Anthrax: A narrative review.

Bacillus anthracis is a zoonotic bacterium, majorly responsible for causing human anthrax and the possibility of the outbreak spreading globally. Herbivorous animals serve as the inherent reservoir for the disease, whereas all endothermic species are vulnerable. Humans contract the disease inadvertently by contact with diseased animals or animal products or through the consumption or handling of infected flesh. There is no such reported data indicating the transmission of anthrax from human to human, which further does not guarantee the bacterium's mutations and new transmission route. Nevertheless, it can lead to various infections, including endophthalmitis, bacteremia, cutaneous infection, central nervous system infection, and pneumonia. Therefore, it is crucial to examine the present epidemiological situation of human anthrax in densely populated nations, including the altered symptoms, indications in people, and the method of transmission. This article highlights the current diagnostic methods for human anthrax, further examines the available therapy options and future perspectives in treatment protocol. This narrative review resulted from a simple search strategy on "PubMed", "ScienceDirect", "ClinicalTrials.gov" and web reports using "AND" as Boolean operator with search keywords, i.e., "Anthrax" AND "Infection", "Anthrax" AND "Pandemic", "Anthrax" AND "Infectious disease", "Anthrax" AND "Vaccine", "Anthrax" AND "Diagnosis" shows minimal narrative literature in between 2024 and 2005. Furthermore, this narrative review highlights the potential approaches for detecting anthrax infection, establishing suitable protocols for prevention, and focusing on the current epidemiology and available therapeutics, vaccine and its future developmental strategies for the prevention of infectious disorder.

Time-resolved heterodyne-detected electronic sum frequency generation (TR-HD-ESFG) spectroscopy: A new approach to explore interfacial dynamics.

Aqueous interfaces containing organic/inorganic molecules are important in various biological, industrial, and atmospheric processes. So far, the study on the dynamics of interfacial molecules has been carried out with time-resolved vibrational sum-frequency generation (TR-VSFG) and time-resolved electronic sum-frequency generation (TR-ESFG) techniques. Although the ESFG probe is powerful for investigating interfacial photochemical dynamics of solute molecules by monitoring the electronic transition of transients or photoproducts at the interface, heterodyne detection is highly desirable for obtaining straightforward information, particularly in time-resolved measurements. So far, heterodyne detection has been realized only for TR-VSFG measurements but not for TR-ESFG measurements. In this paper, we report on femtosecond time-resolved heterodyne-detected ESFG (TR-HD-ESFG) spectroscopy for the first time. With TR-HD-ESFG developed, we measured the time-resolved electronic ΔImχ(2) spectra (pump-induced changes in the imaginary part of the second-order susceptibility) of a prototype dye, malachite green (MG), at the air/water interface. The obtained ΔImχ(2) spectra clearly show not only the ground-state bleach but also the excited-state band of MG at the air/water interface, demonstrating the high potential of TR-HD-ESFG as a new powerful tool to investigate ultrafast reaction dynamics at the interface.

Hepatosplenic schistosomiasis, treatment outcomes and associated factors among adult patients treated at public hospitals in the Harari Region of Ethiopia: retrospective cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Schistosomiasis is one of the neglected tropical diseases that pose a significant burden in developing countries, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. Hepatosplenic schistosomiasis (HSS) is a substantial cause of morbidity and mortality. This study aimed to determine clinical patterns, outcomes and factors associated with HSS in the Harari Region of Ethiopia. METHODS: An institutional-based retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted among 93 adult patients diagnosed with HSS at public hospitals in the Harari Region from December 2018 to November 2022. Data were extracted from medical records using a standardized data extraction tool. EpiData version 4.2 and SPSS version 26.0 were used for data entry and analysis. Fisher's exact test was used to identify the association between dependent and independent variables, and statistical significance was declared at p<0.05. RESULTS: In the current study, HSS-related mortality was recorded in 7.5% of patients. Recurrent episodes of upper gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding (p=0.04), hypotension (p=0.02), altered mental status at admission (p=0.009) and antibiotic use for the treatment of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (p=0.04) were significant factors associated with HSS-related mortality. CONCLUSIONS: The study found that treatment outcomes of HSS patients were strongly associated with recurrent upper GI bleeding, hypotension, altered mental status and antibiotic use for spontaneous bacterial peritonitis treatment. The use of antibiotics for spontaneous bacterial peritonitis treatment was strongly associated with the treatment outcome of patients with HSS and was unique to our study. Adequate recording of patient data, improving chart keeping, integration of preventive and curative programs, improvement of the diagnostic tools, comprehensive treatment guidelines, early diagnosis and treatment are strongly recommended. Rigorous prospective studies that can fully reflect cause-and-effect relationships are crucial to fill fundamental evidence gaps.

