A prospective observational study to identify the effectiveness of intravenous magnesium replacement in an intensive care setting.

Background and Aims: To estimate the incidence of hypomagnesemia and identify the effectiveness of a calculated dose of intravenous magnesium sulfate (MgSO4) in correction of hypomagnesemia and its relationship with renal function in critically ill patients. Material and Methods: All patients admitted in the adult intensive care unit were enrolled in the study and magnesium levels were monitored. Patients with serum magnesium levels <1.7 mg/dL received calculated doses of Intravenous MgSO4. The average rise in serum magnesium levels per gram of MgSO4 administered was calculated and relationship with estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was identified. Results: In total, 27.27% of patients admitted in our intensive care unit had an incidence of hypomagnesemia. The average rise of serum magnesium levels in patients with hypomagnesemia was 0.13 (±0.05) mg/dl. The average rise of serum magnesium levels was 0.10 (±0.04) mg/dL in patients with eGFR ≥ 90 mL/min/1.73 m2 and 0.15 (± 0.05) mg/dL in patients with eGFR < 90 mL/min/1.73 m2. This difference between the two groups (P-value = 0.002) and the trend of increasing average rise in serum magnesium levels with declining eGFR values (P-value = 0.013) were both statistically significant. Conclusion: Incidence of hypomagnesemia in the critically ill population is around 27.27%. Intravenous administration of 1 g of MgSO4 results in a rise of serum magnesium levels by 0.1 mg/dL in patients with normal eGFR and around 0.15 mg/dL in patients with eGFR values between 30 and 89 mL/min/1.73 m2.

Assessment of ecosystem health of a micro-level Ramsar coastal zone in the Vembanad Lake, Kerala, India.

Health of an ecosystem is very much important as we depend on its goods and services for our existence. Because of this, we need to continuously monitor its health for human benefit and for identifying areas for improvement of our natural systems. The present study tries to assess the condition of a coastal ecosystem within the Vembanad Lake, Kerala, India, using key water quality parameters at micro-level. Principal component analysis identified the minimum required water quality dataset for further analysis and was scored using linear scoring functions. The weighted additive method was used to integrate the individual scores to arrive at a final score representing the ecosystem health. Spline interpolation was applied to develop the ecosystem health map of the study area. Using this method, 35.8% area of the aquatic ecosystem studied was characterized as good, 32.2% as moderate, 26.2% as fair and 5.8% as poor. The assessment results can help the policymakers/managers to make appropriate decisions for the better management of the coastal ecosystems studied. Moreover, this methodology can be replicated for the assessment of coastal regions with similar ecosystem characteristics.

Microplastics in the environment and in commercially significant fishes of mud banks, an ephemeral ecosystem formed along the southwest coast of India.

Microplastic pollution and the impacts they generate on the marine ecosystem and its biota is a major global concern of recent decades. The present study was conducted to evaluate the spatio-temporal distribution of microplastics in the surface waters, sediments, and their subsequent ingestion by the commercially important fishes of Alappuzha Mud banks, a transient ecosystem formed in the littoral zones of the southwest coast of India exclusively during the Indian summer monsoon. Sampling conducted over three periods, Pre-mud bank (Pre-MB), Mud bank (MB), and Post mud bank (Post-MB) extending over three depths (2 m, 5 m and 18 m), along the semi-circular patch of mudbanks revealed marked spatio-temporal variability in microplastic distribution. In both surface water and sediments, microplastic concentration was comparatively high during MB than in Pre-MB and Post-MB periods. Spatially, during MB, the microplastic concentration was high at 5 m where the dampening of waves occurred concomitant to the thick fluid mud formation. In contrast, during Post-MB, with the subsequent dissipation of MB's and less wave dampening, the microplastics aggregated at 5 m were transported to both inshore (2 m) and offshore (18 m), thus raising their concentration at these depths. Likewise, the microplastic ingestion was more in fishes caught during MB (41%) than Post-MB (30%) and Pre-MB (29%) periods indicating increased uptake corresponding to the higher incidences in their ambient environment. Microplastic ingestion was more among pelagic planktivores, S. gibbosa (38%), A. chacunda (20%) and R. kanagurta (13%) compared to the demersal fishes. White coloured fragments of size 1-5 mm of polypropylene were the dominant microplastic in the surface waters, sediment and fishes analysed. The present study indicates the critical role of wind speed, rainfall, wave patterns, and the fluid muddy environment in regulating the microplastics distribution in a transient ecosystem formed along the southwest coast of India.

An assessment of microplastics in the ecosystem and selected commercially important fishes off Kochi, south eastern Arabian Sea, India.

A preliminary report on the abundance of microplastic in the coastal waters in the depth zone 5 to 20 m in the surface waters, sediment and in selected fishes occurring off Kochi, India is presented. Spatial and temporal variation in microplastic abundance was observed with higher abundance in surface water indicating threats to pelagic ecosystem. The relative concentration of microplastic was highest during monsoon season. The major microplastics were fragments of 1-5 mm in white and blue colours. Gut content analysis of 16 species (653 individuals) comprising pelagic (8 species) and demersal (8 species) indicated occurrence (4.6%) of microplastics (fragment>filament>pellet) of size 0.27mm to 3.2 mm in Sardinella longiceps, S. gibbosa, Stolephorus indicus Rastrelliger kanagurta and Cyanoglossus macrostomus. Raman spectroscopy indicated that Polyethylene (PE) and Polypropylene (PP) were the polymer types of microplastics from the fish gut.