Cancer therapy continues to face major challenges due to nonspecific drug distribution, systemic toxicity, and the emergence of drug resistance. Repurposing established drugs in combination with bioactive natural compounds and delivering them through nanocarriers represents a promising strategy to overcome these limitations. The present study focuses on the formulation, characterization, and combined efficacy evaluation of metformin hydrochloride and quinic acid–loaded niosomes for enhanced anticancer activity. Metformin, a widely used antidiabetic agent, exhibits anticancer effects through AMPK activation, mTOR inhibition, and metabolic reprogramming, while quinic acid, a natural polyphenolic compound, possesses antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and pro-apoptotic properties. Co-encapsulation of these agents in niosomal nanocarriers was undertaken to improve bioavailability, ensure synchronized delivery, and achieve synergistic therapeutic effects. The niosomes were prepared using suitable non-ionic surfactants and cholesterol and evaluated for physicochemical characteristics, including particle size, polydispersity index, zeta potential, entrapment efficiency, drug content, and in-vitro drug release. Morphological analysis confirmed the formation of uniformly distributed nanosized vesicles. In-vitro cytotoxicity studies demonstrated that the co-loaded niosomes exhibited significantly enhanced anticancer activity compared to individual drugs and their free combination, indicating synergistic efficacy. Overall, the findings suggest that metformin and quinic acid co-loaded niosomes offer a promising, cost-effective, and multi-targeted nanotherapeutic approach for cancer management with potential for further translational development.

Auricular perichondritis is an uncommon but potentially serious complication of ear piercing, particularly when the cartilaginous part of the auricle is involved. It is most often caused by bacterial infection, with Pseudomonas aeruginosa being the predominant pathogen, and may lead to cartilage necrosis and permanent deformity if not promptly treated. We report the case of a patient who developed auricular perichondritis following ear piercing, presenting with painful swelling, erythema, and tenderness of the pinna while sparing the lobule. Clinical diagnosis was supported by physical examination, and management consisted of early systemic antibiotic therapy combined with local care, leading to a favorable outcome. This case highlights the importance of early recognition of auricular perichondritis, appropriate antimicrobial treatment, and awareness of piercing-related risks to prevent functional and cosmetic sequelae.

The Niger Delta region faces a complex security crisis rooted in decades of environmental degradation and the resultant resource-driven violence. Traditional state-centric approaches to peacebuilding have largely failed to address the core problem of ecological marginalization, which pushes large segments of the marginalized youth population into militancy and illicit economies as a response to profound grievance and environmental scarcity. This paper examines a critical, though underexplored, solution: the emergence and efficacy of youth-led eco-innovation and environmental entrepreneurship as proactive mechanisms for conflict de-escalation and peace advocacy. This study argues that youth-led initiatives, such as sustainable aquaculture, waste-to-wealth enterprises and bioremediation start-ups, disrupt the conflict cycle by achieving two strategic outcomes. First, they directly counteract the environmental scarcity stress multiplier by providing legitimate, high-value livelihoods, successfully neutralizing the economic desperation that fuels participation in oil bunkering and pipeline sabotage. Second, by creating tangible economic assets and demonstrating local capacity for ecological stewardship, these ventures transform young people from mere victims or perpetrators into legitimate stakeholders. This elevation provides a constructive platform for peace advocacy and formalized dialogue with international oil companies (IOCs) and environmental protection agencies (EPAs), strengthening non-violent conflict resolution pathways and rebuilding a critical measure of institutional trust. The paper concludes that sustained peace in the Niger Delta requires a fundamental shift in green security governance frameworks. Governments and development partners must transition from reactive amnesty programmes to proactive, large-scale investment in and integration of youth eco-innovation. Government can effectively address the root causes of grievance and establish a foundation for long-term human and environmental security when priority is given to ecological livelihoods.

Introduction: Tuberculosis remains a major public health problem in Senegal and, despite effective treatment, it frequently leaves respiratory sequelae that cause chronic morbidity. This study was conducted to determine the epidemiological, diagnostic, therapeutic and evolutionary aspects of post-tuberculosis respiratory sequelae. Methodology: Retrospective and descriptive study including patients with post-tuberculosis respiratory sequelae followed at the Saint-Jean de-Dieu Hospital in Thiès (Senegal). Results: Over a period of 63 months, we identified 133 cases of post-tuberculosis respiratory sequelae. There was a male predominance (67%) with a sex ratio of 2 and an average age of 51 years. In 83% of cases, a single episode of tuberculosis was sufficient to cause respiratory sequelae. Radiological abnormalities were mainly located in the lung parenchyma (61%) and were bilateral in 86% of cases. The main types of abnormalities were fibrous condensation blocks (15.03%), followed by emphysema (14.2%), pulmonary calcifications (13.53%) and fibrosis (9.02%). The complications found mainly included aspergillosis graft (32%) and chronic pulmonary heart disease (CPC) (32%). Conclusion: Post tuberculosis pulmonary sequelae remain common in vulnerable patients, with persistent symptoms and varied lesions. The lack of targeted functional assessment calls for more comprehensive prospective studies.

