Papers by Syed Mahtab Ahmad
Drug Information Journal, 1998
The Internet has become one of the necessities in the medical sciences and has created a global i... more The Internet has become one of the necessities in the medical sciences and has created a global information village. It is essential to know various features of the Internet and to utilize it efficiently in each field of science. A comparative study of Internet search engines was conducted for a specific search topic, "cost effective treatment for myocardial infarction. " The data sources were published conference reports, journal articles, personal communications, and Internet resources. Data on features of the Internet search engines were obtained by browsing each of the 20 search engines selected and by communicating with individuals in charge of each search engine when needed. Actual searches on the topic were conducted by using the 20 search engines. Search term variety for cost effectiveness ranges from pharmacoeconomics to medical economics, providing a total number of more than 10. Search term variety for myocardial infarction ranged from heart failure to coronary heart disease, and at least five major terms exist. Basic search features differ from one search engine to another and a user should be familiar with those differences. The number of Uniform Resource Locators (URLs) and contents of each search engine are also different. The number of records retrieved ranged from 0-22,000 among different search engines. Lycos and Magellan gave a fairly good hit percentage or relevance factor. The system design of the Internet search engines is based on open search architecture (key word indexes) or it allows the creator of the program to index his/her own page (subject directories). These different approaches resulted in the existence of varying degrees of function of the Internet search engines. Aims and scopes of this paper include not only to retrieve scientific papers and articles but also to locate information on scientific meetings, scientific presentations, and other scientific resources. Some commercial search engines enable users to access those information sites.
CenRaPS Journal of Social Sciences
This paper aims to study Islamic fintech operations in Bangladesh and Turkey. FinTech is now exte... more This paper aims to study Islamic fintech operations in Bangladesh and Turkey. FinTech is now extensively used in different countries around the world. It is known to be financial products of the twenty-first century. Fintech applications are using pervasively in the different Islamic finance operating systems. Turkey and Bangladesh emphasized more in fintech after the 2008 global financial crisis. Both countries banks prioritized in their regulations and compliance with innovation. The rise of Islamic Fintech in Turkey and Bangladesh started with the main banking applications. The use of shariah-compliant Islamic fintech in both countries are increasing significantly to carry out financial transactions and processes more efficiently through technological innovations. Qualitative methods and secondary data have been used in this study. Turkey practically became a hub for Islamic financial technology in recent years considering its operational activities. Asian countries, particularl...
Academia Letters
This paper gives a review of Problem-Based Learning (PBL) applied in engineering courses worldwid... more This paper gives a review of Problem-Based Learning (PBL) applied in engineering courses worldwide, and a survey of academic staff who have implemented PBL in engineering classes in Universiti Teknologi Malaysia. The review of PBL application illustrates the extent of acceptance and success of PBL in schools of engineering in the international arena. The survey, on the other hand, illustrates the acceptance of PBL among engineering lecturers and the possibility of applying PBL in Malaysia. The main purpose of the survey is to obtain feedback on PBL regarding the impressions, setbacks and constraints faced, as well as innovations and tips for successful implementation from the faculty members involved.
International Journal of Social, Political and Economic Research
The research paper aims to analyses the overview of interest-free finance activities in Turkey an... more The research paper aims to analyses the overview of interest-free finance activities in Turkey and Bangladesh. The history of the intellectual efforts of the Islamic economy in modern times is date back to the 1950s. The interest-free finance system emerged with the claim of being an alternative to the aim of eliminating the complexity of the irregular order in the modern financial system. Emerging Bangladesh and developing turkey were started up their interest-free financing from the decade of 1980. Bangladesh started interest-free financing from 1983 by establishing Islamic bank limited regarded as the pioneer of Islamic banking in Bangladesh. Participation banks of turkey have been growing continuously since the year they started operations in 1985. Islamic banks Limited and Participation bank of turkey hold market share 24% and 5.3 % in their banking sector, respectively. Interest-free financing as a development factor within the framework of the implementation of multilateral p...