A Pedunculated Eccrine Poroma Presented as a Skin Tag on the Right Thigh of a Female Individual: A Case Report.

Poroma is a relatively rare benign adnexal neoplastic lesion that usually affects elderly patients in the extremities, with an unclear pathogenesis. It is notable for having a variety of morphological appearances that make diagnosis challenging, particularly when observed on an uncommon anatomical site. Here, we present a case of a woman in her mid-50s who presented with a skin pedunculated lesion over the right thigh. The lesion had a smooth surface and clinically mimicked a skin tag. The lesion was surgically excised and sent for histopathology. On microscopic examination, anastomosing cords and broad columns of more or less uniform basaloid cells extending to the dermis with no atypical changes were seen, confirming the diagnosis of eccrine poroma. It is emphasized that poromas should be considered in the clinical and histological differential diagnosis of nonacral skin lesions. Complete excision cures the condition and prevents local recurrence.

Evaluating Prostate Cancer: The Diagnostic Impact of MRI and Its Relationship With Transrectal Ultrasound (TRUS)-Guided Biopsy.

Background Prostate disorders, including benign enlargement and malignancy, are commonly evaluated through imaging techniques. Historically, transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) has been used for prostate imaging and biopsy. However, multiparametric MRI (mpMRI), which integrates structural and functional imaging methods, offers enhanced diagnostic capabilities. This study evaluates the effectiveness of mpMRI, including its grading via Prostate Imaging - Reporting and Data System (PI-RADS) or Likert scoring, in distinguishing between benign and malignant prostatic conditions and compares these findings with TRUS outcomes. Methodology This prospective study enrolled 30 male patients aged 45 to 75 years (mean age 60 years), selected based on prostatic abnormalities, elevated prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels (>4 ng/dL), or palpable nodules detected via digital rectal examination. MRI, including PI-RADS or Likert scoring, was utilized to assess prostatic lesions, and results were compared with histopathological data obtained from TRUS-guided biopsies. Results Among the 30 patients, common symptoms included urinary retention (60%) and painful urination (53.3%). Malignant tumors were diagnosed in 12 patients (40%). MRI identified eight cases with enlarged transitional zones and irregular signals in peripheral zones (benign prostatic hyperplasia with tumor) and four cases with irregular signals in both zones (sarcoma). Concordance between MRI T2-weighted (T2W) observations and biopsy results showed 60% malignancy detection. Sensitivity assessments revealed MRI detected 15 true-positives (50%), TRUS detected six true positives (20%), and multivoxel spectroscopic analysis (MVS) identified 14 true-positives (46.7%). PI-RADS or Likert scoring of mpMRI was correlated with TRUS outcomes, highlighting its enhanced diagnostic accuracy compared to TRUS alone. Conclusion While TRUS remains a standard diagnostic tool, it is limited by significant sampling errors and complications. The integration of mpMRI, with its grading system, significantly improves diagnostic accuracy and treatment planning. Although mpMRI alone has limitations, its combination with contrast-enhanced MRI, diffusion-weighted imaging, and MR spectroscopy offers a comprehensive approach to enhanced prostate cancer detection.

The usefulness of head computed tomography in patients with known cirrhosis presenting to emergency department with suspected hepatic encephalopathy.

Background: Computed tomography of the head (CT head) is frequently used for patients with cirrhosis presenting with suspected hepatic encephalopathy (HE). Aims: The primary aims of this study were to assess the frequency of CT head usage in this patient population and to determine whether these scans yielded significant findings. Our secondary aims were to identify factors associated with the decision to order CTs and whether patients who received CTs had different outcomes. Methods: A single-centre, retrospective chart review was performed. Patients presenting to the University of Alberta Hospital with cirrhosis and common liver disease aetiologies over a 27-month period were identified via discharge diagnosis codes. Charts of patients with suspected HE were manually identified. The use of a CT head was documented, as were patient demographics, cirrhosis aetiology, MELD, and outcomes. Comparisons were made between patients with and without CT head. Results: A total of 119 encounters from 100 patients met our inclusion criteria. In 57% of encounters, a CT scan was performed on presentation. None of these CT scans had significant findings. Patient factors associated with the decision to order CT included older age, more preserved liver function, and longer length of time between patient's current and previous presentations. Patients who did not receive CT head had higher in-hospital mortality, which was likely reflective of more severe underlying liver dysfunction in this group. Conclusions: The frequency of CT head usage in the studied patient population was high while the yield was low. This calls into question the usefulness of CT head in this population.

