Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) Nanorod Arrays-Based Organic Electrochemical Transistor for SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein Detection in Artificial Saliva.

The outbreak and continued spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) have significantly threatened public health. Antibody testing is essential for infection diagnosis, seroepidemiological analysis, and vaccine evaluation. However, achieving convenient, fast, and accurate detection remains challenging in this prolonged battle.

Antioxidants and Antidiabetic Potential of Polyphenolic Fractions and Crude Extracts of Rhus Coriaria L. Fruit, Punica Granatum L. Peel, and Terminalia Catappa L. Leaves: In Vitro And In Vivo Evaluation.

Rhus coriaria (sumac) fruit, Punica granatum (pomegranate) peel and Terminalia catappa (Indian almond) leaves' extracts and their anthocyanin and non-anthocyanin fractions were assessed in vitro for DPPH radical scavenging, FRAP, human salivary amylase and Dipeptidyl Peptidase IV (DPP-IV) inhibitory potentials, as well as for their in vivo antidiabetic effects on High-Sugar High-Fat Diet (HSHFD) + streptozotocin (STZ) induced diabetic rats (8-weeks study), by assessing fasting blood sugar, 1hr- and 2 hr-Oral Glucose Tolerance Tests, serum insulin, Homeostatic Model Assessment (HOMA) analyses, serum creatinine, urea and Blood Urea Nitrogen. All extracts and fractions showed antioxidant (DPPH and FRAP) and enzyme inhibition activities (HAS and DPP-IV) and also suppressed STZ-effects in diabetic mice by increasing Superoxide Dismutase, Glutathione S-Transferase and insulin and decreasing HOMA2-IR, urea and creatinine, with sumac extract showing benefits even when administered prior to STZ. These findings suggest that all tested extracts, particularly sumac, possess significant antioxidant and antidiabetic potential.

Hydrothermally designed Ag-modified TiOheterogeneous nanocatalysts for efficient hydrogen evolution by photo/electro/photoelectro-chemical water splitting.

One compelling goal of carbon-neutrality is to advance sustainable energy applications through advanced functional nanomaterials for achieving remarkable performance in energy conversion processes, especially in green H2 energy. Here, Ag-modified TiO2 nanostructures with highly specific exposed surface sites have been fabricated hydrothermally, elucidating its prominence towards photocatalytic, and photo/-electrocatalytic H2 production. Further, the as-synthesized nanomaterials were investigated by XRD, electron microscopy (SEM/EDAX/TEM/HRTEM), ICP-MS, PL, Raman, UV-visible DRS, and BET surface area studies.

Importance of early transfer to higher levels of in-patient care - an experience from a lower-middle-income country.

Objective: To ascertain the frequency of hospitalised internal medicine patients requiring escalation to a higher level of care, and in-hospital mortality in such cases.

Methods: The prospective, observational study was conducted from September 1 to October 15, 2021 at a tertiary care hospital in Karachi, and comprised adult patients of either gender admitted to the internal medicine general wards and high dependency units. Data was collected prospectively using a proforma.

Assessment of public awareness and perspectives towards adverse drug reaction reporting system in Karachi, Pakistan.

Background: Public involvement in reporting adverse drug reactions (ADRs) generates a broader database on drug safety. Underreporting remains a hindrance to implementing an effective pharmacovigilance system that ultimately affects public health. Hence, it is critical to appraise the public's awareness of ADR reporting and pharmacovigilance to address the gaps for the enhancement of ADR reporting rate.

Assessing the Potential Benefits of Stem Cell Therapy in Cardiac Regeneration for Patients With Ischemic Heart Disease.

Myocardial infarction, commonly known as a heart attack, or ischemic heart disease (IHD), remains one of the most fatal health conditions worldwide due to the limited regenerative capacity of the heart muscle after infarction. Conventional medical treatments primarily focus on symptom control and tissue preservation but fail to address the loss of cardiomyocytes, the cells responsible for heart contraction. This systematic review explores the hypothesis that stem cell therapies can enhance cardiac regeneration by replacing or repairing damaged myocardium, with a focus on mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), and embryonic stem cells (ESCs).

