Rate and predictors of insufficient sweat volume in very young infants after pilocarpine gel iontophoresis: prospective, population-based study.

OBJECTIVE: To verify the rate and predictors of 'quantity not sufficient' (QNS) among Brazilian infants younger than 3 months with positive newborn screening (NBS) for cystic fibrosis (CF). DESIGN: Prospective, population-based study. SETTING: Public Statewide Newborn Screening Programme where the incidence rate of CF is ≈1:11 000. PATIENTS: Subjects with positive two-tiered immunoreactive trypsinogen. INTERVENTIONS: Sweat induction and collection were performed in the same facility; one sweat sample was obtained per individual. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The QNS rate and its predictors; analysis corresponded to the day of sweat collection. RESULTS: Among the 975 participants, QNS rates for 10 and 15 µL were 3.6% (95% CI 2.5% to 4.9%) and 8.3% (95% CI 6.6% to 10.2%). Infants weighing >3056 and >3845 g and with gestational age higher than 37 weeks had a greater likelihood (5.5 and 6.7, and 2.7 and 5.8 times more, respectively) of avoiding QNS than their peers. CONCLUSION: QNS rates fulfilled the requirements, but predictors differed from those recommended by the Cystic Fibrosis Foundations guidelines.

The diagnostic power of salivary electrolytes for Sjögren's disease: a systematic literature review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVES: To perform a systematic review and meta-analysis to determine the power of salivary electrolytes for the diagnosis of Sjögren's disease (SjD). METHODS: A literature search was conducted (last search March 2023) using PubMed and Web of Science and completed with a manual search. Articles were screened for reports of human salivary ion concentrations, comparing SjD patients with healthy controls and/or sicca patients. Articles not using the SjD classification criteria or performing the classification as part of the experimental design were excluded. Forest plots were used to present the meta-analyses results for each ion, distinguishing between salivary type (unstimulated and stimulated whole saliva, submandibular/sublingual and parotid saliva). RESULTS: A total of 21 out of 722 articles were eligible for inclusion. For SjD patients a significant increase in salivary ion concentration was observed for sodium, chloride and calcium when comparing to healthy controls. Significant differences between SjD and sicca patients were noted for sodium, chloride, phosphate, calcium, phosphate, nitrite and nitrate. Stimulated whole saliva showed larger variability in results between studies in comparison to other types of saliva (unstimulated whole saliva, submandibular/sublingual saliva and parotid saliva). CONCLUSIONS: Despite differences in saliva type, salivary ion levels could be utilised for the screening for SjD. Making use of chloride in combination with sodium would be most promising for distinguishing SjD patients from healthy controls and adding phosphate to potentially make a distinguishment with sicca patients. Unstimulated whole saliva should be the first choice when testing salivary ion concentrations.

Assessing seasonal fluctuations in leachate chemical properties and leachate pollution index as contamination indicators.

Municipal solid waste (MSW) management practices that lack scientific rigor and use impromptu methods have produced massive leachate in urban complexes. Nowadays, the management of leachate has become an utmost concern worldwide. The MSW landfill site was a low-lying, open dump that operated in a non-engineered way. In this context, the physicochemical characterization of leachate has been carried out. Leachate sampling was done at the Bhandewadi dumpsite, Nagpur, for three seasons (summer, rainy, and winter). During analysis, parameters such as COD, BOD5, pH, TKN, TSS, sulfates, and chlorides were analyzed, and the obtained data was compared with the standard EPA 2003 and CPHEEO 2016 methods. Values of COD, BOD5, TKN, sulfates, and chlorides were in the range of 2500-16,000 mg/L, 495-2500 mg/L, 167-1900 mg/L, 240-900 mg/L, and 1400-5900 mg/L with respect to all three seasons, respectively. In conjunction with physicochemical analysis, the landfill leachate's leachate pollutant index (LPI) was assessed. The highest LPI values were observed for summer (14.323) as compared to rainy (12.301) and winter (11.348) data. This index reflects the hazardous character of MSW leachate and the total potential for leachate contamination. The results of this study showed seasonal variations in the observed data. Age and seasonal fluctuations therefore substantially influence the composition of the leachate.

Foliar architecture differentially restrains metal sequestration capacity in wheat grains (Triticum aestivum L.) grown in hyper-chloride-contaminated soils.

