Response of Lemna gibba L. to high and environmentally relevant concentrations of ibuprofen: Removal, metabolism and morpho-physiological traits for biomonitoring of emerging contaminants.

The increasing worldwide consumption of pharmaceuticals and personal care products such as ibuprofen (IBU) is leading to the widespread and persistent occurrence of these chemicals and their transformation products in soils and waters. Although at low concentrations, the continuous discharge of these micropollutants and the incomplete removal by the actual wastewater treatments can provoke accumulation in the environment with risks for the trophic chain. Non-target organisms as duckweed can be used for the environmental monitoring of pharmaceutical emerging contaminants. In this work, plants of Lemna gibba L. were exposed to high (0.20 and 1mgL-1) and environmentally relevant (0.02mgL-1) concentrations of IBU to investigate their removal and metabolization capacity. The main oxidized IBU metabolites in humans (hydroxy-IBU and carboxy-IBU) were determined in the intact plants and in the growth solutions, together with non-destructive physiological parameters and phytotoxic indicators. The IBU uptake increased with the increasing of IBU concentration in the medium, but the relative accumulation of the pharmaceutical and generation of hydroxy-IBU was higher in presence of the lower IBU treatments. Carboxy-IBU was not found in the plant tissue and solutions. The changes observed in growth and photosynthetic performances were not able to induce phyto-toxic effects. Apart from a mean physical-chemical degradation of 8.2%, the IBU removal by plants was highly efficient (89-92.5%) in all the conditions tested, highlighting the role of L. gibba in the biodegradation of emerging contaminants.

Cardiac condition in young chagasic women.

RATIONALE: Chagas disease is a complex disorder caused by Trypanosoma cruzi. Most patients remain asymptomatic for several years and 30% of them progress quietly to developing cardiomyopathy. The factors that lead to chronic myocardial lesions are not fully understood. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association between clinical symptoms and single nucleotide polymorphisms in chagasic and non-chagasic women younger and older than 55 years of age. METHODS AND RESULTS: we analyzed Ala-9Val and Ile58Thr polymorphisms of the SOD-Mn gene, 138ex1ins/del A of the endothelin-1 gene (ET-1) and H323H (T/C) of the endothelin receptor A gene (ETA), by PCR-RFLP using genomic DNA from leukocyte of 85 women. We also evaluated serum lipid profile, renal and liver function, chest X-rays, electrocardiograms (ECGs) and echocardiography (EchoCG). Biochemical profiling did not show differences between chagasic and non-chagasic patients. The polymorphisms analyses showed a significant association in the distribution of frequencies of the Mn-SOD Ile58Thr gene between both groups. Young chagasic patients had a significantly higher prevalence of abnormalities in X-rays, in ECGs and they showed grade II and III of NYHA functional classes. The chance of having an abnormal EchoCG was 5.87 higher in young chagasic patients (OR=5.87, 95% CI 1.47-23.4). DISCUSSION: We concluded that the parasite affects young females by accelerating the deterioration of cardiac function, independent of other cardiovascular risk factors and the cardioprotective action of estrogens present in the premenopausal stage.

Alimentos cárnicos y huevos: perfil de consumo en adultos mayores ambulatorios / Food meat and eggs: consumption profile in elderly outpatients

En los Adultos Mayores (AM) el acceso a una alimentación adecuada es primordial para mantener la salud, disminuir el efecto de las enfermedades y contribuir a preservar la independencia. Nutrientes fundamentales como las proteínas de alto valor biológico, vitaminas y minerales son aportadas por el grupo de huevos, carnes y sus derivados.Objetivos: Describir el perfil de consumo de alimentos del grupo de huevos, carnes y derivados, de los AM; evaluar si existen asociaciones en el perfil de consumo según edad, sexo, nivel educacional y convivencia. Métodos: Universo: todos los AM≥60 años ambulatorios, beneficiarios del programa ProBienestar, de Córdoba capital. Muestreo estratificado de centros de jubilados; muestra aleatoria de cada centro (n 451 AM). Instrumento: Cuestionario de Frecuencia de Consumo de Alimentos. Categorías: consumo Habitual (1 a 7 días/semana), consumo Ocasional (1 a 3 días/mes) y Nulo (no consume). Resultados: el consumo habitual (CH) prevaleció para carnes de res 93% y de aves 85%; pescados sólo 19%. El 56% no consumía pescados nunca. Para los huevos, el CH fue de 76%. Entre las vísceras preponderó el consumo ocasional (CO) siendo el hígado la más consumida (30%); igual que para embutidos: morcilla, chorizo, salchicha, mortadela y salame; y fiambres: paleta. El CO de corazón y riñón prevaleció entre los varones, y el de fiambres/embutidos fue mayor en los AM que vivían acompañados. Conclusiones: las carnes bovina y de ave (pollo), y huevos fueron los alimentos proteicos más consumidos por los AM del programa ProBienestar, Córdoba capital. El sexo se asoció al consumo de vísceras y la convivencia al de fiambres/embutidos. A excepción dehuevos y conservas de pescado (en escasa cantidad), el resto no integran el módulo alimentario otorgado a los AM del programa, no obstante los alimentos cárneos son consumidos habitualmente por esta población de bajos ingresos.

Effects of enzymatic treatments on the biomechanical properties of screws made of bone.

Nowadays, bone tissue employed to manufacture screws used as osteosynthesis material is obtained from organ donors. But in different medical fields there is an increasing need to use xenogenic grafts and implants, which still imply risks of transmission of some diseases and antigenicity. Two different autoclaving programs (A1, A2) and an alternative to reduce the antigenicity of screws made of xenogenic bone based on enzymatic treatment are analyzed from a biomechanical point of view. 128 screws made of bovine femur bone were employed. Some of them were partially demineralized with 0.6 N HCl, enzymatically digested with collagenase (specific) and pepsin (nonspecific) and then autoclaved. The specimens were subjected to tension, shear and screw torque tests and histologically evaluated. Compared to A1, A2 sterilization method (134 degrees C but higher vacuum and longer time) considerably reduced the mechanical strength of specimens. The enzymatic digestion, expected to reduce antigenicity, did not affect the screw superficial structure and would not modify the bone biomechanical properties per se, but maybe because of the association with autoclaving and partial demineralization.

Validity of the Papanicolaou Smear in the Diagnosis of Candida spp., Trichomonas vaginalis, and Bacterial Vaginosis.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the validity of the Papanicolaou smear in the diagnosis of bacterial vaginosis, Trichomonas vaginalis, and Candida spp. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We determined the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of Pap smears we performed in 824 symptomatic patients. We compared Pap smear diagnoses with those obtained by standard microscopic examination and Gram stain of the exudate. RESULTS: The sensitivity of the Pap smear for Candida spp. was 31%, 57% for BV, and 51% for T. vaginalis. The specificity for Candida was 98.5%, 94% for BV, and 97% for T. vaginalis. The PPV for Candida was 85%, 70% for BV, and 57%for T. vaginalis. The NPV for Candida was 84%, 90% for BV, and 97% for T. vaginalis. CONCLUSION: The sensitivity of Pap smears for Candida spp., BV, and T. vaginalis is inadequate for screening. Pap smear that are positive for T. vaginalis could be used to complement the diagnosis.