bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Molecular Detection of Chlamydia Trachomatis in Patients with Pelvic Inflammatory Disease Visiting a Tertiary Care Hospital in Pakistan
Authors: Naeem Afnan , Waseem Hafsa , Ali Sakhawat , Usman Javaid , Gilani Mehreen , Javed Amna
Published: December 2022

Objective: To detect the frequency of Chlamydia trachomatis in urine samples of women with Pelvic Inflammatory Disease visiting a tertiary care hospital using a Polymerase Chain Reaction assay and find an association between different risk factors.

Study Design: Cross-sectional study.

Place and Duration of Study: Department of Microbiology, Army Medical College/National University of Medical Sciences Rawalpindi Pakistan, from Mar 2018 to Jan 2019.

Methodology: Over eleven months, 60 diagnosed urine samples of married females with pelvic inflammatory disease between the ages of 14-49 years were included in the study. DNA of Chlamydia trachomatis from urine samples was extracted manually using the commercially available kit. It was detected by performing a real-time Polymerase Chain Reaction assay using a forward primer (5’-CATGAAAACTCGTTCCGAAATAGAA-3’) and a reverse primer (5’-TCAGAGCTTTACCTAACAACGCATA-3’) of sequence mentioned above for amplification of target sequences, of the Chlamydia trachomatis.

Results: Out of sixty cases included in this study, Chlamydia trachomatis DNA was detected in 12 cases (20%), and 48 cases (80%) were negative. So, the frequency of Chlamydia trachomatis in our study population was estimated at 20%. In addition, age, socioeconomic status, education and no of sexual partners were all risk factors were evaluated for their role in acquiring infection.

Conclusion: Females having Chlamydia trachomatis infection and other sexually transmitted infections are at an increased risk of developing Pelvic Inflammatory disease due to the presence of risk factors and the asymptomatic nature of the disease.
Endoscopic Fascia-Cartilage Composite Grafting in Chronic Suppurative Otitis Media
Authors: Ayub Zeeshan , Khan Amir Ali , Rafique Atif , Saeed Irfan , Alam Junaid
Published: December 2022

Objective: To evaluate perforation of an air-bone gap closure success using fascia-cartilage composite graft in endoscopic Trans canal tympanoplasty.

Study Design: Randomized Control Trial (Clinical Trials.gov Identifier: NCT04945811)

Place and Duration of Study: ENT Department Combined Military Hospital, Quetta Pakistan, from Apr 2020 to May 2021

Methodology: One hundred and thirty-three cases of chronic Suppurative otitis media fulfilling the selection criteria were operated upon, and an endoscopic fascia-cartilage composite graft was used. A successful outcome in terms of perforation closure and air-bone gap closure was evaluated in all patients.

Results: In the 138 patients operated, complete fascia-cartilage composite graft uptake was achieved in 129 (93.5%) patients. Nine (6.5%) patients had graft failure. The pre-operative mean air-bone gap was 36.49 ± 4.61 decibels, and the postoperative mean air-bone gap was 12.57 ± 5.09 decibels. This improvement was found to be significant, with the p-value < 0.001.

Conclusion: Endoscopic per-meatal fascia-cartilage composite grafting has a high graft uptake and air-bone gap closure percentage in chronic Suppurative otitis media cases.
Amelioration of Carboplatin-Induced Changes in Rat Renal Cortical Tubulesby Alpha-Tocopherol
Authors: Abaid Mehwish , Qamar Khadija , Iftikhar Zubia , Bashir Sumyyia , Akhtar Farhan , Aslam Maria
Published: December 2022

Objective: To determine the effects of carboplatin and alpha-tocopherol co-administration on gross kidney features and renal cortical tubules of carboplatin-treated rats.

Study Design: Laboratory-based experimental study.

Place and Duration of Study: Department of Anatomy, Army Medical College/National University of Medical Sciences Rawalpindi Pakistan, in collaboration with the National Institute of Health (NIH) and Pathology Lab Pak Emirates Rawalpindi Pakistan, from Jan to Dec, 2021.

Methodology: Thirty adults "Sprague-Dawley rats" of both genders were used and were divided into three Groups. Group-A was the Control Group. Groups B and C were given injection carboplatin 2.5 mg/kg body weight intraperitoneally on the first day. Group-C was given vitamin E at a dose of 62.7 mg/kg body weight daily via oral gavage starting from the second day of the experiment till the end of 12 weeks. Rats were euthanized at the end, kidneys were dissected, and they were preserved in 10% formalin after gross inspection. Tissue processing and staining were performed. A microscopic study was done to observe proximal and distal tubule necrosis.

Results: Thirty adult Sprague Dawley rats, of age 10-12 weeks, and weight 250.0±50.0 grams, were included, there was statistically significant difference in the animal weight difference (p=0.001), length of right kidneys (cm) (p=0.002), width of right kidney (cm) (p= 0.001) and weight of right kidney (gm) (p=0.012) kidneys and relative tissue body weight index (RTBWI) (p = 0.048) of Control Group-A and Experimental Group B and C.

Conclusion: Alpha-tocopherol has an ameliorative effect on gross features of rat kidneys..........
Smokeless Tobacco Use and Its Association with Head and Neck Tumors and its relationship with Ethnicity; A Hospital Based Study
Authors: Nouman Maryum , Haider Ghulam , Beg Shumyla , Shahid Aisha , Nawaz S. M. Ahsan , Nouman Rabeea
Published: December 2022

Objective: To identify smokeless tobacco as a risk factor in the development of head and neck cancers and to assess the role of ethnicity in the use of smokeless tobacco in developing head and neck cancers.

Study Design: Case-control study.

Place and Duration of Study: Department of Medical Oncology, Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Center, Karachi Pakistan, from Dec 2018 to Jun 2019.

