Adolopment of Recommendations for Standardized Reporting of Protein Electrophoresis in Pakistan.

Introduction: The standardization of reporting in clinical laboratories, particularly regarding Serum Protein Electrophoresis (SPEP) and Urine Protein Electrophoresis (UPEP), is crucial for effective communication of findings to clinicians and optimal patient management. However, in countries like Pakistan with limited healthcare resources and a prevalent self-payment model, challenges arise in achieving standardized reporting practices. This manuscript addresses the need for standardized guidelines for protein electrophoresis reporting in Pakistan, aiming to enhance laboratory practices and patient care.

Investigating metal (M = Mn, Fe, and Ni)-doped Co(OH) nanofibers for electrocatalytic oxygen evolution and electrochemical biosensing performance.

To achieve efficient and cost-effective electrochemical water splitting, highly active and affordable nanostructured catalysts are the key requirement. The current study presents the investigations of the efficacy of metal (Mn, Fe and Ni)-doped Co(OH) nanofibers towards oxygen evolution water splitting. Notably, Ni-doped Co(OH) demonstrates superior OER performance in KOH electrolyte, surpassing standard IrO with a modest potential of 1.

Reference Interval of Serum Gastrin 17 (G-17) for Healthy Population: A Non-Invasive Screening Biomarker for Gastric Disorders.

Objective: To analyse fasting serum concentrations of G-17 in healthy individuals to establish the reference intervals (RIs) in the Pakistani population.

Study Design: Cross-sectional, observational study. Place and Duration of the Study: Department of Clinical Chemistry and Immunology, Chughtai Institute of Pathology, Lahore, Pakistan, from October to December 2022.

A rare presentation of mesenteric cyst as persistent ascites: A case report.

Background: Mesenteric cysts have been typically described as cystic lesions of mesentery or omentum occurring either intra-abdominally or in the retroperitoneum. With no typical symptoms, the preoperative diagnosis of mesenteric cyst becomes challenging to establish.

Patient And Methods: In this case report, we describe the case of a 29-year-old female who presented with abdominal distension for seven years associated with intermittent constipation.

Reference Interval of Soluble FMS‑like Tyrosine Kinase‑1 in Non-Pregnant and Pregnant Females: A Novel Biomarker for Pre-eclampsia.

Objective: To determine the reference interval of soluble FMS-like tyrosine kinase-1 (sFIt-1) in healthy, non-pregnant and pregnant females.

Study Design: Observational study. Place and Duration of the Study: Department of Chemical Pathology, Chughtai Institute of Pathology, Lahore, from January to May 2023.

Assessment of heavy metals and associated oxidative stress in occupationally exposed workers from Bannu and Karak Districts in Pakistan.

Heavy metals (HMs) are extensively found in occupationally exposed miners and industrial workers, which may cause serious health-related problems to the large workforce. In order to evaluate the impact of these toxic pollutants, we have investigated the effect of cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), and lead (Pb) concentration on exposed workers of mining, and woolen textile mill and compared the findings with unexposed individuals. From each category like exposed workers (mining, and woolen mill textile site) and unexposed individuals, 50 blood samples were taken.

Factor Associated with HIV/AIDS knowledge among males: Findings from 2017-18 Pakistan Demographic and Health Survey.

Acquired immune deficiency syndrome (UNAIDS) has risen as the serious public health problem across the world. Knowledge about HIV/AIDS is the cornerstone for prevention and treatment. Research is needed to explore the attitude and the effect of different demographic, geographic, and socioeconomic and media exposure factors on males knowledge about HIV in Pakistan.

Analysis of adolescents' perception and awareness level for Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights in Pakistan.

Background: Awareness of rights is a precondition to establishing rule of law in society. Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) are closely knitted in the human rights framework as they overlap with other human rights such as the right to health and life. However, awareness about these rights remains a challenge.

Access to COVID-19 vaccination for transgender community in Multan, Punjab, Pakistan.

Given the discrimination, harassment, and lack of adequate healthcare facilities, the transgender community members find it hard to access the COVID-19 vaccination. The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the disparities in access to healthcare for the transgender community. In November 2020, on the topic of 'COVID-19 and Disaster Vulnerability in Pakistan: A Human Rights Based Analysis', a co-published report from the UNDP and Ministry of Human Rights Pakistan, reflected concerns on the challenges of access to healthcare for the transgender community in Pakistan.

Screening of various Brassica species for phytoremediation of heavy metals-contaminated soil of Lakki Marwat, Pakistan.

Natural resources, especially agrarian soils, have been much contaminated with various pollutants including heavy metals since industrial revolution, so it is pertinent to utilize green technology, the so-called phytoremediation technology for reclamation of heavy metal-contaminated soils. A pot experiment was conducted to screen four different species (Brassica juncea, Brassica napus, Brassica rapa, Brassica campestris) of Brassicaceae family for the remediation of HMs contaminated soil of Lakki Marwat city, Pakistan, irrigated with municipal wastewater. Plants were analyzed for various morpho-physiological, biochemical, and phytoextraction factors like bioaccumulation (BAF) and translocation factor (TF).

Atypical presentation of plasmablastic lymphoma in immunocompetent patient.

Plasmablastic lymphoma (PBL) is an uncommon and aggressive type of mature B cell lymphoma rarely involving gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Here, we describe a case of PBL involving the colon in HIV/Epstein-Barr virus negative immunocompetent patient who presented with anaemia and weight loss but no significant GI symptoms. It emphasises that even in the absence of classical risk factors, one should consider possibility of this condition as this is potentially curable.

