Thesis (M Social Work (Social Work))--University of Stellenbosch, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The purpose of this study is to develop a theoretical framework for social workers in nongovernmental organisations with regards to the nature and scope of social casework intervention with aggressive adolescents. The research was done based on an extensive literature study, which focussed on theories of aggression and factors which contribute to aggressive behaviour in adolescents, as well as the nature and scope of social casework intervention with aggressive adolescents. A combined qualitative and quantitative research method and an explorative and describing research design have been used in this study, since this combination resulted in reaching the goal of the study. The empirical research investigated the nature and scope of social casework intervention with aggressive adolescents. The universe consisted of all nongovernmental organisations in the Boland-district. Semi-structured questionnaires were used as an interview instrument with a purposive sample of 20 social workers. In light of the findings derived from the literature study and empirical research, appropriate conclusions and related recommendations were made. The main conclusion for this study is that various factors, such as the caseload of social workers and involvement of significant others during intervention, influence participants’ ability to utilise case work effectively during intervention with aggressive adolescents. The main recommendation of this study is that the delivery of social services be prioritized to avoid social work tasks or situations hindering or prohibiting intervention with aggressive adolescents. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die doel van hierdie studie was om ‘n teoretiese raamwerk vir maatskaplike werkers in nieregeringsorganisies te bied vir die aard en omvang van maatskaplike gevallewerkintervensie aan adolessente met aggressiewe gedrag. Die ondersoek is gedoen aan die hand van ‘n uitgebreide literatuurstudie, wat gefokus het op teorieë oor aggressie en faktore wat tot aggressiewe gedrag by adolessente aanleiding gee, sowel as die aard en omvang van maatskaplike gevallewerkintervensie aan adolessente met aggressiewe gedrag. ‘n Gekombineerde kwalitatiewe- en kwantitatiewe navorsingsbenadering en ‘n verkennendeen beskrywende navorsingsontwerp is in hierdie studie benut, aangesien hierdie kombinasies die gestelde doelwitte van die studie die beste kon bereik. Die empiriese ondersoek het die aard en omvang van maatskaplike gevallewerkintervensie aan aggressiewe adolessente verken. Die universum het bestaan uit alle nie-regeringsorganisasies in die Boland-distrik. Semi-gestruktureerde vraelyste is as ‘n onderhoudskedule benut. ‘n Doelbewuste-steekproef het uit 20 maatskaplike werkers bestaan. Op grond van die bevindings, voortspruitend uit die literatuurstudie en empiriese ondersoek, kon toepaslike gevolgtrekkings en verbandhoudende aanbevelings gemaak word. Die hoofbevinding van hierdie studie is dat verskeie faktore soos die grootte van maatskaplike wekers se gevalleladings en die betrokkenheid van betekenisvolle ander tydens intervensie, respondente se vermoë beïnvloed om gevallewerkintervensie te benut. Die kernaanbeveling van hierdie studie is dat dienslewering geprioritiseer moet word dat intervensie met betrekking tot aggressiewe adolessente nie ten koste van ander maatskaplikewerk-take en situasies, benadeel word nie.

<p>Hur beter sig skärpiplärkor (Anthus petrosus) när de försvarar reviret mot en inkräktare under häckning? Eskalerar de aggressivitet olika eller har de en gemensam strategi? Påverkas beteendet av häckningsfas? Kan använd tid säga något om motivation att försvara revir? För att besvara dessa frågor placerades en burhållen artfrände av endera kön i etablerade revir. I studien mättes ägnad tid åt olika aggressiva beteenden, vilka hade klassats och graderats beroende av styrkan i hoten. Resultatet visade att alla hanar eskalerar aggression på ett likartat sätt och ägnade i medeltal lika lång tid åt olika nivåer. Individuella skillnader förekom dock då några individer eskalerade lite snabbare men det tolkades inte som ökad motivation att försvara revir. Tiden de ägnade åt de olika nivåerna varierade inte beroende av häckningsfas.</p> / <p>How do rock pipits (Anthus petrosus) behave when they defend a territory against an intruder during their breeding season? Do they escalate aggression differently, or do they have a common strategy? Does breeding phase influence the behavior? May used time tell something about the motivation to defend the territory? To answer these questions a caged conspecific of either sex were placed in established territories. In the study the time was measured of each different aggressive behavior, which had been classified into levels according to the intensity of the threat. The results showed that all males escalated aggression in the same way and devoted similar lengths of time to the different levels. Some individual differences occurred as a few individuals escalated somewhat rapidly, however, this was not interpreted as increased motivation to defend the territory. The time they devoted to different levels did not vary depending on breeding phase.</p>

