Browse publications by year: 2024

  1. Fully Endoscopic Supraorbital Approach for Anterior Cranial Base Meningiomas
    Azab WA, Najibullah M, Shabbir Z, Alali F, Yousef W
    Adv Tech Stand Neurosurg, 2024;52:139-158.
    PMID: 39017792 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-61925-0_11
    BACKGROUND: Anterior cranial base meningiomas include those meningiomas originating from the tuberculum sellae, the planum sphenoidale, or the olfactory groove, with surgical excision being the main treatment modality for these tumors. Conventional microscopic and endoscope-assisted versions of the supraorbital keyhole approach via an eyebrow incision emerged into minimally invasive options that are frequently utilized nowadays for treating these tumors. At the early attempts of endoscope-assisted cranial surgery, it was noted that rigid endoscopes enabled overcoming the problem of suboptimal visualization when small exposures are used. The technical specifications and design of the currently available rigid endoscopes are associated with a group of unique features that define the endoscopic view and lay the basis for its superiority over the microscopic view during brain surgery. Notwithstanding, the fully endoscopic or endoscope-controlled version of the supraorbital keyhole approach is not routinely practiced by neurosurgeons, with few series published so far. In this chapter we elaborate on the surgical technique and nuances of the fully endoscopic supraorbital approach for anterior cranial base meningiomas.

    METHODS: From a prospective database of endoscopic procedures maintained by the senior author, clinical data, imaging studies, operative charts, and videos of cases undergoing fully endoscopic excision of anterior cranial base meningiomas via supraorbital approach were retrieved and analyzed. The pertinent literature was also reviewed.

    RESULTS: The surgical technique of the fully endoscopic supraorbital approach for anterior cranial base meningiomas was formulated.

    CONCLUSION: The fully endoscopic supraorbital approach for anterior cranial base meningiomas has many advantages over the conventional procedures. In our hands, the technique has proven to be feasible, efficient, and minimally invasive with excellent results.

    MeSH terms: Adult; Aged; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Orbit/surgery
  2. Fully Endoscopic Retrosigmoid Approach for Cerebellopontine Angle Tumors
    Saied M, Najibullah M, Shabbir Z, Saleem A, Ali A, Azab WA
    Adv Tech Stand Neurosurg, 2024;52:229-244.
    PMID: 39017797 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-61925-0_16
    BACKGROUND: Fully endoscopic or endoscope-controlled approaches are essentially keyhole approaches in which rigid endoscopes are the sole visualization tools used during the whole procedure. At the early attempts of endoscope-assisted cranial surgery, it was noted that rigid endoscopes enabled overcoming the problem of suboptimal visualization when small exposures are used. The technical specifications and design of the currently available rigid endoscopes are associated with a group of unique features that define the endoscopic view and lay the basis for its superiority over the microscopic view during brain surgery. Fully endoscopic retrosigmoid approach for cerebellopontine angle tumors is a minimally invasive approach that is not routinely practiced by neurosurgeons, with few series published so far. Unfamiliarity with the technique, steep learning curve, and concerns about inadequate exposure, neurovascular injury, and decreased visibility may explain this fact. In this chapter we elaborate on the surgical technique and nuances of the fully endoscopic retrosigmoid approach and present an overview of the published series.

    METHODS: From a prospective database of endoscopic procedures maintained by the senior author, clinical data, imaging studies, operative charts, and videos of cases undergoing fully endoscopic retrosigmoid approach for cerebellopontine angle tumors were retrieved and analyzed. The pertinent literature was also reviewed.

    RESULTS: The surgical technique of the fully endoscopic retrosigmoid approach was formulated.

    CONCLUSION: The endoscopic technique has many advantages over the conventional procedures. In our hands, the technique has proven to be feasible, efficient, and minimally invasive with excellent results.

    MeSH terms: Cerebellar Neoplasms/pathology; Cerebellar Neoplasms/surgery; Humans; Neuroma, Acoustic/surgery; Neuroendoscopy/methods
  3. Fully Endoscopic Resection of Frontal Osteomas
    Yousef W, Najibullah M, Shabbir Z, Shamo S, Azab WA
    Adv Tech Stand Neurosurg, 2024;52:253-257.
    PMID: 39017799 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-61925-0_18
    BACKGROUND: Osteomas are the most common primary bone tumors of the calvaria, with an incidence of less than 0.5%. In skull vault osteomas, the exostotic form that grows from the outer table is more common than the enostotic ones which arise from the inner table and grow intracranially. Osteomas of the forehead are very noticeable and disfiguring; patients usually seek medical advice for cosmetic reasons. Forehead osteomas were traditionally excised via either a direct incision over the lesion using the naturally occurring creases or a conventional bicoronal flap. More recently, endoscopic approaches for excision of forehead osteomas were introduced. The results were very encouraging and the technique was adopted by many groups worldwide yet with many technical variations. In this chapter we elaborate on the surgical technique and nuances of the fully endoscopic resection of frontal osteomas.

