Chaerephon pumilus, the little free-tailed bat, (family: Molossidae) has a distribution throughout most of sub-Saharan Africa and the eastern region of Madagascar. The vast geographical distribution of this species is accompanied by considerable phenotypic variation, which may conceal cryptic species. The cytochrome b (845 nucleotides) and D-loop (314 nucleotides) regions of the mitochondrial DNA were sequenced to assess phylogenetic relationships within C. pumilus (southern Africa) and in relation to Chaerephon species from Madagascar (C. pumilus, C. leucogaster). Samples were obtained from KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, and localities in Swaziland. The cytochrome b sample (n = 11) comprised four haplotypes, with a haplotype diversity of 0.6727, whilst the D-loop (n = 34) dataset comprised 13 haplotypes with a haplotype diversity of 0.8342. Neighbour joining, maximum parsimony and Bayesian analyses revealed congruent tree structures for both mtDNA regions. All Chaerephon taxa in this study formed a monophyletic clade with respect to the outgroup Mops midas. Chaerephon pumilus from the eastern side of Madagascar formed a well-supported monophyletic group, sister to a clade comprising C. pumilus (southern Africa) and C. leucogaster, and is suggested to comprise a separate species. Southern African C. pumilus formed two paraphyletic clades, A and B, separated by a genetic distance of 0.9 %. Chaerephon leucogaster formed a monophyletic group nested within southern African C. pumilus, suggesting conspecificity. However, the well-characterized morphology of C. leucogaster lends support to its specific status, and suggests the possible existence of cryptic species among southern African C. pumilus. Population genetic analysis suggests that two C. pumilus (southern African) clades have been expanding, one for between 2432 and 4639 years, and the other for the 11156 to 21280 years. A combined cytochrome b analysis, trimmed to 343 nucleotides, was carried out on the data from this study and that of Jacobs et al. (2004), also on southern African C. pumilus. Haplotypes from the Jacobs et al. (2004) study, which also identified two 0.9 % divergent clades (light- and dark-winged) were found to be identical or very similar to haplotypes from this study and were interspersed among southern African C. pumilus haplotypes in phylogenetic analyses. Chaerephon pumilus haplotypes from Zambia and Tanzania were found to be more closely related to those from southern Africa and to C. leucogaster than to C. pumilus (Madagascar), further indicating that this may be a separate species. Haplotypes from the light-winged clade of Jacobs et al. (2004) were identical to those of dark-winged samples from this study, suggesting that wing shade may not be diagnostic of the two clades. / Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville, 2008.

The use of fibre reinforced polymer composites and development of structural composites has expanded rapidly in the Southern African region over the past ten years. The long-term effect of placing these materials outdoors in the Southern African climate is unknown with exposure data for these materials being primarily European and North American based. This study intends to take a broad-based study to the problem of environmental degradation of advanced composite structures. This work is intended to study different degradation mechanisms. Work performed includes: a study of literature on degradation and protective measures; identification of dominant degradation mechanisms; manufacture of specimens; accelerated environmental testing; and an assessment of the effect of the exposure on the chemical properties The goal of this work is to produce information, which can be subsequently used to determine the rate of damage, methods of suitable protection and necessary maintenance intervals for polymer composite components. The approach was: to simulate outdoor exposure within a reduced period of time; to establish correlation of results with actual outdoor exposure; and to determine how the gel coats compare with other protective methods. As part of the objectives of the study (i.e. to assess the durability of polymer matrix composites materials subjected to environmental exposure), an experimental study was carried out to establish the durability of specific gel coats against ultraviolet (DV) and moisture degradation. An investigation of the effectiveness of the various protective measures has begun with a review of selected gel coats available as a protective coating. Laminates with these gel coats have been set up for both accelerated and natural exposure tests. 3000, 2500, 2000, 1600, and 800 hours of accelerated DV exposure tests were performed on polyester GRP laminates with gel coats. No measurable strength loss occurred on protected laminates; there was significant increase in yellowness on un-protected laminates; all protected specimens showed a fair retention of gloss; fibre prominence occurred on unprotected laminates; and the glass transition of samples had dropped from the normal polyester glass transition temperature range. / Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2004.

No description available.

