Waldenström macroglobulinemia: a review of pathogenesis, current treatment, and future prospects

Waldenström macroglobulinemia (WM) is a chronic B-cell lymphoproliferative disorder characterized by lymphoplasmacytic cell overgrowth in the bone marrow and increased secretion of IgM immunoglobulins into the serum. Patients with WM have a variety of clinical outcomes, including long-term survival but inevitable recurrence. Recent advances in disease knowledge, including molecular and genetic principles with the discovery of MYD88 and CXCR4 mutations, have rapidly increased patient-tolerable treatment options. WM patients may benefit from chemotherapy regimens that include rituximab-based regimens, alkylating drugs, proteasome inhibitors, monoclonal antibodies, and drugs targeting Bruton tyrosine kinase inhibitors. In light of these advancements, patients can now receive treatment customized to their specific clinical characteristics, focusing on enhancing the depth and durability of their response while limiting the adverse effects. Despite the rapidly developing therapeutic armament against WM, a lack of high-quality evidence from extensive phase 3 trials remains a significant challenge in the research. We believe clinical outcomes will keep improving when new medicines are introduced while preserving efficacy and minimizing toxicity.

Level of polychlorinated biphenyls in tumor and blood serum of breast cancer patients and control subjects from Punjab, Pakistan

The current study examined the level of Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in tumor and blood serum of female breast cancer patients and control individuals recruited from Punjab, Pakistan. Breast tumor and blood serum from 40 patients and only blood serum from ten control subjects were obtained and concentration of 32 PCB congeners was analyzed through Gas chromatography coupled with Mass spectrophotometry. Sociodemographic variables of the patients along with essential clinical and haematological parameters were taken as covariates. Tumor reflects the highest median (min-max) concentration (ng g-1 lw) of ƩPCBs at 115.94 (0.05-17.75) followed by 16.53 (0.09-2.94) and 5.24 (0.01-0.59) in blood serum of cancer patients and control group respectively. Median concentrations (ng g-1 lw) of non-dioxine like ƩPCBs were considerably higher at 83.04, 32.89 and 4.27 compared to 13.03 and 3.50 and 0.97 for dioxin like ƩPCBs in tumor, serum of breast cancer patients and control subjects respectively. PCB-87 was most dominant congeners in tumor followed by PCB-170 and -82 whereas PCB-28 and -52 reflected greatest contribution in serum of breast cancer patients. Blood haemoglobin, potassium and chloride ions showed significant positive whereas body mass index reflect inverse relationship when regressed with ƩPCBs in tumor. This pioneer study depicts elevated concentrations of PCBs in patients compared to control, reflecting potential positive association of PCBs with breast cancer which need further confirmation. We concluded that chronic exposure to PCBs might be associated with an increasing number of breast cancer incidences in developing countries like Pakistan, which should be further elucidated through detail in vitro and in vivo studies.

Autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation conditioning regimens and chimeric antigen receptor T cell therapy in various diseases

Conditioning regimens employed in autologous stem cell transplantation have been proven useful in various hematological disorders and underlying malig nancies; however, despite being efficacious in various instances, negative consequences have also been recorded. Multiple conditioning regimens were extracted from various literature searches from databases like PubMed, Google scholar, EMBASE, and Cochrane. Conditioning regimens for each disease were compared by using various end points such as overall survival (OS), progression free survival (PFS), and leukemia free survival (LFS). Variables were presented on graphs and analyzed to conclude a more efficacious conditioning regimen. In multiple myeloma, the most effective regimen was high dose melphalan (MEL) given at a dose of 200/mg/m2. The comparative results of acute myeloid leukemia were presented and the regimens that proved to be at an admirable position were busulfan (BU) + MEL regarding OS and BU + VP16 regarding LFS. In case of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), BU, fludarabine, and etoposide (BuFluVP) conferred good disease control not only with a paramount improvement in survival rate but also low risk of recurrence. However, for ALL, chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy was preferred in the context of better OS and LFS. With respect to Hodgkin's lymphoma, mitoxantrone (MITO)/MEL overtook carmustine, VP16, cytarabine, and MEL in view of PFS and vice versa regarding OS. Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma patients were administered MITO (60 mg/m2) and MEL (180 mg/m2) which showed promising results. Lastly, amyloidosis was considered, and the regimen that proved to be competent was MEL 200 (200 mg/m2). This review article demonstrates a comparison between various conditioning regimens employed in different diseases.

Fabricating a 3D floating porous PDMS - Ag/AgBr decorated g-C3N4 nanocomposite sponge as a re-usable visible light photocatalyst

In this study, polymeric graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) semiconductors was synthesized via a thermal condensation method. Subsequently, Ag/AgBr nanoparticles with varying ratios were decorated onto the g-C3N4 surface using the water/oil emulsion method. The resulting nanocomposites were characterized using XRD for phase identification and structural analysis, HR-TEM and SEM&EDAX for morphological structure, particle size, and elemental composition analysis, and XPS for investigating the chemical state and electronic structure. The impact of Ag/AgBr content on the optical properties of g-C3N4 were also studied such as (optical bandgap (Eg), refractive index (n), extinction coefficient (k), optical conductivity (σopt) and dielectric function (ε*)), Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), PL spectroscopy and Chrono-amperometric investigations were conducted to assess the charge transfer capabilities and long-term durability of the prepared nanocomposites. The results revealed a reduction in Ag/AgBr particle size with an increase in g-C3N4 content, accompanied by a decrease in the optical bandgap from 2.444 eV to 2.393 eV. Furthermore, the nanocomposites exhibited enhanced degradation efficiencies of RhB dye, with the highest tested content of Ag/AgBr achieving 100% degradation after 120 min of irradiation. However, the challenge of catalyst separation after the degradation process remained. To address this issue, we developed a novel approach by impregnating Ag/AgBr@g-C3N4 photocatalyst onto a floating porous sponge using a simple sugar-template technique, offering potential as a reusable photocatalyst material. Furthermore, the 3D PDMS - Ag/AgBr@g-C3N4 photocatalyst was evaluated and found to maintain nearly the same photocatalytic efficiency for up to 5 consecutive cycles.

