Orientador: Elza Guimarães / Resumo: As plantas normalmente apresentam um limite máximo de frutificação que é determinado pela disponibilidade de recursos maternos, no entanto, o sucesso reprodutivo feminino de determinadas espécies é ainda menor que o potencial intrínseco à planta-mãe. Nesse caso, fatores extrínsecos à planta, como a limitação de pólen, decorrentes das interações ecológicas estabelecidas com mutualistas e antagonistas da comunidade, podem interferir e impactar negativamente a reprodução. Considerando que a investigação simultânea de fatores intrínsecos e extrínsecos à planta pode ajudar a estabelecer o papel de cada um deles sobre a baixa produção de frutos em angiospermas, neste trabalho nós avaliamos experimentalmente a contribuição relativa da limitação de recursos maternos e da limitação de pólen sobre o sucesso reprodutivo de Jacaranda caroba (Bignoniaceae), uma espécie selecionada como modelo por ser zoófila, predominantemente xenógama e apresentar baixa frutificação natural. Assim, testamos as seguintes hipóteses: (1) o número total de frutos é menor que o número total de flores produzidas pela planta na ausência de limitação de pólen; (2) a frutificação natural é ainda inferior à capacidade de formação de frutos das plantas devido à limitação de pólen; (3) a baixa frequência de visitas do polinizador ou a transferência de grãos de pólen inadequados resulta em limitação quantitativa e qualitativa, respectivamente; (4) abelhas que roubam ou pilham recursos atuam como antagonistas 10 afe... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Mestre

There are generally two contrasting alternatives to what limits recruitment in plants, namely the availability of seeds (seed limitation) or the quality or quantity of suitable sites (microsite limitation). Dust seeds, the smallest existing seeds, lack or have minimal nutrient reserves. During germination and initial development they consequently parasitize on mycorrhizal fungi. This is called mycoheterotrophy, and can vary in degree of fungal dependency in adult plants from full, partial or initial mycoheterotrophy. The aim of this thesis was to investigate the recruitment ecology of mycoheterotrophic Ericaceae (tribe Pyroleae) species with dust seeds, and to determine what limits their recruitment. The investigated species were: Chimaphila umbellata, Moneses uniflora, Orthilia secunda, Pyrola chlorantha, P. minor and P. rotundifolia. This aim was achieved by combining field experiments (seed sowing) with isotope analysis and fungal host pyrosequencing. Results provide evidence that the species in Pyroleae are heterogeneous, not only with regard to their degree of mycoheterotrophy, but also concerning germination and early seedling development. A combination of microsite and seed limitation is thus likely to be of importance for all studied species, but the relative importance of these limitations varies among species. Despite having adaptations for wind dispersal the majority of the seeds were deposited in close vicinity of the seed source. But with high seed production at least some seeds should be able to disperse long-distance. Seedlings of all studied species were found to associate with a wide range of ectomycorrhizal fungi, at least during their initial developmental stages. There seems to be a tendency for host narrowing in some Pyroleae species, but not as strict as the host specialization seen in fully mycoheterotrophic Monotropa hypopitys, supporting the hypothesis of geographical and developmental host shifts. / <p>At the time of the doctoral defense, the following papers were unpublished and had a status as follows: Paper 3: In press. Paper 4: Manuscript.</p>

