This study flows from an awareness of the crisis in the church, and specifically in the Dutch Reformed Church The Reeds, concerning the lack of faith identity as well as the lack of assimilation with the faith community after confirmation. The hypothesis chosen for this study, which also determined the opening argument, was that parental mentorship and involvement of parents in faith development assist in the development, understanding and living of children’s faith identity as well as their assimilation with the faith community after confirmation. The opposite of this is also made clear – a lack of parental mentorship and involvement of parents in faith development is the cause of the absence of faith identity and assimilation with the faith community after confirmation. From a perspective of building up the local church this hypothesis is examined theologically, psychologically and empirically. The study concludes that this hypothesis definitely holds ground. The role of the involvement or absence of parents in children’s faith identity and faith development is examined. The role of the faith community in supporting parents with their mentoring role is also probed and the results clearly indicate the need for an adjustment in the approach of the church’s youth ministry. Another meaningful finding is that there has been a shift in the past few decades (regarding where the responsibility for the development of children’s faith lie) from parents to the faith community. Parents were gradually shifted out of youth ministry, which caused the drop-off culture that currently exists. To ensure a generation that understands and live their faith identity and who are still actively involved in their faith community after confirmation, begs for definite action. To address this crisis, different strategies and action plans are proposed in order to move away from church-centred, home-supporting youth ministry to home-centred, church-supporting youth ministry. This implies long-term implementation and will result in parents once again taking primary responsibility for the faith development of their children. This further infers that faith communities must include parents in the ministry to children before and during their Sunday-school and catechism years. Copyright / Dissertation (MA(Theol))--University of Pretoria, 2012. / Practical Theology / unrestricted

The course of endstage renal disease (ESRD) and receiving hemodialysis (HD) treatment is complex and filled with uncertainty. Part of this illness experience includes making end-of-life (EOL) care decisions. Many families are unprepared to make such decisions. Advance care planning (ACP) creates an excellent context for laying the groundwork for these emotionally charged conversations. Hemodialysis patients, their families and healthcare providers (HCPs) are in a unique position to begin the ACP process early in the illness trajectory, revisiting it when the patient’s health status, prognosis and treatment modality changes. To date, little research has focused directly on how families experience ACP conversations in the context of ESRD or HD. The purpose of this study was to explore family members’ experiences of participating in a facilitated ACP conversation with the HD patient. This approach recognizes and privileges the family’s role in the illness trajectory of ESRD and validates that they too are HCPs’ clients. Five families, consisting of the HD patient and one family member, who went through the ACP process were interviewed along with an ACP facilitator from the nephrology program. This focused ethnographic study applied the theoretical perspective of postmodernist critical theory to derive and analyze data from in-depth semi-structured interviews. Findings revealed a detailed description of the ACP process that included timing, readiness to acknowledge the potentiality of death, facing mortality, and finding meaning in the illness experience. As families started to deconstruct their experiences, they shared stories of communication breakdown, highlighting the complexities of their relationships with HCPs. Understanding the factors that potentially contribute to HD patients’, their families’ and the renal staff’s discomfort with death were analyzed. The study findings provide important direction for HCPs about how families make ACP decisions, how they perceive the ACP process, and what they identify as their EOL care needs and wishes. Failure to implement ACP as part of an EOL care program means that death will continue to be denied and clients’ EOL care needs will remain un-addressed. In order for ACP to be effective on HD units, sustainable resources are essential for patients, their families and HCPs. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Nursing, School of / Graduate

