research report submitted to the Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Medicine. Johannesburg, 2018. / Objectives Present on arrival infection is a common indication for admission in surgical patients initially managed at primary care level. We aimed to describe the demographic and disease profile of patients with infection requiring surgical management, describe determinants of patients’ health seeking behaviour and identify barriers to care. Methods A prospective descriptive questionnaire based study was conducted at Edenvale General Hospital between February 2014 and October 2016. Minors were excluded. Results Eighty nine patients participated. Abscesses (26%, 23/89), diabetic foot (22%, 20/89), and cellulitis (16%, 14/89) were the largest categories of infection necessitating admission. The majority of patients were South African (88%, 78/89), Black African (82%, 73/89), males (58%, 52/89), without medical aid (99%, 88/89), who were not formally employed (58%, 52/89), were from poor households (74%, 73/89), inhabited some form of formal housing (90%, 80/89), were in charge of decisions regarding personal health (80%, 71/89), and first sought help at the primary care level (71%, 62/89). Delay from onset of symptoms to presentation was noted in 69% (61/89) of patients, and delay from presentation to referral to specialist care in 46% (41/89) of patients. Age, race, history of diabetes, and main source of monthly income were significant variables in delayed presentation (p<0.05), and age and level of care on first contact in delayed referral (p<0.05). The most common reason for delay to presentation (84%, 51/61) and referral (61%, 25/41) was patients’ own belief that the problem would get better spontaneously. Conclusions Patients’ socio-economic status, past medical history, demographics, level of first contact with the health care system, and perceptions of their own health contributed to delays in seeking and receiving care. Barriers to care may be addressed by improvements targeting issues of availability, accessibility, acceptability and affordability of health care services. / E.K. 2019

<p> The purpose of this research paper is to examine the factors that are involved in providing a sense of community to the members of co-operative housing. Also, this investigation attempts to determine which factors influence the successful development of a sense of community within cooperative homes. The research hypothesis for this paper is to show that co-operative housing projects do provide its residents with a sense of community. The study was conducted by using data collected from two co-operative housing units in Hamilton: Apple Garth and Corktown Co-operative Homes. Information on residents' attitudes was collected by using a questionnaire through personal interviews. In order to test the hypothesis two statistical methods were utilized: chi-square and frequency tables. The results showed that co-op as a place to live' and neighbour' factors are most significant when investigating the attitudes' of residents in terms of a sense of community. Therefore, the conclusion is that the residents of Apple Garth and Corktown Co-operative Homes do experience a sense of community. The results have practical significance because researchers are encouraged to conduct studies of small groups (ie. the household) within cooperative housing. This is critical since little is known about the motivations, expectations, likes and dislikes of the members of non-profit housing.</p> / Thesis / Candidate in Philosophy

Joint-nesting species experience complex and diverse social environments which can influence individual reproductive success. When social groups are formed by non- relatives, competition for representation in incubated clutches can be intense and result in substantial reproductive losses. Because conflicts of this nature have direct impli- cations on fitness, resolutions and outcomes of such are of particular interest to evolu- tionary research. For this reason, I explored patterns of reproductive competition and skew in joint-nesting Smooth-billed Anis (Crotophaga ani). In chapter I, I show marked differences in multivariate bill and body size between sexes of Smooth-billed Anis (Cro- tophaga ani) despite reportedly reduced sexual dimorphism in co-operative breeders. I also show that multivariate bill size in males correlates with annual reproductive success and individual contribution to clutches from multiple parents. A similar trend is not observed in females, suggesting potential for sexual selection on male bill size. Together, these data provide evidence for morphological influences on reproductive fitness in joint- nesting species. In chapter II, I show that relative parental effort is positively correlated with reproductive fitness in social groups of Smooth-billed Anis. Nocturnal incubation is risky and is biased toward a single male - akin to Groove-billed (Crotophaga sulcirostris) and Greater Ani (Crotophaga major). I report heightened reproductive contribution by nocturnally incubating males when compared to other males within social groups. In chapter III, I tested whether social group size is correlated with endocrine markers of stress in adult male and female Anis. Using a novel enzyme linked immunosorbent as- say, I show that corticosterone (the primary glucocorticoid in birds) deposited in feathers is highest in birds from atypically large social groups. While the direct consequences of elevated corticosterone on reproductive fitness in Anis is yet unknown, these results suggest that breeding in large social settings is likely to be physiologically expensive. / Thesis / Master of Science (MSc)

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Michigan, 2004. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (doctoral)--Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität, Bonn, Germany.

Zugl.: Habil.-Schrift, 1996. / Literaturverz.

Thesis (doctoral)--Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität, Bonn, Germany.

No description available.

No description available.

<p>The aim of this study was to determine how effective a chewing gum regime is in treating the common minor complaints of third molar surgery. The efficacy of a six-day chewing gum regimen in reducing pain, swelling and trismus after third molar surgery was compared to no chewing gum therapy. Third molar surgery is an important part of any maxillofacial surgery practice. There is an ongoing quest to find new and innovative methods to treat the minor complaints of this procedure.</p>