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Characterisation of Time-of-Flight (ToF) imaging system for application in monitoring deep inspiration breath-hold radiotherapy (DIBH-RT)

Abubakar A, Zin HM

Biomed Phys Eng Express, 2020 Nov 09;6(6).
PMID: 35102003 DOI: 10.1088/2057-1976/abc635

The purpose of this study is to develop a method for characterisation of time-of-flight (ToF) imaging system for application in deep inspiration breath-hold radiotherapy (DIBH-RT). The performance of an Argos 3D P330 ToF camera (Bluetechnix, Austria) was studied for patient surface monitoring during DIBH-RT using a phantom to simulate the intra-patient and inter-patient stability of the camera. Patient setup error was also simulated by positioning the phantom at predefined shift positions (2, 5 and 10 mm) from the isocentre. The localisation accuracy of the phantom was measured using ToF imaging system and repeated using CBCT imaging alone (CBCT) and simultaneously using ToF imaging during CBCT imaging (ToF-CBCT). The mean and SD of the setup errors obtained from each of the imaging methods were calculated. Student t-test was used to compare the mean setup errors. Correlation and Bland-Altman analysis were also performed. The intra-and inter-patient stability of the camera were within 0.31 mm and 0.74 mm, respectively. The localisation accuracy in terms of the mean ±SD of the measured setup errors were 0.34 ± 0.98 mm, 0.12 ± 0.34 mm, and -0.24 ± 1.42 mm for ToF, CBCT and ToF-CBCT imaging, respectively. A strong correlation was seen between the phantom position and the measured position using ToF (r = 0.96), CBCT (r = 0.99) as well as ToF-CBCT (r = 0.92) imaging. The limits of agreement from Bland Altman analysis between the phantom position and ToF, CBCT and ToF-CBCT measured positions were -1.52, 2.31 mm, -0.55, 0.78 mm; and -3.03, 2.55 mm, respectively. The sensor shows good stability and high accuracy comparable to similar sensors in the market. The method developed is useful for characterisation of an optical surface imaging system for application in monitoring DIBH-RT.
Fulltext An intermediate significant bit (ISB) watermarking technique using neural networks

Zeki A, Abubakar A, Chiroma H

Springerplus, 2016;5(1):868.
PMID: 27386317 DOI: 10.1186/s40064-016-2371-6

Prior research studies have shown that the peak signal to noise ratio (PSNR) is the most frequent watermarked image quality metric that is used for determining the levels of strength and weakness of watermarking algorithms. Conversely, normalised cross correlation (NCC) is the most common metric used after attacks were applied to a watermarked image to verify the strength of the algorithm used. Many researchers have used these approaches to evaluate their algorithms. These strategies have been used for a long time, however, which unfortunately limits the value of PSNR and NCC in reflecting the strength and weakness of the watermarking algorithms. This paper considers this issue to determine the threshold values of these two parameters in reflecting the amount of strength and weakness of the watermarking algorithms. We used our novel watermarking technique for embedding four watermarks in intermediate significant bits (ISB) of six image files one-by-one through replacing the image pixels with new pixels and, at the same time, keeping the new pixels very close to the original pixels. This approach gains an improved robustness based on the PSNR and NCC values that were gathered. A neural network model was built that uses the image quality metrics (PSNR and NCC) values obtained from the watermarking of six grey-scale images that use ISB as the desired output and that are trained for each watermarked image's PSNR and NCC. The neural network predicts the watermarked image's PSNR together with NCC after the attacks when a portion of the output of the same or different types of image quality metrics (PSNR and NCC) are obtained. The results indicate that the NCC metric fluctuates before the PSNR values deteriorate.
Fulltext Impacts of and adaptation to climate change on the oil palm in Malaysia: a systematic review

Abubakar A, Ishak MY, Makmom AA

Environ Sci Pollut Res Int, 2021 Oct;28(39):54339-54361.
PMID: 34402002 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-021-15890-3

