Jerusalem: a Tale of a City

World class cities are few and far between, sometimes referred to as ‘global cities' or simply ‘world cities'. There are no more than a dozen metropolitan areas in the world that can claim this kind of global status. London, New York, Paris, and Tokyo sit at the top of this world city hierarchy. They have enormous concentrations of economic, political, and cultural clout – measured by such things as the number of corporate headquarters, the size of their stock exchanges, the presence of national and International political bodies, and their role in music, fashion, and other cultural activities. What would it take to make a city claimed by two nations and central to three religions “merely” a city, a place of difference and diversity in which contending ideas and citizenries can co-exist in benign yet creative ways? The intractable conflicts in the Middle East and the cycle of violence among Israelis and Palestinians are deeply embedded in historical struggles over national sovereignty and the right to territory. For this reason, questions about whose state will prevail in what physical location have defined the terms of conflict and negotiation. This also has meant that most proposed solutions to “the Middle East problem” have revolved around competing claims of nation-states, their rights to existence, and their physical and juridically-sanctioned relationships to each other. While true generally, this framing of the problem has been especially dominant in the case of Jerusalem, a city that is geographically and historically an overlay of spaces and artifacts that carry deep meaning for competing peoples and nations. The current struggles of Palestinians and Israelis to each claim this hallowed ground as their capital city has added yet another layer of complexity, conflict, and political division, all of which is reflected in the competing/dual nomenclature Al-Quds/Jerusalem used to refer to the city –as well as the violence and contestation that continues to accelerate unabated

Examination of Hide Production, Hide Grades, and Economic Losses of Inferior Hide Grades in Egypt during 2002 to 2013

The study examined hide production and economic losses of inferior hide grades in Egypt during 2002 to 2013. Data were obtained from the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics for various livestock, and analyzed using descriptive statistics and one-way or two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). The majority of hides produced were from buffaloes and were Grade 1 hides. Overall, the losses from condemned hides decreased from EGP1,756 in 2002 to EGP425 in 2013 (a decrease of 76%). Losses from Grade 3 hides also decreased from EGP141,369 in 2002 to EGP 63,859 in 2013 (a decrease of 55%). A concerted effort should be made to increase production from buffaloes to generate more revenues. Although the losses from both condemned and Grade 3 hides have been declining, we recommended the establishment of a buffalo hide quality grading system, and the development of an Extension education program to avoid activities that lead to losses

Prognostic utility of negative stress/rest myocardial SPECT studies among patients with different clinical categories of chronic kidney disease: Data from an Egyptian cohort

AbstractPrognostic value of negative myocardial SPECT study is well established. However, patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) are a special group showing increased risk of cardiac events. We thought to investigate the prognostic value of negative SPECT study among patients on regular hemodialysis compared to other clinical categories of CKD.Methods186 consecutive patients with CKD and negative SPECT study were enrolled. 93 (50%) were on hemodialysis with an eGFR<30mL/min/1.73m2 (Group I); 25 (13.4%) had uncomplicated renal transplantation with eGFR between 45 and 90mL/min/1.73m2 (Group II) and 68 (36.6%) with CKD on conservative management and no prior history of hemodialysis (eGFR between 30 and 60mL/min/1.73m2), Group (III). End points (CD, STEMI/NSTEMI, need for revascularization and hospitalized HF) were traced at 6months, one year and 2years.ResultsTotal events in all groups were 5 (2.70%) at 6months, and 18 (9.70%) and 36 (19.30%) at one year and 2years respectively. At one year 16 (17.20%) cardiac events happened in Group I compared to one (4.0%) and one (1.50%) event(s) in Groups II and III respectively (p values 0.001). At 2years, 29 (31.20%) cardiac events happened in Group I while 2 (8.0%) and 5 (7.30%) happened in Groups II and III respectively (p values 0.01, 0.001 respectively). eGFR and duration of hemodialysis were the independent predictors of cardiac events.ConclusionDespite negative MPI study, patients on hemodialysis showed higher event (including CD, STEMI/NSTEMI and revascularization) rate at one and 2years of follow-up compared to other clinical categories of CKD

