Conversion of Waste Marble Powder into a Binding Material

In the marble industry, a lot of marble is wasted in the form of odd blocks of various sizes and slurry consisting of water and micro-fine particles. The slurry on drying converts into powder. Both slurry and powder have adverse effects on the environment. This research is focused on the gainful utilization of waste marble powder (WMP) by converting it into a valuable binding material. For this purpose, WMP and clay were collected, and their physical and chemical properties were determined. A mix of WMP and clay was prepared and burnt at a temperature around 1300 oC. The burnt mix was ground to powder form to get marble cement (MC). The MC was then used in mortar. The compressive and flexural strengths of mortar cubes and prisms were determined. Apart from this, X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA) and scanning electron microscopic (SEM) analysis were also carried out. The chemical composition showed that the MC has 52.5% di-calcium silicate (C2S) and 3.5% tri-calcium silicate (C3S).The  compressive strength of MC mortar after 28 days curing is 6.03 MPa, which is higher than M1 mortar of building code of Pakistan (5 MPa). The compressive strength of MC mortar after one year is 20.67 MPa, which is only 17% less than OPC mortar

Correlation of TP53 overexpression and clinical parameters with five-year survival in oral squamous cell carcinoma patients

Abstract Introduction TP53 mutation and overexpression have been correlated with poor survival in many cancers including oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). We aim to understand the role of TP53 overexpression in OSCC in our population and correlate it with five-year survival to test its viability as a prognostic marker for OSCC patients. Materials and methods Patients with biopsy proven OSCC at Aga Khan University Hospital from January 2000 to January 2008 were recruited. Immunohistochemistry was used to establish TP53 status and the results were published. Following up on these patients, five-year data were collected and correlated with TP53 status and other clinicopathologic parameters. Results Overexpression of TP53 was not significantly associated with five-year survival (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.543; 95% CI: 0.911-2.612; p = 0.107). Conclusion Although we had proven statistical relevance when correlated with overall survival in our previous study, we were unable to extend the same relevance to TP53 overexpression when it comes to five-year survival

Effects of a high-dose 24-h infusion of tranexamic acid on death and thromboembolic events in patients with acute gastrointestinal bleeding (HALT-IT): an international randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial

Background: Tranexamic acid reduces surgical bleeding and reduces death due to bleeding in patients with trauma. Meta-analyses of small trials show that tranexamic acid might decrease deaths from gastrointestinal bleeding. We aimed to assess the effects of tranexamic acid in patients with gastrointestinal bleeding. Methods: We did an international, multicentre, randomised, placebo-controlled trial in 164 hospitals in 15 countries. Patients were enrolled if the responsible clinician was uncertain whether to use tranexamic acid, were aged above the minimum age considered an adult in their country (either aged 16 years and older or aged 18 years and older), and had significant (defined as at risk of bleeding to death) upper or lower gastrointestinal bleeding. Patients were randomly assigned by selection of a numbered treatment pack from a box containing eight packs that were identical apart from the pack number. Patients received either a loading dose of 1 g tranexamic acid, which was added to 100 mL infusion bag of 0·9% sodium chloride and infused by slow intravenous injection over 10 min, followed by a maintenance dose of 3 g tranexamic acid added to 1 L of any isotonic intravenous solution and infused at 125 mg/h for 24 h, or placebo (sodium chloride 0·9%). Patients, caregivers, and those assessing outcomes were masked to allocation. The primary outcome was death due to bleeding within 5 days of randomisation; analysis excluded patients who received neither dose of the allocated treatment and those for whom outcome data on death were unavailable. This trial was registered with Current Controlled Trials, ISRCTN11225767, and ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT01658124. Findings: Between July 4, 2013, and June 21, 2019, we randomly allocated 12 009 patients to receive tranexamic acid (5994, 49·9%) or matching placebo (6015, 50·1%), of whom 11 952 (99·5%) received the first dose of the allocated treatment. Death due to bleeding within 5 days of randomisation occurred in 222 (4%) of 5956 patients in the tranexamic acid group and in 226 (4%) of 5981 patients in the placebo group (risk ratio [RR] 0·99, 95% CI 0·82–1·18). Arterial thromboembolic events (myocardial infarction or stroke) were similar in the tranexamic acid group and placebo group (42 [0·7%] of 5952 vs 46 [0·8%] of 5977; 0·92; 0·60 to 1·39). Venous thromboembolic events (deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism) were higher in tranexamic acid group than in the placebo group (48 [0·8%] of 5952 vs 26 [0·4%] of 5977; RR 1·85; 95% CI 1·15 to 2·98). Interpretation: We found that tranexamic acid did not reduce death from gastrointestinal bleeding. On the basis of our results, tranexamic acid should not be used for the treatment of gastrointestinal bleeding outside the context of a randomised trial

