A Amazônia desempenha um papel importante no ciclo global de carbono, tanto na troca, quanto no armazenamento do carbono, pois contém a maior área de floresta tropical, cerca de 50% do total. Além dos processos naturais, desmatamento e manejo do solo também são fontes de CO2. A Floresta Tropical Amazônica também representa uma significante fonte de óxido nitroso (N2O) através de processos do solo, e de metano (CH4), o qual é emitido em altas taxas em regiões alagadas. Este projeto é parte integrante do Experimento de Grande Escala entre a Biosfera e a Atmosfera da Amazônia (LBA), denominado “Perfis Verticais de Dióxido de Carbono e outros Gases Traço sobre a Bacia Amazônica usando Aviões de Pequeno Porte”. A partir de dezembro de 2000, perfis verticais de gás carbônico (CO2), metano (CH4), óxido nitroso (N2O) e hexafluoreto de enxofre (SF6), além de monóxido de carbono (CO) e hidrogênio molecular (H2), têm sido medidos sobre a Amazônia Central. Os locais escolhidos para amostragem foram a Floresta Nacional do Tapajós, no estado do Pará, por já existir uma torre de medida de fluxo de CO2, e uma área a leste impactada por atividades de pecuária e agricultura, para comparar a influência de uma área impactada com uma área preservada; e a Reserva Biológica de Cuieiras, no estado do Amazonas, onde também existe uma torre de medida de fluxos de CO2 e uma área a leste distante de atividades antrópicas, para comparar com a Reserva. As coletas foram realizadas em perfis verticais de 300 a 4000 m de altitude, com o auxílio de duas malas semi-automáticas desenvolvidas pela NOAA e um avião de pequeno porte. Para a análise dos perfis, foi utilizado o sistema MAGICC (Multiple Analysis of Gases Influence Climate Change) instalado no laboratório de Química Atmosférica (LQA) do IPEN (Instituto de Pesquisas Energéticas e Nucleares). Os resultados mostraram que todos os gases estudados, exceto o gás H2, apresentaram o mesmo comportamento observado em estações de monitoramento mundial. No Estado do Pará, em geral, todos os anos estudados foram discretos sumidouros de CO2. Para a comparação entre as Estações Secas e Chuvosas, removeu-se a influência global subtraindo os valores observados para o mesmo período na Ilha de Ascension, das concentrações observadas nos locais estudados. Assim, na comparação entre as Estações Chuvosas de 2004 e 2005 com a Seca de 2004, foi observado que as Estações Chuvosas apresentaram concentrações de CO2 maior em 2 ppm que na Estação Seca 2004. No Estado do Amazonas, os perfis coletados na Estação Chuvosa apresentaram comportamento de fonte, com diferença entre acima e abaixo da CLP (Camada Limite Planetária) de 10 ppm. As concentrações nos locais estudados foram superiores às observadas na Ilha de Ascension. As concentrações de metano apresentaram valores superiores em 80 ppb e 25 ppb sobre os Estados do Pará e do Amazonas, respectivamente, em relação à Ascension. Durante as Estações Secas foram observadas maiores concentrações de metano em relação às Estações Chuvosas estudadas. O gás N2O apresentou comportamento das concentrações observadas no Estado do Pará semelhante ao observado sobre Ascension até 2003, ano em que a concentração deste gás na região Amazônica começou a apresentar aumento gradativo, mostrando a influência de adubação de áreas agrícolas em regiões próximas. Sua concentração foi semelhante nos dois estados estudados, apresentando discreta fonte nas Estações Chuvosas estudadas nos quatro locais. A concentração observada do gás SF6 foi semelhante à global, e ligeiramente maior no Estado do Amazonas em relação ao Estado do Pará, sugerindo diferentes origens das massas de ar. As concentrações de CO, sobre o Estado do Pará e do Amazonas, foram maiores abaixo da CLP e apresentaram cerca de 130 ppb e 150 ppb, respectivamente, a mais na Estação Seca devido