Mémoire numérisé par la Division de la gestion de documents et des archives de l'Université de Montréal.

Background: There is mounting evidence to indicate that periodontitis may be a risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD). Periodontitis may be linked to CVD as either an etiologic mechanism or a predisposing factor that can hasten disease progression. Proinflammatory cytokines, elevated fibrinogen, and platelet aggregation are all potential mechanisms. The purpose of this study is to compare and review the serological differences in subjects with severe periodontitis, some of which involve established risk factors for atherosclerosis, particularly heightened C-reactive protein levels. Methods: A total of 184 subjects, comprising of two periodontal subgroups, non-periodontal (NP = 91) and generalized aggressive periodontitis (SP = 93), had serum evaluated for C-reactive protein (CRP) levels using a high sensitive ELISA test. The CRP levels were compared against clinical and demographical data to include race, age, gender, number of teeth, probing depth, attachment level, bleeding index, plaque index, and gingival index. Results: After adjusting for potential confounding variables, probing depth (p Conclusion: Pocket depth is significantly related to elevated levels of CRP, which is why it is imperative to treat periodontal pockets. This study may provide a possible link between CRP and periodontal disease, but a causal relationship cannot be inferred.

Aim: The aim of this study is to determine the frequency of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in various pattern recognition receptor (PRR) genes, including Toll like receptors (TLR) -2, -4, -9, and CD14 in chronic (CP), localized (LAP) and generalized aggressive (GAP) periodontitis and periodontally healthy (NP) patients in an African American population. Methods: A total of 205 subjects were involved in the study. The LAP group consists of 25 subjects, the GAP group 50 subjects, the CP group 73 subjects and the NP group 57subjects. Genotyping was performed in TLR2 (G2408A), TLR4 (A896G),TLR9 (T1486C) and CD14 (C260T) genes by TaqMan® allelic discrimination using Assay-by-DesignSM SNP Genotyping Assays (Applied Biosystems). Accuracy of genotyping was confirmed by known DNA samples of each genotype and by Polymerase Chain Reaction-Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) analyses on selected samples. Fisher’s exact test and chi-square analyses were performed to compare genotype and allele frequencies. Within disease groups, we investigated whether SNPs were related to disease severity by step-wise logistic regression adjusted for age, gender, and smoking status. Results: There was a significant difference in the distribution of specific TLR9 (T1486C) genotypes between diseased-groups versus reference group. Expression of TT genotype was more prevelant in periodontally-diseased individuals compared to periodontally-healthy subjects (p<0.0001) whereas individuals expressing C allele of the TLR9 SNP (CC&CT) were more frequently found in healthy group after adjusting for age, gender, and smoking status (p<0.0001) There was no statistically significant difference in the distribution of genotypes between groups for any other TLRs or CD 14 polymorphism. Conclusion: Based on findings of this study, homozygocity for the T allele of TLR 9 polymorphism was related to the periodontal disease susceptibility in African Americans. Additionally, presence of C allele at TLR-9 appeared to confer resistance to periodontal destruction. Our results showed that specific SNPs in TLR-2, -4 and CD 14 genes are not related to periodontitis in African Americans. However, low copy number of certain alleles warrants further investigations with increased sample size to explore the role of SNPs in periodontal disease. This study was supported by the Alexander Fellowship.

