Application of Muslim personal & family law in South Africa : law, ideology and socio-political implications

Includes bibliography.What I have coined as 'politics' occur at two levels, namely at the level of the differing political perceptions of Muslims and at the level of how they interact with the modern-state. This study approaches the subject from two angles. The first deals with a community's self-perception in relation to its religious symbols and values. The second involves an understanding of the human reality we experience. Law, ideology, economics and a host of other forces dictate the destinies of people. It is against the backdrop of the above two levels that the implications of the implementation of MPL [Muslim Personal Law] is examined in this thesis. It must be said at the outset that MPL has as yet not been applied in South Africa. The debate regarding its implementation has only begun. This thesis thus looks into the dynamics of this experience. Some aspects of the debate is also based on projections and comparative studies

Učinak magnetnih nanočestica i ionske tekućine na performanse elektrokemijskih senzora

Magnetic nanoparticles and ionic liquid (IL, 1-hexyl-3-methyl-imidazolium bromide) based on graphene oxide (GO) composite provide unique physical and chemical properties in electrochemical sensors performance. Magnetic nanoparticles can cover active sites that increase chemical reactions with easy separation. IL increases the scan rate of electron transfer between the modified electrode and solution because it includes conductive adhesion properties. Also, IL in the next steps of design carbon paste electrodes (CPE) increases the cohesion. The study aims are to study the effects of magnetic nanoparticles and IL on the electrochemical detection of dopamine (DA). DA has a vital role in the mammalian central nervous system and change its value from the standard range leads broad mental diseases. But magnetic graphene oxide (MGO) may not exist capable of enhancing electrochemical signs alone. In this regard, after the synthesis of MGO, IL was established on composite. Then gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) were modified MGO nanocomposite. MIP polymerization was continued by methacrylic acid (MAA) in the presence of DA as a template molecule. The developed sensor with modified nanocomposite studied by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) techniques. The modified sensor based on nanocomposite with a broad concentration linear range, between 1×10-7 to 1×10-4 M and a limit of detection of 1×10-8 M (S/N=3) was used for the detection of DA in biological samples. Furthermore, these results prove that MGO was improved active sites of surface nanocomposite and IL was increased conductivity in the based electrochemical sensor for DA detection.Magnetne nanočestice i ionska tekućina (IL, 1-heksil-3-metil-imidazolijev bromid) na bazi kompozita grafenova oksida (GO) pružaju jedinstvena fizička i kemijska svojstva u izvedbi elektrokemijskih senzora. Magnetne nanočestice mogu pokriti aktivna mjesta koja povećavaju kemijske reakcije uz jednostavno odvajanje. IL povećava brzinu prijenosa elektrona između modificirane elektrode i otopine jer uključuje svojstva vodljive adhezije. Također, IL u sljedećim koracima dizajna elektroda ugljične paste (CPE) povećava koheziju. Cilj je studije proučavanje učinaka magnetnih nanočestica i IL-a na elektrokemijsku detekciju dopamina (DA). DA ima vitalnu ulogu u središnjemu živčanom sustavu sisavaca i promjena njegove vrijednosti iz standardnoga raspona dovodi do širokoga raspona mentalnih bolesti. Ali magnetni grafenov oksid (MGO) ne može sam poboljšati elektrokemijske signale. S tim u vezi, nakon sinteze MGO-a, IL je uspostavljen na kompozitu. Zatim su nanočestice zlata (AuNP) i molekularno utisnuti polimer (MIP) modificirali MGO nanokompozit. MIP polimerizacija nastavljena je metakrilnom kiselinom (MAA) u prisutnosti dopamina kao modelne molekule. Razvijeni senzor s modificiranim nanokompozitom proučavan je tehnikama ciklične voltametrije (CV) i diferencijalne pulsne voltametrije (DPV). Modificirani senzor na bazi nanokompozita sa širokim linearnim rasponom koncentracije, između 1×10-7 do 1×10-4 mol L-1 i granicom detekcije od 1×10-8 mol L-1 (S/N = 3) korišten je za detekciju dopamina u biološkim uzorcima. Ovi rezultati dokazuju da je MGO poboljšao aktivna mjesta površinskoga nanokompozita, a IL je povećao vodljivost u baziranome elektrokemijskom senzoru za detekciju dopamina

NOVI ELEKTROKEMIJSKI SENZOR TEMELJEN NA METALNIM NANOČESTICAMA I MOLEKULARNO UTISNUTOM NANOKOMPOZITNOM POLIMERU S PRIMJENOM U BIOLOGIJI

