HUKUM INTERVENSI PASAR (PRICE FIXING) DALAM JUAL BELI MENURUT TINJAUAN TEORI MAṢLAḤAH

Kondisi harga barang di pasar kadangkala melonjak tinggi. Pihak penjual bisa jadi dengan sengaja menaikkan harga barang, atau bisa juga karena mekanisme pasar yang alamiah. Dalam kondisi, ulama masih berbeda pendapat tentang pemerintah mengintervensi pasar (price fixing) dalam menentukan standar harga. Salah satu ulama yang concern dalam masalah ini adalah Yūsuf Al-Qaraḍāwī. Al-Qaraḍāwī cenderung membolehkan pemerintah mengintervensi pasar, hal ini justru berbeda dengan jumhur ulama yang melarangnya. Pokok permasalahan yang dikaji adalah bagaimana pendapat Yūsuf al-Qaraḍāwī tentang hukum intervensi pasar dalam jual beli? bagaimana dalil dan metode istinbāṭ yang digunakan oleh Yūsuf Al-Qaraḍāwī?, dan bagaimana pula pandangan Yūsuf al-Qaraḍāwī tersebut dilihat dari teori maṣlaḥah? Penelitian ini bersifat kualitatif, dan data penelitian dianalisis dengan cara deskriptif-analisis. Hasil penelitian ini menunjukkan bahwa menurut Yūsuf al-Qaraḍāwī, hukum intervensi pasar (price fixing atau tas’īr) dalam jual beli ada dua bentuk, yaitu intervensi pasar terlarang (tas’īr al-mamnū’), yaitu menetapkan standar harga saat harga mengalami kenaikan karena supplay dan demand. Kedua adalah intervensi pasar yang dianjurkan (tas’īr masyrū’), yaitu menetapkan standar harga karena terjadi penimbunan, monopoli atau permainan harga sehingga terjadi kezaliman karena tingginya harga barang. Dalil yang ia gunakan yaitu ketentuam QS. Al-Nisa’ [4] ayat 29 dan dua hadis riwayat Abu Dawud. Adapun metode istinbath hukum yang digunakan Al-Qaraḍāwī adalah ta’lili dan istishlahi. Pendapat Yūsuf al-Qaraḍāwī tentang intervensi pasar (price fixing) sudah sesuai dengan teori maslahah. Penetapan harga standar barang oleh pemerintah termasuk mashlahah al-dhaririyah, yaitu kemaslahatan primer, dan dari sisi kesesuaian dengan nash, tindakan yang dilakukan oleh pemerintah sesuai dengan mashlahah mu’tabarah

Autoimmune diseases and new-onset atrial fibrillation:a UK Biobank study

AimsThe underlying mechanisms of atrial fibrillation (AF) are largely unknown. Inflammation may underlie atrial remodelling. Autoimmune diseases, related to increased systemic inflammation, may therefore be associated with new-onset AF.Methods and resultsParticipants from the population-based UK Biobank were screened for rheumatic fever, gastrointestinal autoimmune diseases, autoimmune diseases targeting the musculoskeletal system and connective tissues, and neurological autoimmune diseases. Between 2006 and 2022, participants were followed for incident AF. Cox proportional hazards regression analyses were performed to calculate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) to quantify associations. 494 072 participants free from AF were included (median age 58.0 years, 54.8% women). After a median of 12.8 years, 27 194 (5.5%) participants were diagnosed with new-onset AF. Rheumatic fever without heart involvement (HR, 95% CI: 1.47, 1.26–1.72), Crohn’s disease (1.23, 1.05–1.45), ulcerative colitis (1.17, 1.06–1.31), rheumatoid arthritis (1.39, 1.28–1.51), polyarteritis nodosa (1.82, 1.04–3.09), systemic lupus erythematosus (1.82, 1.41–2.35), and systemic sclerosis (2.32, 1.57–3.44) were associated with a larger AF risk. In sex-stratified analyses, rheumatic fever without heart involvement, multiple sclerosis, Crohn’s disease, seropositive rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic and enteropathic arthropathies, systemic sclerosis and ankylosing spondylitis were associated with larger AF risk in women, whereas only men showed a larger AF risk associated with ulcerative colitis.ConclusionsVarious autoimmune diseases are associated with new-onset AF, more distinct in women. Our findings elaborate on the pathophysiological differences in autoimmunity and AF risk between men and women