THE IMPACT OF CORPORATE GOVERNANCE ON EARNINGS MANAGEMENT IN ISLAMIC AND CONVENTIONAL BANKS

Purpose – This paper aims to examine the association between internal corporate governance and earnings management and to compare earnings management practices in Islamic banks versus conventional banks in the MENA region. Design/methodology/approach – This paper uses an unbalanced panel data of 20 Islamic banks and 100 conventional banks, from eleven countries in the MENA region over the period 2012-2017. Discretionary accruals are used to measure earnings management by estimating loan loss provision. Regression analysis is used to test the hypotheses. Findings – The results indicate that Islamic banks provide fewer earnings management practices compared to conventional banks. Besides, the results show that among the six corporate governance mechanisms studied in this paper only board meetings, board size, and board independence can help in mitigating earnings management for conventional banks. Whereas, for the case of Islamic banks, corporate governance mechanisms have no impact on reducing earnings management. Practical implications – This paper could offer some recommendations for policymakers, regulators, and users of financial statements. The results of this study could assist in improving the monitoring role of the board of directors and understanding the relationship between corporate governance mechanisms and earnings management. Originality/value – This paper contributes by investigating the effect of new mechanisms on earnings management, and by examining earnings management practices in Islamic banks compared to conventional banks in unexamined countries and periods. Keywords Earnings management, Earnings quality, Islamic banks, Conventional banks, Corporate governance mechanisms, Annual reports, MENA region. Paper type Research pape

Contribution à l’étude de la salinisation de la nappe côtière de sahel El Haouzia région d’El Jadida au Maroc

La nappe côtière du Sahel d’El Haouzia circulent soit dans les calcaires fissurés du Cénomanien (partie amont), soit dans les formations détritiques du Plioquaternaire (partie avale). Ce sont des formations perméables favorisant le transit des eaux d’infiltration à forte charge saline, vers la nappe d’eau souterraine, circulant généralement à de faibles de la surface. La conductivité électrique moyenne des eaux souterraines étudiées montre des variations importantes, de 1,7 mS/cm (zone interne) à 7 mS/cm. En effet, elle accuse des valeurs de plus en plus importantes en direction de la mer, avec un gradient d’augmentation important dans les premiers kilomètres du rivage. La minéralisation totale est déterminée principalement par les ions chlorures et sodium qui montrent une corrélation positive avec la conductivité électrique. La combinaison des outils, géologiques, hydrogéologiques, piézométriques et hydrochimiques a montré que les fortes salinités des eaux souterraines sont liées au phénomène d’intrusion marine (dans les premiers kilomètres de la côte), à celui du lessivage de la roche réservoir et de l’infiltration des eaux de retour. Ces méthodes d’étude ont montré une meilleure adaptation avec notre système aquifère côtier.Mots-clés : Nappe côtière, salinité, intrusion marine, hydrochimie, Sahel ElHaouzia, Maroc

Geochemical characterization of recent Nile Delta inner shelf sediments: Tracing natural and human-induced alterations into a deltaic system

The present study deals with the geochemical changes observed along Nile Delta inner shelf sediments over a period of 20 years (1995–2015). Major, minor, and trace constituents as well as rare earth elements (REE) were investigated in the surface sediments collected from seven transects along the inner shelf on five years intervals. Geochemical composition of sediments in Nile Delta inner shelf exhibits continuous changes over time due to the depositional and sediment transport processes. The sediments are generally enriched with Fe and Ti oxides, as well as Ta, Nb, Y in comparison to the Upper Continental Crust (UCC). These alterations signify the impact of processes such as erosion and sediment transport, as well as the impact of anthropogenic interferences such as damming the Nile River Flow. The reduction of the sediment input from the Nile River has somehow altered the geochemical signature of the inner shelf sediments. The REE patterns indicate weathering in areas subjected to erosion, while trace elements and major oxides spatial and temporal distributions concentrate eastwards under the influence of the easterly sediment transport pattern. Nile Delta inner shelf presented a typical case for understanding the link between geochemistry and sedimentary processes in nearshore and deltaic systems

Sinteza, protuupalno, analgetsko i antikonvulzivno djelovanje 1,8-dihidro-1-aril-8-alkil pirazolo(3,4-b)indola

A series of 1,8-dihydro-1-aryl-8-alkyl pyrazolo(3,4-b)indoles 4a-j, 5a-j and 6a-j has been synthesized and tested for their anti-inflammatory and anticonvulsant activities. Formation of the pyrazoloindole derivatives was achieved by treating arylhydrazones of N-alkyl indole-3-carboxaldehydes 1a-j, 2a-j and 3a-j with ten times their mass of polyphosphoric acid as a condensing agent. The newly synthesized compounds were evaluated for their anti-inflammatory, analgesic and anticonvulsant activities compared to indomethacin, flufenamic acid and diazepam as positive controls. Detailed synthesis, spectroscopic and toxicity data are reported.Serija 1,8-dihidro-1-aril-8-alkil pirazolo(3,4-b)indola 4a-j, 5a-j i 6a-j sintetizirana je i testirana na protuupalno i antikonvulzivno djelovanje. Pirazolindol derivati pripravljeni su reakcijom arilhidrazona N-alkil indol-3-karboksaldehida 1a-j, 2a-j i 3a-j s deset puta većom masom polifosforne kiseline kao sredstva za kondenzaciju. Novosintetizirani spojevi testirani su na protuupalno, analgetsko i antikonvulzivno djelovanje i uspoređeni s djelovanjem indometacina, flufenaminske kiseline i diazepama. U radu su dati detaljni sintetski, spektroskopski i toksikološki podaci