    METHODS: From a prospective database of endoscopic procedures maintained by the senior author, clinical data, imaging studies, operative charts, and videos of cases of forehead osteomas were retrieved and analyzed. The pertinent literature was also reviewed.

    RESULTS: The surgical technique of the fully endoscopic resection of frontal osteomas was formulated.

    CONCLUSION: The endoscopic technique has many advantages over the conventional procedures. In our hands, the technique has proven to be less time-consuming, efficient, and minimally invasive with excellent cosmetic results.

    MeSH terms: Endoscopy/methods; Frontal Bone/surgery; Humans; Skull Neoplasms/pathology; Skull Neoplasms/surgery; Neuroendoscopy/methods
  4. Glycolipids biosurfactants production using low-cost substrates for environmental remediation: progress, challenges, and future prospects
    Aqif M, Shah MUH, Khan R, Umar M, SajjadHaider, Razak SIA, et al.
    Environ Sci Pollut Res Int, 2024 Jul 17.
    PMID: 39017873 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-024-34248-z
    The production of renewable materials from alternative sources is becoming increasingly important to reduce the detrimental environmental effects of their non-renewable counterparts and natural resources, while making them more economical and sustainable. Chemical surfactants, which are highly toxic and non-biodegradable, are used in a wide range of industrial and environmental applications harming humans, animals, plants, and other entities. Chemical surfactants can be substituted with biosurfactants (BS), which are produced by microorganisms like bacteria, fungi, and yeast. They have excellent emulsifying, foaming, and dispersing properties, as well as excellent biodegradability, lower toxicity, and the ability to remain stable under severe conditions, making them useful for a variety of industrial and environmental applications. Despite these advantages, BS derived from conventional resources and precursors (such as edible oils and carbohydrates) are expensive, limiting large-scale production of BS. In addition, the use of unconventional substrates such as agro-industrial wastes lowers the BS productivity and drives up production costs. However, overcoming the barriers to commercial-scale production is critical to the widespread adoption of these products. Overcoming these challenges would not only promote the use of environmentally friendly surfactants but also contribute to sustainable waste management and reduce dependence on non-renewable resources. This study explores the efficient use of wastes and other low-cost substrates to produce glycolipids BS, identifies efficient substrates for commercial production, and recommends strategies to improve productivity and use BS in environmental remediation.
  5. Unveiling the unique potential of MXene with and without graphene nanoplatelet for thermal energy storage applications
    Rashid AA, Mansor MS, Hashim NA, Moharir SR, Abdul Manaf N
    Environ Sci Pollut Res Int, 2024 Jul 17.
    PMID: 39017877 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-024-34382-8
    Solar thermal energy storage (TES) is an outstanding innovation that can help solar technology remain relevant during nighttime and cloudy days. TES using phase change material (PCM) is an avant-garde solution for a clean and renewable energy transition. The present study unveils the unique potential of MXene as a performance enhancer in lauric acid (LA), which functions as a base PCM. The addition of graphene nanoplatelet (GNP) into the LA-MXene composite is prepared to comprehend and evaluate the benefits and detriments of adding carbon-based nanomaterial into the PCM via a two-step homogenizing method. A similar weight percentage of MXene and GNP at 0.75 was used for composite synthesis. The study found that the enthalpy of LA-MXene is comparable to LA at 169.87 J/kg and greater than LA-MXene/GNP, which has 137.53 J/kg. Regarding thermal storage performance, LA-MXene exhibited outstanding performance compared to LA-MXene/GNP in terms of enthalpy efficiency (λ) and relative enthalpy efficiency (η), achieving 95.4% and 96.1%, respectively. This is supported by the XPS spectra, which show that the crosslinking structure acted as a barrier, reinforcing the material and preventing further thermal degradation. This has resulted in robust and denser shells that significantly improved light absorption, enhancing both the photothermal conversion and thermal energy storage efficiency of LA/MXene. The present study reveals that LA-MXene is a promising and optimal candidate for the feasibility and reliability of TES in solar renewable energy applications. It was observed that the incorporation of exclusive MXene may effectively address the limitations of LA as a conventional PCM and surpass the traditional role of GNP. This study offers valuable insights into the superior performance of MXene alone, eliminating the need for doping with various nanomaterials and thereby reducing the complexity in synthesizing the PCM.
