Validation of the Swahili version of the International Prostate Symptom Score at a private, nonprofit general hospital in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

Background: Accuracy in translating the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) into different languages is essential to ensure that it is comparable to the original version and acceptable to the target population. We aimed to develop and validate a Swahili version of the IPSS (sIPSS). Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study involving 53 patients presenting with lower urinary tract symptoms to the Aga Khan Hospital in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, from April through December 2018. We enrolled 53 patients with confirmed benign prostatic hypertrophy and 32 control patients with suspected or confirmed urolithiasis. We assessed the face validity and discriminative validity of the sIPSS using standard statistical constructs, including Cronbach’s alpha, intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC), the receiver operating characteristic curve, and Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient. Test–retest reliability was assessed by comparing baseline sIPSS scores with those obtained after 1 week for all participants, and sensitivity to change was assessed by comparing baseline scores to those at 4 to 6 weeks after treatment in the BPH group. Results: The sIPSS had excellent internal validity (Cronbach’s alpha, 0.86), comparable to that of the original IPSS. The test–retest reliability of the sIPSS was high (ICC, 0.84), and the mean improvement in sIPSS score 4 to 6 weeks after treatment was 9.7±6.4. Conclusions: For use in the Tanzanian population, the sIPSS is reliable, valid, and sensitive to change

Molecular evaluation of genetic diversity using gliadin alleles in Iranian landrace wheat Triticum aesativum L.

Historiam-se os passos da investigação da epigrafia da civitas Igaeditanorum. Apresenta-se o corpus das inscrições que referem libertos e procura mostrar-se a importância que esta ‘classe’ social deteve neste aglomerado urbano em que a riqueza – proveniente, por exemplo, da exploração aurífera – lhe proporcionou relevante papel sociopolítico logo nos primórdios da Lusitânia romana

Waqf, its substitution (istibdal), and selected resolutions of Islamic Fiqh Academy India : a maqasid al-shari'ah perspective

Waqf is a charity in which corpus is maintained and the usufruct is given to the benefisiaries. The continuity of the usufruct depends on the maintenance and management of the corpus. One of the modes used both in classical and modern times to mantain waqf-properties is substitution of one waqf-property with another known as istibdal. This paper reads into istibdal, selected resolutions of Fiqh Academy India and scrutinizes them under the shari'ah objectives of waqf and tabaeeu at ( donation ). The finding shows that modes of istibdal permitted by Islamic law realize the shari'ah objectives of waqf concomitantly. Modes which were not permitted oppose the objectives of the shari'ah. This work is a potential guide for institutions and committees involved with the development of waqf-properties using innovative financing modes

Violations of basic rights of prisoners in conventional and Islamic law: theory and practice

In prisons, the convicted are most often unattended by the authority and therefore they become victim to abuses and maltreatment. Their basic rights as humans are being violated in most of the prisons. Although there have been a lot of laws and regulations upholding the rights of prisoners prevalent in the international community, it seems ineffective in protecting their rights in real life. This paper examines the problems of the prisoners in general and discloses the issue of human rights violation of prisoners. The paper particularly exposes problems in the prisons such as sexual abuse, mental and physical torturing, illegal enforcement of prison labour, overcrowding, poor education and health care initiations. With approaching the issues of the prisoners from a human rights perspective, the paper also explores the issues from an Islamic law viewpoint and attempts to provide a conceptual frame work of solutions. A critical and descriptive analytical approach is employed in this study

Two Different Classes of Shrinkage Estimators for the Scale Parameter of the Rayleigh Distribution

Shrinkage estimators are introduced for the scale parameter of the Rayleigh distribution by using two different shrinkage techniques. The mean squared error properties of the proposed estimator have been derived. The comparison of proposed classes of the estimators is made with the respective conventional unbiased estimators by means of mean squared error in the simulation study. Simulation results show that the proposed shrinkage estimators yield smaller mean squared error than the existence of unbiased estimators

Two Different Classes of Shrinkage Estimators for the Scale Parameter of the Rayleigh Distribution

Shrinkage estimators are introduced for the scale parameter of the Rayleigh distribution by using two different shrinkage techniques. The mean squared error properties of the proposed estimator have been derived. The comparison of proposed classes of the estimators is made with the respective conventional unbiased estimators by means of mean squared error in the simulation study. Simulation results show that the proposed shrinkage estimators yield smaller mean squared error than the existence of unbiased estimators