Anthropogenic activities, such as industrial wastewater and use of water softeners, cause hyper-accumulation of Cl- in water sources and soils. Currently, industries have no sustainable method to remove these Cl- ions from wastewater. This study was conducted to evaluate the integrative responses of wheat cultivated in five industrial effluent-affected areas (S2-S6) by investigating soil characters and bioaccumulation of metals in wheat plants and grains. The S4 site (near the second chloride outlet) exhibited a higher concentration of CO2, SO2, NO2, Cl-, Cd, Mn, Ni, Cr, and Zn. Soil from S6 (sewage wastewater downstream getting mixed with chloride-contaminated water) had a minimum level of nutrients (Na, K, and Ca), maximum metals (Cd, Fe, Pb, Mn), and reduction in plant biomass. In site S2 (sewage wastewater upstream of the chloride factory), a higher level of minerals and metals was noted in the roots. Maximum metals in grains occurred in S6 with higher organic osmolytes. The sequestration capacity of metals in leaves was also increased by alterations in anatomical traits. Results indicated that metals and hyper-Cl- concentration employed a negative influence on the plants because of poor soil quality, extremely damaged microstructures leading to reduced yield, poor grain quality, and excessive translocation from roots to wheat grains. These findings revealed that contaminated plants used as either green forage or hay are noxious to animals and if used as grain for feed or humans can lead to serious health hazards.

Hydrothermal Alkaline Treatment (HALT) of Foam Fractionation Concentrate Derived from PFAS-Contaminated Groundwater.

While foam fractionation (FF) process has emerged as a promising technology for removal of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) from contaminated groundwater, management of the resulting foam concentrates with elevated concentrations of PFASs (e.g., >1 g/L) remains a challenge. Here, we applied hydrothermal alkaline treatment (HALT) to two foam concentrates derived from FF field demonstration projects that treated aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF)-impacted groundwater. Results showed >90% degradation and defluorination within 90 min of treatment (350 °C, 1 M NaOH) of all 62 PFASs (including cations, anions, and zwitterions) identified in foam concentrates. Observed rate constants for degradation of individual perfluoroalkyl sulfonates (PFSAs, CnF2n+1-SO3-), the most recalcitrant class of PFASs, in both foam concentrates were similar to values measured previously in other aqueous matrices, indicating that elevated initial PFAS concentrations (e.g., PFHxSinit = 0.55 g/L), dissolved organic carbon (DOC; up to 4.5 g/L), and salt levels (e.g., up to 325 mg/L chloride) do not significantly affect PFAS reaction kinetics. DOC was partially mineralized by treatment, but a fraction (∼15%) was recalcitrant. Spectroscopic characterization revealed molecular features of the HALT-recalcitrant DOC fraction, and nontarget high-resolution mass spectrometry tentatively identified 129 nonfluorinated HALT-recalcitrant molecules. Analysis of process energy requirements shows that treating PFAS-contaminated foam concentrates with HALT would add minimally (<5%) to the overall energy requirements of an integrated FF-HALT treatment train.

Improvement in Lung Clearance Index and Chest Computed Tomography Scores with Elexacaftor/Tezacaftor/Ivacaftor Treatment in People with Cystic Fibrosis Aged 12 Years and Older - The RECOVER Trial.