The interaction and the interplay of climate change with oil palm production in the Southeast Asia region are of serious concern. This particularly applies in Malaysia due to its rank as the second largest palm oil producer in the world. The anthropogenic activities and the agroecological practices in oil palm plantation, including excessive use of fertilisers, bush fire due to land clearing, and cultivation on peatland, have exacerbated the effects of climate change featuring extreme events, drought, flooding, heatwave, as well as infestation of pest and diseases. These adverse impacts on oil palm production highlight the significance of deploying effective adaptation strategies. The study aims to examine the impact of climate change on oil palm production and identify the farmers' adaptation strategies to the impacts of climate change in Malaysia. This study was conducted a comprehensive review of the articles published from 2000 to 2021 in the contexts of climate change and oil palm production in Malaysia. The review shows that climate change has a range of impacts on the oil palm production in Malaysia. As a result, several adaptation options were identified, such as breeding of hybrid varieties that are tolerant and resistant to heat; sustainable management of soil; pit and tranches to enhance water management in plantation areas; minimal use of fertilisers, herbicides, and pesticides; zero burning; and minimum tillage. The reviewed studies recommended the following to mitigate the adverse impacts of climate change: sustainable national policy on climate change, conservation of the existing carbon stock, effective management of tropical rainforest biodiversity, afforestation for carbon sequestration, and reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emission.
Automated algorithm for calculation of setup corrections and planning target volume margins for offline image-guided radiotherapy protocols

Abubakar A, Zamri NAM, Shaukat SI, Mohd Zin H

J Appl Clin Med Phys, 2021 Jul;22(7):137-146.
PMID: 34109736 DOI: 10.1002/acm2.13291

PURPOSE: Each radiotherapy center should have a site-specific planning target volume (PTV) margins and image-guided (IG) radiotherapy (IGRT) correction protocols to compensate for the geometric errors that can occur during treatment. This study developed an automated algorithm for the calculation and evaluation of these parameters from cone beam computed tomography (CBCT)-based IG-intensity modulated radiotherapy (IG-IMRT) treatment.
METHODS AND MATERIALS: A MATLAB algorithm was developed to extract the setup errors in three translational directions (x, y, and z) from the data logged by the CBCT system during treatment delivery. The algorithm also calculates the resulted population setup error and PTV margin based on the van Herk margin recipe and subsequently estimates their respective values for no action level (NAL) and extended no action level (eNAL) offline correction protocols. The algorithm was tested on 25 head and neck cancer (HNC) patients treated using IG-IMRT.
RESULTS: The algorithms calculated that the HNC patients require a PTV margin of 3.1, 2.7, and 3.2 mm in the x-, y-, and z-direction, respectively, without IGRT. The margin can be reduced to 2.0, 2.2, and 3.0 mm in the x-, y-, and z-direction, respectively, with NAL and 1.6, 1.7, and 2.2 mm in the x-, y-, and z-direction, respectively, with eNAL protocol. The results obtained were verified to be the same with the margins calculated using an Excel spreadsheet. The algorithm calculates the weekly offline setup error correction values automatically and reduces the risk of input data error observed in the spreadsheet.
CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, the algorithm provides an automated method for optimization and reduction of PTV margin using logged setup errors from CBCT-based IGRT.
The use of rats and mice as animal models in ex vivo bone growth and development studies