Methodology: Three hundred patients, aged 18-85 years of either gender were included in the study. Cases were the patients visiting Oncology OPD with biopsy-proven head and neck cancers (HNCs). Controls were patients presenting at the same hospital for a routine checkup. We interviewed participants by using a pre-designed proforma.

Results: The mean age of the cases and controls were reported as 49.26±13.51 years and 40.12±14.89 years, respectively. Majority of the participants were consuming pan (37.0%), gutka (22.6%), tobacco (21.3%), betel nut (19.6%), naswar (12.0%) and mainpuri (9.0%). The participants who consumed tobacco (OR:2.95), gutka (OR:2.39), mainpuri (OR:4.89), pan (OR:2.06) and betel nut (OR:2.28) were times more likely to develop HNCs than those who did not consume tobacco, gutka, mainpuri, pan and betel nut (p<0.05). Among Urdu speaking, the participants who consumed tobacco (OR: 2.49), pan (OR:10.35), and betel nut (OR:3.34), had times more likely to develop HNCs than those who did not consume tobacco, pan and betel nut.

Conclusion: Mainpuri, naswar, betel quid, and betel nut significantly affect the oral health of people and are potential risk factors for the development of risk factors.
Awareness and Associated Correlates of Contraception Use among Patients of Reproductive Age: A Cross-sectional Analysis at Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, Karach
Authors: Haider Syeda Zehra , Zaidi Tafazzul Hyder , Sajid Benish , Haider Summaiya , Tabassum Rizwana , Jafry Mishal , Saleem Sunila , Abbas Kiran
Published: December 2022

Objective: To assess the level of awareness of contraception among patients of reproductive age groups.

Study Design: Cross-sectional analytical study.

Place and Duration of Study: Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, Karachi Pakistan, between Jul 2018 to Jul 2019.

Methodology: Women aged more than 18 years and not disoriented at the time of data collection were included in the study. Women younger than 18 years or those getting treatment for psychiatric illnesses or amenorrhea were excluded from the study. A predefined proforma was used to collect data from the study participants.

Results: The mean age of the female patients was 26.5±8.6 years. The awareness regarding contraception was seen in 207(64.2%) female patients. Notably, 190(59.1%) women were aware of contraceptive methods. 210(65.3%) of the female patients considered contraception a safe practice. 225(69.7%) female patients thought contraception was necessary for child spacing. 82(25.4%) female patients had used some contraceptive at least once in their lifetime. Most women use oral contraceptive pills because of their easy-to-use and inexpensive features. Age and marital status significantly associated with the degree of awareness among participants (p<0.05).

Conclusion: The study concluded that most of our study population were well aware of contraception and its uses, but they avoided using the contraceptive methods because of certain religious boundaries and misconceptions regarding the harmful effects of contraception on their health.
Attachment Styles and their Demographic Association Among Adult Children of Alcoholic Fathers in Pakistan
Authors: Suneel Ivan , Suneel Elizabeth Schwaiger , Anthoney Sarah
Published: December 2022

Objectives: To study the relationship between demographics and attachment styles among adult children of alcoholic fathers.

Study Design: Cross-sectional study.

Place and Duration of Study: Private Rehabilitation Centers, Lahore Pakistan, from Jan to Apr 2020.

Methodology: A sample of almost equal participation of both genders (202 males and 198 females) were included in the study. Two measuring tools were used, a Demographic questionnaire and the Adult Attachment questionnaire.

Results: Chi-square test indicated that attachment style was significantly associated with age [p < 0.001], education [p < 0.001], and birth order [p < 0.001], However, gender [p =0.374] and number of siblings [p=0.876] were not significantly associated.

Conclusion: There is a relationship between attachment styles and associated demographics of adult children of alcoholic fathers. Based on these findings, the alcoholics and their families could be educated, an intervention plan could be developed, and literature could educate the masses about alcoholism and its impact on children.
Morphological spectrum of Xp11. Translocation-Associated Renal Cell Carcinoma in a Developing Country
Authors: Khan Iram , Nabi Sana Ghulam , Mushtaq Sajid , Akhtar Noreen , Hassan Usman , Hussain Muddasir
Published: December 2022

Objective: to determine unusual morphological features and a panel of immunohistochemical markers to diagnose Xp11 translocation carcinoma.

Study Design: Retrospective longitudinal study.

Place and Duration of Study: Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital, Lahore Pakistan, from Jun 2015 to Feb 2020.

Methodoldogy: We analyzed clinicopathological features, and evaulated intensity and extent of TFE 3 immunoreactivity of 18 cases with suggested diagnosis of xp11 translocation associated renal cell carcinoma from 2015-2020.

Results: Different morphological pattern includes papillary (8/18, 44%), nested (2/18, 11.1%), alveolar (3/18, 16.7%), nested and papillary (3/18, 16.7%), solid and nested (1/18, 5.6%), cystic and nested (1/18, 5.6%). Four cases show papillary architecture with a linear array of nuclei away from the basement membrane, a pattern seen in SFPQ-TFE3 renal cell carcinoma and NONO-TFE3 renal cell carcinoma. Strong nuclear TFE3 expression was seen in 9/18 (50%) cases. Cathepsin k expression was seen in 6/11 (54%) cases, Ck7 was focal weak positive in 4/12 (25%) cases, PAX8 was positive in 8/8 (100%) cases, and CA IX was focal weak positive in 1/5 (20%) case. According to follow-up data, disease progression was seen in only one case with the low-stage disease. No death was reported due to renal cell carcinoma to date of follow-up.

Conclusion: We have suggested that young patient age, unusual morphological features and an immunohistochemical panel may help reach the diagnosis in countries with limited resources.
Shoulder Pain in Policemen Due to Gun Hanging in Lahore, Pakistan
Authors: Shakeel Hammad , Arooj Ayesha , Tauqeer Sana , Zakaullah Iqra , Amin Kinza , Saleem Sidra
Published: December 2022

Objective: To assess the frequency of shoulder pain in policemen due to gun hanging in Lahore, Pakistan.

