Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'External examination'

This thesis describes studies of the requirements, applications and benefits of external quality assessment (EQA) of clinical chemistry laboratories. The involvement of EQA in assessing the analytical quality of results from clinical chemistry laboratories is well-established. This thesis addresses the contribution of EQA in improving clinical chemistry practice and therefore patient care rather than as a method of 'policing' laboratory performance which is the objective of many national EQA schemes. The use of EQA in the assessment of interlaboratory agreement, of analytical methods, of individual laboratory performance, and of quality control and calibration materials is discussed. Surveys are examined as a means to assess the prevailing standard of performance and determine priorities for further EQA to improve performance. The contribution of scoring systems to scheme success by making the information more intelligible to participants is described. The importance of reliable target values is shown, and the reproducibility and accuracy of consensus values in such schemes have been studied. EQA data are shown to be invaluable in providing information on the relative performance of analytical procedures, and on factors such as analyte concentration and laboratory workload which affect performance. The stepwise interpretation of the Variance Index scoring system, and the use of graphical presentations in assisting the assessment of laboratory performance are described. Finally, the use of EQA data in the study of the suitability of quality control materials is examined, with particular reference to their commutability, their use in calibration, and the effects of manufacturing procedures upon their properties. This thesis illustrates the importance of EQA to clinical chemistry practice and to patient care.

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software systems have been gaining increasing prominence in recent times and are now regarded as one of the most important components of the corporate IT infrastructure. Indeed, in organisations where they are installed, ERP systems usually form the centre of this infrastructure. Being at the centre of a wider system consisting of several software components, ERPs usually need to be integrated with the other enterprise software solutions around them. This research examined the role that Microsoft . NET technology can play in such an integration process. This examination mainly took place through a real-life case study which involved the implementation of an integration project. The purpose of the project was to integrate an ERP system installed in a manufacturing company with an e-commerce website that was being developed to enable the company to sell its products online. The project required the two systems to be integrated so that prices on the website would be sourced directly from the ERP system and that any orders placed on the website would be sent directly into the ERP. Through the above case study, Microsoft . NET's potential role in facilitating the integration of ERP systems with external applications was analysed, resulting in a critical evaluation of the effectiveness of NET for ERP-based integration projects including conclusions on the suitability of the technology for this purpose as well as its advantages and shortcomings. In terms of research questions, the purpose of this research was to answer the following: 1) Is the Microsoft . NET platform a suitable technology to use in integrating small to mid-sized ERP systems with external third party applications and systems within an SME context? 2) How does Microsoft. NET compare with other technologies for this purpose? The conclusion that was reached was that Microsoft NET can, in fact, significantly facilitate ERP integration projects and that the technology provides several features that make it of particular use for this purpose: " Unrivalled support for Web Services and XML. "A very extensive class library providing a huge number of ready-made components. " An industry-leading development tool in Visual Studio. NET. " Inherent security features that reduce the burden on developers to secure applications. " Support for most programming languages as well as support for the use of several different languages within the same project. Furthermore, a comparison of NET with J2EE as an enabler of ERP integration with external applications reached the conclusion that NET would, in the majority of cases, constitute the better option within an SME context for the following reasons: " Faster development of projects in most cases, thereby putting less strain on the generally fewer resources available to smaller companies. " Closer integration of NET with Windows operating systems and software, with Windows being generally more popular amongst smaller companies. However, it was also concluded that in the case of ERP integration projects for larger organisations, J2EE would usually be the more suitable choice since it was found to be more suited than NET to the heterogeneous IT infrastructures generally found in such organisations. As well as evaluating NET as an enabler of ERP integration, a further contribution to knowledge that this research presented was a novel architecture that can be used to facilitate the integration of ERP systems with external applications and potentially also the integration of all of a company's systems through their ERP. This novel architecture involved using a dedicated Web Services server that would expose the functionality and data of the ERP and would constitute a central integration hub.

Purpose: The thesis aims to explore the roles that board directors undertake and understand whether there is an impact of the external organisational environment as well as several board characteristics on these roles. Design/ Methodology Approach: Building on existing literature a model is developed to test hypothesized relationships—i.e. directors’ roles with external environment and board characteristics. Measurements are designed—withdrawing them from the literature—to collect quantitative data from directors of UK organisations. The responses were collected from 115 directors working in UK organisations. Principal component analysis is conducted to reduce the data and propose a set of directors’ roles and correlation as well as regression analyses are utilised in order to test the hypothesised relationships. Findings: The results of the principal component analysis propose a set of six distinct roles for board directors, providing a new framework for future researchers. In addition, it is found that both the external environment and the board characteristics have some impact on what directors do, extending the limited empirical evidence found in the literature. However, the theoretical framework needs further examination and research. Limitations/Future Recommendations: The current thesis is evidenced by various limitations. Firstly, additional constructs can be added as determinants of the directors’ roles. Secondly, the response rate in the survey is low, which is regarded as a limitation, although there are limited studies offering quantitative results from board members.

This thesis answers calls for fine-grained studies of product diversification, in this case, predominantly using the resource based view of the firm. The context is UK providers of banking services. The thesis has developed the concept of resource matching. Resource matching combines levels of: resource heterogeneity, resource similarity and difference, and the external environmental setting of the organisation with the business performance of product diversification. Resource matching significantly increases the limited conceptual underpinning of diversification RBV by adapting and developing concepts from single firm RBV literature. Two new research strategies were developed to gather data on multiple resources and external factors. One was unused due to access issues during the credit crunch. The other, which was used, utilised multiple sources of publicly available information both qualitative and quantitative. These conceptual and methodological developments offer a way to restart the research on the impact of product diversification on business performance. This research has stalled due to conflicting results and methodological issues. Twenty nine providers of banking services in the UK where examined: building societies; other providers of retail banking services; providers of investment banking services; and combined banks which offer both investment and retail banking services. This thesis found: varying amounts of resource heterogeneity, resource bundles can be constructed from publicly available external data, performance in diversification does not adhere to the previously posited curvilinear pattern but to one of the greater the product diversification the greater the business performance risk and reward, with rewards being both positive and negative, and finally the external environment does vary within the industry. The results on product diversification performance suggest of a new way of looking at product diversification which might reconcile the previous conflicting results. A modified version of the conceptual model of resource matching was developed to take account of the results. Opportunities for further work include; studying other industries and providers of banking services in other countries, refining the single industry fine grained research methods and further developing the resource matching model.

The central question of this thesis is what forces and personal dynamics ultimately shape the Kremlin’s responses to foreign policy issues. The legacies of Mikhail Gorbachev and Boris Yeltsin are traced from the Soviet democratization during the 1980’s and the constitutional empowerment of the Russian presidency during the 1990’s. These two coexistent forces of empowering the average citizen in a country in which the President is the most powerful authority in decision-making are examined. The forces of the Kremlin affect the current inner circle of Siloviki, Technocrats, and Yeltsin Liberals who are integral members of the policy formulation. Vladimir Putin and his handpicked successor, Dmitry Medvedev, were now at the helm of a government with these three groups of bureaucrats from 2008 to 2012. The Medvedev presidency was confronted with challenges in the post-Soviet space, which included Georgian military operations against Russia and an anti-Russian leader in Kyrgyzstan. In addition to this, the Kremlin was faced with the decisions to enforce sanctions against rogue regimes pursuing nuclear capability, specifically Iran and North Korea. The Arab Spring of 2011 brought with it momentous change in the Middle East and the Russian Federation was forced to decide whether to consent to sanctions against the Khadafy regime in Libya and the Assad regime in Syria. The six foreign policy decisions in this thesis illuminate the Kremlin’s internal dynamics as well as the handling of the external political forces enacted by Mikhail Gorbachev and Boris Yeltsin. Graham Allison’s Governmental Politics Model, which analyzes foreign policy from a personal perspective of the chief decision-makers, is used throughout this body of doctoral research.

