Objectives: To analyze the existing literature on the outcomes of metformin usage among prediabetic patients. Methods: A thorough search across four databases identified 914 relevant publications. After removing duplicates using Rayyan QCRI and screening for relevance, 77 full-text articles were reviewed, with 6 studies ultimately meeting the criteria for inclusion. Results: We included six studies with a total of 295 pre-diabetic patients and 197 (66.8%) were females. Across the included studies, metformin demonstrated consistent benefits in improving insulin sensitivity and lowering fasting glucose and HbA1c levels, particularly when combined with lifestyle interventions such as exercise. Several studies showed delayed or reduced progression to type 2 diabetes (T2D). Metformin was especially effective in individuals with higher baseline fasting plasma glucose or insulin resistance. Adverse effects were minimal and infrequently reported. However, metformin alone was not universally effective in preventing diabetes, emphasizing the importance of combined interventions. Conclusion: Metformin is a safe and effective adjunct therapy for delaying or preventing T2D in individuals with prediabetes, particularly when used alongside lifestyle changes. Early initiation may offer greater benefits in preserving insulin function and reducing β-cell stress. Future research should explore long-term outcomes and optimal patient selection criteria.

The coconut or Cocos nucifera L., is a traditional plant that is treasured across the world for its many uses beyond its delicious taste and refreshing water. Coconuts harbor a rich array of phytochemicals, that include terpenoids contributing to their nutritional value and therapeutic potential. This review embarks on a journey to unveil the diverse profile and nutritional perspectives of terpenoids in coconut possessing health-promoting properties. Terpenoids, comprising a variety of compounds such as monoterpenes, sesquiterpenes, and triterpenoids, exhibit antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory properties, thereby bestowing health benefits on consumption. Understanding the pharmacology of terpenoids in coconut and its nutritional implications helps for maximizing its utilization in functional foods, dietary supplements, and pharmaceutical formulations. This comprehensive review underscores the importance of phytoconstituent (terpenoids) in coconuts as a source of bioactive compounds and highlight avenues for future research that harness their full potential for human health and well-being.

This study focuses on the successful production and detailed characterization of surfactant-aided bismuth vanadate (BiVO4) nanoparticles (NPs), designed specifically to enhance their use in environmental remediation. The BiVO4 NPs were synthesized using a simple co-precipitation method, followed by the addition of a surfactant before the final calcination step. The researchers proposed that this surfactant-assisted approach would allow for precise control over the particle size, morphology, and surface area, which, in turn, would significantly boost the material's catalytic action. The resulting BiVO4 NPs were thoroughly analyzed using various techniques, including X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infra-red microscopy (FTIR), Energy dispersive X-ray microscopy (EDX), Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and UV-Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS). These tests confirmed the formation of crystalline BiVO4 NPs with highly desirable structural and optical properties, particularly strong visible-light absorption. The prepared BiVO4 NPs demonstrated exceptional efficiency in the photocatalytic degradation of organic contaminants (such as selected dyes or pharmaceuticals) when exposed to visible light. The rate of degradation was markedly superior to that achieved by BiVO4 synthesized without the surfactant. This enhanced performance is attributed to the resulting better charge separation and an increased number of available active sites on the nanoparticle surface. Furthermore, the surfactant-functionalized BiVO4 NPs also exhibited excellent antibacterial activity against both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacterial strains, thereby establishing the material as a truly multi-functional agent. The combined, improved performance in both photocatalysis and antibacterial activity positions these surfactant-assisted BiVO4 NPs as a promising, cost-effective, and highly active nanomaterial for advanced applications in wastewater treatment and the preservation of public health.

Cervical cancer, the second most common malignancy among Indian women, primarily arises from the transformation zone of the cervix. High-risk HPV types, especially 16 and 18, are implicated in approximately 70% of cases. The median age of diagnosis is around 50 years. Metastasis to the gastrointestinal tract is rare, occurring in less than 4% of cases, with small bowel involvement being extremely uncommon.

This study examines the effect of credit risk management (CRM) on the financial performance of Saudi Arabian banks and investigates whether this relationship differs between Islamic and conventional banking models. Using panel data from 40 banks covering 2020–2024, the study incorporates key credit-risk indicators including NPLA/PLAL, PLAL/TLA, NPLA/TLA, TLA/TAS, and LDR and applies multiple regression and group-comparison tests. The results reveal that CRM significantly influences profitability, with higher non-performing loan ratios reducing ROE, while stronger lending intensity (LDR) and higher loan concentration (TLA/TAS) enhance performance. Comparative tests indicate substantial differences in credit-risk profiles across bank types but no significant difference in financial performance levels. However, interaction-term analysis demonstrates that the impact of credit-risk indicators on ROE varies meaningfully between Islamic and commercial banks. Overall, the findings underscore CRM’s essential role in sustaining profitability and highlight the moderating effect of banking model structures within Saudi Arabia’s Basel-aligned regulatory environment.

The research highlights the crucial need for a robust framework to assess return efficiency and risk exposure, focusing on an analysis of mutual fund performance. It explores the interrelation among key risk-adjusted performance metrics such as the Sharpe ratio, Treynor ratio, and Jensen's alpha, along with beta and standard deviation, which signify systematic and total risk. 38 Indian value mutual funds were analysed using MoneyControl (Shano, Ganesh, & Mwaura, 2017) secondary data. Regression, correlation, and descriptive statistics were employed. Results indicate risk-adjusted efficiency was moderate to strong, always higher than the average Sharpe, Treynor, and Jensen alpha values. Research demonstrates a strong positive correlation between the Sharpe, Treynor, and Jensen ratios (Lee, Keegan, Piggott, & Swann). Conversely, negative correlations with beta and standard deviation indicate that efficiency diminishes as total and systematic risk increase. Regression analyses indicate that risk variables significantly influence the Sharpe and Treynor indices. Conversely, Jensen's alpha seems to be autonomous, suggesting that it encapsulates the diverse impacts of managerial competence. The results validate the correlation among common risk-performance indicators, refute the null hypothesis of independence, and demonstrate the variability in the influence of market and management factors on these metrics. The report says that SEBI and AMFI should use a framework that has more than one metric to make things clearer. Fund managers should keep getting better at what they do by using methods that are flexible and take risks into account.

Since the creation of the world, to the rising and falling of empires and kingdoms, the development and evolution of civilisations from one generation to another, from the movement of explorers to the days of colonisation, no country has ever existed as an island. Languages and cultures around the world have constantly influenced and impacted one another in different ways through the exchange of linguistic and cultural practices, and the world has increasingly remained a global village of diversities and similarities. Languages and cultures have consistently borrowed from one another and continue to do so. This article therefore, studies how the Ngwo language has borrowed and continues to borrow from other languages to enrich its linguistic repertoire. Sources, domains and modifications employed in the reception of lexical items into the Ngwo language system are discussed. The process of borrowing changes over time as discussed in new generation borrowing. The article shares opinion on the merits and demerits of the process to the Ngwo language. Relexicalisation is discussed as a negative aspect of borrowing as it can apply to other Cameroonian languages in particular and African languages in general.