Resumo As samambaias são frequentemente usadas pelos indígenas em Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Paquistão. Este estudo foi desenhado para coletar o conhecimento etnomedicinal e tradicional desses moradores sobre este grupo de plantas vasculares. Quarenta táxons pertencem a dezenove gêneros, e dez famílias são utilizadas no tratamento de diferentes doenças. Pteridaceae foi a família mais representativa com doze táxons (30%), seguida por Athyriaceae e Dryopteridaceae com seis táxons cada (30%), e Thelypteridaceae com cinco táxons (12,5%). Em relação aos gêneros, Adiantum, Asplenium e Dryopteris ficaram em primeiro lugar com quatro táxons cada (30%), seguidos por Aleuritopteris, Diplazium, Pteris e Equisetum com três táxons cada (30%), e Athyrium, Oeosporangium, Polystichum e Pseudophegopteris com dois táxons cada (20%). Estes táxons foram comumente usados no tratamento de distúrbios respiratórios, isto é, asma, bronquite, enfisema, pneumonia; úlcera intestinal, estômago, doenças urinárias e doenças da pele pelos métodos de decocção e infusão. O conhecimento tradicional sobre plantas etnomedicinais é uma fonte valiosa e essencial para a descoberta de medicamentos alopáticos, fitoterápicos e homeopáticos.

Abstract Ferns are often used by indigenous people in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. This study was designed to collect the ethnomedicinal and traditional knowledge of these locals about this group of vascular plants. Forty taxa belong to nineteen genera and ten families are used in the treatment of different diseases. The Pteridaceae was the most representative family with twelve taxa (30%), followed by Athyriaceae and Dryopteridaceae with six taxa each (30%), and Thelypteridaceae with five taxa (12.5%). Regarding the genera, Adiantum, Asplenium and Dryopteris ranked first with four taxa each (30%), followed by Aleuritopteris, Diplazium, Pteris and Equisetum with three taxa each (30%), followed by Athyrium, Oeosporangium, Polystichum and Pseudophegopteris with two taxa each (20%). These taxa were commonly used in the treatment of respiratory disorders i.e. asthma, bronchitis, emphysema, pneumonia; intestinal ulcer, stomach, urinary ailments and skin disorders by the methods of decoction and infusion. Traditional knowledge about ethnomedicinal plants is a valuable and essential source for the discovery of allopathic, herbal and homeopathic medicines.

Several potential genotoxins found in water samples arise from anthropogenic activities. Acid mine effluent resulting from coal mining poses serious environment concerns all over the world. The use of toxicity tests to evaluate the quality of streams add value by providing site-specific toxicological data. Treatment systems such as the use of natural wetlands (passive) or conventional physical and chemical pH-neutralised processes (active) are employed mainly to meet certain water quality guidelines. Nonetheless, potential genotoxins or residues remain which influence the quality of discharged effluents. The objective of this study was to evaluate the genotoxic potential of acid mine drainage (AMD) released into a natural stream following treatment by passive and active methods. This study aimed to identify the extent of AMD mutagenicity and genotoxicity to African Vero monkey kidney cell line and a fish gill cell line (RTgill-W1) using two assays, the Ames test, and the comet assay, as a rapid and effective screening tool. The Ames test performed without metabolic activation using Salmonella typhimurium TA98 and TA100 strains showed no indication of mutagenicity in the water samples tested. Differing results were however obtained for the comet assay using the African Vero monkey kidney cell line and a fish gill cell line (RTgill-W1), which revealed DNA fragmentation and variations in morphologies indicative of genotoxicity in the water samples following the two treatment processes. A significant reduction in DNA damage was observed in water samples following active treatment of the AMD, evidenced by reduced damage frequency and a lowered comet score. This bioassay confirms the urgency of integrating high-throughput screening in aquatic toxicity assessment at genetic levels, giving further evidence that in-vitro bioassays can be incorporated for use in short-term genotoxicity assays. The result suggests that the comet assay proved sensitive at detecting genotoxicity, supporting the integration of this into environmental monitoring frameworks targeted at AMD-contaminated sites.

The background of this study is found in the common perception that love as concept is linked to Jesus as basic ethical commandment and identity marker of Christians. This view has been challenged lately, and will be reconsidered in light of Luke. The question addressed as objective of this article is whether the Lukan Jesus may be called the 'Jesus of love', as Jesus refers only twice (Lk 6:27-38 and 10:25-37) to intense personal love (ἀγαπάω - akin to love typical of family or friends). Following established exegetical approaches, all the uses in Luke of the word groups ἀγαπάω/ἀγάπη and φιλέω/φίλος were analysed, illustrating the diverse ways in which these words are used by Luke. The two contexts referring to intense love were analysed in more detail and it was shown that love functions as the overarching term for other terms referring to concepts such as mercy, compassion, good deeds, non-retaliation and other concepts linked to the underdogs, enemies, the poor, oppressed or women in Luke. The result of the investigation was that, although the Lukan Jesus does not use the term ἀγαπάω frequently, the idea of love as overarching term is indirectly attested through the use of these other terms describing compassion, respect, assistance, mercy, et cetera. In this sense, the Lukan Jesus is the 'Jesus of love'. CONTRIBUTION: The contribution to research lies in the detailed description of the semantics of love in Luke and showing that Jesus' ministry might, with good reason, be described as a ministry of love

