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Articles 1 - 27 of 27
Full-Text Articles in Diseases
Bile Acid Profiling Reveals Distinct Signatures In Undernourished Children With Environmental Enteric Dysfunction, Xueheng Zhao, Kenneth D R. Setchell, Rong Huang, Indika Mallawaarachchi, Lubaina Ehsan, Edward Dobrzykowski Iii, Junfang Zhao, Sana Syed, Najeeha Talat Iqbal, Junaid Iqbal, Kamran Sadiq, Sheraz Ahmed, Syed Asad Ali
Bile Acid Profiling Reveals Distinct Signatures In Undernourished Children With Environmental Enteric Dysfunction, Xueheng Zhao, Kenneth D R. Setchell, Rong Huang, Indika Mallawaarachchi, Lubaina Ehsan, Edward Dobrzykowski Iii, Junfang Zhao, Sana Syed, Najeeha Talat Iqbal, Junaid Iqbal, Kamran Sadiq, Sheraz Ahmed, Syed Asad Ali
Department of Paediatrics and Child Health
Background: Intestinal inflammation and malabsorption in environmental enteric dysfunction (EED) are associated with early childhood growth faltering in impoverished settings worldwide.
Objectives: The goal of this study was to identify candidate biomarkers associated with inflammation, EED histology, and as predictors of later growth outcomes by focusing on the liver-gut axis by investigating the bile acid metabolome.
Methods: Undernourished rural Pakistani infants (n = 365) with weight-for-height Z score (WHZ) < -2 were followed up to the age of 24 mo and monitored for growth, infections, and EED. Well-nourished local children (n = 51) were controls, based on consistent WHZ > 0 and height-for-age Z score (HAZ) > -1 on 2 consecutive visits at 3 and 6 mo. Serum bile acid (sBA) profiles were measured by tandem MS at the ages of 3-6 …
Anal Human Papillomavirus Infection Among Men Who Have Sex With Men And Transgender Women Living With And Without Hiv In Pakistan: Findings From A Cross-Sectional Study, Muslima Ejaz, Soren Andersson, Salma Batool, Tazeen Saeed Ali, Anna Mia Ekström
Anal Human Papillomavirus Infection Among Men Who Have Sex With Men And Transgender Women Living With And Without Hiv In Pakistan: Findings From A Cross-Sectional Study, Muslima Ejaz, Soren Andersson, Salma Batool, Tazeen Saeed Ali, Anna Mia Ekström
Community Health Sciences
Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of infection, genotypes and risk factors for human papillomavirus (HPV) among men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender women living with and without HIV in Pakistan. Anal infection with HPV is very common worldwide among MSM, particularly among MSM living with HIV. The high prevalence of HIV among MSM and male-to-female transgendered individuals in Pakistan is a significant health concern since access to screening and health-seeking is often delayed in this stigmatised key population.
Design: This cross-sectional study was conducted between March 2016 and November 2017.
Participants, …
Non-Compliance To Social Distancing During Covid-19 Pandemic: A Comparative Cross-Sectional Study Between The Developed And Developing Countries, Faiqa Binte Aamir, Syeda Maria Ahmad Zaidi, Saadia Abbas, Syed Roohan Aamir, Syed Nauman Ahmad Zaidi, Karishma Kanhya Lal, Syeda Sadia Fatima
Non-Compliance To Social Distancing During Covid-19 Pandemic: A Comparative Cross-Sectional Study Between The Developed And Developing Countries, Faiqa Binte Aamir, Syeda Maria Ahmad Zaidi, Saadia Abbas, Syed Roohan Aamir, Syed Nauman Ahmad Zaidi, Karishma Kanhya Lal, Syeda Sadia Fatima
Medical College Documents
Background: Despite mass vaccination campaigns, the world has seen a steady rise in the number of SARS-CoV-2 cases, with 178,765,626 cases and 3,869,994 COVID-19 related deaths by June 19th, 2021. Therefore, it is important to enforce social distancing to control its spread. With the variation observed in the severity of the pandemic in different countries, it is also imperative to study the social distancing behaviors amongst the population in developed and developing countries.
