Kinetics and Thermodynamics Study on Removal of Cr(VI) from Aqueous Solutions Using Acid-Modified Banana Peel (ABP) Adsorbents.

Banana peel waste is abundant and can be utilized as a low-cost adsorbent for removing toxic Cr (VI) from wastewater. The acid modification of banana peels significantly enhances their adsorption capacity for Cr (VI). An adsorbent was prepared by treating banana peel powder with 50% H2SO4 at 50 °C for 24 h. The acid treatment increased the surface area of the adsorbent from 0.0363 to 0.0507 m2/g. The optimum adsorbent dose was found to be 1 g/L for the complete removal of Cr (VI) from 100 ppm solutions. The adsorption capacity was 161 mg/g based on the Langmuir isotherm model. The adsorption kinetics followed a pseudo-second order model. Increasing the temperature from 20 to 50 °C increased the initial adsorption rate but had a minor effect on the equilibrium adsorption capacity. Thermodynamics studies showed that the process was spontaneous and endothermic. The activation energy was estimated as 24.5 kJ/mol, indicating physisorption. FTIR analyses before and after adsorption showed the involvement of hydroxyl, carbonyl and carboxyl groups in binding the Cr (VI). The Cr (VI) was reduced to Cr (III), which then bound to functional groups on the adsorbent. Desorption under acidic conditions could recover 36% of the adsorbed Cr as Cr (III). No desorption occurred at a neutral pH, indicating irreversible adsorption. Overall, acid-modified banana peel is an efficient, low-cost and eco-friendly adsorbent for removing toxic Cr (VI) from wastewater.

Consuming Mushrooms When Adopting a Healthy Mediterranean-Style Dietary Pattern Does Not Influence Short-Term Changes of Most Cardiometabolic Disease Risk Factors in Healthy Middle-Aged and Older Adults.

BACKGROUND: Mushrooms are a nutritious food, though knowledge of the effects of mushroom consumption on cardiometabolic risk factors is limited and inconsistent. OBJECTIVE: We assessed the effects of consuming mushrooms as part of a healthy United States Mediterranean-style dietary pattern (MED) on traditional and emerging cardiometabolic disease (CMD) risk factors. We hypothesized that adopting a MED diet with mushrooms would lead to greater improvements in multiple CMD risk factors. METHODS: Using a randomized, parallel study design, 60 adults (36 females, 24 males; aged 46 ± 12 y; body mass index 28.3 ± 2.84 kg/m2, mean ± standard deviation) without diagnosed CMD morbidities consumed a MED diet (all foods provided) without (control with breadcrumbs) or with 84 g/d of Agaricus bisporus (White Button, 4 d/wk) and Pleurotus ostreatus (Oyster, 3 d/wk) mushrooms for 8 wk. Fasting baseline and postintervention outcome measurements were traditional CMD risk factors, including blood pressure and fasting serum lipids, lipoproteins, glucose, and insulin. Exploratory CMD-related outcomes included lipoprotein particle sizes and indexes of inflammation. RESULTS: Adopting the MED-mushroom diet compared with the MED-control diet without mushrooms improved fasting serum glucose (change from baseline -2.9 ± 1.18 compared with 0.6 ± 1.10 mg/dL; time × group P = 0.034). Adopting the MED diet, independent of mushroom consumption, reduced serum total cholesterol (-10.2 ± 3.77 mg/dL; time P = 0.0001). Concomitantly, there was a reduction in high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, buoyant HDL2b, and apolipoprotein A1, and an increase in lipoprotein(a) concentrations (main effect of time P < 0.05 for all). There were no changes in other measured CMD risk factors. CONCLUSIONS: Consuming a Mediterranean-style healthy dietary pattern with 1 serving/d of whole Agaricus bisporus and Pleurotus ostreatus mushrooms improved fasting serum glucose but did not influence other established or emerging CMD risk factors among middle-aged and older adults classified as overweight or obese but with clinically normal cardiometabolic health. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: https://www. CLINICALTRIALS: gov/study/NCT04259229?term=NCT04259229&rank=1.

Directions of change in intrinsic case severity across successive SARS-CoV-2 variant waves have been inconsistent.

