Super capacitor, electrochemical measurement and sun light driven photocatalytic applications of CuFe2O4 NPs synthesized from bio-resource extract

The CuFe2O4 nanoparticle has been successfully synthesized from bio-mediated (Aloe-Vera) combustion process. The structural characterization of synthesized nanoparticle was achieved by spectral-characterizations viz; XRD, SEM, FT-IR and optical examinations. The XRD studies displays a spinel cubic phase development of nanoparticle and its average-particle size (19.3 ​nm). Low band gap energy of synthesized nanoparticle has been recorded to be 2.84 ​eV using UV–Visible absorption spectroscopy, which impacts to higher photodegradation efficiency. The potential photocatalytic activity of synthesized nanoparticle was examined using Malachite Green (MG) organic dye as a model, which is performed under specific quantities of stock solution (60 ​ppm) and obtained nanoparticle (50 ​mg). The photodegradation efficiency of synthesized material was evaluated for MG dye degradation achieved with 87.5% at 140 ​min under Sun-light. The excellent oxidation-reduction peak potentials were observed for synthesized spinel ferrite nanoparticle modified with carbon paste investigated by electrochemical analysis using 0.1 ​M KCl in the different scan rates 0.01–0.05 ​V/s. The charge-discharge studies of CuFe2O4-graphite electrode at current density (0.4 A/g) was discussed which is well correspondence to pseudo-capacitive behaviour. The synthesized NPs through bio-resources extract has become a potential new insight into multiple practical applications

Intracranial fibrosarcoma treated with adjuvant radiation and temozolomide: Report of a case and review of all published cases

Introduction: Fibrosarcoma is a rare brain tumour with 33 cases reported so far. However, there is no clear consensus about the nature of the disease and treatment as well as outcome. Methods: A MEDLINE search was carried out using MESH terms like intracranial fibrosarcoma, intraspinal fibrosarcoma, fibrosarcoma meninges and fibrosarcoma brain. A total of 22 case reports and series reporting a total of 33 cases were identified. We here also report a case treated in our institute with adjuvant radiation and concurrent and maintenance temozolomide. Results: The age of presentation ranged from 2 months to 75 years (Median = 17 years). The gender ratio was found to be M:F of 1.75–1. Treatment modalities were described for 17 cases. Surgery was part of treatment in all cases while radiation was a part of treatment in 59% of cases (n = 10) and chemotherapy in 29% cases (n = 5). Survival data were available only for 8 cases and ranged from 1 day to 8 years (Median = 15.5 months). Conclusion: Fibrosarcoma is a rare disease with dismal prognosis. Surgery remains the cornerstone of therapy. Radiation confers long term disease control and survival. Chemotherapy needs to be evaluated for these tumours to improve survival

A systematic review of the role of carbon ion radiation therapy in recurrent rectal cancer

Background: Colorectal cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer-associated death in the world. The 5-year local recurrence rates in patients undergoing multimodality therapy are approximately 5-10%. The standard approach to treat locally recurrent rectal is re-irradiation followed by surgical resection. Recent reports have suggested that the treatment outcomes with carbon ion radiation therapy (CIRT) in recurrent rectal cancer are promising and have superior results compared to photon therapy. Hence, we performed a systematic review to evaluate the patterns of care and treatment outcomes of recurrent rectal cancer patients treated with CIRT.Methodology: We performed a systematic search to identify the articles that reported on CIRT use in recurrent rectal cancer.Results: Systematic search of PubMed and Cochrane Central resulted in 98 abstracts. Eight studies fulfilled the predefined inclusion criteria. Among eight studies, one study is a prospective phase I/II study done in Japan; three prospective studies are ongoing (PANDORA-01 trial, HIMAT1351trial, and a phase II study of reirradiation for prior CIRT), and five studies are institutional reports on role of CIRT. These studies were predominantly reported from Japan and Germany. All reports except one were performed in patients who have not received prior radiation. The most commonly utilized treatment prescription was 73.4 Gy (RBE) in 16 fractions over 4 weeks in patients without any prior history of radiation and 36 Gy in 12 fractions over 3 weeks at 3 Gy per fraction in patients with prior photon radiation to the pelvis. There is one ongoing trial assessing the role of carbon ion re-irradiation in patients who had prior CIRT for rectal cancer.Conclusion: CIRT holds immense promise in improving outcomes in locally recurrent rectal cancer. There is a need for more multi-institutional prospective clinical trials to assess the role of CIRT

