Magister Philosophiae - MPhil / In this research paper, I explore the relationship between learnerships and employability. Will I get a job after completing a learnership? This question is posed by many if not most learners participating in learnerships. Learnerships have been promoted as improving the skills level of the population as integral part of economic growth in South Africa. This is still in process as the impact of completed learnerships still has to be felt and seen in industry, especially in increased employment or improving the possibility of employment. In this paper I investigate the relationship between a learnership and employment.

This thesis deals with the question of how the changes in the European Neighbourhood Policy and especially the newly proposed NDICI affect its relations and those of the Member states to Israel. It emphasises the effects of the NDICI's changes in policy settings towards the Palestinian Authority and how those indirectly affect Israel. It concludes that the four main changes, flexibility, development aid, blending and a performance-based approach may have unintended impact on the relations with Israel, especially in regard to security and the political atmosphere. They can damage Israeli relations with some of the Member states or escalate violence in Gaza. The conclusions are reached through ENP related document analysis. It is a single case study.

Bakgrund: Amningsförekomsten har minskat under ett par decennier i Sverige och endast vart tionde fullgånget barn helammas vid sex månaders ålder. Amningen har minskat ännu mer bland prematurfödda barn. Syfte: Syftet med examensarbetet var att undersöka vårdpersonalens upplevelser av att ge amningsstöd till föräldrar med prematurfödda barn på en neonatalavdelning. Metod: Det genomfördes tio semistrukturerade kvalitativa intervjuer med undersköterskor, barnsköterskor, sjuksköterskor och läkare på en neonatalavdelning i Sverige. Data analyserades med hjälp av induktiv innehållsanalys och The Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative for Neonatal Wards (Neo-BFHI) användes som teoretisk referensram. Resultat: Fyra kategorier framkom: 1) Vårdpersonalens inställning till amning och amningsrådgivning. Deltagarna ansåg att amningsrådgivning var en mycket viktig arbetsuppgift. 2) Varför prematurfödda barn har svårt att amma. Att vistas på neonatalavdelning, att föräldrar ansågs som dåligt förberedda, mammans anatomi och attityden i samhället var saker som upplevdes försvårade amningen. 3) Hinder för amningsrådgivning. Föräldrarnas inställning till amning, om mamman var sjuk, språkförbistring, kulturella skillnader, bristande kunskap hos vårdpersonal, att föräldrarna fick olika råd samt miljön på neonatalavdelningen upplevdes som hinder. 4) Faktorer som kan underlätta amning och amningsrådgivning. Om vårdpersonalen var amningsfrämjande och uppmuntrande, gav individanpassat stöd samt om gav föräldrarna tid upplevdes det underlätta amningen. Slutsats: Vårdpersonalen ser amning som en central del i sitt arbete. Studien ringar in områden som kan förbättras på neonatalavdelningen för att amningsstödet ska bli bättre. Dessa förbättringar skulle kunna göras med hjälp av Neo-BFHI som en teoretisk ram. / Background: The incidence of breastfeeding has decreased for a couple of decades in Sweden and only every tenth full-term child is exclusively breastfed at six months of age. Breastfeeding has decreased even more among premature babies. Aim: The aim of the study was to investigate the care staff's experiences of providing breastfeeding support to parents with premature babies in a neonatal ward. Method: It was implemented ten semi-structured qualitative interviews with assistant nurses, pediatric assistant nurses, nurses and doctors in a neonatal ward in Sweden. Data were analyzed with an inductive content analysis and The Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative for Neonatal Wards (Neo-BFHI) was used as a theoretical frame of reference. Results: Four categories emerged: 1) The care staff's attitude to breastfeeding and breastfeeding counseling. The participants thought that breastfeeding counseling was a very important task 2) Why premature babies have difficulty breastfeeding. Staying in the neonatal ward, parents being considered poorly prepared, the mother's anatomy and attitude in society were things that were perceived as making breastfeeding more difficult. 3) Barriers to breastfeeding counseling. The parents' attitude to breastfeeding, if the mother was ill, language confusion, cultural differences, lack of knowledge among care staff, that the parents received different advice and the environment in the neonatal ward were perceived as obstacles. 4) Factors that can facilitate breastfeeding and breastfeeding counseling. If the care staff was breastfeeding promoting and encouraging, provided individualized support and if the parents were given time, it was felt that breastfeeding was easier. Conclusion: The care staff sees breastfeeding as a central part of their work. The study encircles areas that can be improved in the neonatal ward to improve breastfeeding support.  These improvements could be made using Neo-BFHI as a theoretical framework.

