Journal of Pharmaceutical Research International, 2021
Approximately 3% of the world population has been known to be infected with HCV. Hepatitis C viru... more Approximately 3% of the world population has been known to be infected with HCV. Hepatitis C virus is a major etiological factor behind the development of liver diseases such as cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Interferon-based therapy has remained as the mainstay treatment for HCV for decades. Owing to the unavoidable side effects of interferon, direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) have been approved recently for the treatment of HCV-infected patient. These drugs have brought revolution in the management of HCV because of their favorable side effects profiles and enhanced rates of sustained virological response. We conducted a questionnaire-based survey study to assess the knowledge and current practices among specialists and senior post graduate trainees regarding treatment of HCV with DAAs. The questionnaire was based on latest WHO guidelines for treating HCV. The results obtained were collected and tabulated. Majority (95%) of physicians were between the age of 21-30 years and...
Journal of Ayub Medical College, Abbottabad : JAMC, 2021
BACKGROUND Metformin was approved by FDA in 1994 for the treatment of type II diabetes mellitus. ... more BACKGROUND Metformin was approved by FDA in 1994 for the treatment of type II diabetes mellitus. Due to its interaction with the AMP kinases enzyme system, it showed multiple effects on other organ systems of the body. Despite being the drug of the first choice for type II diabetes it became a popular drug for PCOS and currently, various trials are proving its anticancer effects. Though not approved by FDA it is also responsible for weight loss. The study aims to investigate the effect of metformin on the weight of healthy and streptozotocin-induced diabetic animal models. The study was performed at Animal House, Faculty of Pharmacy Ziauddin University Karachi. METHODS It was a pre-clinical experimental study conducted at Ziauddin University Karachi from August 2019 to December 2019. 36 male Albino rats were divided into 6 groups such with 6 rats in each group. Out of six three were healthy models (i.e., groups 1, 2, and 3) and the remaining three were diabetic models (i.e., Group 4...
Background: Different professions are under a great deal of stress related to a variety of oc cup... more Background: Different professions are under a great deal of stress related to a variety of oc cupational stress factors. These factors contribute to decreased job satisfaction, decreased work output, mental and physical exhaustion and abs enteeism due to sickness. It often occurs when individuals’ cannot c ope with their job demands, physically or emotionally. Objective: To determine the frequency of stress among three highly challenged occupations which are doctors, engineers and teachers. Methods: The cross sectional study was conducted in the District South of Karachi using separate questionnaires for doctors, engineers and teachers. In this research the total of 600 individuals were included, 200 from eac h profession. Only those individuals were surveyed who are currently working in government institutions of this district. The data obtained was analyzed using SPSS v.20. Results: The results showed that engineers are under a higher level of stress as compared to doctors and tea...
Background: Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is a hormonal disorder common among women of the c... more Background: Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is a hormonal disorder common among women of the child-bearing age. Likewise, women with PCOS are more likely to be obese or overweight, which may be due to their higher Insulin resistance and TSH levels. Aim: The study's objectives were to assess the prevalence of subclinical hypothyroidism in infertile PCOS, distribution of insulin resistant in PCOS women with subclinical hypothyroidism, and the efficacy of Metformin treatment in these women. Methods: It was a single-center study which included all infertile patients who visited the Original Research Article Zafar et al.; JPRI, 33(34A): 73-80, 2021; Article no.JPRI.70342 74 Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at a Karachi hospital between January 2019 and September 2019. The infertile PCOS patients were then divided into two groups: Group A (Insulin Resistant with Subclinical Hypothyroidism) and Group B. (Non-Insulin Resistant with Subclinical Hypothyroidism). Following the wr...
Journal of Pharmaceutical Research International, 2021
Aim: To find out the frequency of different bacterial species and their antibiogram among the pat... more Aim: To find out the frequency of different bacterial species and their antibiogram among the patients of chronic suppurative otitis media. Study Design: Descriptivecross-sectional. Place and Duration of Study: The study was conducted at the ENT department of Bahawal Victoria hospital between July to December 2020. Methodology: About 50 patients presented with unilateral or bilateral ear discharge and diagnosed as a case of chronic suppurative otitis media were included in the study. The disk diffusion method was used on Mueller-Hinton Agar to detect antimicrobial susceptibility. Multipledrugs were tested for checking antimicrobial susceptibility. The data were analyzed by using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20. Results: The mean age of the study participants was 13.89 ± 12.37 years. The majority of participants were froma younger age group i.e. less than10 years of age with female predominance. It had been found that the majority of cases (51%) were hav...
