Ecotoxicological Assessment of Microplastics and Cellulose Particles in the Galápagos Islands and Galápagos Penguin Food Web.

Microplastic pollution threatens some of the world's most iconic locations for marine biodiversity, including the remote Galápagos Islands, Ecuador. Using the Galápagos penguin (Spheniscus mendiculus) as a sentinel species, the present study assessed microplastics and suspected anthropogenic cellulose concentrations in surface seawater and zooplankton near Santa Cruz and Galápagos penguin colonies (Floreana, Isabela, Santiago), as well as in penguin potential prey (anchovies, mullets, milkfish) and penguin scat. On average, 0.40 ± 0.32 microplastics L-1 were found in surface seawater (<10 µm; n = 63 L), while 0.003, 0.27, and 5.12 microplastics individual-1 were found in zooplankton (n = 3372), anchovies (n = 11), and mullets (n = 6), respectively. The highest concentration (27 microplastics individual-1) was observed in a single milkfish. Calculations based on microplastics per gram of prey, in a potential diet composition scenario, suggest that the Galápagos penguin may consume 2881 to 9602 microplastics daily from prey. Despite this, no microplastics or cellulose were identified in 3.40 g of guano collected from two penguins. Our study confirms microplastic exposure in the pelagic food web and endangered penguin species within the UNESCO World Heritage site Galápagos Islands, which can be used to inform regional and international policies to mitigate plastic pollution and conserve biodiversity in the global ocean. Environ Toxicol Chem 2024;43:1442-1457. © 2024 The Authors. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of SETAC.

Citizen scientists study beach litter along 12,000 km of the East Pacific coast: A baseline for the International Plastic Treaty.

Anthropogenic Marine Litter (AML) accumulating on beaches causes damage to coastal ecosystems and high costs to local communities. Volunteers sampled AML on 130 beaches along the central and southern East Pacific coasts, with AML densities ranging from 0.46 to 2.26 items m-2 in the different countries. AML composition was dominated by plastics and cigarette butts, the latter especially in Mexico and Chile. The accumulation of AML in the upper zones of the beaches and substantial proportions of cigarette butts, glass and metal pointed mainly to local sources. Statistical modelling of litter sources on continental beaches revealed that tourism, access and related infrastructure (e.g. parking lots) best explained AML densities, while plastic densities were also influenced by the distance from river mouths and national Gross Domestic Product. Large-scale monitoring can be a useful tool to evaluate the effectiveness of public policies that should primarily focus on land sources.

Multiple anthropogenic stressors in the Galápagos Islands' complex social-ecological system: Interactions of marine pollution, fishing pressure, and climate change with management recommendations.

For decades, multiple anthropogenic stressors have threatened the Galápagos Islands. Widespread marine pollution such as oil spills, persistent organic pollutants, metals, and ocean plastic pollution has been linked to concerning changes in the ecophysiology and health of Galápagos species. Simultaneously, illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing are reshaping the composition and structure of endemic and native Galápagos pelagic communities. In this novel review, we discuss the impact of anthropogenic pollutants and their associated ecotoxicological implications for Galápagos species in the face of climate change stressors. We emphasize the importance of considering fishing pressure and marine pollution, in combination with climate-change impacts, when assessing the evolutionary fitness of species inhabiting the Galápagos. For example, the survival of endemic marine iguanas has been negatively affected by organic hydrocarbons introduced via oil spills, and endangered Galápagos sea lions exhibit detectable concentrations of DDT, triggering potential feminization effects and compromising the species' survival. During periods of ocean warming (El Niño events) when endemic species undergo nutritional stress, climate change may increase the vulnerability of these species to the impacts of pollutants, resulting in the species reaching its population tipping point. Marine plastics are emerging as a deleterious and widespread threat to endemic species. The Galápagos is treasured for its historical significance and its unparalleled living laboratory and display of evolutionary processes; however, this unique and iconic paradise will remain in jeopardy until multidisciplinary and comprehensive preventative management plans are put in place to mitigate and eliminate the effects of anthropogenic stressors facing the islands today. We present a critical analysis and synthesis of anthropogenic stressors with some progress from local and international institutional efforts and call to action more precautionary measures along with new management philosophies focused on understanding the processes of change through research to champion the conservation of the Galápagos. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2023;19:870-895. © 2022 SETAC.

