對於生存時間的資料而言，通常我們所想要研究瞭解的是，至少存活到某特定時間點的機率，而這個機率亦即生存分析中的生存函數(survival function)。當有兩個不同的母體存在時，為了要知道這兩個母體的生存函數是否相同，在統計方法上，我們將進行一些檢定，常用的有Gehan-Wilcoxon和Cox-Mantel之兩樣本檢定，後來又有修飾型的Kolmogorov-Smirnov檢定。但是，前兩種檢定方法，只對此兩組生存函數呈現某特殊型式時，具有好的檢定力。因此，透過一些實證的研究，將上述檢定方法做有系統的整理，進而發展出一套簡單又有效率的檢定程序。再者，若檢定得此兩個母體之生存函數不相等時，如何利用Bootstrap方法，進一步對兩組生存函數之特定生存機率點或生存時間點所分別對應之生存時間或生存機率差距做推論與比較，本文將有詳細她說明；以提供研究人員更多有效的資訊，不再僅止於檢定虛無假設是否拒絕而已。最後，我們又藉由推廣上述Bootstrap方法，將其運用到檢定方法上，而另外發展出一種新的兩母體生存函數之檢定方法。 / When two different populations exist, we will take some tests by Cehan-Wilcoxon, Cox-Mantel or Modified Kolmogorov- Smirnov in satistical way. Therefore we develope a simple and efficient test process from arranging above test ways system- atically through some real study. How to use Bootstrap way to infer the difference of survival time or survival probability of specular point. We infer Bootstrap way on test work and then develope a new two populations survival function test way.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-07-22T13:16:48Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 Regina Elizabeth Müller.pdf: 4161979 bytes, checksum: 5df884fdb04b617145c35c1741e9b502 (MD5) license.txt: 1914 bytes, checksum: 7d48279ffeed55da8dfe2f8e81f3b81f (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011 / Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Nacional de Saúde da Mulher, da Criança e do Adolescente Fernandes Figueira. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil. / Introdução: A cardiopatia reumática persiste como a principal doença cardiovascular adquirida em crianças e adultos jovens em todo o mundo, sendo responsável por altas taxas de morbimortalidade e evoluindo com frequência para a necessidade de cirurgia cardíaca valvar em pacientes na fase aguda ou crônica da doença. Objetivo: Estimar os fatores associados e o tempo desde o diagnóstico até a cirurgia cardíaca valvar em crianças e adolescentes portadores de cardiopatia reumática, em um centro cardiológico de referência terciária no Rio de Janeiro. Material e Métodos: estudo observacional longitudinal de base hospitalar, utilizando metodologia de análise de sobrevivência, para estimativa do tempo até a cirurgia, e modelo de regressão de Cox, para avaliar as razões de risco associadas segundo as covariáveis. A coorte foi composta por pacientes com 3 a 20 anos, cadastrados no Instituto Nacional de Cardiologia no Rio de Janeiro entre julho de 1986 e junho de 2006 e acompanhados até setembro de 2011. O diagnóstico da lesão valvar foi confirmado pelo exame Doppler-ecocardiográfico. As covariáveis, avaliadas no início do acompanhamento, foram reunidas em três dimensões: sociodemográfica (sexo, grupo etário, cor da pele, região de moradia e década do diagnóstico); clínica (apresentação clínica, classe funcional, número de surtos anteriores, profilaxia secundária, endocardite infecciosa e fibrilação atrial); e ecocardiográfica (lesão valvar por tipo e gravidade; diâmetro do átrio esquerdo, diâmetro sistólico do ventrículo esquerdo, função ventricular esquerda, hipertensão arterial pulmonar, e ruptura de cordoalha mitral). O banco de dados foi elaborado com o programa ACCESS 2000 e a análise estatística foi realizada pelo programa R versão 2.13.1. Foi considerado significativo o valor de - 0,05. Resultados: a coorte foi composta por 348 pacientes, 58% do sexo feminino, com idade mediana ao cadastro de 12,5 anos, e de 21,5 anos ao final do acompanhamento. O tempo médio de seguimento foi de 9,0 anos (2-21 anos). O evento cirurgia cardíaca ocorreu em 39% da amostra, com tempo mediano até a cirurgia de 22,3 anos. Na análise univariada todas as covariáveis das três dimensões (socioedemográfica, clínica e ecocardiográfica) apresentaram significância estatística e risco para realização de cirurgia cardíaca (hazard ratio>1), com exceção apenas da covariável região de moradia (p>0,5). Na análise multivariada, o modelo final incluiu as variáveis: década do diagnóstico, classe funcional, número de surtos anteriores, endocardite infecciosa, lesão valvar por tipo e gravidade, diâmetro do átrio esquerdo, diâmetro sistólico do ventrículo esquerdo e ruptura de cordoalha mitral. Conclusões: A realização da cirurgia cardíaca em pacientes com cardiopatia reumática está associada a fatores sociodemográficos, clínicos e ecocardiográficos. / Introduction: Rheumatic heart disease remains as the most common acquired heart disease in children and young adults all over the world, being responsible for high mortality and morbidity rates and often demanding valve surgery