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In this study, we report the green synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using Zanthoxylum armatum stem extract. The characteristic absorption at 385 nm suggested synthesis of AgNPs which was further confirmed by SEM, with a size in the range of 46.66 nm to 60.12 nm and a spherical shape, having an FCC structure, analyzed by XRD. FTIR analysis revealed the presence of phenol and secondary alcohol groups over the AgNPS. The elemental composition was further investigated by FESEM-EDX analysis which revealed the presence of silver in the synthesis nanoparticles. The synthesized silver nanoparticles exhibited antimicrobial activity against tested microorganisms with a zone of inhibition of 21 mm for Staphylococcus aureus, 17 mm for Pseudomonas aeruginosa, 18 mm for Salmonella enteric, and 18 mm for Escherichia coli. Overall, the results showed that the green silver nanoparticles could be safe, as they are capable of potential antimicrobial activity against S. aureus.

High purity ultrathin Ag-assisted titania (TiO2) nanowires with controlled aspect ratio were prepared by a facile solvothermal approach. The dimensions of as-prepared nanowire structures such as length and diameter can be easily tuned from 100 nm to 3 nm and from few millimeters to several hundred nanometers respectively by optimizing concentration of precursors and octadecylamine (ODA) as surfactant. The as-prepared samples were studied and characterized by several analytical techniques like transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES), surface area measurement through Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and diffused reflectance spectroscopy (DRS). The main focus of present research work is the size-controlled synthesis of Ag assisted TiO2 nanowires and enhancement of their methylene blue (MB) degradation efficiency. A 98% photodegradation efficiency for methylene blue was achieved by utilizing 3nm thick annealed TiO2 nanowires within 20min. Recyclability of photocatalyst was also studied, with the material being found to be stable up to four runs.

Shariah is all about Islamic laws, Muslims throughout the world follow Islamic rules. Islamic laws are based on the Quran (the book revealed by Allah towards its last messenger Prophet Mohammed (SAW) (peace be upon him) and Hadith i.e., the teachings by its last messenger. Muslims follow shariah principles which covers every aspect of a person’s life, business, economic, dealings, culture, character building, etc. The ambit of shariah laws covers from birth to death. The major portion of teaching by the Quran and Hadith is based on dealings (Muamalaat) culture (Muashirat) and character building (Akhlakiyaat). More than 40 years have passed since Islamic banking and finance started. In these four decades, almost all major countries of the world have experienced this system. Islamic Finance in general has developed beyond the boundaries. It is incredibly increasing by leaps and bounds. It can be justified with the help of data. Globally the share of Islamic Finance assets in 2019 with respect to Islamic Banking was about US $ 1993. Interestingly it has spread its wings to 74 countries. The market size of Islamic Banking assets rose to US $ 2 trillion in 2019. The annual growth rate of Islamic Banking assets is 14%. There is a share of 6% of Islamic Banking Assets in total Global Banking Assets in 2019. FinTech is the outcome of 2 terms one is financing and other is technology. With the advent of Islamic Banking and Finance, it is necessary to adopt innovative tools which help the Islamic Banking and finance spread its wings in customized manner. It is a need of the hour that Islamic Finance should incorporate Fintech in its operation. Jarmo Kotilaine, the chief economist at the Bahrain Economic Development Board (EDB) famously summarized: “When it comes to technology, what applies in conventional banking also applies in Islamic banking.

Water is a precious natural resource. Unfortunately, bodies of water become polluted by waste, such as untreated wastewater and detritus, along with oil spills, with minimum or no consideration for their limited capacity to renew themselves. Among these pollutants, dyes are harmful as they are persistent and not biodegradable in nature. The present study demonstrates the removal of crystal violet (CV), a toxic cationic dye, by using three systems: Peroxymonosulfate (PMS), UV-254 nm radiation and UV/P5MS. The effects of various parameters, such as the effects of the initial dose of crystal violet, initial concentration of PMS, pH, typical inorganic ions, etc., were also investigated. The effect of pH was investigated in the range of 1.92–12.07. Similarly, the effect of various anions such as NO2•−, HCO3•−, CO3•2−, SO4•2− and CH3COO•− was investigated for the degradation of target pollutants. The order of degradation of crystal violet was UV/PMS > PMS > UV with removal efficiencies of 97%, 76% and 42%, respectively, at reaction times of 60 min. The degradation of crystal violet was enhanced significantly at a pH range of 10.52–12.07. Electrical energy per order (EE/O) values for UV/PMS, PMS and UV were calculated to be 1.68, 3.62 and 48.96 KWh/m3/order, respectively. The addition of inorganic ions inhibited the removal of CV in the order of SO4•2− > NO2•− > HCO3•− > CO3•2− > CH3COO•−. Moreover, the kinetic studies on the degradation of CV by the UV-254 nm, PMS, and UV/PMS systems, were also carried out and found to follow pseudo-first-order kinetics. The study revealed that oxidation processes are most efficacious for the removal of organic dyes from wastewater.

