Rocks and Rockets: Oslo's Inevitable Conclusion

Though the al-Aqsa intifada took the world by surprise, Palestinians are now almost unanimous in attributing its scope to the failures of Oslo. The author analyzes these failures from to perspectives: those concerning implementation and structural flaws. In describing the unfolding of the intifada and particularly its militarization, the author analyzes the primordial role of Fatah, the single most important factor in transforming the early clashes into a sustained rebellion

The critical role of methylglyoxal and glyoxalase 1 in diabetic nephropathy

The discovery of increased formation of methylglyoxal (MG) by cell metabolism in high glucose concentration in vitro suggested possible relevance to diabetes and diabetes complications (1,2). MG is the precursor of quantitatively important advanced glycation end products (AGEs) of protein and DNA- and MG-derived AGEs increase in experimental and clinical diabetes (3,4). Increased MG and its metabolism by glyoxalase 1 (Glo1) was linked to clinical microvascular complications (nephropathy, retinopathy, and neuropathy) (5). Current clinical treatment decreasing MG and MG-derived AGEs, such as insulin lispro (6,7), has some clinical benefit in diabetic nephropathy (8), although the decrease in MG-derived AGE exposure is minor—∼17% (7). Greater benefits may be achieved with specific and effective anti-MG targeted therapy. An outstanding research problem is to gain unequivocal evidence that MG glycation is a key mediator of vascular complications and, if possible, provide some pointers as to how MG glycation could be effectively countered. In this issue, the study by Giacco et al. (9) provides key evidence by a functional genomic approach manipulating expression of Glo1 to increase or decrease endogenous MG glycation. The outcomes show that development of experimental diabetic nephropathy is driven by increased levels of MG glycation and increasing renal expression of Glo1 prevents this. Recent research has shown Glo1 expression may be increased by small molecule inducers (10). Taken together, these findings suggest that prevention and treatment of diabetic nephropathy and possibly other complications of diabetes may be improved by development of Glo1 inducers

ECONOMIC REFORMS, HUMAN CAPITAL, AND ECONOMIC GROWTH IN INDIA AND SOUTH KOREA: A COINTEGRATION ANALYSIS

By employing a multivariate time series model, this study advances theoretical and empirical research on the role of economic reforms and human capital accumulation in the post-reform economic growth. We construct two indexes £­a human capital index and a composite economic reform index£­ and perform a cointegration analysis of a long-run equilibrium growth path in India and South Korea twelve years after the implementation of reform. The significant positive effect of human capital accumulation is revealed in both India and South Korea. The impact of economic reforms is found to be heterogeneous across countries: the effect is positive, significant, and sizable in South Korea, while it is negative and relatively small in India. This result is suggestive of different degrees of efficiency of reform measures implementation in two countries.Economic Growth, Human Capital, Economic Reforms, India, South Korea

Inculcating health awareness in Karachi, Pakistan: How innovative, socially acceptable methods can help combat communicable diseases of poverty

In the megacity of Karachi, which has a population of more than 24 million, more than 9.2 million people (approximately 40 per cent) live in squatter settlements. Communities here are characterised by low socioeconomic settings, crowded living conditions, inadequate water and sanitation facilities, and poor health-related behaviours. Such conditions create an environment favourable to the spread of communicable diseases like tuberculosis (TB), hepatitis and dengue. Since 1985, the Department of Community Health Sciences at the Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan has run the Urban Health Program (UHP), a community-campus partnership operating in these disadvantaged squatter settlements. Recent explosive increases in the spread of dengue, hepatitis and TB, however, necessitated special attention and activities on a scale and pace that was greater than could be accommodated as part of UHP’s core work. Thus, having an already well-established collaborative model with social accountability measures in place, a dedicated mass awareness program was initiated over the course of one year, from mid 2015: the AGAHI project. This article describes AGAHI’s innovative, low-cost, collaborative activities conducted in partnership with two squatter communities, Sultanabad and Rehri Goth, to build health awareness, improved care-seeking and compliance to treatment. Activities ranged from school sessions, role plays and awareness walks to laneway meetings, training of health care workers, door-to-door campaigns and collaboration with local religious leaders, public sector groups and NGOs. Building on the collaborative work of the UHP, in just 12 months AGAHI was able to conduct 80 health awareness sessions with 4000 participants. Moreover, high-risk and vulnerable populations were identified and referred for further treatment. A comparative cross-sectional survey afterwards revealed a significant increase in knowledge among Sultanabad residents as compared to the neighbouring settlement of Hijrat Colony. As a result, this article suggests that the need for and efficacy of targeted health awareness campaigns against the major infectious diseases of poverty cannot be overemphasised. By adopting community-based participatory models, couched in a framework of social accountability, activities that are low cost, innovative and scientifically robust hold real potential for improving health awareness in vulnerable megacities like Karachi