Rationale: Clinical trials have shown that use of elexacaftor/tezacaftor/ivacaftor (ETI) is associated with improvements in sweat chloride, pulmonary function, nutrition, and quality of life in people with cystic fibrosis (CF). Little is known about the impact of ETI on ventilation inhomogeneity and lung structure. Objectives: RECOVER is a real-world study designed to measure the impact of ETI in people with CF. The primary endpoints were lung clearance (lung clearance index; LCI2.5) and FEV1. Secondary endpoints included spirometry-controlled chest computed tomography (CT) scores. Methods: The study was conducted in seven sites in Ireland and the United Kingdom. Participants ages 12 years and older who were homozygous for the F508del mutation (F508del/F508del) or heterozygous for F508del and a minimum-function mutation (F508del/MF) were recruited before starting ETI and were followed up over 12 months. LCI2.5 was measured using nitrogen multiple breath washout (MBW) at baseline and at 6 and 12 months. Spirometry was performed as per the criteria of the American Thoracic Society and the European Respiratory Society. Spirometry-controlled chest CT scans were performed at baseline and at 12 months. CT scans were scored using the Perth Rotterdam Annotated Grid Morphometric Analysis (PRAGMA) system. Other outcome measures include weight, height, Cystic Fibrosis Quality of Life Questionnaire-Revised (CFQ-R), and sweat chloride. Measurements and Main Results: One hundred seventeen people with CF ages 12 and older were recruited to the study. Significant improvements were seen in LCI scores (-2.5; 95% confidence interval [CI], -3.0, -2.0) and in the percents predicted for FEV1 (8.9; 95% CI, 7.0, 10.9), FVC (6.6; 95% CI, 4.9, 8.3), and forced expiratory flow between 25% and 75% of expired volume (12.4; 95% CI, 7.8, 17.0). Overall PRAGMA-CF scores reflecting airway disease improved significantly (-3.46; 95% CI, -5.23, -1.69). Scores for trapped air, mucus plugging, and bronchial wall thickening improved significantly, but bronchiectasis scores did not. Sweat chloride levels decreased in both F508del/F508del (-43.1; 95% CI, -47.4, -38.9) and F508del/MF (-42.8; 95% CI, -48.5, -37.2) groups. Scores on the Respiratory Domain of the CFQ-R improved by 14.2 points (95% CI, 11.3, 17.2). At 1 year, sweat chloride levels were significantly lower for the F508del/F508del group compared with scores for the F508del/MF group (33.93 vs. 53.36, P < 0.001). Conclusions: ETI is associated with substantial improvements in LCI2.5, spirometry, and PRAGMA-CF CT scores in people with CF ages 12 years and older. ETI led to improved nutrition and quality of life. People in the F508del/F508del group had significantly lower sweat chloride on ETI treatment compared with the F508del/MF group. Clinical trial registered with www.clinicaltrials.gov (NCT04602468).

Multivariate effect of inorganic wastewater matrix on the removal of pesticides by solar photo-Fenton.

An amount of works has reported the effect of wastewater matrix composition on pollutants removal by different AOPs. The biggest challenge is that each wastewater source has a challenging composition (organic and inorganic compounds, pollutants, etc.) and not only the concentration of all these species but also the interaction between them may affect the effectiveness of the studied process. This work has been carried out to evaluate the photo-degradation kinetics of six different pesticides (flutriafol, imidacloprid, myclobutanil, pirimicarb, thiamethoxam and triadimenol) by solar photo-Fenton (SPF) process at acidic pH. First, oxidant concentration (H2O2) was optimized with an actual WWTP effluent. Then, the process was validated with two different secondary and tertiary WWTP effluents, in which main intermediate transformation by-products were identified. Finally, the effect of the inorganic water matrix components (bicarbonate, chloride, sulphate, nitrate and phosphate) was evaluated by a multivariate analysis. Once H2O2 has been optimized at 30 mg L-1, the photo-degradation efficiency of pesticides in real wastewater samples was compared. DOC content of both secondary and tertiary WWTP effluents was dropped by 67%. The identification of the main intermediate transformation by-products (such as 1H-1,2,4-triazole, desmethyl-formamido pirimicarb, thiamethoxam urea, chloronicotinic acid and imidacloprid urea) was reviewed. Following, the multivariate analysis on pesticides photo-degradation, generally, predicted four significant effects in common for the studied pesticides: a positive effect (interaction bicarbonate/nitrate) and three negative ones (chloride, phosphate and the interaction chloride/sulphate); among others. In addition, optimum values of inorganic ion concentrations, to obtain an optimum desirability on studied pesticides removal by SPF at acidic pH, were also evaluated.

Research on the electrochemical treatment of nitrobenzene wastewater: The effects of process parameters and the mechanism of distinct degradation pathways.