Abubakar AA, Noordin MM, Azmi TI, Kaka U, Loqman MY

Bone Joint Res, 2016 Dec;5(12):610-618.
PMID: 27965220

In vivo animal experimentation has been one of the cornerstones of biological and biomedical research, particularly in the field of clinical medicine and pharmaceuticals. The conventional in vivo model system is invariably associated with high production costs and strict ethical considerations. These limitations led to the evolution of an ex vivo model system which partially or completely surmounted some of the constraints faced in an in vivo model system. The ex vivo rodent bone culture system has been used to elucidate the understanding of skeletal physiology and pathophysiology for more than 90 years. This review attempts to provide a brief summary of the historical evolution of the rodent bone culture system with emphasis on the strengths and limitations of the model. It encompasses the frequency of use of rats and mice for ex vivo bone studies, nutritional requirements in ex vivo bone growth and emerging developments and technologies. This compilation of information could assist researchers in the field of regenerative medicine and bone tissue engineering towards a better understanding of skeletal growth and development for application in general clinical medicine.Cite this article: A. A. Abubakar, M. M. Noordin, T. I. Azmi, U. Kaka, M. Y. Loqman. The use of rats and mice as animal models in ex vivo bone growth and development studies. Bone Joint Res 2016;5:610-618. DOI: 10.1302/2046-3758.512.BJR-2016-0102.R2.
Study of PRESAGE® dosimeter for end-to-end 3D radiotherapy verification using an anthropomorphic phantom with bespoke dosimeter insert

Mohyedin MZ, Zin HM, Abubakar A, Rahman ATA

Phys Eng Sci Med, 2024 Apr 18.
PMID: 38634981 DOI: 10.1007/s13246-024-01418-9

Modern radiotherapy techniques have advanced and become more sophisticated. End-to-end 3D verification of the complex radiotherapy dose distribution in an anthropomorphic phantom can ensure the accuracy of the treatment delivery. The phantoms commonly used for dosimetry are homogeneous solid water phantom which lacks the capability to measure the 3D dose distribution for heterogeneous tissues necessary for advanced radiotherapy techniques. Therefore, we developed an end-to-end 3D radiotherapy dose verification system based on MAX-HD anthropomorphic phantom (Integrated Medical Technologies Inc., Troy, New York) with bespoke intracranial insert for PRESAGE® dosimeter. In this study, several advanced radiotherapy treatment techniques of various levels of complexity; 3D-CRT, IMRT and VMAT treatment, were planned for a 20 mm diameter of a spherical target in the brain region and delivered to the phantom. The dosimeters were read out using an in-house developed optical computed tomography (OCT) imaging system known as 3DmicroHD-OCT. It was found that the measured dose distribution of the PRESAGE® when compared with the measured dose distribution of EBT film and Monaco TPS has a maximum difference of less than 3% for 3D-CRT, IMRT and VMAT treatment plans. The gamma analysis results of PRESAGE® in comparison to EBT film and Monaco TPS show pass rates of more than 95% for the criteria of 3% dose difference and 3 mm distance-to-agreement. This study proves the capability of PRESAGE® and bespoke MAX-HD phantom in conjunction with the 3DmicroHD-OCT system to measure 3D dose distribution for end-to-end dosimetry verification.
Fulltext Trends in Nanotechnology and Its Potentialities to Control Plant Pathogenic Fungi: A Review

Kutawa AB, Ahmad K, Ali A, Hussein MZ, Abdul Wahab MA, Adamu A, et al.

Biology (Basel), 2021 Sep 08;10(9).
PMID: 34571758 DOI: 10.3390/biology10090881

Approximately 15-18% of crops losses occur as a result of animal pests, while weeds and microbial diseases cause 34 and 16% losses, respectively. Fungal pathogens cause about 70-80% losses in yield. The present strategies for plant disease control depend transcendently on agrochemicals that cause negative effects on the environment and humans. Nanotechnology can help by reducing the negative impact of the fungicides, such as enhancing the solubility of low water-soluble fungicides, increasing the shelf-life, and reducing toxicity, in a sustainable and eco-friendly manner. Despite many advantages of the utilization of nanoparticles, very few nanoparticle-based products have so far been produced in commercial quantities for agricultural purposes. The shortage of commercial uses may be associated with many factors, for example, a lack of pest crop host systems usage and the insufficient number of field trials. In some areas, nanotechnology has been advanced, and the best way to be in touch with the advances in nanotechnology in agriculture is to understand the major aspect of the research and to address the scientific gaps in order to facilitate the development which can provide a rationale of different nanoproducts in commercial quantity. In this review, we, therefore, described the properties and synthesis of nanoparticles, their utilization for plant pathogenic fungal disease control (either in the form of (a) nanoparticles alone, that act as a protectant or (b) in the form of a nanocarrier for different fungicides), nano-formulations of agro-nanofungicides, Zataria multiflora, and ginger essential oils to control plant pathogenic fungi, as well as the biosafety and limitations of the nanoparticles applications.
Klebsiella sp. FIRD 2, a TBT-resistant bacterium isolated from contaminated surface sediment along Strait of Johor Malaysia

