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Evidence-based characterization of the diagnostic and prognostic value of the hematological and immunological markers related to the epidemic of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is critical to understand the clinical course of the infection and to assess in development and validation of biomarkers. Based on systematic search in Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, and Science Direct up to April 22, 2020, a total of 52 eligible articles with 6,320 laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 cohorts were included. Pairwise comparison between severe versus mild disease, Intensive Care Unit (ICU) versus general ward admission and expired versus survivors were performed for 36 laboratory parameters. The pooled standardized mean difference (SMD) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated using the DerSimonian Laird method/random effects model and converted to the Odds ratio (OR). The decision tree algorithm was employed to identify the key risk factor(s) attributed to severe COVID-19 disease. Cohorts with elevated levels of white blood cells (WBCs) (OR = 1.75), neutrophil count (OR = 2.62), D-dimer (OR = 3.97), prolonged prothrombin time (PT) (OR = 1.82), fibrinogen (OR = 3.14), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (OR = 1.60), procalcitonin (OR = 4.76), IL-6 (OR = 2.10), and IL-10 (OR = 4.93) had higher odds of progression to severe phenotype. Decision tree model (sensitivity = 100%, specificity = 81%) showed the high performance of neutrophil count at a cut-off value of more than 3.74x109/L for identifying patients at high risk of severe COVID-19. Likewise, ICU admission was associated with higher levels of WBCs (OR = 5.21), neutrophils (OR = 6.25), D-dimer (OR = 4.19), and prolonged PT (OR = 2.18). Patients with high IL-6 (OR = 13.87), CRP (OR = 7.09), D-dimer (OR = 6.36), and neutrophils (OR = 6.25) had the highest likelihood of mortality. Several hematological and immunological markers, in particular neutrophilic count, could be helpful to be included within the routine panel for COVID-19 infection evaluation to ensure risk stratification and effective management.

Recent achievements, based on lead (Pb) halide perovskites, have prompted comprehensive research on low-cost photovoltaics, in order to avoid the major challenges that arise in this respect: Stability and toxicity. In this study, device modelling of lead (Pb)-free perovskite solar cells has been carried out considering methyl ammonium tin bromide (CH3NH3SnBr3) as perovskite absorber layer. The perovskite structure has been justified theoretically by Goldschmidt tolerance factor and the octahedral factor. Numerical modelling tools were used to investigate the effects of amphoteric defect and interface defect states on the photovoltaic parameters of CH3NH3SnBr3-based perovskite solar cell. The study identifies the density of defect tolerance in the absorber layer, and that both the interfaces are 1015 cm−3, and 1014 cm−3, respectively. Furthermore, the simulation evaluates the influences of metal work function, uniform donor density in the electron transport layer and the impact of series resistance on the photovoltaic parameters of proposed n-TiO2/i-CH3NH3SnBr3/p-NiO solar cell. Considering all the optimization parameters, CH3NH3SnBr3-based perovskite solar cell exhibits the highest efficiency of 21.66% with the Voc of 0.80 V, Jsc of 31.88 mA/cm2 and Fill Factor of 84.89%. These results divulge the development of environmentally friendly methyl ammonium tin bromide perovskite solar cell.

Treatment of uncontrolled asthma with dupilumab, an anti–interleukin-4 and anti–interleukin-13 receptor monoclonal antibody, in addition to usual therapy, led to a rate of severe exacerbations that was approximately 50% lower than the rate with placebo.

