Perchlorate and chlorate assessment in drinking water in northern Chilean cities.

Perchlorate and chlorate are endocrine disruptors considered emerging contaminants (ECs). Both oxyanions are commonly associated with anthropogenic contamination from fertilizers, pesticides, explosives, and disinfection byproducts. However, the soils of the Atacama Desert are the most extensive natural reservoirs of perchlorate in the world, compromising drinking water sources in northern Chile. Field campaigns were carried (2014-2018) to assess the presence of these ECs in the water supply networks of twelve Chilean cities. Additionally, the occurrence of perchlorate, chlorate and other anions typically observed in drinking water matrices of the Atacama Desert (i.e., nitrate, chloride, sulfate) was evaluated using a Spearman correlation analysis to determine predictors for perchlorate and chlorate. High concentrations of perchlorate (up to 114.48 µg L-1) and chlorate (up to 9650 µg L-1) were found in three northern cities. Spatial heterogeneities were observed in the physicochemical properties and anion concentrations of the water supply network. Spearman correlation analysis indicated that nitrate, chloride, and sulfate were not useful predictors for the presence of perchlorate and chlorate in drinking water in Chile. Hence, this study highlights the need to establish systematic monitoring, regulation, and treatment for these EC of drinking water sources in northern Chilean cities for public health protection.

Artificial Sweeteners in Pig Feed: A Worldwide Survey and Case Study in Pig Farms in Tianjin, China.

Some artificial sweeteners (ASs) are used in pig feeds, although little is known on this regard. An investigation was conducted by determining seven common ASs in pig feed, manure, wastewater, compost, and soil from 16 pig farms in Tianjin, China. Saccharin (SAC) was predominant in feed (1.41-326 mg/kg) and manure samples (1.06-401 mg/kg). The annual mass loads of ASs in pig feeds were estimated at 5.69-119, 4.92-149, and 1.29-35 kg per 103 piglets, hogs, and sows, respectively. The annual emission of ASs via biowaste (i.e., manure) was estimated at 3.58-85.2, 0.04-26.2, and 0.08-9.97 kg per 103 capita for the three dominant ASs, i.e., SAC, neotame (NEO), and cyclamate (CYC). On a global scale, SAC was also widely detected at concentrations of 0.01-326 mg/kg in pig feed from China, Switzerland, Japan, Chile, and the United States, suggesting the worldwide use of ASs in pig feed. NEO and CYC were found in 41% and 30% of the feed samples, respectively, at concentrations of 0.05-70 mg/kg, whereas other ASs were barely found with rather lower concentrations. The annual mass loads of ASs consumed via pig feed consumption were estimated at 2400 tons worldwide. Thus, pig farming is an important source of ASs to the environment.

Purification and characterization of indochrome type blue pigment produced by Pseudarthrobacter sp. 34LCH1 isolated from Atacama desert.

The interest in and demand for natural dyes has increased significantly in recent years; however, very few natural blue dyes are commercially available, because blue colored compounds in nature are relatively rare. In this study, a blue pigment-producing bacteria from Lake Chungará (Atacama Desert, Chile) was isolated, and its blue pigment was purified and chemically characterized. The pigment-producing strain was identified as Pseudarthrobacter sp. by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The pigment was separated from the filtered culture medium by column chromatography/solid-phase extraction using different resins (ionic exchange, C-18, size exclusion). The strain produced up to 2.5 g L-1 of blue pigment, which was very soluble in water, partially soluble in methanol and insoluble in other organic solvents. The pigment was analyzed and characterized by analytical HPLC, UV-Vis, FT-IR, and H-NMR, and purified by semi-preparative HPLC. The pigment was non-toxic to brine shrimp (LD50 > 2.3 g L-1) and was stable at pH 6-10 at temperatures below 60 °C. HPLC analysis shows that the pigment is composed of four major blue fractions. The physicochemical properties and structural analysis demonstrate that this pigment belongs to the indochrome isomers, whose properties have yet to have been characterized. The high solubility in water, good stability in neutral and basic pH, and negligible toxicity of the blue pigment make it a good candidate suitable for several industrial and possibly some food applications.

Strategies used and lessons learned by community assistants in organising regional forums for cancer education in Iowa, USA.

