A study on the effectiveness of sodium selenite in treating cadmium and perfluoro octane sulfonic (PFOS) poisoned zebrafish (Danio rerio).

Perfluoro octane sulfonate (PFOS) and cadmium (Cd) are toxic elements in the environment. As a micronutrient trace element, selenium (Se) can mitigate the adverse effects induced by PFOS and Cd. However, few studies have examined the correlation between Se, PFOS and Cd in fish. The present study focused on the antagonistic effects of Se on PFOS+Cd-induced accumulation in the liver of zebrafish. The fish was exposed to PFOS (0.08mg/L), Cd (1mg/L), PFOS+ Cd (0.08 mg/L PFOS+1 mg/L Cd), L-Se (0.07mg/L Sodium selenite +0.08mg/L PFOS+1mg/L Cd), M-Se (0.35mg/L Sodium selenite + 0.08mg/L PFOS+ 1 mg/L Cd), H-Se (1.75 mg/L Sodium selenite + 0.08 mg/L PFOS+ 1mg/L Cd) for 14d. The addition of selenium to fish exposed to PFOS and Cd has been found to have significant positive effects. Specifically, selenium treatments can alleviate the adverse effects of PFOS and Cd on fish growth, with a 23.10% improvement observed with the addition of T6 compared to T4. In addition, selenium can alleviate the negative effects of PFOS and Cd on antioxidant enzymes in zebrafish liver, thus reducing the liver toxicity caused by PFOS and Cd. Overall, the supplementation of selenium can reduce the health risks to fish and mitigate the injuries caused by PFOS and Cd in zebrafish.

Physiological and biochemical responses of soft coral Sarcophyton trocheliophorum to doxycycline hydrochloride exposure.

In light of the rapid expansion of the marine aquaculture industry, there has been widespread and irregular usage of aquatic drugs to combat biological diseases, which significantly impact the neighboring aquatic ecosystems. This study delves into the impact of the antibiotic aquatic drug known as doxycycline hydrochloride (DOX) on offshore soft corals, providing valuable data for the responsible use and management of aquatic drugs. In this investigation, we subjected Sarcophyton trocheliophorum to acute exposure to varying concentrations of DOX (0, 1, 5, and 10 mg L-1). We meticulously assessed critical parameters and observed alterations in protein levels, superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, catalase (CAT) activity, lipid peroxidation (LPO), malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, Acid phosphatase (ACP) activity, alkaline phosphatase (AKP) activity, glutathione (GSH) concentration, glutathione S-transferase (GST) activity, glutathione Peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity, zooxanthellae density, and chlorophyll content. Our findings reveal that in the presence of DOX-induced environmental stress, there is a significant increase in LPO, MDA, chlorophyll, carotenoid levels, and the activities of ACP, GST, and GSH-Px in soft corals. Simultaneously, there is a noteworthy decrease in zooxanthellae density. Additionally, the protein concentration and SOD activity in soft corals experience substantial reduction when exposed to 5 mg L-1 DOX. Notably, CAT activity varies significantly in environments with 1 and 10 mg L-1 DOX. Moreover, these conditions exhibit a discernible influence on AKP activity, GSH content, and chlorophyll levels. These findings suggest that DOX exposure carries the potential for toxicity in aquaculture settings, affecting protein synthesis in soft corals and influencing oxidative stress, lipid peroxidation, immunity, and detoxification processes within these organisms. There is also a risk of compromising the coral defense system, potentially leading to coral bleaching. Furthermore, this study underscores the significant impact on photosynthesis, growth, and the metabolic dynamics of the coral-zooxanthellae symbiotic system. Consequently, our research offers vital insights into the mortality and bleaching effects of aquatic drugs on marine corals, offering a foundation for the prudent use and management of such substances.

Targeted therapy using nanocomposite delivery systems in cancer treatment: highlighting miR34a regulation for clinical applications.

The clinical application of microRNAs in modern therapeutics holds great promise to uncover molecular limitations and conquer the unbeatable castle of cancer metastasis. miRNAs play a decisive role that regulating gene expression at the post-transcription level while controlling both the stability and translation capacity of mRNAs. Specifically, miR34a is a master regulator of the tumor suppressor gene, cancer progression, stemness, and drug resistance at the cell level in p53-dependent and independent signaling. With changing, trends in nanotechnology, in particular with the revolution in the field of nanomedicine, nano drug delivery systems have emerged as a prominent strategy in clinical practices coupled with miR34a delivery. Recently, it has been observed that forced miR34a expression in human cancer cell lines and model organisms limits cell proliferation and metastasis by targeting several signaling cascades, with various studies endorsing that miR34a deregulation in cancer cells modulates apoptosis and thus requires targeted nano-delivery systems for cancer treatment. In this sense, the present review aims to provide an overview of the clinical applications of miR34a regulation in targeted therapy of cancer.

