Jesus vandag: Moontlikhede van Ernst Troeltsch se Christologie

Jesus today: Possibilities of the Christology of Ernst TroeltschThe significance of the historical Jesus for faith is a major issue in the debate concerning the value of theology. Ernst Troeltsch constructed a meaningful answer to both questions in terms of what he called Glaubenslehre. A discussion of his views on the value of Jesus for faith is placed in the context of his theological system. Although Troeltsch sees Jesus' significance in symbolic terms he emphasises the need for historical study, without which a symbol becomes empty. A short critical discussionof Troeltsch's significance to the contemporary debate on Christology concludes the essay

Argumentation topoi and South Africa\u27s Truth and Reconciliation Committee

The Truth and Reconciliation Committee (TRC) is a constitutional body dealing with South Africa\u27s history of human rights abuses. A commitment to forms of religio-political language is evident in the stories presented to the TRC and in subsequent repo rts. The relationship between this religio-political language and a moral civil society is explored by analysing religious topoi in discourses reflecting the TRC\u27s activities. Religious justification and evaluation of actions are not noticeable whilst m oral implications and assessment are often left implicit. Possibly there is continuation rather than intervention in the value systems generating these topoi

Low dislocation rate one year after total hip arthroplasty at a tertiary hospital in South Africa

BACKGROUND : Total hip arthroplasty (THA) is one of the most performed and most researched procedures worldwide, and there is an ever-growing demand for THA in an already resource-constrained system in South Africa. Early dislocation after THA remains a serious and costly problem; however, few THA outcome studies have been performed locally. This study therefore aimed to calculate the incidence of dislocation after THA and to identify risk factors for dislocation after THA in a South African academic hospital. METHODS : In this retrospective cohort review, files and radiographs of 543 patients were reviewed for dislocation during the first year after primary THA. The reason for the THA, the surgical data, the implant data, and whether and when dislocation occurred were recorded for each patient. Fisher’s exact tests and independent t-tests were done to analyse the association between variables and a patient’s odds of experiencing a dislocation after THA. RESULTS : Twenty (3.7%) out of 543 THAs dislocated during the first year, 17 of these within the first three months. The surgical approach used was not shown to be a significant risk factor (p = 0.650) for dislocation, although the Hardinge approach had been used for all 20 cases of dislocation. Similar dislocation rates (p = 0.967) were found for THAs done for displaced neck of femur (NOF) fractures (3.6%) and for elective THAs (3.7%). Trauma THAs made up more than half (55%) of our study population. Femoral head sizes ≤ 32 mm (p = 0.390 for neck of femur THA and p = 0.451 for elective THA) and a single mobility design (p = 0.494) both produced a higher dislocation rate, although this was not statistically significant. Surgeon experience did not prove to be significant for our study population (p = 0.570). CONCLUSION : The dislocation rate after THA at our institution is lower than rates reported in the literature for NOF THA and similar to rates reported for elective THA. This was found despite the dislocation rate for the Hardinge approach being nearly eight times higher than expected. Minimal surgeon experience, implant coupling and smaller femoral head size did not prove to be significant risk factors for dislocation after THA.https://www.saoj.org.za/index.php/saoj%20am2024Orthopaedic SurgerySDG-03:Good heatlh and well-bein

\u3cem\u3eRhizobium\u3c/em\u3e-White Clover Symbiosis and Nitrogen Fixation along a Soil Organic Carbon Gradient

