Telemedicine: Future of the healthcare system and its impact on patient satisfaction: A literature review.

Background And Objectives: The utilization of telemedicine has increased dramatically since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. In this review, we examined studies published within the past five years that investigated the impact of telemedicine on patient satisfaction.

Methods: Four investigators utilized PubMed and Google Scholar to find studies published within the past five years that assessed patient satisfaction with telemedicine in the field of adult primary care, using either the Press Ganey or CAHPS surveys.

Trends in sepsis-associated cardiovascular disease mortality in the United States, 1999 to 2022.

Purpose: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in the United States, and sepsis significantly contributes to hospitalization and mortality. This study aims to assess the trends of sepsis-associated CVD mortality rates and variations in mortality based on demographics and regions in the US.

Methods: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Wide-ranging Online Data for Epidemiologic Research (CDC WONDER) database was used to identify CVD and sepsis-related deaths from 1999 to 2022.

Long-term clinical outcomes of intravascular imaging-guided percutaneous coronary intervention versus angiography-guided percutaneous coronary intervention in complex coronary lesions: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

In this study, we aim to discuss the long-term clinical outcomes of intravascular ultrasound imaging-guided percutaneous intervention (IVUS-PCI) versus angiography-guided percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in complex coronary lesions over a mean period of 2 years. A systematic search and meta-analysis were conducted to assess the efficacy of using intravascular ultrasound or optical coherence tomography guidance in coronary artery stenting compared to angiography. A total of 11 randomized controlled trials with 6740 patients were included.

An Unusual Discovery of Multi-Opportunistic Organisms in Gastrointestinal Biopsies of a Patient With Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome and Infectious Colitis.

Patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) have an increased risk of infectious colitis. While individual cases of infectious colitis are not rare, co-infections involving multiple opportunistic organisms are uncommon. Here, we present an AIDS patient with concurrent opportunistic gastrointestinal infections resulting in symptomatic infectious colitis.

Haploinsufficiency of EXT1 and Heparan Sulphate Deficiency Associated with Hereditary Multiple Exostoses in a Pakistani Family.

: Hereditary multiple exostoses (HME) is a disease characterized by cartilage-capped bony protuberances at the site of growth plates of long bones. Functional mutations in the exostosin genes ( and ) are reported to affect the hedgehog signalling pathways leading to multiple enchondromatosis. However, the exact role of each EXT protein in the regulation of heparan sulphate (HS) chain elongation is still an enigma.

Human papillomavirus, tobacco, and poor oral hygiene can act synergetically, modulate the expression of the nuclear factor kappa B signaling pathway for the development and progression of head and neck cancer in the Pakistani population.

Background: Head and neck cancers (HNCs) are a heterogeneous group of tumors that progress owing to varied enviromental and genetic risk factors. Viral infections are threatening and adept at altering the expression of cellular transcription factors such as nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) and deregulation of other cellular proteins like NF kappa B inhibitor alpha (IκBα). The present study was conducted to detect high-risk genotypes of human papillomavirus (HPV) and protein expression of NF-κB signaling pathway in HNC patients with HPV infection.

NF-κB1 Intronic Region Polymorphisms as Risk Factor for Head and Neck Cancer in HPV-Infected Population from Pakistan.

Background: Head and neck cancer (HNC) develops due to a number of risk factors, including infection of Human Papillomavirus (HPV). The genetic predisposition also plays an important role in deregulating different signaling pathways including the NF-KB pathway. Certain polymorphisms are reported to affect the NF-kB pathway genes.

Identification and association of recurrent ALOXE3 mutation with non-bullous congenital ichthyosiform erythroderma in two ethnically distinct Pakistani families.

Non-bullous congenital ichthyosiform erythroderma (NCIE) is characterized by skin scaling with erythema. In this study, two Pakistani families with NCIE are genetically characterized through Whole Exome and Sanger sequencing to identify molecular basis of the disease. We identified a nonsense homozygous c.

