Candidatus Neoehrlichia mikurensis Infection in Patient with Antecedent Hematologic Neoplasm, Spain1.

We report a confirmed case of Candidatus Neoehrlichia mikurensis infection in a woman in Spain who had a previous hematologic malignancy. Candidatus N. mikurensis infections should be especially suspected in immunocompromised patients who exhibit persistent fever and venous thrombosis, particularly if they live in environments where ticks are prevalent.

The Cw6 and late-cornified envelope genotype plays a significant role in anti-tumor necrosis factor response among psoriatic patients.

Our aim was to determine whether the HLA-Cw6 and late-cornified envelope (LCE) deletion polymorphisms were related to disease improvement among psoriasis patients treated with anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) antibodies. The study included a total of 116 patients. Positive response (68%) was defined as a reduction of at least 75% of the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) after 24 weeks of starting the anti-TNF therapy. We found a trend toward a better response among Cw6-positive patients. The frequency of patients who did not reach the PASI75 was higher among the LCE-DD patients (P=0.028; odds ratio=2.45, 95% confidence interval=1.09-5.52). Patients who were Cw6-positive and LCE-I carriers (ID/II) were significantly more likely to reach PASI75 than those who were Cw6-negative and LCE-DD (P=0.034; odds ratio=3.14, 95% confidence interval=1.07-9.24). In conclusion, we found an interaction between the HLA-Cw6 and LCE genotypes on disease improvement among psoriatic patients treated with anti-TNFs.

Rethinking plastic entrapment: Misconceptions and implications for ecosystem services in coastal habitats.

This study addresses the pressing issue of plastic pollution in coastal and marine ecosystems, challenging the misconception that the entrapment of plastics can be considered as an ecosystem service. We differentiate between essential natural processes that sustain ecological balance and biodiversity and the detrimental accumulation of synthetic polymers. The pathways through which plastics enter these environments-from terrestrial to maritime sources-are examined, alongside their pervasive impacts on crucial ecosystem services such as habitat quality, the vitality of marine species, and nutrient cycling. Our findings highlight the paradox of resilience and vulnerability in these ecosystems: while capable of accumulating substantial amounts of plastic debris, they suffer long-lasting ecological, socio-economic, and health repercussions. We argue for a paradigm shift in management strategies aimed at reducing plastic production at the source, improving waste management practices, conducting targeted cleanup operations, and rehabilitating impacted ecosystems. Emphasizing a comprehensive understanding of plastic pollution is vital for framing effective solutions and necessitates a reevaluation of societal, industrial, and regulatory frameworks. This shift is imperative not only to address current pollution levels but also to safeguard and sustain the functionality of coastal ecosystems, ensuring their ability to continue providing essential services and supporting biodiversity.

Proof of concept for a new sensor to monitor marine litter from space.

Worldwide, governments are implementing strategies to combat marine litter. However, their effectiveness is largely unknown because we lack tools to systematically monitor marine litter over broad spatio-temporal scales. Metre-sized aggregations of floating debris generated by sea-surface convergence lines have been reported as a reliable target for detection from satellites. Yet, the usefulness of such ephemeral, scattered aggregations as proxy for sustained, large-scale monitoring of marine litter remains an open question for a dedicated Earth-Observation mission. Here, we track this proxy over a series of 300,000 satellite images of the entire Mediterranean Sea. The proxy is mainly related to recent inputs from land-based litter sources. Despite the limitations of in-orbit technology, satellite detections are sufficient to map hot-spots and capture trends, providing an unprecedented source-to-sink view of the marine litter phenomenon. Torrential rains largely control marine litter inputs, while coastal boundary currents and wind-driven surface sweep arise as key drivers for its distribution over the ocean. Satellite-based monitoring proves to be a real game changer for marine litter research and management. Furthermore, the development of an ad-hoc sensor can lower the minimum detectable concentration by one order of magnitude, ensuring operational monitoring, at least for seasonal-to-interannual variability in the mesoscale.

Contamination from microplastics and other anthropogenic particles in the digestive tracts of the commercial species Engraulis encrasicolus and Sardina pilchardus.

