bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Legislating community engagement at the Australian local government level
Authors: Christensen Helen 
Published: April 2019

Community engagement has assumed a more salient role in the operations of Australia’s local governments. A vast number of legislative instruments and reporting requirements are imposed upon local governments by the states and the Northern Territory across Australia’s seven local government jurisdictions. Consequently, a set of identifiable practices is solidifying as a core element of local government practice and state–local relations. However, while practices have recently proliferated, it is easy to forget that they are relatively new. This article examines the legislative frameworks of Australian local government systems by chronologically mapping the development of legislation and other reporting requirements. It is argued that community engagement now occupies a central place in local government, and that the jurisdictions use four different types of approaches, often simultaneously, which can fruitfully be described as ‘prescriptive’, ‘aspirational’, ‘empowering’ and ‘hedging’. The discussion draws comparative observations and identifies key issues and challenges for the future of community engagement.
KeywordsCommunity engagement; Australia; local government; public participation; legislation
Reduced phosphorus loads from the Loire and Vilaine rivers were accompanied by increasing eutrophication in the Vilaine Bay (south Brittany, France)
Authors: Ratmaya Widya , Soudant Dominique , Salmon-Monviola Jordy , Plus Martin , Cochennec-Laureau Nathalie , Goubert Evelyne , Andrieux-Loyer Françoise , Barillé Laurent , Souchu Philippe 
Published: April 2019

Abstract. The evolution of eutrophication parameters (i.e., nutrients and phytoplankton
biomass) during recent decades was examined in coastal waters of the Vilaine
Bay (VB, France) in relation to changes in the Loire and Vilaine rivers.
Dynamic linear models were used to study long-term trends and seasonality of
dissolved inorganic nutrient and chlorophyll a concentrations (Chl a) in
rivers and coastal waters. For the period 1997–2013, the reduction in
dissolved riverine inorganic phosphorus (DIP) concentrations led to the
decrease in their Chl a levels. However, while dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) concentrations decreased only slightly in the Vilaine, they increased
in the Loire, specifically in summer. Simultaneously, phytoplankton in the VB
underwent profound changes with increase in biomass and change in the timing
of the annual peak from spring to summer. The increase in phytoplankton
biomass in the VB, manifested particularly by increased summer diatom
abundances, was due to enhanced summer DIN loads from the Loire, sustained by
internal regeneration of DIP and dissolved silicate (DSi) from sediments. The
long-term trajectories of this case study evidence that significant reduction
of P inputs without simultaneous N abatement was not yet sufficient to
control eutrophication all along the Loire–Vilaine–VB continuum. Upstream
rivers reveal indices of recoveries following the significant diminution of
P, while eutrophication continues to increase downstream, especially when N
is the limiting factor. More N input reduction, paying particular attention
to diffuse N sources, is required to control eutrophication in receiving VB
coastal waters. Internal benthic DIP and DSi recycling appears to have
contributed to the worsening of summer VB water quality, augmenting the
effects of anthropogenic DIN inputs. For this coastal ecosystem, nutrient
management strategies should consider the role played by internal nutrient
loads to tackle eutrophication processes.
The Epistemological Turn in World Christianity: Engaging Decoloniality in Latin American and Caribbean Christian Discourses
Authors: Barreto Raimundo C. 
Published: April 2019

ABSTRACT
This article critically inquires into world Christianity discourse and its methodological tools from a Latin American perspective. It argues that since world Christianity’s initial concepts and theories derived to a large extent from the African experience and from a pronounced Anglo-Saxon perspective, its methodological tools may not automatically apply to Latin America. Given the interdisciplinary and intercontextual nature of the field, world Christianity scholarship requires the use of a variety of methods and approaches that take seriously the reality and location of peoples, communities, and discourses with whom scholars partner for the production of knowledge. With a focus on Latin America, the author brings world Christianity discourse into conversation with Latin American decolonial theory. The backdrop of this conversation is the revitalization of indigenous communities and religions in Latin America, and their contribution to a fresh view of interculturality as a language for a life betwixt and between in the region.
The Hermeneutics of Contemplation and World Christianity
Authors: Müller Retief , Pretorius Helgard 
Published: April 2019

