Pathogenesis and inflammatory response in experimental caprine mastitis due to Staphylococcus chromogenes.

Coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS) are the most frequently isolated bacteria in cases of subclinical mastitis in dairy cows. CNS species may differ in their pathogenicity, but very little is known about their virulence factors or their immune response in intramammary infections. To our knowledge, no experimental studies into the mastitis pathogenesis caused by CNS have been described in lactating goats. The aim of this study was to induce an experimentally Staphylococcus chromogenes mastitis in lactating goats aimed at verifying if the model can be used to evaluate the inflammatory response, the dynamics of infection and the pathological findings within the first hours of intramammary inoculation. Six Saanen goats in mid-lactation were inoculated with 1 × 107 colony forming units of S. chromogenes. Bacterial growth peaked in milk from the challenged right halves of the mammary glands (RMG) at 4 h post inoculation (PI). Shedding of viable bacteria showed a marked decrease at 12 h PI. An increase in mean somatic cell counts was observed in the milk samples from 8 h PI onwards. Mild clinical signs were evoked by intramammary inoculation. Staphylococcus chromogenes could be isolated in tissue from all RMG. Histological examination of specimens of the RMG and lymph nodes of the goats showed an increased inflammatory response throughout the experiment with respect to control halves. In conclusion, the experimental inoculation of S. chromogenes in lactating goats is capable of eliciting an inflammatory response and capable of causing pathological changes. This research represents a preliminary study for a better knowledge of the mastitis pathogenesis caused by S. chromogenes.

Influence of childhood trauma on diagnosis and substance use in first-episode psychosis.

BackgroundChildhood trauma has been significantly associated with first-episode psychosis, affective dysfunction and substance use.AimsTo test whether people with first-episode psychosis who had experienced childhood trauma, when compared with those who had not, showed a higher rate of affective psychosis and an increased lifetime rate of substance use.MethodThe sample comprised 345 participants with first-episode psychosis (58% male, mean age 29.8 years, s.d. = 9.7).ResultsSevere sexual abuse was significantly associated with a diagnosis of affective psychosis (χ2 = 4.9, P = 0.04) and with higher rates of lifetime use of cannabis (68% v 41%; P = 0.02) and heroin (20% v 5%; P = 0.02). Severe physical abuse was associated with increased lifetime use of heroin (15% v 5%; P = 0.03) and cocaine (32% v 17%; P = 0.05).ConclusionsPatients with first-episode psychosis exposed to childhood trauma appear to constitute a distinctive subgroup in terms of diagnosis and lifetime substance use.

Stress, health and quality of life of female migrant domestic workers in Singapore: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: There is a global increase in migrant workers. In Singapore, there are over 230,000 migrant domestic workers (MDWs). Female MDWs may experience high levels of stress and social isolation, which may negatively impact on their health and quality of life. There have also been documented cases of abuse and exploitation. However, there is a lack of empirical research with this population. This study aimed to investigate factors impacting on the health and quality of life of female MDWs in Singapore, including socio-demographic and job related characteristics, stress, social isolation, and working management style. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was carried out with 182 female MDWs in Singapore. The survey examined health and quality of life (WHOQoL-Bréf), social connectedness (the Friendship Scale), and preferred and experienced working management style (the Theory X and Theory Y Questionnaire). Descriptive analyses were carried out in addition to ANOVA, t-tests, and chi-square tests, followed by a multivariate analysis using linear regression. RESULTS: Participants were found to have good overall quality of life and satisfaction with health. Age and working experience were found to be significantly (p < 0.05) associated with overall quality of life and three domains (psychological, social, and environmental health). Agreement between experienced and preferred working management style was also found to be associated with higher quality of life scores (with the exception of the social relationships domain). Though women reported relatively good overall quality of life, more than half of participants reported feeling stressed. In addition, nearly 20% of participants reported being isolated or very isolated. Stress was identified to be associated with isolation. In the multivariate analysis, stress was found to contribute to worse quality of life in all domains except social relationships, after adjusting for confounders. Social connectedness was positively associated with all domains of quality of life, and agreement of working management style was positively associated with physical health, psychological health and environmental quality of life. CONCLUSIONS: The findings serve as an evidence-base pointing to the need for policies aimed at decreasing stress and social isolation among female MDWs in order to improve their health and quality of life.

