Kelp carbon sink potential decreases with warming due to accelerating decomposition.

Cycling of organic carbon in the ocean has the potential to mitigate or exacerbate global climate change, but major questions remain about the environmental controls on organic carbon flux in the coastal zone. Here, we used a field experiment distributed across 28° of latitude, and the entire range of 2 dominant kelp species in the northern hemisphere, to measure decomposition rates of kelp detritus on the seafloor in relation to local environmental factors. Detritus decomposition in both species were strongly related to ocean temperature and initial carbon content, with higher rates of biomass loss at lower latitudes with warmer temperatures. Our experiment showed slow overall decomposition and turnover of kelp detritus and modeling of coastal residence times at our study sites revealed that a significant portion of this production can remain intact long enough to reach deep marine sinks. The results suggest that decomposition of these kelp species could accelerate with ocean warming and that low-latitude kelp forests could experience the greatest increase in remineralization with a 9% to 42% reduced potential for transport to long-term ocean sinks under short-term (RCP4.5) and long-term (RCP8.5) warming scenarios. However, slow decomposition at high latitudes, where kelp abundance is predicted to expand, indicates potential for increasing kelp-carbon sinks in cooler (northern) regions. Our findings reveal an important latitudinal gradient in coastal ecosystem function that provides an improved capacity to predict the implications of ocean warming on carbon cycling. Broad-scale patterns in organic carbon decomposition revealed here can be used to identify hotspots of carbon sequestration potential and resolve relationships between carbon cycling processes and ocean climate at a global scale.

Transcriptomic responses of Antarctic clam Laternula elliptica to nanoparticles, at single and combined exposures reveal ecologically relevant biomarkers.

In recent years micro- and nanoplastics and metal-oxide nanomaterials have been found in several environmental compartments. The Antarctic soft clam Laternula elliptica is an endemic Antarctic species having a wide distribution in the Southern Ocean. Being a filter-feeder, it could act as suitable bioindicator of pollution from nanoparticles also considering its sensitivity to various sources of stress. The present study aims to assess the impact of polystyrene nanoparticles (PS-NP) and the nanometal titanium-dioxide (n-TiO2) on genome-wide transcript expression of L. elliptica either alone and in combination and at two toxicological relevant concentrations (5 and 50 µg/L) during 96 h exposure. Transcript-target qRT-PCR was performed with the aim to identify suitable biomarkers of exposure and effects. As expected, at the highest concentration tested, the clustering was clearer between control and exposed clams. A total of 221 genes resulted differentially expressed in exposed clams and control ones, and 21 of them had functional annotation such as ribosomal proteins, antioxidant, ion transport (osmoregulation), acid-base balance, immunity, lipid metabolism, cell adhesion, cytoskeleton, apoptosis, chromatin condensation and cell signaling. At functional level, relevant transcripts were shared among some treatments and could be considered as general stress due to nanoparticle exposure. After applying transcript-target approach duplicating the number of clam samples, four ecologically relevant transcripts were revealed as biomarkers for PS-NP, n-TiO2 and their combination at 50 µg/L, that could be used for monitoring clams' health status in different Antarctic localities.

Evaluation of Sub-Antarctic and Antarctic sea urchins' thermal reaction norm through righting behavior and comparison with in situ measurements.

Sea urchin's survival may depend on their capacity to recover proper orientation rapidly and effectively after inversion, enabling escape from predator and preventing desiccation. This righting behavior has been used as a repeatable and reliable indicator to assess echinoderms performance across environmental conditions, including thermal sensitivity and thermal stress. The current study aims at evaluating and comparing the thermal reaction norm for righting behavior (time for righting (TFR) and capacity to self-right) of three common sea urchins from high latitude, the Patagonian sea urchins Loxechinus albus and Pseudechinus magellanicus, and the Antarctic sea urchin Sterechinus neumayeri. In addition, to infer the ecological implications of our experiments, we compared laboratory-based and in situ TFR of these three species. We observed that populations of the Patagonian sea urchins L. albus and P. magellanicus presented similar trend of righting behavior, overly accelerating with increasing temperature (from 0 to 22°C). Little variations and high inter-individual variability were observed below 6°C in the Antarctic sea urchin TFR, and righting success strongly decreased between 7 and 11°C. For the three species, TFR was lower in in situ experiments compared to the laboratory. Overall, our results suggest that the populations of Patagonian sea urchin exhibit a wide thermal tolerance and, based on S. neumayeri's TFR, aligning with the narrow thermal tolerance of Antarctic benthos. Finally, the differences between laboratory and in situ experiments highlights the importance of considering the complexity of marine environments for future predictions.