Title: The aggressive behaviour in the NHL. Objectives: The aim of this thesis is to describe and analyze NHL fighting phenomenon. The analysis will be realized as a research study. At first, sources of the thesis will be described. Then, there will be mentioned contemporary backgrounds and theoretical points included theory of aggressiveness in everyday sport. Complex view on the aggressive behaviour within the NHL will be assigned as a main part of whole thesis. Main part will contain historical view, ongoing trends of NHL and brief glance to rules of the NHL. Methods: Basic information from the field of NHL fighting was compiled by direct method of research and by method of induction. Research via comparative method was used marginally. Results: Results of my thesis will help to understand and to light up aggressive behaviour phenomenon in NHL. This issue is not published in European countries. Thesis will help to why hockey players do fight, where are roots of the NHL brawling or how is an attitude of officials in NHL. Keywords: NHL, aggressiveness, aggressive behavior, brawl, fight, delinquency

Call number: LD2668 .T4 1986 M46 / Master of Science / Biology

Os comportamentos agonísticos sociais dispostos por animais dominantes e subordinados podem ser notados no paradigma residente intruso. No hipotálamo há o núcleo pré-mamilar ventral (PMv) ligado a um sistema sexualmente dimórfico e relacionado a reprodução e comportamentos agonísticos. A cópula é fundamental para a modulação do comportamento de dominância e aumenta os níveis de CART (Cocaine and Amphetamine Regulated Transcript) no PMv. Animais knockout de Sintase do Óxido Nítrico (NOS) apresentam agressão acentuada. Através da hibridização in situ estudamos a expressão de CART e de NOS nos animais com experiência sexual prévia ao encontro agonístico e sem experiência sexual (naive). No grupo que copulou foi visto aumento na expressão de CART e comportamento diferente do grupo naive visto que buscam a dominância e não apresentam posturas de submissão. Este aumento não foi observado nos níveis de NOS. Sugere-se que a experiência sexual esteja relacionada ao aumento de CART no PMv e possivelmente perda do comportamento subordinado e aumento da busca da dominância. / Aggressive behavior occurs when the interests of one or more individuals conflict. Territory is one of these interests, and the resident intruder paradigm is widely used to observe the expression of social agonistic behaviors. The dominance behavior has been studied under several views and it was shown that it can be raised by the presence of the female, its olfactory clues and by the sexual behavior. In the hypothalamus there is the premammillary ventralis nucleus (PMv) connected to a sexual dimorphic system and related to reproduction and agonistic behaviors. This nucleus was suggested as being involved in the modulation of aggressive behavior, and PMvs neuropeptides can have a direct relation with the expression of those agonistic behaviors. Males exposed to females olfactory clues show an increase in the expression of CART (C Cocaine and Amphetamine Regulated Transcript) in the PMv. Nitric oxide synthase (NOS) knockout animals show increased aggression. In the present investigation, using in situ hybridization we studied the expression of the mRNA of CART and NOS on intruders exposed to the resident-intruder paradigm. Two experimental groups were examined: one with sexual experience before the agonistic encounter and other naïve. It was observed increased expression of CART in the PMv in the sexual-experienced intruder. More, these animals behaved differently from naive intruders, and did not display submissive postures and start searching for dominance. Sexual experienced intruders presented increased expression of CART, but not NOS, mRNA. Thus, suggesting that the sexual experience is related to an increase in CART expression in the PMv and possibly with the lost of submissive behavior and increased search for dominance status.

