An Investigation into the Essence of Islamic Philosophy

Every civilization needs the basic sciences to develop in all aspects, including science and culture, industry and technology, etc. Philosophy is one of the core elements of the basic sciences. It focuses on epistemology and ontology. In the process of forming Islamic civilization, the nature and the essence of Islamic philosophy, its necessity, possibility, and impossibility are some of the main challenges of the 21th-century Islamic world. The main purpose of this study was to show the essence of Islamic philosophy based on the specific definitions presented for the philosophy today. The content of Islamic philosophy has been taken from the revelatory sources of Islam. Being affected by the schools of Peripatetic and Illuminationist and Transcendent philosophies, Islamic philosophy has reached such an eminence that is forming a great Islamic civilization. The data were collected through library research and were analyzed using a descriptive-analytical approach. The most important result of the study was the establishment of the position of Islamic philosophy, i.e., its superiority to other philosophical schools of the world

First record of two hard coral species (Faviidae and Siderastreidae) from Qeshm Island (Persian Gulf, Iran)

Abstrak. Moradi M, Kamrani E, Shokri MR, Ranjbar MS, Hesni MA (2009) Rekaman pertama dua spesies karang keras (Faviidae dan Siderastreidae) dari Pulau Qeshm (Teluk Persia, Iran). Nusantara Bioscience 2: 34-37. Dua jenis karang keras termasuk Cyphastrea chalcidicum (Forskal 1775) (Faviidae) dan Coscinaraea monile (Forskal 1775) (Siderastreidae) dikumpulkan dari selatan Pulau Qeshm (Teluk Persia, Iran) pada akhir tahun 2008. Spesies ini sebelumnya dilaporkan terdapat di Teluk Persia selatan, Teluk Aden, Afrika Tenggara dan Indo-Pasifik. Tinjauan literatur pada distribusi kedua jenis mengungkapkan bahwa spesies ini pertama kali tercatat dari Teluk Persia. Temuan ini semakin menunjukkan tingginya keragaman fauna karang di perairan Iran di bagian utara Teluk Persia. Kata kunci: catatan pertama, Coscinaraea monile, Cyphastrea chalcidicum, Qeshm island, Persian gulf

Positivity Preserving Schemes for Black-Scholes Equation

Mathematical finance is a field of applied mathematics, concerned with financial markets. In the market of financial derivatives the most important problem is the so called option valuation problem, i.e. to compute a fair value for the option. The solution of the Black-Scholes equation determines the option price, respectively according to the used initial conditions. In this paper, first we show that the positivity is not ensured with classical finite difference schemes when applied to the Black-Scholes equation for very small time steps. Next, by reforming the discretization of the reaction term of equation, a family of efficient explicit schemes are derived that is free of spurious oscillations around discontinuities and preserving positivity. Keywords: Positivity, Nonstandard discretization, Black-Scholes equatio

Remediation of Roadway Runoff Nutrients: Querying Sources Delivery Mechanism, Efficacy of Stormwater Best Management Practices, and Stormwater Routing Through Karst Geology

Stormwater road runoff is a widespread non-point source of contaminants such as nutrients, which endangers water bodies, especially in vulnerable karst areas such as Florida. While roadside vegetated filter strips (VFSs) and stormwater basins are generally accepted best management practices (BMPs) for stormwater management, uncertainties about VFS nutrient removal are reported and stormwater basins are concerned of facilitating contaminant transport. In this dissertation, the application and efficacy of engineered infiltration media was tested as a subgrade for the enhanced nutrient removal from roadway runoff. Results of field-scale laboratory testing indicated that a VFS with engineered biosorption activated media (BAM) outperformed a Control with sandy soil concerning nitrate removal (mean 94±6% reduction vs. 23±64% increase) and total nitrogen removal (mean 80±5% vs. 38±23% reduction) within a 6 m filter width. However, BAM and soil performed similarly with respected to total phosphorus removal within the first 1.5 m filter width (84±9% vs. 82±12% reduction). Next, field sampling was conducted to characterize nutrient load and delivery in stormwater road runoff in different events, providing insights to improve design of BMPs. Three types of runoff events were characterized, where nutrients are transported differently under the controls of nutrient supply and transport conditions. Antecedent dry period was strongly related to nutrient supply and runoff volume was correlated to nutrient transport capacity. Finally, the configuration of the subsurface in stormwater basins and runoff movement to and within karst aquifer near Silver Springs in central Florida were investigated using geophysical surveys (ground penetrating radar and frequency domain electromagnetics) and tracer tests. Numerous subsurface anomalies and surface sinkholes were detected in the basins. High groundwater velocities in the surficial aquifer (10-6 to 10-3 ms-1) and Upper Floridan Aquifer (maximum on the order of 10-1 ms-1) indicated that the basins act as hotspots of groundwater contamination in the area

Popular beliefs about the relationship between food and acne

Background and aims: Acne vulgaris is a high prevalence skin disease in young people, and for this reason, there are many beliefs in the context of its causes and development. The aim of this study was to assess public opinion about the relationship between food and acne. It investigates the role of nutrition in the incidence of acne vulgaris. Methods: This study is a cross-sectional study that was conducted in 2015 at the health centers in Yazd city. The study population consisted of 400 patients admitted to these health centers in 2015. The required data was obtained by using a questionnaire about basic information and knowledge, attitudes and behavior about the relationship between acne and foods. The data obtained after editing and data management by SPSS software were analyzed using the t-test and ANOVA test and Chi square test. Results: Due to results of this study, among the factors that may be contributed to acne are such as high-fat foods, sweets, snacks, nuts and seeds, food, spices, carbonated drinks and high-fat milk and dairy products, respectively. Among people the preventing factors like, fruits and vegetables, use of face masks and drinking water and much liquids have the effect to prevent or improve the acne vulgaris (P<0.05). Conclusion: According to the results of the current study, avoiding overusing of fatty foods, high glycemic foods, snacks, carbonated drinks, spices, fast food, causes improving public health or decreasing the acne vulgaris. Even if they do not improve acne, they affect on the public health

I Am Alfa and Omega: A Jewish-Christian Schema in the Manichaean Context Based on the Middle Iranian Documents in the Turfan Collection

This paper will give an in-depth discussion of Jesus’ expression “I am Alpha and Omega” (Apocalypse of John = Revelation 1.8) and its influence on the Manichaean writings, on the one hand, and the reason for the division of Mani’s Living Gospel into twenty-two chapters, corresponding to the twenty-two letters of the Manichaean alphabet, on the other. The paper has explored all the related Jewish, Christian, and Manichaean texts available and strived to find out more about the reason for, and the origin of, this particular division. The deep connection between the word (or letters) and creation in Manichaean as well as in Jewish and Christian traditions seems to play an important role in this regard. The paper will answer many different, previously unanswered, questions and eventually propose a plausible resolution