Quality and safety of South African hand sanitisers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Health agencies recommend using hand sanitisers as protection against the coronavirus. Thus far, the emphasis on hand sanitiser studies is limited to an analysis of disinfectant content only. This study aims to provide an extended analysis of 60 off-the-shelf alcohol-based hand sanitisers by using gas chromatography to report on alcohol content and the presence of impurities, a recombinant yeast estrogen screen to assess estrogenic activity, and an investigation into labelling compliance with the South African National Standard. Fifty hand sanitisers had an alcohol content of ≥60% v/v alcohol; however, most contained skin irritants and substances that could harm human and environmental health. Estrogenic activity was detected in 29 hand sanitisers and none of the products complied with all the labelling requirements. Since off-the-shelf hand sanitisers in South Africa are not regulated and monitored, evidence-based public awareness programmes on hand sanitiser quality and safety should become a priority.

Knowledge and skills of emergency physicians in managing traumatic dental injuries.

PURPOSE: Emergency departments are frequently confronted with traumatic dental injuries (TDIs). The prognosis of the injured tooth is related to early dental trauma management. For this reason, physicians must be familiar with the appropriate management of TDI. This study aimed to investigate the knowledge and skills of German emergency physicians regarding TDI. METHODS: An electronic questionnaire was sent to 438 emergency departments throughout Germany. Four hundred and twenty seven questionnaires were evaluated and included in the analysis. The survey contained questions about physician characteristics and assessed their knowledge and skills of managing dental trauma. For statistical analysis, the Kruskal-Wallis, Mann-Whitney U test or ANOVA test was used as appropriate. Rank correlations were performed with the Spearman's rank correlation. RESULTS: Out of 427 participants, 256 (59.95%) stated they had no or insufficient knowledge, and 266 (71.12%) stated they had no skills in dental trauma management. Almost 76% of the participants had no previous knowledge of dentistry. Only 7.28% knew the right procedure for replanting an avulsed tooth. Just 26.06% would choose the right medium for temporary tooth storage. Having a dentist in the family (p = 0.0074) or clinical exposure to patients with dental trauma (p = 0.0384) influenced the results of the knowledge score. CONCLUSION: The knowledge and skills in dental trauma management among German emergency physicians are generally inadequate. Targeted training courses are necessary to ensure early and adequate TDI treatment to reduce the resulting medical and societal costs as much as possible.

EDCs and male urogenital cancers.

Male sex determination and sexual differentiation occur between 6-12 weeks of gestation. During the "male programming window" the fetal testes start to produce testosterone that initiates the development of the male reproductive tract. Exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) able to mimic or disrupt steroid hormone actions may disrupt testicular development and adversely impact reproductive health at birth, during puberty and adulthood. The testicular dysgenesis syndrome (TDS) occurs as a result inhibition of androgen action on fetal development preceding Sertoli and Leydig cell dysfunction and may result from direct or epigenetic effects. Hypospadias, cryptorchidism and poor semen quality are elements of TDS, which may be considered a risk factor for testicular germ cell cancer (TGCC). Exposure to estrogen or estrogenic EDCs results in developmental estrogenization/estrogen imprinting in the rodent for prostate cancer (PCa). This can disrupt prostate histology by disorganization of the epithelium, prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PIN) lesions, in particular high-grade PIN (HGPIN) lesions which are precursors of prostatic adenocarcinoma. These defects persist throughout the lifespan of the animal and later in life estrogen exposure predispose development of cancer. Exposure of pregnant dams to vinclozolin, a competitive anti-androgen, and results in prominent, focal regions of inflammation in all exposed animals. The inflammation closely resembles human nonbacterial prostatitis that occurs in young men and evidence indicates that inflammation plays a central role in the development of PCa. In conclusion, in utero exposure to endocrine disrupters may predispose to the development of TDS, testicular cancer (TCa) and PCa and are illustrations of Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD).

A Global Deal For Nature: Guiding principles, milestones, and targets.

