Eskom is experiencing problems in the field of protection maintenance and in-service breakdowns which negatively influence the quality of electrical supply to the consumer, an integral component of the utility business. These facts initiated the research into the further development of a generic relay to be implemented as a strategic spare for the replacement of several schemes operating within Eskom’s southern region. These include the electromechanical, solid state and numerical distance protection relay and scheme failures on the 132 / 66 kV feeder network. Hence, the primary objective of the research is to develop, test and configure the strategic spare in terms of software and peripheral hardware for the input and output terminal connections, generic equations and settings for the purpose of the scheme replacements. The various schemes are assessed for stepped distance and permissive intertripping for three or single pole operation. This is done in conjunction with the internal and external circuit diagrams in order to understand the detailed operation of the scheme and to ensure the effective implementation of the strategic spare. The generic relay is configured for the emergency replacement of the various schemes during in-service breakdowns. This constitutes a temporary installation and therefore the downtime in essence, of all the distance protection schemes that require replacement, is limited to a minimum. This dissertation therefore explores the implementation of the strategic spare.

Exposure to certain bloodborne pathogens can prematurely end a person’s life. Healthcare workers (HCWs), especially those who are members of surgical teams, are at increased risk of exposure to these pathogens. The proper use of personal protective equipment (PPE) during operative/invasive procedures reduces that risk. Despite this, some HCWs fail to consistently use PPE as required by federal regulation, accrediting agencies, hospital policy, and professional association standards. The purpose of this mixed methods survey study was to (a) examine factors surgical team members perceive influence choices of wearing or not wearing PPE during operative/invasive procedures and (b) determine what would influence consistent use of PPE by surgical team members. Using an ex post facto, non-experimental design, the memberships of five professional associations whose members comprise surgical teams were invited to complete a mixed methods survey study. The primary research question for the study was: What differences (perceptual and demographic) exist between surgical team members that influence their choices of wearing or not wearing PPE during operative/invasive procedures? Four principal differences were found between surgical team members. Functional (i.e., profession or role based) differences exist between the groups. Age and experience (i.e., time in profession) differences exist among members of the groups. Finally, being a nurse anesthetist influences the use of risk assessment to determine the level of PPE to use. Four common themes emerged across all groups informing the two study purposes. Those themes were: availability, education, leadership, and performance. Subsidiary research questions examined the influence of previous accidental exposure to blood or body fluids, federal regulations, hospital policy and procedure, leaders’ attitudes, and patients’ needs on the use of PPE. Each of these was found to strongly influence surgical team members and their use of PPE during operative/invasive procedures. Implications based on the findings affect organizational policy, purchasing and distribution decisions, curriculum design and instruction, leader behavior, and finally partnership with PPE manufacturers. Surgical team members must balance their innate need to care for patients with their need to protect themselves. Results of this study will help team members, leaders, and educators achieve this balance.

Magister Artium (Development Studies) - MA(DVS) / There is a huge gap in literature on resilience especially that which reflects African perspective. This can be seen from many definitions of resilience that are informed by research done in the American and Eurocentric context. This gap in literature calls for more resilience research to be done in different areas filled with adversities in South Africa and Africa at large. This will help to understand the mechanisms that young people in these contexts of adversities need to adapt well and have positive outcomes despite their context of development that is filled with adverse situations. Thus, the broad objective of this study is to understand conceptual clarification of resilience in African perspective, with intent to close the gap in literature, especially where Afrocentric definition of resilience is concerned, mainly in Gugulethu Township, Cape Town, is understood. Qualitative research methods were used in order to unearth the understanding of the phenomenon.

Certified Athletic Trainers (ATCs) are expected to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on athletes experiencing cardiac arrest, regardless of whether the athlete is wearing protective athletic equipment. The goal of this research was to determine if ATCs were able to deliver high-quality CPR over and under football shoulder pads. Forty-one ATCs completed CPR according to 2015 AHA guidelines over and under shoulder pads fitted on a manikin. CPR quality was measured with the Resusci Anne Wireless SkillReporter. Data were analyzed to compare CPR performed over and under the shoulder pads. Overall CPR score, chest compression depth, and ventilation volume were statistically significant when CPR was performed over the equipment. Equipment removal revealed to cause a delay in compression initiation. Although the data from CPR measures suggest the removal of equipment is indicated, the prolonged delay of compressions due to equipment removal should be taken into consideration before establishing best-practice recommendations.

