-
Frontiers in Toxicology 2023Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are persistent environmental contaminants that present several environmental risks including human health. The 16 priority PAHs...
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are persistent environmental contaminants that present several environmental risks including human health. The 16 priority PAHs including its 1-methylnaphthalene, and 2-methylnaphthalene were determined in sediment and fish samples () of River Owan, Edo State, Nigeria using gas chromatography (GC) equipped with flame ionization detector (FID) and other standard laboratory protocols. The isomeric ratio was used for source diagnosis, sediment quality guidelines, and risk models of incremental lifetime cancer were used for risk assessment. 1-methylnaphthalene and 2-methylnaphthalene were most predominant in all sediment samples analysed. The ∑LMW PAHs ranged between 0.093-0.250 μg/kg; ∑HMW PAHs were 0.107-0.579 μg/kg. The sediment samples range for ∑PAHs was 0.280-0.810 μg/kg with concentration order of increase: SE5>SE4>SE3>SE6>SE1>SE2>SE7 for the seven sampling locations. The ∑PAHs for was 0.190 μg/kg, which is higher than the value of 0.080 μg/kg, and these values were greatly lesser when compared to the European Commission limit of 12.00 μg/kg. The diagnostic ratio indicates that the sources are more pyrogenic than petrogenic, revealing combustion from grass, wood, and bush burning. Sediment quality assessment showed that the ∑PAHs were lower than the regulatory values of sediment quality guidelines (SQG) assessment suggesting no ecotoxicological effects on the benthic organisms in this area at present. The Incremental Life Cancer Risk results were in the range of 9.15 × 10-1.46 × 10 for children, and 7.78 × 10-1.76 × 10 for adults considering the three routes of exposure. The incremental life cancer risk assessment showed a negligible risk.
PubMed: 38090359
DOI: 10.3389/ftox.2023.1250943 -
Animals : An Open Access Journal From... Nov 2023Working dogs are at a high risk of canine non-pyrogenic hyperthermia, a life-threatening condition that can occur due to physical exertion or environmental factors that...
Working dogs are at a high risk of canine non-pyrogenic hyperthermia, a life-threatening condition that can occur due to physical exertion or environmental factors that inhibit dogs' ability to cool themselves. Two frequently recommended cooling methods to reduce body temperature are water immersion and the application of isopropyl alcohol to paw pads. This cross-over study compared the relative efficacy of these methods in 12 working-dogs-in-training with post-exertional heat stress. On each study day, dogs had a physical exam and performed a warm-up exercise followed by sequential recalls in which dogs ran approximately 25 m between two designated handlers for 10 min until they showed multiple signs of heat stress or their core temperature reached 105 °F (40.6 °C). Dogs' temperature and heart rate were collected after each recall. Dogs completed three study days, and each day, randomly received one of three interventions: passive cooling (no intervention), partial water immersion, or isopropyl alcohol. Post-intervention dogs rested for 20 min. Partial water immersion and isopropyl alcohol both cooled dogs more than no intervention, and water immersion cooled dogs more efficiently than isopropyl alcohol. Additionally, the application of isopropyl alcohol raised dogs' heart rates more than water immersion or no intervention, suggesting that the process of applying isopropyl alcohol is potentially stressful to dogs. Thus, partial water immersion is preferred to cool dogs post-exertion due to its more efficient cooling and better tolerance of use.
PubMed: 38067024
DOI: 10.3390/ani13233673 -
Cytokine Jan 2024Lung macrophages are the first line of defense against invading respiratory pathogens including SARS-CoV-2, yet activation of macrophage in the lungs can lead to...