Journal of Pharmaceutical Research International, 2021
Background: Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), the far most common endocrine disorder among sexu... more Background: Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), the far most common endocrine disorder among sexually active women. The disease is typically characterized by irregular menstrual cycles and appears to be influenced by associated thyroid dysfunction. Aim: The goal of this research was to assess and compare the effects of Metformin and its combination with Probiotic on monthly cycle irregularity and TSH levels in PCOS women. Methodology: This was a single-center study conducted at Karachi's Gynecological Outpatient department from January 2019 to September 2019. A total of 52 PCOS patients aged 18 to 40 years were included in this trial, which followed Rotterdam criteria. After providing written and consent form, individuals were randomized into one of the two groups and received Metformin 500 mg TD (n = 26) or Metformin Combination (n = 26). Results: After three months of treatment, both groups improved in terms of menstrual cycle irregularity and TSH levels, but the combination t...
Journal of Pharmaceutical Research International, 2021
Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic emerged in Karachi and rapidly spread th... more Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic emerged in Karachi and rapidly spread throughout Pakistan Since February 26, 2020. Objectives: Vaccination is currently one of the most effective COVID-19 eradication approach. The purpose of this study was to gather data on the adverse effects of the COVID-19 vaccine. Methodology: It was an observational study that was carried out between the 11th and 23rd of April 2021, and the participants were Karachi residents. We looked at the proportion of self-reported local and systemic adverse effects within seven days of immunization in people who filled out Google forms and received one or two doses of the vaccine. Results: The vaccination ratio for male was slight higher than females. Participants aged between 51 to 60 years and 41 to 50 years had higher number of vaccinations. Sinopharm is by far the most widely used vaccine. After the first dose of vaccination, the majority of participants complained of fever, chills, muscle pa...
Journal of Pharmaceutical Research International, 2021
Aim: To find out the frequency of sensorineural hearing loss among children with pyogenic meningi... more Aim: To find out the frequency of sensorineural hearing loss among children with pyogenic meningitis. Study Design: Cross-sectional. Place and Duration of Study: Study was conducted at Ziauddin university hospital during the period of July 2019 to February 2020. Methodology: About 96 participants were enrolled in the study between the age group of one month up to 12 years. Patients were included on the basis of clinical presentation and laboratory findings of pyogenic meningitis. An expert audiologist performed the brainstem evoked response audiometry test before discharging the patient from the hospital. For data analysis SPSS version-20 was used. All the quantitative variables were calculated as mean with standard deviation while qualitative data were presented as frequency and percentages. To find out association between variables, the Mann Whitney U-test and chi-square test was applied while P-value ≤0.05 was considered as significant. Results: Mean age with standard deviation w...
Journal of Advances in Medicine and Medical Research, 2019
Hepatocellular carcinoma also known as hepatoma is considered as the most common type of primary ... more Hepatocellular carcinoma also known as hepatoma is considered as the most common type of primary liver malignancy and is the leading cause of death worldwide. The incidence and mortality is still on the rise despite the drastic progress in early screening tools and new advancements in diagnosis and treatment. For the patients presenting with advanced disease, Sorafenib is the only approved drug, however the treatment outcome of metastatic cancer is still unsatisfactory with median overall survival below 15 months. Over the past few years great progress has been achieved in anticancer therapy, but development of resistance and unavoidable side effects have weakened these attainments. Keeping in view this stern condition, a number of drugs with novel antitumor mechanisms are under investigations including antimicrobials which have been shown to possess anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory and cytotoxic effects. In this regard, both conventional and novel antimicrobials are being studie...
Journal of Advances in Medicine and Medical Research, 2019
Aim: The aim of this study is to determine the prevalence of PCOS among different gynecological d... more Aim: The aim of this study is to determine the prevalence of PCOS among different gynecological disorders at tertiary care hospital of Karachi and to assess the most frequent presenting complaint with associated complications among them. Study Design: Single-centered cross-sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: Gynecological clinic of Karachi at a Tertiary care Hospital during 3rd December 2018 to 29th March 2019. Methodology: Total 335 premenopausal women approached the clinic with different gynecological disorders during the period of four months and 305 patients agreed to participate. The patients were enrolled via convenient sampling technique. After taking the informed consent they were evaluated through clinical interviews, questionnaire, and anthropometric measurements. The diagnosis of PCOS was made by using Rotterdam criteria 2003. Menstrual irregularities were assessed via history. Clinical hyperandrogenism was evaluated by using modified Ferriman–Gallwey scale and ...
