Why do Zakah Institutions in Sri Lanka Underperform?

Zakah as a compulsory worship obligation of Muslims has been practiced for several decades in an institutionalized form in Sri Lanka. Although the institutionalized mechanism contributes to some improvements in socioeconomic conditions, recent research highlighted that the impact of such a model is yet below the expected level. The institutional zakah practice in Sri Lanka has remained essentially informal lacking any state recognition or zakah specific regulation. This paper examined the contemporary challenges and root causes of the zakah institutions’ underperformance in Sri Lanka. This paper took a qualitative methodology and collected primary and secondary data through official documents, interviews, and published literature. The empirical findings of the paper reveal a threefold challenge that contributes to the inefficient institutional zakah performance, namely low collection, ineffective disbursement, and external hurdles. The paper suggests that the prolonged dominant informal and individualist zakah culture of Sri Lankan Muslims fails to actualize the designated goals of zakah and this in turn has contributed to the contemporary challenges. The paper highlights the need for developing an alternative jurisprudential methodology that has the potential to offer sensible remedies to the contemporary identified challenges. The paper suggests that zakah institutions must thoroughly re-evaluate existing zakah applications to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of their zakah management systems. It is also suggested that it would be helpful to establish a National Zakah Consultative Body that can advise the government on adopting effective regulations or guidance relevant to zakah management for the Sri Lankan Muslim minority

Role of serum Zinc and Copper levels in patients with acne vulgaris

Background: Acne vulgaris is a disorder in which hair follicles develop obstructing horny plugs (comedones) and the reason is unknown. The aim of the present study was to assess the relationship of zinc and copper to Acne vulgaris. Material and Methods: Young female patients in the age group of 13 to 19 years, with the problem of acne attending the out-patient department of Dermatology of a tertiary teaching general hospital over a period of six months, were included in this study. Female attenders (friends) of the patients of the same age, without acne comprised of the control group. Group 1 consisted of 50 patients with acne and group 2 was a control group having 25 normal individulas. The blood samples of patients and controls were collected on the scheduled date and analysed for serum zinc and copper levels at National Institute of Nutrition, Hyderabad by Atomic absorption spectrometry. Results: Mean Serum zinc levels in patients was 24.4  2.4 whereas the levels in controls was 99.4  4.5. The observation is that the mean value in acne patients is statistically significant and lower than controls (p<0.001). Mean serum copper levels in patients and control was 119±14 and 131.2±4.6 respectively. The observation is that mean value in acne patients is statistically significant (p <0.001). Conclusion: Zinc deficiency is one of the main causes of acne and zinc supplementation has got a marked role in its treatment. Whereas hypercupraemia needs further evaluation

Why do Zakah Institutions in Sri Lanka Underperform?

Zakah as a compulsory worship obligation of Muslims has been practiced for several decades in an institutionalized form in Sri Lanka. Although the institutionalized mechanism contributes to some improvements in socioeconomic conditions, recent research highlighted that the impact of such a model is yet below the expected level. The institutional zakah practice in Sri Lanka has remained essentially informal lacking any state recognition or zakah specific regulation. This paper examined the contemporary challenges and root causes of the zakah institutions’ underperformance in Sri Lanka. This paper took a qualitative methodology and collected primary and secondary data through official documents, interviews, and published literature. The empirical findings of the paper reveal a threefold challenge that contributes to the inefficient institutional zakah performance, namely low collection, ineffective disbursement, and external hurdles. The paper suggests that the prolonged dominant informal and individualist zakah culture of Sri Lankan Muslims fails to actualize the designated goals of zakah and this in turn has contributed to the contemporary challenges. The paper highlights the need for developing an alternative jurisprudential methodology that has the potential to offer sensible remedies to the contemporary identified challenges. The paper suggests that zakah institutions must thoroughly re-evaluate existing zakah applications to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of their zakah management systems. It is also suggested that it would be helpful to establish a National Zakah Consultative Body that can advise the government on adopting effective regulations or guidance relevant to zakah management for the Sri Lankan Muslim minority

Sex-Related Differences in Medically Treated Moderate Aortic Stenosis

BackgroundRecent data showed poor long-term survival in patients with moderate AS. Although sex differences in left ventricular (LV) remodeling and outcome are well described in severe AS, it has not been evaluated in moderate AS.MethodsIn this retrospective, multicenter study, patients with a first diagnosis of moderate AS diagnosed between 2001 and 2019 were identified. Clinical and echocardiographic parameters were recorded at baseline and compared between men and women. Patients were followed up for the primary endpoint of all-cause mortality with censoring at the time of aortic valve replacement.ResultsA total of 1895 patients with moderate AS (age 73 ± 10 years, 52% male) were included. Women showed more concentric hypertrophy and had more pronounced LV diastolic dysfunction than men. During a median follow-up of 34 (13-60) months, 682 (36%) deaths occurred. Men showed significantly higher mortality rates at 3- and 5-year follow-up (30% and 48%, respectively) than women (26% and 39%, respectively) (p = 0.011). On multivariable analysis, male sex remained independently associated with mortality (hazard ratio 1.209; 95% CI: 1.024-1.428; p = 0.025). LV remodeling (according to LV mass index) was associated with worse outcomes (hazard ratio 1.003; CI: 1.001-1.005; p = 0.006), but no association was observed between the interaction of LV mass index and sex with outcomes.ConclusionsLV remodeling patterns are different between men and women having moderate AS. Male sex is associated with worse outcomes in patients with medically treated moderate AS. Further studies investigating the management of moderate AS in a sex-specific manner are needed.</p

