A Cross-Sectional Evaluation of Opioid Dispensing Competencies in Final-Year Pharm-D Students: A Multicenter Study from Punjab, Pakistan.

Background: The opioid crisis continues to be a public health concern worldwide due to the high rates of misuse and associated mortality. Opioid dispensing competencies are critical for pharmacy graduates to promote the rational use of opioids.

Purpose: To evaluate the opioids dispensing competencies among the final year Pharm-D students in Punjab, Pakistan.

Biofabrication of copper oxide nanoparticles using Dalbergia sisso leaf extract for antibacterial, antibiofilm and antioxidant activities.

One of the biggest challenges encountered by the current generation is the evolution of antibiotic resistant bacteria as a result of excessive and inappropriate use of antibiotics. This problem has led to the development of alternative approaches to treat the diseases caused by these multidrug resistant bacteria (MDR). One of the most promising and novel approaches to combat these pathogens is utilization of nanomaterials as antimicrobial agents.

COVID-19: A threat to the respiratory system.

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), causes acute coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) that has emerged on a pandemic level. Coronaviruses are well-known to have a negative impact on the lungs and cardiovascular system. SARS-CoV-2 induces a cytokine storm that primarily targets the lungs, causing widespread clinical disorders, including COVID-19.

A novel 14mer peptide, T14, is associated with age-dependent behaviour in female mice.

Age-related cognitive decline presents a healthcare challenge. While age-related mechanisms are mainly studied in humans, animal models provide key insights. Despite evidence of sex-specific differences in aging and cognition, the impact of age on female rodent behaviour is underexplored.

Strengthening Cause of Death Statistics in Selected Districts of 3 States in India: Protocol for an Uncontrolled, Before-After, Mixed Method Study.

Background: Mortality statistics are vital for health policy development, epidemiological research, and health care service planning. A robust surveillance system is essential for obtaining vital information such as cause of death (CoD) information.

Objective: This study aims to develop a comprehensive model to strengthen the CoD information in the selected study sites.

Dextromethorphan inhibits collagen and collagen-like cargo secretion to ameliorate lung fibrosis.

Excessive deposition of fibrillar collagen in the interstitial extracellular matrix (ECM) of human lung tissue causes fibrosis, which can ultimately lead to organ failure. Despite our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying the disease, no cure for pulmonary fibrosis has yet been found. We screened a drug library and found that dextromethorphan (DXM), a cough expectorant, reduced the amount of excess fibrillar collagen deposited in the ECM in cultured primary human lung fibroblasts, a bleomycin mouse model, and a cultured human precision-cut lung slice model of lung fibrosis.

Unlocking the potential of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists in revolutionizing type 2 diabetes management: a comprehensive review.

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a long-term metabolic disorder caused by inadequate production and resistance to insulin. The prevalence of DM is rapidly increasing, with type 2 diabetes (T2D) accounting for more than 90% of cases. Despite new treatments, many patients with T2D do not meet their glycemic targets due to clinical inertia.

PreVenTB trial: protocol for evaluation of efficacy and safety of two vaccines VPM1002 and Immuvac (Mw) in preventing tuberculosis (TB) in healthy household contacts of newly diagnosed sputum smear-positive pulmonary TB patients: phase III, randomised, double-blind, three-arm placebo-controlled trial.

Introduction: Tuberculosis (TB) continues to be one of the deadliest infectious diseases over the centuries, killing more people worldwide than any other single infectious disease. There is an urgent need for additional strategies which can expedite efforts to combat TB including a preventive vaccine. In this endeavour, we have developed a protocol for a multisite, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial in India that aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of two TB vaccines; namely, VPM1002 and Immuvac () () (MIP) among healthy household contacts (HHCs) of sputum smear-positive pulmonary TB (PTB) patients.

External validation of the Spinal Infection Treatment Evaluation score: a single-center 19-year review of de novo spinal infections.

Objective: The escalating incidence of de novo spinal infections poses a substantial neurological impact on patients. This has prompted a growing interest in discerning which patients would derive greater benefit from medical as opposed to surgical management of these occurrences. The authors assessed the predictive applicability of the Spinal Infection Treatment Evaluation (SITE) score in discerning between surgical intervention and medical management.

Impact of immunological aging on T cell-mediated therapies in older adults with multiple myeloma and lymphoma.

The treatment landscape for lymphoma and multiple myeloma, which disproportionally affect older adults, has been transformed by the advent of T cell-mediated immunotherapies, including immune checkpoint inhibition, T cell-engaging bispecific antibodies, and chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy, during the last decade. These treatment modalities re-enable the patient's own immune system to combat malignant cells and offer the potential for sustained remissions and cure for various diseases.Age profoundly affects the physiological function of the immune system.

Evaluating the effectiveness of various agents as interim preservative media for biopsy specimens: An experimental in vitro study.