The Global Deal for Nature (GDN) is a time-bound, science-driven plan to save the diversity and abundance of life on Earth. Pairing the GDN and the Paris Climate Agreement would avoid catastrophic climate change, conserve species, and secure essential ecosystem services. New findings give urgency to this union: Less than half of the terrestrial realm is intact, yet conserving all native ecosystems-coupled with energy transition measures-will be required to remain below a 1.5°C rise in average global temperature. The GDN targets 30% of Earth to be formally protected and an additional 20% designated as climate stabilization areas, by 2030, to stay below 1.5°C. We highlight the 67% of terrestrial ecoregions that can meet 30% protection, thereby reducing extinction threats and carbon emissions from natural reservoirs. Freshwater and marine targets included here extend the GDN to all realms and provide a pathway to ensuring a more livable biosphere.

Homocysteine-induced inverse expression of tissue factor and DPP4 in endothelial cells is related to NADPH oxidase activity.

PURPOSE: We previously found that homocysteine (Hcy)-induced apoptosis in endothelial cells coincided with increased NADPH oxidase (NOX) activity. In addition, in ischemic endothelial cells present in the heart, we showed that loss of serine protease dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPP4) expression was correlated with induction of tissue factor (TF) expression. Since Hcy can initiate thrombosis through the induction of TF expression, in this study, we evaluated whether the inverse relation of TF and DPP4 is also Hcy-dependent and whether NOX-mediated reactive oxygen species (ROS) is playing a role herein. METHODS: Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were incubated with 2.5 mM Hcy for 3 and 6 h. The effects of Hcy on DPP4 and TF expression and NOX2/p47phox-mediated nitrotyrosine (ROS) production were studied using digital-imaging microscopy. RESULTS: In HUVECs, high levels of Hcy showed a significant increase of TF expression and a concomitant loss of DPP4 expression after 6 h. In addition, NOX subunits NOX2 and p47phox were also significantly increased after 6 h of Hcy incubation and coincided with nitrotyrosine (ROS) expression. Interestingly, inhibition of NOX-mediated nitrotyrosine (ROS) with the use of apocynin not only reduced these effects, but also counteracted the effects of Hcy on TF and DPP4 expression. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that the inverse relation of TF and DPP4 in endothelial cells is also Hcy-dependent and related to NOX activity.

Commentary on "Prognostic effect of carcinoma in situ in muscle-invasive urothelial carcinoma patients receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy."

BACKGROUND: Carcinoma in situ (CIS) is a poor prognostic finding in urothelial carcinoma. However, its significance in muscle-invasive urothelial carcinoma (MIUC) treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) is uncertain. We assessed the effect of CIS found in pretreatment transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TURBT) biopsies on the pathologic and clinical outcomes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Subjects with MIUC treated with NAC before cystectomy were identified. The pathologic complete response (pCR) rates stratified by TURBT CIS status were compared. The secondary analyses included tumor response, progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and an exploratory post hoc analysis of patients with pathologic CIS only (pTisN0) at cystectomy. RESULTS: A total of 137 patients with MIUC were identified. TURBT CIS was noted in 30.7% of the patients. The absence of TURBT CIS was associated with a significantly increased pCR rate (23.2% vs. 9.5%; odds ratio = 4.08; 95% CI: 1.19-13.98; P = 0.025). Stage pTisN0 disease was observed in 19.0% of the TURBT CIS patients. TURBT CIS status did not significantly affect the PFS or OS outcomes. Post hoc analysis of the pTisN0 patients revealed prolonged median PFS (104.5 vs. 139.9 months; P = 0.055) and OS (104.5 vs. 152.3 months; P = 0.091) outcomes similar to those for the pCR patients. CONCLUSION: The absence of CIS on pretreatment TURBT in patients with MIUC undergoing NAC was associated with increased pCR rates, with no observed differences in PFS or OS. Isolated CIS at cystectomy was frequently observed, with lengthy PFS and OS durations similar to those for pCR patients. Further studies aimed at understanding the biology and clinical effect of CIS in MIUC are warranted.

Within-herd prevalence thresholds for the detection of Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis-positive dairy herds using boot swabs and liquid manure samples.

