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Heliyon Jul 2023Achieving sustainability and resilience depends on the conciliation of environmental, social, and economic issues integrated into a long-term perspective to ensure...
Achieving sustainability and resilience depends on the conciliation of environmental, social, and economic issues integrated into a long-term perspective to ensure communities flourish. Many nations are transitioning toward both objectives, while at the same time addressing structural concerns that have not allowed them to look after the environment in the past. Chile is one of these nations dealing with such challenges within a particular administrative context, an increasing environmental awareness, and a set of unique and complex geophysical boundaries that impose a plethora of hazards for cities, ecosystems, and human health. This paper presents recent accomplishments and gaps, mostly from an environmental perspective, on issues related to air pollution, the urban water cycle, and soil contamination, in the path being followed by Chile toward urban sustainability and resilience. The focus is on the bonds between cities and their geophysical context, as well as the relationships between environmental issues, the built environment, and public health. The description and diagnosis are illustrated using two cities as case studies, Temuco and Copiapó, whose socioeconomic, geographical, and environmental attributes differ considerably. Particulate matter pollution produced by the residential sector, drinking water availability, wastewater treatment, stormwater management, and soil contamination from the mining industry are discussed for these cities. Overall, the case studies highlight how tackling these issues requires coordinated actions in multiple areas, including regulatory, information, and financial incentive measures. Finally, the policy analysis discusses frameworks and opportunities for Chilean cities, which may be of interest when conceiving transitional paths toward sustainability and resilience for other cities elsewhere.
PubMed: 37519708
DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e18191 -
Veterinary Medicine International 2020A total of sixty raw milk samples were collected from (street vendors and shops) from Baghdad city, Iraq. The samples were inoculated into peptone water and, then,...
A total of sixty raw milk samples were collected from (street vendors and shops) from Baghdad city, Iraq. The samples were inoculated into peptone water and, then, subcultured onto MacConkey agar and Blood agar. Identification of isolates was confirmed by microscopic examination, cultural characteristic, biochemical tests, Vitek (VITEK®2 system), and Biolog GN substrate reactions followed by 16S rRNA and specific genes sequencing. Of 60 raw cow's milk samples, spp. were identified only in 4 samples (6.67%) and was the most common, 2/4 (50%), followed by and , 1/4 (25%). Antimicrobial susceptibility tests were conducted against ten antibiotics by the disc diffusion method. All isolates showed multidrug resistance (MDR), and the absolute resistant was 100% to tetracycline, erythromycin, and doxycycline and 50% against ampicillin\sulbactam and amoxicillin/clavulanic acid. They were highly susceptible (100%) to trimethoprim, imipenem, and chloramphenicol. These findings indicate that milk might be contaminated with spp. leading to transmission to humans causing poisoning, diarrhea, and other infections. This is the first study of isolated spp. from raw cow's milk.
PubMed: 33456748
DOI: 10.1155/2020/8874747 -
Life (Basel, Switzerland) Aug 2023Catheter ablation has been shown to be more effective at maintaining sinus rhythm and improving quality of life when compared to antiarrhythmic drugs. Radiofrequency and... (Review)
Review
Catheter ablation has been shown to be more effective at maintaining sinus rhythm and improving quality of life when compared to antiarrhythmic drugs. Radiofrequency and cryoablation are two effective methods. However, catheter-only ablation strategies have not consistently produced high success rates in treating longstanding and persistent AF patients. The emerging treatment of choice for such cases is hybrid ablation, which involves a multidisciplinary and minimally invasive approach to achieve surgical ablation of the direct posterior left atrial wall in combination with endocardial catheter ablation. Studies have shown promising results for the hybrid approach when compared with catheter ablation alone, but it is not without risks. Large and randomised studies are necessary to further evaluate these strategies for managing AF.
PubMed: 37629641
DOI: 10.3390/life13081784 -
Microorganisms Jun 2020The potential utilization of black soldier fly () as food or feed is interesting due to the nutritive value and the sustainability of the rearing process. In the present...
The potential utilization of black soldier fly () as food or feed is interesting due to the nutritive value and the sustainability of the rearing process. In the present study, larvae and prepupae of were reared at 20, 27, and 33 °C, to determine whether temperature affects the whole insect microbiota, described using microbiological risk assessment techniques and 16S rRNA gene survey. The larvae efficiently grew across the tested temperatures. Higher temperatures promoted faster larval development and greater final biomass but also higher mortality. Viable Enterobacteriaceae, , , , coagulase-positive staphylococci, , and were detected in prepupae. and counts got higher with the increasing temperature. Based on 16S rRNA gene analysis, the microbiota of larvae was dominated by (>60%) and other (mainly ) and evolved to a more complex composition in prepupae, with a bloom of , , and , while was still present as the main component. Prepupae largely shared the microbiota with the frass where it was reared, except for few lowly represented taxa. The rearing temperature was negatively associated with the amount of , and positively associated with a variety of other genera, such as , , , , , , , , and . With respect to the microbiological risk assessment, attention should be paid to abundant genera, such as , , , , and , which encompass species described as opportunistic pathogens, bearing drug resistances or causing severe morbidity.
