Safety and efficacy of esophageal stents for esophageal anastomotic strictures: A 10-year single-center experience

Sundus Bilal,Saad Muhammad Saeed,Zeeshan Siddique,Muhammad Saqib,Shahana Shahid,Muhammed Aasim Yusuf 소화기인터벤션의학회 2022 Gastrointestinal Intervention Vol.11 No.2

Background: The aim of this study was to determine whether esophageal stent placement in recurrent and refractory post-esophagectomy anastomotic strictures improves clinical outcomes and prolongs the intervals between re-interventions. Methods: This retrospective, observational, single-center study analyzed data from all patients who underwent esophageal stent placement for symptomatic benign post-esophagectomy anastomotic strictures from 2009 to 2019. The primary outcome was technical and clinical success. The secondary outcomes were stent-related complications and re-intervention duration and rates. Results: Twenty-eight patients underwent esophageal stent placement for post-esophagectomy benign anastomotic strictures. The technical success rate was 96.4%. The clinical success rates at 4 weeks, 12 weeks, and 1 year were 100%, 69.23%, and 72.72%, respectively. Serious stent-related complications occurred in two patients (7.1%), while minor adverse events were noted in 11 patients (39.28%). The rate of stricture recurrence with a mean dysphagia-free interval of 17 weeks after stent placement was 64.28%. The rate of luminal patency with a stent was 73.33% at 12 months. Conclusion: Stent insertion is an effective and safe treatment modality for anastomotic esophageal strictures. Long-term remission of the stricture, more luminal patency, and an improved dysphagia score were observed, but the findings need to be confirmed through multivariate analysis.

Safety and efficacy of esophageal stents for esophageal anastomotic strictures: A 10-year single-center experience

Sundus Bilal,Saad Muhammad Saeed,Zeeshan Siddique,Muhammad Saqib,Shahana Shahid,Muhammed Aasim Yusuf 소화기인터벤션의학회 2022 International journal of gastrointestinal interven Vol.11 No.2

Background: The aim of this study was to determine whether esophageal stent placement in recurrent and refractory post-esophagectomy anastomotic strictures improves clinical outcomes and prolongs the intervals between re-interventions. Methods: This retrospective, observational, single-center study analyzed data from all patients who underwent esophageal stent placement for symptomatic benign post-esophagectomy anastomotic strictures from 2009 to 2019. The primary outcome was technical and clinical success. The secondary outcomes were stent-related complications and re-intervention duration and rates. Results: Twenty-eight patients underwent esophageal stent placement for post-esophagectomy benign anastomotic strictures. The technical success rate was 96.4%. The clinical success rates at 4 weeks, 12 weeks, and 1 year were 100%, 69.23%, and 72.72%, respectively. Serious stent-related complications occurred in two patients (7.1%), while minor adverse events were noted in 11 patients (39.28%). The rate of stricture recurrence with a mean dysphagia-free interval of 17 weeks after stent placement was 64.28%. The rate of luminal patency with a stent was 73.33% at 12 months. Conclusion: Stent insertion is an effective and safe treatment modality for anastomotic esophageal strictures. Long-term remission of the stricture, more luminal patency, and an improved dysphagia score were observed, but the findings need to be confirmed through multivariate analysis.

Hydrothermal carbonization of oil palm trunk via taguchi method

Sundus Saeed Qureshi,Premchand,Mahnoor Javed,Sumbul Saeed,Rashid Abro,Shaukat Ali Mazari,Nabisab Mujawar Mubarak,Muhamad Tahir Hussain Siddiqui,Humair Ahmed Baloch,Sabzoi Nizamuddin 한국화학공학회 2021 Korean Journal of Chemical Engineering Vol.38 No.4

Hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) and its parameters show a significant role in the quality of HTC products and the distribution of yield. The present study investigates the optimal conditions that are suitable to produce maximum yield products of solid, liquid, and gas, from HTC of oil palm trunk (OPT), by following the Taguchi method. Moreover, all the three products of HTC were analyzed using various characterizations. The optimum runs for hydrochar yield, liquid yield, and gaseous yield were run 1 (R1), run 4 (R4), and run 9 (R9), respectively. The reaction temperature was found to be the most influential parameter that affected the yield distribution during HTC, where low temperature supported solid production, intermediate temperatures favored liquid yield, and high temperature produced higher gaseous yield. Elemental analysis, H/C and O/C atomic ratios, higher heating value (HHV), and energy density values of hydrochar recommended that the HTC process has significantly converted OPT into better energy fuel. The energy densification value of hydrochar ranged between 1.28 and 1.40, which confirmed the significance of the HTC process. Two characteristic peaks from FTIR were observed at 3,430 cm1 and 2,923 cm1 hydrochar. SEM analysis confirmed that the porosity of hydrochar was higher than OPT after HTC. However, the major organic matter in the bio-oil traced by GC-MS analysis was acetic acid, accounting for about 59.9-71.7%, and the outlet gaseous product consisted of 0.87-9.17% CH4, 3.88-29.02% CO2, 1.07-7.89% CO, and 0.31-1.97% H2, respectively, as shown by GC-TCD.

Molecular logic gates: the past, present and future

Erbas-Cakmak, Sundus,Kolemen, Safacan,Sedgwick, Adam C.,Gunnlaugsson, Thorfinnur,James, Tony D.,Yoon, Juyoung,Akkaya, Engin U. Royal Society of Chemistry, etc 2018 Chemical Society reviews Vol.47 No.7

<P>The field of molecular logic gates originated 25 years ago, when A. P. de Silva published a seminal article in <I>Nature</I>. Stimulated by this ground breaking research, scientists were inspired to join the race to simulate the workings of the fundamental components of integrated circuits using molecules. The rules of this game of mimicry were flexible, and have evolved and morphed over the years. This tutorial review takes a look back on and provides an overview of the birth and growth of the field of molecular logics. Spinning-off from chemosensor research, molecular logic gates quickly proved themselves to be more than intellectual exercises and are now poised for many potential practical applications. The ultimate goal of this vein of research became clearer only recently - to “boldly go where no silicon-based logic gate has gone before” and seek out a new deeper understanding of life inside tissues and cells.</P>

Modified Continuous Mucosal Connell Suture for the Pharyngeal Closure After Total Laryngectomy: Zipper Suture

Mehmet Haksever,Davut Akduman,Sundus Aslan,Fevzi Solmaz,Suay Ozmen 대한이비인후과학회 2015 Clinical and Experimental Otorhinolaryngology Vol.8 No.3

Objectives. Pharyngocutaneous fistula is a serious complication after total laryngectomy, and there are some risk factors stated in the literature. The surgical suture techniques are not studied so much. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of ‘modified continuous mucosal Connell suture’ on the incidence of pharyngocutaneous fistula after total laryngectomy. Methods. This is a retrospective case series study based at a tertiary center with 31 patients who underwent total laryngectomy between July 2011 and December 2013. Pharyngocutaneous fistula formation after total laryngectomy was evaluated with the patients who underwent modified continuous mucosal Connell suture for pharyngeal repair. Results. Pharyngocutaneous fistula was observed in only one patient (3.2%) who had a history of previous radiotherapy, and it was spontaneously healed within 6 days by conservative treatment. Conclusion. We defined a new suture technique for the pharyngeal repair after total laryngectomy. This technique is a simple modification of continuous mucosal Connell suture. We named it as zipper suture. It is effective in the prevention of pharyngocutaneous fistula for pharyngeal reconstruction after total laryngectomy.

