bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Religious non-governmental organizations and philanthropy in Indonesia
Authors: Alawiyah Tuti
Published: July 2015

Religious non-governmental organizations (RNGOs) and philanthropic activities
in Indonesia have a long history. They existed prior to the creation of the nation
state. Social, political and economic changes in this country have influenced the
development of non-profit organizations for more than sixty years after the Inde-pendence of the Republic Indonesia in 1945. Modernization and development
projects during the President Suharto era influenced the development of Non-governmental organizations (NGOs). In more recent years, RNGOs have largely
developed as a response to the socio-economic crisis after the downfall of Presi-dent Suharto regime. Discovering the dynamics of RNGOs in a broader context of
non-profit organizations in Indonesia provides insights into the strengths and
weaknesses of philanthropic activism in recent years. An historical overview of
non-profit organizations, legal structures, functions, and financial resources are
among the themes that are described in this paper.
Organisasi Agama Non Pemerintah (RNGOs) dan kegiatan filantropi di Indonesia
memiliki sejarah yang panjang. Mereka ada sebelum penciptaan negara bangsa.
Perubahan  sosial,  politik  dan  ekonomi  di  negara  ini  telah  memengaruhi
perkembangan organisasi nirlaba selama lebih dari enam puluh tahun setelah Kemerdekaan Republik Indonesia pada tahun 1945. Modernisasi dan pembangunan
proyek-proyek  selama  era  Presiden  Soeharto  memengaruhi  perkembangan
organisasi non-pemerintah (LSM). Dalam tahun-tahun terakhir, RNGOs sebagian
besar telah dikembangkan sebagai tanggapan terhadap krisis sosial-ekonomi
setelah jatuhnya rezim Presiden Soeharto. Menemukan dinamika RNGOs dalam
konteks yang lebih luas dari organisasi nirlaba di Indonesia memberikan wawasan
ke dalam kekuatan dan kelemahan dari aktivisme filantropi dalam beberapa tahun
terakhir. Sebuah gambaran sejarah organisasi non-profit, struktur hukum, fungsi,
dan  sumber  daya  keuangan  adalah  salah  satu  tema  yang  dijelaskan  dalam
makalah ini
Globalization and the thought of unity in diversity of Badiuzzaman Said Nursi in the light of his magnum opus Risala-i Nur
Authors: Ajmal Mohammad
Published: July 2015

Badiuzzaman Said Nursi had always looked at the world as one component
glorifying the one creator and testifying to His greatness. The universality he
believed in, came into contradiction with the universality that results from
globalization as it is generally understood and illustrated. People of economically
less auspicious countries become themselves agents of globalization in
their own places. This is why the effects of globalization are more harmful
than those of colonialism. Globalization recruits its soldiers from among people
it invades and expands to swallow the remnants of their culture and selfesteem
by making them follow the model of those who are more powerful
and who possess more.
Badiuzzaman Said Nursi selalu memandang dunia sebagai salah satu komponen
untuk memuliakan Sang Pencipta dan menyaksikan kebesaran-Nya. Universalitas
yang dipercayainya, berlawanan dengan universalitas yang dihasilkan dari
globalisasi seperti yang umum dipahami dan digambarkan. Masyarakat dari
Negara-negara yang secara ekonomis kurang beruntung menjadikan diri mereka sendiri sebagai agen globalisasi di negara mereka sendiri. Inilah sebabnya
mengapa efek globalisasi lebih berbahaya daripada kolonialisme. Globalisasi
merekrut tentaranya dari kalangan orang-orang yang menjadi sasaran serangnya
dan menelan sisa-sisa kebudayaan mereka serta harga diri dengan membuat
mereka mengikuti model mereka yang lebih kuat dan memiliki kelebihan.
Pesantren: the miniature of moderate Islam in Indonesia
Authors: Ni'am Syamsun
Published: July 2015

Since reformation movement was trundled by students and people in Indonesia
in 1998, all most thought and social movement domain are influenced by
the reformation, primarily those relate to the religious understanding and its
practice. At the time before reformation the people were in the quo status
detention, who used to agree with all the uniformity of thought and movement—
including in religious practice. However, in line with the reformation
movement, the uniformity have been dissolved, so it encourages the emergence
of various new religious thoughts. These have brought the consequences
of emerging issues of islamic liberalism, funadamentalism, moderatism, ect.
in Indonesia. The study of moderate Islam Indonesia have found the momentum
to be seeked the roots of the devolopment in Pesantren.
Sejak gerakan reformasi digulirkan oleh para mahasiswa dan masyarakat Indonesia
pada tahun 1998, seluruh pemikiran dan gerakan sosial telah terpengaruh
olehnya, khususnya terkait dengan pemahaman dan praktek keberagamaan.
Pada saat sebelum reformasi digulirkan, masyarakat Indonesia berada dalam
tekanan status quo, di mana mereka sudah terbiasa hidup dalam keseragaman
dalam pemikiran dan gerakan —termasuk di dalamnya adalah praktek
keberagamaan. Akan tetapi, dengan digulirkannya gerakan reformasi tersebut, keseragaman (uniformitas) telah menjadi pudar, dan hal ini telah
memunnculkan berbagai model pemikiran keagamaan yang baru. Hal ini telah
membawa konsekuensi terhadap munculnya isu-isu tentang liberalisme,
fundamentalisme, moderatisme, dan sebagainya di Indonesia. Kajian tentang
Islam moderat di Indonesia ini telah menemukan momentumnya, untuk
dicarikan dasar-dasar pengembangannya di pesantren.
Wettability of the Montney Tight Gas Formation
Authors: Lan Qing , Dehghanpour Hassan , Wood James , Sanei Hamed
Published: July 2015