Advanced technological tools to study multidrug resistance in cancer.

The complexity of cancer biology and its clinical manifestation are driven by genetic, epigenetic, transcriptomic, proteomic and metabolomic alterations, supported by genomic instability as well as by environmental conditions and lifestyle factors. Although novel therapeutic modalities are being introduced, efficacious cancer therapy is not achieved due to the frequent emergence of distinct mechanisms of multidrug resistance (MDR). Advanced technologies with the potential to identify and characterize cancer MDR could aid in selecting the most efficacious therapeutic regimens and prevent inappropriate treatments of cancer patients. Herein, we aim to present technological tools that will enhance our ability to surmount drug resistance in cancer in the upcoming decade. Some of these tools are already in practice such as next-generation sequencing. Identification of genes and different types of RNAs contributing to the MDR phenotype, as well as their molecular targets, are of paramount importance for the development of new therapeutic strategies aimed to enhance drug response in resistant tumors. Other techniques known for many decades are in the process of adaptation and improvement to study cancer cells' characteristics and biological behavior including atomic force microscopy (AFM) and live-cell imaging. AFM can monitor in real-time single molecules or molecular complexes as well as structural alterations occurring in cancer cells induced upon treatment with various antitumor agents. Cell tracking methodologies and software tools recently progressed towards quantitative analysis of the spatio-temporal dynamics of heterogeneous cancer cell populations and enabled direct monitoring of cells and their descendants in 3D cultures. Besides, novel 3D systems with the advanced mimicking of the in vivo tumor microenvironment are applicable to study different cancer biology phenotypes, particularly drug-resistant and aggressive ones. They are also suitable for investigating new anticancer treatment modalities. The ultimate goal of using phenotype-driven 3D cultures for the investigation of patient biopsies as the most appropriate in vivo mimicking model, can be achieved in the near future.

Anatomy of the axillary arch: from its incidence in human to an embryologic and a phylogenetic explanation of its origins.

INTRODUCTION: Typically, the axillary arch is defined as a fleshy slip running from latissimus dorsi to the anterior aspect of the humerus. Phylogeny seems to give the most relevant and plausible explanation of this anatomical variant as a remnant of the panniculus carnosus. However, authors are not unanimous about its origin. We report herein the incidence of axillary arch in a series of 40 human female dissections and present an embryologic and a comparative study in three domestic mammals. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty formalin-preserved Caucasian human female cadavers, one rat (Rattus norvegicus), one rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) and one pig (Sus scrofa domesticus) cadavers were dissected bilaterally. A comparative, analytical and a descriptive studies of serial human embryological sections were carried out. RESULTS: We found an incidence of axillary arch of 2.5% (n = 1 subject of 40) in Humans. We found a panniculus carnosus inserted on the anterior aspect of the humerus only in the rat and the rabbit but not in the pig. The development of the latissimus dorsi takes place between Carnegie stage 16-23, but the embryological study failed to explain the genesis of the axillary arch variation. However, comparative anatomy argues in favour of a panniculus carnosus origin of the axillary arch. CONCLUSIONS: With an incidence of 2.5% of cases, the axillary arch is a relatively frequent variant that should be known by clinician and especially surgeons. Moreover, while embryology seems to fail to explain the genesis of this variation, comparative study gives additional arguments which suggest a possible origin from the panniculus carnosus.

