DEMOGRAPHIC CHANGES: A CHALLENGE TO THE DECOLONIZATION OF KASHMIR

Decolonization of Kashmir is one of the oldest agenda at the United Nations. The world has witnessed a successful wave of decolonization in the second half of the 20th century. The spirit of decolonization was to transfer power to the indigenous population of a region by taking the doctrine of self-determination and political equality as its guiding principles. Recent unilateral acts by the BJP government to revoke the constitutional protection reserved for Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK) are intended for relocating the populous boundaries through demographic changes. India drafted a project in 2015 aiming to build accommodations for thousands of Hindu residing in different parts of India in IOK. These demographic changes will harm the spirit of the right of self-determination – for any plebiscite being held in future – thereby leading Kashmir towards neo-colonialism. This paper highlights the politico-legal aspects of the concept of plebiscite, unveiled the neo-colonial ideology of the current Indian government and exposed the Indian mala fide intentions of demographic changes in the revocation of the special status of Indian Occupied Kashmir. These underlining realities will be discussed in an attempt to argue how current demographic changes have become the gravest challenge to the decolonization of Kashmir. Deliberate and illegal demographic changes in Kashmir, its impacts on the existing UN resolutions, perpetual increase in human rights violations and other possible challenges to the decolonization of Kashmir are the major areas that are addressed in this paper

THE MOLECULAR BASIS OF DIABETIC CARDIOMYOPATH

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a major and worsening global health problem. Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) accounts for more than 90% of DM and the global epidemic of obesity largely explains the dramatic increase in the incidence and prevalence of T2DM over the past 20 years. Cardiovascular complications are the major cause of morbidity and mortality in diabetic patients. The electrocardiogram (ECG) of diabetic and obese patients is frequently disturbed. The aim of this project was to characterize and clarify the molecular basis of electro-mechanical dysfunction in the hearts of type 2 diabetic and type 2 diabetic/obese rats. Experiments were performed in Zucker diabetic fatty (ZDF), Zucker fatty (ZF), and Zucker lean (ZL) rats. In vivo, biotelemetry experiments were performed to establish how the ECG was altered by diabetes and diabesity. Experiments were also carried out in isolated hearts to investigate further how diabetes and diabesity affect the electrical conduction system of the heart. Cell imaging was employed to assess ventricular myocyte shortening. Fluorescence photometry and whole-cell patch-clamp techniques were used to assess the effects of diabetes and diabesity on ion channel currents. Molecular biology and electron microscopy techniques were employed to assess proteins and structures associated with cardiac muscle contraction. Heart rate (HR) was reduced by aging and by diabesity in the absence of changes in physical activity and body temperature. Reductions in heart rate variability linked with altered sympathovagal drive may partly underlie disturbed HR in the ZDF rat even in the absence of autonomic nervous system control in the isolated perfused heart. The amplitude of shortening is generally well preserved in ZDF myocytes. There was evidence of altered time course of the Ca2+ transient and shortening in ventricular myocytes from ZDF rats. Molecular and structural defects in the ZF and ZDF rat hearts were observed. The results suggest that sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca2+ handling as well as energy utilization are compromised in ZDF and ZF myocytes. Myocyte contraction and relaxation may also be affected in the ZDF and ZF rats due to protein and ventricular structural defects. Isoprenaline was less effective at generating an increase in the AMP of shortening in ZDF and ZF compared to ZL myocytes and defects in Ca2+ signaling, and in particular, SR Ca2+ transport might partly underlie these abnormalities

The Effects of Thujone on the Function of Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors

Thujone is a natural compound found in plants such as “wormwood” and “sage” and it’s also found in the alcoholic drink “Absinthe”. Thujone has been suggested as a neurotoxic compound and reported to modulate GABAA receptors. In this study, we investigated the pharmacology of Thujone on nicotinic receptors expressed in Xenopus oocytes using the two electrode voltage clamp method. Thujone (100μM) caused an 80% inhibition of Acetylcholine (ACh) induced currents in human α7-nAChRs expressed in frog oocytes while only 30% inhibition currents in α4β2 expressed oocytes and no effect on α3β4, α3β2 and α4β4 nAChRs. The mechanisms of Thujone effect on the α7-nAChR were further investigated and found to be independent of membrane potential and did not compete with ACh. Furthermore, Thujone did not affect the activity of endogenous Ca2+ dependent Cl- channels. In conclusion, Thujone inhibits human nAChRs with different potencie

Flexural behavior of CFRP-strengthened reinforced concrete beams rubberized with finely minced rubber tire

