bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Revision of the genus Agrostis (Poaceae, Pooideae, Poeae) in Megamexico
Authors: Vigosa-Mercado J. Luis , Delgado-Salinas Alfonso , Alvarado Cárdenas Leonardo O. , Eguiarte Luis E.
Published: August 2023

Agrostis is one of the most diverse genera of the Poaceae, including ca. 198 species, principally distributed in cold and temperate regions of the world, but also found in the high mountains of the tropics. We present a revision based on morphoanatomical evidence, for the biogeographic region known as Megamexico 3 (i.e., Mexico including the desert areas of southern USA and the Central America territory, to northern Nicaragua). We include taxonomic descriptions and an identification key for the found taxa, maps with the known geographical distribution of the species, and figures with the morphoanatomical characteristics, elevation and phenology. Agrostis is represented in the study zone by 20 species, of which four are endemic and three are introduced. Most records of the genus are distributed in the mountains, above 1500 m a.s.l., in open areas of temperate forests, with conifers and Quercus. Specimens with spikelets occur year round, but most records occur during the wet season, in the months of July to October. We propose a preliminary conservation assessment for each species in the study zone, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature categories: one with Deficient Data (DD), six as Endangered (EN), two as Vulnerable (VU), and 11 as Least Concern (LC).
Asymptotic stability of a quasi-linear viscoelastic Kirchhoff plate equation with logarithmic source and time delay
Authors: Hajjej Zayd , Park Sun-Hye
Published: August 2023

In this paper, a quasi-linear viscoelastic Kirchhoff plate equation with logarithmic source and time delay involving free boundary conditions in a bounded domain is considered. The local existence and global existence are proved, respectively. Under the assumptions on a more general type of relaxation functions and suitable conditions on the coefficients between damping term and delay term, an explicit and general decay rate result is established by using the multiplier method and some properties of the convex functions. As the considered assumption here on the kernel is more general than earlier papers, our result improves and generalizes earlier result in the literature.
Determination of Quasi-single Particle Bandgap by Using the Combination of Photoelectron and Inverse-photoelectron Spectroscopy
Authors: PARK Soohyung
Published: August 2023

The observation of many previously unseen physical phenomena, especially in the nano-size world, has been the most dramatically advanced field of study due to the advancement of analytical technology. In particular, cutting-edge analytical methods based on X-rays and electrons have enabled the visualization of atomic-level images and structures. Currently, these methods are widely utilized not only in the field of physics but also in various engineering disciplines, such as electronics, energy, bio-medicine and hydrogen storage. Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), established in 1966, is the first government-funded general research institute in South Korea that contributes to the technological development in key national sectors. Advanced analysis and data center at KIST have played a crucial role in the advancement of national science and technology by providing essential analysis and new analytical technologies. In this special issue, we will discuss advanced analytical equipment available at KIST covering the entire spectrum of analytical technology from fundamental principles to applications and utilization. Specifically, we will focus on the representative analytical technique for physics research, such as photoelectron spectroscopy (PES), X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and machine learning-based analytical methods for their interpretation.
Advanced Analysis Using Deep Learning Method
Authors: LIM Mina , LIM Sooyeon , PARK Soohyung , KIM Hong-Kyu
Published: August 2023

X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) is an important analytical method utilized to determine not only the electronic structure of a material, but also the elemental content of the material. However, it requires a high level of expertise to interpret XPS data, and the reliability of XPS analysis depends on the competence of the expert. To overcome these challenges, this article introduces the process of developing a deep learning model that can automatically interpret XPS data without human intervention. Furthermore, by understanding how a deep learning model can quantify elemental content in a spectrum, we provide insights into XPS analysis methods and the interpretation of the spectrum itself.
Duration and the Ontology of Japanese Architecture
Authors: Rego Mark
Published: August 2023

Henri Bergson’s philosophy and Japanese cultural, aesthetic, and architectural traditions share an affinity regarding their view of reality as continuous change and the awareness of the vital impulses of life in all things. For example, these ideas are central to Buddhist and Shinto philosophies, for whom impermanence is an essential feature of the world. There are strong sympathies with Bergson’s duration, which has facilitated his reception in Japan. An understanding of Japanese aesthetics and philosophy of art can help illustrate and comprehend Bergson’s philosophy, and, in return, Bergson’s philosophy can reveal deeper understandings of the world and the environment we live in. This paper proposes to reflect on how duration manifests in Japanese aesthetics, particularly focusing on the philosophy of architecture and the built environment. I propose to analyze how architectural traditions in Japan interconnect with Bergson’s philosophy and how they might contribute to an architectural ontology of duration.
La durée pure dans l’œuvre du jeune Tanabe Hajime : entre intuition et réduction
Authors: Jelby Morten E.
Published: August 2023

