Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Three Province'

This thesis used novel methodologies in dendrochemistry to observe past nutrient and Al change in relation to incremental stem xylem growth to predict current and future forest health. The methods included (1) sequential digestion of wood tissue to remove the elemental fraction that is mobile across tree rings leaving the structurally intrinsic, residual (or less mobile) ion fraction for analysis and (2) transformation of elemental concentrations into multivariate ratios (compositional nutrient diagnosis (CND)) over a time series. Sampling of trees represented a gradient in acidity resilience using three regions of southern Quebec (St. Lawrence Lowlands; Lower Laurentians; and Appalachian Highlands) and three species (red maple ( Acer rubrum L.); sugar maple (Acer sacharum Marsh.); and American beech (Fagus grandifolia Ehrh.). The elemental residual fraction had differences from the mobile fraction over time for Ca, Mg and Mn, but not for K or Al. The base rich Saint-Lawrence region had the highest and slightly increasing incremental stem xylem Al of the regions yet had stable or increasing growth. By contrast the acid sensitive Appalachian region had the greatest increase in Al accompanied by a decrease in growth beyond 1970. The Appalachians also had the highest Mn, which had an adverse effect on growth of sugar maple. The acid-resilient species American beech had stable or decreasing Al while having stable or increasing growth in contrast to the less resilient sugar and red maple. The nutrient poor Laurentian region had a persistent deficiency of K over time but no relationships with Al. Aluminium had a general negative correlation with the other canons. Although Mn had the highest levels in red maple for each region, it appears to be limiting growth. The changes in wood chemistry and growth over time appear to be driven by the resilience of the region or species to increasing acidic load in the ecosystems.

Cette thèse présente trois essais sur l’économie de la santé de la population québécoise, y compris la santé des nouveau-nés. Elle introduit dans les analyses les outils de l’économétrie spatiale en apportant une attention particulière à la corrélation spatiale entre les caractéristiques socioéconomiques (notamment le revenu) et de la santé des individus (obésité) et des nouveau-nés. L’unité d’analyse c’est les secteurs de recensement et les individus vivants dans la province du Québec. Dans notre étude nous proposons une analyse beaucoup plus fine des déterminants du revenu et des résultats de santé chez les nouveau-nés. La principale motivation de notre recherche vient du fait qu’il est généralement admis que la consommation des services de santé et des biens néfastes pour la santé varient de façon significative avec le revenu des individus. Les individus plus riches ou plus pauvres auront tendance à consommer plus ou moins ces biens et services. Cependant, le revenu lui-même varie dans le temps et dans l’espace. Ces dimensions spatiales et temporelles doivent être prises en compte dans la modélisation des relations entre des caractéristiques démographiques, socioéconomiques et la santé des individus. L’introduction d’une analyse spatio-temporelle dans les questions d’économie de la santé nous permettra de tenir compte des corrélations spatiales et temporelles afin de mieux estimer et déterminer les raisons probables de la variation de nos variables d’intérêt selon l’échelle géographique des différentes études. D’un point de vue politique, cette approche permettra à l’avenir d’anticiper et de prendre des mesures préventives en ce qui concerne la santé de la population québécoise. La modélisation de l’état de santé innove en ce qu’elle intègre les caractéristiques de l’environnement immédiat des individus de même que les corrélations spatiales dans les caractéristiques inobservables. Ces deux volets des déterminants de la santé sont généralement négligés ou omis dans des études économiques et économétriques portant sur les questions de santé publique. L’objectif principal de cette thèse est donc d’introduire la modélisation des interactions spatiales dans l’analyse des questions de santé publique. L’idée étant que, comme le stipule la première loi de la géographie, tout interagit avec tout mais deux choses voisines ont plus de chances d’entrer en interaction que deux choses lointaines. Les chapitres de cette thèses ont liés par l’intégration d’une dimension spatiale dans l’analyse des corrélations. De façon spécifique, le premier chapitre s’intéresse à la relation entre l’obésité, mesuré à travers l’indice de masse corporelle (IMC) et les résultats du marché du travail (revenu et nombre d’heures travaillées) dans une perspective spatio-temporelle. Nous utilisons les données de l’Enquête Nationale sur la Santé de la Population (ENSP). Les résultats de ce chapitre nous permettent de constater la présence au Québec d’une corrélation entre le revenu des individus et ceux de leurs voisins. Cela montre l’influence spatiale que le voisinage a sur un individu. La non prise en compte de cet aspect aurait pu conduire à une conclusion incorrecte sur la relation entre le niveau de revenu et l’obésité. Ceci nous a également permis de tester séparément la présence des deux phénomènes spatiaux que sont l’auto régression et l’autocorrélation en modélisant explicitement le fait que les résidus peuvent être liés entre eux. L’on note également une sous estimation des effets marginaux du modèle non spatial par rapport au modèle spatial. Cette sous-estimation varie entre 5% et 17%. Un raffinement des estimations a donc été effectué grâce au modèle spatial. S’agissant de la relation entre obésité et les résultats du marché du travail, nos analyses permettent d’observer qu’au Québec, les personnes obèses travaillent plus d’heures que les personnes ayant un IMC normal. L’obésité n’a pas d’incidence sur le revenu des personnes qui y travaillent. Les modèles estimés utilisent des variables dépendantes continues. Le deuxième chapitre évalue la relation entre le revenu du secteur de recensement où vivent les mères et les résultats défavorables de naissance (prématuré et faible poids). Ce chapitre, au meilleur notre connaissance, se distingue de la littérature existante en ce sens qu’il utilise deux modèles différents : en plus d’un modèle probit bivarié spatial, nous utilisons également un modèle spatial SUR, qui est compatible avec l’introduction d’une variable spatiotemporelle décalée dans la modélisation. Notre analyse a été réalisée avec les données de nouveau-nés admis et nés à l’unité de néonatologie du Centre Hospitalier de l’Université Laval(CHUL). Nos résultats montrent l’existence d’une corrélation positive entre les nouveau-nés prématurés et ceux ayant un faible poids à la naissance au niveau individuel et au niveau des secteurs de recensements. L’introduction de la variable spatio-temporelle retardée dans la modélisation spatiale SUR montre que l’âge gestationnel décalé dans le temps et dans l’espace affecte positivement l’âge gestationnel des nouveau-nés. Les résultats montrent également que l’âge gestationnel et le poids d’un nouveau-né sont influencés positivement par ceux de leurs voisins. Cela montre l’influence spatiale que le voisinage a sur les mères. Le fait de ne pas prendre en compte l’effet de l’influence de comportements de certaines mères sur d’autre saurait pu entrainer l’omission d’éventuelles corrélations spatiales dans les caractéristiques inobservables qui influencent les résultats défavorables de naissance. Le fait que ces résultats aient été obtenus en estimant un modèle probit bivarié et un modèle spatial SUR indique la robustesse de la corrélation. Une comparaison des résultats du modèle probit bivarié spatial et du modèle spatial SUR a été effectuée. De plus, nous notons que, quel que soit le modèle utilisé dans l’étude, un faible niveau de revenu dans le secteur de recensement est associé à un risque élevé d’accouchement prématuré et de faible poids à la naissance. Le troisième chapitre traite de la probabilité des nouveau-nés de contracter des infections nosocomiales ou d’être victimes d’incidents médicaux lorsque leurs mères vivent dans la région métropolitaine de recensement du Québec. L’objectif de ce dernier chapitre est de savoir si l’environnement immédiat de la mère de l’enfant et ses caractéristiques peuvent expliquer les risques associés aux infections nosocomiales et aux incidents médicaux. Ces relations ont été peu analysées dans la littérature. La principale contribution de ce chapitre réside dans le fait que la littérature qui s’intéresse à cette question a très souvent omis de considérer l’impact de la proximité de certaines mères sur d’autres. Ces interactions pourraient avoir des effets sur les infections nosocomiales de leurs nouveau-nés. Nous effectuons notre analyse avec les données du chapitre précédent. Un modèle probit bivarié spatial a également été utilisé pour mieux capter la corrélation entre les incidents médicaux et les infections nosocomiales contractées parles nouveau-nés. Les résultats de ce chapitre nous permettent de constater que les facteurs a un niveau des secteurs de recensement qui ne sont pas observés et captés par les effets spatiaux n’influencent pas les infections nosocomiales et les incidents médicaux de façons connexes. Plus précisément, les secteurs de recensement où les nouveau-nés souffrent d’infections nosocomiales ne sont pas susceptibles d’avoir les mêmes nouveau-nés ayant subi des incidents médicaux. Les résultats montrent également que les prématurés et les nouveau-nés de faible poids à la naissance sont plus susceptibles de présenter à la fois des infections nosocomiales et des incidents médicaux. Les nourrissons transférés de la maternité à l’Unité de Soins Intensifs Néonatals (USIN) sont plus susceptibles de contracter une infection nosocomiale et d’expérimenter un incident médical. En outre, les enfants nés dans des secteurs de recensement à revenu élevé ont tendance à être moins vulnérables aux infections.
This dissertation presents three essays on the health economics of the Quebec population,including newborn health. It introduces the spatial econometrics tools into the analyses,paying particular attention to the spatial correlation between socioeconomic characteristics(notably income) and the health of individuals (obesity) and newborns. The unit of analysis is the census tracts and individuals living in the province of Quebec. In our study, we propose a much more refined analysis of the determinants of income and health outcomes among new borns. The main motivation for our research comes from the fact that it is generally accepted that the consumption of health services and goods that are harmful to health vary significantly with the income of individuals. Richer or poorer individuals will tend to consume these goods and services to a greater or lesser extent. However, income itself varies overtime and space. These spatial and temporal dimensions need to be taken into account when modelling the relationships between demographic, socioeconomic and health characteristics of individuals. The introduction of spatial and temporal analyses into health economics issues will allow us to take into account spatial and temporal correlations in order to better estimate and determine the likely reasons for the variation in outcomes of interest across at different geographic scales. From a policy perspective, this approach will allow to anticipate and take preventive measures in the future with respect to the health of the population of Quebec.Health status modelling is innovative in that it integrates the characteristics of individuals ’immediate vicinity as well as spatial correlations in unobservable characteristics. These two components of the determinants of health are generally neglected or omitted in economic and econometric studies of public health issues.The main objective of this dissertation is therefore to introduce the modelling of spatial interactions into the analysis of public health issues. The idea is that, as stated in the first law of geography, everything interacts with everything, but two things that are close are more likely to interact than two things that are far away. The chapters of this dissertation are linked by the integration of a spatial dimension in the analysis of correlations. Specifically,the first chapter focuses on the relationship between obesity, measured through body mass index (BMI) and labour market outcomes (income and number of hours worked) from a spatiotemporal perspective. We use data from the National Population Health Survey (NPHS). The results of this chapter allow us to observe the presence in Quebec of a correlation between the income of individuals and that of their neighbours. This shows the spatial influence that neighbourhood has on an individual. Failure to take this aspect into account could have led to an incorrect conclusion about the relationship between income level and obesity. This also allowed us to separately test for the presence of the two spatial phenomena of autoregression and autocorrelation by explicitly modelling the fact that the residuals may be related to each other. In addition, we find that the marginal effects of the non-spatial model were underestimated compared to the spatial model. This underestimation ranges from 5% to17%. A refinement of the estimates was therefore made using the spatial model. With respect to the relationship between obesity and labour market outcomes, our analyses show that, inQuebec, obese individuals work more hours than individuals with a normal BMI. Obesity has no impact on the income of those who work there. The estimated models use continuous dependent variables.The second chapter assesses the relationship between income in the census tract where mothers live and adverse birth outcomes (premature and low birth weight). This chapter,to the best of our knowledge, differs from the existing literature in that it uses two different models: in addition to a spatial bivariate probit model, we also use a spatial SUR model, which is compatible with the introduction of a lagged spatiotemporal variable in the modelling. Our analysis was performed with data from neonates admitted and born at the neonatology unit of the Centre Hospitalier de l’Université Laval (CHUL). Our results show the existence of a positive correlation between premature newborns and low birth weight babies at the individual and census tract levels. The introduction of the delayed spatiotemporal variable in the SURspatial modelling shows that the spatially and temporally lagged gestational age positively affects the gestational age of newborns. The results also show that the gestational age and weight of a newborn are positively influenced by those of their neighbours. This shows the spatial influence that neighbourhood has on mothers. Failure to take into account the effect of the influence of some mothers’ behaviours on others could have resulted in the omission of possible spatial correlations in unobservable characteristics that influence adverse birthout comes. The fact that these results were obtained by estimates of both the bivariate probitmodel and the spatial SUR model indicates the robustness of the correlation. A comparison of the results of the spatial bivariate probit model and the spatial SUR model was performed.In addition, we note that regardless of the model used in the study, low income in the censustract is associated with a high risk of preterm birth and low birth weight.The third chapter deals with the likelihood of newborns contracting nosocomial infections or suffering medical incidents when their mothers live in the Quebec census metropolitan area. The objective of this last chapter is to determine whether the child’s mother’s nearby environment and characteristics can explain the risks associated with nosocomial infections and medical incidents. These relationships have barely been analyzed in the literature. The main contribution of this chapter lies in the fact that the literature on this question has typically failed to consider the impact of the proximity of some mothers on others. These interactions could have effects on nosocomial infections in their newborns. We conduct our analysis with the data from the previous chapter. A spatial bivariate probit model was incorporated to better capture the correlation between medical incidents and nosocomial infections acquired by newborns. The results of this chapter show that factors at the census tract level that are not observed and captured by spatial effects do not influence nosocomial infections and medical incidents in related ways. Specifically, census tracts where newborns suffer from nosocomial infections are not likely to have the same newborns with medical incidents. The results alsos how that premature and low birth weight infants are more likely to have both hospital acquired infections and medical incidents. Infants transferred from the maternity ward to theNeonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) are more likely to develop a nosocomial infection and experience a medical incident. In addition, children born in high income census tracts tend to be less vulnerable to infections.

