Prospective Pakistan Registry of Echocardiographic Screening in Asymptomatic Pregnant Women.

Background: Cardiovascular diseases are the primary cause of nonobstetric morbidity and mortality in pregnant women worldwide. Pakistan's high maternal and neonatal mortality rates underscore the need for effective screening protocols to detect cardiovascular diseases during pregnancy.

Objectives: The objective of this study was to assess the prevalence and factors associated with structural heart disease among pregnant women without active cardiorespiratory symptoms (no symptoms or symptoms attributed to pregnancy) attending routine antenatal appointments.

Predictive Value of FDG Uptake on PET for Future Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor-Mediated Colitis: A Case Series.

: Immune-mediated colitis (IMC) is a common immune-related adverse event during immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy. This case series and review aimed to highlight atypical cases of IMC and explore the potential of PET/CT to predict imminent ICI colitis. : Through a descriptive, retrospective study at a tertiary cancer center, we identified adult patients receiving ICIs for any cancer between 2010 and 2022 who also underwent PET/CT for routine cancer surveillance during this time.

Site-specific prediction of O-GlcNAc modification in proteins using evolutionary scale model.

Protein glycosylation, a vital post-translational modification, is pivotal in various biological processes and disease pathogenesis. Computational approaches, including protein language models and machine learning algorithms, have emerged as valuable tools for predicting O-GlcNAc sites, reducing experimental costs, and enhancing efficiency. However, the literature has not reported the prediction of O-GlcNAc sites through the evolutionary scale model (ESM).

Cross-cultural adaptation, reliability, validity and responsiveness of Urdu version of hip disability and osteoarthritis outcome score.

Purpose: To linguistically and cross-culturally translate Hip Disability and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score into Urdu language (HOOS-U), and test its psychometric properties among patients with hip pain.

Materials And Methods: Translation and cross-cultural adaptation of English version of HOOS were carried out following international guidelines. Psychometric testing included reliability (internal consistency and test-retest reliability), validity (content and construct validity) and responsiveness.

Plasma extracellular vesicles carry immune system-related peptides that predict human longevity.

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) play crucial roles in aging. In this National Institutes on Aging-funded study, we sought to identify circulating extracellular vesicle (EV) biomarkers indicative of longevity. The plasma EV proteome of 48 older adults (mean age 77.

In Vitro Bioassay and In silico Pharmacokinetic Characteristics of Xanthium strumarium Plant Extract as Possible Acaricidal Agent.

Background: Effective management strategies against tick infestations are necessary because tickborne diseases represent serious hazards to the health of humans and animals worldwide. The aim of this study was to examine the larvicidal and ovicidal properties of Xanthium strumarium extract against a notorious tick species, Rhipicephalus microplus.

Methodology: The maceration method was used to prepare the ethanolic extract of X.

Clinical and genetic characterization of a progressive RBL2-associated neurodevelopmental disorder.

Retinoblastoma (RB) proteins are highly conserved transcriptional regulators that play important roles during development by regulating cell-cycle gene expression. RBL2 dysfunction has been linked to a severe neurodevelopmental disorder. However, to date, clinical features have only been described in six individuals carrying five biallelic predicted loss of function (pLOF) variants.

Marketing Strategies and Consumer and Sellers Perception About Oral Nicotine Pouches in Karachi, Pakistan.

The availability of novel nicotine products like oral nicotine pouches (ONP) has been rising in South Asian countries, including Pakistan. We aimed to assess ONP marketing strategies at point-of-sale (POS) and understand the perceptions among consumers and sellers regarding its use in Karachi, Pakistan. We conducted a mixed-methods study in low, middle, and high socioeconomic neighborhoods of District East Karachi.

Immune System-Related Plasma Pathogenic Extracellular Vesicle Subpopulations Predict Osteoarthritis Progression.

Certain molecules found on the surface or within the cargo of extracellular vesicles (EVs) are linked to osteoarthritis (OA) severity and progression. We aimed to identify plasma pathogenic EV subpopulations that can predict knee radiographic OA (rOA) progression. We analyzed the mass spectrometry-based proteomic data of plasma EVs and synovial fluid (SF) EVs from knee OA patients (n = 16, 50% female).

Empowering cancer prevention with AI: unlocking new frontiers in prediction, diagnosis, and intervention.

Artificial intelligence is rapidly changing our world at an exponential rate and its transformative power has extensively reached important sectors like healthcare. In the fight against cancer, AI proved to be a novel and powerful tool, offering new hope for prevention and early detection. In this review, we will comprehensively explore the medical applications of AI, including early cancer detection through pathological and imaging analysis, risk stratification, patient triage, and the development of personalized prevention approaches.

Further delineation of the SCAF4-associated neurodevelopmental disorder.

While mostly de novo truncating variants in SCAF4 were recently identified in 18 individuals with variable neurodevelopmental phenotypes, knowledge on the molecular and clinical spectrum is still limited. We assembled data on 50 novel individuals with SCAF4 variants ascertained via GeneMatcher and personal communication. With detailed evaluation of clinical data, in silico predictions and structural modeling, we further characterized the molecular and clinical spectrum of the autosomal dominant SCAF4-associated neurodevelopmental disorder.

