Fluorescent nanocomposite of embedded ceria nanoparticles in crosslinked PVA electrospun nanofibers

This paper introduces a new fluorescent nanocomposite of electrospun biodegradable nanofibers embedded with optical nanoparticles. In detail, this work introduces the fluorescence properties of PVA nanofibers generated by the electrospinning technique with embedded cerium oxide (ceria) nanoparticles. Under near-ultra violet excitation, the synthesized nanocomposite generates a visible fluorescent emission at 520 nm, varying its intensity peak according to the concentration of in situ embedded ceria nanoparticles. This is due to the fact that the embedded ceria nanoparticles have optical tri-valiant cerium ions, associated with formed oxygen vacancies, with a direct allowed bandgap around 3.5 eV. In addition, the impact of chemical crosslinking of the PVA on the fluorescence emission is studied in both cases of adding ceria nanoparticles in situ or of a post-synthesis addition via a spin-coating mechanism. Other optical and structural characteristics such as absorbance dispersion, direct bandgap, FTIR spectroscopy, and SEM analysis are presented. The synthesized optical nanocomposite could be helpful in different applications such as environmental monitoring and bioimaging

Calitatea vieții la pacienții postCOVID cu obezitate și afectare cardiovasculară

Introduction. From the earliest stages of the pandemic, it was recognized that the clinical picture of the disease and its treatment varied considerably, and its short- and longterm effect on patients’ quality of life was not yet fully elucidated. The purpose of the paper. This literature review was conducted to identify the impact of SARS-COV-2 infection on the quality of life, especially on patients with obesity and cardiovascular disease. Material and Methods. A number of papers were analyzed with the aim of recording the problems reported by patients and medical staff after exposure to infection. Results. Most studies report a reduction in the quality of life among the elderly and patients with concomitant diseases (diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular and lung diseases). Some studies have shown an increased number of patients whose cardiovascular symptoms persisted from 1 to 4 months after treatment. Other studies show that obese patients experience persistent symptoms of general weakness and fatigue for up to half a year. Conclusions. Following this study, we determined a wide range of reports of impaired quality of life in post-Covid patients and organic impairment. We also established that they served as a substrate for the creation of an international questionnaire on life-threatening conditions in patients with Covid.Introducere. Încă din primele etape ale pandemiei era recunoscut că tabloul clinic al bolii precum și tratamentul variază considerabil, iar efectul acestuia pe termen scurt și lung asupra calității vieții pacienților nu este încă pe deplin elucidat. Scopul lucrării. Acest review literar a fost efectuat pentru a identifica impactul infecției SARS-COV-2 asupra calității vieții în special a pacienților cu obezitate și afectare cardiovasculară. Material și Metode. Au fost analizate o serie de lucrări care au avut ca scop înregistrarea problemelor raportate de pacienți și de către cadrele medicale după expunere la infecție. Rezultate. Majoritatea studiilor raportează în rândul vârstnicilor și a pacienților cu boli concomitente (diabet, obezitate, boli cardiovasculare și pulmonare) o reducere a calității vieții. Unele studii au înregistrat un număr crescut de pacienți la care s-au menținut simptomele cardiovasculare de la 1 la 4 luni după tratament. Alte studii menționează că pacienții cu obezitate au înregistrat persistența simptomelor de slăbiciune generală și fatigabilitate până la jumătate de an. Concluzii. În urma acestui studiu am determinat o serie largă de rapoarte despre afectarea calității vieții la pacienții post-Covid și cu afectare organică. De asemenea am stabilit că acestea au servit drept substrat pentru crearea unui chestionar internațional privind afectarea vieții la pacienții cu Covid-19