Decomposition and N dynamics of grain-corn residues were investigated in a field study in southwestern Quebec, with particular reference to the roles of different plant parts (stems, leaves etc.) in determining overall residue mass loss and N content. A litterbag study was conducted, with surface and buried placements in plots under three tillage systems (no-till, reduced tillage, and conventional tillage, established five years before litterbag placement). Residue mass loss and N content were monitored over a two-year period. Separate data were obtained for leaves, stems, husks, and cobs. Net values for all residues combined were calculated taking into account initial proportions of each plant part at harvest. Overall estimates were made based on residue depth-distribution typical of each tillage system. A spreadsheet-based model of surface residue mass loss was developed, incorporating litterbag mass and other surface-residue data, in order to determine how well litterbag results predicted surface residue mass loss in the field, and to test alternative assumptions regarding residue decomposition and/or burial. Buried residues lost mass more quickly than surface residues, as expected. Thus residue breakdown would be fastest in a conventional system, slowest under no-till, and intermediate with reduced tillage. Substantial decreases in mass and residue N content occurred between fall placement and first sampling in spring, despite low temperatures for much of this period. Mass loss in the first period was substantial for stems as we as husks and leaves. Cobs decomposed most slowly throughout. Nitrogen dynamics, including effects of depth on residue N content, differed greatly by residue type. All the lower-N residues (cobs, husks, stems) immobilized N at some point. However, during the two-year study, N immobilization by one or more residue types was always counterbalanced or exceeded by N release by other residue, at least for the sampling intervals included. Pa

The purpose of this thesis is to design a computer model which compares three sprinkler irrigation systems---portable pipe with volume gun, traveller with volume gun and towable/non-towable centre pivot---for potato production. The model user is required to enter a set of basic data: crop and field conditions, irrigation technical parameters and basic economic data, following which the model establishes the preliminary irrigation system and a comparative investment analysis. The model was applied and tested on a potato farm situated in Notre-Dame-de-la-Paix (southwestern Quebec). Based on a 14-year climatic analysis, supplemental irrigation for a normal rainfall growing period (368 mm) was estimated at 250 mm. The application of the model indicates that for a normal rainfall period with an assumed yield increase of 25% over non-irrigated production, all three systems provide net profits (increases of 11% to 50%). However, when determining the Internal Rate of Return (IRR) on a 10-year period, the maximum rate attained by the more profitable systems---portable pipe and non-towable centre pivot (both with an electric pump)---was 14%, a rate inferior to the IRR for non-irrigated production (17%). The Net Present Value (NPV) analysis for the two most profitable irrigation systems provided a slightly higher NPV value for irrigated than for non-irrigated production ($10,942---irrigated vs $10,522---non-irrigated production). The payback period for those two irrigation systems was 7 years. Greater gains of irrigated over non-irrigated yields would be expected for a dry period because of low and unpredictable yields in non-irrigated conditions. A farmer planning to invest in an irrigation system must carefully investigate all technical and socio-economic aspects. The model presented gives the farmer a useful tool with which to do this.

This qualitative study investigates the consequences of advancing three preschoolers into kindergarten in the province of Quebec, where the derogation exemption enables younger children to start school before they reach the age of admission of five years by September 30th. The rationale for this study came from an interest to discover the perspectives of the students, their teachers, and their parents on the topic of derogation. This study examines how these students, one in grade 4 and two in grade 6, feel about being the youngest in the class, and how teachers and parents perceive them as learners and socializers. The research design is based on an exploratory qualitative case study approach. The methods used to collect the data consist of interviews conducted with the three selected students, their homeroom teachers, and two parents; observations of the students in their school settings, and the analysis of documents such as field notes and journal entries. The interviews are analyzed within a socio-cultural interpretive framework in order to examine the way that derogation has affected the social and emotional lives of the three selected children. Vygotsky's zone of proximal development is explored. This concept presents the idea that children develop their learning potential in a setting where they can learn with more capable peers and adults who provide guidance and support. When these younger children are advanced into a kindergarten class, they are placed in a setting with older peers and adult teachers. One of the issues addressed in this study is how the social milieu encourages derogated children to develop their cognitive approach to problem solving and learning. The themes that emerged from this study include the importance of parental support, peer acceptance, and self-esteem. The younger derogated students are more likely to experience success in their academic and social-emotional lives if they have good parental support, a

Measurements of vertical and horizontal components of hydraulic conductivity were made by the falling head permeameter, the standard piezometer and the piezometer with packing device on 4 farms in the Saint-Lawrence lowlands of Quebec, Canada. All fields are considered to be between imperfectly and slowly drained.
The values obtain by the 2 types of piezometer were calculated with the aid of 3 different equations and were compared.
The falling head permeameter technique was found to be not appropriate to study anisotropy in clay and clay loam soils due to its high variability and small volume of soil sampled.
Both piezometers were found well suited to make directional hydraulic conductivity measurements. Values of vertical hydraulic conductivity twice greater than values of horizontal hydraulic conductivity were obtained by piezometer measurements in a subsoil of a St-Benoit soil series.

In this ethnographic inquiry, I examine how a selected group of Chinese immigrant children in Montreal, Quebec negotiate literacy practices in three languages, Chinese, English and French. I collected data between 1998--2002 through participant observations in different socio-cultural-linguistic contexts that include a Chinese Heritage Language school and the students' home domains. Data sources also include interviews, classroom discourses, field-notes and the students' written texts in the three languages. I draw on Vygotskian socio-cultural theory as an overarching framework to conceptualize my understanding of Chinese immigrant children's triliterate actions. I use Wertsch's concept of "mediational means", Bakhtin's notions of "utterance, voice, dialogicality" and Ivanic's theory of "writing and identity" to present portraits that illustrate the complex relationships among the children's contexts, agency, cultural positionings and uses of literacy as mediational means. I examine the children's perceptions of their multiple school experiences, their school and language affiliations and identity. Lightfoot's concept of "portraiture" is a useful methodology to illustrate how multilingual children present and negotiate their life worlds in the three languages and spaces---from home to school and from heritage language school to formal public school. The reflective understandings that emerge from this inquiry are integrated within the contexts of the historical role of Confucianism and the characteristics of the written Chinese language. The results of my inquiry suggest that multilingual children's literate actions are interwoven with issues of agency, access, choice, identity, power and status in different contexts. Results further indicate that maintenance of a heritage language in its written form is possible when children receive appropriate parental support and guidance and have access to literacy materials. The development of multili

Masters in Public Administration - MPA
This study is an investigation of how the policy of centralising government departments of the former homelands affected various stakeholders in the province. There is general concern from the people of this former homelands that there is poor service delivery in these areas since the creation of the new provincial government. In attempt to cover social, economic and, political impacts of centralisation, data were gathered through face to face interview, mailed questionnaires and, telephone interviews. The study concluded that there is a great need of devolving power to the former homelands which are now called regions in the province, as an attempt of bringing back service to where people are. In a calculated move to use the offices in the former homelands, the government may also remove the pietersburg components of government departments which are not critical to the functions of headquarters and place them in Venda, Gazankulu and, Lebowa.

This thesis presented a study of post-settlement experiences of land reform beneficiaries, with a focus on three case studies from Limpopo Province. Since 1994, the South African government has implemented a land reform programme that aims to redress the injustices in land ownership patterns in the country. This study included a review of international and local literature on land reform with particualr interest in what happens after land transfer and settlement.

