Hepatitis B virus total core antibody status in unvaccinated general population in a community of Bangladesh

Background: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection poses a significant health challenge in Bangladesh, with the hepatitis B core antibody (anti-HBc) being a crucial marker due to its lifelong presence in the bloodstream. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of anti-HBc (total) positivity among unvaccinated adults in Northeastern Bangladesh. Methods: This cross-sectional observational study was conducted in the Sobhanighat area of Sylhet, Bangladesh, in collaboration with the department of gastroenterology, Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College, from November 2022 to August 2023. A total of 216 participants were selected using consecutive sampling. HBsAg, anti-HBs, and anti-HBc (total) were tested for all subjects, and data were collected using a pre-formed questionnaire and analyzed using statistical package for the social sciences (SPSS) version 24. Results: Among the participants, 16 (7.4%) tested positive for anti-HBc (total), while HBsAg was positive in 6 (2.77%) individuals. Anti-HBs was detectable in 23 (10.6%) participants, with 3 (1.38%) showing isolated anti-HBc positivity. Notably, 20% of HBsAg-positive cases exhibited heterotypic anti-HBs. Moreover, 56.25% of respondents with anti-HBc (total) positivity had detectable anti-HBs (p<0.001). Gender did not show significant associations with HBsAg, anti-HBc (total), anti-HBs, or isolated anti-HBc (p>0.05). Conclusions: The study underscores a notable prevalence of anti-HBc (total) positivity among unvaccinated individuals in Bangladesh, indicative of past HBV exposure. It underscores the necessity for enhanced vaccination coverage and robust infection control measures to mitigate HBV transmission in this demographic

Capturing and monitoring global differences in untreated and treated end-stage kidney disease, kidney replacement therapy modality, and outcomes

A large gap between the number of people with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) who received kidney replacement therapy (KRT) and those who needed it has been recently identified, and it is estimated that approximately one-half to three-quarters of all people with ESKD in the world may have died prematurely because they could not receive KRT. This estimate is aligned with a previous report that estimated that >3 million people in the world died each year because they could not access KRT. This review discusses the reasons for the differences in treated and untreated ESKD and KRT modalities and outcomes and presents strategies to close the global KRT gap by establishing robust health information systems to guide resource allocation to areas of need, inform KRT service planning, enable policy development, and monitor KRT health outcomes

Increasing access to integrated ESKD care as part of Universal Health Coverage

The global nephrology community recognizes the need for a cohesive strategy to address the growing problem of end-stage kidney disease (ESKD). In March 2018, the International Society of Nephrology hosted a summit on integrated ESKD care, including 92 individuals from around the globe with diverse expertise and professional backgrounds. The attendees were from 41 countries, including 16 participants from 11 low- and lower-middle–income countries. The purpose was to develop a strategic plan to improve worldwide access to integrated ESKD care, by identifying and prioritizing key activities across 8 themes: (i) estimates of ESKD burden and treatment coverage, (ii) advocacy, (iii) education and training/workforce, (iv) financing/funding models, (v) ethics, (vi) dialysis, (vii) transplantation, and (viii) conservative care. Action plans with prioritized lists of goals, activities, and key deliverables, and an overarching performance framework were developed for each theme. Examples of these key deliverables include improved data availability, integration of core registry measures and analysis to inform development of health care policy; a framework for advocacy; improved and continued stakeholder engagement; improved workforce training; equitable, efficient, and cost-effective funding models; greater understanding and greater application of ethical principles in practice and policy; definition and application of standards for safe and sustainable dialysis treatment and a set of measurable quality parameters; and integration of dialysis, transplantation, and comprehensive conservative care as ESKD treatment options within the context of overall health priorities. Intended users of the action plans include clinicians, patients and their families, scientists, industry partners, government decision makers, and advocacy organizations. Implementation of this integrated and comprehensive plan is intended to improve quality and access to care and thereby reduce serious health-related suffering of adults and children affected by ESKD worldwide

<i>In situ </i>preparation of polyaniline/silica composites and study of their adsorption characteristics