Lung macrophages are the first line of defense against invading respiratory pathogens including SARS-CoV-2, yet activation of macrophage in the lungs can lead to hyperinflammatory immune response seen in severe COVID-19. Here we used human M1 and M2 polarized macrophages as a surrogate model of inflammatory and regulatory macrophages and explored whether immune complexes (IC) containing spike-specific IgG can trigger aberrant cytokine responses in macrophages in the lungs and associated lymph nodes. We show that IC of SARS-CoV-2 recombinant S protein coated with spike-specific monoclonal antibody induced production of Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) in non-polarized (M0) and in M1 and M2-type polarized human macrophages only in the presence of D-dimer (DD), a fibrinogen degradation product, associated with coagulopathy in COVID-19. Importantly, an increase in PGE2 was also observed in macrophages activated with DD and IC of SARS-CoV-2 pseudovirions coated with plasma from hospitalized COVID-19 patients but not from healthy subjects. Overall, the levels of PGE2 in macrophages activated with DD and IC were as follows: M1≫M2>M0 and correlated with the levels of spike binding antibodies and not with neutralizing antibody titers. All three macrophage subsets produced similar levels of IL-6 following activation with DD+IC, however TNFα, IL-1β, and IL-10 cytokines were produced by M2 macrophages only. Our study suggests that high titers of spike or virion containing IC in the presence of coagulation byproducts (DD) can promote inflammatory response in macrophages in the lungs and associated lymph nodes and contribute to severe COVID-19.
Topics: Humans; SARS-CoV-2; Antigen-Antibody Complex; Inflammation Mediators; Dinoprostone; COVID-19; Macrophages; Cytokines
PubMed: 38041875
DOI: 10.1016/j.cyto.2023.156447 -
The Science of the Total Environment Feb 2024In situ burning of marine oil spills reduces the total amount of oil in the environment, but a negative side effect may be the generation of environmentally hazardous...
In situ burning of marine oil spills reduces the total amount of oil in the environment, but a negative side effect may be the generation of environmentally hazardous polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) that may pose a risk for bioaccumulation, particularly in organisms having a high lipid content. In this study uptake of PAHs from oil and burn residue were examined in the high arctic copepod Calanus hyperboreus. A major part of the low ring number petrogenic PAHs in the oil was removed during burning and relative higher concentrations of pyrogenic high ring number PAHs was found in the burn residue. This suggests that burning markedly reduces the general PAH exposure load. Furthermore, the pyrogenic PAHs generated during the burn were not bioconcentrated to quantifiable levels in the copepods. We conclude that in situ burning can mitigate the potential risk of PAH uptake for copepods and other pelagic organisms in the marine environment as the pyrogenic PAHs only pose low risk for uptake from the water by the copepods and other pelagic organisms.
Topics: Animals; Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons; Petroleum Pollution; Copepoda; Water Pollutants, Chemical; Petroleum
PubMed: 38040369
DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.169015 -
Environmental Science & Technology Dec 2023Methane (CH) is the second most important greenhouse gas, 27 times as potent as CO and responsible for >30% of the current anthropogenic warming. Globally, more than...
Methane (CH) is the second most important greenhouse gas, 27 times as potent as CO and responsible for >30% of the current anthropogenic warming. Globally, more than half of CH is produced microbially through methanogenesis. Pyrogenic black carbon possesses a considerable electron storage capacity (ESC) and can be an electron donor or acceptor for abiotic and microbial redox transformation. Using wood-derived biochar as a model black carbon, we demonstrated that air-oxidized black carbon served as an electron acceptor to support anaerobic oxidation of organic substrates, thereby suppressing CH production. Black carbon-respiring bacteria were immediately active and outcompeted methanogens. Significant CH did not form until the bioavailable electron-accepting capacity of the biochar was exhausted. An experiment with labeled acetate (CHCOO) yielded 1:1 CH and CO without biochar and predominantly CO with biochar, indicating that biochar enabled anaerobic acetate oxidation at the expense of methanogenesis. Methanogens were enriched following acetate fermentation but only in the absence of biochar. The electron balance shows that approximately half (∼2.4 mmol/g) of biochar's ESC was utilized by the culture, corresponding to the portion of the ESC > +0.173 V (vs SHE). These results provide a mechanistic basis for quantifying the climate impact of black carbon and developing ESC-based applications to reduce CH emissions from biogenic sources.