  6. Unravelling the kinetics, isotherms, thermodynamics, and mass transfer behaviours of Zeolite Socony Mobil - 5 in removing hydrogen sulphide resulting from a dark fermentative biohydrogen production process
    Asman MKA, Lutpi NA, Wong YS, Ong SA, Hanif MA, Ibrahim N, et al.
    Phys Chem Chem Phys, 2024 Jul 31;26(30):20409-20426.
    PMID: 39018044 DOI: 10.1039/d4cp01421a
    Research into the speciation of sulfur and hydrogen molecules produced through the complex process of thermophilic dark fermentation has been conducted. Detailed surface studies of solid-gas systems using real biogas (biohydrogen) streams have unveiled the mechanisms and specific interactions between these gases and the physicochemical properties of a zeolite as an adsorbent. These findings highlight the potential of zeolites to effectively capture and interact with these molecules. In this study, the hydrogen sulphide removal analysis was conducted using 0.8 g of the adsorbent and at various reaction temperatures (25-125 °C), a flow rate of 100 mL min-1, and an initial concentration of approximately 5000 ppm hydrogen sulphide. The reaction temperature has been observed to be an essential parameter of Zeolite Socony Mobil - 5 adsorption capacity. The optimum adsorption capacity attains a maximum value of 0.00890 mg g-1 at an optimal temperature of 25 °C. The formation of sulphur species resulting from the hydrogen sulphide adsorption on the zeolite determines the kinetics, thermodynamics, and mass transfer behaviours of Zeolite Socony Mobil - 5 in hydrogen sulphide removal and Zeolite Socony Mobil - 5 is found to improve the quality of biohydrogen produced in thermophilic environments. Biohydrogen (raw gas) yield was enhanced from 2.48 mol H2 mol-1 hexose consumed before adsorption to 2.59 mol H2 mol-1 hexose consumed after adsorption at a temperature of 25 °C. The Avrami kinetic model was fitted for hydrogen sulphide removal on Zeolite Socony Mobil - 5. The process is explained well and fitted using the Temkin isotherm model and the investigation into thermodynamics reveals that the adsorption behaviour is exothermic and non-spontaneous. Furthermore, the gas molecule's freedom of movement becomes random. The adsorption phase is restricted by intra-particle diffusion followed by film diffusion during the transfer of hydrogen sulphide into the pores of Zeolite Socony Mobil - 5 prior to adsorption on its active sites. The utilisation of Zeolite Socony Mobil - 5 for hydrogen sulphide removal offers the benefit of reducing environmental contamination and exhibiting significant applications in industrial operations.
    MeSH terms: Adsorption; Fermentation; Kinetics; Temperature; Thermodynamics*; Biofuels
  7. Current progress of protein-based dressing for wound healing applications - A review
    Khan MUA, Aslam MA, Rahman RA, Abdullah MFB, Mehmood A, Stojanović GM
    J Biomater Sci Polym Ed, 2024 Jul 17.
    PMID: 39018238 DOI: 10.1080/09205063.2024.2380570
    Protein-based wound dressings have garnered increasing interest in recent years owing to their distinct physical, chemical, and biological characteristics. The intricate molecular composition of proteins gives rise to unique characteristics, such as exceptional biocompatibility, biodegradability, and responsiveness, which contribute to the promotion of wound healing. Wound healing is an intricate and ongoing process influenced by multiple causes, and it consists of four distinct phases. Various treatments have been developed to repair different types of skin wounds, thanks to advancements in medical technology and the recognition of the diverse nature of wounds. This review has literature reviewed within the last 3-5 years-the recent progress and development of protein in wound dressings and the fundamental properties of an ideal wound dressing. Herein, the recent strides in protein-based state-of-the-art wound dressing emphasize the significant challenges and summarize future perspectives for wound healing applications.
  8. Fulltext Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Lifestyle and Reproductive Factors Associated with Risk of Breast Cancer in Asian Women
    Ang BH, Teo SH, Ho WK
    Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev, 2024 Oct 02;33(10):1273-1285.
    PMID: 39018331 DOI: 10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-24-0005
    BACKGROUND: Assessing breast cancer risks from lifestyle and reproductive factors is critical for developing population-specific risk prediction tools. However, limited studies have evaluated these risks in recent Asian birth cohorts.

