Hemodynamic and clinical outcomes with balloon-expandable valves versus self-expanding valves in patients with small aortic annulus undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement: A -analysis of randomized controlled trials and propensity score matched studies.

Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is considered more effective than surgical aortic valve implantation for patients with a small aortic annulus (SAA), however, the comparative efficacy of different transcatheter heart valves (THVs) remains uncertain. A literature search was performed across databases from their inception until June 2024 to identify eligible randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and propensity-score matched (PSM) studies. Clinical outcomes were evaluated using a random-effects model to pool risk ratios (RRs) with 95 % confidence intervals (CIs).

Assessment of the importance and catalytic role of chromium oxide and chromium carbide for hydrogen generation hydrolysis of magnesium.

Increasing energy demands and low-carbon emission energy carriers are global challenges for renewable energy resources. Regarding the aforementioned issues, magnesium-based composites are promising candidates for energy carriers. However, rapid initial hydrolysis kinetics and higher hydrogen yields are the objectives for practical applications.

Diagnostic Accuracy of Polymerase Chain Reaction Against Giemsa Staining on Tissue Biopsy for Cutaneous Leishmaniasis.

Objective: To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of a commercial real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) kit targeting 18S rRNA against Giemsa-stained tissue slides in patients clinically suspected of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL).

Study Design: Cross-sectional analytical study. Place and Duration of the Study: Department of Microbiology, Armed Forces Institute of Pathology / National University of Medical Sciences, Rawalpindi, Pakistan, from July to December 2022.

Risk Factors of Acute Ischemic Stroke and Mortality Among Adults With Endocardial Fibroelastosis.

Objectives: Endocardial fibroelastosis (EFE) is a rare form of restrictive cardiomyopathy associated with high morbidity and mortality. The literature is sparse on information pertaining to risk stratification. Thus, we sought to highlight the risk factors of acute ischemic stroke (AIS) and mortality in adults with EFE.

Unfavorable social determinants of health and risk of mortality in adults with diabetes: findings from the National Health Interview Survey.

Introduction: Understanding the role of social determinants of health as predictors of mortality in adults with diabetes may help improve health outcomes in this high-risk population. Using population-based, nationally representative data, this study investigated the cumulative effect of unfavorable social determinants on all-cause mortality in adults with diabetes.

Research Design And Methods: We used data from the 2013-2018 National Health Interview Survey, linked to the National Death Index through 2019, for mortality ascertainment.

The Impact of Non-Adherence to Antihypertensive Drug Therapy.

Medication non-adherence is a major healthcare barrier, especially among diseases that are largely asymptomatic, such as hypertension. The impact of poor medication adherence ranges from patient-specific adverse health outcomes to broader strains on health care system resources. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Wide-ranging Online Data for Epidemiologic Research (WONDER) database was used to retrieve Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' data pertaining to blood pressure (BP) medication adherence, socio-economic variables, and cardiovascular (CV) outcomes across the United States.

Evaluating Dental Fear and Anxiety in Pediatric Patients Visiting a Private and a Public Dental Hospital in Lahore, Pakistan.

Background One of the biggest hurdles in treating pediatric patients is managing dental fear and anxiety. Some factors that contribute to an increase in dental anxiety are fear of pain, the presence of unknown individuals, a change in the setting of an environment, and separation from parents. Aim The aim of this study was to evaluate dental fear and anxiety in pediatric patients, between the ages of 6 and 12 years, visiting private and public dental hospitals using the Children's Fear Survey Schedule-Dental Subscale (CFSS-DS).

Diagnosis of cardiac sarcoidosis in patients presenting with cardiac arrest or life-threatening arrhythmias.

Objective: Cardiac sarcoidosis (CS) may present with cardiac arrest or life-threatening arrhythmias. There are limited data on this subgroup of patients with CS. Advanced imaging including cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) and cardiac 18-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) are used for diagnosis.

Biological and Hypoglycemic Effects of a Polyherbal Extract on Alloxanized Diabetic Rats.

The current study investigates the antioxidant, antidiabetic, hepatoprotective, and nephroprotective potentials of a polyherbal mixture containing the methanolic extracts of seeds from , , , and and the rhizome of . The polyherbal extract (PHE) showed significant total phenolic contents (187.17 GAE/g), ferric reducing power (28%), and radical-scavenging activity (86.

