The association between drinking water salinity and hypertension in coastal Bangladesh

Aims:This study aims to explore the association between drinking water salinity and hypertension in three coastal sub-districts of Bangladesh.Methods:The study uses complete data on 6,296 individuals extracted from the latest Bangladesh Poverty and Groundwater Salinity Survey and a mixed-effects logistic regression model as the analytical tool.Results:Mixed-effects logistic regression analysis shows a significant association of medium or higherlevel salinity with hypertension(adjusted odds ratio[AOR]1.650,95%confidence interval[CI]:1.101—2.473).Other variables significantly associated with hypertension are age,sex,education status,water source,and geographical location.A sizable proportion of the total individual-level variance in the probability of being hypertensive was at household-level(20%)and cluster-level(8%).Conclusion:The findings from this study suggest that greater salinity in potable water common in coastal areas in Bangladesh is associated with increased risk of hypertension.The study refrains from asserting causality but seeks to stimulate public health and policy interventions to address the increased risk.

Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in pediatric COVID-19 patients:a meta-analysis

Background We aimed to systematically review the clinical and laboratory features of patients with the multisystem inflam-matory syndrome in pediatrics diagnosed during the COVID-19 pandemic.Data sources A literature search in Web of Science,PubMed,Scopus,and Science Direct was made up to June 29,2020.Results Analysis of 15 articles(318 COVID-19 patients)revealed that although many patients presented with the typical multisystem inflammatory syndrome in pediatrics,Kawasaki-like features as fever(82.4%),polymorphous maculopapular exanthema(63.7%),oral mucosal changes(58.1%),conjunctival injections(56.0%),edematous extremities(40.7%),and cervical lymphadenopathy(28.5%),atypical gastrointestinal(79.4%)and neurocognitive symptoms(31.8%)were also com-mon.They had elevated serum lactic acid dehydrogenase,D-dimer,C-reactive protein,procalcitonin,interleukin-6,troponin I levels,and lymphopenia.Nearly 77.0%developed hypotension,and 68.1%went into shock,while 41.1%had acute kidney injury.Intensive care was needed in 73.7%of cases;13.2%were intubated,and 37.9%required mechanical ventilation.Intravenous immunoglobulins and steroids were given in 87.7%and 56.9%of the patients,respectively,and anticoagulants were utilized in 67.0%.Pediatric patients were discharged after a hospital stay of 6.77 days on average(95%CI 4.93-8.6).Conclusions Recognizing the typical and atypical presentation of the multisystem inflammatory syndrome in pediatric COVID-19 patients has important implications in identifying children at risk.Monitoring cardiac and renal decompensation and early interventions in patients with multisystem inflammatory syndrome is critical to prevent further morbidity.

Methanotrophy-driven accumulation of organic carbon in four paddy soils of Bangladesh

Biological methane oxidation is a crucial process in the global carbon cycle that reduces methane emissions from paddy fields and natural wetlands into the atmosphere.However,soil organic carbon accumulation associated with microbial methane oxidation is poorly understood.Therefore,to investigate methane-derived carbon incorporation into soil organic matter,paddy soils originated from different parent materials(Inceptisol,Entisol,and Alfisol) were collected after rice harvesting from four major rice-producing regions in Bangladesh.Following microcosm incubation with 5%(volume/volume)^(13) CH_(4),soil^(13) C-atom abundances significantly increased from background level of 1.08% to 1.88%–2.78%,leading to a net methane-derived accumulation of soil organic carbon ranging from 120 to 307 mg kg^(-1).Approximately 23.6%–60.0% of the methane consumed was converted to soil organic carbon during microbial methane oxidation.The phylogeny of^(13) C-labeled pmoA(enconding the alpha subunit of the particulate methane monooxygenase) and 16 S rRNA genes further revealed that canonical α(type II) and γ(type I) Proteobacteria were active methane oxidizers.Members within the Methylobacter-and Methylosarcina-affiliated type Ia lineages dominated active methane-oxidizing communities that were responsible for the majority of methane-derived carbon accumulation in all three paddy soils,while Methylocystis-affiliated type IIa lineage was the key contributor in one paddy soil of Inceptisol origin.These results suggest that methanotroph-mediated synthesis of biomass plays an important role in soil organic matter accumulation.This study thus supports the concept that methanotrophs not only consume the greenhouse gas methane but also serve as a key biotic factor in maintaining soil fertility.