METHODOLOGY: A retrospective cohort study of 624 patients initiated on liraglutide was conducted. Data were collected at baseline and 6, 12, 18, and 24 months. Primary outcomes were HbA1c and weight changes. Secondary outcomes included fasting plasma glucose, lipid profile, and blood pressure. Statistical analyses were performed using appropriate methods.
RESULTS: In study population the mean HbA1c reduction of -1.45 ± 0.67% was observed at 24 months, with 30.6% achieving HbA1c ≤ 7.5%. A rapid and sustained weight loss of -7.51 kg was achieved, with 27.2% experiencing ≥5% weight loss. Additionally, liraglutide led to a significant reduction in LDL cholesterol, with 46.7% of patients achieving a ≥ 10% reduction at 24 months. Liraglutide was well-tolerated, with a low discontinuation rate of 4.6%.
CONCLUSION: Liraglutide demonstrated sustained efficacy and safety in a diverse Pakistani population with T2DM, regardless of baseline characteristics. These findings support the use of liraglutide as an effective treatment option for T2DM in real-world clinical practice.
METHODS: This in-vitro study was conducted from April 2024 to September 2024 at Universiti Sains Malaysia and King Faisal University. Graphene oxide (GO) was reduced by dispersing GO in deionized water with sonication, followed by adding sodium hydroxide (NaOH) under vigorous stirring. The suspension obtained was centrifuged, washed, and dried to yield reduced graphene oxide (rGO). For functionalization, rGO was dispersed in ethanol and mixed with methylene blue (MB) solution, followed by stirring and drying to obtain MB-functionalized rGO. The antibacterial and antifungal activities of MB alone and in combination with rGO, with or without laser exposure, were tested using the agar well diffusion method. The paired sample t-test was used to compare the inhibition zones for different treatment groups of E. faecalis and C. albicans.
RESULTS: FTIR analysis confirmed successful functionalization by identifying specific functional groups of rGO and MB. Similarly, Raman spectroscopy indicated that GO-MB had an intermediate level of defects, and SEM analysis confirmed slight morphological changes with MB molecules attached to the rGO surface. Moreover, the antimicrobial test revealed that MB/rGO with laser performed significantly better (p=0.042) than MB/rGO without laser and MB with laser group (p=0.034) against E. faecalis.
CONCLUSIONS: The functionalization of MB with rGO and its application with laser treatment significantly enhanced antimicrobial and antifungal activity, suggesting potential benefits for endodontic treatments and other dental applications.
METHODS: MGD was calculated using the Dance formula.
RESULTS: The average MGD was 0.96 ± 0.39 mGy for mediolateral oblique (MLO) views and 0.81 ± 0.33 mGy for craniocaudal (CC) views. Weak inverse correlations were found between age and organ dose (OD) for both views, while a direct relationship was observed between breast thickness and entrance skin dose (ESD). In adjusted models, ESD was strongly associated with MGD (β = 1.04, 95% CI: 0.97, 1.09), while OD showed a moderate association (β = 0.44, 95% CI: 0.40, 0.49). Significant variations in ESD, OD, and MGD were noted across age groups and breast thicknesses.
CONCLUSIONS: Lower MGD indicates reduced radiation exposure risk, while higher MGD in MLO views suggests improved imaging quality. Monitoring and optimizing MGD are essential for enhancing patient safety and screening efficacy.
METHOD: A retrospective record review study using positive COVID-19 cases and contact-tracing data from an area in Malaysia was performed and analysed using the SNA method through R software and visualised by Gephi software. The justification for utilizing SNA is its capability to pinpoint the individuals with the highest impact and accountability for the transmission of COVID-19 within the area, as determined through SNA.
RESULT: Analysis revealed 76 (4.5%) people tested positive for COVID-19 from 1,683 people, with 51 (67.1%) of the positive ones being male. Outdegrees for 38 positive people were between 1 and 12, while 41 people had 1-13 indegree. Older males have a higher outdegree, while younger females have a higher outdegree than other age groups among same-sex groups. Betweenness was between 0.09 and 34.5 for 15 people. We identified 15 people as super-spreaders from the 42 communities detected.
CONCLUSION: Women play a major role in bridging COVID-19 transmission, while older men may transmit COVID-19 through direct connections. Thus, health education on face mask usage and hand hygiene is important for both groups. Working women should be given priority for the work-from-home policy compared to others. A large gathering should not be allowed to operate, or if needed, with strict adherence to specific standard operating procedures, as it contributes to the spread of COVID-19 in the district. The SNA allows the identification of key personnel within the network. Therefore, SNA can help healthcare authorities recognise evolving clusters and identify potential super-spreaders; hence, precise and timely action can be taken to prevent further spread of the disease.
METHODS: A systematic review was conducted to explore all prognostic risk factors in studies published from the initial to June 2024 among 5 Databases included PubMed / Medline, Scopus, EBSCOhost, Web of Science, and Cochran Library. The quality of the methodology was analyzed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Data analysis was performed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 29.
RESULTS: Sixty-four studies involving 18,958 participants with a mean age of 38.46 years and females 63.03% were included in the quantitative meta-analysis. Functional outcomes were primarily measured using the Modified Rankin Scale (mRS), with scores ≥ 2 or ≥ 3 indicating poor outcomes in 35.00% and 60.00% of studies, respectively. For general information, age (InOR = 0.98, 95% CI 0.53-1.43), intracranial hemorrhage (OR = 3.79, 95% CI 2.77-5.20), and ischemic infarction (OR = 3.18, 95% CI 2.40-4.23) were associated with poor functional outcomes. For general and neurological symptoms, headache (OR = 0.22, 95% CI 0.17-0.29), seizure (OR = 2.74, 95% CI 1.76-4.27), focal deficit (OR = 4.72, 95% CI 3.86-5.78), coma (OR = 11.60, 95% CI 6.12-21.98), and consciousness alteration (OR = 7.07, 95% CI 4.15-12.04) were outstanding factors. The blood biomarkers of NLR (log OR = 1.72, 95% CI 0.96-2.47), lymphocytes (Cohen's d = -0.63, 95 CI -0.78--0.47), and D-dimer (lnOR = 1.34, 95% CI 0.87-1.80) were the three most frequently reported factors. Parenchymal lesion (OR = 4.71, 95% CI 1.12-19.84) and deep cerebral venous thrombosis (OR = 6.30, 95% CI 2.92-13.63) in radiological images were two frequently reported factors. CVST patients with cancer (OR = 3.87, 95% CI 2.95-5.07) or high blood glucose levels (OR = 3.52, 95% CI 1.61-7.68) were associated with poor functional outcomes. In the meta-regression analysis, ischemic infarction (P = 0.032), consciousness alteration (P