The current study explored how White racial identity influences the relationship between affective reactions to racism and one’s internal or external motivation to respond without prejudice. The first aim was to examine the bivariate relationships between White racial identity ego schemas and affective reactions to racism. The second aim examined the bivariate relationships between affective reactions to racism and an internal/external motivation to respond without prejudice. The third aim explored whether Phase I or Phase II White racial identity ego schemas explained the relation of affective reactions to racism and internal/external motivation to respond without prejudice. PROCESS mediation models were used to assess the direct and indirect effects. Results indicated that the affective reactions “fear of others” and guilt, were related to the Phase I ego schemas, Disintegration and Reintegration. Guilt and Empathic reactions to racism were correlated with the Phase II ego schema Immersion/Emersion. The Phase I ego schemas, Disintegration and Reintegration, mediated the relation between all affective reactions and an external motivation to respond without prejudice. The Phase II ego schema Immersion/Emersion failed to mediate the relation between any of the affective reactions and internal motivation.

Abstract Isolated lateral malleolar supination-external rotation (SER) -type ankle fractures without incongruity on the standard radiographs can be either stable or unstable depending on the status of the deep deltoid ligament. Neither clinical signs of injury on the medial aspect of the ankle nor the displacement of fibular fracture on mortise radiographs seem to predict stability. Therefore, stress testing has been adopted in clinical use. No “gold standard” method exists but the manual external rotation (ER) stress test is the most extensively studied. The ER stress test has some disadvantages, and other methods—such as gravity stress radiography and magnetic resonance imaging—have been suggested instead. However, the evidence to support the use of these methods is still insufficient. The aims of this dissertation were to assess the roles of (1) morphological factors from standard radiographs of 286 patients, (2) clinical findings on the medial side of the ankle and gravity stress radiography of 79 patients, and (3) MRI of 61 patients in evaluating the stability of the ankle mortise in patients with unimalleolar SER-type fractures with no talar shift on standard radiographs. The ER stress test result was considered to be the reference for stability throughout these studies. We found that a fracture line width < 2 mm in lateral radiographs, only two fracture fragments, and female sex are independent factors predicting a stable ankle mortise. Neither clinical signs on the medial side of the ankle nor gravity stress radiography alone predict the stability of the ankle mortise accurately. According to our MRI findings, total tears of the deep deltoid ligaments are rare, and partial tears are common in this this patient group. The reliability of the MRI assessment is only moderate. In conclusion, patients with non-comminuted fractures and < 2 mm displacement on lateral radiographs have stable ankle mortises and need no further stress testing. The gravity stress radiography is an accurate test for the evaluation of the ankle mortise stability only if the clinical signs indicate a similar result with the gravity stress radiographs. The use of MRI provides no additional benefit compared to ER stress testing for stability evaluation of an SER-type ankle fracture
Tiivistelmä Supinaatio-ulkokiertomekanismilla syntyneet isoloidut ulkokehräsluun murtumat ilman röntgenkuvassa näkyvää telaluun siirtymää voivat olla joko vakaita tai epävakaita nilkan sisemmän nivelsiteen syvän lehden tilasta riippuen. Kliinisessä tutkimuksessa todettujen nilkan sisäreunan vamman merkkien tai röntgenkuvauksella todettavan ulkokehräsluun murtuman virheasennon ei ole osoitettu ennustavan nivelhaarukan mahdollista epävakautta, joten nilkkaa kuormittaen tehtäviä röntgenkuvauksia on otettu kliiniseen käyttöön. Mikään näistä kuvausmenetelmistä ei ole niin sanottu kultainen standardi, mutta ulkokiertovääntötestiä (ER-testi) on tutkittu laajimmin. ER-testin käyttöön liittyy kuitenkin ongelmia, joiden vuoksi niin sanottua painovoimakuvausta tai muun muassa magneettikuvausta (MRI) on ehdotettu käytettäväksi sen sijaan. Näiden menetelmien käyttöä tukeva tieteellinen näyttö on kuitenkin vielä riittämätöntä. Tämän väitöskirjatyön tarkoituksena oli tutkia (1) 286 potilaan tavallisista kuormittamattomista röntgenkuvista morfologisten tekijöiden, (2) 79 potilaan nilkan sisäreunan kliinisen tutkimuksen ja painovoimakuvauksen sekä (3) 61 potilaalla MRI:n merkitystä ja tarkkuutta arvioitaessa supinaatio-ulkokiertomekanismilla syntyneiden ulkokehräsluun murtumien vakautta. ER-testin tulosta käytettiin referenssinä nivelhaarukan vakaudelle kaikissa osatöissä. Sivukuvasta mitattuna ulkokehräsluun murtuman leveys < 2 mm, vain kahden kappaleen murtuma ja naissukupuoli ovat itsenäisiä vakaata nivelhaarukkaa ennustavia tekijöitä. Kliininen tutkimus tai painovoimakuvaus eivät yksinään pysty ennustamaan nivelhaarukan vakautta riittävän tarkasti. MRI:n perusteella sisemmän nivelsiteen syvän lehden täydelliset repeämät ovat tässä vammatyypissä harvinaisia mutta osittaiset repeämät ovat hyvin tavallisia huolimatta ER-testin tuloksesta. MRI:n tulkinnan luotettavuus on ainoastaan kohtalainen. Yhteenvetona voidaan todeta, että ilman ilmeistä telaluun siirtymää röntgenkuvassa yksinkertaiset supinaatio-ulkokiertomekanismilla syntyneet ulkokehräsluun murtumat ovat vakaita eikä nivelhaarukan vakauden testaaminen ole tarpeen, jos murtumaraon leveys sivukuvassa on < 2 mm. Painovoimakuvaus on luotettava, mikäli sen tulos on sama ulkoisten vamman merkkien kanssa. Magneettikuvauksesta ei ole hyötyä arvioitaessa tämän nilkkamurtumatyypin vakautta

When working with complex aircraft design it is necessary to be able test configurations easily. At Saab this is done in several ways. When looking at the weapons integration on the Gripen Aircraft, clearance analysis (called feasibility studies at Saab) are created to evaluate if new external stores can be mounted. This is done manually in CATIA by measuring and evaluating the result. To ease the work when performing these repetitive tasks, it is possible to take advantage of Knowledge Based Engineering, KBE. This thesis revolves around implementing KBE in the process. The approach is to create a configurator that can handle the different external stores and perform the required tasks. The end result is a configurator with a Graphical User Interface, GUI, in which the user gets help with the feasibility study and which requires light manual input from the user. The configurator performs the study and produces a Word report for the user to examine. The resulting time saving is around 75 to 80 percent from the original process. The conclusion is that the configurator can facilitate the feasibility studies at Saab by reducing the time and lower the threshold for the user. Even though the process is not fully automated, the configurator is judged to perform at a satisfying degree.

Over the last several decades, the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory - Adolescent (MMPI-A) has remained one of the most extensively studied and commonly used adolescent assessment measures. Most recently, the MMPI-A was revised, published as the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory - Adolescent Restructured Form (MMPI-A-RF). Given the infancy of the extant MMPI-A-RF literature, the current dissertation sought to be one of the first criterion studies since the test manual to establish its relevant clinical correlates in a sample of youth referred for mental health services. Following in line with previous clinical correlate research, the psychometric properties of the MMPI-A-RF were determined. Under this approach, the present study bolstered support for the construct validity of the RC scales through the identification of clinically relevant, scale and item-level correlates. In particular, the RCd and RC4 evidenced especially strong convergent and discriminant validity. As a result, the current study highlighted the MMPI-A-RF's efficacy in detecting psychopathology along the broad externalizing and internalizing spectrum. In addition, the role of gender and its effect on MMPI-A-RF clinical interpretations were explored. Practical recommendations for ensuring a gender-specific approach to MMPI-A-RF interpretation were outlined.

