Peeling off the layers from microbial dark matter (MDM): recent advances, future challenges, and opportunities.

Microbes represent the most common organisms on Earth; however, less than 2% of microbial species in the environment can undergo cultivation for study under laboratory conditions, and the rest of the enigmatic, microbial world remains mysterious, constituting a kind of "microbial dark matter" (MDM). In the last two decades, remarkable progress has been made in culture-dependent and culture-independent techniques. More recently, studies of MDM have relied on culture-independent techniques to recover genetic material through either unicellular genomics or shotgun metagenomics to construct single-amplified genomes (SAGs) and metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs), respectively, which provide information about evolution and metabolism. Despite the remarkable progress made in the past decades, the functional diversity of MDM still remains uncharacterized. This review comprehensively summarizes the recently developed culture-dependent and culture-independent techniques for characterizing MDM, discussing major challenges, opportunities, and potential applications. These activities contribute to expanding our knowledge of the microbial world and have implications for various fields including Biotechnology, Bioprospecting, Functional genomics, Medicine, Evolutionary and Planetary biology. Overall, this review aims to peel off the layers from MDM, shed light on recent advancements, identify future challenges, and illuminate the exciting opportunities that lie ahead in unraveling the secrets of this intriguing microbial realm.

A mechanistic approach to arsenic adsorption and immobilization in aqueous solution, groundwater, and contaminated paddy soil using pine-cone magnetic biochar.

Arsenic (As) poisoning in groundwater and rice paddy soil has increased globally, impacting human health and food security. There is an urgent need to deal with As-contaminated groundwater and soil. Biochar can be a useful remedy for toxic contaminants. This study explains the synthesis of pinecone-magnetic biochar (PC-MBC) by engineering the pinecone-pristine biochar with iron salts (FeCl3.6H2O and FeSO4.7H2O) to investigate its effects on As(V) adsorption and immobilization in water and soil, respectively. The results indicated that PC-MBC can remediate As(V)-contaminated water, with an adsorption capacity of 12.14 mg g-1 in water. Isotherm and kinetic modeling showed that the adsorption mechanism involved multilayer, monolayer, and diffusional processes, with chemisorption operating as the primary interface between As(V) and biochar. Post-adsorption analysis of PC-MBC, using FTIR and XRD, further revealed chemical fixing and outer-sphere complexation between As(V) and Fe, O, NH, and OH as the main reasons for As(V) adsorption onto PC-MBC. Recycling of PC-MBC also had excellent adsorption even after several regeneration cycles. Similarly, PC-MBC successfully immobilized As in paddy soil. Single and sequential extraction results showed the transformation of mobile forms of As to a more stable form, confirmed by non-destructive analysis using SEM, EDX, and elemental dot mapping. Thus, Fe-modified pine-cone biochar could be a suitable and cheap adsorbent for As-contaminated water and soil.

Genome mining, antimicrobial and plant growth-promoting potentials of halotolerant Bacillus paralicheniformis ES-1 isolated from salt mine.

Salinity severely affects crop yield by hindering nitrogen uptake and reducing plant growth. Plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) are capable of providing cross-protection against biotic/abiotic stresses and facilitating plant growth. Genome-level knowledge of PGPB is necessary to translate the knowledge into a product as efficient biofertilizers and biocontrol agents. The current study aimed to isolate and characterize indigenous plant growth-promoting strains with the potential to promote plant growth under various stress conditions. In this regard, 72 bacterial strains were isolated from various saline-sodic soil/lakes; 19 exhibited multiple in vitro plant growth-promoting traits, including indole 3 acetic acid production, phosphate solubilization, siderophore synthesis, lytic enzymes production, biofilm formation, and antibacterial activities. To get an in-depth insight into genome composition and diversity, whole-genome sequence and genome mining of one promising Bacillus paralicheniformis strain ES-1 were performed. The strain ES-1 genome carries 12 biosynthetic gene clusters, at least six genomic islands, and four prophage regions. Genome mining identified plant growth-promoting conferring genes such as phosphate solubilization, nitrogen fixation, tryptophan production, siderophore, acetoin, butanediol, chitinase, hydrogen sulfate synthesis, chemotaxis, and motility. Comparative genome analysis indicates the region of genome plasticity which shapes the structure and function of B. paralicheniformis and plays a crucial role in habitat adaptation. The strain ES-1 has a relatively large accessory genome of 649 genes (~ 19%) and 180 unique genes. Overall, these results provide valuable insight into the bioactivity and genomic insight into B. paralicheniformis strain ES-1 with its potential use in sustainable agriculture.