aos processos de queimada. A maior média de concentração foi observada no Estado do Amazonas, o que também sugere diferentes origens de massas de ar, uma vez que não há ação antrópica em locais próximos ao amostrado neste estado. O gás H2 apresentou comportamento semelhante ao CO nas Estações Secas estudadas. O Estado do Amazonas desempenhou papel de sumidouro deste gás em todo o período estudado e o Estado do Pará desempenhou papel de sumidouro apenas na Estação Chuvosa. / The Amazon plays an important role on the global carbon cycle, as changing as carbon storage, since Amazon Basin is the biggest area of tropical forest, around 50% of global. Natural’s process, deforestation, and use land are CO2 sources. The Amazon forest is a significant source of N2O by soil process, and CH4 by anaerobic process like flooded areas, rice cultures, and others sources. This project is part of the LBA project (Large-Scale Biosphere-Atmosphere Experiment in Amazônia), and this project is “Vertical profiles of carbon dioxide and other trace gas species over the Amazon basin using small aircraft”. Since December 2000 vertical profiles of CO2, CH4, CO, H2, N2O and SF6 have been measured above central Amazônia. The local sampling was over Tapajós National Forest, a primary forest in Para State, where had a CO2 flux tower and an east impact area with sources like animals, rice cultivation, biomass burning, etc, to compare the influence of an impact area and a preserved area in the profiles. The Reserva Biológica de Cuieiras, at Amazon State, is the other studied place, where there already exists a CO2 flux tower, and an east preserved area at this State, to comparer with the Cuieiras. The sampling has been carried out on vertical profile from 1000 ft up to 12000 ft using a semi-automated sampling package developed at GMD/NOAA and a small aircraft. The analysis uses the MAGICC system (Multiple Analysis of Gases Influence Climate Change) which is installed at the Atmospheric Chemistry Laboratory (LQA) in IPEN (Instituto de Pesquisas Energéticas e Nucleares). The results showed that all gases studied, except H2 gas, has been following the global trend. At the Pará State, for the studied years, the Amazonian Forest performed as small CO2 sink. To compare Wet and Dry Seasons, subtracted the Ascension concentration values in the period to remove the global influence. So that, in the 2004 and 2005 wet seasons and 2004 dry season comparison, it was observed 2 ppm CO2 concentration higher on Wet Seasons. At Amazon State, the Wet Season profiles had source behavior, presenting 10 ppm CO2 concentration higher under PBL (Planetary Boundary Layer). In both states concentrations were higher than Ascension Island concentration. CH4 concentration over Pará and Amazon States presented higher values than Ascension in 80 ppb and 25 ppb, respectively. Dry Season concentrations have been higher than Wet Season concentrations. N2O concentration in Para State was similar to Ascension concentration until 2003, when its concentration has been an enhancement, because of N fertilizer utilization at near area. N2O concentration was similar in the two studied States, presenting discreet source at Wet Season. The SF6 concentration presented the global trend, and it was a little beat higher over Amazon State, suggesting different air origin. The CO concentration was higher under PBL and presented values during Dry Season higher in 130 ppb and 150 ppb than Wet Season, for burning contribution. The highest average concentration was over Amazon State, which agrees with the different air origin hypothesis. H2 gas presented behavior similar to CO gas in the Dry Season. The Amazon State performed a small sink role during Wet Season and in Para State is higher during dry season performed like a source and during wet season like a sink.