Inflammatory Status As a Predictor of Perioperative Risk in Patients Undergoing Non-Cardiac Vascular Surgery.

INTRODUCTION: Patients scheduled to undergo vascular surgery represent a significant population at risk of major adverse cardiac events (MACE's) post operation. This is due to a number of inflammatory mechanisms, designed to aid in post surgical recovery. A number of screening tools have been designed such as the EAGLE risk score or the Goldman and Detsky scores, to aid in identification of at-risk individuals. Recently inflammatory biomarkers have been suggested as a tool to aid in this assessment. The role of interleukins such as IL-1 and Il-6 have particularly been of interest to current research. Our hypothesis aims to test whether there is any benefit to measuring inflammatory biomarkers post operation as a tool to identify individuals at risk of MACEs. METHOD: We identified 75 eligible patients scheduled to undergo vascular surgery (bypass, EVAR or open AAA repair or endarterectomy) and measured four inflammatory biomarkers (IL-1, IL-6, ICAM-1 & CRP) pre and post operatively on days 1-4 to identify correlations and identify differences in individuals who had a MACE vs those that didn't. A MACE was defined by a rise in T troponin of 0.06 or greater or ECG changes agreed upon by two clinicians or a stroke RESULTS: Of the 75 patients, 13 were identified to have a MACE. The result showed that both IL-1 and ICAM show a significantly positive correlation between pre and post operative levels with ICAM-1 significantly positive on all 4 days and IL-1 significantly positive on days 1, 3 & 4. When comparing the significant difference in change in inflammatory biomarkers between the MACE group and non-MACE group, a significant difference was only noted in the ICAM biomarker. ICAM was significantly different between the two groups on day 1 and day 2 (t test value 0.0455 and 0.0492 respectively) but was non-significant on days 3 and 4. All other biomarkers showed no significant difference pre and post op. DISCUSSION: Overall, it is suggestable that measuring inflammatory biomarkers in vascular surgery patients is a valuable aid to clinicians in potentially identifying at-risk groups and should be used as an adjunct to already existing mechanisms available to the clinician.

Draft genomes of 10 Vibrio cholerae isolates collected in Sudan in 2019.

This report presents the first genomes from positive cases of cholera in Sudan. Genomic analysis of 10 Vibrio cholerae isolates, profiled as serogroup O1, reveals evidence of antimicrobial resistance genes and a 139-kb IncC plasmid with 99.74% identity to the multidrug-resistant plasmid pCNRVC190243 previously reported in Yemen and Lebanon.

Efficacy of flexible ureterorenoscopy in treating multiple renal stones: a cohort study.

INTRODUCTION: While the efficacy of flexible ureterorenoscopy (URS) in managing solitary kidney stones (KSs) is widely acknowledged, its effectiveness in treating multiple stones has scarcely been investigated. This study aims to assess the effectiveness and safety of retrograde intrarenal surgery (RIRS) utilizing flexible URS and laser lithotripsy in the management of multiple KSs.  Methods: This study was a single-group cohort study conducted on patients with multiple KSs who underwent treatment with RIRS using flexible URS and laser lithotripsy. Stone-free status was considered as the lack of residual stone fragments or any residual stone of any size. The first follow-up appointment was arranged 3-4 weeks following the procedure. If significant residual stones were present, patients underwent reintervention within 2-4 weeks. RESULTS: A total of 110 patients with multiple KSs were included. The mean stone burden was 27.5 ± 7.9 mm, and the mean duration of the operation was 54.9 ± 19.7 minutes. Seven cases (6.3%) experienced intraoperative complications, while postoperative complications were found in eight cases (7.3%). After four weeks, a stone-free rate (SFR) was documented in 80.9% of the cases, and this rate increased to 93.6% after three months. The SFR after three months was significant with Guy's stone score (p < 0.001); however, it did not reach a significant level with any other parameters.  Conclusions: The RIRS with flexible URS may be an effective and potentially safe procedure for treating multiple KSs. It may yield a favorable SFR with an acceptable complication rate.

Performance of health and wellness centre in providing primary care services in Chhattisgarh, India.

