Acute toxicity of anionic and non-ionic surfactants to aquatic organisms.

The environmental risk of surfactants requires toxicity measurements. As different test organisms have different sensitivity to the toxics, it is necessary to establish the most appropriate organism to classify the surfactant as very toxic, toxic, harmful or safe, in order to establish the maximum permissible concentrations in aquatic ecosystems. We have determined the toxicity values of various anionic surfactants ether carboxylic derivatives using four test organisms: the freshwater crustacean Daphnia magna, the luminescent bacterium Vibrio fischeri, the microalgae Selenastrum capricornutum (freshwater algae) and Phaeodactylum tricornutum (seawater algae). In addition, in order to compare and classify the different families of surfactants, we have included a compilation of toxicity data of surfactants collected from literature. The results indicated that V. fischeri was more sensitive to the toxic effects of the surfactants than was D. magna or the microalgae, which was the least sensitive. This result shows that the most suitable toxicity assay for surfactants may be the one using V. fischeri. The toxicity data revealed considerable variation in toxicity responses with the structure of the surfactants regardless of the species tested. The toxicity data have been related to the structure of the surfactants, giving a mathematical relationship that helps to predict the toxic potential of a surfactant from its structure. Model-predicted toxicity agreed well with toxicity values reported in the literature for several surfactants previously studied. Predictive models of toxicity is a handy tool for providing a risk assessment that can be useful to establish the toxicity range for each surfactant and the different test organisms in order to select efficient surfactants with a lower impact on the aquatic environment.

Inteligencia emocional en individuos dependientes de cocaína / Emotional intelligence in cocaine dependent individuals

Objetivo. La dependencia de cocaína afecta de manera drástica al funcionamiento social del paciente adicto, lo que podría ser el reflejo de una deficitaria inteligencia emocional (IE). A pesar de su relevancia, la mayoría de los estudios realizados en dependientes de cocaína se han centrado en estudiar el reconocimiento de expresiones faciales emocionales, pero sin profundizar en el estudio de este constructo. El objetivo principal de este estudio es explorar el constructo de IE en consumidores de cocaína y examinar la relación entre dicho constructo y las habilidades más básicas de reconocimiento de expresiones faciales emocionales. Material y métodos. Treinta y un pacientes dependientes de cocaína (PDC) y 53 controles sanos fueron evaluados con el Inventario de pensamiento constructivo (para IE) y el Test de reconocimiento de expresiones faciales de Ekman (para reconocimiento). Resultados. Los PDC obtuvieron puntuaciones más bajas en IE y en las dimensiones emotividad, eficacia y rigidez. Los PDC tenían peor reconocimiento emocional global y peor reconocimiento del asco. La IE se correlaciona con la capacidad de reconocer emociones, corroborando el vínculo entre ambas destrezas. Conclusiones. Los PDC presentan déficits en IE y en la habilidad específica de reconocimiento de expresiones faciales emocionales. Estas carencias se relacionan con una estructura de pensamiento inflexible, falta de decisión sobre la conducta ante situaciones percibidas como descontro lables y, como consecuencia, dificultades en el establecimiento de relaciones personales y sociales gratificantes. Estos déficits podrían poner en peligro la continuidad y el éxito de los programas de rehabilitación dirigidos a estos individuos (AU)

Aim. Cocaine dependence drastically affects the social functioning of cocaine users, which could reflect an impairment of emotional intelligence. Despite its importance, most studies in cocaine users have focused only on the recognition of facial emotional expressions. The main aim of this study is to explore emotional intelligence in cocaine users and to examine its relation with emotional recognition. Material and methods. Thirty-one cocaine dependent individuals (CDI) and 53 healthy control individuals were assessed using The Constructive Thinking Inventory (for emotional intelligence) and The Ekman Faces Test (for emotional recognition). Results. CDI scored lower in emotional intelligence and on the subscales: emotional coping, behavioral coping and categorical thinking. CDI had significantly poorer global emotional recognition and poorer recognition for facial expressions of disgust. Emotional intelligence correlates with the ability to recognize facial emotional expressions, showing the link between both skills. Conclusions. CDI show impairments on emotional intelligence and on the ability to recognize facial emotional expressions. These impairments are related with an inflexible structure of thought, lack of decision on unpredictable situations and therefore difficulties in establishing rewarding social relationships. These impairments may affect the success of cocaine rehabilitation programs (AU)

Acute toxicity of alkylpolyglucosides to Vibrio fischeri, Daphnia magna and microalgae: a comparative study.