Diversas atividades ligados ao gerenciamento de recursos hídricos necessitam da previsão de acumulados diários de chuva extremos. Entretanto, grande parte dos modelos utilizados operacionalmente apresentam uma tendência a subestimar os extremos de precipitação mesmo com apenas 24 horas de antecedência. Existem diversas razões para esse tipo de erro de previsão tais como, limitações nas parametrizações de convecção para modelos com resolução de dezenas de quilômetros e a não inclusão do efeito de aerossóis como núcleos de condensação de gotas de nuvens nos modelos de grande escala. Dentro desse contexto, este trabalho tem como objetivo analisar situações de eventos extremos de precipitação na região de Belém, Pará, onde o regime de precipitação é modulado, principalmente, pela brisa marítima, linhas de instabilidade, distúrbios ondulatório de leste, zona de convergência intertropical, alta da Bolívia e Vórtices Ciclônicos de Altos Níveis (VCAN). A abordagem será de identificação de perfis verticais cinemáticos e termodinâmicos típicos de eventos extremos de precipitação diária em Belém, Pará. Para esse fim, escolheu-se fazer uma análise de dados de radiossondagem e precipitação utilizando as Funções Ortogonais Empíricas (EOF - Empirical Orthogonal Functions combinadas e verificar como o Brazilian developments on the Regional Atmospheric Modeling System (BRAMS) simula características básicas de chuva acumulada diária. A variância explicada das EOF calculadas a partir do conjunto de variáveis acumulado diário de precipitação (acpcp), temperatura (t), razão de mistura de vapor d\'água (rv), vento zonal (u) e vento meridional (v) e acpcp, u e v apresentaram valores de variância explicada baixos em relação as EOF calculadas a partir de acpcp e u somente. A terceira EOF (e3) foi a que melhor identificou os extremos chuvosos em relação a primeira e segunda. Observou-se padrões sinóticos favoráveis a convecção para os dias relativos à acumulados de chuva acima da média e menos favoráveis para os dias relativos à acumulados de chuva abaixo da média. Nos dias que apresentaram os maiores acumulados de chuva identificados por e3 verificou-se a presença da Alta da Bolívia e de um VCAN sobre o Oceano Atlântico influenciando a região de estudo. Observou-se um caso de uma linha de instabilidade que adentrou o continente associada a um jato de baixos níveis e outro caso de uma perturbação de latitudes médias, ambos os casos ocasionaram acumulados de chuva acima da média. O BRAMS apresentou máximos e mínimos de anomalias de acpcp coincidentes com os dados observados. Os dias relativos à acumulados de chuva acima da média apresentaram correntes ascendentes e descendentes mais intensas que os dias relativos à acumulados de chuva abaixo da média. Observou-se máximos de correntes ascendentes associados a formação de novas células convectivas. / Several activities related to water management need the forecasting of cumulative daily rainfall extreme. However, most of the models used operacionaly tend to underestimate the extreme rainfall even with 24 hours of advance. There are several reasons for this type of forecast error such as, limitations in convection parametrizations for models with resolution of tens of kilometers and not inclusion of the effect of aerosols as cloud condensation nuclei for cloud droplets in large-scale models. Withing this context, this study aims to analyze situations of extreme precipitation events in the region of Belém, Pará, where the rainfall regime is modulated mainly by sea breeze, squall lines, easterly wave disturbances, intertropical convergence zone, Bolivian high and cyclonic vortices of high levels (VCAN). The approach will be to identify kinematic and thermodynamics vertical profiles typical of extreme daily rainfall events in Belém, Pará. To this end, it was chosen to analyze sounding and rainfall data using the combined Empirical Orthogonal Functions (EOF) and verify how the Brazilian developments on the Regional Atmospheric Modeling System (BRAMS) simulates the basic features of daily accumulated rainfall. The explained variance of EOF calculated from the set of variables accumulated daily precipitation (acpcp), temperature (t), mixing ratio of water vapor (rv), zonal wind (u) e meridional wind (v) and acpcp, u and v showed low values of explained variance in relation to the EOF calculated from acpcp and u only. The third EOF (e3) was the best in the identification of extreme rainfall compared to first and second. Observed synoptic patterns are favorable to convection on days with accumulated rainfall above average and less favorable on days for accumulated rainfall below average. In the days that had the highest accumulated rainfall identified by e3, it was verified that the presence of the Bolivian high and a VCAN on the Atlantic Ocean influence the study region. A case of squall line that entered the continent associated with a low level jet and other case of disturbance of mid-latitudes, resulted in accumulated rainfall above average. The BRAMS presented maximum and minimum acpcp anomalies coincident with the observed data. The days on the accumulated rainfall above average showed more intense updrafts and downdrafts that the days on the accumulated rainfall below average. Observed maximum updrafts associated with the formation of new convective cells.

