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Infection and Drug Resistance 2024To analyze bacterial distribution and antibiotic resistance in clinical specimens from a Chinese hospital for evaluating environmental factors' impact on pathogen...
Investigating the Distribution and Antibiotic Resistance of Bacterial Pathogens in Clinical Specimens from a Chinese Maternal and Child Hospital: The Role of Environmental Factors.
OBJECTIVE
To analyze bacterial distribution and antibiotic resistance in clinical specimens from a Chinese hospital for evaluating environmental factors' impact on pathogen prevalence.
METHODS
From January 2017 to December 2021, we collected 42,854 clinical specimens from hospitalized children and women. The specimens were cultured on various agar plates and incubated at 35°C for 18-48 h. Their identification was performed using standard biochemical methods and Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF), whereas antibiotic susceptibilities were determined using the VITEK 2 system. Concurrent environmental data from Wuhan were analyzed for correlations with pathogen prevalence using multiple linear stepwise regression.
RESULTS
Of the 24,555 bacterial strains isolated, the majority were gram-positive, and sputum was the most common specimen type. and were the most prevalent pathogens in sputum and urine samples, respectively. Notably, and affected children under 6 years of age the most. Furthermore, showed high ampicillin resistance but low cefotaxime resistance; was sensitive to penicillin G, and was resistant to ampicillin but sensitive to cefotetan. The prevalence of multidrug-resistant organisms was below national averages. In terms of seasonality, peaked during late winter and early spring, and environmental analysis indicated positive correlations between PM2.5 and PM10, and and prevalence. In addition, NO levels were positively correlated with increased and prevalence; prevalence was negatively correlated with ozone levels.
CONCLUSION
This study provides valuable insights into the distribution and antibiotic resistance patterns of bacterial pathogens in maternal and child healthcare facilities in Wuhan, China. Environmental factors significantly influence the epidemiology of certain bacterial pathogens. Implementing integrated health strategies that combine microbial surveillance with environmental monitoring is needed to effectively manage and prevent bacterial infections.
PubMed: 38854782
DOI: 10.2147/IDR.S468419 -
ACS Omega Jun 2024This study investigated the efficacy of low-dose ozone microbubble solution and conventional aqueous ozone as inactivation agents against Tulane virus samples in water...
This study investigated the efficacy of low-dose ozone microbubble solution and conventional aqueous ozone as inactivation agents against Tulane virus samples in water over a short period of time. Noroviruses are the primary cause of foodborne illnesses in the US, and the development of effective inactivation agents is crucial. Ozone has a high oxidizing ability and naturally decomposes to oxygen, but it has limitations due to its low dissolution rate, solubility, and stability. Ozone microbubbles have been promising in enhancing inactivation, but little research has been done on their efficacy against noroviruses. The study examined the influence of the dissolved ozone concentration, inactivation duration, and presence of organic matter during inactivation. The results showed that ozone microbubbles had a longer half-life (14 ± 0.81 min) than aqueous ozone (3 ± 0.35 min). After 2, 10, and 20 min postgeneration, the ozone concentration of microbubbles naturally decreased from 4 ppm to 3.2 ± 0.2, 2.26 ± 0.19, and 1.49 ± 0.23 ppm and resulted in 1.43 ± 0.44, 0.88 ± 0.5, and 0.68 ± 0.53 log viral reductions, respectively, while the ozone concentration of aqueous ozone decreased from 4 ppm to 2.52 ± 0.07, 0.43 ± 0.05, and 0.09 ± 0.01 ppm and produced 0.8 ± 0.28, 0.29 ± 0.41, and 0.16 ± 0.21 log reductions against Tulane virus, respectively ( = 0.0526), suggesting that structuring of ozone in the bubbles over the applied treatment conditions did not have a significant effect, though future study with continuous generation of ozone microbubbles is needed.
