Old Friendships: Exploring the Historic Relationship Between Pan-Islamism and Japanese Pan-Asianism

This thesis examines the relationship between Japanese pan-Asianists and pan-Islamists from the end of the nineteenth century till World War II. The materialization of pan-Asianism in Japan and pan-Islamism in the Ottoman Empire was a response to the perceived acts of aggression against a fictive and universal "West." Both pan-Asianism and pan-Islamism emerged as a reaction to the strong currents of anti-Western discourse. The trajectories of both pan-Asianism and pan-Islamism intertwined with major turning points in international history, such as the Russo-Japanese War (1904-1905), WWI, and later in the 1930s after the Japanese occupation of Manchuria. Intellectuals involved in both these movements engaged in intense debates about race, civilization, and empire. It was such transnational imaginations that laid the foundations of Japanese-Ottoman interactions. Pan-Islamists, keen on uniting the social, religious, and political recesses evident in the Islamic world, sided with Japanese pan-Asianists in the Early Meiji Era. It was the desire of pan-Islamic intellectuals to join forces with Japan for the purpose of constructing a twentieth century utopia under the banner of Islam, which was suitably modern, spiritual, and able to withstand Western hegemony. According to them, the strength of Japanese pan-Asianism combined with the universality of pan-Islamism's message was an integral force in the "awakening" of Muslims around the globe. Also, Japanese pan-Asianists were keen to engage in diplomatic discourse with Ottoman intellectuals so as to overturn the Orientalist framework that had condemned the Eastern nations to a status of inferiority by the Occident. This thesis, therefore, connects Japanese history to the world of Islam and investigates how the accepted notions of Orient and Occident, East and West, Self and Other, engineered a relationship between two very different nations. The embracing of Japan by pan-Islamist intellectuals and the affinity of pan-Asianism's message as the East's answer to the West (as an equal in matters of race, civilization, and culture) is indicative of an association incumbent upon restructuring the global power politics of the time

Ultrasound guided percutaneous biopsy of omentum: a safest technique to detect the causes of omental thickening

Background: The objective of our study was to determine the diagnostic value and safety of ultrasound guided percutaneous biopsy of omental thickening.Methods: We prospectively analyzed 60 patients who underwent USG-guided omental biopsies in our institute from January 2016 to December 2016.Results: Total 60 patients were included in our study. There were 40 (66.7%) female and 20 (33.3%) male patients. There were total 36 (60%) malignant cases, 20 (33.3%) chronic inflammation suggestive of TB while 4 (6.7%) were chronic peritoneal infection. Out of 36 malignant cases, majority 24 (66.7%) had ovarian cancer, 8 (22.2%) had endometrium cancer and 4 (11.1%) had large bowel cancer. Repeat biopsies were performed only in 4 (6.7%) cases.Conclusions: Ultrasound-guided percutaneous biopsy of omentum is less expensive, safe and effective method with a high diagnostic accuracy

Role of CXR and HRCT in diagnosing COVID-19, a descriptive cross-sectional study, at a tertiary care hospital in Pakistan

