EXPERIENCES OF SOUTH AFRICAN SOCIAL WORKERS IN THE UNITED KINGDOM

This article forms the third phase of a research study conducted to explore the exodus of socialworkers from South Africa to the United Kingdom (UK). Already reported in a previous article(Naidoo & Kasiram, 2003) are phases one and two of the study wherein the views of two samplegroups were explored on relocation in South Africa. This third phase explored the needs, problemsand benefits experienced by social workers working in the UK. Social workers abroad were askedabout the following questions:· What made social work practice in South Africa problematic?· Was their South African education and training relevant?· What were the benefits of working in the UK?· What were the challenges to working in the UK?· What suggestions did they have for the survival of social work in South Africa

The effect of wastewater treatment works on foraging ecology, haematology, detoxification organs and reproduction in an urban adapter, the banana bat (Neoromicia nana).

Doctor of Philosophy in Biology. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville 2014.Natural land is rapidly becoming urbanized. Wastewater Treatment Works (WWTWs) are a ubiquitous component of this urban landscape. WWTWs may provide profitable foraging areas for insectivorous bats because of their association with a high abundance of pollution-tolerant chironomid midges (Diptera). However, bats that feed on these insects may also accumulate metal pollutants in their tissues, with acute or chronic effects on their health. There have been no studies to investigate whether African bats utilize these WWTWs as foraging grounds, and the potential physiological impacts from foraging at such sites. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of WWTWs on foraging ecology and multiple tiers of physiology (haematology and genotoxicity, detoxification organs and reproduction) in an urban adapter, the banana bat (Neoromicia nana, family Vespertilionidae) in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. N. nana exhibited a significantly higher abundance and feeding activity at wastewaterpolluted sites than at unpolluted reference sites. Additionally, the most abundant insect order at wastewater-polluted sites and in the diet of resident bats was Diptera, compared to a diverse insect diet at unpolluted sites. Thus, WWTWs provide an optimal food resource to bats in the short-term. However, I found significantly higher levels of essential and non-essential metals at WWTW-polluted sites, and in the tissues of WWTW bats than at unpolluted sites. Further, I found sub-lethal haematological and genotoxic responses related to increased metals in WWTW bats. Specifically, N. nana at WWTWs had significantly lower antioxidant capacity and significantly higher levels of DNA damage and haematocrits than bats from unpolluted sites. An accumulation of DNA damage, especially from double-stranded breaks ultimately leads to tissue damage and disease. These longer-term effects of chronic pollutant exposure should be most evident in the organs involved in detoxification, the liver and kidneys. Indeed, I found evidence of disrupted balance of essential metals and mineral nutrients, histopathological tissue damage and whole organ effects in the liver and kidneys. Finally, I found reproductive system alterations in male N. nana at WWTWs. Although I did not find significant effects on the sex organs, testosterone hormone concentrations were significantly lower in male N. nana at WWTWs than in males from unpolluted sites. In addition, body condition indices for N. nana from the WWTWs were significantly lower than at unpolluted sites, suggesting lower quality male bats at WWTWs. Taken together, these results suggest the potential for serious long-term health risks, negative fitness implications and ultimately, population effects for these top predators within the urban landscape

The effect of wastewater works on foraging behaviour and metal content of Neoromicia nana (Family : Vespertilionidae)

Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville, 2011.Anthropogenic disturbance from urbanization has introduced a range of contaminants into freshwater ecosystems. Wastewater Treatment Works (WWTW) in particular, deposit effluent with high metal concentrations directly into rivers. These pollutants may affect river biota directly or through modifications to habitat and prey. Therefore, the impact of metal pollution through a food chain should be evident in high trophic level predators such as Neoromicia nana. N. nana is a small, insect-eating bat that occurs in forest and riparian habitats in Africa. Most importantly, it is an urban exploiter, i.e. a species that takes advantage of anthropogenic food and habitat resources. I investigated the foraging behaviour and metal content of N. nana at wastewater-polluted sites (WWTW sludge tanks and sites downstream of wastewater discharge into the rivers) and unpolluted sites (sites upstream of wastewater discharge) at three urban rivers in Durban, South Africa, during winter and summer. To assess water quality, I determined cadmium, copper, chromium, iron, nickel, zinc and lead concentrations using Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry (ICP-OES). To investigate the foraging behaviour of N. nana, I quantified relative N. nana abundance, and feeding activity from recorded echolocation calls. Using ICP-OES, I quantified metal concentrations in three tissues (liver, kidney and muscle). My results show that concentrations of most metals were generally lowest upstream, intermediate at downstream sites and highest at the tanks. The relative abundance and feeding activity of N. nana were significantly higher at wastewater-polluted sites than at upstream sites, despite there being significantly more insect orders upstream. However, pollution-tolerant Chironomidae (Diptera), were significantly more abundant at wastewater-polluted sites. Indeed, at wastewater-polluted sites, Diptera represented the highest percentage of insects in the diet of N. nana. Essential metals (copper, zinc and iron) were detected in all tissue samples of N. nana. In contrast, the toxic metals cadmium, chromium and nickel were present in tissue of bats only at wastewater-polluted sites (except one upstream occurrence of cadmium). This suggests that these metals may accumulate in tissue through the ingestion of pollutant-exposed prey. Thus, metal pollution from WWTWs affects not only water quality of rivers, but also the diversity of resident aquatic insects and ultimately the ecology of N. nana populations, which may pose serious long-term health risks for these top predators

Non-coding RNAs and HIV: viral manipulation of host dark matter to shape the cellular environment

On October 28th 1943 Winston Churchill said “we shape our buildings, and afterward our buildings shape us” (Humes, 1994). Churchill was pondering how and when to rebuild the British House of Commons, which had been destroyed by enemy bombs on May 10th 1941. The old House had been small and insufficient to hold all its members, but was restored to its original form in 1950 in order to recapture the “convenience and dignity” that the building had shaped into its parliamentary members. The circular loop whereby buildings or dwellings are shaped and go on to shape those that reside in them is also true of pathogens and their hosts. As obligate parasites, pathogens need to alter their cellular host environments to ensure survival. Typically pathogens modify cellular transcription profiles and in doing so, the pathogen in turn is affected, thereby closing the loop. As key orchestrators of gene expression, non-coding RNAs provide a vast and extremely precise set of tools for pathogens to target in order to shape the cellular environment. This review will focus on host non-coding RNAs that are manipulated by the infamous intracellular pathogen, the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). We will briefly describe both short and long host non-coding RNAs and discuss how HIV gains control of these factors to ensure widespread dissemination throughout the host as well as the establishment of lifelong, chronic infection

The carry-over effect of an aquatic-based intervention in children with cerebral palsy

Background: Cerebral palsy (CP) is the most common motor disability in childhood. Children with CP are more likely to have lower levels of physical activity than their peers, which has negative implications for their health. However, aquatic exercise can be used to improve levels of fitness among children with CP. Objective: To determine the carry-over effect of an aquatic-based programme (postural control and balance) on land (walking, running and jumping) in children with CP, post aquatic intervention. Method: The study used a pretest-post-test, randomised group, cross-over design. Children aged 8–12 years (n = 10) were divided into intervention (n = 5) and control (n = 5) groups. The intervention group participated in two 30-min sessions a week, while the control group continued with normal activities. Pre- and post-intervention testing was conducted using gross motor function measurement. The 10-point programme of the Halliwick Concept was used. Results: Results demonstrated that the aquatic therapy had a significant effect on gross motor function scores. The aquatic programme-based group showed increased motor function following the intervention, compared to the control group (z = -2.803, p = 0.005). Furthermore, the aquatic-based therapy improved the average score for gross motor function measurement, post-intervention. Conclusion: Together with conventional modes of therapy, aquatic-based programmes should be integrated and considered as an essential, ongoing mode of treatment for children with CP, in order to ensure long-term gross motor function improvements

