Polyvinyl chloride microplastics and drought co-exposure alter rice growth by affecting metabolomics and proteomics.

Microplastics, interacting with drought stress, have become threat to crops by altering soil environment. Currently, the effect of combined microplastic and drought stress on crop growth remain poorly understood. In this work, the mechanism of multi-stress responses was investigated under the exposure of polvinylchloride microplastic (PV) and drought (D) individually and in combination (DPV) on rice varieties Hanyou73 and Q280 through proteomics and metabolomic analysis. All treatments negatively affect chlorophyll content, antioxidant enzyme activities, rice grain composition, metabolome and proteomic profiling of both rice varieties. Full rice grain yield was decreased under all treatments except PV treatment in which it was increased in both rice varieties. DPV treatment shows the lowest grain yield and more adverse effects on metabolome by affecting glycerophospholipid metabolism, tryptophan metabolism and alanine, aspartate and glutamate metabolism. Soluble sugar contents were decreased in H73 but in Q280 increased by 159 % under DPV and 123 % in PV treatment, compared to their control group. The results from metabolomics illustrate that glycerophospholipid metabolism is commonly altered in both rice types under all treatments. PV and drought alone and in combination induce extensive alterations in proteomics of rice leaves especially impacting proteins related to binding, translation and photosynthetic process. The results reveal that PV and DPV treatments highly distort the abundance of metabolites and proteins in both rice types, demonstrating that microplastic toxicity effects on rice plants become more severe when combined with drought stress.

Metabolomics combined with proteomics reveals phytotoxic effects of norfloxacin under drought stress on Oryza sativa.

In recent decades, plants enduring abiotic stresses such as drought and chemical stresses. Currently, the mechanism of combined antibiotic and drought stress response and its impact on crop growth and food security remains poorly understood. Here, the mechanism of stress responses under the exposure of norfloxacin (NF) and drought (D) individually and in combination (DNF) were explored on rice (Oryza sativa) cultivar Hanyou73 through proteomics and metabolomic analysis. All treatments adversely affected chlorophyll fluorescence kinetics, antioxidant enzyme activities, rice grain composition and yield. The results showed that in DNF the antibiotic was accumulated 627% more than NF treatment in rice grains while in leaves there was no significant difference under both treatments. The proteomic revealed that differentially expressed identified proteins were involved in carbohydrate metabolism, amino acid metabolism, photosynthesis and mRNA binding. However, the metabolomics results showed that the abundance of metabolites related to RNA biosynthesis and amino acid metabolism were more affected. The disruptions caused in rice plant under DNF treatment become more severe, this makes it more susceptible than individual D and NF treatment. These findings improve our knowledge about the response of rice plant to cope with antibiotic contamination alone and in combination with drought.

In vivo spatiotemporal characterizing diverse body transportation of optical labeled high immunity aluminium adjuvants with photoacoustic tomography.

Vaccine development requires high-resolution, in situ, and visual adjuvant technology. To address this need, this work proposed a novel adjuvant labeling that involved indocyanine green (ICG) and bovine serum albumin (BSA) with self-assembled aluminium adjuvant (Alum), which was called BSA@ICG@Alum. This compound exhibited excellent photoacoustic properties and has been confirmed its safety, biocompatibility, high antigen binding efficiency, and superior induction of immune response. Photoacoustic tomography (PAT) tracked the distribution of Alum in lymph nodes (LNs) and lymphatic vessels in real time after diverse injection modalities. The non-invasive imaging approach revealed that BSA@ICG@Alum was transported to the draining LNs 60 min after intramuscular injection and to distal LNs within 30 min after lymph node injection. In conclusion, PAT enabled real-time three-dimensional and quantitative visualization, thus offering a powerful tool for advancing vaccine design by providing critical insights into adjuvant transport and immune system activation.

Age Impacts Clinical and Patient Reported Outcomes following Post Mastectomy Breast Reconstruction.