Metal nanoparticles trapped in a biopolymer composite due to electrical conductivity properties improve electrochemical sensors with biomedical and environmental applications. The study aims are to design a novel molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) composite based on magnetic graphene oxide (Fe3O4@GO) modified silica (SiO2) and gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) to electrochemical detect serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT). A suitable amount of 5-HT is effective on motivational functions and the environment because it is a serotonergic neurotransmitter. But the desired nanocomposite may have a relatively low recognition, therefore must be in choosing the type of functional monomer be careful. In this regard, the design of the electrochemical sensor began by synthesis of Fe3O4@GO-SiO2@AuNPs nanocomposite. Then, MIP electropolymerization was carried out by using p-aminothiophenol (PATP)-functionalized Fe3O4@GO-SiO2@AuNPs nanocomposite in the presence of 5HT as a template molecule. Electrochemical polymerization of MIP nanocomposite was developed using cyclic voltammetry (CV) and the electrochemical properties of 5-HT were studied use differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) technology in the 5HT solution. After optimization of preparation and measurement conditions on the designed sensor, the 5HT concentration range is 0.1 μM to 10 μM linearly, and the detection limit was 1 × 10-5 μM (S / N = 3). The wide concentration range and low detection limit were presented metal nanoparticles functionalized MIP with appropriate functional monomer have a great effect on the performance of the sensor. Furthermore, PATP-functionalized metal nanoparticles increase the conductivity and recognition of the prepared MIP electrochemical sensor to the quantification of 5-HT in biological samples with high selectivity and recovery.Metalne nanočestice zadržane u biopolimernome kompozitu zbog električne vodljivosti poboljšavaju svojstva elektrokemijskih senzora u biomedicini i izučavanju okoliša. Ovdje je prikazan novi molekularni utisnuti kompozitni polimer temeljen na grafenskom oksidu (Fe3O4→GO), modificiranome silicijevim dioksidom (SiO2) i nanočesticama zlata (AuNPs), a s ciljem elektrokemijskoga opažanja serotonina (5-hidroksitriptamin, 5-HT). Određeni iznos 5-HT-a utječe na motivaciju i doživljaj okoliša jer se radi o neurotransmiteru središnjega živčanog sustava. Kod odabira nanokompozita, a zbog učinkovitosti, funkcionalni monomer mora biti pažljivo odabran. Stoga je molekularno utisnuti polimer (MUP) generiran uporabom p-aminotiofenola (PATP), funkcionalnoga nanokompozita Fe3O4→GO-SiO2→AuNPs, u nazočnosti 5HT-a kao templatne molekule. Elektrokemijska polimerizacija nanokompozitnoga MIP-a načinjena je uporabom cikličke voltametrije (CV). Elektrokemijska svojstva 5-HT-a izučena su uporabom različitih tehnologija pulsne voltametrije (PV) u njegovoj otopini. Nakon optimizacije mjernih uvjeta i senzora, koncentracija 5-HT-a linearno je mijenjana u rasponu 0,1 – 10 μM, uz granicu opažanja 1 × 10-5 μM (S / N = 3). Širok raspon koncentracije i nizak prag opažanja te korištene metalne nanočestice MUP-a uz odabrani monomer imali su velik utjecaj na svojstva senzora. Nadalje, metalne čestice funkcionalizirane PATP-om povećale su vodljivost i mogućnost opažanja elektrokemijskih senzora na MIP te kvantificiranje sadržaja 5-HT-a u biološkim uzorcima s velikom točnošću

Obesity and other nutrition related abnormalities in pre-dialysis chronic kidney disease (CKD) participants

CITATION: Ebrahim, Z., Moosa, M. R. & Blaauw, R. 2019. Obesity and other nutrition related abnormalities in pre-dialysis chronic kidney disease (CKD) participants. Nutrients, 12(12):3608, doi:10.3390/nu12123608.The original publication is available at http://www.mdpi.comPublication of this article was funded by the Stellenbosch University Open Access FundChronic kidney disease (CKD) is increasing in sub-Saharan Africa. Undernutrition has been prevalent amongst end stage CKD patients, with limited data on the prevalence of obesity. The aim of this study was to assess the nutritional status of CKD patients using various methods sensitive to over and under-nutrition. Stage 3 to 5 CKD patients (glomerular filtration rate (GFR) < 60 mL/min/1.73 m2) attending a pre-dialysis clinic in Cape Town, were enrolled. Exclusion criteria included infectious and autoimmune conditions. Sociodemographic, clinical and biochemical data were collected, and anthropometric measurements were performed. Dietary intake was measured with a quantified food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 26 was used for statistical analysis. Seventy participants, with mean age of 41.8 ± 11.8 years, 52.9% females and 47.1% males were enrolled. Participants enrolled mainly had stage 5 kidney failure. Thirty percent were overweight (21) and 25 (36%) were obese, 22 (60%) of females were overweight and obese, while 13 (39.4%) of males were predominantly normal weight. Abdominal obesity was found in 42 (60%) of participants, mainly in females. Undernutrition prevalence was low at 3%. Dietary assessment showed a high sugar and protein intake. There was a high prevalence of overweight, obesity and abdominal obesity in CKD stage 35 patients, with unhealthy dietary intake and other nutritional abnormalities.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/12/12/3608Publisher's versio