Study Design: Cross-Sectional Study.

Place and Duration: Police Stations in Lahore, including Johar town, Model Town, Faisal Town and Khyaban e Amin. Lahore Pakistan from Nov 2019 to May 2020.

Methodology: The data were collected from the policemen of different police stations in Lahore. Inclusion criteria were work-related shoulder pain and no fracture or dislocation, and with no history of trauma or injury, and the age limit is 25 to 40 years of policemen. Data was collected using "Shortened disabilities of the arm, shoulder and hand questionnaire (Quick DASH)".

Results: There were 100 study participants. The mean age of the participants was 32.48±4.49 years. Results of this study showed that 43% had no shoulder pain, and 57% had shoulder pain due to gun hanging. In addition, results showed that 21% participants had no difficulty, 18% had mild difficulty, 27% had moderate difficulty, 22% had severe difficulty, and 12% were unable to open the jar.

Conclusion: The shoulder pain due to gun hanging is high among policemen Daily life activities such as sleeping patterns and recreational and social life activities were also disturbed due to shoulder pain.
Comparison of the Efficacy of Tazarotene 0.1% Cream Versus Clindamycin 1% Gel in the Treatment of Acne Vulgaris
Authors: Haq Afnan Bin , Shaikh Zafar Iqbal , Malik Sadia , Ashraf Amir , Shah Syed Sajid Ali , Anwar Ayesha
Published: December 2022

Objective: To compare the efficacy of Tazarotene 0.1% cream versus Clindamycin 1% gel in treating acne vulgaris.

Study Design: Quasi-experimental study.

Place and Duration of the Study: Dermatology Department, Pak Emirates Military Hospital, Rawalpindi Pakistan, from Jan to Jul 2018.

Methodology: One hundred and fifty-four patients of both genders who had moderate acne vulgaris for more than four weeks were divided into two Groups. In both Groups, patients applied one-fourth fingertip unit of Tazarotene 0.1% cream in the evening once daily and Clindamycin 1% gel over the affected area in the morning once daily for 12 weeks. The Global Acne Grading System Score (GAGS score) was used for severity and efficacy assessment.

Results: The majority of the patients belonged to 13-25 years of age, i.e., 61(79.2%) and 54(70.1%) in Group-A (Tazarotene 0.1% cream) and Group-B (Clindamycin 1% gel), respectively. The efficacy of topical Tazarotene cream (0.1%) was better than topical Clindamycin 1% gel, and the difference was statistically significant with a p-value less than 0.01. GAGS score <10 was observed in 54.5% and 33.8% of patients in Group-A and Group-B, respectively.

Conclusion: Topical Tazarotene cream (0.1%) was more effective than topical Clindamycin 1% gel in treating acne vulgaris.
Assessment of Quality of Life Among Children with Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Authors: Rehman Hooria , Cheema Huma Arshad , Alvi Muhammad Arshad , Anjum Muhammad Nadeem , Fayyaz Zafar , Batool Syeda Sara , Saeed Anjum
Published: December 2022

Objective: To evaluate the quality of life among children with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) by the inflammatory bowel disease questionnaire.

Study Design: Cross-sectional study.

Place and Duration of the Study: Department of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Children's Hospital and Institution of Child Health, Lahore Pakistan, from Nov 2020 to Apr 2021.

Methodology: A total of 60 cases (Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis) were enrolled in the study. Quality of life was measured according to the Modified IMPACT-III questionnaire.

Results: There were 38(63.3%) males and 22(36.7%) female children. The mean age was 9.57±3.40 years, while 33(55.0%) children were above ten years. The mean maternal age was found to be 37.10±4.09 years. There were 36(60.0%) children with Crohn's disease, while 24(40.0%) had ulcerative colitis. Children with Crohn's disease were found to have a significantly low quality of life compared to children in the ulcerative colitis group in the social domain (p<0.05). In addition, children with ulcerative colitis had a significantly low quality of life with regard to bowel symptoms (p<0.05).

Conclusion: Overall scores showed a low quality of life among children with IBD. Children with Crohn's disease had significantly low social QoL, while children with ulcerative colitis showed significantly low QoL regarding bowel symptoms.
Pattern of Congenital Heart Diseases among Term and Preterm Neonates in a Tertiary Care Hospital of a Developing Country
Authors: Subhani Fahim Ahmed , Siddique Abdul Wahab , Ayub Ammara , Ahmed Bilal , Shah Syed Awais ul Hassan , Anjum Asma
Published: December 2022

Objective: To determine the frequency and pattern of various congenital heart diseases in a tertiary care hospital neonatal unit.

Study Design: Prospective longitudinal study.

Place and Duration of Study: Neonatal Unit of Pak Emirates Military Hospital, Rawalpindi Pakistan from Jul 2015 to Jun 2018.

Methodology: All neonates admitted to the Neonatal Unit of Pak Emirates Military Hospital, Rawalpindi Pakistan, suspected of having congenital heart disease were included in the study. Suspicion for CHD was based on the presence of murmur, cyanosis with or without feeding difficulty, signs of congestive heart failure, and variation in pre and post-ductal SpO2 reading. Echocardiography was performed on all neonates by a Paediatric cardiologist to determine diagnosis and type of lesion.

Results: One hundred and thirty-one neonates were found to have congenital heart disease with male predominance, with 79(60.3%) males and 52(39.7%) females. Ventricular Septal Defect (VSD) was the most common lesion occurring in 44(33.6%) neonates, followed by PDA in 28(21.37%) neonates. CHD occurred more frequently in term neonates (62.0%) than preterm neonates (38.0%).