in the acute or chronic phase of the disease. Objective: To estimate the time from diagnosis until valve operation and the associated factors in children and young adults with rheumatic heart disease followed up in a tertiary center for cardiovascular care in Rio de Janeiro. Methods – It is a longitudinal observational study of a hospital based population, using survival analysis methodology for time estimation and Cox regression model for hazard risk evaluation of associated variables. Cohort was composed by 3 to 20 years old patients, registered in the National Institute of Cardiology (Instituto Nacional de Cardiologia), in Rio de Janeiro, between July 1986 and June 2006, and followed up until September 2011. Valve disease diagnosis was confirmed through Doppler echocardiography examination. Variables were evaluated at the patient´s first visit and separated in three dimensions: socio demographic (gender, age group, skin color, residence region, decade of diagnosis); clinic (disease status at presentation, functional class, number of previous rheumatic episodes, secondary prophylaxis, infectious endocarditis, atrial fibrillation); echocardiographic (valve lesion and severity, left atrium diameter, systolic left ventricle diameter, left ventricle function, pulmonary hypertension, rupture of mitral chordae). The database wasbased on the program ACCESS 2000 and statistical analysis was performed using the R Program version 2.13.1. For statistical analysis was considered as significant values for  value 0.05. Results – 348 patients were included in the cohort, 58% female. Median age at the register was 12.5 years, and 21.5 years at the end of follow up. Median follow-up time was 9.0 years (2 to 21 years). 39% underwent valve operation and the median time until surgery was 22.3 years. In the univariate analysis all the variables from the three dimensions (socio demographic, clinic and echocardiographic) presented statistical significance as hazard risk in predicting valve operation (hazard ratio>1), with only one exception, that was residence region (p>0.5). In the multivariate analysis the final model included the following variables: decade of diagnosis, functional class, number of anterior rheumatic episodes, infectious endocarditis, valve lesion and severity, left atrium diameter, systolic left ventricle diameter and rupture of mitral chordate. Conclusions: Valve surgery in patients with rheumatic heart disease is associated with socio demographic, clinic and echocardiographic factors.

Dans cette thèse, nous étudions des modèles définis par des équations de moments conditionnels. Une grande partie de modèles statistiques (régressions, régressions quantiles, modèles de transformations, modèles à variables instrumentales, etc.) peuvent se définir sous cette forme. Nous nous intéressons au cas des modèles avec un paramètre à estimer de dimension finie, ainsi qu’au cas des modèles semi paramétriques nécessitant l’estimation d’un paramètre de dimension finie et d’un paramètre de dimension infinie. Dans la classe des modèles semi paramétriques étudiés, nous nous concentrons sur les modèles à direction révélatrice unique qui réalisent un compromis entre une modélisation paramétrique simple et précise, mais trop rigide et donc exposée à une erreur de modèle, et l’estimation non paramétrique, très flexible mais souffrant du fléau de la dimension. En particulier, nous étudions ces modèles semi paramétriques en présence de censure aléatoire. Le fil conducteur de notre étude est un contraste sous la forme d’une U-statistique, qui permet d’estimer les paramètres inconnus dans des modèles généraux. / In this dissertation we study statistical models defined by condition estimating equations. Many statistical models could be stated under this form (mean regression, quantile regression, transformation models, instrumental variable models, etc.). We consider models with finite dimensional unknown parameter, as well as semiparametric models involving an additional infinite dimensional parameter. In the latter case, we focus on single-index models that realize an appealing compromise between parametric specifications, simple and leading to accurate estimates, but too restrictive and likely misspecified, and the nonparametric approaches, flexible but suffering from the curse of dimensionality. In particular, we study the single-index models in the presence of random censoring. The guiding line of our study is a U-statistics which allows to estimate the unknown parameters in a wide spectrum of models.