Nitrobenzene is a typical organic pollutant of petroleum pollutant, which is a synthetic chemical not found naturally in the environment. Nitrobenzene in environment can cause toxic liver disease and respiratory failure in humans. Electrochemical technology provides an effective and efficient method for degrading nitrobenzene. This study, the effects of process parameter (e.g., electrolyte solution type, electrolyte concentration, current density and pH) and distinct reaction pathways for electrochemical treatment of nitrobenzene were investigated. As a result, available chlorine dominates the electrochemical oxidation process compared with hydroxyl radical, thus the electrolyte of NaCl is more suitable for the degradation of nitrobenzene than that of Na2SO4. The concentration and the existence form of available chlorine were mainly controlled by electrolyte concentration, current density and pH, which directly affect the removal of nitrobenzene. Cyclic voltammetry and mass spectrometric analyses suggested that electrochemical degradation of nitrobenzene included two important ways. Firstly, single oxidation: nitrobenzene → other forms of aromatic compounds→ NO-x + organic acids + mineralization products. Secondly, coordination of reduction and oxidation: nitrobenzene → aniline→ N2 + NO-x + organic acid + mineralization products. The results of this study will encourage us to further understand the electrochemical degradation mechanism of nitrobenzene and develop the efficient processes for nitrobenzene treatment.

Driving factors influencing spatiotemporal variation of natural organic chlorine in Shennongjia forest soil.

Studying the geochemical behavior of chlorine is the basis of understanding the chlorine cycle in nature. To explore the spatiotemporal distribution of natural organic chlorine (Clorg), L layer (litter fall), F-H layer (humification zone), topsoil layer (0-20 cm), and deep soil layer (20-40 cm) samples were collected from 18 sampling sites at different altitudes (851-2918 m) in Shennongjia Forest in May, August, and December. Clorg content was analyzed, and the Clorg stocks were calculated. The major factors affecting the distribution of Clorg were explored. The results revealed that the sum of Clorg content in four layers varied from 7.958 to 184.686 mg/kg, and the highest value was observed in August. Clorg accounted for 46%-77% of total chlorine, with the highest mean ratio in soil layer (0-20 cm). Clorg content exhibited the following trend: F-H layer > L layer > topsoil layer (0-20 cm) > deep soil layer (20-40 cm). The seasonal patterns of Clorg in soil layers were different from that in L and F-H layers, which were mainly controlled by the content and humification degree of organic matter. Clorg storage was much higher in soil layers (61-246 kg/ha) than those in F-H layer (1.1-7.1 kg/ha) and in L layer (0.1-0.8 kg/ha) because of the large thickness of the soil layers. Overall, the Clorg content exhibited an increasing trend with altitude, except at an altitude of approximately 1800 m. Clorg content in L and F-H layers varied more obviously with altitude than that in soil layers. When inorganic chlorine (Clin) was not a limiting factor for the chlorination process, Clorg content in L and F-H layers was significantly affected by climate and organic matter controlled by altitude, while Clorg content in soil layers was also mediated by metal ions and pH, and soil particle size. This study could provide a scientific basis for assessing the chlorine cycle in nature.

Perchlorate and chlorate assessment in drinking water in northern Chilean cities.

Perchlorate and chlorate are endocrine disruptors considered emerging contaminants (ECs). Both oxyanions are commonly associated with anthropogenic contamination from fertilizers, pesticides, explosives, and disinfection byproducts. However, the soils of the Atacama Desert are the most extensive natural reservoirs of perchlorate in the world, compromising drinking water sources in northern Chile. Field campaigns were carried (2014-2018) to assess the presence of these ECs in the water supply networks of twelve Chilean cities. Additionally, the occurrence of perchlorate, chlorate and other anions typically observed in drinking water matrices of the Atacama Desert (i.e., nitrate, chloride, sulfate) was evaluated using a Spearman correlation analysis to determine predictors for perchlorate and chlorate. High concentrations of perchlorate (up to 114.48 µg L-1) and chlorate (up to 9650 µg L-1) were found in three northern cities. Spatial heterogeneities were observed in the physicochemical properties and anion concentrations of the water supply network. Spearman correlation analysis indicated that nitrate, chloride, and sulfate were not useful predictors for the presence of perchlorate and chlorate in drinking water in Chile. Hence, this study highlights the need to establish systematic monitoring, regulation, and treatment for these EC of drinking water sources in northern Chilean cities for public health protection.

GIS based hotspot analysis and health risk assessment of groundwater arsenic from an unconfined deep aquifer of Lahore, Pakistan.

