CONCEPTS OF ISLAMIC KNOWLEDGE AND THE ENGLISH LEXICON THE SCIENCE OF ISLAMIC TERMS AND THE QUESTION OF EQUIVALENCE WITH ENGLISH WORDS

This study is a qualitative research on the concepts of Islamic knowledge and how they relate to the English lexicon. The locus of the research paper is the epistemic context of the concepts of Islamic knowledge and linguistic context of the English lexicon. The specific themes at the centre of the study are Islamic terms and English words. The Islamic epistemological context overarches the theme of Islamic terms and the linguistic context overarches the theme of English words. The paper elucidates the sources of the concepts of Islamic knowledge that provide the crucial context of discussing the Islamic terms. The study discusses the Islamic terms that symbolize and convey the concepts of Islamic knowledge and their meanings within the context of the Islamic epistemological tradition. The paper proceeds from there to delineate the conceptual variable formulated in the research that explains the question of the equivalence of these Islamic terms with English words. This conceptual variable makes a significant distinction by clarifying that the translation is from Islamic terms into English words; not between two languages. Having defined and explained the corpus of Islamic terms, the selected Islamic terms are then juxtaposed with the definitions of the English words that are regarded and usually used as their equivalents. The research examines the meanings of the English words comparing them with meanings of Islamic terms. The study shows that the meanings expressed by the Islamic terms, because they symbolize and convey the concepts of Islamic spiritual knowledge, are not captured by the English words. The conceptual system of the meanings of the Islamic terms come from the spiritual knowledge of Islam whilst the English words, though having concise and precise definitions and meanings in their linguistic context, indicate a temporal axiological orientation

The Authentic Thinking and Interpretation of the Attribute of Justice in Islam in the Light of Muslim Sources.

The Authentic Thinking and Interpretation of the Attribute of Justice in Islam in the Light of Muslim Sources. Mr. Hassan Sheikh Ahme

Ethical issues on using invertebrates in environmental and biomedical practices – a case study on living fossil horseshoe crab

Increasing utilization of living animals in ecological and biomedical research has drawn serious concerns in terms of animal welfare and ethical practices in animal handling. Significant attention has been given to animals of higher taxonomical hierarchy especially vertebrates such as fishes, rodents, reptiles and mammals, while ethical framework on invertebrate handling and welfare is less addressed (except for cephalopods). The definition of ‘Animal’ itself by any international consortia or Animal Research Act (ARA) does not include invertebrates as an animal entity. This is due to the lack of standard ethical framework to understand the pain and other physiological stress experienced by the invertebrate test animal. One such example would be the living fossil ‘horseshoe crab’ which is extensively bled to obtain its blue blood that is used for endotoxin quantification in biological samples. The biomedical bleeding itself leads to 15-30% post bleeding mortality of crabs, while pain and stress caused by the bleeding practice is not studied. Hence, this paper discusses the technicality of establishing standard framework for invertebrate handling. The paper also highlights the shari’ah (Islamic law) principles on scientific experimentations on animal subjects, particularly the norms related to the adoption of invertebrates in environmental and biomedical practice. Comprehensive review of ethical regulations in animal experiments, especially invertebrates, would be beneficial for revising and improving existing animal ethical practice

Prevalence of Poultry Coccidiosis and Associated Risk Factors in Intensive Farm and Individual Small Holder Poultry Farm in Benadir Region, Somalia

A cross sectional study was conducted from September2021 to February2022 in Mogadishu, Somalia to determine the prevalence of poultry coccidiosis and associated risk factors in intensive farm and Individual smallholder poultry farm in Benadir region-Somalia. The objective of the study was to determine the prevalence of poultry coccidiosis, to assess the risk factors associated with poultry coccidiosis. However, floatation technique was used for isolation of coccidian oocysts obtained from 384 fecal samples of chicken and the prevalence revealed was 19.8%. There was no statistically significant difference in poultry coccidiosis between the different ages of chicken (P>0.05) Where the young chickens (chicks) had shown slightly higher prevalence (20.4%) than adult chickens (18.8%). The effect of sex on the disease prevalence was assessed and relatively slightly higher prevalence was recorded in male chickens (20%) than female (19.4%). However, the difference between sex groups was not statistically significant (P>0.05). According to the management system of the chickens, the study had shown a significant difference between extensive and intensive management systems, with the extensive system having a higher prevalence (25.5%) than intensive system (14%) with P-value (0.003). There was a significant difference in poultry coccidiosis between the different body condition score of chickens (P<0.05), where those poor body condition (26.6%) are more prevalence than middle (16%) and good (8.8%) chickens. The study also revealed a statistically significant association between infection rate and housing methods with the chickens kept in floor house had a higher prevalence (25.5%) than cage house (14%) with P-value (0.003) However, appropriate control strategies should be designed considering important risk factors such as age, management system and housing system. Especially, focus should be given to biosecurity practices in the prevention and control of coccidiosis, and in addition, further studies are needed to be conducted to identify the prevalent Eimeria species for strategic control