INTRODUCTION: Primary health care has regained its importance in global policy making. In 2018, the Government of India initiated the Ayushman Bharat - Comprehensive Primary Health Care (AB-CPHC) programme. It was based on upgrading the existing primary health facilities into Health and Wellness Centers (HWCs). The current study aimed to assess the readiness and performance of HWCs in providing comprehensive primary health care services in India's Chhattisgarh state. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional health facility assessment with a state-representative sample of 404 HWCs. A standardized health facility survey tool was used to collect information on essential inputs and service outputs of HWCs. The expected population healthcare needs were estimated using secondary sources. The performance of HWCs was assessed by comparing the volume of services provided against the expected population need for outpatient care. RESULTS: On an average, 358 outpatients including 128 non-communicable disease (NCD) patients were treated monthly at an HWC. HWCs were able to cover 31% of the total population's health need for outpatient care, 26% for hypertension, and 21% for diabetes care. In addition to services for reproductive and child health, HWCs provided services for common acute ailments (cold, cough, fever, aches and pains); infections of skin, eye, ear, and reproductive tract, and minor injuries. HWCs were also contributing significantly to national disease control programmes. Acute ailments followed by NCDs and communicable diseases had the largest share among services provided. The key gaps were in coverage of mental illnesses and chronic respiratory diseases. Most of the HWCs showed adequate readiness for the availability of required human resources, supplies, and infrastructure. CONCLUSION: HWCs were able to provide a comprehensive range of primary care services and able to cater to a sizable portion of the rural population's acute and chronic health care needs. The performance was made possible by the adequate availability of medicines, staff, training programmes and tele-consultation linkages. If HWCs in other states are able to reach a similar level of performance, the initiative will prove to be a game changer for equitable primary care in India.

Integration of machine learning and CFD for modeling mass transfer in water treatment using membrane separation process.

This study aims to assess the efficacy of machine learning models in predicting solute concentration (C) distribution in a membrane separation process, using the input parameters which are spatial coordinates. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) was employed with machine learning for simulation of process. The models evaluated include Kernel Ridge Regression (KRR), Radius nearest neighbor regression (RNN), K-nearest neighbors (KNN), LASSO, and Multi-Layer Perceptron (MLP). Additionally, Harris Hawks Optimization (HHO) was utilized to fine-tune the hyperparameters of these models. Leading the way is the MLP model, which achieves a remarkable test R2 value of 0.98637 together with very low RMSE and MAE values. Strongness and generalization capacity are shown by its consistent performance on test and training datasets. To conclude, the effectiveness of using machine learning regression methods more especially, KRR, KNN, RNN, LASSO, and MLP in estimating concentration from spatial coordinates was demonstrated in this work. For separation science via membranes where predictive modeling of spatial data is essential, the results offer important new perspectives by developing hybrid model.

Microneedles as an Emerging Platform for Transdermal Delivery of Phytochemicals.

Phytochemicals, which are predominantly found in plants, hold substantial medicinal value. Despite their potential, challenges such as poor oral bioavailability and instability in the gastrointestinal tract have limited their therapeutic use. Traditional intra/transdermal drug delivery systems offer some advantages over oral administration but still suffer from issues such as limited penetration depth, slow drug release rates, and inconsistent drug absorption. In contrast, microneedles (MNs) represent a significant advancement in intra/transdermal drug delivery by providing precise control over phytochemical delivery and enhanced penetration capabilities. By circumventing skin barriers, MNs directly access dermal layers rich in blood vessels and lymphatics, thus facilitating efficient phytochemical delivery. This review extensively discusses the obstacles of traditional oral delivery and the benefits of intra/transdermal delivery routes with a particular focus on the transformative potential of MNs for phytochemical delivery. This review explores the complexities of delivering phytochemicals through intra/transdermal routes, the development and types of MNs as innovative delivery tools, and the optimal design and properties of MNs for effective phytochemical delivery. Additionally, this review examines the versatile applications of MN-mediated phytochemical delivery, including its role in administering phytophotosensitizers for photodynamic therapy, and concludes with insights into relevant patents and future perspectives.

Sublingual Fast-Dissolving Thin Films of Loratadine: Characterization, In Vitro and Ex Vivo Evaluation.

