A nod in the wrong direction : Does nonverbal feedback affect eyewitness confidence in interviews?

Eyewitnesses can be influenced by an interviewer's behaviour and report information with inflated confidence as a result. Previous research has shown that positive feedback administered verbally can affect the confidence attributed to testimony, but the effect of non-verbal influence in interviews has been given little attention. This study investigated whether positive or negative non-verbal feedback could affect the confidence witnesses attribute to their responses. Participants witnessed staged CCTV footage of a crime scene and answered 20 questions in a structured interview, during which they were given either positive feedback (a head nod), negative feedback (a head shake) or no feedback. Those presented with positive non-verbal feedback reported inflated confidence compared with those presented with negative non-verbal feedback regardless of accuracy, and this effect was most apparent when participants reported awareness of the feedback. These results provide further insight into the effects of interviewer behaviour in investigative interviewsPeer reviewedFinal Accepted Versio

Bedding material in dirt-floor pens reduces heat

Weather-related stressors are a well-recognized opponent to animal welfare and can have important ramifications for animal performance. Sound animal husbandry practices historically have attempted to diminish the effects of deleterious environmental factors. Providing aid to animals when temperatures are above or below their thermal neutral zone (TNZ) can improve animal welfare and/or performance. Because most breeds of cattle are not well equipped to deal with heat, the temperatures at which heat stress can begin to affect cattle can be surprisingly low. The onset of mild heat stress can occur at a temperature humidity index (THI1) value of 75, which can correspond to an ambient temperature as low as 78°F. Aside from food, water, and shelter, arguably the most widely used intervention to counteract the elements is the provision of bedding material during times of cold weather or during events for which the stress of cold may prove too difficult for animals to compensate (i.e., calving, illness, etc.). By providing a layer of insulation as bedding for animals, heat exchange via conduction from their body to the earth is decreased, allowing them to maintain body temperature at a much lower cost to their metabolism. This basic principle of insulation also may be applied in times of heat stress. In an attempt to decrease the effects of heat stress in feedlot cattle, some producers apply wheat straw or grass hay as bedding material, hypothesizing that bedding acts as an insulator from the pen floor, which otherwise serves as a reservoir and conductor of heat. Bedding materials normally are lighter in color than the pen surface, and therefore have less solar heat gain. To the best of our knowledge, no studies have been conducted to examine the effects of these bedding materials on the temperature of the pen surface. Additionally, determining the effects of varying thicknesses of manure on pen surface temperatures may provide useful information for management decisions regarding pen cleaning and maintenance

On one master integral for three-loop on-shell HQET propagator diagrams with mass

An exact expression for the master integral I_2 arising in three-loop on-shell HQET propagator diagrams with mass is derived and its analytical expansion in the dimensional regularization parameter epsilon is given.Comment: 6 pages, 1 figure; v3: completely re-written, 2 new authors, many new results, additional reference

Participatory eschatology : a challenge for dualistic and non-dualistic thinking

In the modern era, much optimism, other than biblical hope, dominates both secular and religious consciousness. Whilst critics scorn the apocalyptic hope of the Bible as an indication of ignorance and fear, the dualistic mind does not possess an operational system to deal effectively with concepts such as death and eternity. For a dualistic mind to move beyond words, ideas and rational thinking, the ‘negative’ way of a non-dualistic intuitive mind is also needed. Dualistic and non-dualistic thinking are jointly necessary to create a magnificent form of higher consciousness. Therefore, Jesus used in his teaching the non-dualistic thinking of parables to explain the meaning of the kingdom of God. A meaningful life in light of the age to come is an optimistic life. And an optimistic life is a faithful life in the presence of faithful and eternal God (I AM what I AM and I WILL BE whatever I WILL BE). Such faith as a radical trust in God is a loyal commitment of the self at the deepest level of the ‘heart’ (consciousness). A participatory eschatology is more than mere discussion (subject/object). Once the eschatological hope turns into participation (subject/subject), the eschatological promise becomes fulfilment and the fulfilment becomes a promise. INTRADISCIPLINARY AND/OR INTERDISCIPLINARY IMPLICATIONS : The aim of this article is to rethink, within the discipline of systematic theology, our view of Christian hope (eschatology) in the light of the new consciousness of engagement between human beings and their cultural context. We draw perspectives from philosophy, sociology, psychology and the natural sciences.http://www.ve.org.zaam2021Dogmatics and Christian Ethic

