This dissertation attempts to research the construction of meaning through the analysis and interpretation of the multi-textual novel Memorandum: 'n verhaal met skilderve by Marlene van Niekerk and Adriaan van Zyl. Memorandum is an exceptionally multifaceted text in which various patterns overlap. Any adequate analysis and interpretation of the novel must pay due attention to the comprehensive and variegated processes of meaning generation that are simultaneously active in this very dense text. Given the fact that all themes and motives are kept relevant all the way through, there is a danger that the researcher might get lost and that the argument (s)he produces might become too vague. Therefore this study focuses on only four aspects, which will then also determine the structure of the dissertation: (1) the unusual and complex narrative structure of the text; (2) the wide variety of forms, spheres or dimensions of the representation of spaces; (3) the disseminating intertextual game; and (4) the textual manifestations of liminality, which include liminal persons, situations, processes and the innovative approach and style of the text with regard to the relation between text and paintings. The dissertation attempts to participate in and add to the ongoing conversation between word, image, structure and theory through utilising not only narrative theory and narrative methods (which include the basic theory for studying spaces in literary texts), but also intertextual and liminal theory, in order to add to accepted notions of textual boundaries. / Thesis (M.A. (Afrikaans and Dutch))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2009.

This dissertation attempts to research the construction of meaning through the analysis and interpretation of the multi-textual novel Memorandum: 'n verhaal met skilderve by Marlene van Niekerk and Adriaan van Zyl. Memorandum is an exceptionally multifaceted text in which various patterns overlap. Any adequate analysis and interpretation of the novel must pay due attention to the comprehensive and variegated processes of meaning generation that are simultaneously active in this very dense text. Given the fact that all themes and motives are kept relevant all the way through, there is a danger that the researcher might get lost and that the argument (s)he produces might become too vague. Therefore this study focuses on only four aspects, which will then also determine the structure of the dissertation: (1) the unusual and complex narrative structure of the text; (2) the wide variety of forms, spheres or dimensions of the representation of spaces; (3) the disseminating intertextual game; and (4) the textual manifestations of liminality, which include liminal persons, situations, processes and the innovative approach and style of the text with regard to the relation between text and paintings. The dissertation attempts to participate in and add to the ongoing conversation between word, image, structure and theory through utilising not only narrative theory and narrative methods (which include the basic theory for studying spaces in literary texts), but also intertextual and liminal theory, in order to add to accepted notions of textual boundaries. / Thesis (M.A. (Afrikaans and Dutch))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2009.

This dissertation attempts to research the construction of meaning through the analysis and interpretation of the multi-textual novel Memorandum: 'n verhaal met skilderve by Marlene van Niekerk and Adriaan van Zyl. Memorandum is an exceptionally multifaceted text in which various patterns overlap. Any adequate analysis and interpretation of the novel must pay due attention to the comprehensive and variegated processes of meaning generation that are simultaneously active in this very dense text. Given the fact that all themes and motives are kept relevant all the way through, there is a danger that the researcher might get lost and that the argument (s)he produces might become too vague. Therefore this study focuses on only four aspects, which will then also determine the structure of the dissertation: (1) the unusual and complex narrative structure of the text; (2) the wide variety of forms, spheres or dimensions of the representation of spaces; (3) the disseminating intertextual game; and (4) the textual manifestations of liminality, which include liminal persons, situations, processes and the innovative approach and style of the text with regard to the relation between text and paintings. The dissertation attempts to participate in and add to the ongoing conversation between word, image, structure and theory through utilising not only narrative theory and narrative methods (which include the basic theory for studying spaces in literary texts), but also intertextual and liminal theory, in order to add to accepted notions of textual boundaries. / Thesis (M.A. (Afrikaans and Dutch))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2009.

In the rubber hand illusion (RHI), a rubber hand is placed in front of the participant with the participant's hand out of sight. If both hands are touched simultaneously, the illusion typically occurs. Between RHI studies, differences can be seen in the setup, and results of the illusion strength are inconsistent. One of these differences can be the moving RHI, where the real and rubber hand make the same movements to induce the illusion. The differences led to uncertainty regarding the influence of spatial configuration (i.e., an arrangement of the setup within three-dimensional space) on the illusion of body ownership. With this meta-analysis, I quantify the illusion strength in the moving RHI to be able to conclude if spatial configuration influences the results. A total of nine studies were included that had a total of 391 participants. The results show that the synchronous condition has a stronger illusory effect than the asynchronous condition. However, due to heterogeneity, the sample size may not represent the general population. Sub-group analysis showed no major difference in the illusion strength between a vertical and horizontal setup. These observations do not correspond with classical RHI studies in which vertical and horizontal setups were compared. However, in this meta-analysis, only moving RHI studies were included. In the moving RHI, the experimenter does not enter the visual receptive field of the participant, which may explain why no differences between the setups were found. The results of this meta-analysis cannot be seen as definitive; more research is necessary.

