IN VITRO EVALUATION OF THE BIOACTIVITY OF GNIDIA POLYCEPHALA AND SENECIO SERRATULOIDES

Published ThesisThe worldwide increase in disability and death rates due to non-communicable and infectious diseases may partly be attributed to the expense, inaccessibility and severe side effects of current treatment strategies. Medicinal plants provide an avenue to discover and develop cheap, safe yet potent alternative therapies that are easily accessible and culturally acceptable. This study evaluated the bioactivity of extracts from Gnidia polycephala and Senecio serratuloides in order to assess their potential for drug development. The acetone, methanol and aqueous plant extracts were tested for anticancer activity as well as for cytotoxicity in vitro using the Sulforhodamine B assay. The α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibition assays were used to evaluate their potential as hypoglycemic agents. The antimicrobial efficacy of the plant extracts against specific bacteria was determined by means of the broth microdilution method. The phytochemical constituents of the plant extracts were detected using standard qualitative phytochemical screening techniques as well as Gas chromatography. The extracts from Gnidia polycephala and Senecio serratuloides had weak (IC50) or no anticancer activity against renal, melanoma and breast cancer cell lines. The extracts were also classified as low or weak hazard against the normal human fetal lung fibroblast cell line and were selective for the cancer cells and could therefore be safe to use. The acetone extract from G. polycephala showed good α-amylase inhibition at 66.34 ± 0.84%; while G. polycephala acetone (81.75 ± 0.86%), aqueous (54.84 ± 0.65%) and methanol (45.43 ± 0.56%) extracts and S. serratuloides acetone (78.86 ± 1.10%) extract showed good anti-α-glucosidase activity. Only S. aureus was susceptible to G. polycephala acetone and methanol extracts at 10 mg/ml and susceptible to S. serratuloides acetone and methanol extracts at 5 mg/ml. Hydrolysable tannins were detected in extracts from both plants, while flavonoids were detected in S. serratuloides extracts. Few medically important compounds such as 4-((1E)-3-Hydroxy-1-propenyl)-2-methoxyphenol and 2-Methoxy-4-vinylphenol were identified using Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GCMS). The G. polycephala extracts showed higher α-amylase and α-glucosidase enzymes inhibitory activities than the extracts from S. serratuloides and further fractionation of these extracts to determine which compounds are responsible for the α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibition as well as to determine if the inhibition is as a result of the compounds acting synergistically or individually is recommended

