38 research outputs found
Spatial distribution of dust-bound trace elements in Pakistan and their implications for human exposure
No full textA Review on Serum, Genetic and Mirna Associated Biomarkers for The Early Diagnosis of Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC))
No full textHepatocellular carcinoma is the most devastating complication of liver cirrhosis and diagnosis in earlier stages could be useful in curative interventions. The main aim of this review was to analyze current diagnostic biomarkers which are available for the early diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). For this purpose, we searched different web databases including Medline/Pubmed. We found multiple significant serum biomarkers for imperative diagnosis including α- Fetoprotein, Des- γ -carboxyprothrombin (DCP), Osteopontin (OPN), Glypican-3 (GPC3), Golgi protein-73 (GP73), Squamous cell carcinoma antigen (SCCA), Annexin A2 (ANXA2) and Heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) but all of these represent low sensitivity and low specificity. Hepatocellular carcinoma diagnosis have also been reported at the genetic level with the help of associated genes such as p53, RAS, MERTK (MER-Tyrosine Kinase), EGF, TGF-β/IGF, ALDH2, CAT, Glutathione S-transferase (GSTM1), X-ray repair cross-complementing group1 (XRCC1), Receptor tyrosine kinase (ROR1), RASSF1A, SOCS1, NUF2, CXCL2 and Interleukin-1 Gene (IK-1). Inhibition of these cancerous genes is under research and could be a novel therapeutic approach in future. Recently, differential diagnosis with miRNA has been found important for hepatocellular carcinoma. Anti-miR-122 could revolutionize the early diagnosis of HCC and has the potential to be marketed for therapy. However, most of the drugs are under clinical trial phase. It is recommended to use them in conjunction with each other so these could be employed as a way to decrease mortality and stigma associated with hepatocellular carcinoma
Influence of radiation and thermal slip on electrically conductive dusty Walter’s B fluid moving peristaltically through an asymmetric channel
No full textMotivation: The motivation of this recent article is to study dusty Walter’s B fluid flow due to its wide range of applications in biology and polymer industry. The fluid is traveling peristaltically through an asymmetric channel with wall slip. A discussion is also presented to examine heat transfer effects with thermal radiation and slip. Methodology: The regular perturbation technique is employed to evaluate the mathematical model of the problem, which is first simplified by using stream functions. Mathematical results are simulated to illustrate flow characteristics of fluid and solid particles in salient quantities. Also, graphs of temperature distribution of fluid and dust particles have been discussed to study the impacts of various parameters. Outcomes: Walter’s B fluid parameter reduces speed of both fluid and dust particles. By increasing thermal slip parameter, temperature transference becomes slower through the fluid, while Brinkman number significantly raises the temperature profile of both fluid and particles. This article presents a theoretical analysis of the problem. Moreover, the characteristics of liquids involved in the plastic industry and medical science can also be understood using the current analysis. Originality/Value: Walter’s B fluid with dust particle suspension has not been investigated for slip and thermal radiation effects
Characterization of spliceosome assembly in cyanidioschyzon merolae.
No full textPre-mRNA splicing is the removal of intervening sequences from pre-messenger RNA in a reaction catalyzed by the spliceosome, which contains five small nuclear RNAs (snRNAs) and more than 100 proteins. Assembly of the spliceosome occurs in a highly ordered manner, making the spliceosome a very complex and dynamic particle. The spliceosome has been studied in yeast and humans but a simpler system would simplify splicing studies. Cyanidioschyzon merolae (Cm) has been shown to have a simpler spliceosome. The goal of this study was to characterize the Cm spliceosome beginning with the question of how large it is. To measure the size of the Cm spliceosome I used glycerol gradient centrifugation and assembly gels to study the assembly pathways. Lastly an attempt was made to study the components of Cm spliceosome by developing an assay in yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) where small molecule inhibitors were used to stall the spliceososme, which could then be purified and its composition studied. --Leaf ii.The original print copy of this thesis may be available here: http://wizard.unbc.ca/record=b197654
Hepcidin Antimicrobial Peptide (HAMP) Screening for P.CYS70ARG Variant and Iron Overload in β -Thalassemia Major Patients
No full textHereditary Hemochromatosis is a rare genetic iron overload disorder characterized by iron accumulation in vital body organs such as the lungs, liver, and pancreas. HAMP mutations are reported as one of the principal sources for the disturbance of iron homeostasis. This study was designed to screen the involvement of p.Cys70Arg HAMP variant in iron overload in the β-thalassemia patients. For the purpose, bioinformatics tools were used for the structural and functional manifestation of mutated protein which revealed 1.93 kcal/mol energy differences between the wild-type and mutated proteins, causing the stability decline. Following that, clinical data was collected for 106 β-thalassemia major (β-TM) patients which showed a higher prevalence of splenectomy, hepatomegaly and ascites. The PCR-RFLPs were performed to screen the HAMP p.Cys70Arg in 27 controls and 106 β-TM patients. Sac ӀӀ restriction enzyme was used to screen genetically affected and ethnically matched control samples but no control was found with HAMP p.Cys70Arg variant. Out of these 106 β-thalassemia patients, eight patients were HCV+ with higher levels of ferritin in blood. HAMP exon 3 Sanger sequencing did not reveal any mutation in these patients conferring iatrogenic hemochromatosis. Future recommendations include sequencing of complete HAMP gene with its three exons in a large sample size