Although using rubber to create reinforced concrete substrates has many benefits, using rubberized concrete substrates, such as beams, is still limited. Where concrete with rubber included in it starts to lose a percentage of its mechanical qualities, such as flexural strength. Conversely, a significant portion of structural uses for strengthening reinforced concrete beams using exterior carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) sheets are for flexural strengthening. This study used externally bonded carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) sheets to compensate for the reduction in flexural strength when creating rubberized concrete beams. The reinforced concrete beams used in this study were divided into three groups, each with three beams. Waste tire rubber was replaced (5%) of the fine aggregate volume in the first group and replaced (10%) in the second group. The reference group consists of the third set of beams. The first concrete beam in any group was always devoid of external strengthening, the second beam had one layer and the third beam had two layers of (CFRP) sheet. The third layer of strengthening was numerically represented using ABAQUS, a finite element analysis program. The results indicate that for two-volume replacement rates of fine aggregate (5 and 10) %, a decrease in ductility will have been accompanied by an improvement in the flexural strength of the rubberized concrete beam when externally strengthening with one, two, and three layers of (CFRP) sheets

The association of external auditor's attributes with management fraud risk assessment in financial reporting: empirical evidence from Yemen

As stated by the International Standard of Auditing (ISA No. 240), the effectiveness of the external auditors' attributes is the primary process in management fraud risk assessment (MFRA). Therefore, the aim of this study is to examine the associations of external auditor effectiveness-related attributes and independent-related factors with MFRA in the context of Yemen. To achieve the objective of this study, questionnaires were distributed out to 410 external auditors working in private audit firms and the Yemeni Central Organization for Control and Accounting (COCA) for the year 2012. A total of 273 questionnaires were returned back out of which 19 were unusable. As such, the final sample of this study consists of 254 external auditors. Multiple regression analysis was used to test the study's hypotheses. This study finds positive associations of the external auditor's effectiveness score and external auditor's independence score with MFRA. Furthermore, questioning discussion ability, professional qualification, fraud detection experience, information technology (IT) skill, training on fraud detection, and social relationships are reported to have positive and significant associations with MFRA, while job position is found to have a negative association. The findings of this study indicate that Yemeni government and COCA should issue new regulations to increase the external auditors' awareness and effectiveness towards MFRA. This study also indicates that the audit profession in Yemen needs more control, regulations, laws and policies to enhance the structure of the external auditors' decision in issues related to MFRA in order to protect the interests of demand-supply sides of audit services and the related parties. Moreover, this study has implications for the Yemeni policy makers and government to enrich the external auditors' effectiveness and independence by issuing new regulations, new laws, and applying more control on the quality of auditing profession to protect the economy and the society stability

Clinical presentation, cardiac magnetic resonance findings, and prognosis of patients with arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy - An experience from Pakistan

Objectives: Arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC) is an inherited heart-muscle disease, characterized by fibro-fatty replacement and ventricular arrhythmias, that primarily affects the right ventricle (RV). We aimed to look at the clinical presentation, cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging findings and prognosis of patients with ARVC in Pakistan.Material and methods: It is a retrospective observational study, 17 consecutive patients with CMR and other findings consistent with ARVC, were enrolled from 2010 to 2019 at a single center.Results: Out of 17 patients, 12 (70.6%) were male with a mean age of 33.5 ± 17.5 years. Family history of sudden cardiac death was present in 3 (17.7%) patients while one (5.9%) patient had family history of ARVC. Syncope was the first presenting symptom in eight (47.1%) patients. On 12 leads ECG, T wave inversion in precordial leads was found in 6 (35.4%) patients, and epsilon wave was present in only 3 (17.7%) patients. On echocardiogram, 13 (76.5%) patients had dilated RV with reduced systolic function. On CMR, majority of patients (n = 14, 82.4%) were found to have RV dilatation with regional dyskinesia and fatty infiltration, 9 (52.9%) of them had left ventricular involvement also. Follow-up was available for 14 patients (82.4%) with a mean follow-up period of 35.5 ± 19.7 months. Three (21.4%) of them died and 10 (71.4%) got admissions for heart failure during follow-up period.Conclusion: Arrhythmia related events are the main presenting symptoms of ARVC in this region, and left ventricular involvement in ARVC is not rare in this population. The mortality is relatively high, probably due to advanced disease at the time of presentation and less medical facilities available

Behavior of Self-Compacting Concrete with Different Fineness Moduli of Fine Aggregate