Use of groundwater for drinking purpose poses serious hazards of arsenic contamination particularly in plains of western Himalayan region. Therefore, current study was designed to investigate the level of Arsenic (As) in the water obtained from tubewells in a metropolitan city of Lahore, Pakistan and assess the human health risk. So, a total of 73 tubewells were sampled randomly in the manner that the whole study region was covered without any clustering. The water samples were analyzed for As using atomic absorption spectrophotometer. These samples were also tested for total dissolved solids, chlorides, pH, alkalinity, turbidity, hardness and calcium. GIS based hotspots analysis technique was used to investigate the spatial distribution patterns. Our results revealed that only one sample out of total 73 had arsenic level below the WHO guideline of 10 µg/L. The spatial distribution map of arsenic revealed that the higher concentrations of arsenic are present in the north-western region of Lahore. The cluster and outlier analysis map using Anselin Local Moran's I statistic indicated the presence of an arsenic cluster in the west of River Ravi. Furthermore, the optimized hotspot analysis based on Getis-Ord Gi* statistics confirmed the statistical significance (P < 0.05) and (P < 0.01) of these samples from the vicinity of River Ravi. Regression analysis showed that variables such as turbidity, alkalinity, hardness, chlorides, calcium and total dissolved solids were significantly (all P < 0.05) associated with level of Arsenic in tubewells. Whereas, PH and electrical conductivity and other variables like town, year of installation, depth and diameter of the wells were not significantly associated with Arsenic concentrations in tubewells. Principal component analysis (PCA) exhibited that the random distribution of tubewell samples showed no distinct clustering with towns studied. Health risk assessment based on hazard and Cancer risk index revealed serious risk of developing carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic diseases particularly in children. The health risk due to prevalence of high As concentration in tubewells' water need to be mitigated immediately to avoid worst consequences in future.

Delayed cystic fibrosis diagnosis due to presumed celiac disease-A case report from Syria.

BACKGROUND: This case report describes a cystic fibrosis case after 7 years of a presumed diagnosis of celiac disease without confirming laboratory tests and biopsies. Both cystic fibrosis and celiac disease cause malnutrition, malabsorption, and failure to thrive. Also, the occurrence of cystic fibrosis in celiac disease patients is higher than in the normal population. Therefore, the differentiation between the two diseases might be challenging. This article highlights the reason for the confusion between cystic fibrosis and celiac disease and emphasizes the importance of not skipping the necessary investigations no matter how difficult it is to perform them. CASE PRESENTATION: This report details the case history of a patient presumed to have celiac disease for 7 years without confirming investigations. He developed multiple respiratory infections and weight loss throughout the 7 years but was only diagnosed with cystic fibrosis after hospitalization for gradual abdominal distension and productive cough. Chest CT showed atelectasis in the right upper lobe, tree-in-bud sign on both sides, and right periumbilical mass with several enlargements in the mediastinal nodes. Ascites paracentesis revealed a high SAAG gradient and low-protein fluid. The sweat chloride test resulted in a chloride level of 90 mEq/L, which confirmed the cystic fibrosis diagnosis. Subsequent genetic testing revealed the rare G85E mutation. CONCLUSION: This report highlights the potential for diagnostic confusion between cystic fibrosis and celiac disease. Also, it reminds physicians about the importance of taking a detailed medical history and performing the essential investigations no matter how difficult it is to do them. Finally, it emphasizes the need to verify the patient's previous medical history in case there is no official documentation of his case. This should be considered particularly in rural areas in low-income countries where the possibility of medical malpractice should not be forgotten.

Groundwater quality in Zagora southeast of Morocco by using physicochemical analysis and geospatial techniques.

