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The Free Library > Health > Health, general > Ear, Nose and Throat Journal > May 1, 2007
The Free Library > Date > 2007 > May > 1 > Ear, Nose and Throat Journal
Cell-mediated immunity in nasopharyngeal carcinoma and allergic rhinitis: a controlled study.
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We conducted a prospective study of 60 patients in a tertiary care referral center to ascertain the status of cell-mediated immunity as determined by delayed hypersensitivity reactions in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) or allergic rhinitis. Delayed hypersensitivity as detected by Mantoux testing is generally accepted as a reflection of the level of cell-mediated immunoactivity--the less hypersensitivity reaction that occurs, the lower the level of immunoactivity is, and vice versa. Our study population was made up of three groups: 20 newly diagnosed patients with NPC (pretreatment), 20 age- and sex-matched patients with allergic rhinitis, and 20 matched controls without either disease. A negative Mantoux test (0- to 5-mm induration) was seen in 13 patients with NPC (65.0%), in 17 patients with allergic rhinitis (85.0%), and in 16 controls (80.0%); none of these differences was statistically significant. However, it is interesting that while the NPC group had the lowest percentage of negative Mantoux results overall, it had the highest percentage of patients who had no reaction at all (i.e., 0-mm induration); a complete absence of any reaction was seen in 7 of the 13 Mantoux-negative NPC patients (53.8%), compared with 2 of the 17 Mantoux-negative allergic rhinitis patients (11.8%) and 3 of the 16 Mantoux-negative controls (18.8%). An absence of a reaction generally indicates a very limited degree of cell-mediated immunoactivity. Therefore, we conclude that patients with NPC appear to have significantly less cell-mediated immunity than do patients with allergic rhinitis and normal controls; no statistically significant difference was noted between the latter two groups.
Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is a common malignancy among adults seen at the University Malaya Medical Center in Kuala Lumpur. It carries a poor prognosis if it is not detected early.
The role of immunology in the treatment of oncologic disease is well established. Cytotoxic T cells and natural killer T cells are part of the highly efficient defense mechanism that keeps ectopic malignant cells in check. However, the factors that regulate this mechanism are still largely unclear.
Some recent studies have suggested the possibility that patients with NPC experience a reduction in cell-mediated immunoactivity. (1) Moreover, NPC appears to have an inverse relationship with allergic rhinitis, and possible immunologic associations have been implied. The possibility of cross-reactivity between a type 1 hypersensitivity reaction (e.g., nasal allergy) and a type 4 hypersensitivity reaction (essentially cell-mediated immunoactivity) has been postulated. (2) If this hypothesis is true, the degree of cell-mediated immunity should be lower in patients with NPC than in patients with allergic rhinitis. T-lymphocyte dysregulation has also been shown to play a major role in airway allergy. (3)
The goal of this study was to ascertain the cell-mediated immune status of patients with NPC and to compare it with the status of patients with allergic rhinitis and normal controls.
Candidates for this prospective study were recruited from the ENT clinic at our tertiary care referral center during 2003. Because a delayed hypersensitivity reaction to a previously sensitized antigen occurs, patients who had not been previously vaccinated with bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG) were not eligible for this study. A negative BCG status was determined by a thorough history and by the absence of a BCG scar on the upper forearm. Also excluded were patients who were suspected of being immunocompromised and patients who had a history of pulmonary tuberculosis or who had been in close contact with such a patient.
We chose 60 patients--36 men and 24 women--to serve as our study population. Based on their pathology, patients were assigned to one of three age- and sex-matched groups; each group was made up of 12 men and 8 women, aged 32 to 63 years (mean: 41):
* One group was made up of patients with newly diagnosed and as-yet-untreated NPC. The presence of the cancer was confirmed by analysis of histologic specimens obtained from the postnasal space or the fossa of Rosenmuller.
* The second group was made up of patients who had a clinical diagnosis of allergic rhinitis.
* The control group was made up of subjects who had no history of allergic rhinitis or any malignancy.
After providing informed consent, all patients underwent a Mantoux test. Mantoux testing elicits a delayed hypersensitivity reaction to a previously sensitized antigen (a T-lymphocyte function), and it is generally accepted as a valid in vivo indicator of a patient's level of cell-mediated immunity. A complete absence of a response generally indicates an impairment of T-cell function, which reflects a low degree of cell-mediated immunoactivity. Mantoux testing was performed with tuberculin purified protein derivative (PPD) RT 23 SSI (Statens Serum Institut; Copenhagen). Each vial contained 1 ml of tuberculin PPD at a strength of 2 TU/0.1 ml.
The results of all Mantoux tests were read approximately 72 hours after inoculation (most positive results become evident in 8 to 72 hours). Indurations were measured transversely to the long axis of the forearm with a clear, flexible scale. Results were categorized as negative (0- to 5-mm induration), positive (6 to 14 mm), and strongly positive ([greater than or equal to] 15 mm).
A negative Mantoux test was seen in 13 patients with NPC (65.0%), in 17 patients with allergic rhinitis (85.0%), and in 16 controls (80.0%) (table). None of these differences was statistically significant.
Although the NPC group had the lowest overall percentage of negative Mantoux results, it had the highest percentage of patients who had no reaction at all (i.e., 0-mm induration). A complete absence of any reaction was seen in 7 of the 13 Mantoux-negative NPC patients (53.8%), compared with 2 of the 17 Mantoux-negative allergic rhinitis patients (11.8%) and 3 of the 16 Mantoux-negative controls (18.8%). The differences between the NPC group and both of the other two groups were statistically significant; the difference between the allergic rhinitis patients and the controls was not significant.
NPC is one of the most common malignant tumors of the head and neck. It has a tendency to spread rapidly to the regional neck nodes and to metastasize to the bones, liver, and lungs. Its etiology is multifactorial; genetic factors, Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), and environmental factors that activate EBV have all been reported to contribute. Evidence is increasing that EBV plays the primary role in the development of NPC. (4)
A delayed hypersensitivity test is an immune function assessment that measures the presence of activated T cells that recognize a certain substance. After an initial exposure to a foreign substance or antigen, the immune system creates antibodies and sensitized T cells. Both of these immune system agents respond when the body is re-exposed to the antigen. The antibodies, which are circulating proteins, respond within minutes and elicit an immediate hypersensitivity reaction. The T cells respond over a period of several days, and thus they elicit a delayed hypersensitivity reaction.
The reaction to tuberculin antigens, which is elicited by the Mantoux test, is a classic example of a delayed hypersensitivity reaction. The tuberculin skin test is able to assess the vitality of the T-cell response. The cascade of events initiated by T cells can lead to hardening (induration) and erythema at the injection site. (5) An absence of reaction indicates a lack of T-cell responsiveness, which is a characteristic finding in patients with immune deficiency diseases. (5) An intact immune system is essential for the development of a positive skin test; conversely, any impairment of the cell-mediated immune response generally results in a minimal or absent reaction and thus a negative test. (6)
A delayed hypersensitivity test is performed for one of three reasons:
* to test for exposure to specific diseases, such as tuberculosis (Mantoux test)
* to test for allergic sensitivity to potential skin irritants (skin-prick test)
* to assess the vitality of the T-cell response as part of an evaluation of the immune system in patients with an infection, cancer, or an immune disorder, and as a screening tool for older patients, malnourished patients, and those who are scheduled to undergo organ transplantation (7)
Cell-mediated immunity is apparently an important element of the host defenses against cancer. A growing body of information on cell-mediated immunity to EBV is providing a strong basis for research on immunoreactivity in NPC. Cell-mediated immune responses to viruses and tumor-associated antigens may have implications for enhancing our knowledge of the etiology, diagnosis, and treatment of NPC in the near future. (5)
Our finding that patients with NPC have a low degree of cell-mediated immunity confirms a finding by Hsu et al, who published the results of their study of 344 patients with NPC in 1980. (8) Two years earlier, Chan et al reported that newly diagnosed NPC patients had an impaired T-cell function that was associated with poor survival. (4)
The prognosis for patients with NPC is generally poor, largely because it is difficult to detect in its early stages. This cancer can arise secondary to the failure of an immunosurveillance mechanism in which immunoresponsiveness is extremely depressed. Immunologic status has been examined, and the clinical evaluation of immunotherapy and lymphocyte transfer has been performed by Tsukuda and Sawaki. (9) They found that deficiencies of cellular immunity could be recognized through the various immunologic parameters and immunotherapy. They suggested that this is indispensable in this cancer treatment.
(1.) Tsukuda M, Sawaki S, Yanoma S. Suppressed cellular immunity in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol 1993;120:115-18.
(2.) Prepageran N, Lingham OR, Krishnan G, et al. Nasopharyngeal carcinoma and nasal allergy: Any correlation? Ear Nose Throat J 2003;82:438-40.
(3.) Kline JN, Hunninghake GW. T-lymphocyte dysregulation in asthma. Proc Soc Exp Biol Med 1994;207:243-53.
(4.) Chan SH, Goh EH, Khor TH, Chew TS. General immunological status of nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients in Singapore. IARC Sci Publ 1978;(20):495-501.
(5.) Robinson R. Delayed hypersensitivity skin test. In: Lawlor GJ Jr., Fischer TJ, Adelman DC, eds. Manual of Allergy and Immunology. Boston: Little, Brown; 1995.
(6.) King AB. Accurately interpreting PPD skin test results. Nurse Pratt 1999;24:144-7.
(7.) Levine PH, Lamelin JP, Stevens DA. Cell-mediated immunity, Epstein-Barr virus and nasopharyngeal carcinoma. IARC Sci Publ 1978;(20):483-94.
(8.) Hsu MM, Wang KR, Lynn TC, et al. Immunologic reactivity in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 1980;88:384-90.
(9.) Tsukuda M, Sawaki S. Immunological basis and immunotherapy of nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Auris Nasus Larynx 1985;12(suppl 2):S161-5.
Hsien Teik Wong, MS; Tengku A. Shahrizal, MS; Narayanan Prepageran, FRCS; Wye Keat Lim, FRCS; Rajagopalan Raman, MS
From the Department of Otolaryngology, University Malaya Medical Center, Kuala Lumpur.
Reprint requests: Dr. Narayanan Prepageran, Department of Otolaryngology, University Malaya Medical Center, University Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur. Phone: 603-7950-2062; fax: 603-7954-0533; e-mail: prepageran@yahoo.com
Table. Results of Mantoux testing
Nasopharyngeal Allergic
Mantoux result carcinoma rhinitis Control
(induration) n (%) n (%) n (%)
Negative (0 to 5 mm) 13 (65.0) 17 (85.0) 16 (80.0)
0 mm (absent) 7 (53.8) 2 (11.8) 3 (18.8)
>0 mm 6 (46.2) 15 (88.2) 13 (81.3)
Positive ([greater than
or equal to] 6 mm) 7 (35.0) 3 (15.0) 4 (20.0)
6 to 14 mm 4 (57.1) 3 (100.0) 4 (100.0)
[greater than or equal 3 (42.9) 0 0
to] 15 mm (strongly
positive)
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Copyright 2007, Gale Group. All rights reserved. Gale Group is a Thomson Corporation Company.
Raman, Rajagopalan
Ear, Nose and Throat Journal
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University of Calicut provides 24 undergraduate 22 postgraduate programmes. There are 28 postgraduate teaching and research departments. It also provides full time and part time M.Phil. & research programmes.
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MA (Other languages): 45% in Part II Languages related of BA/BSc or 45% in the language main papers in the case of aspirants with related languages under Part III Pattern I or 45% in language main papers in the case of aspirants with the related language under Part III Format II. A weight of 5% marks shall be added in the case of those who have taken related language under Part III.
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You must have 45% marks in Part I English of BA/BSc Examination or 45% marks in English Main papers in the case of aspirants with English under Part III Format I or 45% marks in English main papers in the case of aspirants with English under Part III and II. Aspirants will be ranked according to the percentage of marks in part I English or Part III in the case of those who have taken English under Part III whichever is higher.A weight of 10% marks shall be added in the case of those who have taken English under Part III.
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Automotive outlook for Africa: Bumpy roads ahead?
The author, Richard Li, is a Singapore-based partner with Steel Advisory Partners, a management consulting firm that serves clients across industries. This article was produced for the NTU-SBF Centre for African Studies, a trilateral platform for government, business and academia to promote knowledge and expertise on Africa, established by Nanyang Technological University and the Singapore Business Federation.
In 2000, the overall African gross domestic product (GDP) was US$616bn. Since then, the continent has enjoyed a period of high economic growth and its GDP has risen massively by 245% to reach $2.1tn in 2016. Moreover, the World Bank recently started classifying countries according to their gross national income (GNI) and there are in fact 25 African countries that are in the middle income category in 2016.
To further sustain economic growth in Africa, there is a significant need for the transportation of goods and people. This means that there will be an accelerating demand for automotive vehicles in Africa, particularly in those middle-income countries that have a huge population mass, as well as a relatively high growth rate.
According to the International Organisation of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers, there are only 44.8 million vehicles in Africa, representing only 3.5% of the global market. For Africa, with its population of about 1.2 billion, there were only 42 vehicles per 1,000 inhabitants in 2015. Compared to the global average, Africa is about 4.3 times less. This signals that there is an immense upside for market penetration in the automotive sector. Moreover, between 2014 and 2015, the automotive market in Africa grew at a relatively fast pace of 5.8%, compared to 1.9% and 2.4% for Europe and the United States respectively.
In terms of sales, in 2016, there were about 1.3 million vehicles sold in Africa, representing only 1.4% of the global market. The market is mainly dominated by two regions – Northern Africa and South Africa – with an 85% market share. South Africa sold about 547,000 vehicles, whereas for the Maghreb countries – Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia – together with Egypt, 575,000 vehicles were sold.
As for manufacturing capabilities,there is a lot of room for improvement, since Africa produces slightly less than 1% of all the vehicles in the world. Although South Africa has the biggest production capability with nearly 600,000 vehicles produced in 2016, manufacturing is stalling and is on a decline. Morocco is next with a capacity for 345,000 vehicles. These two countries represent about 91% of all vehicles manufactured in Africa. With increasing demand in other parts of Africa and with only small assembly facilities elsewhere, there are indeed many potential opportunities for automotive companies to further tap.
Africa is definitely not an easy market to deal with. The continent is not only geographically vast, but it is also a very fragmented market with 54 independent countries, each with their own market characteristics. In addition, since many African countries are still in the process of development, there is a dire lack of clarity in terms of soft infrastructure, such as proper regulatory frameworks, as well as economic policies for the development of industries.
The automotive sector is a capital-intensive industry that requires a long cycle for its development and for returns on its initial investments. On top of that, the captive market within specific countries may be too small to justify large-scale production facilities. Besides the lack of clear guidelines to attract investors in the automotive sector, the political instability in many African countries increases risk, thereby stifling and eventually halting the development of automotive manufacturing.
South Africa was the only African country that had been able to realise all the conditions needed for manufacturing automotive vehicles. With its population of nearly 56 million and a GNI per capita of $5,480, South Africa is the biggest automotive market in Africa – in terms of both production and sales of new vehicles. However, the recent political instability in South Africa is making global automotive companies think twice about whether they should invest further in the country. As a result of this inertia to reform and stimulate this sector, automotive companies may decelerate their future development plans there.