Topics: Electrons; Carbon Dioxide; Charcoal; Oxidants; Methane; Acetates; Soil
PubMed: 38038997
DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c05830 -
Heliyon Nov 2023The impact of staphylococci on food poisoning and infections could be higher than previously reported. In this study, we characterised the occurrence and coexistence of...
The impact of staphylococci on food poisoning and infections could be higher than previously reported. In this study, we characterised the occurrence and coexistence of antimicrobial resistance and virulence genes of staphylococci isolates in foods. Staphylococci were isolated from 236 samples of selected street-vended foods and identified. The pattern of antimicrobial resistance and virulence genes in the staphylococci were assessed using disc diffusion, PCR and analysis of next-generation sequencing data. The food samples (70.76 %) showed a high prevalence of staphylococci and differed among the food categories. Forty-five species were identified and comprised coagulase-negative and positive species. (now ), . , . , . , . , . and . were the most abundant species. The staphylococcal isolates exhibited resistance to tetracycline, levofloxacin, ciprofloxacin, norfloxacin, gentamicin and amikacin and susceptibility to nitrofurantoin. Antimicrobial susceptibilities were also reported for cefoperazone, ceftriaxone, cefotaxime, nalidixic acid and piperacillin-tazobactam. The antimicrobial resistance and virulence genes commonly detected consisted of , , , , , , , , , and . . The isolates frequently exhibited multiple resistance (30.42 %) of up to eight antimicrobial drug classes. The isolates predominantly harboured genes that express efflux pump proteins (50.53 %) for antibiotic resistance compared with inactivation (10.05 %), target alteration (26.72 %), protection (7.67 %) and replacement (3.17 %). The virulence determinants comprised genes of pyrogenic toxin superantigens (, , ), adhesions (, , , , , , , , ) and genes that express exoproteins (nuclease, metalloprotease, γ-hemolysin, hyaluronate lyase). There was a statistically significant difference in the prevalence of staphylococci isolates and their antimicrobial resistance and virulence profile as revealed by the phenotypic, PCR and next-generation sequencing techniques. The findings suggest a higher health risk for consumers. We recommend a critical need for awareness and antimicrobial susceptibility and anti-virulence strategies to ensure food safety and counteract the spread of this clinically relevant genus.
PubMed: 38027608
DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e21584 -
Chemosphere Jan 2024The Tijuana River Estuary (TRE) has been a public health hazard and point of contention between the United States and Mexico for decades, with sources of pollution on...
The Tijuana River Estuary (TRE) has been a public health hazard and point of contention between the United States and Mexico for decades, with sources of pollution on both sides of the border. The goal of our study is to determine the presence and dynamics of chemical contamination in the TRE. We sampled sediment from four TRE locations in the U.S. during stable dry conditions and immediately after a wet weather period. Organic chemicals were initially screened with non-targeted analysis using gas chromatography high-resolution mass spectrometry (GC/HRMS) that tentatively identified 6978 chemicals in the NIST 20 database. These tentative identifications were filtered using the USEPA CompTox database to guide quantitative targeted analysis at detection limits below 1 ng/g dry weight sediment. Quantitative targeted analysis of 152 organic pollutants and 18 inorganic elements via GC/HRMS revealed generally higher concentrations of contaminants in dry weather sediments compared to wet weather sediments. The highest concentrations of all chemical classes were detected at the site closest to the U.S.-Mexico border, followed by an urban area near Imperial Beach, California, U.S. All sites exhibited a mixture of petrogenic and pyrogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Current-use pesticides were dominated by pyrethroid insecticides and the thiocarbamate herbicide s-Ethyl dipropylthiocarbamate (EPTC), while the U.S.-banned organochlorine pesticides were dominated by chlordanes, dieldrin, and dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) and its degradation byproducts. Polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) concentrations were greatest at the site closest to the U.S.-Mexico border but in the low nanogram-per-gram range. Phthalates were only found at the same site, with relatively high concentrations of bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate. This study provides positive identification and quantitative concentrations for organic pollutants in TRE sediments. Our data suggest that there are multiple sources of chemical contamination in the estuary, including possible transboundary movement of pollutants from Mexico.