ABSTRACT Objectives: Objectives of this study are to do the analysis of chest X-ray and High-resolution CT scan findings in patients who are clinical suspects of COVID-19 infection. The other objective is to classify the radiological findings in mild, moderate or severe diseases according to BSTI criteria for chest X-ray and CTSS for high-resolution CT scan. Methods: This is a cross-sectional descriptive study. A group of 50 patients who were clinically suspected cases of COVID-19 infection, presented to Corona flu filter clinic of Holy Family Hospital (HFH) or admitted to corona isolation wards were included. The time duration of the study was from 15 May 2020 to 15 June 2020. Patients labelled as clinically suspected cases were having positive contact with confirmed positive (based upon positive PCR) patients. Recent travel history from the area having an outbreak. They were having clinical signs/symptoms of fever, cough, and shortness of breath, lethargy and loss of sense of smell or taste. CXR and HRCT was the investigation of choice for all the 50 patients.  I also did PCR to make a correlation with the other two tests. All radiological findings were analyzed based upon Fleischner society glossary of terms for thoracic imaging. Two radiologists then assessed CXRs findings based upon BSTI criteria. They marked those CXR findings as low, moderate and high probability for COVID-19 infection. HRCT findings were analyzed using CT-SS, and researchers labelled outcomes as mild, moderate and severe disease.  Results: Out of 50 patients, 33(66%) were males, and 17(34%) were females. Mean age was 51 with ages ranging from 30-72 years. Presenting complaints were fever in 42(84%) patients, cough in 37(74%), lethargy in 33(66%), shortness of breath in 41(82%) and loss of sense of smell and taste in 21(42%) patients. Out of these 50, 32(72%) were having positive PCR for COVID-19 infection. On CXR 5(10%) patients showed classic findings which were highly probable for COVID-19. 19(38%) patients showed intermediate results for COVID-19, 7(14%) patients had a low probability of COVID-19 infection on CXRS. Out of 50, 19(38%), patients showed normal CXR with no evidence of COVID-19 infection. We did HRCT of the same patients on the same day; it showed 21(42%)patients with mild disease,23(46%)patients with moderate disease and 6(12%)patients with the severe disease according to CTSI.HRCT of 3(6%)patients was ok with no evidence of illness in bilateral lungs.    Conclusion: The role of radiology is crucial in the diagnosis of this viral illness. CXR, with its ability to detect changes of COVID-19 in lungs, should be used as a first-line imaging modality in clinically suspected patients. Moreover, it should also be used for follow up of patients with COVID-19. HRCT is very sensitive in the diagnosis of COVID-19 infection in its milder forms. Due to lack of its widespread availability in countries with inadequate medical facilities, it was not the primary imaging tool/screening tool. Due to risk of infection to radiological staff as well as non-covid-19 patients due to surface contact, due to reduced infection control issues, due to increased burden of ionizing radiations in patients. All these factors limit the role of HRCT as a primary imaging modality for COVID-19 infectio

The Impact of Idiosyncratic Risk and Macroeconomic Uncertainty on Firms’ Leverage and Investment: Evidence from the Different Industries of Pakistan

The main purpose of this study is to empirically examine the impact of idiosyncratic risk and macroeconomic uncertainty on firm leverage and investment. The analysis is carried out for a large panel data which is obtained from different industries of Pakistan comprising textile, auto and allied, cement, fuel and energy and sugar over the period of 2008-2018. Our investigation provides evidence that firm use less debt during periods of high risk. It also shows that as macroeconomic uncertainty and idiosyncratic risk increases, firms reduce their degrees of leverage. This study shows that idiosyncratic risk has an indirect and statistically significant effect on the Pakistan target firms’ leverage. However, highly profitable firms’ leverage is more sensitive to macroeconomic uncertainty and less sensitive to idiosyncratic risk. The result related to firm characteristics suggests that the firm specific variables such as firm size, tangibility, debt to asset ratio, growth of sales and cash flow to assets ratio are important in the determination of different firms’ investment. The finding also reveals that firm’s investment is more sensitive during periods of heightened firm idiosyncratic risk.  The outcome of the paper is useful for firms’ investment decision and authorities in designing of effective fiscal and monetary policies

The Impact of Idiosyncratic Risk and Macroeconomic Uncertainty on Firms’ Leverage and Investment: Evidence from the Different Industries of Pakistan

The main purpose of this study is to empirically examine the impact of idiosyncratic risk and macroeconomic uncertainty on firm leverage and investment. The analysis is carried out for a large panel data which is obtained from different industries of Pakistan comprising textile, auto and allied, cement, fuel and energy and sugar over the period of 2008-2018. Our investigation provides evidence that firm use less debt during periods of high risk. It also shows that as macroeconomic uncertainty and idiosyncratic risk increases, firms reduce their degrees of leverage. This study shows that idiosyncratic risk has an indirect and statistically significant effect on the Pakistan target firms’ leverage. However, highly profitable firms’ leverage is more sensitive to macroeconomic uncertainty and less sensitive to idiosyncratic risk. The result related to firm characteristics suggests that the firm specific variables such as firm size, tangibility, debt to asset ratio, growth of sales and cash flow to assets ratio are important in the determination of different firms’ investment. The finding also reveals that firm’s investment is more sensitive during periods of heightened firm idiosyncratic risk.  The outcome of the paper is useful for firms’ investment decision and authorities in designing of effective fiscal and monetary policies

