Targeting the mutant BRAF and immunotherapy are new approaches to the treatment of metastatic malignant melanoma that has significantly improved survival but is associated with significant toxicity and cost. Potent and specific BRAF inhibitors like vemurafenib and dabrafenib are superior to chemotherapy in treatment of BRAF mutant melanomas which represent nearly 50% of all melanomas. A less toxic approach to treatment of malignant melanoma is hence appealing. Delta-tocotrienol (DT3), an unsaturated vitamin E isoform, and simvastatin, an HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor have been shown to have anti-neoplastic properties. We studied the effects of these chemicals in both BRAF-mutated SK-MEL-28 and BRAF-wild type SK-MEL-2 melanoma cells. MTS assays were used to analyze cytotoxicity. SK-MEL-28 and SK-MEL-2 cells were cultured in MEM media containing 10% serum and plated in 96-well culture plates for 48 hours then treated with DT3 (0-80 µM), simvastatin (0-10 µM), or a combination and dosed again at 72 hours. SK-MEL-28 and SK-MEL-2 cells were grown in 60 mm plates and treated with DT3 at concentrations of 30 µM, simvastatin at concentrations of 10 µM and combination of DT3 and simvastatin at concentrations of 10 µM and 2 µM. Cell were lysed with RIPPA buffer with protease and phosphatase inhibitor after 6 hours of treatment. Protein concentration of cell lysates was measured spectrophotometrically (GLO Max Multi+, Promega), using a BCA protein assay kit. The samples were run in SDS PAGE and blotted onto nitrocellulose membranes. Membranes were incubated with antibodies against Hsp 70 (Enzo Life Sciences, Farmingdale, NY), Hsp 90 (Santa Cruz, Dallas, TX), pS6 and pERK (Cell Signaling, Danvers, MA) and pAKT. Using MTS assay, we found that DT3 (IC50 75.2 μM) and simvastatin (IC50 8.3μM) have cytotoxic effects on melanoma cell line SK-MEL-2, but not on the SK-MEL-28 cells DT3 and simvastatin at the concentrations studied (10-80 μM DT3) and (0.625- 10 μM simvastatin). Further studies determined that simvastatin decreased expression of pS6, pERK on SK-MEL-2 and not DT3. However, these effects are different in SK-MEL-28 cells where there is only decrease in expression of pS6; treated SK-MEL-2 cells also show over-expression of Hsp70 suggestive of a rescue effect leading to lesser cytotoxic activity. The selective cytotoxicity observed in wild type BRAF melanoma cell lines by DT3 and simvastatin warrants further research into the potential therapeutic use of these drugs. A differential cytotoxicity is shown by DT3 and simvastatin in malignant melanoma cells with selective more potency in wild type BRAF melanoma compared to mutant BRAF melanoma cells. Further studies will be undertaken to dissect the mechanistic basis of this differential response.

The study area lies in the central Okavango Delta, Botswana, and was proclaimed a game reserve extension on 2nd July 1976. Peoples of Khoisanoid origin first colonized the area. Bantu speaking baYei followed in about 1750 and baTawana in about 1795. The area is still completely undeveloped and pristine. The solid geology is largely overlain by Kalahari sands, but is seismically very active. Resultant faulting has given rise to the Delta. Further seismic activity, vegetation blockage formation, termitaria establishment and low density of large aquatic moving animals give rise to continual change in water distribution and output at the Delta’s base. These natural factors continually cause dynamic change of flooding regimes. The climate is of summer rainfall and local Delta rainfall is considered a major factor in determining extent and duration of flooding. Five vegetation types divided into 20 plant communities occur. Five communities are dependent on a high water table and 10 on surface flooding for maintenance of specific mammalian habitat types. Floodplain vegetation types are considered most sensitive and ‘normal’ flooding is required to maintain the wetland flora and fauna. Sixty-three mammalian species are recorded from the study area. Twenty-two species are almost wholly dependent on flooding. Lechwe and sitatunga are completely dependent on aquatic and floodplain vegetation types and adequate flooding to conserve their habitat. Water flow in most major channels from ancient to present times has changed radically in distribution. Schemes to extract a more reliable flow out of the Delta for industry and human/stock consumption are laid out and evaluated, and a water demand made for conserved areas. Tourism should be in the form of foot and mekoro or botat safaris. Control of undesirable aquatic vegetation must be monitored. Burning as a management tool is required to enhance flow and control vegetation in some areas. It is premature and unsound to eliminate tsetse fly at this stage. Limited cropping will have to be initiated shortly. Larger tracts of Delta area are required under the direct supervision of the Department of Wildlife and National Parks to maintain the pristine conditions and ensure the conservation of fauna and flora, thereby maintaining the only reason for international tourism to the area. / Dissertation (MSc)--University of Pretoria, 1979. / Centre for Wildlife Management / unrestricted

Forty percent of women in the Niger Delta states in Nigeria were unemployed in 2015. Guided by acquired needs theory, this multiple case study was conducted to gain an in-depth understanding of how women in the Niger Delta states can acquire the requisite entrepreneurial knowledge to make decisions about becoming self-employed. Twenty women entrepreneurs in the Niger Delta states who had knowledge and experience of entrepreneurship were selected to participate in providing data through a semistructured interview, field notes, and document review. Through Yin's 5-step data analysis process, member checking, and triangulation, the following key themes emerged: creativity and innovation, promoting learning and development on entrepreneurship, developing a business mindset, information technology, financial and economic literacy, mentoring the mentees, financial freedom, flexibility of time, adequate control, lack of adequate entrepreneurial training, unsupportive business environment, educational barriers, and shortage of funds and resources. The study findings may create awareness of how women entrepreneurs in the Niger Delta states can obtain knowledge and experience of entrepreneurship. This awareness may promote positive social change by supporting efforts to prepare women for employment, thereby reducing unemployment, improving the standard of living, and reducing poverty among women in Nigeria.

