Thesis (M.Sc. (Pasture Science)) --University of Limpopo, 2014 / Due to shortage of adequate pasture in large parts of South Africa, winter survival poses a problem to farmers. A shortage in winter grazing is the major problem on most farms in South Africa. Animals loose weight in winter which leads to low reproduction, production of milk, mutton and meat. The winter feed shortages counteract also the possible good performance of animals during summer. Winter supplementation contributes largely to high input costs in livestock production, which can make this enterprise uneconomically. This study was done at two different localities: Hygrotech’s experimental farm at Dewageningsdrift, Gauteng and Nooitgedacht Agricultural Development center, Mpumalunga. Five winter fodder crop cultivars (Witteberg oats, Overberg oats, LS 35 stooling rye, LS 62 stooling rye and Cloc 1 Triticale) were planted on six planting dates (05 April, 04 May, 06 June, 20 July, 20 August and 26 September). Five cutting treatments were applied on Dewageningsdrift:  First cut 8 weeks after planting and after that re-growth every six weeks (Ct 8),  First cut 10 weeks after planting and after that re-growth every six weeks (Ct 10),  First cut 12 weeks after planting and after that re-growth cut every six weeks (Ct 12),  First cut 14 weeks after planting and after that re-growth cut every six weeks (Ct 14),  First cut when more than 50% of plants were in the reproduction stage (RS). The same cultivars that were used at Dewageningsdrift were used on Nooitgedacht ADC. Only one planting date was applied here that was 02 February 2007. The cutting treatments differed also from that on Dewageningsdrift. Material was cut for the first time when it reached a grazing stage (± 50-60 cm high) and after that re-growth was measured four weeks. The main conclusions from the study were that, Witteberg oats has retained its nutritional value longer than other cultivars. LS 35 stooling rye was an early or short duration growing cultivar, if planted in February to April it will provide grazing early/Mid-winter. However it can also be planted in July to grow in spring. LS 62 stooling rye is a medium to long duration growing cultivar which optimum production period will be in late winter and spring. Witteberg oats is a medium/late producer and a long duration growing cultivar, thus if planted early (April) it can provide grazing until late winter. Overberg oats is an early/med long duration growing type, if planted in April it will produce mid-winter, planted in May to July it will produce late winter and planted in August it will provide spring grazing. Cloc 1 triticale is a long duration growing type. It will produce late winter when planted in April to July and in spring when planted in August/September.

The purpose of this study was to build upon recent research dealing with the ways children of primary school age operate when composing original music. Through examining the musical and structural content of the musical products, and linking these features to working procedures in the composition process, the aim was to explore the interaction between process and product, and to identify any effects attributable to gender, age, or computer use. Control of the circumstances in which the compositions were generated made possible the examination of the activity of the subjects during the working period, providing data which was linked to features of the compositional products for possible "cause and effect". Compositions were collected from 60 primary school children aged 7, 9 and 11 years. Half of the students in each age-group used the computer to help them work out their music. There was equal gender representation in each subgroup. The working session of ten minutes for each child was recorded, and later analysed, to discover the pattern of activities taking place during the composition process. A second procedure was then undertaken which involved analysis of the final versions of the compositions of each subject. The pieces were evaluated by a panel of six judges who identified levels of achievement on a range of musical and structural items. The process and product data were analysed to ascertain the influence of gender, age and computer use. Any significant interactions between process variables and product variables were also noted. The research design proved to be useful and functional in providing empirical data that allowed detailed statistical analysis. The major significant results related to the process were: 1. Age was a significant factor in subjects' use of the compositional activities (i.e. exploration, development and repetition [implying closure] of musical ideas). 2. Computer-users developed their musical ideas more quickly during the compositional process than non-computer users. 3. There were significant 2-way interactions between age and computer use. The judges' evaluations of the product generated data that supported previous research that found a developmental sequence of stages in musical composition. Age was shown to be a significant influence in all factors derived from the developmental model. The significant period was between seven and nine years in all cases. Although significant differences attributable to gender were not revealed overall, females were predominant in the high scoring groups on some product variables. The influence of the computer emerged most clearly in profiles of subjects who received high/low scores from all judges in each of the main product variables. In the high scoring groups, computer users outnumbered non-computer users in every case. Little is known of the effects of the use of the computer by young children for composition. Further research is indicated in order to understand the impact of the computer on the creative and cognitive processes in music. There is a need for greater understanding of its role in this area of music education.

