| 1. |
- Thomas, HS, et al.
(författare)
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- 2019
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swepub:Mat__t
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| 2. |
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| 3. |
- Muhammad, Noor, et al.
(författare)
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Novel mutations in MPT64 secretory protein of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex
- 2023
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Ingår i: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. - : MDPI. - 1661-7827 .- 1660-4601. ; 20:3
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Tuberculosis (TB) is a global health problem caused by the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC). These bacteria secrete various proteins involved in the pathogenesis and persistence of MTBC. Among the secretory proteins, MPT64 (Rv1980C) is highly conserved and is also known as a major culture filtrate that is used in rapid diagnosis of MTBC. In the current study, we aimed to find the mutation in this highly conserved protein in isolates from the Pashtun-dominant province of Pakistan. We analyzed 470 M. tuberculosis whole-genome sequences of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province. Mutations in the MPT64 gene were screened through TB-Profiler and BioEdit software tools. The DynaMut web server was used to analyze the impact of the mutation on protein dynamics and stability. Among 470 MTB genomes, three non-synonymous mutations were detected in nine isolates, and one synonymous mutation (G208A) was found in four isolates. Mutation G211T (F159L), which was detected at the C-terminal domain of the protein in six isolates, was the most prominent. The second novel mutation, T480C (I70V), was detected in two isolates at the C-terminal side of the protein structure. The third novel mutation, A491C (L66R), was detected in a single isolate at the N-terminal side of the MPT64 protein. The effect of these three mutations was destabilizing on the protein structure. The molecular flexibility of the first two mutations increased, and the last one decreased. MPT64 is a highly conserved secretory protein, harboring only a few mutations. This study provides useful information for better managing the diagnosis of MTB isolates in high TB-burden countries.
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| 4. |
- Ahmad, Sajjad, et al.
(författare)
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Novel mutations in genes of the IL-12/IFN-γ axis cause susceptibility to tuberculosis
- 2023
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Ingår i: Journal of Infection and Public Health. - : Elsevier. - 1876-0341 .- 1876-035X. ; 16:9, s. 1368-1378
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: The IL-12/23/ISG15-IFN-γ pathway is the main immunological pathway for controlling intra-macrophagic microorganisms such as Mycobacteria, Salmonella, and Leishmania spp. Consequently, upon mutations in genes of the IL-12/23/ISG15-IFN-γ pathway cause increased susceptibility to intra-macrophagic pathogens, particularly to Mycobacteria. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to characterize the mutations in genes of the IL-12/23/ISG15-IFN-γ pathway in severe tuberculosis (TB) patients.Methods: Clinically suspected TB was initially confirmed in four patients (P) (P1, P2, P3, and P4) using the GeneXpert MTB/RIF and culturing techniques. The patients' Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were then subjected to ELISA to measure Interleukin 12 (IL-12) and interferon gamma (IFN-γ). Flow cytometry was used to detect the surface expressions of IFN-γR1 and IFN-γR2 as well as IL-12Rβ1and IL-12Rβ2 on monocytes and T lymphocytes, respectively.The phosphorylation of signal transducer and activator of transcription 1(STAT1) on monocytes and STAT4 on T lymphocytes were also detected by flow cytometry. Sanger sequencing was used to identify mutations in the IL-12Rβ1, STAT1, NEMO, and CYBB genes.Results: P1's PBMCs exhibited reduced IFN-γ production, while P2's and P3's PBMCs exhibited impaired IL-12 induction. Low IL-12Rβ1 surface expression and reduced STAT4 phosphorylation were demonstrated by P1's T lymphocytes, while impaired STAT1 phosphorylation was detected in P2's monocytes. The impaired IκB-α degradation and abolished H2O2 production in monocytes and neutrophils of P3 and P4 were observed, respectively. Sanger sequencing revealed novel nonsense homozygous mutation: c.191 G>A/p.W64 * in exon 3 of the IL-12Rβ1 gene in P1, novel missense homozygous mutation: c.107 A>T/p.Q36L in exon 3 of the STAT1 gene in P2, missense hemizygous mutation:: c.950 A>C/p.Q317P in exon 8 of the NEMO gene in P3, and nonsense hemizygous mutation: c.868 C>T/p.R290X in exon 8 of CYBB gene in P4.Conclusion: Our findings broaden the clinical and genetic spectra associated with IL-12/23/ISG15-IFN-γ axis anomalies. Additionally, our data suggest that TB patients in Pakistan should be investigated for potential genetic defects due to high prevalence of parental consanguinity and increased incidence of TB in the country.
