ZnO-based heterojunction catalysts for the photocatalytic degradation of methyl orange dye.

In this study, a variety of ZnO-based heterojunctions with disparate wt.% doping of WO3 and BiOI have been prepared for the photodestruction of methyl orange (MO) dye in aqueous solution. The composites were analysed by scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, optical studies, and nitrogen adsorption-desorption isotherms. The SEM images revealed non-uniform surfaces of the ZnO-BiOI based composites while mostly nodular morphology was observed for all three samples of ZnO-WO3. As the WO3 loading increased, more clustering was detected. The analysed samples exhibited characteristic peaks representative of the triclinic phase of WO3 and the hexagonal wurtzite structure of ZnO, while the diffractogram observed from the materials displayed distinct peaks corresponding to the crystalline phases of both BiOI and ZnO in their pure forms. Further evidence of the samples' characteristics includes the presence of distinct crystalline patterns without any impurity peaks, a red shift in the absorption spectra of the heterostructure, the detection of only the reference elements, and mostly Type IV isotherm adsorption. This study identified the ZnO-[10%]BiOI and ZnO-[10%]WO3 heterojunctions as the best performing photocatalysts, as MO was completely destroyed in 120 and 90 min, respectively. Thus, confirming 10% wt. as the optimal doping concentration for the best photo-activity in this study. The impact of varying process parameters demonstrates that at an elevated photocatalyst mass of 40 mg, both heterojunctions effectively degraded MO. The photodegradation efficiency of MO was more pronounced in strong acidic conditions (pH 2) when compared to high alkaline conditions (pH 11) for the ZnO-[10%]BiOI heterostructure. However, a decrease in performance was observed for both strong acidic and high alkaline pH values when the ZnO-[10%]WO3 heterostructure was applied. The kinetic analysis of the photodegradation study reveals that all the photodegradation experiments can be represented by the pseudo-first-order kinetic model. The findings from this investigation propose that the ZnO-[10%]BiOI heterojunction photocatalyst holds significant potential for the effective treatment of dye-contaminated wastewater.

Cucumeropsis mannii seed oil protects against Bisphenol A-induced testicular mitochondrial damages.

There has been increasing search for the ameliorative properties of seed oils against toxicants. bisphenol A acts as an estrogenic endocrine-disrupting chemical capable of causing male infertility. This study aimed to explore Cucumeropsis mannii seed oil effects against mitochondrial damage in rats using bisphenol A. Forty-eight rats were randomly assigned to six groups (n = 6) of eight rats each and fed the same food and water for 6 weeks. The group A rats were given 1 mL olive oil, while the ones in group B were given bisphenol A at 100 mL/kg body weight via oral route. Group C received C. mannii seed oil 7.5 mL/kg body weight C. mannii seed oil, while group D, group E, and group F were pre-administered bisphenol A at 100 mL/kg body weight, followed by treatment with C. mannii seed oil at 7.5, 5, and 2.5 mL/kg body weight, respectively. Antioxidant enzymes, glutathione, reactive oxygen species, testicular volume, malondialdehyde, body weight, and testicular studies were done using standard methods. The results of the bisphenol A-administered group showed a significant decrease in the antioxidant enzymes, glutathione, body weight, and testicular volume with elevation in the levels of reactive oxygen species, malondialdehyde, and testicular indices. BPA + CMSO-treated group showed a significant increase in GPx activity compared with BPA-exposed rats. CMSO treatment significantly increased catalase activity in comparison with that of rats exposed to BPA. Remarkably, C. mannii seed oil and bisphenol A co-administration significantly reversed the abnormalities observed in the dysregulated biochemical biomarkers. Our findings suggest that C. mannii seed oil has considerable antioxidant potential which can be explored in therapeutic development against systemic toxicity induced by exposure to bisphenol A. Cucumeropsis mannii seed oil protects against bisphenol A-induced testicular mitochondria damages.

COVID-19 and its impact on genitourinary malignancies.

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 has emerged as an alarming disease since December 2019, claiming the lives of thousands across the world to date. This pandemic has burdened healthcare systems all over the world due to its heavy death toll. Researchers are actively working on effective treatment strategies, the scope of vaccination and the production of more medical equipment to tackle this crisis. However, it is important to note that the management of patients with malignancy also needs to be prioritized during such times. Some urological malignancies need early diagnosis and treatment while the diagnosis and treatment of several others can be safely delayed. Hence, we searched MEDLINE for evidence on the optimal management of urological cancers during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. Studies published from December 2019 to April 2020 were included in the review. Guidelines formulated by international and national urological societies were also included. This review aims to summarize the present evidence on effective triage and safe management of urological cancers amid COVID-19 pandemic to ensure efficient usage of healthcare resources during these unprecedented times.

