Regulating islamic financial institutions : The nature of the regulated

More than 200 Islamic financial institutions (IFIs) operate in 48 countries. Their combined assets exceed $200 billion, with an annual growth rate between 12 percent and 15 percent. The regulatory regime governing IFIs varies significantly across countries. A number of international organizations have been established with the mandate to set standards that would strengthen and harmonize prudential regulations as they apply to IFIs. The authors contribute to the discussion on the nature of prudential standards to be developed. They clarify the risks that IFIs are exposed to and the type of regulations that are needed to systematically manage them. They consider that the industry is still in a development process whose eventual outcome is the convergence of the practice of Islamic financial intermediation with its conceptual foundations. The authors contrast the risks and regulations needed in the case of Islamic financial intermediation operating according to core principles and current practice. They outline implications for approaches to capital adequacy, licensing requirements, and reliance on market discipline. They then propose an organization of the industry that wouldallow it to develop in compliance with its principles and prudent risk management, and facilitate its regulation.Labor Policies,Payment Systems&Infrastructure,International Terrorism&Counterterrorism,Financial Intermediation,Banks&Banking Reform,Financial Intermediation,Banks&Banking Reform,Environmental Economics&Policies,Economic Theory&Research,Banking Law

The graffiti of Mohamed Mahmoud and the politics of transition in Egypt: The transformation of space, sociality and identities

This study is concerned with the spatial transformations taking place in Mohamed Mahmoud that branches from Midan el-Tahrir; the official site of the Egyptian January 25 Revolution. Since the revolution, this street has witnessed a great deal of violence during several bloody clashes between protesters and security forces. It has also become famous for the dissenting graffiti murals wrapping the walls of it entrance. By conducting ethnography of this block of Mohamed Mahmoud Street, my study focuses on the residents and shop owners in the area, who I frame as the graffiti\u27s ‘unintended audience,’ to understand how these spatial and political transformations have affected this space, the residents’ experience, social relations and sense of belonging. I argue that these new spatial transformations brought by the revolution have introduced an alternative public space, inviting a peculiar array of incidents and distinctive social interactions in which people deploy the mode of speaking in their subversion of many ambivalences in the course of troubled political transition

Fractional Laguerre spectral methods and their applications to fractional differential equations on unbounded domain

In this article, we first introduce a singular fractional Sturm-Liouville problem (SFSLP) on unbounded domain. The associated fractional differential operator is both Weyl and Caputo type. The properties of spectral data for fractional operator on unbounded domain have been investigated. Moreover, it has been shown that the eigenvalues of the singular problem are real-valued and the corresponding eigenfunctions are orthogonal. The analytical eigensolutions of SFSLP are obtained and defined as generalized Laguerre fractional-polynomials. The optimal approximation of such generalized Laguerre fractional-polynomials in suitably weighted Sobolev spaces involving fractional derivatives has been derived. We construct an efficient generalized Laguerre fractional-polynomials-Petrov–Galerkin methods for a class of fractional initial value problems and fractional boundary value problems. As a numerical example, we examine space fractional advection–diffusion equation. Our theoretical results are confirmed by associated numerical results

Demand Side Energy Saving though Proper Construction Practices and Materials Selection

Energy consumed during the construction of buildings and structures, including the embodied energy of the concrete and other construction materials, represent a considerable percentage that may reach 40% of the total energy consumed during the whole service life of the structure. Reducing energy consumed in the construction practices along with reducing the embodied energy of concrete and building materials, therefore, are of major importance. Reducing concrete's embodied energy represents one of the major green features of buildings and an important tool to improve sustainability, save resources for coming generations and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In this paper, different methods to reduce concrete's embodied energy are discussed and their effect on demand side energy are assessed. Using local materials, pozzolanic blended cements, fillers, along with specifying 56 days strength in design are discussed and assessed. Proper mix design, quality control and proper architectural design also affect and reduce embodied energy. Improving durability, regular maintenance and scheduled repair are essential to increase the expected service life of buildings and hence reduce overall resources consumption and reduce energy. These effects are discussed and quantified. Construction practices also consume considerable amount of energy. The effect of transporting, conveying, pouring, finishing and curing concrete on energy consumption are also discussed