Loratadine (LOR) is a second-generation antihistamine that exhibits a low and variable oral bioavailability (10-40%) and delayed onset owing to poor solubility and an extensive first-pass effect. Therefore, in light of the clinical need, the main goal of the present study was to develop sublingual fast-dissolving thin films of LOR-citric acid co-amorphous systems (LOR-CAs) with the aim of eliciting a faster onset and improving the bioavailability. We formulated sublingual fast-dissolving thin films of LOR by a film-casting technique using hydrophilic polymers like hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC E15), polyvinyl pyrrolidone K30 (PVP K30), and hydroxypropyl cellulose EL (HPC-EF) and citric acid as a pH modulator, while glycerin served as a plasticizer. The sublingual fast-dissolving thin films were characterized by FTIR, SEM, DSC, and XRD and evaluated for in vitro dissolution and ex vivo mucoadhesion. The best formulation (F1) developed using HPMC E15 as a polymer, glycerin as a plasticizer, and citric acid as a pH modulator was found to be the optimized formulation as it was smooth, clear, flexible, and displayed good mucoadhesion (11.27 ± 0.418 gm/cm2) and uniform thickness (0.25 ± 0.02 mm). The formulation F1 was found to display a significantly shorter DT (30.30 ± 0.6 s) and rapid release of LOR (92.10 ± 2.3% in 60 min) compared to other formulations (ANOVA, p < 0.001). The results indicated that the prepared sublingual films are likely to elicit a faster therapeutic effect, avoid first-pass metabolism, and improve the bioavailability.

Molecular and Clinical Characterization of a Cohort of Autosomal Recessive Sensorineural Hearing Loss in Egyptian Patients.

Hearing loss (HL) is one of the most common health problems worldwide. Autosomal recessive non-syndromic sensorineural hearing loss (ARNSHL) represents a large portion of congenital hereditary HL. Our study was conducted on 13 patients from 13 unrelated families. The majority of patients presented with congenital severe to profound bilateral sensorineural HL. All patients were subjected to detailed family history and three-generation pedigree analysis to exclude any environmental cause and to ensure an autosomal recessive mode of inheritance. Molecular analysis was performed using the whole exome sequencing (WES) technique for the recruited patients. Three variants in the MYO7A and OTOF genes were reported for the first time in patients with ARNSHL (one nonsense, one frameshift, and one splice variant). Ten previously reported variants were detected in seven genes (GJB2, MYO15A, BSND, OTOF, CDH23, SLC26A4, and TMIE). They varied between missense, nonsense, frameshift, and splice variants. This study expands the molecular spectrum of two types of autosomal recessive deafness (types 2 and 9).

Customisation's impact on strengthening affective bonds and decision-making with socially assistive robots.

This study aims to fill a gap in understanding how customising robots can affect how humans interact with them, specifically regarding human decision-making and robot perception. The study focused on the robot's ability to persuade participants to follow its suggestions within the Balloon Analogue Risk Task (BART), where participants were challenged to balance the risk of bursting a virtual balloon against the potential reward of inflating it further. A between-subjects design was used, involving 62 participants divided evenly between customised or non-customised robot conditions. Compliance, risk-taking, reaction time, and perceptions of the robot's likability, intelligence, trustworthiness, and ownership were measured using quantitative and qualitative methods. The results showed that there were no significant differences in compliance or risk-taking behaviours between customised and non-customised robots. However, participants in the customised condition reported a significant increase in perceived ownership. Additionally, reaction times were longer in the customised condition, particularly for the "collect" suggestion. These results indicate that although customisation may not directly affect compliance or risk-taking, it enhances cognitive engagement and personal connection with robots. Regardless of customisation, the presence of a robot significantly influenced risk-taking behaviours, supporting theories of over-trust in robots and the automation bias. These findings highlight the importance of carefully considering ethical design and effective communication strategies when developing socially assistive robots to manage user trust and expectations, particularly in applications where behavioural influence is involved.

Beyond the hype: A TAM-based analysis of blockchain adoption drivers in construction industry.

In complementing our existing knowledge of blockchain technology adoption in the construction industry, this research investigated how the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) applies to adopting blockchain technology among Saudi Arabian Construction companies. This study utilized cross-sectional data collection, causal research design, a quantitative research approach, and a simple random sampling technique to collect data from 248 Saudi Arabian construction companies. Partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) was utilized to analyze the data. The results showed that attitude toward adopting Blockchain (ATT) and perceived ease of use (PEU) are good predictors of behavioural intention to adopt Blockchain. The findings showed that when construction companies perceive the ease of use of Blockchain, they intend to adopt the technology. Attitude toward adopting Blockchain, directly and indirectly, influences behavioural intention to adopt the Technology. However, top management support only directly leads to intention once the companies perceive the usefulness of blockchain technology. This paper complements the existing literature on adopting Blockchain in the Saudi Arabian construction industry. The study provides insight into the influence of top management support, attitude toward adoption, and perceived ease of use in the blockchain adoption process.