Pure duration plays a central role in Tanabe Hajime’s early authorship. Through the 1910s, this Bergsonian concept is first used to characterize “pure” or “immediate experience” in such a manner that it can be integrated in the neo-Kantian framework, allowing Tanabe to rethink Rickert’s conception of “consciousness in general.” Turning towards a theory of time, Tanabe sees pure duration as the supra-temporal stratus of consciousness upon which phenomenological time, logical time, etc. are constituted. The question of how this fundamental stratus can be thematized in a methodologically sound manner leads Tanabe to endorse a “transcendental psychology” consisting in the “reconstructive subjectivation” that he finds in Natorp. He thereby distances himself from intuition as a philosophical method, and implicitly from Nishida Kitarô’s critique of Bergson. Pure duration is furthermore discussed in the context of the Fichtean Tathandlung. As the earlier concept of pure/immediate experience, the Tathandlung designates a primordial unity of act and content, subject and object, of which philosophy can however grasp one aspect alone. A tension remains, therefore, between the necessity of conceiving, with pure duration as a model, of a continuity between subject and world, and the methodological limitations of philosophy.
Sublime and Panoramic Vision. Bergson, Kant and Heidegger on Schematism
Authors: Fujita Hisashi
Published: August 2023

If all the conceptual devices involved in what Bergson calls “the planes of consciousness,” from the persistence of pure memory to perception and action, concern the relation between two different realms of existence, mind-memory and body-matter, Matter and Memory is then a work that attempts to rethink the problem of imagination and schematism. This is why we can legitimately claim that Heidegger’s challenge in his Kant and the Problem of Metaphysics to read transcendental imagination as primordial temporality can be interpreted as being on the way to a Bergsonian philosophy of immanence that sees the transcendental as the folds and folding of experience. In other words, corresponding to Bergson’s theory of image, Heidegger’s challenge does not reach at pure memory and its power of idleness im-plicated under the form of the inverted cone diagram of consciousness. It is Kant in the Critique of Judgment who comes to the rescue of Heidegger, who has stopped in the middle of his path. Why is the sublime important? Because it exposes, within experience, the limits of the transcendental imagination, of the transcendental schematism, and thus of the Heideggerian interpretation. And it is Bergson in his analysis of the panoramic vision that reveals, through the difference between the tension of attention to life and the tension of conversion, an imagination backlit by the movement of what overflows from the system of memory and perception represented in the diagram of the inverted cone. Especially, his third analysis of panoramic memory is so valuable that, in contrast to the other two analyses, it suggests, through the philosophical gesture of looking-back, that time is not external to experience, as in the sublime, but time is itself a re-living of the past.
Computational Cognitive Neuroscience Framework to Co-Design Virtual Reality Games With Autistic Adults
Authors: Rojas Javier Alejandro
Published: August 2023

The chapter's goal is to present a novel computational cognitive neuroscience framework. This framework is proposed by the author to conceptually facilitate the integration of such technology features as customization of engaging game attributes, computational simulation of real-life actions in virtual reality environments, and computational modelling of accurate evaluation and intervention techniques with demonstrated effectiveness for autistic adults. The autistic adults-centered design is proposed as the core method to implement this framework throughout phases and stages used in the presented virtual-reality-game-based technology development pipeline. This method allows them to co-design and choose in-game learning preferred strategies. This computational cognitive neuroscience framework is oriented to stakeholders in the educational technology field interested in promoting equity and inclusion by playing a role as co-designers of effective, comprehensive, and engaging assessment and intervention technology-based support to empower underrepresented autistic communities.
Establishing an Assistive Technology-Enabled Culture at the University of York
Authors: Joy Lilian , Walker Richard
Published: August 2023

This institutional case study outlines the journey that the University of York (United Kingdom) has been taking towards establishing an assistive technology-enabled culture across the university. A change management strategy is not the first thing that comes to mind when asked to think about how best to advance equality and inclusion in an organisation. However, the authors argue that digital inclusion is not about making quick technical fixes to systems, nor is it about focusing on improvements for disabled students only. Instead, it is about the slow and steady progress in creating and embedding an inclusive culture within an organisation that benefits all categories of students. They challenge the assumption that setting standards will bring about a level playing field. Instead, the authors report on how using a people-centred change management strategy has helped the University of York to promote equity and inclusion, and the impact that this has had in making sustainable changes to digital working practices, informed by policy, training, and guidance provision.
Equitable and Inclusive Learning Spaces in Higher Education (India)
Authors: Kaushik Bharti , Anand Sharv Datt
Published: August 2023

