A dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Science University of the Witwatersrand, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of master of science (MSc) School of physics, University of Witwatersrand, 2017. / Intensive study on structural, electronic and optical properties of bulk transition metal dichalcogenides and dipnictogenides (MX2; where M = V, Nb and X = S, Se, Te, P) was undertaken. A relative stability test was done to determine the most stable ground state configuration via calculation of total ground state energy and volume which was fitted to the third order Birch-Murnaghan equation of state to extract lattice parameters. Cohesive energies of the above mentioned MX2 compounds and their elemental solids were then computed from which formation energies were acquired based on their respective equations of reaction between reactants and product. Its significance was to aid in determining if a material is energetically stable. Elastic constants were predicted from which mechanical properties i.e bulk, Young’s and shear moduli and consequently Poisson’s ratio were resolved by feeding the stiffness matrix onto online elastic tensor analysis tool which facilitated verification of their mechanical stability based on the well-known Born stability conditions which varies from one crystal system to another, at a later stage phonon dispersion curves were plotted after performing phonon calculation based on phonopy code to verify if the materials of concern are dynamically stable. After a material had fulfilled all the above stability tests, its structural study was initiated using various functionals. Functional that described best the structural properties of each individual compound considered was then applied in exploring its electronic and optical properties whose motivation was to find out the most stable phase as well as gauge if these materials could be used in various fields that suits their mechanical and optical properties. Furthermore, from carefully calculated optical spectra, plasma frequencies were analyzed which indicated the possibility of applying a material in plasmonic related fields. In addition to above, other factors to be considered when selecting a given electrode material that are crucial for optoelectronics are good chemical and thermal stabilities, high transparency and excellent conductivity. / XL2018

The transition from one energy system to another has been analysed by many researchers especially in the context of developed countries. Community renewable energy transition in rural areas is largely under-researched, particularly in developing countries. This study developed a model based on indicators from transition theory and concepts to assess the transformative potential of the processes and governance approaches to community renewable energy in accelerating energy and sustainability transition in off-grid communities in Nigeria. The exploratory research adopted a case study approach and analysed renewable energy planning and decision-making processes as well as evaluated the development of a pilot community renewable energy project in Shape rural community in Nigeria. In addition to documentary evidence, the study gathered data primarily by interviewing 24 relevant actors in the Nigerian electricity industry as well as actors involved in the pilot community renewable energy project. The study reveals that the processes and governance approaches adopted are in line with transition theory and have the potential of contributing to the transformation of the rural electricity provision in Nigeria. However, there is still a long way to go for Nigeria to effectively implement an integrated governance approach capable of accelerating the transition processes. The study found that community renewable energy is motivated by several determinants including: the lack of energy accessibility; removing carbon emissions; meeting environmental obligations; achieving energy security; and, addressing cracks in the current system of rural electrification. The study further found a lack of local initiatives at the grassroots level that can add pressure to make the transition happen. The study found the establishment of an arena for the identification of the challenges facing rural communities and development of strategies. However, some prominent actors are not involved in both strategic decision-making and the implementation process. Of concern, the study revealed a lack of clearly defined responsibilities with most of the government agencies carrying out renewable energy activities independently. Similarly, the study found several barriers which are classified as: actor; interaction; institutional; infrastructural; and, socio-political that are challenging the successful transition to community renewable energy. This work contributes to current attempts to operationalise transition theory and concepts to assess on-going transition processes and governance. This is a significant contribution to the literature because it helps in linking theoretical development with sustainability in practice in a developing country context. The study may assist policy makers, communities and other relevant stakeholders in designing an integrated governance framework for renewable energy transition in rural areas.

The purpose of this study was to compare scores students received on the eighth grade EXPLORE test in math and English to scores received in English 9 and Algebra I on both the End-of-Course (EOC) test and the final average in those courses. These scores were taken from a rural East Tennessee High School and the middle schools that feed into the high school. Data were collected over a 2-year period (2012 – 2014). Students who had a score in eighth grade and a corresponding score in ninth grade were included. All others were omitted. A series of Pearson correlations were conducted between EXPLORE scores in Math and English with final averages in English 9 and Algebra I and EOC scores in English 9 and Algebra I. An independent samples t test was conducted to determine whether the mean scores on the EXPLORE English and math test, mean scores for English 9 and Algebra I final averages and mean scores for EOC exams in English 9 and Algebra 1 differ between female and male students. Based on the findings of this study, the score received on the eighth grade EXPLORE in English has a strong positive correlation to the score received on the English 9 EOC and the final average in English 9. The same was true for the score on the EXPLORE in math, it also had a strong positive correlation to the score received on the Algebra I EOC and the final average in Algebra I. Additionally gender has an impact upon English 9 final averages, English 9 EOC scores, Algebra I final averages and EXPLORE scores in English, with female students scoring higher than male students in those categories. Conversely gender did not have an effect on Algebra I EOC scores or EXPLORE scores in math.