This exploratory study examined the different tourism market development strategies that tourism Multinational Corporations (MNCs) implement in their operations in African host countries. It empirically investigated the existence of any relationships between tourism MNCs’ market development strategies and the “Needs and Expectations of African host countries.” Also, it investigated the influences of external environmental factors on tourism MNCs’ tourism market strategic choice. Its sample population were top management executives of tourism MNCs‘ with operations in the African market. The unit of analysis was the corporation. The sample frame was an exhaustive list of tourism MNCs with operations in the African region. The initial sample size was 106 tourism MNCs’ executives. Thirty-seven of them responded to a mail in survey questionnaire. Two of the questionnaires were discarded due to numerous missing data. Thus, there were 35 usable questionnaires for data analysis, which is a response rate of 33%. The study results identified relationships between the integration of Multinational Corporations’ (MNCs) tourism market development strategies with the needs and expectations of developing African host countries, and their successful performance in those host countries in terms of growth in operations and profitability. It revealed that significant differences exist among the market development strategies on the factors of needs and expectations of African host countries. The significant factors were community participation, local entrepreneurship, and job and national security. Also, the economic development factor was observed to be partially significant. This study also identified free trade economy in the African host countries as a significant factor on the influence of external environment. The framework of this study is embedded in the underlying theories of international strategic management, international business, international development, and needs and expectations. The study’s final conceptual model depicts the significant factors of African host countries’ needs and expectations, the tourism market development strategies, an integration of the two concepts and the resultant tourism MNCs successful performance. This research study investigated MNCs in all sectors of the tourism industry. And the findings have shown that for the tourism MNCs to be successful in their African host countries, they should be sensitive to the identified sectors, namely economic development, community participation, local entrepreneurship, and job and national security measures. Also, they should exert more efforts in exploring African free trade economies for their business locations in the region.
Ph. D.

An examination of the approaches and effectiveness of internal and external change agents in building the capacity to implement a national improvement strategy in different schools. This research arose out of a desire to improve understanding of the consultancy process and associated skills as they relate to national reform strategies.. A review of literature on school improvement, change agents, capacity and capacity building led to the thesis that internal and external change agents may use similar skills, but capacity building would vary in different schools. . . Evidence was gained from data gathered during an independent evaluation of the implementation of the Key Stage 3 Strategy Pilot (KS3). This national strategy was designed to 'transform' education for English secondary pupils aged 11-14, which was an early example of 'tn-level development', seeking to integrate accountability and capacity building through co-ordinated action at c1assroomJschool, LEA and national JEwels. The research explored: • how change agents build capacity to implement an innovation; • to what extent internal and external change agents work differently; • whether change agents work differently in high and low capacity situations. Evidence was gathered from four case study schools in two pilot local authorities; primarily through semi-structured interviews with school subject leaders and senior staff, KS3 consultants and line managers. The findings suggest that implementation was affected by senior and middle leaders; the emergence of new leadership patterns; and recruitment, retention and capacity of subject leaders. It was also influenced by LEA size, effectiveness and interpretation of their roles and responsioilities. The study identifies activities which helped and hindered capacity building and suggests that internal and external change agents adapt their approach to different contexts. Identification of very effective consultants also provided evidence that school and LEA expectations of support required to implement this Strategy exceeded those of the Government. A differentiated model of change agent intervention is proposed. An examination of the approaches and effectiveness of internal and external change agents in building the capacity to implement a national improvement strategy in different schools. This research arose out of a desire to improve understanding of the consultancy process and associated skills as they relate to national reform strategies.. A review of literature on school improvement, change agents, capacity and capacity building led to the thesis that internal and external change agents may use similar skills, but capacity building would vary in different schools. . . Evidence was gained from data gathered during an independent evaluation of the implementation of the Key Stage 3 Strategy Pilot (KS3). This national strategy was designed to 'transform' education for English secondary pupils aged 11-14, which was an early example of 'tn-level development', seeking to integrate accountability and capacity building through co-ordinated action at c1assroomJschool, LEA and national JEwels. The research explored: • how change agents build capacity to implement an innovation; • to what extent internal and external change agents work differently; whether change agents work differently in high and low capacity situations. Evidence was gathered from four case study schools in two pilot local authorities; primarily through semi-structured interviews with school subject leaders and senior staff, KS3 consultants and line managers. The findings suggest that implementation was affected by senior and middle leaders; the emergence of new leadership patterns; and recruitment, retention and capacity of subject leaders. It was also influenced by LEA size, effectiveness and interpretation of their roles and responsioilities. The study identifies activities which helped and hindered capacity building and suggests that internal and external change agents adapt their approach to different contexts. Identification of very effective consultants also provided evidence that school and LEA expectations of support required to implement this Strategy exceeded those of the Government. A differentiated model of change agent intervention is proposed.

The thesis investigated the social and symbolic significance of acquiring a 'music education' through the taking of piano tuition and external public music examinations. It aimed to discover why the learning of the piano and the certification of musical attainment are so prevalent and revered among Malaysian music students. Its purpose was to unravel the socio-cultural raison d'etre of this approach to music education through the creation of a metatheoretical schema, which is premised upon the theories of symbolic interactionist, George Herbert Mead, music analyst, Heinrich Schenker and social theorist, George Ritzer. Central to the argument in this instance is the symbolic significance associated with the act of playing the piano. The investigation attempted to determine if this 'act' conveyed a symbolic meaning that is peculiar to a specific cultural vista. It further examined the degree to which this practice represented both a validation and a sense of conformity to social norms in the continuity and stability of an expanding middle class society in Malaysia. The Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM) is the largest of the five main external public music examination boards that operate in Malaysia. Since 1948, over one million candidates have enrolled for ABRSM examinations in Malaysia and a team of approximately thirty ABRSM examiners visit Malaysia for three months every year. The majority of the candidates are pianists. Given such large numbers of piano candidates, one might expect a healthy development of musical talent in the country with aspiring pianists eager to demonstrate their musical prowess. However, this does not seem to be the case. On the contrary, there appears to be a curious lacuna between the growing number of students who enrol for external public music examinations and the seemingly lack of interest in public music making and the honing of general musicianship skills. The thesis hence examined the symbolic meaning of this socio-rausicological phenomena.

The thesis investigated the social and symbolic significance of acquiring a 'music education' through the taking of piano tuition and external public music examinations. It aimed to discover why the learning of the piano and the certification of musical attainment are so prevalent and revered among Malaysian music students. Its purpose was to unravel the socio-cultural raison d'etre of this approach to music education through the creation of a metatheoretical schema, which is premised upon the theories of symbolic interactionist, George Herbert Mead, music analyst, Heinrich Schenker and social theorist, George Ritzer. Central to the argument in this instance is the symbolic significance associated with the act of playing the piano. The investigation attempted to determine if this 'act' conveyed a symbolic meaning that is peculiar to a specific cultural vista. It further examined the degree to which this practice represented both a validation and a sense of conformity to social norms in the continuity and stability of an expanding middle class society in Malaysia. The Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM) is the largest of the five main external public music examination boards that operate in Malaysia. Since 1948, over one million candidates have enrolled for ABRSM examinations in Malaysia and a team of approximately thirty ABRSM examiners visit Malaysia for three months every year. The majority of the candidates are pianists. Given such large numbers of piano candidates, one might expect a healthy development of musical talent in the country with aspiring pianists eager to demonstrate their musical prowess. However, this does not seem to be the case. On the contrary, there appears to be a curious lacuna between the growing number of students who enrol for external public music examinations and the seemingly lack of interest in public music making and the honing of general musicianship skills. The thesis hence examined the symbolic meaning of this socio-musicological phenomena.