PubMed: 38854534
DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.3c08396 -
Cureus May 2024Cervical intervertebral disc herniation is a common condition and most often presents as neck or upper limb pain causing varying levels of disability and dysfunction.... (Review)
Review
Cervical intervertebral disc herniation is a common condition and most often presents as neck or upper limb pain causing varying levels of disability and dysfunction. Percutaneous injection of ozone into the intradiscal space is a novel and minimally invasive technique for managing this condition and can be an effective alternative to surgical management. A literature search was done using the keywords ozone disc nucleolysis of cervical intervertebral lesions, and five studies were selected based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Meta-analysis was performed to determine safety, effectiveness, and symptomatic relief (determined based on the visual analog scale (VAS)) with the publication bias being removed. Subjects treated with ozone therapy showed significant reduction (p < 0.0001) in VAS score as compared to baseline VAS score with a standardized mean difference of 2.78 (95% CI = 1.48 to 4.07; Z value = 4.20). Ozone nucleolysis is a minimally invasive, relatively safe, and optimally effective treatment option for reducing the pain related to cervical disc. Intradiscal ozone therapy can be considered an alternative treatment modality, and well-designed, randomized clinical trials are required to confirm the long-term superiority of ozone therapy against other treatment modalities available for cervical disc herniation.
PubMed: 38854278
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.59855 -
Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology :... Dec 2024Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) can have negative effects on both the pregnancy and perinatal outcomes, as well as the long-term health of the mother and the child....
BACKGROUND
Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) can have negative effects on both the pregnancy and perinatal outcomes, as well as the long-term health of the mother and the child. It has been suggested that exposure to air pollution may increase the risk of developing GDM. This study investigated the relationship between exposure to air pollutants with gestational diabetes.
METHODS
The present study is a retrospective cohort study. We used data from a randomised community trial conducted between September 2016 and January 2019 in Iran. During this period, data on air pollutant levels of five cities investigated in the original study, including 6090 pregnant women, were available. Concentrations of ozone (O), nitric oxide (NO), nitrogen dioxide (NO), nitrogen oxides (NOx), sulphur dioxide (SO), carbon monoxide (CO), particulate matter < 2.5 (PM) or <10 μm (PM) were obtained from air pollution monitoring stations. Exposure to air pollutants during the three months preceding pregnancy and the first, second and third trimesters of pregnancy for each participant was estimated. The odds ratio was calculated based on logistic regression in three adjusted models considering different confounders. Only results that had a < .05 were considered statistically significant.
RESULTS
None of the logistic regression models showed any statistically significant relationship between the exposure to any of the pollutants and GDM at different time points (before pregnancy, in the first, second and third trimesters of pregnancy and 12 months in total) ( > .05). Also, none of the adjusted logistic regression models showed any significant association between PM exposure and GDM risk at all different time points after adjusting for various confounders ( > .05).
CONCLUSIONS
This study found no association between GDM risk and exposure to various air pollutants before and during the different trimesters of pregnancy. This result should be interpreted cautiously due to the lack of considering all of the potential confounders.
Topics: Humans; Female; Pregnancy; Diabetes, Gestational; Air Pollution; Retrospective Studies; Adult; Air Pollutants; Iran; Particulate Matter; Nitrogen Dioxide; Logistic Models; Ozone; Maternal Exposure; Environmental Exposure; Risk Factors
PubMed: 38853776
DOI: 10.1080/01443615.2024.2362962 -
Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety Jul 2024Air pollution is widely acknowledged as a significant risk factor for human health, especially reproductive health. Nevertheless, many studies have disregarded the...
Air pollution is widely acknowledged as a significant risk factor for human health, especially reproductive health. Nevertheless, many studies have disregarded the potentially mixed effects of air pollutants on reproductive outcomes. We performed a retrospective cohort study involving 8048 women with 9445 cycles undergoing In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) and Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI) in China, from 2017 to 2021. A land-use random forest model was applied to estimate daily residential exposure to air pollutants, including sulfur dioxide (SO), nitrogen dioxide (NO), carbon monoxide (CO), ozone (O), and fine particulate matter (PM). Individual and joint associations between air pollutants and oocyte-related outcomes of ART were evaluated. In 90 days prior to oocyte pick-up to oocyte pick-up (period A), NO, O and CO was negatively associated with total oocyte yield. In the 90 days prior to oocyte pick-up to start of gonadotropin medication (Gn start, period B), there was a negative dose-dependent association of exposure to five air pollutants with total oocyte yield and mature oocyte yield. In Qgcomp analysis, increasing the multiple air pollutants mixtures by one quartile was related to reducing the number of oocyte pick-ups by -2.00 % (95 %CI: -2.78 %, -1.22 %) in period A, -2.62 % (95 %CI: -3.40 %, -1.84 %) in period B, and -0.98 % (95 %CI: -1.75 %, -0.21 %) in period C. During period B, a 1-unit increase in the WQS index of multiple air pollutants exposure was associated with fewer number of total oocyte (-1.27 %, 95 %CI: -2.16 %, -0.36 %) and mature oocyte (-1.42 %, 95 %CI: -2.41 %, -0.43 %). O and NO were major contributors with adverse effects on the mixed associations. Additionally, period B appears to be the susceptible window. Our study implies that exposure to air pollution adversely affects oocyte-related outcomes, which raises concerns about the potential adverse impact of air pollution on women's reproductive health.
