A Challenging Case of Weil's Syndrome in New York City: A Short Review of the Renal Pathophysiology and Diagnosis of Leptospirosis.

Leptospirosis is a zoonotic spirochetal infection endemic to warm climate regions, with increased incidence following rainfall and flooding when sanitation is compromised. In comparison, infection rates in the United States are significantly lower. The bacterium is transmitted through the urine of infected animal reservoirs, most commonly rodents, dogs, horses, and pigs, through mucosal membranes or skin abrasions.

Smart and Sustainable Regeneration of Fouled Desalination Membranes Using Artificial Intelligence.

During the desalination process, scaling, fouling, and degradation are associated issues that lead to a drop in the separation performance of membranes. Membrane regeneration emerges as a critical technology in which upcycling and downcycling can offer a promising avenue for promoting sustainable membrane lifecycle management. Multiple research papers and reviews have critically analyzed the regeneration of membranes, which explains the end-of-cycle assessment and cost analysis of membrane recycling.

Efficacy and Safety of Nifedipine Compared to Intravenous Hydralazine for Severe Hypertensive Disorders in Pregnancy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randmomized Controlled Trials.

Severe maternal hypertension is linked to adverse perinatal outcomes. Both nifedipine and hydralazine are commonly used antihypertensive agents in this setting. A comprehensive literature search was conducted in PubMed, Cochrane Library, and EMBASE from inception to April 2024 to identify randomized controlled trials comparing oral or sublingual nifedipine with intravenous hydralazine for the management of severe hypertension, with or without preeclampsia/eclampsia.

A Rare Case of Seronegative Lupus Nephritis Presenting as Immune Complex Diffuse Glomerulonephritis.

Lupus nephritis (LN) is a well-characterized renal manifestation of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), typically supported by serologic markers such as antinuclear antibody (ANA) and anti-double stranded deoxyribonucleic acid (anti-dsDNA). However, seronegative presentations remain rare and diagnostically elusive, particularly when renal involvement precedes other systemic features. We report a case of a 31-year-old male with type 1 diabetes who presented with progressive anasarca, dyspnea, and a diffuse non-blanching rash.

A comprehensive review on the recovery of lithium from lithium-ion batteries and spodumene.

The growing demand for Lithium-Ion batteries (LIBs) for use within varied electronics and electric vehicles (EVs) has raised concerns about the sustainability of lithium extraction from natural deposits. This study provides a comprehensive comparison of lithium recovery through mining of spodumene deposits, and the recovery of lithium from used batteries via recycling, in terms of technological, economic and environmental impacts. Lithium recovered through mining and refining operations prompt significant land disruption and soil contamination and possess large ecological, water and carbon footprints.

Negative influence of suboptimal quality of drinking water on avian coronavirus pathogenesis and immune response: A Controlled Study.

This study investigated the impact of poor drinking water quality on infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) pathogenesis. Drinking water samples from Alberta layer farms were assessed based on physical, chemical, and microbiological properties. The highest-scoring field water (FW), which is suboptimal with higher pH, hardness and bicarbonate concentration was selected, transported in clean containers, and used in this control experiment.

Exploring the Advanced Optoelectronic Properties of Nd-Doped ZnO Thin Films for Next-Generation Perovskite Solar Cells.

This research provides valuable insights into the effects of neodymium (Nd) doping on the structural, optical, and electrical properties of zinc oxide (ZnO) thin films coated on an ITO substrate. This study deepened our understanding of the unique characteristics and potential applications of these materials by utilizing comprehensive characterization techniques, including X-ray diffraction (XRD), Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), UV-vis spectroscopy, and photoluminescence spectroscopy. XRD analysis confirmed the presence of hexagonal crystal structures, whereas AFM imaging revealed a distinctive granular configuration.

Genome-Wide Identification and Classification of Arabinogalactan Proteins Gene Family in Species and Increases Numbers of Epidermal Hairs in .

