Redox cycling of sulfur via microbes in soil boosts the bioavailability of nutrients to Brassica napus.

Deficiency of sulfur (S) has been recognized for both dry and wetland plants as a significant growth limiting factor. S-oxidizers enhance the oxidation rate of S and increase sulfate (SO4 - 2) production by making them available in critical growth stages, resulting in higher plant growth and yield. A two-phase study was undertaken to assess the effectiveness of microbial redox reactions on soil nutrient bioavailability and crop growth.

Effectiveness of Cardiac Rehabilitation on Health-Related Quality of Life in Coronary Artery Disease Patients in Low and Middle-Income Countries.

This meta-analysis of published studies was conducted to determine the effectiveness of cardiac rehabilitation (CR) in terms of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in post-coronary artery disease (CAD) patients in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Eighteen studies were identified from six countries (Malaysia, Iran, Brazil, Turkiye, China, and Pakistan) totalling 2,620 study participants with a mean age of 57.43 ± 7.

Complex high-risk indicated PCI (CHIP-PCI): is it safe to let fellows-in-training perform it as primary operators?

Background: Training in complex high-risk indicated percutaneous coronary intervention (CHIP-PCI) has frequently been reserved for established operators (consultants/attending) with trainees (fellows-in-training or FIT) being often discouraged from carrying out such procedures as a primary operator due to their high-risk nature. Whether the outcomes of these cases differ if the primary operator is a supervised FIT compared with a consultant is unknown.

Methods: Using multicentre PCI data from three cardiac centres in South Wales, UK (2018-2022), we identified 2295 CHIP-PCI cases with a UK-BCIS CHIP Score of 3 or more.

Prevalence and associated factors of parental refusal rates for routine immunisation: a cross-sectional study in Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan-2024.

Background: Vaccine hesitancy is a serious public health problem globally, particularly in low- and middle-income countries like Pakistan. This study aims to determine the vaccination refusal rate, associated factors and perceptions of parents who refused routine immunisation within Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.

Methods: A cross-sectional study conducted in July-2024, among 340 parents of children aged 0-59 months.

Cytomorphological changes of oral mucosal cells among smokeless tobacco users in low and middle-income country settings: new findings from Pakistan.

Background: Chronic tobacco use, in any form, induces significant cellular alterations in the oral mucosa. This study investigates four distinct cytomorphological changes in oral mucosal cells among smokeless tobacco users, examining their association across different genders and age groups.

Materials And Methods: This cross-sectional study involved collecting mucosal samples from smokeless tobacco (naswar/snuff) users through consecutive sampling.

Graph theoretic visualization of patient and health worker messaging in the EHR.

Introduction: The electronic health record (EHR) has greatly expanded healthcare communication between patients and health workers. However, the volume and complexity of EHR messages have increased health workers' cognitive load, impeding effective care delivery and contributing to burnout.

Methods: To understand these potential detriments resulting from EHR communication, we analyzed EHR messages sent between patients and health workers at Emory Healthcare, a large academic healthcare system in Atlanta, Georgia.

Effect of high-efficiency particulate air filter on children with asthma: a systematic review protocol of RCTs.

Introduction: Asthma has been classified as a major non-communicable disease by the WHO. With the worsening air quality index worldwide, the burden of asthma has increased specifically in children. The focus of the management strategy of asthma has shifted from traditional pharmacological treatments towards non-pharmacological preventive and control therapy in recent decades.

A randomised controlled feasibility trial of Behavioural activation as a treatment for people with diabetes and depression: (DiaDeM feasibility trial).

Background: There is a lack of evidence on effective treatments for depression in people with T2DM, particularly in Low and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs). This study aims to test the feasibility and acceptability of a culturally adapted Behavioural Activation (BA) intervention (DiaDeM) for people with depression and T2DM in two South Asian LMICs.

Methods: A multicountry, individually randomised-controlled feasibility trial was conducted from March 2022 to November 2022.

