The drama of Senkatana by S.M. Mofokeng is analysed by applying principles provided by speech act theory, using as basis the explication of the theory by Bach and Harnish (1979). The socio-cultural context in the play has as its starting point the realm of myth and legend. From here all categories of relationships within the protagonist/antagonist encounter unfold, as do opposing sets of contextual beliefs characters rely on; these are primarily responsible for the growing conflict in the drama. Enhancing the mythical character of the play is the absorbing role played by the diboni, acting as seers, as prophets and as additional 'authorial voice'. Their and those of other characters' speech acts reflect this and more; they operate in a substantiated sign-system which provides a framework for evaluating each semiotic act from locutionary, illocutionary and perlocutionary dimensions of meaning. Chapter 1 comprises a historical survey of studies on speech act theory, and includes a brief summary of the position of the theory in the field of semiotics. The micro speech act analysis of the play is facilitated by the division of the text into smaller action units (summarised in Addendum 1). Chapter 2, containing the greater part of the exposition, commences the narration of the folktale and offers a clear rendering of the epic rise of the hero. Chapter 3 portrays the rise and progress of the antagonists challenging the hero, coupled with intensifying anxiety among the protagonists. Chapter 4 provides a vivid overview of how the values of the hero triumph over those of the antagonist despite the physical slaying of the hero. Chapter 5 offers a graphic outline of how the macro speech act is accomplished in the play. It is shown how an investigation of the speech act profiles of characters, coupled with the evaluation of illocutionary tactics and illocutionary/perlocutionary dynamics, communicates significant information pertaining to characterisation. A graph illustrating the rise and fall of micro speech acts within the larger macro speech act is provided in Addendum 2. Suggestions are made regarding future research in literary texts. / African Languages / D.Lit. et Phil. (African Languages)

The current study examined the role of two different methods of sign presentation on signed and spoken language acquisition of toddlers aged two to four years with Down syndrome (DS). The aim of this study was to determine if a method commonly used by native signers/Deaf mothers (referred to in this study as signing to maintain joint attention (SMJA)) was more effective than the method commonly used by hearing mothers and speech-language pathologists (referred to in this study as the triangular method of signing). Both methods were compared in a within-subject design for effects on the participants’ total number of words signed and/or spoken, unique words signed and/or spoken, and parent report of novel word acquisition. Although the sample size was small, clear trends were seen suggesting SMJA may result in greater increases in early language acquisition for toddlers with DS. These results are consistent with considerations regarding the DS phenotype. The use of signing takes advantage of strengths in gesture and visual-spatial short-term memory. More specifically, the use of SMJA addresses weaknesses in attentional capacity by allowing the child to attend to the object and referent without disruption, thereby maintaining joint attention and supporting language acquisition.

Emerging from the rapid growth of information technology (IT) in a digital world is the explosion and rapid ascent of IT-related service innovation occurring around the globe. All successful service innovation in a digital world consists of two main abstract domains: signs (because only signs can be digitized) and practices. Signs are perceivable, but practices are not. Signs are commonly understood as resources in the digital world, whereas practices are understood as providing context, not as resources. This article proposes a change in this perspective: according to service-dominant logic, both signs and practices can become resources for service and value cocreation. They become resources if they are integrated in a service offering. We illustrate how recent digital service innovations can be explained with this perspective and how it can be used to distinguish incremental from radical innovation. The article also suggests, using this perspective, that IT and innovation specialists can productively develop ideas and concepts for future service innovation. From the practices framework presented, directions for further research are discussed.

