Early Christian missionaries alienated Shona people from their culture and traditional religion. Essential elements of Shona religion were rejected because they were thought to be entertaining paganism, fetishism and idolatry. More than a century of Christianity in Zimbabwe has passed and some Shona still hold on tenaciously to their ancestral religion. The missionaries did not understand Shona language and may have been ignorant of the significance of the Shona religion to the Shona people. However, with the transfer of power from colonial masters to black rule, one would have expected parallel changes concerning creative integration of indigenous cultural values with the Gospel. But today, forty years after independence, not a single Church denomination in Zimbabwe (Mainline Churches, Evangelical Churches and Pentecostal/Charismatic Churches) seems to have made any ‘meaningful adaption’ of the Shona views on death and afterlife, in the light of the Bible, and in particular, the Gospel. Several elements in Shona traditional beliefs on death and afterlife have been proposed for inculturation. In spite of the proposals put forward by various scholars, even the indigenous Church leaders in Zimbabwe seem to have failed to fully adapt the Shona views into the Christian Gospel message, despite the fact that they fully understand and appreciate the Shona culture and values. A literature review will help to extract information from current and past studies underlying this field. The principles followed on comprehending and solving problems, and the methods and methodology employed in the study, will be made explicit. A detailed examination of the Shona views on death and afterlife which the Zimbabwean Church is expected to possibly incorporate into their worship, and the precepts on the eschatological perspective of Christianity on death, resurrection and afterlife, will be conducted. Definition and analysis of the terms ‘dialogue’ and ‘inculturation’, and the progress achieved on dialogue and inculturation, by the Church in Zimbabwe, will follow. The challenges confronting the Church in Zimbabwe, and the Shona Christians, will be investigated, while theological arguments will be employed to identify gaps in knowledge in the previous literature. The study will suggest possible proposals on the way forward. / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / PhD. (Systematic Theology)

>Magister Scientiae - MSc / As human beings we are curious about our origin and ancestry. A curiosity has led to an investigation of human evolution and expansion across the world by means of population genetics and phylo-genetics by evaluating a region in Southern Africa that is largely unknown. The objective of this study was to develop a quick, inexpensive and accurate hierarchical diagnostic screening system of the MtDNA phylogenetic tree, AI-SNPs in the mtDNA genome by using High Resolution Melting analysis to evaluate the population composition and ancestral haplogroups of Southern African populations in Limpopo. The admixture between the ‘Khoesan’ hunter-gatherers, herders and the Bantu speaking populations led to population growth and expansion in Limpopo. This has contributed to populations settling in Limpopo and has thus shaped the ancestral contemporary populations. No research on these individuals residing in Limpopo has been done before, thus an investigation of their ancestral origin was necessary. A total of 760 saliva samples were collected from individuals residing in Limpopo. Only 500 saliva samples were extracted by means of an optimized salting out technique. Five hundred extracted genomic samples were genotyped by means of a quick, inexpensive High-resolution melting analysis. Of the 500 samples, the genotyping results showed 95 individuals derived for the L3 haplogroup which gives a 19% ratio of individuals screened with Multiplex 1. Only 56 individuals were derived for the L1 haplogroup, which gives a percentage of 11%. A total of 249 individuals were derived for the L0 haplogroup, making up a 50% of the total individuals genotyped. Only 100 samples were derived for L0a, making up 20% of individuals screened with Multiplex 1. Of the 95 samples derived for the L3 haplogroup, the results showed 87 individuals to be ancestral for both M and N, making up 91.57% of individuals screened with Multiplex 2. http://etd.uwc.ac.za/. In population genetics using SNPs to infer population history and ancestral origin has become significant, this study allowed researchers to evaluate population groups by investigating their genetic markers and the application of the results allowed for downstream analyses. Finally, this study provides a quick and simple screening method for the selection of lineages that are of interest for further studies.

Sangpuy Katatepan Mavaliyw is a Taiwanese Aboriginal pop artist of the Pinuyumayan ethnic group. His albums have been acclaimed by Aboriginal listeners and Han-Taiwanese mainstream music critics for capturing the traditional Aboriginal sound and evoking the presence of the ancestors. In this thesis, I explore why Sangpuy's songs are understood to evoke ancestral spirit imaginary using a semiotic approach. I compare his music to traditional Pinuyumayan music such as pa'ira'iraw and shamanic songs to demonstrate how he uses similar musical gestures to evoke the sense of ancestral spirits. Other sonic elements such as the inclusion of the soundscape of a Pinuyumayan village provides a direct link to the lived experiences of the Pinuyumayan. I also position Sangpuy's music in the broader context of nationalism in Taiwan and how Sangpuy uses his music to negotiate Aboriginal issues such as land rights and environmentalism. Through this analysis, I demonstrate how Taiwanese Aborigines are incorporating their Indigenous ideology into popular music to carve out a space for themselves in Taiwanese society and garner more support for Indigenous rights in Taiwan.