Incidence and prevalence of venous thromboembolism in chronic liver disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background And Aims: Historically, bleeding was thought to be a frequent and fatal complication of liver disease. However, thrombosis due to coagulation disorders in cirrhosis remains a real risk. We aim to systematically analyse published articles to evaluate epidemiology of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in chronic liver disease (CLD).

Thrombosis with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome After Administration of AZD1222 or Ad26.COV2.S Vaccine for COVID-19: A Systematic Review.

Background: Cases of thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS) have been reported following vaccination with AZD1222 or Ad26.COV2.S.

Pheochromocytoma Presenting as Hypertrophic Obstructive Cardiomyopathy.

This case series describes the diagnostic evaluation of a 33-year-old woman who was 30 weeks pregnant and admitted to the hospital for hypotension.

Soil applied potassium improves productivity and fiber quality of cotton cultivars grown on potassium deficient soils.

Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) is considered as the most valuable cash crop of Pakistan. During last decade, its yield has been declined due to various biotic and abiotic factors.

Incidence, pattern and severity of abnormal liver blood tests among hospitalised patients with SARS-COV2 (COVID-19) in South Wales.

Introduction: SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) is a novel coronavirus that emerged in Wuhan, China in late 2019 and since become a global pandemic. As such, its clinical behaviour is a subject of much interest. Initial reports suggested a significant proportion of patients have abnormal liver blood tests.

GP-GAN: Brain tumor growth prediction using stacked 3D generative adversarial networks from longitudinal MR Images.

Brain tumors are one of the major common causes of cancer-related death, worldwide. Growth prediction of these tumors, particularly gliomas which are the most dominant type, can be quite useful to improve treatment planning, quantify tumor aggressiveness, and estimate patients' survival time towards precision medicine. Studying tumor growth prediction basically requires multiple time points of single or multimodal medical images of the same patient.

Electronic immunization information systems: a case report of lessons learned from implementation in Pakistan.

Pakistan ranks third globally in the number of unvaccinated and under-vaccinated children, and Sindh province has one of the lowest vaccination rates in the country. Electronic census-based immunization information systems have the potential to bolster traditional immunization service delivery mechanisms, but literature has largely not focused on implementation at scale in Pakistan. This is a case report of technical support provided to the Sindh Department of Health/Expanded Program on Immunization (DOH/EPI) from 2015 to 2017 to strengthen routine immunization (RI).

Evaluation of galactomannan and beta-d-glucan assays for the diagnosis of invasive aspergillosis in clinically suspected cases.

Objective: To assess the utility of galactomannan and beta-D-glucan assays in the diagnosis of invasive aspergillosis in clinically suspected cases, and to compare their diagnostic potential to determine whether a combination of the two may result in an early and specific diagnosis.

Methods: The descriptive cross-sectional case-control study was conducted at the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, Rawalpindi, Pakistan, from April 1, 2017, to March 31, 2018, and comprised serum samples from clinically suspected invasive aspergillosis patients and healthy controls. The sera were tested for galactomannan and beta-D-glucan detection.

Breast Cancer Detection and Diagnosis Using Mammographic Data: Systematic Review.

Background: Machine learning (ML) has become a vital part of medical imaging research. ML methods have evolved over the years from manual seeded inputs to automatic initializations. The advancements in the field of ML have led to more intelligent and self-reliant computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) systems, as the learning ability of ML methods has been constantly improving.

Influenza Virus Subtyping by Multiplex PCR during Winter Months of 2017-2018.

Objective: To determine the frequency of infections caused by Influenza viruses, i.e. Influenza A (H1N1) pdm09, Influenza A (H3N2) and Influenza B in patients presenting with respiratory tract infections, i.

Cardiac auscultation poorly predicts the presence of valvular heart disease in asymptomatic primary care patients.

Objective: Cardiac auscultation is a key clinical skill, particularly for the diagnosis of valvular heart disease (VHD). However, its utility has declined due to the widespread availability of echocardiography and diminishing emphasis on the importance of clinical examination. We aim to determine the contemporary accuracy of auscultation for diagnosing VHD in primary care.