Serum ferritin levels, socio-demographic factors and desferrioxamine therapy in multi-transfused thalassemia major patients at a government tertiary care hospital of Karachi, Pakistan

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Beta thalassemia is the most frequent genetic disorder of haemoglobin synthesis in Pakistan. Recurrent transfusions lead to iron-overload manifested by increased serum Ferritin levels, for which chelation therapy is required.</p> <p>Findings</p> <p>The study was conducted in the Pediatric Emergency unit of Civil Hospital Karachi after ethical approval by the Institutional Review Board of Dow University of Health Sciences. Seventy nine cases of beta thalassemia major were included after a written consent. The care takers were interviewed for the socio-demographic variables and the use of Desferrioxamine therapy, after which a blood sample was drawn to assess the serum Ferritin level. SPSS 15.0 was employed for data entry and analysis.</p> <p>Of the seventy-nine patients included in the study, 46 (58.2%) were males while 33 (41.8%) were females. The mean age was 10.8 (± 4.5) years with the dominant age group (46.2%) being 10 to 14 years. In 62 (78.8%) cases, the care taker education was below the tenth grade. The mean serum Ferritin level in our study were 4236.5 ng/ml and showed a directly proportional relationship with age. Desferrioxamine was used by patients in 46 (58.2%) cases with monthly house hold income significant factor to the use of therapy.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The mean serum Ferritin levels are approximately ten times higher than the normal recommended levels for normal individuals, with two-fifths of the patients not receiving iron chelation therapy at all. Use of iron chelation therapy and titrating the dose according to the need can significantly lower the iron load reducing the risk of iron-overload related complications leading to a better quality of life and improving survival in Pakistani beta thalassemia major patients.</p> <p>Conflicts of Interest: None</p

The Rotterdam Study: objectives and design update

The Rotterdam Study is a prospective cohort study ongoing since 1990 in the city of Rotterdam in the Netherlands. The study targets cardiovascular, neurological, ophthalmological and endocrine diseases. As of 2008 about 15,000 subjects aged 45 years or over comprise the Rotterdam Study cohort. The findings of the Rotterdam Study have been presented in some 600 research articles and reports (see http://www.epib.nl/rotterdamstudy). This article gives the reasons for the study and its design. It also presents a summary of the major findings and an update of the objectives and methods

The Rotterdam Study: 2010 objectives and design update

The Rotterdam Study is a prospective cohort study ongoing since 1990 in the city of Rotterdam in The Netherlands. The study targets cardiovascular, endocrine, hepatic, neurological, ophthalmic, psychiatric and respiratory diseases. As of 2008, 14,926 subjects aged 45 years or over comprise the Rotterdam Study cohort. The findings of the Rotterdam Study have been presented in close to a 1,000 research articles and reports (see www.epib.nl/rotterdamstudy). This article gives the rationale of the study and its design. It also presents a summary of the major findings and an update of the objectives and methods

Genetically defined elevated homocysteine levels do not result in widespread changes of DNA methylation in leukocytes

BACKGROUND:DNA methylation is affected by the activities of the key enzymes and intermediate metabolites of the one-carbon pathway, one of which involves homocysteine. We investigated the effect of the well-known genetic variant associated with mildly elevated homocysteine: MTHFR 677C>T independently and in combination with other homocysteine-associated variants, on genome-wide leukocyte DNA-methylation. METHODS:Methylation levels were assessed using Illumina 450k arrays on 9,894 individuals of European ancestry from 12 cohort studies. Linear-mixed-models were used to study the association of additive MTHFR 677C>T and genetic-risk score (GRS) based on 18 homocysteine-associated SNPs, with genome-wide methylation. RESULTS:Meta-analysis revealed that the MTHFR 677C>T variant was associated with 35 CpG sites in cis, and the GRS showed association with 113 CpG sites near the homocysteine-associated variants. Genome-wide analysis revealed that the MTHFR 677C>T variant was associated with 1 trans-CpG (nearest gene ZNF184), while the GRS model showed association with 5 significant trans-CpGs annotated to nearest genes PTF1A, MRPL55, CTDSP2, CRYM and FKBP5. CONCLUSIONS:Our results do not show widespread changes in DNA-methylation across the genome, and therefore do not support the hypothesis that mildly elevated homocysteine is associated with widespread methylation changes in leukocytes