The effects of preoperative balance training on balance and functional outcome after total knee replacement: a randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the effects of preoperative balance training on the early postoperative balance and functional outcomes after total knee replacement surgery and to test whether an outpatient intervention may be as effective as a domiciliary intervention. DESIGN: This is a three-arm randomized controlled trial. SETTING: University hospital. SUBJECTS: Eighty-six individuals were recruited. Seventy-seven were analysed, aged 72.1 (SD 7.6) years, of which 68% were women. OUTCOME MEASURES: Overall state of balance, as measured with the Berg Balance Scale, and patient-perceived functionality, as measured with the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score Function in Activities in Daily Living (KOOS-ADL) questionnaire, were the primary outcomes. Secondary assessments targeted knee function, balance and mobility, quality of life, and self-reported outcomes. The primary end-point was six weeks after surgery. INTERVENTION: The hospital group implemented a four-week preoperative outpatient balance-oriented intervention. The home group implemented similar training, but this was domiciliary. The control group was instructed to keep performing their normal activities. RESULTS: Home and hospital groups presented a moderate effect against the control group (dhospital-control = 0.54; dhome-control = 0.63), both being similarly effective in improving the overall state of balance at six weeks after surgery (P = 0.013). KOOS-ADL scores showed no between-group differences and a small effect size (d < 0.5; P = 0.937). Secondary assessments suggested non-significant between-group differences. CONCLUSION: Preoperative balance training, conducted either as domiciliary or as an outpatient, is an effective approach to enhance early postoperative balance outcome but not the perceived functionality of individuals undergoing total knee replacement.

Ingestion and bioaccumulation of polystyrene nanoplastics and their effects on the microalgal feeding of Artemia franciscana.

Nanoplastics (NPs) have become one of the most serious environmental problems nowadays. The environmental issues linked to NPs are attributed to the effects after ingestion in marine organisms. Due to the incipient and controversial information about the effects of PS NPs on the feeding of organisms, the aim of this work is to assess (i) digestion dynamics of Artemia franciscana when exposed to PS NPs as the lowest concentration of PS NPs reported in toxicity test [0 (control), 0.006 and 0.6 mg·L-1] and possible interferences in the ingestion of microalgae and (ii) the accumulation and depuration of PS NPs by A. franciscana. Artemia were subjected to ingestion experiments [24 h and 3.5 h], in which the organisms were exposed to PS NPs or to PS NPs + microalgae. Post-exposure feeding (24 h exposure and 2 h feeding) and depuration (24 h exposure and 24 h of depuration) were also carried out. More than 90% of the PS NPs were ingested by Artemia and bioaccumulated in the mandible, stomach, gut, tail gut and appendages after 24 h. The ingestion of microalgae was not affected by the presence of the PS NPs. Data of post-exposure feeding indicated that Artemia previously exposed to plastic and/or microalgae presented similar microalgal ingestion (around 70%); the highest microalgal consumption (around 90%) was recorded in the treatment in which Artemia were previously starved (no plastic and no microalgae). The presence of PS NPs in the gut after the depuration experiments indicates that 24 h was not enough to eliminate the PS NPs.

Rapidly growing breast desmoid tumor with intra-thoracic involvement after reconstructive surgery for breast cancer.

Desmoid tumors are very rare soft tissue neoplasia that are slow growing and locally aggressive. They grow anywhere in the body and are rarely develop in the breast . Histopathologic examination confirms diagnosis. Recurrence rate is very high even after complete resection. We report the management of a rare case of rapidly growing breast desmoid with intra-thoracic involvement causing cardiac compression.

Phylogeny and bioactivity of epiphytic Gram-positive bacteria isolated from three co-occurring antarctic macroalgae.