Syfte: Syftet med uppsatsen är att analysera hur Sveriges landsting och regioner formulerar och visualiserar orsak-verkan-samband mellan perspektiven vid tillämpning av balanserat styrkort. Metod: Uppsatsen använder sig av en kvantitativ innehållsanalys med en dokumentstudie av Sveriges landsting och regioners årsredovisningar och budgetdokument för år 2015. Slutsatser: Av Sveriges landsting och regioner tillämpar 11 av 21 balanserat styrkort som styrmodell. Landstingen och regionernas balanserade styrkort uppnår i relativt hög grad orsak-verkan-samband, dock presenteras orsak-verkan-samband i mycket låg utsträckning för verksamhetens intressenter. Sveriges Landsting och regioner presenterar ingen form av strategikarta som uppfyller rekvisiten som ställs på en strategikarta. Vidare visar författarna att tidsperspektivet mellan perspektiven påverkas av förhållandet mellan utfallsmått och drivande mått i varje perspektiv. En hög andel utfallsmått placerar perspektivet högt upp i det balanserade styrkortet och en hög andel drivande mått placerar perspektivet långt ner i det balanserade styrkortet. / Purpose: The purpose of the thesis is to analyse how Sweden's county councils and regions phrases and visualizes the cause and effect relationship between the perspectives in the implementation of the balanced scorecard. Method: This thesis uses a quantitative content analysis with a document study of Sweden's county councils and regions financial statement and budget documents for the year 2015. Conclusions: 11 of 21 of Sweden's county councils and regions are using balanced scorecard as governance model. The county councils and regions’ balanced scorecards are demonstrating a relatively high degree of cause and effect relationship. However, this is not presented to the organization's stakeholders. Sweden's county councils and regions does not present any form of strategy map that fulfills the demands that is required of a strategy map. The authors also finds that the time dimension between the perspectives is affected by the mixture of outcome measures and performance drivers in each of the perspectives. A high proportion of outcome measures will place the perspective high up in the balances scorecard. A high proportion performance drivers will place the perspective lower in the balanced scorecard.

Le cancer du sein est actuellement dans les pays occidentaux le premier cancer chez la femme, en termes d’incidence et de mortalité (taux standardisés de 101,5 et 17.7 pour 100 000 personnes années en 2005 respectivement). De très nombreux facteurs de risque et facteurs pronostiques sont déjà connus et étudiés, plusieurs axes de recherche sont développés sur toutes les étapes de la maladie, mais l’influence des facteurs socio-économiques et géographiques, aux niveaux individuel et environnemental n’avait pas encore été étudiée en France sur le cancer du sein.L’objectif général de ce travail était d’explorer cette influence par différents moyens afin d’en tirer des connaissances et une application pratique dans la prévention du cancer du sein, qu’elle soit primaire, secondaire ou tertiaire.Dans notre première étude nous avons montré que les femmes d’un niveau socio-éducatif faible étaient moins à même d’avoir bénéficié d’au moins une mammographie dans les 6 ans ou d’au moins un suivi gynécologique dans les 3 ans précédant leur diagnostic de cancer du sein. Egalement elles ont un stade de diagnostic plus avancé que les femmes de niveau socio-éducatif plus élevé. Ces variables sont ensuite retrouvées comme facteurs pronostiques péjoratifs de la survie. Dans notre seconde étude nous avons montré que l’accès à un chirurgien spécialisé dans les interventions du cancer du sein, gage d’une meilleure survie, était influencé par le niveau socio-économique du lieu de résidence de la patiente, ainsi que par son éloignement géographique par rapport aux centres de traitement de référence du cancer, où travaillent les chirurgiens spécialisés. Dans notre troisième étude nous avons montré qu’à l’inverse de nombre de cancers, l’incidence du cancer du sein était plus élevée dans les zones socio-économiquement plus favorisées, et ce quelle que soit la classe d’âge de la patiente, phénomène pour lequel nous n’avons pas vraiment d’explication, surtout pour les femmes les plus jeunes. Enfin dans notre quatrième étude actuellement en cours, nous avons pour objectif d’étudier au niveau individuel, conjointement avec le nouvel indice de défavorisation européen adapté à la France, en quoi le degré de richesse économique et sociale et la proximité des services médicaux des patientes atteintes de cancer du sein joue sur le stade de la tumeur, l’accès et les modalités de traitement, et la survie. / In developed countries, breast cancer is currently the leading cancer in women in terms of incidence and mortality (standardized rate of 101.5 and 17.7 per 100,000 person-years in 2005, respectively). Many risk factors and prognostic factors have been studied and are well known. Research is under way with regard to every step in the development of breast cancer, but the impact of socio-economic and geographic factors, at the individual and environmental level with regard to the disease have never been studied in France.The general aim of this work was to explore the impact of these factors in different ways to build on our knowledge and to