Surface-modified mucoadhesive microparticles as a controlled release system for oral delivery of insulin.

To overcome barriers and improve oral bioavailability of insulin delivery has been a mirage to formulation scientists due to instability of the insulin after oral administration. Microparticle (MP) composed of chitosan and snail mucin was prepared via double emulsion method for oral delivery of insulin. Microparticles were characterized by differential scanning calorimetry, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The encapsulation efficiency (EE) of the insulin-loaded MPs were evaluated. Insulin release behavior was evaluated in acidic and phosphate buffer (pH 1.2 and 7.4) at 37 °C. Bioactivities of insulin-loaded MPs were evaluated in a diabetic animal model after oral administration. The insulin-loaded MPs showed irregular shape with a zeta potential (>29 mV). The encapsulation efficiency and drug loading were >75 and 28 %, respectively. The in vitro release shows >80 % release of insulin over 12 h in a sustained manner. The insulin-MPs significantly reduced blood glucose levels (>50 %) compared to positive control and the effect lasted for over 8 h. This study suggests that insulin-MPs as prepared would be potential carriers for oral delivery of insulin.

A safe technique of finger-guided biopsy of the prostate.

Prostatic biopsy is the gold standard of diagnosis of prostatic cancer. In the era of transrectal ultrasound-guided biopsy of the prostate, finger-guided prostatic biopsy still has a role in underdeveloped and developing countries. We describe a safer technique of performing a finger-guided prostatic biopsy.

Synchronous double malignancy of lip and submandibular salivary gland with rare histology.

In the modern era, there is an increase in the incidence of double malignancies owing to the remarkable improvement in cancer diagnostics and patient survival. Double malignancies can be either synchronous or metachronous. Synchronous double malignancy can present either at the same time or within 6 months of diagnosis of the first one. We present a case of double malignancy of lip and submandibular salivary gland, diagnosed in a 55-year-old male, who presented with ulceroproliferative lesion of the upper lip and a hard swelling in the right submandibular gland. The tissue diagnosis was suggestive of squamous cell carcinoma of the lip and mucoepidermoid carcinoma of the submandibular gland. The patient underwent successful wide local excision of the lip and submandibular gland along with prophylactic supraomohyoid neck dissection. This case is reported for the rarity in site and histopathology of double malignancy.

Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Breast Mimicking Chronic Breast Abscess.

Primary squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the breast is an exceedingly rare malignancy, and there are no clear management protocols for SCC of the breast. We report a 45-year-old female patient who presented with the recurrent breast abscess and a large fungating SCC of the breast with fixed ipsilateral axillary nodes. She was offered modified radical mastectomy. During the follow-up visits, she was observed to have developed multiple vertebral metastases. She had palliative chemotherapy. However, the patient succumbed to the disease within 6 months of the diagnosis.

Brachial plexopathy in carcinoma of the prostate: An uncommon presentation of a common malignancy.

Neurological presentation is rare in carcinoma prostate. Brachial plexopathy as the only manifestation of carcinoma prostate is very rare and has not been previously reported. We report an 88-year-old man who presented with new-onset paralysis of the right hand. Digital rectal examination revealed a hard, enlarged prostate and biopsy revealed adenocarcinoma of the prostate with a Gleason score of 7 (4 + 3) with perineural invasion. Computed tomography of the neck showed osteoblastic secondaries involving C6, C7, and T1 vertebrae with a paravertebral soft-tissue mass involving the right foramina of C6, C7, and T1 vertebra. The patient succumbed to the disease despite complete androgen blockade.

Ascaridial Volvulus: An Uncommon Cause of Ileal Perforation.

