The European intercomparison of in-vivo monitoring laboratories: the EIVIC-2020 project.

The EIVIC project was launched in 2020, and the main goal was the organisation of a European intercomparison of in-vivo monitoring laboratories dealing with direct measurements of gamma-emitting radionuclides incorporated into the body of exposed workers. This project was organised jointly by members of EURADOS Working Group 7 on internal dosimetry (WG7), the Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS, Germany) and the Radioprotection and Nuclear Safety Institute (IRSN, France). The objective was to assess the implementation of individual-monitoring requirements in EU Member States on the basis of in-vivo measurements and to gain insight into the performance of in-vivo measurements using whole-body counters. In this context, a total of 41 in-vivo monitoring laboratories from 21 countries, together with JRC (EC) and IAEA participated. The results were submitted in terms of activity (Bq) of the radionuclides identified inside phantoms that were circulated to all participants. The measured data were compared with reference activity values to evaluate the corresponding bias according to the standards ISO 28218 and ISO 13528. In general, the results of the different exercises are good, and most facilities are in conformity with the criteria for the bias and z-scores in the ISO standards. Furthermore, information about technical and organisational characteristics of the participating laboratories was collected to test if they had a significant influence on the reported results.

Clinical practice guideline of the Spanish society of oral surgery for dental care in patients with oral cancer.

BACKGROUND: Oral cancer is the sixteenth most common malignant neoplasm worldwide, with a high mortality rate, greater than 50% at five years, and high morbidity. The effect of oncological treatment in the oral cavity is broad and has multiple levels, therefore knowing these effects and preventing them is essential for avoiding an increase in the oral pathology related with oncological therapy, maintaining the quality of life of the patient, and improving the efficacy of the treatment itself. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A group of experts belonging to the fields of Dentistry, Maxillofacial Surgery and Oncology of the University of Seville and the Virgen del Rocío University Hospital of Seville in collaboration with the University of Valencia, University of Barcelona, and University of the Basque Country, developed this Clinical Practice Guideline for the proper clinical management of patients diagnosed with oral cancer. The clinical questions were formulated in PICO format. The databases consulted were Medline/PubMed and Embase/Elsevier. The systematic reviews published on the topic were identified on Tripdatabase, Cochrane Library and CRD (Centre for Reviews and Dissemination). The recommendations were prepared based on the GRADE methodology. RESULTS: Various recommendations were defined, derived from the 21 PICO questions, referring to prevention, treatment and care for alterations arising from the pathology of oral cancer itself and its treatment. CONCLUSIONS: The preparation of this clinical practice guideline allows recommendations to be generated based on the scientific evidence available, on dentistry actions in patients with oral cancer and undergoing oncological treatment, which may be of use to the multidisciplinary team treating this type of patient.

Resident physician duty hours, resting times and European Working Time Directive compliance in Spain: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: There is a growing interest in understanding the impact of duty hours and resting times on training outcomes and the well-being of resident physicians. However, to this date no state-wide analysis exists in any European country. OBJECTIVES: Our aim is to describe the shift work scheduling and to detail the degree of compliance with the Spanish legislation and the European Working Time Directive (EWTD) of Spanish resident physicians, focusing on territorial and specialty distribution. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A descriptive cross-sectional analytical study was designed through an online survey adapted from the existing literature. RESULTS: Out of the 2035 surveyed resident physicians undergoing PGT in Spain, 80.49% exceeded the 48 h per week limit set by the EWTD and 13% of them did not rest after a 24-h on-call shift. The mean number of on-call shifts in the last 3 months was 15.03, with the highest mean reported in Asturias, La Rioja, and Extremadura. 51.6% of respondents had a day-off after a Saturday on-call shift. Significant differences are observed by region and type of specialty. CONCLUSION: Resident physicians in Spain greatly exceed the established 48 h/week EWTD limit. Likewise, non-compliance with labor regulations regarding mandatory rest after on-call duty and minimum weekly rest periods are observed.