Groundwater in Morocco is restricted because of the semiarid to arid climatic conditions; it is under threat from organic and inorganic pollution. Furthermore, it is considered the only source of potable water as well as having different usages, making its quantitative and qualitative protection an urgent priority. The present study focused mainly on the anthropogenic impact on the natural resources and groundwater quality around Zagora city. Fifteen samples were collected from wells during rainy and dry seasons in 2 years 2020-2021 and the analysis of the groundwater quality of studied stations. The suitability of the aquifer Fezouata was investigated using drinking and irrigation water quality indices. The results showed that sulfate and chloride are the dominant anions in the groundwater samples. While the mean abundance of major cations is Na + > Mg2+ > Ca2+ > K+, the sodium ion is dominant and K + is the least abundant. The physicochemical parameters show that conductivity, nitrate, and sulfate exceed the limit fixed by WHO. Hydrogeochemical plots indicate that 93% of samples belong to Na-Cl facies and only 7% are mixt Cl-Mg-Ca in 2021, the results are similar except for two samples which are 13% belong Cl-Mg-Ca. The Water Quality Index suggests that 28.55% are good quality water, 23.90-47.55% are poor and very poor quality water, respectively, and 40.24% are unsuitable in 2020. Furthermore, the WQI of the 2021 campaign showed that only 17.48% were considered good quality water and 38.94% (43.58%) were poor or very poor quality water, respectively. However, 33.21% are unsuitable. Based on irrigation indices, the majority of groundwater samples can be used for agricultural purposes, notably those of the upstream part of the study area.

Histological evaluations of organ tissues reveal sublethal effects in a freshwater mussel (Villosa iris) exposed to chloride and potassium concentrations below benchmark estimates.

Salinization of freshwater ecosystems due to anthropogenic sources will increasingly impact biodiversity. An example of point-source industrial salinization has occurred from historical activities at a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Superfund Site near Saltville, Virginia USA and its associated chemical waste ponds adjacent to the North Fork Holston River. These point source discharges are documented contributors to mussel declines, partially due to high concentrations of chloride (Cl-, ≤ 26,000 mg Cl-/L) and potassium (K+, ≤ 97 mg K+/L). During a chronic 61-day laboratory study, Rainbow mussels, Villosa iris, were exposed to concentrations of Cl- (0, 416, 831, and 1,663 mg/L) and K+ (0, 4, 8, and 17 mg/L) to determine effects on survival and organ tissues. All test mussels died by day-2 in the 1,663 mg Cl-/L exposure, and 50% of mussels died by day-13 in the 17 mg K+/L concentration. Significantly greater abundances of tissue abnormalities were observed in digestive glands and kidneys with exposures to the 4 and 8 mg/L concentrations of K+ versus the control, and significantly greater abundances of lesions in kidneys were observed in the 416 and 831 mg Cl-/L concentrations compared to the control. The sublethal effects to digestive glands and kidneys were below reported effect (EC50, 20, 10 and LOEC) concentrations. Significant histological differences between control and baseline (day-0 sample) mussels were observed, suggesting the need for further study on the effects of captivity during longer-term laboratory experiments.

Effect of a 60-day organic selenium-supplemented diet on the decrease of somatic cell counts in goat milk.

Selenium is an important element in nutrition, showing great potential in the udder health of dairy goats and in the control of subclinical mastitis. However, there are few studies that evaluated the influence of selenium supplementation on subclinical mastitis in goats. The aim of this study was to evaluate the incidence of subclinical mastitis in dairy goats supplemented with organic selenium (Se yeast) in a semi-arid region. Sixteen Saanen × Toggenburg crossbred lactating goats were allocated randomly into two treatments: with and without addition of organic selenium (Se) to the concentrate. Milk samples were collected every 20 days from each udder half to determine the somatic cell count (SSC), chloride content, pH, electrical conductivity, microbiological isolation, composition, and selenium contents. The highest serum selenium concentrations in the blood of these goats occurred at 42 days of supplementation (P < 0.001). Goats which received organic selenium supplementation had higher serum selenium concentrations (P < 0.05). The milk composition variables did not differ (P > 0.05) between the tested treatments, teats, and collections. After 60 days of supplementation, a difference was observed (P < 0.05) between treatments for SSC, chloride content, and pH. Addition of organic selenium to the diet of dairy goats after 60 days of supplementation was promising in reducing the somatic cell count, consequently improving milk quality.

Assessing the geochemical processes controlling groundwater quality and their possible effect on human health in Patna, Bihar.