Do Riparian Buffers Protect Stream Invertebrate Communities in South American Atlantic Forest Agricultural Areas?

We investigated the influence and relative importance of insecticides and other agricultural stressors in determining variability in invertebrate communities in small streams in intensive soy-production regions of Brazil and Paraguay. In Paraguay we sampled 17 sites on tributaries of the Pirapó River in the state of Itapúa and in Brazil we sampled 18 sites on tributaries of the San Francisco River in the state of Paraná. The riparian buffer zones generally contained native Atlantic forest remnants and/or introduced tree species at various stages of growth. In Brazil the stream buffer width was negatively correlated with sediment insecticide concentrations and buffer width was found to have moderate importance in mitigating effects on some sensitive taxa such as mayflies. However, in both regions insecticides had low relative importance in explaining variability in invertebrate communities, while various habitat parameters were more important. In Brazil, the percent coverage of soft depositional sediment in streams was the most important agriculture-related explanatory variable, and the overall stream-habitat score was the most important variable in Paraguay streams. Paraguay and Brazil both have laws requiring forested riparian buffers. The ample forested riparian buffer zones typical of streams in these regions are likely to have mitigated the effects of pesticides on stream invertebrate communities. This study provides evidence that riparian buffer regulations in the Atlantic Forest region are protecting stream ecosystems from pesticides and other agricultural stressors. Further studies are needed to determine the minimum buffer widths necessary to achieve optimal protection.

Rapid reconstitution of functionally active 6-sulfoLacNAc(+) dendritic cells (slanDCs) of donor origin following allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplant.

The role of dendritic cells (DCs) and macrophages in allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) is critical in determining the extent of graft-versus-host response. The goal of this study was to analyse slanDCs, a subset of human proinflammatory DCs, in haematopoietic stem cell (HSC) sources, as well as to evaluate their 1-year kinetics of reconstitution, origin and functional capacities in peripheral blood (PB) and bone marrow (BM) of patients who have undergone HSCT, and their presence in graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) tissue specimens. slanDCs were also compared to myeloid (m)DCs, plasmacytoid (p)DCs and monocytes in HSC sources and in patients' PB and BM throughout reconstitution. slanDCs accounted for all HSC sources. In patients' PB and BM, slanDCs were identified from day +21, showing median frequencies comparable to healthy donors, donor origin and kinetics of recovery similar to mDCs, pDCs, and monocytes. Under cyclosporin treatment, slanDCs displayed a normal pattern of maturation, and maintained an efficient chemotactic activity and capacity of releasing tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α upon lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation. None the less, they were almost undetectable in GVHD tissue specimens, being present only in intestinal acute GVHD samples. slanDCs reconstitute early, being donor-derived and functionally competent. The absence of slanDCs from most of the GVHD-targeted tissue specimens seems to rule out the direct participation of these cells in the majority of the local reactions characterizing GVHD.

Abnormalities in amphibian populations inhabiting agroecosystems in Northeastern Buenos Aires Province, Argentina.

The occurrence of abnormalities in amphibians has been reported in many populations, and its increase could be related to environmental pollution and habitat degradation. We evaluated the type and prevalence of abnormalities in 5 amphibian populations from agroecosystems with different degrees of agricultural disturbance (cultivated and reference areas). We detected 9 types of abnormalities, of which the most frequent were those occurring in limbs. The observed prevalence of abnormality in assessed populations from cultivated and reference areas was as follows: Rhinella fernandezae (37.1 and 10.2%, respectively), Leptodactylus latrans adults (28.1 and 9.2%) and juveniles (32.9 and 15.3%), and Hypsiboas pulchellus (11.6 and 2.8%). Scinax granulatus populations did not show abnormalities. Pseudis minuta, which was only detected in the reference area, exhibited a prevalence of 13.3%. For R. fernandezae, L. latrans, and H. pulchellus, generalized linear mixed models showed that prevalence of abnormalities was significantly higher (p < 0.05) in cultivated than in reference areas. L. latrans juveniles were more vulnerable to abnormalities than adults (p < 0.05). The presence of abnormalities in some species inhabiting different agroecosystems suggests that environmental stress factors might be responsible for their occurrence. While we detected pesticides (endosulfan, cypermethrin, and chlorpyrifos) and lower dissolved oxygen levels in ponds of the cultivated area, no data are currently available on how other factors, such as injuries from predators and parasite infections, vary by land use. Further research will be necessary to evaluate possible causes of abnormalities detected in the present study mainly in the context of factor interactions.