Design and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, a total of 384 participants from 14 different countries were surveyed via an online REDCap form.
Results: In …
Role Of Gut Microbiome In Covid-19: An Insight Into Pathogenesis And Therapeutic Potential, Ikram Hussain, Gabriel Liu Yuan Cher, Muhammad Abbas Abid, Muhammad Bilal Abid
Role Of Gut Microbiome In Covid-19: An Insight Into Pathogenesis And Therapeutic Potential, Ikram Hussain, Gabriel Liu Yuan Cher, Muhammad Abbas Abid, Muhammad Bilal Abid
Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), resulted in an unprecedented global crisis. Although primarily a respiratory illness, dysregulated immune responses may lead to multi-organ dysfunction. Prior data showed that the resident microbial communities of gastrointestinal and respiratory tracts act as modulators of local and systemic inflammatory activity (the gut-lung axis). Evolving evidence now signals an alteration in the gut microbiome, brought upon either by cytokines from the infected respiratory tract or from direct infection of the gut, or both. Dysbiosis leads to a "leaky gut". The intestinal permeability then allows access to …
Chronic Long-Covid Syndrome: A Protracted Covid-19 Illness With Neurological Dysfunctions, Abdul Mannan Baig
Chronic Long-Covid Syndrome: A Protracted Covid-19 Illness With Neurological Dysfunctions, Abdul Mannan Baig
Department of Biological & Biomedical Sciences
After almost a year of COVID-19, the chronic long-COVID syndrome has been recognized as an entity in 2021. The patients with the long-COVID are presenting with ominous neurological deficits that with time are becoming persistent and are causing disabilities in the affected individuals. The mechanisms underlying the neurological syndrome in long-COVID have remained obscure and need to be actively researched to find a resolution for the patients with long-COVID. Here, the factors like site of viral load, the differential immune response, neurodegenerative changes, and inflammation as possible causative factors are debated to understand and investigate the pathogenesis of neuro-COVID in …
Editorial: Vitamin D Deficiency And Sufficiency In Reproduction And Bone Metabolism, Rehana Rehman, Faiza Alam, Mukhtiar Baig, Aysha Habib Khan, Naseer Ahmed
Editorial: Vitamin D Deficiency And Sufficiency In Reproduction And Bone Metabolism, Rehana Rehman, Faiza Alam, Mukhtiar Baig, Aysha Habib Khan, Naseer Ahmed
Department of Biological & Biomedical Sciences
No abstract provided.
Comparative Analysis Of N95 Respirators Fit Testing With Commercially Available And In House Reagent, Erum Khan, Joveria Farooqi, Humaira Shafaq, Kaleem Ullah Khushik, Syed Shamim Raza, Sara Khan, Zohra Rafiq, Bushra Ahmed, Shazia Chisti, Kehkashan Imtiaz, Hasnain Zafar, Afia Zafar
Comparative Analysis Of N95 Respirators Fit Testing With Commercially Available And In House Reagent, Erum Khan, Joveria Farooqi, Humaira Shafaq, Kaleem Ullah Khushik, Syed Shamim Raza, Sara Khan, Zohra Rafiq, Bushra Ahmed, Shazia Chisti, Kehkashan Imtiaz, Hasnain Zafar, Afia Zafar
Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine
Background: Due to COVID-19, thousands of healthcare workers have been affected and have lost their lives in the line of duty. For the protection of healthcare workers, WHO and CDC have made standard guidelines and requirements for PPE use. N95 masks are amongst the most readily used PPE by healthcare professionals and it is highly recommended by OSHA that every make and model of N95 should go through a fit test at least once in a year.