The three Maghreb countries – Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia – are progressively focusing on boosting their automotive sector. Morocco has been the most successful, attracting French car manufacturers with the development of special industrial and economic zones. Renault and PSA Peugeot Citroën have committed €1.6bn ($1.9bn) and €600m ($705.7m) for their own production facilities respectively.
The Moroccan government is definitely steering the automotive industry in the right direction with the necessary framework and conducive environment needed for its development within the country. Morocco is pushing hard for the industry to rally further, aiming to produce one million vehicles by 2020. By then, its automotive exports will represent $10bn worth of vehicles to Europe and other parts of Africa. This sector will eventually represent 20% of the Moroccan GDP and create 160,000 jobs locally.
Algeria and Tunisia are also locations where French car manufacturers are setting up assembly plants. Germany's Volkswagen is opening its plant in Algeria as well. With their close proximity to Europe, coupled with the right incentives and regulatory framework, European car manufacturers are finding it very appealing to be in these countries. Moreover, with a captive market of more than 87 million people among these three countries, selling locally helps to justify the necessary investments as well.
Africa can offer great opportunities to automotive companies, since more countries are slowly but steadily becoming more affluent. According to data from the World Bank, there were 12 countries in 2000 that might be considered as middle-income countries. Nowadays there are 25 middle-income countries across the continent. This represents a potential market size of approximately 656 million people. From 2006 until 2016, some of the countries that have significantly raised their GNI per capita are Ethiopia, Nigeria, Egypt, Kenya and Ghana, with an increase of 267%, 188%, 166%, 134% and 130% respectively.
Besides South Africa, the other top five most-attractive middle-income countries that have big populations, are Algeria, Egypt, Kenya, Morocco and Nigeria. These are probably the most promising markets since they have a combined population size of about 462 million, with a significant percentage being able to afford their own vehicles. The automotive industry can potentially crank and rev the growth engine of these countries further.
The African marketplace is gradually looking more attractive with the continent potentially being able to absorb many more vehicles than what it does currently. However, there are many obstacles that first need to be overcome. And African governments have to be committed to provide the right conditions for the automotive sector to flourish within their countries. With the right framework, this industry can not only be lucrative for the automotive companies, but at the same time, it can turbocharge the economic growth of African countries.
Richard Li is a Singapore-based Partner with Steel Advisory Partners, a management consulting firm that serves clients across industries. Having spent his working career in strategy consulting, he worked with various global clients and covers themes such as Corporate Strategy, Transformation, Digital Innovation and Risk Management. He can be contacted via the Steel Advisory Partners site. This article was specifically written for the NTU-SBF Centre for African Studies.
The International Finance Corporation's (IFC) Venture Capital arm invests in growth-stage companies that offer innovative technologies or business models geared at emerging markets. Olawale Ayeni is regional head for Africa investments at IFC Venture Capital. How we made it in Africa asked him about investment opportunities in the continent and how local start-ups compare to their global peers.
Is it true that the IFC wants to double the value of its venture capital (VC) portfolio to US$1bn by 2018?
I don't want to go into numbers, but I can say that the IFC will focus on being more aggressive with the venture asset class, particular in frontier markets. The size of the team has increased and we are looking at [more deals on the continent]. We are not just increasing for the sake of it. It is about using equity to really unlock markets… and actually create new markets. It's more around us trying to push the envelope in Africa to do more.
Any specific sectors or countries where you see potential investments coming from?
Basically we are looking for high-growth businesses that can use technology to enable their ability to scale rapidly. Within Africa there are both large and small markets – but we focus on all of them, as long as the potential to scale rapidly is there. The total addressable market has to be big enough for venture capital to participate.
We look at a bunch of sectors too – but mostly tech and tech-enabled businesses… We spend a lot of time looking at consumer internet technology, such as e-commerce and e-logistics platforms. Consumer internet as a sector is quite broad, but we focus on it a lot. We also focus on education technology. We actually have an investment in a company called Andela, which has done quite well. It was started in Nigeria, then [expanded to] Kenya and has recently launched in Uganda.
We are also focused on health tech, fintech and clean tech. Mobisol is one of our portfolio companies within [clean tech].
In addition to all of this, we also focus on frontier tech. Frontier tech refers to businesses using new technology solutions like artificial intelligence and machine learning – which are coming up in the world. We see an opportunity to apply these technologies to African problems today.
Which of the IFC's current African VC investments are looking particularly promising in terms of potential returns?
We believe most of our investments are doing well, and that is why we invested in them. We have had some exits which have been good. I think the bottom line of your question, which I will address, is whether you can get high returns in Africa. I fundamentally believe you can get high returns in Africa and the way you get them is to fully understand the opportunity and then source the right team to address a very large problem.
If you are successful there are various ways you can exit – from trade sales (which is very prominent on the continent) to merger and acquisitions (M&As). In Africa, if you are able to scale quickly and solve a large problem, the chances are actually quite high that it will become the only solution available. And once you become the company which everyone goes to, you have a lot of pricing power and value to bring to the table.
In terms of [high-return] sectors, it is still broad. We see a lot in the over-the-top (OTT) sector where people are leveraging the mobile connectivity that has been growing rapidly in Africa for the past seven years. People are building digital infrastructure around that with a lot being quite profitable. We also [see the same] in the e-logistics space, which is fundamentally trying to solve Africa's supply chain problem. About 80-90% of the retail market in Africa is informal, and the supply chain is very haphazard. So a lot of people are using technology to really disrupt the informal supply chain.
And then there is the education tech space. Africa is a young continent and there are a bunch of players that are leveraging the ability of young people to adapt to technology quickly, and then provide that talent to a global audience. Andela is an example of that and doing quite well. Another example in this space is GetSmarter in South Africa, although it is not one of IFC's investments. It just got acquired for over $100m. That is an example of a successful exit in Africa.
I could go on and on about different sectors but the overriding notion is that it is all about opportunity at the end of the day, and having the right team to design solutions to solve very big problems in a large market – and tech can be used as a turbocharger for scale.
In your opinion, how do African start-ups in general compare to those in other part of the world?
Start-ups are always different all over the world… But with looking at how entrepreneurs should approach opportunities, the advice I would like to give is that African start-ups need to have a bigger vision and dream more. In my view you are only limited by how big you can actually dream. Drawing from my experience with meeting start-ups from San Francisco, their vision is very big. If you ask what their vision is, they always start with saying they want to change the world.
I think African start-ups are more humble and reserved in the way they communicate their vision. That is the difference I see. But [my advice] is that [entrepreneurs] can start with a small problem, as long as that problem is applicable to a very large market. I can't over emphasis that enough. There are various asset classes, but for the venture asset class the size of the problem matters a lot. It needs to be big.
So this is a lesson that African start-ups can take from their peers in Silicon Valley?
Yes, from a vision and market [size] perspective, this is a lesson they can learn from Silicon Valley. But there are also lessons Silicon Valley can learn from African start-ups. In my experience African start-ups are ultimately more capital efficient, just given the nature of the capital raising and funding activities on the continent. African start-ups are actually very capital efficient from day one. So that is one lesson Silicon Valley can learn from them.
The brilliant thing about working in Africa is the continent's ability to change – and adapt – almost instantly. While at first glance this is often interpreted as a challenge or a risk, the importance of adopting a "glass-half-full approach has never been more essential than in Africa's current real estate environment", says Gerhard Zeelie, head of Africa property finance at Standard Bank.
In Africa, things can change very quickly.
In May last year, for example, Nigeria was in the throes of a US dollar liquidity crisis. Barely 12 months later this is largely resolved. Just as tweaking foreign exchange regulations along with positive market changes improved liquidity in Nigeria, an uptick in the oil and copper prices coupled with market-friendly, transparent forex regimes could, equally as easily, change Luanda or Lusaka's commercial real estate prospects – overnight. Similarly, large global energy investments touted for Mozambique are currently dispelling default-driven negative sentiment as investors again turn positive about the region.
"The variables that threaten risk in Africa are equally what contributes to making the continent such a rich landscape of opportunity – especially in the continent's real estate sector," says Zeelie.
Africa's commercial real estate sector is currently, without doubt, a tenants' market. Despite a more settled Naira and easing USD liquidity in Nigeria, challenges importing goods – until recently prohibited for foreign currency allocation – is keeping smaller businesses and retailers under pressure, forcing landlords to continue offering tenants discounts, or capped USD-based deals. New malls remain at 50-60% occupancy levels as "tenants shy away from the more expensive USD-based rentals, or remain unsure of whether they will be able to get prohibited, non-essential, stock through ports", says Zeelie.
Similar concerns follow the office rental environment as businesses adopt a wait-and-see attitude, deferring office moves, upgrades and corporate office expansions.
These kinds of challenges mean that commercial real estate developers are struggling to convert Africa's resilient consumer demand into competitive rentals. "This is not only constraining income in the sector but also leading to a depreciation in the value of the continent's real estate stock as, increasingly, space in new developments stands empty or achieves lower rentals than before," observes Zeelie.
The intensity of the storm in the continent's commercial real estate sector varies.
In Nairobi, for example, "a better regulatory setting, an easier business environment more generally, and a more diverse economy – with multiple earners of foreign exchange – collectively contribute to a more resilient tenant profile and higher occupancy, even though vacancies exist in certain nodes and sectors", says Zeelie.
Kenya, or, more correctly, Nairobi's commercial real estate market, is, however, the exception rather than the rule in Africa.
When projects don't perform as anticipated, African commercial real estate developments require more patient funding structures which can be achieved through the correct ratio between debt and equity. "Projects conceived in earlier, more positive, business environments on very different numbers, for example, should be restructured," says Zeelie. While a restructure will often involve a higher level of equity finance, "the bank should also display some flexibility in its approach", he adds.
For example, if financiers have a view on how long negative conditions may last in certain markets they may be able to extend the tenors or repayment terms of financing facilities – provided there is not a significant deterioration in the risk. Or, if clients have access to shareholder funds, it might be cheaper to put more hard currency into the structure. There may also be options to convert debt into local currency, provided there is enough liquidity in the market.
"Another solution could be to negotiate upfront payment of the present value of all lease payment with key tenants," says Zeelie. Over the long term this provides these tenants with predictability – and probably a discount – while injecting much needed capital, now, into commercial real estate financing structures, enabling landlords to manage rentals with smaller clients in the short term.
At the recent Africa Forum hosted by Hogan Lovells, in London, a number of common, positive themes came through: Africa is a continent of endless possibilities and opportunities; Africa has significant natural and human resources which can be unlocked for the benefit of all Africans; and the investability of many African countries has improved, for various reasons, including mature banking, finance and legal institutions, investment-friendly policies and regulatory frameworks, and national development plans which demonstrate governmental support for sustainable infrastructure and development.
Why then, within the context of a mostly positive view of investment in Africa, is the question posed whether the African mining and natural resources sector, is becoming uninvestable?
Firstly, positive views of investment in Africa don't always extend to the mining and naturals resources sector. While it is often acknowledged by stakeholders that the mining and natural resources of a country can contribute meaningfully to growth, development and transformation, there is a growing questioning of the impact of mining on aspects such as the environment, host communities, social structures, tourism, and industries such as agriculture, versus the benefits that often flow from mining and beneficiation operations. As the voices of concern increase and develop, the benefits that flow from mining and beneficiation operations are likely to be questioned, even further.
Secondly, the recent mining policy and regulatory changes in Tanzania and South Africa have brought into sharp focus the fragility of investment decisions relating to so-called frontier markets, such as Tanzania, and emerging markets, such as South Africa.
With a decrease in the number of investable frontier markets (equity and bond markets which are typically smaller than emerging markets and where there is less liquidity) and investment instability in emerging markets, such as South Africa, the recent events in these two countries are more concerning.
Tanzanian president, John Magufuli, signed into law the Natural Wealth and Resources Bill 2017, and the Natural Wealth and Resources Contracts Bill 2017, on 3 July, 2017. These laws, which were fast-tracked though the Tanzanian parliament, in a matter of weeks, have far-reaching consequences for foreign companies with investments in Tanzania, one of the continent's largest gold producers.
There has been extensive investment in Tanzania's gold mining industry, with a large percentage of the investment, focused on prospecting operations, which are of course critical in the creation of a pipeline that can be converted into mines, in the future. Many of these investors are listed in Australia, and the Australian Stock Exchange took the drastic step of suspending trading of various junior mining companies, following the announcement of the enactment of the laws, by President Magufuli. The uncertainties flowing from the new laws are likely to impact on these junior mining companies, who are focused on exploration, quite dramatically and it will make capital raising exercises extremely difficult, if not impossible. Where ownership of mining assets in a company are put at risk, this is likely to scare off would-be investors, and make existing investors exercise extreme caution.
The Tanzanian government is also pushing for compulsory listing of mining companies on the Dar es Salaam Stock Exchange, with the complexities that this will bring, particularly because of the potentially small pool of investors who can take up the public offerings.
While multi-national mining companies with investments in Tanzania continue to engage with the Tanzanian government, some of the multi-national companies have declared disputes with the Tanzanian government and are referring these disputes to arbitration. None of this is good for the Tanzanian mining sector.
On 15 June, 2017, the South African minister of minerals, Mosebenzi Zwane published the "Reviewed Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment Charter for the South African Mining and Minerals Industry, 2016″, ("Mining Charter 3").
The response was immediate, dramatic, and far reaching. It is estimated that mining stocks lost approximately R50bn (US$3.8bn) in value, following the announcement, with the rand losing ground, and the Chamber of Mines, the body that represents the majority of the mining companies, launching legal proceedings against Minister Zwane. The grounds of challenge go to the heart of the minister's powers and functions under the mining legislation and the Constitutionality of Mining Charter 3.