Conclusion: Congenital heart disease is the most common congenital malformation, with Asia having the highest prevalence worldwide. Lack of specialized antenatal and neonatal health services and paucity of diagnostic facilities lead to delays in diagnosis, increasing morbidity and mortality of CHD cases. Therefore, drastic measures are required to improve neonatal health and transport facilities in our country to mitigate the impact of this disease.
Comparison of Different Treatment Strategies Combating COVID-19 in Pakistan
Authors: Mansoor Afsheen , Khan Muhammad Talal , Hussain Aleena , Mansoor Emaan , Gul Ambreen , Saleem Anber
Published: December 2022

Objective: To compare different treatment strategies for patients of COVID-19 in Pakistan.

Study Design: Retrospective longitudinal study.

Place and Duration of Study: Abbas Medical Hospital, Muzaffarabad Pakistan, during Apr 2021.

Methodology: One hundred and twenty, COVID-19-positive patients between 31-45 years of age were admitted to Abbas hospital after carrying out the rRT-PCR test. Group-A was administered Azithromycin, while Group-B was treated with Azithromycin in combination with Hydroxychloroquine. Group-C was given a combination of oral Ivermectin and Doxycycline, and Group-D was treated with Lopinavir. Diagnostic tests include rRT-PCR, blood parameters such as creatinine,random blood sugar, alanine aminotransferase, complete blood count, ECG, chest x-ray and blood biomarkers including procalcitonin, C-reactive protein, lactate dehydrogenase and ferritin were performed at Day 1, 5, 7, 14 and 30.

Results: Patients treated with Azithromycin revealed the highest recovery of about (77.80%) among COVID-19 patients,followed by the combination of Azithromycin and Hydroxychloroquine which was (65.56%), the combination of Ivermectin and Doxycycline was (19.63%), and Lopinavir was (9.06%) displayed minimum potency in recovering the COVID-19 positive patients (p-value <0.001).

Conclusions: Azithromycin was most effective in helping patients recover from COVID-19, followed by a combination of azithromycin and Hydroxychloroquine. Patients who recovered after treatment with Ivermectin Doxycycline were lower,followed by those who recovered with Lopinavir only.
Clinical Characteristics of Novel Coronavirus Disease in the Pediatric Population
Authors: Babar Muhammad Waleed , Malik Qudrat Ullah , Ikram Farooq , Nadeem Muhammad Tariq , Bashir Junaid , Ghaffor Muzzammil
Published: December 2022

Objectives: To assess the clinical characteristics of COVID-19 Virus disease in the pediatric population in Pakistan.

Study Design: Cross-sectional study.

Place and Duration of Study: Pak Emirates Military Hospital, Rawalpindi Pakistan, from Mar 2020 to Jan 2021.

Methodology: All children presenting to the department with symptoms consistent with COVID-19 disease were tested for the virus. Patients who tested positive on the PCR were included in the study. Patients with non-consistent symptoms of COVID-19 and those who tested negative on the PCR were excluded from the study. All clinical data, including the age of the child, the onset of symptoms, the gap between the onset of symptoms and presentation as well as clinical symptoms, were documented on a predefined proforma.

Results: A total of 106 patients were enrolled on the study. The mean age of patients was 5.6±2.5 years. The most frequent symptoms were fever (63, 59.6%) and cough (49, 46.2%). There were 3(2.9%) cases with severe or critical illness. The most frequent abnormal laboratory findings were leukopenia (29, 27.4%) and increased creatine kinase (38, 36.0%). Ground-glass opacities were observed in the HRCT chest of 17(65.3%) cases, out of 26 children diagnosed with pneumonia. The majority (70, 66%), had a positive exposure history. 88(83%) cases did not abide by the precautionary measures against the COVID-19 disease.

Conclusions: The current study indicates that children usually present with mild symptoms but can present as severe diseases, as observed in this study.
Erectile Dysfunction Among Patients with Hypertension and AssociatedSocio-Demographic Factors
Authors: Satti Raja Rizwan Ul Haq , Rasheed Syed Abdul , Gul Rubab , Athar Muhammad Hammad
Published: December 2022

Objective: To determine the frequency of erectile dysfunction among the patients of hypertension and analyze the associated socio demographic factors.

Study Design: Cross sectional analytical study.

Place and Duration of Study: Medicine Department, Pak Emirates Military Hospital Rawalpindi, from Aug to Oct 2018.

Methodology: Two hundred and five married male patients of hypertension diagnosed for more than one year by a consultant medical specialist were included in the study by non-probability consecutive sampling. Erectile dysfunction (ED) was assessed by using the International Index of Erectile Function-5 (IIEF-5). Socio-demographic factors in the study included age, education, smoking, poly-pharmacy and duration of illness.

Results: Out of 205 patients of hypertension, 95 (46.3%) patients had no ED, 57 (27.8%) patients had mild, 17 (8.3%) patients had moderate and 12 (5.2%) patients had severe ED. Mean age of the study participants was 39.94 ± 4.14 years. Mean duration of hypertension among the patients in this study was 6.24 ± 2.78 years. Increasing age, tobacco smoking, poly-pharmacy and long duration of illness had statistically significant association with ED (p-value <0.05) while education was not found significantly associated in our study.

Conclusion: There was a high frequency of erectile dysfunction among the patients suffering from hypertension. Special attention should be paid on individuals with advancing age and long duration of illness. Tobacco smoking should be discouraged and poly-pharmacy if, possible should be avoided among the patients suffering from hypertension and ED.
Frequency of Cognitive Decline in Asthma Patients and Associated Socio-Demographic Factors
Authors: Satti Raja Rizwan Ul haq , Rasheed Syed Abdul , Gul Rubab , Athar Muhammad Hammad
Published: December 2022

Objective: To look for the relationship of various factors along with frequency of decline in cognition among the patients suffering from asthma.

Study Design: Cross sectional study.