Marine macroalgae are emerging as an untapped source of novel microbial diversity and, therefore, of new bioactive secondary metabolites. This study was aimed at assessing the diversity and antimicrobial activity of the culturable Gram-positive bacteria associated with the surface of three co-occurring Antarctic macroalgae. Specimens of Adenocystis utricularis (brown alga), Iridaea cordata (red alga) and Monostroma hariotii (green alga) were collected from the intertidal zone of King George Island, Antarctica. Gram-positive bacteria were investigated by cultivation-based methods and 16S rRNA gene sequencing, and screened for antimicrobial activity against a panel of pathogenic microorganisms. Isolates were found to belong to 12 families, with a dominance of Microbacteriaceae and Micrococcaceae. Seventeen genera of Actinobacteria and 2 of Firmicutes were cultured from the three macroalgae, containing 29 phylotypes. Three phylotypes within Actinobacteria were regarded as potentially novel species. Sixteen isolates belonging to the genera Agrococcus, Arthrobacter, Micrococcus, Pseudarthrobacter, Pseudonocardia, Sanguibacter, Staphylococcus, Streptomyces and Tessaracoccus exhibited antibiotic activity against at least one of the indicator strains. The bacterial phylotype composition was distinct among the three macroalgae species, suggesting that these macroalgae host species-specific Gram-positive associates. The results highlight the importance of Antarctic macroalgae as a rich source of Gram-positive bacterial diversity and potentially novel species, and a reservoir of bacteria producing biologically active compounds with pharmacological potential.

Liposuction Preserves the Morphological Integrity of the Microvascular Network: Flow Cytometry and Confocal Microscopy Evidence in a Controlled Study.

BACKGROUND: Liposuction is a very popular technique in plastic surgery that allows for the taking adipose tissue (AT) on large surfaces with little risk of morbidity. Although liposuction was previously shown to preserve large perforator vessels, little is known about the effects of liposuction on the microvasculature network. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to analyze the effect of liposuction on the preservation of microvessels at tissue and cellular levels by flow cytometry and confocal microscopy following abdominoplasty procedure. METHODS: Percentage of endothelial cells in AT from liposuction and en bloc AT was determined by multicolor flow cytometry. Moreover, vessel density and adipocyte content were analyzed in situ in 3 different types of AT (en bloc, from liposuction, and residual AT after liposuction) by confocal microscopy. RESULTS: Flow cytometric analysis showed that en bloc AT contained 30.6% ± 12.9% and AT from liposuction 21.6% ± 9.9% of endothelial cells (CD31(pos)/CD45(neg)/CD235a(neg)/CD11b(neg)) (P = .009). Moreover, analysis of paired AT from the same patients (n = 5) confirmed a lower percentage of endothelial cells in AT from liposuction compared to en bloc AT (17.7% ± 4.5% vs 21.9% ± 3.3%, P = .031). Likewise, confocal microscopy showed that en bloc AT contained 8.2% ± 6.3%, AT from liposuction only 1.6% ± 1.0% (P < .0001), and AT after liposuction 8.9% ± 4.1% (P = .111) of CD31(pos) vessels. Conversely, adipocyte content was 39.5% ± 14.5% in the en bloc AT, 45% ± 18.4% in AT from liposuction (P = .390), and 18.8 ± 14.8% in AT after liposuction (P = .011). CONCLUSIONS: For the first time, we demonstrate that liposuction preserves the microvascular network. Indeed, a low percentage of endothelial cells was found in AT from liposuction and we confirm the persistence of microvessels in the tissue after liposuction.

High endothelial venule blood vessels for tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes are associated with lymphotoxin ß-producing dendritic cells in human breast cancer.