FinTech, blockchain and Islamic finance : an extensive literature review

Purpose: The paper aims to review the academic research work done in the area of Islamic financial technology. The Islamic FinTech area has been classified into three broad categories of the Islamic FinTech, Islamic Financial technology opportunities and challenges, Cryptocurrency/Blockchain sharia compliance and law/regulation. Finally, the study identifies and highlights the opportunities and challenges that Islamic Financial institutions can learn from the conventional FinTech organization across the world. Approach/Methodology/Design: The study collected 133 research studies (50 from Social Science Research Network (SSRN), 30 from Research gate, 33 from Google Scholar and 20 from other sources) in the area of Islamic Financial Technology. The study presents the systematic review of the above studies. Findings: The study classifies the Islamic FinTech into three broad categories namely, Islamic FinTech opportunities and challenges, Cryptocurrency/Blockchain sharia compliance and law/regulation. The study identifies that the sharia compliance related to the cryptocurrency/Blockchain is the biggest challenge which Islamic FinTech organizations are facing. During our review we also find that Islamic FinTech organizations are to be considered as partners by the Islamic Financial Institutions (IFI’s) than the competitors. If Islamic Financial institutions want to increase efficiency, transparency and customer satisfaction they have to adopt FinTech and become partners with the FinTech companies. Practical Implications: The study will contribute positively to the understanding of Islamic Fintech for the academia, industry, regulators, investors and other FinTech users. Originality/Value: The study believes to contribute positively to understanding of Fintech based technology like cryptocurrency/Blockchain from sharia perspective.peer-reviewe

An asymptomatic 11 year child with ruptured sinus of Valsalva

Ruptured sinus of Valsalva (RSOV) is a rare lesion in a paediatric age group. A right sinus of Valsalva aneurysm usually ruptures into the right ventricle, while aneurysms of non-coronary sinus do so into the right atrium. RSOV usually presents in the third decade of life with congestive heart failure and is more common among Asians with male predominance. It may present as acute cardiogenic shock and sudden death or may remain completely asymptomatic with incidental detection by a murmur. Surgery is indicated as early as possible, once the diagnosis is made as without surgery, most cases will eventually succumb to uncontrollable congestive heart failure. This article reports an 11 year old child with the diagnosis of ruptured sinus of Valsalva.peer-reviewe

PENGARUH PENGGUNAAN DISCOVERY LEARNING TERHADAP KEMAMPUAN MENYUSUN DAN MENGUJI KONJEKTUR MATEMATIKA SISWA SERTA SELF-CONFIDENCE

Masalah utama penelitian ini adalah kurangnya kemampuan menyusun konjektur matematika siswa kelas 5 Sekolah Dasar, kurangnya kemampuan menguji konjektur matematika siswa kelas 5 Sekolah Dasar serta rendahnya sikap self-confidence siswa Sekolah Dasar kelas 5. Penelitian ini menggunakan pendekatan kuantitatif dan kualitatif dengan metode kuasi eksperimen dan deskriptif. Populasi penelitian ini adalah siswa kelas V Sekolah Dasar di Kecamatan Ciparay Kabupaten Bandung. Sample terdiri dari 51 siswa dibagi menjadi 33 siswa di kelas V-A sebagai kelompok eksperimen dan 33 siswa di kelas V-B sebagai kelompok control. Instrumen yang digunakan terdiri tes tertulis mengenai perkalian dan pembagian pecahan serta perbandingan dan skala, angket skala sikap self-confidence, observasi dan wawancara. Analisis kuantitatif dilakukan terhadap rata-rata pretes dan postes kemampuan menyusun dan manguji konjektur matematika dengan menggunakan uji t dan uji Mann Whitney. Analisis kualitatif juga dilakukan terhadap skor angket skala sikap self-confdence yang dikonfirmasi dengan observasi dan wawancara. Hasil penelitian menunjukan bahwa pembelajaran matematika dengan menggunakan discovery learning dapat meningkatkan kemampuan menyusun konjektur matematika siswa. Pembelajaran matematika dengan menggunakan discovery learning juga dapat meningkatkan kemampuan menguji konjektur matematika siswa. Self-confidence siswa di kelas eksperimen yang memperoleh pembelajaran matematika menggunakan discovery learning sudah baik. Kata kunci : discovery learning, kemampuan menyusun konjektur, kemampuan menguji konjektur, self-confidence The main problem of this study is the lack of ability to formulate a conjecture of mathematics students in grade 5 elementary schools, lack of ability to test the conjecture of mathematics students in grade 5 elementary school and a low attitude of self-confidence of students Primary 5. This study uses quantitative and qualitative approach and methods of quasi and descriptive. The study population was the fifth grade elementary school students in District Ciparay Bandung regency. Sample consisted of 66 students divided into 33 classes of students in the various groups of experiment VA se n and 33 students in the class VB as the control group. Instrumen used comprising written tests on multiplication and division of fractions, and ratio and scale, attitude scale questionnaire of self-confidence, observation and interviews. Quantitative analysis was performed on average pretest and posttest to formulate and test mathematical conjecture competence using the t test and Mann Whitney. Qualitative analysis were also conducted on the attitude scale questionnaire score self-confdence confirmed by observation and interview. The results pointed to an that mathematics learning by using discovery learning can improve students' mathematical formulate conjecture. Learning mathematics using discovery learning can also improve students' mathematical test conjecture. Self-confidence of students in the experimental class were obtained using discovery learning math learning is good. Keywords: discovery learning, conjecture formulating competence, conjecture testing competence, self-confidenc