Lower limb pain syndromes

Lower limb pain is a common presenting complaint in primary care with aetiological factors such as trauma, repetitive strain injury and systemic inflammatory disorders. This review focuses on some commonly encountered problems when dealing with patients who present with lower limb pathology.http://www.cmej.org.za/index.php/cme

Human immunodeficiency virus infection and inflammatory arthritis : a review of clinical and imaging features

The reported prevalence of articular manifestations of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) varies, but with sub-Saharan Africa accounting for almost 70% of the people living with HIV, this results in a considerable burden of disease in the region. The spectrum of clinical presentation described, includes articular pain syndrome, HIV-associated arthropathy and seronegative spondyloarthropathies, among others. This brief review serves to create awareness of the clinical and imaging presentation of this spectrum of disease as there is significant morbidity associated with these conditions if treatment is delayed.http://www.sajr.org.zaam2018Internal MedicineRadiolog

A wideband signal conditioning system for high voltage measurements using a transconductance topology

Thesis (MScEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2000.ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Recent research has shown that standard substation capacitive voltage transformers (CVTs) and current transformers (CTs) can be used for the measurement of wideband high voltage phenomena by employing these apparatus in a transconductance topology. With this topology the voltage waveform can be obtained by integration of the ground return current in the earth straps of the CVT and the CT. This technique does, however, impose unique requirements on the amplification and integration instrumentation due to large dynamic range requirements and the strict offset specifications required for accurate integration. This thesis describes a programmable, wideband signal conditioning system for high voltage (HV) measurements using the transconductance topology. A suitable system topology, optimised to reduce the problems usually associated with grounding and electromagnetic interference (EMI) in HV environments, is proposed. This system consists of an analog signal conditioning subsystem, a digital signal conditioning subsystem and a high speed serial fibre-optic link. The analog signal conditioning subsystem conditions the signals from a sensor to levels suitable for the digitiser of the digital signal conditioning subsystem. The high bandwidth specification of the application made it necessary to consider both discrete and integrated implementation of the analog signal conditioning subsystem. Based on the simulated and laboratory test results of both implementations, the optimum design was chosen for the developed system. The digital signal conditioning subsystem, which performs the integration, as well as the serial optic-fibre link control logic was implemented using programmable logic array (PLA) technology. The digital data is transmitted across the fibre-optic link. This data is then converted back to an analog signal. Keywords: High voltage measurements, Transconductance topology.AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Onlangse navorsing het aangetoon dat standaard substasie kapasitiewe spanningstransformators en stroomtransformators gebruik kan word om wyeband hoogspanningsverskynsels te meet deur hierdie apparatuur in 'n transkonduktansie topologie aan te wend. Met hierdie topologie kan die spanningsgolfvorm verkry word deur die integrasie van die aardstrome in die aardverbindings van die kapasitiewe spanningstransformators en stroomtransformators. Hierdie tegniek stel egter unieke vereistes vir die versterkings- en integrasieinstrumentasie te wyte aan groot dinamiese bereik vereistes en die streng afset spesifikasies wat benodig word vir akkurate integrasie. Hierdie tesis beskryf 'n programmeerbare, wyeband seinkondisioneringstelsel vir hoogspanningsmetings deur van die transkonduktansie topologie gebruik te maak. 'n Geskikte stelseltopologie, wat geoptimiseer is om probleme, wat gewoonlik met aarding en elektromagnetiese interferensie in hoogspanningsomgewings geassosieer word, te verminder, is voorgestel. Die stelsel bestaan uit 'n analoog seinkondisioneringsubstelsel, 'n digitale seinkondisioneringsubstelsel en 'n hoëspoed seriële optiese vesel koppelvlak. Die analoog seinkondisioneringsubstelsel kondisioneer die seine vanaf 'n sensor na geskikte vlakke vir die versyferaar van die digitale seinkondisioneringsubstelsel. Die hoë bandwydte spesifikasie van die toepassing vereis die inagneming van beide diskrete en geïntegreerde implementerings van die analoog seinkondisioneringsubstelsel. Gebaseer op gesimuleerde en laboratorium toetsresultate van beide implementerings is die optimale ontwerp vir die ontwikkelde stelsel gekies. Die digitale seinkondisioneringsubstelsel wat die integrasie uitvoer, asook die seriële optiese vesel koppelvlak beheerlogika is geïmplementeer met behulp van programmeerbare logika skikking tegnologie. Die digitale data word gestuur oor die optiese vesel koppelvlak. Hierdie data word dan terug geskakel na 'n analoog sein. Sleutelwoorde: Hoogspanningsmetings, Transkonduktansie topologie

