Microplastic-sorbed persistent organic pollutants in coastal Mediterranean Sea areas of Tunisia.

Microplastics (MPs) are emerging pollutants of global concern due to their pervasiveness, high sorption ability for persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and direct and indirect toxicity to marine organisms, ecosystems, as well as humans. As one of the major coastal interfaces, beaches are considered among the most affected ecosystems by MPs pollution. The morphological characteristics of MPs (pellets and fragments) collected from four beaches along the Tunisian coast and sorbed POPs, including polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), were investigated in this study. The results showed that the MPs varied greatly in color, polymer composition and degradation degree. The color varied from colored to transparent and the most prevalent polymer identified using Raman spectroscopy was polyethylene. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) images exhibited various surface degradation features including cavities, cracks, attached diatom remains, etc. The concentrations of Σ12PCBs over all beaches ranged from 14 to 632 ng g-1 and 26 to 112 ng g-1 in the pellets and fragments, respectively, with a notable presence and dominance of highly-chlorinated PCBs such as CB-153 and -138. Among the OCPs, γ-HCH is the only compound detected with concentrations ranging from 0.4 to 9.7 ng g-1 and 0.7 to 4.2 ng g-1 in the pellets and fragments, respectively. Our findings indicate that MPs found on the Tunisian coast may pose a chemical risk to marine organisms as the concentrations of PCBs and γ-HCH in most of the analysed samples exceeded the sediment-quality guidelines (SQG), especially the effects range medium (ERM) and the probable effects level (PEL). As the first report of its kind, the information gathered in this study can serve as the baseline and starting point for future monitoring work for Tunisia and neighbouring countries, as well as for stakeholders and coastal managers in decision-making processes.

El oficio de cuidar a otro: "cuando mi cuerpo está aquí pero mi mente en otro lado" / Taking Care of Another Person: "When my Body is Here But my Mind is Somewhere Else" / O ofício de cuidar de outro: "quando meu corpo está aqui, mas minha mente em outro lado"

Resumen Introducción: se busca comprender el significado que tiene ser cuidador informal de un paciente en el Hospital Pablo Tobón Uribe de Medellín, durante un periodo de hospitalización, entre los años 2012 a 2015. Desarrollo: se parte de un enfoque cualitativo, y se desarrolla el método conocido como Teoría Fundamentada propuesto por Strauss y Corbin. Se entrevistaron 20 cuidadores. Las entrevistas fueron transcritas para luego ser analizadas por medio de codificación abierta y axial, de ahí se definieron, finalmente, tres categorías analíticas. Conclusiones: Cumplir con las tareas que exige ser el cuidador informal de un enfermo implica dividirse en dos ámbitos distintos: mantener el cuerpo al lado del enfermo hospitalizado, mientras que la mente sigue afuera, ocupándose de las otras esferas de la vida; y es que ser cuidador implica tiempo completo y estar hospitalizado con el paciente. El cuidador asume una sobrecarga de responsabilidades que tiene graves implicaciones en su estado de salud, lo que puede compensarse por el compromiso, el apoyo familiar y de la institución de salud. Urge ocuparse de las necesidades del cuidador desde la oferta y el acompañamiento de los sistemas de salud.

Abstract Introduction: To understand the meaning of being a patient's informal caregiver at Pablo Tobón Uribe Hospital in Medellin during a hospitalization period from 2012 to 2015. Development: This was a qualitative study that used the methodology known as grounded theory, which was proposed by Strauss and Corbin. A total of 20 caretakers were interviewed. The interviews were first transcribed and then analyzed via open axial coding. This ultimately led to the definition of three analytical categories. Conclusions: Fulfilling the tasks demanded by the role of the informal caregiver of a sick person implies separating own self into two distinct contexts: On the one hand, the caretaker's body should be next to the hospitalized patient, but, on the other hand, his/her mind is still outside, still taking care of some unrelated business. In fact, being a caregiver is a full-time job as it implies being hospitalized together with the patient. Caregivers have an excessive amount of responsibilities and this has a strong negative impact on their health. This can be compensated with their own commitment and the support of their relatives and the healthcare providing institution. It is urgent to address the needs of caregivers via the offers and support of healthcare systems.

Resumo Introdução: busca-se compreender o significado que tem ser o cuidador informal de um paciente no Hospital Pablo Tobón Uribe de Medellín, durante um período de hospitalização, entre os anos 2012 a 2015. Desenvolvimento: parte-se de um enfoque qualitativo, desenvolvendo o método conhecido como Teoria Fundamentada proposto por Strauss e Corbin. Entrevistaram-se 20 cuidadores. As entrevistas foram transcritas para posteriormente ser analisadas através de codificação aberta e axial, definindo finalmente três categorias analíticas. Conclusões: cumprir com as tarefas que exige ser o cuidador informal de um doente, implica dividir-se em dois âmbitos distintos: manter o corpo ao lado do doente hospitalizado, enquanto que a mente segue fora ocupando-se das outras esferas da vida; ser cuidador implica tempo completo e estar hospitalizado com o paciente. O cuidador assume uma sobrecarga de responsabilidades que tem graves implicações em seu estado de saúde, o que pode compensar-se pelo compromisso, o apoio familiar e da instituição de saúde. Urge ocupar-se das necessidades do cuidador desde a oferta e o acompanhamento dos sistemas de saúde.

