Peran Pbb dalam Menanggulangi Permasalahan HAM Terkait Konflik Bersenjata Lra (Lords Resistance Army) di Uganda

The objective of this research is finding the role of the United Nations in the elimination of the Lords Resistance Army in Africa, and to help address the humanitarian crisis that occurred because of the civil conflict caused by the LRA armed forces in Uganda.The motive of the LRA and the horrid human rights abuse conducted, have led United Nations to engage on several engagements to eliminate the group. In other words, the United Nations has succeed to help address the humanitarian crisis by the help of Office of United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and kick the armed forces from Uganda.Challenges though are still faced, like the complication of the Security Council priorities, Office of United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rightss tasks to help the humanitarian crisis, access towards LRA affected areas, and the limited mandate of the peacekeeping forces.Key Words: Role, Conflict, UN, OHCHR, Uganda, LRA, Humanitarian Crisi

The complete mitochondrial genome of Epomophorus gambianus (Chiroptera: Pteropodidae) and its phylogenetic analysis

The Gambian epauletted fruit bat, Epomophorus gambianus, is widely distributed across sub-Saharan Africa. Its assembled and annotated mitochondrial genome (GenBank accession no. KT963027) is 16,702 bases in length, containing 13 protein-coding genes, 22 transfer RNA genes, two ribosomal RNA genes and two non-coding regions: the control region (D-loop) and the origin of light-strand replication (OL). The average base composition is 32.2% A; 27.6% C; 14% G; and 26.1% T. The mitogenome presented a structural composition greatly conserved between members of the Pteropodidae family

EFFECTIVENESS OF NEGOTIATION AS A METHOD OF ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION IN SRI LANKAN CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY

Disputes are a critical problem in the construction industry and an effective alternative dispute resolution (ADR) method is a crucial requirement. Studies on ADR practices in Sri Lanka denote that negotiation is the preferred and initial ADR method over other methods. However many disputes go beyond negotiations and recent research at international context identifies negotiation failures as a common scenario. This study aims to determine the effectiveness of negotiation as an ADR method in Sri Lankan construction industry. Seven outcome taxonomies of construction dispute negotiations comprising three effective outcomes and four ineffective outcomes were identified via comprehensive literature review. Based on the findings a framework was developed to determine the effectiveness of negotiation. A questionnaire survey was carried out among senior professionals who had direct exposure to disputes in the Sri Lankan construction industry and their responses were analysed to arrive at findings. The findings indicate that negotiation is an effective ADR method because effective outcomes such as conflict reduction and maintenance of relationship could be achieved. Hence Negotiation could be recommended as the best initial ADR method to be attempted. However, the possibility of achieving the most desired outcome, problem solving is not satisfactory. Attitudes of parties, lack of negotiation skills among industry professionals, cultural differences among parties, lack of participation of competent professionals, use of negotiation as a time passing tactic and professional discrimination were found out as the major barriers to achieve problem solving outcome. Several areas shall be developed to overcome the effect of such barriers and obtain maximum effective outcomes from negotiations. The results of the study enable researchers and practitioners to gain deep understanding on the current negotiation practices and suggestions to overcome the barriers to achieve effective negotiation outcome

