from sheep herds around water tributaries of the Malakand region of Pakistan.

This study was designed to determine the prevalence of infections in sheep herds around tributaries in Pakistan and to evaluate the influence of potential risk factors. In total, 448 samples from 26 sheep herds were screened microscopically and then confirmed through polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of the 18S SSU rRNA gene. Our result revealed that, out of 448 samples, 107 were found positive by microscopy and 77 positive by PCR, with prevalence rates of 23.

ELISA based seroprevalence and risk factors for three zoonotic parasites (Toxoplasma gondii, Echinococcus granulosus and Trichinella spiralis) in humans in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.

Zoonotic parasitic infections can affect both animal and human health, while also having food safety and economic implications. These pathogens can also pose occupational risks for certain groups, including veterinary professionals, animal handlers, and butchers. This study was conducted in the district of Swabi located in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province of northwestern Pakistan.

Performance test of Zn-astaxanthin complex-sensitized solar cell: effect of light intensity on open-circuit voltage and short-circuit current values.

The sensitizer is one of the most essential dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) components. In the present research, a Zn-astaxanthin complex was investigated as a sensitizer, compared to pure astaxanthin. The complex with a 1:1 mole ratio between astaxanthin and Zn was synthesized in a reflux reactor at 37-60 °C.

Fine mapping of candidate effector genes for heart rate.

An elevated resting heart rate (RHR) is associated with increased cardiovascular mortality. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified > 350 loci. Uniquely, in this study we applied genetic fine-mapping leveraging tissue specific chromatin segmentation and colocalization analyses to identify causal variants and candidate effector genes for RHR.

Alarming multidrug resistance in Staphylococcus aureus isolated from raw milk of cows with subclinical mastitis: Antibiotic resistance patterns and occurrence of selected resistance genes.

Bovine mastitis is a widespread and costly disease that affects dairy farming globally, characterized by mammary gland inflammation. Bovine intramammary gland infection has been associated with more than 135 different pathogens of which Staphylococcus aureus is the main etiology of sub-clinical mastitis (SCM). The current study was designed to investigate the prevalence, antibiotic resistance pattern, and the presence of antibiotic resistance genes (mecA, tetK, aacA-aphD and blaZ) in S.

Relationship between academic procrastination and self-efficacy amongst dental undergraduate students at a public university in Karachi, Pakistan.

Objective: To compare the procrastination and self-efficacy scores among students with respect to the academic year of dental undergraduate programme, and to assess the relationship between self-efficacy and academic procrastination among the students.

Methods: The descriptive study was conducted at Sindh Institute of Oral Health Sciences, Jinnah Sindh Medical University, Karachi, from January to March 2023, and comprised medical students of either gender from all the 4 academic years. Data was collected using a structured questionnaire whose validity was assessed using a pilot study.

Depletion of hepatic glutathione and adenosine by glucocorticoid exposure in Wistar rats is pregnancy-independent.

Liver diseases have gained increasing attention due to their substantial impact on health, independently as well as in association with cardio-metabolic disorders. Studies have suggested that glutathione and adenosine assist in providing protection against oxidative stress and inflammation while glucocorticoid (GC) therapy has been associated with chronic inflammatory disorders, even in pregnancy. The implications of Glucocorticoid exposure on maternal health and fetal growth is a concern, however, the possible role of glutathione and adenosine has not been thoroughly investigated.

Beta-cell compensation and gestational diabetes.

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is characterized by glucose intolerance in pregnant women without a previous diagnosis of diabetes. While the etiology of GDM remains elusive, the close association of GDM with increased maternal adiposity and advanced gestational age implicates insulin resistance as a culpable factor for the pathogenesis of GDM. Pregnancy is accompanied by the physiological induction of insulin resistance in the mother secondary to maternal weight gain.

Toxoplasma gondii infection in small ruminants from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan: Seroprevalence, spatial distribution and associated risk factors.

The primary aim of this investigation was to assess the occurrence of Toxoplasma gondii infection among sheep and goats in five districts within the southern region of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, Pakistan. Additionally, the study aimed to pinpoint potential factors associated with the spread of this infection. Serum samples were gathered from a total of 3505 small ruminants, comprising 1810 sheep and 1695 goats.

A systematic literature review of machine learning based risk prediction models for diabetic retinopathy progression.

Diabetic Retinopathy (DR) is the most popular debilitating impairment of diabetes and it progresses symptom-free until a sudden loss of vision occurs. Understanding the progression of DR is a pressing issue in clinical research and practice. In this systematic review of articles on Machine Learning (ML) based risk prediction models for DR progression, ever since the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) for DR detection, there have been more cross-sectional studies with different algorithms of use of AI, there haven't been many longitudinal studies for the AI based risk prediction models.

Proteome based analysis of circulating SARS-CoV-2 variants: approach to a universal vaccine candidate.

The discovery of the first infectious variant in Wuhan, China, in December 2019, has posed concerns over global health due to the spread of COVID-19 and subsequent variants. While the majority of patients experience flu-like symptoms such as cold and fever, a small percentage, particularly those with compromised immune systems, progress from mild illness to fatality. COVID-19 is caused by a RNA virus known as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).

Evaluation of postgraduate family medicine trainee's knowledge and attitude following an online Educational Module in Palliative Care: A descriptive study.

