Attenuation of wind intensities exacerbates anoxic conditions leading to sulfur plume development off the coast of Peru.

The release of vast quantities of sulfide from the sediment into the water column, known as a sulfidic event, has detrimental consequences on fish catches, including downstream effects on other linked element cycles. Despite being frequent occurrences in marine upwelling regions, our understanding of the factors that moderate sulfidic event formation and termination are still rudimentary. Here, we examined the biogeochemical and hydrodynamic conditions that underpinned the formation/termination of one of the largest sulfur plumes to be reported in the Peruvian upwelling zone. Consistent with previous research, we find that the sulfur-rich plume arose during the austral summer when anoxic conditions (i.e., oxygen and nitrate depletion) prevailed in waters overlying the upper shelf. Furthermore, the shelf sediments were organically charged and characterized by low iron-bound sulfur concentrations, further enabling the diffusion of benthic-generated sulfide into the water column. While these biogeochemical conditions provided a predicate to sulfidic event formation, we highlight that attenuations in local wind intensity served as an event trigger. Namely, interruptions in local wind speed constrained upwelling intensity, causing increased stratification over the upper shelf. Moreover, disturbances in local wind patterns likely placed additional constraints on wind-driven mesoscale eddy propagation, with feedback effects on coastal elemental sulfur plume (ESP) formation. We suggest ESP development occurs as a result of a complex interaction of biogeochemistry with regional hydrodynamics.

Using Mobile Phone Data Collection Tool, Surveda, for Noncommunicable Disease Surveillance in Five Low- and Middle-income Countries.

OBJECTIVES: The Noncommunicable Disease (NCD) Mobile Phone Survey, a component of the Bloomberg Philanthropies Data for Health Initiative, determines the prevalence of NCDs and their associated risk factors and demonstrates the use of mobile phone administered surveys to supplement periodic national household surveys. The NCD Mobile Phone Survey uses Surveda to administer the survey; Surveda is an open-source, multi-modal software specifically developed for the project. The objective of the paper is to describe Surveda, review data collection methods used in participating countries and discuss how Surveda and similar approaches can improve public health surveillance. METHODS: Surveda features full-service survey design and implementation through a web application and collects data via Short Messaging Service (SMS), Interactive Voice Response (IVR) and/or mobile web. Surveda's survey design process employs five steps: creating a project, creating questionnaires, designing and starting a survey, monitoring survey progress, and exporting survey results. RESULTS: The NCD Mobile Phone Survey has been successfully conducted in five countries, Zambia (2017), Philippines (2018), Morocco (2019), Malawi (2019), and Sri Lanka (2019), with a total of 23,682 interviews completed. DISCUSSION: This approach to data collection demonstrates that mobile phone surveys can supplement face-to-face data collection methods. Furthermore, Surveda offers major advantages including automated mode-switch, question randomization and comparison features. CONCLUSION: Accurate and timely survey data informs a country's abilities to make targeted policy decisions while prioritizing limited resources. The high acceptance of Surveda demonstrates that the use of mobile phones for surveillance can deliver accurate and timely data collection.

Oil leakage induces changes in microbiomes of deep-sea sediments of Campos Basin (Brazil).

The Campos Basin (100,000 km2) is located on the continental shelf of southeastern Brazil. Despite the significant oil and gas industrial activities underway in the Campos Basin, scarce information is available regarding the hydrocarbon contents and microbial communities in the deep-sea sediments. To gain new insights on these aspects, we first obtained deep-sea sediment samples with different degrees of oil exposure. We obtained samples from a seabed fissure (N = 28), surroundings (250 m to 500 m from the fissure; N = 24), and a control area (N = 4). We used shotgun metagenomics to characterize the taxonomic and metabolic diversity and analyzed biogeochemical parameters (metal and oil concentration) of all samples. The high levels of unresolved complex mixture of hydrocarbons in the fissure indicate a potentially recent petrogenic contribution in these sediments. The fissure area was found to have a higher abundance of hydrocarbonoclastic bacterial genera and hydrocarbon degradation genes. These bacteria may be used as biosensors of sediment contamination. The effects of oil contamination, mainly around the fissure, are less clear at 250 m and 500 m, suggesting that the surroundings may not have been heavily affected by the oil leakage. Our study demonstrates that metagenomics can disclose biosensors for environmental monitoring.

Nutrient regeneration susceptibility under contrasting sedimentary conditions from the Rio de Janeiro coast, Brazil.

