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Introduction: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is characterized by slow progression, functional limitations and poor quality of life. As a chronic disabling disease RA influence not only individuals but also their families. The impact of RA on family members includes providing the required care to the ill relative, postponing family plans, or altering family priorities and decisions due to the illness process. Purpose of the Study: The psychosocial changes that family members experience may possible compromise their health, family function and relationships with each other. The purpose of the current study was to describe the experience of family members who provide social support to their relative with RA. This study was set to explore the forms of support that are needed by family members to provide adequate support to their relative with RA. Method: The exploratory purpose of the study leads the researcher to conduct a descriptive qualitative study within the naturalistic inquiry. Naturalistic inquiry is consistent with the aims of this study in which the social support needs of family members of individuals with RA were explored and described. Findings: Five themes emerged from the data analysis, including: 1) effect of the disease; 2) reshaping the relationship; 3) providing support; 4) social support needs; and, 5) finding balance and coping. Conclusion: The impacts of RA on the lives of family members resulted from the chronicity of RA. Participants in this study described the effects of RA on themselves, the changes in the relationship with their relative with RA and their effort to maintain the relationship by providing support to their relative with RA. Additionally, they described the social support that they received from family members, friends and healthcare providers. They continuously identified the support they lacked. Nearly all participants were able to achieve balance between providing support and care to their relative with RA and engaging in their own life activities. They also utilized several coping strategies to achieve balance while providing support to their relative, carrying on their duty toward the family, work and their own personal needs. / Thesis (Master, Nursing) -- Queen's University, 2012-12-20 15:20:50.334

Standing at a workbench is required for manual work including sorting and assembly. When work heights and reach distances are not matched to stature or arm length, the trunk assumes a partially bent position, which increases the postural effort required to stand or to reach to far distances. As a result, the biomechanical load on the lumbar spine is raised, which contributes to a higher risk for back pain. In ergonomics, assistive devices are being developed to counter this effect. A new leaning device was tested in the laboratory with forward-bent standing and reaching where the trunk was bent forward and twisted to reach to a far target 45° from the center. This device supported the trunk at the upper chest. With leaning, back muscle activity decreased by ~ 60% with forward-bent standing and ~ 23-30% with the off-center reach, depending on reach height. Because leaning changed how standing remained balanced, ~12° less bending was required to reach the target. Therefore, upper-trunk support may be helpful for benchworkers when ergonomic design is not possible; some product development and testing is still needed to provide the right amount of support at the right time and to ensure there is no rib joint irritation. An interesting outcome from these previous studies was related to workers’ posture when they leaned against a workbench that was adjusted for heavier work (hip height). Low back muscle activity was unchanged with forward-bent standing, but decreased by ~ 23-30% with the off-center reach. This reduction was accompanied by greater twist at the mid back as a way of compensating for a loss of hip rotation. Three different heights for bench leaning were compared in a third study: elbow height, hip height and below hip height. The results showed that leaning at elbow height lowered the work demand by ~16-24% for far reach, partially due to changed motions consistent with greater mid back movement and coincided with ~ 8% increase in work demands at the mid-back and greater scapular recruitment. Therefore, more research is needed to establish work height guidelines for use when leaning against a workbench. / Thesis (Ph.D, Kinesiology & Health Studies) -- Queen's University, 2013-01-29 14:32:19.696

Spectrum sensing is the process of identifying the frequencies of a spectrum in which Signals Of Interest (SOI) are present. In case of continuous time signals present in a wideband spectrum, the information rate is seen to be much less than that suggested by its bandwidth and are therefore known as sparse signals. A review of the literature in [1] and [2] indicates that two of the many techniques used in wideband spectrum sensing of sparse signals are the Wideband Compressive Radio Receiver (WCRR) for multitoned signals and the mixed analog digital system for multiband signals. In both of these techniques even though the signals are sampled at sub-Nyquist rates using Compressive Sampling (CS), the recovery algorithms used by them are different from that of CS. In WCRR, a simple correlation function is used for the detection of carrier frequencies and in a mixed analog digital system, a simple digital algorithm is used for the identification of frequency support. Through a literature survey, we could identify that a VHSIC hardware descriptive ModelSim simulation model for wideband spectrum sensing of multitoned and multiband signals using sub Nyquist sampling does not exist. If a ModelSim simulation model can be developed using VHDL codes, it can be easily adapted for FPGA implementation leading to the development of a realistic hardware prototype for use in Cognitive Radio (CR) communication systems. The research work reported through this dissertation deals with the implementation of simulation models of WCRR and mixed analog digital system in ModelSim by making use of VHDL coding. Algorithms corresponding to different blocks contained in the conceptual design of these models have been formulated prior to the coding phase. After the coding phase, analyses of the models are performed using test parameter choices to ensure that they meet the design requirements. Different parametric choices are then assigned for the parametric study and a sufficient number of iterations of these simulations were carried out to verify and validate these models. / MIng (Computer and Electronic Engineering), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

The use of reinforcing bar (rebar) anchored with resin is a common method of rock support in both hard and soft rock mining. The average bond strength, or the load that the support can sustain for a linear length of bond to the rock, is typically determined through a series of pull tests. The average value of bond strength varies widely, since it is dependent on in-situ rock properties and environment. It is an important value because it allows mine engineers to select the appropriate length and pattern spacing of installation for the support. When a stiff support, like resin-anchored rebar, is placed in a weak, soft material, such as potash, the average bond strength tends to be lower in magnitude than for a typical hard rock installation. This research was primarily aimed at determining the failure mechanism, in soft rock applications, by which the support loses adhesion and begins to fail by sliding. Results of field pull testing determined that the resin-rock bond strength was the limiting factor controlling when adhesion loss occurred. This study investigated how the bond strength may vary given a number of variables typically found in a potash mine environment. Results reported from testing did not indicate variation in the bond strength of resin anchored rebar, significant for mining applications, given changes in resin cure time, vicinity to active mining areas, or the rock type to which the resin was adjacent. Using the results of laboratory and field testing, an equation was developed to estimate load on in-situ resin anchored rebar given deformation measurements taken from the field. This equation will help determine safe limits for fracture separations opening in the backs of potash drifts. Investigating the behaviour of resin anchored rebar in potash may lead to methods to improve bond strength and calculation of factors of safety for patterned ground support.