Classification of e-waste using machine learning-assisted laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy.

Waste management and the economy are intertwined in various ways. Adopting sustainable waste management techniques can contribute to economic growth and resource conservation. Artificial intelligence (AI)-based classification is very crucial for rapid and contactless classification of metals in electronic waste (e-waste) management.

essential oil anticancer activity and chemical composition evaluation.

The present study was conducted to appraise the anticancer activity of essential oil along with chemical composition evaluation. MTT assay revealed cytotoxicity induction in colon, leukemia, multiple myeloma, pancreatic, head and neck and lung cancer cells exposed to essential oil. Cancer cell death was also observed through live/dead cell viability assay and FACS analysis.

Chemical composition, antioxidant, antitumor, anticancer and cytotoxic effects of Psidium guajava leaf extracts.

Context Psidium guajava L. (Myrtaceae) leaves are used in traditional medicines for the treatment of cancer, inflammation and other ailments. Objective The current study explores scientific validation for this traditional medication.

Antioxidant, antimicrobial, antitumor, and cytotoxic activities of an important medicinal plant (Euphorbia royleana) from Pakistan.

The aim of present study was to evaluate antioxidant, antimicrobial, and antitumor activities of methanol, hexane, and aqueous extracts of fresh Euphorbia royleana. Total phenolic and flavonoid contents were estimated as gallic acid and querectin equivalents, respectively. Antioxidant activity was assessed by scavenging of free 2,2'- diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radicals and reduction of ferric ions, and it was observed that inhibition values increase linearly with increase in concentration of extract.

Antitumour and antioxidant potential of some selected Pakistani honeys.

Antitumour potential of honey is attributed to its excellent antioxidant activity which in turn depends on the geographical origin. The present study focuses on exploration of antioxidant and antitumour potential as well as total phenolic contents (TPC) of 58 Pakistani honeys involving spectrochemical techniques and potato disk assay. Agrobacterium tumefaciens was used to induce tumours in potato disks.

Proximate composition and antioxidant potential of leaves from three varieties of Mulberry (Morus sp.): a comparative study.

In this study, leaves of three indigenous varieties of Mulberry namely, Morus alba L., Morus nigra L. and Morus rubra L.

Respiratory effects in people exposed to arsenic via the drinking water and tobacco smoking in southern part of Pakistan.

In this study, a survey has been conducted during 2005-2007 on surface and groundwater arsenic (As) contamination and its impact on the health of local population, of villages located on the banks of Manchar lake, southern part of Sindh, Pakistan. We have also assessed the relationship between arsenic exposure through respiratory disorders in male subjects with drinking water and smoking cigarettes made from tobacco grown in agricultural land irrigated with As contaminated lake water. The biological samples (blood and scalp hair) were collected from As exposed subjects (100% smokers) and age matched healthy male subjects (40.

Effect of zinc supplementation on the zinc level in serum and urine and their relation to thyroid hormone profile in male and female goitrous patients.

Background & Aims: Zinc (Zn) is an essential element involved in many basic biochemical reactions in thyroid. The aims of present study is to evaluate the Zn status in biological samples and thyroid hormones levels in 60 goitrous male (GMPs) and 72 female patients (GFPs), before and after 6 months treatment with Zn supplementation and compared with non-goitrous subjects of both genders (M=106, F=120) of age range 16-30 years.

Methods: The biological samples were analyzed for Zn concentration using flame atomic absorption spectrophotometer, following their microwave assisted acid digestion.

Arsenic fractionation in sediments of different origins using BCR sequential and single extraction methods.

The arsenic (As) contaminated sediment serves as a long-term source of arsenic because its mobility and transport in the environment are strongly influenced to associated solid phase. A single extraction method based on the reagents employed in the BCR three steps sequential extraction scheme (BCR-SES) for partitioning of arsenic (As) in sediment samples has been developed. The single-step extraction enabled a reduction of extraction times, yielding extractable contents in accordance with those obtained by application of the BCR-SES, which can be regarded as a standard method and validated by using certified reference material BCR 701.

Status of essential trace metals in biological samples of diabetic mother and their neonates.

Objective: There is accumulating facts that the metabolism of essential trace elements is altered in diabetic patients. The aim of present study was to compare the status of essential trace elements, chromium (Cr), manganese (Mn), and zinc (Zn) in biological samples (whole blood, urine and scalp hair) of insulin dependent diabetic mothers (age ranged 30-40) and their newly born infants (n = 76). An age matched 68 non-diabetic mothers and their infants, residing in the same locality, were selected as referents.

Evaluation of arsenic and other physico-chemical parameters of surface and ground water of Jamshoro, Pakistan.

Arsenic contamination in water has caused severe health problems around the world. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the geological and anthropogenic aspects of As pollution in surface and groundwater resources of Jamshoro Sindh, Pakistan. Hydride generator atomic absorption spectrophotometry (HG-AAS) is employed for the determination of arsenic in water samples, with detection limit of 0.

The correlation of arsenic levels in drinking water with the biological samples of skin disorders.

