The clinicopathological features of thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome following ChAdOx1-S (AZD1222) vaccination and case outcomes in Australia: a population-based study.

Background: Thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS) associated with viral vector COVID-19 vaccines, including ChAdOx1-S (AstraZeneca AZD1222) vaccine, can result in significant morbidity and mortality. We report the clinicopathological features of TTS following ChAdOx1-S vaccination and summarise the case outcomes in Australia. Methods: In this cohort study, patients diagnosed with TTS in Australia between 23 March and 31 December 2021 were identified according to predefined criteria. Cases were included if they met the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) probable and confirmed case definitions and were reclassified using Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) definition for analysis. Data were collected on patient baseline characteristics, clinicopathological features, risk factors, treatment and outcomes. Findings: A total of 170 TTS cases were identified, with most occurring after the first dose (87%) of ChAdOx1-S. The median time to symptom onset after vaccination and symptom onset to admission was 11 and 2 days respectively. The median age of cases was 66 years (interquartile range 55-74). All except two patients received therapeutic anticoagulation and 66% received intravenous immunoglobulin. Overall, 85.3% of cases were discharged home after a median hospitalisation of 6 days, 9.4% required ongoing rehabilitation and 5.3% died. Eight deaths were related to TTS, with another dying from an unrelated condition while receiving treatment for TTS. Deaths occurred more commonly in those classified as Tier 1 according to the CDC definition and were associated with more severe thrombocytopenia and disease-related haemorrhage. Interpretation: TTS, while rare, can be severe and have catastrophic outcomes in some individuals. In Australia, the mortality rate was low compared to that reported in other high-income countries. Almost all received therapeutic anticoagulation with no bleeding complications and were successfully discharged. This emphasises the importance of community education and an established pathway for early recognition, diagnosis and treatment of TTS. Funding: Australian Commonwealth Department of Health and Aged Care. H.A Tran, N. Wood, J. Buttery, N.W. Crawford, S.D. Chunilal, V.M. Chen are supported by Medical Research Future Funds (MRFF) grant ID 2015305.

Black carbon over a high altitude Central Himalayan Glacier: Variability, transport, and radiative impacts.

Ambient equivalent black carbon (BC) measurements spanning from June to October have been carried out over an adjoining location of Satopanth and Bhagirath-Kharak Glaciers (3858m, amsl) of Central Himalaya during the year 2019. Hourly BC varied from 12 ng m-3 to 439 ng m-3 during the entire period of observation. Monthly averaged BC values showed the highest concentration during June (230.96 ± 85.46 ng m-3) and the lowest in August (118.02 ± 71.63 ng m-3). The decrease in BC during monsoon months is attributed to limited long-range transport and rapid wet scavenging processes. Transport model studies indicate a higher retention time of tracer in Uttarakhand, Punjab, Haryana, and adjacent polluted valley regions with increased biomass burning (BB) incidences. The high rate of BC influx during June, September, and October was attributed to transport from the polluted Indo-Gangetic Plain (IGP) region, wildfires, and vehicular emissions in the valley region. Higher equivalent brown carbon (BrC) influx is linked to BB, especially wood-burning, during intense forest fires at slopes of mountains. Data obtained from limited BC observations during the 2011-19 period showed no significant BC influx change during post-monsoon. The strong correlation between BC mass and BB affirms the dominant role of BB in contributing BC to the Glacier region. Increased TOA forcing induced by surface darkening and BC atmospheric radiative heating indicate an additional warming and possible changes of the natural snow cycle over the glacier depending on the characteristics and extent of debris cover.

Generation of continuous packed bed reactor with PVA-alginate blend immobilized Ochrobactrum sp. DGVK1 cells for effective removal of N,N-dimethylformamide from industrial effluents.

Effective removal of dimethylformamide (DMF), the organic solvent found in industrial effluents of textile and pharma industries, was demonstrated by using free and immobilized cells of Ochrobactrum sp. DGVK1, a soil isolate capable of utilizing DMF as a sole source of carbon, nitrogen. The free cells have efficiently removed DMF from culture media and effluents, only when DMF concentration was less than 1% (v/v). Entrapment of cells either in alginate or in polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) failed to increase tolerance limits. However, the cells of Ochrobactrum sp. DGVK1 entrapped in PVA-alginate mixed matrix tolerated higher concentration of DMF (2.5%, v/v) and effectively removed DMF from industrial effluents. As determined through batch fermentation, these immobilized cells have retained viability and degradability for more than 20 cycles. A continuous packed bed reactor, generated by using PVA-alginate beads, efficiently removed DMF from industrial effluents, even in the presence of certain organic solvents frequently found in effluents along with DMF.