Published articles by the author appended to thesis. Bibliography: p. 288-315. Describes a series of four experiments which were conducted to test the theory of psychopraxia. The thesis is an investigation of the theory from the perspective of paranormal phenomena only. It is argued that the theory of psychopraxia is important to the field of parapsychology because it offers (a) a philosophical critique on taken-for-granted assumptions about the nature of the paranormal, (b) relatively unambiguous terminology, and (c) a process-oriented approach to investigations of the paranormal by concentrating on conditions deemed necessary in bringing about paranormal effects. The thesis concludes that, in its current form, the psychopraxia model needs clarification of its most crucial concepts ("self", "pro-attitude" and "necessary conditions") before it can be regarded as a workable theory.

Bibliography: p. 288-315. Electronic publication; Full text available in PDF format; abstract in HTML format. Describes a series of four experiments which were conducted to test the theory of psychopraxia. The thesis is an investigation of the theory from the perspective of paranormal phenomena only. It is argued that the theory of psychopraxia is important to the field of parapsychology because it offers (a) a philosophical critique on taken-for-granted assumptions about the nature of the paranormal, (b) relatively unambiguous terminology, and (c) a process-oriented approach to investigations of the paranormal by concentrating on conditions deemed necessary in bringing about paranormal effects. The thesis concludes that, in its current form, the psychopraxia model needs clarification of its most crucial concepts ("self", "pro-attitude" and "necessary conditions") before it can be regarded as a workable theory. Electronic reproduction.[Australia] :Australian Digital Theses Program,2001.

Thesis (doctoral)--Universität Freiburg in der Schweiz.

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Thesis (Ph. D.)--Washington State University, December 2008. / Title from PDF title page (viewed on Jan. 22, 2009). "Department of Political Science." Includes bibliographical references (p. 267-280).

