Low Middle Income Countries and Academic Productivity of Neurosurgery: A Quantitative Analysis From Pakistan.

Neurosurgical training and practice rely heavily on research, which is a pivotal marker of academic productivity. This study investigates the current landscape of neurosurgery publications originating from Pakistan, encompassing overall research output, prevalent topics, and disparities across institutions and regions. Electronic databases, including PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and ScienceDirect, were systematically searched up to November 1, 2023, using specified keywords.

Comparison of Efficacy and Safety of Baloxavir and Oseltamivir in Children With Influenza: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

This systematic review and meta-analysis compared the efficacy and safety of baloxavir marboxil and oseltamivir in treating influenza in children. A comprehensive literature search was conducted across multiple databases, identifying five studies (four observational and one randomized controlled trial) with a pooled sample size of 2,261 patients. The analysis revealed that baloxavir marboxil significantly reduced the duration of fever compared to oseltamivir (mean difference: -13.

Effectiveness of Resmetirom in Reducing Cholesterol Levels in Patients With Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is a progressive form of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) associated with metabolic syndrome and increased cardiovascular risk. Resmetirom, a novel liver-directed selective thyroid hormone receptor-β (THR-β) agonist, has shown promise in addressing both hepatic and systemic lipid metabolism. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the efficacy of resmetirom in improving cholesterol levels in NASH patients.

Impact of PIPAC-Oxaliplatin on Functional Recovery, Good Days, and Survival in a Refractory Colorectal and Appendiceal Carcinomatosis: Secondary Analysis of the US PIPAC Collaborative Phase 1 Trial.

Background: Pressurized intraperitoneal aerosolized chemotherapy (PIPAC) is a novel, minimally invasive, safe, and repeatable method to treat carcinomatosis. Evidence regarding the clinical benefit (quality of life and survival) of PIPAC compared with that of conventional standard therapy (ST) is lacking.

Methods: This is the secondary analysis of the phase 1 US-PIPAC trial for refractory colorectal and appendiceal carcinomatosis.

Understanding the seasonal dietary patterns of the golden jackal () for conservation implications in the Hirpora Wildlife Sanctuary, Western Himalayas.

Background: Wild canids form an important component of the ecosystem but are generally less studied and least prioritized for conservation. Diet is fundamental for effective management and exhibits the role of a species in an ecosystem. Golden jackal ( Linnaeus, 1758), a medium-sized canid species is known for opportunistic and omnivorous foraging behavior.

Association of negative pressure wound therapy and surgical site infections in patients undergoing cytoreductive surgery: An entropy balanced analysis.

Background And Objectives: Surgical site infections (SSIs) after cytoreductive surgery (CRS) ± hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) are a major cause of potentially avoidable morbidity. We explored the association of negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) with SSI in patients undergoing CRS/HIPEC.

Methods: Retrospective analysis of consecutive patients undergoing CRS/HIPEC for non-gynecologic cancers.

Morpho-anatomical studies of family lamiaceae species of district Lahore, Punjab: a revision to flora of Pakistan.

Background: This study was aimed to determine the taxonomic position and delimitation of fifteen Lamiaceae taxa using leaf epidermal morpho-anatomical features in Lahore. A main objective of the study was also the revision and upgradation of Lamiaceae taxa in the flora of Pakistan, as no details of studied species are found in the flora of Pakistan.

Methods: The examination of significant anatomical parameters, such as epidermal cell shape and size, stomatal types, guard and subsidiary cells shape and size, stomatal cavity size, trichome size and shape, oil droplets, crystals, and secretory cavity characteristics were studied using light microscopic (LM) and scanning electron microscopic (SEM) techniques.

Effect of SGLT2 inhibitors on kidney function of type 2 diabetes patients during Ramadan: A systematic review.

Background: SGLT2 inhibitors are known for their osmotic diuretic effect, and their use by Muslim patients with type 2 diabetes during the fasting month of Ramadan may pose an increased risk of volume depletion, potentially impacting renal function.

Methods: We conducted a systematic review registered on PROSPERO (registration number CRD42020204582) of studies published between 2013 and January 2023, sourced from PubMed, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials. The study selection criteria included controlled studies that reported the use of SGLT2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) by fasting adult type 2 diabetes patients and provided data on creatinine or estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) as outcomes.

Who should get a right colectomy in low-grade appendiceal adenocarcinomas? Association of lymphovascular invasion and nodal metastases.

