Impact of sepsis in patients admitted with covid-19 infection in a tertiary care center in Delhi. A retrospective cross-sectional study.

Background: COVID-19 pandemic has emerged as one of the worst humanitarian crises in human history. Viral sepsis is implicated as a major source of morbidity and mortality in COVID-19 infection. The study provides an insight into impact of COVID -19 associated sepsis on the patient's clinical course and mortality. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted on 112 participants admitted with symptomatic COVID -19 infection in a COVID -19 designated center in New Delhi, India between July and October 2020. Result: 41.1% (n=46) of the participants had critical disease which includes sepsis. Out of 46 Critical patients 19 (41.3%) had sepsis, 21(45.7%) had septic shock and 6 (18.8%) had Sepsis with ARDS. Sepsis and septic shock at time of presentation was associated with higher mortality. Conclusion: Severe and critical illness was marked by advance age, comorbidities like Diabetes mellitus, high total leucocyte count and deranged renal and hepatic function in the study. Thus COVID-19 induced sepsis is an important determinant of disease severity precipitating multiorgan dysfunction and adverse outcome in patients.

Résumé Contexte: La pandémie de COVID-19 est devenue l'une des pires crises humanitaires de l'histoire de l'humanité. La septicémie virale est impliquée comme une source majeure de morbidité et de mortalité dans l'infection au COVID-19. L'étude donne un aperçu de l'impact de la septicémie associée au COVID -19 sur l'évolution clinique et la mortalité du patient. Matériels et méthodes: L'étude a été menée sur 112 participants admis avec une infection COVID -19 symptomatique dans un centre désigné COVID -19 à New Delhi, en Inde, entre juillet et octobre 2020. Résultat: 41,1 % (n = 46) des participants avaient un état critique maladie qui comprend la septicémie. Sur 46 patients critiques, 19 (41,3 %) avaient une septicémie, 21 (45,7 %) avaient un choc septique et 6 (18,8 %) avaient une septicémie avec SDRA. La septicémie et le choc septique au moment de la présentation étaient associés à une mortalité plus élevée. Conclusion: La maladie grave et critique était marquée par un âge avancé, des comorbidités comme le diabète sucré, un nombre total élevé de leucocytes et une fonction rénale et hépatique dérangée dans l'étude. Ainsi, la septicémie induite par le COVID-19 est un déterminant important de la gravité de la maladie, précipitant un dysfonctionnement multiorganique et des résultats indésirables chez les patients. Mots-clés: COVID-19, réponse immunitaire, maladie respiratoire aiguë sévère coronavirus-2, septicémie virale.

Mechanism for plasmon-generated solvated electrons.

Solvated electrons are powerful reducing agents capable of driving some of the most energetically expensive reduction reactions. Their generation under mild and sustainable conditions remains challenging though. Using near-ultraviolet irradiation under low-intensity one-photon conditions coupled with electrochemical and optical detection, we show that the yield of solvated electrons in water is increased more than 10 times for nanoparticle-decorated electrodes compared to smooth silver electrodes. Based on the simulations of electric fields and hot carrier distributions, we determine that hot electrons generated by plasmons are injected into water to form solvated electrons. Both yield enhancement and hot carrier production spectrally follow the plasmonic near-field. The ability to enhance solvated electron yields in a controlled manner by tailoring nanoparticle plasmons opens up a promising strategy for exploiting solvated electrons in chemical reactions.

Tailoring liquid crystals as vehicles for encapsulation and enzyme-triggered release.

Nanoscale assemblies of amphiphiles have been vividly explored in pharmaceutical formulations as drug nanocarriers. Aqueous interfaces of liquid crystals (LCs) are known to direct the self-assembly of a range of amphiphiles. These amphiphile-decorated interfaces of LCs have evoked interest for applications as diverse as the detection of disease markers, screening of toxins, mimicking complex biomolecular interactions, and cell-based sensing. Aiming to explore these interfaces for encapsulation and enzyme-triggered release, we report a simple and rational design of enzyme-responsive LC interfaces programmed with a cleavable non-ionic surfactant. We encapsulated a hydrophobic dye within the surfactant micelles and investigated the enzyme-triggered dye release. Interestingly, we found that LC droplets, when decorated with the dye-loaded micelles, offer significant advantages over the conventional micellar nanocarriers. The LC droplets showed controlled release features which weren't affected at high dilutions. Our work, although exploratory in nature, provides fresh approaches for tailoring LC interfaces as vehicles for drug delivery.