The abundant hydrocarbon resources in low-permeability formations are now technically accessible because of advances in the drilling and completion of multilateral/multifractured horizontal wells. However, measurement and modeling of petrophysical properties, required for reserves estimation and reservoir-engineering calculations, are the remaining challenges for the development of tight formations. In particular, characterizing wettability (wetting affinity) of tight rocks is challenging because of their complex pore structure, which can be either in hydrophobic organic materials or in hydrophilic inorganic materials.

We conduct comparative and systematic imbibition experiments on 10 twin core plugs from the Montney tight gas formation, which is an enormous tight gas fairway in the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin. Both contact-angle and imbibition data indicate that the formation has a stronger affinity to oil than to water. However, the ratio between oil and water uptake of these samples is usually higher than what capillary-driven imbibition models predict. This discrepancy can be explained by the strong adsorption of oil on the surface of a well-connected organic-pore network that is partly composed of degraded bitumen. We also define a wettability index on the basis of the equilibrium oil and water uptake of the twin samples. Oil-wettability index is positively correlated with total organic carbon and clay content of the rocks, which generally increase from the upper Montney to the lower Montney.
Effect of sex-linked dwarf gene on exterior appearance, productive performance and egg characteristics in a colored broiler dam line
Authors: Mincheva N. , Oblakova M. , Hristakieva P. , Ivanova I. , Lalev M.
Published: July 2015

The effect of sex-linked dwarf gene was investigated through comparison of
dwarf hens with their full-sib normal sisters obtained by mating heterozygous
males (DW/dw) to normal females (DW/_) from line F (used as maternal form for
production of slow-growing colored chickens) with respect to the following
traits: body weight, shank and keel length at 40 weeks of age, age of sexual
maturity (at 50 % production), egg production, egg weight, feed intake, feed
utilization, livability, fertility, hatchability and egg quality
characteristics. The results demonstrated that the dw gene caused
statistically significant reduction of body weight by 29.15 %, shank length
by 20.17 %, keel length by 7 % and egg weight by 5.72 % (p<0.001). The hens
with normal genotype attained sexual maturity 7 days earlier (p<0.001), but
nevertheless, rate of lay was similar to that of mini forms. There were no
considerable differences between both genetic groups with respect to
livability percentage over the production cycle. Dwarf hens consumed by 23.38
% less feed (p<0.01) than normal sized hens and converted nutrients more
efficiently by 12.69 % (p<0.05). The presence of dw gene in hen genotype
increased the eggshell percentage, reduced egg yolk and albumen weights and
had no effect on their quality. The positive effect of the sex-linked dwarf
gene on economically important traits - feed intake and feed conversion,
hatchability of eggs set, is a prerequisite for the development of more
efficient broiler breeder hens for production of slow-growing chickens.
Transcendental philosophy within perspectives of the romantic fragmentariness
Authors: Vlaski Stanko
Published: July 2015

The relation of Jena romantics to Kant?s transcendental philosophy could be
considered from the point of view of the romantic theory of the fragment. The
author claims that fragmentariness had a transcendental character in the
philosophical ref lections of Friedrich Schlegel and Novalis. That is the
reason that they have acquired the opportunity of approaching to the immanent
tension of Kant?s philosophical project. The problem of ref lection of
relation between systematicity and incompleteness of knowledge and of man?s
theoretical and practical side is among the most important. The author tries
to evaluate the importance of Fichte?s version of critical idealism for
romantics, considering the crucial romanticists? intention of historization
of transcendental idealism with the help of the fragment. Final chapter
refers to recent interpretations of the romantic fragment which tend to
ignore this intention.
Investigation of the effect of additional electrons originating from the ultraviolet radiation on the nitrogen memory effect
Authors: Zivanovic Emilija
Published: July 2015

The influence of ultraviolet radiation on memory effect in nitrogen has been
investigated. The spectrum of the radiation which passes through the walls of
the experimental sample was obtained by the spectrometer. A detailed
comparison of experimental results of electrical breakdown time delay as a
function of afterglow period with and without ultraviolet irradiation was
performed. These studies were done for such product of gas pressure and
inter-electrode distance when both breakdown initiation mechanisms exist. The
research has shown that ultraviolet radiation leads to the decrease in ion
concentration in early nitrogen afterglow due to recombination of nitrogen
ions with electrons released from the tube walls and electrodes. Meanwhile,
it has been cofirmed that this radiation has a negligible influence on the
breakdown initiation in late nitrogen afterglow when a significant nitogen
atom concentration is persistent. When the concentration of nitrogen atoms
decreases enough, the breakdown initiation is caused by cosmic rays but UV
photons have an important influence because of the rise of the electron
yield.
Study of the effect of Mg (II) addition and the annealing conditions on the structure of mesoporous aluminum oxide using Plackett-Burman design
Authors: Novakovic Tatjana , Rozic Ljiljana , Petrovic Srdjan , Vukovic Zorica , Mitric Miodrag
Published: July 2015