develop practical applications in the primary, secondary or tertiary prevention of breast cancer.In our first study, we showed that women with a low socio-educational level were less likely to have benefited from at least one mammography within the 6 years or at least one gynaecological consultation within the 3 years before the diagnosis of breast cancer. These women also had a more advanced tumour at diagnosis than did women with a higher socio-educational level. These variables also came to light as predictors of a poor prognosis in terms of survival. In our second study, we showed that access to a surgeon specialised in breast cancer surgery, which is associated with better survival, was influenced by the socio-economic level of the patient’s place of residence, as well as the distance between the patient’s home and reference centres for cancer treatment, where the specialised surgeons work. In our third study, we showed that in contrast to many cancers, the incidence of breast cancer was highest in the most socio-economically privileged areas, and this whatever the age of the patient. We have no explanation for this phenomenon, particularly with regard to the youngest age group of women. Finally, the aim of our fourth study, which is currently on-going, is to study at the individual level, using the new European deprivation index adapted to France, to what extent economic wealth and social standing, as well as the proximity of medical services for patients with breast cancer have an impact on tumour stage, access to treatment, treatment techniques and survival.

Le risque attribuable (RA) mesure la proportion de cas de maladie qui peuvent être attribués à une exposition au niveau de la population. Plusieurs définitions et méthodes d'estimation du RA ont été proposées pour des données de survie. En utilisant des simulations, nous comparons quatre méthodes d'estimation du RA dans le contexte de l'analyse de survie : deux méthodes non paramétriques basées sur l'estimateur de Kaplan-Meier, une méthode semi-paramétrique basée sur le modèle de Cox à risques proportionnels et une méthode paramétrique basée sur un modèle à risques proportionnels avec un risque de base constant par morceaux. Nos travaux suggèrent d'utiliser les approches semi-paramétrique et paramétrique pour l'estimation du RA lorsque l'hypothèse des risques proportionnels est vérifiée. Nous appliquons nos méthodes aux données de la cohorte E3N pour estimer la proportion de cas de cancer du sein invasif attribuables à l'utilisation de traitements hormonaux de la ménopause (THM). Nous estimons qu'environ 9 % des cas de cancer du sein sont attribuables à l'utilisation des THM à l'inclusion. Dans le cas d'une exposition protectrice, une alternative au RA est la fraction préventive (FP) qui mesure la proportion de cas de maladie évités. Cette mesure n'a pas été considérée dans le contexte de l'analyse de survie. Nous proposons une définition de la FP dans ce contexte et des méthodes d'estimation en utilisant des approches semi-paramétrique et paramétrique avec une extension permettant de prendre en compte les risques concurrents. L'application aux données de la cohorte des Trois Cités (3C) estime qu'environ 9 % de cas d'accident vasculaire cérébral peuvent être évités chez les personnes âgées par l'utilisation des hypolipémiants. Notre étude montre que la FP peut être utilisée pour évaluer l'impact des médicaments bénéfiques dans les études de cohorte tout en tenant compte des facteurs de confusion potentiels et des risques concurrents. / The attributable risk (AR) measures the proportion of disease cases that can be attributed to an exposure in the population. Several definitions and estimation methods have been proposed for survival data. Using simulations, we compared four methods for estimating AR defined in terms of survival functions: two nonparametric methods based on Kaplan-Meier's estimator, one semiparametric based on Cox's model, and one parametric based on the piecewise constant hazards model. Our results suggest to use the semiparametric or parametric approaches to estimate AR if the proportional hazards assumption appears appropriate. These methods were applied to the E3N women cohort data to estimate the AR of breast cancer due to menopausal hormone therapy (MHT). We showed that about 9% of cases of breast cancer were attributable to MHT use at baseline. In case of a protective exposure, an alternative to the AR is the prevented fraction (PF) which measures the proportion of disease cases that could be avoided in the presence of a protective exposure in the population. The definition and estimation of PF have never been considered for cohort studies in the survival analysis context. We defined the PF in cohort studies with survival data and proposed two estimation methods: a semiparametric method based on Cox’s proportional hazards model and a parametric method based on a piecewise constant hazards model with an extension to competing risks. Using data of the Three-City (3C) cohort study, we found that approximately 9% of cases of stroke could be avoided using lipid-lowering drugs (statins or fibrates) in the elderly population. Our study shows that the PF can be estimated to evaluate the impact of beneficial drugs in observational cohort studies while taking potential confounding factors and competing risks into account.