<p>Uprkos rezultatima postignutih imunizacijom, veliki ka&scaron;alj je i danas vodeći uzrok smrti među zaraznim bolestima protiv kojih se sprovodi imunizacija. Postojanje različitih vrsta nadzora, prisutnih nedostataka laboratorijske dijagnostike oboljenja, slabosti u dostupnim definicijama slučaja velikog ka&scaron;lja i neprepoznavanje oboljenja, otežavaju realno sagledavanje opterećenja velikim ka&scaron;ljem i poređenje postignutih rezultata u različitim zemljama. Postojeće definicije slučaja velikog ka&scaron;lja nisu prihvatljive u svim uzrastima. Cilj istraživanja je bio da se na reprezentativnom uzorku Grada Novog Sada utvrdi: stopa incidencije velikog ka&scaron;lja tokom jedne godine savremenog nadzora; senzitivnost i specifičnost definicija slučaja velikog ka&scaron;lja, datih od strane Globalne pertusis inicijative za tri uzrasne grupe. U istraživanje je uključeno 213 ispitanika pacijenata iz sentinelnog nadzora nad velikim ka&scaron;ljem Doma zdravlja Novi Sad i 107 ispitanika pacijenata iz hospitalnog nadzora sa iste teritorije koji su ispunjavali predložene definicije slučaja za tri uzrasne grupe (0-3 meseca; 4 meseca-9 godina života; 10 godina i stariji). Podaci za istraživanje dobijeni su popunjavanjem anketnog upitnika. Laboratorijsko testiranje sumnji na veliki ka&scaron;alj sprovedeno je u Centru za mikrobiologiju Instituta za javno zdravlje Vojvodine. Kod pacijenata sa ka&scaron;ljem u trajanju do 21 dan testiranje je vr&scaron;eno upotrebom PCR metoda, a kod pacijenata sa ka&scaron;ljem u trajanju vi&scaron;e od 21 dan, dokazivanje oboljenja vr&scaron;eno je upotrebom ELISA IgA i IgG serolo&scaron;kih testova. Potvrđenim slučajem velikog ka&scaron;lja smatran je pacijent sa ispunjenom definicijom slučaja oboljenja i laboratorijskom potvrdom oboljenja, PCR ili ELISA testom. Procenjena stopa incidencije velikog ka&scaron;lja u Novom Sadu je 237,7/100.000, a stopa incidencije hospitalizovanih u Novom Sadu je 16,4/100.000. Najvi&scaron;e stope incidencije velikog ka&scaron;lja u sentinelnom nadzoru registruju se u uzrastu 10-14, a u hospitalnom u uzrastu od 7 do 9 godina. Senzitivnost, specifičnost i stepen verovatnoće pozitivnog rezultata testiranog simptoma/znaka iz predloženih definicija slučaja se razlikuju po uzrastima i po pojedinim simptomima/znacima. Predložene definicije slučaja u uzrastima od 4 meseca do 9 godina i u uzrastu od 10 godina i starijih imaju veću verovatnoću otkrivanja obolelih u hospitalnom u odnosu na sentinelni nadzor za pojedine simptome/znakove. Budući da je tokom istraživanja u sentinelnom nadzoru oboljenje potvrđeno kod svakog petog, a u hospitalnom kod svakog drugog testiranog pacijenta, predložene definicije slučaja se mogu koristiti u nadzoru nad velikim ka&scaron;ljem.</p> / <p>Despite all results achieved by immunization, pertussis is still the leading cause of death among vaccine preventable diseases. Different types of surveillance and laboratory confirmation of pertussis, weakness of existing case definitions for pertussis and broad spectrum clinical manifestation of disease, complicate overview of disease and result comparison of surveillance in different countries. The current pertussis case definition is not acceptable for all age groups of patients. The aim of this research was to determine: the pertussis incidence rate in population of Novi Sad during one year of modern surveillance; the sensitivity and specificity of clinical case definition for pertussis, given by the Global Pertussis Initiative for three age groups, with a representative sample of population in the City of Novi Sad. 213 patients from sentinel surveillance of pertussis Novi Sad Health Centre and 107 hospitalized patients from Novi Sad, who fulfilled criteria of case definition proposed for the three age groups (0-3 months, 4 months-9 years; 10 years of age and older), were included in the research. Research data obtained from a questionnaire. Laboratory testing of suspected cases were conducted at the Centre for Microbiology, Institute of Public Health of Vojvodina. For patients with coughing less than 21 days PCR method was used, and for patients with cough lasting more than 21 days, laboratory confirmation of disease was performed using ELISA IgA and IgG serological tests. Confirmed case of pertussis consider to be a patient with symptoms/signs according to proposed case definition and with laboratory confirmation of the pertussis, PCR or ELISA. Estimated incidence rate of pertussis for population in the city of Novi Sad was 237.7/100,000, and the pertussis incidence rate in hospitalized patient in Novi Sad was 16.4/100,000. The highest incidence rate