The Predictive Ability of C-Peptide in Distinguishing Type 1 Diabetes From Type 2 Diabetes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

OBJECTIVE: This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to investigate the predictive ability of plasma connecting peptide (C-peptide) levels in discriminating type 1 diabetes (T1D) from type 2 diabetes (T2D) and to inform evidence-based guidelines in diabetes classification. METHODS: We conducted a holistic review and meta-analysis using PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Scopus. The citations were screened from 1942 to 2021. The quality criteria and the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analysis checklist were applied. The protocol was registered with the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) (CRD42022355088). RESULTS: A total of 23,658 abstracts were screened and 46 full texts reviewed. Of the 46 articles screened, 12 articles were included for the meta-analysis. Included studies varied by race, age, time, and proportion of individuals. The main outcome measure in all studies was C-peptide levels. A significant association was reported between C-peptide levels and the classification and diagnosis of diabetes. Furthermore, lower concentrations and the cutoff of <0.20 nmol/L for fasting or random plasma C-peptide was indicative of T1D. In addition, this meta-analysis revealed the predictive ability of C-peptide levels in discriminating T1D from T2D. Results were consistent using both fixed- and random-effect models. The I2 value (98.8%) affirmed the variability in effect estimates was due to heterogeneity rather than sampling error among all selected studies. CONCLUSION: Plasma C-peptide levels are highly associated and predictive of the accurate classification and diagnosis of diabetes types. A plasma C-peptide cutoff of ≤0.20 mmol/L is indicative of T1D and of ≥0.30 mmol/L in the fasting or random state is indicative of T2D.

Essential oils of four wild plants inhibit the blood seeking behaviour of female Aedes aegytpi.

Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae) mosquito is an important vector of many disease-causing pathogens. An effective way to escape from these mosquito-borne diseases is to prevent mosquito bites. In the current study, essential oils of Lepidium pinnatifidum, Mentha longifolia, Origanum vulgare, and Agrimonia eupatoria were evaluated for their repellent potential against Ae. aegypti females. Essential oils were extracted using steam distillation from freshly collected aerial parts of the plants and tested against 4-5 day old females of Ae. aegypti through the human bait technique for repellency and repellent longevity assays. The chemical composition of extracted essential oils was explored by gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The essential oils of L. pinnatifidum, M. longifolia, O. vulgare, and A. eupatoria at a dose of 33 µg/cm2 showed 100%, 94%, 87%, and 83% mosquito repellent activity, respectively. Furthermore, M. longifolia and O. vulgare essential oils exhibited 100% repellency at a dose of 165 µg/cm2, whereas A. eupatoria essential oil showed 100% repellency only at 330 µg/cm2. In the time-span bioassay, M. longifolia and O. vulgare essential oils showed protection against Ae. aegypti bites for 90 and 75 min, respectively whereas both A. eupatoria and L. pinnatifidum were found active for 45 min. Phenylacetonitrile (94%), piperitone oxide (34%), carvacrol (20%) and α-pinene (62%) were the most abundant compounds in L. pinnatifidum, M. longifolia, O. vulgare and A. eupatoria essential oils, respectively. The current study demonstrates that M. longifolia and O. vulgare essential oils possess the potential to be used as an alternative to synthetic chemicals to protect humans from mosquito bites.

The Scope of Practice for Primary Cardiovascular Disease Prevention Expanded to Advanced Practice Providers: What Does the Data Show?

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The review aims to explore the available literature on the role of advance practice providers (APPs) in the primary prevention of cardiovascular diseases (CVD). RECENT FINDINGS: CVD are the major cause of death and disease with the growing burden of direct and indirect costs. Globally, one out of every three deaths is due to CVD. A total of 90% of CVD cases are due to modifiable risk factors which are preventable; however, challenges are faced by the already overburdened healthcare systems where the shortage of workforce is a common constraint. Different CVD preventive programs are working but, in a silo, and with different approaches except in few of the high-income countries where specialized workforce such as advance practice providers (APPs) is trained and employed in practice. Such initiatives are already proven more effective in terms of health and economic outcomes. Through an extensive literature search of APPs' role in the primary prevention of CVD, we identified very few high-income countries where APPs' role has already been integrated into the primary healthcare system. However, in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), no such roles are defined. In these countries, either the overburdened physicians or any other health professionals (not trained in primary prevention of CVD) sometimes provide brief advice on CVD risk factors. Hence, prompt attention is appealed by the current scenario of CVD prevention specifically in LMICs.