Implementation strategies for providing optimised tuberculosis and diabetes integrated care in LMICs (POTENTIAL): protocol for a multiphase sequential and concurrent mixed-methods study.

Introduction: Almost a quarter of patients with tuberculosis (TB) in Pakistan may also have diabetes, with an additional quarter in a pre-diabetic state. Diabetes is a risk factor for TB. When it co-occurs with TB, it leads to poorer outcomes for both conditions, considerably increasing the burden on individuals, families and the healthcare system.

Effectiveness of lipid-based nutrient supplementation during the first 1000 days of life for early childhood development: A community-based trial from Pakistan.

A community-based, cluster non-randomized controlled trial was conducted in Kurram district, Pakistan between January 2018 to December 2020. Age-appropriate lipid-based nutrient supplements and health education (sessions conducted in the households) were given to pregnant women and their born children (6-23 months) in the intervention arm (n = 40 clusters) versus health education only in the control arm (n = 40 clusters) to evaluate its effect on child development. The first and second developmental assessments were completed at ~24 months (n = 689) and ~32 months (n = 608), respectively, using the Caregiver-Reported Early Development Instrument Long form.

Coherent manipulation of giant birefringent Goos-Hänchen shifts by compton scattering using chiral atomic medium.

A four level chiral medium is considered to analyze and investigate theoretically the reflection/transmission coefficients of right circularly polarized (RCP) beam and left circularly polarized (LCP) beam as well as their corresponding GH-shifts under the effect of compton scattering. Density matrix formalism is used for calculation of electric and magnetic probe fields coherence. The polarization and magnetization are calculated from probes coherence terms in the chiral medium.

COVID-19 Vaccine Effectiveness Studies against Symptomatic and Severe Outcomes during the Omicron Period in Four Countries in the Eastern Mediterranean Region.

Vaccine effectiveness (VE) studies provide real-world evidence to monitor vaccine performance and inform policy. The WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean supported a regional study to assess the VE of COVID-19 vaccines against different clinical outcomes in four countries between June 2021 and August 2023. Health worker cohort studies were conducted in 2707 health workers in Egypt and Pakistan, of whom 171 experienced symptomatic laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Real-world study of the multimorbidity and health service utilisation among individuals with non-diabetic hyperglycemia and type 2 diabetes mellitus in North West London.

Introduction: The prevalence of non-diabetic hyperglycemia (NDH) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is increasing. While T2DM is recognised to be associated with multimorbidity and early mortality, people with NDH are frequently thought to be devoid of such complications, potentially exposing individuals with NDH to suboptimal care. We therefore used the Discover London Secure Data Environment (SDE) dataset to appreciate the relationship of NDH/T2DM with multimorbidity, healthcare usage, and clinical outcomes.

Safety and efficacy of resmetirom in the treatment of patients with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis and liver fibrosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Introduction: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), spanning from non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) to liver fibrosis, poses a global health challenge amid rising obesity and metabolic syndrome rates. Effective pharmacological treatments for NASH and liver fibrosis are limited.

Objective: This study systematically reviews and meta-analyzes the safety and efficacy of resmetirom, a selective thyroid hormone receptor-β agonist, in NASH and liver fibrosis treatment.

Bifunctional Zirconium Phosphate with Greigite for Electrochemical Detection and Simultaneous Removal of Heavy Metal Ions and Nitro Compounds.

Electrochemical sensing is emerging as a method of choice for the sensing and monitoring of contaminants in water. Various sensing platforms have been designed for sensing heavy metal ions and organic pollutants in water bodies. Herein, we report a new electrochemical platform that can be used for the detection of both heavy metal ions and nitro-based organic contaminants in water bodies.

Cognitive therapy for depression in tuberculosis treatment: protocol for multicentre pragmatic parallel arm randomised control trial with an internal pilot.

Introduction And Objectives: There is an unmet need to develop high-quality evidence addressing tuberculosis (TB)-related mental health comorbidity, particularly in the context of lower-middle-income countries. This study aims to examine the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) versus enhanced treatment as usual (ETAU) in improving depressive symptoms in people with TB and comorbid depression, enhancing adherence with anti-TB treatment (ATT) and its implementation in the real-world setting of Pakistan.

