Synergy of Xpert (MTB/RIF) and Line probe assay for detection of rifampicin resistant strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

Introduction: Early diagnosis and successful treatment of drug-resistant tuberculosis (TB) demands rapid, precise, and consistent diagnostic methods to minimise the development of resistance. Therefore, this comparative study was designed to evaluate the diagnostic performance of Xpert (MTB/RIF) and Line probe assay (LPA) for detecting drug-resistant TB.

Methodology: This study comprised 389 (279 pulmonary and 110 extrapulmonary) samples from patients suspected of having TB.

Pyruvate kinase modulators as a therapy target: an updated patent review 2018-2023.

Introduction: Cancer cells adopt a glycolytic phenotype to fulfill their energy needs in unfavorable conditions. In metabolic rewiring, cancer cells upregulate the expression of glycolytic pathway regulators including glucose transporter 1, hexokinase 2, and PKM2 (pyruvate kinase) into its M2 splice form. Among these regulators, PKM2 plays a major role in metabolic reprogramming and is overexpressed in various diseases, including cancer.

Pomegranate Peel Extract as 6-Phosphogluconate Dehydrogenase (6PGD) Inhibitor for Treatment of Breast Cancer.

Targeting the enzymes of Pentose Phosphate Pathway (PPP) has been emerged as a novel strategy for treatment of cancer. 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (6PGD) is third enzyme of PPP and converts 6-phosphogluconate (6-PG) into ribulose 5-phosphate (R-5-P) and produces NADPH. The overexpression of 6PGD has been reported in many human cancers especially in breast cancer and is emerged as the potential anti-cancer drug target.

New Delhi metallo-β-lactamases among extensively drug-resistant clinical isolates from Lahore, Pakistan.

The study determines rates of carbapenem resistance (CR) and frequency of in multidrug-resistance (MDR) or extensive drug resistance (XDR), and evaluates the potential of phenotypic tests for detecting NDM production. Singleplex PCR was used to detect . Phenotypic tests, including combination disc test (CDST) and modified Hodge test (MHT), were evaluated for NDM production.

Relationship between personality traits and postpartum depression in Pakistani fathers.

The previous studies have found an association between Big Five personality traits and postpartum depression in women. The present study aimed to find out an association between Big Five personality traits and postpartum depression in a sample of Pakistani fathers. A total of 400 Pakistani fathers who had birth of a child in the past 1 month to 1 year period and had been living with their married partners were recruited purposively by using Google Form based survey from the major cities of Pakistan.

Emerging threats of high biofilm formation and antibiotic resistance in clinical methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) isolates from Pakistan.

Objectives: This multicenter study, conducted from a One Health perspective, aimed to comprehensively examine the prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections and their biofilm-forming capabilities in Pakistan. Phylogenetic analysis of the study isolates was also performed.

Methods: A total of 150 MRSA isolates were screened from various clinical samples using Cefoxitin antibiotic discs.

Negative impact of comorbidities on all-cause mortality of patients with psoriasis is partially alleviated by biologic treatment: A real-world case-control study.

Background: Cardiovascular comorbidities are believed to cause higher mortality in psoriasis patients. Conversely, systemic therapy may improve overall survival.

Objective: To evaluate the impact of different comorbidities and therapy on mortality risk of psoriasis patients in the entire population of Alberta, Canada (population 4.

Prevalence and antibiotics resistance status of Salmonella in raw meat consumed in various areas of Lahore, Pakistan.

This study reports the prevalence and antibiotics resistance status of Salmonella detected in raw meat from Lahore, Pakistan. Overall, N = 111 meat samples, were collected from local markets. Salmonella was recovered from 57 (51.

Bacterial ventriculoperitoneal shunt infections: changing trends in antimicrobial susceptibility, a 7-year retrospective study from Pakistan.

Background: Ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt infections in adults represent a severe complication and make treatment more challenging. Therefore, drug susceptibility patterns are crucial for therapeutic decisions and infection control in neurosurgical centers. This 7-year retrospective study aimed to identify the bacteria responsible for adult VP shunt infections and determine their drug susceptibility patterns.