I present a detailed study of many-body effects associated with the interband 1s transition and intraband 1s-2p transition in two- and three-dimensional photo-excited semiconductors. I employ a previously developed excitonic model to treat effects of exchange and phase space filling. I extend the scope of the model to include static free-carrier screening. I also develop a factorization scheme to obtain a consistent set of excitonic dynamical equations. The exciton transition energies are renormalized by many-body interactions, and the excitonic dynamical equations provide simple expressions for the individual contributions of screening, phase space filling and exchange. The effects of exchange and phase space filling are quantified by a set of excitonic coefficients. I first calculate these coefficients analytically by omitting screening effects. In contrast, the screened coefficients involve multi-dimensional integrals which must be evaluated numerically. I present a detailed discussion of the numerical methods used to evaluate these integrals, which include a novel algorithm for segmenting multi-dimensional integration regions. The excitonic model correctly predicts the blue shift and bleaching of the 1s exciton resonance due to exchange and phase space filling. Free-carrier screening is found to enhance these effects by lowering the exciton binding energy. In contrast, the effects of free-carrier screening on the 1s-2p transition energy are more subtle. In the absence of free-carrier screening, exchange and phase space filling lead to a blue shift of the transition energy. However, screening decreases the 1s binding energy faster than the 2p binding energy, which in turn decreases the transition energy. Thus, screening effects oppose exchange and phase space filling, and the overall magnitude and sign of the 1s-2p transition energy shift depends on the free-carrier density. Specifically, for low-moderate excitation densities exchange and phase space filling can be dominated by screening, leading to a net red shift of the transition energy. The results for two- and three-dimensional systems are qualitatively similar, although the magnitudes of the shifts are much smaller in three dimensions. / Thesis (Master, Physics, Engineering Physics and Astronomy) -- Queen's University, 2011-05-31 15:58:27.222

Transition plans and services can have positive benefits on post-school outcomes for students with intellectual disabilities (ID). School psychologists have much to contribute to the transition process, but previous studies have indicated they often have limited involvement in this domain. A national survey was conducted to assess school psychologists’ knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors in regards to transition services for students with ID. Respondents included 176 practicing school psychologists from 21 states. Based on Ajzen’s (1985) Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), the survey used in the study focused on school psychologists’ transition-related knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors. To understand the role of school psychologists in transition services for students with ID, data collection and analyses addressed (a) the underlying factor structure of the transition survey; (b) the relationship between school psychologists’ frequency of involvement in transition services and their self-reported transition knowledge, attitudes towards transition activities, and background experiences; and (c) the relationship between school psychologists' perceived importance of transition tasks and their transition knowledge and background experiences. An exploratory factor analysis was conducted to verify the survey’s factor structure, and three factors supporting the TPB framework were identified: Knowledge, Attitude, and Behaviors. Scores for the instrument and subscales demonstrated acceptable reliability. A backward multiple regression was conducted with transition involvement as the criterion variable and respondents’ self-reported transition knowledge and attitudes, and background experiences as predictor variables. Attitude, knowledge, and previous experience with the ID population were found to be significant predictors of performance of transition tasks, accounting for 63.9% of the variance combined. A backward multiple regression also was conducted with attitudes toward transition as the criterion variable and respondents’ self-reported transition knowledge and background experiences as predictor variables. Knowledge was found to be the only significant predictor of respondents’ attitudes, accounting for 26.9% of the variance. Implications for practice and policy include increasing school psychologists’ specific knowledge of transition services and transition needs of students with ID, evaluating graduate programs and school districts’ openness towards school psychologists performing transition tasks, and advocating for special education reform to modify the roles and responsibilities of school psychologists.

