The role of green finance and governance effectiveness in the impact of renewable energy investment on CO2 emissions in BRICS economies.

In the context of sustainable development, this study investigates the intricate dynamics among good governance, renewable energy investment, and green finance in BRICS nations. The aim of the study is to assess how green finance and governance effectiveness moderate the impact of renewable energy investment on CO2 emissions. Utilizing the Cross-Sectional Autoregressive Distributed Lag (CS-ARDL) model, a meticulous analysis spanning two decades was conducted to unravel the relationships among key variables and CO2 emissions. The findings underscore a nuanced interplay where renewable energy investments, synergized with robust governance and strategic green finance, significantly mitigate CO2 emissions, contributing to sustainable economic development. However, the study reveals non-linear relationships, highlighting the necessity for optimal allocation and strategic planning to maximize environmental benefits. In the short-run, a government effectiveness policy threshold that should be attained in order for renewable energy investment to reduce CO2 emissions is provided. In the long-run, the negative responsiveness of CO2 emissions to renewable energy investment is further consolidated by green finance. Moreover, enhancing renewable energy investment in the long run is positive for environmental sustainability. It follows that policy makers should tailor policies aimed at enhancing renewable energy investment in the long-run as well as complementing renewable energy investment with green finance in the long-run in order to ensure environmental sustainability by means of reducing CO2 emissions. Policymakers in BRICS nations are urged to strengthen governance structures, promote renewable energy investments, leverage green finance, foster public-private partnerships, adopt a holistic approach, and address non-linear effects to accelerate the transition to a low-carbon economy.

Cardiovascular manifestations of COVID-19: An evidence-based narrative review.

The recent outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization on March 11, 2020. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the causative agent of COVID-19, primarily involves the respiratory system with viral pneumonia as a predominant manifestation. In addition, SARS-CoV-2 has various cardiovascular manifestations which increase morbidity and mortality in COVID-19. Patients with underlying cardiovascular diseases and conventional cardiovascular risk factors are predisposed for COVID-19 with worse prognosis. The possible mechanisms of cardiovascular injury are endothelial dysfunction, diffuse microangiopathy with thrombosis and increased angiotensin II levels. Hyperinflammation in the myocardium can result in acute coronary syndrome, myocarditis, heart failure, cardiac arrhythmias and sudden death. The high level of cardiac troponins and natriuretic peptides in the early course of COVID-19 reflects an acute myocardial injury. The complex association between COVID-19 and cardiovascular manifestations requires an in-depth understanding for appropriate management of these patients. Till the time a specific antiviral drug is available for COVID-19, treatment remains symptomatic. This review provides information on the cardiovascular risk factors and cardiovascular manifestations of COVID-19.

Hydroxychloroquine and QTc prolongation in patients with COVID-19: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Among many drugs that hold potential in COVID-19 pandemic, chloroquine (CQ), and its derivative hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) have generated unusual interest. With increasing usage, there has been growing concern about the prolongation of QTc interval and Torsades de Pointes (TdP) with HCQ, especially in combination with azithromycin. AIMS: This meta-analysis is planned to study the risk of QTc prolongation and Torsades de pointes (TdP) by a well-defined criterion for HCQ, CQ alone, and in combination with Azithromycin in patients with COVID-19. METHODS: A comprehensive literature search was made in two databases (PubMed, Embase). Three outcomes explored in the included studies were frequency of QTc > 500 ms (ms) or ΔQTc > 60 ms (Outcome 1), frequency of QTc > 500 ms (Outcome 2) and frequency of TdP (Outcome 3). Random effects method with inverse variance approach was used for computation of pooled summary and risk ratio. RESULTS: A total of 13 studies comprising of 2138 patients were included in the final analysis. The pooled prevalence of outcome 1, outcome 2 and outcome 3 for HCQ, CQ with or without Azithromycin were 10.18% (5.59-17.82%, I2 - 92%), 10.22% (6.01-16.85%, I2 - 79%), and 0.72% (0.34-1.51, I2 - 0%) respectively. The prevalence of outcome 2 in subgroup analysis for HCQ and HCQ + Azithromycin was 7.25% (3.22-15.52, I2 - 59%) and 8.61% (4.52-15.79, I2 - 76%), respectively. The risk ratio (RR) for outcome 1 and outcome 2 between HCQ + Azithromycin and HCQ was 1.22 (0.77-1.93, I2 - 0%) & 1.51 (0.79-2.87, I2 - 13%), respectively and was not significant. Heterogeneity was noted statistically as well clinically (regimen types, patient numbers, study design, and outcome definition). CONCLUSION: The use of HCQ/CQ is associated with a high prevalence of QTc prolongation. However, it is not associated with a high risk of TdP.

