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Amantadine has begun to be used as a possible alternative in COVID-19 therapy to mitigate its effects. There is anecdotal evidence that patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) treated with amantadine and who test positive for COVID-19 often do not develop clinical manifestations of COVID-19. Objective(s): to compare the clinical course of COVID-19 in patients with PD who took or did not take amantadine sulfate. Patients and methods. A prospective continuous study included 142 patients with PD who were treated in Republican Clinical Diagnostic Center for Extrapyramidal Pathology and Botulinum Therapy in Kazan from October 2021 to January 2022. Patients filled out a proprietary internally developed questionnaire. Results and discussion. Out of 142 individuals with PD COVID-19 occurred in 77 (54.2%), of which 52.0% had a mild course, 39.0% had a moderate course, 2.6% had a severe course, and in 6.5% the severity of the disease has not been established. Deterioration after COVID-19 infection was noted by 36% of patients: the appearance or increase in motor fluctuations (41%), increased tremor, stiffness or slowness (31%), the appearance of "exhaustion" of the effect of a single dose of levodopa (13%), the appearance or increased dyskinesia (21%), hallucinations (3.5%). Patients taking amantadine sulfate had PD much longer (11.5+/-5.62 years versus 5.12+/-3.24 years) and had a more pronounced (III-IV) stage of the disease. These patients were more likely to experience mild COVID-19 (in 60.87% of cases), in contrast to patients not receiving amantadine sulfate (only in 48.15% of cases). There was no correlation between the severity of COVID-19 and levodopa intake. Conclusion. The results of the study showed that patients with PD taking amantadine sulfate are more likely to have a mild course of COVID-19.Copyright © 2022 Ima-Press Publishing House. All rights reserved.
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Objective: Immunohistochemistry of post-mortem lung tissue from Covid-19 patients with diffuse alveolar damage demonstrated marked increases in chondroitin sulfate and CHST15 and decline in N-acetylgalactosamine-4-sulfatase. Studies were undertaken to identify the mechanisms involved in these effects. Method(s): Human primary small airway epithelial cells (PCS 301-010;ATCC) were cultured and exposed to the SARSCoV- 2 spike protein receptor binding domain (SPRBD;AA: Lys310-Leu560;Amsbio). Expression of the spike protein receptor, angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), was enhanced by treatment with Interferon-beta. Promoter activation, DNA-binding, RNA silencing, QPCR, Western blots, ELISAs, and specific enzyme inhibitors were used to elucidate the underlying molecular mechanisms. Result(s): Treatment of the cultured cells by the SPRBD led to increased CHST15 and CHST11 expression and decline in ARSB expression. Sulfotransferase activity, total chondroitin sulfate, and sulfated glycosaminoglycan (GAG) content were increased. Phospho-T180/T182-p38-MAPK and phospho- S423/S425-Smad3 were required for the activation of the CHST15 and CHST11 promoters. Inhibition by SB203580, a phospho-p38 MAPK inhibitor, and by SIS3, a Smad3 inhibitor, blocked the CHST15 and CHST11 promoter activation. SB203580 reversed the SPRBD-induced decline in ARSB expression, but SIS3 had no effect on ARSB expression or promoter activation. Phospho-p38 MAPK was shown to reduce retinoblastoma protein (RB) S807/S811 phosphorylation and increase RB S249/T252 phosphorylation. E2F-DNA binding declined following exposure to SPRBD, and SB203580 reversed this effect. This indicates a mechanism by which SPRBD, phospho-p38 MAPK, E2F, and RB can regulate ARSB expression and thereby impact on chondroitin 4-sulfate and dermatan sulfate and molecules that bind to these sulfated GAGs, including Interleukin-8, bone morphogenetic protein-4, galectin-3 and SHP-2 (Src homology region 2-containing protein tyrosine phosphatase 2). Conclusion(s): The enzyme ARSB is required for the degradation of chondroitin 4-sulfate and dermatan sulfate, and accumulation of these sulfated GAGs can contribute to lung pathophysiology, as evident in Covid-19. Some effects of the SPRBD may be attributable to unopposed Angiotensin II, when Ang1-7 counter effects are diminished due to binding of ACE2 with the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and reduced production of Ang1-7. Aberrant cell signaling and activation of the phospho-p38 MAPK and Smad3 pathways increase CHST15 and CHST11 production, which can contribute to increased chondroitin sulfate in infected cells. Decline in ARSB may occur as a consequence of effects of phospho-p38 MAPK on RB phosphorylation and E2F1 availability. Decline in ARSB and the resulting impaired degradation of sulfated GAGs have profound consequences on cellular metabolic, signaling, and transcriptional events. Funding is VA Merit Award.Copyright © 2023 The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.
