No description available.

No description available.

No description available.

No description available.

Oedema is the presence of excess fluid in the body tissues (Guyton & Hall, 1997). During long air flights, blood pools in the body tissues due to decreased muscle movement. This causes bilateral ankle oedema and results in an increased risk of deep vein thrombosis as well as discomfort to the passengers after their flight (Hope et al., 2001). Hamamelis virginica is clinically indicated as a homoeopathic remedy which acts upon the venous system (Nash, 2002). Apis mellifica, Apocynum cannabinum, Natrum muriaticum and Natrum sulphuricum are all homoeopathic remedies used in the treatment of oedema. The aim of this study is to ascertain the efficiency of the Homoeopathic complex formula, Hamamelis virginica 30cH, Apis mellifica 6cH, Apocynum cannabinum 6cH, Natrum muriaticum 6cH and Natrum sulphuricum 6cH in the treatment of swelling (bilateral oedema) in the lower extremities in women during and after long air flights. This study is a double blind, placebo controlled trial. Forty female participants, between the ages of eighteen to thirty-nine, with a previous history of ankle swelling after long air flights and who were planning long air flights of eight hours or more, were recruited by means of advertisement for this study. Participants meeting the inclusion criteria underwent an examination and were matched in terms of age and risk factors; weight, cigarette smoking, oral contraception, alcohol and coffee consumption. The participants within the matched pairs were then assigned to one of two groups. One group was randomly assigned the experimental group and the other the control. Participants were required to take six powders sublingually without water. The first powder was taken two hours before the actual flight. The second, third and fourth powders were taken every two and a half hours during the course of the fight and the fifth powder was taken after the flight landed. The sixth powder was taken the day after the flight. The participants were measured by the researcher (Appendix D), measuring the circumference of their calf, ankle and foot. The participants were instructed to do three measurements, the first on the day of their flight, the second on the day they arrive at their destination and the third, on the day after their last dose of medication. The measurements were recorded and a questionnaire completed (Appendix E). The data obtained from the participants measurement and questionnaire form was statistically analysed using the repeated measures test, paired t-test, descriptive statistics the crosstab, and the Huynh-Feldt test. Statistical analysis showed significant differences, P<0.05, between the control and medicated groups for the measurements in centimetres of the left ankle and right ankle. The results obtained from the research show that the homoeopathic complex medication in this study significantly reduces lower extremities oedema during long air flights, as compared to the control group. The control group, on the other hand, did show an increase in measurements of the lower extremities during the air flight. This implies that the placebo did not provide any benefit towards reducing the oedema of lower extremities in women during long air flights. Therefore the null hypothesis was rejected Preliminary findings suggest that the homoeopathic complex preparation of Hamamelis virginica 30cH, Apis mellifica 6cH, Apocynum cannabinum 6cH, Natrum muriaticum 6cH and Natrum sulphuricum 6cH, is effective in reducing the oedema of ankles during long air flights but more research is needed to confirm these findings. / Dr. E.M. Solomon Dr. J.L. Schultz

Thesis (M.S. in Modeling, Virtual Environments, and Simulation (MOVES)--Naval Postgraduate School, June 2009. / "June 2009." Thesis advisor: William Becker. Performed by Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, Calif.; sponsored by the Office of Naval Research, VIRTE Program. "Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Modeling, Virtual Environments, and Simulation (MOVES) from the Naval Postgraduate School, June 2009."--P. iii. Includes bibliographical references. Also available online from the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS), Dudley Knox Library Web site and the DTIC Online Web site.

A field investigation was carried out with student nurses entering General Training in a School of Nursing. Autogenic Regulation Training (ART), sickness absence, personal problems, time and their emotional physical experience was evaluated. Measures used in the study included:The Sickness Absence Record (SAR)The Mooney Problem Checklist (MPC)The Crown-Crisp Experiential Index (CCEI)and The Personal Observations Inventory (POI)Data was collected at different time periods early in their nurse education. The study was carried out to investigate the effectiveness of ART in providing a method of coping with individual stress. Analyses were made between and within an ART group of student nurses and a comparison group who did not receive training in ART. Consideration was also given to individual differences of student nurses in each group.Particular attention was paid to the hypotheses that 1) ART is associated with reduced sickness absence in student nurses when analysed against a comparison group' of student nurses not trained in ART; and 2) ART is associated with reduced stress in student nurses when compared with student nurses not trained in ART. 'It is generally concluded that student nurses trained in ART may reduce their level of sickness absence and can alleviate stress for some student nurses. However, examination of individual student nurse reports of ART and its usefulness and practice within these group data, suggest more complex interpretations of the study. Despite the study limitations, implications for methods of stress control for nurses, curriculum development and cost-effective savings for nursing administrations are suggested, and possibilities for the development of comprehensive counselling services for nurses are raised. These issues it is suggested, should be examined within a broader programme of research into coping with stress amongst nurses.