Dialogues:Anthropology and theology

The past five years have witnessed an increased interest in a dialogue between anthropology and theology, evidenced in part by a suite of edited volumes (e.g. Lauterbach & Vähäkangas 2020; Lemons 2018; Tomlinson & Mathews 2018). Analyses informed by this interdisciplinary nexus have demonstrated the utility of theological concepts for anthropological inquiry (e.g. Robbins 2020; Tomlinson 2020; Williams Green 2021). The following series of dialogues between anthropologists and theologians builds on this growing body of work, expanding it at two main points. First, while the above conversations are all focused on Christian theology, mainly as a means of engaging Christian practice, our dialogues move beyond this religion. The following conversations engage the intersection of anthropology and Islamic, Buddhist, Hindu, as well as Christian, theology.1 Second, many of these dialogues foreground particular experiences of scholars in both anthropology and theology who identify in some way with the religious traditions they study. Some of these dialogues took place between scholars who had an established relationship; others involved partners who had not previously met, but who agreed to correspond in view of a shared interest in this interdisciplinary dialogue. As a starting point, participants were given a series of questions to orient their exchanges, such as, ‘How does faith relate to knowledge in both disciplines?’ Conversations mostly took place over email and were later edited with the help of one of the journal editors, Adam Reed, and one of the members of our Editorial Board, Naomi Haynes.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

Guidelines for antiretroviral therapy in adults by the Southern African HIV clinicians society

These guidelines are intended as an update to those published in the Southern African Journal of HIV Medicine in January 2008. Since the release of the previous guidelines, the scaleup of antiretroviral therapy (ART) in Southern Africa has continued to grow. Cohort studies from the region show excellent clinical outcomes; however, ART is still being started late (in advanced disease), resulting in relatively high early mortality rates. New data on antiretroviral (ARV) tolerability in the region and several new ARV drugs have become available. Although currently few in number, some patients in the region are failing protease inhibitor (PI)- based second-line regimens. To address this, guidelines on third-line (or ‘salvage’) therapy have been expanded.Specific recommendations provided here are intended only as a guide to clinical therapy, based on expert consensus and best current evidence. Treatment decisions for patients should be made by their responsible clinicians, with due consideration for individual circumstances. The most current version of this document should always be consulted.All expert panel members have completed and submitted conflict of interest disclosure forms. Disclosure information represents the previous 3 years (updated 17 August 2012) and includes relationships with pharmaceutical companies and medical aids: Dr Francesca Conradie has received support from Abbott to attend conferences, and research support from Tibotec. She has also received honoraria for speaking engagements from Abbott and MSD. Dr Hefer has received support to attend conferences from Abbott, Adcock Ingram, Aspen and MSD. He owns shares in Lifecell and has received honoraria for speaking engagements from Abbott, Aspen and MSD. Dr Johnson has received research support from Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS), MSD, Tibotec and Schering-Plough. He has also received honoraria for speaking engagements from Abbott. Professor Graeme Meintjes has received honoraria for speaking engagements from Sanofi Aventis and serves as a consultant for Aid for AIDS. Professor Yunus Moosa has received support to attend conferences from Abbott and honoraria for speaking at conferences/seminars from Abbott, Aspen, MSD and Pfizer. Dr Theresa Rossouw serves as a consultant for Discovery Health. Dr Ebrahim Variava receives support for clinical trials from Outsuka. Professor Francois Venter has received support to attend conferences from Adcock Ingram and MSD; honoraria for speaking engagements from MSD; and has served as a consultant for Abbott, Johnson and Johnson and Tibotec. Dr Eric Goemaere, Professor Gary Maartens, Dr Moeketsi Mathe, Dr Regina Osih and Dr Gilles Van Custem report no conflicts of interest.This work is supported and funded by the Southern African HIV Clinicians Society through an educational grant from Atlantic Philanthropies.www.sajhivmed.org.zaam201