Inclusion Ideals Associated to Uniformly Increasing Hypergraphs

In this paper,we introduce the monomial ideals I(H) associated to a special class of non uniform hypergraphs H(X; E; d) namely uniformly increasing hypergraphs. These ideals are named as inclusion ideals. In this paper, we discuss some algebraic properties of these inclusion ideals. In particular, we give an upper bound of the Castlenouvo-Mumford regularity of the special dual ideal I^[*](H) of the inclusion ideal.Comment: 6 pages, 1 figur

Dean flow-coupled inertial focusing in curved channels

Passive particle focusing based on inertial microfluidics was recently introduced as a high-throughput alternative to active focusing methods that require an external force field to manipulate particles. In inertial microfluidics, dominant inertial forces cause particles to move across streamlines and occupy equilibrium positions along the faces of walls in flows through straight micro channels. In this study, we systematically analyzed the addition of secondary Dean forces by introducing curvature and show how randomly distributed particles entering a simple u-shaped curved channel are focused to a fixed lateral position exiting the curvature. We found the lateral particle focusing position to be fixed and largely independent of radius of curvature and whether particles entering the curvature are pre-focused (at equilibrium) or randomly distributed. Unlike focusing in straight channels, where focusing typically is limited to channel cross-sections in the range of particle size to create single focusing point, we report here particle focusing in a large cross-section area (channel aspect ratio 1: 10). Furthermore, we describe a simple u-shaped curved channel, with single inlet and four outlets, for filtration applications. We demonstrate continuous focusing and filtration of 10 mu m particles (with > 90% filtration efficiency) from a suspension mixture at throughputs several orders of magnitude higher than flow through straight channels (volume flow rate of 4.25ml/min). Finally, as an example of high throughput cell processing application, white blood cells were continuously processed with a filtration efficiency of 78% with maintained high viability. We expect the study will aid in the fundamental understanding of flow through curved channels and open the door for the development of a whole set of bio-analytical applications

Cancer Esophagus Karachi 1995-2002:Epidemiology, Risk Factors and Trends

Objective: To study the trends of cancer esophagus in Karachi South during 1995-2002 and identify risk factors. Methods: Incident esophageal cancer cases recorded at the Karachi Cancer Registry for Karachi South, during 1st January 1995 to 31st December 2003 were reviewed. For maximum completion of data, incident cases registered from 1st January 1995 to 31st December 2002 were included for final analyses. Results: The Age Standardized Incidence Rates (ASIRs) of cancer esophagus in Karachi South for males were 6.5/100,000 (1995-1997) and 6.4/100,000 (1998-2002). In females the observed rates were 7.0/100,000 (1995-1997) and 8.6/100,000 (1998-2002). Conclusion: In the moderately high incidence, cancer esophagus zone of Karachi, the ASIRs in males remained stable during the last decade, but in females, an upward trend was observed suggesting a progressively higher exposure to risk factors in the latter. The potential risk factors in Karachi are use of all forms of tobacco, areca nut, infrequent consumption of raw fruits and vegetables and diet deficiencies. There is a necessity to actively control the proven risk factors and address the existence of other risk factors. The primary recommended strategy for the control of cancer esophagus would therefore be legislation against tobacco and areca nut in Pakistan and public health education. The risk factors of cancer esophagus identified in this article need to be further confirmed

Cancer Patterns in Quetta (1998-1999)

Introduction: Quetta, the capital of Baluchistan, is located at latitude 30,25; longitude 67.00. It has a population of 759,245; 425,474 males (56%) and 333,771 females (44%); Census 1998. The majority of residents are Persian or Baluchi speaking Baluchs. Methodology: The cancer cases from Quetta reported to the Karachi Cancer Registry were reviewed. The data included cases from the Aga Khan University Hospital (AKUH), Pathology Department (Quetta collection point) and health care facilities in Karachi. The residents of Baluchistan were ascertained and cancer cases residents of Quetta identified with the help of recorded addresses and retraceable telephone numbers. Results: During a 2-year period, 1st January 1998 to 31st December 1999 the Karachi Cancer Registry received 1077 cancer notifications from Quetta. Approximately half the cases were registered from the AKUH Quetta collection point. Others were the referral patterns in Karachi. The age-standardized incidence rate (ASR) of cancer, all sites (1998-99) was 137.0 for males and 92.8/100,000 for females. The commonest cancer in the males and females was cancer of the esophagus (lCD­10 categories C15; males- ASR 25.5, 17.2 %; females- ASR 23.4, 23.1%). One of the highest in the world, for both genders. Incidence of cancer breast in the females (lCD-10 categories C50; ASR 11.8, 13.3%) was low, Conclusion: The cancer data from Quetta is quite distinct from the cancer pattern of Karachi. It represents only a part of the cancer burden of Quetta; nonetheless it gives a glimpse into the cancer profile of Baluchistan. The high incidence of esophageal cancer indicates an extension of the geographical limits of the esophageal cancer belt