BACKGROUND: While the current literature indicates that age should not be a deterring factor in postmastectomy breast reconstruction (PMBR), the true impact of increasing age on postoperative outcomes remains unknown. The purpose of this study is to understand the impact of age on complications and patient-reported outcomes (PROs) using BREAST-Q longitudinally 5-years after PMBR. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective analysis of patients who underwent autologous (ABR) or implant-based reconstruction (IBR). Age was studied as both a categorical and continuous variable. Outcome measures included complications and BREAST-Q scores at preoperative, 6-months, and 1-5 years postoperative. RESULTS: 4,730 patients were included, of which 1,536 (32.5%) underwent ABR while 3,194 (67.5%) had IBR. Older age was significantly associated with increased risk of developing mastectomy skin flap/nipple necrosis, infection, and seroma. Older age was negatively correlated with Satisfaction with Breasts (ß=-0.06 [-0.12, -0.01]; p=0.033) and positively correlated with Psychosocial Well-being (ß=0.14 [0.09, 0.20]; p<0.001). Older age was not correlated with Physical Well-being of the Chest (ß=-0.03 [-0.08, 0.02], p=0.2) and Sexual Well-being (ß=-0.04 [-0.12, 0.02]; p=0.2). Subgroup analyses of ABR and IBR patients demonstrated different complications and PRO profiles. CONCLUSIONS: Our analysis of the impact of age on surgical outcomes and PROs suggests that complication rates increase with age and older age is negatively correlated with Satisfaction with Breasts but positively correlated with Psychosocial Well-being. Overall, older patients should be informed about the potential associated risks and anticipated patient reported outcomes.

Analyzing mastectomy and reconstruction weight in immediate autologous breast reconstruction: A preliminary study.

BACKGROUND: This study aims to explore the ideal breast size by assessing the relationship between mastectomy to free flap weight ratio and complications as well as patient-reported outcomes in autologous breast reconstruction (ABR). METHOD: A retrospective review of patients undergoing bilateral immediate ABR with mastectomy and flap weights available was completed. Patients were divided into three groups based on the ratio of mastectomy to flap weights. The patients were grouped as "maintained" if the flap weight was within 10% of the mastectomy weight. Patients with a weight difference greater than 10% were used to declare "downsized" or "upsized." Outcomes included complications and four domains of the BREAST-Q at 1-year postoperatively. RESULTS: Three hundred and fifty-nine patients were included in the analysis, of which 112 were downsized, 91 maintained, and 156 upsized, respectively. Presence of complications did not significantly differ among the groups. At 1-year postoperatively, Sexual Well-being significantly differed (p = 0.033). Between preoperative and 1 year, patients who upsized experienced an improvement in Satisfaction with Breasts by 16 points (p < 0.001), while patients who downsized experienced a decline in Physical Well-being of the Chest by 7 points (p = 0.016). Multivariable linear regression model showed that Sexual Well-being was 13 points lower in the downsized cohort than in the maintained cohort (ß = -13, 95% confidence interval: -21 to -5.4; p = 0.001). CONCLUSION: Although complication rates do not significantly differ between the three cohorts, patients who downsize may have lower Sexual Well-being postoperatively. Surgeons should consider our preliminary findings to counsel patients preoperatively about the predicted breast size and the impact of downsizing on sexual health.

One pot application of a green chemistry-based finish for cotton fabric, providing hydrophobic, flame retardant, and antimicrobial properties.