Background: There is variation in the probability of nodal metastases from low-grade appendiceal adenocarcinomas, and the role of right colectomy is unclear. We aimed to define the prevalence and utility of lymphovascular invasion in predicting the risk of nodal metastases to help stratify patients who may benefit from right hemicolectomy.

Methods: Patients with nonmetastatic low-grade appendiceal adenocarcinomas were identified from the National Cancer Database (2010-2017).

Effect of SGLT2 inhibitors on kidney function of type 2 diabetes patients during Ramadan: A systematic review.

Background: SGLT2 inhibitors are known for their osmotic diuretic effect, and their use by Muslim patients with type 2 diabetes during the fasting month of Ramadan may pose an increased risk of volume depletion, potentially impacting renal function.

Methods: We conducted a systematic review registered on PROSPERO (registration number CRD42020204582) of studies published between 2013 and January 2023, sourced from PubMed, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials. The study selection criteria included controlled studies that reported the use of SGLT2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) by fasting adult type 2 diabetes patients and provided data on creatinine or estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) as outcomes.

Community led health promotion to counter stigma and increase trust amongst priority populations: lessons from the 2022-2023 UK mpox outbreak.

Background: Stigma, lack of trust in authorities, and poor knowledge can prevent health-seeking behaviour, worsen physical and mental health, and undermine efforts to control transmission during disease outbreaks. These factors are particularly salient with diseases such as mpox, for which 96% of cases in the 2022-2023 UK outbreak were identified among gay, bisexual, queer and men who have sex with men (MSM). This study explored stigma and health-seeking behaviour in Liverpool through the lens of the recent mpox outbreak.

Perceptions of Family Physicians About Applying AI in Primary Health Care: Case Study From a Premier Health Care Organization.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has led to the rapid proliferation of artificial intelligence (AI), which was not previously anticipated; this is an unforeseen development. The use of AI in health care settings is increasing, as it proves to be a promising tool for transforming health care systems, improving operational and business processes, and efficiently simplifying health care tasks for family physicians and health care administrators. Therefore, it is necessary to assess the perspective of family physicians on AI and its impact on their job roles.

Trends and socioeconomic inequality of the burden of congenital abnormalities of the kidney and urinary tract among children and adolescents.

Background: Although congenital abnormalities of the kidney and urinary tract (CAKUT) is the leading cause of childhood onset chronic kidney disease (CKD) and kidney failure, comprehensive information on the disease burden among children and adolescents globally is lacking. We aim to report the trends and socioeconomic inequality of CAKUT burden for people aged 0-24 years from 1990 to 2019·.

Methods: We reported the prevalence, mortality and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) for CAKUT based on the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2019, quantified the association of disease burden and socio-demographic index (SDI), calculated the slope index of inequality (SII) the relative index of inequality (RII) and concentration index.

Plant cultural indicators of forest resources from the Himalayan high mountains: implications for improving agricultural resilience, subsistence, and forest restoration.

Aim: Biocultural legacy practices are intricately tied to forestry resources, ethnic identity, and social cohesiveness. This study aims to determine the plant cultural values of forest resources and identify plant cultural indicators in each ethnic group, which can aid in long-term natural resource management plans in the current debate on socio-environmental and ecological transitions.

Methods: Semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions, and field observations were employed to collect data for a comprehensive and systematic ethnobotanical survey from February 2018 to October 2022.

#lowbackpain on TikTok: A New Frontier for Orthopaedic Medical Education.

Introduction: Low back pain has become a substantial health problem in all developed countries. Many healthcare professionals and content creators have begun sharing their treatment methods and opinions through social media, especially the video-based platform TikTok. TikTok has been downloaded more than 2.

Folk Knowledge and Perceptions about the Use of Wild Fruits and Vegetables-Cross-Cultural Knowledge in the Pipli Pahar Reserved Forest of Okara, Pakistan.

Wild fruits and vegetables (WFVs) have been vital to local communities for centuries and make an important contribution to daily life and income. However, traditional knowledge of the use of wild fruits is at risk of being lost due to inadequate documentation. This study aimed to secure this knowledge through intermittent field visits and a semi-structured questionnaire.

Unmasking the long-term effects: unravelling neuropsychiatric and neurological consequences of COVID-19.

The COVID-19 pandemic has not only burdened healthcare systems but has also led to a new emerging medical enigma that is post-COVID-19 syndrome or "long COVID." Characterized by persistent symptoms that extend beyond the acute phase of the illness, long COVID has rapidly become a public health concern with ambiguous neurological and neuropsychiatric dimensions. This narrative review aims at synthesizing available research to decode the long-term impacts of COVID-19 on neurological and mental health.