Development of a novel gold immunochromatographic double-antibody sandwich assay for detection of SARS-CoV-2 antigen

Objective To develop a novel gold immunochromatographic double antibody sandwich assay for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 antigen, and to evaluate the performance of major reagents. Methods Potassium carbonate, large colloidal gold and SARS-CoV-2 antibody were used to prepare colloidal gold antibody markers, SARS-CoV-2 antibody concentration was optimized to prepare the binding pad, SARS-CoV-2 antibody and goat anti-mouse IgG were coated on nitrocellulose membrane as detection line and quality control line, according to the process requirements to assembly the assay. The minimum detection limit, cross-reactivity, accelerated stability test and clinical evaluation of the antigen detection reagent were determined. Results The minimum detection limit of SARS-CoV-2 inactivated virus was 3. 3×10~2 TCID50/ml, and no cross-reaction was found in the samples containing 10 common pathogens. The results of 37 °C high temperature accelerated test for 28 d showed high stability of the reagent. The sensitivity, specificity and total coincidence rate were 92. 00%, 100. 00% and 98. 67% and the Kappa value of concordance test was 0. 939, P＜0. 01. Conclusion The developed antigen detection assay has high sensitivity and specificity, which is also simple to operate in a short time. It can be used as a rapid detection method for large-scale screening of novel coronavirus.

Sources of water-soluble organic carbon in fine particles at a southern European urban background site

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

Medicinal bismuth: Bismuth-organic frameworks as pharmaceutically privileged compounds

Historically organometallic compounds have been used to cure certain diseases with limited applications. Although bismuth belongs to the category of heavy metals, many of its derivatives have found applications in modern drug discovery research, mainly because of its low toxicity and higher bioavailability. Being an eco-friendly mild Lewis acid, compounds having bismuth as a central atom are capable of binding several proteins in humans and other species. Bismuth complexes demonstrated antibacterial potential in syphilis, diarrhea, gastritis, and colitis. Apart from antibacterial activities, bismuth compounds exhibited anticancer, antileishmanial, and some extent of antifungal and other medicinal properties. This article discusses major synthetic methods and pharmacological potentials of bismuth complexes exhibiting in vitro activity to significant clinical performance in a systematic and timely manner.Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Ltd

Modeling particulate nitrate in China: Current findings and future directions.

Particulate nitrate (pNO3) is now becoming the principal component of PM2.5 during severe winter haze episodes in many cities of China. To gain a comprehensive understanding of the key factors controlling pNO3 formation and driving its trends, we reviewed the recent pNO3 modeling studies which mainly focused on the formation mechanism and recent trends of pNO3 as well as its responses to emission controls in China. The results indicate that although recent chemical transport models (CTMs) can reasonably capture the spatial-temporal variations of pNO3, model-observation biases still exist due to large uncertainties in the parameterization of dinitrogen pentoxide (N2O5) uptake and ammonia (NH3) emissions, insufficient heterogeneous reaction mechanism, and the predicted low sulfate concentrations in current CTMs. The heterogeneous hydrolysis of N2O5 dominates nocturnal pNO3 formation, however, the contribution to total pNO3 varies among studies, ranging from 21.0% to 51.6%. Moreover, the continuously increasing PM2.5 pNO3 fraction in recent years is mainly due to the decreased sulfur dioxide emissions, the enhanced atmospheric oxidation capacity (AOC), and the weakened nitrate deposition. Reducing NH3 emissions is found to be the most effective control strategy for mitigating pNO3 pollution in China. This review suggests that more field measurements are needed to constrain the parameterization of heterogeneous N2O5 and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) uptake. Future studies are also needed to quantify the relationships of pNO3 to AOC, O3, NOx, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in different regions of China under different meteorological conditions. Research on multiple-pollutant control strategies involving NH3, NOX, and VOCs is required to mitigate pNO3 pollution, especially during severe winter haze events.