In this paper, toxicity values of alkylpolyglucosides have been determined by applying the 24-h immobilization test with Daphnia magna, the LumiStox(®) 300 test which employs the luminescent bacteria Photobacterium phosphoreum and the test with Selenastrum capricornutum. Three alkylpolyglucosides with different alkyl chain and degree of polymerisation have been tested. For all tests, the results indicated that Vibrio fischeri was more sensitive to toxic effects from alkylpolyglucosides than was D. magna or S. capricornutum. The results demonstrate considerable variation in toxicity responses within structurally related glucose-based surfactants regardless of the species tested. The toxicity increased as the critical micelle concentration decreased, and as the alkyl chain length and resultant hydrophobicity increased.

Effect of concentration on the primary and ultimate biodegradation of alkylpolyglucosides in aerobic biodegradation tests.

This study examines the primary and ultimate biodegradation of a non-ionic surfactant, an alkylpolyglucoside, in ready biodegradability tests. The surfactant concentration was tested by the anthrone method, while the ultimate biodegradation (mineralization) was analyzed by the total organic carbon determinations. The influence of the concentration on the extent of primary and ultimate biodegradation and the kinetics of degradation also were determined. The primary and ultimate biodegradation was studied at different initial concentrations-15, 25, 50, 75, and 100 mg/L. The increasing concentration of test chemical from 15 to 100 mg/L resulted in a decrease in the relative maximum mineralization rate and longer estimated lag times by a factor of approximately 4.3. During the degradative process, two different stages were noted; these are better described with Quiroga and first-order kinetic models, respectively. For the study of the influence of concentration, the parameters characteristic of the biodegradation profiles in the different biodegradation assays were evaluated.

Acute toxicity and relationship between metabolites and ecotoxicity during the biodegradation process of non-ionic surfactants: fatty-alcohol ethoxylates, nonylphenol polyethoxylate and alkylpolyglucosides.

The toxicity values of fatty-alcohol ethoxylates, nonylphenol polyethoxylate, and alkylpolyglucosides have been determined by applying assays with luminescent bacteria. Also, the relation between metabolites and ecotoxicity during the biodegradation process has been determined. The biodegradation tests were carried out according to the OECD 301 E test for ready biodegradability. In these tests a solution of the surfactant, representing the sole carbon source for the microorganisms, was tested in a mineral medium, inoculated and incubated under aerobic conditions in the dark. The toxicity of surfactants is related to their molecular structure (Quantitative Structure Activity Relationships, QSAR). For the alkylpolyglucosides, toxicity expressed as EC(50) is related with the critical micelle concentration (CMC), the hydrophilic-lipophilic balance (HLB) of the surfactant, and the hydrophobic alkyl chain (R). The results indicate that toxicity increased as the CMC decreased and as the hydrophobicity increased and R rose. For fatty-alcohol ethoxylates, parameters characteristic studied have been HLB, number of units of ethylene oxide and the alkyl chain length. Relationships found are in agreement with the fact that increasing the alkyl chain length leads to a lower EC(50), whereas increasing ethoxylation leads to a lower toxicity. An analysis of the behaviour of the toxicity and HLB again indicates that the toxicity was greater for surfactants with a smaller HLB. The evolution of the toxicity was studied over the biodegradation process, expressed as a percentage of inhibition. For all the non-ionic surfactants assayed, except for the nonylphenol polyethoxylate, a major decline was found in toxicity during the first days of the biodegradation assay and at all the concentrations tested.

Simplified spectrophotometric method using methylene blue for determining anionic surfactants: applications to the study of primary biodegradation in aerobic screening tests.

In the present work, we propose a simplified spectrophotometric method for determining anionic surfactants, based on the formation of the ionic pair anionic surfactant-methylene blue (AS-MB). This method, in relation to the conventional analytic procedure, considerably reduces not only the quantity of chloroform used in extracting the ionic pair formed, but also the time and the quantity of sample necessary to perform the assay, eliminating the filtration stage. The method has been simplified by displacing the transfer equilibrium of the ionic pair AS-MB towards the organic phase, augmenting the volumetric relationship of chloroform/sample. The method proposed has been applied in the study of primary biodegradation kinetics of linear alkylbenzenesulfonate (LAS).

