Os grupos sociais infantis que estão inseridos numa realidade violenta colocam-se mais suscetíveis a reagir e agir de acordo com seu grupo e contexto social. Acreditamos que em uma \"história relacional que se constrói dentro da situação terapêutica, utilizam-se estratégias para o fazer como forma de encontro potencializador de uma relação saudável consigo, com o outro e com o social\" (TEDESCO, 2007, p. 156). Desta forma, essa pesquisa pretendeu verificar se a utilização de grupos de atividades estruturadas pode proporcionar meios para que jovens possam aprimorar seu funcionamento pessoal e social e facilitar o desenvolvimento de mecanismos pessoais e coletivos de proteção e promoção de saúde mental. Este estudo baseia-se nos pressupostos dos métodos qualitativos de investigação e a estratégia escolhida foi a pesquisa naturalística. O procedimento utilizado foi a observação participante. Em virtude da natureza do fenômeno investigado utilizamos também o diário de campo. O local de investigação é o Município de Ribeirão Preto, em que buscamos focalizar uma instituição pública de ensino fundamental. Fizeram parte deste estudo 18 estudantes do 6º ano do ensino fundamental da Escola Estadual Professora Glete de Alcântara participantes do projeto de extensão \"Grupos de atividades estruturadas com alunos do ensino fundamental: promoção de saúde\" da Escola de Enfermagem de Ribeirão Preto. Foram realizados 8 encontros grupais utilizando atividades estruturadas em grupo. Neste sentido, foram utilizados jogos e brincadeiras, que são atividades sociais que fornecem uma estrutura de referência paralela à \"vida real\", na qual \"formas diferentes de ser\" podem ser experimentadas e expressas em ações, comportamentos, atitudes, sem nenhuma conseqüência \"real\". Para análise dos dados qualitativos foi utilizada a técnica de análise de conteúdo temática. Os temas emergiram do desenvolvimento grupal em cada atividade apresentada. Os principais temas foram: a representação e o papel da escola; o grupo como representação social; o brincar e o aprender; o lúdico e a contribuição para a formação social; a escola e seus vínculos; punição versus educação; família e seu papel social para a criança; violência psicológica entre escolares; a função criativa do campo escolar; a violência; o desenvolvimento interpessoal e o contexto escolar; agrupamento; atividade como recurso. Os resultados do estudo apontam que é possível estabelecer uma nova forma de comunicação e abordagem do universo desses jovens, desde que respeitadas as variáveis - que não são poucas - de um mundo cada vez mais globalizado e sem paradigmas do qual fazem parte não apenas como expectadores, mas atores desta transformação do ensino na realidade do século XXI. / Children Social groups placed in a violent reality are more susceptible to react and act according to their group and social context. We believe in a \"relational history that is built into the therapeutic situation, are used as strategies for doing so against aggravating a healthy relationship with oneself, others and the social\" (Tedesco, 2007, p. 156). This way, this research sought to determine whether the use of structured group activities can provide ways for young people to improve their personal and social functioning and facilitate the development of personal and collective mechanisms to protect and promote mental health. This study is based on assumptions of qualitative research methods and the strategy chosen was naturalistic inquiry. The procedure used was participant observation. Due to the nature of the phenomenon under investigation we also used a field diary. The research place is the city of Ribeirão Preto, in which we seek to focus on a public high school. The sample comprised 18 students in the 6th grade of elementary school of the Escola Estadual Professora Glete de Alcantara participants of the extension project \"Groups of structured activities with high school students: health promotion\" of the School of Nursing of Ribeirão Preto. 8 group meetings were conducted using structured group activities. In this sense, we used games and activities that are social activities that provide a frame of reference parallel to the \"real life\" in which \"different ways of being\" can be experienced and expressed in actions, behaviors, attitudes, with no consequences \"real. \" For qualitative data analysis technique was used thematic content analysis. The themes emerged from the development group in each activity presented. The main themes were: the representation and the role of the school and the group as a social representation, the play and learn, the playful and the contribution to the social formation, the school and its links; punishment versus education, family and social role for the child ; psychological violence among students, the creative function of the field school, violence, interpersonal development and the school context, group activity as a resource. The study results show that it is possible to establish a new form of communication and approach to the universe of young people, in compliance with the variables - which are many - a world of increasingly globalized and without paradigms which include not only as spectators but actors in this transformation of education in the reality of the twenty-first century.