Evolution of social mood in Spain throughout the COVID-19 vaccination process: a machine learning approach to tweets analysis.

OBJECTIVES: This paper presents a new approach based on the combination of machine learning techniques, in particular, sentiment analysis using lexicons, and multivariate statistical methods to assess the evolution of social mood through the COVID-19 vaccination process in Spain. METHODS: Analysing 41,669 Spanish tweets posted between 27 February 2020 and 31 December 2021, different sentiments were assessed using a list of Spanish words and their associations with eight basic emotions (anger, fear, anticipation, trust, surprise, sadness, joy and disgust) and three valences (neutral, negative and positive). How the different subjective emotions were distributed across the tweets was determined using several descriptive statistics; a trajectory plot representing the emotional valence vs narrative time was also included. RESULTS: The results achieved are highly illustrative of the social mood of citizens, registering the different emerging opinion clusters, gauging public states of mind via the collective valence, and detecting the prevalence of different emotions in the successive phases of the vaccination process. CONCLUSIONS: The present combination in formal models of objective and subjective information would therefore provide a more accurate vision of social reality, in this case regarding the COVID-19 vaccination process in Spain, which will enable a more effective resolution of problems.

Effect of polystyrene nanoplastics on the activated sludge process performance and biomass characteristics. A laboratory study with a sequencing batch reactor.

The fate and presence of nanoplastics in wastewater treatment systems is a topic of increasing interest. Furthermore, challenges related to their quantification and identification have made it difficult to set up experimental conditions and compare results between studies. In this study, the effect of 100 nm polystyrene nanoplastics on activated sludge was evaluated. A concentration of 2 µg/L was used to continuously feed a sequencing batch reactor (SBR-NPs). Under the experimental conditions used in this study, no changes were observed in the process performance of the SBR-NPs compared to the reactor used as a control. Neither nitrification nor organic matter removal efficiency, which was 96% for both SBRs, were affected by the presence of 100 nm polystyrene nanoplastics, which suggests that the tested nanoplastics were not sufficiently toxic to the biomass. Although no significant differences in the relative abundances of predominant phyla between SBR-Control and SBR-NPs were observed, a slight shift in the relative abundance of Patescibacteria (1.5 ± 0.6% and 3.7 ± 0.8% in SBR-Control and SBR-NPs, respectively, at the end of the test) occurred. The higher abundance of this phylum in SBR-NPs compared to SBR-Control may suggest that these bacteria have some sensitivity to the presence of 100 nm polystyrene nanoplastics. Furthermore, even with the absence of nitrification inhibition, it was observed stagnation of the growth of Nitrotoga bacteria in SBR-NPs, which also suggests that the polystyrene nanoplastics could have an inhibitory effect on these cells and an impact on nitrification in the long term.

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on a Cancer Fast-Track Programme.

INTRODUCTION: The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted many aspects of clinical practice in oncology, particularly regarding early cancer diagnosis, sparking public health concerns that possible delays could increase the proportion of patients diagnosed at advanced stages. In 2009, a cancer fast-track program (CFP) was implemented at the Clinico-Malvarrosa Health Department in Valencia, Spain with the aim of shortening waiting times between suspected cancer symptoms, diagnosis and therapy initiation. OBJECTIVES: The study aimed to explore the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on our cancer diagnosis fast-track program. METHODS: The program workflow (patients included and time periods) was analysed from the beginning of the state of alarm on March 16th, 2020 until March 15th, 2021. Data was compared with data from the same period of time from the year before (2019). RESULTS: During the pandemic year, 975 suspected cancer cases were submitted to the CFP. The number of submissions only decreased during times of highest COVID-19 incidence and stricter lockdown, and overall, referrals were slightly higher than in the previous 2 years. Cancer diagnosis was confirmed in 197 (24.1%) cases, among which 33% were urological, 23% breast, 16% gastrointestinal and 9% lung cancer. The median time from referral to specialist appointment was 13 days and diagnosis was reached at a median of 18 days. In confirmed cancer cases, treatment was started at around 30 days from time of diagnosis. In total, 61% of cancer disease was detected at early stage, 20% at locally advanced stage, and 19% at advanced stage, displaying time frames and case proportions similar to pre-pandemic years. CONCLUSIONS: Our program has been able to maintain normal flow and efficacy despite the challenges of the current pandemic, and has proven a reliable tool to help primary care physicians referring suspected cancer patients.