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| 5. |
- Ali, Nadeem, et al.
(författare)
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Semi-Volatile Organic Compounds in Car Dust : A Pilot Study in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
- 2021
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Ingår i: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. - : MDPI AG. - 1661-7827 .- 1660-4601. ; 18:9
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- People may spend a significant amount of their daily time in cars and thus be exposed to chemicals present in car dust. Various chemicals are emitted from during car use, contaminating the car dust. In this study, we compiled published and unpublished data on the occurrence of phthalates, flame retardants (FRs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in Saudi car dust. Phthalates, a class of chemical commonly used as plasticizers in different car parts, were the major pollutants found in car dust, with a median value of n-ary sumation phthalates 1,279,000 ng/g. Among other chemicals, organophosphate flame retardants (OPFRs) were found to be between 1500-90,500 ng/g, which indicates their use as alternative FRs in the car industry. The daily exposure to Saudi drivers (regular and taxi drivers) was below the respective reference dose (RfD) values of the individual chemicals. However, the estimated incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR) values due to chronic exposure to these chemicals was >1 x 10(-5) for taxi drivers for phthalates and PAHs, indicating that the long-term exposure to these chemicals is a cause of concern for drivers who spend considerable time in cars. The study has some limitations, due to the small number of samples, lack of updated RfD values, and missing cancer slope factors for many studied chemicals. Despite these limitations, this study indicates the possible range of exposure to drivers from chemicals in car dust and warrants further extensive studies to confirm these patterns.
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| 6. |
- Nadeem, Aamir, et al.
(författare)
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Thermally stable and anti-corrosive polydimethyl siloxane composite coatings based on nanoforms of boron nitride
- 2024
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Ingår i: Inorganic Chemistry Communications. - : Elsevier. - 1387-7003 .- 1879-0259. ; 168
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Coating technology has been emerged as a recognized and cost-effective approach in regard to mitigating issues that are linked to corrosion. We employed in-house synthesized boron nitride nanosheets (BNNS-CVD) and commercially available nanosized boron nitride (BN-nano) as fillers in this study to fabricate composite coatings with enhanced thermal stability and corrosion resistance. These fillers were dispersed in polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) resin to develop composite coatings. The Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), UV-visible spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) were employed to characterize the prepared composite coatings. The FTIR analysis revealed a prominent absorption band around 1350 cm(-1) that is indication of the distinctive BN in-plane bending vibrations characteristic of boron nitride (BN). The FESEM images simultaneously confirmed the sheet-like morphology of both BN-nano and BNNS-CVD, which both found to be uniformly dispersed in the PDMS matrix. The EIS revealed that the composite films based on BNNS-CVD exhibited superior corrosion resistance compared to those based on BN-nano when exposed to a 3.5 wt% NaCl solution. Further, TGA profiles indicated that the composite films maintained their structural integrity up to 200 degree celsius without degradation. Therefore, thermally stable and corrosion resistant coatings can be valuable for various new technology applications that involve corrosion issues.
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| 7. |
- Sohail, Muhammad, et al.