Fast selective trapping and release of picoliter droplets in a 3D microfluidic PDMS multi-trap system with bubbles.

The selective manipulation and incubation of individual picoliter drops in high-throughput droplet based microfluidic devices still remains challenging. We used a surface acoustic wave (SAW) to induce a bubble in a 3D designed multi-trap polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) device to manipulate multiple droplets and demonstrate the selection, incubation and on-demand release of aqueous droplets from a continuous oil flow. By controlling the position of the acoustic actuation, individual droplets are addressed and selectively released from a droplet stream of 460 drops per s. A complete trapping and releasing cycle can be as short as 70 ms and has no upper limit for incubation time. We characterize the fluidic function of the hybrid device in terms of electric power, pulse duration and acoustic path.

Genotoxicity evaluation of tannery effluent treated with newly isolated hexavalent chromium reducing Bacillus cereus.

In this study, the efficiency of free and immobilized cells of newly isolated hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)] reducing Bacillus cereus strain Cr1 (accession no. KJ162160) was studied in the treatment of tannery effluent. The analysis of effluents revealed high chemical oxygen demand (COD-1260 mg/L), biological oxygen demand (BOD5-660 mg/L), total dissolved solids (TDS-14000 mg/L), electrical conductivity (EC-21.5 mS/cm) and total chromium (TC-2.4 mg/L). The effluents also showed genotoxic effects to Allium cepa. Treatment of tannery effluent with isolated B. cereus strain led to considerable reduction of pollutant load. The pollutant load reduction was studied with both immobilized and free cells and immobilized cells were more effective in reducing COD (65%), BOD (80%), TDS (67%), EC (65%) and TC (92%) after 48 h. GC-MS analysis of pre and post-treatment tannery effluent samples revealed reduction of organic load after treatment with free and immobilized cells. An improvement in mitotic index and reduction in chromosomal aberrations was also observed in A. cepa grown with post-treatement effluent samples compared to untreated sample. Results demonstrate that both methods of bacterial treatment (free and immobilized) were efficient in reducing the pollutant load of tannery effluent as well as in reducing genotoxic effects, however, treatment with immobilized cells was more effective.

Confounding factors and diagnostic accuracy of imprint cytology.

BACKGROUND: Eradication of malignant tumors at the primary site with oncological safe margin is a critical requirement for obtaining better survival rate and less recurrence. Touch imprint cytology (TIC) has proven itself as a quick, simple, inexpensive, highly accurate and reliable intraoperative technique to assess surgical margins in squamous cell carcinomas of the oral cavity. However, it is still unclear how the mode of excision, i.e. by scalpel (SC) and electrocautery (EC), or the method of staining, i.e. Papanicolaou (PAP) and cytohaem, affect the diagnostic accuracy of TIC. OBJECTIVE: To study the influence of confounding factors like mode of excision (EC/SC) and staining (PAP/cytohaem) on the diagnostic accuracy of intraoperative TIC technique for assessing surgical margins in oral squamous cell carcinoma in comparison to paraffin-embedded HE-stained sections. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty patients underwent surgical treatment for primary oral squamous cell carcinoma. Three hundred and forty-eight touch imprint slides were prepared from 174 margins of 30 resected tumor specimens. Two adjacent tissues from the margin to be evaluated were imprinted to observe differences between surfaces excised by EC and SC. The set of imprint from each margin tissue was stained with PAP and cytohaem. The TIC results of 180 EC-excised margins and 168 SC-excised margins were compared. Results of 174 imprints stained with RAPID-PAP were compared to their counterpart comprising of 174 cytohaem-stained imprints. The slides were diagnosed as positive, negative or suspicious for tumor. Finally, TIC results were checked against their respective histopathological sections. RESULTS: No statistically significant difference was found between the results of imprints from EC/SC-excised margins (Z = 0.44, p = 0.70) or the imprints stained with PAP/cytohaem (Z = 0.44, p = 0.70). CONCLUSION: Confounding factors like mode of excision and staining procedure do not significantly influence the results of imprint cytology.