Method: A total of 30 randomly selected healthcare professionals (who were a regular user of N95 respiratory masks) were subjected to assess in-house …
Higher Entropy Observed In Sars-Cov-2 Genomes From The First Covid-19 Wave In Pakistan, Najia Karim Ghanchi, Asghar Nasir, Kiran I. Masood, Syed Hani Abidi, Syed Faisal Mahmood, Akber Kanji, Safina Abdul Razzak, Waqasuddin Khan, Saba Shahid, Maliha Yameen, Ali Raza, Javaria Ashraf, Zeeshan Ansar Ahmed, Mohammad Buksh Dharejo, Nazneen Islam, Zahra Hasan, Rumina Hasan
Higher Entropy Observed In Sars-Cov-2 Genomes From The First Covid-19 Wave In Pakistan, Najia Karim Ghanchi, Asghar Nasir, Kiran I. Masood, Syed Hani Abidi, Syed Faisal Mahmood, Akber Kanji, Safina Abdul Razzak, Waqasuddin Khan, Saba Shahid, Maliha Yameen, Ali Raza, Javaria Ashraf, Zeeshan Ansar Ahmed, Mohammad Buksh Dharejo, Nazneen Islam, Zahra Hasan, Rumina Hasan
Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine
Background: We investigated the genome diversity of SARS-CoV-2 associated with the early COVID-19 period to investigate evolution of the virus in Pakistan.
Materials and methods: We studied ninety SARS-CoV-2 strains isolated between March and October 2020. Whole genome sequences from our laboratory and available genomes were used to investigate phylogeny, genetic variantion and mutation rates of SARS-CoV-2 strains in Pakistan. Site specific entropy analysis compared mutation rates between strains isolated before and after June 2020.
Results: In March, strains belonging to L, S, V and GH clades were observed but by October, only L and GH strains were present. The …
Balancing Science And Public Policy In Pakistan's Covid-19 Response, Zulfiqar Ahmed Bhutta, Faisal Sultan, Aamer Ikram, Adil H. Haider, Assad Hafeez, Muhammad Islam
Balancing Science And Public Policy In Pakistan's Covid-19 Response, Zulfiqar Ahmed Bhutta, Faisal Sultan, Aamer Ikram, Adil H. Haider, Assad Hafeez, Muhammad Islam
Department of Paediatrics and Child Health
Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has affected the world in an unprecedented manner and South Asian countries were among the first to experience imported cases. Pakistan's response to COVID-19 has been under scrutiny for its granularity, reach and impact.
Aims: to evaluate objectively the chronology and depth of the response to COVID-19 in Pakistan.
Methods: We evaluated available national and subnational epidemiological and burden information on COVID-19 cases and deaths in Pakistan, including projection models available to the Government at an early stage of the pandemic.
Results: Pakistan, with a population of 215 million and considerable geographic diversity, experienced case …
Virtual Reality (Vr)-Based Environmental Enrichment In Older Adults With Mild Cognitive Impairment (Mci) And Mild Dementia, Waleed Riaz, Zain Yar Khan, Ali Jawaid, Suleman Shahid
Virtual Reality (Vr)-Based Environmental Enrichment In Older Adults With Mild Cognitive Impairment (Mci) And Mild Dementia, Waleed Riaz, Zain Yar Khan, Ali Jawaid, Suleman Shahid
Medical College Documents
Background: Despite an alarming rise in the global prevalence of dementia, the available modalities for improving cognition and mental wellbeing of dementia patients remain limited. Environmental enrichment is an experimental paradigm that has shown promising anti-depressive and memory-enhancing effects in pre-clinical studies. However, its clinical utility has remained limited due to the lack of effective implementation strategies.
Objective: The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the usability (tolerability and interactivity) of a long-term virtual reality (VR)- based environmental enrichment training program in older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and mild dementia. A secondary objective was to assess …
Discrepancy Between Pcr Based Sars-Cov-2 Tests Suggests The Need To Re-Evaluate Diagnostic Assays, Zain Mushtaq, Sadia Shakoor, Akber Kanji, Najma Shaheen, Asghar Nasir, Zeeshan Ansar Ahmed, Imran Ahmed, Syed Faisal Mahmood, Rumina Hasan, Zahra Hasan
Discrepancy Between Pcr Based Sars-Cov-2 Tests Suggests The Need To Re-Evaluate Diagnostic Assays, Zain Mushtaq, Sadia Shakoor, Akber Kanji, Najma Shaheen, Asghar Nasir, Zeeshan Ansar Ahmed, Imran Ahmed, Syed Faisal Mahmood, Rumina Hasan, Zahra Hasan
Section of Internal Medicine
Objective: We investigated the discrepancy between clinical and PCR-based diagnosis of COVID-19. We compared results of ten patients with mild to severe COVID-19. Respiratory samples from all cases were tested on the Roche SARS-CoV-2 (Cobas) assay, Filmarray RP2.1 (bioMereiux) and TaqPath™ COVID19 (Thermofisher) PCR assays.