The education system in India is experiencing a period of innovation and evolution. Achievement gaps and disparate outcomes have shown that efforts to implement educational equality (the attempt to treat every student the same) has failed students from certain backgrounds. This highlights the need to progress towards new approach based on educational equity (addressing each student's individual needs) for the benefit of students, who failed to respond in desired manner to equality-based efforts, and also those who have been neglected, or marginalized. The broad objectives of present study is (1) to study the role and functions of enabling units/cells, (2) to understand the challenges faced by students with special needs in higher education institutes and colleges, and (3) to list the ICT solutions provided and practiced. The opinion of students was gathered on barrier faced due to infrastructure such as laboratories, washrooms, classrooms, library, cafeteria, conference halls, the pedagogy practices and ICT solutions available within the programs offered.
Interactive Simulation and E-Learning Platforms for Diagnostic Radiography Education
Authors: Ekpo Ernest Usang , Giannotti Nicola , Akwo Judith
Published: August 2023

This chapter provides an overview of simulation in diagnostic radiography education, simulated learning activities in physical and virtual radiography simulated learning environment, and presents easily accessible, efficient, equitable, and inclusive platform technologies and software for simulated learning. Physical and virtual simulation activities specific to the role of diagnostic radiographers are described. Platform technologies and software that support these simulated learning activities are also described. Users' ability to access some of these platforms offline and freely overcomes the context-specific factors (technology and educational resources) that affect diagnostic radiography teaching and learning. Incorporation of these tools into teaching and learning should allow diagnostic radiography training institutions across the world to learn and succeed from context-appropriate knowledge.
Research on Musical Tone Recognition Method Based on Improved RNN for Vocal Music Teaching Network Courses
Authors: Long Kaiyi
Published: August 2023

The test results show that the fast Fourier process with multiple time superposition and a dimension length of 40 is most beneficial to the accuracy of the model. The loss curve value of the convolutional recurrent network model (CRN) is much lower than the other three models. The music tone recognition model learns better. The accuracy rate value and recall rate value of the CRN are the highest, and the accuracy rates of the four music tone indicators are 94.6%, 92.4%, 93.5%, 92.5%, and the recall rates were 93.2%, 94.9%, 95.2%, and 88.6% respectively; the improved algorithm was the most accurate in terms of F1 values and is suitable for use in vocal music teaching courses. The results show that the algorithm can be broadly performed in the zone of music tone recognition and has a certain contribution to the development of the field of music tone recognition.
Valuing and Risk Analysis for Supply Chain Management
Authors: Lin Sin-Jin , Chang Te-Min , Hsu Ming-Fu
Published: August 2023

This research presents the contribution of profitability and asset utilization to a firm's value generation from a financial market viewpoint via slack-based measure network data envelopment analysis (SBM-NDEA). Despite its superiority in performance measurement, SBM-NDEA has a limitation when confronted with new added datasets as it lacks predictive ability. To overcome this, the authors integrate twin support vector machine into it. A manager's attitude toward risks also plays an essential role in efficiency improvement and value generation, but numerical messages do not convey such information. Textual messages with elastic natures thus bring information beyond just numerical messages. To assist users in quantifying risk types, the authors introduced an advanced text analyzer to conjecture a manager's attitude toward each risk. The results show that the performance evaluation model with forecasting capability can shift the manager's role from monitoring the past to planning the future. This study also demonstrates that the model with textual information reaches superior forecasting performance.
How Attachment Influences Users' Decisions in Mobile Social Commerce Context From a Socio-Technical Systems Perspective
Authors: Ye Qiongwei , Luo Yumei , Cao Changlin , Zhong YaWen
Published: August 2023

Drivers of social commerce usage have been the focus of scholars, but mobile social commerce is currently a sparsely researched area and therefore worth considering. Drawing on the socio-technical systems perspective and attachment theory, this article aims to examine the effect of social and technical enablers on user attachment and whether attachment influences users' shopping and sharing intentions. Results of an empirical study (N=305 active Pinduoduo users) indicate that emotional attachment directly impacts users' intentions, while functional attachment does so indirectly through emotional attachment. Besides, social and technical factors impact emotional and functional attachment, respectively. The study provides further insights about the impact of social and technical factors on attachment and attachment on MSC intention, and contributes to MSC research and practice by developing and validating the role of MSC platforms attributes in forming users' s-commerce behavioral outcomes.
Propolis Bioactive Compounds of Stingless Bees (Tetragonula laeviceps) from Mount Merapi Slope, Sleman, Yogyakarta
Authors: Sudaryadi Ignatius , Oktaweni Fiola , Pramono Intan Endri , Fatikasary Khaliza Wima , Widiawati Hana , Sutikno Sutikno
Published: August 2023