Laryngeal soft tissue sarcoma: A systematic review and individual patient data analysis of 300 cases

BACKGROUND: Laryngeal sarcoma is rare. We performed a systematic review and individual patient analysis to evaluate the patterns of care, prognostic factors, and role of radiotherapy in laryngeal soft tissue sarcoma. METHODS: A systematic search on PubMed and Google scholar was done. An individual patient data analysis was done. RESULTS: Of the 300 cases of laryngeal sarcoma, 80% underwent surgery. 44% underwent larynx preservation surgery and 25% received radiotherapy with surgery. Median progression free survival (PFS) was 48 months and overall survival (OS) of 224 months for the entire cohort. Patients with large primary, cartilage invasion, and positive margins had numerically worse PFS. Cartilage invasion and primary tumor size \u3e3 cm were the most common risk factors for adjuvant radiation therapy. Patients receiving radiotherapy were not associated with better survival. CONCLUSION: Laryngeal sarcoma associated with a good survival. Larynx preservation surgery is feasible in nearly half patients. Adjuvant radiotherapy may be warranted in patients poor prognostic factors

The mechanistic rationale of drugs, primary endpoints, geographical distribution of clinical trials against severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus-2: A systematic review

There are numerous ongoing studies assessing treatment options for preventing, treating, and managing complications of coronavirus disease-2019 disease. The objective of this study was to do a systematic review and critical appraisal of the ongoing clinical trials with an aim to provide insight into the various interventions tested, clinical rationale, geographical distribution of the trials as well as the endpoints assessed in the studies. ClinicalTrials.gov, World Health Organization International Clinical Trials Registry Platform, and PubMed were assessed till 11 May 2020. The search resulted in 3242 ongoing studies of which 829 studies were included. There are 134 different drug-based interventions being assessed in 463 clinical trials as treatment options China accounts for 35% of all ongoing clinical studies followed by USA 23% and other countries together account for 42%. Amongst the 463 studies assessing drug-based treatment options, studies that are funded by federal and academic institutions are 79.6%, pharmaceutical company-funded studies are 15.11%, and no funding information is available in 5.10%. The definitive outcomes like mortality are being assessed as primary outcome in 22.8% of the studies only and need for ventilator in 6.2% of the studies. Amongst the pharmaceutical company-funded drug-based studies, only 20% of the studies had mortality as the primary outcome. Only 5.5% of the ongoing clinical trials are specifically designed to assess the most vulnerable population like elderly, patients with comorbidities and cancer. Multiple intervention-based clinical studies against severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus-2 are being performed throughout the world with a high concentration of clinical trials in the developed world with concern that of elderly and patients with comorbidities are being underrepresented and definite endpoints like mortality are being assessed in only one-fifth of the studies

Response to correspondence article on the research protocol titled Towards Health Equity and Transformative Action on tribal health (THETA) study to describe, explain and act on tribal health inequities in India: A health systems research study protocol [version 1; peer review: 2 approved]

In this correspondence, we, co-authors and collaborators involved in the Towards Health Equity and Transformative Action on tribal health (THETA) study respond to a recent article published in Wellcome Open Research titled Correspondence article on the research protocol titled ‘Towards Health Equity and Transformative Action on tribal health (THETA) study to describe, explain and act on tribal health inequities in India: A health systems research study protocol’ published in Wellcome Open Research in December 2019 In the first part, we provide overall clarifications on the THETA study and in the second part respond to specific comments by the authors of the aforementioned correspondence