Implementation of a standardised insulin protocol in a tertiary level referral hospital
- Authors: Smith, Charné
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Diabetics -- Treatment -- South Africa Insulin -- Patients -- South Africa , Drugs -- Dosage forms Diabetics -- Care -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MPharm
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/18387 , vital:28632
- Description: In severely ill hospitalised patients with diabetes mellitus (type 1 and type 2) there is an increase in metabolic rate. Insulin requirements are increased and glycaemic control becomes more difficult to achieve. The insulin sliding-scale is a form of „top up‟ therapy used to supplement the patients existing hypoglycaemic medication. In 2002, research at Livingstone Hospital found that 14 different sliding scales were used in 38 patients (Du Plessis, 2002: 79). In 2006 the nurses and doctors working in the general medical wards at Livingstone Hospital indicated that they were willing to use a standardised insulin sliding scale protocol (Smith, 2006: 56). Thus the aim of this study was to assess whether a standardised insulin protocol can be effectively implemented. The objectives of the study were to: 1) assess insulin usage via insulin sliding scales prior to the implementation of the standardised insulin protocol; 2) implement the standardised insulin protocol; and 3) reassess insulin usage after the implementation of the standardised insulin protocol. As the study involved evaluating the use of insulin via the insulin sliding scale and the implemented insulin protocol, it occurred in four phases. The preliminary phase entailed obtaining ethical approval. The pre-intervention phase included data collection in the form of a nursing questionnaire and the auditing of patient medical records using a data collection tool. The intervention phase involved education sessions on the new insulin protocol for the nursing staff, and the implementation of a standardised insulin protocol, while the post-intervention phase comprised of post-intervention data collection, which included a nursing questionnaire, a prescribers questionnaire and the auditing of patient medical records using a data collection tool. The overall impression obtained from the comparison between the pre- and post-intervention nursing questionnaire was conflicting; in some aspects the educational intervention was successful in others not. Regardless the indication obtained was that the nursing staff require more in-service training on a more regular basis as a lack of knowledge regarding diabetes mellitus as a disease state may negatively affect patient outcomes. The overall response from the nursing staff towards the insulin protocol was positive. The prescribers‟ response to the insulin protocol was conflicted. The number of correct insulin sliding scale doses administered in the pre-intervention and post intervention phase improved by 5.25 percent. The number of incorrect insulin sliding scale doses administered during the pre- and post -intervention phase decreased by 5.25 percent. These results are positive and may be due to fewer sliding scales being prescribed in the post-intervention phase and the implemented insulin protocol. Only three (5.55%; n=54) inpatients with Type 1 diabetes mellitus were placed on the implemented protocol that is, the basal bolus regime, and rarely were dose adjustments to their insulin made rendering the effectives of the protocol undesirable. Only four (7.40%; n=54) inpatients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus were placed on the implemented protocol that is, an intermediate- to long-acting insulin (Protophane®). However all four patients experienced immediate improvements in their fasting blood glucose levels. These results indicated that by adding an intermediate- to long-acting insulin (Protophane®) to the therapy of a patient with Type 2 diabetes mellitus fasting blood glucose levels decrease. This would improve patient outcomes and decrease the risk of related diabetic complications. These limited results may indicate a clinical inertia on the part of the prescribers. Unfortunately overall the educational intervention was not successful and the implementation of the protocol was not successful and did not yield the desired results.
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- Date Issued: 2012
Influence of distance from the target on total response time, repeated punch force and anaerobic fatigue of amateur boxers
- Authors: Trella, Christopher
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Boxing -- Training , Sports performance
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:10106 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1020024
- Description: The aim of this study was to determine the influence of distance from the target during dominant and non-dominant jab punches, on total response time, repeated jab punch force and anaerobic fatigue of amateur boxers. Data was gathered of the following variables: Biographical data, anthropometric data, total response time, change in total response time, number of punches, peak punch force and peak punch force fatigue resistance index. An exploratory and descriptive research design was used. Twelve male amateur boxers participated in this study. The participants were all either provincially or nationally ranked, between the ages 16 and 22 and in the competitive phase of their training. The data was compared to find statistical significance and it was found from the Wilcoxon ranked sign test that distance does not affect total response time, change in total response time, number of punches and peak punch force fatigue resistance index. However, it was found that distance affects peak punch force. Additionally,it was found using a Spearman rank correlation test that older boxers proved to have statistically significant faster total response times, the boxers that had slower total reponse times proved to have statistically significant less powerful peak punch force, the boxers that had slower total response times proved to have statistically significant larger fatigue resistance index, boxers with larger change in total response time proved to have statistically significant more powerful peak punch force and the boxers with larger peak punch force proved to have statistically significant smaller fatigue resistance index. The data presented provides an introduction of the exploration of how distance from a target relates to a boxer’s performance.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
Influence of distance from the target on total response time, repeated punch force and anaerobic fatigue of amatuer boxers
- Authors: Trella, Christopher Andrew
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Boxers (Sports) , Physical education and training
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:10111 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1020942
- Description: The aim of this study was to determine the influence of distance from the target during dominant and non-dominant jab punches, on total response time, repeated jab punch force and anaerobic fatigue of amateur boxers. Data was gathered of the following variables: Biographical data, anthropometric data, total response time, change in total response time, number of punches, peak punch force and peak punch force fatigue resistance index. An exploratory and descriptive research design was used. Twelve male amateur boxers participated in this study. The participants were all either provincially or nationally ranked, between the ages 16 and 22 and in the competitive phase of their training. The data was compared to find statistical significance and it was found from the Wilcoxon ranked sign test that distance does not affect total response time, change in total response time, number of punches and peak punch force fatigue resistance index. However, it was found that distance affects peak punch force. Additionally,it was found using a Spearman rank correlation test that older boxers proved to have statistically significant faster total response times, the boxers that had slower total reponse times proved to have statistically significant less powerful peak punch force, the boxers that had slower total response times proved to have statistically significant larger fatigue resistance index, boxers with larger change in total response time proved to have statistically significant more powerful peak punch force and the boxers with larger peak punch force proved to have statistically significant smaller fatigue resistance index. The data presented provides an introduction of the exploration of how distance from a target relates to a boxer’s performance.