Infection control and hospital epidemiology, Dec 1, 2017
To the Editor-Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) is the most common healthcare-associated infe... more To the Editor-Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) is the most common healthcare-associated infection in the United States. 1 In 2011, almost half a million infections and~29,000 deaths were estimated to be associated with C. difficile. 2 Timely testing and treatment is critical for improving outcomes and reducing transmission. 3 Given the high rate of asymptomatic C. difficile carriage, appropriate testing is also essential. 4 In healthcare settings, C. difficile colonization is reportedly 5 to 10 times more common than CDI and other noninfectious causes of diarrhea. 5,6 Unformed stools due to laxative use are often submitted for CDI testing, although these specimens are not appropriate for CDI diagnosis. Recent laxative use has been reported in up to 44% of CDI tested specimens. 3,7,8 Interventions to reduce the testing of inappropriate specimens, including those due to laxative use, have led to a reduction of CDI rates and treatment. 9 We further examined the relationship between laxative use and patients who tested positive for CDI. A retrospective study was conducted at a 537-bed teaching community hospital and included hospitalized patients who tested positive for CDI in 2014 and 2015. Testing for CDI comprised an enzyme immunoassay (EIA) for glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) and an EIA for detection of toxin A/B (C. diff Quik Check Complete, Alere, Waltham, MA). If the GDH test was positive and the EIA for the toxin A/B was negative, a confirmatory polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay (Xpert C. difficile, Cepheid, Sunnyvale, CA) was performed. Clostridium difficile infection was diagnosed using either GDH-positive and toxin-positive or PCR-positive laboratory results. Patients who received laxatives up to 24 hours prior to positive CDI testing were identified. Laxatives included docusate sodium, senna, polyethylene glycol, bisacodyl, milk of magnesia, sodium polystyrene sulfonate, and lactulose. Sodium polystyrene and lactulose were considered laxatives if the indications for use were neither hyperkalemia nor hepatic
Biochemical and biophysical research communications, Jan 5, 2018
The kinase MEKK2 (MAP3K2) activates the MEK5/ERK5 cell signaling pathway and may play an importan... more The kinase MEKK2 (MAP3K2) activates the MEK5/ERK5 cell signaling pathway and may play an important role in tumor growth and metastasis. Thus, MEKK2 may represent a novel kinase target for cancer. In order to identify inhibitors of MEKK2, we screened a library of compounds using a high throughput MEKK2 intrinsic ATPase enzyme assay. We identified two hits with validated structures and confirmed activity in the primary assay (IC50 values = 322 nM and 7.7 μM) and two orthogonal MEKK2 biochemical assays. Compound 1, the more potent hit, was the subject of further investigation. Limited structure-activity relationship (SAR) studies were performed on this iminocoumarin hit which resulted in ≥20-fold more potent analogs (e.g. 8 and 16 nM IC50). Two analogs had improved selectivity in a 50-member kinase profiling panel compared to the hit. These studies suggested that substitutions around the phenoxy ring of this scaffold can impart improved potency and selectivity for MEKK2. Analog Compoun...
Journal of the American College of Surgeons, Jan 22, 2016
Distal cholangiocarcinoma (DC) and pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) are often managed as o... more Distal cholangiocarcinoma (DC) and pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) are often managed as one entity, yet direct comparisons are lacking. Our aim was to utilize two, large, multi-institutional databases to assess treatment, pathologic, and survival differences between these diseases. Patients with DC and PDAC who underwent curative-intent pancreaticoduodenectomy from 2000-2015 at 13 institutions comprising the US Extrahepatic Biliary Malignancy and Central Pancreas Consortiums were included. Primary endpoint was disease-specific survival (DSS). Of 1463pts, 224(15%) were DC and 1239(85%) were PDAC. Compared to PDAC, DC patients were less likely to be margin-positive (19% vs 25%;p=0.005), lymph node (LN)-positive (55% vs 69%;p<0.001), and receive adjuvant therapy (57% vs 71%;p<0.001). Of DC patients treated with adjuvant therapy, 62% got gemcitabine alone and 16% got gemcitabine/cisplatin. DC was associated with improved median-DSS (40mos) compared to PDAC (22mos,p<0.00...
Amer J Pathol, 2004
ABSTRACT
Cancer Research, Jun 15, 2003
Angiopoietin (Ang)-1 and-2 are critical regulators of embryonic and postnatal neovascularization.... more Angiopoietin (Ang)-1 and-2 are critical regulators of embryonic and postnatal neovascularization. Ang-1 activates the endothelial cell-specific tyrosine kinase receptor Tie-2, which in turn leads to enhanced endothelial cell survival and stabilization. The effects of Ang-1 on tumor angiogenesis remain controversial; although we have previously demonstrated that Ang-1 overexpression in colon cancer cells leads to a decrease in s.c. tumor growth, others have shown that Ang-1 may be proangiogenic. Few studies have addressed the role of the Angs in tumors growing in the organ of metastatic growth. We hypothesized that overexpression of Ang-1 may inhibit the growth of colon cancers growing in the liver by inhibition of angiogenesis. We also wanted to investigate the mechanisms by which Ang-1 affects angiogenesis in vivo. Human colon cancer cells (HT29) were stably transfected with an Ang-1 construct or an empty vector (pcDNA) and injected directly into the livers of nude mice. After 37 days, livers were harvested and weighed, and tumor sizes were measured. In an additional experiment, to validate the paracrine effect of Ang-1, various mixtures of control cells and Ang-1-transfected cells were injected into livers, and tumor growth was assessed. Direct effects of recombinant Ang-1 on angiogenesis were studied with an in vivo Gelfoam angiogenesis assay. The impact of Ang-1 on vascular permeability was investigated using an intradermal Miles assay with conditioned media from transfected cells. Liver weights (P < 0.05), tumor volumes (P < 0.05), vessel counts (P < 0.01), and tumor cell proliferation (P < 0.01) in the Ang-1 group were significantly lower than those in the control (pcDNA) group. Tumor vessels in the Ang-1 group developed a significantly higher degree of pericyte coverage (P < 0.02) than vessels in pcDNA tumors. In the cell mixture experiment, even as few as a 1:10 mixture of Ang-1-transfected cells/control cells resulted in a significant reduction of hepatic tumor volumes (P < 0.04). In the angiogenesis assay, vessel counts in Gelfoam implants were significantly decreased by the addition of Ang-1 (P < 0.01). Finally, conditioned medium from Ang-1-transfected cells decreased vascular permeability more than that from control cells (P < 0.05). Our results suggest that Ang-1 is an important regulator of angiogenesis and vascular permeability and that this effect may be secondary to increasing periendothelial support and vessel stabilization. Thus, Ang-1 could potentially serve as an antineoplastic or anti-permeability agent for patients with metastatic colorectal cancer.
J Amer Oil Chem Soc, 1965
Phys Earth Planet Interiors, 2012
Cancer Research, Feb 2, 2001
Angiopoietin (Ang) 1 and Ang-2 are important regulators of endothelial cell survival. Current mod... more Angiopoietin (Ang) 1 and Ang-2 are important regulators of endothelial cell survival. Current models suggest that an increase in Ang-2 expression in endothelial cells leads to initiation of angiogenesis. We stably transfected HT29 colon cancer cells with cDNA constructs for Ang-1 or-2 or with vector alone, injected the cells s.c. into nude mice, and assessed tumor growth. Immunohistochemical analyses confirmed sustained increases of Ang-1 and-2 in the tumors. The tumors produced by the Ang-2-transfected cells were larger than the tumors produced in the other groups; those tumors also had higher vessel counts and proliferative indices than tumors in the other groups. Tumors produced by the Ang-1 transfectants had fewer vessels and lower tumor cell proliferative indices than tumors in the other groups. These data suggest that imbalances between Ang-1 and-2 that result in a net gain of Ang-2 activity lead to enhanced tumor angiogenesis and growth.
