Objective: To verify if the noise caused by sucking and swallowing mechanisms interferes in the quality of transient evoked otoacoustic emissions (TEOAE) in neonates with and without risk indicators for hearing loss by comparing the responses without sucking with situations of non-nutritive sucking, breast-feeding nutritive sucking and bottle-feeding nutritive sucking. Methods: a study carried out with 53 neonates (13 with risk indicators for hearing loss), evaluated with TEOAE, at rest and in three different cases: non-nutritive sucking, breast-feeding nutritive sucking and bottle-feeding nutritive sucking. Results: Studying the different types of sucking, it was found that the greater incidence of failure occurred at the frequency of 2000 Hz for all the three types of sucking. An increase in the noise intensity was observed in all frequencies during the capture of TEOAE in the left ear in all types of sucking studied. At 1400, 2000, 2800, and 4000 Hz, the signal to noise ratio decreased in the left ear during sucking. In breast-feeding nutritive sucking, the noise levels were lower at 1400 Hz and the signal to noise ratio was higher at the same frequency as well as at 2000 Hz. When neonates were compared regarding the presence or not of risk indicators for hearing loss, the seconds during non-sucking situation showed higher amplitude of TEOAE at the frequencies of 700, 1000, 2000, and 4000 Hz, and at 1000 and 4000 Hz during sucking. In both groups, a decrease in the amplitude of TEOAE and in the noise at 700 Hz during sucking was observed. At the other frequencies, the noise level increased in the sucking situation. There was no change in the signal to noise ratio between the conditions of sucking and nonsucking at 700 and 1000 Hz. At 1400 Hz, the sucking impaired the signal to noise ratio causing absence of response. At 2000, 2800, and 4000 Hz, the signal to noise ratio remained greater than 6 dB. Conclusions: The evaluation of TEOAE during sucking can be performed in neonates with and without risk indicators for hearing loss, since the criteria of presence/absence are achieved in at least three frequencies studied. / Objetivo:verificar se os ruídos provocados pelo mecanismo de sucção/deglutiçãointerferem na amplitude das Emissões Otoacústicas Evocadas Transientes(EOAETs) em neonatos com e sem indicadores de risco para perda auditiva, comparando as respostas sem sucção com as situações de sucção não nutritiva,sucção nutritiva no peito materno e em sucção nutritiva em mamadeira. Métodos:estudo realizado com 53 neonatos (13 com indicadores de risco para deficiência auditiva), avaliados com EOAETs, em repouso e em três situações de sucção:sucção não nutritiva, sucção nutritiva no peito materno e sucção nutritiva na mamadeira. Resultados: em 700, 1000, 2000 e 4000 Hz a amplitude foi maior no grupo sem indicadores de risco, e na situação de sucção, apenas em 1000 e 4000Hz. Em 700 Hz observou-se diminuição na amplitude das EOAETs e do ruído, quando mensuradas durante a sucção. O nível de ruído aumentou em sucção. Em 700 e 1000 Hz não houve variação da relação sinal/ruído entre as duas situações. Em 1400 Hz a sucção prejudicou a relação sinal/ruído, provocando ausência de respostas. Em 2000, 2800 e 4000 Hz a variável se manteve superior a seis dB. Constatou-se na freqüência de 2000 Hz maior ocorrência de falha durante a sucção. Analisando a variável ruído, em todas as freqüências houve aumento de sua intensidade durante a avaliação das EOAETs em sucção na orelha esquerda. Em 1400, 2000, 2800 e 4000 Hz houve interferência também na relação sinal/ruído, que diminuiu na orelha esquerda, durante a sucção. Encontrou-se níveis de ruído menores em 1400 Hz, durante a avaliação das EOAETs em sucção nutritiva no peito, e relação sinal/ruído maior na mesma freqüência e em 2000 Hz. Conclusões: A avaliação das EOAETs durante a sucção pode ser executada em neonatos com e sem indicadores de risco para deficiência auditiva, já que os critérios de presença/ausência são atingidos em pelo menos três freqüências analisadas e as alterações produzidas com esta estratégia não prejudicam as respostas ao ponto de evidenciar resultados falso/positivos.

