text:
Promoting Sustainable Electricity in Europe
Challenging the Path Dependence of Dominant Energy Systems
Edited by William M. Lafferty, Director, Programme for Research and Documentation for a Sustainable Society (ProSus), Norway and Professor of Strategic Research for Sustainable Development, Centre for Clean Technology and Environmental Policy (CSTM), University of Twente, the Netherlands and Audun Ruud, Research Manager on Policy and Governance, SINTEF Energy Research AS, Trondheim, Norway
This is a timely and comparative assessment of initiatives to promote renewable electricity sources (RES-E) in eight European countries. Carried out by the ProSus research programme at the University of Oslo in cooperation with leading research institutions in each country, the book focuses on the promotional schemes used to foster RES-E in Austria, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain and Sweden. The book is unique in that it monitors progress on implementing the EU RES-E Directive in relation to the impact of the 'dominant energy systems' in each country. Employing notions of 'path dependency/path creation', the analysis demonstrates that crucial lessons for promoting RES-E are to be found in the contextual conditions of national and regional settings; conditions that qualify the effects of more general, market-oriented schemes. The conclusions reached are of direct relevance for the ongoing debate as to the most effective policy instruments for achieving sustainable energy and climate policies in Europe.
Promoting Sustainable Electricity in Europe will be of interest to academics and researchers involved in environmental management, energy studies, technology and sustainable development. Furthermore, it will be of interest to policymakers and bureaucrats both at the EU level and among EU/EEA member states concerned with climate change, renewable energy and sustainable development at large. The book should also be of relevance for business organizations and NGOs concerned with the promotion of sustainable electricity.
'. . . this book is a timely and significant read for anyone with an interest in the operation of the energy sector.'
– Karen Morrow, International Energy Law & Taxation Review
Contributors: M.J. Arentsen, A. Buchhorn, Y. Chen, F.X. Johnson, P. Karnøe, P. Kivimaa, J. Knudsen, W.M. Lafferty, O.M. Larsen, V. Lauber, G. Mullally, J. Murphy, M. Narodoslawsky, C. Navarro, C. Nopp, B. Pflüglmayer, A. Ruud
1. Introduction: Promoting Green Electricity in Europe: The Challenge of Integrating Contextual Factors
William M. Lafferty and Audun Ruud
2. The Netherlands: Muddling Through in the Dutch Delta
Maarten J. Arentsen
3. Denmark: Path-Creation Dynamics and Winds of Change
Peter Karnøe and Adam Buchhorn
4. Ireland: Putting the Wind up the Political System
Gerard Mullally and Jillian Murphy
5. Spain: Greening Electricity While Growing the Economy
6. Finland: Big is Beautiful – Promoting Bioenergy in Regional–Industrial Contexts
Paula Kivimaa
7. Austria: An 'Incidental Front-Runner' Faces New Challenges
Barbara Pflüglmayer, Christian Nopp, Volkmar Lauber and Michael Narodoslawsky
8. Sweden: Greening the Power Market in a Context of Liberalization and Nuclear Ambivalence
Yong Chen and Francis X. Johnson
9. Norway: Trying to Maintain Maximal RES-E in a Petroleum-Driven Economy
Jørgen Knudsen, Olav Mosvold Larsen and Audun Ruud
10. Conclusion: Energy Path Dependence and the Promotion of RES-E in Europe
Paperback Availability: In Stock
Management and Sustainability
Climate Change Energy Policy and Regulation Environmental Management Environmental Politics and Policy Management Natural Resources
Handbook of Business and Climate Change
Anant K. Sundaram, Robert G. Hansen
How to Develop a Sustainable Business School
Véronique Ambrosini, Gavin Jack, Lisa Thomas
Implementing the World Heritage Convention
Evan Hamman, Herdis Hølleland
The Economics of Environmental Risk
V. K. Smith


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Crimeans seek stable life under Russian control
On a painted wall in Sevastopol, Russian president Vladimir Putin builds a new Crimea, under Russian colours. (Photo: Loreline Merelle)
By Loreline Merelle and Jean Comte
Simferopol and Sevastopol, Crimea, 7. Jun 2017, 12:51
On a cloudy afternoon in the Crimean capital of Simferopol, two girls are shyly dropping off yellow flowers at a statue of an armed soldier with no label on his uniform. The figures depict the man being greeted by a little girl and a cat is rubbing against his legs.
The statue represents one of the "little green men" or "polite people" – the unmarked Russian special forces. They had taken over the Peninsula in February 2014, before it was annexed away from Ukraine with a referendum that was not recognised by the international community.
The statue of a Russian "little green man" in Simferopol. (Photo: Loreline Merelle)
Three years later, the "little green men" are everywhere in Crimea – on posters and painted on walls. They can often be seen next to portraits of the Russian president, Vladimir Putin.
Whilst looking at one of these walls in Sevastopol, Anna (not her real name, to remain anonymous) told EUobserver that the Russian troops had come to Crimea "only for peace".
Thanks to them, "at least there is no war here", she said, referring to the ongoing conflict in Eastern Ukraine. She added that she prefers to live in peace than to speak about politics.
Like many people in Crimea, this student of one of the Russian universities in Sevastopol seems to be happy to speak and write only in Russian, to carry a Russian passport, which has become almost mandatory, or to use the Russian +7 dialling code instead of the Ukrainian one.
For them, the increase in prices that happened after the annexation of Crimea and the various sanctions imposed by the EU and the US are less important than being part of Russia.
For years, while being Ukrainians, many watched Russian channels and refused to speak Ukrainian in their daily lives.
Now it's the turn of Ukrainians to try to keep their culture and language.
"Russia is trying to perform a cultural assimilation", Leonid Kouzmine, the head of Simferopol's Ukrainian cultural centre, told EUobserver.
Kouzmine, who demonstrated against Russia's annexation in 2014, has already been arrested several times by Simferopol's local authorities.
He said that authorities put in place by Russia closed two Ukrainians universities in Crimea and made it more difficult, or even impossible, to learn Ukrainian at school.