Environmental implication and cancer risk assessment of residual pollutants in cotton crop: a case study of Multan District, Pakistan

Pakistan is the fourth largest yarn producer in the world heavily that relies on cotton crop which receives a substantial 62% of all pesticide applications. The present study was conducted to quantify the levels of pesticides such as bifenthrin, spirotetramat, pyriproxyfen, imidacloprid, and diafenthiuron in soil and plants residue at selected cotton fields of Multan District, Pakistan. In addition to pesticides, the assessment of heavy metal concentration was also conducted in order to determine the overall risks that these compounds to both plants and human population. For this analysis, 20 soil samples and 10 plant samples were collected from 10 selected cotton fields. Pesticides and heavy metals in soil and plant samples were analyzed using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and Inductively Coupled Plasma-Optical Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-OES), respectively. It was observed that all samples collected from selected fields contained pesticide residue in top soil (0-15 cm). However, no pesticides were detected in the lower soil layer (16-30 cm). In case of heavy metals, the highest concentration of Fe, Pb, and Mn was observed in both soil and plant residue samples. The heavy metals were found in the order of Fe > Mn > Pb > Zn > Cu > Cd in the soil. The total carcinogenic risk values for a few pesticides were found to range from 10-6 to 10-2, indicating that residents of the study area have low to higher chances of developing cancer. A positive correlation was observed among the pesticides (r = 0.18-0.95) as well as in metals related parameters (r = 0.49-0.96), where a weak negative correlation was found among metal to pesticide parameters except Pd where the maximum r value was 0.62. In general, the finding of this study encourages the development and adoption of sustainable agricultural practices that lower the dependence on toxic pesticides and endorse environmentally friendly alternatives.

Seasonal variation in non-point source heavy metal pollution in Satpara Lake and its toxicity in trout fish

Heavy metal contamination in surface water is widespread throughout the world as a result of numerous anthropogenic activities and geo-genic mechanisms. This contamination is also affecting aquatic life, as fish have the potential to acquire heavy metals in their tissues making them vulnerable. Worldwide lakes are an important source of water for the inhabitants of the area. So, in the present study, we have focused on the Satpara Lake to check the extent of heavy metal pollution and their accumulation in fish to provide baseline data for metal pollution management. Samples were collected from three locations (inflow, center, and outflow sites) during two seasons (summer and winter). Inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) was applied to analyze heavy metals concentration. Among the metals, Cd, Pb, As, and Fe revealed relatively higher concentrations. The highest concentration of heavy metal found in water and fish was of Cd, i.e., 8.87 mg L^-1 and 18.19 mg L^-1 in summer season, respectively. Arsenic concentration was also higher than the permissible limits in both water (0.76) and fish (1.17 mg L^-1). The water quality assessment showed that in the summer season, the HPI (heavy metal pollution index) value 253.01 was more than 100, indicating the bad quality of water for drinking purposes. However, the HPI value 35.72 was less than 100 in winter. Toxicity hazard calculation of fish in summer seasons gives Hi values greater than 10.0, indicating the acute effect on human health as compared to winter.

The Prevalence of Hypomagnesemia in Critically Ill Patients Admitted in Medically Intensive Care Unit

Background Magnesium is the fourth most abundant cation in the human body. Hypomagnesemia can result from decreased intake, redistribution of magnesium from the extracellular to the intracellular space, or increased renal or gastrointestinal loss. Hypomagnesemia can cause severe outcomes in ill patients. So, we conducted this study to determine the frequency of hypomagnesemia in critically ill medical patients. Methods This is a Descriptive cross-sectional study involving 120 patients admitted in the medical intensive care unit (MICU) of the Holy Family Hospital, Rawalpindi, Pakistan. The study was conducted from July 2020 to September 2021. About 1 ml sample of blood was taken from each patient included and sent to the hospital laboratory for evaluation of serum magnesium levels. All the collected data was entered and analyzed on SPSS v. 23. A p-value of ≤ 0.05 was taken significant. Results In our study, the mean age of the patients was 42.76±12.77 years, and the male-to-female ratio of the patients was 1:1. The mean value of the APACHE II score of the patients was 29.68±2.571. Hypomagnesemia was found in 28 (23.33%) patients. Conclusion According to our study, the frequency of hypomagnesemia in critically ill medical patients was 23.33% (28 patients).

Waste to energy incineration technology: Recent development under climate change scenarios

With the huge generation of municipal solid waste (MSW), proper management and disposal of MSW is a worldwide challenge for sustainable development of cities and high quality of citizens life. Although different disposal ways are available, incineration is a leading harmless approach to effectively recover energy among the applied technologies. The purpose of the present review paper is to detail the discussion of evolution of waste to energy incineration and specifically to highlight the currently used and advanced incineration technologies, including combined incineration with other energy, for instance, hydrogen production, coal and solar energy. In addition, the environmental performance is discussed, including the zero waste emission, leachate and fly ash treatment, climate change contribution and public behaviour. Finally, challenges, opportunities and business model are addressed. Trends and perspectives on policies and techno-economic aspects are also discussed in this review. Different simulation tools, which can be used for the thermodynamic assessment of incineration plants, are debated; life-cycle inventory emissions and most critical environmental impacts of such plants are evaluated by life-cycle analysis. This review shows that waste incineration with energy yield is advantageous to handle waste problems and it affects climate change positively.

Growth, hemato-biochemical, immune-antioxidant response, and gene expression in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) received nano iron oxide-incorporated diets

Nanotechnology has recently played a key role in tackling many aquacultures issues. Hence, the present study targets the evaluation of dietary inclusion of nano iron oxide (nFe₂O₃) on growth performance, hematology, immune-antioxidant responses, ionic regulation and expression of related genes in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus). Fish were fed supplementary nFe₂O₃ at rates of zero (control), 0.5, and 1 g/kg diet for 30 days. Obtained data demonstrated that nFe₂O₃ significantly (P < 0.05) augmented growth performance (final weight and length, body mass gain, specific growth rate, feed conversion ratio, and length gain rate). Hematological picture {RBCs, Hb, MCV, MCH and MCHC, and leukocytes interpretations (WBCs and monocytes)}; and biochemical indexes including (AST and ALT; total protein; and glucose, and cortisol) were significantly (P < 0.05) improved in nFe₂O₃ supplemented groups. Plasma ionic concentration was also altered with nFe₂O₃ supplementation, and 1g nFe₂O₃ revealed the most marked increase in plasma (Na⁺) potassium (K⁺) levels. Similarly, IgM, nitrous oxide (NO), and lysozyme activity, plus superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activities showed a remarkable improvement in 1g nFe₂O₃ group compared to the control. Expression of Insulin-Like Growth Factor-1 (IGF-1) and interleukin 1-β (IL-1β) genes were significantly up-regulated in nFe₂O₃ supplemented groups. Briefly, dietary nFe₂O₃ inclusion had enhanced properties on growth; hemato-biochemical; immune, antioxidative profiles; and related genes expression of O. niloticus, with a recommended concentration of 1g nFe₂O₃.