Investigation of the speciation and environmental risk of heavy metals in biochar produced from textile sludge waste by pyrolysis at different temperatures.

The aim of the present study was to find environmentally friendly solutions for the disposal of problematic and toxic textile sludge (TS) by producing textile sludge biochar (TSB) by pyrolysis and evaluating its chemical properties, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) content, heavy metals (HMs) speciation, environmental risks, and effects on seed germination. Pyrolysis of TS at temperatures ranging from 300 to 700 °C significantly reduced (85-95%) or eliminated certain PAHs in the biochar, enriched heavy metal content within land use limits, and increased bioavailability of HMs in biochar produced at 300 °C and decreased leaching capacity of HMs in biochar produced at 700 °C. The speciation of HMs and their bioavailability during pyrolysis processes was strongly temperature dependent, with lower temperatures increasing the toxic and bioavailable forms of Zn and Ni, while higher temperatures converted the bioavailable Ni to a more stable form, while Cu, Cr, and Pb were transformed from stable to toxic and bioavailable forms. The ecological risk index (RI) values of TSB-300 and TSB-700 are below the threshold value of 150, indicating a low-risk level, and the risk level decreases at temperatures above 500 °C. Further, the extracts of TSB-300 and TSB-700 had the highest percentage of germinating seeds, while the extracts of TS and TSB-500 inhibited seed germination by 20-30% compared to the control. These results indicate that pyrolysis effectively reduces PAHs and binds leachable HMs in biochar, however, the specific pyrolysis temperature influences metal speciation, bioavailability, seed germination, and environmental risk.

Intraoperative imprint evaluation of surgical margins in oral squamous cell carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is a multifactorial malignant epithelial neoplasm. Tumor clearance at the surgical margins in OSCC is a critical factor which strongly influences both the local recurrence and overall survival rate. A quick and accurate intraoperative diagnostic procedure can make a significant difference to the survival rate. Touch imprint cytology (TIC) has commonly been used in the past for the diagnosis of tumors and the detection of sentinel lymph node metastasis. It is routinely applied for intraoperative margin analysis of breast lumpectomy specimens, where it has been proven to have a good success rate. The effectiveness and reliability of TIC in the intraoperative margin evaluation of OSCC, however, has not been established so far. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the diagnostic accuracy of the intraoperative TIC technique for assessing surgical margins in OSCC in comparison to paraffin-embedded hematoxylin and eosin-stained sections. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty previously untreated, biopsy-proven OSCC patients undergoing surgical treatment between December 2008 and September 2010 were included. Patients diagnosed with histological variants of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) or recurrent tumor were excluded. Three hundred forty-eight touch imprint slides were prepared from 174 margins of 30 resected tumor specimens. Imprints from tumor proper were taken as positive controls. The slides were reported as positive, negative or suspicious for tumor. After all cytological interpretation was completed, the results were compared with the corresponding histological diagnosis. RESULTS: This pioneer study showed that TIC has an overall accuracy of 83%, sensitivity of 91.1%, specificity of 74.4%, positive predictive value of 79.2% and a negative predictive value of 88.6%. The false-positive margins evaluated by TIC were 43 (12.3%) and the false-negative ones were 16 (4.6%). CONCLUSION: TIC is a quick, simple, inexpensive, highly accurate and reliable intraoperative technique to assess surgical margins in SCC of the oral cavity.

