Islamism and masculinity: case study Pakistan

In Muslim societies, men use Islamism and its variants as means of self-actualization and directly in service of matters associated with personhood, masculinity, and particularly honor. This expressive trajectory i.e. exercising masculinity via Islamism holds true in Pakistan and can be broadly attributed to three elements. First, Pakistan’s postcolonial baggage – a well-documented history of rise of Muslim nationalism, and Islamism in the subcontinent; second, western domination and interference in Pakistan’s socio-economic and political domains (as in competition with Islamic heritage and governance frameworks) affecting some segments (and not all) among Muslim youth; and third, decades of authoritarian rule taking turns with weak democratic governments who have largely disappointed in terms of alleviating absolute to relative poverty, marginalization and alienation troubling Pakistani society. Pakistan’s history and contemporary settings both reveal a dissonance between the prescribed, normative and idealized Muslim masculinity imperatives – and the socio-economic and political location of Pakistani men in the real world. Mostly leading dangerous, disenfranchised, and economically deprived lives it is difficult for them to uphold, for example, Quran’s masculine imperative of being a qawwam or an ethnic normative of honor. Islamism becomes one such avenue that increases the possibility of self-assertion and actualization of masculinity imperatives and as they appear in religious and cultural texts, narratives and anecdotes – for instance the theme of martyrdom. The resulting death will not only be divine, but also heroic. In the presence of precedence i.e. in form of documented history highlighting jihadism – this becomes plausible and ultimately adds to individual and collective rationality among Muslims. To develop these ideas further, this article draws upon empirical data sets and historical archival records

Mixotrophic cultivation of Scenedesmus dimorphus in sugarcane bagasse hydrolysate

Overuse of the fossil fuels to fulfill existing energy requirements has generated various environmental problems like global warming. Emergence of environmental issues due to burning of the fossil fuel resources has provoked researchers to explore alternative sources of fuel. In this scenario, microalgal biofuels could present a promising alternative fuel if produced cost-effectively without competing for freshwater resources and arable land. Aim of the present study was to grow microalgae by employing lignocellulosic waste for production of lipids. Scenedesmus dimorphus NT8c was chosen based on its ability to tolerate heat, rapid growth, and ease of harvesting by overnight settling. Biochemical composition and growth parameters of microalgae were analyzed when cultivated mixotrophically on sugarcane bagasse hydrolysate, a low-value agricultural by-product, that is, currently underutilized. Despite a slight increase in turbidity in the medium, S. dimorphus NT8c cultures raised mixotrophically in 5 g/L sugarcane bagasse hydrolysate displayed significantly higher growth rates compared to photoautotrophic cultivation with an overall biomass productivity of 119.5 mg L d, protein contents of 34.82% and fatty acid contents of 15.41%. Thus, microalgae cultivated mixotrophically are capable of photosynthesizing while metabolizing and assimilating organic carbon, significant increases of biomass and lipid productivity can be achieved. However, high supplementation with organic carbon can result in unfavorable levels of turbidity and bacterial growth, reducing microalgal biomass productivity

Mixed microalgae consortia growth under higher concentration of CO2 from unfiltered coal fired flue gas: Fatty acid profiling and biodiesel production

Biodiesel is produced by transesterification of fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) from oleaginous microalgae feedstock. Biodiesel fuel properties were studied and compared with biodiesel standards. Qualitative analysis of FAME was done while cultivating mixed microalgae consortia under three concentrations of coal fired flue gas (1%, 3.0% and 5.5% CO2). Under 1% CO2 concentration (flue gas), the FAME content was 280.3 μg/mL, whereas the lipid content was 14.03 μg/mL/D (day). Both FAMEs and lipid contents were low at other CO2 concentrations (3.0 and 5.5%). However, mixed consortia in the presence of phosphate buffer and flue gas (PB + FG) showed higher saturated fatty acids (SFA) (36.28%) and unsaturated fatty acids (UFA) (63.72%) versus 5.5% CO2 concentration, which might be responsible for oxidative stability of biodiesel. Subsequently, higher cetane number (52) and low iodine value (136.3 gI2/100 g) biodiesel produced from mixed consortia (PB + FG) under 5.5% CO2 along with 50 mM phosphate buffer were found in accordance with European (EN 14214) standard. Results revealed that phosphate buffer significantly enhanced the biodiesel quality, but reduced the FAME yield. This study intended to develop an integrated approach for significant improvement in biodiesel quality under surplus phosphorus by utilizing waste flue gas (as CO2 source) using microalgae. The CO2 sequestration from industrial flue gas not only reduced greenhouse gases, but may also ensure the sustainable and eco-benign production of biodiesel