OBJECTIVES: To determine how the intrinsic severity of successively dominant SARS-CoV-2 variants changed over the course of the pandemic. METHODS: A retrospective cohort analysis in the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHS GGC) Health Board. All sequenced non-nosocomial adult COVID-19 cases in NHS GGC with relevant SARS-CoV-2 lineages (B.1.177/Alpha, Alpha/Delta, AY.4.2 Delta/non-AY.4.2 Delta, non-AY.4.2 Delta/Omicron, and BA.1 Omicron/BA.2 Omicron) during analysis periods were included. Outcome measures were hospital admission, ICU admission, or death within 28 days of positive COVID-19 test. We report the cumulative odds ratio; the ratio of the odds that an individual experiences a severity event of a given level vs all lower severity levels for the resident and the replacement variant after adjustment. RESULTS: After adjustment for covariates, the cumulative odds ratio was 1.51 (95% CI: 1.08-2.11) for Alpha versus B.1.177, 2.09 (95% CI: 1.42-3.08) for Delta versus Alpha, 0.99 (95% CI: 0.76-1.27) for AY.4.2 Delta versus non-AY.4.2 Delta, 0.49 (95% CI: 0.22-1.06) for Omicron versus non-AY.4.2 Delta, and 0.86 (95% CI: 0.68-1.09) for BA.2 Omicron versus BA.1 Omicron. CONCLUSIONS: The direction of change in intrinsic severity between successively emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants was inconsistent, reminding us that the intrinsic severity of future SARS-CoV-2 variants remains uncertain.

The SARS-CoV-2 Alpha variant was associated with increased clinical severity of COVID-19 in Scotland: A genomics-based retrospective cohort analysis.

OBJECTIVES: The SARS-CoV-2 Alpha variant was associated with increased transmission relative to other variants present at the time of its emergence and several studies have shown an association between Alpha variant infection and increased hospitalisation and 28-day mortality. However, none have addressed the impact on maximum severity of illness in the general population classified by the level of respiratory support required, or death. We aimed to do this. METHODS: In this retrospective multi-centre clinical cohort sub-study of the COG-UK consortium, 1475 samples from Scottish hospitalised and community cases collected between 1st November 2020 and 30th January 2021 were sequenced. We matched sequence data to clinical outcomes as the Alpha variant became dominant in Scotland and modelled the association between Alpha variant infection and severe disease using a 4-point scale of maximum severity by 28 days: 1. no respiratory support, 2. supplemental oxygen, 3. ventilation and 4. death. RESULTS: Our cumulative generalised linear mixed model analyses found evidence (cumulative odds ratio: 1.40, 95% CI: 1.02, 1.93) of a positive association between increased clinical severity and lineage (Alpha variant versus pre-Alpha variants). CONCLUSIONS: The Alpha variant was associated with more severe clinical disease in the Scottish population than co-circulating lineages.

Poultry Consumption and Human Health: How Much Is Really Known? A Systematically Searched Scoping Review and Research Perspective.

This scoping review was conducted to systematically search and chronicle scientific literature pertinent to poultry intake and human health. The protocol (uploaded to Open Science Framework, https://osf.io/2k7bj/) was conducted in accordance with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for scoping reviews guidelines. Articles with observational and experimental research, narrative and systematic reviews, and meta-analyses were included. Among 13,141 articles identified, 525 met inclusion criteria. Among these 525 articles, 212 focused on cancer morbidity and mortality; 41 on cardiovascular disease (CVD) morbidity and mortality; 52 on CVD risk factors; 32 on type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) morbidity and mortality; 33 on T2DM risk factors; and 42 on body weight and body composition. An "Other" category (181 articles) included nutrient status, psychological well-being/mental health, cognition, microbiome, chronic kidney disease, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, skin disorders, and fertility, among others. Among the 525 included articles, 366 were observational, 64 were experimental, and 76 were reviews and meta-analyses. Eighty-three percent of articles focused on adults or older adults. A paucity of research exists to support poultry as health-promoting foods, with most research only indirectly assessing poultry intake compared with other foods of interest (e.g., red meats or plant-based protein foods). No randomized controlled trials and only 1% of OBS assessed the influence of processed poultry intake on human health. In the future, the relative health effects of consuming poultry will be compared with a widening array of traditional and new protein-rich food products, necessitating the need for research to assess poultry as foods of choice. Science and health professionals, the poultry industry, and the public will benefit from new observational and experimental research to address cutting-edge scientific, public policy, and consumer topics pertinent to poultry intake and human health.

Bacterial and fungal communities in tracheal aspirates of intubated COVID-19 patients: a pilot study.

Co-infections with bacterial or fungal pathogens could be associated with severity and outcome of disease in COVID-19 patients. We, therefore, used a 16S and ITS-based sequencing approach to assess the biomass and composition of the bacterial and fungal communities in endotracheal aspirates of intubated COVID-19 patients. Our method combines information on bacterial and fungal biomass with community profiling, anticipating the likelihood of a co-infection is higher with (1) a high bacterial and/or fungal biomass combined with (2) predominance of potentially pathogenic microorganisms. We tested our methods on 42 samples from 30 patients. We observed a clear association between microbial outgrowth (high biomass) and predominance of individual microbial species. Outgrowth of pathogens was in line with the selective pressure of antibiotics received by the patient. We conclude that our approach may help to monitor the presence and predominance of pathogens and therefore the likelihood of co-infections in ventilated patients, which ultimately, may help to guide treatment.

