Magister Chirurgiae Dentium (MChD) / Occupational hazards are common among many professions and dentistry is no exception. Occupational hazards include percutaneous injuries, inhalation of noxious chemicals, noise and musculoskeletal disorders (MSD). Despite the fact that MSD have been documented to be very prevalent among dentists in various countries, there is a paucity of literature from South Africa. Aim The aim of the present study was to determine the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders among the dentists in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), South Africa and to identify risk factors associated with it. The study was a cross-sectional, descriptive one and questionnaires were used to elicit information regarding socio-demographic details, medical history, work history and work-related posture information from dentists based in KwaZulu-Natal. A convenience sample of all qualified dentists in this region who were registered members of the South African Dental Association (SADA) was used. Results One hundred and nine dentists responded to the questionnaire. The response rate was 31%. The majority were male; a third aged between 30 - 39 years and the ratio of females to males was 1:3. Almost all the dentists reported pain in the neck, lower back and shoulder. Less than a quarter of the dentists in KZN reported hand pain, numbness in the hands and a tingling sensation in the hands. More than three quarters reported that they had no negative effects when performing restorative work and scaling and polishing, but 3.1% reported having extreme levels of pain. The most common working position reported was the 2 0' clock position. Nearly three quarters rotated their necks while performing clinical dentistry and a third tilted their shoulders towards their dominant hand. There was no relationship between Body Mass Index (BMI) and whether respondents treated patients while seated or standing and neither was there a relationship between pain in the lower back and BMI. There was a strong association between pain in the neck while performing clinical work and the number of years in practice confounded by age. When compared to other countries the prevalence of MSD is very high. The highest occurrence was for neck, back and shoulder pain. Avoiding these injuries is critical and self-recognition is important in either preventing further injuries or in increasing severity of the condition. The findings of this study suggests that it may be valuable to include ergonomic work practice in the training of dentists and dentists should be involved in a proper exercise routine which should include stretching and weight training to prevent injuries. Regular breaks should be taken to perform stretching exercises in-between the management of patients in order to reduce the risk of MSD.

Syftet med denna studie var att undersöka vilka hinder och framgångsfaktorer yrkesverksamma inom skola och socialtjänst upplevde i samverkan med varandra kring barn som far illa eller riskerar fara illa, samt vad som gör att dessa faktorer upprätthålls. En kvalitativ innehållsanalys har använts för att analysera insamlad empiri från semistrukturerade kvalitativa intervjuer, med tre yrkesverksamma inom socialtjänst och två yrkesverksamma inom skola. Goffmans dramaturgiska teori och interorganisatoriskt perspektiv har använts som teoretiska ramverk för att analysera studiens resultat. Studiens resultat visade på att både framgångsfaktorer och hinder yttrade sig, i relationen och interaktionen mellan yrkesverksamma inom skola och socialtjänst. Personliga relationer, kunskap om samverkanspartens förutsättningar/begränsningar, förväntningar, attityder och tillit till varandra lyftes fram som avgörande faktorer för en fungerande samverkan. Dessa faktorer upprätthölls av organisatoriska förhållanden där de yrkesverksamma inte gavs tillräckligt utrymme, att överkomma hindren och främja de framgångsfaktorer som belystes i resultatet, så som gemensamma rutiner och forum, kontinuitet, insyn, samt öppna kommunikationsvägar. Slutsatsen var att skola och socialtjänst behöver ges utrymme att arbeta regelbundet med varandra i olika forum för att uppnå en positiv förändring. Satsningar görs frekvent på både lokal och nationell nivå för att belysa vad som blir en utmaning i samverkansarbetet. För att dessa satsningar inte bara ska göras för sakens skull, behöver organisationerna ges utrymme att arbeta regelbundet med varandra för att motverka att hindren upprätthålls. / The purpose of this study was to investigate what obstacles and success factors professionals in schools, and social services experienced in collaboration with each other around children who are harmed/risk of harm, and what enables these factors to be maintained. A qualitative content analysis has been used to analyze collected material from five semi-structured qualitative interviews, with three social service professionals and two school professionals. Goffman's dramaturgical theory and inter-organizational perspective have been used as theoretical frameworks to analyze the study's results. The results of the study showed that success factors and obstacles manifested themselves in the relationship and interaction between professionals in school and social services. Personal relationships, knowledge of each other's conditions/limitations, expectations, attitudes and trust were highlighted as decisive factors for a functioning collaboration. These factors were maintained by organisational conditions in which professionals were not given sufficient scope to overcome the obstacles and promote the success factors highlighted in the outcome, such as common procedures/forums, continuity, transparency and open communication paths. The conclusion was that schools and social services need to be given space to work regularly together in different forums in order to achieve positive change. Investments are made frequently at both local and national level to highlight what will be a challenge in the collaboration work. In order for these efforts not only to be made for the sake of it, organisations need to be given the space to work regularly with each other to prevent obstacles from being upheld.

