Magister Philosophiae - MPhil / The study examines the participation of African immigrants in the South African labour force with the central question revolving around whether the immigrants create jobs through the establishment of their own businesses or take jobs from the locals. Analytical frame work used in this study includes descriptive statistics, chi-square test for association and standardized residuals, two-way analysis of variance and logistic regression. Demographic, locational and socio-economic characteristics were studied using descriptive and inferential statistical analysis. Two-factor analysis of variance was used to examine the differences on average in the African immigrants; participation in the labour force, while logistic regression was used to investigate the effect of some demographic characteristics on employment and work status. / South Africa

In the year 2020, COVID-19 was a worldwide phenomenon. Changes in personal behavior and consumer behavior resulted from the new restrictions. Because of COVID-19, many consumers purchase groceries online rather than in physical stores. Historically, there have been several pandemics during the 1900 century, and all of these pandemic crises have impacted consumer behavior. In the timeframe of this research, the restriction was withdrawn, and new restrictions were applied, which resulted in continued changed consumer behavior. Different characteristics influence consumer behavior, such as economic, psychological, and environmental. Income and savings of individuals and members of households are economic characteristics that influence consumer behavior. Because no product has to be carried or there is no time limit on shopping, this psychological characteristics contributes to increased accessibility, convenience, and time savings. In terms of the environment, there have been questions about whether e-commerce has a positive or negative impact. Consumer behavior is also influenced by demographic factors, such as age, gender, education, marital status and living environment. All individuals change their buying behavior over their lifetimes, and with restrictions during this pandemic crisis, many needed to adapt their behavior even more. This study has created a more profound understanding of consumer behavior due to a pandemic crisis, such as COVID-19. With this presented purpose, an online survey was constructed and collected a sample of 123 respondents located mainly in Sweden and Norway. After analysing our data collection, we concluded that the three characteristics and demographic factors influenced our sample, and they still prefer to purchase groceries in a physical store, despite a pandemic crisis.

International Telemetering Conference Proceedings / October 17-20, 1988 / Riviera Hotel, Las Vegas, Nevada / Digital-based linear-array chart recorders are replacing conventional stylus recorders in telemetry data stations everywhere. They offer advantages in virtually all respects, and are becoming indispensable. But because of the completely different writing method and technology employed, it is difficult to make completely analogous performance comparisons between analog and digital chart recorders. This has led to some confusion when replacing aging stylus recorders is contemplated. Objectives: Establish a set of universal, standardized performance characteristics for digital chart recorders. Introduce appropriate terminology, allowing valid, repeatable comparison of old and new systems.

Background: Peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM) is an incompletely understood disease that causes significant morbidity and mortality in many parts of the world, including Northern Nigeria. The aims of this Thesis were: [1] to determine if selenium deficiency, serum ceruloplasmin and traditional birth practices are risk factors for PPCM, in Kano, Nigeria; [2] to describe the one year survival and left ventricular reverse remodeling (LVRR) in a group of patients with PPCM from three referral hospitals in Kano, Nigeria; [3] to identify potential electrocardiographic (ECG) predictors of PPCM; and [4] to assess right ventricular systolic dysfunction (RVSD) and remodelling in a cohort of PPCM patients in Kano, Nigeria. Materials and Methods: The studies were carried out in 3 referral hospitals in Kano, Nigeria. Study 1: This was a case-control study. Critically low serum selenium concentration was defined as <70μg/L. Study 2: This was a longitudinal study. LVRR was defined as absolute increase in LV ejection fraction (LVEF) by ≥10.0% and decrease in LV end-diastolic dimension indexed to body surface area (LVEDDi) ≤33.0 mm/m2, while recovered LV systolic function as LVEF ≥55%, at 12 months follow-up. Study 3: This was a case-control study. Logistic regression models and a risk score were developed to determine ECG predictors of PPCM. Study 4: This was a longitudinal study and patients were followed up for 12 months. RVSD was defined as the presence of either tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE) <16mm or peak systolic wave (S’) tissue Doppler velocity of RV free wall <10cm/s. Recovery of RV systolic function was defined as an improvement of reduced TAPSE to ≥16mm or S’ to ≥10cm/s, without falling to reduced levels again, during follow-up. Results: Study 1: Total of 39 PPCM patients and 50 controls were consecutively recruited after satisfying the inclusion criteria. Mean serum selenium in patients (61.7±14.9μg/L) was significantly lower than in controls (118.4±45.6μg/L) (p<0.001). The prevalence of serum selenium <70μg/L was significantly higher among patients (76.9%) than controls (22.0%) (p<0.001). The mean ceruloplasmin and prevalence of socio-economic indices, multiparity, pregnancy-induced hypertension, obesity and twin pregnancy were not different between the groups (p>0.05). Logistic regression showed that rural residency significantly increased the odds for serum selenium <70μg/L by 2.773 fold (p=0.037). Study 2: A total of 33 patients were followed-up. Of the 17 survivors at 12 months, 8 patients (47.1%) satisfied the criteria for LVRR, of whom 5 (29.4%) had recovered LV systolic function, but LVRR was not predicted by any variable in the regression models. The prevalence of normal LV diastolic function increased from 11.1% at baseline to 35.3% at twelve months (p=0.02). At one year follow-up, 41.4% of patients had died (two thirds of them within the first 6 months), but mortality wasn’t predicted by any variable including LVRR. Study 3: A total of 54 PPCM and 77 controls were studied. A rise in heart rate by 1 beat/minute increased the odds of PPCM by 6.4% (p=0.001), while presence of ST-T-wave changes increased the odds of PPCM by 12.06 fold (p<0.001). In patients, QRS duration modestly correlated (r=0.4; p<0.003) with LV dimensions and end-systolic volume index (LVESVI), and was responsible for 19.9% of the variability of the latter (R2 = 0.199; p=0.003). A risk score of ≥2 had a sensitivity of 85.2%, specificity of 64.9%, negative predictive value of 86.2% and area under the curve of 83.8% (p<0.0001) for potentially predicting PPCM. Study 4: A total of 45 patients were studied. RV systolic function recovery occurred in a total of 8 patients (8/45; 17.8%), of whom 6 (75.0%) recovered in 6 months after diagnosis. The prevalence of RVSD fell from 71.1% at baseline to 36.4% at 6 months (p=0.007) and 18.8% at one year (p=0.0008 vs baseline; p=0.41 vs 6 month). Although 83.3% of the deceased had RVSD, it didn’t predict mortality in the regression models (p>0.05). Conclusion: These studies have shown that selenium deficiency seems to be a risk factor for PPCM in Kano, Nigeria, related to rural residency. However, serum ceruloplasmin, customary birth practices and some other characteristics were not associated with PPCM in the study area. They have also shown that PPCM patients had modest LVRR but high mortality at one year. In addition, using the ECG risk score could help to streamline the diagnosis of PPCM with significant accuracy, prior to confirmatory investigations in postpartum women. Finally, RVSD and reverse remodelling were common in Nigerians with PPCM, in whom the first 6 months after diagnosis seem to be critical for RV recovery and survival. / Summary