Today represents vibration analysis an inseparable part of the product design, especially aeronautical components, machine tools etc. One of the vibration analysis methods is the so-called modal analysis, which determines the modal parameters of the researched structure. This paper deals with a comparison of two commonly used approaches, namely „Single Input Multiple Output“ (SIMO) and „Multiple Input Multiple Output“ analysis (MIMO). A MIMO procedure of measurement is developed and discussed. Both analyses are executed by the same conditions on the milling machine based on parallel kinematics in order to objective comparison. The results show that the choice of the so-called reference points is very important. In case both references are appropriately selected, the MIMO analysis gives better results that the SIMO one.

The selection of variables problem is ussual problem of statistical analysis. Solving this problem via Bayesian statistic become popular in 1990s. We re- view classical methods for bayesian variable selection methods and set a common framework for them. Indicator model selection methods and adaptive shrinkage methods for normal linear model are covered. Main benefit of this work is incorporating Bayesian theory and Markov Chain Monte Carlo theory (MCMC). All derivations needed for MCMC algorithms is provided. Afterward the methods are apllied on simulated and real data. 1

The concept of wellness has transformed over the decades with the ever-adapting lifestyle of society and thus can be broadly defined as the responsibility of the individual through practicing health-promoting lifestyle behaviour. There are various factors that contribute to an individual's sense of overall physical wellbeing which can be categorised into skill-related and health-related components which have been extensively investigated. However, there is a considerable lack of evidence regarding the integration of these components. This study thus sought to determine a means of integrating the various components of physical wellness to provide an indication of wellness state. This was approached from two avenues: the first (Study 1) explored a component of wellness to ascertain whether it can be used as a measure in determining overall physical wellness and the second (Study 2) assessed the influence of physical activity on various wellness parameters and utilised these wellness parameters in the derivation of an overall physical wellness indicator to determine an individual's state of overall wellbeing. Study 1 involved comparing Sports vision between sedentary and active work environments in a sample of 158 university students and 230 training recruits. The participants were subjected to various visual skill assessments to determine if an active environment transfers to visual proficiency. The results indicate that while the recruits were more proficient in some skills, students displayed a greater aptitude in other areas. The findings obtained in this study are in concert with previous research, indicating that individuals exposed to physical activity, even for a short period of time, tend to acquire superior visual skills. However, the skills are honed according to the field of expertise due to the transfer effect that occurs in the brain. Comparing physical wellness in sedentary and active work environments July 2013 ix The concept of Sports vision that was explored in this study provided insight into its role in wellness and it was suggested that these assessments can be utilised in assessing overall physical wellness. Study 2 delved into the area of overall physical wellness and explored the components and influence of an active work environment on these components. 165 undergraduate university students and 234 training recruits and law enforcement employees underwent several wellness assessments in a bid to compare overall physical wellness in sedentary and active work environments. The individual results were compared, and scored into risk areas that were ultimately compounded to formulate an overall physical wellness indicator. It was found that the students were superior in some areas of wellness; however the recruits possessed a greater state of overall physical wellness. This indicates that physical activity does contribute significantly to attaining a state of overall physical wellness and thus reduces the risk of developing lifestyle-related chronic conditions. The overall findings suggest that maintaining a healthy lifestyle through physical activity and health-promoting behaviour will result in a greater state of wellness. This area of research has unfolded a host of possibilities for future research, especially into the overall wellness indicator and the integration of the health and skill-related components of overall physical wellness. / Dissertation (MSc)--University of Pretoria, 2013. / gm2014 / Physiology / unrestricted

