554 research outputs found
Die gesinsdinamika van pastoriegesinne in die drie Afrikaanse kerke
The divorce rate among white South Africans is disturbing. There are indications of a growing divorce rate also among families of ministers of religion. Little scientific research seems to be available on the marital and family life of ministers, especially in the RSA. The aim of the research on which this article is based was to determine whether significant differences occur between the marital and family dynamics of ministers' families and the families of parishioners. Thirty clerical couples and some of their children (N=96) and thirty parish couples and some of their children (N=95) were involved in the research. Six measuring instruments were applied in evaluating the families. The results seem to indicate that the clerical couples experience their marital dynamics significantly better than the other married couples on 12 o f the 19 dimensions which were evaluated. With regard to family functioning the ministers’ families performed significantly better than the parish fa milies on six of the 14 dimensions. There are indications, however, that the clerical couples represented their marital and family functioning in a more positive light than was the case in reality. Therefore no really valid interpretations can be made from the results
Culture, religion and psychosis – a case study from Limpopo Province, South Africa
Scientific Letter - No Abstrac
Genetic polymorphism of CSN1S2 in South African dairy goat populations
Alpha-s2 casein has a significant influence on protein content in goat milk, and the technological properties important for cheese processing. Specific alleles (A, B, C, E and F) of the alpha (α)s2-casein gene (CSN1S2) result in higher protein, casein and fat content, and improved coagulation properties, which are useful for improved cheese making. The aim of this study was to investigate the polymorphism and genetic variation of CSN1S2 in South African dairy goats, using DNA sequencing technology. Sixty dairy goats (20 Saanes, 20 British Alpine, and 20 Toggenburg) and 20 meat-type goats were sequenced with four primers to distinguish among the seven known alleles for αs2-casein. A total of four alleles (A, B, C and F) for CSN1S2 were observed among the dairy- and meat-type populations with ten genotypes across the populations. The A allele and the AA genotype were the most frequent across the populations, with the favourable AC genotype being the most frequent (0.300) in the Saanen population. Two unique genotypes were detected in the Toggenburg (BB and BF) and one in the meat-type goats (CF). The results indicate moderate genetic variation for αs2-casein in the South African goat populations (42.3–63.6%). Low positive FST values suggest limited inbreeding. This study confirmed the presence of favourable alleles in the South African goat populations, indicating room for genetic improvement using directional selection for favourable genotypes.Keywords: alpha-s2-casein, genetic variation, goat milk, protein content, Saane
Attempted induction of chronic copper poisoning in boma confined impala
Induction of chronic copper poisoning in ten boma-confined impala was attempted in a randomized,
single dose, parallel designed, titration study using five increasing oral doses, ranging between 125
mg/kg to 1000 mg/kg, of copper oxide needles. Two untreated impala were kept as controls. Impala
(n = 1) from each treatment group were culled 52 d and 105 d after treatment and examined for tissue
copper accumulation and signs of chronic copper poisoning. Despite the high doses of copper administered
to the impala and liver copper concentrations above 150 ppm WM achieved in two animals,
no clinical signs related to chronic copper poisoning were observed. Faecal copper concentrations
indicated that the major portion of copper oxide particles was excreted in the faeces.The articles have been scanned in colour with a HP Scanjet 5590; 600dpi.
Adobe Acrobat v.9 was used to OCR the text and also for the merging and conversion to the final presentation PDF-format.Palabora Mining Company. National Parks Board.mn201
Copper poisoning in the Kruger National Park: field investigation in wild ruminants
Chronic copper poisoning was investigated in ruminants within the Phalaborwa area of the Kruger National Park (KNP). Exposure of ruminants to environmental copper pollution resulting from copper smelting operations of a mine in the area was examined by comparing impala faecal copper concentrations in dung heaps and tissue (liver, lung and kidney) copper concentrations of organs collected from impala and buffalo culled within three risk zones (high, moderate and low) of the study area in relation to the distance from the smelter over a period of 4 years. An additional area within the KNP not exposed to the environmental copper pollution from the mine served as control. Tissue copper accumulation was also determined in tracer impala placed in the highest risk zone. The results of this study confirmed the occurrence of chronic copper poisoning in impala and indicated an inverse relationship in extent of impala faecal copper elimination and in tissue copper accumulation in impala and buffalo with distance from the copper smelter. Impala liver copper concentrations were shown to be a reliable indicator of copper accumulation for these ruminants. The presence lung copper concentrations, indicating the exposure to airborne copper were the highest in impala culled in the zone closest to the smelter. Liver copper concentrations above the diagnostic limit of 150 ppm for chronic copper poisoning in domestic sheep were consistently found in impala within the highest risk zone. Clinical pathological measurements suggested that AST activity could possibly be used as an indicator for chronic copper poisoning in impala. It is concluded that, in addition to the environmental and geo-botanical evidence previously reported, the copper smelter of a nearby copper mine is the most likely source of copper pollution responsible for chronic copper poisoning in impala and the occurrence of high copper concentrations in buffalo in the Phalaborwa area of the KNP.The articles have been scanned in colour with a HP Scanjet 5590; 600dpi.