The emergence of many new diseases due to viruses and bacteria demands for an increase in the discovery of natural alternative medicines. One example of sources of natural medicine is the honey and the propolis of Tetragonula laeviceps bee. The efficacy, physical and chemical properties of honey are known to be influenced by the type of pollen and the environment whilst the composition of propolis is influenced by the geological factors. Therefore, the purpose of this research was to study the composition of propolis’ bioactive compounds of T.laeviceps bee from Mount Merapi Slope, Sleman, Yogyakarta. The bioactive compound composition of the propolis sample were analysed by Gas Chromatograph-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). The analysis showed that the propolis has various type of compounds containing up to 20 bioactive compounds which can be classified in three different groups namely alkaloids (70%), phenolics (20%), and terpenoids (5%). Most of these compounds were found to be biologically important. However, further research is still required to confirm the potential antimicrobial properties of the propolis’ bioactive compounds.
Ageing, gerontology; geriatrics and Sri Lanka
Authors: Balasuriya A.
Published: August 2023

No abstract available
Indian traditional diet may prevent COVID-19-related mortality: A narrative review
Authors: Joshi S. R. , Samajdar S. S. , Mukherjee S. , Sarkar S. , Chatterjee N. , Pal J.
Published: August 2023

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the mortality rate in densely populated India was reportedly 5 to 8 times lower than in less populous western countries. An international team of scientists from India, Brazil, Jordan, Switzerland, and Saudi Arabia conducted the research suggesting that Indian dietary components suppress cytokine storm and other severity-related pathways of COVID-19 and may play a role in reducing the severity and mortality rates of COVID-19 in India compared to western populations. The findings indicated that the constituents of Indian diets, which ensure high iron and zinc concentrations in blood and ample fibre in foods, played a role in mitigating the severity of COVID-19 caused by carbon dioxide retention and lipopolysaccharide. This narrative review highlights various facets of Indian Traditional Diet which has helped in preventing COVID 19- related mortality.
Novel therapies in clinical use for the management of hyperlipidaemia
Authors: Mettananda C.
Published: August 2023

Optimal control of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDLc) is identified as a major target in reducing cardiovascular disease burden globally. However, existing lipid-lowering therapies have not been able to achieve LDLc targets even in developed countries. Therefore, novel therapies for the management of hyperlipidaemia are being trialled. Currently, there are three main groups of newer medicines; bempedoic acid, PCSK9 inhibitors and inclisiran, in addition to statins and ezetimibe in use for the management of hyperlipidaemia. This article aims to introduce these newer medicines and their clinical use in the treatment of hyperlipidaemia.
Diabetic hand syndrome with scleredema diabeticorum, sclerodactyly and Dupuytren contractures
Authors: Rajaratnam A. , Kularathne W. K. S.
Published: August 2023

No abstract available
Knowledge and adherence to National Institute of Clinical Excellence 2020, dyslipidaemia management guidelines and its associations among medical officers in Gampaha district, Sri Lanka: a descriptive study
Authors: Ansy A. , Angunawala A. , Anushika E. , Ariyasena S. , Aryachandra S. , Fernando K. , Mettananda C.
Published: August 2023

Introduction: Dyslipidaemia is an important risk factor for cardiovascular diseases(CVD) and optimal management helps prevent CVD burden in a country. Knowledge of medical officers(MOs) on dyslipidaemia management is critical in this regard. We assessed knowledge and adherence of MOs of Gampaha district to the National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE) guideline 2020 on management of dyslipidaemia. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study at five secondary/tertiary-care hospitals in Gampaha District in January 2022. Knowledge and adherence were studied using a self-administered questionnaire consisting of 25 multiple-choice questions. Each question was scored "1" and the cumulative score was converted to 100. A score >80 was considered "good knowledge and adherence" and its associations were studied using logistic regression.Results: A total of 413 MOs (63.4% females, mean age 45±7.6 years) participated in the study. Of them, 73.1% had worked in a medical ward previously. The mean knowledge and adherence score was 77±9.3. Only 30% had a score >80. Good knowledge and adherence was significantly associated with being <45 years (p .004) in age, having work experience in a medical ward (p<.001), having post-graduate training (p<.001), working in a tertiary care hospital(p=.007), and involved in private practice(p=.002). There was no significant association with attendance at continuing medical education programmes (p=.320) or the duration of service(p=.120).Conclusions: Only a third of MOs of Gampaha district had good Knowledge and adherence to NICE-2020 dyslipidaemia guidelines. Knowledge and adherence to the guideline was better in MOs who are young, in postgraduate training, with previous experience in medical wards, working in tertiary care hospitals or engaged in private practice.
Preservation and Conservation Initiatives of Libraries in Sri Lanka: A Review of Literature
Authors: Rathnabahu R. M. Nadeeka
Published: August 2023

