Ontstaan en eerste periode van die Hervormde teologiese opleiding aan die Universiteit van Pretoria

Establishment and first period of th e Hervormde theological training at the University of PretoriaIn this study the establishment of the Hervormde theological training at the University of Pretoria is researched with the purpose of identifying the ecclesiastical,religious and theological factors that influenced the emergence and development of a typical Hervormde type of theology in South Africa. It is argued that theresistance of the Transvaal Afrikaners to religious encroachment of their independence in the Boer Republic of the nineteenth century caused distrust of the church and theology associated with Stellenbosch in the British Cape Colony, and that opposition to trends from there determined the association of the Transvaal Hervormers with certain Dutch circles. From the joining of these two forces - what the Transvaal Hervormers required and what the contemporary Dutch theologies could offer - sprang the roots of what Hervormde theology came to be

Grudge Spending: The Interplay between Markets and Culture in the Purchase of Security

In the paper, we use data from an English study of security consumption, and recent work in the cultural sociology of markets, to illustrate the way in which moral and social commitments shape and often constrain decisions about how, or indeed whether, individuals and organizations enter markets for protection. Three main claims are proffered. We suggest, firstly, that the purchase of security commodities is a mundane, non-conspicuous mode of consumption that typically exists outside of the paraphernalia of consumer culture – a form of grudge spending. Secondly, we demonstrate that security consumption is weighed against other commitments that individuals and organizations have and is often kept in check by these competing considerations. We find, thirdly, that the prospect of consuming security prompts people to consider the relations that obtain between security objects and other things that they morally or aesthetically value, and to reflect on what the buying and selling of security signals about the condition and likely futures of their society. These points are illustrated using the examples of organizational consumption and gated communities. In respect of each case, we tease out the evaluative judgements that condition and constrain the purchase of security among organizations and individuals and argue that they open up some important but neglected questions to do with the moral economy of security. The article is co-authored with Ian Loader and Angelica Thumala

Interrogating trees for isotopic archives of atmospheric sulphur deposition and comparison to speleothem records

Palaeorecords which depict changes in sulphur dynamics form an invaluable resource for recording atmospheric pollution. Tree rings constitute an archive that are ubiquitously available and can be absolutely dated, providing the potential to explore local- to regional-scale trends in sulphur availability. Rapid isotopic analysis by a novel “on-line” method using elemental analyser isotope ratio mass spectrometry (EA-IRMS) is developed, achieving sample precision of <0.4‰ using sample sizes of 40 mg wood powder. Tree cores from NE Italy show trends in pollution, evidenced through increasing concentrations of sulphur towards the youngest growth, and inverse trends in sulphur isotopes differentiating modern growth with light sulphur isotopes (+0.7‰) from pre-industrial growth (+7.5‰) influenced by bedrock composition. Comparison with speleothem records from the same location demonstrate replication, albeit offset in isotopic value due to groundwater storage. Using EA-IRMS, tree ring archives form a valuable resource for understanding local- to regional-scale sulphur pollution dynamics

David and the matriarch in the Book of Ruth

In this paper it is argued that the motif of the matriarch is not only present in the Book of Ruth, but that it also fulfils an important role. Several motifs and clusters of motifs established in the patriarchal narratives, especially that of the protection of the matriarch, are shown to be used in such a way that Ruth is portrayed as a typical matriarch. Since a matriarch is a matriarch by virtue of the importance of her offspring, the David motif in 4:17 is by no means secondary, but an inherent part of the narrative itself. This in turn has implications for the theological basis of the Davidic dynasty: Since the motif of the matriarch in this way becomes part of the royal theme, its meaning is determined by the overarching theme of solidarity and love, viz. that the royal house is founded not on 'pure' descent, but on solidarity and love

Absence of juvenile effects confirmed in stable carbon and oxygen isotopes of European larch trees