1562-1568Polyaniline/silica, poly-o-toluidine/silica and poly-2-chloroaniline/silica composites have been prepared under a variety of synthetic conditions by polymerizing the respective monomers in the presence of silica prepared in situ from an aqueous sodium silicate solution. The composites, thus synthesized, have been characterized by a wide range of experimental techniques including elemental analysis for silica content, density, infrared spectroscopy and sedimentometry for particle size determination. When used as column material in the IGC experiments, synthesized composites have been found to be capable of separating the alkanes (C5-C9) from their mixture. The composites have been further examined for their surface free energy and specific surface area. The observed BET surface area of the composites are found to be nearly ten times higher than that of the bulk polymer

Acid Hydrolysis of Bromazepam Catalyzed by Micelles, Reverse Micelles, and Microemulsions

Kinetics of the acid hydrolysis of bromazepam (Bz) has been investigated in micelles, reverse micelles, and microemulcions of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) by spectrophotometric method. The rate of the acid hydrolysis of Bz was found to be enhanced both below and above the critical micelle concentration (CMC) of CTAB in aqueous solution. The pseudo-first-order rate constant ( ) shows an initial decrease for both low and high H + concentrations. With further increase in [CTAB], at low [H + ], the attains an almost constant value, while, at high [H + ], the passes through a maximum and then decreases. The kinetic data for catalysis by micelles of CTAB was interpreted with the pseudophase ion exchange (PIE) model. In CTAB/cyclohexane/1-butanol/water microemulsions, as the water to surfactant ratio ( ) increases, the physicochemical properties and droplet sizes of microemulsions significantly change and distinct changes in reaction environment can be marked. The rate of the hydrolysis reaction exhibits excellent correlation with the physicochemical properties and droplet sizes of the microemulsions and reverse micelles of CTAB. At [H + ] = 0.001 M, in reverse micelles and microemulsions of CTAB, the of the acid hydrolysis of Bz decreases sharply followed by a slight increase with increasing

Dynamic Percolation and Swollen Behavior of Nanodroplets in 1‑Ethyl-3-methylimidazolium Trifluoromethanesulfonate/Triton X‑100/Cyclohexane Microemulsions

Microemulsions comprising an ionic liquid (IL), 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium trifluoromethanesulfonate ([emim]­[OTf]), as the polar component, Triton X-100 as a surfactant, and cyclohexane as the nonpolar medium were prepared and characterized. Conductivity and dynamic viscosity data were critically analyzed to confirm dynamic percolation among the droplets that are in continuous motion, aggregation, and fission. The transition from oil-continuous phase to bicontinuous phase was observed at the conductance and viscosity percolation thresholds and sharp changes in the values of conductivity and dynamic viscosity could be identified. Dynamic light scattering measurements revealed swelling of the droplets, which varied within the hydrodynamic diameter range of 10–100 nm. Diffusivity of the droplets suggested less Brownian movement with increased amount of the IL. Moreover, changes in the droplet sizes and diffusivity with increase in IL content supported dynamic percolation within the systems

IoMT Cloud-Based Intelligent Prediction of Breast Cancer Stages Empowered With Deep Learning

Breast cancer is often a fatal disease that has a substantial impact on the female mortality rate. Rapidly spreading breast cancer is due to the abnormal growth of malignant cells in the breast. Early detection of breast cancer can increase treatment opportunities and patient survival rates. Various screening methods with computer-aided detection systems have been developed for the effective diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer. Image data plays an important role in the medical and health industry. Features are extracted from image datasets through deep learning, as deep learning techniques extract features more accurately and rapidly than other existing methods. Deep learning effectively assists existing methods, such as mammogram screening and biopsy, in examining and diagnosing breast cancer. This paper proposes an Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) cloud-based model for the intelligent prediction of breast cancer stages. The proposed model is employed to detect breast cancer and its stages. The experimental results demonstrate 98.86&#x0025; and 97.81&#x0025; accuracy for the training and validation phases, respectively. In addition, they demonstrate accuracies of 99.69&#x0025;, 99.32&#x0025;, 98.96&#x0025;, and 99.32&#x0025; for detecting ductal carcinoma, lobular carcinoma, mucinous carcinoma, and papillary carcinoma. The results of the proposed intelligent prediction of breast cancer stages empowered with the deep learning (IPBCS-DL) model exhibits higher accuracy than existing state-of-the-art methods, indicating its potential to lower the breast cancer mortality rate