Magister Chirurgiae Dentium (MChD) / The psychological, social, and cultural aspects of facial and dental attractiveness is an integral part of health care. Lay persons perceptions of facial and dental attractiveness are influenced by many factors including age, gender, geographic location (nationally or international), ethnic status, employment status, cultural differences and social class will effect the social impact of the anomalies. In addition, the public response to dental anomalies will vary according to experience of good health or ill health of the individual, relatives and friends. The perception of malocclusion is often seen differently between orthodontists, patients and lay public. The differing perceptions of patients and dental practitioners may influence the delivery of orthodontic care. It has been reported that 70% of orthodontic treatment is dentist induced and that orthodontic treatment may be undertaken without the patient or parents perceiving a problem with the teeth. (DHSS, Schanscheiff Report, 1986). The thresholds of entry and exit for orthodontic care may be different as perceived by orthodontists and lay persons. Orthodontists may pursue full alignment and perfect occlusion whereas lay persons may accept varying degrees of deviation from normal. This current study has assessed and recorded the differences in opinions of professional orthodontists and lay persons on dento-facial aesthetics, orthodontic treatment need and orthodontic treatment outcome. The study was carried out at the Orthodontic Department, University of Wales, College of Medicine, School of Dentistry. The opinions of 56 lay persons (dental technicians, dental nurses and lay persons not involved in the clinical process) and 97 orthodontists was collected by recording judgements using various patient records as stimuli. For each set of records examined, each member of the panel indicated their opinion using Likert scales. Judgements were made by assessments of 68 study casts in respect of:- * the need for orthodontic treatment on dental health grounds. the need for orthodontic treatment on dental aesthetic grounds. deviation from normal occlusion. the decision whether to treat. ** * In addition, judgements were made on a sample of 50 pairs of outline facial profiles before and after treatment in respect of: * * deviation from normal facial aesthetics comparison of aesthetics pre-treatment and post-treatment. Furthermore, assessments on 50 pairs of pre-treatment and post-treatment study casts in respect of: * * degree of improvement as a result of treatment. acceptability of result. Orthodontists subjective judgements are more reliable than lay persons in their assessments of dental aesthetics, dental health and deviation from normal. The level of agreement for the decision to recommend treatment is similar between orthodontists and lay groups ie. lay persons are as reliable as orthodontists in the decision to recommend treatment. Orthodontists tend to recommend 10 - 12 % more treatment than lay persons. The orthodontist group were more reliable than the lay group in assessing degree of improvement and assessment of outcome. Orthodontists reject approximately 25% of cases deemed acceptable by the lay group. Dental aesthetics appeared to be the most important feature in the assessment of treatment outcome by both orthodontists and lay groups.