Subirrigation systems are generally used in humid areas to provide suitable moisture conditions for plant growth. These systems can also be used to reduce pesticide loadings from agricultural lands, since they tend to keep the discharging waters within farm boundaries for extended periods of time. This allows for greater pesticide microbial and chemical degradation.
A three-year field lysimeter study was initiated to investigate the role of subirrigation systems in reducing the risk of water pollution from the three most commonly used herbicides in Quebec, namely atrazine (2-chloro-4[ethylamino]-6[isopropylamino]-1,3,5-triazine), metribuzin (4-am ino-6(1,1-di meth yl eth yl)-3-(meth yl thio)-1,2,4-tria zin-5(4H)-one), and meto lach lor (2-chlo ro-N-(2-eth yl-6-methyl phen yl)-N-(2-meth oxy-1-meth yl eth yl)acet amide). Eighteen PVC lysimeters, 1 m tall x 0.45 m diameter, were packed with a sandy soil. Three water table management treatments, i.e. two subirrigation treatments with constant water table depths of 0.4 and 0.8 m, respectively, and a free drainage treatment in a completely randomized design with three replicates were used. Grain corn (Zea mays L.) and potatoes (Solanum tuberosum L.) were grown on lysimeters, and herbicides were applied each year at the locally recommended rates at the beginning of each summer. Soil and water samples were collected at different time intervals after each natural or simulated rainfall event. Herbicides were extracted from soil and water samples and were analyzed using Gas Chromatography.
From the three years results (1993--1995), it has been concluded that all three herbicides were quite mobile in this sandy soil, as they leached to the 0.85 m depth below the soil surface quite early in the growing season. This suggests that if the drainage effluent or seeping waters from sandy soils of agricultural lands in southern Quebec drain freely, they may be considered to be a serious non-point source of pollution to the water bodies. The results have also shown that herbicide concentration decreased with soil depth as well as with time, meaning that the higher herbicide residues were found at top layers, and soon after the herbicide application. The herbicide mass balance study revealed that when the drainage effluent was kept within the lysimeters under the subirrigation setup, there was a statistically significant reduction of atrazine and metribuzin residues (shorter half lives) in the adsorbed and liquid phases. However, the reduction in metolachlor concentration under the subirrigation system was not statistically significant. These findings suggest that subirrigation, combined with certain herbicides can significantly reduce the herbicide loadings from corn and potato farms in southwestern Quebec, and become environmentally beneficial.
A computer simulation model (PRZM2), was used to simulate atrazine, metribuzin, and metolachlor leaching in the lysimeters, under subsurface drainage conditions. The simulated values for all three chemicals in most of the cases followed the leaching pattern of observed data. But the model either under- or over-estimated the herbicide concentrations in the soil. This could have been caused by simplistic instantaneous linear adsorption/desorption of herbicides, and inadequacy of conventional Darcian approach for the treatment of matrix flow.

L’évaluation des comportements alimentaires représente un aspect essentiel du traitement et de la prévention de l’obésité infantile. Il n’existe toutefois pas de questionnaire auto-rapporté permettant d’évaluer les comportements alimentaires à risque des enfants et adolescents québécois. L’objectif du projet de maîtrise présenté dans le cadre de ce mémoire était de traduire et valider la version française du Child Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire (CTFEQ),mesurant les comportements alimentaires de restriction cognitive, de perte de contrôle alimentaire et d’alimentation émotionnelle, auprès d’enfants et adolescents québécois. Cent quarante-cinq participants de huit à quinze ans ont complété trois questionnaires dont le CTFEQ, un questionnaire sociodémographique ainsi qu’un questionnaire mesurant la présence de symptômes associés aux troubles du comportement alimentaire. La prise de mesures anthropométriques a également été effectuée et les participants ont complété un rappel alimentaire de 24 heures permettant d’évaluer les apports alimentaires et la qualité de l’alimentation. Le CTFEQ a été administré une seconde fois après deux à quatre semaines, afin d’en évaluer la reproductibilité. Les résultats de validation ont permis l’obtention d’un questionnaire possédant une structure factorielle, une cohérence interne ainsi qu’une reproductibilité adéquates. Une association positive a été observée entre la perte de contrôle alimentaire et l’alimentation émotionnelle. Ces deux comportements alimentaires ont été négativement associés à l’indice de masse corporelle des jeunes. La restriction cognitive a été positivement corrélée à la présence de symptômes associés aux troubles du comportement alimentaire, à la proportion de l’apport énergétique dérivé des protéines et à la qualité de l’alimentation. Ces résultats suggèrent que le CTFEQ est valide et pourra être utilisé auprès des enfants et adolescents québécois afin de mesurer les comportements alimentaires associés à la problématique d’obésité infantile.
Assessment of eating behaviours represents an important aspect in the treatment and prevention of childhood obesity. However, there are no self-reported questionnaires measuring the eating behaviours of Quebec children and adolescents. The objective of the master's project presented as part of this thesis was to translate and validate the French version of the Child Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire (CTFEQ), measuring eating behaviour traits of cognitive restraint, uncontrolled eating and emotional eating, among Quebec children and adolescents. One hundred and forty-five participants aged eight to fifteen years old completed three questionnaires including the CTFEQ, a socio-demographic questionnaire and a questionnaire measuring the presence of symptoms associated witheating disorders. Anthropometric measurements were also assessed, and participants completed a 24-hour dietary recall to assess diet intake and quality. The CTFEQ was administered a second time after two to four weeks to assess its reproducibility. The validation results led to obtaining a questionnaire comprising an adequate factor structure,internal consistency as well as reproducibility. A positive association has been observed between uncontrolled eating and emotional eating. Both of these eating behaviours have been negatively associated with body mass index. Cognitive restraint was positively correlated with the presence of symptoms associated with eating disorders, the proportion of energy intake derived from protein, and diet quality. These results suggest that the CTFEQ is validand can be used among French speaking Canadian children and adolescents to measure eating behaviors associated with childhood obesity.

This qualitative study investigates the form and features of institutional governance and the factors that shape governance in practice in private universities in China. A comparative case study approach is adopted, focusing on three private universities in the western province of Sichuan, each with differing institutional histories and forms of governance. It draws upon thematic analysis of extensive documentation relating to private higher education (HE) governance in China and data from in-depth interviews with 31 senior managers conducted across two phases of fieldwork. Building on an exploration of the growth of private universities in China over the last 20 years, this study examines the specific context in China, including the role of the Communist Party and how the University Communist Party Committee (UCPC) integrates with shareholders and senior managers to achieve its role. The analysis presented makes use of three theoretical models: principal-agent, stewardship and stakeholder. The case studies show that two distinct forms of institutional governance have developed namely the supervision form and the managerial form. While external policies provide an impetus for change for each university, how key actors in institutional governance understand these policies has significant effect on how the policies are implemented. This can result in change that can be viewed as either symbolic alteration or as operational change. The internal factors that act to shape institutional governance mainly relate to the different developmental stages of the private university, the characteristics of shareholders and senior managers, and the various ways the universities respond to the external policy. Based on the analysis of the data, a number of implications are proposed to improve the governance system of private universities. These include strengthening the professionalism of the Council and Executive Team, improving the implementation of the University Constitution and the role of UCPC, and having a clear mechanism of monitoring and authorization between the government and private universities. This study fills a gap in the study of the governance of Chinese private universities in English and enriches the empirical study of the governance of private universities worldwide. As such it provides insight into practice in China for policy makers, senior managers and academics in the field of governance of private universities.

The Kuboos-Bremen Igneous Province comprises a linear zone of alkaline complexes that intrude Proterozoic and Pan-African rocks and trends in a northeast direction from the northwest of the Cape Province in South Africa into southern Namibia. Of the three most southerly complexes in Namibia. two comprise silicate rocks ranging from nepheline syenite to alkali-granite and are called the Grootpenseiland and Marinkas Kwela Complexes (GPC and MKC). The Marinkas Kwela Carbonatite Complex is the third and most northerly of the complexes. Isotopic age determinations on a number of rock types from both the silicate complexes yield ages around 520Ma and are consistent with published Pan-African ages for the Province. Each silicate complex shows a migrating locus of intrusion from Siundersaturated rocks in the southwest to Si-oversaturated rocks in the northeast. The complexes overlap in outcrop. The rocks are moderately to highly felsiC and none reflects primary magma compositions. The Si-undersaturated rocks from both complexes include side-wall cumulates formed from magmas that fractionated alkali-feldspar, clinopyroxene and amphibole. Foyaites also occur in the MKC and have a compositional range reflecting alkali-feldspar fractionation and, probably, some interaction with dolomite country rocks. Major and trace element data suggest that critically saturated alkali syenites occurring in both complexes evolved via protracted feldspar fractionation, and that critically saturated alkali-feldspar syenite occurring only in the GPC is a cumulate. The two rock types cannot be related genetically. Of the SI-oversaturated rocks in both complexes, those in the compositional range monzonite to granite were intruded before alkali-granites. Compositional diversity amongst the former reflects fractionation of feldspar and of mafic phases, but that process cannot genetically link the rocks to the alkali-granites. Isotopic compositions of Sr and Nd indicate that the silicate magmas were derived from an upper mantle source region characterised by low time-integrated Rb/Sr ratios and high time-Integrated Sm/Nd ratios, However, the evidence of Sr and 0 isotopic data is that the Si-oversaturated melts possibly interacted with a crustal component. presumably the Proterowlc rocks of the Namaqua Metamorphic Province. This interaction may explain the occurrence of apparently co-genetic rock series that evolved on opposite sides of the feldspar join in Petrogeny's Residua System. The Marinkas Kwela Carbonatite Complex was emplaced before the final intrusive phases of the MKC and exhibits unusually pronounced late-stage enrichment in manganese. The earliest intrusive rocks in the complex were nepheline syenites which were fenitised by later intrusions of sôvites. Although the commonly occurring magmatic sequence of sôvite-beforsite-ferrocarbonatite is observed at Marinkas Kwela, sôvites do not appear to have been parental to beforsites. Removal of apatite and early crystallisation of magnetite distinguish magnetite-rich beforsite from co-genetic apatite-rich beforsite. Two further magmatic sequences. the first from apatite-rich beforsite through ferrocarbonatite to Mn-rich ferrocarbonatite (high Fe/Mn) and the second from magnetite-rich beforsite to Mn-rich ferrocarbonatite (low Fe/Mn). reflect fractionation of dolomite and of dolomite+magnetite respectively.

The following lines of white-seeded amaranth were tested in three locations within the Imbabura province of Ecuador: Ecu-0113, Ecu-0014, Ecu-2210, Ecu-4737, and Ecu-4744. The three locations used were Caranqui, Urcuquí, and Pucará which are 2228, 2423, and 2513 meters above sea level respectively. The objectives of this study were: 1) to identify which of the five experimental amaranth lines respond best at each altitude, 2) to establish which of the three locations is most appropriate for cultivation, 3) to understand the vegetative period of the five lines in each location, 4) to analyze which of the five experimental lines possesses the best characteristics in regard to yield, and 5) to determine the cost of producing one hectare of amaranth. The hypothesis was that at least one of the five amaranth lines has a different response in each of the three locations. A randomized block design with five treatments (varieties) and three repetitions in each location was used. Tests of significance were conducted via the Tukey method at 0.05 examining stem length, panicle length, yield, and days to harvest for all varieties and locations. Combined analysis was used to evaluate variety interaction by location. Significant differences in stem length were observed among the different locations and varieties. The Ecu-0113 variety reached lengths of 1020.00 mm. In regard to panicle length, significant differences were also observed among different locations and varieties. The most promising locations were Urcuquí and Caranqui while the most promising varieties were Ecu-0113 and Ecu-4737. Significant differences in grain yield were also observed among the different locations and varieties. In the Urcuquí area, the Ecu-0113 variety had the highest yield with a yield of 2404.24 kg/ha. In the Caranqui and Pucará areas, the Ecu-2210 variety had the highest yields with values of 1605.88 and 833.99 kg/ha respectively. The Ecu-4744 variety was the first ready to harvest in all three locations while the variety Ecu-2210 was the last. The production of one hectare of amaranth resulted in a cost-benefit ratio of 2.48 which means that for every dollar invested, $1.48 USD was recovered. In the Imbabura province, Urcuquí and Caranqui can be considered favorable environments for cultivation and Ecu-0113 and Ecu-2210 were the varieties that exhibited the greatest production potential. We recommend planting the Ecu-0113 variety in Urcuquí and the Ecu-2210 variety in Caranqui and Pucará to obtain maximum grain yield.