    METHODS: We systematically reviewed articles published from January 2010 to December 2023, examining breast cancer risk factors in Asian women. Data were described narratively, estimates pooled, and prevalence and attributable proportions compared across Asian populations.

    RESULTS: Of the 128 studies reviewed, 103 reported adjusted effect sizes for meta-analysis. Lifestyle and reproductive factors were predictive of breast cancer risk in Asian women, with varying impacts on premenopausal and postmenopausal women. Relative risks were similar within Asian populations and in comparison to European populations, except for menarche, menopause, and hormone receptor therapy. However, risk factor distributions differed across populations. While alcohol intake (21%) and oral contraceptive use (20%) emerged as the most attributable modifiable risk factors in Europeans, passive smoking (24%) and higher BMI (17%, ≥24 kg/m2 among postmenopausal women) were predominant in Asians.

    CONCLUSIONS: Our study shows that while the effects of lifestyle and reproductive breast cancer risk factors are largely similar across different populations, their distributions vary.

    IMPACT: Our analysis underscores the importance of considering population-specific risk factor distributions when developing risk prediction tools for Asian populations.

    MeSH terms: Female; Humans; Life Style*; Risk Factors; Reproductive History
  9. Fulltext Code-mixing unveiled: Enhancing the hate speech detection in Arabic dialect tweets using machine learning models
    Alhazmi A, Mahmud R, Idris N, Mohamed Abo ME, Eke CI
    PLoS One, 2024;19(7):e0305657.
    PMID: 39018339 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0305657
    Technological developments over the past few decades have changed the way people communicate, with platforms like social media and blogs becoming vital channels for international conversation. Even though hate speech is vigorously suppressed on social media, it is still a concern that needs to be constantly recognized and observed. The Arabic language poses particular difficulties in the detection of hate speech, despite the considerable efforts made in this area for English-language social media content. Arabic calls for particular consideration when it comes to hate speech detection because of its many dialects and linguistic nuances. Another degree of complication is added by the widespread practice of "code-mixing," in which users merge various languages smoothly. Recognizing this research vacuum, the study aims to close it by examining how well machine learning models containing variation features can detect hate speech, especially when it comes to Arabic tweets featuring code-mixing. Therefore, the objective of this study is to assess and compare the effectiveness of different features and machine learning models for hate speech detection on Arabic hate speech and code-mixing hate speech datasets. To achieve the objectives, the methodology used includes data collection, data pre-processing, feature extraction, the construction of classification models, and the evaluation of the constructed classification models. The findings from the analysis revealed that the TF-IDF feature, when employed with the SGD model, attained the highest accuracy, reaching 98.21%. Subsequently, these results were contrasted with outcomes from three existing studies, and the proposed method outperformed them, underscoring the significance of the proposed method. Consequently, our study carries practical implications and serves as a foundational exploration in the realm of automated hate speech detection in text.
    MeSH terms: Machine Learning*; Humans; Language*; Speech/physiology; Social Media*
  10. Validation of the Malay version of the Patient Health Questionnaire-4 (PHQ-4) among Malaysian undergraduates
    Tan YK, Siau CS, Ibrahim N, Kõlves K, Zhang J, Chan CMH, et al.
    Asian J Psychiatr, 2024 Jul 04;99:104134.
    PMID: 39018701 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajp.2024.104134
    The study's objective is to validate the Malay version of the Patient Health Questionnaire-4 (PHQ-4) among Malaysian undergraduates. A cross-sectional survey was distributed at three universities in Malaysia (N = 500; mean age = 21.66 ± 1.57). The internal consistency of the Malay PHQ-4 was acceptable (α = .78, 95 % CI [.74, .81]), while the test-retest reliability was good (ICC = .77, 95 % CI [.34, .91], p < .001). The one-factor structure showed the best fit in confirmatory factor analysis and was similar across sexes. The Malay PHQ-4 has acceptable psychometric properties and can be used for pre-clinical screening purposes among Malaysian undergraduate students.
  11. PVA-assisted spray deposited porous Li4Ti5O12 thin film as high-rate and long-cycle anode for lithium-ion thin-film batteries
    Lan T, Zhou J, Xie T, Huang K, Ong S, Yang H, et al.
    J Colloid Interface Sci, 2024 Jul 10;676:1-12.