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Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an emerging disease with a rapid increase in cases and deaths since its first discovery in December 2019, in Wuhan, China. Limited data are available on COVID-19 effects during pregnancy;however, information on diseases associated with other highly pathogenic coronaviruses (i.e. Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome [SARS] and the Middle East respiratory syndrome [MERS]) may provide insight into the effects of COVID-19 during pregnancy. Coronaviruses cause illnesses ranging from the common cold to severe respiratory disease and death. The data indicate an average of 5 days incubation period (range: 2-14 days). The average age range of the hospitalized patients was 49-56 years, and a third to half of them have an underlying illness. Children were rarely mentioned. Within hospitalized cases, men were more frequent (54%-73%). Fever, cough, myalgia, vomiting, and diarrhea are common symptoms. This review aims at giving an in-depth understanding of COVID-19 by comparing its effects with SARS and MERS to evaluate its severity in pregnant women1. The results of varied studies show that COVID-19 affects pregnant women seriously and there is an alarming need to look into this aspect to prevent its harmful effects on the fetus.Copyright © 2020
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BACKGROUND: One-third of pregnant women will experience worsening asthma requiring emergency hospitalization. However, no report comprehensively discussed the management of asthma attacks in pregnant women in impoverished settings. We attempt to illuminate what general practitioners can do to stabilize and improve the outcome of severe acute asthma exacerbations in primary care with resource limitations. CASE REPORT: A nulliparous 29-year-old woman in her 21st week of pregnancy presented severe acute asthma exacerbation in moderate persistent asthma with uncontrolled asthma status along with gestational hypertension, uncompensated metabolic acidosis with a high anion gap, anemia, respiratory infection, and asymptomatic bacteriuria, all of which influenced her exacerbations. This patient was admitted to our resource-limited subdistrict hospital in Indonesia during the COVID-19 pandemic for optimal stabilization. Crystalloid infusions, oxygen supplementation, nebulized beta-agonist with anticholinergic agents, inhaled corticosteroids, intravenous methylprednisolone, broad-spectrum antibiotics, subcutaneous terbutaline, mucolytics, magnesium sulphate, oral antihypertensives, and continuous positive airway pressure were used to treat her life-threatening asthma. After she was stabilized, we referred the patient to a higher-level hospital with more advanced pulmonary management under the supervision of a multidisciplinary team to anticipate the worst scenario of pregnancy termination. CONCLUSION(S): Limitations in primary care, including the lack of sophisticated intensive care units and laboratory panels, may complicate challenges in managing severe acute asthma exacerbation during pregnancy. To enhance maternal-fetal outcomes, all multidisciplinary team members should be well-informed about key asthma management strategies during pregnancy using evidence-based guidelines regarding the drug, rationale, and safety profile.Copyright © 2023 Muhammad Habiburrahman, Triya Damayanti, Mohammad Adya Firmansha Dilmy, Hariyono Winarto.