Sustainable cultivated pasture production in the southern Cape region of South Africa requires management practices that will support soil quality (Swanepoel and Botha 2012). Soil organic carbon (Corg) sequestration is regarded as one of the most important ways to promote soil quality. Dairy farmers in the southern Cape attempt to increase Corg by following minimum-tillage practices. These irrigated dairy-pastures require high levels of nitrogen (N) to maintain highly productive pastures. Nitrogen fertilisers have be-come very expensive and severely strain profitability of these dairy-pastures. Forage legumes are frequently incorporated into the grass pastures to overcome economic and environmental problems associated with high levels of inorganic fertiliser application. Their capacity to fixate atmospheric N contributes greatly to nutritional value, palatability and subsequently profitability of pastures (Botha 2003). Since C and N are biophilic compounds, Corg may have a direct effect on the N-fixating legume plant or the Rhizobium population that infects its roots (Swanepoel et al. 2011). The aim of this study was to determine the effects of Corg on white clover (Trifolium repens) biomass production and N-fixation by host-specific Rhizobium

Risk factors for Coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) death in a population cohort study from the Western Cape province, South Africa

Risk factors for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) death in sub-Saharan Africa and the effects of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and tuberculosis on COVID-19 outcomes are unknown. We conducted a population cohort study using linked data from adults attending public-sector health facilities in the Western Cape, South Africa. We used Cox proportional hazards models, adjusted for age, sex, location, and comorbidities, to examine the associations between HIV, tuberculosis, and COVID-19 death from 1 March to 9 June 2020 among (1) public-sector “active patients” (≥1 visit in the 3 years before March 2020); (2) laboratory-diagnosed COVID-19 cases; and (3) hospitalized COVID-19 cases. We calculated the standardized mortality ratio (SMR) for COVID-19, comparing adults living with and without HIV using modeled population estimates.Among 3 460 932 patients (16% living with HIV), 22 308 were diagnosed with COVID-19, of whom 625 died. COVID19 death was associated with male sex, increasing age, diabetes, hypertension, and chronic kidney disease. HIV was associated with COVID-19 mortality (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 2.14; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.70–2.70), with similar risks across strata of viral loads and immunosuppression. Current and previous diagnoses of tuberculosis were associated with COVID-19 death (aHR, 2.70 [95% CI, 1.81–4.04] and 1.51 [95% CI, 1.18–1.93], respectively). The SMR for COVID-19 death associated with HIV was 2.39 (95% CI, 1.96–2.86); population attributable fraction 8.5% (95% CI, 6.1–11.1)

The role of water conservation strategies and benchmark ecotopes for increasing yields in South Africa’s semi-arid croplands

Recently published results regarding South Africa’s cropping potential show that about one third of the arable land is of low potential, located mainly in semi-arid areas, with the main problem being water shortage.  This is therefore an appropriate time to review priorities and procedures, for selecting benchmark ecotopes to represent marginal areas, and for research needs with regard to water conservation strategies to mitigate the problems of low yields.  Relevant international principles encapsulated in the words agro-ecology, sustainability and socio-economic conditions, are discussed. Relevant new technologies are described, namely: digital soil mapping that will facilitate the identification of benchmark ecotopes; a stochastic procedure to predict rainfall intensity data from daily rainfall that will facilitate runoff predictions; a crop yield cumulative probability procedure that enables sustainability to be described quantitatively. As a case study, results from a successful field experiment using the infield rainwater harvesting production technique on benchmark ecotopes in a semi-arid area, inhabited by subsistence farmers, are presented.  The objectives of the study, procedures used and the method of expressing the results are recommended as guidelines for contributing towards mitigating the problem of low crop productivity across a large portion of the arable area in South Africa

Ultrafast Phase Mapping of Thin-Sections from An Apollo 16 Drive Tube - a New Visualisation of Lunar Regolith