WARNA LOKAL BALI DALAM KUMPULAN CERPEN "SAGRA" KARYA OKA RUSMINI : ANALISIS SOSIOLOGI SASTRA

Sebagaimana karya sastra yang lain, kumpulan cerpen Sagra karya Oka Rusmini mempunyai kekhasan tersendiri. Oka Rusmini sebagai pengarang yang lahlr di Jakarta dan besar di Bali ternyata bisa mengangkat "jantungU etnisnya, dalam hal ini masyarakat Bali. Kumpulan cerpen Sagra memang bennuatan subkultur Bali yang sangat kuat, terutama adat-istiadatnya. Kelahiran kumpulan cerpen Sagra bisa membantu pemahaman terhadap dinamika masyarakat Bali secara lebih mendalam. Penelitian dengan menggunakan kumpulan cerpen Sagra sebagai objek penelitian ini diberi judul "Malena Warna Lokal Bali dalam Kumpulan Cerpen Sagra Karya Oka Rusminin. Penelitian ini bertujuan menunjukkan adanya perwujudan warna lokal dalam kumpulan cerpen Sagra dan sekaligus untuk memberi makna atas adanya perwujudan warna 10ka1 tersebut. Metode analisis yang ditcrapkan dalam penelitian ini adalah kualitatif yang disajikaan secara deskriptif analitis. yaitu mendeskripsikan satu per satu unsur-unsur yang ada dalam teks yang mengandung warna lokal untuk kemudian diana1isis. Da1am metode ini, langkah pertama yang dilakukan adalah mencari unsur-unsur warna lokal yang ada di dalam teks dengan menggunakan pendekatan sosiologi sastra. yang ditekankan pada masalah sosiobudaya untuk rnengkaji lebih lanjut masalah wama lokal tersebut. Adapaun data primer yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah kumpulan cerpen Sagra karya Oka Rusmini. Dengan menggunakan pendekatan sosiologi sastra, diharapkan dapat mengungkap makna wama lokal yang dikaitkan dengan masalah sosial yang ada di dalam cerpen tersebut dengan realitasnya Dalam kumpulan cerpen Sagra, tampaknya yang rnenjadi fokus utama dalam penelitian ini adalah warna lokal yang tergambar mela1ui latar dan tokoh. Selain itu, wama lokal juga dilihat dari adat kebiasaan dalam masyara'katnya. Beberapa tokoh yang dijumpai dalam kumpulan cerpen Sagra lebih banyak mewakili golongan sosialnya daripada pribadinya dan dapat dipergunakan sebagai penunjuk status sosialnya Setiap peristiwa yang ada di dalam cerpen tersebut selalu menggambarkan dan terjadi di wilayah Bali. Hal inilah yang menjadi dasar bahwa segala peristiwa dalam setiap cerpen dilatari oleh daerah Bali. Selain itu, adanya adat kebiasaan budaya Bali yang dijurnpai pada setiap cerpen memiliki kekhasan tersendiri. Kekhasan inilah yang membuat perbedaan antara budaya Bali dengan budaya dari daerah lain. Perbedaan itu diwujudkan dalam bentuk upacara· upacara adat yang dimiliki oleh masyarakat Bali dan penyebutan yang berbeda pada setiap kasta yang berbeda pula, khususnya pada kasta yang lebih tinggi. Dalam hal pemaknaan, terlihat bahwa warna lokal yang tergambar dalam kwnpulan cerpen tersebut sangatlah dipengaruhi oleh latM belakang kehidupan masyarakatnya.. Kebidupan masyarakat Ba1i yang mempunyai tingkat status sosial yang berbeda-beda sangatJah berpengarub didalamnya

Traumatic experiences of domestic violence that affect children within the family - a challenge to pastoral care

Children witness violence in the home in a number of different ways. They may see or hear the abusive episode, will experience the aftermath, and sense the tension in the build-up to the abuse. Even when the parents believe the children were unaware of what was happening, the children can often give detailed accounts of the events. Quite apart from possible physical involvement or direct abuse, these emotionally damaging actions have a detrimental and often long-lasting effect on the children. This research focuses on the problem field of Domestic violence as a devastating social problem that impacts every segment of the population. Primary system responses are principally targeted toward adult victims of this violence and abuse. However recent increased attention is now being focused on the children who witness domestic violence. Children are often the 'forgotten victims' of Domestic violence and abuse. They are affected not only by directly witnessing abuse. But also by living in an environment where one of their parent, who usually is the main caregiver, is being repeatedly victimised. Children in a home where one parent is being abused are also at a risk of being abused themselves. Number of factors comes into play as far as the extent to which children exposed to domestic violence are affected. Age and gender, how much they witness and whether or not they are personally involved in the abuse, their personality, among others will play a role in this regard. Children who live with domestic violence are exposed to increased risks. Among others, the risk of exposure to traumatic events and the risk of losing one or both of their parents. These have the potential to lead to negative outcomes for children and affect their well-being, and stability. Children who have had exposure to domestic violence are likely to experience any or all of the following problems: emotional; behavioural; cognitive and attitudinal; physical; and long-term problems. Children's risk levels and reactions to domestic violence exist on a continuum where some children demonstrate enormous resiliency while others show signs of significant maladaptive adjustment. This has the ability and potential to lead to very serious psychological trauma with possible long-term effects, affecting not only the child's well-being during or shortly after the violence. But affecting the child's ability to build and maintain healthy relationships in his/her adult life. There is no classic of conceptual understanding and treatment of traumatized and troubled children. There is no archetypal therapeutic practice for traumatised children buttressed by pastoral counselling, forming a framework of shared assumptions, practices, and interpretive ideas. One suspects that the many clergypersons who seek to work with and help such children are struggling to find their way, with little to guide them and certainly no comprehensive model with which to work. This research does not seek to become a manual to aid clergy in helping traumatized children. But a navigation tool for the clergypersons who journeys with this young ones. The research will give attention to the issue of domestic violence, and provide a stark reminder that domestic violence breeds discomfort, disrupts normal life, especially in children. Furthermore the focus of this research is that domestic violence leaves a child traumatized. Thus the purpose here is inter alia, to reach out to such traumatized child as well as tapping into a child’s world; and to find healing for the traumatized child. A Childhood Lost I am the eldest one of three I have two brothers younger than me When we were growing up our lives were sad Living at home with our mum and dad We had no money and very little food He spent it on drink and came home in a mood The teachers at my school said how well I did They must have known the secrets I hid How may pairs of glasses can one woman break? The bruises, the marks, the lives at stake That's why we slept out on the streets at night For me it was safer, so we used to take flight Away from the man supposed to protect Out into the darkness, did anyone suspect? For if we stayed I knew what it would mean A beating for mum would be heard or seen I envied my friends, they had happy lives With dads who actually loved their wives I am now older with kids of my own My dad's 56 and now lives alone He lost his kids, his home and his wife He's dying of cancer, now he's losing his life He’s no longer scary, he's no longer bad He's a Grandad who's dying, but he's still my dad. ~ T. Dissertation (MA(Theol))--University of Pretoria, 2011.Practical Theologyunrestricte

