Burden of congenital and hereditary anomalies in the population of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan.

Objectives: This study was aimed to elucidate the prevalence-pattern of congenital and hereditary anomalies (CA) in the population of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), which is a logistically difficult area in the north-east of Pakistan and in the foot-hills of Himalayas.

Method: A cross-sectional clinico-epidemiological study was carried out during 2018-2020 in three districts of AJK and individuals/families with CA were recruited from hospitals, public places and through door-to-door surveys. The anomalies were classified with the help of specialized clinicians and their definitions were sought from OMIM and ICD-10 databases.

SYNERGISTIC ANTIBIOFILM ACTIVITY OF PROBIOTIC LACTOBACILLUS ACIDOPHILUS AND PUNICA GRANATUM L., AGAINST PSEUDOMONAS AERUGINOSA BIOFILM.

Background: Antibiotic resistance is one of the most urgent public health concerns. Biofilm formation is well linked with chronic wounds, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, urinary tract infections, and cystic fibrosis. Our goal was to assess the biofilm activity of P.

A Cross-talk between Nanomedicines and Cardiac Complications: Comprehensive View.

Background: Cardiovascular Diseases (CVDs) are the leading cause of global morbidity and mortality, necessitating innovative approaches for both therapeutics and diagnostics. Nanoscience has emerged as a promising frontier in addressing the complexities of CVDs.

Objective: This study aims to explorethe interaction of CVDs and Nanomedicine (NMs), focusing on applications in therapeutics and diagnostics.

Enhancing Wheat Tolerance to Cadmium Stress through Moringa Leaf Extract Foliar Application.

Cadmium, a hazardous heavy metal prevalent in plants and soil, poses a significant threat to human health, particularly as approximately 60% of the global population consumes wheat, which can accumulate high levels of Cd through its roots. This uptake leads to the translocation of Cd to the shoots and grains, exacerbating the potential health risks. However, promising results have been observed with the use of moringa leaf extract (MLE) foliar spray in mitigating the adverse effects of Cd stress.

Sustainable development of concrete through treated and untreated plastic waste aggregates.

This study focused on sustainable and novel development of concrete through treated and untreated plastic waste aggregates. In this study, the surface of Elec-waste coarse aggregates was treated with sulfuric acid, marble dust coating, silica fume coating, and alkaline bleach. Elec-waste aggregates were used in concrete by replacing natural coarse aggregates in amounts of 10%, 20%, and 30%.

Epidemiology and outcomes of out of hospital cardiac arrest in Karachi, Pakistan - A longitudinal study.

Background: Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality globally, with survival outcomes remaining poor particularly in many low- and middle-income countries. We aimed to establish a pilot OHCA registry in Karachi, Pakistan to provide insights into OHCA patient demographics, pre-hospital and in-hospital care, and outcomes.

Methods: A multicenter longitudinal study was conducted from August 2015-October 2019 across 11 Karachi hospitals, using a standardized Utstein-based survey form.

Investigation of the toxicity and safety concerns of transgenic maize seeds expressing immunogenic F and HN protein genes against Newcastle disease virus.

Introduction: The presented study investigated the potential toxicity and safety concerns associated with transgenic maize seeds expressing immunogenic F and HN protein genes against Newcastle disease virus (NDV).

Methodology: The experiment involved feeding Sprague-Dawley rats with transgenic maize seeds formulated into standard diets at levels of 30% (w/w) for a duration of 90 days. The rats were divided into three groups, with 10 rats per group.

Effects of Virtual Reality-Based Mirror Therapy on Upper Extremity Motor Function, Manual Performance and Gross Manual Dexterity Among Stroke Patients: A Meta-Analysis.

In recent years, innovative technologies have gained prominence in stroke patient rehabilitation worldwide, with virtual reality-based mirror therapy (VRBMT) emerging as a notable example. Hence, the present study aims to determine the efficacy of VRBMT on upper extremity motor function, manual performance, and gross manual dexterity among stroke patients. The systematic search utilized Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome, and Design (PICOD) paradigm, and the study searched was based on 2012-2023, utilizing different databases.

Exome sequencing reveals genetic heterogeneity in consanguineous Pakistani families with neurodevelopmental and neuromuscular disorders.

There remains a crucial need to address inequalities in genomic research and include populations from low- and middle-income countries (LMIC). Here we present eight consanguineous families from Pakistan, five with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) and three with neuromuscular disorders (NMDs). Affected individuals were clinically characterized, and genetic variants were identified through exome sequencing (ES), followed by family segregation analysis.

Safeguarding Accuracy: The Impact of Interventions on Reducing Blood Culture Contamination.

