Journal of Women Medical and Dental College

Revolutionizing Insulin Initiation: Integrating Digital Health and Clinical Insight in Diabetes Care

2025-11-03T15:24:46+00:00

Insulin therapy initiation in diabetes treatment is often delayed, which leads to poor blood sugar control and a higher chance of developing medical complications. Digital health technologies that use artificial intelligence through their decision-support systems show potential to decrease treatment delays while enhancing patient health outcomes. The research used mixed methods to analyze electronic medical records from 1,000 diabetes patients who received treatment at three tertiary-care hospitals while conducting a structured survey among 250 endocrinologists and diabetologists, and diabetes nurses. The AI-assisted clinical decision tool determined optimal insulin initiation timing through evaluation of HbA1c level, fasting plasma glucose, and unsatisfactory oral therapy outcomes. The researchers used SPSS version 28 for statistical analysis, which established p < 0.05 as the threshold for statistical significance. The AI decision support system implementation reduced insulin initiation time by 3.5 months, which resulted in a decrease from 9.2 months to 5.7 months (p = 0.001). The percentage of patients following their treatment plan increased from 62% to 88% while the average HbA1c level decreased from 1.4% to 2.2% during six months. The clinicians experienced better treatment initiation certainty while they could more effectively incorporate their work processes. The combination of AI decision support systems with clinician knowledge results in better insulin initiation speed, patient treatment compliance, and blood sugar control. Digital-clinical collaboration represents a promising pathway to reduce therapeutic inertia. The practice enhances patient-centered diabetes care delivery.

Prevalence and Comparison of Dental Caries Experience Among Government and Private School Children in Abbottabad: A Community Dental Outreach-Based Study

2026-06-10T14:36:35+00:00

The present study was conducted to assess the prevalence of dental caries and to compare the components of the Decayed, Missing, and Filled Teeth (DMFT) index among school children studying in government and private schools in Abbottabad. Differences according to gender and age groups were also explored using data obtained from community-based dental awareness programs conducted in 2025. A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out from June to August 2025 as part of school oral-health awareness activities organized by the Department of Community Dentistry, Women Dental College, Abbottabad. Dental examinations were performed using the WHO-recommended DMFT index. Schools were categorized into government and private institutions, and demographic information including age and gender was recorded. Non-probability convenience sampling technique was used, and the collected data were analyzed using IBM SPSS version 24. Descriptive statistics were calculated, while chi-square and independent t-tests were used to examine differences in caries prevalence and mean DMFT components across groups. Results were considered statistically significant when p-value was less than 0.05. A total of 1,615 schoolchildren were included in the final analysis, with a mean age of 15.8±1.9 years. Among these 52.4% were female and 47.6% were male. The prevalence of dental caries (DMFT>0) was observed to be 47.3%. The mean scores for individual DMFT components were 1.19 for decayed teeth, 0.19 for missing teeth, and 0.03 for filled teeth. A higher prevalence of dental caries was observed in private schools (60.9%) as compared to those in government schools which was (36.9%). Female students exhibited greater prevalence as compared to male students. Furthermore, a gradual increase in mean DMFT scores was seen with increasing age among adolescents. Dental Caries remain the most common oral health concern among school children in Abbottabad. the finding suggests a comparatively higher burden among private schools’ students and female adolescents. Strengthening school based preventive strategies, including oral health education, routine dental visits and dietary counseling, may help to reduce the burden of dental caries in this population.

Bruton’s Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors in Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria: Unraveling Mechanisms, Clinical Efficacy, and Future Perspectives

2026-04-21T17:29:47+00:00

Chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) is an inflammatory process that is mediated by mast cells, and that is characterized by the presence of recurrent wheals or angioedema or both over a period of more than six weeks. Antihistamines and biologic agents, including Omalizumab, have been available, but still a certain number of patients turn out to be resistant, and that is why it is necessary to find new targeted therapies. A promising target is Bruton tyrosine kinase (BTK), a central mediator of Fc5 receptor (Fc 5) signaling in mast cells and basophils. This narrative review included a collection of evidence about BTK inhibitors in CSU. PubMed and Google Scholar were searched in a structured manner covering up to February 2026. Randomized controlled trials, early-phase clinical trials, observational studies, and mechanistic studies evaluating the BTK inhibitors in CSU were all included in the search. Compilation of the results was done in a descriptive manner lacking a risk-of-bias evaluation. Preliminary clinical trials have demonstrated that specific BTK inhibitors, including remibrutinib and rilzabrutinib, cause quick decreases in the urticaria activity rating, enhance the symptoms and have favorable safety profiles in the short-term. BTK inhibition has been confirmed as a useful treatment in mechanistic studies to inhibit mast cell and basophil cell activation, thus preventing IgE-mediated and autoantibody-driven pathways that cause CSU. Initial findings suggest that there is a significant improvement in the patients who are antihistamine-resistant, but the long-term safety and maintenance of the response rates remain to be explored. BTK inhibitors are an encouraging new therapy in the treatment of CSU. Phase III trials and real-world investigations in the future will assist to establish their long-term effectiveness, safety, and place in the present treatment guidelines. This Review sets out to incorporate the current literature on the use of Bruton tyrosine kinase inhibitors in chronic spontaneous urticarcia.