published_or_final_version / History / Master / Master of Philosophy

published_or_final_version / Literary and Cultural Studies / Master / Master of Arts

Clinical Supervision is an important practice in speech language therapy and related health disciplines. Research in student clinician populations has found that supervisees value interpersonal, personal and teaching characteristics in a clinical supervisor. Research has also shown that perceptions of supervisor characteristics change as student clinicians gain clinical skills. However, there is a significant lack of research examining practising clinicians' perceptions of clinical supervisor characteristics. The current study aimed to 1) survey practising Speech Language Therapists (SLTs) and examine the knowledge, skills and attitudes valued in a clinical supervisor, and 2) determine if the characteristics valued by more experienced SLTs (greater than 5 years) differed from those valued by less experienced SLTs (less than 5 years). A cross-sectional survey design methodology was employed. A five-part survey was developed, and distributed nationally by email. Participants were 72 SLTs practising in New Zealand. Results indicated that practising SLTs valued interpersonal knowledge and skills, and personal values and attitudes most highly in a clinical supervisor. In addition, it was found that characteristics relating to professional knowledge and identity were least valued. Overall, almost no difference was found between characteristics valued by less and more experienced clinicians. Findings suggest that practicing clinicians' basic human-relationship needs must be met for safe and effective CS to occur. Findings also suggest that regardless of experience level all clinicians are learners. This means clinicians across all different levels of work experience require support from clinical supervisors, to learn reflectively from experiences in the workplace.

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The general objectives of this study were to determine the work-home interaction of South African working females, to investigate the prevalence of work-home interaction and to determine if differences concerning work-home interaction exist between different demographical groups. An availability sample (n = 500) was taken from working females within six provinces of South Africa. The SWING and a demographical questionnaire were administered. Structural equation modelling (SEM) showed that a four-factor model, that measures both the direction (work-home interaction and home-work interaction) and the quality (positive or negative) of interaction, fitted the data best. All four factors were reliable, according to the Cronbach alpha coefficients. Multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) were used to establish differences between work-home interaction and different demographic characteristics. Statistically significant differences exist between demographic groups based on race, language, occupation, parental status, household situation and freedom to arrange circumstances. Recommendations were made for further research / Thesis (M.Com. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2007.

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to explore what people think is the best way to learn about innovations by different learning styles and characteristics. The paper will give answers to which learning style that people think is the best way to use when learning about innovation. Methodology - The data for this study were collected via online-surveys and through paper surveys. A total of 224 usable responses were obtained. The method will consist of primary data, which will be collected through surveys. Secondary research will be presented in the empire which will be retrieved from databases like Scopus, Diva, Emerald, Web of Science and Google Scholar. Implications/findings - Of the four different learning styles investigated in this study the result revealed that people best learn about innovations from the tactile/kinaesthetic learning style. The least pedagogic method to learn about innovations was the visual/verbal learning style. Paper type - Research paper