Violence against wives : a crime 'sui generis'

A ZLRev. article on gender violence in Zimbabwe.Although most people "like to think of the family as the abode of love; a safe retreat where any member of the family is sure of support and protection; of grandparents, parents, aunts, uncles, and children as a closely - linked network of individuals who will stand united in the face of a threat, the reality is rather different". With specific reference to the problem of violence against wives within the Zimbabwean context it has been said: "Everybody knows it exists. Everybody knows there is a great deal of it. But nobody knows its extent. There are no figures." It can be reasonably assumed that victims of this violence want to be protected from their husbands. This article examines the legal provisions governing violence against wives, their adequacy, appropriateness and as well as their current implementation

Projected effects on salt purchases following implementation of a national salt reduction policy in South Africa.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the contribution of different food groups to total salt purchases and to evaluate the estimated reduction in salt purchases if mandatory maximum salt limits in South African legislation were being complied with. DESIGN: This study conducted a cross-sectional analysis of purchasing data from Discovery Vitality members. Data were linked to the South African FoodSwitch database to determine the salt content of each food product purchased. Food category and total annual salt purchases were determined by summing salt content (kg) per each unit purchased across a whole year. Reductions in annual salt purchases were estimated by applying legislated maximum limits to product salt content. SETTING: South Africa. PARTICIPANTS: The study utilised purchasing data from 344 161 households, members of Discovery Vitality, collected for a whole year between January and December 2018. RESULTS: Vitality members purchased R12·8 billion worth of food products in 2018, representing 9562 products from which 264 583 kg of salt was purchased. The main contributors to salt purchases were bread and bakery products (23·3 %); meat and meat products (19 %); dairy (12·2 %); sauces, dressings, spreads and dips (11·8 %); and convenience foods (8·7 %). The projected total quantity of salt that would be purchased after implementation of the salt legislation was 250 346 kg, a reduction of 5·4 % from 2018 levels. CONCLUSIONS: A projected reduction in salt purchases of 5·4 % from 2018 levels suggests that meeting the mandatory maximum salt limits in South Africa will make a meaningful contribution to reducing salt purchases

Prior infection with SARS-CoV-2 boosts and broadens Ad26.COV2.S immunogenicity in a variant-dependent manner

The Johnson and Johnson Ad26.COV2.S single-dose vaccine represents an attractive option for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination in countries with limited resources. We examined the effect of prior infection with different SARS-CoV-2 variants on Ad26.COV2.S immunogenicity. We compared participants who were SARS-CoV-2 naive with those either infected with the ancestral D614G virus or infected in the second wave when Beta predominated. Prior infection significantly boosts spike-binding antibodies, antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity, and neutralizing antibodies against D614G, Beta, and Delta; however, neutralization cross-reactivity varied by wave. Robust CD4 and CD8 T cell responses are induced after vaccination, regardless of prior infection. T cell recognition of variants is largely preserved, apart from some reduction in CD8 recognition of Delta. Thus, Ad26.COV2.S vaccination after infection could result in enhanced protection against COVID-19. The impact of the infecting variant on neutralization breadth after vaccination has implications for the design of second-generation vaccines based on variants of concern

The majority legal status of women in Southern Africa: Implications for women and families

Women in many countries of southern Africa do not have majority status or have only recently gained this right. Majority status grants individuals adult legal status and the right to bring matters to court, own and administer property, have legal custody of children, and contract for marriage. This article summarizes the legal status of women in Botswana, Lesotho, South Africa, Swaziland, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Lack of majority status contributes to the ongoing risk of poverty for women and makes them overly dependent on men. Compounding the situation in these countries is the presence of a dual legal system. Improving the situation of women and their families involves targeting changes in the legal system, influencing implementation of laws, educating women about their rights, and giving women needed support to seek their legal rights. The legal status of women must be viewed in the context of historical changes in the economic, educational, political, and cultural developments of society.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/44657/1/10834_2005_Article_BF02267045.pd

The betrayal of the 'return to self' project

SIGLEAvailable from British Library Document Supply Centre-DSC:DXN024170 / BLDSC - British Library Document Supply CentreGBUnited Kingdo