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- Date Issued: 2012
Investigating factors that contribute to the disengagement of non-custodial fathers after divorce in the King Sabatha Dalindyebo Local Municipality in the Eastern Cape Province of Republic of South Africa
- Authors: Nyikana, Kwezi Jerome
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Desertion and non-support , Divorce -- Psychological aspects , South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , M Sw
- Identifier: vital:18481 , http://hdl.handle.net/11260/d1015519
- Description: This study is premised on the plight of custodial women, who sometimes complain about lack of financial support and the physical absence or disengagement of non-custodial fathers in the lives of their children after divorce. A notable number of non-custodial fathers in the KSD Municipal area have been identified through this study to be disengaging themselves physically from the lives of their children after divorce. The research analysis point to a number of compelling factors for post-divorce paternal disengagement.The research study is an exploratory study in which a mixed method of both qualitative and quantitative research design have been utilised. The researcher was interested in using qualifying words and the use of statistical analysis to describe the father disengagement phenomenon. The hypothesis for this study is: psychological, social and structural factors contribute to the disengagement of non-custodial fathers after divorce. The researcher drew up a sample which Bailey (1982) defines as a subset or portion of the total population. The researcher selected respondents according to the purposive sample which Rubin and Babbie (1993:259) defines as a type of non-probability sampling method in which the researcher uses his own judgement in the selection of respondents. In sampling, 30 respondents who are non-custodial parents were selected to participate in the study. Disengaged non-custodial father was the unit of analysis.The data was collected by means of administering questionnaires and voice recordings. The researcher also utilized in-depth interviews as stated by Boyce and Neale (2006) as being useful when you want detailed information about a person’s thoughts and behaviours, or when the researcher wants to explore new ideas in-depth. The latter approach is most appropriate in qualitative data collection. However, data was analysed both qualitatively and quantitatively.The findings of the study have in many ways answered questions the researcher has been curious about. The ex-wives’ feelings, in-laws, lack of residence, lack of communication between the divorced parents, remarriages, a child or children’s refusal to meet his/her father after divorce have been cited by the respondents as mitigating factors to non-custodial father disengagement. The psychological state of the divorced parties, that of anger, depression, overwhelmed by parenting alone or anxiety or distraught emotional state all form psychological factors. The latter factors were found not to be properly managed well and have often resulted in post-divorce father disengagement. The emotional pain by the non-custodial fathers of not seeing their children for a long time even demonstrates that structural challenges are also contributing factors to post-divorce father disengagement.In the light of the above findings the researcher would recommended mandatory counseling for parenting after divorce, expansion of the family advocate office, provision of a national program for divorced men, creating positive pictures of fatherhood through the media, incorporation of fatherhood or parenthood into the curriculum in our institutions of higher learning and mobilization of men at all levels to take position actions in remedying the experience of divorce.
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- Date Issued: 2012
John Wayne Gacy: a psychobiographical study
- Authors: Pieterse, Juazel
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Gacy, John Wayne , Serial murderers -- Illinois -- Chicago -- Biography , Criminals -- Illinois -- Chicago -- Biography , Serial murders -- Illinois -- Chicago , Criminal psychology
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:9930 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1011580 , Gacy, John Wayne , Serial murderers -- Illinois -- Chicago -- Biography , Criminals -- Illinois -- Chicago -- Biography , Serial murders -- Illinois -- Chicago , Criminal psychology
- Description: The study is a psychobiographical study, aiming to explore and describe the life of John Wayne Gacy. He was a well-respected man in his community, entertaining the neighbourhood as Pogo the clown. But there was a dark side to his nature that he tried to keep hidden; yet glimpses of it appeared throughout his life. This dark side was exposed to the public when the police found twenty-seven dead bodies ranging from boys of nine to young men twenty years of age hidden in his basement. The study utilises the Erikson’s psychosocial developmental theory in order to examine Gacy’s life and attempt to establish unique character traits. The study utilises a qualitative single case study approach, and the subject was selected through purposive sampling based on interest value. Archival data was collected from secondary sources to enhance validity. Data was analysed by first organising and reducing information obtained; and then displaying it for discussion of Gacy’s life. Gacy’s life was reconstructed from birth, through adolescence and adulthood and his death. The findings suggest that the theoretical approach considered the biopsychosocial as well as cultural and historical influences of situations and experiences in Gacy’s personality development throughout his lifespan. The main themes of discussion centre around the abuse he experienced and the influence this had on his development, the lack of crisis resolution and thus achievement of virtues, Gacy’s lack of difficulty in establishing attachment and the resulting narcissism and lack of self-abandon, as well his homosexuality, sadism and the murders he ultimately committed. The study highlighted the importance of psychobiographical studies and the value of Erikson’s theory in understanding development. Recommendations for future research in this field was made in the hope of further uncovering and understanding the personality and its development.
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- Date Issued: 2012
Josephine Baker: a psychobiographical study
- Authors: Eckley, Shannon Rose
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Adlerian psychology , Baker, Josephine , Psychology -- Biographical methods , Personality
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:9865 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1007850 , Adlerian psychology , Baker, Josephine , Psychology -- Biographical methods , Personality
- Description: Psychobiographies examine an entire full life, from birth to death, with the aim of understanding the psychological development of that life. Psychobiographical research is a qualitative method of research, and is done by the use of both biography, and the application of relevant psychological theory. While the scientific merit of this type of research continues to be questioned and debated, interest in this area of research continues to grow on both a national, and international level. This particular research study aimed to explore the extraordinary and inspiring life of slave, dancer, singer, lover, soldier and mother, Josephine Baker (1906 – 1975), by applying Alfred Adler’s (1929) theory of personality namely, Individual Psychology. Josephine Baker was chosen by means of purposive sampling. The research study made use of a qualitative psychobiographical research method, which aimed to explore and describe the lived life and personality development of Josephine Baker, in terms of Alfred Adler’s (1929) theory of Individual Psychology. The data collection for this research study made use of a framework, as a means of selecting relevant data which formed a matrix, which in turn became a descriptive framework to organise and integrate the data (see Appendix A). The analysis thereof was done by the means of analytic generalisation (Yin, 1994). To assist in identifying salient data, analytical criteria namely, Alexander’s (1988) guidelines for the extraction of salient data were utilised (see Appendix B). This model also assisted in ensuring an accurate and complete description of Josephine Baker’s life in relation to the psychological theory used namely Alfred Adler’s theory of Individual Psychology. The findings of the study indicate that Josephine’s life paralleled Adler’s (1929) theory in many ways, and also indicated that the person she became was also strongly influenced by many familial, social, historical and cultural events of the time. This study has therefore shown that to date, there is still great value and relevance in Adler’s (1929) theory of Individual Psychology, even though it was proposed and developed almost a century ago. Consequently, recommendations regarding further psychiobiographical research in this area in the future have been made.