ABSTRACT
World Christianity attracts attention from a wide array of scholars, including theologians and religious studies scholars. However, do these approaches communicate with each other? Should they? Or may a hardening of disciplinary and conceptual boundaries be expected, and even preferred? The principal problem informing this article is an abiding dichotomy between theology on the one hand and religious studies approaches on the other. From our perspective, the question is whether theologically oriented research in world Christianity can be of value across the academic spectrum. Or are theological studies conceptually confined by the walls of their own normative commitments? The authors argue that maintaining an open threshold between different disciplines in the study of “other” expressions of world Christianity is important and that this may require that theologically rooted researchers adopt what the philosopher of religion D. Z. Phillips calls a “hermeneutics of contemplation.” In an important book on the subject, Phillips—addressing religious studies scholars rather than theologians—identifies theology with what he terms the “hermeneutics of recollection,” and secular theories of religion with the “hermeneutics of suspicion.” When the latter approach is shown to fall short of doing justice to religious complexity, Phillips posits the “hermeneutics of contemplation” as a more appropriate response to the religious other. We ask whether the reverse may also hold true for theologians, namely, a shift in disposition from a hermeneutics of recollection to contemplation? To ground the theoretical discussion, reference is made to research on the theme of rain rituals and prayers.
Looking for Langston: Themes of Religion, Sexuality, and Evasion in the Life and Work of Langston Hughes
Authors: Best Wallace 
Published: April 2019

ABSTRACT
Langston Hughes wrote as much about religion as he did any other topic. His evasiveness about his own “personal” religion, however, has prevented forthright analyses of his religious writings, leading to the false conclusion that he was antireligious. Hughes was just as evasive about his sexuality even though he is widely considered to have been gay. I contend that Hughes's evasiveness about religion and sexuality was strategic and a style of life that eschewed the notion of fixed identities. Hughes's approach to religion was not static and his sexuality was most likely on a spectrum, making attempts to mark him religiously or in terms of a particular sexual identity difficult, if not impossible. What we learn from Hughes's example is that a lack of personal faith does not equate anti-religiosity and that one's sexuality can be a matter of personal construction. Contemporary notions of “the closet” and the performance of “coming out” most often police the personal construction of sexuality while it affirms normalcy and the religious and sexual status quo.
The Timeliness of Langston Hughes
Authors: Campbell James T. 
Published: April 2019

ABSTRACT
Originally presented as a closing comment at the 2017 “Remembering Langston Hughes” conference, this essay explores the timeliness of Hughes's work in two distinct senses. First, it places Hughes in the context of the post–World War I decade, a transformative moment not only in African American culture but also in American culture as a whole. Second, it examines Hughes's uncanny ability to speak across time, to speak directly, pointedly, to the changing circumstances in which we find ourselves, both as individuals and as a society. The essay closes with a short reflection on the relevance of Hughes and his work to American politics today.
De blik naar buiten: bestuurlijke verbouwingen in het buitenland
Authors: Koppenjan Joop , Dicke Willemijn 
Published: April 2019

Looking beyond the Dutch borders: Administrative reforms and developments in 5 countries worldwide
In this special issue, recent public sector reforms in South Africa, Denmark, Belgium, Mexico, Singapore and Denmark are analysed. Reforms in the public sector are by and large explained as a chronological development from traditional bureaucracy, via New Public Management to New Public Governance. This is also the way the many administrative reforms in the Dutch public sector are often explained.The articles give insight in the administrative developments in these countries and their background. They also offer the opportunity to make comparisons with administrative developments in the Netherlands, and to draw lessons. The analyses show that the dominant explanation of reforms in the public sector (from traditional bureaucracy, to New Public Management to New Public Governance) is helpful in making sense of administrative developments, but they put this explanation into perspective too.For the Dutch situation yet another insight came to light. We often complain that the Dutch processes are cumbersome, take long and involve many -if not all- stakeholders. A close reading of the contributions from abroad must inevitably change this pejorative view on our national sport: the cumbersome process provides valuable checks and balances, that will help to fight the drawbacks and risks that we have seen in the international cases.
Strategische planning en fusies in Vlaamse gemeenten
Authors: George Bert 
Published: April 2019