This thesis examines the tensions that have continued to plague Southern Sudan since the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA). It investigates factors that, if left unchecked, may lead to renewed conflict. Ethnic tensions have been exacerbated by two decades of war and divide-and-rule tactics, creating a fragile post-conflict environment in which ethnic-based militias continue to operate. Weakened by claims of ethnic discrimination, the Sudan People's Liberation Movement struggles to establish its legitimacy as the southern ruling party and demonstrate its ability to provide equitable power and wealth sharing. Vast oil resources have raised the stakes of conflict for all parties, including the northern ruling National Congress Party (NCP) which risks losing its share of oil revenues if the South secedes---a possible outcome of the CPA. This thesis argues that, to ensure its own survival, the NCP fuels southern divisions to undermine the implementation of the CPA.

Beginning with the fundamentalist controversy of the 1920’s, the Southern Presbyterian Church (PCUS) was consistently divided by numerous disagreements over reunion with the Northern Presbyterian Church, racial policies, changing theological views, and resolutions on current social controversies. Led by groups such as the Southern Presbyterian Journal, Concerned Presbyterians, Presbyterian Evangelistic Fellowship, and Presbyterian Churchmen United, conservatives attempted to redirect the direction of the PCUS; however, their efforts failed. Disgruntled by a liberal-moderate coalition that held power, many conservatives withdrew and created the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) in 1973, the first major division of a Southern denomination. The PCA was not solely founded because of racial disagreements or any single cultural debate; rather decades’ long theological disagreements regarding the church’s role in society fueled separation along with several sharp social controversies. This departure also expedited reunion (1983) between the Northern and Southern Presbyterian denominations that formed the present Presbyterian Church in the United States of America (PC(USA)). Like many other historic Protestant denominations, the PC(USA) has seen a decline in membership, but the PCA and other small Presbyterian denominations have been growing numerically thereby guaranteeing the continued presence of Presbyterianism in America.

Bacteria are mediators of biogeochemical cycles and are in this way vital for maintaining life on earth. Their distribution, abundance and functioning are driven by environmental heterogeneity and dynamic change in abiotic and biotic factors. Both, freshwater lakes and oceans play central roles in the global carbon cycle and bacteria in these systems perform many services for the ecosystems, such as the transfer of organic carbon from primary producers to higher trophic levels. With estimated relative abundances up to 50% of the total bacterioplankton, the Alphaproteobacteria lineage SAR11 is the most abundant group of aquatic bacteria. It is globally distributed and can be partitioned into multiple sub-clades, one of which is exclusive to freshwaters. Until recently, the distribution, abundance and ecological role of this freshwater SAR11 named LD12 was unknown. The aim of the thesis was to study the drivers and mechanisms that influence the dynamics of aquatic bacterial communities in general and the SAR11 and LD12 groups in particular. The thesis consists of environmental surveys of a mesotrophic Lake Erken and the western Southern Ocean, an experiment and a data-mining exercise to reveal the phylogenetic structure of the SAR11 lineage on various temporal and spatial scales. The analysis of a long-term bacterioplankton community survey in lake Erken provided insights about the dynamics of the entire bacterial community and the LD12 population over an annual cycle. The results demonstrate that LD12 can be an equally abundant member of freshwater communities as marine SAR11 in oceans. LD12 featured strong seasonality and was positively coupled to environmental conditions indicative for an oligotrophic lifestyle. LD12 as well as other dominant lake bacterioplankton also maintained stable populations throughout spatial and temporal varying environments, but at high phylogenetic resolution, habitat preferences were revealed, particularly in response to oxygen concentrations. The later was not the case in LD12 as a single ribotype dominated. This is in stark contrast to the habitat partitioning with light availability, depth and water masses observed for marine SAR11 subclades in the Southern Ocean. The global data-mining corroborated that LD12 as a group was much less diverse than SAR11 furthermore, suggesting that the marine-freshwater barrier acted as a population bottleneck. My work shows that bacterial populations can respond in very different ways to environmental drivers, highlight the importance of highly resolved temporal and spatial scales as well as the need for high phylogenetic resolutions to target ecologically coherent populations.