Brit J Cancer, 2002
Angiopoietin-1 is an important regulator of endothelial cell survival. Angiopoietin-1 also reduce... more Angiopoietin-1 is an important regulator of endothelial cell survival. Angiopoietin-1 also reduces vascular permeability mediated by vascular endothelial growth factor. The effects of angiopoietin-1 on tumour growth and angiogenesis are controversial. We hypothesised that angiopoietin-1 would decrease tumour growth and ascites formation in peritoneal carcinomatosis. Human colon cancer cells (KM12L4) were transfected with vector (pcDNA) alone (control) or vector containing angiopoietin-1 and injected into the peritoneal cavities of mice. After 30 days, the following parameters were measured: number of peritoneal nodules, ascites volume, and diameter of the largest tumour. Effects of angiopoietin-1 on vascular permeability were investigated using an intradermal Miles assay with conditioned media from transfected cells. Seven of the nine mice in the pcDNA group developed ascites (1.3+0.5 ml (mean+s.e.m.)), whereas no ascites was detectable in the angiopoietin-1 group (0 out of 10) (P50.01). Number of peritoneal metastases (P50.05), tumour volume, (P50.05), vessel counts (P50.01), and tumour cell proliferation (P50.01) were significantly reduced in angiopoietin-1-expressing tumours. Conditioned medium from angiopoietin-1-transfected cells decreased vascular permeability more than did conditioned medium from control cells (P50.05). Our results suggest that angiopoietin-1 is an important mediator of angiogenesis and vascular permeability and thus could theoretically serve as an anti-neoplastic agent for patients with carcinomatosis from colorectal cancer.
Bulletin of the American College of Surgeons, 2013
Oncology, Apr 1, 2002
Tumor angiogenesis is a complicated process that is regulated by numerous factors simultaneously ... more Tumor angiogenesis is a complicated process that is regulated by numerous factors simultaneously and in a coordinated fashion. Angiogenic factors drive the process of neovascularization, but the initiation of angiogenesis involves priming of endothelial cells so that they will respond to mitogenic stimuli. The angiopoietins (Ang) -1 and -2 mediate endothelial cell stability through binding to their endothelial cell-specific receptor, Tie-2. Ang-1 leads to endothelial cell stability, and, in vivo, to an actual decrease in angiogenesis. This is likely due to its ability to enhance adhesion to the perivascular tissues. In contrast, Ang-2 leads to endothelial cell instability and may be an initiating factor in angiogenesis, priming endothelial cells for mitogenic signals. Thus, a novel antiangiogenic strategy may be one that leads to enhanced endothelial cell stability, thereby protecting endothelial cells from standard angiogenic stimuli. This may ultimately lead to tumor dormancy by transforming a rapidly growing tumor into an indolent tumor.
Current Science, 2004
ABSTRACT Strontium and neodymium isotopic compositions are widely used to delineate the provenanc... more ABSTRACT Strontium and neodymium isotopic compositions are widely used to delineate the provenance of sedimentary formations. These isotopes have characteristic signatures for crust and mantle material and therefore can distinguish between volcanic and other rock types. We report here 87Sr/86Sr, εNd (0) and rare earth elements (REE) of clastic sediments from ODP Site 758 in the Bay of Bengal. The age model for this site is based on biostratigraphy, which shows good agreement with the Sr-isotope derived ages. Most of the samples have 87Sr/86Sr of ∼ 0.712 and εNd (0) of ∼ -12, except one sample (at ∼ 8.2 Ma) that exhibits distinctly low radiogenic Sr and high radiogenic Nd ( 87Sr/86Sr = 0.708 and εNd (0) = -1.1). REE pattern of this sample looks similar to that reported for volcanic ash from Toba, Sumatra. We suggest this sample to be a tephra layer, which originated from the Indonesian Volcanic Arc and got inter-stratified with the sediments. Our results clearly show that Sr and Nd isotopes can identify thin ash layers that otherwise may not easily be recognized.
Journal of Ferrocement, 1988
Indian Journal of Plant Physiology, Aug 26, 2014
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Papers by Syed Mahtab Ahmad