Magister Educationis - MEd
This study1 which followed immediately after a sub-dissertation entitled "An investigation into the problems and pitfalls inherent in the teaching and learning of Xhosa in the .Senior Secondary schools of Transkei" and which was part of the re~earcher's Bachelor of Education academic study programme, was designed to probe deeper into the problems discoverd earlier in the study mentioned above, and to further investigate the root causes of the high rate of failure in Xhosa which has become a source of worry to the Transkei Education Department today. To gather all the data needed during investigation, use of questions and intervi•ews was made. Questionnaires were sent to Std 10 pupils, Std 10 teachers, Std 10 External Examiners and libraries. Files of the Xhosa Subject Commit.tee, the Xhosa Action Committee, the Nguni and Sesotho Language Board and the Transkei Examinations Board were consulted with a view to extracting information that would reveal records pertaining to high failure rate in Xhosa. After observing for several years, as a teacher and examiner of Xhosa language, the performance of Std 10 pupils writing Xhosa, the researcher came tot.he conclusion that there was indeed high failure rate in Xhosa. The period 1981 to 1985 became the focus of his attention because it was the worst in the history of the Transkei Std 10 results in Xhosa. Records of the Transkei Examinations Board reflected that the mean average during that period was only 46'l. (See· Table 1.1). The poor results also became the source of worry to the Department of Education which took steps to remedy the situation by forming a special Committee known as the Xhosa Action Committee which was given the task of devising ways and means of improving the Std 10 Xhosa results as from 1985. The Department further sent out circulars to all schools in Transkei threatening to take disciplinary measures against Std 10 Xhosa teachers whose candidates had failed to .secure less than 50% aggregate in the external examinations.

Le thème de notre recherche porte sur l'oral 3 de l'épreuve d'agrégation externe d'éducation physique et sportive, à travers laquelle nous avons étudié le statut et la place de la vidéo dans la formation des agrégés. Nous avons choisi d'utiliser le cadre de la sociologie des sciences et techniques développée par Madeleine Akrich, Bruno Latour et Michel Callon (1992), afin de répondre à notre question de départ. Une des hypothèses principales est qu'il y aurait une chaîne de traduction constituée par un réseau permettant d'engager un changement dans la façon d'utiliser l'outil vidéo en fonction des compétences attendues pour enseigner l'EPS. Ce changement serait initié par un traducteur. Afin de reconstituer le réseau existant permettant de réaliser la traduction, c'est-à-dire la conduite du changement, nous avons réalisé des entretiens auprès des membres de jury de l'oral 3, du président de jury de l'agrégation en poste entre 2003 et 2006, d'un inspecteur général en éducation physique et sportive, des directeurs de l'ENS Cachan section EPS, des agrégatifs en EPS de l'ENS Cachan, ainsi que des enseignants formateurs à cette épreuve. Ces entretiens ont été complétés par la passation d'un questionnaire sur place à Fontainebleau, entre 2004 et 2007 afin de comprendre comment ces futurs agrégés utilisent la vidéo et la place qu'ils lui accordent durant cette épreuve. Ainsi l'analyse de ces données permet d'exposer les différentes étapes pour comprendre comment s'élabore la traduction
Our research deals with one of the oral examinations of the Physical Education "agrégation externe" studying the status and importance of video in the trainee teachers's training. We have chosen to use the Science and Technology studies framework developed by Madeleine Akrich, Bruno Latour and Michel Callon (1992) in order to answer our initial question. One of the main hypothesis being the fact that there would be translation links constitutes by a network which enables to start a change in the way of using the video tool according to the skills which are expected in the teaching of Physical Education. This change would be initiated by a translator. In order to piece together the way the translation is being carried out by the translation, that is to say to chieve to change, we interviewed the Oral 3 jury, the president of the jury from 2003 to 2006, a chief Education Officer in Physical Education, headmasters and students of the Cachan Ecole Normale Supérieure in Physical education. These people were interviewed in Fontainebleau from 2004 to 2007 thanks to a questionnaire in order to know how the students used the video and how important the video was to them during this roal examination. Therefore, the analysis of these data enable us to present the different steps leading to a better understanding of how the translation is achieved

碩士
國立中興大學
高階經理人碩士在職專班
107
This study is mainly exploring the core competence of the S company of combined printing industry, and constructing S company’s management opportunities grid. By reviewing literatures and discussing with managers of S company, we first conclude four core competence of S company: internal service value, product & image, customer network, and differentiated services. Second, we developed 30 attributes of core competence and 3 open questions for the final version questionnaire of this study. This study constructed the management opportunities grid by surveyed through internet of Google questionnaire form and in person with the perceptions of S company’s customers and employees that includes the extent of service importance and service satisfaction. S company’s customers and employees answered with their experiences. We then exploit the difference between employees’ self-review and customers’ recognition to build up a matrix, which is used to propose the strategic direction for the managers to increase the competitive advantage of S company. According to the statistical analysis of this study, S company should improve “internal service value” and “product & image” immediately. According to this advice and self-review matrix, the conclusion of this study develops S company’s core competence toward enhancing staff encouragement, employment turnover reduction, continuous introduction of new technologies, equipment, and quality inspection systems, and green printing. The improvements of above will fulfill transactional customers and transform to relational customers, and finally increase the total performance of S company.

In 2000, the Minister of Education, Professor Kader Asmal announced that all learners exiting the Further Education and Training band as from 2001 must accumulate marks in the subjects offered at Grade 12 through a process of Continuous assessment (CASS) (DoE, 2001d). Apart from indicating the value of CASS to the external summative component in the ratio of 25% for CASS and 75% for the summative examination, there were and there still is no other policy to regulate the conduct of CASS at Grade 12 level. The situation is worsened by the non-preparation of educators to cope with the challenges of CASS implementation. This study focuses on the implementation of CASS in Mathematics and Science since there is a body of firm evidence, which indicates that, the results in Mathematics and Science in South Africa is not very good. The TIMSS-R study conducted in 1998/1999 indicates that South African learners performed poorly in Mathematics and Science when compared to other participating countries (Howie, 2001). Since it has been established that continuous assessment conducted in a formative manner in subjects such as Mathematics and Science can lead to improved academic performance (Black&Wiliam, 1998), it is essential that attention be given, and initiatives taken to improve the quality of assessment in these critical subjects. In the analysis of the 2001 Senior Certificate examination, it became evident that the CASS marks of learners in many instances were not valid (SAFCERT, 2000a). To address the concern of inflated CASS marks, Umalusi resorted to the use of statistical moderation to ensure that the CASS marks do not deviate drastically from the examination marks of learners. This predominantly quantitative study makes use of surveys to gather data on the problems and challenges experienced by Grade 12 educators in the effective implementation of CASS and the kinds of support provided to educators to strengthen and to sustain the effective implementation of CASS in the classroom. In addition, the study seeks to examine to what extent the Grade 12 CASS marks are fair, valid and reliable. Data was collected from a non - random sample of 21 subject advisors and 60 educators of Mathematics, Biology and Physical Science across six provinces namely, Eastern Cape, Northern Cape, Limpopo, KwaZulu - Natal, Gauteng and Mpumalanga and across all locations (rural, township and urban). Individual interviews were also conducted with four experts on CASS from national, provincial and district levels and an official from Umalusi. It is apt to end this abstract by indicating that, “our education system has been subjected to many far - reaching initiatives which, whilst taken in reaction to concerns about existing practices, have been based on little evidence about their potential to meet those concerns. In the study of formative assessment there can be seen, for once, firm evidence that indicates clearly a direction for change, which could improve standards of learning. Our plea is that national policy will grasp this opportunity and give a lead in this direction” (Black&Wiliam, 1998).
Dissertation (MEd (Assessment and Quality Assurance))--University of Pretoria, 2005.
Curriculum Studies
unrestricted

