Effect of chitosan-based bio coating on mechanical, structural and physical characteristics of microfiber based paper packaging: An alternative to wood pulp/plastic packaging

Limnocharis flava is a noxious aquatic weed that poses a threat to paddy cultivation. The high cellulose and low lignin contents in this plant make it a potential raw material for papermaking. Against this backdrop, this study was taken up to develop Limnocharis flava (LF) based sheets containing natural fibres from Banana (B), Pineapple (P), and Rice Straw (RS) as reinforcing agents. The influence of carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) as a binder on the LF-based sheets was also studied. To enhance the mechanical and moisture resistance properties, a chitosan coating was provided to the sheets. Analytical tests for mechanical properties, water barrier properties, functional groups, structure and microstructure, thermal properties and biodegradability were performed. Among the samples, LF + B showed the highest tensile strength (34.86 Mpa) and bursting strength (13.055 kg/cm2), while LF + R had higher puncture and tearing strengths. Chitosan coating was found to enhance the sheets and improve the water barrier properties mechanically. The contact angle of LF + B increased from 91.6° to 110.65°, while the water vapour transmission rate of LF reduced from 532.18 to 404.47 on providing chitosan coating. The significant interactions of reinforcing agents were confirmed by the results of FTIR and that of the coating by the SEM micrographs. The LF-based sheets were also found to have decent thermal stability. The high value of the crystallinity index in LF + R samples supported their remarkable mechanical properties. This study proclaims the notable suitability of Limnocharis flava in manufacturing paper for packaging applications.

Pharmacist-driven antimicrobial stewardship interventions in patients with COVID-19: a scoping review

BACKGROUND

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a highly infectious disease that can be treated with antivirals in addition to other antimicrobials in cases of secondary or concomitant infections. This creates potential for antimicrobials misuse, which increases antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Pharmacists are known to undertake prominent roles in combatting AMR.

AIM

The aim of this review was to characterize pharmacist-driven interventions that have been performed in patients with COVID-19 globally and describe their impact on antimicrobial use.

METHOD

We followed the Joanna Briggs Institutes manual framework for scoping reviews in our study. Studies that reported antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) interventions performed by pharmacists in COVID-19 patients were included. Articles that did not report outcomes or did not mention pharmacists in the intervention were excluded. Restrictions included English-only articles from inception date until June 2022. Articles were searched from four databases.

RESULTS

Eleven publications were included in the review. The most common AMS intervention was pharmacist-driven interventions reported in 63.2% of all studies, followed by guideline development and application (26.3%), and medication supply coordination (10.5%), respectively. The outcomes of the interventions were difficult to compare but showed a reduction in antimicrobial use and prevention of adverse drug reactions with a relatively high acceptance rate from physicians.

CONCLUSION

Pharmacists played an important role in performing AMS-related interventions in COVID-19 patients and helped in the fight against the worsening of AMR during the pandemic. The impact of pharmacist-driven AMS interventions in patients with COVID-19 seemed to be positive and improved outcomes related to antimicrobial use.

The impact of health status, diet and lifestyle on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: Narrative review

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is defined as the abnormal accumulation of triglycerides in the liver. NAFLD has a global prevalence of almost 30%, while incidence is rising with increasing levels of obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and metabolic syndrome. Nutrition plays a significant role in both the prevention and treatment of NAFLD. Therefore, the aim of this literature review is to explore the associations between dietary, lifestyle and other risk factors and the risk for developing NAFLD. Dietary patterns, lifestyle behaviours, comorbidities, or a combination of any may contribute to either the progression or prevention of NAFLD. Having diabetes, hypertension, or having obesity might increase the progression of NAFLD if not well treated and controlled. Diet influences the progression of NAFLD; following a western diet or simply a high-fat diet may contribute to the worsening of NAFLD and further progression to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and cirrhosis in later stages. On the other hand, the Mediterranean diet is the gold standard for both the treatment and prevention of NAFLD. Social behaviours, such as smoking, caffeine consumption and physical activity also play a role in the pathophysiology of NAFLD. Nutrition contributes significantly to the prevention or treatment of NAFLD, since this disease can be managed by diet and physical activity. However, further studies are still needed for a better understanding of the mechanisms of action. Randomized control trials are also needed to confirm findings in observational studies.

Why Americans eat what they do: taste, nutrition, cost, convenience, and weight control concerns as influences on food consumption

OBJECTIVE

To examine the self-reported importance of taste, nutrition, cost, convenience, and weight control on personal dietary choices and whether these factors vary across demographic groups, are associated with lifestyle choices related to health (termed health lifestyle), and actually predict eating behavior.

DESIGN

Data are based on responses to 2 self-administered cross-sectional surveys. The main outcomes measured were consumption of fruits and vegetables, fast foods, cheese, and breakfast cereals, which were determined on the basis of responses to questions about usual and recent consumption and a food diary.

SUBJECTS/SETTING

Respondents were a national sample of 2,967 adults. Response rates were 71% to the first survey and 77% to the second survey (which was sent to people who completed the first survey).

