Reducing marine pollution from single-use plastics (SUPs): A review.

Single-use plastics, or SUPs (plastic bags, microbeads, cutlery, straws and polystyrene) are substantial sources of plastic marine pollution, yet preventable via legislative and non-legislative interventions. Various international legislative strategies have been reported to address plastic marine pollution from plastic bags and microbeads, but these have since been accompanied by recent increasing public awareness triggered by international agencies and organizations. The Sixth International Marine Debris Conference highlighted increasing intervention strategies to mitigate SUP pollution. This study presents new multi-jurisdictional legislative interventions to reduce SUPs since 2017 and incorporates emergence of new non-legislative interventions to mitigate other types of SUPs at individual and private-sector levels that complement or influence legislative interventions. Further, effectiveness of SUP bag interventions (e.g., bans vs. levies) to help reduce SUP marine pollution are presented and range between 33 and 96% reduction in bag use.

Intravitreal toxicity of dental adhesives in the rabbit.

PURPOSE: The authors tested the intravitreal toxicity of four commonly employed dental adhesives to determine their suitability as retinal adhesives. METHODS: Two glass ionomers, a polycarboxylate, and a composite resin (Ketac-Bond Radiopaque Poly Maleic Acid [ESPE, Oberbay, Germany], Vitrebond Light Cure Glass Ionomer [3M, St. Paul, MN], Carbchem Zinc Polycarboxylate Cement [PSP Dental Company, Kent, United Kingdom], and Kerr Porcelite Dual Cure [Kerr, Romulus, MI]) were reconstituted according to the manufacturer's recommendations, and 0.1 mliter was injected separately into the vitreous cavity of New Zealand white rabbits. Serial slit-lamp and funduscopic evaluations were performed up to 3 months after injection. Selected eyes were studied angiographically and histopathologically. RESULTS: Intravitreal administration of the glass ionomers Ketac-bond or Vitrebond lead to intense vitritis within the first weeks. Necrotic retinal detachments ultimately developed in these eyes, along with those administered the polycarboxylate cement Carbchem. Eyes injected with the composite resin Porcelite Dual Cure showed no ophthalmoscopic evidence of vitreous or retinal toxicity and no angiographic evidence of vascular toxicity. Histopathology of the eyes with this intravitreal composite resin cement revealed mild disorganization of photoreceptor nuclei and outer segments. CONCLUSIONS: Among the agents studied, the dual-cure composite resin cement Porcelite showed the least ocular toxicity. Further studies to evaluate its intraocular toxicity and efficacy as a retinal adhesive are warranted.

Ceramic shade determination: current technique for a direct approach.

A method for selecting the optimal shade of a ceramic restoration is presented. The shade is determined using a direct approach, facilitating communication with the laboratory. The dentist generates a custom shade tab using unfired dental porcelain powder mixed with an organic binder which has a refractive index that is adjusted to the fired material. Hue, chroma, value, and translucency are verified by direct comparison with the tooth to be replicated. Necessary adjustments are ascertained prior to fabricating the restoration, minimizing postfabrication alterations.

Effect of intraventricular nadolol infusion on shock-induced aggression in 6-hydroxydopamine-treated rats.

Increasingly, beta blockers are being utilized to treat patients with aggressive disorders secondary to brain lesions. To secure further data about the potential efficacy of beta blockers for this condition, a rat model was employed in which aggression was enhanced by 6-hydroxydopamine. Following lesioning of the brain, aggression in the rats increased from an average baseline of 10.9 +/- 2.1 to 42.7 +/- 2.0 fights per testing period. Thereafter, either pharmacologically inert, artificial CSF or nadolol was introduced through transcerebral, intraventricular perfusion with a significant reduction in aggression in the nadolol-treated animals when compared with those receiving artificial CSF.

Control of the immune response to contact sensitizing chemicals by cutaneous antigen-presenting cells.

The fate of 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene, a potent contact sensitizing chemical, and 2,4-dichloronitrobenzene, a non-sensitizer, was compared following their application to the skin of BALB/c mice. Although both chemicals were able to bind to protein in vitro and were capable of being absorbed across mouse skin in vivo, only 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene was able to bind to cells in the skin and to induce the movement of these cells from the epidermis into the dermis and ultimately into the draining lymph nodes. The sensitization potential of a chemical may therefore be dependent on its ability to associate with and stimulate the efflux of cutaneous antigen-presenting cells.

Experimental sensitization to subtilisin. I. Production of immediate- and late-onset pulmonary reactions.