Master of Science / Department of Kinesiology / Craig A. Harms / Expiratory flow limitation (EFL) during exercise can limit exercise tolerance. We have recently reported a high prevalence of EFL independent of sex in prepubescent children (Swain et al. 2010) that greatly exceeds that reported in adults. It is unknown how maturation and growth from pre- to post-puberty affects pulmonary function, specifically EFL, during exercise. The purpose of this longitudinal study was to investigate the changes in cardiopulmonary function from pre- to post-puberty in boys and girls. We hypothesized that EFL prevalence would decrease from pre- to post-puberty (with boys exhibiting a greater decrease than girls) and that the decrement could be explained by an increase in pulmonary function and a decrease in VE/VCO2. Twenty-one children (ages 12-16 yrs; 11 boys, 10 girls) were recruited from 40 prepubescent children who completed testing in our laboratory ~5 years ago. Subjects completed pulmonary function tests before and after an incremental exercise test to exhaustion (VO2max) on a cycle ergometer. EFL was determined using the percent tidal volume (VT) overlap method. Nineteen of the 21 subjects (10 boys, 9 girls; 90%) exhibited EFL pre-puberty, while only 7 of the 21 subjects (5 boys, 2 girls; 33%) exhibited EFL post-puberty. Of the subjects who experienced EFL post-puberty, all had experienced EFL pre-puberty. Boys had a significantly greater vital capacity (VC) than girls both pre- (~15%) and post-puberty (B: 4.73 ± 0.53; G: 3.80 ± 0.29 L). Maximal aerobic capacity (VO2max) significantly increased (~110% in girls and ~120% in boys) from pre- to post-puberty and was greater (p<0.05) in boys post-puberty (B: 2.76 ± 0.43; G: 1.94 ± 0.35 L/min). VE/VCO2 also significantly decreased (~13%) in both boys and girls. Post-puberty subjects regulated tidal breathing at higher lung volumes (greater ERV/FVC and lower IRV/FVC) during exercise compared to pre-puberty. None of the subjects experienced significant arterial desaturation pre-puberty or post-puberty. Our findings suggest that the prevalence of EFL declines as children mature from pre- to post-puberty, likely due to increases in lung size, decreases in VE/VCO2, and/or changes in breathing mechanics that are greater than increases in maximal ventilation that occur with increased pulmonary gas exchange.

Published Article / The teachers' salary strike, which occurs almost annually in South Africa, is so widespread that it seems to have gained public toleration if not complete acceptance. However, the strike may have a lasting and devastating impact on the teachers' as well as the learners' discipline, motivation and morale, with the learners being the hardest hit. The strike has a negative impact on the learning and teaching culture and on the learners' academic performance. Although the teachers' strike is about salaries and salary-related matters, all too often, debates about it shift from the strike to the tension between the teachers' right to strike and the learners' right to receive education. This study endeavours to fathom the truth about the two rights, to establish whether they can stand side by side without contradicting each other, and to study their implications.

“Contributory intent” refers to the situation where, besides the defendant being at fault and causing harm to the plaintiff, the plaintiff also intentionally causes harm to him- or herself. “Contributory intent” can have the effect of either excluding the defendant’s liability (on the ground that the plaintiff's voluntary assumption of risk or intent completely cancels the defendant's negligence and therefore liability), or limiting the defendant’s liability (where both parties intentionally cause the plaintiff's loss thereby resulting in the reduction of the defendant’s liability). Under our law the "contributory intent" of the plaintiff, can either serve as a complete defence in terms of common law or it can serve to limit the defendant's liability in terms of the Apportionment of Damages Act 34 of 1956. The “Apportionment of Loss Bill 2003” which has been prepared to replace the current Act provides for the applicability of “contributory intent” as a defence limiting liability, but it is yet to be promulgated. / Criminal and Procedural Law

