The Development and Evaluation of Methods for the Screening of Steroids using Molecular Imprinted Polymers coupled with comprehensive Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry and Aptamers coupled with Liquid Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry

The profiling of hormones is an important requirement in sports dope testing and it is increasingly being used for clinical applications. The screening of samples for the detection of steroids is usually undertaken in urine and these analyses present many challenges. Issues related to the complexity of the matrix, the separation of exogenous from endogenous species and the very low detection limits have placed increasing demands on clinical and International Olympic Commission accredited laboratories. Whilst liquid chromatography (LC) systems provide a highly sensitive detection method for targeted species, gas chromatography, especially when coupled to mass spectrometry, is considered preferable for the screening of a wider range of target and unknown species. Existing chromatography methods are not without their limitations, not least the difficulty in reproducibly derivatising the wide range of steroids that can be exogenously administered, in particular the so called ‘designer steroids’ which deliberately hinder this process. Initially, a pilot study was conducted to investigate whether aptamer-coated magnetic beads could provide a simple, low cost method for the extraction of estradiol from urine, prior to its detection and quantification with mass spectrometry. In reality, the process necessitated the use of additional solvent extraction steps to the standard method applied previously. These additional steps added complexity and were not without issue and the limit of detection was not found to be adequate for the proposed clinical purpose. The project explored the application of comprehensive gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC x GC/MS) coupled to bespoke molecular imprinted polymers (MIPS) as an alternative solution to the problem of the screening of multiple steroids in urine. Twelve structurally similar and commercially relevant steroids were used to develop the chromatographic method. Once optimised, these compounds were then extracted from synthetic urine using a MIP templated with testosterone and developed during the project. Significant improvements compared to commercially available C-18 materials were found. All the steroids were identified and detected when spiked at the 10 ng/ml level, as required by World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) at the time. The method was further validated and then successfully applied to the extraction of designer steroids from synthetic urine, in the presence of the original steroids. Epistane, which has a different structure to testosterone, was not detected indicating the efficacy of the templating process

Collective Duties (farḍ Kifāya) In Islamic Law: The Moral Community, State Authority And Ethical Speculation In The Premodern Period

This dissertation studies a unique subset of legal obligations in Islamic law known as “collective duties” (farḍ kifāya) and focuses on juristic writing in the premodern period between the 9th and 14th centuries C.E. Together with the more widely recognized “individual obligations” (farḍ ʿayn), these duties encompass the complete range of mandated behavior in Islamic law. Individual obligations follow a simple pattern: one person is assigned responsibility for performing a particular act and is solely held responsible if they fail to do so. Collective duties are premised on a different concept involving shared responsibility for required acts. They are based on a formula consisting of two clauses, which loosely draws from a Qurʾānic prooftext. The first clause states that as long as some people perform the duty, then the obligation is suspended for everyone else. While everyone initially carries the burden, they are not all required to perform. However, the second clause adds an important warning: if no one performs the duty, then everyone is held accountable. This study explores the juristic discourse on collective duties in order to better understand how they function, what purpose they serve and why they might have been created. As premodern jurists explored the implications of collective duties as a whole, they developed the theoretical outlines of a kifāya-doctrine, one that asked questions of whether collective duties were preferred to individual obligations, who in the collective was required to perform and when an obligation was suspended. Beyond the general doctrine, the dissertation also examines legal rules developed for three specific collective duties: jihād, funerary rites and duties to rescue. The discourse on these duties demonstrates how jurists not only provided practical guidance for performance of the obligation, but also thought more broadly about the theoretical implications for law. In the process, they began to determine who belongs in the moral community, defined a robust role for the state in law’s implementation and speculated on what should constitute ethical behavior. As a result, they made clear that the normative universe of obligation is essential to understanding the Islamic legal tradition

Of Neocolonialism, Common Law and Uncodifiable Shari’a: A Reply to Professor An-Na’im

In an earlier article -- Robinson et al., Codifying Shari\u27a: International Norms, Legality & the Freedom to Invent New Forms, http://ssrn.com/abstract=941443 -- the authors report the challenges and opportunities that arose during their commission by the United Nations Development Programme and the Government of the Maldives to produce the first modern comprehensive criminal code based upon Shari\u27a. In this brief essay they respond to published criticisms of that project, which asserted, among other things, that Shari\u27a cannot be codified, that it should not be codified, that the project was a shameful exercise in neocolonialism, that the project was an act of oppression in complicity with an insufficiently democratic government, and that the project was done badly because it got Shari\u27a wrong, because it sometimes did not follow Shari\u27a, or because it was insufficiently sensitive to the methodology and process inherent in Shari\u27a. Available for download at http://ssrn.com/abstract=98285

