Submitted in partial compliance with the requirements for the Master's Degree in Technology: Chiropractic, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa, 2018. / INTRODUCTION: Neck pain is considered to be one of the most disabling conditions, with a universal prevalence among youth, adult and elderly populations. However, despite its disabling nature and its high prevalence there is still much uncertainty surrounding the aetiology of the pain and the extent to which the condition is influenced by the intrinsic and extrinsic characteristics of an individual. While there is growing evidence to support the notion that marked bio-psychosocial associations exist with neck pain, this literature is heavily weighted toward an adult and a developed nation context leaving developing nations and the student population largely under-researched in comparison. Moreover, while a high prevalence of neck pain and its associated risk factors exist in the student population among health sciences and non-health sciences programmes, across many levels of study, the literature is ambivalent about which faculty and level of study is more at risk, if any. The first year of university stands out among the rest in that the students undergo a significant transition and are required to adapt to a new environment and style of learning compared to what they have been used to. Furthermore, students have been observed to exit first year with higher levels of distress than were present in the beginning of the year, suggesting that this unique environment may influence the psychosocial well-being of students. The extent and strength of this relationship is yet to be determined in a South African tertiary educational context and this is even more true of the first year student population at the Durban University of Technology. Research on the unique bio-psychosocial factors of these students would provide a more holistic understanding of the extent to which these factors exist and the role they play in the general well-being of the students and in the development of neck pain. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: This study aimed, firstly, to determine the prevalence and psychosocial risk factors of neck pain in registered first year Faculty of Health Sciences students at the Durban University of Technology and, secondly, to determine the association between neck pain presentation, demographic characteristics, socio-demographic and psychosocial risk factors. The outcomes of this study could possibly have a threefold benefit (for the student, the institution, and the chiropractic profession at large). RESEARCH DESIGN: A quantitative, descriptive, cross-sectional survey design was adopted in this research. This design was chosen as it was believed to be the best suited to achieving the aims and objectives of the study. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY: Neck pain questionnaires were administered to the first year Faculty of Health Sciences students at the Durban University of Technology towards the end of the academic year in order to determine the prevalence of neck pain and its associated demographic, socio-demographic, and psychosocial risk factors. There was a final sample size of 135 participants achieving a response rate of 54.7% for the study. Data was captured by the researcher and sent to a statistician for statistical analysis. RESULTS: A high prevalence of neck pain was found among the students (72%) with symptoms of depression (59.8%), anxiety (68.1%), and stress (53.6%) also being highly prevalent among this group. However, when neck pain was quantified by its characteristics the related impact was comparatively low. There was a common theme observed in the results highlighting the association between stress and neck pain, with stress furthermore being determined as an independent risk factor for neck pain (p = 0.023) with an odds ratio of 1.1. This result was not surprising, however, considering the stressors which emerged in the results highlighting factors such as transport protests, student protests, upcoming tests and financial aid as stress causing factors among the participants. The results provided valuable insight which enabled recommendations to be made about the direction of future research as well as recommendations for the Institution and the Chiropractic profession in the approach and management of students enrolled in tertiary education and with neck pain. / M

Thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Technology: Biomedical Technology In the Faculty of Health and Wellness Sciences At the Cape Peninsula University of Technology Supervisors: Prof. Adriaan J Esterhuyse Dr Dirk J Bester Bellville January 2014 / Background: Oxidative stress and chronic inflammation contributes significantly to the pathogenesis of several ischaemic heart diseases, including atherosclerotic plaque rupture and myocardial infarction. It is widely demonstrated that ischaemia, followed by reperfusion, results in alterations of the mitochondrial and endothelial function through uncontrolled cascades of events characterized by free radical release and inflammation. Recent experimental evidence shows that modulation of inflammatory and antioxidant signaling mediators may determine the host outcome following myocardial ischaemia-reperfusion injury. Investigations from the past decade indicate that food supplements may play an important role in the prevention and management of chronic inflammatory diseases. Garcinia kola seeds are flavonoid rich nut from a tropical flowering, non-timber plant of the Guttiferae family. This plant is highly valued in several African cultures for its use in herbal medicine. Recently, the majority of experimental research has linked phytochemicals found in Garcinia kola nut, to its proposed beneficial effects in treatment and management of oxidative stress related-chronic diseases. Research performed in our laboratory demonstrated that kolaviron, a prominent Garcinia kola flavonoid extract, reduces myocardial apoptosis during ischaemia-reperfusion injury. Therefore, the aim of our current study was to determine the effects of Garcinia kola supplementation on cardiac inflammatory and antioxidant signaling pathways