Ascariasis is a common worm infestation in developing and under-developed countries. It is caused by the ingestion of food contaminated with Ascaris eggs from faeces and is more common in places with poor sanitation. Almost 25% of the world population is infested by Ascaris lumbricoides. Although ascariasis is a chronic disease, it can present as acute abdomen rarely. The wandering nature of Ascaris in and out of the bowel causes various abdominal complications such as intestinal obstruction, perforation, biliary ascariasis, pancreatic ascariasis, liver abscess, appendicitis, and Meckel's diverticulitis. Intestinal obstruction is the most common complication seen in children and is usually due to mechanical bowel obstruction, volvulus or intussusception. Mechanical obstruction by a bolus of worms is the most common cause of bowel obstruction. Perforation of bowel is rarely reported and it usually occurs in the diseased segment of bowel or following trauma. Perforation of an ileal volvulus secondary to ascariasis has been reported rarely. We present a 4-year-old boy who presented to the emergency room with features of bowel perforation and sepsis, after unsuccessful management for intestinal obstruction in another hospital. On laparotomy, the small bowel was teaming with Ascaris worms. Ileum showed a volvulus with closed loop obstruction and perforation. Peritoneal lavage with resection and ileostomy was done, which was closed at a later date. Anti-helminthic agents were started postoperatively and the boy recovered uneventfully.

Meckel's Diverticulitis Masquerading as Acute Pancreatitis: A Diagnostic Dilemma.

Meckel's diverticulum is a remnant of the proximal part of the vitellointestinal duct and is the most common congenital anomaly of the gastrointestinal tract. It may either remain asymptomatic or present with myriad of clinical presentations. Gastrointestinal bleeding is the most common presentation in children whereas it is intestinal obstruction in the case of adults. We report a 9-year-old boy who presented with acute onset of periumbilical pain and nonbilious vomiting. His clinical and laboratory parameters were unremarkable, except for serum amylase levels. He was conservatively managed initially as acute pancreatitis with paralytic ileus. However, the child deteriorated in a course of 2 days with bilious vomiting, abdominal distension, and dehydration. Imaging was suggestive of an ileoileal intussusception, and exploratory laparotomy identified Meckel's diverticulum as the lead point for the intussusception. The histopathological examination revealed inflamed heterotopic pancreatic tissue at the apex of the diverticulum thus explaining the elevated amylase levels. This case is reported to highlight the atypical presentation of Meckel's diverticulum and the high clinical suspicion warranted in diagnosing such concomitant intussusception.

Rare Presentation of Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia in a Sexagenarian.

Congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) usually presents in the neonatal period, and about 10% of reported cases occur in adults. The most common type is Bochdalek's hernia, which occurs through a defect in the posterolateral portion of the diaphragm with an estimated prevalence of 1 in 2500 live births. CDH in adults presents with gastrointestinal or respiratory symptoms, which can be acute or intermittent. We report a case of CDH diagnosed in a 55-year-old man, who presented with acute onset of chest pain and dyspnea with insignificant past history. This patient was initially evaluated medically for myocardial infarction followed by intercostal chest drainage placement, before a definitive diagnosis of CDH was made. This case is reported for its rarity and to highlight the high index of suspicion needed to diagnose CDH in adulthood. This is specially important as CDH, masquerades as other acute conditions in older individuals thereby delaying the diagnosis.

Cell proliferation in the cochlear nucleus following acoustic trauma in rat.

Our previous studies have suggested that surgical lesions of the rat cochlea induce cell proliferation in the cochlear nucleus (CN) that may be related to neurogenesis. The aim of the present study was to further investigate the nature of cell proliferation in the CN, following acoustic trauma that has previously been shown to induce tinnitus in rats. Rats were subjected either to a unilateral acoustic trauma (16-kHz pure tone, 115dB for 1h under anesthesia) or a sham procedure. Bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) immunohistochemistry was used to measure cell proliferation and newborn cell survival; an antibody to interleukin-6 was used to investigate inflammatory responses; and double immunolabeling for BrdU and Ki-67, BrdU and CD-11b, and BrdU and doublecortin (DCX), was used to investigate the origin of the proliferating cells. There was a time-dependent increase in the number of BrdU(+ve) cells in the CN following acoustic trauma; however, the number of BrdU(+ve) cells that survived was comparable to that of control animals at 4 weeks post-trauma. Cell proliferation was unlikely to be due to proliferating inflammatory cells as a result of a trauma-induced inflammatory response as the IL-6 expression level was comparable between sham and exposed groups. Immunolabeling revealed the BrdU(+ve) cells to co-express Ki-67 and DCX, but not CD-11b. However, there was no difference in DCX expression between sham and exposed animals. The results suggest that DCX-expressing cells in the CN may proliferate in response to acoustic trauma; however, the proportion of cells proliferating and the survival rate of the newborn cells may not support functional neurogenesis in the CN.

Handedness enantioselection of carbon nanotubes using helical assemblies of flavin mononucleotide.

