Hepatitis C virus infection is a serious liver disease that can progress to cirrhosis and, in chronic cases, lead to liver cancer or liver failure. Pakistan has the second highest burden of HCV in the world, a rising number of liver cancer cases and a unique pattern of healthcare-associated HCV transmission. Unfortunately, the country is not on track to meet the WHO's target of complete elimination of HCV by 2030.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Microaggressions are being increasingly documented within the medical community. With their rising prevalence, there is concern that microaggressions can lead to suboptimal working environments, victim burnout, and compromised patient safety. Orthopaedics, known for macroaggressions like bullying and sexual discrimination, remains the least diverse specialty, potentially predisposing its staff to microaggressions.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground Several studies have investigated the role of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) in diagnosing and predicting the severity of acute appendicitis; however, few studies have analyzed its usefulness in pediatric appendicitis patients particularly in predicting postoperative complications. We investigated the role of NLR and assessed its clinical utility as a predictor of postoperative infectious complications in children with acute appendicitis. Methodology We performed a prospective cross-sectional study from July 2023 to July 2024 on 135 pediatric patients aged five to 12 years undergoing emergency appendectomy and having operative findings or histopathological confirmation of appendicitis.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFNon-bacterial thrombotic endocarditis (NBTE), formerly recognized as marantic endocarditis, represents a rare cardiovascular pathology intricately linked with hypercoagulable states, notably malignancy and autoimmune disorders. Characterized by the development of sterile vegetations comprised of fibrin and platelets on cardiac valves, NBTE poses a diagnostic challenge due to its resemblance to infective endocarditis. Therapeutic endeavours primarily revolve around addressing the underlying aetiology and instituting anticoagulant regimens to forestall embolic events, with surgical intervention seldom warranted.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe ongoing transition from a supply chain (SC) to net-zero emission (NZE) in SC performance must align with Sustainable Development Goal 13 to address climate change using life cycle assessment (LCA). Effective management of LCA significantly impacts an organization's competitiveness. With a lack of technology oversight and its connections with other enabling parameters that increase competitiveness, practices in the manufacturing industry remain limited.
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