O Transtorno Afetivo Bipolar (TAB) é crônico, grave, prejudica a qualidade de vida (QV) do portador e requer tratamento medicamentoso contínuo, mas os portadores têm dificuldade em aderir à farmacoterapia. A psicoeducação pode propiciar a adesão medicamentosa, manejo adaptativo do transtorno, aumento da QV, entre outros benefícios. Este estudo teve como objetivos identificar e comparar o impacto da psicoeducação, em grupo diretivo (GD) e não-diretivo (GND), no conhecimento do portador sobre o TAB e medicamento, na sua adesão à terapia medicamentosa, na sua QV e verificar como ele percebe seu cotidiano, antes e após a psicoeducação. Trata-se de estudo de intervenção, longitudinal, tipo follow-up, com abordagem quali-quantitativa. A amostra incluiu 28 portadores de TAB, não aderentes à farmacoterapia, acompanhados em um Núcleo de Saúde Mental (NSM). Os participantes foram distribuídos, por sorteio, em três grupos: grupo controle (GC), composto por 12 pacientes, GD e GND, com oito pacientes cada. Ambos os grupos de intervenção foram submetidos a 21 sessões semanais de psicoeducação (com temas pré-definidos para o GD e temas definidos pelos pacientes no GND) e três encontros de follow-up, além do tratamento padrão oferecido pelo NSM. O GC foi submetido ao tratamento padrão oferecido pelo NSM. A coleta de dados ocorreu por meio de entrevista semiestruturada norteada pelos instrumentos: Teste de Morisky e Green, Instrumento de avaliação do grau de conhecimento sobre a terapêutica medicamentosa, WHOQOL-bref e roteiro elaborado pela pesquisadora. Para a análise dos dados quantitativos foi utilizado o programa SAS 9.0 e para os dados qualitativos, a Análise de Conteúdo. Os resultados revelaram que ambos os grupos, GD e GND, interferiram positivamente no aumento do conhecimento do paciente sobre o nome e dose do medicamento utilizado, em relação ao GC, porém, não diferiram entre si. Parte dos pacientes passou a aderir aos medicamentos, em diferentes momentos, nos grupos GD e GND, entretanto não foram verificadas diferenças significativas em relação ao GC ou associação entre tipo de grupo (GD e GND) e adesão. Observou-se aumento não significativo da QV no GD e diminuição no GND em todos os domínios. Não foram observadas diferenças significativas na QV entre grupos de intervenção bem como entre os mesmos e o GC. Três categorias revelaram elementos significativos do cotidiano dos portadores de TAB, antes e após a participação no grupo de psicoeducação: \"A compreensão e aceitação do transtorno\", \"O desejo de estabelecer trocas\" e \"As limitações no cotidiano\". A psicoeducação grupal promoveu entendimento do TAB, trocas de experiências, atenuação de algumas limitações decorrentes do transtorno e o enfrentamento adaptativo de limitações não superadas. Considerando o importante papel dos grupos de psicoeducação no cotidiano dos sujeitos deste estudo, constitui desafio a implementação dessa abordagem terapêutica pela equipe de saúde dos serviços de assistência ao portador de transtorno mental / The Bipolar Affective Disorder (BD) is chronic, severe, and affects the patient\'s quality of life (QoL) and requires continuous drug treatment, but patients have difficulty adhering to pharmacotherapy. Psychoeducation can provide medication adherence, adaptive management of the disorder, increase of the QoL, among other benefits. This study aimed to identify and compare the impact of psychoeducation, in a directive (DG) and non-directive group (NDG), in the knowledge of the patients on the BD and medication, in their adherence to drug therapy, in their QoL, and verify how they perceive their daily life, before and after psychoeducation. This is a longitudinal follow-up and intervention study with quali-quantitative approach. The sample included 28 patients with BD, who were non-adherent to pharmacotherapy, assisted at a Mental Health Center. Participants were randomly assigned into three groups: control group (CG) composed of 12 patients, DG and NDG composed of 8 patients each. Both intervention groups were submitted to 21 weekly sessions of psychoeducation (with pre-defined themes for the DG and themes defined by the patients for the NDG), and three follow-up meetings, in addition to standard treatment offered by the Mental Health Center. The CG was submitted to standard treatment offered by the Mental Health Center. Data collection occurred through semi- structured interview guided by the instruments: Morisky and Green Test, Instrument for the assessment of the degree of knowledge about drug therapy, WHOQOL-bref, and script developed by the researcher. For the quantitative data analysis, the SAS 9.0 software was used, and for the qualitative data, the content