The influence of gender on clinical and social characteristics of patients at psychosis onset: A report from the Psychosis Incident Cohort Outcome Study (PICOS).

BACKGROUND. This paper examined the hypothesis that males with first-episode psychosis (FEP) experience lower pre-morbid adjustment, greater social disability and more self-perceived needs at illness onset than females(by controlling for duration of untreated psychosis, diagnosis, age and symptoms at onset). Results disconfirming this hypothesis were thought to suggest the potentially mediating role of social context in determining the impact of symptoms and disability on the everyday lives of male patients in the early phase of psychosis. METHOD. A large epidemiologically representative cohort of FEP patients (n=517) was assessed within the Psychosis Incident Cohort Outcome Study (PICOS) framework ­ a multi-site research project examining incident cases of psychosis in Italy's Veneto region. RESULTS. Despite poorer pre-morbid functioning and higher social disability at illness onset, males reported fewer unmet needs in the functioning domain than females did. An analysis of help provided by informal care givers showed that males received more help from their families than females did. This finding led us to disconfirm the second part of the hypothesis and suggest that the impact of poorer social performance and unmet needs on everyday life observed in male patients might be hampered by higher tolerance and more support within the family context.CONCLUSIONS. These findings shed new light on rarely investigated sociocultural and contextual factors that may account for the observed discrepancy between social disability and needs for care in FEP patients. They also point to a need for further research on gender differences, with the ultimate aim of delivering gender-sensitive effective mental health care.

Insecticide toxicity to Hyalella curvispina in runoff and stream water within a soybean farm (Buenos Aires, Argentina).

Toxicity to the locally dominant amphipod Hyalella curvispina was assessed in a first-order stream running through a cultivated farm. Cypermethrin, chlorpyrifos, endosulfan and glyphosate were sprayed throughout the studied period. Toxicity was assayed under controlled laboratory conditions with runoff and stream water samples taken from the field under steady state and flood conditions. Ephemeral toxicity pulses were observed as a consequence of farm pesticide applications. After pesticide application, runoff water showed 100% mortality to H. curvispina for 1 month, but no mortality thereafter. Toxicity persistence was shortest in stream water, intermediate in stream sediments and longest in soil samples. Runoff had a more important toxicity effect than the exposure to direct aerial fumigation. The regional environmental features determining fast toxicity dissipation are discussed.

Effect of aquatic vegetation on the persistence of cypermethrin toxicity in water.

Soybean production in Argentina comprises 15 million ha. Cypermethrin is the main insecticide applied amounting 150 g of active ingredient per hectare, thus representing roughly 2.3 thousand tons yearly released to the environment. Toxicity pulses have been observed in small streams draining agricultural basins, most of them sustaining macrophyte growth. Cypermethrin concentrations and its toxicity to the amphipod Hyalella curvispina was compared following an addition to laboratory mesocosms with and without a vegetation cover of the floating macrophyte Lemna sp. Both concentrations and toxicity decreased faster in the treatments covered with Lemna. Fast adsorption of the hydrophobic pesticide to the roots and fronds of Lemna was suggested.

Attenuation of insecticide impact by a small wetland in a stream draining a horticultural basin in Argentina.