Den transnationella sexhandeln med strukturella och ekonomiska betingelser som har sin grund i fattigdom i andra länder, är en utmaning för polisen och socialarbetare då denna grupp ofta befinner sig utom räckhåll för välfärdsarbetare i Sverige (Månsson, 2018). Tidigare forskning har visat att sexköpare styr efterfrågan på prostituerade och därmed ökar antalet personer utsatta för trafficking (Mendes Bota, 2014). Med detta i åtanke har vårt examensarbete i socialt arbete syftet att undersöka hur män som köper sex försvarar och talar om sitt sexköp i relation till kognitiv dissonansteori. Detta i en svensk kontext där sexköp är olagligt. För att nå vårt syfte har vi tagit del av förhörsprotokoll och domar kopplade till sexköp i Stockholmsområdet under januari 2018-april 2019. Vi har också intervjuat professionella inom de befintliga organisationer/myndigheter i Stockholm som explicit arbetar med sexköpare (KAST, Anova och Prostitutionsgruppen). Studien har en kvalitativ ansats med en abduktiv ingång. Under arbetets gång har studien blivit mer teoridriven och analys av vårt material är genomförd utifrån kognitiv dissonansteori. En teori som utgår från att individer vid olika val har motstridiga kognitioner vilka kan skapa en dissonans som individen är motiverad att minska. Vi har särskilt analyserat materialet utifrån följande modeller av kognitiv dissonans; self-discrepancy modellen, som dissonans kopplat till yttre eller inre påverkan, dissonans enligt self-affirmation concept, aversive- consequences modellen, och utifrån action-based modellen. Resultatet av studien visar att kognitiv dissonans hos män som köper sex påverkas av olika faktorer och hanteras på skilda sätt. Några slutsatser i vår studie är: Få sexköpare beskriver en känsla av personligt ansvar för säljarens situation, vilket vi tolkat som ett sätt att undkomma kognitiv dissonans. För att reducera dissonansen förminskar sexköparen de sexuella handlingarna och lyfter fram en bild av sig själv som ’schysst’ och ’hjälpsam’. Lagstiftningen verkar inte vara en särskilt hindrande kognition för de män som faktiskt köper sex även om den på ett samhälleligt plan har en stark normpåverkan och verkar hindrande för majoriteten män, de som inte köper sex. Sexköp kan också vara kopplat till tvångsmässiga sexuella beteenden, låg impulskontroll, destruktiv livsföring och ångesthantering. Implikationer för framtida forskning, politik och socialt arbete är att fundera på hur kognitiv dissonansteori kan implementeras och användas i praktiken för att motverka sexköp, prostitution och trafficking. En annan aspekt som vi vill föra fram är synen på sexköp som ett socialt problem både på ett samhälleligt och ett individuellt plan. Sexköpare är en del av en samhällelig manlighetsnorm och inte endast individuella aktörer. För det sociala arbetet innebär detta synsätt att bemötande och behandling av sexköpare prioriteras och förbättras. / The transnational sex trade with structural and economic conditions that are rooted in poverty in other countries is a challenge for the police and social workers as this group is often out of reach for welfare workers in Sweden (Månsson, 2018). Previous research has shown that sex buyers regulates the demand for prostitutes andthus increase the number of people exposed to trafficking (Mendes Bota, 2014). With this in mind, our study in social work aims to investigate how men who buy sex defend and speak about their sex buying in relation to cognitive dissonance theory. This is in a Swedish context where sex buying is illegal. To achieve our purpose, we have taken note of interrogation protocols and judgments linked to sex purchases in the Stockholm area in January 2018-April 2019. We have also interviewed professionals within the existing organizations/authorities in Stockholm who explicitly work with sex buyers (KAST, Anova and the Prostitution group). The study has a qualitative approach with an abductive input. During the course of the work, the study has become more theoretically driven and analysis of our material is carried out based on cognitive dissonance.A theory which assumes that individuals at different choices have conflicting cognitions that can create a dissonance that the individual is motivated to reduce. We have analyzed the material specifically from the following models of cognitive dissonance; the self-discrepancy model, which dissonance linked to external or internal influence, dissonance according to self-affirmation concept, aversive-effect model, and based on action-based model. The result of the study shows that cognitive dissonance in men who buy sex looks slightly different and is handled in different ways. Some conclusions in our studyare: Few sex buyers describe a sense of personal responsibility for the seller's situation, which we interpreted as a way of avoiding cognitive dissonance. In order