Cette thèse de doctorat est composée de trois chapitres distincts et indépendants qui ont pour objectif d’analyser certaines politiques de santé au Québec notamment les incitatifs financiers, les délais d’attente et les soins à domicile sur la santé des patients et l’utilisation de services hospitaliers. Le premier chapitre porte sur l’impact des incitatifs financiers sur la santé des patients, spécialement le cas des soins spécialisés. Il faut noter de prime abord que la demande de soins de santé a beaucoup augmenté au Québec ces dernières années pour certains types de chirurgies. Cette augmentation, dont les causes sont multiples notamment les changements démographiques, a entraîné des temps d’attente plus élevés que les temps médicalement requis pour ces chirurgies. Pour résorber ce problème, le gouvernement québécois a mis en place en 2004 le Programme d’Accès à la Chirurgie (PAC), afin d’inciter financièrement les hôpitaux à pratiquer plus de chirurgies pour lesquelles les délais d’attente étaient plus importants. Ce programme a permis de diminuer la durée moyenne d’attente pour ces chirurgies, mais a aussi entraîné une augmentation des dépenses liées à ces chirurgies. Ces dépenses accrues étaient également dûes à certaines lacunes du programme. Une réforme majeure, qui consistait essentiellement à la modification des incitatifs financiers, a eu lieu en avril 2011, afin que le financement vienne appuyer la bonne pratique et le choix du plateau technique le plus adéquat. Notre étude, constituant une première évaluation de cette réforme, a pour but d’analyser l’impact de cette réforme sur la santé des patients, notamment les durées de séjour à l’hôpital après l’opération chirurgicale et les réadmissions après la sortie de l’hôpital. Notre application porte sur les chirurgies thoraciques et cardiovasculaires. Les résultats montrent une diminution significative des durées de séjour après l’introduction de la réforme et un impact non significatif sur les réadmissions urgentes. Dans le premier chapitre, les différentes politiques mises en places ont été initialement motivées par des délais d’attente excessifs. Pourtant, peu d’études ont analysé les impacts des délais d’attente sur la santé des patients au Québec. Tel est l’objectif du deuxième chapitre de la thèse, analyser si un délai d’attente élevé est associé à un risque de détérioration de la santé des patients. Nous utilisons des modèles empiriques pour analyser cette problématique. Nous introduisons le différentiel de distance du domicile du patient à l’hôpital le plus proche relativement à l’hôpital le plus proche parmi les hôpitaux avec de faibles délais d’attente comme variable instrumentale pour tenir compte de l’endogénéité potentielle des temps d’attente. Dans ce chapitre, nous analysons les variables de santé en termes de probabilité de réadmission urgente et de durée de séjour excédentaire (durée de séjour supplémentaire après la durée de séjour maximal recommandée). Les résultats montrent que les longs temps d’attente augmentent la probabilité d’être réadmis en urgence pour les patients qui ont eu une chirurgie de l’arthrose du genou, une chirurgie thoracique ou cardiovasculaire, une neurochirurgie, ou une chirurgie pour une tumeur de l’utérus. Il n’y a pas d’effet significatif des temps d’attente sur la probabilité de réadmission pour les chirurgies de l’arthrose de la hanche et des tumeurs de la prostate. Les longs temps d’attente augmentent également la durée de séjour à l’hôpital et les coûts d’hospitalisation après une chirurgie de l’arthrose du genou ou de la hanche. Le vieillissement de la population québécoise entraîne plusieurs enjeux cruciaux pour les services de soins de santé notamment les soins à domicile pour les personnes âgées (OIIQ, 2017). Les soins à domicile sont composés de tous les soins de santé que les établissements publics ou privés offrent aux individus à leur domicile. Ces services sont souhaitables pour toute personne qui a besoin de soins pour maladies chroniques, de soins palliatifs, de soins de réadaptation, de soins de fin de vie, ou des soins pour perte d’autonomie liée au vieillissement. Les soins à domicile pourraient constituer une alternative sécuritaire, à moindres coûts, aux soins de santé dans les hôpitaux. Les soins à domicile contribuent donc au maintien à domicile des personnes en offrant des services paramédicaux des infirmières, des aide-soignantes, coordonnés avec ceux des autres intervenants à domicile comme les kinésithérapeutes, les aides-ménagères, les auxiliaires de vie. Nous analysons dans le troisième iv chapitre, dans quelles mesures les services hospitaliers et les soins à domicile pour les personnes âgées sont substituables. Nous analysons également l’impact des soins à domicile sur l’admission dans les centres d’hébergement de soins de longue durée (CHSLD). Notre analyse montre que l’augmentation des soins à domicile pour les personnes âgées réduit la probabilité d’admission et la durée de séjour en urgence. L’effet des soins à domicile est plus prononcé chez les personnes âgées avec des pertes d’autonomie plus légères. Les résultats montrent également qu’une augmentation des soins à domicile réduit la probabilité d’être admis en CHSLD.
This doctoral thesis is composed of three separate and independent chapters that aim to analyze certain health policies in Quebec, including financial incentives, waiting times and home care on patients’ health and the use of hospital services. The first chapter focuses on the impact of financial incentives on the health of patients in Quebec, especially the case of specialized care. It should be noted, first of all, that the demand for health care has increased significantly in Quebec in recent years for certain types of surgery. This increase, which has many causes, including demographic changes, resulted in higher waiting times than the medically required times for these surgeries. To solve this problem, the Quebec government implemented in 2004 the Access to Surgery Program (ASP) to financially encourage hospitals to perform more surgeries for which waiting times were longer. This program allowed to reduce the average waiting time for these surgeries, but has also led to an increase in expenses related to these surgeries. These increased expenditures were also due to some weaknesses in the program. A major reform, which consisted mainly of modifying the financial incentives, took place in April 2011, so that the funding would support good practice and the choice of the most appropriate technical platform. Our study, which is a first evaluation of this reform, aims to analyze the impact of this reform on the health of patients, including the length of stay in hospital after surgery and readmissions post-discharge. The results show a significant decrease in length of stay after the introduction of the reform and a non-significant impact on urgent readmissions post-discharge within 30 days. In the first chapter, the various policies were initially motivated by excessive waiting times. Yet, few studies have analyzed the impact of wait times on patient health in Quebec. This vi is the purpose of the second chapter, to analyze whether a high waiting time is associated with a risk of deterioration of the patients’ health. We use empirical models to analyze this problem. We introduce the differential distance from the patients’ home to the nearest hospital relative to the nearest hospital among hospitals with low wait times as an instrumental variable to account for the potential endogeneity of the waiting time. In this chapter, we analyze health variables in terms of the probability of urgent readmission post-discharge within 30 days and excess length of stay (additional length of stay after the maximum recommended length of stay). The results show that long waiting times increase the likelihood of emergency readmissions for patients who had a knee surgery, a thoracic or cardiovascular surgery, a neurosurgery or a surgery for a tumor of the uterus. There is no significant effect of waiting times on the probability of readmission for hip and prostate surgeries. Long waiting times also increase the hospital length of stay and costs of hospitalization for knee and hip surgeries. The aging of the Quebec population is leading to many crucial issues for health care services, particularly home care for the elderly (OIIQ, 2017). Home care is composed of all health care that public or private institutions provide to individuals in their homes. These services are desirable for anyone who needs care for chronic illnesses, palliative care, rehabilitation care, end-of-life care, or care for loss of autonomy linked to aging. Home care could be a safe, low-cost alternative to health care in hospital. Home care, thus contributes to people to stay at home and receive paramedical services from nurses and care assistants, coordinated with those received from other home care providers such as physiotherapists, housekeepers and carers. In the third chapter, we analyze the extent to which hospital services and home care for the elderly are substitutes. We also analyze the impact of home care on admission to long-term care facilities (LTCFs). Our analysis shows that increased home care for the elderly reduces the probability of admission and the length of stay in emergency. The effect of home care is greater for seniors with less disabilities. The results also show that an increase in home care reduces the probability of being admitted to LTCFs.

The faculty of natural resources, School of Agricultural Engineering of ESPOCH, with an agreement since 1992 with the Benson Institute of Brigham Young University has been working with the development of small scale production before its diffusion it is necessary to know the real social- economic conditions and the technological levels of the most important harvests of the communities, that when this model is involved in the aspects that affect the production. For this reason this investigation was made necessary in which the following objectives were raised: 1. Evaluate the social-economic conditions of the communities of San Lorenzo of Cahuiña, Guiñatus Chico and Cunambay. 2. Determine the technological levels of the harvest of barley, potatoes of the communities in study. The universe constituted the whole of families from the three communities. The sample size was 50% of the total of families taken at random in each community. The investigation was accomplished based on the observations, personal interviews, direct surveys of farmers, analysis of gathered information and secondary information. This information was analyzed based on the following statistical techniques: percentages and frequency histograms, arithmetic mean, ranges, maximum and minimum values.

The purpose of this project is to apply marketing tactics and advertising strategies in the form of an advertising campaign. The goal of this campaign is to increase the sales and profits of the "Diamond drink."

Thesis (MPhil (Journalism))--University of Stellenbosch, 2008.
Scientists predict that the Western Cape region of South Africa is likely to be one of the regions most affected by climate change. Though the effects on the Cape Floral Kingdom are a huge concern in terms of biodiversity, the effects of climate change are predicted to be far broader than the natural environment. Agriculture, industry, the health sector, politics and the socio-economic sectors among others are all likely to be significantly impacted by climate change in the coming years. The underlying theoretical assumption of the study is that understanding how the climate question has been understood and framed is of vital importance for how the general public will be able to respond to lifestyle changes in aid of climate protection.This study examines the media coverage of climate change over the period of one year in the Western Cape media context, specifically the Cape Times, the Cape Argus and Die Burger. Using a quantitative framing analysis as the central methodology, the study focused on six core frames in analysing all articles relating to climate change. In addition, journalists at the respective newspapers were interviewed to complement the textual analysis. Finally, climate change scientists were interviewed in order to gain their perspectives of the reporting. The study found that the environmental frame was the dominant frame chosen. The political and scientific frames were the next two most prominent frames. It is argued that the dominance of these frames and the comparative lack of reports featuring the human impact frame is problematic as the environment, science and politics are all fairly abstract to the general public.