Culture ban
Public cultural events in Ukrainian are often banned, as well as putting flowers on the statue of Ukrainian poet Taras Shevchenko in Simferopol.
In the city of Yalta, the Lesya Ukrainka museum was under construction when the Russians first arrived, but was then closed in 2016.
This museum was intended to pay tribute to the famous Ukrainian writer, Lesya Ukrainka. According to Kouzmine, it has now been transformed into an exhibit for the "Friends of the Nations", to celebrate the union of all Slavic people.
Kouzmine's centre has lost its state subsidies, and now relies on private contributions. It stills organises Ukrainian lessons, but only around 70 people are registered.
"If this continues, no one will speak Ukrainian in Crimea in three or four years", Kouzmine said.
Tatars gather every day in front of Simferopol's Court of Justice, waiting for appeal rulings for them, family or close relations. (Photo: Loreline Merelle)
Another minority under pressure is the Tatars.
It is not unusual to see Tatars waiting in front of Simferopol's Court of Justice for appeal rulings on administrative arrests, illegal house searches, or questionable custody conditions.
"We keep appealing, but we never win," Luftiye Zudiyevan, who works for an association for the children of Tatar minorities, told EUobserver.
She came to the court to find out the fate of her father, who was arrested a few days before. She doesn't have much hope.
Zudiyevan explained that she can't go to the hearing, which are always organised behind closed doors. She said that her father has no right to a lawyer for his defence.
Press oppressed
Lilia Budzhurova, a Tatar journalist, denounced the same kind of violations of the right to justice.
"The police came to my place at 5am, and my lawyer wasn't allowed to be there," she said. "I brought the issue to the courthouse and lost."
"We are monitored all the time", she added, describing self-imposed rules to ensure some privacy – such as changing her computer's password every week, or keeping her mobile phone away when talking about private matters.
EUobserver met Budzhurova in the former building of ATR TV, the Tatar community's channel, in the suburbs of Simferopol.
ATR lost its broadcasting license in 2015 for "obvious political reasons," she said. Now a small team of journalists occupies only a few rooms in the building and manages a small online publication about culture.
Budzhurova said that she now only does "humanitarian and informative work", communicating with journalists and people outside Crimea to let them know what is happening on the peninsula.
She and the Tatar community are in constant communication with organisations such as SOS Crimea, a Ukrainian NGO that monitors civil rights in Crimea.
But the journalist has not lost hope for the Russian-annexed peninsula. She thinks that "a happier life is possible."
She points to the fact that only a few Tatars have left Crimea and that they still constitute 12 percent of the population. Their goal is now to remain in their native peninsula, despite the acts of repression.
Lenin's statue still adorns the square in front of Crimea's Council of Ministers building in Simferopol. (Photo: Loreline Merelle)
"History can change. Nothing is endless," said Nariman Dzhelalov, a former deputy chairman of the Mejlis, the parliament of Crimea's Tatar minority.
The parliament was closed by the new pro-Russian government. Since then, Dzhelalov has had no right to speak about politics and said that he is the under control of the local authorities. "They are monitored what I am doing. I think they are waiting for the moment they can arrest me" he explained.
He said that local authorities have banned opposition meetings and have put 25 to 30 Tatars in detention.
"According to the new Russian law, it has become illegal to speak against Russia," Dzhelalov told EUobserver at the Marakand, one of the main meeting places for the Tatar community in Simferopol, where people watch Euronews, the EU-funded TV channel.
He supports EU and US sanctions, which he considers as a form of support for Russia's opponents and a punishment for those who voted in favour of the annexation in 2014.
Some in the Russian community have started to blame Russia for the situation.
"We used to live in a paradise, now we live inside barriers," Ivan Petrov, the managing director of a Russian press and communications group, told EUobserver.
Petrov came to Crimea in 2012 in order to start a business. He opened a hotel in the main Tatar city in Crimea, Bakhchysarai. But now, he said, his plan is to leave Crimea for Georgia.
Speaking over a cup of coffee at the Pushkin – a cafe he owns and has named after the famous Russian poet – he denounced the high level of corruption among local authorities and the increasing political repression.
"In the past, I saw Ukrainian activists regularly – now I don't see them anymore," he said, adding that "the number of policemen has increased by four times, compared to before the annexation."
"I don't fear Russia, because I am Russian," he said, explaining that his nationality protects him from being arrested.
EU visa waiver looms for Russia-annexed Crimeans
Little to celebrate at EU-Ukraine summit
West told Ukraine to abandon Crimea, document says
Bulgarian PM criticises France and Germany for accepting Crimea annexation
EU extends sanctions on Russia
Sanctions on Crimea hurt some more than others
Visa liberalisation for Ukrainians entering the EU will also apply to inhabitants of the peninsula taken over by Moscow in 2014. But the issue poses administrative as well as political problems.
EU leaders have pledged to uphold sanctions on Russia in the run-up to a summit this week, but the declaration comes amid multiplying uncertainties on future ties.
US moved warships out of Russia's way. Germany urged Ukraine not to fight - newly-published minutes of a Kiev crisis meeting in 2014 show how the West let Putin seize Crimea out of "fear."
Bulgaria's prime minister Boiko Borisov has criticised the leaders of Germany and France for de facto accepting Russia's annexation of Ukraine's Black Sea peninsula of Crimea.
German chancellor Angela Merkel said that Russia hadn't done enough to implement the so-called Minsk peace process, a condition for lifting the sanctions.
From small businesses to commercial giants, many have been affected by the US and EU sanctions imposed after Crimea's annexation by Russia in 2014. But some locals have found ways around them.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
"Taking no action will result in one day scooters showing up on our sidewalks," said Commissioner Virgil Watkins, who is sponsoring the ordinance.
A ban would impact businesses who want to rent the electric powered dockless vehicle. It would not affect people who have purchased electric scooters for personal use, such as Materra "Matrix" Drafts , owner of Recess Bar & Lounge, who can be spotted riding her scooter around downtown Macon.
Drafts said she understands why there would need to be regulations on rental scooters, but said there are benefits to using them to get around.
