Previous research into the subsequent effects of prenatal methadone exposure has primarily focused on neurological changes and short term physical development. While there have been some studies of behavioural development, only short term effects have been investigated. The present research therefore aimed to assess longer term behavioural development of offspring exposed to methadone gestationally, lactationally or both. Methadone was provided in the drinking water of drug-treated rat dams during gestation (2.39mg/kg/day) and lactation (2.86mg/kg/day). The four conditions were: non-exposure/control (N = 24), gestational-exposure (N = 20), lactational-exposure (N = 24), and combined-exposure (N = 21). As well as several measures of pregnancy characteristics, offspring postnatal physical development was assessed at 30, 60 and 120 days after birth. Behavioural assessments were also made at these ages by means of an open-field, Y maze and emergence apparatus. There were no significant differences in physical development. Maternal methadone exposure during gestation reduced the number of rat dams that became (or remained) pregnant. In the offspring, there was increased activity in lactationally-exposed rats through into adulthood. Anxiety was increased in the combined-exposure condition, primarily in adolescent males. The significant longer term effects of earlier methadone on the rats’ behavioural development supported the need for more research into this hitherto relatively neglected area. More information about effects of methadone exposure on anxiety and activity, as well as on social functioning and motor coordination could be useful for understanding potential risk factors in the ever growing methadone-exposed population, and thus suggesting best practice for methadone maintenance programmes.

Copper exposures of 400 μg/L for 5,10 and 15 days resulted in no significant differences in antibody titers of largemouth bass, Micropterus salmoides injected with Aeromonas hydrophila compared to control-injected bass. Twenty days of exposure did significantly increase titers. The control group had significantly lower antibody titers than either control-injected or copper-exposed.

Background: Breastfeeding amongst HIV-infected and HIV-exposed mother-infant dyads is a wide-ranging and persistent field in which more investigation is needed. The literature widely recognizes the multifactorial and syndemic nature of HIV and infant feeding, specifically pertaining to maternal and other breastfeeding-associated risks. Findings differed regarding breastfeeding and general developmental outcomes amongst HIV-exposed and HIV-infected infants when compared with HIV-unexposed infants. Evidence, however, suggests slight neurodevelopmental differences in HIV-exposed infants when compared with HIV-unexposed infants, suggesting possible feeding differences. Recent literature also indicated a lack of knowledge among allied health care staff regarding evidence-based counselling content to be provided to mothers concerning single option feeding, breastfeeding outcomes and risks in HIV-affected mother-infant dyads in South Africa. Owing to these varied findings related to HIV-affected mother-infant dyads, synthesising of knowledge regarding HIV, infant breastfeeding outcomes and associated risk factors is warranted. Objective: To critically appraise recent literature regarding breastfeeding outcomes and associated risks in HIV-infected and HIV-exposed infants using the PRISMA-P statement guidelines. Method: Five electronic databases were systematically searched to obtain English publications from the last ten years pertaining to breastfeeding outcomes and associated risks of HIV-infected and HIV-exposed infants and children. Grey literature sources were also included. Data were extracted according to various data items and were synthesised using thematic synthesis. Results: Of the initial 7151 sources identified, 42 articles were deemed eligible for final inclusion. The final selection included 19 cohort studies and two expert committee reports, classified as grey literature. The remaining 21 studies compromised of case-control, cross-sectional, and randomized controlled trial studies. The following themes were identified from the review objectives: breastfeeding outcomes, breastfeeding risk factors, infant growth and developmental outcomes and barriers and facilitators to feeding decisions. Most studies focused on HIV-exposed infants’ growth and developmental outcomes. Exclusive breastfeeding was confirmed to have the best outcomes for all infants, regardless of their HIV status, which in turn supports national and international policies. The most prevalent factors that made it difficult for mothers to breastfeeding were maternal factors affecting decision-making for breastfeeding, followed by biological risk factors. Conclusion: Knowledge regarding breastfeeding outcomes in HIV-exposed and HIV-infected infants remains lacking and further research is necessary. This review emphasised that the majority of HIV-affected mother-infant dyads reside in sub-Saharan Africa, illustrating that health professionals, especially those in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), have to look beyond their traditional assessment and management focuses to include the factors that can impact successful exclusive breastfeeding. Addressing both infants’ needs and maternal HIV-related needs and risks on macro, meso, and microsystem levels is necessary. / Dissertation (MA (Speech-Language Pathology))--University of Pretoria, 2021. / Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology / MA (Speech-Language Pathology) / Unrestricted

