Publications by authors named "Afridi M"

Background: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) prevalence has risen significantly, affecting millions globally and posing a major healthcare burden. OSA is strongly associated with cardiovascular diseases (CVD) such as heart failure, stroke, and ischemic heart disease. However, trends in CVD-related mortality among individuals with OSA remain underexplored.

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Pakistan, like many other regions around the world, is experiencing the impacts of climate change, particularly in its northern region. These changes have adverse impacts on ecosystems and biodiversity. Herein, we have investigated future projections of temperature and precipitation trends for three periods historical (HT = 1975-2005), near-term (NT = 2010-2029), and mid-term (MT = 2030-2050) using climate model intercomparison projects along with global climate models (GCMs) including RCP4.

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Aims: Current research work aims to synthesize hybrid compounds with a thiazole-thiazolidinone structure, as potent inhibitors of urease and α-glucosidase enzymes.

Materials And Methods: These compounds were characterize throughHNMR,CNMR and HREI-MS techniques. These compounds were also evaluated for their potential to inhibit urease and α-glucosidase enzymes for the treatment of urinary tract infections (UTIs) and diabetes treatments.

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Objective: To identify the COVID-19 pandemic impact on well-being/mental health, coping strategies, and risk factors in adolescents worldwide.

Method: This study was based on an anonymous online multi-national/multi-language survey in the general population (representative/weighted non-representative samples, 14-17 years of age), measuring change in well-being (World Health Organization-Five Well-Being Index [WHO-5]/range = 0-100) and psychopathology (validated composite P-score/range = 0-100), WHO-5 <50 and <29, pre- vs during COVID-19 pandemic (April 26, 2020-June 26, 2022). Coping strategies and 9 a priori- defined individual/cumulative risk factors were measured.

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Over the last two decades, there has been a considerable increase in the usage of chitosan nanoparticles (CSNPs) for drug delivery applications in cancer treatment. However, a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of this emerging field is lacking. The current analysis pre-sents a detailed bibliometric assessment of the research evolution and trends in CSNPs for can-cer targeted-drug delivery from 2000 to 2022.

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Article Synopsis
  • The COH-FIT study is a large, multi-country survey aimed at identifying factors affecting wellbeing and mental health outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic, involving a representative sample of 121,066 adults.
  • Researchers analyzed both modifiable (like coping strategies and pre-pandemic stress) and non-modifiable factors (such as age, gender, and socioeconomic status), finding significant negative effects on wellbeing and psychopathology scores during the pandemic.
  • The study identified 15 modifiable and 9 non-modifiable risk factors, alongside 13 modifiable and 3 non-modifiable protective factors, emphasizing the importance of social support and coping strategies in mental health outcomes.
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Article Synopsis
  • There is a lack of comprehensive international studies examining multidimensional mental health and wellbeing before and during the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly identifying at-risk groups and effective coping strategies.
  • The COH-FIT survey, conducted from April 2020 to June 2022 in 30 languages, assessed changes in well-being and psychopathology among over 121,000 participants, revealing significant declines in mental health during the pandemic.
  • Key findings indicated that certain demographics, such as young adults and people in low-income countries, were particularly affected, while coping strategies like exercise, internet use, and maintaining social contacts emerged as the most effective for managing stress.
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Objective: To determine the frequency of new-onset diabetes mellitus (NODM) in patients with COVID-19 in a tertiary care hospital.

Method: It was a retrospective descriptive study carried out in Lady Reading Hospital Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan from November 2021 to April 2022. All patients having new onset Diabetes Mellitus (NODM) were identified among a total of 300 patients admitted to the hospital with COVID-19 infection.

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Saline soils pose significant challenges to global agricultural productivity, hindering crop growth and efficiency. Despite various mitigation strategies, the issue persists, underscoring the need for innovative and sustainable solutions. One promising approach involves leveraging microorganisms and their plant interactions to reclaim saline soils and bolster crop yields.

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Research suggests curcumin's safety and efficacy, prompting interest in its use for treating and preventing various human diseases. The current study aimed to predict drag ability of methyl substituted curcumin derivatives (BL1 to BL4) using SwissADME and Density Functional Theory (DFT) approaches. The curcumin derivatives investigated mostly adhere to Lipinski's rule of five, with molecular properties including MW, F.

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The pressing global issue of organic pollutants, particularly phenolic compounds derived primarily from industrial wastes, poses a significant threat to the environment. Although progress has been made in the development of low-cost materials for phenolic compound removal, their effectiveness remains limited. Thus, there is an urgent need for novel technologies to comprehensively address this issue.

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Radial neck fractures with radial head rotation are very rare and extremely difficult to manage. We present the case of an 11-year-old girl who fell on her outstretched left upper extremity and damaged her left elbow in a road traffic accident. An arthrotomy was performed under a C-Arm fluoroscope, which confirmed the radial head displacement of 180° along with the fracture.

