Dilema Kepemimpinan Kristen, Tuhan atau atasan?

This paper aims to examine and describe the nature of dedicated Christian leadership and to explore the essential elements of servanthood leadership. To serve is one of the most basic substances of Jesus' work. The problem of Christian leadership today is when leaders lose the character of Christ and are trapped in manipulating the name of Christianity or the church for the sake of his/her power. Methodically, this research refers to the leadership patterns of figures in the Old and New Testaments, with the support of literature studies that discuss Christian leadership discourse. Jesus displaying his leadership as a critique towards the misgovern leader who can only tells order, same as the authoritarian leadership, those who reigning over the official or government employee by own wish or merely by his/her desire. If so, it means that the leader's character humiliates even corrupts his/her own leadership. In all conscience, the leader is a minister to his/her follower's needs; to serve with love, humility, and forgiveness. The result of this study emphasizes that Christian leaders who want to grow up should simply be like Jesus, great leaders originally ought to serve others first, thus in plain reality, the core of his/her leadership will be visible in greatness. Tulisan ini hendak mengkaji dan menguraikan hakikat kepemimpinan Kristen yang mengabdi, dan mencari tahu unsur esensial dari kepemimpinan yang mengabdi. Mengabdi/melayani adalah sebuah unsur yang sangat mendasar dalam kepemimpinan Yesus. Problem kepemimpinan Kristen masa kini adalah ketika pemimpin kehilangan karakter Kristus, dan justru terjebak mengatasnamakan kekristenan dan gereja untuk kepentingan kekuasaan. Secara metodik, penelitian ini merujuk pola kepemimpinan tokoh dalam Perjanjian Lama dan Perjanjian Baru, dengan dukungan studi kepustakaan yang membahas wacana kepemimpinan Kristen. Yesus memberikan kritik pada kepemimpinan yang bersifat memerintah pengikut, menempatkan pimpinan sebagai bos yang harus selalu diikuti perkataan dan kehendaknya dan tidak memberikan teladan benar. Karakter pemimpin yang demikian merusak dan merendahkan wibawa eksistensi dari kepemimpinan. Seorang pemimpin adalah pelayan bagi pengikutnya. Melayani dgn kasih dan pengampunan. Hasil pengkajian ini menandaskan bahwa seharusnya pemimpin Kristen yang mau besar, mula-mula harus melayani orang lain, dan bahwa kenyataan yg sederhana ini merupakan inti kebesaran-Nya sebagai seorang pemimpin

Comparison of Acid-neutralizing capacity of antacids in Erbil City

Background and objective: Antacids are basic substances that can neutralize hydrochloric acid and reduce gastric acidity. They are over the counter drugs used to treat dyspepsia. The most commonly used antacids are sodium bicarbonate, magnesium hydroxide, aluminum hydroxide, and calcium carbonate. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of antacids that are commonly used in Erbil city by finding their acid-neutralizing capacity. Methods: The method for acid-neutralizing capacity was adapted from pharmacopeia. The samples were prepared by dissolving the antacid in an excess amount of hydrochloric acid, then neutralizing the excess acid with sodium hydroxide solution by doing back titration. The number of milliequivalents that are neutralized by the antacid is the acid-neutralizing capacity of the antacid. Results: Rennie® chewable tablet showed the highest acid-neutralizing capacity, followed by AntacidAwa and Maalux® plus. The lowest acid-neutralizing capacity was for the suspensions Gaviscon® and Enoxon®. Conclusion: Acid-neutralizing capacity is an easy and quick method to evaluate the efficacy of antacids. Different combinations of salts and concentrations can affect the acid-neutralizing capacity of the antacid. The higher the neutralizing effect of the antacid, the more effective the antacid is. Keywords: Acid-neutralizing capacity; Antacid; pH; Dyspepsia; Erbil.

Assessment of Conjugate Complexes of Chitosan and Urtica dioica or Equisetum arvense Extracts for the Control of Grapevine Trunk Pathogens

In the work presented herein, we analyze the efficacy of three basic substances that comply with European Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009, namely chitosan, horsetail (Equisetum arvense L.) and nettle (Urtica dioica L.), for the control of grapevine trunk diseases (GTDs) in organic farming. The E. arvense and U. dioica aqueous extracts, prepared according to SANCO/12386/2013 and SANTE/11809/2016, have been studied by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS), identifying their main active constituents. The three basic substances, either alone or in combination (forming conjugate complexes), have been tested in vitro against eight Botryosphaeriaceae species, and in vivo, in grafted plants artificially inoculated with Neofusicoccum parvum and Diplodia seriata. A clear synergistic behavior between chitosan and the two plant extracts has been observed in the mycelial growth inhibition tests (resulting in EC90 values as low as 208 μg·mL−1 for some of the isolates), and statistically significant differences have been found in terms of vascular necroses lengths between treated and non-treated plants, providing further evidence of aforementioned synergism in the case of D. seriata. The reported data supports the possibility of extending the applications of these three basic substances in Viticulture beyond the treatment of mildew.