<p>Denna uppsats tar sikte på att utreda vad som krävs av borgenären för att han ska anses ha uppfyllt sin bevisbörda vid preskriptionsavbrott samt hur KFM i Karlstad följer den praxis från HD som finns beträffande preskriptionsavbrott åstadkommet av gäldenären. Uppsatsen kan därför delas in i två delar där den första delen förklarar den svenska preskriptionslagstiftningen tillsammans med praxis från HD. Fokus ligger på preskriptionsavbrott åstadkommet av borgenären och den bevisbörda han då har. Både praxis och lagstiftning ger ett och samma svar, nämligen att det krävs av borgenären att han visar att de brev med preskriptionsavbrytande verkan som han sänt gäldenären även kommit fram till denne. Kan han inte bevisa detta anses fordran vara preskriberad.</p><p>I uppsatsens andra del studeras dels domar från HovR och dels beslut från KFM i Karlstad. Det visar sig att det i vissa fall räckt med att borgenären endast bevisar att han avsänt brev med preskriptionsavbrytande verkan till gäldenären för att han skall anses ha uppfyllt sin bevisbörda. Han behöver således inte visa att breven verkligen kommit gäldenären tillhanda. Under våren 2007 kommer HD att ta upp ett fall där en borgenär skickat nio brev till en gäldenär utan att ett enda av dem kommit i retur, trots att gäldenären hävdar att han inte mottagit något brev. HovR över Skåne och Blekinge dömde till borgenärens fördel då de fann det osannolikt att inget av dessa nio brev kommit fram till gäldenären.</p><p>I kompletterande syfte har en undersökning även gjorts av rutinerna hos fem svenska inkassoföretag. Syftet med denna undersökning var att få veta vilka rutiner som finns kring registrering av utskick vid avsändande och vid eventuell returnering då det visat sig att ett utdrag från ett sådant register räckt för att bevisa att brev med preskriptionsavbrytande verkan skickats till gäldenären. Studien visade att samtliga utskick förses med en streckkod som läses av både vid avsändande och vid returnering. Dessutom sparas samtliga brev i sin helhet i en databas.</p><p>Uppsatsen avslutas med att jag redogör för mina egna åsikter och dessa kan kort sammanfattas med att jag inte anser att någon lagändring på området är nödvändig, men att domstolarna bör tolka lagen så att den materiella rätten bäst tillvaratas. Jag hoppas dessutom att HD fastställer ovan nämnda dom från HovR över Skåne och Blekinge då detta skulle innebära en betydligt mer human verklighet för borgenären.</p> / <p>The problem this study sets out to investigate is what a creditor has to do to achive an interruption of the period of limitation according to Swedish law and also if the authority of enforcement in Karlstad follows the practice from the Swedish supreme court. In order to do that the thesis is divided into two parts. In the first part the Swedish rules of limitation are explained with focus on interruption of the period of limitation and the creditor’s burden of proof. By law and in old cases from the Swedish supreme court it’s obvious that the creditor has to prove both that he has sent letters to the debtor and that the letters have reached the debtor. If he can’t prove this the period of limitation has expired.</p><p>The second part contains a study of verdicts from the court of appeal and the authority of enforcement in Karlstad. The results of the study are that in some cases it’s enough for a creditor to prove that he has sent the letters. He doesn’t have to prove that they have reached the debtor. In spring 2007 the Swedish supreme court will rule in a case concering a creditor that sent nine letters to the debtor without getting any of them in return, even though the debtor claimed that he had not recieved any letters. The court of appeal considered that the creditor had fulfilled his burden of proof only by proving that he sent the letters. The court found it unlikely that none of the letters had reached the debtor since they where sent to his address of national registration. Therefor the court considered the period of limitation interrupted.</p><p>As a complement a study has been made of the routines on five Swedish debt-collection agencies. The purpose with this study was to find out how the agencies register the letters they send out and get in return since extracts from these registers has been considered enough to prove that the letters have been sent to the debtor. The result of the study shows that every letter gets a unique bar-code which is registered when the letter is sent and also if it returns to the agency. A copy of every letter is also saved in a data base.</p><p>My opinion is that changes in the existing law of limitation aren’t necessary, but I also think that the courts must construe the law in order to look after the material rights. Furthermore I hope that the Swedish supreme court this spring will stipulate the above mentioned verdict from the court of appeal, since that would make things easier for the creditor in situations like the one in the case.</p>

1 Summary The thesis is focused on a specific area of the private law and concerns with questions of legal capacity of natural persons, specifically with the legal conception of acquiring and restricting legal capacity. The main attention is dedicated to task of civil courts in cases of reduction capacity. The first chapter deals with the basic legal terms crucial for this issue - person, legal personality and legal capacity and their mutual relations. On the grounds of interpretation of article 5 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights and Freedoms, we can say, that in our legal order everyone is a person in legal meaning of the word. It means that everyone has a legal personality as an attribute of person and cannot be deprived of it. Legal personality means to be capable of having legal rights and duties and it is a prerequisite to legal capacity, which determines the ability of person to amend (enter into, transfer, etc.) her rights and duties. The thesis shows that on the constitutional level the legal personality and the capacity are two sides of the same coin, while for the private law the separation of these two attributes is typical. The reason for it is based on fact, that while the legal personality arises purely from the nature of a person, the capacity depends on a physical maturity. This is also...

Magister Scientiae (Physiotherapy) - MSc(Physio) / Introduction: A spinal cord injury is the damage to the spinal cord that alters functional independence. Two different systems of care for the management of health conditions are available in private and public care in South Africa. A better understanding of health and functioning of individuals in the two systems is crucial to help address inequality between the two systems. The aim of the study was to describe the health status and functioning of persons with traumatic spinal cord injury (TSCI) in the Western Cape province who received public-funded care compared with those in the Gauteng province who received private care. Methodology: The study entailed a cross-section comparison between a government-funded cohort in the Western Cape and a private cohort in Gauteng, two of the provinces of South Africa. Self-administered questionnaires and standardised outcome measures were used to collect the data and to ensure validity and reliability. Data were captured on Excel and then transferred to SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Sciences) for analysis. Ethical clearance to conduct the study was obtained from the Biomedical Research Ethics Committee of the University of the Western Cape.