QUALITY OF LIFE IN POST-COVID PATIENTS WITH OBESITY AND CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE

Universitatea de Stat de Medicină şi Farmacie „Nicolae Testemiţanu”, Chişinău, Republica MoldovaIntroducere. Încă din primele etape ale pandemiei era recunoscut că tabloul clinic al bolii precum și tratamentul variază considerabil, iar efectul acestuia pe termen scurt și lung asupra calității vieții pacienților nu este încă pe deplin elucidat. Scopul lucrării. Acest review literar a fost efectuat pentru a identifica impactul infecției SARS-COV-2 asupra calității vieții în special a pacienților cu obezitate și afectare cardiovasculară. Material și Metode. Au fost analizate o serie de lucrări care au avut ca scop înregistrarea problemelor raportate de pacienți și de către cadrele medicale după expunere la infecție. Rezultate. Majoritatea studiilor raportează în rândul vârstnicilor și a pacienților cu boli concomitente (diabet, obezitate, boli cardiovasculare și pulmonare) o reducere a calității vieții. Unele studii au înregistrat un număr crescut de pacienți la care s-au menținut simptomele cardiovasculare de la 1 la 4 luni după tratament. Alte studii menționează că pacienții cu obezitate au înregistrat persistența simptomelor de slăbiciune generală și fatigabilitate până la jumătate de an. Concluzii. În urma acestui studiu am determinat o serie largă de rapoarte despre afectarea calității vieții la pacienții post-Covid și cu afectare organică. De asemenea am stabilit că acestea au servit drept substrat pentru crearea unui chestionar internațional privind afectarea vieții la pacienții cu Covid-19.Introduction. From the earliest stages of the pandemic, it was recognized that the clinical picture of the disease and its treatment varied considerably, and its short- and longterm effect on patients’ quality of life was not yet fully elucidated. The purpose of the paper. This literature review was conducted to identify the impact of SARS-COV-2 infection on the quality of life, especially on patients with obesity and cardiovascular disease. Material and Methods. A number of papers were analyzed with the aim of recording the problems reported by patients and medical staff after exposure to infection. Results. Most studies report a reduction in the quality of life among the elderly and patients with concomitant diseases (diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular and lung diseases). Some studies have shown an increased number of patients whose cardiovascular symptoms persisted from 1 to 4 months after treatment. Other studies show that obese patients experience persistent symptoms of general weakness and fatigue for up to half a year. Conclusions. Following this study, we determined a wide range of reports of impaired quality of life in post-Covid patients and organic impairment. We also established that they served as a substrate for the creation of an international questionnaire on life-threatening conditions in patients with Covid

Investigation and application of Bacillus pumilus QBP344-3 in the control of Aspergillus carbonarius and ochratoxin A contamination

This study was designed to investigate the antifungal activity of Bacillus pumilus 344-3 against toxigenic fungi. In vitro co-incubation assay revealed that A. carbonarius AC82, A. niger AN8 and P. digitatum PD43 are most sensitive fungi to bacterial antifungal compounds with zone of inhibition of 29.2 mm, 27.7 mm and 27.1 mm, respectively. The addition of Bacillus pumilus 344-3 culture supernatant at low concentration in the fungal growth medium stimulated A. carbonarius biomass, but inhibited ochratoxin A (OTA) synthesis significantly (p ≤ 0.05). Conidial germination of A. carbonarius was not affected in a medium containing 10% and 20% of the bacterial culture supernatant, while it was completely inhibited in 100% bacterial extract. Storage of bacterial culture supernatant at temperature ranging from −20 °C to 100 °C for 1 h, didn't affect its antifungal potential. In vivo application of bacterial extract on the maize kernels, showed 95% protection against A. carbonarius infection. Application of B. pumilus 344-3 culture supernatant on the surface of maize kernels provided 99% reduction in OTA production potential of A. carbonarius AC82. Because of its strong activities against the growth of A. carbonarius AC82 and OTA-synthesis, B. pumilus 344-3 can be considered as a very promising biocontrol agent