Comparison and evaluation of different seed extracts of Trachyspermum ammi for immunomodulatory effect on cell-mediated immunity through delayed-type hypersensitivity assay skin thickness method

Objective: The aim and objective of this study was to find the immunostimulant and immunomodulatory effect of T. ammi seed extracts. Methods: Seeds of T. ammi were extracted using three different solvents n-hexane, chloroform, and methanol by using soxhlet apparatus. To assess the immunomodulatory effect, delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) assay method was used and by the DTH assay, the effect of T. ammi on the skin thickness of rats was estimated. To find the exact dose for administration, acute toxicity test was performed using crude methanolic extract at a dose of 400, 800, 1600, and 3200mg/kg. After acute toxicity test, 500mg/kg dose was determined as safe for therapeutic effect and immunomodulatory effect was evaluated at this dose. Dose of 500mg/kg was administered to Wistar rats daily for 14 days and skin thickness of rats was measured at 24, 48, and 72h. Results: Results were obtained from six groups of rats, which were positive control group, negative control group, and the groups receiving the test drugs. Standard drug was the combination of sodium selenite, vitamin E, and sodium chloride and it showed more positive results as compared to that of test drug. Furthermore, among the three extracts, methanol extract showed more effectiveness on skin thickness. Conclusion: There was a meaningful difference was observed between the skin thickness of rats which shows that T. ammi have good immunomodulatory as well as immunostimulant activity

Investigating the feasibility of producing sustainable and compatible binder using marble waste, fly ash, and rice husk ash: A comprehensive research for material characteristics and production

This research aims to develop a new marble-based binding material for evaluating its strength blended with rise husk ash and fly ash. Newly developed marble-based cement was prepared by burning waste marble powder and clay. The marble cement was then blended separately with varying amounts of fly ash (20, 30, and 40% by mass of marble cement) and rice husk ash (20, 30, and 40% by mass of marble cement) to find the most suitable combination for mortar in terms of strength gain. The mortar specimens were subjected to various load tests, including compressive and flexural strength, and also to various morphology and microstructural tests including X-Ray diffraction, thermo-gravimetric, and scanning electron microscopy analyses. According to the results, the compressive strength of the marble cement mortar was less than ordinary Portland cement mortar but greater than the M1 mortar (5 MPa, minimum compressive strength of mortar for brick masonry) as per the Building Code of Pakistan 2007 (BCP:2007) and Indian Standards (IS:1905). Blended marble cement mortars displayed improved strengths, yet the early strength of blended mortars was lower than Portland cement mortar due to higher di-calcium silicate content and slow pozzolanic activity, but the later-age strength of mortar prepared with the marble cement blended with 30% rice husk ash was found marginally higher than the ordinary Portland cement mortar. Moreover, incorporating marble waste, rice husk ash, and fly ash as binding materials to manufacture building materials will encourage sustainable growth by reducing environmental issues associated with their disposal

Discordance between fine-needle aspiration cytology and histopathology in patients with mucoepidermoid carcinoma of parotid gland