The control of Johne's disease requires the identification of Mycobacterium avium ssp. paratuberculosis (MAP)-positive herds. Boot swabs and liquid manure samples have been suggested as an easy-to-use alternative to sampling individual animals in order to diagnose subclinical Johne's disease at the herd level, but there is a need to evaluate performance of this approach in the field. Using a logistic regression model, this study aimed to calculate the threshold level of the apparent within-herd prevalence as determined by individual faecal culture, thus allowing the detection of whether a herd is MAP positive. A total of 77 boot swabs and 75 liquid manure samples were taken from 19 certified negative and 58 positive dairy herds. Faecal culture, three different polymerase chain reaction (PCR) methods and the combination of faecal culture with PCR were applied in order to detect MAP. For 50% probability of detection, a within-herd prevalence threshold of 1·5% was calculated for testing both matrices simultaneously by faecal culture and PCR, with the threshold increased to 4·0% for 90% probability of detection. The results encourage the use of boot swabs or liquid manure samples, or a combination both, for identifying MAP-positive herds and, to a certain extent, for monitoring certified Johne's disease-negative cattle herds.

Novel bone-targeting agents in prostate cancer.

Prostate cancer (PC) is the most commonly diagnosed non-skin cancer and the second leading cause of cancer death among American men. Bone is by far the most common site for metastasis. The median survival of patients from the development of bone metastases is ~3 years. During this period, patients are at increased risk of skeletal-related events (SREs) including: intractable bone pain, pathological fractures and spinal-cord compression. Several novel bone-targeted agents including bisphosphonates, receptor activator of nuclear factor κB (RANK) ligand monoclonal antibodies, endothelin receptor antagonists, bone-seeking radioisotopes, selective estrogen receptor (ER) modulators and tyrosine kinase inhibitors are now available and under evaluation in clinical trials in PC patients with bone metastases. This review article will provide an overview of the multiple emerging novel bone-targeted therapies in PC.

Three invasive species occurring in the diets of fishes in a Neotropical floodplain.

The composition of the diets of 66 species of fishes was investigated from September 2009 to June 2010 in three subsystems of the Upper Paraná River floodplain (Brazil), following invasion by the two mollusk species Limnoperna fortunei (Dunker, 1857) and Corbicula fluminea (Müller, 1774), and the macrophyte Hydrilla verticillata (L.f.) Royle. Limnoperna fortunei was consumed in all three subsystems and occurred in the diet of 15 fish species, with a high proportion in the diet of Leporinus obtusidens. Corbicula fluminea was present in the diet of Pterodoras granulosus caught in the Paraná and Ivinheima subsystems. Hydrilla verticillata occurred in the diet of Schizodon nasutus caught in the Ivinheima and Paraná subsystems. It is not yet possible to evaluate the potential of these species to control invasive mollusks in the study area or the impact of these species on the structure of the food chain. Omnivorous and herbivorous fishes in the study area may have little impact on the population of H. verticillata.

Diet and feeding selectivity of a benthivorous fish in streams: responses to the effects of urbanization.

This study evaluated the diet and feeding selectivity of the catfish Imparfinis mirini in streams with different degrees of urbanization and the effect of rainfall on the availability of prey. The diet was based especially on Chironomidae and Trichoptera. Significant spatial differences in diet were found between the streams; the diet of the fish was similar in the rural and peri-urban streams, and differed from that in the urban stream. Seasonality was an unimportant factor affecting the species' diet, which did not differ significantly between the rainy and dry periods in any of the streams. Fish from the urban stream fed more according to what was available in the environment, while fish from the peri-urban and rural streams showed higher degrees of selectivity. The results indicate that environmental conditions influenced the diet and prey selection of this species in response to the differences in diversity and abundance of the food organisms. They indicate that trophic studies of benthivorous fishes, such as I. mirini, may represent an alternative way to assess human effects on streams.

Health risk implications from simultaneous exposure to multiple environmental contaminants.

Water quality has deteriorated in the upper Olifants River system, South Africa, as a result of land use activities which include mining, agriculture and industries. A health risk assessment was conducted from 2009 to 2011 in the catchment to determine the possible risks local communities face from various pollutants such as microbials, heavy metals and oestrogen in the river water and vegetation. Aluminium and manganese accumulated in plants and vanadium and aluminium concentrations found in selective water samples posed significant health risks when consumed. A quantitative microbial risk assessment revealed that the combined risk of infection ranged from 1 to 26 percent with the Norovirus posing the overall greatest health risk. The anticipated disability adjusted life years resulting from drinking untreated water from these sites are in the order of 10,000 times greater than what is considered acceptable. The oestradiol activity, caused by endocrine disrupting compounds in the water, measured above the trigger value of 0.7ngL(-1). Impoverished communities in the area, who partially depend on river water for potable and domestic use, are exposed to immune-compromising metals that increase their probability of infection from waterborne diseases caused by the excess microbial pathogens in the contaminated surface water.