Topics: United States; Rivers; Estuaries; Water Pollutants, Chemical; Mexico; Geologic Sediments; Environmental Pollutants; Pesticides; Herbicides; Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons; Environmental Monitoring
PubMed: 38000551
DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.140749 -
Environmental Science and Pollution... Dec 2023Pristine pyrogenic carbonaceous material (BRH) obtained from rice husk and modified with FeCl (BRH-FeCl) were prepared and explored as carbocatalysts for the activation...
Rice husk-based pyrogenic carbonaceous material efficiently promoted peroxymonosulfate activation toward the non-radical pathway for the degradation of pharmaceuticals in water.
Pristine pyrogenic carbonaceous material (BRH) obtained from rice husk and modified with FeCl (BRH-FeCl) were prepared and explored as carbocatalysts for the activation of peroxymonosulfate (PMS) to degrade a model pharmaceutical (acetaminophen, ACE) in water. The BRH-FeCl/PMS system removed the pharmaceutical faster than the BRH/PMS. This is explained because in BRH-FeCl, compared to BRH, the modification (iron played a role as a structuring agent mainly) increased the average pore diameter and the presence of functional groups such as -COO, -Si-O, or oxygen vacancies, which allowed to remove the pollutant through an adsorption process and significant carbocatalytic degradation. BRH-FeCl was reusable during four cycles and had a higher efficiency for activating PMS than another inorganic peroxide (peroxydisulfate, PDS). The effects of BRH-FeCl and PMS concentrations were evaluated and optimized through an experimental design, maximizing the ACE degradation. In the optimized system, a non-radical pathway (i.e., the action of singlet oxygen, from the interaction of PMS with defects and/or -COO/-Si-O moieties on the BRH-FeCl) was found. The BRH-FeCl/PMS system generated only one primary degradation product that was more susceptible to biodegradation and less active against living organisms than ACE. Also, the BRH-FeCl/PMS system induced partial removals of chemical oxygen demand and dissolved organic carbon. Furthermore, the carbocatalytic system eliminated ACE in a wide pH range and in simulated urine, having a low-moderate electric energy consumption, indicating the feasibility of the carbocatalytic process to treat water polluted with pharmaceuticals.
Topics: Oryza; Water; Peroxides; Pharmaceutical Preparations
PubMed: 37991611
DOI: 10.1007/s11356-023-30785-1 -
Heliyon Oct 2023Leptospirosis is a perplexing mystification for many clinicians. Clinically often underdiagnosed due to lack of a rapid, sensitive, and specific diagnostic test....
PURPOSE
Leptospirosis is a perplexing mystification for many clinicians. Clinically often underdiagnosed due to lack of a rapid, sensitive, and specific diagnostic test. Currently available diagnostic tests have their own limitations; therefore, monitoring biomarkers that contribute an essential role in pathogenesis is crucial. Herein, a pilot study was conducted to detect the presence of sphingomyelinase in urine of leptospirosis patients.
METHODS
Blood and urine samples were collected from 140 patients having febrile illness. Samples were analyzed through culturing, dark-field microscopy, detecting anti-leptospiral antibodies by MAT, IgM ELISA, Leptocheck-WB and screening for sphingomyelinase using a sphingomyelinase assay kit.