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- Date Issued: 2012
Motherhood experiences of teenagers : a Xhosa perspective
- Authors: Mlotana, Pumla Princess
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Motherhood , Midwifery
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MCur
- Identifier: vital:10058 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1019998
- Description: In South Africa and worldwide high rates of teenage pregnancy and motherhood remains a concern. According to Mkhwanazi (2010:349) most of teenage pregnancy occurs among poor black and coloured communities. The majority of these pregnancies are unwanted and unplanned resulting teenage mother experiencing problems with motherhood. The relationship in family peers and communities are adversely affected. Teenage motherhood seen as to be socially economically and physically delirious for the teenage mother and her baby. Teenage motherhood became a burden not only on the teenage mother but also to the family and the State. Cultural issues aggravated the situation in which the teenage mother finds herself in which is the lack of support from the communities in which they live. This results to the teenage mother having a feeling being alienated. The researcher as a midwife working in labour ward observed that the teenagers of younger ages are frequently admitted in labour wards in one of the hospitals in Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Municipality. The researcher became interested to conduct a study on mother hood experiences of teenage mothers: A Xhosa Pespective. The first objective of the study was to explore and describe the motherhood experiences of Xhosa teenagers. The second objective was to make recommendations to assist the midwives to help teenage mothers cope with motherhood. These recommendations could be used by health professionals to address the research findings. A qualitative, explorative descriptive and contextual research design was used to reach the objectives of the study. The research population consisted of Xhosa speaking teenage mothers who were residing at Kwazakhele Township and whose age was between 12 -16 years. Teenage mothers who gave birth to live babies during the last 6-12 months. Ethical considerations were maintained throughout the research study .Semi- structured interviews were conducted before data saturation was reached. The data collected during the interviews were transcribed and analyzed using Tech’s model of data analysis. The aspect of trustworthiness according to Guba’s model was implemented in the research study and included credibility, applicability, consistency and neutrality.
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- Date Issued: 2012
Motivation levels of tuberculosis healthcare staff at a district hospital in Kenya
- Authors: Busolo, Mellanda Isia
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Health services administration , Employee motivation , Tuberculosis -- Prevention
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:10135 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1008292 , Health services administration , Employee motivation , Tuberculosis -- Prevention
- Description: Background: The success of tuberculosis (TB) treatment largely depends on healthcare team factors within a healthcare system, as healthcare workers play a vital role in fostering patient adherence to TB treatment. Strengthening motivation amongst Kenya’s TB healthcare workers should thus be reinforced in order to improve on clinical outcomes of TB treatment in Kenya. Objectives: To determine motivational needs of TB healthcare staff at a district hospital in Kenya and to provide recommendations on how to enhance their motivation. Design: TB healthcare workers including nurses, doctors, pharmacists and community healthcare workers were purposively sampled from a district hospital in Kenya. Their motivational levels were measured using a questionnaire adapted from Bennet and colleagues (2000). Key Findings: A high level of job satisfaction was present in more than 50 percent of the employees, although the ‘extrinsic job satisfaction’ sub-scale stood out as scoring relatively poorly in comparison to the other ‘job satisfaction’ sub-scales. Cognitive motivation yielded mixed results with 44 percent of respondents rating themselves as being satisfied, and 56 percent between neutral and very dissatisfied. The overall organisational commitment was positive, with the majority (60 percent) of respondents rating themselves as being committed to their organisation. The majority (96 percent) of workers rated their performance at work as very high. Conclusion: Improvement in staff motivation can be attributed to how well a hospital's management organises and runs its hospital. It was recommended that hospitals should provide an environment where motivational strategies are continuously implemented and where change is positively rewarded. This may, in turn, have a positive impact on TB treatment outcomes. The study may be of interest to key decision makers in Kenya’s healthcare system as well as TB programme managers, hospital managers and health managers in general. Further investigations are needed in order to determine whether Kenya’s public healthcare system has a staff retention strategy that is up to date with the motivational needs of Kenya’s health workforce.
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- Date Issued: 2012
Observed pathological changes in male Wistar rats after co-treatment of Type II Diabetes with metformin and sutherlandia frutescens
- Authors: Tili, Siphokazi Pamphilia
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Rats -- Physiology , Rats as laboratory animals , Non-insulin-dependent diabetes -- Research
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MTech
- Identifier: vital:10123 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1012644 , Rats -- Physiology , Rats as laboratory animals , Non-insulin-dependent diabetes -- Research
- Description: Diabetes is a serious condition that affects all the body’s systems including kidneys, heart, eyes and limbs. This alone makes type II diabetes a life threatening disease; an expensive disease and economic burden that many individuals struggle to cope with.The rapid growth type II diabetes in South Africa is associated with the change of life style, and environmental factors brought by westernized way of life living in rural areas. Despite the technical advances in diagnosis and therapy of diabetes many people still use alternative forms of therapy due to the cost, traditional reasons and religion. Some of the people use the conventional medication together with the alternative therapy without informing their doctor and knowing the pathological changes. The aim of the study was to investigate pathological changes in male Wistar rats after co-treatment of type II diabetes with metformin and Sutherlandia frutescens and the possible synergistic and antagonistic effects. The thirty five rats were divided into five groups, seven in each group. There were two control groups and three test groups. Only the first control group was on a low fat diet (normal rat pellets) and second control group and test groups were on a high fat diet which induces obesity, insulin resistance and leads a typical prediabetic state for 12 weeks (Buettner et al., 2006). After 11.5 weeks medication was administered by oral gavaging to the test groups for 4 weeks and control groups received water. Blood was collected for determination of glucose, insulin, lipid profile and the concentrations of the liver enzymes. Pancreas, liver and kidney tissue were removed and used for histology. Urine was collected from the bladder for creatinine analyses. The plant + metformin group co-treatment was better in managing hyperglycemia, liver damages were minimal and also weight control was better when compared to metformin alone.