Abubakar A, Mustafa MB, Johari WLW, Zulkifli SZ, Ismail A, Mohamat-Yusuff FB

Mar Pollut Bull, 2015 Dec 15;101(1):280-283.
PMID: 26434791 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2015.09.041

A possible tributyltin (TBT)-degrading bacterium isolated from contaminated surface sediment was successfully identified as Klebsiella sp. FIRD 2. It was found to be the best isolate capable of resisting TBT at a concentration of 1000 μg L(-1). This was a concentration above the reported contaminated level at the sampling station, 790 μg L(-1). Further studies revealed that the isolate was Gram negative and resisted TBT concentrations of up to 1500 μg L(-1) in a Minimal Salt Broth without the addition of any carbon source within the first 48 h of incubation. It is expected that additional work could be conducted to check the degradation activity of this new isolate and possibly improve the degradation capacity in order to contribute to finding a safe and sustainable remediation solution of TBT contamination.
Fulltext Extraction, Purification, and Characterization of Polysaccharides of Araucaria heterophylla L and Prosopischilensis L and Utilization of Polysaccharides in Nanocarrier Synthesis

Samrot AV, Kudaiyappan T, Bisyarah U, Mirarmandi A, Faradjeva E, Abubakar A, et al.

Int J Nanomedicine, 2020;15:7097-7115.
PMID: 33061370 DOI: 10.2147/IJN.S259653

Background: Plant gums consist of polysaccharides which can be used in the preparation of nanocarriers and provide a wide application in pharmaceutical applications including as drug delivery agents and the matrices for drug release. The objectives of the study were to collect plant gums from Araucaria heterophylla L and Prosopis chilensis L and to extract and characterize their polysaccharides. Then to utilize these plant gum-derived polysaccharides for the formulation of nanocarriers to use for drug loading and to examine their purpose in drug delivery in vitro.
Methods: Plant gum was collected, polysaccharide was extracted, purified, characterized using UV-Vis, FTIR, TGA and GCMS and subjected to various bioactive studies. The purified polysaccharide was used for making curcumin-loaded nanocarriers using STMP (sodium trimetaphosphate). Bioactivities were performed on the crude, purified and drug-loaded nanocarriers. These polysaccharide-based nanocarriers were characterized using UV-Vis spectrophotometer, FTIR, SEM, and AFM. Drug release kinetics were performed for the drug-loaded nanocarriers.
Results: The presence of glucose, xylose and sucrose was studied from the UV-Vis and GCMS analysis. Purified polysaccharides of both the plants showed antioxidant activity and also antibacterial activity against Bacillus sp. Purified polysaccharides were used for nanocarrier synthesis, where the size and shape of the nanocarriers were studied using SEM analysis and AFM analysis. The size of the drug-loaded nanocarriers was found to be around 200 nm. The curcumin-loaded nanocarriers were releasing curcumin slow and steady.
Conclusion: The extracted pure polysaccharide of A. heterophylla and P. chilensis acted as good antioxidants and showed antibacterial activity against Bacillus sp. These polysaccharides were fabricated into curcumin-loaded nanocarriers whose size was below 200 nm. Both the drug-loaded nanocarriers synthesized using A. heterophylla and P. chilensis showed antibacterial activity with a steady drug release profile. Hence, these natural exudates can serve as biodegradable nanocarriers in drug delivery.
Efficient halal bleeding, animal handling, and welfare: A holistic approach for meat quality