While Minister Zwane has labelled the legal challenge as being anti-transformation, the Chamber of Mines and other bodies representing mining interests have consistently expressed the position that the industry is committed to transformation, that the industry has demonstrated its commitment through the implementation of appropriate programmes of transformation – including in respect of the host communities through the social and labour plans, which are a requirement under the mining laws, but that the targets in the Mining Charter must be achievable, sustainable, and the timeframe should take into account the reality that the mining industry finds itself in, with the spectre of further job losses in the near future (while figures vary, the suggestion is that in excess of 80,000 direct jobs have been lost, in the industry, over the last three to five years. Various South African mining companies have recently announced proposals for further job losses, which may exceed 20,000 direct jobs).
Employment equity targets are increased, and there are specified requirements from board level, to core and critical skills.
There were glimmers of hope when, following negotiations between the Chamber of Mines and Minister Zwane, Minister Zwane agreed to suspend Mining Charter 3 pending the outcome of the legal challenge initiated by the Chamber of Mines. However, the following week, Minister Zwane published his intention to issue a notice placing a moratorium on all applications for new prospecting and mining rights, renewals of prospecting and mining rights, and ministerial consents in terms of Section 11 of the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act, No. 28 of 2002 ("MPRDA") (in summary where a right or an interest in a right is to be transferred or there is a change of control, ministerial consent is required).
The minister indicated his intention to issue the moratorium notice under Section 49 of the MPRDA which vests the minister with the authority to issue a notice prohibiting prospecting or mining in respect of certain geographical areas or certain minerals for a particular period, having regard to the national interest, the strategic nature of the mineral in question and the need to promote the sustainable development of the nation's mineral resources.
The widely expressed view was that the minister had exceeded his powers under Section 49 of the MPRDA by intending to issue a blanket notice. Litigation was again initiated, and at the time of publishing this article, there is uncertainty regarding the status of the moratorium notice.
On a positive note, stakeholders across the spectrum, including the largest, recognised trade unions in the mining industry, have spoken out against the actions of Minister Zwane, and there have been widespread calls for his resignation or sacking.
But this of course does not remedy the turmoil which the South African mining sector finds itself in, and large scale job losses loom.
While the South African and Tanzanian mining sectors are in turmoil, this does not mean that Africa is uninvestable.
Africa has a significant and, often, thriving mining and minerals industry, providing millions of jobs and opportunities. It is also a source of significant foreign direct investment, and the mining sector remains a substantial contributor to the GDP of many African countries with the benefits that this brings to the growth of those economies.
It is likely that demand for certain precious metals will continue to grow, and that the demand for the so-called "battery metals" will grow exponentially. All of this creates opportunities for investors, provided that the investors have a proper understanding of the various risks that are faced in these investment opportunities.
The investability of Africa is likely to depend, significantly, on balancing the growing need for mineral resources while at the same time, addressing concerns that multi-national companies extract value without returning benefits for the host countries, and ensuring that the vast socio-economic benefits that can flow from mining operations, materialise.
Warren Beech is global head for mining at Hogan Lovells in Johannesburg. Jessica Black Livingston is a deputy for mining at Hogan Lovells in Denver.
Cape Town – Every Tuesday morning between 09:00 and 11:00, a handful of Dunoon residents gather at the Recycle Swop Shop at Inkwenkwezi Secondary School, bringing material for recycling.
In a long steel container, food and household items, toiletries, and donated clothes line the shelves, GroundUp reported.
Residents are "paid" with tokens according to the amount of items delivered for recycling and the tokens are then exchanged for food and clothes.
For some 30 women, this is their only job and their only way of providing for their families.
Alice Mahase starts her day at 05:00 seeing to her children and household before she sets off to collect plastic, mostly bottles.
On Tuesdays she delivers it all to the Swop Shop in blue recycling bags.
Louise Vonofakidis, who has run the container shop for five years said this way residents who couldn't find jobs could still "do something purposeful for their families".
Groups of friends club tokens together so that they can buy in bulk, she said.
The collected materials are sold to a recycling depot and the money is used to buy the food and household goods for the token system. There is always a shortfall.
Corporate sponsorships help but the organisation has to cover the deficit, which is why the project is in need of more local business support.
Manager Riaan van der Westhuizen and his wife Maria launched the project seven years ago after meeting with Marilyn van der Velden, who started the first Swop Shop in Hermanus.
"The original Recycle Swop Shop started out as a project that uses recycling as a tool to 'help children help themselves' and to provide 'a hand up rather than a hand out'," said Van der Velden.
The project was adopted by an organisation in Durban, The Domino Foundation, which provided sponsorship and corporate exposure.
Earlier this year, the foundation sponsored a team in the Cape Argus Cycle Tour to raise awareness about the Dunoon project.
The Van der Westhuizens also ran a swop shop in West Bank near Kuilsrivier but due to security and safety reasons, it closed.
Today, the Swop Shop has a presence in Dunoon and at a primary school in Philippi. The project's goal is to empower the community and benefit their environment.
While sub-Saharan Africa is on the map for foreign investors in many other sectors, the cruise ship industry mostly passes the region by. It is hoped that this situation could change once the new Durban Cruise Terminal opens for business.
According to Andrew Pike – head of the ports, terminals and logistics division at law firm Bowmans – the facility, expected to be completed in 2019, could be just what the African cruise industry needs. He heads the Bowmans team advising KwaZulu Cruise Terminal (KCT), the preferred bidder for the tender to develop and operate the project.
How we made it in Africa asked Pike about the expected economic impact of the terminal and opportunities to grow the regional cruise industry.
MSC Cruises SA, part of one of the world's largest passenger liner operators, is a joint-venture partner of KCT, the entity that will build and operate the new Durban Cruise Terminal. However, MSC already operates a number of cruises from Durban, which raises the question whether the terminal will give preference to MSC, or if it will accommodate all operators equally?
No, the terminal concession will be offered on a common-user basis, meaning that the terminal operator, KCT, will be obliged to give reasonable equality of access to any cruise liner wishing to use the terminal. Accordingly, there can be no positive discrimination towards MSC Cruises ships.
Is the rationale behind the new terminal to: 1) Entice operators to develop entire new cruises that stop at Durban; 2) Motivate those currently passing Durban to dock at the city; or 3) To give passengers of liners already stopping at Durban an improved experience?
Ideally, and as far as possible, all three, but the principal motivation at present is to improve the experience for passengers already passing through the existing terminal at N-Shed. The existing terminal is not a world-class facility and the new terminal will give them a far better experience. This in turn will hopefully drive other cruise operators to call in Durban on an ad hoc basis or even to schedule new cruises to Durban because of their confidence that they will be received in a world-class facility. So the bigger picture is to increase tourism to Durban.
Is one modern cruise terminal enough to lure operators to the southern tip of Africa? Don't you need facilities such as these all along the coast of the continent?
One may be insufficient, but it provides an anchor for cruises on the African coast. Once there is one modern terminal in southern Africa which is successful, it may well prompt other cruise operators to develop similar, or at least complementary, facilities in other jurisdictions such as Mozambique, Tanzaniaand Kenya.
How will the new cruise terminal impact Durban's economy?
In the short term there will be some employment creation during the construction phase. In the longer term there will be further employment and tourism benefits as the new terminal will have a retail component and will also link through to the Point precinct, meaning that the terminal plus all of the other facilities in the area become an attraction for tourists and boost local businesses.
One would also hope that the whole package will result in increased passenger throughput and consequently provide opportunities for tour operators into the greater Durban and KwaZulu-Natal province, such as Valley of a Thousand Hills tours, eco-safaris to small reserves in the area, and of course increased pedestrian traffic through markets such as Wilson's Wharf, Victoria Street Market and the like.
Overall, the facility will put Durban more on the map for foreigners who know nothing about the city. CNN once described Durban as "The coolest city you've never seen". The new terminal will get Durban seen and, whether foreigners pass through the terminal or not, word of mouth from those terminal passengers will provide a strong boost for Durban tourism.
The uptake of home loans dropped for the first time in a decade as banks tightened access to mortgage financing with last September's coming into force of a law capping interest rates.
The Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) says in a newly-released report that the number of active mortgage accounts fell by 373 or 1.5 per cent to 24,085 at the end of December – a significant reversal from where it stood in the previous period when the number of loan accounts grew at a compounded annual rate of 12.9 per cent between 2006 and 2015.
Kenya had 7,275 mortgage accounts in 2006, which steadily grew to 24,458 in 2015.
The CBK says the lenders reacted to the rate capping law by tightening the credit standards for such loans, while also shunning longer term loans, where mortgages belong, in favour of short-term credit.
Banks refused to lend to mortgage borrowers even as demand rose as more Kenyans sought to take advantage of the lower lending rates to buy homes.
"There is increased demand for mortgage loans due to perceived affordability after the introduction of interest capping law in September 2016.
There is also increased appetite for mortgages as more borrowers perceive that they can qualify for higher amounts," said CBK in its 2016 banking supervision annual report.
"But commercial banks have on the other hand introduced tighter credit standards so the actual mortgage disbursements have been lower than the increased demand," the CBK says.
The trend makes for gloomy outlook for the mortgage sector, which has over the years been seen as underperforming due to the relatively low number of accounts for a country of 45 million.
Previously, high cost of credit was cited as a major impediment to the growth of the mortgage market, alongside high cost of property and incidental costs that include stamp duty, legal and valuation fees.
Last year, however, the signing of the rate cap law resulted in the average interest rate charged on mortgages falling to 13.46 per cent, from 18.7 per cent in 2015.
Borrowers were also keen on a fixed rate mortgage following the rate law as they looked to lock in the benefit it offers, should there be a revision down the road.
"About 62.1 per cent of mortgage loans were on variable interest rates basis compared to 89.3 per cent in 2015. There seems to have been more uptake of fixed rate mortgages by home owners after the introduction of interest capping law," said CBK.
The number of active mortgage accounts fell by 373 or 1.5 per cent to 24,085 at the end of December.
This is a significant reversal from where it stood in the previous period when the number of loan accounts grew at a compounded annual rate of 12.9 per cent between 2006 and 2015.
Base Resources has rebounded to full-year profit of Sh1.71 billion (AU$21 million) for the period ended June 30 from $20.9 million (Sh1.70 billion) loss a year earlier, the Kwale-based miner announced on Monday.
The Australia-owned large-scale mining firm attributed the performance to increased sales volumes, rise in commodity prices and cost management measures.
Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) rose 81 per cent to AU$109.7 million (Sh8.94 billion) from A$60.6 million (Sh4.94 billion) the year before.
The firm said sales revenue from the Kwale mine exports rose 28 per cent to AU$215 million (Sh17.53 billion) from AU$169 million (Sh13.78 billion) in June 2016, hitting a new record since it made first shipments in February 2014.
Ilmenite volumes rose by a marginal 4.4 per cent to 501,676 tonnes, rutile increased to 91,991 tonnes from 85,536 tonnes, while shipments of zircon climbed to 34,566 tonnes from 33,062 tonnes last year.
The company said it also sold 9,501 tonnes of low grade zircon, volumes which it did not ship last year. The minerals were sold at an average price of AU$338 per tonne (Sh27,560), a 19.86 per cent jump, it says.
Standard Chartered Bank Kenya #ticker:SCBK has allocated Sh10 billion to be issued as unsecured personal loans by mid-October, signalling a renewed risk appetite by the lender.
The lender's plan runs against increased conservatism in the banking industry whose aggregate lending to the private sector slowed down to 2.4 per cent in the 12 months to April.
Lenders have blamed the credit squeeze to the inability to price risk in the wake of interest rate controls, with implementation of greater prudential accounting standards from next year further deterring risk taking.
StanChart says it has done its homework in terms of risk appraisal, giving it the confidence to issue up to Sh7 million to each borrower in the 45-day period running up to October 11.
"In the past one year there was a remarkable slowdown in lending to the retail segment as we adjusted to the rate-cap regime," StanChart's CEO Lamin Manjang said in a statement.
Borrowers will enjoy a one-month repayment holiday before the bank effects loan deductions. The offer is available to salaried individuals and can be repaid over a period of up to six years.
A customer borrowing the maximum Sh7 million over the six-year period will incur a total cost of credit of Sh3.57 million according to www.cost-of-credit.com, a website created by the Kenya Bankers Association (KBA) to improve transparency in the lending market.
The cost includes monthly repayments of Sh144,240 and one-off charges amounting to Sh192,500. StanChart says it expects most of the loans will fund purchases of real estate and cars.
StanChart expanded its loan book at a relatively slower pace of 6.4 per cent to Sh116.8 billion in the first quarter ended March when it ramped up its purchase of government debt by 40.1 per cent to Sh96.2 billion.
StanChart has allocated Sh10 billion to be issued as unsecured personal loans by mid-October.
The plan runs against increased conservatism in the banking industry whose aggregate lending to the private sector slowed down to 2.4 per cent in the 12 months to April.
StanChart says it has done its homework in terms of risk appraisal, giving it the confidence to issue up to Sh7 million to each borrower.
A Nigerian startup is developing a new agricultural commodities exchange in Africa's most populous country to take advantage of the government's efforts to boost farming output to reduce reliance on oil.
The exchange, Integrated Produce City Ltd., will be located near the southern city of Benin, about 300 kilometers (186 miles) east of Lagos, Nigeria's commercial hub, a site accessible to nearby growers of cocoa, palm oil, rubber and cassava, Chief Executive Officer Pat Utomi said in an interview.
"The concept of a wholesale-produce market is to enable the farmer to fully dispose of his produce, instead of today where he loses 80 percent of his output" that rots before it can reach the market, Utomi said on Aug. 18 in the capital, Abuja.
The company has put up 20 percent of the required $135 million and is in talks with lenders and investors from South Africa, China and Australia for additional capital, Utomi said, declining to name them. Integrated Produce City signed an agreement with KPMG LLP's Nigerian unit on Monday to help it raise more capital, Vitus Akudinobi, a spokesman for the new exchange, said.
The exchange aims to provide services to six states in southern Nigeria, Utomi said.
A likely rival is Abuja-based Afex Commodities Exchange Ltd., which started providing warehousing and trading services in four of Nigeria's 36 states in 2013. Integrated Produce City plans to offer daily auctions as well as an industrial park for manufacturers.
Nigeria is Africa's fourth-largest cocoa producer and the seventh worldwide with a 2015-2016 output of 190,000 metric tons, according to the International Cocoa Organization.
In addition to cocoa, other major exported products during the last quarter of 2016 were sesame seed, frozen shrimps, soy beans, cashew nuts and crude palm kernel, figures from the statistics agency showed.


