Health risk assessment after exposure to aluminium in drinking water between two different villages.

A cross-sectional study was conducted at Mukim Parit Lubok (MPL) and Parit Raja (PR), Batu Pahat, Malaysia. The main objective of this study was to determine the aluminium concentration in drinking water and to perform health risk assessment prediction among respondents from these two residential areas. A total of 100 respondents were selected from the study areas based on inclusive and exclusive criteria. Two duplicates of treated water samples were taken from each respondent’s house using 200mL high-density polyethylene (HDPE) bottles and 0.4 mL (69%) pure concentrated nitric acid were added as a preservative. Aluminium concentrations were analyzed using a Lambda 25 UV/V spectrophotometer. The result showed that aluminium concentration in drinking water from MPL was 0.18 ± 0.022 mg/L and 0.22 ± 0.044 mg/L for PR. Statistical analysis showed that 14 (28%) water samples collected from MPL and 35 (70%) from PR recorded concentration of aluminium above the standard limit set by the Ministry of Health, Malaysia for drinking water guideline (0.2 mg/L). The mean value of Chronic Daily Intake (CDI) of aluminium in drinking water from PR (0.00707 mg/kg/day) was significantly higher compared to MPL (0.00164 mg/kg/day). Hazard Index (HI) calculation showed that all respondents had “HI” of less than 1. In conclusion, there was an unlikely potential for adverse health effects from aluminium intake in drinking water from both study areas. However, it was necessary for some actions to be taken in order to reduce aluminium levels found in drinking water for both locations

Feasibility of preoperative chemotherapy for locally advanced, operable colon cancer: The pilot phase of a randomised controlled trial

Summary: Background Preoperative (neoadjuvant) chemotherapy and radiotherapy are more eff ective than similar postoperative treatment for oesophageal, gastric, and rectal cancers, perhaps because of more eff ective micrometastasis eradication and reduced risk of incomplete excision and tumour cell shedding during surgery. The FOxTROT trial aims to investigate the feasibility, safety, and effi cacy of preoperative chemotherapy for colon cancer. Methods In the pilot stage of this randomised controlled trial, 150 patients with radiologically staged locally advanced (T3 with ≥5 mm invasion beyond the muscularis propria or T4) tumours from 35 UK centres were randomly assigned (2:1) to preoperative (three cycles of OxMdG [oxaliplatin 85 mg/m², l-folinic acid 175 mg, fl uorouracil 400 mg/m² bolus, then 2400 mg/m² by 46 h infusion] repeated at 2-weekly intervals followed by surgery and a further nine cycles of OxMdG) or standard postoperative chemotherapy (12 cycles of OxMdG). Patients with KRAS wild-type tumours were randomly assigned (1:1) to receive panitumumab (6 mg/kg; every 2 weeks with the fi rst 6 weeks of chemotherapy) or not. Treatment allocation was through a central randomisation service using a minimised randomisation procedure including age, radiological T and N stage, site of tumour, and presence of defunctioning colostomy as stratifi cation variables. Primary outcome measures of the pilot phase were feasibility, safety, and tolerance of preoperative therapy, and accuracy of radiological staging. Analysis was by intention to treat. This trial is registered, number ISRCTN 87163246. Findings 96% (95 of 99) of patients started and 89% (85 of 95) completed preoperative chemotherapy with grade 3–4 gastrointestinal toxicity in 7% (seven of 94) of patients. All 99 tumours in the preoperative group were resected, with no signifi cant diff erences in postoperative morbidity between the preoperative and control groups: 14% (14 of 99) versus 12% (six of 51) had complications prolonging hospital stay (p=0·81). 98% (50 of 51) of postoperative chemotherapy patients had T3 or more advanced tumours confi rmed at post-resection pathology compared with 91% (90 of 99) of patients following preoperative chemotherapy (p=0·10). Preoperative therapy resulted in signifi cant downstaging of TNM5 compared with the postoperative group (p=0·04), including two pathological complete responses, apical node involvement (1% [one of 98] vs 20% [ten of 50], p<0·0001), resection margin involvement (4% [ four of 99] vs 20% [ten of 50], p=0·002), and blinded centrally scored tumour regression grading: 31% (29 of 94) vs 2% (one of 46) moderate or greater regression (p=0·0001). Interpretation Preoperative chemotherapy for radiologically staged, locally advanced operable primary colon cancer is feasible with acceptable toxicity and perioperative morbidity. Proceeding to the phase 3 trial, to establish whether the encouraging pathological responses seen with preoperative therapy translates into improved long-term oncological outcome, is appropriate

Strengthening Technique of Reinforce Concrete Structure: Bangladesh Perspective

Problem Statement: Strengthening of existing building is significant issue when need to carry additional load. Section Enlargement, RC jacketing and retrofitting by FRP are common strengthening methods used by practical engineers in Bangladesh to increase the load carrying capacity of an existing building. The aim of the study was to determine the most effective and economical strengthening methods among the mentioned methods in perspective of Bangladesh for one storey vertical extension. Approach: Methodology of the study included, making plan and beam-column layout, capacity assessment, determination of allowable bearing capacity of soil, structural analysis and cost analysis. The actual compressive strength of concrete was determined by core test. Results: After the analyses, results show that the column and foundation merely carry the load from super structure. But, the column and foundation is not capable of carrying extra load from additional storey as the design vertical load for four storeys will exceeds the load carrying capacity of the element and hence, strengthening is required for column and foundation which will prone to damage after vertical extension. Conclusions: Finally, strengthening of column by RCC jacketing and strengthening of foundation by foundation enlargement were selected by cost analysis and engineering point of view

A Case Report of Cervical Thymic Cyst and Review of Literature

We are reporting a case of 10-year-old female child with an asymptomatic left sided cystic neck mass who underwent surgical excision. She was diagnosed as having a cervical thymic cyst based on histopathologic findings. The review of available literature on thymic cyst has shown that cervical thymic cyst is a rare occurrence, but should always be thought of in the differential diagnosis of cystic masses in the neck especially presenting in children

A Critical Analysis of Forest Policies of Pakistan: Implications for Sustainable Livelihoods

forest communities, forest management, forest policy, sustainable livelihoods,