Place and Duration of Study: Medicine department, Pak Emirates Military Hospital Rawalpindi Pakistan, from Aug to Oct 2018.

Methodology: One hundred and thirty-five asthma patients with duration of illness for more than a year evaluated by classified medical specialist or pulmonologist were recruited in this study. Decline in the cognition was recorded by the help of the British Columbia Cognitive Complaints Inventory (BC-CCI). Various socio-demographic factors were also correlated with the decline in cognition among these patients suffering from asthma.

Results: Out of 135 patients of asthma, 68 (50.4%) patients did not show any decline in cognition, 45 (33.3%) patients showed mild decline, 16 (11.8%) patients had moderate while 06 (4.4%) patients had severe cognitive decline on this screening instrument. Mean age of the patients participating in this study was 40.64 ± 3.12 years. Mean duration of illness among these patients of asthma was 5.29 ± 3.58 years. Use of more than one pharmacological agent for control of asthma and longer duration of asthma were significantly correlated with the presence of decline in cognition among the patients suffering from asthma (p-value <0.05).

Conclusion: High risk patients for cognitive decline in our study were patients with long standing asthma or those using multiple medications for the control of asthma. Decline in cognitive ability emerged as a significant problem in the asthmatics who have .........
Serum Lipid Profile as an Indicator of Severity of Liver Cirrhosis
Authors: Mujahid Muhammad Mamoon , Fazal Imran , Siddiqi Umair Ahmad , Tahir Fraz , Haider Ehtisham , Asghar Asma
Published: December 2022

Objective: To look for the relationship of deranged lipid profile with severity of liver cirrhosis along with other sociodemographic factors at Pak Emirates Military Hospital Rawalpindi.

Study Design: Cross sectional study.

Setting and Duration of Study: Gastroenterology department, Pak Emirates Military Hospital, Rawalpindi Pakistan, from Sep 2018 to Feb 2019.

Methodology: Eighty patients suffering from cirrhosis admitted in the medical ward or reporting in outpatient department of Pak Emirates Military Hospital were included in this study. Diagnosis of cirrhotic liver was made based on clinical findings and relevant investigations and severity of cirrhosis was established by using the Model for end stage liver disease (MELD) score. Total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and HDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels were correlated with the severity of cirrhosis in the target population along with other factors.

Results: Out of 82 patients included in the final analysis 49 (59.7%) were male and 33 (40.3%) were female. Most of the patients presented with the chronic liver disease secondary to the hepatitis C virus (HCV). 45 (54.8%) had MELD score >10 while 37 (45.2%) had MELD score <10. Analysis showed total hypo2holesterolemia and hypotrigly ceridemia emerged as strong predictors of severe cirrhotic illness (p-value <0.05).

Conclusion: Low values of lipid parameters were strongly related to the presence of severe cirrhotic illness among the patients suffering from liver cirrhosis. Lipid profile can be used as an indicator to predict the severity of illness among cirrhotic based on our results.
Frequency of Iron Deficiency Anemia in Young Females with Migraine
Authors: Rashid Samina , Haq Nawaz Khurram , Athar Muhammad Hammad , Fakhar Amar , Hakeem Farzana , Manzoor Namra
Published: December 2022

Objective: To determine the frequency of iron deficiency anaemia among young female migraine patients and look for the factors related to the presence of anaemia.

Study Design: Cross-sectional study.

Place and Duration of Study: Department of Medicine, Pak Emirates Military Hospital, Rawalpindi Pakistan, from Sep 2018 to Feb 2019.

Methodology: One hundred and thirty young female patients with migraine presenting at our hospital were enrolled in this study. Diagnosis of Migraine was established by the consultant neuro physician based on the International Classification of Headache Disorders diagnostic criteria for migraine. Iron deficiency anaemia was diagnosed based on haemoglobin and ferritin levels. Various social and demographic factors were studied in this study, along with iron deficiency anaemia among the young females suffering from migraine.

Results: Out of 130 young female patients with migraine, 69 (53.1%) showed the presence of iron deficiency anaemia, while 61 (46.9%) had no anaemia. Upon statistical analysis, it was revealed that menstrual abnormalities had a statistically significant association with the presence of iron deficiency anaemia among the young female patients with migraine.

Conclusion: Iron deficiency anaemia was the common finding among young female patients with migraine in Pakistan. Menstrual abnormalities among these young female migraine patients were related to the presence of iron deficiency anaemia. A detailed history of menstrual abnormalities and anaemia screening among migraine patients may be helpful for early diagnosis and intervention.
Efficacy of L-dopa in Treatment of Aggression, Frontal Lobe Cognitive Functioning and Task Switching Deficits in Parkinson’s Disease Patients
Authors: Gul Amara , Yousaf Javed
Published: December 2022

Objectives: To assess efficacy of L-dopa treatment on aggression, frontal lobe and task switching deficits in patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD).

Study Design: Prospective comparative study.

Place and Duration of Study: Bahawal Victoria Hospital and Civil Hospital Bahawalpur, Pakistan, from Apr 2016 to Oct 2017.

Methodology: Seventy-five healthy individuals and seventy-five PD patients participated in the study. This study was completed in two testing sessions. Healthy participants had single testing session whereas patients were tested twice (pre and post L-dopa treatment). Participants completed Frontal Assessment Battery, part B TMT, and Buss-Perry Aggression Questionnaire.

Results: PD patients (6.13 ± 0.81) showed deficient frontal lobe functioning F (1,48)=14489.66, p<0.001, ηp2=0.99 than healthy individuals (17.93 ± 0.25). Patients (283.05 ± 6.02) had inferior task switching abilities F (1, 48) = 65397.85, p<0.001, ηp2=0.99 than healthy individuals (78.37 ± 3.43). The level of aggression was higher F (1,48)=2369.24, p<0.001, ηp2=0.94 in patients (131.12 ± 12.57) compared with healthy individuals (43.33 ± 9.26). Post L-dopa treatment testing session showed significant improvement in frontal lobe functioning (6.13 ± 0.81 vs. 13.46 ± 1.45), task switching abilities (216.80 ± 13.74 vs. 283.05 ± 6.02) in patients. In addition, aggression was reduced in patients (106.06 ± 1.07 vs. 131.12 ± 12.57).