    PMID: 39018802 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2024.07.007
    Spinel Li4Ti5O12 (LTO), a zero-strain material, is a promising anode material for solid-state thin-film lithium-ion batteries (TFB). However, the preparation of high-performance Li4Ti5O12 thin-film electrodes through facile methods remains a significant challenge. Herein, we present a novel approach to prepare a binder- and conductor-free porous Li4Ti5O12 (P-LTO) thin-film. This approach polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)-assisted spray deposition and does not require the use of complex or expensive methods. Adding PVA to the precursor solution effectively prevents thin-film cracking during high-temperature annealing, enhances adhesion, and forms a highly interconnected porous structure. This unique structure shortens the lithium-ion diffusion pathways and facilitates electron transport. Therefore, P-LTO thin film electrodes demonstrate exceptional rate capacity of 104.1 mAh/g at a current density of 100C. In addition, the electrodes exhibit ultra-long cycle stability, retaining 80.9 % capacity after 10,000 cycles at 10C. This work offers a novel approach for the preparation of high-performance thin-film electrodes for TFBs.
  12. Radiogenic cancer risk from contrast enhanced computed tomography during pediatric abdomen and pelvis examinations in Saudi Arabia
    Sulieman A, Taha A, Dawood S, Almujally A, Bradley DA
    Appl Radiat Isot, 2024 Oct;212:111440.
    PMID: 39018816 DOI: 10.1016/j.apradiso.2024.111440
    The sensitivity to ionizing radiation is increasing by age of development for some malignant tumors. Therefore, children have higher risk to radiation induced tumors due the high cellular rate of proliferation and long lifespan probability. The risk is also increase with increase the effective and organ doses. Computed tomography (CT) exposed pediatric patients to higher radiation dose during multiphase image acquisition, repeated exams, for follow-up procedures. This research intended to estimate the radiogenic risks and effective radiation doses resulted from CT enhanced contrast for abdomen and pelvis. 126 (66 (62.3%) males, 60 (47.7%) females) pediatric patients underwent CT enhanced abdominal examination at Medical Imaging Department at King Khalid Hospital and Prince Sultan Center for Health Services, Alkharj, Saudi Arabia. The average and range of pediatric age (years) is 11.6 ± 5.0 (0.1-17). The mean, standard deviation, and range of the volume CT air kerma index (CVOL (mGy) and the air kerma length product (PKL, mGy.cm) were 9.8 ± 9.4 (2.1-45.8) and 1795 (221-3150) per abdominopelvic procedure, respectively. The mean and range of the effective dose (mSv) per procedure are 26.9 (2.4-59.1). The effective dose is higher compared to the most previously published studies. The effective dose per pediatric abdomen and pelvis with contrast procedure suggest that the patient dose is not optimized yet. Because the chest and pelvis region contain sensitive organs that are irradiated repeatedly, dose optimization is crucial.
    MeSH terms: Abdomen/radiation effects; Adolescent; Child; Child, Preschool; Female; Humans; Infant; Male; Radiation Dosage*; Radiography, Abdominal/adverse effects; Saudi Arabia
  13. Elucidating the phytoremediation potentials and ecophysiological mechanisms of indicator plants in the industrial polluted region
    Ejaz U, Khan SM, Khalid N, Jehangir S, Ali Shah SF, Svenning JC
    J Environ Manage, 2024 Jul 16;366:121821.
    PMID: 39018846 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.121821
    The integrity of natural ecosystems, particularly in the Global South, is increasingly compromised by industrial contaminants. Our study examines the growth of plant species adapted to ecosystems impacted by heavy metal pollution, specifically focusing on their phytoremediation capabilities and tolerance to contaminants. The potential of pollution-tolerant species was evaluated in the industrial subtropical wetland of Sialkot, Pakistan. Employing quantitative ecological methods, data on vegetation, phytosociological attributes, and soil properties were gathered from 450 plots across different pollution gradients. The study pinpointed 17 key indicator species tolerating high heavy metal pollution out of 182 surveyed, using a combination of Indicator Species Analysis (ISA) and the Importance Value Index (IVI). These species demonstrated diverse capacities to extract, stabilize, and accumulate heavy metals (Cr, Zn, Cu, As, Cd, Ni, Hg, and Pb) across varying pollution zones. Notably, Cannabis sativa demonstrated substantial phytoextraction of Zn and Cd, with concentrations reaching 1977.25 μg/g and 1362.78 μg/g, respectively. Arundo donax showed marked hyperaccumulation of Cd, peaking at 410.531 μg/g. Achyranthes aspera was remarkable for its extraction and accumulation of Ni and Cu, with concentrations of 242.412 μg/g and 77.2997 μg/g, respectively. Physiological changes, such as increased proline levels in Cannabis sativa and Achyranthes aspera reaching 39.041 μg/g and 27.523 μg/g under high metal concentrations, indicated adaptation to metal stress. Declines in chlorophyll and carotenoid levels were also observed as metal contamination increased, with up to 35% reductions in some species. These findings underscore the potential efficacy of selected plant species in phytoremediation and highlight the importance of physiological responses in their tolerance to metals, providing valuable information for targeted remediation strategies in polluted ecosystems and improving environmental management and sustainable practices.
