The exponential growth of biomedical literature presents both an unprecedented opportunity and a significant challenge for medical professionals and students. Conducting a thorough yet efficient literature review is a fundamental skill, essential for evidence-based practice (EBP), research, education, and scholarly writing. However, navigating this vast information landscape effectively remains a common hurdle. This review aims to provide a comprehensive, step-by-step guide to conducting efficient and rigorous literature reviews tailored to the needs of medical professionals and students. It focuses on practical strategies, critical appraisal techniques, synthesis methods, and leveraging technology to optimize the process while maintaining scientific integrity. A narrative review methodology was employed, synthesizing established principles and methods from evidence-based medicine, information science, and academic writing. Key sources include guidelines from major medical libraries, EBP resources, and authoritative texts on research methodology and critical appraisal. The review outlines a structured approach encompassing: defining a focused question using frameworks like Participants; Intervention/Exposure; Comparison; and Outcome (PICO/PECO); developing and executing a systematic search strategy across multiple databases; efficient screening and selection of relevant literature; critical appraisal of study quality and relevance; effective synthesis of findings (narrative, thematic, or tabular); clear and concise writing; and strategies for maintaining currency. Emphasis is placed on leveraging technology (reference managers, databases, and AI tools) cautiously and avoiding common pitfalls, such as scope creep and uncritical acceptance of findings. A life-long experience that the academic writer learns through life, and yet may fall into them easily. An efficient literature review is not merely about speed, but about systematic rigor, critical thinking, and strategic use of resources. By adopting the structured, technology-enhanced, and critically appraised approach outlined, medical professionals and students can navigate the literature effectively, saving valuable time while producing high-quality, evidence-informed outputs for clinical practice, research, and education.
When we tested various industrial wastewater samples collected from different industries they shown high amount of toxic chemical components, and the samples are unfit for irrigation or for any kind of activity. Irrigation of untreated wastewater for long time leads to soil pollution by accumulating toxic salts in the soil. The regular growth of plant get effected by this water like improper growth, low chlorophyll content, low carotenoids content, low yield, etc. Three different types of oil yielding plants (Mustard, Ground nut and Sunflower) and three different types of vegetable crops (Tomato, Chilly and Brinjal) has grown by using different industrial wastewater samples. The primitive parameters of vegetative growth (imbibition, seed germination and vigour index) and nutritional components (chlorophyll a, b and carotenoids) have been observed in all the samples after growing for a particular time period. The imbibition test of seed samples in industrial wastewater samples have not shown significant variation compared to imbibition in distilled water sample. All the seeds in all wastewater samples absorbed almost negligible difference but in the percentage of germination there is significant difference. The tests for nutritional compositions have also shown significant decrease in chlorophyll a, b and carotenoids in all varieties.
This study presents a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of household consumption research in Maharashtra from 2017 to 2023, highlighting shifts in academic focus before and after the COVID-19 pandemic. The analysis explores key research trends, including foundational theories like the Keynesian consumption function and Engel’s law, while examining how themes such as income-consumption relationships, inequality, and economic resilience have evolved. Through citation network analysis, publication trends, and thematic evolution, we identify the most influential works, authors, and institutions that have shaped this field. Pre-pandemic research centered on established economic concepts, exploring factors like income distribution, economic growth, and household debt as predictors of consumption. However, post-2020, there is a marked shift towards understanding financial resilience, the impact of income shocks, and the role of government interventions in stabilizing consumption patterns during crises. This transition reflects an adaptation of traditional consumption models to account for pandemic-induced economic disruptions, emphasizing financial literacy and digital transformation as critical areas of study. Our findings contribute to a deeper understanding of the drivers of household consumption research in Maharashtra, providing insights into the socio-economic factors that influence spending behaviors in both stable and volatile conditions
