaic forms of those syndromes. Naturalistic Inquiry methodology was used to explore the educational experiences of five students who attended different Australian schools. After completion of all interviews, psychological testing assessed general intelligence and the NLD status of each student. All students were found to be severely learning disabled and all were high on the NLD parameter. Educators generally did not reveal understanding of the NLD syndrome &quotNonverbal, what is it? So is it a visual ..." Some teachers devised innovative strategies to help the student cope in class while others expressed frustration ... if the traditional instruction &quotdoesn't work either, what does?" What stood out was an absence of understanding about nonverbal deficits. Frustration about poor organisation, decision making, task completion and problem-solving was expressed and a mixture of concern and criticism was levelled at social incompetence. Students who could not work independently were perceived by some teachers and aides as &quotlazy" or &quotmolly-coddled" and problems with everyday living skills were sometimes blamed on the student's family. Findings revealed a compelling need to raise educator awareness about the range of cognitive, learning and social problems associated with shunted hydrocephalus and spina bifida. They also highlighted a need for teachers to question &quotWhy can't this student do things one would expect they could do" and demand answers that explicate the serious difficulties being experienced.