Better understanding of food and human microbiomes through collaborative research on Inuit fermented foods.

Reports on fermented, animal-sourced foods made by Inuit around the circumpolar North have lacked consideration for their unique microbiota and the geo-socio-cultural contexts in which they are made, often resulting in reinforced negative stereotypes. Deficit-based approaches to studying Inuit fermented foods overlook the fact that they have long been considered healthy and integral to Inuit diets. Inuit have deep knowledge on the harvesting, preparation, sharing, and consumption of fermented foods that research efforts must learn from and acknowledge. Our preliminary research into Inuit animal-sourced fermented foods expands current knowledge about the microorganisms needed to make them, and points to a potential to understand how these and other fermented foods impact the human gut microbiome. We provide recommendations for microbiological research on Inuit fermented foods that centers Inuit knowledge within the specific geographic, social, and cultural contexts in which these foods are made.

Expect the unexpected - Implications for next phase of COVID-19 response.

A case report of a 66 year old male patient with COVID 19 who presented late in the clinical course and subsequently developed respiratory failure requiring intubation, after initially experiencing diarrhoea.

Drive-through testing in COVID-19: experience from NHS Lothian.

The growing epidemic of SARS-CoV-2 challenges healthcare resources globally and mandates innovation. We describe our novel drive-through coronavirus testing which we used for testing of possible cases in the contain phase of UK response and are now using for healthcare worker testing. We found that this system was pragmatic, cost-efficient and favourable for patients. It is easily modifiable for use in future infectious disease outbreaks.

The Role of Psychological Symptomatology and Social Support in the Academic Adjustment of Previously Deployed Student Veterans.

CONTEXT: Research has indicated that returning Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom (OEF/OIF) veterans are experiencing mental health concerns following deployment. Increasing numbers of veterans are enrolling in higher education institutions; there is a scarcity of empirical research investigating student veterans' experiences as they transition into college. OBJECTIVE: To examine the effects of psychological distress and social support on academic adjustment among a sample of student veterans who were previously deployed. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: Participants were 117 military veterans enrolled in college. Questionnaires were administered via SurveyMonkey from June 2012 to April 2013. RESULTS: Results indicated that military unit support during deployment, current social support, anxiety, and posttraumatic symptoms, but not depressive symptoms, were significantly associated with academic adjustment. CONCLUSIONS: Results from the current study can be used by college administrators and counseling centers to improve service delivery and programming specifically for student veterans.

HADStress: a somatic symptom screen for posttraumatic stress among Somali refugees.

OBJECTIVE: This study assessed whether a simple, readily implemented four-symptom somatic screen would be able to effectively identify current posttraumatic stress symptoms in victimized populations. METHODS: The sample consisted of 622 Somali community-dwelling refugees who fled widespread violence and trauma occurring in East Africa during 1990-1992. Data were collected during 2000-2003 and included demographic characteristics, number of types of torture and nontorture trauma experienced earlier in Africa, and current self-rated posttraumatic stress symptoms, as measured by the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist (PCL). The sample was also assessed with the HADStress screen, which was developed for this study, to determine whether the screen was effective in detecting current posttraumatic stress symptoms. The HADStress screen assessed for the presence of four somatic symptoms: Headaches, Appetite change, Dizziness, and Sleep problems. All items were given equal weight. Possible scores on the screen range from 0 to 4, with higher scores indicating more somatic symptoms. RESULTS: Univariate analysis showed that persons who experienced more types of trauma (both torture and nontorture trauma) and persons who had higher PCL scores (indicating more current posttraumatic stress symptoms) had significantly higher HADStress scores. Negative binomial regression analysis showed that PCL scores were the most effective variable in predicting HADStress scores. On the Tukey-B post hoc analysis, a HADStress score of 0 or 1 was associated with a mean PCL score of less than 30, a score of 2 was associated with a mean PCL score of 40.28, and a score of 4 was associated with a mean PCL score of 51.07 (suggesting that over 50% of this group would have active posttraumatic stress disorder). CONCLUSIONS: A score of 2 or higher on the HADStress scale among refugees warrants additional evaluation for posttraumatic stress symptoms in clinical settings. For communitywide efforts at early recognition and treatment, a cutoff score of 4 may be more practical and cost-effective.