PurposeThis study aims to highlight the significance of Performance Measurement System (PMS) as an “interactive” system that adapts to the organization's peculiar operational setup, thereby delivering optimal employee performance management benefits. Using Schatzki's (2002) “site of the social” theoretical conceptualization, it aims to empirically investigate the influence PMS's such strategic adaptation could have on employees' team performance through its mediating effect on improving organizational learning and knowledge sharing.Design/methodology/approachIn pursuit of the set objective, we conducted a survey of 200 employees in public accounting firms located in the two major Indonesian cities of Jakarta and Surabaya. The survey yielded 89 responses of which 87 were deemed fit for empirical analyses. The statistical analyses of the data were performed using SmartPLS.FindingsThe statistical analyses using SmartPLS found evidence that the strategic use of the PMS positively influences team performance, both directly and indirectly, through its role in enhancing organizational learning; however, its role in enhancing knowledge sharing did not demonstrate leveraging team performance.Research limitations/implicationsThe study conclusions are based on a relatively small data sample and the context of a developing economy, and, hence, need to be replicated with caution.Originality/valueThe study contributes to the management accounting theory and practice and emphasizes the strategic use of PMS to help improve organizational performance. Its novel “site” and context directs researchers' and practitioners' attention to the “interactive”, rather than passive and standalone, use of PMS to influence team performance and instigates a new debate on the management tool's optimal use.

Background: The leaves and roots of Panax ginseng are rich in ginsenosides. However, the chemical compositions of the leaves and roots of P. ginseng differ, resulting in different medicinal functions. In recent years, the aerial parts of members of the Panax genus have received great attention from natural product chemists as producers of bioactive ginsenosides. The aim of this study was the isolation and structural elucidation of novel, minor ginsenosides in the leaves of P. ginseng and evaluation of their antiinflammatory activity in vitro. Methods: Various chromatographic techniques were applied to obtain pure individual compounds, and their structures were determined by nuclear magnetic resonance and high-resolution mass spectrometry, as well as chemical methods. The antiinflammatory effect of the new compounds was evaluated on lipopolysaccharide-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. Results and conclusions: Two novel, minor triterpenoid saponins, ginsenoside LS1 (1) and 5,6-didehydroginsenoside Rg3 (2), were isolated from the leaves of P. ginseng. The isolated compounds 1 and 2 were assayed for their inhibitory effect on nitric oxide production in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells, and Compound 2 showed a significant inhibitory effect with IC50 of 37.38 μM compared with that of NG-monomethyl-L-arginine (IC50 = 90.76 μM). Moreover, Compound 2 significantly decreased secretion of cytokines such as prostaglandin E2 and tumor necrosis factor-α. In addition, Compound 2 significantly suppressed protein expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase and cyclooxygenase-2. These results suggested that Compound 2 could be used as a valuable candidate for medicinal use or functional food, and the mechanism is warranted for further exploration. Keywords: Antiinflammatory activity, Panax ginseng, Triterpenoid saponins

The antibiotic resistance has become a worldwide threat to public health, and has been conventionally recognized for extensive usage of antibiotic in medicinal and agricultural applications. In this study new thiazole acetate incorporating triazole 6 was successfully synthesized using click reaction and characterized through UV–Visible, FT-IR, Mass and NMR spectroscopic techniques. The supramolecular interaction of compound 6 towards commonly used drugs has been investigated using fluorescence spectroscopy. The supramolecule 6 displayed distinctive quenching in the fluorescence intensity after mixing with Pefloxacin, selectively in the presence of other drugs at pH 6, with a linear range of concentration from 1 to 11 μM (R2 = 0.9889) and a limit of detection down to 0.24 μM. The binding stoichiometry between 6 and Pefloxacin was found to be 1:2 (6: Pefloxacin) as revealed by Job's plot method. Compound 6 is highly selective for Pefloxacin even in the presence of other widely used medicinal drugs, as no interference was observed in competitive experiments. More over compound 6 was successfully used for the detection of Pefloxacin in tap water and human plasma samples.

Background Essential oils are chemical products produced by odoriferous glands from a variety of plants. These essential oil have many health benefits i.e. antiseptic, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial activities. So due to these medicinal properties present study was designed to analyze essential oil of Thymus vulgaris and Mentha arvensis for their chemical composition and biological activities. Materials and methods Essential oil from these plants were extracted by hydrodistillation method, and analyzed by GC-MS. To test the microbial activity of these oil disk diffusion method and micro wells method were used. For free radical scavenging DPPH assay was used. However total phenolic content was measured by colorimetric method. Results The GC-MS analysis of T. vulgaris oil showed the presence of 47 chemical compounds among which thymol, terpinene, p-cymene and carvacrol were major. However essential oil of M. arvensis showed the presence of 28 constituents, among which the Menthone, Menthol, Isomenthone, Eucalyptol, neo-Menthol, cis-Piperitone oxide, Linalool, Thymol, Limonene, and α-Phellandrene were major. Essential oil from both these plant tested for antimicrobial activity showed that the T. vulgaris oil was effective against seven bacterial strains and the essential oil of M. arvensis was effective against six bacterial strain. The antioxidant activity of both samples by DPPH assay which showed positive result. Conclusion As both species showed the presence of active components, positive microbial activities, and antioxidant activity so, research should be carried on for further biological activities of these oil for betterment of living beings.