A Wearable Force Myography-Based Armband for Recognition of Upper Limb Gestures.

Force myography (FMG) represents a promising alternative to surface electromyography (EMG) in the context of controlling bio-robotic hands. In this study, we built upon our prior research by introducing a novel wearable armband based on FMG technology, which integrates force-sensitive resistor (FSR) sensors housed in newly designed casings. We evaluated the sensors' characteristics, including their load-voltage relationship and signal stability during the execution of gestures over time. Two sensor arrangements were evaluated: arrangement A, featuring sensors spaced at 4.5 cm intervals, and arrangement B, with sensors distributed evenly along the forearm. The data collection involved six participants, including three individuals with trans-radial amputations, who performed nine upper limb gestures. The prediction performance was assessed using support vector machines (SVMs) and k-nearest neighbor (KNN) algorithms for both sensor arrangments. The results revealed that the developed sensor exhibited non-linear behavior, and its sensitivity varied with the applied force. Notably, arrangement B outperformed arrangement A in classifying the nine gestures, with an average accuracy of 95.4 ± 2.1% compared to arrangement A's 91.3 ± 2.3%. The utilization of the arrangement B armband led to a substantial increase in the average prediction accuracy, demonstrating an improvement of up to 4.5%.

Assessment of Low-Density Force Myography Armband for Classification of Upper Limb Gestures.

Using force myography (FMG) to monitor volumetric changes in limb muscles is a promising and effective alternative for controlling bio-robotic prosthetic devices. In recent years, there has been a focus on developing new methods to improve the performance of FMG technology in the control of bio-robotic devices. This study aimed to design and evaluate a novel low-density FMG (LD-FMG) armband for controlling upper limb prostheses. The study investigated the number of sensors and sampling rate for the newly developed LD-FMG band. The performance of the band was evaluated by detecting nine gestures of the hand, wrist, and forearm at varying elbow and shoulder positions. Six subjects, including both fit and amputated individuals, participated in this study and completed two experimental protocols: static and dynamic. The static protocol measured volumetric changes in forearm muscles at the fixed elbow and shoulder positions. In contrast, the dynamic protocol included continuous motion of the elbow and shoulder joints. The results showed that the number of sensors significantly impacts gesture prediction accuracy, with the best accuracy achieved on the 7-sensor FMG band arrangement. Compared to the number of sensors, the sampling rate had a lower influence on prediction accuracy. Additionally, variations in limb position greatly affect the classification accuracy of gestures. The static protocol shows an accuracy above 90% when considering nine gestures. Among dynamic results, shoulder movement shows the least classification error compared to elbow and elbow-shoulder (ES) movements.

An Integrated Computational Analysis of High-Risk SNPs in Angiopoietin-like Proteins (ANGPTL3 and ANGPTL8) Reveals Perturbed Protein Dynamics Associated with Cancer.

Angiopoietin-like proteins (ANGPTL) constitute a family of eight proteins (1-8) which play a pivotal role in the regulation of various pathophysiological processes. The current study sought to identify high-risk, "non-synonymous, single-nucleotide polymorphisms" (nsSNPs) in both ANGPTL3 and ANGPTL8 to evaluate the role that these nsSNPs play in various types of cancer. We retrieved a total of 301 nsSNPs from various databases; 79 of these candidates constitute high-risk nsSNPs. Moreover, we identified eleven high-risk nsSNPs that cause various types of cancer: seven candidates for ANGPTL3 (L57H, F295L, L309F, K329M, R332L, S348C, and G409R) and four candidates for ANGPTL8 (P23L, R85W, R138S, and E148D). Protein-protein interaction analysis revealed a strong association of ANGPTL proteins with several tumor-suppressor proteins such as ITGB3, ITGAV, and RASSF5. 'Gene-expression profiling interactive analysis' (GEPIA) showed that expression of ANGPTL3 is significantly downregulated in five cancers: sarcoma (SARC); cholangio carcinoma (CHOL); kidney chromophobe carcinoma (KICH); kidney renal clear cell carcinoma (KIRC); and kidney renal papillary cell carcinoma (KIRP). GEPIA also showed that expression of ANGPTL8 remains downregulated in three cancers: CHOL; glioblastoma (GBM); and breast invasive carcinoma (BRCA). Survival rate analysis indicated that both upregulation and downregulation of ANGPTL3 and ANGPTL8 leads to low survival rates in various types of cancer. Overall, the current study revealed that both ANGPTL3 and ANGPTL8 constitute potential prognostic biomarkers for cancer; moreover, nsSNPs in these proteins might lead to the progression of cancer. However, further in vivo investigation will be helpful to validate the role of these proteins in the biology of cancer.