"I can fold it and walk inside a building rather than just cluttering the sidewalks," she said. "The convenience, especially with me working and living downtown, is crazy."
The Bike Walk Macon group, which promotes alternative forms of transportation besides cars, is watching the progress of the ordinance.
Some of the questions Macon-Bibb commissioners could grapple with involve permits, how penalties would be assessed on users and operators and where the vehicles can be operated and dropped off, officials said.
Touted as environmentally friendly alternative modes of transportation, dockless vehicles have become popular in many urban areas and college campuses across the nation.
That popularity of the industry is evident by two of its larger businesses, Bird and Lime. Bird rents its vehicles in well over 100 cities while Lime saw the number of trips taken increase from 1 million in 2017 to 26 million by the end of 2018, according to their websites.
Macon-Bibb leaders say they would like to follow the examples of places like Athens-Clarke County where commissioners banned companies from renting out the scooters for 12 months until regulations are created.
Athens-Clarke County Commissioner Jerry NeSmith says officials in his county were caught off-guard late last year when hundreds of electric scooters were suddenly left on sidewalks.
In Athens, the scooters, rented from Bird, were primarily used around downtown and on the University of Georgia campus, NeSmith said.
UGA responded by confiscating nearly 1,100 Bird scooters and have charged the company hundreds of thousands of dollars in impound fees and fines, NeSmith said.
"One of the things we want ... is to distribute the scooters in an equitable manner so that they're in neighborhoods where people need this alternate form of transportation rather than in dense areas where (dockless rental companies) can maximize their profits," he said.
Regulation efforts ramp up
The Georgia Municipal Association has been meeting with industry representatives to help craft some definitions for state law related to electric scooter and bike rentals.
"The meetings have been going well, everyone involved is interested in finding solutions that work for both the companies and cities," GMA spokeswoman Amy Henderson said in an email. "Overall, cities' concerns center around safety, blocked sidewalks and liability."
Some Georgia cities have already enacted regulations, including Atlanta and Decatur.
Decatur now requires a company to have an operating agreement with the city or their scooters will be banned.
The Atlanta City Council approved an ordinance on Monday that includes a $12,000 permitting fee for up to 500 vehicles, sets a 15 mph speed restriction and lays out where the vehicles can be ridden.
"We'll probably be working on something similar to Atlanta," Watkins said about Macon-Bibb. "Atlanta has provided decent guidance."
Bike Walk Macon supports companies that would offer the shareable dockless vehicles, although more work is needed to improve the infrastructure, its Executive Director Rachel Hollar said in an email.
"Bike Walk Macon has been and will continue to work with Macon-Bibb County and emerging mobility companies to advocate for safe infrastructure on our streets, like bike lanes and crosswalks, that would improve safety and conditions for everyone on the street," she said.
"Currently, Macon is lacking adequate facilities for people who walk and bike, and I hope the new interest from the scooter company will encourage Macon-Bibb County to improve our streets to accommodate all users -- pedestrians, bicyclists, transit riders and drivers," Hollar said.
Stanley Dunlap
Stanley Dunlap has covered government for The Telegraph since June 2015.
Forsyth teen accused of killing his aunt makes initial court appearance
Macon, Georgia in Bibb County, Georgia was named one of the most segregated cities in America by 24/7 Wall St. The ranking is based off of blacks and whites in poverty, education and neighborhood demographics.
Houston & Peach
McDonald's hiring 1,000 people throughout Georgia, including Macon. Here's how to apply
These fugitives are loose in the midstate, and you can earn a cash reward if you help
Ed Grisamore
Guess who greeted Apollo 11 astronaut after his splash down on an earlier mission?
A witch? A ghost? Who was Dixie Haygood, a Milledgeville legend from the late 1800s?


text:
Green and Sustainable Chemistry
Vol.06 No.02(2016), Article ID:66257,7 pages
10.4236/gsc.2016.62006
Antibacterial Activity of Moringa ovalifolia and Moringa oleifera Methanol, N-Hexane and Water Seeds and Bark Extracts against Pathogens That Are Implicated in Water Borne Diseases
Dorothea H. P. Shailemo1, Habauka M. Kwaambwa2*, Martha Kandawa-Schulz1, Titus A. M. Msagati3
1Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Namibia, Windhoek, Namibia
2Faculty of Health and Applied Sciences, Namibia University of Science and Technology, Windhoek, Namibia
3College of Science Engineering and Technology, University of South Africa, The Science Campus, Johannesburg, South Africa
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution International License (CC BY).
Received 15 January 2016; accepted 2 May 2016; published 5 May 2016
Antibacterial activity of methanol, n-hexane and water extracts of seeds and bark of Moringa oleifera and Moringa ovalifolia was conducted. The causative agents of common bacterial infections that are thought to cause water-borne diseases, namely, Escherichia coli, Enterococcus faecalis, and Bacillus cereus were chosen for the study. The paper-disc diffusion method was used with treatments arranged in a completely randomized design and replicated four times. The M. oleifera extracts showed more inhibitory effect than those of M. ovolifolia. The conventional antibiotic Ampicilin generally showed higher inhibitory effect than the extracts of both M. oleifera and M. ovalifolia. The inhibitory effect varied depending on the solvent used. The n-hexane extracts of both seeds and bark of M. ovalifolia and M. oleifera had almost the same inhibition activities (6 ± 1 mm mean inhibition zones) on B. cereus, E. coli and E. faecalis. The n-hexane extract generally gave lower antibacterial activities than those of the other solvents for seeds and back. The results of the study showed that M. oleifera and M. ovalifolia had a degree of antibacterial properties against the selected test organisms that cause water borne diseases.
