The Rise of the “Resistance Axis” : Hezbollah and the Legacy of the Taif Accords

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"The Best of Deeds" : The Practice of Zakat in the UK

I extend gratitude to all who have read and given advice for this piece. Any remaining errors are my own. Enormous thanks to all participants for their sadaqah. Appreciation to the Leverhulme Trust for their support and funding for this project. Funded by the Leverhulme Trust. Awarded Leverhulme Early Careers Research Scholarship project entitled “Zakat in the UK: Islamic Giving, Citizenship and Government Policy.” Grant F-2015-331.Peer reviewedPostprintPublisher PD

Islamic Charitable Giving in the UK : A ‘Radical’ Economic Alternative?

Acknowledgments Many thanks to the blind reviews for their constructive critique and suggestions and all remaining errors are my own. The author extends sincere gratitude to all those who participated in this research for their gift of sadaqah. Enormous gratitude to all those who participated in this research. Indebtedness is extended to all who have offered comment and critique on this piece. All remaining errors are entirely my own.Peer reviewedPostprin

Embodied Language Revitalization: Linking Uchinaaguchi, Okinawan Martial Arts, and Well-Being

Well-being is linked to native language use which in turn draws upon a variety of specialized knowledge systems. Such systems are known to include categorizations of the natural world, kinship terminology, or medicinal knowledge, but a key area that may be overlooked is that of lexical systems referring to physical human actions and interactions. While the most frequently used verbs and prepositions in endangered languages may be maintained or recorded, the specialized terminology associated with unique cultural and performing arts might remain unknown by non-practitioners, even if they are fluent native speakers. Using the example of karate and kubodo, two indigenous Okinawan martial arts, this research seeks to uncover the tremendous importance of documenting movement terminology associated with highly specialized physical cultural art forms. Drawing on Wenger's (2000) communities of practice concept and theories of embodied language (Buccino, Colagé, Gobbi & Bonaccorso, 2016; Streeck, Goodwin, & LeBaron, 2011), interview, participant observation, and survey data collected on martial arts-related Uchinaaguchi will be used to illustrate some uniquely Uchinaanchu conceptualizations of movement. Although such highly specialized vocabulary may seem to represent a little known “pocket domains” within various linguistic communities, it is in fact these culturally specific arts that serve to distinguish one society from all others. Thus, a vital part of the framework of each society's unique sociolinguistic outlook is embedded within culturally specific lexical systems of movement. Because elite practitioners of these arts represent a minority within a minority, recording their knowledge before it is lost is of paramount importance. Not least because of the further link between the practice of Okinawan martial arts and well-being, it is hoped that the beauty and utility of Uchinaaguchi documentation and reclamation in the Okinawan martial arts makes a strong argument for the importance of maintaining and preserving cultural arts-related movement concepts in all endangered languages. References Buccino, G., Colagé, I., Gobbi, N., & Bonaccorso, G. (2016). Grounding meaning in experience: A broad perspective on embodied language. Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews, 29 (2016), 69-78 Streeck, J., Goodwin, C., & LeBaron, C. D. (2011). Embodied interaction: Language and body in the material world. New York: Cambridge University Press. Wenger, E. (2000). Communities of practice and social learning systems. Organization. 7(2). 225-246

Muslim charity in the United Kingdom : Between counter-terror and social integration

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Organoids, organs-on-chips and other systems, and microbiota

The human gut microbiome is considered an organ in its entirety and has been the subject of extensive research due to its role in physiology, metabolism, digestion, and immune regulation. Disequilibria of the normal microbiome have been associated with the development of several gastrointestinal diseases, but the exact underlying interactions are not well understood. Conventional in vivo and in vitro modelling systems fail to faithfully recapitulate the complexity of the human host–gut microbiome, emphasising the requirement for novel systems that provide a platform to study human host–gut microbiome interactions with a more holistic representation of the human in vivo microenvironment. In this review, we outline the progression and applications of new and old modelling systems with particular focus on their ability to model and to study host–microbiome cross-talk

There is a crack in everything-- mind the gap : theatre of becoming : an heuristic inquiry into the process of becoming a dramatherapist

This paper is a heuristic study, exploring the process of becoming a dramatherapist. It proposes self-revelatory performance as both the heuristic research tool and the container for the findings of the study. The paper chronicles the entire research process as well as the performance piece. The author argues for the importance of self-reflective practices such as this in the training process of dramatherapists. It covers the effect of this research process and gives implications for the practice and training of dramatherapists

Comparing Functional Motor Control and Gait Parameters in Children with Autism to those of Age-Matched Peers who are Typically Developing

The purpose of this study was to compare motor performance of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) to that of age-matched peers who are typically developing (TD) on motor control tasks plus symmetry and variability of gait parameters across four walking conditions. A sample of convenience of children with ASD (n=6) and peers who are TD (n=6) were recruited. Motor control was assessed using initiation and completion times on the Timed Up and Go (TUG) test. Gait parameters were collected using a computerized walkway under four trial conditions: 1) walking at self-selected velocity (SSV); 2) walking during a tray-carrying task (dual tasking); 3) walking over a visible obstacle (feed-forward control); and 4) walking over an unexpected obstacle (feedback control). Independent t-tests were used to test for between-group differences in TUG initiation and completion times and gait parameters and variability by condition. Paired t-tests were used to assess within-group symmetry by condition. Findings showed that ASD and TD groups had similar TUG times, gait parameters across the four conditions, and variability in gait (all p\u3e.05). Parents of children with ASD perceived their children as moving differently than their peers, but parents of children in the TD group did not (p=.014). The TD group had significant asymmetry of right versus left single limb support time (p=.034) in the dual task condition, while the ASD group demonstrated significant asymmetry of heel-to-heel distance in the feedback condition (p=.049). Children with ASD may benefit from being given a dual-task with an external focus and from delaying the introduction of unanticipated perturbations until skilled movement patterns have been established. Future research should focus on variability and motor tasks that are less repetitive than gait is warranted

Ecosystem-Based Adaptation to Protect Avian Species in Coastal Communities in the Greater Niagara Region, Canada

Coastal communities are increasingly vulnerable to climate change and its effects may push coastal ecosystems to undergo irreversible changes. This is especially true for shorebirds with the loss of biodiversity and resource-rich habitats to rest, refuel, and breed. To protect these species, it is critical to conduct research related to nature-based Solutions (NbS). Through a scoping review of scientific literature, this paper initially identified 85 articles with various ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) strategies that could help conserve shorebird populations and promote ecotourism. Of these 85 articles, 28 articles had EbA strategies that were examined, with some like coral reefs and mangroves eliminated as they were inappropriate for this region. The scoping review identified four major EbA strategies for the Greater Niagara Region with living shorelines and beach nourishment being the most suitable, especially when combined. These strategies were then evaluated against the eight core principles of nature-based solutions protecting shorebird as well as human wellbeing. Living shoreline strategy was the only one that met all eight NbS principles. As the coastline of the region greatly varies in substrate and development, further research will be needed to decide which EbA strategies would be appropriate for each specific area to ensure their efficacy.Marine Environmental Observation Prediction and Response Networ