Characterization of Thyme and Tansy Extracts Used as Basic Substances in Zucchini Crop Protection

Bio-sourced substances used for crop protection in natural and organic farming have a positive impact both on human and environment health: plant extracts are effective to stimulate plant defense against pests and diseases, with no toxic effect and they could be classified as basic substances. The chemical characterization of thyme and tansy extracts were carried out with ICP and NMR techniques for the analysis of elemental content and organic components. Antioxidant activity was evaluated by DPPH method. Phytostimulant effects of extracts were evaluated on zucchini crop in a preliminary field test. Vegetative plant conditions were assessed by measuring the chlorophyll content. The 1% extracts were chosen for field trial because of their maximum antioxidant activity (over 80%) and their cheapness compared to 2% concentration. NMR showed that the spectrum of tansy highlighted the phenolic fraction in 6-9 ppm region and, in particular, at 5.9 ppm the signals of thymol, a peculiar antioxidant compound; while the spectrum of thyme is less significant. The field trial results showed a higher fruit yield and a positive effect on plant growth in treated plants respect to control ones, due to the composition and antioxidant activity of both plant extracts. In fact, thyme extract treated plants showed a yield equal to 6,4 kg per plant, higher than no treated ones, 5,1 kg per plant; also tansy extract induced a higher yield respect to control plant, respectively 5,6 and 3,9 kg per plant. The results obtained indicate the role of the extracts investigated as basic substances.

Calcium disodium ethylenediaminetetraacetate as a safe compound for crop protection with the potential to extend the basic substances group

Excessive use of commercial synthetic fungicides in agriculture is a globally discussed issue. This topic is seen as particularly important in modern plant protection and cultivation systems, where the total fungicide burden of the agroecosystem should be controlled and reduced. Basic substances (BSs) are a relatively novel, legally recognised group of substances which can be applied. The present study tested calcium disodium ethylenediaminetetraacetate (CaNa₂-EDTA), a substance whose properties and environmental safety make it another useful alternative for plant protection in modern farming. The study demonstrated the high antifungal activity of the substance against Pyrenophora (anamorph: Drechslera) tritici-repentis (Died.) Drechsler, (MIC50 0.195–0.223 mg/ml), safety for plant tissue and especially for non-target organisms, and positive effects on the yield of wheat (Triticum aestivum Linnaeus). CaNa₂-EDTA surpassed the effect of chitosan hydrochloride, a registered and utilised substance, and a synthetic conventional fungicide. CaNa₂-EDTA is an excellent candidate for registering within the BS group, with benefits for environmentally sound systems in plant protection.

Co(II/III) Complexes with Benzoxazole and Benzothiazole Ligands as Efficient Heterogenous Photocatalysts for Organic Dyes Degradation

The problem of pollution in the current world is growing, however people’s awareness of environmental protection and ecology is also increasing. The aim of the study is to present three new Schiff base compounds with Co(II/III) ions and to assess their photocatalytic activity. The study was supported by cyclic voltammetry technique. In due course the complex 2 revealed as the most effective in AR18 degradation, even more than commercially available TiO2. The search for new photocatalysts able to decompose harmful organic dyes into environmentally friendly basic substances is becoming a new trend in the area of chemistry development.

Biocompatible Polymer Materials with Antimicrobial Properties for Preparation of Stents

Biodegradable polymers are promising materials for use in medical applications such as stents. Their properties are comparable to commercially available resistant metal and polymeric stents, which have several major problems, such as stent migration and stent clogging due to microbial biofilm. Consequently, conventional stents have to be removed operatively from the patient’s body, which presents a number of complications and can also endanger the patient’s life. Biodegradable stents disintegrate into basic substances that decompose in the human body, and no surgery is required. This review focuses on the specific use of stents in the human body, the problems of microbial biofilm, and possibilities of preventing microbial growth by modifying polymers with antimicrobial agents.