Pattern of Uveitis in a Tertiary Care Eye Hospital Setting in Pakistan: A Comprehensive Analysis.

Purpose: To determine the patterns of uveitis evident in patients presenting at the Uveitis Department of a tertiary care eye hospital located in Karachi, Pakistan.

Study Design: Prospective cross-sectional study.

Location And Duration Of Study: This study was conducted at Layton Rahmatullah Benevolent Trust (LRBT) Tertiary Teaching Eye Hospital-Korangi, Karachi, Pakistan from August 2020 to July 2023.

Synthesis and evaluation of drug-loaded silver nanoparticles as hemostatic agents to halt uncontrolled bleeding.

Objective: The aim of this research study was to formulate a cost-effective, stable, less toxic and more efficacious intravenous nanoformulation that could rapidly augment the process of hemostasis.

Significance: Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) evoked platelet activation, whereas alum (AM) neutralized the plasma proteins, causing blood coagulation. Tranexamic acid (TA) inhibited fibrinolysis and stabilized the formed blood clot.

Significance of finite difference approach for application of Cattaneo-Christov theory conveying radiative ternary-hybrid nanofluids flow.

This paper investigates the characteristics of ternary-hybrid nanoliquid for time-dependent Darcy-Forchheimer flow. Formulation is based for mixture of water subject to ternary nanoparticles with different shapes like (platelet, spherical and cylindrical). Heat transfer consists of convective condition, radiation and heat generation.

Level of compliance to smoke-free laws by restaurants in Karachi: an observational study.

Introduction: Exposure to secondhand smoke is a significant public health concern. Our study assessed the level of implementation of smoke-free laws in restaurants in Karachi, Pakistan.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study in District East, Karachi.

COMPARISON OF BACTERIAL PROBIOTICS (BIFIDOBACTERIUM AND LACTOBACILLUS) VERSUS FUNGAL PROBIOTICS (SACCHAROMYCES) IN THE TREATMENT OF ACUTE DIARRHOEA IN CHILDREN AGED 6 MONTHS TO 5 YEARS.

Background: Acute diarrhoea among children mainly due to infection must be treated prophylactically to reduce mortality. The objective of this study was to compare the outcome of using bacterial probiotics (Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus) versus fungal probiotics (Saccharomyces) for acute diarrhoea among children aged 6 months to 5 years.

Methods: A non-randomized control trial was conducted at diarrhoea ward, the Children's Hospital, Lahore from 1st March 2022 to 1st March 2024.

COMPLETE HEART BLOCK IN PATIENTS PRESENTING WITH ACUTE ANTERIOR WALL MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION.

Background: Complete heart block (CHB) is a relatively common complication in post-acute myocardial infarction (AMI) patients. Data on the incidence and consequences of CHB in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) are limited. Besides serving as an indicator of widespread myocardial injury, the development of CHB in STEMI is also associated with a higher risk of sudden cardiac death.

LEMIERRE SYNDROME: A FORGOTTEN INFECTION.

Lemierre's syndrome is a serious disease caused by an anaerobic bacteria called Fusobacterium necrophorum, which usually occurs in healthy teenagers and adolescents. The infection takes place in the throat and spreads through septic thrombosis of the tonsillar and internal jugular veins. The resulting bacterial infection is complicated by septic emboli in several places such as the lungs, joints and bones.

Sufficient manganese supply is necessary for OsNramp5 knockout rice plants to ensure normal growth and less Cd uptake.

The development of crop cultivars with less Cd uptake in roots and accumulation in shoots is a most efficient and environment-friendly approach to deal with soil Cd contamination. Recently repression of Nramp5 expression or its knockout is commonly recognized to be efficient for reducing Cd accumulation in plants, but such mutant plants suffer from manganese deficiency. In this study, we assessed the efficacy of exogenous Mn addition in mitigating Cd stress in a japonica rice cultivar Xidao 1 (Wild Type, WT) and its OsNramp5 knockout mutant.

Prevalence and associated risk factors of Brucella abortus and Brucella melitensis in humans and cattle populations: A comprehensive study.

A zoonotic disease unique to South Asia, brucellosis causes major public health and financial problems, notably in Pakistan. This research aimed to ascertain the molecular frequency of Brucella abortus and Brucella melitensis in humans and cattle and to pinpoint related risk factors in the Southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, districts. A total of 800 blood samples, 600 from cattle and 200 from humans, were gathered and examined using traditional PCR targeting the IS711 locus.

Efficacy of soil drench and foliar application of iron nanoparticles on the growth and physiology of Solanum lycopersicum L. exposed to cadmium stress.

Cadmium (Cd) can harm the yield and quality of vegetables, threatening food safety. Essential microelements such as iron are crucial for plant growth and can help alleviate heavy metal stress. Recently, nanoparticles have been studied as eco-friendly solutions for mitigating heavy metal stress in plants.

Large Right Atrial Thrombus Alongside Left Atrial Thrombus in a Rheumatic Severe Mitral Stenosis Patient.

We present finding of right atrial thrombus concomitant with recurrent left atrial thrombus in a patient diagnosed with rheumatic severe mitral stenosis. Its significance lies in the potential complications associated with right atrial thrombus, including spontaneous or iatrogenic pulmonary embolism or paradoxical systemic embolization, underscoring the importance of thorough imaging.