Protective measures in Czech Civil Procedure Law Abstract This dissertation deals with the protective measures constituting a special type of the Czech civil procedure besides the proceedings on law finding, enforcement and insolvency. The theory refers to this sort of procedure as a set of procedural institutes that have little in common, except for the same basis residing in interim securing of rights or in securing effective exercise of rights. The author deals with the protective legal instruments as perceived by the predominant doctrine, which corresponds to the essence of the matter and to the legal regulation, that is to say, pre-trial reconciliation (also called a Praetorian reconciliation), preliminary measures (injunctions), pre-trial evidence and subject of the evidence securing, judicial (and also executor) lien and disturbed possession action. She emphasizes the general regulation of preliminary measures, but the submitted analysis is in a significant extent applicable as well to the preliminary measures under the Act on Special Court Proceedings. The objective of the dissertation is to present a complex work on the protective measures in Czech civil procedure law, currently absent in the Czech legal literature. The author has divided the dissertation into two parts - general and special. The...

The purpose of this research was to identify nonwoven protective fabrics designed to have improved comfort properties over a fabric currently used in limited-use chemical protective clothing by using physiological and perceptual dimensions of comfort. Fabrics that are both waterproof and breathable have potential for use in chemical protective clothing by repelling liquid while allowing the diffusion of moisture vapor from the body. Microporous laminated fabrics used in chemical protective clothing allow moisture to evaporate from the body and move through the fabric while preventing liquid chemicals from coming in contact with the skin. Five fabric types were evaluated by wear testing coveralls and measuring selected physiological and perceptual responses of five subjects performing moderate-intensity exercise in thermoneutral and hot, humid environments. Physiological responses included skin temperature, body temperature, heart rate, sweat rate, and fluid loss. Perceptual responses included moisture sensation, thermal sensation, Rating of Perceived Exertion, and overall comfort. In the thermoneutral environment, results show heart rate to be the only variable affected by the different fabric types, while time effect was significant within all dependent variables. In the hot, humid environment, skin and body temperatures were significantly affected by fabric type, while time effect was significant within all variables except skin temperature. The environment effect was significant within all dependent variables except RPE and heart rate. Based on the statistical insignificance of subjects' overall comfort responses in both environments, it can be said that the differences in the physical characteristics of the fabrics may not be great enough to affect the wearer's comfort level. However, two of the four fabrics were determined to have potential for further investigation. Further research comparing experimental fabrics with fabrics used widely in industry will continue the effort of improving the comfort of limited-use protective clothing. / Master of Science

RAG1-/- mutant zebrafish lack T and B lymphocytes. However, when re-exposed to homologous bacteria, these fish mount a response that provides specific protection. To further define this response, we utilized microarray analyses to determine the mechanisms underlying innate immune system memory in zebrafish. We also analyzed interferon (IFN) gamma by qRT-PCR. It is produced by activated NK cells and could indicate if this cell mediates the protective response seen in lymphocyte deficient zebrafish. Pathological studies and in situ hybridizations were performed to observe tissue changes and location of the cells that produced IFN gamma. Following bacterial re-exposure, zebrafish transcripts in cell receptor activation, cell proliferation and cytotoxic function categories were differentially expressed. We found high expression of IFN gamma in the lymphocyte like cell population after bacterial exposure and this was induced to a higher level in fish that had been vaccinated. The phagocytic cell population showed no induction of INF gamma. Over-all, the pathological response was much less severe in the vaccinated (48 hps) fish. Our microarray and pathological findings indicate that the primary immune response of mutant zebrafish is not impaired, and they demonstrate an enhanced innate immune response following secondary bacteria exposure. Following homologous secondary exposure, mutant zebrafish have a cell population that is undergoing upregulated cell receptor activation, cell cytotoxic functions and cell proliferation. This cell population expresses INF gamma. Activated T cells, NK-T cells and NK cells express INF gamma. Since RAG1 deficient zebrafish do not have T or NK-T cells, this cell population is most likely NK cells.

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