3. Electronic Theses and Dissertations (ETDs) - All submissions
Permanent URI for this communityhttps://wiredspace.wits.ac.za/handle/10539/45
Browse
5 results
Search Results
Item The effect of caregiver training on time-use of children living in residential care facilities(2011-04-07) Koch, Lyndsay CarolInfants and toddlers living in residential care facilities are at risk of developmental delay. Environmental factors contributing to this risk are the temporal context (how children spend their time) and social context (how and when caregivers interact with children). This study compared time-use patterns of children living in residential care facilities where caregiver training had previously taken place versus those in facilities where caregiver training had not taken place using a non-experimental, cross-sectional static group comparison study design. Spot observations were used to estimate time-use patterns of infants and toddlers living in residential care in Johannesburg. Results show that caregiver training increased the quantity of time infants spent with their caregivers (temporal context) and the quality of time toddlers spent with their caregivers (social context). Thus caregiver training has the potential to improve the environment in residential care facilities and can be used as an intervention strategy by occupational therapists.Item The effect of alcohol on cranial neural crest cells: implications for craniofacial development(2011-03-31) Oyedele, Olusegun OlufemiWhile ethanol is recognised beyond doubt as a teratogen to the unborn fetus, research nevertheless continues in order to understand its mode of action and its effects at the cellular level. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of an acute dose of ethanol on cranial morphology and morphometry in mouse fetuses, as well as on the morphology, migration and the expression of cell migration related genes in cultured chick cranial neural crest cells (cNCCs). Thirteen pregnant C57/BL mice were orally administered with 0.03ml/g of 25% (v/v) ethanol daily on gestational days (GD) 6, 7 and 8. Ten control animals received an identical dose of saline. On GD 18, all mice dams were killed and their fetuses were removed. Fetal morphological observations and crown-rump lengths were evaluated as were mean litter size, survival rate, birth weight and cranial dimensions. Cranial neural crest cells (cNCCs) were cultured from Potchefstroom koek koek stages 8-10 (HH) chick embryo neural tubes either in culture medium (DMEM) to which 0.2%, 0.3% and 0.4% ethanol (v/v) respectively, was added (treated) or in DMEM only (controls). Whole-mount HNK-1 immunocytochemistry was performed on treated and control chick embryos, as was an assay for caspase-dependent apoptosis. Photographs were taken of the cultures and the distance which the neural crest cells migrated from the neural tube at 24 and 48 hrs post-culture was measured. 24-hr time-lapse video microscopy recordings were also made to analyse the migration of the neural crest cells. Rhodamine-phalloidin immunocytochemistry for the actin cytoskeleton and scanning electron microscopy of surface ultrastructure were performed on migrating treated and non-treated cNCCs, as were proliferation assays and quantitative PCR of cNCCs‟ β-actin, Rac 1, Rho B and slug genes. There was a statistically significant increase in fetal reabsorption as well as a significantly reduced fetal survival rate observed in newborn mice fetuses that had been exposed to ethanol in utero compared to control fetuses. Ethanol-exposed mice showed a number of abnormalities, which were not significantly increased over vi controls (p>0.5). Birth weight, crown-rump length and mandibular length were also not significantly different in treated fetuses compared to controls (p>0.5). Treated (0.3%) chick cNCCs migrated over a significantly increased distance at both 24hrs and 48hrs compared to controls (p<0.05) in the axes of migration that were studied. The migratory distances of cNCCs derived from embryonic stage 9 (HH) were markedly affected by treatment with alcohol. The actin cytoskeleton of treated cNCCs showed disorganisation and loss of focal adhesion contacts while Rac 1, Rho B and slug genes were either up-regulated or down-regulated depending on the ethanol dose and duration of treatment. Ethanol promotes significant proliferation in cNCCs and may affect their migration by altering the expression of migration-linked genes and the arrangement of the actin cytoskeleton.Item The effect of shift work on women shift workers(2010-02-19T11:07:56Z) Van Grenen, HelenItem “Land Tenure Problems and the Rural Youth of Rwanda” The Case of the District of Kamonyi(2007-02-16T11:24:46Z) Dushimimana, Jean de DieuThis study aimed to investigate land tenure problems experienced by the youth of the rural areas of Rwanda. The study targeted the young men and women who have experienced several land problems in terms of land access and ownership, in the district of Kamonyi. The youth’s land tenure problems, their nature, their causes and their effects on youth’s lives were collected and analysed. The study also aimed to analyse the National Land Policy document of 2004 by looking at three aspects namely the land redistribution, group settlement, and the participation of other different government departments, civil society and youth in particular in the policy process in order to see how it deals with land tenure problems facing the rural youth. In order to collect and analyse data, this study used a qualitative method. The use of this method was motivated by its quality of providing information that one can not get with a questionnaire. Moreover, the qualitative method enables to collect and analyse in-depth information on a smaller group