Community composition results from an integrated combination of random processes, regional habitat spatial structure, local environmental conditions, and species interactions. For example, the outcome of plant interactions can change depending on local environmental conditions such as nutrient availability, land management, or herbivory intensity. In particular, plant interactions may vary between facilitation and competition depending on ecological context, with facilitation expected to be prevalent under stressful conditions. I present the results of four studies that address different aspects of the community assemblage and dynamics emphasizing the synergistic effect of different processes. In the first, I investigated the importance of habitat isolation in determining species richness of wetlands with contrasting land use. The second describes an experiment to test the hypothesis that plant interactions with an unpalatable plant (Juncus effusus) would range from competition in ungrazed areas to facilitation in grazed areas and predicted that facilitative effects of Juncus would differ among functional groups of beneficiary species and be strongest when grazing was intense. In the third, I examine the community composition impacts of Juncus and predicted that Juncus would preserve functional diversity in grazed wetlands but that the effects of Juncus would vary along a grazing gradient. The fourth study investigated the relative importance of competition and nutrients in determining wetland invasion in two different land use types. Broadly, I demonstrate that the importance of different processes (habitat isolation, nutrient availability, competition/facilitation) to community composition is dependent on ecological conditions. This integrated view of community dynamics is interesting from a purely ecological perspective but also can be applied to understanding ecological problems such as exotic invasions and restoration of disturbed habitats.

Despite the two-fold advantage to asexual reproduction and its prevalence in a variety of organisms, sexual reproduction is prevalent across all taxa. The maintenance of two sexes is required to ensure genetic diversity and to prevent “evolutionary dead ends,” especially in clonal organisms. Many mechanisms have been proposed for the maintenance of two sexes, ranging from environmental variation and stochasticity, parasites and predators, and mutation rates. Spatial configuration, the size and location of populations with respect to other populations, can allow two competitors to coexist when one would normally be lost. This is especially important when the two competitors are the two sexes. In the clonal organism Marchantia inflexa, I determined that spatial configuration of populations can directly influence the maintenance of both sexes in a population and in an aggregate of populations (a metapopulation) using a combination of theoretical models and field studies. Based on field studies, population size has a significant influence on whether a subpopulation will contain both sexes, with populations smaller than 1m2 being more likely to contain only one sex while populations greater than 1m2 are more likely to contain both sexes. Based on mathematical models, the spatial arrangement of subpopulations within a metapopulation can greatly influence whether a metapopulation maintains both sexes as well as whether the metapopulation persists once one sex has been lost. Field data suggest that distance to nearest neighbor, a measurement of spatial arrangement, influences the maintenance of the sexes within subpopulations, but could affect maintenance differently depending on the metapopulation identity. In some metapopulations, both sexes are maintained when the nearest neighbor is close, while in other streams, one sex is lost when the nearest neighbor is close. When mathematical models are used to explicitly simulate natural metapopulations, the mathematical model predicts the observed sex ratios in one metapopulation, predicts the observed bias in another metapopulation, and fails to predicted observed values in two other metapopulations. Understanding spatial configuration helps us understand the maintenance and loss of sex, but other factors, such as environmental differences, may be required to accurately predict which sex will be lost.