Results: Laboratory records of ten patients with mild to severe COVID-19 were examined. Initially, respiratory samples from the patients were tested as negative on the SARS-CoV-2 Roche® assay. Further investigation using the BIOFIRE® Filmarray RP2.1 assay identified SARS-CoV-2 as the pathogen in all ten cases. To investigate possible discrepancies between PCR assays, additional testing was …
General Public Perception Of Social Media, Impact Of Covid-19 Pandemic, And Related Misconceptions, Rabiya Ali, Shireen Jawed, Mukhtiar Baig, Ahmed Azam Malik, Fatima Syed, Rehana Rehman
General Public Perception Of Social Media, Impact Of Covid-19 Pandemic, And Related Misconceptions, Rabiya Ali, Shireen Jawed, Mukhtiar Baig, Ahmed Azam Malik, Fatima Syed, Rehana Rehman
Department of Biological & Biomedical Sciences
Objectives: To investigate the general public perception of social media (SM), impact of COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic, and related misconceptions among Pakistani population.
Methodology: Cross-sectional study conducted during the peak of COVID-19 in Pakistan between May-June 2020 comprised of 2307 Pakistani male and female participants. Subjects under 18 years of age and nationality other than Pakistani were excluded. An online questionnaire was administered via the Internet using various kinds of social media.
Results: The study comprised of 2307 male and female participants; 2074(89.90%) were using SM for seeking COVID-19 information, 450 (20%) were using both Facebook (FB) and WhatsApp (WA) and …
Blue Biotechnology: Computational Screening Of Sarcophyton Cembranoid Diterpenes For Sars-Cov-2 Main Protease Inhibition, Mahmoud A A. Ibrahim, Alaa H M. Abdelrahman, Mohamed A M. Atia, Tarik A. Mohamed, Mahmoud F. Moustafa, Abdulrahim R. Hakami, Shaden A M. Khalifa, Fahad A. Alhumaydhi, Faris Alrumaihi, Syed Hani Abidi
Blue Biotechnology: Computational Screening Of Sarcophyton Cembranoid Diterpenes For Sars-Cov-2 Main Protease Inhibition, Mahmoud A A. Ibrahim, Alaa H M. Abdelrahman, Mohamed A M. Atia, Tarik A. Mohamed, Mahmoud F. Moustafa, Abdulrahim R. Hakami, Shaden A M. Khalifa, Fahad A. Alhumaydhi, Faris Alrumaihi, Syed Hani Abidi
Department of Biological & Biomedical Sciences
The coronavirus pandemic has affected more than 150 million people, while over 3.25 million people have died from the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). As there are no established therapies for COVID-19 treatment, drugs that inhibit viral replication are a promising target; specifically, the main protease (Mpro) that process CoV-encoded polyproteins serves as an Achilles heel for assembly of replication-transcription machinery as well as down-stream viral replication. In the search for potential antiviral drugs that target Mpro, a series of cembranoid diterpenes from the biologically active soft-coral genus Sarcophyton have been examined as SARS-CoV-2 Mpro inhibitors. Over 360 metabolites from the …
Multi-Subunit Sars-Cov-2 Vaccine Design Using Evolutionarily Conserved T- And B- Cell Epitopes, Burkitkan Akbay, Syed Hani Abidi, Mahmoud A A. Ibrahim, Zhussipbek Mukhatayev, Syed Ali
Multi-Subunit Sars-Cov-2 Vaccine Design Using Evolutionarily Conserved T- And B- Cell Epitopes, Burkitkan Akbay, Syed Hani Abidi, Mahmoud A A. Ibrahim, Zhussipbek Mukhatayev, Syed Ali
Department of Biological & Biomedical Sciences