Nous avons essayé dans le cadre de cette thèse de comprendre le processus de notation des entreprises de différentes zones géographiques et secteurs d'activité. Pour ce faire, nous avons décidé de ventiler notre étude en trois phases principales, en l'occurrence une première phase réservée à l'étude du processus de notation en tenant compte de la durée des épisodes, une seconde phase consacrée à l'étude de l'effet de la crise sur ce processus et une troisième phase consacrée à l'étude de la contagion. / These four years were devoted to argument on the one hand in search of information (financial data ...), development of tools (specific econometric methods) and the drafting of a research paper. Specifically, for 2009-2010, we performed the following steps: - Collection of documents and information from credit rating agencies and companies, particularly to collect various opinions on the recent financial crisis - paper submitted to several conferences: 'ACD Model for Credit Ratings Migration' - Preparation of another research article on the migration of credit ratings before and after the financial crisis.

No description available.

PhD (Health Sciences) / Department of Advanced Nursing Science / Introduction: For newly graduated midwives to function effectively with regard to provision of quality midwifery services, successful transition from student status to professional status should be enhanced. It is therefore important that transition support programmes be put in place in order to provide a baseline for guidance and support of newly graduated midwives. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to develop a transition support programme to enhance effective support of newly graduated midwives during their transition period in Limpopo Province, South Africa. Setting: The study was conducted in maternity units of selected regional hospitals and a tertiary hospital in all the districts of Limpopo Province, South Africa. Methods: Phase 1: A qualitative, exploratory and descriptive design was used for the study. The population comprised of all newly graduated midwives who have undergone a comprehensive nursing programme (R425 of 19 February 1985, as amended) and qualified as nurses (General, Psychiatric and Community) and Midwifery from the universities and nursing colleges; as well as all professional nurses working at selected hospitals. A non-probability, purposive sampling method was used to select five newly graduated midwives who have been working for a period less or equals to one year following their successful completion of training, and were working in maternity units of the selected hospitals. Five professional nurses qualified as midwives and have been working in maternity units of the selected hospitals for at least five years, were also sampled through a non-probability, purposive sampling method. Data were collected through in-depth individual face-to-face interviews; a ABSTRACT vii voice recorder was used to capture information shared by participants, and field notes were also taken. An open-coding method was used to analyze data. Ethical principles and measures to ensure trustworthiness were considered. Major themes, themes and sub-themes were identified from the analyzed data. The following major themes emerged from data analysis: Experiences of being a newly graduated midwife in labour ward, Support provided by experienced midwives, Relationship between experienced and newly graduated midwives in labour ward, Expectations of experienced midwives from newly graduated midwives as well as Newly graduated midwives’ views related to placement in the labour ward. Empirical findings revealed that newly graduated midwives viewed labour ward as a traumatic environment as it is very busy with serious shortage of staff. Graduates also expressed a professional nurse’s role as stressful as it demands high level of responsibility and accountability which they did not have, resulting in frustration and anger. Newly graduated midwives felt that the support they received from the experienced midwives was ineffective, as they were neither mentored nor properly supervised and the environment was not conducive for learning. The relationship between graduates and experienced midwives was poor and some experienced midwives displayed negative attitudes towards the graduates. Results showed that graduates failed to meet experienced midwives’ expectations as they were unable to function independently, resulting in failure to reduce the workload. Newly graduated midwives recommended that their placement in maternity ward be extended from a period of six months to a year in order for them to build confidence in midwifery practice. Phase 2: Results of phase 1 of the study revealed transition support gaps which led the researcher to analyze ‘effective transition support’ as a core concept. Concept analysis was done in accordance with Walker and Avant’s method; in order to clarify its meaning. The findings of both phase 1 and concept analysis guided the ABSTRACT viii development of a transition support programme aimed to enhance effective support of newly graduated midwives during their transition period. Development of a transition support programme was based on Duchscher’s transition theory as well as ADDIE’s model for training and instructional design, the steps of which were: analysis, design, development, implementation and evaluation. A developed transition support programme was validated using a quantitative approach, whereby exploratory and descriptive designs were employed. The main aim was to validate for effectiveness and applicability of a developed transition support programme. Validation was conducted in a similar setting as in phase 1, with the same population. Puposive sampling method was used to select participants who met inclusion criteria. A sample consisted of twelve (12) newly graduated midwives, thirty eight (38) experienced midwives of which thirteen (13) were operational managers. A self developed questionnaire was used for data collection. The validation process was based on a framework for programme evaluation in public health by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. According to the validation results, the developed transition support programme met the standard as it can be easily implemented, it is practical, utilizable, appropriate and will benefit patients, family members, health care facilities and the community at large. Recommendations: The developed transition support programme addressed the major challenges identified in the findings of the main study. Only aspects of the results which were not addressed by the developed transition support programme were covered in the recommendations. Recommendations were directed to the nursing education, nursing practice as well as future research. / NRF