The Thesis provides a comprehensive overview of the development and formation of the Eurasian geopolitical school of thinking in Russia. Moreover, we disclose the content of the ideas of Eurasian teaching from the end of the 19th century up to the present time. During this period, we try to explain the reasons of occurrence of Eurasianism and its further popularization. Additionally, our research focuses on the impact of ideas of Eurasianism on practical policies that Russia conducts. In particular, we see the character of concrete reforms, implemented in various politics. Finally, following the process of the Eurasian Union project's development we observe the quality of development of the ideas of Eurasianism that constitute the ideological base of the Union. Key words: Eurasianism, Neo-Eurasianism, Putin, Dugin, Gumilev, Eurasian Union, Eurasia. Bibliographical Record Fetishcheva T. (2013): Neo-Eurasianism: Russia's National Idea or a Dangerous Doctrine for the 21st century? (Master thesis). Prague. Charles University in Prague, Faculty of Social Sciences, Geopolitical Studies. 79 pages. Supervisor: Mgr. Markéta Žídková, Ph.D., M.A

Myocardium lacks the ability to regenerate following injury. This is in contrast to skeletal muscle (SKM), in which capacity for tissue repair is attributed to the presence of satellite cells. It was hypothesized that SKM satellite cells multiplied in vitro could be used to repair injured heart muscle. Fourteen dogs underwent explantation of the anterior tibialis muscle. Satellite cells were multiplied in vitro and their nuclei were labelled with tritiated thymidine 24 h prior to implantation. The same dogs were then subjected successfully to a myocardial injury by the application of a cryoprobe. The cells were suspended in serum-free growth medium and autotransplanted within the damaged muscle. Medium without cells was injected into an adjacent site to serve as a control. Endpoints comprised histology using standard stains as well as Masson trichrome (specific for connective tissue), and radioautography. In five dogs, satellite cell isolation, culture, and implantation were technically satisfactory. In three implanted dogs, specimens were taken within 6-8 wk. There were persistence of the implantation channels in the experimental sites when compared to the controls. Macroscopically, muscle tissue completely surrounded by scar tissue could be seen. Masson trichrome staining showed homogeneous scar in the control site, but not in the test site where a patch of muscle fibres containing intercalated discs (characteristic of myocardial tissue) was observed. In two other dogs, specimens were taken at 14 wk postimplantation. Muscle tissue could not be found. These preliminary results could be consistent with the hypothesis that SKM satellite cells can form neo-myocardium within an appropriate environment. Our specimens failed to demonstrate the presence of myocyte nuclei. It is therefore further hypothesized that in the late postoperative period, the muscle regenerate failed to survive.

