A selection of legal issues relating to persons living with albinism

Despite the fact that albinism affects several South Africans, it is a condition that remains deeply misunderstood. Albinism is steeped in myth and false notions, and is perceived by many as a curse and contamination. For years, persons living with albinism have been treated with doubt and suspicion. Also in schools and in the wider community, children with albinism are subjected to violence and ridicule. In certain areas on the African continent, including Southern Africa, persons living with albinism are killed for the trade in body parts for use as sacramental medicines, or sexually assaulted as a result of the belief that raping them may offer a cure for HIV/AIDS. All of this highlights the extreme vulnerability of persons living with albinism, not to mention the many violations of their fundamental rights that follow from the manner in which they are treated. Within the social context that frames the experience of persons living with albinism, the primary purpose of this study is to highlight some of the pertinent challenges faced by persons living with albinism in South Africa which compromise the full enjoyment of their fundamental rights as enshrined in the South African Constitution. The thesis makes a number of practical recommendations that will assist in promoting the legal position of this vulnerable group, while also contributing to a better understanding of albinism in general which will ultimately change negative perceptions and debunk the myths surrounding the condition.JurisprudenceLL. D

Confidence in Claims

This book is about claims that experts make in various academic disciplines, and about how features of disciplines should affect our confidence in the correctness of those claims. Our field of study is work in the full range of disciplines, covering mathematics, the natural sciences, the social sciences and the humanities. Disciplines differ from one another in several ways. Quantification and mathematical argument are the norm in some disciplines, but are rare in others. Some disciplines use experiments, while others rely on sources. And so on. But disciplines also have things in common. These include both the aspiration to get things right, and fundamental principles like respect for evidence and a requirement to argue rationally. We seek to lay out the differences and the commonalities in detail, and to assess the effects on our confidence. We also explore reasons why disciplines have their features

Comparative Gene Finding: Models, Algorithms and Implementation

Comparative genomics is an emerging field, which is being fed by an explosion in the number of possible biological sequences. This has led to an immense demand for faster, more efficient and more robust computer algorithms to analyze this large amount of data.This unique text/reference describes the state of the art in computational gene finding, with a particular focus on comparative approaches. Providing both an overview of the various methods that are applied in the field, and a concise guide on how computational gene finders are built, the book covers a broad range of topics from probability theory, statistics, information theory, optimization theory and numerical analysis. The text assumes the reader has some background in bioinformatics, especially in mathematics and mathematical statistics. A basic knowledge of analysis, probability theory and random processes would also aid the reader

Comparative Gene Finding: Models, Algorithms and Implementation

Comparative genomics is an emerging field, which is being fed by an explosion in the number of possible biological sequences. This has led to an immense demand for faster, more efficient and more robust computer algorithms to analyze this large amount of data. This unique text/reference describes the state of the art in computational gene finding, with a particular focus on comparative approaches. Providing both an overview of the various methods that are applied in the field, and a concise guide on how computational gene finders are built, the book covers a broad range of topics from probability theory, statistics, information theory, optimization theory and numerical analysis. The text assumes the reader has some background in bioinformatics, especially in mathematics and mathematical statistics. A basic knowledge of analysis, probability theory and random processes would also aid the reader