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Background: Infiltrative diseases (IDs), including amyloidosis, sarcoidosis, and hemochromatosis, are characterized by abnormal cellular infiltration in multiple organs, including the heart. The prognosis of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) patients with underlying IDs has not been well-studied. We evaluated the prevalence of IDs in patients undergoing PCI and their association with post-PCI outcomes. Methods: The National Inpatient Sample (NIS) 2016-2020 database was used to identify PCI patients with ICD-10 codes for a retrospective analysis. PCI patients were then divided into those with and without underlying IDs, which included amyloidosis, sarcoidosis, and hemochromatosis. Multivariable logistic regression was performed for composite post-PCI outcomes analyses. Results: Among 2,360,860 patients admitted to undergo PCI, 7855 patients had underlying IDs. The highest prevalence was observed for sarcoidosis (0.2%) followed by hemochromatosis (0.07%) and amyloidosis (0.04%). Underlying amyloidosis was associated with worse composite post-PCI outcomes (odds ratio [OR], 1.6; 95% CI, 1.1-2.44; P = .02), including higher in-hospital mortality (OR, 1.9; 95% CI, 1.1-3.4; P = .04), higher risk of intra/post-PCI stroke (OR, 4.0; 95% CI, 1.1-16.0; P = .04), but not major bleeding (OR, 2.2; 95% CI, 0.97-5.03; P = .058). In contrast, underlying sarcoidosis (OR, 1.1; 95% CI, 0.87-1.41; P = .4), and hemochromatosis (OR, 1.18; 95% CI, 0.77-1.8; P = .44) were not associated with composite post-PCI outcomes. Amyloidosis patients undergoing PCI also had higher hospitalization charges ($212,123 vs $141,137; P = .03) and longer length of stay (8.2 vs 3.9 days; P < .001). Conclusions: Underlying amyloidosis was associated with worse post-PCI outcomes including higher in-hospital mortality, intra/post-PCI stroke, and socioeconomic burden. A multidisciplinary approach and future studies are needed to investigate the screening and treatment strategies in these patients.
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The impact of functionality of biochar on pressing environmental issue of cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) co-contamination in simultaneous soil and water systems has not sufficiently reported. This study investigated the impact of Fe- and Mg-functionalized wheat straw biochar (Fe-WSBC and Mg-WSBC) on Cd and Pb adsorption/immobilization through batch sorption and column leaching trials. Importantly, Fe-WSBC was more effective in adsorbing Cd and Pb (82.84 and 111.24 mg g-1), regeneration ability (removal efficiency 94.32 and 92.365), and competitive ability under competing cations (83.15 and 84.36%) compared to other materials (WSBC and Mg-WSBC). The practical feasibility of Fe-WSBC for spiked river water verified the 92.57% removal of Cd and 85.73% for Pb in 50 mg L-1 and 100 mg L-1 contamination, respectively. Besides, the leaching of Cd and Pb with Fe-WSBC under flow-through conditions was lowered to (0.326 and 17.62 mg L-1), respectively as compared to control (CK) (0.836 and 40.40 mg L-1). In short, this study presents the applicable approach for simultaneous remediation of contaminated water and soil matrices, offering insights into environmentally friendly green remediation strategies for heavy metals co-contaminated matrices.
Subject(s)
Cadmium , Charcoal , Environmental Restoration and Remediation , Lead , Soil Pollutants , Soil , Triticum , Water Pollutants, Chemical , Charcoal/chemistry , Cadmium/chemistry , Triticum/chemistry , Lead/chemistry , Soil Pollutants/chemistry , Soil Pollutants/analysis , Adsorption , Water Pollutants, Chemical/chemistry , Environmental Restoration and Remediation/methods , Soil/chemistryABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: The pathophysiology of HCM presents unique challenges for the management of cardiogenic shock and the use of mechanical circulatory support devices (MCSD). However, outcomes investigations for MCSD and HT in HCM patients is limited to case reports. The present study investigated MCSD and HT outcomes in HCM patients in a large retrospective cohort. METHODS: The National Inpatient Sample (2016-2019) was used for the retrospective analysis of patients hospitalized for MCSD and HT using ICD-10 codes. Patients with implantation of more than one device category were excluded. These patients were divided into two cohorts, with and without HCM, and compared in terms of in-hospital mortality, trends in mortality rates, hospitalization costs and mean length of stay. RESULTS: Among 267,780 patients hospitalized for MCSD and HT, 1155 patients had underlying HCM. Underlying HCM was associated with increased odds of mortality in patients receiving left ventricular assist devices (LVAD) (OR 3.4, 95% CI 1.03-11.2, p = 0.04) and temporary MCSD (OR 2.5, CI 1.8-3.6, p < 0.001). HCM was not associated with increased mortality in patients hospitalized for HT (OR 0.67, CI 0.15-2.85, p = 0.6). Patients with HCM undergoing MCSD and HT had a longer mean length of stay (22.1 vs 13.2 days, p = 0.004), and higher mean hospitalization charges ($830,103 vs $460,383, p < 0.0001) as compared to non-HCM patients. CONCLUSION: Underlying HCM is associated with increased in-hospital mortality in patients undergoing LVAD and temporary MCSD placement. Further prospective studies are required to expand our understanding of prognosis among HCM patients undergoing MCSD and establish management guidelines.