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The X-T100 slots into Fujifilm's desirable X-T series below the X-T20 where there's been a gap for a more affordable entry-level model for quite some time. As a camera designed for first-time mirrorless buyers and those advancing from smartphones, it's very appealing, from both an aesthetic and performance perspective.
It feels solid in the hand, more so than Fujifilm's X-A5, provides a centrally positioned EVF to assist composition, and serves up the advanced features one needs to hone shooting skills after exploiting the various auto modes. Is it worth spending £120 more for the X-T100 over the X-A5? Having used both extensively, I'd say it's a small price to pay for the added benefit of an electronic viewfinder and its lovely SLR styling.
Those who do buy it will fall in love with its form factor and the quality of the images it produces almost instantly. Despite not having an X-Trans sensor, it delivers very impressive image quality, with vibrant colour and excellent detail preserved high into its ISO range.
As positive as all this sounds, it does have some cons. The touchscreen isn't as well implemented as other entry-level mirrorless models, the low frame rate in 4K movie mode produces poor, stuttery footage that'll force you to record videos in Full HD, and the motorised kit zoom is a bit loud and pesky.
The good news for those who outgrow the kit lens quickly is that there are 26 X-mount lenses to choose from and when it's used with Fujifilm's lovely f/2 primes it takes up very little space at all.
With regard to looks and styling, the X-T100 is arguably the most attractive entry-level camera on the market at its price point. You do get a lot of camera for your money, but the same can be said for the Canon EOS M50 and Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark III, which challenge it hard. To sum up, the X-T100 is an excellent gateway to Fujifilm's X-T series and will serve first-time mirrorless buyers well.


