Examination of the Biblical texts that form the basis of evangelical Christian support for Israel, with special reference to the response of the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem

Includes bibliographical references (leaves 113-116).The thesis is set against a background of growing support for Israel and the Jewish people from the Evangelical Christian world. This phenomena is attracting attention from many quarters, including secular as well as religious parties. This support is all the more pronounced because it is happening despite a barrage of antagonism directed against Israel by the world press, international human rights groups and by groundswell of hatred from the Muslim world. In the eyes of their detractors, Israel is an occupying force that is dehumanizing the Palestinians who are the victims of Zionist colonialism

The impact of implementing a transport management system on a fertiliser supply chain: a case study

Abstract: Supply Chain Management (SCM) and logistics activities are key success factors in organisations and create value throughout the entire supply chain. In the current economic environment, organisations utilise information systems to optimise operations by reducing costs and improving productivity. The purpose of this article is to investigate the impact of the implementation of a Transport Management System (TMS) on the supply chain operations of a fertiliser organisation in South Africa. Primary data, obtained from questionnaires, as well as secondary data from the enterprise resource planning (ERP) system (before TMS implementation) and TMS database (after implementation) were analysed. The successful development and implementation of a TMS demonstrated a positive impact on the supply chain operations, with specific impact on volumes and number of loads handled, average tons per truck, average vehicle time at plant, production accuracy, reduced total transport costs and improved inventory accuracy

Feed Efficiency in Growing Steers: Relationships between Efficiency and Carcass Ultrasound Traits

Phenotypic correlations between feed efficiency and carcass traits were examined in growing steers. Two feed efficiency trials were conducted using 233 Santa Gertrudis steers. Steers were individually fed a roughage-based for 77days. Individual feed intake was recorded weekly and body weight was measured bi-weekly. Ultrasound measurements of the 12th rib fat thickness (back fat), longissimus muscle area (REA) and percentage intramuscular fat were obtained on day 0 and 77, Residual feed intake (RFIp) is a measure of feed efficiency that attempts to measure variation in feed intake beyond that needed for growth and maintenance. Residual feed intake was calculated as the difference between actual feed intake and expected feed intake predicted by a linear regression model of dry matter intake (DMI) on mid-test BW0.75 (MBW) and average daily gain (ADG) with trial, trial × MBW, and trial × ADG as random effects. Steers were ranked by RFI into low, medium, and high RFI groups \u3c0.5 SD, ± 0.5, \u3e 0.5 SD, respectively, from the mean RFIp of 0.0 ± 1.01 kg/d. Overall means for ADG and DMI were 0.38 (SD = 0.57) and 9.79 (SD = 1.03), respectively. Stepwise regression indicated that inclusion of gain in back fat (GBF) into the base model increased the r2 (0.29 vs. 31). RFIp was positively correlated (P \u3c 0.5) with DMI (r = 0.85), and FCR (r = 0.47), but not with MBW or ADG. Feed to gain ratio (FCR) was negatively correlated (P \u3c 0.05) with ADG (r = -0.82). Carcass adjusted for RFI (RFIc) was not correlated with ADG, DMI, MBW, or FCR. Carcass ultrasound traits were not correlated (P \u3e 0.05) with feed efficiency traits. Gain in back fat was positively correlated with (P \u3c 0.05) with RFIp (r = 0.17), but not correlated (P \u3e 0.05) with FCR or RFIc. Gain in REA was negatively correlated (P \u3c 0.05) with FCR (r = -0.21) and RFIc (r = -0.17), but not with RFIp. The Spearman rank correlation between RFIp and RFIc was high (r = 0.91). Results suggest that RFI is independent of growth rate and mature size, but related to DMI. Selecting for favorable RFIp phenotypes can potentially improve feed efficiency in cattle. Adjusting RFI for ultrasound carcass traits could also improve feed efficiency independent of growth, body size, and carcass composition