Growth hormone reverses excitotoxic damage induced by kainic acid in the green iguana neuroretina.

It is known that growth hormone (GH) is expressed in extrapituitary tissues, including the nervous system and ocular tissues, where it is involved in autocrine/paracrine actions related to cell survival and anti-apoptosis in several vertebrates. Little is known, however, in reptiles, so we analyzed the expression and distribution of GH in the eye of green iguana and its potential neuroprotective role in retinas that were damaged by the intraocular administration of kainic acid (KA). It was found, by Western blotting, that GH-immunoreactivity (GH-IR) was expressed as two isoforms (15 and 26kDa, under reducing conditions) in cornea, vitreous, retina, crystalline, iris and sclera, in varying proportions. Also, two bands for the growth hormone receptor (GHR)-IR were observed (70 and 44kDa, respectively) in the same tissues. By immunofluorescence, GH-IR was found in neurons present in several layers of the neuroretina (inner nuclear [INL], outer nuclear [ONL] and ganglion cell [GCL] layers) as determined by its co-existence with NeuN, but not in glial cells. In addition, GH and GHR co-expression was found in the same cells, suggesting paracrine/autocrine interactions. KA administration induced retinal excitotoxic damage, as determined by a significant reduction of the cell density and an increase in the appearance of apoptotic cells in the INL and GCL. In response to KA injury, both endogenous GH and Insulin-like Growth Factor I (IGF-I) expression were increased by 70±1.8% and 33.3±16%, respectively. The addition of exogenous GH significantly prevented the retinal damage produced by the loss of cytoarchitecture and cell density in the GCL (from 4.9±0.79 in the control, to 1.45±0.2 with KA, to 6.35±0.49cell/mm(2) with KA+GH) and in the INL (19.12±1.6, 10.05±1.9, 21.0±0.8cell/mm(2), respectively) generated by the long-term effect of 1mM KA intraocular administration. The co-incubation with a specific anti-GH antibody, however, blocked the protective effect of GH in GCL (1.4±0.23cell/mm(2)) and INL (11.35±1.06), respectively. Furthermore, added GH induced an increase of 90±14% in the retinal IGF-I concentration and the anti-GH antibody also blocked this effect. These results indicate that GH and GHR are expressed in the iguana eye and may be able to exert, either directly of mediated by IGF-I, a protective mechanism in neuroretinas that suffered damage by the administration of kainic acid.

Internalization and synaptogenic effect of GH in retinal ganglion cells (RGCs).

In the chicken embryo, GH gene expression occurs in the neural retina and retinal GH promotes cell survival and induces axonal growth of retinal ganglion cells. Neuroretinal GH is therefore of functional importance before the appearance of somatotrophs and the onset of pituitary GH secretion to the peripheral plasma (at ED15-17). Endocrine actions of pituitary GH in the development and function of the chicken embryo eye are, however, unknown. This possibility has therefore been investigated in ED15 embryos and using the quail neuroretinal derived cell line (QNR/D). During this research, we studied for the first time, the coexistence of exogenous (endocrine) and local GH (autocrine/paracrine) in retinal ganglion cells (RGCs). In ovo systemic injections of Cy3-labeled GH demonstrated that GH in the embryo bloodstream was translocated into the neural retina and internalized into RGC's. Pituitary GH may therefore be functionally involved in retinal development during late embryogenesis. Cy3-labelled GH was similarly internalized into QNR/D cells after its addition into incubation media. The uptake of exogenous GH was by a receptor-mediated mechanism and maximal after 30-60min. The exogenous (endocrine) GH induced STAT5 phosphorylation and increased growth associated protein 43 (GAP43) and SNAP-25 immunoreactivity. Ex ovo intravitreal injections of Cy3-GH in ED12 embryos resulted in GH internalization and STAT5 activation. Interestingly, the CY3-labeled GH accumulated in perinuclear regions of the QNR/D cells, but was not found in the cytoplasm of neurite outgrowths, in which endogenous retinal GH is located. This suggests that exogenous (endocrine) and local (autocrine/paracrine) GH are both involved in retinal function in late embryogenesis but they co-exist in separate intracellular compartments within retinal ganglion cells.

Efectos de la desnutrición aguda sobre el metabolismo del acetaminofén / Acute malnutrition effect on the metabolism of acetaminophen

El acetaminofén es un analgésico y antipirético; por su relativa inocuidad se utiliza en el tratamiento sintomático de niños desnutridos y mujeres embarazadas. Se justifica investigar la influencia de la desnutrición sobre la farmacocinética del acetaminofén, por cuanto la desnutrición afecta el metabolismo medicamentoso. En la presente investigación se evaluó el efecto de una dosis terapéutica de acetaminofén de 100mg/kg en ratas con desnutrición aguda. Se observó un descenso estadísticamente significativo en los niveles plasmáticos de glucosa (p<0.001), ácido glucorónico (p<0.05) y glucurónido de acetaminofén (p<0.005), y un aumento significativo del acetaminofén plasmático (p<0.05) en los animales desnutridos tratados. La desnutrición afectó el metabolismo, el volumen de distribución y el clearance de una dosis terapéutica de acetaminofén en el modelo experimental utilizado.