Tools and constraints in monitoring interactions between marine litter and megafauna: Insights from case studies around the world.

Adverse impacts of marine litter is documented on >1400 species, including marine megafauna (fish, birds, sea turtles and mammals). The primary impacts include ingestion and entanglement, and there is increasing concern about chemical contamination via ingestion. Numerous survey approaches and monitoring programs have been developed and implemented around the world. They may aim to provide data about parameters such as species distribution and interactions with anthropogenic activities. During the Sixth International Marine Debris Conference, a session was dedicated to the tools and constraints in monitoring interactions between litter and megafauna. In the present paper, we summarize 7 case studies which discuss entanglement and ingestion including macro- and micro-debris in several taxa and across multiple geographic regions. We then discusses the importance of tools and standardizing methods for assessment and management purposes, in the context of international environmental policies and marine litter strategies.

Rituximab in refractory pemphigus vulgaris.

Pemphigus vulgaris (PV) is a severe chronic autoimmune blistering disease of skin and mucous membranes. The use of systemic corticosteroids in pemphigus has dramatically reduced its mortality rate, but the long-term use of steroids leads to severe side effects, many of which are serious. For this reason it is often necessary to add immunosuppressive agents to the regimen. However, there are occasional refractory cases in which therapy with conventionally accepted modalities is either not efficacious or not possible on account of side effects. Rituximab is a therapeutic monoclonal antibody targeting CD20, an integral membrane protein highly expressed on the surface of pre-B lymphocytes and activated mature B lymphocytes. We present an instance of refractory PV successfully treated with rituximab. The successful treatment of pemphigus described here demonstrates that rituximab is a viable therapeutic option for patients with refractory PV.

Solitary keratoacanthomas in immunocompetent patients: no detection of papillomavirus DNA by polymerase chain reaction.

The aetiology of keratoacanthoma (Ka) is unknown, but human papillomavirus (HPV) has been implicated in the pathogenesis of this lesion. To evaluate the role of HPV in the development of KA in the general population, 20 tissue specimens were analysed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). To include a broad range of both cutaneous and mucosal HPV types, PCR was performed with two sets of degenerate primers. No HPV-DNA sequences were detected in any lesions analysed. These results do not support the hypothesis that HPV is involved in the etiology and pathogenesis of the KA in immunocompetent patients.

Use of BICAP in a case of colon angiodysplasia.

This paper reports on a case of colonic bleeding from an angiodysplastic lesion of the ascending colon in a 71-year-old diabetic woman, resulting in severe anemia in the patient, who was treated using the BICAP electrocoagulation system. The present report includes a description of this technique, which involves the use of a 7-F hemostatic probe connected to a 25-W BICAP source.

Gastric schwannoma after Nissen fundoplication. A rare complication?

Surgical repair of an hiatal hernia results in changes in the local anatomy of the cardia and fundus that may be difficult to interpret by radiological examination. Endoscopy can clarify the radiological changes resulting from surgery, such as pseudodiverticula and pseudotumors, and, when conducted as part of the routine follow-up program, may reveal uncommon complications.