Strategic planning and mergers in Flemish municipalities: An essay on Flemish experiences with new public management reforms
In the past years, Flemish municipalities have been confronted with a plethora of new public management reforms. The two probably most salient reforms include the introduction of a strategic planning system entitled the policy and management cycle (PMC) as well as the provision of financial incentives for municipalities that undertake a merger. These reforms are not unique to the Flemish context. Indeed, similar reforms took place in the Netherlands, where policy and management instruments (PMI) – a strategic planning system – were introduced in the eighties and municipal mergers have been part of the political agenda for several decades. But similar reforms also took place in, for instance, the United Kingdom (i.e. the best value regime in 1999) as well as Denmark (i.e. the municipal mergers in 2007). In this essay, these Flemish reforms are critically evaluated, taking into account following question: which public values are triggered through these reforms, and what might this imply for the Flemish and Dutch local public sector? This essay uses new public governance principles such as strategic thinking and the learning organisation to answer this question.
Interventions in High-conflict Divorce Cases: The Parenting Examination
Authors: Kluwer Esther , van Leuven Cees 
Published: April 2019

Interventions in High-Conflict Divorce Cases: The Parenting Examination
The Parenting examination (in Dutch: ouderschapsonderzoek) is a method that is used in high-conflict divorces in the Netherlands since 2008, whereby the court appoints a forensic expert who uses mediation and coaching techniques to support the parents to find a solution for their dispute. When parents fail to reach agreement, the forensic expert reports to the judge who can use this information to make a decision. This article discusses the results of two studies that have been conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of the Parenting examination in practice.
Assessing the Level of Awareness of Health Hazards Associated with Operations of Medium-Scale DPK Vendors Using Motorized Pumps with ASTs in Ilorin Metropolis, Kwara State, Nigeria
Authors: Ibrahim Moshood Liman , Sawyerr Henry Olawale , Timothy Adeolu Adedotun , Shehu Wasiu Temitope , Otubela Khadijat , Oladimeji Lateefat 
Published: April 2019

Introduction: The continuous trend in the increase of diseases and death associated mostly with hazards from the use and transportation of kerosene; coupled with tens of millions of Nigerians depending on it - as a substitute for stoves, cooking and an erratic electric power supply for lamp illumination, this could be as a result of low awareness of these risks amongst kerosene suppliers and retailers. Kerosene being a highly inflammable substance is a major factor in various fire burn injuries, child poisoning incidences reported across the country. Thus, numerous studies have been conducted on petrol stations and refineries; with little focusing on kerosene vendors and the operations of these vendors.
Objectives: This study assessed the level of awareness of health hazards associated with operations of medium-scale DPK vendors using motorized pumps with Aboveground Storage Tanks (ASTs) in Ilorin Metropolis, Kwara State, Nigeria.
Methodology: The study adopted a purposive sampling technique. Data was collected with the aid of a structured questionnaire (to elicit the information on the operation of DPK vendors, health hazards and safety measure with their operations), observational checklist and Handheld Germin (GPSmap® 78) GPS.
Results: There was over 2000% increase in the establishment of DPK vendors within Ilorin metropolis from two in 2007 to seventy-six in 2017 with highest (48) found in Ilorin West LGA. A higher percentage of the DPK vendors (77.6%) lack the awareness on the health hazards associated with their operations; with a large proportion of the DPK vendors not engaging in basic safety practices. Few (7.9%) have fire extinguishers and majority (88.5%) of the DPK vendors not using the personal protective equipment (PPEs). The geospatial assessment of the DPK vendors also revealed that only two fire stations are found within Ilorin metropolis with 71% of the DPK vendors lacking the knowledge of their locations and all were ignorant of the fire station emergency numbers in case of fire mishaps. There is significant association between basic safety precaution practices and awareness on health and environmental hazards among DPK vendors.
Conclusion: The study revealed there is an uncontrolled proliferation of DPK vendors, low awareness level on the health hazards associated with their operations, lack of compliance to basic safety practices and high level of non-compliance to the use of PPEs. There is need for massive awareness campaign on the various health hazards associated with DPK vendors operations, basic precaution practices, the use of safety wears, fire stations emergency numbers and the precautions to avoid fire outbreaks and other disasters associated with their trade is sacrosanct.
Carbon Stock as Related to Fallow Age in the Sudano-Guinea Savannahs of Ngaoundere, Adamawa, Cameroon
Authors: Ibrahima Adamou , Saolo Platini Nguilandi , Fanta Chimène Abib 
Published: April 2019