The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has created a public health crisis worldwide. Although vaccines against the virus are efficiently being rolled out, they are proving to be ineffective against certain emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants. The high degree of sequence similarity between SARS-CoV-2 and other human coronaviruses (HCoV) presents the opportunity for designing vaccines that may offer protection against SARS-CoV-2 and its emerging variants, with cross-protection against other HCoVs. In this study, we performed bioinformatics analyses to identify T and B cell epitopes originating from spike, membrane, nucleocapsid, and envelope protein sequences found to be evolutionarily conserved among seven major HCoVs. Evolutionary conservation of …
Rebuilding Trust On Routine Immunization In Era Of Covid-19 Fear-Role That Civil Society Organizations Can Play Hands-In-Hand With Immunization Program, Ameer Muhammad, Daniyaal Ahmad, Eleze Tariq, Yasir Shafiq
Rebuilding Trust On Routine Immunization In Era Of Covid-19 Fear-Role That Civil Society Organizations Can Play Hands-In-Hand With Immunization Program, Ameer Muhammad, Daniyaal Ahmad, Eleze Tariq, Yasir Shafiq
Medical College Documents
No abstract provided.
Respiratory Pathogens In Patients With Acute Exacerbation Of Non-Cystic Fibrosis Bronchiectasis From A Developing Country, Shayan Shahid, Kausar Jabeen, Nousheen Iqbal, Joveria Farooqi, Muhammad Irfan
Respiratory Pathogens In Patients With Acute Exacerbation Of Non-Cystic Fibrosis Bronchiectasis From A Developing Country, Shayan Shahid, Kausar Jabeen, Nousheen Iqbal, Joveria Farooqi, Muhammad Irfan
Medical College Documents
Bronchiectasis unrelated to cystic fibrosis (non-CF bronchiectasis) has become a major respiratory disease in developing nations. The dilated mucus filled airways promote bacterial overgrowth followed by chronic infection, bronchial inflammation, lung injury and re-infection Accurate pathogen identification and antimicrobial susceptibility allowing appropriate treatment, in turn, may break this vicious cycle. To study the spectrum and antimicrobial spectrum of pathogen yielded from respiratory specimens in adult patients with acute exacerbation of non-cystic fibrosis (CF) bronchiectasis. This cross-sectional study was performed at the pulmonology clinics of the Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan from 2016-2019. Respiratory specimens were collected from adult patients with …
Level I Nodal Positivity As A Factor For Involvement Of The Submandibular Gland In Oral Cavity Carcinoma: A Case Series Report, Hamdan Ahmed Pasha, Rahim Dhanani, Shayan Khalid, Kulsoom Ghias, Mumtaz Jamshed Khan
Level I Nodal Positivity As A Factor For Involvement Of The Submandibular Gland In Oral Cavity Carcinoma: A Case Series Report, Hamdan Ahmed Pasha, Rahim Dhanani, Shayan Khalid, Kulsoom Ghias, Mumtaz Jamshed Khan
Section of Otolaryngology, Head & Neck Surgery
Introduction: The routine practice of neck dissection in the surgical management of oral carcinoma has evolved into a more functionally conservative approach. Over time, the rationale for removal of the submandibular gland has been questioned. Routine extirpation of the submandibular gland can aggravate the xerostomia experienced by many patients, significantly affecting their quality of life.
Objective: The objective of the present study was to determine the incidence of submandibular gland metastases in oral cavity carcinoma and to identify possible factors that may affect their involvement.