Concurrent Typhoid Fever and Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever: A Case Report

Dengue virus can co-infect with a number of viruses, bacteria, and parasites of which dengue malaria co-infection is most well-known. We report a rare case of dengue virus co-infection with typhoid fever and the development of dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) during a dengue outbreak. The second spike of high-grade fever following initial defervescence with antibiotic therapy, hemorrhagic manifestations, new onset leucopenia and thrombocytopenia, and evidence of plasma leakage raised suspicion of DHF. Diagnosis of dengue co-infection was made by seroconversion for anti-dengue immunoglobulin M (IgM) antibodies by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) on the seventh day of new-onset fever. Early recognition and judicious use of fluid therapy prevented the patient from developing shock and its complications. Prompt diagnosis, early recognition of plasma leakage, and appropriate management of DHF can reduce morbidity and mortality.

Pseudomonas and Curtobacterium Strains from Olive Rhizosphere Characterized and Evaluated for Plant Growth Promoting Traits

Plant growth promoting (PGP) bacteria are known to enhance plant growth and protect them from environmental stresses through different pathways. The rhizosphere of perennial plants, including olive, may represent a relevant reservoir of PGP bacteria. Here, seven bacterial strains isolated from olive rhizosphere have been characterized taxonomically by 16S sequencing and biochemically, to evaluate their PGP potential. Most strains were identified as Pseudomonas or Bacillus spp., while the most promising ones belonged to genera Pseudomonas and Curtobacterium. Those strains have been tested for their capacity to grow under osmotic or salinity stress and to improve the germination and early development of Triticum durum subjected or not to those stresses. The selected strains had the ability to grow under severe stress, and a positive effect has been observed in non-stressed seedlings inoculated with one of the Pseudomonas strains, which showed promising characteristics that should be further evaluated. The biochemical and taxonomical characterization of bacterial strains isolated from different niches and the evaluation of their interaction with plants under varying conditions will help to increase our knowledge on PGP microorganisms and their use in agriculture.

Association Between Levels of Pre-operative Glycosylated Hemoglobin and Post-operative Surgical Site Infections After Elective Surgery in a Low-Income Country

Introduction: Diabetic patients undergoing surgery are more susceptible to hospital-acquired infection, particularly surgical site infection (SSI). Good glycemic control in preoperative patients significantly decreases the risk of SSI. There is a scarcity of data from low-income countries studying the relation between perioperative glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels and postoperative SSI. We aim to establish statistical relation between HbA1c and SSI which will help decrease post-operative infections and morbidity.

Methods: This study was conducted in the surgical unit of Jinnah Sindh Medical University, Karachi, Pakistan, from August 2020 to April 2022. Patients who underwent elective surgical procedures (n= 1024) were included in the study and divided into two groups based on their HbA1c levels. Patients with HbA1c levels higher than 6.5% were classified as group A and those with HbA1c less than 6.5% belonged to group B. For statistical analysis, IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 24.0 (Released 2016; IBM Corp., Armonk, New York, United States) was used.

Results: Group A comprised 579 (56.5%) patients. The presence of SSI in participants with HbA1c >6.5% was statistically significant (p-value: 0.011). Genderwise comparison with the presence of SSI was found to be insignificant (p-value: 0.28). Smoking was positively correlated with the absence of SSI. No significance in terms of presence or absence of SSI was found in the comparison of the type of wounds (p-value: 0.25).

Conclusion: There is a positive relationship between raised HbA1c levels and the development of SSI. Our study emphasizes the importance of the use of HbA1c levels as a more accurate predictor of glycemic control in pre-operative patients rather than blood glucose levels. It is imperative that surgeons must check HbA1c levels before selecting patients for elective surgeries, especially in low-income countries where the healthcare burden is already huge.

Platelet Transfusion and Tranexamic Acid in the Treatment of Bleeding in Dengue Fever

Objective: We conducted this study to investigate the effectiveness of platelet transfusion and/or intravenous tranexamic acid in the treatment of clinical bleeding in patients with dengue fever at a tertiary care hospital during a large outbreak (August and November, 2011) of dengue fever in Lahore, Pakistan. Methods: We reviewed data of patients with clinical bleeding and confirmed dengue fever at Jinnah Hospital Lahore, Pakistan. Based on the treatment, patients were classified into four groups: Baseline characteristics of patients and site and grade of bleeding were documented. A comparison of time to cessation of bleeding across four groups was made. Results: Out of 100 selected patients with clinical bleeding, 65 were male and median age was 28 years (range 13-80). There were 47 patients in group A, 12 in group B, 9 in group C, and 32 in group D. 75 patients had bleeding from a single site while 24 patients had bleeding from 2 different sites and 1 patient had bleeding from 3 sites. Median time from the initiation of treatment till the cessation of bleeding was not significantly difference across four groups (p value = 0.724, Kruskal-Wallis test). Adverse effects included abdominal pain in group A and pruritus in group A and C. Conclusion: Platelet transfusion and/or tranexamic acid do not provide significant benefit over standard of care treatment in patients with clinical bleeding in dengue fever and may be associated with adverse outcome.

Phycoremediation of textile effluents with enhanced efficacy of biodiesel production by algae and potential use of remediated effluent for improving growth of wheat

The uncontrolled industrialization and unrestricted textile production combined with inappropriate effluent treatment services in developing countries like Pakistan have multiplied the number of harmful effluent discharge. These effluents are enriched with dyes, heavy metal ions, and other hazardous materials that are poisonous and carcinogenic to living organisms. For that reason, the utilization of economic and efficient control techniques against such pollutants is imperative to protect natural resources. The triple algal role for phycoremediation of textile effluent was utilized in this study to make it suitable for irrigation and higher biofuel production. Locally isolated two strains, CKW1 (Spirogyra sp.) and PKS33 (Cladophora sp.), were used to treat the effluent collected from the direct outlets of the textile industries. The treated effluent was then tested for its toxicity and applied to wheat at initial stage grown under axenic conditions to check its effect on wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) vegetative growth and development. Finally, the algal biomass obtained after treatment was subjected to trans-esterification for predicting the amount of biodiesel production. Study outcomes revealed that the algal strains were able to decolorize the effluent entirely within 96-120 h. Compared to un-treated textile effluent, the phycoremediated wastewater application to wheat plants enhanced the plant biomass by 80%. Lastly, the production of biodiesel from algal biomass attained after phycoremediation was 35% less to algal biomass obtained under normal growth conditions. It can be concluded that the algal use helps to treat the contaminated effluent and marks them re-usable for irrigating plants and producing biomass which could be utilized for biodiesel production.