Blood vessels and tumor angiogenesis are generally associated with tumor growth and poor clinical outcome of cancer patients. However, we recently discovered that some blood vessels present within the tumor microenvironment can be associated with favorable prognosis. These vessels, designated tumor high endothelial venules (HEVs), appear to facilitate tumor destruction by allowing high levels of lymphocyte infiltration into tumors. In this study, we investigated the mechanisms regulating HEV blood vessels in human breast cancer. We found that lymphotoxin ß was overexpressed in tumors containing high densities of HEVs (HEV(high)) and correlated to DC-LAMP, a marker of mature DCs. DCs were the main producers of lymphotoxin ß in freshly resected HEV(high) breast tumor samples, and the density of DC-LAMP(+) DCs clusters was strongly correlated with the density of tumor HEVs, T and B cell infiltration, and favorable clinical outcome in a retrospective cohort of 146 primary invasive breast cancer patients. Densities of tumor HEVs and DC-LAMP(+) DCs were strongly reduced during breast cancer progression from in situ carcinoma to invasive carcinoma, suggesting that loss of tumor HEVs is a critical step during breast cancer progression. Finally, an increase in the infiltration of regulatory T cells was observed in HEV(high) breast tumors, indicating that tumor HEVs can develop in the presence of regulatory T cells. Together, our results support a key role for DCs and DC-derived lymphotoxin in the formation of tumor HEVs. These findings are important because novel therapeutic strategies based on the modulation of tumor HEVs could have a major impact on clinical outcome of cancer patients.

Is the use of negative pressure wound therapy for a malignant wound legitimate in a palliative context? "The concept of NPWT ad vitam": A case series.

BACKGROUND: The management of malignant wounds remains particularly difficult. They are often malodorous, highly exuding, and painful. In this context, the use of negative pressure wound therapy is usually not recommended. It is, however, an effective procedure for maintaining a good quality of life in certain palliative situations. CASE PRESENTATION: Five patients underwent negative pressure wound therapy for a malignant wound in our unit. Three had sarcomas, one patient had a parietal recurrence of breast carcinoma, and one patient had melanoma. They were in a metastatic palliative situation and were no longer receiving specific treatment. CASE MANAGEMENT AND OUTCOMES: The patients reported a decrease in odor and exudates with negative pressure wound therapy, compared with conventional dressings. No patients complained of pain associated with the suction system itself. Fewer dressing changes reduced the pain and encouraged the resumption of social interactions. The average duration of negative pressure wound therapy before the death of the patients was 49 days. No complications or bleeding were observed. The duration of the patients' stay was shortened by implementing negative pressure wound therapy at home. CONCLUSION: We report on our experiences with five patients for whom manufacturers and health authorities contraindicated the use of negative pressure wound therapy because of its potential to encourage tumor growth, although it was considered to be beneficial for all of these patients. This procedure may offer an alternative to conventional wound dressings at the end of life and improve the quality of life of patients by controlling the three most disabling elements: the odor, exudate, and pain associated with changing the dressings. Miniaturization and lower costs could promote the systematic use of negative pressure wound therapy.

Professional Burnout Among Plastic Surgery Residents: Can it be Prevented? Outcomes of a National Survey.

BACKGROUND: Plastic surgery residencies require significant investments of time and psychological resources. We herein determine the prevalence of burnout syndrome among plastic surgery residents and identify potentially protective factors. METHODS: A national cross-sectional study was conducted among French plastic surgery residents in March 2013. We distributed a validated measure of burnout (Maslach Burnout Inventory) in addition to a general questionnaire collecting sociodemographic and professional information. RESULTS: Fifty-two residents (61%) responded; their mean age was 29 years. A total of 25% and 13.5% of residents scored highly on the depersonalization and high-level emotional exhaustion burnout subscales, respectively, and 48.1% indicated perceived low-level personal accomplishment. The occurrence of a weekly ward round by a senior surgeon (reported by 67.3% of respondents) appears to protect against burnout (P = 0.007); regular staff meetings in the unit (75% of respondents) were also protective because they limited depersonalization (P = 0.048) and promoted personal accomplishment (P = 0.031). The number of hours worked/week was not significantly associated with burnout. Despite these data, 69.2% reported satisfaction with their careers. CONCLUSIONS: Almost one third of plastic surgery residents exhibited a high degree of burnout; the risks were increased by being in the early years of training, feeling dissatisfied with career plans, and working in units in which senior surgeons did not make weekly ward rounds and in which regular staff meetings, which offer the opportunity to discuss cases or problems with other professionals, were not scheduled. Burnout increases the risk of medical errors and suicide among residents. Therefore, we suggest that screening for burnout is essential.