Inactivation of Microorganisms and Potato Tuber Moth Eggs and Pupae Using a Dielectric Barrier Discharge Plasma

A dielectric barrier discharge plasma device (DBD) was built, characterized and operated. Ten species of gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, as well as fungus and spores of Bacillus cereus and its vegetative cells, in addition to eggs and pupae of the potato tuber moth (PTM) were exposed to DBD plasma. A strong detrimental effect on the exposed species was observed in function to the exposure time at helium: air ratio 98:2, electrode gap 1.8 cm, amplitude of discharge voltage 6 kV and an effective power density 208 mW/cm3. The outcome of this work provides valuable data on the use of DBD plasma as an alternative non-heating sterilization method to kill or inhibit microbial growth and protecting potatoes from PTM infestation

Detection of Listeria pathogens by gradient/constant denaturing gel electrophoresis

Listeriosis is a serious, but preventable disease, and the virulence factor of this disease is produced only by the two pathogenic species L. monocytogenes and L. ivanovii in humans and/or animals. In this study, we used both denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) and constant denaturing gel electrophoresis (CDGE) as molecular methods combined with Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) for the detection and identification of Listeria pathogens on 543 samples of raw milk collected from all Syrian provinces. The two methods are based on the PCR amplification of a fragment of the InlC gene (virulence gene) from the studied Listeria species and on the analysis of the PCR products ob-tained by DGGE/CDGE. Based on the differences present in the sequences amplified, it was possible to obtain species-specific DGGE/CDGE migration that allowed fast and easy identification of the virulence and pathogenicity of L. monocytogenes and L. ivanovii in humans and/or animals, in order to reduce the incidence of Listeria bacteria in the environment and foods and to prevent the occur-rence of listeriosis in animal and human hosts

Association Between Socioeconomic Factors and the Choice of Dentifrice and Fluoride Intake by Children

It is questionable whether socioeconomic factors influence the choice of marketed children’s dentifrices and whether these products are associated with greater fluoride (F) intake in children. The present cross-sectional study involving 197 children (mean age: 40.98 ± 6.62 months) was carried out in Montes Claros, Brazil. Parents completed a questionnaire on socioeconomic status and the tooth brushing habits of their children. The children brushed their teeth and saliva residues were collected for F analysis. F intake from dentifrice was determined with an ion-specific electrode. Univariate analysis and logistic regression were used to test whether the type of dentifrice (children’s or family) and F dose (<0.05 and ≥0.05 mg F/Kg of body weight/day) were associated with the independent variables (p < 0.05). No differences were found between children’s and family dentifrices regarding daily F intake (0.046 and 0.040 mg F/Kg/day, respectively; p = 0.513). The following were strong predictors for the use of a children’s dentifrice: studying at a private kindergarten (OR: 6.89; p < 0.001); age that the child begun to tooth brush <2 years (OR: 2.93; p = 0.041), and the interaction between the variables “use of the same dentifrice as parents” and “type of tooth brush used” (OR: 27.20; p < 0.001). “The amount of dentifrice used” and “frequency of tooth brushing” (p ≤ 0.004) had a statistically and synergistic effect over the daily F dose. The present study found a social influence over the choice of dentifrice: children with a high socioeconomic status tend to use a children’s dentifrice. The amount of dentifrice used can strongly increase the risk of exposure to higher doses of F, regardless of the type of dentifrice