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- Date Issued: 2012
Plantar pressure and impulse profiles of students from a South African university
- Authors: Kramer, Mark
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Human mechanics , Foot -- Movements , Joints -- ange of motion , eng
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:10095 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1010606 , Human mechanics , Foot -- Movements , Joints -- ange of motion
- Description: Most activities of daily living and numerous modes of physical activity incorporate some form of ambulation, of which the foot and ankle constitute the first link in the kinetic chain. A change in foot or ankle structure may therefore have subsequent effects on the superincumbent joints of the human body such as the knee, hip and lower back. Plantar pressure and impulse measurements can therefore provide greater insight into the mechanics of the foot under load-bearing conditions with regards to the areas and regions of the foot that exhibit the largest pressure values and impulse figures. Hence, it is of importance to establish normative data so as to obtain a frame of reference to identify those individuals that fall outside these norms and may exhibit a larger probability of injury. Aim and Objectives: The primary aim was to identify and compare the plantar pressure distribution patterns and impulse values of students of a South African university of different gender and race groups. To realise this aim two specific objectives were set. The first was to determine whether height, weight, body mass index (BMI), gender, race, and the level of physical activity were related to the pressure and impulse values obtained, and the second was to generate reference tables from the normative data gathered. Method: The RS Footscan system was used to measure the pressure and impulse values of the foot. The characteristics that were analysed were height, weight, body mass index and the level of physical activity of the participant and their respective association with plantar pressure and impulse values obtained. This information was then used to establish normative data. A quasi-experimental study design utilising convenience sampling was implemented as the intention was to investigate as single instance in as natural a manner as possible. Convenience sampling was used with predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. A total of 180 participants were utilised in this study and were subdivided as follows: Gender: Males (n = 90); Females (n = 90); Race: African black (n = 60); white (n = 60) and coloured (n = 60). Each race group therefore comprised of 30 males and 30 females respectively. The anthropometric profile of participants was as follows: Age (S.D.) = 22.21 (S.D. ± 2.93) years; Height (S.D.) = 169.69 (S.D. ± 8.91) cm; Weight (S.D.) = 66.97 (S.D. ± 12.01) kg; BMI (S.D.) = 23.16 (S.D. ± 3.15) kg/m2. Participants were asked to complete a questionnaire prior to testing that would identify all exclusion criteria consisting of: the presence of foot pain or deformity, acute lower extremity trauma, lower extremity surgery, exhibited problems of performance including eye, ear or cognitive impairment, diabetes mellitus or other neurological neuropathy, or the use of walking aids. Anthropometric measurements were then taken for those participants that qualified for the study. Participants were required to perform approximately five warm-up trials to familiarise themselves with the testing equipment before testing commenced. A total of ten successful trails were subsequently recorded for each participant, with three footprints being recorded per trial on the pressure platform, thereby comprising 30 footprints (15 left foot and 15 right foot) per participant that were analysed regarding pressure and impulse values. The two-step gait initiation protocol was implemented which was proven to be a valid and reliable means of assessing gait. Participants were instructed to walk at a comfortable walking speed between 1.19 – 1.60 m/s to ensure conformity between all participants as between-trial gait velocities were proven to be significantly variable. The foot was subdivided into ten anatomical areas focusing on the great toe, lesser toes, metatarsal 1, metatarsal 2, metatarsal 3, metatarsal 4, metatarsal 5, midfoot, medial heel and lateral heel. These ten areas were then grouped into one of three regions, namely the forefoot region (great toe, lesser toes, and all five metatarsal head areas), midfoot region (midfoot area), and rearfoot/heel region (medial and lateral heel areas). Once all relevant data was gathered, corrected and analysed it was used to establish normative data tables pertaining to the various gender and race groups. Results: Of the ten individual pressure and impulse areas, the second and third metatarsal heads demonstrated the highest mean peak pressure and impulse values. Once grouped into one of the three regions, the heel region was ascribed with the largest impulse and pressure values. It was established that statistically and practically significant racial pressure differences were apparent in the left and right forefoot and midfoot regions, with black and coloured individuals yielding the highest values, whereas white participants yielded the lowest. The same was true with regards to impulse figures in that both statistical and practical significant levels were established in the forefoot and midfoot regions. Black and coloured participants exhibited larger impulse values than the white participants. The level of physical activity was found to be associated with both pressure and impulse values over the various regions of the foot. Black individuals that were largely inactive as well as moderately active coloured participants yielded the highest pressure and impulse values, which were found to be statistically and practically significant over the forefoot regions. Conversely, white participants of all physical activity levels as well as coloured participants of both low and high physical activity levels exhibited the lowest pressure values over the forefoot region, which were also found to be statistically and practically significant. The anthropometric variables of height, weight and BMI were found to relate statistically to pressure and impulse values under the various regions of the foot, but none were found to be of any practical significance (r < .30). Conclusion: It was clearly established that both gender and race specific differences existed regarding plantar pressure and impulse values of the normal foot. Plantar pressure and impulse values were also associated with the level of physical activity of the individual, thereby indicating that the level of physical activity could be a contributing factor to altered pressure and impulse values. Anthropometric variables such as height, weight and BMI could not solely account for the variances observed in pressure and impulse. Further research is required to determine whether pressure or impulse values above or below those obtained predispose an individual to injury and to contrast between various activity or sporting codes and the effect of these on plantar pressure and impulse figures. Finally, from the collected data one was able to establish reference tables for the specific gender and race groups for both plantar pressure and impulse values. This enables one to classify individuals based on the pressure and impulse values generated.
