Geographical and socioeconomic disparities in post-transcatheter aortic valve replacement pacemaker placement.

INTRODUCTION: Pacemaker (PPM) implantation is indicated for conduction abnormalities which can develop post-transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). However, whether post-TAVR PPM risk is associated with the geographical location of the hospital and socioeconomic status of the patient is not well established. Our goal was to explore geographical and socioeconomic disparities in post-TAVR PPM implantation. METHODS: A retrospective cohort analysis was conducted using the National Inpatient Sample 2016-2020 with respective ICD-10 codes for TAVR and PPM implantation. A weighted multivariate logistic regression model was used to analyze prognostic outcomes. RESULTS: The number of patients hospitalized for undergoing TAVR was 296,740, out of which 28,265 patients had PPM implantation (prevalence 9.5 %). Patients' demographics including sex, ethnicity, household income, and insurance were not associated with risk of post-TAVR PPM except age (OR 1.01, CI 1.07-12.5, p < 0.001). Compared to rural hospitals, urban non-teaching hospitals were associated with a higher risk of post-TAVR PPM (OR 2.09, 1.3-3.43, p = 0.003). Compared to New England hospitals (ME, NH, VT, MA, RI, CT), middle Atlantic hospitals (NY, NJ, PA) were associated with highest post-TAVR PPM risk (OR 1.54, CI 1.2-1.98, p < 0.001), followed by Pacific (AK, WA, OR, CA, HI), mountain (ID, MT, WY, NV, UT, CO, AZ, NM) and east north central US. CONCLUSION: Patients' demographics including sex, ethnicity, household income, and insurance were not associated with the risk of post-TAVR PPM except for age. Compared to New England hospitals, Middle Atlantic hospitals were associated with the highest post-TAVR PPM risk followed by Pacific, Mountain, and East North Central US. Prospective studies with data on TAVR wait times, expertise of the interventional staff, and post-TAVR management and discharge planning are required to further explore the observed regional distribution of TAVR outcomes.

Co-foliar application of zinc and nano-silicon to rice helps in reducing cadmium exposure risk: Investigations through in-vitro digestion with human cell line bioavailability assay.

Foliar application of zinc (Zn) or silicon nanoparticles (Si-NPs) may exert regulatory effects on cadmium (Cd) accumulation in rice grains, however, their impact on Cd bioavailability during human rice consumption remains elusive. This study comprehensively investigated the application of Zn with or without Si-NPs in reducing Cd accumulation in rice grains as well to exactly evaluate the potential risk of Cd exposure resulting from the rice consumption by employing field experiment as well laboratory bioaccessibility and bioavailability assay. Sole Zn (ZnSO4) or in combination with Si (ZnSO4 +Si and ZnO+Si) efficiently lowered the Cd concentration in rice grains. However, the impact of bioaccessible (0.1215-0.1623 mg kg-1) and bioavailable Cd (0.0245-0.0393 mg kg-1) during simulated human rice consumption depicted inconsistent trend. The straw HCl-extractable fraction of Cd (FHCl-Cd) exhibited a significant correlation with total, bioaccessible, and bioavailable Cd in grains, indicating the critical role of FHCl-Cd in Cd accumulation and translocation from grains to human. Additionally, foliar spraying of Zn+Si raised the nutritional value of rice grains, leading to increased protein content and reduced phytic acid concentration. Overall, this study demonstrates the potential of foliar application of ZnSO4 +Si in mitigating the Cd levels in rice grains and associated health risks upon consumption.

Prevalence of respiratory failure and use of mechanical ventilation in heart failure patients undergoing left atrial appendage occlusion device implantation.