Introdução: A periodontite é uma doença inflamatória crônica, de alta prevalência na população, que causa perda dentária. A progressão da doença ocorre por meio de surtos, com períodos de remissão e exacerbação. A análise da expressão gênica de lesões ativas na progressão das doenças periodontais pode demonstrar diferenças na resposta do hospedeiro e indicar processos relacionados à atividade destrutiva da doença. Metodologia: Foram selecionados 54 pacientes, sendo 18 com Doença Periodontal Agressiva (DPA), 25 com Doença Periodontal Crônica (DPC) e 11 com ausência de Doença Periodontal (Controle). Medidas clínicas de profundidade de sondagem (PS), nível de inserção relativo (NIR), sangramento à sondagem (SS) e índice de placa (IP) foram obtidas em dois tempos: inicial e após tratamento na reavaliação com dois meses. Nos pacientes com Doença Periodontal (DP), os sítios que apresentaram perda de inserção de um ou mais milímetros foram considerados ativos e os demais, não ativos. O perfil de expressão gênica, de sítios ativos e não ativos, foi obtido pela análise de biópsias gengivais com o Real Time PCR Array. Resultados: Após o tratamento periodontal não cirúrgico, houve melhora significante em todos os parâmetros clínicos (PS, SS, IP; p<0,05) exceto para o NIR (p>0,05). Dos 5112 sítios tratados, aproximadamente 4% apresentam perda de inserção mesmo após o tratamento com ou sem uso de antibiótico. As doenças DPA e DPC demonstraram diferentes perfis de expressão gênica, com sítios ativos apresentando um padrão significantemente up-regulated em relação aos sítios não ativos. Conclusão: A DPA e a DPC são condições clínicas que apresentam diferenças na resposta imune e a atividade destrutiva da lesão periodontal ativa pode ser reconhecida por um padrão inflamatório up-regulated de resposta. Considerando-se as diferenças observadas, abordagens terapêuticas individualizadas e capazes de modular a resposta poderiam potencializar o efeito benéfico da terapia anti-infecciosa e reduzir o número de sítios ativos da DP progressiva. / Aim: Evaluate the gene expression profile under healthy and periodontal disease conditions; identify possible differences in the gene expression profile between chronic and aggressive periodontal diseases; seek evidences of immune regulation differences in active and non active sites during periodontal destruction. Methods: Clinical parameters of probing depth, relative attachment level, bleeding on probing and plaque index were obtained in two stages: initial and two months. The sites that showed attachment loss 1mm were considered active and others non-active. The gene expression profile of active and non-active sites, was obtained by gingival biopsies analysis with Real Time PCR Array. Results: After non-surgical periodontal treatment, significant improvement in all clinical parameters were achieved (P <0.05), except for the relative attachment level (p> 0.05). The disease showed different gene expression profiles with active sites showing a pattern significantly up-regulated compared to non-active sites. Conclusion: Aggressive and Chronic Periodontitis are clinical conditions that showed differences in the immune response profile and that the progressive periodontal lesion can be recognized by an up-regulated inflammatory response. Considering the observed differences, it is possible that individualized therapeutic approaches that modulate the inflammatory response might enhance the efficacy of the anti-infective therapy and reduce active sites number after treatment.

" In this study, I investigated the ritualized fights of male Nannacara anomala to show that each distinct phase (lateral display, tail beating, and mouth wrestling) of the fight is used to assess a different aspect of resource holding potential (aggressiveness, body size and swimming performance). When animals go into an agonistic encounter, they often have little or no previous knowledge of their opponent's fighting ability (or resource holding potential). Assessment is the process by which strangers gain information about each other through repetition of informative behaviors. Generally fights are ritualized so that specific behaviors are associated with distinct phases within the fight. Aggressiveness of fish was established by measuring response time to an aggressive conspecific. Weight was used as a measure of body size. Swimming performance (stamina and maximum swimming speed) was determined by swimming each fish in a variable speed flow tank. If all fights are taken into consideration, weight is the only factor for which winners were significantly different from losers (p = 0.009). However, if the fights are classified by the phase in which they ended, fights ending in tail beating have larger winners (p = 0.003) and fights ending in mouth wrestling have faster winners (p = 0.008). Opponents are using early stages of fights to assess body size and escalated stages to assess performance characteristics."