The Supreme Leader’s Legitimacy Crises and Candidate Screening in Iran’s Post-Khomeini Parliamentary Elections

投稿論文Refereed Articl

Lessons learnt from the IWRM demonstration projects: innovations in local-level integrated water resource development in Malawi, Mozambique, Swaziland and Zambia

Water resource management / Guidelines / Project planning / Financing / Multiple use / Irrigation water / Domestic water / Participatory management / Community involvement / Empowerment / Local government / Poverty / Public health / Malawi / Mozambique / Swaziland / Zambia

The use of traditional herbal medicines among palliative care patients at Mulanje Mission Hospital, Malawi

Background: The prevalence of use of traditional medicines by patients receiving palliative care is poorly documented. In 2002, the World Health Organisation estimated about 4 billion people (80% of the world’s population) used traditional medicines for some aspect of primary healthcare, with 90% of users living in low and middle income countries. Studies in Africa have shown that patients on palliative care are more likely to use traditional medicines especially after the diagnosis of cancer. This study describes the prevalence of and reasons for TM use amongst PC patients and also explores the common herbs used by this population. Methodology: A mixed method descriptive cross sectional study design was used including the following: questionnaire administered to patients attending palliative care clinic and focus group discussions with palliative care patients. Results: 60.4% of palliative care patients (n = 96; males = 53%) reported use of traditional herbal medicines. The majority of survey participants had the diagnosis of cancer (94%; n = 90) and HIV (89%; n = 85). Traditional herbal medicine use was common in participants who had the following symptoms: diarrhoea 83%, anorexia 63%, pain 61% etc. Traditional medicine use was not associated with age, gender, education, occupation, distance from hospital, diagnosis or symptom. 62% of the participants who used herbal medicines did not know the herbs they were taking. Kigelia Africana, Moringa oleifera, Cyphostema sp, and Strychnos innocua were the common herbs used. Cultural practices, limitations of conventional health system and credibility of traditional healers were the main reasons for using traditional herbal medicines. Conclusion: Use of traditional herbal medicines is high among patients receiving palliative care at Mulanje Mission hospital mainly for symptom management and cancer. Further research is needed to investigate effectiveness of identified herbs and also assess their potential herb-drug interactions. Ongoing work including liaison with traditional healers would assist to formulate effective local palliative care management programs that are sensitive to traditional medicine practices

Some effects of ability grouping in Harare secondary schools: a case study

This article describes the experiences of the first author in the research he conducted in two Harare secondary schools. The objective of the research was to assess the influence of ability grouping on learners. In particular, the research sought to examine how this practice affected classroom instruction, learner performance and the social stratification among learners. A qualitative research methodology was followed during which in-depth interviews were conducted with teachers, administrators and learners. These were complemented with informal conversations, where relevant comments were noted. Analysis of relevant documents, observations and limited participation were also employed as means of collecting data. The main findings of this study were that: teachers tended not to prepare thoroughly for the so-called low ability classes; learners placed in low ability classrooms felt that school authorities and learners in high ability classrooms discriminated against them; learners in high ability classrooms believed that teachers who "bunked" their classes saw them as intelligent enough to learn on their own and that learners in low ability classes were disruptive and did not want to learn; social relationships among learners from the two groups w ere poor, creating an unhealthy social stratification. It was therefore concluded that the negative aspects of ability grouping outweighed its often professed positive aspects. It is therefore recommended that this practice be re-examined. South African Journal of Education Vol.23(3) 2003: 176-18

Quality Concerns in Basic Primary Education in Two Rural Districts of Zimbabwe: an Interrogation of Perceptions of Critical Stakeholders

A ZJER article on the need for quality in education in rural based schools in Zimbabwe.Since independence in 1980, Zimbabwe has been priding itself of a high literacy rate among its population, and has been producing what has been termed high quality products in the form of teachers, doctors, nurses, among others, who are in high demand in Africa and beyond. This has been largely due to what Harrison as cited in Doherty(1994) calls the massification of education in the post-colonial era, which saw all young people of school going age accessing primary education. But the question that comes to mind is, “to what extent can mass education provide quality education? Or is it a question of elite education being written a little larger " as Neave(1985) and Harrison(1994) say? A non-governmental organisation (NGO) , Save the Children Norway-Zimbabwe(SCNZ), has developed an interest to promote and enhance basic quality education in two rural districts of Zimbabwe, Bikita (in Masvingo Province) and Rushinga(in Mashonaland Central Province). To this effect, the authors were engaged to carry out a study in the two districts in 2003/2004. The project was: Needs Assessment Study on Access to Basic Quality Education in Zimbabwe: The case for Bikita and Rushinga Districts. This presentation is based on that study project and a review of literature an the debate on quality education in general

Regionally restricted developmental defects resulting from targeted disruption of the mouse homeobox gene hox-1.5.