Effect of pioglitazone on inflammatory response and clinical outcome in T2DM patients with COVID-19: a randomized multicenter double-blind clinical trial.

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, has emerged as a rapidly spreading contagious disease across the globe. Recent studies showed that people with diabetes mellitus, severe obesity, and cardiovascular disease are at higher risk of mortality from COVID-19. It has been suggested that the increased risk is due to the chronic inflammatory state associated with type 2 diabetes. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of pioglitazone, a strong insulin sensitizer with anti-inflammatory properties, in improving the clinical outcomes of patients with type 2 diabetes admitted with moderate-severe COVID-19. Method: We enrolled 350 patients with type 2 diabetes who were admitted to hospitals in Qatar and Kuwait with COVID-19. Patients were randomized to receive, in a double-blind fashion, pioglitazone (n = 189) or a matching placebo (n = 161) for 28 days. The study had two primary outcomes: (1) the incidence of a composite outcome composed of (a) the requirement for mechanical ventilation, (b) death, and (c) myocardial damage; and (2) an increase in C-reactive protein (CRP) levels. Results: The first primary outcome occurred in 28 participants (8%), and the secondary outcome occurred in 17. Treatment with pioglitazone showed a significant reduction in interleukin (IL)-3 levels compared with placebo treatment (mean (SD) 2.73 (± 2.14) [95% CI: 0.02, 1.1], p = 0.043 vs. 2.28 (± 1.67) [95% CI: - 0.23, 0.86], p = 0.3, respectively), with no effect seen in the levels of other inflammatory markers. Even though not significant, a few of the patients on pioglitazone exhibited serum troponin levels > 3 times higher than the normal range seen in patients on placebo. On the other hand, more patients on pioglitazone were admitted to the ICU than those with placebo, and no significant difference in the CRP reduction was observed between the two groups. Conclusion: The results of the present study demonstrate that pioglitazone treatment did not independently provide any additional clinical benefit to patients with type 2 diabetes admitted with a COVID-19 infection. Clinical trial registration: https://clinicaltrials.gov, identifier NCT04604223.

Opportunities and challenges in leveraging digital technology for mental health system strengthening: a systematic review to inform interventions in the United Arab Emirates.

Digital technology offers scalable, real-time interventions for mental health promotion and treatment. This systematic review explores the opportunities and challenges associated with the use of digital technology in mental health, with a focus on informing mental health system strengthening interventions in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Following PRISMA guidelines, a systematic search of databases was conducted up to August 2023 and identified a total of 8479 citations of which 114 studies were included in the qualitative analysis. The included studies encompass diverse digital interventions, platforms, and modalities used across various mental health conditions. The review identifies feasible, acceptable, and efficacious interventions, ranging from telehealth and mobile apps to virtual reality and machine learning models. Opportunities for improving access to care, reducing patients' transfers, and utilizing real-world interaction data for symptom monitoring are highlighted. However, challenges such as digital exclusion, privacy concerns, and potential service replacement caution policymakers. This study serves as a valuable evidence base for policymakers and mental health stakeholders in the UAE to navigate the integration of digital technology in mental health services effectively.

Schoolchildren's Musculoskeletal Pain and Backpack Weight Impact on Posture: A Short-Term Study.

Background: Research indicates heavy backpacks can cause students to adjust their posture, potentially harming their spine and shoulders. This study focuses on musculoskeletal pain in schoolchildren in Bangalore, attributed to backpack weight, and examines postural impacts in both urban and rural settings. Methodology: With consent, 500 students from various schools underwent physical measurements, including backpack weight, and provided data through questionnaires. Postural angles were assessed without backpacks to determine the impact of weight. Findings: On average, students carried backpacks weighing 6.53 kg, about 13.53% of their body weight. Pain was reported by 50.9% of boys and 63.9% of girls, with a higher incidence among girls from private schools (88.2%) compared to boys from government schools (51.6%). Conclusion: A significant link was found between heavier backpacks and decreased craniovertebral angle, head on neck (HON), and head and neck on trunk (HNOT) angles, aligning with increased pain prevalence. This underscores the health risks of heavy school backpacks and the need for weight management.