Ionic Liquid-Based Quartz Crystal Microbalance Sensors for Organic Vapors: A Tutorial Review

Organic vapor sensors are used in diverse applications ranging from environmental monitoring to biomedical diagnostics. Among a number of these sensors, quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) sensors prepared by coating ionic liquids (ILs) or their composites are promising devices for the analysis of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in complex chemical mixtures. Ionic liquids are remarkable materials, which exhibit tunable physico-chemical properties, chemical and thermal stability, multiple interactions with diverse group of molecules, and enormous structural variability. Moreover, ILs exhibit viscoelastic properties, and hence these materials are ideal for creation of QCM virtual sensor arrays. While the scientific literature on IL-coated QCM sensors is rapidly growing, there is still much to learn. This manuscript provides a comprehensive review on the development of IL-coated QCM sensors and multi-sensor arrays as well as their applications for the analysis of VOCs in complex mixtures. Furthermore, IL-coated QCM virtual sensor arrays and their applications are presented. A short overview of some of the QCM designs, future research areas, and recommendations are also discussed. This short review is a necessary first step towards standardization and further development of QCM for the analysis of VOCs

Retrospective Study of the Clinical Profile and Prognostic Indicators in Patients of Alcoholic Liver Disease Admitted to a Tertiary Care Teaching Hospital in Western Nepal

<b>Background/Aim:</b> Alcohol is the most common substance abused in Nepal. Liver disease caused by alcohol abuse, including its end stage, cirrhosis, is a major health care problem, which is difficult to treat. <b> Objectives:</b> To study the demographic profile, laboratory parameters, complications and their prognostic implications among patients of alcoholic liver disease (ALD). <b> Materials and Methods:</b> Records of all patients of ALD admitted from January1^, 2005 to December 31^, 2006 were studied and followed up to December 31, 2007. A total of 181 patients were analyzed. Their clinical profile and laboratory parameters were noted and analyzed using SPSS-10.0 software. <b> Results:</b> Among the 181 patients, 80.7&#x0025; were male, 30.9&#x0025; were army/ex-army and 65.2&#x0025; were documented smokers. The mean age of presentation was 52.08 years. Jaundice (57.5&#x0025;) was the most common presentation followed by hepatomegaly (51.4&#x0025;). Hypoalbuminemia (50.3) followed by ascites (48.1) were common complications. Death occurred in 19.1&#x0025; of the patients, the most common cause being hepatic encephalopathy (72.2&#x0025;) followed by variceal bleeding and hepatorenal syndrome. Jaundice, ascites and hepatic encephalopathy at presentation and female sex were significantly associated with increased mortality along with discriminant score&#62; 32, aspartate aminotransferase (AST): Alanine aminotranferase (ALT) &#8805; 2, ultrasonography (USG)-proven cirrhosis, rise in prothrombin time &#8805;5 s, total bilirubin &#8805; 4&#8197;mg/dL and ESR &#8805;34. <b> Conclusion:</b> ALD was predominantly seen among the productive age group with a high morbidity and mortality. Jaundice, ascites, hepatic encephalopathy at presentation and female sex are poor prognostic indicators along with discriminant score &gt; 32, AST:ALT &#8805; 2, USG-proven cirrhosis, coagulopathy, hyperbilirubenemia and high ESR

Role of Statins in the Primary Prevention of Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease and Mortality in the Population with Mean Cholesterol in the Near-Optimal to Borderline High Range: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Objective. The objective of this meta-analysis was to analyze the benefits and harms of treating the population with statins in those having mean low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) in the near-optimal (100 to 129 mg/dl) to borderline high (130 to 159 mg/dl) range and free of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Methods. We searched PubMed, PubMed Central, Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar databases for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published between 1994 and July 2020. We included RCTs with greater than 90% of participants free of CVD. Two reviewers independently screened the articles using the Covidence software, assessed the methodological quality using the risk of bias 2 tool, and analyzed the data using the RevMan 5.4 software. Results. Eleven trials were included. Statin therapy was associated with a decreased risk of myocardial infarction (RR = 0.56, 95% CI: 0.47 to 0.67), major cerebrovascular events (RR = 0.78, 95% CI: 0.63 to 0.96), major coronary events (RR = 0.67, 95% CI: 0.57 to 0.80), composite cardiovascular outcome (RR = 0.71, 95% CI: 0.62 to 0.82), revascularizations (RR = 0.65, 95% CI: 0.57 to 0.74), angina (RR = 0.76, 95% CI: 0.63 to 0.92), and hospitalization for cardiovascular causes (RR = 0.74, 95% CI: 0.64 to 0.86). There was no benefit associated with statin therapy for cardiovascular mortality and coronary heart disease mortality. All-cause mortality benefit with statin therapy was seen in the population with diabetes and increased risk of CVD. Statin therapy was associated with no significant increased risk of myalgia, creatine kinase elevation, rhabdomyolysis, myopathy, incidence of any cancer, incidence of diabetes, withdrawal of the drug due to adverse events, serious adverse events, fatal cancer, and liver enzyme abnormalities. Conclusion. Statin therapy was associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease and procedures without increased risk of harm in populations with mean LDL-C in the near-optimal to the borderline high range and without prior atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease

<i>Streptococcus pneumoniae</i> Carriage Prevalence in Nepal: Evaluation of a Method for Delayed Transport of Samples from Remote Regions and Implications for Vaccine Implementation

<div><p>Background</p><p>Pneumococcal disease is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in young children in Nepal, and currently available pneumococcal conjugate vaccines offer moderate coverage of invasive disease isolates.</p><p>Methods</p><p>A prevalence study of children aged 1.5 to 24 months in urban and rural Nepal was conducted. In the urban group, nasopharyngeal swabs (NPS) were transported using silica desiccant packages (SDP) with delayed processing (2 weeks), or skim-milk-tryptone-glucose-glycerin (STGG) with immediate processing (within 8 hours). Pneumococcal nasopharyngeal carriage prevalence, serogroup/type distribution and isolate genotypes (as defined by multilocus sequence typing) were determined.</p><p>Results</p><p>1101 children were enrolled into the study: 574 in the urban group and 527 in the rural group. Overall carriage prevalence based on culture from specimens transported and stored in STGG was 58.7% (337/574), compared to 40.9% (235/574) in SDP. There was concordance of detection of pneumococcus in 67% of samples. Using the SDP method, pneumococcal carriage prevalence was higher in the rural population (69.2%; 364/526) compared to the urban population (40.9%; 235/574). Serogroup/type distribution varied with geographical location. Over half of the genotypes identified in both the urban and rural pneumococcal populations were novel.</p><p>Conclusion</p><p>The combination of delayed culture and transport using SDP underestimates the prevalence of pneumococcal carriage; however, in remote areas, this method could still provide a useful estimate of carriage prevalence and serogroup/type distribution. Vaccine impact is unpredictable in a setting with novel genotypes and limited serotype coverage as described here. Consequently, continued surveillance of pneumococcal isolates from carriage and disease in Nepali children following the planned introduction of pneumococcal conjugate vaccines introduction will be essential.</p></div

Age-specific pneumococcal carriage rates.

<p>Age-specific pneumococcal carriage rates.</p