A statistical design was used to investigate the effect of various processing
conditions on the structure of sol-gel derived Mg(II) doped alumina. Six
processing variables were selected based on the Plackett-Burman design:
concentration of magnesium nitrate, time and temperature of alcohol
evaporation, temperature and time of annealing and heating rate were changed
at two levels. For every set of conditions, samples with different specific
surface area and degree of crystallinity were obtained. Analysis of the
results showed that annealing temperature , heating rate and concentration of
magnesium nitrate were the main factors affecting average crystallite size of
the predominant phase of alumina. In the case of the specific surface area,
two of selected six variables had pronounced effect; however the temperature
of annealing was more effective than others. The present results show that
the proposed model that uses crystallite size as a response variables is
preferable to further research.
X-ray, Hirshfeld surface analysis, spectroscopic and DFT studies of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons: Fluoranthene and acenaphthene
Authors: Śmiszek-Lindert Wioleta , Michta Anna , Tyl Aleksandra , Małecki Grzegorz , Chełmecka Elżbieta , Maślanka Sławomir
Published: July 2015

The X-ray structure, theoretical calculation, Hirshfeld surfaces analysis, IR
and Raman spectra of fluoranthene and acenaphthene were reported.
Acenaphthene crystallizes in the orthorhombic crystal system and space group
P21ma, with crystal parameters a = 7.2053 (9) ?, b = 13.9800 (15) ?, c =
8.2638 (8) ?, Z = 4 and V = 832.41 (16) ?3. In turn, the grown crystals of
fluoranthene are in monoclinic system with space group P21/n. The unit cell
parameters are a = 18.3490 (2) ?, b = 6.2273 (5) ?, c = 19.8610 (2) ?, ? =
109.787 (13)?, Z = 8 and unit cell volume is 2135.50 (4) ?3. Theoretical
calculations of the title compounds isolated molecule have been carried out
using DFT at the B3LYP level. The intermolecular interactions in the crystal
structure, for both the title PAHs, were analyzed using Hirshfeld surfaces
computational method.
Protection of crime victims by legal means: International and European law and policy
Authors: Groenhuijsen Marc
Published: July 2015

The article addresses the development of international and European policy in
relation to victims of crime. It starts with an outline of the 1985 United
Nations (UN) Declaration of Basic Principles of Justice for Victims of Crime
and Abuse of Power. It demonstrates that compliance by Member States with the
provisions of the Declaration is still unsatisfactory, despite serious
efforts by the UN to promote its standards and norms. A similar trend is
described on a regional level in Europe. In 2001, the European Union adopted
a Framework Decision (a legally binding instrument) on minimum rights for
crime victims in the criminal justice system. This document brought some
improvement to victims and their position compared to the UN Declaration,
particularly in terms of limit repeated questioning, advanced informational
rights, reimbursement of expenses and construction of court facilities.
Nevertheless, evaluations undertaken in 2004 and 2009 have proved that none
of the Member States fully complied with its content. This document was
replaced with the new one - the EU Directive on establishing minimum
standards on the rights, support and protection of victims of crime. It is
stronger instrument than the Framework Decision and it includes more
demanding standards. But, its implementation needs to be monitored.
Therefore, in the presentation it is argued that a lack of compliance is
usually followed by the adoption of an even stronger legal instrument,
containing even more ambitious rights for victims of crime. It is questioned
whether this is the most productive approach. It is doubted that ?hard law?
is always more effective than ?soft law?. The most recent generation of more
elevated rights run the risk of leading to ?victim fatigue? on the part of
the officials responsible for the operation of the criminal justice system.
Corruption in health care: Victims of white coat crime in Serbia
Authors: Vasiljevic-Prodanovic Danica
Published: July 2015

The subject of this paper is corruption in health care, with particular focus
on some forms of corruption that occur in direct interaction between doctor
and patient. These forms of corruption, conditionally called minor
corruption, are usually included within the criminal offenses of bribery and
abuse of official duty. The law stipulates that both offering and accepting a
bribe are criminal offenses. The question that arises is who are the victims
and who the perpetrators of ?white coat? crime? The aim of this paper is to
consider the phenomenological characteristics and mechanisms of minor
corruption in health care. This paper presents the results of the exploratory
study conducted in five medical institutions in Belgrade, during July 2014,
on a convenient sample of health workers who were willing to speak about this
sensitive topic.
Reflections on psychological and neuroaesthetics
Authors: Konecni Vladimir
Published: July 2015