Phenolic composition of grape pomace and its metabolism.

Grape pomace is the most important residual after wine making, and it is considered to be a very abundant source for the extraction of a wide range of polyphenols. These polyphenols exhibit a variety of bioactivities, such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer. They are also beneficial in alleviating metabolic syndrome and regulating intestinal flora, etc. These health effects are most likely contributed by polyphenol metabolite, which are formed by the grape pomace phenolics after a complex metabolic process in vivo. Therefore, understanding the phenolic composition of grape pomace and its metabolism is the basis for an in-depth study of the biological activity of grape pomace polyphenols. In this paper, we first summarize the composition of phenolics in grape pomace, then review the recent studies on the metabolism of grape pomace phenolics, including changes in phenolics in the gastrointestinal tract, their pharmacokinetics in the systemic circulation, the tissue distribution of phenolic metabolites, and the beneficial effects of metabolites on intestinal health, and finally summarize the effects of human health status and dietary fiber on the metabolism of grape polyphenols. It is expected to provide help for the in-depth research on the metabolism and biological activity of grape pomace polyphenol extracts, and to provide theoretical support for the development and utilization of grape pomace.

Distribution, pollution, and human health risks of persistent and potentially toxic elements in the sediments around Hainan Island, China.

Human activities have changed the global concentration of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) and significantly altered the marine ecosystem. Little is known about the concentrations of these PTEs around Hainan Island in China, or their distribution and human health risks. Understanding the variability of PTEs in marine sediments and how they accumulate is important not only for biodiversity and ecological conservation, but also for management of aquatic natural resources and human health risk assessments. This study showed that the concentrations of six PTEs (Cd, Cu, Zn, As, Pb, and Hg), sampled in nine different cities, were linked to human activities. In order to understand the ecological risks associated with PTE pollution, we calculated the contamination factor (CF), enrichment factor (EF), pollution load index (PLI), and geo-accumulation index (Igeo) of each element in each city. These indicators suggest that the pollution of Cd and Zn in the sediments of these cities is higher than that of the other PTEs. We also carried out a human health risk assessment which demonstrated the carcinogenic effects of Zn on children and adults in ChengMai, while Pb showed non-carcinogenic effects at all the studied sites, suggesting that Zn pollution in the sediments of ChengMai may pose human health risks. We would therefore advise that follow-up studies endeavor to monitor the levels of PTEs in the flora and fauna of these cities.

Abdominal wall reconstruction using biosynthetic absorbable mesh in high-risk complex ventral hernia.

BACKGROUND: Biosynthetic mesh may represent an improvement on biological and large pore synthetic meshes for high-risk complex ventral hernia repair. This study aimed to evaluate the performance of polyglycolic acid (PGA):trimethylene carbonate (TMC) biosynthetic mesh for reinforcement of the midline fascial closure in a single-stage repair of complex ventral hernias in high-risk patients. METHODS: A retrospective review was undertaken for patients who underwent a planned open single-stage complex ventral hernia repair with a single unit of PGA:TMC biosynthetic mesh between May 2013 and August 2017. Data on outcome variables were recorded and quality of life assessed using the Short Form-12 (SF-12) instrument. RESULTS: Overall, 56 patients underwent abdominal wall reconstruction for complex ventral hernias. All meshes were placed in the retrorectus position. Some 39% underwent component separation. The majority of patients (86%, n = 48) had high risk (grade 2 or 3) hernias according to the Ventral Hernia Working Group classification. Overall hernia recurrence rate was 3.6% (n = 2). Postoperative surgical site infection occurred in 26.8% (n = 15). Median follow-up by clinical examination was 6 months (range 4–17). Median telephone follow-up was 21 months (range 4–54). Pre- and post-treatment SF-12 quality of life assessments demonstrated significant improvements in both the physical and mental components. CONCLUSION: This study reports a large series of abdominal wall reconstructions using biosynthetic mesh in complex ventral hernia. The findings indicate promising early outcome data associated with use of biosynthetic mesh. Larger well-controlled studies with longer follow-up are needed for confirmation of these findings.