D.Litt. et Phil. / South Africa is a country in transition where the development of people is a primary focus. The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® (MBTI®) is a valuable instrument to use for such a purpose. The applicability, use and popularity of the MBTI® in Southern Africa has outstripped research using the instrument on the African continent. This study serves to provide base line research on type distribution patterns found amongst different language, age and gender groups within the South African culture. The research also has as an important focus the assessment of similarities and differences found in South African and USA type distribution data. A total of 6 452 South African MBTI® profiles is used in this study. This represents males and females from a broad segment of society and industry. The database consists mainly of adults, both working and non-working. The profiles represent individuals ranging from 17 to 70 years of age. The study discusses the following international analyses : RSA type distribution compared to a representative USA sample; RSA White type distribution compared to a representative USA White sample; and RSA Black type distribution compared to a representative USA African-American sample. The study discusses the following national analyses : type distribution of the Afrikaans speaking compared to English speaking group; type distribution of the Afrikaans speaking compared to Indigenous languages group; and type distribution of the English speaking compared to Indigenous languages group. The study discusses the following national comparison of language and gender groups : type distribution of Afrikaans speaking females compared to Afrikaans speaking males; type distribution of English speaking females compared to English speaking males; and type distribution of Indigenous language speaking females compared to males of the Indigenous languages group. The study discusses the following national comparison of age groups : type distribution of females aged 20-29 compared to females aged 50-59 years; and type distribution of males aged 20-29 compared to males aged 50-59 years. Results indicate similarities and differences in both the international and national comparisons. Similarities and differences are discussed in detail in terms of MBTI® attitudes, functions, functional pairs, whole types, temperament and dynamics of type. The South African type distribution results are related to the theories of national cultures formulated by Hofstede (1991), Lessem (1993) and Trompenaars (1993). The concept of UBUNTU, as a significant cultural force (Mbigi, 1997) is interpreted within the perspective of the unique type distribution results of the South African Indigenous Languages group.

Magister Artium - MA / The objective of this study was to determine whether a relationship exists between the personality preference and career anchors of police officers. The idea that personality relates meaningfully to the kinds of careers people choose and how they perform in these careers, has a long history in career psychology. / South Africa

Background: Because economic conditions are both a risk factor for disease and may themselves be objectives for health delivery interventions, monitoring changes in economic outcomes has become a routine priority for health and development efforts. However, the lack of formal commerce in poor agrarian communities creates challenges for measuring economic status. Data on household finances, such as income, are ideal but are time-consuming, costly, and less reliable, whereas proxy measures of wealth such as indices of durable assets are easier to measure but relatively coarse and are less sensitive to rapid changes in underlying drivers. Methods: We used data from a cohort of 528 people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHA) enrolled in a food intervention study on household demographics, agricultural production, cash income, in-kind income, household durable assets and health status, including CD4 count. We created a household economic index using principal components analysis (PCA) and compared it with three other economic indicators generated from the data (income, expenditures, poverty score). Through multivariate logistic regression analysis we evaluated the effect of the economic metric on probability of survival within the first year of study. Results: Socioeconomic status determined by PCA of durable assets, weighted by the square root of the household size, was the only consistently significant economic predictor of probability of death. It remained significant even after controlling for direct health indicators such as CD4 count. There was no significant correlation between CD4 count and the economic indicators, which may be attributable to uniform access to ART among study participants. Conclusion: Among people who have HIV and are all enrolled in ART and food programs, household socioeconomic status is an important predictor of mortality rates, even after controlling for direct health measurements such as CD4 count and other health-related covariates. The SES indicator from PCA is also a simple metric to estimate. The study underscores that poverty is a social determinant of mortality even in the context of equal access to health services, and is suggestive of the importance of poverty alleviation activities as an important supplement to clinical interventions.