Identification and in silico characterization of a novel p.P208PfsX1 mutation in V-ATPase a3 subunit associated with autosomal recessive osteopetrosis in a Pakistani family.

Background: Osteopetrosis is a rare inherited bone disorder mainly described as an increased bone density caused by defective osteoclastic bone resorption. To date, genetic variants of eleven genes have been reported so far to be associated with different types of osteopetrosis. However, malignant infantile osteopetrosis, a lethal form of the disease, is mostly (50%) caused by mutation(s) in TCIRG1 gene.

Identification and in silico characterization of p.G380R substitution in FGFR3, associated with achondroplasia in a non-consanguineous Pakistani family.

Background: The dimerization efficiency of FGFR3 transmembrane domain plays a critical role in the formation of a normal skeleton through the negative regulation of bone development. Recently, gain-of-function mutations in the transmembrane domain of FGFR3 has been described associated with an aberrant negative regulation, leading to the development of achondroplasia-group disorders, including achondroplasia (ACH), hypochondroplasia (HCH) and thanatophoric dysplasia (TD). Here, we describe a non-consanguineous Pakistani family with achondroplasia to explain hereditary basis of the disease.

Autologous mesenchymal stromal cell transplantation for spinal cord injury: A Phase I pilot study.

Background Aims: Mesenchymal stromal cell (MSC) transplantation has immerged as promising therapeutic approach to treat spinal cord injury (SCI). In this pilot study, we investigated the safety of intrathecal injection of autologous bone marrow-derived MSCs in nine patients with SCI.

Methods: Patients with complete SCI at the thoracic level were divided into two groups: chronic (>6 months, group 1) and sub-acute SCI (<6 months, group 2), according to time elapsed since injury.

Electrospray synthesis and properties of hierarchically structured PLGA TIPS microspheres for use as controlled release technologies.

Microsphere-based controlled release technologies have been utilized for the long-term delivery of proteins, peptides and antibiotics, although their synthesis poses substantial challenges owing to formulation complexities, lack of scalability, and cost. To address these shortcomings, we used the electrospray process as a reproducible, synthesis technique to manufacture highly porous (>94%) microspheres while maintaining control over particle structure and size. Here we report a successful formulation recipe used to generate spherical poly(lactic-co-glycolic) acid (PLGA) microspheres using the electrospray (ES) coupled with a novel thermally induced phase separation (TIPS) process with a tailored Liquid Nitrogen (LN2) collection scheme.

Molecular diagnosis and phylogenetic analysis of human papillomavirus type-16 from suspected patients in Pakistan.

Background: Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is well known pathogen that can cause benign and malignant tumors in humans, yet there is very little information regarding HPV types prevalent in Pakistan.

Methods: A total of 92 cervical secretions were collected from suspected married female patients and used for DNA isolation using a novel isolation method. The samples were tested through Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) using already reported primers MY09/MY11, GP5/GP6, GP5+/GP6+, CP65/CP70, CP66/CP69 and SPF1/SPF2 and with those developed in this study including HRT1 and HRT2 primer sets for typing HPV types and HACTB primer set for human beta actin gene as internal positive control.

Antioxidant and phytochemical analysis of Ranunculus arvensis L. extracts.

Background: Ranunculus arvensis L. (R. arvensis) has long been used to treat a variety of medical conditions such as arthritis, asthma, hay fever, rheumatism, psoriasis, gut diseases and rheumatic pain.

Antimicrobial, antitumor and brine shrimp lethality assay of Ranunculus arvensis L. extracts.

To investigate the antitumor activity, brine shrimp lethality assay, antibacterial and antifungal activity of Methanol Extract (ME), Water Extract (WE), Acetone Extract (AE), Chloroform Extract (CE), Methanol-Water Extract (MWE), Methanol-Acetone Extract (MAE), Methanol-Chloroform Extract (MCE) of Ranunculus arvensis (L.). Antitumor activity was evaluated with Agrobacterium tumefaciens (At10) induced potato disc assay.