Topics: Female; Humans; Air Pollutants; Retrospective Studies; Oocytes; Adult; China; Reproductive Techniques, Assisted; Air Pollution; Ozone; Particulate Matter; Environmental Exposure; Fertilization in Vitro; Cohort Studies; Nitrogen Dioxide
PubMed: 38852468
DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2024.116525 -
Asian Journal of Surgery Jun 2024
PubMed: 38851962
DOI: 10.1016/j.asjsur.2024.05.190 -
Environmental Epigenetics 2024Ozone exposure induces a myriad of adverse cardiopulmonary outcomes in humans. Although advanced age and chronic disease are factors that may exacerbate a person's...
Ozone exposure induces a myriad of adverse cardiopulmonary outcomes in humans. Although advanced age and chronic disease are factors that may exacerbate a person's negative response to ozone exposure, there are no molecular biomarkers of susceptibility. Here, we examine whether epigenetic age acceleration (EAA) is associated with responsiveness to short-term ozone exposure. Using data from a crossover-controlled exposure study ( = 17), we examined whether EAA, as measured in lung epithelial cells collected 24 h after clean air exposure, modifies the observed effect of ozone on autonomic function, cardiac electrophysiology, hemostasis, pulmonary function, and inflammation. EAA was assessed in lung epithelial cells extracted from bronchoalveolar lavage fluids, using the pan-tissue aging clock. We used two analytic approaches: (i) median regression to estimate the association between EAA and the estimated risk difference for subclinical responses to ozone and (ii) a block randomization approach to estimate EAA's effect modification of subclinical responses. For both approaches, we calculated Fisher-exact -values, allowing us to bypass large sample size assumptions. In median regression analyses, accelerated epigenetic age modified associations between ozone and heart rate-corrected QT interval (QTc) ([Formula: see text]= 0.12, -value = 0.007) and between ozone and C-reactive protein ([Formula: see text] = -0.18, = 0.069). During block randomization, the directions of association remained consistent for QTc and C-reactive protein; however, the -values weakened. Block randomization also revealed that responsiveness of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) to ozone exposure was modified by accelerated epigenetic aging (PAI-1 difference between accelerated aging-defined block groups = -0.54, -value = 0.039). In conclusion, EAA is a potential biomarker for individuals with increased susceptibility to ozone exposure even among young, healthy adults.
PubMed: 38846065
DOI: 10.1093/eep/dvae007 -
Heliyon Jun 2024Substances like asbestos and other air pollutants, such as BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene), are hazardous compounds due to their adverse effects on...
Substances like asbestos and other air pollutants, such as BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene), are hazardous compounds due to their adverse effects on human health. This study aims to investigate the levels, seasonal variations, spatial distribution, potential sources, and associated health risks associated with BTEX compounds and asbestos fibers in the ambient air of Tabriz. Air samples were taken at 16 different locations during the 2020-2021 period. Glass containers with charcoal were used for sample collection, and the BTEX content was determined using the GC-FID method. Phase-contrast microscopy (PCM) analysis was conducted with a low-volume peripheral pump for asbestos fiber sampling. The results showed that the average concentration of ∑BTEX was 37.94 and 27.98 μg/m in autumn and spring, respectively. The same parameter was 2.26 and 1.68 f/L for asbestos in the autumn and winter, respectively. The contribution of BTEX to ozone formation potential (OFP) in the research area showed that xylene and toluene were the major contributors to ozone production in different seasons. The risk of exposure to benzene compounds was 24 × 10 in children and 55.9 × 10 in adults, while the risk of exposure to ethylbenzene was 3.78 × 10 in children and 3.25 × 10 in adults. The estimated lifetime cancer risk was found to be the highest for benzene, followed by ethylbenzene. The estimated cancer risk for benzene and ethylbenzene exceeded the threshold values set by EPA, which signals a significant carcinogenic risk due to exposure to these substances in the ambient air of Tabriz. According to the EPA guidelines, the low carcinogenicity risk levels are between 10 and 10. According to the findings for the exposure to asbestos fibers, the maximum values of excess cancer risk (ECR) and estimated lifetime cancer risk (ELCR) were observed in the 16-30 age range across all locations, suggesting increased exposure to asbestos fibers compared to other age groups.
