Performance of Mansabdari System under the Successors of Emperor Jalal-Ud-Din Muhammad Akbar

The aim of this paper is to analyze the performance of mansabdari system under the successors of Emperor Jalaluddin Muhammad Akbar. The paper is focused on the mansabdari system which was developed and strengthened during the reign of Akbar. It can be argued that the mansabdari was an integrated system of efficient and loyal servants on the disposal of Akbar for the large expansion of his empire. The successors of Akbar tried to capture the spirit of Akbar’s age and reign in all respects but without much success. The system remained intact with central authority during Akbar’s days. The paper indicates that after the death of Akbar, the mansabdars started defying the authority of governors as well as the successors of Akbar. In this research attempt the performance of mansabdari system under the successors of Akbar i.e. Jahangir, Shah Jahan and Aurangzeb will be analyzed.

Vitamin D Levels in Black African Adults at the Aga Khan University Hospital Nairobi

Introduction: Vitamin D has been known for centuries for its benefits in bone health. Recent observational studies have however demonstrated its benefits in infectious diseases such as tuberculosis and non-communicable diseases such as diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular diseases and cancer. This has led to a dramatic increase in testing among adults. The cut-offs for vitamin D deficiency have been debated for decades and the current cut off is derived from a Caucasian population. Studies done among black African adults in Africa are few and have shown that vitamin D deficiency ranges from 5-91%. In view of the difference in skin colour, latitude and vitamin D binding protein, these values might be misleading. A few cut- offs have correlated vitamin D deficiency to physiological markers such as parathyroid hormone (PTH), calcium and phosphate with varying results. Objectives: This study was carried out to determine the proportion of healthy black African adults at AKUHN who were classified as 25(OH)D deficient using the current cut-off of 20ng/ml and to correlate this with markers of physiological deficiency, dietary intake of vitamin D rich foods and sunshine exposure. Methods: This was a cross sectional study carried out among blood donors at AKUHN from March to May 2015. Blood was taken from consecutively recruited participants who gave informed consent and filled a questionnaire. Vitamin D levels were assayed and correlated with PTH, calcium and phosphate. Results: A total of 258 individuals were recruited for the study. The proportion of study participants who had a 25(OH)D level of <20ng/ml thus classified as vitamin D deficient was 17.4% (95% C.I 12.73-22.07). The 25(OH)D level that coincided with a significant increase in PTH was 30ng/ml. There was no statistically significant difference in calcium and inorganic phosphate levels between Vitamin D deficient and non-deficient individuals (U=3788 p 0.06, U=4299 p 0.499). vi Males were less likely to be vitamin D deficient (O.R 0.48 (C.I 0.233-0.993) p 0.04). Sunshine exposure for ≥3 hours reduced the odds of being Vitamin D deficient though this was not statistically significant after multivariate regression analysis. The use of sunscreen and dietary intake of oily fish didn’t reduce the odds of one being vitamin D deficient. Conclusion: This study highlights the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in a healthy black African population based on a widely adopted cut off. Given that calcium and phosphate levels didn’t differ between vitamin D deficient and non-deficient individuals, the appropriateness of