LP (a) levels and apo (a) phenotypes in urban black South African men

CITATION: Carstens, M. E., Burgess, L. J. & Taljaard, J. J. F. 1998. LP (a) levels and apo (a) phenotypes in urban black South African men. South African Medical Journal, 88:139-142.The original publication is available at http://www.samj.org.zaObjective. To investigate the lipoprotein (a) (Lp (a)) levels and apolipoprotein (a) (apo (a)) phenotypes in a group of urban black South African men. Design. Cross-sectional design. Setting. Lead acid battery plant, East London, Eastern Cape. Participants. Blood samples from a study on the association between lead and renal failure were kindly donated for the present study and 111 of the donors participated (K Steyn - personal communication). Outcome measures. Lp (a) levels and apo (a) phenotypes. Results. Three groups were identified: those with normal ( 700 U/l) plasma Lp (a) concentrations. Nine apo (a) phenotypes and 26 combinations thereof could be discerned. Apart from the single- and double-band phenotypes described before, triple-band phenotypes were also present. As the Lp (a) values increased, the relative frequency of the single-band phenotype decreased, whereas the relative frequency of the double-band phenotype increased. The relative frequency of the triple-band phenotype was highest in the group with high Lp (a) concentrations. No correlation was evident between the size of the apo (a) isoforms and the Lp (a) concentrations. Conclusions. Raised plasma Lp (a) levels have been associated with coronary heart disease (CHD). In addition, it has been proposed that the apo (a) gene determined plasma Lp (a) concentrations. These studies were performed using plasma from white subjects. CHD is uncommon in black South Africans. The reason may be that, given the lack of relationship between the size of the apo (a) isoforms and the Lp (a) concentrations observed in the present study, factors other than the isoform size may determine the Lp (a) levels in this particular ethnic group.Publisher’s versio

Examining the Impact of Overhearing In-Flight Cell-Phone Calls on Passenger Safety

Objective: The study examined the effects of passengers’ conversations on adjacent passengers’ annoyance, attention to in-flight announcements, and performance on following instructions, which could lead to passengers’ injuries. Background: Some airlines have provided services to enable in-flight cell-phone calls. However, passengers’ compliance with safety instructions is essential. Previous research demonstrated that cell-phone calls led to higher levels of distractions than face-to-face dialogues, and people were more annoyed with one-sided conversations, such as most cell-phone conversations. Method: Twenty-four participants took 30-minute simulated flights in a laboratory room. Three announcements, which instructed participants to fasten seatbelts, raise tray tables, and check seatbelts, were given while pre-recorded conversations, including cell-phone and face-to-face conversations, were being played. Participants’ annoyance with conversations and attention to instructions were collected with questionnaires. The performance regarding following instructions was measured by observing compliant behavior. Results: Participants were more annoyed with cell-phone conversations, but they had equivalent levels of attention and compliance. Response times were longer when they were overhearing face-to-face conversations. Conclusion: Cell-phone calls are not more distracting, and they may be safer sometimes than traditional face-to-face dialogues. From a passenger compliance standpoint, cell phones can be allowed and supported. However, the annoyance caused by cell-phone conversations needs to be taken into consideration

The 2011 Eruption of the Recurrent Nova T Pyxidis; the Discovery, the Pre-eruption Rise, the Pre-eruption Orbital Period, and the Reason for the Long Delay

We report the discovery by M. Linnolt on JD 2455665.7931 (UT 2011 April 14.29) of the sixth eruption of the recurrent nova T Pyxidis. This discovery was made just as the initial fast rise was starting, so with fast notification and response by observers worldwide, the entire initial rise was covered (the first for any nova), and with high time resolution in three filters. The speed of the rise peaked at 9 mag/day, while the light curve is well fit over only the first two days by a model with a uniformly expanding sphere. We also report the discovery by R. Stubbings of a pre-eruption rise starting 18 days before the eruption, peaking 1.1 mag brighter than its long-time average, and then fading back towards quiescence 4 days before the eruption. This unique and mysterious behavior is only the fourth known anticipatory rise closely spaced before a nova eruption. We present 19 timings of photometric minima from 1986 to February 2011, where the orbital period is fast increasing with P/dot{P}=313,000 yrs. From 2008-2011, T Pyx had a small change in this rate of increase, so that the orbital period at the time of eruption was 0.07622950+-0.00000008 days. This strong and steady increase of the orbital period can only come from mass transfer, for which we calculate a rate of 1.7-3.5x10^-7 Mo/yr. We report 6116 magnitudes between 1890 and 2011, for an average B=15.59+-0.01 from 1967-2011, which allows for an eruption in 2011 if the blue flux is nearly proportional to the accretion rate. The ultraviolet-optical-infrared spectral energy distribution is well fit by a power law with flux proportional to nu^1.0, although the narrow ultraviolet region has a tilt with a fit of \nu^{1/3}. We prove that most of the T Pyx light is not coming from a disk, or any superposition of blackbodies, but rather is coming from some nonthermal source.Comment: ApJ submitted, 62 pages, 8 figures; much added data, updated analysi

