66 research outputs found

    New life from a pastoral text of terror? : gender perspectives on God and humanity in 1 Timothy 2

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    CITATION: Mouton, E. & Van Wolde, E. 2012. New life from a pastoral text of terror? : gender perspectives on God and humanity in 1 Timothy 2. Scriptura, 111(3):583-601, doi:10.7833/111-0-38.The original publication is available at http://scriptura.journals.ac.zaAmidst threatening pseudo-practices, 1 Timothy seems to be concerned mainly with the integrity of the Christian gospel within the larger Greco-Roman society. To account for its rich yet complex world view, the intertextual coherence of 1 Tim 1:15-3:1 is investigated – with special reference to gender images from Gen 2-3 in 1 Tim 2:13-15. In an attempt to make sense of the utterances regarding women in 2:8-15, and particularly the explanation in 2:13-15, the essay explores two main sets of arguments. A first view explores the implications of a literal interpretation of 1 Tim 2:13-15. It argues that the author contrasted the thinking of Gen 2-3 by importing a limited selection from it into his letter – a strategy bearing the risk of being incompatible with the theological thrust of both 1 Tim and Gen 1-3. A second view argues that 1 Tim 2:13-15 served as an allegory, and that Adam and Eve, as well as the image of childbearing, functioned metaphorically as motivation for moral behaviour. The essay concludes that 1 Tim 2:8-15 is a context-specific appro-priation of the creation story rather than a universal statement on the relationship between women and men. It pleads for a life-giving rhetoric that either uses 1 Timothy’s theological thrust as a lens for interpreting 2:8-15 or accepts (some aspects of) it as irretrievably patriarchal and violent, yet allowing it to function as a mirror for on-going discussions on human dignity and the integrity of creationhttp://scriptura.journals.ac.za/pub/article/view/38Publisher's versio

    Transient behaviour of nuclaer steam generators

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    Mechanical, Maritime and Materials Engineerin

    Urban Foraging and Commoning: How can commoning support the practice of urban foraging?

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    This design project investigates how commoning can support the practice of urban foraging, resulting in a framework that describes the social characteristics of commoning and the abilities and opportunities for urban foraging. The framework led to a design showcase, called Get To Gather, which is an interactive board in public space to let citizens experience the practice of urban foraging, as an entrance to the foraging community.Commoning is a verb of “commons” that describes the social process to manage the commons. The goal of the commons movement is to reclaim commonwealth, and transform the focus on privatization into collective use of resources while preventing them from being commercialized. Commoning is a social process that relies on active collaboration and cooperation. The practice of urban foraging describes going from place to place searching for things to eat or use, in an urban context. Foraged food is also described as “zero-footprint food” since it is entirely outside the profit-making food production system we know today, which provides people to live self-sufficient and supports a resilient food production system in the city. Foraging goes beyond the consumption of wild edible plants because it is a social activity, in which people pass on knowledge, culture, and traditions from generation to generation. This project focuses on foraging as a leisure activity in the Netherlands. Foraging is getting more popular, which resulted in the concern of external authorities about the safety of people and the environment. Also, beginner foragers experience fear of eating poisonous or dirty plants in the city. In combination with the social motivations of urban foraging, this resulted in an inspiring and robust network, a community that wants to make sure that everyone forages safely and with care for the environment. Therefore, the community expresses a need to involve beginner foragers into their network.Urban foraging is an act that transforms unused urban nature into a place with social interactions. In the city, there are fragmented municipal plots that do not fulfill a specific function. In this report, these areas are man’s lands. The final design is an entrance to the foraging community at these locations, to create awareness about the community, and involve beginner foragers to teach them how to treat the environment correctly and perform the practice safely. The design is ‘do it yourself,’ so people can make the design by themselves without waiting for external authorities. Get To Gather transforms unused urban green spaces into places for social access. The design shows how commoning can support the practice of urban foraging, by making the foraging community, and nature in the city equitable accessible for people outside the community. It frames urban foraging as a practice with social benefits, by showing the community, in which foragers have strong social ties with fellow foragers.Design for Interactio

    Influence of Mode-Coupling on Q-factor in Nanomechanical Resonators

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    Nanomechanical resonators with low dissipation rates are ideal tools in fundamental science applications. They have been used in the field of cavity optomechanics for example in ground-state cooling, and in sensing applications, such as atomic resolution mass sensors. Their great sensitivity is due to their high Q-factor, which is a metric that shows how fast a system loses its energy. In ultra-high Q nanomechanical resonators, energy loss is limited to intrinsic and radiation losses, the latter is due to energy dissipation from the resonator into the substrate. Experiments have shown that the Q-factor of resonators with thin substrates are limited by radiation loss. However, the precise role of the substrate remains a topic that has not received much attention, but has significant implications for how we design nanomechanical microchips. Here we show that the resonator mode can couple to nearby substrate modes, which reduces the Q-factor. We found that the strength of this mode-coupling depends on the mode-shape of the substrate, with stronger coupling at anti-nodes of the mode-shape and hardly any coupling at the nodes. Furthermore, we show that clamping down the substrate with double-sided tape reduces the Q-factor of the resonators, this is explained by a reduction in Q of substrate modes due to the tape. Lastly, we found that in thin substrates, which have a higher density of modes, the Q-factor can be limited due to mode-coupling with the substrate. Our results demonstrate that the substrate choice, as it can strongly affect the Q-factor of resonators, should become an integral part of the resonator design phase. These results can likely be used by all types of nanomechanical resonators limited by radiation loss. We can use this knowledge to design chips with resonators that have an even higher Q-factor.Mechanical Engineering | Dynamics of Micro and Nano System