Brain plasticity after rehabilitation in a severe case of artery of Percheron stroke assessed with multimodal MR imaging.

Artery of Percheron (AOP) stroke is a rare event. We describe an AOP stroke involving both thalami and the midbrain, resulting in a multifunctional clinical impairment. Intensive inpatient multidisciplinary rehabilitation favored the recovery of motor deficits, together with the improvement of cognitive dysfunctions. MRI assessment in the chronic post-stroke phase showed structural and functional reorganization in response to the extended thalamic tissue damage and absence of revascularization. Thalamo-cortical networks involving frontal and prefrontal regions, as well as parietal areas were disrupted, whereas increased functional thalamo-occipital connectivity was found. This report sheds light on brain reorganization following AOP stroke after rehabilitation..

Developmental trajectories of social cognition from preschool to adolescence.

This longitudinal study aims to define the developmental trajectories of social cognition (SC) in a community sample (N = 378) assessed from preschool (3 years old) to preadolescence (12 years old). Parents and teachers reported on a SC measure at ages 5, 10, and 12. We tested the existence of different trajectories and whether they discriminated outcomes in early adolescence. The data were collected from different sources, the children, the parents, and teachers, by means of different methods. Using Growth Mixture Modeling (GMM), we identified three distinct social cognition trajectories: persistently mild difficulties reported by parents and teachers (7.9% of the children), stable low problems reported by parents and increased difficulties reported by teachers (10.5% of the sample), and stable low problems reported by both informants for most of the participants (81.5%). Comparison of the psychological outcomes between classes using regression models showed that the two trajectories including children with any level of problems differ from the normative one as regards their association with psychological problems, daily functioning, and variables, such as aggressive behavior and callousness. The two non-normative trajectories also differ from each other in terms of the personal characteristics of the adolescents included in them. Adolescents in the increasing problematic class in the school have a tougher and more problematic style of social relating, while children with persistent and non-context-dependent difficulties are more anxious. These results might help to better detect and design specific interventions for children with deficits in SC that might respond to different personal characteristics leading to different outcomes.

Use of buccal fat pad-derived stem cells cultured on bioceramics for repair of critical-sized mandibular defects in healthy and osteoporotic rats.

OBJECTIVE: To compare new bone formation in mandibular symphysis critical-sized bone defects (CSBDs) in healthy and osteoporotic rats filled with bioceramics (BCs) with or without buccal fat pad mesenchymal stem cells (BFPSCs). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-two adult female Sprague-Dawley rats were randomized to two groups (n = 16 per group): group 1 healthy and group 2 osteoporotic (with bilateral ovariectomy). The central portion of the rat mandibular symphysis was used as a physiological CSBD. In each group, eight defects were filled with BC (hydroxyapatite 60% and ß-tricalcium phosphate 40%) alone and eight with BFPSCs cultured on BC. The animals were sacrificed at 4 and 8 weeks, and the mandibles were processed for micro-computed tomography to analyze radiological union and bone mineral density (BMD); histological analysis of the bone union; and immunohistochemical analysis, which included immunoreactivity of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP-2). RESULTS: In both groups, CSBDs filled with BC + BFPSCs showed greater radiological bone union, BMD and histological bone union, and more VEGF and BMP-2 positivity, compared with CSBDs treated with BC alone at 4 and 8 weeks. CONCLUSIONS: The application of BFPSCs cultured on BCs improves bone regeneration in CSBDs compared with BCs alone in healthy and osteoporotic rats. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Our results may aid bone regeneration of maxillofacial CSBDs of both healthy and osteoporotic patients, but further studies are necessary.

