348 research outputs found
The Labour Exchanges System in the Tembo
No full textThe author describes and analyzes the labor exchange system of the Tembo, an agricultural people in eastern Zaire. The system consists of three basic rules: (1) one-day work should be exchanged with one-day work, and a monetary system is of no effect in the labor exchange system, (2) labor is exchanged between the same sex, and (3) labor is exchanged by a dynamic contract between two individuals. But these three rules alone are practically impossible, unless every member in the society has equal capacity of labor. The Tembo, therefore, have three modified systems of labor exchange to resolve some incongruity between the principles of labor exchange and inequality existing in the society:(1) "lukoo" system of offering labor as a gift; (2) "kwanza" system of paying back a feast instead of labor; (3) a system which works beyond the limitation of sex enabling deficient families to participate the labor exchange group. These three subsystems make the labor exchange system prevalent in the Tembo society
Tholeiitic magmatism associated with continental rifting in the Lufilian Fold Belt of Zambia
No full textMetabasic rocks form a small but geologically important component of the geology of the base metal-rich Neoproterozoic Copperbelt of central Africa. The disposition of the metabasic rocks follows the 150 km long, arcuate, structural trend of the thrust belt. Despite their structural disposition, the metabasic rocks played a passive role during the thrusting due to their rigidity and lithological contrast with the host sedimentary rocks. The main thrust horizons are located along evaporite layers below the position of the metabasic rocks. The metabasic rocks form part of an allochtonous unit overlying para-autochtonous rocks of the Upper and Lower Katangan sequences. A petrological and geochemical study of the metabasic rocks indicates that they crystallised from genetically related, tholeiitic magmas. Fractionation of olivine, pyroxene and plagioclase played an important role in the generation of the range of mafic compositions. The rocks are enriched in incompatible trace elements with chondrite-normalised (La/Yb)(N) values ranging from 4 to 7. Incompatible trace element ratios (e.g. La/Nb 1.5; La/Ta = 16) indicate little interaction between the protolith to the metabasic rocks and continental crust. The trace element data instead suggest that melting of an enriched asthenospheric source produced the magmas. A comparison of the studied metabasic rocks with those from other parts of the Lufilian Belt shows an overall geochemical similarity of the magmas. All the metabasic rocks from the Katangan succession show a close chemical affinity with intraplate magmas
Talking Feminist, Talking back: Sarojini Nadar’s African Feminist Transdisciplinary Study of Religion
No full textIn this chapter I trace the ways in which Sarojini Nadar has negotiated,
shaped and challenged the study of faith and feminism – what she refers
to as “the f- words” – in contemporary South Africa. I draw on Nadar’s
academic writings, notable oral presentations, interviews, as well as my
own personal interactions with her as my doctoral supervisor, mentor,
manager, and sister-friend. I frame Nadar’s contribution to the study of
gender and religion in relation to her analysis of violence in Biblical text,
in church and public life, and in higher education. Through her scholarship and embodied work, I argue that Nadar has created a toolkit for
talking back to patriarchal and heteronormative power in these various
spheres. Not only does Nadar provide young black African scholars of
religion with crucial underpinnings from which to continue to talk back,
but she also demonstrates how this can be done in socially just and transformative ways
Understanding Plain English summaries. A comparison of two approaches to improve the quality of Plain English summaries in research reports
No full textPlain English summary There is a need for the authors of research reports to be able to communicate their work clearly and effectively to readers who are not familiar with the research area. The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), along with a number of other funding bodies and journals, require researchers to write short lay summaries, often termed plain English summaries (PESs), to make research accessible to the general public. Because many researchers write using technical, specialised language, particularly in scientific reports, writing PESs can be challenging. In this study we looked at how to improve the quality of PESs. We took PESs which had been submitted to the NIHR Journals Library and asked authors to rewrite them using new guidance. We also asked an independent medical writer to edit the summaries. We measured the quality of these three versions (original summary, rewritten summary and edited summary) in two ways. First, we asked a group of people who were not specialists in the subject area to read and rate how easy the summaries were to understand. Secondly, we used a well-known measure called the Flesch reading ease score to assess how easy the PESs were to read. We found that there was no difference in how easy people found the summaries to understand across the three versions. However, the PESs that were rewritten by the authors and that were edited by the independent medical writer were both easier to read than the originals. This shows that PESs