Classification and Multifaceted Potential of Secondary Metabolites Produced by Bacillus subtilis Group: A Comprehensive Review.

Despite their remarkable biosynthetic potential, Bacillus subtilis have been widely overlooked. However, their capability to withstand harsh conditions (extreme temperature, Ultraviolet (UV) and γ-radiation, and dehydration) and the promiscuous metabolites they synthesize have created increased commercial interest in them as a therapeutic agent, a food preservative, and a plant-pathogen control agent. Nevertheless, the commercial-scale availability of these metabolites is constrained due to challenges in their accessibility via synthesis and low fermentation yields. In the context of this rising in interest, we comprehensively visualized the antimicrobial peptides produced by B. subtilis and highlighted their prospective applications in various industries. Moreover, we proposed and classified these metabolites produced by the B. subtilis group based on their biosynthetic pathways and chemical structures. The biosynthetic pathway, bioactivity, and chemical structure are discussed in detail for each class. We believe that this review will spark a renewed interest in the often disregarded B. subtilis and its remarkable biosynthetic capabilities.

Nurse-led culturally relevant smoking reduction intervention among cardiovascular and respiratory patients in Pakistan.

INTRODUCTION: Socioeconomically deprived populations are at greater risk for smoking-induced diseases and death, such as cancers, and cardiovascular and respiratory illnesses. The initiation of a nurse-led smoking cessation program in clinical practice is an effective method to enhance smoking cessation among cardiovascular and respiratory patients in Pakistan. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of nurse-led smoking reduction intervention performed at out-patient clinics in Karachi, Pakistan. METHODS: A single group pre-and post-test study was conducted on eligible patients (n = 83) with a typical profile of cardiovascular and respiratory diseases in a tertiary care hospital from December 2020 to July 2021. INTERVENTION: The multi-modal nurse-led intervention consisted of two face-to-face motivational counseling (30-min) and free nicotine replacement therapy with telephonic counseling and follow-ups offered to all eligible patients for 2 months. RESULTS: The nurse-led intervention resulted in a significant decrease in daily cigarette consumption in most of the patients (75.9%) by 50% and 16.9% of the patients reported smoking abstinence (quitter) at 1-week follow-up (p < .001), verified by a CO breath test. CONCLUSION: A nurse-managed smoking reduction intervention for even a short duration (2 months) in clinics is an effective approach in enhancing smoking abstinence and reduction among cardiovascular and respiratory patients.

Citric acid-capped NiWO4/Bi2S3 and rGO-doped NiWO4/Bi2S3 nanoarchitectures for photocatalytic decontamination of emerging pollutants from the aqueous environment.

Herein, we describe the successful synthesis of NiWO4/Bi2S3 and reduced graphene oxide (rGO-NiWO4/Bi2S3) nanocomposites through a simple green sol-gel approach. The fabricated composites were subsequently characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Energy Dispersive X-Ray Analysis (EDX) and ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-VIS) spectroscopic analyses. Dielectric properties were done by a precision impedance analyzer. Tanδ and dielectric constant for NiWO4/Bi2S3 and rGO-NiWO4/Bi2S3 were 1.811, 292818, and 0.2970, 344574, respectively, at 20 Hz. The photocatalytic performance of NiWO4/Bi2S3 and rGO-NiWO4/Bi2S3 was investigated against methylene blue and methyl orange dyes in an aqueous medium. NiWO4-Bi2S3 showed degradation of methylene blue 15.52% after 20 min, 21.8% after 30 min and 46.8% after 40 min. Similarly, for methyl orange dye it was 18.1% after 20 min, 54% after 30 min and 59.36% after 40 min. Compared to NiWO4/Bi2S3, rGO-NiWO4/Bi2S3 exhibited superior degradation efficiency of 7.5% (20 min), 25.24% (30 min) and 57.71% (40 min) for methylene blue, and 35.7% (20 min), 56.98% (30 min) and 72.42% (40 min) for methyl orange under sunlight. This enhancement in photocatalytic and dielectric properties might be attributed to the presence of graphene in rGO-NiWO4/Bi2S3 nanococomposite. Different factors such as effect of time, pH, dose of catalyst, concentration of dye were optimized and the reusability of superior catalyst rGO-NiWO4/Bi2S3 was also checked for four cycles. In conclusion, promising photocatalytic and dielectric properties of rGO-NiWO4/Bi2S3 suggest its potential applications in the photocatalytic degradation of organic pollutants and energy storage materials. This study provides a well-developed route to exploit metal sulphide/oxide nanocomposites in environmental remediation and energy storage devices.