碩士
臺北市立教育大學
體育學系碩士班
99
Summary knowledge of results（SKR）refers to feedback provision about a series of trials after the completion of last trial. Error estimation （EE）refers to the process of practice, as an important reference for movement correction. This study was designed to examine informational functions related recency effects resulting from verbal SKR. Thirty six participants （21.1 ± 2.3 years of age）were randomly assigned to one of the SKR in reverse order, EE+SKR in reverse order, and KR100％ groups. Self-paced linear position was experimental task. All participants practiced 84 trials during the acquisition phase, 10-min immediate retention and 24-hrs delayed retention tests were administered with 12 no-KR trials. The performance during acquisition phase was analyzed by two-way mixed design ANOVAs, which showed that: (1) Groups × Blocks interaction were found significant on AE, and (2) no significant difference was found among three groups on VE, and (3) one-way ANOVA revealed that change score was found no significant difference. The data from immediate and delayed retention tests were analyzed by one-way ANOVAs, which showed that: (1) no significant difference was found among three groups on AE and VE in immediate retention test and EE in EE+SKR in reverse order group was found significant higher than that of SKR in reverse order and KR100％ groups, and (2) significant difference was found among three groups on AE and EE in delayed retention tests, and EE+SKR in reverse order was found significant higher EE than that of SKR in reverse order and KR100％ groups, but VE was found no significant difference. It was concluded that: (1) verbal SKR with recency effect was not affected by external and internal information on motor performance of movement accuracy, stability, and improvement, and (2) verbal SKR with recency effect were facilitated by internal information on motor learning of movement accuracy and error detection, and internal information facilitated motor learning of movement accuracy.

Orientação : Alexandra Sanfins ; co-orientação : Anabelle Morais
A otite externa é uma doença muito frequente na clínica de pequenos animais, podendo este manifestar-se como uma doença dermatológica subjacente. Este estudo teve como objetivo principal identificar uma otite externa em cães, com um intervalo etário definido, durante uma consulta vacinal de rotina no hospital de pequenos animais. Por outro lado, os objetivos secundários procuraram relacionar a otite com os fatores associados, identificar a microflora presente, compreender e avaliar o conhecimento do dono acerca da otite canina e dos riscos que comporta e considerando as implicações económicas inerentes ao reconhecimento desta patologia externa pelo médico veterinário. Este estudo foi realizado no período de três meses em duas instituições médico veterinárias. Uma das instituições situa-se no distrito de Braga, onde foram recolhidas cinquenta series de cães (n= 50); na outra instituição, no distrito de Lisboa, foram processadas e observadas as amostras. Das amostras recolhidas apenas 6 apresentavam otite unilateral versus bilateral. As series foram avaliadas atendendo aos seguintes parâmetros: questionário ao dono incidindo sobre a respetiva anamnese; exame otológico e otoscópico e exame de citologia auricular. Além disso, metade destes casos tinham historial clínico de otites. No exame otológico, a maioria dos animais que tinham otite externa apresentavam alterações na abertura do pavilhão auricular. No exame otoscópico não são tão evidentes as alterações que condicionam a otite externa, no entanto, grande parte apresenta alterações otoscópicas. Para o estudo das implicações económicas apenas metade dos cães foram submetidos a diagnóstico e tratamento adequado. A outra metade não foi submetida a citologia auricular e não lhes foi diagnosticada otite externa. Na citologia auricular, contagens superiores a cinco Malassezias spp. por campo, cinco cocos por campo, ou a presença concomitante de ambos na serie indicavam a presença de otite infeciosa. Devendo sempre relacionar com a severidade dos sinais clínico apresentados pelo animal. Através do estudo realizado foi possível observar seis cães que desenvolveram uma otite infeciosa.
External otitis is a very frequent disease among small animals sometimes considered as manifestation of an underlying dermatologic disease. This study aimed to identify an external otitis in dogs , with an age range defined during a routine vaccination consultation in the hospital for small animals . On the other hand , the secondary objectives sought relate otitis with associated factors , study the microflora , understand and evaluate the owner 's knowledge of canine otitis and the risks involved and considering the economic implications of the recognition of this external condition at Medical Vet. This study was conducted during three months in two veterinary institutions. One is located in Braga where fifty dog samples were collected, whereas the other one is located in Lisbon in which samples were stained and analysed. From the collected samples only six presented unilateral vs. bilateral otitis. Series were analysed according to the following parameters: questionnaire to the owner regarding dog’s clinical history/anamnesis, otologic and otoscopic examination and auricular cytological exam. During the otologic examination most of the animals with external otitis presented alterations in the entrance of the auricular pavilion. In the otoscopic examination the alterations that influence external otitis were not as evident, although the majority presented otoscopic alterations. Regarding the economic implications, only half of the dogs were submitted to diagnosis and appropriate treatment. The other half was not submitted to auricular cytology and was not diagnosed with external otitis. In auricular cytology, the case was classified as infectious otitis whenever there was a counting above five Malassezias spp. per field, five cocos per field, or both. Must always relate to the severity of clinical signs presented by the animal. The current study allowed to observe that 5 dogs developed a infectious otitis.

Orientação : Pedro Faísca ; co-orientação : Ana Oliveira
A otite externa é uma doença dermatológica de grande importância e frequente em clínica de pequenos animais. O objectivo principal deste estudo foi detectar a presença de otite numa população canina apresentada à consulta vacinal de rotina. Os objectivos secundários foram detectar os factores associados ao desenvolvimento da otite, caracterizar os sinais clínicos e a flora microbiana, e avaliar o conhecimento dos proprietários sobre esta doença. Este estudo foi realizado no período de Outubro de 2013 a Fevereiro de 2014, em duas instituições Médico Veterinárias situadas no distrito de Lisboa, no âmbito do estágio curricular do Mestrado Integrado de Medicina Veterinária. A amostra deste estudo foi constituída por cinquenta cães, dos quais dezassete apresentavam otite externa aguda. A amostra foi avaliada através da história clínica, exame otológico, exame otoscópico e exame citológico. Os proprietários não detectaram a presença de otite externa nos seus animais, apesar de terem observado comportamento de prurido, tendo sido esta a indicação mais comum de otite externa neste estudo. Os casos de otite ocorreram com maior frequência em cães com orelhas pendulares e em cães com hábitos de banho. A presença de lesões observadas na abertura do pavilhão auricular foram pouco relacionadas com os casos de otite, contudo as alterações otoscópicas, estiveram maioritariamente presentes nos casos de otite externa. As otites infecciosas representaram a maioria dos casos, tal como a presença de um grande número de Malassezia spp. e coccus, sempre associados com material ceruminoso.
Otitis externa is a dermatologic condition of great importance that appears frequently in small animal practice. The primary goal of this study was to evaluate a canine population, presented to vaccine routine consultation in order to determine an external otitis. The secondary goals were to relate the associated factors with the development of otitis, to consider the clinical signs and microbial flora, and to evaluate the owners’ knowledge. This study was accomplished during the period of October 2013 to February 2014, in two Veterinary institutions situated in the district of Lisbon, within the curricular internship of integrated Masters in Veterinary Medicine. The sample of this study was composed of fifty dogs, of which seventeen exhibited external acute otitis; the sampling was evaluated through a clinical history, an otologic examination, an otoscopic examination and a cytological examination. The owners didn’t obtain knowledge of an external otitis, even when they observed a pruritus behavior, being the pruritus the most common indication of otitis externa in this study. Otitis cases occurred with more frequency in dogs with dropped ears and in dogs with bath’s habits. The presence of lesions observed in the opening of the eardrum were few related with the otitis cases, although the otoscopic alterations, were mainly present in cases of external otitis. The infectious otitis accounted in the majority of cases, such as the presence of a huge number of Malassezia spp. and coccus, always associated with ceruminous material.