Strategic Information Systems Planning (SISP) is an important activity for helping Chief Information Executives (CIOs) and top management identify strategic applications and align Information Technology (IT) with business needs. Like all strategic planning, SISP requires measuring how well SISP is done and how planning is improving over time. The measurement of these intangibles is a complex exercise. There have been few efforts undertaken in the Information Systems (IS) literature to formally develop a model for assessing and measuring SISP efforts. In this study, two models were proposed: a five-stage SISP maturity model for defining SISP maturity and another one for assessing the degree of SISP maturity. The five SISP maturity levels were defined as: Rudimentary Planning, Ineffectual Planning, Attainable Planning, Sustainable Planning, and Adaptable Planning. The assessment model was structured as a third-order system, where eight first-order dimensions were termed as Form and Content, Collaboration, Policies, Stakeholders' Designation, Knowledge Bank, Technology, Time Dimension, and Viability. The first-order dimensions were grouped into three second-order constructs, namely Effectiveness, Efficiency and Manoeuvrability, which ultimately characterise the level of SISP success. This model was used to establish a theoretical benchmark for each SISP maturity level. To model the level of SISP maturity, an 'Integral Engineering' approach was established and the Analytic Network Process (ANP) theory was used. The study is a novel approach in using ANP to synthesize the measures of the various SISP constructs into a single overall measure of SISP maturity level. A survey was performed and data collected from 260 Australian organisations to examine the degree of SISP maturity and the relationships among SISP constructs. Structural equation modelling (SEM) was used to test the fit between the hypothesized model and the survey data The models were applied to the data collected and the findings suggested that the models fit the data well. While Effectiveness and Efficiency are well recognised planning constructs, Manoeuvrability as a measure of planning dynamics is not acknowledged in the literature as an equally important construct. This study confirmed a strong correlation between Manoeuvrability and SISP success and found it to be more important than the Efficiency construct. The empirical data did not confirm the existence of Rudimentary and Ineffectual planning levels of SISP maturity Australia-wide. SISP maturity in the majority of Australian organisations is at Sustainable and Attainable planning levels. A small percentage of the surveyed organisations have actually reached the highest planning level (Adaptable planning). The empirical data showed that current SISP is lacking strategic dimension and that the recently popularised one-year planning horizon may not be the best choice. Australian organisations did not consider the strategic relevance of IT as the key objective. IT/IS was seen as a business enabler, thus the strategic advan tage associated with IT came as a secondary objective.

Background: Patients with sleep apnea have frequent apneas and hypopneas during sleep. Apneas can be either central or obstructive. The apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) is the mean number of apneas and hypopneas per hour of sleep. Aims: 1) To evaluate the effect of a mandibular advancement device on obstructive apneas and sleep; 2) to evaluate the influence of body position on central apnea frequency; 3) to investigate whether obstructive or central apnea is related to mortality in patients with stroke; and 4) to investigate sleep and sleeping positions in women. Methods: Subjects were investigated during whole-night sleep respiratory recordings, either polysomnography including continuous recordings of EEG, EOG, EMG, airflow, respiratory effort, ECG, pulse oximetry and body position, or simplified sleep apnea recordings without EEG, EOG and EMG. Results: The frequency of obstructive apneas, hypopneas and arousals decreased and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep increased in patients with mild, moderate and severe sleep apnea during treatment with a mandibular advancement device. Central apneas were more prevalent in the supine position compared with the non-supine position in patients with Cheyne-Stokes respiration. The mean ± SD central AHI was 41 ± 13 in the supine position and 26 ± 12 in the non-supine position, p<0.001. Stroke patients with obstructive sleep apnea ran an increased risk of death during 10 ± 0.6 years of follow-up with an adjusted hazard ratio of 1.76 (95% CI 1.05-2.95) compared with controls, independent of hypertension, age, body mass index, gender, smoking, diabetes mellitus, atrial fibrillation, Mini-Mental State Examination and Barthel-ADL. Central apnea was not related to early death. Total sleep time, sleep efficiency, rapid eye movement sleep, slow wave and time in the supine position decreased with age in women. Sleep quality in women was reduced with age, body mass index, obstructive sleep apnea, smoking, alcohol and hypertension. Conclusions: Obstructive sleep apneas and arousals are reduced and REM sleep is increased using a mandibular advancement device in patients with mild, moderate and severe sleep apnea. The frequency of central apneas and hypopneas is increased in the supine position in patients with Cheyne-Stokes respiration. Stroke patients with obstructive sleep apnea run an increased risk of early death. Central sleep apnea was not related to early death among the present patients. Normal values for sleep stages and sleeping positions are presented in a population-based sample of women. Age, body mass index, obstructive sleep apnea, smoking, alcohol and hypertension reduce sleep quality in women.