Autologous fat grafting for cosmetic breast augmentation: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Breast augmentation is one of the most popular aesthetic surgical procedures. The only potential alternative is autologous fat grafting (AFG), which is not new in principle. This procedure has been used on native breasts since 2009, following the recommendations of some learned societies. OBJECTIVES: We performed a systematic review to determine the current worldwide status of fat grafting for aesthetic breast augmentation. METHODS: A systematic review of the literature following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis criteria was conducted using the PubMed, EmBASE, and Cochrane library databases. This protocol was registered at the National Institute for Health Research, Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews. RESULTS: A total of 42 articles published between 1987 and July 2014 were included. Most of the studies had a low level of evidence, with only one level 2 study, published by Spear (2014), a prospective cohort study which included 10 patients. The publications were from North America, Europe, and Asia. The indications were aesthetic augmentation (92.4%) and congenital malformation (7.6%). Two cases of cancer were reported among the 2023 patients included (0.09%), with a mean follow-up of 22 months, although the follow-up was insufficient for medium- and long-term cancer diagnoses. CONCLUSIONS: AFG seems to be a major tool in this field, but we must remain cautious about its systematization for this indication. Preoperative patient selection is essential but underreported. AFG appears particularly relevant in breast malformations. We believe that this method should be practiced within the scope of a national or international registry with proper follow-up of patients.

Breslow thickness, clark index and ulceration are associated with sentinel lymph node metastasis in melanoma patients: a cohort analysis of 612 patients.

BACKGROUND: Sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) is the most sensitive procedure for assessing nodal status in patients with primary melanoma. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the predictive ability of usual primary melanoma prognosis factors of detecting sentinel lymph node (SLN) metastasis in patients with melanoma. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A cohort of 612 consecutive patients presenting with primary skin melanoma who underwent a SLNB was evaluated. Assessment of the determinants of SLN metastasis was based on general linear model analysis. The model performance was studied using the concordance statistic and the net reclassification index. The calibration was estimated using the Hosmer-Lemeshow test. RESULTS: The discrimination ability did not differ significantly between Breslow thickness (0.57), Clark index (0.61), ulceration (0.57) and histological subtype (0.55). Clark index, ulceration and Breslow thickness were all significant and independent determinants of SLN metastasis. The predictive ability of the final model was 0.657. CONCLUSION: Breslow thickness, Clark index and ulceration are independent predictors of a SLN metastasis.

ROI-scavenging enzyme activities as toxicity biomarkers in three species of marine microalgae exposed to model contaminants (copper, Irgarol and atrazine).

There is a need to develop efficient tools to prevent damage to marine ecosystems due to pollution. Since microalgae play a key role in marine ecosystems, they are considered potentially useful for quick and sensitive toxicity bioassays. In this study an integrative analysis has been carried out of the anti-oxidant enzyme activities of marine microalgae species. Three marine microalgae species (Cylindrotheca closterium, a benthic diatom; Phaeodactylum tricornutum, a diatom which has been used as model organism in toxicity bioassays; and Rhodomonas salina, a cryptophyceae which is considered to present a certain level of heterotrophy) were exposed to selected concentrations of three model pollutants: copper (5 and 10µg L(-1)), atrazine (25 and 50µg L(-1)) and Irgarol (0.5 and 1.0µg L(-1)). These pollutant concentrations are environmentally relevant for coastal ecosystems, and have been selected for checking the efficiency of the reactive oxygen intermediate (ROI) scavenging enzyme system of these organisms. Superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), ascorbate peroxidase (APx) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activities were measured at the end of 24h exposure. The integrated biomarker response (IBR) index - in our case for oxidative stress - has been employed to evaluate the ROI-scavenging enzyme system for each species and each treatment. In general, the SOD and CAT enzyme activities measured were higher in exposed populations than in controls, whereas APx and GPx activities showed the opposite trend. These microalgae showed significant responses of oxidative stress biomarkers at environmentally relevant concentrations for the assayed pollutants and short exposure periods, conditions that most other model organisms cannot match. Therefore microalgae present clear advantages over other species for their prospective employment in an "early warning system".