Towards Using Police Officers' Business Smartphones for Contactless Fingerprint Acquisition and Enabling Fingerprint Comparison against Contact-Based Datasets.

Recent developments enable biometric recognition systems to be available as mobile solutions or to be even integrated into modern smartphone devices. Thus, smartphone devices can be used as mobile fingerprint image acquisition devices, and it has become feasible to process fingerprints on these devices, which helps police authorities carry out identity verification. In this paper, we provide a comprehensive and in-depth engineering study on the different stages of the fingerprint recognition toolchain. The insights gained throughout this study serve as guidance for future work towards developing a contactless mobile fingerprint solution based on the iPhone 11, working without any additional hardware. The targeted solution will be capable of acquiring 4 fingers at once (except the thumb) in a contactless manner, automatically segmenting the fingertips, pre-processing them (including a specific enhancement), and thus enabling fingerprint comparison against contact-based datasets. For fingertip detection and segmentation, various traditional handcrafted feature-based approaches as well as deep-learning-based ones are investigated. Furthermore, a run-time analysis and first results on the biometric recognition performance are included.

Obtaining EHR-derived datasets for COVID-19 research within a short time: a flexible methodology based on Detailed Clinical Models.

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 ranks as the single largest health incident worldwide in decades. In such a scenario, electronic health records (EHRs) should provide a timely response to healthcare needs and to data uses that go beyond direct medical care and are known as secondary uses, which include biomedical research. However, it is usual for each data analysis initiative to define its own information model in line with its requirements. These specifications share clinical concepts, but differ in format and recording criteria, something that creates data entry redundancy in multiple electronic data capture systems (EDCs) with the consequent investment of effort and time by the organization. OBJECTIVE: This study sought to design and implement a flexible methodology based on detailed clinical models (DCM), which would enable EHRs generated in a tertiary hospital to be effectively reused without loss of meaning and within a short time. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The proposed methodology comprises four stages: (1) specification of an initial set of relevant variables for COVID-19; (2) modeling and formalization of clinical concepts using ISO 13606 standard and SNOMED CT and LOINC terminologies; (3) definition of transformation rules to generate secondary use models from standardized EHRs and development of them using R language; and (4) implementation and validation of the methodology through the generation of the International Severe Acute Respiratory and emerging Infection Consortium (ISARIC-WHO) COVID-19 case report form. This process has been implemented into a 1300-bed tertiary Hospital for a cohort of 4489 patients hospitalized from 25 February 2020 to 10 September 2020. RESULTS: An initial and expandable set of relevant concepts for COVID-19 was identified, modeled and formalized using ISO-13606 standard and SNOMED CT and LOINC terminologies. Similarly, an algorithm was designed and implemented with R and then applied to process EHRs in accordance with standardized concepts, transforming them into secondary use models. Lastly, these resources were applied to obtain a data extract conforming to the ISARIC-WHO COVID-19 case report form, without requiring manual data collection. The methodology allowed obtaining the observation domain of this model with a coverage of over 85% of patients in the majority of concepts. CONCLUSION: This study has furnished a solution to the difficulty of rapidly and efficiently obtaining EHR-derived data for secondary use in COVID-19, capable of adapting to changes in data specifications and applicable to other organizations and other health conditions. The conclusion to be drawn from this initial validation is that this DCM-based methodology allows the effective reuse of EHRs generated in a tertiary Hospital during COVID-19 pandemic, with no additional effort or time for the organization and with a greater data scope than that yielded by conventional manual data collection process in ad-hoc EDCs.

