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For the first time, critical review on E. acuminata R. Br. (Boraginaceae) is established. A glance over its botanical description, geographic distribution, subspecies classification and traditional uses revealed its application in medical and non-medical purposes by ethnic communities in Asia and Australia. Numerous classes of phytoconstituents have been screened and isolated from E. acuminata parts, including phenolics, alkaloids, terpenoids, glycosides, saponins, tannins, lignans, steroids, volatile oils, and fatty acid esters. Crude extracts prepared from different parts were acclaimed with considerable to significant performance in anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, antimicrobial, antiviral, analgesic effect, muscle relaxant, antispasmodic effects, hepatoprotective, wound healing, and photoprotective activities. However, no report linking these pharmacological activities with their isolated phytochemicals can be found which is required to authenticate its role in traditional medicine. Accordingly, the review provides a comprehensive and categorised overview towards current research of E. acuminata R. Br., their limitations, and possible perspectives for future research.

Background: Postoperative complications and extended length of stays (LOS) following lobectomy for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remain significant healthcare and economic burdens, especially in developing countries with limited resources. This study evaluated the effectiveness of enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocols in addressing these issues., Methods: This observational study compared two groups of patients, utilizing a prospective arm for ERAS and a retrospective arm for routine care. Outcomes measured included postoperative LOS, complications, re-operations, and re-admissions. Propensity score matching (PSM) was used to adjust for potential confounders between the two groups., Results: Among 197 NSCLC patients (98 in the ERAS group and 99 in the routine care group), the PSM resulted in 63 patients in each group. After PSM, the ERAS group experienced a significantly shorter postoperative LOS compared to the routine group (median: 4.6 vs. 5.1 days, P=0.01). There were no significant differences in postoperative complication and re-operative rates between the two groups. However, the ERAS group had a significantly lower postoperative 30-day re-admission rate of 1.6%, compared to 14.3% in the routine care group (P=0.02)., Conclusions: In NSCLC patients who underwent lobectomy, ERAS protocols improve postoperative outcomes by reducing LOS and re-admission rates. Therefore, ERAS should be considered a replacement for routine protocols in developing countries to minimize healthcare and economic burdens., Competing Interests: Conflicts of Interest: All authors have completed the ICMJE uniform disclosure form (available at https://jtd.amegroups.com/article/view/10.21037/jtd-24-1053/coif). The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare., (2024 AME Publishing Company. All rights reserved.)

Many initiatives have incorporated graphene oxide (GO) and biomass into aerogels for wastewater treatment. We report on the facile fabrication of a magnetic GO/Fe 3 O 4 /banana peel-derived cellulose (bio-cellulose) aerogel using an ultrasound-assisted mechanical mixing method and freeze-drying technique for the removal of tetracycline (TC). The component materials and composite aerogel were characterized using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), nitrogen adsorption-desorption analysis, and vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM). The effects of solution pH and adsorbent dose on the adsorption performance of the synthesized adsorbents were investigated. The adsorption behavior at the equilibrium of the GO/Fe 3 O 4 /bio-cellulose aerogel was studied and analyzed using four well-known non-linear models: Langmuir, Freundlich, Sips, and Temkin. The results showed that the experimental data fitted well with the Freundlich and Sips isotherm models. The maximum adsorption capacity achieved from the Sips model was 238.7 mg g -1 . The adsorption kinetics were studied and proved to follow the Elovich kinetic model with an initial rate of 0.89 g g -1 min -1 . These results confirm the favorable adsorption of TC on the heterogeneous surface that exhibits a wide range distribution of adsorption energies of the desired GO/Fe 3 O 4 /bio-cellulose aerogel. The experimental findings demonstrate that the aerogel possesses the notable features of environmental friendliness, cost-effectiveness, and comparatively high TC adsorption capacity. Therefore, utilizing biomass to develop the structure of the magnetic GO-based composite aerogel is significantly promising for antibiotic-containing wastewater treatments., Competing Interests: The authors declare that there are no competing interests that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

Infective native abdominal aortic aneurysms are a life-threatening condition with a high mortality rate. We report the case of a 53-year-old male patient who presented with abdominal pain and fever. Laboratory results showed an elevated white blood cell count and C-reactive protein levels. Blood cultures detected Salmonella species, and computed tomography revealed a saccular abdominal aortic aneurysm. After 14 days of preoperative antibiotic therapy, the patient underwent a successful surgical bypass from the descending thoracic aorta, through the diaphragm and muscle layers of the anterior abdominal wall, to the bilateral common femoral arteries. The patient was discharged after 30 days of hospitalization and continued antibiotic treatment for another 30 days. Follow-up clinical evaluations and imaging studies showed good recovery and no signs of infection. This case highlights the importance of combining appropriate antibiotic therapy with surgical intervention in managing infective native aortic aneurysms. In particular, an extra-anatomical approach from the descending aorta can be a viable option in selected cases of infected aortic aneurysms, providing an effective means to achieve thorough debridement and prevent future graft infections., Competing Interests: The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article., (© The Author(s) 2024.)

This paper reports on the in situ observation of phase transformation in an iron carbide nanocrystal encapsulated in a graphitic shell by means of high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM). A Fe 7 C 3 nanocrystal in orthorhombic (o-Fe 7 C 3 ) structure with carbon graphitic cover is captured at the initial time of the experiment. Under the projection of a high-energy electron beam (200kV), the graphitic carbon layer evaporates gradually and structural changes in orthorhombic (o-Fe 7 C 3 ) crystal manifests simultaneously. Specifically, changes in crystal direction happens first and then the crystal structure switching between orthorhombic and hexagonal (h-Fe 7 C 3 ) follows. Details analysis and conclusive evidences of the phase structure and transformation are presented and discussed. The appearance of o-Fe 7 C 3 structure is captured for about 92min over 100min of observation, indicating the preference of o-Fe 7 C 3 form over h-Fe 7 C 3 form., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)