Aghwan ZA, Bello AU, Abubakar AA, Imlan JC, Sazili AQ

Meat Sci, 2016 Nov;121:420-428.
PMID: 27468102 DOI: 10.1016/j.meatsci.2016.06.028

Traditional halal slaughter and other forms of religious slaughter are still an issue of debate. Opposing arguments related to pre-slaughter handling, stress and pain associated with restraint, whether the incision is painful or not, and the onset of unconsciousness have been put forward, but no consensus has been achieved. There is a need to strike a balance between halal bleeding in the light of science and animal welfare. There is a paucity of scientific data with respect to animal welfare, particularly the use of restraining devices, animal handling, and efficient halal bleeding. However, this review found that competent handling of animals, proper use of restraining devices, and the efficient bleeding process that follows halal slaughter maintains meat eating quality. In conclusion, halal bleeding, when carried out in accordance with recommended animal welfare procedures, will not only maintain the quality and wholesomeness of meat but could also potentially reduce suffering and pain. Maintained meat quality increases consumer satisfaction and food safety.
Effects of dietary oil blend on fatty acid composition, oxidative stability and physicochemical properties of Longissimus thoracis et lumborum muscle in goats

Adeyemi KD, Sabow AB, Abubakar A, Samsudin AA, Sazili AQ

Anim Sci J, 2016 Nov;87(11):1421-1432.
PMID: 26987458 DOI: 10.1111/asj.12597

This study examined the effects of dietary blend of 80% canola oil and 20% palm oil (BCPO) on the physicochemical properties, antioxidant status, oxidative stability and fatty acid composition of Longissimus thoracis et lumborum (LTL) muscle from goats during chill storage. Over a 14-week feeding trial, 24 Boer bucks were randomly assigned to and supplemented with diets containing 0, 4 or 8% BCPO on a dry matter basis, slaughtered and the LTL was subjected to a 7 day chill storage. Neither diet nor post mortem ageing influenced (P > 0.05) antioxidant enzyme activities, chemical composition and cholesterol. Diet had no effect on the carbonyl content, free thiol content, water-holding capacity, tenderness, pH and glycogen. Oil-supplemented goats had higher (P 0.05) changes were found in the proportion of individual fatty acids throughout storage. Total polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) decreased while total saturated fatty acids increased as storage progressed. Dietary BCPO enhanced n-3 PUFA without compromising the quality attributes of chevon.
Fulltext ZIF-90 nanoparticles modified with a homing peptide for targeted delivery of cisplatin

Abubakar A, Abdulmalek E, Norhamidah Wan Ibrahim W, Cordova KE, Abdul Rahman MB

Front Chem, 2022;10:1076350.
PMID: 36545218 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2022.1076350

To improve the selective delivery of cisplatin (Cis) to cancer cells, we report and establish the significance of active, targeting drug delivery nanosystems for efficient treatment of lung cancer. Specifically, pH-responsive nano-sized zeolitic imidazolate framework (nZIF-90) was synthesized, post-synthetically modified with an Arg-Gly-Asp peptide motif (RGD@nZIF-90), a known cancer cell homing peptide, and loaded with a large amount of Cis (RGD@Cis⊂nZIF-90). RGD@Cis⊂nZIF-90 was shown to be highly stable under physiological conditions (pH = 7.4) with framework dissociation occurring under slightly acidic conditions (pH = 5.0)-conditions relevant to tumor cells-from which 90% of the encapsulated Cis was released in a sustained manner. In vitro assays demonstrated that RGD@Cis⊂nZIF-90 achieved significantly better cytotoxicity (65% at 6.25 μg ml-1) and selectivity (selectivity index = 4.18 after 48 h of treatment) against adenocarcinoma alveolar epithelial cancer cells (A549) when compared with the unmodified Cis⊂nZIF-90 (22%). Cellular uptake using A549 cells indicated that RGD@Cis⊂nZIF-90 was rapidly internalized leading to significant cell death. After successfully realizing this nanocarrier system, we demonstrated its efficacy in transporting and delivering Cis to cancer cells.
Pollution of heavy metal threat posed by e-waste burning and its assessment of human health risk

Abubakar A, Zangina AS, Maigari AI, Badamasi MM, Ishak MY, Abdullahi AS, et al.