While there have been enormous changes in the South African system of education since 1994, the legacy of apartheid and the different education of Black teachers is still evident in township schools. This study examined the practices of mathematics teaching in three township secondary schools by conducting a detailed investigation of eight teachers in three schools. Classroom observations and video recordings of teachers of Grades 10 to 12 served as the main data collection method. A sample of 12 lessons was analysed using the Secondary Teaching Analysis Matrix-Mathematics (STAM-Mathematics) (Gallagher & Parker, 1995) instrument. The researcher used STAM to categorise teachers' classroom practices along a three pronged continuum, namely didactic, transitional and conceptual teaching for the purpose of answering research questions about the content, the teaching, the assessment practices, the interactions between the teacher and the student, and the resource availability. Analysis of the data collected using the 22 STAM descriptors showed that the practices of teaching mathematics in township secondary schools was primarily didactic, with only minimal characteristics of transitional teaching and fewer attributes of conceptual teaching. Identifying the gaps between the teachers' practice and the descriptors for transitional and conceptual teaching with respect to the content, the teaching, the approaches to assessment, interactions between teacher and students, and resources availability has provided insight and a baseline for teacher inservice. Consequently, this study has provided research-based evidence for appropriate intervention to improve mathematics teaching and learning as prioritised by the Department of Education since the creation of the democratic government in 1994.It is recommended that mathematics teachers in township schools use the STAM instrument in pairs or groups to observe and analyse each other's lessons with particular focus on the 22 descriptors and to use this framework as a guideline for daily lesson preparations and to help guide the teachers from teacher-centred instruction to conceptual instruction. Further, the STAM could be incorporated into teacher education and professional development programs and thereby lead to more conceptual forms of teaching that could contribute towards a greater understanding of mathematics and ultimately raise the pass rate of learners in external examinations at Grade 12.

While there have been enormous changes in the South African system of education since 1994, the legacy of apartheid and the different education of Black teachers is still evident in township schools. This study examined the practices of mathematics teaching in three township secondary schools by conducting a detailed investigation of eight teachers in three schools. Classroom observations and video recordings of teachers of Grades 10 to 12 served as the main data collection method. A sample of 12 lessons was analysed using the Secondary Teaching Analysis Matrix-Mathematics (STAM-Mathematics) (Gallagher & Parker, 1995) instrument. The researcher used STAM to categorise teachers' classroom practices along a three pronged continuum, namely didactic, transitional and conceptual teaching for the purpose of answering research questions about the content, the teaching, the assessment practices, the interactions between the teacher and the student, and the resource availability. Analysis of the data collected using the 22 STAM descriptors showed that the practices of teaching mathematics in township secondary schools was primarily didactic, with only minimal characteristics of transitional teaching and fewer attributes of conceptual teaching. Identifying the gaps between the teachers' practice and the descriptors for transitional and conceptual teaching with respect to the content, the teaching, the approaches to assessment, interactions between teacher and students, and resources availability has provided insight and a baseline for teacher inservice. Consequently, this study has provided research-based evidence for appropriate intervention to improve mathematics teaching and learning as prioritised by the Department of Education since the creation of the democratic government in 1994.
It is recommended that mathematics teachers in township schools use the STAM instrument in pairs or groups to observe and analyse each other's lessons with particular focus on the 22 descriptors and to use this framework as a guideline for daily lesson preparations and to help guide the teachers from teacher-centred instruction to conceptual instruction. Further, the STAM could be incorporated into teacher education and professional development programs and thereby lead to more conceptual forms of teaching that could contribute towards a greater understanding of mathematics and ultimately raise the pass rate of learners in external examinations at Grade 12.

Carbon dioxide and methane fluxes were measured between May 2003 and August 2004 on vegetated surfaces and pools of three peatlands located in the La Grande Riviere watershed, James Bay lowland, Quebec, Canada. Gas flux measurements were made using static chambers on a variety of sites in the three peatlands, chosen to represent the different biotypes present, from hummocks with water table position 35 cm below the surface to pools 100 cm deep.
Average CH4 fluxes for the different biotypes on vegetated surfaces sampled during summer 2003 ranged from 3.5 to 197 mg m-2 d-1 while summer 2004 average floating chamber pool fluxes ranged between 6.2 and 3165 mg CH4 m-2 d -1. Mean daily CH4 fluxes on vegetated surface are strongly correlated (r2 > 0.75) with summer average water table depth, greater fluxes occurring where water table is close to the surface. The vegetated surface CH4 fluxes were also correlated with peat temperature as fluxes increase with increasing peat temperature during the summer.
Most net ecosystem productivity values calculated for the different biotypes in the three peatlands showed release of CO2 during both early and mid growing season periods. An annual budget calculated for the LG2 peatland showed that the peatland emitted CO2 to the atmosphere at a rate of 0.77 g m-2 d-1. The overall release of CO 2 may have been caused in part by dry conditions in the peatlands during summer 2003, due to high temperature and low precipitation.

Crop-available zinc is affected by P-Zn interactions in soils. Orthophosphate (OP) additions may decrease or have no effect, while pyrophosphate (PP) may increase or have no effect on Zn solubility. Mechanisms involved in the interactions are not well understood and need to be quantified on agricultural soils subjected to P fertilization.
Top and sub-samples from three Quebec agricultural soils were equilibrated with OP or PP solutions, then with Zn solutions, and finally with solutions containing neither P nor Zn. The first equilibration evaluated P sorption effects on soil cation exchange capacity (CEC), the second equilibration evaluated Zn sorption (Zn$ sb{ rm s}$) after P sorption, and the third Zn desorption (Zn$ sb{ rm D}$) as related to added P. Subsequently, Zn fractions were extracted sequentially with KNO$ sb3$ (Zn$ sb{ rm KNO3}$), NaOH (Zn$ sb{ rm NaOH}$) solutions and concentrated HNO$ sb3$ + H$ sb2$O$ sb2$ (Zn$ sb{ rm HNO3}$). Autoclaved soils were used for OP and PP comparisons, and non-autoclaved soils were used for OP determinations.
Autoclaving reduced dithionite-citrate extractable Fe and Al materials. In both autoclaved and non-autoclaved soils, one mmole sorbed P as PP or OP resulted in increases in CEC from 0.52-1.24 mmole (+). Comparison between OP and PP in the autoclaved soils indicated that the increased CEC per mmole sorbed was greater with sorbed OP than with PP, while at the same rate of P addition, the absolute increased CEC was more with sorbed PP than with OP due to greater P sorption as PP compared to OP. Both sorbed OP or PP in autoclaved soils and sorbed OP in non-autoclaved soils increased specific Zn sorption in association with oxide materials. The effect was more significant with PP than with OP, as indicated by the observations: (1) P sorption increased Zn sorption but reduced Zn desorption, (2) P sorption reduced KNO$ sb3$- but increased NaOH- and HNO$ sb3$-extractable Zn, and (3) P sorption increased the difference between Zn sorbed and Zn extracted with KNO$ sb3$. These effects were more significant in coarser than finer textured soils. Results suggested that Zn fertilizers should be separated from P fertilizers to avoid enhanced Zn sorption and reduced Zn desorption.

The study investigates teachers’ perceptions of their professionalism and how this professionalism is observed by both teachers and school community. The investigation takes place at three Junior Secondary Schools. In composing the research, the researcher adopted a qualitative and quantitative approach based on an interpretive paradigm. The study is concerned with how teachers view themselves as professional people. Since the extent of teachers’ professionalism is always questioned by the school community, teachers’ professionalism is not guaranteed to be easily accepted and recognised. The findings reveal that teachers in general accept the fact that they face an enormous challenge in performing their duties as they are required to act professionally and ethically at all times. SACE, the education “watchdog” has further strengthened the issue by proclaiming legally enforced ethical standards for teachers in South Africa. The study describes how teachers who joined the teaching profession for different reasons conceptualise teacher professionalism differently from each other but also agreeing on other issues. The findings of this study also show how educational policies, teachers’ conditions of service, personal beliefs and relationships between parents, learners and teachers can influence teacher professionalism.