Effective bioremediation of pulp and paper mill wastewater using Bacillus cereus as a possible kraft lignin-degrading bacterium.

The effective degradation of KL from paper mill effluent is an important for environmental safety. This research is primarily concerned with the identification of KL-degrading Bacillus cereus from activated sludge and their possible use for the degradation of Kraft lignin (KL). This strain was involved in the production of lignin peroxidase-LiP (3.20 U/mL), manganese peroxidase-MnP (20.36 U/mL), and laccase (21.35 U/mL) enzymes, which were responsible for high KL degradation (89%) and decolorization (40%) at 1000 mg/L KL in 3 days. The SEM-EDS, UV-Vis, FTIR, and GC-MS analysis were used to analyze the bacterial cell and KL interactions to trace the KL degradation process. The significant reduction of pollutants (KL-72.5%, color-62.0%, COD-45.05%) and reduction in toxicity (80%) of bacterial-treated effluent indicated that B. cereus has the potential to be used in the degradation of pollutants from paper mill effluents.

Biofilm formation and extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) production by Bacillus haynesii and influence of hexavalent chromium.

Biofilm-forming bacteria play a key role in the removal of heavy metals including hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)] from contaminated sites. In this study, biofilm-forming B. haynesii was examined for extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) production and hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)] reduction potential. Exposure of B. haynesii with Cr(VI) (12.5-100 mg L-1) for 48 h enhanced pellicle dry weight (20-24%), cell-size (5.1-23.2%) and cell granularity (8.5-19.2%). Also, EPS production was increased by 10-35% by promoting the synthesis of protein (94-119%) and polysaccharide (2-33%) components in EPS. Further, the reduction (27.7 %) and distribution (15.87%) of Cr(VI) were mainly mediated by EPS than the other cellular fractions. Findings of the study suggest that the EPS from B. haynesii was efficiently reduced to Cr(VI) present in aqueous medium and the potential of the organism can be further explored for the mitigation of Cr(VI) contamination.

High failure rate of ChAdOx1-nCoV19 immunization against asymptomatic infection in healthcare workers during a Delta variant surge.

Immunization is expected to confer protection against infection and severe disease for vaccines while reducing risks to unimmunized populations by inhibiting transmission. Here, based on serial serological studies of an observational cohort of healthcare workers, we show that during a Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome -Coronavirus 2 Delta-variant outbreak in Delhi, 25.3% (95% Confidence Interval 16.9-35.2) of previously uninfected, ChAdOx1-nCoV19 double vaccinated, healthcare workers were infected within less than two months, based on serology. Induction of anti-spike response was similar between groups with breakthrough infection (541 U/ml, Inter Quartile Range 374) and without (342 U/ml, Inter Quartile Range 497), as was the induction of neutralization activity to wildtype. This was not vaccine failure since vaccine effectiveness estimate based on infection rates in an unvaccinated cohort were about 70% and most infections were asymptomatic. We find that while ChAdOx1-nCoV19 vaccination remains effective in preventing severe infections, it is unlikely to be completely able to block transmission and provide herd immunity.

Decolourisation of textile dye by laccase: Process evaluation and assessment of its degradation bioproducts.

Biodegradation of environmentally hazardous synthetic dyes by enzymes has been achieved the highest interest in recent years. In this work, we optimized Remazol Brilliant Blue R (RBBR) dye biodegradation by Arthrographis kalrae derived laccase via the Box-Behnken design (BBD) approach of the surface response methodology (RSM). Optimization of dye decolourisation by one variable at a time (OVAT) approach resulted in optimal dye decolourisation at laccase dose (2 IU mL-1), pH (7.0), temperature (35 °C), incubation time (240 min), and initial dye concentration (100 mg L-1). The optimized process through BBD enhanced dye decolourisation (97.18%). Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy and UV-Visible Spectrophotometry have proven biodegradation. In addition, in comparison to untreated samples, the laccase-treated dye sample showed relatively less phyto- and cytotoxic effect on Allium cepa L. Extra Precision Glide docking exhibited the binding affinity score of -5.355 kcal mol-1, between laccase-RBBR complex.