Cette thèse est consacrée aux méthodes statistiques d’extrapolation dans les essais de recherche de dose en pédiatrie. Dans un premier temps, nous réalisons une revue systématique de la littérature sur le sujet. Elle met en évidence la nécessité de proposer de nouvelles méthodes pour la conception des études d’escalade de dose chez l’enfant. Nous apportons des réponses à cette problématique en exploitant l’information disponible chez l’adulte. Dans une première série de travaux, nous étudions l’intérêt de la prédiction des paramètres pharmacocinétiques (PK) en pédiatrie à l’aide de méthodes d’extrapolation : l’allométrie et la maturation. Cette évaluation est réalisée à partir de données PK chez l’adulte et l’enfant pour la méfloquine. Faisant appel aux paramètres prédits, nous développons une approche pour choisir les temps de prélèvements (design) d’une étude PK. Nous recommandons un design obtenu par optimisation grâce à la méthode de D-optimalité en utilisant le logiciel PFIM. Ce design est ensuite validé à l’aide de simulations sur différents modèles. Une seconde série de travaux nous amène à proposer des recommandations pour la planification d’un essai de recherche de dose. Nous avançons d’abord des techniques pour choisir les doses à tester grâce à l’utilisation des données adultes et de l’extrapolation. Nous proposons ensuite une méthode proche de la méta-analyse pour prédire les probabilités de toxicités pour chaque dose. Enfin, nous employons la méthode de l’Effective sample size afin de construire une loi a priori lors de l’utilisation d’une estimation bayésienne. Nous validons ces recommandations sur une étude de cas en utilisant une méthode d’escalade de dose, la méthode de réévaluation séquentielle bivariée, pour laquelle nous évaluons à la fois la toxicité et l’efficacité. A partir de l’exemple de la molécule erlotinib, nous effectuons une série de simulations sur plusieurs scénarios afin d’illustrer les performances de la planification. / This thesis addresses extrapolation techniques for statistical models for dose-finding studies in pediatrics. After a litterature review on these clinical trials, we observed the need of methodological propositions for the planification of dose- finding studies in pediatrics. We deal with this issue using information from the adult population. In a first research, the objectives are to design a pharmacokinetic (PK) study by using information from adults and evaluate the robustness of the recommended design through a case study of mefloquine. Pediatric PK parameters are predicted from adult PK using extrapolation functions such as allometry and maturation. A D-optimal design for children is obtained with PFIM by assuming the extrapolated design. The robustness of the recommended design is evaluated in a simulation study with four different models and is compared to the empirical design used for the pediatric data. In a second research, we propose a global approach to conduct a pediatric dose-finding clinical trial using extrapolation from adult information. First, we extrapolate the dose-range from adults using allometry and maturation. Then, using an approach to meta-analysis, we choose the initial probabilities of toxicity for each dose. Finally, we use the effective sample size method to choose the prior distribution of parameters in a Bayesian setting. We perform a simulation study based on the molecule erlotinib to evaluate the performances of this global approach.

This diploma thesis deals with design of the structure of the shelter i the park of city Hranice na Moravě. This load-bearing structure is made of glued laminated wood with the strength class GL24h. The structure has the shape of half ball and the load-bearing beams are in the shape of an arc. This building will be mainly used for cultural purposes. Ground plan dimensions of this shelter are 25x25 m. A complete static design solution including of all connection details and anchoring has been solved.

This work is aimed at the problems of finding and selecting employees through the application of the latest knowledge and approach of staff selection. From the knowledge gained it suggests a possible method of choosing employees in the company, ABC Ltd. for the position of a dealer.

The aim of this thesis was to implement a software that would be able to render, simulate and record a scene with walking pedestrians in real-time, with emphasis on rendering level of realism. The output of the application could serve as an input test data for people counting systems or similar systems for video recognition. The problem was divided into three major subproblems: character animation, artificial intelligence for character movement and advanced rendering techniques. The character animation problem is solved by the skeletal animation of the model. To achieve the characters moving in a scene autonomously path finding(A* algorithm) and group behaviors(steering behaviors) were implemented. Realism in a scene is added by implemented methods such as normal-mapping, variance shadow-mapping, deffered rendering, skydome, lens flare effect and screen space ambient occlusion. Optimaliaztion of the rendering was implemented using octree data structure for space partitioning. Rendering stage of a scene can be easily parametrized through implemented GUI. Implemented application provides the user with easy way of setting a scene with walking pedestrians, setting its visualization and to record the result.

This work deals with the design and calculation of membrane structure for shelter placed above selected ground plan. The hyperbolic paraboloid was chosen as most optimal shape. Subsequently, three different sub-studies were conducted. In the first study, influence of mesh density on a finite element calculation model was studied. Second study deal with the effect of the geometry changes of the computational model. In the third study, deformations and tensions of membrane structure in relation to material formation calculation model was studied. For the static solution of those selected variant, structural analysis software RFEM and RF-FORM-FINDING add-on module was used. Geometric nonlinear solution was applied in the calculation.

