Comorbidities, Associated Diseases, and Risk Assessment in COVID-19-A Systematic Review.

It is considered that COVID-19's pandemic expansion is responsible for the particular increase in deaths, especially among the population with comorbidities. The health system is often overwhelmed by the large number of cases of patients addressing it, by the regional limitation of funds, and by the gravity of cases at subjects suffering from this pathology. Several associated conditions including diabetes, cardiovascular illnesses, obesity, persistent lung condition, neurodegenerative diseases, etc., increase the mortality risk and hospitalization of subjects suffering from COVID-19. The rapid identification of patients with increased risk of death from the SARS-CoV-2 virus, the stratification in accordance with the risk and the allocation of human, financial, and logistical resources in proportion must be a priority for health systems worldwide.

Risk Factors Associated with Recurrent Clostridioides difficile Infection.

Clostridioides difficile (CD) is responsible for nosocomial diarrhea syndrome with possible severe progression. Recurrence of the disease induces higher health system costs, as well as exposes patients to additional health risks. Patients with recurrence of this disease are difficult to identify, so the purpose of this study is to quantify various demographic, clinical, and treatment factors that could prevent further progression to recurrence of the disease. In the period 2018-2019, about 195 patients were diagnosed with more than one episode of CDI in the three months following the first episode. The recurrence rate for CDI was 53.84% (60.95% for one episode and 39.05% for multiple episodes). Most commonly afflicted were 60-69-year-old patients, or those with higher Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI). Multiple analyses associated cardiovascular (odds ratios (OR) = 3.02, 95% confidence intervals (CI) = 1.23-7.39, p = 0.015), digestive (OR = 3.58, 95% CI = 1.01-12.63, p = 0.047), dementia (OR = 3.26, 95% CI = 1.26-8.41, p = 0.014), immunosuppressive (OR = 3.88, 95% CI = 1.34-11.21, p = 0.012) comorbidities with recurrences. Risk factor identification in the first episode of CDI could lead to the implementation of treatment strategies to improve the patients' quality of life affected by this disease.

Enhancing using glucose encapsulation, the efficacy of CdO NPs against multi-drug resistant Escherichia coli.

In this study, monodispersed, highly biocompatible and substantially stable glucose encapsulated CdO nanoparticles (G-CdO NPs) of uniform sizes were synthesized using a sol-gel route. In addition, naked CdO (n-CdO) NPs without any capping or surface functionalization were synthesized using the same method. These NPs were uniformly dispersed in an aqueous solution. The synthesis of G-CdO and n-CdO NP was confirmed by UV-Vis spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), zeta potential, and dynamic light scattering analyses. The average size of G-CdO and n-CdO NP was found to be 17±1and 27 ±â€¯1 nm, under TEM, respectively. X-ray diffraction analysis of G-CdO and n-CdO NPs confirmed their sizes to be 18.83 and 28.41 nm, respectively, and revealed their cubic crystal structures with no impurity. The surface functionalization of G-CdO NPs with glucose was confirmed by Nuclear Magnetic Resonance and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy analyses. As per our knowledge, this is the first report to investigate the potencies of G-CdO and n-CdO NPs against gram-negative and gram-positive multi-drug resistant (MDR) bacteria. The minimum inhibitory concentrations of G-CdO and n-CdO NPs were6.42 and 16.29 µg/ml, respectively, against Escherichia coli (NCIM 2571-MDR), whereas 7.5 µg/ml & 11.6 µg/ml, respectively against S. aureus (NCIM- 2079) as determined by the double dilution method. The minimum bactericidal concentration was determined at the concentration for which no growth was observed. TEM analysis of E. coli cells treated with G-CdO NPs revealed cell shrinkage and degraded cell membranes, while the cell surfaces of untreated viable cells were smooth.

Synthesis, characterization and antimicrobial study of polymeric transition metal complexes of Mn(II), Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II) and Zn(II).

Salen ligands comprising of o-phenylenediamine (salop) and p-phenylenediamine (salpp) have been synthesized. The salen ligand, salop undergo Schiff base reaction with Formaldehyde and Barbituric acid to generate novel polymeric Schiff base, SBOPA in one instance while the second salen ligand, salpp on Schiff base reaction with formaldehyde and piperazine gives another novel polymeric Schiff base, SBPBA. These polymeric Schiff base ligands, SBOPA and SBPBA generates polymeric metal complexes in high yields on reaction with transition metal acetates, M(CH3COO)2.xH2O where M = Mn(II), Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II) and Zn(II). The polymeric Schiff bases, SBOPA and SBPBA and their transition metal complexes were systematically characterized, using various spectroscopic techniques. The structure, composition and geometry of SBOPA and SBPBA and their metal complexes were confirmed by spectral techniques (FT-IR, and 1H NMR), elemental analysis, and electronic spectra magnetic moment. On the basis of FT-IR, 1HNMR, electronic spectra and magnetic moment values Mn(II), Co(II) and Ni(II) ion were found to have octahedral geometry while Cu(II) and Zn(II) were found to be square-planar in nature. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) was used to evaluate their thermal behaviour and Cu(II)-SBOPA and Cu(II)-SBPBA were found to be thermally most stable. The polymeric Schiff base ligands, SBOPA and SBPBA and their metal complexes have also been screened for their plausible antimicrobial activity. Tetracyclin and Miconazole were used as standard drug to study the antibacterial and antifungal activity respectively. The Cu(II)-SBOPA and Cu(II)-SBPBA were found to be most potent antimicrobial agents.

Preparation, spectral and biological investigation of formaldehyde-based ligand containing piperazine moiety and its various polymer metal complexes.

A novel tetradentate salicylic acid-formaldehyde ligand containing piperazine moiety (SFP) was synthesized by condensation of salicylic acid, formaldehyde and piperazine in presence of base catalyst, which was subjected for the preparation of coordination polymers with metal ions like manganese(II), cobalt(II), copper(II), nickel(II) and zinc(II). All the synthesized polymeric compounds were characterized by elemental analysis, IR, (1)H NMR and electronic spectral studies. The thermal stability was determined by thermogravimetric analysis and thermal data revealed that all the polymer metal complexes show good thermal stability than their parent ligand. Electronic spectral data and magnetic moment values revealed that polymer metal complexes of Mn(II), Co(II) and Ni(II) show an octahedral geometry while Cu(II) and Zn(II) show distorted octahedral and tetrahedral geometry respectively. The antimicrobial screening of the ligand and coordination polymers was done by using Agar well diffusion method against various bacteria and fungi. It was evident from the data that antibacterial and antifungal activity increased on chelation and all the polymer metal complexes show excellent antimicrobial activity than their parent ligand.