Effectiveness of the engineered pinecone-derived biochar for the removal of fluoride from water.

Drinking fluoride (F-)-contaminated water (>1.5 mg L-1) causes severe dental and skeletal disorders. In the central province of Pakistan, ∼20 times higher levels of F- in the drinking groundwater (compared with the 1.5 mg L-1 permissible limit of the World Health Organization) are triggering bone abnormalities in teenagers. In this study, we demonstrated the potential of pinecone-derived biochar (pristine) impregnated with Fe- and Al-salts (engineered) to defluoridate water. Batch mode adsorption experiments were carried out under variable conditions of solution pH, F- initial concentration, adsorbent dose, and contact time. The engineered biochars resulted in greater adsorption than that of pristine biochar. Specifically, the AlCl3-modified biochar exhibited a maximum adsorption capacity of 14.07 mg g-1 in spiked water and 13.07 mg g-1 in in-situ groundwater. The equilibrium isothermal and kinetic models predicted monolayer, cooperative, and chemisorption types of the adsorption process. The chemical interaction and outer-sphere complexation of F- with Al, Na, and H elements were further confirmed by the post-adsorption analysis of the AlCl3-modified biochar by FTIR and XRD. The AlCl3-modified biochar resulted in 87.13% removal of F- from the in-situ F--contaminated groundwater, even in the presence of naturally occurring competing ions (such as Cl-, HCO3-, SO42-, and NO3-). We conclude that the AlCl3-modified biochar derived from pinecone could be a promising cost-effective adsorbent for the defluoridation of water.

Smoking cessation interventions in South Asian Region: a systematic scoping review.

BACKGROUND: Cigarette smoking is one of the most preventable causes of morbidities and mortalities. Since 2005, the World Health Organization Framework Convention for Tobacco Control (WHO-FCTC) provides an efficient strategic plan for tobacco control across the world. Many countries in the world have successfully reduced the prevalence of cigarette smoking. However, in developing countries, the prevalence of cigarette smoking is mounting which signifies a need of prompt attention. This scoping review aims to explore the extent and nature of Smoking Cessation (SmC) interventions and associated factors in South Asian Region (SAR) by systematically reviewing available recently published and unpublished literature. METHODS: The Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) framework frames the conduct of this scoping review. PubMed, EBSCO CINAHL Complete, Cochrane Library, ProQuest Dissertation and Theses, and local websites as well as other sources of grey literature were searched for relevant literature. In total, 573 literature sources were screened. Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) flow diagram, finally, 48 data sources were included for data extraction and analysis. We analyzed the extracted SmC interventions through the FCTC. Factors that affect smoking cessation interventions will be extracted through manual content analysis. RESULTS: Regarding FCTC recommended smoking cessation strategies (articles), most of the articles were either neglected or addressed in a discordant way by various anti-smoking groups in SAR. Key barriers that hamper the effectiveness of smoking cessation interventions included lack of awareness, poor implementation of anti-smoking laws, and socio-cultural acceptance of tobacco use. Conversely, increased levels of awareness, through different mediums, related to smoking harms and benefits of quitting, effective implementation of anti-smoking laws, smoking cessation trained healthcare professionals, support systems, and reluctance in the community to cigarette smoking were identified as facilitators to smoking cessation interventions. CONCLUSION: The ignored or uncoordinated FCTC's directions on smoking cessation strategies have resulted in continued increasing prevalence of cigarette smoking in developing countries, especially SAR. The findings of this review highlight the need for refocusing the smoking cessation strategies in SAR. STRENGTHS: The review was conducted by a team of expert comprising information specialists, and senior professors bringing rich experience in systematic and scoping reviews. Every effort was made to include all available literature sources addressing cigarette SmC and associated factors in SAR. The review findings signal the need and direction for more SmC efforts in SAR which may contribute to development of effective policies and guidelines for the control of smoking prevalence. LIMITATIONS: Despite efforts, potentially relevant records may have been missed due to unpublished or inaccessible articles, unintended selection bias, or those published in local languages, etc. Moreover, the exclusion of literature on under 18 participants and mentally ill smokers may limit the generalizability of findings.