Fragments of microplastics (<5 mm) found in commercial species of fish, crustaceans, and bivalves, are an issue of global concern. The bioaccumulation of microplastics and other anthropogenic particles in different levels of the food web may provoke unwanted impacts on marine ecosystems and cause pernicious effects on human health. Here, we study the presence of anthropogenic particles and the fraction of microplastics in the target organs of two representative commercial fish species in Spain; the European anchovy (Engraulis encrasicolus) and the European pilchard (Sardina pilchardus). The individuals were sampled along the continental shelf of the Gulf of Cádiz, from the Bay of Cádiz to Cape Santa Maria. The isolation of the microplastics (MPs) was carried out with a complete alkaline-oxidant organic digestion (KOH-H2O2) of the digestive tract, including both the contents ingested and the muscle tissues. Anthropogenic particles were found in all individuals of both species with an average of 8.94 ± 5.11 items·ind-1. Fibres made up 93 % of the items while fragments and films were represented by the remaining 7 %. The average size of the anthropogenic particles was 0.89 ± 0.82 mm. In addition to the fragment and film particles identified as microplastics, 29 % of the fibres were estimated to be microplastics by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis. The main polymer found in both species was nylon. No significant correlation was found between the abundance and size of anthropogenic particles ingested and individual size or other body variables. The analysis of similarities (ANOSIM) and the distanced-based multiple linear regression model showed a high homogeneity in anthropogenic particle contamination in both species throughout the study area along the continental shelf of the Gulf of Cádiz.

Cutaneous collagenous vasculopathy: description of two new cases in elderly women and review of the literature.

Cutaneous collagenous vasculopathy (CCV) is an idiopathic microangiopathy with characteristic histological findings. It was described in 2000, and 9 cases have since been described. Two women of 83 and 74 years consulted for long-standing telangiectasias. In case 1, they affected the limbs and trunk and in case 2 were located on the legs. Biopsies of these lesions showed dilated vascular structures whose walls were thickened due to deposition of eosinophilic hyaline material. The affected vessels were located in the superficial dermis in case 1, and in case 2 the reticular dermis was also affected. CCV is a microangiopathy of unknown etiology. Clinically it is indistinguishable from generalized essential telangiectasia and differs in its histology. CCV may be underdiagnosed, and some nonbiopsied cases of generalized essential telangiectasia may really be CCV. We contribute 2 new cases of this entity to help establish its clinical and epidemiological characteristics and make its etiology better known.

First evidence of plastic pollution in beach sediments of the Skikda coast (northeast of Algeria).

This study is the first attempt to provide original data on plastics debris occurrence in beach sediments of the Gulf of Skikda in Algeria (southwestern Mediterranean). Sediment samples from seven beaches were collected to extract, quantify and characterize mesoplastics and microplastics. Particles were classified by size into mesoplastics (5-25 mm) and large microplastics (1-5 mm). Overall, microplastics were the most abundant size fraction in terms of number of items. The average mass of mesoplastics was twice that of microplastics, revealing a notable reservoir of plastics that is scarcely ever reported in the literature. The predominant types were fragments and pellets, white/transparent in color. The average concentrations of total plastic were 1067.19 ± 625.62 items/m2, 106.98 ± 62.39 items/kg, and 50.65 ± 9.82 g/m2, showing variability between beaches and within sampling sites. Thus, the Skikda coast has high levels of pollution compared to other areas of the Mediterranean Sea.

The quest for the missing plastics: Large uncertainties in river plastic export into the sea.

Plastic pollution in the natural environment is causing increasing concern at both the local and global scale. Understanding the dispersion of plastic through the environment is of key importance for the effective implementation of preventive measures and cleanup strategies. Over the past few years, various models have been developed to estimate the transport of plastics in rivers, using limited plastic observations in river systems. However, there is a large discrepancy between the amount of plastic being modelled to leave the river systems, and the amount of plastic that has been found in the seas and oceans. Here, we investigate one of the possible causes of this mismatch by performing an extensive uncertainty analysis of the riverine plastic export estimates. We examine the uncertainty from the homogenisation of observations, model parameter uncertainty, and underlying assumptions in models. To this end, we use the to-date most complete time-series of macroplastic observations (macroplastics have been found to contain most of the plastic mass transported by rivers), coming from three European rivers. The results show that model structure and parameter uncertainty causes up to four orders of magnitude, while the homogenisation of plastic observations introduces an additional three orders of magnitude uncertainty in the estimates. Additionally, most global models assume that variations in the plastic flux are primarily driven by river discharge. However, we show that correlations between river discharge (and other environmental drivers) and the plastic flux are never above 0.5, and strongly vary between catchments. Overall, we conclude that the yearly plastic load in rivers remains poorly constrained.

Coastal gradients of small microplastics and associated pollutants influenced by estuarine sources.

Small microplastics (SMPs) in the gulf of Cadiz was sampled at 5 m depth by pumping it through the ship's pipe system and filtered through a 45 µm mesh size net. Our study reveals that higher densities have been found (130 mg·m-3) compared to other regions worldwide and these densities decreased from the coastline to the outer stations, showing a general coastal gradient influenced by estuarine outflows. SMPs with a size range between 45 and 193 µm were predominant and most of them composed by polyethylene and polypropylene. The metals associated with the MPs were mainly Na (21.1%), K (11.3%), Fe (8.5%), Ca (2.1%), Cr (1.8%), Zr (13.3%) and Hf (0.7%). The high proportion of Zr compared to Fe, which is different from what can be found in the environment, suggests that this metal is intrinsic to the materials used in catalytic processes during plastic production.

