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Obesity represents a significant public health challenge on a global scale, with its prevalence increasingly linked to socio-economic factors, most notably family income. This study investigates the relationship between family income and several obesity measures specifically, the Body Shape and Size Index (BSSI), Body Mass Index (BMI), Body Surface Area (BSA), Ponderal Index (PI), Weight/Body Mass (BM), and Height within a sample of 9,906 respondents from Pakistan. Utilizing descriptive statistics and p - values, the analysis aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of how variations in income affect these obesity indicators, ultimately informing potential public health interventions. The findings reveal a complex, variable association between family income levels and obesity measures that differs by the specific obesity index examined. For BSSI, individuals in the lowest income bracket demonstrated higher values (indicating greater adiposity), while for BMI and weight, higher income brackets showed elevated values. These mixed findings suggest that the direction of association depends critically on which obesity measure is analysed. The study reveals that lower-income families are more likely to face barriers in accessing nutritious food, engaging in physical activity, and achieving favourable health outcomes. This situation is often exacerbated by economic constraints that drive families toward caloric-dense, nutrient-poor food choices. The implications of this research are far-reaching, emphasizing the need for targeted public health strategies to address obesity, particularly among economically disadvantaged populations. The study advocates for policies that enhance food security, improve access to health-promoting resources, and create supportive environments for physical activity. Through a nuanced exploration of these relationships, the research aims to contribute valuable insights to the field of public health, promoting equity in health outcomes and addressing the root causes of obesity in Pakistan.

Ureteral double-J stents are a commonly used device in urological practice to allow urinary drainage, avoid ureteral obstruction processes, and protect the upper urinary tract after surgical procedures. However, long indwelling time may give rise to numerous complications, such as infection, migration, and fragmentation of the stent, especially encrustation. Encrustation of stents is a well-known complication that has been closely related to the time active of the stent and can cause significant morbidity if not timely addressed. In severe cases, abundant mineral deposition can result in the development of large calculi encasing the stent and rarely progress to staghorn stones. These cases may pose challenges in terms of the extraction of the stent and may result in complex endourological intervention. The encrustation likelihood is substantially higher if stents are left forgotten or remain in place longer than the advised period. Most patients with heavily encrusted stents have symptoms including flank pain, urinary tract infection, hematuria, or obstructive uropathy, but can present without any symptoms, and this can delay the diagnosis.

Bladder cancer is among the most costly malignancies to treat, primarily due to the high rate of recurrence for Non-Muscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer (NMIBC) and the subsequent necessity for lifelong cystoscopic surveillance. Although cystoscopy is widely regarded as the gold standard, it is an invasive procedure that can be costly and is associated with patient discomfort and anxiety. In recent years, a novel generation of urinary biomarkers (comprising genomic, epigenomic, and proteomic assays) has emerged, exhibiting diagnostic capabilities that increasingly challenge the prevailing role of cystoscopy in surveillance protocols. This mini-review examines the landscape of FDA-approved and emerging urinary biomarkers, compares their diagnostic accuracy, evaluates the first randomized controlled trials supporting biomarker-guided surveillance, and proposes a risk-stratified algorithm for the future integration of urinary biomarkers into clinical practice.