Thesis (MPH)--University of Limpopo, 2013. / Statistics from Pigg’s Peak Hospital, in Swaziland, continue to show an improvement in the uptake of HIV testing among TB patients, as well as a very high rate of HIV co-infection among the TB patients. The unit’s reports also show a low uptake of antiretroviral therapy among the HIV co-infected TB patients, and high death rates. Most of these deaths occur among HIV co-infected TB patients who have not yet initiated ART despite being on TB treatment. Anecdotal evidence suggests that there is reluctance and refusal by a considerable proportion of TB/HIV co-infected patients to take TB treatment and ART concurrently, and that they prefer to commence ART after completing TB treatment. No study has ever been conducted in Swaziland to determine the reasons for refusal of ART initiation prior to the completion of TB treatment among HIV co-infected TB patients. Aim The aim of this study was to explore the reasons for refusing antiretroviral therapy among HIV co-infected tuberculosis patients, prior to the completion of tuberculosis treatment, at Pigg’s Peak Hospital, in Swaziland. Methods A qualitative descriptive study was conducted in order to generate information on the subjects’ experiences and views on the concurrent taking of tuberculosis and antiretroviral medicines. A sample of nineteen HIV co-infected TB patients was purposefully selected to answer the research question. Results The most common reasons given by the respondents for refusing ART initiation during TB therapy were their un-readiness for ART, especially because ART must be taken for life, the perception that one was still in good health, the fear of adverse outcomes being precipitated by combining ART with TB medicines, a preference of traditional medicines, and health systems-related problems. Other reasons were: a lack of food, substance abuse, a fear of the increased pill burden, a denial of the HIV-positive status, and problems related to treatment supporters. Conclusion In TB/HIV co-infection care settings, comprehensive Pre-ART counseling must be integrated with interventions that address the specific barriers to ART initiation faced by clients; to improve the acceptability of ART initiation during TB therapy to these HIV/TB co-infected patients.

No description available.

The aim of this thesis is to investigate the use of a Dynamic Vibration Absorber to control vibration in a beam. Traditional means of vibration control have involved the use of passive and more recently, active methods. This study is different in that it involves an adaptive component in the design of vibration absorber using two novel designs for the adaptive mechanism. The first design incorporates the use of an enclosed air volume to provide the variable stiffness component in the absorber. By adjusting the volume of compressible air within the absorber, the stiffness characteristics of the absorber can be altered, enabling the device to adapt to changing vibration frequencies. Work here includes a theoretical investigation of the device. Following this, two prototypes are constructed and tested, the second of which is the refined model used for further testing. The second design incorporates the use of two concentrated masses cantilevered from two rods. The adaptive solution is achieved by moving the two masses along the length of the rod, producing a changing natural frequency for the absorber device. An analytical model of this device is developed as well as a finite element model. Results from both are compared to those obtained experimentally. Finally, a tuning algorithm is derived for the second absorber, and a control system constructed to make the dynamic vibration absorber "adaptive". Experiments are undertaken to determine the effectiveness of the absorber on the beam subject to changing excitation frequencies. The outcome of this research is that an Adaptive Vibration Absorber has been constructed with a computer interface such that the device can be used "on line". / Thesis (M.Eng.Sc.)--Mechanical Engineering, 1999.

Nitriding is a plasma based processing technique that is used to improve the surface properties of components and products in many areas including the aerospace, automotive and biomedical industries to name a few. Active Screen Plasma Nitriding (ASPN) is a relatively new nitriding technique which has potential advantages over the more traditional nitriding techniques such as Direct Current (DC) plasma nitriding where high substrate biases can be problematic. However, there is considerable debate as to the mechanism for nitriding in ASPN. This thesis focuses on investigating the mechanism for nitriding in a commercial ASPN system. Commercial ASPN treatments of nitrideable alloy steels were found to be unsatisfactory unless a sufficient bias was applied. The level of bias required to produce a satisfactory nitriding response, in terms of the cross sectional hardness, was found to depend on the concentration of strong alloy nitride forming elements present in the steel. Although active screen material was found to be transferred to the workload, no evidence was found that this process played a significant role in enhancing the nitriding response. The primary mechanism for nitrogen mass transfer in ASPN was found to be dependent on the active screen/workload separation distance. When this separation is small (less than approximately 10cm for the conditions used in this study) then nitrogen mass transfer in the form of energetic ions or neutrals can occur between the active screen and the workload. This allows samples to be treated without a substrate bias. On the other hand, when the active screen/workload separation distance is large (greater than approximately 10cm) as is normally the case in a commercial environment, this mechanism for nitrogen mass transfer breaks down and a substrate bias is essential. In this latter case, nitrogen ions attracted to the workload using a bias is the primary nitrogen mass transfer mechanism and the role of the active screen is primar ily to uniformly heat the workload.