Dans un réseau bayésien, une observation sur une variable signifie en général que cette variable est instanciée. Ceci signifie que l’observateur peut affirmer avec certitude que la variable est dans l’état signalé. Cette thèse porte sur d’autres types d’observations, souvent appelées observations incertaines, qui ne peuvent pas être représentées par la simple affectation de la variable. Cette thèse clarifie et étudie les différents concepts d’observations incertaines et propose différentes applications des observations incertaines dans les réseaux bayésiens.Nous commençons par dresser un état des lieux sur les observations incertaines dans les réseaux bayésiens dans la littérature et dans les logiciels, en termes de terminologie, de définition, de spécification et de propagation. Il en ressort que le vocabulaire n'est pas clairement établi et que les définitions proposées couvrent parfois des notions différentes.Nous identifions trois types d’observations incertaines dans les réseaux bayésiens et nous proposons la terminologie suivante : observation de vraisemblance, observation probabiliste fixe et observation probabiliste non-fixe. Nous exposons ensuite la façon dont ces observations peuvent être traitées et propagées.Enfin, nous donnons plusieurs exemples d’utilisation des observations probabilistes fixes dans les réseaux bayésiens. Le premier exemple concerne la propagation d'observations sur une sous-population, appliquée aux systèmes d'information géographique. Le second exemple concerne une organisation de plusieurs agents équipés d'un réseau bayésien local et qui doivent collaborer pour résoudre un problème. Le troisième exemple concerne la prise en compte d'observations sur des variables continues dans un RB discret. Pour cela, l'algorithme BN-IPFP-1 a été implémenté et utilisé sur des données médicales de l'hôpital Bourguiba de Sfax. / In a Bayesian network, evidence on a variable usually signifies that this variable is instantiated, meaning that the observer can affirm with certainty that the variable is in the signaled state. This thesis focuses on other types of evidence, often called uncertain evidence, which cannot be represented by the simple assignment of the variables. This thesis clarifies and studies different concepts of uncertain evidence in a Bayesian network and offers various applications of uncertain evidence in Bayesian networks.Firstly, we present a review of uncertain evidence in Bayesian networks in terms of terminology, definition, specification and propagation. It shows that the vocabulary is not clear and that some terms are used to represent different concepts.We identify three types of uncertain evidence in Bayesian networks and we propose the followingterminology: likelihood evidence, fixed probabilistic evidence and not-fixed probabilistic evidence. We define them and describe updating algorithms for the propagation of uncertain evidence. Finally, we propose several examples of the use of fixed probabilistic evidence in Bayesian networks. The first example concerns evidence on a subpopulation applied in the context of a geographical information system. The second example is an organization of agent encapsulated Bayesian networks that have to collaborate together to solve a problem. The third example concerns the transformation of evidence on continuous variables into fixed probabilistic evidence. The algorithm BN-IPFP-1 has been implemented and used on medical data from CHU Habib Bourguiba in Sfax.

L’objectif des essais de phase I en oncologie est d’identifier la dose maximale tolérée (DMT). Le schéma « 3+3 » nécessite d’interrompre les inclusions en attendant l’évaluation d’une cohorte de trois patients pour définir la dose à attribuer aux patients suivants. Les investigateurs d’oncologie pédiatrique ont proposé l’adaptation Rolling 6 pour éviter cette suspension temporaire des inclusions. Dans une étude de simulation, nous avons montré qu’un schéma adaptatif avec attribution des doses basées sur un modèle statistique permettait de pallier ce problème, et identifiait plus fréquemment la DMT. Néanmoins ces trois schémas restent limités pour identifier la DMT, notamment du fait que le critère de jugement est un critère binaire, la survenue de toxicité dose-limitante sur un cycle de traitement. Nous avons proposé un nouveau schéma adaptatif utilisant les données ordinales répétées de toxicité sur l’ensemble des cycles de traitement. La dose à identifier est celle associée au taux de toxicité grave maximal par cycle que l’on juge tolérable. Le grade maximal de toxicité par cycle de traitement, en 3 catégories (grave / modéré / nul), a été modélisé par le modèle mixte à cotes proportionnelles. Le modèle est performant à la fois pour détecter un effet cumulé dans le temps et améliore l’identification de la dose cible, sans risque majoré de toxicité, et sans rallonger la durée des essais. Nous avons aussi étudié l’intérêt de ce modèle ordinal par rapport à un modèle logistique mixte plus parcimonieux. Ces modèles pour données longitudinales devraient être plus souvent utilisés pour l’analyse des essais de phase I étant donné leur pertinence et la faisabilité de leur implémentation. / Phase I dose-finding trials aim at identifying the maximum tolerated dose (MTD). The “3+3” design requires an interruption of enrolment while the evaluation of the previous three patients is pending. In pediatric oncology, investigators proposed the Rolling 6 design to allow for a more continuous enrollment. In a simulation study, we showed that an adaptive dose-finding design, with dose allocation guided by a statistical model not only minimizes accrual suspension as with the rolling 6, and but also led to identify more frequently the MTD. However, the performance of these designs in terms of correct identification of the MTD is limited by the binomial variability of the main outcome: the occurrence of dose-limiting toxicity over the first cycle of treatment. We have then proposed a new adaptive design using repeated ordinal data of toxicities experienced during all the cycles of treatment. We aim at identifying the dose associated with a specified tolerable probability of severe toxicity per cycle. The outcome was expressed as the worst toxicity experienced, in three categories (severe / moderate / no toxicity), repeated at each treatment cycle. It was modeled through a proportional odds mixed model. This model enables to seek for cumulated toxicity with time, and to increase the ability to identify the targeted dose, with no increased risk of toxicity, and without delaying study completion. We also compared this ordinal model to a more parsimonious logistic mixed model.Because of their applicability and efficiency, those models for longitudinal data should be more often used in phase I dose-finding trials.

