Transformation of B Lymphocytes by SV40, a small DNA tumor virus

For decades we have assessed the risk to humans by the monkey virus SV40, through studies in animal models and humans. While there is increase in the accumulation of opinions over its DNA sequence prevalence in certain human cancers, especially non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, only few works have been addressed towards SV40 presence in human blood of healthy subject. In this work, experiment one, detected SV40 DNA sequences in 10/60 (17%) buffy coats of normal human blood donor of Aviano, Italy. In other to have insight if SV40 plays a role in lymphomagenesis, experiment two and three observed it’s in vitro interaction with normal human lymphocytes using infected and transfected purified T and B cells with SV40 virus and plasmid pSV3Neo. SV40 DNA sequences was detected with PCR analysis for 100 days post-infection (d.p.i) in both infected and transfected T and B cells respectively. Indirect immunoflourescence techniques detected VP1 protein for 50-d.p.i in infected cells and Tag protein in both infected and transfected throughout the d.p.i in culture, suggesting proper integration of SV40 into the cells. RT-PCR experiment also detected mRNA Tag for 30 and 20-d.p.i in infected T and B cells respectively. Trypan blue analysis and alamar blue assays revealed an increase of infected/transfected cells number and successively, a drastic and constant reduction in cell numbers in culture. Effective production of progeny was revealed with C.P.E and plaque assay with different titers in infected cells using CV-1 monolayer cells. Structure distortion was observed in both cell lines from early d.p.i using TEM. Presence of SV40 DNA sequence in normal blood donors suggested the human PBMCs to be a reservoir for SV40 virus. Furthermore, in this study, it has proved such as T cells and B are experimentally susceptible to infection by SV40. Further research will deepen and will focus on assessing the role of SV40 as a co-factor in the genesis of lymphoma

Sustainability in Southeast Nigeria Through Indigenous Environmental Education

This dissertation aims to illuminate why Indigenous Knowledge is declining in Igbo land, southeastern Nigeria, and the possibilities of using Indigenous Environmental Education to re-generate Igbo Indigenous Knowledge. The research, focusing on both Nigerian Igbo and diasporic Igbo, has the potential to add nuance and complexity to the discussion of Indigenous Knowledge in the context of Igbo people. This study is motivated by the research question “why is Igbo Indigenous knowledge declining and how has this decline impacted on Igbo language preservation, socio-cultural and ecological sustainability of Igbo people”? In exploring this fundamental question, I argue that a culturally based Indigenous environmental education rooted in Igbo language instruction may assist in preserving Igbo Indigenous knowledge, and local ecological resources. Drawing on postcolonial theory, decolonization and critical pedagogy as theoretical frames, I argue that these approaches interrogate Eurocentric dominant views, rooted in colonialism, that misrepresent and undermine African Indigenous knowledge. This dissertation also offers insight into how a persistent colonial mentality, continues to undermine Igbo worldviews. In conducting this research, I employ Indigenous Methodologies, involving Indigenous approaches to epistemology – stories and personal narratives. These are supplemented with interviews and document analysis. Since Igbo are well-dispersed people, the research design also considers Igbo Diaspora in Toronto to illustrate the effect of locatedness and the influence of a westernized environment on Igbo language and Indigenous Knowledge preservation. The findings from the research suggests that complementary epistemology, through a creative integration of Igbo Indigenous Knowledge and Western epistemic approaches in the school curriculum, presents a viable means of preserving Igbo Indigenous knowledge. Findings further suggest that Igbo youths are interested in Igbo Indigenous knowledge, nevertheless, society’s inability to transfer Indigenous knowledge and widespread western influences presents challenges to the preservation of Indigenous knowledge. Ultimately we must consider how to incorporate Igbo and other Indigenous knowledges, into the educational system so that the low-status accorded to them may be reversed. In the Igbo case, I argue, this warrants an epistemological approach grounded in Igbo language instruction and knowledge of the local environment

Incapacités intellectuelles et initiation aux transports publics : cahier des charges fonctionnel d'un jeu sérieux