Polished thin-sections of samples extracted from Apollo drive tubes provide unique insights into the structure of the Moon's regolith at various landing sites. In particular, they allow the mineralogy and texture of the regolith to be studied as a function of depth. Much has been written about such thin-sections based on optical, SEM and EPMA studies, in terms of their essential petrographic features, but there has been little attempt to quantify these aspects from a spatial perspective. In this study, we report the findings of experimental analysis of two thin-sections (64002, 6019, depth range 5.0 - 8.0 cm & 64001, 6031, depth range 50.0 - 53.1 cm), from a single Apollo 16 drive tube using QEMSCAN . A key feature of the method is phase identification by ultrafast energy dispersive x-ray mapping on a pixel-by-pixel basis. By selecting pixel resolutions ranging from 1 - 5 microns, typically 8,500,000 individual measurement points can be collected on a thin-section. The results we present include false colour digital images of both thin-sections. From these images, information such as phase proportions (major, minor and trace phases), particle textures, packing densities, and particle geometries, has been quantified. Parameters such as porosity and average phase density, which are of geomechanical interest, can also be calculated automatically. This study is part of an on-going investigation into spatial variation of lunar regolith and NASA's ISRU Lunar Simulant Development Project

Analysis of Lunar Highland Regolith Samples from Apollo 16 Drive Core 64001/2 and Lunar Regolith Simulants - An Expanding Comparative Database

We present modal data from QEMSCAN(registered TradeMark) beam analysis of Apollo 16 samples from drive core 64001/2. The analyzed lunar samples are thin sections 64002,6019 (5.0-8.0 cm depth) and 64001,6031 (50.0-53.1 cm depth) and sieved grain mounts 64002,262 and 64001,374 from depths corresponding to the thin sections, respectively. We also analyzed lunar highland regolith simulants NU-LHT-1M, -2M, and OB-1, low-Ti mare simulants JSC-1, -lA, -1AF, and FJS-1, and high-Ti mare simulant MLS-1. The preliminary results comprise the beginning of an internally consistent database of lunar regolith and regolith simulant mineral and glass information. This database, combined with previous and concurrent studies on phase chemistry, bulk chemistry, and with data on particle shape and size distribution, will serve to guide lunar scientists and engineers in choosing simulants for their applications. These results are modal% by phase rather than by particle type, so they are not directly comparable to most previously published lunar data that report lithic fragments, monomineralic particles, agglutinates, etc. Of the highland simulants, 08-1 has an integrated modal composition closer than NU-LHT-1M to that of the 64001/2 samples, However, this and other studies show that NU-LHT-1M and -2M have minor and trace mineral (e.g., Fe-Ti oxides and phosphates) populations and mineral and glass chemistry closer to these lunar samples. The finest fractions (0-20 microns) in the sieved lunar samples are enriched in glass relative to the integrated compositions by approx.30% for 64002,262 and approx.15% for 64001,374. Plagioclase, pyroxene, and olivine are depleted in these finest fractions. This could be important to lunar dust mitigation efforts and astronaut health - none of the analyzed simulants show this trend. Contrary to previously reported modal analyses of monomineralic grains in lunar regolith, these area% modal analyses do not show a systematic increase in plagiociase/pyroxene as size fraction decreases

New Insights into the Composition and Texture of Lunar Regolith Using Ultrafast Automated Electron-Beam Analysis

Sieved grain mounts of Apollo 16 drive tube samples have been examined using QEMSCAN - an innovative electron beam technology. By combining multiple energy-dispersive X-ray detectors, fully automated control, and off-line image processing, to produce digital mineral maps of particles exposed on polished surfaces, the result is an unprecedented quantity of mineralogical and petrographic data, on a particle-by-particle basis. Experimental analysis of four size fractions (500-250 microns, 150-90 microns, 75-45 microns and < 20 microns), prepared from two samples (64002,374 and 64002,262), has produced a robust and uniform dataset which allows for the quantification of mineralogy; texture; particle shape, size and density; and the digital classification of distinct particle types in each measured sample. These preliminary data show that there is a decrease in plagioclase modal content and an opposing increase in glass modal content, with decreasing particle size. These findings, together with data on trace phases (metals, sulphides, phosphates, and oxides), provide not only new insights into the make-up of lunar regolith at the Apollo 16 landing site, but also key physical parameters which can be used to design lunar simulants, and compute Figures of Merit for each material produced