The HyperPed-COVID international registry: Impact of age of onset, disease presentation and geographical distribution on the final outcome of MIS-C.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to establish an international multicenter registry to collect data on patients with Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C), in order to highlight a relationship between clinical presentation, age of onset and geographical distribution on the clinical outcome. STUDY DESIGN: Multicenter retrospective study involving different international societies for rare immunological disorders.1009 patients diagnosed with MIS-C between March and September 2022, from 48 centers and 22 countries were collected. Five age groups (<1, 1-4, 5-11, 12-16, >16 years) and four geographic macro-areas, Western Europe, Central-Eastern Europe, Latin America, Asian-African resource-limited countries (LRC), were identified. RESULTS: Time to referral was significantly higher in LRC. Intensive anti-inflammatory treatment, including biologics, respiratory support and mechanic ventilation were more frequently used in older children and in European countries. The mortality rate was higher in very young children (<1 year), in older patients (>16 years of age) and in LRC. Multivariate analysis identified the residence in LRC, presence of severe cardiac involvement, renal hypertension, lymphopenia and non-use of heparin prophylaxis, as the factors most strongly associated with unfavorable outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: The stratification of patients by age and geographic macro-area provided insights into the clinical presentation, treatment and outcome of MIS-C. The mortality and sequelae rates exhibited a correlation with the age and geographical areas. Patients admitted and treated in LRC displayed more severe outcomes, possibly due to delays in hospital admission and limited access to biologic drugs and to intensive care facilities.

In silico screening, ADMET analysis and MD simulations of phytochemicals of Onosma bracteata Wall. as SARS CoV-2 inhibitors.

Being attracted with their cardiotonic, antidiabetic, cough relieving activity, treatment of fever, absorbent, anti-asthmatic, etc. activities reported in ancient Ayurvedic literature, phytochemicals of Onosma bracteata wall should be evaluated for their activity against SARS-CoV-2 virus. The main objective of this study is to identify a hit molecule for the inhibition of entry, replication, and protein synthesis of SARS CoV-2 virus into the host. To achieve given objective, computational virtual screening of phytochemicals of Onosma bracteata wall has been performed against three main viral targets: spike, RdRp, and Mpro. Further, the analysis of Lipinski's Ro5 and their estimation of ADMET profiles were performed using computational tools. The MD simulations studies of top hits against each viral target have also been performed for 20 ns to ensure their stability. The analysis of results revealed that Pulmonarioside C (9) and other plant compounds showed better binding affinity towards targets than existing antiviral compounds, making them probable lead compounds against SARS-CoV-2. Structural modifications and studies through in silico analysis provided the founding stone for the establishment of SARS CoV-2 inhibitory potential of phytoconstitutents of Onosma bracteata wall.

Feather heavy metal contamination in various species of waterbirds from Asia: a review.

The amounts of certain heavy metals in waterfowl fluctuate depending on a number of factors. The use of feathers in heavy metal contamination studies is gaining popularity for several reasons, including the lack of need for deep freezing for sample preservation, the fact that it is a non-destructive, non-invasive method that does not require killing an individual, and the ability to predict lead and cadmium concentrations in internal tissues. A total of 22 publications from eight Asian countries including Pakistan, China, Hong Kong, India, Iran, South Korea, Indonesia, and Japan were identified and analysed in this study. The highest number of study sites were found from Pakistan (n = 12), followed by China (n = 9), Hong Kong, South Korea, and India (n = 7) each. A total of 10 heavy metals, viz cadmium, chromium, lead, copper, nickel, zinc, iron, mercury, selenium, and arsenic, have been identified for the review. Mercury (0.17-79.66 ppm) has been studied in all 44 species, whereas selenium (0.98-4.88 ppm) has only been studied in five species. Mercury (8.6 ppm) contamination is highest in Painted Stork from India. Cadmium, lead, copper, and arsenic contamination was detected in the highest concentrations in Cattle Egret and Indian Pond Heron. The highest contamination of cadmium (41.1 ppm), lead (296 ppm), and arsenic (20 ppm) were found in Cattle Egret from Pakistan. Chromium, nickel, and zinc contamination was highest in waders such as Marsh Sandpiper (114.7 ppm), Little Ringed Plover (114.8 ppm), and Little Stint (328.4 ppm), respectively from India. Black-tailed Gull from South Korea had the highest contamination of Iron (4055.55 ppm) and selenium (7.55 ppm). Feather analysis is not an alternative of internal tissue analysis. It should be considered as an initial warning of the hazardous effects of the heavy metals in the waterbirds.

Isolation and high-performance thin layer chromatographic estimation of Lupeol from Oxystelma esculentum.

BACKGROUND: Oxystelma esculentum R. Br. (Family: Asclepiadaceae) is a perennial twiner growing in water-logged areas of the Indian sub-continent. It is used traditionally as a diuretic, laxative and an anti-ulcer agent. However, there is no method available for isolation and estimation of a marker compound from this plant. The present work deals with the isolation and structure elucidation of Lupeol from O. esculentum and high-performance thin layer chromatographic (HPTLC) method development for its estimation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The petroleum ether extract of the entire plant of O. esculentum was subjected to further fractionation followed by pilot thin layer chromatographic (TLC) experiments and column chromatography. This yielded a pure, white, crystalline solid which resolved at Rf 0.65 upon TLC of chloroform fraction of the petroleum ether extract using the mobile phase toluene: methanol (9:1). RESULTS: This compound was subjected to ultraviolet (UV), infrared (IR), gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC-MS) and (1) H-nuclear magnetic resonance ((1)H-NMR) spectral analysis and its structure elucidation revealed it to be Lupeol. A novel HPTLC method for the estimation of Lupeol from O. esculentum was developed, in which it was found to be 0.829 ± 0.09% w/w. CONCLUSIONS: The method developed was found to be easy, simple, precise, efficient, accurate, reproducible, specific and sensitive, and could serve as a suitable tool for routine analysis and phytochemical authentication of O. esculentum.