الرهنان الحيازي والرسمي في النظام المالي الإسلامي الماليزي دراسة فقهية تحليلية = Possessory and official mortgages in Malaysian Islamic monetary system: a fiqh analytical study = Gadaian Hiyazi dan gadaian rasmi dalam sistem kewangan Islam Malaysia: satu kajian analisis fiqh

This study aims to explain the possessory and official pledges and some of their applications in the Malaysia Islamic monetary system from the point of view of Fiqh analysis. This is to answer the question: what are the concepts of possessory and official mortgage and their applications? The study refers to the views of the jurists on the issue and compares between them. The study concludes among others: that the traditional jurists did not differentiate between the possessory and official mortgages in their discussions but rather discussed it in a general manner. Legal scholars had reviewed this form of interaction as a result of in the real estate insurance system; and that the difference between them is that possessory mortgage has the mortgaged property in the hand of the mortgagee until he fulfils his right and as for the official mortgage, the mortgagee remains in the hand of the owner and the mortgagee has the right in fulfilling his right based on the price of the mortgaged item. This mechanism however, was applied in different manners in the Malaysia Islamic monetary system; some of which comply with the Shari’ah while some others need to be reviewed and studied further to contain them from some of the Shari’ah offences and the possibility of them containing elements of the suspicious usury

Use of herbal extract from Artemisia herba-alba (Shih) in pharmaceutical preparations for dental hygiene

Antibiotic resistance in bacterial species is opening new avenues to search for alternative modes of antimicrobial treatment, medicinal plant extracts being one among them. The aim of this study was to access the possibility of medicinal plant extract from Shih in the manufacture of pharmaceutical preparations for oral hygiene specifically for the prevention and treatment of dental caries due to Streptococcus mutans. Antimicrobial effects of crude organic extract of Shih on S. mutans isolated from the saliva were examined by taking S. mutans with culture media only (−ve control); S. mutans treated with the antibiotic gentamicin (+ve control) and S. mutans treated with Shih. Minimal Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) and Minimal Bactericidal Concentration (MBC) were Determination by Iodonitrotetrazolium chloride (INT) colorimetric assay Time-kill dynamic assay was performed using broth microdilution method. The metabolic reason behind the bacteriostatic and bactericidal effect were studied by measuring the glucose utilization by the microbes, pH as a measure of acid production, nucleic acids quantitation to check the DNA status and inhibition of water-insoluble glucan synthesis were undertaken. Shih MIC for S. mutans was at 2.5 mg/ml and MBC was 4 mg/ml. S. mutans bacterial population started reclining within 60 min of incubation with Shih at MBC. Utilization of added glucose was very high at MIC due to bacteria overcoming the stress, whereas at MBC its utilization was less. Accordingly pH also became acidic to 2.9 with MIC and 4.03 with MBC. There was a great degree of inhibition in the formation of nucleic acids indicating this crude extract interferes with DNA replication. Inhibition of glucan synthesis was to the tune of 45% as compared to control. Thus we conclude that Shih has potentially effective antibacterial activity hence it can be proposed as a potentially effective antiplaque and anticariogenic agent in the form of mouth wash or gum paint. However, the cytotoxicity of the extract needs to be evaluated in in-vitro and in-vivo conditions before it is considered as a safe antiplaque and anticariogenic agent. Keywords: Artemisia herba-alba (Shih), Streptococcus mutans, Dental caries, Antimicrobial effect, Metabolic effect

Role of serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) as a tumor marker in breast cancer

Background: There is a need for biological prognostic indicators in breast cancer that would, alone or in combination with others, be sufficient to predict disease recurrence and, hence, be the basis for supplemental treatment after local therapy. Aims: To investigate the association between tumor marker serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and clinicopathological parameters in patients with breast cancer. Methods: A total of 134 patients with breast cancer treated in a single general surgery unit between January 2012 and November 2013 were included in the study, with age ranging between 28 and 73 years. Serum CEA values were compared before and after the treatment of breast cancer, between different histological types of breast cancer patients, between axillary lymphnode-positive and axillary lymphnode-negative patients, and between premenopausal and postmenopausal breast cancer patients. Data were analyzed using the statistical software SPSS version 19. Results: There was significant change in the values of serum CEA before (10.71 ± 2.79 ng/ml) and after the surgery for breast cancer (9.73 ± 3.00 ng/ml) (P < 0.006). There was further decline in the serum CEA level after a course of chemo-radiotherapy (7.30 ± 2.79 ng/ml) (P < 0.001). There was no significant difference between the different histological types of breast cancer (P value 0.55). The difference was significant in patients who were axillary lymphnode positive and negative (P < 0.001). There was no significant difference in premenopausal and postmenopausal breast cancer patients (P value 0.86). Conclusions: Serum CEA is a tumor marker of breast carcinoma. Its level decreased after treatment. This decrease is found more after chemo/radiotherapy following surgery. Serum CEA values are found to be elevated in patients with axillary lymphnode metastasis. There is no significant relation with the histologic type of breast cancer and menopausal status of the patient

