Lung cancer is one of the main causes of death worldwide, with most patients suffering from an advanced unresectable or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer. The mortality trends are mostly related to patterns of tobacco use, specifically from cigarettes. Tobacco is the basic etiological agent found as a consequence of the inhalation of tobacco smoke. Published data show the use of interferons (IFNs) in the treatment of lung tumours due to their potential in displaying antiproliferative, anti-angiogenic, immunoregulatory, and proapoptotic effects. Type1 IFNs have been employed as treatments for many types of cancer, both for haematological cancers and solid tumours. The IFN-γ (naked) functions as an anticancer agent against various forms of cancer. Hence, this study aimed to investigate the genoprotective and genotoxic effects of IFN-γ liposome (nano) on 42 blood samples from lung cancer patients, compared to the same sample size from healthy individuals. The effectiveness of IFN- γ liposome against oxidative stress was also evaluated in this study. A concentration of 100U/ml of IFN-γ liposome was used to treat the lymphocytes in: Comet and micronucleus assays, Comet repair, Western blotting and real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) were based on a preliminary test for the optimal dose. The lymphocytes from lung cancer patients presented with higher DNA damage levels than those of healthy individuals. IFN-γ liposome was not found to induce any DNA damage in the lymphocytes. Also, it caused a significant reduction in DNA damage in the lymphocytes from lung cancer patients in; Comet, Comet repair and micronucleus assays. Furthermore, the 100U/ml of IFN-γ liposome significantly reduced the oxidative stress caused by H2O2 and appeared to be effective in both groups using the Comet and micronucleus assays. Results from; Comet, Comet repair and micronucleus assays were consistent. The data obtained indicated that IFN-γ in both forms (naked INF-γ and INF-γ nano-liposome) may potentially be effective for the treatment of lung cancer and showed the ability of IFN-γ liposome to reduce the DNA damage more than the naked form. The IFN-γ in both forms has also shown anti-cancer potential in the lymphocytes from lung cancer patients by regulating the expression of p53, p21, Bcl-2 at mRNA and protein levels by up-regulating the p53 and p21 to mediate cell cycle arrest and DNA repair in lung cancer patients. The findings of this study are consistent with the view that the naked IFN-γ and liposome could have a significant role in cancer treatment, including lung cancer. / Mutah University in Jordan

The purpose of this study was to review historical legislation relevant to the education of individuals with disabilities, examine the 1997 Amendments to the Individuals with Disabilities Act and related case law, and to create a knowledge base from which school-based professionals can make legally sound policy and planning decisions and reduce liability for noncompliance with the applicable laws and regulations pertaining to the 1997 Amendments to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. In addition, the study provided insight into the law and increased the comfort levels of school-based personnel who deal with exceptional students, thereby increasing the likelihood of success of exceptional students being served by these professionals in traditional settings. The study sought to: (a) determine the duties and responsibi~ities of school-based administrators arising from 1997 Amendments to Individuals with Disabilities Education Act; (b) establish how recent federal legislation and regulations have changed the duties and responsibilities of school districts regarding students identified under the 1997 Amendments to Individuals with Disabilities Education Act; identify the potential liabilities and remedies fer educational insti~utions for violation of 1997 Amendments to Individuals with Disabilities Education Act; and presented recommendations for changes in policies which will contribute to an educational institution's ability to successfully meet ~he needs of disabled students as required under the 1997 Amendments to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.

The research presented in this thesis investigates the motoric versus perceptual basis of bimanual coordination stability. A general introductory section provides an overview of Parkinson's disease, upper limb coordination in healthy younger and healthy older adults and individuals with Parkinson's disease, and the current views of the basis of bimanual coordination stability. Following the general introductory section are two manuscripts for the two experiments. Both experiments followed similar paradigms. Healthy young adults participated in the first experiment and individuals with Parkinson's disease and healthy older adults participated in the second experiment. Following the presentation of the empirical work is a general discussion section. This section is intended to summarize the two experiments, to discuss potential methodological issues and to provide ideas for future experiments. / Thesis / Master of Science (MS)

The research presented in this thesis investigates the motoric versus perceptual basis of bimanual coordination stability. A general introductory section provides an overview of Parkinson's disease, upper limb coordination in healthy younger and healthy older adults and individuals with Parkinson's disease, and the current views of the basis of bimanual coordination stability. Following the general introductory section are two manuscripts for the two experiments. Both experiments followed similar paradigms. Healthy young adult~ participated in the first experiment and individuals with Parkinson's disease and healthy older adults participated in the second experiment. Following the presentation of the empirical work is a general discussion section. This section is intended to summarize the two experiments, to discuss potential methodological issues and to provide ideas for future experiments. / Thesis / Master of Science (MSc)