Horticulture has greatly increased in Argentina in recent decades mainly due to increasing greenhouse utilization and agrochemical consumption, thus representing a threat to adjacent water bodies. Riparian wetlands, however, could attenuate agrochemical contamination. The present work therefore compared insecticide concentrations in bottom sediments in addition to sediment toxicity to the amphipod Hyalella curvispina and investigated the macroinvertebrate composition upstream and downstream from a natural wetland in a small stream draining a basin undergoing intense horticultural production. The wetland surface was covered by macrophytes, mainly Thypha sp., and the insecticide concentrations measured downstream from the wetland were significantly lower, at roughly 19% of the upstream values. The growth rates of H. curvispina were significantly higher when exposed to the sediments downstream from the wetland, while the macroinvertebrate-assemblage composition was significantly different upstream and downstream: the snail Pomacea canaliculata was the dominant species upstream while the amphipod H. curvispina was dominant downstream. Pomacea canaliculata is often the dominant species in the regional streams draining agriculture and horticultural basins. Hyalella curvispina is sensitive to pesticide toxicity and is often dominant in streams draining extensive livestock basins and within a biosphere reserve. We conclude that riparian wetlands effectively attenuate horticulture contamination in pampean streams and should therefore be preserved and restored.

Toxicity persistence following an experimental cypermethrin and chlorpyrifos application in Pampasic surface waters (Buenos Aires, Argentina).

The Pampa plain is intensively cultivated, the genetically modified glyphosate-resistant soybean being the main culture. A small first-order stream draining a cultured farm was studied. During the dry 2007 spring, the channel became a wetland with remnant intercalated shallow pools. Toxicity persistence of cypermethrin and chlorpyrifos to the amphipod Hyallela curvispina was assessed following a simulated plane application in the recently formed pools. In situ exposures and laboratory toxicity tests were performed. An ephemeral toxicity pulse lasting 4 h after the application and mortality cessation following that was observed.

Using the GHQ-12 to screen for mental health problems among primary care patients: psychometrics and practical considerations.

BACKGROUND: This study explores the factor structure of the Indonesian version of the GHQ-12 based on several theoretical perspectives and determines the threshold for optimum sensitivity and specificity. Through a focus group discussion, we evaluate the practicality of the GHQ-12 as a screening tool for mental health problems among adult primary care patients in Indonesia. METHODS: This is a prospective study exploring the construct validity, criterion validity and reliability of the GHQ-12, conducted with 676 primary care patients attending 28 primary care clinics randomised for participation in the study. Participants' GHQ-12 scores were compared with their psychiatric diagnosis based on face-to-face clinical interviews with GPs using the CIS-R. Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analyses determined the construct validity of the GHQ-12 in this population. The appropriate threshold score of the GHQ-12 as a screening tool in primary care was determined using the receiver operating curve. Prior to data collection, a focus group discussion was held with research assistants who piloted the screening procedure, GPs, and a psychiatrist, to evaluate the practicality of embedding screening within the routine clinic procedures. RESULTS: Of all primary care patients attending the clinics during the recruitment period, 26.7% agreed to participate (676/2532 consecutive patients approached). Their median age was 46 (range 18-82 years); 67% were women. The median GHQ-12 score for our primary care sample was 2, with an interquartile range of 4. The internal consistency of the GHQ-12 was good (Cronbach's α = 0.76). Four factor structures were fitted on the data. The GHQ-12 was found to best fit a one-dimensional model, when response bias is taken into consideration. Results from the ROC curve indicated that the GHQ-12 is 'fairly accurate' when discriminating primary care patients with indication of mental disorders from those without, with average AUC of 0.78. The optimal threshold of the GHQ-12 was either 1/2 or 2/3 point depending on the intended utility, with a Positive Predictive Value of 0.68 to 0.73 respectively. The screening procedure was successfully embedded into routine patient flow in the 28 clinics. CONCLUSIONS: The Indonesian version of the GHQ-12 could be used to screen primary care patients at high risk of mental disorders although with significant false positives if reasonable sensitivity is to be achieved. While it involves additional administrative burden, screening may help identify future users of mental health services in primary care that the country is currently expanding.

Psychological impact of COVID-19 pandemic on healthcare workers in a highly burdened area of north-east Italy.