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Objectives: We aimed to demonstrate the difference between the premenopausal and postmenopausal women in respect of the clinical course and outcome of the Covid-19 disease. In addition, we investigated the epidemiological and hormonal factors which may have an influence on the progression, severity and mortality of the disease. Study design: A cross-sectional study. Main Outcome Measure(s): Our primary outcome was to demonstrate the poor clinical course and outcome of the Covid-19 disease in the postmenopausal women. Our secondary outcome was to establish the contribution of the hormonal status of the patients to the clinical course of the Covid-19 disease. Result(s): In our cohort, 86 women had mild, 128 women had moderate and 53 women had severe Covid-19 disease. 101 women were at premenopausal state while 152 women were at postmenopausal state. There was a statistically significant difference between the patients with mild, moderate and severe Covid-19 disease with respect to age, BMI, gravidity, parity, smoking, co-morbidities, being in pre-menopausal period, O2 saturation, diastolic blood pressure, parameters of complete blood count, biochemical tests, LH, FSH, E2, DHEA-S, length of hospital stay, body temperature, and the percentage of patients with dyspnea. In the total group, being one year younger decreased the odds of having severe Covid-19 disease 0.338 fold relative to the mild disease (CI: 0.164-0.697, p=0.003). Even though statistically less significant, younger age has a positive impact for the postmenopausal group (OR: 0.378, CI: 0.157-0.910, p=0.030). In the total group, the decrease in the serum DHEA-S level was associated with a 2.604 fold increase in the odds of having severe Covid-19 disease relative to the mild disease (CI:1.254-5.410, p=0.010). For the pre-menopausal group of patients, the decrease in serum DHEA-S level increased the odds of having severe disease by 3.864 fold (CI: 1.269-11.764, p=0.017). In the total group, 1 unit increase in the level of serum LH increased the odds of having mild disease compared to severe disease by 2.821 fold (CI:1.002-5.410, p=0.050). Conclusion(s): The prognosis of Covid-19 disease is more favorable in the premenopausal women with higher serum E2 levels compared to the postmenopausal women. The age and serum levels of DHEA-S and LH are important predictors of the severity of Covid-19 infection for women.Copyright © 2023
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Objective To investigated the in vitro antiviral activity of chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine sulfate against different variants of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) (Prototype, Beta, Delta, Omicron) by changing the sequence of drug and virus introduction. Methods Prophylactic treatment: Vero E6 cells were treated with Chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine sulfate (200.00, 150.00, 100.00, 50.00, 16.70, 5.55, 1.85, 0.62, 0.21 micromol.L-1) for 1 h, then the virus was added and incubated for another 2 h. The virus-drug mixture was repalced with fresh medium until the end of the experiment. Post-entry treatment: Vero E6 cells were incubated with virus for 2 h, then the virus was removed and the cells were cultured with drug-containing medium until the end of the experiment. Full-time treatment: Vero E6 cells were pretreated with the drug for 1 h ahead, then virus was added and incubated for another 2 h. The virus-drug mixture was discarded and the cells were cultured with drug-containing medium until the end of the experiment. After 72 h of culture, the cells were observed to see whether they became round and shed to determine the cytopathic situation, and the semi-maximum effect concentration (EC50) and drug selection index (SI) were calculated. Results Both drugs were less effective in preventing SARS-CoV-2. Chloroquine/hydroxychloroquine sulfate showed good antiviral activity under both therapeutic and full-time treatment. EC50 of hydroxychloroquine sulfate was less than chloroquine, SI was greater than chloroquine, antiviral effect of hydroxychloroquine sulfate was better than chloroquine. The antiviral effect of chloroquine (EC50 = 0.904 micromol.L-1) and hydroxychloroquine sulfate (EC50 = 0.143 micromol.L-1) was more significant against Omicron variant than other variants under therapeutic and full-time treatment conditions. Conclusion Chloroquine/hydroxychloroquine sulfate showed good antiviral activity under both therapeutic and full-time treatment, and both drugs were significantly more active against the Omicron variant than the other variants.Copyright © 2023 Authors. All rights reserved.
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Objetivo: Examinar e mapear as evidências científicas sobre a eficácia do uso de ivermectina e atazanavir no tratamento de COVID-19. Metodologia: Scoping Review, baseado nos procedimentos recomendados pelo Instituto Joanna Briggs. Estabeleceu-se a pergunta norteadora: "Quais são as evidências científicas sobre o uso de ivermectina e atazanavir no tratamento de pacientes com sintomas leves de COVID-19?". Foram realizadas buscas em seis bases de dados nacionais e internacionais, sobre trabalhos publicados até dezembro de 2022. Dos 357 estudos encontrados, 22 foram selecionados para leitura na íntegra, resultando em uma amostra final de 11 estudos analisados. Resultados: As 11 publicações analisadas foram publicadas de 2020 a 2022 durante período pandêmico, de âmbito nacional e internacional com delineamento de estudos experimentais, do tipo ensaio clínico com randomização. Apenas 03 estudos (25%) testaram o atazanavir como intervenção conjugada a outras drogas, não evidenciando melhorias significativas em relação ao seu uso. Já no tratamento com Ivermectina, dos oito (75%) estudos que a testaram, apenas três (37,5%) recomendaram seu uso e cinco (62,5%) não suportam seu uso para tratamento de COVID-19 leve. O tempo de resolução dos sintomas variou de 8 a 10 dias nos braços tratados com ivermectina e em média 07 dias no tratamento com atazanavir. Não se detectou eventos adversos graves relacionados ao uso das duas drogas. Conclusão: As evidências que recomendavam o uso de ivermectina datam do início do período pandêmico, 2020, mas posteriormente, com a realização de ensaios clínicos robustos e controlados, novas evidências não suportam o uso de ivermectina e atazanavir no tratamento de COVID-19 leve mostrando que não houve diferença no tempo de resolução dos sintomas, na taxa de mortalidade, taxa de internação na UTI e tempo de hospitalização.