Toward creating equity in access to COVID-19 vaccination for female population in Multan, Punjab, Pakistan.

The researchers examined the access to the COVID-19 vaccine among 32 females in Multan, Punjab, Pakistan. The aim of the study is to access the independence of decision-making among female participants to vaccinate themselves against the COVID-19. Participants of the study belong to Multan, a city of Southern Punjab.

Seroprevalence of COVID-19 IgG antibodies among healthcare workers of Pakistan: a cross-sectional study assessing exposure to COVID-19 and identification of high-risk subgroups.

Objective: In this study, we aimed to find the seroprevalence of healthcare workers (HCWs) of Pakistan involved in the treatment and care of patients with COVID-19.

Setting: This was a cross-sectional study and total of 15 000 HCWs involved in providing services and care to the patients with COVID-19 were randomly selected from all over Pakistan.

Participants: Informed consent was taken from all participants and were included according to inclusion and exclusion criteria.

Multivariate geo-statistical perspective: evaluation of agricultural soil contaminated by industrial estate's effluents.

Present study was carried out to explore heavy metals pollution and potential ecological risk factors associated with agriculture soil irrigated with industrial effluents of Hayatabad industrial estate, Peshawar (HIEP) and Gadoon industrial estate, Sawabi (GIES) of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan through multivariate geo-statistical tools. Diverse statistical tools like cluster analysis (HC) and principal component analysis (PCA), along with geo-statistical approaches were applied to highlight the geogenic and anthropogenic sources of pollution. The results indicated that concentration of heavy metals in target areas was significantly higher than control.

Predictive modeling of COVID-19 death cases in Pakistan.

Background: The world is presently facing the challenges posed by COVID-19 (2019-nCoV), especially in the public health sector, and these challenges are dangerous to both health and life. The disease results in an acute respiratory infection that may result in pain and death. In Pakistan, the disease curve shows a vertical trend by almost 256K established cases of the diseases and 6035 documented death cases till August 5, 2020.

In-hospital outcomes and prevalence of comorbidities in patients with infective endocarditis with and without heart blocks: Insight from the National Inpatient Sample.

Infective endocarditis (IE) complicated by heart block can have adverse outcomes and usually requires immediate surgical and cardiac interventions. Data on outcomes and trends in patients with IE with concurrent heart block are lacking. Patients with a primary diagnosis of IE with or without heart block were identified by querying the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project database, specifically the National Inpatient Sample for the years 2013 and 2014, based on International Classification of Diseases Clinical Modification Ninth Revision codes.

Seroconversion in Newly Diagnosed Cases of Coronavirus Disease.

Objective: To determine the percentage of seroconverted real time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) positive coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases at different days post-symptom onset; and also find the agreement of chemiluminescence assay used for total antibody detection using RT-PCR as a reference method.

Study Design: Cross-sectional study.

Place And Duration Of Study: Chughtai Institute of Pathology from April to May 2020.

Physiological, ultrastructural, biochemical, and molecular responses of glandless cotton to hexavalent chromium (Cr) exposure.

Glandless cotton can be grown to obtain cotton seeds free of toxic gossypol for use as both food and feed. However, they are not grown normally due to their lesser productivity and higher susceptibility to biotic stress. Great attention has been paid to biotic stresses rather than abiotic stresses on glandless cotton.

Frequency of COVID-19 IgG Antibodies among Special Police Squad Lahore, Pakistan.

Objective: To find out the sero-prevalence of COVID-19 IgG antibodies among policemen performing duties at high risk areas of Lahore, Pakistan.

Study Design: Cross-sectional, observational study.

Place And Duration Of Study: Chughtai Lab Lahore from 20th to 30th May 2020.

Reduced Glutathione Protects Subcellular Compartments From Pb-Induced ROS Injury in Leaves and Roots of Upland Cotton ( L.).

Heavy metals-based changes in the plants and their alleviation through eco-friendly agents including reduced glutathione (GSH) have been widely studied. In the present experiment, we tested the alleviatory role of reduced glutathione (GSH) in seedlings of upland cotton cultivar, TM-1 under lead (Pb) toxicity. Plants were grown in the Hoagland solution containing Pb (0 μM), Pb (500 μM), GSH (50 μM), and GSH + Pb (50 μM + 500 μM).

Familial Clustering of Antiphospholipid Syndrome.

Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is a systemic autoimmune disease characterised by thrombosis (venous or arterial) and/or pregnancy-related complications. There is very scanty literature available regarding familial occurrence of APS worldwide and to the best of our knowledge, this important aspect has never been previously reported from Pakistan. We are presenting three patients of a Pakistani family who presented with thrombotic and pregnancy-related complications.

Prevalence and associated risk factors of HIV in prisons in Balochistan, Pakistan: a cross-sectional study.

The prevalence of HIV is 0.1% in Pakistan, with epidemicity in high-risk groups. The infection is on verge of transmission from key populations to the general population through people who inject drugs and sexual transmission.

Use of various biomarkers to explore the effects of GSM and GSM-like radiations on flowering plants.

Since last decade, GSM (Global System for Mobile Communication) technology has evidently revolutionized our digital world. It uses electromagnetic frequency radiations (EMFr), ranging 850-1900 MHz, and is being composed of three main units (i.e.