Volume analysis of second molar pulp chamber using cone beam computed tomography for age estimation in Egyptian adults.

Aim: The present work aimed to evaluate age-related variations in the dental pulp chamber volume of second molars using cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) imaging, in order to establish a specific mathematical model for second molars and measure its accuracy, especially in the case of Egyptian adults.

Subjects And Methods: From 187 subjects between 21-50 years of age, CBCT images of 257 maxillary and 248 mandibular second molars were included. A mathematical model for human age estimation was established.

Aggresomes predict poor outcomes and implicate proteostasis in the pathogenesis of pediatric choroid plexus tumors.

Purpose: Protein misfolding and aggregation result in proteotoxic stress and underlie the pathogenesis of many diseases. To overcome proteotoxicity, cells compartmentalize misfolded and aggregated proteins in different inclusion bodies. The aggresome is a paranuclear inclusion body that functions as a storage compartment for misfolded proteins.

Coffee and type 2 diabetes risk: Is the association mediated by adiponectin, leptin, c-reactive protein or Interleukin-6? A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Aim: Coffee and diabetes risk association has been demonstrated in numerous studies; however, the exact mechanism has not been clarified yet. The present meta-analysis was conducted to cover the current knowledge regarding the effect of coffee on Type 2 Diabetes (T2D), in addition to the evaluation of adiponectin, leptin, C-reactive protein (CRP) and Interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels among coffee consumers as relatively possible mediators of this effect.

Method: A comprehensive search of the literature was carried out using search engines up to March 2020.

COVID-19; current situation and recommended interventions.

Background: The new coronavirus (SARS-COV-2) that emerged at the end of 2019 was stated in China and infected millions of people around the world, with the highest spread rate amongst humans compared with other coronaviruses. This paper aimed to review and analyse the published studies about COVID-19 diagnosis, prevention, and treatment.

Method: The reviewed studies were clinical trials, in-vivo, in-vitro, guidelines, reports from the world health organization (WHO), and the centre for disease control and prevention (CDC) in addition to systemic reviews.

Impact of Ramadan Fasting on Biochemical and Exercise Parameters Among Patients Undergoing Exercise-Based Cardiac Rehabilitation.

Background: Ramadan fasting is an important worship activity for Muslims. It is not known if fasting could have deleterious effect on cardiac patients joining cardiac rehabilitation (CR) program, especially during summer season.

Aim: To assess the effect of Ramadan fasting on biochemical and exercise parameters among patients undergoing 12-week exercise-based CR program.

Nrf2: a dark horse in Alzheimer's disease treatment.

Alzheimer's disease (AD), an age-dependent neurodegenerative disorder, is the main cause of dementia. Common hallmarks of AD include the amyloid β-peptide (Aβ) aggregation, high levels of hyperphosphorylated tau protein (p-tau) and failure in redox homeostasis. To date, all proposed drugs affecting Aβ and/or p-tau have been failed in clinical trials.

Natural Molecules Targeting Thioredoxin System and Their Therapeutic Potential.

Thioredoxin (Trx) and thioredoxin reductase are two core members of the Trx system. The system bridges the gap between the universal reducing equivalent NADPH and various biological molecules and plays an essential role in maintaining cellular redox homeostasis and regulating multiple cellular redox signaling pathways. In recent years, the Trx system has been well documented as an important regulator of many diseases, especially tumorigenesis.

Predicting Clinical Outcome in Acute Ischemic Stroke Using Parallel Multi-parametric Feature Embedded Siamese Network.

Stroke is the second leading cause of death and disability worldwide, with ischemic stroke as the most common type. The preferred diagnostic procedure at the acute stage is the acquisition of multi-parametric magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). This type of imaging not only detects and locates the stroke lesion, but also provides the blood flow dynamics that helps clinicians in assessing the risks and benefits of reperfusion therapies.

Nanotechnology improves the therapeutic efficacy of gemcitabine against a human hepatocellular carcinoma cell line and minimizes its in vivo side effects.

Nanotechnology has become a promising approach for addressing cancer therapy limitations because it reduces side effects and increases the efficacy of antineoplastic agents. Therefore, this research was designed to compare the in vitro therapeutic efficacy and in vivo adverse effects of gemcitabine (GEM) and gemcitabine-loaded silver nanoparticles (GEM-AgNPs). GEM molecules were successfully attached to AgNP surfaces with a homogenous and spherical shape.

Correction to: Genetic diversity and matrilineal genetic origin of fat-rumped sheep in Ethiopia.

The article Genetic diversity and matrilineal genetic origin of fat-rumped sheep in Ethiopia, written by Nigussie H., Mwacharo J.M.

Conversion of Non-Optical Material to Photo-Active Nanocomposites through Non-Conventional Techniques for Water Purification by Solar Energy.

Development of optical materials has attracted strong attention from scientists across the world to obtain low band gap energy and become active in field of solar energy. This challenge, which cannot be accomplished by the usual techniques, has overcome through the current study using non-conventional techniques. This study has used explosive reactions to convert non-optical alumina to series of new optical nanocomposites with very low band gap energy for the first time.

Four-Factor Prothrombin Complex Concentrate: An Indispensable Adjunct in Coagulopathy of Trauma Management - A Comparative Review of the Literature over 2 Decades.

Background: Damage control resuscitation forms the cornerstone of management in trauma surgery. Several blood products have been widely used for preoperative transfusions prior to emergency surgeries and for hemorrhage control in trauma. Prothrombin complex concentrate (PCC) is now being introduced as an essential component of damage control resuscitation.