HCQ prophylaxis in COVID-19 did not show any QTc prolongation in Healthcare workers.

BACKGROUND: HCQ is a commonly recommended drug for the prophylaxis of COVID-19. One of its rare side-effect includes QTc prolongation. METHODS: This was a prospective, cross sectional and observational study conducted on Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) among Healthcare Workers (HCWs) at Max Super Speciality Hospital, Saket, New Delhi, India. A 3-lead ECG (only limb leads, it does not require chest leads) was performed. The QTc cut offs were pre decided, QTC < 470 ms for males and <480 ms for females was considered within the normal limits and anything above this was regarded as QTc prolongation. RESULTS: There were 274 HCWs enrolled into the study, including 175 males and 99 females. Majority of the HCWs were young and had a mean age of 32.19 ± 9.29 years. Out of these, 218 were taking HCQ as per the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) guidelines. The median cumulative dose being taken was 1600 mg and the median QTc of these participants was 390 ms in males and 391.5 ms in females. Subsequently, 33 participants were followed-up and found to have a median QTc of 389 ms and a cumulative dose of HCQ as 2000 mg. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, ours is a first study in the middle of the pandemic which showed that HCQ prophylaxis in young HCWs without comorbidities did not show any QTc prolongation.

Preparation, characterization and agri applications of biochar produced by pyrolysis of sewage sludge at different temperatures.

Sewage sludge (SS) is an abundantly available feedstock, which is generally considered as potential threat to human health and environment. Its utilization in any process would be of great help for environmental sustainability. Accordingly, this work aimed to prepare and characterize the sewage sludge biochar (SSB) at temperatures, i.e. (500, 450, 400, and 350 °C), and further analyze the available nutrients and contaminants as well as agri application potential. The results indicated that the total nitrogen (TN), electrical conductivity (EC), and total organic carbon (TOC) content in SSBs decreased with increasing pyrolysis temperature. The overall concentration of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in SSBs was substantially lower (1.8-9.7-fold depending on pyrolysis temperature) than in SS. Pyrolysis of SS enriched the heavy metals content in SSBs and the relative enrichment factor (RE) factor varied between 1.1 and 2.1 depending on the pyrolysis temperature. Furthermore, compared to SS, the leaching rate of heavy metals was significantly decreased in SSBs (1.1-100-fold depending on the pyrolysis temperature) and the pyrolysis temperature of 400-450 °C prevented the Ni, Pb, Cr, and Zn leaching in SSB. The total PAH and heavy metals content in biochars were below the control standard for land application. Finally, testing of the growth-promoting effect of biochar extracts on fenugreek plants revealed that SSB prepared at 350 °C significantly stimulated the root and shoot length of 5-days old seedlings. This study provides important data for potential environmental risks of SSB applications.

Genome-Wide Association Study Reveals Marker-Trait Associations for Early Vegetative Stage Salinity Tolerance in Rice.

Rice germplasm is a rich resource for discovering genes associated with salt tolerance. In the current study, a set of 96 accessions were evaluated for seedling stage salinity tolerance and its component traits. Significant phenotypic variation was observed among the genotypes for all the measured traits and eleven accessions with high level of salt tolerance at seedling stage were identified. The germplasm set comprised of three sub-populations and genome-wide association study (GWAS) identified a total of 23 marker-trait associations (MTAs) for traits studied. These MTAs were located on rice chromosomes 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 9, and 12 and explained the trait phenotypic variances ranging from 13.98 to 29.88 %. Twenty-one MTAs identified in this study were located either in or near the previously reported quantitative trait loci (QTLs), while two MTAs namely, qSDW2.1 and qSNC5 were novel. A total of 18 and 13 putative annotated candidate genes were identified in a genomic region spanning ~200 kb around the MTAs qSDW2.1 and qSNC5, respectively. Some of the important genes underlying the novel MTAs were OsFBA1,OsFBL7, and mTERF which are known to be associated with salinity tolerance in crops. These MTAs pave way for combining salinity tolerance with high yield in rice genotypes through molecular breeding.