Synthesis of 99mTc-labeled 2-Mercaptobenzimidazole as a novel radiotracer to diagnose tumor hypoxia.

Discovery of 99mTc-labeled imidazole derivatives as a potential radiotracer for hypoxic tumor imaging is considered to be of great interest because of non-invasive detection capabilities. 2-Mercaptobenzimidazole (2-MBI) was successfully synthesized, characterized and radiolabeled with [99mTc (CO)3(H2O)3]+ intermediate to form 99mTc-2-MBI complex with radiochemical purity of ≥95% yield as observed by instant-thin layer chromatography (ITLC) and radio-high performance liquid chromatography (radio-HPLC). The 99mTc-2-MBI complex was observed to be stable in saline and serum with no noticeable decomposition at room temperature and 37 °C, respectively, over a time period of 24 h. Biodistribution results in Balb/c mice bearing S180 tumor show that 99mTc-2-MBI highly internalized in tumor tissue, also possess preferably high tumor/muscle and tumor/blood ratios 4.14 ±â€¯0.77 and 3.91 ±â€¯0.63, respectively at 24 h incubation. Scintigraphic imaging study shows 99mTc-2-MBI is visibly accumulated in hypoxic tumor tissue, suggesting it would be a promising radiotracer for early stage diagnosis of tumor hypoxia.

Antioxidant and antiglycation activities of traditional plants and identification of bioactive compounds from extracts of Hordeum vulgare by LC-MS and GC-MS.

Glycation has been involved in Schiff base reaction lead to hyperglycemia at cellular level. The current study aimed to identify the bioactive compounds from selected folkloric plants for their antiglycation and antioxidant potential. Methanol extracts demonstrated the highest activities, therefore, it was further fractionated using n-hexane, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate, and methanol solvents to isolate the nonpolar compounds from the Hordeum vulgare. Moreover, n-hexane and dichloromethane fractions of H. vulgare demonstrated the best antioxidant (61.58% and 62.89%) and antiglycation activities (72.52% and 61.52%) at 2 mg/ml, respectively. Analytical techniques of LC-MS and GC-MS were employed for identification of bioactive compounds; Biochanin A in dichloromethane (DCM) and Vitamin E in n-hexane fractions. There was a strong correlation between antioxidant and antiglycation activities (r = 0.97 and r = 0.96) of DCM & n-hexane fractions of H. vulgare. Findings of this study established the role of Biochanin A and Vit E from H. vulgare as potent antiglycation agents. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: The results of this study confirmed the potential role of Black Barley has involved in the inhibition of protein glycation, which can be the potential treatment to reduce the complications of Diabetic Patients. The Black Barley has a rich source of identified compounds Biochanin A and Vitamin E. We can use this plant as a staple food in curing the severity of diabetes. The other practical approach is to use this plant as an ingredient of different food products. The extraction of identified bioactive compounds from the plant will be a good and cheap source of the treatment.

Role of sepiolite for cadmium (Cd) polluted soil restoration and spinach growth in wastewater irrigated agricultural soil.

Metals that contaminate soil are one of the major problems seriously affecting sustainable agriculture worldwide. Cadmium (Cd) toxicity to agricultural crops is a global problem. Mobility of Cd in contaminated soil can be minimized by the amendment of soil passivators which will ultimately reduce its movement from soil to plants. A pot study was performed to evaluate the impact of sepiolite from 1% to 5% on Cd solubility and its accumulation in spinach tissues. Soil pH, Cd fractionation, Cd accumulation in spinach tissue and Cd adsorption mechanism were determined. Results were recorded that soil pH was increased from 0.3 to 1.0 units with the increasing rate of sepiolite from 1% to 5%. Similarly, Cd contents in acid soluble phase was decreased by 42.8% and increased in residual phase by 35.8% at 5% rate, relative to control. Moreover, the significant reduction in Cd uptake by spinach shoots and roots was occurred by 26.2% and 30.6% at 5% rate, respectively. Furthermore, the maximum Cd adsorption capacity 37.35 mg g-1 was recorded at 5% rate relative to control. The analysis of FTIR, XRD and SEM also confirm the ability of sepiolite for Cd polluted soil restoration and thereby, reduces its phytoavailability in polluted soil to alleviate food security challenges.

Hydrogen sulfide enhances rice tolerance to nickel through the prevention of chloroplast damage and the improvement of nitrogen metabolism under excessive nickel.