Bakgrund En stor andel av äldre personer drabbas av demenssjukdom i Sverige. Sjukdomen ger ofta en känsla av att tappa sin identitet och upphov till beteendemässiga symtom som försämrar livskvalitet och skapar lidande. Med hjälp av olika omvårdnadsåtgärder kan dessa personer få hjälp att återskapa sin identitet, minska oro och ångest och därmed öka deras livskvalitet och välbefinnande. Syfte Att beskriva omvårdnadsåtgärder som främjar hälsorelaterad livskvalitet hos personer med demenssjukdom. Metod Studien genomfördes som en strukturerad litteraturstudie med inslag av den metodologi som används vid systematiska översikter. Databaserna som användes var CINAHL och PubMed, artiklarna som användes var publicerade mellan 2019 och 2024. Resultat I resultatet framkom att det viktigaste för att öka livskvaliteten för personer med demenssjukdom är individanpassat stöd och aktiviteterna. Involverar personer med demenssjukdom i sociala sammanhang, främjar delaktighet och skapa en trygg omgivning för att bidra till en bättre livskvalitet. Terapiformer som fysisk aktivitet, djurterapi och musikterapi har visat sig ha betydande positiva effekter på hälsa och välbefinnande hos personer med demenssjukdom. Slutsats De olika omvårdnadsåtgärderna som har en positiv effekt på livskvaliteten och välbefinnandet är exempelvis fysisk aktivitet, att vara ute i naturen, att bibehålla sociala relationer och känna en gemenskap, att lyssna på musik samt att vara i närheten av djur. / Background A large proportion of elderly individuals are affected by dementia in Sweden. The disease often leads to a sense of losing one's identity and gives rise to behavioral symptoms that deteriorate quality of life and cause suffering. Through various nursing interventions, these individuals can receive help to restore their identity, reduce agitation and anxiety, thereby increasing their quality of life and well-being. Aim To describe nursing interventions that promote health-related quality of life in people with dementia. Method The study was conducted as a structured literature review with elements of the methodology used in systematic reviews. The databases used were CINAHL and PubMed, and the articles used were published between 2019 and 2024. Results The results revealed that the most important factor in increasing the quality of life for people with dementia is individualized support and activities. Involving people with dementia in social settings promotes participation and creates a secure environment to contribute to a better quality of life. Therapies such as physical activity, animal-assisted therapy, and music therapy have been shown to have significant positive effects on the health and well-being of individuals with dementia. Conclusions The various nursing interventions that have a positive effect on quality of life and wellbeing include, for example, physical activity, being outdoors in nature, maintaining social relationships and a sense of community, listening to music, and being in the presence of animals.

This study has examined the main causes of high unemployment among foreign-born individuals by interviewing professionals within the field of practical social work. We have interviewed six supervisors within the labor market initiative Rusta & Matcha, an intervention for unemployed individuals carried out by private companies on behalf of the Swedish Public Employment Service. The results point to two main categories of causes for the high unemployment among foreign-born individuals: individual and structural/external factors. Individual factors include lack of language skills, low level of education, and limited work experience. Structural reasons include issues with validation and recognition of foreign qualifications, ethnic discrimination in the labor market, limited social networks, and cultural differences. Additionally, the results highlight how these causes affect different groups of foreign-born individuals. / Denna studie har undersökt de huvudsakliga orsakerna till den höga arbetslösheten bland utrikesfödda genom att intervjua professionella inom det praktiska sociala arbetet. Vi har intervjuat sex handledare inom arbetsmarknadspolitiska insatsen Rusta & Matcha, en åtgärd för arbetslösa utförd av privata företag på uppdrag av Arbetsförmedlingen. Resultaten pekar på två huvudkategorier av orsaker till den höga arbetslösheten bland utrikesfödda: individuella och strukturella/externa faktorer. Individuella faktorer inkluderar bristande språkkunskaper, låg utbildningsnivå och begränsad arbetslivserfarenhet. Strukturella orsaker omfattar problem med validering och värdering av utländska utbildningar, etnisk diskriminering på arbetsmarknaden, begränsade sociala nätverk och kulturella skillnader. Dessutom visar resultaten på hur dessa orsaker påverkar olika grupper av utrikesfödda

This thesis deals with the development of social insurance, specifically with health insurance and social security, from the standpoint of transfer of insurance-generated monies to the state budget. It presents the significance of social insurance in its current form and an analysis of the principal changes it has undergone in the last fifteen years. It particularly examines changes in the definition of participants in social insurance and changes in the use and structure of bases of measurement in individual insurance subsystems. This thesis also includes an analysis of these changes which seeks to analyze the past and potential impact of shifts in basic factors which influence the amount of money flowing from insurance to the state budget (such as minimum wage, average wage and number of paying participants) on individual participants in social insurance.