Holstein cows on a farm in the Humansdorp district, Eastern Cape province, South Africa, developed reddened, painful teat skin 3 days after grazing a mixed forage crop dominated by bulb turnip (Brassica rapa, Barkant cultivar). The crop was grazed 45 days after planting and 10% of the herd developed symptoms. More characteristic non-pigmented skin lesions started manifesting 1-2 days after the appearance of the teat lesions. Affected cows had elevated serum activities of gamma-glutamyl transferase, glutamate dehydrogenase and aspartate aminotransferase. These blood chemistry findings confirmed a secondary (hepatogenous) photosensitivity. As a result of the severity of the teat and skin lesions, seven cows were slaughtered and tissue samples from five of them were collected for histopathological examination. Liver lesions in cows that were culled 3 or more weeks after the onset of the outbreak showed oedematous concentric fibrosis around medium-sized bile ducts and inflammatory infiltrates in portal tracts. Characteristic lesions associated with other known hepatobiliary toxicities were not found. No new cases were reported 5 days after the cattle were removed from the turnips. The sudden introduction of the cows, without any period of transitioning or adaptation to grazing turnips, as well as the short latent period, clinical signs of photosensitisation, blood chemistry and histopathology, confirmed a diagnosis of Brassica-associated liver disease, a condition seen in New Zealand but not previously described in South Africa. Brassica forage crops are potentially toxic under certain conditions and farmers must be aware of these risks.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and resultant oxidative stress (OS) has been implicated as a pathway of toxicity in animal species exposed to pollutants. The gills of aquatic animals and the liver and kidneys of mammalian species are specific cellular sites of toxicity. Oxidative effects of acid mine drainage effluent (following passive and active treatment) impacting a natural stream were assessed using selected cell lines. Levels of pollutants such as heavy metals in acid mine drainage (AMD) effluent can be quantified following treatment, but it is unknown whether this is associated with equivalent reduction in toxicity. ROS production by AMD untreated (U) and after treatment (T) was quantified in a fish gill cell line (RTgill-W1) and in two mammalian cell lines (C3A human liver and Vero monkey kidney). ROS production was determined using the oxidant sensitive fluorogenic probe, 2', 7'-dichlorofluorescein diacetate (DCFH-DA) following exposure to U and T, AMD water. Treatment of AMD water caused reduction in levels of Al, Zn, Fe, Si and Mn while levels of Cr, Cu, Ar and Hg remained unchanged. A dose-dependent increase in ROS production was observed for U and T. ROS formation decreased from 14% to 4.5%, 16.4% to 7.2% and 25.3% to 17.7% in the RTgill-W1, C3A, and Vero cell lines exposed to 100% AMD water, U and T. The presence of Mn and/or other ions in treated water and subsequent ROS formation indicates that water could still be toxic to cells and requires further processing. The DCFH-DA assay in several cell lines can be used to rapidly bio-monitor quality of AMD water related to formation of ROS and subsequent cellular effects. However, cut-off levels for cellular toxicity must be established to ensure safety of this water for aquatic animals and for animal and human consumption.

The human innate immune system is indispensable for protection against potentially invasive microbial and viral pathogens, either neutralising them or containing their spread until effective mobilisation of the slower, adaptive (specific), immune response. Until fairly recently, it was believed that the human innate immune system possessed minimal discriminatory activity in the setting of a rather limited range of microbicidal or virucidal mechanisms. However, recent discoveries have revealed that the innate immune system possesses an array of novel pathogen recognition mechanisms, as well as a resourceful and effective alternative mechanism of phagocyte (predominantly neutrophil)-mediated, anti-infective activity known as NETosis. The process of NETosis involves an unusual type of programmed, purposeful cell death, resulting in the extracellular release of a web of chromatin heavily impregnated with antimicrobial proteins. These structures, known as neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs), immobilise and contribute to the eradication of microbial pathogens, ensuring that the anti-infective potential of neutrophils is sustained beyond the lifespan of these cells. The current review is focused on the mechanisms of NETosis and the role of this process in host defence. Other topics reviewed include the potential threats to human health posed by poorly controlled, excessive formation of NETs, specifically in relation to development of autoimmune and cardiovascular diseases, as well as exacerbation of acute and chronic inflammatory disorders of the airways.