Critical Roles of Octahedron Bilayer Surface/Interior Bromide Defects in Photodynamics of Multi-Quantum-Well-Structured Cesium Bismuth Bromide.

We investigate theoretically the roles of the intrinsic point defects in the photophysics of wide-bandgap multi-quantum-well-structured CsBiBr based on the Shockley-Read-Hall statistics and multiphonon recombination theory. The plus Bethe-Salpeter equation calculation reveals that there is a prominent exciton peak below the interband absorption edge, and it clarifies the experimental debate. The most energetically favorable native defects possess deep thermodynamic transition levels.

Detection of carbapenemases bla-bla-bla-bla and extended-spectrum-β-lactamase bla-bla-bla genes in Gram-negative bacterial isolates from ICU burns patients.

Background And Objectives: Burn patients are highly susceptible to invasion by multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria (MDR-GNB) through post-burn damage. The prevalence of MDR-GNB isolated from burns patients has increased dramatically in the last decade, representing a serious risk to patients admitted to burns units worldwide. The challenges of managing infected burns patients are exacerbated in poor resource settings.

Development of an assessment framework for the proposed Multi-Scalar Seasonally Amalgamated Regional Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index (MSARSPEI) for regional drought classifications in global warming context.

Drought hazard is one of the main consequences of global warming and climate change. Unlike other natural disasters, drought has complex climatic features. Therefore, accurate drought monitoring is a challenging task.

Gram-negative neonatal sepsis in low- and lower-middle-income countries and WHO empirical antibiotic recommendations: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Neonatal sepsis is a significant global health issue associated with marked regional disparities in mortality. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a growing concern in Gram-negative organisms, which increasingly predominate in neonatal sepsis, and existing WHO empirical antibiotic recommendations may no longer be appropriate. Previous systematic reviews have been limited to specific low- and middle-income countries.

Cardioprotective effect of boswellic acids against doxorubicin induced myocardial infarction in rats.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the cardioprotective activity of boswellic acids in doxorubicin (DOX) induced cardiotoxicity. DOX (2.5mg/kg) was used intraperitoneally in rats to induce cardiotoxicity in six divided doses every alternate day over a period of two weeks.

Association of Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme gene polymorphism in Pakistani women with the atypical steroidogenesis in Polycystic ovarian syndrome: A case-control study.

Background: Polymorphism in the angiotensin-converting enzyme gene (ACE) is responsible for elevated ACE concentrations in plasma. High ACE levels induce insulin resistance and hyperandrogenism, which are the main attributes of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Therefore, it was hypothesized that I/D polymorphism plays a role in the pathogenesis of PCOS.

A tuned gelatin methacryloyl (GelMA) hydrogel facilitates myelination of dorsal root ganglia neurons in vitro.

Investigating axonal myelination by Schwann cells (SCs) is crucial for understanding mechanisms underlying demyelination and remyelination, which may help gain insights into incurable disorders like neurodegenerative diseases. In this study, a gelatin-based hydrogel, gelatin methacryloyl (GelMA), was optimized to achieve the biocompatibility, porosity, mechanical stability, and degradability needed to provide high cell viability for dorsal root ganglia (DRG) neurons and SCs, and to enable their long-term coculture needed for myelination studies. The results of cell viability, neurite elongation, SC function and maturation, SC-axon interaction, and myelination were compared with two other commonly used substrates, namely collagen and Poly-d Lysine (PDL).

GeneXpert Technology for the diagnosis of HIV-associated tuberculosis: Is scale-up worth it?

Recent evaluations of the GeneXpert MTB/RIF assay for the simultaneous detection of and drug resistance in less than 2 h have stimulated tremendous enthusiasm. This is the breakthrough that tuberculosis (TB) control has been waiting for. In this (retrospective review) case study, sputum samples from strongly suspected pulmonary tuberculosis patients were collected and assessed for the GeneXpert MTB/RIF assay for diagnosing TB and drug resistance in comparison with other tests, including Ziehl-Neelsen smear and Löwenstein-Jensen test.

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.

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.

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.