Epiphyte toxicity bioassay for ecotoxicological and coastal monitoring.

Marine epibionts are organisms that grow on submerged surfaces. Those found on seagrass leaves are especially important because of their interactions with the plants, their contribution to primary production in these ecosystems, and their role as food source for heterotrophic fauna. Given the relative lack of ecotoxicological studies on epibionts, the aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of environmental pollution on epiphytes experimentally attached to artificial devices (mimes) consisting of thermally-sealed silicone tubes supported on bamboo sticks that mimic the morphology of seagrasses and serve as an anchor surface for marine epibionts. Mimes were installed on the sea floor in subtidal waters of the Rio San Pedro (Cádiz), collected after 28 days, and incubated in the laboratory with environmental concentrations of atrazine (herbicide), Irgarol (anti-fouling substance), and copper. Tube-dwelling diatoms formed the major component of the epiphyte community. Average surface covering, chlorophyll, and biomass content did not show significant differences between controls and treatments. The glutathione peroxidase activity increased significantly with 4 µg L(-1) of atrazine and 5 µg L(-1) of copper. This enzymatic activity increase seems to be sufficient to prevent oxidative cellular damage by removing reactive oxygen substances produced by oxidative stress; in addition to this enzyme, there might be other antioxidant enzymes which have not been measured in this study, that have also protected the organism from oxidative damage. Thus, the measurement of antioxidant enzymatic activity in epiphytes may be a useful toxicity indicator for coastal biomonitoring.

Total ankle replacement in patients with end-stage ankle osteoarthritis: clinical results and kinetic gait analysis.

BACKGROUND: Total ankle arthroplasty is being used more frequently as an alternative for arthrodesis in final stages of ankle osteoarthritis. However, there are few studies which describe the biomechanics of gait of these patients. METHODS: Between March 2006 and May 2011, 17 patients (n=18 ankles) suffering end-stage osteoarthritis of the ankle who underwent an ankle replacement (HINTEGRA) were evaluated retrospectively. We evaluated clinical, radiological and biomechanical gait parameters using the NedAMH/IBV dynamometric platform. RESULTS: At last follow-up (average: 37 months), the AOFAS score improved from 31 to 83 with a high rate of satisfaction (83.3%). Kinetic gait parameters were more similar to a healthy ankle. We detected a radiolucent line in 8 patients (44%) without any subsidence case. CONCLUSIONS: Our study showed a high rate of satisfaction and biomechanics of the gait similar to a healthy ankle. The complication rate was analogous to those previously published in the literature.

Intraoperative argatroban vessel irrigation during microsurgical anastomosis in heparin-induced thrombocytopenia patients: About two cases.

Patients with heparin-induced thrombocytopenia or confirmed allergies to heparin have a contraindication to heparin therapy, which poses a problem for intraoperative free flap irrigation in reconstruction. The use of argatroban as an alternative to heparin allowed us to perform a free flap for leg salvage and a deep inferior epigastric perforator flap for breast reconstruction without microvascular complication, with a 0.01 mg/mL solution. We reported two cases of using an alternative treatment to heparin in an emergency and planned surgeries for vessel irrigation during microsurgical anastomosis reconstruction without microvascular complications, suggesting the reliability and effectiveness of its use in case of contraindication to heparin.

Reference intervals of biochemical parameters in Chilean adults.

Background: Establishing reference intervals (RIs) in clinical laboratories is essential, as these can vary due to inter-individual variability as well as the analytical methods used. The purpose of this study was to determine RIs for markers and ratios biochemical in apparently healthy Chilean adults. Methods: A sample of 1,143 data was selected from the Universidad Católica de Temuco, Clinical Laboratory database, La Araucanía Region, Chile, which were analysed by sex. The Tukey's Fences was used to detect outliers and the RIs were established using the non-parametric method.