Cancer prevention efforts at the community level are essential in the fight against cancer. Understanding community dynamics provides insights into building meaningful relationships between researchers and community organizations. In this study, community assistants were hired to organize and host forums to encourage interdisciplinary collaboration, with the goal of strengthening and transforming relationships between a university academic health center and communities. A 19-item questionnaire was developed to determine the strategies community assistants used to schedule and host community forums. Community assistants completed the questionnaire and were interviewed. Community assistants successfully scheduled and hosted 113 forums in 49 cities throughout the state of Iowa, with 2,209 persons attending. Strategies used included cold calls, using contact lists from the Iowa Cancer Consortium membership list, and contacts from business associates. Additionally, electronic and social media were used to arrange and advertise scheduled forums. The various strategies used and lessons learned by the community assistants proved successful in organizing and hosting forums throughout the state of Iowa, which reached 40 of Iowa's 99 counties. The efforts of the community assistants, the Iowa Cancer Consortium, and the Iowa Research Network, laid the foundation for continued cancer research and education collaboration between researchers and community organizations.

Spatiotemporal variability of pesticides concentration in honeybees (Apis mellifera) and their honey from western Mexico. Risk assessment for honey consumption.

The study conducted in the state of Colima, western Mexico, aimed to assess the 1) occurrence, 2) temporal variability, 3) spatial variability, and 4) potential risk for honeybees and human consumption of pesticide-contaminated honey. For that purpose, 48 pesticides were determined in bees and their honey during both dry and wet seasons. The research considered two variables: land use categorization (irrigated agriculture, rainfed agriculture, grassland, and forest area) and location (coastal, valley, and mountain). Bee and honey samples were collected, pre-treated using solid-phase extraction (SPE), and analyzed using LC-MS/MS and GC-MS techniques. Occurrence: of the total number of pesticides, 17 were detected in the bee samples and 12 in the honey samples. The pesticides with the highest concentrations in the bee samples were glufosinate ammonium, picloram, and permethrin, while in the honey samples, picloram, permethrin, and atrazine were the most prevalent. Temporal variability: analyses revealed significant differences between dry and wet seasons for glufosinate ammonium and DEET in bee samples and only for glufosinate ammonium in honey samples. Spatial variability: analyses showed a trend in the number of detected pesticides, with irrigated agriculture areas having the highest detection and grassland areas having the least. The human potential risk assessment of contaminated honey consumption indicated no risk. The bee's potential risk for consumption of pesticides contaminated honey revealed chronic effects due to permethrin in a general scenario, and carbofuran, diazinon and permethrin in the worst scenario, and potential risk of acute effects by permethrin. The findings of this study contribute to understanding the contamination levels of pesticides in bees and their honey, emphasizing the importance of monitoring and mitigating the adverse effects of pesticide exposure on bee populations and environmental health.

Cd2+ Sorption Alterations in Ultisol Soils Triggered by Different Engineered Nanoparticles and Incubation Times.

The progressive influx of engineered nanoparticles (ENPs) into the soil matrix catalyses a fundamental transformation in the equilibrium dynamics between the soil and the edaphic solution. This all-encompassing investigation is geared towards unravelling the implications of an array of ENP types, diverse dosages and varying incubation durations on the kinetics governing Cd2+ sorption within Ultisol soils. These soils have been subjected to detailed characterizations probing their textural and physicochemical attributes in conjunction with an exhaustive exploration of ENP composition, structure and morphology. To decipher the intricate nuances of kinetics, discrete segments of Ultisol soils were subjected to isolated systems involving ENP dosages of 20 and 500 mg ENPs·kg-1 (AgNPs, CuNPs and FeNPs) across intervals of 1, 3 and 6 months. The comprehensive kinetic parameters were unveiled by applying the pseudo-first-order and pseudo-second-order models. At the same time, the underlying sorption mechanisms were studied via the intra-particle diffusion model. This study underscores the substantial impact of this substrate on the kinetic behaviours of contaminants such as Cd, emphasizing the need for its consideration in soil-linked economic activities and regulatory frameworks to optimize resource management.

Cartilage oligomeric matrix protein enhances matrix assembly during chondrogenesis of human mesenchymal stem cells.