Objectives: To identify improvement in knowledge and attitude of Family Medicine (FM) postgraduate trainees (PGT) towards Palliative care (PC) in order to provide effective care to the patients with advanced disease.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted over eight weeks from 1 July till 3 September 2021 at Family Medicine Department, Aga Khan University Hospital (AKUH). PGT who willingly signed the written informed consent were enrolled in the study.

Diversity, prevalence and risk factors associated to gastrointestinal tract parasites in wild and domestic animals from Pakistan.

The gastrointestinal tract (GIT) of animals contains various helminth parasites, responsible for subclinical and clinical parasitism. The health situation of animals is seriously affected by these parasites and leads massive financial losses for the livestock trade. The present study was conducted to determine the prevalence and associated risk factors of GIT parasites in small and large ruminants of Mardan district and zoo animals of Golden Life Safari Park Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Individual and Community-Level Risk Factors for Giardiasis in Children under Five Years of Age in Pakistan: A Prospective Multi-Regional Study.

Objectives: This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of infection and identify associated risk factors at both individual and community levels in a pediatric population in different agroecological zones of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.

Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted from March to December 2022. Using stratified sampling, 1026 households were recruited from nine agroecological zones.

Antimicrobial Usage and Detection of Multidrug-Resistant : Methicillin- and Tetracycline-Resistant Strains in Raw Milk of Lactating Dairy Cattle.

is a prominent cause of food-borne diseases worldwide. Enterotoxigenic strains of this bacteria are frequently found in raw milk, and some of these strains are resistant to antimicrobials, posing a risk to consumers. The main objectives of this study were to determine the antimicrobial resistance pattern of in raw milk and to detect the presence of and genes in it.

Identification of Novel mRNA Isoforms Associated with Acute Heat Stress Response Using RNA Sequencing Data in Sprague Dawley Rats.

The molecular mechanisms underlying heat stress tolerance in animals to high temperatures remain unclear. This study identified the differentially expressed mRNA isoforms which narrowed down the most reliable DEG markers and molecular pathways that underlie the mechanisms of thermoregulation. This experiment was performed on Sprague Dawley rats housed at 22 °C (control group; CT), and three acute heat-stressed groups housed at 42 °C for 30 min (H30), 60 min (H60), and 120 min (H120).

Recurrent Hypoglycaemia In An Older Individual With Covid-19.

Coronavirus disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) emerged as a deadly pandemic overburdening healthcare system globally. While people of all ages were affected, the older population has faced disproportionately higher morbidity and mortality, likely due to altered immune responses and pre-existing comorbid conditions like cardiovascular disease, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, chronic pulmonary and kidney disease. Clinical manifestations in older patients may also be atypical with absence of fever, increased chances of acute confusion and longer recovery times.

Froth flotation beneficiation and physiochemical characterization of coal from Achibo-Sombo-Dabaso area, southwestern Ethiopia.

This study was carried out with one of the physiochemical techniques of coal sample beneficiation using froth flotation technique for upgrading the quality of Achibo-Sombo-Dabaso coal, southwestern Ethiopia. The investigations aimed to beneficiate high impure Ethiopian coal and to minimize its impurities present, so that it can replace the imported coal and the environmental pollution generated during combustion is reduced. The proximate and ultimate characterization studies show that the raw coal samples contain 11.

Emerging Roles of Noncoding RNAs in Bovine Mastitis Diseases.

Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) are an abundant class of RNA with varying nucleotide lengths. They have been shown to have great potential in eutherians/human disease diagnosis and treatments and are now gaining more importance for the improvement of diseases in livestock. To date, thousands of ncRNAs have been discovered in the bovine genome and the continuous advancement in deep sequencing technologies and various bioinformatics tools has enabled the elucidation of their roles in bovine health.

Indications of Peripheral Pain, Dermal Hypersensitivity, and Neurogenic Inflammation in Patients with Lipedema.

Lipedema is a disease with abnormally increased adipose tissue deposition and distribution. Pain sensations have been described in the clinical evaluation of lipedema, but its etiology remains poorly understood. We hypothesized that pain sensitivity measurements and ex vivo quantitation of neuronal cell body distribution in the skin would be lipedema stage-dependent, and could, thus, serve to objectively characterize neuropathic pain in lipedema.

Myeloid FoxO1 depletion attenuates hepatic inflammation and prevents nonalcoholic steatohepatitis.

Hepatic inflammation is culpable for the evolution of asymptomatic steatosis to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Hepatic inflammation results from abnormal macrophage activation. We found that FoxO1 links overnutrition to hepatic inflammation by regulating macrophage polarization and activation.

Association Between Abdominal Adipose Tissue Distribution and Obstructive Sleep Apnea in Chinese Obese Patients.

Purpose: Factors related to the occurrence of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) in obesity have not been fully clarified. The aim of this study was to identify the association between OSAS and abdominal fat distribution in a cohort of Chinese obese patients.

Methods: This cross-sectional study collected demographic data of 122 obese patients who were admitted into the in-patient unit of the Department of Endocrinology, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital from July 2018 to January 2021.

Relationship of Vitamin A and Thyroid Function in Individuals With Obesity and After Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy.

Unlabelled: Vitamin A deficiency (VAD) occurs in obesity and may be associated with thyroid dysfunction. We aimed to investigate the association of VA with thyroid function in obesity and after laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG). Nine hundred and seventy-six obese subjects were enrolled for this study and were divided into VAD, marginal vitamin A deficiency (MVAD), and vitamin A normal (NVA) groups.