Spatial distribution of heavy metal assessment in beach sediment due to bauxite mining in Kuantan, Pahang, Peninsular Malaysia.

The effect of open-pit bauxite mining on beach sediment contamination in the urban coastal environment of Kuantan City, Malaysia, was investigated. The contents of 11 heavy metals (Pb, Cd, Al, Mn, Cu, Zn, Fe, As, Ni, Cr, and Ag) in 30 samples from Kuantan beach sediment zones (supratidal, intertidal, and subtidal) were determined using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry followed by contamination indexes, Pearson's correlation analysis, and principal component analysis (PCA). The results indicated that Cd, As, Ni, and Ag values in beach sediment zones were significantly higher compared to background values.

Skin Flap Necrosis in Inguinal Lymph Node Dissection.

Inguinal skin flap necrosis (SFN) is a significant clinical problem associated with inguinal lymph node dissection (ILND). The aetiology of SFN is multifactorial, and its manifestations vary widely. Thermal damage caused by electrocautery during the elevation of the skin flap may contribute to this problem, which has not been studied previously.

Significance of Charlson co-morbidity index as predictive factor for post-op complications after radical nephrectomy.

The current study planned to explore the correlation between an elevated Charlson Comorbidity Index score and post-operative complications following radical nephrectomy in patients with renal cell carcinoma. A total of 70 patients aged 30-80 years undergoing radical nephrectomy were categorised into low Charlson Comorbidity Index score <4 group A and high score >4 group B. Post-operatively, complications were noted in 21(30%) patients, with higher grades more prevalent in the group B patients (relative risk: 1.

Long-term clinical outcomes of male breast cancer patients treated with curative intent by trimodality therapy at an academic university hospital in India.

Introduction: Male breast cancer is rare and accounts for less than 1% of all breast cancer cases worldwide.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study included all patients of invasive male breast cancer treated with curative intent by a trimodality approach via a multidisciplinary team at an academic university hospital in India between 2009 and 2023. Records were identified from a prospectively maintained database.

Temporal trends in indoor bioaerosols: implications for dental healthcare environments.

Antibiotic resistance, a significant public health hazard, is predicted to cause 10 million deaths worldwide by 2050. The study aimed to identify culturable bioaerosols in the indoor air of dental units in Lahore and assess their antibiotic resistance. Air samples were collected from 10 dental unit locations at different distances, with average concentrations of fungi and bacteria falling within intermediate ranges, per the Global Index of Microbial Contamination (GIMC/m3) index.

Cancer stem cell biomarkers SOX2 and Oct4 in cervical cancer patients undergoing chemoradiotherapy.

Background: Cancer stem cell biomarkers SRY (sex-determining region Y)-box 2 (SOX2) and octamer-binding transcription factor 4 (Oct4) account for radioresistance in cervical squamous cell cancers (CSCCs). Their clinical implications are limited and contradictory.

Methods: In this prospective cohort study, we recruited patients with FIGO IB2-IVA CSCC treated with primary chemoradiotherapy on regular follow-up.

Efficacy of decentralised home-based antihypertensive treatment in older adults with multimorbidity and polypharmacy (ATEMPT): an open-label randomised controlled pilot trial.

Background: Older patients with multimorbidity and polypharmacy have been under-represented in clinical trials. We aimed to assess the effect of different intensities of antihypertensive treatment on changes in blood pressure, major safety outcomes, and patient-reported outcomes in this population.

Methods: ATEMPT was a decentralised, two-armed, parallel-group, open-label randomised controlled pilot trial conducted in the Thames Valley area, South East England.

Discovery of Novel Isonipecotic Acid-Based Heteroaryl Amino Acid Derivatives as Potential Anticonvulsant Agents: Design, Synthesis, In-Silico ADME Study, and Molecular Docking Studies.

Background: Epilepsy is a neurological disorder characterized by anomalous brain activity, convulsions, and odd behavior. Several substituted-(naphthalen-2-yl)-3-(1H-indol-3-yl) allyl)-1,4-dihydropyridine-4-carboxylic acid derivatives (5a-j) were intended to be produced in the current research effort to reduce convulsions and seizures.

Materials And Methods: The newly developed compounds were produced by the prescribed process.

Silver-cored extract-loaded antimicrobial nanosuspension: overcoming multidrug resistance.

To synthesize a silver-cored nanosuspension utilizing fresh-leaf extract and evaluate their antimicrobial activity against multidrug-resistant pathogenic microbes. The prepared nanosuspension was analyzed by spectro-analytical techniques and tested for antimicrobial activity and resistance to biofilm formation. The leaf extract and nanosuspension were tested separately and together as a mixture.

U-Pb zircon geochronology and geochemistry of Luk Ulo River boulders belong to Late Cretaceous-Paleocene metapsammite and metagranite of Luk Ulo Karangsambung, Central Java, Indonesia.

The rock formation of late Cretaceous-Paleocene metapsammite and metagranite found across Luk Ulo Complex indicated boulders with diameter of approximately 1 m and rounded shape along Luk Ulo River, Indonesia. However, less research found on geochronology and geochemistry has been conducted in study area, and such rocks require comprehensive understanding of magmatism and tectonic environment of Central Java, Indonesia. Therefore, the main objective of this study is to address the geochemical and geochronological age histories across Central Java, Indonesia, using U-Pb zircon dating technique.