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Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma (PDAC) remains one of the most formidable challenges in oncology, characterized by its late detection and poor prognosis. Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) are emerging as pivotal tools in revolutionizing PDAC care across various dimensions. Consequently, many studies have focused on using AI to improve the standard of PDAC care.

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Article Synopsis
  • - The study investigates improving the solubility and stability of the antipsychotic drug Aripiprazole (ARI) using inclusion complexes formed with Methyl-β-cyclodextrin (MβCD) or Hydroxy propyl beta cyclodextrin (HPβCD) combined with amino acids L-Arginine (ARG) and L-Lysine (LYS).
  • - Results show that inclusion complexes with ARG performed better than those with LYS, with the best solubility observed in a specific molar ratio of ARI:MβCD:ARG prepared through lyophilization, leading to an 18-fold increase in solubility.
  • - Various characterization techniques, including AT-
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Protein glycation in human body is closely linked to the onset/progression of diabetes associated complications. These glycated proteins are commonly known as advanced glycation end products (AGEs). Recent literature has also highlighted the involvement of AGEs in other non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as cardiovascular, cancer, and Alzheimer's diseases and explored the impact of plant metabolites on AGEs formation.

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Objective: To detect any association between the A-Point-Nasion-B-Point angle, self-recognition and self-preference, and to find the association of these variables with the skeletal class, age, and gender.

Study Design: Cross-sectional study. Place and Duration of the Study: Department of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopaedics, Khyber College of Dentistry, from October 2022 to April 2023.

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The plant-parasitic root-knot nematode Meloidogyne exigua causes significant damage and is an important threat in Coffea arabica plantations. The utilization of plant-beneficial microbes as biological control agents against sedentary endoparasitic nematodes has been a longstanding strategy. However, their application in field conditions to control root-knot nematodes and their interaction with the rhizospheric microbiota of coffee plants remain largely unexplored.

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Neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs) like Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), and Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) possess multifactorial aetiologies. In recent years, our understanding of the biochemical and molecular pathways across NDDs has increased, however, new advances in small molecule-based therapeutic strategies targeting NDDs are obscure and scarce. Moreover, NDDs have been studied for more than five decades, however, there is a paucity of drugs that can treat NDDs.

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Article Synopsis
  • Phyllosphere endophytes are essential for plant health, influencing growth and crop yield through key processes like leaf functionality and fruit development.
  • A bibliometric analysis of 156 research articles from 2002 to 2022 revealed a surge in publications post-2011, with notable contributions from authors like A Elizabeth Arnold and institutions such as the University of Arizona.
  • The study identifies key themes in endophyte research, emphasizing the need for broader collaboration among authors and institutions while focusing on areas like diversity, fungal endophytes, and growth dynamics.
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In this review, the intricate issue about the occurrence levels of mycotoxins in foods is discussed aiming to underline the main knowledge gaps on the persistence of these toxicants in the food production system. Mycotoxins have been a key challenge to the food industry, economic growth, and consumers' health. Despite a breadth of studies over the past decades, the persistence of mycotoxins in foods remain an overlooked concern that urges exploration.

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A wide range of abiotic and biotic stresses adversely affect plant's growth and production. Under stress, one of the main responses of plants is the modulation of exudates excreted in the rhizosphere, which consequently leads to alterations in the resident microbiota. Thus, the exudates discharged into the rhizospheric environment play a preponderant role in the association and formation of plant-microbe interactions.

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Introduction: Acute appendicitis is traditionally a clinical diagnosis where there are a range of diagnostic accuracies reported. The role of ultrasound is to improve specificity and decrease negative appendicectomy rate. It is a simple, non-invasive, easily available technique.

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Genomics-assisted breeding represents a crucial frontier in enhancing the balance between sustainable agriculture, environmental preservation, and global food security. Its precision and efficiency hold the promise of developing resilient crops, reducing resource utilization, and safeguarding biodiversity, ultimately fostering a more sustainable and secure food production system. Agriculture has been seriously threatened over the last 40 years by climate changes that menace global nutrition and food security.

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Objective: To compare Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) with Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) in highly suspected COVID-19 patients and to determine its diagnostic parameters.

Study Design: Hospital-based, descriptive/observational study. Place and Duration of the Study: Department of Medicine/COVID Complex, Medical Teaching Institution/Lady Reading Hospital, Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, from October 2021 to April 2022.

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Article Synopsis
  • - The study aimed to explore the relationship between different blood groups and the severity of Dengue fever in patients at Lady Reading Hospital in Peshawar over a six-month period.
  • - Among 160 patients, the majority had Dengue fever (63.1%), with blood Group B being the most common, but no significant link was found between blood type and disease severity.
  • - The results indicated that younger men were more frequently diagnosed with Dengue, showing high rates of common symptoms like fever and body aches, while blood Group AB was rarely affected and did not present cases of Dengue shock syndrome.
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