Dissolved silicate (DSi), NH4(+), NO3(-) and PO4(3-) susceptibility to be exchanged between sediment pore waters and overlying waters was evaluated in Jurujuba Sound (JS station) and Coroa Grande Sound (CGS station), southeastern Brazil. Sedimentary elemental (C, N and P) and isotopic (δ(13)C and δ(15)N) compositions evidenced stronger anthropogenic fertilization in JS station. Net NO3(-) influxes from overlying waters occurred, which was two orders of magnitude higher under the more fertilized condition. This condition resulted in 6-13-times higher net effluxes of NH4(+), DSi and PO4(3-) to overlying waters. Vertical alternation between production and consumption processes in pore waters contributed for a more limited regeneration in CGS station. This was associated with diagenetic responses to sedimentary grain size variability in deeper layers and biological disturbance in upper layers. Nearly continuous production of NH4(+), DSi and PO4(3-) in pore waters implied in intensified susceptibility to remobilization under the eutrophic condition of JS station.

Organic matter and pyritization relationship in recent sediments from a tropical and eutrophic bay.

The degree of pyritization (DOP) and the extension of metals incorporation into pyrite was investigated at Guanabara Bay sediments. Maximum concentrations of total organic carbon (TOC), total sulfur, biopolymers and viable bacteria cells were observed in silted stations close to discharge points of sewage and minimum concentrations at sandy stations at the entrance of the bay. Pyrite iron concentrations (Fepy) was always lower than the reactive iron and Fepy were below the detection limit at sandy stations. The same trend was found to metals, which its degree of pyritization was Mn=Cu>As=Co>Ni>Cd>Zn≫Pb>Cr. The bay gathers all required factors to sulfate reduction and pyrite formation, once the C:S ratio express the reduced tendency conditions, almost half of the TOC present in its sediments is labile and both reactive sulfur and iron are available. However the degree of trace metals pyritization did not exceed 20%, consistent with the median DOP (29%).

Comparación de tres técnicas de inducción anestésica para la inserción segura de máscara laríngea en adultos. Estudio prospectivo, controlado, randomizado y doble ciego / Comparison of three anesthetic induction techniques for safe insertion of laryngeal mask in adults. Prospective, controlled, randomized and double blind study

Introducción: En cirugía ambulatoria, la máscara laríngea (ML) es el dispositivo de elección para el manejo de la vía aérea. La ML provoca pocos reflejos faríngeos, pero su colocación requiere de una adecuada profundidad anestésica. El sevofluorano es un agente volátil que causa una rápida y suave inducción con una pronta recuperación. El propofol es el agente endovenoso más utilizado en estos casos y la literatura médica lo menciona como el agente de elección. Objetivo: Comparar las condiciones de inserción de la ML durante la inducción inhalatoria por el método de la capacidad vital con sevofluorano, versus la dosis única de propofol endovenoso y la técnica que combina bajas dosis de propofol y sevofluorano inhalatorio completando la inducción. Material y métodos: Se estudiaron 91 pacientes ASA I, II, randomizados que recibieron: inducción con (GS) sevofluorano como único agente, (GP) propofol como único agente o inducción con bajas dosis de propofol y ventilación manual con sevofluorano (GPS). Ningún paciente recibió relajantes musculares. Resultados: El propofol alcanzó mejores tiempos de desaparición del reflejo ciliar, tiempo de relajación mandibular y de inserción de la máscara laríngea (p = 0,0001). Sin embargo, fue el único agente que no impidió la aparición de tos durante la colocación de la ML (Chi2: p = 0,03) y movimientos luego de su inserción. (Chi2: p = 0,047). Discusión: Verificamos en nuestro estudio que la inducción con sevofluorano inhalatorio, o la que combina bajas dosis de propofol con sevofluorano, presenta mejores condiciones que el propofol como único agente para la colocación de la ML.

Análisis de políticas de salud y proceso de participación social, Nicaragua: 1982-1992

Este trabajo es un estudio de casos, que permite obtener una aproximación retrospectiva a la influencia del contexto sociosanitario, al proceso de toma de decisión o de formulación e implementación de estas políticas. Los resultados que aquí se presentan son el producto de los distintos puntos de vista de 13 decisores de política y 32 ejecutores. Se les entrevistó utilizando un temario semiestructurado. La participación en la toma de decisión en la formulación y la implementación de la política de participación social en salud (Jornadas Populares de Salud y Campaña de la "Vida del niño", se permitió a los actores sociales relevantes vinculados al partido en el poder, y por lo tanto al Ministerio de Salud, en los período de 1982 y 1986. En estos dos períodos, otros actores sociales fueron excluídos o se autoexcluyeron del proceso. En el período actual, la cantidad excesiva de actores sociales, no es por sí mismo una ventaja para el proceso de implementación de la política; al contrario, puede significar una traba para el proceso de toma de decisiones, por los múltiples y variados intereses en juego, difíciles de manejar por la institución y las instancias creadas para tal fin. En conclusión, las políticas de participación social en salud analizadas han generado dos dimensiones diferenciadas. El Ministerio de Salud ha desarrollado una tendencia a la institucionalización de los espacios y contenidos definidos en la política. En cambio, la dinámica de participación en salud de las organizaciones sociales está orientada al desarrollo de sus propios espacios y contenido de trabajo en salud.