of pertussis in the sentinel surveillance was registered in the age group 10-14 and in the hospital surveillance in the group 7 to 9 years of age. The values of sensitivity, specificity and positive likelihood ratio of symptoms/signs from the proposed case definition were calculated and they different by age and by certain symptoms/signs from proposed case definition. Certain symptoms/signs of the proposed case definition have a higher probability of detection among patients aged 4 months to nine, and at the age of ten year and older, in the hospital versus those in sentinel surveillance for pertussis. During research from the patients who were tested in sentinel surveillance every fifth was laboratory confirmed case and in the hospital surveillance every second patient was confirmed case, so the proposed case definitions can be used in the surveillance of pertussis.</p>

Diploma thesis deals with semiotics of advertising media campaigns of sport clubs AC Sparta Praha and HC Sparta Praha in the season 2013/2014. Both of the clubs celebrated an anniversary this season: AC Sparta Praha celebrated 120 years since its foundation, HC Sparta Praha celebrated 110 years. That was a reason why media campaigns were intensive and referred to the glorious history of the clubs. The Diploma thesis research is focused on meanings encoded into the campaigns and attempts to find out which verbal and non-verbal signs create the term "Sparta". The Author tries to find out if there is the same semiotic base for both clubs which operate with the same name and elementary signs. Diploma thesis defines contemporary "myth of Sparta" in Czech sport area. Theoretical part occupies with contemporary status of sport in the society, analytical part deals with the media campaigns of both clubs from semiotic perspective.

Purpose: The aim of this research was to determine whether there is a difference in the presence of minimal cerebellar signs, hypermobility and dyspraxia in the group of patients with idiopathic scoliosis (IS) and a control group of individuals without IS. Methods: 11 patients have been selected for this research with IS and 11 individuals without IS as a control group. The International Cooperative Ataxia Rating Scale (ICARS) was used for examination of cerebellar signs. Hypermobility was evaluated with ten tests according to Janda. The presence of pendulum reflexes was determined by examination of patellar and triceps reflex, while dyspraxia was analyzed by means of the Czechoslovak test. Results: Patients with IS scored significantly worse in ICARS than the control group (p < 0,05). IS patients presented with significantly more pronounced hypermobility in head rotation (p = 0,0384) and forward bending (p = 0,0409) tests comparing to the control group. No significant difference between the two groups was identified in pendulum reflexes and the Czechoslovak dyspraxia test. Conclusion: The study confirms significantly more positive signs of ataxia and asynergy in a group of patients with IS comparing to control group. Hypermobility was significantly more pronounced in head rotation and forward...

Detta kandidatarbete undersöker och granskar uppbyggandet av ett berättande i en spelfilm. Syftet är att få kunskap om vad ett berättande i en spelfilm består av och vad det är som påverkar det. Genom semiotikens tecken får vi förståelse för hur allt kan få en mening och sedan användas för att kommunicera något till användaren. Begreppet multimodalitet har sedan använts för att förstå hur tecken fungerar när de behöver samspela med varandra. Vi undersöker berättandet genom att göra en egen spelfilm som vi sedan analyserar för att bättre förstå vikten bakom de val av tecken vi använde och hur berättandet påverkades av våra val. Vi kommer att presentera resultatet vi uppnått, vilka motgångar vi stött på och andra diskussioner kring resultatet. / This bachelor thesis examines the construction of a narrative in a fictional film. The purpose is to acquire knowledge of what a narrative in a fictional film consist of and what it affects. Through the sign of semiotics, we get an understanding of how everything can get a significance and then be used to communicate something to the user. The concept of multimodality has then been used to understand how signs work in an interplay with each other. We examine the narrative by making our own fictional film that we then analyse to get a better understanding of the importance of the signs we used and how the narrative was influenced by our choices. We will present the results we achieved, the types of adversities we encountered and other discussions about the outcome.