Colitis ulcerativa fulminante complicada con megacolon tóxico / Fulminant ulcerative colitis complicated with toxic megacolon

Presentamos un caso de abdomen agudo secundario a megacolon tóxico perforado como debut de colitis ulcerativa que requirió múltiples intervenciones quirúrgicas y estancia prolongada en la unidad de cuidados intensivos. El megacolon tóxico es una complicación infrecuente y potencialmente fatal de la colitis ulcerativa, siendo más raro aún como debut en un paciente sin antecedentes y con solo un factor de riesgo identificado, considerándolo una oportunidad para compartir su estudio y abordaje. El diagnóstico de megacolon tóxico se configura de acuerdo con los criterios propuestos por Jalan. Aunque el tratamiento inicial es médico con corticoterapia endovenosa, un porcentaje importante de pacientes precisará abordaje quirúrgico.

We present a case of acute abdomen secondary to perforated toxic megacolon in a patient with new-onset ulcerative colitis (UC) that required multiple surgical interventions and prolonged intensive care unit stay. Toxic megacolon is a rare but potentially fatal complication of UC, being even rarer in new-onset UC in a patient with no history and only one risk factor identified, considering this an opportunity to share its study and approach. The diagnosis of toxic megacolon is based on the criteria proposed by Jalan. Although the initial treatment is medical therapy with intravenous corticosteroids, surgical management is necessary for a significant majority of patients.

Composition, abundance and sources of anthropogenic marine debris on the beaches from Ecuador - A volunteer-supported study.

This study represents an inter-institutional effort that was supported by more than 400 volunteers. We sampled Anthropogenic Marine Debris (AMD) on 26 beaches, including one beach from Galapagos Islands. AMD was mainly composed of plastics (>60%), followed by cigarette butts, paper and metal. Average AMD density on the continental beaches was 1.31 ± 1.03 items m-2 (mean ± SD). AMD densities and the proportion of plastics were higher on some beaches located on the Gulf of Guayaquil, suggesting that many of the plastic items found on these beaches were, likely, drifted by the swift currents of the Guayas River. Additionally, the overall results indicate that most litter on continental beaches from Ecuador has local sources. Recommendations include marine pollution education and public awareness campaigns to reduce the consumption of plastic bags, as well as a ban on harmful single-use plastics.

Maxillary zirconia and mandibular composite resin-lithium disilicate-modified PEEK fixed implant-supported restorations for a completely edentulous patient with an atrophic maxilla and mandible: A clinical report.

Bimaxillary implant-supported restorations for edentulous patients must include a comprehensive diagnosis, treatment plan, and careful selection of the restorative materials. The present clinical report described a completely edentulous patient rehabilitated with a zirconia framework with a facial ceramic veneer on the maxillary arch and a modified polyetheretherketone (PEEK) framework with gingival composite resin and cemented lithium disilicate crowns on the mandibular arch. The rationale for this combination of restorative materials is reviewed.

Mercury assessment, macrobenthos diversity and environmental quality conditions in the Salado Estuary (Gulf of Guayaquil, Ecuador) impacted by anthropogenic influences.

Water and sediment quality, macrobenthos diversity and mercury levels were assessed in the Salado Estuary, Gulf of Guayaquil (Ecuador) during 2008, 2009 and 2014. Severe hypoxia, anoxia and large fluctuations of salinity occurred in an impacted sector within Guayaquil city relative to a mangrove area within the Salado Mangroves Faunal Production Reserve. Significant inter-site and temporal differences were observed for dissolved oxygen, salinity, total dissolved solids, percentage of silts and clays, and species diversity. Macrobenthos' species richness for both sectors was greater during 2008. Sediments revealed high concentrations of total mercury (THg) (1.20-2.76 mg kg-1 dw), exceeding Ecuador's SQG (0.1 mg kg-1 dw). Sediment THg were significantly lower in 2014 than 2008/09. Biota sediment sccumulation factor values for mussels (3.0 to 34), indicate high bioaccumulation potential from mercury-contaminated sediments. This work highlights the need to develop stronger environmental policies to protect the Salado Estuary from anthropogenic stressors.