can be improved and for organisations who feel that employing an independent writer to edit summaries, providing clear, practical guidance to authors may be a cost-effective alternative. Abstract Background Plain English summaries (PES) or lay summaries are often included as part of research reports and journal articles. These summaries are vital to ensure that research findings are accessible and available to non-specialist audiences, for example patients and members of the public. Writing a PES requires the adoption of a different style than is generally used in a traditional scientific report, and researchers can find this challenging. This study explored two possible ways to improve the quality of PESs in the NIHR Journals Library: 1) Providing enhanced guidance to authors and asking them to rewrite the PES and 2) Employing an independent medical writer to edit the PES. Methods We compared the three versions of the PES (original, author rewritten and independent writer edited) to assess 1) how easy they were to understand and 2) how easy they were to read. In order to establish how easy PESs were to understand, a group of 60 public reviewers read a set of summaries and rated them on a four point scale from “Did not understand” to “Understood all”. The Flesch reading ease score was used to measure how easy the summaries were to read. Results Results indicated no significant difference across the three versions of the PES in terms of ease of understanding. However, both the author rewritten and independent writer edited versions were significantly easier to read than the original. There was no significant difference in ease of reading between these two versions. Conclusion These findings suggest that employing independent medical writers to edit PESs and providing clear, practical guidance to authors are two ways in which the readability of PESs could be improved. Results have implications for journal editors and publishers seeking to enhance accessibility and availability of research findings
Hematologic alterations and early mortality in a cohort of HIV positive African patients
No full textIntroduction Infection with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is highly prevalent worldwide, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa, where anaemia is also widespread. HIV infection is known to be associated with anaemia and various other haematologic alterations, but little data on correlation with immunological and virologic conditions in treatment-naïve patients and impact on mortality are available. Our study aims to investigate hematologic features in HIV-infected individuals in Malawi and Mozambique and assesses possible correlations with early morality. Material and methods We conducted a retrospective analysis of baseline data (general details, nutritional status, full blood count and HIV infection progress data) and 12 months follow-up status for HIV+ adult patients in 22 health facilities in Malawi (11 sites) and Mozambique (11 sites) run by DREAM program. Anagraphic details, anthropometric characteristics, full blood count, CD4 + count and Viral Load data were collected from electronical medical records (EMR) for all the HIV-positive, treatment-naïve patients starting care in the sites in the period January 2007 –December 2016. Follow-up status after one year since enrolment in care was also considered. All the data extracted from the EMR were included in a dataset and then analysed. Univariate and multivariate analysis were conducted through logistical regression to investigate associations, and survival analysis analysed in a Cox regression model. Results On the whole, 22.657 patients were included; severe and moderate anaemia were observed in 1.174 (8,2%) and 4.703 (21,9%) patients respectively. Gender, nutritional status, CD4+ count, and viral load (VL) were associated with anaemia, leukopenia, and thrombocytopenia. Among 21.166 fully evaluable patients, 8.494 (40,1%) had at least one cytopenia. Any cytopenia was present in 1/3 of patients with normal nutritional status and less advanced HIV infection, and it wouldn’t be diagnosed in a basic HIV care setting. During the first year of treatment, 1.725 subjects (7,6% of the entire sample) died. Anaemia, lower Red blood cells and platelets counts correlated with mortality in the first year of care, independently by body mass index, haemoglobin, CD4+ count and VL. Conclusions Notwithstanding anaemia is known to be associated with HIV infection at diagnosis, full blood count is not routinely performed in many African countries. Our results emphasize that including the study of a broader set of parameters in the routine HIV care services in Sub-Saharan Africa would provide significant clinical information able to predict other alterations and poor outcomes
Timing and PT evolution of Whiteschist Metamorphism in the Lufilian Arc-Zambesi Belt orogen (Zambia): Implications to the Assembly of Gondwana
No full textPopulation pharmacokinetics of artesunate and dihydroartemisinin following intra-rectal dosing of artesunate in malaria patients
No full textBackground: Intra-rectal artesunate has been developed as a potentially life-saving treatment of severe
malaria in rural village settings where administration of parenteral antimalarial drugs is not
possible. We studied the population pharmacokinetics of intra-rectal artesunate and the
relationship with parasitological responses in patients with moderately severe falciparum
malaria.