Partnervåld innefattar våld i nära relationer i en partnerrelation. Tidigare forskning kring partnervåld fokuserar främst på våldet gentemot kvinnor, med manliga förövare. Manliga offer utsatta för partnervåld diskuteras sällan, och forskningen om ämnet är begränsat. Syftet med denna studie är att undersöka skillnader i attityder och bedömningar gjorda av socialarbetare som i sitt arbete kommer i kontakt med partnervåld, och om dessa påverkas beroende på om den våldsutsatta personen är en man eller en kvinna. För att undersöka skillnader användes en kvantitativ vinjettmetod med tillhörande enkätfrågor. Två separata respondentgrupper har besvarat enkätfrågorna utifrån vinjetter som är uppdelade i två delar. I vinjetterna introduceras varje respondent för ett heterosexuellt par med en problematik av partnervåld. Vinjetterna är identiska med undantaget att karaktärernas kön är utbytta. Resultatet visar att i den våldsutsatta mannens situation bedöms våldet vara mindre allvarligt, att det finns mindre risk för fortsatt våld i relationen samt att den våldsutsatta mannen i lägre utsträckning är i behov av individuella insatser. Respondenterna ansåg även oftare att den våldsutövande kvinnan är i behov av individuella insatser jämfört med den manliga våldsutövaren. Teorier använda för att tolka resultatet innefattar socialkonstruktivism och genusteori. Studien kan tillföra perspektiv för ämnet om våldsutsatta män, och belyser att bedömningar om våldsutsatta kan skilja sig åt beroende på genus. / Domestic partner violence is violence in a partner relationship. Earlier research on domestic partner violence mainly focus on the violence against women, with male perpetrators. Male victims exposed to partner violence are rarely discussed, and research of the subject is limited. The purpose of this study is to investigate attitudes and assessments made by social workers who in their work encounter domestic partner violence, and if the social workers are affected depending on whether the person exposed to partner violence is a man or a woman. A quantitative vignette method with accompanying survey questions were used to investigate differences. Two separate groups of respondents answered survey questions based on vignettes divided into two parts. The respondents are each introduced in the vignettes to a heterosexual couple with a problem of partner violence. These vignettes are identical except for the characters’ genders which have been swapped. The result reveals that violence towards the victimized man is considered less serious, that there is less risk of continued violence in the relationship and that the victimized man is in less need of individual interventions. Respondents also considered to a lesser extent that the female perpetrator needed individual interventions compared to the male perpetrator. Social constructivism and gender theory are the theories used to interpret these results. The study can add perspectives about the subject of male victims and highlight that assessments of people exposed to partner violence may differ depending on the victim’s gender.

The innate immune system is at the interface between the host's immune system and the initial contact with HIV. Understanding the correlates of innate immune protection against Human Immunodeficiency Virus is an important goal for development of effective anti-HIV therapies or vaccines. Not all exposures to HIV end in infection. The innate immune system has been linked to the reduced susceptibility of HIV-exposed seronegative (HESN) female commercial sex workers in Kenya by a number of studies. This thesis is a comparison of Toll-like receptor (TLR) responses in different immune cells in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from HESN and HIV negative (susceptible) female commercial sex workers (CSWs). This study tested the hypothesis that higher TLR8 responsiveness in PBMCs of HESN to ssRNA analogous to HIV's genetic material, would result in higher effector responses capable of making HIV target cells more refractory in vitro, compared to susceptible controls. The results showed that PBMCs of HESN were often hypo-responsive to TLR4 and TLR7 stimulations evidenced by often reduced cytokine responses to the corresponding ligands, but hyper-responsive to TLR8 following stimulation with ssRNA analogous to HIV's genetic material. The 'dichotomy' in TLR responsiveness of HESN PBMCs was associated with differential expression of cognate TLRs in PBMCs, and altered activation of TLR signalling pathways. The opposing pattern of TLR7 and TLR8 responsiveness corresponded to the ability of HIV to infect target cells in vitro; where pre-treatment of PBMCs with TLR7 enhanced HIV replication whereas TLR8 stimulation inhibited HIV replication. The differences in outcomes of the HIV infection assays were associated with distinct cytokine profiles, where TLR7 stimulation induced robust type I IFNs responses without proinflammatory TNF-α and IL-12 cytokine responses,while TLR8 stimulations produced type II IFN responses accompanied by robust proinflammatory responses in both groups. The cytokine milieu of HESN PBMCs prior to and following TLR4 and TLR8 stimulations was more tightly regulated, but was associated with higher activation of CD8+, NK cells, monocytes but not blood DCs. These results demonstrate that the lower activation or 'quiescent' state of HESN PBMCs did not limit the ability of their cells to recognize ssRNA analogous to HIV derived genetic material and mount potent responses capable of limiting HIV infection in vitro, supporting the overall hypothesis tested. This thesis contributes to the growing knowledge on the dichotomous outcomes between TLR7 and TLR8 treatments with respect to HIV infection that could be instrumental in the design of novel HIV inventions such as vaccines or microbicides. / May 2016