ABSTRACT A MISSIOLOGICAL EVALUATION OF SOUTHERN BAPTIST MULTIETHNIC CHURCHES IN THE UNITED STATES Stephen Gary Crouse, Ph.D. The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, 2014 Chair: Dr. Adam W. Greenway The thesis of this dissertation is that Southern Baptist multiethnic churches exemplify the mission of the church as revealed in the Scriptures and offer a valuable strategy for reaching the increasingly diverse population of the United States. Chapter 1 introduces the ethnic segregation of Southern Baptist Churches and begins to establish a missiological foundation for ethnic inclusiveness. A discussion of the research problem including the background of the dissertation follows. The broader question of the missiological need for multiethnic congregations in the current milieu of American society is addressed. The chapter concludes with a discussion of the definitions of key terms, limitations and delimitations, and the research methodology employed. Chapter 2 explores the mission of the church and the extent to which it applies to all peoples. The ethnic inclusiveness of the ministry of Jesus and the ethnic diversity of the New Testament churches address the need for multiethnic Southern Baptist churches. The chapter ends with a discussion of Paul's charge that Christ broke down the dividing wall of separation between the Jews and Gentiles and the implications for Southern Baptist multiethnic congregations. The focus of chapter 3 is a historical examination of Southern Baptist multiethnic churches. While many ethnicities are included in Southern Baptist life, attention is limited to African Americans and Hispanics in this historical survey. Southern Baptist churches had many African slaves among their members when the Convention was founded. The western expansion of Southern Baptists and the United States' acquisition of the Southwest territories following the Mexican American War led the young Convention to initiate mission work with Hispanics. The unequal treatment that these ethnic groups received from Anglos has lingering effects on contemporary Southern Baptist multiethnic churches. Southern Baptist attitudes about integration and the Civil Rights Movement also influenced ethnic relationships. Immigration policies and socioeconomic factors that favor the majority ethnicity create obstacles for multiethnic congregations. Contemporary Southern Baptists actions to improve ethnic relationships are examined. An in-depth study of Donald McGavran's homogeneous unit principle and its impact on contemporary Southern Baptist multiethnic congregations is offered in chapter 4. This principle is scrutinized from a biblical and missiological perspective. The implications related to cross-cultural evangelism in light of the biblical witness conclude the chapter. Chapter 5 segues into a critical look at worship in the twenty-six Southern Baptist multiethnic churches used for the social research. The chapter begins by defining worship as an integral part of the mission of the church. The need for an authoritative standard as a reference point in navigating the challenges of leading a multiethnic congregation to worship God is examined including data obtained through the social research. Aspects of corporate worship and their impact on multiethnic churches are explored based on the social research data. The chapter concludes by addressing ethnic inclusivism in Southern Baptist multiethnic churches and exploring the biblical notion of worshiping God in spirit and truth. Chapter 6 offers a summation of issued raised and addressed in the dissertation. Southern Baptist multiethnic churches offer a valuable strategy for reaching the increasingly diverse population of the United States. Areas for further study are suggested.

There is no abstract available for this thesis.

The purpose of this study was to ascertain what Southern Baptists are doing in alternative programs of ministerial education for ministers who will not attend a theological seminary. Fifty-three percent of all Southern Baptist ministers will not attend a seminary.This study consisted of two phases. The purpose of phase one was to identify the variety of programs of alternative theological education. Six types of alternative education for Southern Baptist ministers were identified based on two criteria--residential or nonresidential programs and educational entrance requirements. The purpose of phase two was to select for detailed study one program from each of the six types of alternative education available to Southern Baptist ministers.The purpose and philosophy of these programs of study were to provide alternative education for ministers who cannot pursue a college and seminary education. Training the adult for Christian ministry is a common goal.The curriculums of these programs of study were all centered around Biblical and theological courses with varying amounts of liberal arts. The campus-based institutions also offer such extra-curricular activities as chapel programs, denominational organizations, and religious emphasis conferences.Two of the three residential programs are accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. The transfer of credits earned in the non-degree programs of the extension centers must be approved on an individual basis by the institution receiving the transfer.The graduate program has the highest student tuition of any of the programs. Financial aid is available at all three institutions studied. Tuition required by the non-residential programs is minimal and should be affordable by any minister.The most impressive future plan concerns the use of a satellite transmission of lectures simultaneously to classrooms across the country.The most important conclusion reached in this study is that any Southern Baptist minister in any place in the United States, regardless of educational background, has available educational opportunities offered by the Southern Baptist Convention or by a Baptist state convention.

In this thesis I recount the historical relationship between settlement and food lands in Southern Ontario. Informed by landscape and food regime theory, I use a landscape approach to interpret the history of this relationship to deepen our understanding of a pertinent, and historically specific problem of land access for sustainable farming. This thesis presents entrenched barriers to landscape renewal as institutional legacies of various layers of history. It argues that at the moment and for the last century Southern Ontario has had two different, parallel sets of determinants for land-use operating on the same landscape in the form of agricultural policy and urban planning. To the extent that they are not purposefully coordinated, not just with each other but with the social and ecological foundations of our habitation, this is at the root of the problem of land access for sustainable farming.