Reframing Kurtz’s Painting: Colonial Legacies and Minority Rights in Ethnically Divided Societies

Minority rights constitute some of the most normatively and economically important human rights. Although the political science and legal literatures have proffered a number of constitutional and institutional design solutions to address the protection of minority rights, these solutions are characterized by a noticeable neglect of, and lack of sensitivity to, historical processes. This Article addresses that gap in the literature by developing a causal argument that explains diverging practices of minority rights protections as functions of colonial governments’ variegated institutional practices with respect to particular ethnic groups. Specifically, this Article argues that in instances where colonial governments politicize and institutionalize ethnic hegemony in the pre-independence period, an institutional legacy is created that leads to lower levels of minority rights protections. Conversely, a uniform treatment and depoliticization of ethnicity prior to independence ultimately minimizes ethnic cleavages post-independence and consequently causes higher levels of minority rights protections. Through a highly structured comparative historical analysis of Botswana and Ghana, this Article builds on a new and exciting research agenda that focuses on the role of long-term historio-structural and institutional influences on human rights performance and makes important empirical contributions by eschewing traditional methodologies that focus on single case studies that are largely descriptive in their analyses. Ultimately, this Article highlights both the strength of a historical approach to understanding current variations in minority rights protections and the varied institutional responses within a specific colonial government

Common Variants at 10 Genomic Loci Influence Hemoglobin A(1C) Levels via Glycemic and Nonglycemic Pathways

OBJECTIVE Glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), used to monitor and diagnose diabetes, is influenced by average glycemia over a 2- to 3-month period. Genetic factors affecting expression, turnover, and abnormal glycation of hemoglobin could also be associated with increased levels of HbA1c. We aimed to identify such genetic factors and investigate the extent to which they influence diabetes classification based on HbA1c levels. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS We studied associations with HbA1c in up to 46,368 nondiabetic adults of European descent from 23 genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and 8 cohorts with de novo genotyped single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). We combined studies using inverse-variance meta-analysis and tested mediation by glycemia using conditional analyses. We estimated the global effect of HbA1c loci using a multilocus risk score, and used net reclassification to estimate genetic effects on diabetes screening. RESULTS Ten loci reached genome-wide significant association with HbA1c, including six new loci near FN3K (lead SNP/P value, rs1046896/P = 1.6 × 10−26), HFE (rs1800562/P = 2.6 × 10−20), TMPRSS6 (rs855791/P = 2.7 × 10−14), ANK1 (rs4737009/P = 6.1 × 10−12), SPTA1 (rs2779116/P = 2.8 × 10−9) and ATP11A/TUBGCP3 (rs7998202/P = 5.2 × 10−9), and four known HbA1c loci: HK1 (rs16926246/P = 3.1 × 10−54), MTNR1B (rs1387153/P = 4.0 × 10−11), GCK (rs1799884/P = 1.5 × 10−20) and G6PC2/ABCB11 (rs552976/P = 8.2 × 10−18). We show that associations with HbA1c are partly a function of hyperglycemia associated with 3 of the 10 loci (GCK, G6PC2 and MTNR1B). The seven nonglycemic loci accounted for a 0.19 (% HbA1c) difference between the extreme 10% tails of the risk score, and would reclassify ∼2% of a general white population screened for diabetes with HbA1c. CONCLUSIONS GWAS identified 10 genetic loci reproducibly associated with HbA1c. Six are novel and seven map to loci where rarer variants cause hereditary anemias and iron storage disorders. Common variants at these loci likely influence HbA1c levels via erythrocyte biology, and confer a small but detectable reclassification of diabetes diagnosis by HbA1c

PERAN BIMBINGAN KEAGAMAAN DALAM MENANGANI PERILAKU MENYIMPANG (Studi Kasus Perilaku Ghasab di Pondok Pesantren Darut Tauhid AL-Amin Desa Margodadi Kecamatan Tumijajar Kabupaten Tulang Bawang Barat)