Size dependent oxidative stress response of the gut of Daphnia magna to functionalized nanodiamond particles.

Nanodiamonds are a type of engineered nanomaterial with high surface area that is highly tunable and are being proposed for use as a material for medical imaging or drug delivery to composites. With their potential for widespread use they may potentially be released into the aquatic environment as are many chemicals used for these purposes. It is generally thought that nanodiamonds are innocuous, but toxicity may occur due to surface functionalization. This study investigated the potential oxidative stress and antioxidant response of enterocytes in a freshwater invertebrate, Daphnia magna, a common aquatic invertebrate for ecotoxicological studies, in response to two types of functionalized nanodiamonds (polyallylamine and oxidized). We also examined how the size of the nanomaterial may influence toxicity by testing two different sizes (5 nm and 15 nm) of nanodiamonds with the same functionalization. Adults of Daphnia magna were exposed to three concentrations of each of the nanodiamonds for 24 h. We found that both 5 and 15 nm polyallylamine nanodiamond and oxidized nanodiamond induced the production of reactive oxygen species in tissues. The smaller 5 nm nanodiamond induced a significant change in the expression of heat shock protein 70 and glutathione-S-transferase. This may suggest that daphnids mounted an antioxidant response to the oxidative effects of 5 nm nanodiamonds but not the comparative 15 nm nanodiamonds with either surface chemistry. Outcomes of this study reveal that functionalized nanodiamond may cause oxidative stress and may potentially initiate lipid peroxidation of enterocyte cell membranes in freshwater organisms, but the impact of the exposure depends on the particle size.

Effects of charge and surface ligand properties of nanoparticles on oxidative stress and gene expression within the gut of Daphnia magna.

Concern has been raised regarding the current and future release of engineered nanomaterials into aquatic environments from industry and other sources. However, not all nanomaterials may cause an environmental impact and identifying which nanomaterials may be of greatest concern has been difficult. It is thought that the surface groups of a functionalized nanoparticles (NPs) may play a significant role in determining their interactions with aquatic organisms, but the way in which surface properties of NPs impact their toxicity in whole organisms has been minimally explored. A major point of interaction of NPs with aquatic organisms is in the gastrointestinal tract as they ingest particulates from the water column or from the sediment. The main goal of this study was to use model gold NP (AuNPs) to evaluate the potential effects of the different surfaces groups on NPs on the gut of an aquatic model organism, Daphnia magna. In this study, we exposed daphnids to a range of AuNPs concentrations and assessed the impact of AuNP exposure in the daphnid gut by measuring reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and expression of genes associated with oxidative stress and general cellular stress: glutathione S-transferase (gst), catalase (cat), heat shock protein 70 (hsp70), and metallothionein1 (mt1). We found ROS formation and gene expression were impacted by both charge and the specific surface ligand used. We detected some degree of ROS production in all NP exposures, but positively charged AuNPs induced a greater ROS response. Similarly, we observed that, compared to controls, both positively charged AuNPs and only one negatively AuNP impacted expression of genes associated with cellular stress. Finally, ligand-AuNP exposures showed a different toxicity and gene expression profile than the ligand alone, indicating a NP specific effect.

Control of transcriptional repression of the vitellogenin receptor gene in largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) by select estrogen receptors isotypes.

The vitellogenin receptor (Vtgr) plays an important role in fish reproduction. This receptor functions to incorporate vitellogenin (Vtg), a macromolecule synthesized and released from the liver in the bloodstream, into oocytes where it is processed into yolk. Although studies have focused on the functional role of Vtgr in fish, the mechanistic control of this gene is still unexplored. Here we report the identification and analysis of the first piscine 5' regulatory region of the vtgr gene which was cloned from largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides). Using this putative promoter sequence, we investigated a role for hormones, including insulin and 17ß-estradiol (E2), in transcriptional regulation through cell-based reporter assays. No effect of insulin was observed, however, E2 was able to repress transcriptional activity of the vtgr promoter through select estrogen receptor subtypes, Esr1 and Esr2a but not Esr2b. Electrophoretic mobility shift assay demonstrated that Esr1 likely interacts with the vtgr promoter region through half ERE and/or SP1 sites, in part. Finally we also show that ethinylestradiol (EE2), but not bisphenol-A (BPA), represses promoter activity similarly to E2. These results reveal for the first time that the Esr1 isoform may play an inhibitory role in the expression of LMB vtgr mRNA under the influence of E2, and potent estrogens such as EE2. In addition, this new evidence suggests that vtgr may be a target of select endocrine disrupting compounds through environmental exposures.