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) modulates plant tolerance to abiotic stresses, but its regulatory effects on nitrogen metabolism and chloroplast protection under nickel (Ni) stress in crop plants remain elusive. Taking this into account, we investigated the potential roles of sodium hydrosulfide (NaHS), a H2S generator, in the improvement of growth performance of rice plants under Ni stress. Results showed that NaHS successfully reversed the adverse effects of Ni, as reflected in plant growth and biomass, and photosynthesis attributes including photosynthetic rates, stomatal conductance, transpiration rate, internal CO2 concentration and photosynthetic pigment contents. NaHS generated H2S plays a crucial role in controlling the photosynthetic machinery of rice as evidenced by the ultrastructure of chloroplast viewed under transmission electron microscope (TEM). The reduced content of Ni in roots and leaves of NaHS-supplemented Ni-stressed plants has revealed the restricted uptake and accumulation of Ni. A rescue of NaHS to the Ni-induced decline in nitrate (NO3-) content and the activities NO3- biosynthesizing enzymes nitrate reductase, nitrite reductase, glutamate synthase, glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase, glutamine synthetase, and glutamate pyruvate transaminase in leaves indicated a positive role of H2S on NO3- metabolism in rice under Ni stress. NaHS application also reverted Ni-mediated increases in ammonium (NH4+) content and glutamate dehydrogenase activity, implying H2S-induced alleviation of NH4+ toxicity. The regulatory effects of H2S on nitrogen metabolism was further confirmed by increased and decreased transcript abundance of NO3- and NH4+ metabolism associated genes, respectively. Our study suggests a decisive role of H2S in controlling Ni toxicity as elucidated by the novel findings such as enhanced gas exchanged parameters, Ni homeostasis and chloroplast protection. Moreover, this article highlights the significance of H2S in controlling chloroplast biogenesis and nitrogen metabolism in rice crop under Ni stress.

Effective Role of Biochar, Zeolite and Steel Slag on Leaching Behavior of Cd and Its Fractionations in Soil Column Study.

Remediation of cadmium (Cd) from contaminated soils is considered a complicated task of environmental safety. A column leaching experiment was planned to estimate the influence of biochar (BC), zeolite (ZE) and steel slag (SL) at 1.5% and 3% application rate on Cd leaching behavior and chemical fractionation in contaminated soil. A sequential extraction procedure, the European Community Bureau of Reference (BCR), Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure (TCLP) and NH4NO3 were performed after leaching was completed. The soluble portion of Cd was decreased by 36.3%, 18.4% and 28.7% and Cd contents in leachate were decreased by 44.8%, 30% and 31.3% after BC, ZE and SL addition at 3% rate, respectively over control soil. The greater reduction in TCLP extractable Cd was observed by 29.6% with BC and 22.4% with ZE and 25.7% with SL at 3% application rate. Overall, biochar can be considered an efficient soil amendment to reduce Cd leaching as well as increased its stabilization within soil profile.

Impact of different amendments on biochemical responses of sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) plants grown in lead-cadmium contaminated soil.

Soil co-contamination with lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) is a tenacious risk to crop production globally. The current experiment observed the roles of amendments [biochar (BC), slag (SL), and ferrous manganese ore (FMO)] for enhancing Pb and Cd tolerance in sesame (Sesamum indicum L.). Our results revealed that application of amendments significantly enhanced the nutrient level of sesame seedlings developed under extreme Pb and Cd conditions. The higher Pb and Cd-tolerance in sesame encouraged by amendments might be credited to its capability to restrict Pb and Cd uptake and decreased oxidative damage induced by Pb and Cd that is also demonstrated by lesser production of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), malondialdehyde (MDA), and reduced electrolyte leakage (EL) in plant biomass. The added amendments relieved Pb and Cd toxicity and improved photosynthetic pigments, soluble protein, and proline content. Not only this amendments also decreased the antioxidant bulk, such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD) and catalase (CAT) in sesame plants compared to control when exposed to Pb and Cd. Moreover, the added amendments = down-regulated the genes expression which regulate the SOD, POD, and CAT activity in sesame under Pb and Cd-stress. Furthermore, supplementation of amendments to the soil, reduced the bio accessibility (SBET), leachability (TCLP), and mobility (CaCl2) of Pb and Cd. Collectively, our findings conclude that the application of amendments enhanced sesame tolerance to Pb and Cd stress by restricting Pb and Cd accumulation, maintained photosynthetic presentation and dropped oxidative loss through enhanced antioxidant system, thus signifying amendments as an operational stress regulators in modifying Pb and Cd-toxicity that is highly important economically in all crops including sesame.

