Introdução: Os distúrbios do espectro do autismo são caracterizados como quadros complexos que abrangem dificuldades nas áreas de linguagem, cognição, comportamento e interação social. Diversos autores apontam o comprometimento de linguagem como principal alteração nestes quadros, já que se trata do processo que permite a comunicação intra e interpessoal. A aquisição e o uso da linguagem é foco principal da terapia fonoaudiológica nos distúrbios do espectro do autismo, principalmente no que diz respeito às habilidades pragmáticas. Objetivo: verificar se há correlação entre a frequência nas terapias e a porcentagem de faltas com o processo de evolução terapêutica e se há uma quantidade mínima de frequência em terapia em um semestre para que haja evolução do quadro. Método: Foram analisados os dados de frequência semestral, avaliação pragmática semestral e avaliação sócio-cognitiva semestral dos prontuários de 50 sujeitos com idades entre 2 e 17 anos durante quatro semestres de tratamento de cada um. Resultados: Após a correlação entre todas as variáveis das avaliações pragmática e sócio cognitiva e os grupos de frequências, foi possível observar que é necessário mais do que 60% de frequência nas terapias fonoaudiológicas previstas durante o semestre para que haja evolução terapêutica. Conclusão: O presente estudo é relevante para os serviços que oferecem este tipo de tratamento fonoaudiológico, indicando que há um mínimo de frequência necessária para que haja melhora do quadro, contribuindo para a delimitação de parâmetros mínimos de frequência à terapia / Introduction: The autism spectrum disorders are characterized as a complex condition involving impairments in the areas of language, cognition, behavior and social interaction. Several authors suggest that language impairment is the main disorder in these cases, since it is essential to intra and interpersonal communication. Language acquisition and functional use is the main focus of speech-language therapy in autism spectrum disorders, particularly regarding pragmatic abilities. Objective: Verify if there is a correlation between frequency and percentage of absence in therapy sessions and therapeutic evolution and if there is a minimal amount of frequency in therapy necessary to this evolution. Methods: Data about frequency, pragmatic and social-cognitive assessment regarding four semesters of speech-language of the records of 50 individuals aged 2 to 17 years were analyzed. Results: After the correlation of all variables of pragmatic and socio-cognitive assessments with the frequency in therapy, it was observed that more than 60% of frequency in speech-language therapies during the semester is needed to result in observable therapeutic evolution. Conclusion: The present study is relevant to the services that offer this type of speech therapy, indicating that there is a minimum frequency necessary for there to be improvement, contributing to the definition of minimum parameters of frequency therapy

Om ’n beroepskeuse te maak of oor ’n (nuwe) beroep te besluit, is op sigself ’n oefening wat geweldige emosionele insig, krag en volwassenheid verg. Indien hierdie belangrike besluit geneem moet word deur ’n adolessent wat boonop hakkel, verg dit soveel me er innerlike sterkte. Vir so ’n jongmens is dit ’n enorme taak om ’n beeld van hom-/haarself in die toekoms te projekteer en besluite rakende ’n beroep en/of loopbaan te neem. Om te hakkel beïnvloed ongetwyfeld ’n adolessent se toekomsvisie en - planne. Benewens die feit dat die siening van die self in die hede aangepas moet word om ruimte te laat vir hakkel as ’n persoonlikheidseienskap en besluite wat dit behels en beïnvloed, moet die betrokke adolessent ook hierdie beeld op so ʼn wyse kan aanpas dat die self suksesvol in die toekoms geprojekteer kan word. Dit is die primêre doelwit van die onderhawige studie om vas te stel watter waarde lewensontwerpberading inhou vir ’n adolessent wat hakkel, en die studie word onderneem teen die agtergrond van beide die sisteemteorie en die sosiale konstruktivisme ten einde die navorser te help om op die ervaring van die deelnemer binne sy unieke konteks te fokus. Die studie is spesifiek gerig op die belewingswêreld van die adolessent wat hakkel. Ten einde die subjektiewe en diverse ervarings van die deelnemer beter te begryp, het ek ondersoek gedoen na die wyse waarop adolessente oor die algemeen (en my deelnemer in die besonder) deur middel van interaksie met ander (en die omgewing) deur die lens van die sosiale konstruktivisme vir hulself betekenis skep. Ek het vanuit ʼn kwalitatiewe paradigma gewerk en ʼn gevalstudie gedoen waar die eenheid van ondersoek ʼn adolessent was wat hakkel. My studie het gefokus op aanpasbaarheid as ’n element van hierdie adolessent se lewensontwerp, maar dan spesifiek ook op die wyse waarop die vier kerndimensies van aanpasbaarheid in sy lewe voltrek, te wete beroepsbelang, beroepsbeheer, beroepsnuuskierigheid en beroepselfvertroue. Ek het oorkoepelend ondersoek ingestel na die waarde van lewensontwerpberading in terme van die betekenisgewing (meaning making) en ‘heelwording’ (becoming more whole) van hierdie deelnemer as ’n persoon wat hakkel. ENGLISH : Making a career choice or deciding about a (new) career/job is an exercise that in itself already requires significant emotional insight, command and maturity. When this important decision is to be made by an adolescent who also stutters, this requires so much more inner strength. For such a youth it is a gigantic task to project an image of him/herself into the future and to make decisions concerning a future job/career. To stutter, unquestionably influences a person’s future vision and plans. Not only does it require an adaptation of the view of the self in the present to make space for this personality trait and the decisions that will influence and concern it, but the adolescent who stutters also will have to adjust this image of the self in order to successfully project the self into the future. It is the primary goal of this study to investigate the value of life design counselling for an adolescent who stutters and it is done against the background of both the systems theory and social constructivism in order to help the researcher to focus on the experience of the participant within his unique context. The study is specifically the world of experience of the adolescent who stutters. In order to better understand the subjective and diverse experiences of the participant, I investigated through the lens of social constructivism the way in which adolescents in general (and my participant in particular) created meaning through interaction with others (and the environment). I worked from a qualitative paradigm and conducted a case study where the unit of investigation was an adolescent who stutters. My study focused on adaptability as an element of this adolescent’s life design, but then specifically on the way that the four core dimensions of adaptability, that is career concern, career control, career curiosity and career confidence, manifest themselves in his life. I conducted an overall investigation into the value that life design counselling holds for the participant as a person who stutters in terms of his making meaning of life and becoming more whole as a person. / Dissertation (MEd)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Educational Psychology / unrestricted