In this on-farm investigation, we report on stillbirths, weakness and perinatal mortality seen in calves on a commercial beef farm in the Roossenekal area, Mpumalanga province, South Africa. Post-mortem examination of these calves and histopathological examination of organ and tissue samples did not indicate an infectious aetiology. Affected calves had marginal to deficient whole blood selenium concentrations. Whole blood samples collected from adult cattle on this farm and five neighbouring farms were deficient in selenium. The potential contributions of other minerals to the symptoms seen are a subject of ongoing investigation, but selenium deficiency was marked in this herd and required urgent correction. Methods to correct the deficiency included the use of injectable products, and an oral selenium supplement chelated to methionine. Selenium availability to plants is primarily determined by the selenium content of the parent bedrock, the presence of other minerals and the pH of the soil. The apparent sudden onset of this problem implicates a soil factor as being responsible for reducing selenium's bioavailability in this area. Selenium deficiency can have a significant impact on human health. HIV and/or AIDS, various forms of cancer and several specific clinical syndromes are associated with selenium deficiency in humans, and the impact on human health in this area also requires further investigation.

The question asked is to what extent could one speak of ethical dynamics in the Gospel of John, even in cases where there is no surface level textual evidence for the presence of ethical material? It is argued that through the process of rereading ('relecture'), which is invited by the Johannine text as performative text, ethical dimensions are highlighted in texts where such emphases were not apparent at the first reading. As example the events at the temple, narrated in John 2:13-22, are analysed.

This article is the first of two parts that contribute to the history of African biblical research. Africa's theological 'awakening', following the colonial period, includes the discipline of New Testament studies. In this article the contributions of theologians working in Africa on the field of Johannine studies are surveyed and evaluated. In certain areas theologians from Africa performed very well, whilst other areas should receive more attention.

Hierdie artikel is die eerste van twee, wat saam 'n bydrae tot die geskiedenis van Bybelnavorsing in Afrika wil lewer. Afrika se teologiese bewuswording wat op die koloniale periode volg, sluit die dissipline van Nuwe-Testamentiese navorsing in. In hierdie artikel word die bydrae van teoloë wat in Afrika werk, ondersoek en ge-evalueer. In sekere areas het die teoloë uit Afrika besonder goed gevaar, maar ander areas behoort meer aandag te geniet.

ABSTRACT The post-occipital sinus of the spinal vein is often used for the collection of blood samples from crocodilians. Although this sampling method has been reported for several crocodilian species, the technique and associated anatomy has not been described in detail in any crocodilian, including the Nile crocodile (Crocodylus niloticus). The anatomy of the cranial neck region was investigated macroscopically, microscopically, radiographically and by means of computed tomography. Latex was injected into the spinal vein and spinal venous sinus of crocodiles to visualise the regional vasculature. The spinal vein ran within the vertebral canal, dorsal to and closely associated with the spinal cord and changed into a venous sinus cranially in the post-occipital region. For blood collection, the spinal venous sinus was accessed through the interarcuate space between the atlas and axis (C1 and C2) by inserting a needle angled just off the perpendicular in the midline through the craniodorsal cervical skin, just cranial to the cranial borders of the first cervical osteoderms. The most convenient method of blood collection was with a syringe and hypodermic needle. In addition, the suitability of the spinal venous sinus for intravenous injections and infusions in live crocodiles was evaluated. The internal diameter of the commercial human epidural catheters used during these investigations was relatively small, resulting in very slow infusion rates. Care should be taken not to puncture the spinal cord or to lacerate the blood vessel wall using this route for blood collection or intravenous infusions.

During the previous century Dodd was one of the most significant and influential interpreters of the Gospel of John. His views on the symbolic nature of the Gospel formed the basis of his hermeneutical program for understanding the Gospel. He understood the Johannine symbols in the light of what he regarded as the relevant background material. Theologically he interprets the symbols within a Platonic-like structure, arguing that the symbols in John function as hermeneutical bridges between the background material and the theological formation of the Gospel of John. In subsequent literary studies this approach was and still is questioned.

Humeri of farmed and wild Nile crocodiles (Crocodylus niloticus) collected during routine post-mortem examinations were boiled, cleaned and examined for lesions. Various degrees of gross bone and articular pathology were found. The lesions were situated predominantly at the proximal and distal epiphyseal and metaphyseal regions of the bone, where growth and bone remodelling occurs. In advanced cases partial collapse of the articular surface could be identified. From the collection of crocodile bones five particular cases are described. Because of the wide distribution of origin of the affected animals, nutritional or toxicological causes seem unlikely. One of the cases presented was associated with mycoplasmosis. These forms of crocodilian bone pathology need further investigation.

Urine samples can be a very useful diagnostic tool for the evaluation of animal health. In this article, a simple technique to collect urine from the Nile crocodile (Crocodylus niloticus) was described, based on a similar unpublished technique developed for the American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) using a canine urinary catheter. With this technique, it was possible to collect relatively clean urine samples from Nile crocodiles of different sizes using canine urinary catheters or small diameter stomach tubes. Based on the gross anatomical features of the cloaca of the Nile crocodile, it was confirmed that urine accumulates in a chamber consisting of the urodeum and coprodeum. Faecal material is stored temporarily in the very short rectum, which is separated from the urinary chamber by the rectocoprodeal sphincter.