Patients with chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) generally have a high symptom burden and poor health-related quality of life, often requiring recurring systemic corticosteroid use and repeated sinus surgery. Dupilumab is a fully human monoclonal antibody that inhibits signalling of interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-13, key drivers of type 2 inflammation, and has been approved for use in atopic dermatitis and asthma. In these two studies, we aimed to assess efficacy and safety of dupilumab in patients with CRSwNP despite previous treatment with systemic corticosteroids, surgery, or both. LIBERTY NP SINUS-24 and LIBERTY NP SINUS-52 were two multinational, multicentre, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group studies assessing dupilumab added to standard of care in adults with severe CRSwNP. SINUS-24 was done in 67 centres in 13 countries, and SINUS-52 was done in 117 centres in 14 countries. Eligible patients were 18 years or older with bilateral CRSwNP and symptoms despite intranasal corticosteroid use, receiving systemic corticosteroids in the preceding 2 years, or having had sinonasal surgery. Patients in SINUS-24 were randomly assigned (1:1) to subcutaneous dupilumab 300 mg or placebo every 2 weeks for 24 weeks. Patients in SINUS-52 were randomly assigned (1:1:1) to dupilumab 300 mg every 2 weeks for 52 weeks, dupilumab every 2 weeks for 24 weeks and then every 4 weeks for the remaining 28 weeks, or placebo every 2 weeks for 52 weeks. All patients were randomly assigned centrally with a permuted block randomisation schedule. Randomisation was stratified by asthma or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug-exacerbated respiratory disease status at screening, previous surgery at screening, and country. Patients with or without comorbid asthma were included. Coprimary endpoints were changes from baseline to week 24 in nasal polyp score (NPS), nasal congestion or obstruction, and sinus Lund-Mackay CT scores (a coprimary endpoint in Japan), done in an intention-to-treat population. Safety was assessed in a pooled population of both dupilumab groups in SINUS-52 up to week 24 and the dupilumab group in SINUS-24 and the placebo groups in both studies until week 24. The trials are complete and registered at ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02912468 and NCT02898454. Between Dec 5, 2016, and Aug 3, 2017, 276 patients were enrolled in SINUS-24, with 143 in the dupilumab group and 133 in the placebo group receiving at least one study drug dose. Between Nov 28, 2016, and Aug 28, 2017, 448 patients were enrolled in SINUS-52, with 150 receiving at least one dose of dupilumab every 2 weeks, 145 receiving at least one dose of dupilumab every 2 weeks for 24 weeks and every 4 weeks until week 52, and 153 receiving at least one dose of placebo. Dupilumab significantly improved the coprimary endpoints in both studies. At 24 weeks, least squares mean difference in NPS of dupilumab treatment versus placebo was −2·06 (95% CI −2·43 to −1·69; p<0·0001) in SINUS-24 and −1·80 (−2·10 to −1·51; p<0·0001) in SINUS-52; difference in nasal congestion or obstruction score was −0·89 (−1·07 to −0·71; p<0·0001) in SINUS-24 and −0·87 (−1·03 to −0·71; p<0·0001) in SINUS-52; and difference in Lund-Mackay CT scores was −7·44 (−8·35 to −6·53; p<0·0001) in SINUS-24 and −5·13 (−5·80 to −4·46; p<0·0001) in SINUS-52. The most common adverse events (nasopharyngitis, worsening of nasal polyps and asthma, headache, epistaxis, and injection-site erythema) were more frequent with placebo. In adult patients with severe CRSwNP, dupilumab reduced polyp size, sinus opacification, and severity of symptoms and was well tolerated. These results support the benefits of adding dupilumab to daily standard of care for patients with severe CRSwNP who otherwise have few therapeutic options. Sanofi and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals.

The increasing prevalence of infections due to multidrug-resistant (MDR) gram-negative bacteria constitutes a serious threat to global public health due to the limited treatment options available and the historically slow pace of development of new antimicrobial agents. Infections due to MDR strains are associated with increased morbidity and mortality and prolonged hospitalization, which translates to a significant burden on healthcare systems. In particular, MDR strains of Enterobacteriaceae (especially Klebsiella pneumoniae and Escherichia coli ), Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Acinetobacter baumannii have emerged as particularly serious concerns. In the United States, MDR strains of these organisms have been reported from hospitals throughout the country and are not limited to a small subset of hospitals. Factors that have contributed to the persistence and spread of MDR gram-negative bacteria include the following: overuse of existing antimicrobial agents, which has led to the development of adaptive resistance mechanisms by bacteria; a lack of good antimicrobial stewardship such that use of multiple broad-spectrum agents has helped perpetuate the cycle of increasing resistance; and a lack of good infection control practices. The rising prevalence of infections due to MDR gram-negative bacteria presents a significant dilemma in selecting empiric antimicrobial therapy in seriously ill hospitalized patients. A prudent initial strategy is to initiate treatment with a broad-spectrum regimen pending the availability of microbiological results allowing for targeted or narrowing of therapy. Empiric therapy with newer agents that exhibit good activity against MDR gram-negative bacterial strains such as tigecycline, ceftolozane-tazobactam, ceftazidime–avibactam, and others in the development pipeline offer promising alternatives to existing agents.

