Diagnostic Accuracy of Ultrasound for the Evaluation of Ureteric Calculi Taking Non-enhanced Computed Tomography as a Gold Standard

Objective: To find the diagnostic accuracy of ultrasound for the evaluation of ureteric calculi taking non enhanced Computed Tomography as gold standard. Study Design: An analytical cross-sectional prospective study was performed. Settings: The study was performed in National Hospital and Medical Center, Lahore. Period: An analytical cross-sectional study was conducted from 15 October, 2020 to 15 January, 2021. Material & Methods: In our study, all those patients with suspected ureteric calculi presenting to radiology department were included. Patients on dialysis, those with polycystic disease and ureteric stricture, as well as patients who declined to give consent and those who were uncooperative, were all excluded. Ultrasound was performed on both sides of the patient's kidney, concentrating on the ureters. Then were sent to a 64 slice CT scanner for a non-enhanced CT scan. Results: Total 121 Patients were reviewed in this research. Females were 82 (67.8%) while male was 39 (32.2%). On Ultrasound 61(50.4%) were positive for ureteric calculi while 60 (49.6%) were negative for stone in the ureter. On CT scan 110 (90.9%) patients were positive for ureteric calculi while 11 (9.1%) were negative for stone in ureter (p= 0.05). The trans-abdominal ultrasound with sensitivity 58.62%, Specificity 56.76%, Positive predictive value 51.52% and Negative predictive value of 63.64% and accuracy of 57.68%. Conclusion: The sensitivity of ultrasound is comparable to Computed Tomography findings, hence, it can be used as an option in cases where CT scans are not available or is contraindicated, such as in pregnant women. Moreover, Ultrasound modality is cheap, with no radiation dose and is readily available in our setups, making it suitable for initial diagnosis as well as for follow-up scans. Keywords: Non-enhanced Computed Tomography, Ultrasound, Ureteric Calculi, radiation, Computed Tomography. DOI: 10.7176/JHMN/90-04 Publication date:June 30th 2021

Instagram Beauty Influencers and Purchase Decisions: Exploring The Mediating Role of Source Credibility

The paper investigates the impact of Instagram beauty influencers’ content on the purchase decisions and impulse purchasing of female university students of Pakistan. The study has also explored the mediating role of source credibility in order to observe how the influencer’s credibility affects the purchase decisions of the followers. Theoretical basis of Elaboration Likelihood Model and Two Step Flow theory are used for this research. The study has been conducted using quantitative research approach. Purposive sampling technique was adopted to select a sample of 400 females aged 18 to 35 from four universities of Lahore which included Kinnaird College, Lahore School of Economics, Lahore College for Women University and University of Central Punjab. After collecting data through online questionnaire, SPSS and Smart PLS were used to analyze the data. The results showed a significant positive relationship between Instagram beauty influencer’s content and purchase decisions. It was also observed that usage of Instagram beauty influencers’ content also has a significant positive relationship with impulse purchasing. The results also showed that source credibility mediated the relationships. The study will help in expanding the knowledge regarding the increasing role of social media influencers in the advertising sector of Pakistan.

Plasma Bead Entrapped Liposomes as a Potential Drug Delivery System to Combat Fungal Infections

Fibrin-based systems offer promises in drug and gene delivery as well as tissue engineering. We established earlier a fibrin-based plasma beads (PB) system as an efficient carrier of drugs and antigens. In the present work, attempts were made to further improve its therapeutic efficacy exploiting innovative ideas, including the use of plasma alginate composite matrices, proteolytic inhibitors, cross linkers, and dual entrapment in various liposomal formulations. In vitro efficacy of the different formulations was examined. Pharmacokinetics of the formulations encapsulating Amphotericin B (AmpB), an antifungal compound, were investigated in Swiss albino mice. While administration of the free AmpB led to its rapid elimination (<72 h), PB/liposome-PB systems were significantly effective in sustaining AmpB release in the circulation (>144 h) and its gradual accumulation in the vital organs, also compared to the liposomal formulations alone. Interestingly, the slow release of AmpB from PB was unusual compared to other small molecules in our earlier findings, suggesting strong interaction with plasma proteins. Molecular interaction studies of bovine serum albumin constituting approximately 60% of plasma with AmpB using isothermal titration calorimetry and in silico docking verify these interactions, explaining the slow release of AmpB entrapped in PB alone. The above findings suggest that PB/liposome-PB could be used as safe and effective delivery systems to combat fungal infections in humans