Nous étudions les propriétés photoniques dans le plan de monocouches de nanostructures auto-organisées. L'objectif de cette l'étude est d'appliquer les nanostructures auto-organisées pour la réalisation de cavités à cristaux photoniques (CP), et de nouvelles sources de lumière organiques. Le premier chapitre présente les opales et les opales-inverse réalisées à partir de nanoparticules auto-organisées et leurs propriétés optiques. Dans une deuxième partie, sont introduits les cristaux photoniques, leur physique et les outils numériques pour les quantifier. Le deuxième chapitre se concentre sur l'étude des propriétés photoniques de réseaux périodiques bidimensionnels de monocouches de nanoparticules diélectriques auto-organisées. La transmission optique dans le plan du cristal et l'existence de bandes interdites photoniques sont systématiquement étudiées en utilisant la méthode numérique des différences finies dans le domaine temporel en trois dimensions (3D FDTD). Les structures étudiées sont des monocouches de sphères diélectriques entourés d'air («opales») ou des sphères d'air entourées par un matériau diélectrique («opales inverses») en treillis triangulaire, avec et sans substrat de verre. Les bandes interdites photoniques (BIP) sont étudiées en fonction du contraste d'indice et de la compacité des sphères. Pour les structures sans substrat, la BIP est observée pour les faibles indices de réfraction des matériaux. Toutefois, la présence d'un substrat de verre réduit les BIP. Défaut microcavité conçu en opales et opales inverses sont alors pris en compte. Le meilleur facteur de qualité sont obtenus avec des inverses-opales lorsque la compacité (r/a ) est d'environ 0,32. Une expérience pour mesurer la propagation dans le plan dans des monocouches de opales est présentée. Dans le troisième chapitre de cette étude, nous présentons une nouvelle approche de nanostructuration bidimensionnelle qui utilise la photolithographie et des nanoparticules auto-organisée pour nanostructurer de diodes électroluminescentes organiques. Cette technique utilise la photolithographie classique, un photo masque réutilisable faits de micro nanoparticules auto-organisées, et une résine photosensible. Le masque est constitué de micro-sphères de SiO2 et de polystyrène monodisperses de taille sub-micronique déposées d'une manière auto-organisée sur un substrat de quartz. Le principe de fonctionnement est similaire à celui de la photolithographie classique, sauf que deux configurations peuvent être distingués : le mode contact-dure et le mode contact-doux. Dans la première configuration, chaque microsphère agit comme une lentille micro-boule qui focalise la lumière et expose la partie de la résine photosensible au-dessous d'elle. Le motif résultant reproduit l'agencement du réseau triangulaire des sphères avec la même période. Dans le mode de contact-doux un comportement de masque de phase est obtenu qui se traduit par des périodes de réseau égales à la moitié du diamètre de la sphère. La période de réseaux et le diamètre des trous les plus petits obtenus avec une source de lumière de 405 nm sont respectivement 750 nm et 420 nm. Finalement, cette nouvelle technique de structuration de motifs bidimensionelle est appliquée à la nanostructuration d'OLEDs. Comme exemple, des OLEDs nano-structurées avec des couleurs d'émission vertes et rouges sont réalisées et présentées. / We investigate the in-plane photonic properties of monolayer of self-organized nanostructures. We aim at investigating the contribution of photonic self-organized nanostructures to organic photonic crystal (PhC) cavities, and novel organic light sources.The first chapter presents bulk opals and inverse-opals made of self-organized nanoparticles and their optical properties. In a second part, photonic crystals are introduced as well as the physics and the numerical tools to quantify them.The second chapter deals with the study of photonic properties of two-dimensional periodic array of monolayer of self-organized dielectric nanoparticles. The in-plane optical transmission and the existence of photonic band gap are systematically studied by using the 3D finite-difference time domain (3D FDTD) method. The structures studied are monolayer of dielectric spheres surroundedby air ('opals') and air spheres infiltrated with dielectric material ('inverse opals') in triangularlattice, with and without glass substrate. The dependence of photonic band gaps (PBGs) on therefractive index and on the compactness of spheres is studied. For self-sustained structures, PBG isobserved for relatively low refractive indices of materials. However, the presence of a glasssubstrate reduces the PBGs. Defect microcavity designed in opals and in inverse opals are then considered. The best quality factor are obtained with inverse-opals when the compactness (r/a ratio) is around 0.32. An experiment to measure the in-plane propagation in monolayers of opals is presented. In the third chapter of this study, we present a new approach of two-dimensional patterning based on self-organized nanoparticle photolithography for nanostructuration of organic light emitting diodes. This technique uses conventional photolithography, a reusable photomask made of self organized micro nanoparticles, and a conventional photoresist. The mask consists of micro and submicronsized SiO2 or Polystyrene mono-dispersed spheres deposited in a self-organized manner on aquartz substrate. The principle of operation is similar to the one of conventional photolithography except that two configurations can be distinguished : The hard-contact mode and the soft-contact mode. In the first configuration, each microsphere acts as a micro ball-lens that focuses the light and expose the part of the photoresist underneath the spheres. The resulting pattern reproduce the triangular lattice arrangement of the spheres with the same period. In the soft contact mode a phase mask behavior is obtained which results in lattice periods being the half of the sphere diameters. Lattice periods and hole diameter as small as 750 nm and 420 nm respectively are demonstrated with a 405 nm light source. Eventually, this new two-dimensional patterning technique is applied to the nanostructuration of OLEDs. As an example, green and red patterned OLEDs are demonstrated.