STATISTICAL ANALYSES

Univariate analyses were used to describe importance ratings, bivariate analyses (correlations and t tests) were used to examine demographic and lifestyle differences on importance measures, and multivariate analyses (general linear models) were used to predict lifestyle cluster membership and food consumption.

RESULTS

Respondents reported that taste is the most important influence on their food choices, followed by cost. Demographic and health lifestyle differences were evident across all 5 importance measures. The importance of nutrition and the importance of weight control were predicted best by subject's membership in a particular health lifestyle cluster. When eating behaviors were examined, demographic measures and membership in a health lifestyle cluster predicted consumption of fruits and vegetables, fast foods, cheese, and breakfast cereal. The importance placed on taste, nutrition, cost, convenience, and weight control also predicted types of foods consumed.

APPLICATIONS

Our results suggest that nutritional concerns, per sc, are of less relevance to most people than taste and cost. One implication is that nutrition education programs should attempt to design and promote nutritious diets as being tasty and inexpensive.

Rat basophil leukaemia (RBL) cells sensitized with low affinity IgE respond to high valency antigen

BACKGROUND

The very low concentrations of IgE antibodies in serum make investigations of the affinity of allergen-specific antibodies extremely difficult. In the absence of such studies, the fact that low IgE concentrations are capable of inducing powerful effector function has encouraged the view that IgE antibodies are typically high affinity antibodies. Yet the phenomenon of allergic cross-reactivity suggests that lower affinity IgE antibodies may sometimes be of clinical significance.

OBJECTIVES

To investigate the effect of antibody affinity upon mast cell sensitivity in an in vitro model.

METHODS

Rat basophil leukaemia (RBL) cells were sensitized with one of three monoclonal IgE antibodies which bind to trinitrophenylated proteins with varying affinity. Serotonin release was measured after challenge of sensitized cells with trinitrophenylated human serum albumin (TNP-HSA).

RESULTS

Low valency TNP3-HSA failed to stimulate degranulation of RBL cells sensitized with SPE-7 anti-DNP IgE, which binds TNP with low affinity. However, upon challenge with high concentrations (1250 ng/mL) of TNP8-HSA, or as little as 10 ng/mL of highly substituted TNP23-HSA, low levels of degranulation were seen. A similar relationship between antigen valency and cell sensitivity was seen with cells sensitized with the H-l epsilon-DNP anti-DNP IgE, which binds with moderate affinity to TNP proteins.

CONCLUSION

High valency antigen is capable of activating RBL cells sensitized with low affinity antibody. This has important implications for our understanding of allergic sensitization. It also suggests that the long-recognized relationship between antigen valency and RBL cell sensitivity may partly reflect the high functional affinity of cell-bound IgE when directed against multivalent antigen.

Antigen valency as a determinant of the responsiveness of IgE-sensitised rat basophil leukemia cells

Rat basophil leukemia (RBL) cells were sensitised with varying proportions of monoclonal IgE anti-ovalbumin (OVA) and anti-DNP antibodies, and serotonin release was measured after challenge with aggregated OVA or dinitrophenylated human serum albumin (DNP-HSA). Highly aggregated OVA was shown to provoke the degranulation of RBL cells that had been sensitised with an IgE preparation containing 2% IgE anti-OVA antibodies. Highly substituted DNP32-HSA induced degranulation of RBL cells sensitised with just 0.5% antigen-specific IgE. When cells were sensitised with high percentages of specific IgE, maximum degranulation was seen at concentrations of 2 micrograms/ml (aggregated OVA) and 50 ng/ml (DNP-HSA), while moderate degranulation was still seen at antigen concentrations as low as 50 and 2 ng/ml, respectively. Low-molecular weight aggregates of OVA and low-valency DNP4-HSA only stimulated degranulation when high percentages of RBL Fc epsilon receptor were occupied by antigen-specific IgE. The sensitising abilities of two anti-DNP monoclonal antibodies of differing affinities were compared. When challenged with low-valency antigen, only cells sensitised with the higher-affinity monoclonal antibody exhibited moderate levels of degranulation. Degranulation required exposure to high antigen challenge doses (5 micrograms/ml). Cells sensitised with either monoclonal antibody responded strongly when challenged with a wide range of concentrations (1-250 ng/ml) of high-valency DNP32-HSA, although greater sensitivity was always seen with the higher-affinity antibody. These results suggest that antigen valency is a critical parameter for mast cell function, and that low-affinity antibody may be capable of sensitising mast cells to high-valency antigen.

Psychological and social indicators of suicide ideation and suicide attempts in Zuni adolescents

Suicide behavior is a significant problem for many American Indian populations, often more so than in the general population, but little tribal-specific data available. In this study, baseline data on the correlates of suicide ideation and the social and psychological differences between suicide attempters and nonattempters were collected on a sample of 84 Zuni adolescents. Results show significant correlations between a measure of suicide ideation and past suicide attempt behavior, drug use, depression, hopelessness, stress, psychological symptomatology, social support, liking for school, and interpersonal communication. Significant differences between the 30% of the students who reported having previously attempted suicide and the nonattempters were also found on these measures. Areas for education and prevention efforts are suggested.