Evaluating temperature dynamics: a single-center prospective randomized pilot study of holmium versus thulium laser fiber for renal stones.

Background: We aimed to evaluate and compare the rise in the temperature for the safety of the kidney parenchyma on firing the Holmium: Yttrium Aluminium Garnet laser and the Thulium Fiber Laser during laser lithotripsy in humans.

Method: We included 30 pre-stented patients with renal calculi undergoing Retrograde intra-renal surgery. They were randomized into two groups - 15 patients underwent holmium laser lithotripsy and 15 patients underwent TFL laser lithotripsy.

Comparison of Temperature Changes Between Holmium-YAG Laser and Thulium Fiber Laser in an In Vitro Setting.

Objective: We aimed to evaluate and compare the rise in the temperature for the safety of the ureter and kidney parenchyma when firing the holmium laser and the thulium fiber laser (TFL).

Methods: We performed a laboratory experiment to measure the rise in temperature upon firing holmium laser and a TFL in a 10 cm3 transparent test tube in an outdoor environment and then in a container with normal saline.

Results: In a 10 cc test tube with static water at 25°C, the rise in temperature with holmium and TFL depends on the firing time, keeping power constant.

Recurrent Subdural and Epidural Hematomas: A Case Report of Complications Following Craniotomy and Middle Meningeal Artery Embolization.

This report presents a 76-year-old male patient who developed indolent right-sided upper and lower extremity weakness and low back pain following a fall that resulted in no trauma and was not prompted by syncope or vertigo. Imaging revealed a chronic subdural hematoma (cSDH) with midline shift, for which the patient underwent craniotomy and middle meningeal artery (MMA) embolization. Despite initial intervention, the patient experienced rare and severe complications, including the recurrence of a subdural hematoma (SDH), the development of an epidural hematoma, and frontal lobe herniation.

Maximising efficacy in HER2-positive breast cancer: immunoliposomal co-delivery of miR155 inhibitor and paclitaxel for targeted therapy.

Breast cancer, particularly the HER2 positive subtype, presents a formidable challenge in clinical oncology, necessitating innovative therapeutic strategies. Here, we present a novel immunoliposome-based formulation designed for targeted delivery of paclitaxel and miRNA inhibitors to HER2-positive breast cancer cells. Through a rigorous preclinical evaluation encompassing cellular studies and an tumor xenograft model, we demonstrate the formulation's remarkable efficacy in inhibiting cell proliferation, inducing apoptosis, and suppressing tumor growth.

Tobacco use, cirrhosis, and age are predictors of readiness to change and continued drinking following brief alcohol intervention in veterans.

Alcohol use disorder is prevalent within the Veterans Health System, especially in patients being seen in hepatology clinics, and needs a point-of-care strategy. A brief alcohol intervention based on AUDIT-C (Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test) may be needed for the management of hazardous alcohol intake, but feasibility is unclear. We aimed to define predictors of readiness to cease alcohol intake (0-10, 10 being ready to quit now) and continued drinking after using a brief alcohol intervention in veterans seen in hepatology clinics cross-sectionally and longitudinally over 6 months.

Emissive Lipid Nanoparticles as Biophotonic Contrast Agent for Site-Selective Solid Tumor Imaging in Pre-Clinical Models.

Small organic dye-based fluorescent agents are highly potent in solid tumor imaging but face challenges such as poor photostability, nonspecific distribution, low circulation, and weak tumor binding. Nanocarriers overcome these issues with better physicochemical and biological performance, particularly in cancer imaging. Among the various nanosized carriers, lipid formulations are clinically approved but yet to be designed as bright nanocontrast agents for solid tumor diagnosis without affecting surrounding tissues.

Multiple ASM Administration via Percutaneous Feeding Tube as a Cause of Pseudo-Refractoriness Leading to Recurrent Seizure Clusters.

It is important to identify true refractoriness of seizures, before escalation of anti-seizure medications, to avoid side effects of medications. Bioavailability of medications changes with the formulations used and changes significantly with the route of administration. Both of these were significantly impacted in a lady who was being fed via percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) feeds and deemed refractory to medications.

An Unexpected Challenge: Marked Small Bowel Obstruction Arising From a Poorly Differentiated Metastatic Mucinous Adenocarcinoma of the Distal Ileum in a Risk-Free Healthy Patient.