AIMS: Healthcare workers exposed to coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) patients could be psychologically distressed. This study aims to assess the magnitude of psychological distress and associated factors among hospital staff during the COVID-19 pandemic in a large tertiary hospital located in north-east Italy. METHODS: All healthcare and administrative staff working in the Verona University Hospital (Veneto, Italy) during the COVID-19 pandemic were asked to complete a web-based survey from 21 April to 6 May 2020. Symptoms of post-traumatic distress, anxiety and depression were assessed, respectively, using the Impact of Event Scale (IES-R), the Self-rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) and the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9). Personal socio-demographic information and job characteristics were also collected, including gender, age, living condition, having pre-existing psychological problems, occupation, length of working experience, hospital unit (ICUs and sub-intensive COVID-19 units vs. non-COVID-19 units). A multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to identify factors associated with each of the three mental health outcomes. RESULTS: A total of 2195 healthcare workers (36.9% of the overall hospital staff) participated in the study. Of the participants, 35.7% were nurses, 24.3% other healthcare staff, 16.4% residents, 13.9% physicians and 9.7% administrative staff. Nine per cent of healthcare staff worked in ICUs, 8% in sub-intensive COVID-19 units and 7.6% in other front-line services, while the remaining staff worked in hospital units not directly engaged with COVID-19 patients. Overall, 63.2% of participants reported COVID-related traumatic experiences at work and 53.8% (95% CI 51.0%-56.6%) showed symptoms of post-traumatic distress; moreover, 50.1% (95% CI 47.9%-52.3%) showed symptoms of clinically relevant anxiety and 26.6% (95% CI 24.7%-28.5%) symptoms of at least moderate depression. Multivariable logistic regressions showed that women, nurses, healthcare workers directly engaged with COVID-19 patients and those with pre-existing psychological problems were at increased risk of psychopathological consequences of the pandemic. CONCLUSIONS: The psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on healthcare staff working in a highly burdened geographical of north-east Italy is relevant and to some extent greater than that reported in China. The study provides solid grounds to elaborate and implement interventions pertaining to psychology and occupational health.

V348I mutation in UL23 gene of human herpesvirus 1 in a case of herpetic hepatitis and haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis.

We herein report the case of a young immunocompetent adult patient with a rapidly fatal haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis syndrome related to human herpesvirus 1 (HHV-1) infection, with herpetic hepatitis and persistent high-level viraemia despite treatment with acyclovir. Haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis was confirmed in the patient's spleen and bone marrow. HHV-1 DNA was extracted from whole blood and liver biopsy and the UL23 gene was sequenced. A V348I natural polymorphism of the TK protein was found in blood and liver specimens. Further studies are needed to investigate the role of this polymorphism in the development of systemic immune dysregulation.

Predictors and moderators of burden of care and emotional distress in first-episode psychosis caregivers: results from the GET UP pragmatic cluster randomised controlled trial.

AIMS: First-episode psychosis (FEP) is a major life event and can have an adverse impact on the diagnosed individual and their families. The importance of intervening early and providing optimal treatments is widely acknowledged. In comparison to patient groups, literature is scarce on identifying treatment predictors and moderators of caregiver outcomes. This study aimed to identify pre-treatment characteristics predicting and/or moderating carer outcomes, based on data from a multi-element psychosocial intervention to FEP patients and carers (GET-UP PIANO trial). METHODS: Carer demography, type of family relationship, patient contact hours, pre-treatment carer burden, patient perceptions of parental caregiving and expressed emotion (EE) were selected, a priori, as potential predictors/moderators of carer burden and emotional distress at 9 months post treatment. Outcomes were analysed separately in mixed-effects random regression models. RESULTS: Analyses were performed on 260 carers. Only patient perceptions of early maternal criticism predicted reports of lower carer burden at follow-up. However, multiple imputation analysis failed to confirm this result. For treatment moderators: higher levels of carer burden at baseline yielded greater reductions in carer emotional distress at follow-up in the experimental group compared with treatment as usual (TAU). Higher levels of perceived EE moderated greater reductions in carer reports of tension in experimental group, compared with TAU, at follow-up. In younger caregivers (<51 years old), there were greater reductions in levels of worry during the baseline to follow-up period, within the experimental group compared with TAU. CONCLUSION: The study failed to identify significant treatment predictors of FEP carer outcomes. However, our preliminary findings suggest that optimal treatment outcomes for carers at first episode might be moderated by younger carer age, and carers reporting higher baseline levels of burden, and where patients perceive higher levels of negative effect from caregivers.