This research was conducted in the urban area of Patna region, the capital and largest city of Bihar, which is part of the Indo-Gangetic alluvium plain. This study aims to identify the sources and processes controlling groundwater's hydrochemical evolution in the Patna region's urban area. In this research, we evaluated the interplay between several measures of groundwater quality, the various possible causes of groundwater pollution, and the resulting health risks. Twenty groundwater samples were taken from various locations and examined to determine the water quality. The average EC of the groundwater in the investigated area was 728 ± 331.84 µS/cm, with a range of around 300-1700 µS/cm. Positive loadings were seen for total dissolved solids (TDS), electrical conductivity (EC), calcium (Ca2+), magnesium (Mg2+), sodium (Na+), chloride (Cl-), and sulphate (SO42-) in principal component analysis (PCA), demonstrating that these variables accounted for 61.78% of the total variance. In the groundwater samples, the following main cations are the most prevalent such as Na+ > Ca2+ > Mg2+ > K+, while the dominant anions are HCO3- > Cl- > SO42-. The elevated HCO3- and Na+ ions indicate that carbonate mineral dissolution might affect the study area. The result demonstrated that 90% of samples fall into the Ca-Na-HCO3 type, remaining in the mixing zone. The presence of the NaHCO3 kind of water is suggestive of shallow meteoric water, which may have originated from the river Ganga that is located nearby. The results show that a multivariate statistical analysis and graphical plots successfully identify the parameters controlling groundwater quality. In accordance with guidelines for safe drinking water, the electrical conductivity and potassium ion concentrations in the groundwater samples are 5% higher than acceptable levels. People who take large amounts of salt replacements report feeling tight in the chest, vomiting, having diarrhoea, developing hyperkalaemia, having trouble breathing, and even experiencing heart failure.

Elexacaftor/tezacaftor/ivacaftor-real-world clinical effectiveness and safety. A single-center Portuguese study.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of treatment with elexacaftor/tezacaftor/ivacaftor (ELX/TEZ/IVA) and to characterize its safety profile in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients in a real-world clinical setting. METHODS: This was a prospective observational study carried out in a CF referral center in Portugal involving adult CF patients who started treatment with ELX/TEZ/IVA. Clinical characteristics of the patients were collected, and effectiveness and safety data were evaluated. RESULTS: Of the 56 patients followed in the center at the time of the study, 28 were eligible for ELX/TEZ/IVA treatment in accordance with the Portuguese National Authority for Medicines and Health Products at the time of the study. Of these, 24 met the follow-up time requirement to be included in the clinical effectiveness analysis. The mean follow-up time was 167.3 ± 96.4 days. Adverse events were generally mild and self-limited. Significant improvements in lung function, BMI, sweat chloride concentration, and number of pulmonary exacerbations were observed. No significant differences in outcomes between F508del homozygous and heterozygous patients were found. The effectiveness of this new CFTR modulator combination also applied to patients with advanced lung disease. CONCLUSIONS: Treatment with ELX/TEZ/IVA showed effective improvement in real-world clinical practice, namely in lung function, BMI, sweat chloride concentration, and number of pulmonary exacerbations, with no safety concerns.

In Vivo Profiling and Quantification of Chlorinated Paraffin Homologues in Living Fish.

Herein, we demonstrate the ability of a dual-purpose periodic mesoporous organosilica (PMO) probe to track the complex chlorinated paraffin (CP) composition in living animals by assembling it as an adsorbent-assisted atmospheric pressure chemical ionization Fourier-transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (APCI-FT-ICR-MS) platform and synchronously performing it as the in vivo sampling device. First, synchronous solvent-free ionization and in-source thermal desorption of CP homologues were achieved by the introduction of the PMO adsorbent-assisted APCI module, generating exclusive adduct ions ([M - H]-) of individual CP homologues (CnClm) with enhanced ionization efficiency. Improved detection limits of short- and medium-chain CPs (0.10-24 and 0.48-5.0 pg/µL) were achieved versus those of the chloride-anion attachment APCI-MS methods. Second, the dual-purpose PMO probe was applied to extract the complex CP compositions in living animals, following APCI-FT-ICR-MS analysis. A modified pattern-deconvolution algorithm coupled with the sampling-rate calibration method was used for the quantification of CPs in living fish. In vivo quantification of a tilapia exposed to technical CPs for 7 days was successfully achieved, with ∑SCCPs and ∑MCCPs of the sampled fish calculated to be 1108 ± 289 and 831 ± 266 µg/kg, respectively. Meanwhile, 58 potential CP metabolites were identified in living fish for the first time during in vivo sampling of CPs, a capacity that could provide an important tool for future study regarding its expected risks to humans and its environmental fate.