BACKGROUND: We sought to evaluate respiratory complications in heart failure patients undergoing left atrial appendage occlusion (LAAO) for stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation. METHODS: Adult admissions (>18 years) undergoing LAAO during 2016-2020 were identified from the National Inpatient Sample. Heart failure (HF) was stratified into systolic (SHF) and diastolic heart failure (DHF) and were compared to those without HF. Outcomes of interested included acute respiratory failure, use of non-invasive and invasive mechanical ventilation, and in-hospital mortality. RESULTS: Of 74,440 admissions for atrial fibrillation undergoing LAAO, SHF and DHF were noted in 8335 (11.2%) and 10,925 (14.7%), respectively. The SHF cohort was predominantly male (78%) whereas DHF cohort were female (53%). Compared to those without HF, presence of SHF (2.3% vs. 0.6%; adjusted odds ratio [OR] 1.61 [95% confidence interval {CI} 1.10-2.36]; p = 0.01) and DHF (2.8% vs. 0.6%; adjusted OR 2.20 [95% CI 1.58-3.06]; p < 0.001) were associated with higher rates of acute respiratory failure. SHF (1.7% vs. 0.6%; adjusted OR 1.70 [95% CI 1.07-2.71]; p = 0.02) group but not DHF (1.2% vs. 0.6%; adjusted OR 1.21 [95% CI 0.78-1.89]; p = 0.39) was associated with higher rates of non-invasive ventilation, whereas the DHF group (0.9% vs. 0.2%; adjusted OR 1.91 [95% CI 1.08-3.34]; p = 0.02) but not SHF (0.8% vs. 0.2%; adjusted OR 1.54 [95% CI 0.83-2.84]; p = 0.17) was associated with higher rates of invasive mechanical ventilation use. In-hospital mortality was comparable between cohorts. CONCLUSION: Compared to those without HF, atrial fibrillation admissions with HF undergoing LAAO had higher rates of acute respiratory failure and mechanical ventilation rates without differences in in-hospital mortality.

Coronary Artery Calcium Scoring in Asymptomatic Patients.

Coronary artery calcium (CAC) scoring is an important prognostic tool for personalized cardiovascular preventive care and has recently been incorporated into American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association guidelines. CAC provides direct visualization and quantification of CAC burden for risk stratification and primary prevention of cardiovascular events in an asymptomatic population. CAC scoring is recommended for individuals with intermediate 10-year atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) risk and selective populations with borderline ASCVD risk. In this review, we outline the interpretation of CAC scores for predicting the risk of cardiovascular events, and we highlight the guidelines for starting statin and potentially starting aspirin therapy. A CAC score of 0 is the strongest negative predictive factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD), and a 0 score can successfully de-risk a patient. On the contrary, higher CAC scores correlate with worse cardiovascular prognostic outcomes. The CAC scan is a widely available and reproducible means for an early look at the atherosclerotic burden, and it can help strategize early interventions. The CAC interpretation and the decision to start treatment need to be personalized based on individual risk factors. We believe the emerging literature supports our contention that the CAC score can be used more broadly to improve the prophylaxis and treatment of a wider range of apparently healthy patients.

Predictors and Outcomes of Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation in COVID-19 Patients With ARDS: A Propensity-Matched Analysis of National Inpatient Sample.

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is a significant treatment modality for COVID-19 patients on ventilators. The current data is limited for understanding the indicators and outcomes of ECMO in COVID-19 patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). The National Inpatient Sample (NIS) database from 2020 was queried in this study. Among 1,666,960 patients admitted with COVID-19, 99,785 (5.98%) patients developed ARDS, and 60,114 (60.2%) were placed on mechanical ventilation. Of these mechanically ventilated COVID-ARDS patients, 2580 (4.3%) were placed on ECMO. Patients with ECMO intervention had higher adjusted odds (aOR) of blood loss anemia (aOR 9.1, 95% CI: 6.16-13.5, propensity score-matched (PSM) 42% vs 5.4%, P < 0.001), major bleeding (aOR 3.79, 95% CI: 2.5-5.6, PSM 19.9% vs 5.9%, P < 0.001) and acute liver injury (aOR 1.7, 95% CI: 1.14-2.6 PSM 14% vs 6%, P = 0.009) compared to patients without ECMO intervention. However, in-hospital mortality, acute kidney injury, transfusions, acute MI, and cardiac arrest were insignificant. On subgroup analysis, patients placed on veno-arterial ECMO had higher odds of cardiogenic shock (aOR 13.4, CI 3.95-46, P < 0.0001), cardiac arrest (aOR 3.5, CI 1.45-8.47, P = 0.0057), acute congestive heart failure (aOR 4.18, CI 1.05-16.5, P = 0.042) and lower odds of major bleeding (aOR 0.26, CI 0.07-0.92). However, there was no significant difference in mortality, intracranial hemorrhage, and acute MI. Further studies are needed before considering COVID-19 ARDS patients for placement on ECMO.

