<i>Aloe succotrina</i> (Asphodelaceae)

Aloe succotrina has a very long and complex taxonomic and nomenclatural history with wrong synonymy that is rivalled by few other aloes. This is mostly due to early authors wrongly assuming that this plant is from the Island of Socotra (Reynolds 1950). It has been in cultivation in Europe for over three hundred years, so consequently it is rather surprising that this iconic fynbos species has not featured in this journal until now

The organised expansion and permanent settlement of people in Boesmanland in correlation with accessible water sources : 1760–C.1960

Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2020.ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The purpose of this study was to examine the permanent expansion and settlement of humans in Boesmanland through research of available literature and archival sources on water. Despite nutrient rich vegetation for the rearing of small livestock, a lack of surface water made the permanent utilisation of the area for agricultural purposes impossible. With the relatively low annual rainfall, perennial subsistence was not possible until the invention and acquisition of the technology to tap into the underground aquifers arrived in the mid-nineteenth century. However, this did not prevent humans from moving through the area. Transhumant pastoralist groups such as the Khoikhoi lived in the area for thousands of years. The Khoikhoi thus moved through Boesmanland for thousands of years in small groups but could not permanently settle in fixed locations for long periods of time due to a need to find water and food sources elsewhere. It was only when the colonial authorities began selling of Crown land and serious prospecting for water took place that private ownership of farms started in c.1760. In 1760 the first farms in Boesmanland were allocated near the Kammies Mountains. This marks the beginning of permanent human settlement in Boesmanland. After this date, wells were dug and later boreholes drilled to develop farms. Farmers spent a huge amount of time, labour and money on digging wells and later drilling boreholes on their farms. The amount of money spent on water prospecting often exceeding the original purchase price of the farm because without reliable, permanent water sources, the farm was useless for stock farming. By 1960 the technology to drill boreholes was available to farmers of the area, making continuous settling in fixed geographic areas the norm. The low-technology windmill accompanied the high-technology drill machine and borehole. Oral interviews offer insight into boormanne and windpump technicians. The town of Springbok provided an example how small infrastructure like water tanks and pumps were installed at the start of the twentieth century. The case study of Carnarvon, in turn, showed the development of a typical Boesmanland town.AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die doel van hierdie studie was om die uitbreiding en vestiging van mense in Boesmanland volgens beskikbare waterbronne te ondersoek. Ten spyte van hoë kwaliteit weiding vir die doel van kleinvee boerdery, het 'n gebrek aan oppervlakwater die permanente benutting van die gebied vir landbou doeleindes onmoontlik gemaak. Met die relatief lae jaarlikse reënval was permanente boerdery nie moontlik, totdat die tegnologie om ondergrondse waterbronne te benut beskikbaar geword het nie. Dit het nie verhoed dat mense vroeër deur die gebied beweeg nie. Jagter-versamelaarsgroepe het duisende jare lank in die omgewing gewoon. Die Khoikhoi het dus vir duisende jare deur Boesmanland beweeg in klein groepies, maar kon nie permanent in vaste plekke vestig vir lang tye as gevolg van die behoefte om water en voedselbronne elders te vind nie. Dit was eers toe die koloniale owerhede begin om Kroongrond te verkoop en daar ernstig geprospekteer word vir water wat permanente vestiging plaasgevind het. In 1760 is die eerste plase in Boesmanland naby die Kammiesberge toegeken. Dit is die begin van uitbreiding en permanente menslike vestiging in Boesmanland. Na hierdie datum is putte gegrawe en later boorgate geboor om plase te ontwikkel. Boere het 'n groot hoeveelheid tyd, arbeid en geld spandeer aan die grawe van putte en later boorgate op hul plase. Die hoeveelheid geld wat aan waterprospektering bestee was, het dikwels die oorspronklike koopprys van die plaas oorskry. Die rede hiervoor was, sonder betroubare, permanente waterbronne, was die plase nutteloos. Teen 1960 was die tegnologie om boorgate te boor beskikbaar vir boere van die gebied, wat dit die norm gemaak het om voortdurend te vestig in vaste geografiese gebiede. Met die bekendstelling van boormasjiene en boorgate het die nederige, maar noemenswaardige windpomp gekom. ‘n Onderhoud met Leon Swanepoel het insig gegee aan boormanne en windpomptegnici. Die dorp Springbok het 'n voorbeeld gegee van die proses om klein infrastruktuur soos watertenks en pompe aan die begin van die twintigste eeu te installeer. Die gevallestudie van Carnarvon het op sy beurt die ontwikkeling van 'n tipiese Boesmanlandse dorp gewys.Master

Ubi vuimus, quo vadimus Acta Criminologica?