Performance Evaluation of LoRaWAN for Green Internet of Things

LoRa is a long-range, low power and single-hop wireless technology that has been envisioned for Internet of Things (IoT) applications having battery driven nodes. Nevertheless, increase in number of end devices and varying throughput requirements impair the performance of pure Aloha in LoRaWAN. Considering these limitations, we evaluate the performance of slotted Aloha in LoRaWAN using extensive simulations. We employed packet error rate (PER), throughput, delay, and energy consumption of devices under different payload sizes and varying number of end devices as benchmarks. Moreover, an analytical analysis of backlogged and non-backlogged under slotted Aloha LoRaWAN environment is also performed. The simulation shows promising results in terms of PER and throughput compared to the pure Aloha. However, increase in delay has been observed during experimental evaluation.Finally, we endorse slotted aloha LoRaWAN for Green IoT Environment

Thyroid disorders in Hepatitis C virus infected untreated patients

Background: To determine the association of thyroid disorders with chronic hepatitis C virus infection in patients who are not getting any antiviral treatment. Methods: Fifty patients without pre-existing thyroid abnormality having positive Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) infection (confirmed on PCR) and not willing for getting anti-viral treatment (interferon) were included in the study. Blood samples from 50 patients were collected at base line, 03 months, 06 months, 09 months and at 12 months. The level of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) and thyroid antibodies was measured in these samples. Results: Eleven patients (22%) developed thyroid disorder during the study period. Majority of the patients (73%) developed thyroid disorder on the basis of change in TSH level whereas 18% developed thyroid disorder on the basis of alteration in thyroid antibodies levels and 9% patients abnormality both in TSH levels and change in thyroid antibody titre. Conclusion: A close association of thyroid disorder and chronic HCV infection is noted in the study population

Efficacy of exogenous application of 2, 4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2, 4-D) on growth and yield of mungbean (Vigna radiata L.)

The growth and yield promotion of mungbean in response to the use of 2, 4-Dichlorophenoxy acetic acid (2, 4-D) was investigated through a pot study which was arranged in the wire house of Institute of Soil and Environmental Sciences, University of Agriculture Faisalabad. The study was comprised of five treatments and three replications (control, 0.2 ppm 2, 4-D, 0.5 ppm 2, 4-D, 0.8 ppm 2, 4-D, and 1 ppm 2, 4-D). The suggested dose of Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium (NPK) was applied at the amount of 20, 60 and 25 kg ha-1 added as Urea, DAP and SOP, respectively at sowing time. The data regarding growth (plant height, root and shoot length, root and shoot fresh and dry weight, and total biomass), yield (grain weight, number of grains plant-1) and NPK analysis in plants and soil was recorded and statistically analyzed. The response of exogenous application of 2, 4-D was significant at all levels in improving the performance of all the growth parameters and yield as compared to untreated control treatment. Maximum performance of all the parameters was recorded at 0.8 ppm application of 2, 4-D. As the concentration of 2, 4-D increased the development of plants also showed positive effect but up to 0.8 ppm application after that it started to decrease which showed that at higher concentrations 2, 4-D acts as growth retardant

McDonalds Pakistan: Food and Fun Together

McDonalds is a leading fast food chain that revolutionized the food industry in the world. In 1980s, many companies expanded into international operations through franchise mode of business. Though these companies wanted to stick to their original knitting, they had to attune themselves to regional preferences. McDonalds’ operations in Pakistan are no different to this theory, but they negated the traditional marketing philosophy of “rule of cumulative attraction “by locating their outlets where their customer segment is in dense concentration.McDonalds defied the “rule of cumulative attraction” and “affluent segment being the trend-setters” by initially locating their outlets in Gulberg, Lahore and Nazimabad, Karachi instead of “Boating basin” where most restaurants were located. Middle class and working classes in Pakistan mostly live in Gulburge and Nazimabad. Fast-food industry thrives on footfall of customers and high volume sales at low prices instead of premium pricing trategies. The very spirit of McDonalds would have been distorted if the general perception amongst the target market had been that “McDonalds is for the rich”. In 1998, Boating basin a seaside locality near Clifton, Karachi had turned into a food street and all eating outlets opened withinthis vicinity being more averse risk project, Pizza Hut launched its outlet in Boating basin, Karachi in 1993.Though McDonalds is popular, yet there are many challenges before them. In spite of their popularity, the different chains are not able to bring much change in their product range and service conditions. Environmental changes like healthier food preferences, depressive income levels and variety seeking cuisine requirements dictate that innovative and nutritional value added products should replace the traditional products.Keywords: McDonalds Pakistan, Lakson Group of Company, Mission, Fast food Restaurant, Franchise, Burger market