Antibacterial Activity, Escherichia coli, N-Hexane, Inhibition, Methanol, Moringa oleifera, Moringa ovalifolia, Bacillus cereus, Enterococcus faecalis
Treating water that contains pathogenic bacteria, viruses, protozoa, parasites and sediment is a serious challenge in both developed and developing countries. The cost, health issues and environmental side effects of the conventional water treatment chemicals are their main disadvantages. Drinking water sources include deep ground water, upland lakes and surface water which are directly consumed without boiling or treatment. A large number of people in rural areas in developing countries lack access to adequate clean water supply due to factors such as cost, unreliable or insufficient clean water supplies, long distances to clean water supply points, etc. As a result, most people in these areas use water directly from available and often contaminated sources without any treatment and therefore are exposed to many water-related diseases since polluted water is normally an important vehicle for the spread of disease. The frequency of life-threatening infections caused by consumption of untreated water has increased all over the world and become an important cause of mortality in developing countries [1] [2] . Microorganisms contaminating water can cause gastroenteritis or inflammation of the stomach and intestinal lining and these include typhoid, gastroenteritis and cholera caused by Salmonella typhii, Escherichiacoli and Vibrio cholera, respectively. Others include Bacillus cereus which produces toxins causing diarrhea whereas inflammation are caused by Enterococcus faecalis. The provision of portable water satisfying modern quality requirements is an enormous task of most water supply agencies all over the world. Whereas the demand for water is increasing, the costs of water supply are increasing [3] and the quality of the raw water from the various sources is decreasing due to increased industrialization [4] [5] . Moreover, the cost of treatment, especially in developing countries, is increasingly becoming beyond the reach of most water supply agencies leading to production of low-quality water [3] . In addition, the use of chemical additives for water treatment raises a lot of concerns over safety issues [6] [7] . A conventional water disinfectant like chlorine, for instance, is being widely used and however, it has a problem of decay and hence reduced concentration as the water flows. Due to unavailability and high costs of water treatment chemicals, households in developing countries, such as Namibia use unpurified water leading to increased cases of water borne diseases [8] .
Innumerable antibacterial agents are currently employed in treating bacterial infections. In addition to the cost and health effects discussed above, many of the currently used antibacterial agents are associated with adverse effects such as toxicity, hypersensitivity, immunosuppression, and tissue residues posing public health menace [9] . These disadvantages undermine their therapeutic use and thus necessitating the need for finding alternative remedies for treatment of bacterial diseases. The increasing prevalence of multi-drug resistant strains of bacteria and the recent appearance of strains with reduced susceptibility to antibiotics raises the specter of untreatable bacterial infections and adds urgency to the search for new infection-fighting strategies [10] . According to World Health Organization (WHO), microbial resistance to conventional water treatment mechanisms is on the rise. Therefore, the use of low-cost and waste materials of biological origin has shown to provide economic solutions through reduction of exorbitant costs for water treatment to this global problem and is being advocated as a sustainable technology [11] - [14] .
Moringa tree could be very simple and readily available solution to water treatment problems. It is called a multipurpose tree because it has been found to have nutritional, antimicrobial, medicinal, industrial and water treatment properties [15] [16] . The seeds have been found to be effective in removing turbidity, heavy metals and bacteria from water in a sustainable and environmentally friendly way [17] . Previous studies have reported that various parts of Moringa roots, flowers, bark, and stem including seeds possess antimicrobial properties [18] [19] . There are 13 known species in the plant family Moringaceae, and of these, the Moringa oleifera is the most widely studied, whereas the Moringa ovalifolia, which is endemic to Namibia, is not reported much in literature. M. oleifera is the most widely cultivated species of a monogeneric family, the Moringaceae that is native to the sub-Himalayan tracts of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan [16] which is widely used for treating bacterial infection, anti-inflammation, sexually-transmitted diseases and diarrhea. The M. oleifera species is now cultivated widely in sub-Sahara Africa except Namibia as recently reported by Kwaambwa et al. [20] whereas M. ovalifolia which is endemic to Namibia and only few studies have been reported of this species to our knowledge.
As mentioned earlier, the M. ovalifolia, which is known to be indigenous in Namibia, has not been studied yet as much as M. oleifera and therefore, the present study was aimed at investigating the of both M. oleifera and M. ovalifolia seeds and bark as potential antibacterial agents against some human pathogenic bacteria that are known to cause water borne diseases. The study investigated 1) the roles of methanol, n-hexane and aqueous extracts of parts (seeds and bark) of the two Moringa species against water-borne diseases pathogens Escherichia coli, Enterococcus feacalis and Bacillus cereus and 2 the comparison of the antibacterial potentials between the two Moringa plant species seeds and bark against the bacterial isolates chosen. Although studies have been done on M. oleifera, it is important to point out that the growth conditions of the plants play of metabolomics of plants and the study further informs how the results compare to similar previous studies of M. oleifera.
2. Materials and Method
2.1. Sample Collection
Samples M. ovalifolia plant seeds and bark were collected from three different places in Namibia, namely Tsumeb, Halali and Rundu. The seeds and bark of M. oleifera were sourced from a neighboring country Zimbabwe.
2.2. Preparation of the Extracts
2.2.1. Seeds and Bark Extracts
Seed coats of M. oleifera and M. ovalifolia were removed and the kernels were ground into powder using an electrical grinder. Barks from the two Moringa species collected were dried in the shade and ground into powder in the same manner as done for seeds. Approximately 40 g powder was weighed using AG Electronic weighing balance. The weighed samples were soaked in 100 mL of n-hexane (98.9%), methanol (99.9%) and distilled water at room temperature for 72 hours in the conical flasks. The extracts were then filtered using a filter paper (Whatman size No. 1) and the filtrate were evaporated to dryness in a water rotary vapor at 60˚C. The obtained residues were then freeze-dried to obtain the crude extracts and kept in the refrigerator until further use.
2.2.2. Test Bacteria
The test organisms (indicator strains) used in the study were one Gram-negative bacteria Escherichia coli, and two Gram-positive bacteria Enterococcus faecalis and Bacillus cereus obtained from the Multi-Disciplinary Research Centre Laboratory of the University of Namibia.
2.2.3. Standardization of Inoculum
The inoculum was prepared from the stock culture which was maintained on nutrient agar slant at 4˚C and sub- cultured onto nutrient broth using a sterilized wire loop and incubated at 37˚C for three days.