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text:
B E N E D U M
The following information was graciously submitted by Susan Cunningham in July of 2006. I learned in February 2007 that Susan passed away just a few months later. Her obituary is as follows:
Mary Susan Cunningham, born February 3, 1939 in Fountain Hill, PA, died in her home December 5, 2006. She was predeceased by her father, Michael Leo Cunningham, her mother, Virginia Reichley Cunningham and her stepmother, Madeline Keating Cunningham. She graduated in 1956 from Bethlehem Catholic High School where she was a member of the girls' basketball team and received her Journalism degree in 1960 from Penn State University where she was Vice President of Theta Phi Alpha Sorority.
Susan was the devoted mother of Nanette Reichley Cunningham of East Hampton, NY and cherished sister to brother Michael Cunningham of Martinsburg, WV, and three sisters: Maureen Cunningham of Stroudsburg, PA; Monica Kelly of Mays Landing, NJ; and Martha Hovanec of Newark, DE. She is also survived by four nieces, five nephews, three great nephews, and a great niece.
Sue began her career at ARA Food Services in public relations and then went on to work at Drexel Firestone where she published their annual reports and corporate magazines. Later in her career she worked on Wall Street as a business and financial writer, editing and publishing securities reports for investment firms before becoming a consultant to AT&T where she worked on U.S. Army and Air Force contracts for several years as a Technical Writer and Systems Analyst. In her retirement, she most recently had been researching and authoring a biography on Asa Packer, founder of Lehigh Coal & Navigation and Lehigh University and candidate for U.S. President in 1868.
She enjoyed gardening and was an avid genealogist. Susan was a member of the National Canal Museum and the Bucks County Historical Society. Her family history research included many branches of her family including the Reichley, Cunningham, Carr, McBrearty, Cressman, Bennethum, Metzger, Weirbauch, and Schrack. Sue attended many family reunions and traveled abroad to conduct research. She visited family in Killybegs, County Donegal, Ireland on several occasions.
Friends and family are invited to a memorial service in her honor on Saturday, January 20th starting with a 10am Mass of Christian Burial at Holy Infancy Church in Bethlehem, PA followed by Interment at The Union Cemetery of Hellertown. Calling hour at the church will be from 9:15 a.m. to 10 a.m. To send condolences to the family or sign the online guest book, please visit www.DowningFuneralHome.com. In lieu of flowers, the family request donations be made in Susan's memory to the Dimmick Memorial Library, 54 Broadway, Jim Thorpe, PA 18229.
Sue submitted the first part of the following info. Part way through it says "More Benedum Info Below" which was posted by myself.
Matthias BENEDUM was born in PA Jan. 28, 1762 to George A. BENEDUM and his wife Magdalena MINNICH. Their children were:
1788-01-26 Magdalena
1789-07-07 John
1791-03-11 Elizabeth
1782-09-17 George m. Hannah MEYERS of Fairfield Co.
1794-03-12 Jacob
1796-01-28 Matthias m, Anna DOVE
1798-01-16 Catherine m. Henry HARTMAN
1799-02-03 Christina m. Rueben DUFF
George was a brother to my ancestor Johannes Andreas BENNETHUM, Jr. who married Barbara MINNICH and remained in Berks Co,, PA. (He changed the spelling of the surname.) They were the sons of Johannes A. BENEDUM of Bern Twp., Berks Co, PA.
George was ordained a minister in the new United Brethren In Christ Church in 1803 and he moved to Fairfield Co., OH in 1807. He died March 29, 1837 and is buried with his wife in Fairfield Co, in what I know only as the United Brethren graveyard. .
In 1838 or shortly there after his nephew John A. BENNETHUM, III moved to Fairfield Co. He had married Nancy Anne BENEDUM, daughter of Peter BENEDUM and Nancy Anne KURTZ. (It is not known how Peter and John, Jr. were related but Peter and Nancy Anne had been the witnesses at John Jr.'s marriage.) All their twelve children had been born in Berks Co., the youngest in September 1838.
John (1786-1860) and Nancy Ann (1789-1852) are also my ancestors. I believe he changed his surname back to Benedum. I don'f know if any of their children remained in Ohio. (John IV came back to PA and used the Bennethum surname.) Also clouding the Ohio picture is the fact that Nancy Anne's brother John BENEDUM migrated from Loudoun, VA to Carroll Co., OH.
Susan Cunningham
MORE BENEDUM INFO BELOW
I decided to add the following information to the info Susan Cunningham submitted above. I did some "looking around" for Benedum info for someone else who contacted me in email so thought I'd display it here for anyone else who may need it. My response:
"I have no idea who Jacob Benedum was married to. In 1850 the oldest female is only 23 and although it very likely COULD be his wife, my guess would be that it's a daughter. In the 1840 census the oldest female is possibly Jacob's mother or mother-in-law. His wife could already be deceased, or she may be the one in the 20-30 age bracket. I did not see any marriages for Jacob in the 1836-1851 marriage book, nor the 1800-1835 one."
CENSUS: 1840 Pleasant Twp., Fairfield Co., OH
BENEDAIN, Jacob - males 0-1-1-1-1-0-1-0: females 0-1-1-2-1-0-0-0-1
males: none under five
one 5-10
one 10-15
Females:
none under 5
two 15-20
BENADUM, 56y farmer b PA
", Hana, 23y b OH, can't read or write
", George, 16y shoemaker b OH
", Catherine 14y b OH
", Mary 18 b OH
", Philip, 13y b OH
BENEDUM, Betsey / FETTER, Coonrod - license 23 Mar 1811
BENEDUM, Betsey / FETTER, Conrod, 24 Mar 1811
BENEDUM, Catherine / HARTMAN, Henry, 27 Mar 1817
BENEDUM, George Jur. / MYERS, Hannah - 26 Apr 1812
BENEDUM, William / EBRIGHT, Mary Ann - 29 Nov (1835)
BENNADOM, Margaret 102 / ORWIG, Henry - 09 Oct 1828 [sic]
BENNEDUM, Mary / JEFFRIES, James - 26 Sep 1833
BENNEDUM, Mathias / DOVE, Anna - 29 Apr 1819
The above came from "Fairfield County, Ohio Marriages, V I, 1800-1835", Fairfield Co., Ohio, Chapter OGS, 1999.
NOTE: the mention of "sic", above, I'm not really sure what they're referring to. The 'sic' comes directly after the date, which would lead you to believe that the date is incorrect... perhaps this entry was found in the 1834 marriages, or some other year, but they kept it as 1835 since that's what was written. The book is not alphabetical, but by date of marriage, so this particular marriage has been indexed with all other 1835 marriages.
Definition of "sic" - Used to indicate that a quoted passage, especially one containing an error or unconventional spelling, has been retained in its original form or written intentionally.
BEMUDUM, Allen / EBRIGHT, Susan 06 Feb 1838 - license
BENADUM, Aaron / RICE, Mary 14 Dec 1846
BENADUM, Ann / FOWLER, John 16 Dec 1844
BENADUM, Elizabeth / MARTIN, Jacob 23 Nov 1838
BENADUM, Emaline / NELSON, William J. 03 Jan 1851
BENADUM, George / BENADUM, Sarah 29 Jul 1847
BENADUM, Helena / MALEN, Loyld 28 Jul 1846
BENADUM, Philip / LOOFBOROUGH, Mary 24 Nov 1840
BENADUM, Sarah / ALLIS, Nelson 10 Nov 1844
BENADUM, Sarah / BENADUM, George 29 Jul 1847
BENADUM, Susan / PICKERING, Jacob 19 Feb 1850
BENEDUM, Daniel / SMITH, Dorcas 16 Nov 1851 license
BENEDUM, David / BENEDUM, Mary A. 11 Jan 1844 license
BENEDUM, James K. / MILLER, Sarah 18 May 1851
BENEDUM, Joseph / KISTLER, Mary 01 Dec 1844
BENEDUM, Lydia / HOLLAND, John N. 11 Jan 1844 license
BENEDUM, Mary / KING, Daniel 19 Mar 1844 license
BENEDUM, Mary A / BENEDUM, David, 11 Jan 1844 - license
BENEDUM, Mary M. / EBRIGHT, Isaac 13 Aug 1839
BENEDUM, Mathias / BIBBLER, Hannah 21 Dec 1847
BENEDUM, Matilda / MYERS, Henry H. 14 Oct 1849
BENEDUM, Nelson / MYERS, Sarah 29 Sep 1839
BENEDUM, Simon P. / BURAUGHS, Fidelia 07 Apr 1844
BENEDUM, William / BYERLY, Martha, 13 Oct 1842
The above marriages come from "Fairfield County, Ohio Marriages, V II, 1836-1851", Fairfield Co., Ohio, Chapter OGS, 2005.
Case #267 - estate of Andrew MYERS/MOYERS, deceased by 1811. Administrator was George JOHNS. Heirs: Hannah and William whose guardian was Abram V. COURTRIGHT; John, Joshua, Andrew, Daniel and David whos guardian was George BENEDUM; Levia and Adam, whose guardians were George BENEDUM and John KRITZ. Some receipts were signed by Hannah BENEDUM. Same as case 58. "Fairfield County Will and Estate Abstracts, Cases 1-500", Fairfield County Chapter OGS, 1996, p 29.
Case #288 - estate of John BENADUM of Bloom township, filed in 1821. Administrators were George BENADUM, Jr. and John CHENEY. John BENADUM owned land in section 11, township 14, range 20. BENADUM names mentioned were Mathias, George, Peggy and Mathew. "Fairfield County Will and Estate Abstracts, Cases 1-500", Fairfield County Chapter OGS, 1996, p 31.
Case #506 - estate of Conrad FETTER of Pleasant Township. Administrator was Philip BENADUM. Widow was Elizabeth. Minor heirs: Counrod, Caroline, Emanuel and Jane whos guardian was John A. COLLINS, and Jacob and Polly whose guardian was Peter BETZER. Conrad FETTER. "Fairfield County Will and Estate Abstracts, Cases 501-1000", Fairfield County Chapter OGS, 1997, p 1.
Case #777 - estate of Philip FETTERS. Will was written Oct. 14, 1831, filed in 1831, recorded in Will Book 2, p 301. Executor was wife Elizabeth FETTERS. Heirs: daughter, Sarah WEAVER, oldest son, David, who was 21 in Dec. of 1837. Papers show that by 1842, the administrator was Sothenes McCABE and that John BRASEE was the guardian of Rebecca FETTERS. By 1846, heirs included Philip FETTER'S daughter, Barbara Ann, wife of Henry JACOBS, and in that year, Isaac COMER was guardian of Philip FETTERS, Jr. Elizabeth, widow of Philip FETTERS, had married Jacob BENADUM and was separating from him in 1846. George FETTERS was listed as an heir. "Fairfield County Will and Estate Abstracts, Cases 501-1000", Fairfield County Chapter OGS, 1997, p 29.
page 183 - 1822 - John BENADUM, deceased. Widow was Margaret. "Partition Record Abstracts, V1, 1812-1851 Fairfield County, Ohio", Fairfield County Chapter OGS, 1987, p 4.
page 430 - 1831 - George BENEDUM, Jr., deceased. Widow was Hannah. Minor children: William, Polly, Catharine, Allen, Elizabeth, Joshua, Simon, Laney, Andrw and George. "Partition Record Abstracts, V1, 1812-1851 Fairfield County, Ohio", Fairfield County Chapter OGS, 1987, p 19.
page 408 - 1844 - Aaron BENEDUM, deceased. His heirs were his siblings: Nelson, Elizabeth, Lorain, and minors Catharine, Philip, George and Jackson BENEDUM of Fairfield County, and Matilda and Mary BENADUM of Indiana. "Partition Record Abstracts, V1, 1812-1851 Fairfield County, Ohio", Fairfield County Chapter OGS, 1987, p 35.
page 42 - 1846 - Philip EBRIGHT, Sr., deceased. Children listed. Daughter Mary EBRIGHT BENADUM had died and the names of her children were unknown. "Partition Record Abstracts, V1, 1812-1851 Fairfield County, Ohio", Fairfield County Chapter OGS, 1987, p 42.
page 403 - 1847 - Philip FETTERS died 1831. Widow Elizabeth married Jacob BENEDUM. Children: David FETTERS, Barbara, wife of Henry JACOBS, Philip FETTERS, Rebecca FETTERS. "Partition Record Abstracts, V1, 1812-1851 Fairfield County, Ohio", Fairfield County Chapter OGS, 1987, p 44.
Case #1093 - in 1811 the guardians of John, minor child of Andrew MYERS/MEYERS (estate #58) were Geoge BENEDUM and John KRITZ. The file contains a paper dated 1825 which states that Jacob MYERS was apointed guardian of John MYERS, minor son of Frederick MYERS. "Fairfield County Will and Estate Abstracts, Cases 1001-2000, Jean Collier, Fairfield County Chapter OGS, 1998, p 8.
Case #1097 - in 1811, George BENEDUM and John KRITZ were appointed guardians of of Daniel, minor son of Andrew MYERS/MEYERS (case #58). "Fairfield County Will and Estate Abstracts, Cases 1001-2000, Jean Collier, Fairfield County Chapter OGS, 1998, p 9.
Case #1607 - estate of George BENEDUM, Jr., of Violet Township. Filed in 1835. The administrator was Philip BENADUM. The names of the widow and children were not listed in the papers. "Fairfield County Will and Estate Abstracts, Cases 1001-2000, Jean Collier, Fairfield County Chapter OGS, 1998, p 43
Case #1607 1/2 - estate of George BENEDUM/BENADUM of Liberty Township. Will was written Jan. 1, 1835, filed in 1837, and recorded in Will Book 2, p 498. Executor was son Philip. Heirs by will: wife, Magdalene, sons John (deceased), George, Jacob, Mathias and Daniel; daughters Katharine, wife of Henry HARTMAN, Christena, wife of Reuben DUFF and oldest daughter Magdalene BENADUM. Nelson, Peter, Matthew and Aaron BENEDUM purchased personal property. George BENADUM owned land in section 24, township 16, range 19, and a lot in Baltimore, Ohio. "Fairfield County Will and Estate Abstracts, Cases 1001-2000, Jean Collier, Fairfield County Chapter OGS, 1998, p 43.
Case #1906 - estate of Aaron BENADUM of Berne Township. Filed in 1842. Sosthenes McCABE was administrator. Jacob BENADUM purchased personal property. Partion record #4, page 408, lists the heirs of Aaron BENADUM as his siblings, Nelson, Elizabeth, Lorain and minors, Catharine, Philip, George and Jackson BENADUM of Fairfield county, and Matilda and Mary BENADUM of Indiana. "Fairfield County Will and Estate Abstracts, Cases 1001-2000, Jean Collier, Fairfield County Chapter OGS, 1998, p 75.
The following come from "Genealogical Abstracts from The Lancaster (Ohio) Gazette, V1, 1826-1873", Fairfield County Gen., Society, March 1998. The date at left is the date of the newspaper publication.
Nov. 15 1844 - Married on Nov. 10th, Nelson ALLIS and Sara BENEDUM
March 24, 1848 - died on March 15th, John BENEDUM, in his 22nd year
Oct. 26, 1848 - Married on October 14th, Henry H. MYERS and Matilda BENEDUM
March 1, 1850 - married Feb. 19, Jacob PICKERING and Susan BENEDUM.
Jan. 23, 1851 - married on Jan. 3rd, Capt. William J. NELSON and Emaline BENEDUM
Feb. 29, 1856 - married on Feb. 10th, Marcus D--LANE [print smudge in book] of Kansas Territory and Colista BENADUM of Baltimore.
March 11, 1858 - married on Feb. 7th, George D. LITTLEJOHN and Catharine BENADUM, both of Baltimore.
Nov. 28, 1867 - Died in Lancaster on Sept. 23rd, Mrs. Mary BENADUM, wife of Phillip, in her 45th year. She was born June 23, 1823. Survived by husband and 6 children. March 16, 1871 - David BENADUM of Columbus and Catharine KNIGHT were married in Hocking township on March 9th.
March 23 & 30, 1871 - Aaron D. BENADUM, aged 54y 6m 29d, died on March 14th.
Oct. 26, 1871 - Emanuel ALT of Fairfield county and Rebecca BENEDUM of Licking county were married in Etna on Oct. 12th
Indenture made 10 Oct 1850 between Jacob BENNEDEM of Pleasant Township and Joseph WORK, sons, John WORK and Joseph WORK of Hocking township and county, son, George BENNEDEM, age 17 years 1 month and 25 days for 3 years, 10 months, 5 days until 21 years of age which will be 15 Aug 1854. "Indentures of Fairfield Co., Ohio, 1824-1880", Fairfield County, Ohio, Chapter OGS, 1994, p 20.
Bloom Twp. Genealogy Page