Filling in the knowledge gap: Observing MacroPlastic litter in South Africa's rivers.

Only 12% of the world's published plastic research includes references to Africa despite it being a significant contributor to the global plastic waste and mismanagement problem (~88.5% of Africa's plastic waste is mismanaged). Ocean plastics are transported from land by rivers to the sea. However, source contextualization is complex. Many African rivers predominantly run alongside human settlements that host informal waste dumpsites. In this study a simple cost effective, easily deployed, consistent and replicable survey methodology was employed. The study quantified macroplastic in three rivers discharging into Algoa Bay, South Africa. The results indicated that industrial Swartkops and metropolitan Baakens Rivers both illustrate moderate plastic pollution (>3000 plastic particles/day), with the relatively natural Sundays River to showing minimal evidence of river macro plastic (<100 plastic particles/day). The types of plastic were noted using the RIMMEL app (premier African implementation), enabling proportional comparison of different plastic litter types to be completed.

Unravelling spatio-temporal patterns of suspended microplastic concentration in the Natura 2000 Guadalquivir estuary (SW Spain): Observations and model simulations.

Microplastics (MPs) patterns in a weakly-stratified estuary were investigated using a combined approach of observations and modeling. The study was conducted in the Guadalquivir River Estuary, which is of high environmental value, yet significantly altered by human activities. The study aims to contribute to understanding and quantifying the land-ocean transport of MPs. Mean concentrations of MPs in the estuary were 0.041itemsm-3, with maximum values up to 0.20itemsm-3, in agreement with the range reported in other estuaries. Polyethylene floating MPs were predominant. Relationships between increases in MP concentration and local rainfall events were identified in the middle estuary when there were no significant discharges from the head dam. Modeling results mimicked observations and revealed the effects of tidal straining, density-driven, and river flow-induced circulation on the net transport. Convergence of transports favors the MPs trapping in the vicinity of Doñana National Park, overlapping the location of the Estuarine Turbidity Maximum.

The role of hydrodynamic fluctuations and wind intensity on the distribution of plastic debris on the sandy beaches of Paraná River, Argentina.

Plastic in the environment is considered an emerging pollutant of global concern. In spite of intensive research, many questions remain open, such as the processes that drive the deposition and remobilization of plastic debris on river beaches. The objectives of this study were: i) to analyze the influence of the natural hydrological fluctuations and wind intensity on the distribution of mesoplastic (0.5-2.5 cm) and macroplastic (>2.5 cm) debris in beach sediments of a large river, ii) to describe the type of plastic debris found and iii) to explore potential relations between the number of items and weight of macro- and mesoplastics. Our results suggest that, during lowering water levels, flow removes the plastic debris and transports it further downstream. Conversely, when the beach sediments remain exposed during long periods, the plastic debris accumulates considerably. Nevertheless, the influence of wind intensity on plastic debris transport was comparatively negligible. In other words, in our study the water flow had a greater capacity to remobilize and transport plastic debris than the wind. The most abundant mesoplastic items were foam, hard plastic, film and small fragments of fishing line. The dominant macroplastic items recorded were pieces of fishing line (nylon) and cigarette filters (cellulose acetate), typically discarded by beach users. Other items found in large quantities were soft packaging elements (expanded polystyrene), hard plastic containers (polystyrene, polyethylene terephthalate) and beverage bottles (polyethylene terephthalate), typical items of domestic use in the Paraná River region. Finally, we found that the density of macroplastic items is highly correlated to the density of mesoplastic items, serving as surrogate for further estimations. Our results could help to develop better mitigation strategies in seasonal riverscapes, based on the influence of the hydrological cycle and the characteristics of the most abundant meso- and macroplastics.

Some Guidelines for the Synthesis and Melting Characterization of Azide Poly(ethylene glycol) Derivatives.

We provide fundamental guidelines in the form of a tutorial to be taken into account for the preparation and characterization of a specific class of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) derivatives, namely azide-terminated PEGs. Special attention is given to the effect of these chain end groups and their precursors on properties affecting the PEGylation of proteins, nanoparticles and nanostructured surfaces. Notwithstanding the presence of 13C satellite peaks, we show that 1H NMR enables not only the routine quantitative determination of chain-end substitution, but is also a unique method to calculate the absolute number average molecular weight of PEG derivatives. In the use of size exclusion chromatography to get molecular weight distributions, we highlight the importance of distinguishing between eventual secondary reactions involving molecular weight changes and the formation of PEG complexes due to residual amounts of metal cations from reactants. Finally, we show that azide end groups affect PEG melting behavior. In contrast to oxygen-containing end groups, azides do not interact with PEG segments, thus inducing defect formation in the crystal lattice and the reduction of crystal sizes. Melting temperature and degree of crystallinity decrease become especially relevant for PEGs with very low molecular weight, and its comprehension is particularly important for solid-state applications.