[Economic aspects of inpatient treatment for decompensated liver cirrhosis: a prospective study employing an evidence-based clinical pathway]. / Gesundheitsökonomische Aspekte der stationären Behandlung von Patienten mit dekompensierter Leberzirrhose: eine prospektive Studie unter Nutzung eines evidenzbasierten Behandlungspfads.

The introduction of the G-DRG reimbursement system has greatly increased the pressure to provide cost effective treatment in German hospitals. Reimbursement based on diagnosis-related groups, which requires stratification of costs incurred is still not sufficiently discriminating the disease severity and severity in relation to the intensive costs in gastroenterology. In a combined retrospective and prospective study at a tertial referral centre we investigated whether this also applies for decompensated liver cirrhosis. In 2006, 64 retrospective cases (age 57 ± 12.9; ♂ 69.2 %, ♀ 29.8 %) with decompensated liver cirrhosis (ICD code K76.4) were evaluated for their length of hospitalisation, reimbursement as well as Child and MELD scores. In 2008, 74 cases with decompensated liver cirrhosis were treated in a prospective study according to a standardised and evidence-based clinical pathway (age 57 ± 12.2; 73 % ♂, ♀ 27 %). Besides a trend in the reduction of length of hospital stay (retrospective: 13.6 ± 8.6, prospective 13.0 ± 7.2, p = 0.85) overall revenues from patients treated according to a evidence-based clinical pathway were lower than the calculated costs from the InEK matrix. Costs of medication as a percentage of reimbursement amount increased with increasing severity. In both years we could demonstrate an inverse correlation between daily reimbursement and disease severity which precluded cost coverage. For the cost-covering hospital treatment of patients with decompensated liver cirrhosis an adjustment of the DRG based on clinical severity scores such as Child-Pugh or MELD is warranted, if evidence-based treatment standards are to be kept.

[Obstetric analgesia in German clinics. Remifentanil as alternative to regional analgesia]. / Geburtshilfliche Analgesie in deutschen Kliniken. Remifentanil als Alternative zur Regionalanalgesie.

OBJECTIVE: Epidural regional analgesia is still recommended as the gold standard for obstetric analgesia due to its high efficacy and less depressing effects to the central nervous system. However, if absolute or relative contraindications for a regional anesthetic technique are present, there is a need for an effective and safe alternative. This survey investigates the current use of intravenous opioids, with a focus on remifentanil as patient-controlled intravenous analgesia (PCIA), in obstetrics in German hospitals. METHODS: A questionnaire was sent to 930 anesthesia units. Data were collected and analyzed using SPSS statistical package (PASW Statistics 18.0). The questionnaire requested statistics on births, the existing alternative labor analgesic techniques, intramuscular or intravenous opioids, PCIA or other options. Furthermore, the questions focused on details regarding the use of intravenous opioids in conjunction with PCIA techniques. RESULTS: Replies were received from 343 anesthetic departments (response rate 37%) and 281 clinics had an obstetric department and were included for further analysis. All clinics provided a 24 h epidural service and the most commonly used opioids were pethidine (19%), meptazinol (17%) and piritramide (16%) for intermittent intravenous/intramuscular administration. Only 0.9% of the clinics offered nitrous oxide as an alternative analgesic technique and 22 (8%) of the responding anesthetic departments offered PCIA. Remifentanil was the most popular choice in conjunction with PCIA (68%) for labor analgesia. Most hospitals offering PCIA continuously monitor oxygen saturation (91%) and the blood pressure (95%), whereas continuous electrocardiograms (18%) and clinical observation of the respiratory frequency (19%) were less commonly reported. However, most clinics offered one-to-one nursing for the parturient using an opioid PCIA. CONCLUSIONS: This survey revealed that pethidine, meptazinol and piritramide are the most common opioids for opioid-based systemic labor pain relief in Germany. If PCIA is offered, remifentanil is the most popular opioid. However, only a few clinics are routinely using PCIA for obstetric analgesia. Furthermore the study showed that the current monitoring standards seem to have room for improvement with respect to safe administration of an opioid PCIA. The safety standards require continuous observation of the oxygen saturation, the possibility for oxygen supply, one-to-one nursing for a close clinical observation of the mother and the presence of an anesthetist during the initial titration phase to safely apply this technique. Applying these safety standards PCIA may prove a useful alternative for central neuraxial labor analgesia in those women who either do not want, cannot have or do not need epidural analgesia.