Este estudo originou-se do interesse em investigar a sensibilidade do IRDI-Questionário, adaptação do instrumento IRDI, para detecção de sinais iniciais de TEA (Transtorno de espectro de autismo). O autismo ou TEA caracteriza-se por severos déficits na interação social recíproca, na comunicação e na atividade imaginativa, assim como por padrões repetitivos e limitados de interesses e de comportamentos. Nesse sentido, deve-se ressaltar a indefinição de sua etiologia, pois, se trata de um distúrbio complexo e heterogêneo com graus variados de severidade, resultado provável de uma combinação de fatores ambientais e genéticos. Soma-se à ausência de um marcador biológico a acentuada heterogeneidade das manifestações clínicas do transtorno, daí o conceito de espectro que lhe foi atribuído. Tais condições terão como consequências dificuldades no próprio processo diagnóstico. Isso significa que o diagnóstico do autismo e as condições associadas ainda estão baseados em observações de confluência de anormalidades comportamentais nos campos social, de comunicação, do jogo e da imaginação. É importante pensar que a heterogeneidade do quadro implica que os sintomas podem não se expressar do mesmo modo em todas as crianças, apesar de apresentarem certa regularidade que permite a construção de um diagnóstico. Além disso, algumas crianças vão apresentar sinais de risco desde os primeiros meses de vida e, outras, apresentarão sintomas mais tardios. Nesse contexto, os instrumentos de avaliação são importantes ferramentas de auxílio na avaliação clínica da criança com TEA, sendo que vários pesquisadores ressaltam a importância de se realizarem triagens de crianças de até três anos de idade a fim de propiciar o diagnóstico e a intervenção ainda nos primeiros meses de vida. Com o intuito de instrumentalizar a detecção de sinais iniciais de TEA, diversos pesquisadores têm formulado protocolos com foco em diferentes formas de expressão de tais sinais e os instrumentos especializados para fins de rastreamento/ triagem têm se mostrado eficientes na detecção de sinais iniciais de TEA, além disso, são de fácil e rápida aplicação. Esta pesquisa, portanto, se propôs a investigar a sensibilidade de um instrumento para sinais iniciais de TEA, sendo que, para a investigação, participaram 72 pais de crianças/crianças divididos em 2 (dois) grupos: grupo pesquisa-TEA (32 pais) e grupo controle-típico (40 pais). Para ambos os grupos, foram utilizados o IRDI-Questionário e a CARS-BR, os quais tiverem seus resultados comparados. Utilizou-se o teste de inteligência não verbal SON-R 2½-7 no grupo pesquisa-TEA para controlar a variável DI (deficiência intelectual). Os dados foram submetidos a tratamento estatístico e as análises estatísticas demonstraram que as médias descritas pelo IRDI-Questionário foram diferentes, sendo que os IRDI do grupo TEA (85,09) são, em média, menores que os IRDI do grupo típico (129,32). Os grupos juntos mostraram alta correlação negativa entre os valores do IRDI-Questionário e da CARS-BR. Para o estudo de sensibilidade foi realizada uma análise através da curva ROC, que definiu um ponto de corte do escore gerado pelo instrumento IRDI-Questionário. A sensibilidade do IRDI-Questionário para sinais iniciais de TEA foi de 96,9%, resultado este que também indicou que o instrumento pode ser interessante para um instrumento para o rastreamento da condição estudada. Além do estudo de sensibilidade, apresentou-se, ainda, um breve estudo sobre o conceito de Intersubjetividade e suas rupturas, assim como algumas pesquisas atuais a ele referentes, relacionando-o aos indicadores IRDI e ao TEA. O conceito de intersubjetividade tem sido investigado por vários campos de conhecimento. A Psicologia do desenvolvimento é um desses campos, sendo que diversos autores nos apresentam diferentes interpretações sobre o conceito. Neste trabalho, destacou-se a importância de apresentar o conceito, pois, este guarda uma estreita relação com o autismo / This study originated from the interest in investigating the sensitivity of the IRDI - Questionnaire, adaptation of the IRDI instrument to detect early signs of ASD (autism spectrum disorder). Autism or ASD is characterized by severe deficits in reciprocal social interaction, communication and imaginative activity, as well as repetitive and restricted patterns of interest and behavior. His early appearance, profile and chronicity of symptoms are strong arguments for a biological causality, however, not defined a biological indicator present in all cases. In this sense, it should be noted the vagueness of its etiology, because it is a complex and heterogeneous disorder with varying degrees of severity, likely the result of a combination of environmental and genetic factors. Added to the absence of a biomarker a marked heterogeneity of clinical manifestations of the disorder, hence the concept of spectrum allocated to it. Such conditions will have