Influence of Buffalograss Management Practices on Western Chinch Bug and Its Beneficial Arthropods

A 2-yr study was conducted to document the influence of selected buffalograss, Buchloe dactyloides (Nuttall) Engelmann, management practices (three mowing heights and five nitrogen levels) on the seasonal abundance of the western chinch bug, Blissus occiduus Barber (Heteroptera: Lygaeidae), and its beneficial arthropods. Vacuum, pitfall, and sticky traps samples were collected every 14 d from the middle of May through October from western chinch bug-resistant (‘Prestige’) and -susceptible (‘378’) buffalograss management plots. In total, 27,374 and 108,908 western chinch bugs were collected in vacuum and pitfall traps, respectively. More than 78% of all western chinch bugs were collected from the highly susceptible buffalograss 378. Significantly more big-eyed bugs (Geocoridae: Geocoris spp.) were collected from the 378 buffalograsss management plots than the Prestige plots. In contrast, buffalograss cultivar had little influence on the abundance of other beneficial arthropods collected. Statistically, western chinch bugs were least abundant at the lowest mowing height (2.5 cm) and increased in abundance with increasing fertility. Numerically, however, differences among management levels on western chinch bug abundance were minimal. Numerous beneficial arthropods were collected from buffalograss management plots, including spiders, predatory ants, ground beetles (Carabidae), rove beetles (Staphylinidae), big-eyed bugs, and several species of hymenopterous parasitoids. In general, beneficial arthropods were essentially unaffected by either mowing height or nitrogen level. Scelionid wasps represented 66.3% of the total parasitoids collected. The total number of scelionid wasps collected among the three mowing heights and five nitrogen levels were approximately equal

Influence of Buffalograss Management Practices on Western Chinch Bug and Its Beneficial Arthropods

A 2-yr study was conducted to document the influence of selected buffalograss, Buchloe dactyloides (Nuttall) Engelmann, management practices (three mowing heights and five nitrogen levels) on the seasonal abundance of the western chinch bug, Blissus occiduus Barber (Heteroptera: Lygaeidae), and its beneficial arthropods. Vacuum, pitfall, and sticky traps samples were collected every 14 d from the middle of May through October from western chinch bug-resistant (‘Prestige’) and -susceptible (‘378’) buffalograss management plots. In total, 27,374 and 108,908 western chinch bugs were collected in vacuum and pitfall traps, respectively. More than 78% of all western chinch bugs were collected from the highly susceptible buffalograss 378. Significantly more big-eyed bugs (Geocoridae: Geocoris spp.) were collected from the 378 buffalograsss management plots than the Prestige plots. In contrast, buffalograss cultivar had little influence on the abundance of other beneficial arthropods collected. Statistically, western chinch bugs were least abundant at the lowest mowing height (2.5 cm) and increased in abundance with increasing fertility. Numerically, however, differences among management levels on western chinch bug abundance were minimal. Numerous beneficial arthropods were collected from buffalograss management plots, including spiders, predatory ants, ground beetles (Carabidae), rove beetles (Staphylinidae), big-eyed bugs, and several species of hymenopterous parasitoids. In general, beneficial arthropods were essentially unaffected by either mowing height or nitrogen level. Scelionid wasps represented 66.3% of the total parasitoids collected. The total number of scelionid wasps collected among the three mowing heights and five nitrogen levels were approximately equal