Amyloid Targeting-Gold Nanoparticles-Assisted X-ray Therapy Rescues Islet β-Cells from Amyloid Fibrils and Restores Insulin Homeostasis.

Type-2-diabetes is a metabolic disorder where misfolding and oligomerization of islet amyloid polypeptide (IAPP) around islet-β cells oligomerizes and participates in the pathology. The oligomeric stage is toxic but transitory and leads to the formation of mature amyloid fibrils. The pathological specifics of mature amyloid fibrils are poorly understood.

A case report of Castleman disease with paraneoplastic pemphigus and bronchiolitis obliterans: Challenges and key takeaways.

Introduction: Castleman disease is a rare lymphoproliferative disorder, subdivided into three types: unicentric Castleman disease, idiopathic multicentric Castleman disease and human herpesvirus-8 (HHV8) associated multicentric Castleman disease. The retroperitoneum comprises only 13 % of the cases.

Case Presentation: We report a case of a 36-year-old female who presented with skin lesions in a dermatology clinic.

Efficacy of Orthognathic Surgery in OSAS Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) is a prevalent condition characterised by repeated episodes of partial or complete obstruction of the upper airway during sleep, leading to disrupted sleep and associated morbidities. Orthognathic surgery (OGS) has been proposed as a treatment option for OSAS, aimed at anatomically repositioning the maxillofacial structures to alleviate airway obstruction. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the efficacy of OGS in reducing apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) and Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) scores among OSAS patients.

Isolation of Proteins on Chromatin Reveals Signaling Pathway-Dependent Alterations in the DNA-Bound Proteome.

Signaling pathways often convergence on transcription factors and other DNA-binding proteins that regulate chromatin structure and gene expression, thereby governing a broad range of essential cellular functions. However, the repertoire of DNA-binding proteins is incompletely understood even for the best-characterized pathways. Here, we optimized a strategy for the isolation of Proteins on Chromatin (iPOC) exploiting tagged nucleoside analogs to label the DNA and capture associated proteins, thus enabling the comprehensive, sensitive, and unbiased characterization of the DNA-bound proteome.

The Role of Fermented Pickles in Shaping Gut Microbiota and Immune Response in Women: A Community-Based Trial in Pakistan.

A gut microbiome-targeted diet can potentially mitigate chronic diseases like malnutrition. In a prospective 12-week intervention trial, we evaluated the effects of six different plant-based fermented pickles (∼50g/day) on clinical, inflammatory, and gut-microbiome parameters in women (n=230) in a rural setting with a high prevalence of undernutrition. Blood was collected at two, whereas stool was collected at three timepoints.

Formulation development of highly stable collagenase-containing hydrogels for wound healing.

Collagenases are enzymes that break down collagen and are used in wound healing and treating various disorders. Currently, collagenase is commercially available in only ointment and injectable forms and is sensitive to various environmental factors. In the present study, different hydrogel formulations of collagenase have been prepared at pH 6.

Metal chalcogenide quantum dots for photochemical and electrochemical hydrogen generation: recent advancements and technological challenges.

The performance of heterogeneous catalysis, specifically photochemical and electrochemical hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) fundamentally relies upon the prudent choice of catalytic systems with ideal optoelectronic and surface properties. Progressive research in materials processing has hinted at the large-scale applicability of two-dimensional (2D) materials for achieving higher activity in the HER process. Among 2D materials, transition metal chalcogenides (TMCs) have emerged as the advanced materials to enhance the rate of HER on account of their layered structure and chalcogen-sites that exhibit favorable hydrogen binding energies.

Berberine Inhibits the Disruption of the Blood-Brain Barrier and Glial Cell Activation in a Rat Model of Acute Hepatic Encephalopathy.

Background And Aim: Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) is a complex neurological disorder in individuals with liver diseases, necessitating effective neuroprotective interventions to alleviate its adverse outcomes. Berberine (BBR), a natural compound with well-established anti-fibrotic and neuroprotective properties, has not been extensively studied in the context of glial activation under hyperammonaemic conditions. This study evaluates the neuroprotective potential of BBR in a thioacetamide (TAA)-induced HE rat model, focusing on its effects on glial activation and NLRP3 inflammasome signalling.