Fluorinated and formaldehyde-based compounds impart excellent hydrophobicity and flame-retardant properties to cotton fabrics. However, they come with various health and environmental risks. A novel hydrophobic, flame retardant, and antimicrobial finishing agent free from fluorine and formaldehyde was synthesized. The diammonium phosphate octadecyl citrate (DAPOC) was synthesized by using stearic acid (octadecanoic acid), citric acid (propane-1,2,3-tricarboxylic acid), and diammonium hydrogen phosphate. It was grafted onto the cotton fabrics by employing the conventional pad-dry-cure method. The results indicated that this newly developed finish could be chemically bonded to cotton fabrics through C-O-C covalent bonds. The contact angle of the cotton fabric finished with a 12% concentration of the finishing agent reached 151.9°. Additionally, the finished cotton fabrics displayed evident flame-retardant properties. After undergoing 20 laundering cycles, DAPOC maintained strong hydrophobic and flame-retardant characteristics, demonstrating its durability. The chemical structure of DAPOC was verified by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-NMR). The thermogravimetric analysis confirmed the flame-retardant nature of the treated cotton fabric samples. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX), and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) results demonstrated the successful grafting of the newly created finish onto the cotton fiber. X-ray diffraction (XRD) spectra depicted that the crystalline structure of finished cotton fabric remained mostly unaltered. Furthermore, the finished cotton fabric exhibited commendable antimicrobial properties due to the inclusion of citric acid.

Clinical, functional, and patient-reported outcomes of radial forearm versus anterolateral thigh free tissue transfer for reconstruction of glossectomy defects.

BACKGROUND: There is a lack of literature of health-related quality of life endpoints for radial forearm (RF) versus anterolateral thigh (ALT) free flap reconstruction for glossectomy defects. Our goal was to perform a comprehensive evaluation of clinical, functional, and quality of life outcomes after glossectomy reconstruction using a RF or ALT flap. METHODS: A retrospective review was performed on patients who underwent glossectomy and immediate reconstruction with RF or ALT flaps between 2016 and 2021. Outcomes of interest included readmission and reoperation rates, functional assessments, tracheostomy and gastrostomy tube status, and FACE-Q Head and Neck Cancer scores. RESULTS: Seventy-eight patients consisting of 54 RF and 24 ALT free flaps were included. ALT patients had a larger median flap size (72 vs. 48 cm2 , p = 0.021) and underwent mandibulotomy (50% vs. 7.4%, p < 0.0001) and base of tongue resection (58.3% vs. 24.1%, p = 0.005) at higher rates. No significant differences were found with respect to other outcomes. CONCLUSION: The RF and ALT flaps are suitable for glossectomy reconstruction, with minimal differences seen in postoperative outcomes. Our study suggests that ALT can be used in patients with base of tongue and larger defect sizes, while providing similar functional and clinical outcomes to RF reconstruction.

Oral Nanomedicine: Challenges and Opportunities.

Compared to injection administration, oral administration is free of discomfort, wound infection, and complications and has a higher compliance rate for patients with diverse diseases. However, oral administration reduces the bioavailability of medicines, especially biologics (e.g., peptides, proteins, and antibodies), due to harsh gastrointestinal biological barriers. In this context, the development and prosperity of nanotechnology have helped improve the bioactivity and oral availability of oral medicines. On this basis, first, the biological barriers to oral administration are discussed, and then oral nanomedicine based on organic and inorganic nanomaterials and their biomedical applications in diverse diseases are reviewed. Finally, the challenges and potential opportunities in the future development of oral nanomedicine, which may provide a vital reference for the eventual clinical transformation and standardized production of oral nanomedicine, are put forward.

High prevalence of antibiotic-resistant and metal-tolerant cultivable bacteria in remote glacier environment.