Conclusion: L-dopa was found beneficial to reduce aggression, frontal lobe cognitive and task switching deficits in patients with PD.
Combined Military Hospital Quetta/National University of Medical Sciences (NUMS) Pakistan
Authors: Khan Muhammad Ijaz , Haider Ghulam , Ahmed Khalil , Shaikh Shiraz , Abbas Kiran , Ahmed Moiz , Sohail Hamza
Published: December 2022

Objectives: To evaluate the tumor grades in different receptors (Estrogen, Progesterone and Her-2/neu) categories and age groups among women with Breast Cancer.

Study Design: An observational cross-sectional study.

Place and Duration of Study: Oncology department, Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Center, Karachi, from Jul 2017 to Dec 2018.

Methodology: Total of 450 patients were enrolled in this study using non-probability consecutive sampling technique. The Receptors Status of Estrogen, Progesterone and Her2/neu was resolved into 4 different categories as i) Triple Positive (ER+PR+HER2+), ii) Triple Negative (ER-PR-HER2-), iii) ER+PR+Her2-, iv) ER–PR-Her2+. Age-wise, patients were divided into 3 groups.

Results: The mean age of patients was 46.57 years ± 10.82. No patient was observed with Grade I tumor while 240 with Grade II and 210 with Grade-III. 164/450 patients were observed in the ER+PR+Her2- category. Out of 164, 68.3% were Grade-II and 31.7% were Grade-III (p˂0.001). In Triple-Negative category, 94 patients were observed, 31.90% were Grade-II while 68.10% were Grade-III (p<0.001). The patients, age with tumor Grade also showed statistically significant correlation (p<0.001).

Conclusion: This study sheds light on the tumor characteristics of our local population. Majority of our patients had ER+PR+Her2– phenotype/category dominantly having Grade-II tumors followed by Triple Negative typically showing Grade-III. Many of our patients were young (aged less than 36 years) having largely Grade-III tumors while older patients of age above 51 years dominantly showed Grade-II.
The Post-Cementation Periodontal Response to Resin Retained Bridge
Authors: Mansoor Saad , Akhtar Qayyum , Asif Ali , Qureshi Maaz , Shamim Maleeha , Akhtar Aqsa
Published: December 2022

Objective: To compare the mean periodontal health of resin retained abutment tooth with its baseline score.Study Design: Quasi-experimental study.

Place and Duration of Study: Department of Prosthodontics, Armed Forces Institute of Dentistry Rawalpindi Pakistan, from Oct 2019 to Mar 2020.

Methodology: Before starting abutment preparation, the baseline scores for gingival index, plaque index and periodontal pocket depth of the abutment teeth were calculated. The gingival index was calculated using a blunt probe, whereas the periodontal pocket depth of the teeth in both groups was calculated using a calibrated periodontal probe.

Results: According to the results recorded there was a significant difference seen in the mean periodontal health of abutment teeth before and after the cementation of the resin-bonded bridge. Our calculated p-value (0.001) indicated definitive significance associated with both the groups i.e., before and after the score of gingival indices and before and after the score of periodontal pocket depth, after 30 days of provision of the resin-bonded bridge.

Conclusion: There was a significant association found in the mean periodontal health of abutment teeth before and after the cementation of the resin-bonded bridge.
HUMAN IMMUNODEFICIENCY VIRUS (HIV): A DIAGNOSTIC DILEMMA
Authors: Rathore Muhammad Ali , Niazi Saifullah Khan , Rathore Mommana Ali , Yazdani Muhammad Sajid
Published: December 2022

Human immunodeficiency virus is a blood borne virus and is being routinely screened in the blood banks since 1983. The sensitivity and specificity of HIV tests have improved dramatically over the years, but even then, false positive results do occur, which need confirmatory testing. A young male who arrived at Armed Forces Institute of Transfusion (AFIT), Rawalpindi, for blood donation, was repeatedly “positive” on serological assays. Nucleic acid amplification test (NAT) was performed which gave a “Negative” result. Line immunoassay (LIA) was performed to solve the discrepancy in test results.
Introdução à ciência geográfica
Authors: Silva Tayanne Adrian Santana Morais da
Published: December 2022

A obra traz a integração entre diferentes abordagens geográficas, sempre em linha com os estudos mais atuais da ciência Geografia. Nesse sentido, trazemos cada unidade com sua progressão cronológica e de temáticas relacionadas ao tema central. Com este material, você poderá adquirir novos conhecimentos, lançar novos olhares, realizar novas associações entre os conteúdos dessa área do conhecimento, refletir sobre os temas propostos e elaborar e propor soluções para problemas que afligem sua comunidade (escola, bairro, município), nosso país e o mundo.
Introducción a la lingüística
Authors: Poza José Alberto Miranda
Published: December 2022

Estos contenidos permitirán, por un lado, el desarrollo de una competencia intercultural a partir de las relaciones que unen Brasil con el resto de los países latinoamericanos, con los que comparten un pasado, un presente y un futuro, así como los contactos con España; y, por otro, la formación crítica y pedagógica para ejercer la docencia en lengua española en el escenario brasileño. Cada uno de los títulos de esta colección ha sido desarrollado por reconocidos especialistas, y presenta de forma clara los contenidos tratados en las asignaturas, compilando en sus páginas las discusiones más actualizadas sobre los asuntos esenciales para su formación. Esperamos que este material ayude en la construcción de su futuro en el mundo hispánico, tanto desde una perspectiva personal, como académica y profesional.
Practitioners at the Center: Catalyzing Research on Problems of Practice in Realistic Settings
Authors: Pautz Stephenson Stefani , Banks Rebecca , Pakhira Deblina
Published: December 2022

