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We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to examine the protective effects of botulinum toxin-A (Botox-A) on spasticity and nociceptive pain in individuals with spinal cord injuries (SCIs). PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases were searched from inception to July 2023. The primary outcome of interest was spasticity and nociceptive pain. We pooled the available data using the generic inverse variance method, and we used a fixed-effect/random-effects model. We then calculated standardized mean difference (SMD) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) to estimate the effect size. A total of fourteen studies meeting the inclusion criteria comprised two randomized controlled trials, five pre-post studies, and seven case reports. Across the various study designs, the majority of trials were assessed to have fair to high quality. The meta-analysis shows that Botox-A significantly decreased spasticity (SMD, -1.73; 95% CI, -2.51 to -0.95; p

Introduction:Cheilanthes tenuifolia is an evergreen ornamental small fern, belonging to the family Pteridaceae, that grows in warm and rocky regions worldwide. Many species of Cheilanthes genus are evidently endowed with important phytochemicals and bioactivities. This study aimed to perform a preliminary phytochemical analysis of Cheilanthes tenuifolia leaves alongside an evaluation of free radical scavenging, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and clot lysis activities of extract fractions.Materials and methods: A preliminary phytochemical analysis was done after fractionation of ethanolic extract (ECT) with n-hexane (HCT) and chloroform (CCT). Then, 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging, egg albumin and RBC membrane stabilization tests, disc diffusion, and human blood clot lysis assays were performed.Results: Phytochemical investigations suggested that the plant is rich in alkaloids, glycosides, tannins, and flavonoids. All obtained fractions exhibited concentration-dependent radical scavenging, inhibition of egg protein denaturation and RBC membrane lysis capacities. Except for antifungal tests, ECT exhibited better DPPH radical scavenging, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and clot lysis capacities than HCT and CCT fractions. However, all fractions exhibited a mild anti-inflammatory activity.Conclusion:C. tenuifolia might be a good source of antioxidant, anti-microbial, and anti-atherothrombotic agents. Further studies are required to isolate and characterize the active principles liable for each bioactivity, along with possible molecular interactions.

Introduction: Lockdown measures in response to the COVID-19 pandemic had an appreciable impact on the education of all medical, dental and non-medical healthcare professional students. These included the closure of universities necessitating a rapid move to e-learning and a new practical approach to conducting teaching-learning classes. However, initially, there was a lack of knowledge and expertise regarding e-learning approaches and the affordability of internet bundles and equipment. Materials and Methods: We conducted two pilot studies to assess such current challenges, replaced by a two-stage approach including a full investigation involving 32 private and public universities during the early stages of the pandemic, followed by a later study assessing the current environment brought about by the forced tops. Results: The top challenges at the start of the pandemic included a lack of familiarity with the e-learning approaches, the cost of the internet, a lack of IT equipment and the quality of the classes. To address identified challenges, universities offered support to staff and students. Since then, e-learning approaches have widened the possibilities for teaching and learning at convenient times. However, challenges remain. Conclusions: There were considerable challenges at the start of the pandemic. Several key issues have been addressed with hybrid learning here to stay. The remaining challenges include a lack of ICT equipment. However, new innovations will continue.

Background: The rise of microbial illnesses caused by drug-resistant microflora is one of the most serious public health concerns, therefore identifying novel antimicrobial agents is crucial in combating multidrug-resistant bacterial strains. Methods: Present Investigation designated to assess the microbiological status of some naturally produced coal and coal mediated commercial products collected from Barapukuria Coal Mine Dinajpur and different retailer in Dhaka city, respectively through conventional cultural and biochemical tests. Moreover, the anti-bacterial potential of both categories of coal samples was also aimed to be checked by the agar well diffusion method and minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) assay. Results: Out of 10 samples, total viable bacteria was estimated at high range in all the samples excluding the charcoal. In case of specific bacteria, only Staphylococcus spp. was found in both types of samples while Klebsiella spp. was found in coal mediated commercial products. Both categories of samples showed their anti-bacterial activity with satisfactory range of zone diameter (9 mm–26 mm). However, the naturally produced coal was unable to show their anti-bacterial activity against Bacillus spp., Shigella spp. and Vibrio spp. through agar well diffusion methods. Meanwhile, the minimal concentration of all the samples was successfully quantified as MIC value at which the bacterial growth was retarded. In case of naturally produced coal, the lowest concentration 4 mg/ml was recorded for wooden coal powder against Escherichia coli while the maximum concentration was estimated at 34 mg/ml. Conversely, the MIC value was varied between 4 mg/ml to 24 mg/ml in case of coal mediated commercial products. Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that the naturally produced coal and coal-mediated products have excellent antibacterial characteristics which indicating their economic potential for treating various infectious disorders.