Studies of antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB) have mainly originated from anthropic-influenced environments, with limited information from pristine environments. Remote cold environments are major reservoirs of ARB and have been determined in polar regions; however, their abundance in non-polar cold habitats is underexplored. This study evaluated antibiotics and metals resistance profiles, prevalence of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and metals tolerance genes (MTGs) in 38 ARB isolated from the glacier debris and meltwater from Baishui Glacier No 1, China. Molecular identification displayed Proteobacteria (39.3%) predominant in debris, while meltwater was dominated by Actinobacteria (30%) and Proteobacteria (30%). Bacterial isolates exhibited multiple antibiotic resistance index values > 0.2. Gram-negative bacteria displayed higher resistance to antibiotics and metals than Gram-positive. PCR amplification exhibited distinct ARGs in bacteria dominated by ß-lactam genes blaCTX-M (21.1-71.1%), blaACC (21.1-60.5%), tetracycline-resistant gene tetA (21.1-60.5%), and sulfonamide-resistant gene sulI (18.4-52.6%). Moreover, different MTGs were reported in bacterial isolates, including mercury-resistant merA (21.1-63.2%), copper-resistant copB (18.4-57.9%), chromium-resistant chrA (15.8-44.7%) and arsenic-resistant arsB (10.5-44.7%). This highlights the co-selection and co-occurrence of MTGs and ARGs in remote glacier environments. Different bacteria shared same ARGs, signifying horizontal gene transfer between species. Strong positive correlation among ARGs and MTGs was reported. Metals tolerance range exhibited that Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria clustered distinctly. Gram-negative bacteria were significantly tolerant to metals. Amino acid sequences of blaACC,blaCTX-M,blaSHV,blaampC,qnrA, sulI, tetA and blaTEM revealed variations. This study presents promising ARB, harboring ARGs with variations in amino acid sequences, highlighting the need to assess the transcriptome study of glacier bacteria conferring ARGs and MTGs.

Iridium nanozyme-mediated photoacoustic imaging-guided NIR-II photothermal therapy and tumor microenvironment regulation for targeted eradication of cancer stem cells.

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are found in many solid tumors, which play decisive roles in the occurrence, recurrence and metastasis of tumors. However, drugs are difficult to kill CSCs due to their limited number and location in oxygen-deprived tissue far from the blood vessels. Meanwhile, the survival and stemness maintenance of CSCs strongly depend on the tumor microenvironment (TME). Herein, we developed a CD44 antibody modified iridium nanosheet with enzyme-like activity (defined as Ir Nts-Ab) that effectively eradicates CSCs for cancer therapy. We observe that Ir Nts-Ab can enrich tumor tissues to remove excessive reactive oxygen species and produce oxygen, thus alleviating hypoxia and the inflammatory TME to reduce the proportion of CSCs and inhibit metastasis. In addition, Ir Nts-Ab targets CSCs and normal cancer cells with near infrared II-region photothermal therapy (NIR-II PTT), and is easily taken up by CSCs due to recognition of the CD44 proteins. Moreover, photoacoustic imaging helps monitor drug accumulation and hypoxic TME improvement in tumor tissue. Importantly, Ir Nts-Ab has good biological safety, making it suitable for biomedical applications. This iridium nanozyme based on TME regulation as well as NIR-II PTT will be a promising strategy for the treatment of cancer. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are key factors that make tumors difficult to eradicate, and strongly depend on the hypoxic tumor microenvironment (TME), which plays a crucial role in the occurrence and metastasis of tumors. Herein, an antibody modified iridium nanosheet (definition as Ir Nts-Ab) was developed for targeted eradication of CSCs by photoacoustic imaging guided photothermal therapy (PTT) and TME regulation. Ir Nts-Ab with catalase-like activity could inhibit HIF-1α by producing oxygen, thus effectively reducing the proportion of CSCs and inhibiting tumor metastasis. Additionally, Ir Nts-Ab achieved the eradication of CSCs by PTT, and eliminated reactive oxygen species to decrease the inflammatory response, resulting in reduced tumor metastasis, which was promising for the cure of solid tumors in the clinics.

Single and combined effect of tetracycline and polyethylene microplastics on two drought contrasting cultivars of Oryza sativa L. (Rice) under drought stress.

Co-exposure of tetracycline (TC) and polyethylene microplastic (MP-PE) pollution might result in more intricate effects on rice growth and grain quality. In present study, two different rice cultivars of contrasting drought tolerance, Hanyou73 (H73, drought-resistant) and Quanyou280 (Q280, drought-sensitive) were grown on MP-PE and TC-contaminated soils under drought. It was found that drought stress had different influence on TC accumulation in the two rice cultivars. H73 accumulated more TC in leaves and grains without drought stress while Q280 accumulated more TC under drought stress. Furthermore, metabolomics results demonstrated that under drought stress, about 80 % of metabolites in H73 and 95 % in Q280 were down-regulated as compared to non-drought treatments. These findings provide insights into the effects of TC and MP-PE with and without drought stress on potential risks to rice growth and grain quality, which has implications on rice production and cultivar election under multiple-stress conditions.