Formulation and efficacy testing of bio-organic fertilizer produced through solid-state fermentation of agro-waste by Burkholderia cenocepacia

Bio-organic fertilizers (BIOs), prepared from inoculating plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) into agro-industrial wastes, are gaining more attention due to their tremendous positive effects on soil health. This study was conducted to prepare and evaluate the effect of bio-organic fertilizers on maize. Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria were isolated from rhizospheric soil of farmer's field near Islamabad, Pakistan and were screened for plant growth promotion characters and one strain Burkholderia cenocepacia was selected based on PGPR's characteristics. In-vitro characterization, the whole genome sequence analysis, RAST and antiSMASH analysis were performed. The number of coding sequences was 7157 with the number of subsystems 382. The GC contents included 66.96%. The sequence was submitted to NCBI with BioProject submission number PRJNA730996. Inoculum of selected bacterial strain Burkholderia cenocepacia was used for carrying solid-state fermentation of organic wastes. Four different agro-industrial wastes with a good amount of crude protein were selected: black gram husks (BGH) (15-22% Crude protein CP), rice bran (RB) (10-15% CP), peanut shell (PS) (6-7% CP), and dry leaves (DL) (as conventional fertilizers for comparison) were collected, dried, ground and sieved. Different parameters like pH, moisture content, particle size, temperature etc. were optimized. Inductively coupled plasma - optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) analysis of bio-organic fertilizers was performed. In general, concentration of nitrogen was higher in the first three biofertilizers i.e. BGH, RB and PS as compared to DL. Germination and glasshouse experiments were conducted to evaluate the effect of four different BIOs on maize growth. The results showed that agro-industrial wastes inoculated with PGPR (BIOs) significantly enhanced (ϸ 0.05) germination percentage (100%) as compared to control (80%), whereas germination index, promptness index and seedling vigour index showed 32%, 34% and 21% increase respectively as compared to control. In the pot experiment, chlorophyll content increased by 28%, relative water content by 39.28%, protein by 3% and amino acid increased by 20.73% as compared to control. It was concluded that there is a positive effect of BIOs on germination parameters and the growth of maize. Thus, these BIOs can be recommended to farmers for the production of maize.

Modeling potential distribution of newly recorded ant, Brachyponera nigrita using Maxent under climate change in Pothwar region, Pakistan

Climate change has been discussed as to exert shifts in geographical range of plants, animals or insect species by increasing, reducing or shifting its appropriate climatic habitat. Globally, Pakistan has been ranked at 5^th position on the list of countries most vulnerable to climate change in 2020. Climate change has resulted in the losses of biodiversity and alteration in ecosystem as a result of depletion of natural habitats of species in Pakistan as well as in the world. Ants have been regarded as indicators of environmental change and ecosystem processes. Brachyponera nigrita (Emery, 1895) was reported for the first time from Pakistan (Pothwar region). Objective of our studies was to model geographic distribution of newly recorded ant species, B. nigrita based on two representative concentration pathways (RCP) (RCP4.5 and RCP8.5) for 2050s using maximum entropy model (Maxent) in Pakistan. In modeling procedure, 21occurrence records and 8 variables namely Bio4 (Temperature seasonality), Bio8 (Mean temperature of wettest quarter), Bio10 (Mean temperature of warmest quarter), Bio12 (Annual precipitation), Bio13 (Precipitation of wettest month), Bio15 (Precipitation seasonality), Bio17 (Precipitation of driest quarter) and Bio18 (Precipitation of warmest quarter) were used to determine the current and future distributions. Performance of the model was evaluated using AUC (area under curves) values, partial ROC, omission rates (E = 5%) and AICc (Model complexity).The results showed the average AUC value of the model was 0.930, which indicated that the accuracy of the model was excellent. The jackknife test also showed that Bio4, Bio18, Bio17 and Bio15 contributed 98% for the prediction of potential distribution of the species as compared to all other variables. Maxent results indicated that distribution area of B. nigrita under future predicted bioclimatics 2050 (RCP 4.5 and RCP8.5) would be increased in various localities of Pakistan as compared to its current distribution. In Pothwar region, moderately suitable and highly suitable areas of this species would increase by 505.932321km²and 572.118421km²as compared to current distribution under 2050 (RCP 4.5), while under 2050 (RCP 8.5), there would be an increase of 6427.2576km²and 3765.140493km² respectively in moderately suitable and highly suitable areas of B. nigrita. This species was associated with termites, collembolans and larval stages of different insects. White eggs, creamy white pupae and many workers of this species were observed in a variety of habitats. Unknown nesting ecology, species identification characters supported with micrographs has been given which will help researchers for further ecological studies.

Climate variables effect on fruiting pattern of Kinnow mandarin (Citrus nobilis Lour × C. deliciosa Tenora) grown at different agro-climatic regions

Kinnow orchards grown in different agro-ecological regions of Punjab, Pakistan, namely Sargodha, Toba Tek Singh (TTS) and Vehari districts, were selected to assess the effect of climate variables on fruit-bearing patterns. Experiment was laid out in RCBD while selecting identical features Kinnow plants and labeled twigs at analogous canopy positions in all three sites. Temperature was reported higher in TTS and Vehari areas, while relative humidity in Sargodha accounted for different levels of agrometeorological indices by computing more variations in warm districts. Climate variables influenced fruit-bearing habits and vegetative growth trend in all three flushes while recording heavy fruit-bearing plants during on-year and light fruit-bearing in off-year at Vehari. Similarly, three vegetative flushes were recorded unevenly in all three sites due to different fruit-bearing patterns induced by climate variables. Harvesting pattern of orchards began earlier in Sargodha, where maximum orchards were harvested before new flowering to add evenness to fruiting habits during on & off-years. In warm conditions, fruit ripening arrived in the peak of winter and mostly domestic market-driven harvesting resulted in late start of fruit picking with more erratic fruit-bearing habits. Both physiological and pathological fruit drops have been significantly affected by climate variables with a higher degree of physiological drop in warm regions and pathological effects in the humid conditions of Sargodha on heavy fruit-bearing plants. Fruit yield and grading quality were also affected in both seasons by showing more asymmetrical trend in yield and fruit grading in warm areas of TTS and Vehari due to an irregular fruiting pattern compared to Sargodha. From now on, the climate variables of the three sites directly influenced the fruiting patterns, vegetative flushes, fruit drops, yields and grades of Kinnow mandarin.