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Actor Steve Toussaint reveals racist abuse after being cast in House of the Dragon
Steve Toussaint has revealed he was a target of racist attacks after he was cast as Corlys Velaryon on the forthcoming HBO show House of the Dragon, a Game of Thrones prequel.
Speaking with The Hollywood Reporter, the British actor, 57, said he underestimated the response when he was cast in the first prominent role for a person of color in the Game of Thrones universe.
'When I got the gig, I literally was like, "It's just another role because I have Black friends who had small parts or recurring parts in' Game of Thrones,' Toussaint told the outlet. 'I didn't realize it was a bigger deal until I was racially abused on social media when it was announced. Yeah, that s*** happened.'
The actor said that one person called him the N-word and others had made art to mock his casting on the series.
Touissant said: 'There was also a Black American chap who is a big fan of the show who contacted me saying that he gets abuse because he championed me for the part.
'On platforms like Reddit, which I'm not on, there are such discussions going on about it. I was like, "Oh wow," and then I thought, "Okay, this means a lot to some people," but I can't allow that to bother me.'
Toussaint noted that he's heard from various colleagues in the entertainment industry who have also been the target of racist messages after being placed into high-profile roles.
He said that someone he's 'known for a long time' was the recipient of racist messages after getting a role on a Marvel project.
'A friend of mine who played Hermione in the stage version of Harry Potter, she got it,' Toussaint said. 'I've worked with John Boyega, and he got it. If it bothers you so much, don't watch.'
Related Items:Actor Steve, Dragon, House of the Dragon
42-Year-Old Singer, Tiwa Savage Shows Off With New Photos.
Idris Elba 'walks away from playing James Bond' despite being bookies' favourite.