La radiogoniométrie joue un rôle crucial dans diverses applications, aussi bien civiles que militaires, liées soit à la radionavigation ou à la radiolocalisation. La plupart des antennes de goniométrie opèrent sur une large bande de fréquences, mais seule une minorité d’entre elles permettent l'estimation de la direction d’arrivée d’un champ électromagnétique incident sur une couverture angulaire 3-D (c.-à-d., l’estimation à la fois des angles d’azimut et d’élévation). Une approche originale permettant d’obtenir une couverture angulaire 3-D consiste à mesurer les six composantes d’un champ électromagnétique incident à l’aide d’une antenne dite vectorielle. L'objectif de cette thèse est de concevoir une antenne vectorielle passive, compacte et large bande afin de couvrir un maximum d'applications. Deux antennes vectorielles ont été conçues, fabriquées et caractérisées expérimentalement. \`A la différence d'une topologie conventionnelle, elles permettent de mesurer les composantes d'un champ électromagnétique incident grâce à la reconfigurabilité en diagramme de rayonnement d'un arrangement original d'antennes Vivaldi. Le premier prototype est monté sur un support métallique fini et permet l'estimation de la direction d'arrivée de champs électromagnétiques polarisés verticalement sur une bande passante de 1.69:1 tandis que le second peut être utilisé quelle que soit la polarisation des champs électromagnétiques incidents sur une bande passante de 8:1. De plus, les performances de goniométrie de ces antennes vectorielles ont été améliorées du point de vue de la précision, de la sensibilité, de la robustesse face aux ambiguïtés angulaires et aux erreurs de dépolarisation en synthétisant de nouveaux diagrammes de rayonnement dans le processus d'estimation. Une méthode basée sur la borne de Cramer-Rao a été élaborée afin de sélectionner efficacement et rapidement les diagrammes de rayonnement supplémentaires. / Direction finding plays a crucial role in various civilian and military applications, related to either radionavigation or radiolocation. Most of the direction finding antennas operate over a wide frequency band, but only a minority of them enable the direction of arrival estimation of an incoming electromagnetic field over a 3-D angular coverage (i.e., estimation of both azimuth and elevation angles). An original approach to obtain a 3-D angular coverage consists in measuring the six components of the incident electromagnetic field through a so-called vector antenna. The aim of this Ph.D. is to design a passive, compact and wideband vector antenna in order to cover a maximum of applications. Two vector antennas have been designed, manufactured and experimentally characterized. Unlike conventional topology, they enable the measurement of the components of an incoming electromagnetic field thanks to the radiation pattern reconfigurability of an original arrangement of Vivaldi antennas. The first prototype is mounted over a finite metallic support and enables the direction of arrival estimation of vertically-polarized electromagnetic fields over a 1.69:1 bandwidth while the second one can be used regardless of the polarization of the incoming electromagnetic fields over a 8:1 bandwidth. Moreover, the direction finding performances of these vector antennas have been improved in terms of estimation accuracy, sensitivity, robustness to angular ambiguity and polarization mismatch by synthesizing new radiation patterns in the estimation process. A method based on the Cramer-Rao lower bound has been proposed to select efficiently and rapidly the additional radiation patterns