Ocular features in Egyptian genetically disabled children

Ocular changes in genetically disabled children are great and of special importance. The aim of the present study was to delineate the nature and frequency of ocular defects in genetically disabled children. A cross sectional study was carried out. It included 95 genetically disabled children who were chosen from the medical genetics and ophthalmic departments, Ain-Shams University Hospitals, and examined for any associated ocular abnormalities. Studied patients were divided into six groups (Group I: Chromosomal disorders (Down syndrome), Group II: Genetic syndromes, Group III: Cranial anomalies, Group IV: Inborn errors of metabolism (IEM), Group V: Cerebral palsy, Group VI: Mental retardation). Anomalies of the eyelids were detected in 63.1% of our patients. They were significantly increased in group I [Chromosomal disorders (Down syndrome)], compared to other groups. Errors of refraction were detected in all Down syndrome patients.On the other hand some ocular findings were present in our Down syndrome patients and not reported in the literature before; these include, lacrimal fistula, lagophthalmos, heterochromia, macrocornea and ectropion in 3.3% of patients, tortous retinal vessels, entropion, and prominent upper punctum in 6.6%, ptosis in 10%, microcornea, absent foveal reflex, and blepharophimosis in 13.3% of our cases. Lacrimal apparatus abnormalities were detected in 11.5% of our patients, the highest frequency was detected among the chromosomal disorder group 27%. Conjunctival and scleral abnormalities were also detected in 10.5% of our patients, where the group of chromosomal disorders had the highest frequency (20%). Cornea and anterior chamber abnormalities were detected in 30.5%, these abnormalities had the same frequency (33%) in the groups of chromosomal disorders, genetic syndromes and inborn errors of metabolism. Iris and pupil abnormalities were detected in 15.7% of our patients. Lens abnormalities were detected in 10.5% of our patients, where the group of inborn errors of metabolism had the highest frequency (44%). Ocular muscles and mobility abnormalities were diagnosed in 47.3% of our patients. Fundus examination revealed abnormalities in 34.7% of patients,where the group  of cerebral palsy had the highest frequency (50%).Our results emphasize that, the earlier and better the visual sense function, the greater the chance the child will achieve his potential.The ophthalmologist, paediatricians, geneticists must work hand in hand for detection of ocular disorders in genetically disabled children to initiate diagnostic and therapeutic measures to control the disease. Keywords: Disability; Genetics; Ocular changes; Handicap; Chromosomal  abnormalitie

Promoting EFL learning towards peaceful global citizenship

This paper addresses SDG target 4.7 through the lens of Nancy Fraser’s (2008) conceptualisation of parity-of-participation. Her three-pillar conceptualisation includes the equitable distribution of material wealth, egalitarian status among all people, and equal access to representation. This paper attempts to apply her three pillars of participation to the primary classroom which has rarely been attempted before and never in the context of a middle income country. Drawing on interviews, surveys and drawingswith nearly 400 primary-school children in Egypt, we explore how they perceive participation within their classrooms and how participation may influence learning and future life. We conclude by noting that there is an irony in some children’s responses, whereby they display a strong ambition to speak English well, yet believe that they will learn to speak by being passive and silent in the classroom. Other children, however, critique the status quo and suggest more participatory approaches to learning English that will both improve their English mastery and model parity-of-participation in ways that may support their development into adults who strive to live peacefully together as global citizens

Mangifera indica peels: A common waste product with impressive immunostimulant, anticancer and antimicrobial potency

