The role of Cytochrome P450 17-alpha-Hydroxylase/ 17,20-Lyase (CYP17) in the stress coping ability in a divergently selected Merino sheep population

South African Merino sheep were selected divergently from the same base population for their ability to rear multiples. Two distinct populations were formed over a period of more than 20 years of selection. Reproduction (and therefore presumably fitness) in the line selected in the upward direction (H-line) was substantially improved compared to the line selected in the downward direction (L-line). In the present study, it was demonstrated that the H-line was more stresstolerant than the L-line in terms of their glucose and cortisol response when challenged with insulin. Sheep from the breeding program were genotyped according to one of two cytochrome P450 17α-hydroxylase/17-20 lyase (CYP17) alleles, as these genotypes were previously linked to the ability of Angora goats to cope with external stressors. However, no association was found between CYP17 genotype and selection line. The difference in insulin induced stress response between the H- and the L-line can therefore not be attributed to CYP17 genotype

Urban planning law in Liberia: the case for a transformational approach

This article discusses the need for a fundamental rethinking of urban planning in Liberia with special reference to Monrovia, the capital. Liberia is a post-conflict country and is facing a multitude of problems. One is the very rapid urbanisation of the country. Well over 50% of the population live in urban areas, and over one million people—one third of the population—live in Monrovia, for the most part in informal ‘illegal’ settlements with few facilities. Despite land issues being acknowledged as in need of being tackled as a matter of urgency, little has been done by the Johnson-Sirleaf government since it came to power in 2006. What is needed and what this article argues for is a plan for the development of Monrovia based on the Right to the City with residents given clear rights to land and to participate in the governance of their city. The approach is denominated as a transformational one, taking its inspiration from van der Walt’s approach set out in his Property in the Margins. The need for and the outline of an Urban Transformation Act are set out in the article which concludes with a warning that it cannot be supposed that the residents of Monrovia will continue indefinitely to put up with their very poor living conditions

Ferdinand Postma : ’n Herinnering*

Onder hierdie drie woorde wil ek saamvat hoc professor Postma in sy huis en in die publiek opgetree het. Ek kan baie dinge wat hy gedoen het goed onthou. Sommige is kleiner dingetjies, maar wat tog tiperend is van ’n per- soon wat vastigheid onder eie voete gehad het en dit beklemtoon het as eis vir die lewe. Hierdie drie woorde het hy gebruik by ’n geleentheid toe hy gelukwense gerig het aan huwelikspaartjies, en onmiddellik lees u daarin nie die ligsinnigheid en fleurigheid wat soms grapmakenderwys in sulke omstan- dighede geuiter word nie. Die huwelik is ’n begin van ’n nuwe lewe en sy kenmerke moet wees: tydhou, koershou en aanhou

Literatuur en lewensbeskouing — met besondere verwysing na die moderne afrikaanse kunsprosa*

Een van die belangrikste sake wat vir ons opnuut geak- tualiseer is deur tendensies in die hedendaagse Afrikaanse letterkunde ên veral deur die bekroning met die Hertzogprys van Sewe dae by die Silbersteins, is die verhouding tussen lewensbeskouing en kunsbeskouing in die algemeen, en meer in besonder dié tussen lewensbeskouing en letterkunde. Hier­ die laasgenoemde aspek wil ek graag behandel, maar dan in sy konteks en slegs so volledig as wat die tydsbeperking my toelaat

Prinsipiële kritiek op die sosiale studies.

Op grond van die skrywer se onlangse navorsing oor ,,’n Historiesprinsipiële beskouing oor die opkoms, die veld van ondersoek en die betekenis van die Opvoedkundige Sosiologie, met spesiale verwysing na die Laerskool” , wil hy die leser die een en ander omtrent sy bevindinge meedeel

Jesus van Naseret- Jesus Christus

Inderdaad is daar hier 'n spanning in die christologie van Barth. U voel dit wel aan in hierdie benaming wat werklik so gekies is. Dit is twee bestaanswyses van die tweede Persoon in die Heilige Drie-eenheid. Laat die woord bestaanswyses ook nie vreemd in ons ore klink nie, want dit is nie vreemd aan Barth se stelsel nie. lmmers die drie Persone in die H. Drie-eenheid, elk met 'n besondere werksaamheid, is ook drie bestaanswyses. Ons het hier dus modaliteite in die Drie-eenheid en hoor dus vreemde taal, omdat Gods Woord tot ons spreek van God as syn