Effects of the herbicide Roundup on freshwater microbial communities: a mesocosm study.

The impact of the widely used herbicide glyphosate has been mainly studied in terrestrial weed control, laboratory bioassays, and field studies focusing on invertebrates, amphibians, and fishes. Despite the importance of phytoplankton and periphyton communities at the base of the aquatic food webs, fewer studies have investigated the effects of glyphosate on freshwater microbial assemblages. We assessed the effect of the commercial formulation Roundup using artificial earthen mesocosms. The herbicide was added at three doses: a control (without Roundup) and two treatments of 6 and 12 mg/L of the active ingredient (glyphosate). Estimates of the dissipation rate (k) were similar in the two treatments (half-lives of 5.77 and 7.37 d, respectively). The only two physicochemical parameters showing statistically significant differences between treatments and controls were the downward vertical spectral attenuation coefficient kd(lambda), where lambda is wavelength, and total phosphorus concentration (TP). At the end of the experiment, the treated mesocosms showed a significant increase in the ratio kd(490 nm)/k(d)(550 nm) and an eightfold increase in TP. Roundup affected the structure of phytoplankton and periphyton assemblages. Total micro- and nano-phytoplankton decreased in abundance in treated mesocosms. In contrast, the abundance of picocyanobacteria increased by a factor of about 40. Primary production also increased in treated mesocosms (roughly by a factor of two). Similar patterns were observed in the periphytic assemblages, which showed an increased proportion of dead: live individuals and increased abundances of cyanobacteria (about 4.5-fold). Interestingly, the observed changes in the microbial assemblages were captured by the analysis of the pigment composition of the phytoplankton, the phytoplankton absorption spectra, and the analysis of the optical properties of the water. The observed changes in the structure of the microbial assemblages are more consistent with a direct toxicological effect of glyphosate rather than an indirect effect mediated by phosphorus enrichment.

Removal efficiency of a constructed wetland for wastewater treatment according to vegetation dominance.

A free water surface wetland was built to treat wastewater containing metals (Cr, Ni and Zn) and nutrients from a tool factory in Santo Tomé, Santa Fe, Argentina. Eichhornia crassipes became dominant and covered about 80% of the surface throughout the first year, and decreased progressively until its disappearance. When water depth was lowered Typha domingensis steadily increased plant cover and attained 30% of the surface by the end of the study. While E. crassipes was dominant, the wetland retained 62% of the incoming Cr and 48% of the Ni. NO3- and NO2-, were also removed (65% and 78%, respectively), while dissolved inorganic phosphate (i-P(diss)) and NH4+ were not removed. Zn was below 50 microg l(-1) in both the influent and effluent. Metal concentration in the sediments did not increase and retention was mediated through macrophytes uptake. During the period of E. crassipes decline the wetland retained 49% of the incoming Cr, 45% of Ni, 58% NO3-, 94% NO2-, 58% NH4+ and 47% i-P(diss). Cr, Ni and Zn in the bottom sediment increased in the inlet but not in the outlet. Since T. domingensis became dominant, retention was 58% Cr, 48% Ni and 64% i-P(diss), while 79% NO3-, 84% NO2- and 13% NH4+ were removed. Metals in the bottom sediment increased in the inlet. In spite of the significant growth of E. crassipes at the beginning, T. domingensis remained after most of the transplanted macrophytes had disappeared. Macrophyte disappearance could be related to the overall toxicity of several environmental constrains as high pH and conductivity, metal concentration, and sulphide presence.

Species at Risk (SPEAR) index indicates effects of insecticides on stream invertebrate communities in soy production regions of the Argentine Pampas.