toreduce the dissonance, the sex buyer reduces the sexual acts and highlights apicture of himself as ‘good’and ‘helpful’.The legislation does not seem to be a particularly obstructive cognition for the men who actually buy sex even though on a societal level it has a strong norm effect and seems to hinder the majority of men, those who do not buy sex. Sex buying can also be linked to compulsive sexual behavior, low impulse control, destructive lifestyle and anxiety management. Implications for future research, politics and social work are to consider how cognitive dissonance theory can be implemented and used in practice to counteract sex buying, prostitution and trafficking. Another aspect that we want to bring forward is the view of sex buying as a social problem both on a societal and an individual level. Sex buyers are part of a social male standard and not just individual actors. For social work, this approach means that treatment of sex buyers is prioritized and improved.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships among cultural/spiritual beliefs, risk behaviors, and disclosure among Hispanic/Latino men who have sex with men and women (MSMW). Minority men who have sex with men are disproportionately affected by HIV, in particular MSM who are Hispanic/Latino or African American. Limited research is available on the link between Hispanic/Latino MSMW, their cultural/spiritual beliefs, risk behavior, and disclosure about risk behaviors to friends and family. The data were obtained from the SJS Project, which used survey methods to gather data on participants from all 50 states and Puerto Rico. Among the participants in this project, 354 indicated that Hispanic/Latino was their only race/ethnicity, 264 identified as gay (MSM), 23 identified as bisexual (MSMW) and 67 identified as some other sexuality, and thus were not included in the analysis. Chi-square analysis and multiple linear regression were used to analyze the data and test the hypotheses. Among the bisexual group, the results showed no relationship between the independent variable, cultural/spiritual beliefs, and the dependent variable, disclosure. Among the gay group, the results showed a moderate relationship on one item of the independent variable, cultural/spiritual belief, and one item of the dependent variable, self-disclosure. Thus there is a relationship between disclosing to friends, family and the neighborhood and feeling supported by family among the gay group. It is expected that these findings will inform public health practitioners who have an interest in creating and implementing HIV prevention programs geared toward the Hispanic/Latino members of the LGBT community and Hispanics/Latinos.

This essay analyses how social interactions influence Rachel’s racial identity development using social psychology as the theoretical approach. It also discusses how a main part of racial identity development, racial identity invalidation, which is proven to cause chronic mental health issues in multiracial individuals, is what allows Rachel to explore her black ancestry and culture.

ABSTRACT Female genital mutilation and circumcision (FGM/C) is an expression that describes social and traditional actions performed for the removal of the clitoris and inner lips; labia minora as well as part of the outer lips; labia majora. The research has addressed the effects of this action on women in Ejagham community of the Southwest region of Cameroon. The study focuses on effects revealed during the research, including voices of the women who had undergone FGM/C, excisors recount, violence against women physical, psychological, social, and sexual effects.  In traditional African societies, cultural values should be upheld with dignity to humankind. Our traditional practices too, need to give honour to our bodies. Therefore, opinions from different groups within the Ejagham community are revealed in the discussion. More so, the study also found out that FGM/C was a practice performed on the girls and women on the cultural and traditional beliefs that the process signifies a rite of passage from girl to womanhood.  The process caused pain and violated the right of the young girls. The findings revealed that there are divided opinions on FGM/C within the community. Custodians of the Ejagham tradition that are in favour of the practice are conflicting with those who are against the practice on medical and human right justifications.  