Esta tesis doctoral denominada “Motivaciones y etapas de preparación para el cambio de comportamiento ante la actividad físico-deportiva en Monterrey (N. L., México)”, pretende aportar resultados que ayuden a diseñar estrategias y desarrollar programas eficaces que fomenten la reanudación, adherencia, persistencia y mantenimiento de la práctica de las actividades físicas y deportivas durante el tiempo libre. El objetivo principal fue analizar a través de la teoría de la autodeterminación, la motivación de los diferentes comportamientos para la actividad física, su relación con el nivel y las etapas de cambio de la práctica física durante el tiempo libre y conocer las diferencias por sexo, edad y nivel de estudios en una muestra de 1,118 sujetos mayores de 15 años de la población del municipio de Monterrey, Nuevo León, México. Además, se presentan las propiedades psicométricas, la fiabilidad y los análisis factoriales exploratorios y confirmatorios de las diferentes escalas utilizadas. / This doctoral thesis named “Motivations and preparation stages for the change of behavior toward the physical-sport activity in Monterrey (N.L. Mexico),” seeks to provide results helping to design effective strategies and to develop programs to promote the reanimation, adherence, persistence and maintenance of the physical and sport practices in the leisure time. The principal aim was to analyze through the self-determination theory, the motivation of the different behaviors for the physical activity, its relation with the level and the stages of change of the physical practice during leisure time and to know the differences between gender, age and educational level in a sample of 1,118 subjects older than 15 years from the population of Monterrey city, Nuevo Leon, Mexico. Also, are presented the psychometric properties, the reliability, and the exploratory and confirmatory factorials analysis from the different scales used.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death among women in the US, and African American women (AAW) have a disproportionately high rate of deaths from CVD. Physical inactivity plays a major role in CVD development. It has been reported that some rural women have low rates of physical activity; 39% of White women and 57% of women of color are reported to be physically inactive. Rural AAW have a high mortality and morbidity rate related to CVD and a high rate of physical inactivity. The purpose of this study was to describe rural AAW’s perception of wellness in conjunction with their stage of change for engaging in exercise. A questionnaire was designed to obtain demographic information and reliable and valid questionnaires were used to measure perceived wellness and current stage of change for exercise. Using a descriptive, cross-sectional design, a convenience sample of 162 rural AAW was recruited from four rural churches in Selma, Alabama. A one-time meeting was conducted and questionnaires were completed by the participants. Statistical analyses including independent samples t-tests and one-way and two-way ANOVA’s were conducted to determine if there were associations among demographic characteristics, self-reported presence of CVD, perceived wellness, and stage of change for exercise. Findings indicated that there was no relationship between perceived wellness and stages of change for exercise among rural AAW; no relationship was found between perceived wellness and CVD, or CVD and stage of change for exercise. However, 51.3% of the sample reported they were physically active, and 21.6% planned to increase their activity within 30 days. Annual household income and employment status were positively correlated with perceived wellness, suggesting a greater sense of wellness is related to income and employment among these rural AAW. These findings have implications for nursing practice in the areas of facilitating health promoting behaviors and development of exercise and wellness programs for rural AAW.

This study aims to find out how the way out of homelessness can look and be experienced and in what way persons with experience of being homeless might think about our society´s different solutions to this problem. The study is based on five half-structured qualitative interviews with persons who have experience of being homeless. The theoretical perspectives used to analyze the empirism are “Stages of Change” and “The Process of Role Exit”, both dealing with changing processes. Our results show that the way out of homelessness can be long and very hard to achieve, and the change in housing situation can be either a process towards a more and more stable housing or through an opportunity that suddenly appears. Another result shows that people with the experience of being homeless can be negative to the solutions offered by our society but be positive to the idea of Housing First. One conclusion is that a housing of your own can mean more for the individual than just somewhere to sleep. To have a housing of your own can lead to personal development such as trying to get rid of one´s addiction or get better relations with one´s family.