Purpose The impact of a firm’s strategic performance measurement system (SPMS) on its customer-focused strategy, under varying contexts, has largely been documented in the literature. However, the system’s capacity to positively influence the firm strategy through its impact on the firm’s peculiar internal and external capabilities, in the peculiar context of the developing countries’ financial services sector, has so far skipped a thorough academic enquiry. This study, using Indonesia’ financial services sector as its ‘site’, aims to fill this void in the literature. Design/methodology/approach The authors gleaned the study’s empirical data from financial services sector firms using survey questionnaire and analyzed it using SmartPLS. A total of 107 valid responses from management members of different financial services sector firms in Indonesia were deemed useable. Findings The study findings support the paper’s main thesis. The findings revealed that the strategic PMS contributes to enhancing firms’ market orientation and robustness by positively contributing to their customer-focused strategy from three distinct dimensions – competitors, customers and organizational learning. Research limitations/implications The authors posit that an effective customer-focused strategy can be accomplished by purposefully adapting the focus of the firm’s strategic PMS to positively influence the organizational learning, which subsequently translates into the firm’s high competitiveness in the marketplace. Originality/value The unexplored link between the SPMS, firm’s internal and external capabilities and customer-focused strategy in the particular context of a developing country’s financial services sector will not only fill the current void in the literature but also instigate a new academic debate. The study will also contribute to the management accounting practice in service firms in the developing countries context.

Life skills are abilities for adaptive and positive behavior that enable humans to deal effectively with the demands and challenges of life. This concept is also termed as psychosocial competency. What the 21st century is expecting and inculcating from mankind. In this materialistic world, life skills are associated with promotional activities; it may be promotion of commodities, businesses and ideas. It’s very objective is customary and professional in approach. An attempt has been made to compile some imperative, contemporary, empirical and fool proof life skills laid down by the Prophet Mohammad (SAW)some 1450 years ago. Be it Social, Cultural, Economical or Religious provided standards to mankind. Above all the Almighty gave them a certificate of success and made them a benchmark for the rest of mankind. From tribes they became Companions of the Prophet Mohammad (SAW) Therefore an effort has been made to compile those lost, unconventional, sacred and divine skills followed by earlier Muslims. May Allah make it a source of inspiration for all us. For example, the following are few teachings of Prophet Mohammad (SAW). Ayeshah Radiyallahu ‘anha narrated that Prophet Mohammad (SAW) ordered us to treat people according to their status.( Sahih Muslim). Jabir ibne-'Abdullah Radiyallahu 'anhu narrated that Prophet Mohammad (SAW) prayed May Allah confer mercy upon a man who is kindly, when selling, when buying and when demanding his balance. (Bukhari). Abu Hurairah Radhiyallahu 'anhu narrates that Prophet Mohammad(SAW) said: A Believer's soul is attached (preventing his entry to Paradise) to his debt till it is paid. (Tirmidhi) &nbsp

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to discuss the theoretical concepts of adult constructive development (ACD) in response to a requirement to teach fully online during the COVID-19 lockdown. However, responses have been unique for many university educators, regardless of the roles they have in supporting students during this time. How each person approaches the changing context can be enhanced by an understanding of their mindset as defined by Kegan’s theory. Design/methodology/approach An accounting academic and educational designer combine their expertise and engage a “digital mindset” to guide the re-design of the management accounting unit incorporating strategies that encourage students to be self-reliant yet learn from a broad diversity of perspectives. Findings Unexpected changes within an educational environment may be the catalyse needed to force significant rethinking of pedagogical practice within the online teaching space. Practical implications This paper offers practical thinking and design tips for creating interactive learning and teaching programs to develop a positive and supportive approach that challenges and facilitates cognitive growth in student knowledge, skills and learning behaviours. Social implications Stimulating student interaction via the creation of interactive and dynamic online curriculum design teachers may communicate more effectively with students as well as sharing their knowledge and skills with each other. Originality/value The authors explore Kegan’s ACD framework (1982, 1998, 2009) within the context of tertiary teaching and learning design for management accounting. The authors propose online strategies for each of the levels of development in the form of supports and challenges.