Effective Adsorption of Patulin from Apple Juice by Using Non-Cytotoxic Heat-Inactivated Cells and Spores of Alicyclobacillus Strains.

Patulin (PAT) is a major threat to many food products, especially apple and apple products, causing human health risks and economic losses. The aim of this study was to remove PAT from apple juice by using the heat-inactivated (HI) cells and spores of seven Alicyclobacillus strains under controlled conditions. The HI cells and spores of seven strains adsorbed PAT effectively, and the HI cells and spores of Alicyclobacillus acidocaldarius DSM 451 (A51) showed maximum PAT adsorption capacity of up to 12.621 µg/g by HI cells and 11.751 µg/g by HI spores at 30 °C and pH 4.0 for 24 h. Moreover, the PAT adsorption process followed the pseudo-first order kinetic model and the Freundlich isotherm model; thermodynamic parameters revealed that PAT adsorption is a spontaneous exothermic physisorption process. The results also indicated that PAT adsorption is strain-specific. The HI cells and spores of Alicyclobacillus strains are non-cytotoxic, and the bioadsorption of PAT did not affect the quality of the juice. Furthermore, the cell wall surface plays an important role in the adsorption process.

Comparative Effects of Biochar, Slag and Ferrous-Mn Ore on Lead and Cadmium Immobilization in Soil.

A variety of remediation approaches have been applied to the heavy metals-contaminated soils, however, the immobilization of metals in co-contaminated soils still not cleared. Therefore, an incubation study was conducted to evaluate the instantaneous effects of different concentrations of biochar (BC), slag (SL) and Fe-Mn ore (FMO) on immobilization of Pb and Cd through the Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure (TCLP) by following the the European Community Bureau of Reference (BCR), CaCl2 and NH4NO3. The sequential extraction of BCR showed decrease in acid soluble fractions, while the residual proportions of Pb and Cd were enhanced with increasing concentrations of SL and BC. Addition of BC significantly lowered the extractable fractions of both metals by TCLP, NH4NO3 and CaCl2 as compared to SL and FMO. Among all amendments, BC incorporation into co-contaminated soil offered promising results for Pb and Cd immobilization. Overall, all amendments showed positive and long-term impact on the reclamation of co-contaminated soil with heavy metals and could deserve advance monitoring studies on a field scale.

Nitric oxide induces rice tolerance to excessive nickel by regulating nickel uptake, reactive oxygen species detoxification and defense-related gene expression.

Soil contamination with nickel (Ni) is a persistent threat to crop production worldwide. The present study examined the putative roles of nitric oxide (NO) in improving Ni-tolerance in rice. Our findings showed that application of exogenous sodium nitroprusside (SNP), a NO donor, significantly improved the growth performance of rice seedlings when grown under excessive Ni. The enhanced Ni-tolerance of rice prompted by SNP could be ascribed to its ability to regulate Ni uptake, decrease Ni-induced oxidative stress as evidenced by reduced levels of hydrogen peroxide, malondialdehyde, and electrolyte leakage in Ni-stressed plants. The positive roles of NO against Ni-toxicity also reflected through its protective effects on photosynthetic pigments, soluble proteins and proline. SNP also boosted antioxidant capacity in Ni-stressed plants by maintaining increased levels of ascorbate, enhanced activities of ROS-detoxifying enzymes, particularly peroxidase (POD) and catalase (CAT) in both roots and shoots compared with Ni-stressed alone plants. Moreover, SNP treatment also upregulated the transcript levels of CAT, POD, ascorbate peroxidase, glutathione reductase and superoxide dismutase genes in shoots under Ni-stress. Using different sulfide compounds and NO scavenger cPTIO, we also provided evidence that NO, rather than other byproducts of SNP, contributed to the improved performance of rice seedlings under Ni-stress. Collectively, our results conclude that exogenous SNP-mediated modulation of endogenous NO enhanced rice tolerance to Ni-stress by restricting Ni accumulation, maintaining photosynthetic performance and reducing oxidative damage through improved antioxidant system, thereby suggesting NO as an effective stress regulator in mitigating Ni-toxicity in economically important rice, and perhaps in other crop plants.

Nickel stressed responses of rice in Ni subcellular distribution, antioxidant production, and osmolyte accumulation.