The article offers observations about some aspects of the current
relationship between psychological aesthetics and neuroaesthetics. In
addition to criticism of the occasionally less than rigorous process of
inference in neuroaesthetics, reservations are expressed about the ability of
neuroaesthetics to address successfully, at least in the next few decades,
some seemingly key questions. Among them are those about the vertical
theoretical integration of data from different art modalities, as well as
about the relationship of various neural correlates, on one hand, and the
differential quality of aesthetic episodes, on the other - especially
episodes involving peak aesthetic experiences (such as aesthetic awe and
being-moved). The article concludes with several concrete suggestions for a
potentially interesting and fruitful collaboration of psychological
aesthetics and neuroaesthetics.
The refutation of counterfactual and conditional approaches to causation
Authors: Tadic Jovan
Published: July 2015

This article is concerned with applicability of the two models of causation -
counterfactual and conditional, within a framework defined by stipulated
causal relationship in which the cause can include several alternative sets
of atomic events. In the form of a thought experiment, it was examined if two
models of causation succeeded to reconstruct a stipulated reality. Logical
and empirical analysis showed that both models failed, pointing out to their
inherent weaknesses under selected conditions. The analysis also showed
logical nonequivalence between reconstructed and stipulated causations,
discovering deeper logical apart form the weaknesses in applicability of two
models. It was also demonstrated that real-life examples in which alternative
sets of antecedents act as causes are not rare, with reference to the Le
Chatelier's principle in chemistry, which provides a framework for
identification of whole series of similar causal situations.
Risk factors for calcium carbonate urolithiasis in goats
Authors: Nwaokorie Eugene E. , Osborne Carl A. , Lulich Jody P. , Fletcher Thomas F. , Ulrich Lisa K. , Koehler Lori A. , Buettner Michelle T.
Published: July 2015

Objective—To identify demographic or signalment factors associated with calcium carbonate urolith formation in goats.

Design—Retrospective case series and case-control study.

Animals—354 goats with calcium carbonate uroliths (case animals) and 16,366 goats without urinary tract disease (control animals).

Procedures—Medical records of the Minnesota Urolith Center were reviewed to identify case goats for which samples were submitted between January 1, 1984, and December 31, 2012. Control goats evaluated at US veterinary teaching hospitals in the same time period were identified by searching Veterinary Medical Database records. Age, breed, sex, reproductive status, geographic location, season, and anatomic location of collected uroliths were analyzed to identify risk or protective factors associated with calcium carbonate urolithiasis.

Results—Nigerian dwarf goats had higher odds of developing calcium carbonate uroliths than did Pygmy goats (reference group). Several breeds had lower odds of this finding, compared with Pygmy goats; odds were lowest for mixed, Anglo-Nubian, and Toggenburg breeds. Breeds of African origin (Pygmy, Nigerian Dwarf, and Boer) comprised 146 of 275 (53%) case goats with data available. Goats of African descent had a higher risk of developing calcium carbonate uroliths than did goats of non-African descent (reference group). Males and neutered goats had higher odds of calcium carbonate urolithiasis, compared with females and sexually intact goats, respectively. Age category, geographic location, and season were associated with detection of calcium carbonate uroliths.

Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—Goats with calcium carbonate uroliths were typically neutered males, > 1 year of age, and of African descent. This study identified factors associated with calcium carbonate urolithiasis in goats; however, these associations do not allow conclusions regarding cause-and-effect relationships.
Text–Independent Speaker Recognition Using Two–Dimensional Information Entropy
Authors: Božilović Boško , Todorović Branislav M. , Obradović Miroslav
Published: July 2015

Speaker recognition is the process of automatically recognizing who is speaking on the basis of speaker specific characteristics included in the speech signal. These speaker specific characteristics are called features. Over the past decades, extensive research has been carried out on various possible speech signal features obtained from signal in time or frequency domain. The objective of this paper is to introduce two-dimensional information entropy as a new text-independent speaker recognition feature. Computations are performed in time domain with real numbers exclusively. Experimental results show that the two-dimensional information entropy is a speaker specific characteristic, useful for speaker recognition.
Comparison of Algorithms For Fitting a Gaussian Function Used in Testing Smart Sensors
Authors: Pastuchová Elena , Zákopčan Michal
Published: July 2015

This article offers useful algorithms for estimating the parameters of the Gaussian curve fitted to observed data, gained in testing of sensors. Fitting was realized using two algorithms Caruanas and Guos, which have been compared.
Construction of Error Control Run Length Limited Codes Exploiting Some Parity Matrix Properties
Authors: Farkašová Katarína , Farkaš Peter , Rakús Martin , Rušický Eugen , Silva Adāo , Gameiro Atílio
Published: July 2015

Error control codes (ECC) as well as translation codes (TC) are used today in many different systems such as computer storages, communications systems and consumer electronic devices. ECC introduce redundancy into the encoded digital sequence in order to decrease the number of errors at output of its decoder [1]. TC introduce redundancy, in order to translate any digital sequence at the input of TC encoder to such output sequence, which fulfills constrains deduced from practical requirements. It is possible to construct codes, which have both of these properties, so called Transcontrol codes or their subclass error control run length limited (ECRLL) codes. In this manuscript a new approach to construction of EC-RLL codes is presented. The new construction is based on some parity check matrix properties of a linear binary block code from which the new EC-RLL code is obtained.
Tillich on the Ambiguity of Spiritual Presence: More Protestant Principle Than Catholic Substance?
Authors: Slater Peter
Published: July 2015

