A Need Analysis For Teaching Leadership Skills To Medical Students In Pakistan.

Background: Perspectives of practicing medicine have rapidly changed due to global shift and interconnectedness. Doctors who do not develop their leadership skills may lack the acumen to make significant choices which enhance the quality and effectiveness of care. Pakistan is one of those countries that have not yet introduced the leadership skills training for undergraduate medical students.

Prevalence, median time, and associated factors with the likelihood of initial antidepressant change: a cross-sectional study in Qatar.

Background: Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) requires therapeutic interventions during the initial month after being diagnosed for better disease outcomes. International guidelines recommend a duration of 4-12 weeks for an initial antidepressant (IAD) trial at an optimized dose to get a response. If depressive symptoms persist after this duration, guidelines recommend switching, augmenting, or combining strategies as the next step.

The Genome Copy Number of the Thermophilic Cyanobacterium Thermosynechococcus elongatus E542 Is Controlled by Growth Phase and Nutrient Availability.

The recently isolated thermophilic cyanobacterium PKUAC-SCTE542 (here E542) is a promising strain for fundamental and applied research. Here, we used several improved ploidy estimation approaches, which include quantitative PCR (qPCR), spectrofluorometry, and flow cytometry, to precisely determine the ploidy level in E542 across different growth stages and nutritional and stress conditions. The distribution of genome copies per cell among the populations of E542 was also analyzed.

Chest CT Severity Score as an Auxiliary Grading Tool to COVID-19 Pneumonia Imaging Classification: A Tertiary Care Experience in Pakistan.

Objective:   To identify utility of chest computed tomography severity score (CT-SS) as an additional tool to COVID-19 pneumonia imaging classification in assessing severity of COVID-19.

Study Design: Descriptive analytical study Place and Duration of Study: Armed Forces Institute of Radiology and Imaging, (AFIRI) Rawalpindi, from April 2020 to June 2020.

Methodology: Five hundred suspected COVID-19 cases referred for high resolution computed tomography - chest were included in the study.

Tangerine mediated synthesis of zirconia as potential protective dental coatings.

Demand of bioactive materials that may create a bacteria-free environment while healing and regenerating the defect area is increasing day by day. Zirconia is a very interesting material because of its biocompatibility and high fracture toughness. In this research work, zirconia nanoparticles (NPs) have been synthesized using sol-gel method.

The ventral hippocampus CA3 is critical in regulating timing uncertainty in temporal decision-making.

Timing uncertainty is a critical component of temporal decision-making, as it determines the decision strategies that maximize reward rate. However, little is known about the biological substrates of timing uncertainty. In this study, we report that the CA3 subregion of the ventral hippocampus (vCA3), a relatively unexplored area in timing, is critical in regulating timing uncertainty that informs temporal decision making.

Prenatal psychiatric symptoms as predictors of postnatal anxiety and depression among primary and multi-gravida women.

Objective: The study aimed to examine effect of prenatal anxiety and depression on the prediction of postnatal anxiety and depression among pregnant women. In addition, to find out mean differences in prenatal and postnatal anxiety and depression among primary and multigravida pregnant women.

Methods: This study was conducted at Sargodha Pakistan, on a total number of 100 pregnant women as participants.

Microwave assisted synthesis of FeO stabilized ZrO nanoparticles - Free radical scavenging, radiolabeling and biodistribution in rabbits.

Aims: In vivo biodistribution of radio labeled ZrO nanoparticles is addressed for better imaging, therapy and diagnosis. Nanoparticles are synthesized by microwave assisted sol-gel technique using FeO as a stabilizer. Antioxidant assay, hemolytic activity in human blood and biodistribution in rabbits was explored to study the therapeutical as well as in vivo targeted diagnostic applications of as synthesized nanoparticles.

Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs): Biopolymers for Biofuel and Biorefineries.

Fossil fuels are energy recourses that fulfill most of the world's energy requirements. However, their production and use cause severe health and environmental problems including global warming and pollution. Consequently, plant and animal-based fuels (also termed as biofuels), such as biogas, biodiesel, and many others, have been introduced as alternatives to fossil fuels.

Role of TMPRSS6 rs855791 (T > C) polymorphism in reproductive age women with iron deficiency anemia from Lahore, Pakistan.

Background: Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) is the highest nutritional deficiency worldwide. It is a multifactorial disease, with a higher morbidity rate. TMPRSS6 polymorphisms importantly rs855791 is found to play an essential role in iron homeostasis in the human body.

Modeling vegetative vigour in grapevine: unraveling underlying mechanisms.

Mechanistic modeling constitutes a powerful tool to unravel complex biological phenomena. This study describes the construction of a mechanistic, dynamic model for grapevine plant growth and canopy biomass (vigor). To parametrize and validate the model, the progeny from a cross of Ramsey () × Riparia Gloire () was evaluated.

blaOXA, blaSHV-, and blaTEM- extended-spectrum β-lactamases in Gram-negative strains from burn patients in Lahore, Pakistan.

Introduction: Gram-negative bacterial pathogens are associated with complications of post-burn infections that showed significant association with different genotypic variants of extended-spectrum β-lactamases. In this study, we aimed to determine the distribution of ESBL gene variants among bacterial pathogens from post-burn infections.

Methodology: Cephalosporin-resistant isolates were collected from Jinnah Burn and Reconstructive Surgery Centre, Lahore.

An Unusual Case of Ventricular Tachycardia in a Young Patient Associated with Cannabis Use.