(författare)
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Persistent organic pollutant emission via dust deposition throughout Pakistan : Spatial patterns, regional cycling and their implication for human health risks
- 2018
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Ingår i: Science of the Total Environment. - : Elsevier BV. - 0048-9697 .- 1879-1026. ; 618, s. 829-837
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- In the current study, Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) in outdoor dustfall was monitored for the first time along the Indus river system of Pakistan. Among the studied OCPs (ng/g, dry weight), DDTs (0.16-62) were the predominant contaminants identified in deposited dust followed by HCHs (0.1-10.2), HCB (0.09-7.4) and chlordanes (0.1-2.8). The indicative diagnostic ratio for DDTs and HCHs suggested recent emission of DDTs as well as historical emission of both chemicals in regions where they were used for crop protection and malarial control. The levels of Sigma(31)PCBs (ng/g, dry weight) in dust ranged from 0.95-125, and compositional profiles suggested arochlor-1248, -1254 commercial mixtures as source. A few exceptions were samples from urban areas that reflected the use of aroclor-1260, and-1262 and/or unintentional leakage from several industrial processes. The WHO05-TEQ values for dioxin-like PCBs (with major contributions of PCB-126) were found to be 0.07-34.5 (median; 1.87) pg TEQ g(-1) dw for all the studied samples. Correlation analysis identified that DDTs, HCHs, HCB and PCBs were significantly associated (r = 90; p < 0.01) with dusts collected in proximity to urban centers with widespread anthropogenic activities in these areas. A few cases where high levels of POPs from remote mountain highlands were detected, point to the potential for long range transport of these chemicals. Human risk assessment analysis of contaminated dust showed that DDTs and PCBs are major constituent chemicals of concern with regard to the development of cancer in children, with ingestion being the main route of exposure of dust-borne DDTs (0.12-1.03 x 10(-6)) and PCBs (0.86-12.43 x 10(-6)).
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| 8. |
- Akhtar, Muneeba, et al.
(författare)
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Response Surface Methodology (RSM) approach to formulate and optimize the bilayer combination tablet of Tamsulosin and Finasteride
- 2024
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Ingår i: Saudi Pharmaceutical Journal. - : Elsevier. - 1319-0164 .- 2213-7475. ; 32:3
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- An orally administered bilayer tablet with Tamsulosin (TAM) as the sustained release (SR) and Finasteride (FIN) as immediate release (IR) was manufactured. A response surface methodology was employed to formulate bilayer tablets with individual release layers, i.e., sustained and immediate release (SR and IR). Independent variables selected in both cases comprise hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) as SR polymer, and avicel PH102 in the inner layer while Triacetin and talc in the outer layer, respectively. Tablets were prepared by direct compression, a total of 11 formulations were prepared for inner layer TAM, and 9 formulations for outer layer FIN were designed; these formulations were evaluated for hardness, friability, thickness, %drug content, and %drug release. A central composite design was employed in response surface methodology to design and optimize the formulation. The percentage of drug released was evaluated by in-vitro USP dissolution method of optimized formulation for 0.5, 2, and 6 hrs, and results were 24.63, 52.96, and 97.68 %, respectively. Drug release data was plotted in various kinetic models using a D.D solver, where drug release was first order that is concentration dependent and was best explained by Korsmeyer–Peppa kinetics, as the highest linearity was observed (R2 = 0.9693). However, a very close relationship was also noted with Higuchi kinetics (R2 = 0.9358). The mechanism of drug release was determined through the Korsmeyer model, and exponent "n" was found to be 0.4, indicative of an anomalous diffusion mechanism or diffusion coupled with erosion.
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| 9. |
- Al-Tammemi, Ala’a B., et al.