RESULTS
Out of 140 febrile illness patients, 22.14 % were tested leptospirosis, 33.57 % were dengue, 25 % scrub typhus, 18.57 % malaria and 0.71 % co-infection (dengue-leptospirosis). MAT seropositivity of 19.28 % (27/140) was confirmed with the highest agglutinant determined against serovar Icterohaemorrhagiae RGA followed by Autumnalis, Australis, and Pyrogens. IgM ELISA and Leptocheck-WB positivity was 16.42 % and 13.57 % respectively. Whereas culture and dark-field microscopy showed a sensitivity of 4.28 % and 2.1 %, respectively. Out of 31 confirmed cases of leptospirosis, sphingomyelinase was detected in the urine of 25 (80.64 %) patients, MAT positivity was seen in 87.09 % and culture positivity was seen in 12.90 % of cases.
CONCLUSION
Detection of sphingomyelinase in the urine of a leptospirosis patient and its absence in other febrile illnesses like dengue, malaria and scrub typhus establish evidence of secretion of sphingomyelinase in urine during leptospiral infection. Hence, sphingomyelinase could be used as a potential diagnostic biomarker to detect leptospirosis in a non-invasive way.
PubMed: 37916114
DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e21138 -
MedRxiv : the Preprint Server For... Jan 2024Early host immunity to acute respiratory infections (ARIs) is heterogenous, dynamic, and critical to an individual's infection outcome. Due to limitations in sampling...
BACKGROUND
Early host immunity to acute respiratory infections (ARIs) is heterogenous, dynamic, and critical to an individual's infection outcome. Due to limitations in sampling frequency/timepoints, kinetics of early immune dynamics in natural human infections remain poorly understood. In this nationwide prospective cohort study, we leveraged a self-blood collection tool (RNA) to profile detailed kinetics of the pre-symptomatic to convalescence host immunity to contemporaneous respiratory pathogens.
METHODS
We enrolled non-symptomatic adults with recent exposure to ARIs who subsequently tested negative (exposed-uninfected) or positive for respiratory pathogens. Participants self-collected blood and nasal swabs daily for seven consecutive days followed by weekly blood collection for up to seven additional weeks. Symptom burden was assessed during each collection. Nasal swabs were tested for SARS-CoV-2 and common respiratory pathogens. 92 longitudinal blood samples spanning the pre-shedding to post-acute phase of eight SARS-CoV-2-infected participants and 40 interval-matched samples from four exposed-uninfected participants were subjected to high-frequency longitudinal profiling of 773 host immune genes.
FINDINGS
Between June 2021 - April 2022, 68 participants across 26 U.S. states completed the study and self-collected a total of 691 and 466 longitudinal blood and nasal swab samples along with 688 symptom surveys. SARS-CoV-2 was detected in 17 out of 22 individuals with study-confirmed respiratory infection. With rapid dissemination of home self-collection kits, two and four COVID-19+ participants started collection prior to viral shedding and symptom onset, respectively, enabling us to profile detailed expression kinetics of the earliest blood transcriptional response to contemporaneous variants of concern. In pre-shedding samples, we observed transient but robust expression of T-cell response signatures, transcription factor complexes, prostaglandin biosynthesis genes, pyrogenic cytokines, and cytotoxic granule genes. This is followed by a rapid induction of many interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs), concurrent to onset of viral shedding and increase in nasal viral load. Finally, we observed increased expression of host defense peptides (HDPs) in exposed-uninfected individuals over the 4-week observational window.
INTERPRETATION
We demonstrated that unsupervised self-collection and stabilization of capillary blood can be applied to natural infection studies to characterize detailed early host immune kinetics at a temporal resolution comparable to that of human challenge studies. The remote (decentralized) study framework enables conduct of large-scale population-wide longitudinal mechanistic studies. Expression of cytotoxic/T-cell signatures in pre-shedding samples preceding expansion of innate ISGs suggests a potential role for T-cell mediated pathogen control during early infection. Elevated expression of HDPs in exposed-uninfected individuals warrants further validation studies to assess their potential role in protective immunity during pathogen exposure.
FUNDING
This study was funded by R35GM128648 to ABT for in-lab developments of RNA, Packard Fellowship from the David and Lucile Packard Foundation to ABT, and R01AI153087 to AW.
PubMed: 37873251
DOI: 10.1101/2023.10.12.23296835