By January 2020, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 has spread internationally to a pandemic that mainly targets the respiratory system. The relevant infectious disease has been identified as coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) by World Health Organization and declared as a global pandemic. In Libya, National Center for Disease Control reported the first case of coronavirus disease-2019 on 24th March, 2020. The authorities decided to close borders and activate designated treatment centers to deal with COVID-19 cases and contain the outbreak of SARS-COV-2. This study aimed to assess and evaluate the pharmaceutical situation of medications used in pharmacological management of hospitalized COVID-19 patients in Tripoli, Libya. Three WHO availability indicators were selected to be studied and reported. A comprehensive list of medicines used in the management of hospitalized COVID-19 patients was constructed after reviewing and comparing seven national and international pharmacological management protocols and guidelines for hospitalized COVID-19 patients. This comparison revealed that nearly 50 medications are intended for use in COVID-19 inpatient pharmacological management. They all agreed about the use of three medications, representing one from each main class. This list was used to cross check their availability at the chosen designated COVID-19 treatment center. This study proved that local treatment center’s protocol is more in line with international guidelines than the national treatment guideline. The later was issued on March 2020. The Libyan National Essential Medicines’ List contained 25 out of 50 medications of the comprehensive list based on the last update in April 2019. This study recommends that national treatment guidelines and National Essential Medicines’ list require updating. Not all medications used in COVID-19 inpatient management were available in local treatment centers, although, the Emergency Management Department of Ministry of Health in Libya is responsible for the supply of the required medical supplies and medications to the COVID-19 treatment centers.
Mediterranean journal of pharmacy and pharmaceutical sciences
Reverence, obedience, and the transmission of traditions/values from one generation to the next are some of the most profound human responsibilities for families, clans, and tribes. One of the values that is transmitted in many cultures is respect for elders. However, the ways values are expressed differ based on culture and religion.
Animals like plants are also medicinal agents for preventing and curing different health problems worldwide, practically in all human cultures. Zootherapy is ancient and has strong evidence of the medicinal use of animal resources. Different animal body parts and preparations are used in folk medicines. Zootherapy reveals that medical practitioners have always considered animals a source of surprising and numerous therapeutic effects. A high diversity of animals, their parts, and derivative products are used, and this is a heritage that could constitute a fundamental step in the discovery and isolation of natural extracts and new and low-cost alternative drugs from animals. About 12% of people worldwide are affected by different types of urolithiasis; the recurrence rate in females is 47-60%, and in males is 70-80%. According to WHO, 75% of the population relies on traditional medicines to prevent and cure diseases. Hence, there is a need to concentrate on all folk natural products effective in urolithiasis for their pharmacological evaluation and isolation of single drug molecules responsible for anti-urolithiasis activity to develop suitable formulations against urolithiasis.
Parkinson’s disease is a common movement disorder associated primarily with oxidative stress-mediated degeneration of dopaminergic neurons. Earlier studies showed that Sorghum bicolor-based supplement (SbS) exhibited antioxidant and neuroprotective activities and might likely rescue the death of dopaminergic neurons in Parkinson’s disease. This study examined the effect of SbS on rotenone-induced Parkinsonian-like motor deficits in rats and the involvement of oxidative stress and pro-inflammatory cytokines. Rats were divided into six groups and treated orally with sunflower oil (vehicle-control), rotenone (2.5 mg/kg) alone or in combination with each dose of SbS (50, 100, and 200 mg/kg) and levodopa-carbidopa (10 mg/kg) on an alternate day for 28 days. The changes in motor functions were evaluated on day 28 and the brain concentrations of oxidative stress biomarkers and pro-inflammatory cytokines (tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-6) were determined. Rotenone caused motor deficits by impaired locomotor activity in the open field test and induced catalepsy in the bar test, which were attenuated by SbS. Rats pretreated with SbS had reduced brain levels of malondialdehyde, nitrite, and pro-inflammatory cytokines compared to rotenone controls. SbS mitigated rotenone-induced depletion of reduced glutathione and antioxidant enzymes in the rat brain. The results suggest that SbS ameliorated rotenone-induced Parkinsonian-like motor dysfunctions by reducing neuronal oxidative stress and pro-inflammatory cytokines in rats.