Nickel has been found a key pollutant in farmlands of central and south China, and understanding of Ni toxicity in rice is of great significance in safety production of rice and remediation of Ni polluted paddy soils. The present study aimed to investigate the uptake and subcellular distribution of Ni, antioxidant production, and osmolyte accumulation of rice (Oryza sativa L., cv. yangliangyou 6) plants exposed to excessive Ni concentrations to gain an insight into Ni-induced phytotoxicity. Results revealed that exposure of rice seedlings to high Ni concentrations resulted a decline in root and shoot lengths and fresh weight (FW) and dry weight (DW) of rice plants, which are in connection with the depletion of the contents of photosynthetic pigments. Measurement of Ni concentrations in the roots and shoots showed that Ni was mainly accumulated in roots followed by shoots. Moreover, Ni was mainly deposited in soluble fraction and cell wall, than cell organelle, which suggests that both compartments act as crucial defensive barriers against Ni toxicity in rice plants. Ni also induced its toxicity by damaging oxidative metabolism, as indicated by increased level of hydrogen peroxide and malondialdehyde content. Furthermore, Ni stress also showed a desynchronized antioxidant system by increasing the activities of catalase, peroxidase, and the contents of ascorbic acid and glutathione, whereas decreasing the activity of superoxide dismutase in the roots and shoots of rice plants. Ni stress also triggered the rate of proline accumulation and decreasing the contents of soluble protein and soluble sugar. In crux, our results suggests that excessive Ni inhibited rice growth and induced oxidative stress through inducing ROS formation, while stimulated enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants system appeared as adaptive mechanisms of rice plants against Ni-induced oxidative stress. Furthermore, majority of Ni was located in soluble fraction and modulation in osmolyte accumulation under Ni stress seemed to provide additional defense against oxidative stress.

Molecular diagnosis and phylogenetic analysis of human papillomavirus type-16 from suspected patients in Pakistan.

BACKGROUND: Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is well known pathogen that can cause benign and malignant tumors in humans, yet there is very little information regarding HPV types prevalent in Pakistan. METHODS: A total of 92 cervical secretions were collected from suspected married female patients and used for DNA isolation using a novel isolation method. The samples were tested through Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) using already reported primers MY09/MY11, GP5/GP6, GP5+/GP6+, CP65/CP70, CP66/CP69 and SPF1/SPF2 and with those developed in this study including HRT1 and HRT2 primer sets for typing HPV types and HACTB primer set for human beta actin gene as internal positive control. Sequencing and phylogenetic analyses were performed for two isolates to determine circulating HPV types. RESULTS: PCR with HRT1 and HRT2 indicated 2 (2.17 %) patients were positive for HPV type- 16 while 1 (1.08 %) with HPV type 18. Sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of isolates confirmed HPV type-16 in genus alpha 9 which have 99 % homology with already reported HPV from Japan and Costa Rica. CONCLUSION: This is the first report of HPV type-16 genus alpha 9 in Pakistan and the reported assay and sequence data will serve as valuable tools in further epidemiological studies for HPV surveillance to improve public health, especially of females in Pakistan.

Surgical handover in an era of reduced working hours: an audit of current practice.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the current practice of handover and to record trainees' assessment of handover process. STUDY DESIGN: An audit study. PLACE AND DURATION OF STUDY: Department of General Surgery, Scarborough General Hospital, Scarborough, United Kingdom, from January to April 2010. METHODOLOGY: A paper-based questionnaire containing instruments pertaining to handover guidelines was disseminated to trainees on surgical on-call rota at the hospital. Trainees' responses regarding handover process including information transferred, designated location, duration, structure, senior supervision, awareness of guidelines, formal training, and rating of current handover practice were analysed. RESULTS: A total of 42 questionnaires were returned (response rate = 100%). The trainees included were; registrars 21% (n=9), core surgical trainees 38 % (n=16), and foundation trainees 41% (n=17). Satisfactory compliance (> 80% handover sessions) to RCS guidelines was observed for only five out of nine components. Ninety-five percent of hand over sessions took place at a designated place and two-third lasted less than 20-minutes. Computer generated handover sheet 57% (n=24) was the most commonly practised method of handover. Specialist registrar 69 % (n=29) remained the supervising person in majority of handover sessions. None of the respondents received formal teaching or training in handover, whereas only half of them 48% (n=20) were aware of handover guidelines. Twenty-one percent of the trainees expressed dissatisfaction with the current practice of handover. CONCLUSION: Current practice of surgical handover lacks structure despite a fair degree of compliance to RCS handover guidelines. A computerised-sheet based structured handover process, subjected to regular audit, would ensure patient safety and continuity of care.