We investigated relationships among insecticides and aquatic invertebrate communities in 22 streams of two soy production regions of the Argentine Pampas over three growing seasons. Chlorpyrifos, endosulfan, cypermethrin, and lambda-cyhalothrin were the insecticides most frequently detected in stream sediments. The Species at Risk (SPEAR) pesticide bioassessment index (SPEARpesticides) was adapted and applied to evaluate relationships between sediment insecticide toxic units (TUs) and invertebrate communities associated with both benthic habitats and emergent vegetation habitats. SPEARpesticides was the only response metric that was significantly correlated with total insecticide TU values for all three averaged data sets, consistently showing a trend of decreasing values with increasing TU values (r2=0.35 to 0.42, p-value=0.001 to 0.03). Although pyrethroids were the insecticides that contributed the highest TU values, toxicity calculated based on all insecticides was better at predicting changes in invertebrate communities than toxicity of pyrethroids alone. Crustaceans, particularly the amphipod Hyalella spp., which are relatively sensitive to pesticides, played a large role in the performance of SPEARpesticides, and the relative abundance of all crustaceans also showed a significant decreasing trend with increasing insecticide TUs for two of three data sets (r2=0.30 to 0.57, p-value=0.003 to 0.04) examined. For all data sets, total insecticide TU was the most important variable in explaining variance in the SPEARpesticides index. The present study was the first application of the SPEAR index in South America, and the first one to use it to evaluate effects of pesticides on invertebrate communities associated with aquatic vegetation. Although the SPEAR index was developed in Europe, it performed well in the Argentine Pampas with only minor modifications, and would likely improve in performance as more data are obtained on traits of South American taxa, such as pesticide sensitivity and generation time.

Macrophyte growth in a pilot-scale constructed wetland for industrial wastewater treatment.

A pilot-scale wetland was constructed to assess the feasibility of treating the wastewater from a tool industry in Santo Tomé, Santa Fe, Argentina. The wastewater had high conductivity and pH, and contained Cr, Ni and Zn. This paper describes the growth of vegetation in the experimental wetland and the nutrient and metal removal. The wetland was 6 x 3 x 0.4 m. Water discharge was 1000 l d(-1) and residence time was 7d. After the wetland was rendered impermeable, macrophytes from Middle Paraná River floodplain were transplanted. Influent and effluent quality was analyzed every 15 d. TP, Cr, Ni and Zn concentrations in leaves, roots and sediment (inlet and outlet) were measured monthly. Cover and biomass of predominant species were estimated. Also, greenhouse experiments were carried out to measure the effects of conductivity and pH on floating species. The variables measured in the influent were significantly higher than those in the effluent, except for HCO(3)(-) and NH(4)(+). TP and metal concentrations in sediment at the inlet were significantly higher than those at the outlet. Conductivity and pH of the incoming wastewater were toxic for the floating species. Typha domingensis displaced the other species and reached positive relative cover rate and biomass greater than those at the undisturbed natural environment. T. domingensis proved to be highly efficient for the treatment of wastewater. For that reason, it is the advisable species for the treatment of wastewater of high conductivity and pH enriched with metals, characteristic of many industrial processes.

Discrimination in the workplace, reported by people with major depressive disorder: a cross-sectional study in 35 countries.

OBJECTIVE: Whereas employment has been shown to be beneficial for people with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) across different cultures, employers' attitudes have been shown to be negative towards workers with MDD. This may form an important barrier to work participation. Today, little is known about how stigma and discrimination affect work participation of workers with MDD, especially from their own perspective. We aimed to assess, in a working age population including respondents with MDD from 35 countries: (1) if people with MDD anticipate and experience discrimination when trying to find or keep paid employment; (2) if participants in high, middle and lower developed countries differ in these respects; and (3) if discrimination experiences are related to actual employment status (ie, having a paid job or not). METHOD: Participants in this cross-sectional study (N=834) had a diagnosis of MDD in the previous 12 months. They were interviewed using the Discrimination and Stigma Scale (DISC-12). Analysis of variance and generalised linear mixed models were used to analyse the data. RESULTS: Overall, 62.5% had anticipated and/or experienced discrimination in the work setting. In very high developed countries, almost 60% of respondents had stopped themselves from applying for work, education or training because of anticipated discrimination. Having experienced workplace discrimination was independently related to unemployment. CONCLUSIONS: Across different countries and cultures, people with MDD very frequently reported discrimination in the work setting. Effective interventions are needed to enhance work participation in people with MDD, focusing simultaneously on decreasing stigma in the work environment and on decreasing self-discrimination by empowering workers with MDD.