Thesis (doctoral)--Friedrich-Alexander-Universität zu Erlangen.

INTRODUCTION: Father support has recently been associated with increasing breastfeeding rates, but there is limited research on how the American father’s perspective of breastfeeding rates affect those rates. AIM: The aim of this study was to investigate the perspective American fathers have on breastfeeding and understand if it contributed to mothers’ decisions to initiate and continue exclusive breastfeeding for at least six months. METHODS: This study analyzed 10 semi-structured in-depth interviews conducted with both fathers and mothers of ever-breastfeed infants at least six months of age. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and openly coded to identify common themes, and then analyzed using principles of grounded theory. RESULTS: Results suggested that mothers were often the lead decision makers in the decision to breastfeed based on her prepartum knowledge of breastfeeding and its benefits. Many fathers had no prepartum perspective of breastfeeding, though they were not opposed to it. Those fathers who had prepartum opinions about breastfeeding traced their beliefs about breastfeeding to their families’ cultures or traditions. DISCUSSION: Data suggested that among this population of 30 – 44 year old educated, heterosexual married couples breastfeeding was common, but the recent increasing rates may not necessarily be influenced by the American father's perspective of breastfeeding.

The overall objective of this thesis is to investigate factors that influence the utilization of maternal services, infant feeding and postpartum contraception practices in rural Vietnam. Field studies were carried out in a rural district of Thanh Hoa, a province located in North Central Vietnam. Willingness-to-pay for maternal preferences was measured in a sample of 200 postpartum and 196 pregnant women, as well as 196 men using the payment card technique. An association was found between satisfaction with the quality of maternal services and willingness-to-pay. There were no significant differences in willingness-to-pay values between prenatal and postpartum groups, and between male and female subjects. The feasibility, reliability and validity of a 20-item scale for measuring perceived quality of maternal services provided at commune health centres, were examined based on a sample of 200 postpartum and 196 pregnant women. The instrument was found to have good inter-rater reliability and internal consistency. Maternal status of clients (prenatal vs. postnatal) was found to influence the perceived quality of maternal services. Determinants of the utilization of maternal services at the primary health care level were investigated in a sample of 200 postpartum women together with sixteen focus group discussions and 16 in-depth interviews. The results showed that client-perceived quality of services and socio-cultural, and economic factors, rather than geographical access, could affect the utilization of maternal services. Factors affecting infant feeding practices were measured in a longitudinal study of 463 women at weeks one, 16 and 24 postpartum. Within the first week after delivery, the initiation and exclusive breastfeeding rates were relatively high at 98.3% and 83.6% respectively, but the premature introduction of complementary food was a great concern. / Exclusive breastfeeding dropped from 83.6% at week one to 43.6% at week 16, and by week 24, no infant was exclusively breastfed. Home-cooked solid food was introduced by 4.8%, 40.9% and 74.3% at weeks one, 16 and 24, respectively. Logistic regression analysis showed that, together with socio-cultural determinants, factors related to the mother, such as education level and occupation, and infant related factors could influence the initiation and exclusive breastfeeding within six months postpartum. The practice of contraceptive use within six months postpartum was also examined in a prospective study of 463 postpartum women. The proportion of contraceptive users at weeks 16 and 24 were 17.4% and 43.4% respectively. At week 24, of contraceptive users, 57.3% used IUD, 25.1% used condom, and 13.6% used traditional methods. Logistic regression analysis found age, sufficient knowledge on contraceptives and husband/partner opinion can significantly affect the contraception decision. The results of the study indicated that good physical access does not necessarily increase the utilization of maternal services due to institutional, environment and individual barriers. Client-perceived quality of services, socio-cultural and economic factors are important determinants of the utilization of maternal services. In view of the observed low rates of exclusive breastfeeding and contraception, there is a risk of unwanted pregnancy for women within six months postpartum. To improve maternal and child health status, health workers need to be trained in terms of inter-personal communication and counselling skills, and be appropriately supervised by district health authorities. Mobilizing the participation of the community and family, especially men to share the workload with women, would play a crucial role in the improvement of childbirth, contraception and breastfeeding practice.

Tesis doct.--Facultad de derecho--Universidad complutense de Madrid, 2001. / Bibliogr. p [329]-348.

Texte remanié de: Thèse de doctorat--Droit public--Université de Paris X-Nanterre, 1984. / Bibliogr. p. 215-218.

Th.--Droit--Strasbourg 3.

Business agency agreement Abstract The purpose of my thesis is to analyse the business agency agreement and describe its essential characteristics. The reason for my research is the practical aplication of this agreement, which enables a developement of business and businessman is provided with an oportunity of expansion. This thesis is divided into twelve chapters and each chapter is dealing with diferent aspects of business agency agreement. Chapter One is introductory and describes main goals of this thesis and essential characteristics of business agency agreement. Chapter Two is subdivided into three parts and focuses on historical development of representation. First part describes representation influenced by Roman law, part two focuses on representation and agency during 19th and 20th century and part two investigates diference between direct and indirect representation, which is necessary for understanding of the business agency agreement. Chapter Three describes the term business agency agreement and its essential elements. It is subdivided into two parts. First one focuces on diference between business agency agreement and its differentiation from employment contract. Second one describes elements such as contarcting parties (the agent and the pricipal) and obligation between them, characterizes...