Four experiments were undertaken to explore the nature of pulmonary sensitivity which may result from inhalation of subtilisin aerosols. In the first study, immediate- and late-onset responses were identified. Groups of guinea pigs were exposed to atmospheres containing 0.15 to 15 mg/m3 bacterial subtilisin for 15 min/day on each of 5 consecutive days. Following an exposure-free period, reexposure to subtilisin at 1.9 mg/m3 for 20 min resulted in pulmonary responses characterized as "rapid shallow breathing." In some cases, reactions were severe and resulted in respiratory anaphylaxis; in one case, it was fatal. These responses usually occurred during the inhalation challenge or within 1 hr of challenge. However, late-onset reactions, maximum at 3-6 hr postchallenge, were occasionally observed. Results from the second series of experiments indicated that pulmonary responses were most prevalent in animals initially exposed to high concentrations of subtilisin (greater than 0.15 mg/m3) whereas no responses were observed in animals which had been exposed to 8.3 X 10(-3) or 41 X 10(-3) mg/m3 subtilisin. A third study indicated that exposure to 1.9 mg/m3 subtilisin for 20 min could result in pulmonary hypersensitivity. Additionally, when animals received subtilisin exposure on Days 1-5, pulmonary responses were equally severe whether elicited by inhalation challenge on Day 10 or on Day 17. Lastly, long-term exposure of animals to low levels of the enzyme did not result in any cases of pulmonary sensitivity even though the total cumulative exposure received by these animals when administered over a short period of time regularly induced sensitivity. The identification of a "threshold" concentration for sensitization in this animal model implies that it should be possible to recommend a safe industrial exposure level to subtilisin and thus prevent sensitization of exposed workers.

Shrink-free ceramic.

An all-ceramic crown employing the Cerestore system utilizes a unique shrink-free alumina ceramic as its substrate. This core renders the restoration exceptional fit and strength. A ceramic layering technique employed with the aluminous porcelain veneers offers the capability of constructing a full crown restoration incorporating the optical properties present in a natural tooth.

Secretory proteins of the lung in rodents: immunocytochemistry.

The reactivity of rabbit antisera to rat lung secretory proteins with other rodent species was evaluated by immunocytochemistry. Rabbit anti-rat surfactant apoprotein antiserum reacts with the cytoplasm of rat, mouse, and hamster type II pneumocytes and is specific for these cells. Rabbit antiserum to rat Clara cell secretory proteins stains rat, mouse, and hamster Clara cells. Rabbit antisera specific to the two antigenic types of rat Clara cell antigens were also both reactive with rat, mouse, and hamster Clara cells. An antiserum to the non-serum proteins of hamster lung lavage was also prepared and shown to be specifically reactive with hamster Clara cells. The availability of specific reagents for secretory proteins of rodent lungs is expected to facilitate studies of the respective cell types in various pathologic states.

Effectiveness of teaching interviewing and communication skills to physiotherapy students.

Recognition of the importance of effective interviewing and communication skills, and the concomitant need to teach such skills to students in the helping professions are both relatively recent phenomena in rehabilitation medicine. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the impact of the model developed at the Institut de réadaptation de Montréal (IRM model) in the teaching of interviewing skills to physiotherapy students in the clinical setting. Twenty-six final-year physiotherapy students were assigned to two groups of 13 each, one of which received structured training in interviewing skills over a four-week period while the other received no specific instruction. Analyses of the appraisals of pre- and post-test student-patient interviews--the appraisals having been done not only by the students themselves, but by the patients and the independent raters--showed that scores on each evaluation improved significantly following the students' training program. The group receiving no training showed no significant improvement. The authors conclude that a short clinical training program using the IRM model can be effective in improving the interviewing skills of physiotherapy students.

A method for monitoring drug effects on male sexual response: the effect of single dose labetalol.

1 A method for monitoring the effect of drugs on the genital response to stimulation provided by vibration is described. 2 Using this method, the effect on male sexual response of two oral doses (100 mg and 300 mg) labetalol were studied and compared with placebo in six subjects. 3 Labetalol did not affect the attainment or maintenance of erection. 4 Labetalol delayed ejaculation in a dose-related manner. 5 Labetalol treatment resulted in a significant dose-related delay in detumescence.

Partial ejaculatory incompetence: the therapeutic effect of midodrine, an orally active selective alpha-adrenoceptor agonist.

The syndrome of partial ejaculatory incompetence has been reviewed. 6 patients, diagnosed as suffering from partial ejaculatory incompetence, were studied. For each subject, large numbers of spermatozoa were present in the post-masturbation urine sample providing evidence of disturbed ejaculatory function. The effect of a potent alpha-adrenoceptor agonist (Midodrine) was evaluated in these patients by means of a double-blind crossover study. Active treatment resulted in a significant increase in intensity of orgasmic sensation, and in a statistically significant improvement in ejaculatory function.

The effect of labetalol and propranolol on the pressor response to sexual arousal in women.

1 The effect of a single oral dose of labetalol (100 mg), propranolol (80 mg) and placebo on the pressor response to sexual autostimulation has been studied in six female volunteers. 2 Labetalol but not propranolol significantly reduced the increase in blood pressure that occurred at orgasm. 3 The subjective features of the sexual response were assessed by each subject using visual analogue scales. 4 Subjects reported a significant reduction in vaginal lubrication with labetalol compared to both placebo and propranolol. 5 No other effects were noted.