As relações socioespaciais interurbanas transformaram-se com o passar do tempo, mas é no século XX com a industrialização e a aceleração da urbanização que esse processo alcança um novo patamar. Especificamente no caso brasileiro, essas transformações se tornam mais significativas a partir dos anos 1950, quando expressivos crescimentos demográficos e expansões territoriais são vistos nos núcleos urbanos do país. Nesse processo, ocorre a aproximação entre cidades vizinhas, que ao estreitarem seus vínculos passam a ter fortes relações de interdependência e complementariedade entre si, formando um minissistema urbano único, com características próprias que ultrapassa a divisão político-administrativa municipal, conhecido como: aglomerações urbanas. Hoje, mais da metade da população brasileira vive em áreas aglomeradas que, por sua vez, vêm se tornando cada vez mais dinâmica e complexa. Frente a esse cenário, esse trabalho busca contribuir no estudo das aglomerações urbanas, analisando como elas afetam configuracionalmente as cidades que a compõem através de diferentes recortes espaciais. O trabalho é desenvolvido a partir de uma abordagem configuracional, entendendo que o espaço urbano é formado por células conectadas ente si, permitindo que o tema seja explorado de forma quantitativa através da modelagem. A pesquisa analisa características de proximidade e atratividade nas cidades de Bento Gonçalves, Garibaldi e Carlos Barbosa (Serra Gaúcha/RS), através do cálculo de indicadores espaciais destes locais. Como método de análise é feita a comparação dos resultados obtidos nos diferentes recortes espaciais (cenários) da área de estudo, que representam as diferentes escalas em que o fenômeno atua, agregando aos dados espaciais, informações socioeconômicas das localidades. Os resultados obtidos sugerem a redistribuição dos valores das medidas calculadas nas diferentes escalas consideradas, indicando a variação da hierarquia das porções de espaços que compõe as cidades aglomeradas nos diferentes cenários estudados. Já a metodologia aplicada se demonstrou como uma eficiente ferramenta de exploração do tema, contribuindo no entendimento e planejamento urbano de cidades aglomeradas. / Interurban socio-spatial relationships have changed over time, but in the twentieth century, with industrialization and the acceleration of urbanization, this process reaches a new level. Specifically in the Brazilian case, these transformations have become more significant since the 1950s, when expressive demographic growth and territorial expansion are seen in the urban centers of the country. In this process, neighboring cities approached each other and, by doing so, by doing so, tighten bonds, develop strong relations of interdependence and complementarity between them, forming a unique urban mini-system with its own characteristics that goes beyond the municipal political-administrative division, known as urban agglomerations. Today, more than half of the Brazilian population lives in agglomerated areas that are becoming increasingly dynamic and complex. In this scenario, this work seeks to contribute to the study of the urban agglomerations' theme, analyzing them through different spatial subsets. The work is developed from a configurational approach, understanding that the urban space is formed by cells connected to each other, allowing the theme to be explored quantitatively through modeling. The research analyzes characteristics of proximity and attractiveness in the cities of Bento Gonçalves, Garibaldi and Carlos Barbosa (Serra Gaúcha / RS), through the calculation of spatial indicators of these sites. As a method of analysis, the results obtained in the different spatial subsets (scenarios) of the study area are compared, representing the different spaces in which the phenomenon acts, adding to the spatial data, socio-economic information of the localities. The conclusion suggests the redistribution of the measures' values calculated in the different scales considered, indicating the variation of the spaces' hierarchy that compose the cities agglomerated in the different scenarios. The applied Methodology proved to be an efficient tool for exploring the theme, contributing to the understanding and urban planning of agglomerated cities.

The use of a system of detention reservoirs distributed across a region has been gaining interest as an innovative way to manage riverine flooding. An open problem is the role played by the spatial configuration of detention projects in regulating the flow. Possible locations for reservoirs within a watershed are numerous, however methods used in literature to place reservoirs on real watersheds and couple them with realistic values of storage are not very detailed. This thesis presents a methodology for modeling dams and related reservoirs at high density, based on the analysis of a Digital Elevation Model (DEM) of the terrain, and extracting their geometric characteristics. Four indicators, based on the morphology of reservoirs and their position in the network, are proposed to classify them and identify which locations are more suitable for a detention project. These are the Horton order, the ratio between volume and extent of the reservoir, the ratio between volume and the expected inflow volume, and the volume itself. The study area of the analysis is the Turkey River watershed, in northeastern Iowa. The algorithm analyzed over 100,000 locations and successfully modeled more than 60%. Most of the failed attempts occurred in a region of the watershed where the terrain is generally flat and reservoirs, when feasible, tend to store water inundating a large area. Regional patterns of ratios are highlighted at the scale of the watershed, but no clear, recurring pattern is identified at the subwatershed level. The considered indicators have the purpose of narrowing down locations to a manageable number of candidates. Further criteria can also be adopted, based on land use and social and economic considerations. Selected reservoirs can be variously combined and entered, together with their geometric characteristics, in hydrological models and optimization processes to determine the best spatial configuration possible.