In a general COVID-19 population in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, we developed a medication recommendation system based on clinical information from the electronic medical record (EMR). Our goal was also to enable deep learning (DL) strategies to quickly assist physicians and COVID-19 patients by recommending necessary medications. The general demographic data, clinical symptoms, basic clinical tests, and drug information of 8953 patients were used to create a dataset. The learning model in this COVID-MED model was created using Keras (an open-source artificial neural network library) to solve regression problems. In this study, a sequential model was adopted. In order to improve the prediction capability and achieve global minima quickly and smoothly, the COVID-MED model incorporates an adaptive optimizer dubbed Adam. The model calculated a mean absolute error of 0.0037, a mean squared error of 0.000035, and a root mean squared error of 0.0059. The model predicts the output medications, such as injections or other oral medications, with around 99% accuracy. These findings show that medication can be predicted using information from the EMR. Similar models allow for patient-specific decision support to help prevent medication errors in diseases other than COVID-19.

Conventional boron nitride material is a resistant refractory compound of boron and nitrogen with various crystalline forms. The hexagonal form, which corresponds to graphite, is used as a lubricant and an additive to cosmetic products because of its higher stability and softness. Recently, various nanostructured boron nitride materials, including nanosheets, nanotubes, nanoparticles, and nanocomposites with diverse new properties, have been achieved through the development of advanced synthesis techniques as well as a deeper understanding of the properties and related applications. As nanostructured boron nitride materials exhibit high chemical, thermal and mechanical stability, the incorporation of nanostructured boron nitride materials into the key components (electrolytes, separators, and electrodes) of electrochemical systems can alleviate various inherent problems. This review article systematically summarizes the integration of nanostructured boron nitride into electrolytes, separators, and electrodes of lithium-ion, sodium-ion, and lithium-sulfur batteries. Various structures, synthesis methods, properties, and electrochemical performance of nanostructured boron nitride incorporated electrolytes, separators, and electrodes in rechargeable batteries are discussed. The challenges and possibilities for future application of boron nitride-based nanomaterials in electrochemical energy storage systems are also highlighted.

Abstract Dual‐graphite batteries (DGBs), being an all‐graphite‐electrode variation of dual‐ion batteries (DIBs), have attracted great attention in recent years as a possible low‐cost technology for stationary energy storage due to the utilization of inexpensive graphite as a positive electrode (cathode) material. However, DGBs suffer from a low specific energy limited by the capacity of both electrode materials. In this work, a composite of black phosphorus with carbon (BP‐C) is introduced as negative electrode (anode) material for DIB full‐cells for the first time. The electrochemical behavior of the graphite || BP‐C DIB cells is then discussed in the context of DGBs and DIBs using alloying anodes. Mechanistic studies confirm the staging behavior for anion storage in the graphite positive electrode and the formation of lithiated phosphorus alloys in the negative electrode. BP‐C containing full‐cells demonstrate promising electrochemical performance with specific energies of up to 319 Wh kg–1 (related to masses of both electrode active materials) or 155 Wh kg–1 (related to masses of electrode active materials and active salt), and high Coulombic efficiency. This work provides highly relevant insights for the development of advanced high‐energy and safe DIBs incorporating BP‐C and other high‐capacity alloying materials in their anodes.