analysis. Results revealed that both groups DG and NDG interfered positively in the increase of patient\'s knowledge regarding the name and dose of medication used in relation to the CG, however, they did not differ among themselves. Some of the patients began to adhere to medications at different times, in the directive and non-directive groups; however there were no significant differences in relation to the CG or association between the type of group (GD and NDG) and adherence. It was observed a non significant increase in QoL regarding the DG and a decrease regarding the NDG related to all domains. There were no significant differences in QoL among the intervention groups as well as among them and CG. Three categories showed significant elements of daily life of patients with BD before and after participation in the psychoeducational group: \"The understanding and acceptance of the disorder,\" \"The desire to establish exchanges\" and \"Limitations in daily life.\" The psychoeducational group promoted understanding of the BD, exchange of experiences, attenuation of some limitations resulting from the disorder, and cope with limitations not exceeded. Considering the important role of the psychoeducational groups in the daily life of the participants of this study, the implementation of this therapeutic approach by the health care team of health services for the mentally ill is a challenge.

Submitted by Fabiana Gonçalves Pinto (benf@ndc.uff.br) on 2017-07-12T18:29:47Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Priscila da Silva Matias.pdf: 1424430 bytes, checksum: 3599872e7db053f3000ec49a4ecc2ae6 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-07-12T18:29:47Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Priscila da Silva Matias.pdf: 1424430 bytes, checksum: 3599872e7db053f3000ec49a4ecc2ae6 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017 / Mestrado Acadêmico em Ciências do Cuidado em Saúde / Este estudo contribui para o Projeto de pesquisa do Ministério da Saúde: Observatório Nacional da Produção de Cuidado em diferentes modalidades à luz do processo de implantação das Redes Temáticas de Atenção à Saúde no Sistema Único de Saúde: Avalia quem pede, quem faz e quem usa (RAC). Possui como tema os grupos de educação em saúde nas unidades de Estratégia Saúde da Família. Objetivo geral: analisar os diversos processos de constituição de grupalidade nos grupos de educação em saúde em unidades básicas. Objetivos específicos: Identificar as ferramentas empregadas na constituição de grupos de educação em saúde e relatar o manejo das estratégias de grupalidade presentes nos grupos estudados. Foi utilizado Referencial conceitual fundamentado em autores da área da psicologia. Caminho metodológico: abordagem qualitativa, do tipo descritivo, que se deu por meio da Pesquisa – Interferência e outros referenciais, me valendo também do movimento cartográfico. Coleta de dados: observação participante, construção do Diário de Campo e narrativas de três grupos de educação em saúde numa unidade básica no bairro da Rocinha/RJ. Resultados e discussão: Usuários e profissionais identificam os grupos como instrumento fundamental de prática coletiva. Dentre alguns recolhimentos que deixaram impressão, destaco: o local para realização dos grupos; o grupo como local de criação da rede viva; grupo como local de experimentação de novas formas de viver; o uso de tecnologias; o modo como os diálogos são tecidos e como o pertencimento se faz. Considerações finais: Podemos afirmar que os elementos que compõem a grupalidade são combustível para se promover a vida, devido aos dispositivos empregados na construção de processos de pertencimento. O grupo como aposta do cuidado na Atenção Básica aparece como instrumento a ser mais bem entendido e explorado, pois se apresenta como um dispositivo disparador do cuidado na rede e para o cuidado de si / This study contributes to the Research Project of the Ministry of Health: National Observatory of Care Production in different approaches in the view of the implementation process of the Thematic Networks of Health Care in the Unified Federal Health System: “Evaluates who asks, who does and who uses” (RAC). It has as its theme the health education groups in the Family Health Strategy units. The general objective is to analyze the diverse processes of constitution of grouping in the health education groups in basic units. As specific objectives the Identification of the tools used in the constitution of health education groups and report the management of group strategies present in the groups studied. The methodology employed occurred in two ways: an exploratory - bringing evidence of studies on the proposed theme and a descriptive - using Research Interference and the cartographic movement. This second obtained as a scenario a basic health unit in the city of Rio de Janeiro. The data was collected through observation of participants, construction of a field diary and narratives of three groups of health education in a basic unit in the neighborhood of Rocinha, in Rio de Janeiro city. As results, it could be pointed that health care users and professionals identified groups as a fundamental instrument of collective practice. Among some collections that left impression – “what is in the skin”, the place where the groups are formed is emphasized by the author. the group as the place of creation of the living network and experiment with new ways of living; the use of light technologies and the rationality of praxis; the way the dialogues are woven and how becoming a part of the group is done. Such impressions are those that promote the grouping. We can affirm that the elements that make up the grouping are the fuel to promote life due to the devices employed in the construction of processes of belonging. The group as a resource of care in Primary Care appears as an instrument to be better understood and explored as it presents itself as a trigger device for care in the network and for care of itself

Submitted by Erika Demachki (erikademachki@gmail.com) on 2014-09-22T21:16:42Z No. of bitstreams: 2 Ana Cristina Sussekind Vieira de Freitas.pdf: 810625 bytes, checksum: b5f254790ef1f6d9cd83441a61baa9dc (MD5) license_rdf: 23148 bytes, checksum: 9da0b6dfac957114c6a7714714b86306 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Luciana Ferreira (lucgeral@gmail.com) on 2014-09-23T15:30:25Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 2 Ana Cristina Sussekind Vieira de Freitas.pdf: 810625 bytes, checksum: b5f254790ef1f6d9cd83441a61baa9dc (MD5) license_rdf: 23148 bytes, checksum: 9da0b6dfac957114c6a7714714b86306 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2014-09-23T15:30:25Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 Ana Cristina Sussekind Vieira de Freitas.pdf: 810625 bytes, checksum: b5f254790ef1f6d9cd83441a61baa9dc (MD5) license_rdf: 23148 bytes, checksum: 9da0b6dfac957114c6a7714714b86306 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011-05-30 / Family Health has been reported on current public health policies, as a structuring strategy for achieving significant changes in the context of Public Health in Brazil, mainly by proposing major changes in the way of conducting health work. Therefore, attention is focused on family assistance, community and teamwork. So far it is necessary that professionals can have an opportunity to think about teamwork and how they can transform their individual practices into another one more engaged with collective way of acting and thinking. This study follows descriptive, exploratory and transversal methods, which main goal is to examine the propelling or constraining forces for teamwork at Basic Unities of Family Health in the city of Jaragua-GO, it is based on the Theory of Field of Kurt Lewin about factors that can activate or constrain group work. The mapping of these forces provides management conditions for a even better work with the everyday challenges of the teams, because they enable the categorization into three aspects: SELF which includes personal factors; the OTHER- that covers factors related to interpersonal relationships and the ENVIRONMENTAL - that comprises elements relating to the environment that are not relevant to persons. Data collection was conducted between February and May/2010 in ten Unities of Family Health of the city, located in the Regional Health of São Patricio, in the northern of Goiás, with the participation of 109 professionals who work at the Family Health Teams. For data collection the subjects responded an instrument that was submitted to the process of content analysis and was categorized according to the three dimensions previously defined The results highlight a set of propelling forces (52%) that are higher than the restrictive ones (48%), more evidence is given to the ENVIRONMENTAL, with 53% of respondents. These results embrace both the highest number of propelling forces (44%) and the restrictive ones (63%), which needed to be addressed in order to transform them into propelling The professionals point to the ENVIRONMENTAL as the main restrictor for the development of teamwork, specifically institutional constraints or delays on the responses to the needs of professionals, which reflects negatively to the performance of tasks. On the dimension of the OTHER the propelling forces accounted for 61% which shows how the group is united and cohesive, and may even hinder the