Development of a three-point cantilever bending technique to study the mechanical properties of hair styling ingredients.

BACKGROUND: The mechanical properties of hair treated with styling ingredients is an important aspect to determine if products will be efficacious when used by the consumer. Measurement techniques have been proposed in earlier work; however, these are mostly aimed at hairspray systems and not the myriad of styling products available to the modern-day consumer. AIM: In this article, experimental and data analysis guidelines are proposed for the evaluation of styling ingredients using a three-point cantilever bending technique. Most of the experiments were carried out on polysaccharide-based ingredients-guar hydroxypropyltrimonium chloride (Guar HPTC) and cassia hydroxypropyltrimonium chloride (Cassia HPTC)-to establish basic characterization concepts of the polymer-fiber assemblies. METHODS: A three-point cantilever bending technique was developed using a texture analyzer housed in a temperature and humidity-controlled chamber. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) studies were conducted to monitor the fracture mechanics of polymer-fiber assemblies. RESULTS: Fundamental studies were carried out to determine the effect of concentration, molecular weight (MW), and chemistry of the polysaccharides on the calculated indices, which characterize the stiffness, flexibility, elasticity, and plasticity of the treated hair. Experiments were conducted in a controlled temperature and humidity environment, which allowed us to monitor the behavior of the polymer-treated hair from 40-90% RH. Studies were also conducted on polymer blends and conventional styling polymers to provide guidance of the performance of naturally-derived polymers to their synthetic counterparts. CONCLUSIONS: A detailed description is provided for a user-friendly, quick method to measure the mechanical properties of styling ingredients on hair. We provide guidelines for three-point cantilever bending tests of straight hair tresses treated with conventional and naturally-derived styling polymers. Indices were developed to characterize the force-distance curves and were designated as E1, F1, position of F1, post-fracture gradient, toughness, E10/E1, and F10/F1. These indices provide an overall characterization of the stiffness, flexibility, elasticity, and plasticity of polymer-treated hair.

Modelling of corrosion rate in the drinking water distribution network using Design Expert 13 software.

This study is focused on the modelling of the composite effect of corrosion factors using Design Expert 13 software on the corrosion rate in the water distribution network of Patna (Bihar), India. A total of nine variables, including pH, temperature, total dissolved solid (TDS), alkalinity, calcium hardness, chloride, sulphate, dissolved oxygen (DO) and time, were considered for modelling. The physicochemical parameters were determined through regular monitoring of water samples. The corrosion rate was determined by the direct monitoring of water distribution pipes using adjustments of seven GI coupons for 45, 90, 135, 180, 225, 270 and 315 days. Modelling was performed for various corrosion factors using the low-level and high-level experimental ranges. Nine of the corrosion factors, i.e. pH, temperature, TDS, alkalinity, calcium hardness, chloride, sulphate, DO and time, were considered in this study. The data used for low-level and high-level range were 7.28, 23, 430, 115, 24, 18, 10.94, 3.5 and 0 and 7.86, 28, 704, 284, 180, 98, 38.7, 6.8 and 315, respectively. Using the Box-Behnken design (BBD), 160 runs were conducted, including ten replicates at the central point of each block. The results of ANOVA indicate that the values of R2, adjusted R2 and predicted R2 are 0.9714, 0.9507 and 0.8941, respectively. The value of R2 (0.9714) was close to 1, which indicates a good fit. The adequate precision was found to be 30.8442, indicating a good signal. The coefficient of variance discusses reproducibility, and in this case, it was 9.90%. On the basis of the ANOVA result, the quadratic model is well-fitted and can be accepted as a suitable model. A total of seven parameters, such as chloride, sulphate, hardness, alkalinity, pH, calcium and hardness, were used for the design of the experimental corrosion rate (CR). Corrosion rate as observed by direct monitoring of the water distribution system was 1.37, 3.08, 1.90, 1.38, 1.09, 2.05 and 1.45 MPY for 45, 90, 135, 180, 225, 270 and 315 days, respectively. These individual CR versus synthetic aqueous solutions were used to validate the interaction of the response surface. It was observed that the trend of individual corrosion rates in synthetic aqueous solutions and the interaction of composite variables with corrosion rates in a quadratic model of response surfaces were clearly correlated.