The contribution of microvascular free flaps and pedicled flaps to successful chest wall surgery.

OBJECTIVE: Pedicled flaps (PFs) have historically served as the preferred option for reconstruction of large chest wall defects. More recently, the indications for microvascular-free flaps (MVFFs) have increased, particularly for defects in which PFs are inadequate or unavailable. We sought to compare oncologic and surgical outcomes between MVFFs and PFs in reconstructions of full-thickness chest wall defects. METHODS: We retrospectively identified all patients who underwent chest wall resection at our institution from 2000 to 2022. Patients were stratified by flap reconstruction. End points were defect size, rate of complete resection, rate of local recurrence, and postoperative outcomes. Multivariable analysis was performed to identify factors associated with complications at 30 days. RESULTS: In total, 536 patients underwent chest wall resection, of whom 133 had flap reconstruction (MVFF, n = 28; PF, n = 105). The median (interquartile range) covered defect size was 172 cm2 (100-216 cm2) for patients receiving MVFF versus 109 cm2 (75-148 cm2) for patients receiving PF (P = .004). The rate of R0 resection was high in both groups (MVFF, 93% [n = 26]; PF, 86% [n = 90]; P = .5). The rate of local recurrence was 4% in MVFF patients (n = 1) versus 12% in PF patients (n = 13, P = .3). Postoperative complications were not statistically different between groups (odds ratio for PF, 1.37; 95% confidence interval, 0.39-5.14]; P = .6). Operative time >400 minutes was associated with 30-day complications (odds ratio, 3.22; 95% confidence interval, 1.10-9.93; P = .033). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with MVFFs had larger defects, a high rate of complete resection, and a low rate of local recurrence. MVFFs are a valid option for chest wall reconstructions.

Nanomedicine for T-Cell Mediated Immunotherapy.

T-cell immunotherapy offers outstanding advantages in the treatment of various diseases, and with the selection of appropriate targets, efficient disease treatment can be achieved. T-cell immunotherapy has made great progress, but clinical results show that only a small proportion of patients can benefit from T-cell immunotherapy. The extensive mechanistic work outlines a blueprint for using T cells as a new option for immunotherapy, but also presents new challenges, including the balance between different fractions of T cells, the inherent T-cell suppression patterns in the disease microenvironment, the acquired loss of targets, and the decline of T-cell viability. The diversity, flexibility, and intelligence of nanomedicines give them great potential for enhancing T-cell immunotherapy. Here, how T-cell immunotherapy strategies can be adapted with different nanomaterials to enhance therapeutic efficacy is discussed. For two different pathological states, immunosuppression and immune activation, recent advances in nanomedicines for T-cell immunotherapy in diseases such as cancers, rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, ulcerative colitis, and diabetes are summarized. With a focus on T-cell immunotherapy, this review highlights the outstanding advantages of nanomedicines in disease treatment, and helps advance one's understanding of the use of nanotechnology to enhance T-cell immunotherapy.