process of change. The analysis of these data shows that the subjects think that there is a great potential that favors teamwork in the relations established between professionals. The dimension of SELF in general, brought together the smallest number of responses both characterized as impellers or restrictive, with the largest number of propelling forces (65%) shows that the group has a favorable image of itself, which can be transformed into motivation or into other factors that may stimulate better team performance. Mapping such forces has enabled a concrete and objective view of the limitations and the potential of the team studied, showing ways to orient changing processes. The diagnosis of the forces provided a comprehensive overview of the dynamics and issues involving the Family Health Teams from the municipality, and pointed out some trouble spots of the service that should be worked. It also provided an efficient tool for management to better handle the challenges encountered in the daily work in the Basic Family Healthcare, highlighting several indicators for the development of the teams. / A Saúde da Família tem sido referida, nas atuais políticas públicas de saúde, como a estratégia estruturante para o alcance de mudanças significativas no contexto da Saúde Pública brasileira, principalmente, por propor importantes transformações na forma de conduzir o trabalho em saúde. Nesse contexto, a atenção na assistência está centralizada na família, na comunidade e no trabalho em equipe. Para tanto se necessita que os profissionais tenham oportunidade de pensar o que é o trabalho em equipe e como podem transformar sua prática individualista para uma que seja concebida no pensar e agir em conjunto. Este estudo de natureza descritiva, exploratória e transversal teve como objetivo analisar as forças impulsoras e restritivas para o trabalho em equipe nas Unidades Básicas da Saúde da Família do município de Jaraguá-GO, a partir de uma aproximação da Teoria de Campo de Kurt Lewin sobre elementos que facilitam e dificultam um grupo de trabalho. O mapeamento dessas forças oferece aos gestores condições para lidar melhor com os desafios cotidianos das equipes, pois viabiliza a categorização em três aspectos relacionados: à dimensão do EU – que engloba fatores pessoais, do OUTRO – abrange fatores referentes às relações interpessoais e ao AMBIENTE – que compõe elementos relativos ao ambiente, não pertinentes às pessoas. A coleta de dados foi realizada entre fevereiro e maio/2010 nas dez Unidades Básicas de Saúde da Família de um município, localizado na Regional de Saúde São Patrício, no centro norte goiano, com a participação de 109 profissionais que constituem as Equipes de Saúde da Família. Para tanto se utilizou de um instrumento aplicado aos sujeitos e submetido ao processo de análise de conteúdo e categorizados nas dimensões previamente definidas. Os resultados destacam um conjunto de forças impulsoras (52%) maior que restritivas (48%), o peso maior recaiu sobre o AMBIENTE, com 53% das respostas. Esta dimensão congrega tanto o maior número de forças impulsoras (44%) quanto restritivas (63%), que precisam ser trabalhadas visando à transformação destas em forças impulsoras. Os profissionais que participaram do estudo, apontaram o AMBIENTE como o principal restritor para o desenvolvimento do trabalho em equipe, especificamente, as limitações institucionais ou morosidade nas relativas respostas às necessidades dos profissionais o que reflete negativamente para a realização das tarefas. Na dimensão OUTRO as forças impulsoras representaram 61% das respostas e mostra o quanto o grupo é unido e coeso, podendo inclusive, dificultar o processo de mudança. A análise desses dados permite observar que na visão dos sujeitos existe nas relações que se estabelecem entre os profissionais, um grande potencial de facilitadores para o trabalho em equipe. A dimensão EU, de modo geral, congregou o menor número de respostas tanto caracterizadas como impulsoras ou restritivas, sendo o maior número de forças impulsoras (65%) o que mostra que o grupo tem uma imagem favorável de si mesmo, o que poderá ser transformado em motivação ou em outros elementos que poderão estimular o melhor desempenho da equipe. O diagnostico das forças possibilitou uma visão global da dinâmica e dos aspectos que envolvem as Equipes de Saúde da Família do município estudado, sendo possível apontar os pontos de estrangulamento do serviço que deverão ser trabalhados constituindo um instrumento eficiente de gestão para lidar melhor com os desafios encontrados no cotidiano de trabalho nas Unidades Básicas de Saúde da Família, destacando-se vários indicadores para o desenvolvimento das equipes estudadas.