Prophylactic Mesh Placement for the Prevention of Incisional Hernia in High-Risk Patients After Abdominal Surgery: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background and objectives In high-risk populations, the efficacy of mesh placement in incisional hernia (IH) prevention after elective abdominal surgeries has been supported by many published studies. This meta-analysis aimed at providing comprehensive and updated clinical implications of prophylactic mesh placement (PMP) for the prevention of IH as compared to primary suture closure (PSC). Materials and methods PubMed, Science Direct, Cochrane, and Google Scholar were systematically searched until March 3, 2020, for studies comparing the efficacy of PMP to PSC in abdominal surgeries.

Greenhouse gases emissions from duckweed pond system treating polyester resin wastewater containing 1,4-dioxane and heavy metals.

Phytoremediation of polyester resin wastewater containing 1,4-dioxane and heavy metals using Lemna gibba (L.gibba) was enhanced by incorporation of perforated polyethylene carrier materials (PCM) onto the duckweed pond (DWP) system. The DWP module was operated at a hydraulic retention times (HRTs) of 2, 4 and 6 days and as well as 1,4-dioxane loading rate of 16, 25 and 48 g/m.

Predicament Of Doctors; Discerning Burnout Level Amongst Surgical Residents Of Karachi, Pakistan.

Background: Stress and burnout have been soaring among doctors. It does not only have deleterious effects during working hours but also impact personal lives of the doctors. The primary focus of this study is to gauge level of burnout among surgical residents working in two major tertiary care hospital of Karachi, Pakistan.

Astrocyte elevated gene-1 as a novel therapeutic target in malignant gliomas and its interactions with oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes.

Astrocyte elevated gene-1 (AEG-1) is an oncogene and a critical signaling molecule that has a wide variety of interactions with other oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes, leading to increasing malignant properties of malignant gliomas, such as invasion, angiogenesis, metastasis, and chemoresistance. Its overexpression is enhanced by many factors such as exposure of the cells to human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1), HIV-1 envelop glycoprotein 120, hypoxia, or glucose deprivation. Thorough understanding of these interactions along with AEG-1 inducers and repressors is important in setting a successful treatment plan targeting this oncogene.

The implications of neutrophil extracellular traps in the pathophysiology of atherosclerosis and atherothrombosis.

Fatal consequences of atherosclerosis and atherothrombosis give research in this field great importance. This review provides recent information about the implications of neutrophils in the pathophysiology of atherosclerosis and atherothrombosis via formation and release of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs), thereby enhancing our understanding on how the process of atherosclerosis develops and how its consequences occur. Information provided in this review suggests NETs as a new therapeutic target and a rich point for research.

Non-Adherence to WHO Recommendations Regarding Infant Feeding Practices Results in Dilemma of Malnourishment: A Community-Based Prospective Cohort Study Conducted in Karachi, Pakistan.

Background The prevalence of chronic malnutrition and its associated morbid outcomes has been a significant cause of health loss globally, affecting millions of children hampering their mental, physical, social, and immune system development. World Health Organization's (WHO) recommendations presenting infant feeding guidelines have largely controlled this burden. However, developing countries including Pakistan have failed to promote these guidelines and still succumb to a huge burden of morbidity and mortality secondary to malnourishment among infants.

Bacillus Calmette-Guérin vaccine, antimalarial, age and gender relation to COVID-19 spread and mortality.

COVID-19 is affecting different countries all over the world with great variation in infection rate and death ratio. Some reports suggested a relation between the Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine and the malaria treatment to the prevention of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Some reports related infant's lower susceptibility to the COVID-19.

Usefulness of sheathless guiding catheters in patients with upper extremity vascular anomalies: Sheathless catheters in upper vascular anomalies.

Aims: The transradial approach (TRA) reduces hospitalisation and access-site complications as compared to the transfemoral approach. Nevertheless, the TRA technical failure rate is significantly higher compared to the transfemoral approach. The high failure rate of TRA is due to a series of factors.

Impact of COVID-19 on surgical residency programs in Pakistan; A residents' perspective. Do programs need formal restructuring to adjust with the "new normal"? A cross-sectional survey study.

Background: Due to high-risk exposure of surgical residents to coronavirus, surgical residency programs have changed their training methods and working hours drastically. The purpose of this study is to find out the positive and negative impacts of the pandemic on surgical residency programs and on the lives of surgical residents.

Materials And Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 112 surgical residents of a tertiary care hospital in Pakistan, with a mean age of 30.

Relationship of thyroid dysfunction with cardiovascular diseases: updated review on heart failure progression.

Heart disease remains the leading cause of death globally. Heart failure (HF) is a clinical syndrome that results from impairment of the ability of the ventricle to fill with or eject blood. Over the past two decades, accumulated evidence has revealed the contribution of thyroid hormones to cardiovascular (CV) events, exerting their action through genomic and non-genomic pathways within the cardiomyocytes.

Assessment of vascular stiffness using different modalities in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: a case control study.

Background: Cardiovascular disease is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients. Accurate risk stratification would require a simple, non-invasive index integrating all traditional and emerging risk factors. Vascular stiffness fulfills these requirements and has better predictive value for cardiovascular events than traditional risk factors in hypertensives and patients with coronary artery disease.

Effects of static stretching as compared to autogenic inhibition and reciprocal inhibition muscle energy techniques in the management of mechanical neck pain: a randomized controlled trial.

Objective: To compare the effects of static stretching with autogenic inhibition and reciprocal inhibition muscle energy techniques on pain, disability and range of motion in patients with mechanical neck pain.

Methods: A parallel design randomised controlled trial was conducted at Fauji Foundation Hospital and Railway-General Hospital, Rawalpindi, Pakistan, from April to November, 2017, and comprised of patients aged 18-70 years with neck pain of moderate intensity scoring 4-8 on numeric pain rating scale with limited or painful range of motion. The patients were randomly allocated via lottery method into static stretching group, autogenic inhibition muscle energy technique group and reciprocal inhibition muscle energy technique group.