Co-developmental Trajectories of Defiant/Headstrong, Irritability, and Prosocial Emotions from Preschool Age to Early Adolescence.

This study ascertains how the proposed subtypes and specifiers of oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) based on irritability and prosocial emotions co-develop and describes the clinical characteristics of the resultant classes. A sample of 488 community children was followed up from ages 3 to 12 years and assessed with categorical and dimensional measures answered by parents and teachers. Latent class growth analysis for three parallel processes [defiant/headstrong, irritability, and limited prosocial emotions (LPE)] identified a 4-class model with adequate entropy (.912) and posterior probabilities of class membership (≥ .921). Class 1 (n = 38, 7.9%) was made up of children with defiant/headstrong with chronic irritability and LPE. Class 2 (n = 128, 26.3%) was comprised of children with defiant/headstrong with chronic irritability and typical prosocial emotions. Class 3 (n = 101, 20.7%) clustered children with LPE without defiant/headstrong and without irritability. Class 4 (n = 220, 45.1%) included children with the lowest scores in all the processes. The classes were distinguishable and showed different clinical characteristics through development. These findings support the validity of ICD-11 ODD subtypes based on chronic irritability and may help to guide clinicians' decision-making regarding treating oppositionality in children.

Plasma levels of efavirenz and frequency of the CYP2B6 516G>T polymorphism in people living with HIV-1 in Mexico.

Efavirenz (EFV) is a widely used antiretroviral, due to its safety, efficacy, and low cost. However, plasma concentrations have been related with an increased risk of virological failure and the appearance of serious adverse reactions. EFV is metabolized by Cytochrome P450, the main isoenzyme involved is CYP2B6 and the most relevant genetic polymorphisms found in several populations has been the CYP2B6 516G> T. The aim of this study was to identify the frequency of the CYP2B6 516G>T polymorphism and its effect on the plasma concentration of efavirenz (EFV) in a group of people living with HIV (PLWH) and undergoing EFV treatment in Morelos, Mexico. Ninety-six PLWH undergoing EFV treatment, at a daily dose of 600 mg orally in combination with other antiretrovirals (ARVs), were included in this study. The CYP2B6 516G>T polymorphism was detected using PCR-RFLP. The plasma concentrations of EFV were evaluated by high-resolution liquid chromatography coupled to a mass-mass detector, using a protein precipitation method. The median plasma EFV concentration was 4.6 µg/mL (IQR = 4.64) and 64.6% of the subjects had concentrations above the therapeutic range. The CYP2B6 516G>T genotype findings were as follows: 46.9% of the population presented the wild-type genotype (GG), while 45.8 % and 7.3 % showed the heterozygote (GT) and the polymorphic homozygote (TT) genotype, respectively. The homozygote G had the lowest plasma concentrations of EFV (median = 4.1 µg/mL and IQR = 1.7 µg/mL), followed by those with the GT genotype (median = 5.1 µg/mL and IQR = 3.0 µg/mL). Participants with the homozygous T genotype had the highest EFV concentrations (median = 9.7 µg/mL and IQR = 5.8 µg/mL). In conclusion, the CYP2B6 516G>T polymorphism was associated with plasma levels of EFV in PLWH undergoing ARV treatment. EFV plasma concentrations at 600mg doses were outside the therapeutic range in most subjects.

Irritability, Defiant and Obsessive-Compulsive Problems Development from Childhood to Adolescence.