Reducing the environmental impact of surgery on a global scale: systematic review and co-prioritization with healthcare workers in 132 countries

Abstract Background Healthcare cannot achieve net-zero carbon without addressing operating theatres. The aim of this study was to prioritize feasible interventions to reduce the environmental impact of operating theatres. Methods This study adopted a four-phase Delphi consensus co-prioritization methodology. In phase 1, a systematic review of published interventions and global consultation of perioperative healthcare professionals were used to longlist interventions. In phase 2, iterative thematic analysis consolidated comparable interventions into a shortlist. In phase 3, the shortlist was co-prioritized based on patient and clinician views on acceptability, feasibility, and safety. In phase 4, ranked lists of interventions were presented by their relevance to high-income countries and low–middle-income countries. Results In phase 1, 43 interventions were identified, which had low uptake in practice according to 3042 professionals globally. In phase 2, a shortlist of 15 intervention domains was generated. In phase 3, interventions were deemed acceptable for more than 90 per cent of patients except for reducing general anaesthesia (84 per cent) and re-sterilization of ‘single-use’ consumables (86 per cent). In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for high-income countries were: introducing recycling; reducing use of anaesthetic gases; and appropriate clinical waste processing. In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for low–middle-income countries were: introducing reusable surgical devices; reducing use of consumables; and reducing the use of general anaesthesia. Conclusion This is a step toward environmentally sustainable operating environments with actionable interventions applicable to both high– and low–middle–income countries

On the pretext of Islam:

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On the pretext of Islam : gender-based violence in Pakistan. A case-study of Khairpur, Sindh

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VULVOVAGINAL CANDIDIASIS IN PREGNANCY

ABSTRACT Vulvovaginal candidiais (VVC) is a common cause of vaginitis during pregnancy. Although the disease is rarely life threatening, it is a source of great physical and psychological discomfort and suffering. High Vaginal swabs (HVS) were collected from 50 pregnant women and subjected to Gram's smear, 10% KOH wet mount and culture. Candida was isolated from 48% of all cultures. However, Gram's smear and KOH mount revealed only 38% positivity with 10% showing both Candida spores and pseudohyphae. Multigravidae (60%) were more commonly affected than primigravidae (40%). The common presenting signs and symptoms of VVC in present study were excessive vaginal discharge (100%), vaginal pruritis (91.6%) and vaginal burning (75%). Although Gram's stain/ KOH mount is a valuable method in rapid diagnosis of symptomatic VVC as the invasive forms of yeast can also be demonstrated, yet its low sensitivity as compared to cultures could restrict the use in routine practice. Thus the best approach for the diagnosis of VVC is a combination of culture and Gram's smear / or KOH mount

Gender digital divide in rural Pakistan : to measure and to bridge it; revised final technical report, November 2007 - April 2010

While Pakistan’s National Information Technology (IT) Policy aims at harnessing the potential of information and communication technologies (ICTs) for development, especially in the underserved rural areas, it by and large ignores the role of existing gender inequalities on the possible benefits of ICTs. We have investigated aspects of the ‘gender digital divide’ in rural areas of Pakistan. In doing so, we have generated evidence and raised awareness regarding the gaps existing among women and men’s, and girls and boys’ access to, and use of, ICTs. These discrepancies were analysed in order to better understand their impact on human development in general and women’s empowerment in particular. Through the study results, we hope to enable an evidence-based, gender-sensitive revision of the policy as well as ICT-related interventions from which both females and males gain. The study took place in four of the most marginalized rural districts of the country where this divide is likely to be most pronounced. The sampling strategy was motivated by the assumption that such extreme cases may be especially enlightening, in particular in the context of directly policy-relevant research. In the present context, we assumed that the selection of rural districts characterized by greater degree of deprivation in terms of income, education and health may provide a more robust base for policy recommendations intended to narrow the gender digital divide. A mixed methods study was undertaken, combining a questionnaire-based survey and focus group discussion. While the quantitative data, generated by randomly selected sample, provides a basis for generalisation, the focus on female FGD participants was motivated by the need to give a voice to stakeholders whose situation and interests are poorly represented in related policy discourses in Pakistan. The data suggest mobile phones to be the ICT that is most commonly available in rural Pakistan. Radios are the second and TV sets are third most widespread technologies in marginalised rural areas. Despite the wide reach of mobile phones, mobile sets at hand are largely owned by women’s husbands, fathers and brothers, whose permission to make calls is required by a large share of all female respondents. We, therefore, argue that availability and gendered use of ICTs are two different things altogether. Social norms related to women and girls’ access to education as well as regulating their mobility prevent them from using ICTs. These norms have to be taken into account in policies and interventions to ensure women and girls’ access to and beneficial use of ICTs