In this study, we report the potential use of market vegetables waste for the synthesis of gold n... more In this study, we report the potential use of market vegetables waste for the synthesis of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). The AuNPs were synthesised using green method without using any harmful chemicals. The AuNPs obtained from vegetable wastes were characterised by UV-Visible spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopic (FT-IR) analysis. The particles size for the green synthesised AuNPs from vegetable waste were ranged from 10-70 nm. The AuNPs showed significant antibacterial activity against clinical pathogens. Hence, this attempt has shown a great potential for utilizing market vegetable waste as bio-reductant for the synthesis of AuNPs.
International Journal Of Community Medicine And Public Health, 2017
Background: Young adults are failed to observe in studies on impact of high blood pressure as the... more Background: Young adults are failed to observe in studies on impact of high blood pressure as they are esteemed to be at a low risk of developing the complication or disease. Study of disease prevalence and their relation with life style habits provide the information required to develop interventional strategies. The objectives were to estimate the prevalence of hypertension among young adults in Jaipur district, Rajasthan and to study the impact of life style habits like tobacco use and alcohol consumption on hypertension.Methods: Data were collected from 390 college students aged 18 years and older in selected degree college by a cross-sectional survey. Blood pressure recordings, anthropometric measurements as well as socio-demographic characteristics were collected.Results: High blood pressure was observed in 152 out of the 390 students (38.97%), of which the 20 (5.13%) are hypertensive, majority were newly diagnosed (65%). Prevalence of high blood pressure among male students w...
JPMA. The Journal of the Pakistan Medical Association, 2015
To evaluate patients presenting to healthcare facilities because of joint pain and subsequently d... more To evaluate patients presenting to healthcare facilities because of joint pain and subsequently diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis. The prospective study was conducted from August 1, 2013,to January 20, 2014, at Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, Karachi, and comprised patients presenting with joint pain. A questionnaire was used to collect data, and patients were diagnosed using American College of Rheumatology / European League Against Rheumatism Rheumatoid Arthritis Classification Criteria. Data was analyzed using SPSS 20. Of the 320 patients approached, 316(98.7%) filled the questionnaire. Eighty five (26.9%) were diagnosed as rheumatoid arthritis. Sixty (70.5%) were females and 25 (26.3%) were males. The frequency of rheumatoid arthritis was higher in people in 4th, 5th and 6th decades of life. Twenty five (7.9%) patients had positive family history, 77 (90.2%) were chronic sufferers and only 53 (16%) agreed to follow recommended immunosuppressive therapies. 212 (67.1%) patie...
In this study the biodegradation of polyurethane (PU) during the maturation stage of a commercial... more In this study the biodegradation of polyurethane (PU) during the maturation stage of a commercial composting process was investigated. PU coupons were buried in the centre and at the surface of a 10 m high compost pile. Fungal communities colonising polyester PU coupons were compared with the native compost communities using culture based and molecular techniques. Putative polyester PU degrading fungi were ubiquitous in compost and rapidly colonised the surface of polyester PU coupons with significant deterioration. As the temperature decreased, fungal diversity in the compost and on the surface of the polyester PU coupons increased and selection of fungal community on the polyester PU coupons occurs that is different from the surrounding compost.
Plastics play an essential role in the modern world due to their low cost and durability. However... more Plastics play an essential role in the modern world due to their low cost and durability. However, accumulation of plastic waste in the environment causes wide-scale pollution with long-lasting effects, making plastic waste management expensive and problematic. Polyurethanes (PUs) are heteropolymers that made up ca. 7% of the total plastic production in Europe in 2011. Polyester PUs in particular have been extensively reported as susceptible to microbial biodegradation in the environment, particularly by fungi. In this study, we investigated the impact of composting on PUs, as composting is a microbially rich process that is increasingly being used for the processing of green waste and food waste as an economically viable alternative to landfill disposal. PU coupons were incubated for 12 weeks in fresh compost at 25°C, 45°C, and 50°C to emulate the thermophilic and maturation stages of the composting process. Incubation at all temperatures caused significant physical deterioration o...