L-karnitin ublažava hepatotoksičnost bisfenola A aktiviranjem Nrf2 i inhibicijom proupalne ekspresije gena citokina u štakora

Bisphenol, used in many polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins industries, exerts toxic effects on mammalian organs. The mechanisms underlying bisphenol toxicity are well understood, however the chemoprevention effects of L-carnitine have not yet been recorded. This study aimed to explore the protective mechanism of L-carnitine against BPA-induced hepatotoxicity. Male rats were randomly distributed into 4 groups of 10 rats each: vehicle (5 mL corn oil/kg), bisphenol (50 mg/kg b.w. orally), L-carnitine (500 mg/kg b.w. i/p), and L-carnitine bisphenol pre-treated groups. Bisphenol was dissolved in corn oil and gavaged for 70 consecutive days. Up-regulation of tumor necrosis factor (6.6-fold), and interleukin 6 (3.2-fold) mRNA transcript, along with suppression of nuclear factor erythroid 2-like 2 (0.4-fold), were recorded, following bisphenol administration. Subsequently, bisphenol provoked oxidative stress and attenuated the antioxidative molecules. Finally, hepatic dysfunction was assessed by elevated serum aminotransferases, alkaline phosphatase, lactate dehydrogenase, glutamyl transferase activities and ammonia levels, with the subsequent decline in serum albumin concentration, which confirmed the inflammatory cell infiltration and hydropic degeneration, and the impairment of lipid profile. Interestingly, co-administration of L-carnitine improved liver function and lipid profile, which was explained by the activation of nuclear factor erythroid 2-like 2 (1.5-fold) mRNA transcript, which augmented the antioxidant levels and suppressed oxidative stress, tumor necrosis factor (2.6- fold), and interleukin 6 (1.5-fold) gene expression. In conclusion, L-carnitine exerted hepatoprotective activity against bisphenol toxicity via antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects.Bisfenol, koji se koristi u mnogim industrijama polikarbonatne plastike i epoksidnih smola, ima toksične učinke na organe sisavaca. Mehanizmi na kojima se temelji toksičnost bisfenola dobro su razumljivi, međutim učinci L-karnitina na kemoprevenciju još nisu zabilježeni. Cilj ovog ispitivanja bio je istražiti zaštitni mehanizam L-karnitina protiv hepatotoksičnosti izazvane BPA-om. Mužjaci štakora slučajnim su odabirom podijeljeni u su u 4 skupine od po 10 štakora: kontrolna skupina (5 mL kukuruznog ulja/kg tjelesne težine), duga skupina (50 mg bisfenol/kg tjelesne težine peroralno), teća skupina (500 mg L-karnitin/kg tjelesne težine i/p) i četvrta skupina (L-karnitin apliciran skupini prethodno tretiranoj bisfenolom). Bisfenol je otopljen u kukuruznom ulju kojim su štakori hranjeni 70 uzastopnih dana. Nakon primjene bisfenola zabilježeno je povećanje mRNK transkripta za stvarnje faktora tumorske nekroze i interleukina 6 uz supresiju nukleotidnog faktora sličnog eritroidu 2, povezanog s faktorom 2. Nakon toga bisfenol je izazvao oksidativni stres i oslabio antioksidativne molekule. Naposljetku, disfunkcija jetre procjenjivana je povišenim razinama aminotransferaza u serumu, alkalne fosfataze, laktat dehidrogenaze, aktivnosti glutamiltransferaze i amonijaka, uz naknadno smanjenje koncentracije serumskog albumina, što je potvrdilo infiltraciju upalnih stanica i hidropičnu degeneraciju, te narušavanje lipidnog statusa. Zanimljivo je da je istodobna primjena L-karnitina poboljšala funkciju jetre i lipidni status, što je objašnjeno aktivacijom transkripta mRNK tipa 2 povezanog s faktorom 2, koji je povećao razine antioksidansa i potisnuo oksidativni stres, te ekspresiju gena faktora tumorske nekroze i interleukina 6. Zaključno, L-karnitin je pokazao hepatozaštitnu aktivnost protiv toksičnosti bisfenola antioksidativnim i protuupalnim učincima