God in conversation – a dialogical Christology

A world view claims to give a true picture of reality. As the insights of the sciences change our picture of reality, theology must take the new views on the world serious to maintain its integrity and the Gospel its credibility. The aim of this article is to rethink our faith in Christ (Christology) in the light of the new consciousness of the engagement between human beings and the cosmos. I would like to argue that a dynamic-dialogical (second-person) approach is the best way to be true to the Biblical message in regard to the evolutionary world view. Human beings become part of God’s ongoing activity in the world in and through the Logos incarnated in Jesus Christ. The consciousness of Jesus of Nazareth of God as his Father is the starting point in the relationship and communication between God, man and the community of faith in a dialogical Christology. The aim of this relational communication is to transform human beings and the world to fulfil God’s destiny for the whole of creation. As such, a dialogical Christology focuses on salvation as an individual and cosmic salvation. The cross and the resurrection of Jesus Christ are central in the dialogue between God, human beings and the world. The Holy Spirit guides the community of believers in this dialogue through the Bible and the sacraments, prayer and contemplation to live in the presence of God and to make a difference in an ever-changing world. INTRADISCIPLINARY AND/OR INTERDISCIPLINARY IMPLICATIONS : The aim of this article is to rethink, within the discplines of Systematic Theology and New Testament, our faith in Christ (Christology) in the light of the new consciousness of the engagement between human beings and the cosmos.http://www.ve.org.zaam2018Dogmatics and Christian Ethic

Ewolusionere perspektief op die Nederlandse Geloofsbelydenis : sistematies teologiese verkenning

The aim of this study is to point out that the Confessio Belgica creates the opportunity to listen to both the voices of the natural sciences (especially in regard to the process of evolution) and the findings of the historical sciences. The important point of this discussion is that the human being is an evolutionary part of the process of creation. Man can no longer be seen as the ruler of creation in a personal and static sense. In the light of this we have to truly listen again to the witness of the Bible and the way in which it is formulated in the confessions of the church. The views of Wentzel van Huyssteen, Rob Bell and N.T. Wright are examples of how to respond, against the background of the science-theology debate, to the questions: ‘Who was Jesus?’ and ‘What did He do?’ Their insights might help us to proclaim the cosmic meaning of the message of the Gospel with integrity in a modern and postmodern world.http://www.ve.org.zaam2013mn201

Direct user guidance in e-dictionaries for text production and text reception — The verbal relative in Sepedi as a case study

This article introduces a prototype of a writing (and learning) assistant for verbal relative clauses of the African language Sepedi, accessible from within a dictionary or from a word processor. It is an example of how a user support tool for complicated grammatical structures in a scarcely resourced language can be compiled. We describe a dynamic light-weight tool aimed at combining user-knowledge with text production support, i.e., user-involved interactive text pro-duction of the complicated verbal relative in Sepedi. In this article, the focus is on access in a dic-tionary use situation. Although the tool is intended as a writing assistant to support users in text production; it also satisfies text reception and cognitive needs, but its focus is on solving text pro-duction issues related with the interaction between lexical items and complex grammatical structures in the African (Bantu) languages and for learning by users and/or training users in this interaction.Keywords:Writing Tools, User-Guidance, User Support, Text Production, E-Dictionaries, African Languages, Sepedi, Complex Grammatical Struc Tures, Relative Constructio

Applications of patching to quadratic forms and central simple algebras

This paper provides applications of patching to quadratic forms and central simple algebras over function fields of curves over henselian valued fields. In particular, we use a patching approach to reprove and generalize a recent result of Parimala and Suresh on the u-invariant of p-adic function fields, for p odd. The strategy relies on a local-global principle for homogeneous spaces for rational algebraic groups, combined with local computations.Comment: 48 pages; connectivity now required in the definition of rational group; beginning of Section 4 reorganized; other minor change

Establishment of the South African baseline surface radiation network station at De Aar

The South African Weather Service (SAWS) was offered a unique opportunity to become involved in the prestigious global Baseline Surface Radiation Network (BSRN) project in 1995. This study is an academical and technical document describing and elucidating aspects regarding the eventual establishment of the BSRN measurement facility at De Aar that embodies South Africa’s involvement. The dissertation opens with an introductory chapter offering background information and an explanation of circumstances leading to South Africa’s involvement in this project, including reasons exactly why De Aar was chosen to be the South African BSRN site. This is followed by details on a scientific measurement plan including necessary information on radiation processes in the atmosphere, measurement techniques and associated instrumentation. The next chapter is devoted to the design of a radiometric measurement system answering to the scientific plan, with more details on instrumentation, peripherals, calibration and data management strategies. Three years of real measured data since station establishment, is used as a basis to apply and evaluate the various quality assurance techniques of the central BSRN data-archive. Special reference is made in a separate chapter to the two partial solar eclipses that traversed Southern Africa in 2001 and 2002, in the form of case studies. This dissertation is illustrated by several photos, and rounded off by details of the station-to-archive file format as laid down by the international BSRN data-archive, a useful table reflecting sunrise, sunset, solar transit, day length and Top Of Atmosphere (TOA) radiation, an explanation on climate zone classification, as well as a useful technical guide on setting up a pyrgeometer. Apart from the academic content this document also intends to serve as a guideline for station operation and future development of whatever form, for both the station scientist and the station manager. Such developments can include the establishment of other BSRN stations, or in general the enhancement of the quality of solar radiation measurements over the entire Southern Africa Developing Community (SADC) region. The author wishes to state that in presenting this document in English, he does not wish to promote English as scientific language at the expense of Afrikaans. The choice of language was taken purely on the basis of broader international involvement and a wider local usefulness of this document.Dissertation (MSc)--University of Pretoria, 2006.Geography, Geoinformatics and MeteorologyMScUnrestricte