Orientador: Soely Aparecida Jorge Polydoro / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Educação / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-20T12:46:56Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Marinho_RitadeCassiadeAlmeida_M.pdf: 3345417 bytes, checksum: 342de73609b1fc364a714a6d65c36718 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011 / Resumo: As mudanças ocorridas na sociedade refletiram na expansão do ensino superior. Esta expansão, aliada às políticas governamentais para a educação brasileira, tem provocado diferentes efeitos nos campos político e pedagógico da formação dos estudantes, especialmente da formação docente. Constata-se uma menor procura por cursos de Licenciaturas, o que também sofre influência da baixa valorização da carreira e condições de trabalho. Uma vez que há diversificação no público que acede ao ensino superior, torna-se relevante o maior conhecimento a respeito da comunidade discente e seu percurso acadêmico. Para esta pesquisa foi selecionada uma modalidade específica de estudante de uma universidade pública situada no interior do estado de São Paulo: o aluno reingressante. São identificados como reingressantes, os estudantes que retornam à instituição para realizar outra habilitação ou ênfase do curso concluído. Diante destas especificações, o presente estudo teve por objetivo compreender o reingresso ao ensino superior, por meio da análise do perfil e da trajetória acadêmica de estudantes reingressantes em um mesmo curso do ensino superior, que tiveram a Licenciatura em seu percurso acadêmico no período compreendido de 2004 a 2009. Configura-se em uma pesquisa do tipo descritiva, de natureza documental e longitudinal. Os dados permitiram verificar a presença 1537 estudantes reingressantes que atendiam aos atributos estabelecidos pelo estudo, das quatro áreas do conhecimento (Ciências Exatas, Tecnológicas e da Terra; Ciências Biológicas e Profissões da Saúde; Ciências Humanas e Artes), dos quais realizaram até sete movimentos em sua trajetória acadêmica e que tiveram como curso de entrada preferencialmente o Bacharelado. Os estudantes das áreas de Ciências Exatas, Tecnológicas e da Terra e Ciências Biológicas e Profissões da Saúde foram os que mais realizaram movimentos em sua trajetória acadêmica. Os da área de Artes foram os que realizaram menos movimentos. Ao todo, os estudantes reingressantes passaram por 37 modalidades de Bacharelado, 10 de Licenciatura e uma de Tecnologia. Ao longo da trajetória acadêmica dos alunos foi percebida uma diminuição do número de alunos e também um decrescente índice de conclusão de curso. Os movimentos apresentaram tanto uma complementação da formação em novas carreiras, como o compromisso com a modalidade ao retornar à mesma após evasão anterior. O vínculo com a instituição mostrou-se presente ao se identificar a presença de Disciplinas Isoladas inseridas em sua trajetória. Foram identificadas variações na distância temporal entre a conclusão da modalidade anterior e o ingresso na modalidade posterior, na inclusão de outros cursos, no número de movimentos e direções apresentadas na trajetória e na condição acadêmica dos alunos dos diferentes cursos. Quanto à escolha pela Licenciatura, houve uma reduzida procura inicial, bem como baixo índice de conclusão. Os resultados obtidos indicam novas situações a serem investigadas, a fim de se buscar a percepção do reingressante sobre as variáveis motivacionais e de contexto que interferem neste percurso, destacando o papel do reingresso e a escolha da Licenciatura / Abstract: The changes occurred in the society resulted in the expansion of higher education. This expansion, combined with government policies for the Brazilian education has led to different effects in the political and pedagogical training of students, especially teacher education. There is a lower demand for undergraduate courses, which also is influenced by the low valuation of his career and working conditions. Since there is diversification in the public that access to higher education, becomes the most relevant knowledge about the student community and its academic career. For this research we selected a specific type of student of a public university located in the state of Sao Paulo: the student re-entry. Are identified like re-entry students, who return to the institution to hold another qualification or emphasis of the course completed. Given these specifications, this study had like a main objective, to understand the re-entry to higher education, using for this, the analysis of the profile and the academic career of re-entry students in one course of higher education, who had a degree in his academic career in the period of 2004 to 2009. Set in a search of the descriptive type of nature documentary and longitudinally. The data helped confirm the presence of 1537 re-entry students who meet the attributes set by the study, the four areas of knowledge (Exact Sciences, Technology and of the Earth: Biological Science and health professions; Human Science and Arts), which made up seven movements in their academic progress and which were input preferably Bachelor. The students of the Exact Sciences like Technology and Earth; Biological Scienc and Health Professions were mostly performed movements in their academic life. The Arts area were those who had less movement. In all, the re-entry students passed for 37 kinds of