Libraries are institutions that provide access to a comprehensive collection of information and resources for educational, research, and recreational purposes. They serve as repositories of knowledge and offer numerous services to their communities. In this process, libraries play a paramount role in preserving and conserving library materials for future generations. The objectives of this paper were to investigate the significant Preservation and Conservation (PAC) initiatives of library materials from the ancient periods (3rd Century BC to 5th Century AD), the colonial period (1505 to 1948), and the post-independence period (1948 to date), to identify the gaps related to the current practices of PAC in Sri Lanka and to identify the issues related to PAC in Sri Lanka. This study focused on a qualitative research method. Relevant literature was found through secondary sources such as books, journal articles, conference papers, organizational reports and websites. The Department of National Museums (DNM), Department of National Archives (DNA) and National Library and Documentation Services Board (NLDSB) and Sri Lankan University Libraries (ULs), were purposively selected. The secondary resources were gathered from online and offline resources based on subject-related keywords. The published year was not considered during the process, and priority was given to Sri Lankan and foreign-authored publications on preservation and conservation of library materials in Sri Lanka. Literature was analyzed based on above mentioned three time frames selected for the study. The study identified growing trends in preservation and conservation practices from ancient to post-independence periods. Even though some evidence goes back to King Vijaya’s period (483 BC), official writing was started in 103–77 BC. Some writing materials, such as inscriptions, palm leaves, and golden plates, were used during this period. And they were preserved for future purposes. Later, in the colonial period, the Portuguese, Dutch and British developed writing materials and established positions such as Record keepers and Archivists. They introduced ‘paper’ in this period. Then, in the post-independence period, the DNM, DNA, NLDSB and ULs were identified as pioneering organizations that led the task of preserving. It was identified gaps between the literatures and existing literature only identified palm leaves as a main library material to be conserved and preserved. The main issues derived from the analysis were a lack of financial allocations, policies, laws and regulations, training, and research related to the field. The study pointed out the need for a separate preservation and conservation unit to handle the preservation activities in each library while establishing a distinct institute for Research and Development and to provide necessary training required to maintain the activities of preservation and conservation of library materials in the country.
Significance of School Libraries in Online Teaching-Learning Activities during the COVID-19 Pandemic in select National Schools of Batticaloa District, Sri Lanka
Authors: Ramanan T. , Ravikumar M. N.
Published: August 2023

There is a tendency in reported documents pertaining to school education in Sri Lanka to have literally omitted school libraries and information resources. Teachers and students struggled to gain access to appropriate information resources. After performing a pilot survey to validate the reliability of the questionnaire, a sample of 209 subjects was randomly selected from 459 teachers in select National Schools in Batticaloa Education Zone. A semi-structured questionnaire was administered across WhatsApp groups of those teachers and response rate was 77.5%. Data were analysed using One-Sample Wilcoxon Signed-Rank, Chi-Square, and thematic analysis since a mixed method was employed. In this survey, teachers have expressed that school libraries were essential in providing resources to support teaching-learning activities although they have not received sufficient support from school libraries. Study further found that the role of school librarians in educating teachers and students with respect to copyright was underrated. Therefore, as the study results revealed, there was a considerable gap between the need and the availability of resources, which needs to be bridged through school libraries.
Climate Change and perinatal health
Authors: Editor-in-Chief .
Published: August 2023

No abstract available
Collective Response for Respectful Perinatal Care through Governance, Clinical Quality & Parental Understanding
Authors: Perera Susie
Published: August 2023

No abstract available
A Spatial Dengue Risk Map for the Jaffna District of Northern Sri Lanka
Authors: Jayadas T. T. P. , Bharathy P. , Gajapathy K. , Suthakar K. , Arasaratnam V. , Kumanan T. , Surendran S. N.
Published: August 2023

Dengue, a mosquito-borne disease, is a major public health concern in Sri Lanka including the northern Jaffna district. Epidemiology of dengue is associated with variations in land-use patterns and socio-economic factors. Jaffna district is one of the administrative locations with high incidence of dengue over the last two decades. The objective of the study was to identify potential dengue risk areas based on land-use patterns and socio-economic and demographic factors in Jaffna district at the Medical Officer for Health (MoH) administrative level applying spatial multi-criteria analysis using Geographic Information System Platform. The analysis also incorporated dengue cases and dengue serotypes identified in 2019 in the Jaffna district. The study reveals that the Nallur MoH division is the very high-risk area for dengue transmission. The identified risk map is expected to be useful for health authorities to prioritize control measures to identified risk areas. A detailed study considering land-use pattern, socio-economy, demography and serotypes over the years is warranted to understand the spatio-temporal patterns in dengue transmission in the Jaffna district.
Clinical manifestation and microbial profiling of recurrent MDR microorganisms associated with head and neck infection- a retrospective study
Authors: Lenka Smarita , Dubey Debasmita , Rath Shakti , Das Somadatta , Swain Santosh Kumar
Published: August 2023