Introduction: Obesity, and in particular central fat accumulation, is associated with a number of metabolic disturbances such as dyslipidaemia and insulin resistance. Such `clustering' of factors is known as the Insulin ResistanceS yndrome( IRS). More recently, hypofibrinolysisa s a resulto f elevated concentrations of PAI-1 at rest has been included in the IRS. Acute exercise in normal weight individuals results in an increase in fibrinolytic capacity due to a rise in t-PA and a reduction in PAI-1 concentrations. The primary aim of the following studies therefore was to determine the effect of acute exercise and exercise training on fibrinolytic markers in obese populations. The secondary aim of this work was to examine the relationships between PAI-1 concentrations and other markers of the IRS to determine a potential role for these factors in the short-term regulation of plasma PAI-1 concentrations. Methods: Premenopausal female and male overweight and obese volunteers underwent acute bouts of exercise at intensities ranging from 50% to 100% V02 max A group of obese premenopausal omen also underwent a graded maximal exerciset est to exhaustionb efore and after 12 weeks of exercise training at 50% or 70% VO2 max. Venous blood samples were taken at rest, immediately post exercise and up to 2 hours post exercise. Samples were analysed for fibrinolytic factors (t-PA, total PAI-1 &amp; active PAI-1), markers of endothelial damage (vWF) as well as other components of the IRS including lipid profiles, insulin and leptin. Results: Plasma t-PA concentrations rose with acute exercise at intensities greater than 50% V02 max in all study populations with the exception of obese sedentary males. In all cases t-PA returned to baseline levels 30 minutes post exercise. None of the protocols administered were sufficient to lower total PAI-1 concentrations immediately post exercise but exercise at an intensity of 70% V02 max and a duration of greater than 30 minutes resulted in elevated PAI-1 concentrations 30 minutes post exercise in the overweight and obese populations. Active PAI-1 concentrations decreased with exercise either immediately or within 30 minutes post exercise at an intensity of 70% V02 max and durations greater than 30 minutes. Exercise training at both 50% and 70% V02 max increased the t-PA response to maximal exercise but only exercise training at 70% V02 max resulted in greater decrease in active PAI-1 with exercise. No factors were consistently associated with PAI-1 throughout the studies although anthropometric measures and blood pressure were regularly associated with PAI-1 at rest. Conclusions: Overall, exercise at an intensity of 70% V02 max for duration of at least 30 minutes in obese populations results in an increased fibrinolytic capacity as shown by elevated t- PA concentrations and decreased active PAI-1 concentrations. It is important to remember however that obese populations still remain hypofibrinolytic with respect to non-obese populations at rest, during exercise and in the recovery period.

This thesis examines human performance under sub-optimal working conditions during work with complex and highly-automated process control systems. The operational context focuses on applications in extended spaceflight but the generic approach allows for generalisations beyond this target work environment The methodological approach is based on the use of a computerised multiple-task environment to carry out generic simulations of real work environments (micro-worlds) with a high level of ecological validity. For that purpose, a PC-based task. environment was developed to simulate the operation of a life support system in a spacecraft. This task environment has been used in lab-based experiments with trained participants from the student population and with real space crews during large-scale mission simulations. A series of six experiments was carried out (3lab and 3 field studies) to investigate the impact of different configurations of sub-optimal working conditions and unfavourable operator states, using the following independent variables: sleep deprivation, dialogue control, social isolation and confinement, training, noise, extended lay-off period and different types of system faults (corresponding to variations in workload). The task environment comprised up to five tasks, allowing for the observation of differential effects of the independent variables on different levels of cognitive activity. Dependent variables included primary task performance, secondary task performance, system control behaviour, information sampling behaviour, and subjective state measures. The findings suggested that primary performance was rarely affected, whereas certain secondary task measures and, notably, information sampling strategies appeared to be good indicators of changes in demand under the unfavourable conditions. The isolation and confinement experiments revealed no serious breakdown of performance among the crew but some indications of strain were observed. The use of two different training approaches displayed a very complex picture, with no method showing clear superiority over the other concerning performance, though there were differences in knowledge structure and system management behaviour. An important implication of the experimental work is that a broad methodological approach is needed in order to investigate the complex adjustment patterns displayed by individuals during the management of task demands under unfavourable conditions.

Thesis (MSc.(Aerospace Medicine)--Faculty of Health Sciences)-University of Pretoria, 2003.