Aim/Objectives: In order to assess the fallow contribution on the carbon cycle and soil organic matter restoration, a study of the carbon dynamics was undertaken in fallow systems of 1, 2, 5 and 20 years old in the Ngaoundere savannahs of Cameroon.
Methodology: Carbon stock was estimated in 100 m2 plot for shrubs, in 1 m2 plot for understorey, litter and earthworm casts, and 0.0625m2 plot for fine roots and soil. The experimental design was randomised complete block with three replicates. The age of fallows was the mean treatment whereas the plots were the replicates.
Results: The results showed that the phytomass increased with fallow age, except that of shrubs. Soils and earthworm casts were the mean carbon sinks in the four fallows, with more than 55.61% and 26.24% of the total carbon stock respectively in the soil and earthworm casts. The total carbon stock increased with fallow age, from 34.54 in the young fallows to 154.52 tC.ha-1 in the old fallows. In the same way, vegetation and soil carbon increased with fallow age except that of shrub. The results showed that the carbon stock was influenced by floristic composition and spatial distribution of the vegetation, which related to fallow age.
Conclusion: These preliminary results will contribute to the understanding of the impact of fallow age on the global carbon cycle and awareness in the conservation of fallows for the environment protection.
The State’s Role in Strategy of the Implementation of Higher Education’s Self-Governance in Vietnam
Authors: An Dinh Nguyen 
Published: April 2019

This scientific paper evaluates and classifies the current degree of self-governance of Vietnam higher education institutions as well as the State’s role (through policy system) in the implementation of the self-governance’s strategy of Vietnam (shown in 5 different levels: Very high, high, medium, low, very low).
In this paper, we used some methods, such as specific research method of survey, international experience’ reference and refer to and survey the trends, the nature of the higher education self-governance in a number of universities around the world.
The results of the paper show that the levels of the higher education’s self-governance are inversely proportional to the State intervention. That is, higher education institution is more in self-governance, then the State mainly performs the supervisory function; the higher education institution is less in self-governance, then the State mainly performs a control function.
Besides, Vietnam higher education institutions are considered by the most of the respondents to be average, low and low and very low levels in their self-governance; especially in the financial realm in which including the right to pay for the lecturers by agreement, tuition, material infrastructure and financial expenditure. That is, most of Vietnam higher education institutions do not have much self-governance, it is synonymous with that the State’s control role is still very large, while its supervision’s role is limited. The opinions of the respondents also showed that the function of State management was not changed or changed slowly compared with the development trend of the higher education system.
Based on the above-mentioned assessment of the State’s role, the authors recommend:

For the State: To build a number of world-class universities in the Vietnamese conditions; To convert a management model from control’s model to monitoring one; To enhance the State management’s effectiveness and efficiency; To reduce the State’s intervention toward the universities.
For the higher education institutions: Be active, be creative and to take the initiative; To determine and identify an opportunities and challenges in higher education’s self-governance; To train and foster the staff of lecturers; To reform goals & targets, objectives, contents, methods and training’s programs; To increase a transparency and social accountability.
Comparison of Wearable and Non-wearable Technologies on Global CO2 Levels
Authors: Mayenberger Alexandra , Schulz Britta 
Published: April 2019

