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IntroductionBreast conserving surgery of impalpable breast lesions requires safe and effective localisation techniques. Wire localisation has traditionally been used, but has limitations. Newer techniques are now being introduced to mitigate this. The iBRA-NET group aims to robustly evaluate these new techniques in well-designed prospective studies. We report the first phase of this evaluation, a survey to establish current practice and service provision of breast localisation techniques in the UK.MethodsA national practice questionnaire was designed using ‘SurveyMonkey®’ and was circulated to UK breast surgeons via the Association of Breast Surgery and the Mammary Fold. The questionnaire was live from 6th October 2018 to 6th April 2019. Only one response per unit was requested to reflect the unit’s practice.ResultsComplete responses were received from 98 breast units across the UK. Wires were the mostly commonly used localisation technique (n = 82) with fewer units using Magseed® (n = 9), Radioguided Occult Lesion Localisation (n = 5) and Radioiodine Seed Localisation (n = 2). There was significant variation in practice and logistics involved. Frequent delays and theatre overruns were reported in 39 and 16 units, respectively. The median satisfaction score of the current technique was 7 out of 10. The main perceived limitation of existing localisation methods was logistics affecting theatre scheduling and the main barrier to introducing a new technique was cost.ConclusionWires are currently the most commonly used localisation technique but are associated with significant logistical issues. Newer techniques may offer a better solution but will need robust evaluation before they are adopted to ensure safety and efficacy.

The 2013 Breast Cancer Campaign gap analysis established breast cancer research priorities without a specific focus on surgical research or the role of surgeons on breast cancer research. This Review aims to identify opportunities and priorities for research in breast surgery to complement the 2013 gap analysis. To identify these goals, research-active breast surgeons met and identified areas for breast surgery research that mapped to the patient pathway. Areas included diagnosis, neoadjuvant treatment, surgery, adjuvant therapy, and attention to special groups (eg, those receiving risk-reducing surgery). Section leads were identified based on research interests, with invited input from experts in specific areas, supported by consultation with members of the Association of Breast Surgery and Independent Cancer Patients' Voice groups. The document was iteratively modified until participants were satisfied that key priorities for surgical research were clear. Key research gaps included issues surrounding overdiagnosis and treatment; optimising treatment options and their selection for neoadjuvant therapies and subsequent surgery; reducing rates of re-operations for breast-conserving surgery; generating evidence for clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of breast reconstruction, and mechanisms for assessing novel interventions; establishing optimal axillary management, especially post-neoadjuvant treatment; and defining and standardising indications for risk-reducing surgery. We propose strategies for resolving these knowledge gaps. Surgeons are ideally placed for a central role in breast cancer research and should foster a culture of engagement and participation in research to benefit patients and health-care systems. Development of infrastructure and surgical research capacity, together with appropriate allocation of research funding, is needed to successfully address the key clinical and translational research gaps that are highlighted in this Review within the next two decades.

Farmers are using municipal wastewater either treated or untreated for irrigation because of limited fresh water resources. Wastewater extensively used for irrigation purposes is enriched with many nutrients. The reuse of wastewater is imposing a negative impact on human health and the ecosystem. It is a need of the day to identify and assess issues of the reuse of wastewater. In the current experiment, impact of organic/inorganic amendments was studied to mitigate the toxic effects of pollutants present in wastewater. Soil was brought from the site having consistent use of wastewater and different treatments were applied as per plan. The experiment has 28 treatments with 04 replications. Nine different amendments were used at 3 varying levels. Incubation time of 30 days was given after the addition of all treatments. The results of the study showed the application of FYM @ 5.0% w/w soil reduced soil pH (7.44), EC (2.16 dS m −1 ), SAR (8.14), lead (8.48 mg kg −1 ), cadmium (1.14 mg kg −1 ), nickel (10.55 mg kg −1 ) and arsenic (2.03 mg kg −1 ) when compared with control and other treatments. Usage of compost and horse waste followed FYM. On the basis of this study, it is recommended that wastewater can be used for irrigation purpose after treating with FYM preferably and compost in general.