This thesis analyzes the origins, growth, and legitimization of the standardized test preparation ("test-prep") industry from the late 1940s to the end of the 1980s. In particular, this thesis focuses on the development of Stanley H. Kaplan Education Centers, Ltd. ("Kaplan") and The Princeton Review ("TPR"), and how these companies were most conducive in making the test-prep industry and standardized test-preparation itself socially acceptable. The standardized test most frequently discussed in this thesis is the Scholastic Aptitude Test ("SAT"), especially after its development came under the control of Educational Testing Service ("ETS"), but due attention is also given to the American College Testing Program ("ACT"). This thesis argues that certain test-prep companies gained legitimacy by successfully manipulating the interstices of American business and education, and brokered legitimacy through the rhetorical devices in their advertising. However, the legitimacy for the industry at-large was gained by default as neither the American government nor the American public could conclusively demonstrate that the industry conducted wholesale fraud. The thesis also argues that standardized test manufacturers were forced to engage in a cat-and-mouse game of pseudo-antagonism and adaptation with the test-prep industry once truth-in-testing laws prescribed transparent operations in standardized testing. These developments affect the current state of American standardized testing, its fluctuating but ubiquitous presence in the college admissions process, and the perpetuation of the test-prep industry decades after its origins.

Today there exists two types of preventive surgical treatment procedures for Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm. In order to make an informed choice of treatment, the clinician needs to have a clear picture of how the choice will affect the patients chances of survival. In this master thesis, machine learning techniques are used to predict survival probabilities after respective treatment procedure and the performance is compared to the more conventional Kaplan-Meier estimator.  Using Danish patient data, different machine learning models for survival predictions were trained and evaluated by their performance. Administrative Brier Score was used as performance metric as the data was administratively censored. An Ensemble model consisting of one Random Survival Forest and one Neural Multi Task Logistic Regression model was shown to achieve the best performance and significantly outperformed the conventional Kaplan-Meier model. Furthermore, an approach to investigate the predicted effects of choice of treatment was introduced. It showed that on average the Ensemble model predicted the choice of treatment to have less effect on the long term survival than what the corresponding prediction using the Kaplan-Meier estimator suggested. This applies to the full patient group as well as for patients of age between 70 and 79 years. In the latter case this prediction was also shown to be more accurate. / Idag finns det två typer av förebyggande kirurgiska behandlingsmetoder för abdominal aortaaneurysm. För att göra ett välgrundat val av behandlingsmetod måste läkaren ha en tydlig bild av hur valet kommer att påverka patienternas överlevadschanser. I detta examensarbete används maskininlärningstekniker för att förutsäga överlevnadssannolikheten efter respektive behandlingsmetod och prestandan jämförs mot den mer konventionella Kaplan-Meier-estimatorn. Med hjälp av dansk patientdata tränades olika maskininlärningsmodeller avsedda för överlevnadanalys och utvärderades utifrån deras prestanda. Administrativt Brier Score användes som mätvärde då censureringen i datan skett administrativt. En Ensemble-modell bestående av en Random Survival Forest- och en Neural Multi-Task Logistic Regression-modell visade sig uppnå bäst prestanda och överträffade signifikant den konventionella Kaplan-Meier-estimatorn.  Dessutom introducerades ett tillvägagångssätt för att undersöka de predikterade effekterna av valet av behandling. Resultaten visade att Ensemble-modellen i genomsnitt förutspådde valet av behandling att ha mindre effekt på den långsiktiga överlevnaden än vad motsvarande förutsägelse med Kaplan-Meier-estimatorn föreslog. Detta både för alla patienter såväl som för patienter i åldern mellan 70 och 79 år. I det senare fallet visade sig denna förutsägelse också vara mer träffsäker.