Methods: A total of 149 cases of oral carcinoma presenting at a private tertiary care …
Interplay Between Oxidative Stress, Sirt1, Reproductive And Metabolic Functions, Faiza Alam, Hareem Syed, Sofia Amjad, Mukhtiar Baig, Taseer Ahmed Khan, Rehana Rehman
Interplay Between Oxidative Stress, Sirt1, Reproductive And Metabolic Functions, Faiza Alam, Hareem Syed, Sofia Amjad, Mukhtiar Baig, Taseer Ahmed Khan, Rehana Rehman
Department of Biological & Biomedical Sciences
Silent information Regulators (SIRT1) gene stimulates antioxidants' expression, repairs cells damaged by oxidative stress (OS), and prevents the cells' dysfunction. In particular, the role of different Sirtuins, particularly SIRT1 in reproduction, has been widely studied over the past decade. Decreased SIRT 1 causes mitochondrial dysfunction by increasing Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS), lipid peroxidation, and DNA damage in both male and female gametes (Sperms and Oocytes), leading to infertility. In the female reproductive system, SIRT1 regulates proliferation and apoptosis in granulosa cells (GCs), and its down-regulation is associated with a reduced ovarian reserve. SIRT1 also modulates the stress response to OS …
Structural And Functional Properties Of Subsidiary Atrial Pacemakers In A Goat Model Of Sinus Node Disease, Luca Soattin, Zoltan Borbas, Jane Caldwell, Brian Prendergast, Akbar Vohra, Yawer Saeed, Andreas Hoschtitzky, Joseph Yanni, Andrew Atkinson, Sunil Jit Logantha
Structural And Functional Properties Of Subsidiary Atrial Pacemakers In A Goat Model Of Sinus Node Disease, Luca Soattin, Zoltan Borbas, Jane Caldwell, Brian Prendergast, Akbar Vohra, Yawer Saeed, Andreas Hoschtitzky, Joseph Yanni, Andrew Atkinson, Sunil Jit Logantha
Section of Cardiology
Background: The sinoatrial/sinus node (SAN) is the primary pacemaker of the heart. In humans, SAN is surrounded by the paranodal area (PNA). Although the PNA function remains debated, it is thought to act as a subsidiary atrial pacemaker (SAP) tissue and become the dominant pacemaker in the setting of sinus node disease (SND). Large animal models of SND allow characterization of SAP, which might be a target for novel treatment strategies for SAN diseases.
Methods: A goat model of SND was developed (n = 10) by epicardially ablating the SAN and validated by mapping of emergent SAP locations through …
Evaluation Of Serum Ferritin For Prediction Of Severity And Mortality In Covid-19- A Cross Sectional Study, Sibtain Ahmed, Zeeshan Ansar Ahmed, Imran Siddiqui, Naveed Haroon Rashid, Maheen Mansoor, Lena Jafri
Evaluation Of Serum Ferritin For Prediction Of Severity And Mortality In Covid-19- A Cross Sectional Study, Sibtain Ahmed, Zeeshan Ansar Ahmed, Imran Siddiqui, Naveed Haroon Rashid, Maheen Mansoor, Lena Jafri
Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine
Background: Ferritin even though widely recognized as a representative of total body iron stores, its prognostic utility is linked with COVID-19. This study was aimed at evaluation of the association of ferritin with severity in Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), hospitalized patients and to test the hypothesis that it is an independent predictor of mortality.