Routes to simple 3-substituted oxetanes

This thesis describes syntheses and attempted syntheses of certain 3-substitutedoxetanes. Simple oxetanes bearing reactive substituents in the 3-position are requiredsince the polymerisation of these compounds is anticipated to lead to polymers ofpotential use as energetic binders in rocket propellant systems. Oxetanes of particularinterest are 3-hydroxyoxetane, 3,3-bis(hydroxymethyl)oxetane, and 3-(hydroxymethypoxetane.3-Hydroxyoxetane was prepared in three steps from epibromohydrin (I). Firstly,Lewis acid-catalysed ring opening of the epoxide in the presence of acetic acid gave thebromohydrin II. This was heated with ethyl vinyl ether and p-toluenesulphonic acid,and cyclisation of the resulting ether III with strong base afforded the oxetane IV.Deprotection gave 3-hydroxyoxetane (V).3-Hydroxyoxetane (V) underwent reaction with dinitrogen pentaoxide, and theresulting nitrate ester VI was polymerised to give poly-3-nitratooxetane 3,3-Bis(hydroxymethyl)oxetane (IX) was prepared from pentaerythritol (VIII)via pyrolysis of the carbonate ester X, and by monobromination followed byintramolecular Williamson reaction of the resulting bromohydrin XI.Attempts have been made to synthesise 3-(hydroxyMethypoxetane (XII) by twomain routes. The first involved cyclisation of either 2-(hydroxymethyl)propane-1,3-diol(XIII) or a protected derivative XIV to give either the oxetane XII itself or thecorresponding derivative XV. 2-(Hydroxymethyl)propane-1,3-diol (XHI) was itself prepared by deaminationof 2-amino-2-(hydroxymethyl)propane-1,3-diol (XVI) using hydroxylamine-0-sulphonic acid in base, but it could not be cyclised directly.2,2-Dimethy1-5-(hydroxymethyl)-5-nitro-1,3-dioxane (XVIII) was formed bythe reaction of 2-(hydroxymethyl)-2-nitropropane-1,3-diol (XVH) with 2-methoxypropene.The dioxane XVIII was further protected by conversion to 2,2-dimethy1-5-(methanesulphonyloxymethyl)-5-nitro-1,3-dioxane (XIX). Hydro-denitration of thenitro-compound XIX using tri-n-butyltin hydride, yielded 2,2-dimethy1-5-(methanesulphonyloxymethyl)-1,3-dioxane (XX), which was hydrolysed to thecorresponding diol XXI. Treatment of this methanesulphonyl ester XXI with strongbase afforded 3-(hydroxy/methypoxetane (XV).An attempt to form 2(t-butyldimethylsilyloxymethyppropane-1,3-diol (XXII)via a five-stage process from allyl t-butyldimethylsilyl ether (xxim) was unsuccessful. Cyclo-addition of the allyl ether XXIII with dichloroketene gave 3-(tbutyldimethylsilyloxymethyl)-2,2-dichlorocyclobutanone (XXIV) which was dehalogenatedto give 3-(t-butyldimethylsilyloxymethyl)cyclobutanone (XXV). Thiswas converted to diethyl acetal XXVI, but the acetal failed to undergo Baeyer-Villigeroxidation to 5-(t-butyldimethylsilyloxymethyl)-2-oxo-1,3-dioxane (XXVII). A second route to 3-(hydroxymethyl)oxetane (MI) involved the formation andattempted cyclisation of the glycidyl ether XXVIII to give oxetane XXIX. Theepoxide XXVIII was prepared from ethyl bromoacetate and glycidol, but no cyclisationcould be effected

Group decision-making is optimal in adolescence

Group decision-making is required in early life in educational settings and central to a well-functioning society. However, there is little research on group decision-making in adolescence, despite the significant neuro-cognitive changes during this period. Researchers have studied adolescent decision-making in ‘static’ social contexts, such as risk-taking in the presence of peers, and largely deemed adolescent decision-making ‘sub-optimal’. It is not clear whether these findings generalise to more dynamic social contexts, such as the discussions required to reach a group decision. Here we test the optimality of group decision-making at different stages of adolescence. Pairs of male pre-to-early adolescents (8 to 13 years of age) and mid-to-late adolescents (14 to 17 years of age) together performed a low-level, perceptual decision-making task. Whenever their individual decisions differed, they were required to negotiate a joint decision. While there were developmental differences in individual performance, the joint performance of both adolescent groups was at adult levels (data obtained from a previous study). Both adolescent groups achieved a level of joint performance expected under optimal integration of their individual information into a joint decision. Young adolescents’ joint, but not individual, performance deteriorated over time. The results are consistent with recent findings attesting to the competencies, rather than the shortcomings, of adolescent social behaviour

Anaerobic oxidation of methane associated with sulfate reduction in a natural freshwater gas source

The occurrence of anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM) and trace methane oxidation (TMO) was investigated in a freshwater natural gas source. Sediment samples were taken and analyzed for potential electron acceptors coupled to AOM. Long-term incubations with 13C-labeled CH4 (13CH4) and different electron acceptors showed that both AOM and TMO occurred. In most conditions, 13C-labeled CO2 (13CO2) simultaneously increased with methane formation, which is typical for TMO. In the presence of nitrate, neither methane formation nor methane oxidation occurred. Net AOM was measured only with sulfate as electron acceptor. Here, sulfide production occurred simultaneously with 13CO2 production and no methanogenesis occurred, excluding TMO as a possible source for 13CO2 production from 13CH4. Archaeal 16S rRNA gene analysis showed the highest presence of ANME-2a/b (ANaerobic MEthane oxidizing archaea) and AAA (AOM Associated Archaea) sequences in the incubations with methane and sulfate as compared with only methane addition. Higher abundance of ANME-2a/b in incubations with methane and sulfate as compared with only sulfate addition was shown by qPCR analysis. Bacterial 16S rRNA gene analysis showed the presence of sulfate-reducing bacteria belonging to SEEP-SRB1. This is the first report that explicitly shows that AOM is associated with sulfate reduction in an enrichment culture of ANME-2a/b and AAA methanotrophs and SEEP-SRB1 sulfate reducers from a low-saline environment.We thank Douwe Bartstra (Vereniging tot Behoud van de Gasbronnen in Noord-Holland, The Netherlands), Carla Frijters (Paques BV, The Netherlands) and Teun Veuskens (Laboratory of Microbiology, WUR, The Netherlands) for sampling; Martin Meirink (Hoogheemraadschap Hollands Noorderkwartier, The Netherlands) for physicochemical data; Freek van Sambeek for providing Figure 1; Lennart Kleinjans (Laboratory of Microbiology, WUR, The Netherlands) for help with pyrosequencing analysis, Irene Sánchez-Andrea (Laboratory of Microbiology, WUR, The Netherlands) for proof-reading and Katharina Ettwig (Department of Microbiology, Radboud University Nijmegen, The Netherlands) for providing M. oxyfera DNA. We want to thank all anonymous reviewers for valuable contributions. This research is supported by the Dutch Technology Foundation STW (project 10711), which is part of the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO), and which is partly funded by the Ministry of Economic Affairs. Research of AJMS is supported by ERC grant (project 323009) and the Gravitation grant (project 024.002.002) of the Netherlands Ministry of Education, Culture and Science and the Netherlands Science Foundation (NWO)