Alcohol and drug use are common among middle school students, but drug use intervention programs in schools can decrease the number of youth participating in such behaviors. More than half of Mississippi’s youth self-reported that they had tried alcohol and cigarettes, and over a third of them had tried marijuana. The Delta Council implemented its 2010-2011 D.A.R.E. program in 33 Delta middle schools and administered pre- and post-test surveys to participating students. Survey items were broken into five domains and responses were assigned a numerical value. Data were divided into subgroups, and t-tests were used to determine if the mean differences between pre- and post-test were significant from zero. Students scored the highest in the areas of active and passive decision making and substance use expectancy which indicates that the program was beneficial to some students.

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Rivers are integral parts of Bangladesh & Bengali people’s life. The whole country is criss-crossed by more than 700 rivers including their tributaries. In other words, rivers formed this country as a delta and have been contributing to spring life to this land with agriculture, food, electricity, transportation, and tranquil beauty, creating opportunity for different occupations, and providing very comfortable moderate climate. Due to over population and urban sprawl, the current development pattern of the country is culminating in filling up wetlands, changing the course of lakes, narrowing down and in some cases killing rivers for urban development leaving great impact on environment. As a consequence, the country is being affected by frequent flood, deforestation, surge, cyclones, and rise of sea level due to global warming. The concern for introducing an adoptive sustainable architecture that interacts with rivers and water, protects environment as well as facilitates new developments has been noticed by scientists and scholars from every sector of development. This thesis will be emphasizing on establishing some unique architectural features that would especially be applicable for riverfront architectures, that leaves least impact on nature and respects the country’s tradition, heritage and lifestyle which are inseparable from rivers.

No description available.

Delta-8-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), although less potent than THC, can still reduce memory cognition and anxiety. However, Delta-8 can have adverse effects at high doses, like inducing anxiety, confusion, and hallucinations. The brain of Danio rerio (zebrafish) resembles human neuroanatomical and neurochemical pathways and demonstrates robust behavioral phenotypes, making zebrafish an excellent model organism for memory and anxiety. Subjects will be fed 5mg of Delta 8-THC before entering the experimental apparatus. Fish for both memory and anxiety tests will be observed and recorded through Noldus Ethovision Software. For testing memory, five female and five male zebrafish will be individually placed in a three-compartment memory tank. One side of the memory tank will have a star shape, while the other side will have a circle shape. About .83mg of commercial fish flakes will be administered to the fish on the circle side in the first trial, then on the star side in the second trial, and will continue on either side for 20 trials. Correct responses will be scored when the fish are present on the side of the tank used to present the fish flakes. We hypothesize that there will be fewer correct responses for fish fed with Delta-8-THC than the control. For testing anxiety, ten male and female zebrafish will be fed 5mg of Delta 8-THC before entering the diving tank. Typically, zebrafish experiencing anxiety will stay at the bottom of the diving tank, but if they are relaxed, they will be at the top. We hypothesize that fish fed with Delta-8-THC will spend more time at the top of the diving tank than the control.

<p> Cost data from different marine and pipeline scenarios were analyzed under changing world oil price and discount assumptions to determine a minimum economic scale for Beaufort Sea - Mackenzie Delta hydrocarbon development. Environmental and socio-economic impacts were included to supplement the purely economic analysis. </p> <p> The minimum economic scale project, a sixteen-inch pipeline through the Mackenzie Valley, was found to be marginally economic. When environmental and social costs were assumed to be internalized by the companies involved, and federal government exploration and development incentives disregarded, the minimum scale project was found to yield a negative internal rate of return. </p> / Thesis / Bachelor of Arts (BA)

The primary purpose of the research study was to identify the most common discipline infractions and consequences for Grade 7 and Grade 8 students enrolled in a middle school located in the Mississippi Delta. In addition, the study sought to determine relationships among the common discipline infractions and student performance and the common discipline consequences and student performance on the statewide assessments for English/language arts (ELA) and mathematics by grade level. The study utilized existing data for the Grade 7 and Grade 8 students who had committed one or more disciplinary infractions during the 2017-2018 school year and had ELA and mathematics scores during the 2018-19 school year. The results of the study showed class disruptions, physical aggression, inappropriate language, disorderly conduct, and fighting were the top five disciplinary infractions. Out-of-school suspension (OSS) was the most common consequence for the students. For Grade 7 students, the results of Pearson correlations showed statistically significant relationships existed between grouped infractions (passing gas, being in the wrong location, falsifying notes, pulling a student by his/her leg, and putting a student’s tablet in trash) and ELA scores, and between the same grouped infractions and mathematics scores. For Grade 8 students, there was a statistically significant relationship between students refusing to comply and ELA scores, and students refusing to comply and mathematics scores. In addition, for Grade 7 students, significant relationships existed between 4-day OSSs and ELA scores, and between 4-day OSSs and mathematics scores. For Grade 8 students, statistically significant relationships existed between receiving corporal punishment and ELA scores and alternative school and ELA scores. Further, statistically significant relationships existed between receiving corporal punishment and mathematics scores, and alternative school and mathematics scores for Grade 8 students.