Retelling the Story of Judah and Tamar in the Testament of Judah

Many Christians assume that Old Testament documents were  „Christianised. during the New Testament era, although the process predates the New Testament. This assumption may be premised on the lack of much information about how early Christians re-interpreted Old Testament stories to meet new trends of thinking during the Inter-Testament period. This paper, therefore, focuses on the story of Judah and Tamar in Genesis 38, which is retold in the Testament of Judah to discover the intentions and the worldviews of the author of the Testament of Judah. For the presupposition of this paper, the Testament of Judah will be studied as a Christian document. The other side of the debate that the Testaments are the works of a Jewish author is thus put aside at least for a while in this paper. This is because the Testaments look more like a Christian document than Jewish. As a result, the texts for comparison would be the LXX and the Greek version of theTestaments. The paper utilizes literary analyses of the two passages while it progresses through three main headings; the overall structure of the Testament of Judah, exegesis of the story of Judah and Tamar in both Genesis 38 and The Testament of Judah, an analysis of key characters and a summary of the significant differences between the two stories. The paper concludes that the world view of the author of the Testament thought of women as channels through which the devil overcomes man in battles of the mind, thereby, leading men into impurity. Hence, Bathshua and Tamar are thus presented as the „victimizers. while Judah is portrayed in the Testament as an old man who had gained experience with time whose strengths and weakness serve as example for his sons.  Keywords: Testament of Judah, Second Temple Judaism, Pseudepigrapha, Judah and Tamar, Retelling

The use of scripture in the Letter of Jude

The place and role of the Bible in winning or reclaiming souls in the Christian church from the earliest era to the present has been central and inevitable. Jesus himself was influenced by the Aramaic and Hebrew catena that were preserved in Judaism; these were the scriptures he knew. After Jesus, the early believers continued to search the scrolls as the pre-existent text that pointed to the continuity in their reverence to Jesus and thereby re-discovering their identity and the fulfillment of the prophecies aforementioned in them. By the second century, many other Christian writings circulated and were highly considered as of equal importance as the Jewish scriptures. Even though this process of the Christian believer searching for meaning and understanding in the Bible has not changed till date, one thing that stands to be often overlooked in the twenty first century is the cultural and ideological milieu in which the early Christians understood the constituents of scripture. It is against this background that this paper examines Jude’s use of both canonical and non-canonical materials to reveal the library of scripture that existed in the early Christian communities. The method adopted in this paper is exegesis. It is mainly argued that Jude alluded to the Pseudepigrapha (1 Enoch and the Testament of Moses) as scripture in the same way he used the Old Testament.Thus, it suggests a period of writing in which the Old Testament Canon was still open. In pursuance of the above purpose, possible quotations or allusions to other material are analyzed. The discussions centre on two broad headings; The Old Testament and Pseudepigrapha, within which specific sub topics are treated.Keywords: Jude, Pseudepigrapha, Scripture, Hermeneutics, Typology, OT in NT, Exegesi

Girls’ Motivation, Participation And Preference For Visual Arts Subjects In Four Senior High Schools In Central Region, Ghana

The study sought to examine girls’ motivation for and subject preferences on the Senior High School Visual Arts programme in Ghana. Using findings based on the multi-site case study research method with direct observation and interviews, the study found that 54% of 300 girls in four schools in the Central Region made personal decisions to study Visual Arts while 34% were coerced into the programme by school Heads; only 12% were inspired or persuaded. Textiles emerged the most preferred elective subject because it involves “girl-friendly” skills and offers “female-appropriate” occupations. The Textiles-with-Graphic Design elective combination facilitates access into the fashion industry but many girls shun Picture-Making because girls generally lack the level of drawing skills required; Ceramics is “girl-friendly” except that clay easily dirties their clothes. Sculpture is the least preferred elective because it demands much energy and effort, involves using sharp tools and working of heavy materials; it is therefore an “inappropriate” subject for girls. This apparent discriminatory attitude towards some Visual Arts subjects impacts negatively on girls’ academic achievement on the programme and undermines gender equality in learning, educational and career development. Effective delivery of the Visual Arts curriculum and counselling could encourage more girls to participate fully in the programme

Sorrentina peninsula: Geographical distribution of the indoor radon concentrations in dwellings—gini index application

