Double-blind randomised trial of saline solution for gargling and nasal rinsing in SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Background: Previous studies have shown that hypertonic saline nasal irrigation and gargling reduced the duration of symptoms in upper respiratory infections caused by coronavirus. This study aims to investigate the effects of two saline regimens on symptoms associated with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2).

Methods: Between 2020 and 2022, individuals aged 18-65 years who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 infection via polymerase chain reaction (PCR) were randomly assigned to either low- or high-saline regimens for 14 days.

Effect of Body Size on Methylmercury Concentrations in Shoreline Spiders: Implications for Their Use as Sentinels.

Shoreline spiders have been proposed as sentinels to monitor aquatic contaminants including methylmercury (MeHg). The present study examined the effect of spider body size on MeHg concentrations in shoreline spiders. We collected 6 taxa of spiders belonging to 4 families (orb-weavers [Araneidae], long-jawed orb weavers [Tetragnathidae: Tetragnatha sp.