A hypothetical model of multi-layered cost-effective wastewater treatment plant integrating microbial fuel cell and nanofiltration technology: A comprehensive review on wastewater treatment and sustainable remediation.

Wastewater management has emerged as an uprising concern that demands immediate attention from environmentalists worldwide. Indiscriminate and irrational release of industrial and poultry wastes, sewage, pharmaceuticals, mining, pesticides, fertilizers, dyes and radioactive wastes, contribute immensely to water pollution. This has led to the aggravation of critical health concerns as evident from the uprising trends of antimicrobial resistance, and the presence of xenobiotics and pollutant traces in humans and animals due to the process of biomagnification. Therefore, the development of reliable, affordable and sustainable technologies for the supply of fresh water is the need of the hour. Conventional wastewater treatment often involves physical, chemical, and biological processes to remove solids from the effluent, including colloids, organic matter, nutrients, and soluble pollutants (metals, organics). Synthetic biology has been explored in recent years, incorporating both biological and engineering concepts to refine existing wastewater treatment technologies. In addition to outlining the benefits and drawbacks of the current technologies, this review addresses novel wastewater treatment techniques, especially those using dedicated rational design and engineering of organisms and their constituent parts. Furthermore, the review hypothesizes designing a multi-bedded wastewater treatment plant that is highly cost-efficient, sustainable and requires easy installation and handling. The novel setup envisages removing all the major wastewater pollutants, providing water fit for household, irrigation and storage purposes.

Incidence, prevalence, clinical features, and outcomes of COVID-19 in persons with cystic fibrosis: a systematic review protocol.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this review is to determine the incidence and prevalence, clinical features, and outcomes of COVID-19 in persons with cystic fibrosis. INTRODUCTION: Cystic fibrosis, predominantly a chronic respiratory illness, has long been known to be fatal with concomitant bacterial or viral infections. Consequently, the effects of COVID-19 on this protracted disease need to be understood, especially since the major manifestations affect the respiratory system. Hence, this review aims to examine the burden, clinical features, and outcomes of COVID-19 on individuals with cystic fibrosis. INCLUSION CRITERIA: This review will consider studies of persons in all age groups with preexisting cystic fibrosis who are diagnosed with COVID-19 using either a polymerase chain reaction, serology, or point-of-care test for SARS-CoV-2. Eligible studies will report the incidence, prevalence, clinical features, or outcomes of COVID-19 in individuals with cystic fibrosis. Studies in community or health care settings from any geographic location will be considered. METHODS: The JBI methodology for systematic reviews of prevalence and incidence will be used for this review. A methodical search for eligible studies in English (as well as available translations) in MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus, and CINAHL, and unpublished literature in Google Scholar, Dissertation Abstracts International, ProQuest Dissertations and Theses, and MedNar will be conducted from the year 2020 onwards. Studies meeting the inclusion criteria will be selected for appraisal and their methodological quality will be assessed by two independent reviewers based on study titles and abstracts, followed by full-text review focusing on sampling and statistical analysis. Data extraction will be accomplished using a standardized tool. If adequate synthesized data are obtained, a meta-analysis will be conducted; otherwise, the findings will be presented in narrative format, including tables and figures to aid in data presentation. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION NUMBER: PROSPERO CRD42021237792.

Bioremediation of Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals- Advancements and Challenges.

Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs), major group of recalcitrant compounds, poses a serious threat to the health and future of millions of human beings, and other flora and fauna for years to come. A close analysis of various xenobiotics undermines the fact that EDC is structurally diverse chemical compounds generated as a part of anthropogenic advancements as well as part of their degradation. Regardless of such structural diversity, EDC is common in their ultimate drastic effect of impeding the proper functioning of the endocrinal system, basic physiologic systems, resulting in deregulated growth, malformations, and cancerous outcomes in animals as well as humans. The current review outlines an overview of various EDCs, their toxic effects on the ecosystem and its inhabitants. Conventional remediation methods such as physico-chemical methods and enzymatic approaches have been put into action as some form of mitigation measures. However, the last decade has seen the hunt for newer technologies and methodologies at an accelerated pace. Genetically engineered microbial degradation, gene editing strategies, metabolic and protein engineering, and in-silico predictive approaches - modern day's additions to our armamentarium in combating the EDCs are addressed. These additions have greater acceptance socially with lesser dissonance owing to reduced toxic by-products, lower health trepidations, better degradation, and ultimately the prevention of bioaccumulation. The positive impact of such new approaches on controlling the menace of EDCs has been outlaid. This review will shed light on sources of EDCs, their impact, significance, and the different remediation and bioremediation approaches, with a special emphasis on the recent trends and perspectives in using sustainable approaches for bioremediation of EDCs. Strict regulations to prevent the release of estrogenic chemicals to the ecosystem, adoption of combinatorial methods to remove EDC and prevalent use of bioremediation techniques should be followed in all future endeavors to combat EDC pollution. Moreover, the proper development, growth and functioning of future living forms relies on their non-exposure to EDCs, thus remediation of such chemicals present even in nano-concentrations should be addressed gravely.