(författare)
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Are we seeing the unseen of human trafficking? A retrospective analysis of the CTDC k-anonymized global victim of trafficking data pool in the period 2010–2020
- 2023
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Ingår i: PLoS ONE. - 1932-6203. ; 18:4 April
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background Human trafficking is considered a hidden global crime with unsubstantiated numbers. Despite the challenges in counting or measuring this crime, reports revealed the presence of around 40.3 million victims worldwide. Human trafficking results in severe detrimental impacts on both mental and physical health. Given the sensitivity and negative consequences of human trafficking on the global system and victims, and considering the scarce research in this area, our current study aimed at describing the (i) Sociodemographic profiles of anonymized victims, (ii) Means of control, and (iii) Purpose of trafficking, utilizing the largest anonymized and publicly available dataset on victims of human trafficking. Methods This is a retrospective secondary analysis of the Counter-Trafficking Data Collaborative (CTDC) data pool in the period from 2010 to 2020. The utilized dataset is called the k-anonymized global victim of trafficking dataset, and it is considered the largest global dataset on victims of human trafficking. Data from the k-anonymized data pool were extracted and exported to Statistical Package for Social Sciences, SPSS® version 27.0 for Windows (IBM Corp. Version 27.0. Armonk, NY) for quality check and analysis using descriptive statistics. Results A total of 87003 victims of human trafficking were identified in the period from 2010 to 2020. The most age category encountered among victims was 9–17 years with 10326 victims (11.9%), followed by 30–38 years with 8562 victims (9.8%). Females comprised 70% of the sample with 60938 victims. The United States (n = 51611), Russia (n = 4570), and the Philippines (n = 1988) comprised the most countries of exploitation/trafficking. Additionally, the year 2019 witnessed the greatest number of victims registered for assistance by anti-trafficking agencies with around 21312 victims (24.5%). Concerning means of control, threats, psychological abuse, restriction of the victim’s movement, taking the victim’s earnings, and physical abuse were the most reported means. 42685 victims (49.1%) reported sexual exploitation as the purpose of their trafficking, followed by forced labor with 18176 victims (20.9%). Conclusion Various means and methods can be used by traffickers to control the victims to be trafficked for many purposes, with sexual exploitation and forced labor being the most common ones. Global anti-trafficking efforts should be brought together in solidarity through utilizing the paradigm of protection of victims, prosecution of traffickers, prevention of trafficking, and inter-sectoral partnerships. Despite being a global concern with various reports that tried to capture the number of trafficked victims worldwide, human trafficking still has many unseen aspects that impose a significant challenge and adds to the global burden in combatting this threat.
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| 10. |
- Azeem, Muhammad, et al.
(författare)
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Combined Economic Emission Dispatch in Presence of Renewable Energy Resources Using CISSA in a Smart Grid Environment
- 2023
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Ingår i: Electronics. - : MDPI. - 2079-9292. ; 12:3
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The geographically spatial and controlled distribution of fossil fuel resources, catastrophic global warming, and depletion of fossil fuel resources have forced us to integrate zero- or low-emissions energy resources, such as wind and solar, in the generation mix. These renewable energy resources are unexhausted, available around the globe, and free of cost. The advancement in wind and solar technologies has caused an appreciable decrease in installed the and global levelized costs of electricity via these sources. Therefore, the penetration of renewable energy resources in the generation mix can provide a promising solution to the above-mentioned problems. The aim of simultaneously reducing fuel consumption in terms of “Fuel Cost” and “Emission” in thermal power plants is called a combined economic emission dispatch problem. It is a combinatorial and multi-objective optimization problem. The solution of this problem is to allocate the load demand and losses on the committed units in such way that the overall costs of the generation and emission of thermal units are reduced, while the legal bounds (constraints) are met. It is a highly non-linear and complex optimization problem. The valve-point loading effect makes this problem non-convex. The addition of renewable energy resources (RERs) adds more complexities to this problem because they are intermittent. In this work, chaotic salp swarm algorithms (CISSA) are used to solve the combined economic emission dispatch problem. Chaos is used as an alternative to randomization for the tuning of the control variable to improve the trait of obtaining global extrema. Different test cases having different combinations of thermal, solar, and wind units are solved using the proposed algorithm. The results show the superiority of this study in comparison to the existent research results in terms of the cost of generation and emissions.
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