This thesis notes that there is a lack of systematic research investigating segregation patterns based on how public space is used and frequented by citizens. In order for understanding of urban segregation to reach beyond residential segregation, the extent to which public space facilitates co-presence between social groups is a key issue. The main concern in this thesis is to arrive at a deeper understanding of the critical role urban form plays in terms of co-presence in public space and in extension for social segregation. The argument builds on knowledge from other fields, arguing that co-presence is of utmost importance for societal processes: by sharing space and being co-present with others, which does not necessarily imply focused interaction, we gain information and knowledge from our fellow citizens and participate in processes that negotiate social structures, acceptable behaviours and identities. The sharing of space thus becomes a central part of ‘being in society’. It is furthermore through public space that material urban resources are accessible, an access that is dependent on both the location of the amenities in space but also the distribution of space, as structured and shaped by urban form, which creates the actual experience of access through space. Segregation is primarily defined as a social problem. However, in this thesis, it is made clear that it is also a spatial problem. While also broadening the conceptualisation of segregation, the main focus has been upon the role of the built environment. The socio-spatial link builds on social theories. However, these theories are weak when it comes to explaining where co-presence occurs. Addressing the spatial side of the problem, the thesis primarily builds on the architectural theory of space syntax that exactly aims to study the space-society relationship from the viewpoint of space and provides empirical evidence for the correspondence between urban form – as it is shaped by urban design and architecture – and the creation of co-presence as well as variations in its intensity and its constitution. In addition, key questions such as what people may have access to ‘just around the corner’ in terms of human resources or other urban amenities are elaborated. The distinct variations found between neighbourhoods are argued both to enrich the discussion on social exclusion and unequal living conditions and inform future urban planning and design. The thesis demonstrates that specific configurational properties have great impact on the pattern of co-presence. More specifically, it is found that a segregation of public space, a limited spatial reach and an uneven distribution of spatial centrality appears not to favour an exchange between neighbourhoods or access to urban resources across the city – findings that are highly critical for the urban segregation issue. Detailed configurational analysis of Stockholm reveals the performative aspects of different urban layouts related not only to local circumstances and character but, more importantly, to the further context of such layouts. Increased knowledge of how spatial configuration relates to social practices offers new insight into how different neighbourhoods and urban layouts perform socially and increases understanding of the social implications of spatial configuration. The findings of this study are argued to open up theoretical developments that address the social and political dimension of urban design with greater precision. Not least, this knowledge can influence public debate. The knowledge produced can furthermore be used in urban design practice and anti-segregation initiatives, identifying whether spatial interventions can make a contribution and if so, what physical interventions respond to the social ends in question, where the ultimate aim is an urban design that not only builds cities but societies too. / <p>QC 20131108</p>

The permanent and each time fastest scientific innovations, as well as technological and telecommunications in the industrialized countries, irreversible influence the productive patterns of the underdeveloped countries. This pushes them to insert themselves and to include withinthis new world order that brings the globalization. These changes are dramatic in countries like ours, whose productive structure is still traditional. The transformation of these structurescomes together with the increment of social inequalities and therefore territorial expressed in hierarchies. However, this will depend on the adaptability capacity of each social group to the new economic context.Peru is not foreign to this type of harbor system that generates a series of dynamics in the role of harbor cities, enhancing them as spatial logistics at global level, where the public and private enterprises’ intervention, as well as the role of the State as local and regional subsidiary agent. These dynamics that result from the network system, the spatial configuration patterns and production of these traditional spaces, and the changes that may occur when insert themselves to a more sophisticated stage than the actual one, is focus of economic development understood as the bettering of the peoples quality of life, are the elements for this research. / Las permanentes y cada vez más rápidas innovaciones científicas, tecnológicas y de telecomunicaciones, en los países industrializados, influyen irreversiblemente en el cambio de los patrones productivos en países subdesarrollados, de tal modo que obliga a estos, a poder insertarse e incluirse dentro de este nuevo orden mundial que trae consigo la globalización. Estos cambios son dramáticos en países como el nuestro cuya estructura productiva es aún tradicional. La transformación de estas estructuras viene acompañada del incremento de las desigualdades sociales y consiguientemente territoriales que se expresan en jerarquías territoriales. No obstante, esto dependerá de la capacidad de adaptabilidad que tenga cada grupo social al nuevo contexto económico. El Perú no es ajeno a este tipo de sistema portuario, generando consigo una serie de dinámicas en el rol de las ciudades donde se encuentran estos puertos, consolidándolo como espacios logísticos a nivel global, donde la intervención de las empresas públicas y privadas, así como el rol del Estado como agente subsidiario local y regional, donde se determinaran las condiciones de consolidación y desarrollo de los Puertos en el país. El puerto de Matarani juega un rol importante y determinante en el departamento de Arequipa y en la Macrorregión Surdel Perú, donde se convierte como el principal centro logístico, desplazando a otros puertos importantes no solo dentro del país sino de países vecinos. Estas dinámicas producto del sistema de redes, en los patrones de configuración espacial y producción de estos espacios tradicionales, y los cambios que se pueden producir al insertarse a una etapa mucho más sofisticada que en la actualidad es fuente del desarrollo económico establecido como la mejora en la calidad de vida de la población, son los elementos para esta presente investigación.