  14. Exploring the advantages and limitations of degradation for various biodegradable micro-bioplastic in aquatic environments
    Sathiaseelan JJ, Afifah NMR, Abdullah AA, Ramakrishna S, Vigneswari S, Bhubalan K
    J Environ Manage, 2024 Jul 16;366:121777.
    PMID: 39018857 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.121777
    Biodegradable plastics are being the substitute for synthetic plastics and widely been used in order to combat plastic pollution. Yet not all biodegradable plastics are degradable especially when it does not meet its favourable conditions, and also when it comes to aquatic environments. Therefore, this review is intended to highlight the types of various biodegradable plastic synthesized and commercialised and identify the limitations and advantages of these micro-bioplastics or residual bioplastic upon degradation in various aquatic environments. This review paper highlights on biodegradable plastic, degradation of biodegradable plastic in aquatic environments, application of biodegradable plastic, polylactic acid (PLA), Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA), Polysaccharide derivatives, Poly (amino acid), polycaprolactone (PCL), polybutylene succinate (PBS), polybutylene adipate terephthalate (PBA/T), limitations and advantages of biodegradable plastic degradation in aquatic environment. There is no limit on the period for literature search as this field is continuously being studied and there is no wide range of studies. Biodegradable plastic that is commercially available has its own advantages and limitations respectively upon degradation in both freshwater and marine environments. There is a growing demand for bioplastic as an alternative to synthetic plastic which causes plastic waste pollution. Thus, it is crucial to understand the biodegradation of biodegradable plastic in depth especially in aquatic environments. Moreover, there are also very few studies investigating the degradation and migration of micro-bioplastics in aquatic environments.
  15. 1,3,5-Triazine as a promising scaffold in the development of therapeutic agents against breast cancer
    Lim HY, Dolzhenko AV
    Eur J Med Chem, 2024 Jul 16;276:116680.
    PMID: 39018924 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2024.116680
    1,3,5-Triazine scaffold has garnered considerable interest due to its wide-ranging pharmacological properties, particularly in the field of cancer research. Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among women. Approximately one in eight women will receive a diagnosis of invasive breast cancer during their lifetime. The five-year survival rate for invasive breast cancer is less than 30 %, indicating a need to develop a more effective therapeutic agent targeting breast cancer. This review discusses bioactive 1,3,5-triazines targeting breast cancer cells by the inhibition of different enzymes, which include PI3K, mTOR, EGFR, VEGFR, FAK, CDK, DHFR, DNA topoisomerase, ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme, carbonic anhydrase, and matrix metalloproteinase. The anticancer agent search in some drug discovery programs is based on compound screening for antiproliferative activity. Often, multiple targets contribute to the anticancer effect of 1,3,5-triazines and this approach allows identification of active molecules prior to identification of their targets.
  16. Artificial neural network modeling for the prediction, estimation, and treatment of diverse wastewaters: A comprehensive review and future perspective
    Ibrahim M, Haider A, Lim JW, Mainali B, Aslam M, Kumar M, et al.
    Chemosphere, 2024 Jul 15;362:142860.
    PMID: 39019174 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2024.142860
