Year-round sampling of the fish community in a boreal lake: differences between summer and winter influence estimates of species composition, catch, and fish size.

Boreal lakes experience pronounced seasonal variation in abiotic factors, especially light, temperature, and oxygen. A deep boreal humic lake was sampled year-round to test putative changes in total fish catch, species composition, catch-per-unit-effort (CPUE), habitat use, fish size, and condition. Monthly sampling was conducted in Lake Pääjärvi, southern Finland, during one full year in 2020-2021 as well as in March and August 2021 and 2022. The fish community was dominated by cyprinid species in all months, but the percentage of percid fish caught increased during the warm summer period. Most fish were caught in littoral habitats and the highest catches occurred in summer, but some species (e.g., ruffe, Gymnocephalus cernua, and pikeperch, Sander lucioperca) remained abundant in the winter catch. The body size of fish was larger in the winter catch, while condition factor was higher in summer for most species. Fish species proportions in total catch, CPUE, and average size of fish were closest to the annual mean values in September, which may be used as the optimal period to monitor fish communities of similar deep boreal lakes. Our findings highlight the need for year-round research to reveal the impacts of rising temperatures and diminishing ice-covered periods in fish communities and lake food webs.

Titania nano-coated quartz wool for the photocatalytic mineralisation of emerging organic contaminants.

Many emerging contaminants pass through conventional wastewater treatment plants, contaminating surface and drinking water. The implementation of advanced oxidation processes in existing plants for emerging contaminant remediation is one of the challenges for the enhancement of water quality in the industrialised countries. This paper reports on the production of a TiO2 nano-layer on quartz wool in a relevant amount, its characterisation by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy, and its use as a photocatalyst under ultraviolet radiation for the simultaneous mineralisation of five emerging organic contaminants (benzophenone-3, benzophenone-4, carbamazepine, diclofenac, and triton X-100) dissolved in deionised water and tap water. This treatment was compared with direct ultraviolet photolysis and with photocatalytic degradation on commercial TiO2 micropearls. The disappearance of every pollutant was measured by high performance liquid chromatography and mineralisation was assessed by the determination of total organic carbon. After 4 hours of treatment with the TiO2 nano-coated quartz wool, the mineralisation exceeds 90% in deionised water and is about 70% in tap water. This catalyst was reused for seven cycles without significant efficiency loss.

A case discussion on eczema.

Eczema is a form of dermatitis where inflammation of epidermis occurs. The exact cause of eczema is not known. Although it is activated by the immune system and is related to allergic reactions, it is not the same as other allergic reactions. In Ayurveda, the disease is described by the name "Vicharchika." Virechana is the best line of management for skin disorders. Controlling eczema more effectively can make a radical improvement to the patient's quality of life. A case report of 45-year-old male, who presented with complaints of rashes over dorsum of both foot associated with intense itching and burning sensation, oozing wound posterior to lateral malleolus and dorsum of left foot has been presented here.

[Appendiceal mucoceles. A case report]. / Il mucocele appendicolare. Analisi di un caso.

A case of benign mucocele presenting as a subocclusive syndrome is reported; the surgical treatment consisted in a right colectomy. Appendiceal mucoceles are rare lesions of the appendix, characterized by a gross enlargement of the appendix from accumulation of mucoid substance within the lumen. It is a rare condition, encountered in only 0.1-0.4% of all appendectomies with a female predominance and an average age at the time of diagnosis over 50 years. Following careful review of the literature, the difficulties in differential diagnosis are underlined, especially between benign and malignant forms and the possibility of a pre-operative diagnosis is examined. Abdominal ultrasound and CT scan of the abdomen or colonoscopy may suggest the diagnosis. However, often the diagnosis is an incidental event. The pathogenesis, histologic aspect of the lesion and the different surgical strategies are discussed. A frozen section examination should be performed in all patients, while the abdomen is open, because it may be impossible to predict the underlying pathology merely by inspecting the serosal surface of a dilated appendix. If a simple retentional cyst is uncovered, without atypia, appendectomy should be curative; if cystadenoma or cystadenocarcinoma of the appendix are found, more extended resection was necessary. However if the operation is done as an emergency, a frozen section examination is not always available: in those patients a more extended resection is suggested.

Does cholecystectomy always resolve biliary disease?

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate long-term effects of cholecystectomy on typical gallstone symptoms and associated digestive syndrome. DESIGN: Clinical prospective study on selected patients. SETTING: First Surgical Clinic--Catania University. SUBJECTS: 143 gallstone patients, divided in highly symptomatic Group 1 (79) and mild symptomatic Group 2 (64), who underwent cholecystectomy during period 1991/92. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: 125/143 patients compiled a set questionnaire to detect any subjective postoperative disorders and to evaluate whether they were similar to preoperative symptoms or were new ones. RESULTS: 125/143 patients completed the 12-month follow-up programme, which revealed a 30% (38/125) with postcholecystectomy symptoms and 13.4% (17) with a postcholecystectomy syndrome. Moreover, 10% (13) of the patients reported the same digestive symptoms as before treatment. Statistical analysis confirmed that cholecystectomy was efficacious in curing gallstone related symptoms and digestive disorders in both Groups with a general improvement in clinical picture (p > 0.01). No significant statistical difference in the incidence of postcholecystectomy dyspeptic symptoms was found between the 2 Groups. CONCLUSION: Cholecystectomy is often efficacious in curing both typical gallstone related symptoms and digestive syndrome. Cholecystectomy patterns of failure in curing digestive disorders is unpredictable preoperatively on the basis of clinical features of the disease.