Head and neck infection (HNI) can lead to life-threatening complications, including death. The purpose of this study is to look at the entire clinico-demographic profile of patients with HNI as well as the microbiologic profile of recurring bacterial infection cases with a variety of symptoms. A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted on 1080 HNI patients in a tertiary care hospital in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India, from January 2018 to December 2022. Of the 1080 cases, 771 (71.39%) were males, 309 (28.61%) were females, and 603 (55.83%) were from rural areas reporting to a tertiary care hospital. 62% of the cases were between the ages of 31 and 60. Neck abscesses account for 570 (52.78%) of all cases, with parotid abscesses accounting for 233 (21.57%), peritonsillar abscesses accounting for 170 (15.74%), otitis media 32 (2.96%), and oral cavity infection accounting for 26 (2.41%). In 854 (79.07%) cases, the etiology was odontogenic, followed by sinus in 188 (17.41%) and otogenic in 38 (3.52%). The most common presenting features were neck swelling in 537 (49.72%) cases and face swelling in 238 (22.04%) cases, followed by jaw pain in 26 (2.41%) cases and others. Patients were hospitalized for an average of 11.824.38 days. Treatment and recurrence had a strong significant relationship (p 0.001). Microbiologic investigation of recurrent patients revealed 12 microorganisms, including bacteria and fungus, mainly multidrug-resistant in given ascending order Staphylococcus aureus (26.74%), Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter baumannii, Escherichia coli, Candida albicans (4.65%), Aspergillus fumigatus, A. flavus, A. niger, C. tropicalis, C. glabrata, C. krusei. Apart from colistin, almost all antibiotics were highly resistant to gram-negative bacteria, whereas against S. aureus, benzylpenicillin, and oxacillin showed 100% resistance, followed by erythromycin (91.3%), levofloxacin (86.96%), and ciprofloxacin (82.61%). This exploratory study would aid in determining the HNI burden and epidemiology, as well as their treatment status.
White man’s disease, black man’s peril?: Rinderpest and famine in the eastern Bechuanaland Protectorate at the end of the 19th century
Authors: Molosiwa Phuthego P.
Published: August 2023

During the late nineteenth century, a pandemic of Rinderpest exterminated large numbers of cattle in Southern Africa. Although in the Bechuanaland Protectorate the disease killed cattle only for two years between 1896 and 1897, its effects were to last until the very end of the century. The loss of cattle disrupted subsistence production, disintegrated the social fabric and caused famines. This paper examines the subsistence crisis caused by the loss of cattle and the multiple coping mechanisms that people employed to negotiate the ensuing famine. Despite being thrown into a state of desperation, the paper argues, rural communities in the eastern Bechuanaland Protectorate appropriated and reconstituted certain features of their cultural and social life to negotiate the hardships and, when these failed, they invented new strategies appropriate with specific situations.
South African liberal thinking on questions of nationalism reconsidered
Authors: Saunders Chris
Published: August 2023

Liberals have often been criticised for not confronting key questions relating to South Africa’s present and future. While liberals did not address the so- called National Question directly, they did consider the issues that that question concerned, but recent writing on liberalism has often misrepresented their thinking. This article seeks to illustrate a variety of liberal views about the nature of the South African “nation”, to explore what liberals have, over time, thought and done in relation to nationalism and racism, and to consider some of their thinking on what a non-racial South African might look like.
“Water pure and wholesome” – watervoorsiening in Bloemfontein gedurende die 19de eeu
Authors: Botes S. M.
Published: August 2023

Bloemfontein and the greater Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality is today a modern metropolis using and consuming a considerable amount of water on a daily basis. Due to the severe droughts of 2014 and 2015, the water surface levels of the rivers and dams providing water to the Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality dropped critically low. Although boreholes still supply sufficient water in some areas, strict water restrictions were imposed in July 2015 to kerb the use and consumption of municipal supplied water. It is, however, nothing new for Bloemfontein to experience serious shortages of water during periods of drought. In order to grasp an understanding of the water problems of the capital of the Free State Province, one have to turn to the history of the city’s water supply. In this article problems regarding water supply in Bloemfontein during the late 19th century is investigated.Due to the fact that Bloemfontein is not located next to a large river, the capital started experiencing water shortages as early as the 1880s. The water sources in the immediate vicinity such as fountains, the Bloemspruit, wells and dams, initially supplied sufficient water to the residents of Bloemfontein, but as the town developed rapidly since the advent of the railway in 1890 and became more populated, the existing water supply was no longer sufficient to provide for the capital’s growing needs. To solve this problem the town required an additional, reliable water source beyond its boundaries. For this purpose the Bloemfontein Water Supply Company was founded in 1889 to explore the possibility of obtaining “water pure and wholesome”. As several private concessionaries to whom concessions were granted to provide the capital with additional water failed, the Bloemfontein city council decided to take matters in own hand; especially since by 1894 the water shortage reached critical levels. In 1896 the Modder River Water Scheme was approved and by 1899 the Free State capital was supplied with water from the nearby Modder River.In spite of additional waterworks that were built at Maselspoort during the early 20th century and several large dams and reservoirs added over time, it did not adequately address the city’s water shortages, especially in times of severe droughts. Due to the current reality that an aging water and sanitation infrastructure is only repaired and not replaced, added to the fact that the Free State Province is known for its frequent droughts, the current Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality, that includes the city of Bloemfontein, today still experiences problems with water supply. Accordingly the water problems that started in the 1880s are continuing in the 21st century and even intensify. A solution to this problem is urgently required.
Jagersfontein – the forgotten gem of the Free State
Authors: Philip Loudine
Published: August 2023