Tetramer monitoring to assess risk factors for recurrent cytomegalovirus reactivation and reconstitution of antiviral immunity post allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

BACKGROUND: Reactivation of cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a major cause of morbidity after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). In healthy individuals, virus-specific T cells (CMV-CTL) control the reactivation of latent CMV. The monitoring of virus-epitope-binding CD8(+) T cells using major histocompatibility complex-I-peptide complexes (tetramers) has recently been established, allowing assessment of the reconstitution of CMV-CTL post HSCT. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In order to study immune reconstitution and reactivation control through CMV-CTL, we regularly monitored all patients undergoing allogeneic HSCT in our department for 2 years, who matched at least 1 of 6 commercially available tetramers for common human leukocyte antigen (HLA) types. To verify risk factors for CMV reactivations in our cohorts, clinical characteristics of all patients transplanted within the last 10 years were included in statistical analyses determining the relative risk for single and recurrent CMV reactivations. RESULTS: As expected, CMV serostatus, HLA match, and donor source significantly influenced the risk of recurrent CMV reactivation. Applying CMV-CTL tetramer monitoring for 2 years allowed the monitoring of 114 (85%) of 134 patients, by testing a set of tetramers representing 6 epitopes from 3 different CMV proteins. The presence of CMV-CTL before day + 50 and their expansion post reactivation seem to protect against recurrent CMV reactivations. The mean number of CMV-CTL by day +100 was >5-fold higher in the recipient CMV-positive/donor-positive (R +/D +) group (91/µL) compared with the R +/ D- (13/µL) and the R -/D +(2/µL) group. Seventy-nine percent of patients from the R +/D + setting recovered >10 CMV-CTL per µL by day + 100, while almost 50% of the other groups failed to mount a CMV-specific response by that time (R +/D -: 58%; R -/D +: 43%). CONCLUSION: Tetramer monitoring can help to predict (recurrent) CMV reactivation and is a useful approach to monitor individual patients with increased risk for recurrent reactivation post HSCT; thus, it could help to identify patients in need of adoptive transfer of CMV-CTL or to optimize the use of antiviral drugs.

Presence of the metabolic syndrome is associated with shorter time to castration-resistant prostate cancer.

BACKGROUND: Metabolic syndrome (MS) is a set of risk factors that includes obesity and insulin resistance and has been implicated in the development of prostate cancer. Its impact on androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) efficacy has not been studied. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Retrospective study of prostate cancer patients seen from 1998 to 2005 in a medical oncology clinic. MS, as defined by modified Adult Treatment Panel III criteria, was assessed at the time of initiation of ADT. The study end points were time to prostate-specific antigen (PSA) progression and overall survival (OS) from time of starting ADT. RESULTS: Eighty-two patients treated with ADT and data to assess for presence of MS were identified. Median age in men with and without MS was 70 years and 49% of the patients evaluated met criteria for MS. Median time to PSA progression for patients with MS was 16 versus 36 months without MS (P=0.003). The median OS for patients with MS was 36.5 months after commencing ADT compared with 46.7 months for those patients without MS (P=0.061). CONCLUSIONS: This preliminary data suggest that MS is a risk factor for earlier development of castration-resistant prostate cancer and support the need for a prospective evaluation of this finding.

Effects of the flood regime on the body condition of fish of different trophic guilds in the Upper Paraná River floodplain, Brazil.