The main objective of the present paper is to investigate the effect of fineness moduli (FM) of fine aggregate on fresh properties (flow ability. Passing ability and segregation resistance), and hardened properties (compressive strength, split tensile strength, flexural strength and ultrasonic pulse velocity UPV) of self-compacting concrete (SCC). Four values of FM 2.3, 2.5, 2.7 and 3.1 were used, according to acceptance range of ASTM C33-03 for FM for fine aggregate, which recommended range for FM is 2.3 to 3.1. Four series of mixes were casting , each series consist of two mixes represent normal strength and high strength SCC, each series of mixes made from fine aggregate have the same FM. Flow ability, passing ability.and segregation resistance of fresh SCC, both with normal and high strength decreases with increasing the fineness moduli. High strength SCC more effected than normal strength concrete due to increase the volume of particles.    Great enhancement in compressive strength split tensile strength and flexural strength in both normal and high strength SCC when the FM is 2.5. Increase FM to 2.7 and 3.1 not lead to increase in strengths. The UPV values of normal and high strength SCC mixes have a good general condition. SCC mixes with FM 2.5 possess excellent general conditions

Cardiac magnetic resonance evaluation of cardiac masses in patients with suspicion of cardiac masses on echo or computed tomography

Objectives: In recent years, cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging has emerged as an important tool in the identification and characterization of cardiac masses. No imaging data on cardiac masses are available from Pakistan. We aimed to review the clinical presentation, CMR findings, and outcome of patients referred for CMR due to suspicion of cardiac masses on echocardiogram or computed tomography (CT).Material and methods: We reviewed all the patients referred for CMR at Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, from January 2011 to March 2020, with the suspicion of cardiac mass on echocardiogram and/or CT. Only those with the confirmed diagnosis of cardiac mass on CMR were included in the study.Results: A total of 27 patients were referred for CMR from January 2011 to March 2020, with the suspicion of cardiac mass on echocardiogram and/or CT. Four patients were excluded as no cardiac mass was found on CMR. Out of 23 cases, majority (n = 15, 65%) were female, age ranging from 3 months to 70 years, with a mean age of 40 ± 22 years. Shortness of breath was the main presenting symptom (n = 19, 83%). Echocardiogram was the initial imaging modality done in all the patients while CT was also performed in 6 patients (26%). Out of 23 patients, 4 (17%) were diagnosed to have thrombus on CMR. In two cases, it was in the left ventricle with evidence of myocardial infarction on late gadolinium images. Myxoma was the most common tumor diagnosed on CMR in 6 patients (26%) followed by rhabdomyoma (n = 3, 13%) and fibroma (n = 2, 8.7%). There were three malignant primary tumors of the heart based on CMR appearances and one with tumor thrombus extension of hepatocellular carcinoma in the right atrium from inferior vena cava. Two patients were diagnosed to have non-neoplastic lesions - one with large intracardiac hydatid cyst and one with possible large fungal vegetation. Among 23 patients, 9 patients (39%) underwent surgery, 5 with myxoma, 2 with rhabdomyoma, 1 with fibroma, and 1 with fibroelastoma. Findings on surgery and histopathology matched the CMR diagnosis in all the patients except the one with the CMR diagnosis of myxoma in which histopathology was consistent with thrombus.Conclusion: CMR can play an important role in confirming the presence or absence of a mass in the heart. It can also provide differentiation of non-neoplastic and neoplastic lesions and among different types of neoplastic lesions with reasonable accuracy. However, the limitations of CMR must be recognized

Microbial dynamics during various activities in residential areas of Lahore, Pakistan

Bioaerosols are ubiquitous in the atmosphere with their levels affected by a variety of environmental factors as well as type of activities being carried out at any specific time. The present study investigated how indoor activities influence bioaerosol concentrations in five residential houses of Lahore. Agar coated petri plates were exposed face upwards for twenty minutes in kitchens and living rooms during activity and non-activity periods. The temperature and relative humidity levels were noted as well. The bioaerosol concentrations in kitchens during the activity time ranged between 1022 to 4481 cfu/m3 and in living rooms from 1179 to 3183 cfu/m3 . Lower values were observed during non-activity periods. A paired-t test revealed a significant difference in bacterial loads during activity and non-activity times in both micro-environments (p = 0.038 in kitchen and p = 0.021 in living room). The predominant species identified were Micrococcus spp., Staphylococcus spp., and Bacillus spp. which are a common constituent of the indoor environment and are known to be opportunistic pathogens as well