Education for peace and democracy in the Literature and Language class: action researches in the Japanese Saturday School in London

This thesis is built around three pedagogical action researches relating to education for peace and democratic citizenship. These researches were conducted in three successive school years in the department of literature in the Japanese Saturday School in London (JSSL), with the collaboration of my departmental teaching colleagues and of the students in the senior division (15-18 years old), who we were teaching. They involved significant episodes of cross-age-group teaching and learning. The research questions are: 1) How could we, Language and Literature teachers of senior students, use Literature to develop effective curriculum and pedagogy units around the theme of war and peace? 2) How, more generally, could we develop and teach Language units that would nurture democratically-minded citizens who would become voluntarily and independently involved in society? The research draws throughout on the JSSL students’(atypical) experience of both Japanese and British life and education, and the thesis begins with points of comparison between Japanese and British society and education, bringing out Japan’s ‘seniority’ system and culture, its difficulty with its growing multi-culturalism, and its traditionally centralized education system. The first, and most prolonged, action research involved a sustained engagement with literature texts, approved for senior school use in Japan, to raise serious questions about war and peace, and more specifically about invasions of other countries. The second engaged the students in investigating Media reporting of wars and other matters to raise questions about the citizen’s news-consumer responsibilities. The third reflected on cultural differences between Britain and Japan and how we can ‘understand’ each other. It was helped by an extended session with a Japanese WWII veteran, who was famous for his reconciliation work with Japanese and British soldiers. The study uses a range of methods including a planning, teaching and research diary, semistructured interviews with teacher colleagues and students, student questionnaires and evaluations, and video records to track and evaluate: (a) the impact of the action researches on students (including the cumulative impact on students who experienced all three researches), and (b) the impact on teachers’ pedagogical development of working collaboratively and with cross-age-groups of students

Die trauma van geweldsmisdaad op die funksionering van geloofsgemeenskappe

Thesis (MTh)--Stellenbosch University, 2001ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Violent crime in South Africa in general and on the Cape Flats in particular, is a very complex phenomenon. This phenomenon has various historical, sociopolitical and economic roots. Furthermore, violent crime has a direct as well as indirect impact on the functioning of faith communities within societies. Congregations and churches do not function in isolation from the rest of society. Theology, and more specifically pastoral care, must be seriously concerned with the problems experienced by the community at large. A pastoral strategy should therefore move away from a spirituality that only focus on the impact of violence on individuals and families. Because violent crime is a systemic phenomenon, a socio-systemic approach should be followed, in which the impact of violent crime on faith communities should be analyzed in order to create a holistic model. In Chapter 1 we look at the reasons for violence. We focus on the appearance of crime, the relationship between aggression and crime. Different types of aggression as well as some underlying causes of aggression are discussed. In Chapter 2 we focus on crime as a national phenomenon. Certain historical roots of the current "culture of violence" are discussed. We also look at the impact of the political transition since 1990 on the socio-economic and moral situation in the country. In Chapter 3 we take a closer look at the situation on the Cape Flats. Particular attention is given to the issue of gangsterism, which in a certain sense has become synonymous with the Cape Peninsula. In Chapter 4 the trauma of violent crime on communities is the focus of discussion. Results of a victim survey in Cape Town are utilized. Violence against women and children enjoy special attention. The effect of violent crime on faith communities is highlighted. In the last chapter we try to put forward some guidelines for a theory of practice for the pastoral care of people living on the Cape Flats, using traditional-historic and current resources. We propose a holistic model with a systemic approach. We choose a theory of practice based upon an eco-hermeneutic model, which implies the following: The interpretation of the salvation of God to people (hermeneutic) within the reality (existence) of their daily lives (systemic). We indicate a few areas for long term, preventative building up and healing intervention and conclude with the results of this research.AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Geweldsmisdaad in Suid-Afrika in die algemeen en op die Kaapse Vlakte in besonder, is 'n uiters komplekse fenomeen, waarvan die wortels gesoek moet word in verskeie historiese, sosio-politieke en ekonomiese oorsake. Hierdie geweldsmisdaad het In direkte en indirekte impak op die funksionering van geloofsgemeenskappe binne die samelewing. Gemeentes en kerke funksioneer nie in isolasie van die res van die samelewing nie en daarom behoort teologie en die pastoraat in besonder, erns te maak met die probleme waarmee die breer gemeenskap worstel. In Pastorale strategie behoort dus weg te beweeg van In spiritualiteit wat fokus bloot op die impak van geweld op individue en gesinne. Omdat geweldsmisaad In sistemiese verskynsel is, behoort In sosio-sistemiese benadering gevolg te word waarbinne die impak van geweldsmisdaad op geloofsgemeenskappe kontekstueel ontleed word ten einde In holistiese model te ontwerp. In Hoofstuk 1 word daar gekyk na oorsake van geweld. Ons kyk na die voorkoms van misdaad, die verband tussen aggressie en geweld. Verskillende tipes aggressie sowel as onderliggende oorsake vir aggressie word bespreek. In Hoofstuk 2 word daar gefokus op geweld as nasionale fenomeen. 8epaalde historiese wortels van die huidige "kultuur van geweld" word bespreek. Daar word veral gekyk na die impak van die politieke transisie sedert 1990 op die sosioekonomiese en morele toestand in die land. In Hoofstuk 3 word die situasie op die Kaapse Vlakte van nader beskou. Die verskynsel van bendegeweld wat in 'n sekere sin al so sinoniem met die Kaapse Skiereiland geword het, kry besondere aandag. In Hoofstuk 4 word die trauma van geweldsmisdaad op gemeenskappe bespreek. Resultate van 'n opname onder slagoffers van misdaad in Kaapstad word as uitgangspunt gebruik. Geweld teen vroue en kinders geniet spesiale aandag. Die effek hiervan op die funksionering van geloofsgemeenskappe word uitgelig. In die laaste hoofstuk word gepoog om vanuit die tradisioneel-historiese sowel as hedendaagse bronne tot ons beskikking riglyne vir 'n moontlike praktykteorie vir die pastorale begeleiding van lidmate binne hierdie gemeenskappe op die Kaapse Vlakte daar te stel. 'n Holistiese model wat sistemies te werk gaan, word voorgestel. Die keuse vir In praktykteorie gebou op In eko-hermeneutiese model word gemaak, wat neerkom op: Die vertolking van God se heil aan mense (hermeneuties) binne die totale werklikheid van hule daaglikse bestaan (ekosistemies). In Paar areas vir langtermyn, preventatiewe opbou en ehelende intervensie word voorgestel en die navorsingsbevindinge van hierdie studie word aangedui