Journal of Pharmaceutical Research International, 2021
Approximately 3% of the world population has been known to be infected with HCV. Hepatitis C viru... more Approximately 3% of the world population has been known to be infected with HCV. Hepatitis C virus is a major etiological factor behind the development of liver diseases such as cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Interferon-based therapy has remained as the mainstay treatment for HCV for decades. Owing to the unavoidable side effects of interferon, direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) have been approved recently for the treatment of HCV-infected patient. These drugs have brought revolution in the management of HCV because of their favorable side effects profiles and enhanced rates of sustained virological response. We conducted a questionnaire-based survey study to assess the knowledge and current practices among specialists and senior post graduate trainees regarding treatment of HCV with DAAs. The questionnaire was based on latest WHO guidelines for treating HCV. The results obtained were collected and tabulated. Majority (95%) of physicians were between the age of 21-30 years and...
Journal of Ayub Medical College, Abbottabad : JAMC, 2021
BACKGROUND Metformin was approved by FDA in 1994 for the treatment of type II diabetes mellitus. ... more BACKGROUND Metformin was approved by FDA in 1994 for the treatment of type II diabetes mellitus. Due to its interaction with the AMP kinases enzyme system, it showed multiple effects on other organ systems of the body. Despite being the drug of the first choice for type II diabetes it became a popular drug for PCOS and currently, various trials are proving its anticancer effects. Though not approved by FDA it is also responsible for weight loss. The study aims to investigate the effect of metformin on the weight of healthy and streptozotocin-induced diabetic animal models. The study was performed at Animal House, Faculty of Pharmacy Ziauddin University Karachi. METHODS It was a pre-clinical experimental study conducted at Ziauddin University Karachi from August 2019 to December 2019. 36 male Albino rats were divided into 6 groups such with 6 rats in each group. Out of six three were healthy models (i.e., groups 1, 2, and 3) and the remaining three were diabetic models (i.e., Group 4...
Background: Different professions are under a great deal of stress related to a variety of oc cup... more Background: Different professions are under a great deal of stress related to a variety of oc cupational stress factors. These factors contribute to decreased job satisfaction, decreased work output, mental and physical exhaustion and abs enteeism due to sickness. It often occurs when individuals’ cannot c ope with their job demands, physically or emotionally. Objective: To determine the frequency of stress among three highly challenged occupations which are doctors, engineers and teachers. Methods: The cross sectional study was conducted in the District South of Karachi using separate questionnaires for doctors, engineers and teachers. In this research the total of 600 individuals were included, 200 from eac h profession. Only those individuals were surveyed who are currently working in government institutions of this district. The data obtained was analyzed using SPSS v.20. Results: The results showed that engineers are under a higher level of stress as compared to doctors and tea...
Background: Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is a hormonal disorder common among women of the c... more Background: Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is a hormonal disorder common among women of the child-bearing age. Likewise, women with PCOS are more likely to be obese or overweight, which may be due to their higher Insulin resistance and TSH levels. Aim: The study's objectives were to assess the prevalence of subclinical hypothyroidism in infertile PCOS, distribution of insulin resistant in PCOS women with subclinical hypothyroidism, and the efficacy of Metformin treatment in these women. Methods: It was a single-center study which included all infertile patients who visited the Original Research Article Zafar et al.; JPRI, 33(34A): 73-80, 2021; Article no.JPRI.70342 74 Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at a Karachi hospital between January 2019 and September 2019. The infertile PCOS patients were then divided into two groups: Group A (Insulin Resistant with Subclinical Hypothyroidism) and Group B. (Non-Insulin Resistant with Subclinical Hypothyroidism). Following the wr...
Journal of Pharmaceutical Research International, 2021
Aim: To find out the frequency of different bacterial species and their antibiogram among the pat... more Aim: To find out the frequency of different bacterial species and their antibiogram among the patients of chronic suppurative otitis media. Study Design: Descriptivecross-sectional. Place and Duration of Study: The study was conducted at the ENT department of Bahawal Victoria hospital between July to December 2020. Methodology: About 50 patients presented with unilateral or bilateral ear discharge and diagnosed as a case of chronic suppurative otitis media were included in the study. The disk diffusion method was used on Mueller-Hinton Agar to detect antimicrobial susceptibility. Multipledrugs were tested for checking antimicrobial susceptibility. The data were analyzed by using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20. Results: The mean age of the study participants was 13.89 ± 12.37 years. The majority of participants were froma younger age group i.e. less than10 years of age with female predominance. It had been found that the majority of cases (51%) were hav...