Mediterranean journal of pharmacy and pharmaceutical sciences
Tuberculosis is communicable disease which is common and often deadly infectious disease caused by mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis continues to be a major public health problem in the world. The aim of this study is to assess prevalence and associated risk factors of pulmonary tuberculosis. Treatment and development of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis were also considered. Drugs for Pulmonary tuberculosis confirmed cases used in calculating tuberculosis prevalence in Libya which is obtained from archive department of Abu Seta Hospital. Data obtained from 427 files during 2019 determine the incidence and epidemiology of tuberculosis in Libya. For a total of 427 confirmed cases of pulmonary tuberculosis, about 75.0% of the cases were male and most of the patients (55.0%) were within the age group of 20 - 40 years old. Of the study patients, 114 patients (26.7%) were viral infected and most of the viral infected cases were in the age group of 20 - 40 years and the majority of this age group patients (n = 41, 53.2%) were infected with HIV/HCV, while the least percentage in this group age were infected with HIV/HBsAg (01.3%). Among 427 cases, 73 cases (17.1%) were comorbid with other chronic diseases. Of the 73 cases, 54 cases (74.0%) were diabetes mellitus whereas only 1.4% of them had bronchial asthma, Parkinsonism and renal failure. The drug therapy of active tuberculosis disease needs combination chemotherapy to escape the selection of naturally occurring drug-resistant mutants. Amongst current anti tuberculosis drugs, the rifamycins hold the highest potential for shortening treatment and improving effects. Prevalence of smear positive tuberculosis and bacteriologically confirmed that a high rate of tuberculosis among unemployed population. This study reported that the highest incidence rate is found in people who are smokers.
Mediterranean journal of pharmacy and pharmaceutical sciences
This article addresses the implementation of the new generalized (G'∕G)-expansion method to the Caudrey–Dodd–Gibbon (CDG) equation and the Lax equation which are associated with the fifth-order KdV (fKdV) equation. The method works well to derive a variety of standard and functional closed-form wave solutions with distinct physical structures, such as, soliton, kink, periodic soliton, and bell-shaped soliton solutions. The solutions obtained using this method are useful and adequate than other methods. In order to understand the physical aspects and importance of the method, the attained solutions have been simulated graphically. The extracted results definitely establish that the new generalized(G'∕G)-expansion method is an effective mathematical tool to work out new solutions to different types of local nonlinear evolution equations emerging in applied science and engineering, but this method is not effective in solving nonlocal equations.
Medical science has grown tremendously at a rapid rate over the recent past. This is especially true in the fields of diagnostics and therapeutics encompassing various diseases of all the systems of the human body including psychosomatic disorders. During the past three to four decades, precision in diagnostics has enormously improved due to invention of multiple imaging modalities such as computerized tomography (CT) scan, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan, positron emission tomography scan, ultrasound scanguided studies, CT-guided diagnostic procedures, Doppler studies, arteriography, CT angiography, advanced needle biopsy procedures, histochemistry studies, tumor marker studies, as well as in the ongoing improvements in all diagnostic and therapeutic branches. The surgical advancements due to increasing use of key-hole surgery using scopes such as arthroscope, laparoscope, colonoscope, and bronchoscope have revolutionized the surgical treatments and made surgery safer, less time-consuming, less costly, and less risky with reduced post-operative morbidity. Cardiac catheterization, percutaneous cardiac angiography, angioplasty, and vascular surgery have made the procedures/ surgeries related to the heart and major vessels, much simpler, faster, and safer minimizing the need for big infrastructures or large operative teams.