One of the common viral pathogens in infectious diarrhea is Rotavirus; in developing countries, it is a primary cause of deaths in children less than five years of age. This study was planned to find out the etiologic agents of acute watery diarrhea. In this study, 1465 stool samples were analyzed with the symptoms of acute diarrhea. Demographic data analysis showed no. of episodes of diarrhea, vomiting, and fever. All samples were checked by ELISA technique for the presence of Rotavirus circulating strains. More than 6% patients were found to be positive with Rotavirus. Common Rotavirus genotypes, including G2P4, G2P6, G3P4, G8P4, G8P6, G9P4, and G10P4, were detected in patients through RT-PCR. This study concluded that detection of rotavirus strain diversity and management of diarrheal patients may identify assortment of emerging strains and reduce emergence of antimicrobial resistance and repeated episodes of diarrhea, which may also help to avoid and manage the essential nutrients lost leading to malnutrition and stunted growth, as well as to reduce high mortality rate in young children less than five years.

Sugarcane is the world’s largest cultivated crop by biomass and is the main source of sugar and biofuel. Sucrose phosphate synthase (SPS) enzymes are directly involved in the synthesis of sucrose. Here, we analyzed and compared one of the important gene families involved in sucrose metabolism in a high and low sucrose sugarcane cultivar. A comprehensive in silico analysis of the SoSPS family displayed their phylogenetic relationship, gene and protein structure, miRNA targets, protein interaction network (PPI), gene ontology and collinearity. This was followed by a spatial expression analysis in two different sugarcane varieties. The phylogenetic reconstruction distributed AtSPS, ZmSPS, OsSPS, SoSPS and SbSPS into three main groups (A, B, C). The regulatory region of SoSPS genes carries ABRE , ARE , G-box, and MYC as the most dominant cis-regulatory elements. The PPI analysis predicted a total of 14 unique proteins interacting with SPS. The predominant expression of SPS in chloroplast clearly indicates that they are the most active in the organelle which is the hub of photosynthesis. Similarly, gene ontology attributed SPS to sucrose phosphate synthase and glucosyl transferase molecular functions, as well as sucrose biosynthetic and disaccharide biological processes. Overall, the expression of SPS in CPF252 (high sucrose variety) was higher in leaf and culm as compared to that of CPF 251 (low sucrose variety). In brief, this study adds to the present literature about sugarcane, sucrose metabolism and role of SPS in sucrose metabolism thereby opening up further avenues of research in crop improvement.

Thiram is a widely used fungicide in agricultural practices as spraying on crops and grains storage but its potential adverse effects on non-target aquatic organisms have raised serious concerns. In this study, firstly LC 50 value of thiram has been determined as 0.744 mg/L for the first time in Labeo rohita and then, the fish were exposed to different sub-lethal concentrations of thiram (40 μg/L, 80 μg/L and 120 μg/L) to evaluate the effects on tissue growth, oxidative stress, anti-oxidant enzymes and histo-pathological parameters at days-20, 40 and 60 of the experiment. There observed a significant ( p  < 0.05) decrease in the body weight while a significant increase in the relative ( p  < 0.05) and absolute ( p  < 0.05) weights of kidneys, heart and brain was found. Hematological analysis showed a significant ( p  < 0.05) increase in leukocytes and neutrophils while lymphocytes and monocytes, RBCs and hemoglobin concentration were significantly ( p  < 0.05) decreased. Serum biochemical parameters revealed a significant ( p  < 0.05) increase in urea and hepatic enzymes while a significant ( p  < 0.05) decrease in total proteins, albumin and creatinine were observed at higher doses (80 μg/L and 120 μg/L) of thiram. Oxidative stress parameters; ROS and TBARS were increased significantly ( p  < 0.05) while antioxidant enzymes (CAT, SOD, POD, GSH) showed a significant ( p  < 0.05) decrease in the treated groups compared to the control. Moreover, comet assay revealed significant ( p  < 0.05) DNA damage in the isolated cells of kidneys, heart and brain at higher doses (80 μg/L and 120 μg/L) of thiram that was further confirmed by histo-pathological alterations in these tissues. The findings demonstrate that thiram severely pollute the marine eco-system and is quite hazardous for aquatic species by causing severe health effects even at sub-lethal concentrations and thus, render the apparently clean water to be unfit for animal and human consumption.

