Mohammad Ahmad

2023 didn’t end the way the Cincinnati Bengals had hoped. In fact, 2023 ended just how as it started: Horrifying. Just three days into the calendar year, the Bengals were part of the national…

All is well in Circle City. The Indianapolis Colts season came to a crashing end on Saturday night following a painful 23-19 loss to their division foe Houston Texans at Lucas Oil Stadium. Had Indi…

Background and objectiveHealthcare workers (HCWs) are at a higher risk of contracting coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) since they regularly come into direct contact with infected patients and their surroundings. In light of this, it is critical to study the potential risk factors for SARS-CoV-2 infection among HCWs to help determine its transmission patterns and prevent infections among HCWs, as well as healthcare-associated COVID-19.MethodsWe conducted a case-control study at a tertiary healthcare center from December 2020 to August 2021. HCWs who tested positive for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the virus that causes COVID-19, by RT-PCR were included as cases and those who tested negative for RT-PCR and SARS-CoV-2 antibodies were recruited as controls. We interviewed 316 HCWs (187 cases and 129 controls) by using the WHO questionnaire titled “Protocol for assessment of potential risk factors for coronavirus disease 2019 among health workers in a health care setting” to assess infection prevention and control (IPC) knowledge and practices, including the use of personal protective equipment (PPE). The odds ratio (OR) for factors associated with infection was determined by multivariable logistic regression.ResultsThe majority (87.2%) of the cases were symptomatic. Adherence to IPC measures was higher among controls as compared to cases. A significantly higher number of controls used PPE compared to cases. The proportions of HCWs involved in cleaning, patient transport, reception, and catering were higher among cases (37.9%) compared to controls (19.1%). In multivariable analysis, undergoing training on care for COVID-19 patients was associated with a lower risk of infection (OR: 0.40, 95% CI: 0.24-0.69).ConclusionsAdherence to IPC and use of PPE were significantly higher among controls as compared to cases. Receiving training in COVID-19 patient care and compliance with IPC measures were associated with a lower risk of COVID-19 infection among HCWs in this study.

This one is going to sting for a long, long time for the Green Bay Packers faithful. Who wouldn’t be upset at the fact that the Green Bay Packers, the seventh seed Green Bay Packers, the unde…

BackgroundThe prevalence of obesity and thyroid cancer (TC) is increasing worldwide, and obesity is a risk factor for TC.ObjectivesThis study aimed to elucidate physicians’ awareness of obesity as a risk factor for TC.Materials and methodsA cross-sectional, self-report online questionnaire was distributed to physicians in all regions of Saudi Arabia. The questionnaire comprised sociodemographic data and questions concerning the risk factors for TC, including obesity.ResultsA total of 310 physicians participated in this study. Of the respondents, 35.8% (n = 111) were aged 30-40 years, 40.6% (n = 126) were board certified, and 52.3% (n = 162) had >10 years of experience. Only 36.8% (n = 114) of respondents were familiar with the relationship between obesity and TC risk (P < 0.001). In terms of knowledge of obesity as a risk factor for TC, a significant difference was observed for the following sociodemographic characteristics: sex, educational attainment, and years of experience. A significant difference was also observed with awareness of other risk factors for TC.ConclusionsIn light of the limited awareness of the correlation between obesity and TC, the most effective approach to address these misconceptions would be to implement diverse and ongoing medical education initiatives.

Department of Zoology, Faculty of Biological Science, Quaid-e-Azam University, Islamabad 45320, Pakistan

Multiple myeloma (MM) remains an incurable hematologic cancer leading to damage to the bone marrow that causes destructive bone lesions in addition to many other effects. I am a patient with MM who has undergone treatment to date since the diagnosis of this disease in December 2019. This paper reviews the treatments and observations made throughout this period. The salient results of such treatments are discussed in chronological order. During this period, my MM relapsed and then I was introduced to teclistamab treatment. The outcome of teclistamab treatment is quite promising, and I anticipate a longer life at a maintenance dose of this drug with a better quality of life. When writing this article, I am still receiving the teclistamab treatment cycles that maintain a constant normal level of my kappa-free light chain (FLC) and kappa/lambda ratio, with no significant side effects.

This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of rTMS in treating sleep disorders in PD. It included 24 patients with PD who had sleep disorders. Group allocations (active or sham with a ratio of 2:1) were placed in serially numbered closed envelopes. Each patient was evaluated with the following: MDS-UPDRS, Parkinson's Disease Sleep Scale (PDSS), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and polysomnography (PSG) before and 10 days after the treatment sessions. Each session consisted of 10 trains, 20 Hz, 10 sec for each, over the parietal cortex (bilaterally). Scores of UPDRS, BDI, and PDSS improved significantly in the active group but not in the sham group. The PSG data showed that sleep onset and rapid eye movement (REM) latencies (min), REM duration, and time spent awake (both as %TST) were improved after rTMS in the active group compared with the sham group. The number of awakenings, the wake-after-sleep onset index, the arousal index, and periodic leg movements (PLMs) were all significantly reduced in the active group but not in the sham group. Ten sessions of 20 Hz rTMS over parietal cortexes improved sleep quality and PLMs in patients with PD. The improvement in PSG and PDSS were correlated with improvements in UPDRS and BDI scores.

While Covington grapples with homelessness, budget decisions, affordable housing and poor roads in parts of town, our city annually sends $660,017 in federal taxes to fund Israel’s war crimes that could be otherwise spent fixing local problems.

This study explores the challenge of antimicrobial resistance by investigating the utilization of zinc oxide (ZnO) and copper oxide (Cu2O) nanoparticles (NPs) to combat antibiotic-resistant bacteria in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). The synthesized metal oxide NPs underwent thorough characterization through various analytical techniques, confirming their nanoparticulate nature. Electronic absorption and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses revealed successful reduction processes and crystalline properties, respectively. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) results indicated the stabilization of nanoparticles in solution. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) observations revealed well-defined spherical and flower-like morphologies for the zinc and copper oxide nanoparticles, with sizes approximately ranging from 50 nm to 25 nm Notably, the synthesized nanoparticles exhibited heightened efficacy in impeding biofilm formation, with zinc oxide NPs displaying superior antibacterial activity compared to copper. These findings suggest the promising potential of these nanoparticles in controlling antibiotic-resistant organisms, even following WWTP treatment processes. This research contributes to the ongoing advancements in nanotechnology aimed at combating antibiotic resistance, offering new prospects for the development of effective wastewater treatment strategies.