The role of reactive nitrogen species as biomarkers of disease severity in COVID-19

Reactive nitrogen species (RNS) such as nitric oxide (NO) can be produced by local pulmonary cells and inflammatory cells, and they play a role in the pathogenesis of chronic pulmonary diseases and pulmonary infections. NO is an unstable compound turning to a more stable nitrite and nitrate rapidly. The objective of our study was to investigate the association between plasma nitrate+nitrite, nitrate, and nitrite levels and the severity of coronavirus disease (COVID)-19. Blood plasma samples of mild, moderate, and severe COVID-19 patients were collected from 2 different hospitals. Plasma of healthy subjects, who had never COVID-19 was used as controls (n=20 for each group). Samples were isolated by centrifugation following ultrafiltration prior to the commercial nitrate/nitrite colorimetric assay kit. Plasma nitrate+nitrite and nitrate levels, respectively, were significantly increased in severe patients (medians=34.4muM and 33.4muM), as compared to mild groups (medians=22.3muM and 20.6muM;p<0.05). In contrast, nitrite levels were significantly lower in severe patients (median= 0.8muM) than mild patients (median= 1.6muM;p<0.0001). Patients with severe disease were older (64.9 years) than the mild patients (50.6 years;p<0.05). In severe patients, age was positively correlated with nitrate+nitrite and nitrate levels, respectively (r=0.502, p=0.024;r=0.489, p=0.029). Our findings suggest that RNS may play a role in the pathogenesis of COVID-19 and that it may be considered as a marker of severity.

Successful treatment of viral warts with topical and intralesional cidofovir in an immunocompromised paediatric patient

Cidofovir is well described as an effective antiviral agent. It is reported to treat viral warts successfully in immunocompetent and immunocompromised individuals. Unfortunately, its use may be limited by the high cost and pain of treatment. We here report the successful treatment of multiple palmoplantar warts in an 8-year old male undergoing chemotherapy for relapsed acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. His most significant lesion was a 3 x 3 x 1.5 cm tumorous lesion on the central plantar forefoot that interfered with weight bearing. It had been resistant to over-the-counter treatments, cryotherapy, silver nitrate cautery, curettage and cautery, cantharadin and topical 5-fluorouracil. He was developing multiple satellite lesions and they had spread to the toes, the other foot and both hands, totalling more than 30 lesions. The first treatment session was during sedation for intrathecal chemotherapy. One millilitre of cidofovir (diluted to 15 mg mL-1) was instilled to the largest lesion (although solution was seen visibly escaping from the surface). The remainder of the vial was compounded to topical cidofovir 1% in Eucerin, which he applied once daily to remaining lesions. His postprocedure recovery was unremarkable, with no analgesia requirements or other complications. By the time of review 4 weeks later, the verruca that had received one session of intralesional treatment had completely resolved. Some of the smaller warts had shrunk in size. Despite reports of pain associated with intralesional cidofovir injections, our patient was keen for a repeated treatment to more lesions without sedation/anaesthetic. He tolerated the treatment of a number of remaining lesions without the need for topical or local anaesthesia. Treatments continued at 4-weekly intervals (to coincide with his chemotherapy regimen) with good response and no side-effects. After three treatment sessions most lesions had resolved with only some smaller lesions remaining. Unfortunately, his next treatments were suspended as he contracted COVID-19. In summary, we report the successful eradication of significant and widespread viral warts in an immunocompromised paediatric patient. Reports in patients under 10 years of age are scarce. We also confirm excellent tolerance of the procedure. Although the high cost of cidofovir may seem prohibitive, given that one vial could generate around 25 mL solution and 0.2-1 mL is needed per lesion, we would argue that it may be more costeffective than multiple sessions of other less/ineffective modalities. Furthermore, its antiviral mechanism of action is particularly beneficial in immunocompromised patients in comparison with other modalities, which require an efficient immune response in order to be successful.