Salivary 1,5-Anhydroglucitol and Vitamin Levels in Relation to Caries Risk in Children

The objective of this study was to evaluate the association between salivary 1,5-anhydroglucitol (AG), vitamins A (VA), C (VC), and E (VE), and caries risk in children. 100 healthy children aged between 6 and 13 years were divided into two equal groups of caries-free (DMFS/dmfs=0) and caries active (DMFS/dmfs>3). Unstimulated midmorning saliva was collected from all the children and the levels of salivary AG and vitamins A, C, and E were measured. Caries risk assessment was done using American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry Caries Assessment Tool. Analysis of salivary AG and vitamins was performed using a commercially available ELISA kit. Low levels of AG were present in caries active and high caries risk groups compared to caries-free and low/medium caries risk groups. This difference is statistically significant (p < 0.05). A strong negative correlation between AG and caries activity was observed in the caries active group. VA was not related to caries activity, while VC and VE displayed a statistically significant correlation (p < 0.05). Similarly, a strong negative correlation was observed between the levels of AG and high caries risk group. Salivary AG, VC, and VE together are related to caries risk in caries active children. These salivary parameters can act as indicator of caries status in children

Geospatial Evaluation of Cropping Pattern and Cropping Intensity Using Multi Temporal Harmonized Product of Sentinel-2 Dataset on Google Earth Engine

Due to the declining land resources over the past few decades, the intensification of land uses has played a significant role in balancing the ever-increasing demand for food in developing nations such as India. To optimize agricultural land uses, one of the crucial indicators is cropping intensity, which measures the number of times a single parcel of land is farmed. Therefore, it is imperative to create a timely and accurate cropping intensity map so that landowners and agricultural planners can use it to determine the best course of action for the present and for the future. In the present study, we have developed an algorithm on Google Earth Engine (GEE) to depict cropping patterns and further fused it with a GIS environment to depict cropping intensity in the arid western plain zone of Rajasthan, India. A high-resolution multi-temporal harmonized product of the Sentinel-2 dataset was incorporated for depicting the growth cycle of crops for the year 2020–2021 using the greenest pixel composites. Kharif and Rabi accounted for 73.44% and 26.56% of the total cultivated area, respectively. Only 7.42% was under the double-cropped area to the total cultivated area. The overall accuracy of the classified image was 90%. For the Kharif crop, the accuracy was 95%, while for Rabi and the double-cropped region, the accuracy was 88%, with a kappa coefficient of 0.784. The present study was able to depict the seasonal plantation system in arid arable land with higher accuracy. The proposed work can be used to monitor cropping patterns and cost-effectively show cropping intensities

A Recent and Systemic Approach Towards Microbial Biodegradation of Dyes from Textile Industries

The textile industry generated a series of synthetic dyestuffs that threatened environmental protection. Azo dyes, widely utilized in textile, paper, fruit, leathers, cosmeceuticals and pharmaceutical fields, account for most of the dyestuffs made. Since they have colour fastness properties, stability, and susceptibility to oxidation, existing effluent treatment methods cannot entirely strip different dyes from effluents. Under certain environmental factors, bacteria decolourize and degrade dyes. The treatment process is cheap, environmentally safe, and can be used on various dyes. However, textile plant wastewater can produce many polluting chemicals and dyes. Environmental legislation is increasingly being enacted to regulate mainly azo-based dyes in the environment. The potential of the microbes for the decolourization of dyes and metabolizing them is long-known knowledge. The toxic components of dyes challenge a potential threat to all the living forms of life. Though both natural and synthetic dyes are used for the colourization of textiles, only synthetic ones are challenging to decolourize. Microbial-based bioremediation of dyes has been studied and reviewed primarily to accelerate dye degradation. The various piece of the literature revealed that the majority of these dye removal microbes belong to mainly white-rot fungi, a consortium of anaerobic bacteria. In addition to this, there are several (genetically engineered microorganisms) GEMs that remediate dyes efficiently. Here in the current review, the authors have tried to bridge the existing gap in the bioremediation of dyestuff. Moreover, the authors have also tried to provide the latest trend in this field. This study will surely benefit the industries and researchers related to dyestuffs by maintaining eco-friendly approaches