Introduction: Fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) is an important diagnostic tool used preoperatively for the diagnosis of parotid lump. Mucoepidermoid carcinoma comprises 5-10% of all salivary gland tumours. It poses a diagnostic challenge on FNAC with high false negative rate. The objective of this study was to evaluate the discordance between cytology/FNAC and histopathology in patients with mucoepidermoid carcinoma.Material and methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from 1 January 2010 to 31 December 2014. Patients aged 18 years and above with FNAC or histopathology suggestive of mucoepidermoid carcinoma were identified. FNAC when compared with histology (gold standard) was classified into true positive (presence of mucoepidermoid carcinoma correctly diagnosed on FNAC), true negative (absence of mucoepidermoid carcinoma correctly diagnosed on FNAC), false positive (FNAC incorrectly diagnosed mucoepidermoid carcinoma), false negative (FNAC failed to diagnose mucoepidermoid carcinoma).Results: A total of 16 patients fulfilled our eligibility criteria. Seven cytological samples were true positive (ie correctly diagnosed mucoepidermoid carcinoma by FNAC), eight cytological specimens were false negative (ie could not pick up mucoepidermoid carcinoma on FNAC). One case was false positive on cytology (ie diagnosed mucoepidermoid carcinoma on FNAC but was reported to be Warthin\u27s tumour on histopathology) and none were true negative.Conclusion: FNAC is not reliable for diagnosis of mucoepidermoid carcinoma. More than 50% of our patients had discordant results between cytology and histology. We recommend a high index of suspicion for mucoepidermoid carcinoma given the poor yield of cytology

The impact of aging-induced gut microbiome dysbiosis on dendritic cells and lung diseases

ABSTRACTAging is an inevitable natural process that impacts every individual, and understanding its effect on the gut microbiome and dendritic cell (DC) functionality in elderly subjects is crucial. DCs are vital antigen-presenting cells (APCs) that orchestrate the immune response, maintaining immune tolerance to self-antigens and bridging innate and adaptive immunity. With aging, there is a shift toward nonspecific innate immunity, resulting in a decline in adaptive immune responses. This alteration raises significant concerns about managing the health of an elderly population. However, the precise impact of aging and microbiome changes on DC function and their implications in lung-associated diseases remain relatively understudied. To illuminate this subject, we will discuss recent advancements in understanding the connections between aging, gut dysbiosis, DCs, and lung diseases. Emphasizing the key concepts linking age-related gut microbiome changes and DC functions, we will focus on their relevance to overall health and immune response in elderly individuals. This article aims to improve our understanding of the intricate relationship between aging, gut microbiome, and DCs, potentially benefiting the management of age-associated diseases and promoting healthy aging

Anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects of trachyspermum ammi seed extract and Its GC-MS analysis

Introduction: Since ancient times Trachyspermum ammi was utilized for its anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects in traditional medicine system. Objectives: Present study aimed to evaluate the anti-inflammatory and analgesic effect and characterization of chemical composition seed extract of T. ammi through GC-MS. Material and Methods: Seed extracts were prepared through soxhlet extraction using n-hexane, chloroform and methanol as solvents. Gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GCMS) analysis was performed by derivatized sample of T. ammi extract. Acute toxicity test performed at dose of 400mg/kg, 800mg/kg, 1600mg/kg and 3200mg/kg. Two different strengths (minimum therapeutic dose 500mg/ kg and maximum therapeutic dose1000mg/kg) were given to Wistar rats to measure anti-inflammatory and analgesic activity. Results: Results from analgesic and antiinflammatory activity demonstrate that in both activities standard drug (tramadol) have more analgesic (percentage of analgesia 26.08%) and regarding anti-inflammatory effect diclofenac sodium (percentage of inhibition of paw edema 29.68%) more effective as compared to test drug. When efficacy of all extracts compared with each other n-hexane extract showed more percentage of inhibition (percentage analgesia 20.69% and percentage inhibition of paw edema 22.21%) at maximum effective dose 1000mg/kg. In order to find out significance difference among groups ANOVA test was used at 95% significant level. A number of different bioactive compounds were identified through GC-MS analysis. Conclusion: Results showed that T. ammi seed extracts have anti-inflammatory and analgesic activity potentiating in neurotransmission of GABA and repression of receptor of glutamate along with suppression of nitric oxide (NO) pathway. Phenolic compounds present in seeds may responsible for anti-inflammatory activity