PubMed: 32549385
DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms8060902 -
Zhong Nan Da Xue Xue Bao. Yi Xue Ban =... Nov 2021Kidney stone is one of the common diseases of the urinary system. About 80% of kidney stones are mainly composed of calcium oxalate. As a huge bacterial network, the...
Kidney stone is one of the common diseases of the urinary system. About 80% of kidney stones are mainly composed of calcium oxalate. As a huge bacterial network, the interaction of gut microbes is complex. Intestinal microbes may play a role in the pathogenesis and prevention of kidney stones. The intestinal flora of patients with calcium oxalate stones possess unique distribution of gut microbes. , , , and are closely related to calcium oxalate stones, which provides new ideas for the prevention and treatment of urinary stones.
Topics: Calcium Oxalate; Gastrointestinal Microbiome; Humans; Kidney Calculi; Oxalobacter formigenes; Urinary Calculi
PubMed: 34911864
DOI: 10.11817/j.issn.1672-7347.2021.200513 -
Journal of Hazardous Materials Oct 2021Triclosan (TCS) is extensively used in healthcare and personal care products as an antibacterial agent. Due to the persistent and toxic nature of TCS, it is not...
Triclosan (TCS) is extensively used in healthcare and personal care products as an antibacterial agent. Due to the persistent and toxic nature of TCS, it is not completely degraded in the biological wastewater treatment process. In this research work, identification of TCS degrading bacteria from municipal wastewater sludge and applying the same as bioaugmentation treatment for wastewater have been reported. Based on the 16S rRNA analysis of wastewater sludge, it was found that Providencia rettgeri MB-IIT strain was active and able to grow in higher TCS concentration. The identified bacterial strain was able to use TCS as carbon and energy source for its growth. The biodegradation experiment was optimized for the operational parameters viz. pH (5-10), inoculum size (1-5% (v/v)) and different initial concentration (2, 5, and 10 mg/L) of TCS. During the TCS degradation process, manganese peroxidase (MnP) and laccase (LAC) enzyme activity and specific growth rate of P. rettgeri strain were maximum at pH=7% and 2% (v/v) inoculum size, resulting in 98% of TCS removal efficiency. A total of six intermediate products were identified from the Liquid chromatography-high-resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS) analysis, and the two mechanisms responsible for the degradation of TCS have been elucidated. The study highlights that P. rettgeri MB-IIT strain could be advantageously used to degrade triclosan present in the wastewater.
Topics: Biodegradation, Environmental; Providencia; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; Sewage; Triclosan; Water Pollutants, Chemical
PubMed: 34252677
DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2021.126430 -
Preparative Biochemistry & Biotechnology May 2024Oleaginous organisms accrue more than twenty percent of their biomass as lipids and hence are promising feedstocks for biodiesel production. In this study, lipid...
Oleaginous organisms accrue more than twenty percent of their biomass as lipids and hence are promising feedstocks for biodiesel production. In this study, lipid accumulating bacteria were isolated from diesel-contaminated soils and screened with Sudan black B stain. The most oleaginous was done using 16s rRNA gene sequencing. Lipid production was initially optimized based on media, nitrogen source, pH and temperature. Response surface methodology (RSM) was then employed for the enhancement of lipid weight and content. Obtained lipid was converted to biodiesel using direct transesterification, and both lipid and biodiesel were characterized using FTIR. A total of thirteen bacteria were isolated and the most prominent lipid producer was identified as with lab number BA6. Preliminary optimization studies revealed optimum lipid production when nutrient broth and acetic acid served as carbon source; KNO as nitrogen source, pH 7.0 and 30 °C. Optimization using RSM resulted in a 5.1% and 74.1% increase in the biomass and lipid content of BA6 respectively. FTIR analyses confirmed the presence of functional groups characteristic of lipids and biodiesel. is a novel oleaginous organism that represents a promising feedstock for biodiesel production.HIGHLIGHTSThe bacterium designated as BA6 identified as has the highest lipid contents of the oleaginous bacteria isolated.It accumulates lipids up to 47.73 % of its biomassThe percentage lipids accumulation increased to about 74 % when RSM was used. is being reported as an oleaginous organism for the first time.
PubMed: 38727011
DOI: 10.1080/10826068.2024.2344516 -
European Journal of Nuclear Medicine... May 2024Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic fibrosing interstitial lung disease with a poor prognosis. Ga-labeled FAP ligands exhibited highly promising results due...