Stabilní proteiny nacházejí široké uplatnění v řadě medicínských a biotechnologických aplikacích. Přírodní proteiny se vyvinuly tak, aby fungovaly převážně v mírných podmínkách uvnitř buněk. V důsledku toho vzniká zájem o stabilizaci proteinů za účelem jejich širšího uplatnění také v průmyslovém prostředí. Obor proteinového inženýrství se v posledních letech rozvinul do úrovně umožňující modifikovat proteiny pro různá využití, ačkoliv identifikace stabilních mutací je stále zatížená drahou a časově náročnou experimentální prací. Výpočetní metody se proto uplatňují jako atraktivní alternativa, která dovoluje prioritizovat potenciálně stabilizující mutace pro laboratorní práci. Během posledních let bylo vyvinuto velké množství výpočetních strategií: i) výpočty energie pomocí silových polí, ii) evoluční metody, iii) strojové učení a iv) kombinace více přístupů. Spolehlivost a využití nástrojů jsou často limitovány predikcí pouze jednobodových mutací, které mají malý dopad na stabilitu proteinů, zatímco sofistikovanější metody pro predikci multibodových mutací vyžadují větší množství práce na straně uživatele. Hlavním záměrem této práce je poskytnout uživatelům plně automatizované metody, umožňující návrh vysoce stabilních vícebodových mutantů bez potřeby pokročilých znalostí bioinformatických nástrojů a zkoumaného proteinu. V této práci jsou prezentovány následující nástroje a databáze:  FireProt je plně automatizovaná metoda pro návrh stabilních vícebodových mutantů z kategorie tzv. hybridních přístupů. Ve svém výpočetním jádře spojuje jak energetické tak i evoluční metody, přičemž evoluční informace jsou užívány především jako filtry pro časově náročné výpočty energií. Kromě detekce potenciálně stabilizujících mutací se FireProt rovněž snaží spojit tyto mutace do jednoho vícebodového mutanta s minimalizací rizika vzniku antagonistických efektů. FireProt-ASR je plně automatizovaná platforma pro rekonstrukci ancestrálních sekvencí, která dovoluje uživatelům využít tuto strategii bez nutnosti velkého objemu manuální práce a hluboké znalosti zkoumaného proteinu. FireProt-ASR řeší všechny kroky ancestrální rekonstrukce, včetně sběru biologicky relevantních sekvencí, konstrukce zakořeněného fylogenetického stromu a rekonstrukce ancestrálních sekvencí.HotSpotWizard je nástroj pro návrh mutací a mutačních knihoven za účelem zlepšení stability a aktivity zkoumaných proteinů. Nástroj dovoluje provést i širší analýzu za využití čtyř různých strategií běžně používaných v oboru proteinového inženýrství: i) identifikace evolučně variabilních pozic v blízkosti katalytických kapes a tunelů, ii) identifikace pohyblivých regionů, iii) výpočet sekvenčního konsensu a iv) identifikace korelovaných pozic.FireProt-DB je databáze dostupných experimentálních dat popisujících stabilitu proteinů. Hlavním účelem této databáze je standardizovat data v oblasti proteinové stability, poskytnout uživatelům platformu k jejich snadnému ukládání a umožnit intuitivní vyhledávání, které by mohly být využité k trénování nových nástrojů s využitím technik strojového učení.