Epitope Coverage of Anti-SARS-CoV-2 Nucleocapsid IgA and IgG Antibodies Correlates with Protection against Re-Infection by New Variants in Subsequent Waves of the COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to affect individuals across the globe, with some individuals experiencing more severe disease than others. The relatively high frequency of re-infections and breakthrough infections observed with SARS-CoV-2 highlights the importance of extending our understanding of immunity to COVID-19. Here, we aim to shed light on the importance of antibody titres and epitope utilization in protection from re-infection. Health care workers are highly exposed to SARS-CoV-2 and are therefore also more likely to become re-infected. We utilized quantitative, multi-antigen, multi-epitope SARS-CoV-2 protein microarrays to measure IgG and IgA titres against various domains of the nucleocapsid and spike proteins. Potential re-infections in a large, diverse health care worker cohort (N = 300) during the second wave of the pandemic were identified by assessing the IgG anti-N titres before and after the second wave. We assessed epitope coverage and antibody titres between the ‘single infection’ and ‘re-infection’ groups. Clear differences were observed in the breadth of the anti-N response before the second wave, with the epitope coverage for both IgG (p = 0.019) and IgA (p = 0.015) being significantly increased in those who did not become re-infected compared to those who did. Additionally, the IgG anti-N (p = 0.004) and anti-S titres (p = 0.018) were significantly higher in those not re-infected. These results highlight the importance of the breadth of elicited antibody epitope coverage following natural infection in protection from re-infection and disease in the COVID-19 pandemic

Endogenous rhythmic growth, a trait suitable for the study of interplays between multitrophic interactions and tree development

As long-lived organisms, trees use resources to support both growth and below- and aboveground trophic interactions. Resources fluctuate in relation to periods of growth cease that are regulated by internal and external factors, and these fluctuations feed backs to trophic partners. Some major forest trees display an endogenous growth rhythm, and related pulses of variation in allocation of resources have been detected. As this trait makes it possible to separate growth into defined phases, it offers an opportunity to disentangle the intermingled complex regulation of growth and multitrophic interactions in trees. We present “TrophinOak”, a platform using microcuttings of pedunculated oak, a tree that displays endogenous rhythmic growth characterized by alternating shoot and root growth flushes. We select seven beneficial or detrimental above- and belowground partners including animals (Lymantria dispar, Pratylenchus penetrans, Protaphorura armata), fungi (Piloderma croceum, Microsphaera alphitoides, Phytophthora quercina) and bacteria (Streptomyces sp.), to synthesize bi- and tripartite trophic interactions, including ectomycorrhizal symbioses, and monitor fluctuations of carbon and nitrogen allocation as well as plant gene expression at distinct phases of oak growth. We use this model to identify and resolve the experimental challenges inherent in synthesizing diverse types of associations in a common microcosm system, in labeling plants with stable N and C isotopes and in analyzing transcripts in a non-model plant, a process which requires generating a specific contig library. We develop hypotheses and experimental design to test them in order to identify core mechanisms that help trees to modulate their own development and their multitrophic interactions for optimizing their long term performance in their environment. First results constitute a proof of concept that the platform works and enables us to test the hypotheses

Patriarchy, women, land and livelihoods on A1 farms in Zimbabwe

In this article, we focus on patriarchy, women, land and livelihoods on A1 farms in Zimbabwe which arose from the fast track land reform programme. There is now significant literature on A1 farms in Zimbabwe. These studies include a number of ethnographic and comparative studies but this literature does not give sustained attention to patriarchy and women. In addition, though, a small number of works have appeared based upon a more focused gender analysis. We draw upon this more focused literature and offer fresh fieldwork evidence based on recent studies undertaken by two of the authors, in Goromonzi and Mazowe districts. At times, radical socio-spatial reorganisation such as fast track may destabilise systems of patriarchy. In the case of fast track, there has been a reconfiguration of relations between men and women yet this is uneven and contradictory and remains within the confines of patriarchal structures, practices and discourses. At the same time, women have manoeuvred and negotiated at local levels to enhance their lives and livelihoods