Immunofluorescence pattern of antinuclear antibody and its association with autoantibody profile in systemic lupus erythematosus

Background: Antinuclear antibody (ANA) is useful in the diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Association of specific autoantibodies with the immunofluorescence pattern of ANA in SLE as noted in Western literature has been taken as reference in all over the world. However, in Bangladesh such research work or data correlating the autoantibodies and their ANA patterns is inadequate. Objective: To identify an association between immunofluorescence patterns of antinuclear antibody on HEp-2 cell and more specific antinuclear reactivities (e.g. anti-dsDNA and anti-extractable nuclear antigen) in the serum samples of SLE patients.Methods: Serum samples of 37 SLE patients who were diagnosed by ARA (American Rheumatism Association) classification criteria and laboratory tests, attending at lupus clinic of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) during the study period of six months were subjected for ANA testing by Indirect Imrnunofluorescence (IIF) on HEp-2 cell, anti-dsDNA by ELISA and anti- extractable nuclear antigen (anti-ENA) by Dot Immunoblot. Dot blot strips were tested for anti-Sm, anti-RNP, anti-SSA/Ro, and anti-SSB/La. Results: Out of 37 SLE patients 32 (86.5%) cases were ANA positive by IIF on HEp-2 cell. ANA positive sera exhibited three fluorescence patterns such as speckled (43.7%), peripheral (34.3%) and homogenous pattern (21.8%). Peripheral pattern (100%) was strongly associated with anti-dsDNA (p<0.05) and homogenous pattern (85.7%) was also predominantly associated with anti-dsDNA (p<0.05). Speckled pattern (85.6%) was significantly associated with anti-ENA (p<0.05). Anti-dsDNA was positive in 75% of SLE cases and majority (45.8%) of which showed peripheral pattern whereas anti-ENA was positive in 48.6% cases and majority (70.5%) of which showed speckled pattern. The most commonly identified antinuclear autoreactivity was directed towards anti-RNP (22.2%) then anti-Sm (16.6%), anti-SSA (16.6%) and anti-SSB (11.1 %). Multiple anti-ENA reactivities were identified in 33.3% cases. Conclusion: Peripheral and homogenous pattern is strongly associated with anti-dsDNA therefore may be predicted that patients have active SLE and speckled pattern may predict anti-ENA (specially ribonucleoprotiens). Thus, ANA-IIF method may suffice and probably reduce the expense of detailed immunological work-up with minimal loss in diagnostic accuracy

Enhanced efficiency of GaAs-GaxAl1-xAs laser with /4 antireflections coating of TiO2 thin films: an Optical Engineering

Titanium dioxide (TiO2) dielectric material was deposited as ~l/4 antireflections (AR) coating on one facet of GaAs-GaxAl1-xAs double heterostructure (DH) laser. Single layer ~ l/4 AR coating was achieved by successive deposition of TiO2 thin films in vacuum in small steps by thermal evaporation technique, while measuring the threshold current after each coating outside the vacuum. Threshold current, reflectivity and far-field patterns of laser show the significant influence of AR coatings on light output characteristics. Internal loss parameter a and the gain coefficient b for the DH laser were determined from threshold current under the case temperature of the laser

Diagnosis and Identification of Zoonotic Diseases Associated with Cattle at Abattoirs: Current Trends and Future Prospectus

Zoonoses are illnesses and infections that spread spontaneously from animals to people. They account for over 70% of recently developing infectious illnesses. Meat from cattle is one of the main sources of red meat and essential element of human diet. Meat inspection (MI) is an important aspect to ensure the safety during handling and consuming of meat and meat by-products. Abattoir or modern slaughterhouse is the place where infections are acquired by the workers or veterinary professional as zoonoses. Bacterial zoonotic diseases such as erysipelothricosis, brucella, listeria, and anthrax and viral zoonotic diseases like cow pox, foot and mouth disease, and rift valley fever are causing great economic losses and are important in terms of zoonoses. These zoonotic diseases are mostly diagnosed at abattoir levels using conventional approaches; however, diagnosis and identification of these diseases using latest methods is an important aspect for ensuring meat safety and hygiene. This chapter will discuss the current trends and future prospects about diagnosis and identification of these zoonotic diseases