Proteomic and Phospho-Proteomic Profile of Human Platelets in Basal, Resting State: Insights into Integrin Signaling

During atherogenesis and vascular inflammation quiescent platelets are activated to increase the surface expression and ligand affinity of the integrin αIIbβ3 via inside-out signaling. Diverse signals such as thrombin, ADP and epinephrine transduce signals through their respective GPCRs to activate protein kinases that ultimately lead to the phosphorylation of the cytoplasmic tail of the integrin αIIbβ3 and augment its function. The signaling pathways that transmit signals from the GPCR to the cytosolic domain of the integrin are not well defined. In an effort to better understand these pathways, we employed a combination of proteomic profiling and computational analyses of isolated human platelets. We analyzed ten independent human samples and identified a total of 1507 unique proteins in platelets. This is the most comprehensive platelet proteome assembled to date and includes 190 membrane-associated and 262 phosphorylated proteins, which were identified via independent proteomic and phospho-proteomic profiling. We used this proteomic dataset to create a platelet protein-protein interaction (PPI) network and applied novel contextual information about the phosphorylation step to introduce limited directionality in the PPI graph. This newly developed contextual PPI network computationally recapitulated an integrin signaling pathway. Most importantly, our approach not only provided insights into the mechanism of integrin αIIbβ3 activation in resting platelets but also provides an improved model for analysis and discovery of PPI dynamics and signaling pathways in the future

Time trends in the incidence of cancer cervix in Karachi South, 1995-2002

Introduction:The objective of the study was to determine the trends of cancer cervix in Karachi South during an eight (1995-2002) year period. Methododology: Cancer cervix cases recorded at Karachi Cancer Registry during 1st January 1995 to 31st December 2002 were analyzed. Trends were studied by analyzing the age standardized incidence rates (ASR)s in 2 time periods, 1995-97 and 1998-2002. Results: Cancer cervix ranked sixth in the 1995-97 period the age standardized incidence rate (ASR) world and crude incidence rate (CIR) per 100,000 were 6.81 and 3.22. It reached the fifth ranking in the 1998-2002 period with an ASR and CIR of 7.5 and 4.0 per 100,000. Thus between 1995 and 2002, the incidence of cervical cancer registered an approximate 10% increase. The mean age of the cancer cases was 53.3 years (SD 11.6, 95% CI 50.58, 55.96, range 32-85 years) and 50.7 years (SD 11.7, 95% CI 48.8, 52.5, range 51 years) in period 1 and 2 respectively. The morphological components of squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma remained stable during this period, though a marginally higher component and increasing incidence of adenocarcinoma was observed throughout. A negligible down staging was observed in the 1998-2002 period. Localized malignancy was observed in 30.8% in period 2 as compared to 25.7% in period 1 and the component of carcinoma in situ increased from 0% percent in period 1 to 1.3% in the second period. Despite this two thirds of the cases still presented with a regional or distant spread of disease. Conclusion: Pakistan at present falls into a low risk cancer cervix region. The cause of concern is the steadily increasing incidence especially in the younger birth cohorts, the advanced disease at presentation, insignificant in-situ cancers and no preventive intervention or awareness practices in place

Cancer Patterns in Karachi Division (1998-1999)