As artificial intelligence (AI) becomes increasingly embedded in the structures of work, education, and everyday life, questions of ethics and digital wellbeing have grown urgent. Algorithmic bias, surveillance practices, and digital addiction pose profound risks to equity, autonomy, and human flourishing in the AI age. While technical and regulatory frameworks have attempted to mitigate these challenges, they often overlook the embodied, affective, and participatory dimensions of public engagement with AI ethics. This paper proposes participatory theatre as a powerful methodological and pedagogical tool for critically interrogating and reimagining human–AI relations. Drawing on traditions of applied theatre and Theatre for Development, the study demonstrates how performance-based interventions can democratise dialogue, foreground marginalised voices, and cultivate ethical reflexivity among diverse stakeholders. By staging scenarios of algorithmic discrimination, surveillance in learning and workplace contexts, and compulsive digital behaviours, participatory theatre creates a safe yet critical space for collective inquiry and ethical imagination. The paper argues that integrating such performative practices into discussions of AI governance and digital wellbeing not only enhances public literacy but also strengthens inclusive policymaking and educational strategies. Ultimately, this approach situates participatory theatre as both an artistic practice and a socio-ethical instrument for shaping the future of work, education, and wellbeing in an AI-mediated world.

Background: Oligohydramnios is a clinically significant obstetric condition associated with increased intrapartum intervention and adverse perinatal outcomes. Reduced amniotic fluid volume compromises fetal well-being by increasing the risk of umbilical cord compression and uteroplacental insufficiency, thereby influencing delivery decisions and neonatal outcomes. This study aimed to evaluate the mode of delivery and fetomaternal outcomes in pregnancies complicated by oligohydramnios. Methods: A hospital-based cross-sectional observational study was conducted in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Sir Salimullah Medical College and Mitford Hospital, Dhaka, Bangladesh, from December 2009 to June 2010. A total of 50 pregnant women with sonographically confirmed oligohydramnios were included in this study. Cardiotocography was performed upon admission to assess the fetal status. The mode of delivery, indications for caesarean section and neonatal outcomes were recorded. Associations between oligohydramnios severity and outcomes were analyzed. Results: Non-reassuring cardiotocography patterns were observed in 64% of the cases. Caesarean section was the predominant mode of delivery (72%), with fetal distress being the leading indication (61.1%). All women with severe oligohydramnios required caesarean delivery, demonstrating a significant association between severity and delivery mode (p < 0.001). Neonates born to mothers with severe oligohydramnios had a higher incidence of Apgar scores below 7 at five minutes (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Severe oligohydramnios is strongly associated with non-reassuring fetal surveillance, increased operative delivery rates and adverse neonatal outcomes. Severity-based risk stratification and vigilant intrapartum monitoring are essential for optimizing fetomaternal outcomes.

Digital health portals increasingly depend on highly “popular” physicians to anchor user traffic and drive revenue. Existing work, however, (i) conflates popularity with a single behavioural cue (consultation count) and (ii) relies on linear or shallow machine-learning models. We introduce PopNet, a hybrid TabTransformer + GRU that fuses demographic, behavioural, visual-cue and temporal-momentum signals to predict a composite Popularity Index (PopIdx) built from four pillars: demand, monetary appreciation, social proof and visibility. Across a five-fold group-wise cross-validation on 19 200 physician-quarter snapshots, PopNet attains MAE ≈ 0.091, beating ElasticNet by >40 %. Nevertheless, modern tree ensembles still edge it out (LightGBM MAE ≈ 0.046). Integrated-Gradient explanations and a feature-family ablation reveal platform visibility (inv_rank) as the single most important driver of popularity, followed by raw patient demand and monetary gifts. Fairness audits show a modest 0.006 PopIdx MAE gap between genders; a simple inverse-propensity re-weighting halves this gap with <0.002 performance loss. The study provides actionable levers for platform managers and a reusable, bias-audited modelling pipeline for future research.