Prevalence and associated factors for hepatitis B infection among pregnant women attending antenatal clinic at SOS Hospital in Mogadishu, Somalia

BackgroundHepatitis B virus (HBV) remains a leading cause of chronic hepatitis, maternal complications, and neonatal deaths in sub-Saharan Africa. Mother-to-child transmission is a major route of HBV transmission in endemic areas. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of hepatitis B infection and its associated factors among pregnant women attending Antenatal Care clinics at SOS Hospital in Mogadishu, Somalia.MethodsThe research followed a cross-sectional design, and the participants were chosen through systematic random sampling, including every fifth outpatient. Each participant provided a blood sample for standard testing, and their consent was obtained before conducting Hepatitis B screening using the ELISA method.ResultsIn our study of 384 pregnant women, 43 individuals (11.2%) tested positive for HBsAg. The frequency of HBsAg seropositivity was significantly higher in subjects with no education when compared to those with primary education (AOR = 0.1, 95% CI: 0.01–0.96, p = 0.046). Caesarian Section (AOR = 0.02, 95% CI: 0.004–0.0103, p = 0.001), blood transfusion (AOR = 11.6, 95% CI: 3.44–38.08, p = 0.001), previous dental procedures (AOR = 0.1, 95% CI: 0.04–0.38, p = 0.001), and unsafe injections in the past (AOR = 0.3, 95% CI: 0.09–0.91, p = 0.035) were identified as significant risk factors for hepatitis positivity.ConclusionsThe study found a higher prevalence of hepatitis B compared to previous studies. Factors such as blood transfusion, dental procedures, Caesarian Section, and unsafe injections were associated with hepatitis B infection. It is essential to raise awareness, promote preventive measures, and implement routine screening for pregnant women so as to stop the transmission of hepatitis B to their children

Production of insulin producing cells from cord blood mesenchymal stem cells and their potential in cell therapy

Introduction: Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) were described as adherent cells with a fibroblast-like appearance, have a great capacity for self-renewal while maintaining their multipotency and differentiation into multiple tissues in vivo and in vitro. Methods: MSCs were isolated from cord blood of Sudanese donors using Ficoll-Hypaque gradient density protocol, and differentiate into β- like cells using 3-step protocol. STZ induced diabetic rats were injected intraperitoneally with the differentiated islet β- like cells and blood glucose levels were monitored for seven days. Results: The adherent cell appeared round and sphere after one-week of incubation, and the fibroblast-like colony was strongly attached after three weeks of seeding. The phenotyping of cells showed positivity for CD13, and negativity for CD34, CD45 and HLADR. MSCs were induced into islet-like cells using a 3-step (15-days) protocol. The differentiated cells showed positive diathizone stain and positive imuno-reactivity to anti-human insulin antibody. Secretion of insulin by insulin-producing cells showed positive result with >3.4 u/ml scale reading in high glucose concentration medium. After one-week of transplantation the level of blood glucose was reduced from 410 to 225 mg/dl in the experimental rat. Conclusion: Human UCB-MSCs can be differentiated into insulin-secreting cells invitro, and are able to produce and secrete insulin in response to high glucose concentration in vivo and in vitro. Keywords: Cord blood, Mesenchymal stem cell, islets β-like cell

The Mycetoma Knowledge Gap: Identification of Research Priorities

Mycetoma is a tropical disease which is caused by a taxonomically diverse range of actinomycetes (actinomycetoma) and fungi (eumycetoma). The disease was only recently listed by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a neglected tropical disease (NTD). This recognition is the direct result of a meeting held in Geneva on February 1, 2013, in which experts on the disease from around the world met to identify the key research priorities needed to combat mycetoma. The areas that need to be addressed are highlighted here. The initial priority is to establish the incidence and prevalence of the disease in regions where mycetoma is endemic, prior to determining the primary reservoirs of the predominant causal agents and their mode of transmission to susceptible individuals in order to establish novel interventions that will reduce the impact of the disease on individuals, families, and communities. Critically, economical, reliable, and effective methods are required to achieve early diagnosis of infections and consequential improved therapeutic outcomes. Molecular techniques and serological assays were considered the most promising in the development of novel diagnostic tools to be used in endemic settings. Improved strategies for treating eumycetoma and actinomycetoma are also considered

Mask-Related Headache Among Health Workers During COVID-19 Pandemics: Study from Somalia