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A dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Arts in fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Masters of Development Studies in the Department of Anthropology and Development Studies at the University Of Zululand, 2018 / The aim of this study is to assess the role of NGOs in addressing poverty, and it was conducted in the Mpumalanga province, under Nkomazi Local Municipality. This study situates the development of NGOs within the theoretical frameworks of Keynesianism, the neo-liberal economic system, and from the theory of NGOs as a third sector. The Keynesian system holds that increased government expenditure results in a corresponding increase in economic output. The Keynesians welfare system supports the active participation of government in the economy. However, at the height of the Keynesian economy, NGOs did not receive due attention. The policies of the Keynesian economy did not support NGOs until the role of the multilateral organisations rose to prominence, and it was then that NGOs gained recognition. Problems with Keynesian economics led to the emergence of neo-liberalism, and neo-liberalism shaped policy in a way that favoured economic growth through the Market. It was within the framework of neo-liberalism that NGOs arose to prominence. This occurred under the auspices of multilateral organisations which encouraged the rise of NGOs. However, the poor performance of the State and the Market, with regards to poverty and development gave rise to the emergence of NGOs as a third sector. Literature relating to this study further shows that the operation of NGOs as a third sector depended on factors such as leadership, management, adaptability, financial capacity, corruption, and accountability. The present study adopts a mixed-method approach. This entails the integration of positivism and interpretivism into a philosophy of post-positivism. Therefore, this study uses both qualitative and quantitative data. Qualitative data was collected through structured interviews, while quantitative data was collected by questionnaires. The qualitative data were analysed by content analysis, the quantitative data were analysed by SPSS. The findings of this study show that NGOs mostly experience the following challenges: high staff turnover, mostly because of low wages; limited resources, and a lack of permanent structures from which to work. Even though NGOs experience these challenges, the results of this study show that the NGOs in the study area are able to adapt and work in an environment characterised by limited resources. Lastly, regardless of the challenges experienced by NGOs, this study shows that NGOs have a role in poverty reduction. In terms of recommendations, this study recommends that NGO sponsors should pay attention to the challenges relating to the buildings structures where NGOs’ operate. The study also recommends that NGO sponsors have to review the wages of NGO workers against the wages of retails workers. Moreover, it is further recommended that NGO staff needed to be capacitated by developing some skills, such as proposal writing. Lastly, this study recommends that NGOs develop new strategies for sustaining themselves, such as starting other income streams. All-in-all, the study concludes that NGOs in the Nkomazi Local Municipality play a meaningful role in addressing symptoms of poverty.

The devolution of immigration policy to the 50 states has resulted in the enactment of more than 1,500 state-level immigration since 2005. For the record 42 million immigrants living in the U.S., these laws have had tremendous consequences related to healthcare utilization and access, community relations with law enforcement, family dissolution, and the exacerbation of income inequalities. While the legislative arena has shifted to the states, our understanding of immigration policymaking remains unclear due to inconsistent and omitted predictors of immigration policy, subjective coding of immigration laws, and statistical modeling that does not take into account changes in key independent variables. Using data primarily from the Census Bureau’s American Factfinder, the Current Population Survey, and the National Council of State Legislatures, and other sources this research refines the quantitative determinants of immigration policy while using time-series analysis to highlight the factors linked to laws designed to integrate or exclude immigrations in the 50 states. Once empirical analysis is conducted, I delve into the details of state level immigration policymaking by interviewing state level bureaucrats within state health departments to determine the role that they, their data analysis, and the research play when it comes to influencing legislators and shaping immigration policy. This mixed methods approach combining statistical modeling and key informant interviews provides important findings that give a clear picture on why state institutional arrangements are crucial for understating immigration policy at the state level.

Front-line service-providers are finding it challenging to address trauma-related issues within the confines of a shrinking neo-liberal environment. With larger case loads and increased focus on time and efficiency measures, front-line staff have less time available to address the more ambiguous aspects of practice, including trauma. To explore the challenges front-line staff face, a small qualitative study was conducted in which five service-providers took part. The study findings revealed that in working environments that have adopted managerial practices, the implications of 'quantity over quality' are experienced as frustrating and have various implications for the ways in which trauma is addressed. Participants in this study, expressed a deep investment in their working roles which generally has positive implications for service-users, however, the compounding results of a deep personal investment and a prescriptive case-management role may intensify the experience of working with trauma. Finally, while service-providers believe that trauma is something all service-users live with, there is a sense that the issue remains under-recognized in the mental health agency setting. This study suggests that increased trauma-focused education is essential for front-line workers, as is trauma-informed models of practice in the agency. Furthermore, there is a greater need for trauma advocacy and awareness as the issues remains stigmatized, even within the mental healthcare system. / Thesis / Master of Social Work (MSW)

Currently, multiplayer online games use the client-server architecture which is very resource intensive, expensive, and time consuming. Peer-to-peer protocols are a less resource intensive alternative to the client-server model. We implement a peer-to-peer protocol called NEO in a multiplayer game and run experiments in a lab setting and over the Internet. These experiments show us that NEO is able to run a smooth playable game, with low unused updates and low location error. This happens as long as the arrival delay is long enough to allow updates to arrive in the given time limit and the round length is short enough to keep the location error down. However, the experiments also show that NEO has scalability problems that need to be corrected. When more than 4 clients are used the playout delay is the same length as the round which causes high location error. Also, more clients cause more updates to go unused which also causes high location error.