A short communication regarding the trends and prevalence of H. Pylori in unselected gastric mucosal biopsy samples at a tertiary care hospital in Karachi, Pakistan: a five-year retrospective study.

A spiral gram-negative bacteria, known as helicobacter pylori, is frequently discovered in the stomach and is linked to a number of clinical disorders. Understanding its prevalence and trends is crucial for both improved clinical outcomes as well as greater epidemiological insight into the region. The current retrospective study was planned to analyse the prevalence and frequency trends of helicobacter pylori in gastric mucosal samples from a Karachi-based tertiary care centre.

Costs of outpatient services at selected primary healthcare centers in Bangladesh: A cross-sectional study.

Background: Upazila Health Complexes (UzHC) serve as the backbone of primary healthcare (PHC) at the sub-district level in Bangladesh, delivering comprehensive healthcare services including both inpatient and outpatient services to the grassroots levels. However, not all the prescribed medicines and diagnostics services are always available at these facilities for outpatient care. This results in out-of-pocket expenditure (OOPE) to the patients for getting prescribed medicines and diagnostics services which has not been properly explored.

Can we realize seamless traffic safety at smart intersections by predicting and preventing impending crashes?

Intersections are frequently identified as crash hotspots for roadways in major cities, leading to significant human casualties. We propose crash likelihood prediction as an effective strategy to proactively prevent intersection crashes. So far, no reliable models have been developed for intersections that effectively account for the variation in crash types and the cyclical nature of Signal Phasing and Timing (SPaT) and traffic flow.

Prevalence and Outcomes of Sepsis in Patients With Colon Carcinoma: Organism-Specific Analysis.

Background Sepsis is a challenging condition, especially in patients with malignancy, that is associated with worse mortality and increased complications. This study aimed to analyze the prevalence of sepsis, its complications, healthcare outcomes, and associated organism-specific mortality in patients with colorectal carcinoma using the National Inpatient Sample database. Methodology We included patients aged >18 years with a primary diagnosis of colon cancer.

Pain determinants and quality of life in Guillain-Barre syndrome: a prospective cohort study.

Background: Pain is a serious manifestation in both the acute and chronic stages of Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS). We evaluated the frequency, characteristics and associated factors of pain and its impact on quality of life (QoL) among patients with GBS.

Methods: We enrolled 644 patients with GBS from prospective cohort studies in Bangladesh conducted between 2010 and 2024.

Understanding the Occurrence and Fate of Atmospheric Microplastics and Their Potential Risks to Human Health: Protocol for a Cross-Sectional Analysis.

Background: Plastic pollution has reached an alarming magnitude, defining the contemporary era as the "Plastic Age." Uncontrolled plastic production and inadequate recycling processes have led to widespread contamination of the environment with micro and nanoplastics.

Objective: The study aims to assess the environmental and human health consequences of exposure to microplastic particles (MPs) and their additives among plastic recycling workers in Dhaka.

Resistome phylodynamics of multidrug-resistant isolated from diarrheal patients.

Multi-drug resistance (MDR) in continues to pose a significant public health challenge, particularly in developing countries. Recent advances in genomics strengthen the surveillance of MDR-pathogens and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) mediators. However, genome-based investigations into resistome dynamics in are limited, specifically in Bangladesh.

Prediction of respiratory failure and prolonged mechanical ventilation in Guillain-Barré syndrome: A prospective cohort study in Bangladesh.

Background And Aims: The aim of this study is to validate and perform a region-specific adjustment of the Erasmus GBS Respiratory Insufficiency Score (EGRIS) and identify potential predictors of prolonged mechanical ventilation (PMV) among Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) patients from Bangladesh.

Methods: We enrolled GBS patients from four prospective observational cohort studies conducted in Bangladesh. Accuracy of EGRIS to predict the requirement of MV in <7 days of study entry was evaluated.

Direct detection system for full-field nanoscale X-ray diffraction-contrast imaging.

Recent developments in X-ray science provide methods to probe deeply embedded mesoscale grain structures and spatially resolve them using dark field X-ray microscopy (DFXM). Extending this technique to investigate weak diffraction signals such as magnetic systems, quantum materials and thin films prove challenging due to available detection methods and incident X-ray flux at the sample. We present a direct detection method developed in conjunction with KAImaging which focuses on DFXM studies in the hard X-ray range of 10s of keV and above capable of approaching nanoscale resolution.

Physico-mechanical characterization and DFT studies of benzoyl peroxide treated water hyacinth reinforced polypropylene composites.

The use of eco-friendly natural fiber-reinforced polymer composites is rapidly expanding across diverse sectors. The rapid spread of water hyacinth disrupts aquatic ecosystems by modifying the pH of water and salinity in Bangladesh. This work investigated on the impact of incorporating both untreated and chemically treated water hyacinth fibers into polypropylene (PP).

Enhancing the light yield of He:CF based gaseous detector.

The CYGNO experiment aims to build a large ( m ) directional detector for rare event searches, such as nuclear recoils (NRs) induced by dark matter (DM), such as weakly interactive massive particles (WIMPs). The detector concept comprises a time projection chamber (TPC), filled with a He:CF 60/40 scintillating gas mixture at room temperature and atmospheric pressure, equipped with an amplification stage made of a stack of three gas electron multipliers (GEMs) which are coupled to an optical readout. The latter consists in scientific CMOS (sCMOS) cameras and photomultipliers tubes (PMTs).

Hematological, cardiovascular and oxidative DNA damage markers associated with heavy metal exposure in electronic waste (e-waste) workers of Bangladesh.