Material and methods: This study was conducted at Chemical Pathology, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Aga Khan University (AKU), Karachi. Medical records of all in-patients including both genders, and all age groups with documented COVID-19 from 1st March to 10th August 2020 were reviewed. …
Female Genital Tuberculosis In Pakistan - A Retrospective Review Of 10-Year Laboratory Data And Analysis Of 32 Cases, Tazeen Fatima, Rumina Hasan, Faisal Malik, Imran Ahmed, Linda Alice Bartlett, Michael G. Gravett, Sadia Shakoor
Female Genital Tuberculosis In Pakistan - A Retrospective Review Of 10-Year Laboratory Data And Analysis Of 32 Cases, Tazeen Fatima, Rumina Hasan, Faisal Malik, Imran Ahmed, Linda Alice Bartlett, Michael G. Gravett, Sadia Shakoor
Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine
Background: Female genital tuberculosis (FGTB) is an underobserved clinical entity owing to diagnostic challenges stemming from difficulty of obtaining diagnostic specimens and paucibacillary nature of the disease. Yet, FGTB is a cause of infertility, pelvic pain, or menstrual irregularities in high-burden countries. To assess laboratory and microbiology diagnostic utilization for FGTB in Pakistan, we have collected data from 2007 to 2016 to inform the need for improved laboratory diagnostics. The objectives of this study were to determine the proportion of FGTB as culture-confirmed extrapulmonary tuberculosis (EPTB) and to describe the characteristics of women with culture-confirmed FGTB in a nationwide laboratory …
Mucosal Genomics Implicate Lymphocyte Activation And Lipid Metabolism In Refractory Environmental Enteric Dysfunction, Najeeha Talat Iqbal, Najeeb Rahman, Kamran Sadiq, Zubair Ahmad, Romana Idress, Junaid Iqbal, Sheraz Ahmed, Aneeta Hotwani, Fayyaz Umrani, Sana Syed, Syed Asad Ali
Mucosal Genomics Implicate Lymphocyte Activation And Lipid Metabolism In Refractory Environmental Enteric Dysfunction, Najeeha Talat Iqbal, Najeeb Rahman, Kamran Sadiq, Zubair Ahmad, Romana Idress, Junaid Iqbal, Sheraz Ahmed, Aneeta Hotwani, Fayyaz Umrani, Sana Syed, Syed Asad Ali
Department of Paediatrics and Child Health
Background & aims: Environmental enteric dysfunction (EED) limits the Sustainable Development Goals of improved childhood growth and survival. We applied mucosal genomics to advance our understanding of EED.
Methods: The Study of Environmental Enteropathy and Malnutrition (SEEM) followed 416 children from birth to 24 months in a rural district in Pakistan. Biomarkers were measured at 9 months and tested for association with growth at 24 months. The duodenal methylome and transcriptome was determined in 52 undernourished SEEM participants and 42 North American controls and celiac disease patients.
Results: After accounting for growth at study entry, circulating IGF-1 and ferritin predicted …
Calcaneal Ultrasound And Its Relation To Dietary And Lifestyle Factors, Anthropometry, And Vitamin D Deficiency In Young Medical Students, Lena Jafri, Hafsa Majid, Sibtain Ahmed, Ghazala Naureen, Aysha Habib Khan
Calcaneal Ultrasound And Its Relation To Dietary And Lifestyle Factors, Anthropometry, And Vitamin D Deficiency In Young Medical Students, Lena Jafri, Hafsa Majid, Sibtain Ahmed, Ghazala Naureen, Aysha Habib Khan
Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine
Background: Bone quality and peak bone mass are greatly affected by lifestyle factors. The objective of the study was to investigate the relationships between anthropometry, dietary and caloric intake, body composition measurements, physical activity, and vitamin D status with quantitative ultrasound-based bone parameters among medical students.
Methods: Both male and female medical college students were included in this study. A detailed questionnaire was administered, collecting clinical, dietary, physical activity information, physical examination details, including body mass index (BMI). Body composition (total body fat, total body water, muscle mass, mean visceral fat mass, basal metabolic rate, bone mass using a bioelectrical …
A Pathogenic Ufsp2 Variant In An Autosomal Recessive Form Of Pediatric Neurodevelopmental Anomalies And Epilepsy, Min Ni, Bushra Afroze, Chao Xing, Chunxiao Pan, Yanqiu Shao, Ling Cai, Brandi L. Cantarel, Jimin Pei, Nick V. Grishin, Stacy Hewson
A Pathogenic Ufsp2 Variant In An Autosomal Recessive Form Of Pediatric Neurodevelopmental Anomalies And Epilepsy, Min Ni, Bushra Afroze, Chao Xing, Chunxiao Pan, Yanqiu Shao, Ling Cai, Brandi L. Cantarel, Jimin Pei, Nick V. Grishin, Stacy Hewson
Department of Paediatrics and Child Health
Purpose: Neurodevelopmental disabilities are common and genetically heterogeneous. We identified a homozygous variant in the gene encoding UFM1-specific peptidase 2 (UFSP2), which participates in the UFMylation pathway of protein modification. UFSP2 variants are implicated in autosomal dominant skeletal dysplasias, but not neurodevelopmental disorders. Homozygosity for the variant occurred in eight children from four South Asian families with neurodevelopmental delay and epilepsy. We describe the clinical consequences of this variant and its effect on UFMylation.