Denna studie undersökte varför vissa ungdomar både rapporterar höganivåer av kriminalitet och självskadebeteende samt hur detta hängerihop med att utsätta andra för aggressiva handlingar och att själv bliutsatt för aggressivitet av andra. Som teoretisk utgångspunkt användescoercion-teorin som förklarar varför vissa barn och ungdomar både ärutsatta för andras aggressioner och utsätter andra för aggressionerutanför hemmet. Studien grundas på data som bestod av självrapporterfrån en longitudinell studie vid namn Sju skolor. Studien genomfördesi en mellanstor svensk stad. Totalt deltog 1482 ungdomar varav 52procent var män. Resultaten visade att det fanns en grupp ungdomarsom rapporterade höga nivåer av både kriminalitet ochsjälvskadebeteende. Utmärkande för denna grupp var att de bådeutsatte andra för aggressiva handlingar samtidigt som de själv blevutsatta för andras aggressivitet. Denna kunskap kan användas av olikamyndigheter vid förebyggande insatser för ungdomar som harproblem med kriminalitet och självskadebeteende. / This study examined the association between delinquent behaviorsand self-harm in adolescents, and how mutual hostility interactbetween exposing others and being exposed. Data was based on selfrapportsin a longitudinal study called Seven schools and wereperformed in a medium sized city in Sweden. The study including1482 participants, among them 52 percent were males. The resultshowed that those adolescents who reported high levels of delinquentbehavior and high levels of self-harm were both exposed and exposesothers to hostility. Coercion theory was used to explain the mutualhostility.

The purpose with this study was to create an understanding of how paramedics have experienced situations where they were exposed to threats and violence, and how the staff described how threats and violence could be prevented. Five semistructured interviews was performed in a mid sized region in Sweden. The main result showed that all respondents, at some occasion, have felt threatened. There have also been situations where they have been exposed to violent events. Patients with certain illnesses could contribute to the feeling of being exposed to threats and violence; although, if the employer had provided education and support in this, then maybe the situations could have been prevented. Our most important conclusion was that there have been little to no preventive work against threats and violence, except for a few courses, although, all respondents felt that experience had the biggest impact for how threatening and violent situations were handled. / Syftet med studien var att skapa förståelse för hur ambulanspersonal har upplevt situationer där de mött hot och våld samt hur personalen beskrev att hot och våld kunde förebyggas. Fem semistrukturerade intervjuer genomfördes i en medelstor region i Sverige. Huvudresultatet visade att samtliga intervjudeltagare vid något tillfälle hade känt sig hotade, det har också förekommit situationer där de blivit utsatta för våldsamma händelser. Patienter med vissa sjukdomsbilder kunde bidra till känslan av utsatthet för hot och våld, men hade arbetsgivaren gett utbildning och stöd i detta kanske situationen hade kunnat förebyggas. Vår viktigaste slutsats blev att det förebyggande arbetet för hot och våld har lyst med sin frånvaro, någon enstaka utbildning har erbjudits men alla intervjudeltagare menade att det var erfarenhet som hade störst betydelse för hur hot- och våldssituationer hanterades.

We have studied how three morning papers and three evening papers from Sweden’s three major cities (Stockholm, Gothenburg and Malmo) frame so called exposed areas as opposed to wealthy areas. The result shows that the level of crime reporting is higher in exposed areas and that it’s mostly men with Swedish names that takes part in the reporting. The number of police officers and lawyers that gets to speak on behalf of the exposed areas is also high and quite few persons that actually live in exposed areas gets to speak in the reporting. There is a wider variety in the reporting from the rich areas, with crime reporting being present but not to the same prominent level as in exposed areas. There is also more of a gender equality in the reporting from rich areas.