The early mining history of the Free State Province is not well represented in the annals of the mining history of South Africa. As such, only a select few would be aware of the role Jagersfontein played in the diamond mining industry worldwide. In this article, historical research is used as research strategy where the variable focus of the research is time, and specific events are interpreted within a temporally defined situation and environment. The history of Jagersfontein is relayed as a historical narrative, following its development from its conception as a diamond digging in 1869 to the present day. Events and aspects related to its development are interrogated and analysed against a backdrop of historical events that had an influence on its growth; including pointing out the human factor in determining the course of history to gain some understanding of the derelict and forgotten town Jagersfontein is today. It raises the question of the degree of corporate social responsibility mining companies have towards the people of the towns they created and abandoned prior to new legislation in this regard. In closing, it proposes that redefining Jagersfontein as a tourist destination as historic mining town is not only a means of creating job opportunities, but will also enable Jagersfontein to take its rightful place in the history of South Africa.
Judging South Africa’s past: The sense of shame experienced by first-year History students of the University of the Free State’s Bloemfontein campus
Authors: Oelofse Marietjie , Vries Eldrin
Published: August 2023

Shame as a self-conscious emotion is an important contributing factor controlling and motivating people’s thoughts, feelings and behaviour in socially appropriate ways, especially during interactions with one another. Shame in its own capacity causes discomfort when the behaviour of individuals and/or the group violates personal or social standards. The article aims to determine what the perceptions are of undergraduate students registered for first-year History at the University of the Free State’s Bloemfontein campus who took History as a school subject up to Grade 12; what enhances a sense of shame in them as South African citizens when judging the country’s past. The article contextualises the concept of shame; explains the methodology and approach that was used; and highlights the perceptions of these students and the issues that enhance a sense of shame in them as students studying at the capital of the Free State when judging the country’s past. In the process, the article assesses what is the level of the student’s historical consciousness, background, insight and in-depth knowledge of South Africa’s past, so as to be able to make a judgment on what they are ashamed of in past events in the country and the reasons why.
British dilemma and hypocrisy in the NPT regime vis-à-vis South Africa
Authors: Asuelime Lucky E. , Van Wyk Anna-Mart
Published: August 2023

The international non-proliferation regime has focused on developing strategies to halt the development of nuclear technology, particularly in developing regions. This however did not stop South Africa from developing six and a half nuclear bombs, because the activities of the five (nuclear) superpowers (the US, Britain, Soviet Union, France and China) in providing some level of unilateral technological assistance to other countries undermined the efficacy of this strategy. Particularly, this article stresses the hypocrisy of British participation in the NPT as far as South Africa was concerned. The article also (subtly) focuses on the preponderance of cultural, strategic and economic links with Britain which contribute to an environment for nuclear proliferation in South Africa. The above provide a context for British government co-operation with South Africa in nuclear technology.
Zambia, the freedom struggle and the aftermath: The personal story of freedom fighter and leader Sylvester Mwamba Chisembele
Authors: Kanduza Ackson M.
Published: August 2023

No abstract available.
Hermann Giliomee: Historian Autobiography
Authors: Tempelhoff Johann
Published: August 2023

No abstract available.
Race, class and power. Harold Wolpe and the radical critique of apartheid
Authors: Moore Nadine
Published: August 2023

No abstract available.
Editorial Vol 79 (2017)
Authors: Office Editorial
Published: August 2023

No abstract available.
Segregated schools of thought: The Bantu Education Act (1953) revisited
Authors: Moore Nadine
Published: August 2023