The placement of genetic information within bacterial genomes is intentionally organized, creates predictable gradients of molecular properties along the origin-terminus of replication axis. Previous studies have reported that genes located near the origin of replication generally have a higher expression level, increased dosage, and are more conserved than genes located near the terminus of replication. Additionally, substitution rates usually increases with increasing distance from the origin of replication. However, the constant reorganization of genetic information is often overlooked when considering spatial molecular trends. Here, we explore the interplay of genomic reorganization along the origin and terminus of replication axis of gene expression and substitutions in Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis, Streptomyces, and Sinorhizobium meliloti. Using ancestral reconstruction to account for genome reorganization, we demonstrated that the correlation between the number of substitutions and distance from the origin of replication is significant but small and inconsistent in direction. In another study, we looked at the overall expression levels of all genes from the same bacteria, and confirmed that gene expression tends to decrease when moving away from the origin of replication. We looked specifically at how inversions - one type of genomic reorganization - impact gene expression between closely related strains of E. coli. Some inversions cause significant differences in gene expression compared to non-inverted regions, however, the variation in expression does not significantly differ between inverted and non-inverted regions. This change in gene expression may be due to the expression regulation properties of two nucleoid proteins, Histone-like Nucleoid-Structuring (H-NS) and Factor for inversion stimulation (Fis), who’s binding sites had a significant positive correlation with inverted regions. In conclusion, we highlight the impact that genomic rearrangements and location have on molecular trends in bacteria, illustrating the importance of considering spatial trends in molecular evolutionary analysis, and to ensure accurate generalization of previously determined trends. Assuming that molecular trends are exclusively in one direction can be problematic. / Dissertation / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Previous research in the Northern San Juan Region of the American Southwest has revealed a pattern of change in subsistence patterns from the Basketmaker II through Pueblo III periods. Jonathan C. Driver describes the pattern as: cottontail in Basketmaker III (500 to 750 CE) and Pueblo I (750 to 900 CE), deer in Pueblo II (900 to 1150 CE), and turkey in Pueblo III (1150 to 1350 CE). The transition from deer to turkey as the main subsistence has been recorded at several sites throughout the Northern San Juan Region and is thought to be caused by the overhunting of deer and increasing social strain. This combination is theorized to have caused the domestication of turkey as a last resort. Analysis conducted on faunal remains and eggshell recovered during excavation at Coal Bed Village by Brigham Young University et al. supports part of this pattern. Evidence of ritual display is evident in Basketmaker III and early Pueblo II contexts, with evidence of ritual or communal feasting in the early Pueblo II period. The rest of the assemblage appears to be domestic refuse. When compared to other large sites within the Montezuma Canyon, Coal Bed Village appears to have greater access to small artiodactyl throughout each of the periods. Contrary to expectations, adult turkey appears to have been eaten in the Basketmaker III, early Pueblo II, and Pueblo III periods. SEM analysis on turkey eggshell from each of these periods suggests that turkeys were domesticated since the Basketmaker III period, with the fresh eggs used as a protein supplement to the Puebloan diet throughout each of the periods. Changes to the amount of embryonic development suggest that, as the periods progressed, the Puebloans continued to use fresh eggs, but also increased the amount of eggs that developed to hatching.

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The theory and method I use in this essay is literary and feministic text critique, to discover the story of Genesis 16 anew. Earlier research in this field has studied Genesis within traditional exegesis since the 19th century and within feministic exegesis since the 1960s. This essay has three main parts. First, a theoretical description of my assignment, followed by analysis and summaries of these. Second, a discussion of this work and final conclusions. In my study, the analysis sheds light on the literary character of Hagar in several ways, both in traditional and feministic exegesis. The traditional biblical study has given a solid ground in the reading of Genesis 16 and the feministic exegesis has given a clear perspective on Hagar as a woman in a patriarchal environment and interpretative tradition. Together they have given a rich telling on the literary character of Hagar. In this essay I make a study of Genesis 16, with a focus on the literary character of Hagar. My point of departure is a sense of lacking the experience of Hagar in the book of Genesis, wondering if a feminist exegesis could give something new in this research. In order to discover eventual differences, I perform a traditional exegesis of Genesis 16, and then compare it with a feminist exegesis. Another question in my research is that of interreligious perspectives of today's society. From this point of view Hagar is a relevant character for both Muslims, Jews