Sci-Afric Journal of Scientific Issues, Research and Essays

147-150

Authors: Ramin Ataee, Ali Asghar Ahmadi, Mohammad Shadifar, Amin Ataie, Cathy Vaillancourt, Majid Jafari-Sabet, Talal Oufkir.

Sci-Afric Journal of Scientific Issues, Research and Essays Vol. 2 (4), Pp. 147-150, April, 2014. © Sci-Afric Journal Research Paper Apoptosis is induced by curcumin in synergism with 5FU in human colorectal cancer cell line. *Ramin Ataee1, 2, Ali Asghar Ahmadi3, Mohammad Shadifar3, Amin Ataie4, Cathy Vaillancourt5, Majid Jafari-Sabet6, Talal Oufkir5 1. Talasemia research center, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran. 2. Pharmaceutical sciences research center, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran. 3. North research center-Pasteur institute of Iran, Amol, Mazandaran, Iran. 4. Department of Pharmacology, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran. 5. INRS-Institut Armand-Frappier, Université du Québec, Laval, QC, Canada. 6. Department of Pharmacology, AJA University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. *Correspondence Author E-mail: ramin_ataee@yahoo.com Accepted March 6th, 2014 Abstract Background: Curcumin, a phenolic derived from the rhizome of the Curcuma longa linn (Zingi-beraceae), has been recognized as a promising anti-cancer drug due to its multiple properties, including anti-inflammatory,antioxidant and anti-angiogenic. Also some evidences show its' anti-cancer effect in some malignancies as in colon, prostate and breast cancer. To show better, the role of curcumin in colon cancer and apoptosis in comparison with 5flurouracil (5-FU) we have planned this project. Material and methods: For Proliferation test we used MTT assay and for apoptosis study we used TUNEL assay. Also 5FU has been provided as positive control Results: Our experiment has shown that curcumin, in a dose-dependent manner, reduces cell viability and increases apoptosis in HT29, SW480 and SW742 colorectal cancer cell lines as analyzed by MTT and TUNEL assay, respectively. Moreover, combined with 5FU synergistically increased the number of hypodiploid cells and DNA fragmentation and decreased cell viability in all colorectal cancer cell lines. This study demonstrates that adding curcumin to 5FU have a synergic anti-mitogenic and apoptotic effect on colorectal cancer cell lines. These results suggest a potential use of serotonin 5-HT2A receptor antagonist in co-treatment with curcumin in colon cancer therapy. Keywords: Curcumin, Colon Cancer, 5FU, MTT assay, Apoptosis.

156-159

Authors: Agere Hemen, Kela SL., Istifanus WA.

Sci-Afric Journal of Scientific Issues, Research and Essays Vol. 2 (4), Pp. 156-159, April, 2014. © Sci-Afric Journal Research Paper Chemotherapeutic Trials of Praziquantel and Ivermectin on victims of Urinary Schistosomiasis in Taraba North Senatorial District; Nigeria. 1Agere Hemen, 2Kela SL., and 2Istifanus WA. 1. Biological Sciences Department, Federal University Wukari, Taraba State-Nigeria. 2. Biological Sciences Department, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi-Nigeria. *Correspondence Author E-mail: agere.hemen@gmail.com Accepted March 24th, 2014 Abstract Chemotherapeutic trials of two antihelminthic drugs, namely praziquantel and ivermectin were carried out for urinary schistosomiasis control in Jalingo and Ardo-kola LGAS of Taraba State. Three children with the highest worm burden in each school were selected and in the order of decreasing intensity; the first child was given praziquantel, the second child was given ivermectin and to the third child the placebo, dependol (panadol which shapes like praziquantel) was administered. 13(76.47%) of the 17 children in Jalingo treated with praziquantel shed no eggs after the administration of the first dose. The remaining four children shed no eggs after the second dose of praziquantel. Using the Chi-square statistic, a significant difference(X2 16= 230.15, P<0.01) was observed in the egg burden before and after treatment with praziquantel. Pupils treated with ivermectin, MSD showed a slight decrease in the egg burden after the second dose, but the decrease was not significant(X2 16=31.47, P>0.001). A similar trend to that observed in Jalingo was the case in Ardokola; with 12(85.71%) of the children shedding no eggs after the first dose of praziquantel and the remaining 2 children becoming worm free after the second dose. Therefore, in Ardokola too there was a significant difference(X2 13=357.24, P<0.001) in the egg burden after treatment with praziquantel. In Ardokola, though the chemotherapeutic trial showed a reduction in egg burden, it was not statistically significant(X2 13=31.17, P>0.001). The high cure rates of praziquantel observed in both Jalingo and Ardokola portend that the drug remains the drug of choice for the treatment of urinary schistosomiasis. On the contrary, though ivermectin is known to have good cure rates against Onchocerca species, and some other gastrointestinal helminthes and protozoans, the result of this study does not conclusively show it is suitable for the treatment of schistosomiasis. However, there is need for further investigation of the efficacy of ivermectin on schistosomiasis since in the study slight reduction in worm burden was observed in the two areas studied. Keywords: Chemotherapy, Ivermectin, Praziquantel, Placebo, Urinary Schistosomiasis.

173-179

Authors: Mona Mohammad H, El-Gamal MM, Abdel Razek FA, Elgiar EA, Nour Eldeen F

Sci-Afric Journal of Scientific Issues, Research and Essays Vol. 2 (4), Pp. 173-179, April, 2014. © Sci-Afric Journal Research Paper Effect of different feeding regimes on the performance of Daphnia longispina. *1Mona MH., 1El-Gamal MM., 2Abdel Razek FA., 1Elgiar EA., 1Nour Eldeen MF. 1. Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, Tanta University, Egypt. 2. National Institute of Fisheries Oceanography, Alexandria, Egypt. *Correspondence Author E-mail: Drmona2005@hotmail.com Accepted April 15th, 2014 Abstract The study was conducted to evaluate the best feeding regime that will be helpful in reducing the cost of production and increasing the profit margin of Daphnia. Daphnia longispina was collected from Kafr El-Sheikh (Egypt). Four food types were tested (Scendesmus quadricola; Osillatoria ocutasama, horse manure and yeast). Six criteria were investigated (Length and width; fecundity; number of offspring/brood; number of broods/female; number of offspring/female and Life span) to meet the food quality. The tested foods didn't affect the survival, swimming activity or life span of Daphnia. Daphnia fed with Scendesmus quadricola scored significant length, width, number of offspring/pouch, total offspring/female followed by yeast. While those fed with the other algae (Osillatoria ocutasama) recorded the lowest outcomes followed by horse manure. Keywords: Daphnia, food, quality, quantity, algae, yeast, manure, reproduction.

188-192

Authors: Dr. (Mrs) Ayodele Omojuwa.

Sci-Afric Journal of Scientific Issues, Research and Essays Vol. 2 (5) Pp. 188-192, May, 2014. © Sci-Afric Journal Research Paper HIV/AIDS: “In God we believe, in condoms we trust” an exposition of the role of Faith, Sex, and Ethics among Tertiary Education Students in Lagos Nigeria. Dr. (Mrs) Ayodele Omojuwa Department of Arts and Social Sciences Education, University of Lagos, Nigeria. Accepted May 07th, 2014 Abstract In every community all over the world volunteers discuss HIV/AIDS transmission and its prevention. At the end of 2007, there were about 33 million people living with HIV/AIDS: 2.7 million people were estimated to have acquired the HIV that year. Although the epidemic has stabilized, it remains a leading challenge for global health. Many people believed that condom is the best method of protection against HIV/AIDS while some believe that if you trust in God you will not have the disease in any form. In the light of these opinions, this paper has showcased the opinion of the university Students on the use of condom as a protection against HIV/AIDS. The study was a survey that sought to identify the role of condom in protecting HIV/AIDS. Nine months ago, I waited anxiously in the Education Hall as the clock approached the start time for our first student panel discussion on faith and sexual ethics, and the hall remained quiet as a few audience members passed the time in their chairs. That was the beginning of “In God we believe, in condoms we trust”. In the light of this, I aspired not to establish the religious "rights" and "wrongs" on the issue of faith, sex and ethics (though that is a valuable pursuit in ethics), but rather to explore and analyze the methods of ethical discernment employed consciously and unconsciously by students as they encounter sexual ethics topics in their lives and communities. With so many other interesting events on our campus, would anyone show up to hear their peers-not experts or intellectuals discuss religion and sex freely? To my surprise, the quiet crowd eventually grew to nearly two hundred and fifty students, many of whom squatted on the floor or squeezed in along the walls around the cramped room in order to participate in "Homosexuality and Religion," the first panel's title and theme. ," the phenomenally popular student discussion series I had the privilege of facilitating through University Student Research Fellowship at the West African Christian university Center for Applied Ethics this year. In conjunction with over 50 one-on-one interviews I conducted among the student body, the series aimed to explore the complex ways in which students' religious affiliations inform (or do not inform) their views on issues in sexual ethics, including premarital sex, use of condom, birth control, abortion, dating, and homosexuality. In identifying the methodological trends in ethical discernment through the discussion series, students were challenged to mindfully consider their own methods of ethical discernment and invited to critically assess their own sexual ethics and those of their peers. This study also highlighted the theoretical issues, trends in student ethical strategies, faith and student views and strategies analysis. Keywords: HIV/AIDS, Sex, Faith, Ethics and Education.