Many leading analysts would agree that, had it not been for kernels, the refinement of su- perblocks might have never occurred. Given the current status of “fuzzy” symmetries, theorists daringly desire the analysis of e-business. Our focus in this paper is on whether robots and their entanglement with human nature, seen in bionic creatures or similar, can be a decisive influence on the global CO2 levels due to their replacement of non-robotic wearables such as clothes. We therefore explored a novel system for the refinement of SCSI disks (robotic wearables).
Aims: To compare and calculate the influence of non-robotic and robotic wearable technology and its influence on global CO2 levels.
Study Design: Comparative Study.
Place and duration of Study: Institute for Applied Basic Industrial Research IFABIR, between March 2018 and April 2018.
Methodology: We included 40 participants (38 men, 2 women; age range 18-20 years) with wearable technology incorporated or on their body, with the target group representing the use of these technologies in reality. Personal observations by participants led to statistical analysis about their validity and were, if granted, further analyzed and calculated by us and compared to existing numbers.
Results: The climactic analysis of the first two experiments showed aligning results with g(n) = n. Furthermore, simulating red-black trees rather than emulating them in software produced less discretized, more reproducible results. Similarly, these energy observations contrast to those seen in earlier work.
Conclusion: Our paper clearly showed that non-invasive, robotic wearables can have a positive influence on global CO2 levels, if they stand in alliance with global geographical trends and vegetation.
In vitro Evaluation of Antifungal Activity of Virgin Coconut oil and White Palm Kernel Oil on Candida Species-Experimental Study
Authors: Kamga Hortense Gonsu , Essama Sarah Riwom , Napa Tchuedji Yves Le Grand , Boda Maurice , Voundi Olugu Stève Henri , Betote Diboue Patrick , Mbamyah Emilia Lyonga , Baiye William Abange , Chafa Betbeui Anicette , Ekwin Francis , Etoa Francois-Xavier 
Published: April 2019

Aims: The aim of this study is to evaluate in vitro the antifungal activity of virgin coconut oil and the white palm kernel oil on the growth of six species of the genus Candida.
Study Design: This study is an experimental study.
Place and Duration of the Study: Department of Microbiology, Laboratory of Microbiology of the University of Yaoundé I. Laboratory of Bacteriology, Yaoundé University teaching Hospital between April to September 2017.
Methodology: We included six species of Candida. The method of diffusion discs in agar medium was used for Sensitivity tests and macro-dilution in liquid medium was used for dilution.
Results: Majority of the species tested were resistant to conventional antifungals used. Candida hoemulonii was the most sensitive species to virgin coconut oil with percentages of inhibitions higher than 50 % when the concentration of oil was only 3.125 mg/mL and a maximum inhibition percentage of 90.10 % when the concentration of oil was 100 mg/mL. Candida albicans, was the least susceptible species to virgin coconut oil with a maximum inhibition percentage of 59.85 % when the concentration of oil was 100 mg/mL. Candida lipolytica was the most sensitive specie to white palm kernel oil with a maximum inhibition percentage of 90,26 % when the concentration of oil was 100 mg/mL and Candida parapsilosis was the least susceptible species to white palm kernel oil with a maximum inhibition percentage of 52,69 % at the same concentration. In addition, the white palm kernel oil which was more active (P˂0.05) than virgin coconut oil was introduced in the Sabouraud broth and the MIC and MFC obtained with Fluconazole was lower on Candida albicans and Candida parapsilosis compared to activity of Fluconazole without palm kernel oil in the medium. Nystatin showed also lower MIC and MFC values on Candida parapsilosis when palm kernel oil was present in the culture medium.
Conclusion: These results prove that these oils can be used to develop antifungals drugs.