Family members’ perspectives on strengthening adherence to treatment for adult persons with a bipolar mood disorder
- Authors: Lambert, Sarah Catherine
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Psychiatric social work , Mental illness -- Treatment Manic-depressive illness -- Treatment Family counseling
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/22497 , vital:29980
- Description: Family members play an important role in supporting and strengthening treatment adherence for persons with a bipolar mood disorder (BMD). Although BMD can be effectively managed on medication and with psychotherapy, treatment non-adherence is widespread; resulting in detrimental consequences for the person and the family. The purpose of this study was to enhance an understanding of how treatment adherence from a family member’s perspective could be strengthened. The theoretical framework was a combination of strengths-perspective and Family Systems Theory. This qualitative study was embedded in an exploratory-descriptive and contextual research design, and employed a non-probability, purposive sampling technique. Thirteen resident family members of adults diagnosed with a BMD were recruited as participants. The family members were adult, male or female of any ethnicity, and responsible for co-managing the treatment of the person. Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted with the participants and a thematic data analysis method was employed. The four themes that emerged from the data analysis include family members’ descriptions and experiences of treatment adherence and non-adherence, family members’ perspectives of general systemic factors that enhance and inhibit adherence to treatment, family members’ roles, strategies and coping mechanisms relating to the person’s treatment adherence, and family members’ suggestions on promoting treatment adherence. Data verification methods were used to ensure trustworthiness of the study. This research informs appropriate practice interventions to families that are active partners in co-managing the treatment of bipolar mood disorder.
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- Date Issued: 2018
Subtle racism amongst undergraduate learners after a decade of democracy
- Authors: Van der Westhuizen, Amanda
- Date: 2007
- Subjects: Racism in higher education -- South Africa -- Nelson Mandela Bay , Intergroup relations , Social interaction
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:9954 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1018820
- Description: The concept of “race” has been the organising feature of South African society for more than three centuries. More recent social changes in the United States of America, Europe, Australia, and South Africa have lead to more subtle expressions of racism. The present study aimed to explore and describe subtle racism amongst undergraduate psychology learners at a tertiary institution in Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Municipality in 2004. The Subtle Racism Scale was used to measure anti-Black sentiment among a sample of 286 undergraduate psychology learners, obtained through non–probability, convenience sampling. Multiple regression analysis revealed the independent variables of race, age, and the race-age interaction were significantly associated with subtle racism of the participants. Research results demonstrated that participants’ level of estimated subtle racism varied according to the age and race of the participants, supporting the notion that racism in South Africa did not influence different age and race groups in a uniform manner.
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- Date Issued: 2007
Characterization of the hydantoin-hydrolysing system of Pseudomonas putida RU-KM3s
- Authors: Matcher, Gwynneth Felicity
- Date: 2005
- Subjects: Hydantoin Hydrolysis Pseudomonas Enzymes
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:3939 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003998
- Description: The biocatalytic conversion of 5-monosubstituted hydantoin derivatives to optically pure amino acids involves two reaction steps: the hydrolysis of hydantoin to N-carbamylamino acid by an hydantoinase or dihydropyrimidinase enzyme, followed by conversion of the Ncarbamylamino acid to the corresponding amino acid by an N-carbamoylase enzyme. This biocatalytic process has been successfully applied in several industrial processes for the production of enantiomerically pure amino acids used in the synthesis of pharmaceuticals, insecticides, hormones, and food additives. P. putida RU-KM3S was selected for study based on inherent high levels of hydantoinase and N-carbamoylase activity. Subsequent biocatalytic analysis of the enzyme activity within this strain revealed unique properties thus prompting further characterization. The main focus of this research was the isolation of the genes encoding the hydantoin-hydrolysing pathway in RU-KM3S. A genomic library was constructed and screened for heterologous expression of the hydantoin-hydrolysing enzymes. However, this approach was unsuccessful prompting the use of transposon mutagenesis in order to circumvent the drawbacks associated with complementation studies. The enzymes responsible for hydantoin-hydrolysis were identified by insertional inactivation as a dihydropyrimidinase and b-ureidopropionase encoded by dhp and bup respectively. A third open reading frame, encoding a putative transport protein, was identified between the dhp and bup genes and appeared to share a promoter with bup. Analysis of the amino acid sequence deduced from bup and dhp substantiated the distinctive properties and potential industrial application of the L-enantioselective b-ureidopropionase and provided targets for potential optimisation of the substrate-selectivity and activity of the dihydropyrimidinase by site directed mutagenesis. Several transposon-generated mutants with an altered phenotype for growth on minimal medium with hydantoin as the sole source of nitrogen were also isolated. Analysis of the insertion events in these mutants revealed disruptions of genes encoding key elements of the Ntr global regulatory pathway. However, inactivation of these genes had no effect on the dihydropyrimidinase and b-ureidopropionase activity levels. An additional mutant in which the gene coding for the dihydrolipoamide succinyltransferase, which is involved in the TCA cycle, was isolated with reduced levels of both dihydropyrimidinase and b-ureidopropionase activities. These results indicated that the hydantoin-hydrolysis pathway in RU-KM3S is regulated by carbon rather than nitrogen catabolite repression. This was confirmed by the reduction of hydantoin-hydrolysis in cells grown in excess carbon as opposed to nitrogen. Identification of a putative CRP-binding site within the promoter region of these enzymes further supported the regulatory role of carbon catabolite repression (CCR). As CCR in Pseudomonads is poorly understood, elucidation of the mechanism by which the hydantoinhydrolysing pathway in RU-KM3S is regulated would provide valuable insight into this complex process.
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- Date Issued: 2005