Field experiments were conducted at CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar during kharif season of 2013 and 2014 to determine the effect of weather parameters on the incidence of pod borer complex on early maturing pigeonpea varieties. The study revealed that the infestation of Helicoverpa armigera and Maruca vitrata started with the onset of bud initiation and reached its peak at flowering stage. The maximum H. armigera larval population (1.83 larvae plant-1) was recorded in 1st week of July sown crop, whereas, the maximum incidence of M. vitrata (21.17 webs plant-1) was recorded in 2nd week of July sown crop. The larval population of H. armigera was significantly and positively correlated with the maximum temperature, followed by minimum temperature.Incidence of M. vitrata was negatively correlated with evening relative humidity and wind speed which was significant at p 0.05 level of significance.
Contact between pharmaceutical company representatives (PCRs) and medical practitioners is viewed by drug companies as a vital part of their marketing strategy. Studies show that PCRs employ persuasion disguised as information. Because PCRs are keenly involved in competitive marketing, they are more likely to use persuasion than information during their promotional visits. Information increases customer awareness of a particular product without influencing the preferences. Persuasive marketing directly influences a consumer’s brand preference. Positively influencing a prescriber’s attitude towards a product is essential for effective marketing since there is an association between attitude, intention and behaviour. Numerous studies find that pharmaceutical promotional interactions have an impact on physician’s perceptions and their prescribing practices. Yet, many of today's health professionals do not acknowledge their vulnerability to being misled by pharmaceutical marketing. This study demonstrate that Pharmaceutical promotion strategies do not differ greatly from those of other types of marketing, PCRs more likely to use persuasion to highlight the perceived difference of their particular brand. Persuasion often has a subtle influence that is not easy to detect and physicians should receive education regarding the drug promotion techniques used by pharmaceutical companies. Persuasion often has a subtle influence that is not easy to detect. Overconfidence is a major risk factor for being misled. This analysis highlights some critical aspects of persuasive communication by PCRs in promotional visits. It will help prescribers to interpret, evaluate and respond appropriately to manipulative behaviour by PCRs.
Mediterranean journal of pharmacy and pharmaceutical sciences
Potato starch extraction is a critical process with implications across various industries, including food, pharmaceuticals, and bioplastics. This review explores current techniques, challenges, and future opportunities in potato starch extraction. Traditional methods such as compression or wet grinding, enzymatic processes, and microwave-assisted extraction are examined for their efficiency, advantages, and limitations. The paper emphasizes the importance of quality control measures to ensure the purity and safety of the extracted starch. Critical quality control aspects include raw material inspection, monitoring during processing, purity and composition analysis, and adherence to national and international standards. Innovations in extraction methods, including enzymatic and green solvent extraction, ultrasonic and microwave-assisted techniques, and advancements in nanotechnology and biotechnological approaches, are highlighted as trends driving the industry towards greater sustainability and efficiency. The clean label movement also reflects a consumer-driven shift towards natural, minimally processed ingredients, influencing industry practices and regulatory compliance. The future of potato starch extraction holds significant promise, with the integration of sustainable practices and technological innovations to meet evolving market demands and regulatory standards, underscoring the need for continuous research and development in the field.
This paper aims to explore the supporting and inhibiting factors in the effort to integrate character education in akidah akhlak subjects at MIN 11 Aceh Tenggara. This study uses a qualitative method with a narrative approach and data collection techniques of interview, observation, and documentation; then, the data is analyzed using the methods developed by Miles and Huberman, namely data reduction, data presentation, and data verification. This study shows that the supporting factor for integrating character education in aqidah moral learning at MIN 11 Aceh Tenggara is the availability of learning media in the form of focus and Madrasah residents who work together to supervise all students, both outside and inside the Madrasah environment. The inhibiting factors are the limitations of Madrasah infrastructure in the form of no mosque or prayer room, family support, and social media and games that have an influence on student character.