Evaluation of serum procalcitonin level as a biomarker for disease severity in COVID-19 patients

The pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has infected millions of individuals around the globe. Forecasting the COVID-19 severity is essential, and various biomarkers could be used to evaluate it. The current study was therefore aimed to evaluate the serum pro-calcitonin (PCT) level as a biomarker for bacterial co-infection and disease severity in COVID-19 patients. A total of 430 COVID-19 positive individuals were examined, in which 332 (77.2%) were male individuals while 98 (22.8%) were female individuals. Among the examined samples, 281 were classified as moderate (PCT value 0.07 ± 0.06 ng/mL), 95 were severe (PCT value 0.5 ± 0.4 ng/mL), and 54 were classified as critical (PCT value > 1 ng/mL) individuals. The increase in the total serum level of PCT was observed with the severity of the disease (p < 0.05). The statistical analysis represented no association of PCT value with gender (p 0.9650) while revealed a significant association (p < 0.001) with the age and PCT value in COVID-19 patients. It can be concluded that the serial PCT measurement could determine the prognosis of the disease and the presence of bacterial co-infection in COVID-19 patients. Further exploration of the topic is needed to evaluate the effect of different therapies on the PCT level and to prescribe specific treatment options for coinfection.

To Push or To Pull? In a Post-COVID World, Supporting and Incentivizing Antimicrobial Drug Development Must Become a Governmental Priority

The COVID-19 pandemic has refocused attention worldwide on the dangers of infectious diseases, in terms of both global health and the effects on the world economy. Even in high income countries, health systems have been found wanting in dealing with the new infectious agent. However, the even greater long-term danger of antimicrobial resistance in pathogenic bacteria and fungi is still under-appreciated, especially among the general public. Although antimicrobial drug development faces significant scientific challenges, the gravest challenge at the moment appears to be economic, where the lack of a viable market has led to a collapse in drug development pipelines. There is therefore a critical need for governments across the world to further incentivize the development of antimicrobials. Most incentive strategies over the past decade have focused on so-called "push" incentives that bridge the costs of antimicrobial research and development, but these have been insufficient for reviving the pipeline. In this Perspective, we analyze the current incentive strategies in place for antimicrobial drug development, and focus on "pull" incentives, which instead aim to improve revenue generation and thereby resolve the antimicrobial market failure challenge. We further analyze these incentives in a broader "One Health" context and stress the importance of developing and enforcing strict protocols to ensure appropriate manufacturing practices and responsible use. Our analysis reiterates the importance of international cooperation, coordination across antimicrobial research, and sustained funding in tackling this significant global challenge. A failure to invest wisely and continuously to incentivize antimicrobial pipelines will have catastrophic consequences for global health and wellbeing in the years to come.

BONE DEVELOPMENT AND FRACTURE HEALING IS NORMAL IN MICE THAT HAVE A DEFECT IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE LYMPHATIC SYSTEM

Ectopic lymphatics form in bone and promote bone destruction in diseases such as Gorham-Stout disease, generalized lymphatic anomaly, and kaposiform lymphangiomatosis. However, the role lymphatics serve in normal bone development and repair is poorly understood. The objective of this study was to characterize bone development and fracture healing in mice that have a defect in the development of the lymphatic vasculature. We found that bones in wild-type adult mice and mouse embryos did not have lymphatics. We also found that bone development was normal in Vegfr3Chy/Chy embryos. These mice do not have lymphatics and die shortly after birth. To determine whether lymphatics serve a role in postnatal bone development and fracture healing, we analyzed bones from Vegfr3wt/Chy mice. These mice are viable and have fewer lymphatics than wild-type mice. We found that postnatal bone development and fracture healing was normal in Vegfr3wt/Chy mice. Taken together, our results suggest that lymphatics do not play a major role in normal bone development or repair.

Environmental variables influence the developmental stages of the citrus leafminer, infestation level and mined leaves physiological response of Kinnow mandarin

Climate change has not only exacerbated abiotic stress, but has also rendered external conditions more feasible for pests to spread and infest citrus fruit. Citrus leafminer (Phyllocnistis citrella) is a potential pest that directly feeds the newly sprouted leaves and twigs of all three spring, summer and autumn flushes. Increasing temperatures in spring and autumn, leafminer accrued more heat units or developmental degree days to accelerate the biological stages of its life-cycle, thereby increasing the pressure of infestation. Present work was conducted at three different environmental conditions in Sargodha, Toba Tek Singh (TTS) and Vehari districts of the Punjab province, Pakistan; all three experimental sites were located in different agro-ecological zones. More infestation was recorded in all three flushes at TTS and Vehari than in Sargodha. Overall, more damage was observed due to higher temperatures in TTS and Vehari than in Sargodha. After May-June heat stress, spontaneous vegetative growth continued from July to November, produced newly spouted tender leaves for feeding the leafminer larvae, and was seen more in TTS and Vehari. Leafminer larva prefers to enter young and tender leaves with a maximum entrance in leaves up to 1 cm² in size while observing no entrance above 3 cm² of leaf size. Physiological response of leaves primarily attributed to chlorophyll and carotenoid contents, both of which were recorded lower in the mined leaves, thereby reducing leaf photosynthetic activity. Similarly, lower levels of polyphenols and antioxidant activity were also recorded in the mined leaves. The on-tree age of mined leaves of three vegetative flushes of Kinnow plant was also less counted than non-mined leaves. Climate change has affected vegetative phenology and become feasible for pests due to extemporaneous leaf growth, particularly leafminer, and eventually causes economic loss by supplying low carbohydrates either to hanging fruits or next-season crops.

Impact of varying agrometeorological indices on peel color and composition of Kinnow fruit (Citrus nobilis Lour x Citrus deliciosa Tenora) grown at different ecological zones

BACKGROUND

Kinnow orchards were selected in different ecological zones in districts Sargodha, Toba Tek Singh (TTS) and Vehari of the Punjab province, Pakistan. Three biological replicates in block form were applied by using analysis of variance techniques to assess varying agrometeorological indices impact on fruit color-development and peel composition.

