A clinical audit of Pap smear test for screening of premalignant and malignant cervical lesions

Background: Cervical cancer, the second most common type of cancer in females, can be easily screened and prevented by Papanicolaou smear test which is a very simple, effective and inexpensive testing modality. The clinical audit aimed to estimate the rate of routine testing as well as the prevalence of various findings of Pap smear tests done at a tertiary level hospital.Methods: It was an analytical cross-sectional study that utilised results of 100 pap smear tests chosen against a set of exclusion and inclusion criteria out of the total 719 pap smears done at Adesh Medical College and Hospital between the duration of 1 January 2022 to 31 May 2022.Results: Only 4.29% of total patients that attended gynaecology OPD got a Pap smear done. A mere 22% patients of those under study came for routine testing. 93% of these 100 patients were negative for intraepithelial lesions, of which 42% were normal, 35% showed non-neoplastic changes and infection was seen in 16% of patients. 7% showed epithelial cell abnormality and 0% had malignant changes.Conclusions: The acceptance of Pap smear for routine screening continues to be low in the Indian setting. There is a massive need to spread awareness among the general public about the importance of Pap smear Test

From Pollution to Resource: Advancing Swine Waste Treatment in the USA

Concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) have led to environmental challenges, specifically waste management. Swine CAFOs generate large amounts of waste, requiring proper treatment to avoid air and water pollution. Conventional waste management technologies, such as lagoon and spray field systems, do not prevent air and water pollution impacts. Research for the past few decades led to recommendations for waste treatment technologies superior to lagoons and spray fields. Private environmental sustainability initiatives focused on reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the food supply chain have implemented biogas digester projects for capturing methane in covered swine lagoons to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. However, research indicates that methane capture alone does not solve the broader pollution issues associated with lagoon and spray field systems still in use at these CAFOs to dispose of digested effluents. The Environmentally Superior Technologies (EST) initiative in North Carolina set public standards to eliminate waste discharge, reduce atmospheric emissions, and control odors and pathogens. Research has confirmed that technologies coupling solids separation with water treatments to remove volatile organic carbon, pathogens, and reactive forms of nitrogen can meet EST standards. A designated EST—the Super Soil System—substantially reduced odor by 99.9%; pathogens by 99.99%, nutrients (phosphorus and nitrogen) by \u3e90%, and heavy metals (cooper and zinc) by 99%. The ammonia emissions were reduced by 94.4% for the warm and 99.0% for the cool season with respect to a conventional lagoon system. Corresponding greenhouse gas emission reductions were 96.7%. Components of designated EST can be applied to retrofit covered lagoons and anaerobic digestion systems with significant environmental benefits. Recommendations are proposed, based on the collective experience with EST and current trends in animal production concentration, for environmentally safe technologies to handle excess manure produced in the USA

An integrated perspective on assessing agricultural air quality

Abstract: The biogeochemical cycling of trace gases (e.g. nitrogen, sulphur, etc.), and contaminants on local, regional, and global scales is a complex system of emissions, transformations, transport, and deposition. To date, limited, if any, attempt has been made on quantifying and identifying direct emissions of gaseous sulphur compounds from agricultural operations. This represents a major regulatory need for sound and prudent environmental practice. In this paper, we summarise an integrated assessment framework for studying the agricultural air quality issues by discussing the various components of the research, education and outreach involved

Antitumor Activity of Noscapine in Combination with Doxorubicin in Triple Negative Breast Cancer

The aim of this study was to investigate the anticancer activity and mechanism of action of Noscapine alone and in combination with Doxorubicin against triple negative breast cancer (TNBC).TNBC cells were pretreated with Noscapine or Doxorubicin or combination and combination index values were calculated using isobolographic method. Apoptosis was assessed by TUNEL staining. Female athymic Nu/nu mice were xenografted with MDA-MB-231 cells and the efficacy of Noscapine, Doxorubicin and combination was determined. Protein expression, immunohistochemical staining were evaluated in harvested tumor tissues. values of 36.16±3.76 and 42.7±4.3 µM respectively. The CI values (<0.59) were suggestive of strong synergistic interaction between Noscapine and Doxorubicin and combination treatment showed significant increase in apoptotic cells. Noscapine showed dose dependent reduction in the tumor volumes at a dose of 150–550 mg/kg/day compared to controls. Noscapine (300 mg/kg), Doxorubicin (1.5 mg/kg) and combination treatment reduced tumor volume by 39.4±5.8, 34.2±5.7 and 82.9±4.5 percent respectively and showed decreased expression of NF-KB pathway proteins, VEGF, cell survival, and increased expression of apoptotic and growth inhibitory proteins compared to single-agent treatment and control groups.Noscapine potentiated the anticancer activity of Doxorubicin in a synergistic manner against TNBC tumors via inactivation of NF-KB and anti-angiogenic pathways while stimulating apoptosis. These findings suggest potential benefit for use of oral Noscapine and Doxorubicin combination therapy for treatment of more aggressive TNBC

Endobronchial Tuberculosis: Two Case Reports and Review of the Literature

Endobronchial tuberculosis commonly affects young patients and presents as acute or insidious onset cough, wheeze, low grade fever, and constitutional symptoms. Although endobronchial lesions usually result in sputum positivity for acid fast bacilli (AFB), a false negative sputum or absence of radiological lesions may result in delayed diagnosis. On the other hand, sputum positivity with presence of signs on chest radiology may lead to consideration of parenchymal TB as the primary diagnosis and the coexistence of endobronchial lesions may be missed until sequelae of the latter ensue. Besides, in elderly patients, consideration of other differentials like malignancy and pneumonia may lead to misdiagnosis. Hence, bronchoscopy is essential for confirmation of endobronchial TB. We hereby report two cases of endobronchial TB which stress the importance of bronchoscopic diagnosis for timely institution of treatment and prevention of permanent sequelae, respectively