Nitrogen-doped ZnO and TiO 2 nanoparticles supported on GAC were simulated and characterized. Various techniques including SEM, EDX, XPS, Raman, and DRS were employed to confirm both the successful nitrogen doping and the effective immobilization of ZnO and TiO₂ particles onto the GAC substrate. The resulting N-ZnO/AC and N-TiO 2 /AC catalysts were applied in the photo-degradation of ammonia and phenol within a semi-continuous flow photocatalytic reactor. Photocatalytic activity assessments were performed on both catalysts with flow rate and pH variations. These investigations indicated that the optimal degradation of both contaminants occurred at 8 L/min flowrate and a moderate pH level. To comprehensively evaluate the impact of various independent parameters on degradation efficiency, Response Surface Methodology (RSM) was applied. Optimization of the UV/Catalyst/H 2 O 2 process for the N-ZnO/AC catalyst was conducted using a Box-Behnken design. The predicted photo-degradation efficiency for both ammonia and phenol were found in excellent agreement. Optimization process revealed that the maximum photo-degradation efficiency was achieved under specific conditions: 120 min of irradiation time, 0.86 g L − 1 catalyst dose, an H 2 O 2 concentration of 45 mM, an initial ammonia concentration of 96.55 ppm, and an initial phenol concentration of 10 ppm.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has risen as the villain of cancer-related death globally, with a usual cruel forecasting. Sorafenib was officially approved by the FDA as first-line treatment for advanced HCC. Despite the brilliant promise revealed in research, actual clinical results are limited due to the widespread appearance of drug resistance. The tumor microenvironment (TME) has been correlated to pharmacological resistance, implying that existing cellular level strategies may be insufficient to improve therapy success. The role of autophagy in cancer is a two-edged sword. On one hand, autophagy permits malignant cells to overcome stress, such as hypoxic TME and therapy-induced starvation. Autophagy, on the other hand, plays an important role in damage suppression, which can reduce carcinogenesis. As a result, controlling autophagy is certainly a viable technique in cancer therapy. The goal of this study was to investigate at the impact of autophagy manipulation with sorafenib therapy by analyzing autophagy induction and inhibition to sorafenib monotherapy in rats with HCC. Western blot, ELISA, immunohistochemistry, flow cytometry, and quantitative-PCR were used to investigate autophagy, apoptosis, and the cell cycle. Routine biochemical and pathological testing was performed. Ultracellular features and autophagic entities were observed using a transmission electron microscope (TEM). Both regimens demonstrated significant reductions in chemotherapeutic resistance and hepatoprotective effects. According to the findings, both autophagic inhibitors and inducers are attractive candidates for combating sorafenib-induced resistance in HCC.

Radio frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering was used to deposit tungsten disulfide (WS 2 ) thin films on top of soda lime glass substrates. The deposition power of RF magnetron sputtering varied at 50, 100, 150, 200, and 250 W to investigate the impact on film characteristics and determine the optimized conditions for suitable application in thin-film solar cells. Morphological, structural, and opto-electronic properties of as-grown films were investigated and analyzed for different deposition powers. All the WS 2 films exhibited granular morphology and consisted of a rhombohedral phase with a strong preferential orientation toward the (101) crystal plane. Polycrystalline ultra-thin WS 2 films with bandgap of 2.2 eV, carrier concentration of 1.01 × 10 19  cm −3 , and resistivity of 0.135 Ω-cm were successfully achieved at RF deposition power of 200 W. The optimized WS 2 thin film was successfully incorporated as a window layer for the first time in CdTe/WS 2 solar cell. Initial investigations revealed that the newly incorporated WS 2 window layer in CdTe solar cell demonstrated photovoltaic conversion efficiency of 1.2% with V oc of 379 mV, J sc of 11.5 mA/cm 2 , and FF of 27.1%. This study paves the way for WS 2 thin film as a potential window layer to be used in thin-film solar cells.

Concerns over food safety issues during the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) have sparked worldwide interest. Being part of a farm-to-fork food safety chain, food handlers at home are the final line of defense in reducing foodborne diseases. The present study used a cross-sectional survey to investigate the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of women food handlers in Jordan. The survey investigated the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on women who handle food at home in terms of food safety KAP. One thousand one hundred twenty-six respondents completed a food safety questionnaire during the COVID-19 pandemic. With a mean score of 22.1 points out of 42, the results showed that women who handle food in their houses had insufficient knowledge, negative attitudes, and incorrect practices concerning food safety. The respondents demonstrated high knowledge, attitudes, and practices in the personal hygiene, cleaning and sanitation areas (≥ 60.0%). On the other hand, participants’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding contamination prevention, health issues that would affect food safety, symptoms of foodborne illnesses, safe storage, thawing, cooking, keeping, and reheating of foods, as well as COVID-19 were all low (< 60.0%). The correlations between participants’ total food safety KAP scores and education, age, experience, region, and the pandemic effect on food safety were statistically significant (P ≤ 0.05). To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first conducted in Jordan to investigate food safety knowledge, attitudes, and practices by women handling food at home during the COVID-19 pandemic.