Tableau d'honneur de la Faculté des études supérieures et postdoctorales, 2018-2019
Cette thèse de doctorat s’intéresse à la migration interne et internationale. Dans un premier temps, je m’intéresse à l’intégration professionnelle des immigrants de la catégorie des travailleurs qualifiés au Québec. Le Québec comme la plupart des autres provinces du Canada, sélectionnent leurs immigrants sur la base de caractéristiques particulières telles que le niveau d’éducation, l’expérience professionnelle, les compétences en français et ou en anglais. Ces compétences devraient faciliter l’insertion professionnelle de ces immigrants et il est donc surprenant de voir que près de la moitié d’entre eux retournent aux études une fois arrivés au Québec afin d’obtenir un diplôme universitaire ou collégial. De ce fait, les deux premiers chapitres de cette thèse s’attèlent à comprendre pourquoi ces immigrants, malgré une telle dotation en capital humain à l’entrée du marché du travail Québécois, décident de retourner aux études et quels sont les effets de cet investissement en éducation tout d’abord sur les fréquences d’emplois et les durées en emploi et ensuite, sur le profil de revenus. Dans un deuxième temps, cette thèse s’intéresse à la participation à la migration interne en Ouganda et l’effet de cette participation sur la productivité agricole des ménages vivant en milieu rural. Le premier chapitre s’intéresse à l’effet dynamique de la formation post-migratoire sur l’offre de travail des immigrants. A cet effet, je fais la distinction entre un emploi qualifié et un emploi non qualifié. Ici, un emploi qualifié est celui-là qui correspond au plus haut diplôme obtenu par l’immigrant à l’entrée. J’utilise un modèle de durée à plusieurs états et à plusieurs épisodes qui permet de tenir compte de l’hétérogénéité observable et inobservable entre les individus. Le principal résultat révèle que les immigrants originaires de pays riches n’ont pas besoin d’investir davantage dans l’éducation Québécoise. En revanche, les immigrants originaires de pays pauvres quant à eux, bien que hautement qualifiés, bénéficient largement d’une telle formation à long terme car cela facilite leur transition vers des emplois qualifiés et non qualifiés et hors du chômage. Mes résultats indiquent également que la sélection dans l’éducation doit être prise en compte afin d’éviter des problèmes de sélection significatifs. À la différence du premier où on suppose que l’effet causal de la formation est le même pour chaque individu, le deuxième chapitre quant à lui s’intéresse à l’hétérogénéité de l’effet causal de la formation sur les revenus. Autrement dit, pour chaque individu il est possible d’estimer un effet moyen en comparant son revenu dans le cas où il a obtenu un diplôme au Québec avec la situation où il n’aurait pas eu un diplôme au Québec, et vice-versa. Ceci est possible grâce à l’introduction de l’approche bayésienne dans l’analyse d’évaluation d’impact mettant en exergue l’estimation du contre-factuel de la variable d’intérêt. Les principaux résultats révèlent que les gains de l’éducation acquise au Québec par rapport à ceux de l’éducation acquise à l’étranger diffèrent d’un immigrant à l’autre. En outre, il y a un gain négatif à entreprendre des études au Québec pour tous les immigrants. Particulièrement, plus la probabilité d’entreprendre des études au Québec est élevée plus le retour sur investissement est faible. Il semblerait que les employeurs rémunèrent les immigrants non pas seulement par rapport à leur diplôme or sa provenance mais aussi par rapport à la qualité de leur précédent emploi. Ainsi, on s’attendrait à ce que les immigrants, toute suite après leur formation, acceptent un emploi relativement moins rémunéré que celui qu’il aurait eu étant donné son éducation. Par ailleurs, bien que l’approche bayésienne suggère que, comparativement aux immigrants qui ont obtenu un diplôme collégial au Québec, ceux qui obtiennent un diplôme universitaire sont les plus négativement affectés par un tel investissement en éducation, l’approche Fréquentiste suggère que ces derniers obtiennent le meilleur rendement des études acquises au Québec. Cela soulève à nouveau la question du biais de sélection qui peut subvenir lorsque l’hétérogénéité de l’effet n’est pas prise en compte. Le troisième chapitre a pour objectif d’estimer la distribution de l’effet dynamique de la participation des ménages à la migration interne de la main d’œuvre sur la productivité agricole. Les résultats révèlent que même si en moyenne la migration interne affecte positivement la productivité agricole, il y a des ménages pour lesquels l’effet est négatif. De plus, les ménages pour qui l’effet est négatif sont pour la plupart de petits agriculteurs et sont par conséquent plus susceptibles d’être pauvres et donc plus susceptibles d’être sujet à la volatilité des prix au niveau local. Par ailleurs, l’effet moyen de la migration tend à augmenter avec la probabilité de participer à la migration interne signifiant que les individus décident de participer à la migration parce qu’ils anticipent des gains futurs plus élevés. Parallèlement, j’examine dans quelle mesure les taux de migration antérieurs, largement utilisés dans la littérature en tant qu’instrument de la décision de participer à la migration, sont exogènes à la productivité agricole. Les résultats suggèrent que ces variables ne sont pas exogènes car elles sont intimement corrélées avec la productivité agricole.
This doctoral thesis is interested in international and internal migration. First, it focuses on the professional integration of immigrants in the category of skilled workers in Quebec. Quebec is one of the ten provinces of Canada that, like most other provinces, implemented a program back in 1996 that explicitly selected highly qualified workers based on particular characteristics such as the level of education (Bachelors’, Masters’ or PhD’s), work experience, French and/or English proficiency. Despite these skills that should facilitate their professional integration, 48% of immigrants return to school once they arrive in Quebec in order to obtain a university or college diploma. The first two chapters of this thesis investigates why these immigrants decide to go back to school with such an endowment of human capital and what the effects of this investment in education are on the job frequencies and job durations and, on the earnings profile. This thesis then focuses on the households participation in internal labor migration and the dynamic effect of this participation on the agricultural productivity of households living in rural area of Uganda. The first chapter investigates the extent to which the return to foreign-acquired human capital is different from the education acquired in Quebec. Specifically, it seeks to estimate the benefits of post-migration education over foreign-education on the transitions between qualified and unqualified jobs and unemployment by means of a multiple-spells and multiplestates model. Here, a qualified job is one that corresponds to the highest degree obtained by the immigrant before they come in Quebec. The main results suggest that immigrants originating from well-off countries have no need to further invest in domestic education. Meanwhile, immigrants from poor countries, despite being highly qualified, benefit greatly from such training in the long run as it eases their transitions into qualified and unqualified jobs and out of unemployment. Our results also indicate that selection in education must be taken into account in order to avoid significant selection problems. Unlike the first chapter in which only the average effect of schooling is estimated, the goal of the second chapter is to estimate the distribution of the causal effect of Quebec-acquired education on migrants’ earnings. In other words, it is possible to estimate an average effect for each individual by comparing his income in the case he has obtained a Quebec diploma to the situation where he has not obtained a diploma from Quebec, and vice versa. This is possible thanks to the introduction of the Bayesian approach in the treatment analysis allowing to account for the heterogeneity of the effect. The main results reveal that on average and for each immigrant, there is a negative gain to study in Quebec. However, the magnitude of the effect differs from one immigrant to another. Particularly, the gains tend to decrease with the likelihood of enrolling in school and with the level of ability. Thus, our results suggest that employers pay migrants not only based on their level of education or its origin but more importantly based on the quality of prior jobs held. Furthermore, one would expect immigrants to accept, right after their training, a relatively less paid job than the one he would have had given his education. While the Bayesian approach suggests that immigrants who have enrolled to obtain a university degree are the most negatively affected, the Frequentist approach suggests that those immigrants obtain the highest positive return from Quebec-acquired education. This raises again the issue of mis-evaluation when the essential heterogeneity is not taking into account. The goal of the third chapter is to estimate the distribution of the dynamic effect of household participation in internal labor migration on agricultural productivity in Uganda. Since household can have both observed and unobserved factors that can affect both the decision to participate or not in migration and the return from it, this study account for the heterogeneity of the effect. Results reveal that although, on average, internal labor migration positively affects agricultural productivity, there are households for which the effect is negative. In addition, households for which the effect is negative are mostly small farmers, therefore more likely to be poor and more likely to be subject to local price volatility. It seems that return to migration helps poor household to meet other needs. Moreover, the average effect of migration tends to increase with the probability of participating in internal migration, meaning that households decide to participate in migration because they anticipate higher future returns. At the same time, we also examine the extent to which past migration rates, widely used in the literature as an instrument for the decision to participate in migration, are exogenous to agricultural productivity. Results show that these variables are not exogenous because they are highly correlated with agricultural productivity.

Thesis (M.Sc. (Soil Science)) --University of Limpopo, 2013
The study was conducted to assess the impact of mining activities on selected soil physical, chemical and microbial properties on farmlands around three selected mining sites. Nine soil samples were collected from each of the following farms : Hans Merensky, Mogoboya and Leon Tom, Foskor Mine and JCI mining sites, respectively. Additional nine soil samples were collected from non-polluted Waterbok farm that serves as a control for the purpose of comparison. The samples were taken at 0–15, 15–30, 30–45 cm depths at three sampling points on each farm for physical, chemical and biological studies. However, soil samples collected for microbial (fungi, bacteria and actinomycetes) counts were surface (0–15 cm) soil samples. Soil chemical properties determined include pHw, electrical conductivity (ECe), exchangeable acidity (EA), organic carbon, available phosphorous, exchangeable cations as well as heavy metal (i.e. Mn, Zn, Cu, Pb, Cd, As and Sb) concentrations. The physical parameters determined include texture (sand, silt and clay) as well as bulk density. Soil pHw and ECe values decreased with depth; and ranged from 6.94 to 6.50 and from 12.24 to 10.76 mS cm-1, respectively. Exchangeable acidity showed a gradual increase with depth and ranged from 0.72 to 0.80 cmol(+)(kg), while percent organic carbon decreased with depth ranging from 1.41 to 2.19 %. Exchangeable cations, particularly K and Mg increased with depth while Ca decreased marginally with soil depth. Available phosphorous content decreased following increases in distance from the pollution source while heavy met.al contamination decreased with soil depth but increased further away from the pollution source. Significantly high loads of Pb, As and Sb were recorded at all depths on the three farms around the mining sites, which were largely responsible for the pollution but worse on the Leon Tom farm; with Pb constituting the greatest pollutant. The concentration of extractable heavy metals in the studied areas was in the order: As >Sb>Pb>Zn>Cu >Mn >Cd. Cadmium level appeared generally very low in all samples while elevated levels of Mn, Cu and Zn were detected at all depths in the polluted soils.Significant differences in microbial levels were detected at the various sampling points. The highest count of 3.82 and 6.20 CFU g-1 for fungi and actinomycete, respectively were both from the Leon Tom farm, while 6.46 CFU g-1 counts for bacteria was obtained from Mogoboya farm. Interestingly, fungal and actinomycetes activities were more sensitive to heavy metal contamination than bacteria that were significantly increased following soil pollution.
National Research Foundation (NRF)

This study was conducted at the installation of the Rural Academic Unit-Tiahuanaco of the BCU, located in the community of Achaca, third municipal section of Ingavi province, department of La Paz. It is 57 km from the La Paz-Desaguadero international highway, at 68 degrees 42 minutes 28 seconds latitude South by 16 degrees 35 minutes 41 seconds longitude West, at an altitude of 3856 meters above sea level. The study went from October 2000 to September 2001. The study consisted of determining the concentrations of the biochemical components in llama seminal plasma at three ages. Components studied were glucose, inorganic phosphate, creatinine, total protein, albumin, globulins, cholesterol, calcium, potassium, sodium, and magnesium. Twelve male llamas of 3, 4, and 5 years were selected and acquired from the Choquecota area of the Carangas province, department of Oruro. Four animals were chosen at each age and were subjected to a training period of semen collection during 2 months, using the artificial hindquarters designed for this effect. The 6 that best responded to the training were used for the investigation. Eight collections were obtained from each animal over the course of the study, and they were used for laboratory analysis. The results were analyzed using a hierarchical factorial design that involved a mixed analysis (nested and crossed) of the factors of age and collections. (The averages of two collections corresponding to each week were analyzed.) Each weekly collection average per age was an experimental unit. Four experimental units were obtained for each age, and the analysis of the data was done with the SAS statistics package version 6.12. From the analyses done the following results were obtained: the concentrations of glucose (6.246 [plus or minus] 0.716 mg/dl), creatinine (3.459 [plus or minus] 1.27 mg/dl), cholesterol (67.28 [plus or minus] 18.21 mg/dl), potassium (8.249 [plus or minus] 1.78 mEq/L), and sodium (123.187 [plus or minus] 18.39 mEq/L) did not show significant differences between ages or collections (p>0.05). The concentrations of calcium (12.138 [plus or minus] 3.64 mg/dl) and magnesium (1.943 [plus or minus] 0.52 mEq/L) showed significant (p<0.05) differences in age only and not in collections. Globulins (1.574 [plus or minus] 0.51 g/dl) showed differences between collections (p<0.05) but not between ages. Total protein (3.732 [plus or minus] 0.45 g/dl), albumin (2.158 [plus or minus] 0.46 g/dl), and inorganic phosphate (9.42 [plus or minus] 2.42 mg/dl) showed differences both between ages and between collections (p<0.05).

Magister Public Health - MPH
The Outpatient Therapeutic Programme (OTP) is an integrated public health innovation for treating severe acute malnutrition without medical complications in children 6 to 59 months of age as outpatients within their communities using Ready to Use Therapeutic Food with the aim of reducing case fatality rates. The OTP approach is implemented in the three districts in Eastern Province of Zambia namely; Chipata, Katete and Petauke. Since inception of the OTP in the province, an evaluation of the OTP has not been conducted. The study is aimed at assessing the effectiveness of the implementation of the OTP for management of severe acute malnutrition in the three districts of Eastern Province of Zambia.

Thesis (MPH.) --Univesity of Limpopo, 2014
Background: The main goal of HAART is to achieve maximal viral suppression. However, with poor adherence to therapy the chances of achieving and maintaining successful viral suppression are decreased, leading to virological failure. And virological failure has been recognized by WHO as one of the early warning signs of drug resistance. This operational research sought to explore virological failure as a treatment outcome to evaluate program performance at a facility level. Methods: Purposive sampling as per inclusion and exclusion criteria was used to retrospectively review clinical records of the first 700 adult HIV positive patients (350 males and 350 females) who initiated antiretroviral treatment between April 2004 and December 2007 at this adult HIV clinic, were followed up for at least 3 years and treated according to the South African government’s National Department of Health 2004 HIV treatment guidelines for adults and adolescents. Major Results: 268 clinical records, 97 (27.71%) male and 171 (58.86%) female records were eligible for inclusion in the study. The proportion of females was higher (63.8%) than males (32.8%) with an average age of 38.95 years. 24 (8.9%) patients in the study sample experienced virological failure during the study period; 11 (11.3%) males and 13 (7.6%) females. Two-thirds (66.6%) of patients who failed to suppress at their first viral load measurement proceeded to develop virological failure. Overall, there was no association of statistical significance between age, sex, baseline CD4 cell count and baseline regimen, and virological failure at various intervals, p> 0.05. Conclusion: It was a challenge to keep patients in care but those that remained in care had good treatment outcomes with only 8.9% developing virological failure. Failure to suppress at first viral load preceded virological failure in the majority of patients.

