Nanoparticles of gold and silver were prepared by a reduction method and by employing green chemistry principles such as using curcumin as a reducing and a stabilizing agent. The formation of nanoparticles was confirmed by UV-Vis absorption spectra and TEM. Mie theory was used to determine the particle sizes. The nonlinear refraction and absorption properties of the particles were measured using the z-scan technique. A large value of third-order nonlinearities was obtained using the nanoparticles produced.

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The minimal invasiveness and high selectivity of 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA)-based photodynamic therapy (PDT; 5-ALA-PDT) renders it a viable therapeutic option for the treatment of various types of cancer. Compared with conventional lasers, light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are an inexpensive and convenient low-energy light source option. Nevertheless, the scope of LEDs in the 5-ALA-PDT of colorectal cancer (CRC) has yet to be fully determined. Thus, the aim of the present study was to assess the efficacy of LEDs in the 5-ALA-PDT of colon cancer in vitro by evaluating cytotoxic activity. 5-ALA-treated human CRC cells (SW480) were irradiated with LEDs of varying wavelengths: Red (630 nm), green (515 nm), blue (456 nm) and violet (399 nm). An MTS assay was conducted to determine cell viability. Additionally, a concentration-response experiment was conducted with the most therapeutic wavelength (violet) to examine the 5-ALA pharmacodynamics in vitro. The results revealed that only violet light in 5-ALA-PDT produced antitumour activity; this combination alone produced a drug concentration-and energy-related decrease in cell viability. The decrease in viability was partially reversed by 3-methyladenine, but not by Z-VAD(OMe)-FMK, suggesting that 5-ALA induced the autophagy, but not the apoptosis of SW480 cells. The nature of the multi-well plates used markedly affected the effectiveness of PDT. Black-walled plates appeared to protect approximately 25% of cells from the effects of PDT. By contrast, clear plates permitted light access to the wells, even when protected from direct PDT treatment. On the whole, the findings of the present study indicate that the use of LEDs in 5-ALA-PDT in vitro induce the fluence-dependent tumour cell death of SW480 cells. The choice of multi-well plates greatly affects the results obtained in vitro. The antitumour effect was high with violet light. Hence, the use of LEDs in 5-ALA-PDT may prove to be an effective potential treatment for CRC.

Overcrowding in emergency departments is a significant challenge in the world of medicine. Approximately 90% of the emergency departments face the issue of overcrowding. The causes of the phenomena are intensely contested, which makes it challenging to come up with effective, focused solutions. Individual patients, healthcare systems, and entire communities are all impacted by emergency department overcrowding. Crowding's detrimental effects on the delivery of healthcare services lead to delays, subpar care, and inefficiency, all of which have an adverse impact on the health outcomes of emergency patients. The purpose of this research is to review the available information about factors and solutions addressing overcrowding in emergency departments. Increased number of patients arriving in the emergency department, lack of resources, and the number of admitted patients waiting for transfer from the emergency department to a hospital ward are all contributing factors to the problem of overcrowding in the emergency department. The quality of medical care is directly impacted by emergency department overcrowding, which causes medication to be administered later than intended and raises the risk of morbidity and mortality among hospitalized patients. It also contributes to a number of unintended issues, including increased duration of waiting times, a decline in patient satisfaction, and a loss of revenue for medical facilities. Additional staff, observation units, hospital bed access, non-urgent referrals, ambulance diversion, destination control, congestion controls, and queuing theory are some of the possible solutions to overcrowding. Effective implementation of the strategies managing overcrowding at emergency department is needed.

Cancer which falls under the umbrella of non-communicable disease is responsible for posing significant burden of morbidity and mortality globally. The prevalence of cancer continues to rise worldwide, with significant variations in mortality and morbidity rates as per age, ethnicity, gender, and type of cancer. In order to reduce the global cancer burden effective and locally specific cancer preventive and control methods are essential. Cancer screening is one way of prevention. Additionally, it aids in early diagnosis and prompt management thus reducing mortality and complications. Since there is a significant lag period in the malignant transition, screening presents an opportunity to detect premalignant lesions, engage in early intervention in the carcinogenic process, and delay the onset of cancer. Most cancer risk factors are preventable. Home visits for cancer screening is one of the effective ways to encourage cancer screening and prevention among the community. Compared to hospital visits, patient visits at home result in more balanced interactions. The purpose of this research is to review the available information about the role of home visits in improving cancer screening and early detection. Home visit is a beneficial approach especially in rural and resource limited areas. Various findings support the role of home visits as they had a positive effect on cancer screening while few studies reported contradictory results. Further research is however needed for the assessment of outcomes and effectiveness of home visits in aspect of cancer screening