Objectives We sought to determine the prevalence, pattern of causative organisms, and mortality of newborns with culture-proven late-onset sepsis (LOS) and to determine and compare the risk factors linked to late-onset gram-positive and late-onset gram-negative sepsis in Sultan Qaboos University Hospital (SQUH). Methods We conducted a cross-sectional retrospective study of data obtained between 1 January 2007 and 31 December 2014 (eight years) from infants in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at SQUH. Infants born in SQUH (inborn) and other institutions (outborn) with positive blood cultures were included in the study. Results The total number of live births and admissions during the study period were 26 289 and 3559, respectively. The total number of infants identified with LOS were 125 of whom 69 (55.2%) were gram-positive, 52 (41.6%) were gram-negative, and four (3.2%) were due to Candida species (spp.). The majority of infants (n = 113, 90.4%) were inborn; 69 (55.2%) were males and 56 (44.8%) were females. The prevalence of LOS among inborn admissions was 4.3 per 1000 live births. Most infections occurred in very low birth weight infants (n = 81, 64.8%). Eleven (8.8%) infants died due to gram-negative sepsis. Klebsiella pneumoniae followed by Pseudomonas aeruginosa were the leading cause of death. Maternal intrapartum antibiotics were the only independent risk factor correlating with gram-negative organisms in multivariate analysis (p = 0.003). Conclusions LOS poses a burden in the NICU, which could be due to the increasing survival of premature babies. The main contributing organisms to LOS are gram-positive bacteria. Klebsiella spp. is a major cause of mortality in LOS. The use of intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis in mothers might explain the positive correlation of maternal antibiotics as a risk factor with gram-negative infections.

A new triterpene diglycoside, tibesaikosaponin V (TKV), was isolated from the methanol extract of the roots of Bupleurum chinense DC. by normal and reversed phase column chromatography. The chemical structure of this new compound was elucidated based on extensive spectroscopic analysis, including 1D and 2D NMR, HR-ESI-MS, and chemical degradation method. Our results indicated that TKV inhibited lipid accumulation and triacylglycerol content occurred without cytotoxicity to 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Furthermore, TKV significantly suppressed the mRNA expression of nuclear transcription factors such as, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) and CCAAT/enhancer binding protein α (C/EBPα). These results suggest that TKV shows the ability to inhibit 3T3-L1 preadipocyte differentiation of and may have therapeutic potential for obesity and its associated metabolic disorders.

The use of titanium based alloys in aerospace and biomedical applications make them an attractive choice for research in micro-machining. In this research, low speed micro-milling is used to analyze machinability of Ti-6Al-4V alloy as low speed machining setup is not expensive and it can be carried out on conventional machine tools already available at most machining setups. Parameters like feed per tooth, cutting speed and depth of cut are selected as machining variables and their effect on burr formation is analyzed through statistical technique analysis of variance to determine key process variables. Results show that feed per tooth is the most dominant factor in burr formation (81 % contribution ratio). The effect of depth of cut was found to be negligible. It was also observed that micro-milling at optimum process parameters showed minimum burr formation. In terms of burr formation, as compared to high speed machining setup, better results were achieved at low speed machining setup by varying machining parameters.

Livestock is an important source of meat and milk with its significant share in the world's total calories and protein consumption. There has been a substantial increase in the consumption of livestock products in the last decades at a global level. Buffalo have a large and growing share of the global livestock sector. However, buffalo are no longer an important part of the livestock sector of Turkey for various socioeconomic and political reasons. Turkish Government has taken some serious measures to revive the buffalo population in the country. The economic profitability of buffalo is manifold as it not only serves as draught animal but also provides milk, meat and hides. Lack of scientific research activities and improper marketing strategies, along with inadequate perception and knowledge of farmers, are the main constraints to buffalo production in Turkey. Organised and well-developed strategies are required to revive and utilise the potential of buffalo products in Turkey.

The biogenic synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using plant extract has developed an economical and environment-friendly method. In this study, we report the synthesis, characterization, and potential applications of Rumex Hastatus stabilized silver nanoparticle (Rh-AgNPs) using a green chemistry approach. Several parameters were optimized for the synthesis of Rh-AgNPs, including the influence of temperature, reaction duration, extract concentration, and silver nitrate (AgNO3) concentration. Rh-AgNPs were characterized by ultra-violet visible spectroscopy (UV–Vis) scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and Zetasizer analysis. TEM, SEM, AFM and Zetasizer investigation indicated that most of the particles are almost spherical with a size range around 50–60 nm. The photocatalytic activity of Rumex hastatus stabilized silver nanoparticles (Rh-AgNPs) was determined through sodium borohydride (NaBH4) mediated reduction of 4-nitrophenol and degradation of hazardous organic dye, namely methyl orange (MO). Rh-AgNPs showed excellent catalytic activity for reducing 4-nitrophenol to 4-aminophenol and for the degradation of methyl orange dye. The recognition potential of Rh-AgNPs was examined using UV–visible spectroscopy and colorimetric assay, which demonstrated that Rh-AgNPs based nanoparticles could be used as an efficient colorimetric sensor for the recognition of Cu2+. The addition of Cu2+ produces a colorimetric response, and the yellow color of Rh-AgNPs turns out to be radish brown within five minutes, which the naked eye can easily visualize. Rh-AgNPs were successfully used for the detection of Cu2+ in tap water samples.