Integrated diagnostics: proceedings from the 9th biennial symposium of the International Society for Strategic Studies in Radiology

published_or_final_versio

Quantification of Optic Disc Edema during Exposure to High Altitude Shows No Correlation to Acute Mountain Sickness

BACKGROUND: The study aimed to quantify changes of the optic nerve head (ONH) during exposure to high altitude and to assess a correlation with acute mountain sickness (AMS). This work is related to the Tuebingen High Altitude Ophthalmology (THAO) study. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: A confocal scanning laser ophthalmoscope (cSLO, Heidelberg Retina Tomograph, HRT3®) was used to quantify changes at the ONH in 18 healthy participants before, during and after rapid ascent to high altitude (4559 m). Slitlamp biomicroscopy was used for clinical optic disc evaluation; AMS was assessed with Lake Louise (LL) and AMS-cerebral (AMS-c) scores; oxygen saturation (SpO₂) and heart rate (HR) were monitored. These parameters were used to correlate with changes at the ONH. After the first night spent at high altitude, incidence of AMS was 55% and presence of clinical optic disc edema (ODE) 79%. Key stereometric parameters of the HRT3® used to describe ODE (mean retinal nerve fiber layer [RNFL] thickness, RNFL cross sectional area, optic disc rim volume and maximum contour elevation) changed significantly at high altitude compared to baseline (p&lt;0.05) and were consistent with clinically described ODE. All changes were reversible in all participants after descent. There was no significant correlation between parameters of ODE and AMS, SpO₂ or HR. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Exposure to high altitude leads to reversible ODE in the majority of healthy subjects. However, these changes did not correlate with AMS or basic physiologic parameters such as SpO₂ and HR. For the first time, a quantitative approach has been used to assess these changes during acute, non-acclimatized high altitude exposure. In conclusion, ODE presents a reaction of the body to high altitude exposure unrelated to AMS

Peripheral and central arterial pressure and its relationship to vascular target organ damage in carotid artery, retina and arterial stiffness. Development and validation of a tool. The Vaso risk study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) shows a better correlation to target organ damage and cardiovascular morbidity-mortality than office blood pressure. A loss of arterial elasticity and an increase in carotid artery intima-media thickness (IMT) has been associated with increased cardiovascular morbidity-mortality. Tools have been developed that allow estimation of the retinal arteriovenous index but not all studies coincide and there are contradictory results in relation to the evolution of the arteriosclerotic lesions and the caliber of the retinal vessels. The purpose of this study is to analyze the relationship between peripheral and central arterial pressure (clinic and ambulatory) and vascular structure and function as evaluated by the carotid artery intima-media thickness, retina arteriovenous index, pulse wave velocity (PWV) and ankle-brachial index in patients with and without type 2 diabetes. In turn, software is developed and validated for measuring retinal vessel thickness and automatically estimating the arteriovenous index.</p> <p>Methods/Design</p> <p>A cross-sectional study involving a control group will be made, with a posterior 4-year follow-up period in primary care. The study patients will be type 2 diabetics, with a control group of non-diabetic individuals. Consecutive sampling will be used to include 300 patients between 34-75 years of age and no previous cardiovascular disease, one-half being assigned to each group. Main measurements: age, gender, height, weight and abdominal circumference. Lipids, creatinine, microalbuminuria, blood glucose, HbA1c, blood insulin, high sensitivity C-reactive protein and endothelial dysfunction markers. Clinic and ambulatory blood pressure monitoring. Carotid ultrasound to evaluate IMT, and retinography to evaluate the arteriovenous index. ECG to assess left ventricle hypertrophy, ankle-brachial index, and pulse wave analysis (PWA) and pulse wave velocity (PWV) with the Sphigmocor System.</p> <p>Discussion</p> <p>We hope to obtain information on the correlation of different ABPM-derived parameters and PWA to organ target damage - particularly vascular structure and function evaluated from the IMT and PWV - and endothelial dysfunction in patients with and without type 2 diabetes. We also hope to demonstrate the usefulness of the instrument developed for the automated evaluation of retinal vascularization in the early detection of alterations in vascular structure and function and in the prognosis of middle-term cardiovascular morbidity.</p> <p>Trial Registration</p> <p>Clinical Trials.gov Identifier: <a href="http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01325064">NCT01325064</a></p