O impacto da avaliação externa (vulgo exames nacionais) na prática letiva do professor e na qualidade das aprendizagens dos alunos é um assunto que continua a merecer reflexão e preocupação por parte dos agentes educativos. A plena convivência entre uma aprendizagem de qualidade e os resultados da avaliação externa continua a ser questionável e alvo de alguns constrangimentos. Esta situação agudiza-se com a atual necessidade de ir ao encontro dos novos documentos estruturantes, nomeadamente os documentos que dizem respeito ao Perfil do Aluno e às Aprendizagens Essenciais. Estes atuais normativos e documentos de referência tentam dar uma resposta capaz às múltiplas dimensões e competências que os jovens necessitam de desenvolver para prosperar no mundo atual (e futuro). Contudo, a exequibilidade dos mesmos pode ser questionável quando aplicados em anos de escolaridade sujeitos a exame nacional. Existem inúmeras variantes que condicionam o processo de ensino e aprendizagem e que, muitas vezes, acabam por influenciar a prática docente. Neste sentido, o presente estudo de investigação pretende compreender melhor a influência da avaliação externa na identidade profissional docente, não só no modo como o profissional de ensino orienta as suas metodologias, mas também nas suas crenças e identidades pedagógicas. O estudo intenta, partindo do material empírico recolhido, promover uma reflexão aprofundada sobre a – aparente – dicotomia entre a identidade profissional docente, refletida maioritariamente nas práticas pedagógicas, e o modelo de avaliação externa do nosso sistema escolar. Foi dada voz a docentes que vivem esta realidade – através de inquérito por entrevista – esclarecendo, numa realidade e contexto escolar específicos, se o elemento “avaliação externa” exerce uma pressão efetiva no modo de ensinar do professor, isto é, se é possível encontrar evidências empíricas deste fator na sua identidade profissional, nomeadamente se esta se encontra efetivamente limitada por este modelo de certificação de aprendizagens. Os resultados mostram que os exames nacionais influenciam, de modo acentuado, a prática letiva docente e afastam os professores daquilo que percecionam ser a sua identidade profissional, denotando, entrelinhas, alguns equívocos a respeito da iii perceção que alguns professores detêm do seu papel e do seu lugar enquanto agentes educativos.
The impact of external evaluation (national exams) on teaching practice and studentlearning quality is a subject that continues to merit reflection and concern from educational agents. Whether it is possible to achieve harmony between quality learning and the results of external evaluation is an issue that remains questionable and subject to constraints. This situation is exacerbated by the current need to meet the most recent structuring documents, namely those that relate to the Student Profile and Essential Learning. These current norms and reference documents attempt to give an adequate response to the multiple dimensions and competencies that the pupils need to develop in order to thrive in the current (and future) world. However, their feasibility can be questionable when applied in academic years subject to national exams. There are numerous variants that condition the teaching and learning process and that often end up influencing the teaching practice. Thusly, this research aims to better understand the influence of external evaluation on teachers’ professional identity – not only in the manner in which the teaching professional structures their methodologies, but also in their beliefs and pedagogical identities. Based on the analysis of the collected empirical material, this study attempts to promote an in-depth reflection on the (apparent) dichotomy between professional teacher identity, reflected mostly in pedagogical practices, and the external evaluation model of the Portuguese school system. Teachers were surveyed via interview, in an attempt to explain whether - in specific school contexts - the "external evaluation" element exerts a substantial amount of pressure on individual teaching practices, that is, if it is possible to find empirical evidence on whether their professional identity is impacted or limited by this model of learning certification. Results show that national exams strongly influence teaching practice and distract teachers from what they understand to be their professional identity, suggesting certain misconceptions on what some teachers perceive to be their roles and purpose as educational agents.

Orientação : Inês Viegas
O objectivo principal deste estudo foi determinar a prevalência de otite externa em 100 cães (50 cachorros e 50 adultos) presentes no Hospital Veterinário da Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária da Universidade Lusófona de Humanidades e Tecnologias, para consulta vacinal de Janeiro a Novembro de 2015. Os proprietários dos cães presentes na amostra deste estudo foram submetidos a um questionário de modo a obter a história otológica. Os cães em estudo foram todos submetidos a um exame otológico, exame otoscópico e a uma citologia auricular. Neste estudo 17% dos cães foram diagnosticados com otite externa na consulta vacinal. Os cães de raça, os cães com orelhas pendentes e os cães com hábitos de banho foram os mais afectados. As otites infeciosas não parasitárias representaram o maior número de casos, seguindo-se as otites não infeciosas e as otites infeciosas parasitárias estas ultimas com o mesmo número de casos. A prevalência da infeção por Otodectes cynotis encontrada neste estudo foi de 2% o que é indicativo das dificuldades existentes em contexto clínico para deteção deste ácaro e consequente diagnóstico definitivo. A Malassezia e bactérias coccoides foram os microorganismos mais frequentemente encontrados nas citologias auriculares recolhidas.
The main purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of otitis externa in 100 dogs (50 puppies and 50 adult dogs) who attended the Veterinary Hospital of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University Lusófona de Humanidade e Tecnologia, for vaccine consultation from January to November 2015. The owners of the dogs involved in the sample of this study answered a questionnaire in order to obtain an accurate otologic history. All the dogs studied were subjected to an otologic examination, an otoscopic examination and an otic cytology. In this study 17 % of the dogs were diagnosed with otitis externa at the vaccine consultation. Purebred dogs, long-eared dogs and dogs with bathing habits were the most affected. Infectious otitis account for most of the diagnosed cases, followed by non-infectious otitis and, finally, by parasitic otitis. The prevalence of infections caused by Otodectes cynotis found in this study was of 2% which may be due to current constraints in the detection of this mite and in reaching a final diagnosis, in a clinical context. Malassezia and coccoid bacteria were the microorganisms most frequently found in the collected otic cytology samples.