Popper's Dermatitis: A Unique Form of Contact Dermatitis In the MSM Community

Rationale: Men who have sex with men have different contact allergen exposures compared to men who have sex with women due to cultural differences in the LGBTQ+ community. Poppers, a common name for volatile alkyl nitrates, are used more frequently in the MSM community as recreational inhalants. We aimed to identify common anatomic sites and contact allergens associated with popper's dermatitis in the MSM community. Method(s): Covidence, Embase, MEDLINE, PubMed, Web of Science, and Google Scholar were searched to identify relevant articles studying allergic contact dermatitis associated with poppers in the MSM population. Search terms included 'allergic' or 'contact dermatitis' or 'patch testing' or "poppers" or 'Men who have sex with men'. Date, geographical or language restrictions were not used. No exclusion criteria was used. Result(s): : Common allergens associated with popper's dermatitis in the MSM community included amyl nitrate (N=7), isobutyl nitrate (N=3), isopropyl nitrate (N=2), and fragrance mix (N=5). Common anatomic sites included perioral regions (N=3), chest (N=2), nasal orifices (N=3), cheeks (N=5), penis (N=1), and lateral thigh (N=1). Conclusion(s): Sexual orientation is a relevant factor for dermatologists/allergists to consider, as the standard patch test series does not include common allergens associated with popper's dermatitis which disproportionally affects the MSM community. Our community needs to include gender and sexuality demographics when collecting patch test data.Copyright © 2022

Silver nitrate-induced skin inflammation mimicking surgical infection

Silver has been in medicine for hundreds of years and has proven antimicrobial properties. It was widely used until the Second World War, when antibiotics emerged. Silver nitrate (SN) sticks (75% silver nitrate and 25% potassium nitrate) are currently employed as a topical haemostatic agent for various cutaneous surgical procedures. In the initial phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, faced with a limited supply of personal protective equipment, we used SN stick haemostasis for several skin surgical procedures (including excisions). COVID-19-related guidance from the Trust recommended the avoidance of electrocautery owing to the generation of surgical plume;hence, SN stick haemostasis seemed a pragmatic option. Four female patients with a mean age of 67 years (range 48-75) presented with swelling, erythema and pain at the surgical site within a week of the procedure. Three had ellipse excisions for suspected melanoma and squamous cell carcinomas, and one had a shave excision for possible seborrhoeic keratosis. Postsurgical wound infection was suspected, but repeated microbiological swabs did not grow any pathogens. All patients failed to respond to broad-spectrum oral antibiotics, even after two courses. The inflammatory changes took up to 4 weeks to settle, with topical corticosteroids used for wound healing. On contact with moisture, SN sticks deliver free silver ions that form an eschar as they bind to the tissue and occlude vessels. The longer the tip contacts the tissue, the greater the degree of the resultant caustic action. It is widely used in clinical practice, especially wound care (overgranulation, epibole and delayed healing). A 2020 review found an increased incidence of postoperative pain along with pigmentary changes in surgical wounds treated with SN sticks vs. aluminium chloride hexahydrate and ferric subsulfate. In skin surgery, SN is used to cauterize superficial wounds after curettage and shave excision. It does not generate aerosol and, in a pandemic setting, this particular feature can be valuable. However, the potential to cause aseptic skin inflammation that mimics postoperative infection is noteworthy. There are no evidence-based guidelines for its use in dermatology. We believe that the SN is an effective haemostatic agent but can induce significant tissue inflammation in some patients, particularly if it is used in excisions when the cauterized tissue is closed. If SN-induced haemostasis for excision was to be adopted in clinical practice, our experience suggests that larger studies and guidelines are recommended.

Renal replacement therapy removes a large number of nitric oxide donors responsible for the nitrate-nitrite-nitric oxide pathway.

BACKGROUNDS: Nitric oxide has a broad-spectrum antibacterial property promising as a new therapeutic agent for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 because nitric oxide donor (such as S-nitroso-N-acetylpenicillamine) reduces the replication of coronavirus-2. Patients with coronavirus disease 2019 undergoing dialysis generally have a higher mortality rate than the general population. Although the higher mortality rate in these patients may be related to their advanced age, it has been suggested that plasma nitrite and nitrate levels (products of nitric oxide metabolism) are significantly decreased after hemodialysis which may compromise the nitrate-nitrite-nitric oxide pathway and impair nitric oxide homeostasis. It results in increased cardiovascular mortality in patients undergoing dialysis. However, the profile of nitric oxide-producing substances is poorly understood during renal replacement therapy. METHODS: We simulated continuous hemodialysis and hemodiafiltration to measure the amount of nitric oxide (nitric oxide-producing substance) clearance in vitro. RESULTS: The results demonstrated increased nitric oxide clearance and higher clearance than creatinine (molecular weight: 113) and vitamin B12 (molecular weight: 1355) using highly efficient renal replacement therapy modes. CONCLUSION: The high nitric oxide clearance may have partly contributed to the high cardiovascular and coronavirus-2 mortality risk in patients on dialysis.