Buffalo is considered as a triple purpose animal that provides milk, meat and draught power to mankind. The ideal environmental conditions for buffalo are floodplains with plenty of grasses and water supply. However, buffalo are also raised in many different climatic conditions, other that of their origin, in various parts of the world with the help of facilities such as barns and sheds. The world buffalo population has shown a growing trend in recent decades. The aim of the present research is to review and analyse the current status and future prospects of water buffalo domestication in Turkey in a geographical context. Water buffalo were used in Turkey as a draught animal along with production of meat, milk and related dairy products for a long time. However, buffalo domestication has been neglected in Turkey for several decades and no effort has been made to revive this sector. Therefore, a declining trend in the buffalo population has been observed since the 1980s for several reaseons including increased mechanisation, changes in livestock preferences, intensification of agriculture and livestock, and changes in consumer behaviour. Geographical distribution of the animal reveals a high concentration in Eastern Black Sea and Marmara regions of Turkey.

The study aims to investigate the effect of employees’ participation in the budget construction process, through voice and trust, on employee self-efficacy and performance, in public sector organizations. Budgetary participation and employees’ performance have been extensively researched in both private sector organizations and from the perspective of top management. We investigated the phenomenon in public sector organizations and from the point of view of lower level participating employees. We gleaned empirical data from 114 respondents in public sector organizations in Lampung, Indonesia, and analyzed it using SmartPLS to test our hypotheses. We found that in the course of budgetary participation, employees’ expectancy attitude, in the light of the expectancy theory and Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, predicted employees’ behavior, and had a significant impact on their self-efficacy and performance. Employees’ voice and interpersonal trust in the budget construction process would reap optimal ben...

Phytochemical investigation of the tubers of Ophiopogon japonicus led to the isolation of five previously undescribed steroidal saponins, ophiojaponins A–E, together with twelve known ones. The structures of these isolated compounds were elucidated by detailed spectroscopic analyses and chemical methods. Ophiojaponins A–C are rare naturally occurring C 29 steroidal glycosides possessing a homo-cholestane skeleton with an aromatized ring E. Ruscogenin 1- O - α -L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1 → 2)-4- O -sulfo- β -D-fucopyranosido-3- O - β -D-glucopyranoside was isolated as single component and its full spectroscopic data was reported for the first time. The isolated steroidal saponins were evaluated for their cytotoxicities against two human tumor cell lines MG-63 and SNU387. Among them, five known spirostane-type glycosides showed cytotoxic activity against both MG-63 and SNU387 cell lines with IC 50 values ranging from 0.76 to 27.0 μM.

Phytochemical investigation of the seeds of Croton tiglium resulted in the isolation and structure elucidation of four new 4-deoxy-4 β -phorbol diesters ( 1–4 ) named as 12- O -tiglylphorbol-4-deoxy-4 β -phorbol-13-acetate ( 1 ), 12- O -tiglylphorbol-4-deoxy-4 β -phorbol-13-hexadecanoate ( 2 ), 13- O -acetylphorbol-4-deoxy-4 β -phorbol-20-oleate ( 3 ) and 13- O -acetylphorbol-4-deoxy-4 β -phorbol-20-linoleate ( 4 ), respectively. The structures of the new compounds were established by 1D, 2D-NMR and HR-ESI–MS spectroscopic data and chemical degradation experiments. The cytotoxic activities of compounds 1–4 were evaluated against hepatic tumor cell lines (SNU387 and SNU398). Among these compounds, compound 4 exhibited the most potent activity against the SNU387 with IC 50 value of 0.71 μM.

A new compound (1) (named as artemceramide-B) together with eight known compounds (taraxerol (2), taraxerol acetate (3), β-sitosterol (4), stigmasterol (5), trans-ethyl caffeate, dracunculin (7), scoparone (8) and isoscopoletin (9) were isolated from an ethanolic extract of the roots of Artemisia incisa Pamp (Asteracae). The structures of the compounds were determined through IR, 1D NMR ( 1H NMR, 13C NMR) and 2D NMR (COSY, NOESY, HSQC and HMBC) analyses. Accurate mass analyses were done with EI-MS, ESI-MS and acid methanolysis of compound 1 followed by GS-MS studies. The relative stereochemistry of artemceramide-B was determined by comparing its specific rotation and spectroscopic data with the literature. Compounds 1-9 were tested for their anti-bacterial potential against five bacteria strains; Staphylococcus epidermidis, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Bacillus subtilis and Escherichia coli. Compound 1 (new) (MIC: 0.0157, 0.0313 mg/mL ) and 7 (MIC: 0.0815 , 1.000 mg/mL ) showed excellent activities against S. epidermidis and S. aureus while compound 9 showed excellent activities (MIC: 0.0700 , 1.234, 1.890 and 2.286 mg/mL) against S. epidermidis,S. aureus, K. pneumoniae and E. coli, respectively. Compound 6 (MIC: 2.000 mg/mL) was found to be active against E. coli while neither of the compounds showed potential activity against B. subtilis.