Članek obravnava razmerja ogljikovih in kisikovih izotopov v branikah blizu stržena na prsni višini (cca 1,2 m) treh evropskih macesnov (Larix decidua Mill.), rastočih v mešanem gozdu s predraslimi hrasti in nasajenimi evropskimi macesni v zahodnem Walesu, Velika Britanija. Neklimatskega naraščajočega trenda v razmerjih ogljikovih izotopov, ki ga je sicer opaziti pri drugih vrstah v letih juvenilne rasti, ni, in tudi razmerje stabilnih izotopov ne kaže pomembnih trendov med odraščanjem drevesa. Rezultati iz prvih desetih branik ob strženu se bistveno ne razlikujejo od naslednjih dveh nizov desetih branik. O izostanku juvenilnega efekta v ogljikovih izotopih evropskega macesna so že poročali v zvezi z macesni, rastočimi v nesklenjenih sestojih v Franciji in to pripisali nezastrtosti krošenj in posledične neuporabe ogljikovega dioksida, ki ga pri dihanju oddajajo drevesa. Analizirana drevesa v zahodnem Walesu so rasla v nasadu s predraslimi hrasti, ki so bili starejši od podraslih macesnov. Macesni, kot svetloljubne drevesne vrste, so morali tekmovati za prostor in svetlobo, zato domnevamo, da je morebiten pojav juvenilnega efekta pri stabilnih izotopih prej posledica sprememb v hidravlični prevodnosti lesa, kot pa česa drugega. Ker današnja praksa izogibanja juvenilnega lesa omejuje potencial stabilnih izotopov drevesnih branik za dendroklimatološke in fiziološke raziskave, bi bile potrebnih dodatne raziskave o učinkih juvenilne rasti na pojav juvenilnega efekta v meritvah stabilnih izotopov

Green consumer markets in the fight against climate change

Climate change has become one of the greatest threats to environmental security, as attested by the growing frequency of severe flooding and storms, extreme temperatures and droughts. Accordingly, the European Union’s (EU) 6th Environment Action Programme (2010) lists tackling climate change as its first priority. A key aim of the EU has been to cut CO2 emissions, a major factor in climate change, by 8% until 2012 and 20% until 2020. The European Commission has proposed the encouragement of private consumer market for green products and services as one of several solutions to this problem. However, existing research suggests that the market share of these products has been only 3%, although 30% of individuals favour environmental and ethical goods. This article uses Public Goods Theory to explain why the contribution of the green consumer market to fighting climate change has been and possibly may remain limited without further public intervention

Study Protocol: A Randomized Controlled Trial of Patient Navigation-Activation to Reduce Cancer Health Disparities

Abstract Background Cancer health disparities affecting low-income and minority patients are well documented. Root-causes are multifactorial, including diagnostic and treatment delays, social and financial barriers, and poor communication. Patient navigation and communication coaching (activation) are potential interventions to address disparities in cancer treatment. The purpose of this clinical trial is to test the effectiveness of an intervention combining patient navigation and activation to improve cancer treatment. Methods/Design The Rochester Patient Navigation Research Program (PNRP) is a National Cancer Institute-sponsored, patient-level randomized trial (RCT) of patient navigation and activation, targeting newly-diagnosed breast and colorectal cancer patients in Rochester, NY. The goal of the program is to decrease cancer health disparities by addressing barriers to receipt of cancer care and promoting patient self-efficacy. The intervention uses trained, paraprofessional patient navigators recruited from the target community, and a detailed training and supervisory program. Recruited patients are randomly assigned to receive either usual care (except for baseline and follow-up questionnaires and interviews) or intervention. The intervention patients receive tailored assistance from their patient navigators, including phone calls, in-person meetings, and behind-the-scenes coordination of care. A total of 344 patients have been recruited. Outcomes measured at three month intervals include timeliness of care, patient adherence, patient satisfaction, quality of life, self-efficacy, health literacy, and cancer knowledge. Discussion This unique intervention combining patient navigation and patient activation is designed to address the multifactorial problem of cancer health disparities. If successful, this study will affect the design and implementation of patient navigation programs. Trials Registration clinicaltrials.gov identifier NCT00496678http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/78254/1/1471-2407-10-551.xmlhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/78254/2/1471-2407-10-551.pdfPeer Reviewe

Top Quark Physics at the Tevatron

We review the field of top-quark physics with an emphasis on experimental techniques. The role of the top quark in the Standard Model of particle physics is summarized and the basic phenomenology of top-quark production and decay is introduced. We discuss how contributions from physics beyond the Standard Model could affect top-quark properties or event samples. The many measurements made at the Fermilab Tevatron, which test the Standard Model predictions or probe for direct evidence of new physics using the top-quark event samples, are reviewed here.Comment: 50 pages, 17 figures, 2 tables; version accepted by Review of Modern Physic