Thesis (MA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2005. / This study concerns the genre analysis of five texts (articles) in isiXhosa from Bona Magazine using genre theoretic approach. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study concerns the genre analysis of five texts (articles) in isiXhosa from Bona Magazine using genre theoretic approach. They all analyse genre of social community leaders using the theory of Grabe & Kaplan. (1996) All five articles re attached as appendices at the end of this assignment. The chapters 2 and 3 present an overview of different views expressed by different linguistics and researchers in relation to the genre theoretic approach and how these theories are applied in analyses. The views of Bhatia (1993) are also used in that he promotes the use of language in text when people communicate either in written or verbal format. Bhatia emphasizes the use of text linguistic properties and insights in the culture of participants to ensure that communication purpose is reached. Among other things, he invokes text structure, lexical choices, cohesion and coherence of text, content and theme are analyzed. This study investigates the social cognitive and linguistic choices and how they influence writing and reading. The purpose and meaning of the text is depicted as very important in the analysis of written text. (Bhatia; 1993) The first part of chapter 4 deals with the theory of Grabe & Kaplan (1996), which emphasizes the use of ethnography of writing. The ethnography of writing according to Grabe & Kaplan (1996) entails the answers to the following basic questions: Who is writing? To whom? For what purpose? Why? When? And how? The answers to these questions are to be formed in the analysis of the articles on Grabe & Kaplan's views on the relationship between ethnography of writing and lexicon of writing skills are also analyzed. The study also includes Halliday's (1984) views. Educating children in their home language environment makes them to learn better as they write in their own language and about the things they know. Lastly there is a short discussion about the relationship between the new genre approach and Outcomes-Based Education. (OBE) The similarities they share in connection with aims, goals and purposes as language teaching approached are touched upon. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie hou verband met die genre analise van vyf tekste (artikels) in Xhosa uit die Bona tydskrif. Die analises handel oor die genre van sosiale gemeenskapsleiers binne die raamwerk van Grabe en Kaplan (1996). AI vyf die artikels is in In Appendix aangeheg aan die einde van hierdie werkstuk. Hoofstukke 2 en 3 bied In oorsig aan van verskillende sieninge van linguiste t.o.v. die genre-teoretiese benadering en die aanwending van die teoretiese uitgangspunte in analises van tekste. Die sieninge van Bhatia (1993) word ook ingespan m.b.t. die kommunikasie tussen mense. Bhatia wend tekslinguistiese eienskappe aan asook sosiale en kulturele insigte in die ondersoek van hoe kommunikatiewe doelstelling bereik word. Hy gebruik o.a. tekslinguistiese kenmerke, leksikale keuses, kohesie en koherensie, en tematiese realiserings in die teks. Die doelstelling van die teks is uiters belangrik volgens die betekenis wat Bhatia in die teks ondersoek. Die eerste gedeelte van hoofstuk 4 handel oor Grabe en Kaplan (1996) se model van tekskonstruksie en die etnografie van skryf. Die onderrig van leerders is beter as hulle in hulle huistaal skryf en leer. Die studie beskou die onderliggende uitgangspunte van Kurrikulum 2005 m.b.t. die genre benadering tot die onderrig van Xhosa / ISICATSHULWA Olu fundo luphanda ngohlalutyo ngohlobo Iwejenri kumabali esiXhosa afumaneka kwimagazini iBona kusetyenziswa ulwimi IwesiXhosa. La ngamabali amahlanu angeenkokheli zoluntu, nazakuhlalutywa ngokweembono zikaGrabe noKaplan (1996). Kuqalwe ngokushwankathela iinkcazo zohlobo Iwejenri, neembono zabaphononongi neengcali ezahlukeneyo malunga nolu hlobo lutsha lokuhlalutya. Kucaciswa