No description available.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Illinois State University, 2005. / Title from title page screen, viewed on April 22, 2007. Dissertation Committee: Maarten E.A. Reith (chair), Hou Tak Cheung, Stephen M. Lasley, Robert L. Preston, Brian J. Wilkinson. Includes bibliographical references and abstract. Also available in print.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Delaware, 2006. / Principal faculty advisor: Eric W. Kaler, Dept. of Engineering. Includes bibliographical references.

A low speed wind tunnel experimental investigation was conducted to determine the effectiveness of the leading edge pulsed blowing and the trailing edge jet blowing/ Gurney flap on the improvement of aerodynamic performance of an unmanned aerial vehicle at low Reynolds numbers. The wind tunnel tests for the leading edge pulsed jet blowing were conducted at 10%, 30% and 50% location of the chord length from the leading edge at a free stream velocity of 20 m/s. The jet momentum coefficient and the non-dimensional pulser frequency had been varied independently to investigate the effectiveness of the leading edge pulsed blowing. The trailing edge jet blowing tests were conducted at free stream velocity of 20 m/s at different jet momentum coefficients. The leading edge pulsed blowing showed a strong dependency of the actuator effectiveness on the jet momentum and the pulser frequency. The leading edge pulsed blowing had delayed the flow separation over the airfoil from an angle of attack of 17° to 22° with a docile stall for jet emanating at 10% location of the chord length for a jet momentum coefficient of 0.0275. The pulsed blowing at 50% chord location generated higher lift compared to the 10% location of the pulser with an abrupt stall at 19°. There was no evidence of the lift augmentation in the pre-stall angle of attack regime. The experimental results showed that the trailing edge jet flap was capable of generating significant roll moment at realistic jet momentum coefficients. The fluidic actuators were then integrated into the wings of a scale Extra 330 model airplane. The wind tunnel results for the leading edge pulsed blowing on the scale model indicated a delay in the stall of the airplane from an angle of attack of 12° to 21° with a 13% increase in the lift at take-off and landing speed of 17 m/s. The trailing edge jet actuators were also able to augment lift and demonstrate the roll control authority at low angle attacks at a cruising speed of 30 m/s.

This thesis is about transformational actions for modern working. To delineate the individual assumptions of qualifications and skills in modern working, and to turn this into a format which most people could experience as understandable, are the strategy of this case study. The outcome of the problem and thesis are specified in a model of active communication. The theoretical fundament is transformational leadership. In chapter three the construct of the model of active communication is explained, and so are preconditions of modern communication. The stages of regressive, stationary, flowing, active, and proactive communication are elaborated. Basis to the modeling of transformational actions was experienced problems of motivating followers to invest attention and time in challenging processes or education. The interpretation of this was that transformational leadership theory was elucidating and less oriented to achievements and gains. On this behalf the research question of what actions are essential to achievements and gains in modern working was raised. To indentify actions essential to achievements and gains of modern workers, and to transform this into applicable information for individuals who are contributors in processes related to achievement and gain, was carried out in three sequences. In a pilot the actions essential to achievements and gains are explored. An introduction case is exploring accessibility and applicability of active communication in use. Feedback to this was given in a self-completing questionnaire. The methodology being applied for each of these research sequences are accounted for in chapter four. An implementation study of active communication was conducted by participants which daily working is attuned to dialog, information, interactive technology (ICT) and knowledge. The main points of the lecture, supported in a presentation and compendium, are being referred in chapter six. The questionnaire about accessibility and applicability of active communication is presented in chapter seven. The participants were experiencing the model of active communication being applicable in working. / <p>Master i organisasjon og ledelse</p>

This study examined perspectives of the trip to/from school and travel mode choice among parents who differed in socio-economic status (SES), and whose children attended schools located in different areas (i.e., urban vs. inner-suburban) across Toronto. Thirty-seven parents (20 active and 17 non-active travelers) of grade four to six students from four elementary schools (capturing diversity with respect to built environment and SES) participated in qualitative interviews after taking photos of their trip to/from school. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis linking the text and visual data. School travel was a habitual behaviour involving a 2-step parental decision-making process; these decisions were influenced by different factors. While escort decisions were dictated by safety concerns, the behavioural cost and reinforcing value of travel mode alternatives dictated mode choice. Strategies addressing these behavioural cost and reinforcing value factors may be helpful in making walking to/from school the quickest and most convenient choice.