Antioxidant effect of Moringa olifera leaves extract in extender improves post-thaw quality, kinematics, lipid peroxidation, total antioxidant capacity and fertility of water buffalo bull semen.

Our objectives were to determine the antioxidant effect of Moringa olifera leave extract (MLE) in tris extender on post-thaw quality, kinematics, lipid peroxidation, total antioxidant capacity and field fertility of water buffalo bull semen. Semen was collected on a weekly basis for 5 weeks (n = 5 bulls & n = 25). After collection, every sample was diluted individually with extender (tris egg yolk) containing MLE concentrations (0%, 5%, 10%, 15% and 20%) at 37°C. After dilution, semen was filled in 0.54 mL straws and frozen in automatic freezer. After thawing, sperm motility (%) (progressive & total), path velocity (µm/s), straight velocity (µm/s), curvilinear velocity (%), beat cross frequency (Hz), linearity (%), straightness (%), length of average path (µm), length of straight-line path (µm), length of curvilinear path (µm), plasma membrane integrity (%), acrosome membrane integrity (%), DNA integrity (%) and morphology (%) were higher (p < 0.05) in spermatozoa preserved in extender containing 15% MLE as compared to control. The fertility rate (60%, vs. 45%) was higher (p < 0.05) with semen doses frozen with 15% MLE in extender than the control. In conclusion, 15% MLE improves semen quality, kinematics and field fertility in water buffaloes.

Cigarette smokers' perceptions of smoking cessation and associated factors in Karachi, Pakistan.

OBJECTIVES: The study explored the perceptions of adult smokers with cardiovascular and respiratory diseases regarding cigarette smoking cessation. We also explored factors that may hinder or facilitate smoking cessation process. DESIGN: Qualitative descriptive exploratory design SAMPLE: Purposive sample of 13 adult smokers with cardiovascular or respiratory diseases visiting outpatient cardiac and respiratory clinics at a private tertiary care hospital MEASUREMENTS: In-depth, face-to-face, and semi-structured interviews were conducted. The interviews were digitally recorded and transcribed verbatim followed by a six steps process of manual thematic analysis of data. RESULTS: Meaningful statements were assigned codes and grouped into categories. Categories were clustered under three themes representing individual factors, socio-cultural factors, and institutional factors. CONCLUSIONS: Smoking cessation is influenced by personal, cultural, as well as social aspects. Institutionally, there is a need to recognize that smoking is a learned behavior; hence, prohibiting public smoking will potentially contribute to non-smoking behaviors. Although the nature of misconceptions varies, this is imperative to ensure consistency in messaging, programming, and supports led by healthcare professionals.

Percutaneous nephrolithotomy in new versus those patients with previous history of Extracorporeal Shock Wave Lithotripsy on ipsilateral side.

Objectives: To appraise the effects of previous history of ineffectual extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy (SWL) treatment on the execution and end result of percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL). Methods: The study was performed from January 2012 till November 2019 at the urology department at our hospital, a tertiary healthcare center. In total, four hundred and twenty two patients were enrolled in the study. We arranged the study participants into two groups. Group-I comprised of 66 subjects who had undergone failed SWL 12 months prior to PCNL procedure, while Group-II included patients who had no history of previous SWL. Information related to study variables was registered in designated proformas and then processed in SPSS version 16 for the statistical computations. Results: On the whole, the mean age of patients was 45.25± 14.38 years. While the mean calculus size was 494.80±128.83 mm2. The complexity of stones formulated on the basis of Guy's stone score was identical among the two groups. American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) class categories were almost similar among the two groups. Stone free rates of 80.30% and 81.74% (p value=0.73) were observed in Group-I and II respectively. Time to create PCNL tract and mean drop in hemoglobin were noted to be significantly higher in Group-I. Complication rates and grades were not being dissimilar among the two groups. Conclusion: Patients having prior history of unsuccessful SWL history before undertaking the PCNL procedure manifested similar stone free rates and complications rates as those observed in SWL naive cases of PCNL.