Cartilage oligomeric matrix protein/thrombospondin-5 (COMP/TSP5) is an abundant cartilage extracellular matrix (ECM) protein that interacts with major cartilage ECM components, including aggrecan and collagens. To test our hypothesis that COMP/TSP5 functions in the assembly of the ECM during cartilage morphogenesis, we have employed mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) chondrogenesis in vitro as a model to examine the effects of COMP over-expression on neo-cartilage formation. Human bone marrow-derived MSCs were transfected with either full-length COMP cDNA or control plasmid, followed by chondrogenic induction in three-dimensional pellet or alginate hydrogel culture. MSC chondrogenesis and ECM production was estimated based on quantitation of sulfated glycosaminoglycan (sGAG) accumulation, immunohistochemistry of the presence and distribution of cartilage ECM proteins, and real-time RT-PCR analyis of mRNA expression of cartilage markers. Our results showed that COMP over-expression resulted in increased total sGAG content during the early phase of MSC chondrogenesis, and increased immuno-detectable levels of aggrecan and collagen type II in the ECM of COMP-transfected pellet and alginate cultures, indicating more abundant cartilaginous matrix. COMP transfection did not significantly increase the transcript levels of the early chondrogenic marker, Sox9, or aggrecan, suggesting that enhancement of MSC cartilage ECM was effected at post-transcriptional levels. These findings strongly suggest that COMP functions in mesenchymal chondrogenesis by enhancing cartilage ECM organization and assembly. The action of COMP is most likely mediated not via direct changes in cartilage matrix gene expression but via interactions of COMP with other cartilage ECM proteins, such as aggrecan and collagens, that result in enhanced assembly and retention.

Enhanced removal of mercury and lead by a novel and efficient surface-functionalized imogolite with nanoscale zero-valent iron material.

A novel hybrid nanomaterial, nanoscale zero-valent iron (nZVI)-grafted imogolite nanotubes (Imo), was synthesized via a fast and straightforward chemical procedure. The as-obtained nanomaterial (Imo-nZVI) was characterized using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), electrophoretic mobility (EM), and vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM). The prepared Imo-nZVI was superparamagnetic at room temperature and could be easily separated by an external magnetic field. Sorption batch experiments were performed for single- and multicomponent systems and demonstrated that Hg2+ and Pb2+ could be quantitatively adsorbed at pH 3.0. For multicomponent systems, maximum adsorption capacities of 61.6 mg·g-1 and 76.9 mg·g-1 were obtained for Hg2+ and Pb2+ respectively. It was observed that the functional groups in Imo-nZVI interact preferentially with analytes according to the Misono softness parameter. The higher performance of Imo-nZVI compared with Imo and nZVI is related to the increased number of adsorption sites in the functionalized nanomaterial. The sorption equilibrium data obeyed the Langmuir model, while kinetic studies demonstrated that the sorption processes of Hg2+ and Pb2+ followed the pseudo-second-order model. This study suggests that the Imo-nZVI composite can be used as a promising sorbent to provide a simple and fast separation method to remove Hg and Pb ions from contaminated water.

Happiness, perceived stress, psychological well-being, and health behaviors of Thai university students: preliminary results from a multinational study on well-being.

Objective: Describe and compare levels of happiness, psychological well-being, perceived stress, and health behaviors of university students.Participants: Thai university students were selected (N = 478) during November 2016 using random cluster sampling.Methods: A health and well-being questionnaire was constructed, translated from English to Thai, back-translated, and pilot tested. Descriptive and chi-square statistics were calculated for study variables.Results: Thai male students had lower happiness and psychological well-being than Thai female students. Overall, Thai students had lower happiness and higher perceived stress than US/UK samples. Thai male students reported greater alcohol and tobacco use than Thai female students. Overall, Thai students reported inadequate diet (57%), poor sleep quantity/quality (67%) and depressive symptoms (40%).Conclusions: These preliminary results identify specific areas of concern in the health and well-being of Thai university students. Further analyses are needed to shed light on the factors contributing to these increased health risks.

Genome Sequence of Pseudomonas sp. Strain AN3A02, Isolated from Rhizosphere of Deschampsia antarctica Desv., with Antagonism against Botrytis cinerea.