Novel Concepts for HIV Vaccine Vector Design

ABSTRACT The unprecedented challenges of developing effective vaccines against intracellular pathogens such as HIV, malaria, and tuberculosis have resulted in more rational approaches to vaccine development. Apart from the recent advances in the design and selection of improved epitopes and adjuvants, there are also ongoing efforts to optimize delivery platforms. Viral vectors are the best-characterized delivery tools because of their intrinsic adjuvant capability, unique cellular tropism, and ability to trigger robust adaptive immune responses. However, a known limitation of viral vectors is preexisting immunity, and ongoing efforts are aimed at developing novel vector platforms with lower seroprevalence. It is also becoming increasingly clear that different vectors, even those derived from phylogenetically similar viruses, can elicit substantially distinct immune responses, in terms of quantity, quality, and location, which can ultimately affect immune protection. This review provides a summary of the status of viral vector development for HIV vaccines, with a particular focus on novel viral vectors and the types of adaptive immune responses that they induce

Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation in Youth With Treatment Resistant Major Depression

Background: Major depressive disorder (MDD) is common in youth and treatment options are limited. We evaluated the effectiveness and safety of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) in adolescents and transitional aged youth with treatment resistant MDD.Methods: Thirty-two outpatients with moderate to severe, treatment-resistant MDD, aged 13–21 years underwent a three-week, open-label, single center trial of rTMS (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT01731678). rTMS was applied to the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) using neuronavigation and administered for 15 consecutive week days (120% rest motor threshold; 40 pulses over 4 s [10 Hz]; inter-train interval, 26 s; 75 trains; 3,000 pulses). The primary outcome measure was change in the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (Ham-D). Treatment response was defined as a >50% reduction in Ham-D scores. Safety and tolerability were also examined.Results: rTMS was effective in reducing MDD symptom severity (t = 8.94, df = 31, p < 0.00001). We observed 18 (56%) responders (≥ 50% reduction in Ham-D score) and 14 non-responders to rTMS. Fourteen subjects (44%) achieved remission (Ham-D score ≤ 7 post-rTMS). There were no serious adverse events (i.e., seizures). Mild to moderate, self-limiting headaches (19%) and mild neck pain (16%) were reported. Participants ranked rTMS as highly tolerable. The retention rate was 91% and compliance rate (completing all study events) was 99%.Conclusions: Our single center, open trial suggests that rTMS is a safe and effective treatment for youth with treatment resistant MDD. Larger randomized controlled trials are needed.Clinical Trial Registration:www.ClinicalTrials.gov, identifier: NCT0173167