as consequences difficulties in itself diagnostic process. This means that the diagnosis of autism and associated conditions are still based on observations of confluence of behavioral abnormalities in the social, communication, play and imagination. It is important to think that the heterogeneity of the picture implies that the symptoms can not express themselves in the same way in all children, despite having certain regularity that allows the construction of a diagnosis. In addition, some children will show signs of risk in the first months of life, and others, will present the later symptoms. In this context, the assessment tools are important aid tools in the clinical evaluation of children with ASD, and several researchers emphasize the importance of conducting trials of children under three years of age in order to provide diagnosis and intervention still in first months of life. In order to manipulate the detection of initial signs of TEA, many researchers have made agreements with focus on different ways of expressing such signals and specialized tools for tracking / sorting have been shown to be effective in detecting early signs of TEA, moreover, they are quick and easy application. This research therefore aims to investigate the sensitivity of an instrument for early signs of ASD, and for research, participated 72 parents of children / children divided into two (2) groups: research - TEA group ( 32 parents ) and control group - typical (40 parents). For both groups, we used the IRDI - Questionnaire and the CARS-BR, which have their results compared. We used the non-verbal intelligence test SON- R 2½ -7 in the search -TEA group to control the variable DI (intellectual disability). The data were subjected to statistical analysis and statistical analyzes showed that the average described by IRDI - Questionnaire were different, and the IRDI TEA group (85.09) are on average smaller than the typical group IRDI (129, 32). Groups together showed high negative correlation between the values of the IRDI - Questionnaire and the CARS- BR. For the sensitivity study was carried out through an analysis of the ROC curve, it defined a cutoff score generated by IRDI - Questionnaire tool. The sensitivity of the IRDI - Questionnaire for early signs of ASD was 96.9 %, a result which also indicated that the instrument may be interesting to a tool for tracking the condition studied. In addition to the sensitivity analysis presented is also a brief study on the concept of Intersubjectivity and their breaks, as well as some current research relating thereto, relating it to IRDI indicators and TEA. The concept of intersubjectivity has been investigated by several fields of knowledge. Developmental Psychology is one of those fields, and several authors present us with different interpretations of the concept. In this work, we stressed the importance of presenting the concept, because this is closely related to autism

Nas últimas décadas a Arqueologia Cognitiva vem lucrando com uma profícua interdisciplinaridade, unindo forças com as ciências do conhecimento, notadamente a Psicologia Evolutiva e as Neurociências, proporcionando ainda nesse debate o surgimento de linhas como a Neuroarqueologia. Em nossa tese propomos analisar os sítios rupestres de temática não-figurativa, ou os chamados sinais, ou ainda os geométricos, das regiões da Cidade de Pedra no município de Rondonópolis/MT e da região do município de Pão de Açúcar/AL a partir de duas abordagens: a análise das organizações dos dispositivos rupestres buscando identificar as associações existentes entre os registros como um todo e a organização simbólica produzida por essas construções. Discutiremos assim questões da cognição humana a partir da articulação das ciências do conhecimento, a Arqueologia Cognitiva e nosso objeto. Trabalharemos com questões das estruturas dos dispositivos rupestres e das estruturas da cognição humana, discutindo ainda as especificidades culturais e as manifestações universalistas. / In the last few decades Cognitive Archaeology has been gaining with a fruitful interdisciplinary approach, on joining efforts with Evolutionary Psychology and Neuroscience, delivering with this debate appearance of the so called Neuroarchaeology. In our thesis we propose to analyse some rock art sites from the regions of Cidade de Pedra, Rondonópolis / MT and Pão de Açúcar/ AL from two perspectives: the analysis of the panel organizations seeking to identify the relations that exists between the painted units and the symbolic organization produced by these constructs associations. Thus we discuss issues of human cognition xviii from the articulation of the sciences of knowledge, Cognitive Archaeology and our object. Therefore we will also work with issues concerning the structures of rock art panels and the structures of human cognition, discussing also the cultural specificities and the universals behaviours.