Journal of Pharmaceutical Research International, 2021
Background: Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), the far most common endocrine disorder among sexu... more Background: Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), the far most common endocrine disorder among sexually active women. The disease is typically characterized by irregular menstrual cycles and appears to be influenced by associated thyroid dysfunction. Aim: The goal of this research was to assess and compare the effects of Metformin and its combination with Probiotic on monthly cycle irregularity and TSH levels in PCOS women. Methodology: This was a single-center study conducted at Karachi's Gynecological Outpatient department from January 2019 to September 2019. A total of 52 PCOS patients aged 18 to 40 years were included in this trial, which followed Rotterdam criteria. After providing written and consent form, individuals were randomized into one of the two groups and received Metformin 500 mg TD (n = 26) or Metformin Combination (n = 26). Results: After three months of treatment, both groups improved in terms of menstrual cycle irregularity and TSH levels, but the combination t...
Journal of Pharmaceutical Research International, 2021
Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic emerged in Karachi and rapidly spread th... more Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic emerged in Karachi and rapidly spread throughout Pakistan Since February 26, 2020. Objectives: Vaccination is currently one of the most effective COVID-19 eradication approach. The purpose of this study was to gather data on the adverse effects of the COVID-19 vaccine. Methodology: It was an observational study that was carried out between the 11th and 23rd of April 2021, and the participants were Karachi residents. We looked at the proportion of self-reported local and systemic adverse effects within seven days of immunization in people who filled out Google forms and received one or two doses of the vaccine. Results: The vaccination ratio for male was slight higher than females. Participants aged between 51 to 60 years and 41 to 50 years had higher number of vaccinations. Sinopharm is by far the most widely used vaccine. After the first dose of vaccination, the majority of participants complained of fever, chills, muscle pa...
Journal of Pharmaceutical Research International, 2021
Aim: To find out the frequency of sensorineural hearing loss among children with pyogenic meningi... more Aim: To find out the frequency of sensorineural hearing loss among children with pyogenic meningitis. Study Design: Cross-sectional. Place and Duration of Study: Study was conducted at Ziauddin university hospital during the period of July 2019 to February 2020. Methodology: About 96 participants were enrolled in the study between the age group of one month up to 12 years. Patients were included on the basis of clinical presentation and laboratory findings of pyogenic meningitis. An expert audiologist performed the brainstem evoked response audiometry test before discharging the patient from the hospital. For data analysis SPSS version-20 was used. All the quantitative variables were calculated as mean with standard deviation while qualitative data were presented as frequency and percentages. To find out association between variables, the Mann Whitney U-test and chi-square test was applied while P-value ≤0.05 was considered as significant. Results: Mean age with standard deviation w...
Journal of Advances in Medicine and Medical Research, 2019
Hepatocellular carcinoma also known as hepatoma is considered as the most common type of primary ... more Hepatocellular carcinoma also known as hepatoma is considered as the most common type of primary liver malignancy and is the leading cause of death worldwide. The incidence and mortality is still on the rise despite the drastic progress in early screening tools and new advancements in diagnosis and treatment. For the patients presenting with advanced disease, Sorafenib is the only approved drug, however the treatment outcome of metastatic cancer is still unsatisfactory with median overall survival below 15 months. Over the past few years great progress has been achieved in anticancer therapy, but development of resistance and unavoidable side effects have weakened these attainments. Keeping in view this stern condition, a number of drugs with novel antitumor mechanisms are under investigations including antimicrobials which have been shown to possess anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory and cytotoxic effects. In this regard, both conventional and novel antimicrobials are being studie...
Journal of Advances in Medicine and Medical Research, 2019
Aim: The aim of this study is to determine the prevalence of PCOS among different gynecological d... more Aim: The aim of this study is to determine the prevalence of PCOS among different gynecological disorders at tertiary care hospital of Karachi and to assess the most frequent presenting complaint with associated complications among them. Study Design: Single-centered cross-sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: Gynecological clinic of Karachi at a Tertiary care Hospital during 3rd December 2018 to 29th March 2019. Methodology: Total 335 premenopausal women approached the clinic with different gynecological disorders during the period of four months and 305 patients agreed to participate. The patients were enrolled via convenient sampling technique. After taking the informed consent they were evaluated through clinical interviews, questionnaire, and anthropometric measurements. The diagnosis of PCOS was made by using Rotterdam criteria 2003. Menstrual irregularities were assessed via history. Clinical hyperandrogenism was evaluated by using modified Ferriman–Gallwey scale and ...