Les transports publics soutiennent l’indépendance et encouragent l’inclusion sociale, scolaire et professionnelle. Ils sont des moyens sûrs pour avoir accès à la ville, aux services et aux activités. Toutefois, l’usage des transports publics en service régulier nécessite des connaissances et un savoir-faire que tous les voyageurs, tels que les personnes ayant des incapacités intellectuelles, ne maîtrisent pas. En effet, pour la plupart des individus, l’apprentissage de l’utilisation des transports publics se fait par l’expérience personnelle; néanmoins, pour les personnes qui ont des incapacités intellectuelles, il est nécessaire d’avoir recours à une formation pour acquérir des expériences de déplacement. La formation aux déplacements comme approche inclusive permet aux personnes qui ont des incapacités intellectuelles à apprendre l’utilisation des transports publics en service régulier, ce qui peut les aider à être plus autonomes et également à acquérir des compétences de déplacement. Cependant, la recherche a identifié des contraintes liées à la formation aux déplacements telles que les coûts temporels, les coûts par stagiaire, la peur liée à la sécurité ou à la compréhension des concepts complexes, etc. Ce travail vise à concevoir un cahier des charges fonctionnel pour le développement d’un jeu sérieux visant l’initiation aux transports publics en service régulier pour des personnes qui ont des incapacités intellectuelles et leurs formateurs/agents aidant. L’objectif étant de répondre aux besoins d’apprentissage et d’enseignement et à surmonter certains des obstacles identifiés.Public Transport supports independence and encourages social, educational and vocational inclusion. It is a sure means to gain access to the city, services and activities. However, using fixed-route requires knowledge and know-how that all travelers, such as people with intellectual disabilities, do not master. While for most of us learning to travel is done through personal experience, for people with intellectual disabilities there is a need for travel training in order to build up travel experience and confidence. Travel training as an inclusive approach allows people with intellectual disabilities to learn the fixed-route, which may help them to be more autonomous and also gain self-determination skills. Research has identified, however, some constraints related to travel training such as: time cost, cost per trainee, fear related to safety or the understanding of complex concepts, etc. Our project aims to design the functional specifications document for the design of a serious game for people with intellectual disabilities and their caregiver/trainers in order to support learning and teaching needs of how to use the fixed-route and overcome some of the identified constraints

Perceived Roles of Religious and Cultural Teachers in Implementing the Curriculum towards Achieving and Sustaining Peace in Imo State

The study investigated the perceived roles of Religious and Cultural Teachers in Implementing the Curriculum towards Achieving and Sustaining Peace in Imo State. The study was guided by two research questions and one hypothesis. Descriptive survey research design was adopted for the study. Multistage proportionate stratified random sampling techniques were used to draw a sample of 224 Christian religious teachers from population of 602 Christian religious teachers in junior and senior public secondary schools. Researchers developed two rating scales: Religious and Cultural Teachers Roles in Peace Achievement Rating Scale (RCTRPARS) and Level Religious and Cultural Teachers Discharge their Roles Towards Achieving Peace Rating Scale (LRCTDRTAPRS). The reliability of internal consistency of RCTPPARS and LRCTDRTAPRS are 0.86 and 0.82 respectively while reliability of temporal stability are 0.80 and 0.83 respectively. Mean and standard deviations were used to answer the research questions while z-test statistics was used to test the hypothesis at 0.05 significant levels. Findings showed the sixteen specific roles religious and cultural teachers are expected to play in discharging these duties, the religious and cultural teachers have significantly performed below the expected average level. Religious and cultural teachers should endeavour to be more proactive in the discharge of their duties in these areas through effective curriculum implementation so as to enhance the realization of peaceful society for all citizens

Incapacités intellectuelles et initiation aux transports publics : cahier des charges fonctionnel d'un jeu sérieux