Fractional flow reserve use in coronary artery revascularization: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Fractional flow reserve (FFR)-guided percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is recommended in revascularization guidelines for intermediate lesions. However, recent studies comparing FFR-guided PCI with non-physiology-guided revascularization have reported conflicting results. PubMed and Embase were searched for studies comparing FFR-guided PCI with non-physiology-guided revascularization strategies (angiography-guided, intracoronary imaging-guided, coronary artery bypass grafting). Data were pooled by meta-analysis using random-effects model. 26 studies enrolling 78,897 patients were included. FFR-guided PCI as compared to non-physiology-guided coronary revascularization had lower risk of all-cause mortality (odds ratio [OR] 0.79 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.64-0.99, I2 = 53%) and myocardial infarction (MI) (OR 0.74 95% CI 0.59-0.93, I2 = 44.7%). However, no differences between groups were found in terms of major adverse cardiac events (MACEs) (OR 0.86 95% CI 0.72-1.03, I2 = 72.3%) and repeat revascularization (OR 1 95% CI 0.82-1.20, I2 = 43.2%). Among patients with coronary artery disease (CAD), FFR-guided PCI as compared to non-physiology-guided revascularization was associated with a lower risk of all-cause mortality and MI.

Effects of Valvular Heart Disease on Clinical Outcomes in Sarcoidosis.

Systemic sarcoidosis can lead to heart failure, conduction abnormalities and ventricular arrhythmias although data on concomitant valvular heart disease (VHD) is limited. We reported the prevalence and outcomes of VHD in systemic sarcoidosis. A retrospective cohort study was conducted using National Inpatient Sample between 2016 and 2020 with respective ICD-10-CM codes. 406,315 patients were hospitalized with sarcoidosis, out of which 20,570 had comorbid VHD (5.1%). Mitral disease was most common (2.5%), followed by aortic, and tricuspid disease. Tricuspid disease was associated with increased mortality in sarcoidosis (OR 1.6, 95% CI, 1.1-2.6, P = 0.04), while aortic disease was associated with higher mortality in only 31-50 years age cohort. Patients with sarcoidosis and VHD have higher hospitalization charges and lower or similar valvular intervention rates than those without sarcoidosis. VHD has a prevalence of 5% in sarcoidosis, predominantly affecting mitral and aortic valves. Underlying VHD is associated with worse outcomes in sarcoidosis.

Prevalence and Prognostic Implications of Amyloidosis in Valvular Heart Disease.

There has been less emphasis on the prognostic impact of amyloidosis in patients with valvular heart disease (VHD). We aimed to determine the prevalence of amyloidosis in VHD and its clinical implications in terms of mortality. Patients hospitalized for VHD were identified using National Inpatient Sample 2016-2020 which were divided into 2 cohorts: with and without amyloidosis. Among 5,728,873 patients hospitalized with VHD, 11,715 patients had amyloidosis in which mitral valve disease has the highest prevalence (7.6%) followed by aortic (3.6%), and tricuspid valve disease (1%). Underlying amyloidosis is associated with higher mortality in VHD (OR 1.45, CI 1.2-1.7, P<0.001), mainly mitral valve disease (OR 1.44, CI 1.1-1.9, P<0.01). Patients with amyloidosis have higher adjusted mortality rates (5-6% vs 2.6%, P<0.01), longer mean length of stay (7.1 vs 5.7 days, P<0.001), but they have lower valvular intervention rates. In hospitalized VHD patients, underlying amyloidosis is associated with higher in-hospital mortality.

Cadmium mobility and health risk assessment in the soil-rice-human system using in vitro biaccessibility and in vivo bioavailability assay: Two year field experiment.

Humans are mainly exposed to cadmium (Cd) due to the rice consumption, however there exist considerable differences across rice cultivars in terms of Cd absorption and accumulation in the grains, and subsequent release after digestion (bioaccessibility), as well as uptake by Caco-2 cells of humans (bioavailability). This study comprised of field and lab simulation trials where in the field, firstly 39 mid-rice cultivars were screened for their phytoremediation potential coupled with safe production in relation to uptake and translocation of Cd. Lower Cd concentrations (˂0.2 mg kg-1) in polished rice of 74 % cultivars were ascribed to the increased root to straw translocation indicating that straw may acquire higher accumulation of Cd. Furthermore, the ionomic profile demonstrated that the spatial distribution of metals in different rice organs corresponds to the plant growth morphology. In the second year, in vitro-in vivo assay model was employed to assess the bioaccessibility and bioavailability of Cd in polished rice and to further estimate the daily Cd intake by humans through rice grains. The results of bioaccessibility and bioavailability assays and daily estimated Cd intake presented the corresponding values of 39.02-59.76 %, 8.69-24.26 %, and 0.0185-0.9713 µg kg-1 body weight day-1, respectively. There exists a strong connection between total Cd and bioaccessible Cd to humans (R2 = 0.94, P < 0.01). Polynomial fitting (R2 = 0.91, P < 0.01) showed a better statistically significant correlation between total Cd contents and bioavailable levels, suggesting that in vitro-in vivo assays should be considered in future studies. The results of field experiments and in vitro-in vivo assays recommended the Tianyouhuazhan (MR-29), Heliangyou1hao (MR-17), and Yongyou15 (MR-1) as suitable mid-rice cultivars for the phytoremediation of slightly Cd contaminated soils coupled with rice agro-production due to their high nutritional value and low total and bioavailable Cd for human.