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- Date Issued: 2012
Resilience in children raised by grandparents: a systemic review
- Authors: Ellemdeen, Hameeda
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Children , Grandparents , Resilience (Personality trait) , Oraphans -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:9868 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1007917 , Children , Grandparents , Resilience (Personality trait) , Oraphans -- South Africa
- Description: The placement of children in alternative care has become a critical challenge facing the nation. Established systems of care are unable to meet the increasing burden of caring for these children and to date extended family care is the most prevalent form of care for orphan and vulnerable children. Looking specifically at the prevalence of grandparent-headed households, this study focuses on the wellbeing and development of children who are placed in the care of their grandparents.The primary aim of the current study is to explore resilience in children raised by their grandparents. Central to the core of resilience in children is identifying elements that detract from their health and wellbeing (risk factors), while understanding those factors that moderate risk to their development (protective factors). A systematic review of existing literature was undertaken with the secondary aim of informing practice and policy regarding the care and placement of children in South Africa. Each primary study included in this review was appraised against best practice standards and salient themes and factors were extracted. The data was synthesized, integrated and applied to the context of child care policy in South Africa. Twelve themes emerged from the systematic review. With regards to protective processes, four broad themes emerged which were consistent with factors identified in literature in the development of resilience. These included a positive relationship with a caregiver, parenting style, providing a sense of continuity and belonging and the stability this placement offers. The remaining eights themes, related to risk factors were financial instability, relationship difficulties with their caregiver, intergenerational differences between grandparent and grandchild, poor caregiver health and wellbeing, ill-discipline and rigid parenting styles, educational difficulties,adverse past experiences of children and emotional difficulties. Based on these emergent themes, policy and intervention-focused recommendations were put forth with the aim of strengthening the capacity of grandparent-headed families to protect and care for orphans and vulnerable children.
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- Date Issued: 2012
Self-perceived professional identity of pharmacy educators
- Authors: Burton, Susan
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Academic identity , Communities of practice , Identity (Philosophical concept) , Pharmacy -- Study and teaching , Pharmacy
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:10139 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1008352 , Academic identity , Communities of practice , Identity (Philosophical concept) , Pharmacy -- Study and teaching , Pharmacy
- Description: The philosophy of pharmaceutical care, which defines a patient-centred approach to practice, has been embraced and upheld by national and international pharmaceutical organisations for two decades. However, pharmacists have been slow to change their practice and implement a pharmaceutical care approach. It has been suggested that amongst other factors, short-comings in pharmaceutical education have contributed to this reluctance of the profession to transform practice. Efforts to address these short-comings in pharmaceutical education have focused on the curriculum and pedagogic practices, and not on the pharmacy educators themselves. Palmer (1998) asserts that “good teaching cannot be reduced to technique; good teaching comes from the identity and integrity of the teacher”. In essence, "we teach who we are" and good teachers have one common trait: “a strong sense of personal identity that infuses their work”. This study identified, described and analysed the self-perceived professional identities of pharmacy educators within the South African context. This included ascertaining factors and contexts which contributed to participants’ self-perception of their professional identity. In an effort to understand the influence the educators have on practice and on changing practice and vice-versa, the attitudes, beliefs and behaviours of participants regarding the philosophy and practice of pharmaceutical care, and pharmaceutical education were also explored. Situated within a constructivist-interpretive, qualitative paradigm and making use of methodological triangulation, this study was conducted in three phases, each employing a different qualitative method to collect data. The first phase made use of narrative analysis to gain an in-depth understanding of pharmacy educators’ perceived professional identities and to explore how their experiences, across various contexts, have formed their professional identities. In-depth individual narrative interviews were used to provide a forum in which the participants could reflect upon and tell their professional life-story. This phase of the study also made use of the exploration of metaphors to further investigate the participants’ professional identity and, more particularly, their images of themselves as “teacher” and role model for students. A maximum variation, purposeful sampling approach was used to recruit eight pharmacy academics - one from each school or faculty of pharmacy in South Africa, as participants in this phase of the study. The second and third phases explored more widely, the insights gained from the first phase and the formation of professional identity, attitudes, beliefs and practices of pharmacy educators in South Africa. Two focus groups were employed during the second phase and the study sample was broadened to include a further ten pharmacy educators. In the third phase, a purpose-designed, qualitative questionnaire was used to extend the study sample to all pharmacy educators in South Africa. A convenience sampling approach was used in both the second and third phases of the study. Thematic analysis and interpretation of the narrative interview and focus group transcripts and the questionnaire responses were conducted using qualitative data analysis software – Atlas.ti®. A multiplicity of self-perceived professional identities was described. However, all of these were multi-faceted and could be situated on a continuum between pharmacist identity on one end and academic identity on the other. In addition, six key determinants were recognised as underpinning the participants’ self-perception of their professional identity. These included three structural determinants: expected role; knowledge base; and practice, and three determinants relating to the emotional dimensions and agency of professional identity: professional status; passions; and satisfiers. The professional identity of the participants had been formed through membership of multiple pharmacy-related communities of practice and continued to be sustained through a nexus of multi-membership. There was extensive support by the participants for the concept of pharmaceutical care; however, it did not impact extensively on their role as pharmacy educators. Furthermore, many expressed concern around the use of the term ‘pharmaceutical care’: its definition; its lack of penetration into, and implementation within the practice environment; and even its relevance to the South African healthcare context. Many of the participants perceived the professional development of future pharmacists to be integral to their role as educators, and was often their source of greatest professional satisfaction. However, concern was also expressed at the dissonance that students were perceived to experience, sometimes, because of the incongruities that they are taught and what they experience in practice. This study has afforded pharmacy educators in South Africa an opportunity to understand better “who” they are as professionals, and to reflect on their role as educators and as role models for future pharmacist. Moreover, the findings contribute to a collective understanding of the professional identity of pharmacy educators and socialisation of pharmacy students into the profession. The insights and recommendations emerging from the study have the potential to make academic pharmacy a more attractive career choice which may have positive implications for the future attraction and retention of pharmacists to academic posts within universities.