    The application of artificial neural networks (ANNs) in the treatment of wastewater has achieved increasing attention, as it enhances the efficiency and sustainability of wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). This paper explores the application of ANN-based models in WWTPs, focusing on the latest published research work, by presenting the effectiveness of ANNs in predicting, estimating, and treatment of diverse types of wastewater. Furthermore, this review comprehensively examines the applicability of the ANNs in various processes and methods used for wastewater treatment, including membrane and membrane bioreactors, coagulation/flocculation, UV-disinfection processes, and biological treatment systems. Additionally, it provides a detailed analysis of pollutants viz organic and inorganic substances, nutrients, pharmaceuticals, drugs, pesticides, dyes, etc., from wastewater, utilizing both ANN and ANN-based models. Moreover, it assesses the techno-economic value of ANNs, provides cost estimation and energy analysis, and outlines promising future research directions of ANNs in wastewater treatment. AI-based techniques are used to predict parameters such as chemical oxygen demand (COD) and biological oxygen demand (BOD) in WWTP influent. ANNs have been formed for the estimation of the removal efficiency of pollutants such as total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP), BOD, and total suspended solids (TSS) in the effluent of WWTPs. The literature also discloses the use of AI techniques in WWT is an economical and energy-effective method. AI enhances the efficiency of the pumping system, leading to energy conservation with an impressive average savings of approximately 10%. The system can achieve a maximum energy savings state of 25%, accompanied by a notable reduction in costs of up to 30%.
  17. Assessment of solar geoengineering impact on precipitation and temperature extremes in the Muda River Basin, Malaysia using CMIP6 SSP and GeoMIP6 G6 simulations
    Tan ML, Tew YL, Liew J, Bala G, Tye MR, Chang CK, et al.
    Sci Total Environ, 2024 Jul 15.
    PMID: 39019269 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.174817
    The concept of solar geoengineering remains a topic of debate, yet it may be an effective way for cooling the Earth's temperature. Nevertheless, the impact of solar geoengineering on regional or local climate patterns is an active area of research. This study aims to evaluate the impact of solar geoengineering on precipitation and temperature extremes of the Muda River Basin (MRB), a very important agricultural basin situated in the northern Peninsular Malaysia. The analysis utilized the multi-model ensemble mean generated by four models that contributed to the Geoengineering Model Intercomparison Project (GeoMIP6). These models were configured to simulate the solar irradiance reduction (G6solar) and stratospheric sulfate aerosols (G6sulfur) strategies as well as the moderate (SSP245) and high emission (SSP585) experiments. Prior to the computation of extreme indices, a linear scaling approach was employed to bias correct the daily precipitation, maximum and minimum temperatures. The findings show that the G6solar and G6sulfur experiments, particularly the latter, could be effective in holding the increases in both annual and monthly mean precipitation totals and temperature extremes close to the increases projected under SSP245. For example, both G6solar and G6sulfur experiments project increases of temperature over the basin of 2 °C at the end of the 21st century as compared to 3.5 °C under SSP585. The G6solar and G6sulfur experiments also demonstrate some reliability in modulating the increases in precipitation extreme indices associated with flooding to match those under SSP245. However, the G6sulfur experiment may exacerbate dry conditions in the basin, as monthly precipitation is projected to decrease during the dry months from January to May and consecutives dry days are expected to increase, particularly during the 2045-2064 and 2065-2084 periods. Increases dry spells could indirectly affect agricultural and freshwater supplies, and pose considerable challenges to farmers.
  18. Reporting multitargeted potency of Tiaprofenic acid against lung cancer: Molecular fingerprinting, MD simulation, and MTT-based cell viability assay studies
    Ahmad S, Bano N, Khanna K, Gupta D, Raza K
    Int J Biol Macromol, 2024 Sep;276(Pt 1):133872.
    PMID: 39019378 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.133872
    Lung Cancer (LC) is among the most death-causing cancers, has caused the most destruction and is a gender-neutral cancer, and WHO has kept this cancer on its priority list to find the cure. We have used high-throughput virtual screening, standard precision docking, and extra precise docking for extensive screening of Drug Bank compounds, and the uniqueness of this study is that it considers multiple protein targets of prognosis and metastasis of LC. The docking and MM\GBSA calculation scores for the Tiaprofenic acid (DB01600) against all ten proteins range from -8.422 to -5.727 kcal/mol and - 47.43 to -25.72 kcal/mol, respectively. Also, molecular fingerprinting helped us to understand the interaction pattern of Tiaprofenic acid among all the proteins. Further, we extended our analysis to the molecular dynamic simulation in a neutralised SPC water medium for 100 ns. We analysed the root mean square deviation, fluctuations, and simulative interactions among the protein, ligand, water molecules, and protein-ligand complexes. Most complexes have shown a deviation of <2 Å as cumulative understanding. Also, the fluctuations were lesser, and only a few residues showed the fluctuation with a huge web of interaction between the protein and ligand, providing an edge that supports that the protein and ligand complexes were stable. In the MTT-based Cell Viability Assay, Tiaprofenic Acid exhibited concentration-dependent anti-cancer efficacy against A549 lung cancer cells, significantly reducing viability at 100 μg/mL. These findings highlight its potential as a therapeutic candidate, urging further exploration into the underlying molecular mechanisms for lung cancer treatment.