Methods and Findings: Adults and children in Africa and Southeast Asia with moderately severe malaria were recruited
in two Phase II studies (12 adults from Southeast Asia and 11 children from Africa) with intensive sampling protocols, and three Phase III studies (44 children from Southeast Asia, and 86 children and 26 adults from Africa) with sparse sampling. All patients received 10 mg/kg artesunate as a single intra-rectal dose of suppositories. Venous blood samples were taken during a period of 24h
following dosing. Plasma artesunate and dihydroartemisinin (DHA, the main biologically active metabolite) concentrations were measured by high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection. The pharmacokinetic properties of DHA were determined using
nonlinear mixed-effects modelling. Artesunate is rapidly hydrolysed in vivo to DHA, and this contributes the majority of antimalarial activity. For DHA, a one-compartment model assuming complete conversion from artesunate and first-order appearance and elimination kinetics gave the best fit to the data. The mean population estimate of apparent clearance (CL/F) was 2.64 (l/kg/
h) with 66% inter-individual variability. The apparent volume of distribution (V/F) was 2.75 (l/kg) with 96% inter-individual variability. The estimated DHA population mean elimination half-life was 43 min. Gender was associated with increased mean CL/F by 1.14 (95% CI: 0.36–1.92) (l/kg/h) for a male compared with a female, and weight was positively associated with V/F. Larger V/Fs were observed for the patients requiring early rescue treatment compared with the remainder, independent of any confounders. No associations between the parasitological responses and the
posterior individual estimates of V/F, CL/F, and AUC0–6h were observed.
Conclusions: The pharmacokinetic properties of DHA were affected only by gender and body weight. Patients with the lowest area under the DHA concentration curve did not have slower parasite clearance, suggesting that rectal artesunate is well absorbed in most patients with moderately
severe malaria. However, a number of modelling assumptions were required due to the large intra- and inter-individual variability of the DHA concentrations
God Is Dead and the Death of the Author : Theorizing Divine Absence in Supernatural Season Five
No full textIntegrative Investment Appraisal of a Lignocellulosic Biomass-to-Ethanol Industry
No full textWhile theoretically more efficient than starch-based ethanol production systems, conversion of lignocellulosic biomass to ethanol is not without major challenges. A multi-region, multi-period, mixed integer mathematical programming model encompassing alternative feedstocks, feedstock production, delivery, and processing is developed. The model is used to identify key cost components and potential bottlenecks, and to reveal opportunities for reducing costs and prioritizing research. The research objective was to determine for specific regions in Oklahoma the most economical source of lignocellulosic biomass, timing of harvest and storage, inventory management, biorefinery size, and biorefinery location, as well as the breakeven price of ethanol, for a gasification-fermentation process. Given base assumptions, gasification-fermentation of lignocellulosic biomass to ethanol may be more economical than fermentation of corn grain. However, relative to conventional fermentation processes, gasification-fermentation technology is in its infancy. It remains to be seen if the technology will be technically feasible on a commercial scale.biomass, biorefinery location, ethanol, integrative investment appraisal, logistics, mixed integer programming, Resource /Energy Economics and Policy,
Mycotoxigenic fungi associated with ear-rots in Zimbabwe: identification and inheritance of resistance in southern and West African maize inbred lines