2.2.4. Antibacterial Assay
Discs of about 6 mm diameter were made from Whatman No. 1 filter paper using a paper puncher and transferred into Bijou bottles and sterilized in the autoclave at 121˚C for 15 minutes. Preliminary screening for antibacterial activity was carried out using the disc diffusion method of Barry and Brown [21] . Stock solution of each plant extract was prepared by dispersing crude extract of each plant extract in less than 5 mL dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). Serial doubling dilution was carried out by adding 1 mL of DMSO at each dilution. The concentrations were prepared from the stock solution such that each disc absorbed about 0.01 mL equivalent to 50, 35, 20 and 15 mg/mL, respectively, but 50 mg/mL are shown graphically. Only 50, 35, 20 and 15 mg/mL due to limited material. Serial dilution was made on the bacteria that were activated for three days until the required dilution in the range 1 × 106 to 5 × 106 cells per mL. Nutrient agar was prepared and taken in plastic petri dishes, and 1 mL of each culture was spread on different plates. The extracts impregnated the discs and the reference antibiotic Ampicilin was placed on the inoculated nutrient agar of each petri dish and incubated at 37˚C. After 12 - 16 hours of incubation, the zones of inhibitions of bacterial growth around the discs were measured.
2.2.5. Determination of Minimum Inhibitory Concentrations (MIC)
MIC of six different samples of each plant, M. oleifera and M. ovalifolia, was determined using tube dilution method by Akinyemi et al. [22] . 1 mL of each culture was added in a test tube containing 1 mL plant extract at different concentrations and 8 mL nutrient broth. The test tube was shaken and incubated at 37˚C. After 12 - 16 hours of incubation, the lowest dilution (concentration) with no growth was taken as the minimum inhibitory concentration.
The antibacterial activities of water, methanol and n-hexane extracts of bark and seeds of M. oleifera and M. ovalifolia were investigated using the agar disc diffusion method against the selected pathogens E. coli, E. faecalis and B. cereus. Figures 1-4 show the mean inhibition zones of the extracts of the two plants and ampicillin (reference antibiotic). The error in the determined values of the mean inhibitions was ±1 mm. The plant extracts showed varying degrees of antibacterial activities against these selected pathogens although some extracts were even comparable with each other at some points such as n-hexane and water. The results show that M. oleifera seeds and bark powder extracted with methanol has a greater antibacterial activity than M. ovalifolia seeds and bark powder extracted with the same solvent. Powder extracted with n-hexane and water was consistent but M. oleifera n-hexane and water extracts gave the highest inhibition zones than M. ovalifolia n-hexane and water extracts.
Figure 1. Comparison of the antibacterial activity of M. ovalifolia seed methanol, n-hexane and water against the indicator strains.
Figure 2. Comparison of the antibacterial activity of M. oleifera methanol, n-hex- ane and water seed extracts against the test organisms.
Figure 3. Comparison of the antibacterial activity of M. ovalifolia methanol, n- hexane and water bark extracts on the test bacteria.
Figure 4. Comparison of antibacterial activity between M. oleifera methanol, n- hexane and water bark extracts on the indicator strains indicated.
The figures also compare the antibacterial potentials of seeds from M. oleifera and M. ovalifolia as well as the effectiveness of the bark from the two plants. It can be deduced that M. oleifera seed extracts had a broader spectrum of antibacterial activity than M. ovalifolia seed extracts against three bacterial isolates, i.e. Bacillus cereus (9 mm), Enterococcus faecalis (10 mm) and Escherichia coli (8 mm), at 50 mg/mL concentration. It can also be deduced that M. oleifera bark extracts had a highest antibacterial activity than the bark from M. ovalifolia against all three bacterial isolates with zones of inhibitions between 7 - 9 mm at a concentration of 50 mg/mL. The inhibitory effect varied depending on the solvent used. The n-hexane extracts of both seeds and bark of M. ovalifolia and M. oleifera had almost the same inhibition activities (6 ± 1 mm mean inhibition zones) on B. cereus, E. coli and E. faecalis. The n-hexane extracts were generally lower than those of the other solvents for seeds and back extracts.
MIC of four concentrations of each plant extracts was determined using tube dilution method by Akinyemi et al. [22] . After 24 hours of incubation at 37˚C, M. ovalifolia MIC from methanol seed extract was obtained at concentration 50 mg/mL for B. cereus, 20 mg/mL for E. coli and E. faecalis was resistant. n-Hexane seeds extracts were obtained at 50 mg/mL for E. faecalis, E. coli and B. cereus were resistant and for water it was obtained at 50 mg/mL for E. faecalis while B. cereus and E. coli were resistant. For M. oleifera, it was obtained at 20 mg/mL for methanol and n-hexane seed extracts, demonstrating highest antibacterial activity. All the plant extracts indicated showed either no or minimal growth at the highest concentration (50 mg/mL) and very vulnerable to the indicator strains concentrations lower than 35 mg/mL as shown in Table 1.
Table 1. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC).
Key: OVA = Moringa ovalifolia, OLE = Moringa oleifera, SD = Seeds, MET = Methanol extracts, HEX = n-Hexane extracts, WAT = Water extracts, BC = Bacillus cereus, EF = Enterococcus faecalis, EC= Escherichia coli, BK = Bark and CON = Concentration (mg/mL), ++ = More turbid, + = Less turbid, − = No growth.
In general, the antibacterial effects of all substances tested are clearly less than the effects of Ampicillin, i.e. the inhibition zones by M. ovalifolia and M. oleifera were less than the antibiotic Ampicillin against all the bacterial isolates. Although the results show that the conventional antibiotic resistance showed more potency than plant extracts, the use of the latter show great potential in terms of cost and health effects associated with the former. The effectiveness may be improved, for instance, by testing different extractions methods to increase the concentration of the active chemical components.