Nanocellulose in tissue engineering and bioremediation: mechanism of action.

Nanocellulose are nano-sized components which are biodegradable, biocompatible and renewable. It offers mechanical strength and chemical stability in plants and bacteria. The environmental contamination is reduced by employing various bioremediation techniques which usesmicroorganisms like algae, bacteria and fungi as bio-adsorbents. The bio adsorbent property of nanocellulose contribute more for the bioremediation methods and the detailed study of its mechanism and application is essential which is discussed here. The mechanism happening between the contaminant and nanocellulose adsorbent should be explored in detail in order to develop effective new bioremediation strategies. Nanocellulose structural functionalization helps to modify the nanocellulose structure based on which it can be utilized for specific functions. Exploring the mechanisms that contribute to the implementation of nanocellulose in tissue engineering helps for further developments and advancement in the biomedical application of nanocellulose. Not much studies are available that elucidate and study the basic steps involved in the biomedical and environmental usage of nanocellulose. This review has focussed on the basic mechanisms involved in the use of nanocellulose in tissue engineering and bioremediation processes.

A fatal combination of disseminated strongyloidiasis with two bacterial infections in an immunocompromised host.

INTRODUCTION: Strongyloides stercoralis is an intestinal nematode that is endemic in tropical countries. It can have a variable presentation ranging from asymptomatic eosinophilia in immunocompetent hosts to disseminated disease with sepsis in immunocompromised hosts. CASE REPORT: We report a case of chronic diarrhoea and decreased appetite in a 53-year-old man. He was a chronic alcoholic with diabetes, hypertension and dyslipidaemia and had earlier been treated for pulmonary tuberculosis. He was treated symptomatically for loose stools at a primary health care facility without relief. Following referral to our tertiary care centre, microscopic examination of the stool showed numerous larvae and a few eggs of Strongyloides stercoralis. Additionally, Aeromonas sobria was isolated from stool culture. The patient was discharged following improvement with a combination therapy of ivermectin, albendazole and ciprofloxacin. However, within 3 days, he was readmitted and succumbed to Escherichia coli sepsis. CONCLUSION: Strongyloidiasis can be diagnosed easily using a very simple but often neglected investigation, namely stool microscopy. This provides an early diagnosis, based on which prompt treatment with the appropriate antihelminthics can be started, thereby reducing the probability of disseminated infection. Disseminated strongyloidiasis is a medical emergency with a poor prognosis, especially in an immunocompromised state. Such patients should be treated aggressively with antihelminthics. They must be monitored for sufficient duration in the hospital for early signs of complication. Their discharge from hospital should be planned based on a negative stool microscopy report in addition to clinical improvement, so as to decrease the mortality reported for both untreated and treated individuals.

Multidrug-resistant Enterobacteriaceae colonising the gut of adult rural population in South India.

BACKGROUND: Multidrug-resistant (MDR) colonisers act as a reservoir for transmission of antibiotic resistance and are a source of infection. Exposure to antibiotics by the commensal flora renders them resistant. Antibiotic consumption and hospitalisation are two major factors influencing this. We studied, antibiotic-resistant bacteria colonising rural adult population who had restricted access to health care and presumably had low consumption of antibiotics. AIM: Detection of multidrug resistance genes of extended spectrum ß-lactamase (ESBL-CTX-M), AmpC ß-Lactamase (CIT), Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase (KPC) and New Delhi Metallo ß-lactamase (NDM) in Enterobacteriaceae colonising the gut of adult population in a South Indian rural community. METHODOLOGY: Faecal samples of 154 healthy volunteers were screened for Enterobacteriaceae resistant to commonly used antibiotics by standard methods, followed by phenotypic detection of ESBL by double disk synergy method, AmpC by spot inoculation and carbapenemases by imipenem and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid + imipenem combined E-test strips and modified Hodge test. Polymerase chain reaction was done to detect blaCTX-M,blaCIT,blaKPC-1 and blaNDM-1 genes coding for ESBL, AmpC, KPC and NDM, respectively. RESULTS: Colonisation rate of enteric bacteria with MDR genes in the community was 30.1%. However, phenotypically, only ESBL (3.2%) and NDM (0.65%) were detected. While the genes coding for ESBL, AmpC and NDM were detected in 35.6%, 17.8% and 4.4% of the MDR isolates, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Carriage of MDR strains with a potential to express multidrug resistance poses a threat of dissemination in the community. Awareness for restricted use of antibiotics and proper sanitation can contain the spread of resistant bacteria.