Riverine anthropogenic litter load to the Mediterranean Sea near the metropolitan area of Barcelona, Spain.

Every year >4 million tonnes of plastic are estimated to enter the oceans and much of it comes from land-based sources through rivers and estuaries. To fill the lack of information related to plastic inputs from rivers, a harmonized approach based on visual observations for monitoring floating macro litter was followed in this work. We provide the results of one-year monitoring (October 2016-September 2017) in the Llobregat and El Besòs rivers, which are flowing through an industrialized and populated area nearby the city of Barcelona (Catalonia, NE Spain). Floating litter items categories were influenced by urban centres located along the rivers. Overall, similar litter composition was observed in both rivers with a prevalence of plastics, mainly related to the food and beverage sectors. Seasonal variability showed significant correlations with natural factors such as wind and rainfall. Approximately 0.4-0.6 tonnes of plastic per year were estimated to be loaded into the sea by these two Catalan rivers. This study contributes to enlarge our knowledge on anthropogenic riverine litter entering the NW Mediterranean Sea, providing a starting point for the development of further mitigation strategies.

Macro-litter in surface waters from the Rhone River: Plastic pollution and loading to the NW Mediterranean Sea.

We present here the first estimates of floating macro-litter in surface waters from the Rhone River, based on monthly visual observations during 1-year period (2016-2017). Plastic represented 77% of the identified items, confirming its predominance in riverine floating litter. Fragments (2.5-50 cm) and Single Use Plastics (i.e. bags, bottles and cover/packaging) were among the most abundant items. Frequent non-plastic floating litter were paper items such as packaging material and newspapers, and metal items (mostly cans), representing 14% and 5% of total litter, respectively. A lower-end estimate resulted in ∼223,000 plastic items (∼0.7 t of plastic) transported annually by the Rhone surface waters to the Gulf of Lion (NW Mediterranean Sea). Floating macro-plastics are only a fraction of the total plastic export by the Rhone. Our study highlights the current discrepancy between field observations and theoretical estimations. Improvements are needed to harmonize data collection methodologies for field studies and model validation.

CDKAL1 gene variants affect the anti-TNF response among Psoriasis patients.

The heterogeneous response to anti-TNF biological drugs among Psoriasis (Psor) patients might be explained by gene variants linked to the risk for Psor. Common variants in the CDKAL1 gene have been associated with the risk of developing Psor. Our hypothesis was that these variants could also influence the response to anti-TNFs among Psor-patients. A reduction of at least 75% in the Psoriasis area and severity index (PASI 75) at week 24 was considered a positive response to treatment. A total of 116 patients (78 responders and 38 non-responders) were genotyped for the CDKAL1 rs6908425, rs4712523, rs111739077, and rs77152992 (p.P409L) single nucleotide polymorphisms. Allele and genotype frequencies differed between the two response groups, with the highest difference for the rs6908425: CC homozygotes were significantly more common among responders (72% vs. 45%; p=0.005; OR=3.14, 95%CI=1.40-7.05). In conclusion, our data suggested that CDKAL1 gene variants have a significant effect on the response to anti-TNF therapies among Psor patients. If confirmed on other large cohorts of patients, the genotyping of these variants might help to predict the biological response.

Association between single nucleotide polymorphisms IL17RA rs4819554 and IL17E rs79877597 and Psoriasis in a Spanish cohort.

BACKGROUND: The IL17 pathway plays an important role in the pathogenesis of psoriasis (PsO). OBJECTIVES: To determine whether the variation at the IL17 pathway genes was linked to the risk for PsO or had an effect on disease severity and the risk for Psoriatic arthritis (PsA). METHODS: Cross-sectional observational study of 580 psoriasis patients and 567 healthy controls who were genotyped for six single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the IL17RA (rs4819554, rs879577), IL17A (rs7747909), IL17F (rs763780, rs2397084), and IL17E (rs79877597) genes. RESULTS: We found significant higher frequencies of IL17RA rs4819554 G carriers among the patients (OR=1.33, 95%CI=1.05-1.69; p=0.017). The IL17RA rs4819554 G allele and IL17F rs2397084 TT genotype were significantly more frequent among Cw6 positive patients (p=0.037 and p=0.010, respectively). The IL17E rs79877597C allele was significantly more common among patients with severe forms of PsO (p=0.010; OR=2.42, 95%CI=1.23-4.76), and the CC genotype with the presence of arthritis (p=0.032; OR=1.50, 95%CI=1.04-2.18). CONCLUSIONS: We identified the IL17RA rs4819554 SNP as a risk factor for PsO. The IL17E rs79877597 SNP was a modifier of the risk for PsO disease severity and PsA.