SEERNet’s goal is to enable alignment of research on digital learning platforms to the Institute of Education Sciences’ Standards for Excellence in Education Research (SEER) and thereby make research more rigorous, transparent, actionable, inclusive, and focused on consequential impacts. While researchers have long aspired to study problems of value to the field, the conception of research questions rarely is in partnership with practitioners. Without voices from the field, researchers do not have the deep understanding of educator, student, and system needs that are essential for ensuring research will impact decision-making. This paper will discuss a national call for involving practitioners in research question design, strategies for partnerships with practitioners, and SEERNet’s guiding principles for practitioner engagement. It will also introduce how needs and research question ideas were developed through SEERNet’s Office Hours.
NHẬN THỨC VÀ THỰC HÀNH GIÁO DỤC TÍCH HỢP CỦA GIÁO VIÊN MẪU GIÁO TRÊN ĐỊA BÀN TỈNH ĐẮK LẮK
Authors: Trần Nhi , Huỳnh Tuyền
Published: December 2022

Bài báo trình bày kết quả nghiên cứu thực trạng nhận thức và thực hànhgiáo dục tích hợp của 79 giáo viên mầm non trên địa bàn tỉnh Đắk Lắk.Các phương pháp nghiên cứu chủ đạo là điều tra bằng bảng hỏi, phỏng vấngiáo viên và quan sát kế hoạch giáo dục. Kết quả nghiên cứu cho thấy phầnlớn giáo viên đã hiểu rõ bản chất của giáo dục tích hợp cho trẻ mầm nonvà tương đối thành thạo trong việc xây dựng, triển khai kế hoạch giáo dụcvà đánh giá. Các phương pháp, hình thức giáo dục tích hợp được giáo viênthực hiện thường xuyên. Yếu tố cơ sở vật chất, sự hỗ trợ của cán bộ quảnlý được đa số giáo viên hài lòng. Tuy nhiên, vẫn có những tồn tại trong quátrình triển khai như sự tham gia của trẻ trong quá trình lập kế hoạch cònhạn chế, việc tích hợp nội dung còn ôm đồm, thực hiện kế hoạch giáo dụcchưa thường xuyên. Giáo viên cũng đồng tình với các biện pháp nâng caohiệu quả giáo dục tích hợp ở trường mầm non.
ĐỐI NGẪU LANGRANGE CHO BÀI TOÁN CỰC TRỊ CÓ RÀNG BUỘC TỔNG QUÁT
Authors: Trần Vĩnh , Vũ Loan
Published: December 2022

Bài toán cực trị có ràng buộc tổng quát được xem xét trong bài báo trong đó một nón cho trước có phần trong bằng rỗng sử dụng lý thuyết đối ngẫu Langrange cho một lớp các hàm tách được yếu chính quy trong không gian ảnh (tương ứng không gian ảnh mà ở đó các hàm mục tiêu và ràng buộc chuyển động), một điều kiện tối ưu đủ cho một điểm cực tiểu toàn cục của bài toán liên quan được cung cấp. Thêm nữa được phát biểu cho một lớp các hàm tách được yếu chính quy dưới một dạng tương đương cũng thu được. Kết quả đạt được trong bài báo là mới và được mô tả bằng một ví dụ đối với các kết quả tìm được.
ANXIETY FACTORS AFFECTING EFL STUDENTS' LISTENING COMPREHENSION
Authors: Le My Thu , Do Giang
Published: December 2022

The mixed-method study sheds light on the factors influencing 84 non-English major sophomores’ listening anxieties in a public university in Vietnam. The questionnaire adapted from Kim (2000) and semi-structured interviews were employed to discover students’ anxiety levels related to teacher factors, student factors, and materials during their listening process. The findings show a high frequency of anxiety experienced by many students when they were distracted during the listening process. Secondly, the concern emerges from unfamiliar English pronunciation and accents, which led to students’ difficulty understanding English audio recordings. As a third obstacle, the speaker may experience discomfort if they speak at a fast speed, which pertains to the second concern of being overworked. Lastly, students' nervousness during listening sessions was worsened by instructor-related worries. Though there was still restraint, several pedagogical implications were additionally presented in the field to help increase students’ anxiety in EFL listening classes.
THE ROLE OF STUDENTS AT TAN TRAO UNIVERSITY IN CULTURAL HERITAGE CONSERVATION IN TUYEN QUANG NOWADAYS
Authors: Tran Huy , Hoang Ha
Published: December 2022

Students at Tan Trao University (TTU) are the most elite part of the group of youth subjects - one of the subjects that play a key role in preserving the cultural heritage treasures in Tuyen Quang. Identifying and promoting the role of students not only contributes to preserving the cultural identity of the traditional land of Tuyen Quang in the face of current negative impacts but also contributes to the realization of human development goals comprehensively, building an advanced Vietnamese culture imbued with national identity. However, the promotion of the role of students in the conservation of cultural heritage in Tuyen Quang currently has many shortcomings, which need to be concerned by the authorities and promptly resolved to optimize the role of this resource.
THE CURRENT SITUATION OF COMMUNICATION SKILLS EDUCATION FOR KINDERGARTEN CHILDREN 5-6 YEARS OLD IN THE DIRECTION OF EXPERIENCE IN PRESCHOOLS IN THAI NGUYEN CITY
Authors: Tran Giang
Published: December 2022

The research and implementation of measures to organize communication skills education for children in the direction of experience not only contribute to improving communication skills for kindergarten children (5–6 years old) but also gradually improve the quality of child education care at schools. Therefore, we surveyed 552 preschool children and 45 preschool administrators and teachers to clarify the current situation of communication skills education for preschoolers aged 5–6 in the direction of experience in Thai Nguyen City preschools.
MAXIMIZING VOCABULARY RETENTION WITH GAMIFICATION TOOLS
Authors: Pham Quynh
Published: December 2022