    MeSH terms: Antineoplastic Agents/pharmacology; Antineoplastic Agents/chemistry; Humans; Ligands; Cell Line, Tumor; Molecular Dynamics Simulation*; Molecular Docking Simulation*; A549 Cells
  19. Fulltext Effect of seawater salinity, pH, and temperature on external corrosion behavior and microhardness of offshore oil and gas pipeline: RSM modelling and optimization
    Chohan IM, Ahmad A, Sallih N, Bheel N, Salilew WM, Almaliki AH
    Sci Rep, 2024 Jul 17;14(1):16543.
    PMID: 39019941 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-67463-2
    This research aims to investigate the effects of seawater parameters like salinity, pH, and temperature on the external corrosion behaviour and microhardness of offshore oil and gas carbon steel pipes. The immersion tests were performed for 28 days following ASTM G-1 standards, simulating controlled artificial marine environments with varying pH levels, salinities, and temperatures. Besides, Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) analysis is performed to study the corrosion morphology. Additionally, a Vickers microhardness tester was used for microhardness analysis. The results revealed that an increase in salinity from 33.18 to 61.10 ppt can reduce the corrosion rate by 28%. In contrast, variations in seawater pH have a significant effect on corrosion rate, with a pH decrease from 8.50 to 7 causing a 42.54% increase in corrosion rate. However, the temperature of seawater was found to be the most prominent parameter, resulting in a 76.13% increase in corrosion rate and a 10.99% reduction in the microhardness of offshore pipelines. Moreover, the response surface methodology (RSM) modelling is used to determine the optimal seawater parameters for carbon steel pipes. Furthermore, the desirability factor for these parameters was 0.999, and the experimental validation displays a good agreement with predicted model values, with around 4.65% error for corrosion rate and 1.36% error for microhardness.
  20. In Silico Exploration of Isoxazole Derivatives of Usnic Acid: Novel Therapeutic Prospects Against α-Amylase for Diabetes Treatment
    Roney M, Issahaku AR, Huq AKMM, Sapari S, Abdul Razak FI, Wilhelm A, et al.
    Cell Biochem Biophys, 2024 Dec;82(4):3351-3366.
    PMID: 39020086 DOI: 10.1007/s12013-024-01419-1
    Diabetes mellitus (DM) a metabolic disorder characterized by high blood sugar levels causing damage to various organs over time. Current anti-diabetic drugs have limitations and side effects, prompting a search for new inhibitors targeting the α-amylase enzyme. This study aims to discover such inhibitors from thirty isoxazole derivatives of usnic acid using in silico approaches. The potential inhibitory effects of compounds were investigated using ADMET, molecular docking, molecular dynamic simulation, principal component analysis and density functional theory studies. ADMET analysis exhibited a wide range of physicochemical, pharmacokinetic, and drug-like qualities with no significant side effects which were then investigated using molecular docking experiment to determine the lead compound with the best binding affinity for the α-amylase enzyme. All compounds showed good binding affinity against α-amylase enzyme (-7.9 to -9.2 kcal/mol) where compound-13 showed the best binding affinity of -9.2 kcal/mol forming hydrogen bonds with Leu162, Tyr62, Glu233 and Asp300 amino acids. Furthermore, the binding posture and the stability of the compound-13-α-amylase enzyme complex was confirmed by molecular dynamic simulation experiment. Moreover, compound-13 showed binding energy value of -27.92 ± 5.61 kcal/mol, which indicated it could be an α-amylase inhibitor. Additionally, the reactivity of compound-13 was further confirmed by density functional theory analysis. The above findings suggest compound-13 to be a potential α-amylase inhibitor in DM. And setting the stage for further in vitro and in vivo experimental validation.
    MeSH terms: Binding Sites; Computer Simulation; Diabetes Mellitus/drug therapy; Enzyme Inhibitors/pharmacology; Enzyme Inhibitors/therapeutic use; Enzyme Inhibitors/chemistry; Humans; Hydrogen Bonding*; Hypoglycemic Agents/pharmacology; Hypoglycemic Agents/therapeutic use; Hypoglycemic Agents/chemistry; Protein Binding; Thermodynamics; Catalytic Domain; Principal Component Analysis; Molecular Dynamics Simulation*; Molecular Docking Simulation*
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