"The Year according to the Reckoning of the Believers": Papyrus Louvre inv. J. David-Weill 20 and the Origins of the hijrī Era

This paper addresses itself to the enigmatic phrase snh qaḍāʾ al-muʾminīn that appears in a papyrus sheet from early Muslim Egypt. It takes issue with the earlier interpretations of the phrase, arguing that it is indeed a dating formula that is probably to be read as sanat qaḍāʾ al-muʾminīn and understood as ‘the year according to the reckoning of the believers’. Based on the testimony of this papyrus fragment, it is further argued that the epoch of the Muslim calendar was, in all likelihood, originally meant to count the years from Muḥammad’s foundation of a new community and polity at Medina, a momentous event that the early Muslims conceived of as the dawn of a new age.FGW – Publications without University Leiden contrac

Monetary Reform under the Sufyanids: The Papyrological Evidence

For the past fifty years, there has been a debate over whether the Umayyad caliph Muʿāwiya introduced a short-lived gold coinage in Syria. After reappraising the literary evidence, this study argues that an enigmatic phrase in a papyrus from this period constitutes evidence for state enforcement of the circulation of a new kind of gold coinage issued under Muʿāwiya. A die-study of the extant specimens of a peculiar imitation of Byzantine gold which has had its crosses effaced, and has been attributed to Muʿāwiya on the basis of the testimony of literary sources, confirms them to be the result of a large-scale, albeit ultimately unsuccessful, initiative. This demonstrates that, in addition to the east, there also existed a separate drive towards an expansion of the money supply in Syria-Egypt during the latter half of Muʿāwiya's caliphate, a development which testifies to a relatively substantial programme of state-building by the caliph.Religious Studie

Cognitive apprenticeship in clinical practice; Can it be extended to postgraduate psychiatry training programmes?

Introduction: Postgraduate psychiatry training occurs in the workplace or situated learning settings. The Cognitive Apprenticeship Model [CAM] was introduced as an instructional model for situated learning. While undergraduate medical students' experience of the model has been tested, to our knowledge there has been no such reports from postgraduate psychiatry training. Methods: We surveyed 134 Oxford Deanery psychiatry trainees recruited between 2005 and 2013 through an online questionnaire. Respondents identified which CAM components [scaffolding, modelling coaching, articulation, reflection exploration] were the best aspects, and most needing improvement, in their clinical training. Results: Of 57 respondents, 80% were satisfied with and enjoyed [90%] their training. They recognised all individual CAM components; modelling and coaching were identified as the best methods. Exploration was identified as the one most in need of improvement. The behavioural [modelling, coaching and scaffolding] rather than the cognitive methods were identified as the best aspects of their training [54 v 35%, p < 0.001]. Conclusions: The results extend findings from undergraduate students in suggesting that the CAM is a useful model for training strategies. Greater awareness of the cognitive components may be needed. The training methods could be included as indicators of training quality in national quality assurance surveys

Occurrence of Giardiasis and serum albumin concentration among the food staff in Bandarabbas

Giardiasis has a close relation with improper sanitation, consumption of contaminated water and foods and might be lead to malabsorption syndrome and nutritional deficiency. Therefore, this study aimed to estimate the occurrence of giardiasis among the food staff in Bandarabbas and also to determine the concentration of serum albumin in infected individuals. In a cross-sectional study which was conducted in a 6 months period, a total of 11080 fecal samples of the food staff rerrered to the Research Center of Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences, was examined. Then, 30 Giardia-positive together with 30 Giardia-negative individuals were chosen for further investigation. At this step, the concentration of serum albumin were evaluated in both groups. According to the results, 30 (0.27%) of the samples were positive for Giardia lamblia. The level of serum albumin in infected and healthy people were determined at 46.8 g/l and 53.9 g/l, respectively. Moreover, 66% of the fecal samples had normal condensation and 76% were intensively contaminated. Results revealed that 90% of the infected cases were male, urban and vegetable consumers. In addition, the age of 66% of the cases was between 20 to 30. The concentration of serum albumin in patients with giardiasis was significantly (p< 0.05) lower than the control group which might be related to malabsorption. Based on results, the consumption of raw vegetable seems to play an important role in transmission of Giardia infection. In addition, high occurrence of intensively contaminated patients together with the high rate of the individuals without clinical manifestations, reveals the Giardia hidden carriers. Regarding the occurrence of giardiasis among the food staff and considering the importance of their role in public health, the necessity for hygienic measures are reemphasized