Resorting to the Schatzki’s (2002) ‘site of the social’ theoretical construct and stance on the peculiar ‘sites’ of construction and institutionalisation of social practices, we aim to locate the use and efficacy of strategic performance measurement system (SPMS) in service sector organizations and at the lower hierarchical level, and its effect on role clarity, employees’ psychological empowerment and performance. This study aims to further the relevant literature, which covers the phenomenon in the manufacturing industry and at the upper level of the organizational hierarchy (Hall, 2008). A survey study of employees at the lower hierarchical level in the banking sector of the southern part of Sumatera including the provinces of Lampung, South Sumatera, Bengkulu and Jambi was conducted and data analyzed using SmartPLS. Our analysis of the empirical data we gleaned from our survey of 135 respondents endorsed the hypotheses set for the study confirming a positive impact of the use of CPMS on lower level employees’ role clarity and overall performance in service sector organizations, however, did not support CPMS’s effect on the employees’ ‘psychological empowerment’. The effect and efficacy of the use of SPMS on role clarify, performance and psychological empowerment in the manufacturing sector employees at the upper hierarchical level have already been empirically investigated (see Hall, 2008). This current study aims to not only extend such studies to the service industry but also contribute to the management accounting literature through extending the use of the strategic performance measurement system to employees at the lower hierarchical level in the service sector. It aims at apprising practitioners and policy-makers on the utility and limitation of the use of CPMS in these contexts.

The project was intended to the phytochemical characterisation from the rudimentary methanolic extract of Chenopodium ambrosioides Linn., which escorts to the isolation of stigmasterol (1), β-sitosterol (2), octadecanoic acid (3), scopoletin (4) and 1-piperoylpiperidine (5). Literature validates the medicinal authentication of these compounds extorted from other sources, while our previous findings regarding microbial activities of different solvent systems fractions are favouring the presence of medicinally important compounds in this species. Herein, however, we report these natural products for the first time from this species.

Dunyadaki daglik alanlar yoksulluk, goc, tarimsal arazi kitligi ve hayvancilik faaliyetlerinin azalmasi gibi sorunlarla karsilasmaktadir. Bu makalenin amaci, Turkiye’nin Bolu ilindeki daglik alanlarda, cevresel bozulma ve kirdan kente goc arasindaki iliskiyi arastirmaktir. Arastirma alani olarak, Koroglu Daglari icinde bulunan Bolu ilinin Kibriscik ilcesinde, 22 koy ve ilce merkezi de dâhil olmak uzere genis bir bolge secilmistir. Arastirmada gereken veri birincil ve ikincil kaynaklar araciligiyla toplanmistir. Tabakali basit ornekleme yontemine dayali olarak 201 aileye hane halki anketi uygulanmistir. Nitel veriler ise, kisisel gozlem ve farkli yas gruplarina ait yerel kisiler ile sivil toplum orgutleri temsilcileri ile yapilan derinlemesine gorusmeler yoluyla toplanmistir. Ayrica, Orman Genel Mudurlugu, Turkiye Istatistik Kurumu ve Kibriscik Ilce Tarim Mudurlugu’nden ikincil veriler elde edilmistir. Veri analizi sonuclarina gore, son yillarda bolgedeki istihdam olanaklarinin eksikligi nedeniyle arastirma alaninin nufusunda onemli olcude azalma oldugu ortaya cikmistir. Ancak kirdan kente goc, kirilgan dag ekosistemi uzerindeki baskiyi azaltmis ve cevresel istikrar acisindan yararli bir durum ortaya cikarmistir. Arastirma alanindaki orman ortusunun 1968- 1986 yillari arasinda % 8,8; 1986-2005 yillar arasinda ise % 1,65 arttigi saptanmistir. Arastirma bulgularina gore orman ve mera arazisindeki artis, onceki yillarla karsilastirildiginda, erozyonun onemli olcude azaldigi ortaya cikmistir. Ancak, daha iyi yasam standartlari bulmak icin genc nufusun kirdan kente gocune bagli olarak, ekonomik bakimdan aktif olmayan yasli nufusun alanda kaldigi tespit edilmistir. Bunun bir sonucu olarak, bolgede eskiden buyuk bir ekonomik faaliyet olarak tespit edilen hayvancilik faaliyetinde onemli bir azalma belirlenmistir. Turkiye'nin bircok daglik bolgesinde benzer durum, ulkenin et ve sut urunlerinin saglanmasini olumsuz yonde etkilemektedir. Bunun gibi sorunlarin cozumu icin ozellikle daglik bolgelerde ekonomik ve cevresel surdurulebilirlige dayali politikalarin uygulanmasi onerilmektedir

Hedera nepalensis is commonly used in folk medicines for the treatment of cough and other human ailments; therefore it was selected for phytochemical and antimicrobial screening. Its phytochemical screening showed the presence of different classes of secondary metabolites. The ethyl acetate extract of its stem showed the presence of steroids, terpenoids, saponins and flavonoids. Terpenoids and flavonoids were present in chloroform and ethyl acetate fractions, steroids were present in chloroform and ethyl acetate crude extract. Ethyl acetate and chloroform fractions were found most active. Among the organisms tested, Escherichia coli was the most sensitive to the plant extract as it displayed the greatest inhibitory zone (20:0 mm). Key words: Phytochemical screening, Hedera nepalensis, antibacterial activity.