Bachelors Degree, 10 of graduation and 1 of Technology. During the academic life of the students, was noted a decrease of the number of students and a decreasing quantity in the completion of course. The movements show a completion of training in new careers, like an engagement with the course, when it returned to study after last evasion. The link with the institution was proven at identify the presence of Isolated Disciplines inserted in the trajectory. It was identified different gaps between the completion of the previous mode and the entering the posterior mode, in the including of other courses, in the number of movements and directions showed in the trajectory and in the academic condition of the students in the different courses. As the choice for graduate, there was an initial decrease found, like a lower quantity of completion. The results indicate new situations that need to be observed, to the future to have a perception of re-entry about the motivational variables and of context that interfere in this trajectory, with emphasis in the re-entry and the choice of the Graduate / Mestrado / Psicologia Educacional / Mestre em Educação

Les graines de pin (Pinus halepensis Mill., Pinus pinea L., Pinus pinaster et Pinus canariensis) sont les quatre espèces les plus disponibles dans le bassin méditerranéen. Elles sont très utilisées par les populations Nord-africaines en médecine traditionnelle et en gastronomie où elles agrémentent les plats traditionnels (salades, riz, poissons …etc), car elles sont bien connues pour leur excellent goût salé. Cependant, la composition biochimique, les valeurs nutritionnelles, et les mécanismes d'actions cellulaires et moléculaires via lesquels ces graines exercent leurs effets thérapeutiques restent mal élucidés. Le but de notre travail est d'étudier les propriétés physico-chimiques des graines de quatre espèces de pin et la valeur nutritionnelle et pharmaceutique des fractions lipidiques des graines de Pinus halepensis Mill., en utilisant différentes techniques de séparation et d'analyse telles que (DRX, IRTF, CC, LC/MS, GC, GC/MS et RMN) et en examinant la voie principale impliquée dans le développement du cancer qui est l'angiogenèse via des essais biologiques in vitro sur la prolifération et la migration des cellules endothéliales sur Matrigel et in vivo sur une membrane chorioallantoïdienne (CAM) des œufs de poulet ainsi que leurs toxicités sur des cultures cellulaires (Myélome humain HL60, Adénocarcinome du coulon, humain HCT15, Cellules épithéliales A549 et cellules de mélanomes B16F1). Les résultats de la caractérisation physico-chimiques montrent que les quatre graines sont très riches en métabolites primaires (sucres, protéines, protéines de réserve) et secondaires (Phénols totaux et flavonoïdes) comme elles présentent une importante concentration en oligo-éléments (phosphore, potassium, magnésium, Zinc, fer, cuivre et manganèse). Leurs huiles essentielles sont riches en limonène. Les principaux acides gras insaturés pour les quatre espèces sont l'acide linoléique et l'acide oléique. Les propriétés chimiques et physiques de leurs huiles fixes sont dans la norme de qualité agroalimentaire. Les graines de Pinus halepensis Mill. sont les plus riches en lipides totaux qui atteignent un taux de 36% diversifiés chimiquement avec des lipides apolaires (Lipides neutres) et polaires (Quatre classes de glycolipides et six classes de phospholipides). Ces résultats sont de bons indicateurs de la qualité nutritionnelle des graines de pins et impliquent que les lipides neutres, les glycolipides et les phospholipides des graines de Pinus halepensis Mill. dépourvus de toxicité aux concentrations de 1, 10, 25, 50, 100 et 200µg/ml et ayant une activité cytotoxique à 500 et 1000µg/ml et anti-angiogénique in vitro à des concentrations de 100 et 500µg/ml et in vivo à des concentrations de 1mg /ml et 10 mg/ml peuvent être utilisés dans la prévention des maladies liées à l'angiogenèse et à la lutte contre le cancer. / The pine (Pinus halepensis Mill., Pinus pinea L., Pinus pinaster and Pinus canariensis) seeds are the four most available species in the Mediterranean basin. They are widely used by North African populations in traditional medicine and gastronomy where they adorn the traditional dishes (salads, rice, fish ... etc) because they are well known for their excellent taste salty. However, the biochemical composition, nutritional value, and the cellular and molecular mechanisms of action through which these seeds exert their therapeutic effects remain poorly understood. The aim of our study was to investigate the physicochemical properties of pine seed species and nutritional and pharmaceutical value of lipid fractions of Pinus halepensis Mill. Seeds using different separation and analysis techniques such as (XRD, FTIR, CC, LC/MS, GC, GC/MS and NMR) and examining the main pathway involved in the development of cancer which is angiogenesis through biological tests in vitro on the proliferation and migration of endothelial cells on Matrigel and in vivo on a chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) of chicken eggs, thus that their toxicity on healthy cell cultures (human myeloma HL60, Adenocarcinoma of human coulon, HCT15, human epithelial cells, A549 and cells melanoma, B16F1). The results of the physico-chemical characterization showed that four seeds are rich in primary metabolites (sugars, proteins, protein reserves) and secondary (total phenolic and flavonoids) as they have a high concentration of trace elements (phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, zinc, iron, copper and manganese). Their essential oils are rich in limonene. The main unsaturated fatty acids of all species are linoleic acid and oleic acid. The chemical and physical properties of their fixed oils are the in standard food quality. Pinus halepensis Mill. seeds are the richest in total lipids which achieved a rate of 36% chemically diverse with non polar lipids (neutral lipids) and polar lipids (Four classes of glycolipids and six classes of phospholipids). These results are good indicators of the nutritional quality of pine seeds and imply that the neutral lipids, glycolipids and phospholipids of Pinus halepensis Mill. seeds devoid of toxicity at the concentrations of 1, 10, 25, 50, 100 and 200µg/ml and having cytotoxic activity at 500 and 1000µg/ml and anti-angiogenic effect in vitro at the concentrations of 100 and 500 µM and in vivo at the concentrations of 1 mg/ml and 10 mg/ml may be useful in prevention of angiogenesis-related and the fight against cancer diseases.

The present thesis examines the influence of Czech nouns frequency features on their acquisition by non-native speakers. The first theoretical part summarizes the ongoing discussion regarding the importance of frequency for the entrenchment of grammatical categories in one's mind as outlined by cognitive and psycho-linguists abroad. The second introduces the research methodology, collection method and annotation of 20 lemmas obtained from non-native Czech speaker corpus CzeSL-SGT. Subsequently, an analysis of selected nouns is carried out with regard to their grammatical profiles (comprising two or three most frequent case forms as found in SYN2015). Based on its results, the production of non-native speakers shows a tendency to follow grammatical profiles as demonstrated by high correspondence of frequency features of nouns on the one hand and by low error rate in morphology of most frequent forms on the other. Additionally, cases where lower rate does not correspond to the above mentioned model can be explained using type frequency, i.e. the productivity of particular declension models having simultaneously more far-reaching effect, and higher relevance of nominative as the default form for non-native speakers.

>Magister Scientiae - MSc / There is a high incidence of dropout in the first year of university studies. Some of the main reasons were attributed to adjustment or adaptation difficulties experienced by the new students which impacted on academic achievement. Much of this difficulty relates to the need to find their identity in relation to the new university environment with new rules, peers, and expectations. The acquisition of a sensory integrative (SI) profile could shed light on an element of the student’s identity. However, very little is known about the relationship between the SI profile and academic achievement. Therefore, the aim of the study was to determine the SI profiles of students and whether there was a relationship between the SI profiles and academic achievement of first year students from the Faculty of the Community and Health Sciences (FCHS) at the University of the Western Cape (UWC).The study followed the quantitative research paradigm and was more specifically a descriptive, cross-sectional study. Measurements included a demographic questionnaire to gather socio-demographic data, as well as the Adolescent and Adult Sensory Profile questionnaire to determine the SI profiles of the students.These instruments were administered to a sample of 357 registered first year students from the FCHS at UWC. Matriculation academic marks, as well as first year university academic marks were obtained and utilised for analysis. The SPSS statistical package was utilised for descriptive and inferential statistical analyses of the data. The results of the study indicated that the SI profiles of the first year FCHS students were that they responded "similarly to most people" on each of the four sensory quadrants of Dunn's (1997) Model of Sensory Processing. Secondary analyses were implemented by means of a collapsing mechanism to denote more specific results of the SI profiles. This analysis revealed that the students tended to have low thresholds for their neurological and behavioural continua of sensory processing.The inferential analyses that were implemented to determine whether there was a relationship between the SI profiles and academic achievement of the first year students yielded no statistical relationship between those variables. The analyses revealed relationships between the SI profiles and certain socio-demographic factors, such as age, race, and course of study.In conclusion, the research study uncovered the SI profiles of the first year university student sample, relationships between the SI profiles and sociodemographics and disproved a relationship between SI profiles and academic achievement. The study was therefore of value to the professions of occupational therapy and higher education and has opened avenues for further exploration. Furthermore the study has portrayed that occupational therapy tools and SI profiles could have a place in higher education and in relation to student development, teaching and learning. / National Research Foundation (NRF)