The aim of this study is to understand the present situation of language domain teachers¡¦ stages of concern and layers of adoption about integrating information technology into instruction after carrying out 1st ¡V 9st grades curriculum Alignment in junior high school in Kaohsiung City. In the meanwhile investigating the relationship between stages of concern and layers of adoption, different backgrounds of teachers, school factors, willing of teacher about integrating information technology into instruction. Exploring the perspectives of teacher, obstructive factors and what kind of the motive factors that can improve teachers¡¦ stages of concern and layers of adoption about integrating information technology into instruction technology into instruction. ¡§Integrating information technology into instruction stages of concern scale¡¨, and¡¨ integrating information technology into instruction layers of adoption scale¡¨ are adopted as the instruments of analysis in this study. The major findings of this study are followed: 1.The personal stages of concern is the most strongest stages of concern when teacher face to the integrating information technology into instruction. Consequence stages of concern is the second strongest stages of concern. Preparation and orientation layers of adoption is the most proportion layers of teacher¡¦s layers of adoption. 2.There are significant differences language domain teachers¡¦ stages of concern about integrating information technology into instruction in junior high school with the term of the age of teacher, the seniority of teacher, school have had the experience of integrating information technology into instruction seminar, whether computer in classroom or not, at what time computer become the necessary tool, the willing of using the new teaching method, the willing of co-operated policy or the regulation of carry out the integrating information technology into instruction activities of an administrative of school, the academic degrees, time of using computer, 3.There are significant differences and relationship between teacher¡¦s stages of concern and layers of adoption about integrating information technology into instruction in junior high school in Kaohsiung City. 4.The encouraging factors of stages of concern and layers of adoption about integrating information technology into instruction were not influenced by background of language domain teacher in junior high school in Kaohsiung City. And the contents of perspectives of teacher are similar to encouraging factors, obstructive factors, and the starting point motive of teacher about integrating information technology into instruction. The most main mixed factors including: (1)sufficient hardware and software facilities resource, and convenient of using (2)the willing, motive, improving interest of study of student (3)policy and administration (4)the challenge of job itself(5) the growth of individual and disciplines (6)cooperation of colleague, assistance, and share motive factors (7)teacher short of time to prepare etc¡K.Those factors mention above are all included in the content of perspectives of teacher. Therefore the content of perspectives of measured teacher can be the evidence reference of encouraging factors, obstructive factors, and the starting point motive of teacher about integrating information technology into instruction, including quantitative analysis.

The aim of this study is to understand the present situation of science domain teachers¡¦ attitude about integrating information technology, instruction beliefs, stages of concern, and levels of technology implementation about integrating information technology. This study was based on Hall¡¦s concern based adoption model(CABM) and Moersch¡¦s levels of technology implementation(LoTI). The questionnaire entitled ¡§Survey of the integrating information technology into instruction in elementary school science domain teachers in Kaohsiung City¡¨. Taking examples 267 science domain teachers of the elementary school of Kaohsiung City. The major findings of this study are following: 1. The science domain teachers¡¦ situation of school, attitude about integrating information technology and instruction beliefs trend to advocate. 2. The informational is the strongest stage of concern when teacher face to the integrating information technology into instruction. Personal and consequence are the second strongest stages of concern. Refocusing stage of concern is the third and the last is awareness stage. 3. The integration-routine level of technology implementation is the strongest level of technology implementation. Refinement level of technology implementation is the second strongest level of technology implementation and infusion level of technology implementation is the third. The last is Non-use level of technology implementation. 4. The various situation of school, attitude about integrating information technology and instruction beliefs factors cause the influencing factors of the stages of concern and levels of technology implementation. 5. The stages of concern and attitude about integrating information technology have greatest direct effect on levels of technology implementation. 6. The situation of school and attitude about integrating information technology are positive correlated with the stages of concern and levels of technology implementation. According to the conclusions of the study, some recommendations were presented to the educational administration agencies, elementary schools, teachers and suggestions to further researches.

The purposes of this study were to examine (a) health promoting behaviors, (b) physical activity levels, (c) exercise stages of change levels, and (d) exercise preferences of students who had just entered the university by gender and residence. Participants were 438 students from Middle East Technical University (METU) English Preparatory school. Adolescent Health Promotion Scale (AHPS), International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), Physical Activity Stages of Change Questionnaire (PASCQ), and Physical Activity Preferences Check-list were used for the data collection. Descriptive statistics, nonparametric statistical methods (Mann Whitney U test, Pearson chi-square test), and a one-way MANOVA were used for the data analysis. According to AHPS results, female students&amp / #8217 / health promoting behaviors were better than those of male students except exercise behavior. Students living at home had higher scores on nutrition behavior and students living in dormitory had higher scores on stress management behavior (p &lt / .05). According to the IPAQ results, male students were more physically active than female counterparts. Students who were living in dormitory had higher physical activity levels than students living at home (p &lt / .05). PASCQ findings indicated no significant differences on the exercise stages of change levels by gender and residence (p &gt / .05). In general, students were at pre-contemplation 9.2%, contemplation 39.3%, preparation 27.8%, action 14.5%, and maintenance 9.2% stages. Swimming, walking, and table tennis were the three most frequently preferred physical activities. In conclusion, female students had better health promoting behaviors than those of male students except exercise behavior. Female students and students living at home were more at risk of inactivity. Approximately 80% of the METU English Preparatory school students&amp / #8217 / physical activity levels were not satisfactory for a healthy life. University physical activity facilities, extracurricular programs and the courses should be reconsidered to support the health promoting behaviors of these students.