Abstract:

In his Systematic Theology, volume 3, Tillich's existentialist ontology led him to emphasize fragmentary moments in politics of individual realizations of theonomous (vs. autonomous or heteronomous) culture, rather than religiously grounded social agendas. By comparison with William Temple's religious socialism, Tillich's privileged the Protestant principle against idolizing leaders rather than the Catholic substance of sacramentally incarnated commonwealths.
Urban Railways in Buenos Aires
Authors: Fraser Benjamin
Published: July 2015

Mixing transportation studies, film analysis, and urban geography, this article looks at El tren blanco (The white train), a documentary film from 2003 by directors Nahuel García, Sheila Pérez Giménez, and Ramiro García. In light of work by train theorist Wolfgang Schivelbusch and urban geographer Henri Lefebvre, the documentary's interviews with cartoneros—cardboard workers who ride daily into central Buenos Aires to pick up recyclable goods—speak to the alienation and spatialization of class that characterize the contemporary urban experience. Following an urban cultural studies approach, attention is balanced between the social context of Buenos Aires itself and the film as an item of aesthetic value. In the end, it is important to pay attention both to the train car as a space in itself and to the historical and contemporary positioning of the train in larger-scale urban shifts.
Airlines, Interstates, and the Creation of “Flyover Country” in the United States
Authors: Harkins Anthony
Published: July 2015

This article considers the impact of cross-country air and interstate highway travel on changing conceptions of the land and regions of the United States. Focusing on air passenger and highway maps, promotional materials, and passenger and driver accounts from between the 1920s and the 1970s, it explores how airline and highway-based portraits transformed from highly detailed, if at times comical, representations of the nation's land and people to increasingly simplified and schematized visions of mere lines across space. These changes encouraged a steady erasure of formerly conceived regions and a growing imagining of the great center of the United States as “flyover country,” a place that needed to be quickly traversed to get to somewhere that actually matters.
Reviving Roadkill? Animals in the New Mobilities Studies
Authors: Swart Sandra
Published: July 2015

Conceptual work on the history of mobilities has been devoid of animation other than humans and their machines. The deafening automobility of the present has drowned out memories of an “animal past” teleologically, and the raucous rapidity of the mobile machine drives over the “animal present.” This article is an attempt to explore what a history of mobility that takes animals seriously might look like. It is based on the argument that living nonhuman creatures have their own mobilities and that these animobilities have shaped and been shaped by human societies. It is intended to open up historical narratives of a complex, shifting, nonlinear relationship between animals and changing human technologies of transport—as part of this journal's mission to rethink mobility and include more subaltern approaches. A key finding is that mobility's negative sociopolitical and environmental effects on different groups, in fact species, are inversely correlated to their proximity to power. This article touches on several research trajectories, but the focus is on control of mobility by the state, with case studies drawn from southern Africa's history.
Theoretical investigation of the mechanism and kinetics of the CH3NH2 +O(3P) reaction
Authors: Dehestani Maryam , Naghizadeh Razieh , Shojaie Fahimeh
Published: July 2015

We present the kinetics and mechanism of the reaction of O (3P) with CH3NH2. Geometries of all the stationary points involved in the reaction have been investigated at the B3LYP/6-311+G (d, p) level. We report the potential energy surface for all of the possible pathways by the Gaussian-2 G3B3 method. This is the first time one has gained a conclusive insight into the detailed mechanism and kinetics for this reaction. Using the Rice–Ramsperger–Kassel-Marcus (RRKM) theory, we have computed the rate constants for channels leading to several products over the temperature range 298–440 K. The main reaction channel is found to be addition of an oxygen atom to CH3NH2 followed by migration of an H atom from N to O atoms and loss of H2O, which agrees with experimental results (Slagle, Dudich, and Gutman (1979) J. Phys. Chem., 83). As experimental data are available for this reaction, we are able to conclude that our thermal rate constants are in agreement over a wide range of temperatures.
Pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic based dosing of ciprofloxacin in complicated urinary tract infections
Authors: Sabo Ana , Tomas Ana , Tomić Nataša , Mikov Momir , Horvat Olga , Popović Radmila , Tomić Zdenko
Published: July 2015

Ciprofloxacin is often used in treatment of complicated urinary tract infections in areas with high rates of resistance to first line agents. The aim of this study was to evaluate efficacy of ciprofloxacin in standard dosing regimens in treatment of complicated urinary tract infections. Plasma concentration curves were simulated and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and post-antibiotic effect were determined. Ciprofloxacin MIC ranged from 0.0156 for Gram-negative and to 0.125-0.5 µg/mL for Gram-positive bacteria. Both dosing regimens were suitable for eradication of Gram-negative bacteria, with slight supremacy of 750 mg/12 hours over 500 mg/12 hours dosing regimen. Even though all strains were fully susceptible to ciprofloxacin, pharmaco-kinetic/pharmacodynamic parameters did not meet target thresholds for pathogens with MIC over 0.1-0.2 µg/mL regardless of the administered dose. Ciprofloxacin remains an excellent choice for treatment of complicated urinary tract infections caused by Gram-negative bacteria, but in infection caused by Gram-positive strains, deeper analysis is necessary in order to achieve optimal results.