Orientação : Inês Viegas ; co-orientação : Odete Almeida
A otite externa é uma doença de etiologia multifatorial muito comum em cães, sendo o seu diagnóstico precoce de extrema importância. O principal objetivo deste estudo foi o diagnóstico precoce de otite externa em animais que se apresentassem à consulta vacinal, aparentemente saudáveis, através de exames macroscópicos. Os objetivos secundários passaram por analisar quais os fatores associados à presença de otite e quais os sinais clínicos apresentados. A recolha das amostras decorreu entre 15 de Setembro de 2014 e 15 de Fevereiro de 2015 no Hospital Veterinário Principal e a análise das amostras decorreu até Março de 2015 na ULHT. Durante este período foram observados 50 cães, com idades compreendidas entre 1 e 8 anos, aos quais foram realizados os exames otológico e otoscópico, bem como o exame citológico. A maioria dos cães com otite externa apresentava orelhas pendulares. Embora alguns proprietários se tenham apercebido de alguns sinais indicativos da ocorrência de otite, só quando confrontados com esse ponto do questionário foi possível concluir que o animal apresentava comportamento de prurido há cerca de uma semana. Não foi possível observar o tímpano dos animais com otite, uma vez que na sua maioria o canal auditivo externo apresentava cerúmen excessivo. A presença de Malassezia spp. e cocos, encontrados na análise das amostras contribuíram também para o diagnóstico de um maior número de otites com etiologia infeciosa.
Otitis externa is a multifactorial aetiology disease, highly common in dogs, therefore being extremely important its early diagnosis. The primary goal of this work was the early diagnosis of otitis externa in apparently healthy dogs which went to a regular vaccination appointment, using macroscopic examination. The secondary goals were to understand the factors associated with this disease and to evaluate the clinical signs revealed by the patients. The collection of samples took place between 15 of September, 2014 and 15 of February, 2015 at Hospital Veterinário Principal, while the analyses of the samples were carried out at the laboratory of ULHT, until March, 2015. During this period fifty dogs, aged between one and eight years, were observed. They all were subjected to otologic, otoscopic and cytological examination. The majority of dogs with otitis externa had pendulous ear. Although some owners had already realized the occurrence of the otitis, they only revealed it when questioned. It was not possible to observe the tympanum of animals with otitis mainly because of the excess of cerumen in the external ear canal. Moreover, the presence of both Malassezia spp. and cocos in the cytological examination have also contributed for an increased number of infectious otitis.

The researcher investigated the management and implementation of the Common Tasks for Assessment Instrument as a tool for assessing Grade 9 learners in public schools. The objectives were to investigate: * what the CTA Instrument entails for teaching and learning * its positive and negative aspects * training and development of the school management teams (SMTs) and Grade 9 educators in preparation for the implementation * the management of its implementation * learner performance Four schools, comprising two urban and two township schools from the former Transvaal Education Department and the House of Delegates, respectively, were involved in this qualitative study. Grade 9 educators, SMT members and district officials were interviewed in this exploratory case study. The study indicates that: * The CTA Instrument entails a large amount of work for little marks. * Educators identified a few positive and a large number of negative aspects of the Instrument. * Training and development for SMTs and Grade 9 educators were inadequate. * Management styles and models, and leadership styles and models varied. The quality of management practices differed from one school to another. * On the whole, although implementation was satisfactory it was fraught with numerous problems largely relating to management's lack of effective support, their inadequate training and poor assessment competence, insufficient guidance for instruction, limited resources, learner apathy, staff instability, and absenteeism, amongst other problems. * Although some of the learners performed very well, this should not distract attention from the majority who performed badly. Factors such as poor socio- economic backgrounds, learners' negative attitudes, their insufficient participation and poor commitment to their studies, amongst others, affected their involvement and the overall results.
Educational Studies
M.Ed. (Education Management)