In situtailoring the morphology of In(OH)3nanostructures via surfactants during anodization and their transformation into In2O3nanoparticles.

The present work reports the effect of various surfactants on the morphology of In(OH)3nanostructures prepared via anodization. In-sheets were anodized in an environmentally benign electrolyte containing a small quantity of CTAB, CTAC, and PDDA surfactants at room temperature. The produced nanostructures were characterized using XRD, HRTEM, SAED, and EDAX. The morphology of indium hydroxide (In(OH)3) nanostructures was successfully tailoredin situwith the help of surfactants in 1 M KCl aqueous electrolyte. XRD results confirmed the formation of In(OH)3and indium oxyhydroxide (InOOH) nanostructures in the pristine form which were transformed into single-phase cubic In2O3nanoparticles (NPs) after calcination. HRTEM analyses showed that the morphology and size of the In(OH)3nanostructures can be tuned to form nanorods, nanosheets and nanostrips using different surfactants. The results revealed that CTAC and PDDA surfactants have a profound effect on the morphology of In(OH)3nanostructure compared to CTAB due to the higher concentration of Cl-ion. The possible mechanism of surfactants effect on the morphology is proposed. Furthermore, annealing converted the In(OH)3nanostructures into spherical In2O3NPs with uniform and homogeneous size. We anticipate that the morphology of other metal-oxides nanostructure can be tuned using this simple, facile and rapid technique. In2O3NPs prepared without and with CTAB surfactant were further explored for the non-enzymatic detection of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). Electrochemical measurements showed enhanced electrocatalytic performance with fast electron transfer (∼2s) between the redox centers of H2O2and electrode surface. The In2O3NPs prepared using CTAB/Au electrode exhibited about 4-fold increase in sensitivity compared to the bare Au electrode. The biosensor also demonstrated good reproducibility, higher selectivity, and increased shelf life.

Fabrication of metal incorporated polymer composite: An excellent antibacterial agent.

US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) allowed for direct addition of castor oil for human consumption as food and most recently FDA approved castor oil as over-the-counter (OTC) for laxative drug. The present article highlights the green route phosphorylation of castor oil (COL) via condensation polymerization. Further, the incorporation of metal ions Cu (II)) and Zn (II) into the polymer matrix have been carried out at elevated temperature using catalyst p-toluene sulphonic acid (PTSA). The modification of the said material has been confirmed by FT-IR, UV-VIS, and 1H and 31P-NMR spectroscopy. Further, the in vitro antibacterial activities of the metal incorporated-COL has been performed by standard methods against B. cereus (MCC2243) (gram-positive) and E. coli (MCC2412) (gram-negative) bacteria. The results revealed that the incorporation of metal ions into the polymer matrix increases the antibacterial activity largely. This may be governed by the electrostatic interaction between metal ions and microbes, also the generation of free active oxygen hinders the normal activity of bacteria. These results suggest that the synthesized material may act a potential candidate for low cost, environment friendly antibacterial agents and may find their application in clinical fields. Herein we are also proposing mechanism of antibacterial activity.

Vertical financial disparity, energy prices and emission reduction: Empirical insights from Pakistan.

The economic and environmental aspects of energy production have become important due to the increasing complexity energy sector and envoirnmental pollution, warranting to test the connection between financial imbalances, energy prices and carbon emission. The study aims to test the impact of vertical fiscal imbalances (VFI) on energy prices and carbon emission trends by considering the dual-perspectives of environmental regulation and industrial structure. The empirical outcomes indicated that vertical fiscal imbalances limited the environmental quality of Pakistan. Furthermore, VFI also caused environmental degradation by affecting industrial structure. VFI inhibits the intensity of environmental regulation, promotes the upgrade of industrial structures, both of which cause additional carbon emissions. The study suggest to energy ministries and energy regulation offices to revisit the machinism of energy prices determination and revised machanisim should provide a user-friendly assessment to understand the actual costs associated with the rising concern of environmental pollution. By this, envoirnmental protection maximization and optimal energy conservation is expacted to increase. Based on empirical findings, the study extends the suggestion that vertical fiscal imbalances should be considered an active indicator by the key policy makers and other stakeholders for energy prices determination and environmental quality upgradation.