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- Date Issued: 2012
Strengths that contribute towards resilience in the early years of marriage
- Authors: Aboagye, Lauren Lee
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Marriage -- Interpersonal relations , Marriage -- Religious aspects -- Christianity , Resilience (Personality trait) , Communication in marriage , Adjustment (Psychology)
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:9983 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/1667 , Marriage -- Interpersonal relations , Marriage -- Religious aspects -- Christianity , Resilience (Personality trait) , Communication in marriage , Adjustment (Psychology)
- Description: Divorce is a common phenomenon in South Africa, affecting many families across the country. On the other hand, there are many couples who choose to remain married, despite having endured significant stress. In a review of literature there have been studies conducted exploring enduring marriages (marriages that have lasted twenty years or more), but little on resilience in the early years of marriage. With many couples choosing to divorce within the first ten years of marriage, there is value in exploring the strengths of young marriages that contribute towards resilience. The following question then arises: what are the stressors that couples experience during the early years of marriage (under ten years) and how does the way they cope with these challenges enhance resilience in their marriages? This question has resulted in this qualitative study, employing an exploratory descriptive and contextual research design with the aim of exploring the strengths that contribute towards resilience in the early years of marriage. The study is based within the framework of positive psychology, as this facilitates the exploration of the factors that have contributed towards the resilience of the couples that were interviewed. A non-probability, purposive sampling technique was employed to obtain research participants. Data was collected through the use of individual semistructured interviews conducted with five couples (ten individuals) who have been married for ten years or less, have endured significant stress, have chosen to remain married, and experience their relationship as satisfying. The interviews were recorded, transcribed and analysed using thematic content analysis. The results of the study may be used to develop a strengths based-intervention programme for couples in the early years of marriage.
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- Date Issued: 2012
The coping orientation and self-esteem of black learners enrolled in under-resourced schools in the Nelson Mandela Metropole
- Authors: Ogle, Zimbini
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Educational psychology -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth , Educational psychology -- Study and teaching -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth , Self-esteem -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth -- Problems, exercises, etc. , Right to education -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth , Public schools -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:9941 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1012591 , Educational psychology -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth , Educational psychology -- Study and teaching -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth , Self-esteem -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth -- Problems, exercises, etc. , Right to education -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth , Public schools -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth
- Description: It is common knowledge that the delivery of a high quality, well-resourced educational service to learners enrolled in state schools in the Eastern Cape has ground to a halt and this lack of service delivery has now become a pervasive problem. South African education has to a large extent failed to meet the needs of Black learners. Schools, like other contexts of childhood and adolescence are intimate places where youths construct identities, build a sense of self, read how society views them, develop the capacity to sustain relations and forge the skills to initiate change. These are the contexts where youth grow or shrink. Buildings in disrepair are not, therefore, merely a distraction; they are identity producing and selfdefining. There has been much debate on the topic of self-esteem and its relationship to school performance and academic achievement. Previous studies have highlighted that selfesteem and resilience do play a role in academic achievement. Despite the many challenges facing learners in under-resourced schools, many learners have overcome such challenges and achieved academic success. This study aimed to explore and describe the coping orientation and self-esteem of Black learners enrolled in under-resourced state schools in the Nelson Mandela Metropole. An exploratory, descriptive survey design was employed and eighty-five research participants completed the Orientation to Life Questionnaire 29 Item (OLQ 29 Item), Battle‟s Culture Free Self-Esteem Inventory Form AD (CFSEI Form AD) and a biographical questionnaire. Key findings revealed fairly high mean scores on the OLQ 29 Item and low total self-esteem scores. The General, Social and Personal self-esteem of the learners were found to be average. The results also revealed that learners with a high sense of coherence are likely to have high self-esteem; hence high sense of coherence is better explained by high self-esteem and low sense of coherence is better explained by low selfesteem.
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- Date Issued: 2012
The incidence and mechanism of injuries occurring at a South African National Judo Championship
- Authors: Du Preez, Devon
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Judo injuries , Martial arts injuries
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:10099 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1011666 , Judo injuries , Martial arts injuries
- Description: The aim of the current study was to identify and describe the incidence and mechanism of injuries that occurred to judoka at a South African national tournament. Therefore the objectives of the study were to determine the following: To describe and compare the type and incidence of injuries occurring at a South African national championship in respect of three different age groups as well as gender; To describe and compare the types of mechanisms occurring at a South African national championship in respect of three different age groups as well as gender; To describe and determine the treatment methods used by judoka at a South African national championship. To determine and describe the training methods of judoka and the potential impact on incidence of injuries at the relevant national judo championship. To achieve the aims and objectives set out in the present study, the literature regarding injury incidence and mechanisms causing those injuries were reviewed along with other martial arts, in order for comparisons to be made within judo and other martial arts. To evaluate and describe injury in judo an exploratory-descriptive epidemiological approach was used in order to gather relevant data. The use of detailed questionnaires was used to capture information regarding physical preparation for the tournament along with a screening questionnaire that captured important data relating to injuries prior to competing in the South African national tournament. In order for the main aim of the study to be achieved an injury questionnaire was presented to all injured judoka who partook in the study at the tournament. This questionnaire captured critical information regarding the occurring injury and the mechanism responsible for the injury. Judoka sampled consisted of 141 judoka of which 110 were males and 31 were females. This sample size of judoka consisted of three age groups with each group representing a different age range. This allowed for the observation of more injuries but also allowed one to compare injuries obtained by younger judoka to that of older judoka. For the purposes of this study groups 4 (ages 14 to 16), 5 (ages 17 to 19) and 6 (ages 20 and older) were used. The reason for selecting these three age groups was due to the fact that they would be participating under international regulations with strangulations and armlocks allowed for in a fight. Group 4 consisted of 49 judoka; the smallest group studied was that of group 5 and consisted of 28 judoka with group 6 being the largest sampled group with 64 judoka. Of the 141 sampled judoka 103 injuries were recorded with males obtaining more injuries than that of female judoka. The results from the study were placed into table and graph formats and described via descriptive statistics. In order to explain the variation within groups inferential statistics as well as Cohen‟s d were utilised to determine both statistical and practical significances between the different age groups. When describing statistics via the use of frequency distribution tables, statistical significance was tested via Chi2 tests of independence, Cramér‟s V was utilized to determine practical significance. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was done to determine intra-group differences with the F statistic reported for significant findings as it reports the variance of group means. The present study found that male judoka within their respective age groups competed in judo for a longer duration than that of females, that the older the judoka was the greater the likelihood that the judoka would have competed for a longer duration of time at a provincial level of judo with group 5 and 6 having competed on a provincial level longer than that of group 4 judoka. Over a 12 month period judoka sustained almost four minor injuries and less than one major injury on average. Females on average were found to have sustained more minor injuries over a period of a year than that of males. The results indicate that only 37.9 percent of judoka compete with existing injuries with more males (40.0 percent) participating with an existing injury compared to that of females at 31.5 percent. The time spent training the various judo components was similar across all three age groups with a statistically significant differences (F (1,81) =4.216, p=.043) found between the genders of group 4 males and females with males practicing more ne-waza a week. On average time spent doing gym work was 177.39 minutes a month with males training for a longer duration 192.69 minutes a month than that of females. Group 5 judoka spent the greatest time in a month doing gym training at 201.35 minutes a month. A gender difference was noted in upper body strength training (F (1,81) = 4.12, p =.046). Males favoured upper body strength training compared to that of females. A total of 103 (73.0 percent) of the sample group were injured once or more. Group 4 judoka (age 16 to 17) had the highest injury incidence for incurring a injury at least once at 75.5 percent. The injury incidence for groups 5 (age 18 to 19) and 6 (age 20 + years) for incurring at least one injury was 71.4 percent and 50.0 percent respectively. The results indicate that 72.7 percent of males reported at least one injury compared to 74.2 percent of females. The present study found that the head and neck (42.7 percent) followed by the upper body (34.0 percent) to be the anatomical regions with the highest incidence of injury. The upper body anatomical site most frequently injured as expected was the shoulder joint at 11.7 percent with the knee, the lower body site with the greatest incidence of injury. Cuts (38.8 percent) accounted for the largest proportion of injuries with the most occurring injury to males being that of a cut (45.6 percent) and sprains (37.5 percent) for females. A statistically significant difference was found between the two genders in relation to the types of occurring injuries, with a moderate practical significance noticed (Chi2 (4) = 12.33, p = .015, V = 0.35). The major mechanisms of injury to the judoka was throwing / being thrown (35.5 percent) and impacts / collisions with other judoka (33.9 percent). These mechanisms of injury were also identified as the major mechanisms leading to injury in both genders. A total of 17.7 percent of fights were terminated due to injury with fewer males (14.5 percent) having fights terminated due to a serious injury compared to that of females (29.0 percent). A statistically significant difference was found between the two genders in relation to the termination of fights due to injuries with a small practical significance noticed with (Chi2(1) = 7.93, p = .005, V = 0.19). The most identified treatment at the tournament for judo was that of icing the injured area. Male judoka indicated 36.4 percent of injuries were treated with ice with females treating 36.0 percent of their injuries with ice. Males indicated that the return to the sport after becoming injured was less (0.75 weeks) than that of females (1.71 weeks) and a statistically significant difference was found between the genders and recovering from injury (F (1,81) = 4.22, p = .043, d = 0.41).
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- Date Issued: 2012
The integration of mental health care services into primary health care system at King Sabata Dalindyebo Municipality Clinics
- Authors: Dlatu, Ntandazo
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Community mental health services South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MPH
- Identifier: vital:18478 , http://hdl.handle.net/11260/d1008290
- Description: Introduction: Primary Health care refers to care which is based on the needs of population. Mental health care provided within general primary care services is the first level of care within the formal health system. There is no research in King Sabata Dalindyebo, carried out on issues around integration of mental health with primary health care. The present study is initiated to overcome this gap. Aim of the study: The aim of the study was to investigate the level of knowledge, implementation and barriers of integrating mental health care services into primary health care system at King Sabata Dalindyebo clinics, in Mthatha region. Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted at King Sabata Dalindyebo Clinics, between January 2010 and December 2011. A 10% random sample of all health professionals from King Sabata Dalindyebo was interviewed concerning their demographic characteristics, education/ qualifications, general and further training in psychiatry, awareness about Mental Health Care Act 17 of 2002 and mental health care services characteristic related to the integration of mental health care services into primary health care system. For data analysis, the means of continuous variables across 2 groups were compared using Student-t test. The proportions (%) of the categorical variable across 2 groups were compared using Chi-square test. Results: A total of 52 health professionals (40.4% males, 59.6 females, 59.6 married, 3 doctors, 49 nurses, mean age 36.9± 8 years range 23 years-52 years), were surveyed. The participants were characterized by low level of qualification in specialization, further training in psychiatry, and by very low awareness about Mental Health Care Act 17 of 2002. Furthermore, there was no implication of expects (Regional psychiatrist, psychologist, social worker) and co-ordination of mental health care services. Working in remote and disadvantaged area, health workers with lower education qualification, absence of a coordinator for mental health care services and absence of workshop on Mental Health Care Act 17 of 2002 were determinants of lower awareness about Mental Health Care Act 17 of 2002. However, there was a good to excellent framework for potential implementation of mental health care services into primary health care system. The government support in infrastructures, drugs availability, transport and equipment was evident. Patients were helped within abroad based ethical, human rights and psycho-social framework. Conclusion: There is a lack of improving human capacity for mental health in terms of continuous training in mental health issues, policies, organisation and development. Globally, the integration of mental health care service in King Sabata Dalindyebo is non-optimal.