A Review on Processing Opportunities for the Development of Camel Dairy Products

Muhammad Asif Arain,Sundus Rasheed,Arham Jaweria,Gul Bahar Khaskheli,Ghulam Shabir Barham,Shabbir Ahmed 한국축산식품학회 2023 한국축산식품학회지 Vol.43 No.3

Camel milk has a significant and pivotal role in the diet of people residing in semi-arid and arid regions. Ever since ancient times, marketing of camel milk has remained insignificant due to nonexistence of processing amenities in the camel nurturing areas, hence the utilization of unprocessed camel milk has continuously remained limited at family level by the nomads. Due to the superior medicinal values and health promoting effects, incredible growth in the demand of camel milk and dairy products have been noticed all over the world during last two decades. Such emergence has led dairy industry to provide diversified camel dairy products to the consumers with superior nutritional and functional qualities. In contrast to bovine, very few food products derived from camel milk are available in the present market. With the advancements in food processing interventions, a wide range of dairy and non-dairy products could be obtained from camel milk, including milk powder, cheese, yogurt, ice cream, and even chocolate. In some regions, camel milk is used for traditional dishes such as fermented milk, camel milk tea, or as a base for soups and stews. Current review highlights the processing opportunities regarding the transformation of camel milk into various dairy products via decreasing the inherent functionality that could be achieved by optimization of processing conditions and alteration of chemical composition by using fortification method. Additionally, future research directions could be devised to improve the product quality.

DISCOVERY OF ROCK ART IN AZAD, JAMMU AND KASHMIR

KHAN, M. ASHRAF,KHAN, SUNDUS ASLAM Academia Via Serica 2017 Acta Via Serica Vol.2 No.2

Since the beginning of the human world, man has tried to prove his presence on the earth. Wherever he moved, he left his marks in different forms. Whether he lived in caves, in open spaces or in-built structures, he left evidence in art form, the earliest of which are the cave paintings found in various regions of the world. These transformed into open spaces where man carved and painted images and writings on rock faces and boulders. Although Pakistan provided an early home to such art forms, they have been discovered in Kashmir for the first time and will be revealed in this paper. In the present survey, a great number of rock art sites were found and documented in detail. These rock art sites display the earliest communities who settled down or traveled through the region, highlighting their thoughts, beliefs and practices. The tentative chronology of these rock art sites ranges from Neolithic to Hindu periods, creating an interesting mosaic in the historic profile of Kashmir.

Reasons for Patient's Delay in Diagnosis of Breast Carcinoma in Pakistan

Memon, Zahid Ali,Shaikh, Anum Nizamuddin,Rizwan, Sundus,Sardar, Maimoona Batool Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2013 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.14 No.12

Background: Delay in diagnosis of breast cancer is associated with a poorer survival and a pivotal contribution to this delayed diagnosis comes from patient delay in presenting at a clinic. Reasons involved must be evaluated in order to decrease this reducible delay. Objectives: i) To evaluate the reasons for patient delay in diagnosis of breast cancer; ii) to investigate any association with other variables. Materials and Methods: A 6 month cross sectional study (from July 2012 to Dec 2012), was carried out in Surgical and Oncology Units of Civil Hospital, Karachi. A total of 100 females diagnosed with breast cancer of any histological type were interviewed after informed consent and relevant data were collected. Due ethical clearance was obtained. Results: Mean age was $47.5{\pm}12.1$ years with a range from 25-77 years. Mean duration of delay was $5.13{\pm}4.8$ months, from shortest 1 month to longest 36 months. Duration of delay was observed to be no delay (<1 month) in 28%, short delay (1-3 months) in 30% and long delay (>3 months) in 42% of patients. Considering the symptoms as "harmless" (39%) was the most frequent reason of delay followed by "temporary" (20%) and the "use of traditional methods" (12%). Most common reason for later approaches was an increase in the size of the lump (41%). Statistically significant association (p-value <0.05) of longer patient delay was obtained with being single, being illiterate, painless breast lump as the first symptom, negative family history of breast cancer and vague attribution of the symptoms. Conclusions: Significant delay in approach to health care facility was observed in our study due to variable reasons given by women. Sufficient awareness regarding breast cancer, its symptoms and favorable effects of a timely diagnosis on prognosis must be imparted to our general population.