RESULTS

Fruit samples were randomly collected on each month's end starting from August up to February. Chromameter was used for measuring coloring parameters and its values a*, b*, C* and L* were increased from August till February with a rapid elevation started at color-break stage, while hue angle (h*) rotated from 120° to 60° of portraying green to yellow shade. An increasing level of chlorophyll contents were noted in August till color-break at the end of October and then diminished afterwards. Whereas, carotenoids increased rapidly upon yellow tinting peel of Kinnow fruits till fully attained deep orange color at the end of February. Ascorbic acid content and total phenolic content (TPC) showed a decreasing trend whereas anthocyanins and antioxidant activity were increased from August to February, with unchanged flavonoids and flavonols level. Fruit firmness was gradually reduced till color-break with rapid reduction noted subsequently. Maturity index represented internal ripening directly increased with color-development.

CONCLUSION

Color development has directly influenced on maturity index and both were increased rapidly after color-break to afterwards. More color development with rapid reduction in chlorophyll, ascorbic acid and TPC level were seen in warm districts namely TTS and Vehari after color-break stage due to accumulating more agrometeorological indices. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry.

15 Structured Geriatric Liaison Services in Mental Health Inpatient Facilities

Introduction

Older people admitted to mental health facilities may be at increased risk of deterioration in the physical co-morbidities and increased rates of mortality when admitted in acute medical settings. Our model of care focuses on intervening in the physical aspect of patients admitted in the mental health unit addressing their comorbidities and polypharmacy and offering staff support during the admission process. Our Older Mental Health Unit is based in the district hospital with a total of 22 beds for people over 65 years old distributed in two areas: dementia with behavioral and psychological symptoms (BPS) and functional disorders.

Methods

Allocated geriatrician once a week to attend MDT and medical ward rounds. 5 working days telephone consultations for advice and supporting trainees in teaching and research. We measure the impact of our intervention comparing the data predating our intervention comparing 20 patients in each period 2016 and 2018.

Results

Mean age increased from 74.3 to 77.8 in a two year period with an average of 3.5 medical co-morbidities. Reduction in polypharmacy from 7.15 to 5.5 number of medication, 58% reduction in the number of hospital transfers and 90% reduction in specialty referrals.

Conclusions

Structured Geriatric Liaison Services in Mental Health in inpatient facilities are shown to be effective in reducing acute hospital and outpatient clinic attendances minimising the challenges of management of these patients in non-mental health facilities.

Drought response of Mucuna pruriens (L.) DC. inoculated with ACC deaminase and IAA producing rhizobacteria

Drought is one of the major constraints limiting agricultural production worldwide and is expected to increase in the future. Limited water availability causes significant effects to plant growth and physiology. Plants have evolved different traits to mitigate the stress imposed by drought. The presence of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) could play an important role in improving plant performances and productivity under drought. These beneficial microorganisms colonize the rhizosphere of plants and increase drought tolerance by lowering ethylene formation. In the present study, we demonstrate the potential to improve the growth of velvet bean under water deficit conditions of two different strains of PGPR with ACCd (1-Aminocyclopropane-1-Carboxylate deaminase) activity isolated from rainfed farming system. We compared uninoculated and inoculated plants with PGPR to assess: a) photosynthetic performance and biomass; b) ACC content and ethylene emission from leaves and roots; c) leaf isoprene emission. Our results provided evidence that under drought conditions inoculation with PGPR containing the ACCd enzyme could improve plant growth compared to untreated plants. Ethylene emission from roots and leaves of inoculated velvet bean plants was significantly lower than uninoculated plants. Moreover, isoprene emission increased with drought stress progression and was higher in inoculated plants compared to uninoculated counterparts. These findings clearly illustrate that selected PGPR strains isolated from rainfed areas could be highly effective in promoting plant growth under drought conditions by decreasing ACC and ethylene levels in plants.

Fluoroquinolones (FQs) in the environment: A review on their abundance, sorption and toxicity in soil

The use of fluoroquinolones (FQs) antibiotics as therapeutic agents and growth promoters is increasing worldwide; however their extensive uses are also resulting in antibiotic resistance among world communities. FQs have also become one of the major contaminants in the waste water bodies, which are not even completely removed during the treatment processes. Furthermore, their abundance in agricultural resources, such as the irrigation water, the bio-solids and the livestock manure can also affect the soil micro-environment. These antibiotics in soil tend to interact in several different ways to affect soil flora and fauna. The current review endeavors to highlight the some critical aspects of FQs prevalence in the environment. The review presents a detailed discussion on the pathways and abundance of FQs in soil. The discussion further spans the issue of sorption and FQs transformation into the soil better understand of their behavior and their toxicity to soil flora and fauna.

Application of leaching tests on phosphogypsum by infiltration-percolation

The phosphoric acid production obtained by attacking phosphate rock by sulphuric acid cogenerates considerable quantities of phosphogypsum. The world cogeneration is estimated about 100-280 Mt per year. In another context of sustainable development, the phosphate chemical industry develops different ways of phosphogypsum valorization, which makes its storage stack in a suitable way for its potential use as an industrial by-product. Although, this storage can cause an environmental impact largely due to the transfer of trace elements (TEs) to groundwater by leaching. It is therefore important to evaluate the impact linked to the storage in order to limit this transfer. The evaluation is usually performed through leaching tests in columns or reactor. In this work, leaching tests were performed in columns by infiltration-percolation on two filter mediums: phosphogypsum and synthetic sandy soils. The results showed that the phosphogypsum is acting as a filter, which retains and releases the TEs. Most of these TEs (Pb, Se, Ag, Zn and Cu) were highly retained in the synthetic soils surfaces and their contents in waters were considerably lower than the maximum contaminant levels (MCLs). Although As, Cd, Cr and Ni were strongly transferred to groundwater, their respective contents were higher than the MCLs.

Synergistic effect of co-digestion to enhance anaerobic degradation of catering waste and orange peel for biogas production

Catering waste and orange peel were co-digested using an anaerobic digestion process. Orange peel is difficult to degrade anaerobically due to the presence of antimicrobial agents such as limonene. The present study aimed to examine the feasibility of anaerobic co-digestion of catering waste with orange peel to provide the optimum nutrient balance with reduced inhibitory effects of orange peel. Batch experiments were conducted using catering waste as a potential substrate mixed in varying ratios (20-50%) with orange peel. Similar ratios were followed using green vegetable waste as co-substrate. The results showed that the highest organic matter degradation (49%) was achieved with co-digestion of catering waste and orange peel at a 50% mixing ratio (CF4). Similarly, the soluble chemical oxygen demand (sCOD) was increased by 51% and reached its maximum value (9040 mg l^-1) due to conversion of organic matter from insoluble to soluble form. Biogas production was increased by 1.5 times in CF4 where accumulative biogas was 89.61 m³ t^-1_substrate compared with 57.35 m³ t^-1_substrate in the control after 80 days. The main reason behind the improved biogas production and degradation is the dilution of inhibitory factors (limonene), with subsequent provision of balanced nutrients in the co-digestion system. The tCOD of the final digestate was decreased by 79.9% in CF4, which was quite high as compared with 68.3% for the control. Overall, this study revealed that orange peel waste is a highly feasible co-substrate for anaerobic digestion with catering waste for enhanced biogas production.

