Once-weekly insulin icodec vs. daily insulin glargine in type 2 diabetes: a meta-analysis with longitudinal insights.

Introduction: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a progressive condition often necessitating insulin therapy for sustained glycemic control, yet adherence to daily injections remains a significant challenge. While insulin glargine is effective, reducing injection frequency may improve compliance and outcomes. This study evaluates the efficacy and safety of once-weekly insulin icodec compared to once-daily insulin glargine U100.

Genetic landscape of Pakistani familial breast cancer patients using multigene panel testing.

Pathogenic/likely pathogenic (P/LP) variants in high-, moderate-, and low-penetrance genes account for approximately half of all familial breast cancer (BC) cases. In Pakistan, data on P/LP variants beyond BRCA1/2 remain limited. This study investigated the frequency and distribution of P/LP variants in Pakistani familial BC patients using a 14-gene hereditary breast and ovarian cancer (HBOC) core panel.

Indigenous aseel chicken-derived probiotics as biofactories of antifungal metabolites to control mycotoxin contamination in poultry feed.

Background: Fungal and mycotoxin contamination threaten poultry health, feed safety, and global food security. Mycotoxins result in reduced poultry growth, nutrient absorption, and a compromised immune system, causing severe financial losses. The rise of antibiotic resistance due to excessive antibiotic use in poultry also necessitates alternative strategies.

Prevalence of and Antimicrobial Drug Residues in Chicken Liver its Antibiogram Analysis and Implications on Public Health.

Chicken is a primary source of food worldwide. Ensuring food safety and preserving public health is crucial, and chicken meat inspection plays a critical role in achieving this goal. The transfer of pathogenic bacteria from animal intestines to carcasses during processing, and subsequently from meat products to consumers, is a significant contributor to the growing incidence of resistance and foodborne illnesses.

Vacancy-Driven Mesoporous CeO-Based Protective Coatings with Tailored Structure-Morphology for Stable Zn Metal Anodes.

Aqueous zinc ion batteries (ZIBs) are poised to become a scalable and safe energy storage technology based on their high theoretical capacity, small redox potential of Zn/Zn, and nonflammable electrolytes. However, its practical application is hampered by such problems as dendrite formation and zinc corrosion. This study presents a novel approach to enhancing ZIB performance by employing a mesoporous hollow cerium oxide (CeO) coating on the zinc anode.

A framework for developing spouse-inclusive digital applications in preventing perinatal depression and anxiety.

Objective: Digital approaches have proven effective in alleviating symptoms of perinatal depression and anxiety. However, current online applications for perinatal mental health often exclude the role of spouses in the intervention. This study aimed to develop a spouse-inclusive framework for digital self-management of perinatal depression and anxiety based on the women, spouses, and experts' viewpoints.

Unexplained Leg Swelling Leading to a Diagnosis of Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Case Report.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) typically presents with abdominal pain, jaundice, or hepatic decompensation. However, peripheral edema as an initial presentation is uncommon and may lead to diagnostic delays. Here, we report the case of a 77-year-old woman with underlying diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and dyslipidemia who presented with bilateral leg swelling.

Carcinoembryonic Antigen (CEA) Elevation in Routine Screening Unveils Stage IV Lung Adenocarcinoma.

Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) is a tumor marker most often associated with colorectal cancer, but elevated levels may also indicate other malignancies, including lung cancer. Although not recommended as a standalone screening or diagnostic tool, persistent elevation in CEA levels may warrant further investigation. This case report describes a 71-year-old woman who was found to have progressively rising CEA levels during routine private health screening despite being asymptomatic.

Botulinum Toxin Injection for Hemifacial Spasm and Benign Essential Blepharospasm: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Comparing Pretarsal and Preseptal Injection Techniques.

Purpose: To compare the outcomes of pretarsal versus preseptal botulinum toxin injection techniques for patients with benign essential blepharospasm (BEB) and hemifacial spasm (HFS).

Methods: The study was pre-registered on PROSPERO (CRD42023479251). A systematic review and meta-analysis were performed as per the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, and an electronic search was conducted to identify all studies comparing outcomes between the two techniques.

Correction: Association Between Body Mass Index and the Efficacy of Calcium Channel Blockers for Hypertension in Cardiovascular Disease Patients.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.7759/cureus.81985.

Predicting the likelihood of carrying BRCA1 or BRCA2 pathogenic variants in high-risk Pakistani breast cancer patients.

Purpose: Pathogenic variants (PVs) in BRCA1/2 increase the lifetime risk of breast cancer (BC). Predictive algorithms for BRCA1/2 PVs, primarily developed for Caucasian BC patients, often underestimate carrier probability in Asian populations. The recently developed Asian Risk Calculator (ARiCa) aims to predict BRCA1/2 PV likelihood in Malaysian/Singaporean BC patients.

Association Between Body Mass Index and the Efficacy of Calcium Channel Blockers for Hypertension in Cardiovascular Disease Patients.

Background: Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is a major risk factor for cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) worldwide. Variations in body mass index (BMI) may influence the efficacy of calcium channel blockers (CCBs) by affecting drug metabolism, vascular resistance, and inflammatory responses associated with adipose tissue.

Objective: This study aims to evaluate the association between BMI and the short-term efficacy of CCBs in managing hypertension among patients with CVDs over a six-month follow-up period.

On-site salt iodine detector (OSID) kit: An alternative tool for salt iodization monitoring.

Iodine fortification of cooking salt prevents iodine deficiency, but current monitoring methods are labor-intensive. Here, we validated the On-Site Salt Iodine Detector (OSID) kit as a reliable tool for salt iodine analysis. The OSID kit was optimized for a salt weight (346.

Efficacy of Losartan Potassium and Benazepril in Hypertensive Patients With Insulin Resistance: Impact on Blood Pressure, Insulin Sensitivity, and Diabetes Risk.

Background Hypertension and insulin resistance (IR) often coexist, significantly increasing the risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. IR plays a key role in metabolic syndrome, promoting endothelial dysfunction and impairing glucose metabolism. Angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) are commonly prescribed for hypertension, but their differential effects on insulin sensitivity and diabetes risk remain unclear.

Enhanced Skin Disease Classification via Dataset Refinement and Attention-Based Vision Approach.

Skin diseases are listed among the most frequently encountered diseases. Skin diseases such as eczema, melanoma, and others necessitate early diagnosis to avoid further complications. This study aims to enhance the diagnosis of skin disease by utilizing advanced image processing techniques and an attention-based vision approach to support dermatologists in solving classification problems.

Truncated Variants in FAM20A and WDR72 Genes Underlie Autosomal Recessive Amelogenesis Imperfecta in Four Pakistani Families.

Amelogenesis Imperfecta (AI) is a set of hereditary diseases affecting enamel development, leading to various types of enamel defects, potentially impacting oral health unassociated with other generalized defects. AI manifests in syndromic and non-syndromic forms and can be inherited through autosomal recessive, autosomal dominant, or X-linked inheritance patterns. Genetic studies have identified sequence variants in a number of genes (≥ 70) linked to both syndromic and non-syndromic AI, highlighting the genetic diversity underlying the condition.

Academic voices on the health and humanitarian crises in Gaza.

Academic publications on human rights violations in Gaza surged after Israel's large-scale destruction following Hamas's 7 October 2023 attack. We analysed the uncoordinated cooperative efforts documented in these works by reviewing publications addressing the health and humanitarian crises in Gaza between October 2023 and April 2024. We present a unified academic voice advocating for recognizing and restoring human rights for the people of Gaza.

Anticipation effect in Pakistani breast cancer families with or without BRCA1/2 pathogenic variants.

Background: Genetic anticipation refers to the earlier onset of breast cancer (BC) in successive generations, is underreported in Asian populations. This study investigates the phenomenon in Pakistani familial BC patients.

Methods: The study analyzed 171 mother-daughter BC pairs, including BRCA1 (n = 52), BRCA2 (n = 11) pathogenic variant (PV) carriers, and non-carriers (n = 108).

Enhanced Stability and Reusability of Subtilisin Carlsberg Through Immobilization on Magnetic Nanoparticles.

Introduction: Immobilizing enzymes on solid supports such as magnetic nanoparticles offers multi-dimensional advantages, including enhanced conformational, structural, and thermal stability for long-term storage and reusability.

Methodology: The gene encoding subtilisin Carlsberg was isolated from proteolytic , a bacterium derived from salt mines. The nucleotide sequence encoding pro-peptide and mature protein were cloned into pET22(a)+ vector and expressed in .

Biochemical mechanism regulating antagonistic interactions between aluminum and manganese combine applications in two barley genotypes.

About 30-40% of the world land is acidic in nature, aluminum (Al) and manganese (Mn) toxicity co-existed in acidic soils that pose a potential threat in crop production. Antagonistic relationship between Al and Mn was previously described in our study. In the present work, we determined the biochemical mechanism which regulate antagonistic interaction between Al or Mnco-application.

Medicinal Plants Exhibited Promising Potential to Inhibit Biofilm Formation by Catheter-Associated Bacteria in UTI Patients from Lahore, Pakistan.

The current study was designed to evaluate the antibacterial, antibiofilm, and biofilm inhibitory potential of six medicinal plants, including Trachyspermum ammi, Trigonella foenum-graecum, Nigella sativa, Thymus vulgaris, Terminalia arjuna, and Ipomoea carneaid against catheter-associated bacteria (CAB). Eighteen CAB were identified up to species level using 16S rRNA gene sequencing, viz., Klebsiella pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Doctors taking bribes from pharmaceutical companies is common and not substantially reduced by an educational intervention: a pragmatic randomised controlled trial in Pakistan.

Introduction: Incentive-linked prescribing, which is when healthcare providers accept incentives from pharmaceutical companies for prescribing promoted medicines, is a form of bribery that harms patients and health systems globally. We developed a novel method using data collectors posing as pharmaceutical company sales representatives to evaluate private doctors' engagement in incentive-linked prescribing and the impact of a multifaceted educational intervention on reducing this practice in Karachi, Pakistan.

Methods: We made a sampling frame of all doctors running for-profit, primary-care clinics and randomly allocated participants to control and intervention groups (1:1).

ZjMAPKK4 Interacted With ZjNAC78 Regulates Cold Tolerance Response in Jujube.

Jujube (Ziziphus jujuba Mill.) holds great importance as a fruit tree in China, with strong tolerance to drought and saline stress, but its growth is limited by vulnerability to cold stress. Consequently, the role of MAPK cascades in mediating jujube cold stress response remains unclear, with the specific function of ZjMAPKK4 in this context yet to be fully elucidated.