Pondok pesantren merupakan lembaga pendidikan yang lebih memfokuskan tentang pemahaman ilmu agama, kususnya pesantren salafiyah yaitu pesantren yang hanya mempelajari ilmu agama saja. Meskipun pesantren merupakan tempat belajar menuntut ilmu agama namun tidak memungkinkan untuk munculnya perilaku menyimpang salah satunya yaitu ghasab. Mengambil atau menggunakan yang bukan haknya dan miliknya tanpa seizin si pemilik adalah tindakan menyimpang yang tidak dibenarkan, atau dalam Islam biasa disebut Ghasab. Perilaku yang sering kali dianggap sepele itu tak ayal juga mejadi kebiasaan buruk di kehidupan pesantren. Walaupun sebenarnya kasus seperti ini tidak hanya terjadi di lingkungan pesantren saja, namun mejadi hal yang ironis dimana seharusnya pesantren sebagai tempat perbaikan akhlak namun malah menjadi salah satu pemicu munculnya perilaku ghasab ini. Rumusan masalah yang ada dalam penelitian ini adalah Apakah yang menyebabkan santri Pondok Pesantren Darut Tauhid Al-Amin melakukan perilaku ghasab dan Bagaimana peran bimbingan keagamaan dalam menangani perilaku ghasab pada santri di Pondok Pesantren Darut Tauhid Al-Amin Desa Margodadi Kecamatan Tumijajar Kabupaten Tulang Bawang Barat. Populasi dalam penelitian ini berjumlah 51 orang yang terdiri dari 23 santriwan, 17 santriwati dan 11 ustadz. sedangkan sampel pada penelitian ini menggunakan teknik Purposive Sampel yaitu sampel yang dilakukan dengan cara mengambil subjek bukan didasarkan serata, random atau daerah tetapi didasarkan atas adanya tujuan tertentu, kriteria dalam sampel ini yaitu santri putra yang melakukan perilaku ghasab. Dalam hal ini didapat sampel santriwan berjumlah 18 dan ustadz 5 orang. Penelitian ini menggunakan metode kualitatif dengan jenis dengan penelitian field research (penelitian lapangan). Teknik pengumpulan data menggunakan Wawancara, Observasi, dan Dokumentasi. Hasil penelitian yang diperoleh yaitu penyebab terjadinya ghasab dikarenakan adanya faktor induvidu, faktor lingkungan, faktor situasional, faktor ekonomi yang saling mempengaruhi satu sama lain. Adapun peran bimbingan keagamaan yang dilakukan dengan merubah persepsi tentang ghasab, memberikan keteladanan kepada para santri, menegakan kedisiplinan dan hukuman, pendidikan akhlak, dengan menggunakan metode nasehat, bimbingan kelompok, ceramah dan hukuman

PERSEPSI MAHASISWA DALAM PENGGUNAAN BAHASA INGGRIS DI JURUSAN KOMUNIKASI PENYIARAN ISLAM FAKULTAS DAKWAH DAN ILMU KOMUNIKASI UNIVERSITAS ISLAM NEGERI RADEN INTAN LAMPUNG

Penelitian ini mengenai Persepsi Mahasiswa Dalam Penggunaan Bahasa Inggris di Jurusan Komunikasi dan Penyiaran Islam Fakultas Dakwah dan Ilmu Komunikasi Universitas Islam Negeri Raden Intan Lampung. Adapun tujuan dari penelitian ini adalah untuk mengetahui persepsi mahasiswa dalam penggunaan bahasa Inggris di Jurusan Komunikasi dan Penyiaran Islam Fakultas Dakwah dan Ilmu Komunikasi Universitas Islam Negeri Raden Intan Lampung. Metode yang digunakan pada penelitian ini adalah penelitian field research atau lapangan yaitu penelitian yang langsung dilakukan dilapangan atau pada responden. Adapun sifat penelitian ini adalah penelitian deskriptif. Adapun populasi dari penelitian ini adalah seluruh mahasiswa Komunikasi dan Penyiaran Islam Fakultas Dakwah dan Ilmu Komunikasi Universitas Islam Negeri Raden Intan Lampung angkatan akademik 2017/2018 terdiri 7 kelas yang berjumlah 250 mahasiswa, Teknik dalam pengambilan sampel adalah menggunakan sample acak sederhana (simple random sampling). Pelaksanaan sample random sampling disebabkan anggota populasi penelitian ini dianggap homogen karena samplenya adalah mahasiswa Komunikasi dan Penyiaran Islam yang berada di Fakultas Dakwah dan Ilmu Komunikasi Universitas Islam Negeri Raden Intan Lampung sebanyak 10 orang. Adapun kesimpulan dari penelitian ini adalah berdasarkan persepsi mahasiswa dalam penggunaan bahasa Inggris menunjukkan persepsi yang cukup baik yaitu diharapkan sebanyak/sesering mungkin oleh dosen dalam pembelajaran. Antara dosen satu dan lainnya memiliki frekuensi penggunaan yang berbeda tergantung dari kemampuan berbahasa Inggris masing-masing dosen. Dalam penggunaan bahasa Inggris pada matakuliah bahasa Inggris mahasiswa memiliki persepsi yang cukup baik karena dosen telah memberikan pembelajaran aktif dengan memberikan materi sesuai dengan latar belakang mahasiswa jurusan Komunikasi dan Penyiaran Islam (KPI) yaitu bahasa Inggris I penekanan kemampuan diajarkan dalam materi dasar yaitu English For Grammar, bahasa Inggris II indikator kemampuan mahasiswa yaitu mahasiswa Komunikasi dan Penyiaran Islam dapat mampu berkomunikasi bercakap-cakap menggunakan bahasa Inggris baik secara aktif maupun pasif dan bahasa Inggris III indikator kemampuan mahasiswa diharapkan mampu menguasai bahasa Inggris baik secara aktif maupun pasif baik secara lisan maupun tulisan dan untuk mengukur tingkat keberhasilan mahasiswa dosen pengampu matakuliah bahasa Inggris III juga memberikan materi mengenai TOEFL. Berdasarkan hasil penelitian penulis dengan adanya penggunaan bahasa Inggris di Jurusan Komunikasi dan Penyiaran Islam menunjukkan persepsi mahasiswa yang cukup baik baik penggunaan bahasa itu sendiri dalam mengasah keterampilan mereka ataupun manfaat yang mereka rasakan dalam penggunaan bahasa Inggris itu sendiri