The volatile components of 3 mango cultivars were investigated by means of GC, and GC-MS. Two hundred and forty compounds were identified, of which eighty five compounds were found for the first time in mango fruit. Terpene hydrocarbons were the major volatiles of all cultivars, the dominant terpenes in the 3 mango cultivars were ?-3-carene (2.784-14.904%), ?-terpinolene (4.825-15.879%), ?-copaene (2.281-8.097%), and caryophyIlene (3.390-10.897%). peel essential oils of M. indica cultivar zebdeya and M. indica cultivar cobaneya showed appreciable non specific immunostimulant activity measured by low Macrophage migration index. M. indica cultivar zebdeya and M. indica cultivar cobaneya had higher phagocytic indices up to 1.47and 1.06 respectively. The cytotoxicity of the essential oils were studied invitro against MCF-7, HCT-116 and Hep-G2 cancer cell lines using MTT assay showed significant effect with IC50 = 1.62-1.77, 2.95-5.56 and 2.76-3.14 µl/ml for respectively. Interestingly, M. indica cultivars zebdeya, cobaneya and hindi expressed a valuable cytotoxic effect on MCF-7 breast carcinoma cell line as compared to standard antitumor drug. The essential oils M. indica cultivars were tested by Kirby-Bauer method showing a wide range of antibacterial and antifungal activities. Generally, essential oils of the M. indica cultivars showed a moderate to high antibacterial activity with M. indica cultivar hindi being the most active showing broad spectrum activity against Gram-positive (18-21 mm) and Gram-negative bacteria (16-19 mm). It also showed significant antifungal activity against Candida albicans (16 mm); however, data revealed that all tested cultivars were ineffective and have no antifungal activity against Aspergillus flavus. The MIC of the three M. indica cultivars essential oils revealed that although essential oils didn’t show antimicrobial activities against Aspergillus flavus the peel essential oils demonstrated variability in the inhibitory concentrations of each essential oil for the given microorganisms. The essential oils of peels showed activities in the range (concentrations) from 116 to 142 ?l/ml for M. indica cultivar zebdeya, 58 to 89 ?l/ml for M. indica cultivar hindi and from 121 to 172 ?l/ml for M. indica cultivar cobaneya. The present investigation proved the possibility of using M. indica peel waste as a source of low-cost natural immunostimulant, anticancer and antimicrobial. Key words: Mangifera indica peels; waste product; immunostimulant, anticancer; antimicrobia

The role of MR diffusion in differentiation of malignant and benign hepatic focal lesions

AbstractAimTo determine if focal liver masses could be differentiated as benign or malignant by DWI and ADC maps.Methods and materialsSixty focal liver lesions were scanned using 1.5T MRI. DWI was performed with b 0, b 500 and b 1000 gradients with ADC measurements. Comparison of mean ADC values between each benign and malignant lesion was done. Reference standard of diagnosis was obtained by correlating DWI with histopathologic findings and imaging follow-up. The accuracies of DWI and ADC values were assessed with the Student’s t test, and cut-off values were determined with receiver operating characteristic curve analysis.ResultsWhen ADC value of 1.0×10−3mm2/s was used as a threshold value for differentiation of malignant tumors from benign lesions, sensitivity was 90.3%, specificity 78.57% and accuracy 86.7%. The best result was obtained with the use of ADC cut off value (at b 500) of 1.5×10−3mm2/s and ADC cut off value (at b 1000) of 1.0×10−3mm2/s, with 90.3% sensitivity, 92.86% specificity, 91.1% accuracy, 96.6% positive predictive value and 81.3% negative predictive value.ConclusionDWI and ADC map is a useful tool in differential diagnosis of malignant from benign liver lesions

Influence of Cultivar Type of Strawberry Fruits on Its Volatile Constituents

Five strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa. Duch.) cultivars (Festival, Red Merlin, Suzana, Tamar and Winter Dawn) were analysed using solvent-solvent extraction method and GC/MS system to compare between the volatile constituents responsible for the aroma in different fresh and frozen cultivars. The main identified compounds were Tetradecene (15.41%), 2E-dodecene-1-ol (13.78%), Nerolidol (11.37%), E-14-hexadecenal (17.27%) and Octadecanol (17.65%). The present study explains the effect of freezing on aroma content for different strawberry cultivars. Nutritional value contents of the fruits were also estimated which illustrate the importance of fruits as a main source of vitamin C and potassium. The antimicrobial activity of the volatile constituents were estimated and were exhibited a significant results (20-32mm zone of inhibition) against number of human pathogenic microorganisms, compared with the standard antibiotic (20-22 mm zone of inhibition) using the agar well diffusion method. Keywords:Fragaria x ananassa, antimicrobial, cultivars, volatile constituents