Origin and Development of the ‘New Apostolic Reformation’ in South Africa: A Neo-Pentecostal Movement or a Post-Pentecostal Phenomenon?

Within South African Pentecostal/Charismatic spheres, since 2000, a new configuration has surfaced that has been called the ‘New Apostolic Reformation’ (NAR). The adherents of this movement have sounded a call for the Pentecostal/Charismatic church, in particular, to return to what they describe as the ‘Apostolicity’ of the church. The emergence of this New Apostolic Reformation is more than a South African phenomenon. C Peter Wagner, almost a decade and a half ago, in his book, Churchquake (1999: 5-8) contended that there were, at least forty thousand ‘Apostolic‘ churches representing approximately eight to ten million members in the USA. He asserted that this New Apostolic Reformation is also rapidly growing in all of the six continents and is the ‘greatest change in the way of doing church since the Protestant Reformation.’ In South Africa the following New Apostolic Reformation groupings have emerged, namely the New Covenant Ministries International (NCMI), Grace International (GI), Congress World Breakthrough Network (C-WBN), International Strategic Alliance of Apostolic Churches (ISAAC) and Judah Kingdom Alliance (JKA). The paper will also contend with the nature and extent of their deviation from ‘mainstream’ Pentecostal doctrines and practices. A number of theories have attempted to explain the emergence of new religious movements (NRMs), inter alia, deprivation, revitalisation, and brainwashing. This study focuses on one of these theories, namely, revitalisation, but also favours a holistic approach to an understanding of the NAR

Relationship of serum adiponectin and resistin to glucose intolerance and fat topography in south-Asians

Objectives South-Asians have lower adiponectin levels compared to Caucasians. It was not clear however, if this intrinsic feature is related to aspects of glucose metabolism. This study aims to determine the relationship between body fat distribution and adipocytokine in South-Asian subjects by measuring serum adipocytokines, adiposity, insulinemia, and glucose tolerance levels. Methods In this cross-sectional study, 150 South-Asians (80 males, 70 females) were included, 60 had NGT (Control group, Age 51.33 ± 11.5, BMI 27 ± 2.3), 60 had IGT (Age 57.7 ± 12.5, BMI 27.2 ± 2.7), 30 had type 2 DM (Age 49.5 ± 10.9, BMI 28 ± 1.7). Measures of adiposity, adipocytokines and other metabolic parameters were determined. Parameters were measured using the following: a) Plasma glucose by glucose oxidase method b) CRP by immunoturbidimetric method (Roche/Hitachi analyser) c) insulin by Medgenix INS-ELISA immunoenzymetric assay by Biosource (Belgium) d) Leptin, Adiponectin by radioimmunoassay kits by Linco Research (St. Charles MO) e) Resistin by immunoassay kits by Phoenix Pharmaceuticals INC (530 Harbor Boulevard, Belmont CA 94002, USA). Results Adiponectin concentrations were highest in NGT, decreased in IGT and lowest in DMT2, (both p < 0.01). Leptin was significantly higher in DMT2 than IGT and NGT p = 0.02 and 0.04 respectively. There was a significant positive relationships between log adiponectin and 2-hr insulin values, p = 0.028 and history of hypertensions and a ischemic heart disease p = 0.008 with R = 0.65. There was a significant inverse correlation between log adiponectin and resistin, p < 0.01. Conclusion Resistin levels had an inverse correlation with adiponectin levels, indicating an inverse relationship between pro-inflammatory cytokines and adiponectin. Adiponectin levels were related to glucose tolerance

Insulin mediated upregulation of the renin angiotensin system in human subcutaneous adipocytes is reduced by Rosiglitazone