This study was conducted to demonstrate the antibacterial activity of seeds and bark of M. ovalifolia and M. oleifera which could potentially serve to treat water-borne diseases bacterial that have become more resistant to most of the common antibiotics used for treatment. The growing incidences of resistance of microorganisms to conventional antimicrobial agents are a source of concern globally. The results of the study have shown the antibacterial potential of both M. oleifera and M. ovalifolia. The results showed that the conventional antibiotic resistance has more potency than plant extracts but this, however, does not mean that the potential of natural plant shouldn't be exploited. The effectiveness of the M. oleifera extracts has a greater antibacterial activity than that of M. ovalifolia. In comparison with the previous reported studies on M. oleifera, the results are in good agreement in terms of antibacterial activities [9] [18] [19] . Further research should be conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of extracts, especially from M. ovalifolia (which hasn't been studied a lot), on some other pathogens that cause water-borne diseases. Plants like Moringa are available, cheap and affordable making them alternative sources for conventional antibiotics.
The authors wish to acknowledge the research grant from NCRST and NRF under the Namibia-South Africa Research Partnership Bilateral Agreement programme.
Dorothea H. P. Shailemo,Habauka M. Kwaambwa,Martha Kandawa-Schulz,Titus A. M. Msagati, (2016) Antibacterial Activity of Moringa ovalifolia and Moringa oleifera Methanol, N-Hexane and Water Seeds and Bark Extracts against Pathogens That Are Implicated in Water Borne Diseases. Green and Sustainable Chemistry,06,71-77. doi: 10.4236/gsc.2016.62006
1. Al-Bari, M.A., Sayeed, M.A., Bahman, M.S. and Mossadik, M.A. (2006) Characterization and Antimicrobial Activities of a Phenolic Acid Derivative Produced by Streptomyces bangladeshiensis, a Novel Species Collected in Bangladesh. Research Journal of Medicine and Medical Sciences, 1, 77-81.
2. Bekele, A.B., Abera, R., Mebratu, T., Dessie, W., Getu, A. and Getnet, B. (2015) Antimicrobial Activity of Thymus schimperi Ronninger (Lamiaceae) against Standard and Clinical Isolates of Human Pathogenic Bacteria. Journal of Medicinal Plants Research, 4, 379-385.
3. Muyibi, S.A. and Evison, L.M. (1995a) Moringaoleifera Seeds for Softening Hard Water. Water Research, 29, 1099-1105.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0043-1354(94)00250-B
4. Danazumi, S. and Bichi, M.H. (2010b) Industrial Pollution and Implication on Source of Water Supply in Kano, Nigeria. International Journal of Engineering & Technology IJET-IJENS, 10, 101-110.
5. Bichi, M.H. (2013) A Review of the Applications of Moringaoleifera Seeds Extract in Water Treatment. Civil and Environmental Research, 3, 1-9.
6. Arbuckle, T.E., Hrudey, S.E., Krasner, S.W., Nuckols, J.R., Richardson, S.D., Singer, P., Mendola, P., Dodds, L., Weisel, C., Ashley, D.L., Froese, K.L., Pegram, R.A., Schultz, I.R., Reif, J., Bachand, A.M., Benoit, F.M., Lynberg, M.I., Poole, C. and Waller, K. (2002) Assessing Exposure in Epidemiologic Studies to Disinfection By-Products in Drinking Water: Report from an International Workshop. Environmental Health Perspectives, 110, 53-60.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/ehp.02110s153
7. Goveas, S.W. and Abraham, A. (2013) Evaluation of Antimicrobial and Antioxidant Activity of Stem and Leaf Extracts of Coscinium fenestratum. Asian Journal of Pharmaceutical and Clinical Research, 6, 218-221.
8. Ouma, Y., Sharby, A. and Tateishi, R. (2005) Dynamism and Abundance of Water Hyacinth in the Winam Gulf of Lake Victoria: Evidence from Sensing and Seasonal-Climate Data. International Journal of Environmental Studies, 62, 449-465.
9. Alikwe, P.C.N., Ohimain, E.J., Zige, D.V. and Angaye, T.N.C. (2013) Antibacterial Activity of Ethanol Extract of the Defatted Seed and Seed Coat of Moringaoleifera. Journal of Pharmacy and Biological Sciences, 8, 38-41.
http://dx.doi.org/10.9790/3008-0813841
10. Silver, L.L. (1993) Discovery and Development of New Antibiotics: The Problem of Antibiotics Resistance. Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, 37, 377-383.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1128/AAC.37.3.377
11. Doughari, J.H., El-Mahmood, A.M. and Manzara, S. (2007) Studies on the Antibacterial Activity of Root Extracts of Carica papaya L. African Journal of Microbiology Research, 1, 37-41.
12. Sharif, M.D.M. and Banik, G.R. (2006) Status and Utilization of Medicinal Plants in Rangamati of Bangladesh. Research Journal of Agriculture and Biological Sciences, 2, 268-273.
13. Zy, E.A. (2005) Antimicrobial Activity of Some Medicinal Plants Extracts in Palestine. Pakistan Journal of Medical Sciences, 2, 187-193.
14. Bugno, A., Nicoletti, M.A., Almodóvar, A.A.B., Pereira, T.C. and Auricchio, M.T. (2007) Antimicrobial Efficacy of Curcuma zedoaria Extracts as Assessed by Linear Regression Compared with Commercial Mouth Rinses. Brazilian Journal of Microbiology, 38, 440-445.
15. Ramachandran, C., Peter, K.V. and Gopalakrishnan, P.K. (1980) Drumstick (Moringa oleifera): A Multipurpose Indian Vegetable. Economic Botany, 34, 276-283.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF02858648
16. Fahey, J.W. (2005) Moringa oleifera: A Review of the Medical Evidence for Its Nutritional, Therapeutic, and Prophylactic Properties. Trees for Life Journal, 1, 5.
17. Kwaambwa, H.M., Hellsing, M. and Rennie, A.R. (2010) Adsorption of a Water Treatment Protein from Moringa oleifera Seeds to a Silicon Oxide Surface Studies by Neutron Reflection. Langmuir, 26, 3902-3910.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/la9031046
18. Walter, A., Samuel, W., Peter, A. and Joseph, O. (2011) Antibacterial Activity of Moringa oleifera and Moringa stenopetala Methanol and n-Hexane Seed Extracts on Bacteria Implicated in Water Borne Diseases. African Journal of Microbiology Research, 5, 153-157.