Objective: To examine and map the scientific evidence on the effectiveness of using ivermectin and atazanavir in the treatment of COVID-19. Methodology: Scoping Review, based on the procedures recommended by the Joanna Briggs Institute. The guiding question was established, "What is the scientific evidence on the use of ivermectin and atazanavir in the treatment of patients with mild symptoms of COVID-19?" Searches were conducted in six national and international databases on papers published until December 2022. Of the 357 studies found, 22 were selected for reading in full, resulting in a final sample of 11 studies analyzed. Results: The 11 publications analyzed were published from 2020 to 2022 during pandemic period, of national and international scope with experimental study design, of clinical trial type with randomization. Only 03 studies (25%) tested atazanavir as a combined intervention with other drugs, showing no significant improvements in relation to its use. As for the treatment with Ivermectin, of the eight (75%) studies that tested it, only three (37.5%) recommended its use and five (62.5%) did not support its use for treating mild COVID-19. The time to symptom resolution ranged from 8 to 10 days in the ivermectin-treated arms and on average 07 days in the atazanavir treatment. No serious adverse events related to the use of the two drugs were detected. Conclusion: evidence recommending the use of ivermectin dates back to the beginning of the pandemic period, 2020, but subsequently, with robust controlled clinical trials, new evidence does not support the use of ivermectin and atazanavir in the treatment of mild COVID-19 showing that there was no difference in time to symptom resolution, mortality rate, ICU admission rate, and length of hospital stay.
Objetivo: Examinar y mapear la evidencia científica sobre la eficacia del uso de ivermectina y atazanavir en el tratamiento de COVID-19. Metodología: Scoping Review, basada en los procedimientos recomendados por el Instituto Joanna Briggs. La pregunta guía era: "¿Cuál es la evidencia científica sobre el uso de ivermectina y atazanavir en el tratamiento de pacientes con síntomas leves de COVID-19? Se realizaron búsquedas en seis bases de datos nacionales e internacionales, en artículos publicados hasta diciembre de 2022. De los 357 estudios encontrados, se seleccionaron 22 para su lectura completa, lo que dio lugar a una muestra final de 11 estudios analizados. Resultados: Las 11 publicaciones analizadas fueron publicadas entre 2020 y 2022 durante el periodo pandémico, de ámbito nacional e internacional con diseño de estudio experimental, de tipo ensayo clínico con aleatorización. Apenas 03 estudios (25%) probaron el atazanavir como intervención combinada con otras drogas, sin evidenciar mejoras significativas en relación con su uso. En cuanto al tratamiento con Ivermectina, de los ocho (75%) estudios que la probaron, sólo tres (37,5%) recomendaron su uso y cinco (62,5%) no apoyaron su uso para tratar la COVID-19 leve. El tiempo transcurrido hasta la resolución de los síntomas osciló entre 8 y 10 días en los brazos tratados con ivermectina y una media de 07 días en el tratamiento con atazanavir. No se detectaron acontecimientos adversos graves relacionados con el uso de los dos fármacos. Conclusión: las pruebas que recomiendan el uso de ivermectina se remontan al inicio del periodo pandémico, 2020, pero posteriormente, con ensayos clínicos controlados sólidos, las nuevas pruebas no apoyan el uso de ivermectina y atazanavir en el tratamiento de la COVID-19 leve, lo que demuestra que no hubo diferencias en el tiempo hasta la resolución de los síntomas, la tasa de mortalidad, la tasa de ingreso en la UCI y la duración de la estancia hospitalaria.
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Dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S) is a steroid hormone produced in the adrenal cortex. It is important for the functioning of the human body because it is involved in the proper functioning of the nervous and cardiovascular systems. Abnormal DHEA-S blood levels are de-scribed in many pathological processes, such as breast cancer, COVID-19 and depression. There-fore, its potential role in the treatment of certain disorders, including persistent perimenopausal symptoms in women, is under consideration. This publication summarizes the research on DHEA-S, its physiology and clinical application.
