Exploring Takfir, Its Origins and Contemporary Use: The Case of Takfiri Approach in Daesh’s Media

Muslims have been the primary targets of Daesh’s attacks since 2014 in different countries such as Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria. These attacks were based on its takfiri ideology. As Daesh official media and documents indicate, kufr (unbelief, infidelity) in Daesh’s approach is not limited to non-Muslims (original disbelievers), but Muslims are the most significant parts of kuffar (unbelievers) in its view and defined as incidental disbelievers. Through studying Daesh’s official documents and various Arabic, English, and Persian media productions, in an explanatory research, this article attempts to display Daesh’s takfiri approach toward Muslims and explains its historical and ideological roots, difference with Al-Qaeda’s takfiri approach, different approaches to takfir inside Daesh, main targets of Daesh’s takfir, and the reasons behinds its takfiri view. This article displays that for Daesh, the Muslims are limited only to Sunni Muslims who are accepting and following its approach. Other Sunni and non-Sunni Muslims are thus kuffar. This study also shows that the assertion of takfir has become a method for Daesh to discredit its opponents, such as Shi’a Muslims and other Muslim groups

Comparative genomics in clovers (Trifolium spp.)using Medicago truncatula Gaertn. as a reference for candidate genes controlling agronomic traits

Background: Molecular markers and genetic linkage maps are pre-requisites for molecular breeding, but no genetic map is currently available for subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum L.), a diploid and inbreeding pasture legume. A total of 2,646 microsatellite or simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers either available in the public domain or unpublished obtained from Kazusa DNA Research Institute, were screened on four genotypes (Denmark, DGI007, Woogenellup and Daliak) that are parents of two F2 mapping populations. Results: A total of 343 SSR loci could be mapped into 8 linkage groups with 6–31 loci per linkage group and 27 SSRs shared between the two populations. Phenotyping data obtained for flowering time, isoflavonoid content (formononetin, genistein, biochanin A), hardseedness, leaf marks, calyx pigmentation and hairiness of stem were analyzed together with genotyping data. For each trait, 1–3 QTLs were identified; the phenotypic variation explained by these QTLs was in the range of 5.5–59.8%. In addition, alignment of linkage groups was possible with the genetic maps of red clover (Trifolium pratense L.), white clover (Trifolium repens L.)and Medicago truncatula Gaertn. using shared loci. Segmental duplications were identified within subterranean clover genome and between the legume species. Candidate genes for isoflavone content were identified. Conclusions: The present study reports on comparative genomics among three clover species as well as Medicago truncatula following the construction of the first genetic map for subterranean clover. It demonstrates the utility of a comparative genomics approach for molecular mapping of QTL controlling seed hardness, flowering time and specifically isoflavone content traits, as well as establishing relationships between subterranean clover and genomes of red clover, white clover and model legume M. truncatula. The comparative mapping carried out demonstrated the value of the map to identify candidate genes controlling important traits such as isoflavone content

Identifying the land-based sources of suspended sediments, nutrients and pesticides discharged to the Great Barrier Reef from the Tully–Murray Basin, Queensland, Australia

To assist in the development of the Tully Water Quality Improvement Plan, a subcatchment water quality monitoring program was undertaken to identify the pollutants of concern and their land-based sources. Monitoring of suspended sediments, nutrients and pesticides in subcatchment waterways was conducted during the 2005–06 and 2006–07 wet seasons, which both had above average annual flows.We found distinct water quality signals from the basin’s major land uses (forest, grazing, urban, sugarcane and banana cultivation), except for suspended sediment concentrations, which were low across all land uses when compared with neighbouring river catchments. This reflects the high ground cover of the basin and the location of intensive agriculture on low sloping areas of the floodplain, minimising the potential for erosion. Nitrate concentrations were elevated in streams draining sugarcane, indicating fertiliser export from intensive agricultural landscapes. Residues of the herbicides diuron and atrazine were detected at sites draining sugarcane, and on occasion exceeded national ecological protection trigger values, which highlights a potential threat to downstream wetlands of recognised national significance. Herbicides were also detectable offshore in flood plumes of the Tully–Murray Rivers, with some concentrations of diuron above lowest observable effect concentrations for specific species of seagrass and corals. Run-off of nitrate and diuron were identified as key water quality issues in the Tully–Murray basin

Calculating sediment trapping efficiencies for reservoirs in tropical settings: a case study from the Burdekin Falls Dam, NE Australia

The Brune and Churchill curves have long been used to predict sediment trapping efficiencies for reservoirs in the USA which typically experience winter and spring-dominant runoff. Their suitability for reservoirs receiving highly variable summer-dominant inflows has not previously been evaluated. This study compares sediment trapping efficiency (TE) data with the predictions of the two established curves for the Burdekin Falls Dam, a large reservoir in northern tropical Australia which receives highly variable summer-dominant runoff. The measured TE of the reservoir ranged between 50% and 85% and was considerably less than estimates using the Brune and Churchill curves over the 5 year study period. We modified the original equations so that daily trapping can be calculated and weighted based on daily flow volumes. This modification better accounts for shorter residence times experienced by such systems characterized by relatively high intraannual flow variability. The modification to the Churchill equation reasonably predicted sediment TEs for the Burdekin Dam for four of the five monitored years and over the whole monitoring period. We identified four key sediment particle classes: (1) <0.5 µm which exclusively passes over the dam spillway; (2) 0.5–5.0 µm which, on average, 50% is trapped in the reservoir; (3) 5.0–30 µm most (75%) of which is trapped; and (4) >30 µm which is almost totally (95%) trapped in the dam reservoir. We show that the modification to the Churchill equation has broader application to predict reservoir TE provided that daily flow data are available

Measuring the solubility of benzoic acid in room temperature ionic liquids using chronoamperometric techniques

The electrochemical reduction of benzoic acid (BZA) has been studied at platinum micro-electrodes (10 and 2 |u̧m diameters) in acetonitrile (MeCN) and six room temperature ionic liquids (RTILs): [C2mim][NTf 2], [C4mim][NTf2], [C4mpyrr] [NTf2], [C4mim][BF4], [C4mim] [NO3] and [C4mim][PF6] (where [C nmim]+ = 1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium, [NTf2]- = bis(trifluoromethylsulphonyl)imide, [C4mpyrr]+ = N-butyl-N-methylpyrrolidinium, [BF4]- = tetrafluoroborate, [NO 3]- = nitrate and [PF6]- = hexafluorophosphate) . Based on the theoretical fitting to experimental chronoamperometric transients in [C4mpyrr][NTf2] and MeCN at several concentrations and on different size electrodes, it is suggested that a fast chemical step preceeds the electron transfer step in a CE mechanism (given below) in both RTILs and MeCN, leading to the appearance of a simple one-electron transfer mechanism. C6H5COOH→C6H 5COO-+H+ H+e- →1/2 H2 The six RTIL solvents and MeCN were saturated with BZA, and potential-step chronoamperometry revealed diffusion coefficients of 170, 4.6, 3.2, 2.7, 1.8, 0.26 and 0.96X10 -11m2s-1 and solubilities of 850, 75, 78, 74, 220, 2850 and 48 mM in MeCN and the six ionic liquids, respectively, at 298 K. The high solubility of BZA in [C 4mim][NO3] may suggest a strong interaction of the dissolved proton with the nitrate anion. Although there are relatively few literature reports of solubilities of organic solutes in RTILs at present, these results suggest the need for further studies on the solubilities of organic species (particularly acids) in RTILs, because of the contrasting interaction of dissolved species with the RTIL ions. Chronoamperometry is suggested as a convenient methodology for this purpose. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley and Sons, Ltd