Cloning of Leishmania major P4 gene

Objective: Leishmania major P4 gene is normally expressed during amastigote form of the parasite and can be good candidate for producing an effective vaccine. In this study we cloned this gene in suitable vector (pQE-30) for further vaccine preparation studies. Materials and Methods: Leishmania promastigotes were grown in N.N.N.medium and culture in RPMI 1640 cell culture medium. Total genomic DNA was extracted by centrifugation of promastigotes. The pellet was suspended in lysis buffer and followed by boiling method. PCR was carried out using P4 gene specific primers. PCR product was detected by agaros gel electrophoresis and cloned into Bluescript plasmid via T/A cloning method. Reaction was transformed into XL1- Blue competent cell and recombinant plasmid screened using agar plate contained X-gal and IPTG. The product was extracted, digested by restriction enzyme and electrophoresed on agarose gel. Results: Plasmid was extracted and cloned gene was released by restriction enzyme and subcloned into pQE-30 expression vector. Conclusion: This construct is ready for protein expression in-vitro

Cryotherapy of cutaneous leishmaniasis caused by leishmania major in BALB/C mice: A comparative experimental study

Background & objectives: Leishmania parasites are sensitive to very low temperature. Cryotherapy is considered as an alternative to the existing pentavalent antimonials, for local treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL). Normally, liquid nitrogen (N2) at a temperature of -196 °C, is used in cryotherapy of CL, but it’s efficacy is not consistent. Recently, few studies have also reported the use of carbon dioxide (CO2) slush at -78.5 °C in CL cryotherapy. This study was aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of N2 vs CO2 cryotherapy for CL treatment in mice. Methods: In total, 21 BALB/c mice were infected with Leishmania major strain [MRHO/IR/74/ER]. Samples were divided into three groups based on the intervention provided—Solid CO2 cryotherapy, liquid N2 cryotherapy and control group; with seven mice randomly assigned to each group. Control group received no intervention, and in the other two groups cryotherapy was used every two weeks for maximum of three months. Follow up examinations were scheduled at the time of cryotherapy, during which the size of each lesion was measured. For three mice in each study group, the spleen parasite DNA load was quantified using real-time PCR. Results: After treatment, the liquid N2 cryotherapy showed significant reduction in size of the lesions (p = 0.029) as compared to the solid CO2 cryotherapy and control group. Also, Leishmania DNA load in spleen was significantly lower in the mice receiving liquid N2 cryotherapy (p <0.001). Interpretation & conclusion: Liquid N2 cryotherapy is superior to CO2 cryotherapy, and it can be an effective method for controlling L. major infection. Further investigations are essential to find optimal number of treatment sessions and time intervals

Evaluation of Surface Characteristics of Denture Base Using Organic-Inorganic Hybrid Coating: An SEM Study

Abstract: Statement of Problem: Despite the numerous positive features of acrylic denture base, there are a number of undeniable associated disadvantages. The properties of denture base have been improved through various interventions including application of different types of filler and coatings. Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the surface roughness, thickness and coating quality of organic-inorganic coating on the denture base through scanning electron microscopy. Moreover, the colour change was evaluated visually. Materials and Methods: The organic-inorganic hybrid coatings were prepared. Acrylic discs of 10×10 mm were fabricated. The test discs were dipped in the hybrid coating and cured. In order to evaluate the surface roughness and coating thickness, the surface and cross-section of the samples in both coated and control groups were subjected to scanning electron microscopy. The colour change and transparency were visually evaluated with naked eyes. The data were statistically analyzed by student’s t test. Results: The hybrid materials perfectly covered all the surfaces of acrylic resin and established proper thickness. The coated group seemed smoother and flatter than the control group; however, the difference was not statistically significant ( for all parameters p > 0.05). It was quite a thin coating and no perceptible colour change was observed. Conclusions: The hybrid coating maintained good binding, caused no noticeable discoloration, and thoroughly covered the acrylic resin surface with uniform delicate thickness. It also slightly improved the acrylic resin surface roughness

The effect of different levels of propolis in diets on performance, gastrointestinal morphology and some blood parameters in broiler chickens

A study was conducted to determine the effect of different levels of propolis in diets on performance, carcass characteristics, gastrointestinal morphology and some blood parameters in broiler chickens. A total of 224 one day-old Ross 308 chicks were randomly allocated to one of the 16 floor pens in a completely randomised design (four treatments, four replicate groups, 14 chicks in each group). Dietary treatments consisted of 4 different levels of propolis powder including zero (control), 500, 1500, 2000 ppm in the diet throughout the entire experimental period (42 days). The feed was offered ad libitum. All the chickens were grown up in the same environmental and management conditions. Body weight gain, food intake and feed conversion ratio were measured at the end of each period, also, the production index was calculated at 42 days of age. At the end of experimental period, two chicks from each pen were selected and after blood sample collection were slaughtered and dissected manually. Haematological and biochemical parameters as well as carcass characteristics, gastrointes-tinal morphology were determined. The use of 2000 parts per million propolis powder in diet im-proved body weight gain, feed intake, feed conversion ratio and production index at all experimental periods (P<0.05). High dietary levels of propolis powder in diets increased the relative weight of crop, thighs and length of gizzard compared to other treatments, and decreased the relative weight of livers of broiler chickens (P<0.05). PCV and heterophil counts were significantly increased (P<0.05). It is suggested that the supplementation of propolis powder to poultry diets had a positive effect on growth performance, carcass characteristics and blood parameter