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Background Although several liver- and inflammation-based scores to predict the clinical course of patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) have been evaluated, no direct comparison regarding their predictive ability has been performed. Methods 1038 patients (608 males, age 63.5 ± 17 years) hospitalized with documented COVID-19 infection to the non-ICU ward, were included retrospectively. Clinical and laboratory characteristics on admission including evaluation of Fibrosis-4 (FIB-4) score and C-Reactive Protein (CRP) to albumin ratio (CAR) were recorded. Results One hundred and twenty-four patients (11.9%) died during hospitalization after 8 (3–72) days. In multivariate analysis, FIB-4 (hazard ratio, 1.11; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.034–1.19; P = 0.004), was independently associated with mortality, with very good discriminative ability (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve curve, 0.76). The patients with FIB-4 >2.67 (n = 377), compared to those with ≤2.67 (n = 661), had worse survival (log-rank 32.6; P < 0.001). Twenty-four (6.8%) of 352 patients with possible nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) (defined as Hepatic Steatosis Index >36) died during hospitalization. In multivariate analysis, CAR was an independent risk factor (1) for mortality (hazard ratio, 1.014; 95% CI, 1.002–1.025; P = 0.021), (2) the need for high-flow nasal cannula with or without intubation (hazard ratio, 1.016; 95% CI, 1.004–1.027; P = 0.007) and (3) development of acute kidney injury (hazard ratio, 1.017; 95% CI, 1.006–1.028; P = 0.002). In addition, the patients with possible NAFLD and CAR >12 (n = 154), compared to those with CAR ≤12 (n = 198), had worse survival (log-rank 5.1; P = 0.024). Conclusions FIB-4 was an independent factor for mortality with better performance compared to other liver function test- and inflammation-based scores in patients with COVID-19, while CAR was the only score independently associated with the clinical course in COVID-19 patients with possible NAFLD.

The construction of irrigation reservoirs is a technical global solution for enhancing the agricultural production especially in arid and semi-arid areas. These water bodies are treated as technical projects and not as freshwater ecosystems. Eutrophication in new reservoirs becomes a hot issue in the world. The aim of the present study is to present the assessment of the key-eutrophication parameters in seven reservoirs located in the catchment area of Lake Karla. We suggest that the studied artificial ecosystems are sensitive in nutrients concentrations especially in the warm-dry period, influenced mainly by agricultural activities in the watershed.

Bacterial communities, microbial populations, and antibiotic resistance of potential pathogens in the water and fish (Cyprinus carpio, flesh and gut) from different areas (A1, A2 and A3—A1 was linked with river water, A2 with cattle activity, and A3 with waters of a spring after heavy rains) of Lake Karla (Thessaly, Central Greece) were investigated. The isolated bacteria were identified using Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization–time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) and were tested for resistance in 21 antibiotics. The microbiota composition of fish flesh was also studied using 16S amplicon-based sequencing Serratia fonticola and several species of Aeromonas (e.g., Aeromonas salmonicida, Aeromonas bestiarium, Aeromonas veronii, etc.) exhibited the highest abundances in all studied samples, while the microbiota profile between the three studied areas was similar, according to the culture-dependent analysis. Of them, S. fonticola was found to be resistant in the majority of the antibiotics for the water and fish (gut and flesh), mainly of the areas A1 and A2. Regarding 16S metabarcoding, the presence of Serratia and Aeromonas at genus level was confirmed, but they found at very lower abundances than those reported using the culture-dependent analysis. Finally, the TVC and the rest of the studied microbiological parameters were found at acceptable levels (4 log cfu/mL or cfu/g and 2–4 log cfu/mL or cfu/g, extremely low levels of E. coli/coliforms) in both water and fish flesh. Based on our findings, the water of Lake Karla would be used for activities such as irrigation, recreation and fishing, however, the development and implementation of a quality management tool for Lake Karla, to ensure environmental hygiene and prevention of zoonosis during the whole year, is imperative.