Education of women with disabilities in Pakistan: Enhanced agency, unfulfilled aspirations

This paper examines the extent to which the capability approach captures the complexity of the lives of young women with disabilities in Pakistan, particularly in relation to their education. Focusing on their educational experiences and outcomes, we examine the ways in which education shaped what these young women were able to achieve – what they wanted to do and be. In undertaking this research, we adopted a collaborative, qualitative approach involving in-depth interviews with six young women with disabilities. All these women were interesting and exemplary cases, given their very high levels of education. Our findings suggest that the capability approach provides a framework that is able to capture the educational experiences–outcomes journey of the young women. However, also interesting to note is how the expansion of their capabilities is bounded, primarily because their freedoms are intrinsically linked to their sociocultural positioning and largely negative perceptions of disability in the wider society.This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from Taylor & Francis at http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13603116.2015.104396

Towards Assessing the Vernacular in the Arabic Language: A Descriptive Analytical Study

This research aims to highlight the nature of vernacular in the Arabic language, reasons for their emergence, their importance and natural role. It seeks to achieve a balanced relationship between vernacular and the standard language in a scholarly and objective manner. Vernacular is not an undesirable phenomenon people should seek to treat. It is rather a practice Allah prescribed to humankind, a natural human phenomenon that cannot be eradicated. We shall keep pace and coexist with it. Vernaculars play an obvious humanitarian role; they perform social mission in their own environments. A standard language cannot supersede the vernacular. This is conditioned on that vernaculars should play their role in their own fields. A standard language enjoys a status, role and platforms, which cannot be shared with vernacular. Their relation remains complementary

Reflections on the potential (and limits) of action research as ethos, methodology and practice: A case study of a women's empowerment programme in the Middle East

This paper argues that an evidence-based approach to advocacy led by and targeting women could amplify women's positioning in the political and economic realms. Participatory Action Research is examined as a process for mobilisation, coalition-building and evidence-based advocacy and action, through a case study of a multi-country British Council supported programme that incorporated an action research approach.1 Drawing from the experiences and perceptions of its participants, it offers reflective insights into the theory and practice of action research and its empowerment potential. The findings confirm a widespread support for the use of Participatory Action Research as a starting point for stronger advocacy work, showing its positive transformative effects on individuals, groups and coalition. Participatory Action Research contributes to evidence-based advocacy that is more relevant and inclusive, and arguably empowering for women advocates.Practitioners learned by doing with coaching support from INTRAC both virtual and face-to-face, while the British Council coordinated and supported the country teams. This included country-based as well as regional training and mentoring sessions across all stages of the research and advocacy.Scopu

Penerapan Media Film Untuk Meningkatkan Hasil Belajar Siswa Pada Mata Pelajaran IPS Terpadu Kelas VII SMP Negeri 10 Kota Banda Aceh

Istilah media berasal dari kata latin yang merupakan bentuk kata medium yang berarti perantara atau pengantar pesan. Media film merupakan media yang dipergunakan untuk memvisualisasikan atau menyalurkan pesan dari sumber ke penerima. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui: (1) Peningkatan hasil belajar Peserta didik; (2) Kegiatan guru dan Peserta didik; (3) Keterampilan guru dalam mengelola pembelajaran dan (4) Respon siswa terhadap penerapan media film. Subjek pada penelitian ini adalah peserta didik kelas VII SMPN 10 Banda Aceh yaitu 25 orang. Materi pembelajaran dalam penelitian ini adalah potensi dan pemanfaatan sumber daya alam. Hasil penelitian membuktikan bahwa (1) Persentase ketuntasan individual mengalami peningkatan dari 19 siswa yang tuntas pada siklus I, 22 pada siklus II dan 24 tuntas pada siklus III, persentase ketuntasan klasikal meningkat dari 60% di siklus I, 80% di siklus II dan 90% di siklus III; (2) Kegiatan guru dan peserta didik meningkat dari siklus I hingga siklus III, pada siklus I dari 8 aktivitas 3 aktivitas yang belum tuntas, 2 aktivitas pada siklus II, dan pada siklus ke III semuanya sudah tuntas; (3) Keterampilan guru meningkat dari perolehan skor 2,55 pada siklus I berkategori sedang, skor 2,66 di siklus II berkategori baik dan 3,49 di siklus III dengan berkategori baik; (4) Respon siswa terhadap penerapan media film bisa dikategorikan baik yaitu 96 persen

Erratum to: An Entropy Functional for Riemann-Cartan Space-Times

We correct the entropy functional constructed in Int. J. Theor. Phys. 51:362 (2012). The 'on-shell' functional one obtains from this correct functional possesses a holographic structure without imposing any constraint on the spin-angular momentum tensor of matter, in contrast to the conclusion made in the above paper.Comment: 15 pages. These are the preprints of the original paper and its erratum published in Int. J. Theor. Phy