Little is known about the coexistence of oppositionality and obsessive-compulsive problems (OCP) in community children and how it affects their development until adolescence to prevent possible dysfunctions. The co-development of oppositional defiant dimensions and OCP is studied in 563 children (49.7% female) from ages 6 to 13 years, assessed yearly with measures answered by parents and teachers. A 4-class model based on Latent Class Growth Analysis for three parallel processes (irritability, defiant, and OCP) was selected, which showed adequate fitting indexes. Class 1 (n = 349, 62.0%) children scored low on all the measures. Class 2 (n = 53, 9.4%) contained children with high OCP and low irritability and defiant. Class 3 (n = 108, 19.2%) clustered children with high irritability and defiant and low OCP. Class 4 (n = 53, 9.4%) clustered comorbid irritability, defiant, and OCP characteristics. The classes showed different clinical characteristics through development. The developmental co-occurrence of irritability and defiant plus obsessive-compulsive behaviors is frequent and adds severity through development regarding comorbidity, peer problems, executive functioning difficulties, and daily functioning. The identification of different classes when combining oppositional problems and OCP may be informative to prevent developmental dysfunctions and to promote good adjustment through development.

Development of the Smart Tools Proneness Questionnaire (STP-Q): an instrument to assess the individual propensity to use smart tools.

Humans have developed a prolonged and special relationship with their tools, which themselves exhibit the propensity to become ever more intelligent across the years. A 'smart tool' is defined as to representing any entity, machine, or device that can complete an informational, mechanical, or electronic work. This work explains the development of the Smart Tool Proneness Questionnaire (STP-Q), which is designed to measure an individual's propensity to use smart tools. Data collection was designed to (1) identify the psychological dimensions underlying smart tool use (2) establish the questionnaire's reliability (3) validity, (4) propose a normalisation, and (5) provide an English translation of the French original. The work therefore implements a reliable and valid questionnaire, sensitive to inter-individual differences regarding the propensity to use smart tools. Statistical analysis reveals that the individual self-reported propensity for smart tool use rests on three factors (1) utilitarian use, (2) hedonic and social use, and (3) proneness to delegate. From a theoretical perspective, this individual propensity to use smart tools might be considered key to our species development. In practical terms, measuring an individual's propensity to use smart tools can be of considerable benefit to the design of future smart tools in both professional and non-professional settings. Practitioner summary: The STP-Q, a self-reported measure of an individual's propensity to use smart tools, was developed. STP-Q offers practitioners a measure of individual propensity to use smart tools along three dimensions: utilitarian use, hedonic and social use, and proneness to task delegate. Individual results can easily be interpreted from normalizations that STP-Q provides. Abbreviations: CFI: comparative fit index; GFI: goodness of fit index; IFI: incremental fit index; ISO: International Standardization Organization; IRB: institutional review board of the university of central Florida; IT: information technology; MATB: multi-attribute task battery; NMP-Q: no more phone phobia; RMSEA: root mean square error of approximation; STP-Q: smart tools proneness questionnaire; TAM: technology acceptance model; TRI: technology readiness index; UTAUT: unified theory of acceptance and use of technology; WAIS IV: Wechsler adult intelligence scale.

Low frequency of cytomegalovirus (CMV) disease despite high prevalence of CMV viraemia in patients with advanced HIV infection: a clinical and immunological 48-week follow-up study.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to investigate the dynamics of cytomegalovirus (CMV) replication and CMV-specific immune response recovery after antiretroviral treatment (ART) initiation in patients with advanced HIV infection. METHODS: A prospective observational study of patients with HIV infection and CD4 counts of < 100 cells/µL was carried out (September 2015 to July 2018). HIV viral load (VL), CD4 count and CMV VL were determined by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) at baseline and at 4, 12, 24 and 48 weeks, and CMV-specific immune response was determined by QuantiFERON-CMV assay at baseline and 48 weeks. All patients were started on ART but only those with CMV end-organ disease (EOD) received anti-CMV treatment. RESULTS: Fifty-three patients with a median age of 43.6 [interquartile range (IQR) 36.7-52.4] years were included in the study. At baseline, the median CD4 count was 30 cells/µL (IQR 20-60 cells/µL) and the median HIV VL was 462 000 HIV-1 RNA copies/mL (IQR 186 000-1 300 000 copies/mL). At baseline, 32% patients had detectable CMV viraemia but none had detectable CMV viraemia at 48 weeks. Only one of 53 (1.9%) patients developed EOD during follow-up. Seven (13.2%) patients were lost to follow-up and six (11.3%) died; none of the deaths was related to CMV. Similar percentages of patients had a CMV-specific immune response at baseline (71.7%) and at 48 weeks (70.0%). The magnitude of this response tended to increase over time [median 1.63 (IQR 0.15-5.77) IU/mL at baseline vs. median 2.5 (IQR 0.1-8.325) IU/mL at 48 weeks; P = 0.11]. We did not find any risk factors associated with 48-week mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Although the prevalence of CMV viraemia in patients with advanced HIV infection remains high, achieving a good immunological recovery through ART is enough to suppress CMV viraemia, without an increased risk of CMV EOD. The prevalence of a CMV-specific immune response was high and endured over time.