Aqueous solution of rose bengal dye has been studied spectrophotometrically as a gamma-ray dosimeter for the measurement of low doses of radiation. The useful dose range was found to be from 50 to 1000 Gy when the measurements were made at 549 nm. The effects of temperature and light conditions on the stability of response during post-irradiation storage were also investigated. When stored in dark at room temperature, the dosimetric solutions showed a stable response up to 22 days. The storage of irradiated solutions in diffused sunlight showed a stable response only up to 6 days. When exposed to direct sunlight, very prominent and fast bleaching of dye solution occurred. At low storage temperature (ca. 11 °C), dosimetric response was found to be stable up to 22 days while at higher temperature (ca. 30 °C), the response of dosimetric solution was stable only up to 6 days. The rose bengal aqueous solution showed promising characteristics as a low dose radiation dosimeter when stored at lower temperatures (

The primary mission behind the inception of the microfinance sector was to enable the poor to have access to cheaper financial services. Mainstream financial institutions would not serve them and the alternative sources of finance, such as informal money lenders, would exploit them by charging exorbitantly high interest rates. A paradigm shift in the sector occurred during the early 1990s, when the donor community started emphasizing self‐sustainability and profitability on the part of microfinance organizations (MFOs). At this time the main focus of these organizations underwent a drastic shift from following a social service objective to chasing profitability in operations. In Laughlin's (1991) terminology this was an internal change in the basic coherence of these organizations, which rendered other organizational elements incompatible with their primary objectives. MFOs could not cope with their dual responsibility of ensuring their operational and financial self‐sufficiency as well as servin...

The drastic shift in the microfinance paradigm during the early 1990s, when the donor community adopted a new approach as to the sustainability of microfinance institutions, changed the overall scenario of the paradigm. Instead of providing subsidized financial services to microfinance institutions (MFIs) for their life time, the donors started emphasizing self-sustainability on the part of MFIs through making them adopt principles of commercialism. The shift in the donors’ approach, although relieved of their burden to a considerable extent, gave rise to an increase in the interest rates on loans for the poor. Many scholars considered it as a drift from the primary mission. This conceptual paper presents two viable alternatives which, through amalgamating microfinance and charity principles, can potentially help the sector achieve the dual objective of boosting the supply of subsidized financial resources to the sector and ensuring the poor’s access to an affordable source of financial help.

DNA Comet Assay method was carried out to detect irradiation treatment of some foods like meat, spices, beans and lentils. The fresh meat of cow and duck were irradiated up to radiation doses of 3 kGy, the spices (cardamoms and cumin black) were irradiated to radiation doses of 5, 10, 15 and 20 kGy while the beans (black beans and white beans) and lentils (red and green lentils) were irradiated to 0.5 and 1 kGy. All the foods were then analyzed for radiation treatment using simple microgel electrophoresis of single cells or nuclei (DNA Comet Assay). Sedimentation, lysis and staining times were adjusted to get optimized conditions for correct and easy analysis of each food. Using these optimized conditions, it was found out that radiation damaged DNA showed comets in case of irradiated food samples, whereas in non-treated food samples, round or conical spots of stained DNA were visible. Shape, length and intensity of these comets were also radiation dose dependent. Screening of unirradiated and irradiated samples by Comet Assay was successful in the case of all the foods under consideration under the optimized conditions of assay. Therefore, for different kinds of irradiated foods studied in the present study, the DNA Comet Assay can be used as a rapid, simple and inexpensive screening test.

Whole grains of some important cereals (wheat, buckwheat, maize, millet and oat) and some whole tree nuts (almonds, Brazil nuts, cashew nuts, peanuts, walnuts, hazelnuts, pistachio nuts and pine nuts) have been investigated for the identification of radiation treatment using microgel electrophoresis of single cells. This DNA Comet Assay is proposed as a rapid screening method for detection of irradiated foods, but is not radiation specific. Cereals and nuts were exposed to radiation doses of 0.5, 1 and 3 or 5 kGy covering the range for insect/pest disinfestation or for microbial control. After electrophoresis, irradiated cells from buckwheat, maize, millet and oat, and also from almonds, peanuts, walnuts and hazelnuts showed comets indicating stretching of fragmented DNA towards the anode. The size and shape of the comets were dose dependent. Non-irradiated samples of all cereals showed intact cells/nuclei in form of round stains or with short faint tails except for wheat, which showed only comets also in non-irradiated samples. For nuts like Brazil, cashew and pistachio nuts, suitable DNA material could not be extracted. In case of pine nuts, very few round intact cells were observed along with a majority of comets, making the screening difficult. Thus comet assay can be successfully used as a screening method for detection of radiation treatment of several cereals and nuts, however, the assay was not satisfactory for wheat and for Brazil nuts, cashew nuts, and pistachio nuts.