UNLABELLED
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic fibrosing interstitial lung disease with a poor prognosis. Ga-labeled FAP ligands exhibited highly promising results due to the crucial role of activated fibroblasts in fibrosis imaging of the lung. However, F-labeled FAP ligands might provide qualitatively much higher imaging results with accompanying economic benefits due to large-scale production. Thus, we sought to investigate the potential of [F]FAPI-74 prospectively in a small patient cohort.
METHODS
Eight patients underwent both [F]FAPI-74-PET/CT and HRCT scans and were then compared with a control group without any fibrosing pulmonary disease. The tracer uptake of fibrotic lung areas was analyzed in synopsis with radiological and clinical parameters.
RESULTS
We observed a positive correlation between the fibrotic active volume, the Hounsfield scale, as well as the vital and diffusing capacity of the lung.
CONCLUSION
The initial results confirm our assumption that [F]FAPI-74 offers a viable non-invasive assessment method for pulmonary fibrotic changes in patients with IPF.
Topics: Humans; Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis; Positron Emission Tomography Computed Tomography; Male; Female; Aged; Middle Aged; Lung
PubMed: 38117298
DOI: 10.1007/s00259-023-06564-y -
Journal of Food Protection May 2022Providencia rettgeri is an opportunistic foodborne pathogen with a strong biofilm-forming ability in low-nutrition environments. However, information regarding the...
ABSTRACT
Providencia rettgeri is an opportunistic foodborne pathogen with a strong biofilm-forming ability in low-nutrition environments. However, information regarding the impact of simulated food processing conditions on P. rettgeri planktonic growth and biofilm formation is limited. Using response surface methodology (RSM), the combined effects of temperature (19 to 37°C), pH (5 to 9), and sodium chloride (NaCl) concentration (0.50 to 2.0%, w/v) were applied to construct planktonic growth and biofilm formation models for P. rettgeri. For both RSM models, an increase in NaCl concentration restricted P. rettgeri growth. Planktonic growth and biofilm formation were maximum at 27.83 and 25.41°C, respectively. Tannic acid (TA) is a highly effective antibacterial agent that inhibited planktonic and biofilm P. rettgeri under optimal growth conditions. The viability of P. rettgeri cells was decreased by TA treatment, which caused destruction of the cell membrane and production of endogenous reactive oxygen species. TA significantly inactivated P. rettgeri biofilms, as verified by observation. The obtained models in this study may be useful for describing the impact of temperature, pH, and NaCl concentration on the growth by P. rettgeri in the food processing environment and better understanding the impacts of food-related conditions on bacterial planktonic growth and biofilm formation. These results obtained for P. rettgeri planktonic cells and biofilms can provide a framework for removal strategies for other foodborne pathogens.
Topics: Biofilms; Plankton; Providencia; Sodium Chloride; Tannins
PubMed: 35271716
DOI: 10.4315/JFP-21-289 -
The Journal of Emergency Medicine Mar 2022The Proteeae group (i.e., Proteus species, Morganella morganii, and Providencia species) frequently causes urinary tract infections (UTIs) and is generally resistant to...
BACKGROUND
The Proteeae group (i.e., Proteus species, Morganella morganii, and Providencia species) frequently causes urinary tract infections (UTIs) and is generally resistant to nitrofurantoin. Proteeae species can produce urease, which can increase urine pH.
OBJECTIVE
Our aim was to determine whether higher urine pH in the emergency department is associated with nitrofurantoin resistance.
METHODS
A single health system database of emergency department patients aged 18 years and older who received urinalysis between April 18, 2014, and March 7, 2017, was examined using χ test and multivariable regression analysis.
RESULTS
Of 67,271 urine samples analyzed, 13,456 samples grew a single bacterial species. Urine cultures growing the Proteeae group were associated with significantly more alkaline urine than other bacteriuria cultures (odds ratio [OR] 2.20, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.06-2.36; p < 0.001). The Proteeae species represented 4.4% of urine samples at pH 5-7, 24.4% at pH 8-9, and 40.0% at pH 9. At urine pH 5-7, 80.4% of urine samples were sensitive to nitrofurantoin; however, this percentage decreased to 66.1% for urine pH 8-9 and 54.6% for urine pH 9. Nitrofurantoin had the highest OR (2.10, 95% CI 1.85-2.39) among cefazolin, ciprofloxacin, and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole for bacteriuria sensitive to those antibiotics at urine pH 5-7. At urine pH 8-9 and 9, nitrofurantoin had the lowest OR among the antibiotics: 0.48 (95% CI 0.42-0.54) and 0.31 (95% CI 0.24-0.40), respectively (p < 0.001 for both).
CONCLUSIONS
Urine pH of 8 or higher is associated with high rates of nitrofurantoin resistance.
Topics: Anti-Bacterial Agents; Bacteriuria; Emergency Service, Hospital; Female; Humans; Male; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Nitrofurantoin; Urinary Tract Infections
PubMed: 35000812
DOI: 10.1016/j.jemermed.2021.10.022