La valoración del funcionamiento a través de test validados / The evaluation of functioning using diagnostic tests compared with a Reference Standard

Introducción: El diagnóstico de fisioterapia es uno de los aspectos más importantes de la práctica diaria del fisioterapeuta. A la hora de realizar un diagnóstico de fisioterapia, ha de establecerse una forma de valoración del paciente. La valoración nos permite establecer los objetivos de fisioterapia según los problemas de salud encontrados. Los objetivos han de ser perseguidos desde el planteamiento de una hipótesis de tratamiento de fisioterapia. Dicha hipótesis ha de ser confirmada con la realización del tratamiento y la consecución de niveles de objetivos: objetivos a nivel de estructura corporal, de función corporal, de actividades y de participación. Objetivo: Los diferentes métodos y conceptos de tratamiento de fisioterapia que giran en torno a la postura, tienen su modo particular de reconocimiento y evaluación. Siendo ésto necesario, se destaca la importancia del uso de test validados de cara a la equiparación de los resultados finales obtenidos.Conclusiones: La realización de investigaciones y estudios que permitan el desarrollo de la fisioterapia dentro de la evidencia científica, requiere del uso de test validados. Sin embargo, existen dificultades para el establecimiento de test de diagnóstico y valoración basados en el funcionamiento, que puedan equipararse a "Reference Standards" o test que poseen un alto grado de fiabilidad dentro de la comunidad científica. Estas dificultades se encuentran tanto en la falta de precisión de test con un alto grado de subjetividad, como en la escasa utilidad de los test altamente objetivos pero poco relevantes para el diagnóstico y el tratamiento de fisioterapia

Introduction: Diagnosis is an important aspect of a physical therapist's daily practice. Before the realization of a Physical Therapy diagnosis, there has to be established a way of evaluating the patient. A process assessment allows us to set out objectives of Physical Therapy in accordance to the health problems found. The objectives are to be persued initially from a proposed hypothetical treatment in Physical Therapy. Such a hypothesis must be verified with the realization of the treatment and the attainment of objective levels: such as objectives at the corporal structure level, the corporal function level and of activities and participation. Objectives: The different methods and Concepts in Physical Therapy treatments, related to the posture, show a particular way of recognition and evaluation. Since this is necessary, validated tests are highlighted as important in obtaining comparable final results. Conclusions: The realization of investigations and researches, which enable a development in Physical Therapy with scientific evidence, require the use of validated tests. However, there are difficulties in the establishment of diagnosis and evaluation tests based on function. These tests can be compared to the "Referend Standards" or test of great reliability considered by the scientific community. The difficulties are observed in tests with a lack of precision, due to a high degree of subjectivity. Likewise, the difficulty is observed in tests with a degree of objectivity, which are hardly relevant to a Physical Therapy diagnosis or treatment

La equivalencia de los test de valoración con la Clasificación Internacional de la Funcionalidad, Discapacidad y la Salud / The equivalence of diagnostic tests with the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health

El diagnóstico de fisioterapia ha de establecerse dentro del marco de la funcionalidad y la disfunción, por lo que las valoraciones de los estados de salud y "estados relacionados con la salud", deben poder tener equivalencias con la actual Clasificación Internacional del Funcionamiento, de la Discapacidad y de la Salud: CIF. La CIF no es una clasificación taxonómica de diagnósticos funcionales sino de signos y síntomas funcionales, que describe y clasifica el funcionamiento de una persona aportando valores comparables. Se presenta como una herramienta útil para el establecimiento de un diagnóstico de fisioterapia en tanto que fomenta el uso de test validados, y su posterior adaptación a la terminología de la CIF. Esto último es necesario para la comunicación entre fisioterapeutas, con otros profesionales de la salud y para la realización de investigaciones que puedan ser indexadas en las bases de datos de evidencia científica. Desde la consideración de propuestas ya existentes en la literatura como es la adaptación del Índice de Barthel a la CIF, el presente artículo presenta un ejemplo práctico de los dominios básicos de dicha clasificación para la valoración y el tratamiento de pacientes con lesión en el Sistema Nervioso Central. De la misma manera, se señalan algunos de los test validados que se utilizan con este tipo de pacientes y su posibilidad de equiparación con los dominios de la Clasificación Internacional de la Funcionalidad, la Discapacidad y la Salud

A physical therapy diagnosis is established within the framework of functionality and disability. Therefore, the evaluation of different states of health and "related states of health " of patients must have equivalent results with the current International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health: ICF. ICF is not a taxonomical classification of functional diagnoses, but rather of signs and functional symptoms, which describes and classifies the functionality of a person giving comparable values. It shows to be a useful tool for the establishment of physical therapy diagnosis as long as it foments the use of validated tests, for the communication among physiotherapists themselves, and in relation to other health professionals, and subsequent adaptation to the ICF terminology. The latter is important for communication among physical therapists with relation to other health profesionals, and for the realization of researches, which can be index-linked in the data base of scientific evidence. Considering the number of proposals found in the literature, such as the adaptation of the Barthel Index to the CIF, the present article shows a practicle example of the basic items of the above mentioned clasification for evaluation an d treatment of patients with injury of the Central Nervous System. In the same manner some evaluation tests, used in such patients, are demostrated, as well as the possibility of comparing them with the International Clasification of Functioning, Disability and Health