In-Hospital Outcomes of COVID-19 Associated Myocarditis (from a Nationwide Inpatient Sample Database Study).

The prevalence of COVID-19 infection-related myocarditis, its in-hospital cardiovascular outcomes, and its impact on hospital cost and stay at national level are not well studied in the literature. The Nationwide Inpatient Sample Database from 2020 was queried to identify patients with COVID-19 and myocarditis versus those without myocarditis. Cardiovascular outcomes and resource utilization were studied among cohorts with COVID-19, with and without myocarditis, using descriptive statistics, multivariate regression matching, and propensity score matching using STATA version 17. Of 1,678,995 patients, 3,565 (0.21%) had COVID-19 with myocarditis, and 1,675,355 (99.78%) had COVID-19 without myocarditis. On multivariate regression analysis, we found higher odds of in-hospital mortality (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.59, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.27 to 1.9) in patients with myocarditis than in those without myocarditis, in addition to higher odds of major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events (aOR 3.54, 95% CI 2.8 to 4.4), acute kidney injury (aOR 1.29, 95% CI 1.27 to 1.9), heart failure (aOR 2.77, 95% CI 2.3 to 3.4), cardiogenic shock (aOR 10.2, 95% CI 7.9 to 13), myocardial infarction (aOR 5.74, 95% CI 4.5 to 7.3), and use of mechanical circulatory support (aOR 2.81, 95% CI 1.6 to 4.9). The propensity-matched cohort also favored similar outcomes. In conclusion, patients with COVID-19 and myocarditis had worse clinical outcomes, having a higher rate of in-hospital mortality, major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events with longer length of hospital stay, and higher hospitalization costs. Large prospective trials are necessary to validate these findings with diagnostic measures, including biopsy and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging for the extent of myocardial involvement.

An all-Africa dataset of energy model "supply regions" for solar photovoltaic and wind power.

With solar and wind power generation reaching unprecedented growth rates globally, much research effort has recently gone into a comprehensive mapping of the worldwide potential of these variable renewable electricity (VRE) sources. From a perspective of energy systems analysis, the locations with the strongest resources may not necessarily be the best candidates for investment in new power plants, since the distance from existing grid and road infrastructures and the temporal variability of power generation also matter. To inform energy planning and policymaking, cost-optimisation models for energy systems must be fed with adequate data on potential sites for VRE plants, including costs reflective of resource strength, grid expansion needs and full hourly generation profiles. Such data, tailored to energy system models, has been lacking up to now. In this study, we present a new open-source and open-access all-Africa dataset of "supply regions" for solar photovoltaic and onshore wind power to feed energy models and inform capacity expansion planning.

Detecting Aquatic Pollution Using Histological Investigations of the Gills, Liver, Kidney, and Muscles of Oreochromis niloticus.

The present study aimed to determine the degree of changes in the histological architecture of the liver, gills, kidneys, and muscles of fish Oreochromis niloticus collected from different polluted river sites. Fish samples collected from the Faisalabad Fish Hatchery and upstream of Chakbandi drain acted as a control. Necrosis, hemorrhage, and epithelial hyperplasia were observed in the gills of fish inhabiting the river downstream of the Chakbandi drain entrance. Liver tissues were found to be affected by vacuolated cytoplasm, bile duct proliferation, melanomacrophages, and necrosis. In kidney tissues, shrinkage of the renal cortex, necrosis, and destructive renal tubules were observed. Histopathology of muscles indicates the presence of hypertrophy and swollen myofibers. In contrast, upstream specimens of fish exhibited mild tissue alterations. Histopathology of gills tissue showed vacuolization. Liver tissues indicated the presence of hypertrophy and more frequent Kupffer cells than usual. The vacuolation was also observed in kidney tissues. Muscle tissues expressed splitting of muscle fibres and degeneration in muscle bundles. However, sections of tissues collected from farmed fish have normal morphology and no anomalies. The histopathological assessment indicated various cellular, biochemical, and histological changes in response to the contamination in the vicinity of the fish.

