Morphopathological Effect of Ferrihydrite Nanoparticles in an Experimental Model of Toxic Hemolytic Anemia

We studied the effect of biogenic ferrihydrite nanoparticles synthesized as a result of the culturing of Klebsiella oxytoca on Wistar rats with experimental toxic hemolytic anemia. The pathology was simulated by single intraperitoneal injection of phenylhydrazine hydrochloride. On day 4, the functional parameters of erythrocytes in rats corresponded to the state of toxic hemolytic anemia. It is shown that ferrihydrite nanoparticles suspension has chronic toxicity and causes morphological changes in organs (mainly in the spleen), which are characterized by accumulation of nanoparticles. Administration of phenylhydrazine induced systemic vascular damage and the formation of extramedullary hematopoietic foci, which indicated a compensatory activation in hematopoiesis in the liver and spleen. Injection of nanoparticles reduced discirculatory and necrotic changes in the kidneys.

Diagnostic approaches for dengue infection

INTRODUCTION

Every year, a significant rise in dengue incidence observed is responsible for 10% of fever episodes in children and adolescents in endemic countries. Considering that the symptoms of dengue are similar to those of many other viruses, early diagnosis of the disease has long been difficult, and lack of sensitive diagnostic tools may be another factor contributing to a rise in dengue incidence.

AREAS COVERED

This review will highlight dengue diagnostics strategies and discuss other possible targets for dengue diagnosis. Understanding the dynamics of the immune response and how it affects viral infection has enabled informed diagnosis. As more technologies emerge, precise assays that include some clinical markers need to be included.

EXPERT OPINION

Future diagnostic strategies will require the use both viral and clinical markers in a serial manner with the use of artificial intelligence technology to determine from the first point of illness to better determine severity status and management. A definitive endpoint is not in the horizon as the disease as well as the virus is constantly evolving and hence many developed assays need to be constantly changing some of their reagents periodically as newer genotypes and probably too serotypes emerge.

Age, comorbidities, c-reactive protein and procalcitonin as predictors of severity in confirmed COVID-19 patients in the Philippines

Background

The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has been affecting people globally, and the Philippines is one of the countries greatly struck by the virus. The continued rise of new positive cases has drawn attention to the urgent need for healthcare management to cope with this challenge. Severity prediction could help improve medical decision-making and optimise the patient's treatment plan with a good clinical outcome. This study aimed to identify the determinants of COVID-19 disease severity.

Methods

Demographic characteristics and laboratory findings were collected from electronic medical records and paper forms of all confirmed COVID-19 cases reported by the University of Perpetual Help DALTA Medical Center between the September 1, 2020 and the October 31, 2021. We performed statistical analyses and interpretation of data to compare severe and non-severe groups.

Results

5,396 confirmed cases were examined. Most of the severe cases were elderly, male, had blood type A, and with comorbidities. Cycle threshold (Ct) values were lower in the severe group. Most patients had higher-than-normal levels of all blood parameters except platelet, white blood cell (WBC), neutrophil, and lymphocyte counts. Age, sex, ABO blood groups, comorbidities, open reading frame 1 ab (ORF1ab) and nucleocapsid (N) gene Ct values, ferritin, C-reactive protein (CRP), procalcitonin (PCT), D-dimer, white blood cell (WBC) count, neutrophil count, and lymphocyte count were significantly associated with disease severity. In multivariate analysis, age groups >60 and 30–59 years, presence of comorbidities, CRP level >5 ng/mL, and PCT >0.05 ng/mL were identified as disease severity predictors.

Conclusions

Based on our results, age, comorbidities, CRP, and PCT level may be utilised as primary assessment factors for possible hospital admission and close monitoring upon testing. Early detection of these risk factors may provide strategic interventions that help reduce mortality, hospital admissions, and more expensive and extensive treatments.

[Dihydroquercetin influence on clinical and biochemical blood parameters of pigs under conditions of stress load]

In modern society, distress has become a widespread condition that negatively affects the functioning of all systems of the human organism. The study of biological mechanisms and changes in the organism under the influence of stress, as well as methods of their leveling, are relevant in medicine, animal science and veterinary medicine. Pigs are an excellent biological model that is closest to humans. The aim of the research was to study the hematological and biochemical parameters of pigs out of and under stress, including against the background of daily consumption of the flavonoid dihydroquercetin (DHQ) with feed. Material and methods. The research was conducted in the experimental yard of the L.K. Ernst Federal Science Center for Animal Husbandry on 3 groups of pigs [F2 hybrid (large white×Landrace)×Duroc] with an initial body weight of 30-35 kg (n=27). Group 1K consisted of control animals not exposed to stress (n=9); group 2K - control animals subjected to simulated stress by the rearrangement of animals (n=9); group 3O - experimental animals subjected to simulated stress and fed throughout the entire experiment DHQ (32 mg per 1 kg of feed) (n=9). On days 0, 42, and 76, blood was collected from the animals and their hematological and biochemical parameters were studied using conventional methods. Results. The positive effect of using DHQ in pigs' nutrition on enhancing the oxidizing function of blood, metabolic intensity, and increasing the endurance of animals under stress conditions has been manifested in maintaining leukocyte level with a higher content of erythrocytes and hematocrit. In animals fed DHQ, alanine aminotransferase activity was lower than in animals not receiving DHQ. Stress led to a significant increase in lactate dehydrogenase activity in group 2K on the 46th day, which was not observed in animals treated with DHQ. Conclusion. Long-term intake DHQ (up to 72 days inclusive) against the background of stress contributed to the preservation of blood values at the control level (without stress), within the physiological norm.