No full textEnglish: Fumonisin, a mycotoxin produced by Fusarium verticillioides, is an intrinsic constraint in maize (Zea mays L.) that has received a low level of attention in Zimbabwe, despite existence of laws nationally and globally setting acceptable limits. Breeding for resistance to the causal fungus is important for the poor farmers that depend on this crop. A survey was conducted that highlighted the presence of F. verticillioides in 23 national storage facilities in the major maize growing areas of Zimbabwe. The morphological analysis identified 33 fungi in storage with F. verticillioides having the highest incidence among field fungi while Eurotium repens was the highest in storage. Aspergillus flavus was observed at significant levels in Bindura in the maize delivered in the previous year. The Fusarium species identified were confirmed by gene sequencing that clustered the derived isolates among the F. verticillioides sequences in the databases. Such high incidences motivated the study of inheritance of resistance where 12 mid-altitude lines from the Seed Co southern African breeding programme and 12 from IITA central and West Africa were mated in a NCDII. The lines had variable levels of resistance to the causal fungi and aflatoxins. F1 hybrids SC 2/IITA 7, SC 3/IITA 1, SC 3/IITA 10, SC 5/IITA 10 and SC 10/IITA 2 had the lowest F. verticillioides ear rot incidences per se and the lowest fumonisin contamination. Within the best yielding hybrids, tester line IITA 4 contributed most in terms of grain yield as it appeared more frequently in the best hybrids. In the parent trial planted alongside the F1 hybrid trials, tester IITA 4 had the highest yield besides also being one of the four lines classified as resistant to aflatoxins. The GCA effects for grain yield, days to mid pollen, days to mid silk and anthesis to silking interval were significant across all sites. Both GCA and SCA were significant for F. verticillioides ear rots and fumonisins contamination, it therefore can be concluded that additive and non-additive gene effects had a role in conferring resistance to these two traits, with additive gene effects playing a major role in the fumonisins, particularly for the southern African inbred lines. Seed Co inbred lines SC 2, SC 3, SC 4, SC 9, SC 11 and SC 12 had desirable GCA for F. verticillioides ear rot with lines SC 2, SC3 and SC12 also having negative GCA for fumonisins. The IITA tester lines with negative GCA for ear rots and fumonisins were IITA 4, IITA 8, IITA 3, IITA 5, IITA 7, IITA 6 and IITA 1. The inbred lines with the highest GCA for yield were SC 10, SC 5, SC 8 (Seed Co), and testers IITA 4 and IITA 2 (IITA) were identified as lines that can play a significant role in the southern African maize breeding programmes. Besides these lines, several more lines and F1 hybrids with per se low infection levels for ear rot were identified and these lines and hybrids can be used in southern Africa to improve the local gene pool in terms of both reaction to ER causing fungi, fumonisins and agronomic performance. To study genetic diversity 1144 SNP markers were used on the 24 inbred lines. Rogers’ dissimilarity coefficients successfully distinguished the Seed Co and the IITA lines which formed the main groups besides an additional group comprising of a single line. The lines IITA 12 and SC 11 had the highest distance of 0.38. There were some sub-groups with the Seed Co materials forming clusters that were consistent with the pedigree data except for one line (SC 3). The IITA material formed two subgroups that could possibly represent two opposite heterotic groups. High heterosis for grain yield averaging 295% and 225% for the MPH and HPH, respectively, was obtained across sites in two years. Negative MPH and HPH for flowering related traits were observed. The ear rot and fumonisin accumulation had negative MPH and HPH. The correlations between the GD and MPH and HPH were significant, low and negative. There was no significant correlation between the SCA for grain yield and GD while there was significant correlation between GD and mean of grain yield per se. Grain yield mean and grain yield SCA were significantly correlated. SCA for F. verticillioides ear rot and fumonisin was significantly positively correlated with MPH and HPH of the same traits. It can therefore be concluded that good genetic gain can be obtained from the use of exotic germplasm when targeting traits such as resistance to ear rot causing fungi and the fumonisins than yield with exceptional few cases.Afrikaans: Fumonisien, ‘n mikotoksien wat deur Fusarium verticillioides geproduseer word, is ‘n intrinsieke beperking in die mieliebedryf, wat ‘n baie lae vlak van aandag in Zimbabwe geniet, ten spyte van die bestaande nasionale en internasionale wette wat aanvaarbare limiete stel. Teling van weerstand teen die mikotoksien produserende fungi is belangrik vir