Environ Sci Pollut Res Int, 2022 Aug;29(40):61065-61079.
PMID: 35435558 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-022-19974-6

Improper treatment during recycling of e-waste materials by means of open burning is on the rise which has led to an increase in air pollution. This study looked at heavy metal concentrations, concentrations in relation to threshold values, and assessments of risk for noncarcinogenic and cancer risk threat. The Microwave Plasma-Atomic Emission Spectrometry (MP-AES 4210) series instrument of Agilent Technology, United States of America (USA), was used in analyzing heavy metal (Cd, Cu, and Pb) concentrations. The result of the analysis of the Kuka Bulukiya treatment point revealed that Pb has the highest mean concentration of 0.0693 ppm, Cu 0.0525 parts per million (PPM), and Cd 0.0042 ppm. The mean concentration at PRP Gidan Ruwa for Cd was found to be 0.0059 ppm, Cu 0.0363 ppm, and Pb 0.049 ppm. The result of the adult and children population calculated shows that the hazard quotient (HQ) and hazard index (HI) values are not up to 1 in all the pathways (inhalation, ingestion, and dermal) at both treatment points (1.2 ˟ 10-4 and 9.8 ˟ 10-5) and (6.4 ˟ 10-4 and 5.9 ˟ 10-4), respectively. The cancer risk for Kuka Bulukiya 6 ˟ 10-10 and PRP G/Ruwa 5 ˟ 10-10 for adults and 7 ˟ 10-10 and 4 ˟ 10-10 for children were both lower than the threshold set for cancer risk by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA). This meant that both adults and children were not at risk of cancer and noncarcinogenic threat based on the assessment in this study. The study concluded that informal e-waste burning has substantially helped in the relatively high levels of air pollution identified in the treatment points and in turn posed environmental and public health concerns to people around the area. This study recommends that samples of the vegetable products at the PRP G/Ruwa treatment point should be investigated immediately and adequate restrictions and regulations should be enacted and enforced in order to safeguard the environment and the populace. There is need for caution from the authorities to avert the possible implications (e-waste extractors and the public) of being affected with noncarcinogenic or carcinogenic ailments over time.
Fulltext Accuracy of a time-of-flight (ToF) imaging system for monitoring deep-inspiration breath-hold radiotherapy (DIBH-RT) for left breast cancer patients

Abubakar A, Shaukat SI, Karim NKA, Kassim MZ, Lim SY, Appalanaido GK, et al.

Phys Eng Sci Med, 2023 Mar;46(1):339-352.
PMID: 36847965 DOI: 10.1007/s13246-023-01227-6

Deep inspiration breath-hold radiotherapy (DIBH-RT) reduces cardiac dose by over 50%. However, poor breath-hold reproducibility could result in target miss which compromises the treatment success. This study aimed to benchmark the accuracy of a Time-of-Flight (ToF) imaging system for monitoring breath-hold during DIBH-RT. The accuracy of an Argos P330 3D ToF camera (Bluetechnix, Austria) was evaluated for patient setup verification and intra-fraction monitoring among 13 DIBH-RT left breast cancer patients. The ToF imaging was performed simultaneously with in-room cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) and electronic portal imaging device (EPID) imaging systems during patient setup and treatment delivery, respectively. Patient surface depths (PSD) during setup were extracted from the ToF and the CBCT images during free breathing and DIBH using MATLAB (MathWorks, Natick, MA) and the chest surface displacement were compared. The mean difference ± standard deviation, correlation coefficient, and limit of agreement between the CBCT and ToF were 2.88 ± 5.89 mm, 0.92, and - 7.36, 1.60 mm, respectively. The breath-hold stability and reproducibility were estimated using the central lung depth extracted from the EPID images during treatment and compared with the PSD from the ToF. The average correlation between ToF and EPID was - 0.84. The average intra-field reproducibility for all the fields was within 2.70 mm. The average intra-fraction reproducibility and stability were 3.74 mm, and 0.80 mm, respectively. The study demonstrated the feasibility of using ToF camera for monitoring breath-hold during DIBH-RT and shows good breath-hold reproducibility and stability during the treatment delivery.
Production, characterization and application of nanocarriers made of polysaccharides, proteins, bio-polyesters and other biopolymers: A review