 
Genetic variability, correlation and path analysis for yield and yield components in promising rice (Oryza sativa L.) genotypes
Authors: Kishore NS , Srinivas T , Nagabhushanam U , Pallavi M , Sameera Sk
Published: July 2015

Seventy three rice varieties were evaluated for their variability with regards to yield and yield components. Estimates of heritability and genetic advance in per cent of mean were also obtained for the above traits. In addition, studies on character associations and path coefficients were also undertaken. The results revealed high variability, heritability and genetic advance in per cent of mean for grain yield while panicle bearing tillers and 1000 grain weight had recorded high heritability coupled with low genetic advance as per cent of mean. Further, yield was observed to be positively associated with panicle bearing tillers and number of filled grains per panicle and these characters were noticed to exert high direct effects on grain yield per plant. High indirect effects of most of the traits were noticed mostly through panicle bearing tillers per hill indicating importance of the trait as selection criteria in crop yield improvement programmes.SAARC J. Agri., 13(1): 99-108 (2015)
Extension of Small-Scale Postharvest Horticulture Technologies—A Model Training and Services Center
Authors: Kitinoja Lisa , Barrett Diane
Published: July 2015

A pilot Postharvest Training and Services Center (PTSC) was launched in October 2012 in Arusha, Tanzania as part of a United States Agency for International Development (USAID) funded project. The five key components of the PTSC are (1) training of postharvest trainers, (2) postharvest training and demonstrations for local small-scale clientele, (3) adaptive research, (4) postharvest services, and (5) retail sales of postharvest tools and supplies. During the years of 2011–2012, a one year e-learning program was provided to 36 young horticultural professionals from seven Sub-Saharan African countries. These postharvest specialists went on to train more than 13,000 local farmers, extension workers, food processors, and marketers in their home countries in the year following completion of their course. Evaluators found that these specialists had trained an additional 9300 people by November 2014. When asked about adoption by their local trainees, 79% reported examples of their trainees using improved postharvest practices. From 2012–2013, the project supported 30 multi-day training programs, and the evaluation found that many of the improved practices being promoted were adopted by the trainees and led to increased earnings. Three PTSC components still require attention. Research activities initiated during the project are incomplete, and successful sales of postharvest goods and services will require commitment and improved partnering.
Recent Development of Pd-Based Electrocatalysts for Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells
Authors: Meng Hui , Zeng Dongrong , Xie Fangyan
Published: July 2015

This review selectively summarizes the latest developments in the Pd-based cataysts for low temperature proton exchange membrane fuel cells, especially in the application of formic acid oxidation, alcohol oxidation and oxygen reduction reaction. The advantages and shortcomings of the Pd-based catalysts for electrocatalysis are analyzed. The influence of the structure and morphology of the Pd materials on the performance of the Pd-based catalysts were described. Finally, the perspectives of future trends on Pd-based catalysts for different applications were considered.
Emerging Environmental and Weather Challenges in Outdoor Sports
Authors: Brocherie Franck , Girard Olivier , Millet Grégoire
Published: July 2015

Given the climatic changes around the world and the growing outdoor sports participation, existing guidelines and recommendations for exercising in naturally challenging environments such as heat, cold or altitude, exhibit potential shortcomings. Continuous efforts from sport sciences and exercise physiology communities aim at minimizing the risks of environmental-related illnesses during outdoor sports practices. Despite this, the use of simple weather indices does not permit an accurate estimation of the likelihood of facing thermal illnesses. This provides a critical foundation to modify available human comfort modeling and to integrate bio-meteorological data in order to improve the current guidelines. Although it requires further refinement, there is no doubt that standardizing the recently developed Universal Thermal Climate Index approach and its application in the field of sport sciences and exercise physiology may help to improve the appropriateness of the current guidelines for outdoor, recreational and competitive sports participation. This review first summarizes the main environmental-related risk factors that are susceptible to increase with recent climate changes when exercising outside and offers recommendations to combat them appropriately. Secondly, we briefly address the recent development of thermal stress models to assess the thermal comfort and physiological responses when practicing outdoor activities in challenging environments.
Identity Authentication over Noisy Channels
Authors: Zheng Fanfan , Xiao Zhiqing , Zhou Shidong , Wang Jing , Huang Lianfen
Published: July 2015

Identity authentication is the process of verifying users’ validity. Unlike classical key-based authentications, which are built on noiseless channels, this paper introduces a general analysis and design framework for identity authentication over noisy channels. Specifically, the authentication scenarios of single time and multiple times are investigated. For each scenario, the lower bound on the opponent’s success probability is derived, and it is smaller than the classical identity authentication’s. In addition, it can remain the same, even if the secret key is reused. Remarkably, the Cartesian authentication code proves to be helpful for hiding the secret key to maximize the secrecy performance. Finally, we show a potential application of this authentication technique.
Online Fault Identification Based on an Adaptive Observer for Modular Multilevel Converters Applied to Wind Power Generation Systems
Authors: Liu Hui , Ma Ke , Loh Poh , Blaabjerg Frede
Published: July 2015

