Thesis (Th. M.)--Westminster Theological Seminary, Philadelphia, 1995. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 101-104).

Thesis (M.A.)--Southern California College, 1997. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 120-128).

Thesis--Carleton University. / Also available in electronic format on the Internet.

Thesis--University of Oklahoma. / Bibliography: leaves 36-40.

No description available.

INTRODUCTION: One important characteristic of solid tumors is heterogeneity at multiple levels of genetic and non-genetic organization. This can include gene mutations, epigenetic alterations, copy number changes, and chromosomal aberrations. Collectively, these alterations contribute as parts of a genome-defined system. Thus, when genetic information is passed from mother to daughter cell in the context of cancer evolution, in contrast to normal cellular processes, an altered system inheritance is often transmitted. When the genome of a somatic cell is highly unstable, such as during certain phases of cancer initiation and progression, many novel alterations to the genome can be introduced in a short timeframe, effectively resulting in the macro-evolution of the somatic cell population (i.e., through the transition stages of cancer, including transformation, metastasis, and drug resistance). Unfortunately, these continually introduced, non-clonal alterations to the cell’s genetic information have often been described as background “noise” that does not function significantly in cancer. Rather, the driving force of cancer has largely been attributed to the accumulation of gene mutations in several key, driver genes. Despite the presumed significance of these driver genes by the gene mutation and clonal evolutionary theories of cancer, recent sequencing efforts have failed to identify common driver genes in the majority of cancer types. Based on this fact, and on the overwhelming presence of non-clonal alterations at multiple levels of organization in the cells comprising tumors, the paradigm of cancer research requires re-examination. A better understanding of genome-level heterogeneity is necessary, as the genome, rather than individual genes, defines system boundaries and unifies the diverse individual molecular mechanisms of cancer through their contribution to major evolutionary transitions. Because inheritance is traditionally defined as a precise process of relaying bio-information with extreme low frequencies of errors, it is challenging to explain how genetics work in cancer evolution. It is thus timely to consider that potentially novel processes of inheritance occur in many types of cancer. The maintenance of a massive extent of multi-level heterogeneity in the cells of solid tumors over generations suggests that a less precise process is taking place. We have described this with a new term, “fuzzy inheritance,” wherein a range of variants, rather than specific variants (such as specific gene mutations or chromosomal aberrations), is recapitulated in the cell division process. This study aimed to elucidate the mechanism of fuzzy inheritance by examining the relationship between genome instability-linked karyotypic heterogeneity and growth heterogeneity, based on single-cell analysis of an in vitro cell culture model. By demonstrating that increased genome-level heterogeneity is reflected by increased and more variable levels of growth heterogeneity, it was hoped to establish that fuzzy inheritance correctly explains the maintenance of high levels of heterogeneity in these somatic cell populations. An example of this phenomenon was also studied in giant cancer cells, as they undergo division processes which appear to contribute to and facilitate genome instability. METHODS: To examine these concepts, various cellular profiling methods were used, including in-situ cell growth, cellular morphological comparison, and karyotype analysis. We first quantified the extent of variation in the growth rates of single cells; by selecting the fastest- and slowest-growing colonies from the parent population, and examining the extent to which growth heterogeneity was passed in subsequent generations of cells, the correlation between genome-level heterogeneity (as reflected by the karyotype) and growth heterogeneity was determined. We then examined an extreme example of fuzzy inheritance, wherein giant cancer cells containing massive amounts of DNA undergo extremely abnormal cell division events, yielding many normal-sized daughter cells with genomes significantly different from those of both the parent cell and other daughter cells. By studying the frequency and other aspects of these cells in two unequally stable cell lines, we sought to gain insight on one specific mechanism of fuzzy inheritance. RESULTS: The data suggested that fuzzy inheritance can be demonstrated in multiple cell culture models. The extent and variability of karyotypic heterogeneity was reflected by those of growth heterogeneity, indicating the karyotype’s importance in facilitating cancer evolutionary processes. Moreover, the cells with giant nuclei can generate diverse genome-level heterogeneity. DISCUSSION: Because fuzzy inheritance allows for the less precise passage of bio-information over generations in cancer cell populations, and for the effective introduction of numerous alterations to the genome in often brief spans of time, the cell population can constantly increase its evolutionary potential, which is essential for the major transition steps of cancer evolution. The mechanism of fuzzy inheritance should be explored further, due to its clear importance in the processes underlying cancer initiation, progression, and drug resistance.

Doctor Legum - LLD / South African Muslims constitute a religious minority group that is subject to dual legal systems. In the public sphere they are bound by South African law whereas in the private sphere are duty bound in terms of their religion to follow Islamic law. Muslims are required, in terms of their religion, to ensure that their estates devolve in terms of the Islamic law of succession. A son inherits double the share of a daughter in terms of the Islamic law of intestate succession. This unequal distribution of shares has led to a premise that the Islamic law of intestate succession discriminates against females. The South African Constitution strongly promotes the right to equality and non-discrimination. There is therefore a serious need to investigate the fairness of the Islamic law of intestate succession within the context of South African law. This is in the interest of a religious minority group who have been in South Africa since 1654.