Modern technologies change economic relations in society and gradually transform the legislative framework. Blockchain-based cryptocurrencies are probably one of the most striking examples. Although they increase in value and are widely accepted as means of payment by major corporations, many EU member states are just starting to implement solutions to regulate their use, including in terms of taxation. At the same time, the EU fails to introduce a unified approach to the taxation of cryptocurrency transactions in its common economic area. Accordingly, the question arises as to whether the unified approach is justified, given the example of individual member states. The analysis of German, French, and Italian legislation showed that each state has a different approach to understanding the essence of cryptocurrencies. For example, Germany and France rely on the definition of “virtual currency” set forth in EU Directive 2015/849. However, while Germany uses the “cryptoassets” term, France uses the more general “digital assets” concept. In turn, Italy hasn’t enshrined yet any clear definition of cryptocurrencies in its legislation. This may lead to contradictions when considering international cases in the EU. Differences in understanding the essence of cryptocurrencies inevitably lead to differences in taxation approaches. On the one hand, Germany, France, and Italy recognise the validity of ECJ judgment in case C-264/14, exempting cryptocurrency transactions from VAT. On the other hand, while in Germany the profit from cryptocurrency trading is included in total personal income, thus, changing the progressive tax rate, this option is not possible for occasional transactions in France and is wholly excluded in Italy. Moreover, French law provides tax exemption for crypto-to-crypto exchange transactions. In Italy, this approach is accepted in practice, although not covered by the law. In turn, in Germany, taxes are levied on any transactions, which complicates the process of calculating the tax and creates uncertainty in specific issues, such as staking. Differences in the taxation of cryptocurrency transactions pose a question of the possibility of legal harmonisation, which is justified due to the underdevelopment of the principles of taxation of cryptocurrency transactions at the level of individual EU members. However, as a more correct solution, it is proposed to take measures to harmonise legislation based on directives, as this will allow avoiding an adverse impact on the fiscal sovereignty of the EU members.

Text in Afrikaans / Die ekologiese faktore wat bydra tot die onafhanklikheid van twintig Suid-Afrikaanse kwadruplee is vanuit 'n sistemiese perspektief beskou. ('n Selfontwerpte vraelys en onderhoud is benut). Die kriteria was dat: Hulle 'n betrekking beklee; finansieel selfonderhoudend is; tuis gaan in 'n eie woonplek; 'n voertuig besit wat aan hulle mobiliteitsvereistes voldoen; en van 'n rolstoel gebruik maak. Sekere demografiese faktore staan in 'n positewe vehouding tot onafhanklikheid. F aktore rakende die indiwidu het die meeste waarde vir die instandhouding en ontwikkeling van 'n onafhanklike lewenstyl. Faktore wat verband hou met die sosiale ondersteuningstelsel is van ietwat minder belang. Alhoewel die faktore wat verband hou met die gemeenskap nie heeltemal onbelangrik is nie, het dit deurgaans die minste waarde. Faktore wat verband hou met funksionele aanpassings (versorging; mobiliteit; loopbaanaangeleenthede en finansies; en dermkanaal- en blaasbeheer) was deurgaans van besondere belang. Die belangrikheid van tersiere opleiding; die hoeveelheid hulpmiddels in gebruik; en sport, oefening en ontspanning was minder as wat verwag is. / The ecological factors contributing to the independence of twenty South African quadriplegics were investigated from an systemic perspective. (A self compiled questionnaire and semi-structured interview were used). The criteria for inclusion is: Employment; financial self-support; living in a residences of their own; having a motor vehicle that satisfy their mobility requirements; and reliance on a wheelchair. Certain demographic factors are linked, positively to independence. The factors related to the individual appeared to be the most important factor in developing and maintaining an independent lifestyle. The social support system received a slightly lower value rating. Community factors, while not entirely unimportant, received the lowest ratings throughout the study. The factors regarding functional adaptations ( care; mobility; career issues and finances; and control over bowels and bladder) were in general of great significance. The value of tertiary education; the amount of special aids in use; and sport, exercise and recreation have been less than expected. / Social Work / M.A. (Sosiale Wetenskappe (Geestesgesondheid))

M. Tech. (Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Applied and Computer Science), Vaal University of Technology| / Pigeon droppings, found in abundance in most cities and towns where pigeons are found, are a source of potential yeast and molds into the environment. Invasive fungal infections are a cause of morbidity and often mortality in immunocompromised individuals. The objective of this study was to the identification of bacterial and mold agents from pigeon droppings. Pigeon droppings samples were collected from three locations during the winter and summer months and studied for the occurrence of bacteria, yeast and molds by utilising culture-independent techniques. Amplification of the 16S rDNA gene and the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region, cloning and ARDRA and DGGE were used for the characterisation of the microbial populations followed by sequencing. Several mold and yeasts, as well as bacteria were found to be present in pigeon droppings, which can spread into the environment and be transmitted to immunocompromised individuals and children. DGGE analysis of the bacterial communities revealed banding patterns that clustered all but one winter samples and all summer samples, showing a high similarity among the microbial members in both seasons and sample locations. Fungal DGGE analysis revealed clusters that grouped summer and winter samples from Johannesburg and Pretoria while VUT samples were clustered on their own. From the identification of fungal and bacterial DNA, Cryptococcus species was the majority of fungi isolated from the dropping samples. Geotrichum, Kazachstania and Fusarium species were isolated from phylotypes obtained from ITS amplicons analysed by ARDRA. Lactobacillus and Enteroccoccus species, organisms usually found in the gastrointestinal tract were the common bacterial members identified. The results showed no difference in microbial communities across all sample locations, while seasonal changes also had no impact in microbial community patterns.