In this study, we evaluated the influence of various hydrological cycles on the feeding body condition of fish species of different trophic guilds in the Paraná River floodplain, as well as the impacts of upstream impoundments on fish conditions. Attributes of the river floods (duration, time of year, intensity, and variability in a given year) and the body condition, measured by the mean residuals of length-weight ratios, of the detritivorous, herbivorous, insectivorous, invertivores, omnivorous, piscivorous, and planktivorous species were evaluated. Fish were sampled during a period before (1986-1994) and after (2000-2004) the completion of filling of the Porto Primavera Reservoir, which is located upstream from the floodplain area under study. Three sub-basins in the floodplain were sampled: the Ivinheima River, which has no dams; the Paraná River, which has several dams; and the Baia River, which is influenced by the Paraná. A two-way ANOVA identified significant variations in mean body conditions for localities and for the hydrological cycles, and the interactions were also significant. The findings revealed that before the Porto Primavera Reservoir was filled, the body condition of the feeding guilds varied similarly in the three sub basins, but this pattern was not observed after filling was completed. However, in years with minor or no floods, the body condition was high, especially in the sub-basins influenced by Porto Primavera (Paraná and Baía). Pearson's and Spearman's correlations showed that most effects of the floods were unfavorable to the body condition of the guilds, except for the annual variation in water level, which aids herbivores in accessing allochthonous food resources. Detritivores were negatively affected by all flood attributes. A correlation between the relative stomach weight (mean residual of the ratio of total and stomach weights) and the body condition demonstrated the poor relationship between the amount of food intake and weight gain; insectivores were the exception, showing a significant negative correlation. Therefore, for this guild, there is evidence that their food sources during floods have low nutritional value. It is hypothesized that dry years lead to improvement in the nutritional quality of food resources, and that the water released from the upstream dam dilutes and removes these resources without providing new food inputs. This exacerbates the effects of floods on body conditions.

A phase II study of pemetrexed as second-line chemotherapy for the treatment of metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC); Hoosier Oncology Group GU03-67.

BACKGROUND: No standard therapy exists for post-docetaxel castrate-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) patients. This trial aimed to determine the safety and efficacy of pemetrexed in post-docetaxel CRPC patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: CRPC patients with progression after docetaxel (Taxotere) therapy received pemetrexed (500 mg/m2) i.v. every 3 weeks. The primary end point was prostate-specific antigen (PSA) response. A pharmacogenetic analysis of the reduced folate carrier-1 gene (RFC1) G80A polymorphism was also carried out. RESULTS: Forty-nine patients were enrolled: median age 68 years, median baseline PSA 72 ng/ml, and median Karnofsky performance status of 90. Grade 3 or 4 toxicity occurred in 20 (43%) and four patients (8%), respectively. Confirmed >50% PSA decline occurred in four patients (8%), stable PSA lasting at least 12 weeks in 10 patients (20%). A significant relationship was observed between time from prior docetaxel therapy and overall survival. Pharmacogenetic analyses of RFC1 G80A genotype frequencies showed no relationship between genotypes and clinical efficacy. CONCLUSIONS: Pemetrexed treatment of CRPC patients after docetaxel therapy was associated with only modest clinical activity. Further investigation of pemetrexed as a single agent in a nonenriched CRPC population is unlikely to add significant clinical benefit over that seen with traditional second-line chemotherapy agents such as mitoxantrone.

Sperm chromatin integrity in DDT-exposed young men living in a malaria area in the Limpopo Province, South Africa.

BACKGROUND: There is mounting evidence that deteriorated semen quality may be associated with increased serum concentration of 1,1,1-trichloro-2,2-bis(chlorodiphenyl)ethane (DDT) and its metabolites. The problem is exacerbated in situations where DDT is the only resource available to control malaria mosquitoes and DDT metabolite plasma concentration can reach 1000-fold the level found in other populations. There are limited and contradictory epidemiological data on whether DDT/dichlorodiphenyl-dichloroethylene (DDE) can also damage sperm DNA. Therefore, there is a need to investigate the possible adverse effects on human sperm genetic integrity in a sufficiently large study population with adequate exposure contrasts, especially in the high exposure range. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study, recruiting 209 young males from three communities in an endemic malaria area where DDT is sprayed annually. Blood plasma p,p'-DDT and its metabolite p,p'-DDE levels were measured and expressed as lipid adjusted p,p'-DDT and p,p'-DDE values. The sperm chromatin structure assay and Aniline Blue test were used to assess sperm DNA/chromatin integrity. RESULTS: The lipid adjusted p,p'-DDT mean (+/-SD) and median concentrations were 109.2 (+/-106.6) and 83.9 microg/g, respectively; and the lipid adjusted p,p'-DDE mean (+/-SD) and median concentrations were 246.2 (+/-218.5) and 177.8 microg/g, respectively. The results point to a weak association between DDT/DDE plasma concentration and the incidence of sperm with chromatin defects. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that non-occupational environmental DDT exposure may have a negative impact on sperm chromatin integrity in young South African males.