Adverse childhood experiences, mental illness, HIV and offending among female inmates in Durban, South Africa

Background: Childhood adversities and adult trauma are common among female inmates. Associations have been documented with childhood adversities and mental illness, personality disorders, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and violent offending. However, no such study had been conducted in South Africa (SA), despite the high prevalence of HIV and trauma in SA. Aim: To measure the prevalence of childhood adversities and adult trauma; and to determine if there is a relationship between childhood adversities, mental illness, personality disorders, HIV and violent offending among female inmates. Setting: The study was conducted at the largest correctional centre in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Methods: This cross-sectional, descriptive study randomly recruited 126 female inmates. The World Health Organization’s Adverse Childhood Experiences- International Questionnaire (WHO ACE-IQ) was used to measure childhood adversities; the Structured Clinical Interview for the Diagnostics and Statistical Manual-5 Research Version (SCID 5-RV) was used to diagnose mental illness; and a structured questionnaire was used to measure adult trauma. Human immunodeficiency virus data was confirmed from prison medical records. Results: Elevated rates of individual childhood adversities and adult trauma were found. Associations were found between cumulative childhood adversities and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), alcohol use disorder, substance use disorder, borderline personality disorder, and HIV. Conclusion: Female inmates are a highly traumatised population. Prison mental health services should provide trauma-informed and trauma-focussed care to improve inmates’ mental health outcomes and decrease recidivism. Contribution: This study contributes to the emerging literature on adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and their associations among incarcerated female populations, in a low- and middle-income, South African setting

Role of Akt signaling pathway regulation in the speckled mousebird (Colius striatus) during torpor displays tissue specific responses

Pronounced heterothermic responses are relatively rare among birds. Along with taxa such as hummingbirds and caprimulgids, the order Coliiformes (mousebirds) is known to possess the physiological capacity for torpor. During torpor, body temperature is greatly reduced and a bird becomes unresponsive to external stimuli until ambient temperatures return to more favorable conditions. Under such conditions, these birds are forced to rely only on their internal fuel storage for energy and show great reduction in metabolic rates by decreasing energy-expensive processes. This study investigated the role of the key insulin-Akt signaling kinase pathway involved in regulating energy metabolism and protein translation in the liver, kidney, heart, skeletal muscle, and brain of the speckled mousebird (Colius striatus). The degree of phosphorylation of well-conserved target residues with important regulatory function was examined in both the euthermic control and torpid birds. The results demonstrated marked differences in responses between the tissues with decreases in RPS6 S235/236 phosphorylation in the kidney (0.52 fold of euthermic) and muscle (0.29 fold of euthermic) as well as decreases in GS3K3β S9 in muscle (0.60 fold of euthermic) and GSK3α S21 (0.71 fold of euthermic) phosphorylation in kidney during torpor, suggesting a downregulation of this pathway. Interestingly, the liver demonstrated an increase in RPS6 S235/236 (2.89 fold increase) and P70S6K T412 (1.44 fold increase) phosphorylation in the torpor group suggesting that protein translation is maintained in this tissue. This study demonstrates that avian torpor is a complex phenomenon and alterations in this signaling pathway follow a tissue specific pattern.Supplementary material 1: Western blots for quantifying the relative levels of phosphorylated S209 eIF-4E and total mTOR levels in euthermic and torpid C. striatus tissuesSupplementary material 2: Sequence alignment of mousebird protein targets involved in the Akt signaling kinase pathway and protein translation in comparison to human sequencesThe Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), the Canada Research Chair in Molecular Physiology, an NSERC funded Alexander Graham Bell Canada Graduate Scholarship, an Ontario Graduate Scholarship and the National Research Foundation of South Africa.https://www.elsevier.com/locate/cellsig2021-11-01hj2020Zoology and Entomolog

Phosphorylation status of pyruvate dehydrogenase in the mousebird Colius striatus undergoing torpor