This study illuminates one part of the mathematic teaching in school, which is mathematical problem solving in groups. It examines teacher’s and student’s ideas about what conditions it takes to be able to learn in groups. Further on, it studies the importance of group structure when it comes to working with mathematical problem solving in groups from a process focused and/or a product focused learning. Through observations of student groups and interviews with the students and the mathematic teachers, the material has been compiled and analysed under three different headings: conditions for learning in a mathematical problem solving situation, importance of group structure in a mathematical problem solving situation and process versus product. These headings follow as a main theme throughout the whole work. The result shows the importance of a good group structure concerning mathematical problem solving. It appears that it takes a lot of awareness from the students to be able to work with mathematical problem solving in groups and that the students must get the knowledge about what it means to work along this method. Earlier, we have seen that the intellectual differences among the students as important, but after this study we can see that the social differences are just as important. / Den här studien belyser en del utav matematikundervisningen i skolan, vilken är matematisk problemlösning i grupp. Den utforskar lärares och elevers uppfattningar om vilka förutsättningar som krävs för att lärande i grupp skall ske. Vidare studeras vikten av gruppsammansättningen när det arbetas med matematisk problemlösning i grupp utifrån ett processinriktat och/eller produktinriktat lärande. Genom observationer av elevgrupper samt intervjuer med eleverna och matematiklärarna har materialet sammanställts och analyserats under tre olika teman: förutsättningar för lärandet i en matematisk problemlösningssituation, gruppsammansättningens betydelse för lärandet i en matematisk problemlösningssituation samt process kontra produkt. Dessa teman följer som en röd tråd genom hela arbetet. Resultatet visar vikten av en bra gruppsammansättning gällande problemlösning i matematik. Det framgår att det krävs medvetenhet hos eleverna för att kunna arbeta med matematisk problemlösning i grupp och att eleverna måste få kunskap om vad det innebär att arbeta utefter denna metod. Tidigare har vi sett den kunskapsmässiga nivåindelningen bland elever som viktig, men efter denna studie ser vi att den sociala nivåindelningen är minst lika betydelsefull.

