Systematic review on takaful and retakaful windows: a regulatory development perspective

This paper reviews the regulatory developments of takaful and retakaful windows in the international regulatory bodies and selected jurisdictions. The takaful and retakaful window operations as a business model has been adopted in some countries such as Indonesia, Nigeria, Pakistan and Turkey to achieve certain objectives, including encouraging financial inclusion, tapping a new market segment, and boosting competitiveness. On the flip side, takaful and retakaful window operations are banned by the regulators in other countries such as Brunei, Qatar and Saudi Arabia due to concerns on adherence to Shariah governance, and the performance of standalone full-fledged takaful operators, which have the capability of handling the demands of their respective markets. The paper investigates the takaful and retakaful window operations in the six jurisdictions i.e. Indonesia, Pakistan, Turkey, Nigeria, Kenya and Bangladesh. It also discusses the current regulatory development of transferring the takaful and retakaful windows business into full-fledged takaful players in Indonesia and Turkey, and the decision to maintain the windows model as the ideal model in Pakistan

A Systemic Review of Iron Deficiency Anemia in Adults and the Clinical Management of Diagnosis and Treatment

Iron deficiency is the most frequent cause of anaemia worldwide. It impairs quality of life, increases asthenia and can lead to clinical worsening of patients. In addition, iron deficiency has a complex mechanism whose pathologic pathway is recently becoming better understood. The discovery of hepcidin has allowed a better clarification of iron metabolism regulation. Furthermore, the ratio of concentration of soluble transferrin receptor to the log of the ferritin level, has been developed as a tool to detect iron deficiency in most situations. Therefore, the problem of this research lies in exploring the cause of iron deficiency that always be sought because the underlying condition can be serious. This review will summarize the current knowledge regarding diagnostic algorithms for iron deficiency anemia. The majority of aetiologies occur in the digestive tract, and justify morphological examination of the gut. First line investigations are upper gastrointestinal endoscopy and colonoscopy, and when negative, the small bowel should be explored; newer tools such as video capsule endoscopy have also been developed. The treatment of iron deficiency is aetiological if possible and iron supplementation whether in oral or in parenteral form

Multidisciplinary Collaboration In Emergency Medical Services

Healthcare is the delivery of care and service to the patient; therefore, it is important to relate this care delivery and/or service to patient outcomes. Outcomes can be seen from two perspectives: positive, in which the service/care provided resulted in improvement to the patient\u27s well-being, and negative, in which the service/care provided did not meet the patient\u27s needs and requirements, resulting in no improvement or a deterioration in the patient\u27s well-being. The latter is often referred to as an adverse event, and its impact can be both short-term (through exacerbation of a condition or further injury) and long-term (in which the patient\u27s confidence and trust in the healthcare system have been affected). High-quality patient care is our goal, and an improvement in patient outcomes is what we aim to achieve. The very model of EMS in the UK is multi-disciplinary, consisting of different professions in primary and secondary care. A profession can be defined as a vocation founded on specialized educational training. The purpose of the profession is to apply the training and knowledge to an area of need, and it has a code of ethics for its members. The current modernization of the NHS, with changes in the role of primary care, has blurred the boundaries of professional practice. Some professions in EMS are autonomous in nature, with direct access to patients and their diagnosis and treatment. An example of this would be a paramedic. Others may have a dependent role with indirect patient contact. An example of this would be a veterinary nurse working in the helo-vet service. Each profession has its own professional identity and values, and there is potential scope for adverse outcomes if conflict with patient management and/or need occurs between professions. With today\u27s focus on inter-professional care between professions and patient healthcare having a direct relationship to professional practice, now is the time to examine multi-disciplinary interventions between professions in EMS and their impact on patient care and outcomes. Emergency medical services (EMS) are an essential part of any healthcare system. Efficient and timely patient care is paramount at the scene of a medical or trauma incident, and in many cases, the quality of patient outcomes depends on the speed and efficiency with which care is delivered. This paper will focus on the different elements and complex relationships that occur between the primary services (ambulance, helo-vet, and first response) and the potential impact that these can have on the overall patient care and outcome. By the very nature of their jobs, healthcare is a collaboration between professionals from a wide variety of disciplines, each of whom brings a different body of knowledge and perspective to the care of the patient. The complexity of healthcare needs often surpasses the skills of one profession; patient needs can be wide-ranging and diverse. EMS is a unique healthcare system in that it provides immediate care to a patient and then an avenue in which to further transport and access further care. Often in the hospital setting, there is a multi-disciplinary approach to care; however, in many cases, in the pre-hospital setting, this can be disjointed and occur between different service plans and the handover of patient care. This paper will conclude by considering the potential impact of changes to multi-disciplinary clinical governance and the potential for standardizing educational outcomes between professions to improve overall patient care and experience in the pre-hospital setting

Thermal characterization of date palm/epoxy composites with fillers from different parts of the tree

Thermal expansion and viscoelastic properties of the date palm fibre (DPF)/epoxy composites were influenced by the type of filler from different parts of the date palm tree. The variation in properties is mainly due to the difference in fibre composition between the DPF from leaf stalk, leaf sheath, fruit bunch stalk, and tree trunk. Among the investigated composites, composite reinforced with the tree trunk fibre displayed higher thermal stability as visible from the lower weight loss, higher onset and inflection temperatures and maximum residue % from the thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Lower coefficient of linear thermal expansion (CLTE) obtained from thermomechanical analysis (TMA) further provided supportive evidence for dimensional stability at elevated temperature. Based on the dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) results, the DPF/epoxy composites with fruit bunch stalk fillers displayed a better property by showing higher storage modulus and lesser tan delta values. Hence, composite from the tree trunk and fruit bunch stalk fibres of date palm is recommended for applications requiring superior thermal resistance

The Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia and Its Aetiologies

This study aimed at investigating the Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia and Its Aetiologies, therefore th prostatic hyperplasia predominantly involves the stromal compartment of the gland and affects more than 70% of men of 70 years or older with or without obstructive symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia. A consensus view is emerging concerning the factors and control systems that modulate cell proliferation and connective tissue biology in the prostate. The purpose of this review is to discuss some of the recent work contributing to the latter in the context of the aetiology of benign prostatic hyperplasia. The current study also reviews the most important findings regarding the key mechanisms involved in the pathophysiology of BPH. The study concluded that although the pathogenesis of BPH is not yet fully understood, several mechanisms seem to be involved in the development and progression of the disease. These mainly include systemic and local hormonal and vascular alterations as well as prostatic inflammation that would stimulate cellular proliferation

Addition of Graphite Filler to Enhance Electrical, Morphological, Thermal, and Mechanical Properties in Poly (Ethylene Terephthalate): Experimental Characterization and Material Modeling

Poly(ethylene terephthalate)/graphite (PET/G) micro-composites were fabricated by the melt compounding method using a minilab extruder. The carbon fillers were found to act as nucleating agents for the PET matrix and hence accelerated crystallization and increased the degree of crystallinity. TGA showed that carbon fillers improved the resistance to thermal and thermo-oxidative degradation under both air and nitrogen atmospheres. However, a poor agreement was observed at higher loadings of the filler where the composites displayed reduced reinforcement efficiency. The results demonstrate that the addition of graphite at loading >14.5 wt.% made electrically conductive composites. It was calculated that the electric conductivities of PET/graphite micro-composites were enhanced, above the percolation threshold values by two orders of magnitudes compared to the PET matrix. The minimum value of conductivity required to avoid electrostatic charge application of an insulating polymer was achieved, just above the threshold values. The addition of graphite also improved thermal stability of PET, accelerated its crystallization process and increased the degree of crystallinity. Microscopic results exhibit no indication of aggregations at 2 wt.% graphite, whereas more agglomeration and rolling up could be seen as the graphite content was increased in the PET matrix (in particular, above the percolation threshold value). Furthermore, based on the mechanical experimental characterization of the PET/graphite micro-composites, a large deformation-based mathematical model is proposed for material behavior predictions. The model fits well the experimental data and predicts other mechanical data that are not included in the parameter identification

The Association Between Hypertension and Insomnia Among Saudi Population: A Cross-Sectional Study

Objective To assess the relationship between hypertension and insomnia among the Saudi population. Methods The study will employ a cross-sectional design to investigate the association between hypertension and insomnia among the Saudi population. This design allows for the collection of data at a single point in time, offering insights into the relationship between the variables. Results The study included 581 participants. The most frequent age among them was 18-28 (n= 266, 45.8 Per Cent), followed by 29-39 (n= 129, 22.2 Per Cent). The most frequent gender among study participants was female (n= 320, 55.1 Per Cent), followed by male (n= 261, 44.9 Per Cent). Study participants' most frequent body mass index was normal 18.5-24.9 kg/m2 (n= 231, 39.8 Per Cent) followed by overweight 25-29.9 kg/m2 (n= 200, 34.4 Per Cent). Marital status among study participants, with most of them being single (n=283, 48.7 Per Cent) followed by married (n= 238, 41 Per Cent). The number of hours of sleep during the day among study participants with most of them had 6-8 hours. Participants were asked if they had difficulty sleeping. There most of the participants were nothing (n= 201, 34.6 Per Cent). On the other hand, 154 participants had middle (26.5 Per Cent). They asked if they had difficulty staying asleep. There most of the participants were nothing (n= 227, 39.1 Per Cent). On the other hand, 152 participants had middle (26.2 Per Cent). Participants were asked if they had trouble waking up early. There most of the participants were nothing (n= 189, 32.5 Per Cent). Followed by middle (n=148, 25.5 Per Cent). Conclusion The results of the study showed that most of the study participants were of normal weight according to their body mass index. Most of them are single. Most participants sleep approximately 6-8 hours a day. The largest percentage of participants work in the government or private sector. Most of them had good social contact

Outcomes from elective colorectal cancer surgery during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic

This study aimed to describe the change in surgical practice and the impact of SARS-CoV-2 on mortality after surgical resection of colorectal cancer during the initial phases of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic

Influence of Carbon Micro- and Nano-Fillers on the Viscoelastic Properties of Polyethylene Terephthalate

In this research study, three carbon fillers of varying dimensionality in the form of graphite (3D), graphite nano-platelets (2D), and multiwall carbon nanotubes (1D) were incorporated into a matrix of poly (ethylene terephthalate), forming carbon-reinforced polymer composites. Melt compounding was followed by compression moulding and then a quenching process for some of the samples to inhibit crystallization. The samples were analysed using dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), considering the dimensionality and loading of the carbon fillers. The dynamic mechanical analysis revealed a similar decline of storage moduli for all composites during the glassy to rubbery transition. However, storage moduli values at room temperature increased with higher loading of nano-fillers but only to a certain level; followed by a reduction attributed to the formation of agglomerates of nanotubes and/or rolled up of nano-platelets, as observed by SEM. Much greater reinforcement was observed for the carbon nanotubes compared to the graphite and or the graphite nano-platelets. The quenched PET samples showed significant changes in their dynamic mechanical properties due to both filler addition and to cold crystallization during the DMTA heating cycle. The magnitude of changes due to filler dimensionality was found to follow the order: 1D > 2D > 3D, this carbon filler with lower dimensionality have a more significant effect on the viscoelastic properties of polymer composite materials