Controlling the surface hydroxyl concentration by thermal treatment of layered double hydroxides.

Layered double hydroxides (LDHs) are important materials in the field of catalyst supports, and their surface hydroxyl functionality makes them interesting candidates for supporting well-defined single-site catalysts. Here, we report that the surface hydroxyl concentration can be controlled by thermal treatment of these materials under vacuum, leading to hydroxyl numbers (αOH) similar to those of dehydroxylated silica, alumina, and magnesium hydroxide. Thermal treatment of [Mg0.74Al0.26(OH)2](SO4)0.1(CO3)0.03·0.62(H2O)·0.04(acetone) prepared by the aqueous miscible organic solvent treatment method (Mg2.84Al-SO4-A AMO-LDH) is shown to yield a mixed metal oxide above 300 °C by a combination of thermogravimetric analysis, powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), BET surface area analysis, and FTIR spectroscopy. PXRD shows the disappearance of the characteristic LDH 00l peaks at 300 °C indicative of decomposition to the layered structure, coupled with a large increase in the BET surface area (95 vs 158 m2 g-1 from treatment at 275 and 300 °C, respectively). Titration of the surface hydroxyls with Mg(CH2Ph)2(THF)2 indicates that the hydroxyl number is independent of surface area for a given treatment temperature. Treatment at 450 °C under vacuum produces a mixed metal oxide material with a surface hydroxyl concentration (αOH) of 2.14 OH nm-2 similar to the hydroxyl number (αOH) of 1.80 OH nm-2 for a sample of SiO2 dehydroxylated at 500 °C. These materials appear to be suitable candidates for use as single-site organometallic catalyst supports

Trends of Hospital Admissions Due to Congenital Anomalies in England and Wales between 1999 and 2019: An Ecological Study

Objectives: To investigate the trends in congenital anomalies-related hospital admissions in England and Wales. Methods: This was an ecological study that was conducted using hospital admission data taken from the Hospital Episode Statistics database in England and the Patient Episode Database for Wales. Congenital malformations, deformations and chromosomal abnormalities hospital admissions data were extracted for the period between April 1999 and March 2019. Results: Hospital admission rate increased by 4.9% [from 198.74 (95% CI 197.53–199.94) in 1999 to 208.55 (95% CI 207.39–209.71) in 2019 per 100,000 persons, trend test, p < 0.01]. The most common hospital admissions causes were congenital malformations of the circulatory system, the musculoskeletal system, genital organs, and the digestive system. The most notable increase in hospital admissions rate was observed in congenital malformations of the respiratory system (1.01-fold). The age group below 15 years accounted for 75.1% of the total number of hospital admissions. Males contributed to 57.5% of the whole number of hospital admission. Hospital admission rate between females was increased by 6.4% [from 162.63 (95% CI 161.10–164.16) in 1999 to 173.05 (95% CI 171.57–174.54) in 2019 per 100,000 persons]. Hospital admission rate between males was increased by 3.4% [from 236.61 (95% CI 234.72–238.50) in 1999 to 244.70 (95% CI 242.92–246.49) in 2019 per 100,000 persons]. Conclusions: Males had a higher percentage of hospitalisation compared to females. Further studies to investigate the factors associated with higher hospitalisation rate among males are needed

Synthesis, characterisation and slurry phase ethylene polymerisation of rac-(PhBBI*)ZrCl2 immobilised on modified layered double hydroxides