In the field of medicine, diagnosing diseases involves various steps, procedures, and protocols. Histopathological examination remains the gold standard for a definitive and accurate diagnosis. This process relies on an initial step of tissue fixation.

Enhancements in artificial intelligence for medical examinations: A leap from ChatGPT 3.5 to ChatGPT 4.0 in the FRCS trauma & orthopaedics examination.

Introduction: ChatGPT is a sophisticated AI model capable of generating human-like text based on the input it receives. ChatGPT 3.5 showed an inability to pass the FRCS (Tr&Orth) examination due to a lack of higher-order judgement in previous studies.

DiMA: sequence diversity dynamics analyser for viruses.

Sequence diversity is one of the major challenges in the design of diagnostic, prophylactic, and therapeutic interventions against viruses. DiMA is a novel tool that is big data-ready and designed to facilitate the dissection of sequence diversity dynamics for viruses. DiMA stands out from other diversity analysis tools by offering various unique features.

Impact of vitamin D on hyperoxic acute lung injury in neonatal mice.

Background: Prolonged exposure to hyperoxia can lead to hyperoxic acute lung injury (HALI) in preterm neonates. Vitamin D (VitD) stimulates lung maturation and acts as an anti-inflammatory agent. Our objective was to determine if VitD provides a dose-dependent protective effect against HALI by reducing inflammatory cytokine expression and improving alveolarization and lung function in neonatal mice.

Analyzing the impact of holistic building design on the process of lifecycle management of building structures.

This research examines how Holistic Building Design (HBD) affects Lifecycle Management of Building Structures in the ever-changing construction market. HBD includes adaptability, environmental sustainability, maintenance, and disaster preparation. It is a key idea in the present boom in resilient and sustainable building techniques.

Internet of things (IoT) for safety and efficiency in construction building site operations.

Internet of Things (IoT) technologies present transformative opportunities through connectivity of intelligent devices, environmental sensors, and integrated management systems. This study aims to investigate the benefits and impact of IoT implementation on construction sites by analyzing relationships between key factors and outcomes for safety and efficiency. Hypotheses were developed proposing positive correlations between each factor and effective IoT adoption on construction sites.

Artificial intelligence in planned orthopaedic care.

The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into orthopaedic care has gained considerable interest in recent years, evidenced by the growing body of literature boasting wide-ranging applications across the perioperative setting. This includes automated diagnostic imaging, clinical decision-making tools, optimisation of implant design, robotic surgery, and remote patient monitoring. Collectively, these advances propose to enhance patient care and improve system efficiency.

Same-day discharge for pediatric Nuss procedure; an analysis of the NSQIP-pediatric database from 2017-2022.

Purpose: Limited data exists evaluating same-day discharge for pediatric Nuss procedure; most being single-center studies. Our analysis, using the NSQIP-P registry, aimed to assess if same-day discharge for the Nuss procedure influenced post-operative outcomes.

Methods: The NSQIP-P database (2017-2022) identified patients who underwent the Nuss procedure.

Unusual location of aortic root abscess as a complication of bicuspid aortic valve infective endocarditis by a rare organism.

A man in his 50s with diabetes, hypertension and history of multiple percutaneous coronary interventions presented with 3 weeks of fever and worsening shortness of breath. There was clinical suspicion of infective endocarditis with raised infective parameters. Transthoracic echocardiogram showed abnormally thickened, bicuspid aortic valve with suspicion of paravalvular aortic root abscess.

Comparative Proteomic Analysis of Cell Wall Proteins of Aminoglycosides Resistant and Sensitive Mycobacterium tuberculosis Clinical Isolates.

Introduction: The rising prevalence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M.tb) strains resistant to aminoglycosides (amikacin and kanamycin) challenges effective TB control and treatment. Understanding the mechanisms behind this resistance is crucial since aminoglycosides are a mainstay of TB therapy.

Cytomegalovirus Colitis Mimicking Ulcerative Colitis Flare in an Immunocompromised Patient: A Challenging Diagnosis.

This case report details a 40-year-old male patient with a background of ulcerative colitis (UC), who presented with persistent bloody diarrhea refractory to standard treatment. The clinical picture was initially suggestive of a UC flare-up, prompting the continued use of immunosuppressive therapy. However, histopathological evaluation ultimately revealed cytomegalovirus (CMV) colitis, a condition that can mimic UC exacerbation but requires a distinct treatment approach.

Assessing the effectiveness of tumour board education among medical students: a pre-post-test analysis.

Introduction: Multidisciplinary tumour boards (MDTs) play a vital role in providing high-quality cancer care. In Pakistan's compromised healthcare system, there is a lack of tumour board establishment. To bridge this gap, we aimed to enhance medical education by exposing medical students to the processes and advantages of MDTs early in their careers through conducting a mock tumour board.