Estimation of cyanobacteria biovolume in water reservoirs by MERIS sensor.

Planktonic cyanobacteria primarily develop in lentic water bodies, such as lakes and water reservoirs. In certain instances, toxin-producing cyanobacterial populations might dominate the phytoplankton community. Satellite remote sensing is a useful tool for large spatial scale monitoring of cyanobacteria, and the MERIS sensor from the Envisat satellite has taken worldwide images at a high frequency for over 10 years. This short time lapse image collection has provided an extensive record of images for the analysis of variation in the cyanobacterial communities in water reservoirs for management and scientific purposes. The objective of this work is to determine the relationship between measured cyanobacterial biomass as biovolume and the estimations derived from MERIS imagery. This study encompasses two independent studies relying on data from 23 water reservoirs. First, a long-term global limnological research study was conducted that provided a field data collection that included cyanobacterial biovolume, among other variables. Second, a survey was conducted that applied the processed images derived from the Envisat MERIS sensor. The chlorophyll-a (Chl a) content and phycocyanin concentration (PC) were estimated from the MERIS images. The PC estimated by remote sensing and total cyanobacterial biovolume measured from the field samples were found to be significantly correlated (R(2) = 0.6219; p < 0.001). No relevant differences were found among the taxonomical groups, which indicated that this tool provides accurate estimations irrespective of the cyanobacterial group. For validation, the algorithm derived from the entire dataset was applied to the MERIS image dataset of the Rosarito reservoir. An estimated cyanobacterial biovolume time series was performed and compared to the biovolume data collected in an extensive sampling schedule spanning 4 years. The results indicated a strong correlation (R(2) = 0.72; p < 0.001) between the measured and estimated data acquired on the same day.

Long-term outcomes in patients with schizophrenia treated with risperidone long-acting injection or oral antipsychotics in Spain: results from the electronic Schizophrenia Treatment Adherence Registry (e-STAR).

BACKGROUND: The electronic Schizophrenia Treatment Adherence Registry (e-STAR) is a prospective, observational study of patients with schizophrenia designed to evaluate long-term treatment outcomes in routine clinical practice. METHODS: Parameters were assessed at baseline and at 3 month intervals for 2 years in patients initiated on risperidone long-acting injection (RLAI) (n=1345) or a new oral antipsychotic (AP) (n=277; 35.7% and 36.5% on risperidone and olanzapine, respectively) in Spain. Hospitalization prior to therapy was assessed by a retrospective chart review. RESULTS: At 24 months, treatment retention (81.8% for RLAI versus 63.4% for oral APs, p<0.0001) and reduction in Clinical Global Impression Severity scores (-1.14 for RLAI versus -0.94 for APs, p=0.0165) were significantly higher with RLAI. Compared to the pre-switch period, RLAI patients had greater reductions in the number (reduction of 0.37 stays per patient versus 0.2, p<0.05) and days (18.74 versus 13.02, p<0.01) of hospitalizations at 24 months than oral AP patients. CONCLUSIONS: This 2 year, prospective, observational study showed that, compared to oral antipsychotics, RLAI was associated with better treatment retention, greater improvement in clinical symptoms and functioning, and greater reduction in hospital stays and days in hospital in patients with schizophrenia. Improved treatment adherence, increased efficacy and reduced hospitalization with RLAI offer the opportunity of substantial therapeutic improvement in schizophrenia.

Risperidona y síntomas obsesivo-compulsivos / Risperidone and obsessive-compulsive symptoms

FUNDAMENTO: Se han publicado varios estudios en los que los antipsicóticos atípicos presentan como efecto secundario síntomas obsesivo-compulsivos. Asimismo, se ha comprobado su eficacia en los casos de trastornos obsesivo-compulsivos (TOC) resistentes al tratamiento con antidepresivos serotoninérgicos. En el caso de la risperidona, esta doble función se debe a su elevada afinidad por receptores dopaminérgicos D2, que a altas dosis remitirían dichos síntomas, y al antagonismo de receptores serotoninérgicos 5-HT2, que a bajas dosis los producirían. MÉTODOS: Presentamos dos casos con diagnóstico de trastorno esquizofreniforme y esquizofrenia paranoide, según criterios DSM-IV, que presentaron síntomas obsesivos tras una pauta de risperidona de 6 y 4,5 mg/día, respectivamente. CONCLUSIONES: Ambos casos aportan mayor evidencia que dentro de los efectos secundarios de la risperidona se incluyen los síntomas obsesivos, y cómo remite con el uso de ISRS al igual que en los TOC primarios. (AU)