Rac- and meso-bis(1-hexamethylindenyl)phenylborane zirconium dichloride, {rac-, meso-(PhBBI*)ZrCl2} has been synthesised and fully characterised. The slurry phase ethylene polymerisation performance of rac-(PhBBI*)ZrCl2 immobilised on a range of methylaluminoxane (MAO)-modified, solvent-dispersed, high surface area layered double hydroxides (AMO/AIM-MgxAl-CO3 LDHs) have been studied. The polymerisation activities show a strong dependence on the nature of the LDH. Rac-(PhBBI*)ZrCl2 supported on a MAO-modified 1-hexanol dispersed [Mg0.73Al0.27(OH)2][CO3]0.135 LDH displayed a maximum ethylene polymerisation activity of 6641 kgPE molZr−1 h−1 bar−1 at 70 °C and 2 bar ethylene. Benchmarking studies reveal that some of the rac-(PhBBI*)ZrCl2 supported catalysts outperform a range of commonly used industrial metallocene PE catalysts

Relations between lipoprotein(a) concentrations, LPA genetic variants, and the risk of mortality in patients with established coronary heart disease: a molecular and genetic association study

BACKGROUND: Lipoprotein(a) concentrations in plasma are associated with cardiovascular risk in the general population. Whether lipoprotein(a) concentrations or LPA genetic variants predict long-term mortality in patients with established coronary heart disease remains less clear. METHODS: We obtained data from 3313 patients with established coronary heart disease in the Ludwigshafen Risk and Cardiovascular Health (LURIC) study. We tested associations of tertiles of lipoprotein(a) concentration in plasma and two LPA single-nucleotide polymorphisms ([SNPs] rs10455872 and rs3798220) with all-cause mortality and cardiovascular mortality by Cox regression analysis and with severity of disease by generalised linear modelling, with and without adjustment for age, sex, diabetes diagnosis, systolic blood pressure, BMI, smoking status, estimated glomerular filtration rate, LDL-cholesterol concentration, and use of lipid-lowering therapy. Results for plasma lipoprotein(a) concentrations were validated in five independent studies involving 10 195 patients with established coronary heart disease. Results for genetic associations were replicated through large-scale collaborative analysis in the GENIUS-CHD consortium, comprising 106 353 patients with established coronary heart disease and 19 332 deaths in 22 studies or cohorts. FINDINGS: The median follow-up was 9·9 years. Increased severity of coronary heart disease was associated with lipoprotein(a) concentrations in plasma in the highest tertile (adjusted hazard radio [HR] 1·44, 95% CI 1·14-1·83) and the presence of either LPA SNP (1·88, 1·40-2·53). No associations were found in LURIC with all-cause mortality (highest tertile of lipoprotein(a) concentration in plasma 0·95, 0·81-1·11 and either LPA SNP 1·10, 0·92-1·31) or cardiovascular mortality (0·99, 0·81-1·2 and 1·13, 0·90-1·40, respectively) or in the validation studies. INTERPRETATION: In patients with prevalent coronary heart disease, lipoprotein(a) concentrations and genetic variants showed no associations with mortality. We conclude that these variables are not useful risk factors to measure to predict progression to death after coronary heart disease is established. FUNDING: Seventh Framework Programme for Research and Technical Development (AtheroRemo and RiskyCAD), INTERREG IV Oberrhein Programme, Deutsche Nierenstiftung, Else-Kroener Fresenius Foundation, Deutsche Stiftung für Herzforschung, Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, Saarland University, German Federal Ministry of Education and Research, Willy Robert Pitzer Foundation, and Waldburg-Zeil Clinics Isny

Prevalence of Chronic Kidney Diseases in Patients with Diabetes Mellitus in the Middle East: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Aims. The prevalence of CKD in patients with diabetes mellitus in the Middle East region is unknown. Therefore, we aimed to understand the pooled prevalence of CKD in patients with diabetes mellitus in the Middle East region. Methods. PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane databases were searched for relevant studies up to October 2020. The search strategy was conducted using both keywords and MeSH terms. Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and observational studies that included patients from all age groups and any study design that reported on the prevalence of CKD in patients with diabetes mellitus were included. The pooled estimate for the prevalence of CKD in patients with diabetes was calculated using random-effect models with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results. A total of 489 citations were identified, of which only nine studies matched our inclusion criteria and were included in the meta-analysis. All of the studies used an observational study design covering a total of 59,395 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. The pooled estimate of the prevalence of CKD in patients with diabetes mellitus was 28.96% (95% CI: 19.80–38.11). Conclusions. A high prevalence of CKD in patients with diabetes mellitus in the Middle East region was found. Further epidemiological studies are warranted in this area to have a better estimate of the prevalence of CKD among DM in the Middle East region