Adenocarcinoma, while constituting the predominant variant among small bowel cancers, is a component of the broader category of primary small bowel malignancies, which are notably infrequent in occurrence. The diagnosis of such malignancies is often markedly delayed, a consequence of their insidious onset and the nonspecific nature of the abdominal symptoms presented. A 69-year-old Caucasian male presented to the emergency department manifesting acute, sharp, and colicky abdominal pain accompanied by a single episode of vomiting, all developing over one day.

Optimization of an in vitro method for assessing pulmonary permeability of inhaled drugs using alveolar epithelial cells.

Introduction: Inhalation of drugs for the treatment of pulmonary diseases has been used since a long time. Due to lungs' larger absorptive surface area, delivery of drugs to the lungs is the method of choice for different disorders. Here we present the establishment of a comprehensive permeability model using Type II alveolar epithelial cells and Beclomethasone Dipropionate (BDP) as a model drug delivered by pressurized metered dose inhaler (pMDI).

Cutting-edge approaches for targeted drug delivery in breast cancer: beyond conventional therapies.

Breast cancer is a global health challenge with staggering statistics underscoring its pervasive impact. The burden of this disease is measured in terms of its prevalence and the challenges it poses to healthcare systems, necessitating a closer look at its epidemiology and impact. Current breast cancer treatments, including surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and targeted therapies, have made significant strides in improving patient outcomes.

Assessing the Performance of Artificial Intelligence Models: Insights from the American Society of Functional Neuroradiology Artificial Intelligence Competition.

Background And Purpose: Artificial intelligence models in radiology are frequently developed and validated using data sets from a single institution and are rarely tested on independent, external data sets, raising questions about their generalizability and applicability in clinical practice. The American Society of Functional Neuroradiology (ASFNR) organized a multicenter artificial intelligence competition to evaluate the proficiency of developed models in identifying various pathologies on NCCT, assessing age-based normality and estimating medical urgency.

Materials And Methods: In total, 1201 anonymized, full-head NCCT clinical scans from 5 institutions were pooled to form the data set.

A comparison study of 68gallium-prostate-specific membrane antigen positron emission tomography-computed tomography and multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging for locoregional staging of prostate cancer.

Purpose: Prostate cancer (PCa) is the most common malignancy in men aged 50 years and older and the second cause of cancer death among men. Accurate staging of PCa preoperatively is of high importance for treatment decisions and patient management. Conventional imaging modalities (ultrasound, computed tomography [CT], and magnetic resonance imaging) are inaccurate for the staging of PCa.

Metagenomic analysis unravels novel taxonomic differences in the uterine microbiome between healthy mares and mares with endometritis.

Background: The application of high throughput technologies has enabled unravelling of unique differences between healthy mares and mares with endometritis at transcriptomic and proteomic levels. However, differences in the uterine microbiome are yet to be investigated.

Objectives: The present study was aimed at evaluating the differences in uterine microbiome between healthy mares and mares with endometritis.

Spontaneous Hepatic Hemorrhage Causing Acute Liver Failure Requiring Liver Transplant.

Spontaneous hepatic hemorrhage (SHH) is a very rare but life-threatening entity that results from a breach in the hepatic parenchyma without any external cause, the most common being hepatocellular carcinoma and hepatic adenoma. We present a case of SHH without any underlying tumor or injury. The cause in our patient remained unclear, but we hypothesize that the patient's SHH was most likely coagulopathy-related.

Extracellular Matrix Scaffold-Assisted Tumor Vaccines Induce Tumor Regression and Long-Term Immune Memory.

Injectable scaffold delivery is a strategy to enhance the efficacy of cancer vaccine immunotherapy. The choice of scaffold biomaterial is crucial, impacting both vaccine release kinetics and immune stimulation via the host response. Extracellular matrix (ECM) scaffolds prepared from decellularized tissues facilitate a pro-healing inflammatory response that promotes local cancer immune surveillance.

Experimental Investigations of Using Aluminum Oxide (AlO) and Nano-Graphene Powder in the Electrical Discharge Machining of Titanium Alloy.