Objective: A minimal cancer incidence data for Karachi, the largest city of Pakistan, is being presented here, for the years 1998-1999. The city has a population of 9,802,134; males 5,261,712 (52.6%) and females 4,540,422 (47.4%); census 19981. Methodology: A predominantly mixed (passive and active) registration system has evolved in Karachi, the data sources being the hospitals within the Karachi Division. The reported/retrieved cancer data sets at the Karachi Cancer Registry are checked, coded, computerised in an analytical format and analysed. Results: The incident cancer cases registered in Karachi, during the 2-year period, 1st January 1998 to 31st December 1999 were analysed. The age-standardised incidence rate (ASR) of cancer, all sites was 132.4/100,000 for the males. Cancer of the lung 10.8%; ASR 17.3 was the most frequently recorded malignancy, followed by oral cavity 10.5%; ASR 13.2 and larynx 5.0%; ASR 7.4. The age-standardised incidence rate (ASR) of cancer, all sites was 133.0/100,000 in the females. Cancer of the breast, 32.0%; ASR 40.7 was the most frequently recorded malignancy, followed by oral cavity 8.1%; ASR 11.7 and gall bladder 3.6%; ASR 5.5. Conclusion: The present data has been calculated with an estimated 15-20% probable under ascertainment. Tobacco-associated cancers in Karachi were responsible for 38.3% of the tumours diagnosed amongst the males. Two principal cancers, breast and oral cavity were responsible for 40.1% of the cancers in females. A rare finding was the high incidence of gall bladder cancer in the females. At present it is difficult to determine whether this indicates a genuine high risk or a selection bias. A continuous process of cancer registration to study the trends in the incidence and an adequate cancer control program are possible and essential for Pakistan and can be based on the pattern being practiced in Karachi

Ambient air quality standards and policies in eastern mediterranean countries: a review

Objectives: National ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) are critical tools for controlling air pollution and protecting public health. We designed this study to 1) gather the NAAQS for six classical air pollutants: PM(2.5), PM(10), O(3), NO(2), SO(2), and CO in the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR) countries, 2) compare those with the updated World Health Organizations Air Quality Guidelines (WHO AQGs 2021), 3) estimate the potential health benefits of achieving annual PM(2.5) NAAQS and WHO AQGs per country, and 4) gather the information on air quality policies and action plans in the EMR countries. Methods: To gather information on the NAAQS, we searched several bibliographic databases, hand-searched the relevant papers and reports, and analysed unpublished data on NAAQS in the EMR countries reported from these countries to the WHO/Regional office of the Eastern Mediterranean/Climate Change, Health and Environment Unit (WHO/EMR/CHE). To estimate the potential health benefits of reaching the NAAQS and AQG levels for PM(2.5), we used the average of ambient PM(2.5) exposures in the 22 EMR countries in 2019 from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) dataset and AirQ+ software. Results: Almost all of the EMR countries have national ambient air quality standards for the critical air pollutants except Djibouti, Somalia, and Yemen. However, the current standards for PM(2.5) are up to 10 times higher than the current health-based WHO AQGs. The standards for other considered pollutants exceed AQGs as well. We estimated that the reduction of annual mean PM(2.5) exposure level to the AQG level (5 mug m(-3)) would be associated with a decrease of all natural-cause mortality in adults (age 30+) by 16.9%-42.1% in various EMR countries. All countries would even benefit from the achievement of the Interim Target-2 (25 mug m(-3)) for annual mean PM(2.5): it would reduce all-cause mortality by 3%-37.5%. Less than half of the countries in the Region reported having policies relevant to air quality management, in particular addressing pollution related to sand and desert storms (SDS) such as enhancing the implementation of sustainable land management practices, taking measures to prevent and control the main factors of SDS, and developing early warning systems as tools to combat SDS. Few countries conduct studies on the health effects of air pollution or on a contribution of SDS to pollution levels. Information from air quality monitoring is available for 13 out of the 22 EMR countries. Conclusion: Improvement of air quality management, including international collaboration and prioritization of SDS, supported by an update (or establishment) of NAAQSs and enhanced air quality monitoring are essential elements for reduction of air pollution and its health effects in the EMR

Profiling the serum protein corona of fibrillar human islet amyloid polypeptide

Amyloids may be regarded as native nanomaterials that form in the presence of complex protein mixtures. By drawing an analogy with the physicochemical properties of nanoparticles in biological fluids, we hypothesized that amyloids should form a protein corona in vivo that would imbue the underlying amyloid with a modified biological identity. To explore this hypothesis we characterized the protein corona of human islet amyloid polypeptide (IAPP) fibrils in FBS using two complementary methodologies developed herein; quartz crystal microbalance and ‘centrifugal capture’, coupled with nano-liquid chromatography tandem mass spectroscopy. Clear evidence for a significant protein corona was obtained. No trends were identified for amyloid corona proteins based on their physicochemical properties, while strong binding with IAPP fibrils occurred for linear proteins or multi-domain proteins with structural plasticity. Proteomic analysis identified amyloid-enriched proteins that are known to play significant roles in mediating cellular machinery and processing, potentially leading to pathological outcomes and therapeutic targets