Academic journals often represent the ‘zeitgeist’ (defining mood or spirit) of the current debates and new developments in a discipline. We asked the question ‘Ubivuimus, quo vadimus’ Acta Criminologica? ‘Where have we been and where are we going’ with the aim, among others, of revealing insights into trends of research topics, author productivity and methodological aspects of the journal. A content analysis was conducted of articles published in the Acta Criminologica journal between the twenty-year period of 1994 and 2013, in order to describe shifts in the origins of publications, the number and post-level of authors, research methods, units of analysis, themes and matters related to the incorporation of policy and theory in publications. Having excluded special and conference editions, a total of 629 articles were included in the analysis. The twenty-year period was divided into five four-year terms to facilitate time-trend analyses. Depending on the nature of the variables involved, statistically significant differences over the five intervals were determined by means of the Mann-Whitney U and Kruskall-Wallis H tests. Significant shifts featured in terms of local versus international publications (p=0.013); the universities that contributed to the journal (p=0.006); the number and post-levels of authors per publication (p<0.001); the frequency of empirical versus literature-based articles (p<0.001); and the research approaches (p<0.001) and designs (p=0.010) of contributions. Further insights were revealed regarding the units of analysis used in published work, as well as fluctuations in the thematic content of articles. The limited use of theory in publications and minimal focus on the value of research with regard to policy and decision-making remain a cause of concern. Overall, the research demonstrated the value of critically reflecting over time on the trends in publication in the Acta Criminologica with the view of informing future directions.http://www.crimsa.ac.za/acta.htmlam2016Social Work and Criminolog

The prognostic signifi cance of normal technetium-99m MIBI myocardial perfusion spect imaging over a four-year follow-up period

normal Tc-99m MIBI myocardial perfusion study has previously been shown to indicate a benign prognosis. Our aim was to determine the longer term prognosis of a normal study in our patient population. Methods: A retrospective evaluation of 209 patients with a normal Tc-99m MIBI study was performed. Follow-up data was obtained in 157 patients, with complete follow-up in 121 (mean follow-up period of 56 months). In 36 patients only partial follow-up was possible (32 months follow-up). No follow-up data, except for the possible registration of deaths, could be obtained in 52. Patients were evaluated for the occurrence of primary or secondary cardiac events. Results: The study group had a moderate pre-test probability for coronary artery disease (48 + 30.7%). Two possible cardiac deaths occurred (cardiac death rate of 0.95%). No primary events occurred in the group with complete follow-up, but 6 secondary events were recorded (cardiac event rate of 4.9%). No primary or secondary events occurred in the partial follow-up group during the follow-up period. The incidence of secondary or non-fatal primary events in this group for the period after they were lost to follow-up or in the group with no follow-up could not be ascertained. There was, however, no statistically significant difference between these groups regarding age, pre-test probability and exercise parameters. Conclusion: Similar to the findings with Tl-201, our study indicates a favourable longer term prognosis after a normal Tc-99m MIBI study

Reinstatement of Aloe longibracteata (Asphodelaceae subfam. Alooideae), a maculate aloe from northeastern South Africa

Aloe longibracteata (Asphodelaceae subfam. Alooideae), a South African endemic aloe, which in the past has been regarded as belonging in the synonymy of A. greatheadii var. davyana, is reinstated as an accepted species. It differs from A. davyana var. davyana, which recently has been separated from A. greatheadii, in several reproductive morphological characters, most notably the fewer-branched inflorescences, much longer bracts, and the larger flowers and fruit, as well as the more denselyleaved rosettes. Aloe longibracteata is comprehensively compared to A. davyana var. davyana, illustrated, and a map of its natural geographical distribution range is provided. The typification of the name A. longibracteata is clarified and resolved, inter alia through designating an epitype.https://www.mapress.com/ptdm2022Plant Production and Soil Scienc