Effects of the flood regime on the body condition of fish of different trophic guilds in the Upper Paraná River floodplain, Brazil / Influência do regime de cheias na condição corporal de peixes de diferentes guildas troficas na planície de inundação do Alto Rio Paraná, Brazil

In this study, we evaluated the influence of various hydrological cycles on the feeding body condition of fish species of different trophic guilds in the Paraná River floodplain, as well as the impacts of upstream impoundments on fish conditions. Attributes of the river floods (duration, time of year, intensity, and variability in a given year) and the body condition, measured by the mean residuals of length-weight ratios, of the detritivorous, herbivorous, insectivorous, invertivores, omnivorous, piscivorous, and planktivorous species were evaluated. Fish were sampled during a period before (1986-1994) and after (2000-2004) the completion of filling of the Porto Primavera Reservoir, which is located upstream from the floodplain area under study. Three sub-basins in the floodplain were sampled: the Ivinheima River, which has no dams; the Paraná River, which has several dams; and the Baia River, which is influenced by the Paraná. A two-way ANOVA identified significant variations in mean body conditions for localities and for the hydrological cycles, and the interactions were also significant. The findings revealed that before the Porto Primavera Reservoir was filled, the body condition of the feeding guilds varied similarly in the three sub basins, but this pattern was not observed after filling was completed. However, in years with minor or no floods, the body condition was high, especially in the sub-basins influenced by Porto Primavera (Paraná and Baía). Pearson's and Spearman's correlations showed that most effects of the floods were unfavorable to the body condition of the guilds, except for the annual variation in water level, which aids herbivores in accessing allochthonous food resources. Detritivores were negatively affected by all flood attributes. A correlation between the relative stomach weight (mean residual of the ratio of total and stomach weights) and the body condition demonstrated the poor relationship between the amount ...

Nesse estudo, buscou-se avaliar a influência de diversos ciclos hidrológicos sobre a condição nutricional de peixes de diferentes categorias tróficas, na planície alagável do alto rio Paraná, bem como dos impactos de represamentos a montante, sobre esse processo. Para isso foram avaliados os atributos das cheias anuais (duração, época, intensidade, variabilidade) e a condição nutricional dos peixes, medida pelos resíduos médios da relação entre o peso e o comprimento de espécies detritívoras, herbívoras, insetívoras, invertívoras, onívoras, piscívoras e planctívoras. Os peixes foram coletados em período anterior (1986-1995) e posterior (2000-2004) ao represamento de Porto Primavera, a montante, em três subsistemas da planície alágável do alto rio Paraná, Ivinheima (sem controle por represamentos), Paraná (com represamentos) e Baía (influenciado pelo rio Paraná). Uma análise de variância (ANOVA bifatorial) revelou variações significantes na condição nutricional média dos peixes, tanto entre subsistemas e ciclos hidrológicos, como em suas interações. Os resultados evidenciaram que antes do represamento, as variações na condição nutricional dos peixes foram similares entre os subsistemas, divergindo no período subseqüente, e que em anos com cheias incipientes ou nulas a condição nutricional foi elevada, especialmente nos subsistemas influenciados pelo represamento a montante. As correlações de Pearson e Spearman revelaram que, pelo menos parte dos atributos das cheias foram adversos para os peixes de diferentes categorias tróficas, exceto a variabilidade anual dos níveis fluviométricos, que possibilitou às espécies herbívoras o acesso periódico a fontes de alimento externas. As espécies detritívoras foram afetadas negativamente por todos os atributos da cheia. As mesmas correlações realizadas entre o peso relativo do estômago (resíduo médio da relação peso do estomago-peso total) e a condição nutricional demonstraram ausência de relação ...