Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 1997. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves [376]-388).

Treatise (D.M.A.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2004. / Supervisors: Rebecca A. Baltzer and Eugene A. Gratovich. Vita. Includes bibliographical references. Also available from UMI.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Oregon, 2002. / Typescript. Includes vita and abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 190-203). Also available for download via the World Wide Web; free to University of Oregon users.

Thesis (M.A.) - Carleton University, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 155-163). Also available in electronic format on the Internet.

München, Univ., Diss., 2005.

Mainz, University, Diss., 2000.

The Liang dynasty poet Xiao Gang’s “poems on things” (yongwu shi) have traditionally been read as shallow, overwrought descriptions of palace life devoid of the allegorical dimensions that were thought to ennoble the genre. This thesis argues that the figurative dimensions of these supposedly non-figurative poems must be understood in the context of the profound influence Buddhism and Buddhist thought had on Xiao Gang’s conceptions of literary practice. Through close readings of six “poems on things,” I demonstrate that Xiao Gang’s use of descriptive language doubles as an exploration of Buddhist concepts of sensuous reality, emptiness, and dependent co-arising. By exploring Xiao Gang’s thematization of abstract Buddhist philosophical concepts in the traditionally Confucian genre of the yongwu shi, I suggest that the impact of Buddhist ideas on Chinese figurative modes of poetic meaning was more profound than scholars of this period have previously suggested.

The fundamental cause of low temperature breakdown (reduction disintegration) is reduction of hematite to magnetite, resulting in a volume expansion and stress relief through the formation of cracks. Serious reduction disintegration causes poor gas permeability, high flue dust production and scaffolding, poor gas distribution, higher fuel consumption and lower productivity. Northern Cape iron ore generally performs well when tested for reduction disintegration properties both for blast furnaces and Corex; nevertheless, significant breakdown is experienced when used in the Corex process (at Saldanha Steel). This study was hence conducted to determine the effects of the following on reduction disintegration:<ul><li> different ore types (from Northern Cape) </li> <li> initial particle size</li><li> temperature range</li><li> reduction gas composition</li></ul> Although disintegration is clearly triggered by reduction, no direct correlation could be established between the percentage reduction and the percentage fines generated. The results indicated that the presence of gangue minerals alone does not cause fractures to form, but does influence the direction and intensity of fractures to some extent. In many cases cracks form randomly, with no specific preference for either gangue minerals or iron oxides. For most of the samples, an incubation period was observed before the first cracks formed. No crack propagation was observed after initial cracking. This study indicates that the degree of reduction disintegration depends mostly on furnace conditions. Reduction disintegration increased with higher hydrogen percentages (>5%), higher temperatures (in the 500ºC-700ºC range) and longer exposure. Disintegration of the samples decreased at temperatures higher than 750°C. For particles smaller than 16 mm an inverse relationship was found between the average particle size and the percentage of fines generated, in line with the observation that most of the disintegration is due to spalling from particle edges rather than particles breaking into smaller clumps. The results indicate that it is important to manage the temperature in the top of the blast furnace and the COREX shaft, and the time spent at temperatures below 750°C, to minimize the amount of fines generated. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Materials Science and Metallurgical Engineering / unrestricted

En raison de leurs activités criminelles, l’identification de bonnes pratiques pour intervenir auprès des jeunes membres de gangs de rue est essentielle pour assurer la protection du public. Les recherches actuelles ne permettent toutefois pas d’identifier de programmes d’intervention efficaces pour cette clientèle (Boxer et al., 2015; Boxer et Goldstein, 2012; Parker et al., 2008 et Sécurité publique Canada, 2007). Le but de la présente étude est l’analyse logique de la théorie du programme d’intervention offert aux jeunes impliqués dans les gangs de rue et hébergés en centre de réadaptation en vertu d’une ordonnance de mise sous garde et de surveillance, à la suite d’une infraction de la Loi sur le système de justice pénale des adolescents (LSJPA). Le programme évalué, nommé ReZo, a pour objectif de susciter la réflexion des jeunes sur leur position dans les gangs de rue pour ultimement réduire leur risque de récidive. L’analyse logique cible deux aspects de la théorie du programme : la sélection des participants et du contenu des ateliers. Les résultats suggèrent que le processus de sélection des participants pourrait être bonifié (objectif 1) en ajustant les domaines de l’Inventaire des risques et des besoins liés aux facteurs criminogènes (IRBC) utilisés et en y incluant la Mesure d’adhésion à la culture de gang de rue (MACg). L’analyse du guide structuré et du modèle logique de ReZo suggère que le programme respecte la majorité des pratiques prometteuses citée dans la littérature quant au contenu des ateliers (objectif 2). Des modifications telles que le choix de thèmes, l’implication de l’entourage et de la famille et l’ajout de mesures d’évaluation sont recommandées. / to their criminal activities, the identification of effective practices for intervening with youth gang members is essential to ensure the protection of the public. However, current studies do not identify effective intervention programs for this clientele ((Boxer et al., 2015; Boxer et Goldstein, 2012; Parker et al., 2008 and Sécurité publique Canada, 2007). The purpose of this study is to analyze the logical reasoning of an intervention program offered to youth involved in street gangs and housed in rehabilitation centres under custody and supervision order, following an offence under the Youth Criminal Justice Act (YCJA). The objective of the evaluated program, called ReZo, is to encourage youth to reflect on their position in street gangs in order to ultimately reduce their risk of recidivism. The theory-based evaluation has two objectives: the logic analysis of the selection of participants and the content of the workshops. The results suggest that the participant selection process could be improved (objective 1) by adjusting the areas of the Inventaire des risques et des besoins liés aux facteurs criminogènes (IRBC) used and by including the Mesure d'adhésion à la culture de gang de rue (MACg). Analysis of ReZo’s structured guide and logic model validated that it meets most of the criteria for good practice in the literature with respect to workshop content (objective 2). Adjustments such as the choice of themes, the involvement of family and friends and the addition of evaluation measures are recommended.

This study researches the mass media description of women’s roles in criminal gangs as well as the contributing factors portrayed by the media for women and their involvement in the criminal gangs. We believe that this is an important subject to highlight, mainly due to the fact that the information available today is more often than not about the men whereas the women and their situation are portrayed and written about far less frequently. By using a qualitative text analysis we want to bring light to the image portrayed by the women and thereby contribute with an increase to understanding the specific terms these women face in the given contexts with the hope that the result will contribute to an increase in the knowledge of crime fighting and law enforcement. The empirical material consists of 20 articles from the following newspaper: Aftonbladet, Expressen, Svenska Dagbladet and Göteborgs-Posten, which have been analyzed through a content analysis. The results show that women in the gang have a far more active role than previously reported and that the activity in the gangs has increased as well. This falls in line with previous international research where women’s roles have been highlighted as predominantly active in organised crime. Furthermore, the women’s role in media is often mentioned as supportive or even being victims of the men in the gangs. A common explanation that is given is that the women join the gang due to societal factors such as the women feeling let down by their society. Social relations such as family and boyfriends that are part of criminal gangs and that might influence the women are also brought up as possible causes. More unusual factors that draw the women to gangs regard financial incentives such as the dream of making a great deal of money, longing for a feeling of safety or to simply experience excitement.