Catalogue Search | MBRL
Are you sure you want to remove the book from the shelf?
{{itemTitle}}
1,234
result(s) for
"Khan, Akram"
Sort by:
What is wrong with Islamic economics? : analysing the present state and future agenda
What is wrong with Islamic economics? takes an objective look at the state of the art in Islamic economics and finance. It analyses reasons for perceived stagnation and also suggests a way forward. As well as probing various myths, the book presents several innovative ideas and a methodology for developing the subject on new foundations. It also highlights weaknesses in the conventional position on prohibition of interest, which has led Islamic banks devise a series of legal tricks. The author notes how the original aim of devising a new brand of banking has become less prominent whilst.
Book
Next-Generation Intelligent MXene-Based Electrochemical Aptasensors for Point-of-Care Cancer Diagnostics
HighlightsShed light on MXene-based electrochemical aptasensors for the detection of cancer biomarkers.Strategies for the design and synthesis of biomarker-specific aptamer are presented.The properties such as electrical conductivity, chemical stability, mechanical properties, and the hydrophilic–hydrophobic nature of MXenes are discussed.Brief insight on futuristic sensing applications along with challenges are highlighted.Delayed diagnosis of cancer using conventional diagnostic modalities needs to be addressed to reduce the mortality rate of cancer. Recently, 2D nanomaterial-enabled advanced biosensors have shown potential towards the early diagnosis of cancer. The high surface area, surface functional groups availability, and excellent electrical conductivity of MXene make it the 2D material of choice for the fabrication of advanced electrochemical biosensors for disease diagnostics. MXene-enabled electrochemical aptasensors have shown great promise for the detection of cancer biomarkers with a femtomolar limit of detection. Additionally, the stability, ease of synthesis, good reproducibility, and high specificity offered by MXene-enabled aptasensors hold promise to be the mainstream diagnostic approach. In this review, the design and fabrication of MXene-based electrochemical aptasensors for the detection of cancer biomarkers have been discussed. Besides, various synthetic processes and useful properties of MXenes which can be tuned and optimized easily and efficiently to fabricate sensitive biosensors have been elucidated. Further, futuristic sensing applications along with challenges will be deliberated herein.
Journal Article
Household COVID-19 secondary attack rate and associated determinants in Pakistan; A retrospective cohort study
COVID-19 household transmissibility remains unclear in Pakistan. To understand the dynamics of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus disease epidemiology, this study estimated Secondary Attack Rate (SAR) among household and close contacts of index cases in Pakistan using a statistical transmission model.
A retrospective cohort study was conducted using an inclusive contact tracing dataset from the provinces of Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa to estimate SAR. We considered the probability of an infected person transmitting the infection to close contacts regardless of residential addresses. This means that close contacts were identified irrespective of their relationship with the index case. We assessed demographic determinants of COVID-19 infectivity and transmissibility. For this purpose based on evolving evidence, and as CDC recommends fully vaccinated people get tested 5-7 days after close contact with a person with suspected or confirmed COVID-19. Therefore we followed the same procedure in the close contacts for secondary infection.
During the study period from 15th May 2020 to 15th Jan 2021, a total of 339 (33.9%) index cases were studied from 1000 cases initially notified. Among close contact groups (n = 739), households were identified with an assumed mean incubation period of 8.2+4.3 days and a maximum incubation period of 15 days. SAR estimated here is among the household contacts. 117 secondary cases from 739 household contacts, with SAR 11.1% (95% CI 9.0-13.6). All together (240) SAR achieved was 32.48% (95% CI; 29.12-37.87) for symptomatic and confirmed cases. The potential risk factors for SAR identified here included; old age group (>45 years of age), male (gender), household members >5, and residency in urban areas and for index cases high age group. Overall local reproductive number (R) based on the observed household contact frequencies for index/primary cases was 0.9 (95% CI 0.47-1.21) in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and 1.3 (95% CI 0.73-1.56) in Punjab.
SAR estimated here was high especially in the second phase of the COVID-19 pandemic in Pakistan. The results highlight the need to adopt rigorous preventive measures to cut the chain of viral transmission and prevent another wave of COVID-19.
Journal Article
A pilot clinical trial of recombinant human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 in acute respiratory distress syndrome
Background
Renin-angiotensin system (RAS) signaling and angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) have been implicated in the pathogenesis of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). We postulated that repleting ACE2 using GSK2586881, a recombinant form of human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (rhACE2), could attenuate acute lung injury.
Methods
We conducted a two-part phase II trial comprising an open-label intrapatient dose escalation and a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase in ten intensive care units in North America. Patients were between the ages of 18 and 80 years, had an American-European Consensus Criteria consensus diagnosis of ARDS, and had been mechanically ventilated for less than 72 h. In part A, open-label GSK2586881 was administered at doses from 0.1 mg/kg to 0.8 mg/kg to assess safety, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics. Following review of data from part A, a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled investigation of twice-daily doses of GSK2586881 (0.4 mg/kg) for 3 days was conducted (part B). Biomarkers, physiological assessments, and clinical endpoints were collected over the dosing period and during follow-up.
Results
Dose escalation in part A was well-tolerated without clinically significant hemodynamic changes. Part B was terminated after 39 of the planned 60 patients following a planned futility analysis. Angiotensin II levels decreased rapidly following infusion of GSK2586881, whereas angiotensin-(1–7) and angiotensin-(1–5) levels increased and remained elevated for 48 h. Surfactant protein D concentrations were increased, whereas there was a trend for a decrease in interleukin-6 concentrations in rhACE2-treated subjects compared with placebo. No significant differences were noted in ratio of partial pressure of arterial oxygen to fraction of inspired oxygen, oxygenation index, or Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score.