Politics, Pushback, and Pandemics: Challenges to Public Health Orders in the 1918 Influenza Pandemic.

During the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, many state governors faced an increasing number of acts of defiance as well as political and legal challenges to their public health emergency orders. Less well studied are the similar acts of protest that occurred during the 1918-1919 influenza pandemic, when residents, business owners, clergy, and even local politicians grew increasingly restless by the ongoing public health measures, defied public health edicts, and agitated to have them rescinded. We explore several of the themes that emerged during the late fall of 1918 and conclude that, although the nation seems to be following the same path as it did in 1918, the motivations for pushback to the 2020 pandemic are decidedly more political than they were a century ago.

Effect of the Melicoccus bijugatus leaf and fruit extracts and acidic solvents on the antimicrobial properties of chitosan-starch films.

AIM: Analysing the antimicrobial activity-against food-borne micro-organisms-of modified chitosan-starch films using formic and acetic acid as chitosan solvents and Melicoccus bijugatus leaves and fruit extracts. METHODS AND RESULTS: The films' antimicrobial activity against mesophilic aerobic bacteria, total coliform and fungi were also analysed, in accordance with the Mexican Official Norms (NOM-092-SSA1-1994, NOM-111-SSA1-1994 and NOM-113-SSA1-1994). The pH values of the films and extracts were measured, and the volatile compounds of the extracts and two films were determined by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) considering the relationship among the type of compounds, extracts concentration, films' pH and the antimicrobial activity against bacteria and fungi. The best results are obtained by films with formic acid and 10% (v/v) of leaf and fruit extracts, in comparison with untreated chitosan-starch films. CONCLUSIONS: The extracts' compounds improved the films' antimicrobial capacity and inhibited the growth of micro-organisms with no previous sterilization required. It is correlated to the pH of the media, the combination of solvent/extract used and its concentration. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: This is one of the few researches where the antimicrobial activity of M. bijugatus extracts is studied. It was found that the presence of these extracts is capable of improving the antimicrobial activities of chitosan-starch films. The performance of the modified films suggests their potential application as novel food packaging materials and encourages further research.

Effects of diabetes on oxidative stress, periodontal ligament fiber orientation, and matrix metalloproteinase 8 and 9 expressions during orthodontic tooth movement.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the influence of diabetes on oxidative stress, periodontal ligament (PDL) orientation, and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) 8 and 9 expressions during orthodontic tooth movement in a rat model. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An orthodontic appliance was placed in 60 Sprague-Dawley rats divided into three groups: normoglycemics (n = 20) and two streptozotocin-induced diabetic groups, one untreated (n = 20) and one insulin-treated (n = 20). At 24, 48, and 72 h and 1 week, rats were sacrificed. At each time point, myeloperoxidase (MPO) and malondialdehyde (MDA) were quantified by spectrophotometry, tooth movement was evaluated by micro-CT analysis, and hematoxylin and eosin staining was used to evaluate PDL fiber orientation and immunohistochemistry staining with semi-quantitative H-score analysis of MMP-8 and MMP-9 was performed.. RESULTS: At 24 h, MPO activity was significantly higher in untreated-diabetics than normoglycemics. At 24 and 48 h, the MDA level in untreated-diabetic rats was significantly higher than in normoglycemics and insulin-treated animals. At 72 h and 1 week, PDL fibers were oriented significantly more irregularly in untreated-diabetics than in normoglycemics. At all time points, MMP-8 and MMP-9 expressions were significantly higher in both diabetic groups than in the normoglycemic group. After the second day, tooth movement was significantly greater in untreated-diabetics than in the insulin-treated and normoglycemic groups. CONCLUSIONS: Mechanical stress in untreated-diabetic rats produces more inflammatory response, oxidative stress, tooth movement, PDL disorganization, and MMP-8 and MMP-9 expressions than among normoglycemics. Insulin reverses these effects, favoring the reorganization of periodontal ligament. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Our results suggest that the application of orthodontic force in diabetic patients would increase inflammation and delay periodontal restructuring. Insulin would partly reverse this situation although glycemic decompensation episodes may occur. For these reasons, the periods between fixed orthodontic appliance activations should be of sufficient duration to allow adequate tissue recovery.