Biocontrol Activity of Bacillus megaterium BM344-1 against Toxigenic Fungi

Mycotoxins are secondary metabolites of some fungal species and represent important contaminants of food and feed. This study aimed to explore the biological control activity of Bacillus megaterium BM344-1 volatile organic compounds (VOCs) on the growth and mycotoxin production of single representatives of the toxigenic species Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus carbonarius, Penicillium verrucosum, and Fusarium verticillioides. In vitro co-incubation experiments indicated the P. verrucosum isolate as the most sensitive one, with a growth inhibition ratio of 66.7%, followed by A. flavus (29.4%) and F. verticillioides (18.2%). Exposure of A. flavus, P. verrucosum, and F. verticillioides to BM344-1 VOCs resulted in complete inhibition of aflatoxins (AFB1, AFG1, and AFG2), ochratoxin A, and fumonisin B1 (FB1) synthesis on artificial media, respectively. In vivo experiments on maize kernels showed 51% inhibition of fungal growth on ears simultaneously infected with A. flavus spores and exposed to BM344-1 volatiles. Likewise, AF synthesis by A. flavus was significantly (p < 0.05) inhibited (25.34 ± 6.72 μg/kg) by bacterial volatiles as compared to that in control maize ears (91.81 ± 29.10 μg/kg). Gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry-based analysis of headspace volatiles revealed hexadecanoic acid methyl ester (palmitic acid) and tetracosane as bioactive compounds in the BM344-1 volatilome. Bacterial volatiles have promising potential to control the growth and mycotoxin synthesis of toxigenic fungi and may present valuable aid in the efforts to warrant food and feed safety

Genomic characterization of SARS-CoV-2 in Egypt: insights into spike protein thermodynamic stability

The overall pattern of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic so far has been a series of waves; surges in new cases followed by declines. The appearance of novel mutations and variants underlie the rises in infections, making surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 mutations and prediction of variant evolution of utmost importance. In this study, we sequenced 320 SARS-CoV-2 viral genomes isolated from patients from the outpatient COVID-19 clinic in the Children’s Cancer Hospital Egypt 57357 (CCHE 57357) and the Egypt Center for Research and Regenerative Medicine (ECRRM). The samples were collected between March and December 2021, covering the third and fourth waves of the pandemic. The third wave was found to be dominated by Nextclade 20D in our samples, with a small number of alpha variants. The delta variant was found to dominate the fourth wave samples, with the appearance of omicron variants late in 2021. Phylogenetic analysis reveals that the omicron variants are closest genetically to early pandemic variants. Mutation analysis shows SNPs, stop codon mutation gain, and deletion/insertion mutations, with distinct patterns of mutations governed by Nextclade or WHO variant. Finally, we observed a large number of highly correlated mutations, and some negatively correlated mutations, and identified a general inclination toward mutations that lead to enhanced thermodynamic stability of the spike protein. Overall, this study contributes genetic and phylogenetic data, as well as provides insights into SARS-CoV-2 viral evolution that may eventually help in the prediction of evolving mutations for better vaccine development and drug targets

Antimicrobial resistance among migrants in Europe: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND: Rates of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) are rising globally and there is concern that increased migration is contributing to the burden of antibiotic resistance in Europe. However, the effect of migration on the burden of AMR in Europe has not yet been comprehensively examined. Therefore, we did a systematic review and meta-analysis to identify and synthesise data for AMR carriage or infection in migrants to Europe to examine differences in patterns of AMR across migrant groups and in different settings. METHODS: For this systematic review and meta-analysis, we searched MEDLINE, Embase, PubMed, and Scopus with no language restrictions from Jan 1, 2000, to Jan 18, 2017, for primary data from observational studies reporting antibacterial resistance in common bacterial pathogens among migrants to 21 European Union-15 and European Economic Area countries. To be eligible for inclusion, studies had to report data on carriage or infection with laboratory-confirmed antibiotic-resistant organisms in migrant populations. We extracted data from eligible studies and assessed quality using piloted, standardised forms. We did not examine drug resistance in tuberculosis and excluded articles solely reporting on this parameter. We also excluded articles in which migrant status was determined by ethnicity, country of birth of participants' parents, or was not defined, and articles in which data were not disaggregated by migrant status. Outcomes were carriage of or infection with antibiotic-resistant organisms. We used random-effects models to calculate the pooled prevalence of each outcome. The study protocol is registered with PROSPERO, number CRD42016043681. FINDINGS: We identified 2274 articles, of which 23 observational studies reporting on antibiotic resistance in 2319 migrants were included. The pooled prevalence of any AMR carriage or AMR infection in migrants was 25·4% (95% CI 19·1-31·8; I2 =98%), including meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (7·8%, 4·8-10·7; I2 =92%) and antibiotic-resistant Gram-negative bacteria (27·2%, 17·6-36·8; I2 =94%). The pooled prevalence of any AMR carriage or infection was higher in refugees and asylum seekers (33·0%, 18·3-47·6; I2 =98%) than in other migrant groups (6·6%, 1·8-11·3; I2 =92%). The pooled prevalence of antibiotic-resistant organisms was slightly higher in high-migrant community settings (33·1%, 11·1-55·1; I2 =96%) than in migrants in hospitals (24·3%, 16·1-32·6; I2 =98%). We did not find evidence of high rates of transmission of AMR from migrant to host populations. INTERPRETATION: Migrants are exposed to conditions favouring the emergence of drug resistance during transit and in host countries in Europe. Increased antibiotic resistance among refugees and asylum seekers and in high-migrant community settings (such as refugee camps and detention facilities) highlights the need for improved living conditions, access to health care, and initiatives to facilitate detection of and appropriate high-quality treatment for antibiotic-resistant infections during transit and in host countries. Protocols for the prevention and control of infection and for antibiotic surveillance need to be integrated in all aspects of health care, which should be accessible for all migrant groups, and should target determinants of AMR before, during, and after migration. FUNDING: UK National Institute for Health Research Imperial Biomedical Research Centre, Imperial College Healthcare Charity, the Wellcome Trust, and UK National Institute for Health Research Health Protection Research Unit in Healthcare-associated Infections and Antimictobial Resistance at Imperial College London