This study delves into the drug release behavior of hydrogels influenced by pH, unveiling a non-Fickian diffusion mechanism and affirming their viability as potent drug carriers through swelling kinetics and FTIR analysis. The primary aim is to explore Psyllium, PEG, Agarose, and Collagen-based hydrogels as a viable alternative for in-vitro or in-vivo insulin delivery, with the objective of mitigating the associated risks of pain and infection linked to traditional delivery methods. Innovative hydrogels were devised by combining natural substances (Psyllium, PEG, Collagen, and agarose) in a systematic manner tailored for insulin delivery. The synthesis involved blending 0.5 g of psyllium thoroughly with 100ml of distilled water, followed by the integration of PEG, agarose, and collagen into the swelling mixture. The resulting hydrogels were formed after overnight incubation at 37°C. FTIR analysis revealed distinctive bonding patterns, elucidating their physical attributes. Collagen isolation from chicken heart samples was validated through SDS-Page and FTIR analysis, and quantified using the Bradford test. The hydrogels exhibited peak swelling and drug release under alkaline pH conditions, indicating potential for intestinal insulin delivery while resisting stomach acidity. Unconventional swelling kinetics suggested an alternative diffusion pattern, facilitating targeted insulin delivery. Furthermore, these hydrogels showcased antimicrobial properties, evident from observed inhibition zones. In vivo insulin release studies in mice demonstrated a successful reduction in glucose levels, affirming insulin delivery, as measured by glucometer readings. The culmination of various analyses underscores the considerable potential of psyllium, PEG, and collagen-centric hydrogels for in-vitro or in-vivo insulin delivery, offering a promising avenue for supporting diabetic patients.

Growth hormone is the major gene playing regulatory role in growth and metabolism of vertebrates. Several reports have identified mutations in Gh gene that are associated with animal productivity. The bovine Gh has been studied quite thoroughly but very little information regarding Buffalo growth hormone is available in literature. Buffalo is an important source of milk in Asia and there is a need to identify variations in the genes of buffalo Gh and its possible effects in milk production. The present research was carried out to explore DNA polymorphism in buffalo growth hormone gene. In this study we amplified a 5' flanking region covering exon 1 from local specie of Bubalus bubalis. As the 5' region of the Gh is very important in controlling the expression of the gene and minor changes in this sequence can affect its expression in blood. The PCR amplicon was sequenced and analyzed for homology with the help of BLAST search. Surprisingly, along with various point mutations in this region, we found that a considerable base sequence upstream exon 1 was similar to Bos mutus (yakQh1 chromosome 19) and did not align with reported Bubalus bubalis Gh sequence. Only 49% of the sequenced product aligns with Bubalus Bubalis though 90% of the sequence aligns with Bos mutus and Bos indicus Gh gene. A 46 bp inverted repeat sequence was also identified upstream exon 1. This report not only raises questions about the purity of the gene but also indicates mutations which may affect animal productivity like milk yield, growth regulation and carcass composition. There is a need to report these mutations so that their effects can be studied further. The complete animal history, means of semen supply or the methods used for its introduction can give clues about these findings. Keywords: Bubalus bubalis, Bos mutus, Bos indicus, Growth hormone, Mutation

ABSTRACT Hepatitis C virus (HCV) has infected an approximate of 170-200 million people worldwide. This unique RNA virus escapes the immunity in most infected people and forms a chronic infection which can progress to liver cirrhosis, fibrosis, hepatic cancer, and death. The goal of this work was to assess the cytotoxicity and in vitro inhibitory activities of local medicinal plant Azadirachta indica (A. indica) extracts on expression of NS3 and NS5A nonstructural proteins of HCV 3a genotype. Owing to the fact that HCV patients can develop HCC, plant extract has also been tested for cytotoxic activity. Colorimetric analysis was done to determine the vitality of HepG 2 cells for 24 h after treatment with methanolic seed extract and minimum inhibitory concentration was calculated. HepG2 cell were transfected stably to express nonstructural proteins NS3 and NS5A of HCV 3a genotype. Western blot and RT PCR confirmed stable protein expression. Immunofluorescence assay was done to check subcellular localization of these nonstructural proteins. The CC50 value for A. indica seed extract for HepG2 cells was 650 µg/mL. The extract concentration 500 µg/mL was found to reduce gene and protein expression of NS3 and NS5A by 50 percent. Results of our study shows that phytochemicals of neem seeds have strong antiviral potential against HCV without having any significant cytotoxic effects.