These different platforms play a prominent role in the various perceptions held by the people. A significant segment of the Ejagham community, together with some representatives of the international community, NGOs and the government of Cameroon are involved in efforts to bring about change in the community by eliminating the tradition through community-based awareness programs. These programs that are accessible by everybody has empowered people in the community with knowledge on the subject and provided the necessary resources that will help in eliminating the practice. The efforts have initiated a changing climate in the community; however, this does not yet mean that the tradition has been abolished. The paper shall also discuss the traditional and cultural reasons for the practice of FGM in Cameroon. The author will state International instruments, Conventions, the National laws, Action plan that is to eliminate or lead to the abandonment of FGM practices in Cameroon.  The paper will conclude with suitable suggestions to eradicate the practice of FGM/C, which is against Human Rights. Keywords: Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting, Human Rights, Ejagham, Community, Cameroon / <p>Comments from the Examiner have been included in the thesis</p> / Master in Peace and Development WorkABSTRACT Female genital mutilation and circumcision (FGM/C) is an expression that describes social and traditional actions performed for the removal of the clitoris and inner lips; labia minora as well as part of the outer lips; labia majora. The research has addressed the effects of this action on women in Ejagham community of the Southwest region of Cameroon. The study focuses on effects revealed during the research, including voices of the women who had undergone FGM/C, excisors recount, violence against women physical, psychological, social, and sexual effects. In traditional African societies, cultural values should be upheld with dignity to humankind. Our traditional practices too, need to give honour to our bodies. Therefore, opinions from different groups within the Ejagham community are revealed in the discussion. More so, the study also found out that FGM/C was a practice performed on the girls and women on the cultural and traditional beliefs that the process signifies a rite of passage from girl to womanhood. The process caused pain and violated the right of the young girls. The findings revealed that there are divided opinions on FGM/C within the community. Custodians of the Ejagham tradition that are in favour of the practice are conflicting with those who are against the practice on medical and human right justifications. These different platforms play a prominent role in the various perceptions held by the people. A significant segment of the Ejagham community, together with some representatives of the international community, NGOs and the government of Cameroon are involved in efforts to bring about change in the community by eliminating the tradition through community-based awareness programs. These programs that are accessible by everybody has empowered people in the community with knowledge on the subject and provided the necessary resources that will help in eliminating the practice. The efforts have initiated a changing climate in the community; however, this does not yet mean that the tradition has been abolished. The paper shall also discuss the traditional and cultural reasons for the practice of FGM in Cameroon. The author will state International instruments, Conventions, the National laws, Action plan that is to eliminate or lead to the abandonment of FGM practices in Cameroon. The paper will conclude with suitable suggestions to eradicate the practice of FGM/C, which is against Human Rights. Keywords: Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting, Human Rights, Ejagham, Community, Cameroon

>Magister Scientiae - MSc / Background: Despite the effort of scientific research on HIV therapies and to reduce the rate of HIV infection, AIDS still remains one of the major causes of death in the world and mostly in Sub-Saharan Africa. To date, neither a cure, nor an HIV vaccine had been found and the disease can only be managed by using High Active Antiretroviral Therapy (HAART) if detected early. The need for an effective early diagnostic and non-toxic therapeutic treatment has brought about the necessity for the discovery of additional HIV diagnostic methods and treatment regimens to lower mortality rates. Antimicrobial Peptides (AMPs) are components of the first line of defence of prokaryotes and eukaryotes and have been proven to be promising therapeutic agents against HIV. Methods: With the utility of computational biology, this work proposes the use of profile search methods combined with structural modelling to identify putative AMPs with diagnostic and anti-HIV activity. Firstly, experimentally validated anti-HIV AMPs were retrieved from various publicly available AMP databases, APD, CAMP, Bactibase and UniprotKB and classified according to super-families. Hidden Markov Model (HMMER) and Gap Local Alignment of Motifs (GLAM2) profiles were built for each super-family of anti- HIV AMPs. Putative anti-HIV AMPs were identified after scanning genome sequence databases