Methods: Exome sequencing was used to detect potentially pathogenic variants and identify shared regions of homozygosity. Immunoblotting assessed protein expression and post-translational modifications in patient-derived fibroblasts. …
An Innovation In Flipped Class Room: A Teaching Model To Facilitate Synchronous And Asynchronous Learning During A Pandemic, Rehana Rehman, Syeda Sadia Fatima
An Innovation In Flipped Class Room: A Teaching Model To Facilitate Synchronous And Asynchronous Learning During A Pandemic, Rehana Rehman, Syeda Sadia Fatima
Department of Biological & Biomedical Sciences
Objective: To conduct an on line Flipped Class Room (FCR) to facilitate synchronous (in class activity) and asynchronous learning [Virtual Learning Environment (VLE)] and acquire feedback of the learning experience from medical students at Aga Khan University.
Methods: This interventional study was conducted with year II students undergoing Endocrine Reproduction Module at the Aga Khan University during April 13 to May 22, 2020. Pre reading material and pretest was shared with the students via Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) one week before the class. Microsoft Teams was used to conduct online session by two facilitators, where student discussion on case studies …
Pericardial Fluid Proteomic Label-Free Quantification Of Differentially Expressed Proteins In Ischemic Heart Disease Patients With Systolic Dysfunction By Nano-Lc-Esi-Ms/Ms Analysis, Junaid Ullah, Satwat Hashmi, Arslan Ali, Faisal Khan, Shahid Ahmed Sami, Nageeb Basir, Syedah Saira Bokhari, Hasanat Sharif, Hesham R. El-Seedi, Syed Ghulam Musharraf
Pericardial Fluid Proteomic Label-Free Quantification Of Differentially Expressed Proteins In Ischemic Heart Disease Patients With Systolic Dysfunction By Nano-Lc-Esi-Ms/Ms Analysis, Junaid Ullah, Satwat Hashmi, Arslan Ali, Faisal Khan, Shahid Ahmed Sami, Nageeb Basir, Syedah Saira Bokhari, Hasanat Sharif, Hesham R. El-Seedi, Syed Ghulam Musharraf
Department of Biological & Biomedical Sciences
Left ventricular systolic dysfunction (LVSD) is common in patients with pre-existing ischemic heart disease (IHD) and myocardial infarction. An untargeted proteomic approach is used to improve the understanding of the molecular mechanisms associated with LVSD and to find out potential proteomic signatures in pericardial fluid. The pericardial fluid of IHD (n = 45) patients was grouped into two categories according to the left ventricular ejection fraction, LVEF ≥45 (n = 33) and LVEF <45 (n = 12), and analyzed by using nano-liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (nano-LC-MS/MS) technique. The nano-LC-MS/MS analysis resulted in the identification of 709 pericardial fluid (PF) proteins …
Online Medical Education And Examinations During Covid-19: Perspectives Of A Teaching Associate, Syed Mujtaba Baqir, Fatima Mustansir
Online Medical Education And Examinations During Covid-19: Perspectives Of A Teaching Associate, Syed Mujtaba Baqir, Fatima Mustansir
Department of Biological & Biomedical Sciences
The novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has not only challenged global health systems but also social, economic, and educational systems. In this short communication, our focus is on its impact on medical education in Pakistan. We discuss the structure of undergraduate medical education in Pakistan; and how it has evolved in the wake of COVID-19. We describe our role as teaching associates (TAs) at the Aga Khan University (AKU); and how it has enabled us to be a part of the transition to online medical education, with a specific focus on online examinations in medical schools.