Right ventricle outflow tract dilatation and pulmonary artery aneurysm, rare cardiac conditions.

We describe a rare case of simultaneous idiopathic right ventricular outflow tract dilatation and idiopathic main pulmonary artery aneurysm. A 59-year-old male presented with complaints of exertional shortness of breath and a cardiac murmur since childhood. CT pulmonary angiogram showed main pulmonary artery dilatation with a diameter of 5.8 cm. Cardiac MRI revealed right ventricular outflow tract dilatation with a diameter of 5.4 cm and a main pulmonary artery aneurysm with a 5.6 cm diameter. Cardiothoracic surgery was consulted for surgical repair. Definitive management of right ventricular outflow tract dilatation and pulmonary artery aneurysms is challenging due to their infrequent diagnosis and lack of established guidelines. The treatment for central aneurysms is surgery which includes aneurysmectomy and right ventricular outflow tract repair or replacement.

A study on the role of aedes mosquitoes in arboviruses and SARS-CoV-2 infection: A new challenge.

Chikungunya, Zika, Dengue Viruses, and now Novel Coronavirus are global health challenges that cause human diseases ranging from febrile illnesses to death. Most of these viruses are mainly vectored by Aedes mosquitoes worldwide. Molecular detection of arboviruses was made in female Aedes mosquito pools caught from all the seven districts by using a reliable molecular technique, "RT-PCR." From 216 collections of Aedes species, arboviruses were detected in 27, including only Alphavirus genus to determine mosquito abundance and evaluate the potential role of Aedes aegypti and Ae. albopictus mosquitoes in arboviruses and nvel Coronavirus transmission. 5322 mosquitoes were collected using aspirators; 35.31% (n = 2049) were identified as female Aedes using morphological keys, pooled into 216 pools, and tested for arboviruses and coronaviruses by using RT-PCR with the help of specific primers. Novel Coronavirus was not detected in this study. Only the Flavivirus genus was detected in twenty-seven pools giving an infection rate of 62.96% (n = 17) for DENV2, while DENV3 was 37.03% (n = 10). Furthermore, our results indicated no role of mosquitoes in the spread of Covid-19. Results showed a higher infection rate in urban sites than in rural ones. The detection of arboviruses indicates possible human health risk due to active role of these mosquitoes in spreading of arbovirus in the study area.

Assessment of hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity in Cirrhinus mrigala induced by trypan blue - An azo dye.

Cytotoxicity in freshwater fishes induced by industrial effluents and dyes is a global issue. Trypan blue dye has many applications in different sectors, including laboratories and industries. This study determines to detect the cytotoxic effects of trypan blue dye in vivo. The objective of this study was to estimate the sub-lethal effects of azodye in fish. Cirrhinus mrigala, a freshwater fish, was exposed to three different grading concentrations of dye 5 mg/L, 10 mg/L, and 20 mg/L in a glass aquarium. Significant (p < 0.05) decrease in the weight of fish was observed as 0.728 ± 0.14 g and 2.232 ± 0.24 g, respectively, in the trial groups exposed to 10 and 20 mg/L of dye in a week. After exposure to trypan blue dye, fishes were dissected to remove liver and kidney tissues. Histopathological assessments determined hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity induced by trypan blue through the paraffin wax method. This dye induces mild alterations in the liver such as congestion, hemolysis, dilated sinusoids, ruptured hepatocytes, vacuolization, edema of hepatocytes, necrosis, degeneration, aggregation, and inflammation. This dye not only alters liver tissue, also induces an acute level of tissue alterations in the kidneys, such as degeneration of epithelial cells of renal tubules, shrinkage of the glomerulus, congestion, reduced lumen, degeneration of glomerulus, absence of space of bowmen, glomerulonephritis, necrosis in hematopoietic interstitial tissues and glomerulus, reduced lumen, vacuolar degeneration of renal tubules, increased per tubular space. The current study concludes that trypan blue dye released even in small amounts is found to be associated with a high incidence of cytotoxicity. Such tissue alterations in this species could be used as biomarkers for azo dyes.

High endothelial venules as potential gateways for therapeutics.