PubMed: 38845947
DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e31640 -
Journal of Environmental Management Jul 2024This work presents a novel advanced oxidation process (AOP) for degradation of emerging organic pollutants - benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylenes (BTEXs) in water....
This work presents a novel advanced oxidation process (AOP) for degradation of emerging organic pollutants - benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylenes (BTEXs) in water. A comparative study was performed for sonocavitation assisted ozonation under 40-120 kHz and 80-200 kHz dual frequency ultrasounds (DFUS). Based on the obtained results, the combination of 40-120 kHz i.e., low-frequency US (LFDUS) with O exhibited excellent oxidation capacity degrading 99.37-99.69% of BTEXs in 40 min, while 86.09-91.76% of BTEX degradation was achieved after 60 min in 80-200 kHz i.e., high-frequency US (HFDUS) combined with O. The synergistic indexes determined using degradation rate constants were found as 7.86 and 2.9 for LFDUS/O and HFDUS/O processes, respectively. The higher extend of BTEX degradation in both processes was observed at pH 6.5 and 10. Among the reactive oxygen species (ROSs), hydroxyl radicals (HO) were found predominant according to scavenging tests, singlet oxygen also importantly contributed in degradation, while O radicals had a minor contribution. Sulfate (SO) ions demonstrated higher inhibitory effect compared to chloride (Cl) and carbonate (CO) ions in both processes. Degradation pathways of BTEX was proposed based on the intermediates identified using GC-MS technique.
Topics: Ozone; Xylenes; Benzene Derivatives; Benzene; Water Pollutants, Chemical; Toluene; Oxidation-Reduction; Water; Reactive Oxygen Species; Water Purification
PubMed: 38843727
DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.121343 -
Journal of Radiation Research Jun 2024Radioresistance is increasingly developed in esophageal cancer. Increasing radiation sensitivity can reduce the mortality of esophageal cancer. To investigate the effect...
Radioresistance is increasingly developed in esophageal cancer. Increasing radiation sensitivity can reduce the mortality of esophageal cancer. To investigate the effect and mechanism of ozone on the radiotherapy sensitization of esophageal carcinoma. KYSE150 cells were xenografted subcutaneously into nude mice and irradiated with 8 Gy radiation according to different subgroups (sham, radiation, ozone and radiation+ozone group (n = 10 per group)). Half of the mice were used to determine the body weight, tumor size and tumor weight. Half of the mice were used to collect peripheral blood. The serum was centrifuged to detect circulating cell-free DNA (cf-DNA), interleukin-6 (IL-6), interferon-γ (IFN-γ), myeloperoxidase (MPO)-DNA complexes, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) and hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) using commercial kits. The levels of phosphorylation AMP-activated protein kinase (p-AMPK) and scavenger receptor-A (SR-A) were measured by immunocytochemistry and Western blotting in the tumor tissues of mice. Ozone alone or combined with radiation therapy significantly reduced the body weight, tumor volume and tumor weight of esophageal cancer compared to the sham group. The ELISA results showed that the levels of cf-DNA, IFN-γ, MPO-DNA complexes, TNF-α, IL-6, HIF-1α and MMP-9 in the peripheral blood of mice treated with ozone combined with radiation were significantly lower compared with the radiation group. Ozone, synergistically with radiation, significantly increased the protein expression of p-AMPK and SR-A. Ozone may increase the radiosensitivity of esophageal cancer by inhibiting neutrophil extracellular traps.
PubMed: 38842109
DOI: 10.1093/jrr/rrae041