Various political parties, civil rights groups and columnists support the view that one of South Africa’s foremost socio-economic challenges is overcoming the scarring legacy which the Bantu Education Act of 1953 left on the face of the country. In light of this challenge, a need arose to revisit the position and place of Bantu Education historiography in the current contested interpretation of its legacy.It is apparent from the plethora of literature available on this topic that academics are not in agreement about whether or not the passing of the 1953 Act was a watershed moment in marginalising education for black pupils. On the one hand, it would seem that the general consensus is that the 1953 Act was indeed a turning point in the formalisation of education reserved for pupils of colour – thus a largely “traditional” view. On the other hand, the Marxist school, as coined by P Christie and C Collins, argues that securing a cheap, unskilled labour force was already on the agenda of the white electorate preceding the formalisation of the Act.The aim of this article is two-fold. Firstly, to contextualise these two stances historically; and secondly and more chiefly, to examine the varying approaches regarding the rationalisation behind Bantu Education by testing these approaches against the rationale apparent in primary sources in the form of parliamentary debates and contemporary newspaper articles.
Amsterdam tot Zeeland: Slawestand tot Middelstand? ’n Stellenbosse slawegeskiedenis, 1679-1834
Authors: Blom Melanda
Published: August 2023

No abstract available.
A turbulent South Africa: Post-apartheid social protest
Authors: Langa Retha
Published: August 2023

No abstract available.
A historical account of the key moments in South Africa to sentencing children under the age of 18 convicted of crimes
Authors: Magobotiti Chris D. , Cilliers Charl
Published: August 2023

Punishment of crimes is as old as society itself. In South Africa, punishment of children continues to raise complex historical debates. For example, corporal punishment has long been abolished, but with the increase on crimes committed by children, there is a perception that it had a deterrent effect. It is important to trace key moments of the history of sentencing children. Key moments refer not to the whole history of sentencing practice but rather relate to developments that have an impact on sentencing of children.Tracing history of sentencing must promote an understanding of sentencing of children at present and the near future. As far back as the 1950s to the 1960s until the present, courts sentencing decisions have grappled with the age factor in an attempt not to treat children under the age of 18 as adults. This article seeks to contribute to an understanding of the past and present sentencing practices in order to promote balanced sentencing decisions.
Ralph Haynes: Godfather van die Wes-Rand
Authors: Coetzee Emile C.
Published: August 2023

No abstract available.
Jan Smuts: Son of the veld, pilgrim of the world
Authors: Croucamp Piet
Published: August 2023

No abstract available.
Professor Belinda Bozzoli – A paradigm changer of her time in South Africa
Authors: Van Eeden Elize S.
Published: August 2023

No abstract available.
Bank robber: My time with André Stander
Authors: Coetzee Emile C.
Published: August 2023

No abstract available.
Emfuleni’s wastewater crisis, 2018-2021: The history of a Vaal sub-catchment problem
Authors: Tempelhoff Johann W.N.
Published: August 2023

In 2018 the collapse of the wastewater infrastructure of Gauteng’s Emfuleni Local Municipality was responsible for a severe fish-kill in the Vaal River Barrage. Even communities downstream of the Barrage were affected. The disaster was most evident at the riverside holiday town of Parys, tourism operations on the riverbank in the Vredefort Dome World Heritage Site and the Bloemhof Dam. Emfuleni’s crisis was the result of almost two decades of delays and underinvestment in the maintenance and upgrade of a local wastewater system earmarked for regional service delivery.Today’s Emfuleni has an illustrious history, dating back to the founding of the industrial towns of Vereeniging (1891) and Vanderbijlpark (1943). Both are situated downstream of where the Klip, Blesbokspruit and Suikerbos rivers fork into the Vaal River. Thanks to local coal mining, electricity generation and copious water supplies, industrial development thrived in the twentieth century.The 1994 demise of South Africa’s white-ruled governance system paved the way for a post-apartheid non-racial democracy. At this time there were significant changes in governance, demographics and economic development. Local population growth and the concomitant regional post-industrial development continue to have a profound impact on the Vaal River Barrage and the downstream communities.This study highlights the Integrated Vaal River system, the historical origins of today’s Emfuleni, and culminates with a discussion on the disaster of 2018 and its aftermath up until 2021.
Estate farming and Ndau people’s displacement from Zimbabwe into Mozambique, c.1940-2010
Authors: Hlongwana James
Published: August 2023

This article focuses on the development of plantation farming close to the Zimbabwe-Mozambique border and its effects on the Ndau people. Colonial incursions on the Zimbabwe/Mozambique border areas resulted in the development of estate farming in the Chimanimani/Chipinge region. European settlements in the borderland led to land expropriation by the colonial state and multi-national companies for estate farming. These estates ranged from natural and exotic forests, coffee, tea to sugarcane plantations. The majority of the plantations lie along the Zimbabwe/Mozambique border. The estates are vast, numerous and cover a significant area of Chimanimani/ Chipinge district. Apart from protecting tree and animal species, the promotion of tourism and provision of employment, the estates have assisted in the development of amenities and infrastructure in the region. In spite of the positives highlighted above, this article argues that the establishment of plantation agriculture displaced the Ndau people from their ancestral lands and pushed them into Mozambique.
Hitler’s spies: Secret agents and the intelligence war in South Africa
Authors: La Grange Anna
Published: August 2023

No abstract available.