Geochemical evolution, geostatistical mapping and machine learning predictive modeling of groundwater fluoride: a case study of western Balochistan, Quetta.

Around 2.6 billion people are at risk of tooth carries and fluorosis worldwide. Quetta is the worst affected district in Balochistan plateau.

Topotactic Transformation in Fe3O4 Induces Spontaneous Growth of Compositionally Diverse Nanostructures.

Topotactic transformation is an emerging strategy for synthesizing materials with exotic functional properties. In this report, instead of producing new crystals with related structures, we exploited the topotactic transformation phenomenon to spontaneously produce compositionally diverse nanostructures on the transforming substrate. The surface of magnetite nanoparticles (Fe3O4 NPs) is topotactically transformed into maghemite (γ-Fe2O3).

Targeting breast tumor extracellular matrix and stroma utilizing nanoparticles.

Breast cancer is a complicated malignancy and is known as the most common cancer in women. Considerable experiments have been devoted to explore the basic impacts of the tumor stroma, particularly the extracellular matrix (ECM) and stromal components, on tumor growth and resistance to treatment. ECM is made up of an intricate system of proteins, glycosaminoglycans, and proteoglycans, and maintains structural support and controls key signaling pathways involved in breast tumors.

Nanoparticle biosensors for cardiovascular disease detection.

Early detection and management of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are crucial for patient survival and long-term health. CVD biomarkers such as cardiac Troponin-I (cTnI), N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), creatine kinase MB (CK-MB), Galectin-3 (Gal-3), etc are released into the circulation following heart muscle injury, ie, acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Biosensor technology including the use of nanoparticles can be designed to target specific biomarkers associated with CVD, enabling early detection and more rapid intervention to decrease morbidity and mortality.

Seroprevalence patterns of viral hepatitis B, C, and E among internally displaced persons in Borno State, Nigeria.

Objectives: Following the outbreak of hepatitis E in camps for internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Borno State in 2017, we assessed hepatitis B, C, and E biomarkers (hepatitis B surface antigen [HBsAg], anti-HBC, anti-hepatitis E virus [HEV] immunoglobulin [Ig] G, and anti-HEV IgM) among IDPs in three camps in Borno State, Nigeria, to determine seroprevalence rates in these understudied populations.

Methods: A total of 454 IDPs, including pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers, were randomly selected, and their demographic, clinical, and epidemiological data were collected. Blood samples were tested for HBsAg and anti-hepatitis C virus (HCV) using rapid tests, anti-HEV IgM, and anti-HEV IgG using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.