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The study examined mathematics and English student achievement, attendance rates, dropout rates, and expenditures per pupil for Texas high school students in both open-enrollment charter schools and traditional public high schools for the 2009–2010 school year. All data were assembled using archived information found at the Texas Education Agency (TEA). This information included the TEA report entitled Texas Open Enrollment Charter Schools Evaluation; TEA Snapshot Yearly Report; and Academic Excellence Indicator System (AEIS) data files. Microsoft Excel (Version 2010) was used to randomly select traditional public high schools categorized as Title 1 and non-Title 1 for comparison with Title 1 and non-Title 1 open-enrollment charter high schools. The IBM Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) (IBM Statistics Version 20) was used for a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) conducted between one independent variable (charter or traditional school) and five dependent variables (mathematics exit-level TAKS scores, English exit-level TAKS scores, attendance rates, dropout rates, and expenditures per pupil). Traditional public high school students had higher or better average mean values than charter schools for mathematics exit-level TAKS scores, English exit-level TAKS scores, attendance rates, dropout rates, and expenditures per pupil. The ANOVA found that four of the five dependent variables were statistically significant at the 0.05 confidence level for the independent variable of school type, whether charter or traditional school. There was no significant difference found between the schools for attendance rates. Effect size calculations, using the eta-squared method, confirmed the comparisons with significant differences.

ABSTRACT The burning of selected indigenous plants and the inhalation of the smoke liberated from them has been a widely accepted and practised form of administration in traditional healing therapy dating back to as far as the Koi and San, and is a method still widely practised in South Africa today. Inhalation has various advantages as a method of administration in both allopathic and traditional practices. Not only is inhalation a highly effective mode of administration because of its direct and local effect on the lungs for the treatment of respiratory ailments, but also because of its ability to deliver drugs effectively systemically. This study elucidated the rationale behind this widely practised treatment by examining chromatographic and antimicrobial data. Five plants that are commonly administered traditionally through inhalation were chosen: Heteropyxis natalensis, Myrothamnus flabellifolius, Artemisia afra, Pellaea calomelanos, and Tarchonanthus camphoratus. An apparatus was designed and constructed and the burning process that occurs in the traditional setting was simulated with the selected plants. The induced volatile fraction (smoke) was captured for analysis. Control solvent extracts were made for each plant using conventional extraction solvents, methanol, acetone, water, and the essential oil of the aromatic plants was also investigated. Antimicrobial assays revealed that the extracts (smoke) obtained after burning had lower minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values than the corresponding solvent extracts in most cases. For Klebsiella pneumoniae all five inhalation samples were far more active than the conventional extracts. When tested against the pathogen B. cereus, M. flabellifolius and P. calomelanos inhalation samples proved to exhibit superior antimicrobial activity compared to the respective solvent extracts. Pellaea calomelanos inhalation extract had the lowest MIC values compared to the solvent extracts for all pathogens (P. calomelanos inhalation extract MIC values: 0.53; 1.00; 0.53; 0.53 mg/ml for S. aureus, B. cereus, K. pneumoniae and C. neoformans respectively). Inhalation extracts exhibited different chemical profiles from the solvent extracts of the same plant. For example, A. afra inhalation extract had an abundance of peaks at various retention times from 3.2 to 5.4 minutes, which were not present in the chromatograms of the acetone and methanol extracts of the same plant. These results, albeit preliminary, suggest that the chemistry and antimicrobial activity of plants are influenced by the combustion process which is often used in traditional healing rites.

A dissertation submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Masters in Science in the School of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of the Witwatersrand Johannesburg, 2013 / Cervical cancer is a gynaecological malignant disorder and is a common cause of death in women of the sub-Saharan Africa, striking nearly half a million of females each year worldwide. Cervical cancer is due to the persistence infection of human papillomavirus (HPV), a formidable virus that targets the cervix and is present in most cancers of the cervix. In South Africa, plants used to treat cancer are rare and there is a need for screening further plant extracts in order to identify potentially new anti-cancer drug discovery leads. The purpose of this study was to screen Tulbaghia violacea (TV) and Agave palmeri (AG) for anti-cancer therapy in the cervical cancer cell lines HeLa and ME-180 and in the fibroblast cell line KMST-6. Staurosporine (ST) was used as a positive control. AG and TV crude plant extracts were screened for apoptosis induction, followed by elucidation of the role of Bax, Bcl-2, p53, Rb, RBBP and Mdm2 genes in cervical cancer. Plant extracts of TV and AG were time (24 hours) and dose (50, 100, 150 μg/ml) dependently screened against cervical cancer cell lines HeLa, ME-180 and in KMST-6 for anti-cancer activity using the thiazolyl blue test (MTT) assay. With an IC50 ~ 150 μg/ml, T. violacea extract exhibited significant cytotoxicity on both HeLa and ME-180 cancer cell lines, whilst A. palmeri was cytotoxic to ME-180 cells and 25nM ST as a positive control had a cytoxicity effect on all cell lines including the KMST-6, yet TV and AG had no cytotoxic effect on KMST-6. The annexin-V/FITC detection assay was performed to evaluate the occurrence of apoptosis. Crude extracts of TV and AG together with ST induced significant apoptosis of HeLa, ME-180 and KMST-6 cells. The crude extracts were further analysed for DNA fragmentation, protein expression and gene expression by Western Blot and RT-PCR respectively, to investigate whether these extracts have an effect on the on the expression of Bax, Bcl-2, p53, Rb, RBBP6, Mdm2 and the relationship between p53 and RBBP6. Morphological and biochemical changes were seen in this study. A further mixed response by several genes was observed following treatment with the two plant extracts, where RBBP6 was seen to be spliced in cancer cells while Bax was induced and Bcl-2 was inhibited, but the levels of p53 remained the same. Preliminary, the extracts of TV and AG induce cell death by down-regulating Bcl-2 and Mdm2. Quantitative RT-PCR showed that when p53 was silenced RBBP6 was up-regulated and vice versa. From these results it was deduced that RBBP6 gene interacts with p53 during cervical cancer development. The anti-proliferative activity together with the characterization of p53, RBBP6 and Mdm2 and concentrations of these plant extract could be manipulated as diagnostic markers and potential therapeutic targets for cancer treatment; however, further studies on these plant extracts need to be performed to validate results obtained in this study.

by Go Tong-Ming, Thomas. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1992. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 86-95). / Chapter CHAPTER 1: --- INTRODUCTION --- p.1 / Chapter CHAPTER 2: --- PURIFICATION OF α- AND β-MMCs --- p.23 / Chapter CHAPTER 3: --- DEOXYRIBONUCLEASE ACTIVITY OF αAND β-MMCs --- p.44 / REFERENCES --- p.86

This thesis investigates the use of ideas and insights from the new sciences of chaos and complexity in organisations, especially in organisational change interventions. It contends that organisations are still dominated by approaches derived from classical, traditional science and that these are no longer very helpful. Newer approaches to organisational life are emerging, including the learning organisation, and these offer innovative ways forward. Other more radical ideas are also emerging from understandings derived from the new sciences. It uses a detailed case study of the Open University to explore the use of a range of change theories in introducing change into a complex, complicated, traditional organisation. The change process studied used ideas drawn from modern notions of strategic change but also some ideas available in the literature which draws on insights from the new sciences. Stacey's (1992, 1993, 1996) work particularly his 9 point complexity theory of organisation (1996) is used to provide a theoretical framework. This thesis concludes that the new sciences offer an effective and innovative way of introducing organisational change and offers a transition model of strategy which may serve as an enabling bridge between classical notions of change and a new sciences approach. It supports and builds upon Stacey's work by showing the benefits of using of self organising principles, especially self organising teams, as part of a strategic change intervention. Further it adds to the ideas on the human dynamics of change, suggests ways in which to introduce such a strategic change process and offers an additional interpretation of the development of teams in organisations.

I. Exploring the prevalence of Chinese medicine. A questionnaire survey was conducted in 100 healthy people and 82 breast cancer patients. The survey showed that a very high prevalence of using Chinese medicine as a health supplementary was found among the healthy people (98%). The prevalence was even higher among breast cancer patients (99%). / II. Evidence based evaluation of the efficacy of Chinese medicine . The public's increasing use of Chinese medicine has added urgency to the need of examining the efficacy and safety of Chinese medicine practice and product. In order to understand the efficacy of Chinese medicine and the feasibility of standard research methodology of evidence-based medicine, two clinical trials were conducted in 100 healthy subjects and 82 breast cancer patients using the preparation contains YunZhi (Coriolus versicolor ) and Danshen (Radix Salviae miltorrhizae). The findings showed that the YunZhi and Danshen compound significantly enhanced the quality of life in healthy and some breast cancer subjects with reference to physical, emotional and health transitions. / III. Role of Chinese medicine in our health care system. Chinese medicine has been used for more than 3000 years in China and there have been numerous reports of efficacy. Chinese medicine would be offering solutions to some medical condition, where modern medicine yet failed to provide effective solution. Examples included chronic diseases, viral infections, allergies, derangements, cancers, etc. The health care system could provide the public alternative choices of medical treatment related to Chinese medicine as valuable supplements to modern medicine. (Abstract shortened by UMI.) / The use of alternative medicine has become increasingly popular around the world, mainly because of growing interest in holistic medicine and natural methods of healing. The Public is becoming increasingly aware of the limits of Modern medicine, and is looking forward to the possible benefits of alternative medicine. Because of the lack of perfect confidence on Modern medicine due to the unclear role of health promotion and unsatisfactory outcome of chronic diseases, people turn to alternative medicine. In Hong Kong, alternative medicine in reality, means very much Chinese medicine. A better understanding of the prevalence of Chinese medicine is needed in order to determine what needs to be done to improve the safety and efficacy of Chinese medicine with regard to its service role in the Health Care System. This thesis is structured to assess the popularity and peoples' attitude of Chinese medicine in Hong Kong; to assess the validity of evidence-based approach in the evaluation of the efficacy of Chinese medicine; and to explore the role of Chinese medicine in health care in the Health Care System. / by Wong Lai-Yi. / "January 2005." / Advisers: Ping-Chung Leung; Jin-Ling Tang. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 67-01, Section: B, page: 0219. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 175-212). / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Electronic reproduction. [Ann Arbor, MI] : ProQuest Information and Learning, [200-] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / School code: 1307.

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張海藝. / "2009年1月". / "2009 nian 1 yue". / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2008. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 283-284). / Abstracts in Chinese and English. / Zhang Haiyi. / Chapter 第一章 --- 導論 / Chapter 第一節 --- 「中西醫滙通派」的界定及硏究對象選取 --- p.1 / Chapter 第二節 --- 本文的硏究方法及目的 --- p.4 / Chapter 第四節 --- 「中西醫滙通派」的硏究槪況回顧 --- p.6 / Chapter 第二章 --- 唐宗海的黃帝內經思想 / Chapter 第一節 --- 人物及其著作介紹 --- p.8 / Chapter 第二節 --- 唐宗海的中西醫滙通觀 --- p.9 / Chapter 第三節 --- 唐宗海的內經思想 --- p.10 / Chapter 第四節 --- 中西醫滙通觀在內經的體現 --- p.11 / Chapter 第三章 --- 張鍚純的黃帝內經思想 / Chapter 第一節 --- 人物及其著作介紹 --- p.13 / Chapter 第二節 --- 張鍚純的中西醫滙通觀 --- p.13 / Chapter 第三節 --- 張鍚純的內經思想 --- p.14 / Chapter 第四節 --- 中西醫滙通觀在內經的體現 --- p.15 / Chapter 第四章 --- 惲鐵樵的黃帝內經思想 / Chapter 第一節 --- 人物及其著作介紹 --- p.17 / Chapter 第二節 --- 惲鐵樵的中西醫滙通觀 --- p.17 / Chapter 第三節 --- 惲鐵樵的內經思想 --- p.19 / Chapter 第四節 --- 中西醫滙通觀在內經的體現 --- p.20 / Chapter 第五章 --- 三醫家的思想比較 / Chapter 第一節 --- 對《黃帝內經》的評價 --- p.21 / Chapter 第二節 --- 中西醫滙通觀 --- p.21 / Chapter 第三節 --- 中西醫滙通在《內經》之體現 --- p.22 / Chapter 第六章 --- 滙通的再思 / Chapter 第一節 --- 滙通的意思 --- p.24 / Chapter 第二節 --- 三醫位滙通派醫家對現今中醫學發展的啓示 --- p.25 / Chapter 第七章 --- 總結 --- p.26

Thesis (M Med.(Family Medicine & PHC))-- University of Limpopo, 2009. / A study on reasons why hypertensive patients seen at Natalspruit Hospital consult traditional healers whilst taking treatment from the hospital. Aim: To understand reasons given by patients receiving treatment for hypertension at Natalspruit Hospital for concurrently using traditional medicine. Design: Explorative descriptive qualitative study. Setting: Natalspruit Hospital, Gauteng – South Africa. Study population: All patients attending the researcher‟s practice suffering from hypertension and also consulted traditional healers. Results: The results of this study originated from the data collected from different interviews and their interpretations by the researcher. The respondents answered freely to the research question during a face to face conversation which was recorded with the purpose of exploring the topic in details. A certain number of information was obtained on why hypertensive patients despite their treatment from the researcher‟s practice were seeking help from the traditional healers. Number of answers derived from all respondents on the reasons why they combine the two types of medicine for their hypertension. This study focused on the ways the respondents felt about the service from the hospital/clinic, from the traditional healers and mainly on the reasons given by them when seeking help from traditional healers. Nine respondents were our group which was interviewed. The group consisted primarily of females than males, most of them were unemployed. Recommendations: Based on the results found, recommendations are that traditional medicine should be encouraged, especially in rural areas as it contributes substantially to primary health care. The government should primarily be using its resources in encouraging traditional healers to become a part of the health care delivery system through workshops involving both health professionals and traditional healers, training of modern doctors in the importance of cultural care and positive attitude towards the traditional healers. The government should consider integrating traditional medicine into the formal health system of the state. There is need to be education of patients on side-effects of anti-hypertensives at the time of dispensing, for instance ACE Inhibitors and the cough, to prevent patients seeking solutions for themselves, including taking traditional medication; education of staff in hospitals/clinics on care of patients to improve their attitudes. There is need for principles of Family Medicine to be taught and implemented in all levels of care. There is need for accessibility of modern medicine in remote areas where hospital facilities should be closer to all. A pilot referral system should be introduced and evaluated. If successful, a full-scale system should be introduced. This will ensure that the traditional healer feels both involved and committed. Traditional healers should come out into the open and be more assertive so that their work becomes transparent and this could further enhance their public image.