<p>This study illuminates one part of the mathematic teaching in school, which is mathematical problem solving in groups. It examines teacher’s and student’s ideas about what conditions it takes to be able to learn in groups. Further on, it studies the importance of group structure when it comes to working with mathematical problem solving in groups from a process focused and/or a product focused learning. Through observations of student groups and interviews with the students and the mathematic teachers, the material has been compiled and analysed under three different headings: conditions for learning in a mathematical problem solving situation, importance of group structure in a mathematical problem solving situation and process versus product. These headings follow as a main theme throughout the whole work.</p><p>The result shows the importance of a good group structure concerning mathematical problem solving. It appears that it takes a lot of awareness from the students to be able to work with mathematical problem solving in groups and that the students must get the knowledge about what it means to work along this method. Earlier, we have seen that the intellectual differences among the students as important, but after this study we can see that the social differences are just as important.</p> / <p>Den här studien belyser en del utav matematikundervisningen i skolan, vilken är matematisk problemlösning i grupp. Den utforskar lärares och elevers uppfattningar om vilka förutsättningar som krävs för att lärande i grupp skall ske. Vidare studeras vikten av gruppsammansättningen när det arbetas med matematisk problemlösning i grupp utifrån ett processinriktat och/eller produktinriktat lärande. Genom observationer av elevgrupper samt intervjuer med eleverna och matematiklärarna har materialet sammanställts och analyserats under tre olika teman: förutsättningar för lärandet i en matematisk problemlösningssituation, gruppsammansättningens betydelse för lärandet i en matematisk problemlösningssituation samt process kontra produkt. Dessa teman följer som en röd tråd genom hela arbetet.</p><p>Resultatet visar vikten av en bra gruppsammansättning gällande problemlösning i matematik. Det framgår att det krävs medvetenhet hos eleverna för att kunna arbeta med matematisk problemlösning i grupp och att eleverna måste få kunskap om vad det innebär att arbeta utefter denna metod. Tidigare har vi sett den kunskapsmässiga nivåindelningen bland elever som viktig, men efter denna studie ser vi att den sociala nivåindelningen är minst lika betydelsefull.</p>

Within-population behavioural variation can greatly affect the ecology of a species and the outcome of evolutionary processes. This study aimed to determine how variable sperm whale social and vocal behaviour is between both individuals and their social units. The population of whales off Dominica is small and isolated from communities in neighbouring waters. Female and immature whales live together in social units containing about 7 animals. I analysed their social relationships and their ‘coda’ communication signals using an unparalleled dataset of social and vocal interactions at the level of the individual. Within units, calves were significant nodes in their social unit’s network, and thus I provide quantitative support for the hypothesis that communal calf care acts as the primary evolutionary driver for group formation in this species. Social relationships within and between units were diverse, while the spatial spread of individuals within units and their travel speeds were similar among all of the units. I identified long-term patterns of association between units consistent over decadal time scales. Social units had characteristic vocal repertoires, but all were dominated by the ‘1+1+3’ and ‘5R’ coda types. Differences between units resulted from some units using specific 4-click coda types. Units and individuals used different accents on their ‘5R’ codas, but the ‘1+1+3’ coda was stereotyped across all individuals and units studied. The repertoires of different units were as similar as units within vocal clans in the Pacific. My results support the hypothesis that the ‘5R’ coda may function in individual identification. The stability of the ‘1+1+3’ coda may be the result of selection for a marker of clan membership. Individual repertoires differed consistently across years; and contrary to an existing hypothesis, new mothers did not vary their repertoire to be more distinct after giving birth. However, calves did use a class-specific ‘3+1’ coda. In summary, sperm whale social and vocal behaviour vary between individuals and among units. Variation in the social and vocal behaviour of female sperm whales results from a trade-off between individuality and conformity within units and clans.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effects and importance of different cross–section representations and energy group structures for steady state and transient analysis. More energy groups may be more accurate, but the calculation becomes much more expensive, hence a balance between accuracy and calculation effort must be find. This study is aimed at comparing a multi–group energy dynamics code, MGT (Multi–group TINTE) with TINTE (TIme Dependent Neutronics and TEmperatures). TINTE’s original version (version 204d) only distinguishes between two energy group structures, namely thermal and fast region with a polynomial reconstruction of cross–sections pre–calculated as a function of different conditions and temperatures. MGT is a TINTE derivative that has been developed, allowing a variable number of broad energy groups. The MGT code will be benchmarked against the OECD PBMR coupled neutronics/thermal hydraulics transient benchmark: the PBMR–400 core design. This comparative study reveals the variations in the results when using two different methods for cross–section