The potential human health hazard of nitrates in drinking water: a media discourse analysis in a high-income country.

BACKGROUND: Recent studies linking low levels of nitrate in drinking water to colorectal cancer have raised public concerns over nitrate contamination. The aim of this study was to analyze the media discourse on the potential human health hazard of nitrates in drinking water in a high-income country with a large livestock industry: New Zealand (NZ). METHODS: Searches of media sources ("major newspapers") held by the Factiva database for the NZ setting in the five-year period 17 December 2016 to 20 December 2021. RESULTS: The largest number of media items was observed for 2017 (n = 108), the year of a NZ general election, with a notable decrease in 2020 (n = 20) that was likely due to the Covid-19 pandemic, which dominated health media. However, the percentage of these media items with a health focus steadily increased over time, from 11.1% of all articles in 2017 to 51.2% in 2021. The most commonly mentioned health hazard was colorectal cancer, followed by methemoglobinemia. The temporal pattern of media items suggests that the release of scientific studies and scholarly blogs was associated with the publication of subsequent media items. Major stakeholders involved in the discourse included representatives of local and central government, environmental and recreational interest groups, researchers, local residents, agricultural interest groups, and health organizations. Maori (Indigenous New Zealanders) values or perspectives were rarely mentioned. CONCLUSIONS: Analysis of major newspapers for a five-year period indicated that a wide range of expert comment and opinions were made available to the public and policy makers on the issue of nitrates in water. While many different stakeholder views were captured in the media discourse, there is scope for the media to better report the views of Maori on this topic. There is also a need for articles detailing the health issues to also refer to the environmental, recreational, and cultural aspects of protecting water quality to ensure that the public, policy makers, and regulators are aware of co-benefits.

Effects of Ozone on the thermal decomposition behavior of Guanidine Nitrate

The deterioration of chemicals contained in safety devices is an important issue because such devices must be ready for emergencies and should remain functional for a long period of time, even when exposed to degrading environments. In this study, we focused on the influence of ozone disinfection on chemicals present in safety devices as ozone can be used for virus inactivation in compartments housing these devices. Specifically, we conducted accelerated deterioration tests to evaluate the effects of ozone exposure on guanidine nitrate (GN).Under the experimental conditions of this study, ozone-containing water deteriorated GN, whereas no change was observed in GN exposed to dry ozone. The ion chromatography (IC) analysis of the deteriorated product suggested that GN decomposed into nitrate ions, while capillary electrophoresis (CE) revealed a transformation of guanidine ions into ammonium ions. These results imply that GN deterioration produces ammonium nitrate. Additionally, ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy revealed the reaction products between GN and ozone, which were considered electrically neutral because of their absence in the results of IC and CE analyses.In a differential accelerating rate calorimeter, decomposition started at a lower temperature for the deteriorated GN than for the pristine sample. This indicates that the deterioration products affected the thermal decomposition behavior of GN. This change in exothermic and pressure-release behavior is considered to have an impact on the performance of pyrotechnics using GN.

The Effects of Nitrate-Based Nutritional Formula on Oxygen Saturation and Patient-Reported Outcomes in COVID-19 Patients: A Randomized Controlled Trial

The main objective of this randomized controlled trial was to analyze the acute effects of a nitrate-based nutritional formula on peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO(2)), patient-reported outcomes, and safety indices in patients with acute COVID-19 infection. The participants completing the protocol for the trial (n = 71) were allocated in a double-blind design to receive either a multicomponent nutritional formula (containing 1200 mg of potassium nitrate, 200 mg of magnesium, 50 mg of zinc, and 1000 mg of citric acid), or a placebo (2.5 g of inulin) during a 72-h monitoring period. All participants were requested to take an intervention (four capsules;weight of each capsule was similar to 2.5 g) every 4 h during the intervention period. A two-way mixed model ANOVA with repeated measures revealed a significant difference in SpO(2) between interventions (P = 0.007). As many as 30 out of 38 patients (78.9%) receiving nitrate-based nutritional formula, who all started the treatment with SpO(2) <= 95%, finished the intervention with SpO(2) of at least 95% at 72-h follow-up, whereas in the placebo group, 13 patients out of 33 (39.4%) finished the trial with SpO(2) of at least 95% (P < 0.05). The hospital admission rate after the 72-h follow-up was 21.1% in patients receiving nitrate-based formula compared to 33.3% in the placebo group (P = 0.25). The nitrate-based formula might be recognized as a potent strategy to tackle hypoxemia and concomitant features of the COVID-19 pandemic. In conclusion, it appears that the novel nitrated-based nutritional formulation described here was able to improve oxygen saturation and clinical outcomes in COVID-19 patients. Although the exact mechanism of action remains unknown, the nitrate-based formula might be recognized as a potent, safe, and convenient strategy to tackle hypoxemia and concomitant features of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dietary nitrate supplementation for preventing and reducing the severity of winter infections, including COVID-19, in care homes (BEET-Winter): a randomised placebo-controlled feasibility trial.