Surgical site infection after gastrointestinal surgery in high-income, middle-income, and low-income countries: a prospective, international, multicentre cohort study

Background: Surgical site infection (SSI) is one of the most common infections associated with health care, but its importance as a global health priority is not fully understood. We quantified the burden of SSI after gastrointestinal surgery in countries in all parts of the world. Methods: This international, prospective, multicentre cohort study included consecutive patients undergoing elective or emergency gastrointestinal resection within 2-week time periods at any health-care facility in any country. Countries with participating centres were stratified into high-income, middle-income, and low-income groups according to the UN's Human Development Index (HDI). Data variables from the GlobalSurg 1 study and other studies that have been found to affect the likelihood of SSI were entered into risk adjustment models. The primary outcome measure was the 30-day SSI incidence (defined by US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention criteria for superficial and deep incisional SSI). Relationships with explanatory variables were examined using Bayesian multilevel logistic regression models. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT02662231. Findings: Between Jan 4, 2016, and July 31, 2016, 13 265 records were submitted for analysis. 12 539 patients from 343 hospitals in 66 countries were included. 7339 (58·5%) patient were from high-HDI countries (193 hospitals in 30 countries), 3918 (31·2%) patients were from middle-HDI countries (82 hospitals in 18 countries), and 1282 (10·2%) patients were from low-HDI countries (68 hospitals in 18 countries). In total, 1538 (12·3%) patients had SSI within 30 days of surgery. The incidence of SSI varied between countries with high (691 [9·4%] of 7339 patients), middle (549 [14·0%] of 3918 patients), and low (298 [23·2%] of 1282) HDI (p < 0·001). The highest SSI incidence in each HDI group was after dirty surgery (102 [17·8%] of 574 patients in high-HDI countries; 74 [31·4%] of 236 patients in middle-HDI countries; 72 [39·8%] of 181 patients in low-HDI countries). Following risk factor adjustment, patients in low-HDI countries were at greatest risk of SSI (adjusted odds ratio 1·60, 95% credible interval 1·05–2·37; p=0·030). 132 (21·6%) of 610 patients with an SSI and a microbiology culture result had an infection that was resistant to the prophylactic antibiotic used. Resistant infections were detected in 49 (16·6%) of 295 patients in high-HDI countries, in 37 (19·8%) of 187 patients in middle-HDI countries, and in 46 (35·9%) of 128 patients in low-HDI countries (p < 0·001). Interpretation: Countries with a low HDI carry a disproportionately greater burden of SSI than countries with a middle or high HDI and might have higher rates of antibiotic resistance. In view of WHO recommendations on SSI prevention that highlight the absence of high-quality interventional research, urgent, pragmatic, randomised trials based in LMICs are needed to assess measures aiming to reduce this preventable complication

Impact of opioid-free analgesia on pain severity and patient satisfaction after discharge from surgery: multispecialty, prospective cohort study in 25 countries