Samrot AV, Sean TC, Kudaiyappan T, Bisyarah U, Mirarmandi A, Faradjeva E, et al.

Int J Biol Macromol, 2020 Dec 15;165(Pt B):3088-3105.
PMID: 33098896 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2020.10.104

Chitosan, collagen, gelatin, polylactic acid and polyhydroxyalkanoates are notable examples of biopolymers, which are essentially bio-derived polymers produced by living cells. With the right techniques, these biological macromolecules can be exploited for nanotechnological advents, including for the fabrication of nanocarriers. In the world of nanotechnology, it is highly essential (and optimal) for nanocarriers to be biocompatible, biodegradable and non-toxic for safe in vivo applications, including for drug delivery, cancer immunotherapy, tissue engineering, gene delivery, photodynamic therapy and many more. The recent advancements in understanding nanotechnology and the physicochemical properties of biopolymers allows us to modify biological macromolecules and use them in a multitude of fields, most notably for clinical and therapeutic applications. By utilizing chitosan, collagen, gelatin, polylactic acid, polyhydroxyalkanoates and various other biopolymers as synthesis ingredients, the 'optimal' properties of a nanocarrier can easily be attained. With emphasis on the aforementioned biological macromolecules, this review presents the various biopolymers utilized for nanocarrier synthesis along with their specific synthetization methods. We further discussed on the characterization techniques and related applications for the synthesized nanocarriers.
Fulltext Attenuating the Effects of Novel COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) Infection-Induced Cytokine Storm and the Implications

Rowaiye AB, Okpalefe OA, Onuh Adejoke O, Ogidigo JO, Hannah Oladipo O, Ogu AC, et al.

J Inflamm Res, 2021;14:1487-1510.
PMID: 33889008 DOI: 10.2147/JIR.S301784

The COVID-19 pandemic constitutes an arduous global health challenge, and the increasing number of fatalities calls for the speedy pursuit of a remedy. This review emphasizes the changing aspects of the COVID-19 disease, featuring the cytokine storm's pathological processes. Furthermore, we briefly reviewed potential therapeutic agents that may modulate and alleviate cytokine storms. The literature exploration was made using PubMed, Embase, MEDLINE, Google scholar, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure databases to retrieve the most recent literature on the etiology, diagnostic markers, and the possible prophylactic and therapeutic options for the management of cytokine storm in patients hospitalized with COVID-19 disease. The causative agent, severe acute respiratory coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), continually threatens the efficiency of the immune system of the infected individuals. As the first responder, the innate immune system provides primary protection against COVID-19, affecting the disease's progression, clinical outcome, and prognosis. Evidence suggests that the fatalities associated with COVID-19 are primarily due to hyper-inflammation and an aberrant immune function. Accordingly, the magnitude of the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin (IL)-1, (IL-6), and tumor necrosis alpha (TNF-α) significantly differentiate between mild and severe cases of COVID-19. The early prediction of a cytokine storm is made possible by several serum chemistry and hematological markers. The prompt use of these markers for diagnosis and the aggressive prevention and management of a cytokine release syndrome is critical in determining the level of morbidity and fatality associated with COVID-19. The prophylaxis and the rapid treatment of cytokine storm by clinicians will significantly enhance the fight against the dreaded COVID-19 disease.

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