In der veterinärmedizinischen Wissenschaft spielt das equine akustische Organ sowie dessen Erkrankungen und Funktionsstörungen bislang eine stark untergeordnete Rolle. Mangelnde Visualisierungs- und Untersuchungsmöglichkeiten, geringe Patienten- Compliance sowie fehlende Referenzen erschweren die Diagnose aurikulärer Erkrankungen (SARGENT et al. 2006; SOMMERAUER et al. 2012). Das übergeordnete langfristige Ziel dieser Forschungsarbeit ist es, humanmedizinische objektive audiometrische Messtechnik an das Pferdeohr anzupassen. Von speziellem Interesse ist dabei die Messung otoakustischer Emissionen zur objektiven Überprüfung der Innenohrfunktion. Die grundlegende Voraussetzung jeglicher Messungen und Adaptierungen ist zunächst die otoskopische Kontrolle des externen Gehörkanales und Trommelfelles. So können die Messung behindernde Faktoren, beispielsweise ein hoher Verschmutzungsgrad oder Fremdkörper im externen Gehörkanal, ausgeschlossen werden. Mit Hilfe herkömmlicher Videobronchoskope oder Videogastroskope (Durchmesser von 7 mm bzw. 9 mm) und der Anwendung eines standardisierten Protokolls konnten im Rahmen der Basisstudie die externen Gehörkanäle und Trommelfelle von 38 sedierten Pferden bilateral endoskopisch untersucht werden. Aus praktischer Sicht ist dabei hervorzuheben, dass die bislang obligatorische Leitungsanästhesie der Ohrnerven und das damit verbundene Risiko einer Fazialisparese vollständig umgangen werden konnte. Im Zuge dieses optimierten Verfahrens wurden physiologische und pathologische endoskopische Referenzen des externen Gehörkanales und Trommelfelles erstellt. Pathologische otoskopische Befunde (z.B. Tympanosklerose) sowie mangelnde veterinärmedizinische Fachliteratur verdeutlichen den Bedarf der histologischen Aufarbeitung des equinen akustischen Organs. Im Rahmen der Folgestudie wurden die Ohren von zehn Schlachtpferden für die detaillierte histologische Aufarbeitung herangezogen. Die Ergebnissedieser Arbeit beschreiben und verbildlichen erstmalig das vollständige equine akustische Organ. Im Folgenden sind nun die wesentlichen Ergebnisse der Basis- und Folgestudie zusammengefasst. Der physiologische kartilaginöse externe Gehörkanal ist pigmentiert, mit Haaren sowie mit cerumenproduzierenden Talg- und Schweißdrüsen ausgekleidet. Im Vergleich zum ossären externen Gehörkanal weist der kartilaginöse Anteil einen deutlich höheren Verschmutzungsgrad auf. Der Übergang zwischen dem kartilaginösen und ossären äußeren Gehörgang ist histologisch gekennzeichnet durch einen abrupten Wechsel zu einem unpigmentierten, haarlosen und drüsenfreien mehrschichtig verhornten Epithel. Endoskopisch ist dieser Übergang anhand kranzartig angeordneter beigefarbener Keratinschuppen erkennbar, welche Produkte des Selbstreinigungsmechanismus des knöchernen Gehörganges darstellen. Letzterer besitzt eine rund-ovale Form, ein trockenes zartrosafarbenes Epithel mit konzentrischen Keratinringen und schwach durchscheinender Gefäßzeichnung. Das physiologische equine Trommelfell stellt sich endoskopisch als eine klar in ihre Bestandteile (Pars tensa, Pars flaccida, Stria mallearis) differenzierte semitransparente Membran ohne positiven Lichtreflex dar. Auf der Grundlage der etablierten physiologischen Referenzen konnten pathologische Befunde bei sieben Pferden (vier Pferde mit Aural Plaques, drei Pferde mit Otitis externa) nachgewiesen werden. Zu den typischen Kennzeichen einer Otitis externa zählen die Schwellung und Rötung des ossären Epithels, das Verstreichen der konzentrischen Keratinringe und/oder die Ablösung der schützenden Keratinschicht im ossären Gehörkanal sowie ein positiver Lichtreflex im Bereich des Trommelfelles. Bei einem der an Otitis externa erkrankten Pferde konnte ein möglicher Zusammenhang zu einer Temporohyoidosteoarthropathie (THO) hergestellt werden. Darüber hinaus konnte bei zwei weiteren Pferden erstmalig eine Tympanosklerose diagnostiziert werden. Die Resultate dieser Dissertation liefern die Grundlage für weitere Forschungsansätze auf dem Gebiet des equinen akustischen Organs. Die Ohrendoskopie am stehenden sedierten Pferd ist eine praktikable, schonende sowie diagnostisch wertvolle Untersuchungsmöglichkeit. Sie sollte insbesondere bei der Abklärung einer THO, Fazialisparese, Vestibularsyndrom, Headshaking, Kopfscheue, parasitären Infektionen oder bei Kopftraumata zum Einsatz kommen. Die Ohrendoskopie ist zudem der Ausgangspunkt für die Anpassung und Anwendung humanmedizinischer audiometrischer Messsonden an das Pferdeohr. Die gewonnenen histologischen Erkenntnisse bilden die Basis für weiterführende Untersuchungen hinsichtlich angeborener oder erworbener Mittel- und Innenohrerkrankungen, welche Einfluss auf die Messung der otoakustischen Emissionen haben.:Inhaltsverzeichnis Einleitung ...................................................................................................................... 1 Literaturübersicht .......................................................................................................... 4 Anatomie des equinen akustischen Organs ................................................................. 4 8 Danksagung 2.4.1 2.4.2 2.4.3 2.4.4 Otoskopie ........................................................................................................ 10 Tympanometrie ............................................................................................... 11 Messung otoakustischer Emissionen (OAE) ................................................... 12 Hirnstammaudiometrie (BERA) ....................................................................... 14 Äußeres Ohr...................................................................................................... 4 Mittelohr ............................................................................................................ 4 Innenohr ............................................................................................................ 5 Hörbahn ............................................................................................................ 7 Gleichgewichtsbahn .......................................................................................... 7 2.1.1 2.1.2 2.1.3 2.1.4 2.1.5 Physiologie des Hörvorganges ..................................................................................... 8 Physiologie des Vestibularorgans................................................................................. 9 Untersuchungsmethoden des akustischen Organs .................................................... 10 Ergebnisse .................................................................................................................. 15 Publikation 1: Endoscopic findings of the external ear canal in a group of clinically normal horses and horses with head shaking or vestibular disease .......................... 15 Publikation 2: Histological Study of the External, Middle and Inner Ear of Horses .... 25 Diskussion .................................................................................................................. 44 Otoskopie.................................................................................................................... 45 Der physiologische equine externe Gehörkanal und das Trommelfell ....................... 46 Pathologische Befunde des equinen externen Gehörkanales und Trommelfelles ..... 48 Histologie des equinen akustischen Organs............................................................... 50 Diagnostische Möglichkeiten - OAE ........................................................................... 51 Zusammenfassung ..................................................................................................... 53 Summary .................................................................................................................... 55 Literaturverzeichnis..................................................................................................... 57 Anhang ....................................................................................................................... 64
The equine acoustic organ, including its diseases and disorders, still plays a minor role in veterinary science. Due to insufficient visualization and examination equipment, little patient compliance and sparse references the diagnosis of auricular diseases is rather difficult (SARGENT et al. 2006; SOMMERAUER et al. 2012). The overall aim of this research project is to adapt human objective audiometric testing devices onto the equine acoustic organ. Particularly, the measurement of so-called otoacoustic emissions is of importance for an objective evaluation of the inner ear function. The otoscopic examination of the external ear canal and tympanic membrane is the fundamental precondition for the adaption of probes and every audiometric testing. Circumstances that may prevent us from having successful measurements, like a high degree of ceruminous and cellular debris or even foreign bodies within the external ear canal, can be identified and eliminated by otoscopy. By the use of common veterinary videobronchoscopes or videogastroscopes (calibre 7 mm/9 mm) the external ear canal and tympanic membrane of 38 standing sedated horses were bilaterally examined following a standardized protocol. Special emphasis should be placed on the fact that the obligatory local nerve block anaesthesia of the auricular nerves and the associated risk of a facial nerve paralysis were completely eliminated. With the help of this simplified procedure physiological and pathological references could be established. Pathological findings and a lack of relevant veterinary literature prompted us to take a closer look at histological aspects of the equine acoustic organ. In this context, the ears of ten slaughter horses were histologically examined in detail. The results of this follow-up study describe and illustrate the complete histology of the equine acoustic organ for the first time. In the following the essential results of the basic- and follow-up study are summarized. The physiological cartilaginous external ear canal is pigmented and contains hair, as well as ceruminous and sebaceous glands. In comparison to the osseous external ear canal, the cartilaginous part has higher degree of ceruminous and cellular debris. The intersection between both- the cartilaginous and osseous portion- is histologically characterized by an abrupt change to a non-pigmented, hairless, aglandular keratinized stratified squamous epithelium. Endoscopically, the intersection can be identified by a rim of beige keratin scales, which are products of the self-cleaning mechanism of the osseous epithelium. The osseous ear canal is round to oval shaped and lined with pale pink coloured epithelium that contains concentric keratin formations and visible capillary drawing. The physiological equine tympanic membrane is endoscopically characterized by a well-differentiated semi- transparent membrane, which shows no positive light reflex. On basis of the established physiological references pathological changes were found in seven horses (four horses with aural plaques, three horses with otitis externa). Typical sings of otitis externa were swelling and reddening of the osseous epithelium, the loss of the concentric keratin layer formation and/or detachment of the protective osseous keratin layer, as well as a positive light reflex on the tympanic membrane. In one diseased horse a possible correlation between the Otitis externa and severe temporohyoid osteoarthropathy (THO) could be revealed. Additionally, tympanosclerotic changes within two equine eardrums could be visualized for the first time. The results of this study provide a basis for further research on the equine acoustic organ. The otoscopic examination in standing sedated horses is a viable, safe, easy and quick to perform beneficial diagnostic procedure for a complete work-up of ear-related diseases, such as THO, facial nerve paralysis, vestibular disease, head shaking, parasitic infections or head trauma. In addition, the otoscopic examination is a basic requirement for the adaption and the use of human audiometric measuring probes in equine ears. The results obtained in the histological study can be employed as references for further research on equine congenital and acquired middle and inner ear diseases, which can influence the measurement results of otoacoustic emissions.:Inhaltsverzeichnis Einleitung ...................................................................................................................... 1 Literaturübersicht .......................................................................................................... 4 Anatomie des equinen akustischen Organs ................................................................. 4 8 Danksagung 2.4.1 2.4.2 2.4.3 2.4.4 Otoskopie ........................................................................................................ 10 Tympanometrie ............................................................................................... 11 Messung otoakustischer Emissionen (OAE) ................................................... 12 Hirnstammaudiometrie (BERA) ....................................................................... 14 Äußeres Ohr...................................................................................................... 4 Mittelohr ............................................................................................................ 4 Innenohr ............................................................................................................ 5 Hörbahn ............................................................................................................ 7 Gleichgewichtsbahn .......................................................................................... 7 2.1.1 2.1.2 2.1.3 2.1.4 2.1.5 Physiologie des Hörvorganges ..................................................................................... 8 Physiologie des Vestibularorgans................................................................................. 9 Untersuchungsmethoden des akustischen Organs .................................................... 10 Ergebnisse .................................................................................................................. 15 Publikation 1: Endoscopic findings of the external ear canal in a group of clinically normal horses and horses with head shaking or vestibular disease .......................... 15 Publikation 2: Histological Study of the External, Middle and Inner Ear of Horses .... 25 Diskussion .................................................................................................................. 44 Otoskopie.................................................................................................................... 45 Der physiologische equine externe Gehörkanal und das Trommelfell ....................... 46 Pathologische Befunde des equinen externen Gehörkanales und Trommelfelles ..... 48 Histologie des equinen akustischen Organs............................................................... 50 Diagnostische Möglichkeiten - OAE ........................................................................... 51 Zusammenfassung ..................................................................................................... 53 Summary .................................................................................................................... 55 Literaturverzeichnis..................................................................................................... 57 Anhang ....................................................................................................................... 64