Inhibitory receptor expression on memory CD8 T cells following Ad vector immunization

T cells are an important component of immune responses, and their function is influenced by their expression of inhibitory receptors. Immunization with alternative serotype adenovirus (Ad) vectors induces highly functional T cell responses with lower programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) expression and increased boostability relative to Ad5 vectors. However, a detailed phenotypic characterization of other inhibitory receptors is lacking, and it is unknown whether Ad5-induced CD8 T cells eventually recover function with time. In this report, we measure the expression of various inhibitory receptors and memory markers during early and late time points following vaccination with Ad5 and alternative serotype Ad vectors. CD8 T cells induced by Ad5 exhibited increased expression of the inhibitory receptor Tim-3 and showed decreased central memory differentiation as compared with alternative serotype Ad vectors, even a year following immunization. Moreover, relative to Ad5-primed mice, Ad26-primed mice exhibited substantially improved recall of SIV Gag-specific CD8 T cell responses following heterologous boosting with MVA or Ad35 vectors. We also demonstrate that low doses of Ad5 priming resulted in more boostable immune responses with lower PD-1 expression as compared to high Ad5 doses, suggesting a role for vector dose in influencing immune dysfunction following Ad5 vaccination. These data suggest that Ad5 vectors induce a long-term pattern of immune exhaustion that can be partly overcome by lowering vector dose and modulating inhibitory signals

Hippocampal volume in early onset depression

BACKGROUND: Abnormalities in limbic structures have been implicated in major depressive disorder (MDD). Although MDD is as common in adolescence as in adulthood, few studies have examined youth near illness onset in order to determine the possible influence of atypical development on the pathophysiology of this disorder. METHODS: Hippocampal volumes were measured in 17 MDD subjects (age = 16.67 ± 1.83 years [mean ± SD]; range = 13 – 18 years) and 17 age- and sex-matched healthy controls (16.23 ± 1.61 years [mean ± SD]; 13 – 18 years) using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). RESULTS: An analysis of covariance revealed a significant difference between MDD and control subjects (F = 8.66, df = 1, 29, P = 0.006). This was more strongly localized to the left hippocampus (P = 0.001) than the right hippocampus (P = 0.047). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings provide new evidence of abnormalities in the hippocampus in early onset depression. However, our results should be considered preliminary given the small sample size studied

Neuro-PASC is characterized by enhanced CD4+ and diminished CD8+ T cell responses to SARS-CoV-2 Nucleocapsid protein

IntroductionMany people with long COVID symptoms suffer from debilitating neurologic post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (Neuro-PASC). Although symptoms of Neuro-PASC are widely documented, it is still unclear whether PASC symptoms impact virus-specific immune responses. Therefore, we examined T cell and antibody responses to SARS-CoV-2 Nucleocapsid protein to identify activation signatures distinguishing Neuro-PASC patients from healthy COVID convalescents.ResultsWe report that Neuro-PASC patients exhibit distinct immunological signatures composed of elevated CD4+ T cell responses and diminished CD8+ memory T cell activation toward the C-terminal region of SARS-CoV-2 Nucleocapsid protein when examined both functionally and using TCR sequencing. CD8+ T cell production of IL-6 correlated with increased plasma IL-6 levels as well as heightened severity of neurologic symptoms, including pain. Elevated plasma immunoregulatory and reduced pro-inflammatory and antiviral response signatures were evident in Neuro-PASC patients compared with COVID convalescent controls without lasting symptoms, correlating with worse neurocognitive dysfunction.DiscussionWe conclude that these data provide new insight into the impact of virus-specific cellular immunity on the pathogenesis of long COVID and pave the way for the rational design of predictive biomarkers and therapeutic interventions