Our objective is to study the agronomic growth characteristics of two varieties of baby carrots at three planting densities. The study site is in the area of Walipini, town of Lentanias, province of Ingavi, department of La Paz, Bolivia. In this investigation, the two varieties of baby carrots used were ‘Amsterdam Forcing 3-Minicor’ and ‘Thumbelina’ (Daucus carota var. sativus). Both varieties were planted at densities of 333 plants/m2, 166 plants/m2 and 111 plants/m2 with a planting interval of two days. Statistical differences were observed for the following variables: plant height, root length, root diameter, base diameter, leaf yield, and root yield. The density with the highest yield was 333 plants/m2 with a root yield of 32 Tm/hectare, which was higher than the amount reported by MAG/IICA of 30 Tm/hectare. Lower yields were obtained with densities of 166 and 111 plants/m2. The products and their quality at harvest were obtained in trials T1, T2 and T6. These products reached the parameters set by MAC/IICA (2003) and Pimentel (1997) for the baby carrot varieties previously mentioned. Both presented proper development in regard to root diameter, root length and root yield. After a marginal analysis looking at a minimum rate of return of 100%, I determined that trial 1 (‘Amsterdam Forcing 3-Minicor’ planted in Walipini at a density of 333.3 plants/m2) was the most economically profitable with respect to the other trials.

Philosophiae Doctor - PhD
This study investigates how the three selected Western Cape Province (WCP) institutions of higher education position their brand imageries and awareness in a localised global way. It explores the branding discourses and strategies used by three WCP universities namely: University of the Western Cape (UWC), University of Cape Town (UCT), and Stellenbosch University (SU). The study applies the qualitative-interpretative approach with multiple methods such as interviews, observation, and document analysis to collect the data. Using the framework of Critical multisemiotic discourse analysis (CMDA), which combines CDA, and multimodality, the researcher analyses how the universities construct and position unique brands to the world and how the students as stakeholders consume these brands. The study also explores how the universities deploy, manipulate, and circulate linguistic, visual and extra-visual semiosis across multiple modalities to create attractive brand imageries. The CMDA framework illuminates the ways in which language and other semiotics are used to construct social reality and ideologies, and negotiate meanings in the universities’ branding practices. The study findings show that the universities are using different types of modalities to relay their institutional brand promotional messages to reach their target audience. These modalities include print media, word of mouth testimonials, alumni, social chatrooms such as Facebook, Twitter, You Tube and semiotic landscape to mention a few. Open days and orientation days are also used to showcase the brands and these events are resemiotised in different media and even posted on the universities websites so as to reach a wide audience from all over the world. In this case, the study demonstrates how the universities are able to promote their brands to their South African communities within their physical vicinity and reach the regional and international community online. This includes showing how some of the modes such as selected architecture and scenery, mission statements, branded goods, logos, historical artefacts together with particular semiotic materials and discourses are recirculated by means of being deterritorialised from the different contexts and reterritorialised into the universityscapes, to accentuate and sell the brands and create attractive brandscapes. Moreover, the study particularly demonstrates that the demise of apartheid and segregated universities in South Africa has prompted the universities to redefine, rebrand and realign themselves to the local, regional and international communities. This has necessitated new repositioning strategies in the post-apartheid South African universities under study. The universities have appropriated materialities of globalisation, commodified heritage and aesthetics of both their academic and social life as branding materials. The universities have adopted the social transformation agenda that tries to eliminate segregation in higher education institution. They all champion inclusive higher education that promotes internationalisation through quality education. Given their historical background, the seemingly effective drive towards transformation through redressing and internationalisation processes still mirrors apartheid inequalities among the HBUs and HWUs. These processes filter into these academic contexts differently. The relentless drive to commercialisation in the market economy from an unequal footing, places the HBUs in a weaker position, where they are always trying to catch up. In addition, the study demonstrates that the universities have adopted the culture of consumerism and the market economy that perpetuates an excessively materialistic and exploitative view of living. The traditional identities of universities, as sites of higher education, have been replaced by corporate-like brand identities, which ensure that they are well known for what they have, they do and lastly what they are. The ideological shift in brand identity is displayed in the imagery of the mission statements, logos, branded goods, buildings, historical artefacts, students, sports and academic resources, all of which are remediated in documentaries, social media, YouTube, television advertisements and other media. This ideological shift and a focus on brand identities, as icons of consumption, have resulted in practices that create unequal subject positions among the universities both at a local and international level, as it widens the competition gap between the HBUs and the HWUs. Through evaluating the students’ brand perceptions and analysis of the brand materials, the study further highlights the undeniable problems in these universities’ branding processes, such as the discrepancy of effective branding trajectories that adequately support the historically disadvantaged institutions to be on the same competitive ground with the historically white universities. The forces of globalisation, technologisation and commodification do not make it easier either as these inherited inequalities on development, cause massive differences in wealth among the universities and citizens accessing resources in these universities. The analysis in this study clearly demonstrates how the universities are able to appropriate multiple semiosis and discourses between the reproduction of the racial social order through subtle traces of resistance or through trying to hold on to the past and branding themselves as inclusive university brands both at a national and a global level. This study brings to the fore that institutional branding is not simply a matter of explicit lexical self-description and attribution, but also pertains to an organisation’s use of semiotic features and patterns, such as particular metaphors or types of modalities. The study therefore contributes to the debates on post-apartheid socio-economic transformation in South African universities, and hints that pretending that the inherited inequality in these universities will correct itself, is futile as it is evident that cultural dialogue and communication based on equity, are necessary in order to avoid widening the gap between the contexts of higher learning in South Africa. Even in light of the latest 'Rhodes Must Fall' and 'Fees Must Fall' campaigns, this study provides information that can positively influence perspectives on access to higher education in South Africa. Against the backdrop of globalisation and internationalisation on these universities, the study recommends that the universities and stakeholders work and rethink new ways of university branding and collaboration that facilitate positive growth. The study thus undoubtedly contributes to the field of language and communication particularly in understanding the concepts of institutional brand identity and consumption as practices, which can be actively changed and negotiated for authentic transformation that is beneficial to both the institution and its stakeholders. This implies that institutional brand identity should not only put emphasis on the business world but on the social world as well how people interpret meanings in their lives. Ultimately, the study calls for an understanding and incorporation of the relatively new concepts of institutional branding and brand identity consumption in modernity practices where communication is characterised by many meaning-making semiotics other than the verbal aspects of human interaction.

Magister Artium (Psychology) - MA(Psych)
Research on children’s well-being has increased over the past decade, largely driven by advancements in children’s rights legislation and the emergence of innovative theoretical and epistemological frameworks. While there has been a notable increase in empirical research on children’s objective standards of living, less data has been available in relation to their subjective perceptions and evaluations of their life. The measurement of children’s subjective well-being (SWB) has been a particular focus of empirical research especially as it relates to the development of valid scales for use with children across age groups and contexts. An area of concern is the lack of psychometrically sound measurement instruments for use with younger children and especially in low-to-middle income contexts.

Homework in primary school level is an important discussion among teachers, students and parents in recent years particularly during the last two decades there has been great raise of interest to know the role of the parents as first educators of the children in improving their capacity. This research study tries to find out the point of views of the teachers about nature and feature of homework in primary classes (one to third) because majority of the students, particularly those who live in the rural areas of the country work at home or agriculture fields after school time to support their families and they have limited time to do the amount of homework that teachers want. Similarly cooperation or involvement of parents in homework process is also limited because considerable proportion of parents in remote areas of Afghanistan are uneducated and cannot effectively take part in homework process The study has been based on a field survey with 60 male and female teachers in Takhar province (Taloqan city and two districts, Farkhar and Dashte Qala). The study found that most of the teachers were aware about the goal and objective of the homework in primary classes and to some extent apply in one or other way, but, lack of proper planning, follow up and feedback mechanisms, time and amount of homework as well as low level involvement of parents and students themselves are the major shortages of the homework process in primary classes which requires great attention of the education actors in school and ministry levels. Similarly the only way of involvement of the families at school issues is the homework which can play the role of bridge between home and school so designing the of homework should be in way that parents specifically uneducated parents also could participate
TEMP

This study was conducted in the experimental unit of the Benson Agriculture and Food Institute, which is located in the Letanias community of the Ingavi province in the department of La Paz. Our objective was to compare the agronomic performance of two baby lettuce varieties (Lactuca sativa L.) at three planting densities in panqar huyus. In order to provide the rural farmer communities of Contorno Letanias and Contorno Medio a possible cost-effective alternative and to employ the use of moderate environments called panqar huyus, we introduced two varieties of baby lettuce: 1) Little Gem in seed form and 2) Tom Thumb already sprouted. These two were planted at densities of 250,000, 333,333, and 500,000 plants/hectare. Statistical analyses performed using the F-test and Duncan’s Multiple Range test found statistical differences between the varieties of baby lettuce and/or planting densities in the following response variables: plant height, number of leaves, root length, total foliage area, green foliage yield, and individual weight of green foliage. The values we obtained for green foliage yield were below those published by the European Union (2004). This was mainly due to the climate of the interior of the panqar huyus. The highest average yield achieved by the baby lettuce varieties was reached by Little gem in seed form with a value of 1.66 kg/m2. As for the planting densities, the highest yield was obtained with the 500,000 plants/hectare density, which had a value of 2.18 kg/m2. As for the quality of the harvested product, the values closest to the parameters established by the European Nations (2004) and the MAG/IICA (2004) were obtained in treatments 5 and 6. Some of these parameters were head diameter, plant height, number of leaves, total foliage area, and individual weight of green foliage. Furthermore, the economic analysis done via the partial budget estimate proposed by CIMMYT (1983) determined that treatment 5 (Little gem in seed form planted at a planting density of 500,000 plants/hectare) is the most profitable when compared to the other treatments in the area of domain.

Magister Scientiae (Biodiversity and Conservation Biology)
South Africa is recognised worldwide for its rich diversity of plants, many of which have been used in ethno-medicine. However, the use of wetland plant species in ethno-medicine required further investigations. This research is aimed at investigating three wetland medicinal, plant species, Centella asiatica, Cyperus longus and Typha capensis based on their geographical, seasonal, mineral nutrient (Fe, Mn, Ca, Mg, K and Na) and secondary metabolite characteristics. Samples of each species were collected from Grabouw, Kelderhoff, Kenilworth, Pringle Bay, University of the Western Cape (UWC) and Worcester within the Western Cape Province of South Africa. Specimen and soil collections were carried out during autumn, spring, summer and winter of 2014. Both plant and soil samples were acid digested and mineral nutrient concentrations in the samples were analysed using an atomic absorption spectrometer (AAS). Secondary metabolites were determined using analytical TLC on normal phase Merck-Silva gel coated aluminium plates as well as by using HPLC separation from crude extracts of C. asiatica, C. longus and T. capensis using LC-MS hardware from Agilent. The elemental analysis of soil samples showed that Ca, K, Mg, Mn and Zn concentrations were predominantly low. Soil mineral concentrations increased progressively from inland (Worcester) towards the coastland in the south (Pringle Bay). Calcium and sodium concentrations, in particular, were higher in soil samples obtained from Grabouw (inland south) and decreased northward towards Worcester. Comparatively, plant mineral concentrations were generally higher than soil concentrations. The high concentration of some of these essential elements, in selected plants is an indication that these plant species could be a good source of essential elements. High concentrations of phytochemicals were found in Centella asiatica during winter, while Cyperus longus and Typha capensis exhibited high concentrations during autumn indicating variation in respect of season. Consequently, harvesting of the studied plants should be done at the season with a relatively high phytochemical concentration. Studies are needed to investigate the extent of pesticide or herbicide contamination in wetland plants to protect the health of users. The LC-MS analyses of the three study species showed that seasonal variation affects metabolite constituents and moreover that these metabolite constituents differ from one locality to another. The seasonal variation of the elements in the studied medicinal plants justified the importance of harvesting seasons in the optimal utilization of the studied plants for medicinal purpose. s, for C. asiatica, anti-bacterial treatments for C. longus and fertility enhancement and birth control for T. capensis.