Gamification in educational settings has properly been proven to boost student engagement, motivation, and retaining abilities, which has garnered a great deal of attention in recent years. Students at Hanoi University of Science and Technology (HUST) were the subject of this action research examining the impact of gamification on vocabulary retention. The gamified learning investigation was done using a mixed-method approach for eight weeks with 29 students at HUST. The data was collected via tests and semi-structured interviews. Statistical analysis revealed that students' vocabulary scores had increased dramatically thanks to gaming-related activities. In addition, qualitative research has shown that student opinions toward the use of gamification in the classroom are favorable. The study also discusses several pedagogical implications for further studies on fostering learners’ vocabulary retention.
UPAYA MENINGKATKAN MINAT BACA PADA ANAK (Studi pada TBM Ray Desa Nifalo’o Lauru)
Authors: Ndraha Ewi Darman , Harahap Friska Indria Nora , Sakila Arin , Harnita Nur Suci , Sinaga Yohanes Bagas Prayogi , Sinaga P Novita Lastaruli , Manalu Ovi Erlinda
Published: December 2022

Abstrak :Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui minat baca anak di TBM Ray Desa Nifolo’o Lauru Kecamatan Gido, Kabupaten Nias. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan terdapat berbagai faktor yang menyebabkan rendahnya minat baca pada anak di TBM Ray. Namun dibalik hal tersebut terdapat berbagai upaya untuk meningkatkan minat baca pada anak yaitu dengan menerapkan dan menjalankan beragam program, diantaranya program kegiatan belajar kelompok, mendongeng, kegiatan kunjungan ke gereja, pelatihan dalam penggunaan teknologi sebagai wujud dari literasi teknologi, dan pelestarian permainan tradisional. Metode yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah metode penelitian kualitatif autoetnografi . Teknik pengumpulan data yang digunakan melalui wawancara, observasi, dan studi dokumentasi dengan melibatkan langsung satu pengelola dari TBM Ray sebagai subjek penelitian. Hasil penelitian menyimpulkan bahwasannya minat baca pada anak sangat berpengaruh terhadap kemampuan membaca anak di masa yang akan datang. Hal ini dapat dibuktikan dengan adanya keberhasilan dalam menerapkan berbagai program yang mendorong minat baca anak di TBM Ray Desa Nifalo’o Lauru, Kecamatan Gido, Kabupaten Nias.Kata-Kata Kunci: Minat Baca, TBM Ray, Anak-Anak
Abstract : This study aims to determine the reading interest of children in TBM Ray, Nifolo’o Lauru Village, GidoDistrict, Nias Regency. The results showed that there were various factors that caused the low interest in readingin children at TBM Ray. But behind this there are various efforts to increase interest in reading in children,namely by implementing and running various programs, including group learning activities, storytelling, church visits, training in the use of technology as a form of technological literacy, and game preservation. The method used in this research is an auto-ethnographic qualitative research method. Data collection techniques used were interviews, observations, and documentation studies by directly involving one manager from TBM Ray as the research subject. The results of the study concluded that reading interest in children greatly affects children’s reading abilities in the future. This can be proven by the success of implementing various programs that encourage children’s reading interest in TBM Ray, Nifalo’o Lauru Village, Gido District, Nias Regency.
Keywords: Reading Interest, TBM Ray, Childrens
Framing Social Credit System: An Experimental Investigation of Social Credit System’s Chilling Effect on Freedom of Expression
Authors: Liu Juan
Published: December 2022

Studies on China’s social credit system (SCS) remain mostly theoretical and there is limited empirical research examining the surveillance effect under China’s SCS. This study investigates whether exposure to news framing of SCS affects individuals’ attitude, political online behavior, and opinion expression. Findings suggest exposure to negative framing of SCS chills participants’ intentions to engage in online political activities. Individuals who possess low levels of willingness to self-censor and are exposed to negative framing are more susceptible to the chilling effects of SCS, and thereby become cautious to share opinions, which in turn restricts their freedom of expression. Qualitative evidence reveals while most participants were supportive of SCS, yet still concerned about its privacy invasion and speech restriction issues. Implications for SCS as a means of surveillance are discussed.
Tendencias en soldadura: conocimientos sobre soldadura en el personal de la empresa “Metal Mecánica Antonio Tirado” ubicada en la ciudad de Ambato Panamericana Norte Km 7
Authors: Reyna Tenorio Luis Jheovanny , Ulloa-de Souza Raúl Clemente , Chere-Quiñónez Byron Fernando
Published: December 2022

El objetivo de este artículo de investigación fue analizar el conocimiento de los trabajadores de la empresa “Metal Mecánica Antonio Tirado” ubicada en la ciudad de Ambato Panamericana Norte Km 7 sobe la soldadura. Metodología el método fue inductivo, el tipo de investigación fue descriptivo, documental y de campo. La población en esta investigación estuvo constituida por los 20 empleados de la empresa “Metal Mecánica Antonio Tirado” La muestra fue seleccionada al azar, siendo el único criterio el deseo de formar parte de este estudio, quedando constituida por 20 empleados La Técnica e instrumento de recolección de datos encuesta, el instrumento fue el cuestionario, el cual fue sometido a procesos de cálculo de validez y confiabilidad arrojando 0,97. Para el análisis de los datos se empleó el estadístico descriptivo. Resultado: El personal que labora no posee conocimiento suficiente sobre soldadura (54%), ni sobre los estándares empleados para el manejo de la soldadura (60%); un pequeño porcentaje de ellos han recibido formación sobre esta área, siendo en el 55,55% de los casos a través de cursos.