Effectiveness of Brachial Plexus Blocks in Obesity: Secondary Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: Brachial plexus block for hand and upper extremity procedures in the obese presents a unique set of technical challenges. The authors examined how obesity affects procedural success, quality of anesthesia, and patient satisfaction. METHODS: Secondary analysis of a randomized control trial comparing the retroclavicular versus supraclavicular brachial plexus block for distal upper extremity surgery was conducted. Patients were randomized to supraclavicular or retroclavicular brachial plexus block groups in the original trial. In this study, the authors dichotomized patients by obesity to compare differences in outcomes. RESULTS: Sixteen of 117 patients (13.7%) were obese. The groups were statistically well balanced in terms of baseline and operative variables. Obese patients had increased imaging time 2.7 minutes (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.44-3.92) versus 1.9 minutes (95% CI, 1.64-2.16), P value = .05; needling time 6.6 minutes (95% CI, 5.17-7.95) versus 5.8 minutes (95% CI, 5.04-5.74), P = .02; and procedure time 9.3 minutes (95% CI, 7.04-11.46) versus 7.3 minutes (95% CI, 6.79-7.79), P = .01. Block success and complications were not statistically significant. The visual analog scores during the block, at 2 hours, and 24 hours after were not statistically different. Patient satisfaction score among obese patients was 9.1 (95% CI, 8.6-9.6) versus 9.2 (95% CI, 9.1-9.4), P = .63. CONCLUSION: Findings from this trial suggest that despite an increased procedural difficulty, the use of both supraclavicular and retroclavicular brachial plexus blocks is associated with comparable quality of anesthesia, similar complication profile, equal opioid requirements, and similar patient satisfaction in the obese.

Impact of polystyrene microplastics with combined contamination of norfloxacin and sulfadiazine on Chrysanthemum coronarium L.

Antibiotics and microplastics including nanoplastics are emerging contaminants which have become global environmental issues. The application of antibiotics along with microplastics in soil and their entrance in food chain may pose a major threat to human health. The single and combined exposure of polystyrene microplastic (MPS), norfloxacin (NF) and sulfadiazine (SFD) on Chrysanthemum coronarium L. a medicinal food crop, were investigated. Accumulation of nutrient element contents (Fe, Mn, Mg, Zn, K) differentially responded to the single or combined treatments compared to the control. Scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy analysis indicated that MPS, NF and SFD accumulated in roots, shoots, and leaves and affected their ultrastructure. Compared with that of the single contamination, the co-contamination of microplastics and antibiotics had a greater effect on leaf metabolites due to combination of multiple abiotic stresses. MPS, NF and SFD accumulated from roots and transported to shoots and leaves which ultimately impacts plant metabolites and, nutritional value. They subsequently impact agricultural sustainability and food safety of medicinal food plants. This investigation suggests the possible ecological risks of microplastics to medicinal food plants, especially in co-exposure with organic pollutants like antibiotics and help to reveal potential mechanisms of phytotoxicity of different antibiotics with polyethylene microplastic.

Arthroscopic Management of the Hamate Proximal Pole Arthrosis.

Arthrosis of the proximal pole of the hamate is a peculiar cause of ulnar-sided wrist pain. We present clinical, functional, and patient-reported outcomes of arthroscopic management. Methods: In this retrospective study, all patients with arthrosis of the proximal pole of the hamate encountered in a 10-year period treated with arthroscopy were reviewed. Patient demographics, arthroscopic details, associated injuries, and procedures were reviewed. Functional and patient-reported clinical outcomes after arthroscopic osteochondroplasty were analyzed. Results: An analysis of 39 patients who underwent arthroscopic osteochondroplasty showed a type II lunate prevalence of 87.2%. On wrist arthroscopy, a triangular fibrocartilaginous complex tear was the most common diagnosis (64.1%), followed by scapholunate ligament tear (61.5%) and lunotriquetral ligament tear (35.9%). All patients were managed arthroscopically with 100% procedural success. Average follow-up of 42.8 ± 37.7 months showed statistically significant improvements in the visual analog score and Mayo wrist score postoperatively (P < 0.01). Three patients (7.7%) failed the procedure at a mean of 23 ± 31.4 months. Risk factors for salvage operations were nondominant wrist involvement 100% (P = 0.04), lunotriquetral ligament injury 100% (P = 0.04), the absence of triangular fibrocartilaginous complex injury 100% (P = 0.04), and the presence of scapholunate advanced collapse 100% (P < 0.01). Conclusions: Wrist arthroscopy is valuable for accurately diagnosing and treating hamate arthrosis and identifying a wide variety of pathologies associated. This study showed arthroscopic osteochondroplasty produced satisfactory clinical results. Furthermore, the presence of scapholunate advanced collapse wrist offers its prognostic value in determining treatment failure.

Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever Case Series: a Chronology of Biochemical and Hematological Parameters.

Introduction Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is a widespread tick-borne zoonotic disease. Sporadic outbreaks of CCHF occur in endemic regions, including Pakistan. The clinical spectrum of the illness varies from asymptomatic seroconversion to severe disease which may end in death. The treatment is supportive, including blood and blood products. There is multi-organ involvement in CCHF including acute hepatitis, thrombocytopenia, coagulopathy, acute kidney injury (AKI), and encephalopathy. Hematological and biochemical parameters may identify patients at substantial risk of worse outcomes. Early detection of the disease and forecasting the clinical course may be helpful. This case series aims to evaluate the trends of hematological and biochemical parameters among the survivors and non-survivors of CCHF. Methods All consecutive patients aged 16 years and above admitted to the isolation unit of Hayatabad Medical Complex, Peshawar, Pakistan between 1st July and 30th July 2022 with the diagnosis of CCHF were included in this case series. The diagnosis of CCHF was made by detecting viral ribonucleic acid by a polymerase chain reaction. For all patients, age, gender, address, occupation, clinical presentation, history of contact with animals, and travel history were recorded. All the vitals were taken regularly. The hematological (complete blood count) and biochemical parameters (serum creatinine, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and C-reactive protein (CRP)) were documented daily. The blood group was determined for all the cases. Results Out of 17 cases, the majority (16 cases, 94.1%) were male and butchers (eight cases, 47.1%) by profession. All cases had significant contact with animals. Four patients (23.5%) died. Three out of the four non-survivors (75%) had ALT < 5 times the upper limit of normal with a static pattern of liver enzymes without much decline in ALT till death. One non-survivor (25%) had marked elevation of ALT at presentation, which had a declining trend till death. Seven out of 13 survivors (53.8%) had moderate to marked elevation in the level of ALT at presentation. The ALT showed a downward trend during the course of illness in all these patients. The remaining survivors (six out of 13, 46.2%) had a mild elevation of ALT and 50% of them showed improvement in the ALT level during hospitalization. All patients had thrombocytopenia at presentation. None of the non-survivors showed a persistent increase in the platelet count, and three cases remained severely thrombocytopenic at the time of death. However, the trend in platelet count among all the survivors was increasing. The CRP level in the majority (three out of four cases, 75%) of the non-survivors remained elevated till death, while all survivors showed a progressive decline in CRP level. A majority (11 out of 17 cases) had blood group B. Half of the non-survivors (two out of four cases) and the majority of the survivors (nine out of 13 cases) had blood group B. AKI was found in all non-survivors, while all the survivors had normal renal function throughout the course. Conclusion A persistently raised ALT and CRP level, a persistently low or decreasing platelet count, and AKI were associated with mortality. Blood group B was the commonest blood group among patients of CCHF, which is not reflective of the blood group distribution of the general population from which this case series has been reported.

Dengue Fever, Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever, and COVID-19 Triple Co-infection: Out of the Frying Pan Into the Fire.

In developing countries, infectious diseases are thriving due to poor hygiene, inadequate public health infrastructure, and socio-cultural factors. Generally, infections are due to a single pathogen, but due to the shared risk factors for transmission, co-infections are not uncommon. The severity and outcome of infections are adversely affected by co-infection. Co-infections present as diagnostic and therapeutic enigmas because of the complex interaction between different pathogens involved and distorted host responses. The southeast Asian region, particularly Pakistan, is known for unique combinations of different infections. We present a distinctive case of triple co-infection of dengue virus, Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus, and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2. The index case was a 60-year-old gentleman who presented with fever, cough, shortness of breath, bruises, and hemoptysis. He had thrombocytopenia, deranged liver and renal function, coagulopathy, and infiltrates in both lung fields. Subsequent investigations revealed a positive polymerase chain reaction for ribonucleic acid of dengue virus, Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic fever virus, and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2. He received supportive treatment including antibiotics, blood products, ribavirin, and supplemental oxygen. He developed multi-organ failure and succumbed to the triple co-infection. This case will act as a wake-up call for clinicians, public health authorities, and infectious disease specialists to plan before the volcano of co-infections erupts.