Aim: After the outbreak of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), new headaches have been reported to develop or worsen among healthcare workers who regularly wear personal protective equipments. In this study, we investigated the possible relationship between de-novo (new-onset) headache features associated with the mask used and pre-existing and exacerbated headaches. It is the first study on this subject on behalf of Somalia. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study conducted at the Mogadishu COVID-19 pandemic hospital, Somalia, with volunteer healthcare workers. Data were collected through a questionnaire. Participants were asked 15 questions in the survey and Pearson-chi-square test was used as statistics. Results: This study was conducted with 200 healthcare workers working in the hospital, 114 (57%) were male, 86 (43%) were female, and the mean age was 28. Participants 90 (45%) used surgical masks, 32 (16%) filtered masks (N95), 78 (39%) both; majority of 109 (54.5%) wore masks for more than 6 hours a day. Pre-existing headache was reported by78(39%) of the subjects. 55(70%) of those with pre-existing headache reported aggravation of their headache. Statistically significant relationship was found between duration of mask use and aggravation of pre-existing headache. De-novo headache characteristics were throbbing 21(20%), pressing 31(29%), unilateral 19(18%), and 35(33%) bilateral. A statistically significant relationship was also found between the duration of use of face mask and the development of de-novo headache, regardless of mask type. Conclusion: As per our study, prolonged use of face masks during COVID-19 pandemics was associated with de-novo headaches and exacerbation of pre-existing headache. This situation, which has caused complaints as healthcare professionals and some patients continue to wear masks, will continue to be investigated

Chitosan nanoparticles: a versatile platform for biomedical applications

Chitosan is a biodegradable and biocompatible natural polymer that has been extensively explored in recent decades. The Food and Drug Administration has approved chitosan for wound treatment and nutritional use. Furthermore, chitosan has paved the way for advancements in different biomedical applications including as a nanocarrier and tissue-engineering scaffold. Its antibacterial, antioxidant, and haemostatic properties make it an excellent option for wound dressings. Because of its hydrophilic nature, chitosan is an ideal starting material for biocompatible and biodegradable hydrogels. To suit specific application demands, chitosan can be combined with fillers, such as hydroxyapatite, to modify the mechanical characteristics of pH-sensitive hydrogels. Furthermore, the cationic characteristics of chitosan have made it a popular choice for gene delivery and cancer therapy. Thus, the use of chitosan nanoparticles in developing novel drug delivery systems has received special attention. This review aims to provide an overview of chitosan-based nanoparticles, focusing on their versatile properties and different applications in biomedical sciences and engineering.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Pattern of Neurological Disorders among Patients Evaluated in the Emergency Department; Cross–Sectional Study

Introduction: Neurologic disorders are common reasons for emergency consultations. Most neurologic disorders seen in the emergency department (ED) are life-threatening and require urgent treatment. The goal of this study is to investigate the pattern of neurological disorders among patients evaluated in the ED. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study conducted in the ED of Mogadishu Somali Turkish Training and Research Hospital, from July 2021 to February 2022.  The clinical and epidemiological characteristics of adult patients with neurologic manifestations in the ED were evaluated. Age, gender, distribution of neurological disease manifestations, neurological examination findings, and neurological diagnoses made by consultant neurologists were assessed. Results: During the study period, 321 patients were assessed (3.7 % of all ED admissions). The majority of the patients in the study were above 50 years of age (62.6% male). Hypertension was the most common comorbidity among these patients with 122 (38%) cases, followed by diabetes mellitus with 65 (20.2%), and heart diseases with 26 (8.1%) cases. The main reasons for neurology consultations were altered mental status with 141 (44%) cases, motor weakness with 102 (31.8%), seizures with 33 (10%), headache with 17 (5.3%), and vertigo with 9 (2.8%) cases. 196 (61%) had hemiplegia, 60 (18.7%) had consciousness impairment, and 38 (11.8%) had normal neurological examination. The most frequent neurological diagnoses were ischemic strokes with 125 (39%) cases, hemorrhagic strokes with 65 (20.2%), epileptic seizures with 28 (8.7%), and metabolic encephalopathies with 13 (4%) cases. The median duration of the neurology consultations was 20 minutes. 251 (78%) of the patients were admitted to the hospital, while 70 (22%) were discharged from the emergency department. After neurology consultation, the neurology department made the most admissions with 226 (90%) cases, while 25 (10%) were admitted by other departments. Of those admitted, 186 (74.2%) were admitted to the neurology ward, and 65 (25.8%) were admitted to the intensive care unit. Conclusion: In our study, neurologic emergencies accounted for 3.7% of all emergency admissions. Stroke, epileptic seizures, cerebral venous thrombosis, encephalopathies, and acute spinal cord diseases were the most common neurological disorders.  The admission rate was very high following neurologic assessment by neurologists