Au cours du siècle dernier, le développement des activités anthropiques a engendré une augmentation des pressions sur les écosystèmes marins côtiers. Les données scientifiques pour aborder ce phénomène sont fragmentaires et d’une précision insuffisante (de l’ordre du km) pour la prise de décisions locales. La gestion de ces menaces multiples et simultanées exige pourtant des données fiables et précises sur la répartition des pressions et la localisation des écosystèmes les plus sensibles. Ces constations ont été à la base de la rédaction de deux directives européennes (la DCE, directive cadre eau et la DCSSM, directive cadre stratégie sur le milieu marin). Afin de répondre à ces directives, les objectifs de ce projet doctoral ont été de caractériser la vulnérabilité et d’aborder la sensibilité de deux écosystèmes marins prioritaires : les herbiers de posidonie et les communautés coralligènes. Ce projet focalisé sur la méditerranée française a permis la quantification et la localisation de ces écosystèmes et des pressions anthropiques auxquelles ils sont soumis, ainsi que l’estimation de leur état écologique à une résolution fine (de l’ordre de 20 m). Le déclin des herbiers a également pu être modélisé en relation avec les pressions et la profondeur et a permis de définir des seuils de résistance de cet habitat aux différentes pressions et des zones prioritaires de gestion. Ce travail devrait contribuer à améliorer l'élaboration d'indicateurs pour l'évaluation de l'état de santé des systèmes côtiers. Il pourrait également aider à mieux appliquer et coordonner les mesures de gestion à une échelle pertinente pour la conservation de la biodiversité. / During the last century, human activities were at the origin of increasing pressures impacting marine coastal ecosystems. Scientific data concerning this phenomena are fragmentary and the grid scale (1 x 1 km pixel) is insufficient to permit relevant local decision making. The management of these multiple and simultaneous threats necessitates reliable and accurate data concerning the distribution of pressures and the localization of the most sensitive ecosystems. This is at the origin of two European directives: the Water Framework Directive (WFD) and the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD). In response to these directives, the objectives of this work were to characterize the vulnerability and sensitivity of two priority ecosystems: Posidonia oceanica seagrass beds and coralligenous reefs. Focusing on the French Mediterranean coastline (depth ranging from 0 to – 100 m), results were: the fine-scale (20 x 20 m pixel size) quantification and localization of the encountered anthropogenic pressures, the quantification and localization of these two priority ecosystems, and the assessment of their ecological state. Seagrass beds decline was modelled in link with depth and pressures; resistance thresholds to pressures, but also management priority areas were defined. This work should contribute to improve the development of indicators for the ecological state of coastal ecosystems. It should also help to better apply and coordinate management actions at a relevant scale for biodiversity conservation.

In order to continue their contribution to the profession of psychology in South Africa the selection committees of psychology departments of higher education institutions are faced with the difficult task of selecting the most suitable candidates to fill their Clinical, Counselling, Educational and Industrial Psychology masters coursework programmes. Selection committees have traditionally made use of several admission criteria and procedures ranging from academic performance to personality assessment to a combination of methods. Admission criteria vary greatly across Higher Education Institutions. The selection committee at the selected participating institution of higher education takes into account the prospective students' academic performance, relevant work or practical experience, research experience, active participation in the classroom, active involvement outside of the classroom (participation in and engagement with community activities), and personality. Currently the institution of higher education that provided the sample for the current study employs the NEO PI-R as well as the MMPI-2 to assess masters applicants’ personality traits. A study by Britz (1994) recommended that the MBTI® be included in the assessment battery for psychology masters students. The primary aim of the proposed study is to identify, explore and describe the personality preferences of a group of prospective psychology masters applicants and a group of successfully selected psychology masters students at a South African Higher Education Institution utilising the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® (MBTI®). The study was exploratory descriptive in nature and was based on the quantitative research approach. Non-probability convenience sampling and the survey method was utilised to identify and approach prospective participants. Participants were requested to complete the MBTI® questionnaire. The MBTI® protocols were hand-scored and the findings analysed utilising frequency distributions and inferential statistics, that is, means and standard deviations. The MBTI® was found to be valid and reliable in a variety of populations and contexts. xi Results indicated that the ISTJ (15 percent), INTP (15 percent) and ESFJ (15 percent) personality types were the three most common personality types amongst participants from the group of prospective psychology masters applicants. The ENFP (13 percent), INTP (13 percent) and ISFJ (13 percent) personality types were the three most common personality types amongst participants from the group of successfully selected masters students. The majority (14 percent) of participants from the total sample displayed a preference for the INTP personality type. An examination of the dichotomous personality types of the participants revealed that the majority of participants preferred the Extraversion attitude, Sensing and Thinking functions, and Judgement attitude.

This dissertation is focused on problems of borders, frontiers, frontier's effects of Czech-German relationships and the progress of their cooperation. The main part of this work is monitoring of the progress and changes of the basic demographic and socioeconomic indicators during the time. The district Klatovy near the German boundary is comparing with the evolution of indicators represented all area of Czech Republic. The gain is to mark out if the boundary areas show another tends and if we are able to evaluate it positively or negatively.