Evaluation the Non-Thermal Plasma Application Activity in AFB1 Detoxification

Contamination raw agricultural materials has been a food safety concern for human and animals. A non thermal plasma or cold plasma  is a novel antimicrobial intervention, that can be reduce the level of aflatoxin B1(AFB1) in complete cow's feed samples .AFB1 are carcinogenic compound produce primarily by two certain strain of Aspergillus include A. flavus and A. parasiticus , the  contamination of feed is arise for  animals health. Fifty samples from complete cow's feed were designated into imported 15 samples and local 35 samples , obtained randomly from different region in Baghdad from March 2014 to February 2015. Samples were tested for AFB1 by ELISA and HPLC technique and exposure to application cold plasma protocol to treatment of AFB1 contamination the samples in different time (5, 10 and 15) seconds at 3.5 cm between the plasma source and samples then tested by ELISA and HPLC. There are appears the best time successful in reducing levels of toxin at 10 sec. in local samples 3.12, 0.05 ng / g imported samples 1.21, 6.19 ng / g in HPLC and ELISA. In local and imported samples at 10 sec and that was 15 sec less time periods ability to reduce toxin level in local and imported samples, that indicated the length of exposure to NTP application is not necessary to reduce toxin level. According to the study we observed that the results from ELISA method were more sensitive, accuracy and simplicity when compared with results from HPLC technique. Keyword: Cold plasma, decontamination,AFB1, HPLC, ELISA

Prostaglandin D2 inhibits airway dendritic cell migration and function in steady state conditions by selective activation of the D prostanoid receptor 1

PGD(2) is the major mediator released by mast cells during allergic responses, and it acts through two different receptors, the D prostanoid receptor 1 (DP1) and DP2, also known as CRTH2. Recently, it has been shown that PGD(2) inhibits the migration of epidermal Langerhans cells to the skin draining lymph nodes (LNs) and affects the subsequent cutaneous inflammatory reaction. However, the role of PGD(2) in the pulmonary immune response remains unclear. Here, we show that the intratracheal instillation of FITC-OVA together with PGD(2) inhibits the migration of FITC(+) lung DC to draining LNs. This process is mimicked by the DP1 agonist BW245C, but not by the DP2 agonist DK-PGD(2). The ligation of DP1 inhibits the migration of FITC-OVA(+) DCs only temporarily, but still inhibits the proliferation of adoptively transferred, OVA-specific, CFSE-labeled, naive T cells in draining LNs. These T cells produced lower amounts of the T cell cytokines IL-4, IL-10, and IFN-gamma compared with T cells from mice that received FITC-OVA alone. Taken together, our data suggest that the activation of DP receptor by PGD(2) may represent a pathway to control airway DC migration and to limit the activation of T cells in the LNs under steady state conditions, possibly contributing to homeostasis in th

Vegetative and reproductive growth of salt-stressed chickpea are carbon-limited: sucrose infusion at the reproductive stage improves salt tolerance

Reproductive processes of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) are particularly sensitive to salinity. We tested whether limited photoassimilate availability contributes to reproductive failure in salt-stressed chickpea. Rupali, a salt-sensitive genotype, was grown in aerated nutrient solution, either with non-saline (control) or 30mM NaCl treatment. At flowering, stems were either infused with sucrose solution (0.44M), water only or maintained without any infusion, for 75 d. The sucrose and water infusion treatments of non-saline plants had no effect on growth or yield, but photosynthesis declined in response to sucrose infusion. Salt stress reduced photosynthesis, decreased tissue sugars by 22-47%, and vegetative and reproductive growth were severely impaired. Sucrose infusion of salt-treated plants increased total sugars in stems, leaves and developing pods, to levels similar to those of non-saline plants. In salt-stressed plants, sucrose infusion increased dry mass (2.6-fold), pod numbers (3.8-fold), seed numbers (6.5-fold) and seed yield (10.4-fold), yet vegetative growth and reproductive failure were not rescued completely by sucrose infusion. Sucrose infusion partly rescued reproductive failure in chickpea by increasing vegetative growth enabling more flower production and by providing sucrose for pod and seed growth. We conclude that insuffcient assimilate availability limits yield in salt-stressed chickpea.The work was financially supported by the Australia–India Strategic Research Fund Grand Challenge Project (Project GCF010013) of the Australian Government Department of Industry. HAK received an Endeavour Postgraduate Award from the Australian Government and some operating funds from the School of Plant Biology at The University of Western Australia

Pathways to ensure universal and affordable access to hepatitis C treatment

Direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) have dramatically changed the landscape of hepatitis C treatment and prevention. The World Health Organization has called for the elimination of hepatitis C as a public health threat by 2030. However, the discrepancy in DAA prices across low-, middle- and high-income countries is considerable, ranging from less than US$100 to approximately US$ 40,000 per course, thus representing a major barrier for the scale-up of treatment and elimination. This article describes DAA pricing and pathways to accessing affordable treatment, providing case studies from Australia, Egypt and Portugal. Pathways to accessing DAAs include developing comprehensive viral hepatitis plans to facilitate price negotiations, voluntary and compulsory licenses, patent opposition, joint procurement, and personal importation schemes. While multiple factors influence the price of DAAs, a key driver is a country's capacity and willingness to negotiate with pharmaceutical companies. If negotiations do not lead to a reasonable price, governments have the option to utilise flexibilities outlined in the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights. Affordable access to DAAs is underpinned by collaboration between government, civil society, global organisations and pharmaceutical companies to ensure that all patients can access treatment. Promoting these pathways is critical for influencing policy, improving access to affordable DAAs and achieving hepatitis C elimination