Malignant prolongation of the QTc interval due to severe vitamin D deficiency: an unusual presentation.

Long QT syndrome with Torsades de Pointes (TdP) is a life-threatening polymorphic ventricular arrhythmia. The corrected QT (QTc) prolongation >500 milliseconds (ms) has been associated with TdP. Hypocalcaemia due to severe vitamin D deficiency is an uncommon cause of acquired long QT. We hereby present a case of a 40-year-old woman with sensorineural deafness and having symptoms of palpitations and presyncope. She had a QTc interval of 556 ms (reference range, QTc 451-470 ms in adult healthy woman) on 24-hour Holter analysis. Genetic analysis for congenital long QT syndrome was negative. She was diagnosed with severe hypocalcaemia secondary to severe vitamin D deficiency. After treatment with intravenous calcium gluconate, followed by oral vitamin D and calcium supplementation, the QTc became normalised and no further episode of palpitations or presyncope occurred. The causes of vitamin D deficiency was due to inadequate exposure to sunlight and a strict vegan diet.

Catheter ablation of scar based ventricular tachycardia - Procedural characteristics and outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Ventricular tachycardia (VT) is a major cause of morbidity in patients with cardiomyopathy. Radiofrequency ablation has emerged as the mainstay of the management of recurrent sustained VT in these patients. We describe the clinical characteristics, procedural and medium term outcomes of patients undergoing ablation of scar VT in a tertiary care center in India. METHODS: This was a single-center descriptive cohort study. All patients who underwent ablation for scar related VT were included. Endpoints were immediate procedural success, procedural complications and recurrence during follow up. RESULTS: A total of 72 patients with scar VT underwent ablation with electroanatomic mapping. Previous myocardial infarction (MI) was the commonest etiology (69.4%) with arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC) being the next common (19.4%). Acute procedural success was achieved in 69.4% patients, partial success in 9.7% and failure in 1 patient (1.4%). Outcome was labeled indeterminate in 19.4% who did not undergo post ablation VT induction. Procedural complications were seen in 4%. Follow up data was available in 95% of the patients with a mean follow up of 28.9 ± 22.8 months. At one year, freedom from VT was 83.8% and mortality was 13.2%. Overall mortality during follow up was 22.1% while VT recurrence was seen in 35.3%. Recurrence rate was higher in ARVC as compared to previous MI. CONCLUSIONS: Ablation of scar VT has high acute success rates. Ablation is safe with low risk of major complications. Rates of recurrence are higher in patients with ARVC as compared to post MI VT.

An unusual cause of granulomatous colitis: Behcet's disease.

Intestinal involvement in Behcet's disease (BD) is uncommon. Differentiating it from close mimics like Crohn's Disease is difficult. Further, in asymptomatic cases, diagnostic challenges posed is still greater. A 17-year-old boy had history of recurrent oro-genital ulcers, papulo-pustular skin eruptions, ocular lesions and had presented with recent onset perianal abscess. Fecal calprotectin was elevated, and ileo-colonoscopy showed ileocolonic ulcers of inflammatory nature. Clinical diagnosis of intestinal BD was made. Patients with BD having mucosal lesions may harbor asymptomatic intestinal lesions. Screening them with fecal calprotectin levels and if positive, with subsequent imaging and endoscopic biopsy with timely initiation of appropriate treatment in such asymptomatic cases help to control overall disease activity.