Physiological and antioxidant response of wheat (Triticum aestivum) seedlings to fluoroquinolone antibiotics

Combinations of antibiotics occur in terrestrial environments due to excessive prescription, consumption, and disposal and have adverse effects, including crop toxicity. We examined short-term (20-d) toxicity of the fluoroquinolone antibiotics ciprofloxacin, enrofloxacin, levofloxacin, and their mixture in a germination and a greenhouse sand culture study with wheat. We tested the hypothesis that oxidative stress plays a role in toxicity by examining stress products and antioxidants involved in detoxifying reactive oxygen species (ROS) during stress. Germination was unaffected by any antibiotic concentration or mixture used. The highest antibiotic concentrations, 100 and 300 mg L^-1, significantly decreased wheat growth. In 20 days exposure the maximum malondialdehyde production (2.45 μmol g^-1 fresh weight), total phenols (16.40 mg g^-1 of extract), and total antioxidant capacity (17.74 mg of Vitamin C g^-1 of extract) and maximum activities of superoxide dismutase (7.99 units mg^-1 protein min^-1) and ascorbate peroxidase (0.69 μmol ascorbate mg^-1 protein min^-1) significantly increased compared to the control. In contrast, catalase (0.45 mmol H₂O₂ mg^-1 protein min^-1) and peroxidase (0.0005 units mg^-1 protein min^-1) activity significantly decreased compared to the control. We conclude that high antibiotic concentrations in the plant growth medium reduced wheat growth by causing oxidative stress. The capacity to respond to oxidative stress was compromised by increasingly higher antibiotic concentrations in some enzyme systems. This stress damaged the physiological structure of the young plants and could reduce crop productivity in the long term. Consequently, fluoroquinolone-contaminated water challenges developing countries with constraints on available water for irrigation.

Use of RSM modeling for optimizing decolorization of simulated textile wastewater by Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain ZM130 capable of simultaneous removal of reactive dyes and hexavalent chromium

Remediation of colored wastewater loaded with dyes and metal ions is a matter of interest nowadays. In this study, 220 bacteria isolated from textile wastewater were tested for their potential to decolorize each of the four reactive dyes (reactive red-120, reactive black-5, reactive yellow-2, and reactive orange-16) in the presence of a mixture of four different heavy metals (Cr, Zn, Pb, Cd) commonly found in textile effluents. Among the tested bacteria, the isolate ZM130 was found to be the most efficient in decolorizing reactive dyes in the presence of the mixture of heavy metals and was identified as Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain ZM130 by 16S rRNA gene analysis. The strain ZM130 was highly effective in simultaneously removing hexavalent chromium (25 mg L(-1)) and the azo dyes (100 mg L(-1)) from the simulated wastewater even in the presence of other three heavy metals (Zn, Pb, Cd). Simultaneous removal of chromium and azo dyes ranged as 76.6-98.7 % and 51.9-91.1 %, respectively, after 180 h incubation. On the basis of quadratic polynomial equation and response surfaces given by the response surface methodology (RSM), optimal salt content, pH, carbon co-substrate content, and level of multi-metal mixtures for decolorization of reactive red-120 in a simulated textile wastewater by the strain ZM130 were predicted to be 19.8, 7.8, and 6.33 g L(-1) and a multi-metal mixture (Cr 13.10 mg L(-1), Pb 26.21 mg L(-1), Cd 13.10 mg L(-1), Zn 26.21 mg L(-1)), respectively. Moreover, the strain ZM130 also exhibited laccase and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (reduced)-dichlorophenolindophenol reductase (NADH-DCIP reductase) activity during the decolorization of reactive red-120. However, the laccase activity was found to be maximum in the presence of 300 mg L(-1) of the dye as compared to other concentrations. Hence, the isolation of this strain might serve as a potential bio-resource required for developing the strategies aiming at bioremediation of the wastewater contaminated with dyes and heavy metals.

Early Pregnancy Ultrasound and Management: Effect of a Multifaceted Training on Physician Knowledge

Vaginal bleeding is a common event in early pregnancy, with 20-40% of pregnancies affected. Prompt diagnosis and management of bleeding is important, both to reduce morbidity and to avoid excessive emotional distress. This was a prospective study of an educational programme aimed at Obstetrics and Gynaecology BST trainees in the National Maternity Hospital, Dublin. The educational programme consisted of didactic lectures, and simulation and practical sessions. A questionnaire reviewing early pregnancy complications was used to assess participant knowledge. Six trainees participated in the programme, with five (83%) answering the questionnaire. The pre-education questionnaire showed a generally poor level of knowledge of early pregnancy complications with 8/50 (16%) questions answered correctly. Following the educational intervention there was a statistically significant increase in participant knowledge with 45/50 (90%) questions answered correctly. A significant increase in participant knowledge of early pregnancy complications followed our multifaceted educational programme. Study limitations exist, however we have shown the potential value of our educational programme.

Intrinsic fluorescence of selenium nanoparticles for cellular imaging applications

Nanoparticles hold great potential in contributing to high-resolution bioimaging as well as for biomedical applications. Although, selenium (Se) nanoparticles (NPs) have been investigated owing to their potential roles in therapeutics, the imaging capability of these NPs has never been explored. This manuscript identifies the intrinsic fluorescence of Se NPs, which is highly beneficial for nanoscale imaging of biological structures. The emission of individual NPs and its evolution with time is explored. The photoluminescence spectra has revealed visible to near infrared emission for Se NPs. The work finally reflects on the role of this intrinsic fluorescence for in vitro imaging and tracking in fibroblast cells, without the need of any additional tags. This technique would overcome the limitations of the conventionally used methods of imaging with tagged fluorescent proteins and dyes, preventing possible adverse cellular effects or phototoxicity caused by the added fluorescent moieties.