PURPOSE: Infections cause considerable care home morbidity and mortality. Nitric oxide (NO) has broad-spectrum anti-viral, bacterial and yeast activity in vitro. We assessed the feasibility of supplementing dietary nitrate (NO substrate) intake in care home residents. METHODS: We performed a cluster-randomised placebo-controlled trial in UK residential and nursing care home residents and compared nitrate containing (400 mg) versus free (0 mg daily) beetroot juice given for 60 days. Outcomes comprised feasibility of recruitment, adherence, salivary and urinary nitrate, and ordinal infection/clinical events. RESULTS: Of 30 targeted care homes in late 2020, 16 expressed interest and only 6 participated. 49 residents were recruited (median 8 [interquartile range 7-12] per home), mean (standard deviation) age 82 (8) years, with proxy consent 41 (84%), advance directive for hospital non-admission 8 (16%) and ≥ 1 doses of COVID-19 vaccine 37 (82%). Background dietary nitrate was < 30% of acceptable daily intake. 34 (76%) residents received > 50% of juice. Residents randomised to nitrate vs placebo had higher urinary nitrate levels, median 50 [18-175] v 18 [10-50] mg/L, difference 25 [0-90]. Data paucity precluded clinical between-group comparisons; the outcome distribution was as follows: no infection 32 (67%), uncomplicated infection 0, infection requiring healthcare support 11 (23%), all-cause hospitalisation 5 (10%), all-cause mortality 0. Urinary tract infections were most common. CONCLUSIONS: Recruiting UK care homes during the COVID-19 pandemic was partially successful. Supplemented dietary nitrate was tolerated and elevated urinary nitrate. Together, infections, hospitalisations and deaths occurred in 33% of residents over 60 days. A larger trial is now required. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ISRCTN51124684. Application date 7/12/2020; assignment date 13/1/2021.

Impact on Development Techniques by the Application of Hand Sanitizer Prior to the Fingerprint Deposition

The general public's interest in hand sanitizers has soared after the covid-19 pandemic pestilence. This gave rise to the notion that the use of such hand sanitizers may hinder or enhance the visibility of developed fingerprints. Based on this hypothesis, a hand sanitizer was tested to see how it affected the detection of fingerprints left behind after use. Fingerprint detection techniques used included: ninhydrin, silver nitrate, iodine fuming and cyanoacrylate method. When hand sanitized fingerprints were compared to non-hand sanitized fingerprints, the alcohol-based hand sanitizers improved the visibility and quality of fingerprints developed with ninhydrin and iodine fuming, and marginally improved those developed with silver nitrate and cyanoacrylate method. To determine the longevity of improved developed quality, time since hand sanitizer application prior to fingerprint deposition was tested. According to the current research, the visibility and quality of fingerprints improved after application of hand sanitizer. It is hypothesised that the presence of alcohol in hand sanitizer clears the friction ridges, improving the visibility of the fingerprints when developed through ninhydrin, silver nitrate and iodine fuming. This enhancement was not observed in cyanoacrylate. Additionally, when aged in seven-time intervals of 10 minutes, 15 days, 1 month, 2 months, 4 months and 6 months, the latent fingerprints improved in visibility quality when compared with and without the application of hand sanitizer. It was clear that application of hand sanitizers before the fingerprint deposition affects the visibility and quality of the fingerprints on development. Also, the improved quality of hand sanitizers was compared between seven timeline-based intervals i.e., 10 minutes, 15 days, 1 month, 2 months, 4 months and 6 months. Further examination is needed to determine how the components of hand sanitizers influences the fingerprint development. Copyright © 2022, Medico Legal Society. All rights reserved.