using the trained models, retrieved AMPs and ranked based on their E-values. The 3-D structures of the 10 peptides that were ranked highest were predicted using 1-TASSER. These peptides were docked against various HIV proteins using PatchDock and putative AMPs showing highest affinity and having the correct orientation to the HIV -1 proteins gp 120 and p24 were selected for future work so as to establish their function in HIV therapy and diagnosis. Results: The results of the in silica analysis showed that the constructed models using the HMMER algorithm had better performances compare to that of the models built by the GLAM2 algorithm. Furthermore, the former tool has better statistical and probability explanation compared to the latter tool. Thus only the HMMER scanning results were considered for further study. Out of 1059 species scanned by the HMMER models, 30 putative anti-HIV AMPs were identified from genome scans with the family specific profile models after elimination of duplicate peptides. Docking analysis of putative AMPs against HIV proteins showed that from the 10 best performing anti-HIV AMPs with the highest Escores, molecules 1,3, 8 and 10 firmly binds the gp120 binding pocket at the VIN2 domain and at the point of interaction between gp120 and T cells, with the 1st and 3rd highest scoring anti-HIV AMPs having the highest binding affinities. However, all 10 putative anti-HIV AMPs bind to the N-terminal domain of p24 with large surface interaction, rather than the C-terminal. Conclusion: The in silica approach has made it possible to construct computational models having high performances, and which enabled the identification of putative anti-HIV peptides from genome sequence scans. The in silica validation of these putative peptides through docking studies has shown that some of these AMPs may be involved in HIV/AIDS therapeutics and diagnostics. The molecular validation of these findings will be the way forward for the development of an early diagnostic tool and as a consequence initiate early treatment. This will prevent the invasion of the immune system by blocking the VIN2 domain and thus designing of a successful vaccine with broad neutralizing activity against this domain.

No description available.

Bakgrund: Hepatit C (HCV) är en virussjukdom som smittar via blodet. Personer sominjicerar droger (PSID) riskerar att drabbas av HCV till följd av injektionsrelateraderiskbeteenden. Idag finns det effektiv behandling mot HCV men det kräver viss följsamhet avden som behandlas. Syfte: Syftet var att undersöka sjuksköterskors upplevelser av följsamhet till behandling avhepatit C hos personer som injicerar droger. Metod: En kvalitativ intervjustudie genomfördes. Totalt intervjuades åtta sjuksköterskor frånfyra mottagningar. Datan analyserades sedan enligt Lundberg och Graneheims modell förkvalitativ innehållsanalys. Resultat: Resultatet sammanfattades under fyra huvudkategorier: Livssituation, Samverkan,Behandlingsrelaterade aspekter och Stigma. Totalt identifierades tretton subkategorier. Slutsats: Sjuksköterskor upplevde stora variationer i följsamhet till behandling hos PSID. Detupplevdes som positivt för följsamheten om PSID fick förutsättningar såsom en stabil tillvarooch regelbunden kontakt med en mottagning. I resultatet framkom att det var viktigt attvården var tillgänglig och att PSID fick ordentlig information om behandlingen. Det upplevdesäven som positivt om det fanns fungerande samverkan med både PSID och mellan deverksamheter som de kom i kontakt med. Stigmatiseringen av HCV och PSID upplevdessom ett centralt hinder för följsamhet. / Background: Hepatitis C (HCV) is a viral disease which is transmitted through blood. Peoplewho inject drugs (PWID) are at risk of developing HCV as a result of injection-related riskbehaviors. There is effective treatment for HCV, but it requires some degree of adherence. Aim: The aim was to investigate nurses’ experiences of adherence to treatment for hepatitisC in people who inject drugs. Method: A qualitative interview study was conducted. Eight nurses from four clinics wereinterviewed. The data was analyzed according to Lundberg and Graneheim&amp;#39;s model forqualitative content analysis. Results: The results were summarized under four main categories: Life situation,Collaboration, Treatment-related factors and Stigma. Thirteen subcategories were identified. Conclusion: Nurses experienced large variations in adherence to treatment among PWID. Itwas perceived as positive for adherence if PWID had stable living conditions and regularcontact with a clinic. Availability and information about the treatment were important factors.It was also perceived as positive if there was functioning collaboration with PWID andbetween the institutions they came in contact with. The stigmatization of HCV and PWID wasperceived as a key obstacle to adherence.