A qualidade dos sistemas de sinalização viária é avaliada, tradicionalmente, com base nas características físicas de seus elementos, bem como na durabilidade e conservação dos materiais que os compõem. Em alguns casos, a verificação do atendimento aos critérios técnicos de projeto é também considerada. Depreende-se, daí, que a avaliação estrutural dos elementos de sinalização seja integralmente contemplada por meio dessas avaliações. Por outro lado, a eficácia da sinalização não é necessariamente garantida pela integridade física ou estrutural dos elementos. Por se tratar de um sistema de comunicação com o usuário, que transmite informações que influenciarão as ações dos motoristas na tarefa de guiar o veículo no trânsito, é necessário, também, avaliar o desempenho funcional dos elementos de sinalização. Em outras palavras, o funcionamento e a eficiência da sinalização são tão importantes quanto a situação de seu estado físico. Esta pesquisa descreve aspectos a serem considerados na avaliação de desempenho funcional dos sinais de trânsito com base na observação no campo e na abordagem dos fatores que afetam as medidas de desempenho, conduzindo, em rodovias federais brasileiras concedidas à iniciativa privada, dois experimentos ainda pouco conhecidos no país. O primeiro experimento avaliou o desempenho de um conjunto de placas de sinalização de regulamentação de velocidade máxima permitida, aplicadas em configurações diversas. As medidas de desempenho escolhidas foram a distância de detecção e a distância de legibilidade da sinalização, que foram medidas por meio de observadores em curso na rodovia, em condições reais de operação. O segundo experimento avaliou o desempenho de um conjunto de demarcações no pavimento de uma rodovia também em condições reais de operação. A medida de desempenho foi a retorrefletividade da sinalização horizontal sob tráfego real. A pesquisa inova ao utilizar o conceito de planejamento de experimentos, otimizando o modelo estatístico a ser estimado com menos execuções experimentais. / The quality of the traffic signs systems is traditionally assessed based on physical characteristics of their elements, as well as the durability and conservation of materials they are made of. In some cases, the verification of compliance with the technical criteria for design is also considered. Therefore, it appears that the structural assessment of sign elements is fully covered by these evaluations. Moreover, the effectiveness of traffic signs is not necessarily guaranteed by physical or structural health of the elements. Once the traffic signs comprise a system of communication with the users, which gives information that will influence the actions of the drivers on the task of guiding the vehicle in traffic flow, it is also necessary to evaluate the functional performance of the traffic signs. In other words, the operation and efficiency of traffic signs are as important as their physical condition. This research describes some aspects to take into account in the evaluation of performance of traffic signs based on observation in the field and in the approach of the factors affecting performance measures, carrying out in Brazilian federal highways under concession to the private sector two experiments still little known in this country. The first experiment evaluated the performance of a set of speed limit signs applied in different configurations. The chosen performance measures were the detection distance and the legibility distance of the signs, which were measured by subjects driving on open road under real operating conditions. The second experiment evaluated the performance of a set of pavement markings also on open road under real operating conditions. The performance measure was the retroreflectivity of the pavement markings under real traffic. The survey breaks new ground by using the concept of optimal design of experiments, optimizing the statistical model to be estimated with fewer experimental runs.