Les transports publics soutiennent l’indépendance et encouragent l’inclusion sociale, scolaire et professionnelle. Ils sont des moyens sûrs pour avoir accès à la ville, aux services et aux activités. Toutefois, l’usage des transports publics en service régulier nécessite des connaissances et un savoir-faire que tous les voyageurs, tels que les personnes ayant des incapacités intellectuelles, ne maîtrisent pas. En effet, pour la plupart des individus, l’apprentissage de l’utilisation des transports publics se fait par l’expérience personnelle; néanmoins, pour les personnes qui ont des incapacités intellectuelles, il est nécessaire d’avoir recours à une formation pour acquérir des expériences de déplacement. La formation aux déplacements comme approche inclusive permet aux personnes qui ont des incapacités intellectuelles à apprendre l’utilisation des transports publics en service régulier, ce qui peut les aider à être plus autonomes et également à acquérir des compétences de déplacement. Cependant, la recherche a identifié des contraintes liées à la formation aux déplacements telles que les coûts temporels, les coûts par stagiaire, la peur liée à la sécurité ou à la compréhension des concepts complexes, etc. Ce travail vise à concevoir un cahier des charges fonctionnel pour le développement d’un jeu sérieux visant l’initiation aux transports publics en service régulier pour des personnes qui ont des incapacités intellectuelles et leurs formateurs/agents aidant. L’objectif étant de répondre aux besoins d’apprentissage et d’enseignement et à surmonter certains des obstacles identifiés.Public Transport supports independence and encourages social, educational and vocational inclusion. It is a sure means to gain access to the city, services and activities. However, using fixed-route requires knowledge and know-how that all travelers, such as people with intellectual disabilities, do not master. While for most of us learning to travel is done through personal experience, for people with intellectual disabilities there is a need for travel training in order to build up travel experience and confidence. Travel training as an inclusive approach allows people with intellectual disabilities to learn the fixed-route, which may help them to be more autonomous and also gain self-determination skills. Research has identified, however, some constraints related to travel training such as: time cost, cost per trainee, fear related to safety or the understanding of complex concepts, etc. Our project aims to design the functional specifications document for the design of a serious game for people with intellectual disabilities and their caregiver/trainers in order to support learning and teaching needs of how to use the fixed-route and overcome some of the identified constraints

Seeing the world through the eyes of God : reading the Book of Qoheleth in the light of Genesis 1:1–2:4a

Religious and existential concerns interweave in many books of the Bible to give attention to human’s existential anguish, the sense of guilt, the horror of death, the atrocious experience of the absurd. While many contemporary existentialist philosophers prefer to do without God in the attempt to deal with human’s existential contradictions, the search takes the authors of the Bible through intense spiritual struggles as they attempt to confront the belief in the goodness of God with the human experience of futility in all its facets. We want to seek a meeting point between the existentialist concerns of the book of Qoholeth with the profound theology of meaningfulness as elaborated in Genesis 1:1–2:4a. Our article therefore, has a decidedly pastoral orientation. We will attempt to move, through an analysis of select texts, to a re-affirmation of one of the spiritual truths that many mystics have tried to teach: that reason alone is not enough to guide the human person to the mysteries of life, the believer has to learn to unite with God or to the realities themselves to discover the fundamental goodness in many of the experiences that, in human perspectives, seem to be absurd. Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: We believe such union is needed in a world where racism, violence to minorities, gender inequalities, homophobic attitudes are thickening the clouds of discrimination and threatening some to doubt the fundamental goodness of creation as made by God.http://www.ve.org.za/index.php/VEdm2022Old Testament Studie

The Potential Effect of Medicinal Plants for Cartilage Regeneration

Any trauma to a joint such as sports injury can lead to osteoarthritis especially injuries that include torn cartilage, dislocated joints and ligaments. In sports injury specifically, most of the ointments in the market are only applied after physical activity. Repair of the bone and cartilage continues to be a challenge. Autologous and allografts are the gold standard for the treatment of the bone and cartilage. They have an invasive, open surgical procedure that requires the tissue to be harvested from an alternative site within the patient. South Africa is rich in native flora that is currently tapped as medicine by traditional healers. However, little is known about the natural products of our native flora and their potential to serve as a remedy for sports injuries, fracture healing and osteoarthritis. The grand purpose of the project is to explore medicinal plants of South Africa as a potential source for bone and tissue engineering of articular cartilage

Possible roles of Eucomis autumnalis in bone and cartilage regeneration: A review

