Potential hazard consequences to personnel exposed to the ignition of small volumes of weakly confined stoichiometric hydrogen/air mixture

Many studies have been devoted to understanding the consequence of ignition events that could occur as a result of using hydrogen as an alternative to fossil fuels or when hydrogen is present in large scale industrial or nuclear waste sites. Little attention has however, been given to the effect of explosion in small scale operations: this could involve service work with manual handling and manipulation of gas containing packages or vessels. The purpose of this study is to begin to address this knowledge gap and report the results of an experimental program carried out to simulate the effect of localised and weakly confined small volume hydrogen explosions on personal safety. Three aspects of personal injury consequences are considered; injury from shock loading to the head/brain, skin burns and acoustic/hearing damage. It is concluded from ignition and acoustic noise exposure experiments, carried with stoichiometric hydrogen /air mixtures, that injuries arising from shock loading or burns to the skin are less likely than hearing damage. It is suggested that further work should focus on the noise exposure and hearing damage effects of small scale explosions

Retain

Retain is a variety of creeping foxtail (Alopecurus arundinaceus Poir.) developed by the South Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station and released February 1, 1979. Retain does not shatter its seed immediately as it matures as does the Garrison variety of this species. It is possible to leave Retain until it has ripened and harvest it with a sickle bar combine. The greater ease of harvesting and higher yields will make the seed more readily available. Creeping foxtail is adapted to low, fairly saline areas which are flooded for about two weeks in the spring. It wil not stand as much flooding or yield as much forage as reed canary grass but is more palatable and digestible. Seed increased by the Foundation Seed Stock Division has been released to a South Dakota seed firm. Certified seed will be available from harvests made in 1981 or 1982. Plant Variety Protection has been applied for, so Retain will be sold only by variety name as certified seed

Rebound

Rebound (SD 5) is a variety of smooth bromegrass developed by the South Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station and released in 1978. Rebound grows back quickly after harvest and produces growth in the middle of the summer when bromegrass is normally dormant and produces little regrowth. This variety will be valuable for pasture under irrigation and can be expected to produce more regrowth on dryland when conditions are favorable. Seed increase by the Foundation Seed Stock Division was released to three South Dakota seed firms to ensure sufficient quality seed for use on farms in South Dakota. Certified seed is available for commercial planting from harvests made in 1979. Plant Variety Protection has been applied for; and Rebound, therefore, will be sold only by variety name as certified seed

Reference genome of Lumpfish Cyclopterus lumpus Linnaeus provides evidence of male heterogametic sex determination through the AMH pathway

acceptedVersio

Talking South African fathers: a critical examination of men’s constructions and experiences of fatherhood and fatherlessness

The absence of biological fathers in South Africa has been constructed as a problem for children of both sexes but more so for boy-children. Arguably the dominant discourse in this respect has demonized non-nuclear, female-headed households. Fathers are constructed as either absent or ‘bad’. Thus it has become important to explore more closely how male care-givers have been experienced by groups of men in South Africa. This article examines discourses of fatherhood and fatherlessness by drawing on qualitative interviews with a group of 29 men who speak about their reported experiences and understandings of being fathered or growing up without biological fathers. Two major and intertwined subjugated discourses about adult men’s experiences of being fathered that counter- balance the prevailing discourses about meaning of fatherhood and fatherlessness became evident, namely, ‘being always there’ and ‘talking fatherhood’. The importance of the experience of fatherhood as ‘being there’, which relates to a quality of time and relationship between child and father rather than physical time together, is illustrated. It is not only biological fathers who can ‘be there’ for their sons but also social fathers, other significant male role models and father figures who step in at different times in participants’ lives when biological fathers are unavailable for whatever reason. Second, many positive experiences of fathers or father figures that resist a traditional role of authority and control and subscribe to more nurturant and non-violent forms of care, represented as ‘talking’ fathers, are underlined. If we are to better understand the impact of colonial and apartheid history and its legacy on family life in contemporary society, there is a need for more historically and contextually informed studies on the meaning of fatherhood and fatherlessness.Web of Scienc

'Family comes in all forms, blood or not': disrupting dominant narratives around the patriarchal nuclear family

After nearly 25 years of democracy, lives of young South Africans are still profoundly shaped by the legacies of apartheid. This paper considers how these differences are produced, maintained and disrupted through an exploration of changing narratives developed by a small group of South African pre-service teachers, with a particular focus on the narratives developed around discourses of fatherhood generally and absent fathers in particular. We draw on interviews conducted with three students in which we discussed their digital stories and literature reviews. In this paper, we draw attention to the limitations of digital storytelling and the risks such autobiographical storytelling presents of perpetuating dominant narratives that maintain and reproduce historical inequalities. At the same time, in highlighting ways in which this risk might be confronted, the paper also aims to show the possibilities in which these dominant narratives may be challenged.IBS

The development of a familyresilience-strengthening programme for familiesin a South African rural community

The aim of this study was to develop a contextually based family resilience program. Also presented here is a literature review of family resilience interventions suggesting that these 3 processes are the basis for effective family functioning. A close collaboration with the community ensured an adequate understanding of the presenting family challenges and this article describes the process in developing a program based on these challenges. A 3-round Delphi design was used for the study with international and local experts (n = 10) in the field of family and resilience studies and community stakeholders (n = 5). The program has three main aims: to increase family connectedness, family communication processes and social and economic resources. Based on the findings of this study, 4 modules will be presented to participants, “about family,” “talking together,” “close together,” and “working together.” A description is provided of the program content and decisions regarding logistical program concerns

Family structure and functioning: Influences on adolescents psychological needs, goals and aspirations in a South African setting

This study aimed to determine the effects of family structure and functioning on basic psychological need fulfilment, life goals and aspirations of adolescents in a South African setting. Participants were 457 adolescent learners (Mage = 16.31, SD = 1.45, females = 54%, coloured = 56%) selected from four public schools in the Western Cape, South Africa. The adolescents completed the Family Assessment Device, Aspirations Index and Psychological Needs Scales. Results following multiple regression analysis suggested that a two-parent family structure predicted higher satisfaction of basic psychological needs and higher pursuit of extrinsic goals among adolescents than did a one-parent family structure. Family functioning determined pursuit of intrinsic goals by adolescents from one-parent families.DHE

Changes to the law on consent in South Africa: implications for school-based adolescent sexual and reproductive health research

BACKGROUND:The National Health Act, No 61, 2003 in South Africa is the first effort made by the government to protect health-related research participants under law. Implemented on March 1, 2012, the law mandates active consent from a parent or legal guardian for all research conducted with research participants under the age of 18 years. This paper focuses on the Act's implications for school-based adolescent sexual and reproductive health research.DISCUSSION:Although well intentioned, the added legal protections in the National Health Act may have the unintended consequence of reducing participation rates in school-based adolescent sexual and reproductive health research, thereby excluding the most at-risk students. The Act may also compromise adolescents' right to dignity and privacy, especially considering the personal nature of research on sex and sexuality. Devolved, discretionary decision-making, which empowers local human research ethics committees to permit a wider range of protective measures, including passive consent, independent adolescent consent or community consultation ought to be considered. The continued and direct involvement of young people in their sexual and reproductive health and well-being is an important principle to uphold.SUMMARY:This paper calls for a re-examination of section 71's ethical guidelines relating to informed consent in the National Health Act, No 61, 2003 in South Africa in order to better serve the interests of South African adolescents in sexual and reproductive health research