DATA AVAILABILITY STATEMENT : Data available on request from the authors.Torpor is a heterothermic response that occurs in some animals to reduce metabolic expenditure. The speckled mousebird (Colius striatus) belongs to one of the few avian taxa possessing the capacity for pronounced torpor, entering a hypometabolic state with concomitant decreases in body temperature in response to reduced food access or elevated thermoregulatory energy requirements. The pyruvate dehydrogenase complex (PDC) is a crucial site regulating metabolism by bridging glycolysis and the Krebs cycle. Three highly conserved phosphorylation sites are found within the E1 enzyme of the complex that inhibit PDC activity and reduce the flow of carbohydrate substrates into the mitochondria. The current study demonstrates a marked increase in S232 phosphorylation during torpor in liver, heart, and skeletal muscle of C. striatus. The increase in S232 phosphorylation during torpor was particularly notable in skeletal muscle where levels were ~49-fold higher in torpid birds compared to controls. This was in contrast to the other two phosphorylation sites (S293 and S300) which remained consistently phosphorylated regardless of tissue. The relevant PDH kinase (PDHK1) known to phosphorylate S232 was found to be substantially upregulated (~5-fold change) in the muscle during torpor as well as increasing moderately in the liver (~2.2-fold increase). Additionally, in the heart, a slight (~23%) decrease in total PDH levels was noted. Taken together the phosphorylation changes in PDH suggest that inhibition of the complex is a common feature across several tissues in the mousebird during torpor and that this regulation is mediated at a specific residue.Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada and National Research Foundation of South Africa.http://wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/jezhj2023Zoology and Entomolog

Viral Apoptosis Evasion via the MAPK Pathway by Use of a Host Long Noncoding RNA

An emerging realization of infectious disease is that pathogens can cause a high incidence of genetic instability within the host as a result of infection-induced DNA lesions. These often lead to classical hallmarks of cancer, one of which is the ability to evade apoptosis despite the presence of numerous genetic mutations that should be otherwise lethal. The Human Immunodeficiency Virus type 1 (HIV-1) is one such pathogen as it induces apoptosis in CD4+ T cells but is largely non-cytopathic in macrophages. As a consequence there is long-term dissemination of the pathogen specifically by these infected yet surviving host cells. Apoptosis is triggered by double-strand breaks (DSBs), such as those induced by integrating retroviruses like HIV-1, and is coordinated by the p53-regulated long noncoding RNA lincRNA-p21. As is typical for a long noncoding RNA, lincRNA-p21 mediates its activities in a complex with one of its two protein binding partners, namely HuR and hnRNP-K. In this work, we monitor the cellular response to infection to determine how HIV-1 induces DSBs in macrophages yet evades apoptosis in these cells. We show that the virus does so by securing the pro-survival MAP2K1/ERK2 cascade early upon entry, in a gp120-dependent manner, to orchestrate a complex dysregulation of lincRNA-p21. By sequestering the lincRNA-p21 partner HuR in the nucleus, HIV-1 enables lincRNA-p21 degradation. Simultaneously, the virus permits transcription of pro-survival genes by sequestering lincRNA-p21's other protein partner hnRNP-K in the cytoplasm via the MAP2K1/ERK2 pathway. Of particular note, this MAP2K1/ERK2 pro-survival cascade is switched off during T cell maturation and is thus unavailable for similar viral manipulation in mature CD4+ T cells. We show that the introduction of MAP2K1, ERK2, or HDM2 inhibitors in HIV-infected macrophages results in apoptosis, providing strong evidence that the viral-mediated apoptotic block can be released, specifically by restoring the nuclear interaction of lincRNA-p21 and its apoptosis protein partner hnRNP-K. Together, these results reveal a unique example of pathogenic control over mammalian apoptosis and DNA damage via a host long noncoding RNA, and present MAP2K1/ERK2 inhibitors as a novel therapeutic intervention strategy for HIV-1 infection in macrophages