This study was conducted in the community of Yampupata, in the municipality of Copacabana, in the Manco Kapac province, La Paz, to an altitude of 3841 m.a.s.l, agricultural campaign 2003-2004. The purpose of the study was to determine and compare the fenological stages (germination, growth, leafing, and harvesting), hypocotyl yield (dry and fresh), classification of the hypocotyl (diameter, length, etc.), and the economical evaluation as well. The experiment set up was installed in the lower region of the community, dedicated to agriculture, performing all the aforementioned activities together for the period of a year. The experimental design was of Random blocking test, having three types of Maca (lepidium mevenni Walp.): yellow, purple, and cream , five levels of ovine manure ( 0.0, 2.5, 7.5, and 10.0 tn/ha), distributed in the four blocks, 15 treatments, 60 experimental units, with a planting density of 3 kg/ha, and a total area of 300 m². According to the results, it is recommended to plant the cream, and the yellow ecotype of Maca, due to their positive development under the conditions of the soil, and climate of the zone. The cream ecotype under the effect of 7.5 tn/ha of ovine manure (a3b3) had a yield of 8055.06 kg/ha in 238 days (8 months) , with a rentability index of 3.75. In comparison, the purple ecotype with a 0.0 tn/ha of ovine manure (a2b1) had a yield of 4319.55 kg/ha, and a rentability index of 1.74 in eight months. The cream ecotype with 7.5 tn/ha of ovine manure, presented the best behavior under local conditions (climate, soil, and handling), the yield and rentability index were superior to the other treatments; therefore, it is recommended to implement a production plan in the sector according to the results obtained from the study.

Master of Public Health - MPH
Background: The Western Cape's Comprehensive Service Plan (CSP) is committed to "treating the right patient at the right level right, with the right skills and at the right cost" (Page 1, Tygerberg Hospital Annual Report, 2007). Occupational therapy (OT) Managers in the Metro District, Western Cape Province are in the process of aligning the OT services to the new CSP document. A major problem is the high default rate (non attendance) and irregular attendance (patient attends but skips sessions) amongst paediatric out-patients. In order to properly improve the OT paediatric services, it is vital for the OT managers to know the reasons for the poor utilisation of the OT services at the paediatric out-patient units. Purpose of study: The irregular attendance and high default rates (where patients stop attending the OT sessions completely) among children are a major problem at three OT out-patient units in Cape Town, Western Cape Province. The occupational therapists who work at these units are adamant that this impacts negatively on the child's progress. This study sought to explore the factors influencing the utilisation of the OT service in these three OT paediatric out-patient units in the hope of providing relevant information to the OT managers of these units in order to rethink the current service and make appropriate changes to improve adherence and treatment progress. Study design: This was an exploratory study using qualitative research methods. In-depth interviews were conducted with ten parents of children who have to attend the OT out-patient services. One group discussion was conducted with the occupational therapists that provide the services at the out-patient units. Sampling: Purposive sampling methods were employed to select four occupational therapists (at least one from each unit) and ten parents (at least three from each unit, with at least two who attended poorly and one that attended regularly). Analysis: Thematic analysis was used to interpret the data. The data was coded and categorised according to themes that emerged during data analysis. Results: The results of this study revealed that the factors that impact the utilisation of the OT service at the three OT units is complex. Factors that influenced the utilisation of the OT services in this study were related to the OT service such as staff attitude, relationship between the occupational therapist and the mothers as well as their child, communication between the mother and the occupational therapist, treatment progress, parent involvement in the OT programme and access to the OT service. Other factors such as the mothers' perception of the severity of the child's health condition, family support, work factors and family support were important factors related to the mother. The findings also revealed that environmental factors namely stigma, discrimination and travelling to the OT units impacted utilisation of the OT service. The participants made recommendations on how to improve the service. Conclusion: This study describes the complexity of what impacted the utilisation of the OT services and how closely interlinked these different factors are. It is evident from the findings of this study that a comprehensive, client centred approach is required to properly deal with the factors that negatively impact the utilisation of this service. Recommendations: A multi-faceted approach is required. Important issues to address are the shortage of occupational therapists across the levels of health care in the Western Cape Province; improving on the client centred approach in OT intervention programmes; advancing advocacy against stigma and discrimination against children with disabilities; and making public transport more accessible to children and their mothers.

The problem of land degradation is something that can not be ignored in this day and age. A food shortage as a result of desertification is a reality in especially, the African continent. One of the factors contributing to the problem of land degradation, is bush thickening. Bush thickening leads to the reduction of the grazing potential of natural rangelands. This has a direct effect on the cattle production and thus on the human livelihoods itself. Bush thickening usually occurs in areas that were exposed to over grazing in the past. The North West Province is the sixth largest province of South Africa. Nine (9) of the 28 magisterial districts of this province are considered to have a severe bush thickening problem. Several programmes have been initiated in South Africa to address the land degradation problem in order to make the land users more aware of the problem and to get involved in more sustainable natural resource management practises. Such an initiative is the LandCare program in South Africa, introduced by the National Department of Agriculture. LandCare has five themes, of which VeldCare is mainly based in the North West Province. This involves, amongst others, bush thinning, clearing or the total eradication of undesirable woody andlor alien plants to improve the grazing potential of rangelands. The clearing of the hush can be achieved by direct or indirect practices. Direct practices are when bush is eradicated by chemical or mechanical methods, whereas indirect practice focus more on the stocking rate and management of livestock, to prevent bush thickening. The indirect rangeland management practices were introduced together with awareness creation programmes in this study. Through this project, communities are given the opportunity to participate and take charge of the degradation problems in their region. LandCare therefore also focuses on education, training and capacity building of the land users in the rural areas. Three magisterial districts in the Western Region of the North West Province namely Ganyesa, Kudumane and Taung were identified by the Provincial Department of Agriculture to be monitored on account of their project development at the time. All three magisterial districts are subdivided into three Agricultural Development Centres (ADC's). These ADC's are again divided into a number of Field Service Units or FSU's. Benchmark sites were selected in certian FSU's for this study. The study sites were chosen to represent both the Morafe Ranches and Communal managed systems. The Morafe Ranch and communal management systems in the Ganyesa magisterial district were Water-Fouch6 and Austrey respectively. In the Kudumane magisterial district, the Morafe Ranch systems were studied at the Heuningvlei study site. No communal managed rangeland system was monitored in this district, as there were no woody species in the vicinity of the exclosure plots used in this study. The Morafe Ranch system in the Taung magisterial district was at the Orange Grove study site and the communal managed rangeland was at the Ipelegeng study site. The data of the Ipelegeng study site however is unpresentable. The reasons are fully discussed in Chapter 4. In the study areas, several benchmark plots were selected that would represent the vegetation and management systems of the region. At the benchmark, an exclosure was erected. The fenced-in area would serve as a control to demonstrate the effect resting would have on a rangeland, while the outside of the exclosure normal grazing practise occurred. The aim was to determine the extent of bush thickening at the selected benchmark study sites, and how it will change both under the current grazing regime (outside the exclosure) and during resting (inside the exclosure) in the two management systems (Morafe Ranch and communal managed system). Quantitative surveys were carried out over a two year period to determine the structure and composition of the woody species. The average percentage of the woody species was calculated for the past three sampling periods (April 2001, December 2001 and May 2002). Although a two year period (three seasons) is much too short to detect any changes in the structure and composition of the woody component, the data and results will serve as good baseline data for long term monitoring and management projects. The benchmark sites are also used as demonstration plots that contribute to the awareness and training of the land users as part of the Landcare initiative. The vegetation sampling methods included the belt transect method, 2 x (4 x 100 m) or 5 x (4 x 40 m), depending on the size and shape of the exclosure. Each woody species rooted in the 4m belt was noted as well as the structure class it occurred in. Five height classes were noted, namely: less than 0.5 m, 0.5 - 1 m, 1 - 2 m, 2 - 3 m, 3 - 4 m and higher than 4 meters. The environmental factor, rainfall, had the most influence on the slight changes that occurred in the species composition and structure of the woody vegetation. The rainfall data of the past five years could be considered as above average. It had a significant impact on the germination of seedlings of woody species, and thus influenced the less than 0.5 m height class the most A major drawback to the data collection was the sampling practises, as different people participated in each sampling event Some of the species such as Grewiaflava, which has a multi stemmed growth form, was noted as one individual during one survey and in other cases as several individual plants. This caused much distortion in especially the density data and contributed to the fact that the results between sampling events and seasons could not be clearly correlated with each other. The data collected is represented as a percentage of the woody species for each benchmark site, inside and outside the exclosure. The species that were present in a more than 5 % abundance, as well as the structure classes, were represented in bar graphs. To give more perspective on the woody species data, the tree equivalents per hectare (TEha) per structure class, as well as the total tree equivalents, were calculated for each study site and survey period. The dominant height class was the less than 0.5 m. The tree equivalent per hectare data show the 1 - 2 meter height class to have more influence on the herbaceous data at the study area. A species that was found in most of the benchmarks was Grewiaflava. The reduction in the grazing area might be significant, due to the growth form and large canopy cover of G. flava. Although Acacia mellifera was present in all the benchmark sites with more deep sandy soils, such as the Water-Fouch6 -, Austrey -, Heuningvlei - and Ipelegeng study sites, the presence of A. hebeclada seems to be greater problem leading to bush thickening. Acacia hebeclada was more abundant than Acacia mellifera in most cases. The attitude towards the LandCare projects in each of the communities improved as the data was analysed and results presented to the land users, agricultural officers and the communities, a task which is often neglected in feedback sessions by scientists. Feedback to the communities therefore forms an integral part of such a long term study. As mentioned, the study period was too short to determine any significant differences in woody species composition, but it has contributed considerably to the awareness and capacity building of all stakeholders. If future data collection is done, it is essential that the surveyors should be thoroughly trained beforehand in the identification of woody species, especially the seedlings of the different Acacia species, as well as the sampling procedures, to avoid problems in the data analysis and results. Woody species should be noted as multi- or single stemmed to eliminate the problem of perception differences of different surveyors. Sampling methods can also be improved on in future. All in all, this LandCare project can be viewed as a success story. Despite some drawbacks, a lot was learned about the different natural resource management systems.
Thesis (M. Environmental Science)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2004.