generation and multi–group energy structure. Inputs and results received from PBMR (Pty) Ltd. were used to do the comparison. A comparison was done between two–group TINTE and the equivalent two energy groups in MGT as well as between 4, 6 and 8 energy groups in MGT with the different cross–section generation methods, namely inline spectrum– and tabulated cross–section method. The characteristics that are compared are reactor power, moderation– and maximum fuel temperatures and k–effective (only steady state case). This study revealed that a balance between accuracy and calculation effort can be met by using a 4–group energy group structure. A larger part of the available increase in accuracy can be obtained with 4–groups, at the cost of only a small increase in CPU time. The changing of the group structures in the steady state case from 2 to 8 groups has a greater influence on the variation in the results than the cross–section generation method that was used to obtain the results. In the case of a transient calculation, the cross–section generation method has a greater influence on the variation in the results than on the steady state case and has a similar effect to the number of energy groups. / Thesis (M.Ing. (Nuclear Engineering))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effects and importance of different cross–section representations and energy group structures for steady state and transient analysis. More energy groups may be more accurate, but the calculation becomes much more expensive, hence a balance between accuracy and calculation effort must be find. This study is aimed at comparing a multi–group energy dynamics code, MGT (Multi–group TINTE) with TINTE (TIme Dependent Neutronics and TEmperatures). TINTE’s original version (version 204d) only distinguishes between two energy group structures, namely thermal and fast region with a polynomial reconstruction of cross–sections pre–calculated as a function of different conditions and temperatures. MGT is a TINTE derivative that has been developed, allowing a variable number of broad energy groups. The MGT code will be benchmarked against the OECD PBMR coupled neutronics/thermal hydraulics transient benchmark: the PBMR–400 core design. This comparative study reveals the variations in the results when using two different methods for cross–section generation and multi–group energy structure. Inputs and results received from PBMR (Pty) Ltd. were used to do the comparison. A comparison was done between two–group TINTE and the equivalent two energy groups in MGT as well as between 4, 6 and 8 energy groups in MGT with the different cross–section generation methods, namely inline spectrum– and tabulated cross–section method. The characteristics that are compared are reactor power, moderation– and maximum fuel temperatures and k–effective (only steady state case). This study revealed that a balance between accuracy and calculation effort can be met by using a 4–group energy group structure. A larger part of the available increase in accuracy can be obtained with 4–groups, at the cost of only a small increase in CPU time. The changing of the group structures in the steady state case from 2 to 8 groups has a greater influence on the variation in the results than the cross–section generation method that was used to obtain the results. In the case of a transient calculation, the cross–section generation method has a greater influence on the variation in the results than on the steady state case and has a similar effect to the number of energy groups. / Thesis (M.Ing. (Nuclear Engineering))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.

Beaked whales are comparatively unknown social mammals due to their deep-ocean distribution and elusive habits. The deep-ocean is the largest biome on Earth and the final frontier for human expansion. Since their first discovery, beaked whales have remained largely hidden from science. In this era of rapid technological advancement, genetic and genomic methods are key tools for population biologists and are particularly useful in describing rarely seen species. Using DNA-barcoding and nuclear markers, the publications in this thesis provide data on the distribution and external appearance of two species of beaked whale: the spade-toothed (Mesoplodon traversii) and Derinayagala’s whale (Mesoplodon hotaula). These whales were previously known from only a handful of tissue and bone specimens. Long-term efforts have facilitated the collection of samples of Gray’s beaked whale (Mesoplodon grayi) and we have used shot-gun sequencing to characterise the mitochondrial genome and isolate species-specific nuclear microsatellite loci. Using genetic species and sex identification, together with museum specimens and multivariate analyses, we provide clear evidence of sexual dimorphism in cranial dimensions and geographic variation in external morphology. No genetic differentiation was evident in Gray’s beaked whales across a large study area (~ 6,000 km). With a large female effective population size (Ne) and genetic homogeneity, we hypothesise that gene flow is facilitated by large-scale oceanographic features, such as the sub-tropical convergence. Genetic kinship analyses within Gray’s beaked whale groups suggest that the whales that strand together are not related. Both sexes disperse from their parents and these groups are not formed through the retention of kin. These results are consistent with a ‘fission-fusion’ social system that has been observed in some oceanic dolphin species. Taken together, these data provide the first insights into the population dynamics, dispersal and social organisation in Gray’s beaked whales. These publications highlight the value of using genetics alongside other techniques to describe inter- and intraspecific diversity. For beaked whales, the dead can tell us much about the living.