imbono kaBhatia (1993) mlunga nokuphononongwa kwendlela yokusetyenziswa kolwimi xa kunxityelelwana, kwiitekisi ezithethwayo nezibhaliweyo. Oku kucaciswa ngokupheleleyo xa kuhlalutywa la mabali mahlanu angenkokheli zolunu. Phakathi kwezinto ezijongwayo xa kuhlalutywa nobhalo Iwamabali; lulwakhiwo Iweetekisi, ngumxholo, lukhetho Iwamagama, lunamathelwano nonxulumano. Kwakhona indlela umbhali ayiphuhlisa ngayo intsingiselo yetekisi yakhe ukuze injongo yakhe izaliseke. Indlela ezisetyenziswa ngayo iimpawu eziziparametha eziyimbono ka Grabe noKaplan (1996) xa kuhlalutywa la mabali angenkokheli zoluntu. Xa kuthethwa ngezi mpawu, kuxelwa ukuphendulwa kwemibuzo yobhalo ethi; ngubani umbhali? Ubhala ntoni? Ubhalela bani? Yintoni injongo yakhe? Kutheni ebhala nje? Ezi mpawu azaneli knceda umbhali ukuba abhale kakuhle koko zinceda nomfundi ukuba ahlalutye kakhuhle okubhaliweyo. Kwakhona imbono kaHaliday ethi xa kusetyenziswa ulwimi makusetyenziswe izinto nemizekelo engentlalo nenkcubeko yabantu. Lilonke yena ugxininisa ukufakwa kwenkcubeko kwimfundo yabantwana. Uyixhasa lembono yakhe ngokuthi abafundi baqonda lula xa befunda ngolwimi Iwabo nange nkcubeko yabo nangezinto ezibangqongileyo. Le mbono iyahambelana nokufundisa ngohlobo Iwejenri yona imkhululayo umntwana ukuba azifundele ngokwengqondo angadityaniswa nomnye. Kwakhona kolu fundo kuthelekiswe uhlobo Iwejenri nohlobo olusetyenziswayo kwizikolo zethu olujonge iziphumo uhlobo Iwe O. B. E. Kujongwa nendlela ezinxulumene ngayo, ngenxa yokufana kweenjongo zazo kwaneziphumo kubantwana abafundiswayo kusetyenziswa zona.

Does our cultural background colour our perception of nature? And if so, can it be seen when asked about early childhood memories? These were some of the starting questions I was pondering over after a walk in the forest with 5 women from different continents. Even if we were about same age, it was quite clear that what we saw and how we perceived the surroundings differed. At this time, I got a book written by Bruno Latour and as his thought was intriguing, I wanted to test my understanding of his actor-network theory and search for traits that could explain the difference in our perception by following his advice. This was not as easy as it seemed. My material is based on interviews with three women in their 60´s and early 70´s done during October 2018. They told about their early childhood memory of nature. I used this material to follow the connections back in time and between actors of importance in their environs. I could also find trails that followed them until this day. I have also discussed different aspects of the use of narrative as a tool to make the reality understandable for the individual. How interpretation evolves during life to maintain the importance of one’s life in time and space. Words have the ability to imbed events in a bigger narrative and in that way let things be remembered for the future. How we react to events do depend on both cultural and biological factors and our interpretation of the situation is something that may have duration during our whole life. A tiny thing such as a blueberry can have a huge importance as one of the women told me. I found that a simple question revealed an astonishing amount of information that could be tracked down in time. Cultural tradition could be seen, and trails of family history were observable. Also, nature preferences turned out to have been established early. All three talked about the importance of their type of nature throughout their life, but what they preferred differed. What one of the women found preferable was totally indifferent for one of the others and the source was to be found in these important childhood memories. I have used research from several scientific disciplines and authors as Latour, Bell, Ellen, Frykman, Daun, Saltzman, Ulrich, Kaplan and others. The point of departure is ethnology, but other areas are visited during this study due to the fact that, as I argue, everything is connected, following Bruno Latour in his actor-network theory.