One cannot claim solar panels to be recyclable, in a circular economy sense, until scientists find a way to harvest and repurpose their most valuable components, and silicon is one of them. The photovoltaic (PV) industry uses high‐quality silicon wafers for the fabrication of solar cells. PV recycled silicon, however, is not suitable for any application without further purification, as it contains various impurities. Herein, an advanced repurpose process of chemical etching combined ball milling is developed and optimized to produce high‐quality nanosilicon recovered from end‐of‐life PV panels and subsequent nanosilicon/graphite hybrid formation for the application in lithium‐ion batteries. The crucial feature of the hybrid's structure is that the obtained PV nanosilicon with various shapes and sizes is dispersed homogeneously and wrapped by graphitic matrix under ball milling, creating a superior electrode architecture. The PV nanosilicon/graphite anode consisting of 5 wt% nanosilicon exhibits promising electrochemical performance with a charge capacity of 426 mAh g−1 after 600 cycles, a capacity retention of 70%, a rate capability of 215 mAh g−1 at 5 C, and an average coulombic efficiency of ≈99.4%. By converting PV recycled silicon to exceptionally high‐value nanosilicon, the value of the recycled material is maximized.

We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to examine the protective effects of botulinum toxin-A (Botox-A) on spasticity and nociceptive pain in individuals with spinal cord injuries (SCIs). PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases were searched from inception to July 2023. The primary outcome of interest was spasticity and nociceptive pain. We pooled the available data using the generic inverse variance method, and we used a fixed-effect/random-effects model. We then calculated standardized mean difference (SMD) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) to estimate the effect size. A total of fourteen studies meeting the inclusion criteria comprised two randomized controlled trials, five pre-post studies, and seven case reports. Across the various study designs, the majority of trials were assessed to have fair to high quality. The meta-analysis shows that Botox-A significantly decreased spasticity (SMD, -1.73; 95% CI, -2.51 to -0.95; p<0.0001, I2=48%) and nociceptive pain (SMD, -1.79; 95% CI, -2.67 to -0.91; p<0.0001, I2=0%) in SCI patients. Furthermore, Botox-A intervention improved motor function, activities of daily living (ADL), and quality of life. Our study suggests that Botox-A may alleviate spasticity and nociceptive pain in SCI patients. Moreover, the observed improvements in motor function, ADL, and overall quality of life following Botox-A intervention underscore its pivotal role in enhancing patient outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thalassemia is the most prevalent single gene defect in human beings worldwide. Repeated blood transfusions along with chelation therapy are mainstay of treatment in thalassemia patients. However these recurrent blood transfusions result in iron overload which along with chelation therapy causes deterioration of liver function. Aim of the study was to evaluate the liver function tests in β-thalassemia major patients. This cross sectional study was conducted in the Department of Biochemistry, Dhaka Medical College, Dhaka, Bangladesh from January 2017 to December 2017. In this study, 50 diagnosed patients of β Thalassemia major (Group A) and 50 apparently healthy children (Group B) of both sexes were selected from the department of Paediatrics, Dhaka medical college. The study parameters were serum ferritin, bilirubin, AST, ALT, ALP. The results were compared statistically between groups. Serum ferritin level (mean±SD) in thalassemic major patients in Group A (890±446.38 microgram/L) which is significantly higher above normal level. Serum bilirubin in Group A (3.27±2.62 mg/dl) and in Group B (0.48±0.24 mg/dl), Serum ALT in Group A (53.06±34.0 U/L) and in Group B (16.70±4.81 U/L), AST in Group A (84.56±33.54 U/L) and in Group B (11.60±2.72 U/L) and ALP levels in Group A (422.42±226.99 IU/L) and in Group B (221.86±80.54 IU/L). All the values were significantly higher (p<0.001) in β-thalassemia patient than that of normal children. This study concludes that liver function parameters are significantly higher in β thalassemia major patients. So routine evaluation of liver function tests may be advocated for thalassemic patients to predict early onset of hepatic dysfunction.