Introduction: Blood culture is the gold standard for diagnosing bacteremia and direct the physicians to select appropriate antimicrobials. In hospitals, blood culture contamination (BCC) is a common problem that has a detrimental effect on patient outcomes. Hence, we implemented strategies in our tertiary care setup, for training phlebotomists and nurses in proper blood sampling techniques, and assessed their effectiveness in reducing BCC rates.

Comprehensive Analysis of Craniopharyngioma: Epidemiology, Clinical Characteristics, Management Strategies, and Role of Radiotherapy.

Background/aim: Craniopharyngiomas pose challenges in diagnosis and management due to their rare occurrence and diverse clinical manifestations. This study aimed to provide a comprehensive analysis of cranio-pharyngioma, including its epidemiological trends, clinical presentations, radiological characteristics, surgical interventions, and the role of radiotherapy.

Patients And Methods: A retrospective observational study was conducted on 23 patients diagnosed with craniopharyngioma at our hospital from August 2017 to July 2019.

The effects of submicron-textured surface topography on antibiotic efficacy against biofilms.

Submicron-textured surfaces have been a promising approach to mitigate biofilm development and control microbial infection. However, the use of the single surface texturing approach is still far from ideal for achieving complete control of microbial infections on implanted biomedical devices. The use of a surface topographic modification that might improve the utility of standard antibiotic therapy could alleviate the complications of biofilms on devices.

Bridging distances and saving costs: insights from a pilot project of telerheumatology in a rural area of Pakistan.

Enhancing access to healthcare remains a formidable challenge in rural regions of low- and lower-middle-income countries. Amid evolving healthcare challenges, telerheumatology provides opportunities to bridge gaps and expand access to rheumatology care, particularly in remote areas. We describe a pilot telerheumatology program and its cost-, time-, and travel-saving potential in a remote rural setting in northern Pakistan.

Buch. -Ham.: a comprehensive review of its botany, traditional uses, phytochemistry, and pharmacology.

(Family: Fabaceae) is an important medicinal plant widely distributed in arid parts of the world, including Pakistan, India, and Afghanistan. This plant has enormous ethnobotanical values and is used to treat various common ailments such as swelling, infections, cancer, hydrophobia, pain and skin diseases. Moreover, it is also utilised as food for goats, to make sheds for animals and as a suitable soil binder.

Genus Berberis: A Comprehensive and Updated Review on Ethnobotanical Uses, Phytochemistry and Pharmacological Activities.

Genus Berberis is an excellent choice for research due to its history in traditional medicine, diverse pharmacological properties, and it has potential for drug discovery. This review presents information on the ethnobotany, pharmacological activities, and many phytochemicals identified from Berberis species. It examines the existing literature on the genus Berberis, drawn from online databases, including PubMed, Web of Science, Science Direct, Elsevier, and Google Scholar, etc encompassing the data from 1960 to 2023.

Evaluation of Colorimetric Nitrate Reductase Assay in Liquid Medium for Detection of Resistance to First-line Antitubercular Drugs.

Background: On a global scale, India holds the distinction of having the greatest number of tuberculosis (TB) cases caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) complex. The study aimed at evaluating the sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, cost, rapidity, and feasibility of the performance of the colorimetric nitrate reductase-based antibiotic susceptibility (CONRAS) test against the indirect proportion method (IPM) on Lowenstein-Jensen media as the gold standard.

Methods: A comparative cross-sectional study was performed on 51 MTB isolates.

Quality of Trauma Surgery Podcasts in Credibility, Content, and Design.

Importance: There has been an emerging trend of podcast use in medical education over the past decade. With the increasing number of podcasts and learners' interest in trauma surgery, it is vital to validate the quality of these podcasts.

Objective: To determine the quantity and quality of podcast episodes on trauma surgery.

Role of Topical Estrogen in Outcomes of Myringoplasty: Does it Really Affect the Results of Graft Success and Hearing Thresholds?

The tympanic membrane forms a barrier between the external auditory canal and the middle ear. In the inactive mucosal type of chronic otitis media, there is a perforation in the tympanic membrane which is surgically managed by Myringoplasty. Estrogen as a growth factor has been shown to have a mitogenic effect on keratinocytes thus hastening the rate of epithelialization following injury.

Anti-Diabetic, Anti-Cholinesterase, and Anti-Inflammatory Potential of Plant Derived Extracts and Column Semi-Purified Fractions of .

Background: The present study aimed to investigate the anti-diabetic, anti-cholinesterase, and anti-inflammatory potential of extracts from different parts of , including leaves, stem, and roots, as well as isolated column fractions (F-B-1 C, F-B-2 C, F-B-3 C, and F-B-4 C).

Methods: The extracts and subsequent fractions were evaluated for their inhibitory activity against key enzymes involved in diabetes [α-glucosidase and α-amylase], neurodegenerative diseases [acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase], and inflammation (cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX)).

Results: The results showed that leaf extract exhibited the highest α-glucosidase inhibitory activity (73.