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South Bay, LA County, Auto Body Shop - Very Well Established For Sale On BizBen.
A very well established Body shop for over 30 years. Seller moved family and is ready to sell. Revenue is almost $1MM with no DRP. Lots of potential since the shop used to gross over $2MM. Large lot with long term lease for qualified buyer. Great opportunity for expanding your operations in this well located shop in the South Bay.
Seller willing to carry 50% for qualified Buyer.
To get more information about this Auto Body Shop business for sale in South Bay, LA County please phone Joe Khoury (Broker - BRE License #:02066252) at 310-400-3770 - if you get voicemail please leave a detailed message - make sure you mention you saw this posting/ad #244502 on BizBen.com. In addition to phoning Joe Khoury, make sure you email Joe Khoury above to get more info about this Auto Body Shop, to ask any questions or request an appointment to see this business for sale, franchise, or opportunity. Thank you.


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Alberta Announces Flood Mitigation Grants
By Water Canada	 April 9, 2015
The Government of Alberta recently issued a release outlining its extensive province-wide flood mitigation measures. In particular, the government announced a first round of Alberta Community Resilience Program grants, which will support 21 projects in 16 municipalities, including the erection of flood barriers, water management infrastructure upgrades, dry pond construction and expansion, and increasing erosion control along vulnerable riverbanks.
"Local water projects provide a critical, additional line of defense against rising flood waters and support ongoing stewardship efforts to mitigate drought effects," said Environment Minister Kyle Fawcett. "Our promise to protect Albertans is supported by this long-term funding commitment to reduce the flood risk faced by our communities across the province."
Among the communities receiving grants are Calgary, Municipal District of Bighorn, Municipal District of Foothills, Municipal District of Pincher Creek, Nanton, and High River. These areas were heavily impacted by the 2013 floods.
Calgary is leading the charge in flood mitigation, and will receive funding for four projects: elevated hoists for the Glenmore Dam; lower deck flood barrier improvements for the Centre Street Bridge; a permanent flood barrier along Heritage Drive SE; and flood gates for priority stormwater outfalls.
"[This] announcement is a welcome step forward in flood mitigation for the people of Calgary," said Mayor Naheed Nenshi. "We need a comprehensive approach to both local and upstream flood mitigation measures, and I look forward to our continued partnership to provide the most effective flood mitigation to protect people, property, critical infrastructure, and our economy."
Previous articleNew Water Research Funding Competition Open
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Baumann Consulting performed CFD studies for the 8-story interior winter gardens to achieve both occupant comfort and natural ventilation goals.
At 16 stories above grade, Alpha Rotex is the crown jewel of Quartier Alpha. It is located on the western edge of Gateway Gardens, an impressive new development project adjacent to the Frankfurt International Airport. Gateway Gardens provides a sustainable, mixed-use hub. It is one of the first districts in the Germany to be certified under the DGNB German Sustainable Building Council standard.
Alpha Rotex had to be built and operated in accordance with the rigorous specifications of the German Energy Saving Ordinance (EnEV). The building achieved a reduction in energy demand by approximately 39% compared to the baseline according to ASHRAE 90.1 – 2007.
The project achieved the LEED for New Construction (LEED NC) certification at the Gold level.