Adobe Acrobat v.9 was used to OCR the text and also for the merging and conversion to the final presentation PDF-format.Palabora Mining Company. National Parks Board.mn201
Measurement and verification of a municipal water pumping project
The processes that were followed to develop the baseline to Measure and Verify (M&V) a Municipal Demand Side Management (DSM) water pumping project that is being implemented is described in this paper. This paper is a follow-up on a previous paper presented at the ICUE 2004 (Measurement and Verification of a Municipal Water Pumping Project). The previous paper described the M&V process and the methodology that would be used to develop the baseline for the project. The project is currently in the implementation phase. To develop the baseline, energy data was recorded for all the pumps as well as the total flow from the pump station. The baseline was developed by determining an average 30 minute weekday, Saturday and Sunday profile. The baseline also includes a relation between daily water pumped and electricity consumption. Therefore, the baseline can be adjusted if the total amount of water pumped daily is lower or higher than the average values used. This will ensure that the baseline takes possible load growth or possible load reduction into consideration. The baseline will be used to determine the impact of the project after implementation
Measurement and verification of a municipal water pumping project
The processes that were followed to develop the baseline to Measure and Verify (M&V) a Municipal Demand Side Management (DSM) water pumping project that is being implemented is described in this paper. This paper is a follow-up on a previous paper presented at the ICUE 2004 (Measurement and Verification of a Municipal Water Pumping Project). The previous paper described the M&V process and the methodology that would be used to develop the baseline for the project. The project is currently in the implementation phase. To develop the baseline, energy data was recorded for all the pumps as well as the total flow from the pump station. The baseline was developed by determining an average 30 minute weekday, Saturday and Sunday profile. The baseline also includes a relation between daily water pumped and electricity consumption. Therefore, the baseline can be adjusted if the total amount of water pumped daily is lower or higher than the average values used. This will ensure that the baseline takes possible load growth or possible load reduction into consideration. The baseline will be used to determine the impact of the project after implementation
Solution discovery via reconfiguration for problems in P
In the recently introduced framework of solution discovery via
reconfiguration [Fellows et al., ECAI 2023], we are given an initial
configuration of tokens on a graph and the question is whether we can
transform this configuration into a feasible solution (for some problem) via a
bounded number of small modification steps. In this work, we study solution
discovery variants of polynomial-time solvable problems, namely Spanning Tree
Discovery, Shortest Path Discovery, Matching Discovery, and Vertex/Edge Cut
Discovery in the unrestricted token addition/removal model, the token jumping
model, and the token sliding model. In the unrestricted token addition/removal
model, we show that all four discovery variants remain in P. For the toking
jumping model we also prove containment in P, except for Vertex/Edge Cut
Discovery, for which we prove NP-completeness. Finally, in the token sliding
model, almost all considered problems become NP-complete, the exception being
Spanning Tree Discovery, which remains polynomial-time solvable. We then study
the parameterized complexity of the NP-complete problems and provide a full
classification of tractability with respect to the parameters solution size
(number of tokens) and transformation budget (number of steps) . Along
the way, we observe strong connections between the solution discovery variants
of our base problems and their (weighted) rainbow variants as well as their
red-blue variants with cardinality constraints
Learning Area Methodology 4B: Natural Sciences
Exam paper for second semester Learning Area Methodology 4B: Natural Science
Genetic variability in a population of Letelle sheep in South Africa
The purpose of the study was to gain insight into the genetic variability of the Letelle sheep breed, a breed that has been managed as a closed population for 90 years, with no new genetic material being permitted into the breed. The Letelle is a South African developed dual-purpose sheep breed and is classified as a Merino type with a Spanish Merino origin. The breed exhibits good fine wool characteristics and yields high-quality mutton. Line-breeding, family-breeding, and inbreeding are applied, and multiple sire matings are practised to prevent a sire from having a large influence on the national flock. Ear samples were collected from 10 animals each from 10 commercial and 11 seed-stock flocks and genotyped using 17 microsatellite markers. Unbiased heterozygosity ranged from 0.58 to 0.68 and the observed heterozygosity from 0.52 to 0.65. The estimated effective population size (Ne) was 228.2 - 321.9. Results from analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA), a Bayesian assignment test, and a neighbour-joining (NJ) tree suggested that no genetic sub-structure existed within this population and that the seed-stock and commercial flocks could be regarded as one genetic population. The average within flock (FIS) and within breed (FIT) inbreeding coefficients were 10.1% and 14.5%, respectively. Despite the level of inbreeding, levels of genetic diversity were moderate and potentially provide opportunities for future selection and adaptation. Further testing could identify flocks in which conservation management is required as well as those with high genetic variability, which would provide the best reservoir for selection to adapt to future climatic challenges.Keywords: genetic distance, inbreeding, microsatellite markers, population structur
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