This study examined the influence of the mathematics profiles of secondary school pre-service mathematics teachers on their instructional behaviour. The mathematics profile construct was determined with respect to four components, namely, subject matter knowledge, pedagogical content knowledge, conceptions of mathematics and beliefs about the teaching and learning of mathematics. The instructional behaviour construct was studied with regard to participants’ use of a traditional versus reform approach to teaching, and whether learners were afforded an authoritarian versus democratic style of learning. Social constructivism formed the epistemological underpinning. The context for the study was a Post Graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) course at a university in South Africa. The study adopted a qualitative post-hoc research approach of seven case studies. The final portfolios submitted by participants as part of their PGCE course were used as the main source of data. Through participant and researcher reflections, a visual representation of each participant’s mathematics profile and instructional behaviour was constructed. These were then compared in within-case and cross-case comparisons. Findings indicated that the mathematics profiles of pre-service mathematics teachers have an influence on either enabling or constraining the development of their instructional behaviour. An improvement in the pedagogical content knowledge of mathematics teachers without positive changes in their conceptions and beliefs and the quality of their reflections and subject matter knowledge does not result in reformed instructional behaviour. The mathematics profile as a package needs to be developed in order for pre-service mathematics teachers to make the required changes in their instructional behaviour towards a more reform-orientated approach to teaching and learning of mathematics. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Science, Mathematics and Technology Education / unrestricted

LIDAR is the optical equivalent of RADAR. A LIDAR facility has been established at Rhodes University using a flashlamp-pumped dye laser as the transmitter and a photomultiplier tube at the focus of a searchlight mirror as the receiver. The setting up of the receiver and transmitter as well as the design and construction of the photon counting electronics is described. The LIDAR has been used to measure aerosol scattering ratios and temperature profiles in the stratosphere and these results are presented with the algorithms and software used to reduce the data. Finally some recommendations are made for future work

In this work we present a grid of LTE and non-LTE synthetic spectra of hot DA white dwarfs (WDs). In addition to its usefulness for the determination of fundamental stellar parameters of isolated WDs and in binaries, this grid will be of interest for the construction of theoretical libraries for stellar studies from integrated light. The spectral grid covers both a wide temperature and gravity range, with 17,000 K <= T-eff <= 100,000 K and 7.0 <= log g <= 9.5. The stellar models are built for pure hydrogen and the spectra cover a wavelength range from 900 angstrom to 2.5 mu m. Additionally, we derive synthetic HST/ACS, HST/WFC3, Bessel UBVRI, and SDSS magnitudes. The grid was also used to model integrated spectral energy distributions of simple stellar populations and our modeling suggests that DAs might be detectable in ultraviolet bands for populations older than similar to 8 Gyr.

The present investigation involved the development of a psychobiologic profile of individuals who experience exercise-related mood-enhancement and those who do not. The sample (N=301) consisted of students participating in 10-week exercise classes at North Texas State University. All subjects completed pre-test inventories assessing various psychological (i.e., trait anxiety and depression, attitude toward physical activity, self-estimation of physical ability and attraction to physical activity, expectancies of health benefits from exercise, and self-motivation) and biological (i.e., aerobic capacity and body fat percentage) variables. Trait anxiety and depression were also assessed before and after the 10-week exercise program and state anxiety and depression were assessed on an acute basis on two separate occasions during the program. Multivariate analysis of variance and discriminant function analysis were employed to determine which variables maximally discriminated between individuals who experienced mood-elevations following exercise and those who did not enjoy such rewards. The hypothesis that these two groups of individuals differ significantly from each other was not upheld by the results; thus, an overall psychobiologic profile could not be developed. However, the data did reveal that individuals who held a more positive attitude toward physical activity for the purpose of health and fitness reduced their state anxiety and depression following exercise significantly more than individuals who held more neutral attitudes. The results also confirmed previous research that individuals initially high in trait anxiety and depression showed a significantly greater decrease in these traits than subjects scoring in the low-moderate range at the outset of the exercise class. Recommendations for future research are discussed.