Menstrual Health and Hygiene Practices Among Adolescent School Girls in Nowshera: Insights and Impacts

2026-03-04T10:01:47+00:00

Menstrual Health Management (MHM) is an important aspect of adolescent health and gender equality that is underserved. Cultural taboos and socioeconomic barriers frequently jeopardize the health and education of young girls in Pakistan. The practices of menstrual hygiene, awareness levels, and socioeconomic obstacles faced by adolescent schoolgirls in District Nowshera, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, are the subjects of this study. In five schools in Nowshera, 200 adolescent girls between the ages of (14± 2, grades 8-10) participated in a quantitative descriptive study. A 15-item, structured, and translated into Urdu questionnaire was used to gather information about awareness, product use, and the impact of menstruation on school attendance. Both parental consent and ethical approval were obtained. A notable lack of preparedness was observed, as 22% of participants said that they had no confidence in their knowledge of menstruation (P < 0.001). Economic issues were also observed, as 68% of participants admitted to borrowing sanitary pads from others, which is a risky practice in terms of hygiene, and 58% used cloth pads. Sixty percent of participants from this group were absent from their classes due to their menstrual cycle, which was a remarkable number of school absenteeism (P < 0.001). Although 87% relied on their mothers, only 7% were "very satisfied" with education from schools. Moreover, 68.5 percent of misconceptions were due to cultural issues rather than medical facts, such as taking a bath or using cold water. The research emphasizes a critical MHM situation that exists in Nowshera, characterized by institutional failure and "period poverty". Specific policy interventions are necessary, including the integration of MHM into the national school curriculum and the provision of government subsidies for sanitary products to address the 60% absenteeism rate and the risky sharing of menstrual resource. In order to ensure that adolescent girls are able to manage their health in a dignified manner and continue with education, the recommendations suggest that MHM should be incorporated into the curriculum, sanitary items should be subsidized, and "period-friendly" school infrastructures should be developed.

Socioeconomic Status and Educational Level as a Barrier to Accessing Maternal Healthcare in Abbottabad, Pakistan: A Cross-Sectional Study

2026-06-04T18:00:29+00:00

In low- and middle-income countries, such as Pakistan, maternal health outcomes remain a significant public health concern. Decreased access to prenatal, intranatal, and postnatal care is strongly linked to socioeconomic inequality and female educational levels. To design equitable healthcare interventions, it is necessary to understand the barriers to healthcare access. This was a hospital-based cross-sectional survey with a sample size of 349 undergoing maternity treatment at Women and Children Hospital, Jinnah International Hospital, and Ayub Medical Complex in Abbottabad, and convenience sampling was used. A self-structured questionnaire was designed to collect the required information on the variables. SPSS version 20 was used to analyze the data to determine how these factors related to one another, and Chi-square tests were used; p-values <0.05 were considered statistically significant. Most of the participants were from rural areas, joint households, and were aged between 25 and 29 years. About 28.9% of them were uneducated, while 71.6% were from low-income families. Only 36.7% of women completed the four antenatal care visits, while 16.6% attended at least one visit. In addition, 93.2% of the women gave birth in government and private clinics. Only 38% of them received postnatal check-ups after six weeks. There is a strong association between a woman's educational level and her use of maternal health services. Women with higher educational levels are likely to seek prenatal health care at an earlier gestational age. In addition, we established a strong association between women's chances of receiving postnatal check-ups and household income. Women are likely to face financial constraints due to a lack of funds (67.9%) and the distance to health facilities (14.9%). In Abbottabad, socioeconomic status and educational level are key barriers to maternal health care, and this is evident through our research. These are the fundamental issues that need to be addressed to effectively improve maternal and child health.

Nanomaterials and Nanotechnology: An Overview on Synthesis, Characterization and Application

2026-04-03T08:06:16+00:00

Nanomaterials have significant large surface area relative to their volume which makes them unique regarding the physical and chemical characteristics. They have notable optical, electrical, magnetic, mechanical, and catalytic properties and these brings the new scientific era- nanotechnology. Ball milling, lithography, sputtering, and laser ablation are commonly used ‘Top-down’ method where larger materials are broken down to the nanoscale. However, ‘Bottom-up’ methods, such as chemical vapor deposition (CVD), sol-gel processes and hydrothermal processes build nanoparticles from atoms or molecules with controlled modulation of shape and composition. Researchers of late have focused on green nanotechnology by producing the metal nanoparticles from plants, algae, and microorganisms. This could be a potential era for biotechnologists to explore more to find the environmental friendly and less expensive biological approach. X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM, TEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) are widely used surface characterization of nanomaterials. From environmental remediation to modern electronic devices, nanotechnology has kept his impactful footprint along with food and medicine disciplines. This review summarizes the synthesis, characterization, and application of nanotechnology in recent research fields, guiding future contributors in the innovation of nanotechnology.