Avian feathers as a non-destructive bio-monitoring tool of trace metals signatures: a case study from severely contaminated areas.

The concentrations of trace metals were assessed using feathers of cattle egrets (Bubulcus ibis), collected within two industrial areas of Pakistan, Lahore and Sialkot. We found, in order of descending concentration: Zinc (Zn), Iron (Fe), Nickel (Ni), Copper (Cu), Cadmium (Cd), and Manganese (Mn), Chromium (Cr), Arsenic (As), and Lithium (Li), without any significant difference (except Fe, Zn, and Ni) between the two areas. The concentrations of trace metals, we recorded were among the highest ever reported in the feathers of avian species worldwide.

Characterization of toxic metals in tobacco, tobacco smoke, and cigarette ash from selected imported and local brands in Pakistan.

In this study, concentrations of Cd, Ni, Pb, and Cr were determined in tobacco, tobacco smoke-condensate, and cigarette ash for selected brands used in Pakistan. Smoking apparatus was designed for metal extraction from cigarette smoke. Samples were digested through microwave digester and then analyzed by flame atomic absorption spectrophotometer (FAAS).

Identification of recurrent c.742G>T nonsense mutation in ECM1 in Pakistani families suffering from lipoid proteinosis.

Lipoid proteinosis (LP) is one of the rare, recessive autosomal disorders clinically characterized by widespread deposition of hyaline-like material in the skin, mucosa and viscera. Classical features include beaded eyelid papules, laryngeal infiltration and hoarseness of voice caused by pathogenic mutations in the ECM1 gene located on 1q21.2.

Genetic diversity in human malarial parasites of Khyber Agency Pakistan.

Malaria is wide spread in poor world and its burden has been assessed by the enumeration of malarial parasites in blood of patients. This study was designed to find a relationship between social structure, and spread of malaria in Khyber agency. The average parasite density was 2050 parasite/μl in Khyber Agency.

Evaluation of diagnostic potential of Rv3803c and Rv2626c recombinant antigens in TB endemic country Pakistan.

To overcome and eliminate tuberculosis (TB), definitive, reliable, and rapid diagnosis is mandatory. Presently, the diagnostic potential of acute and latent stage TB specific antigens i.e.

In silico characterization of a novel pathogenic deletion mutation identified in XPA gene in a Pakistani family with severe xeroderma pigmentosum.

Background: Xeroderma Pigmentosum (XP) is a rare skin disorder characterized by skin hypersensitivity to sunlight and abnormal pigmentation. The aim of this study was to investigate the genetic cause of a severe XP phenotype in a consanguineous Pakistani family and in silico characterization of any identified disease-associated mutation.

Results: The XP complementation group was assigned by genotyping of family for known XP loci.

Cattle egrets as a biosentinels of persistent organic pollutants exposure.

We investigated selected chlorinated pollutants (β-HCH, γ-HCH, DDDs, DDEs, o,p'-DDT, p,p'-DDT, heptachlor, aldrin, dieldrin, and endrin) in the Lahore and the Sialkot districts of Pakistan, using eggs of cattle egret (Bubulcus ibis) collected during May and June 2007. The pollutant with highest level and frequency was ΣDDT, followed by β-HCH, γ-HCH, heptachlor, aldrin, dieldrin, and endrin in descending order. The concentration(s) were significantly higher in Sialkot heronry for all the pollutants (except p,p'-DDT) than in Lahore.

Prevalence and patterns of antifolate and chloroquine drug resistance markers in Plasmodium vivax across Pakistan.

Background: Plasmodium vivax is the most prevalent malaria species in Pakistan, with a distribution that coincides with Plasmodium falciparum in many parts of the country. Both species are likely exposed to drug pressure from a number of anti-malarials including chloroquine, sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP), and artemisinin combination therapy, yet little is known regarding the effects of drug pressure on parasite genes associated with drug resistance. The aims of this study were to determine the prevalence of polymorphisms in the SP resistance-associated genes pvdhfr, pvdhps and chloroquine resistance-associated gene pvmdr1 in P.