In modern society the medico-legal investigation of death is a prerequisite for the administration of justice and for the betterment of public health. These investigations require a high level of skill, professionalism and ethics and have far reaching effects. South Africa’s high level of unnatural deaths, combined with limited human and fiscal resources, specifically a scarcity in practicing Forensic Medical Practitioners, a lack of adequate training of Forensic Officers and members of the South African Police Service, discrepancies in available statistics and a lack of accreditation and quality control, to name a few, leave the South African medico-legal system overburdened. Death investigation needs to evolve and improve constantly and improvements in death investigation need to occur across a wide spectrum of parameters. In the United States of America, to combat systemic issues such as those experienced in South Africa, Death Investigators have been introduced in a supportive capacity and as an extension of services rendered by Forensic Medical Practitioners. These investigators, who are not medical practitioners but may have some level of training or vocational experience within the medical or investigative field, attend and help to analyse death scenes, collect relevant ante-mortem data, assist during autopsies, expedite special investigations, liaise with other stakeholders and provide testimony if warranted. Multiple benefits are associated with the introduction of these death investigators, with the collection of relevant (pre-autopsy) information which will assist and direct the Forensic Medical Practitioner probably being the most pertinent in the context of this research. The aim of this study was to assess the functionality and value of introducing such Death Investigators into forensic pathology service in South Africa. Specifically, this research focused on the nature and scope of information currently being provided to Forensic Medical Practitioners prior to conducting an autopsy and assessed whether the introduction of these investigators would improve the quality of pre-autopsy information. To determine this, participating Forensic Medical Practitioners were asked to evaluate the quality of information currently provided to them prior to conducting an autopsy and to evaluate the quality of information contained in a Death Investigator worksheet that was completed hypothetically for the same case, as an example of the type of information that would be collected by a Death Investigator. Additionally, the disposition of Forensic Medical Practitioners and external stakeholders to the proposed introduction of Death Investigators was assessed through a questionnaire process. Findings of this research showed that there is a significant deficit in the quality of pre-autopsy information being provided to Forensic Medical Practitioners at present. The current pre-autopsy information received an average information quality score of 21.4%. However, the Death Investigator worksheets received and average information quality score of 84.9% representing a marked improvement. Forensic Medical Practitioners had a favourable disposition to the proposed introduction of Death Investigators and agreed that Death Investigators would provide an improved knowledge and understanding of the circumstances and setting of the death, which in turn would , enhance their ability to strategise a post-mortem approach, to request appropriate special investigations and to better interpret their autopsy findings. Overall, the results of this research suggest that the introduction of Death Investigators would add value, specifically by improving the gathering of appropriate information and would be welcomed by Forensic Medical Practitioners. While this research was conducted in Pretoria, it was done on the premise that the poor-quality pre-autopsy information experienced in Pretoria, is probably, to a greater or lesser extent experienced in other medico-legal laboratories in South Africa. It is recommended, that a multi-centre audit of pre-autopsy information quality is undertaken to verify the results found at the Pretoria Medico-legal Laboratory. Furthermore, to facilitate the introduction of Death Investigators as a new professional category, it is recommended that a working group be convened to further interrogate the added-value potential of this introduction as well as to determine prerequisite educational requirements and acceptable recognised prior learning, and to develop guidelines and scope of practice documents. It is also recommended that should this introduction come to fruition, provision be made to accommodate such Death Investigators on a professional board affiliated with the Health Professions Council of South Africa, to guide training and qualification requirements, advise on best practice and professional standards against which Death Investigators can be held accountable. / Dissertation (MSc (Medical Criminalistic))--University of Pretoria, 2020. / Forensic Medicine / MSc (Medical Criminalistic) / Unrestricted

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The investigation covers two possible areas of application of magnetic fluids, one involving the production of torque by means of rotating magnetic fields and the other the use Of magnetic fluids in the separation of non-magnetic ores on a density basis. The' emphasis-was upon the use of cheap, primitive ferrofluids Le'. non-collOidal suspension of relatively large particles. a Moskowitz and Rosensweig were the first to report electromechanical energy conversion with a rotating magnetic field. Their theory is not confirmed by their experimental results, howevert nor the fact that the fluid can rotate in the opposite direction to the field. This phenomenon has been investigated experimentally for a range of field intensities, wave velocities, particle sizes, volume loading and fluid viscosities. The torque per unit volume has been found to be related linearly to the volume loading but-nonlinearly to the frequency of the supply, field intensity and viscosity. For the primitive ferrofluids the results clearly indicate a combination of saliency and hysteresis torques. No satisfactory explanation for the reverse motion of the fluid has been produced and attempts to quantify the energy transfer have not been successful. Due to the inherently low permeability of the fluid, the torque per unit volume is much smaller than for conventional a. c. machines. Primitive magnetic fluids have also been shown to have potential in the separation of ores according to their densities. The novelty of this work is that the particles, which flocculate in the presence of stationary fields, are kept in suspension by agitation caused by a rotating wave. This agitation also serves to reduce the effective viscosity which at high volume loading can be high at zero field conditions. An effective specific gravity of about 12 has been obtained. The experimental results confirm the theory that the magnetic force in the linear condition is proportional to the magnetic energy - density gradient (in space) but with saturation the force is proportional to the field gradient and independent of body shape. A practical system seems to be feasible.