Conclusions
GSK2586881 was well-tolerated in patients with ARDS, and the rapid modulation of RAS peptides suggests target engagement, although the study was not powered to detect changes in acute physiology or clinical outcomes.
Trial registration
ClinicalTrials.gov,
NCT01597635
. Registered on 26 January 2012.
Journal Article
Nutcracker Syndrome in a 77-Year-Old Female With Bilateral May-Thurner Syndrome: A Case Report
Nutcracker syndrome (NCS) is an uncommon condition that predominantly affects the left renal vein (LRV) because of its entrapment between the aorta and superior mesenteric vein. It can result in pain in the left flank or back, hematuria, and proteinuria. May-Thurner syndrome (MTS) is described as a condition in which the left common iliac vein is compressed by the right common iliac artery, causing swelling, fullness, venous ulcers, or varicose veins in the leg. We present a case of a 77-year-old female who had these symptoms for over a decade, until she was diagnosed in 2017. Initially, she experienced swelling and pain in her left leg, which began in 2005; however, treatment did not begin until she had her left ovarian vein embolized in 2017. Her symptoms returned the following year, leading to the diagnosis of bilateral MTS. Owing to recurring symptoms in 2022, a repeat venogram revealed bilateral external iliac vein constriction, requiring intervention. She presented to our clinic in 2023 after being referred by her cardiologist because of persistent back pain and venous congestion. This led to the findings and diagnosis of NCS with bilateral MTS.
Journal Article
Screen-Printed Graphene/Carbon Electrodes on Paper Substrates as Impedance Sensors for Detection of Coronavirus in Nasopharyngeal Fluid Samples
Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS-CoV-2), the causative agent of the global pandemic, which has resulted in more than one million deaths with tens of millions reported cases, requires a fast, accurate, and portable testing mechanism operable in the field environment. Electrochemical sensors, based on paper substrates with portable electrochemical devices, can prove an excellent alternative in mitigating the economic and public health effects of the disease. Herein, we present an impedance biosensor for the detection of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein utilizing the IgG anti-SARS-CoV-2 spike antibody. This label-free platform utilizing screen-printed electrodes works on the principle of redox reaction impedance of a probe and can detect antigen spikes directly in nasopharyngeal fluid as well as virus samples collected in the universal transport medium (UTM). High conductivity graphene/carbon ink is used for this purpose so as to have a small background impedance that leads to a wider dynamic range of detection. Antibody immobilization onto the electrode surface was conducted through a chemical entity or a biological entity to see their effect; where a biological immobilization can enhance the antibody loading and thereby the sensitivity. In both cases, we were able to have a very low limit of quantification (i.e., 0.25 fg/mL), however, the linear range was 3 orders of magnitude wider for the biological entity-based immobilization. The specificity of the sensor was also tested against high concentrations of H1N1 flu antigens with no appreciable response. The most optimized sensors are used to identify negative and positive COVID-19 samples with great accuracy and precision.
Journal Article
Outcomes of Anatomical versus Functional Testing for Coronary Artery Disease
In a trial involving 10,003 patients with suspected coronary artery disease, clinical outcomes at 2 years were not improved with an initial strategy of CT angiography, as compared with functional testing (exercise ECG, nuclear stress testing, or stress echocardiography).
New-onset, stable chest pain is a common clinical problem that results in approximately 4 million stress tests annually in the United States in ambulatory patients without diagnosed heart disease.
1
Despite advances in cardiac testing, there is scant information on health-related outcomes and little consensus about which noninvasive test is preferable.
2
–
4
As a result, current patterns of care have been questioned, including the testing of very-low-risk populations
5
and the catheterization of patients who do not have obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD).
6
–
8
The development of coronary computed tomographic angiography (CTA) and its application in this context has the potential to . . .
Journal Article
The impact of 4% versus 3% hypopnea scoring criteria on obstructive sleep apnea diagnosis in women: a scoping review and commentary
Introduction
Women are underdiagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) due to differences in anatomy, clinical presentation, and sociocultural factors. The diagnostic criteria for hypopneas, a key component of the apnea–hypopnea index (AHI), plays a critical role in identifying OSA. This review examines the impact of the 4% oxygen desaturation criteria versus the 3% oxygen desaturation criteria, which also includes hypopneas associated with cortical arousals, on OSA diagnosis in women.
Methods
A scoping review was conducted following PRISMA guidelines. Relevant articles were identified through searches of PubMed/MEDLINE and Google Scholar using terms related to hypopnea scoring criteria, sex differences, and OSA diagnosis. Articles were included if they explored discrepancies between the 4% and 3% criteria with a focus on sex-specific outcomes.
Results
Eight studies compared the 4% and 3% criteria, highlighting the diagnostic disparity for women. The adoption of the 3% threshold increased OSA diagnosis rates in women by 12.8% to 63% and enhanced detection of moderate-severe OSA. Conversely, reliance on the 4% criterion was associated with lower prevalence estimates of OSA compared to the 3% criterion.
Conclusions
The use of the 3% hypopnea scoring criteria significantly increases the diagnostic yield of OSA in women. Limited data suggests that treatment of mild OSA in women is beneficial, but more research is needed to explore the long-term impact of more inclusive diagnostic standards on health outcomes.
Journal Article