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- Date Issued: 2012
The lived experience of xenophobia within a South African university
- Authors: Sorensen, Thomas
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Xenophobia -- South Africa , Multicultural education -- South Africa , Refugees -- Education -- South Africa , Immigrants -- Violence against -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:9944 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1013272
- Description: South Africa’s borders were opened up in 1994 after Nelson Mandela became president. Since then South Africa has been battling xenophobia as immigrants from African nations started to come to the rainbow nation for a better life away from persecution, civil wars, and extreme poverty. Still, up until 2008 when massive riots broke out in Alexandria Township in Gauteng, xenophobia was an unknown word to most people outside academic, social work, and government circles. This has all changed now as 2008 will in all likelihood be remembered as the year when xenophobic violence erupted in South Africa and became a general feature in our daily media bulletins, prime time television broadcasts, and in our society as a whole. The South African university where the current study took place was also affected by xenophobia although without any displays of public violence. The current study sought to understand and describe the lived experience of xenophobia by individual, international, African students at a South African university. The study adopted a qualitative approach and the methodology used was multiple case studies employing Tesch’s model of content analysis. The findings of the study showed that the research participants, as a combined group, have lived through a wide range of xenophobic experiences excluding physical violence and that the research participants’ personal characteristics influenced their exposure to and experience of xenophobia. The study contributed to the understanding of the lived experience of xenophobia within a South African university by international, African students.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
The medicinal chemistry of Cyclo (D-PHE-4I-PRO) and Cyclo (L-PHE-4I-PRO)
- Authors: Qhola, Lipolelo
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Cyclic peptides , Pharmaceutical chemistry , Peptide drugs
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:10152 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1011619 , Cyclic peptides , Pharmaceutical chemistry , Peptide drugs
- Description: Cyclic dipeptides have been widely used as pharmaceutical agents due to their favourable properties and the fact that they are more stable and membrane permeable than their linear analogues. These characteristics make cyclic dipeptides attractive to protein-based drug developers (Martins & Carvalho, 2007). In this research study, the method of Milne et al. (1992) was used to synthesize the protected linear dipeptide esters. This was followed by boiling the unprotected, linear dipeptide esters under reflux in an oil bath (Sec-butanol: toluene (4:1)). This method gave good yields and pure cyclic dipeptides. Scanning electron microscopy, thermal analysis, X-ray powder diffraction and differential scanning calorimetry were used for evaluation of the physiochemical properties of the cyclic dipeptides. High-performance liquid chromatography and thin layer chromatography were used to determine the purity of the cyclic dipeptides. The structures of the cyclic dipeptides were elucidated using infrared spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and molecular modeling and computational chemistry. The aim of the study was to determine the possible therapeutic activity of cyclo(D-Phe-4I-Pro) and cyclo(L-Phe-4I-Pro) with regard to antimicrobial, anticancer, antidiabetes and haematological effects. Both cyclic dipeptides showed a significant growth inhibition of Gram-positive, Gram-negative and fungal microorganisms in the antimicrobial study. Anticancer studies showed that both cyclic dipeptides caused growth inhibition of the MCF-7, HT-29 and HeLa cancer cell lines. Both cyclic dipeptides showed no antidiabetic activity. Haematological studies revealed that both cyclic dipeptides caused a significant effect on the clotting time and platelet aggregation. They caused an increase in clotting time and also inhibited platelet aggregation.
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- Date Issued: 2012
The medicinal chemistry of cyclo(Phe-4CI-Pro) and Cyclo(D-Phe-4CI-Pro)
- Authors: Milne, Marnus
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Cyclic peptides , Pharmaceutical chemistry , Peptide drugs
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:10157 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1011848 , Cyclic peptides , Pharmaceutical chemistry , Peptide drugs
- Description: Cyclic dipeptides have limited conformational freedom due to their diketopiperazine backbone and their small size. They are relatively simple to synthesise, making them ideal subjects for investigation into their biological effects. Cyclic dipeptides have also been known for their multitude of biological activities, including antimicrobial, anticancer and haematological properties. In this study the cyclic dipeptides, cyclo(Phe-4Cl-Pro) and cyclo(D-Phe-4Cl-Pro), were synthesised from their corresponding linear precursors using a modified phenol-induced cyclisation procedure. The phenol induced cyclisation procedure resulted in good yields and purity of the cyclic dipeptides. Quantitative analysis and evaluation of the physiochemical properties of the cyclic dipeptides was achieved using high-performance liquid chromatography, scanning electron microscopy, thermal analysis and X-ray powder diffraction. Structural elucidation of the cyclic dipeptides was done by means of infrared spectroscopy, mass spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and molecular modelling. The study‟s aim was to determine the biological activity of cyclo(Phe-4Cl-Pro) and cyclo(D-Phe-4Cl-Pro) with respect to their anticancer, antimicrobial, haematological and ant-diabetic studies. Anticancer studies revealed that cyclo(Phe-4Cl-Pro) and cyclo(D-Phe-4Cl-Pro) inhibited the growth of HeLa (cervical cancer), HT-29 (colon cancer) and MCF-7 (breast cancer) cancer cell lines. Both cyclic dipeptides also inhibited the growth of certain selected Gram-positive, Gram-negative and fungal microorganisms in the antimicrobial study. Although the inhibition of growth in the anticancer and antimicrobial studies was statistically significant, the clinical relevance is questionable, since the inhibition produced by both cyclic dipeptides was very limited compared to other pre-existing anticancer and antimicrobial agents. Both cyclic dipeptides caused a significant shortening of the APTT and PT clotting times and an increase in the fibrin and D-Dimer formation. Cyclo(D-Phe-4Cl-Pro) at a screening concentration of 12.5 mM and 3.125 mM, showed significant anti-platelet activity. Both cyclic dipeptides failed to produce any inhibition of the α-Glucosidase enzyme and very limited inhibition of the α-Amylase enzyme.
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- Date Issued: 2012
The prevalence of overweight and obesity of six to nine year old black African children in a rural town of Mpumalanga
- Authors: Bezuidenhout, Hanlie Pearl
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Obesity in children -- South Africa -- Mpumalanga , Overweight children -- South Africa -- Mpumalanga , Obesity in children -- Prevention
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:10090 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/1602 , Obesity in children -- South Africa -- Mpumalanga , Overweight children -- South Africa -- Mpumalanga , Obesity in children -- Prevention
- Description: The aim of the study was to determine the Body Mass Index with regards to overweight and obesity of Black African children between the ages of six and nine years who were enrolled in three rural public schools within Mpumalanga Province, South Africa. The researcher used a quantitative descriptive research design. Each child’s weight and height was measured and their BMI and BMI percentile for gender and age calculated. According to the BMI percentile calculations for gender and age for the sample which consisted of 902 children, three percent were defined as being underweight, 79 percent as being normal weight, 11 percent as being overweight, and seven percent as being obese. In the sample there were also 21.3 percent children who were at risk of becoming overweight (3.5 percent) and obese (17.8 percent). Without intervention these at risk learners may in their adolescent and adult years be adversely affected by the physiological and psychosocial consequences related to their condition. Suggestion is made to utilise a Forum through which various stakeholders can pool their expertise and resources to develop a programme of intervention with the aim to prevent escalation of overweight and obesity, as well as reversing the current prevalence as identified within the research population.
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- Date Issued: 2012