Background: Obesity associated hypertension is likely to be due to multiple mechanisms. Identification of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) within adipose tissue does, however, suggest a potential causal role for it in obesity-associated hypertension. Obese patients are often hyperinsulinaemic, but mechanisms underlying insulin upregulation of the RAS in adipose tissue are unclear. TNFα, an inducer of angiotensinogen in hepatocytes, is elevated in hyperinsulinaemic, obese individuals, and may provide a link in mediating insulin upregulation of the RAS in adipose tissue. Further, thiazolidinediones lower blood pressure in vivo and downregulation of the RAS in adipose tissue may contribute to this effect. We therefore examined the effect of rosiglitazone (RSG), on the insulin mediated upregulation of the RAS. Methods and Results: Sera were obtained from the arterial circulation and from venous blood draining subcutaneous abdominal adipose tissue. Isolated human abdominal subcutaneous adipocytes (n=12) were treated with insulin (1-1000nM) and insulin in combination with RSG (10nM), and RSG (10nM) alone to determine angiotensinogen expression, angiotensin II, bradykinin and TNFα secretion. Subcutaneous adipocytes were also treated with TNFα (10-100ng/mL) to examine the direct effect on angiotensinogen expression and angiotensin II secretion. The findings showed that the arterio-venous difference in angiotensin II levels was significant (↑23%; p<0.001). Insulin increased TNFα secretion in a concentration-dependent manner (p<0.01) whilst RSG (10nM) significantly reduced the insulin mediated rise in TNFα (p<0.001), as well as AGT and angiotensin II. TNFα also increased angiotensinogen and angiotensin II in isolated adipocytes. Conclusions: Our in vivo data suggest that human subcutaneous adipose tissue is a significant source of angiotensin II. This study also demonstrates a potential TNFα mediated mechanism through which insulin may stimulate the RAS and may contribute to explain obesity associated hypertension. RSG downregulates the RAS in subcutaneous adipose tissue and this effect may contribute to the long-term effect of RSG on blood pressure

A rapid method for determining chlorobenzenes in dam water systems

A method using direct immersion solid phase microextraction (DI-SPME) coupled to gas chromatography equipped with a flame ionisation detector (GC-FID) was developed for the analysis of 7 chlorinated benzenes in dam water. The main parameters affecting the DI-SPME process were optimised. The optimised method comprises the use of a 100 μm polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) fibre coating; 5 mℓ sample size; 700 r/min rate of agitation and an extraction time of 30 min. The calibration curve was linear with correlation coefficients ranging from 0.9957–0.9995 for a concentration range of 1–100 ng/mℓ. The limits of detection and quantification ranged from 0.020–0.265 ng/mℓ and 0.204–2.65 ng/mℓ, respectively. Recoveries ranged from 83.6–107.2% with relative standard deviation of less than 9.2%, indicating that the method has good precision. The method is reliable and is free of matrix interferences. Water samples collected from Grootdraai Dam were analysed using the optimised conditions to assess the potential of the method for trace level screening and quantification of chlorobenzenes. The method proved to be efficient, as 1,3 dichlorobenzene, 1,4-dichlorobenzene and pentachlorobenzene were detected at concentrations of 0.429 ng/mℓ, 1.685 ng/mℓ and 1.433 ng/mℓ, respectively.Keywords: chlorobenzenes, Grootdraai Dam, water, dam, SPME, DI-SPME, GC-FI

Serum resistin is associated with C-reactive protein and LDL- cholesterol in type 2 diabetes and coronary artery disease in a Saudi population

Aims Resistin is an adipocyte-derived factor implicated in obesity-associated type 2 diabetes (T2DM). This study examines the association between human serum resistin, T2DM and coronary heart disease. Methods One hundred and fourteen Saudi Arabian patients (male: female ratio 46:68; age 51.4 (mean ± SD)11.7 years; median and range: 45.59 (11.7) years and BMI: 27.1 (mean ± SD) 8.1 Kgm2 median and range: 30.3 (6.3) were studied. Serum resistin and C-reactive protein (CRP), a marker of inflammation CRP levels, were measured in all subjects. (35 patients had type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM); 22 patients had coronary heart disease (CHD). Results Serum resistin levels were 1.2-fold higher in type 2 diabetes and 1.3-fold higher in CHD than in controls (p = 0.01). In addition, CRP was significantly increased in both T2DM and CHD patients (p = 0.007 and p = 0.002 respectively). The use of regression analysis also determined that serum resistin correlated with CRP levels (p = 0.04, R2 0.045). Conclusion The findings from this study further implicate resistin as a circulating protein associated with T2DM and CHD. In addition this study also demonstrates an association between resistin and CRP, a marker of inflammation in type 2 diabetic patients