Em uma operação mineira, a quantidade e a qualidade do minério disponível para alimentação na usina são essenciais para a continuidade e flexibilidade das operações. A quantidade de minério liberado não é considerada em softwares especialistas de sequenciamento de lavra. Geralmente quando o minério liberado é utilizado em rotinas de planejamento, a tonelagem mínima de minério liberado é definida a partir de métodos empíricos. Este estudo desenvolve uma metodologia que auxilia na definição da quantidade de minério liberado a ser considerada nos planos de lavra. Por meio da análise de um estudo de caso, usando krigagem ordinária como método de estimativa e simulação geoestatística para acesso à incerteza, foi avaliado o potencial da metodologia proposta. Foram gerados planos de lavra de cinco anos como referência a partir de cada um dos dois modelos de blocos. Os sequenciamentos de referência foram usados para gerar novos sequenciamentos, com quantidades variáveis de minério liberado (a saber, um, três, cinco e oito meses) para homogeneização na lavra, com posterior alimentação de usina com pilhas de homogeneização. Usando estas possíveis configurações, observou-se o impacto no valor presente líquido de cada um dos cenários e os efeitos do uso de minério liberado na variação de teores para composição de pilhas de homogeneização. A convergência desses critérios é capaz de fornecer diretrizes para a definição da quantidade adequada de minério liberado, a ser usada nos planos de lavra, que permita um balanço entre despesas com antecipação de descobertura para liberação de minério e, também, propicie uma atenuação da variância de teores na formação de pilhas de homogeneização para alimentação da usina. / In a mining operation the quantity and quality of the exposed ore available for plant feeding are essential for the continuity and flexibility of the operations. The quantity of exposed ore it is not considered in the mine sequencing specialist softwares. Generally when esposed ore is considered in mine planning routines, the minimum tonnage of exposed ore is defined by empirical methods. This study develops a methodology that helps in the definition of the quantity of exposed ore to be considered in the mine planning. Trough analyzing a case study, using ordinary kriging and geoestatistical simulation to access the uncertainty, it was evaluated the proposed methodology potential. It was generated five year mine planning as a reference for each one of the two block models. The reference mine plans were used to generate new scenarios with variable quantities of exposed ore (namely one, three, five and eight months) to mining blend, with posterior plant feed with homogenization piles. Using these possible configurations, it was observed the impact on the net present value of each scenario and the effects of using exposed ore on the grade variability while composing homogenization piles. The convergence of these criteria is able to give drivers for the definition of the quantity of exposed ore, to be used in the mine plans, which balances the expenses with stripping anticipation for ore exposure and give lower grade variability in the homogenization pile formation for plant feed.

Orientador: Kátia Luciene Maltoni / Resumo: Para recuperação de áreas de solo degradado, com exposição do subsolo, tem-se adotado a revegetação, para introdução de matéria orgânica, formação de serapilheira e recuperação da comunidade microbiana do solo. Esta, por meio das relações complexas que estabelece com o solo e as raízes das plantas contribuirão melhorando as condições edáficas, comprometidas pela degradação. As comunidades microbianas são influenciadas por variações na temperatura, umidade e atmosfera do solo, bem como pelas reduções da cobertura vegetal, disponibilidade de nutrientes, estabilidade estrutural do solo, entre outros fatores, que podem ser modificados pelo uso e degradação do mesmo. Este trabalho objetivou avaliar a recuperação do subsolo exposto, em área degradada no Cerrado, por meio do recobrimento da superfície, do levantamento da vegetação espontânea, das condições de fertilidade do solo e da atividade microbiológica. A técnica de revegetação adotada para recuperação constou de mecanização/escarificação da área (0,40 m de profundidade), incorporação de resíduos orgânico - RO (macrófitas aquáticas) nas doses 0, 16, e 32 Mg ha-1 e agroindustrial - RA (cinza), nas doses 0, 15, 30 e 45 Mg ha-1, como condicionantes do subsolo, e reintrodução da vegetação, com plantio de mudas de 10 diferentes espécies arbóreas nativas do Cerrado (espaçamento 4,0 x 5,0 m). Transcorridos 4 e 5 anos da intervenção, avaliou-se o desempenho da técnica proposta. A avaliação do recobrimento da superfície foi realizada p... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Mestre