Deregulation of the Host Cell Cycle Induced by SARS‐CoV‐2 Nucleocapsid Protein

Introduction: The novel coronavirus, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARSCoV2) is the causative agent responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic and has resulted in devastating impacts on global public health. The nucleocapsid (N) protein of other coronaviruses, such as SARS-CoV-1, have been previously implicated in the deregulation of the host cell cycle through interactions with cell cycle checkpoint proteins, Cyclin-Dependent Kinases (CDKs) or cyclins. In this study, we highlight the role of SARS-CoV-2 N-protein in modulating CDK expression, thereby, deregulating the host cell cycle. Methods: A549 cells were transfected with pCMV plasmids, harbouring the SARS-CoV-2 N-protein. Protein extracts of control and Nprotein transfected cells were electrophoresed on SDS-PAGE, transferred onto a nitrocellulose membrane and incubated with CDK2 and CDK4 antibodies. The blots were visualized and protein quantification was performed using ImageJ analysis. Results: Transfection of SARS-CoV-2 N resulted in differential expression of CDK2 and CDK4, which are key regulators that drive cell cycle progression through G0 or G1 phase into S phase. Notably, preliminary findings also demonstrate that N protein results in decreased CDK2 and CDK4 expression. Conclusion: The differential expression of CDKs caused by SARS-CoV-2 N-protein suggests its role in inducing cell cycle arrest at the S phase to facilitate SARS-CoV-2 replication. The results from this research may aid in future characterisation of the mechanisms for SARS-CoV-2-mediated cell cycle arrest, and contribute towards the development of novel antiviral strategies and therapies.

A review on microgreens as an emerging food for health benefits

Microgreens became evident specialty food product that attains quality and higher attention these days. Young foliaged greens are relished as a delicacy for its color, crunchiness and flavor. Microgreens are a novel category of wholesome vegetables which can be harvested after the emergence of primary leaves. Microgreens have fresh aroma and used as freshly made ingredients. By and large, they are used as salads and garnishing for wide variety of dishes. These microgreens have high nutritional value as it contains ample amount of antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and nourishes the human health. Generally, cultivated microgreens are peas, kale, beets, radish, sunflower and arugula. However, they ordinarily enclose a quick fundamental measure because of speedy product deterioration. On examination, microgreens and mature greens, microgreens were the richest sources of water-soluble vitamin and zinc, which are suggested to spice up the immunity of the body throughout the current state of affairs of COVID-19 threat. Hence, these could also be observed as natural supplements. This paper aims to furnish an outline of the organic process facts, their comparison with sprouts, potential bioactive compounds, and cultivation, harvesting, and promoting of microgreens at the side of their future perspective.

A curious method to commit suicide

Objective: The COVID-19 pandemic has generated an increase in anxiety-depressive disorders throughout society, with an evident impact on children and adolescents, further precipitated by limitations in social activities during confinement. The increase in home isolation with abuse of new technologies, often far from parental control, involves risky situations such as the case we present. Case report: A 19-year-old man diagnosed with major depressive disorder, with psychiatric admissions since July 2019 for overdose with suicidal intent was home treated with methylphenidate 40mg, mirtazapine 15mg and vortioxetine 10mg. In August, the patient was searching for information on the Internet about euthanasia and suicide without pain in different pages and Internet forums. He bought two products online (by Amazon) that seemed effective for this purpose: a kilogram packet of sodium nitrate and a bottle of antifreeze. Finally, he decided on the first option due to the risk of suffering after ingesting antifreeze. On August 26 (4:00 pm), he ate a tablespoon (80 mg) of sodium nitrate. He developed dyspnea and feeling overwhelmed so he decided to informed his family of what he had done and an ambulance was called. He was transferred to hospital and given oxygen. At 7:00 pm in the emergency department he was noted to have a greyish coloration (“hot dead” appearance) with poor respiratory mechanics, tachycardic, tachypneic, with signs of peri-arrest: blood pressure 96/50mmHg, heart rate 145 bpm, respiratory rate 30/min, oxygen saturations 70%. He also had uncoordinated movements, and could not obey orders. The patient was sedated for intubation and mechanical ventilation. An arterial blood gas analysis performed after intubation showed: pH 7.35, pO2 165mmHg, pCO2 24mmHg, base excess -10.4, bicarbonate 14.5 mEq/L, potassium 3.1 mmol/L, methemoglobin 83%, carboxyhemoglobin 1.4%, lactate 13.3mmol/L. Methylene blue 1% (75mg intravenously) and activated charcoal by nasogastric tube were administered (after intubation). Later, he was admitted to the intensive care unit (9:20 pm). Physicians from this unit decided to administrate hydroxocobalamin (5 g intravenously at 00.39 am). The patient was extubated and discharged from the intensive care unit 36 hours after his admission to the department of Internal Medicine, without clinical complications;later he was transferred to Psychiatry Department. Conclusion: The toxic mechanism of sodium nitrate is related to the generation of methemoglobin. This patient survived a potentially lethal methemoglobin level following intentional ingestion of sodium nitrate with prompt administration of an antidote.