Journal ArticleGene targeting in mouse embryo-derived stem cells has been used to disrupt the homeobox gene hox-1.5. Mice heterozygous at the hox-1.5 locus appear normal, whereas hox-1.5-/hox-1.5- mice die at or shortly after birth. These homozygotes are athymic, aparathyroid, have reduced thyroid and submaxillary tissue and exhibit a wide range of throat abnormalities. In addition, they often feature defects of the heart and arteries as well as craniofacial abnormalities. These deficiencies are remarkably similar to the pathology of the human congenital disorder DiGeorge's syndrome

Developmental defects of the ear, cranial nerves and hindbrain resulting from targeted disruption of the mouse homeobox gene Hox-1.6.

Journal ArticleGene targeting in mouse embryo-derived stem cells has been used to generate mice with a disruption in the homeobox gene Hox-1.6. Mice heterozygous at the Hox-1.6 locus appear normal, whereas Hox-1.6-/Hox-1.6- mice die at or shortly after birth. These homozygotes exhibit profound defects in the formation of the external, middle and inner ears as well as in specific hindbrain nuclei, and in cranial nerves and ganglia. The affected tissues lie within a narrow region along the anteroposterior axis of the mouse but are of diverse embryonic origin. The set of defects associated with the disruption of Hox-1.6 is distinct from and nonoverlapping with that of the closely linked Hox-1.5 gene. But both mutations cause loss, rather than homeotic transformation, of tissues and structure

A Critical Assessment of the ICT Regulatory Transparency Gap in Zimbabwe

Effective ICT regulation is expected to level the playing field for both investors and consumers through regulatory transparency, independence, pro-competitiveness, consistency, competency and accountability. It is necessary to create an effective regulatory environment that fosters sectoral growth and inspires confidence as an impartial institution. This paper assesses the level of regulatory transparency in developing countries using evidence from the Zimbabwean regulatory framework. The study employs a Qualitative methodology, and Heeks’(2002)Design Reality Gap (DRG) under an interpretivist paradigm. Data collection used in depth interviews with purposively selected stakeholders and analysed using Nvivo (release 1.6.1 (1136)) and thematic analysis shaped by DRG constructs against regulatory transparency. The study makes its contribution by applying the DRG for assessing and evaluating the regulatory transparency gaps in developing countries like Zimbabwe. The findings show a partial DRG gap in Regulatory transparency i.e. narrow gaps in, Resources Utilisation Transparency, Objectives and Values Transparency while Technological Capacitation, Regulatory Processes, Management and Enforcement Transparency were wide. The sector applauded the extensive consultation conducted during the development of statutory instruments but they felt that their contributions were often marginalised by premeditated decisions. Perceptions on Transparency were polarised by public or private sector divides. This confirmed that the flow of information was distributed selectively

Ability grouping in Harare Secondary Schools : its effect on instruaction, learning and social stratification

This study describes my experience 111 the research 1 conducted in two Harare secondary schools in which the interpretive ethnographic qualitative research methodology was used. The objective of the research was to assess the infuence of ability grouping on learners, given that ability grouping is a common practice in Zimbabwean schools. In particular, this study sought to find out how this practice affected classroom instruction, learner performance and the social relationship among learners. This study was conducted over three months at each of the schools, during which time formal interviews with teachers, administrators and learners, were conducted. These were complemented with informal conversations, where relevant comments were noted. Observation and limited participation in the two schools were also employed as means of collecting data. Analysis of documents was also done to supply more data about the practice and how it was implemented. As customary with qualitative research, I, as the researcher, was the instrument for data collection. Data were analysed by identifying themes which emerged from the statements of the respondents, and interpretation was done using the mechanism of thick description of what the respondents said and did during the interviews and observation, and what the documents had to say about this practice. I, as researcher, concluded from this study that ability grouping had a negative effect on classroom instruction for the low ability groups, since teachers tended not to prepare thoroughly for them. There was also a tendency among high ability groups to look down upon the low ability groups and to stigmatise them as "those who do not want to learn." Naturally this created a counter reaction from the low ability groups, making social relationships between members of the groups sour. l, as researcher, recommend a re-examination of this practice by the schools, with a view to either discontinue it or to work out mechanisms to remove the negative factors.Educational StudiesD. Ed. (Didactics