Presión media de llenado sistémico: ¿es el parámetro ideal para evaluar precarga óptima? / Mean systemic filling pressure: Is the ideal parameter to evaluate optimal preload?

Uno de los retos para el cardiólogo es conseguir una volemia óptima, es decir, mejorar el gasto cardiaco, evitando un exceso de volemia que pudiera favorecer un pronóstico negativo. Actualmente se sabe que el balance positivo se asocia con un incremento en la mortalidad; en la actualidad contamos con diversos parámetros para evaluar la precarga; sin embargo, ninguno es altamente fidedigno. El objetivo del presente artículo de revisión es dar un recordatorio de este concepto fisiológico así como sus utilidades en el monitoreo del paciente.

One challenge for the cardiologist is to achieve optimal blood volume for to improve cardiac output, and avoid excessive blood volume that could favor a negative prognosis. Now is known that the positive balance is associated with increased mortality; today we have different standards for assessing preload yet none is highly reliable; the objective of this review is to give a reminder of its physiological concept and profits in patient monitoring.

Molecular interactions of nanomaterials and organisms: defining biomarkers for toxicity and high-throughput screening using traditional and next-generation sequencing approaches.

The toxicity of nanomaterials depends on the basic interaction of the chemistry of the material with the molecular pathways in an organism. To design safe and sustainable nanomaterials, more detailed information on the molecular interaction and biochemical machinery that is altered in an organism upon contact with a nanomaterial is needed. There are a multitude of papers now on the toxicity of nanomaterials to various model organisms from human to ecological models, but many focus on acute high dose exposures and research on the toxicity of other chemicals has shown that the dose of a chemical can have a tremendous impact on the pathways that are affected within the organism. The most common pathways investigated in nanotoxicity experiments are related to oxidative stress, yet oxidative stress can be a temporary and natural response to an insult without a negative outcome. There are a multitude of other potential mechanisms that may be triggered in response to a toxin at sublethal exposures. Here we present a review documenting the evidence to date on the indicators of the molecular response to nanomaterials from in vitro and in vivo studies. Alternative pathways as indicated by single biomarker, global gene expression studies and next generation sequencing approaches are discussed as well as the impacts of nanomaterial type, dose, and the types of system studied. Specific mechanisms that are impacted by a nanomaterial can be used as the basis of better high-throughput methods for evaluating how nanomaterial chemistry impacts toxicity and support models to predict the toxicity of future nanomaterials.

Identification and transcriptional modulation of the largemouth bass, Micropterus salmoides, vitellogenin receptor during oocyte development by insulin and sex steroids.

Fish vitellogenin synthesized and released from the liver of oviparous animals is taken up into oocytes by the vitellogenin receptor. This is an essential process in providing nutrient yolk to developing embryos to ensure successful reproduction. Here we disclose the full length vtgr cDNA sequence for largemouth bass (LMB) that reveals greater than 90% sequence homology with other fish vtgr sequences. We classify LMB Vtgr as a member of the low density lipoprotein receptor superfamily based on conserved domains and categorize as the short variant that is devoid of the O-glycan segment. Phylogenetic analysis places LMB Vtgr sequence into a well-supported monophyletic group of fish Vtgr. Real-time PCR showed that the greatest levels of LMB vtgr mRNA expression occurred in previtellogenic ovarian tissues. In addition, we reveal the effects of insulin, 17beta-estradiol (E(2)), and 11-ketotestosterone (11-KT) in modulation of vtgr, esr, and ar mRNAs in previtellogenic oocytes. Insulin increased vtgr expression levels in follicles ex vivo while exposure to E(2) or 11-KT did not result in modulation of expression. However, both steroids were able to repress insulin-induced vtgr transcript levels. Coexposure with insulin and E(2) or of insulin and 11-KT increased ovarian esr2b and ar mRNA levels, respectively, which suggest a role for these nuclear receptors in insulin-mediated signaling pathways. These data provide the first evidence for the ordered stage-specific expression of LMB vtgr during the normal reproductive process and the hormonal influence of insulin and sex steroids on controlling vtgr transcript levels in ovarian tissues.