Electronic waste (e-waste) contains hazardous elements such as lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg), and other toxic elements that pose significant health risks to the population directly exposed. We recruited 199 e-waste recycling workers and 104 non-exposed workers in Bangladesh and analyzed heavy metals in blood and hair, as well as hematological and cardiovascular parameters including, blood lipids and blood pressure. We fitted quantile regression models at 0.

Targeted NAD repletion via biomimetic nanoparticle enables simultaneous management of intimal hyperplasia and accelerated re-endothelialization: A proof-of-concept study toward next-generation of endothelium-protective, anti-restenotic therapy.

Endovascular interventions often fail due to restenosis, primarily caused by smooth muscle cell (SMC) proliferation, leading to intimal hyperplasia (IH). Current strategies to prevent restenosis are far from perfect and impose significant collateral damage on the fragile endothelial cell (EC), causing profound thrombotic risks. Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) is a co-enzyme and signaling substrate implicated in redox and metabolic homeostasis, with a pleiotropic role in protecting against cardiovascular diseases.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the incidence of cardiometabolic risk factors among workers: results from the Japan Epidemiology Collaboration on Occupational Health study.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic and associated restrictions on human activities have greatly changed lifestyles, which might have deteriorated the cardiometabolic profile.

Objective: This study aimed to examine the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the incidence of cardiometabolic risk factors among Japanese workers in fiscal years (FY) 2020 and 2021 compared with the prepandemic period.

Method: This study comprised an average of 71 025 employees in Japan who underwent annual health check-ups for at least two successive years from 2015 to 2021.

A Review of Microstrip Patch Antenna-Based Passive Sensors.

This paper briefly overviews and discusses the existing techniques using antennas for passive sensing, starting from the antenna operating principle and antenna structural design to different antenna-based sensing mechanisms. The effects of different electrical properties of the material used to design an antenna, such as conductivity, loss tangent, and resistivity, are discussed to illustrate the fundamental sensing mechanisms. Furthermore, the key parameters, such as operating frequency and antenna impedance, along with the factors affecting the sensing performance, are discussed.

The role of 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase in vascular smooth muscle cell phenotypic switching and angioplasty-induced intimal hyperplasia.

Background: Restenosis poses a significant challenge for individuals afflicted with peripheral artery diseases, often leading to considerable morbidity and necessitating repeated interventions. The primary culprit behind the pathogenesis of restenosis is intimal hyperplasia (IH), in which the hyperproliferative and migratory vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) accumulate excessively in the tunica intima. 6-Phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (6PGD), sometimes referred to as PGD, is one of the critical enzymes in pentose phosphate pathway (PPP).

Dph4 is an Hsp70 Cochaperone with Iron-Binding Properties.

J-domain proteins (JDPs) are obligate cochaperones of Hsp70s with a wide range of functions in protein homeostasis. Although the J-domain is required for the stimulation of Hsp70s ATPase activity, the functional specificity of JDPs is governed by domains or regions other than the J-domain. Jjj3/Dph4, a class III JDP, is required for diphthamide (DPH) biosynthesis in eukaryotes, including yeast and mammals.

Glucokinase (GCK) in diabetes: from molecular mechanisms to disease pathogenesis.

Glucokinase (GCK), a key enzyme in glucose metabolism, plays a central role in glucose sensing and insulin secretion in pancreatic β-cells, as well as glycogen synthesis in the liver. Mutations in the GCK gene have been associated with various monogenic diabetes (MD) disorders, including permanent neonatal diabetes mellitus (PNDM) and maturity-onset diabetes of the young (MODY), highlighting its importance in maintaining glucose homeostasis. Additionally, GCK gain-of-function mutations lead to a rare congenital form of hyperinsulinism known as hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia (HH), characterized by increased enzymatic activity and increased glucose sensitivity in pancreatic β-cells.

Impact of Hypoglycemia on Hospitalized Patients With Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Aims Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the common liver malignancies that presents a challenge to global healthcare. The impact and outcomes of hypoglycemia in HCC have not been studied in detail before. This study aimed to investigate the outcomes and prognosis associated with hypoglycemia in patients diagnosed with HCC, utilizing a large-scale database approach.

Local strain inhomogeneities during electrical triggering of a metal-insulator transition revealed by X-ray microscopy.

Electrical triggering of a metal-insulator transition (MIT) often results in the formation of characteristic spatial patterns such as a metallic filament percolating through an insulating matrix or an insulating barrier splitting a conducting matrix. When MIT triggering is driven by electrothermal effects, the temperature of the filament or barrier can be substantially higher than the rest of the material. Using X-ray microdiffraction and dark-field X-ray microscopy, we show that electrothermal MIT triggering leads to the development of an inhomogeneous strain profile across the switching device, even when the material does not undergo a pronounced, discontinuous structural transition coinciding with the MIT.

COVID-19 vaccination in low and middle-income countries: Creating a sustainable roadmap for promoting public health intervention.

The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is a global public health threat ravaging the health systems. In low and middle-income countries (LMICs), COVID-19 and several other challenges concurrently worsen the health outcome indicators. Interestingly, vaccines have been identified as the most reliable and cost-effective public health intervention, and the governments in LMICs have instituted an array of plans to ensure every eligible person gets vaccinated.

Anaemia among adolescent girls, pregnant and lactating women in the southern rural region of Bangladesh: Prevalence and risk factors.

Anaemia is a major public health concern in developing countries, particularly among children, adolescents, and women of reproductive age. The study aimed to assess the anaemia status among adolescent girls, pregnant, and lactating women with their contributing factors in the southern rural regions of Bangladesh. This cross-sectional study was conducted among 400 adolescent girls, 375 pregnant, and 375 lactating women using a multistage cluster-random sampling technique.