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Amantadine has begun to be used as a possible alternative in COVID-19 therapy to mitigate its effects. There is anecdotal evidence that patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) treated with amantadine and who test positive for COVID-19 often do not develop clinical manifestations of COVID-19. Objective(s): to compare the clinical course of COVID-19 in patients with PD who took or did not take amantadine sulfate. Patients and methods. A prospective continuous study included 142 patients with PD who were treated in Republican Clinical Diagnostic Center for Extrapyramidal Pathology and Botulinum Therapy in Kazan from October 2021 to January 2022. Patients filled out a proprietary internally developed questionnaire. Results and discussion. Out of 142 individuals with PD COVID-19 occurred in 77 (54.2%), of which 52.0% had a mild course, 39.0% had a moderate course, 2.6% had a severe course, and in 6.5% the severity of the disease has not been established. Deterioration after COVID-19 infection was noted by 36% of patients: the appearance or increase in motor fluctuations (41%), increased tremor, stiffness or slowness (31%), the appearance of "exhaustion" of the effect of a single dose of levodopa (13%), the appearance or increased dyskinesia (21%), hallucinations (3.5%). Patients taking amantadine sulfate had PD much longer (11.5+/-5.62 years versus 5.12+/-3.24 years) and had a more pronounced (III-IV) stage of the disease. These patients were more likely to experience mild COVID-19 (in 60.87% of cases), in contrast to patients not receiving amantadine sulfate (only in 48.15% of cases). There was no correlation between the severity of COVID-19 and levodopa intake. Conclusion. The results of the study showed that patients with PD taking amantadine sulfate are more likely to have a mild course of COVID-19.Copyright © 2022 Ima-Press Publishing House. All rights reserved.
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Introduction: Prior to colonoscopy, it is well understood that patients must undergo bowel cleansing. Based on the type of laxative, colonoscopy preparations fall into two categories - polymer-based formulas (PEG) and saline-based formulas (NaP). Both types of bowel preparations are deemed to be relatively safe and part of routine practice. However, we describe the rare case of an ulcerative colitis (UC) flare due to the bowel preparation formula. Case Description/Methods: A 29-year-old female with diagnosis of UC, presently in clinical and biochemical remission on oral mesalamine, contracted COVID-19 and had reactivation of UC symptoms. After being on budesonide tablets and rectal foam for two months, patient achieved clinical remission, and a surveillance colonoscopy was performed which revealed normal colon and terminal ileum except mild congestion in the cecum (Figure A). Pathology revealed unremarkable mucosa in the entire colon except for chronic active colitis in the cecum. Immediately following this colonoscopy, the patient started to experience another severe UC flare requiring hospitalization. The patient's laboratory work-up was normal except for an elevated fecal calprotectin (1710). Stool infectious work-up was negative and the patient denied any NSAID or antibiotic use. The patient underwent a repeat colonoscopy which revealed severe Mayo 3 pancolitis (Figure B) in comparison to a stable colonoscopy a few weeks prior. It was revealed that for her initial colonoscopy, she had used SUPREP bowel prep kit. On prior colonoscopies she had used MiraLAX bowel prep with no adverse effects. During hospitalization, the patient was started on biologic therapy with good effect. Discussion(s): There are no clear guidelines on appropriate bowel preparation formula for the inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) population. Sufficient literature exists to confirm that NaP can irritate the intestinal mucosal wall. Moreover, numerous animal experiments have employed dextran sodium sulfate for chemical induction of intestinal inflammation to mimic UC flares in humans [1]. Thus, it can be surmised that because SUPREP ingredients contain sodium sulfate, the potential for UC flare is higher. It is pertinent for practitioners to be aware of the possible rare adverse effects of saline-based formulas, especially when treating the IBD population.
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The emergent human coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 and its resistance to current drugs makes the need for new potent treatments for COVID-19 patients strongly necessary. Dextran sulfate (DS) polysaccharides have long demonstrated antiviral activity against different enveloped viruses in vitro. However, their poor bioavailability has led to their abandonment as antiviral candidates. Here, we report for the first time the broad-spectrum antiviral activity of a DS-based extrapolymeric substance produced by the lactic acid bacterium Leuconostoc mesenteroides B512F. Time of addition assays with SARS-CoV-2 pseudoviruses in in vitro models confirm the inhibitory activity of DSs in the early stages of viral infection (viral entry). In addition, this exopolysaccharide substance also reports broad-spectrum antiviral activity against several enveloped viruses such as SARS-CoV-2, HCoV229E, HSV-1, in in vitro models and in human lung tissue. The toxicity and antiviral capacity of DS from L. mesenteroides was tested in vivo in mouse models which are susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection. The described DS, administered by inhalation, a new route of administration for these types of polymers, shows strong inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 infection in vivo, significantly reducing animal mortality and morbidity at non-toxic doses. Therefore, we suggest that it may be considered as a potential candidate for antiviral therapy against SARS-CoV-2.