DNA fragmentation, detected by microgel electrophoresis of single cells, is applied as a marker for irradiation treatment of seeds. Seeds may be treated with ionising radiation for the purpose of insect disinfestation or microbial control. Various seeds treated with radiation doses in the range of 0–5 kGy were analysed. After electrophoresis, irradiated cells—with a large number of DNA strandbreaks—showed tailing and appeared as distinct comets, whereas non-irradiated cells appeared nearly circular or with only slight comet tails. Shape, length and intensity of comets were dose-dependent. Although DNA comet assay has now been adopted as an official European Standard (EN 13784) to detect irradiated foodstuffs, the method discloses several limitations. Identification was successful for buckwheat, linseed, melon, nigella, poppy, sesame and sunflower seeds, but caused problems for fennel, fenugreek, millet and mustard seeds. In some foods, many comets were also detected in the non-irradiated samples, mimicking an irradiation treatment. The use of the DNA comet assay as a screening method for irradiated food, therefore, has its restraints, but for a number of foods it serves as a rapid and inexpensive test.

Bioassay-guided isolation and fractionation of Berberis jaeschkeana Schneid var. jaeschkeana stem resulted in the isolation and characterisation of a new long chain hydroxy ester named as berberinol (1) along with six known compounds (2–7). All the structures were established from 1D and 2D spectroscopic data. Crude extract, sub-fractions and all the isolated compounds were evaluated for their anti-fungal and urease enzyme inhibition properties. All of the sub-fractions and compounds showed good anti-fungal and urease enzyme inhibition properties. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) were calculated for all active samples in case of urease enzyme inhibition. MICs values were found to be in the range of 39.03–49.78 μg/mL for urease enzyme inhibition.

One new isoquinoline alkaloid named berberidione (1) along with four new source alkaloids berberine (2), palmatine (3), jatrorrhizine (4) and chondrofoline (5) and three new source non-alkaloids syringic acid (6), β-sitosterol (7) and stigmasterol (8) was isolated and characterised from different fractions of Berberis jaeschkeana Schneid var. jaeschkeana. All the structures were determined from 1D and 2D spectroscopic data. Crude extract, sub-fractions and isolated compounds showed excellent anti-microbial properties. The toxicity level for the alkaloids was found to be very low on THP-1 cells.

A simple technique of microgel electrophoresis of single cells (DNA Comet Assay) enabled a quick detection of radiation treatment of several kinds of leguminous beans (azuki, black, black eye, mung, pinto, red kidney and white beans). Each variety was exposed to radiation doses of 0.5, 1 and 5 kGy covering the permissible limits for insect disinfestation. The cells or nuclei from beans were extracted in cold PBS, embedded in agarose on microscope slides, lysed between 15 and 60 min in 2.5% SDS and electrophoresis was carried out at a voltage of 2 V/cm for 2–2.5 min. After silver staining, the slides were evaluated through an ordinary transmission microscope. In irradiated samples, fragmented DNA stretched towards the anode and the damaged cells appeared as a comet. The density of DNA in the tails increased with increasing radiation dose. However, in non-irradiated samples, the large molecules of DNA remained relatively intact and there was only minor or no migration of DNA; the cells were round or had very short tails only. Hence, the DNA comet assay provides an inexpensive, rapid and relatively simple screening method for the detection of irradiated beans.

This paper aims to explore the importance of kinship system in tribal areas (Fazla Kach) of province Punjab, Pakistan. An exploratory research was conducted by using the qualitative research tools for data collection including key informant interviewing and participant observation as the major tools for data collection. It was revealed through data analysis that kinship system plays a central role in tribal life. Kinship system merely serves as the code of tribal life of Buzdar tribe of Fazla Kach , Punjab Pakistan. Extended family system is lead and identified by the grandfather’s name who possesses the ultimate decision-making power. Kinship system plays a pivotal role to maintain social order through repressive tribal laws which are executed through Meal-Maraka (indigenous conflict resolution body). Each minimal lineage is represented by Sofaid Rish (white bearded). Furthermore, data revealed that segmentary lineage kinship is decisive in formal electoral process. Ritual and ceremonies, property inheritance, communal land holding and sheep flock herding and conflict resolution are conducted via patriarchal kinship system. Females are very active in daily chores of life yet are invisible in socio-political and economic system of the tribe.