Due to the possibility of putting a large number of modules consisting of switches and capacitors connected in series, the modular multilevel converter (MMC) can easily be scaled to high power and high voltage power conversion, which is an attractive feature for filter-less and transformer-less design and helpful to achieve high efficiency. However, a significantly increased amount of sub-modules in a MMC may increase the requirements for sensors and also increase the risk of failures. As a result, fault detection and diagnosis of MMC sub-modules are of great importance for continuous operation and post-fault maintenance. Therefore, in this paper, an effective fault diagnosis technique for real-time diagnosis of the switching device faults covering both the open-circuit faults and the short-circuit faults in MMC sub-modules is proposed, in which the faulty phase and the fault type is detected by analyzing the difference among the three output load currents, while the localization of the faulty switches is achieved by comparing the estimation results by the adaptive observer. In contrast to other methods that use additional sensors or devices, the presented technique uses the measured phase currents only, which are already available for MMC control. In additional, its operation, effectiveness and robustness are confirmed by simulation results under different operating conditions and load conditions.
Occurrence of Listeria monocytogenes in Ready-to-Eat Meat Products and Meat Processing Plants in Spain
Authors: Gómez Diego , Iguácel Laura , Rota Mª , Carramiñana Juan , Ariño Agustín , Yangüela Javier
Published: July 2015

The aim of this work was to study the occurrence of Listeria monocytogenes in several types of ready-to-eat (RTE) meat products and in the environment of meat processing plants. A total of 129 samples of RTE meat products and 110 samples from work surfaces and equipment were analyzed. L. monocytogenes was detected in 6 out of 35 cooked products (17.14%), 21 out of 57 raw-cured products (36.84%), and 9 out of 37 dry-cured, salted products (24.32%). The number of sample units that exceeded the food safety limit of 100 cfu/g decreased from the manufacture date to half shelf life, and then it was further reduced at the end of shelf life. L. monocytogenes was detected in 25 out of 110 (22.72%) food contact surfaces. The number of positive and negative results from both food and environmental samples were cross-tabulated and the calculated Cohen’s kappa coefficient (κ) was 0.3233, indicating a fair agreement in terms of Listeria contamination. L. monocytogenes was recovered after cleaning and disinfection procedures in four plants, highlighting the importance of thorough cleaning and disinfection.
Comparison of a Restricted and Unrestricted Vegan Diet Plan with a Restricted Omnivorous Diet Plan on Health-Specific Measures
Authors: Bloomer Richard , Gunnels Trint , Schriefer JohnHenry
Published: July 2015

Background: We have previously noted beneficial health outcomes when individuals follow a dietary restriction plan in accordance with the Daniel Fast (DF). This is true whether individuals eliminate all animal products or include small amounts of meat and dairy in their plan. The present study sought to compare anthropometric and biochemical measures of health in individuals following a traditional DF (i.e., restricted vegan) or modified DF (i.e., restricted omnivorous; inclusive of ad libitum meat and skim milk consumption), with those following an unrestricted vegan diet plan. Methods: 35 subjects (six men; 29 women; 33 ± 2 years; range: 18–67 years) completed a 21-day diet plan. Subjects reported to the lab for pre- (day 1) and post-intervention testing (day 22) in a 10 h fasted state. Blood samples were collected and assayed for complete blood count, metabolic panel, lipid panel, insulin, HOMA-IR, C-reactive protein, and oxidative stress biomarkers (malondialdehyde, advanced oxidation protein products, and nitrate/nitrite). Heart rate and blood pressure were measured and body composition was determined via dual energy X-ray absorptiometry. Subjects’ self-reported compliance, mental and physical health, and satiety in relation to the dietary modification were recorded. Results: No interaction effects were noted for our outcome measures (p > 0.05). However, subjects in the traditional DF group reported an approximate 10% increase in perceived mental and physical health, with a 25% reduction in malondialdehyde and a 33% reduction in blood insulin. Systolic BP was reduced approximately 7 mmHg in subjects assigned to the traditional DF, with an approximate 5 mmHg reduction in subjects assigned to the modified DF and the unrestricted vegan plan. A small (2 mmHg) reduction in diastolic BP was noted for subjects in both DF groups; a slight increase in diastolic BP was noted for subjects assigned to the unrestricted vegan group. An approximate 20% reduction was noted in total and LDL cholesterol for subjects in the traditional DF group, with an approximate 10% decrease for subjects in the modified DF group. No decrease in total or LDL cholesterol was noted for subjects in the unrestricted vegan group. Conclusion: These data indicate that both a traditional or modified DF may improve blood pressure and blood lipids in a clinically meaningful manner if these results are sustained over the long term. A traditional DF also results in a significant reduction in blood insulin and oxidative stress. An unrestricted vegan diet may improve systolic blood pressure, but in the absence of measures to strictly monitor adherence, it does not favorably impact other markers of health measured in the present study.
The Promises and Challenges of Ecological Momentary Assessment in Schizophrenia: Development of an Initial Experimental Protocol
Authors: Gaudiano Brandon , Moitra Ethan , Ellenberg Stacy , Armey Michael
Published: July 2015