EMS 2022

The proceedings contain 42 papers. The topics discussed include: adverse events from nitrate administration during right ventricular myocardial infarction: a systematic review and meta-analysis;family members screaming for help makes it very difficult to don PPE. a qualitative report on ambulance staff experiences of personal protective equipment (PPE) use and infection prevention and control (IPC) practices during the COVID-19 pandemic;resuscitation academy Germany - systemic improvements for better out-of-hospital cardiac arrest outcomes;nurse practitioners EMS (NP-EMS) performed ultrasound (US)-guided fascia iliaca compartment block (FIC-BLOCK) in patients with a suspected proximal femur fracture. preliminary data;developing a young persons advisory group (YPAG) to inform the design of a study to improve pre-hospital pain management for children and young people (CYP);and introduction of video triage of children with respiratory symptoms at a medical helpline.

IMPACT OF HAND SANITIZER ON THE FINGERPRINTS DEVELOPMENTALTECHNIQUES

Background-The general public’s interest in hand sanitizers has soared after the covid-19 pandemic pestilence. This gave rise to the notion that the use of such hand sanitizers may hinder the visibility of developed fingerprints. Methodology-Based on this hypothesis, a hand sanitizer was tested to see how it affected the detection of fingerprints left behind after use. Fingerprint detection techniques used included: ninhydrin, silver nitrate, iodine fuming and cyanoacrylate method. Result and conclusion-When hand sanitized fingerprints were compared to non-hand sanitized fingerprints, the alcohol-based hand sanitizers improved the visibility of fingerprints developed with ninhydrin and iodine fuming, and marginally improved those developed with silver nitrate and cyanoacrylate method. To determine the longevity of improved developed quality, various parameters such as time since hand sanitizer application prior to fingerprint deposition was tested. © 2021, Medico Legal Society. All rights reserved.

Response of atmospheric deposition and surface water chemistry to the COVID-19 lockdown in an alpine area.

The effects of the COVID-19 lockdown on deposition and surface water chemistry were investigated in an area south of the Alps. Long-term data provided by the monitoring networks revealed that the deposition of sulfur and nitrogen compounds in this area has stabilized since around 2010; in 2020, however, both concentrations and deposition were significantly below the average values of the previous decade for SO4 and NO3. Less evident changes were observed for NH4 and base cation. The estimated decrease of deposition in 2020 with respect to the previous decade was on average - 54% and - 46% for SO4 and NO3, respectively. The lower deposition of SO4 and NO3 recorded in 2020 was caused by the sharp decrease of SO2 and particularly of NOx air concentrations mainly due to the mobility restrictions consequent to the COVID-19 lockdown. The limited effects on NH4 deposition can be explained by the fact that NH3 emission was not affected by the lockdown, being mainly related to agricultural activities. A widespread response to the decreased deposition of S and N compounds was observed in a group of pristine freshwater sites, with NO3 concentrations in 2020 clearly below the long-term average. The rapid chemical recovery observed at freshwater sites in response to the sharp decrease of deposition put in evidence the high resilience potential of freshwater ecosystems in pristine regions and demonstrated the great potential of emission reduction policy in producing further substantial ameliorations of the water quality at sensitive sites.