Micro-econometric analysis of private return and job mismatch of the labor market: a case study of Pakistan
No full textThe purpose of this study is to highlight the impact of over and under-education (mismatch) in the labor market of Pakistan. In this regard, it is crucial to understand the rate of returns that an individual will receive from investment in education which often leads to over-education or under-education problems prevailing in the labor market. For this purpose, the study will examine and evaluate if a mismatch in the job market exists or not. For analyzing the above-stated objective, data is taken from the Labor Force Survey (LFS) and Pakistan Social and Living Standards Measurement (PSLM) for the time-period 2003-04 to 2014-15, the study has performed the analysis on the disaggregated level. Pseudo Panel approach is employed for estimating the job market mismatch and IRR in context of Pakistan. Findings of this study indicate that the level of overeducation is positively related to the internal rate of return. This shows that when investment in education (on an individual basis) increases, overeducation problem also rises. In context of the prevailing situation, the study suggests, that the government should increase educational expenditure to provide quality education to everyone equally. Secondly, it is necessary to reduce the wage differential from the labor market that is ultimately creating a mismatch problem. Also, the government should evaluate the sectorial demand for labor and connect it with all educational institutions. To make sure that only that number of people will graduate who will be absorbed quickly in any particular field
A Review on Empirical Approach to Therapeutic Recombinant Protein Production Factories: Applications, Pharmacokinetics and Challenges
No full textMajor portion of the proteins in a cell refers to their critical roles in metabolism of the living body. Proteins dysfunction results in the severe disorders which need to be treated in time. For this, respective proteins can be extracted by the external sources and be supplied to the human beings. Such medicinal proteins are known as therapeutic proteins (TPs). This review summarizes some of the key areas about these miracle proteins like their types, classification, production factories, routes of administration, pharmacokinetics, and potential applications. Furthermore, challenges and hurdles faced in getting a potential protein drug, its FDA approval and commercial availability are also highlighted for further research
Reclaiming the Progressive Image of Pakistani Women: A Critical Discourse Analysis of Web Blog “Humans of New York”
No full textThe portrayal of Muslim women in Western media has often been biased and stereotypical, leading to negative and generalized views. In the case of Pakistani Muslim women, it is crucial to encourage indigenous voices and movements to represent a more nuanced perspective. Critical Discourse Analysis is a useful tool to examine the linguistic categories used in media representation. In this study, Stanton's 'Humans of New York' blog was analyzed through Van Leeuwen's model to explore the image of Pakistani women constructed by the text. The analysis revealed that the blog portrays Pakistani women as progressive, educated, and independent, breaking the patriarchal shackles through education and awareness. This representation offers a broader perspective that is usually lacking in mainstream media, and hence contributes to improving the image of Pakistani women. It is essential to critically examine how social actors are represented, categorized, nominated, and assigned unique identities or functions in any discourse to construct their identity. By doing so, we can better understand the ways in which media representation can impact societal attitudes and work towards a more accurate and nuanced portrayal of diverse communities
Laughing with an Iranian American Woman: Firoozeh Dumas\u27s Memoirs and the (Cross-) Cultural Work of Humor
No full textThis essay critically analyzes Firoozeh Dumas\u27s humorous memoirs and situates them in the multiple contexts of post-9/11 Muslim American responses to Islamophobia, women\u27s humor, and Iranian American women\u27s life writing. Drawing on philosophical, feminist, ethnic, and contemporary scientific theories of humor and the methods of literary criticism, the author argues that Dumas employs the beneficial and inclusive (not malign and exclusive) positive mode of humorous personal storytelling to build connection through laughter via the emotional and cognitive shifts structurally central to humor. Dumas addresses multiple audiences and engages in important (cross-) cultural work in a particularly fraught political and cultural climate of anti-Muslim sentiment and tense Iran-U.S. relations
Colonizing Kashmir: state-building under Indian occupation Colonizing Kashmir: state-building under Indian occupation , by Hafsa Kanjwal, Stanford, Stanford University Press, 2023, xiii + 366 pp., $32, ISBN 978-1-5036-3603-3
No full textKashmiri life is expendable for the Indian state. While the love for the land is close to national imaginaries, the people have been subjected to decades of abuse and violence, and infringement of their basic human rights. In this book, Hafsa Kanjwal delves into the history of Kashmir, tracing the role of two pivotal political figures – Sheikh Abdullah (1947–1953) and Bakshi Ghulam Mohammad (1953–1963) – and their relationship with the Indian project of state-building in Kashmir. The author characterizes this as the ‘politics of life’ (9), where the Indian government and client regimes in Kashmir have normalized occupation with the propagation of ‘development, empowerment and progress’ along with bureaucratic integration and the forging of affective intimate relationships with the people of the state. However, the politics of life and appeals to emotions did not mean that there was an absence of coercive measures used by the Indian state to shape conforming and confronting subjectivities