    Recognising the Margins

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    Recognising the Margins: Developments in Biblical and Theological Studies  by Werner Jeanrond (Author),‎ Andrew D. H. Mayes (Editor), 2007 Eighteen scholars from Ireland and from many parts of the world contribute eighteen significant articles under four headings: Biblical Themes, Theological Themes, Cultural Themes and Ethical Themes. The contributors are Joseph Blenkinsopp, Martin Hengel, A. D. H. Mayes, Stephen D. Moore, Ellen J. van Wolde, John Dillon, James P. Mackey, John D’Arcy May, El..

    A single input contact-based compliant switching mechanism

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    In the field of mechanical metamaterials, unconventional physical properties are realized by changing the geometric structure of a unit cell. A metamaterial is composed of numerous unit cells. Researchers have taken it a step further by making a reprogrammable unit cell. A reprogrammable metamaterial has additional elements or mechanisms in the unit cells that allow their properties to be modified. The state of the unit cell corresponds to a physical property. Switching this state requires an external stimulus. Each unit cell in the metamaterial requires an external stimulus to realise a distinctive state. To decrease the number of external stimuli for a tessellated structure, a unit cell is required that switches state depending on stored information. The focus of this thesis is to design a state switching mechanism for a single unit cell. Recently developed state dependent switching mechanisms consist of parallel distributed compliant beams connected in the centre. An off-centre actuation of a single beam requires less input force than a beam actuated in the centre. There is no model that can be used to develop a state switching mechanism with the ability to change the position of the connecting element. The connecting element must be flexible to allow for rotation. Therefore, in this thesis a Pseudo-Rigid-Body Model (PRBM) of a single input switching mechanism is developed that includes the off-centre connection to perform an analysis of the key parameters. The model consists of lumped beams to have a clear deformation path. The model is developed in MATLAB and validated with a finite element model (FEM). Additionally, a 3D printed prototype is made and experimentally validated to compare with the PRBM and FEM simulation. This model enables the ability to understand the effect of the flexible connecting segment and the decrease in force magnitude to actuate the system. The geometrical advantage can be tuned through preload and the ratio between the rigid beam segments. The developed model is a powerful tool that can be used to validate the functionality of any set of parameters of a coupled beam contact-based state switching mechanism.Mechanical Engineering | Mechatronic System Design (MSD

    Bi-threshold Logic Gates for Cellular Automata-based Mechanical Computing

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    Mechanical computing systems have historically faced challenges in efficiently integrating computation and memory functions, often leading to complex designs and limited scalability in applications ranging from micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) to programmable matter. This study aims to address this issue by introducing a mechanical system based on cellular automata (CA) principles, utilizing a bi-threshold tristable mechanism for implementing nonlinear Boolean functions. The system’s design translates Elementary Cellular Automata (ECA) rules, such as Rule 110, into mechanical motion using compliant multistable mechanisms. Finite Element Analysis (FEA) and pseudo-rigid body simulations validate the operational feasibility of this approach. The results confirm the system’s capability to process complex computational tasks by mechanically embodying specific ECA rules. This development marks a step forward in mechanical computing, offering a more integrated approach to computational material design. The research establishes a methodical design approach, enabling the embodiment of a wide range of Elementary Cellular Automata (ECA) rules within the mechanical framework. This approach extends beyond linearly separable Boolean functions, illustrating a significant advancement in mechanical computing capabilities. The findings provide a basis for future work in scaling the system and exploring its applicability in fields such as programmable matter and intelligent mechanical systems.Mechanical Engineering | Mechatronic System Design (MSD

    Grass-Root Training: a Challenge for Ethiopian Athletics

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    International audienceThis paper analyses the problem of grassroots training in Ethiopian athletics, presenting the different institutions involved in athletics and their respective reasons for the lack of interest and involvement in grass-root training activities. The overall picture provided by this description reflects the poor conditions of Ethiopian athletics and the prevalence of a predatory system of selection in lieu of a comprehensive institutional organization for the promotion of sport. The data collected for this research proceed from interviews with officials of athletics federations and sponsors over several years of professional activity of the first author and on the basis of fieldwork observations by the second author

    Voortvarend Nederlands voorzitterschap! De Verordening huwelijksvermogensstelsels 2016:Een eerste analyse

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    In this article the author makes an analysis of the Proposal for a Council Regulation implementing enhanced cooperation on jurisdiction, applicable law and the recognition and enforcement of decisions in matters of matrimonial property regimes. Such proposal is better structured and of a higher quality than the similar proposal dating from 2011. With regard to the scope of the law applicable to matrimonial property regimes and succession matters, as well as the personal effects of marriage, uncertainties remain. The Regulation provides for a comprehensive set of jurisdiction rules. The rules with regard to the applicable law, however, give rise to numerous questions and changes should be made in the future. Overall the author evaluates the proposal as outstanding
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