Blood stream infections in Stevens Johnson Syndrome and Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis: Risk factors and association with poor outcome.

Background & Objective: Blood Stream Infections (BSI) are considered a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with Stevens Johnson Syndrome (SJS) and Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis (TEN). We aimed to identify risk factors for BSI upon admission, highlight clinical and microbiological findings and ascertain the frequency of mortality in patients with BSI in SJS/TEN.

Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional study over 12 years (2011-2022) was performed in the department of medicine at a tertiary care hospital in Pakistan.

PREVALENCE AND PATTERN OF INJURY IN SEXUAL ASSAULT CASES PRESENTED AT KHYBER MEDICAL COLLEGE PESHAWAR.

Background: Actual or threatened physical intrusion of a sexual nature, whether by force or under unequal or coercive conditions. Nowadays sexual assault is considered a major public health issue all over the world, especially in developing countries. Sexual abuse is declared as a medical emergency.

Phylogenetic and phylodynamic analysis of respiratory syncytial virus strains circulating in children less than five years of age in Karachi-Pakistan.

Background: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is one of the leading causes of infant morbidity and mortality worldwide, especially in Pakistan. To date, few studies have explored RSV epidemiology in different areas of Pakistan. However, none have performed comprehensive phylogenetic and phylodynamic analyses of RSV strains.

Mapping the proteome landscape of Indian Zebu (Sahiwal) spermatozoa using high-resolution mass spectrometry and annotation.

Proteomic analysis of sperm cells offers significant insights into proteins' structural, functional, and localization aspects within biological systems. Sahiwal, a native Indian cattle breed, is well known for its disease resistance, calving ease, and resilience to drought. This study addressed the gap in Sahiwal's comprehensive sperm proteome profiling data.

Community-acquired sepsis in the medical intensive care unit: An experience from a lower-middle-income country.

Objectives: To determine microbiological pathogens and in-hospital mortality in patients admitted with communityacquired sepsis to the intensive care unit in a tertiary-care setting in a low- and middle-income country.

Methods: The retrospective, observational study was conducted at the medical intensive care unit of a large tertiary care hospital in Karachi, and comprised data from January 1 to December 31, 2019 of patients with community-acquired sepsis who were assessed using the Sepsis-3 criteria. Data was compared between survivors and non-survivors, and independent factors associated with in-hospital mortality were identified.

Leveraging Industry 4.0 for marketing strategies in the medical device industry of emerging economies.

This research investigates the impact of the technologies through an integrated Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process (F-AHP) and VIKOR model to determine their viability as a marketing strategy for business growth in the Prosthetics and Orthotics (P&O) medical device industry. Based on expert data, the study evaluates the integration of Industry 4.0 technologies and ranks them by priority for marketing performance: "Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning" (0.

Hepatocellular carcinoma antibodies preferably identify nitro-oxidative-DNA lesions induced by 4-Chloro-orthophenylenediamine and DEANO.

The widespread use of oxidative hair colouring cosmetics threatens public health. Phenylenediamine derivatives serve as the main pigment in permanent hair colours. They interact with biological macromolecules, altering their functional and structural physiology.

Reverse engineering the Gut-Brain Axis and microbiome-metabolomics for symbiotic/pathogenic balance in neurodegenerative diseases.

Deciphering the molecular communications along the gut-brain axis can help in understanding the pathophysiology of neurodegenerative diseases and exploiting the gut microbiome for therapeutics. However, gut microbes and their metabolites have a multifaceted role in mediating both brain physiology and neurodegenerative pathology. There is a lack of understanding of how and when this role is tipped in neurodegenerative diseases and what are those contributing factors, both at local (gut) and distal (neuronal) levels, that drive this imbalance.

Dapagliflozin's Role in Heart Failure: An Overview of Clinical Trial Evidence.

Heart failure (HF) has become a global health threat, necessitating the development of novel treatment options to address this crisis. Sodium-glucose co-transporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors, such as dapagliflozin, may offer significant advantages in the treatment of HF, particularly in patients with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). This systematic review combines the findings from clinical studies to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of dapagliflozin in HF patients.