Yeast extract promotes decolorization of azo dyes by stimulating azoreductase activity in Shewanella sp. strain IFN4

Biological treatment of azo dyes commonly requires a combined anaerobic-aerobic process in which initial decolorization is achieved by reductive cleavage of azo bonds on the parent molecule. The present study was conducted to examine the relative importance of co-substrates for driving reductive decolorization of azo dyes by Shewanella sp. strain IFN4 using whole cells and enzyme assays. Results showed that the dye decolorization by strain IFN4 was faster in medium containing 1gL(-1) yeast extract (YE) as compared to nine other co-substrates. Moreover, only YE stimulated azoreductase activity (increased from 1.32 to 4.19U/mg protein). Increasing the level of YE up to 8gL(-)(1) resulted into 81% decolorization of the dye in 1h along with an increase in azoreductase activity up to 6.16U/mg protein. Among the components of YE, only riboflavin stimulated the decolorization process as well as enzyme activity. Moreover, strain IFN4 demonstrated flavin reductase activity, and a significant correlation (r(2)=0.98) between flavin reduction and dye reduction by this strain emphasized the involvement of flavin compounds in the decolorization process. The results of this study show that YE serves both as a source of reducing equivalents and an electron shuttle for catalyzing dye reduction.

Effect of trace metals and electron shuttle on simultaneous reduction of reactive black-5 azo dye and hexavalent chromium in liquid medium by Pseudomonas sp

This study demonstrates the role of electron shuttles and trace metals in the biotransformation of azo dye reactive black-5 and hexavalent chromium (CrVI) that are released simultaneously in tannery effluent. Previously isolated bacterial strain Pseudomonas putida KI was used for the simultaneous reduction of the dye (100 mg L(-1)) and CrVI (2 mg L(-1)) in a mineral salts medium (MSM). Among various trace metals, only Cu(II) had a stimulating effect on the bacterial-mediated reduction process. Application of electron shuttles such as hydroquinone and uric acid at a low concentration (1mM) had a positive effect on the reduction process and caused simultaneous reduction of 100% dye and 97% CrVI in 12-18 h. Mannitol, EDTA and sodium benzoate at all concentrations (ranging from 1 to 9 mM) showed an inhibitory effect on the reduction of reactive black-5 and CrVI. An inverse linear relationship between the velocity of reaction (V) and the concentration [S] of electron shuttles was observed. The results imply that both types and concentration of an electron shuttle and trace metals can affect the simultaneous reduction of reactive black-5 and CrVI.

The stability of textile azo dyes in soil and their impact on microbial phospholipid fatty acid profiles

The aim of this study was to examine the stability of structurally different azo dyes in soil and their impact on the microbial community composition by analyzing phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) profiles. Sterile and non-sterile soils were amended with three azo dyes, including: Direct Red 81, Reactive Black 5 and Acid Yellow 19 at 160mgkg(-1) soil. The results showed that the azo dyes were quite stable and that large amounts of these dyes ranging from 17.3% to 87.5% were recoverable from the sterile and non-sterile soils after 14 days. The maximum amount of dye was recovered in the case of Direct Red 81. PLFA analysis showed that the azo dyes had a significant effect on microbial community structure. PLFA concentrations representing Gram-negative bacteria in dye-amended soil were substantially less as compared to the PLFA concentration of Gram-positive bacteria. Acid Yellow 19 dye had almost similar effects on the PLFA concentrations representing bacteria and fungi. In contrast, Reactive Black 5 had a greater negative effect on fungal PLFA than that on bacterial PLFA, while the opposite was observed in the case of Direct Red 81. To our knowledge, this is the first study reporting the stability of textile azo dyes in soil and their effects on soil microbial community composition.

Decolorization of Reactive Black-5 by Shewanella sp. in the Presence of Metal Ions and Salts

In this study, effect of various metal ions and salts on biodecolorization of Reactive black-5, azoreductase activity, and growth of Shewanella sp. strain IFN4 was evaluated. Among the tested metals, Cr²⁺, Pb(²⁺, Ni²⁺, Fe²⁺, and Mn²⁺ did not inhibit the biodecolorization of reactive black-5, azoreductase activity and bacterial growth. Three metals (Cu²⁺, Zn²⁺, and Co²⁺) delayed the decolorization process without completely inhibiting the reaction and also suppressed the bacterial growth. However, no dye decolorization was observed in the presence of Cd²⁺ (10 mg L⁻¹). Furthermore, bacterium decolorized the dye at high concentration (15 mg L⁻¹) of mixed metal ions. Strain IFN4 was also able to decolorize the dye at 50 g NaCl L⁻¹ and 60 g Na₂SO₄ L⁻¹. NaCl was found to be more inhibitory to bacterial growth than Na₂SO₄and the reverse was observed for azoreductase activity. These findings suggest that strain IFN4 could be used in designing a bioreactor for the treatment of textile effluent.

Mass burden and estimated flux of heavy metals in Pakistan coast: sedimentary pollution and eco-toxicological concerns

Heavy-metal contamination in coastal areas poses a serious threat to aquatic life and public health due to their high toxicity and bio-accumulation potential. In the present study, levels of different heavy metals (Cu, Cd, Cr, Ni, Co, Pb, Zn, and Mn), their spatial distribution, geochemical status, and enrichment indices (Cu, Cd, Cr, Ni, Co, Pb, Zn) were investigated in the sediment samples from 18 coastal sites of Pakistan. The analyses of coastal sediments indicated the presence of heavy metals in order such as Cr > Zn > Cu > Pb > Ni > Mn > Co > Cd. Geo-accumulation index (I geo), enrichment factor (EF), and contamination factor (CF) showed diverse range in heavy-metal enrichment site by site. Pollution load index (PLI) has shown that average pollution load along the entire coastal belt was not significant. Based on the mean effect range medium quotient, coastal sediments of Pakistan had 21% probability of toxicity. The estimated sedimentary load of selected heavy metals was recorded in the range of 0.3-44.7 g/cm(2)/year, while the depositional flux was in the range of 0.07-43.5 t/year. Heavy-metal inventories of 9.8 × 10(2)-3.8 × 10(5) t were estimated in the coastal sediments of Pakistan. The enrichment and contamination factors (EF and CF) suggested significant influence of anthropogenic and industrial activities along the coastal belt of Pakistan.

Biotreatment of simulated tannery wastewater containing Reactive Black 5, aniline and CrVI using a biochar packed bioreactor

Azo dyes and CrVI in tannery wastewater can be treated by redox active bacteria. Dye decolorization and CrVI reduction are simultaneous under anaerobic conditions. Biochar is an effective support matrix for packed bed bioreactors used to treat dyes and CrVI.