The osmotic response capacity of the Antarctic fish Harpagifer antarcticus is insufficient to cope with projected temperature and salinity under climate change.

Over the last decades, climate change has intensified. Temperatures have increased and seawater has become "fresher" in Antarctica, affecting fish such as Harpagifer antarcticus. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate changes in the osmoregulatory response of the Antarctic notothenioid fish Harpagifer antarcticus and evaluate how it will cope with the future climate change and environmental conditions in the Antarctic, and in the hypothetical case that its geographical distribution will be extended to the Magellanes region. The present study was undertaken to determine the interaction between temperature and salinity tolerance (2 °C and 33 psu as the control group, the experimental groups were 5, 8, and 11 °C and 28 and 23 psu) and their effect on the osmoregulatory status of H. antarcticus. We evaluated changes in gill-kidney-intestine NKA activity, gene expression of NKAα, NKCC, CFTR, Aquaporins 1 and 8 in the same tissues, muscle water percentage, and plasma osmolality to evaluate osmoregulatory responses. Plasma osmolality decreased with high temperature, also the gill-kidney-intestine NKA activity, gene expression of NKA α, NKCC, CFTR, Aquaporins 1, and 8 were modified by temperature and salinity. We demonstrated that H. antarcticus can not live in the Magallanes region, due to its incapacity to put up with temperatures over 5 °C and with over 8 °C being catastrophic.

Compartments of the antebrachial fascia of the forearm: clinically relevant ultrasound, anatomical and histological findings.

PURPOSE: Acute compartment syndrome is defined as a limb-threatening condition caused by bleeding or oedema in a closed muscle compartment surrounded by fascia or bone. It is most commonly encountered in the forearm, which has three compartments: posterior, anterior and lateral. These are surrounded and closed in by the antebrachial fascia, formed by dense connective tissue that facilities their study on ultrasound and is key to fasciotomy treatment. The purpose of this study was to broaden existing ultrasound, anatomical and histological knowledge of the fascia of the forearm to facilitate their identification on ultrasound, with possible clinical and therapeutic applications. METHODS: The study was performed in 50 cryopreserved upper limbs from adult cadavers from the dissection room of the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. They were examined on ultrasound and subsequent anatomical dissection and microscopy to study the fascia and its relationship with different muscles of the forearm compartments. RESULTS: Distinct anatomical relationships were observed on ultrasound and dissection between the fascia and the extensor carpi ulnaris, extensor digiti minimi, and anconeus muscle in the posterior compartment, and the flexor carpi radialis and flexor carpi ulnaris in the anterior compartment. They were isolated by the antebrachial fascia and had distinct relationships with the neurovascular structures. CONCLUSION: These results demonstrate that high-definition ultrasound enables us to locate the antebrachial fascia and particular muscles with a distinct relationship with neurovascular structures. This helps better identify these structures, facilitating diagnosis of any pathology in the area, with potential therapeutic and clinical applications.