The radon isotope (222Rn, half-life 3.8 days) is a radioactive byproduct of the238U decay chain. Because radon is the second biggest cause of lung cancer after smoking, dense maps of indoor radon concentration are required to implement effective locally based risk reduction strategies. In this regard, we present an innovative method for the construction of interpolated maps (kriging) based on the Gini index computation to characterize the distribution of Rn concentration. The Gini coefficient variogram has been shown to be an effective predictor of radon concentration inhomogeneity. It allows for a better constraint of the critical distance below which the radon geological source can be considered uniform, at least for the investigated length scales of variability; it also better distinguishes fluctuations due to environmental predisposing factors from those due to random spatially uncorrelated noise. This method has been shown to be effective in finding larger-scale geographical connections that can subsequently be connected to geological characteristics. It was tested using real dataset derived from indoor radon measurements conducted in the Sorrentina Peninsula in Campania, Italy. The measurement was carried out in different residences using passive detectors (CR-39) for two consecutive semesters, beginning in September– November 2019 and ending in September–November 2020, to estimate the yearly mean radon concentration. The measurements and analysis were conducted in accordance with the quality control plan. Radon concentrations ranged from 25 to 722 Bq/m3 before being normalized to ground level, and from 23 to 933 Bq/m3 after being normalized, with a geometric mean of 120 Bq/m3 and a geometric standard deviation of 1.35 before data normalization, and 139 Bq/m3 and a geometric standard deviation of 1.36 after data normalization. Approximately 13% of the tests conducted exceeded the 300 Bq/m3 reference level set by Italian Legislative Decree 101/2020. The data show that the municipalities under investigation had no influence on indoor radon levels. The geology of the monitored location is interesting, and because soil is the primary source of Rn, risk assessment and mitigation for radon exposure cannot be undertaken without first analyzing the local geology. This research examines the spatial link among radon readings using the mapping based on the Gini method (kriging)

De/Motivations in Housing Microfinance Delivery in Ghana

PURPOSE: The purpose of this paper is to explore the de/motivation variables in the delivery of housing microfinance (HMF) in the low-income housing market in Ghana. DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: The paper relied on a survey of 125 respondents of microfinance institutions (MFIs) to understand the interactions and effects of these variables on HMF delivery in Ghana. Descriptive and bivariate statistical methods were used to analyse the data. FINDINGS: The findings revealed that both internal and external variables motivate MFIs to engage in the low-income housing market. These variables are: MFIs desire for expansion, the potential size of the low-income housing market, the market potential for MFIs growth, the availability of local resources, unique features and products of the market, low-income housing offering an opportunity for leveraging resources and the preference for homeownership than rental among individuals in the low-income segment of the population. However, variables such as capital lock-up in HMF delivery, high-interest rates in the country, high cost and land prices, high cost and price of building materials, lack of sufficient collaterals and the different interest rates required on HMF loans also served as demotivation in the low-income housing market in Ghana. RESEARCH LIMITATIONS/IMPLICATIONS: The paper findings are limited in context to Ghana. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: The paper, although limited to Ghana, contributes to the much-needed body of knowledge on low-income housing finance in developing countries. ORIGINALITY/VALUE: The paper is the first of its kind in using empirical data to explore the motivational and demotivational variables in the delivery of HMF in a developing country context such as Ghana

Growth and Yield Response of Carrot (Daucus Carota L) to Different Green Manures and Plant Spacing

A field experiment was carried out to study the growth and yield response of carrot to different green manures and plant spacing at the College of Agriculture Education, University of Education, Winneba-Mampong Campus in 2015 and 2016. Four different soil amendments (10 t/ha Mucuna pruriens, Chromolaena odorata, Gliricidia sepium, 300Kg/ha NPK (15, 15, 15) and control) along with three spacing regimes (25 x 10cm, 25 x 15cm and 25 x 20cm) were employed in the investigation in Randomized Complete Block Design. The result revealed that the application of 10 t/ha Mucuna pruriens, Chromolaena odorata, Gliricidia sepium and 300Kg/ha NPK (15, 15, 15) improved the vegetative growth of carrot and translocated the assimilates into the final gross and marketable yield of the root compared to the control. Among the spacing regimes, 25 x 20cm produced the best vegetative growth. Application of 300kg/ha NPK was found suitable for maximum gross and marketable yields (28.73 t/ha and 27.23 t/ha, respectively) in 2015. In 2016, Mucuna pruriens, Chromolaena odorata, and Gliricidia sepium treatments produced gross and marketable yields similar to 300kg/ha NPK. With the spacing regime, 25 x 10cm produced maximum gross and marketable yield in both years. The combined treatment effect of 300kg /ha NPK and 10 t /ha of Mucuna pruriens at 25 x 10cm spacing resulted in the best performance in terms of gross and marketable yields. From the production as well as economic points of view a combination 10t/ha Mucuna pruriens at 25 x 10cm spacing may be suggested for maximizing carrot production in the study area. Keywords: Mucuna pruriens, Chromolaena odorata, Gliricidia sepium, green manure, plant spacing, vegetative growth, gross and marketable yields

LptO (PG0027) is required for lipid A 1-phosphatase activity in Porphyromonas gingivalis W50

ABSTRACT Porphyromonas gingivalis produces outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) rich in virulence factors, including cysteine proteases and A-LPS, one of the two lipopolysaccharides (LPSs) produced by this organism. Previous studies had suggested that A-LPS and PG0027, an outer membrane (OM) protein, may be involved in OMV formation. Their roles in this process were examined by using W50 parent and the Δ PG0027 mutant strains. Inactivation of PG0027 caused a reduction in the yield of OMVs. Lipid A from cells and OMVs of P. gingivalis W50 and the Δ PG0027 mutant strains were analyzed by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization–time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). Lipid A from W50 cells contained bis-P-pentaacyl, mono-P-pentaacyl, mono-P-tetraacyl, non-P-pentaacyl, and non-P-tetraacyl species, whereas lipid A from Δ PG0027 mutant cells contained only phosphorylated species; nonphosphorylated species were absent. MALDI-TOF/TOF tandem MS of mono-P-pentaacyl ( m / z 1,688) and mono-P-tetraacyl ( m / z 1,448) lipid A from Δ PG0027 showed that both contained lipid A 1-phosphate, suggesting that the Δ PG0027 mutant strain lacked lipid A 1-phosphatase activity. The total phosphatase activities in the W50 and the Δ PG0027 mutant strains were similar, whereas the phosphatase activity in the periplasm of the Δ PG0027 mutant was lower than that in W50, supporting a role for PG0027 in lipid A dephosphorylation. W50 OMVs were enriched in A-LPS, and its lipid A did not contain nonphosphorylated species, whereas lipid A from the Δ PG0027 mutant (OMVs and cells) contained similar species. Thus, OMVs in P. gingivalis are apparently formed in regions of the OM enriched in A-LPS devoid of nonphosphorylated lipid A. Conversely, dephosphorylation of lipid A through a PG0027-dependent process is required for optimal formation of OMVs. Hence, the relative proportions of nonphosphorylated and phosphorylated lipid A appear to be crucial for OMV formation in this organism. IMPORTANCE Gram-negative bacteria produce outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) by “blebbing” of the outer membrane (OM). OMVs can be used offensively as delivery systems for virulence factors and defensively to aid in the colonization of a host and in the survival of the bacterium in hostile environments. Earlier studies using the oral anaerobe Porphyromonas gingivalis as a model organism to study the mechanism of OMV formation suggested that the OM protein PG0027 and one of the two lipopolysaccharides (LPSs) synthesized by this organism, namely, A-LPS, played important roles in OMV formation. We suggest a novel mechanism of OMV formation in P. gingivalis involving dephosphorylation of lipid A of A-LPS controlled/regulated by PG0027, which causes destabilization of the OM, resulting in blebbing and generation of OMVs. </jats:p

An Econometric Analysis of the Relationship between Gdp Growth Rate and Exchange Rate in Ghana

This study attempts to examine the relationship between GDP growth rate and exchange rate in Ghana from the period 1980 to 2012. The paper employs the graphing of the scatter diagram for the two variables which are GDP growth rate and exchange rate, establishes the correlation between GDP growth rate and exchange rate using the Pearson’s Product Moment Correlation Coefficient (PPMC) and finally estimates the simple linear regression using OLS. Further tests were performed to test for the presence of autocorrelation, heteroscedasticity and multicollinearity. Autocorrelation and heteroscedasticity were found to be absent.  From our analyses, we strongly conclude that there is a positive relationship between GDP growth rate and exchange rate in Ghana which confirms to the theory that undervaluation (high exchange rate) stimulates economic growth in the short run. Therefore, policy makers should stabilise monetary and fiscal policies in the long run. Keywords: GDP growth rate, Exchange rate, Ordinary Least Square

The extent of practitioners' involvement in the delivery of sustainable urban regeneration projects in UK

The requirement to deliver successful sustainable regeneration projects places enormous responsibility on the construction industry practitioners. While the concept of sustainable regeneration has being a big issue in the UK, and also being in operation within the construction industry over the years, it can be said that its achievement has been hampered and determined by numerous factors. One such factor which has affected and continues to affect and determine the sustainability outcome of regeneration projects, are the key practitioners who are tasked with the responsibility of delivering such regeneration projects. The findings of a study that obtained 193 responses through a questionnaire survey to explore the key practitioners’ levels of involvement in the delivery of sustainable regeneration projects in the UK is presented in this paper. The findings identified varied levels of practitioners’ involvement in the three main stages of the project delivery/development; early, construction and post construction. The findings revealed that clients’ representatives, commercial managers and architects were the most frequently involved practitioners during the early stages of the projects. The findings also indicated that practitioners who have sustainability assigned to their roles and their responsibilities, such as the regeneration managers, sustainability managers, training/corporate social responsibility managers were the least frequently involved in all the three delivery stages of the projects