O contrato de trabalho é expressão da autonomia privada individual dos sujeitos da relação de emprego. Como poder de autorregulamentar os próprios interesses, referida autonomia submete-se às disposições do ordenamento jurídico desde a formação, até a extinção da relação contratual. Na prática, tais disposições impõem muitas limitações ao poder de livre estipulação das partes, pois resultam da conjugação de inúmeros fatores, especialmente de ordem econômica e social, os quais demonstraram a precariedade dos dogmas do liberalismo, levando-o ao seu naufrágio. A partir de então, com o objetivo de realizar a função social dos contratos, o Estado interveio nas relações entre os particulares, moldando amplamente o conteúdo dos pactos laborais por meio da lei. Há quem afirme, nesse sentido, que, no âmbito das relações de trabalho, o Estado tudo pretendeu regular, uma vez que limites à autonomia privada estariam evidentes no ordenamento jurídico. Destaque-se que não apenas a lei, em sentido estrito, é considerada fonte de limitação, sendo esse papel desempenhado por todas as normas, positivadas ou não; autônomas ou heterônomas, que integram o ordenamento jurídico e estão relacionadas à ordem pública. Mais além, no âmbito das relações de trabalho, os avanços tecnológicos, científicos e econômicos revelaram situações nas quais é completa a omissão do legislador, desaparecendo a evidência dos limites a serem observados. Nessas hipóteses, incumbe ao operador do direito investigar eventual (in)existência de restrições à livre pactuação no ordenamento jurídico como um todo. / The employment contract reflects the individual private autonomy of each party in a laboral relationship. As a power of self-regulate their own interests, the individual private autonomy submits itself to the legal provisions since the formation until the end of the contract. In practice, these provisions impose many limitations on the power of free stipulation of the parties. Limitations came from many factors, especially economic and social order, what demonstrated the precariousness of liberalism and led to the sinking of this doctrine dogmas. Thereafter, the State, in order to perform the social function of contracts, intervened in relations between individuals, largely shaping the content of employment agreements by law. Some say that the State intended, by this gesture, to regulate everything in employment relationships because the limits of individual private autonomy would be evident in the legal system. It is noteworthy that not only the law, strictly speaking, is considered a source of limitation, once this role is played by all rules - positive or not, autonomous or heteronomous that belong to the legal system and are related to public order. Further, in the context of labor relations, technological, scientific and economic advances revealed situations in which is the complete omission of the legislator, disappearing evidence of limits to be observed; in these cases, the operator is responsible for the investigation about the existence or lack of restrictions on power of self-regulation in entire legal system.

This thesis examines the establishment of servitudes by positive prescription in Scots law, with particular reference to the doctrine’s conceptual development and the nature of possession required under section 3 of the Prescription and Limitation (Scotland) Act 1973. The thesis is divided into three main parts. The first provides a historical account of the law of positive prescription as applied to servitudes from the 17th century to the 20th century, culminating in its statutory expression in section 3(1) and (2) of the 1973 Act. The second considers what the 1973 Act means when it says that a servitude must be “possessed” for the prescriptive period. While jurists in Scotland have traditionally thought that a right cannot be possessed as such, since it lacks a physical corpus, they have tended to view the apparent exercise of a right as equivalent to the detention of a corporeal object and concluded that servitudes can be “possessed” (or “quasi-possessed”) by analogy. An alternative approach is to say that, while possession denotes a comprehensive factual control of an object for one’s own benefit, certain lesser degrees of factual control are also protected by the law. On this view, the (apparent) exercise of a servitude constitutes a limited “possession” of the land itself and is protected accordingly. Part two argues that this alternative approach is the more coherent and provides helpful analytical tools for understanding what is really going on when a servitude is “possessed” for the purposes of prescription. The third part of the thesis consists of a detailed analysis of the nature of the possession required to establish a servitude by positive prescription. In particular, possession “as if of right” is shown to consist of two “steps”: firstly, the prescriptive claimant must show sufficient possession to indicate that a servitude is being asserted; and, secondly, the possession must not be “by right”, i.e. referable to another right already held by the claimant. After this, the statutory requirements of openness and peaceableness are considered in detail.