In order to truly unlock advanced applications of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs), one needs to separate them according to both chirality and handedness. Here we show that the chiral D-ribityl phosphate chain of flavin mononucleotide (FMN) induces a right-handed helix that enriches the left-handed SWNTs for all suspended (n,m) species. Such enantioselectivity stems from the sp(3) hybridization of the N atom anchoring the sugar moiety to the flavin ring. This produces two FMN conformations (syn and anti) analogous to DNA. Electrostatic interactions between the neighboring uracil moiety and the 2'-OH group of the side chain provide greater stability to the anti-FMN conformation that leads to a right-handed FMN helix. The right-handed twist that the FMN helix imposes to the underlying nanotube, similar to "Indian burn", causes diameter dilation of only the left-handed SWNTs, whose improved intermolecular interactions with the overlaying FMN helix, impart enantioselection.

The effects of chronic tinnitus caused by acoustic trauma on social behaviour and anxiety in rats.

Tinnitus is associated with significant increases in anxiety disorders in humans, which is thought to affect social interaction; however, there has been only one previous study of the effects of tinnitus on social interaction in animals treated with salicylate and no previous study of the effects of tinnitus on anxiety in animals. In the present study, we used acoustic trauma to induce tinnitus in rats and investigated its effects on social interaction and anxiety in animals confirmed to have tinnitus. When social behaviours were grouped, we found that animals with tinnitus engaged in significantly more aggressive behaviours toward both tinnitus and sham control animals (P=0.03). When individual social behaviours were analysed without considering whether a tinnitus or sham animal was interacting with a member of its own treatment group, tinnitus animals were found to engage in significantly more anogenital investigation (P=0.01) and significantly less social grooming (P=0.003). When the data were analysed according to whether an animal was interacting with a member of its own group, tinnitus animals were found to bite sham animals significantly more than other tinnitus animals (P=0.005). Sham animals also bit tinnitus animals significantly more than other sham animals (P=0.02), as well as climbing away from them more (P=0.04), kicking (P=0.003), nudging them more (P=0.04), and sleeping with them more (P=0.02). By contrast, sham animals sniffed tinnitus animals significantly less than sham animals (P=0.05). There were no significant differences between the sham and tinnitus animals in performance in the elevated plus and elevated T maze tests of anxiety. However, tinnitus animals displayed a slight but significant increase in locomotor activity in the open field (P=0.04). These data suggest that tinnitus results in complex changes in social interaction in rats, which are not due simply to increases in anxiety.

The effects of acoustic trauma that can cause tinnitus on spatial performance in rats.

Previous studies have shown that acoustic trauma can disrupt the firing of place cells in the hippocampus and also inhibit hippocampal neurogenesis, suggesting that such trauma might impair spatial memory. In this study, we investigated performance in the alternating T maze and Morris water maze of rats exposed to acoustic trauma (16 kHz, 110 dB SPL pure tone for 1 h), who had elevated auditory brainstem response thresholds and the psychophysical attributes of tinnitus (using a conditioned lick suppression task). To our surprise, we found that rats with tinnitus did not perform significantly differently from sham control animals in either the alternating T maze task or any aspect of the reference or working memory versions of the Morris water maze task except for a faster acquisition in T maze alternation. These results suggest that acoustic trauma and tinnitus may not impair spatial memory in rats.

Acoustic trauma that can cause tinnitus impairs impulsive control but not performance accuracy in the 5-choice serial reaction time task in rats.

Although tinnitus is an auditory disorder, it is often associated with attentional and emotional problems. Functional neuroimaging studies in humans have revealed that the hippocampus, amygdala and anterior cingulate, areas of the brain involved in emotion, attention and spatial processing, are also involved in auditory memory and tinnitus perception. However, few studies of tinnitus-evoked emotional and cognitive changes have been reported using animal models of tinnitus. In the present study, we investigated whether acoustic trauma that could cause tinnitus would affect attention and impulsivity in rats. Eight male Wistar rats were exposed to unilateral acoustic trauma (110 dB, 16 kHz for 1 h under anaesthesia) and eight rats underwent the same anaesthesia without acoustic trauma. Tinnitus was tested in noise-exposed rats using a frequency-specific shift in a discrimination function with a conditioned lick suppression paradigm. At 4 months after the noise exposure, the rats were tested in a 5-choice serial reaction time task. The behavioural procedure involved training the rats to discriminate a brief visual stimulus presented randomly in one of the five spatial locations and responding by poking its nose through the illuminated hole and collecting a food pellet from the magazine. While all of the animals performed equally well in making correct responses, the animals exposed to acoustic trauma made significantly more premature responses. The results suggest that rats exposed to acoustic trauma and some of which have chronic tinnitus are impaired in impulsive control, but not performance accuracy.