during ischaemia-reperfusion using a Wistar rat heart model. Materials and Methods: Male wistar rats were randomly divided into two groups: a control group receiving 2ml/kg corn oil and the experimental group receiving 100mg/kg Garcinia kola dissolved in corn oil, daily for 4 weeks. After the feeding period, blood samples were collected and lymphocytic DNA damage was analyzed using the alkaline comet assay. Furthermore, rat hearts were isolated and perfused with Krebs-Henseleit buffer on a working heart perfusion apparatus to measure myocardial functional parameters. Myocardial functional recovery was measured after 15 minutes global ischaemia followed by 25 minutes reperfusion. Hearts were freeze clamped at three different time points for myocardial cytokine concentration determinations using multiplex electrochemilunescent immunoassay. Nuclear factor kappa beta (NF- kβ), p38 mitogen activated protein kinases (p38 MAPK), protein kinase B/Akt (PKB/Akt), nitro-tyrosine, inducible nitric oxide (iNOS), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), poly (adenosine-di-phosphate) ribose polymerase-1 (PARP-1) and caspase-3 expression and their phosphorylated forms (where applicable) were analyzed using the Western blot technique. Results: Dietary Garcinia kola supplementation significantly improved functional recovery when compared to the control group as reflected by the improved aortic output recovery (68.47 ± 6.16% versus 44.96 ± 7.00%; p<0.05). Our biochemical results supports the hypothesis that, dietary Garcinia kola supplementation modulates different cardiac proteins in terms of expression and activation at different time points when compared to the control group. We show that, before induction of ischaemia, Garcinia kola supplementation attenuates expression of inflammatory mediators and pro-apoptotic proteins when compared to the control group. The improved functional recovery was associated with a prompt inflammatory response, activation of PKB/Akt and attenuation of protein nitrosylation after 10 minutes of reperfusion. Modulation of NF-kβ and the p38 MAPK family proteins expression could have also played a significant role in myocardial functional recovery. Conclusion: We have shown that a 4 week period of dietary Garcinia kola supplementation at 100mg/kg daily improves cardiac functional recovery following ischaemia-reperfusion injury. We propose that dietary Garcinia kola supplementation protects cardiac myocytes from ischaemia-reperfusion induced oxidative stress through the induction of a prompt inflammatory response and controlled expression and/or activation of the, NF-kβ, PKB/Akt and p38 MAPK protein signaling pathways PARP-1 and caspase. Finally, we demonstrated that dietary Garcinia kola supplementation did not induce rat lymphocytic DNA damage when compared to the control group.

The diploma thesis deals with problems of depression in older people. Mainly the work is focused on identifying and analyzing the role of nurses in screening for depression in older people in primary care, acute care, long-term care and home care. This thesis was focused on theoretical direction and was used the method of design and demonstration. In this thesis was set one main goals with five research questions. The main goal was to identify and analyze the role of nurses in screening for depression in the elderly. RQ 1: What is the role of the nurse in screening for depression in the elderly? RQ 2: What is the role of the nurse in the primary care in screening for depression in the elderly? RQ 3: What is the role of the nurse in screening for depression in hospitalized patients in acute care? RQ 4: What is the role of the nurse in screening for depression in seniors in long-term and home care? RQ 5: What rating scales and methods are used in screening for depression in the elderly? The thesis introduce the concept of depression. The following are specified the causes of and the important factors that affect depression in the elderly. It also deals the differences in the clinical symptomatology of depression in old age. It explains possibilities and various barriers in the diagnosis of depression. Another chapter introduces complete geriatric examination, diagnostic classification systems, possible screening methods and scales for detection of depression in the elderly population. It also deals methods of pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatment and its possible complications associated with older age. By reason of increased suicide rate caused by depressive disorder the issue of suicidal behavior in the elderly is introduced. The next chapter deals with the nursing process, which is used by nurses in practice. It consists of the evaluation of the patient's health condition, making nursing diagnosis, creating nursing plan and subsequent implementation and evaluation. The nursing process is also needy for providing quality care. The nursing process in the stage of nursing diagnosis, introduces possible nursing diagnosis for a patient suffering from depression, which are based on the latest classification. Finally is described the role of nurses in screening for depression in the elderly in different health facilities and their contribution to the timely evaluation of depression in the elderly. This chapter introduces the role of nurses, nursing screening and collaboration with a physician. The role of nurses in screening for depression in different medical facilities is based on the first phase of the nursing process of assessment. On the basis of objective and subjective information, the nurse will assess the overall health and mental condition of the patient. Primarily, it was investigated what is the role of the nurse in screening for depression. On the basis of content analysis and synthesis it was necessary to used and processed domestic and foreign literature. A number of relevant sources are the results of various studies and Meta-analyzes, mostly from abroad, but also from the Czech Republic. The thesis can serve as a basis for nurses. The result of this thesis is to create e-learning material available for students in the Faculty of Health and Social Sciences of South Bohemia in Ceske Budejovice in the tutorial called Moodle.