Diagnosing comorbid psychiatric disorders in substance abusers: validity of the Spanish versions of the Psychiatric Research Interview for Substance and Mental Disorders and the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV.

OBJECTIVE: The authors' goal was to assess the validity of DSM-IV diagnoses obtained with the Spanish versions of the Psychiatric Research Interview for Substance and Mental Disorders (PRISM) and the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV (SCID) compared with the longitudinal, expert, all data (LEAD) procedure in a group of substance abusers. METHOD: A total of 105 substance abusers recruited at a drug abuse treatment center in Barcelona, Spain, were assessed. The PRISM and SCID were administered blindly by independent research interviewers. LEAD diagnoses were made by two senior psychiatrists who were blind to PRISM and SCID diagnoses. The kappa statistic was used to measure concordance between the LEAD procedure and the PRISM and SCID. RESULTS: Affective and anxiety disorders were diagnosed more frequently by the PRISM and SCID than by the LEAD procedure. Use of the PRISM resulted in more diagnoses of substance-induced depression, and use of the SCID resulted in more diagnoses of primary major depression than the LEAD procedure. Kappas between the LEAD procedure and the PRISM in current major depression, past substance-induced depression, and borderline personality disorder were better than those obtained between the LEAD procedure and the SCID. The concordance among the three methods for diagnoses of current dependence disorders was good or excellent for alcohol, anxiolytic, cocaine, and heroin dependence and fair for cannabis dependence. Abuse diagnoses showed poor concordance. CONCLUSIONS: Using the LEAD procedure as a "gold standard," the authors conclude that the Spanish version of the PRISM seems to be a better instrument than the Spanish version of the SCID for diagnosing major depression and borderline personality disorders in substance abusers.

El tratamiento de la periimplantitis en base a protocolos científicos. Revisión de la literatura / Periimplantitis treatment on the basis of scientific protocols. Literature review

La comprensión de la patología alrededor de los implantes, no ha sido constatada en modelos experimentales hasta muy recientemente. A raíz de estos estudios se ha podido evidenciar el factor infeccioso como causa principal en estas patologías. Por otro lado, y al margen de estos hallazgos, se han planteado una serie de protocolos sobre modelos clínicos y experimentales en relación a la conducta terapéutica a seguir a la hora de abordar el tratamiento clínico de la periimplantitis. El presente artículo se centra en la recopilación y análisis de la evidencia publicada a este respecto. (AU)

Tratamiento implantológico de la zona posterior del maxilar superior. Elevación del seno maxilar / Implant treatment in the posterior maxilla. The maxillary sinus graft

La rehabilitación del sector posterior del maxilar superior con implantes osteointegrados frecuentemente presenta problemas debido a una disponibilidad ósea vertical insuficiente causada por la presencia del seno maxilar. Para solucionar la falta de altura ósea, se hace necesario realizar procedimientos destinados a aumentar la cantidad de hueso en este área, tal como la colocación de injertos óseos dentro del seno, procedimiento conocido como elevación del seno maxilar. El objetivo de esta revisión de la literatura es presentar un análisis detallado de los factores relacionados con esta técnica, desde la anatomía del seno maxilar, la historia, la descripción e indicación de las técnicas, el uso de materiales de relleno, hasta las distintas situaciones que influyen en el éxito del tratamiento y que por lo tanto constituyen factores de riesgo al realizar este procedimiento. (AU)