Severe mental illnesses, including schizophrenia and other psychotic-spectrum disorders, are a major cause of disability worldwide. Although efficacious pharmacological and psychosocial interventions have been developed for treating patients with schizophrenia, relapse rates are high and long-term recovery remains elusive for many individuals. Furthermore, little is still known about the underlying mechanisms of these illnesses. Thus, there is an urgent need to better understand the contextual factors that contribute to psychosis so that they can be better targeted in future interventions. Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) is a dynamic procedure that permits the measurement of variables in natural settings in real-time through the use of brief assessments delivered via mobile electronic devices (i.e., smartphones). One advantage of EMA is that it is less subject to retrospective memory biases and highly sensitive to fluctuating environmental factors. In the current article, we describe the research-to-date using EMA to better understand fluctuating symptoms and functioning in patients with schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders and potential applications to treatment. In addition, we describe a novel EMA protocol that we have been employing to study the outcomes of patients with schizophrenia following a hospital discharge. We also report the lessons we have learned thus far using EMA methods in this challenging clinical population.
Limitations to Thermoregulation and Acclimatization Challenge Human Adaptation to Global Warming
Authors: Hanna Elizabeth , Tait Peter
Published: July 2015

Human thermoregulation and acclimatization are core components of the human coping mechanism for withstanding variations in environmental heat exposure. Amidst growing recognition that curtailing global warming to less than two degrees is becoming increasing improbable, human survival will require increasing reliance on these mechanisms. The projected several fold increase in extreme heat events suggests we need to recalibrate health protection policies and ratchet up adaptation efforts. Climate researchers, epidemiologists, and policy makers engaged in climate change adaptation and health protection are not commonly drawn from heat physiology backgrounds. Injecting a scholarly consideration of physiological limitations to human heat tolerance into the adaptation and policy literature allows for a broader understanding of heat health risks to support effective human adaptation and adaptation planning. This paper details the physiological and external environmental factors that determine human thermoregulation and acclimatization. We present a model to illustrate the interrelationship between elements that modulate the physiological process of thermoregulation. Limitations inherent in these processes, and the constraints imposed by differing exposure levels, and thermal comfort seeking on achieving acclimatization, are then described. Combined, these limitations will restrict the likely contribution that acclimatization can play in future human adaptation to global warming. We postulate that behavioral and technological adaptations will need to become the dominant means for human individual and societal adaptations as global warming progresses.
Extraction of 3,4,4′-Trichlorocarbanilide from Rat Fecal Samples for Determination by High Pressure Liquid Chromatography–Tandem Mass Spectrometry
Authors: Kennedy Rebekah , Fling Russell , Terry Paul , Menn Fu-Min , Chen Jiangang , Borman Christopher
Published: July 2015

Triclocarban (3,4,4′-Trichlorocarbanilide; TCC) in the environment has been well documented. Methods have been developed to monitor TCC levels from various matrices including water, sediment, biosolids, plants, blood and urine; however, no method has been developed to document the concentration of TCC in fecal content after oral exposure in animal studies. In the present study, we developed and validated a method that uses liquid extraction coupled with HPLC-MS/MS determination to measure TCC in feces. The limit of detection and limit of quantitation in control rats without TCC exposure was 69.0 ng/g and 92.9 ng/g of feces, respectively. The base levels of TCC in feces were lower than LOD. At 12 days of treatment, the fecal TCC concentration increased to 2220 µg/g among 0.2% w/w exposed animals. The concentration in fecal samples decreased over the washout period in 0.2% w/w treated animals to 0.399 µ/g feces after exposure was removed for 28 days. This method required a small amount of sample (0.1 g) with simple sample preparation. Given its sensitivity and efficiency, this method may be useful for monitoring TCC exposure in toxicological studies of animals.
Prototype of a Web-based Participative Decision Support Platform in Natural Hazards and Risk Management
Authors: Aye Zar , Jaboyedoff Michel , Derron Marc-Henri , Van Westen Cees
Published: July 2015

This paper presents the current state and development of a prototype web-GIS (Geographic Information System) decision support platform intended for application in natural hazards and risk management, mainly for floods and landslides. This web platform uses open-source geospatial software and technologies, particularly the Boundless (formerly OpenGeo) framework and its client side software development kit (SDK). The main purpose of the platform is to assist the experts and stakeholders in the decision-making process for evaluation and selection of different risk management strategies through an interactive participation approach, integrating web-GIS interface with decision support tool based on a compromise programming approach. The access rights and functionality of the platform are varied depending on the roles and responsibilities of stakeholders in managing the risk. The application of the prototype platform is demonstrated based on an example case study site: Malborghetto Valbruna municipality of North-Eastern Italy where flash floods and landslides are frequent with major events having occurred in 2003. The preliminary feedback collected from the stakeholders in the region is discussed to understand the perspectives of stakeholders on the proposed prototype platform.