A study to evaluate the influence of body mass index, life styles and dietary habits on blood pressure among the nursing students at selected nursing college of Vijayapur. The objective of the study is to assess relationship of life style factors, body mass index and dietary habits with blood pressure. A sample of 500 nursing students was included in the study. The study result showed there is significant association between body mass index, life style dietary habits and blood pressure
The orientation he/she chooses has a bearing on his/her long-term success. This orientation is known as your "locus of control." Its study dates back to the 1960s, with Julian Rotter's investigation into how people's behaviours and attitudes affected the outcomes of their lives. Locus of control has been defined as the degree to which an individual perceives having control over the environment (Rotter, 1966). According to Rotter (1975), there are two types of control, internal and external, which anchor a continuum that approximates a normal distribution. People are said to have an internal locus of control when they believe reinforcements are contingent upon their own behaviour or stable personal characteristics. External locus of control results when people believe that reinforcements are due to luck, fate, or powerful others outside of their control. Current study focuses on investigating the influence of demographic variables (age, gender, education level), marital status and socio economic status (occupation, income) on the level of internal/ external locus of control with the help of data collected from residents (aged between 20 and 50) of a select suburbs in Mumbai city. On analysing the data so collected, it is found that age has a major influence on an individual’s level of internal locus of control.
In their different ownership structures, business enterprises pursue different strategies towards accomplishing their owners’ needs and interests. At the heart of these accomplishments is the generation of sufficient financial returns to cover obligations as they become due and residual incomes for the owners. It is doubtless that without a grip of financial stability, the survivability of for-profit organizations becomes bleak. Financial management plays and instrumental role in this case. The generation of sufficient information for decision making for the business and investors alike is integrally critical in shaping the progression of the business enterprise. While businesses provide financial statements according to prevailing laws and accounting standards to the public for their consumption in decision making, they are further needed to be accountable to them regarding their performance and investors’ engagements, especially considering that investors are foundational sources of capital for organizational operations.
Formality transfer seeks to adjust text formality without altering its core meaning, which carries substantial implications across diverse domains like machine translation, dialogue systems, and social media content creation. This study provides an extensive overview of formality transfer specifically within Arabic text, an emerging domain within natural language processing. Particularly, we carried out a comprehensive review of literature on text formality transfer, focusing on studies published between July 2010 and April 2024. Our focus lies in treating formality transfer in Arabic as akin to a machine translation task, presenting synthesized insights. Despite advancements in formality transfer for English and other languages, Arabic’s distinct linguistic features present unique challenges and opportunities. Our investigation uncovers several research gaps necessitating future exploration, emphasizing persistent limitations. Moreover, we delve into text formality transfer as a promising avenue for forthcoming research initiatives in the realm of Arabic text processing.
Presurgical Nasoalveolar molding have become an important procedure before proceeding with the surgical procedures for cleft lip and palate patient. PNAM reduces the size of the cleft which helps in better approximation and minimal scar formation.. To achieve this all proper tray selection is necessary and is a basic step in taking the impression of an infant. This article attempts to describe the various impression trays that can be used for the cleft patients routinely.
Reverse transcription–quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) is used worldwide to test and trace the spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARSCoV-2). “Extraction-less” or “direct” real time–reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) is a transparent and accessible qualitative method for SARS-CoV-2 detection from nasopharyngeal or oral pharyngeal samples with the potential to generate actionable data more quickly, at a lower cost, and with fewer experimental resources than full RT-qPCR. This study engaged 10 global testing sites, including laboratories currently experiencing testing limitations due to reagent or equipment shortages, in an international interlaboratory ring trial. Participating laboratories were provided a common protocol, common reagents, aliquots of identical pooled clinical samples, and purified nucleic acids and used their existing in-house equipment. We observed 100% concordance across laboratories in the correct identification of all positive and negative samples, with highly similar cycle threshold values. The test also performed well when applied to locally collected patient nasopharyngeal samples, provided the viral transport media did not contain charcoal or guanidine, both of which appeared to potently inhibit the RT-PCR reaction. Our results suggest that direct RT-PCR assay methods can be clearly translated across sites utilizing readily available equipment and expertise and are thus a feasible option for more efficient COVID-19 coronavirus disease testing as demanded by the continuing pandemic.