It is known that rolling element bearings are the second most extensively used machine components in various mechanisms and machines. Consequently, the demand of pursuing higher bearing performance, increased load carrying capacity and prolonged operation life is crucial. The lubrication regime in which rolling element bearings operate is called Elastohydrodynamic Lubrication (EHD). The EHD lubrication regime in steady-state conditions, where working parameters such as load, geometry or speed of the surfaces are constant, is nowadays well understood. Nevertheless, in practice EHD contacts never work in completely steady-state regimes. For example, the contacts of rolling element bearings operating in a machine, which runs at constant speed, has no shock loading from the end effector still experience variable loading when the rolling elements enter and exit the loaded zone and variable speed at the start up and shut down of the machine. Factors related to the working cycle of the machine or mechanism cannot be avoided or simply the start or stop of those will always introduce unsteadiness into the EHD contacts. Vibrations in EHD contacts cause variation of load, and implicitly pressure and contact size, fluctuations of film thickness, which in their turn cause localized fluctuations of the pressure. The vibrational behavior is directly related to noise generation, which significantly influences bearing performance. The current research is focused on the effect of forced harmonic vibrations on oil and grease lubricated EHD contacts. Experiments were carried out using a test rig that simulates real – life EHD contacts by a steel ball on glass disc contact. The method used for measuring the lubricant film thickness was optical interferometry, adapted for the specifics of this research. Lubricant film thickness was measured in systematically – designed tests where a wide range of lubricants and working parameters was employed. The trends of EHD film behaviour under variable loading were evaluated and maps of the likelihood of film thickness perturbation occurrence were drawn for the first time. An analytical model of the lubricant film thickness variation during rapid variation of load was also devised and successfully compared to the experimental findings. The systematic study of the effect of vibrations upon EHD film recovery in limited lubricant supply conditions was also carried out and published. An experimental study on the effect of vibrations was successfully extended into grease-lubricated contacts. The scientific information gained will be a useful tool in the hands of both, lubricants and machine elements producers, with the aim of extending the life expectancy of those elements.

Five and half years in office, the former Japan Prime Minister, Junichiro Koizumi, has led Japan to progress toward a wholly new direction contrast to previous Japan. Domestically, financial, fiscal and administrative reforms were Koizumi regime¡¦s primary concerns and also the core stage of Koizumi¡¦s political performance, and those reforms did somewhat improve Japan¡¦s lasting stagnant economic condition at all. Concerning of the legacy of Koizumi¡¦s foreign policy, as been regarded as a fledgling in foreign affairs at the beginning, Koizumi at last shaped the current Japan to be confident as a major power in north east Asia and more capable of facing the north Korea¡¦s threats and China¡¦s various challenges. Moreover, Koizumi made his efforts and did upgrade the Japan-U.S. military alliance de facto. In region international affairs, Koizumi also contributed to push the economic and trading integration in east Aisa. On the global level, Koizumi¡¦s Japan egaged in not only finance but also manpower contribution to the international society and eagerly did a lot to look for a leading political role in world politics than ever. Undoubtedly, the U.S. 911 attacks occurred in 2001 is the crucial agenda regarding the outcomes of Koizumi¡¦s foreign policy and surely the turning point within the context of Koizumi¡¦s foreign policy. Therefore, this paper would like to investigate¡§what things have been done in the Japan¡¦s foreign policies as Koizumi in office¡H¡¨within the following four periods,¡§Foreign Policy Review Era,¡¨¡§U.S.-first Policy Era,¡¨¡§International Consultation Era,¡¨and¡§Post-Koizumi Era.¡¨After the overall context of Koizumi¡¦s foreign policies has been well realized, this paper will discuss the profound effects and impacts cuased by those outcomes of Koizumi¡¦s foreign policy toward the three aspects of Japan domestic politics, Asia region, and the international system.

It is obvious that great socio – economic inequality in our society keeps growing up. Unemployment makes the daily life rather difficult for many people who are forced to receive smaller income, change their life regulations and rhythm as well as to experience psychological tenseness and lack of confidence in their future. Their socio – economical activities decline thus causing their social loneliness that contradicts to human social development. The problems of unemployment influence both jobless people and their families. The aim of the surwey is to evaluate the peculiarities of the institutional education of a child who is brought up in socio – cultural backgrounds of poverty. 402 children from different towns and villages of Lithuania participated in the surwey, 90 of them were from poor socio – cultural environment. The survey aimed to compare the peculiarities of communication competence, attitude towards healthy way of life, intelectual and cognitive skills, ethical development, nud for socio – cultural interests and experience between the children living in ordinary economic conditions and children living in rather poor economic conditions. The hypotheses of the survey proved that different socio – economic environment has great influence on the level of children`s competences as the experience of a child living in poor social environment can not be equal to the experience of a child living in traditional ordinary social environment. However, the institutional... [to full text]