19. Onuoha, S.C. and Alisa, C.O. (2013) Antimicrobial Potential of Leaf Juice and Extracts of Moringa oleifera Lam against Some Human Pathogenic Bacteria. IOSR Journal of Pharmacy and Biological Sciences, 5, 37-42.
20. Kwaambwa, H.M., Chimuka, L., Kandawa-Schulz, M., Munkombwe, N.M. and Thwala, J.M. (2012) Situational Analysis and Promotion of the Cultivation and Utilization of the Moringa oleifera Tree in Selected Sub-Sahara Africa Countries. Progress Multidisciplinary Research Journal, 4, 9-40.
21. Barry, A.L. and Brown, S.D. (1996) Fluconazole Disk Diffusion Procedure for Determining Susceptibility of Candida Species. Journal of Clinical Microbiology, 34, 2154-2157.
22. Akinyemi, K.O., Oluwa, O.K. and Omomigbehin, E.O. (2006) Antimicrobial Activity of Crude Extracts of Three Medicinal Plants Used in South-West Nigerian Folk Medicine on Some Food Borne Bacterial Pathogens. African Journal of Traditional, Complementary, and Alternative Medicines, 3, 13-22.
http://dx.doi.org/10.4314/ajtcam.v3i4.31173
*Corresponding author.
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text:
By Dustin Rowles | Industry | June 1, 2009 |
Hey! Guess what? Where's Waldo is being made into a movie. Universal has purchased the rights. According to THR:
The studio has picked up the movie rights to the popular children's books series from Classic Media with the aim of making a live-action family film to be produced by Chris Meledandri's Illumination Entertainment.
Hey Hollywood. Fuck you! Not in the ear. Not in the eye. Not in the nose.
In the ass.
Please to Enjoy!
Top 5 Movies You Could Never Make a Sequel To
One More Time, With Feeling: Nazi! Zombies!


text:
Andretti and me
by Philippe Alliot
In 1983, French racing driver Philippe Alliot moved up to Formula 2, but hit the headlines that year when he finished third in the Le Mans 24 Hours with Mario and Michael Andretti in a Kremer Porsche 956 (picture above, Mario at wheel).
Philippe Alliot remembers fondly: "It was a unique moment in my career. As a young driver, racing at Le Mans, and finishing on the podium, with Mario Andretti and his son Michael, was unbelievable for me. My carefree youth didn't enable me to realise at that moment that I was experiencing something unique."
Alliot continues: "I remember, I noticed Mario was observing me, trying to see in which state of stress I was. Very soon, he was reassured, because together, we produced a good race. I also remember that Michael was not very fast… I later met Mario a few times in the US and at Indianapolis. He had both these American and Italian sides of his personality, that made him so friendly and very sympathetic."
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Categories: Endurance World Championship, Le Mans, 24 Hours Le Mans, Mario Andretti, Michael Andretti, Philippe Alliot, Kremer Racing, Porsche, USA, France, 1983
Racing every week-end
Forza ... Ford!
"We would never obey...!"
Foyt's car


text:
module Gws::Addon::Portal::Portlet
  module Todo
    extend ActiveSupport::Concern
    extend SS::Addon

    set_addon_type :gws_portlet

    included do
      field :todo_state, type: String, default: "unfinished"
      embeds_ids :todo_members, class_name: "Gws::User"
      permit_params :todo_state, todo_member_ids: []
    end

    def todo_state_options
      %w(unfinished finished both).map { |v| [I18n.t("gws/schedule/todo.options.todo_state.#{v}"), v] }
    end

    def find_todo_members(portal)
      if todo_members.present?
        todo_members.active.order_by_title(portal.site).compact
      elsif portal.try(:portal_user).present?
        [portal.portal_user]
      elsif portal.try(:portal_group).present?
        portal.portal_group.users.active.order_by_title(portal.site).compact
      else
        []
      end
    end

    def find_todo_items(portal, user)
      search = { site: portal.site, todo_state: todo_state.presence || 'unfinished' }

      Gws::Schedule::Todo.site(portal.site).
        member_or_readable(user, site: portal.site).
        without_deleted.
        search(search).
        order_by(end_at: 1).
        page(1).
        per(limit)
    end
  end
end

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Pres. Trump hosts 'Operation Warp Speed Vaccine Summit' at White House
by: Zeke Miller/AP and Jonathan Lemire/AP
Posted: Dec 8, 2020 / 09:38 AM CST / Updated: Dec 8, 2020 / 07:23 PM CST
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump celebrated the expected approval of the first U.S. vaccine for the coronavirus as the White House worked on Tuesday to instill confidence in the massive distribution effort that will largely be executed by President-elect Joe Biden
Trump declared that the expected approvals are coming before most people thought possible. "They say it's somewhat of a miracle and I think that's true," Trump said.
He led the event celebrating "Operation Warp Speed," his administration's effort to produce and distribute safe and effective vaccines for COVID-19. The first vaccine, from drugmaker Pfizer, is expected to receive endorsement by a panel of Food and Drug Administration advisers as soon as this week, with delivery of 100 million doses — enough for 50 million Americans — expected in coming months.
FDA releases promising review of Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine
"Every American who wants the vaccine will be able to get the vaccine and we think by spring we're going to be in a position nobody would have believed possible just a few months ago," Trump said.
Trump and his aides hope the event will tamp down skepticism among some Americans about the vaccine and help build the outgoing Republican president's legacy.
The "Operation Warp Speed" summit featured Trump, Vice President Mike Pence and a host of government experts, state leaders and business executives, as the White House looks to explain that the vaccine is safe and lay out the administration's plans to bring it to the American people. But officials from Biden's transition team, which will oversee the bulk of the largest vaccination program in the nation's history once he takes office Jan. 20, were not invited.