Background: Balancing opioid stewardship and the need for adequate analgesia following discharge after surgery is challenging. This study aimed to compare the outcomes for patients discharged with opioid versus opioid-free analgesia after common surgical procedures.Methods: This international, multicentre, prospective cohort study collected data from patients undergoing common acute and elective general surgical, urological, gynaecological, and orthopaedic procedures. The primary outcomes were patient-reported time in severe pain measured on a numerical analogue scale from 0 to 100% and patient-reported satisfaction with pain relief during the first week following discharge. Data were collected by in-hospital chart review and patient telephone interview 1 week after discharge.Results: The study recruited 4273 patients from 144 centres in 25 countries; 1311 patients (30.7%) were prescribed opioid analgesia at discharge. Patients reported being in severe pain for 10 (i.q.r. 1-30)% of the first week after discharge and rated satisfaction with analgesia as 90 (i.q.r. 80-100) of 100. After adjustment for confounders, opioid analgesia on discharge was independently associated with increased pain severity (risk ratio 1.52, 95% c.i. 1.31 to 1.76; P &lt; 0.001) and re-presentation to healthcare providers owing to side-effects of medication (OR 2.38, 95% c.i. 1.36 to 4.17; P = 0.004), but not with satisfaction with analgesia (beta coefficient 0.92, 95% c.i. -1.52 to 3.36; P = 0.468) compared with opioid-free analgesia. Although opioid prescribing varied greatly between high-income and low- and middle-income countries, patient-reported outcomes did not.Conclusion: Opioid analgesia prescription on surgical discharge is associated with a higher risk of re-presentation owing to side-effects of medication and increased patient-reported pain, but not with changes in patient-reported satisfaction. Opioid-free discharge analgesia should be adopted routinely

The Global Landscape of Pediatric Bacterial Meningitis Data Reported to the World Health Organization-Coordinated Invasive Bacterial Vaccine-Preventable Disease Surveillance Network, 2014-2019.

BACKGROUND: The World Health Organization (WHO) coordinates the Global Invasive Bacterial Vaccine-Preventable Diseases (IB-VPD) Surveillance Network to support vaccine introduction decisions and use. The network was established to strengthen surveillance and laboratory confirmation of meningitis caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, and Neisseria meningitidis. METHODS: Sentinel hospitals report cases of children 137 000 suspected meningitis cases were reported by 58 participating countries, with 44.6% (n = 61 386) reported from countries in the WHO African Region. More than half (56.6%, n = 77 873) were among children <1 year of age, and 4.0% (n = 4010) died among those with reported disease outcome. Among suspected meningitis cases, 8.6% (n = 11 798) were classified as probable bacterial meningitis. One of 3 bacterial pathogens was identified in 30.3% (n = 3576) of these cases, namely S. pneumoniae (n = 2177 [60.9%]), H. influenzae (n = 633 [17.7%]), and N. meningitidis (n = 766 [21.4%]). Among confirmed bacterial meningitis cases with outcome reported, 11.0% died; case fatality ratio varied by pathogen (S. pneumoniae, 12.2%; H. influenzae, 6.1%; N. meningitidis, 11.0%). Among the 277 children who died with confirmed bacterial meningitis, 189 (68.2%) had confirmed S. pneumoniae. The proportion of pneumococcal cases with pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) serotypes decreased as the number of countries implementing PCV increased, from 77.8% (n = 273) to 47.5% (n = 248). Of 397 H. influenzae specimens serotyped, 49.1% (n = 195) were type b. Predominant N. meningitidis serogroups varied by region. CONCLUSIONS: This multitier, global surveillance network has supported countries in detecting and serotyping the 3 principal invasive bacterial pathogens that cause pediatric meningitis. Streptococcus pneumoniae was the most common bacterial pathogen detected globally despite the growing number of countries that have nationally introduced PCV. The large proportions of deaths due to S. pneumoniae reflect the high proportion of meningitis cases caused by this pathogen. This global network demonstrated a strong correlation between PCV introduction status and reduction in the proportion of pneumococcal meningitis infections caused by vaccine serotypes. Maintaining case-based, active surveillance with laboratory confirmation for prioritized vaccine-preventable diseases remains a critical component of the global agenda in public health.The World Health Organization (WHO)-coordinated Invasive Bacterial Vaccine-Preventable Disease (IB-VPD) Surveillance Network reported data from 2014 to 2019, contributing to the estimates of the disease burden and serotypes of pediatric meningitis caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae and Neisseria meningitidis