Acute Kidney Injury Following Posaconazole for Mucormycosis: SARS-CoV-2 as a Back-Seat Driver.

Viruses have been implicated in the causation of several systemic illnesses, either directly or by immune modulation. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is not an exception. Due to altered immune regulation, it is often associated with novel clinical manifestations and complications which have not been reported before. SARS-CoV-2 induces a pro-inflammatory state which makes the patient vulnerable to developing a variety of previously unreported adverse reactions to medications. Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and its treatment have provided a fertile ground for various opportunistic infections including mucormycosis. The standard treatment for mucormycosis is surgical debridement and liposomal amphotericin B. Triazole antifungals such as posaconazole and isavuconazonium are the second-line agents for those intolerant to first-line therapy. Posaconazole is safer than amphotericin B as far as renal adverse effects are concerned. We report the case of a 60-year-old lady with type 2 diabetes mellitus, hypertension, ischemic heart disease, and osteoarthritis. She had severe COVID-19 requiring non-invasive ventilation four months ago. She presented with right rhino-orbital swelling, diplopia, and serosanguinous discharge from the right nostril. She had right third, sixth, and seventh cranial nerve palsies. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed right maxillary, ethmoid, and frontal sinusitis. Biopsy from the right nostril confirmed mucormycosis. Having normal renal and liver functions, she was started on oral posaconazole as she had an allergic reaction to a test dose of 1 mg amphotericin B (non-liposomal) in 20 mL of 5% dextrose water infused over 30 minutes. On day five, she developed acute kidney injury requiring renal replacement therapy. Her posaconazole was stopped. As she was not improving with conservative treatment, an ultrasound-guided, percutaneous renal biopsy was performed from the left kidney. The renal biopsy revealed thrombotic microangiopathy. She was started on liposomal amphotericin B as decided by the multidisciplinary team. Her renal function improved, and she continued on liposomal amphotericin B. We conclude that thrombotic microangiopathy, in this case, was likely due to posaconazole. This is a novel adverse effect presumably of posaconazole. This case report will alert physicians to be vigilant of the renal adverse effects of posaconazole in patients who have had COVID-19. Patients who develop renal injury while on posaconazole should undergo an early renal biopsy to ascertain the exact histopathology.

Soot biodegradation by psychrotolerant bacterial consortia.

To probe the bioavailability of soot released into the atmosphere is pivotal to understanding their environmental impacts. Soot aerosol absorbs organic matter, creating a hot spot for biogeochemical transformation and the global carbon cycle. Soot primarily contains condensed aromatics chemically recalcitrant; however, oligotrophic microorganisms might use it as a nutritional source. This study investigated the influence of psychrotolerant bacterial consortia on soot. Significant increase in the bacterial biomass, reduction in water-insoluble organic carbon (OC) and elemental carbon (EC) in soot residues and increase in water-soluble OC in the filtrate signifies the use of soot as a carbon and nutritional source. The influence on morphology and composition of soot was reported using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Scanning Electron Microscopy, and Energy Dispersive X-Ray analysis (EDX). The FTIR analysis showed significant variations in the pattern of soot spectra, suggesting degradation. Elemental analysis and EDX showed a reduction in carbon percentage. Besides, the reduction of optical density with incubation time signifies the OC and EC consumption. This study shows that soot can be a substrate and pivotal factor in the microbial food web. Nowadays, soot emission to the environment is growing; therefore, soot involvement in microbe-mediated processes should be closely focused.