Trump's administration was facing new scrutiny Tuesday after failing to lock in a chance to buy millions of additional doses of Pfizer's vaccine, which has shown to be highly effective against COVID-19. That decision could delay the delivery of a second batch of doses until Pfizer fulfills other international contracts.
Biden vows 100M vaccine shots in first 100 days, introduces health team
Under its contract with Pfizer, the Trump administration committed to buy an initial 100 million doses, with an option to purchase as much as five times more.
But this summer, the White House opted not to lock in an additional 100 million doses for delivery in the second quarter of 2021, according to people who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss it publicly.
Trump used the event to sign an executive order in which the secretary of Health and Human Services is directed to ensure that Americans have priority access to the vaccine.
Dr. Moncef Slaoui, who is leading the government's vaccine effort, noted the Trump administration had been looking at a number of different vaccines during the summer. He told ABC's "Good Morning America" on Tuesday that "no one reasonably would buy more from any one of those vaccines because we didn't know which one would work and which one would be better than the other."
Concerns about the availability of the vaccines come as Trump is to sign an executive order Tuesday to prioritize Americans for coronavirus vaccines procured by the federal government. A senior administration official said the order would restrict the government from delivering doses to other nations until there is excess supply to meet domestic demand, but it was not immediately clear what the practical impact would be.
Studies suggest AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine averages 70% effective
The Trump administration insists that between the Pfizer vaccine, another vaccine from drugmaker Moderna and others in the pipeline, the U.S. will be able to accommodate any American who wants to be vaccinated by the end of the second quarter of 2021.
The decision not to secure additional Pfizer purchases last summer was first reported by The New York Times. Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar told NBC the administration is "continuing to work across manufacturers to expand the availability of releasable, of FDA-approved vaccine as quickly as possible. … We do still have that option for an additional 500 million doses."
While Trump was to take credit for the record pace of vaccine development, much of the groundwork was laid over the last decade, amid new research into messenger RNA, or mRNA, vaccines — of the sort developed by both Pfizer and Moderna.
"The speed is a reflection of years of work that went before," Dr. Anthony Fauci, the top U.S. infectious disease expert, told The Associated Press this month. "That's what the public has to understand."
The Food and Drug Administration's panel of outside vaccine experts is to meet Thursday to conduct a final review of the Pfizer drug, and it will meet later this month on the Moderna vaccine. The FDA is not required to follow the panel's advice, though it usually does.
Agency decisions on the two drugs are expected within days of each meeting. Both have been determined to be 95% effective against the virus that causes COVID-19. Plans call for distributing and then administering about 40 million doses of the two companies' vaccines by the end of the year — with the first doses shipping within hours of FDA clearance.
Biden, who was rolling out his senior health team on Tuesday, said last week that in meetings with Trump administration officials his aides have discovered that "there's no detailed plan that we've seen" for how to get the vaccines out of containers, into syringes and then into people's arms.
Trump administration officials insist that such plans have been developed, with the bulk of the work falling to states and local governments to ensure their most vulnerable populations are vaccinated first. In all, about 50,000 vaccination sites are enrolled in the government's distribution system, the officials said.
Each of the forthcoming vaccines has unique logistical challenges related to distribution and administration. The Pfizer vaccine must be transported at super-cooled temperatures, and comes in batches of 975 doses. Each vial contains five doses, requiring careful planning. The administration has prepared detailed videos for providers on how to safely prepare and administer doses, to be posted after the FDA issues its emergency use authorization.
One such plan is to be announced Tuesday: Pharmacy chains CVS and Walgreens have stood up a "mobile vaccination service" ready to vaccinate people in every nursing home and long-term care facility in the country. The roughly 3 million residents of those facilities are among the most vulnerable for COVID-19 and have been placed at the front of the line to access the vaccine, along with more than 20 million healthcare workers. So far 80-85% of the facilities have signed on to the service, the officials said.
Property tax bills roll out for New Orleans residents


text:
Posted on August 9, 2021 by brian wallace
The Book of Boba Fett has wrapped production, The Mandalorian Season 3 to start filming soon
With Star Wars making a comeback in the eyes of many fans through Disney +'s The Mandalorian and The Bad Batch, fans have been waiting to see what is next from the galaxy far far away. It is now known that The Book of Boba Fett has finished production and is set to start airing Christmas Day 2021. We now know The Mandalorian Season 3 will begin production soon.
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – NOVEMBER 13: A general view of atmosphere at the premiere of Lucasfilm's first-ever, live-action series, "The Mandalorian," at the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood, Calif. on November 13, 2019. "The Mandalorian" streams exclusively on Disney+. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Disney)
Gincarlo Esposito, who plays Moff Gideon on The Mandalorian and has grown into a fan favorite as he hunts down Mando and The Child, recently let it known that Season 3 is set to begin filming soon.
While many die-hard Star Wars fans are indeed chomping at the bit to see The Book of Boba Fett, The Mandalorian has a huge following and fans are equally as excited for Season 3. As Star Wars is in the midst of all aspects being linked together.
What draws fans to the hit streaming show is the feel of Star Wars that was lacking from the Sequel Trilogy. The Mandalorian came in and in one swoop washed away most of the nervous ticks left from Episodes 7-9.
Throw in the hit streaming show The Bad Batch and Star Wars is riding high again. With the newest Star Wars installs, and the fact that all things Star Wars are being put under one arc fans are happy.
An already ecstatic fan base is not only happy with where the Star Wars franchise is currently but there is also the anticipation of where it is going as new shows and films are in the works.
COLOGNE, GERMANY – MAY 20: The costume worn by Jeremy Bulloch as Boba Fett is seen during the 'Star Wars Identities' Exhibtion Press Preview & VIP Opening at Odysseum on May 20, 2015 in Cologne, Germany. (Photo by Sascha Steinbach/Getty Images)
With The Bad Batch Season 1 coming to an end, fans are now going to focus on The Book of Boba Fett which gets them closer to Season 3 of The Mandalorian.
The Force is strong with Star Wars again!
TagsStar Wars, The Book of Boba Fett, The Mandalorian Season 3
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