Potential involvement of NOS and arginase in age-related behavioural impairments.

The present study investigated age-related changes in nitric oxide synthase (NOS) and arginase, which shares a substrate with NOS, in the hippocampus and parahippocampal region and the relationship between NOS/arginase and age-associated behavioural impairments. Aged rats (24 months old) displayed reduced exploratory activity, enhanced anxiety, poorer spatial learning and memory, and impaired object recognition memory relative to the young adults (4 months old). There were significant increases in total NOS activity in the aged hippocampus and perirhinal, postrhinal and temporal cortices and a dramatic decrease in endothelial NOS expression in the aged postrhinal cortex. Activity and protein expression of inducible NOS were not detected in any region from either group and a significant increase in total arginase activity was found in the aged perirhinal cortex. Multiple regression analysis revealed significant correlations between NOS/arginase and behavioural measures in both groups. The present findings provide further support for a contribution of nitric oxide to the normal aging process and suggest a potential involvement of arginase in aging and learning and memory.

Unusual 2-aminopurine fluorescence from a complex of DNA and the EcoKI methyltransferase.

The methyltransferase, M.EcoKI, recognizes the DNA sequence 5'-AACNNNNNNGTGC-3' and methylates adenine at the underlined positions. DNA methylation has been shown by crystallography to occur via a base flipping mechanism and is believed to be a general mechanism for all methyltransferases. If no structure is available, the fluorescence of 2-aminopurine is often used as a signal for base flipping as it shows enhanced fluorescence when its environment is perturbed. We find that 2-aminopurine gives enhanced fluorescence emission not only when it is placed at the M.EcoKI methylation sites but also at a location adjacent to the target adenine. Thus it appears that 2-aminopurine fluorescence intensity is not a clear indicator of base flipping but is a more general measure of DNA distortion. Upon addition of the cofactor S-adenosyl-methionine to the M.EcoKI:DNA complex, the 2-aminopurine fluorescence changes to that of a new species showing excitation at 345 nm and emission at 450 nm. This change requires a fully active enzyme, the correct cofactor and the 2-aminopurine located at the methylation site. However, the new fluorescent species is not a covalently modified form of 2-aminopurine and we suggest that it represents a hitherto undetected physicochemical form of 2-aminopurine.

Age-related changes in nitric oxide synthase and arginase in the rat prefrontal cortex.

Increasing evidence suggests that nitric oxide (NO), generated by nitric oxide synthase (NOS) from l-arginine, plays an important role in the ageing process. The present study, for the first time, investigates age-related changes in NOS and arginase, an enzyme that shares a common substrate with NOS, in the prefrontal cortex of rats assessed with and without prior behavioural testing. A significant increase in total NOS activity was found in the prefrontal cortex in aged (24-month-old) as compared with young (4-month-old) rats. Western blotting revealed that there were no significant differences between young and aged rats in neuronal NOS (nNOS) and endothelial NOS (eNOS) protein expression. Inducible isoform of NOS (iNOS), in terms of activity and protein expression, was not detected in either group. Total arginase activity and arginase I and II protein expression did not differ between the young and aged groups. The present findings support the contribution of NOS/NO to ageing but question the importance of iNOS in the normal ageing process.

Structures of Na0.74WO3.

The structures of the four phases exhibited by Na(0.74)WO(3), sodium tungstate, with a change in temperature have been refined from powder diffraction patterns obtained on the high-resolution powder diffractometer (HRPD), ISIS, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, England. At temperatures above 430 K, the stable phase has the ideal perovskite structure, with space group Pm3;m (No. 221). Below that temperature, the octahedra are tilted about pseudocubic <100> directions; the tilts are produced by the condensation of the normal modes of vibration of the octahedra in the high-temperature cubic phase. Using Glazer's notation, the tilt system undergoes the following sequence: a+a+a+ (293K)-->a+a+a0(343K)-->a0a0a+(430K)-->a0a0a0. The structural refinements presented here confirm the sequence of the transitions first proposed by Clarke [(1977). Phys. Rev. Lett. 39, 1550-1553]. This is the first time that a structure determination of a perovskite with the tilt system a+a+a0 has been reported in the literature. In addition, we evaluate the weights, or importance, of the condensed modes in each low-temperature phase.