Arabinogalactan proteins (AGPs) constitute a diverse class of hydroxyproline-rich glycoproteins implicated in various aspects of plant growth and development. However, their functional characterization in cotton ( spp.) remains limited.

Cinnamon bark oil application and modified atmosphere packaging alleviates chilling injury, ethylene production and maintains antioxidant system in persimmons.

Persimmon fruit is highly susceptible to chilling injury (CI) during cold storage. This study was aimed at evaluating the effects of cinnamon bark oil (CBO, 4 μM) fumigation, modified atmosphere packaging (MAP), and a combination of CBO and MAP on CI of 'Fuyu' persimmons. Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) analysis revealed changes in the peel surface of CBO fumigated persimmons.

Challenges and Perspectives on Photocatalytic Membrane Reactors for Volatile Organic Compounds Degradation and Nitrogen Oxides Treatment.

Air pollution is a pressing environmental and public health issue, with volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and nitrogen oxides (NO ) being among the most hazardous airborne pollutants. Photocatalytic membrane reactors (PMRs) have emerged as a promising technology for air purification due to their ability to integrate photocatalytic degradation and membrane separation in a single system. This paper provides a comprehensive review of the advancements, challenges, and future prospects of PMR technology for VOC degradation and NO treatment.

Combinatorial tagging generates a multi-purpose knock-in mouse model revealing phase separation-dependent germ granules in RNA homeostasis and germline development.

A large resource of epitope-tagged and Cre/CreERT2-expressing mouse models are available for studying germ granules and germline development. Germ granules are proteinaceous, membraneless organelles (MLO) involved in germ cell differentiation and maturation; however, their protein and RNA transcript constituents, as well as their functional mechanisms remain incompletely understood. Herein, we generated a versatile germline mouse model through combinatorially tagging DDX4 to enable simultaneous expression of three cistronic coding products (C-terminally tagged DDX4 - DDX4, EGFP, and CreERT2) under the control of the endogenous Ddx4 promoter.

Collapsing Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis With Concurrent IgG4 Nephropathy.

A 41-year-old male with a history of chronic kidney disease, hypertension, and psoriasis was referred to the nephrologist for worsening kidney function associated with nephrotic range proteinuria. The patient had no symptoms, but the initial workup showed elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP), positive double-stranded DNA antibody(anti-DsDNA) but normal complement levels, normal antinuclear antibody (ANA) and negative beta-glycoprotein-1 IgG, IgM, and IgA. Further, the workup revealed the patient had elevated total immunoglobulin as well as elevated IgG subsets 2, 3, and 4.

Predic tors o f i n-hospital m or tality in patients requiring tr an sfer to the me dical in tensive care unit.

Objective: To identify the factors associated with higher odds of in-hospital mortalit y among inpatients requiring transfer to the medical intensive care unit.

Methods: The ret rospective audit was conducted from Ap r il 1 to September 30, 2023, at The Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, Pak is t an and com prised dat a from January 1 , 2018, to December 31, 20 22, of patients initially admitted to the general ward or high dependency unit in the Department of Medicine who required transfer to the medical intensive care unit during hospitalisation. Data was analysed using SPSS 23.

Thiazole modified covalent triazine framework as carcinogenic metabolites adsorbent: A DFT insight.

The potential of a novel thiazole-modified covalent triazine framework (S-CTF) as surface for the adsorption and sensing of the carcinogenic metabolites acrylamide (AM), 2-amino-3,8-dimethylimidazo-[4,5-f]quinoxaline (MEIQX), 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazole[4,5-f]pyridine (PhlP) and 3-amino-1,4-dimethyl-5H-pyrido[4,3-b]indole (Trp-P-1) is explored. The selectivity, sensitivity, and adsorption properties of the S-CTF surface are investigated through noncovalent interaction (NCI), quantum theory of atoms in molecules (QTAIM) and symmetry adapted perturbation theory (SAPT0) analyses. All the analytes were found to be physiosorbed on the surface of the sensor with the following strength of interaction: MEIQX@S-CTF = PhlP@S-CTF > Trp-P-1@S-CTF > AM@S-CTF.