Aloe immaculata and A. affinis (Asphodelaceae subfam. Alooideae), two endemics from northern and eastern South Africa, are different maculate aloe species

We show that Aloe immaculata and A. affinis (Asphodelaceae subfam. Alooideae) are two different species. Aloe immaculata, a Limpopo province, South Africa, endemic, is therefore reinstated and treated as distinct from A. affinis, an endemic of the eastern, mainly Drakensberg escarpment in Mpumalanga, South Africa, and southeastern Limpopo, and northwestern Eswatini. Vegetatively, the two species mainly differ in terms of leaf colour (dull green to brownish green in the case of A. immaculata and brighter green in the case of A. affinis). Reproductively, the species differ in inflorescence structure (subcapitate to conical and round-topped racemes in the case of A. immaculata and cylindric-acuminate ones in the case of A. affinis) and flower size and colour (pale flesh pink and 28–33 mm long in A. immaculata and scarlet red and 40–45 mm long in A. affinis). The two species are compared and illustrated, and descriptions for both species and a combined distribution map are provided.https://www.mapress.com/ptdm2022Plant Production and Soil Scienc

A revised generic classification for <em>Aloe</em> (Xanthorrhoeaceae subfam. Asphodeloideae)

Grace, Olwen M., Klopper, Ronell R., Smith, Gideon F., Crouch, Neil R., Figueiredo, Estrela, Rønsted, Nina, Van Wyk, Abraham E. (2013): A revised generic classification for Aloe (Xanthorrhoeaceae subfam. Asphodeloideae). Phytotaxa 76 (1): 7-14, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.76.1.2, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.76.1.

Reinstatement of Aloe candelabrum A.Berger (Asphodelaceae: Alooideae), a tree-like aloe of KwaZulu-Natal province, South Africa

Aloe candelabrum A.Berger (Asphodelaceae: Alooideae), a stately, single-stemmed species from the KwaZulu-Natal province in eastern South Africa, which had been included in the synonymy of A. ferox Mill. for some years, is reinstated. The entire distribution range of A. candelabrum falls within the Maputoland-Pondoland Region of Endemism on the eastern seaboard of South Africa. In contrast, Aloe ferox occurs widely in the Western and Eastern Cape provinces of South Africa, the southern Free State province, as well as southern Lesotho. It does not occur in KwaZulu-Natal.Aloe candelabrum A. Berger (Asphodelaceae: Alooideae), eine stattliche, einstämmige Art aus der Provinz KwaZulu-Natal im östlichen Südafrika, die jahrelang in die Synonymie von A. ferox Mill. gestellt wurde, wird wieder anerkannt. Das gesamte Verbreitungsgebiet von A. candelabrum liegt innerhalb der Endemismus- Region Maputoland-Pondoland an der östlichen Meeresküste von Südafrika. Im Gegensatz dazu ist Aloe ferox weit verbreitet in den südafrikanischen Provinzen Western Cape und Eastern Cape, der südlichen Provinz Free State sowie im südlichen Lesotho; in KwaZulu-Natal kommt sie nicht vor.http://www.bcss.org.uk/brad.phpam2017Plant Scienc

Scattering length of the ground state Mg+Mg collision

We have constructed the X 1SIGMAg+ potential for the collision between two ground state Mg atoms and analyzed the effect of uncertainties in the shape of the potential on scattering properties at ultra-cold temperatures. This potential reproduces the experimental term values to 0.2 inverse cm and has a scattering length of +1.4(5) nm where the error is prodominantly due to the uncertainty in the dissociation energy and the C6 dispersion coefficient. A positive sign of the scattering length suggests that a Bose-Einstein condensate of ground state Mg atoms is stable.Comment: 15 pages, 3 figures, Submitted Phys. Rev.