Vascular remodelling due to excessive proliferation and apoptosis resistance of pulmonary arterial smooth muscle (PASMCs) and endothelial cells (ECs) has been attributed to the pathogenesis of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). It is an incurable cardiovascular disorder, which leads to right heart failure and death, if left untreated. Heterozygous germline mutations in the bone morphogenetic protein receptor type II (BMPR2) have been linked with the majority (~75%) of the familial form of the disease (HPAH). Mutations in the BMPR2 gene impinge upon the BMP signalling which perturbs the balance between BMP and TGF-β pathways leading to the clinical course of the disease. Current therapies were discovered prior to the knowledge that PAH has substantial genetic components. Hence, this study aims to identify novel therapeutic intervention and provide novel insights into how the dysfunctional BMPRII signalling contributes to the pathogenesis of PAH. This work demonstrates that cryptolepines and FDA approved drugs (doxorubicin, taxol, digitoxin and podophyllotoxin) inhibit the excessive proliferation and induce apoptosis in BMPR2 mutant PASMCs by modulating the BMP and TGF-β pathways. Moreover, established drug PTC124 has also been tested but has failed to promote translational readthrough. I have also shown that dysregulated apoptosis of PASMCs and HPAECs is mediated through the BMPRII-ALK1-BclxL axis. Finally, the siRNA screen targeting approximately 1000 genes has identified novel proteins including PPP1CA, IGF-1R, MPP1, MCM5 and SRC each capable of modulating the BMPRII signalling. Taken together, this study for the very first time has identified novel compounds with pro-BMP and anti-TGFβ activities which may provide therapeutic intervention prior to or after the onset of PAH. / Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the UK / The full text will be available at the end of the embargo period, 31st July 2024.

In Gestalplaytherapy there is a need for guidelines with a pastoral perspective for the child that is experiencing loss. This research is undertaken to set Gestaltplaytherapeutic guidelines with a pastoral perspective for the therapeutic intervention of the primary school child who is experiencing loss due to the death of a loved one. The study consulted relevant literature and compared the literature study with experience acquired in practice. The impact of the loss that the child is experiencing has an influence on the child as a whole. The researcher has found that the Christian child's experience of loss due to the death of a loved one is influenced greatly by the child's spiritual experience. For this reason it is necessary that Gestaltplaytherapy includes a pastoral approach within the therapeutic setting when working with a child experiencing loss due to the death of a loved one. / In Gestaltspelterapie is daar 'n leemte aan riglyne vanuit 'n pastorale perspektief wat die kind wat verlies ervaar kan begelei. Hierdie navorsing het ten doel om Gestalspelterapeutiese riglyne met 'n pastorale perspektief daar te stel vir die hantering van die laerskoolkind wat verlies ervaar as gevolg van die dood van 'n geliefde. Die studie ondersoek die kind se geestelike belewing van verlies deur middel van navorsing in relevante literatuur en vergelyk dit met praktiese ervaring wat opgedoen is in die praktyk. Die impak van die verlies wat die laerskoolkind ervaar as gevolg van die dood van 'n geliefde raak sy totale menswees. Die navorser het waargeneem dat die Christenkind se ervaring en verwerking van die dood van 'n geliefde ook deur sy geestelike belewing beinvloed word. Daarom is dit nodig dat die kind wat verlies ervaar ook op die pastorale vlak binne die Gestaltspelterapeutiese opset hanteer word. / Social work / M. Diac. (Play Therapy)