In this study, we report the potential use of market vegetables waste for the synthesis of gold n... more In this study, we report the potential use of market vegetables waste for the synthesis of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). The AuNPs were synthesised using green method without using any harmful chemicals. The AuNPs obtained from vegetable wastes were characterised by UV-Visible spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopic (FT-IR) analysis. The particles size for the green synthesised AuNPs from vegetable waste were ranged from 10-70 nm. The AuNPs showed significant antibacterial activity against clinical pathogens. Hence, this attempt has shown a great potential for utilizing market vegetable waste as bio-reductant for the synthesis of AuNPs.
International Journal Of Community Medicine And Public Health, 2017
Background: Young adults are failed to observe in studies on impact of high blood pressure as the... more Background: Young adults are failed to observe in studies on impact of high blood pressure as they are esteemed to be at a low risk of developing the complication or disease. Study of disease prevalence and their relation with life style habits provide the information required to develop interventional strategies. The objectives were to estimate the prevalence of hypertension among young adults in Jaipur district, Rajasthan and to study the impact of life style habits like tobacco use and alcohol consumption on hypertension.Methods: Data were collected from 390 college students aged 18 years and older in selected degree college by a cross-sectional survey. Blood pressure recordings, anthropometric measurements as well as socio-demographic characteristics were collected.Results: High blood pressure was observed in 152 out of the 390 students (38.97%), of which the 20 (5.13%) are hypertensive, majority were newly diagnosed (65%). Prevalence of high blood pressure among male students w...
JPMA. The Journal of the Pakistan Medical Association, 2015
To evaluate patients presenting to healthcare facilities because of joint pain and subsequently d... more To evaluate patients presenting to healthcare facilities because of joint pain and subsequently diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis. The prospective study was conducted from August 1, 2013,to January 20, 2014, at Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, Karachi, and comprised patients presenting with joint pain. A questionnaire was used to collect data, and patients were diagnosed using American College of Rheumatology / European League Against Rheumatism Rheumatoid Arthritis Classification Criteria. Data was analyzed using SPSS 20. Of the 320 patients approached, 316(98.7%) filled the questionnaire. Eighty five (26.9%) were diagnosed as rheumatoid arthritis. Sixty (70.5%) were females and 25 (26.3%) were males. The frequency of rheumatoid arthritis was higher in people in 4th, 5th and 6th decades of life. Twenty five (7.9%) patients had positive family history, 77 (90.2%) were chronic sufferers and only 53 (16%) agreed to follow recommended immunosuppressive therapies. 212 (67.1%) patie...
In this study the biodegradation of polyurethane (PU) during the maturation stage of a commercial... more In this study the biodegradation of polyurethane (PU) during the maturation stage of a commercial composting process was investigated. PU coupons were buried in the centre and at the surface of a 10 m high compost pile. Fungal communities colonising polyester PU coupons were compared with the native compost communities using culture based and molecular techniques. Putative polyester PU degrading fungi were ubiquitous in compost and rapidly colonised the surface of polyester PU coupons with significant deterioration. As the temperature decreased, fungal diversity in the compost and on the surface of the polyester PU coupons increased and selection of fungal community on the polyester PU coupons occurs that is different from the surrounding compost.
Plastics play an essential role in the modern world due to their low cost and durability. However... more Plastics play an essential role in the modern world due to their low cost and durability. However, accumulation of plastic waste in the environment causes wide-scale pollution with long-lasting effects, making plastic waste management expensive and problematic. Polyurethanes (PUs) are heteropolymers that made up ca. 7% of the total plastic production in Europe in 2011. Polyester PUs in particular have been extensively reported as susceptible to microbial biodegradation in the environment, particularly by fungi. In this study, we investigated the impact of composting on PUs, as composting is a microbially rich process that is increasingly being used for the processing of green waste and food waste as an economically viable alternative to landfill disposal. PU coupons were incubated for 12 weeks in fresh compost at 25°C, 45°C, and 50°C to emulate the thermophilic and maturation stages of the composting process. Incubation at all temperatures caused significant physical deterioration o...
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Papers by Urooj Zafar