As the preferred choice of both teachers and students, this textbook offers an unrivalled combination of expertise, accessibility and comprehensive coverage.
The new edition reflects the way the economic crisis has impacted the shape and nature of European Union law. Materials from case law, legislation and academic literature are integrated throughout to expose the student to the broadest range of views.
Additional online material on the application of EU law in non member states and on rulings on the Fiscal Compact ensures the material is completely current.
The new edition includes a timeline which charts the evolution of the EU project. Written in a way which encourages sophisticated analysis, the book ensures the student's full engagement with sometimes complex material. More importantly, it offers the clarity which is essential to understanding. A required text for all interested in European Union law.


The sensory and mental stimulation of coffee never gets old. Not to mention the fact that I get paid to work with coffee, which is something I would do for free!
The accessibility of information and resources has got me pretty excited. I've seen so many people sharing their brewing insights and experience on social media within the past few weeks, some who work in coffee and others who don't. It's exciting to see the industry grow both locally and abroad.
A cortado in the morning with sips of filter and espresso throughout the day.
Balancing my current work schedule with practise times and planning. Finding the energy to stay late after work to train and using off days for miscellaneous competition tasks. But this is what competing is about and overcoming the challenges is what makes competing really worth it.
I want to win this so that my hard work and sacrifices are not in vain. And winning creates a platform to learn and grow even more as a coffee professional. Although the purpose of competing is not to win. Rather to learn and grow and share ideas. Winning would just be the reward for all of this.
WATER. Use good filtered water. Many of our customers complain that the coffee they make at home does not taste close to what they have at our café. This is usually due to using tap water.
To be honest my competition coffee is probably the best I've tasted this year haha! I'm sure the list will grow in May though! But I've really been enjoying Espresso Labs Vitamin C. I'm not sure what coffee they use for the espresso but its combined with a raw honey and cold pressed ginger and lemon.


This pretty quayside hangout has bagged easily the top spot on Marina Ibiza and is buzzing all day from sunrise; the gorgeous waterfront terrace is a great spot for supper. Top local DJs means it's packed with a lively crowd by 11pm – the sleek outdoor bar is the perfect spot for sinking pre-club cocktails against a twinkling harbour backdrop.
The AquaBus (£1.60) stops here every 30 minutes on its way between Ibiza Town's port and Talamanca.


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VJ World
image courtesy Wiki Commons
Time/Warner - ATT Deal and You
Posted 4 years, 2 months ago
The possible (US Govt. Approval Pending) acqusition of Time'/Warner by ATT is indicative of what I would call the Third Generation of Television - the first being broadcast and the second cable.
The Third Generation is going to be online linear and digital.
This has a lot of ramifications, but perhaps the most intersting is in terms of revenue. Without refvenue there is no content, there is no programming and there is no network.
I was particularly taken by an almost throw-away line in the third paragraph of a story about the merger in today's NY Times.
"Viewers, with new subscription options, could enjoy fewer interruptions and see ads for "the products you're interested in, not the ones you don't need to see," Mr. Bewkes said. National advertisers would presumably pay more to reach them and have an alternative to spending on Google and Facebook."
Of course, we are all used to seeing online 'targeted' advertising. I do a search for a hotel in Paris, and for the next five days all I get are ads for hotels in Paris.
But now, that capacity to drill down and focus advertising married to TV to each specific viewer becomes possible.
That level of granulatiry made me thing that perhaps we have it backward. After all, there is a long and rather inglorious history of major media companies taking new technology and plugging it into old ways of working - and that is what this idea smells like. We have had nearly 70 years of TV shows running ads, so why not just focus them- new bottle, old wine.
Instead, let's take a moment to listen to what the technology is really telling us:
Up until now, the standard architecture for television was that the network ran a show, and they essentially leased out 30 second swaths of it to advertisers so that those advertisers coudl piggy-back on the audience that the network had assembled.
As cable began to focus on specifics, those audiences began to be aggregated by topic - that is, people interested in food would watch the Food Network and advertisers interested in food would buy ad spots there. So far, so good.
But now, it is possible to by-pass the network entirely.
Let me give you an example: The World Series.
Right now, a network buys the rights for the World Series from Major League Baseball. In this case, Fox owns the rights to air the World Series. They paid for it. And, to make their money back, they will sell ad space to people like Nike, for example.
That is the way it has always worked.
But suppose Nike decided that they had had enough of buying ads from Fox. Suppose Nike decided that next year, THEY were going to buy the rights to the World Series. And now, if you wanted to watch the World Series, the only place you could do that would be at Nike.com?
Well, why not?
Do you think that a lot of people would go to Nike.com? I bet they would.
And you know what else, once you are on Nike.com, you can click and buy as many Nike items as your heart's desire, all the time, through all the games.
Now, doesn't this make more sense than running an ad on Fox that is supposed to motivate you to get in your car and drive to the Nike store and buy a pair of sneakers (or trainers as we call them in the uK)?
It makes the advertising as digital and non-linear as the programming.
This model is not just limited to Fox and Nike. Why should Pfizer advertise onf Grey's Anatomy, when Pfizer could commssion Grey's Anatomy and run it on Pfizer.com? Why should Lowes advertise on HGTV when Lowes could commission Love It Or List It and run it on Lowes.com?
You get the idea?
Today anyone can own and run a channel.
Anyone.
Including those people who used to pay NBC for the priviledge.
In a digital world, in fact, who really needs NBC? What, after all, do they do?
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Samsung to Announce New Phones for 2021
The announcement is expected at an event on January 14th.
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package com.emogoth.android.phone.mimi.adapter;

import android.view.View;
import android.view.ViewGroup;
import android.widget.BaseAdapter;
import android.widget.SpinnerAdapter;

import java.util.ArrayList;
import java.util.LinkedHashMap;
import java.util.List;
import java.util.Map;

public class FlagAdapter extends BaseAdapter implements SpinnerAdapter {
    private final List<String> flagKeys;
    private final List<String> flagValues;

    public FlagAdapter(Map<String, String> flagsMap) {
        if (flagsMap == null || flagsMap.size() == 0) {
            throw new IllegalArgumentException("Flags map cannot be null or emtpy");
        }

        flagKeys = new ArrayList<>(flagsMap.keySet());
        flagValues = new ArrayList<>(flagsMap.values());
    }

    @Override
    public int getCount() {
        return flagKeys.size();
    }

    @Override
    public String getItem(int i) {
        return flagKeys.get(i);
    }

    @Override
    public long getItemId(int i) {
        return flagKeys.get(i).hashCode();
    }

    @Override
    public View getView(int i, View view, ViewGroup viewGroup) {
        return null;
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub