A dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in ful lment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Engineering, Johannesburg, September 2019 / The objective of this research was to develop an integrated Port Hamiltonian model of the human outer, middle and inner ear. The developed Port Hamiltonian model of the human ear is based on the Dirac structure. The outer, middle and inner ear are developed in segments, tested and validated prior to the system being coupled. The outer, middle and inner ear are validated against existing literature and the results are found to be comparable. The application of the developed Port Hamiltonian model is illustrated using a developed feedback based noise policy management model for mine workers. This feedback based measurement system can be used to monitor mine workers in the mines hence provide the mine administrators with the current state of hearing of the individual worker. The information obtained from the system may be used by the administration to provide an early intervention and as a result the mine workers are protected from experiencing signi cant hearing threshold shifts. A control engineering approach is then used to formulate the mining noise occupational policies as a control law. Both social and measurements aspects of this system are explored. The International Standard Organization guide ISO:1999 is used to generate data and develop a basic feedback model. The basic feedback model is further re ned into a dynamic model which includes a Port Hamiltonian integrated ear model and the mining policies. The feedback based noise policy management model is validated using real data from the mine documented in open source literature. The models are implemented using MATLAB as a modelling platform and the results are generated using the Simulink model. This research work has been given an ethical clearance certi cate by the Human Research Ethics Committee (Medical), therefore, allowing for the ndings of the investigations to be published. In conclusion,to be developed is an integrated Port Hamiltonian model of the Human outer, middle and inner ear to be used for estimation of Noise induced hearing loss. The use of this model is then illustrated using a feedback based noise policy monitoring system for mine workers. / PH2020

Diss. (sammanfattning) Stockholm : Karolinska institutet, 2007. / Härtill 4 uppsatser.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Stockholm : Karolinska institutet, 2007. / Härtill 4 uppsatser.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Umeå : Univ., 2007. / Härtill 4 uppsatser.

Published also as Thesis (Ph. D.)--Columbia University. / Bibliography: p. 254-266.

Thesis (M.P.H.)--University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, School of Public Health, 2008. / Source: Masters Abstracts International, Volume: 46-06, page: 3250. Adviser: George L. Delclos. Includes bibliographical references.

Published also as Thesis (Ph. D.)--Columbia University. / Bibliography: p. 254-266.

Dissertation submitted in partial compliance with the requirements for the Master’s Degree in Technology: Chiropractic, Durban University of Technology, 2007. / The aim of this research was to investigate the relative effectiveness of manipulation versus core rehabilitation in the treatment of acute mechanical low back pain in sedentary patients. Recent research has found that dysfunction of the primary core stabiliser muscles is linked with an increasing number of the general population suffering from low back pain; this is thought to be due to the fact that people in general are living more sedentary lifestyles. The Aims and Objectives of this study were to determine the relative effect of manipulation and core rehabilitation in sedentary patients suffering from acute mechanical low back pain in terms of subjective findings, objective findings and to determine any correlations between these findings Thirty-two participants, with acute low back pain participated in the study. They received treatment over a period of three weeks, two treatments in the first week, two treatments in the second week and a follow up seven days later. Group A received a spinal manipulation while Group B received core rehabilitation exercises. Readings were taken at three time points, namely visit one, three and five before the treatment, they included the following readings: Numerical Pain Rating Scale, Algometer, Roland Morris Low Back Pain and Disability Questionnaire, Biofeedback Stabiliser and the Surface EMG. The results showed that there was no differential (p<0.05) treatment effect between the two Groups, and that both Groups showed a clinical improvement in their low back pain. In conclusion, it appears that even though both these treatment protocols have very different mechanisms of action, both can be effective treatment protocols and that core rehabilitation exercises when properly performed are as effective as manipulation in the treatment of acute low back pain.

published_or_final_version / Community Medicine / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

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