Here, we announce the draft genome sequence of Pseudomonas sp. strain AN3A02, isolated from the rhizosphere of one of the only two species of vascular plants existing in the Antarctic continent, Deschampsia antarctica Desv. This isolate, which inhibited the mycelial growth of Botrytis cinerea in dual culture, has a genome sequence of 6,778,644 bp, with a G+C content of 60.4%. These draft genome sequence data provide insight into the genetics underpinning the antifungal activity of this strain.

Capture and accumulation of perchlorate in lettuce. Effect of genotype, temperature, perchlorate concentration, and competition with anions.

Various studies have evaluated the accumulation of ClO4(-) in lettuce (Lactuca sativa), but very few have dealt with the variables that can interfere with its capture. The present study evaluates the transfer of ClO4(-) in two L. sativa varieties: butter head (L. sativa var. capitata) and cos lettuce (L. sativa var. crispa) under hydroponic conditions. The ClO4(-) concentrations used correspond to levels (1 and 2mgL(-1)), measured in irrigation water in the Iquique region in the north of Chile. Results indicate that the capture of ClO4(-) is dependent on its concentration, lettuce genotype, and temperature. The butter head variety accumulates the highest perchlorate concentrations. Anion competition involving NO3(-) (16 and 48mM), Cl(-) (23 and 56mM), and SO4(2-) (10 and 20mM) was evaluated, being NO3(-) (48mM), the most significant competition reducing the concentration of ClO4(-) in tissues of L. sativa varieties.

Postdural puncture headache.

Questions from patients about pain conditions, analgesic pharmacotherapy and responses from authors are presented to help educate patients and make them more effective self-advocates. The causes and presentation of postdural headache is described in response to a query from a patient about this syndrome and its management. The normal clinical course and management using a blood patch are discussed.

Buprenorphine for chronic pain.

Questions from patients about pain conditions, analgesic pharmacotherapy and responses from authors are presented to help educate patients and make them more effective self-advocates. The use of transdermal buprenorphine for chronic pain management is discussed. A brief history of the medication is provided. The use of the medication in opioid maintenance, and withdrawal and other concerns are discussed. Possible side effects are described.

Efecto de las intervenciones de la segunda fase del programa de apoyo a la reforma del sector salud II sobre indicadores de proceso de salud materna / Effect of second stage of health reform support program´s interventions on maternal health indicators

Introducción: Las brechas en salud se incrementan entre las zonas urbana y rural. Y es necesario intervenciones que promuevan la atención integral, así como mejorar la infraestructura y equipamiento en los establecimientos de salud (EESS). Objetivo: Valorar la intervención de la Segunda Fase del Programa de Apoyo a la Reforma del Sector Salud (PARSALUD II) sobre indicadores de proceso de salud materna. Material y métodos: Se realizó estudio descriptivo longitudinal comparativo. Se comparó 07 indicadores de proceso de salud materno, al inicio y final del periodo del 2008 ­ 2013. Resultados: Se estudió a 66 EESS de 09 departamentos del Perú, los indicadores con cambios significativos en nivel de atención I, fueron: la cobertura de suplemento de sulfato ferroso de 23,85% ± 8,42 a 54,56 ± 14,38; la cobertura de corticoide por parto prematuro de 74,48% ± 40,69 a 84,35% ± 24,89; y en el nivel de atención II, fueron: el porcentaje de partos por cesárea del 8,04% ± 4,74 en el periodo inicial hasta 24,35% ±8,70, el indicador de uso de sulfato de magnesio en casos de hipertensión inducida por la gestación (HIG) de 27,8% ± 32,45 a 29,8% ± 31,78 al final del periodo. Conclusiones: los establecimientos de salud del ámbito del PARSALUD II, tuvieron un efecto importante sobre los indicadores del proceso de salud de la madre.

Rare case of right accessory renal artery originating as a common trunk with the inferior mesenteric artery: a case report.

Dissection of a male cadaver revealed several vascular abnormalities in the abdominal cavity, notably of the renal circulation. In particular, three renal arteries were observed on the right side and two on the left. On the right side, one accessory renal artery originated as a common trunk with the inferior mesenteric artery. Additional variations included a left inferior phrenic artery originating from the celiac trunk, bilateral testicular veins emptying into renal veins, and the left testicular artery arising from the left renal artery. The possible embryonic development of these branching patterns and their clinical significance are discussed briefly.