Methods: We will conduct a pragmatic parallel arm randomised control trial with an internal pilot.

Utilization of organic-residues as potting media: Physico-chemical characteristics and their influence on vegetable production.

Soilless agriculture is acknowledged worldwide because it uses organic leftovers as a means of supporting intensive and efficient plant production. However, the quality of potting media deteriorates because of lower nutrient content and excessive shrinkage of most organic materials. A current study was undertaken to identify the optimal blend of locally available organic materials with desirable qualities for use as potting media.

Long-term quantification of springtime aerosols over Saudi Arabia using multi-satellite remotely sensed data.

A comprehensive analysis of aerosol characteristics over Saudi Arabia from 2005 to 2022, utilizing high-resolution satellite-based observations and reanalysis datasets, examining the distribution of aerosols and their subtypes across the three dimensions (temporal, spatial, and altitude based) for March, April, and May. This study focuses on the analysis of parameters such as aerosol optical depth (AOD), angstrom exponent (AE), absorption aerosol optical depth (AAOD), and Ultraviolet Aerosol Index (UVAI), revealing significant spatial disparities, with elevated aerosol concentrations in the central and eastern regions and comparatively lower concentrations along the western coastal areas. In this study, the spatial patterns and temporal trends are analyzed through trajectory modeling.

Microbiome miracles and their pioneering advances and future frontiers in cardiovascular disease.

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) represent a significant global health challenge, underscoring the need for innovative approaches to prevention and treatment. Recent years have seen a surge in interest in unraveling the complex relationship between the gut microbiome and cardiovascular health. This article delves into current research on the composition, diversity, and impact of the gut microbiome on CVD development.

Healthcare interactions prior to first hospital admission with alcohol-related liver disease.

Background And Aims: To examine the healthcare contacts of patients in the year before an index admission to hospital with alcohol-related liver disease (ArLD) to identify where opportunities for earlier identification of alcohol use disorders (AUD) and ArLD and intervention may occur.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study using the regional database encompassing NHS organisations across North West London (344 general practitioner [GP] practices, 4 acute hospital trusts and 2 mental health and community health trusts). Patients who had an index admission with ArLD were identified through healthcare coding and compared with a control cohort.

Impact of green intellectual capital, green organizational culture, and frugal innovation on sustainable business model innovation: Dataset of manufacturing firms in Pakistan.

This dataset integrates and helps examine the impact of green intellectual capital (GIC) which comprises of green human capital (GHC), green structural capital (GSC), and green relational capital (GRC) on green organizational culture (GOC). Secondly, it enables the investigation of GOC as a mediation phenomenon between GIC and sustainable business model innovation (SBMI). Moreover, it highlights the moderation of frugal innovation (FGL) on GOC and SBMI relationship.

Assessment of the impact of integrated disease surveillance and response system on surveillance management at healthcare facilities in Pakistan.

Background: Disease surveillance is very crucial especially in high vulnerability settings like Pakistan. However, surveillance and outbreak response management are still evolving in the country and research studies are needed to assess the existing system.

Aim: To assess the impact of integrated disease surveillance and response system (IDSRS) implemented by the provincial government to strengthen infectious disease surveillance and reporting in 6 districts of Pakistan in 2016.

From field to table: Ensuring food safety by reducing pesticide residues in food.

The present review addresses the significance of lowering pesticide residue levels in food items because of their harmful impacts on human health, wildlife populations, and the environment. It draws attention to the possible health risks-acute and chronic poisoning, cancer, unfavorable effects on reproduction, and harm to the brain or immunological systems-that come with pesticide exposure. Numerous traditional and cutting-edge methods, such as washing, blanching, peeling, thermal treatments, alkaline electrolyzed water washing, cold plasma, ultrasonic cleaning, ozone treatment, and enzymatic treatment, have been proposed to reduce pesticide residues in food products.