High endothelial venules (HEVs) are specialized blood vessels that support the migration of lymphocytes from the bloodstream into lymph nodes (LNs). They are also formed ectopically in mammalian organs affected by chronic inflammation and cancer. The recent arrival of immunotherapy at the forefront of many cancer treatment regimens could boost a crucial role for HEVs as gateways for the treatment of cancer. In this review, we describe the microanatomical and biochemical characteristics of HEVs, mechanisms of formation of newly made HEVs, immunotherapies potentially dependent on HEV-mediated T cell homing to tumors, and finally, how HEV-targeted therapies might be used as a complementary approach to potentially shape the therapeutic landscape for the treatment of cancer and immune-mediated diseases.

Coronary artery intramural hematoma, a rare complication of percutaneous coronary intervention.

Coronary artery intramural hematoma is a rare complication of percutaneous coronary intervention which develops from intimal tear of coronary artery and propagates by blood accumulation along the medial surface of adjacent segment. Fifty-three-year-old male presented with nonexertional chest pain; he was referred after a positive stress test with+ moderate lateral wall ischemia. Coronary angiography showed 80% lesion in mid-left anterior descending artery (mLAD). Angiogram after angioplasty with 2.0 mm × 15 mm balloon and 3.0 mm × 15 mm drug-eluting-stent demonstrated a new stenotic lesion distal to stented mLAD segment. Subsequently, an overlapping 3.0 mm × 30 mm stent was placed with effective restoration of blood flow through LAD. During percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), balloon predilatation can result in plaque fracture and stent deployment may cause intimal tear forming intramural hematoma which can lead to post-PCI myocardial infarction necessitating prompt detection by intravascular imaging with intravascular ultrasound and optical coherence tomography. Management is based on individual patient's characteristics and includes medical therapy, angiographic surveillance or repeat PCI.

Screening of low-Cd accumulating early rice cultivars coupled with phytoremediation and agro-production: Bioavailability and bioaccessibility tests.

Previous studies have focused on total cadmium (Cd) accumulation in rice or its transformation in soil, but only a few have examined the entire soil-rice-human system. This study investigated the Cd bioaccessibility and bioavailability for humans from grains of early rice cultivars grown in a Cd-polluted field and further combined with multi-traits to discover and evaluate the optimum safe production and phytoremediation potential cultivars. The results revealed that Cd concentration in polished rice was <0.20 mg kg-1 in 79 % of early rice cultivars, implying that Cd levels in rice might be reduced by cultivar selection. Furthermore, the higher values of root to straw translocation factor indicates the maximal accumulation of Cd in straw and with highest soil to straw accumulation factor (>1.0) in 66.67 % of cultivars. However, bioaccessibility and bioavailability varied greatly among cultivars with corresponding values ranging from 5.68 to 7.67 % and 1.87 to 5.71 ng g-1, respectively. Despite the fact that polynomial fitting revealed a statistically significant relationship between Cd content in polished rice and bioavailable Cd in humans (R2 = 0.718, P = 0.025), poor goodness of fit for bioaccessibility, bioavailability, and toxicity varied even within low-Cd accumulating cultivars. As a result of multi trait analysis and bioavailability, Zhuliangyou4024 (ER-9), Lingliangyou211 (ER-3), and Yonxian15 (ER-28) were found to be the three best early rice cultivars with higher essential nutrients, less total and bioavailable Cd, and relative high phytoremediation potential and are suitable for healthy rice production and soil remediation.

Intra-Organ Delivery of Nanotherapeutics for Organ Transplantation.

Targeted delivery of therapeutics through the use of nanoparticles (NPs) has emerged as a promising method that increases their efficacy and reduces their side effects. NPs can be tailored to localize to selective tissues through conjugation to ligands that bind cell-specific receptors. Although the vast majority of nanodelivery platforms have focused on cancer therapy, efforts have begun to introduce nanotherapeutics to the fields of immunology as well as transplantation. In this review, we provide an overview from a clinician's perspective of current nanotherapeutic strategies to treat solid organ transplants with NPs during the time interval between organ harvest from the donor and placement into the recipient, an innovative technology that can provide major benefits to transplant patients. The use of ex vivo normothermic machine perfusion (NMP), which is associated with preserving the function of the organ following transplantation, also provides an ideal opportunity for a localized, sustained, and controlled delivery of nanotherapeutics to the organ during this critical time period. Here, we summarize previous endeavors to improve transplantation outcomes by treating the organ with NPs prior to placement in the recipient. Investigations in this burgeoning field of research are promising, but more extensive studies are needed to overcome the physiological challenges to achieving effective nanotherapeutic delivery to transplanted organs discussed in this review.