Marijuana has become the most widely used illicit drug in the United States. Approximately 43.5 million Americans aged 12 or above have reported the use of marijuana in the last year.

Transcriptional elucidation of tumor necrosis factor-α-mediated nuclear factor-κB1 activation in breast cancer cohort of Pakistan.

Background: Initiation, promotion, progression, and metastasis of mammary tumors are mediated by dysregulation of multiple genes involved in various signaling pathways. Expressional variation of these molecules significantly influences cancer cell proliferation in breast cancer.

Aims And Objectives: In the current study, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and its downstream effector nuclear factor kappa-B1 (NF-κB1) mean transcript levels were explored and associated with molecular subtypes in breast cancer cohort of Pakistan.

Genetic analysis reveals an east-west divide within North American Vitis species that mirrors their resistance to Pierce's disease.

Pierce's disease (PD) caused by the bacterium Xylella fastidiosa is a deadly disease of grapevines. This study used 20 SSR markers to genotype 326 accessions of grape species collected from the southeastern and southwestern United States, Mexico and Costa Rica. Two hundred sixty-six of these accessions, and an additional 12 PD resistant hybrid cultivars developed from southeastern US grape species, were evaluated for PD resistance.

CALL Score and RAS Score as Predictive Models for Coronavirus Disease 2019.

Background:  Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a novel infectious disease of multi-system involvement with significant pulmonary manifestations. So far, many prognostic models have been introduced to guide treatment and resource management. However, data on the impact of measurable respiratory parameters associated with the disease are scarce.

In silico study of enhanced permeation and retention effect and hyperthermia of porous tumor.

Nanotechnology has recently gained fame for its extensive use in biomedical applications particularly in magnetic fluid hyperthermia (MFH) of tumors. The magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) are usually injected into the tumor either intravenously or through direct needle injection. Depending on the location of the tumor, the needle approach may not be appropriate and in the case, when the nanoflow rate is higher, it may produce cracks in the tumor.

Impact of atrial fibrillation on the outcomes of transcatheter mitral valve repair using MitraClip: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a common arrhythmia in patients with mitral regurgitation (MR) undergoing transcatheter mitral valve repair (TMVR). In this systematic review, we aimed to investigate the outcomes of TMVR using MitraClip in AF patients. We performed a systematic search using PubMed, SCOPUS, EMBASE, and Google Scholar, from inception to May 10, 2020, for studies that reported outcomes following MitraClip, in patients with AF versus without AF.

The ventral hippocampus is necessary for cue-elicited, but not outcome driven approach-avoidance conflict decisions: a novel operant choice decision-making task.

Approach-avoidance conflict is induced when an organism encounters a stimulus that carries both positive and negative attributes. Accumulating evidence implicates the ventral hippocampus (VH) in the detection and resolution of approach-avoidance conflict, largely on the basis of maze-based tasks assaying innate and conditioned responses to situations of conflict. However, its role in discrete trial approach-avoidance decision-making has yet to be elucidated.

Outcome of Undergraduate Medical Education using Medical Simulation according to Students' Feedback.

Objectives: This study aimed to determine students' overall satisfaction with clinical simulation sessions and compare the satisfaction levels of obstetrics/gynaecology (OBGYN) students (group one) and internal medicine students (group two).

Methods: This study was conducted from January to June 2019 at the Arabian Gulf University, Manama, Bahrain. Students from year five were included and offered sessions that used simulations to support clinical skill development.

Hepatic perfusional changes on CT and MRI: a radiology primer.

Hepatic perfusional changes are common in response to, or as a result of, a multitude of pathological processes. These can be neoplastic, inflammatory, fibrotic, or ischemic in origin, to name a few. The liver, having a dual blood supply, is a unique organ to study using contrast-enhanced CT and MRI imaging due to its varied appearance on multiphasic imaging.

Biosynthesis, characterization and anti-dengue vector activity of silver nanoparticles prepared from and .

We report here biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using aqueous extracts of (i) leaves and (ii) fruit and their larvicidal activity against The UV-Vis spectroscopy absorption peaks occurred in the range of 412-416 nm for AgNPs and 416-431 nm for AgNPs indicating the silver nature of prepared colloidal samples. The scanning electron microscopy examination revealed the spherical morphology of both types of NPs with average size of 17 ± 4 nm ( AgNPs) and 26 ± 5 nm ( AgNPs). The X-ray diffraction pattern confirmed the face-centred cubic (FCC) structure with crystallite size of 11 ± 1 nm ( AgNPs) and 15 ± 1 nm ( AgNPs) while characteristic peaks appearing in Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis indicated the attachment of different biomolecules on AgNPs.

Cefepime Neurotoxicity in a Patient With Acute Tubular Necrosis.

Neurotoxicity is a rare side effect of Cefepime use. Cefepime can cross the blood-brain barrier and can be neurotoxic by competitive albeit weak antagonism of the gamma-aminobutyric acid complex. It is cleared by the kidneys which puts individuals with renal impairment at risk of side effects.

Ethylene glycol assisted three-dimensional floral evolution of BiFeO-based nanostructures with effective magneto-electric response.

Controlled growth of nanostructures plays a vital role in tuning the physical and chemical properties of functional materials for advanced energy and memory storage devices. Herein, we synthesized hierarchical micro-sized flowers, built by the self-assembly of highly crystalline, two-dimensional nanoplates of Co- and Ni-doped BiFeO, using a simple ethylene glycol-mediated solvothermal method. Pure BiFeO attained scattered one-dimensional nanorods-type morphology having diameter nearly 60 nm.