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Amantadine has begun to be used as a possible alternative in COVID-19 therapy to mitigate its effects. There is anecdotal evidence that patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) treated with amantadine and who test positive for COVID-19 often do not develop clinical manifestations of COVID-19. Objective(s): to compare the clinical course of COVID-19 in patients with PD who took or did not take amantadine sulfate. Patients and methods. A prospective continuous study included 142 patients with PD who were treated in Republican Clinical Diagnostic Center for Extrapyramidal Pathology and Botulinum Therapy in Kazan from October 2021 to January 2022. Patients filled out a proprietary internally developed questionnaire. Results and discussion. Out of 142 individuals with PD COVID-19 occurred in 77 (54.2%), of which 52.0% had a mild course, 39.0% had a moderate course, 2.6% had a severe course, and in 6.5% the severity of the disease has not been established. Deterioration after COVID-19 infection was noted by 36% of patients: the appearance or increase in motor fluctuations (41%), increased tremor, stiffness or slowness (31%), the appearance of "exhaustion" of the effect of a single dose of levodopa (13%), the appearance or increased dyskinesia (21%), hallucinations (3.5%). Patients taking amantadine sulfate had PD much longer (11.5+/-5.62 years versus 5.12+/-3.24 years) and had a more pronounced (III-IV) stage of the disease. These patients were more likely to experience mild COVID-19 (in 60.87% of cases), in contrast to patients not receiving amantadine sulfate (only in 48.15% of cases). There was no correlation between the severity of COVID-19 and levodopa intake. Conclusion. The results of the study showed that patients with PD taking amantadine sulfate are more likely to have a mild course of COVID-19.Copyright © 2022 Ima-Press Publishing House. All rights reserved.
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Increasing amounts of surfactants are used and emitted into the environment due to the COVID-19 pandemic, posing potential threats to ecological health. Algal-bacterial aerobic granular sludge (A-BAGS), with the advantages of compact structure, high-efficient nutrient uptake, and high tolerance to harsh conditions, was attempted in this study to treat surfactant-containing wastewater at relatively high concentrations. The treatment performance was also compared to bacterial AGS (BAGS). Results showed that A-BAGS is preferable for treating wastewater containing a high SDS concentration (30 mg/L), achieving nutrient removal efficiency of 86.3 % for organic carbon, 60.5 % for total nitrogen, and 58.7 % for total phosphorus within a short duration, compared to 70.1 %, 52.8 % and 42.3 % in BAGS reactor. Besides, the removal rate of ammonia nitrogen by A-BAGS was much faster than that of BAGS. The above results confirmed that A-BAGS is a promising technology for treating surfactant-containing wastewater with high nutrient removal efficiency being maintained.Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd
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In this study, the temporal evolution and sources of water-soluble organic carbon (WSOC) in submicron particles at an urban background site in Elche (Spain) were investigated. Measurements of PM1 (N = 200) were carried out over one year (2021). Samples were analysed for organic carbon (OC), elemental carbon (EC), WSOC, levoglucosan, elements and major ions. A positive matrix factorization (PMF) analysis was performed in order to identify the sources of WSOC on an annual and a monthly basis. During the study period, traffic restrictions due to COVID-19 led to lower concentrations of PM1 and carbonaceous compounds than expected. The WSOC annual average mass concentration was 0.95 mugm-3, with maximum values during the colder months. The apportionment results indicate that the biomass burning (BB) source contributed 30.63% to WSOC levels, road traffic (RT) accounted for 23.90% of the WSOC, while the contribution of a source related to secondary organic aerosol formation (ammonium sulfate-AS) was 33.80%. Minor sources of WSOC were: soil dust (SD) and secondary nitrate (SN), which contributed 7.44% and 4.22%, respectively, to WSOC concentrations. The WSOC/OC ratio did not exhibit significant variations during the study period, since source contributions were similar for WSOC and OC. The highest values of this ratio were recorded in summer, due to the higher contribution from the AS source to WSOC concentrations.Copyright © 2023 The Authors
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Heparin-like sulfated polysaccharide, acharan sulfate, was purified from the mucus of an African giant snail with unique sulfated glycosaminoglycans (GAGs). This study reported on finding novel and safe heparin resources from Achatina fulica for further use as well as easy isolation and purification of the active fraction from the initial raw material. Its structure was characterised by a strong-anion exchange combined with high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. The results indicated that the potential acharan sulfate fraction is a glycosaminoglycan composed of several repeating disaccharide units, namely, of â4)-α-IdoA(2S)(1â4)-α-GlcNAc/GlcNAc(6S)/GlcNSO3(6S)(1â, and hence, presents heterogeneity regarding negative net charge density. Furthermore, the heparinase digests inhibit the binding of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein to the ACE2 receptor. In summary, the acharan sulfate presented in this work has shown its great potential for application in the preparation of sulfated polysaccharides as an alternative to heparin with important biological activity.
Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Heparin , Animals , Humans , Heparin/chemistry , Sulfates , SARS-CoV-2 , Glycosaminoglycans/pharmacology , Glycosaminoglycans/chemistry , Polysaccharides/chemistry , Snails/chemistry , Snails/metabolism , Mucus/metabolismABSTRACT
The new Coronavirus infection (COVI D-19) pandemic caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus has many times surpassed the epidemic caused by SARS-CoV. The reason for this is the presence of amino acid sequences in the peptide chain of the SARS-CoV-2 S-protein that ensure interaction with a wider range of receptors on the host cell surface. The review considers both already known receptors common to SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 and new receptors specific to SARS-CoV-2. © 2022 Russian Academy of Sciences, Institute of Archaeology. All rights reserved.
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Introduction: Trigeminal neuralgia (TN) is among the most painful disorders of the orofacial region. Although TN has many possible etiologies, such as nerve compression, recently published evidence suggests that TN, or its exacerbations, may be the result of viral infections in the head and neck. This case presents clinical findings from a TN patient experiencing virally-induced exacerbations treated with intravenous (IV) magnesium sulfate and oral anti-inflammatories who was previously non-responsive to first-line pharmaceuticals. Methods: AM is a 51-year-old cis-female with a four-year history of TN caused by vascular encroachment of the trigeminal nerve and exacerbated by episodes of viral sinusitis and COVID-19. AM presented to the National University of Natural Medicine clinic in May 2019 and again in April 2022. After screening for contraindications, she was started on an IV Myer's push with an elevated dose of magnesium sulfate and oral anti-inflammatories: curcumin and omega-3. Results: Since her second presentation to our clinic in April 2022, the patient has undergone 11 treatments and reports significant benefit in pain and quality of life. Despite the initial MRI revealing vascular encroachment on her trigeminal nerve she experienced benefit from her treatment regimen and denied a neurosurgical consultation and repeat MRI. Conclusion: This study contributes to a growing body of literature suggesting that cranial neuralgias may be exacerbated by orofacial or upper-respiratory viral infections and that TN specifically may be well managed with IV nutrient therapy and oral anti-inflammatories. Given the paucity of successful treatment strategies, exploring cost-effective treatments with low side effect profiles is a worthwhile approach to improving clinical outcomes in patients with TN.
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This work studied the antioxidant and anti-breast cancer properties of hyaluronidase, extracted from a potential marine strain, Staphylococcus aureus (CASMTK1), isolated from Parangipettai coastal waters in southeast coast of India. The Staphylococcal enzyme production was tested under different carbon and nitrogen sources;and recorded the maximum production when the microbial strain was cultured with starch as the carbon source and ammonium sulphate as the inorganic nitrogen source with the enzyme production of 92.5 U/mL and 95.0 U/mL, respectively. The hyaluronidase enzyme production was also tested in different pH and temperature;and recorded the maximum yield of 102.5 U/mL in pH 5 and that of 95.5 U/mL in 45 °C. The partially purified enzyme was subjected to FTIR and FT Raman technique and found the presence of the amide- I and II, Carboxyl, N-H bending, C-H stretching and α-helices and β-sheet proteins between wave number 1500–1700 cm−1. The partially purified enzyme also exhibited strong antioxidant and in-vitro breast cancer properties. The enzyme showed the highest hydroxyl radical scavenging activity of 79% at the 50 µg/mL concentration, and this activity increased in a dose-dependent manner. The enzyme inhibited proliferation of the breast cancer cell line of MCF-7, and it caused 100% cell death at the concentration of 80 µg/mL. The enzyme generated capacity of producing free radicles that damage the cancer cells, and this effect was very nearer to the standard drug, paclitaxel. The enzyme damaged the cancer cells and induced apoptosis in 78% of cancer cells as evident by condensed or fragmented chromatin at 40 µg/mL. Further purification of the enzyme, analysis of its molecular aspects, and elucidation of exact mechanisms of its biological activities will throw new light on the utility of staphylococcal hyaluronidase in anticancer chemotherapy.