Arsenic (As) poisoning has become a worldwide public health concern. The skin is quite sensitive to As and skin lesions are the most common and earliest nonmalignant effects associated to chronic As exposure. In 2005-2007, a survey was carried out on surface and groundwater arsenic contamination and relationships between As exposure via the drinking water and related adverse health effects (melanosis and keratosis) on villagers resides on the banks of Manchar lake, southern part of Sindh, Pakistan.

Estimation of toxic metals in scalp hair samples of chronic kidney patients.

The determination of toxic metals (TMs) in the biological samples of human beings is an important clinical screening procedure. The aim of this work is to determine total content of TMs, aluminum (Al), cadmium (Cd), nickel (Ni), and lead (Pb) in scalp hair samples of chronic kidney male patients (CKPs) on maintenance hemodialysis, during the period of 2005-2007. The study included 115 CKPs (all smokers) and 150 controls or referents [82 (nonsmokers) and 68 (smokers)].

Evaluation of iron in serum and urine and their relation with thyroid function in female goitrous patients.

In many developing countries, women are at high risk of goiter and iron deficiency anemia (IDA). Iron deficiency adversely affects thyroid metabolism and may decrease the efficiency of thyroid hormones in areas of endemic goiter. The aim of the present study was to compare the level of iron (Fe) in biological samples (serum and urine) and serum thyroid hormones, thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), free triiodothyronine (FT3), and free thyroxin (FT4) of goitrous female patients (GFPs; n = 69) with those of nongoitrous women as control subjects (n = 117), age range 21-45 years.

Evaluation of an ultrasonic acid digestion procedure for total heavy metals determination in environmental and biological samples.

In this study, a sample preparation method based on ultrasonic assisted acid digestion (UAD) has been evaluated for total heavy metals (Cd, Cr, Ni and Pb) determination in different environmental (soil, sediment and sewage sludge), and biological (fish muscles, vegetables and grains) samples, using electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry (ETAAS). The investigated parameters influencing UAD such as presonication time, sonication time, temperature of ultrasonic bath, and different acid mixtures were fully optimized, whereas power was maintained constant at 100% of nominal power of ultrasonic bath. Six different sets of above parameters were applied on six certified reference materials (CRMs) having different matrices.

A multivariate study: variation in uptake of trace and toxic elements by various varieties of Sorghum bicolor L.

The aim of present study was to evaluate the variation in uptake of elements (As, Ca, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Na, Ni, Pb and Zn) by different varieties of Sorghum bicolor L., plants grown in soil amended with untreated industrial waste water sewage sludge (SUIS), on same experimental plots. The power of chemometrics was also used in exploring the potential natural and/or anthropogenic sources responsible for elemental contents in different varieties of sorghum.

Evaluation of status of toxic metals in biological samples of diabetes mellitus patients.

There is accumulating evidence that the metabolism of several trace elements is altered in diabetes mellitus and that these nutrients might have specific roles in the pathogenesis and progress of this disease. The aim of present study was to compare the level of toxic elements, lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), and arsenic (As) in biological samples (whole blood, urine, and scalp hair) of patients having diabetes mellitus type-2 age ranged (31-60) (n=238), with those of age matched non-diabetics (ND) as control subjects (n=196), of both genders. The concentrations of elements were measured by means of an atomic absorption spectrophotometer after microwave-assisted acid digestion.

Hazardous impact of toxic metals on tobacco leaves grown in contaminated soil by ultrasonic assisted pseudo-digestion: multivariate study.

Tobacco leaves (Nicotiana tabacum L.), agricultural soil and pollute irrigated lake water samples were collected during 2005--2006 and analyzed for Cd and Ni by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry (ETAAS). A simple and efficient procedure was investigated for the complete decomposition of tobacco leaves using ultrasonic assisted acid pseudo-digestion method (UPDM).

Distribution of zinc, copper and iron in biological samples of Pakistani myocardial infarction (1st, 2nd and 3rd heart attack) patients and controls.

Background: The pathogenesis of some heart diseases has been associated with changes in the balance of certain trace elements. We examined the association of iron, copper and zinc between biological samples (scalp hair, whole blood and urine) and mortality from myocardial infarction (MI) patients of (first, second and third heart attack).

Methods: The biological samples were from 130 MI patients (77 male and 53 female, age range 45-60 years) and 61 healthy age-matched controls (33 male and 28 female).

Effect of ultrasound agitation on the release of heavy elements in Certified Reference Material of human hair (CRM BCR 397).

An ultrasonic-assisted leaching procedure was developed for the determination of heavy elements (As, Cu, Cd, Pb, and Zn) in Certified Reference Material of human hair (CRM 397) provided from the Community Bureau of Reference (BCR) of the Commission of the European Community. Concentrated nitric acid-30% hydrogen peroxide (2 + 1) was used for the leaching method. The effects of different factors on acid leaching of elements, such as presonication time (without ultrasonic stirring), sonication or exposure time to ultrasound, and temperature of the ultrasonic bath have been investigated.