Formulation Development, Optimization by Box-Behnken Design, and In Vitro and Ex Vivo Characterization of Hexatriacontane-Loaded Transethosomal Gel for Antimicrobial Treatment for Skin Infections.

There are many different infections and factors that can lead to skin illnesses, but bacteria and fungi are the most frequent. The goal of this study was to develop a hexatriacontane-loaded transethosome (HTC-TES) for treating skin conditions caused by microbes. The HTC-TES was developed utilizing the rotary evaporator technique, and Box-Behnken design (BBD) was utilized to improve it.

Differential Effect of Heat Stress on Drought and Salt Tolerance Potential of Quinoa Genotypes: A Physiological and Biochemical Investigation.

Soil salinity, drought, and increasing temperatures are serious environmental issues that drastically reduce crop productivity worldwide. Quinoa ( Willd) is an important crop for food security under the changing climate. This study examined the physio-biochemical responses, plant growth, and grain yield of four quinoa genotypes (A7, Titicaca, Vikinga, and Puno) grown in pots containing normal (non-saline) or salt-affected soil exposed to drought and elevated-temperature treatments.

Uniportal video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery in semi-prone position utilising direct endobronchial intubation for oesophagus leiomyoma excision.

Leiomyomas are the most common benign tumours of oesophageal smooth muscle origin. In this era of constantly evolving medical technology, video-assisted, robot-assisted and endoscopic approaches are the minimally invasive strategies for the excision of these lesions. Here, we report our modification of this surgery.

Combined Anti-Bacterial Actions of Lincomycin and Freshly Prepared Silver Nanoparticles: Overcoming the Resistance to Antibiotics and Enhancement of the Bioactivity.

Bacterial drug resistance to antibiotics is growing globally at unprecedented levels, and strategies to overcome treatment deficiencies are continuously developing. In our approach, we utilized metal nanoparticles, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), known for their wide spread and significant anti-bacterial actions, and the high-dose regimen of lincosamide antibiotic, lincomycin, to demonstrate the efficacy of the combined delivery concept in combating the bacterial resistance. The anti-bacterial actions of the AgNPs and the lincomycin as single entities and as part of the combined mixture of the AgNPs-lincomycin showed improved anti-bacterial biological activity in the and microorganisms in comparison to the AgNPs and lincomycin alone.

SPIONs Conjugate Supported Anticancer Drug Doxorubicin's Delivery: Current Status, Challenges, and Prospects.

Considerable efforts have been directed towards development of nano-structured carriers to overcome the limitations of anticancer drug, doxorubicin's, delivery to various cancer sites. The drug's severe toxicity to cardio and hepatic systems, low therapeutic outcomes, inappropriate dose-demands, metastatic and general resistance, together with non-selectivity of the drug have led to the development of superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs)-based drug delivery modules. Nano-scale polymeric co-encapsulation of the drug, doxorubicin, with SPIONs, the SPIONs surface end-groups' cappings with small molecular entities, as well as structural modifications of the SPIONs' surface-located functional end-groups, to attach the doxorubicin, have been achieved through chemical bonding by conjugation and cross-linking of natural and synthetic polymers, attachments of SPIONs made directly to the non-polymeric entities, and attachments made through mediation of molecular-spacer as well as non-spacer mediated attachments of several types of chemical entities, together with the physico-chemical bondings of the moieties, e.

Nanotechnology - A new frontier of nano-farming in agricultural and food production and its development.

The potential of nanotechnology for the development of sustainable agriculture has been promising. The initiatives to meet the rising food needs of the rapidly growing world population are mainly powered by sustainable agriculture. Nanoparticles are used in agriculture due to their distinct physicochemical characteristics.

Quality of Life in Patients with Recurrent Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A Study from India.

Background: Locoregional recurrence of oral cancer causes significant morbidity. This study aims at assessing the functional outcomes of patients undergoing treatment for recurrent oral squamous cell carcinoma.

Methods: This study was done in a tertiary care center in North India and includes prospective cohort of 179 recurrent oral carcinoma patients, from September 2017 to September 2018.

Guided Needle Aspirations of Intra-Abdominal Masses: Analogy between Liquid-Based and Conventional Smear Preparation Methods.

Objective: Image-guided fine needle aspiration cytology with conventional smear (CS) preparation offers onsite cellular adequacy evaluation; however, it still provides false negatives due to faulty smear preparations. Liquid-based cytology (LBC) can be advantageous in these scenarios. Hence, with an aim to investigate utility of LBC in these samples, we carried out the above study with objectives to find diagnostic accuracy of LBC and agreement of LBC with CS methods in guided aspiration samples from intra-abdominal masses.

Radical surgery for de novo gallbladder carcinoma-Single-center analysis of prognostic factors and survival outcomes from an endemic region.

Background And Objective: Gallbladder cancer (GBC) is an aggressive malignancy where curative resection is possible in few and survival is poor. There are limited data on outcomes in patients with de novo GBC from endemic regions undergoing surgery for curative intent. We report survival outcomes in this group of patients from a region with high incidence of disease.