die arm boere wat afhanklik is van die gewas. ‘n Opname is gedoen wat die teenwoordigheid van F. verticillioides in 23 nasionale storingsfasiliteite in die hoof mielieproduserende streke van Zimbabwe getoon het. Die morfologiese analise het 33 fungi in storing getoon met die hoogste insidensie van F. verticillioides in die veld, en Eurotium repens was die hoogste in storing. Aspergillus flavus is gesien in betekenisvolle vlakke in Bindura in die mielies gelewer in die vorige jaar. Die Fusarium spesies wat geïdentifiseer is, is bevestig met geenvolgordebepaling wat die afgeleide isolate vanaf F. verticillioides gegroepeer het volgens volgordes in die databasisse. Hierdie hoë insidensies het die studie op die oorerwing van weerstand gemotiveer, waar 12 mid-hoogte lyne van die Seed Co suidelike Afrika teelprogramme en 12 van IITA sentrale en Wes Afrika programme gekruis is in ‘n NCDII. Die lyne het variënde vlakke van weerstand teen die veroorsakende fungi en aflatoksiene getoon. F1 basters SC 2/IITA 7, SC 3/IITA 1, SC 3/IITA 10, SC 5/IITA 10 en SC 10/IITA 2 het die laagste F. verticillioides kopvrot insidensie per se en die laagste fumonisien kontaminasie getoon. In die basters met die hoogste opbrengs, het toetser lyn IITA 4 die meeste bygedra in terme van graanopbrengs omdat dit die mees algemene ouer in die beste basters was. In die ouerproewe wat langs die F1 bastersproewe geplant is, het toetser IITA 4 die hoogste opbrengs getoon en dit is ook geïndentifiseer as een van die vier lyne met weerstand teen aflatoksiene. Die GCA effekte vir graanopbrengs, dae tot mid stuifmeel, dae tot mid baard en antese tot baard interval was betekenisvol oor al die omgewings. Beide GCA en SCA was betekenisvol vir Fusarium kopvrot en fumonisien kontaminasie. Daarom kan afgelei word dat additiewe en nie-additiewe geeneffekte ‘n rol gespeel het in weerstand teen hierdie twee eienskappe, met additiewe geeneffekte wat ‘n groot rol gespeel het in die fumonisiene, veral in die suidelike Afrika ingeteelde lyne. Seed Co ingeteelde lyne SC 2, SC 3, SC 4, SC 9, SC 11 en SC 12 het goeie GCA vir Fusarium kopvrot met lyne SC 2, SC3 en SC12 gehad met negatiewe GCA vir fumonisiene. Die IITA toetserlyne met negatiewe GCA vir kopvrot en fumonisiene was IITA 4, IITA 8, IITA 3, IITA 5, IITA 7, IITA 6 en IITA 1. Die ingeteelde lyne met die hoogste GCA vir opbrengs was SC 10, SC 5, SC 8 (Seed Co), en toetsers IITA 4 en IITA 2 (IITA) is geïdentifiseer as lyne wat ‘n belangrike rol kan speel in suidelike Afrika mielieteelprogramme. Afgesien van hierdie lyne, is daar ‘n aantal ander lyne en F1 basters met per se lae infeksievlakke vir kopvrot geïdentifiseer en hierdie lyne en basters kan gebruik word in suidelike Afrika om die plaaslike geenpoel te verbeter in terme van reaksie vir kopvrot veroorsakende fungi, fumonisiene en agronomiese eienskappe. Om die genetiese diversiteit te bepaal is 1144 SNP merkers gebruik om die 24 ingeteelde lyne te karakteriseer. Rogers se koeffisiënt van verskille het die Seed Co en die IITA lyne suksesvol onderskei. Hulle het twee hoofgroepe gevorm afgesien van een lyn wat nog ‘n groep gevorm het. Die lyne IITA 12 en SC 11 het die grootste afstand van 0.38 gehad. Daar was sub-groepe in die Seed Co materiaal wat groepe gevorm het wat ooreengestem het met die stambome, behalwe vir een lyn (SC 3). Die IITA materiaal het twee sub-groepe gevorm wat moontlik twee heterotiese groepe verteenwoordig. Hoë heterose vir graanopbrengs met ‘n gemiddeld van 295% en 225% vir MPH en HPH, onderskeidelik, is gekry oor omgewings en jare. Negatiewe MPH en HPH vir blomverwante eienskappe is gesien. Kopvrot en fumonisien akkumulasie het negatiewe MPH en HPH getoon. Die korrelasies tussen die GD en MPH en HPH was betekenisvol, laag en negatief. Daar was geen betekenisvolle korrelasie tussen die SCA vir graanopbrengs en GD nie, maar daar was betekenisvolle korrelasie tussen GD en gemiddelde graanopbrengs per se. Graanopbrengs gemiddeld en graanopbrengs SCA was betekensivol gekorreleer. SCA vir Fusarium kopvrot en fumonisien was betekenisvol positief gekorreleer met MPH en HPH van die eienskappe. Dit kan dus gesê word dat goeie genetiese vooruitgang gemaak kan word deur die gebruik van eksotiese kiemplasma as daar gekyk word na eienskappe soos weerstand teen kopvrot veroorsakende fungi en die fumonisiene.Seed C
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