of respondents and enables the researcher to participate in data collection. Documentary analysis, observation, in-depth interviews and the focus group discussion were the techniques used to gather data. The study population was made of 20 young people who have experienced the land problems and 10 key informants. The concept of participation, the human needs, and the resource scarcity and conflict theories framed this work. Participation means that all the beneficiaries of a project must be involved in the decision-making, implementation and control process of the programme. As the concept of participation highlights that, problems of poverty among people, specifically young people, are solved when they are involved in planning and implementation of projects that affect their lives, the same concept was used in the current study to investigate whether rural young people have been involved in the land reform process. Youth participation should be taken into account for achieving positive development. When youth are involved in decision-making, they experience social justice as full citizens and their problems are quickly solved. Participation should be achieved from below whereby all members of the community participate in the decision-making on the projects that affect their lives. In other words, developmental projects must take into account the needs and views of beneficiaries and the latter must be empowered in order to achieve effective results. Many development policies fail in Africa and in Rwanda due to the lack of involving beneficiaries or taking into account their views. In addition, the natural resources must be equally shared by all the citizens without any social inequality, in order to avoid intractable-conflicts. People’s basic needs should be met because where some basic needs such as water, land, education, healthcare, shelter are not given, conflicts arise. Where resources are not sufficient to fit with all people in need, the properties’ ownership should be collective rather than individual. The key findings of the study show that the ways of land access and ownership in Kamonyi are mainly, land acquisition through inheritance, through land purchase through land gifted, and through land allocation by the government. Youth experience mainly the problem of landlessness due to the family land scarcity, inequalities between the elites and the poor in terms of land ownership, the increasing number of heirs since women have been included among heirs, the problem of polygamy and the lack of a known father. Many households have no title-deeds, some male children and their fathers become reluctant to recognise women’s inheritance rights, conflicts around land boundaries between neighbours and conflicts between children and their parents due to the lack of inheritance become endless. The national Land Policy of 2004 that intends to solve all the above land tenure problems bears contradictions related to its aim of achieving equity and equality and productivity at the same time. While the policy intends to establish a land tenure system that guarantees tenure security for all Rwandans, it also states that not every Rwandan will possess a plot of land of his own. In addition, it states that former refugees, professionals pastoralists and farmers, and those who will be able to apply for land showing interest in land development will be given land through the redistribution programme, which means that those who are not able to make a consistent application for land or do not belong to former refugees families will not acquire land. In addition the policy process has not been participative at large; rather it has been limited in the hands of elites, rural dwellers especially youth have not been consulted while they are familiar with land related problems. The group settlement is a good alternative but it bears ambiguity because it is silent on the youth’s lives and on who is accountable to build houses in villages.Item Caregiver experiences and perceptions of the effects of stroke on the family within the South African context(2006-02-14) Felemengas, MaryBackground: With the increasing prevalence of stroke in developing countries, like South Africa, the long-term care of stroke patients living with disabilities has substantial consequences for caregivers and their respective families. Method: This study investigated caregiver perceptions of their experiences, as well as familial implications due to the incidence of stroke within the family system. The assessment, in the form of a semi-structured interview, described the experiences post-stroke as perceived by six primary caregivers. It additionally addressed the challenges the South African context adds to these experiences. This was conceptualised within a systems and biopsychosocial framework, enabling the caregiver and family to be considered in a comprehensive and holistic manner. Results: Prominent themes associated with the caregiving of a stroke patient included: role changes, relationship disruptions within the family system, occupational and social implications, fatigue, anxiety, depression, as well as financial problems. An additional sub theme was that the emotional impact on the family system was greater in cases where younger children were involved. However, social support increased the caregivers’ ability to cope and this additionally assisted the rest of the family in their adjustment. Caregiver experiences were exacerbated by the inadequate support structures available within the South African context, with the lack of post-stroke education being an issue of great concern. Conclusions: Practical implications of this study are discussed, along with considerations of the limitations of the study and suggestions for future research.