In South Africa, it is evident that women are uniformed of their essential human rights, especially their inheritance and succession rights, including protection of such rights. Human rights are international norms that protect individuals everywhere from the states’ political, legal and social abuse. Human rights are entitlements which human beings have in order to enhance their human condition. They are the fundamental entitlements or minimum standards to be met for individual so that they live with dignity. This study focused on discrimination of women under customary law in South Africa with reference to inheritance and succession. The study validated the findings of other researchers on the impact of cultural practices on women’s rights to inheritance and succession. In addition the findings revealed that efforts t eliminate traditional practices, should foremost come from men and from communities that hold such destructive attitudes towards women. The outcomes and recommendations of this study would assist the government and other institutions to adopt effective measures to empower women and especially educate them so that they can assert and defend their human rights

In section 3(3)(d) of the Estate Duty Act 45 of 1955 (the Act) the legislature introduced the concept "competent to dispose", described in section 3(5) of The Act as a "power". If the deceased was "competent to dispose" property for his own benefit or that of his estate, section 3(3)(d) deems that property to be property of the estate. In order to determine when property may be deemed property of the deceased estate it is necessary to analyse the meaning of section 3(3)(d) as read with section 3(5) of the Act. An analysis of section 3(3)(d) of the Act indicates that it may be applied to those with a legal right to dispose of property for their own benefit or for the benefit of their estates. This interpretation is based on the meaning of "competent to dispose", and "power" as derived form the analysis. / Private Law / LL.M.

O presente trabalho analisou as etapas de formação de rudimentos seminais e grãos de pólen de Passiflora elegans e P. haematostigma. As espécies foram analisadas fazendo-se o uso de microscopia fotônica e microscopia eletrônica de varredura e transmissão. O gineceu apresenta um estigma com emergências estigmáticas, estilete sólido e ovário tricarpelar e unilocular. O ovário apresenta inúmeros rudimentos seminais que formam-se a partir de divisões periclinais da camada central. Os rudimentos são crassinucelados e os tegumentos têm origem dérmica. A célula arquesporial divide-se mitoticamente antes da meiose. A meiose resulta em uma tétrade linear, com ginósporo calazal viável. A ginogametogênese é do tipo Poligonum e, durante a diferenciação do ginófito, os estratos parietais do nucelo são parcialmente consumidos e a epiderme nucelar divide-se periclinalmente na porção apical. As antípodas são efêmeras e o ginófito maduro apresenta duas sinérgides com aparelho fibrilar desenvolvido, oosfera e núcleo secundário no pólo micropilar. O rudimento seminal é anátropo, arilado, bitegumentado e com micrópila em “zig-zag”. O androceu é constituído por cinco anteras tetrasporangiadas. Os estratos parietais desenvolvem-se do tipo Dicotiledôneo e as camadas médias são persistentes na antera madura de P. haematostigma. As células do tapete são poliplóides e colapsam liberando os conteúdos no interior do lóculo. A citocinese é do tipo simultânea e as tétrades são tetraédricas na maioria. O pólen é liberado na fase bicelular, apresenta número de colpos variável em P. elegans e seis colporos em P. haematostigma. A esporoderme não apresenta camada basal em P. elegans e é mais espessa do que em P. haematostigma. Plastídios e mitocôndrias são englobados durante a formação da célula generativa e persistem até a fase de pólen maduro. / The present work analyzed the different developmental stages of the ovule and of the pollen grain in Passiflora elegans and P. haematostigma. The species were analyzed using photonic microscopy and scanning and transmission electron microscopy. The gynoecium has a stigma with stigmatic outgrowths, solid style and tricarpelar and unilocular ovary. The ovary has several seminal rudiments that are originated from the periclinal divisions of the central layer. The ovule is crassinucelate and the dermal layer originates the integuments. The arquesporial cell divides mitotically before meiosis. The meiosis results into a linear tetrad and only the chalazal gynospore is viable. The gynogametogenesis is of the Poligonum type, the nucellus parietal layers are partially degraded during the gynophyte differentiation, and nuclear epidermis divides periclinally in the apical portion. The antipodal cells are ephemeral and the mature gynophyte has two synergids with a developed filiform apparatus, egg cell and secondary nuclei in the micropilar pole. The ovule is anatropous, arillate, bitegmic and with zig-zag micropile. The androecium is constituted of five tetrasporangiate anthers. The parietal layers develop like the Dicotiledoneous type and middle layers are persistent in the mature anther of P. haematostigma. The tapetal cells are polyploids and collapse releasing their contents to the locus. The cytokinesis is of the simultaneous type and most of the tetrads are tetrahedral. The pollen is released during the bicellular stage, has a variable number of colpus in P. elegans and six colporus in P. haematostigma. The sporoderm does not have a basal layer in P. elegans and is thicker than in P. haematostigma. Plastids and mitochondria are enclosed during the generative cell formation and persist until the mature pollen stage.