Underutilization of Influenza Antiviral Treatment Among Children and Adolescents at Higher Risk for Influenza-Associated Complications - United States, 2023-2024.

Annually, tens of thousands of U.S. children and adolescents are hospitalized with seasonal influenza virus infection.

Interim Estimates of 2023-24 Seasonal Influenza Vaccine Effectiveness - United States.

In the United States, annual influenza vaccination is recommended for all persons aged ≥6 months. Using data from four vaccine effectiveness (VE) networks during the 2023-24 influenza season, interim influenza VE was estimated among patients aged ≥6 months with acute respiratory illness-associated medical encounters using a test-negative case-control study design. Among children and adolescents aged 6 months-17 years, VE against influenza-associated outpatient visits ranged from 59% to 67% and against influenza-associated hospitalization ranged from 52% to 61%.

A review on endophytic fungi: a potent reservoir of bioactive metabolites with special emphasis on blight disease management.

Phytopathogenic microorganisms have caused blight diseases that present significant challenges to global agriculture. These diseases result in substantial crop losses and have a significant economic impact. Due to the limitations of conventional chemical treatments in effectively and sustainably managing these diseases, there is an increasing interest in exploring alternative and environmentally friendly approaches for disease control.

Patent "Evergreening" of Medicine-Device Combination Products: A Global Perspective.

Background: Patenting medicine-delivery devices (inhalers and pens) is controversial when it extends market protections beyond that of the underlying therapeutic agent. We evaluated how common device patenting is, internationally.

Method: Using a product sample (n = 88) and an international patent database, we assessed the issue's scope.

Is bicarbonate therapy effective in preventing CKD progression?

YES. Long-term sodium bicarbonate therapy slightly slows the loss of renal function in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and may moderately reduce progression to end-stage renal disease (strength of recommendation [SOR]: B, meta-analyses of lower-quality randomized controlled trails [RCTs]). Therapy duration of 1 year or less may not be beneficial (SOR: C, secondary analyses in meta-analyses).

Cardiovascular effects of space radiation: implications for future human deep space exploration.

Background: A manned mission to Mars has been contemplated by the world's largest space agencies for a number of years. The duration of the trip would necessitate a much longer exposure to deep space radiation than any human has ever been exposed to in the past. Concern regarding cancer risk has thus far stalled the progress of deep space exploration; however, the effect of space radiation on the cardiovascular system is significantly less well understood.

Teaching children road safety through storybooks: an approach to child health literacy in Pakistan.

Background: Road traffic injuries (RTIs) commonly affect the younger population in low- and-middle-income countries. School children may be educated about road safety using storybooks with colorful pictures, which tends to increase the child's interest in the text. Therefore, this study assessed the use of bilingual pictorial storybooks to improve RTI prevention knowledge among school children.

Spontaneous Splenic Infarcts in a Cirrhotic Patient with Primary Biliary Cirrhosis.

Spontaneous splenic infarction has been rarely reported as a complication of cirrhosis and portal hypertension. We describe the case of a 67-year-old female with past medical history of primary biliary cirrhosis presenting for a 1-day history of left upper quadrant pain. Investigations were in favor of splenic infarcts secondary to portal hypertension.

Ambulance use in Pakistan: an analysis of surveillance data from emergency departments in Pakistan.

Background: The utilization of ambulances in low- and middle-income countries is limited. The aim of this study was to ascertain frequency of ambulance use and characteristics of patients brought into emergency departments (EDs) through ambulance and non-ambulance modes of transportation.

Methods: The Pakistan National Emergency Departments Surveillance (Pak-NEDS) was a pilot active surveillance conducted in seven major tertiary-care EDs in six main cities of Pakistan between November 2010 and March 2011.

Prehospital Airway Management in Emergency and Trauma Patients: A Cross-sectional Study of Ambulance Service Providers and Staff in a Low- and Middle-income Country.

Background: Prehospital airway management (AM) is the first priority in the care of emergency and trauma victims as it has shown to improve survival in these patients.

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess training and knowledge of ambulance staff and availability of AM equipment in ambulances of Karachi, Pakistan.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted from June through September 2014.