Group decision-making is optimal in adolescence

Group decision-making is required in early life in educational settings and central to a well-functioning society. However, there is little research on group decision-making in adolescence, despite the significant neuro-cognitive changes during this period. Researchers have studied adolescent decision-making in ‘static’ social contexts, such as risk-taking in the presence of peers, and largely deemed adolescent decision-making ‘sub-optimal’. It is not clear whether these findings generalise to more dynamic social contexts, such as the discussions required to reach a group decision. Here we test the optimality of group decision-making at different stages of adolescence. Pairs of male pre-to-early adolescents (8 to 13 years of age) and mid-to-late adolescents (14 to 17 years of age) together performed a low-level, perceptual decision-making task. Whenever their individual decisions differed, they were required to negotiate a joint decision. While there were developmental differences in individual performance, the joint performance of both adolescent groups was at adult levels (data obtained from a previous study). Both adolescent groups achieved a level of joint performance expected under optimal integration of their individual information into a joint decision. Young adolescents’ joint, but not individual, performance deteriorated over time. The results are consistent with recent findings attesting to the competencies, rather than the shortcomings, of adolescent social behaviour

Comparative analysis and supragenome modeling of twelve Moraxella catarrhalis clinical isolates

Contains fulltext : 97744.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access)BACKGROUND: M. catarrhalis is a gram-negative, gamma-proteobacterium and an opportunistic human pathogen associated with otitis media (OM) and exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). With direct and indirect costs for treating these conditions annually exceeding $33 billion in the United States alone, and nearly ubiquitous resistance to beta-lactam antibiotics among M. catarrhalis clinical isolates, a greater understanding of this pathogen's genome and its variability among isolates is needed. RESULTS: The genomic sequences of ten geographically and phenotypically diverse clinical isolates of M. catarrhalis were determined and analyzed together with two publicly available genomes. These twelve genomes were subjected to detailed comparative and predictive analyses aimed at characterizing the supragenome and understanding the metabolic and pathogenic potential of this species. A total of 2383 gene clusters were identified, of which 1755 are core with the remaining 628 clusters unevenly distributed among the twelve isolates. These findings are consistent with the distributed genome hypothesis (DGH), which posits that the species genome possesses a far greater number of genes than any single isolate. Multiple and pair-wise whole genome alignments highlight limited chromosomal re-arrangement. CONCLUSIONS: M. catarrhalis gene content and chromosomal organization data, although supportive of the DGH, show modest overall genic diversity. These findings are in stark contrast with the reported heterogeneity of the species as a whole, as wells as to other bacterial pathogens mediating OM and COPD, providing important insight into M. catarrhalis pathogenesis that will aid in the development of novel therapeutic regimens

Analysis of Campylobacter jejuni infection in the gnotobiotic piglet and genome-wide identification of bacterial factors required for infection

To investigate how Campylobacter jejuni causes the clinical symptoms of diarrhoeal disease in humans, use of a relevant animal model is essential. Such a model should mimic the human disease closely in terms of host physiology, incubation period before onset of disease, clinical signs and a comparable outcome of disease. In this study, we used a gnotobiotic piglet model to study determinants of pathogenicity of C. jejuni. In this model, C. jejuni successfully established infection and piglets developed an increased temperature with watery diarrhoea, which was caused by a leaky epithelium and reduced bile re-absorption in the intestines. Further, we assessed the C. jejuni genes required for infection of the porcine gastrointestinal tract utilising a transposon (Tn) mutant library screen. A total of 123 genes of which Tn mutants showed attenuated piglet infection were identified. Our screen highlighted a crucial role for motility and chemotaxis, as well as central metabolism. In addition, Tn mutants of 14 genes displayed enhanced piglet infection. This study gives a unique insight into the mechanisms of C. jejuni disease in terms of host physiology and contributing bacterial factors.This work was funded by BBSRC awards BB/F020988/1 and BB/K004514/1. Moredun Research Institute receives funding via Rural and Environment Science and Analytical Services (RESAS) division of the Scottish Government. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript