Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder: a case Report from Rehman Medical institute, Peshawar.

Devic\u27s disease or Neuromyelitis Optica is a serious, rare idiopathic neurological disorder which affects the optic nerve and the spinal cord. A 15-year-old girl was admitted in the neurology was with a previous history of 4 episodes of weakness in both the lower limbs and urinary retention. The patient gradually lost her eyesight in both eyes at the age of 8. Initially, she was diagnosed as a case of Multiple Sclerosis at the age of 11 when she presented with first episode of lower limb weakness. Later, Seropositivity for Aquaporin 4 IgG and clear MRI scan of the brain confirmed the diagnosis of Neuromyelitis Optica

A CURIOUS CASE OF FEVER AND INTERSTITIAL LUNG DISEASE

Antisynthetase syndrome is a rare chronic autoimmune inflammatory myopathy with fever, interstitial lung disease, Raynaud’s phenomenon and polyarthritis. The exact underlying cause of antisynthetase syndrome is not yet known. Diagnosis is made with presence of Jo-1 (Histydyl t RNA synthase) antigen in a patient with underlying interstitial lung disease, myositis, arthritis, Raynaud’s phenomenon and mechanic’s hand. Some of the other antisynthetase anti bodies are PL-7 (antigen – threonyl-tRNA synthase), PL-12 (antigen - Alanyl-tRNA synthetase), OJ (antigen – Isoleucyl-tRNA synthetase), EJ (antigen - Glycyl-tRNA synthetase), KS (Antigen – Asparaginyl-tRNA synthetase, WA (Antigen- Autoantibody to a 48 kDa transfer RNA related protein), YRS (antigen - Tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase) however the prevalence is found to be highest with anti Jo-1 antibody (25-30%). In a patient with nonspecific interstitial pneumonitis, Raynaud’s phenomenon and arthralgia antisynthetase syndrome can be best diagnosed with anti ZO ab, though prevalence of the disease is not yet known and in a patient with usual interstitial pneumonitis and fever diagnosis of anti synthetase syndrome can be made with anti KS antibodies. Symptomatic treatment is preferred, which may include immunosuppressive therapy and corticosteroids especially in a patient with muscle and lung involvement

A Case Report Of A Giant Plunging Ranula In A 25-Year-Old Patient: A case report

Abstract This case report aims to present an unusual case of a plunging ranula that extended to the superior vertebral body of the T4 vertebrae, we will be elaborating on the patient presentation, investigations, diagnosis, and treatment of the lesion, while also talking about the adversities faced while diagnosing and treating the patient. The rarity of this condition and an atypical presentation makes this a difficult case to diagnose and vigilant treatment is needed to prevent any complications associated with the condition and ensure a successful treatment and recovery

Studies On the Role of Fungal Strains in Bioremediation of Dyes Isolated from Textile Effluents

Fungal strains are widely used for the cleaning of soil, sediments, groundwater, surface water, and the ecosystem. The presence of extracellular enzymes in fungi facilitates the process of bioremediation of textile dyes. This study was conducted to observe the quality of water being released from textile dyes industries and also the capability of some fungal strains which can remediate these dyes by showing the tendency of their resistance. Samples of water were collected from the polluted area surrounding the textile dyeing industries in Lahore. In the process of isolation, Potato Dextrose Agar (PDA) medium was used to verify the fungal growth. Fungal strains were purified, and the morphological characterization of fungal strains was carried out at 10X and 100X by using a magnification microscope. The fungal strains, such as Aspergillus niger, Aspergillusoryzae, and Aspergillusflavus were identified. The stress of four types of dyes was given to each fungal strain. The results showed that Aspergillusoryzae was one of the most stable, non-toxic, and resistant fungal species against the high stress of dyes as compared to other specie

Psychological and psychotherapeutic challenges of COVID-19

Coronavirus is a deadly disease, classified on 30th January 2020, by the World Health Organization (WHO) that acknowledged the outburst of coronavirus disease 2019  (COVID-19), after several cases were reported from China’s 34 regions. In 2020 the virus originated from the wholesale seafood market in Wuhan (China)spreading life all around the world. Quarantine, restraints, and economic closure can change a whole psychological environment in all the countries having coronavirus. affect Although this situation should give several opportunities for personal growth and family unity, disadvantages may compensate for these benefits affecting the psychological health of children and adolescents. But in this difficult time anxiety, and stress are common due to lake of relationships and also due to a reduction in other opportunities other risk includes parents’ mental illness, domestic violence, and lack of treatment for the child during an illness. This was especially common in adolescents and children because they need special care thus causing disabilities, traumatic experiences, and mental health problems. With all these above-mentioned problems this was definitely a challenging time. In Italy where Covid-19 had severe effects on physical health but on mental health also and psychological issues are long-term and main challenges for our healthcare systems where mental health gain not as much important as other physical illnesses

Technology, privacy, and user opinions of COVID-19 mobile apps for contact tracing : systematic search and content analysis

Background: Many countries across the globe have released their own COVID-19 contact tracing apps. This has resulted in the proliferation of several apps that used a variety of technologies. With the absence of a standardized approach used by the authorities, policy makers, and developers, many of these apps were unique. Therefore, they varied by function and the underlying technology used for contact tracing and infection reporting. Objective: The goal of this study was to analyze most of the COVID-19 contact tracing apps in use today. Beyond investigating the privacy features, design, and implications of these apps, this research examined the underlying technologies used in contact tracing apps. It also attempted to provide some insights into their level of penetration and to gauge their public reception. This research also investigated the data collection, reporting, retention, and destruction procedures used by each of the apps under review. Methods: This research study evaluated 13 apps corresponding to 10 countries based on the underlying technology used. The inclusion criteria ensured that most COVID-19-declared epicenters (ie, countries) were included in the sample, such as Italy. The evaluated apps also included countries that did relatively well in controlling the outbreak of COVID-19, such as Singapore. Informational and unofficial contact tracing apps were excluded from this study. A total of 30,000 reviews corresponding to the 13 apps were scraped from app store webpages and analyzed. Results: This study identified seven distinct technologies used by COVID-19 tracing apps and 13 distinct apps. The United States was reported to have released the most contact tracing apps, followed by Italy. Bluetooth was the most frequently used underlying technology, employed by seven apps, whereas three apps used GPS. The Norwegian, Singaporean, Georgian, and New Zealand apps were among those that collected the most personal information from users, whereas some apps, such as the Swiss app and the Italian (Immuni) app, did not collect any user information. The observed minimum amount of time implemented for most of the apps with regard to data destruction was 14 days, while the Georgian app retained records for 3 years. No significant battery drainage issue was reported for most of the apps. Interestingly, only about 2% of the reviewers expressed concerns about their privacy across all apps. The number and frequency of technical issues reported on the Apple App Store were significantly more than those reported on Google Play; the highest was with the New Zealand app, with 27% of the reviewers reporting technical difficulties (ie, 10% out of 27% scraped reviews reported that the app did not work). The Norwegian, Swiss, and US (PathCheck) apps had the least reported technical issues, sitting at just below 10%. In terms of usability, many apps, such as those from Singapore, Australia, and Switzerland, did not provide the users with an option to sign out from their apps. Conclusions: This article highlighted the fact that COVID-19 contact tracing apps are still facing many obstacles toward their widespread and public acceptance. The main challenges are related to the technical, usability, and privacy issues or to the requirements reported by some users

Advances in pharmacogenomics: optimizing antiepileptic drug therapy for drug-resistant epilepsy

Epilepsy, a complex neurological disorder, is influenced by intricate interactions within cortical, hippocampal, or thalamocortical neuronal networks, presenting a genetically complex condition with non-Mendelian inheritance patterns. This complexity is underscored by the involvement of numerous “susceptibilities” or “modifier” genes, complicating the assessment of risk and therapy outcomes. A critical inquiry in epilepsy treatment involves understanding how genetic diversity impacts treatment strategies and efficacy. Pharmacogenomic advancements have elaborated the connection between genetic variants and antiseizure medication (ASM) safety and response, marking a shift towards precision medicine in epilepsy care. Notably, genetic screening for variants such as HLA-B*1502 and HLA-A*3101 has demonstrated significant efficacy in preventing severe hypersensitivity reactions, including toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) and Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS), particularly among specific ethnic populations. However, putting pharmacogenomic discoveries into clinical practice faces numerous challenges, including educational, legal, and economic barriers, emphasizing the need for broader acceptance and integration of pharmacogenomic data. This review synthesizes recent studies on pharmacogenomics in epilepsy, highlighting the current advances and prospects for personalizing epilepsy treatment through genetic insights, aiming to enhance ASM safety, reduce adverse effects, and improve treatment outcomes. Through a comprehensive examination of the genetic basis of epilepsy and its influence on pharmacotherapy, this review endeavors to contribute to the evolving landscape of precision medicine in epilepsy care, advocating for a more individualized and effective treatment approach

An experimental and DFT study on novel dyes incorporated with natural dyes on titanium dioxide (TiO2) towards solar cell application

Titanium dioxide (TiO2) thin flms were deposited on fuorine tin oxide (FTO) coated glass substrate using spin-coating techniques and as-deposited flms were sensitized with various dyes. A series of azo derivatives (2, 5a-b) having diferent structures were successfully prepared through the process of the azo coupling reaction. KAZO 6 was successfully synthesized by esterifcation of kojic acid obtained from sago waste with azo 5a. These azo dye were examined using density functional theory (DFT) and time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT) to obtain the vertical excitation, electron distribution, energy levels, band gap, and light-harvesting efciency in the ground and excited state. The obtained values exhibited a good correlation with the experimental values. Efciency enhancement was reported by the incorporation of KAZO 6 with curcumin extracted from turmeric. Spectroscopy and optical properties of synthesized dyes were characterized using CHNS elemental analysis, FTIR, 1 H NMR, 13C NMR, and UV–Vis spectroscopies. KAZO 6 displayed an efciency of 1.59% compared to azo derivatives 0.13–1.12%. The efciency of KAZO 6 enhanced from 1.59 to 1.74% with the incorporation of turmeric dye