Towards a postcolonial Pentecostal historiography : ramblings from the South

Peer reviewedThis article focuses on contestations around the birth of Pentecostalism. Azusa Street Pentecostalism is very well documented therefore the bias was tilted in its favour. While this expression of Pentecostalism opened up new frontiers it also displayed some regrettable retreats around the issue of race relations. In stark contrast, both in South Africa and in Brazil, inter alia, societal concerns, inclusive of racial issues have been taken up by a new breed of Pentecostals. The current state of Pentecostalism reveals that the majority of Pentecostals live outside of the USA and Canada and that the rapidly emerging churches in the southern world are Pentecostal and indigenous, and function autonomously from Western Pentecostalism. Starting from the eighties, large independent Pentecostal churches have emerged in Africa. African Pentecostalism in South Africa is a relevant, flexible and rapidly increasing Christian formation. Unlike the dualistic tendencies of Western Christian approaches, the African Pentecostal worldview does not separate the physical from the spiritual or the individual from the social. Los Angeles cannot be viewed as the “Jerusalem” from which the “full gospel” imperialistically emanated centrifugally to the world. Other equally significant and simultaneous Pentecostal outpourings have been overlooked. Pentecostalism historiography may have to engage in perhaps one of the most important postcolonial ecclesiastical reconstructions yet.Research Institute for Theology and Religio

Comparison of UV and ELS detectors in HSPEC analysis of natural organic matter in dam water

This project arose out the need for a simple method to analyse natural organic matter (NOM) on a routine basis. Water samples were obtained from the Vaal Dam. Analysis was preceded by separating the NOM into the humic and non-humic fractions. The humic portion was separated further into two fractions by employing a non-ionic DAX-8 resin to separate humic acid from fulvic acid. High-performance size-exclusion chromatography (HPSEC), equipped with a UV detector and an evaporative light scattering detector (ELSD) was used to obtain information on the molecular weight distribution and concentration levels of the two acids. Mixed standards of polyethylene oxide/glycol were employed for calibration. The molecular weight distributions (MWDs) of the isolated fractions of humic and fulvic acids were determined with ELSD detection as weight-average (Mw), number-average (Mn) and polydispersity (ρ) of individual NOM fractions. The Mw/Mn ratio was found to be less than 1.5 in all fractions, indicating that they have a low and narrow size fraction. It is noted that the ELSD detector proved to be far more capable than the UV detector. A finding of interest is that 40% of the total organic carbon in the dam water samples could be attributed to humic substances. The developed method successfully separated the humic substances from water and further separated the humic substances into the component acids, namely, humic and fulvic acids. Molecular weight distribution of these compounds is a powerful indication of how much DOM was present in the dam water. Even though the UV method was useful in characterizing these substances, the ELS detector is recommended because it detects all the organic species present.Keywords: Natural organic matter, dam water, determination, ELS

Persuading consumers to reduce their consumption of electricity in the home

Previous work has identified that providing real time feedback or interventions to consumers can persuade consumers to change behaviour and reduce domestic electricity consumption. However, little work has investigated what exactly those feedback mechanisms should be. Most past work is based on an in-home display unit, possibly complemented by lower tariffs and delayed use of non-essential home appliances such as washing machines. In this paper we focus on four methods for real time feedback on domestic energy use, developed to gauge the impact on energy consumption in homes. Their feasibility had been tested using an experimental setup of 24 households collecting minute-by-minute electricity consumption data readings over a period of 18 months. Initial results are mixed, and point to the difficulties of sustaining a reduction in energy consumption, i.e. persuading consumers to change their behaviour. Some of the methods we used exploit small group social dynamics whereby people want to conform to social norms within groups they identify with. It may be that a variety of feedback mechanisms and interventions are needed in order to sustain user interest