The process of transition to college is complex and has received attention from many scholars (e. g. Baker & Siryk, 1999; Beal & Noel, 1980; Choy, Horn, Nunez, & Chen, 2000; Gaither, 1999; Paul & Brier, 2001; Tinto, 1993). Transition impacts persistence in college, hence retention rates (Tinto, 1993). As a result, postsecondary institutions have developed models of transition. In one such model, first year students experience transition in four domains; academic, social, personal-emotional, and attachment (Baker & Siryk, 1999). Past studies have explored transition from the perspective of majority versus minority student experiences (Allen, 1992; Hurtado, Carter, Spuler, 1996; Rodriquez, Guido-DiBrito, Torres, & Talbot, 2000) as well as male versus female experiences (American Association of University Women, 1992; Fassinger, 1995; Gablenick, MacGregor, Matthews, & Smith, 1990). The current body of literature fails to adequately represent transition issues for non-majority students, however. For example, additional research is needed to compare experiences among minority groups (e.g., African American v. Hispanic v. Native American). In addition, studies that explore the relationship between retention and transition for minorities and women are needed. The current study was designed to examine transition experiences of minorities and women attending predominantly White institutions. In addition, the study addressed the link between transition and retention to second semester and the second year of college. The Student Adaptation to College Questionnaire (SACQ) (Baker & Siryk, 1999) measures the transition experiences of students in college. In the current study, the author administered the SACQ to minority students in their first year at a predominantly White institution. The participants' responses were analyzed to determine if differences existed in transition experience by race or sex. Follow-up information was collected to explore whether students who had higher transition levels were more likely to return to college for the second semester and the second year. Results revealed that minority students made successful transitions during the first year as well as developed a strong attachment to the institution and higher education. However, there were no significant differences in the transition experiences of the participants by race or sex. When examining the relationship between transition and retention, findings show that students who left had high or medium transition levels. / Ph. D.

Background: A growing population of youth with medical complexity (YMC) are surviving into adulthood and being forced to transition from pediatric to adult health care. YMC and their families face significant challenges during this transition, putting them at risk for service fragmentation, inadequate care, and negative health outcomes. Existing interventions to support transition continue to have limited benefits for this group, demonstrating a clear need for tailored supports, informed by the perspectives of YMC and their families. Currently, these families’ transition experiences are poorly understood in the Canadian context. Thus, the aim of this dissertation was to holistically examine the experiences of families of YMC with the transition to adult care in Ontario. Methods: This sandwich thesis consists of: 1) a meta-ethnography synthesizing qualitative literature about the experiences of YMC and their families during the transition to adulthood; and 2) a patient-oriented qualitative case study exploring: i) how families of YMC adapt to the transition to adult care; ii) the influence of contextual factors; and iii) family recommendations for support. Findings: Transition impacts nearly all aspects of the youth’s and family’s lives. Families encounter numerous challenges in their pursuit of a good future and they “survive” by advocating, making sacrifices, and persisting despite inequities. Furthermore, families’ experiences are shaped by the complex interplay of personal and environmental factors. Conclusion: Implications for nursing practice, health care provider education, and health policy focus on: supporting nurses to provide instrumental and psychological support to families; building capacity in primary care (e.g., through nurse-led models of care); training health professionals on complex care management; and advocating for system-wide strategies to improve health care transition. Future research should prioritize the co-design and evaluation of interventions to address families’ information and emotional needs and training initiatives to facilitate the implementation of recommendations into practice. / Thesis / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) / Youth with medical complexity have serious illness and intensive care needs. Recent advances in technology have led to more of these youth living into adulthood and moving to adult health care. The transition to adult care puts their health at risk and is highly stressful for their families. Currently, little is known about how these families cope with this transition and what help they need. This thesis aims to address these gaps by reviewing existing research and interviewing youth and families about their experiences. Findings show that the transition to adult care greatly affects many parts of the youth’s and family’s lives. Families cope with these changes by advocating, making sacrifices, and persisting in the face of inequities. Study findings can help guide nurses, other health care providers, and policy makers to better support these youth and families in their transition to adult care.