and Christians. / I den här uppsatsen gör jag en bibelvetenskaplig analys av Genesis 16, med fokus på den litterära karaktären Hagar ur ett feministiskt perspektiv. Min utgångspunkt var att jag saknade fokus på Hagars erfarenheter i Genesis och undrade om en feministisk exegetik kunde tillföra något nytt i forskningen. För att se på eventuella skillnader utförde jag en traditionell texttolkning av Genesis 16, för att sedan göra en jämförande feministisk texttolkning. En underfråga i min forskning är om den feministiska analysen har något att tillföra interreligiösa frågor idag. Detta utifrån att Hagar är en relevant karaktär för både muslimer, judar och kristna. Den teori och metod jag använder här är litterär och feministisk textkritik, för att upptäcka Genesis 16 på nytt genom dessa analyser av den. Tidigare forskning på området har studerat Genesis inom traditionell exegetik sedan 1800-talet och inom modern feministisk exegetik sedan 1960-talet. Uppsatsen disposition har i huvudsak tre delar. Först ges en inledande teoretisk del där jag förklarar vad jag ska göra och hur, därefter analyser med synteser med efterföljande diskussion av de slutsatser jag kommit fram till. I min studie har analyserna belyst Hagars litterära karaktär på en mängd sätt. Detta gäller både den traditionella och den feministiska exegetiken. Den traditionella bibelvetenskapen har gett en solid grund i analysen av Genesis 16 och den feministiska exegetiken har byggt på denna med emfas på Hagar som kvinna i en patriarkal miljö och tolkningstradition. Tillsammans har en rik berättelse om Hagar framträtt. Hennes karaktär ges mycket utrymme i en närläsning av Genesis 16, likväl som Sarajs. Föräldrar och förfäder är i centrum, inte enbart patriarkerna. Välsignelser och lidande är en del av både männens och kvinnornas liv. Gud hör och ser det som människor upplever och öknen är en plats där människor kan få en erfarenhet av denna relation. / <p>Interreligiösa frågor tas inte upp som kan förväntas av rubriken samt enligt underfråga till frågeställning. Eventuellt skulle mer litteratur ha bidragit till undersökningen.</p>

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[pt] Esta dissertação se propõe a caminhar por essa terra de caboclo seguindo as trilhas que as flechas dos espíritos da floresta, historicamente, abriram pela mata. Partindo de uma chave de análise exusíaca, assumo uma perspectiva metodológica circular para contemplar espaços de convivência entre o Órun e o Aiyé que compõem os modos de organização de territorialidades negras na disputa do bem viver em meio a ciscolonialidade. Fazendo uso crítico dos registros oficiais da experiência de Palmares, pretendo entender a formação de uma sociedade multiétnica contra-colonial entre o final do século XVI e o início do XVIII; bem como os seus legados de permanência para a gramática da liberdade adotada e replicada por redutos negros na cidade do Rio de Janeiro a partir do final do século XIX, como a Pequena África, até os tempos de agora – nas beirolas da Floresta da Tijuca com o Morro do Salgueiro, Horto Florestal e favela Vila-Parque da Cidade. Mesmo diante de uma realidade que somente destina à população preta e indígena a morte, com políticas de terror gestadas a partir do derramamento do nosso sangue para irrigar os jardins da Casa-Grande... uma sofisticada e insubmissa articulação feminina negra insiste, com o pouco que costumam ter em seu alcance, em autodefinir-se e redefinir-se comunitariamente no território; fazendo frente ao extermínio diaspórico e às migrações forçadas. A partir da aproximação das categorias como Amefricanidade e Afrobioética, resgato a unidade específica que nos une em uma noção de vida guiada por valores afro-centrados, herdados da memória de nossos antepassados, para que possamos continuar a falar de sonho, a construir futuro e a existir em nossas pluralidades do lado de cá do oceano Atlântico. / [en] This dissertation proposes to walk through this land of caboclo following the trails that the arrows of the forest spirits, historically, opened through the forest. Starting from an exusiac analysis key, I assume a circular methodological perspective to contemplate spaces of coexistence between Órun and Aiyé that make up the ways of organizing black territorialities in the dispute for good living in the midst of ciscoloniality. Making critical use of the official records of the Palmares experience, I intend to understand the formation of a counter-colonial multiethnic society between the end of the 16th century and the beginning of the 18th century; as well as their legacies of permanence for the grammar of liberty adopted and replicated by black strongholds in the city of Rio de Janeiro from the end of the 19th century, such as Little Africa, until the present time – in the edges of Tijuca Forest with Morro do Salgueiro, Horto Florestal and the Vila-Parque da Cidade favela. Even in the face of a reality that only allows black and indigenous people to die, targeting our death with policies of terror created from the shedding of our blood to irrigate the gardens of Casa-Grande... a sophisticated and insubmissive black feminine articulation insists, with the little that they usually have at their disposal, to define and redefine themselves as a community in the territory; facing diasporic extermination and forced migrations. By approaching categories such as Amefricanity and Afrobioethics, I rescue the specific unity that unites us in a notion of life guided by Afro-centered values, inherited from the memory of our ancestors, so that we can continue to talk about dreams, to build a future and to exist in our pluralities on this side of the Atlantic Ocean.