The area of systems biology evolved in an attempt to introduce mathematical systems theory principles in biology. Although we believe that all biological processes are essentially chemical reactions, describing those using precise mathematical rules is not easy, primarily due to the complexity and enormity of biological systems. Here we introduce a formal approach for modeling biological dynamical relationships and diseases such as cancer. The immediate motivation behind this research is the urgency to find a practicable cure of cancer, the emperor of all maladies. Unlike other deadly endemic diseases such as plague, dengue and AIDS, cancer is characteristically heterogenic and hence requires a closer look into the genesis of the disease. The actual cause of cancer lies within our physiology. The process of cell division holds the clue to unravel the mysteries surrounding this disease. In normal scenario, all control mechanisms work in tandem and cell divides only when the division is required, for instance, to heal a wound platelet derived growth factor triggers cell division. The control mechanism is tightly regulated by several biochemical interactions commonly known as signal transduction pathways. However, from mathematical point of view, these pathways are marginal in nature and unable to cope with the multi-variability of a heterogenic disease like cancer. The present research is possibly one first attempt towards unraveling the mysteries surrounding the dynamics of a proliferating cell. A novel yet simple methodology is developed to bring all the marginal knowledge of the signaling pathways together to form the simplest mathematical abstract known as the Boolean Network. The malfunctioning in the cell by genetic mutations is formally modeled as stuck-at faults in the underlying Network. Finally a mathematical methodology is discovered to optimally find out the possible best combination drug therapy which can drive the cell from an undesirable condition of proliferation to a desirable condition of quiescence or apoptosis. Although, the complete biological validation was beyond the scope of the current research, the process of in-vitro validation has been already initiated by our collaborators. Once validated, this research will lead to a bright future in the field on personalized cancer therapy.

In Gestalplaytherapy there is a need for guidelines with a pastoral perspective for the child that is experiencing loss. This research is undertaken to set Gestaltplaytherapeutic guidelines with a pastoral perspective for the therapeutic intervention of the primary school child who is experiencing loss due to the death of a loved one. The study consulted relevant literature and compared the literature study with experience acquired in practice. The impact of the loss that the child is experiencing has an influence on the child as a whole. The researcher has found that the Christian child's experience of loss due to the death of a loved one is influenced greatly by the child's spiritual experience. For this reason it is necessary that Gestaltplaytherapy includes a pastoral approach within the therapeutic setting when working with a child experiencing loss due to the death of a loved one. / In Gestaltspelterapie is daar 'n leemte aan riglyne vanuit 'n pastorale perspektief wat die kind wat verlies ervaar kan begelei. Hierdie navorsing het ten doel om Gestalspelterapeutiese riglyne met 'n pastorale perspektief daar te stel vir die hantering van die laerskoolkind wat verlies ervaar as gevolg van die dood van 'n geliefde. Die studie ondersoek die kind se geestelike belewing van verlies deur middel van navorsing in relevante literatuur en vergelyk dit met praktiese ervaring wat opgedoen is in die praktyk. Die impak van die verlies wat die laerskoolkind ervaar as gevolg van die dood van 'n geliefde raak sy totale menswees. Die navorser het waargeneem dat die Christenkind se ervaring en verwerking van die dood van 'n geliefde ook deur sy geestelike belewing beinvloed word. Daarom is dit nodig dat die kind wat verlies ervaar ook op die pastorale vlak binne die Gestaltspelterapeutiese opset hanteer word. / Social work / M. Diac. (Play Therapy)

In this study, guidelines were developed for used by social workers to provide emotional support to children in foster care. The child in foster care as well as the services rendered in respect of such a child have been discussed in a literature study. The principles of Gestalt therapy were also discussed as these were used as part of the empirical study and as basis for the guidelines for social workers. A qualitative research design was used to complete the empirical study and case studies were used. Children between six and twelve years who have been in foster care for less than two years and who needed emotional support were selected for the study by means of a purposeful test sample. The research results showed that children in foster care are in need of emotional support. To provide such emotional support to the child in foster care, guidelines have been developed for social workers which they can apply when providing services to the child. These guidelines also serve as the conclusions and recommendations of the study. / Social Work / (M. Diac. (Play Therapy))

In this study, guidelines were developed for used by social workers to provide emotional support to children in foster care. The child in foster care as well as the services rendered in respect of such a child have been discussed in a literature study. The principles of Gestalt therapy were also discussed as these were used as part of the empirical study and as basis for the guidelines for social workers. A qualitative research design was used to complete the empirical study and case studies were used. Children between six and twelve years who have been in foster care for less than two years and who needed emotional support were selected for the study by means of a purposeful test sample. The research results showed that children in foster care are in need of emotional support. To provide such emotional support to the child in foster care, guidelines have been developed for social workers which they can apply when providing services to the child. These guidelines also serve as the conclusions and recommendations of the study. / Social Work / (M. Diac. (Play Therapy))