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The contamination of paddy fields by cadmium and lead is a major issue in China. The consumption of rice grown in heavy metals contaminated areas poses severe health risks to humans, where bioavailability and bioaccessibility remains the critical factor for risk determination. Selenium nanoparticles (Se-NPs) can mitigate the toxicity of heavy metals in plants. However, there exists limited information regarding the role of Se-NPs in dictating cadmium (Cd) toxicity in rice for human consumption. Moreover, the impact of Se-NPs under simultaneous field and laboratory controlled conditions is rarely documented. To address this knowledge gap, a field experiment was conducted followed by laboratory scale bioavailability assays. Foliar application of Se-NPs and selenite (at 5, 10 mg L-1) was performed to assess their efficiency in lowering Cd accumulation, promoting Se biofortification in rice grains, and evaluating Cd exposure risk from contaminated rice. Obtained results indicate that foliar treatments significantly reduced the heavy metal accumulation in rice grains. Specifically, Se-NP 10 mg L-1 demonstrated higher efficiency, reducing Cd and Pb by 56 and 32 % respectively. However, inconsistent trends for bioavailable Cd (0.03 mg kg-1) and bioaccessible (0.04 mg kg-1) were observed while simulated human rice intake. Furthermore, the foliage application of Se-NPs and selenite improved rice quality by elevating Se, Zn, Fe, and protein levels, while lowering phytic acid content in rice grains. In summary, this study suggests the promising potential of foliage spraying of Se-NPs in lowering the health risks associated with consuming Cd-contaminated rice.
Subject(s)
Cadmium , Oryza , Selenium , Oryza/metabolism , Cadmium/metabolism , Humans , Selenium/pharmacology , Caco-2 Cells , Soil Pollutants/metabolism , Biological Availability , Nanoparticles , China , Plant Leaves/metabolism , Metals, HeavyABSTRACT
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.
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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.
Subject(s)
Oryza , Soil Pollutants , Humans , Zinc/metabolism , Silicon/pharmacology , Cadmium/metabolism , Oryza/metabolism , Biological Availability , Digestion , Soil Pollutants/metabolism , SoilSubject(s)
Contrast Media , Coronary Artery Disease , Fractional Flow Reserve, Myocardial , Percutaneous Coronary Intervention , Stents , Humans , Contrast Media/adverse effects , Contrast Media/administration & dosage , Treatment Outcome , Percutaneous Coronary Intervention/adverse effects , Percutaneous Coronary Intervention/instrumentation , Coronary Artery Disease/diagnostic imaging , Coronary Artery Disease/therapy , Coronary Artery Disease/physiopathology , Risk Factors , Predictive Value of Tests , Coronary Stenosis/physiopathology , Coronary Stenosis/diagnostic imaging , Coronary Stenosis/therapy , Coronary AngiographyABSTRACT
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.
Subject(s)
Atrial Appendage , Atrial Fibrillation , Heart Failure, Diastolic , Heart Failure , Respiratory Insufficiency , Stroke , Adult , Humans , Male , Female , Atrial Fibrillation/diagnosis , Atrial Fibrillation/epidemiology , Atrial Fibrillation/surgery , Atrial Appendage/surgery , Respiration, Artificial , Prevalence , Heart Failure/diagnosis , Heart Failure/epidemiology , Heart Failure/therapy , Heart Failure, Diastolic/complications , Respiratory Insufficiency/diagnosis , Respiratory Insufficiency/epidemiology , Stroke/diagnosis , Stroke/epidemiology , Stroke/complications , Treatment OutcomeABSTRACT
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.
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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%, Pâ¯=â¯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, Pâ¯=â¯0.0057), acute congestive heart failure (aOR 4.18, CI 1.05-16.5, Pâ¯=â¯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.
Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation , Heart Arrest , Respiratory Distress Syndrome , Humans , Inpatients , COVID-19/complications , COVID-19/epidemiology , COVID-19/therapy , Respiratory Distress Syndrome/epidemiology , Respiratory Distress Syndrome/etiology , Respiratory Distress Syndrome/therapy , HemorrhageABSTRACT
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.
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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, Pâ¯=â¯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.
Subject(s)
Atrial Fibrillation , Heart Valve Diseases , Sarcoidosis , Humans , Retrospective Studies , Anticoagulants , Atrial Fibrillation/epidemiology , Heart Valve Diseases/epidemiology , Sarcoidosis/complications , Sarcoidosis/diagnosis , Sarcoidosis/epidemiologyABSTRACT
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.
Subject(s)
Heart Valve Diseases , Humans , Prevalence , Prognosis , Heart Valve Diseases/complications , Heart Valve Diseases/epidemiologyABSTRACT
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.
Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Myocarditis , Humans , Inpatients , Prospective Studies , Hospitals , Hospital Mortality , Retrospective StudiesABSTRACT
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 (Ë0.2 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.
Subject(s)
Oryza , Soil Pollutants , Humans , Soil , Cadmium/analysis , Biological Availability , Caco-2 Cells , Soil Pollutants/analysis , Risk Assessment , Biodegradation, EnvironmentalABSTRACT
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.
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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.
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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.
Subject(s)
Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury , Cyprinidae , Animals , Azo Compounds/toxicity , Biomarkers , Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury/etiology , Coloring Agents/toxicity , Necrosis , Paraffin , Trypan Blue/toxicityABSTRACT
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.
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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.