In response to the recent alarming prevalence of cancer, osteoarthritis and other inflammatory disorders, the study of anti-inflammatory and anticancer crude medicinal plant extracts has gained considerable attention. Eucomis autumnalis is a native flora of South Africa with medicinal value. It has been found to have anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, anti-tumor/cancer, anti-oxidative and antihistaminic characteristics and produces bulb that have therapeutic value in South African traditional medicine. Despite the widely acclaimed therapeutic values of Eucomis autumnalis, its proper identification and proper knowledge, morphogenetic factors are yet to be efficiently evaluated. Similar to other plants with the same characteristics, E. autumnalis extract may stimulate bone formation and cartilage regeneration by virtue of its anti-inflammatory properties. This review provides data presented in the literature and tries to evaluate the three subspecies of E. autumnalis, highlighting their geographical location in South African provinces, their toxicity effects, as well as their phytochemistry and anti-inflammatory properties. Biologically active components, pharmacological importance and some environmental factors that can affect E. autumnalis are presented. The review also discussed the novel potential roles of E. autumnalis in regenerative medicine. Proper knowledge of the E. autumnalis plant and its possible role in bone and cartilage regeneration will help in addressing and clarifying its use in the production of drugs and for other therapeutic purposes, especially in the treatment of inflammatory diseases and cancer.Keywords: Medicinal plants, inflammatory diseases, toxicity, phytochemicals, bone regeneratio

GC–MS profile, anti-seizure and anti-pyretic activities of palm kernel nut oil and its isolate, N-Octanoic acid from specially breed palm kernel Elaeis guineensis

PURPOSE: Palm kernel nut oil (PKNO) from palm fruit of a rare breed of Elaeis guineensis (virescens), and one of the species belonging to the Elaeis genre of arecaceae family was subjected to Gas chromatography - Mass spectroscopic studies as well as anti-seizure and anti-pyretic studies. It is used in South-Eastern part of Nigeria as antipyretic and anti-seizure agents especially in children. The aim of this study was to evaluate the chemical contents of PKNO using GC-MS and to investigate the antiseizure and antipyretic properties of PKNO using animal model.METHOD: 1500 g Palm Kernels (PK) of the rare breed collected from Abia State were cracked open and the nuts (1000 g) poured into steel vessel and heated until oil was produced after charring the nuts. The oil (PKNO) was analyzed using GC-MS to determine its chemical composition. Yeast induced hyperthermia method was used for anti-pyretic studies while strychnine sulphate induced method was used for anti-seizure studies. PKNO and Octanoic acid (0.5 mg/kg ,1 mg/kg, 2 mg/kg) were administered intraperitoneally (IP).Paracetamol (0.15mg/kg) was used as reference standard for anti-pyretic assay while epilim and tegretol (0.14mg/kg, resp.) were used as reference standards for anti-seizure assay.RESULTS: The major component identified in the extract include: Dodecanoic  acid,2,3-dihydroxypropyl ester(19.36 %),n-Hexadecanoic acid(15.49  %),Dodecanoic acid( 12.51 %),Myristic acid ( 6.47 %), Dodecanedioic acid (3.93 %),n-Acetylpyrrolidone (3.67 %) , Thiazole (0.98 %) and Octanoic acid, OA ( 3.19 %).The anti-seizure results showed that doses of PKNO and OA used had Significant (p<0.02) anti-seizure activities by delaying the on-set of seizure from time of induction to time of first seizure observed. In yeast induced hyperthermia model, PKNO exhibited good level of anti-pyretic activities by direct reduction of pyrexia with the highest dose, 2.0 mg/kg. The PKNO and OA are proven to be safe till 3000 μl/kg as indicated by LD50 results.CONCLUSION: PKNO and its components mainly fatty acids, thiazole, and n- acetylpyrrolidone are potent and promising agents with anti-pyretic and antiseizure activities.Keywords: Anti-Seizure, anti-pyretic, Octanoic acid, elaeis virescens, GC-MS, Palm kernel nut oil (PKNO

HISTORY OF IGBO PEOPLE AND EDUCATION: A PSYCHOLOGICAL IMPLICATION

This paper argues that it is the duty and intellectual responsibility of indigenous elites to write the history of their own people. It claims that the knowledge of the language of peoples’ birth, history, cultural values, traditional norms, geography and education, to mention but a few place aborigines of a an area on a vantage position to deliver this crucial service to their people and humanity. This paper of the opinion that a few weeks’ vacation by expertrates to Igbo land; Nigerian is quite insufficient to equip any expatriate with the full knowledge and endowments needed to write about this fascinating people and area. That was the reason why theses researchers written what they know about their people, their history as it is and as it should be, to put records straight and decimate misinformation. Key Words: Agriculture; Cultural Values; Igbos’ History; Indigenous Education; Language; Local Technology; Religions; Socialization. DOI: 10.7176/HRL/53-05 Publication date: June30th 202