ABSTRACT
Background: Today, various drugs have been investigated as the primary or complementary treatment for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). N-acetylcysteine (NAC) has been used as a mucolytic in pulmonary diseases. This drug apparently contributes to the retrieval of the intracellular antioxidant system. Objective(s): This study aimed to determine the efficacy of NAC in severe COVID-19 patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU). Method(s): This single-blinded randomized controlled phase III clinical trial included 40 patients with confirmed COVID-19 (based on polymerase chain reaction) admitted to the Shahid Mohammadi Hospital's ICU, Bandar Abbas, Iran, in 2020. All cases had severe COVID-19. They were allocated randomly to two equal groups. Patients in the control group received standard drug therapy based on the treatment protocol of the national COVID-19 committee, while those in the NAC group received a single dose of intravenous NAC (300 mg/kg) upon admission to the ICU in addition to standard drug treatment. Clinical status and laboratory tests were done on admission to the ICU and then 14 days later or at discharge without knowing the patient grouping. Result(s): The two groups were comparable regarding age, gender, and other baseline laboratory and clinical parameters. At the final evaluation, respiratory rate (21.25 +/- 4.67 vs. 27.37 +/- 6.99 /min) and D-dimer (186.37 +/- 410.23 vs. 1339.04 +/- 2183.87 ng/mL) were significantly lower in the NAC group (P = 0.004 and P = 0.030, respectively). Also, a lower percentage of patients in the NAC group had lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) <= 245 U/L (0% vs. 25%, P = 0.047). Although the length of ward and ICU stay was shorter in the NAC group than in controls, the difference was statistically insignificant (P = 0.598 and P = 0.629, respectively). Mortality, on the other hand, was 75% in the control group and 50% in the NAC group, with no statistically significant difference (P = 0.102). Concerning the change in the study parameters, only the decrease in diastolic blood pressure (DBP) was significantly higher with NAC (P = 0.042). The intubation and mechanical ventilation rates were higher, while oxygen with mask and nasal oxygen rates were lower with NAC, but the difference was statistically insignificant. Conclusion(s): Based on the current research, NAC is related to a significant decrease in RR, D-dimer, and DBP in severe COVID-19. Also, LDH was significantly lower in the NAC group than in the controls. More research with larger sample sizes is needed to validate the current study results.Copyright © 2023, Author(s).
ABSTRACT
Background and purpose: The sequence of Omp25 is conserved in all Brucella species. The high antigenicity of the product of this gene stimulates the host's immune system. Using engineered probiotic bacteria is an appropriate method for vaccine transport. The aim of this study was to express the Omp25 of the Brucella abortus pathogenic bacterium in Lactococcus lactis probiotic bacterium. Materials and methods: In this experimental study, the required vector was designed and synthesized to include the gene of interest and a signal peptide (pNZ8148-Usp45-Omp25). E. coli strain TOP10F was transformed using the pNZ8148-Usp45-Omp25 expression vector based on induction by nisin. The recombinant plasmid was extracted from the transformed bacteria using a plasmid extraction kit. The L. lactis was transformed by pNZ8148-Usp45-Omp25 vector using electroporation. Evaluation of the expression of Omp25 gene at the RNA level was assessed by reverse transcription method and confirming the presence of recombinant Omp25 protein in the engineered bacteria using SDS-PAGE method. Results: Successful expression of B. abortus Omp25 in L. lactis was verified by RT-PCR. Subsequently, the proteins were separated based on molecular weight using sodium dodecyl sulfate- polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). The protein expression analysis showed the expression of Omp25 as a 25 kDa extra band in transformed L. lactis compared to the L. lactis receiving the vector lacking the target gene. Conclusion: This study shows that Omp25 is expressed in L. lactis transformed via pNZ8148-Usp45-Omp25 by electroporation. Transformed L. lactis can be successfully used as a subunit oral vaccine in prevention of Brucellosis.