In the present study, a comprehensive parametric analysis was carried out using the electrical discharge machining of Ti6Al4V, using pulse-on time, current, and pulse-off time as input factors with output measures of surface roughness and material removal rate. The present study also used two different nanopowders, namely alumina and nano-graphene, to analyze their effect on output measures and surface defects. All the experimental runs were performed using Taguchi's array at three levels.

An Overview of Antihistamines and their Properties used for Treatment of Different Diseases.

Background: By comparing the histamine impact to the instant response to an injected foreign protein in previously sensitized animals, one might hypothesize that histamine may be involved in this reaction. Through all four of the recognized types of histamine receptors, histamine is also essential for the control of immunological function and acute and chronic allergic inflammation.

Methods: Recent evidence points to anti-IgE antibodies and specific antibodies to cytokines like IL-4 or IL-5 that are associated with allergic inflammation as probable causes of Allergic Rhinitis.

Comprehensive updates on the biological features and metabolic potential of the versatile extremophilic actinomycete Nocardiopsis dassonvillei.

Nocardiopsis dassonvillei prevails under harsh environmental conditions and the purpose of this review is to highlight its biological features and recent biotechnological applications. The organism prevails in salt-rich soils/marine systems and some strains endure extreme temperatures and pH. A few isolates are associated with marine organisms and others cause human diseases.

Green synthesis of silver nanoparticles using Adhatoda vasica leaf extract and its application in photocatalytic degradation of dyes.

The paper describes biogenic synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using Adhatoda vasica leaf extracts at room temperature. The prepared AgNPs were characterized by UV-visible spectroscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, powder X-ray diffraction, Energy dispersive X-ray (EDX), High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscope, Scanning Electron Microscopy and Thermogravimetric analyser. The bio reduction method is devoid of any toxic chemicals, organic solvents, and external reducing, capping and stabilizing agent.

Tumour Marker Requisition Pattern in a Tertiary Care Centre of Eastern Nepal.

Background Tumor markers have been a valuable tool for decades to aid in the diagnosis, treatment, and monitoring of oncological diseases. Objective To retrospectively analyze the requisition pattern of tumor marker requests at the largest tertiary care center in eastern Nepal. Method A retrospective hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted to obtain the data for 5 common tumor markers i.

Whole Genome Sequencing and Pan-Genomic Analysis of Multidrug-Resistant VC01 Isolated from a Clinical Sample.

Cholera, a disease caused by the bacteria, threatens public health worldwide. The organism mentioned above has a significant historical record of being identified as a prominent aquatic environmental pollutant capable of adapting its phenotypic and genotypic traits to react to host patients effectively. This study aims to elucidate the heterogeneity of the sporadic clinical strain of VC01 among patients residing in Silvasa.

Fabrication of Multi-Walled Structure through Parametric Study of Bead Geometries of GMAW-Based WAAM Process of SS309L.

In the present study, an attempt is made to investigate and optimize the bead geometries of bead width (BW) and bead height (BH) of SS-309L using an SS316L substrate by employing a gas metal arc welding (GMAW)-based wire-arc additive manufacturing (WAAM) process. The Box-Behnken design approach was used to conduct the trials of single-layer depositions with input variables of travel speed (TS), voltage (V), and gas mixture ratio (GMR). The developed multi-variable regression models were tested for feasibility using ANOVA and residual plots.

Engineered Liposomes in Interventional Theranostics of Solid Tumors.

Engineered liposomal nanoparticles have unique characteristics as cargo carriers in cancer care and therapeutics. Liposomal theranostics have shown significant progress in preclinical and clinical cancer models in the past few years. Liposomal hybrid systems have not only been approved by the FDA but have also reached the market level.

Reprogramming M1-to-M2 Phenotype to Alleviate Inflammation: Using Liposomal Curcumin as a Tool to Redefine Macrophage Functionality.

The versatile nature of macrophages and their ability to switch between various activation states plays a pivotal role in both promoting and inhibiting inflammatory processes. In pathological inflammatory conditions, classically activated M1 macrophages are often associated with initiating and maintaining inflammation, while alternatively activated M2 macrophages are linked to the resolution of chronic inflammation. Achieving a favorable equilibrium between M1 and M2 macrophages is crucial for mitigating inflammatory environments in pathological conditions.