Ulcerative Colitis Gone Rogue: A Case of Complement-Mediated Thrombotic Microangiopathy in Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

We present an unusual case of complement-mediated thrombotic microangiopathy (formerly known as atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome) associated with inflammatory disease in a young patient. A 26-year-old male patient with no significant past medical history presented to our emergency department with a four-week history of diffuse, moderate, cramping, non-radiating abdominal pain with no known aggravating or relieving factors. Abdominal pain was associated with nausea, vomiting, and bloody stools.

Anatomical validation of the sonographic detection of small nervous structures.

Introduction: Ultrasound is a primary imaging modality for diagnosing and managing nerve-related injuries, particularly for identifying peripheral nerve locations. However, its accuracy and reliability in surgical applications remain insufficiently explored, potentially limiting its utility in nerve surgery.

Purpose: This study aims to assess the precision of ultrasound in identifying upper limb peripheral nerves by comparing ultrasonographic findings with direct human cadaveric dissection.

Efficacy of endoscopic ultrasound-guided biliary drainage of malignant biliary obstruction: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Background: Malignant biliary obstruction is a major clinical challenge. We assessed the efficacy of endoscopic ultrasound-guided biliary drainage (EUS-BD) compared with that of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography biliary drainage (ERCP-BD) or percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage (PTBD).

Methods: We searched for randomized controlled trials comparing EUS-BD with ERCP or PTBD in treating malignant biliary obstruction.

The application of duckweed (Lemna minor) and freshwater mussels (Anodonta cygnea) as living biofilters integrating with a filtration system to maintain water quality in juvenile trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) rearing using the small scale RAS system.

Increasing nutrient concentrations in fish culture systems over time can reduce water quality. However, the nutrient increase can be remediated by pairing organisms at lower trophic levels with a mechanical filtration system to improve nutrient removal efficiency and water quality for fish culture. This research uses the RAS system to determine the performance of integrating living organisms as biofilters in rearing juvenile rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) for 56 days.

The preventive effect and mechanism of Tibetan medicine Aconitum tanguticum (Maxim.) Stapf on acute lung injury.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Aconitum tanguticum (Maxim.) Stapf (ATS) is a rare Tibetan medicinal plant that belongs to the Ranunculaceae family. This herb is mainly distributed in the high-altitude areas of Qinghai, Gansu provinces, and Tibetan Autonomous Region in China.

Comparative transcriptome analysis and functional verification revealed that GhSAP6 negatively regulates salt tolerance in upland cotton.

Owing to the scarcity of cultivable land in China, the agricultural sector is primarily focused on grain and oil crops. Simultaneously, the cultivation of cotton has gradually shifted towards regions characterized by elevated soil salinity levels. Additionally, the mechanism behind cotton's ability to tolerate salt remains elusive.

Does Tourniquet Use Impact Early Patient Outcomes in Total Knee Arthroplasty?

Introduction Tourniquets are commonly used when performing total knee arthroplasty (TKA) to reduce intra-operative blood loss, improve surgical field visibility, and potentially improve cement penetration during prosthesis implantation. However, they may be associated with increased thigh pain, postoperative opiate use, and longer lengths of hospital stay. Methods Retrospectively collected data was obtained from our institution's electronic patient records and database.

UK Foot and Ankle Thromboembolism (UK-FATE).

Aims: Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a potential complication of foot and ankle surgery. There is a lack of agreement on contributing risk factors and chemical prophylaxis requirements. The primary outcome of this study was to analyze the 90-day incidence of symptomatic VTE and VTE-related mortality in patients undergoing foot and ankle surgery and Achilles tendon (TA) rupture.